bbc--2020-07-29--Coronavirus: Trump’s signals 'not helpful', says Fauci

Top US virus researcher Dr Anthony Fauci has called President Donald Trump 's sharing of a video which included claims masks are not needed to fight Covid-19 `` not helpful '' .
The video promotes a drug widely disproven to be effective in treating Covid-19 .
Dr Fauci 's interview with the BBC 's Katty Kay comes as the US is about to hit 150,000 deaths due to the pandemic .
The virus continues to spread rapidly in the US as states lock down again .
President Trump was among social media users who shared video on social media late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Frontline Doctors advocating hydroxychloroquine as a Covid-19 treatment and saying that masks and shutdowns are not effective in combating coronavirus .
Facebook and Twitter removed the video , flagging it as misinformation , but not before more than 17 million people had viewed it .
The speaker in the video also alleged that there was a conspiracy to prevent the world from learning of a coronavirus `` cure '' that was being led `` by Fauci & the Democrats to perpetuate Covid deaths to hurt Trump '' .
On Tuesday , Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under any circumstances '' .
What did Dr Fauci say ?
`` This issue of tweeting and retweeting is something that I 've never understood or gotten involved in , '' Dr Fauci told BBC News on Wednesday .
`` But I can tell you , you 'd have to say it 's not helpful if people get signals about not wearing masks when we are trying to get people to universally wear masks . ''
`` My feeling about what we should do with masks is very very clearly understood by everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' added Dr Fauci , who serves on the White House coronavirus task force and has directed the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 .
Asked about Mr Trump 's promotion of hydroxychloroquine - a drug Mr Trump himself says he took to ward off the virus - Dr Fauci said it would not be `` productive or helpful for me to be making judges [ sic ] on right or wrong '' .
`` We know that every single good study - and by good study I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are firm and believable - has shown that hydroxychloroquine is not effective in the treatment of Covid-19 , '' he said .
• Why a video promoted by Trump was pulled on social media • What do we know about hydroxychloroquine ?
Last month , the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) cautioned against using the drug to treat coronavirus patients , following reports of `` serious heart rhythm problems '' and other health issues .
Studies commissioned by the WHO , the US National Institutes of Health and other researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that hydroxychloroquine - when used with or without the antibiotic azithromycin , as repeatedly recommended by President Trump - helps treat coronavirus .
A 26 July report from the White House coronavirus taskforce identified 21 states as being in the `` red zone '' , meaning that they had reported more than 100 new cases per 100,000 residents in the past week .
Twenty-eight states are in the `` yellow zone '' .
Vermont is the only state in the green , with fewer than 10 cases per 100,000 people in the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closures by state governors to contain the spread of the outbreak .
The video retweeted by Mr Trump showed doctors speaking outside the US Supreme Court building at an event organised by Tea Party Patriots Action , a group that has helped fund a pro-Trump political action committee .
In the video , Dr Stella Immanuel , a doctor from Houston , says she has successfully treated 350 coronavirus patients `` and counting '' with hydroxychloroquine .
The president said on Tuesday : `` I think they 're very respected doctors .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her statements about it . ''
According to the Daily Beast , Dr Immanuel has previously claimed the government is run by `` reptilians '' and that scientists are developing a vaccine to stop people being religious , among other bizarre views .
America 's Frontline Doctors ' founder Simone Gold accused social media companies of censorship for removing the hydroxychloroquine video .
`` Treatment options for COVID-19 should be debated , and spoken about among our colleagues in the medical field , '' she tweeted .
`` They should never , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How is Mr Trump 's relationship with Dr Fauci ?
Late on Monday , Mr Trump also retweeted several tweets critical of Dr Fauci .
But in Tuesday 's briefing the president denied he was criticising the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , insisting : `` I get along with him very well . ''
But he criticised Dr Fauci 's high popularity , telling reporters `` Nobody likes me . ''
`` He 's got this high approval rating , so why do n't I have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus ? ''
he asked .
The US now has more than 4.3 million reported cases of Covid-19 .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?

"My feeling about what we should do with masks is very very clearly understood by everyone including those in the White House," added Dr Fauci, who serves on the White House coronavirus task force and has directed the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984.


bbc--2020-07-29--Portland protests: Federal forces ready for phased pull-out

The Trump administration is planning to withdraw some federal security forces from Portland , Oregon , after weeks of clashes with protesters .
US Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said the pull-out was conditional on local police protecting federal buildings , the focal point of unrest .
Oregon Governor Kate Brown said federal agents would start leaving the state 's biggest city from Thursday .
Portland has been rocked by 62 consecutive days of demonstrations .
What did federal and state officials say ?
In his statement , the US homeland security secretary set no timeline for a pull-out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had `` agreed to a joint plan to end the violent activity in Portland directed at federal properties and law enforcement officers '' .
`` That plan includes a robust presence of Oregon State Police in downtown Portland . ''
He added that `` state and local law enforcement will begin securing properties and streets , especially those surrounding federal properties , that have been under nightly attack '' .
• Is it legal to send in federal forces ?
The governor tweeted on Wednesday : `` They have acted as an occupying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all Customs and Border Protection & ICE officers will leave downtown Portland . ''
But she added that federal officers from the US Marshals Service and Federal Protective Service will stay at the courthouse , where they are usually based .
After the announcement , Mr Trump , a Republican , declared victory , tweeting : `` If the Federal Government and its brilliant Law Enforcement ( Homeland ) did n't go into Portland one week ago , there would be no Portland .
`` It would be burned and beaten to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Governor do not stop the Crime and Violence from the Anarchists and Agitators immediately , the Federal Government will go in and do the job that local law enforcement was supposed to do ! ''
Federal officers were sent there on 4 July to protect federal buildings that were vandalised during weeks of protests against racism and police brutality following the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man , in Minneapolis , Minnesota , in May .
Their deployment exacerbated the civil unrest , especially when footage emerged of demonstrators being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and forced into unmarked cars .
The governor and Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler , both Democrats , complained they never asked for the federal intervention , blasting it as an election-year stunt by the US president .
The Mark O Hatfield Federal Courthouse in the city centre has become a nightly battleground , with both federal officers and demonstrators injured in bloody confrontations .
According to oregonlive.com , medics , journalists and legal observers have also been hurt by rubber bullets and pepper balls fired by the federal officers .
In tandem with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration has sent in federal agents to several Democratic-run US cities rocked by rising gun crime : Chicago , Kansas City and Albuquerque .
The US Department of Justice said on Wednesday it would also send federal officers to three more Democratic-run US cities - Cleveland , Detroit and Milwaukee - owing to `` disturbing increases in violent crime , particularly homicides '' .
More about the Portland protests • Does Trump have the right to send in federal forces ?

"It would be burned and beaten to the ground. If the Mayor and Governor do not stop the Crime and Violence from the Anarchists and Agitators immediately, the Federal Government will go in and do the job that local law enforcement was supposed to do!"


bbc--2020-07-29--Coronavirus: Scaled back Hajj pilgrimage begins

The annual Hajj pilgrimage performed by Muslims from around the world has begun in Saudi Arabia .
It has been @ @ @ @ @ , with only 10,000 pilgrims expected .
International visitors have been banned from making the @ @ @ @ @ only foreigners allowed to attend are those who reside in the kingdom .

The annual Hajj pilgrimage performed by Muslims from around the world has begun in Saudi Arabia.
It has been scaled back because of coronavirus, with only 10,000 pilgrims expected.
International visitors have been banned from making the journey to Mecca, the only foreigners allowed to attend are those who reside in the kingdom.


bbc--2020-07-29--Meghan asks court to keep identities of friends secret in legal action

The Duchess of Sussex has asked a court to keep her friends who gave a magazine interview anonymous , in her legal action against the Mail on Sunday .
She is suing the newspaper 's publisher for breach of privacy and copyright infringement after it reproduced parts of a letter sent to her father in 2018 .
The publisher , which denies the claims , argued her friends could be witnesses , saying the letter was first referenced in their interview .
Meghan said they had a privacy `` right '' .
The application to maintain her friends ' anonymity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as part of the duchess 's legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited .
Neither Meghan nor Prince Harry attended the latest hearing on Wednesday .
In an article in People magazine in February 2019 , five friends anonymously spoke out against the bullying Meghan said she had faced from Britain 's tabloid media .
They have only been identified in confidential court documents .
In a witness statement submitted to the High Court , the duchess said Associated Newspapers , the publisher of the Mail on Sunday , was `` threatening to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Each of these women is a private citizen , young mother , and each has a basic right to privacy , '' she said .
`` Both the Mail on Sunday and the court system have their names on a confidential schedule , but for the Mail on Sunday to expose them in the public domain for no reason other than clickbait and commercial gain is vicious and poses a threat to their emotional and mental wellbeing .
`` The Mail on Sunday is playing a media game with real lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing , Meghan 's lawyers argued the friends have a right to anonymity both as confidential journalistic sources and under their own privacy rights .
Justin Rushbrooke QC , representing the duchess , said forcing her to disclose their identities would be `` an unacceptably high price '' to pay for pursuing her legal action against the newspaper .
Lawyers for Associated Newspapers Limited are resisting the application to keep their identities secret , claiming the duchess 's friends brought the letter into the public domain when it was referred to for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In written submissions , Antony White QC , acting for the publisher , said the friends were `` important potential witnesses on a key issue '' .
`` Reporting these matters without referring to names would be a heavy curtailment of the media 's and the defendant 's entitlement to report this case and the public 's right to know about it , '' he said .
`` No friend 's oral evidence could be fully and properly reported because full reporting might identify her , especially as there has already been media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Justice Warby said he would give his decision on the duchess 's application in writing at a later date .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are now based in California , having stepped back as senior royals at the end of March .
Meghan is seeking damages , which she has said will be donated to an anti-bullying charity , from Associated Newspapers for alleged misuse of private information , copyright infringement and breach of the Data Protection Act .
Following a preliminary hearing in May , the judge struck out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publisher , including allegations that it acted `` dishonestly '' by leaving out certain passages of the letter from her father .
He also dismissed Meghan 's claims that the publisher deliberately `` stirred up '' issues between Meghan and her father , and that it had an `` agenda '' of publishing intrusive or offensive stories about her .

