bbc--2020-10-08--Pope on Bell comparisons, England's 'big dogs' and his bubble must-haves

Trying to establish yourself on the international stage is hard enough , but trying to do it while being compared to a modern-day England great , and the ninth-highest Test run-scorer in your country 's history , makes it that little bit more difficult .
The comparisons between Surrey 's Pope and the recently-retired Ian Bell were drawn throughout this summer , including from Bell 's former team-mate Kevin Pietersen .
`` He reminds me of a young Ian Bell .
I love his intensity , '' Pietersen enthused .
`` He 's a very good player , technically sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he keeps his intensity up against the spinner , the sky 's the limit . ''
It 's hard to get away from the comparisons when you see Pope 's elegant cover drive , or his almost effortless ability to latch onto length and rotate the strike with minimal fuss .
`` I can only see it as a positive , '' Pope told BBC Sport .
`` Ian Bell was fantastic to watch but to be honest it 's a lot more coincidence rather than me copying him .
`` With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , obviously I played in the winter , but my first proper home series where I got a good run , a lot more England fans were probably watching and made that comparison a little bit more . ''
It 's been a busy 12 months for Pope .
Having made his England debut in August 2018 , the 22-year-old right-hander returned to the international fold when England toured New Zealand last winter and averages 42.21 in 11 Tests since .
Pope , though , knows he 's `` not the finished article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' by his `` OK '' summer , where he averaged 26.87 in six Tests against West Indies and Pakistan - series which England won .
`` I probably would have liked another score or two , '' he said .
`` If I got a score I probably would have been looking at things slightly differently , saying 'that was a good summer ' so it was frustrating to get a couple of low ones at the end but there were some positives to take forward . ''
Pope is at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players which is likely to form the backbone of the England Test side for the next decade .
After two or three years of inconsistent selection , England appear to have found a formula which works , and which could see them win the Ashes in Australia next winter , according to Michael Vaughan .
Dom Sibley , Zak Crawley , Dom Bess , Sam Curran and Jofra Archer are also relatively new additions to a youthful and relatively inexperienced side , which is complemented by - in Pope 's words - `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Stuart Broad and Joe Root .
`` We sat down before the New Zealand series in the winter and just said 'we know it 's going to be a bit of a rollercoaster with these young players in the side so there 's going to be times where we probably do n't get it quite right ' , '' Pope said .
`` But the consistency of the side over that winter and this summer has been really good to see .
`` Us young lads look up to the guys who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are the perfect guys for us to learn off .
We 're in pretty good hands . ''
• None How the Vatican , snakes and laundry made Ollie Pope England are building towards the Ashes in Australia at the back end of 2021 and Pope admits that series is `` in the back of their mind '' .
`` There 's a big series against India in the summer and this winter so they are going to be the primary focus but I 'm sure there will be work going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ashes , '' he said .
`` I 'm sure we 'll be doing a little bit of , maybe , left-arm quick stuff and a bit of extra pace in the background just to get ready for the Australia trip but I think the signs were good in South Africa last winter . ''
At the moment , Pope 's days are filled with three hours of rehab , as he looks to recover from a second shoulder operation in as many years , but he 's also keen to take time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try to get out and about and get a coffee , but I 'm getting a puppy in six days so that 's going to be taking up a fair bit of my time , '' he says , with a huge smile on his face .
Pope is also spending his downtime by helping the London Cricket Trust .
He recently attended a new net opening in Peckham Rye Park and says the work the Trust do is `` massively important '' .
`` The quality of the nets that are there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , most of them were 10 or 11 , and they were seriously impressive , '' he said .
`` They 're not able to train and enjoy their cricket as much if they do n't have the quality facilities that are provided by the London Cricket Trust so it 's massively important in their development , and also in their enjoyment of cricket as well . ''
Pope expects international cricket to be played behind closed doors in bio-secure bubbles for the foreseeable future .
With that in mind , what three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of his suitcase ?
`` The first thing is definitely the Xbox , that took a serious battering this summer , '' Pope laughs .
`` I think every player was playing on it every night .
`` Then some good snacks , they are like gold dust .
`` And if possible the coffee machine .
I had my own , Chris Woakes had his , Stuart Broad had his , and Rory Burns .
We almost set up our own little baristas in our hotel room .
`` It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the afternoons , the day before the game .
It felt like we were almost outside the hotel and doing something different for a little bit . ''
But what snacks are top of the list ?
`` I 've probably got to say protein bars , but , nah , the odd choccy biscuit and just some sweets , '' Pope said .
`` Being in the bubble we 've got some pretty good chefs , but they are cooking us some very healthy food so the odd cheat does n't hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homely feel again , which is quite nice , but hopefully the nutritionist does n't see it ! ''
• None Exploring how it defines the way we feel • None What We 're Not Taught In Schools

Pope scored his maiden Test century against South Africa in January
Trying to establish yourself on the international stage is hard enough, but trying to do it while being compared to a modern-day England great, and the ninth-highest Test run-scorer in your country's history, makes it that little bit more difficult.
Not that Ollie Pope minds.
The comparisons between Surrey's Pope and the recently-retired Ian Bell were drawn throughout this summer, including from Bell's former team-mate Kevin Pietersen.
"He reminds me of a young Ian Bell. I love his intensity," Pietersen enthused. external-link "He's a very good player, technically sound, defends nice and straight, and if he keeps his intensity up against the spinner, the sky's the limit."
It's hard to get away from the comparisons when you see Pope's elegant cover drive, or his almost effortless ability to latch onto length and rotate the strike with minimal fuss.
"I can only see it as a positive," Pope told BBC Sport. "Ian Bell was fantastic to watch but to be honest it's a lot more coincidence rather than me copying him.
"With it being my first proper home series, obviously I played in the winter, but my first proper home series where I got a good run, a lot more England fans were probably watching and made that comparison a little bit more."
It's been a busy 12 months for Pope. Having made his England debut in August 2018, the 22-year-old right-hander returned to the international fold when England toured New Zealand last winter and averages 42.21 in 11 Tests since.
Pope, though, knows he's "not the finished article" and admits he was "frustrated" by his "OK" summer, where he averaged 26.87 in six Tests against West Indies and Pakistan - series which England won.
"I probably would have liked another score or two," he said.
"If I got a score I probably would have been looking at things slightly differently, saying 'that was a good summer' so it was frustrating to get a couple of low ones at the end but there were some positives to take forward."
Pope is at the forefront of an exciting group of young players which is likely to form the backbone of the England Test side for the next decade.
After two or three years of inconsistent selection, England appear to have found a formula which works, and which could see them win the Ashes in Australia next winter, according to Michael Vaughan.
Dom Sibley, Zak Crawley, Dom Bess, Sam Curran and Jofra Archer are also relatively new additions to a youthful and relatively inexperienced side, which is complemented by - in Pope's words - "the big dogs" of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Joe Root.
"We sat down before the New Zealand series in the winter and just said 'we know it's going to be a bit of a rollercoaster with these young players in the side so there's going to be times where we probably don't get it quite right'," Pope said.
"But the consistency of the side over that winter and this summer has been really good to see.
"Us young lads look up to the guys who have played 100 Tests or more, they are the perfect guys for us to learn off. We're in pretty good hands."
England are building towards the Ashes in Australia at the back end of 2021 and Pope admits that series is "in the back of their mind".
"There's a big series against India in the summer and this winter so they are going to be the primary focus but I'm sure there will be work going on behind the scenes to prepare for the Ashes," he said.
"I'm sure we'll be doing a little bit of, maybe, left-arm quick stuff and a bit of extra pace in the background just to get ready for the Australia trip but I think the signs were good in South Africa last winter."
At the moment, Pope's days are filled with three hours of rehab, as he looks to recover from a second shoulder operation in as many years, but he's also keen to take time away from the game.
"I try to get out and about and get a coffee, but I'm getting a puppy in six days so that's going to be taking up a fair bit of my time," he says, with a huge smile on his face.
Pope is also spending his downtime by helping the London Cricket Trust. He recently attended a new net opening in Peckham Rye Park and says the work the Trust do is "massively important".
"The quality of the nets that are there, and the quality of the youngsters, most of them were 10 or 11, and they were seriously impressive," he said.
"They're not able to train and enjoy their cricket as much if they don't have the quality facilities that are provided by the London Cricket Trust so it's massively important in their development, and also in their enjoyment of cricket as well."
Pope expects international cricket to be played behind closed doors in bio-secure bubbles for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, what three things will he make sure are definitely part of his suitcase?
"The first thing is definitely the Xbox, that took a serious battering this summer," Pope laughs. "I think every player was playing on it every night.
"Then some good snacks, they are like gold dust.
"And if possible the coffee machine. I had my own, Chris Woakes had his, Stuart Broad had his, and Rory Burns. We almost set up our own little baristas in our hotel room.
"It was just a nice thing to do in the afternoons, the day before the game. It felt like we were almost outside the hotel and doing something different for a little bit."
But what snacks are top of the list?
"I've probably got to say protein bars, but, nah, the odd choccy biscuit and just some sweets," Pope said.
"Being in the bubble we've got some pretty good chefs, but they are cooking us some very healthy food so the odd cheat doesn't hurt anyone.
"It gives you that homely feel again, which is quite nice, but hopefully the nutritionist doesn't see it!"


