bbc--2020-08-09--Sportswomen tell BBC survey about 'scary' social media abuse

Elite British sportswomen have spoken out about `` horrific abuse '' on social media , telling a BBC Sport survey about constant comments on their appearance and sexist remarks questioning their right to play sport .
Almost a third of respondents to the biggest women 's sport study ever carried out by BBC Sport had been trolled - a figure that has doubled since the last survey in 2015 .
Some athletes had received inappropriate images and described the abuse as `` threatening '' and `` scary '' .
As a result of the findings , BBC Sport has strengthened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its social media channels .
We have committed to blocking people bringing hate to our comments sections ; we will report the most serious cases to the relevant authorities and we will work to make our accounts kind and respectful places .
Minister for Sport Nigel Huddleston told BBC Sport : `` The past few years have seen fantastic progress with women 's sport starting to get the profile it deserves , however it is absolutely unacceptable that this visibility has been matched by a rise in online abuse of our sports stars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans that will make online platforms safer for users , and we will continue to engage with providers to see what more can be done . ''
The BBC Elite British Sportswomen 's Survey was sent to 1,068 women in 39 different sports and received 537 responses .
It is the third time BBC Sport has carried out the extensive research , having first gauged opinions in 2013 .
One hundred and sixty sportswomen - 30 % of respondents - said they had been trolled on social media , up from 14 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sportswomen spoke honestly about a wide range of issues they have to combat daily .
These include sexism , racism and ignorance around concerns not faced by male coaches , such as periods and the contraceptive pill .
• 86 % ( 460 ) of sportswomen earn less than £30,000 per year from sport .
This is less than the mean annual gross pay in the United Kingdom in 2019 , which was £30,629 according to Office for National Statistics data • 36 % ( 191 ) do not feel supported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and continue to compete • 4 % ( 22 ) have had an abortion because they felt a baby would impact their sporting career • 60 % ( 321 ) said their performance is affected by their period or they had missed training/competition because of it - but 40 % ( 214 ) do not feel comfortable discussing their period with coaches • 20 % ( 109 ) have experienced or witnessed racism in their sport • 65 % ( 347 ) have experienced sexism in their sport but only 10 % ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 110 ) are concerned they might have to give up their sport because of the financial impact of coronavirus • 85 % ( 456 ) do not think the media does enough to promote women 's sport but 93 % ( 498 ) feel coverage has improved over the past five years • 78 % ( 416 ) are conscious of their body image • The full survey results can be found here .
Tammy Parlour , chief executive of the Women 's Sport Trust , told BBC Sport : `` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in women 's sport over the last five years , but this is a stark reminder that there is still so much more to be done .
`` It 's crucial to see these results as symptoms of the wider system , understand what is creating this environment , and address the underlying causes . ''
Abuse directed at sportswomen on social media was frequently about body image , performance or telling athletes to `` get back in the kitchen '' .
One sportswoman even received an image of her club 's crest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described the abuse she received after a poor performance in competition as `` horrific '' and admitted she considered giving up her sport .
Darts player Deta Hedman received racial abuse after losing a match and was told by someone that they `` hope you die of cancer '' .
Olympic gold medallist hockey player Susannah Townsend recalls the `` awful '' and `` scary '' time her social media account was hacked in 2015 , while footballer Rachel Newborough suggests athletes should be offered more support to cope with abuse .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about her ethnicity , saying she is `` not really British '' .
Another athlete , who is a size six , had been called `` too fat '' while someone else described being featured on a profile that had been created purely to pick out women 's flaws .
Her photo was posted with the muscle in her legs chosen as the flaw .
One respondent received the comment `` women should n't look like this '' on one of her Instagram posts , another was told she is `` too tall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having `` big shoulders '' .
A jockey was told by a man after a fall that he `` hoped the horse was OK and not you '' , adding that `` a man should have been on it '' .
Several athletes said the same person liked and commented on all their posts or direct messaged them , behaviour one sportswoman described as `` threatening '' .
The electronic survey was sent to representatives of archery , athletics , badminton , basketball , bobsleigh and skeleton , boccia , boxing , canoeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycling , darts , equestrian , fencing , football , goalball , golf , gymnastics , hockey , horse racing , judo , motorsport , netball , rugby league , rugby union , sailing , shooting , skateboarding , short-track and figure skating , skiing and snowboarding , squash , surfing , swimming - including diving , table tennis , taekwondo , tennis , triathlon , weightlifting .
The survey was anonymous .
We did not receive responses from equestrian , gymnastics , motorsport , shooting and taekwondo .
Social media trolling is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC Elite British Sportswomen 's Survey .
BBC Sport will be shining a spotlight on the others with coverage throughout the week on the BBC Sport website , BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC TV .
More information can be found here .

Last updated on .From the section Sport
Elite British sportswomen have spoken out about "horrific abuse" on social media, telling a BBC Sport survey about constant comments on their appearance and sexist remarks questioning their right to play sport.
Almost a third of respondents to the biggest women's sport study ever carried out by BBC Sport had been trolled - a figure that has doubled since the last survey in 2015.
Some athletes had received inappropriate images and described the abuse as "threatening" and "scary".
As a result of the findings, BBC Sport has strengthened its stance on combating hate speech on its social media channels.
We have committed to blocking people bringing hate to our comments sections; we will report the most serious cases to the relevant authorities and we will work to make our accounts kind and respectful places.
Minister for Sport Nigel Huddleston told BBC Sport: "The past few years have seen fantastic progress with women's sport starting to get the profile it deserves.
quote I was sent an image of a club crest full of ironing boards and told this was the team I should play for. Anonymous BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Survey respondent
"However, it is absolutely unacceptable that this visibility has been matched by a rise in online abuse of our sports stars.
"We have set out world-leading plans that will make online platforms safer for users, and we will continue to engage with providers to see what more can be done."
The BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Survey was sent to 1,068 women in 39 different sports and received 537 responses.
It is the third time BBC Sport has carried out the extensive research, having first gauged opinions in 2013.
One hundred and sixty sportswomen - 30% of respondents - said they had been trolled on social media, up from 14% in 2015.
BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Survey findings
In their frank answers, sportswomen spoke honestly about a wide range of issues they have to combat daily.
These include sexism, racism and ignorance around concerns not faced by male coaches, such as periods and the contraceptive pill.
Findings included:
86% (460) of sportswomen earn less than £30,000 per year from sport. This is less than the mean annual gross pay in the United Kingdom in 2019, which was £30,629 according to Office for National Statistics data
36% (191) do not feel supported by their club/governing body to have a baby and continue to compete
4% (22) have had an abortion because they felt a baby would impact their sporting career
60% (321) said their performance is affected by their period or they had missed training/competition because of it - but 40% (214) do not feel comfortable discussing their period with coaches
20% (109) have experienced or witnessed racism in their sport
65% (347) have experienced sexism in their sport but only 10% (51) reported it
21% (110) are concerned they might have to give up their sport because of the financial impact of coronavirus
85% (456) do not think the media does enough to promote women's sport but 93% (498) feel coverage has improved over the past five years
78% (416) are conscious of their body image
The full survey results can be found here.
Tammy Parlour, chief executive of the Women's Sport Trust, told BBC Sport: "We have seen a lot of positive momentum in women's sport over the last five years, but this is a stark reminder that there is still so much more to be done.
"It's crucial to see these results as symptoms of the wider system, understand what is creating this environment, and address the underlying causes."
'I hope you die of cancer' - Sportswomen share trolling stories
Abuse directed at sportswomen on social media was frequently about body image, performance or telling athletes to "get back in the kitchen". One sportswoman even received an image of her club's crest full of ironing boards.
One respondent described the abuse she received after a poor performance in competition as "horrific" and admitted she considered giving up her sport.
Darts player Deta Hedman received racial abuse after losing a match and was told by someone that they "hope you die of cancer".
Olympic gold medallist hockey player Susannah Townsend recalls the "awful" and "scary" time her social media account was hacked in 2015, while footballer Rachel Newborough suggests athletes should be offered more support to cope with abuse.
One woman said she received comments on Twitter about her ethnicity, saying she is "not really British".
Another athlete, who is a size six, had been called "too fat" while someone else described being featured on a profile that had been created purely to pick out women's flaws. Her photo was posted with the muscle in her legs chosen as the flaw.
One respondent received the comment "women shouldn't look like this" on one of her Instagram posts, another was told she is "too tall" and a third was denigrated for having "big shoulders".
quote Someone created a fake profile that posted pictures of different girls and picked out their flaws. My profile was posted on there and I was highlighted for the muscle in my legs. Anonymous BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Survey respondent
A jockey was told by a man after a fall that he "hoped the horse was OK and not you", adding that "a man should have been on it".
Several athletes said the same person liked and commented on all their posts or direct messaged them, behaviour one sportswoman described as "threatening".
Who took part?
The electronic survey was sent to representatives of archery, athletics, badminton, basketball, bobsleigh and skeleton, boccia, boxing, canoeing, climbing, cricket, curling, cycling, darts, equestrian, fencing, football, goalball, golf, gymnastics, hockey, horse racing, judo, motorsport, netball, rugby league, rugby union, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, short-track and figure skating, skiing and snowboarding, squash, surfing, swimming - including diving, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, weightlifting. The survey was anonymous.
We did not receive responses from equestrian, gymnastics, motorsport, shooting and taekwondo.
Social media trolling is one of many issues raised by the BBC Elite British Sportswomen's Survey. BBC Sport will be shining a spotlight on the others with coverage throughout the week on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC TV. More information can be found here.


bbc--2020-08-09--Warriors' Green fined for breaking NBA anti-tampering rules

Last updated on .From the section Basketball Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been fined $ 50,000 ( £38,300 ) by the NBA under anti-tampering rules for remarks about Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker .
NBA rules prevent teams or players attempting to persuade other players to leave their contracted team .
`` It 's not good for him , it 's not good for his career , '' said Green of Booker .
`` They got ta get Book out of Phoenix .
I need my man to go somewhere where he can play great basketball all the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that type of player . ''
When asked by TNT host Ernie Johnson if his comments were tampering , Green said : `` Maybe . ''
At the start of the season the NBA said it would more strictly enforce its anti-tampering rules .
The Suns have won all five of their games since the NBA season restarted in Orlando in July and are now 10th in the Western Conference .
They are two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies in the eighth and final play-off spot , with three games left to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's highest scorer with 26.4 points per game this season and is under contract there until the end of the 2023-24 season after signing a five-year extension in 2018 .
The Warriors , who have won three of the past five NBA titles , were already eliminated from play-off contention before the restart after an injury-hit season .

