bbc--2020-09-15--Hamilton says he 'won't let up' on protests as FIA rules out T-shirt investigation

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1 Lewis Hamilton says he `` wo n't let up '' in his fight against injustice as the FIA decided not to investigate his actions at the Tuscan Grand Prix .
An FIA spokesman told BBC Sport an investigation had been ruled out .
Hamilton said : `` Want you to know I wo n't stop using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right . ''
The Mercedes driver , writing on Instagram , thanked `` those of you who continue to support me and show love , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` This is a journey for all of us to come together and challenge the world on every level of injustice , not only racial . ''
Hamilton 's T-shirt , which he wore for the pre-race anti-racism demonstration and on the podium afterwards , said : `` Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor '' and `` Say her name '' .
Taylor was a black woman who was shot eight times in her home in Louisville , Kentucky , by US police in March .
She was one of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence in the US whose names have become rallying cries for equality and justice .
The FIA was caught by surprise by Hamilton 's actions - previously he had worn a T-shirt saying `` Black Lives Matter '' , while those of all other drivers have said `` End Racism '' .
It had been considering whether Hamilton had breached article 1.2 of the FIA statutes , which says : `` The FIA shall refrain from manifesting discrimination on account of race , skin colour , gender , sexual orientation , ethnic or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philosophical or political opinion , family situation or disability in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect . ''
The FIA is also a signatory of the Olympic charter , which forbids any `` kind of demonstration or political , religious or racial propaganda '' .
Taylor was one of a number of victims of incidents involving police violence in the US whose names have become rallying cries for equality and justice .
Hamilton said after winning the race on Sunday : `` I 've been wanting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are people being killed on the street .
`` And someone was killed in her own house and they were in the wrong house and those guys are still walking free . ''
F1 and the FIA have mounted an anti-racism and pro-diversity campaign this year , which includes anti-racism demonstrations before every race .
Hamilton has been at the centre of the demonstrations , as the sport 's most high-profile figure and its only black driver .
His stance has been backed by his Mercedes team , who painted their cars black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-racism and diversity .
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said on Saturday that Hamilton had the organisation 's full support in his desire to highlight racial injustice and that it was up to him what T-shirts he wished to wear to demonstrate that .
`` No question - it is entirely his decision , '' Wolff said .
`` Whatever he does , we will support .
The team is fighting against any kind of racism and discrimination and it is Lewis 's personal fight for Black Lives Matter and with all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's his call . ''
Wolff added : `` Black Lives Matter is something that is important to all of us and we have supported Lewis all the way .
`` The much broader movement is obviously the fight against any kind of racism and discrimination and we as a team and as a corporate have always put an emphasis to fight against that injustice . ''
• None Who impressed on the opening weekend ?
• None What they can tell us about the future

Lewis Hamilton wore the T-shirt before and after the Tuscan Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton says he "won't let up" in his fight against injustice as the FIA decided not to investigate his actions at the Tuscan Grand Prix.
Formula 1's governing body had been considering whether Hamilton broke its rules in wearing a T-shirt highlighting police brutality at Sunday's race.
An FIA spokesman told BBC Sport an investigation had been ruled out.
Hamilton said: "Want you to know I won't stop using this platform to shed light on what I believe is right."
The Mercedes driver, writing on Instagram, thanked "those of you who continue to support me and show love, I am so grateful".
He added: "This is a journey for all of us to come together and challenge the world on every level of injustice, not only racial."
Hamilton's T-shirt, which he wore for the pre-race anti-racism demonstration and on the podium afterwards, said: "Arrest the cops who killed Breonna Taylor" and "Say her name".
Taylor was a black woman who was shot eight times in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, by US police in March.
She was one of a number of victims of incidents involving police violence in the US whose names have become rallying cries for equality and justice.
The FIA was caught by surprise by Hamilton's actions - previously he had worn a T-shirt saying "Black Lives Matter", while those of all other drivers have said "End Racism".
It had been considering whether Hamilton had breached article 1.2 of the FIA statutes, which says: "The FIA shall refrain from manifesting discrimination on account of race, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic or social origin, language, religion, philosophical or political opinion, family situation or disability in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect."
The FIA is also a signatory of the Olympic charter, which forbids any "kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda".
Hamilton said after winning the race on Sunday: "I've been wanting to bring awareness to the fact there are people being killed on the street.
"And someone was killed in her own house and they were in the wrong house and those guys are still walking free."
F1 and the FIA have mounted an anti-racism and pro-diversity campaign this year, which includes anti-racism demonstrations before every race.
Hamilton has been at the centre of the demonstrations, as the sport's most high-profile figure and its only black driver.
His stance has been backed by his Mercedes team, who painted their cars black this year to represent their support for anti-racism and diversity.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said on Saturday that Hamilton had the organisation's full support in his desire to highlight racial injustice and that it was up to him what T-shirts he wished to wear to demonstrate that.
"No question - it is entirely his decision," Wolff said. "Whatever he does, we will support. The team is fighting against any kind of racism and discrimination and it is Lewis's personal fight for Black Lives Matter and with all the support we can give him. It's his call."
Wolff added: "Black Lives Matter is something that is important to all of us and we have supported Lewis all the way.
"The much broader movement is obviously the fight against any kind of racism and discrimination and we as a team and as a corporate have always put an emphasis to fight against that injustice."


bbc--2020-09-15--Grealish signs new five-year deal with Aston Villa

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villa Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has signed a new five-year deal with the club .
Grealish has been with his hometown club since he was eight-years-old , making his debut in the 2013-14 season .
`` It is my club , my home and I am very happy here , '' Grealish said after agreeing the new contract on Tuesday .
The attacking midfielder , who made his first appearance for England against Denmark last week , has signed a contract until 2025 .
`` We are determined to build a top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is extending his contract and committing himself to the club he loves , '' Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said .
Villa begin their Premier League campaign at home to Sheffield United on Monday after Grealish played a key role in the club retaining its place in the top flight last season .
He made 36 league appearances during 2019-20 , scoring eight goals including in the 1-1 draw against West Ham United which secured Premier League survival on the final day of the elongated season .
`` The owners have made it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are and how they want to build Aston Villa .
There are exciting times ahead and I am very glad to be part of it , `` Grealish added .
• None Who impressed on the opening weekend ?
• None What they can tell us about the future

Last updated on .From the section Aston Villa
Grealish (left) made his England debut when he replaced Kalvin Phillips against Denmark in the Nations League
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has signed a new five-year deal with the club.
The 25-year-old England playmaker had been linked with a move away from Villa Park this summer but announced he is staying on the club's social media. external-link
Grealish has been with his hometown club since he was eight-years-old, making his debut in the 2013-14 season.
"It is my club, my home and I am very happy here," Grealish said after agreeing the new contract on Tuesday.
The attacking midfielder, who made his first appearance for England against Denmark last week, has signed a contract until 2025.
"We are determined to build a top team around him and are delighted he is extending his contract and committing himself to the club he loves," Villa chief executive Christian Purslow said.
Villa begin their Premier League campaign at home to Sheffield United on Monday after Grealish played a key role in the club retaining its place in the top flight last season.
He made 36 league appearances during 2019-20, scoring eight goals including in the 1-1 draw against West Ham United which secured Premier League survival on the final day of the elongated season.
"The owners have made it very clear to me how ambitious they are and how they want to build Aston Villa. There are exciting times ahead and I am very glad to be part of it," Grealish added.


bbc--2020-09-15--Gary Lineker: Match of the Day presenter signs new BBC deal

Last updated on .From the section Football Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has signed a new contract that will keep him at the BBC until 2025 .
He will also front the BBC 's FA Cup coverage , major football tournaments and BBC Sports Personality of the Year .
`` I love working with the BBC , and am very proud to continue to be a part of their outstanding football team , '' said Lineker , 59 .
`` I 'm looking forward to the next five years - with a European Championship and World Cup on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me and the team . ''
Philip Bernie , BBC head of TV Sport , added : `` Gary is the outstanding football presenter of his time .
The BBC is extremely pleased to have him leading our coverage so exceptionally for another five years . ''
Lineker began presenting Match of the Day in 1999 having previously operated as a pundit on the show .
During his playing career he represented clubs including Leicester City , Everton , Barcelona , Tottenham and Nagoya Grampus Eight , and won 80 caps for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opening weekend ?
• None What they can tell us about the future

Last updated on .From the section Football
Gary Lineker - who has just signed a new five-year BBC deal - discusses presenting MOTD in 2014
Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker has signed a new contract that will keep him at the BBC until 2025.
The former England striker's new deal includes a 23% pay cut and will see him continue to host Match of the Day.
He will also front the BBC's FA Cup coverage, major football tournaments and BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
"I love working with the BBC, and am very proud to continue to be a part of their outstanding football team," said Lineker, 59.
"I'm looking forward to the next five years - with a European Championship and World Cup on the horizon, it's exciting times for me and the team."
Philip Bernie, BBC head of TV Sport, added: "Gary is the outstanding football presenter of his time. The BBC is extremely pleased to have him leading our coverage so exceptionally for another five years."
Lineker began presenting Match of the Day in 1999 having previously operated as a pundit on the show.
During his playing career he represented clubs including Leicester City, Everton, Barcelona, Tottenham and Nagoya Grampus Eight, and won 80 caps for England.


bbc--2020-09-15--Tennessee Titans win at Denver Broncos as Pittsburgh Steelers beat New York Giants