bbc--2020-10-08--Vice-presidential debate: Pence and Harris claims fact-checked

Vice-President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris have taken part in a televised debate ahead of the US elections on 3 November .
We 've fact-checked claims on subjects including the handling of the coronavirus pandemic , the economy and the environment .
Verdict : That 's not right .
Some people were exempt - it 's estimated that thousands still flew to the US .
Vice-President Mike Pence defended the US government 's response to coronavirus , claiming hundreds of thousands of lives were saved because President Trump suspended all travel from China , in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued an order on 31 January which stopped foreign nationals who had been in China in the previous two weeks from entering the US , which came into effect on 2 February .
But the order had exemptions for US citizens , legal residents , and non-citizen relatives with close ties .
Flight data analysed by the New York Times shows 40,000 people arrived in the US directly from China in the two months after President Trump 's restrictions .
Harris : `` The president said it [ coronavirus ] was a hoax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right .
Senator Harris criticised President Trump 's handling of the pandemic , accusing him of calling it `` a hoax '' and said the administration `` minimised the seriousness of it '' .
President Trump did not directly call the virus a `` hoax '' .
He accused Democrats in February of `` politicising the coronavirus '' and mentioned the impeachment process against him , calling that a `` hoax '' .
He went on to say that criticism by Democrats of his handling of Covid-19 was `` their new hoax .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ time where we 're going through a pandemic that lost 22 million jobs at the height , we 've already added back 11.6 million jobs . ''
From March to April this year , more than 22.7 million Americans lost their jobs , according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics .
Since then , around 11.4 million jobs have been added , but the unemployment rate is still much higher than before the pandemic .
The unemployment rate is currently 7.9 % .
It was 3.5 % in February this year - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris : `` Over thirty million people ... in the last several months had to file for unemployment . ''
Verdict : This is right for the overall number since February but current claims are significantly lower .
Unemployment insurance claims have topped 30 million since the start of the outbreak in February .
The number of claims has dropped in recent weeks and around 12 million are continuing claims , according to the US Labor Department .
Pence : `` President Trump and I have a plan to improve healthcare and protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Verdict : There are no details about how the Trump administration plans to protect people with pre-existing conditions .
The Affordable Care Act ( ACA ) , passed under President Obama , made it illegal to deny coverage to people with a pre-existing condition .
The Trump administration has sought to repeal and replace it and now seeks to dismantle the law in the Supreme Court .
In September , President Trump signed an executive order which said : `` access to health insurance despite underlying health conditions should be maintained '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will be done or funded .
Harris : `` Trump said 'there were fine people on both sides ' in far-right protests . ''
Verdict : The quote is correct , but President Trump said in the same press conference that he was n't referring to neo-Nazis or white nationalists .
Kamala Harris brought up President Trump 's controversial comments following far-right protests in Charlottesville , Virginia in 2017 .
Violent clashes left one of the counter-protesters dead .
According to a transcript of a press conference on 15 August , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the presence of neo-Nazis at the rally - `` you had some very bad people in that group , but you also had people that were very fine people , on both sides . ''
However , at the same press conference , Mr Trump went on to say `` I 'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists , because they should be condemned totally . ''
Pence : `` They [ the Democrats ] want to ... ban fracking . ''
Verdict : That 's not right .
Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fracking , but he 's also said he wo n't authorise new fracking on federal land .
During the debate , there were testy exchanges about the future of fracking - the controversial technique used for extracting shale gas from underground .
Ms Harris replied to Mr Pence 's claim : `` Joe Biden will not end fracking . ''
In August 2020 , Mr Biden said `` I am not banning fracking .
Let me say that again : I am not banning fracking . ''
However , in March 2020 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` No more — no new fracking . ''
He later clarified it : `` I said I would not do any new leases on federal lands . ''
At a CNN town hall event in September 2019 , Ms Harris said : `` There 's no question , I 'm in favour of banning fracking . ''
Harris : `` Because of a so-called trade war with China , America lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs . ''
Manufacturing jobs have dropped under the Trump administration , but only since the coronavirus outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labor Statistics shows that , as of September , there were 179,000 fewer manufacturing jobs than when Trump took office .
Prior to the pandemic , the US added almost half a million during his first three years in office .
Pence : `` Our air and land are cleaner than at any time ever recorded , our water is among cleanest in the world . ''
Verdict : He is right about clean air ( although this follows a long-term trend in the US ) but not about water .
The Environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US currently has the cleanest air on record .
Over the past few decades , air quality - a measure of six major pollutants - has improved significantly in the US .
From 1970 to 2019 , the overall level of these pollutants fell by 77 % , according to the EPA .
And this trend has largely continued into President Trump 's administration with a 7 % fall between 2017 and 2019 .
On water , however , the US is ranked 26th in the world on sanitation and drinking water , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranking , Finland , Iceland , the Netherlands , Norway , Switzerland and the UK have the cleanest water .
• A simple guide to the US election • What does Kamala Harris believe in

Vice-presidential debate: Pence and Harris claims fact-checked Published 8 October 2020
Image source, Reuters
Vice-President Mike Pence and his Democratic challenger Kamala Harris have taken part in a televised debate ahead of the US elections on 3 November.
We've fact-checked claims on subjects including the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and the environment.
Pence: "Donald Trump... suspended all travel from China."
Verdict: That's not right. Some people were exempt - it's estimated that thousands still flew to the US.
Vice-President Mike Pence defended the US government's response to coronavirus, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives were saved because President Trump suspended all travel from China, in the early stages of the outbreak.
Mr Trump issued an order on 31 January which stopped foreign nationals who had been in China in the previous two weeks from entering the US, which came into effect on 2 February.
But the order had exemptions for US citizens, legal residents, and non-citizen relatives with close ties. Flight data analysed by the New York Times shows 40,000 people arrived in the US directly from China in the two months after President Trump's restrictions.
Image source, Getty Images
Harris: "The president said it [coronavirus] was a hoax."
Verdict: That's not right.
Senator Harris criticised President Trump's handling of the pandemic, accusing him of calling it "a hoax" and said the administration "minimised the seriousness of it".
President Trump did not directly call the virus a "hoax".
He accused Democrats in February of "politicising the coronavirus" and mentioned the impeachment process against him, calling that a "hoax".
He went on to say that criticism by Democrats of his handling of Covid-19 was "their new hoax."
Pence: "Right after a time where we're going through a pandemic that lost 22 million jobs at the height, we've already added back 11.6 million jobs."
Verdict: That's roughly right.
From March to April this year, more than 22.7 million Americans lost their jobs, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Since then, around 11.4 million jobs have been added, but the unemployment rate is still much higher than before the pandemic.
The unemployment rate is currently 7.9%. It was 3.5% in February this year - before the outbreak in the US.
Harris: "Over thirty million people... in the last several months had to file for unemployment."
Verdict: This is right for the overall number since February but current claims are significantly lower.
Unemployment insurance claims have topped 30 million since the start of the outbreak in February.
The number of claims has dropped in recent weeks and around 12 million are continuing claims, according to the US Labor Department.
Pence: "President Trump and I have a plan to improve healthcare and protect pre-existing conditions for every American."
Verdict: There are no details about how the Trump administration plans to protect people with pre-existing conditions.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), passed under President Obama, made it illegal to deny coverage to people with a pre-existing condition. The Trump administration has sought to repeal and replace it and now seeks to dismantle the law in the Supreme Court.
In September, President Trump signed an executive order which said: "access to health insurance despite underlying health conditions should be maintained".
But there is no detail about how this will be done or funded.
Image source, Reuters
Harris: "Trump said 'there were fine people on both sides' in far-right protests."
Verdict: The quote is correct, but President Trump said in the same press conference that he wasn't referring to neo-Nazis or white nationalists.
Kamala Harris brought up President Trump's controversial comments following far-right protests in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. Violent clashes left one of the counter-protesters dead.
According to a transcript of a press conference on 15 August, President Trump did say - when asked about the presence of neo-Nazis at the rally - "you had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides."
However, at the same press conference, Mr Trump went on to say "I'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists, because they should be condemned totally."
Image source, Reuters
Pence: "They [the Democrats] want to ... ban fracking."
Verdict: That's not right. Joe Biden has said he won't ban fracking, but he's also said he won't authorise new fracking on federal land.
During the debate, there were testy exchanges about the future of fracking - the controversial technique used for extracting shale gas from underground.
Senator Harris replied to Mr Pence's claim, insisting: "Joe Biden will not end fracking."
In August 2020, Mr Biden said "I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking."
However, in March 2020, during a Democratic debate, he said "No more — no new fracking."
He later clarified it: "I said I would not do any new leases on federal lands."
At a CNN town hall event in September 2019, Ms Harris said: "There's no question, I'm in favour of banning fracking."
Image source, Getty Images
Harris: "Because of a so-called trade war with China, America lost 300,000 manufacturing jobs."
Verdict: This figure isn't right.
Manufacturing jobs have dropped under the Trump administration, but only since the coronavirus outbreak.
The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that, as of September, there were 179,000 fewer manufacturing jobs than when Trump took office.
Prior to the pandemic, the US added almost half a million during his first three years in office.
Image source, Getty Images
Pence: "Our air and land are cleaner than at any time ever recorded, our water is among cleanest in the world."
Verdict: He is right about clean air (although this follows a long-term trend in the US) but not about water.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says the US currently has the cleanest air on record.
Over the past few decades, air quality - a measure of six major pollutants - has improved significantly in the US.
From 1970 to 2019, the overall level of these pollutants fell by 77%, according to the EPA. And this trend has largely continued into President Trump's administration with a 7% fall between 2017 and 2019.
On water, however, the US is ranked 26th in the world on sanitation and drinking water, according to Yale University.


bbc--2020-10-08--VP debate 2020: Harris and Pence dodge questions

In the vice-presidential debate , Kamala Harris and Mike Pence were asked about Supreme Court appointments and abortions respectively , @ @ @ @ @ giving a direct answer .