"Both the Mail on Sunday and the court system have their names on a confidential schedule, but for the Mail on Sunday to expose them in the public domain for no reason other than clickbait and commercial gain is vicious and poses a threat to their emotional and mental wellbeing.


bbc--2020-07-29--Louie Gohmert: Mask-shunning lawmaker catches Covid-19

A Texas congressman who is often seen around the Capitol without a mask has tested positive for coronavirus .
Republican Louie Gohmert was routinely tested for White House travel protocol as he was due to fly with President Donald Trump to Texas on Wednesday .
Mr Gohmert was pictured mingling with other officials on Tuesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill while not wearing a mask or socially distancing .
The US has now passed 150,000 Covid-19 deaths and 4.3 million infections .
`` Too many Republicans have continued to act extraordinarily irresponsibly , including Louie Gohmert , '' House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Wednesday .
He added that Democrats , who control the House of Representatives , are discussing whether to require testing for lawmakers entering the Capitol complex .
Six members of that chamber and one senator have so far tested positive for coronavirus .
After his positive test , Mr Gohmert , an eighth-term lawmaker , returned to his office to inform his staff in person of the positive result .
He wore a mask during the meeting , according to US media .
He also gave an interview in which he questioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infecting him .
`` I ca n't help but wonder if by keeping a mask on and keeping it in place , I might have put some germs - some virus - on to the mask and breathed it in , '' he told Texas station KETK .
Despite mixed messages early in the pandemic , public health experts now agree that wearing face coverings greatly reduces the spread of Covid-19 , and is vital to controlling the infection 's spread .
On Tuesday , Mr Gohmert frequently removed his mask during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barr .
A photo on Twitter shows the two men in proximity , neither wearing masks .
According to the Department of Justice , Mr Barr will be tested for Covid-19 as a result of the interaction .
Democratic congressman Jerrold Nadler , who led the hearing in the House Judiciary Committee , tweeted his well wishes to Mr Gohmert .
`` I want to wish @ replouiegohmert a full & speedy recovery , '' Mr Nadler wrote .
`` When individuals refuse to take the necessary precautions it puts everyone at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear their masks and hope this is a lesson by all my colleagues . ''
In Tuesday 's hearing , Mr Nadler named three Republicans by name - Jim Jordan , Andy Biggs and Mike Johnson - for `` violating the safety of the members of the committee ... by refusing to wear their masks '' .
It is unclear where Mr Gohmert plans to quarantine because is among several congressman who sleep in their offices while in Washington , according to Roll Call.. • A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?

"I can't help but wonder if by keeping a mask on and keeping it in place, I might have put some germs - some virus - on to the mask and breathed it in," he told Texas station KETK.


bbc--2020-07-29--India and China race to build along a disputed frontier

India and China are trying to out-build each other along their disputed Himalayan border .
A new road to a high-altitude Indian forward air base is said to have been one of the main triggers for a clash with Chinese troops last month that left at least 20 Indian soldiers dead .
The 255km ( 140-mile ) Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi ( DSDBO ) road - which winds through mountain passes up to the world 's highest airstrip more than 5,000m above sea level in the Ladakh region - was finished last year after nearly two decades of work .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move men and materiel rapidly in a conflict .
The 15 June clash , in Ladakh 's Galwan Valley , gave rise to concerns that tensions between the two nuclear powers could boil over .
They have never agreed on the exact position of their 3,500km border , and their armies - two of the world 's largest - come face-to-face at many points along the rough , inhospitable terrain .
Both India and China have devoted money and manpower to building roads , rail links and airfields along the Line of Actual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facto boundary separating them - as well as modernising their military hardware in the region .
India 's recent building work , including the DSDBO road , appears to have infuriated China - but China has been busy building along the border for years .
Both sides tend to view the other 's construction efforts as calculated moves to gain tactical advantage , and tensions flare when either announces a major project .
In the summer of 2017 , the neighbours were brought to a stand-off at Doklam plateau , far to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also over construction - this time China attempting to extend a border road near a tri-junction between India , China and Bhutan .
The completion of the DSDBO road , which connects the crucial Daulat Beg Oldi airstrip - put back in use in 2008 - to the regional capital Leh , has strengthened India 's ability to move equipment quickly .
The all-weather road lies about 20km from the Karakoram Pass and runs parallel to the LAC in eastern Ladakh .
India has long stationed men at Daulat Beg Oldi but , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the completion of the road , the men there could get supplies only through helicopter drops , and nothing could be removed , turning the airstrip into a `` graveyard for equipment '' .
Additional roads and bridges are now being built to link the road with inland supply bases and border outposts on the LAC , enabling Indian patrols to go further forward and shifting the tactical dynamics in the area .
Despite the recent clashes , India has signalled that it will continue improving its infrastructure .
It is in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eastern state of Jharkhand to build roads along the border in Ladakh , Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand , all areas which border China .
After years of letting its infrastructure fall into neglect , India is frantically trying to develop its borderlands to neutralise China 's logistical advantage .
It has begun a vast road and railway construction programme in the region .
A total of 73 strategic roads and 125 bridges have been sanctioned along different sectors on the Indian side of the LAC .
But progress has been slow .
Only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - key among them are Ghatibagarh-Lipulekh in Uttarakhand state and Damping-Yangtze in Arunachal Pradesh .
Another 11 are scheduled to be built by the end of this year .
Delhi has also approved nine `` strategic '' rail lines - including the Missamari-Tenga-Tawang and the Bilaspur-Mandi-Manali-Leh sections .
These run along the border with China and would allow the Indian military to carry heavy armour into position .
In terms of aviation facilities , India has about 25 airfields along the LAC but its recent focus has been on expanding its network of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2018 , India announced that it would modernise eight existing ALGs and also develop seven new ones close to the border .
Sukhoi-30 advanced fighter jets and Chetak helicopters are deployed at Chabua - a key Indian Air Force base located in the state of Assam , along the eastern section of the border with China .
That base has been recently renovated and modernised .
Although improved in recent years , India 's building efforts continue to be hampered by rugged terrain , land acquisition problems , bureaucratic delays and budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of catching up to do .
China has been putting its renowned construction abilities to use in recent years by building a network of air bases , cantonments and other physical infrastructure along the frontier .
Beijing began building roads in the Himalayan region as early as the 1950s , and now has an extensive road and rail network in Tibet and Yunnan Province .
Since 2016 , China has upped the stakes by increasing connectivity to areas near its boundary with India , Bhutan and Nepal .
It is working on linking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ G219 , which runs along almost the entire China-India border .
A concrete road between Medog and Zayu near India 's Arunachal Pradesh state - which China claims - will be completed by the end of this year .
You might also be interested in : • China and India face off on the roof of the world • An extraordinary escalation 'using rocks and clubs' There is also a new rail line under construction connecting Shigatse - the second largest city in Tibet - to Chengdu via Nyingchi , close to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned between Shigatse and Yadong , a trading centre next to Sikkim , a Himalayan state in north-east India , where a skirmish took place between Indian and Chinese troops in early May .
China has around a dozen airfields facing India , with five of them being dual-use airports in Tibet , meaning for both civilian and military purposes .
It is building three new airports there and upgrading Shigatse , Ngari Gunsa and Lhasa 's all-weather Gonggar airport by adding underground shelters and new runways .
A surface-to-air missile battery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ngari Gunsa airfield , which is located 4,274m ( 14,022 ) feet above sea level , about 200km from Pangong Lake .
In terms of air power , military experts say India has a relative advantage , as China 's bases are generally further from the LAC and at higher altitudes , where the thinner air means jets can carry less fuel and payload .
These infrastructure improvements on both sides are designed with one primary purpose - to allow the fast movement of troops and military hardware to the border in case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these ambitious infrastructure projects eventually are completed , large numbers of Indian forces will be able to move more freely within certain critical sub-theatres without fear of being crippled or physically blocked , '' noted a 2019 study by the Centre for a New American Security .
India long held back from extensive development , believing that improving infrastructure on its side of the border would facilitate Chinese movement inside Indian territory in the event of a conflict .
But it is moving away from that reasoning .
The two countries have fought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when India suffered a humiliating defeat .
Rajeswari Pillai , a fellow at Observer Research Foundation , described India 's infrastructure building as `` primarily a defensive response because China 's infrastructure represents a threat , as it can permit the Chinese army to engage in offensive operations and allows it to rapidly concentrate forces at any point where there is a dispute '' .
`` India 's poor infrastructure has meant that it has always had difficulties in defending against China 's encroachments , '' Ms Pillai said .
You might also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news about India and China 's border clash China denies encroaching , as does India when it is accused of stepping over the line .
Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes .
Meanwhile , Chinese state media has highlighted how quickly the military was able to mobilise for a recent drill near the India border using their efficient transport networks .
`` The scale and short time it took to finish the mobilisation showed the army has the capability to project its power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinforcements to remote locations , including high elevation , '' an unnamed Chinese army veteran told the state-run Global Times .
As vast numbers of new roads , railways and bridges appear on both sides of the border , there is plenty of scope for more face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops in the future .
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

