bbc--2020-01-12--Night rider: 21 years sleeping on a London bus

For more than two decades after his asylum application was rejected , Sunny found a safe haven aboard the buses that zigzag across London at night .
What 's it like to spend every night on the lower decks ?
Sunny waits patiently , wind penetrating his well-worn jacket and the winter cold biting at his extremities .
It 's past midnight and his legs are weary but he stands firm and smiles as the bus lunges to a halt , its wing mirror clipping overgrown branches on its way .
He moves aside to let other passengers board , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a gentle bow of the head and taps his weathered Oyster card on the payment point .
Relieved at finding his favoured spot at the back of the lower deck empty , he slides into place and gets comfortable for the long ride ahead .
Sunny hugs his bag to his stomach , feels his wrinkled hands start to thaw , and closes his eyes .
Leaving behind the smell of fried chicken and noise of London 's late-night traffic , his mind drifts .
He sees his younger self , kneeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Nigerian prison , waiting to be executed .
His offence : struggling for democracy .
A guard barges into the cell , lifts him to his feet and rushes him down silent corridors , out into blinding sunlight , where a car is waiting .
Family and friends have bought his freedom , paying off everyone from the prison officials to the air hostess on the flight to London .
Sunny is jerked back to the present as a scrum of drunken men , singing tunelessly , trail through the doors and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must be three or four in the morning , he calculates - the usual hour for trouble .
Around this time , Sunny often notices three distinct groups around him .
It 's a neat survey of modern London .
There are those who came to this country for a better life , rushing to their pre-dawn cleaning jobs .
Another group - mostly indigenous Britons - heads home from the nightclubs , talking loudly and cramming down fast food .
And finally there are the homeless , those who have nowhere else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a place to rest .
Sunny does n't resent the others ; he has learned to enjoy their boisterousness .
When they smile , he smiles .
When they laugh , he laughs too .
It 's amazing how a few pints can evaporate class boundaries , stripping reserved Englishmen of their inhibitions so they chat with the homeless as temporary equals .
Sunny tries to recall the last time he felt as happy as these drunken men .
Perhaps it was when his asylum claim was still under review .
Back then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second chance at life .
He took a course in documentary-making , choosing to report on the lives of London 's homeless , never imagining he would soon be in their shoes .
Sunny had dared to hope for a bright future , safe under the protection of Her Majesty the Queen - that figurehead familiar from sun-faded colonial posters across Nigeria .
But his request for asylum was refused .
That left him with two options : go home to a country under the iron fist of a military ruler , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out , or go underground .
And so began 21 years as a nomad on London 's buses , which Sunny quickly realised were safer and warmer than the streets .
It was a church minister , a woman of unwavering generosity , who first bought him a monthly pass to save him multiple nightly fares .
She continued to do so , month after month , and other friends would chip in if she was n't around .
By day Sunny would volunteer at churches - he would attend several during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was done , he would often head to Westminster Reference Library where he could catch up on the day 's news or pick up where he 'd left off in the book he 'd been reading .
He might then ask a restaurant manager if they could spare some food , and says he was rarely turned away .
But no later than 9pm he would invariably be stepping aboard a bus for the first of three , maybe four , nightly trips across the capital .
He soon discovered the best buses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trusty N29 , from Trafalgar Square to the northern suburb of Wood Green .
But the 25 - which ran 24 hours - offered the longest uninterrupted sleep .
In traffic , it would take two hours to get from central London to Ilford , in Essex , where - if he was really lucky - a driver might take pity and leave him sleeping on board at the terminus .
More often , the homeless passengers - maybe four or five of them - would be woken and turfed off until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destitute women , British or African , who used the bus as a sanctuary from the threat of sexual assault .
Laden with bags , they would be grateful for Sunny 's help lugging them on and off the bus .
Sunny always travelled light .
A small tote bag allowed him to avoid the stigma of homelessness during daylight hours .
Some homeless folk would stretch out across seats but he preferred not to inconvenience other riders .
It took a while to learn all the tricks .
At first he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But then he found himself in a confrontation with two men who had been trying to set light to the hair of an unsuspecting woman in front .
He chased them off but resolved to avoid conflict where possible .
The lower deck , he concluded , was the preserve of reasonable people , of families and the elderly .
Trouble rarely erupted so close to the driver .
The back seats were optimal , not just for the head rest but for peace of mind .
But there were always distractions : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the noisy night-riders and the humming engine .
Two hours of proper sleep across an entire night was an achievement .
At dawn - or when he got hungry , whichever came first - he would head to a McDonald 's .
He never begged but friendly staff at the Leicester Square branch would give him food and let him shave in the bathrooms .
Fellow customers could be kind , too .
Or , if he timed it right , he could hop off at the 24-hour branch in Haringey - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he could enjoy a peace that was rare in the central London branches , rest his head on a table and continue his slumber .
For a handful of Christmases , Sunny broke his routine and tried winter night shelters provided by churches .
Seven different churches worked a rota .
But they were scattered in different locations across the capital , creating a daily exodus of people - the `` walking dead '' , in his words - trying to reach their next bed before the evening curfew .
Sunny came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lying on stone floors , packed shoulder-to-shoulder .
It was hard to sleep through the smell of tobacco , alcohol and unwashed bodies .
And , of course , the screams of the others as they lay there tormented by nightmares .
From the seats of London buses , Sunny watched the changing face of the capital .
Slowly , the white population declined as a proportion of the total .
The ranks of the homeless expanded .
In this most diverse of spaces , he became adept at matching faces or dialects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developed a sixth sense for trouble , detecting warning signs in gestures : the smirk of trouble-making teens , the pursed lips of an explosive racist .
There were combinations that could result in confrontation : drunken football fans and a veiled woman ; tired commuters and people using speakerphone ; gang members and their local rivals .
In the months following the Brexit referendum of 2016 , hostility to migrants seemed to become more commonplace .
`` Go back home , '' became a regular refrain .
Sunny did n't blame the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own country 's not been so bad , he would n't have been here in the first place .
Eventually , the refugee centre at Notre Dame de France church , off Leicester Square , made an application for leave to remain on his behalf .
If people prove they have continuously lived in the UK for 20 years , they can qualify to settle .
But Sunny had spent that time avoiding all records , evading detection .
How could he demonstrate he had been there all this time ?
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homeless , but we still require documentary evidence to show continuous residence from 1995 to the present date , '' said a letter from the Home Office .
`` Evidence such as utility bills , bank statements , tenancy agreements… '' Sunny asked the friendliest bus drivers to write him a letter of support .
One obliged , confirming he was `` a regular rider throughout the night '' .
The churches he had volunteered at over the years provided supporting statements and dug out old photographs recording his presence at charity events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking pictures .
He reaches inside his bag for the disposable camera he 's been given to tell his story as part of a photography project .
There are a few frames left .
Lifting the viewfinder to his eye , Sunny pushes firm against the flash button and pauses to adjust his composition .
Click… He releases the shutter .
The photograph will not simply show rows of mostly empty seats on the lower deck of a bus .
It will be a picture of life as a free man .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sunny was granted leave to remain .
It had taken a year but finally he had the right to shelter , to work , to exist .
And he was thankful .
It is almost his stop , deep in south London 's suburbs - he still is n't used to travelling to a destination .
Even now he sometimes sleeps on buses , though more often during the day rather than at night .
For so long a sanctuary , they remain a place to empty his mind - their familiarity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he hoists himself up .
He 's getting older , his struggle has aged him beyond his years .
He thanks the driver and carefully steps down to the pavement .
Leaning into the breeze , he walks towards his bedsit , smiling as the cold cracks his lips .
Sunny , whose name has been changed , collaborated with photographer and journalist Venetia Menzies to document his story for one year .
This story is drawn from interviews with Sunny , his own photographs and portraits that preserve his anonymity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2017 , freelance writer Tom de Castella noticed an elderly woman and her son living on a bench in south London .
He discovered they had already been there for two years… which was puzzling .
Why had n't anyone done anything to help them ?
Why did everyone accept it as normal ?
The more he investigated , the stranger it seemed .
Is it OK if someone wants to live for years on a bench ?
( October 2019 )

Around this time, Sunny often notices three distinct groups around him. It's a neat survey of modern London. There are those who came to this country for a better life, rushing to their pre-dawn cleaning jobs. Another group - mostly indigenous Britons - heads home from the nightclubs, talking loudly and cramming down fast food. And finally there are the homeless, those who have nowhere else to go, for whom buses are a place to rest.