In the vice-presidential debate, Kamala Harris and Mike Pence were asked about Supreme Court appointments and abortions respectively, and both sought to avoid giving a direct answer.


bbc--2020-10-08--VP debate 2020: Kamala Harris attacks Trump administration over Covid-19 healthcare

Kamala Harris attacked the Trump administration 's handling of healthcare for people with pre-existing conditions in the vice-presidential debate .
@ @ @ @ @ said he and President Trump have a plan to `` improve healthcare '' .

Kamala Harris attacked the Trump administration's handling of healthcare for people with pre-existing conditions in the vice-presidential debate.
In response, Mike Pence said he and President Trump have a plan to "improve healthcare".


bbc--2020-10-08--VP debate 2020: Harris and Pence debate on controversial Rose Garden event

The first topic of the vice-presidential debate was unsurprisingly about coronavirus .
Mike Pence was asked about the `` super-spreader @ @ @ @ @ which is thought to have been the centre of a coronavirus outbreak .
Kamala Harris @ @ @ @ @ Trump administration did not tell the truth about the event .

The first topic of the vice-presidential debate was unsurprisingly about coronavirus.
Mike Pence was asked about the "super-spreader" Rose Garden event, which is thought to have been the centre of a coronavirus outbreak.
Kamala Harris went on to argue the Trump administration did not tell the truth about the event.


bbc--2020-10-08--FBI busts militia 'plot' to abduct Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer

The FBI says it has thwarted a plot to abduct and overthrow Michigan 's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer .
Mrs Whitmer has become a target of coronavirus sceptics after enacting strict mitigation measures that were overturned by a judge last week .
Officials say the kidnapping plot involved six men who planned to hold a `` treason trial '' for her .
`` Hatred , bigotry and violence have no place '' in Michigan , Mrs Whitmer said , describing the accused as `` depraved '' .
What were they allegedly planning ?
• What are US militia groups ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an undercover law enforcement source attended a June meeting in Dublin , Ohio , where a group of Michigan-based militia members discussed overthrowing state governments `` that they believed were violating the US Constitution '' .
`` Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants ' or 'taking ' a sitting governor , '' the charging document states .
In one video , a suspect denounced the state 's role in deciding when to reopen gyms during the coronavirus lockdown .
The men met in a basement that was accessed by a trapdoor hidden under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phones were gathered and placed in another room to avoid secret recordings , but the uncover FBI source was wearing a separate recording device .
Six men - five from Michigan and one from Delaware - are accused in federal court of plotting the kidnap .
They allegedly planned to hold a `` treason trial '' against Mrs Whitmer .
These six were named as Adam Fox , Barry Croft , Kaleb Franks , Daniel Harris , Brandon Casert and Ty Garbin .
Mr Garbin 's residence , in a trailer park , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The other seven face charges of terrorism and gang-related offences in state court in connection with the alleged abduction plot .
They are Paul Bellar , Shawn Fix , Eric Molitor , Michael Null , William Null , Pete Musico and Joseph Morrison .
The group wished to gather about `` 200 men '' to storm the capitol building and take hostages , including the governor .
They hoped to enact their plan before the November presidential election .
If that failed , they planned to attack the governor at her home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveillance of the governors ' vacation home '' , said the US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan , adding that they also planned Molotov cocktail attacks on police officers , purchased a taser , and pooled their funds to purchase explosives and tactical equipment .
What do we know about the group ?
The accused held weapons training in several states , and at times attempted to create bombs , the FBI says , adding that their training was captured on video .
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said that separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` wolverine watchmen '' militia will be charged by the state with gang affiliation and providing material support to terrorists .
Ms Nessel said the arrested militia members hoped to start a civil war .
`` Michigan law enforcement officers are united in our commitment to rooting out terrorism in any form and we will take swift action against anyone seeking to cause violence or harm in our state , '' Colonel Joe Gasper , director of the Michigan State Police , said in a statement announcing charges against the `` wolverine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said ?
In a press conference on Thursday , the governor tied the plot against her to the rhetoric of President Donald Trump , who she said has spent the last several months `` stoking distrust , fomenting anger and giving comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division '' .
The governor pointed to Mr Trump 's failure to explicitly condemn white supremacists at the first presidential debate last week , calling his remarks a `` rallying cry '' for hate groups .
He repeatedly condemned such organisations in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is running for president against Mr Trump , condemned militias as `` a genuine threat '' and said Mr Trump 's `` liberate '' tweet encouraged militias .
`` The words of a president matter , '' he said , adding : `` Why ca n't the president just say stop , stop , stop , stop ? ''
Numerous violent incidents have been linked to citizen militia groups across the US in recent years .
Adherents , who are often white men , sometimes brandish weapons during protests .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an annual report that violent white supremacy was the `` most persistent and lethal threat in the homeland '' .
Mrs Whitmer 's lockdown orders drew thousands of protesters to the state capitol , where many compared her to German dictator Adolf Hitler .
In April , Mr Trump implied support for the protesters , tweeting `` LIBERATE MICHIGAN '' .
In May , armed protesters opposed to lockdown stormed the state capitol .
`` None of us has faced a challenge like Covid-19 , '' Mrs Whitmer said on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy .
This virus is our enemy , and this enemy is relentless . ''
Three hours before the arrests were announced , Mr Trump had appeared on Fox News where he condemned Mrs Whitmer as `` the lockdown queen '' .
`` What she 's done to that , that place is horrible .
She 's locked it up .
She 's got people like living in prison , '' said Mr Trump .
`` The courts just overturned her .
They said what you 're doing is unconstitutional . ''
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled that Mrs Whitmer did not have the legal authority to issue emergency executive orders and that that responsibility belonged to the state 's legislature .
Following the ruling , the attorney who argued the case before the top court advised citizens to `` burn your masks '' , which health officials say are necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19 .