A total of 73 strategic roads and 125 bridges have been sanctioned along different sectors on the Indian side of the LAC. But progress has been slow. Only 35 roads have been finished so far - key among them are Ghatibagarh-Lipulekh in Uttarakhand state and Damping-Yangtze in Arunachal Pradesh. Another 11 are scheduled to be built by the end of this year.


bbc--2020-07-29--UK grime star sorry for tweets 'that looked anti-Semitic'

Grime artist Wiley has apologised for `` generalising '' about Jewish people after being banned from social media .
In an interview with Sky News , the artist insisted : `` I 'm not racist . ''
`` My comments should not have been directed to all Jews or Jewish people .
I want to apologise for generalising , and I want to apologise for comments that were looked at as anti-Semitic . ''
Twitter had earlier banned his account permanently after a public backlash over a perceived lack of action .
`` We are sorry we did not move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement .
Sky News reported that the offensive tweets were sparked by a falling-out between the rapper and his former manager , who is Jewish .
The pair cut ties in recent days .
`` I just want to apologise for generalising and going outside of the people who I was talking to within the workspace and workplace I work in , '' Wiley said .
`` I 'm not racist , you know .
I 'm a businessman .
My thing should have stayed between me and my manager , I get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared in the interview to refuse to distance himself from most of the anti-Semitic comments he posted on social media .
One tweet read : `` I do n't care about Hitler , I care about black people '' , and compared the Jewish community to the Ku Klux Klan .
Twitter did not immediately respond , prompting a public outcry and a 48-hour boycott of Twitter by many users over what they said had been an unacceptable delay .
The social network eventually banned Wiley for violating its `` hateful conduct '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram had deleted the music star 's accounts for `` repeated violations '' of their rules .
Twitter said it had decided to make an earlier temporary ban permanent , and wipe all his past posts from its platform , `` upon further consideration '' .
`` We deeply respect the concerns shared by the Jewish community and online safety advocates , '' the statement said , promising to continue to tackle anti-Semitism .
The star , known as the `` godfather of grime '' , was awarded an MBE for services to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News he would hand back the honour following calls for him to be stripped of it , saying he had `` never wanted it '' .
`` I never felt comfortable going to get it .
Just look at Britain 's colonialism history , '' he said .
When asked what he would like to say to his fans , he responded angrily saying fans were fickle and , at 41 , he was no longer `` current '' and was at the end of his career .
The permanent suspension of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profiles has been widely welcomed .
However , it is emblematic of a slowness to act on hateful abuse from social media sites .
And many are asking why this took so long .
Time and time again , decisive action from social media sites over racist abuse , misinformation or hate speech has come only once comments have reached thousands of users .
What does it take for Twitter to act decisively on anti-Semitic abuse ?
• 'How it feels to be black and Jewish' In this case it appears to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boycott by users .
And it also seems to be dependent on what the other social media sites choose to do : Facebook moved to suspend Wiley 's accounts on Tuesday , and then Twitter appeared to follow suit .
With the Stop Hate for Profit campaign ramping up pressure , and increased focus on the way social media sites tackle hate speech and misinformation , the spotlight will intensify on the actions of Twitter , Facebook and Google in these scenarios .
The delay in Twitter taking action prompted the 48-hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including celebrities and MPs - beginning on Monday morning .
Organisers said the time reflected the `` 48 hours of pure race hate '' they accuse Twitter of giving to Wiley .
On Tuesday , Facebook issued a ban after Wiley was discovered posting abusive material on his personal page using his real name , Richard Cowie .
Twitter followed suit on Wednesday , after what it said was a thorough investigation .
Despite the move , the Board of Deputies of British Jews said both Twitter and Facebook had been slow to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not good enough '' .
`` Social media companies have not been strong or fast enough about tackling racism , misogyny or homophobia , '' it said in a statement .
The Campaign Against Antisemitism echoed that sentiment , writing that Twitter `` has finally listened '' .
`` The closure of Wiley 's account is too little too late , but it is at least a start for this deeply irresponsible social network , '' it said .

When asked what he would like to say to his fans, he responded angrily saying fans were fickle and, at 41, he was no longer "current" and was at the end of his career.


bbc--2020-07-29--New York City police accused of 'kidnapping' protester

The arrest of a protester by New York City Police ( NYPD ) has led to outrage from officials and accusations of `` kidnapping '' by witnesses .
Footage of the dramatic arrest shows mostly plain-clothed men grabbing a woman and pushing her into an unmarked van during a policing protest .
The arrest on Tuesday comes amid furore over allegations of similar operations by federal agents in Portland , Oregon .
Marches against racism and policing have continued all summer in the US .
The NYPD later identified the suspect as 18-year-old Nikki Stone , saying she was wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spraying graffiti .
Ms Stone , a trans woman from Manhattan 's Lower East Side , was released early Monday morning to cheers from a crowd of protesters .
She was issued an order to appear in court to face charges of vandalism and criminal mischief .
The arrest took place on Tuesday evening at 25th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan .
Footage shared on social media shows men in T-shirts and shorts grabbing a skateboarder and shoving her into a silver Kia minivan .
It was unclear if the officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identifying information .
Uniformed police then rushed in and used their bicycles to form a barrier to keep other protesters back .
`` We did n't see where they came from , '' one witness told the Gothamist , adding : `` It was like a kidnapping . ''
Police said the arresting officers were assaulted with rocks and bottles by the crowd , but protesters dispute this .
Officers used pepper spray to disperse the crowd .
What is the reaction ?
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who represents the Bronx borough of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our civil liberties are on brink .
This is not a drill . ''
`` There is no excuse for snatching women off the street and throwing them into unmarked vans . ''
`` There must be an immediate explanation for this anonymous use of force , '' tweeted fellow New York City Congressman Jerrold Nadler .
The speaker of the New York City council called the video `` incredibly disturbing '' while the city 's comptroller said he was 'deeply concerned '' .
The arrest comes as federal police in Portland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that involved officers dressed in military-style gear grabbing protesters off the street and placing them in unmarked vehicles .
President Donald Trump has vowed to deploy more federal police to cities that he says are facing unacceptable levels of unrest in wake of the 25 May death of George Floyd in police custody .
• Democrats seek ban on federal agents in US cities New York city council member Brad Lander wrote on Twitter : `` With anxiety about what 's happening in Portland , the NYPD deploying unmarked vans with plainclothes cops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more like provocation than public safety '' .
What happens to arrested protesters ?
Any arrested person in the US must be informed of their `` Miranda rights '' by police before interrogation .
The statement , normally recited by arresting officers , inform them of their rights to refuse to answer police questions and the right to consult with a lawyer .
However , some states do require people to identify themselves when asked by police .
If a suspect speaks to police during the arrest , a judge could later rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the National Lawyers Guild .
Lying to investigators is a crime , and anything a suspect says during the arrest could be held against them later .
Physically resisting can lead to additional charges , including resisting arrest or assault .
Depending on the severity of the alleged offence , a judge may issue a summons to return to court at a later date or hold the suspect in jail pending trial .
The NYPD Warrant Squad , who were involved in Ms Stone 's arrest , typically use unmarked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ catch suspects off guard , according to police .
Broadly , US police do not have a requirement to provide identification , according to the Lawfare Blog .
Some cities or police department require police to display name tags or badges , or identify themselves as law enforcement during an arrest , but no requirement exists at the federal level .

Any arrested person in the US must be informed of their "Miranda rights" by police before interrogation. The statement, normally recited by arresting officers, inform them of their rights to refuse to answer police questions and the right to consult with a lawyer. However, some states do require people to identify themselves when asked by police.


bbc--2020-07-29--Nasa Mars 2020: First aircraft to fly on another planet

How long does it take to get to Mars ?
Summer 2020 is a popular time for missions to Mars @ @ @ @ @ planets align - but how long does it take to get there ?

Nasa has confirmed that this small helicopter has made history by becoming the first to successfully fly on another planet.
Ingenuity took its test flight on Monday 19 April but it wasn't until later in the morning that data showed it had worked.
Ingenuity is a 1.8kg (4lb) helicopter that travelled to Mars inside Nasa's Perseverance rover, which landed in February 2021.
Flying on the Red Planet isn't straightforward - as BBC science reporter Laura Foster and Nasa systems engineer Farah Alibay explain.
Video by Laura Foster


