bbc--2020-09-30--French Open 2020: Serena Williams withdraws from competition on day four

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Three-time champion Serena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open because of an Achilles injury .
The American has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and was aiming to equal Margaret Court 's all-time record of 24 .
`` I think I need four to six weeks of sitting and doing nothing , '' Williams told a news conference .
`` I have been struggling to walk so that 's a telltale sign that I should try to recover .
`` Achilles is an injury you do n't want to play with - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worst , do n't want to get to that point , I want it to get better . ''
Williams picked up the Achilles problem during her US Open semi-final defeat by Victoria Azarenka earlier this month , On Monday , she beat fellow American Kristie Ahn 7-6 ( 7-2 ) 6-0 in the first round at Roland Garros , but said she was struggling physically .
`` In the second set I felt I needed to walk with a limp , '' Williams added .
`` I had to focus on walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I tried and always give 100 % , I take solace in that .
`` I 'm not sure I will play another tournament this year .
It is not an acute injury , it is a nagging injury .
I ran into bad timing and bad luck really . ''
Williams won the French Open in 2002 , 2013 and 2015 and is currently ranked ninth in the world .
Unseeded Pironkova , 33 , moves into the third round of the French Open for only the third time in her career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strycova or Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic .
A record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title always looked a long shot for Serena Williams in Paris .
The Achilles problem she developed in New York had no time to heal , but after reaching the semi-finals of the US Open , even a fully fit Williams would have struggled with such a short turnaround between major tournaments .
It is desperately difficult to win Grand Slams in your late thirties .
Injuries become a much greater occupational hazard , as her knee and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied her momentum for crucial periods , even though she still reached the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open .
Williams needs a bit of luck with her body now .
We are very unlikely to see her again before the trip down under at the start of next year .

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Three-time champion Serena Williams has withdrawn from the French Open because of an Achilles injury.
The 39-year-old had been scheduled to play her second-round match against Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova on Wednesday.
The American has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles and was aiming to equal Margaret Court's all-time record of 24.
"I think I need four to six weeks of sitting and doing nothing," Williams told a news conference.
"I have been struggling to walk so that's a telltale sign that I should try to recover.
"Achilles is an injury you don't want to play with - I think it was one of the worst, don't want to get to that point, I want it to get better."
Williams picked up the Achilles problem during her US Open semi-final defeat by Victoria Azarenka earlier this month,
On Monday, she beat fellow American Kristie Ahn 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 in the first round at Roland Garros, but said she was struggling physically.
"In the second set I felt I needed to walk with a limp," Williams added. "I had to focus on walking straight so I wasn't limping. I tried and always give 100%, I take solace in that.
"I'm not sure I will play another tournament this year. It is not an acute injury, it is a nagging injury. I ran into bad timing and bad luck really."
Williams won the French Open in 2002, 2013 and 2015 and is currently ranked ninth in the world.
Unseeded Pironkova, 33, moves into the third round of the French Open for only the third time in her career and will play either 32nd seed Barbora Strycova or Barbora Krejcikova from the Czech Republic.
Analysis
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
A record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title always looked a long shot for Serena Williams in Paris.
The Achilles problem she developed in New York had no time to heal, but after reaching the semi-finals of the US Open, even a fully fit Williams would have struggled with such a short turnaround between major tournaments.
It is desperately difficult to win Grand Slams in your late thirties. Injuries become a much greater occupational hazard, as her knee and back problems illustrated last year.
They denied her momentum for crucial periods, even though she still reached the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open.
Williams needs a bit of luck with her body now. We are very unlikely to see her again before the trip down under at the start of next year.


bbc--2020-09-30--Disney to cut 28,000 jobs at US theme parks

Walt Disney has announced it will lay off 28,000 employees , mostly at its US theme parks .
Disney cited the parks ' limited visitor capacity and uncertainty about how long the coronavirus pandemic would last as reasons for the layoffs .
The company 's theme parks have taken a major hit from the pandemic .
Disney shut all its parks earlier this year as the virus spread , but only Disneyland in California remains closed .
`` We have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of reducing our workforce at our Parks , Experiences and Products @ @ @ @ @ @ @ D'Amaro , chairman of the parks unit , said in a statement .
The layoffs apply to `` domestic employees '' of which about 67 % are part-time .
Disney also has parks in Shanghai , Hong Kong , Tokyo and Paris , which are not affected by the announcement .
Hong Kong Disney reopened last week after shutting down for a second time in July due to a spike in Covid-19 cases .
Except for Disneyland in California , all of the company 's parks have now reopened , although visitor numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Disney focuses on streaming as it falls to a loss Disney lost $ 4.7bn ( £3.6bn ) in the three months to 27 June , with revenues for its Parks , Experiences and Products division plummeting 85 % compared to the same quarter in 2019 .
Mr D'Amaro said the company 's problems were `` exacerbated in California by the state 's unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen . ''
Disney has been working to persuade California to allow the company to reopen Disneyland .
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bbc--2020-09-30--France announces 'gradual' ban on wild animals in circuses

France has said it will gradually ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses as part of sweeping new animal welfare measures .
She also announced a ban on farming minks for fur and on keeping dolphins and orcas in captivity in marine parks .
`` It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these [ wild ] animals , '' Ms Pompili said during a press conference .
`` It is time that our ancestral fascination with these wild beings no longer means they end up in captivity . ''
The minister did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but said they would be implemented `` in the years to come '' .
`` Putting a date on it does not solve all the problems , '' she told reporters .
Bears , tigers , lions , elephants and other wild animals would no longer be allowed in travelling circuses under the ban .
But the government said the rules would not apply to zoos and other permanent attractions or shows .
In addition to the measures , and starting immediately , Ms Pompili said France 's three marine aquariums would no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in new dolphins or orcas .
No new marine aquariums would be built , she said .
The minister added that the government was considering creating a sanctuary for the animals currently in captivity .
Ms Pompili said the government would offer an 8m euro ( £7.3m ; $ 9.3m ) package to help circuses and marine parks adapt to the new measures .
`` We are asking [ circuses ] to reinvent themselves , '' she said .
`` That transition will be spread over several years because it will change the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She did n't want to listen to us , '' William Kerwich , the head of the circus animal trainers ' union , told AFP news agency .
`` Who is going to pay for the meat for the lions and tigers and the food for the elephants ? ''

In addition to the measures, and starting immediately, Ms Pompili said France's three marine aquariums would no longer be able to breed or bring in new dolphins or orcas. No new marine aquariums would be built, she said.


bbc--2020-09-30--Hathras gang rape: India victim cremated 'without family's consent'

