bbc--2020-09-08--De Bruyne & England win PFA Player of the Year awards

Last updated on .From the section Premier League Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has won the Professional Footballers ' Association men 's Players ' Player of the Year award .
Beth England , 26 , won the women 's award having helped Chelsea do the Women 's Super League and League Cup double .
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold , 21 , won the men 's Young Player of the Year award .
Jordan Henderson was among five Liverpool players to be named in the Premier League team of the season .
And Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work combating child food poverty .
De Bruyne beat last year 's winner Virgil van Dijk , Alexander-Arnold , Sadio Mane , Henderson and City team-mate Raheem Sterling to the award voted for by his fellow players .
The Belgian is the first Manchester City player to win the award since its inception at the end of the 1973-74 season .
`` This is a big honour , '' he said .
`` To be voted by your colleagues , competitors from other teams who you always play against on the field .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ player ; it 's amazing .
`` It 's maybe strange that I 'm the first one at City , seeing all the good players who played there before and who are still playing .
But it 's nice to represent the club . ''
On Guardiola , he said : `` He gives me a lot of freedom ; I do n't know why , that 's just the way it goes between us .
`` He knows in one way I will always put the team first and then obviously if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do that .
He trusts me completely . ''
For the third consecutive year , the top award for the men 's category went to a player whose team did not win the Premier League title .
Reds pair Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were the past two winners and went on to lift the trophy last season , having come close in previous years .
De Bruyne , though , contributed a record-equalling 20 assists and scored 13 goals as Guardiola 's side came runners-up to Jurgen Klopp 's team last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 21 goals in all competitions for the Blues and prevented Arsenal 's Vivianne Miedema claiming the women 's award twice in a row .
England also beat her Chelsea team-mates Sophie Ingle , Guro Reiten and Ji So-yun , and Arsenal 's Kim Little .
`` It 's a huge honour to be voted for by your fellow peers , so thank you to everyone who voted for me , '' England said .
Alexander-Arnold won the men 's young player of the year award , ahead of Manchester United duo Rashford and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mason Mount , and Arsenal 's Bukayo Saka .
Premier League team of the year : Nick Pope ( Burnley ) , Trent Alexander-Arnold , Virgil van Dijk ( both Liverpool ) , Caglar Soyuncu ( Leicester ) , Andrew Robertson ( Liverpool ) , David Silva ( Manchester City ) , Jordan Henderson ( Liverpool ) , Kevin de Bruyne ( Manchester City ) , Jamie Vardy ( Leicester ) , Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ( Arsenal ) , Sadio Mane ( Liverpool ) .
Championship team of the year : Brice Samba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ben White , Liam Cooper ( all Leeds ) , Joe Bryan ( Fulham ) , Eberechi Eze ( QPR ) , Kalvin Phillips ( Leeds ) , Romaine Sawyers ( West Brom ) , Aleksandar Mitrovic ( Fulham ) , Ollie Watkins , Said Benrahma ( both Brentford ) .
League One team of the year : Marko Marosi , Fankaty Dabo ( both Coventry ) , Michael Ihiekwe ( Rotherham ) , Rob Dickie ( Oxford ) , Joe Jacobsen ( Wycombe ) , Cameron Brannagan ( Oxford ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crooks ( Rotherham ) , Armand Gnanduillet ( Blackpool ) , Ivan Toney ( Peterborough ) , Matt Godden ( Coventry ) .
League Two team of the year : Alex Palmer ( Plymouth ) , Perry Ng ( Crewe ) , Ben Tozer ( Cheltenham ) , Charlie Goode ( Northampton ) , Randell Williams ( Exeter ) , Antoni Sarcevic , Danny Mayor ( both Plymouth ) , Nicky Adams ( Northampton ) , Charlie Kirk ( Crewe ) , Eoin Doyle , Jerry Yates ( both Swindon ) .
London-based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rating for each player on the PFA shortlist by calculating how much they contributed to their team winning football matches .
According to its research , De Bruyne was predicted to win the PFA men 's Player of the Year award , scoring 382.4 in its rating system .
Van Dijk was closest to the Belgian with 357.5 .
Van Dijk helped Liverpool become champions for the first time in 30 years , keeping 15 clean sheets in 38 games , while City 's Raheem Sterling , who netted 20 goals last term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , Manchester United forward Rashford should have been the young player of the year , according to Carteret , with a rating of 314.4 .
Rashford , 22 , recorded his best tally of 17 goals in the Premier League last season , while Liverpool full-back Alexander-Arnold was rated second for his impressive 13 assists .
Chelsea midfielder Mount completed the top three .
Sports analysis company Gracenote also produced their own 'Global Player Index ' rankings , which are based on how a team performs when a specific player is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sports analysis , Simon Gleave , told BBC Sport : `` Salah is the best player in England given how Liverpool perform when he is on the field .
He is followed by his team-mates Mane and Firmino .
`` Four of the six nominees for the PFA Player of the Year are ranked in the top six of the Global Player Index for players currently in England .
Raheem Sterling is eighth and Jordan Henderson is 13th .
`` Henderson is ranked highest of all the players who are 30 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Kyle Walker . ''
Gleave added : `` Alexander-Arnold is currently by far the best young player in England given how Liverpool perform when he is on the field .
He is followed by Manchester City 's [ Phil ] Foden and Rashford of Manchester United .
`` All six of the players nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award are ranked in the Global Player Index top 10 of players in England born after 1 July 1998 . ''

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has won the Professional Footballers' Association men's Players' Player of the Year award.
De Bruyne, 29, praised City manager Pep Guardiola for helping him earn the honour, saying "he just lets me be me".
Beth England, 26, won the women's award having helped Chelsea do the Women's Super League and League Cup double.
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 21, won the men's Young Player of the Year award.
Jordan Henderson was among five Liverpool players to be named in the Premier League team of the season.
And Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford won a PFA merit award for his work combating child food poverty.
De Bruyne beat last year's winner Virgil van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane, Henderson and City team-mate Raheem Sterling to the award voted for by his fellow players.
The Belgian is the first Manchester City player to win the award since its inception at the end of the 1973-74 season.
"This is a big honour," he said. "To be voted by your colleagues, competitors from other teams who you always play against on the field. That they vote for you for best player; it's amazing.
"It's maybe strange that I'm the first one at City, seeing all the good players who played there before and who are still playing. But it's nice to represent the club."
Kevin de Bruyne is the first Manchester City player to win the PFA Player of the Year award
On Guardiola, he said: "He gives me a lot of freedom; I don't know why, that's just the way it goes between us.
"He knows in one way I will always put the team first and then obviously if I can help myself I'm going to do that. He trusts me completely."
For the third consecutive year, the top award for the men's category went to a player whose team did not win the Premier League title.
Reds pair Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah were the past two winners and went on to lift the trophy last season, having come close in previous years.
De Bruyne, though, contributed a record-equalling 20 assists and scored 13 goals as Guardiola's side came runners-up to Jurgen Klopp's team last term.
England, meanwhile, scored 21 goals in all competitions for the Blues and prevented Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema claiming the women's award twice in a row.
England also beat her Chelsea team-mates Sophie Ingle, Guro Reiten and Ji So-yun, and Arsenal's Kim Little.
"It's a huge honour to be voted for by your fellow peers, so thank you to everyone who voted for me," England said.
Alexander-Arnold won the men's young player of the year award, ahead of Manchester United duo Rashford and Mason Greenwood, Chelsea's Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount, and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.
Teams of the year
Premier League team of the year: Nick Pope (Burnley), Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk (both Liverpool), Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), David Silva (Manchester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), Sadio Mane (Liverpool).
Championship team of the year: Brice Samba (Nottingham Forest), Luke Ayling, Ben White, Liam Cooper (all Leeds), Joe Bryan (Fulham), Eberechi Eze (QPR), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Romaine Sawyers (West Brom), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma (both Brentford).
League One team of the year: Marko Marosi, Fankaty Dabo (both Coventry), Michael Ihiekwe (Rotherham), Rob Dickie (Oxford), Joe Jacobsen (Wycombe), Cameron Brannagan (Oxford), Liam Walsh (Coventry), Matt Crooks (Rotherham), Armand Gnanduillet (Blackpool), Ivan Toney (Peterborough), Matt Godden (Coventry).
League Two team of the year: Alex Palmer (Plymouth), Perry Ng (Crewe), Ben Tozer (Cheltenham), Charlie Goode (Northampton), Randell Williams (Exeter), Antoni Sarcevic, Danny Mayor (both Plymouth), Nicky Adams (Northampton), Charlie Kirk (Crewe), Eoin Doyle, Jerry Yates (both Swindon).
Do the analysts agree?
London-based investment company Carteret Analytics worked out a rating for each player on the PFA shortlist by calculating how much they contributed to their team winning football matches.
According to its research, De Bruyne was predicted to win the PFA men's Player of the Year award, scoring 382.4 in its rating system. Van Dijk was closest to the Belgian with 357.5.
Van Dijk helped Liverpool become champions for the first time in 30 years, keeping 15 clean sheets in 38 games, while City's Raheem Sterling, who netted 20 goals last term, ended third with a 325.3 rating.
PFA Player of the Year According to Carteret ratings Source:
Meanwhile, Manchester United forward Rashford should have been the young player of the year, according to Carteret, with a rating of 314.4.
Rashford, 22, recorded his best tally of 17 goals in the Premier League last season, while Liverpool full-back Alexander-Arnold was rated second for his impressive 13 assists. Chelsea midfielder Mount completed the top three.
PFA Young Player of the Year According to Carteret Source:
Sports analysis company Gracenote also produced their own 'Global Player Index' rankings, which are based on how a team performs when a specific player is on the pitch.
Gracenote player rankings Highest ranked players in England by 'Global Player Index' Source: Gracenote, Hypercube
Gracenote's head of sports analysis, Simon Gleave, told BBC Sport: "Salah is the best player in England given how Liverpool perform when he is on the field. He is followed by his team-mates Mane and Firmino.
"Four of the six nominees for the PFA Player of the Year are ranked in the top six of the Global Player Index for players currently in England. Raheem Sterling is eighth and Jordan Henderson is 13th.
"Henderson is ranked highest of all the players who are 30 or over, just ahead of Manchester City's Kyle Walker."
Gracenote's young player rankings Highest ranked in Premier League aged under 21 on 1 July 2019 Source: Gracenote, Hypercube
Gleave added: "Alexander-Arnold is currently by far the best young player in England given how Liverpool perform when he is on the field. He is followed by Manchester City's [Phil] Foden and Rashford of Manchester United.
"All six of the players nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award are ranked in the Global Player Index top 10 of players in England born after 1 July 1998."