bbc--2020-07-29--Hong Kong students arrested under national security law

Four students have been arrested in Hong Kong in the first police operation to enforce China 's new national security law for the territory .
The four were detained for `` inciting secession '' on social media after the new law began on 1 July , police said .
A pro-independence group said those arrested included its former leader , Tony Chung .
Beijing 's controversial new law criminalises subversion , secession and collusion with foreign forces .
Previous arrests under the new law have been made for slogans and banners at protests .
• Why people are scared of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's new law : Why is Hong Kong worried ?
Critics say China 's new law erodes Hong Kong 's freedoms .
But Beijing has dismissed the criticism , saying that the law is necessary to stop the type of pro-democracy protests seen in Hong Kong during much of 2019 .
What do we know about the arrests ?
Three men and a woman aged between 16 and 21 were arrested on suspicion of organising and inciting secession , police said .
`` Our sources and investigation show that the group recently announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sic ] an organisation that advocates Hong Kong independence , '' said Li Kwai-wah from the new national security unit inside Hong Kong police .
Computers , phones and documents were also seized , he said .
The students were former members of or had links to Studentlocalism , a pro-independence youth group .
It was disbanded in June before the new security law came into force and said it would continue to campaign from abroad .
But Mr Li said overseas activity could still be prosecuted .
`` If anyone who tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security law from abroad , even he does that from overseas , we have the jurisdiction to investigate these kind of cases , '' he said .
Photos posted on social media showed Mr Chung being led away in handcuffs in the district of Yuen Long .
Studentlocalism said Mr Chung was detained at about 20:50 local time ( 12:50 GMT ) .
Police officers also took away items in several bags , the group said .
• The Hong Kong residents ready to leave for the UK Prominent rights activist Joshua Wong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police for several days .
He said Mr Chung had been arrested for writing a Facebook post on `` China 's nationalism '' and alleged that the detainees ' phones had been hacked shortly after their arrest .
`` Tonight 's arrest will clearly send a chilling effect on HK online speech , '' Mr Wong tweeted .
What is the new security law ?
• It is wide-ranging , making inciting hatred of China 's central government and Hong Kong 's regional government illegal • Allows for closed-door trials , wire-tapping of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tried on the mainland • A wide range of acts , including damaging public transport facilities , can be considered terrorism • Internet providers might have to hand over data if requested by police What has been the reaction to the law ?
Authorities in both Hong Kong and mainland China insist the security law will not affect freedom of speech and is needed to quell successive waves of unrest in the city .
But critics say it undermines the freedoms that set Hong Kong apart from the rest of China and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Canada , Australia and New Zealand have all suspended extradition treaties with Hong Kong since the new law was enacted .
Meanwhile the US has decided to rescind Hong Kong 's special trading privileges .
In recent years , Hong Kong has seen a series of protests demanding more rights .
In 2019 , rallies over a now-scrapped bill permitting extraditions to the mainland turned violent and fuelled a broad pro-democracy movement .

Hong Kong security law: Four students arrested for 'inciting secession' Published 30 July 2020
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Mr Chung was the former leader of a group that called for Hong Kong to become independent
Four students have been arrested in Hong Kong in the first police operation to enforce China's new national security law for the territory.
The four were detained for "inciting secession" on social media after the new law began on 1 July, police said.
A pro-independence group said those arrested included its former leader, Tony Chung.
Beijing's controversial new law criminalises subversion, secession and collusion with foreign forces.
Previous arrests under the new law have been made for slogans and banners at protests.
Critics say China's new law erodes Hong Kong's freedoms. But Beijing has dismissed the criticism, saying that the law is necessary to stop the type of pro-democracy protests seen in Hong Kong during much of 2019.
What do we know about the arrests?
Three men and a woman aged between 16 and 21 were arrested on suspicion of organising and inciting secession, police said.
"Our sources and investigation show that the group recently announced on social media to set up [sic] an organisation that advocates Hong Kong independence," said Li Kwai-wah from the new national security unit inside Hong Kong police.
Computers, phones and documents were also seized, he said.
The students were former members of or had links to Studentlocalism, a pro-independence youth group. It was disbanded in June before the new security law came into force and said it would continue to campaign from abroad.
But Mr Li said overseas activity could still be prosecuted.
"If anyone who tells others that he advocates violating the national security law from abroad, even he does that from overseas, we have the jurisdiction to investigate these kind of cases," he said.
Photos posted on social media showed Mr Chung being led away in handcuffs in the district of Yuen Long.
Studentlocalism said Mr Chung was detained at about 20:50 local time (12:50 GMT). Police officers also took away items in several bags, the group said.
Prominent rights activist Joshua Wong said Mr Chung had been followed by police for several days. He said Mr Chung had been arrested for writing a Facebook post on "China's nationalism" and alleged that the detainees' phones had been hacked shortly after their arrest.
"Tonight's arrest will clearly send a chilling effect on HK online speech," Mr Wong tweeted.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong believes he is now being followed after the new security law was passed
What is the new security law?
It is wide-ranging, making inciting hatred of China's central government and Hong Kong's regional government illegal
Allows for closed-door trials, wire-tapping of suspects and the potential for suspects to be tried on the mainland
A wide range of acts, including damaging public transport facilities, can be considered terrorism
Internet providers might have to hand over data if requested by police
What has been the reaction to the law?
Authorities in both Hong Kong and mainland China insist the security law will not affect freedom of speech and is needed to quell successive waves of unrest in the city.
But critics say it undermines the freedoms that set Hong Kong apart from the rest of China and helped define its character.
The UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have all suspended extradition treaties with Hong Kong since the new law was enacted. Meanwhile the US has decided to rescind Hong Kong's special trading privileges.
In recent years, Hong Kong has seen a series of protests demanding more rights. In 2019, rallies over a now-scrapped bill permitting extraditions to the mainland turned violent and fuelled a broad pro-democracy movement.


bbc--2020-07-29--Mystery of origin of Stonehenge megaliths solved

The origin of the giant sarsen stones at Stonehenge has finally been discovered with the help of a missing piece of the site which was returned after 60 years .
A test of the metre-long core was matched with a geochemical study of the standing megaliths .
Archaeologists pinpointed the source of the stones to an area 15 miles ( 25km ) north of the site near Marlborough .
English Heritage 's Susan Greaney said the discovery was `` a real thrill '' .
The seven-metre tall sarsens , which weigh about 20 tonnes , form all fifteen stones of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lintels of the outer circle , as well as outlying stones .
The monument 's smaller bluestones have been traced to the Preseli Hills in Wales , but the sarsens had been impossible to identify until now .
The return of the core , which was removed during archaeological excavations in 1958 , enabled archaeologists to analyse its chemical composition .
No-one knew where it was until Robert Phillips , 89 , who was involved in those works , decided to return part of it last year .
Researchers first carried out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sarsens at Stonehenge which revealed most shared a similar chemistry and came from the same area .
They then analysed sarsen outcrops from Norfolk to Devon and compared their chemical composition with the chemistry of a piece of the returned core .
English Heritage said the opportunity to do a destructive test on the core proved `` decisive '' , as it showed its composition matched the chemistry of sarsens at West Woods , just south of Marlborough .
Prof David Nash from Brighton University , who led the study , said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harness 21st century science to understand the Neolithic past , and finally answer a question that archaeologists have been debating for centuries .
`` Each outcrop was found to have a different geochemical signature , but it was the chance to test the returned core that enabled us to determine the source area for the Stonehenge sarsens . ''
Ms Greaney said : `` To be able to pinpoint the area that Stonehenge 's builders used to source their materials around 2,500 BC is a real thrill .
`` While we had our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Marlborough Downs , we did n't know for sure , and with areas of sarsens across Wiltshire , the stones could have come from anywhere .
`` They wanted the biggest , most substantial stones they could find and it made sense to get them from as nearby as possible . ''
Ms Greaney added the evidence highlights `` just how carefully considered and deliberate the building of this phase of Stonehenge was '' .

"While we had our suspicions that Stonehenge's sarsens came from the Marlborough Downs, we didn't know for sure, and with areas of sarsens across Wiltshire, the stones could have come from anywhere.


bbc--2020-07-29--Mexico Supreme Court rejects state's bid to decriminalise abortion

Mexico 's Supreme Court has rejected a landmark injunction on abortion rights across the country .
The case revolved around an injunction granted in the eastern state of Veracruz , which would have effectively decriminalised termination in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy .
Campaigners hoped the ruling would set a precedent for similar injunctions in other states .
Abortion is legal in just two of Mexico 's 32 states .
In an article last week , reproductive rights organisation GIRE said they hoped the court 's decision would be a `` historic opportunity '' for pro-choice campaigners .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Supreme Court 's five justices voted against upholding the injunction .
One justice , delivering her verdict , said that upholding the decision would `` greatly overstep the constitutional powers of this Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation '' .
Another voted against it because of what she called `` a legal technicality '' .
What is this case about ?
Last year , a judge in Xalapa , Veracruz , approved an injunction ordering the state 's Congress to remove articles 149 , 150 and 154 of the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mexico 's Supreme Court , which needed to decide whether to uphold that judge 's decision .
Removing these articles would have decriminalised abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy , allowed terminations for health reasons , and gotten rid of the time limit on abortions in the case of rape .
These changes were first recommended in a wide-ranging report on women 's rights , published by the National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women ( Conavim ) and the National Institute for Women ( InMujeres ) in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposals and conclusions of the report in March 2017 - but has still not reformed the law .
How would this have affected the rest of Mexico ?
Although this decision only affects Veracruz for now , campaigners said it could have had repercussions for the rest of the country too .
In its article last week , GIRE said that if the injunction were upheld , Veracruz state congress should `` modify its abortion legislation , thereby opening the doors and setting a precedent for other states to modify their local penal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The women turned away by doctors in Chile Currently , abortion is only legal in two Mexican states - Oaxaca and Mexico City .
While other states allow abortion after rape , there have been high-profile cases of women and girls in this situation being denied terminations .
In 2016 , a 13-year-old girl in Sonora state was denied an abortion by health officials after a judge ruled that she was n't raped , but was the victim of the lesser crime of `` sexual coercion '' .
What is the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party controls most of Mexico 's state legislatures , but has been divided on the issue of abortion .
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has also been accused of inaction on women 's rights , including reproductive rights and gender-based violence .
Shortly after a historic protest in March , in which thousands of Mexican women took part in a Day Without Women strike to call attention to these issues , President López Obrador accused `` conservatives '' of `` putting on the mask of feminism and saying , 'we 're going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
States were first given the right to set their own health policies , including abortion laws , after a 2008 Supreme Court ruling upholding Mexico City 's abortion legislation .
In the years that followed , more than half of Mexico 's states enacted laws that banned abortion in either all or most circumstances .
This included Veracruz , which enacted a constitutional amendment in 2016 that said life begins at conception .

