bbc--2020-09-10--Covid exacerbating inequality globally - BBC poll

The coronavirus pandemic has hit poorer countries harder than the rest of the world , sowing inequality globally , a BBC poll has shown .
The survey of nearly 30,000 people shows how different countries have been affected by the pandemic , six months after it was confirmed on 11 March .
The financial toll was a major issue , after lockdowns damaged economies worldwide .
Poorer countries and younger people say they are facing the greatest hardship .
A drop in income was reported by 69 % of respondents in poorer countries , in comparison to 45 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Outcomes also differed along race and gender lines , with women worse off than men , and black people reporting higher levels of Covid-19 infection than white people in the US .
• A visual guide to the economic impact of the pandemic • How are other economies dealing with the downturn ?
• How the financial shockwave is affecting jobs and money The research was conducted for the BBC World Service in 27 countries by GlobeScan in June 2020 , the height of the pandemic in many places .
In total , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 and the impact it has had on their lives .
`` One of the central narratives of this pandemic has been that 'we are all in this together ' , '' Chris Coulter , the chief executive of GlobeScan , told the BBC .
`` Our poll finds that the opposite is true .
Across different countries and within most countries , results show that those who are most systemically disadvantaged have been hit the hardest . ''
The pandemic has had a more severe impact on people in poorer countries and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found .
There was a notable divide between countries among the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) and non-member countries .
The OECD is an international group of 37 countries that are among the world 's most prosperous economies .
The poll shows that 69 % of people in non-OECD countries had their income affected due to the pandemic , compared to 45 % of those living in OECD countries .
Overall , the research found that people in Latin America , Asia and Africa were more likely to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on them than those living in Europe and North America .
People in Kenya ( 91 % ) , Thailand ( 81 % ) , Nigeria ( 80 % ) , South Africa ( 77 % ) , Indonesia ( 76 % ) , and Vietnam ( 74 % ) were most likely to have been affected financially .
People on low incomes in those countries were most likely to say they now had even less money .
But counter-intuitively , people with high incomes in Australia , Canada , Japan , Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have been impacted financially by the pandemic than those earning the least .
The pandemic has opened up a gulf between young and old , according to the poll .
Younger generations say they have experienced a tougher time than older generations .
This might be because there have been fewer opportunities to work , socialise and seek education during the pandemic .
Some 55 % of respondents from Gen Z ( people born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s ) and 56 % of Millennials ( people born between the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has greatly affected their lives .
In contrast , only 49 % of those from Gen X ( people born from 1965 to 1980 ) and 39 % of Baby Boomers ( people born from 1946 to 1964 ) said they felt the same .
• 'It 's unfair to blame young people for virus rise' Gen Z respondents suffered the worst financial hit , with 63 % saying they saw a change to their incomes .
Conversely , only 42 % of Baby Boomers said their incomes were affected .
Older generations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical or financial harm .
Some 56 % of Baby Boomers and older reported no physical or financial impacts , compared to 39 % on average globally .
Other key findings from the poll include : • Nearly six in 10 people ( 57 % ) say they have been affected financially by the pandemic • Women say they are facing a greater financial impact than men .
The greatest disparities were reported in Germany ( 32 % of women versus 24 % of men ) , Italy ( 50 % versus 43 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 45 % versus 38 % ) .
• In the US , 14 % of black Americans say they or a family member have been infected with Covid-19 , compared with 7 % of white Americans • Parents felt greater impacts from the pandemic , with 57 % telling pollsters they have been greatly affected , versus 41 % of people without children • GLOBAL TRENDS : Where are cases rising and falling ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are the symptoms of the coronavirus ?
• FACE MASKS : Should I wear one @ @ @ @ @

Overall, the research found that people in Latin America, Asia and Africa were more likely to say the virus had had a considerable impact on them than those living in Europe and North America.