bbc--2020-09-09--Moria migrants: Fire destroys Greece's camp on Lesbos

`` We urge all to exercise restraint , '' it said , and asked anyone who had been at the camp `` to restrict their movements and stay near [ the site ] , as a temporary solution is being found to shelter them . ''
Fire broke out in more than three places in a short space of time , local fire chief Konstantinos Theofilopoulos told state television channel ERT .
Protesting migrants hindered firefighters who tried to tackle the flames , he said .
The main blaze was put out by Wednesday morning , although Mr Theofilopoulos said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside some containers at the site .
`` Now with the first light I can see that there is a few tents that make it , they are okay , but the rest of the camp , as I can see from this distance , is burnt out , '' Thanasis Voulgarakis said .
Lesbos deputy governor Aris Hatzikomninos reportedly told local radio the camp had been `` completely destroyed '' .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called an emergency meeting on the fire on Wednesday morning , and several ministers are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson meanwhile said she had agreed to finance the transfer of 400 unaccompanied teenagers and children to the mainland and their accommodation .
How did the fires start ?
Greek news agency ANA said the fires had broken out after some of the 35 had refused to move into isolation with their families but this is unconfirmed .
There are wildfires burning elsewhere on Lesbos , fanned by strong winds in the region .
But some migrants told BBC Persian the fire had broken out after scuffles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp .
Several blamed `` far-right Greeks '' for the blaze after the announcement of coronavirus cases , and took photos of what they said were canisters used to set the flames Marco Sandrone , Lesbos project co-ordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières ( MSF ) , told BBC World Service it was difficult to say what had caused the blaze , with several different fires and protests erupting in the camp .
`` It 's a time bomb that finally exploded , '' he said , adding that people had been kept in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for years .
`` It is a very difficult situation because some of those who are outside will include people who are positive [ for coronavirus ] , '' the town 's mayor reportedly told local radio .
What is the camp ?
It was built for just 2,000 people but has been overwhelmed by huge numbers of refugees .
An overflow site - the Kara Tepe Refugee Camp - has since been built but there is still not enough space to accommodate all arrivals .

"Now with the first light I can see that there is a few tents that make it, they are okay, but the rest of the camp, as I can see from this distance, is burnt out," Thanasis Voulgarakis said.


bbc--2020-09-09--Justice dept seeks to defend Trump defamation case

The US Department of Justice has taken legal action to defend President Donald Trump in a defamation case from a woman who accuses him of raping her .
Under a court filing , the department is moving to replace the president 's private lawyers and take over the case .
Columnist E Jean Carroll accuses Mr Trump of assaulting her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s .
In a lawsuit , she argues the president defamed her when he denied her claim by saying she `` was n't his type '' .
Mr Trump 's critics say that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US justice department , which is meant to operate independently of the White House .
The president has until now been represented in the case , which was filed in New York state court in November 2019 , by his personal lawyer Marc Kasowitz .
What did the justice department say ?
Its lawyers argue in Tuesday 's court filing that Mr Trump can be defended by government attorneys because he was serving in his capacity as president when he denied Ms Carroll 's allegation .
`` President Trump was acting within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States at the time of the incidents out of which the Plaintiff 's defamation claim arose , '' says the filing .
It seeks to elevate the case to a federal court from a state court .
The government lawyers cite the Federal Tort Claims Act , which offers US government employees a degree of immunity from being sued .
University of Texas law school professor Steve Vladeck told CNN that such an intervention by the justice department was highly unusual .
The legal analyst said the court filing could effectively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not be sued for defamation .
The move comes a month after a state court judge said Mr Trump could not use a legal immunity defence in the case .
The president is currently in the midst of a campaign for re-election against Democratic challenger Joe Biden in November .
Ms Carroll - who is an advice columnist for Elle magazine - said in a statement : `` Today 's actions demonstrate that Trump will do everything possible , including using the full powers of the federal government , to block discovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the upcoming election to try to prevent a jury from ever deciding which one of us is lying . ''
Her legal team is asking the president to provide a DNA sample so they can determine whether his genetic material is on a black Donna Karan dress that she says she was wearing at the time of the alleged assault .
Her lawyer , Roberta A Kaplan , said in a statement on Tuesday evening that the justice department intervention was `` shocking '' .
`` Trump 's effort to wield the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his private misconduct is without precedent and shows even more starkly how far he is willing to go to prevent the truth from coming out , '' the lawyer said .
She says the attack happened at a Bergdorf Goodman store in Midtown Manhattan in late 1995 or early 1996 , when the pair bumped into each other while shopping .
The former Apprentice star and real estate magnate allegedly asked her for advice when buying lingerie for another woman and jokingly asked her to model it for him .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunged at her , pinned her against a wall and forced himself on her .
• Trump says sexual assault accuser 'not my type' Ms Carroll claims she managed to push him off after a `` colossal struggle '' .
Both Mr Trump and Ms Carroll were aged around 50 at the time , and he was married to Marla Maples .
Mr Trump has publicly denied the allegation several times , including saying that Ms Carroll was `` totally lying '' and her claim was `` fiction '' .

Ms Carroll - who is an advice columnist for Elle magazine - said in a statement: "Today's actions demonstrate that Trump will do everything possible, including using the full powers of the federal government, to block discovery from going forward in my case before the upcoming election to try to prevent a jury from ever deciding which one of us is lying."


bbc--2020-09-08--Thwaites: 'Doomsday Glacier' vulnerability seen in new maps

Scientists may just have identified Thwaites Glacier 's Achilles heel .
This Antarctic colossus is melting at a rapid rate , dumping billions of tonnes of ice in the ocean every year and pushing up global sea-levels .
Now , a UK-US team has surveyed the deep seafloor channels in front of the glacier that almost certainly provide the access for warm water to infiltrate and attack Thwaites ' underside .
It 's information that will be used to try to predict the ice stream 's future .
`` These channels had not been mapped before in this kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that they 're actually much bigger than anyone thought - up to 600m deep .
Think of six football pitches back to back , '' said Dr Kelly Hogan from the British Antarctic Survey ( BAS ) .
`` And because they are so deep , and so wide - this allows a lot more water to get at , and melt , Thwaites ' floating front as well as its ice that rests on the seabed , '' she told BBC News .
Why is Thwaites Glacier so important ?
Flowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Thwaites is almost as big as Great Britain .
It 's a majestic sight , with its buoyant front , or `` ice shelf '' , pushing far out to sea and kicking off huge icebergs .
But satellite monitoring indicates this glacier is melting at an accelerating rate .
In the 1990s it was losing just over 10 billion tonnes of ice a year .
Today , it 's more like 80 billion tonnes .
The cause of the melting is thought to be the influx of relatively warm bottom-water drawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Thwaites ' ice loss contributes approximately 4 % to the annual rise in global sea-levels , with the potential to add 65cm in total should the whole glacier collapse .
No-one thinks this will happen in the short-to-medium term , but Thwaites is considered particularly vulnerable in a warming world , and scientists would like to know precisely how fast any changes might occur .
What does the latest research show ?
The UK and the US joined forces in 2019 to investigate Thwaites .
Their scientists sailed a ship equipped with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's ice cliffs , to trace the shape of the seabed below .
A plane was also flown back and forth across the shelf to measure small variations in the pull of gravity .
These deviations reflected the seafloor 's undulations beneath the shelf .
The two datasets taken together now provide the best view yet of Thwaites ' underlying topography .
They trace the path of a network of deep channels that cut through a ridge before joining up to form a major cavity under the ice shelf .
`` The connected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first time are the potential pathways for deep-ocean warm water to get in and do damage at that point where the glacier is still grounded on the seabed , where it begins to lift up and float , '' explained BAS colleague Dr Tom Jordan , `` but also to melt the base of the ice shelf , which if you weaken will make the ice further upstream in the glacier flow faster . ''
How will the new survey information be used ?
Scientists need real-world data to corral their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of possible future behaviour , they get realistic outcomes .
The new information refines the volumes for ingressing warm water that can be considered possible under different scenarios .
In conducting their survey , scientists also now have a better idea of the general roughness of the seafloor .
This tells them about the sorts of speeds ice further back in the glacier can achieve as it slides across rock and sediment .
What the researchers have produced , if you like , is a kind of `` stickiness index '' to additionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to happen in the near future ?
At the moment , the eastern side of the ice shelf is hooked on to a large ridge , which gives it stability .
But the current melting trend would suggest this situation wo n't last much longer , says BAS 's Dr Robert Larter .
`` When the Eastern Ice Shelf becomes unpinned , the ice will spread out and thin , eventually breaking up , as we can see is happening right now on the ( central ) glacier tongue , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ice shelf break-up , the unpinning and thinning will reduce the buttressing effect of the ice shelf on the glacier upstream of it , resulting in increased ice flow velocity .
This in turn will further accelerate thinning of the glacier and grounding line retreat . ''
British and American scientists have had to temporarily suspend their investigations at Thwaites because of the Covid-19 crisis .
Teams were due to head back to the glacier this austral summer , but the location 's remoteness means the risks are too great should anyone fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properly contained , the scientists will return , however .
`` It 's amazing to go to a place like Thwaites to see the changes taking place right before your eyes , '' said Dr Hogan .
`` When we were there in 2019 , we were able to get right up to the ice shelf cliffs , and the reason we could do that and make our observations was because the icebergs and sea-ice that have always been there historically are starting to disappear . ''
The latest research is published in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and can be accessed here and here .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