Mexico Supreme Court rejects state's bid to decriminalise abortion Published 29 July 2020
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Abortion is only legal in two states out of 32
Mexico's Supreme Court has rejected a landmark injunction on abortion rights across the country.
The case revolved around an injunction granted in the eastern state of Veracruz, which would have effectively decriminalised termination in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Campaigners hoped the ruling would set a precedent for similar injunctions in other states.
Abortion is legal in just two of Mexico's 32 states.
In an article last week, reproductive rights organisation GIRE said they hoped the court's decision would be a "historic opportunity" for pro-choice campaigners.
But at the hearing today, four out of the Supreme Court's five justices voted against upholding the injunction.
One justice, delivering her verdict, said that upholding the decision would "greatly overstep the constitutional powers of this Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation". Another voted against it because of what she called "a legal technicality".
What is this case about?
Last year, a judge in Xalapa, Veracruz, approved an injunction ordering the state's Congress to remove articles 149, 150 and 154 of the local penal code.
The case then went to Mexico's Supreme Court, which needed to decide whether to uphold that judge's decision.
Removing these articles would have decriminalised abortion in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, allowed terminations for health reasons, and gotten rid of the time limit on abortions in cases of rape.
These changes were first recommended in a wide-ranging report on women's rights, published by the National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women (Conavim) and the National Institute for Women (InMujeres) in 2016.
The state government accepted the proposals and conclusions of the report in March 2017 - but has still not reformed the law.
How would this have affected the rest of Mexico?
Although this decision only affects Veracruz for now, campaigners said it could have had repercussions for the rest of the country, too.
In its article last week, GIRE said that if the injunction were to be upheld, Veracruz state congress should "modify its abortion legislation, thereby opening the doors and setting a precedent for other states to modify their local penal codes in the same terms".
Currently, abortion is only legal in two Mexican states - Oaxaca and Mexico City.
While other states allow abortion after rape, there have been high-profile cases of women and girls in this situation being denied terminations.
In 2016, a 13-year-old girl in Sonora state was denied an abortion by health officials after a judge ruled that she was not raped, but was the victim of the lesser crime of "sexual coercion".
What is the government's stance?
The governing Morena party controls most of Mexico's state legislatures, but has been divided on the issue of abortion.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has also been accused of inaction on women's rights, including reproductive rights and gender-based violence.
Image source, EPA Image caption, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has been accused of inaction
Shortly after a historic protest in March, in which thousands of Mexican women took part in a Day Without Women strike to call attention to these issues, President López Obrador accused "conservatives" of "putting on the mask of feminism and saying, 'we're going to get rid of the government'".
States were first given the right to set their own health policies, including abortion laws, after a 2008 Supreme Court ruling upholding Mexico City's abortion legislation.
In the years that followed, more than half of Mexico's states enacted laws that banned abortion in either all or most circumstances.


bbc--2020-07-29--Pakistan blasphemy: Gunman shoots accused dead in court

A man accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has been shot dead in a courtroom during his trial in the northern city of Peshawar .
He had been facing charges for allegedly claiming to be a prophet .
Blasphemy is legally punishable by death .
No-one has been executed for it by the state but accusations can often lead to violent attacks .
The victim , Tahir Ahmad Naseem , was accused of blasphemy in 2018 by a teenager .
He was killed at a trial hearing on Wednesday morning .
Video shared on social media shows his body slumped over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was arrested at the scene .
Another video shows him in handcuffs , shouting angrily that his victim was an `` enemy of Islam '' .
Mr Naseem was first accused of blasphemy by Awais Malik , a madrassa student from Peshawar .
Mr Naseem had struck up an online conversation with him whilst living in the United States .
Mr Malik told the BBC he had then met Mr Naseem in a shopping mall in Peshawar to discuss his views on religion , after which he filed a case against him with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not been present at court , and had no knowledge of the shooting .
The suspect arrested for the killing has been named as Khalid .
It is not clear how he managed to bring a weapon into the court premises .
Mr Naseem was born into the persecuted Ahmadi sect , according to a spokesman for the community .
But he added that he had left the sect and claimed to be a prophet himself .
The community leader suggested Mr Naseem had been mentally ill - he had uploaded videos to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Human rights groups say Pakistan 's hardline blasphemy laws disproportionately target minority communities and encourage vigilante attacks .
Dozens of people accused of being blasphemers have been killed by angry mobs or militants in recent years .
In an unrelated development , a hashtag campaign accusing a user of committing blasphemy has been trending on Twitter in the country .
But other users , concerned about the individual 's safety , have been actively trying to drown out the accusations , using a separate hashtag - # btsarmypakistan - a reference to fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BTS .
One of those involved in the counter-trend told the BBC it was an attempt to `` resist right-wing trolls taking over the internet and possibly killing someone in the process '' .
Hashtags related to BTS were also used during recent Black Lives Matter protests in the US to drown out racist online counter-campaigns .

He said he had not been present at court, and had no knowledge of the shooting. The suspect arrested for the killing has been named as Khalid. It is not clear how he managed to bring a weapon into the court premises.


bbc--2020-07-29--Conflicting guidance on masks not helpful, says Dr Fauci

The US top infectious disease expert has disputed claims in a video shared on social media by President Trump about @ @ @ @ @ hydroxychloriquine to treat Covid-19 .
Dr Anthony Fauci told the BBC 's Katty Kay that @ @ @ @ @ him to judge the president 's tweets or retweets but made it clear that his @ @ @ @ @ well known in the White House , adding that `` it 's not helpful '' @ @ @ @ @ presented `` when we are trying to get people to universally wear masks '' .
@ @ @ @ @ million cases of coronavirus in the US and almost 150,000 people have died .

The US top infectious disease expert has disputed claims in a video shared on social media by President Trump about mask-wearing and the use of hydroxychloriquine to treat Covid-19.
Dr Anthony Fauci told the BBC's Katty Kay that it wasn't productive for him to judge the president's tweets or retweets but made it clear that his own view on masks was well known in the White House, adding that "it's not helpful" for conflicting guidance to be presented "when we are trying to get people to universally wear masks".
There are more than four million cases of coronavirus in the US and almost 150,000 people have died.


bbc--2020-07-29--Coronavirus in Pakistan: Doctor's video diary of fight against pandemic

For the past two months a doctor in one of Pakistan ’ s busiest hospitals has kept a video diary @ @ @ @ @ country ’ s struggle with coronavirus .
Healthcare workers were overwhelmed when cases spiked after @ @ @ @ @ end of May .
Since then , infections have fallen significantly but officials are warning @ @ @ @ @ new rise following more Eid celebrations later this week .

For the past two months a doctor in one of Pakistan’s busiest hospitals has kept a video diary for the BBC of the country’s struggle with coronavirus.
Healthcare workers were overwhelmed when cases spiked after the Eid festival at the end of May. Since then, infections have fallen significantly but officials are warning of the possibility of a new rise following more Eid celebrations later this week.
Dr Amara Khalid works at Mayo Hospital in Lahore.
Produced by Secunder Kermani


bbc--2020-07-29--Black Lives Matter: Can you answer these seven questions about statues and the protests?

Statues and memorials became a target for the widespread international protests against racial inequality that followed the death of George @ @ @ @ @ Minneapolis .
How much do you know about these statues and why they are controversial @ @ @ @ @ each question below to reveal the answers .
If you ca n't see the questions @ @ @ @ @ click here .
What information do we collect from this quiz ?
Privacy notice .

Statues and memorials became a target for the widespread international protests against racial inequality that followed the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. How much do you know about these statues and why they are controversial?


bbc--2020-07-29--Mara Soriano: Stolen teddy bear with dying mum's message found

A teddy bear containing a voice message from a woman 's deceased mother has been found thanks to a celebrity appeal .
Mara Soriano 's bear was inside a backpack which was stolen while she was moving home in Vancouver , Canada .
The bear had a button which allowed Ms Soriano to hear the voice of her mother , who died of cancer last year .
Her Twitter appeal gained support from celebrities including actor Ryan Reynolds who offered a $ 5,000 ( £3,881 ) reward for the bear 's return .
Canadian TV presenter George Stroumboulopoulos also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Late on Tuesday night , Ms Soriano , 28 , received a message from someone claiming to have found the bear .
She met with two men in a public place and one of them handed her the bear .
`` I 'm not gon na lie , I kind of buckled , '' she told the Canadian Press .
`` As soon as I saw ( him ) pull her out of the bag my knees just buckled .
I just started sobbing and I grabbed her out of his hands and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' She said the men told her that they saw the security footage of the theft , recognised the thief and retrieved it from him .
Ryan Reynolds shared the good news on Twitter .
`` In happier news ... thank you everyone who searched high and low .
To the person who took the bear , thanks for keeping it safe .
Vancouver is awesome , '' he said .
Ms Soriano told the BBC that the bear was stolen when she was unloading a van with her fiancee and received a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in a biking accident .
Before rushing to help her friend , she put her backpack , which contained the bear , down next to the van but forgot to tell her fiancee where she had left it .
In the few minutes the bag was left unattended , it vanished .
Security footage from the scene showed a man making off it .
Ms Soriano said her mum was diagnosed with cancer in 2010 .
For seven years , her condition appeared to be stable , but in 2018 , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Ms Soriano 's mother gave her the bear as a gift in December 2017 .
She died last June aged 53 .
For Ms Soriano , who came to Canada from the Philippines as a child , `` the bear was the last reminder of the mum I grew up with , before she became my mum with cancer '' .
She told the Canadian Press that she was going to carry the bear around for the next few days .