Last updated on .From the section American Football Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 25-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to help the Tennessee Titans win 16-14 at the Denver Broncos on Monday .
`` I 'm disappointed in myself , embarrassed and frustrated but at the end of the day we won and the guys are happy going home , '' said Gostkowski , 36 .
`` I really put them in a tough spot . ''
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill impressed for the Titans , completing 29 of 43 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns , while Derrick Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's other fixture , Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes in his first game in a year as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New York Giants 26-16 .
Roethlisberger , who played in just two games in 2019 before needing season-ending elbow surgery , completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards at Metlife Stadium .
The 38-year-old - who has been active with the Steelers since 2004 - believes the franchise has a `` special '' group of players for the new season and paid tribute to their defensive roster .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am just thankful , '' Roethlisberger said .
`` I told the guys in the locker room before the game that I 'm back because of them .
`` I do n't need to accomplish anything personally any more .
It 's about being with a defence that I think is as good as any I have ever played with , skill guys that are young and fun to play with and then , of course my line , who I love to death and they love me .
`` They are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 25-yard field goal with 17 seconds left to help the Tennessee Titans win 16-14 at the Denver Broncos on Monday.
Gostkowski, who was making his debut for the Titans, had missed a career-high four kicks earlier in the game but found his range at the key moment.
"I'm disappointed in myself, embarrassed and frustrated but at the end of the day we won and the guys are happy going home," said Gostkowski, 36.
"I really put them in a tough spot."
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill impressed for the Titans, completing 29 of 43 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns, while Derrick Henry rushed for 116 yards.
In Monday's other fixture, Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes in his first game in a year as the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the New York Giants 26-16.
Roethlisberger, who played in just two games in 2019 before needing season-ending elbow surgery, completed 21 of 32 passes for 229 yards at Metlife Stadium.
The 38-year-old - who has been active with the Steelers since 2004 - believes the franchise has a "special" group of players for the new season and paid tribute to their defensive roster.
"I am just so excited, I am just thankful," Roethlisberger said. "I told the guys in the locker room before the game that I'm back because of them.
"I don't need to accomplish anything personally any more. It's about being with a defence that I think is as good as any I have ever played with, skill guys that are young and fun to play with and then, of course my line, who I love to death and they love me.
"They are the reason I came back to play."


bbc--2020-09-17--Coronavirus: WHO warns Europe over 'very serious' Covid surge

Hans Kluge said in the past two weeks the number of new cases had doubled in more than half of European member states .
`` We have a very serious situation unfolding before us , '' he said .
Speaking in Copenhagen on Thursday , Mr Kluge said 300,000 new infections were reported across Europe last week alone and weekly cases had exceeded those reported during the first peak in March .
`` Although these numbers reflect more comprehensive testing , it also shows alarming rates of transmission across the region , '' he told reporters .
Mr Kluge said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wake-up call for all of us '' .
Hospital admissions and deaths have not yet seen a similar rise , although Spain and France are seeing an upward trend .
While younger people - who are less likely to be severely impacted if they are infected - currently make up the largest proportion of newly recorded coronavirus cases , there are fears of many more cases of serious illness if the virus spreads to older and more vulnerable groups .
According to the WHO , there have been five million confirmed cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic began .
'We can fight it again' '' In June cases hit an all-time low , '' he said .
`` The September case numbers , however , should serve as a wake-up call for all of us . ''
But he stressed that knowledge about the best ways to contain the virus had improved since the pandemic first spread to Europe .
`` We have fought it back before and we can fight it back again , '' he said .
Earlier this week Mr Kluge warned that Europe should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus deaths in October and November , warning : `` It 's going to get tougher . ''
Health Minister Olivier Véran acknowledged the coronavirus `` is again very active '' ; Lyon and Nice , two of France 's biggest cities , have been given until Saturday to come up with new measures to tackle their outbreaks .

While younger people - who are less likely to be severely impacted if they are infected - currently make up the largest proportion of newly recorded coronavirus cases, there are fears of many more cases of serious illness if the virus spreads to older and more vulnerable groups.


bbc--2020-09-17--Floods and destruction as storm Sally moves north

Storm Sally is bringing torrential rain and flooding to the Carolinas and Georgia , as it continues its path of destruction north from the US Gulf Coast .
It has already battered Florida and Alabama with rain and storm surges , downing power lines , turning roads into rivers and leaving homes submerged .
Coastal communities are now taking stock of the damage .
One person was killed , and hundreds of thousands are without power .
Besides the fatality reported in Orange Beach , Alabama , one person is also missing from the small coastal city in southwest Alabama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It was an unbelievably freaky right turn of a storm that none of us ever expected , '' he told the Washington Post .
Pensacola , Florida , 30m ( 48 km ) east of Orange Beach , was also badly hit , with a loose barge bringing down part of the city 's Bay Bridge .
Downtown Pensacola was hit with up to 5ft of flooding and saw the highest storm surge on record .
The storm brought `` four months of rain in four hours '' to the city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pictures show residents wading through waist-deep water , cars stranded in flooded streets , and homes entirely swamped by Wednesday 's deluge .
In Gulf Shores , Alabama - near where Sally first made landfall as a hurricane on Wednesday - the storm sheared off the face of a beachside apartment complex .
And 50 miles ( 80km ) northwest in Mobile , Alabama , photos show the large steeple of El-Bethel Primitive Baptist Church toppled after the storm .
Sally hit Gulf Shores , Alabama , at 04:45 local time on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 105mph ( 169 km/h ) .
According to the National Hurricane Center ( NHC ) , Category 2 hurricanes have sustained winds of 96 to 110 mph .
The NHC says a Category 2 storm 's `` extremely dangerous winds '' usually cause damage to homes and shallowly rooted trees .
As the storm moved north from the coast , some 550,000 residents in affected areas were left in the dark on Wednesday night , according to local reports .
Now a post-tropical cyclone , the storm is expected to deposit up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Virginia and the Carolinas .
It will likely cause widespread flash flooding , the NHC said on Thursday .
Maximum wind speeds have decreased to 30mph ( 45 km/h ) as the storm moves northeast at a speed of about 21mph ( 33km/h ) .
Scattered tornadoes are also possible from Georgia into South and North Carolina into Thursday evening .
Sally is one of at least five storms in the Atlantic Ocean .
Officials are running out of letters to name the hurricanes as they near the end of their annual alphabetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hurricane Sally ?
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bbc--2020-09-17--US election: Are older Trump voters sticking with him?