bbc--2020-01-11--Five ways music changed in the 2010s

Five ways music changed in the 2010s

Cast your mind back , if you can , to the 2010s .
I know , I know .
It seems like ages ago .
The world 's on the brink of a war with Iran and the Royal Family is in tatters , but apparently the new decade only started 11 days ago .
The preceding 10 years were hardly a walk in the park , either - and musically-speaking , it was a time of innovation , upheaval and disruption .
Streaming changed the way we listened to music , and music changed in response to the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genres bled into one another , and language barriers dissolved .
• Why does Taylor Swift write so many one-note melodies ?
Observing all these changes were Charlie Harding , a songwriter , and Nate Sloan , a professor of musicology .
Before the 2010s , they 'd been snobby about pop music .
Then , on a road trip , they heard Carly Rae Jepsen 's exquisitely catchy Call Me Maybe .
They were struck by the way Jepsen subverted their expectations of melody and arrangement to create a feeling of awkward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a date .
`` Jepsen hesitates before singing the first word of the chorus , 'Hey , ' '' they explain .
`` It 's unexpected , but effective , like she 's working up the courage to say her piece .
The chorus 's underlying chord progression reinforces this feeling , deliberately avoiding the song 's harmonic `` home '' in a way that makes the listener `` feel giddily unmoored , '' they add .
Inspired by Jepsen 's masterpiece , the duo launched a podcast called Switched On Pop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind hits like Ariana Grande 's 7 Rings , Mark Ronson 's Uptown Funk and , erm , Pinkfong 's Baby Shark .
Now they have a book by the same name - subtitled `` how popular music works and why it matters '' - with each chapter studying a basic principle of music through the prism of a single , ubiquitous banger .
We called them up in the dying days of 2019 to discuss the decade 's biggest musical trends , and how they shaped our experience of music .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hooks , from Pharrell 's Happy to Sia 's Chandelier - but choruses suffered an identity crisis during the decade .
Take , for example , Katy Perry 's Dark Horse .
The bridge builds and builds in anticipation of a climax ( Perry even sings `` are you ready for a perfect storm ? ''
) but when you get to the bit where the chorus should be , the song disappears down a black hole and you 're left with a spooky synth riff over a pounding bass drum .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insights we found when researching the podcast and writing the book , '' says Sloan .
`` Since the 1960s , it 's been a tenet of popular music that all songs follow the verse-chorus format , but the last decade has seen a real shift away from the dominance of the chorus . ''
In their book , Sloan and Harding trace this phenomenon back to Rihanna and Calvin Harris 's We Found Love .
Released in 2011 , the song initially behaves like any other pop song , with a verse-chorus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hook , `` we found love in a hopeless place , '' four times .
But then Harris does something unexpected : Instead of circling back to the second verse , the tension ratchets up like a rollercoaster climbing to its apex .
As a synth rises in pitch and snare drums clatter , the excitement builds until , at 1'08 '' , there 's an almighty crash and the song 's elements unite around a single , fist-pumping groove .
And it 's this section , more than Rihanna 's hook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song .
This technique - the build and drop - was borrowed from dance music but compressed to fit the pop format , prompting Sloan and Harding to christen it `` pop drop '' .
`` What 's fascinating about the pop drop is it helped introduce people 's ears to a new song form , '' says Harding .
`` It made listeners more comfortable with hearing things that do n't fit into the dominant structure of the past 75 years . ''
And so we end up with songs like Dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or the Chainsmokers ' Closer , where the chorus is no longer the focal-point of the song .
`` To me , that 's the most exciting development of the last 10 years - the disintegration of the chorus and the slate of possibilities that will open up for artists in the future , '' says Sloan .
`` It 's very hard to do something like that , '' chips in Harding .
`` Think about drama , for example - it 's difficult to have a play that does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often the thing that gives us comfort .
`` So even though the pop drop itself might be more of a mid-2010s phenomenon , it 's very important in terms of how it disrupted the standards . ''
According to research from Quartz , the average length of a song on the Billboard Hot 100 fell from 3'50 '' in 2013 , to about 3'30 '' in 2018 - and the trend appears to be accelerating .
Last year , Lil Nas X became one of music 's biggest break-out stars thanks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a song that 's just 1'52 '' long .
The downward pressure on song durations is all down to streaming .
`` Streaming services incentivise listening to an entire song , because that 's how they calculate payments , '' explains Sloan .
`` And if you listen to the whole song , it increases the likelihood of it being placed on a playlist . ''
Furthermore , streaming services pay artists per play - irrespective of how long a song lasts .
So every time someone streams Kanye West 's 2010 nine-minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revenue as a play of the three-minute-long Gold Digger .
It 's no surprise that his latest single , Follow God , clocks in at 1'45 '' .
`` The trend is definitely towards shorter songs , '' hit songwriter Ryan Tedder told the BBC last year .
`` People are doing two or three things at the same time and if you get three minutes into a song and it 's not almost over , you 're probably skipping to the next song , and that 's just the truth . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had on song structure .
Intros are shorter - some songs even open with a blast of the chorus - and fade-outs are a thing of the past .
`` A fade-out , just like a long intro , is another way to lose people 's attention , '' says Harding .
`` It 's a matter of sustaining attention all the way through . ''
`` What 's the famous adage in playwriting ?
Enter late , leave early , '' adds Sloan .
`` Maybe it 's similar in pop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dominant form of music , it 's stylistic tropes have begun to bleed into pop .
As a result , you hear artists like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran employing the rhythmic cadence of rap , often in melodies that hover around a single note .
The technique gives their songs intimacy and immediacy - it feels like you 're being spoken to - and when they finally soar up the musical scale in the chorus , it 's like a sunlight piercing a darkened room .
`` We found this amazing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was really nervous to release that song because , at the time , the idea of a rapper singing was unthinkable , '' he says .
`` Now , if you fast-forward 16 years , it 's commonplace .
so we really see him as setting that template .
`` The other important link in that chain is Kanye West 's 808s and Heartbreak , which really introduced the use of auto-tune as a way for rappers , who may not be comfortable singing , to share their 'beautiful voices ' with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two developments , you get an artist like Drake who is constantly oscillating on the edge of rapping and speaking and singing - which in itself is an old technique - in opera it 'd be called Sprechgesang .
`` So it 's a relatively recent development in pop , but one which might have longer roots in the history of classical music . ''
On 13 December , 2013 , Beyoncé upended the music industry .
Without warning and without promotion , she dropped an entire album - the self-titled Beyoncé - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years later , she did it again with Lemonade , a visual album that tackled black identity and female empowerment ; and hinted that her husband , Jay-Z , had been unfaithful .
Accidentally or by design , that record was the first part of a triptych , with Jay-Z responding on 4:44 ; before the couple reconciled on a joint album and tour , titled Everything Is Love .
`` It 's a great example of how an artist today is n't simply a musician , they 're entirely inter-textual , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pop acts is no longer just about the song - it 's about the video , it 's about the live tour , it 's about the mediation through social media .
It 's all of those elements that connect us to that artist .
`` And often when we hear the music , it 's really acting as the signifier , the thing that brings us back and ignites our memory about that artist . ''
Inevitably , the rest of the industry jumped on the bandwagon , with Drake , Frank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all firing out `` surprise '' albums in the latter half of the 2010s .
The stealth approach may only work for artists at a certain level of fame , but it can cut through the noise in an era when 40,000 songs are uploaded to Spotify every day .
`` Albums have a shorter lifespan because of the ubiquity of access and the lack of physical ownership , '' says Harding .
`` So capturing the moment of release and making sure people listen is an important part of making sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifespan and cultural resonance .
`` If you miss the audience on those first few days , it 's hard to come back around . ''
5 ) The resurgence of the Dembow Rhythm What do hits like Lusi Fonsi 's Despacito , Ed Sheeran 's Shape Of You and Clean Bandit 's Rockabye have in common ?
The answer is a drum beat : The lilting `` boom-ti-boom-chk '' of the Tresillo , or Dembow , rhythm .
Originating in Africa , it made its way to Cuba in the 19th Century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Habenera music , and ricocheted around the Caribbean until it was co-opted into mainstream pop , thanks to its ability to evoke end-of-term excitement and long , hazy days in the sun .
Last summer , the beat anchored six of the summer 's most-streamed songs , including Bad Bunny 's Callaita and Daddy Yankee 's Con Calma .
`` The prominence of the Dembow rhythm is a really exciting opportunity for us as music historians , because it really reveals the changing state of popular music , '' says Harding .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhythms of the New Orelans ' second line that you would find in early jazz ; and it 's something that you can hear in early rock and roll songs like Bo Diddley 's eponymous song Bo Diddley .
`` Then fast-forward to 2016 and it 's there again in Despacito .
It 's one of these things that travels across decades of popular music .
`` And what 's really exciting about the current boom of Latin pop is that , unlike Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias in the 1990s - this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does n't seem to be catering to the taste of a mainstream white audience .
That 's really exciting to hear on the radio and it 's really exciting to hear it filtering into the sound of mainstream pop . ''
... What does the next decade hold ?
Technology often drives musical innovation - from the invention of the electric guitar to the advent of auto-tune .
Harding and Sloan suggest that the ubiquity of earbuds and headphones could be responsible for a change in the way singers record their vocals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that trend , '' says Sloan .
`` We 're going to hear a lot more voices that are really quiet and really intimate and take advantage of the fact we 're all listening to music on our earphones .
`` That whispered-in-your-ear sound shares some of the experience of podcasting - that feeling that someone is speaking directly in your ear .
`` And I 'd just point out there 's other artists like Lana Del Rey and Selena Gomez - both of them are so recorded 'in close up ' so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the room with them ; and I think it 's a very effective quality . ''
Nate Sloan and Charlie Harding 's book , Switched On Pop , is available now from Oxford University Press .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"And what's really exciting about the current boom of Latin pop is that, unlike Ricky Martin and Enrique Iglesias in the 1990s - this is a style of Latin music that doesn't seem to be catering to the taste of a mainstream white audience. That's really exciting to hear on the radio and it's really exciting to hear it filtering into the sound of mainstream pop."