Last updated on .From the section Basketball
Devin Booker (left) scored 113 points in four games against Golden State this season
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been fined $50,000 (£38,300) by the NBA under anti-tampering rules for remarks about Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker.
During an appearance as an analyst on TNT on Friday, Green, 30, suggested Booker should leave Phoenix.
NBA rules prevent teams or players attempting to persuade other players to leave their contracted team.
"It's not good for him, it's not good for his career," said Green of Booker.
"They gotta get Book out of Phoenix. I need my man to go somewhere where he can play great basketball all the time and win, because he's that type of player."
When asked by TNT host Ernie Johnson if his comments were tampering, Green said: "Maybe."
At the start of the season the NBA said it would more strictly enforce its anti-tampering rules.
The Suns have won all five of their games since the NBA season restarted in Orlando in July and are now 10th in the Western Conference.
They are two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies in the eighth and final play-off spot, with three games left to play.
Booker, 23, is Phoenix's highest scorer with 26.4 points per game this season and is under contract there until the end of the 2023-24 season after signing a five-year extension in 2018.
The Warriors, who have won three of the past five NBA titles, were already eliminated from play-off contention before the restart after an injury-hit season.


bbc--2020-08-09--'I'd have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of top 50' - O'Sullivan criticises standards after be

'I'd have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of top 50' - O'Sullivan criticises standards after beating Ding

Last updated on .From the section Snooker Five-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan says the standard of snooker lower down the rankings is so `` poor '' he would have to `` lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50 '' .
He faces Mark Williams , 45 , next in Sheffield , with both players turning professional in 1992 .
O'Sullivan said young players coming through `` are not that good really '' .
Englishman O'Sullivan , Welshman Williams and Scot John Higgins all graduated as pros 28 years ago and have gone on to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in snooker 's elite top 16 , have won 13 world crowns between them and a staggering total of 98 ranking titles .
O'Sullivan and Williams first faced each other in the 1994 Welsh Open , with the Chigwell man claiming 31 victories in 45 head-to-head encounters .
Asked if would have believed he and Williams would still be performing at the top over two decades later , O'Sullivan told BBC Two : `` Probably not if you asked me then but when you look at the standard of play , I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , John Higgins and Mark Williams , if you look at the younger players coming through , they are not that good really .
Most of them would do well as half-decent amateurs , not even amateurs .
They are so bad .
`` A lot of them you see now , you look at them and think , ' I would have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50 ' .
That is why we are still hovering around , because of how poor it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is like a morgue out there' O'Sullivan suffered a shock first-round defeat against amateur James Cahill last year but reaches the last-eight stage for the 18th time in his career .
'The Rocket ' finds himself in the more difficult half of the draw , facing three-time champion Williams next before a potential blockbuster meeting against Neil Robertson or Mark Selby in the semi-finals .
He and China 's Ding were neck and neck up until the final session , Ding 's long potting deserting him as O'Sullivan made breaks of 87 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go through .
O'Sullivan told BBC Two : `` I am just glad I found a way to try and compete with my mind out there .
For a while I have been going out and slapping balls about having fun , not caring if I won or lost .
Deep down I do care but treat it like a bit of fun .
`` I spoke to Steve Peters and worked on a few things so when I went out there my mind was clear .
It is better with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is like playing in a morgue out there . ''
How the others advanced World number two Neil Robertson battled to a 13-9 victory over Barry Hawkins , the Australian taking charge of the final session to set up a meeting with three-time champion Selby in the quarter-finals .
Robertson believes delaying this year 's World Championship to July-August because of the coronavirus pandemic has affected the playing conditions , telling BBC Two : `` The table is playing very heavy , it is very humid out there and it does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels like playing in Asia and it is tough to screw the ball back . ''
Meanwhile , Kyren Wilson withstood a brilliant fightback from compatriot Martin Gould to progress by the same scoreline , despite the world number eight seeing a healthy 10-3 advantage cut to 11-8 in the final session .
Wilson sets up a mouth-watering last-eight tie against world number one and defending champion Judd Trump , who said last year the pair `` do n't speak '' and `` do n't really get on '' .
Scot Anthony McGill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number 89 Jamie Clarke 13-12 in a classic encounter .
At 7-2 down , McGill felt Clarke was standing in his line of sight on a shot on a number of occasions and made his feelings known to his opponent , before referee Jan Verhaas had to step in to intervene .
Clarke took the frame but seemed to lose focus , tweeting `` you want to dance , let 's dance '' during the mid-session interval which sparked McGill 's resurgence .
McGill won seven out of the next eight for 9-9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Clarke took a 40 minute battle to go one from victory .
Welshman Clarke was 51 points ahead in the next but missed a pink , allowing McGill to snatch the final black and take it to a decider , which he claimed at 00:10 BST .
McGill faces Norway 's Kurt Maflin in the next round , guaranteeing a qualifier to reach the last four .
Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news on the BBC app .
• None Jack Whitehall on the rivalries that define British sport

I could lose an arm and still be top 50 - Watch O'Sullivan's extraordinary interview
Betfred World Championship Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield Dates: 31 July-16 August Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and Red Button, with uninterrupted coverage on BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app. Full details and times.
Five-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan says the standard of snooker lower down the rankings is so "poor" he would have to "lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50".
O'Sullivan, 44, beat Ding Junhui 13-10 in a high-quality contest to reach the World Championship quarter-finals.
He faces Mark Williams, 45, next in Sheffield, with both players turning professional in 1992.
O'Sullivan said young players coming through "are not that good really".
Englishman O'Sullivan, Welshman Williams and Scot John Higgins all graduated as pros 28 years ago and have gone on to dominate the sport.
The trio remain in snooker's elite top 16, have won 13 world crowns between them and a staggering total of 98 ranking titles.
O'Sullivan and Williams first faced each other in the 1994 Welsh Open, with the Chigwell man claiming 31 victories in 45 head-to-head encounters.
Asked if would have believed he and Williams would still be performing at the top over two decades later, O'Sullivan told BBC Two: "Probably not if you asked me then but when you look at the standard of play, I would say yes.
"People like me, John Higgins and Mark Williams, if you look at the younger players coming through, they are not that good really. Most of them would do well as half-decent amateurs, not even amateurs. They are so bad.
"A lot of them you see now, you look at them and think, 'I would have to lose an arm and a leg to fall out of the top 50'. That is why we are still hovering around, because of how poor it is down that end."
'It is like a morgue out there'
O'Sullivan suffered a shock first-round defeat against amateur James Cahill last year but reaches the last-eight stage for the 18th time in his career.
'The Rocket' finds himself in the more difficult half of the draw, facing three-time champion Williams next before a potential blockbuster meeting against Neil Robertson or Mark Selby in the semi-finals.
He and China's Ding were neck and neck up until the final session, Ding's long potting deserting him as O'Sullivan made breaks of 87, 73, 60, 117 and 93 to go through.
O'Sullivan told BBC Two: "I am just glad I found a way to try and compete with my mind out there. For a while I have been going out and slapping balls about having fun, not caring if I won or lost. Deep down I do care but treat it like a bit of fun.
"I spoke to Steve Peters and worked on a few things so when I went out there my mind was clear. It is better with the fans, of course it is. It is like playing in a morgue out there."
How the others advanced
World number two Neil Robertson battled to a 13-9 victory over Barry Hawkins, the Australian taking charge of the final session to set up a meeting with three-time champion Selby in the quarter-finals.
Robertson believes delaying this year's World Championship to July-August because of the coronavirus pandemic has affected the playing conditions, telling BBC Two: "The table is playing very heavy, it is very humid out there and it does not feel like playing at Sheffield. It feels like playing in Asia and it is tough to screw the ball back."
Meanwhile, Kyren Wilson withstood a brilliant fightback from compatriot Martin Gould to progress by the same scoreline, despite the world number eight seeing a healthy 10-3 advantage cut to 11-8 in the final session.
Wilson sets up a mouth-watering last-eight tie against world number one and defending champion Judd Trump, who said last year the pair "don't speak" and "don't really get on".
Scot Anthony McGill made an epic comeback to beat world number 89 Jamie Clarke 13-12 in a classic encounter.
At 7-2 down, McGill felt Clarke was standing in his line of sight on a shot on a number of occasions and made his feelings known to his opponent, before referee Jan Verhaas had to step in to intervene.
Clarke took the frame but seemed to lose focus, tweeting external-link "you want to dance, let's dance" during the mid-session interval which sparked McGill's resurgence.
McGill won seven out of the next eight for 9-9, the pair traded frames for 11-11 and Clarke took a 40 minute battle to go one from victory.
Welshman Clarke was 51 points ahead in the next but missed a pink, allowing McGill to snatch the final black and take it to a decider, which he claimed at 00:10 BST.
McGill faces Norway's Kurt Maflin in the next round, guaranteeing a qualifier to reach the last four.
Sign up to My Sport to follow snooker news on the BBC app.


bbc--2020-08-09--Ronnie O'Sullivan says he could 'lose an arm' and still be in the top 50 during extraordinary interv

Ronnie O'Sullivan says he could 'lose an arm' and still be in the top 50 during extraordinary interview

Watch Ronnie O'Sullivan 's extraordinary interview after beating Ding Junhui in which he says young players coming into the game @ @ @ @ @ he would need to `` lose an arm and a leg '' to fall out @ @ @ @ @ WATCH MORE : 'Silky ' O'Sullivan hits superb century on way to beating Ding Find @ @ @ @ @ World Snooker Championship across the BBC here .