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bbc--2020-07-29--Nile dam row: Egypt fumes as Ethiopia celebrates

As Ethiopia celebrated rains which began filling a controversial dam on a tributary of the River Nile , Egypt was fuming .
The North African nation had long been opposed to any development on the Nile upstream that could reduce the amount of water it receives from the river and has regarded the Ethiopian project as an existential threat .
The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam ( Gerd ) , which has been in construction since 2011 , is now holding back water - and contains 4.9 billion cubic metres ( bcm ) of the Blue Nile 's water after this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Egypt 's insistence that no filling should take place without a legally binding agreement about how the process will be managed .
In another four to six years the reservoir , which sits behind what will be Africa 's largest hydroelectric plant when it comes into operation , is expected to reach 74bcm .
Satellite pictures from earlier in July showed the dam filling up : Egypt and Ethiopia , along with Sudan through which the Blue Nile also flows , have been negotiating for the best part of a decade , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built .
They signed a declaration of principles in 2015 which spoke about the `` spirit of co-operation '' , but Egypt feels that has been missing .
In the past year , it has invested time and political capital by lobbying at the highest international level and seeking help from the US and the UN , but to no avail .
Egypt appears to have lost that battle .
It has failed to force Ethiopia to abide by what it saw as long-standing international convention requiring upstream countries to consult the downstream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magnitude .
At this point it is hard to imagine what else Egypt could possibly do today other than acquiesce and do as much damage limitation as possible .
However , a military option has never been explicitly ruled out .
The Egyptian leadership has repeatedly said it remains committed to resolution through negotiation .
But it usually adds the caveat that `` all options remain on the table '' - a phrase that often alludes to possible conflict .
The government has repeatedly described the issue of the Gerd project as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be especially true if there is a substantial reduction of the amount of the water that reaches Egypt as a result of the dam .
Alastair Leithead and his team travelled in 2018 from the Blue Nile 's source to the sea - through Ethiopia and Sudan into Egypt .
But now , with the filling a reality the Egyptian government has tried to put a brave face on things .
Officially , it said that Egypt remained committed to the current diplomatic process which is being handled by the African Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will not accept unilateral action from Ethiopia .
It has also insisted that any future agreement must endorse what it sees as its established Nile rights to 55bcm of water from the river .
On average 49bcm of water flows through the Blue Nile tributary a year and Ethiopia has consistently refused to concede to giving Egypt a commitment to a specific amount that it will allow to flow through the dam .
It sees Egypt 's demands as a legacy of agreements that were made without its involvement .
Egypt 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The stakes have never been higher for the country .
Describing the Gerd as an existential threat is not hyperbole .
Egypt is an arid country and is seen as very water poor .
The World Bank classifies water scarcity as when there is less than 1,000 cubic metres of fresh water per person a year .
In Egypt , the figure is 550 cubic metre per person annually , according to the government .
Just take a look at the map , where 90 % of its 100 million population are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 % of the country 's total area , beset by vast deserts on both sides .
The Nile provides Egyptians with their primary source of water , for both drinking and agriculture .
Its current annual share of the Nile waters , the now endangered 55bcm , already falls far short of its needs .
This explains that while on an official level Egypt has so far exercised verbal restraint , the media and commentators have not held back .
To them , Ethiopia had used the drawn out negotiations to blindside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground to exercise total control over the river .
A triumphalist tweet celebrating the first year 's filling of the Gerd by Ethiopia Foreign Minister Gedu Andargachew - which read in part `` the river became a lake ... the Nile is ours '' - particularly enflamed passions .
It confirmed what Egyptians had long feared and some replied with all sorts of threats .
An Egyptian columnist begrudgingly acknowledged that Ethiopia had outmanoeuvred his country , but it is not over yet , Imad-al-Din Husayn wrote in the daily Shorouq newspaper , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The Ethiopians refuse to believe that without the Nile we would die , literally .
They have many rivers and receive around 950bcm of rain water annually .
We receive a paltry 55bcm , half of what we actually need , which is also half of what their livestock consumes annually , '' he added in exasperation and summing up the imbalance that many Egyptians feel .
On its part Egypt has launched several water management schemes , which include the recycling of waste water in agriculture , desalination plants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forms of irrigation to the more water saving method of drip-irrigation .
But the argument about Egypt 's water poverty is perhaps its strongest card in the diplomatic wrangle , if it can be used to galvanise international support .
Apart from a short advert made in several languages , the Egyptian administrations has so far failed to launch a concerted information campaign to win over global backing .
More about the mega dam : • Why the dam is so controversial • How the Nile dam will be filled • A dam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat but no power Both in sub-Saharan Africa and even in the US , the Ethiopians appear to have fared much better .
The current chairperson of the African Union is South African President Cyril Ramaphosa .
Many Egyptians believe that South Africa is biased in favour of Ethiopia , which does not augur well for the talks .
If these fail to produce a satisfactory result , Egypt believes it can take the issue back to the UN Security Council for a resolution that ties the hands of Ethiopia .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secure the support of all the five permanent members .
Recent reports have suggested that both China and Russia will oppose such a move , because they do not want to set a precedent as they both have their own river disputes with downstream neighbours .
Failure to bridge the gap between Egypt and Ethiopia could spell disaster for both .
Turmoil in Egypt as a result of drought and potential mass displacement could have far reaching consequences across the whole of North Africa and Europe .
And an armed conflict between two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be a scary prospect not just for the Africans , but for the whole world .

"The Ethiopians refuse to believe that without the Nile we would die, literally. They have many rivers and receive around 950bcm of rain water annually. We receive a paltry 55bcm, half of what we actually need, which is also half of what their livestock consumes annually," he added in exasperation and summing up the imbalance that many Egyptians feel.