FBI busts militia 'plot' to abduct Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer Published 9 October 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, "Hate groups heard the president's words... as a rallying cry": Mrs Whitmer calls out Trump
The FBI says it has thwarted a plot to abduct and overthrow Michigan's Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Mrs Whitmer has become a target for coronavirus sceptics after enacting strict measures that were overturned by a judge last week.
Officials say the kidnapping plot involved six men who planned to hold a "treason trial" for her.
"Hatred, bigotry and violence have no place" in Michigan, Mrs Whitmer said, describing the accused as "depraved".
Image source, Antrim County Sheriff’s Office Image caption, Top (L-R): Adam Fox, Brandon Caserta, Daniel Harris and Kaleb Franks. Bottom (L-R): Ty Garbin, Eric Molitor, Michael Null and William Null
What were they allegedly planning?
According to a sworn FBI affidavit, an undercover law enforcement source attended a June meeting in Dublin, Ohio, where a group of Michigan-based militia members discussed overthrowing state governments "that they believed were violating the US Constitution".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Officials say the alleged plot involved kidnapping Mrs Whitmer from her holiday home
"Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants' or 'taking' a sitting governor," the charging document states. In one video, a suspect denounced the state's role in deciding when to reopen gyms during the coronavirus lockdown.
The men met in a basement that was accessed by a trapdoor hidden under a rug, investigators say. Their phones were gathered and placed in another room to avoid secret recordings, but the undercover FBI source was wearing a separate recording device.
Thirteen people were arrested by investigators.
Six men - five from Michigan and one from Delaware - are accused in federal court of plotting the kidnap. They allegedly planned to hold a "treason trial" against Mrs Whitmer.
These six were named as Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Casert and Ty Garbin. Mr Garbin's residence, in a trailer park, was raided by authorities on Wednesday.
The other seven face charges of terrorism and gang-related offences in state court in connection with the alleged abduction plot.
They are Paul Bellar, Shawn Fix, Eric Molitor, Michael Null, William Null, Pete Musico and Joseph Morrison.
The group wished to gather about "200 men" to storm the capitol building and take hostages, including the governor. They hoped to enact their plan before the November presidential election. If that failed, they planned to attack the governor at her home, officials say.
The accused "co-ordinated surveillance of the governor's vacation home", said the US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, adding that they also planned Molotov cocktail attacks on police officers, purchased a taser, and pooled their funds to purchase explosives and tactical equipment.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Michigan protesters were some of the most vocally opposed in the US to lockdown measures
What do we know about the group?
The accused held weapons training in several states, and at times attempted to create bombs, the FBI says, adding that their training was captured on video.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said that separate to the kidnapping charges seven members of the "wolverine watchmen" militia will be charged by the state with gang affiliation and providing material support to terrorists. Ms Nessel said the arrested militia members hoped to start a civil war.
Social media's Boogaloo problem
It's been reported that these men have links to a militia group called the Boogaloo Bois. This is a movement that has grown online.
It's actually quite hard to describe the motives of the group. It's not "right-wing" in a traditional sense. Members of the movement are vehemently against law enforcement - some have been arrested for killing police officers.
Broadly speaking, they are extremist libertarians - think Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, but with guns.
The term "Boogaloo" is usually a reference to a civil war. They have an entrenched hatred of big government - confusingly they are also often pro-Trump, though not exclusively. Hence why their ire is often focused on state rather than federal government.
Social media took a long time to act on Boogaloo. Facebook removed a number of Boogaloo groups in June - including the group that these men were allegedly part of. I showed TikTok of a series of Boogaloo videos that were on its platform back in July. Even now it's very easy to find Boogaloo videos on social media - the hashtags they use often change so it's hard to keep up.
This story shows how important it is to monitor social media platforms for extremist content - before it leads to violence.
"Michigan law enforcement officers are united in our commitment to rooting out terrorism in any form and we will take swift action against anyone seeking to cause violence or harm in our state," Colonel Joe Gasper, director of the Michigan State Police, said in a statement announcing charges against the "wolverine watchmen".
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Anti-lockdown protesters have referred to Mrs Whitmer as Hitler
What has the governor said?
In a press conference on Thursday, the governor tied the plot against her to the rhetoric of President Donald Trump, who she said had spent the last several months "stoking distrust, fomenting anger and giving comfort to those who spread fear and hatred and division".
In April, Mr Trump implied support for the protesters, tweeting "LIBERATE MICHIGAN". A month later, armed protesters opposed to the lockdown stormed the state capitol.
Michigan's attorney general confirmed on Thursday night that two men photographed at that May protest are among the arrested plot suspects.
On Thursday night, Mr Trump, a Republican, sought to take credit for federal investigators eliminating the alleged threat to the governor.
"Rather than say thank you, she calls me a White Supremacist - while Biden and Democrats refuse to condemn Antifa, Anarchists, Looters and Mobs that burn down Democrat run cities," he tweeted.
The Midwestern state of Michigan could prove pivotal in the outcome of next month's US presidential election.
Joe Biden, the Democratic White House challenger to Mr Trump, condemned militias as "a genuine threat" and said Mr Trump's "liberate" tweet encouraged militias. "The words of a president matter," he said, adding: "Why can't the president just say stop, stop, stop, stop?"
Numerous violent incidents have been linked to citizen militia groups across the US in recent years. Adherents, who are often white men, sometimes brandish weapons during protests. The Department of Homeland Security warned this week in an annual report that violent white supremacy was the "most persistent and lethal threat in the homeland".
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Mr Garbin's trailer home was raided on Wednesday
Mrs Whitmer's lockdown orders drew thousands of protesters to the state capitol, where many compared her to German dictator Adolf Hitler.
"None of us has faced a challenge like Covid-19," Mrs Whitmer said on Thursday. "We are not one another's enemy. This virus is our enemy, and this enemy is relentless."
Last Friday, the state's Supreme Court ruled that Mrs Whitmer did not have the legal authority to issue emergency executive orders and that that responsibility belonged to the state's legislature.


bbc--2020-10-08--Presidential debate: Trump refuses to take part in virtual TV event

US President Donald Trump has refused to take part in a virtual TV debate with his Democratic rival Joe Biden .
The commission organising the debate in Miami on 15 October said it would have to take place remotely after Mr Trump tested positive for coronavirus .
Mr Trump 's refusal sparked a day of wrangling about how and when any further debates would take place .
At the moment it appears a debate could take place on 22 October , although in what form remains to be seen .
The first presidential debate on 29 September had descended into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , held on Wednesday night between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris , was a far more measured affair .
The US election will be held on 3 November .
Latest opinion polls suggest Mr Biden has a high single digit lead nationally , but the outcome is often decided in battleground states where the races can be much closer .
• US election 2020 : Who is ahead - Trump or Biden ?
• What did we learn from the VP debate ?
Six million votes have already been cast in early voting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It began with the Commission on Presidential Debates announcing candidates would take part in the Miami debate `` from separate remote locations ... to protect the health and safety of all involved '' .
This infuriated the president who , in a phone-in interview with Fox Business Channel , said he was `` not gon na waste my time '' on a virtual debate and `` sit behind a computer , ridiculous '' .
Joe Biden said the president `` changed his mind every second '' and his campaign team added that Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face questions from the voters '' .
The Trump campaign answered back , with manager Bill Stepien calling the commission 's decision to `` rush to Joe Biden 's defence ... pathetic '' and saying Mr Trump would hold a rally instead on 15 October .
The Biden team then proposed the town-hall style debate , set for Miami , should go ahead on 22 October instead .
This brought a brief moment of agreement , on the date at least .
However , the Trump team said there should be a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just five days before polling .
No , said the Biden team .
Three dates had been set for debates - 29 September , 15 October and 22 October .
That would be it .
On 15 October , Mr Biden will now take part in his own primetime event on ABC answering questions from voters .
Quite what format any Biden-Trump debate takes now is hard to pin down .
What else did Trump say on Fox ?
He touched on a number of key matters , including his health and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the economy .
On his health , Mr Trump said : `` I 'm back because I 'm a perfect physical specimen . ''
• Who has Trump met and who 's tested positive ?
He said he had stopped taking most `` therapeutics '' but was still taking steroids and would be tested for Covid again `` soon '' .
But although his doctor has said he now has no symptoms , questions still remain about when the president first became infected and whether he could still be contagious .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have interacted with the president and tested positive are now known , it remains unclear just how many were exposed at the White House .
New Covid safety measures are in place there .
One of the top Republicans , Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell , said on Thursday that he had not been to the White House since 6 August because its approach to handling Covid with social distancing and masks was `` different from mine and what I suggested we do in the Senate '' .
Mr Trump said on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got infected '' but gave no more details .
A gathering on 26 September announcing Mr Trump 's Supreme Court pick has been seen as a possible `` super-spreader '' event , with several attendees known to have tested positive .
What about the economy ?
The president on Tuesday had said he was breaking off talks with the Democrats on an overarching Covid stimulus package but , after a negative stock market reaction , said he would instead try to agree individual deals .
He was more bullish on Thursday , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reaching a deal on a range of issues .
`` We 're starting to have some very productive talks , '' he said .
The main areas of progress were on assistance for airlines and a $ 1,200 ( £930 ) stimulus cheque for workers .
Republicans under Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Democrats under House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have been in regular discussions but have differed on the amount they want to spend .
In the latest twist on Thursday , Ms Pelosi said there would be no standalone bill for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What happened in the VP debate ?
Wednesday night 's event in Utah was a civil debate between two smooth communicators compared to last week 's belligerent showdown between Mr Trump and Mr Biden .
But there were heated exchanges .
Ms Harris accused Mr Pence and the president of deliberately misleading Americans about the lethality of coronavirus .
Mr Pence accused the Biden-Harris campaign of copying the White House 's pandemic strategy .
Mr Pence expressed shock at the killing of African American George Floyd in Minnesota .
But he added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rioting and looting that followed . ''
• Global media relieved at 'civil ' debate in US Ms Harris said the president had refused to condemn white supremacists .
The BBC 's North America reporter Anthony Zurcher says it was unmemorable , with a few strong moments and a few stumbles for both , but that such a result in itself would be good news for the Democrats .
• Why we might not get a result on election night • Where does Donald Trump stand on key issues ?
• What Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the US election

One of the top Republicans, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, said on Thursday that he had not been to the White House since 6 August because its approach to handling Covid with social distancing and masks was "different from mine and what I suggested we do in the Senate".


bbc--2020-10-08--Top Republican Mitch McConnell avoids White House over Covid-19

Speaking to reporters in Kentucky , Mr McConnell said he steered clear of the White House in the last two @ @ @ @ @ was their approach to how to handle this was different from mine '' .

Speaking to reporters in Kentucky, Mr McConnell said he steered clear of the White House in the last two months "because my impression was their approach to how to handle this was different from mine".


bbc--2020-10-08--Why some onions were too sexy for Facebook

There are regular onions , and then there are onions too sexy for Facebook , a Canadian seed and garden supply store recently discovered .
The Seed Company by EW Gaze , in St John 's , Newfoundland , had wanted to post a seemingly innocent advert for Walla Walla onion seeds on Facebook .
But to their surprise , it was rejected for being `` overtly sexual '' .
In a statement on Wednesday , the social media company apologised for the error made by its automated technology .
The ad flagged by Facebook showed Walla Walla onions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , piled in a wicker basket with some sliced onion on the side .
It took store manager Jackson McLean a moment to realise what the issue was with the posting , he said .
Then he figured out that `` something about the round shapes '' could be suggestive of breasts or buttocks .
He knew his customers would find the ad rejection funny , and posted the photo , along with the automated Facebook message warning `` listings may not position products or services in a sexually suggestive manner '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheers for the onion Mr McLean said some clients have been posting images of potentially suggestive carrots and pumpkins in reply .
He also appealed the decision to Facebook .
`` We use automated technology to keep nudity off our apps , but sometimes it does n't know a Walla Walla onion from a , well , you know , '' Facebook Canada 's head of communications , Meg Sinclair , told BBC .
`` We restored the ad and are sorry for the business 's trouble . ''
The company is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make shopping online more accessible amid the coronavirus pandemic , Mr McLean said , and that included boosting some advertisements , like the onion one , on Facebook .
The Walla Walla onions , `` an older onion variety '' , had recently brought back in stock by customer request , and are now selling fast due to their newfound notoriety , he said .
`` We 've sold more in the last three days than in the last five years , '' said Mr McLean , adding they are also now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company website .