Watch Ronnie O'Sullivan's extraordinary interview after beating Ding Junhui in which he says young players coming into the game now are so bad that he would need to "lose an arm and a leg" to fall out of the top 50.
WATCH MORE: 'Silky' O'Sullivan hits superb century on way to beating Ding
Find out how to follow the World Snooker Championship across the BBC here.


bbc--2020-08-10--US angers China with high-profile Taiwan visit

A US cabinet member met Taiwan ’ s president on Monday - a move that has angered China and increased tensions between Washington and Beijing .
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar is the highest-ranking US politician to hold meetings on the island for decades .
Taiwan is , to all intents and purposes , an independent state , but China regards it as a breakaway province .
China urged the US to respect what it called its “ one China ” principle .
“ China firmly opposes any official interactions between the US and Taiwan , ” a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced last week .
“ We urge the US… not to send any wrong signals to ‘ Taiwan independence ’ elements to avoid severe damage to China-US relations.
” • Why Taiwan wo n't have a seat at the coronavirus talks • Taiwan locked out of WHO membership • WHO chief and Taiwan in row over 'racist ' comments Mr Azar , who arrived on the island a day before meeting President Tsai Ing-wen , said there were “ three overarching themes ” for the visit .
“ The first is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society , executing a highly successful and transparent Covid-19 response , ” he said .
“ The second is to reaffirm Taiwan as a long partner and friend of the United States .
“ The third is to note that Taiwan deserves to be recognised as a global health leader with an excellent track record of contributing to international health . ''
Although the US does not have a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan , the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act allows the US to sell arms to the island , and commits it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has confirmed fewer than 480 Covid-19 cases and just seven deaths .
It cancelled flights from Wuhan on 23 January – before most other countries – introduced quarantine for other arrivals , and was able to track and trace infections .
• China needs to show us respect - Taiwan president Taiwan is not a member of the World Health Organization , because it is not recognised by China or the United Nations .
On 31 December , the Taiwan government asked the WHO for more information about the virus , but said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized upon by President Trump in April , in a tweet criticising the WHO .
The WHO said the Taiwanese email “ made no mention of human-to-human transmission ” .

Although the US does not have a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act allows the US to sell arms to the island, and commits it to “close relations”.


bbc--2020-08-10--Simon Cowell thanks medics after breaking back

Simon Cowell has thanked the medical staff who treated him in Los Angeles following a bike accident in which he broke part of his back .
The music mogul and talent show judge sent `` a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors '' , calling them `` some of the nicest people I have ever met '' .
Cowell was taken to hospital after falling off his new electric bike in the courtyard of his Malibu home .
The 60-year-old said he should have `` read the manual '' before riding it .
`` Some good advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bike , read the manual before you ride it for the first time , '' he tweeted .
He thanked fans and friends for their `` kind messages '' and exhorted them all to `` stay safe '' .
Cowell had an operation on Saturday night that involved a number of procedures , including having a metal rod put in his back .
His spokeswoman said he had `` broken his back in a number of places '' and was `` doing fine '' .
Cowell , who has a six-year-old son Eric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said to be testing his new bike when the accident occurred .
He had a previous fall in 2017 , when he fell down the stairs at his London home .
Amanda Holden was among those to wish her `` dear friend '' well on social media .
The Britain 's Got Talent judge said he was `` doing really well '' after his operation and wished him `` a speedy recovery '' .
Piers Morgan also wished him well after what he described as `` a very nasty accident '' .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the accident occurred .
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bbc--2020-08-10--Detectorist 'shaking with happiness' after Bronze Age find

A metal detectorist was left `` shaking with happiness '' after discovering a hoard of Bronze Age artefacts in the Scottish Borders .
A complete horse harness and sword was uncovered by Mariusz Stepien at the site near Peebles in June .
Experts said the discovery was of `` national significance '' .
The soil had preserved the leather and wood , allowing experts to trace the straps that connected the rings and buckles .
This allowed the experts to see for the first time how Bronze Age horse harnesses were assembled .
Mr Stepien was searching the field with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buried half a metre underground .
He said : `` I thought ' I 've never seen anything like this before ' and felt from the very beginning that this might be something spectacular and I 've just discovered a big part of Scottish history .
`` I was over the moon , actually shaking with happiness . ''
Mr Stepien and his friends camped in the field as archaeologists spent 22 days investigating the site .
He said : `` Every day there were new objects coming out which changed the context @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learned something new .
`` I 'm so pleased that the earth revealed to me something that was hidden for more than 3,000 years .
I still ca n't believe it happened . ''
Archaeologists found a sword still in its scabbard , decorated straps , buckles , rings , ornaments and chariot wheel axle caps .
There is also evidence of a decorative `` rattle pendant '' that would have hung from the harness , the first to be found in Scotland , and only the third in the UK .
Emily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Treasure Trove Unit , said it was `` a nationally-significant find . ''
She said : `` So few Bronze Age hoards have been excavated in Scotland , it was an amazing opportunity for us to not only recover bronze artefacts , but organic material as well .
`` There is still a lot of work to be done to assess the artefacts and understand why they were deposited . ''
The beginning of the Bronze Age in Britain can be put at about 2,000 BC .

He said: "I thought 'I've never seen anything like this before' and felt from the very beginning that this might be something spectacular and I've just discovered a big part of Scottish history.


bbc--2020-08-09--Trump's WeChat ban shocks Chinese abroad

For the global Chinese community , WeChat is more than a chat app : it is often the primary means of staying in touch with friends and family back home .
So the decision last week by US President Donald Trump to order American firms to stop doing business with WeChat has sent shockwaves rippling out .
`` WeChat has become the 'it ' tool for Chinese-speaking people , no matter where you are around the world , '' one Shanghai resident told the BBC .
The billion-user app is primarily a social networking platform but can be used for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gaming and even dating .
But WeChat has a less innocent side .
It is seen a key instrument of China 's internal surveillance apparatus .
In an executive order , President Trump labelled WeChat a threat to US national security and accused it of gathering `` vast swaths '' of user data , threatening Americans ' personal and proprietary information .
WeChat 's owner , TenCent , has been ordered to sell the app by mid-September or face a ban on US operations .
The move to block WeChat , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is seen by many Chinese as an attack on their culture , its people and state .
In response to President Trump , China 's foreign ministry has accused America of using national security as a cover to exert hegemony .
The Chinese diaspora in the US has been shocked by the move , and many people are worried - not just about keeping in touch with loved ones , but what this means for China-US relations .
Jennie , 21 , is a student at the University of California , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` At first I did n't believe that it is true , '' she told the BBC .
`` Then I just felt very angry . ''
Jennie spends around four hours a day on WeChat , using it to contact people in the US and China .
It is also a vital source of information and she spends a lot of time reading articles published on the public accounts of Chinese media , content creators and businesses .
• Is the US about to split the internet ?
On the anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a one-sentence post of commemoration .
It was quickly removed , and her entire public account vanished .
She told the BBC she is `` very worried '' that WeChat will share her information with the Chinese government , but strongly opposes America blocking the app .
`` It 'd be similar to what China does - to censor , '' said Jennie .
She used to publish on her own public account , until it was censored by WeChat two years ago .
Jennie believes that there should be alternative to manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banning it altogether .
`` I wanted to study in the US because of its openness , but this move has burst my bubble . ''
This sense of disappointment is shared by other Chinese immigrants in the US .
`` I used to think America is culturally inclusive , '' says Miley Song , a Chinese immigrant in California .
Washington 's move sends `` an unwelcome signal '' to Chinese immigrants in the country , she believes .
The 30-year-old stay-at-home mum often uses the app to connect with her parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panic after hearing about Mr Trump 's executive order .
But Ms Song says she is cautiously optimistic .
`` The ban seems very vague , I think it may be difficult to ban WeChat entirely , '' she says , `` We 'll wait and see . ''
While not particularly worried about the ban , she is concerned about what it means for her future in the America .
In the midst of a pandemic , and with presidential elections on the way , Ms Song thinks the Trump administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death tolls and falling polling numbers .
`` Otherwise , why has Trump focused on cracking down Chinese apps now ? ''
There is also concern among those who have returned to China after living and studying in America .
Rachel spent 10 years in the US , many of them as a student in the capital , Washington , DC .
Now home in Shanghai , WeChat has become `` fully embedded into people 's daily lives , '' she told the BBC .
`` If you live in China , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps : one is WeChat , the other is AliPay , '' said Rachel .
`` If you want to buy a bottle of milk , you open you WeChat Pay or AliPay to scan the QR code and pay , and most stores do n't accept cash . ''
• Are you one of the WeChat billion ?
WeChat is also being used as a tracking tool to help the government with containing the spread of coronavirus .
While President Trump 's order will have little impact on her daily activities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder to connect with people in the US .
As a result , she said some are exploring alternatives like communication app Line , or VPNs - virtual private networks which mask your computer 's location .
`` It 's sad that it 's going down this way , '' said Rachel .
`` I see both sides , there is always good and bad in both societies , and I want to be neutral but it 's harder and harder to become neutral . ''