Thwaites: 'Doomsday Glacier' vulnerability seen in new maps Published 9 September 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Our chief environment correspondent Justin Rowlatt visited Thwaites in January
Scientists may just have identified Thwaites Glacier's Achilles heel.
This Antarctic colossus is melting at a rapid rate, dumping billions of tonnes of ice in the ocean every year and pushing up global sea-levels.
Now, a UK-US team has surveyed the deep seafloor channels in front of the glacier that almost certainly provide the access for warm water to infiltrate and attack Thwaites' underside.
It's information that will be used to try to predict the ice stream's future.
"These channels had not been mapped before in this kind of detail, and what we've discovered is that they're actually much bigger than anyone thought - up to 600m deep. Think of six football pitches back to back," said Dr Kelly Hogan from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).
"And because they are so deep, and so wide - this allows a lot more water to get at, and melt, Thwaites' floating front as well as its ice that rests on the seabed," she told BBC News.
Why is Thwaites Glacier so important?
Flowing off the west of the Antarctic continent, Thwaites is almost as big as Great Britain.
It's a majestic sight, with its buoyant front, or "ice shelf", pushing far out to sea and kicking off huge icebergs. But satellite monitoring indicates this glacier is melting at an accelerating rate.
In the 1990s it was losing just over 10 billion tonnes of ice a year. Today, it's more like 80 billion tonnes. The cause of the melting is thought to be the influx of relatively warm bottom-water drawn in from the wider ocean.
Currently, Thwaites' ice loss contributes approximately 4% to the annual rise in global sea-levels, with the potential to add 65cm in total should the whole glacier collapse.
No-one thinks this will happen in the short-to-medium term, but Thwaites is considered particularly vulnerable in a warming world, and scientists would like to know precisely how fast any changes might occur.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Dr Kelly Hogan explains the significance of the new research
What does the latest research show?
The UK and the US joined forces in 2019 to investigate Thwaites.
Their scientists sailed a ship equipped with an echo-sounder right up to the glacier's ice cliffs, to trace the shape of the seabed below.
A plane was also flown back and forth across the shelf to measure small variations in the pull of gravity. These deviations reflected the seafloor's undulations beneath the shelf.
The two datasets taken together now provide the best view yet of Thwaites' underlying topography. They trace the path of a network of deep channels that cut through a ridge before joining up to form a major cavity under the ice shelf.
"The connected channels that we've mapped in detail for the first time are the potential pathways for deep-ocean warm water to get in and do damage at that point where the glacier is still grounded on the seabed, where it begins to lift up and float," explained BAS colleague Dr Tom Jordan, "but also to melt the base of the ice shelf, which if you weaken will make the ice further upstream in the glacier flow faster."
How will the new survey information be used?
Scientists need real-world data to corral their models so that when they run simulations of possible future behaviour, they get realistic outcomes.
The new information refines the volumes for ingressing warm water that can be considered possible under different scenarios.
In conducting their survey, scientists also now have a better idea of the general roughness of the seafloor.
This tells them about the sorts of speeds ice further back in the glacier can achieve as it slides across rock and sediment. What the researchers have produced, if you like, is a kind of "stickiness index" to additionally constrain the computer models.
Image source, Alex Mazur Image caption, Thwaites' size and melt rate have led to it being dubbed the "Doomsday Glacier"
What's likely to happen in the near future?
At the moment, the eastern side of the ice shelf is hooked on to a large ridge, which gives it stability. But the current melting trend would suggest this situation won't last much longer, says BAS's Dr Robert Larter.
"When the Eastern Ice Shelf becomes unpinned, the ice will spread out and thin, eventually breaking up, as we can see is happening right now on the (central) glacier tongue," he told BBC News. "Even before ice shelf break-up, the unpinning and thinning will reduce the buttressing effect of the ice shelf on the glacier upstream of it, resulting in increased ice flow velocity. This in turn will further accelerate thinning of the glacier and grounding line retreat."
British and American scientists have had to temporarily suspend their investigations at Thwaites because of the Covid-19 crisis.
Teams were due to head back to the glacier this austral summer, but the location's remoteness means the risks are too great should anyone fall ill. Once the coronavirus outbreak has been properly contained, the scientists will return, however.
"It's amazing to go to a place like Thwaites to see the changes taking place right before your eyes," said Dr Hogan. "When we were there in 2019, we were able to get right up to the ice shelf cliffs, and the reason we could do that and make our observations was because the icebergs and sea-ice that have always been there historically are starting to disappear."
The latest research is published in two papers in the journal The Cryosphere, and can be accessed here and here.


bbc--2020-09-09--Daniel Prude death: Rochester police leaders resign in protest at attacks

The leadership of a New York state police force has stepped down following the death of a black man who was hooded and restrained during an arrest .
Announcing his retirement , Rochester police chief La'Ron Singletary said he could not stand by as his handling of the case was being distorted .
A grand jury will help determine whether charges should be brought over Daniel Prude 's death in March .
Seven police officers involved in his arrest have been suspended .
Mr Prude , 41 , was said to be suffering from acute mental health problems when police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naked in the street in light snowfall and restrained him with a `` spit hood '' , which is designed to protect police from detainees ' saliva .
Footage of the incident emerged only recently , igniting fresh protests three months after anti-racism demonstrations rocked the US following the death of George Floyd in Minnesota .
What did the police chiefs say ?
Chief Singletary said in his statement on Tuesday : `` As a man of integrity , I will not sit idly by while outside entities attempt to destroy my character @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicisation of the actions that I took after being informed of Mr Prude 's death is not based on facts , and is not what I stand for , '' he added .
Deputy Chief Joseph Morabito also said he would retire , adding that he had worked on the police force for 34 years .
The police chief has denied his department tried to keep details of Mr Prude 's death out of public view .
The police union said officers had followed their training `` step by step '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Michael Mazzaeo , president of the Rochester Police Locust Club , a union .
He added that the officers were in a difficult position trying to help someone who appeared to have a mental illness .
President Donald Trump , a Republican who is accusing Democrats of being anti-police ahead of November 's election , tweeted about the resignations .
`` The Democrat Mayor and , of courses [ sic ] , Governor Cuomo , have no idea what to do .
New York State is a mess , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Other senior commanders may also retire , Mayor Warren said according to AP news agency .
The city leader has already said systemic racism led to Mr Prude 's death .
Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren also said she had not asked for Mr Singletary 's resignation .
`` He did not in any way try to cover this up , '' she added .
Later on Tuesday , Mayor Warren said that Mr Singletary would remain in charge of the police department until the end of September .
`` While the timing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we have faced tough times before .
We will get through this together , '' she said in a statement .
The mayor said she would be meeting with city council `` to chart a path forward '' , adding that she is `` committed to instituting the reforms necessary in our police department '' .
Last week , when details of Mr Prude 's death became public following a public records request , the mayor expressed frustration with the police chief for not informing her sooner of the case .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prude 's death to her as a drug overdose .
Police body camera video obtained by the family shows Mr Prude lying on the ground as officers restrain him .
Mr Prude , who was not carrying a weapon , can be seen complying with officers immediately .
While sitting on the road , he becomes agitated , alternately asking for money or a gun and spitting on the ground .
An officer says Mr Prude told them he has Covid-19 , and they place the spit hood on him .
One officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prude 's head with both hands , saying `` stop spitting '' .
Mr Prude stops moving and goes quiet , and officers note he feels cold .
Mr Prude was taken to hospital in an ambulance .
His family agreed to him being taken off life support a week later on 30 March .
The Monroe County medical examiner ruled Mr Prude 's death a homicide caused by `` complications of asphyxia in the setting of physical restraint '' , according to a post-mortem examination .
The autopsy report also cited `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phencyclidine , or the drug PCP , as contributing factors .