bbc--2020-01-14--Iran nuclear deal: European powers trigger dispute mechanism

European powers have triggered a formal dispute mechanism over Iran 's breaches of key parts of the 2015 nuclear deal - a move that could spell its end .
Iran has gradually lifted all limits on its production of enriched uranium , which can be used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear weapons .
It has said it is entitled to do so in response to sanctions reinstated by the US when it abandoned the deal in 2018 .
France , Germany and the UK said they did not accept Iran 's argument .
The mechanism , set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involves the dispute being referred to a Joint Commission that will have a minimum of 15 days to resolve the issue .
If the complainants are still not satisfied , they can refer the matter to the UN Security Council , which could vote to reimpose any sanctions lifted under the deal .
This would be the end of the deal .
Iran 's foreign ministry accused the Europeans of abusing the process and said they `` must be prepared to accept the consequences '' .
The deal saw Iran , which insists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful purposes , agree to limit its sensitive activities and allow in inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions .
President Donald Trump reinstated US sanctions to force Iran to negotiate a new agreement that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles .
Iran has so far refused .
The other parties to the deal - the three European powers plus China and Russia - have tried to keep it alive .
But the sanctions have caused Iran 's oil exports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currency to plummet , and sent its inflation rate soaring .
Tensions between Iran and the West have also escalated as a result of a series of attacks in the Gulf region that the US has blamed on Iran and its proxies , as well as a US drone strike in Iraq this month that killed top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani .
• Why do the limits on Iran 's uranium enrichment matter ?
• Iranians on Trump and the nuclear deal Treaties and agreements usually have dispute mechanisms to allow one party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms of the deal are being broken .
But that is not the situation with the Iran nuclear agreement .
The dispute mechanism is there but the moment for invoking it may be long past .
That is because one major party - the US - has already abandoned it reimposing crippling economic sanctions against Tehran .
For its part Iran has taken a series of steps to breach the deal 's constraints .
So the deal exists but in a kind of limbo - abandoned or largely abandoned by its two most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mechanism , the Europeans are taking the first formal step towards writing its obituary .
They insist that they will stand by it for as long as it exists and that they want a better deal - one that the US can support .
But it is very hard to see Iran accepting a more restrictive agreement that will include constraints on its missile programmes and maybe also its regional behaviour .
And it is equally hard to see President Trump lifting the sanctions - not least when he believes - with protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his maximum pressure campaign is working .
The European decision to invoke the dispute process may be a final bowing to the inevitable .
The nuclear agreement is in a critical condition and slowly slipping away .
• Is the Iran nuclear deal dead or just dying ?
Why are the European powers acting now ?
In a joint statement , the French , German and British foreign ministers reiterated their regret at the US decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal , which is formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said their countries - referred to as the E3 - had worked hard to bring Iran back into compliance since it began suspending its commitments last July and that they had undertaken diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate tensions and to bring Iran and the US to the negotiating table for a comprehensive solution .
`` The E3 remain fully committed to this diplomatic effort and intend to resume it as soon as conditions allow , '' they added .
`` However , in the meantime Iran has continued to break key restrictions set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are inconsistent with the provisions of the nuclear agreement and have increasingly severe and non-reversible proliferation implications . ''
The ministers said Iran 's decision on 5 January to suspend the last key commitment on uranium enrichment - the limit on the number of uranium centrifuges - had left them with no choice but to take action .
`` We do this in good faith with the overarching objective of preserving the JCPOA and in the sincere hope of finding a way forward to resolve the impasse through constructive diplomatic dialogue , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ framework , '' they added .
`` In doing so , our three countries are not joining a campaign to implement maximum pressure against Iran . ''
On Tuesday , UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the BBC that the JCPOA was `` flawed '' and that replacing it with a `` Trump deal '' was the way forward .
`` If we 're going to get rid of it , let 's replace it and let 's replace it with the Trump deal , '' he said .
`` President Trump is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account .
Let 's work together to replace the JCPOA and get the Trump deal instead . ''
Iranians officials have previously noted that article 36 of the JCPOA allows one party to `` cease performing its commitments… in whole or in part '' in the event of `` significant non-performance '' by other parties .
The officials say the US had violated the JCPOA two years ago and that European countries have failed to deliver its promised economic benefits .
On Monday night , Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy '' and had `` bowed to US diktat '' .

Treaties and agreements usually have dispute mechanisms to allow one party to challenge another if they think the terms of the deal are being broken. But that is not the situation with the Iran nuclear agreement. The dispute mechanism is there but the moment for invoking it may be long past.


bbc--2020-01-14--Arrests over shooting down of Ukraine plane

Several people have been detained in Iran over the accidental shooting down of a Ukrainian passenger plane with a missile , the country 's judiciary says .
Spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said investigations into the incident were continuing , but provided no details .
President Hassan Rouhani said the probe would be overseen by a `` special court '' .
Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 was brought down shortly it took off from Tehran on Wednesday , killing all 176 people on board .
Most of the victims were Iranian and Canadian citizens .
For the first three days after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces had shot down the Boeing 737-800 and suggested there had been a technical failure .
But as evidence mounted , the Revolutionary Guards said the operator of a missile defence system had mistaken the aircraft for a US cruise missile and fired at it .
• Plane crash victims 'were the best of us' • What we know about flight PS752 Iran 's air defences had been on high alert because the country had just fired ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq , in retaliation for the killing of top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drone strike in Baghdad .
The admission of responsibility provoked widespread anger in Iran , and protesters took to the streets in the capital and several other cities to denounce government lies and the clerical leadership including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei .
What do we know about Iran 's investigation ?
Mr Esmaili told a news conference in Tehran that the judiciary would `` investigate the causes and direct impact of the incident '' .
He added : `` We will investigate the extent to which US warmongering caused this event .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation continues . ''
In a televised speech , President Rouhani said the judiciary would assemble a special court with a high-ranking judge and tens of experts to oversee the probe .
`` This will not be a regular and usual case .
The whole world will be watching this court , '' he added .
Mr Rouhani also stressed that Wednesday 's `` tragic event '' should not be blamed on one individual .
`` It 's not only the person who pulled the trigger , but also others who are responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed forces admitting their mistake is a good first step , '' he added .
`` We should assure people that it will not happen again . ''
The president also said he wanted relevant officials to explain publicly why it took days for the authorities to disclose that missiles were fired at flight PS752 .
The Iranian government 's spokesman has denied that it was involved a cover-up , saying Mr Rouhani was not told what had happened until Friday evening .
The commander of the Revolutionary Guards ' Aerospace Force said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials '' about the strike hours after the incident .
Mr Esmaili also said about 30 people had been arrested for `` taking part in illegal gatherings '' - an apparent reference to the recent anti-government protests .
`` We have tolerance towards legal rallies , '' he added .
On Monday , Tehran 's police force denied it had fired live ammunition at protesters , after at least one person was reportedly shot and wounded the previous night .
What are other countries saying ?
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glad '' Iran had acknowledged making a `` terrible mistake '' in shooting down the plane .
`` It 's good that they 've apologised .
The most important thing now is that tensions in the region calm down , '' he added .
`` I was in Oman just at the weekend , talking to people in the region , and they do n't want a military conflict between the West and Iran . ''
Mr Johnson said the next step for Iran was to `` repatriate in a dignified way '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of flight PS752 , who included three Britons .
Ukraine 's Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said on Monday that five of the countries that had citizens on board the airliner - Canada , Ukraine , Afghanistan , Sweden and an unnamed country - would meet in London on Thursday to discuss possible legal action .
He said the `` grieving nations '' would work out what steps to take individually and collectively to `` bring the perpetrators to justice and how we can repay those families who have suffered '' .
Canada , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play a more active role than international rules require in the investigation into the shooting down of the airliner , according to the head of its Transportation Safety Board ( TSB ) .
Kathy Fox said there were signs that Iran would allow the TSB to participate in the downloading and analysis of data from the plane 's flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder .

Iran's air defences had been on high alert because the country had just fired ballistic missiles at two US bases in Iraq, in retaliation for the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad.


bbc--2020-01-14--Wuhan pneumonia outbreak: First case reported outside China

A tourist in Thailand has become the first person outside China diagnosed with a new , pneumonia-like virus that has already infected dozens of people .
The woman was quarantined after landing in Bangkok from Wuhan , eastern China , where the outbreak began in December .
One person has died and 41 cases of the virus have been recorded so far .
It has been identified as a coronavirus , which can cause illnesses ranging from common colds to potentially deadly Sars .
Sars - severe acute respiratory syndrome - killed more than 700 people around the world during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China .
In total , it infected more than 8,000 people in 26 countries .
China has been free of Sars since May 2004 .
According to the country 's official Xinhua News Agency , the female passenger arrived in Thailand on 8 January , where she was hospitalised .
No other passengers were infected , it said , adding that the traveller was now ready to return to Wuhan .
Separately on Tuesday , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) said for the first time that there appeared to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Reuters news agency .
`` From the information that we have it is possible that there is limited human-to-human transmission , '' Maria Van Kerkhove , acting head of WHO 's emerging diseases unit , told reporters in Geneva .
She added that the organisation is preparing for the possibility of a wider outbreak : `` It is still early days , we do n't have a clear clinical picture . ''
Many earlier cases of the virus had reportedly been linked to a fish market in Wuhan .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a major travel period in China , as hundreds of millions of people prepare to travel for Chinese New Year later this month .
On 9 January , Singapore 's airport said it would begin temperature screening travellers from Wuhan .
Hong Kong health officials also said they would also implement checks on passengers , and that they had stepped up the disinfection of trains and aeroplanes , AFP news agency reported .
BBC Health 's Philippa Roxby reported earlier this month that this latest outbreak `` appears to have sparked memories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemic 18 years ago '' .