The family of a Dalit ( formerly untouchable ) woman who died after she was gang-raped has accused police officials of cremating her body without their permission .
The 19-year-old was allegedly raped by four upper-caste men in Hathras district in northern India .
She was grievously injured and died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday after fighting for her life for two weeks .
Activists say police must explain why they took the `` inhumane decision '' .
Her alleged attackers have been arrested and a fast-track court has been set up to hear the case .
Local journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a distance , told the BBC that the police kept her family and media away from the funeral pyre .
Her body was brought to their village in Uttar Pradesh state around midnight .
The victim 's brother said that police officials were putting pressure on the family to cremate her immediately .
`` When we refused , they took the body in an ambulance and cremated her , '' he said .
A senior district administration official , however , denied the allegation , saying the family 's consent was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mother wanted to take her body home for rituals before the last rites , but her request was denied .
`` Police had formed a human-chain to stop the protesting crowds , the family and the media from getting close to the cremation spot , '' he added .
The victim 's brother said some police officers were rude to them .
`` They took the body away without our permission , without the permission of my parents and cremated her .
We did n't even get to see her one last time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that the police beat up members of the family when they protested to see the body , adding that even women members of the family were beaten up .
In India where a rape is reported every 15 minutes , most assaults do n't even make news .
But then comes a case that stands out for its brutality and shocks the conscience of the nation .
The gang rape of the 19-year-old Dalit teen is one such case that has caused widespread outrage .
But in this case , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a heinous crime .
The authorities too have treated her family with indignity - before and after her death .
Following the outrage , the Hathras police have denied reports that they cremated her body without the family 's consent , but many local journalists have contested their story .
Videos shared widely on news TV channels and social media show her distraught family and villagers making several attempts to claim her body as the police ambulance arrived in the village .
In one video , her mother is seen weeping with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In another , she 's sitting on the road in front of the ambulance , weeping and beating her chest .
She 's heard repeatedly pleading with officials to hand over the body to her so she could take it home one last time - and perform some rituals .
The victim 's father is heard telling reporters that cremations are never held during the night .
But the police still carried on with the 2:30am funeral .
The opposition Congress party has called the hasty cremation `` a gross violation of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many have called it `` illegal '' and `` immoral '' .
Police officials have not made a statement about the allegations .
Her death has sparked anger across the country .
Dalit activists have shut down the main market in Hathras and are demanding action against police officers .
They are also angry with the way police handled the investigation .
The victim 's brother said that no arrests had been made in the first 10 days after the incident took place .
`` She was left for dead .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
Several opposition leaders have condemned the incident , calling it `` insulting and unjust '' .
Dalits are some of India 's most downtrodden citizens because of an unforgiving Hindu caste hierarchy that condemns them to the bottom of the ladder .
Despite laws that protect them , discrimination remains a daily reality for the Dalit population , thought to number around 200 million .
On Twitter , the victim 's death is among the top discussion trends , with many calling her the forgotten Nirbhaya , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a woman in Delhi that shocked the world .
The 23-year-old physiotherapy student was named Nirbhaya - the fearless one - by the press as she could not be named under Indian law .
Rape and sexual violence have been under the spotlight in India since the 2012 Delhi attack , which led to huge protests and changes to the country 's rape laws .
But there has been no sign of crimes against women and girls abating .

"They took the body away without our permission, without the permission of my parents and cremated her. We didn't even get to see her one last time," he said.


bbc--2020-09-30--Ascension Island: Priti Patel considered outpost for UK asylum centre location

The government has considered building an asylum processing centre on a remote UK territory in the Atlantic Ocean .
The idea of `` offshoring '' people is being looked at but finding a suitable location would be key , a source said .
Home Secretary Priti Patel asked officials to look at asylum policies which had been successful in other countries , the BBC has been told .
The Financial Times says Ascension Island , more than 4,000 miles ( 6,000km ) from the UK , was a suggested location .
• What happens to migrants who reach the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than all of 2019 The Foreign Office is understood to have carried out an assessment for Ascension - which included the practicalities of transferring migrants thousands of miles to the island - and decided not to proceed .
However , a Home Office source said ministers were looking at `` every option that can stop small boat crossings and fix the asylum system '' .
`` The UK has a long and proud history of offering refuge to those who need protection .
Tens of thousands of people have rebuilt their lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide safe and legal routes in the future .
`` As ministers have said we are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it , while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it . ''
No final decisions have been made .
Labour 's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said : `` This ludicrous idea is inhumane , completely impractical and wildly expensive - so it seems entirely plausible this Tory government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicholls , a member of the Ascension Island council , said moving asylum seekers more than 4,000 miles to the British overseas territory would be a `` logistical nightmare '' and not well received by the islanders .
He also told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme that the presence of military bases on the island could make the concept `` prohibitive '' due to security concerns .
Australia has controversially used offshore processing and detention centres for asylum seekers since the 1980s .
A United Nations refugee agency representative to the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would breach the UK 's obligations to asylum seekers and would `` change what the UK is - its history and its values '' .
Speaking to the UK Parliament 's Home Affairs Select Committee , she said the Australian model had `` brought about huge suffering for people , who are guilty of no more than seeking asylum , and it has also cost huge amounts of money '' .
• The volcanic island has no indigenous population , and the people that live there - fewer than 1,000 - are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the island • The military airbase is jointly operated by the RAF and the US , and has been used as a staging post to supply and defend the Falkland Islands • Its first human inhabitants arrived in 1815 , when the Royal Navy set up camp to keep watch on Napoleon , who was imprisoned on the island of St Helena some 800 miles away • It is home to a BBC transmitter - the BBC Atlantic Relay station - which sends shortwave radio to Africa and South America The proposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the journey across the English Channel to the UK in small boats this month , which Ms Patel has vowed to stop .
Laura Trott , Conservative MP for Sevenoaks in Kent , said it was `` absolutely right '' that the government was looking at offshore asylum centres to `` reduce the pressure '' on Kent , which was `` unable to take any more children into care '' .
In order to be eligible for asylum in the UK , applicants must prove they can not return to their home country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race , religion , nationality , political opinion , gender identity or sexual orientation .
Asylum seekers can not work while their claims are being processed , so the government offers them a daily allowance of just over £5 and accommodation , often in hostels or shared flats .
Delays in processing UK asylum applications increased significantly last year with four out of five applicants in the last three months of 2019 waiting six months or more for their cases to be processed .
That compared with three in four during the same @ @ @ @

"As ministers have said we are developing plans to reform policies and laws around illegal migration and asylum to ensure we are able to provide protection to those who need it, while preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it."


bbc--2020-09-30--Helen Reddy: Australian singer of feminist anthem I Am Woman dies

`` Our hearts are broken .
But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever . ''
Reddy , who had Addison 's disease and was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 , spent the last years of her life in a celebrity care home in Los Angeles .
She had a string of pop-rock hits in the 1970s , but is best known for the 1972 anthem I Am Woman - which became prominent in the women 's liberation movement .
A sleeper hit , it went on to sell millions of copies worldwide , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two years running .
In collecting her 1973 Grammy Award for best female vocalist , Reddy famously thanked `` God because she makes everything possible '' .
After winning a talent contest in Australia , her prize ticket took her to New York City in the 1960s , where she auditioned for a recording contract .
That opportunity fell through but the soprano decided to stay on in the US , later signing with Capitol Records .
Her first hit , I Do n't Know How to Love Him , was followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love , Delta Dawn , and Angie Baby .
But it was her second hit , I Am Woman , which catapulted her to international fame and became a defining song for a generation of women .
Reddy said she had penned the lyrics - with lines such as `` I am woman , hear me roar '' and `` I am strong , I am invincible , I am woman '' - after struggling to find other songs which reflected her pride in being a woman .
Among those to pay tribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directed a biopic about Reddy - titled I Am Woman - which was released earlier this year .
`` She paved the way for so many and the lyrics that she wrote for I Am Woman changed my life forever like they have done for so many other people and will continue to do for generations to come , '' Moon said .
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis shared a clip of Reddy singing her anthem at a Women 's March protest in Los Angeles in 2017 , part of global rallies which directed @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"She paved the way for so many and the lyrics that she wrote for I Am Woman changed my life forever like they have done for so many other people and will continue to do for generations to come," Moon said.


bbc--2020-09-30--China clamps down on climbing 'wild Great Wall'

As China 's busiest holiday season approaches , Beijing has warned that it will punish those who climb the `` wild Great Wall '' .
The term is often used to describe parts of the famous landmark that are not restored and closed to tourists .
Fines will be enforced more strictly over Golden Week , with thousands of domestic tourists expected to visit .
China is banking on the holiday to boost its badly hit tourism industry .
`` This year 's National Day holiday lasts eight days and the number of visitors to explore the 'wild Great Wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yu Hankuan , director of the Yanqing District Cultural Relics Administration told the Global Times .
Beijing reminded the public that trespassers on these parts of the Great Wall could be fined between 200 and 30,000 yuan ( £3,430 ; $ 4,404 ) .
It will also be stepping up security , with a Beijing Daily report saying that all 131 guards usually stationed along the Great Wall would be on duty over Golden Week .
Authorities are also proactively scouring social media to see if any `` wild Great Wall '' expeditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that some sections of the Great Wall are very steep - and it is possible for tourists to get lost or fall off .
Authorities also said climbing these parts can cause damage to the historic site .
The parts of the Great Wall that are open to tourists are just a small section of the famous landmark , which stretches for thousands of kilometres .
Other parts of the structure are left in their original state , though China had earlier announced that a restoration project was in the works .
Hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel over Golden Week - fuelled by a pent-up demand after months of coronavirus restrictions .
Typically , hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists travel abroad over the eight-day holiday period - but this year , with travel restrictions in place , its likely that domestic tourism will soar .
China appears to have largely stopped the spread of the virus , and most restrictions have been lifted .