"The mischaracterisation and the politicisation of the actions that I took after being informed of Mr Prude's death is not based on facts, and is not what I stand for," he added.


bbc--2020-09-09--Kim Kardashian announces end of long-running hit reality show

The long-running TV reality show about the Kardashian family is coming to an end , Kim Kardashian West has announced .
`` It is with heavy hearts that we 've made the difficult decision as a family to say goodbye to Keeping Up With The Kardashians , '' she said in a statement posted on Twitter .
The show has run for 14 years , and made global mega-stars of Kim , her siblings , their parents , partners and children .
The final season , its 21st , will air in early 2021 .
Expressing her thanks to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in the programme , Kim also added : `` I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who has watched and supported me and my family these past 14 incredible years . ''
`` This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever , '' she went on .
After news of the show 's demise became known , her sister and co-star Khloe Kardashian tweeted : `` The emotions are overflowing today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Most of the family were unknown when the show started in 2007 .
Kim had appeared in some episodes of her friend Paris Hilton 's reality show and her attorney father , Robert , was known for defending OJ Simpson at his infamous murder trial .
Robert Kardashian died in 2003 .
Early shows focused on the lives of Kim and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe and their partners , including Kourtney 's ex-boyfriend Scott Disick , Kim 's ex-husband Kris Humphries and Khloe 's ex-husband Lamar Odom .
It eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her now ex-husband Caitlyn Jenner - then the only famous figure in the show , as an Olympic gold medal-winning decathlete - and half sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner .
Despite being heavily-panned by critics and accused of making people famous for being famous , the show has enjoyed huge ratings , won awards and been one of E !
channel 's most successful shows .
Kim , 39 , has since become one of the world 's most celebrated women , with hundreds of millions of social media followers and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kanye West in 2014 , with whom she has four children and a reputed joint net worth of more than a billion dollars .
She recently spoke about her husband 's mental health issues following a series of erratic statements from him as he began a run for the US presidency .
Kendall and Kylie Jenner were children when the show first began in 2007 , but became stars in their own right , and are now - at the ages of 24 and 23 - among the world 's most important influencers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named by Forbes magazine as the youngest self-made billionaire of all time thanks to her hugely popular cosmetics business .
But in May , the magazine accused her family of inflating the value of her the business , and struck her from its list of billionaires .
A spokesperson for E !
said in a statement to CNN : `` While it has been an absolute privilege and we will miss them wholeheartedly , we respect the family 's decision to live their lives without our cameras . ''
Reacting to the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter : `` Congrats on a great run guys .
Will always be a game changer . ''
But one Twitter user called Jennifer said she would be glad to see the back of the famous family .
`` That is a miracle , '' she wrote .
`` It has been rich trash on television since it started .
Some things really should be kept private . ''

Kim, 39, has since become one of the world's most celebrated women, with hundreds of millions of social media followers and a thriving beauty business. She married rapper Kanye West in 2014, with whom she has four children and a reputed joint net worth of more than a billion dollars. She recently spoke about her husband's mental health issues following a series of erratic statements from him as he began a run for the US presidency.


bbc--2020-09-09--Autistic teenager in Utah shot by police after mother calls for help

A 13-year-old boy in Glendale , Utah , was shot several times by police officers after his mother called 911 for help with his mental health crisis .
Linden Cameron , who has Asperger 's , a form of autism , is now in a serious condition in hospital , his mother said .
Golda Barton said she had believed police attending on Friday night would use `` the most minimal force possible '' .
Salt Lake City Police Sgt Keith Horrocks told reporters that the incident was now being investigated .
Speaking to local CBS-affiliate KUTV , Ms Barton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her son needed to be taken to hospital for treatment .
He was experiencing a crisis because it was her first day back at work in almost a year and `` he has bad separation anxiety '' , she said .
`` I said , he 's unarmed , he does n't have anything , he just gets mad and he starts yelling and screaming , '' Ms Barton said .
`` He 's a kid , he 's trying to get attention , he does n't know how to regulate . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ health crises ?
At a press conference , Sgt Horrocks said officers were called to a `` violent psych issue '' and reports that a boy - who they did not name - had made `` threats to some folks with a weapon '' .
He added that there was no indication when they attended that the boy was armed .
An officer shot the boy when he tried to flee on foot , Sgt Horrocks said .
According to an online fundraiser set up to raise money for medical bills , Linden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoulder , both ankles , intestines and bladder '' .
`` The long-term effects of his injuries are still unknown , but it is likely that his recovery will be long and require multiple kinds of treatment , '' the page , set up by a friend of the family , says .
According to data compiled and regularly updated by the Washington Post , 1,254 people with a mental illness have been shot dead by US police since the beginning of 2015 .
This represents 22 % of all people shot and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that period .

At a press conference, Sgt Horrocks said officers were called to a "violent psych issue" and reports that a boy - who they did not name - had made "threats to some folks with a weapon". He added that there was no indication when they attended that the boy was armed.


bbc--2020-09-09--Coronavirus: Oxford University vaccine trial paused after participant falls ill

Final clinical trials for a coronavirus vaccine , developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University , have been put on hold after a participant had a suspected adverse reaction in the UK .
AstraZeneca described it as a `` routine '' pause in the case of `` an unexplained illness '' .
The outcome of vaccine trials is being closely watched around the world .
The AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine is seen as a strong contender among dozens being developed globally .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
• What drugs can help treat coronavirus ?
Hopes have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the first to come on the market , following successful phase 1 and 2 testing .
Its move to Phase 3 testing in recent weeks has involved some 30,000 participants in the US as well as in the UK , Brazil and South Africa .
Phase 3 trials in vaccines often involve thousands of participants and can last several years .
The New York Times is reporting a volunteer in the UK trial has been diagnosed with transverse myelitis , an inflammatory syndrome that affects the spinal cord and can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cause of the illness has not been confirmed and an independent investigation will now work out if there was any link to the vaccine .
Decision on restarting trial could be days away At first glance this may seem alarming .
A vaccine trial - and not just any vaccine , but one receiving massive global attention - is put on hold due to a suspected serious adverse reaction .
But such events are not unheard of .
Indeed the Oxford team describe it as `` routine '' .
Any time a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause of their illness is not immediately apparent it triggers a study to be put on hold .
This is actually the second time it has happened with the Oxford University/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine trial since the first volunteers were immunised in April .
An Oxford University spokesperson said : `` In large trials , illnesses will happen by chance but must be independently reviewed to check this carefully . ''
A final decision on restarting the trial will be taken by the medical regulator the MHRA , which could take only days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the UK , Brazil , South Africa and the USA are on hold .
The Oxford University team believe this process illustrates that they are committed to the safety of their volunteers and the highest standards of conduct in their studies .
Wellcome Trust director Sir Jeremy Farrar , an expert in infectious disease control , said there were often pauses in vaccine trials .
It was important any adverse reactions were taken seriously , he said .
And it underlined the importance of `` independent oversight '' .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared openly and transparently because the public must have absolute trust that these vaccines are safe and effective and , in the end , will hopefully bring the pandemic to a close , '' Sir Jeremy added .
Where are we in the search for a vaccine ?
US President Donald Trump has said he wants a vaccine available in the US before 3 November 's election , but his comments have raised fears that politics may be prioritised over safety in the rush for a vaccine .
On Tuesday , a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reassure the public by announcing a `` historic pledge '' to uphold scientific and ethical standards in the search for a vaccine .
AstraZeneca is among the nine firms who signed up to the pledge to only apply for regulatory approval after vaccines have gone through three phases of clinical study .
Industry giants Johnson & Johnson , BioNTech , GlaxoSmithKline , Pfizer , Merck , Moderna , Sanofi and Novavax are the other signatories .
They pledged to `` always make the safety and well-being of vaccinated individuals our top priority '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' in the scramble for a vaccine • How will the world vaccinate seven billion people ?
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) says nearly 180 vaccine candidates are being tested around the world but none has yet completed clinical trials .
The organisation has said it does not expect a vaccine to meet its efficacy and safety guidelines in order to be approved this year because of the time it takes to test them safely .
Similar sentiments have been shared by Thomas Cueni , director-general of the International Federation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the companies that signed the pledge .
Despite this , China and Russia have begun inoculating some key workers with domestically developed vaccines .
All of them are still listed by the WHO as being in clinical trials .
Meanwhile , the US national regulator , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) , has suggested that coronavirus vaccines may be approved before completing a third phase of clinical trials .
Last week it also emerged that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had urged states to consider waiving certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribute a potential vaccine by 1 November - two days before the 3 November presidential election .
Although President Trump has hinted that a vaccine might be available before the election , his Democratic rival Joe Biden has expressed scepticism that Mr Trump will listen to scientists and implement a transparent process .
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• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental @

At first glance this may seem alarming. A vaccine trial - and not just any vaccine, but one receiving massive global attention - is put on hold due to a suspected serious adverse reaction. But such events are not unheard of. Indeed the Oxford team describe it as "routine". Any time a volunteer is admitted to hospital and the cause of their illness is not immediately apparent it triggers a study to be put on hold.


bbc--2020-09-09--US to withdraw 2,200 troops from Iraq by end of September

The US will withdraw more than a third of its troops from Iraq within weeks , its top Middle East @ @ @ @ @ McKenzie told reporters the troop presence would be reduced from about 5,200 to 3,000 during @ @ @ @ @ continue to advise and assist Iraqi security forces in `` rooting out the final remnants @ @ @ @ @ Islamic State ( IS ) .
Last month , US President Donald Trump reaffirmed that @ @ @ @ @ troops from Iraq as soon as possible .