"If you live in China, you cannot go anywhere without two major apps: one is WeChat, the other is AliPay," said Rachel. "If you want to buy a bottle of milk, you open your WeChat Pay or Alipay to scan the QR code and pay, and most stores don't accept cash."


bbc--2020-08-10--Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong media tycoon arrested under security law

Hong Kong business tycoon Jimmy Lai has been arrested and his newspaper offices raided by police over allegations of collusion with foreign forces .
His case is the most high-profile arrest so far under the controversial security law imposed by China in June .
Mr Lai has been a prominent pro-democracy voice and a supporter of protests that erupted last year .
In February the 71-year-old , who also holds UK citizenship , was charged with illegal assembly and intimidation .
• Hong Kong security law : What is it and is it worrying ?
• The Hong Kong residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state media Global Times on Monday described Mr Lai as `` riot supporter '' and his publications as having been `` instigating hatred , spreading rumours and smearing Hong Kong authorities and the mainland for years '' .
The Global Times also reported that two of his sons as well as two senior executives of Next Digital had also been arrested .
Scores of police were also seen entering the building of his newspaper Apple Daily , searching the offices .
At one point Mr Lai was led through the offices in handcuffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men aged 39-72 had been arrested on `` suspicion of collusion with foreign forces '' and other offences , but did not name Mr Lai .
The sight of nearly 200 police officers raiding the newsroom of Apple Daily , the biggest pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong , is a shocking one for many here and a sign that things are changing rapidly .
One Apple Daily employee told me that his colleagues were calm and had seen this coming when the National Security Law was passed .
Mr Lai has been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kong government and of Beijing 's increasingly assertive presence in the territory .
For that , China 's official news media have often branded him the leader of the `` Gang of Four '' which incites unrest in the city .
Beijing was also infuriated when he met US Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last year .
But while Next Media has often been criticised for its sensationalism , it remains one of the very few media outlets with an owner who has no business interest in mainland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its 25th anniversary this year , is already under financial strain .
The paper has said it will get today 's issue out on time but if its flamboyant owner is silenced it is unclear whether it will survive .
The businessman is estimated to be worth more than $ 1bn ( £766m ) .
Having made his initial fortune in the clothing industry , he later ventured into media and founded the newspaper Apple Daily , which is frequently critical of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese leadership .
In 2019 the daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ territory , both in print and online , according to the Chinese University of Hong Kong .
Mr Lai has also been an activist against Beijing 's increasingly tight grip on Hong Kong .
In 2019 he supported the reform protests and participated in the demonstrations .
On 30 June , when the security law was passed , Mr Lai told the BBC that this `` spells the death knell for Hong Kong '' .
He warned that Hong Kong would become as corrupt as mainland China because `` without the rule of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have no protection '' .
In a separate interview with the AFP news agency , Mr Lai said : `` I 'm prepared for prison .
If it comes , I will have the opportunity to read books I have n't read .
The only thing I can do is to be positive . ''
What has the reaction been ?
Unnamed sources within Apple Daily are cited as saying the company was `` arranging lawyers '' , seeing the situation as `` straight harassment '' .
Steven Butler , Asia programme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the arrest `` bears out the worst fears that Hong Kong 's national security law would be used to suppress critical pro-democracy opinion and restrict press freedom '' .
`` Jimmy Lai should be released at once and any charges dropped , '' he said .
Prominent pro-democracy activist Nathan Law tweeted that the `` worst fears '' were being realised .
`` Crazy arrests , '' he said .
`` The end of freedom of press in Hong Kong .
The national security law is quashing the freedom of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Wang Dan , dissident and exiled student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests , said on social media that the arrest `` was expected '' but `` very outrageous because his two sons were also arrested , which was obviously an attempt by the authorities to destroy Lai 's will through family ties '' .
`` I call on the international community to take immediate action . ''
What is the new security law ?
Hong Kong has had a high degree of autonomy since it was returned to Chinese rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a far higher level of freedom of speech and media than people on the mainland .
But the law 's key provisions include that crimes of secession , subversion , terrorism and collusion with foreign forces are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison .
It makes it easier to punish protesters , and reduces Hong Kong 's autonomy .
The law also gives Beijing powers to shape life in the former British colony in a way it has never had before .
Critics say it effectively curtails protest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new law will return stability to the territory after a year of unrest .
There have been two previous waves of arrests since the law was passed by Beijing on 30 June .
The first one saw several protesters arrested the next day , as they staged a demonstration .
On 30 July , four students and former pro-independence activists were arrested under the law .
Other activists , like Mr Law , fled the city before the security law came into force .
Mr Law is currently in the UK but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are seeking the arrest of him and other activists in exile .


bbc--2020-08-10--Belarus election: Opposition disputes Lukashenko landslide win

The main challenger to Belarus 's Alexander Lukashenko has refused to accept the president won 80 % of the vote in Sunday 's election .
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya 's campaign said results published on Monday morning `` completely contradict common sense '' .
This follows thousands of arrests after protesters and riot police clashed in the capital Minsk and other cities .
A lack of scrutiny - no observers were present - has led to widespread fears of vote-rigging in the poll .
The election was held amid growing frustration at Mr Lukashenko 's leadership , with opposition rallies attracting large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crackdown on activists and journalists .
The president has described opposition supporters as `` sheep '' controlled from abroad , and vowed not to allow the country to be torn apart .
Mr Lukashenko won 80.23 % of the vote , according to a preliminary count , with Ms Tikhanovskaya receiving 9.9 % .
Ms Tikhanovskaya entered the election in place of her jailed husband and went on to lead large opposition rallies .
Mr Lukashenko , 65 , has been in power since 1994 .
What did Ms Tikhanovskaya say ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winner and the authorities should think about how to peacefully hand over power .
`` We have seen that the authorities are trying to hold on to their positions by force , '' she said .
`` No matter how much we asked authorities not to turn on their own people , we were not listened to . ''
Her campaign said it would challenge `` numerous falsifications '' in the vote .
`` The election results announced by the Central Electoral Commission do not correspond to reality and completely contradict common sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` So Lukashenko , who is at the top of the power structure and at the head of the state , after getting 80 % of the vote must voluntarily hand over power to them , '' the president said .
`` The orders are coming from over there [ abroad ] . ''
`` Our response will be robust , '' he added .
`` We will not allow the country to be torn apart . ''
What has the international reaction been ?
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his Belarusian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over accusations of a Russian plot which Mr Lukashenko has tried to link to the opposition .
The leaders of China , Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have sent messages of support .
But the German government said it had `` strong doubts '' about the election and that minimum standards were not met .
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for the election results to be published .
`` Harassment and violent repression of peaceful protesters has no place in Europe , '' she said .
Meanwhile , Poland has called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
Belarusian media and online pundits offer starkly different narratives about the poll aftermath .
Government-owned Belarus 24 TV accuses `` provocateurs '' of `` blocking the functioning of polling stations '' .
It says `` aggressive youths '' acting on instructions received via [ messaging app ] Telegram tried to seize government buildings .
`` The clashes were staged by groups of aggressively-minded young people .
Unfortunately , there are victims , '' says another state channel , STV .
`` Those guilty of provocation will be held responsible . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not mention the protests .
Its top headline simply proclaims that `` Lukashenko is elected president '' and the paper carries congratulatory messages from world leaders .
Although pro-opposition online media have been hit by an internet blackout , there is a lively debate on social media .
`` This is war .
A war waged by a crazy old man against his people , '' says well-known journalist Dmitry Halko on Facebook .
`` Blood on faces , blood on clothes , blood on the asphalt .
If this is victory , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the losers , '' says writer Viktor Martsinovich .
Demonstrators took to the streets in central Minsk as soon as voting ended .
Many chanted `` Get out '' and other anti-government slogans .
Early on Monday , the Belarusian human rights group Viasna said that at least one person had died .
Social media footage showed a man who had clung to the front of a police truck lose his grip as it accelerated , hitting his head .
However , the interior ministry denied that there had been any deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were injured .
Three thousand people were arrested , the ministry added .
About one-third of them were in Minsk , and the rest in other cities such as Brest , Gomel and Grodno where similar protests took place .
President Lukashenko was first elected in 1994 .
In the last vote in 2015 , he was declared winner with 83.5 % of the vote .
There were no serious challengers and election observers reported problems in the counting and tabulation of votes .
The campaign saw the rise of Ms Tikhanovskaya , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a stay-at-home mother until she was thrust into the political spotlight .
After her husband was arrested and blocked from registering for the vote , she stepped in to take his place .
President Lukashenko has dismissed Ms Tikhanovskaya as a `` poor little girl '' , manipulated by foreign `` puppet masters '' .
On the eve of the election Ms Tikhanovskaya 's team said her campaign manager had been arrested and would not be released until Monday .
And on Sunday , as people voted , internet service was `` significantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NetBlocks .
Opposition supporters say this makes it harder for evidence of election fraud to be collected and shared .
There were already concerns over a lack of scrutiny because observers were not invited to monitor the election and more than 40 % of votes were cast ahead of the election .
Tens of thousands defied an escalating crackdown on the opposition last month to attend a protest in Minsk , the largest such demonstration in a decade .
Anger towards Mr Lukashenko 's government has been in part fuelled by its response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak , advising citizens to drink vodka and use saunas to fight the disease .
Belarus , which has a population of 9.5 million , has reported nearly 70,000 cases and almost 600 deaths .