bbc--2020-09-10--Beirut fire: Large blaze erupts in port a month after explosion

Lebanon has launched an investigation into a huge fire at a warehouse storing aid that erupted in the port of Beirut - one month after a massive explosion there killed more than 190 people .
Firefighters and military officials spent hours battling the fire , using helicopters to drop water on it , before getting it under control on Thursday .
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is not yet known .
Footage shared on social media showed port workers running away as the fire broke out at the duty-free zone in the port on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dark smoke over the Lebanese capital .
The head of Lebanon 's Red Cross , George Kettaneh , said some people were suffering from shortness of breath , but there were no reports of injuries .
The area around the fire was cordoned off to prevent it from spreading .
Civil defence director general Raymond Khattar told the state-run National News Agency that those working to extinguish the fire would not leave `` until the flames are fully quenched . ''
The fire broke out just over a month after a huge explosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonating at a warehouse in the port .
In addition to the fatalities , thousands were injured and as many as 300,000 left homeless by the 4 August explosion .
Despite assurances from officials on Thursday that the situation was under control , some residents , still traumatised by last month 's explosion , drove out of the city .
`` I am forced to get them out of Beirut from the smoke and the fire that is happening at the port again , '' Majed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife and children , told Reuters news agency .
`` For sure we were scared ... it 's only been a month since the explosion that destroyed Beirut .
We saw the same thing happening again , '' said 53-year-old Andre Muarbes .
What do we know about the cause of the fire ?
Port director Bassem al-Qaisi earlier told the Voice of Lebanon radio station that the fire started in a warehouse where barrels of cooking oil were being stored , and then spread to tyres nearby .
`` It is too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of heat or some other mistake , '' he said .
More on the explosion in Beirut

"I am forced to get them out of Beirut from the smoke and the fire that is happening at the port again," Majed Hassanein, who was leaving with his wife and children, told Reuters news agency.


bbc--2020-09-10--Peloton sales surge as virus boosts home workouts

Peloton , which won an early celebrity fanbase for its exercise bikes and remote workout classes , has seen demand surge during the pandemic .
The firm 's global membership base hit 3.1 million at the end of June , more than double a year earlier , as gym closures due to Covid-19 increased demand for at-home workouts .
The jump in sign-ups lifted revenue to $ 607m ( £474m ) , up 172 % year-on-year .
But it has also strained supply , prompting lengthy waits for equipment .
The firm had said it was slashing prices for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost of the bike from $ 2,245 to $ 1,895 in an effort to make their products more accessible .
The move coincided with the launch of new , more expensive , versions of the same pieces of equipment .
But the firm , which relies on purchases of its machines fitted with touchscreens for most of its sales , said it did not expect delivery delays to improve much before the end of the year .
`` Demand ... remains strong and member engagement remains elevated , despite improving weather and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foley said on an analyst call after the firm shared its quarterly results on Thursday .
Peloton said the number of `` connected fitness '' subscribers , who access its remote classes via one of the firm 's machines , jumped to more than 1.09 million at the end of June , up 113 % in comparison with the same period last year .
Those members are also working out more - averaging more than 24 workouts per month , compared to 12 one year ago .
The growth propelled the firm to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , versus a loss of $ 47.4m last year .
Mr Foley told analysts he was not worried about demand subsiding after the pandemic , given the opportunities for global expansion .
Peloton said it expected the number of subscribers to exceed 2 million over the next 12 months and forecast revenue for its next financial year of at least $ 3.5bn .
The results shared by the firm exceeded analyst expectations , prompting shares to rise 7 % in after-hours trade .

But the firm, which relies on purchases of its machines fitted with touchscreens for most of its sales, said it did not expect delivery delays to improve much before the end of the year.


bbc--2020-09-10--Pringles tube tries to wake from 'recycling nightmare'