"In recognition of the great progress the Iraqi forces have made and in consultation and co-ordination with the government of Iraq and our coalition partners, the United States has decided to reduce our troop presence in Iraq from about 5,200 to 3,000 troops during the month of September," he told reporters.


bbc--2020-09-09--Zimbabwe bans coal mining in Hwange and other game parks

Zimbabwe has banned mining in all its national parks , reversing a decision to let Chinese firms explore for coal at its famous Hwange game park .
The move came after campaigners instituted court action against the government to prevent `` ecological degradation '' in parks .
Two Chinese-owned firms had been given a licence to explore for coal in Hwange National Park .
It is famous for its elephants and the endangered black rhino .
In court papers filed on Monday , the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association ( ZELA ) warned that the park would turn into a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ road building and geological surveys '' if coal exploration went ahead .
Following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday , Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced the ban on mining with immediate effect .
`` Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining titles held in national parks , '' she added .
Ms Mutsvangwa also announced a ban on mining along most river beds , in a decision that would affect small-scale Chinese gold miners in Zimbabwe .
China is a major investor in Zimbabwe and a close ally of the government .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` Look East '' policy to boost the struggling economy following sanctions imposed by Western powers angered by the government 's human rights record and controversial land reform programme .
But the government 's decision to give exploration rights in the park led to a public outcry , and the hashtag # SaveHwangenationalpark trended on Twitter in Zimbabwe , reports the BBC 's Shingai Nyoka from the capital , Harare .
Environmentalists raised concerns that coal mining in the park would devastate wildlife , and negatively affect tourism - a major source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be interested in :

But for some Zimbabweans the ban does not go far enough. They point out that years of gold mining along rivers has caused environmental degradation. They, therefore, want the ban to be enshrined in law so that this does not happen again and the environment is protected.


bbc--2020-09-09--Lebanon crisis: US puts sanctions on former ministers allied to Hezbollah

The US has put sanctions on two former Lebanese government ministers for allegedly providing material support to Hezbollah and engaging in corruption .
Yusuf Finyanus and Ali Khalil were accused of ensuring contracts went to firms owned by Hezbollah , which the US considers a terrorist group , and moving money to associated institutions .
Almost 200 people were killed and 6,000 others were injured when 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored unsafely at the city 's port blew up on 4 August .
Lebanon was already reeling from an economic crisis that had caused its currency to collapse , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into poverty .
The government resigned in the wake of the Beirut blast and Western powers are demanding that its replacement implement reforms to unlock financial aid .
More on the explosion in Beirut '' For too long , Lebanon 's political leaders have ignored their responsibility to address the needs of their people and instead built a political system that serves their private interests , '' US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement '' The United States supports the Lebanese people 's call for reform , and we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Lebanese leaders who have failed their people , '' he added .
He alleged that the two former ministers had `` directed political and economic favours to Hezbollah , including ensuring Hezbollah-owned companies won government contracts worth millions of dollars and moving money from government ministries to Hezbollah-associated institutions '' .
Mr Finyanus is a member of the Christian Marada party , an ally of Hezbollah .
He was minister of transportation and public works from 2016 until the start of this year .
Mr Khalil is a senior official in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also allied to Hezbollah .
He served as minister of public health from 2011 to 2014 and minister of finance from 2014 to this year .
There was no immediate response from the two men to the designations but a member of parliament from Amal said they were of a `` political nature '' .
The US stopped short of sanctioning any current government ministers or some of the prominent Lebanese officials who have been denounced in the volatile aftermath of the Beirut explosion , including central bank governor Riad Salama .

There was no immediate response from the two men to the US move. However, the leader of Marada and a member of parliament from Amal both dismissed the sanctions as "political".


bbc--2020-09-09--India in shock over 86-year-old grandmother's rape

`` The woman was waiting outside her home on Monday evening for the milkman when she was approached by her attacker , '' Swati Maliwal , head of the Delhi Commission for Women , told the BBC .
`` She kept crying and begging him to leave her .
She told him that she was like his grandmother .
But he ignored her pleas and assaulted her mercilessly when she tried to resist and protect herself , '' Ms Maliwal said .
`` Her hands are totally wrinkled .
You get a shock when you hear what she went through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and all over her body and she told me that she had vaginal bleeding .
She is suffering from extreme trauma . ''
`` I 'm writing to the chief justice of Delhi High Court and the lieutenant-governor of the city to fast-track the case and hang him in six months , '' she said .
According to the National Crime Records Bureau , police recorded 33,977 cases of rape in India in 2018 - that works out to a rape every 15 minutes .
But campaigners say the actual numbers are much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
After the global outcry over the brutality of the December 2012 Delhi bus rape , India introduced tough new rape laws , including the death penalty in especially horrific cases , and promised to set up fast-track courts to try rape cases .
`` In every home , parents ask daughters lots of questions as to where she is going , when will she return , and ask her to inform them when she reaches her destination .
`` But have you ever asked your son where he is going , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his friends ?
After all , the person committing the rape is also someone 's son , '' he said , advising parents to keep tabs on their sons .
Ms Bhayana says there are hoardings in public places about all sorts of issues , about various achievements of government , about Covid-19 , or cautioning people against drug use .
`` But have you ever seen a hoarding in any city about rape or gender violence ? ''
she asks .
`` We often see hoardings with Mr Modi 's pet slogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Educate daughters , save daughters ] .
I say why do n't we change it to Beta padhao , beti bachao [ Educate your sons , save daughters ] ? ''

"But have you ever asked your son where he is going, why is he going and who are his friends? After all, the person committing the rape is also someone's son," he said, advising parents to keep tabs on their sons.


bbc--2020-09-09--Kabul bomb: Deadly blast targets Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh

At least 10 people have been killed in a roadside bomb attack in the Afghan capital Kabul that targeted the first vice president , Amrullah Saleh .
Mr Saleh , a former head of the Afghan intelligence services , escaped with slight burns on his face and hand .
The bombing came as Afghan officials and the Taliban prepared to begin their first formal talks .
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a tweet that the militant group was not responsible for the blast .
Footage filmed shortly after the explosion showed a large plume of black smoke rising from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spokesman for Afghanistan 's interior ministry , said the roadside bomb targeted Mr Saleh 's convoy as the official travelled to work .
Mr Arain said 10 civilians who worked in the area were killed and 15 people , including one of Mr Saleh 's bodyguards , were wounded .
A witness to the explosion said he was driving past the location on the way to a clinic when the bomb detonated .
`` I lost one of my brothers , and the other one is hurt , '' the man told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` What kind of government is this ?
There 's no ambulance , and even the police have n't arrived yet . ''
Mr Saleh is known as a vocal opponent of the Taliban , and the former intelligence chief has survived several previous assassination attempts , including one last year that killed 20 people at his office .
Speaking after the blast on Wednesday , he vowed to continue his political work .
The Afghan President Ashraf Ghani met Mr Saleh on Wednesday morning , after the attack .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undermine the people 's strong faith in peace , democracy and the bright future of our country , '' Mr Ghani said in a statement .
A European Union delegation in Afghanistan condemned the attack , calling it a `` desperate act by spoilers of peace efforts , who must be collectively confronted '' .
Afghan officials are expected to begin long delayed talks with the Taliban in the coming days in Doha , Qatar , in an attempt to reach a political reconciliation after years of bloodshed .
The Taliban signed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring an end to 18 years of conflict between the two .
The peace agreement put a stop to Taliban attacks on US forces but the militant group continued targeting the Afghan military and government .
But the Taliban did pledge in February not to launch attacks in urban areas , like the one in Kabul on Wednesday .
The so-called Islamic State group has also launched numerous high-profile attacks in Afghanistan in recent years .
In August the group claimed responsibility for an operation against a prison in the eastern city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed hundreds of inmates to escape .