Their combined ages total 151 but for presidential candidates Donald Trump , 74 , and Joe Biden , 77 , retirement is far from their minds as they fight it out to become the top dog in American politics .
The support of over-65s was integral to President Donald Trump 's Republican win over Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US elections .
They are reliable voters , rain or shine , and they swung behind him by nine percentage points more than Mrs Clinton .
But four years later and in midst of heavy debate over Mr Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who backed him then still stand by their man ? '
I 've never seen America so divided' Retired lawyer Elizabeth Hall , 65 , of Mount Kisco , New York regrets voting for Mr Trump in 2016 , calling her decision `` the biggest mistake of my life '' .
Her vote for President Trump was a vote against Hillary Clinton , whom she despised , but right now Hall , a grandmother-of-five , says : `` I 've never seen America so divided '' .
Hall says the perceived lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ key in influencing her decision to vote for Mr Biden this time .
She also believes Mr Biden has more empathy .
`` Every day Trump had a Covid meeting and every day he was ignoring the facts and pushing them away , '' she says .
When she saw this , Hall , a former nurse , began sewing masks to donate to others .
As she 's in a high-risk category , she began self-isolating early .
But she 's among thousands of older voters expected to still head out to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerned about disruptions to the postal service .
She explains : `` I do n't like the idea because of Covid and I 'm susceptible .
But I 'm not losing my vote . ''
'He 's a goofball but I like him' Neil Van Steemburg , 68 , of Illinois , Chicago , will be voting for President Trump a second time .
The retired computer operator has not been able to see either of his two sisters -one of whom contracted coronavirus - since February and he says despite being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few times a week for meetings and having some social interactions .
He describes Mr Trump as a `` goofball '' whom he liked but whose leadership and response to the pandemic was perhaps somewhat confused .
There is one factor that means Mr Trump has his vote , no matter what this election , and that has been the president 's conservative choices for Supreme Court Justice .
`` The president serves four years and so affects much less but who he appoints as a judge will be there for way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep America safe from going too far in one direction or another . ''
Dr Ebun Ekunwe , 72 , of Carrollton , Texas , also voted for President Trump in 2016 as a vote against the Democratic Party nominee Mrs Clinton .
The retired physician started self-isolating early as she has Hemoglobin SC disease .
Healthcare is her biggest election concern and she says : `` Our experience with the coronavirus is a very strong case for the existence of a public health system . ''
While she will vote for Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a weak candidate and one of the other reasons she had voted for Mr Trump four years ago was because he `` was a fighter '' .
Ekunwe , who is also an associate pastor in her local church , adds she remains aghast at the way `` blacks are treated in this country '' .
The author adds : `` Black lives , like all other lives , matter .
And as soon as we get over that bump as a nation , we will achieve real peace and progress - for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simple guide to the US election • How is Donald Trump doing in the polls ?
• 'We voted for Obama , then Trump' • Why this couple wo n't back Trump again But Maria , 74 , of Berkley , California , believes the Black Lives Matter movement has been politicised in the run up to the election and taken over by `` college educated white people '' intent on causing trouble and stopping African American voices from being heard .
The former Marxist , who did not want to give her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once again this November .
She believes Mr Trump is often unfairly criticised , adding : `` It 's rubbish to say he 's a racist .
He 's like everybody else of his era - of my era . ''
Maria , who is white , says Democrat attacks on the President are `` damaging to our national unity and national security '' but Mr Trump 's `` ego and stubbornness '' meant he was so `` thick-skinned '' that it worked in his favour .
And when it comes to coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order not to catch it , she believes it is the responsibility of the respective states to look after residents .
'We like the look of Kamala Harris' Paul Wilkinson , 68 , and his wife Diana , of Sarasota , Florida , had quite an active social life until coronavirus put a halt to large gatherings with their friends .
They were among those whose vote in 2016 meant Mr Trump shot past his rival with a 17-point lead when it came to older voters in the sunshine state .
Back then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leadership into the White House , and while they support some of his decisions - such as having federal troops defend federal buildings - now was time for a change .
They believe Mr Trump 's sometimes shocking tweets are a `` window into his character '' .
They have worries over Mr Biden 's age and health but Wilkinson says : `` We like the look of [ vice-president nominee Kamala ] Harris , and unless there is a disaster in the debates , or Covid takes down one or the other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first time ever . ''
Jim Hurson , 73 , who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in California , voted for Mr Trump in 2016 both as a vote against Mrs Clinton but also because he believed Mr Trump had stronger policies .
The former Air Force and commercial pilot says he and his wife do all they can to minimise the risk of getting coronavirus but currently their primary focus is rebuilding their home after it was destroyed by wildfires .
He remains undecided about who to pick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illegal migration , the right to privacy and the absence of functioning political discourse .
Hurson suggests America 's political landscape is like `` gang warfare '' , adding : `` There is no intelligent discourse .
What we have is an established system of dogmas , and neither party will acknowledge , under any circumstances , that the other party might have a good idea . ''
' I voted against Clinton , now I 'm voting against Trump' Retired anesthesiologist Dr William B McIlvaine , 68 , of Mesilla , New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vote against Mrs Clinton .
Now his top concerns include coronavirus ; America 's response to the death of George Floyd , the African-American father killed by police in Minneapolis ; and the state of the economy .
He and his wife , who have been self-isolating with their dog Bella , are disappointed in the president .
McIlvaine says Mr Trump does not inspire people and ignores scientists : `` Here 's a man who really could take advantage of the opportunities with George Floyd , with Covid , with our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a leader and inspire Americans to do good things .
`` They could accept the limitations briefly - wear a mask , socially isolate and all of that .
But he completely chose not to do that . ''
He adds : `` I think my vote will probably be the same principle again - so against Trump first ; for Biden and Harris second . ''
Holocaust survivor Carl , 86 , lives in New York City .
He voted for Donald Trump in 2016 as a vote against Mrs Clinton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to protect his wife , 85 , whose health is compromised , during the pandemic .
Carl , who did not wish to reveal his full name , says after living in Germany and Ukraine , the US remains the best country in the world and is a `` land of opportunity '' .
Carl believes Mr Biden is too old to handle domestic problems and foreign disputes and so he says he will reluctantly vote for Mr Trump again this year because he feels he has no other choice .
The retired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign policy , saying ; `` He 's finally telling the Europeans that we 're spending a significant percentage of our budget on defence .
You are getting a free ride .
`` He 's opening up the eyes of our allies - they should do something and not just depend on America . ''
What the expert says ... Pew Research Center 's Carroll Doherty says the votes and opinions of those aged 65 and older would certainly be of interest to the two presidential campaigns .
Older voters tend to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally steer towards Republican preferences but this year , partly because of the pandemic , everything was a lot more unpredictable .
Doherty says Pew 's research so far suggests 41 % of voters 65 and older say they intend to vote at the polls on election day ; another 18 % say they 'll vote early in person while 40 % say they 'll vote by mail .
But he was n't at all surprised to hear some of these older voters explain why they voted for Donald Trump in 2016 as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some were choosing Mr Biden as a vote against the incumbent .
Doherty describes this as negative partisanship .
It 's because they wanted to keep the other candidate out of the role , no matter what .
He says : `` We asked people what 's the biggest reason you support your candidate , and invariably a lot of people say 'well they are not the other person ' '' .
The US election is in November - and the BBC wants to answer your questions about everything from policies to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ below .
If you ca n't see the form , you may need to view the site on a desktop .

But he wasn't at all surprised to hear some of these older voters explain why they voted for Donald Trump in 2016 as a vote against Mrs Clinton or why some were choosing Mr Biden as a vote against the incumbent. Doherty describes this as negative partisanship. It's because they wanted to keep the other candidate out of the role, no matter what.


bbc--2020-09-17--Xinjiang: China defends 'education' camps

China has defended its controversial policies in the Xinjiang region , just days after the US government announced import restrictions on products coming out of the area .
Beijing has come under fire for a network of detention centres which mostly house Muslim minorities .
But a new document says millions of workers have benefited from `` education and vocational training '' .
The US has likened the centres to concentration camps .
It has placed sanctions on Chinese politicians allegedly involved and earlier this week blocked some exports it said had been made with `` forced labour '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , says `` vocational training '' is increasing job opportunities and combating poverty .
`` Xinjiang has built a large knowledge-based , skilled and innovative workforce that meets the requirements of the new era , '' the report reads .
It says the training provided includes written and spoken Mandarin , labour skills and `` knowledge of urban life '' .
The report says people from rural areas have started their own businesses or got jobs in factories after receiving state support .
China has long insisted that mass `` vocational education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xinjiang to counter terrorism and alleviate poverty .
But human rights groups have said at least one million people have been incarcerated in camps which they describe as `` re-education '' centres .
The Chinese report said that 1.3 million people had been through Xinjiang 's `` vocational training '' scheme annually for six years .
It 's not clear how many of those `` retrained '' were sent to the specially built camps or if any of them went through the programme twice .
But in total nearly eight million people out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been through the programme , the new figures suggest .
On Wednesday , Swedish clothing giant H & M said it was severing ties with a Chinese yarn producer amid accusations that the company was using `` slave labour '' from Xinjiang .
The US measures announced on Monday target four companies and one manufacturing site .
They fall short of the region-wide ban that had been considered , officials said .
However , they were still exploring that possibility .
`` These extraordinary human rights violations demand an extraordinary response , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security 's acting secretary told reporters at the time .
`` This is modern-day slavery . ''
China hit back at the US over the block on exports .
A foreign ministry spokesperson said accusations of forced labour had been fabricated by Western countries .

The Chinese report said that 1.3 million people had been through Xinjiang's "vocational training" scheme annually for six years. It's not clear how many of those "retrained" were sent to the specially built camps or if any of them went through the programme twice.


bbc--2020-09-17--Why forest fires in Siberia, Russia threaten us all

Wildfires in Siberia have been releasing record amounts of greenhouse gases , scientists say , contributing to global warming .
@ @ @ @ @ abnormally high temperatures , have been burning as far north as the Arctic Circle .
@ @ @ @ @ travelled to the remote Yakutia region , in northeastern Russia , to gauge the effects @ @ @ @ @ on local communities and on the planet .

Wildfires in Siberia have been releasing record amounts of greenhouse gases, scientists say, contributing to global warming. The fires, fuelled by abnormally high temperatures, have been burning as far north as the Arctic Circle.
BBC Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg travelled to the remote Yakutia region, in northeastern Russia, to gauge the effects of climate change, both on local communities and on the planet.
Producer: Will Vernon
Camera and editing: Matthew Goddard


bbc--2020-09-17--Cheer star Jerry Harris charged with producing child sex images

Jeremiah `` Jerry '' Harris , one of the stars of the Netflix documentary series Cheer , has been arrested and charged with producing child sex images .
Mr Harris , 21 , allegedly enticed an underage boy to produce sexually explicit videos and photos of himself , the US attorney 's office said .
According to court records , Mr Harris admitted to soliciting and receiving explicit images from the minor .
But a spokesperson for the star has denied the allegations .
Mr Harris was arrested on Thursday morning and later appeared in court in Chicago .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge said a hearing would be held on Monday to determine if he will stay in custody or be released on bail , according to US media reports .
Mr Harris featured prominently in the popular series Cheer , which followed a cheerleading team from Navarro College in Texas as they sought a national title .
Mr Harris is accused of soliciting images from the minor from December 2018 to March 2020 .
The victim informed Mr Harris during their initial online encounter that he was 13 years old , a criminal complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child pornography charge , Mr Harris faces up to 30 years in prison .
The charge comes after a lawsuit was filed earlier this week , in which Mr Harris was accused of child sexual exploitation and abuse of two alleged male victims .
A spokesperson told CNN at the time that `` we categorically dispute the claims '' and `` are confident that when the investigation is completed the true facts will be revealed '' .
But court documents say Mr Harris admitted during an interview with law enforcement officials to soliciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the minors and `` at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors '' .
Officials say investigations are ongoing and have called for anyone with more information to come forward .
Cheer was an instant success when it was released on streaming service Netflix in January , and recently won two Emmy Awards .
Mr Harris gained popularity for his enthusiastic `` mat talk '' - when cheerleaders on the sidelines shout encouragement to teammates during difficult stunts .
Earlier this year , he interviewed celebrities on the Oscars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

But court documents say Mr Harris admitted during an interview with law enforcement officials to soliciting and receiving explicit images from one of the minors and "at least between 10 to 15 other individuals he knew were minors".


bbc--2020-09-17--Coronavirus: Football team loses 37-0 in socially distanced match

A German football team lost 37-0 to their local rivals after fielding only seven players who socially distanced throughout the match .
Ripdorf fielded the minimum number of players on Sunday because their opponents SV Holdenstedt II came into contact in a previous game with someone who tested positive for Covid-19 .
Their team tested negative but Ripdorf said the conditions were not safe .
If Ripdorf had not played , they would have faced a €200 ( £182 ) fine .
They had asked for the match - in the 11th tier of German football - to be postponed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they did not feel safe as at the time of the game 14 days had not yet passed since Holdenstedt players had come into contact with the person who tested positive .
Holdenstedt 's first team did not play in the match and the club fielded their second team .
At the beginning of the match , one of Ripdorf 's players stepped onto the pitch , passed the ball to an opponent and the team then walked to the sidelines .
Ripdorf co-chair Patrick Ristow told ESPN : `` The Holdenstedt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not want to risk anything . ''
He added of his players : `` They did not go into direct duels and observed the social distancing rules , keeping two metres between them and Holdenstedt players . ''
Holdenstedt did not hold back , scoring a goal every two or three minutes .
`` There was no reason not to play this game , '' Holdenstedt coach Florian Schierwater said .