According to the country's official Xinhua news agency, the female passenger arrived in Thailand on 8 January, and was taken to hospital. No other passengers were infected, it said, adding that the traveller was now ready to return to Wuhan.


bbc--2020-01-14--US election: 'Sanders said no woman could win', Warren says

Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren claims rival Bernie Sanders told her a woman could not win this year 's presidential election .
Ms Warren said the comment was made during a two-hour meeting with Mr Sanders in 2018 .
Mr Sanders denied the claim and insisted he believed a woman could beat President Donald Trump .
Mr Sanders and Ms Warren are the most prominent progressive candidates for the Democratic nomination .
Their spat has left an unstated non-aggression pact between them in tatters and is likely to come up at a live televised debate on Tuesday night in Des @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take on Trump in 2020 ?
• US election 2020 : All you need to know CNN quoted Warren aides as saying she had been told by Mr Sanders during a private meeting that a woman could not win .
In his response , he said the comment had been made up by `` staff who were n't in the room and are lying about what happened '' .
The Vermont senator told CNN : `` It is ludicrous to believe that at the same meeting where Elizabeth Warren told me she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would tell her that a woman could n't win .
`` What I did say that night was that Donald Trump is a sexist , a racist and a liar who would weaponise whatever he could .
`` Do I believe a woman can win in 2020 ?
Of course !
After all Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by 3 million votes in 2016 . ''
But later on Monday , Ms Warren stood by the allegation .
`` Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
`` I thought a woman could win , he disagreed . ''
The Massachusetts senator added : `` I have no interest in discussing this private meeting any further because Bernie and I have far more in common than our differences on punditry . ''
She added that the two remained `` friends and allies '' .
Is this the first Warren-Sanders clash ?
No .
On Sunday , Politico reported that some Sanders volunteers had been instructed to depict Ms Warren as an elitist .
The volunteers were reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren 's appeal was limited to `` highly educated , more affluent people '' .
Ms Warren accused Mr Sanders of `` sending his volunteers out to trash me '' .
She warned against the kind of internecine `` factionalism '' she said split Democratic voters in 2016 .
Mr Sanders told reporters in Iowa : `` We have hundreds of employees .
Elizabeth Warren has hundreds of employees .
`` And people sometimes say things that they should n't .
You have heard me give many speeches .
Have I ever said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The pair will be among six candidates on stage in Tuesday 's televised debate hosted by CNN , including former Vice-President Joe Biden and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg .
According to an opinion poll taken on 8-9 January , 23 % of registered Democrats said they supported Mr Biden , while 20 % supported Mr Sanders and 15 % Ms Warren .
Former Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand , who last August ended her campaign focusing on women 's equality , has commented on the gender row .
Who will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out who is running and what they stand for

For the entirety of 2019, as both candidates campaigned and debated on similar issues, the unspoken "non-aggression pact" had held, largely because both candidates are well liked by their supporters and any attack could backfire. Less than three weeks from the Iowa caucuses, however, and with Ms Warren and Mr Sanders neck-and-neck in the polls, the tension is approaching a breaking point.


bbc--2020-01-14--Manchester sex abuse: 'Fundamental flaws' left children unprotected

Police and social workers investigating child sex exploitation in Manchester knew children were suffering `` the most profound abuse ... but did not protect them '' , a report has found .
After a child 's death in 2003 , police identified at least 97 `` predominantly Asian '' suspects , but `` very few '' faced justice , the independent review found .
The police operation was `` prematurely closed down '' after senior officers decided to `` remove resources '' , it said .
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham , who commissioned the report as a result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , focussed on the death in 2003 of 15-year-old Victoria Agoglia and Greater Manchester Police 's ( GMP ) subsequent Operation Augusta .
He said Victoria 's death had `` exposed a network of paedophiles brazenly abusing young people in care ... [ who ] should have been brought to justice but , appallingly , most escaped and some were left to reoffend '' .
He added there was now `` a zero tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation of any kind '' .
Victoria 's grandmother Joan Agoglia said the publication of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as I 've been fighting for this all my life , it seems '' .
GMP is reviewing all the cases covered in the report and have made a voluntary referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct .
Manchester City Council 's ( MCC ) chief executive Joanne Roney said some social work at the time `` fell far below the high standards we now expect '' , adding : `` We want to reassure people that , more than a decade and a half of learning later , we are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agoglia was in the care of Manchester City Council following the death of her mother .
The report found her carers were aware of her being subjected to `` multiple threats , sexual assaults and serious sexual exploitation '' and had been told that she was being `` injected with heroin by an older Asian man [ but ] no action was taken by the police or social care '' .
She subsequently died `` having been administered an overdose '' , but the men who exploited her `` have never been brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that its authors had been denied access to files relating to Victoria by the Manchester coroner .
It said the coroner at her inquest `` recognised the multiple concerns '' , but described Victoria as `` having a propensity 'to provide sexual favours ' '' , which `` significantly underplays the coercion and control '' she was subject to .
It added that having considered `` both the harrowing experience of Victoria '' and that of her contemporaries , its authors `` can not understand '' how the coroner at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential '' that the public had confidence in `` the quality of care and support afforded to children cared for within the child protection system '' .
At the time she died , Manchester Social Services said it had done everything possible to keep Victoria safe .
In 2004 , a 50-year-old man was cleared of her manslaughter , but admitted two offences of injecting her with heroin and was jailed .
After Victoria 's death , GMP launched Operation Augusta , which was set up to tackle `` the sexual exploitation throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of children in the care system by predominantly Asian men '' , the report said .
It subsequently identified at least 57 children `` as potential victims '' and up to 97 `` persons of interest '' involved in the crimes against them .
The report found the operation was ultimately `` prematurely closed down ... before it could complete its work '' , a decision that was driven by a desire to `` remove the resources '' , rather than by having `` a sound understanding that all lines of enquiry had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The authorities knew that many [ children ] were being subjected to the most profound abuse and exploitation but did not protect them from the perpetrators , '' it said .
What did the report find ?
The report 's authors , childcare expert Malcolm Newsam and former Det Supt Gary Ridgeway , considered a `` sample '' of cases from Operation Augusta and in each , found that they `` can not offer any assurance '' that alleged offences were `` appropriately addressed by either GMP or MCC '' .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation had gone on to commit serious sexual offences , including rapes of girls aged both under and over 16 , after the operation was ended and that one suspect vehicle uncovered in the initial investigation was linked to a GMP officer , who was later dismissed from the force .
It said Victoria 's family and the other exploited children must have their allegations `` fully investigated '' and the mayor , GMP and MCC must look at `` how the people who appeared to present a risk to children in 2004 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It concluded that `` any future approach '' needed to `` address the exploitation of a significant number of children as recognised by Operation Augusta '' .
`` Anything less would risk repeating the mistakes of the past and not give the survivors the justice they deserve , '' it added .
What has been the response ?
Mrs Agoglia said she was lied to by the police and social workers at the time of her granddaughter 's death , adding : `` Where were they when Victoria was being abused ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ told them , Vicky came down time and time again to me ... and she told me herself what these men had done to her . ''
Apologising to `` all those vulnerable children '' , Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain said GMP `` accept that authorities fell short of doing all they could to protect and support the child victims of sexual exploitation identified '' .
`` Children should be able to expect those responsible for their care will do all they can to keep them safe . ''
Mr Burnham said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' but it was `` only by fully facing up to past failures that we will be able to correct them '' .
He said Victoria 's death `` should have been a wake-up call '' as it `` exposed a network of paedophiles brazenly abusing young people in care '' .
`` Each and every one of those abusers should have been brought to justice but , appallingly , most escaped and some were left to reoffend . ''
Ms Roney said MCC `` can not change the past [ but ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to do so to ensure that no stone is left unturned in tackling this abhorrent crime '' .
`` We recognise that some of the social work practice and management oversight around 15 years ago fell far below the high standards we now expect [ and ] we are deeply sorry that not enough was done to protect our children at the time , '' she added .
What happens now ?
ACC Hussain said a major incident team has been established and was `` reviewing all the information available '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested and another interviewed under caution in connection with Victoria Agoglia 's death in September 2019 .
The men have since been released while inquiries continue .
Mr Burnham , who said the system had been `` guilty of appalling failings '' , added that going forward , `` we will have a zero tolerance approach to child sexual exploitation of any kind '' .
He added that due to concerns about the original narrative verdict , he would also ask the attorney general to consider ordering a new inquest into Victoria Agoglia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and GMP were now working together `` much more closely and effectively to identify young people at risk of exploitation , put safeguarding measures in place to protect them and pursue perpetrators '' .
The report forms the first half of a larger investigation launched after the broadcast of the BBC documentary about child sex exploitation in Greater Manchester .
It said the second half had been delayed due to the need for a `` data processing agreement '' , which had `` recently been signed '' , allowing work to now progress @

It added that having considered "both the harrowing experience of Victoria" and that of her contemporaries, its authors "cannot understand" how the coroner at the time stated that it was "absolutely essential" that the public had confidence in "the quality of care and support afforded to children cared for within the child protection system".


bbc--2020-01-13--'Miracle baby' born after womb transplant

Nine Months in the Bronx - 'Do n't take my baby' Felicia is 22 and pregnant .
Her baby could @ @ @ @ @ New York authorities on the day she gives birth - unless she can prove she @ @ @ @ @ mother .
In Nine Months in the Bronx , the BBC ’ s Anna Bressanin @ @ @ @ @ as she navigates a welfare system which critics claim puts unfair demands on poor and @ @ @

Jennifer Gobrecht’s uterus transplant allowed her to have a baby, meaning Benjamin became only the second child in the US to be born through the procedure.
The medical care to the Philadelphia family was provided by a transplant trial at Penn Medicine.