"I am fine but some of my guards have been wounded. My son, who was in the car with me, and I are both fine," Mr Saleh said in a video message, with bandages seen on his left hand. "I have some burns on my face and hand. The blast was strong."


bbc--2020-09-09--Maxim Znak: 'Masked men' seize opposition figure in Belarus

One of the last remaining high-profile opposition figures in Belarus , Maxim Znak , has been detained by masked men , his supporters say .
Witnesses reported that he had been led down a street in the capital , Minsk , by masked men in plain clothes .
Maria Kolesnikova , one of three women who joined forces to challenge Alexander Lukashenko in August 's presidential election , is currently in detention after she resisted attempts by the authorities to expel her to Ukraine .
She is the last of the three women leading the opposition to remain inside Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed to be the last active member of the Co-ordination Council inside the country .
The body was set up by the opposition to oversee a transfer of power after the disputed election .
The 39-year-old , who previously worked as a lawyer for jailed presidential candidate Viktor Babaryko , was due to take part in a video call on Wednesday but failed to dial in .
He then texted the word `` masks '' to a group , one activist told local media .
This is believed to be a reference to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security services .
`` I 'm pretending to be relaxed , '' he said .
`` It 's a professional habit - but actually I 'm very concerned and scared . ''
When opposition figures set up the Co-ordination Council to , as they put it , oversee the transfer of power , there were seven members on the presidium .
Now , all but one have fled the country or been detained after being threatened with arrest .
By picking off key figures , the authorities are clearly hoping to scare others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks of street protests .
But , from the start , these protests have been organised via social media , not by any one activist , party or politician .
So , for now at least , they seem unlikely to stop .
What else is happening ?
On Wednesday , the exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya visited the Polish capital Warsaw where she delivered a speech at a university and called for the protests in Belarus to remain peaceful .
`` The methods employed by the so-called authorities are outrageous , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's clear Lukashenko is afraid of negotiations and is trying ... to paralyse the work of the Co-ordination Council and intimidate its members . ''

Ms Alexievich, a Nobel Prize-winning writer and journalist, said she had asked supporters to come to her home after she was harassed with door knocks and phone calls. She said masked men had earlier attempted to break into her apartment.


bbc--2020-09-09--Chinese state media accuse Australia of raiding journalists' homes

Australian agents raided the homes of Chinese journalists in June , China 's state media says , in the latest flare-up of tensions between the nations .
The reports come a day after the last two journalists working in China for Australian media flew home after a tense diplomatic stand-off .
On Wednesday , two state mouthpieces said the Chinese reporters had been asked not to report the June incident .
The `` raids '' took place on an unspecified number of Chinese journalists ' homes by Australian intelligence officers on 26 June , reported China 's state news agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ be silent ” about the incident , Xinhua said , without citing sources .
Another state media outlet , The Global Times , said the Chinese journalists were questioned and their computers and smartphones seized , citing an unnamed source `` close to the matter '' .
It also cited anonymous experts as saying : `` The incident exposed Australia 's hypocrisy in upholding so-called `` freedom of the press '' .
In a statement on Wednesday , the Australian Security Intelligence Agency ( Asio ) said : `` As is long-standing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence matters . ''
Mr Moselmane , a state lawmaker in New South Wales ( NSW ) , has previously said he is not a suspect in an Australian investigation into allegations that Chinese agents infiltrated his office .
Xinhua claimed Mr Moselmane had been targeted for his praise of China 's response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Later on Wednesday Australian media said that the Chinese journalists were being investigated as part of a probe into allegations of foreign interference by John Zhang , a former part-time staffer of Mr Moselmane .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Zhang used a chat group on the Chinese social media platform WeChat to encourage Mr Moselmane to advocate for the Chinese government 's interests .
The journalists have been drawn in , it reported , because they were members of the group .
The Sydney Morning Herald also reported that Asio had `` questioned at least one Chinese journalist in Australia in connection to an investigation involving '' Mr Zhang .
The diplomatic crisis appeared to escalate further as ABC News also reported that the visas of two leading Chinese scholars had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented foreign interference '' probe .
It said it had uncovered the identities of the journalists who were investigated from media organisations including the Chinese News Service , and China Radio International .
Relations between Australia and China have been strained in recent years and plummeted sharply after Canberra backed an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic .
The raid allegations come a day after Bill Birtles from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Mike Smith from the Australian Financial Review - the last correspondents to be based in China for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday after a five-day diplomatic standoff .

The raid allegations come a day after Bill Birtles from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Mike Smith from the Australian Financial Review - the last correspondents to be based in China for Australian media - landed in Sydney on Tuesday after a five-day diplomatic standoff.


bbc--2020-09-09--Australia shark attack: First fatal attack on Gold Coast beaches in 60 years

An Australian man has been killed in a shark attack off Queensland 's Gold Coast , marking the first fatal attack at the tourist city 's beaches in over 60 years .
Nick Slater , 46 , was at Greenmount Beach at Coolangatta - a well-known surf spot - when a shark mauled his leg on Tuesday .
He was rushed to shore and given first aid but died at the scene .
Authorities closed an 18km ( 11-mile ) section of beaches on Wednesday to conduct helicopter and jetski searches for the shark - reported to be a 3m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the shark is not in the vicinity or we have tracked it , then the beach will be reopened , '' said the city 's mayor Tom Tate .
He said it was the first shark death at a Gold Coast beach since 1958 , adding authorities were investigating the event .
Mr Slater , a local real estate agent , had been surfing next to Snapper Rocks point , which hosted a World Surf League competition in March .
One witness told the Courier Mail newspaper Mr Slater had been bitten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was pretty much all taken '' .
A surfer who provided help , Jade Parker , said there was a large bite mark on Mr Slater 's board .
`` It was probably about the same circumference as a basketball… and there was a tooth still lodged in the fibreglass which I had to remove , '' he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation .
The Gold Coast is one of Australia 's most famous tourist destinations , popular for its long white-sand beaches , surfing breaks and inland waterways .
Its beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drumlines - baited hooks suspended underwater - since the 1960s , and shark attacks have been rare .
Officials said it was too early to say whether additional shark protection measures would be needed .
The Gold Coast saw a fatal shark attack in 2003 , but that incident occurred inland in sprawling canals connected to the sea .
Mr Slater 's death is the sixth fatal attack by a shark in Australia this year , with most occurring along the country 's east coast .

"Once we know that the shark is not in the vicinity or we have tracked it, then the beach will be reopened," said the city's mayor Tom Tate.


bbc--2020-09-08--Sir Kim Darroch on President Trump row: 'We're paid to tell it like it is'

The former UK ambassador to the US has said that Donald Trump responds `` pretty sharply '' when it comes @ @ @ @ @ different when with his supporters .
Sir Kim Darroch resigned from his role in 2019 @ @ @ @ @ which he called the Trump administration `` clumsy and inept '' .
Speaking to BBC @ @ @ @ @ operated on the basis that they could trust their colleagues with their communications and so @ @ @ @ @ direct terms .
President Trump responded at the time by calling Darroch a `` very @ @ @ @ @ row ended Sir Kim 's 40-year diplomatic career .

The former UK ambassador to the US has said that Donald Trump responds "pretty sharply" when it comes to criticism but is very different when with his supporters.
Sir Kim Darroch resigned from his role in 2019 after emails were leaked in which he called the Trump administration "clumsy and inept".
Speaking to BBC Newsnight he said that diplomats operated on the basis that they could trust their colleagues with their communications and so could report in clear and direct terms.
President Trump responded at the time by calling Darroch a "very stupid guy" and the row ended Sir Kim's 40-year diplomatic career.


bbc--2020-09-09--China claims 'important breakthrough' in space mission shrouded in mystery

Ever since China claimed success in the secretive launch of an experimental spacecraft , experts have been pondering over what it could be and what it did in space .
The spacecraft - mounted on a Long March 2F rocket - was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northern China on 4 September and safely returned to Earth after two days in orbit .
`` The successful flight marked the country 's important breakthrough in reusable spacecraft research and is expected to offer convenient and low-cost round-trip transport for the peaceful use of space , '' state-run Xinhua @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brief report .
But unlike recent Chinese high-profile space missions , very few details have emerged about the vehicle and no visuals have been released .
Chinese authorities have been tight-lipped about the nature of the short-duration excursion and what technologies were tested .
The exact launch and landing times were not revealed , nor was the landing site although it is thought to be the Taklamakan Desert , which is in northwest China .
`` There are many firsts in this launch .
The spacecraft is new , the launch method @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to make sure there is extra security , '' a military source told South China Morning Post ( SCMP ) .
An official memo circulating on social media also warned staff and visitors to the launch site not to film the lift-off or discuss it online , according to SCMP .
The launch of the vehicle may have come as a surprise - there was no official announcement prior to the launch - but China has been working on such technology for the past decade .
Three years ago , China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2020 that `` will fly into the sky like an aircraft '' and be reusable .
A reusable spacecraft - as the name implies can undertake multiple trips to space - thereby potentially lowering the overall cost of launch activity .
A traditional one-off spacecraft - costing tens of millions of dollars - is practically rendered useless after a single mission .
The experimental vessel reached an altitude of about 350km , which is in line with China 's previous crewed flights .
The spacecraft also released an unknown object into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDowell , an astronomer at Harvard Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics , says the aim of the mission was likely to test out the vehicle 's systems such as power , temperature , stability and to prove it could re-enter and land correctly .
Once the testing is complete , such a vehicle could be used to launch and repair satellites , survey the Earth , as well as take astronauts and goods to and from orbit , possibly to a planned future Chinese space station .
The Chinese craft 's size and shape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be some sort of uncrewed space plane similar to the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle operated by the US Air Force .
The recent mission could be linked to the Shenlong - or divine dragon - space plane project , which has been in development for some time , according to reports .
A second Chinese reusable space plane called Tengyun , or cloud climber , is also in the works .
If confirmed as a space plane , China would become only the third country to have successfully launched such a vehicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Soviet Union .
The European Space Agency is working on its own reusable orbital vehicle called Space Rider , while India is also said to be developing a space shuttle-like craft .
The X-37B , resembling a miniature space shuttle , has been in orbit since late May following its launch on its sixth assignment .
Very little is known about the X-37B 's missions , prompting speculation that the planes could be used for spying activity or testing space weapons .
Similarly , the lack of publicity has given rise to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly have some military use .
`` The secrecy , I am sure , is just because it is a military project , '' adds McDowell , who has been closely following the mission .
There is little distinction between China 's civilian and military space programmes which fuels suspicions about Beijing 's space ambitions .
`` It is reasonable to assume that what 's being tested has some military applications , probably new satellite equipment and spying technologies , '' notes Bleddyn Bowen , a space policy academic at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait and see how many future flights like this China may conduct to see whether it will match the scale of X-37B , '' he told the BBC .
China 's state-run outlet Global Times , citing observers , did say that the country should have the capability to strike anywhere on Earth within half an hour , just as the X-37B does .
Whatever its purpose , the reusable system marks yet another milestone for China 's ambitious space programme , and comes weeks after the launch of Tianwen-1 , China 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has poured significant funding into its space efforts , and last year became the first country to send an uncrewed rover to the far side of the Moon .
President Xi Jinping has also thrown his support behind the country 's space endeavours and the Chinese state media regularly cast the `` space dream '' as one step in the path to `` national rejuvenation '' .
Earlier this year it also completed the network of satellites for its BeiDou navigation system , an alternative to the US GPS system .
China is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moon and , eventually , Mars .
• How China 's GPS 'rival ' Beidou is plotting to go global '' If this really is a space plane , and not just a reusable capsule like Dragon , then it represents a big step forward in China 's space technology as winged re-entry is really hard to do , '' notes McDowell .
`` China was way behind in space but has been gearing up its space programme on all fronts and is now catching up fast .
The spacecraft launch is just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bowen adds the spacecraft launch is `` just another part of China becoming a comprehensive space power that utilises space technology for the purposes of war , development , and prestige like all others '' .