Mr Yu said that some sections of the Great Wall are very steep - and it is possible for tourists to get lost or fall off. Authorities also said climbing these parts can cause damage to the historic site.


bbc--2020-09-30--Brazil judge stymies plan to revoke mangrove protection

A Brazilian judge has suspended plans by the government of President Jair Bolsonaro to revoke rules protecting tropical mangroves and other fragile coastal ecosystems .
The decision , on Monday , had provoked an outcry from environmentalists .
They feared property developers would try to replace large areas of mangrove swamps with new resorts for tourists .
But an appeal court ruled the move could cause `` irrevocable '' damage to the environment .
Federal Judge Maria Carvalho , sitting in Rio de Janeiro , granted an injunction against the government 's plan `` given the obvious risk of irreparable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of lawyers who brought the injunction argued that `` the repeal of such rules violates the constitutional right to an ecologically balanced environment '' .
Mangroves are an important protection against climate change and environmental groups had called the government 's move a `` crime '' .
Mangrove forest absorbs nearly the same amount of carbon dioxide as an equivalent area of Amazon rainforest .
The decision removed so-called `` permanent protection zones '' created in 2002 to preserve Brazil 's many tropical mangroves and the sand-dune scrublands .
It was taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , led by controversial Environment Minister Ricardo Salles .
President Bolsonaro , a right-wing climate-change sceptic , took power in January 2019 .
He has since presided over environmental crises including the escalation of deforestation and wildfires in the Amazon rainforest .
It is not the first time Mr Salles has been involved in controversy since taking the job .
In a leaked recording of an April cabinet meeting with the president , Mr Salles said the coronavirus pandemic was a chance to roll back environmental regulations `` now that the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @

In a leaked recording of an April cabinet meeting with the president, Mr Salles said the coronavirus pandemic was a chance to roll back environmental regulations "now that the media's only talking about Covid".


bbc--2020-09-30--Presidential debate: 'Shut up, man' and other insults and interruptions

Presidential debate : 'Shut up , man ' and other insults and interruptions

Biden: 'Do you believe for a moment what he's telling you?' Video, 00:00:57Biden: 'Do you believe for a moment what he's telling you?'


bbc--2020-09-30--The candidates' debate claims fact-checked

President Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden have gone head-to-head in the first of three televised debates before the US election in November .
During a heated 90 minutes , the nominees clashed over everything from the state of the economy to the handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
Reality Check has unpicked some of their claims .
Trump : `` We built the greatest economy in history '' Verdict : That 's not right - there have been times in US history when the economy was stronger .
Before the coronavirus outbreak , President Trump claimed to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true the economy was doing well before the pandemic - continuing a trend that began during the Obama administration - but there have been periods when it was much stronger .
The economy under Trump in six charts Biden : `` We have 4 % of the world 's population , [ but ] 20 % of the deaths '' Verdict : This is roughly correct .
But looking at coronavirus deaths per capita , there are a number of countries which are worse than the US .
According to the figures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US population is around 328 million , which is just over 4 % of the 7.7 billion global population .
There have been 205,942 coronavirus deaths recorded in the US , according to the latest John Hopkins University data .
The total number of deaths recorded worldwide is 1,004,808 .
On this metric , the US accounts for about 20 % of Covid-19 deaths worldwide , although the way countries record their figures varies considerably .
• Who is ahead in the polls - Trump or Biden ?
Trump : Postal ballots increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've never seen '' Verdict : Studies have not found evidence of widespread fraud , although there have been isolated cases .
Due to the coronavirus pandemic , a large proportion of US voters are expected to use postal voting in this year 's election .
The president has repeatedly warned that this will lead to widespread fraud .
There have been isolated cases of fraud including recent examples in North Carolina and New Jersey .
In September , the US Department of Justice released a statement about an incident in Pennsylvania in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and said seven of them `` were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump '' .
But despite such incidents , numerous studies have not revealed evidence of major , widespread fraud .
The rate of voting fraud overall in the US is between 0.00004 % and 0.0009 % , according to a 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice .
Biden : `` 100 million people [ in the US ] have pre-existing conditions '' Verdict : There is no definitive answer to this .
The candidates clashed over how many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions , which can stop some Americans from being covered by private medical insurers .
Mr Biden said there were 100 million people with pre-existing conditions , but President Trump said that number was `` totally wrong '' .
So how many are there ?
There is no definitive answer .
According to the US government 's Department of Health and Human Services , between 50 and 129 million non-elderly Americans have some type of pre-existing health condition .
Other organisations have different estimates .
The Center for American Progress believes it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age 65 .
Trump : `` We 're weeks away from a vaccine '' Verdict : There is a `` very , very low chance '' of an approved vaccine being ready by the end of October , the chief scientific adviser to the US vaccine programme has said .
Meanwhile , Dr Anthony Fauci , the country 's top infectious disease expert , has predicted the US will know if it has a safe and effective jab by November or December this year .
He told a Senate committee hearing this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American by April .
Biden : `` Manufacturing went into a hole '' before coronavirus Verdict : That 's not right , according to the figures .
Democratic candidate Joe Biden suggested that even before Covid-19 , `` manufacturing went into a hole '' .
The pandemic did have an impact on this sector .
As of August , there were 237,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in the US than when Trump took office in 2017 .
But prior to the outbreak , President Trump had added almost half a million manufacturing jobs during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Verdict : That 's not right .
He did use the word `` predators '' but did not use this to refer to African-Americans .
In 1993 Mr Biden warned of `` predators on our streets '' during a speech before a vote on the key crime bill in Congress .
There was no specific mention of African-Americans but the crime bill was later criticised for increasing mass incarceration which disproportionately affected African-American men .
The term `` super-predator '' was used by Hillary Clinton in 1996 in support of the controversial bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to take these people on .
They are often connected to big drug cartels , they are not just gangs of kids anymore .
They are often the kinds of kids that are called super-predators - no conscience , no empathy . ''
Verdict : The average monthly cost of prescription drugs fell slightly in the year to August 2019 , although it then rose again .
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index ( CPI ) - which measures the cost of household items in the US - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fell by 0.3 % in the year to August 2019 .
This was the first price decrease over a 12-month period since 1973 .
While average drug prices rose by 1.5 % over the following year , under President Trump the average rises have been lower than under President Obama .
The CPI is not necessarily the most reliable way to measure drug prices , as it mainly includes widely used drugs , which are usually cheaper .
It is less likely to include newer or less-prescribed drugs , which are more expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Hunter [ Biden ] got thrown out of the military .
He was ... dishonourably discharged…for cocaine use '' .
Verdict : Hunter Biden , Joe Biden 's second son , was discharged from the navy after failing a drug test , but not dishonourably discharged .
President Trump brought up Hunter during an exchange about Beau , Joe Biden 's eldest son , who served in the US military and died of cancer in 2015 .
Mr Trump said : `` I do n't know Beau .
I know Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military…dishonourably discharged…for cocaine use . ''
Mr Biden replied that it was not true that his son had been dishonourably discharged .
Hunter Biden was discharged from the US Navy in 2014 , and media reports at the time said that a navy drug test had detected the presence of cocaine .
However , he was not dishonourably discharged , which is the highest level of punishment the military can hand out .
• A simple guide to the US election • Where does Donald Trump stand on key issues ?
• How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most votes