Ripdorf said they did not feel safe as at the time of the game 14 days had not yet passed since Holdenstedt players had come into contact with the person who tested positive.


bbc--2020-09-17--Canada Tesla driver charged over 'napping while speeding'

A Canadian man has been charged with dangerous driving for allegedly taking a nap while his self-driving Tesla car clocked up more than 90mph ( 150km/h ) .
Police said both front seats were fully reclined , and the driver and passenger were apparently asleep when they were alerted to the incident in Alberta .
The Tesla Model S was doing 140km/h but sped up to 150km/h when a police officer turned on his emergency lights .
The 20-year-old driver from British Columbia is due in court in December .
He had initially been charged with speeding and handed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was subsequently charged with dangerous driving .
The incident happened near Ponoka , some 100km south of Edmonton , in July .
`` Nobody was looking out the windshield to see where the car was going , '' Police Sgt Darri Turnbull told CBC News .
He said that when they put on their emergency lights the Tesla accelerated , with vehicles ahead of it moving out of the way .
`` Nobody appeared to be in the car , but the vehicle sped up because the line was clear in front .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in policing for over 23 years , and the majority of that in traffic law enforcement , and I 'm speechless .
I 've never , ever seen anything like this before but of course the technology was n't there . ''
Tesla cars currently operate at a level-two Autopilot , which requires the driver to remain alert and ready to act , with hands on the wheel .
Tesla founder Elon Musk has said he expects his vehicles to be completely autonomous , with little driver input needed , by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added that there were `` many small problems '' that would need solving through real-world testing .

He added: "I've been in policing for over 23 years, and the majority of that in traffic law enforcement, and I'm speechless. I've never, ever seen anything like this before but of course the technology wasn't there."


bbc--2020-09-17--Kanye posts photos of his record deal amid dispute

Kanye West , who is demanding to be released from his recording and publishing deals , has uploaded photos of his contracts to Twitter .
`` I need every lawyer in the world to look at these , '' he told his followers , while referring to the music industry as `` modern-day slavery '' .
Taking aim at the wider music industry , he later posted a video of someone urinating on a Grammy award .
West says he wo n't release new music until he is released from his deals .
• What to say - and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cache of documents he posted on Wednesday night included details of advance payments for his albums , royalty rates , a profit sharing agreement , and several amendments .
Some are only partially complete , and their validity has not been corroborated - but they appear to show that West was given a $ 12m ( £9.2m ) advance for his sixth album , Yeezus , and receives royalties of between 14 % and 25 % on his sales and streams .
According to music industry lawyer Aurelia Butler-Ball , such multi-million-dollar advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry , because the money just is n't there '' .
However , West 's royalty rates are typical of the deals she sees for her clients .
`` If the label is going to take the risk and give that upfront investment , then they want the majority of the income when the record is sold , '' she told the BBC .
`` A very high-profile , well-established artist can sometimes negotiate slightly higher royalty rates , but that 's really just the industry standard . ''
Butler-Ball , who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was `` difficult to pinpoint '' West 's aim in revealing his densely-worded contracts , but it appeared that his relationship with the label was irreparably damaged .
`` Ultimately , the success of a record deal is n't necessarily how good the contract is .
It 's about the strong relationship between the artist and the [ people ] at the record label .
`` And once that relationship has broken down , which it looks like here , it 's very hard to have success with each other , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter what the contract says . ''
Universal have yet to respond to West 's statements .
The dispute comes a year and a half after the rapper sued EMI Publishing , seeking to terminate what he called a `` lopsided and oppressive '' contract that prohibited him from retiring .
EMI counter-sued West for damages in March 2019 , after what it called `` West 's efforts to renege on his bargained-for contractual obligations to the company . ''
They reached an undisclosed settlement last September , in which it is likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates .
On Monday , the star took a break from his faltering Presidential campaign to post a string of statements about his music career .
He began by announcing he was `` not putting no more music out til I 'm done with my contract with Sony and Universal '' .
West continued by demanding apologies `` immediately '' from fellow musicians J Cole and Drake , adding : `` I 'm fighting for us '' and `` I 'm not gon na watch my people be enslaved '' .
The implication @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form an alliance of artists who could combat unfair recording contracts .
He later implored Bono , Kendrick Lamar `` and even Taylor '' Swift to join the cause , adding : `` All the musicians will be free '' .
At the centre of his dispute appears to be an attempt to buy back the master tapes for his recordings .
`` When you sign a music deal you sign away your rights , '' he posted .
`` Without the masters you ca n't do anything with your own music .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when it 's played .
Artists have nothing accept the fame , touring and merch [ andise ] '' .
`` In COVID artist need our masters ... it 's more important than ever before '' .
On Tuesday , West claimed that Universal Music `` wo n't tell me what my masters cost because they know I can afford to buy them '' .
He also tweeted texts from an unnamed adviser , who presented options for getting out of his contracts , and estimated the cost of his masters at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The 43-year-old later called out several senior executives at Universal by name .
Writing in capitals , he added : `` Please understand that I will do everything in my legal power and use my voice until all artist contracts are changed .
I will not stop .
I promise you I am petty and very personal '' .
West also highlighted that record contracts often contain `` hidden costs '' - which force an artist to pay for the distribution of their CDs , amongst other things .
Butler-Ball said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these fees `` could only be a good thing '' .
`` If he forces the hand for more transparency , in terms of where those costs are going , the days of artists having to cover the cost of printing 10,000 vinyl are over , '' she said .
West 's Twitter account was later suspended after he posted the private phone number of Forbes ' chief content officer Randall Lane , writing , `` If anyone wants to call a white supremacist … this is the editor of Forbes . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ account until he removed the post and agreed not to commit further violations of privacy .
The video of his Grammy award , lodged in a toilet and apparently being urinated upon , remains on the site .
It was criticised by hit songwriter Diane Warren , who called it `` vile and disrespectful '' .
`` This was given to you by your peers out of respect for your work and you are literally pissing on them , '' she wrote .
`` I 've won one Grammy and I 'm forever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me worthy of it . ''
Billie Eilish 's brother , Finneas O'Connell , simply responded : `` This is so sad , man '' .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"When you sign a music deal you sign away your rights," he posted. "Without the masters you can't do anything with your own music. Someone else controls where it's played and when it's played. Artists have nothing accept the fame, touring and merch[andise]".