The launch of the vehicle may have come as a surprise - there was no official announcement prior to the launch - but China has been working on such technology for the past decade. Three years ago, China said it would launch a space vessel in 2020 that "will fly into the sky like an aircraft" and be reusable.


bbc--2020-09-09--India coronavirus: Rumours hamper testing in Punjab

`` Human organs are being smuggled , '' Sonia Kaur , who lives in a village in Punjab 's Sangrur district , tells the BBC .
`` Not just the villagers but the whole world is scared of this .
Social media is full of such news . ''
Ms Kaur says she has heard of people 's organs being harvested under the guise of diagnosing and treating coronavirus .
She is echoing the fears of countless others in rural Punjab who are sceptical of the virus .
Rumours are flying fast in Punjab that the virus is a hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 are being taken away to care centres , where they are being killed for their organs , and that bodies are being swapped to allay suspicion .
This has led to protests and even attacks against health workers .
Ms Kaur 's village was one of several in Sangrur that did not allow health workers to collect samples for testing - crowds pelted them with stones , screaming `` Go back , we do n't want to be tested '' , until they left .
`` All these are baseless rumours , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Singh Sidhu , told the BBC .
`` No-one can even touch the person who has died of Covid .
The dead body is wrapped and taken straight to the crematorium .
The question of organ harvesting does not arise . ''
While misinformation about Covid-19 is not unique to Punjab , the opposition to testing has been far more strident and widespread here .
And it is stymieing the efforts of the state government to control the spread of the virus .
The state has reported 65,583 cases so far , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recording a steady rise in numbers in recent weeks .
Officials have said one of the reasons for the increase in deaths was delayed testing because people were reporting too late to hospitals seeking treatment .
`` This is all nonsense .
There is nothing like corona .
If there were , my wife 's mother who is in her 80s would n't be alive and kicking . ''
He says he regrets taking his wife to the hospital to get her diabetes treated .
`` They never treated her for diabetes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he adds .
`` We 've been hearing that doctors and governments are getting paid for showing more Covid-19 casualties .
We also heard that people are being dragged out of their homes and then killed . ''
`` Earlier the older people were dying .
Now even the youth are dying .
How is it that suddenly even youngsters are getting infected ? ''
asks Satpal Singh Dhillon , a village head whose council did not allow testing for Covid-19 .
`` We commonly see that it was an old man who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a young woman .
So , how can the people trust anyone in such a scenario ? ''
It 's impossible to trace the origin of these rumours , but some - such as the one about bodies being swapped - could have been sparked by an error .
In July two brothers whose father died of Covid-19 had alleged that he was still alive and they had received the body of a woman .
This led to a magisterial probe , and officials later admitted there had been a mix-up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died and was cremated by the woman 's family .
`` We are not opposed to testing but we are definitely opposed to people being forcibly taken away by health workers , '' says Sukhdev Singh Kokri from Moga district .
`` People are normal when they are taken away but they come back dead with their organs removed . ''

In July two brothers whose father died of Covid-19 had alleged that he was still alive and they had received the body of a woman. This led to a magisterial probe, and officials later admitted there had been a mix-up, but said that the man too had died and was cremated by the woman's family.


bbc--2020-09-09--Aston Villa sign Brentford striker Watkins for club-record £28m

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villa Aston Villa have completed the signing of striker Ollie Watkins from Brentford for a club record fee of £28m , which could rise to £33m with add-ons .
The 24-year-old is Villa 's second signing of the transfer window following the £16m arrival of defender Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest .
`` Ollie has developed into one of the most sought-after strikers in the country , '' said Villa boss Dean Smith .
`` We are looking forward to seeing him show his great qualities in an Aston Villa shirt .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has both the ability and personality to succeed at the highest level . ''
Watkins will be reunited with Smith , who signed the forward from Exeter when he was Brentford manager .
The fee for him is a record for a Championship player .
Although Manchester City paid Bournemouth £40m for Nathan Ake last month and Tottenham spent £30m on Newcastle 's Moussa Sissoko in August 2016 , neither had played in the Championship before moving back to the Premier League .
`` I am so excited to join Aston Villa and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head coach , '' said Watkins .
`` I want to do something special here and score some goals . ''
Smith had been determined to improve his striking options after his side only secured Premier League safety on the final day of last season .
The club missed out on signing Callum Wilson from Bournemouth this week as the England striker moved to Newcastle for £20m .
Villa 's previous record signing , Brazilian striker Wesley , scored five goals in 21 games in the league after his £22m moved to Villa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ligament injury in January .
He is still regaining his fitness .
Villa ended the season with Mbwana Samatta and Keinan Davis as their main options up front .
Samatta only scored twice after joining in January , including a goal at Wembley as Villa lost the Carabao Cup final 2-1 to Manchester City .
Davis has never scored a Premier League goal .
Smith 's side scored 41 top-flight goals last season , but only six came from forwards - including five from Wesley .

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villa
Ollie Watkins scored 26 times as Brentford missed out on promotion to the Premier League in the play-off final
Aston Villa have completed the signing of striker Ollie Watkins from Brentford for a club record fee of £28m, which could rise to £33m with add-ons.
Watkins was the Championship's joint-top scorer last season with 26 goals.
The 24-year-old is Villa's second signing of the transfer window following the £16m arrival of defender Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest.
"Ollie has developed into one of the most sought-after strikers in the country," said Villa boss Dean Smith.
"We are looking forward to seeing him show his great qualities in an Aston Villa shirt.
"He is a hugely determined character who has both the ability and personality to succeed at the highest level."
Watkins will be reunited with Smith, who signed the forward from Exeter when he was Brentford manager.
The fee for him is a record for a Championship player. Although Manchester City paid Bournemouth £40m for Nathan Ake last month and Tottenham spent £30m on Newcastle's Moussa Sissoko in August 2016, neither had played in the Championship before moving back to the Premier League.
"I am so excited to join Aston Villa and to reunite with Dean Smith as my head coach," said Watkins.
"I want to do something special here and score some goals."
Smith had been determined to improve his striking options after his side only secured Premier League safety on the final day of last season.
The club missed out on signing Callum Wilson from Bournemouth this week as the England striker moved to Newcastle for £20m.
Villa's previous record signing, Brazilian striker Wesley, scored five goals in 21 games in the league after his £22m moved to Villa last summer before suffering a serious knee ligament injury in January. He is still regaining his fitness.
Villa ended the season with Mbwana Samatta and Keinan Davis as their main options up front. Samatta only scored twice after joining in January, including a goal at Wembley as Villa lost the Carabao Cup final 2-1 to Manchester City. Davis has never scored a Premier League goal.
Smith's side scored 41 top-flight goals last season, but only six came from forwards - including five from Wesley.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


bbc--2020-09-09--Fans, TV and new rules: What will the 2020-21 season look like?