Presidential debate: Trump and Biden's claims fact-checked Published 30 September 2020
Image source, AFP
President Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden have gone head-to-head in the first of three televised debates before the US election in November.
During a heated 90 minutes, the nominees clashed over everything from the state of the economy to the handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Reality Check has unpicked some of their claims.
Trump: "We built the greatest economy in history"
Verdict: That's not right - there have been times in US history when the economy was stronger.
Before the coronavirus outbreak, President Trump claimed to have generated historic economic growth.
It's true the economy was doing well before the pandemic - continuing a trend that began during the Obama administration - but there have been periods when it was much stronger.
Biden: "We have 4% of the world's population, [but] 20% of the deaths"
Verdict: This is roughly correct. But looking at coronavirus deaths per capita, there are a number of countries which are worse than the US.
Mr Biden criticised President Trump's management of the coronavirus response.
According to the figures, his claim is about right. The US population is around 328 million, which is just over 4% of the 7.7 billion global population.
Image source, Reuters
There have been 205,942 coronavirus deaths recorded in the US, according to the latest John Hopkins University data. The total number of deaths recorded worldwide is 1,004,808.
On this metric, the US accounts for about 20% of Covid-19 deaths worldwide, although the way countries record their figures varies considerably.
Trump: Postal ballots increase will cause "a fraud like you've never seen"
Verdict: Studies have not found evidence of widespread fraud, although there have been isolated cases.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a large proportion of US voters are expected to use postal voting in this year's election.
The president has repeatedly warned that this will lead to widespread fraud.
There have been isolated cases of fraud including recent examples in North Carolina and New Jersey.
Image source, Reuters
In September, the US Department of Justice released a statement about an incident in Pennsylvania in which "nine military ballots were discarded" and said seven of them "were cast for presidential candidate Donald Trump".
But despite such incidents, numerous studies have not revealed evidence of major, widespread fraud.
The rate of voting fraud overall in the US is between 0.00004% and 0.0009%, according to a 2017 study by the Brennan Center for Justice.
Biden: "100 million people [in the US] have pre-existing conditions"
Verdict: There is no definitive answer to this.
The candidates clashed over how many people in the US have pre-existing medical conditions, which can stop some Americans from being covered by private medical insurers.
Mr Biden said there were 100 million people with pre-existing conditions, but President Trump said that number was "totally wrong".
So how many are there? There is no definitive answer.
According to the US government's Department of Health and Human Services, between 50 and 129 million non-elderly Americans have some type of pre-existing health condition.
Other organisations have different estimates. The Center for American Progress believes it is higher, at 135 million people under age 65.
Trump: "We're weeks away from a vaccine"
Verdict: There is a "very, very low chance" of an approved vaccine being ready by the end of October, the chief scientific adviser to the US vaccine programme has said.
Moncef Slaoui made this cautious assessment in early September.
Meanwhile, Dr Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert, has predicted the US will know if it has a safe and effective jab by November or December this year.
He told a Senate committee hearing this month there might be enough doses for every American by April.
Biden: "Manufacturing went into a hole" before coronavirus
Verdict: That's not right, according to the figures.
Democratic candidate Joe Biden suggested that even before Covid-19, "manufacturing went into a hole".
The pandemic did have an impact on this sector. As of August, there were 237,000 fewer manufacturing jobs in the US than when Trump took office in 2017.
But prior to the outbreak, President Trump had added almost half a million manufacturing jobs during his first three years in office.
Trump: "The Portland sheriff just came out today and said 'I support President Trump'"
Verdict: That's not right. The sheriff of Multnomah County, which includes the city of Portland, says this is not true.
In defending his approach to tackling protests in US cities, Mr Trump said he'd had widespread support from law enforcement groups.
He claimed this included the sheriff in charge of law enforcement in Portland, which has become a flashpoint for demonstrations against police brutality and racism in recent months.
Mike Reese, the sheriff for Multnomah Country swiftly denied this on Twitter: "I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him."
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Mike Reese Allow Twitter content? This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of twitter post by Mike Reese
Trump: Biden once called African-Americans "super-predators"
Verdict: That's not right. He did use the word "predators" but did not use this to refer to African-Americans.
In 1993 Mr Biden warned of "predators on our streets" during a speech before a vote on the key crime bill in Congress.
There was no specific mention of African-Americans but the crime bill was later criticised for increasing mass incarceration which disproportionately affected African-American men.
The term "super-predator" was used by Hillary Clinton in 1996 in support of the controversial bill.
Ms Clinton said: "We need to take these people on. They are often connected to big drug cartels, they are not just gangs of kids anymore. They are often the kinds of kids that are called super-predators - no conscience, no empathy."
Biden: "Trump hasn't lowered drug prices for anyone"
Verdict: The average monthly cost of prescription drugs fell slightly in the year to August 2019, although it then rose again.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) - which measures the cost of household items in the US - the average monthly cost of prescription drugs fell by 0.3% in the year to August 2019.
This was the first price decrease over a 12-month period since 1973. While average drug prices rose by 1.5% over the following year, under President Trump the average rises have been lower than under President Obama.
The CPI is not necessarily the most reliable way to measure drug prices, as it mainly includes widely used drugs, which are usually cheaper. It is less likely to include newer or less-prescribed drugs, which are more expensive and have higher price increases.
Trump: "Hunter [Biden] got thrown out of the military. He was...dishonourably discharged…for cocaine use".
Verdict: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's second son, was discharged from the navy after failing a drug test, but not dishonourably discharged.
President Trump brought up Hunter during an exchange about Beau, Joe Biden's eldest son, who served in the US military and died of cancer in 2015.
Mr Biden replied that it was not true that Hunter had been dishonourably discharged.
Hunter Biden was discharged from the US Navy in 2014, and media reports at the time said that a navy drug test had detected the presence of cocaine.


How the world reacted

US voters have endured the first of three presidential debates between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden .
The event has also prompted a huge reaction from world audiences who tuned in for the chaotic event .
Newspapers and commentators around the world have criticised the tone and tactics of the debate .
As The Times in the UK wrote , `` The clearest loser from the first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden was America . ''
The paper went further , saying the event `` was not a debate in any meaningful sense '' but rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ squabble between two angry septuagenarians who palpably loathe each other '' .
• 'The loser is us , the American people' The Guardian described it as a `` national humiliation '' .
`` The rest of the world - and future historians - will presumably look at it and weep , '' the paper wrote , adding that Mr Biden was the only man who looked `` remotely presidential '' on the stage and saying that if Mr Trump was re-elected in November , `` this dark , horrifying , unwatchable fever dream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America 's obituary . ''
The Financial Times highlighted how the president had stoked lies about voter fraud and urged his supporters to carefully watch polling stations .
`` 'Dog-whistling ' is the politico-speak for such language , but it implies subtlety .
Mr Trump was blatant , '' it wrote .
The paper also noted that snap polls after the event said Mr Biden had come out on top .
`` But no one with a care for American democracy can have switched off feeling anything but queasy . ''
`` Chaotic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's how French newspaper Libération described Tuesday 's debate .
Le Monde agreed , calling it a `` terrible storm '' , and saying that the president had sought to `` push his opponent off his hinges '' with constant interruptions and by mocking his answers .
• How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
Le Figaro said Mr Biden had `` systematically refused to play his opponent 's game '' .
While Mr Trump tried to directly confront his challenger , pointing at him and addressing him directly , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looked directly into the camera .
`` Trump voters are unlikely to have had any doubts about their candidate , despite an unconvincing performance .
Those of Biden , on the other hand , had confirmation that the Democrat was able to measure up to his formidable opponent , and even put him on the defensive , '' the paper wrote .
Der Spiegel 's analysis of the debate is headlined `` A TV duel like a car accident '' .
In a piece titled `` Part fist-fight , part play '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Biden could go home satisfied because as far as the theatrical performance is concerned , both did their job properly .
Donald Trump played Donald Trump , Joe Biden played Joe Biden , and fans should have liked it . ''
• Where does Donald Trump stand on key issues ?
• What Joe Biden wants to do Die Welt said the debate had revealed very little about policy .
`` Most importantly , it showed that America has a president whose behaviour stands out and who lacks self-control - but that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
Mr Biden in contrast was not an exciting candidate but `` at least someone with common sense and a stable personality '' who would `` bring something like normalcy back to the White House '' .
`` Never had American politics sunk so low , '' La Repubblica 's US correspondent wrote , describing the debate as `` Chaotic , rowdy , and based on mutual contempt '' .
Il Corriere della Sera meanwhile said President Trump 's refusal to condemn white supremacy was `` a message for Black America '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` one and a half-hour exchange of insults '' , while another said there was `` no constructive dialogue '' .
`` The rivals kept interrupting each other and instead of a balanced discussion they chose the path of mutual insults , '' pro-Kremlin NTV television said .
• Who Russia , China and Iran want to win US election • Who will be the next US president ?
You decide Mr Biden 's description of President Trump as `` Putin 's puppy '' also generated comments on Russian social media .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men are figuring out which of them is more worthy to become the president of the United States , but without Putin , you ca n't boost your rating . ''
Chinese official media sites broadly ignored the US debate although some wrote about how both candidates had used China to attack their opponent .
The state-run Global Times called it `` the most chaotic presidential debate ever '' and noted that Mr Trump had taken `` aim at China by blaming [ it ] for the raging Covid-19 epidemic and US economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter that the debate reflected `` division , anxiety of US society and the accelerating loss of advantages of the US political system '' .
Hindi-language news channel AajTak accused both candidates of `` mud-slinging '' , while broadcaster Times Now said the debate was `` marred with personal jibes and political barbs '' .
But the strongest commentary came from The Times of India , the country 's largest-selling English-language newspaper , which compared the debate to `` mud-wrestling '' .
`` The US embarrassed itself before the world for 100 @ @ @ @ @ @