The distinctive Pringles tube is being re-designed after criticism that it ’ s almost impossible to recycle .
The current container for the potato-based snack was condemned as a recycler ’ s nightmare .
It 's a complex construction with a metal base , plastic cap , metal tear-off lid , and foil-lined cardboard sleeve .
The Recycling Association dubbed it the number one recycling villain – along with the Lucozade Sports bottle .
Now Pringles ' maker , Kellogg , is trialling a simpler can – although experts say it ’ s not a full solution .
The existing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many different materials Some 90 % of the new can is paper .
Around 10 % is a polyal ( plastic ) barrier that seals the interior to protect the food against oxygen and moisture which would damage the taste .
But how about the lid ?
Well , two options are on trial in some Tesco stores – a recyclable plastic lid and a recyclable paper lid .
Kellog says these lids will still produce the distinctive `` pop '' associated with the product .
Simon Ellin from the Recycling Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tube has been a bastion of bad design from the recyclers ' point of view .
`` This new version is an improvement , and we broadly welcome it .
`` But , frankly , if they are going to stick to a plastic lid that ’ ll just add to problems with plastic pollution - people on picnics leave them behind and they find their way into streams and the sea .
That plastic lid has got to go . ''
Kellog says its packaging must be airtight , or the food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designs have been 12 months in the making .
Pringles have a shelf life of 15 months - and three million cans are made across Europe every day .
Mr Ellin said the polyal-coated card might be recyclable but the product would need to be tested in recycling mills .
And what of the much-criticised Lucozade Sports bottle ?
Mr Ellin said its unchanged basic design was still a big problem , as machines found it hard to differentiate the plastic in the bottle and the plastic that makes up its outer sleeve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suntory , to reduce the size of the external sleeve , as it has with the new Ribena bottle .
The firm said it was planning to do this for the new year .
Suntory said it was working on a new material made entirely from seaweed extract that was 100 % edible , biodegradable and compostable .
Environmentalists say that trivial changes like these wo n't solve the world 's ecological crises - but on a large scale they 'll make a contribution .

"But, frankly, if they are going to stick to a plastic lid that’ll just add to problems with plastic pollution - people on picnics leave them behind and they find their way into streams and the sea. That plastic lid has got to go."