bbc--2020-01-14--NikkieTutorials: Beauty YouTuber reveals she is transgender

Nikkie de Jager , an influential YouTuber with millions of fans , has revealed she is transgender in an emotional video .
On Monday , the 25-year-old , who is from the Netherlands , shared a video titled `` I 'm coming out '' .
In it , she explains her decision was forced by someone attempting to `` blackmail '' and publicly out her .
Known as NikkieTutorials , she is one of the most influential names in the platform 's beauty community .
She has been sharing make-up tutorials and reviews for 11 years and has almost 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her collaborate with celebrities including Lady Gaga , and last year she was named a global artistry adviser for Marc Jacobs beauty .
De Jager opens the 17-minute video by saying she had always wanted to share her story on her own terms , but having had the opportunity `` taken away '' wished to reclaim her own `` power '' .
`` I ca n't believe I 'm saying this today to all of you for the entire world to see .
But damn , it feels good to finally do it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be truly free , '' she says in the introduction .
`` When I was younger , I was born in the wrong body , which means that I am transgender now . ''
In the video , de Jager reveals she was born male but had always identified as female growing up .
She said that by age six - with her parents ' support - she began growing her hair out and by age seven or eight wore only female clothing .
She then started taking hormones and growth suppressors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transitioned '' by 19 , she explains in the clip .
`` Oh my god this is so liberating .
You had no idea that for 11 years that I 've had my channel , this has been with me , and I always wanted to share this with you , '' she tells her fans .
`` But I can not believe that after today , the world will know .
But there 's one thing that I really , really want to make so clear to all of you .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nothing changes about that . ''
At one point she addresses the people she says are threatening her and makes a middle-finger gesture , telling them : `` This one 's for you '' She also expresses her hope that her video may help and inspire others .
`` If you feel like you 're trapped and there 's no way out , know that it gets better .
Trust me , it gets better , '' she says towards the end of the clip .
The video has been met with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other YouTubers and members of the LGBT community .
`` I think she is an incredible woman , and I am so proud of her for sharing her story , '' UK-based YouTuber SophDoesLife , who has one million subscribers , told the BBC .
`` She is an inspiration to so many people , and I am so happy that she can now live her truth and feel free .
She definitely has all our support in the beauty community . ''
Jinkx Monsoon , an American drag queen and former winner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was among those who congratulated the beauty guru for `` reclaiming '' her story .
`` NO ONE has the right to out anybody else .
Period .
Coming out is a personal thing , and you do not get to decide that for someone else , '' she wrote on Twitter .
`` I 'm so sorry , Nikkie , that you went through that , but I applaud how you handled it . ''
At one point in the video , referencing a common segment on her channel , de Jager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Day '' was vrouw - meaning woman .
A number of Dutch politicians have praised the YouTube star .
Ingrid van Engelshoven , the minister of education , culture and science , described her as `` brave '' and a `` role model '' .
`` You 're truly free if you can be who you are .
Role models are of great importance for emancipation , '' she wrote ( in Dutch ) in a tweet .
De Jager responded to the influx of support with a series of emotional Instagram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened last night is something I never , ever would dare to dream about , '' she said , in tears .
`` The incredible amount of love and support and warmth means so much to me . ''

"NO ONE has the right to out anybody else. Period. Coming out is a personal thing, and you do not get to decide that for someone else," she wrote on Twitter. "I'm so sorry, Nikkie, that you went through that, but I applaud how you handled it."


bbc--2020-01-13--Houston Astros: MLB finds team guilty of electronic sign stealing

General manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch have been fired by the Houston Astros after they were suspended without pay for a year by Major League Baseball for their role in sign stealing during their 2017 World Series success .
MLB had been investigating claims the team illegally used a camera to steal signs from catchers to pitchers during the season .
Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers and three anonymous sources told The Athletic in November that the Astros used a camera in the outfield during home games .
The Astros have been fined $ 5m ( £3.8m ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they forfeit their first- and second-round draft picks for 2020 and 2021 .
According to the ruling , the investigation revealed `` absolutely no evidence '' that Astros owner Jim Crane was aware of any of the team 's conduct .
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora , who was a Houston coach in 2017 , is also named in the report and could face a ban .
In addition , MLB is investigating claims that the Red Sox used video replays to steal signs from catchers to pitchers during their 2018 World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by The Athletic .
Catchers flash signs to pitchers using their fingers to call for a specific delivery - such as a fastball , curveball or slider - and knowing what pitch is likely to be coming is an advantage to the batter .
MLB prohibits the use of electronic equipment to steal signs but otherwise the practice , while frowned upon , is not against the rules .
The first Athletic report claims that during the 2017 season , Astros players and staff would monitor opposing catchers ' signals as recorded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After working out which sign corresponded to which pitch , they would tell the batter what was coming , allegedly banging on a rubbish bin inside the clubhouse to signal an off-speed pitch .
The Astros won their only world title in 2017 , beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game seven of a thrilling series .
They were beaten 4-3 by the Washington Nationals in last year 's World Series .
Fiers , 34 , was not offered a new contract in Houston after the end of the 2017 season , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post-season .
He moved to the Detroit Tigers for 2018 , and is currently with the Oakland Athletics .
`` I just want the game to be cleaned up a little bit because there are guys who are losing their jobs because they 're going in there not knowing , '' Fiers said .
The suspensions of Luhnow , Hinch and Brandon Taubman are to begin immediately , the bans to end on the day following the completion of the 2020 World Series .
Former assistant general manager Taubman , who was dismissed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned for a year without pay .
`` I find that the conduct of the Astros , and its senior baseball operations executives , merits significant discipline , '' commissioner Rob Manfred said as part of the nine-page ruling .
`` The conduct described herein has caused fans , players , executives at other MLB clubs , and members of the media to raise questions about the integrity of games in which the Astros participated .
And while it is impossible to determine whether the conduct actually impacted the results on the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did causes significant harm to the game . ''
Should either Luhnow or Hinch be found to engage in `` any future material violations '' of MLB rules in the future , they will receive a lifetime ban .
The report says former bench coach Cora , who is now the manager of the Red Sox , was involved in setting up the illegal recordings .
Cora was not disciplined as part of this investigation , but the report states that he could face penalties at the conclusion of the ongoing investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sox during the 2018 season .
MLB opened a new investigation last week after The Athletic reported that the Red Sox had used their video/replay room during the 2018 season to learn opponents ' sign sequences .

The Astros beat the Dodgers to win their first World Series in 2017
General manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch have been fired by the Houston Astros after they were suspended without pay for a year by Major League Baseball for their role in sign stealing during their 2017 World Series success.
MLB had been investigating claims the team illegally used a camera to steal signs from catchers to pitchers during the season.
Former Astros pitcher Mike Fiers and three anonymous sources told The Athletic in November that the Astros used a camera in the outfield during home games.
The Astros have been fined $5m (£3.8m), the highest amount permitted, and they forfeit their first- and second-round draft picks for 2020 and 2021.
According to the ruling, the investigation revealed "absolutely no evidence" that Astros owner Jim Crane was aware of any of the team's conduct.
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who was a Houston coach in 2017, is also named in the report and could face a ban.
In addition, MLB is investigating claims that the Red Sox used video replays to steal signs from catchers to pitchers during their 2018 World Series-winning season, following a second report by The Athletic external-link .
Catchers flash signs to pitchers using their fingers to call for a specific delivery - such as a fastball, curveball or slider - and knowing what pitch is likely to be coming is an advantage to the batter.
MLB prohibits the use of electronic equipment to steal signs but otherwise the practice, while frowned upon, is not against the rules.
The first Athletic report claims that during the 2017 season, Astros players and staff would monitor opposing catchers' signals as recorded by a camera at Minute Maid Park.
After working out which sign corresponded to which pitch, they would tell the batter what was coming, allegedly banging on a rubbish bin inside the clubhouse to signal an off-speed pitch.
The Astros won their only world title in 2017, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game seven of a thrilling series.
They were beaten 4-3 by the Washington Nationals in last year's World Series.
Fiers, 34, was not offered a new contract in Houston after the end of the 2017 season, having been left off their roster for the post-season. He moved to the Detroit Tigers for 2018, and is currently with the Oakland Athletics.
"I just want the game to be cleaned up a little bit because there are guys who are losing their jobs because they're going in there not knowing," Fiers said.
The suspensions of Luhnow, Hinch and Brandon Taubman are to begin immediately, the bans to end on the day following the completion of the 2020 World Series.
Former assistant general manager Taubman, who was dismissed by Houston in October, is also banned for a year without pay.
'Significant harm to the game'
"I find that the conduct of the Astros, and its senior baseball operations executives, merits significant discipline," commissioner Rob Manfred said as part of the nine-page ruling.
"The conduct described herein has caused fans, players, executives at other MLB clubs, and members of the media to raise questions about the integrity of games in which the Astros participated. And while it is impossible to determine whether the conduct actually impacted the results on the field, the perception of some that it did causes significant harm to the game."
Should either Luhnow or Hinch be found to engage in "any future material violations" of MLB rules in the future, they will receive a lifetime ban.
The report says former bench coach Cora, who is now the manager of the Red Sox, was involved in setting up the illegal recordings.
Cora was not disciplined as part of this investigation, but the report states that he could face penalties at the conclusion of the ongoing investigation into allegations of illegal sign-stealing by the Red Sox during the 2018 season.