"The rest of the world - and future historians - will presumably look at it and weep," the paper wrote, adding that Mr Biden was the only man who looked "remotely presidential" on the stage and saying that if Mr Trump was re-elected in November, "this dark, horrifying, unwatchable fever dream will surely be the first line of America's obituary."


bbc--2020-09-30--Presidential debate: 'The loser is us, the American people'

Voters around the US tuned in to see President Donald Trump and former Vice-President Joe Biden spar in the first presidential debate .
Although topics ranged from racism in America to the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic , the debate may be remembered for its ill-tempered exchanges and constant interruptions .
As the campaigns head into the final five weeks before the 3 November election , the debates are a key opportunity for both Mr Trump and Mr Biden to make their case for the presidency to the American people .
We 've asked members of the BBC voter panel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and if their answers had swayed their vote .
Brian Chellgren is an attorney and a conservative-leaning moderate who is undecided on whom to vote for .
Who do you think won the debate ?
I think there were three people involved .
I would n't call any of the three a winner .
It was expected to be chaotic , and it was chaotic .
Trump controlled the message with more interrupting , talking and controlling .
Biden withstood it better than I thought he would .
He got a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I did n't see any big eye-catching gaffes .
I thought Biden had a good few periods where he aimed his message directly at the camera and to the public .
I think both sides will say they won .
It 's like comparing apples with oranges .
What moment stood out to you ?
Two moments jumped out to me .
One was that Trump would not denounce right-wing extremist groups .
Politicians on both sides should denounce violence .
There 's nothing wrong with peaceful protests in town but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on both sides of the political spectrum .
Did the debate change your mind about either candidate ?
The debate gave me a lot of what I expected .
Trump did what we thought he would .
I thought he had one good segment .
I wish there was somebody who had more of Trump 's policies and more of Biden 's demeanour , but there is n't .
Keirsten Greggs is a talent recruiter and a progressive voter who is undecided on how to vote .
Who do you think won the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debate , but I do n't think that that 's hard in the sense that there was n't a lot that I was expecting from Donald Trump .
At the end of the day , the loser was really us , the American people .
A lot of people were expecting this to go the way that it did .
What moment stood out to you ?
I think the debate took a turn and Joe Biden settled in and truly took control of the narrative when he talked about his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected with Americans and kept that same tone and level-headedness in the next segment that will serve him well .
He definitely gained some supporters in that regard .
I think Biden skirted around the issue of race , but I think he did a good job connecting the race-related issue to everything , like Covid-19 .
I connected with him most when he was talking about his family .
Did the debate change your mind about either candidate ?
It definitely did not change my mind about Donald Trump .
I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it comes to Joe Biden because he did not answer my questions on race .
He was n't hard enough on police brutality .
He mentioned George Floyd but he spent a great deal of time talking about what happened in Charlottesville [ in 2017 ] , and there 's many things that happened since then that he did not go in depth on .
He stayed very , very close to the middle .
Democrats take black voter support for granted .
There 's a notion that black women are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not this black woman .
Joshua Roizman is a recent college graduate and moderate Democrat voting for Joe Biden .
Who do you think won the debate ?
Biden came out on top .
He came out with a strong message and I ca n't tell you enough how much it mattered that he looked into the camera .
Trump disrespected [ the moderator ] Chris Wallace .
We already knew he 's disrespectful but now America all watched him disrespect Chris Wallace at the same time .
What moment stood out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night was Trump 's comment on the Proud Boys .
The president failing to condemn white supremacy and the Proud Boys is disgusting .
I ca n't believe we 're talking about this in 2020 .
Did the debate change your mind about either candidate ?
We were expecting Joe Biden to go out there and blunder .
Trump framed Biden as someone who could n't finish sentences .
He did great and he came out and spoke with confidence , and the American people saw that .
He came out well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to scramble and need to find new attacks .
Who do you think won the debate ?
I thought nobody won the debate .
I really understand that Trump is not a very seasoned politician .
He was at his best when he was talking about his policies , what he 's done and what he 's going to do .
But there were other times Biden would say something and he 'd try to debunk it .
What moment stood out to you ?
On the white supremacy question , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I wish he would have repeated what he actually said [ about Charlottesville ] that there were good people there trying to stand up for their side of the issue .
When he was talking about the militia groups , they are ex-military men who are defending their neighbourhoods against antifa and against the violence ; it 's not just white people getting hurt , it 's everybody and minorities in particular and I wish Trump had said that .
But he gets caught up in his defensiveness and that is his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind about either candidate ?
I think Trump 's strongest point was when he talked about what he accomplished and what he will accomplish .
On the other hand , Biden did really well when he spoke directly to the American people but he never gave us details and facts .
I must say Vice-President Biden did much better than I expected and I do see why people respect him as a politician , and I felt pretty bad when I heard about his family situation .
Are you an American voter ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joshua on our US election voter panel .
Use this form to get in touch .

On the white supremacy question, I think it was a really important moment and I wish he would have repeated what he actually said [about Charlottesville] that there were good people there trying to stand up for their side of the issue. When he was talking about the militia groups, they are ex-military men who are defending their neighbourhoods against antifa and against the violence; it's not just white people getting hurt, it's everybody and minorities in particular and I wish Trump had said that. But he gets caught up in his defensiveness and that is his weakness.


bbc--2020-09-30--'Proud Boys, stand back and stand by' - Trump

The US president was challenged about his white supremacist supporters during his debate with Joe Biden .
But when asked @ @ @ @ @ Proud Boys by name , he said : `` Stand back and stand by .
@ @ @ @ @ and antifa ?

Donald Trump has said a far-right group should "stand down" and let law enforcement do their work, after his refusal to condemn white supremacist groups in the US presidential debate sparked a backlash.
Mr Trump said "I don't know who the Proud Boys are" on Wednesday - despite urging them to "stand back and stand by" on Tuesday night.
Who are Proud Boys and antifa?


bbc--2020-09-30--'Do you believe for a moment what he's telling you?'

Joe Biden accused President Trump of lying about the issues around Covid-19 in the first US election debate .
The @ @ @ @ @ 's handling of the coronavirus pandemic .

Joe Biden accused President Trump of lying about the issues around Covid-19 in the first US election debate.
The rivals clashed over the president's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.


bbc--2020-09-30--US election 2020 polls: Who is ahead - Trump or Biden?