bbc--2020-09-10--Obituary: Dame Diana Rigg

Obituary: Dame Diana Rigg

Dame Diana Rigg enjoyed a long and distinguished acting career on stage , in film and on television .
The range of her roles was enormous , from serious drama to high camp .
She was the only Bond girl to get 007 to the altar .
But for those of a certain generation , she will always be the desirable Emma Peel in The Avengers TV series .
Enid Diana Elizabeth Rigg was born near Doncaster on 20 July 1938 .
While still a toddler , she travelled to India , where her father worked as a railway engineer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time she returned to England after the war , she spoke Hindi as a second language .
She was sent to a Yorkshire boarding school run by the Moravian church .
`` I felt like a fish out of water , '' she said - although she later credited the experience with helping form her character .
On leaving school in 1955 , she trained as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art .
She made her professional debut in a production of Bertolt Brecht 's The Caucasian Chalk Circle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She joined the Royal Shakespeare Company , where she played a number of roles , receiving much praise for her portrayal of Cordelia in a touring production of King Lear .
In 1965 , she screen-tested for the part of John Steed 's female companion in the TV series The Avengers after the departure of Honor Blackman to play Pussy Galore in Goldfinger .
In fact , the role had already been given to another actress , Elizabeth Shepherd .
But Brian Clemens , the programme 's producer , was not happy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a bad actress , '' he later recalled .
`` But she just did n't have a sense of humour at all - that was essential in The Avengers .
So we scrapped what we 'd shot and got rid of her and then tested , and out of the tests came Diana Rigg , who was head and shoulders above everybody else . ''
Her performance as the cat-suited Emma Peel brought her international fame .
The surreal psychedelia of The Avengers made it as much a symbol of the Swinging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sexy , resourceful and self-assured - with a deadly knowledge of self-defence - Rigg 's character became an icon for the growing feminist movement .
Her action-girl allure , coupled with her husky voice - the result of a 20-a-day cigarette habit - also brought her plenty of male admirers .
`` We had no idea it would be defining , '' she later said .
`` It was nose to the grindstone - working all hours that God gave . ''
She also showed she was capable of taking on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she discovered she was earning less than the cameramen and insisted on more money before making another episode .
But Rigg found the sudden fame as a TV star difficult to cope with .
She recalled having to hide in a lavatory to avoid the attention of the crowds .
It was partly her resentment at the invasion of her privacy that persuaded her that she would spend only two years with The Avengers .
She was also keen to keep her stage career alive .
`` Some weeks I 'd spend four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then head up to Stratford to be Regan to Olivier 's Lear , '' she said .
Like Blackman , Rigg moved from the Avengers to 007 , starring in Her Majesty 's Secret Service opposite George Lazenby .
Rigg became the only Bond girl to get the secret agent to the altar , although the marriage was abruptly cut short when her character was shot dead soon after the wedding .
Her relationship with Lazenby was reported to be difficult , although she denied deliberately eating garlic before their love scenes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the press .
She starred as Vincent Price 's daughter in the camp horror film , Theatre of Blood , but soon returned to the stage - nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in Abelard and Heloise .
In New York , her portrayal of Heloise was criticised by acerbic US critic John Simon , who described her in a nude scene as `` built like a brick basilica with insufficient flying buttresses '' .
She later admitted she never felt comfortable removing her clothes on stage .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yorkshire takes their clothes off except on a Friday night , '' she said .
The episode led her to later publish a collection of scathing theatrical reviews titled No Turn Unstoned .
She took a number of leading roles with the National Theatre Company at the Old Vic and gained a second Tony nomination for her performance as Celimene in The Misanthrope .
In 1990 , she won a Bafta for the role of an obsessive mother in the BBC drama Mother Love .
Four years later she won a Tony for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acclaimed roles , that of Medea .
In the same year , Rigg was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire .
She appeared in a number of TV costume dramas , winning an Emmy for her role as Mrs Danvers in a Carlton TV production of Daphne du Maurier 's Rebecca .
Her work in the theatre continued , including well-received performances in The Cherry Orchard , Pygmalion and Tennessee Williams ' Suddenly Last Summer .
In 2013 , she appeared in a Doctor Who episode , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for her by Mark Gatiss .
Her role as the evil Mrs Gillyflower was played alongside her daughter , Rachael Stirling .
She was also required to use her native Yorkshire accent .
In her 70s , Dame Diana joined a long list of distinguished British actors who appeared in the HBO fantasy epic Game of Thrones , gaining an Emmy nomination .
And she continued working until shortly before her death , appearing in the new remake of All Creatures Great And Small .
She was married twice , first to Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1976 , and then to Archie Stirling .
The couple divorced in 1990 after Stirling 's affair with actress Joely Richardson .
In 2017 , the 20-a-day smoker found herself seriously ill and undergoing a heart operation .
During surgery , Rigg 's heart stopped and her life hung by a thread .
`` The good Lord must have said , 'Send the old bag down again ' , '' the devout Christian later told a journalist .
`` I 'm not having her yet . ''
Although it was the role of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dame Diana was successful in casting off the character and carving out a distinguished career as a classical actress .
She never felt the need to return to the cat suit , steadfastly refusing to sign Avengers photographs that continued to be sent to her .
Rigg excelled at playing sharp-witted female characters who carried steel fists in velvet gloves .

"She's not a bad actress," he later recalled. "But she just didn't have a sense of humour at all - that was essential in The Avengers. So we scrapped what we'd shot and got rid of her and then tested, and out of the tests came Diana Rigg, who was head and shoulders above everybody else."


bbc--2020-09-10--Breonna Taylor family: 'Hold every officer accountable'

The family of Breonna Taylor has said it is worried about a `` cover-up '' in the case of her @ @ @ @ @ 26-year-old emergency medical technician was fatally shot when officers stormed her apartment in Louisville , @ @ @ @ @ warrant for drugs .
`` There are questions [ that ] still are n't answered @ @ @ @ @ Bianca Austin .
`` We feel like we 're just being lied to . ''
@ @ @ @ @ to an interview request from the BBC .

The family of Breonna Taylor has said it is worried about a "cover-up" in the case of her killing in March.
The 26-year-old emergency medical technician was fatally shot when officers stormed her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky, on a search warrant for drugs.
"There are questions [that] still aren't answered," says her aunt Bianca Austin. "We feel like we're just being lied to."
Louisville Police did not respond to an interview request from the BBC.


bbc--2020-09-10--Former prisoner fighting for US criminal justice reform

The US has the one of the world 's largest prison populations with over two million people in jail .
@ @ @ @ @ who ca n't afford bail so remain behind bars while they await trial .
Harvey @ @ @ @ @ out of prison has been the driving force for his work in criminal justice reform @ @ @ @ @ Leadership USA , a New York-based organisation that wants to cut the prison population by @ @ @ @ @ years .