bbc--2020-01-14--Chinese student Wu Huayan dies after living on pennies a day

A severely malnourished student who survived on just 2 yuan ( $ 0.30 , £0.20 ) per day for years to support her brother has died , Chinese media say .
Wu Huayan 's plight shocked China when pictures of the young woman , who weighed just over 20kg ( 43lb ) , emerged last year .
She was admitted to hospital with breathing problems in October 2019 .
Donations flooded in to help her recovery , but her brother told reporters she had died on Monday .
Ms Wu had told the Chongqing Morning Post that she turned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father and grandmother die because they had no money to pay for treatment .
`` I do n't want to experience that - to wait for death because of poverty , '' she said .
Her brother , who has not been named , told Beijing Youth Daily that she was just 24 when she died .
Doctors said last year that the third-year university student was suffering from heart and kidney problems as a result of five years spent eating minimal amounts of food .
Wu Huayan and her brother had struggled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost their mother when she was four and their father died when she was still in school .
She and her brother were then supported by their grandmother , and later by an uncle and aunt who could only provide 300 yuan each month .
Most of that money went on the medical bills of her younger brother , who had mental health problems .
This meant Ms Wu spent only 2 yuan a day on herself , surviving largely off chillies and rice for five years .
When she arrived in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4ft 5in ) tall .
Doctors said she was so malnourished that her eyebrows and 50 % of her hair had fallen out .
What was the reaction ?
The siblings hailed from Guizhou , one of the poorest provinces in China , and the case has shone a spotlight on poverty in China .
While China 's economy has boomed over the past few decades , poverty has not disappeared , with the National Bureau of Statistics saying that in 2017 there were 30.46 million rural people still living below the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Inequality has also grown , with a 2018 report from the International Monetary Fund saying China was now `` one of the world 's most unequal countries '' .
Wu Huayan 's case prompted an outpouring of anger towards authorities , with many on social media questioning why more had not been done to help the siblings .
Others expressed admiration for her efforts to help her brother while also persevering with her studies .
Aside from the donations on crowdfunding platforms , her teachers and classmates donated 40,000 yuan , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
before her death , officials released a statement saying Ms Wu had been receiving the minimum government subsidy - thought to be between 300 and 700 yuan a month - and was now getting an emergency relief fund of 20,000 yuan .
China has previously pledged to `` eliminate '' poverty by 2020 .
Earlier this month , Jiangsu province said only 17 people out of its more than 80 million population were living in poverty .
The figures were questioned online .

Wu Huayan and her brother had struggled to survive for many years. They lost their mother when she was four and their father died when she was still in school.


bbc--2020-01-14--Spike Lee becomes first black Cannes jury head

Spike Lee has made history by becoming the first black filmmaker to preside over the Cannes film festival jury .
The Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing director said he was `` shocked , happy , surprised and proud '' .
Lee has premiered seven films at the festival , with his 2018 movie BlacKkKlansman receiving wide acclaim .
His appointment follows criticism of the Oscars nominations for ignoring actors and directors of colour .
Nineteen of the 20 acting nominees this year are white - the highest number since the # OscarsSoWhite protests of 2015 and 2016 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He refused to the attend 2016 Oscars ceremony , prompting some other filmmakers and actors to follow .
Three years later , he won his first competitive Oscar for best adapted screenplay ( BlacKkKlansman ) .
In response to his Cannes role , the 62-year-old said in a statement that his `` biggest blessings ... have happened out of nowhere '' .
`` I 'm honoured to be the first person of the African diaspora ( USA ) to be named president of the Cannes jury and of a main film festival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film festival ( besides being the most important film festival in the world - no disrespect to anybody ) has had a great impact on my film career .
`` You could easily say Cannes changed the trajectory of who I became in world cinema , '' he added .
The Cannes film festival 's official statement said Lee 's work had `` brought the questions and contentious issues of the times to contemporary cinema '' and acknowledged that many of his films had achieved cult status .
`` Spike Lee 's perspective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a natural homeland and a global sounding board for those who ( re ) awaken minds and question our stances and fixed ideas , '' it added .
`` Lee 's flamboyant personality is sure to shake things up .
What kind of president of the jury will he be ?
Find out in Cannes ! ''
Lee will also be awarded an honorary Palme d'Or for lifetime achievement .
He succeeds director Alejandro G Inarritu , whose jury in 2019 awarded the Palme d'Or to Korean director Bong Joon-ho 's Parasite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including best picture .
Only one Asian filmmaker , the Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai , has led the Cannes jury in its 73-year history .
French actress Isabelle Adjani , whose father was Algerian , became the first person of African descent to lead the jury in 1997 .
But the top film festivals have been criticised for their general lack of diversity in recent years .
Cannes and Venice have faced scrutiny for a lack of female directors in their main competitions .
In 2018 , Cate Blanchett , the then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parity at the Cannes Film Festival , saying she would `` absolutely '' like to see more female directors competing for the festival 's Palme d'Or award .
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

Nineteen of the 20 acting nominees this year are white - the highest number since the #OscarsSoWhite protests of 2015 and 2016, of which Lee was a vocal supporter. He refused to the attend 2016 Oscars ceremony, prompting some other filmmakers and actors to follow.


bbc--2020-01-14--Belgium euthanasia: Three doctors accused in unprecedented trial

In an unprecedented case , three Belgian doctors are going on trial in Ghent accused of unlawfully poisoning a patient whose life they helped to end .
Tine Nys , 38 , died surrounded by her family on 27 April 2010 .
Her sisters argue that her death should never have been allowed under Belgium 's euthanasia law , and that it was achieved in an amateurish manner .
Euthanasia and assisted suicide were made legal under strict conditions in Belgium in 2002 .
Nys 's family argue that her reason for seeking to end her life was because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` serious and incurable disorder '' as required under Belgian law .
The three doctors from East Flanders who are going on trial have not been named , but they include the doctor who carried out the lethal injection and Nys 's former doctor and a psychiatrist .
If found guilty they could face long jail terms .
• What different countries say about assisted dying A similar first took place in the Dutch courts last year , when a doctor was cleared of failing to check the consent of a 74-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What do her sisters say ?
The 38-year-old had suffered a childhood of severe psychiatric problems and had tried to take her own life when she was younger .
But her sisters , Lotte and Sophie , are adamant she was not incurably ill , as Belgian law requires , but suffering from the stress of a broken relationship .
She had not had psychiatric treatment for 15 years .
Nys had been given a diagnosis of autism two months before her death and had not yet received treatment for it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to rest on what constitutes `` constant and unbearable suffering '' , which is also key to Belgian law .
The sisters also complained about the botched manner in which the doctor gave Tine a lethal injection .
`` He likened her death to that of a pet that is in pain and is having a shot , '' they told Flemish TV in 2016 .
`` He also asked our father to hold the needle in her arm because he had forgotten to bring plasters .
When she had died he asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the stethoscope to check her heart had actually stopped beating . ''
Lawyers for the three doctors have complained their clients are being treated almost as murderers , even though they acted in good faith .
A patient must be legally competent and conscious at the time of seeking to end their life .
The request must be voluntary , well considered and repeated .
The disease must cause constant and unbearable physical or mental suffering , resulting from a serious and incurable disorder caused by illness or accident , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a patient is not expected to die soon , the doctor must consult a second physician and allow at least a month from the request before euthanasia takes place .
Physicians are free to perform euthanasia if the conditions are met or refuse if they do not wish to .
Last October , renowned 40-year-old Belgian Paralympian Marieke Vervoort ended her life 11 years after signing papers to allow a doctor to end her life .
She had an incurable degenerative muscle disease that caused her constant pain , seizures and paralysis in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silver at the London 2012 Paralympics .
Tine Nys 's sisters have emphasised they consider euthanasia necessary in some cases but want the law made clearer .
Since 2014 , Belgium has allowed minors to be helped to die as well as adults , if they are terminally ill and in great pain and if they have parental consent .
According to Belgian media , there were 2,357 cases of euthanasia in 2018 , equivalent to more than six a day .
The majority involved people aged over 60 and took place in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Belgian Paralympian Marieke Vervoort who chose to die

The 38-year-old had suffered a childhood of severe psychiatric problems and had tried to take her own life when she was younger. But her sisters, Lotte and Sophie, are adamant she was not incurably ill, as Belgian law requires, but suffering from the stress of a broken relationship. She had not had psychiatric treatment for 15 years.


bbc--2020-01-14--US urges Apple to unlock air base shooter's phones

US Attorney General William Barr has asked Apple to unlock two phones of a Saudi man who carried out a mass shooting at a US base .
He accused the company of not having `` given us any substantive assistance '' , a claim that Apple denies .
The tech firm has clashed previously with the FBI over requests to unlock iPhones belonging to terror suspects .
Three sailors were killed and eight wounded in the 6 December attack by a 21-year old Saudi Air Force lieutenant .
Mr Barr described the shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is very important for us to know with whom and about what the shooter was communicating before he died , '' he said at a press conference on Monday .
Apple had given the FBI iCloud data from the attacker 's online account , the New York Times reported , but refused to unlock the phone , saying it would undermine their own encryption software .
In a statement following Mr Barr 's accusation , Apple rejected that it had not provided assistance with the investigation and said it had responded promptly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A similar clash in 2016 was resolved when the FBI found a way to unlock a phone belonging to a mass shooter in California without help from Apple .
Also on Monday , 21 members of the Saudi military were expelled from the US .
Mr Barr said the cadets were found to have had jihadist material and indecent images of children in their possession but are not accused of aiding the shooter .
The attorney general said 17 of the expelled cadets were found to have possessed online terrorist material .
Fifteen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possessed online terrorist material , had indecent images of children , he added .
He said the 21 cadets were being disenrolled and returned home on Monday .
Mr Barr added that the expelled cadets had not been charged with any crime in the US , but might face prosecution back home .
There are more than 850 Saudi military cadets conducting training in the US .
Their training was put on hold after the December attack .
The Pensacola base has long offered aviation training to foreign military forces .
Saudi pilots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other personnel from Italy , Singapore and Germany .
After last month 's attack , the base 's commanding officer said that about 200 international students were enrolled in programmes there .
According to its website , the base employs more than 16,000 military and 7,400 civilian personnel .