bbc--2020-09-18--England could face tighter rules to combat Covid

New England-wide measures which could see hospitality businesses forced to shut are being considered by the UK government to try to slow a second surge of coronavirus cases .
A short period of national rules- a `` circuit break '' of a few weeks - could be announced in the next week , BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said .
Schools and most workplaces would be kept open during those weeks .
But no final decisions have yet been reached on the next course of action .
At a meeting on Wednesday night , the government 's chief scientific adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the disease .
They forecast that there would be a significant number of deaths by the end of October if there were no further interventions .
The possible measures being discussed include asking some hospitality businesses to close , or limiting the opening hours of some pubs and restaurants nationwide .
The virus is now understood to be doubling every seven to eight days , with more than 3,300 new cases reported on Thursday .
It comes as nearly two million people in north-east England are the latest to face local lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
The restrictions will ban people from meeting other households , and restaurants and pubs will have to shut at 22:00 BST .
New local lockdown rules are also set to be brought in for Lancashire - with the exception of Blackpool - the BBC understands .
The four nations of the UK are all in charge of their own lockdown restrictions , with Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland implementing slightly different rules to England .
• UK coronavirus cases up by 3,395 on Thursday • Which areas are under lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break '' , restrictions could be reintroduced in some public spaces nationwide for a period of a few weeks , but schools and workplaces would be kept open .
One of the ideas suggested by the government 's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) is that some parts of the hospitality sector could be asked to close .
No 10 is also considering the possibility of limiting the opening hours of pubs and restaurants across the country , as has already happened in some areas .
However Prime Minister Boris Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order another national lockdown , where everyone would be asked to stay at home and businesses to close .
This week he described the potential impact of a second national lockdown on the economy as `` disastrous '' .
On Thursday morning , Chancellor Rishi Sunak is understood to have presented warnings of the damage to the economy .
And ministers are also concerned about the impact of more restrictions on daily life on those who need treatment for non-Covid related illnesses .
However , the government has not yet taken any final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is not yet clear what impact this week 's new rule banning social gatherings of more than six people will have on the rate of increase , and No 10 is continuing to monitor the data and take scientific advice .
But it seems increasingly likely that within the next week , the prime minister will tighten the national rules again , our correspondent said .
• SOCIAL DISTANCING : What are the rules now ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : How many worldwide cases are there ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • LOCAL LOCKDOWNS : What happens if you have one ?
On Friday , parts of north-east England joined other areas across the UK in being under local lockdown rules .
The measures affect Newcastle , Gateshead , Sunderland , Northumberland , South Tyneside , North Tyneside and the County Durham council area .
As well as the ban on households mixing and early closures for pubs and restaurants , people should also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and care homes are closed to visitors .
An announcement on a possible lockdown in north-west England is expected from the government later on Friday .
The restrictions for Lancashire , but not Blackpool , are expected to include a similar ban on households mixing and a requirement for hospitality businesses to close early .
It is not yet known when the measures will be introduced although the BBC understands it will be imminent .
There are also local lockdown restrictions elsewhere in the UK - including Birmingham , Greater Manchester , Caerphilly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The number of new weekly cases in Europe has exceeded the number reported during the first peak of the pandemic , the head of the World Health Organization in Europe has warned • The head of the UK government 's testing system - which has faced criticism in recent weeks - said demand for booking tests was three to four times the number available • People arriving into England and Scotland from Singapore and Thailand will need to quarantine from Saturday morning • Figures show nearly two thirds of adults are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OBSESSION IS COMING : Little Mix : The Search sees the multi-award winning group creating bands • HOW CAN I RELAX ?
: Soothe your soul with Mindful Escapes

But it also gives us more options. Any contact tracing programme or system of local lockdowns is far easier to implement when levels of the virus are low. The higher the number of cases, the fewer targeted measures the government has to use.


bbc--2020-09-17--Heat ray 'was sought' against protest in Washington's Lafayette Square

Officers requested a `` heat ray '' weapon for possible use against protesters in a park next to the White House in June , a National Guard major has said .
Military police allegedly asked the National Guard for the Active Denial System ( ADS ) , which makes targets feel their skin is on fire .
It happened before Lafayette Square was cleared of people protesting against the killing of black man George Floyd .
The National Guard did not possess the heat ray and it was not used .
Law enforcement officers are instead believed to have used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grenades to clear the park on 1 June .
At the time authorities said it was to tackle violent protesters who had thrown rocks at police and started fires .
Reporters at the scene however said the demonstration had been peaceful .
Park Police have denied using tear gas , saying that they instead fired `` pepper balls '' - projectiles with capsaicin , the chemical that gives peppers heat - at protesters .
• How are African-Americans treated under US law ?
• Five pieces of context to understand the US protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US President Donald Trump walked across the street from the White House for a photo opportunity outside a church .
The clearance of the protesters to make way for Mr Trump drew heavy criticism from both Democrats and Republicans , and Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser called it `` shameful '' .
What did the major say ?
National Guard Major Adam DeMarco was at the scene of the protest , serving as a liaison officer in a supervisory role .
In written testimony provided to US lawmakers and first published by NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military police officer asked if the National Guard in the US capital had the ADS in the morning of 1 June .
The heat ray weapon uses a microwave beam to make human skin feel like it is burning .
Authorities say it causes no permanent damage .
In an email which Maj DeMarco was copied into , the senior officer said the ADS `` can immediately compel an individual to cease threatening behavior '' , describing the effect of the weapon as `` overwhelming '' .
Maj DeMarco responded that the DC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nor an LRAD - a Long Range Acoustic Device , also requested , which can blast a wall of sound at crowds .
Federal officials also began stockpiling ammunition that day , Maj DeMarco said .
A US defence department official , speaking to the Washington Post , characterised the emails as `` routine inventory checks '' about available equipment .
The department , the army and the National Guard did not respond to specific questions from the newspaper about munitions and their planned use .
The major is an Iraq War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deeply disturbed '' by the official response .
The 34-year-old ran for Congress in 2018 as a Democrat on a platform that was heavily critical of President Trump .
According to a New York Times report in August , borders officials proposed using the heat ray to stop migrants at the US southern border in 2018 .
The system was deployed in Afghanistan by the US military but reportedly was not used operationally .
Demonstrators had gathered in the park near the White House for days as part of mass protests against police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Police moved in to clear them at about 18:30 local time ( 22:30 GMT ) - about 30 minutes before a city-wide curfew went into effect - and just as Mr Trump began a televised speech from the White House Rose Garden .
After his speech ended , and as the protesters were further pushed back , Mr Trump walked to the nearby St John 's Episcopal Church and briefly posed for a photo as he held up a Bible .
The basement of the church had been set on fire the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the decision to expand the security perimeter was not related to the president 's decision to visit the church , where moments earlier protesters had gathered .
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser later renamed a plaza outside the White House - now Black Lives Matter Plaza - as a rebuke to the president .
The US election is in November - and the BBC wants to answer your questions about everything from policies to protests .
Please submit your questions below .

According to a New York Times report in August, borders officials proposed using the heat ray to stop migrants at the US southern border in 2018. The system was deployed in Afghanistan by the US military but reportedly was not used operationally.


bbc--2020-09-17--Siberia landscape scarred by climate change

Scientists are warning that , across Siberia , vast swathes of ground - normally frozen all year round - are @ @ @ @ @ consequences for the climate .
As it thaws , the earth is believed to be @ @ @ @ @ gases , accentuating the problem of global warming .
BBC Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg has @ @ @ @ @ region to look at how thawing permafrost is affecting not just the climate , but @ @ @ @ @ Siberia .

Scientists are warning that, across Siberia, vast swathes of ground - normally frozen all year round - are thawing - with potentially devastating consequences for the climate. As it thaws, the earth is believed to be releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases, accentuating the problem of global warming.
BBC Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg has been to the remote Yakutia region to look at how thawing permafrost is affecting not just the climate, but the landscape and livelihoods in Siberia.
Producer: Will Vernon
Camera/edit: Matthew Goddard


bbc--2020-09-17--Barack Obama: Former president announces memoir release date

Former US President Barack Obama has announced the publication date of the first half of his memoirs .
Mr Obama - the first black president and husband of Michelle Obama - said the book would `` try to provide an honest account of my presidency '' .
A Promised Land is set for release on 17 November , just two weeks after the US presidential election .
The Democratic leader won two elections and served as president between 2009 and 2017 .
Joe Biden - his vice-president for those two terms - is challenging Mr Obama 's successor , Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 3 November .
`` There 's no feeling like finishing a book , and I 'm proud of this one , '' Mr Obama wrote on Twitter .
The 768-page memoir will be simultaneously issued in 25 languages , according to publisher Penguin Random House .
Mr Obama writes about the response to the global financial crisis , his landmark healthcare reform legislation known as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare , and the 2011 US raid in Pakistan that killed al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden .
The 44th president of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope as well as the children 's book Of Thee I Sing .
His wife , lawyer and former First Lady Michelle Obama , has published her own memoir .
Within five months of publication , Becoming had sold more than 10 million copies .
Mr Obama may struggle to outshine his wife , but this would not be the first time spouses have bested presidents .
Both Nancy Reagan and Betty Ford 's memoirs outsold their husbands ' works .
President Ronald Reagan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , An American Life , was ghost written by the journalist Robert Lindsey .
At the book 's launch Mr Reagan said : `` I hear it 's a terrific book .
One of these days I 'm going to read it myself . ''
There were rumours in the 19th century that the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S Grant by the post-Civil War president was in fact penned by the famous US writer Mark Twain , whose company published the work .
Mr Twain however denied the allegation , and editors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claim as `` completely baseless '' , as much of what was published still survives as notes handwritten by Mr Grant himself .
President Grant 's 584-page tome eventually became one of the highest-selling books of the 19th century .
But for those looking for a lighter read , the record for shortest memoir goes to President Calvin Coolidge .
The famously laconic leader 's work is a succinct 247 pages .
The US presidential election is in November - and the BBC wants to answer your questions about everything from policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your questions below .
If you ca n't see the form , you may need to view the site on a desktop .