bbc--2020-07-29--'Bay of Piglets': A 'bizarre' plot to capture a president

On Sunday 3 May , the government of Nicolas Maduro announced Venezuela 's armed forces had repelled an armed incursion .
Operation Gideon was a deeply flawed coup attempt .
But what would compel exiled Venezuelans and former US Special Forces soldiers to join a plan that , from the outset , looked like a suicide mission ?
It is a story that leaps straight out of a 20th Century playbook of Latin American conspiracies .
`` It made the Bay of Pigs look like D-Day , '' quipped one commentator , referring to the failed US-financed invasion of Fidel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gideon is a staggering tale of hubris , incompetence and treachery .
Eight men were killed by Venezuela 's armed forces off the coastal town of Macuto .
Dozens of others were captured and remain in jail in Caracas .
Less than a handful escaped .
And coinciding with the height of the coronavirus pandemic , it largely went unnoticed outside the Americas .
At the heart of the failed mission was a former US Special Forces soldier , Jordan Goudreau .
Medic , marksman , veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq and recipient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was way out of his depth .
`` A daring amphibious raid was launched from the border of Colombia , '' he intoned , in a widely distributed video published hours after it began .
`` Our men are continuing to fight right now… Our units have been activated in the south , west and east of Venezuela . ''
This was not true .
Some supporters in Venezuela may have been tipped off , but Operation Gideon - named after a Biblical character who triumphed over a much larger army - consisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one woman .
And in reality the operation had already descended into bloody chaos .
In 2018 , Jordan Goudreau founded Silvercorp USA , a private security contractor .
Its Instagram account is a mix of images of military prowess and Goudreau sprinting fast on a running machine .
In February 2019 , he was hired to provide security for a Richard Branson-sponsored gig on the Colombian side of the Venezuelan border .
The purpose of the concert was to pressure Nicolas Maduro into allowing humanitarian aid into Venezuela , where an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the collapse of basic services had forced millions into exile in Colombia .
`` Controlling chaos on the Venezuela border where a dictator looks on with apprehension , '' is the caption Goudreau wrote on the video he uploaded to the Silvercorp Instagram account .
By `` dictator '' he meant Nicolas Maduro .
These were almost halcyon days for Venezuela 's fractured and wrangling political opposition .
The month before the concert in Caracas , Juan Guaido had declared himself the interim President of Venezuela .
In a direct challenge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognised him , including the US .
Guaido had hoped the aid convoy championed by the Branson gig would help to sweep him to power , but it was blocked at the border , amid violent scenes .
An attempted rebellion at the end of April also came to nothing .
So Guaido 's supporters began to consider removing Maduro in a surgical military operation .
The first training camp was set up in the Colombian city of Maicao in June .
`` We had men getting fit , gaining knowledge .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - sometimes we could only afford to provide two meals a day , not three , '' an exiled member of the Venezuelan parliament , Hernan Aleman , told the BBC before his death from Covid-19 earlier this month .
`` We collected money where we could - I sold my car and my apartment . ''
• Listen to Venezuela 's Bay of Piglets on Crossing Continents , on BBC Radio 4 at 11:00 on Thursday 30 July • Or catch up later online This was a conspiracy desperately in need of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Back in the US , had already made contact with Venezuela 's opposition .
On a trip to Colombia in July , Goudreau was introduced to Gen Cliver Alcala , the founder of the training camp , who had been close to Maduro 's predecessor , Hugo Chavez , but then fell out with Maduro and went into exile .
The two Alpha males joined forces .
`` We talked about the plan - a tactical operation to capture the big players in Venezuela who would be handed over to the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as interim president , leading to free elections in Venezuela , '' remembered Hernan Aleman .
Jordan Goudreau said he would arrange the finances , and further meetings were held in Miami , this time with Juan Guaido 's presidential commission , a body tasked with secretly exploring ways of deposing Maduro .
`` We researched around 22 scenarios… maybe a third of them involved the use of force , '' says J J Rendon , a fiercely right-wing , Venezuelan , Florida-based political strategist and member of the presidential commission .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military contractors [ except Silvercorp ] , but we reviewed them big time , sure .
We even reviewed the Foreign Legion . ''
Goudreau said he had business backers - people who would invest in the military operation on the understanding they would reap the economic rewards under a Guaido-led administration in Venezuela .
A contract was signed on 16 October 2019 for an operation , `` to capture / detain / remove Nicolas Maduro , remove the current regime and install the recognised Venezuelan President Juan Guaido '' .
Goudreau would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later collect over $ 200m .
For those made aware of the hush-hush plan , there was elation .
`` For years we were just by ourselves , with our own resources and no support from any political system , '' says Javier Nieto , an exiled former captain in Venezuela 's national guard , who was once accused of plotting to assassinate Hugo Chavez and jailed .
`` But this time , I was very excited because the plan was made with the support of men like J J Rendon , Juan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , within days , bad blood surfaced .
Jordan Goudreau demanded the $ 1.5m retainer .
The commission wanted to see evidence of his backers first .
The former Special Forces soldier could not produce any , and a gathering at J J Rendon 's ocean-side Miami home ended badly .
`` He became moody and disrespectful , '' Rendon says , referring to Goudreau .
`` Our last meeting on 8 November last year was very , very uncomfortable .
So I said , 'This is not going anywhere , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' '' Even so , he paid Goudreau $ 50,000 - to cover expenses , he says .
For Juan Guaido 's presidential commission , the agreement was now void .
But for Goudreau and those in the Colombian training camps - there were now three - it was still very much alive .
In January 2020 , two former US special forces soldiers recruited by Goudreau arrived in Colombia - one was Luke Denman , a veteran of Iraq , who had re-trained as a diver , but who found it hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think he really missed that close bond with the people he was working with because they live , sleep , breathe together , and trust each other with their lives .
Jordan was the medic with their team , and Luke saw those men as his brothers - he completely trusted them , '' says Sarah Blake , Denman 's sister .
`` We just know that Jordan called up Luke , and must have convinced him this was something important , and would really make a difference to the lives of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told him he was taking a job , and it was the most meaningful thing he 'd ever done . ''
Sarah Blake believes her brother - now in prison in Caracas - was misled by Jordan Goudreau .
`` Luke told my brother this was a US government-backed mission , '' she says .
According to a number of sources , this was a belief shared by the Venezuelans in the camps , and by the other former US soldier , Airan Berry .
But it was false .
By March 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial backing .
And although the two Americans had joined the mission , up to 20 of the Venezuelans had left .
Some had found camp life too onerous , others feared the whole enterprise had been infiltrated by Maduro loyalists .
Then things started to go very wrong .
On 23 March , the Colombian authorities seized a lorryload of military gear , including assault rifles .
Three days later the US Department of Justice indicted Gen Cliver Alcala , accusing him of narco-terrorism , and put a $ 10m price on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after taking to social media to declare the captured arms the property of the Venezuelan people `` within the framework of the agreement made by President Juan Guaido , J J Rendon and US advisers '' - a reference to the contract Guaido 's commission said had been dead in the water for months .
Hernan Aleman told the BBC he smelt a rat .
Alcala was indicted , he thought `` so that our action - the operation - would fail '' .
Several sources have suggested both the Colombian and US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They thought if Alcala was removed , the men in training would disperse .
But they stayed .
And with Alcala gone , Antonio Sequea - a former captain in the National Guard , who had worked in counter-intelligence at the highest levels inside Venezuela - assumed leadership of the operation .
So where was Jordan Goudreau ?
Not in Colombia… '' On 28 March , 2020 , our rescue and co-ordination centre located in Curacao received a distress call from some people on a pleasure craft who needed help .
We sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Shalick Clement , the spokesperson for the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard .
The boat was called Silverpoint , and press reports suggest it was owned by Jordan Goudreau 's company , Silvercorp USA .
But the Dutch plane was not needed - the Miami Coastguard had already instructed a passing tanker to pick up the two American citizens and take them to the US .
Was Jordan Goudreau one of them ?
Was the Silverpoint carrying weapons to Colombia when it broke down ?
The Miami Coastguard referred all questions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not have a comment .
Where the boat ended up is unknown .
As far as we know , Jordan Goudreau did not travel to Colombia again - the pandemic grounded him in Miami .
But if Goudreau was one of the men forced to hitch a ride on that tanker , the death knell of Operation Gideon was probably sounded the same day .
This was not because this crack-shot veteran - a man who called himself a freedom-fighter - was not there to lead his troops .
But because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On 28 March , on his weekly TV programme , Diosdado Cabello - Venezuela 's number two after Nicolas Maduro - had some shocking revelations .
He presented a comprehensive overview of the exiles ' camps in Colombia , with the names of many of the Venezuelans and all three Americans involved .
But by now the men and one woman who endured those austere camp conditions had changed locations .
They were in a remote part of coastal Guajira on the border with Venezuela - a land of cacti , sand and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maduro 's government had intelligence about the conspiracy ?
Venezuelans are some of the most connected people on Earth , but apparently only those in charge had access to cell phones .
One source says the commander , Antonio Sequea , was aware of Cabello 's TV expose and other comments made by Nicolas Maduro 's ministers about the conspiracy , but he assured supporters in the US he had everything under control .
Did Jordan Goudreau know the operation was compromised ?
That is not clear .
None of the Americans spoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Airan Berry had a satellite phone in Colombia .
And they were in touch with Goudreau , who continued to tell them more US veterans would arrive to bolster the mission .
If Goudreau did know the government of Nicolas Maduro had good intelligence , perhaps he did not tell his friends .
Sources say he was distracted by money problems : he still owed about $ 30,000 for the arms cache captured by the Colombians .
And at the end of April , his lawyers sent a letter to Juan Guaido @ @ @ @ @ @ @ payment of that $ 1.5m retainer .
In any case , whether or not the fighters knew that details of Operation Gideon had reached the hands of the Maduro government , the plan as it was finalised looked completely reckless .
According to sources close to the mission , but not on it , after amphibious landings on the coast of Venezuela , the men would spend a few days in safe houses before moving covertly to Caracas .
In the capital they would again lie low before readying for attacks on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , military jails to release detainees , and SEBIN - the HQ of Venezuela 's Intelligence Service .
The aim was to capture Nicolas Maduro and his closest associates .
What could possibly go wrong ?
As it turned out , pretty much everything .
On Friday 1 May at 6pm , a boat carrying 11 men left the shores of Colombia bound for Venezuela - they had eight rifles between them .
Ten minutes later , a second vessel , with 47 on board and just two rifles , motored out into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of its engines had failed .
And there were many more hours to endure - the sea was rough , the men were seasick .
In the coastal town of Macuto , Nicolas Maduro 's armed forces were waiting for that first boat in the early hours of Sunday 3 May - with deadly consequences for eight of the men on board .
The second vessel was miles behind .
And by now it was dangerously low on fuel .
A decision was made to drop off most of the men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escape .
The rest - including the commander , Antonio Sequea , and the two Americans - stayed on board and were soon detained .
Operation Gideon has been christened the `` Bay of Piglets '' by some commentators , others have described it as `` bizarre '' and `` madness '' .
Could military man Javier Nieto explain why these exiled Venezuelans risked almost certain death or capture ?
`` Maybe they wanted to die trying something .
If they stayed in Colombia , there 's no work - they had zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to join the guerrillas , or a narco-trafficking group , '' he says .
`` It sounds crazy , but in the middle of this desperation , I assume that maybe 60 % or 70 % thought , 'OK , I 'd prefer to be in jail in Venezuela than in Colombia with one of those groups . '
'' This would not explain why two highly trained , US former special forces soldiers climbed into that boat on a quest to `` liberate '' a country that was not theirs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had roped them into this desperate debacle , Jordan Goudreau ?
On 3 May , hours after recording his video referring to the units that had supposedly been activated around the country , and when it was already clear the raid had been a disaster , he went on the digital US TV station , Factores de Poder , and revealed details of the agreement he made with Juan Guaido 's presidential commission , claiming it was still valid , and that Guaido had signed it .
`` I have audio , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual transaction between President Guaido and myself , '' he said .
Juan Guaido denied that was his voice on the tape , and said he had never talked to Goudreau , or signed any contract .
Within hours of the disastrous culmination of Operation Gideon , Venezuela 's opposition claimed it was a `` false-flag '' operation - a propaganda exercise sponsored and controlled by Nicolas Maduro 's government .
`` That 's really a joke , '' says Jorge Arreaza , Nicolas Maduro 's minister of foreign affairs .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evade their responsibilities .
They have done so many things in the last 20 years - aggressions of all kinds , and they never take responsibility for what they do .
They always say it was the regime , it was the dictatorship , it was the tyrant . ''
So who betrayed the rag-tag band of invaders ?
Speculation swirled around Antonio Sequea , the commander who replaced Gen Cliver Alcala after he handed himself in and was flown to the US .
But one exile with connections to the camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be identified , has doubts .
`` We knew Sequea used to be well-connected with the regime , so that makes him suspect .
But his cousin died in that first boat in Macuto .
Would he have sacrificed a family member ?
That would just be so bad… '' Jorge Arreaza also denies Sequea was working for the Maduro government .
`` Those are all lies , '' he says .
`` It was n't Venezuelan agents giving us information from the camps , it was several Colombian military people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Colombia and Venezuela . ''
Venezuelan politics are febrile .
They can be venal , they are often violent , but above all they are completely polarised .
On the fringes of the opposition , some people believe it is possible Jordan Goudreau sold out to Nicolas Maduro .
`` How can an American mercenary who has been paid to kill Maduro be working for President Maduro ? ''
asks an incredulous and irritated Jorge Arreaza .
So much still does not add up about Operation Gideon .
Perhaps - like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will remain the subject of endless speculation .
And what happened to Jordan Goudreau ?
His whereabouts are unknown .
The FBI will not confirm or deny whether he is under investigation .