"It is very important for us to know with whom and about what the shooter was communicating before he died," he said at a press conference on Monday.


bbc--2020-01-14--'My boyfriend dumped me but how do I tell my cat?'

'My boyfriend dumped me but how do I tell my cat ? '
How do you tell your pet that you 've broken up with your partner and they 'll never get to snuggle them again ?
When Abby Govindan , 22 , from Houston , Texas , got dumped by her boyfriend , one of her biggest concerns was how to tell her cat that the guy they had both adored had left for good .
The US-based comedian and writer lamented to Twitter : `` How do I explain to my cat , who loved my boyfriend more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is never coming over again ever '' ?
And with 250,000 likes and nearly 13,000 retweets , her plea clearly resonated .
She told the BBC she was shocked by how many people got in touch - with many more sending her private messages of support .
`` I got broken up with and so a few minutes later I tweeted the first thoughts in my head .
People were really nice but I just did n't expect the response . ''
Abby added : `` I 'm actually a dog person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for just over a year .
She was a rescue and provides me with emotional support .
`` But it was my ex-partner - whom I had been with for seven months - who taught me how to 'speak cat ' - they understood each other on an intimate level and she adored him . ''
Abby said that Anjali , 12 , would perk her ears up and run to the door whenever she heard the sound of Abby 's former partner locking his car when he came over .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what 's going on .
I think she knows something is different as when I came home after the break up she was far more affectionate with me than she usually is .
Abby said when she first got Anjali , the feline would suffer from separation anxiety and would wake her up in the middle of the night to check she was still there , so she was concerned about how the relationship break up would affect the pair of them .
`` I can see her trying to figure out what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over to check on me when I cry .
She 's normally a bit of a diva but she 's being really nice . ''
Amy Loyd from Tennessee , US , was among those who responded on Twitter .
She told Abby : `` When my ex husband left me , my dog went into a serious depression .
I got another doggie to keep her company .
Not totally convinced that it helped but I think it did change her mental focus .
Now they 're besties . ''
She told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her think carefully about what had happened to her Boston Terrier Lily when their family dynamics changed .
`` Lily is a rescue and has been with us for 12 years .
I got her when my son was three and I was a single mum .
`` When I first met my ex-husband in 2010 , she fell in love with him too .
He knew how to pet her in just the right way . ''
However when her former partner left after two years of marriage , Lily was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think she realised quite what was happening at first .
She would n't eat ; she was n't excited to see people - she was lovesick .
Amy said she sat down with Lily and would tell her 'it 's not your fault ' but of course had no idea how much of this her dog could actually understand .
She later went and got another rescue - London - and while the two initially took a while to trust each other , now they spend all their time together .
Amy says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her move on from the relationship too .
`` I needed loyalty after my husband left me for somebody else .
These two give me and my son the love and loyalty we deserve . ''
• Puppy with extra tail on his head rescued • Why this woman hates to hear about 'big bad wolf' But what should you do when it comes to breaking up when pets are involved ?
Elaine Henley is from the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors ( APBC ) and is a clinical animal behaviourist in Glasgow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's important to recognise that pets will be able to pick up on behaviours and emotional clues being emitted by the couples involved .
`` If there is a lot of acrimony in the home - perhaps people arguing , or a lot of upset , then the creatures will pick up the emotions but just not be able to fully understand the reasons why , '' she said .
`` It 'll be like small children wondering what 's happening when their caregivers break up .
They want to know what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' She said this could lead to them reacting and playing out - there might be unexpected aggression , over eating , pacing around and anxiety .
She suggested to consider gradually introducing the fact that one caregiver will no longer be in the animal 's life but admitted that 's not always easy .
Henley said she was unsurprised that Abby 's cat was paying her more attention and said : `` Pets see the subtleties in your body language and pick up on the pheromones you are giving out . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer like the ex but to that animal , that person seemed nice and safe and loving - so they will feel that loss .
They will need reassurance that you are n't planning to go anywhere and if they are being spoken to in a calm manner , that would help . ''
But what happens now ?
Well back in the US , Abby says she will allow her and Anjali time and space to grieve .
Her favourite response to her question about how to let Anjali know what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me , saying I should tell her : 'Very , very gently ' . ''

"If there is a lot of acrimony in the home - perhaps people arguing, or a lot of upset, then the creatures will pick up the emotions but just not be able to fully understand the reasons why," she said. "It'll be like small children wondering what's happening when their caregivers break up. They want to know what is making mum and dad so unhappy?"


bbc--2020-01-14--Canadian PM cautious over Harry and Meghan's move

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he is `` absolutely confident '' the Royal Family is going to `` sort out '' a future role for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex .
Harry and Meghan want to `` step back '' from being full-time working royals .
Mr Johnson told BBC Breakfast : `` I think they 'll sort it out all the easier without any commentary from me . ''
It came as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said further talks were needed over who pays for Prince Harry and Meghan 's security .
Mr Trudeau said the funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to relocate to North America are to be discussed .
The Queen has agreed a `` period of transition '' in which Prince Harry and Meghan will be in Canada and the UK .
She said she was `` entirely supportive '' of their desire for a new role but `` would have preferred '' them to remain full-time working royals .
In a statement following talks at Sandringham , the Queen 's residence in Norfolk , on Monday involving senior royals , the Queen said she expected final decisions to be made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Prince of Wales , the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attended the summit .
Meghan - who is in Canada - did not participate , according to the Daily Mail and Hello !
magazine .
• Harry and Meghan are looking for the exit • Queen 's statement on Harry and Meghan in full In his first major TV interview following December 's general election , Mr Johnson was asked by BBC Breakfast 's Dan Walker what he thought of Prince Harry and Meghan 's decision to `` step back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and divide their time between the UK and North America .
Mr Johnson said that while `` everybody has got an opinion '' on the situation , `` the Royal Family is one of the great , great assets of this country and I 'm sure they will sort it out '' .
When asked about media intrusion and whether there were any colonial undertones in the coverage of Meghan , the PM said : `` I do n't think this is helped by running commentary by politicians . ''
Among the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future is who will fund their security .
Mr Trudeau said most Canadians were `` very supportive '' of having royals live there , but there were `` still lots of discussions to have '' over `` how that looks and what kind of costs are involved '' .
He said the federal Canadian government had not been involved `` up until this point '' about what the couple 's move to the country would involve .
Speaking to Global News , a Canadian TV network , he added : `` There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken by the Royal Family , by the Sussexes themselves , as to what level of engagement they choose to have .
`` We are obviously supportive of their reflections but have responsibilities in that as well . ''
Earlier the Queen said the talks at Sandringham which also involved the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge , had been `` very constructive '' .
`` My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan 's desire to create a new life as a young family , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preferred them to remain full-time working members of the Royal Family , we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family . ''
She said it had been agreed there would be `` a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK '' after Harry and Meghan `` made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives '' .
• How could Harry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Harry have Canada in their sights The urgent talks were convened after the Sussexes surprised the rest of the Royal Family last week with their statement .
They also said they wanted a `` progressive new role '' within the institution , where they would be financially independent .
Both Prince Harry and Meghan spoke of the difficulties of royal life and media attention in recent months , with the duke saying he feared his wife would fall victim to `` the same powerful forces '' that led to his mother 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and informal , almost personal , statement from the Queen .
Her regret over Harry and Meghan 's move is obvious - she would have preferred them to stay in their current roles .
But she also makes clear that they are still royals and that they will be valued in the family as they become a more independent couple .
There are buckets of questions outstanding - on their future royal role , their relationship with the rest of the Palace , on who will pay what ( not , the Queen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on how Harry and Meghan will support themselves .
There 's still a lot to thrash out and to agree on .
Not all of it may become public .
And it looks like the Queen sees this as a process , not an event .
She writes of a transition period when Harry and Meghan divide their time between Canada and the UK .
The Queen has asked for decisions to be made over the next few days .
But those decisions may well be up for review in the coming months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family divide your time between two or more countries ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

She said it had been agreed there would be "a period of transition in which the Sussexes will spend time in Canada and the UK" after Harry and Meghan "made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives".


bbc--2020-01-14--Retired Pope to be removed as celibacy book author

The cardinal who co-wrote a book backing priestly celibacy with the retired Pope has said Benedict XVI 's name will be removed from future editions .
Some saw the apparent intervention by Benedict as a challenge to his successor , Pope Francis .
Pope Benedict , who is 92 , reportedly said he could not remain silent .
Francis is considering whether to relax the rules for married men in the Amazon region .
Cardinal Robert Sarah tweeted ( in French ) that in light of the controversy the publication had provoked , it had been decided that in future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the contribution of Benedict XVI noted .
The text would remain completely unchanged , he said .
Pope Benedict 's private secretary said he had asked Cardinal Sarah to request the changes .
The cardinal rejected accusations that he had taken advantage of the frail former pontiff , saying that Benedict knew that the project would take the form of a book .
Pope Benedict still lives within the walls of the Vatican in a former monastery .
A theological conservative with traditional views on Catholic values , he pledged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he retired citing poor health .
But since then , he has made his views known in articles , books and interviews , advocating a different approach to Pope Francis , who is seen as more progressive .
What is the proposed change ?
In October , Catholic bishops from around the world gathered for a meeting , known as the synod , to discuss the future of the Church in the Amazon .
At the conclusion of that meeting , a document detailing issues affecting the Church was released .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in remote parts of the Amazon , older , married men should be ordained .
South American bishops have advocated this in an effort to address the shortage of priests in the region .
Pope Francis will consider it , along with many other proposals , including the environment and the role of women in the Church .
He is expected to make a decision on the matter within the next few months .
There are already some exceptions , such as priests in Eastern Catholic Churches and Anglican priests who convert .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was introduced about 900 years ago , and before then clergy were often married .
It is not explicitly required by the Bible but is a discipline required by the Church .
For many , celibacy is a key part of being a Catholic priest , one who is supposed to devote himself to the Church and not be distracted by what some consider to be worldly concerns like a wife or a family .
For traditionalists , this is about the direction in which Pope Francis is taking the Church .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ priests in the Amazon as a pretext to abolishing celibacy as a requirement altogether .