bbc--2020-09-17--Alligator on gas snaps up Ig Nobel prize

Have you heard the one about the alligator that performed the party trick of breathing in helium so it could talk in a funny voice ?
It 's not that hilarious but then you 'd be careful never to smile at a crocodilian .
Stephan Reber and colleagues performed the experiment to try to understand how alligators might communicate .
It was a serious piece of research but its slightly comedic aspects have just won the team an Ig Nobel Prize .
Ten such awards were handed out on Thursday by the science humour magazine Annals of Improbable Research .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of a spoof on the more sober Nobel science prizes .
Other 2020 winners included the team that devised a method to identify narcissists by examining their eyebrows ; and the group that wanted to see what happened when earthworms were vibrated at high frequency .
All this kind of stuff sounds daft , but when you dig a little deeper you realise much of the research lauded by the Ig Nobels is actually intended to tackle real-world problems and gets published in peer-reviewed , scholarly journals .
Dr Reber told BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ig .
His team 's study had attempted to show that crocodilians and other reptiles could advertise their body size through their vocalisations - something that mammals and birds can do when they call out .
`` The resonances in your vocal tract sound lower overall if you 're larger because it 's a larger space in which the air can vibrate .
We did n't know if reptiles actually had resonances .
Frogs , amphibians , do n't for example .
So we needed a proof of concept that crocodilians actually have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was achieved by putting an alligator in an enclosed tank that could be filled alternately with normal air and a supply of oxygen and helium ( heliox ) .
The vibrations of the vocal tissues do n't change but the noise the animals are able to make will , because the speed of sound is different in the different gas mixtures .
The analysis of the frequency spectrum confirmed alligators ' body size does indeed correlate with the resonances they produce .
`` Although whether the animals can pick up on these cues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lund University , Sweden , researcher said .
This is the 30th year the Ig Nobels have been presented .
Their usual home is the Sanders Theatre at Harvard University in Cambridge , Massachusetts , US ; and the event is always a riotous affair that involves lots of paper plane throwing and a small girl who shouts `` boring '' at anyone who talks for too long .
But the Covid-19 crisis forced this year 's ceremony online .
Even so , some traditions were maintained , like the involvement of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team was presented with its Ig by Andre Geim , the UK-based researcher who won the Physics Nobel in 2010 for his work on graphene .
The Prof is something of a superstar having also won an Ig earlier in his career for levitating frogs .
Here 's a full list of the 2020 Ig Nobel winners .
Each winning team was given a cash prize - of a 10 trillion dollar bill from Zimbabwe .
For Acoustics : Stephan Reber , Takeshi Nishimura , Judith Janisch , Mark Robertson , and Tecumseh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alligator to bellow in an airtight chamber filled with helium-enriched air .
Psychology : Miranda Giacomin and Nicholas Rule , for devising a method to identify narcissists by examining their eyebrows .
Peace : The governments of India and Pakistan , for having their diplomats surreptitiously ring each other 's doorbells in the middle of the night , and then run away before anyone had a chance to answer the door .
Physics : Ivan Maksymov and Andriy Pototsky , for determining , experimentally , what happens to the shape of a living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high frequency .
Economics : Christopher Watkins and colleagues for trying to quantify the relationship between different countries ' national income inequality and the average amount of mouth-to-mouth kissing .
Management : Xi Guang-An , Mo Tian-Xiang , Yang Kang-Sheng , Yang Guang-Sheng , and Ling Xian Si - five professional hitmen in Guangxi , China , who subcontracted a murder one to the other with none of them in the end actually carrying out the crime .
Entomology : Richard Vetter , for collecting evidence that many entomologists ( scientists who study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which are not insects .
Medical Education : Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil , Boris Johnson of the United Kingdom , Narendra Modi of India , Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Mexico , Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus , Donald Trump of the USA , Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey , Vladimir Putin of Russia , and Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow of Turkmenistan , for using the Covid-19 viral pandemic to teach the world that politicians can have a more immediate effect on life and death than scientists and doctors can .
Materials Science : Metin Eren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alyssa Perrone , Ashley Rutkoski , Michael Wilson , and Mary Ann Raghanti , for showing that knives manufactured from frozen human faeces do not work well .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

This was achieved by putting an alligator in an enclosed tank that could be filled alternately with normal air and a supply of oxygen and helium (heliox). The vibrations of the vocal tissues don't change but the noise the animals are able to make will, because the speed of sound is different in the different gas mixtures.


bbc--2020-09-17--Belarus protests: Women try to unmask those detaining protesters

In Belarus , it 's now almost six weeks since the election where President Alexander Lukashenko claimed a much disputed @ @ @ @ @ him have followed and so too have clashes with security forces .
More than a @ @ @ @ @ with many of them emerging with stories of being tortured .
Most of the detentions @ @ @ @ @ men wearing clothes that give no indication of who they are and what organisation they @ @ @ @ @ with the constant harassment , this week female protesters starting taking matters into their own @ @ @ @ @ men and make them accountable for their actions .

In Belarus, it's now almost six weeks since the election in which President Alexander Lukashenko claimed a much disputed victory.
Daily demonstrations against him have followed and so too have clashes with security forces.
More than 1,000 people have been detained with many of them emerging with stories of being tortured.
Most of the detentions are carried out by masked men wearing clothes that give no indication of who they are and what organisation they belong to .
Fed up with the constant harassment, this week female protesters started taking matters into their own hands trying to identify the men and make them accountable for their actions.
Reporter Jonah Fisher
Producer: Liza Vereykina
Shoot/edit: Matt Goddard


bbc--2020-09-17--Alexei Navalny's aides say 'nerve agent' found on bottle in hotel room

Traces of the nerve agent allegedly used to poison Russian politician Alexei Navalny were found on a bottle in the hotel room where he stayed before falling ill , his team has said .
It was previously thought that he might have been targeted at the airport .
`` Now we understand : It was done before he left his room to reach the airport , '' a post on his Instagram account says .
The Kremlin denies any involvement in the case and says its doctors found no evidence that a nerve agent was used .
No official investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the head of Mr Navalny 's anti-corruption foundation Ivan Zhdanov tweeted that , as part of preliminary enquiries , an investigator from Tomsk - where the attack happened - wanted to question two of the foundation 's employees who were with Mr Navalny when he fell ill .
The case has caused a diplomatic rift between Berlin and Moscow .
The European Parliament on Thursday approved a non-binding resolution urging the EU to call for an international investigation into the poisoning .
What does the video show ?
The video posted on Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his team in a hotel room in the Siberian city of Tomsk after news of his poisoning emerged .
The post says they were there to gather potential evidence from the hotel to send to Mr Navalny 's medical team in Germany because they did not trust the Russian authorities .
Several empty water bottles can be seen in the clip .
They are among a number of items bagged by individuals wearing gloves .
`` It is precisely on the bottle from the Tomsk hotel room that a German laboratory found traces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Russia 's Proyekt news site quoted one of Novichok 's creators , Vladimir Uglev , as saying that the poison was unlikely to have been in the water as the fact Mr Navalny survived suggests he had only skin contact with it .
Earlier this week , Mr Navalny posted once for the first time since he fell ill .
He said he was now able to breathe unaided .
The Russian anti-corruption campaigner became ill during the flight from Tomsk to Moscow on 20 August , and the plane made an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian officials were persuaded to allow him to be airlifted to Germany two days later .
After carrying out tests , Germany said there was `` unequivocal proof '' that Mr Navalny had been poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent .

No official investigation has been launched in Russia, although the head of Mr Navalny's anti-corruption foundation Ivan Zhdanov tweeted that, as part of preliminary enquiries, an investigator from Tomsk - where the attack happened - wanted to question two of the foundation's employees who were with Mr Navalny when he fell ill.


bbc--2020-09-16--A cold, flu or coronavirus - which one do I have?

A blocked or runny nose , a sore throat and a cough are common , especially in the winter .
@ @ @ @ @ if you have coronavirus ?
Check your symptoms with us in this video .

A blocked or runny nose, a sore throat and a cough are common, especially during the winter season.
It means it can be hard to tell if you have covid symptoms or symptoms of something else.
You can check whether you have a cold or Covid-19 or the flu using this simple video.
For more details on what covid symptoms are, you can watch this video here.
The BBC's Kate Forbes explains.
Video by Ameer Ahmed, Megan Fisher and Terry Saunders.


bbc--2020-09-17--To code-switch or not to code-switch?

To code-switch or not to code-switch?

Code-switching is a term widely used to describe when somebody changes their accent , tone of voice and mannerisms depending @ @ @ @ @ re in .
Many black people feel that they have to code-switch when entering white @ @ @ @ @ they really have to ?
This film was produced as part of a documentary for @ @ @ @ @ you can listen to here .

Code-switching is a term widely used to describe when somebody changes their accent, tone of voice and mannerisms depending on what space they’re in.
Many black people feel that they have to code-switch when entering white majority spaces. But should they really have to?
Presented by Lucrece Grehoua
Produced and edited by Jameisha Prescod
This film was produced as part of a documentary for BBC Radio 4, which you can listen to here.


bbc--2020-09-17--Migrant crisis 2015: What happened to Nujeen Mustafa?