Voters in America will decide on 3 November whether Donald Trump remains in the White House for another four years .
The Republican president is being challenged by Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden , who is best known as Barack Obama 's vice-president but has been in US politics since the 1970s .
As election day approaches , polling companies will be trying to gauge the mood of the nation by asking voters which candidate they prefer .
We 'll be keeping track of those polls here and trying to work out what they can and ca n't tell us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National polls are a good guide as to how popular a candidate is across the country as a whole , but they 're not necessarily a good way to predict the result of the election .
In 2016 , for example , Hillary Clinton led in the polls and won nearly three million more votes than Donald Trump , but she still lost - that 's because the US uses an electoral college system , so winning the most votes does n't always win you the election .
With that caveat aside , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump in most national polls since the start of the year .
He has hovered around 50 % in recent months and has had a 10-point lead on occasions .
By contrast , in 2016 the polls were far less clear and just a couple of percentage points separated Mr Trump and his then-rival Hillary Clinton at several points as election day neared .
• A really simple guide to the US election Which states will decide this election ?
As Mrs Clinton discovered in 2016 , the number of votes you win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
Most states nearly always vote the same way , meaning that in reality there are just a handful of states where both candidates stand a chance of winning .
These are the places where the election will be won and lost and are known as battleground states .
In the electoral college system the US uses to elect its president , each state is given a number of votes based on how many members it sends to Congress - House and Senate .
A total of 538 electoral college votes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs to hit 270 to win .
As the map above shows , some battleground states have a lot more electoral college votes on offer than others so candidates often spend a lot more time campaigning in them .
• What is the electoral college ?
At the moment , polls in the battleground states look good for Joe Biden , but there 's a long way to go and things can change very quickly , especially when Donald Trump 's involved .
The polls suggest Mr Biden is ahead in Michigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Republican rival won by margins of less than 1 % to clinch victory in 2016 .
But it 's the battleground states where Mr Trump won big in 2016 that his campaign team will be most worried about .
His winning margin in Iowa , Ohio and Texas was between 8-10 % back then but it 's looking much closer in all three at the moment .
Betting markets , however , are certainly not writing Mr Trump off just yet .
The latest odds give him about a 40 % chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests some people expect the outlook to change a lot over the next few weeks .
But political analysts are less convinced about his chances of re-election .
FiveThirtyEight , a political analysis website , says Mr Biden is `` favoured '' to win the election , while The Economist says he is `` very likely '' to beat Mr Trump .
• Has Trump delivered on his promises ?
The coronavirus pandemic has dominated headlines in the US since the start of the year and the response to President Trump 's actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Support for his approach peaked in mid-March after he declared a national emergency and made $ 50 billion available to states to stop the spread of the virus .
But it dropped after that point , even among Republicans .
The virus is likely to be at the forefront of voters ' minds and one leading model produced by experts at the University of Washington predicts the death toll will have risen to about 240,000 people by election day .
Mr Trump may be hoping Operation Warp Speed , his administration 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October surprise '' - a last-minute event that turns the election upside down .
The chief scientific adviser to the initiative has said it 's `` extremely unlikely but not impossible '' that a vaccine could be ready to distribute before 3 November .
• Trump deliberately played down virus , new book says Can we trust the polls ?
It 's easy to dismiss the polls by saying they got it wrong in 2016 and President Trump frequently does exactly that .
But it 's not entirely true .
Most national polls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few percentage points , but that does n't mean they were wrong , since she won three million more votes than her rival .
Pollsters did have some problems in 2016 - notably a failure to properly represent voters without a college degree - meaning Mr Trump 's advantage in some key battleground states was n't spotted until late in the race , if at all .
Most polling companies have corrected this now .
But this year there 's even more uncertainty than normal due to the coronavirus pandemic and the effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how people will vote in November , so all polls should be read with some scepticism , especially this far out from election day .
• Americast : The latest news and gossip from the campaign trail What questions do you have about the US election ?
The US election process can be confusing .
The BBC is here to help make sense of it .
Please put your questions below .
Written and produced by Mike Hills and Will Dahlgreen .
Design by Irene de la Torre Arenas .
Development by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connor and Shilpa Saraf .

On his own health, 72% of respondents said that Mr Trump did not take the "risk of contracting the virus seriously enough," while the same number said he failed to take "the appropriate precautions when it came to his personal health".


bbc--2020-09-29--Coronavirus: The disabled Indians fighting for their livelihoods

While organisations like the Deaf Enabled Foundation support him and other deaf people financially , Swaminathan and his family remain affected by health issues , but are fearful of visiting a hospital because of the scale of the crisis .
`` My mother and brother are ill .
Earlier , they used to undergo regular treatment at the government hospital and they received free medicines .
But due to the spread of the virus , we had to restrict our visits to the hospital to once every two months lest we get infected . ''
With a population of 1.3bn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tremendous pressure as Covid cases continue to rise .
More than 6m Indians have tested positive for the virus so far and there have been more than 92,000 reported deaths .
The NCPEDP says some disabled people - such as those who sold goods at railway stations or were factory workers- reported losing their livelihoods .
It has also noted an increase in domestic violence against disabled women and children .
In India , disabled people are sometimes seen as objects of sympathy and unsuited to professional employment .
This value judgement has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduction in transport services and an increase in the use of online education , which is often inaccessible .
Ramya Miryala , director of Deaf Enabled Foundation , says some deaf people she has worked with have been bankrupted due to not being able to travel to work when public transport ceased and the cost of private cabs was prohibitive .
`` Some hearing-impaired people were unable to pay rent and their landlords were troubling them to pay up , '' she says .
`` Many companies that these people worked for could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to loss of business due to the lockdown . ''
It can be challenging for some deaf people , in lower economic groups , to pursue certain jobs because of a lack of accessible technology and interpreter support all of which impacts on employment prospects .
`` My husband is disabled as well and does n't have work now , my father too passed away recently .
We 've had difficulties getting food and we had to leave our house because we could n't pay rent , '' she says .
Although Sunitha @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet to receive the monthly disability pension of $ 19 ( £15 ) .
She had to re-apply for the provision in March but there have been administrative delays due to lockdown .
While she waits , she struggles to pay for the basics and her daughter 's education .
It is not just a lack of financial support which has impacted the disabled community .
Acts of human kindness and offers of help - such as guiding someone through a train station - have also decreased temporarily , due to fears of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abraham , Founder and CEO of SCORE Foundation which works for the empowerment of visually impaired people , says : `` People are now likely to be apprehensive and hesitant to come forward to lead and guide a person with disability like they did earlier . ''
The NCPEDP says it wants pensions to be provided swiftly and that the food , healthcare and Covid-testing needs of disabled people and their families should be prioritised .
It says caregivers should also be issued with passes to enable them to travel to their clients @ @ @

"My mother and brother are ill. Earlier, they used to undergo regular treatment at the government hospital and they received free medicines. But due to the spread of the virus, we had to restrict our visits to the hospital to once every two months lest we get infected."


bbc--2020-09-30--Bairstow loses England Test central contract

Last updated on .From the section Cricket Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow has not been given an England central contract for Test @ @ @ @ @ Zak Crawley , Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley all receive a Test central contract for @ @ @ @ @ Tom Curran has been given a white-ball contract , while Kent batsman Joe Denly misses @ @ @ @ @ spinner Dom Bess , seamer Chris Jordan and batsman Dawid Malan - previously uncontracted - @ @ @ @ @ The contracts , handed to a total of 23 players , start on 1 October @ @ @ @ @ .
Players on the Test and white-ball contracts will have their salaries , which are @ @ @ @ @ based on performance , fitness and other factors , paid in full by the England @ @ @ @ @ ECB ) .
However , the ECB says there could be an impact on how @ @ @ @ @ a result of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic , with levels of remuneration @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Bairstow made his England debut in a one-day international in 2011, and his Test debut the following year
Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow has not been given an England central contract for Test cricket in 2020-21.
Yorkshire's Bairstow, 31, who was not selected for the summer's Test series with West Indies and Pakistan, remains contracted for limited-overs cricket.
Batsmen Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Dom Sibley all receive a Test central contract for the first time.
All-rounder Tom Curran has been given a white-ball contract, while Kent batsman Joe Denly misses out altogether.
Denly had previously held a limited-overs contract.
Meanwhile, spinner Dom Bess, seamer Chris Jordan and batsman Dawid Malan - previously uncontracted - will receive incremental deals.
The contracts, handed to a total of 23 players, start on 1 October and run for 12 months.
England director of men's cricket Ashley Giles said missing out on a Test contract was a "knock" for Bairstow but that he still has "a really important part to play in the future of English Test cricket".
"It's a tough call to make because Jonny has been a very good servant for the team," said Giles.
"He's taken it as well as you can expect - it's hard news to hear for someone who has played so much cricket for England across all forms but he was absolutely fine and he does truly still have a desire to play Test cricket.
"He's one of our most dangerous players in white-ball cricket and we'll do everything we can to support him getting back into the Test team."
Players on the Test and white-ball contracts will have their salaries, which are calculated by a ranking system based on performance, fitness and other factors, paid in full by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
However, the ECB says there could be an impact on how much players are paid as a result of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, with levels of remuneration currently being finalised.
'Bairstow omission was inevitable' - analysis
Jonathan Agnew, BBC cricket correspondent
This announcement comes with the backdrop of a £1m deficit and the likelihood of the same shortfall next year.
And while the ECB has recognised that it must reduce its staff by 20% - that's 62 jobs- the playing side remains unaffected.
Having lost his Test place and now arguably the third-choice wicketkeeper behind Jos Buttler and Ben Foakes it was inevitable that Bairstow should lose his Test central contract, with Crawley, Pope and Sibley all attaining that status for the first time.
Test and white-ball contracts: Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Test contracts: James Anderson (Lancashire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire)
White-ball contracts: Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Curran (Surrey), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Mark Wood (Durham)
Incremental contracts: Dom Bess (Yorkshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
Pace bowling developmental contracts: Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Olly Stone (Warwickshire)