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bbc--2020-01-14--China sinkhole: Six killed as ground swallows bus

At least six people have been killed and 16 injured after an enormous sinkhole swallowed a bus and a number of pedestrians in central China .
The incident occurred on Monday evening outside a hospital in Xining , the capital of Qinghai province .
CCTV footage showed an explosion inside the sinkhole shortly after the bus and bystanders fell inside on Monday evening .
Several deadly sinkholes have been reported in China in recent years .
The footage from the latest incident shows the moment people waiting at a bus stop are forced to flee as the ground underneath the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of people gather to try to rescue the bus passengers , but are engulfed by the sinkhole as it suddenly widens .
According to state media , the sinkhole stretched nearly 10m ( 32 feet ) in diameter .
It is unclear how many people were inside the bus at the time of the incident .
Sinkholes in China are often blamed on construction works and the rapid pace of development in the country .
In 2018 , four people were killed after a sinkhole opened up on a busy pavement in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2013 , a similar incident killed five people at an industrial estate in the southern city of Shenzhen .

The footage from the latest incident shows the moment people waiting at a bus stop are forced to flee as the ground underneath the bus starts to cave in.


bbc--2020-01-14--Burisma: US firm says Russia hacked company at heart of Trump impeachment

The Ukrainian gas company at the centre of President Donald Trump 's impeachment was successfully hacked by Russian military agents in November , a US cybersecurity firm has said .
Area 1 Security said it was not clear what the hackers were searching for when they hacked Burisma Holdings .
Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden 's son Hunter Biden was previously on the board of the firm .
Burisma , the US government and Russia 's Ministry of Defence are yet to respond .
Area 1 linked the hack - a `` phishing '' attack - to Russia 's military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
President Trump was impeached in December over allegations that he improperly pressured Ukraine 's leader Volodymyr Zelensky to launch an investigation into Burisma and its links to the Bidens .
The security firm also drew parallels between November 's hack and another that was carried out against Democrats in 2016 , before the US presidential election .
In its eight-page report , California-based firm Area 1 said the GRU hackers behind the Burisma breach are known by the alias `` Fancy Bear '' among cybersecurity researchers .
The hackers used `` phishing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usernames and passwords , the California-based security firm said .
In this case , Burisma employees were sent what looked like internal company emails and fake websites that looked like the sign-in pages of Burisma subsidiaries .
Using this tactic , the hackers managed to get into Burisma 's servers , it added .
Area 1 said it became aware of the hack after its email security scanning product found suspicious evidence online , including `` decoy domains '' for the fake websites .
A source close to Burisma told Reuters news agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject to a number of break-in attempts over the past six months .
Burisma , a Ukrainian energy firm , is at the heart of the impeachment proceedings against President Trump .
In a phone call in July 2019 , President Trump pushed for Ukrainian President Zelensky to announce an investigation into Burisma and the Bidens .
Specifically , Mr Trump wanted Kyiv to look into a debunked theory that Joe Biden had previously tried to quash a probe of Burisma in order to protect his son .
President Trump is now due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two articles of impeachment - abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
He denies any wrongdoing .
How is this linked to 2016 ?
The Burisma hack `` really is starting to parallel with what we saw in 2016 '' , Area 1 co-founder Oren Falkowitz told Reuters .
That year , hackers gained access to the Democratic National Committee ( DNC ) and to the campaign of President Trump 's then-electoral rival , Hillary Clinton .
Area 1 co-founders Mr Falkowitz and Blake Darche added : `` The timing of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 US elections raises the specter that this is an early warning of what we have anticipated since the successful cyberattacks undertaken during the 2016 US elections . ''
Mr Darche also told Reuters that they were `` 100 % certain '' that the GRU was behind the hacking .

Area 1 co-founders Mr Falkowitz and Blake Darche added: "The timing of the GRU's campaign in relation to the 2020 US elections raises the specter that this is an early warning of what we have anticipated since the successful cyberattacks undertaken during the 2016 US elections."


bbc--2020-01-14--Peter Madsen: Russian artist marries Danish submarine killer

A Russian artist living in self-imposed exile in Finland has defended her marriage to the notorious jailed Danish killer Peter Madsen .
Jenny Curpen married Madsen on 19 December , according to her Facebook page .
She has received many hostile messages , some calling her crazy .
Madsen received a life sentence in April 2018 for the sexual assault and murder of Swedish journalist Kim Wall .
Her dismembered body was found after she had boarded his submarine .
Madsen is in Herstedvester Prison , just outside Copenhagen , and on Facebook he confirmed his marriage to Ms Curpen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I wo n't be able to have access to internet , to receive and to react to your messages .
If you still have any need to interact , feel free to contact Jenny Curpen via Facebook . ''
Ms Curpen lives in the Finnish town of Salo with a fellow Russian political exile , Alexei Devyatkin , and they have two infant sons .
The 2017 murder of Kim Wall , a distinguished freelance journalist , was marked by `` unusual brutality '' , the judges at Madsen 's trial said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ her body , but claimed she had died in an accident on the submarine he had built .
Her headless torso washed up on a beach , then divers found other body parts dumped at sea in weighted plastic bags .
• Kim Wall : What really happened on Peter Madsen 's submarine ?
Originally a journalist , Ms Curpen describes herself now as an artist .
She told BBC Russian that her marriage to Madsen was genuine , not just part of an `` art project '' she had announced earlier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the Peter we knew '' .
She said the phrase had been repeated by the inventor 's former friends , and symbolised the way society had demonised him since the crime .
He was famous for his home-made submarine and for designing experimental space rockets .
In a post on Sunday , Ms Curpen wrote : `` My husband committed a horrible crime and he is punished for that .
However , knowing him for real give me an exclusive right to say that I am lucky to be with the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and empathetic person and man ever .
`` My husband is the one of two victims of his crime and staying alive was a punishment itself for him . ''
Her Facebook page shows a metal tag apparently from a prison visit , and a scrap of paper showing part of the prison 's address .
On Sunday she had complained of `` thousands of weird , stupid , absurd or aggressive comments , messages and threats of physical nature from many so-called normal , law-abiding good people '' .
She used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news website banned by the authorities .
She and Mr Devyatkin were arrested in 2012 after attending rallies of the far-left opposition National Bolsheviks .
The party , led by Eduard Limonov , is in a grouping called The Other Russia , fiercely opposed to President Vladimir Putin .
Limonov has ultra-nationalist views - he supported Serb hardliners in former Yugoslavia - and spent nearly two years in jail on terrorism charges .
Ms Curpen says she fled with Mr Devyatkin first to Ukraine , then to Finland , where they were granted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project , she wrote in a manifesto : `` Supporting the guilty one , calling him a friend , we smash 'normality ' into pieces , diversify the symbolic capital of culture , engage in cultural terrorism , essentially the only truly effective form of peaceful resistance . ''
She says she launched the project in mid-2018 , but soon realised she needed `` some form of collaboration with Peter himself , and in autumn [ 2018 ] personal communication began '' .
After his arrest in 2017 , Madsen divorced his wife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says Madsen began seeking penpals from his prison cell in August 2018 .
BT says he had a trio of female admirers who supported him during his court appeal .
The nationalist Danish People 's Party wants tighter restrictions on prison visits to Madsen and others jailed for the worst crimes .

In a post on Sunday, Ms Curpen wrote: "My husband committed a horrible crime and he is punished for that. However, knowing him for real give me an exclusive right to say that I am lucky to be with the most beautiful, smart, talented, devoted and empathetic person and man ever.


bbc--2020-01-14--Kashmir avalanches and landslides leave 62 people dead

At least 62 people have been killed and more are missing after avalanches and landslides hit Pakistan-administered Kashmir over the past three days .
The region 's Neelum Valley was particularly hard hit , with many people left cut off from help .
While the area is prone to weather disasters , the current toll is one of the deadliest in recent history .
The harsh weather has also killed dozens in other parts of Pakistan , and in India and Afghanistan .
Pakistani Kashmir was the worst-hit area , with 62 people killed and several missing , Pakistan 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most places the weather improved on Tuesday , but many of the worst affected areas remain cut off .
In Pakistan 's Balochistan province , officials put the death toll at 20 including 12 women and seven children .
Eight people have also died in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir , according to local media .
In Afghanistan , the official toll stands at 24 dead and 40 wounded over the past two weeks , with most of the casualties occurring over the past three days .
The worst-affected provinces in the country include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rescue efforts are under way .
Pakistani authorities have told the BBC that across Neelum Valley , at least 59 people have been killed and over 40 injured by both avalanches and landslides .
More than 100 houses have been destroyed or damaged .
Police say most routes to access the valley are blocked , so rescue teams can not get in .
Neelum Valley is a narrow crescent-shaped valley that runs some 130km ( 81 miles ) from end to end , surrounded on both sides by tall mountains .

In Afghanistan, the official toll stands at 24 dead and 40 wounded over the past two weeks, with most of the casualties occurring over the past three days.