"So Lukashenko, who is at the top of the power structure and at the head of the state, after getting 80% of the vote must voluntarily hand over power to them," the president said. "The orders are coming from over there [abroad]."


bbc--2020-08-10--Beirut explosion: Death toll rises to 200 as third minister resigns

More than 200 people are believed to have been killed by Tuesday 's devastating explosion in the Lebanese capital , Beirut , its governor has said .
Marwan Abboud said dozens were still missing , many of them foreign workers .
On Sunday there was a second night of violence in the city , as police clashed with protesters angry with the government 's response to the disaster .
The resignation of three members of the cabinet , including the justice minister on Monday , has not quelled the fury .
Fresh protests have been called for Monday afternoon when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chair a cabinet meeting .
Mr Diab has said the blast was the result of the detonation of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that had been stored unsafely at Beirut 's port for six years .
The decision to keep so much hazardous material in a warehouse near the city centre has been met with disbelief by many Lebanese , who have long accused the political elite of corruption , neglect and mismanagement .
More on the explosion in Beirut • The inferno and the mystery ship • 'We do n't have dreams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blast Mr Abboud was quoted by the al-Marsad Online news website as saying the death toll from the explosion had risen to 220 , and that 110 people remained missing .
He told the Al Jadeed TV channel that many foreign workers and lorry drivers were among the missing , which he said had made identifying them more difficult .
The Lebanese army , meanwhile , said it was calling off the rescue phase of the search operation at the port because no survivors had been found .
Elsewhere in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in severely damaged homes , many without windows or doors .
Officials have estimated that the explosion caused more than $ 3bn ( £2.3bn ) of damage and that Lebanon 's collective economic losses may amount to $ 15bn .
The country was already suffering a major economic downturn before the explosion , with families pushed into poverty and hunger , and UN agencies have warned of a humanitarian crisis unless food and medical aid are delivered swiftly .
International donors pledged $ 297m ( £227m ) in aid for Lebanon at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French President Emmanuel Macron .
A joint communique underscored their concerns about corruption , saying that the assistance should be `` directly delivered to the Lebanese population , with utmost efficiency and transparency '' .
The donors said further assistance was dependent on Lebanese authorities fully committing to `` timely measures and reforms expected by the Lebanese people '' .

"In that way we could help them to admit what's happening because it is beyond what you see in the photos - it's much bigger."


bbc--2020-08-10--Coronavirus: Australia records deadliest day but fewer new infections

Australia has recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic amid a second wave of infections in Melbourne .
Victoria state - of which Melbourne is the capital - reported 19 deaths on Monday .
Victoria has now seen about two-thirds of Australia 's total 314 deaths and approximately 21,400 cases .
But the number of daily infections - though still in the hundreds - has dropped in recent days , prompting hope that a strict lockdown is working .
Melbourne 's second lockdown began over a month ago , but residents have been subject to a night-time curfew and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must carry a permit to leave home , and all non-essential businesses have been shut .
Mask-wearing in public is also compulsory .
Victoria reported 322 new cases on Monday , down from a high of 725 recorded five days ago .
Other states reported few or no cases .
More than 100 deaths have been recorded in Victoria in just the past week as hospital admission rates also rise .
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said it was too early to tell if the state was at a turning point , but `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' following the stricter measures .
`` It 's always better to be lower than the previous day , but it is only one day 's data , '' he said .
Most deaths have been linked to outbreaks in nearly 100 aged care homes in the state .
But a man in his 30s was among last week 's victims - prompting authorities to urge young people to take greater care .
In neighbouring New South Wales ( NSW ) , which has seen small virus clusters in Sydney , the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social activities .
Queensland , which has closed its border to NSW and Victoria , said on Monday it appeared to have avoided an outbreak , two weeks after travellers brought the virus back from Melbourne .
Australia has still fared better than many countries overall due to effective suppression measures early in the pandemic .
But since June - when most Australians emerged from a first lockdown - the outbreak in Melbourne has spiralled .
• How did the virus re-emerge in Australia ?
• Why did Melbourne 's lockdown fail to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up more than 70 % of Australia 's total cases since the pandemic began .
The outbreak is suspected to have begun with breaches in hotel quarantine of infected travellers returning from overseas .
In recent days , medical groups have raised alarm over the growing number of healthcare workers falling sick with the virus .
There are now over 700 such cases .
A survey of physicians showed 20 % of doctors in hospitals were having to source their own protective gear .

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said it was too early to tell if the state was at a turning point, but "we're certainly seeing some greater stability" following the stricter measures.


bbc--2020-08-10--China imposes sanctions on US senators over Hong Kong

China has said it will impose sanctions on 11 US citizens including senators and other high profile officials .
The sanctions come in response to a decision by the US to sanction 11 Chinese officials and allies in Hong Kong for curtailing political freedoms .
Among those targeted by China were Republican Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio , and Kenneth Roth , the executive director of charity Human Rights Watch .
China did not target any officials from the Trump administration .
Also on the list were Senators Tom Cotton , Josh Hawley and Pat Toomey and Representative Chris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as other individuals from non-profit organisations and rights groups .
• Why US-China relations are at their lowest point in decades China said the sanctions were a direct response to those levied by the US against officials in Hong Kong .
`` In response to those wrong US behaviours , China has decided to impose sanctions on individuals who have behaved egregiously on Hong Kong-related issues , '' said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian .
He did not specify any details of the sanctions .
China had already announced sanctions last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other officials , after the US heavily criticised Beijing for its treatment of the Uighur ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and said it would sanction top officials of the Chinese communist party .
Relations between the two powers have been deteriorating for months .
The US has publicly criticised China over its actions in Hong Kong , its persecution of the Uighur minority and its handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
President Donald Trump has frequently attempted to shift the focus towards China during the US 's worsening coronavirus situation , calling the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefings .
Mr Trump signed an executive order on Friday imposing sanctions on Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam as well as the territory 's current and former police chiefs , freezing assets and barring Americans from doing business with them .
Responding to those sanctions , foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China `` resolutely opposes and strongly condemns such blatant interference in Hong Kong affairs '' .
`` I want to reiterate that Hong Kong is China 's Hong Kong and Hong Kong affairs are China 's internal affairs that no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
`` China urges the US to recognise the situation and correct its wrongdoings , and not to go further and further on the wrong path . ''
US officials targeted by China on Monday are among those who have publicly criticised China for its increasingly aggressive tactics in Hong Kong , where a new security law imposed by China has curtailed the city 's political freedoms .
On Monday Hong Kong business tycoon Jimmy Lai , one of the most prominent supporters of the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by police .
Mr Lai 's case was the most high-profile arrest so far under the controversial new security law .
Other officials sanctioned by China on Monday included Carl Gershman , the president of the National Endowment for Democracy , and Michael Abramowitz , the president of Freedom House - both non-profit advocacy groups .
Responding to the sanctions on Twitter , Mr Roth said the move was `` little more than an effort to distract attention from its wholesale assault on the rights of the people of Hong Kong '' .

Relations between the two powers have been deteriorating for months. The US has publicly criticised China over its actions in Hong Kong, its persecution of the Uighur minority and its handling of the coronavirus outbreak. President Donald Trump has frequently attempted to shift the focus towards China during the US's worsening coronavirus situation, calling the disease the "China virus" during press briefings.


bbc--2020-08-10--Twitter 'looking' at a possible TikTok tie-up

Twitter has approached TikTok 's Chinese owner ByteDance to express an interest in buying its US operations , according to reports .
Video-sharing platform TikTok has been at the centre of fierce debate in recent weeks and takeover talk .
Last week US Donald Trump ordered firms to stop doing business with TikTok within 45 days over security concerns .
Tech giant Microsoft is the front-runner to buy TikTok but now Twitter has emerged as a possible suitor .
But it remains unclear whether Twitter can afford to buy TikTok from its Chinese owners and can complete a deal within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quoted in the Wall Street Journal .
The value of TikTok 's US operations are unclear but estimates put it at tens of billions of dollars .
Twitter 's market capitalisation is about $ 29bn ( £22bn ) , dwarfed by Microsoft 's at more than $ 1.6tn .
But experts believe a possible Twitter deal would face less regulatory scrutiny than Microsoft 's .
A Twitter spokesman declined to comment on a possible deal while TikTok did n't respond immediately when contacted by the BBC .
• Beyond TikTok : Who else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trump ordered US firms to stop doing business with the Chinese app within 45 days .
The Trump administration claims that the Chinese government has access to user information gathered by TikTok , which the firm has consistently denied .
In response to the US president 's executive order , TikTok has threatened legal action against the US saying it was `` shocked '' by the move .
The US government also unveiled a ban on Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat as tensions escalate between the two countries .
Mr Trump said last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy TikTok 's US operations if the government got a `` substantial portion '' of the proceeds .
He has set a deadline of 15 September for the deal to be completed or the ban will go ahead .
Microsoft said it `` will move quickly to pursue discussions '' for TikTok 's operations in the US , Australia , Canada and New Zealand .
`` Even if the deal goes through , be it Microsoft or Twitter taking a substantial stake in TikTok , what remains to be seen is how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operationally , '' said communications expert Sharon Koh .
`` It will also take a tumultuous effort for both organisations to meander through the political sensitivities , '' she added .