bbc--2020-09-30--Aston Villa sign Barkley from Chelsea on season-long loan

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villa Aston Villa have signed England midfielder Ross Barkley from Chelsea on a season-long loan .
The 26-year-old has played three times for Chelsea this season , scoring once .
`` Capturing a player of Ross 's quality is a real coup for our club and I am certain he will thrive here and improve our team , '' said Villa manager Dean Smith .
Barkley left boyhood club Everton following 179 appearances and 27 goals for the Toffees .
The attacking midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Werner and winger Hakim Ziyech and is yet to start in the Premier League this season .
He scored in Chelsea 's 6-0 third-round thrashing of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup .
Barkley is the fifth major signing for Villa this summer following the arrivals of winger Bertrand Traore from Lyon , striker Ollie Watkins from Brentford , goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal and right-back Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest .
Analysis - 'Now or never for Barkley' Ross Barkley 's move to Aston Villa continues a fine window for the club - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the career of this highly gifted England star .
The 26-year-old has never left any doubts about his talent as a creative force but nor has he ever performed with the prolonged consistency to fulfil the high hopes held for him since he was a teenager .
When he left Everton , his beloved boyhood club , in acrimonious fashion to move to Stamford Bridge , this was meant to be the springboard to the sort of career many expected Barkley to have for club and country .
It simply has not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chelsea , it was meant to elevate Barkley to the highest stage .
It simply has not happened .
Barkley now finds himself attempting to rebuild the next crucial phase of his career at Villa Park , a place where you suspect he did not expect to end up at this stage .
Villa have started the season well , have bought ambitiously and have given Barkley a fresh start in a side already containing such fine talents as Jack Grealish .
It is a smart move by the club because they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply has to produce the goods regularly or risk forever being remembered as an unfulfilled talent .
It is now or never for Barkley .

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villa
Barkley scored in his most recent appearance for Chelsea, a Carabao Cup victory over Barnsley
Aston Villa have signed England midfielder Ross Barkley from Chelsea on a season-long loan.
Barkley, who has 33 international caps, has been at Stamford Bridge since moving from Everton in January 2018.
The 26-year-old has played three times for Chelsea this season, scoring once.
"Capturing a player of Ross's quality is a real coup for our club and I am certain he will thrive here and improve our team," said Villa manager Dean Smith.
Barkley left boyhood club Everton following 179 appearances and 27 goals for the Toffees.
Barkley fires Chelsea into a 2-0 lead against Liverpool
The attacking midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea after the signings of forwards Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and winger Hakim Ziyech and is yet to start in the Premier League this season.
He scored in Chelsea's 6-0 third-round thrashing of Barnsley in the Carabao Cup.
Barkley is the fifth major signing for Villa this summer following the arrivals of winger Bertrand Traore from Lyon, striker Ollie Watkins from Brentford, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Arsenal and right-back Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest.
Analysis - 'Now or never for Barkley'
BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty
Ross Barkley's move to Aston Villa continues a fine window for the club - but it now represents a defining stage in the career of this highly gifted England star.
The 26-year-old has never left any doubts about his talent as a creative force but nor has he ever performed with the prolonged consistency to fulfil the high hopes held for him since he was a teenager.
When he left Everton, his beloved boyhood club, in acrimonious fashion to move to Stamford Bridge, this was meant to be the springboard to the sort of career many expected Barkley to have for club and country.
It simply has not happened.
When he left Everton for Chelsea, it was meant to elevate Barkley to the highest stage.
It simply has not happened.
Barkley now finds himself attempting to rebuild the next crucial phase of his career at Villa Park, a place where you suspect he did not expect to end up at this stage.
Villa have started the season well, have bought ambitiously and have given Barkley a fresh start in a side already containing such fine talents as Jack Grealish.
It is a smart move by the club because they have signed a player on loan who now simply has to produce the goods regularly or risk forever being remembered as an unfulfilled talent.
It is now or never for Barkley.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


bbc--2020-09-29--Is Dias the leader Man City have craved since Kompany left?

Manchester City believe they have uncovered the heir to former captain Vincent Kompany with the signing of Ruben Dias from Benfica - so could he be the player to fix their defensive problems ?
The 2018-19 Premier League champions finished 18 points behind winners Liverpool last season in their first campaign following club legend Kompany 's departure .
City lost nine league games last term despite suffering only six defeats combined across the two previous title-winning campaigns - and six in Guardiola 's first season in charge in 2016-17 .
Dias has impressed in three years at Benfica , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selection for Portugal 's 2018 World Cup squad at just 21 .
But is he the answer to Guardiola 's concerns at the back ?
It is no secret that signing a right-sided central defender has been a priority for Guardiola ever since Kompany 's departure left a significant void in City 's defence in May 2019 .
The failure to secure an immediate replacement for their former skipper was , after all , seen as a major part of City 's failure to challenge Liverpool for the title last season .
Guardiola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a central defender over Nicolas Otamendi - who has moved to Benfica in a separate deal - and England 's John Stones , while injuries have limited Aymeric Laporte to 15 league appearances since August 2019 .
Sunday 's defeat was unchartered territory for Guardiola , however , as it was the first time in his 686-game career as a manager that one of his sides had conceded five goals .
It was also the first time in 438 home games that City have shipped five .
Speaking on City 's poor defensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day 2 pundit Darren Fletcher said : `` It is just basic defending but the gaps between each member of the back four were too big and there was a lack of communication .
`` It looked like a back four that had never played together before - which it was - but it also looked like a back four that was lacking experience - which it definitely was n't . ''
'Leader Dias is one of the best' Replacing club legend Kompany , who led City to a first top-flight title since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stadium - eight of which he spent as club captain - is a daunting prospect for anyone .
But Dias has already demonstrated leadership qualities far beyond his years .
Having captained Portugal 's Under-19s at the 2016 European Championship , he went on to lead his nation at the U20 World Cup the following year before earning his senior debut at 21 in May 2018 .
Now a regular starter , he already has 19 caps to his name and started in his country 's Nations League final triumph against the Netherlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's qualities , former Premier League manager Carlos Carvalhal told BBC World Service that Dias `` is a leader '' , a `` balanced , strong player '' who maintains `` 100 % concentration '' .
`` It is why he played in the Benfica first team at 19 , 20 , '' he added .
`` He is a different character to [ Manchester United 's Portuguese midfielder ] Bruno Fernandes , for example , because he is a defender - Dias is more effective talking to the people around him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` After [ a match ] , because he is so concentrated , he is always talking with his colleagues about how to be more effective .
I think he will be great at Manchester City .
`` Comparing the qualities and age of the boy , I think he is one of the best centre-backs at the moment . ''
Has Guardiola stumbled upon the right man ?
Napoli 's Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly , 29 , was Guardiola 's top target , however City were not prepared to pay his £80m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to meet Atletico Madrid 's £78m valuation of Uruguay international Jose Gimenez , 25 .
Having also ruled out Sevilla 's Jules Kounde , and with one week of the summer transfer window remaining , all roads led to Dias .
At six years younger than Koulibaly and cheaper than Gimenez , Dias offers a long-term investment - with time very much on his side if he hopes to emulate Kompany 's decorated stay , which included four Premier League titles , two FA Cups and four League Cups .
His legacy at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scoring for his side , he embraced his team-mates at the end of his final game on Saturday .
Dias ' Portugal team-mate Jose Fonte told TalkSport : `` Ruben is one of my favourite young centre-backs .
He 's only 23 , but he shows great maturity .
`` He has a great work ethic .
He wants to learn , he wants to improve .
He observes the great defenders , he 's interested in knowing the game .
It 's a great acquisition for Manchester City .
They 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to get better and that 's very important . ''
However , speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live , pundit Chris Sutton warned City 's new big-money signing will be under intense scrutiny and pressure to instantly deliver in the Premier League .
`` He has to come and prove himself and hit the ground running , '' Sutton said .
`` It 's going to be difficult for him because the scrutiny on him will be unbelievable .
For his sake - and Manchester City 's sake - you have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their due diligence on him and he 's going to play well from the start - because you can imagine , if he misplaces a pass or someone dribbles past him , someone will say he 's a waste of money .
`` City have put themselves under pressure with the manner of their defeat against Leicester .
There will be scrutiny and people will be looking and comparing and asking how City are going to touch Liverpool this season .
If City want to win the league they must keep clean sheets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
'He was never City 's first choice ' - analysis Dias is the latest City recruit to have started life in Benfica 's Seixal academy , but unlike compatriots Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo he wo n't be afforded a season to bed in .
Since Kompany 's departure in 2019 , City have needed an authoritative , combative , right-footed centre-back and the defeat by Leicester showed they can not wait any longer .
Dias was not City 's first choice .
They wanted the finished article but , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italian club sold Jorginho to Chelsea in 2018 , a deal for Koulibaly for less than £70m always looked unlikely .
This may prove better business though .
Dias is six years younger , cheaper and offers City the opportunity to offload Otamendi , 32 , at the same time .
Koulibaly 's form has fluctuated a great deal depending on his defensive partner , while Dias has proven himself as a consistent performer in the three years since breaking into the Benfica first team , as well as a leader - which @ @ @ @