Allow Facebook content?
This article contains content provided by Facebook. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Meta’s Facebook cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbc--2020-10-08--Fleetwood Mac's Mick surprises viral Dreams TikTok star Nathan Apodaca

Fleetwood Mac 's drummer Mick Fleetwood has surprised the star of a viral TikTok video featuring the band 's 1977 @ @ @ @ @ Apodaca from Idaho filmed himself skateboarding to the track while drinking cranberry juice .
The @ @ @ @ @ its biggest ever week on streaming services - with more than 8 million streams in @ @ @ @ @ week .
BBC World News America brought the two men together live on TV .

Fleetwood Mac's drummer Mick Fleetwood has surprised the star of a viral TikTok video featuring the band's 1977 hit song Dreams.
Nathan Apodaca from Idaho filmed himself skateboarding to the track while drinking cranberry juice.
The TikTok has helped Dreams to its biggest ever week on streaming services - with more than 8 million streams in the US in the past week.
BBC World News America brought the two men together live on TV.


bbc--2020-10-08--Professional Bull Riders: American rodeo and its history of black athletes

This feature was originally published in July and is being repromoted as part of our Black History Month series .
He eventually opts for a nine-year-old .
Admittedly one with a steely glare backed up by 121 stones of slabbed muscle .
`` I would have to say Sweet Pro 's Bruiser , '' he tells BBC Sport .
`` The power and sheer athleticism of him , he 's able to do things some bulls just ca n't .
If you 're just a millisecond too late , he 's put you on the ground . ''
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relies on deep-seated muscle memory and pure instinct to counter the steps of the wheeling , convulsing bull below .
`` Once you get in the bucking chute , your subconscious mind clicks in and your conscious mind clicks out , '' he says .
`` It 's taking complete and utter chaos and trying to control it for eight seconds .
It 's unreal . ''
Mitchell , from Rockdale , Texas , is the only black American in pro bull-riding 's top 50 ranked riders .
At 23 years old , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but no less powerful than Sweet Pro 's Bruiser in his life and career so far .
The odds did n't use to be so stark .
When the American Civil War ended in 1865 , many of Texas ' slave-owning settlers returned home from fighting for the Confederacy to be confronted by a newly freed black workforce , knowledgeable in ranching .
Modern barbed wire , which made containing cattle easier and cheaper , had yet to be invented and the major railroads that transported them large distances had yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ master-slave relationship morphed into one of employer-employee as black men , still struggling to find work in many other sectors , were hired to care and transport herds .
Soon after , it is estimated that one in four cowboys in the West was black .
That ratio was significantly watered down when the era was recreated in popular culture , however .
There are some exceptions .
Bill Pickett was a celebrated black rodeo performer in the early 20th century .
Historian William Katz wrote about the history of the black cowboy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , American novelist Larry McMurty won a Pulitzer for Lonesome Dove , which featured a black cowboy character .
But in the American imagination , a cowboy was a white man .
`` We grew up with the idea of a white cowboy , the idea that a cowboy would look like John Wayne or a the guy in the Marlboro cigarette ads , '' explains Walter Thompson Hernandez , journalist and author of The Compton Cowboys .
`` The image of black men and women on horses was not available as part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which turns the tasks of the old ranch hands into competition - did not buck the trend .
Despite the success of pioneering black rider Myrtis Dightman , who became the first black man to compete in the National Finals in 1964 , a 'colour barrier ' , whether overtly stated or implicit , kept black competitors out of some events as late as the 1980s .
Now they are included .
How welcome they are though , depends on who you speak to .
Neil Holmes grew up a couple of hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texas .
He was captivated by bull-riding after attending an annual rodeo , held after church each Easter in the town .
Despite only getting on board a bull at the relatively late age of 17 , he reached the top 40 of the elite-level Professional Bull Riders tour before retiring in 2018 .
`` There is always that elephant in the room , when you are different it is obvious , especially in that sport , '' he says .
`` Among the riders the camaraderie is always great , but sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone does n't feel the same way .
`` I have had fans say some obscene things or make obscene gestures .
A lot of times we have to stay in that same town and I have always got that look… '' There 've have been occasions that there has been a fist fight at the bar just because I 'm a black guy with a cowboy hat on .
It is rare , especially as times change , but I hope that we set a good enough example by how we carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have in their hearts . ''
Both Mitchell and Holmes have followed in the footsteps of Charles Sampson .
In 1982 , a 5ft 4in 25-year-old , he emerged from Los Angeles ' notorious south side to become the first black world champion bull-rider .
Occasionally referred to as bull-riding 's own Jackie Robinson , Sampson takes the long view , setting his experiences in the context of the prejudice suffered by the ground-breaking baseball star and other earlier black sporting pioneers .
`` America still has history of racism - everyone goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he tells BBC Sport .
`` My emphasis in what I went through is positive .
The racism in the 1920s , 1930s or 1940s was not a type that I had to deal with .
`` Did white people do anything to me ?
Maybe they did and I did n't look at it that way .
Maybe I overlooked it or did n't understand it .
`` But no-one stopped me , no-one belittled me , no-one told me that just because I was black I was n't equal to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they may not have had to .
The bull may not care about the colour of the man on its back , but those who open the bucking chute and supply the livestock are also gatekeepers for the sport 's human participants .
`` Bull riding is not like baseball , football or basketball , '' adds Sampson .
`` You can pick up a stick and rock and swing and hit , you can throw a football to anybody , or go anywhere , pick up a basketball and shoot it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to seek out places to ride bulls and hopefully the people who own them are not trying to overmatch you and discourage you . ''
If access is the first obstacle for the novice , subjectivity can be the one that confronts black riders once they make it into a competitive rodeo ring .
Riders are up against the clock - attempting to stay on top of the bull for eight seconds - but also a panel of judges .
They are marked on how hard the bull bucked and how well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that room for error , '' adds Holmes .
`` I feel I have got the short end of the stick from some of those old-school judges , which is kind of sad .
If they have to choose me or the all-American white boy , no question , I do n't get that advantage . ''
Harder to measure than points or prize money is how a lack of black riders stunts the sport 's growth in those communities , perpetuating a sense that bull-riding is not for them .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It did give me a sense of comfort , the likes of Charlie and Neil being there and having achieved what they achieved , '' he says .
He recalls meeting `` small-town old-timer people who are still set in their ways '' on the lower-level circuit .
`` There is a bit of prejudice there , '' he adds .
`` Since I have always wanted to be a cowboy I grew to ignore a lot of the hateful comments .
`` But on the Professional Bull-Riders tour as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any prejudice .
I commend the fans and the PBR for making me feel welcome .
There are some times when you feel like you do n't belong , but I would n't say that the prejudice lingers . ''
Mitchell does not intend to linger at the top level either .
Rodeo is an inherently risky pastime .
Careers are short , injuries often horrific .
Mitchell recalls his ear being ripped by a bull 's hoof : `` If it had been an inch over it probably would have stomped my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
His career template is unexpected .
He cites WWE wrestler-turned-Hollywood A-lister Dwayne 'The Rock ' Johnson as his crossover inspiration for turning a specialist sporting career into a mainstream success .
`` He transformed his life into something totally different .
That is what I want for myself , '' Mitchell adds .
`` I want to show people that you can do whatever you want to no matter the circumstance you come from or what colour you are as long as you have drive and determination . ''
The brand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already begun .
Behind him as we speak a multi-screen display beams out his personal bull-horned logo .
More than 170,000 followers on TikTok watch him goofing , singing and shooting pool .
But it is his day job , mounted on a bull or horse , that draws the most attention .
On 2 June , a Black Lives Matter protest was organised for downtown Houston in reaction to the death of 46-year-old George Floyd in police custody eight days earlier in Minneapolis .
While displays of solidarity have been held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went viral thanks to the arrival of tens of protestors on horseback , fist aloft , trotting down the city 's main street .
`` Just seeing black cowboys is in of itself a form of protest , '' says Thompson Hernandez .
`` Being a black cowboy demonstrates against a part of history that has been erased and restores part of the narrative that not a lot of people grow up learning in schools or books . ''
Images of the mounted protestors were shared on social media by rapper Lil Nas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has brought black cowboy culture to prominence in music .
Corporate brands like Wrangler and Guinness have borrowed the power of the imagery to push their products .
Fashion magazines hire them to add edge to shoots .
`` It is interesting because every 15-20 years there is a big black cowboy cultural movement , '' adds Thompson Hernandez .
`` You see Wild Wild West ( 1999 ) , Django Unchained ( 2012 ) even Blazing Saddles ( 1974 ) - it is almost like Hollywood and popular culture forgets about black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` Those rodeo judges with the old-school mentality may not like us , but the kids love us and everything we stand for , '' he says .
`` If we do n't do it - if we do n't ride those bulls or no black guys are seen on horseback - eventually that history will fade away so we have a responsibility as minorities and cowboys to uphold that legacy and make sure it lives on forever.
`` Mitchell , who used to ride his horse through drive-thrus back home in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power of the symbol he embodies .
`` It 's not as common to the outside world , it definitely does draw attention , '' he concludes .
`` The image of having a black cowboy skews some of the stereotypes that exist around the black community .
But I feel my personality and ability to get the job done also enhances that attention .
`` That 's what it 's all about I guess .
You would n't be speaking to somebody who was n't doing anything . ''
As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mitchell 's mere existence is doing plenty of things .