The US has the one of the world's largest prison populations with over two million people behind bars. Many of those are people who cannot afford bail so remain there while they await trial.
Harvey Murphy's experience in and out of prison has been the driving force for his work in criminal justice reform.
Harvey works for Just Leadership USA, a New York-based organisation that wants to cut the prison population by half within the next 10 years.
Video produced by Ijeoma Ndukwe, Fanny Texier and Jasmin Souesi.


bbc--2020-09-09--Terminally ill 83 year old gets her dying wish

An 83-year-old terminally ill woman had her bucket list wish fulfilled when a group of bikers turned up on her @ @ @ @ @ wanted to sit on a Harley-Davidson but she got to experience more than that .

An 83-year-old terminally ill woman had her bucket list wish fulfilled when a group of bikers turned up on her doorstep.
Anne Turner just wanted to sit on a Harley-Davidson but she got to experience more than that.


bbc--2020-09-10--Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020: Andromeda Galaxy image wins top prize

Nicolas Lefaudeux has been named overall winner of the Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2020 , for his image of the Andromeda Galaxy .
The photo , taken in Forges-les-Bains , Ile-de-France , beat thousands of amateur and professional photographers from around the world to win the £10,000 prize .
`` To most of us , our closest neighbouring galaxy Andromeda can also feel so distanced and out of reach , yet to create a photograph that gives us the impression that it is just within our physical reach is truly magical , and somewhat appropriate as we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said competition judge Ed Robinson .
In order to obtain the tilt-shift effect , the French photographer used a 3D printer to create a device that held the camera at an angle to the telescope .
The blur seen at the edges gives the illusion of closeness , when in reality the galaxy is two million light years away .
Here are other category winners from this year 's awards , with descriptions from the competition organisers .
Aurorae category : The Green Lady , by Nicholas Roemmelt from Germany On a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in green '' unexpectedly appeared for Roemmelt , making the whole sky burn with green , blue and pink colours .
Best Newcomer category : Waves , by Bence Toth from Hungary Our Moon category : Tycho Crater Region with Colours , by Alain Paillou from France The Tycho crater is one of the most famous craters on the Moon .
Our Sun category : Liquid Sunshine , by Alexandra Hart from the UK This surface is about 100km thick and the ever-boiling motion of these convection cells circulates , lasting for around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Space category : The Prison of Technology , by Rafael Schmall from Hungary The star in the centre of the image is the Albireo double star , surrounded by trails of moving satellites .
Planets , Comets and Asteroids category : Space Between Us , by Lukasz Sujka from Poland This image shows the close alignment of the Moon and Jupiter that happened on 31 October 2019 .
Skyscapes category : Painting the Sky , by Thomas Kast from Germany Kast was searching for clear skies in Finnish Lapland to capture the beauty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these polar stratospheric clouds .
Stars and Nebulae category : Cosmic Inferno , by Peter Ward from Australia NGC 3576 is a well-known nebula in southern skies , but it is shown here without any stars .
Software has been used to just show the nebula , which has been mapped into a false colour palette .
The scene takes on the look of a celestial fire-maelstrom .
Young category : The Four Planets and the Moon , by Alice Fock Hang from Réunion , France Annie Maunder Prize for Image Innovation : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the UK The image was obtained with the Vista survey telescope at ESO 's Paranal Observatory in Chile and contains nearly nine billion pixels .

"To most of us, our closest neighbouring galaxy Andromeda can also feel so distanced and out of reach, yet to create a photograph that gives us the impression that it is just within our physical reach is truly magical, and somewhat appropriate as we adjust after such socially distanced times," said competition judge Ed Robinson.


bbc--2020-09-10--Quiz of the week: If Neil Buchanan is not Bansky, what is he doing now?

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

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


bbc--2020-09-10--Why Australia-China row matters

Why Australia-China row matters

China and Australia have always had their differences , but now relations between the two countries are souring at an @ @ @ @ @ 's Ros Atkins explains what has happened so far and why this is a departure @ @ @ @ @ between two countries .
Instead , it points towards a bigger political game taking place @ @ @ @ @ .