Germany has announced plans to take more than 1,500 migrants following the fire at a detention centre on the Greek @ @ @ @ @ thousands without refuge .
The tragedy was a reminder of the scale of a crisis @ @ @ @ @ of people fleeing war and poverty .
Five years ago at the height of the @ @ @ @ @ s Fergal Keane reported the extraordinary story of Nujeen Mustafa , a Syrian refugee , @ @ @ @ @ wheelchair .
Five years on , Fergal has met up with Nujeen to hear how @ @ @ @ @

Germany has announced plans to take more than 1,500 migrants following the fire at a detention centre on the Greek Island of Lesbos which left thousands without refuge.
The tragedy was a reminder of the scale of a crisis which has seen vast movements of people fleeing war and poverty.
Five years ago at the height of the migrant crisis the BBC’s Fergal Keane reported the extraordinary story of Nujeen Mustafa, a Syrian refugee, who crossed Europe in a wheelchair.
Five years on, Fergal has met up with Nujeen to hear how her life has changed.
Correspondent: Fergal Keane
Filmed by: Fred Scott and Rob Magee
Produced by: Rachael Thorn


bbc--2020-09-16--Coronavirus: CDC director vs President Trump on face masks and vaccines

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield and US President Donald Trump have been giving contrasting messages on @ @ @ @ @

US v other countries... did it mess up its reopening? Video, 00:04:46US v other countries... did it mess up its reopening?


bbc--2020-09-17--Banksy loses battle with greetings card firm over 'flower bomber' trademark

Banksy has lost a battle with a greetings card firm over the trademark of one of his most famous works .
North Yorkshire-based Full Colour Black challenged the artist 's right to trademark his image of a protester throwing a bunch of flowers .
The European Union trademark office has thrown out his trademark and accused him of being `` inconsistent with honest practices '' when trying to protect it .
For a trademark to be valid , the holder must sell goods using the image .
But the authority said he had filed it in order to avoid using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have required the famously elusive Bristolian artist to reveal his true identity .
Banksy first sprayed the picture on a wall in Jerusalem in 2005 , and his company applied for the trademark in 2014 .
It must be used within the first five years , but the EU Intellectual Property Office ( EUIPO ) said he had n't sold merchandise or other items using the image until Full Colour Black challenged the trademark in 2019 .
Only then did he set up an online store and a shop front in Croydon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been `` making stuff for the sole purpose of fulfilling trademark categories under EU law '' .
The EUIPO said it was `` clear that Banksy did not have any intention '' of using the trademark when he filed it , and that in 2019 the goods he sold `` were created and being sold solely '' as an attempt not to lose the trademark .
`` His intention was not to use the mark as a trade mark to commercialise goods and carve out a portion of the relevant market , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the ruling said .
`` These actions are inconsistent with honest practices . ''
The EUIPO also said he had applied for trademarks in order to have legal rights over his works without having to resort to copyright law .
`` Banksy has chosen to remain anonymous and for the most part to paint graffiti on other people 's property without their permission rather than to paint it on canvases or his own property , '' it said .
`` He has also chosen to be very vocal regarding his disdain for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quoted from one of his books , in which he said `` copyright is for losers '' .
Full Colour Black 's lawyer Aaron Wood of the firm Blaser Mills told BBC News the greetings card company was `` very pleased with the outcome '' .
He said : `` Banksy has always taken the view that copyright is for losers , and if he ever wanted to contest somebody using an image , he would usually need to rely on copyright .
`` The problem for Banksy using copyright is he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He would have to say , 'Here I am , I created the work . '
And in doing so he would lose that shroud of anonymity .
So he does n't do that .
`` But anyone can file a trademark , so Banksy 's corporate entity filed a trademark for this artwork .
A trademark can last forever , it 's a perpetual monopoly .
Whereas copyright only lasts a certain period of time and he 'd have to come out of being anonymous , if he relied upon the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could do it for ever more .
And that we thought was not a fair state of affairs . ''
The company has challenged the trademarks of a further six Banksy works , and is now likely to contest more .
`` In the nicest possible way , Banksy 's entire trademark portfolio is at risk , '' he added .
'No intention of using it as a trademark' Banksy 's representatives have not responded to a request for comment .
Copyright and trademark expert Liz Ward , principal at Virtuoso Legal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case '' because most artists rely on copyright law to protect their work from being used without permission .
`` With copyright , if you were to sue somebody , you 'd have to put your name on the claim form , '' she told BBC News .
`` It 's quite clear that Banksy , although he registered a trademark , had no intention of using it as a trademark .
`` Most trademark owners register a brand name or logo because they 're going to make it theirs .
They 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pair of trainers with Nike or Puma on , you know you 're getting good quality . '
That 's why trademarks are so valuable .
Banksy did n't create a trademark to make it a business asset . ''
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"But anyone can file a trademark, so Banksy's corporate entity filed a trademark for this artwork. A trademark can last forever, it's a perpetual monopoly. Whereas copyright only lasts a certain period of time and he'd have to come out of being anonymous, if he relied upon the trademark he could stay anonymous and he could do it for ever more. And that we thought was not a fair state of affairs."


bbc--2020-09-17--Africa's week in pictures: 11 - 17 September 2020

A selection of the week 's best photos from across the continent and beyond :

Image caption,
On Saturday thousands of supporters attend a rally in Ivory Coast's capital for former President Henri Konan Bédié, who is standing for election once again at next month's polls. His long-time rival Alassane Ouattara is seeking a third term in office following the sudden death of his protégé Amadou Gon Coulibaly.


bbc--2020-09-17--Breaking down the Brexit border problem

Breaking down the Brexit border problem

The UK government has been heavily criticised for planning to override part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement that it reached @ @ @ @ @ acknowledges that doing so would break international law .
At the heart of the latest @ @ @ @ @ issue of where customs checks should be between the UK and the EU .
The @ @ @ @ @ the issue , and it 's about much more then where the forms get filled @ @

The UK government has been heavily criticised for planning to override part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement that it reached with the EU.
It acknowledges that doing so would break international law.
At the heart of the latest Brexit escalation is the thorny issue of where customs checks should be between the UK and the EU.
The BBC's Ros Atkins explains the issue, and it's about much more then where the forms get filled in.


bbc--2020-09-17--Quiz of the week: Who scored the Premier League's opening goal?

It 's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what 's been going on @ @ @ @ @ past seven days ?
If you can not see the quiz , follow this link @ @ @ @ @ quiz via this link .
What information do we collect from this quiz ?
Privacy @ @

It's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world during the past seven days?


bbc--2020-09-16--The Australian family that travels 1,800km to run an outback pub

Talia Ellis and her family live on a farm in New South Wales , Australia .
So they are perhaps @ @ @ @ @ of a pub 1,800km ( 1,200 miles ) away in outback Queensland .
But luckily @ @ @ @ @ is an experienced small plane pilot .
She tells the BBC how it 's helped @ @ @ @ @ dream '' .

Talia Ellis and her family live on a farm in New South Wales, Australia. So they are perhaps not the most likely owners of a pub 1,800km (1,200 miles) away in outback Queensland.
But luckily for them, Ms Ellis is an experienced small plane pilot.
She tells the BBC how it's helped the family fulfil "a dream".
Video by Isabelle Rodd


bbc--2020-09-17--Forest fires devastate Brazil's Pantanal tropical wetlands

There have been more than 15,000 fires in Brazil 's Pantanal wetlands so far this year , causing widespread devastation .
That is triple the number recorded in the same period in 2019 , according to data collected by Brazil 's National Institute for Space Research ( Inpe ) .
The wetlands is one of the world 's most bio-diverse areas .
In total 15,756 fires have been detected in the region so far this year , compared with 5,109 recorded in the same period last year .
Brazil 's National Centre for the Prevention of Forest Fires ( Prevfogo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pantanal have burned so far in 2020 .
A state of emergency has been declared in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Mato Grosso .
Nevertheless , President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that the criticism levelled against his government over the fires in the Pantanal and also in the Amazon region had been `` disproportionate '' .
The basin , which thrives off annual flooding following torrential rains , is home to jaguars , piranhas , capuchin monkeys , green anacondas and thousands of plant species .
Forest fires often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil but they are also deliberately started by ranchers trying to clear land for cattle .
Experts say it is impossible to calculate yet how many animals have been killed by the fires , but losses are feared to be huge .

There have been more than 15,000 fires in Brazil's Pantanal wetlands so far this year, causing widespread devastation. That is triple the number recorded in the same period in 2019, according to data collected by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (Inpe).


bbc--2020-09-16--Environment activists: 'I got death and rape threats’

Last year , 212 environmental activists around the world were killed .
It ’ s the worst year on record @ @ @ @ @ started tracking deaths in 2012 .
Women and indigenous activists are particularly under threat .
@ @ @ @ @ Le Poidevin speaks to environmental activists from the Philippines and Colombia who say they have @ @ @ @ @ .

Last year, 212 environmental activists around the world were killed. It’s the worst year on record since the charity Global Witness started tracking deaths in 2012.
Women and indigenous activists are particularly under threat.
BBC Minute’s Olivia Le Poidevin speaks to environmental activists from the Philippines and Colombia who say they have received death and rape threats.
Reporter: Olivia Le Poidevin
Producer: Hannah Simpson


bbc--2020-09-16--US election 2020: When will we get a result for the US election?