Mitchell placed 16th at last year's PBR finals
This feature was originally published in July and is being repromoted as part of our Black History Month series.
Ezekiel Mitchell pauses for a moment when asked to describe his toughest opponent.
He eventually opts for a nine-year-old. Admittedly one with a steely glare backed up by 121 stones of slabbed muscle.
"I would have to say Sweet Pro's Bruiser," he tells BBC Sport. "The power and sheer athleticism of him, he's able to do things some bulls just can't. If you're just a millisecond too late, he's put you on the ground."
There is no choreography to their dance. Mitchell relies on deep-seated muscle memory and pure instinct to counter the steps of the wheeling, convulsing bull below.
"Once you get in the bucking chute, your subconscious mind clicks in and your conscious mind clicks out," he says.
"It's taking complete and utter chaos and trying to control it for eight seconds. It's unreal."
Mitchell, from Rockdale, Texas, is the only black American in pro bull-riding's top 50 ranked riders.
At 23 years old, he's already encountered forces less obvious, but no less powerful than Sweet Pro's Bruiser in his life and career so far.
The odds didn't use to be so stark.
When the American Civil War ended in 1865, many of Texas' slave-owning settlers returned home from fighting for the Confederacy to be confronted by a newly freed black workforce, knowledgeable in ranching.
Modern barbed wire, which made containing cattle easier and cheaper, had yet to be invented and the major railroads that transported them large distances had yet to stretch as far as Texas.
The master-slave relationship morphed into one of employer-employee as black men, still struggling to find work in many other sectors, were hired to care and transport herds.
Nat Love, born in 1854, was an African American cowboy whose autobiography was published in 1907 (available here: https://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/natlove/natlove.html)
Soon after, it is estimated that one in four cowboys in the West was black. That ratio was significantly watered down when the era was recreated in popular culture, however.
There are some exceptions. Bill Pickett was a celebrated black rodeo performer in the early 20th century. Historian William Katz wrote about the history of the black cowboy in the 1970s. In the 1980s, American novelist Larry McMurty won a Pulitzer for Lonesome Dove, which featured a black cowboy character.
But in the American imagination, a cowboy was a white man.
Are rodeos a form of culture or cruelty? To say that animal welfare organisations and rodeos do not see eye-to-eye is an understatement. For one side, it is a cruel act of animal abuse. For the other, it is an entertaining and competitive sports event that is part of their culture. Read more.
"We grew up with the idea of a white cowboy, the idea that a cowboy would look like John Wayne or a the guy in the Marlboro cigarette ads," explains Walter Thompson Hernandez, journalist and author of The Compton Cowboys. external-link
"The image of black men and women on horses was not available as part of popular culture."
Rodeo - which turns the tasks of the old ranch hands into competition - did not buck the trend. Despite the success of pioneering black rider Myrtis Dightman, who became the first black man to compete in the National Finals in 1964, a 'colour barrier', whether overtly stated or implicit, kept black competitors out of some events as late as the 1980s.
Now they are included. How welcome they are though, depends on who you speak to.
Now 34, Holmes is retired from the PBR Tour and last competed in January 2018
Neil Holmes grew up a couple of hours' drive from Mitchell in Cleveland, Texas. He was captivated by bull-riding after attending an annual rodeo, held after church each Easter in the town. Despite only getting on board a bull at the relatively late age of 17, he reached the top 40 of the elite-level Professional Bull Riders tour before retiring in 2018.
"There is always that elephant in the room, when you are different it is obvious, especially in that sport," he says.
"Among the riders the camaraderie is always great, but sometimes you go into these smaller towns and everyone doesn't feel the same way.
"I have had fans say some obscene things or make obscene gestures. A lot of times we have to stay in that same town and I have always got that look…
"There've have been occasions that there has been a fist fight at the bar just because I'm a black guy with a cowboy hat on. It is rare, especially as times change, but I hope that we set a good enough example by how we carry ourselves that it outweighs whatever hatred they have in their hearts."
Both Mitchell and Holmes have followed in the footsteps of Charles Sampson. In 1982, a 5ft 4in 25-year-old, he emerged from Los Angeles' notorious south side to become the first black world champion bull-rider.
Occasionally referred to as bull-riding's own Jackie Robinson, external-link Sampson takes the long view, setting his experiences in the context of the prejudice suffered by the ground-breaking baseball star and other earlier black sporting pioneers.
Sampson (centre right, with glasses) in 1982 became the first African American to win a PRCA bull riding world championship
"America still has history of racism - everyone goes through it in their own manner," he tells BBC Sport.
"My emphasis in what I went through is positive. The racism in the 1920s, 1930s or 1940s was not a type that I had to deal with.
"Did white people do anything to me? Maybe they did and I didn't look at it that way. Maybe I overlooked it or didn't understand it.
"But no-one stopped me, no-one belittled me, no-one told me that just because I was black I wasn't equal to white people."
The fear is that they may not have had to.
Mitchell's PBR season is still under way - its conclusion comes in Las Vegas in November with Finals Week
The bull may not care about the colour of the man on its back, but those who open the bucking chute and supply the livestock are also gatekeepers for the sport's human participants.
"Bull riding is not like baseball, football or basketball," adds Sampson. "You can pick up a stick and rock and swing and hit, you can throw a football to anybody, or go anywhere, pick up a basketball and shoot it.
"Rodeo is different. You have to seek out places to ride bulls and hopefully the people who own them are not trying to overmatch you and discourage you."
If access is the first obstacle for the novice, subjectivity can be the one that confronts black riders once they make it into a competitive rodeo ring.
Riders are up against the clock - attempting to stay on top of the bull for eight seconds - but also a panel of judges. They are marked on how hard the bull bucked and how well they countered.
"There is always that room for error," adds Holmes.
"I feel I have got the short end of the stick from some of those old-school judges, which is kind of sad. If they have to choose me or the all-American white boy, no question, I don't get that advantage."
Harder to measure than points or prize money is how a lack of black riders stunts the sport's growth in those communities, perpetuating a sense that bull-riding is not for them. It is one that even Mitchell struggles to shake.
"It did give me a sense of comfort, the likes of Charlie and Neil being there and having achieved what they achieved," he says.
He recalls meeting "small-town old-timer people who are still set in their ways" on the lower-level circuit.
"There is a bit of prejudice there," he adds. "Since I have always wanted to be a cowboy I grew to ignore a lot of the hateful comments.
"But on the Professional Bull-Riders tour as a professional athlete I have really not felt any prejudice. I commend the fans and the PBR for making me feel welcome. There are some times when you feel like you don't belong, but I wouldn't say that the prejudice lingers."
Mitchell does not intend to linger at the top level either.
Rodeo is an inherently risky pastime. Careers are short, injuries often horrific. Mitchell recalls his ear being ripped by a bull's hoof: "If it had been an inch over it probably would have stomped my head into the ground and killed me."
His career template is unexpected. He cites WWE wrestler-turned-Hollywood A-lister Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson as his crossover inspiration for turning a specialist sporting career into a mainstream success.
"He transformed his life into something totally different. That is what I want for myself," Mitchell adds.
"I want to show people that you can do whatever you want to no matter the circumstance you come from or what colour you are as long as you have drive and determination."
The brand building for Mitchell's next move has already begun. Behind him as we speak a multi-screen display beams out his personal bull-horned logo. More than 170,000 followers on TikTok watch him goofing, singing and shooting pool.
But it is his day job, mounted on a bull or horse, that draws the most attention.
Protesters on horseback make their way toward city hall during a march in honour of George Floyd on 2 June in Houston, Texas
On 2 June, a Black Lives Matter protest was organised for downtown Houston in reaction to the death of 46-year-old George Floyd in police custody eight days earlier in Minneapolis.
While displays of solidarity have been held in all 50 states, images from Houston went viral thanks to the arrival of tens of protestors on horseback, fist aloft, trotting down the city's main street.
"Just seeing black cowboys is in of itself a form of protest," says Thompson Hernandez.
"Being a black cowboy demonstrates against a part of history that has been erased and restores part of the narrative that not a lot of people grow up learning in schools or books."
Images of the mounted protestors were shared on social media by rapper Lil Nas X - whose Old Town Road hit has brought black cowboy culture to prominence in music. Corporate brands like Wrangler and Guinness have borrowed the power of the imagery to push their products. Fashion magazines hire them to add edge to shoots.
"It is interesting because every 15-20 years there is a big black cowboy cultural movement," adds Thompson Hernandez. "You see Wild Wild West (1999), Django Unchained (2012) even Blazing Saddles (1974) - it is almost like Hollywood and popular culture forgets about black cowboys, until they don't."
Holmes puts it more succinctly.
"Those rodeo judges with the old-school mentality may not like us, but the kids love us and everything we stand for," he says.
"If we don't do it - if we don't ride those bulls or no black guys are seen on horseback - eventually that history will fade away so we have a responsibility as minorities and cowboys to uphold that legacy and make sure it lives on forever. "
Mitchell, who used to ride his horse through drive-thrus back home in his small hometown of Rockdale, knows the power of the symbol he embodies.
"It's not as common to the outside world, it definitely does draw attention," he concludes.
"The image of having a black cowboy skews some of the stereotypes that exist around the black community. But I feel my personality and ability to get the job done also enhances that attention.
"That's what it's all about I guess. You wouldn't be speaking to somebody who wasn't doing anything."
As the most prominent black cowboy in the USA, Mitchell's mere existence is doing plenty of things.