China and Australia have always had their differences, but now relations between the two countries are souring at an unprecedented rate.
The BBC's Ros Atkins explains what has happened so far and why this is a departure from a regular diplomatic fall-out between two countries.
Instead, it points towards a bigger political game taking place between China and the West.


bbc--2020-09-10--Africa's week in pictures: 4-10 September 2020

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

Image caption,
Activists from the South African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters protest outside the shop Clicks in Polokwane on Monday over a shampoo advert which described black hair as dull and white hair as normal.


bbc--2020-09-10--The mind-boggling size of California's wildfires

Over two million acres of land have been burned in California , compared to 118,000 acres burned during this time @ @ @ @ @ : Three killed in explosive inferno

Over two million acres of land have been burned in California, compared to 118,000 acres burned during this time in 2019.
Read more: Three killed in explosive inferno


bbc--2020-09-10--Paris Musée d'Orsay sorry for barring visitor in low-cut dress

The Musée d'Orsay is one of the biggest tourist draws in Paris and home to some of 19th Century French art 's most famous nudes .
But when French literature student Jeanne visited wearing a low-cut dress on a hot day this week , she says she was barred from entering .
Museum staff told her `` rules are rules '' and she was eventually allowed in when she put on her jacket , she explains .
She posted a picture of herself sitting in a restaurant four hours before going to the museum with a friend , describing how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her breasts but did not say which rule she was contravening .
Temperatures reached 26C on Tuesday , and Jeanne , an art-loving literature student , told of her desire to mark the end of a hot afternoon at the Musée d'Orsay .
`` It was far from my mind that my cleavage would be the subject of any disagreement , '' she says .
Although her friend had a cropped top that showed her navel , Jeanne says attention was fixed on her breasts even before she had had a chance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that 's not going to be possible , that 's not allowed , that is not acceptable , '' she quotes a ticket agent as saying .
A guard then arrived citing museum rules , she says .
`` At no time does anyone say my cleavage is a problem , they 're manifestly staring at my breasts , referring to them as 'that ' . ''
Initially she refused to put on her jacket .
`` I do n't want to put on my jacket as I feel beaten , compelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone 's looking at my breasts .
All I am is my breasts ; all I am is a woman they are sexualising . ''
`` We deeply regret it and apologise to the person involved , with whom we are getting in touch , '' it said .
She told the BBC she was satisfied that the museum `` contacted me personally by phone and has been very understanding , providing me with a very sincere apology '' .
But she felt the museum 's public response on Twitter `` fails to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event '' .
She was not bitter about what happened and loved art too much to resist going back , she said .
What is not clear is which rules the museum meant .
The Libération newspaper points to a couple of rules referring to `` decent dress '' and a ban on clothing `` likely to disturb the peace '' but it believes the museum clearly realised they were not relevant in this case .

Although her friend had a cropped top that showed her navel, Jeanne says attention was fixed on her breasts even before she had had a chance to show her ticket. "Oh no, that's not going to be possible, that's not allowed, that is not acceptable," she quotes a ticket agent as saying.


bbc--2020-09-10--Global wildlife in 'catastrophic decline'

Wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds in less than 50 years , according to a major report by the conservation group WWF .
The report says this `` catastrophic decline '' shows no sign of slowing .
And it warns that nature is being destroyed by humans at a rate never seen before .
Wildlife is `` in freefall '' as we burn forests , over-fish our seas and destroy wild areas , says Tanya Steele , chief executive at WWF .
`` We are wrecking our world - the one place we call home - risking our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earth .
Now nature is sending us a desperate SOS and time is running out . ''
What do the numbers mean ?
The report looked at thousands of different wildlife species monitored by conservation scientists in habitats across the world .
They recorded an average 68 % fall in more than 20,000 populations of mammals , birds , amphibians , reptiles and fish since 1970 .
The decline was clear evidence of the damage human activity is doing to the natural world , said Dr Andrew Terry , director of conservation at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , which provides the data .
`` If nothing changes , populations will undoubtedly continue to fall , driving wildlife to extinction and threatening the integrity of the ecosystems on which we depend , '' he added .
The report says the Covid-19 pandemic is a stark reminder of how nature and humans are intertwined .
Factors believed to lead to the emergence of pandemics - including habitat loss and the use and trade of wildlife - are also some of the drivers behind the decline in wildlife .
New modelling evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habitat loss and deforestation if we take urgent conservation action and change the way we produce and consume food .
The British TV presenter and naturalist Sir David Attenborough said the Anthropocene , the geological age during which human activity has come to the fore , could be the moment we achieve a balance with the natural world and become stewards of our planet .
`` Doing so will require systemic shifts in how we produce food , create energy , manage our oceans and use materials , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change in perspective .
A change from viewing nature as something that 's optional or 'nice to have ' to the single greatest ally we have in restoring balance to our world . ''
Sir David presents a new documentary on extinction to be aired on BBC One in the UK on Sunday 13 September at 20:00 BST .
How do we measure the loss of nature ?
Measuring the variety of all life on Earth is complex , with a number of different measures .
Taken together , they provide evidence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented in human history .
This particular report uses an index of whether populations of wildlife are going up or down .
It does not tell us the number of species lost , or extinctions .
The largest declines are in tropical areas .
The drop of 94 % for Latin America and the Caribbean is the largest anywhere in the world , driven by a cocktail of threats to reptiles , amphibians and birds .
`` This report is looking at the global picture and the need to act soon in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Louise McRae of ZSL .
The data has been used for modelling work to look at what might be needed to reverse the decline .
Research published in the journal Naturesuggests that to turn the tide we must transform the way we produce and consume food , including reducing food waste and eating food with a lower environmental impact .
Prof Dame Georgina Mace of UCL said conservation actions alone would n't be sufficient to `` bend the curve on biodiversity loss '' .
`` It will require actions from other sectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food system will be particularly important , both from the agricultural sector on the supply side , and consumers on the demand side , '' she said .
What do other measures tell us about the loss of nature ?
Extinction data is compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) , which has evaluated more than 100,000 species of plants and animals , with more than 32,000 species threatened with extinction .
In 2019 , an intergovernmental panel of scientists concluded that one million species ( 500,000 animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are threatened with extinction , some within decades .
The WWF report is one of many assessments of the state of nature being published in the coming weeks and months in the build-up to a major summit next year .
The UN will reveal next Tuesday its latest assessment of the state of nature worldwide .

"It will require actions from other sectors, and here we show that the food system will be particularly important, both from the agricultural sector on the supply side, and consumers on the demand side," she said.