"Even if the deal goes through, be it Microsoft or Twitter taking a substantial stake in TikTok, what remains to be seen is how both parties are going to move forward operationally," said communications expert Sharon Koh.


bbc--2020-08-10--US wrestler James 'Kamala' Harris dies aged 70, WWE confirms

Tributes have been paid to US wrestler James `` Kamala '' Harris , who has died at the age of 70 .
He was described as a `` great character '' and a `` tremendously nice man '' after World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) announced his death on Sunday .
The 6ft 7in star was best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF ) era , in the mid-1980s and early 1990s .
He fought Hulk Hogan , The Undertaker and Andre the Giant among others .
Later in life he suffered with severe health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2011 due to diabetes .
Kamala 's character , the `` Ugandan Giant '' , appeared in war paint and a mask and carried a spear ; a depiction which was criticised by some fans as racially insensitive .
But Harris said he enjoyed the role and being an entertainer .
In 2012 , he recalled how his mentor Jerry Lawler invented the Kamala character .
`` He put the paint and stuff on me and they put the little skirt on me , '' Harris said .
`` I like doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his era , Harris was a popular opponent for The Undertaker .
The two men battled at the 1992 Survivor Series in a `` casket match '' , with the Undertaker coming out on top in front of 18,000 fans at the Richfied Colisseum in Ohio .
`` God bless Kamala , he always put on a show for the fans .
Good big man who worked the gimmick better than most .
It breaks my heart , '' tweeted fellow former wrester The Iron Sheik .
`` Sorry to hear a legend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and commentator Taz .
Another former wrestling star , Jerry `` The King '' Lawler paid tribute by posting a picture of Harris in action .
Harris hailed from Mississippi and began wrestling in 1978 , under the ring name `` Sugar Bear . ''
In 2004 , he made a surprise return to the re-branded WWE .
`` Such a great character , '' posted wrestling journalist Sean Ross .
`` Memorable and influential .
May he rest in peace . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .


bbc--2020-08-10--Mexico bear that sniffed woman's hair castrated

There is outrage in Mexico after a black bear seen on video approaching a visitor in a nature park and sniffing her hair was caught and castrated .
Some people are questioning plans to move the animal to a different state .
But experts say the move is necessary because it had become accustomed to being fed by humans in the ecological park where it lived .
They said the footage showed the consequences of feeding wild animals for the sake of a selfie .
The animal , a juvenile male black bear weighing 96kg ( 212lb ) , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a risk to visitors of Chipinque Ecological Park .
Video showed it getting very close to a young woman who was taking a selfie with the bear last month .
You may also be interested in : • Tiger seized in Mexico after man tried to lasso it • Mexican man refuses to give up lions on his terrace Officials said there had been other close encounters between humans and the same bear in the park and in residential areas nearby .
Locals dubbed it `` the friendly bear '' and called it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it lived .
The bear was captured by officials from the federal environmental protection agency ( Profepa ) while having a snooze in the backyard of a house after its residents alerted the authorities to their unexpected guest .
Veterinarians at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León checked it over and fitted it with a radio collar .
The animal was also castrated , a move which is now being investigated by Profepa .
The agency has released a statement saying that the decision to castrate the bear was taken by the co-ordinator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Profepa 's director-general for wildlife control , Martín Vargas Prieto .
According to the statement [ in Spanish ] , Mr Vargas Prieto argued that the bear had to be castrated to avoid him getting into fights with other bears once he is released in the Sierra de Nido mountain range in Chihuahua state .
Both the castration and the planned move to Chihuahua have caused outrage among people in the state of Nuevo León , where the bear was captured .
But some have commented on social media that whatever led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bear , the outrage should be directed at those visitors and guides who are reported to have fed the bear with scraps to make him approach humans who wanted to have selfies taken with him .

But some have commented on social media that whatever led to the decision to castrate and move the bear, the outrage should be directed at those visitors and guides who are reported to have fed the bear with scraps to make him approach humans who wanted to have selfies taken with him.


bbc--2020-08-10--Floods hit Yemen's historic capital

Floods hit Yemen's historic capital

More than 130 people have been killed during heavy rains in Yemen since mid-July , authorities in the rebel-held capital @ @ @ @ @ others have also been injured .
The flooding has caused extensive damage to historic sites @ @ @ @ @ , a Unesco World Heritage Site .
The city is home to hundreds of distinctive @ @ @ @ @ which date back to before the 11th Century .
They have long been threatened by @ @ @ @ @ war .
One resident , Muhammad Ali al-Talhi , told Reuters news agency that he @ @ @ @ @ left homeless after the ancient building they lived in was destroyed on Friday .
`` @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
More than five years of conflict in Yemen have led @ @ @ @ @ as the world 's worst humanitarian crisis .
• Yemen crisis : Why is there @ @ @ @ @ people are dependent on food aid , and coronavirus is believed to be spreading - @ @ @ @ @ country .

One resident, Muhammad Ali al-Talhi, told Reuters news agency that he and his family had been left homeless after the ancient building they lived in was destroyed on Friday.


bbc--2020-08-10--Africa Eye: Ghana hospital workers cash in on PPE amid coronavirus

A BBC Africa Eye undercover investigation reveals that some staff in Ghana 's hospitals have been selling vital personal protective @ @ @ @ @ personal profit .
More than 2,000 medical workers in Ghana have been infected by coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ The country has faced a severe lack of essential protective equipment like face shields , @ @ @ @ @ investigation shows how some medical workers are profiteering at the expense of their colleagues .

A BBC Africa Eye undercover investigation reveals that some staff in Ghana's hospitals have been selling vital personal protective equipment (PPE) for personal profit.
More than 2,000 medical workers in Ghana have been infected by coronavirus since the outbreak began.
The country has faced a severe lack of essential protective equipment like face shields, masks and suits.
Our investigation shows how some medical workers are profiteering at the expense of their colleagues.


bbc--2020-08-09--Keith Mason and fiancée go viral after inspirational posts

Riona Kelly was paralysed in 2015 after suffering a rare spinal stroke .
Her partner , and ex-rugby league star @ @ @ @ @ posting about her recovery on social media from their home in West Yorkshire and they @ @ @ @ @ .

Riona Kelly was paralysed in 2015 after suffering a rare spinal stroke.
Her partner, and ex-rugby league star, Keith Mason has been posting about her recovery on social media from their home in West Yorkshire and they've become a lockdown hit.
Produced by Bella McShane