bbc--2020-10-08--Coronavirus: Bars to shut in four more French cities with alert level raised

`` The current situation worries me a lot .
We do n't know how the situation in Germany will develop @ @ @ @ @ It 's possible we 'll see more than 10,000 new cases a day , it @ @ @ @ @ spread out of control , '' he said .

"The current situation worries me a lot. We don't know how the situation in Germany will develop in the coming weeks. It's possible we'll see more than 10,000 new cases a day, it's possible the virus will spread out of control," he said.


bbc--2020-10-08--Sophie Pétronin: Hostages released in Mali prisoner swap

She has appeared in two hostage videos and at one point her son went to a local mediator who said @ @ @ @ @ accept a ransom for her release .
In one video , in June 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ Mr Macron , looking tired and gaunt .

She has appeared in two hostage videos and at one point her son went to a local mediator who said the kidnappers were prepared to accept a ransom for her release. In one video, in June 2018, she appealed for help from Mr Macron, looking tired and gaunt.


bbc--2020-10-08--Mexico's ex-security chief pleads not guilty to cartel links

The latest charges accuse him of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise which had allowed the Sinaloa cartel to operate @ @ @ @ @ more than a decade in exchange for multimillion-dollar bribes .

A former member of the Sinaloa cartel Jesús "El Rey" (The King) Zambada who gave evidence against "El Chapo" said that he had personally delivered two suitcases containing million of dollars in bribes to Mr García Luna in a restaurant.


bbc--2020-10-08--The young girl who swims with her pet python

Eight-year-old Inbar enjoys swimming with her 3.3m ( 11ft ) pet python , Belle , in the family pool .
@ @ @ @ @ and other animals at her family 's animal sanctuary in Israel .

Eight-year-old Inbar enjoys swimming with her 3.3m (11ft) pet python, Belle, in the family pool.
She was raised with snakes and other animals at her family's animal sanctuary in Israel.


bbc--2020-10-08--Chaïma: Algeria women protest over teen's rape and murder

`` This government offers no shelters or mechanisms to protect the victims from their torturers , this government says it @ @ @ @ @ reality women are asked to forgive their aggressor , be it their brother or their @ @ @ @ @ one woman at the rally in Algiers said .

"This government offers no shelters or mechanisms to protect the victims from their torturers, this government says it has laws, but in reality women are asked to forgive their aggressor, be it their brother or their father or whatever," one woman at the rally in Algiers said.


bbc--2020-10-08--South Korean tower block engulfed in flames

A huge fire has engulfed a 33-storey tower block in the southern South Korean city of Ulsan .
Video footage showed flames spreading across all of the Samhwan Art Nouveau commercial and residential building .
Hundreds of people were reportedly evacuated , including from the roof , the Yonhap news agency said , with dozens suffering smoke inhalation .
The blaze reportedly started at about 23:00 local time ( 14:00 GMT ) and was spread by high winds .
It is now reported to have been extinguished .
The fire broke out between the 8th and 12th floors of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and shopping units .
Some 77 people had been treated for smoke inhalation , the fire department said .
Strong winds made it difficult to control the fire .
Firefighters are searching for any people who might still be inside .
One eyewitness told Yonhap : `` Suddenly , the fire came up .
The windows were broken and the living room and bedroom lit up . ''
Another told YTN News of `` exterior material '' , possibly insulation , attached to the outside of the building that caused the fire to @ @ @

The fire broke out between the 8th and 12th floors of the Samhwan Art Nouveau commercial and residential building, which has about 120 households and shopping units.


bbc--2020-10-08--Mohammad Reza Shajarian: Iran's legendary singer dies in Tehran

Referring to the president 's derogatory remarks about protesters being `` dust and trash '' , he said the demonstrations @ @ @ @ @ dust and trash [ speaking ] , and it will always remain the voice of @ @ @ @ @

Four years ago, the revered musician revealed that he had been living with cancer for 15 years, but it is unclear if this was the cause of his death.


bbc--2020-10-08--Coronavirus: Why are infections rising again in US?

The news of President Donald Trump 's positive coronavirus test , and his subsequent hospitalisation , has reminded the country that no-one is protected from this virus .
So where is the US right now in dealing with the pandemic ?
With about 7.5 million coronavirus cases , the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world - about one fifth of the global total despite having only 4 % of the population .
After the initial spike in late March , social distancing restrictions across the country gradually brought infections to heel .
By May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states peeled back lockdown measures , cases began to rise , reaching a countrywide high in July .
But as summer hotspots - like Arizona , Florida and California - brought their outbreaks under control , surges have developed elsewhere , with quick-moving outbreaks in North Dakota , South Dakota and Wisconsin .
In recent weeks , the country has experienced yet another rise in infections , with national cases rising for three weeks in a row .
Though numbers have so far not reached the record-breaking levels of July and August , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases each day .
Hospitalisations , too , are on the rise .
According to data compiled by the Covid Tracking Project , the average number of people hospitalised for coronavirus in a week rose recently for the first time since July .
It 's difficult to explain precisely why .
One contributing factor has been the return to school for US students .
A recent study from the US Centers for Disease Control on the almost 100,000 coronavirus cases reported between 2 August and 5 September - around when college students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that weekly cases among those aged 18-22 increased by 55 % nationally .
The greatest increases came from the Northeast ( which includes New York , Connecticut and New Jersey ) and the Midwest , which is a region located west of the Northeast , including Illinois , Indiana , Ohio and Wisconsin .
There have now been more than 130,000 cases identified at more than 1,300 American colleges , according to reporting from the New York Times .
Another compounding factor is the change in seasons .
Top US virus expert Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should plan to `` hunker down '' through the autumn and winter .
`` It 's not going to be easy , '' he said .
Why ?
A key piece of coronavirus health advice has been to do things outside .
This gets more difficult as temperatures slip .
Instead , cold weather will drive people indoors to closer quarters with potentially poor ventilation , where the risk of spread is heightened .
What 's more , viruses tend to survive more easily in cold conditions .
There are now additional fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US influenza season - which typically begins in October - threatening to overwhelm the country 's health system .
Here 's some good news - virus deaths in the US are continuing to fall , albeit gradually .
As of early October , the daily average had reached around 720 , a marked drop from the staggering 1,000-plus daily fatalities recorded this summer .
But the bad news ?
This decline appears to have slowed in recent weeks .
And recent daily tallies suggest some ground has been lost since the record lows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 210,000 people have died of Covid-19 across the US , according to data from Johns Hopkins University .
• Tracking the global pandemic : Where has been hit hardest ?
What are the hotspots ?
Case numbers remain high throughout much of the country , with concentrations in the Upper Midwest ( that includes Wisconsin and Minnesota ) and parts of the West .
Wisconsin is one of the state 's being hardest hit .
Case numbers there have quadrupled in the past month , according to the Covid Tracking Project .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of September , and its test positivity rate is now at a weekly average of 19.6 % , To put this figure into perspective : the World Health Organization in May suggested a positive case rate at or below 5 % , for two weeks , before reopening measures were implemented .
North Dakota is also in the throes of a major outbreak .
For the fourth week in a row , it led the US in most cases per capita - at 548 cases per one million residents .
Neighbouring South Dakota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Idaho are also recording severe upticks in new infections .
Sunbelt states Arizona , Florida and California - pummelled by the virus this summer - are now getting some relief , with steep declines .
Is New York City shutting down again ?
New York City , once the epicentre of the US outbreak , is once again facing climbing case numbers .
In late September , as many public schools began their reopening , Mayor Bill de Blasio reported a daily positive test rate of 3.25 % - the highest daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a second wave , Mr de Blasio announced plans to close nonessential businesses in nine hotspots in Brooklyn and Queens - a plan quickly refused by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , a fellow Democrat and political rival .
Mr Cuomo said there `` could be '' a future rollback of indoor and outdoor dining in hotspot areas , but described the closure of nonessential businesses in certain postal codes as `` arbitrary and capricious '' .
But despite the political tug-of-war , the city will go ahead with plans to shutter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , home to about 500,000 New Yorkers , including large communities of Orthodox Jews , among whom the virus has been spreading rapidly .
`` I 'm not going to recommend or allow any New York City family to send their child to a school that I would n't send my child , '' Mr Cuomo said of the closures .
• US v other countries ... did it mess up its reopening ?
It 's interesting that these considerations are playing out in New York City even though it still has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the country .