Ruben Dias has 19 Portugal caps after captaining his nation at youth level
Manchester City believe they have uncovered the heir to former captain Vincent Kompany with the signing of Ruben Dias from Benfica - so could he be the player to fix their defensive problems?
Portugal international centre-back Dias, 23, has joined Pep Guardiola's side for £65m in the wake of City's humbling 5-2 defeat by Leicester City on Sunday.
The 2018-19 Premier League champions finished 18 points behind winners Liverpool last season in their first campaign following club legend Kompany's departure.
City lost nine league games last term despite suffering only six defeats combined across the two previous title-winning campaigns - and six in Guardiola's first season in charge in 2016-17.
Dias has impressed in three years at Benfica, for whom he made 137 appearances, earning selection for Portugal's 2018 World Cup squad at just 21.
But is he the answer to Guardiola's concerns at the back?
Why City spent £65m to land Dias
It is no secret that signing a right-sided central defender has been a priority for Guardiola ever since Kompany's departure left a significant void in City's defence in May 2019.
The failure to secure an immediate replacement for their former skipper was, after all, seen as a major part of City's failure to challenge Liverpool for the title last season.
Guardiola frequently opted to use midfielder Fernandinho as a central defender over Nicolas Otamendi - who has moved to Benfica in a separate deal - and England's John Stones, while injuries have limited Aymeric Laporte to 15 league appearances since August 2019.
Sunday's defeat was unchartered territory for Guardiola, however, as it was the first time in his 686-game career as a manager that one of his sides had conceded five goals. It was also the first time in 438 home games that City have shipped five.
Speaking on City's poor defensive display against Leicester, Match of the Day 2 pundit Darren Fletcher said: "It is just basic defending but the gaps between each member of the back four were too big and there was a lack of communication.
"It looked like a back four that had never played together before - which it was - but it also looked like a back four that was lacking experience - which it definitely wasn't."
'Leader Dias is one of the best'
Dias played 35 times for Benfica since last August - more than any current Manchester City centre-back - scoring three goals and making 2,319 passes with a completion rate of 88.75%
Replacing club legend Kompany, who led City to a first top-flight title since 1968 during his 11 years at Etihad Stadium - eight of which he spent as club captain - is a daunting prospect for anyone.
But Dias has already demonstrated leadership qualities far beyond his years.
Having captained Portugal's Under-19s at the 2016 European Championship, he went on to lead his nation at the U20 World Cup the following year before earning his senior debut at 21 in May 2018.
Now a regular starter, he already has 19 caps to his name and started in his country's Nations League final triumph against the Netherlands last summer.
Speaking on his compatriot's qualities, former Premier League manager Carlos Carvalhal told BBC World Service that Dias "is a leader", a "balanced, strong player" who maintains "100% concentration".
"It is why he played in the Benfica first team at 19, 20," he added. "He is a different character to [Manchester United's Portuguese midfielder] Bruno Fernandes, for example, because he is a defender - Dias is more effective talking to the people around him and he understands what the manager wants.
"After [a match], because he is so concentrated, he is always talking with his colleagues about how to be more effective. I think he will be great at Manchester City.
"Comparing the qualities and age of the boy, I think he is one of the best centre-backs at the moment."
Has Guardiola stumbled upon the right man?
Napoli's Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly, 29, was Guardiola's top target, however City were not prepared to pay his £80m price tag - nor were they willing to meet Atletico Madrid's £78m valuation of Uruguay international Jose Gimenez, 25.
Having also ruled out Sevilla's Jules Kounde, and with one week of the summer transfer window remaining, all roads led to Dias.
At six years younger than Koulibaly and cheaper than Gimenez, Dias offers a long-term investment - with time very much on his side if he hopes to emulate Kompany's decorated stay, which included four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups.
His legacy at Benfica was evident as, after captaining and scoring for his side, he embraced his team-mates at the end of his final game on Saturday.
Dias' Portugal team-mate Jose Fonte told TalkSport: external-link "Ruben is one of my favourite young centre-backs. He's only 23, but he shows great maturity.
"He has a great work ethic. He wants to learn, he wants to improve. He observes the great defenders, he's interested in knowing the game. It's a great acquisition for Manchester City. They're getting a top, top player who wants to get better and that's very important."
'Dias and City face unbelievable level of scrutiny'
Dias has already tasted success at club and international level - winning the 2019 Nations League with Portugal and the Primeira Liga with Benfica - but can he now help deliver silverware at Manchester City?
However, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, pundit Chris Sutton warned City's new big-money signing will be under intense scrutiny and pressure to instantly deliver in the Premier League.
"He has to come and prove himself and hit the ground running," Sutton said.
"It's going to be difficult for him because the scrutiny on him will be unbelievable. For his sake - and Manchester City's sake - you have to really hope that they've really done their due diligence on him and he's going to play well from the start - because you can imagine, if he misplaces a pass or someone dribbles past him, someone will say he's a waste of money.
"City have put themselves under pressure with the manner of their defeat against Leicester. There will be scrutiny and people will be looking and comparing and asking how City are going to touch Liverpool this season. If City want to win the league they must keep clean sheets, defend strongly and do it quickly."
'He was never City's first choice' - analysis
Rob Schofield, BBC World Service
Dias is the latest City recruit to have started life in Benfica's Seixal academy, but unlike compatriots Bernardo Silva and Joao Cancelo he won't be afforded a season to bed in.
Since Kompany's departure in 2019, City have needed an authoritative, combative, right-footed centre-back and the defeat by Leicester showed they cannot wait any longer.
Dias was not City's first choice. They wanted the finished article but, with their relationship with Napoli irreparable after the Italian club sold Jorginho to Chelsea in 2018, a deal for Koulibaly for less than £70m always looked unlikely.
This may prove better business though. Dias is six years younger, cheaper and offers City the opportunity to offload Otamendi, 32, at the same time.
Koulibaly's form has fluctuated a great deal depending on his defensive partner, while Dias has proven himself as a consistent performer in the three years since breaking into the Benfica first team, as well as a leader - which City sorely need.