bbc--2020-08-10--Coronavirus pandemic: Tracking the global outbreak

Nearly five months since a global pandemic was declared coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world - with nearly 20 million confirmed cases in 188 countries .
More than 700,000 people have lost their lives .
Cases of the disease are continuing to surge in many countries , while others which had apparent success in suppressing initial outbreaks are now seeing infections rise again .
Where are cases and deaths rising ?
Latin America is the epicentre of the pandemic , says the World Health Organization .
Brazil has the second highest number of cases in the world , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 100,000 deaths .
Mexico , the second-most affected country in the region , has recorded more than 50,000 deaths .
Cases have also risen rapidly in Colombia , Peru , Argentina and Venezuela .
Iran has also been badly affected by the pandemic .
Information leaked to the BBC Persian service revealed the number of deaths from coronavirus was 42,000 by 20 July , around three times the total claimed by Iran 's government .
In Africa , South Africa and Egypt have seen the largest outbreaks so far , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world to record more than 500,000 confirmed cases .
Across the continent , there have been more than a million confirmed cases , although the true extent of the pandemic there is not known .
Testing rates are reported to be low , which could distort official estimates .
India now has world 's highest daily cases and deaths India has recorded more than 50,000 new infections every day for more than a week , and has pushed past two million cases in total .
The world 's second most populous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but is continuing to ease public restrictions despite the spike in cases .
Several countries across Europe have reported a recent rise in cases .
Travellers from the UK have been told they will have to quarantine for two weeks if they are returning from Spain , Belgium or Luxembourg , following a surge in infections .
Cases in France are also rising again .
A number of countries have re-imposed localised lockdowns in their worst-affected regions , and there have been renewed appeals for people to wear masks and follow social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered the worst spike so far - although most of the new cases have been concentrated in the north-east of the country .
Other countries outside Europe that also appeared to have controlled initial outbreaks , like Israel , Australia and Japan , have seen cases rise again .
In the table below , countries can be reordered by deaths , death rate and total cases .
In the coloured bars on the right-hand side , countries in which cases have risen to more than 5,000 per day are those with black bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seen record numbers of new cases in recent weeks , although numbers are now falling again .
The death toll stands at more than 160,000 - more than a fifth of the reported coronavirus deaths around the world .
President Donald Trump has warned that the US pandemic may `` get worse before it gets better '' .
The University of Washington predicts the death toll could hit more than 295,000 by the beginning of December - though it says this could be reduced to about 230,000 if 95 % of Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had a devastating impact on the US economy , with GDP falling by a record rate of 32.9 % in the three months from April to June .
• How did Florida get so badly hit by Covid-19 ?
How many cases and deaths have there been overall ?
There have been nearly 20 million confirmed cases worldwide so far and more than 700,000 people have died .
Note : The map , table and animated bar chart in this page use a different source for figures for France from that used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a slightly lower overall total .
US figures do not include Puerto Rico , Guam or the US Virgin Islands .
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the coronavirus pandemic is `` easily the most severe '' global health emergency the organisation has ever seen and that there may never be a vaccine - or `` silver bullet '' - to defeat the virus .
However , he has also pointed out that , though the virus has been detected in 188 countries , almost half of all cases reported so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , Brazil and India .
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan , China , in late 2019 .
The outbreak spread quickly across the globe in the first months of 2020 and declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March .
A pandemic is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
Europe and North America saw their first major outbreaks in April but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America and Asia started seeing cases spike .
Governments across the world have been forced to limit public movement and close businesses and venues in a bid to slow the spread of the virus .
This has had a devastating impact on the global economy .
The International Monetary Fund has said the world is in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression and warned that it could take two years for economic output to return to pre-pandemic levels .
The United Nations has said that up to 265 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the year because of the impact of Covid-19 .
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • COMPARING COUNTRIES : The pitfalls of doing so • R0 , FURLOUGH : The language of the outbreak • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
The data used on this page comes from a variety of sources .
It includes figures collated by Johns Hopkins University , data from the European Centre for Disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health agencies , as well as UN data on populations .
When comparing figures from different countries it is important to bear in mind that not all governments are recording coronavirus cases and deaths in the same way .
This makes like for like comparisons between countries difficult .
Other factors to consider include : different population sizes , the size of a country 's elderly population or whether a particular country has a large amount of its people living in densely-populated areas .
In addition , countries may be in different stages @ @ @ @

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This information is regularly updated but may not reflect the latest totals for each country.
** The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average. Due to revisions in the number of cases, an average cannot be calculated for this date.
Source: Johns Hopkins University and national public health agencies


bbc--2020-08-10--Jimmy Lai: Hong Kong's rebel mogul and pro-democracy voice

He was 12 years old when he fled his village in mainland China , arriving in Hong Kong as a stowaway on a fishing boat .
Like a number of the city ’ s famed tycoons , he went from a menial role , toiling in a Hong Kong sweatshop , to founding a multi-million dollar empire .
But unlike others who rose to the top , Jimmy Lai also became one of the fiercest critics of the Chinese state and a leading figure in Hong Kong ’ s pro-democracy movement .
His arrest on Monday is the highest-profile use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the territory by Beijing in June .
He was born in Guangzhou , a city in southern China , to a wealthy family that lost everything when the communists took power in 1949 .
From working odd jobs and knitting in a small clothing shop he taught himself English , eventually founding the international clothing brand Giordano .
• China 's new law : Why is Hong Kong worried ?
• The Hong Kong residents ready to leave for the UK The chain was a huge success .
But when in 1989 China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Beijing ’ s Tiananmen Square , Mr Lai began a new journey as a vocal democracy activist as well as an entrepreneur .
He started writing columns criticising the massacre that followed the demonstrations in Beijing and established a publishing house that went on to become one of Hong Kong 's most influential .
As China responded by threatening to shut his stores on the mainland , leading him to sell the company , Mr Lai launched a string of popular pro-democracy titles that now include Next , a digital magazine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a local media landscape increasingly fearful of Beijing , Lai is a persistent thorn for China both through his publications and writing that openly criticises the Chinese leadership .
It has seen him become a hero for many residents in Hong Kong .
Mr Lai is a rare rebel tycoon who dares to stand up to Beijing .
But on the mainland he is viewed as a “ traitor ” who threatens Chinese national security .
In recent years masked attackers have firebombed Mr Lai ’ s house and company headquarters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target of an assassination plot .
But none of this has stopped him from airing his views robustly .
He has been a prominent part of the city ’ s pro-democracy demonstrations and was already arrested twice this year on illegal assembly charges for earlier protests before Monday 's arrest .
“ I ’ m a troublemaker .
I came here with nothing , the freedom of this place has given me everything , ” he told AFP in an interview in June .
“ Maybe it ’ s time I paid back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
When China passed Hong Kong 's new national security law in June , Mr Lai told the BBC `` it spells the death knell '' for the territory .
The influential entrepreneur also warned that Hong Kong would become as corrupt as China .
Without the rule of law , he said , its coveted status as a global financial hub would be `` totally destroyed '' .
For his admirers Mr Lai is a man of courage who has taken on great risks to defend the freedoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enormous respect for Mr. Lai .
Clearly a man with courage and probably among the very very few who has maintained his business interests without diluting his principles , '' wrote one Twitter user after his arrest .
The media mogul is known for his frankness and acts of flamboyance .
Earlier this year he had urged US President Donald Trump to help the territory , saying he was `` the only one who can save us '' from China .
His newspaper , Apple Daily , published a front-page letter that finished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us . ''

The media mogul is known for his frankness and acts of flamboyance. Earlier this year he had urged US President Donald Trump to help the territory, saying he was "the only one who can save us" from China. His newspaper, Apple Daily, published a front-page letter that finished: "Mr President, please help us."


bbc--2020-08-10--Man Utd target Sancho named in Dortmund training camp squad

Borussia Dortmund have named forward Jadon Sancho in their squad for this week 's training camp in Switzerland .
It comes on the day of the deadline set by Dortmund for any deal to be agreed for the England international , who is Manchester United 's top summer target .
The Bundesliga side want about £100m for Sancho , who they signed from Manchester City for £10m in 2017 .
Sancho , 20 , and England Under-17 midfielder Jude Bellingham are among 31 players to travel to Bad Ragaz .
Dortmund have two matches during their training camp , against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Austria Vienna on Sunday .
They set the deadline for Sancho , who is under contract with them until 2022 , because they want undisturbed preparation for the 2020-21 Bundesliga season .
The new campaign starts on 18 September , with the transfer deadline for international deals on 5 October .
Dortmund and Manchester United have reached an impasse over the fee .
The German club want about £100m for the player , including a large up-front payment .
But United think that does not take into account the financial impact of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who meet FC Copenhagen in the Europa League quarter-finals in Cologne on Monday , have threatened to look at alternatives .
There has also been a suggestion Dortmund will offer Sancho a new contract .
• Food and mood : The link between what we eat and mental health • Young shielders : What has isolation been like for them ?

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Borussia Dortmund want a fee of about £100m for winger Jadon Sancho
England forward Jadon Sancho will remain a Borussia Dortmund player next season, says the club's sporting director Michael Zorc.
The 20-year-old has been named in the Bundesliga club's squad for this week's training camp in Switzerland.
It comes on the day of the deadline set by Dortmund for any deal to be agreed for Sancho, who is Manchester United's top summer target.
"We plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season," said Zorc.
"The decision is final. I think that answers all our questions.
"Last summer we adjusted Jadon's salary to match the development of his performances. So in context, we had already extended his contract until 2023 back then."
Dortmund want about £100m for Sancho, who they signed from Manchester City for £10m in 2017.
Sancho and England Under-17 midfielder Jude Bellingham are among 31 players to travel to Bad Ragaz.
Bellingham, 17, joined Dortmund from Championship side Birmingham City in July.
Dortmund have two matches during their training camp, against Austrian sides SCR Altach on Wednesday and Austria Vienna on Sunday.
They set the deadline for Sancho, who is under contract with them until 2022, because they want undisturbed preparation for the 2020-21 Bundesliga season.
The new campaign starts on 18 September, with the transfer deadline for international deals on 5 October.
Analysis
BBC Sport's Simon Stone
It will be interesting to see what happens now.
I mentioned to someone at Dortmund there is a feeling around United that the Bundesliga side have to sell Sancho for financial reasons.
The answer was fairly quick in coming back - "they will see". Time will tell on that one.
The truth is, before we even get to that point, something has to change within the current negotiations.
The news about Sancho's contract running to 2023 underlines why Dortmund have been sticking to their guns when it came to that £100m fee, which United believe to be unrealistic.
But it's not just the fee that is too high. Wages and agents fees are also a sticking point it seems. United simply do not believe, in the Covid-affected world football finds itself in, that either are realistic.
There is also an element of frustration in the corridors of power at Old Trafford around Dortmund's claims not to have had any contact with United when they asked for negotiations to be conducted through intermediaries. Discussions, it is being suggested, have been too slow.
United have been threatening to look at alternative targets. Now we might find out if they have any.
Today was an artificial deadline - the real one is on 5 October - but the positions do appear entrenched. It will be fascinating to see who moves first.


bbc--2020-08-10--Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg: Tottenham medical for Southampton midfielder

Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will have a medical at Tottenham on Monday .
The clubs agreed a deal last week @ @ @ @ @ international choosing Spurs ahead of Everton .
Meanwhile , Tottenham 's English defender Kyle Walker-Peters @ @ @ @ @ to sign for the Saints , after a loan spell at St Mary 's last @ @ @ @ @ undisclosed but BBC Sport understands Spurs will pay Southampton at least £3m more for Hojbjerg @ @ @ @ @ from Bayern Munich in 2016 but was set to enter the final year of his @ @ @ @ @ .
• Food and mood : The link between what we eat and mental health @ @ @ @ @ has isolation been like for them ?