North Dakota is also in the throes of a major outbreak. For the fourth week in a row, it led the US in most cases per capita - at 548 cases per one million residents. Neighbouring South Dakota, as well as Montana, Utah and Idaho are also recording severe upticks in new infections.


bbc--2020-10-08--Varosha: Turkey reopens deserted Cyprus resort but tourists will wait

Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean have been high for months and the European Union 's foreign policy chief warned the @ @ @ @ @ tensions '' .
Greece appealed to Turkey not to go ahead with the idea and @ @ @ @ @ .

Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean have been high for months and the European Union's foreign policy chief warned the reopening would "cause greater tensions". Greece appealed to Turkey not to go ahead with the idea and Russia said it was unacceptable.


bbc--2020-10-08--Africa's week in pictures: 2-8 October 2020

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

Image caption,
This year's festival was limited by authorities to 5,000 people to prevent the spread of coronavirus - but some say it is an attempt to stop protests during a period of heightened political tension.


bbc--2020-10-08--Quiz of the week: Eddie Van Halen's legacy, pricey T. rex and Asda

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

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


bbc--2020-10-08--Facebook deleting QAnon pages - But what is it?

This week Facebook announced it would be deleting all pages and accounts connected to the QAnon conspiracy theory .
Ros @ @ @ @ @ at the story behind the decision .

This week Facebook announced it would be deleting all pages and accounts connected to the QAnon conspiracy theory.
Ros Atkins has a closer look at the story behind the decision.


bbc--2020-10-08--Final flight for British Airways' last two Heathrow-based Boeing 747 planes

British Airways ' last two Heathrow-based Boeing 747 planes have departed from the airport on their final flight .
The @ @ @ @ @ London airport shortly after 8.35am BST on Thursday , as more than 18,000 people watched @ @ @ @ @ event on Facebook .
The airline brought forward the retirement of its fleet of 747-400 @ @ @ @ @ of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation sector .

British Airways' last two Heathrow-based Boeing 747 planes have departed from the airport on their final flight.
The jumbo jets left the west London airport shortly after 8.35am BST on Thursday, as more than 18,000 people watched a live stream of the event on Facebook.
The airline brought forward the retirement of its fleet of 747-400 aircraft due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation sector.


bbc--2020-10-08--What we can expect to see at North Korea's 'biggest military parade'

North Korea is preparing for what is expected to be the largest military parade in its history .
Thousands of soldiers have practised for months to ensure that each step is marched with precision and each fervent cry of adoration will be heard by the Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un .
These events are often ostentatious formal displays of military might to show a devoted people paying homage to their leader in closely directed goose-stepping drills .
Mistakes are not tolerated .
But these parades can also be part provocation .
A chance to show off new missiles and weaponry despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state has not featured any ballistic missiles in its parades since Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un held their first summit in 2018 .
Talks between the two sides broke down in Hanoi last February without a deal and North Korea has continued to test a number of new short range ballistic missiles .
This event to mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Workers ' Party comes just weeks before the US presidential election .
So is North Korea going to use it to make a point and prove that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States ?
It 's certainly going to be big , according to the editor-in-chief of the Daily NK , a Seoul-based website with paid sources in the North .
Lee Sang Yong told me that as early as March , Pyongyang had ordered its military to mobilise 32,000 soldiers .
It 's become so large that the site where soldiers practise has had to be expanded .
`` The Pyongyang Mirim airport now has two new roads and 10 new buildings .
Therefore , I think it is likely that we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles [ SLBMs ] on display at the parade this time , '' he said .
`` Also , 600 students and researchers from Kim Il-sung University will also take part .
This is not an insignificant number .
This university is where they develop new talent for missile development .
By bringing them to the parade or putting them on display , North Korea may be trying to install pride and respect for the missile development talents . ''
Jeongmin Kim , an analyst with NK News , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these events to prove a point to the outside world .
`` We have to remember that many times - for a hereditary dictatorship especially - they constantly have to prove legitimacy to rule to their domestic audience .
`` So 10 October will also aim to do exactly that : trying to show its people , with dazzling parades with uplifting propaganda slogans , that they are 'doing okay ' , despite all of what has been going on this year .
`` Of course , precedents do point to the possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making a speech that may involve some message aimed at the outside world , such as how they are not waiting around for sanctions relief any more and will focus on 'self-reliance ' . ''
Cut off more than ever While some will be watching for any new missiles on display , there is growing concern about the welfare of the 25 million North Korean people .
2020 has been a bad year for most countries , but for North Korea it has the potential to be devastating .
`` I hear there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orphans and homeless street kids in the North this year , '' said Lee Sang Yong .
`` Even though we can not even imagine it here in South Korea - there are people in the North who are dying and starving . ''
The state closed its borders to the outside world in January to prevent an outbreak of Covid 19 spreading from neighbouring China .
Authorities have reportedly issued `` shoot-to-kill '' orders along the border and created a buffer zone to stop anyone entering the country .
• What does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me earlier this year that stockpiles of PPE and other essential medical supplies , including vaccines , had built up at the border with China , unable to get through .
North Korea claims to have had no cases of Covid-19 , but Kim Jong-un continues to hold high-level meetings to ensure tight restrictions remain in place .
The North Korean people are now cut off from the outside world more than ever before .
Even movement between provinces has been limited .
`` Land , sea , and air .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material , '' said Mr Lee .
`` Unless you are military personnel or a high-ranking officer , no one is moving inside of North Korea .
Quarantine measures against Covid-19 are so tight .
`` The North Korean economy has come to a halt .
Smugglers and small traders at the border have questioned why the regime is risking the fate of the economy if there is no Covid-19 in the country . ''
Six months ' training for 10 minutes on parade Trade with its key ally China has plummeted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months of this year , as compared to last year .
The impoverished state has also been battered by extreme weather in recent months and Korean state television spends its afternoons showing `` heroic '' efforts to overcome the damage from several typhoons .
Kim Jong-un has now ordered a nationwide drive to try to boost the ailing economy , describing it as an `` 80-day battle '' .
In short , that means more work for the North Korean people , extra hours in the fields or factories and additional duties in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they struggle , the more loyal they will seem to local leaders .
The message blasted across state TV is one of `` self-reliance '' .
• Who might lead N Korea without Kim ?
• Scepticism over N Korea 's claim to be virus free In the South , farms across the country are busy harvesting rice .
But it 's hard to know if this is happening in the North .
It 's difficult to get a clear picture of how badly the state 's harvests have been hit , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought to be food insecure , even a small number of rain-ravaged fields can amount to thousands going hungry .
My team travelled to the Demilitarised Zone near Geosong on the east coast .
We drive past white sandy beaches flanked by high barbed wire .
Bright blue skies give us a crystal clear view of the mountains to the north .
A few checkpoints are visible on the peaks From here , curious South Koreans love to peer into the North .
This is as close as they can get .
Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June and blew up the inter-Korean liaison office Earlier this month an incident in disputed waters to the west of the peninsula saw a South Korean man , thought to have been trying to defect , shot and killed .
His body was burned .
• Kim apologises for killing of South Korean official And yet the North still has friends here .
Some still harbour hopes of ending the 70-year war even after Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un could not reach a deal on denuclearisation .
Just three years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Winter Olympics in Gangwon province and the local governor believes it 's time to look again at these types of exchanges as a path to peace .
`` The effort to reach a big deal resulted in no deal .
It is time for us to go back to develop non-political initiatives and to achieve small deals in sport and cultural exchanges , '' said Choi Moon Soon .
`` It is very unfortunate that we are left with the situation that even small exchanges between North and South Korea are cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and revealing differences in the process . ''
Mr Choi would like to create a United Nations peace zone at the border .
International sanctions mean this is an unlikely dream for now .
Instead Mr Choi acknowledged that North Korea is keeping a close eye on the US presidential election to figure out its next move .
`` I am not sure if I will see North and South Korea unified in my life time but I have two daughters and I would like it if they did n't inherit this volatile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and potential of conflict .
We should n't pass down this volatility to our next generation . ''
That may be out of his hands and instead fall to whoever wins the White House .
Pyongyang is trying to read the situation inside and outside its country .
It 's not yet clear which path it 's willing to take .
Will its current perilous predicament eventually encourage Kim Jong-un back to the negotiating table .
Or will he look further inward and keep the borders closed .
The North Korean leader has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parade is a chance to show his hand and his agenda and put the fate of his country back into the public eye .
You may also be interested in :

"Also, 600 students and researchers from Kim Il-sung University will also take part. This is not an insignificant number. This university is where they develop new talent for missile development. By bringing them to the parade or putting them on display, North Korea may be trying to install pride and respect for the missile development talents."