Twenty years ago Americans woke up on an autumn morning after Election Day and did not know who would next lead the country .
It took 36 more days to resolve the contest between Al Gore and George W Bush as the country held its breath .
That prospect could happen again in 2020 .
Well , the pandemic has many people fearful of voting in person because in the US that often means waiting for hours in a queue .
So millions more will vote by post and there are fears it could take days or weeks to count @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a knife-edge .
What usually happens on a normal election night ?
Different states stop voting at different times .
The first polls to close are on the East Coast , at about 19:00 local time ( 00:00 GMT ) , and after that you start getting a running total as votes in those states are counted .
Presidents are not picked by winning a national vote .
No , instead it 's a series of state-wide races with the winner in each state taking a certain number of what 's called electoral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide to the US election A state is `` called '' for a candidate when a media outlet believes one candidate has an insurmountable lead .
It is a projection not a final result .
Similarly , when the whole election is `` called '' for a candidate , it is not the official result because there are still lots of votes to count .
An election is usually called on the night .
And what follows is a choreographed response including a concession speech from the losing candidate .
Perhaps not this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2016 the election was called for Donald Trump at about 02:30 EST ( 07:30 GMT ) after winning Wisconsin put him over the 270 threshold of electoral college votes .
In the days and weeks that followed , more and more Democratic votes were counted which meant Hillary Clinton stretched her lead in the nationwide popular vote but the electoral college was already lost .
Standing in a queue at a polling station on Election Day is the most common way American voters cast ballots , but in recent years , voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whereas it was previously not uncommon for states to restrict voting by post to special circumstances - such as being a soldier who was serving abroad - now the practice is widely permitted in a majority of states , whether one is an `` absentee voter '' or for any other reason .
In 2020 , the Covid-19 pandemic has prompted an unprecedented number of requests from voters to cast ballots by post .
Some 80 million mail-in ballots are predicted to be cast - double the number in 2016 and more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then , is whether that volume of ballot deliveries will delay everything .
That fear is not just due to the large volume of ballots to count .
It is also due to the US Postal Service undergoing cutbacks at a time when it has a big responsibility .
First it has to post ballot papers out to people , and then it has to send them back again to election authorities , all before deadlines set by the states .
• What is US row over postal service about ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
States have wide latitude over determining election rules , including setting deadlines for a postal vote to qualify .
Pennsylvania will only include those received by 20:00 local time on Election Day , while California accepts votes as long as they are postmarked by the date , even if they arrive weeks later .
That 's why counting in the huge West Coast state always takes a long time .
Postal ballot counting takes longer because each vote must have a signature that is matched with a separate autograph on a registration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postal ballots expected , that process alone will add time to the count .
Some states like Florida will begin processing the postal votes before Election Day , like verifying signatures , and start actually counting them on the morning of the election .
But most states and Washington DC do not start counting them until all the in-person voting is over and polls have closed .
The National Conference of State Legislatures has a full list of when each state counts postal votes .
• How is Donald Trump doing in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his promises ?
• What Joe Biden wants to do • Where does Donald Trump stand on key issues ?
What about in-person voting ?
Will that take longer ?
The 2020 primary elections also gave voters a preview of problems that could mar in-person voting on Election Day .
States from New York to Alaska struggled with running this traditional and still most common method of casting ballots .
This year , perennial issues like faulty voting machines were compounded by worker shortages and longer than usual queues due to social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protracted the process .
Kentucky sharply cut the number of polling stations and had to order polls to stay open longer , so people in lower-income areas had to travel much further to cast a vote .
That was hugely controversial , sparking accusations that the pandemic was being used as a way to suppress minority votes .
Alaska forced all voters in some areas to use postal ballots because no polling station could be opened and Georgia was faced with lawsuits over malfunctioning polling machines .
How one key state is preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hanover County in Wilmington is the quintessential swing district in a battleground state .
And the election is under way here .
Scenic and affluent , it has n't voted for a Democratic President since Jimmy Carter .
Barack Obama came close in 2008 , just losing the county though he won the state - and Donald Trump won narrowly in 2016 , carrying the state too .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , people in North Carolina have been able to request mail-in ballots for months and can do so until 9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of September .
The enthusiasm has been off the charts - 813,014 voters had requested mail in ballots by 14 September , out of seven million registered voters in the state .
And here in picture-perfect New Hanover County , where 24.4K have requested mail in ballots , Democrats have the edge , with 12.4K requests , while 7.8K unaffiliated or independent voters are opting to vote by mail , compared to just 3.9K Republicans .
The Republicans will catch up come in-person voting , Chase Horton of the New Hanover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump is against , like mail in voting , Democrats are for , says Richard Poole , the party chairman in the county .
Kathryn Hedgepeth , of the non-partisan League of Women Voters which represents three counties , is delighted to see so much enthusiasm for voting .
She has her absentee ballot already - but she wants to watch the first presidential debate before deciding how to vote .
Candidates have an incentive to delay concession With passions running so high on both sides , Donald Trump and Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential contenders not to admit defeat .
For Mr Biden , the contours of this year 's voting pattern point to a strategic reason for him to delay conceding if he appears behind in the count on election night .
In the past voting by mail was more popular among older people , and it generally skewed Republican .
But in recent years , the trend has shifted toward working people who can not take time away from work to turn up at the polls , and they skew Democratic .
As a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that postal votes counted later will favour Mr Biden .
So you could have President Trump ahead on the night but his opponent narrowing the gap in the days that follow .
For months , the president has claimed that illicit forces are threatening to `` steal '' the election from him - either by methods to under-count his support or over-count ballots for Mr Biden .
No small part of his political message has been about rejecting `` coastal elites '' who do not represent the American heartlands and rural West .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is narrowly ahead on the night of the election , with more drama to follow .
• Are US cities seeing a surge in violent crime ?
• Could Biden 's Latino problem lose him the election ?
• The US election 's complicated , what do you want to know ?
Another factor that may prolong events is the extra scrutiny being paid to voting this year .
The veracity of a ballot can be subject to challenges by volunteer `` poll watchers '' who look over the shoulders of officials verifying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are challenged by a poll watcher are put aside to be checked again before being counted or rejected .
Poll watchers are a legitimate part of the democratic process , but experts warn that campaigns could manipulate their function to delay counts .
The Trump campaign is recruiting `` Trump poll watchers '' , whom critics fear will contest ballots to get them thrown out and delay the count .
Will there be legal challenges too ?
All this change and confusion mean that legal disputes are all but inevitable .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filed in 2020 , contesting everything from identification requirements for postal voting to the legality of Covid-related changes to primary voting dates .
It is anyone 's guess what legal challenges could emerge that delay voting beforehand or reporting a definitive result afterwards .
But 2020 is shaping up to be the most litigious election in US history , according to Richard Hasen , a legal scholar at the University of California Irvine .
In the 2000 election , Mr Gore initially conceded and then retracted his concession after believing that his margin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recount .
It took a Supreme Court decision over the legality of a recount to settle the contest .
The US election is in November - and the BBC wants to answer your questions about everything from policies to the voting process .
Please submit your questions below .

US election 2020: When will we know the result? Published 4 November 2020
The polls have closed in the US presidential election but the race for the White House between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is still unresolved. Why?
It was always possible that we would not get a result on election night.
Millions more Americans have been voting by post due to coronavirus, which means a delay in counting all the votes was always likely.
When do we usually get a US election result?
The result is usually clear on the night of the election.
Different states stop voting at different times. The first polls closed on the East Coast at 19:00 local time (00:00 GMT).
This was followed by a running total of votes as they were reported in each state.
The full count is never completed on election night - that is normal - but enough votes are usually in to confirm a winner.
A state is "projected" by major US media outlets when they believe one candidate has an unbeatable lead.
That's not the final result but it nearly always proves to be correct when all the votes are counted.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, The president of the United States is not chosen directly by voters, but by what's known as the electoral college
US presidents are not decided by the national vote, but by winning enough states.
The winner in each state takes a certain number of "electoral votes" based roughly on the size of its population.
To win the White House, 270 electoral votes are needed.
In 2016, the election was called for Donald Trump at about 02:30 EST (07:30 GMT), after victory in Wisconsin put him over the 270.
Why is this year different?
The coronavirus pandemic means more people than ever are voting early, either by post or in person.
Postal votes typically take longer to count as they have to go through more steps to be verified, such as a signature and address check.
Some states such as Florida allowed this process to start weeks before election day, so the votes were ready to be counted.
That's why we have that prize already given tonight - to the president.
What states are we waiting on?
The race is coming down to a few states such as Arizona, Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
These states could be crucial - but don't expect to get winners in all of them any time soon.
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin don't allow early votes to be processed until polling day, and election officials have warned that counts could take days.
Other key states such as Arizona, Georgia and Michigan are also still in the balance.
Arizona appears to be leaning towards Biden, and it would be the first time since 1996 that a Democrat won there.
If Biden is successful in Arizona, he would then need to win two of the three so-called "blue wall" states - Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania - to secure victory.
Although the former vice-president currently trails in all three, there are lots of postal votes still to count, and more Democrats have voted this way than Republicans.
Georgia is also in the balance, which has been safely Republican in recent years.
We are still waiting on Texas and North Carolina too, but they look to be safely in Trump's hands.
What else is delaying the count?
About half of states will accept postal ballots that arrive after election day, as long as they are postmarked by 3 November, so some votes won't be counted until days after the election.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Could postal voting upend the US election?
There's also expected to be a rise in provisional ballots - votes cast by people who requested a postal ballot but decided to vote in person instead.
And these won't be included in the initial count, as they require checks to ensure people don't vote twice.
How are votes counted?
Most ballots - paper or digital - are counted by machines.
But poll workers need to check any paper ballots the machines fail to process.
After polls close, the voting data will be transferred to a central election headquarters - a city hall or similar location.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, A voting machine used in California
Sometimes, this is done electronically.
But elsewhere, memory devices holding the voting data must be physically delivered or the results read out over the phone.
Once the vote tallies are delivered, they'll often start to show up on a state's official website.
In other cases, journalists are told the tallies by state election officials and report these results.
When enough votes have been tallied from across a state to determine an unbeatable lead, news organisations call a winning presidential candidate for that state.
These unofficial results are certified only weeks later, when confirmed by state officials.
The final vote tallies can shift between the first count and these certified results but not drastically.
What happens if the election results are disputed?
The pandemic has already led to more than 300 election law cases in 44 states, according the Stanford-MIT healthy-elections project.
And the presidential vote could see legal challenges over everything from identification requirements for postal voting to Covid-related changes to polling systems.
President Trump says the election result could end up in the US Supreme Court.
In 2000, Democrat Al Gore lost Florida and the presidential election by 537 out of a total of almost six million votes.