Last updated on .From the section Southampton
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg joined Southampton from Bayern Munich in 2016
Southampton midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will have a medical at Tottenham on Monday.
The clubs agreed a deal last week, with the 25-year-old Denmark international choosing Spurs ahead of Everton.
Meanwhile, Tottenham's English defender Kyle Walker-Peters, 23, is set to sign for the Saints, after a loan spell at St Mary's last season.
The fees are undisclosed but BBC Sport understands Spurs will pay Southampton at least £3m more for Hojbjerg.
Hojbjerg joined the Saints from Bayern Munich in 2016 but was set to enter the final year of his contract at St Mary's.


bbc--2020-08-10--American Morikawa, 23, holds off England's Casey to win US PGA Championship

American Collin Morikawa emerged from a stacked leaderboard to win the 2020 US PGA Championship after a flawless final round in San Francisco .
The world number 12 , playing in just his second major , carded a six-under 64 at TPC Harding Park to reach 13 under .
England 's Paul Casey was two shots back in a tie for second with overnight leader Dustin Johnson after a 66 .
Like Morikawa , Matthew Wolff was another unheralded American to rise through the field on Sunday , shooting a 65 to finish on 10 under .
He tied for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Finau , plus Australia 's Jason Day , who all carded 66s on a nail-biting final day that made a mockery of concerns over how competitive the year 's first major would be with no fans .
Justin Rose hit a 67 to finish a shot further back after being three behind the lead overnight , along with fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood , who slipped to three under .
Two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka trailed Johnson by two heading into the final round , but the American stumbled to a four-over 74 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ None Morikawa wins US PGA - as it happened Heading into the final day , all the talk was of another potential battle between Johnson and Koepka after the latter held off his Ryder Cup team-mate to clinch last year 's US PGA .
And Koepka cranked up their friendly rivalry by belittling Johnson 's solitary major win after day three , saying : `` I like my chances .
When I 've been in this position before I 've capitalised . ''
Yet Koepka did not factor in the leaderboard logjam as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is in just his second year on the PGA Tour .
Remarkably , 23-year-old Morikawa has more victories on the tour than missed cuts , and was second at the Charles Schwab Challenge in June before winning last month 's Workday Charity Open .
He did not appear on the radar until shooting a 65 to go two off the lead on day three at Harding Park , just 20 miles from where he went to college at the University of California in Berkeley .
But as Johnson tried to hold off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fray with three birdies in his first 10 holes .
He then chipped in for a birdie on the par-four 14th to become the first man to reach 11 under and , despite being joined by Casey , he hit the shot of the week from the 16th tee .
Morikawa hit it to within seven feet on the par four and held his nerve to sink the eagle putt and put himself on the brink of becoming just the ninth player to win the US PGA on their debut , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's amazing , '' said Morikawa , who grew up in Los Angeles .
`` As a little kid , watching all these professionals , this is always what I 've wanted to do .
`` I felt very comfortable from the start , as an amateur , junior golfer , turning professional last year .
But to finally close it off and come out here in San Francisco , pretty much my second home where I spent the past four years , it 's pretty special . ''
Casey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was four years old when Paul Casey claimed his first European Tour win in 2001 , and since then the Englishman has seldom dropped out of the world 's top 50 .
There has never been any doubt over his ability , it was whether he could produce when it really mattered - a major championship .
The 43-year-old has yet to win a Players Championship or World Golf Championship event and his previous best in a major was a tie for third at the 2010 Open .
Yet he remains one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , after two wins last year , he travelled to San Francisco as world number 28 .
After a first round of 68 , he said he felt more confident with caddie John McLaren back on the bag and having finished the third round two off the lead , there was genuine belief this could be his time .
Three birdies in his first 10 holes on Sunday put Casey in contention to become England 's first US PGA Championship winner since 1919 - and the oldest first-time major winner since 1967 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 13th after overcooking his approach , and despite responding with two more birdies , Casey graciously said Morikawa deserved victory after that `` glorious '' tee shot .
'When you hit it that pure , it really does n't matter ' - what they said Paul Casey : `` I played wonderful golf , but Collin thoroughly deserves it .
I mean , what a shot he hit on 16 , just awesome golf .
There 's nothing you can do except tip your cap to that .
`` I 'm very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great week , a strange week obviously missing the fans . ''
• None The link between what we eat and mental health • None What has isolation been like for them ?

Morikawa becomes the ninth player to win the US PGA championship on debut
US PGA Championship, final round leaderboard -13 C Morikawa (US); -11 P Casey (Eng), D Johnson (US); -10 M Wolff, B DeChambeau, T Finau, S Scheffler (all US), J Day (Aus); -9 J Rose (Eng) Selected others: -7 J Rahm (Spa), -4 I Poulter (Eng); -3 T Fleetwood (Eng), B Koepka (US); -2 R McIlroy (NI); -1 J Thomas (US), T Woods (US); +3 R MacIntyre (Sco), S Lowry (Ire) Full leaderboard
American Collin Morikawa emerged from a stacked leaderboard to win the 2020 US PGA Championship after a flawless final round in San Francisco.
At one point on the back nine, six players shared the lead - but an eagle two on the 16th saw Morikawa go clear.
The world number 12, playing in just his second major, carded a six-under 64 at TPC Harding Park to reach 13 under.
England's Paul Casey was two shots back in a tie for second with overnight leader Dustin Johnson after a 66.
Like Morikawa, Matthew Wolff was another unheralded American to rise through the field on Sunday, shooting a 65 to finish on 10 under.
He tied for fourth with compatriots Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau, plus Australia's Jason Day, who all carded 66s on a nail-biting final day that made a mockery of concerns over how competitive the year's first major would be with no fans.
Justin Rose hit a 67 to finish a shot further back after being three behind the lead overnight, along with fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who slipped to three under.
Two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka trailed Johnson by two heading into the final round, but the American stumbled to a four-over 74 to also finish on three under.
Morikawa steals the show
After a flawless final round, Morikawa's only blemish came when managed to drop the lid as he lifted the Wanamaker Trophy
Heading into the final day, all the talk was of another potential battle between Johnson and Koepka after the latter held off his Ryder Cup team-mate to clinch last year's US PGA.
And Koepka cranked up their friendly rivalry by belittling Johnson's solitary major win after day three, saying: "I like my chances. When I've been in this position before I've capitalised."
Yet Koepka did not factor in the leaderboard logjam as another American stole the show, one who is in just his second year on the PGA Tour.
Remarkably, 23-year-old Morikawa has more victories on the tour than missed cuts, and was second at the Charles Schwab Challenge in June before winning last month's Workday Charity Open.
He did not appear on the radar until shooting a 65 to go two off the lead on day three at Harding Park, just 20 miles from where he went to college at the University of California in Berkeley.
But as Johnson tried to hold off the chasing pack, Morikawa moved into the fray with three birdies in his first 10 holes.
He then chipped in for a birdie on the par-four 14th to become the first man to reach 11 under and, despite being joined by Casey, he hit the shot of the week from the 16th tee.
Morikawa hit it to within seven feet on the par four and held his nerve to sink the eagle putt and put himself on the brink of becoming just the ninth player to win the US PGA on their debut, and the first since Keegan Bradley in 2011.
"It's amazing," said Morikawa, who grew up in Los Angeles. "As a little kid, watching all these professionals, this is always what I've wanted to do.
"I felt very comfortable from the start, as an amateur, junior golfer, turning professional last year. But to finally close it off and come out here in San Francisco, pretty much my second home where I spent the past four years, it's pretty special."
Casey kept waiting for his first major
Paul Casey missed out on becoming the oldest first-time major winner since 1967
Morikawa was four years old when Paul Casey claimed his first European Tour win in 2001, and since then the Englishman has seldom dropped out of the world's top 50.
There has never been any doubt over his ability, it was whether he could produce when it really mattered - a major championship.
The 43-year-old has yet to win a Players Championship or World Golf Championship event and his previous best in a major was a tie for third at the 2010 Open.
Yet he remains one of the most consistent players on the tour and, after two wins last year, he travelled to San Francisco as world number 28.
After a first round of 68, he said he felt more confident with caddie John McLaren back on the bag and having finished the third round two off the lead, there was genuine belief this could be his time.
Three birdies in his first 10 holes on Sunday put Casey in contention to become England's first US PGA Championship winner since 1919 - and the oldest first-time major winner since 1967.
But he dropped a shot at the 13th after overcooking his approach, and despite responding with two more birdies, Casey graciously said Morikawa deserved victory after that "glorious" tee shot.
'It was just awesome golf' - what they said
Paul Casey: "I played wonderful golf, but Collin thoroughly deserves it. I mean, what a shot he hit on 16, just awesome golf. There's nothing you can do except tip your cap to that.
"I'm very, very happy. It's been a great week, a strange week obviously missing the fans."