In any case, whether or not the fighters knew that details of Operation Gideon had reached the hands of the Maduro government, the plan as it was finalised looked completely reckless. According to sources close to the mission, but not on it, after amphibious landings on the coast of Venezuela, the men would spend a few days in safe houses before moving covertly to Caracas. In the capital they would again lie low before readying for attacks on the targets: the presidential Palace of Miraflores, military jails to release detainees, and SEBIN - the HQ of Venezuela's Intelligence Service. The aim was to capture Nicolas Maduro and his closest associates. What could possibly go wrong? As it turned out, pretty much everything.


bbc--2020-07-29--The Umbrella Academy: Where do superheroes on screen go from here?

You 're in skin-tight lycra leggings , with a pair of brightly coloured y-fronts pulled over the top , and ( other than the chafing ) there 's only one thing on your mind - fighting crime .
Being a superhero used to be so simple , these days it 's anything but .
Take the Netflix show The Umbrella Academy , the first series of which was watched by 45 million households .
The show is more about a dysfunctional family wrestling with the effects of a cold and unloving father than about superhuman powers .
As British actor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're all fighting against their powers , really - they 're all trying to just be human '' .
His character , Luther , is a human/ape hybrid with super strength who spent his formative years living on the moon , but he spends most of his screen time moping around because he 's in love with his adopted sister .
It makes you wonder : Just how human can you make a superhero before they stop being , well , super ?
`` The characters represent a lot of people 's issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radio 1 Newsbeat ahead of the release of the show 's second series .
It sees the seven heroes accidentally stranded in 1960s Texas with only 10 days to stop a nuclear apocalypse .
Before they get to the small matter of saving the world , though , they 've got to get to grips with a racist and homophobic society .
`` There 's a lot of people in certain demographics that have these struggles and we represent them and then , on top of that , we 've got to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
`` That 's the problem in their life , their main issue is that they 've got to be superheroes and that 's why I fell in love with the script in the first place because , fundamentally , it 's about them as people . ''
People , though , as everyone knows , are complicated creatures .
Take Klaus - played by Irish actor Robert Sheehan .
Blessed ( or cursed ? )
with the ability to talk to the dead , he ends up using drink and drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut up .
`` I suppose for each of the characters their superpower represents some some base level pain that they have to then deal with , '' Robert says .
`` For Klaus , he 's never been bothered to really deal with the source , so instead it 's just easier to kind of throw drugs down on top .
`` And that 's a very human way of dealing with with a struggle . ''
Every one of The Umbrella Academy 's `` base level pains '' and `` fundamental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out by something completely bizarre ; from talking monkeys and fish to what might be the greatest relationship between an old man and a shop mannequin ever committed to film .
It 's based on graphic novels by My Chemical Romance frontman and self-confessed comic geek Gerard Way , and it owes a lot to classics like X-Men and The Watchmen .
Still - its significance to the genre as a whole could be huge .
With massive viewer figures , it 's arguably the most successful superhero franchise ever not to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though , insists taking on the big boys is n't on their minds .
`` I think that 's probably part of the reason it works is that we do n't see other superhero shows or movies as competition .
`` We 're just in our own little world and I think that 's what is quite enjoyable about The Umbrella Academy family . ''
But , regardless of whether its cast like to think about the bigger picture or not , The Umbrella Academy has carved itself out a niche at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the genre .
With Netflix losing the rights to broadcast Marvel content last year , there 's an appetite for new comic book adaptations .
Then you 've got Alan Moore , one of the most celebrated graphic novelists of all time , describing existing superhero culture as `` tremendously embarrassing . ''
In short , it 's a good time to be trying something new .
`` There seems to be something about the moment we 're in that seems to be pushing superhero narratives to the fore again , as maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solve problems , '' says Rayna Denison , a senior lecturer in film , television and Media Studies at the University of East Anglia .
She specialises in superheroes and says The Umbrella Academy is one of the best TV adaptations of a comic she 's seen in a while .
`` I like how all of the superhero archetypes get stripped down and deconstructed and broken and then put back together , and I think that 's also something we 're interested in as a society is figuring out the human responses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 're getting serious social issues written into the characters now in ways that are creating a lot more diversity within superhero cultures , but also allowing superheroes to bear the burden of the difficult questions society is asking of itself .
`` And I think that 's really important because it means that media that were once meant for children are now very much aimed to all of us . ''
The Umbrella Academy season 2 launches on Netflix on 31 July .
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

"There seems to be something about the moment we're in that seems to be pushing superhero narratives to the fore again, as maybe we look for heroes to help us solve problems," says Rayna Denison, a senior lecturer in film, television and Media Studies at the University of East Anglia.


bbc--2020-07-29--Stella Immanuel - the doctor behind unproven coronavirus cure claim

Stella Immanuel , a doctor at the centre of a controversy over unproven and potentially dangerous claims that an anti-malaria drug can treat Covid-19 , is no stranger to conspiracy theories .
Facebook and Twitter have taken down the viral video in which she appears , saying it violates their policies about misinformation - but not before it was retweeted by Donald Trump and one of his sons .
The US president defended himself , saying he found Dr Immanuel , who was born in Cameroon and is based in the Texan city of Houston , `` very impressive '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tremendous success with hundreds of different patients , I thought her voice was an important voice but I know nothing about her , '' he said on Tuesday .
Dr Immanuel , who is also a Christian pastor , gave a speech on the steps of the US Supreme Court in Washington , captured in a video first published by right-wing website Breitbart on Monday .
Along with other medics from a group called America 's Frontline Doctors , she said that Americans were being denied a potential cure for Covid-19 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus has a cure - it is called hydroxychloroquine , I have treated over 350 patients and not had one death , '' said Dr Immanuel .
Despite some early studies raising hopes that the drug could be used to cure coronavirus , one subsequent larger scale trial has shown it is not effective as a treatment .
• Why a video promoted by Trump was pulled on social media • What do we know about hydroxychloroquine ?
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has halted its trials , saying it does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Last month , the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) cautioned against using the drug to treat coronavirus patients , following reports of `` serious heart rhythm problems '' and other health issues .
And Dr Anthony Fauci , a leading member of the White House coronavirus task force , has reiterated these views .
`` We know that every single good study - and by good study I mean randomised control study in which the data are firm and believable - has shown that hydroxychloroquine is not effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told the BBC on Wednesday .
But Dr Immanuel has insisted taking hydroxychloroquine is not harmful because it is widely taken in her home country of Cameroon , where malaria is endemic .
Born in 1965 , Dr Immanuel graduated with a medical degree from the University of Calabar in neighbouring Nigeria - and has a valid doctor 's licence , according to the website of the Texas Medical Board .
She is also a pastor and the founder of Fire Power Ministries in Houston , a platform she has used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her sermons are available on a YouTube account set up in 2009 .
Five years ago , she alleged that alien DNA was being used in medical treatments , and that scientists were cooking up a vaccine to prevent people from being religious .
Some of her other claims include blaming medical conditions on witches and demons - a common enough belief among some evangelical Christians - though she says they have sex with people in a dream world .
`` They turn into a woman and then they sleep with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn into the man and they sleep with a man and deposit the sperm and reproduce more of themselves , '' she said during a sermon in 2013 .
Another issue that Dr Immanuel targets is gay marriage , saying it can result in adults marrying children , according to the Daily Beast .
She also offers a prayer to remove a generational curse , originally received from an ancestor , but transmitted through placenta , the news website 's profile of her says .
In her latest video posted on Twitter on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has cured of Covid-19 to come forward .
`` If you do n't speak up we are getting trashed , '' she says , encouraging them to use a hashtag when they post their video messages .
Her tweet has had more than 27,000 retweets .
After Facebook took down the America 's Frontline Doctors ' video on Tuesday , she declared that Jesus Christ would destroy the social media giant 's servers if her videos were not restored to the platform .
Facebook has not reported an interruption on its services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical of the scientific consensus around the Covid-19 pandemic .
The event on Monday was backed by the Tea Party Patriots , a conservative organisation seeking to re-elect President Trump .
The doctors believe neither masks nor shutdowns are necessary to fight the spread of coronavirus .
The group 's founder , Simone Gold , organised a letter to Mr Trump calling for an end to lockdown measures in May .
Participants were encouraged to seek out interviews with social media influencers , as this was determined to be the best way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican member of the House of Representatives , was standing alongside the doctors when they delivered their news conference .
The debate has been increasingly dividing Americans along political lines , with proponents of hydroxychloroquine pointing to President Trump 's support of it while accusing critics of covering up its potential effectiveness .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this mess ?

"They turn into a woman and then they sleep with the man and collect his sperm… then they turn into the man and they sleep with a man and deposit the sperm and reproduce more of themselves," she said during a sermon in 2013.