The Premier League 2020-21 season starts this weekend , with the final round of matches on 23 May 2021 .
Other than that , there are plenty more unknowns as the new campaign begins .
Here 's a few of them : When will fans come back ?
As it stands , no fans will be admitted to top-flight matches before October at the earliest .
There were 2,500 Brighton supporters allowed into a Premier League stadium for the first time in almost six months at the end of August , for a friendly between Brighton and Chelsea at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial event .
Tottenham are waiting to find out whether they will be allowed about 4,000 fans into the corporate areas of their new stadium for Sunday 's opening fixture against Everton .
Clubs are taking various approaches on whether they are offering season tickets at all this season .
Some are offering refunds , credits and access to ballots for when partial crowds are allowed at games .
It was announced on Tuesday that all 28 of the matches to be played in September will be televised live .
One of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - will be broadcast on the BBC Fans and the government had been asking the Premier League to consider making more matches available to be shown live while supporters are not allowed in stadiums .
All 92 top-flight matches were shown live on Sky Sports , BT Sport , Amazon Prime Video and BBC Sport after last season resumed in June behind closed doors , following a three-month suspension .
All English Football League games will be available to watch from home while matches continue to be played behind closed doors or at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been agreed with Sky Sports to allow all games not televised live to be streamed online .
Will there be changes to the EFL and FA Cup to reduce fixture congestion ?
The winter break has had to be scrapped , with this campaign running five weeks shorter than a standard season because of the late end to 2019-20 .
And for the first time , there will be no replays in this season 's FA Cup .
Also , a full round of Premier League fixtures has been scheduled for the weekend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The final will be played on 15 May , before the final weekend of the Premier League campaign .
The Carabao Cup second , third and fourth rounds will be played on consecutive midweek dates from 15-16 September .
Premier League teams have agreed to play , with those in Europe coming in at the third round stage .
The EFL Cup semi-finals will be one-off games rather than two-legged affairs as they have been since the tournament began in 1960-61 .
The EFL Trophy will start on 8-9 September with the Wembley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said privately they will take a dim view of clubs playing in weeks when their competitions are being played - effectively every available midweek in between October and November international breaks , plus three straight midweeks after the November one .
What about the drinks breaks ?
The controversial drinks breaks have been ditched because it was not thought temperatures in winter would get high enough to create an issue .
Will there be VAR changes ?
Premier League officials believe the introduction of VAR meant there was 95 % accuracy in `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 82 % the year before .
They accept it is impossible to get 100 % accuracy - VAR can not intervene when referees give incorrect second yellow cards for a start - so now the aim is to improve the consistency of decision making by reducing grey areas and limit the impact on the game .
In July , Fifa took full control of VAR from the sport 's lawmakers , the International Football Association Board ( Ifab ) .
The most significant impact of this will be an increase in referees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cards and penalty kicks .
VAR will continue to rule on factual decisions and advise on matters of subjectivity .
However , it will tend to be the on-pitch referee 's call .
The Premier League will revert back to three substitutions per team , having allowed five following last season 's restart .
What about offsides and penalties ?
In theory , a goalkeeper could be sent off if they failed to stay on their line on three occasions during penalties .
In the first instance , they would receive a warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a yellow card and the third a second yellow .
For goalkeepers and any outfield player encroaching into the area , the measurements will be taken from their foot on the ground - it also has to have a material impact on the outcome of the penalty itself .
Meanwhile , assistant referees have been told to wait before raising their flags if an immediate goalscoring opportunity is likely to arise from a situation where they believe a player is offside .
This is to avoid confusion among defenders if it turns out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an imaginary line , roughly halfway up the upper arm .
This is what is expected to be used for handball decisions .
Overall , the Premier League anticipate the tweaks to the rules mean more penalties will be awarded in 2020-21 than was the case last season .
Will players continue to kneel for Black Lives Matter in September ?
The restart of the previous season saw all players , staff and officials at Premier League clubs taking a knee immediately before all 92 matches in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Lives Matter logos on their shirts .
Talks are yet to take place about how clubs would represent diversity issues this season - and any decision will be made after a consultation with players .
In last week 's Premier League meeting , there was a commitment to complete this coming season should a second wave of coronavirus hit England , although a final decision is yet to be made .
In terms of testing , this will now only happen once a week rather than twice , although the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 75 .
The Premier League feels the number of positive cases was so small when the season resumed that higher numbers of tests only increased the potential for false positives .
Some consideration was given to getting rid of tests altogether but this has not happened , with the situation due to be reviewed at the end of September and tweaked if it is felt necessary .
Already this week , Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez and defender Aymeric Laporte have tested positive and - according to current guidelines - will self-isolate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team-mates .
One additional outfield player and a third goalkeeper will now be allowed into the 'red zone ' on match days .

Liverpool are the defending Premier League champions
The Premier League 2020-21 season starts this weekend, with the final round of matches on 23 May 2021.
All football was suspended in March because of the global coronavirus pandemic, with the 2019-20 English top-flight season restarting behind closed doors in June and only finishing at the end of July - giving clubs just seven weeks between domestic campaigns.
Other than that, there are plenty more unknowns as the new campaign begins.
Here's a few of them:
When will fans come back?
The Premier League won't be fully back until we have fans back - Masters
As it stands, no fans will be admitted to top-flight matches before October at the earliest.
There were 2,500 Brighton supporters allowed into a Premier League stadium for the first time in almost six months at the end of August, for a friendly between Brighton and Chelsea at the Amex Stadium as part of a government trial event. Tottenham are waiting to find out whether they will be allowed about 4,000 fans into the corporate areas of their new stadium for Sunday's opening fixture against Everton.
What about season tickets?
Clubs are taking various approaches on whether they are offering season tickets at all this season.
Some are offering refunds, credits and access to ballots for when partial crowds are allowed at games.
A full list is here
How can fans watch games?
Leicester's home match against Burnley will be televised live on the BBC
It was announced on Tuesday that all 28 of the matches to be played in September will be televised live.
One of those - Leicester v Burnley on 20 September - will be broadcast on the BBC.
Fans and the government had been asking the Premier League to consider making more matches available to be shown live while supporters are not allowed in stadiums.
All 92 top-flight matches were shown live on Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime Video and BBC Sport after last season resumed in June behind closed doors, following a three-month suspension.
All English Football League games will be available to watch from home while matches continue to be played behind closed doors or at limited capacity.
A temporary measure has been agreed with Sky Sports to allow all games not televised live to be streamed online.
Will there be changes to the EFL and FA Cup to reduce fixture congestion?
The winter break has had to be scrapped, with this campaign running five weeks shorter than a standard season because of the late end to 2019-20.
And for the first time, there will be no replays in this season's FA Cup.
Also, a full round of Premier League fixtures has been scheduled for the weekend of the FA Cup fourth round. The final will be played on 15 May, before the final weekend of the Premier League campaign.
The Carabao Cup second, third and fourth rounds will be played on consecutive midweek dates from 15-16 September. Premier League teams have agreed to play, with those in Europe coming in at the third round stage.
This season, the EFL Cup semi-finals will be one-off games rather than two-legged affairs as they have been since the tournament began in 1960-61.
The EFL Trophy will start on 8-9 September with the Wembley final on 14 March.
Uefa has said privately it will take a dim view of clubs playing in weeks when their competitions are being played - effectively every available midweek in between October and November international breaks, plus three straight midweeks after the November one.
What about the drinks breaks?
The controversial drinks breaks have been ditched because it was not thought temperatures in winter would get high enough to create an issue.
Will there be VAR changes?
The video assistant referee system was introduced to the Premier League in 2019
Premier League officials believe the introduction of VAR meant there was 95% accuracy in "key match incidents" last season compared to 82% the year before. They accept it is impossible to get 100% accuracy - VAR cannot intervene when referees give incorrect second yellow cards for a start - so now the aim is to improve the consistency of decision making by reducing grey areas and limit the impact on the game.
In July, Fifa took full control of VAR from the sport's lawmakers, the International Football Association Board (Ifab).
The most significant impact of this will be an increase in referees using pitch-side monitors for goals, red cards and penalty kicks. VAR will continue to rule on factual decisions and advise on matters of subjectivity. However, it will tend to be the on-pitch referee's call.
The Premier League will revert back to three substitutions per team, having allowed five following last season's restart.
What about offsides and penalties?
In theory, a goalkeeper could be sent off if they failed to stay on their line on three occasions during penalties. In the first instance, they would receive a warning, in the second they would get a yellow card and the third a second yellow. For goalkeepers and any outfield player encroaching into the area, the measurements will be taken from their foot on the ground - it also has to have a material impact on the outcome of the penalty itself.
Meanwhile, assistant referees have been told to wait before raising their flags if an immediate goalscoring opportunity is likely to arise from a situation where they believe a player is offside. This is to avoid confusion among defenders if it turns out no offence was committed.
What is handball?
It is an imaginary line, roughly halfway up the upper arm. This is what is expected to be used for handball decisions. Overall, the Premier League anticipate the tweaks to the rules mean more penalties will be awarded in 2020-21 than was the case last season.
Will players continue to kneel for Black Lives Matter in September?
Premier League players kneel in Black Lives Matter solidarity
The restart of the previous season saw all players, staff and officials at Premier League clubs taking a knee immediately before all 92 matches in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Players have also been wearing Black Lives Matter logos on their shirts.
Talks are yet to take place about how clubs would represent diversity issues this season - and any decision will be made after a consultation with players.
What about coronavirus testing?
In last week's Premier League meeting, there was a commitment to complete this coming season should a second wave of coronavirus hit England, although a final decision is yet to be made.
In terms of testing, this will now only happen once a week rather than twice, although the number of staff and players being tested will rise to 75. The Premier League feels the number of positive cases was so small when the season resumed that higher numbers of tests only increased the potential for false positives.
Some consideration was given to getting rid of tests altogether but this has not happened, with the situation due to be reviewed at the end of September and tweaked if it is felt necessary.
Already this week, Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez and defender Aymeric Laporte have tested positive and - according to current guidelines - will self-isolate for 10 days and not train with team-mates. One additional outfield player and a third goalkeeper will now be allowed into the 'red zone' on match days.