bbc--2020-09-10--Why black Americans are more likely to be vegan

Black Americans are almost three times as likely to be vegan than white Americans .
Why is this alternative diet so popular ?
When Louis Hunter woke up on the morning of 31 May he did n't know what to do .
His hometown of Minneapolis was in disarray after a week of protests following the death of George Floyd , and many businesses - including his own restaurant , Trio Plant-Based - were shut down .
`` God just touched me and told me to go out and pass out all the food that I had prepared the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In total , Mr Hunter gave away 300 vegan meals and bottles of water to Black Lives Matter protesters .
The cause and his restaurant are inextricable in his heart .
In 2016 he was facing 20 years in jail on felony rioting charges after participating in a Black Lives Matter protest following the death of his cousin , Philando Castile .
• Philando Castile death : ' I lost my best friend in a police shooting' Mr Hunter has always maintained his innocence , and charges were eventually dismissed , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while the sentence hung over his head for over a year .
Through his legal battle , he met white activist Sarah Woodcock , who introduced him to the concept of veganism .
He started reading about how reducing or eliminating animal products can help reduce the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure - illnesses that plague the black community in the US .
He says he also started to connect how racial injustice contributes to the poor diet that many African Americans eat .
`` At first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food at all , '' he said .
`` After that I started seeing the other ways we were being treated wrongly , as far as our eating habits . ''
Although he is not a strict vegan , which means cutting out all animal products from your diet , he says he now eats largely a plant-based diet that consists mainly of vegetables , fruits and legumes .
• What if the whole world went vegan ?
• Why race matters when it comes to mental health The pair went into business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , opened Trio in the autumn of 2018 .
Now he is the sole proprietor , making Trio the first black-owned vegan restaurant in the state .
The growth of Trio mirrors national trends , with everyone from athletes to pop stars jumping on board .
But nowhere has the vegan diet taken off more than in the African-American community .
According to Pew Research Center survey , 8 % of black Americans are strict vegans or vegetarians , compared to just 3 % of the general of the population .
Those findings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Resource Group , that found 8 % of black people were strictly vegetarian , compared to 3.4 % overall .
Recently , a January poll by Gallup found that 31 % of non-white Americans had reduced their meat consumption in the past year , compared to only 19 % of white Americans .
The trend is sparking a new generation of vegan influencers , like actress Tabitha Brown , who is getting her own cooking show after her vegan videos blew up on Tik Tok and Instagram ( there is even an online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Apple 's Siri ) .
Meanwhile , established celebrities like Beyonce , Lizzo and tennis star Venus Williams have all either gone vegan or part-time vegan , with Beyonce even partnering in a `` plant-based '' meal delivery service .
The singer made headlines a few years ago when she promised to give free tickets to her and her husband Jay Z 's concerts for life to a fan who made the switch to veganism .
So why has veganism become so popular with African-Americans ?
For many black vegans , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthier lifestyle .
African Americans have a higher rate of hypertension , type 2 diabetes , obesity and cancer than most other groups , in part because their diet is on average higher in salt and fat and lower in fruits and vegetables , research shows .
But socioeconomic factors like poverty , living far from a green grocer and easy access to fast food have made it harder for African Americans to eat healthily , according to the Food Empowerment Project , a non-profit aimed at ending food inequality .
Numerous studies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a lower-risk of developing chronic conditions .
The NHS says that a balanced vegan or vegetarian diet can be `` very healthy '' , but notes that it is not the only path to health .
It cautioned that vegans need to be careful to plan their diet to get adequate protein and calcium through plant-based sources , and may need to take supplements to guard against B12 and iron deficiencies .
One recent study published in the British Medical Journal found that while vegans had a lower rate of heart disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stroke .
Researches were not sure why , but told the BBC that it could be because of B12 deficiencies .
Food quantity , aside from food quality , is also a key factor in maintaining a healthy body weight .
Those issues have inspired several black-owned charities , like Compton Vegan , to deliver vegan meals to predominantly black inner-city communities .
It 's also one of the reasons why Mr Hunter wanted the menu at Trio to focus on foods his community would be familiar with and want to eat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like collard greens and mac-and-cheese .
But those foods do n't have to be laden with bacon grease and full-fat cream , Mr Hunter says .
The menu at his restaurant Trio veganises many soul food classics , using things like liquid smoke to give collard greens that bacon-y taste and cashews to make mac-and-cheese creamy without the cream .
At first , most of his customers were white , but now about half of his business is black .
`` To nurture my community , is amazing .
I pinch myself almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real , '' he says .
'To see yourself represented' For Omowale Adewale , the founder of Black VegFest , a vegan festival created by and for the black community in New York City , connecting veganism to black culture is essential .
But when the festival first debuted , it drew puzzled looks from many white vegans .
`` The vegan community has been white for so long , and sometimes it feels like they want to keep it white , '' he says .
While the diet has been stereotyped as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class white hipsters , there is a long history of black veganism in the US and abroad , he is quick to point out .
`` You love to see yourself represented .
That 's one of the main reasons why the black community has really galvanised around the vegan idea , '' he says .
While many vegan organisations lobby to improve animal welfare , and Black VegFest is no exception , Mr Adewale also makes sure its platform addresses wider issues in the black community like the fight to end police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant-based diet secret from my family After battling high-blood pressure as a young man , Mr Adewale was introduced to vegetarianism by his brother , and then later adopted a vegan diet after being introduced to it by members of the Rastafari religion , which emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s .
A central tenant of Rastafarianism is eating `` ital '' foods - foods that are organic , locally grown and plant-based .
Rasta-owned vegan and vegetarian restaurants can be found in cities around the world with a large Caribbean diaspora .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vegan , are also largely plant-based and rich in dark leafy greens and legumes - staples in a healthy diet .
A recent study involving 48,000 people over 18 years compared the health of meat-eaters , pescatarians - who eat fish and dairy but not meat - and vegetarians , including some vegans .
They found that people who eat vegan and vegetarian diets have a lower risk of heart disease , but a higher risk of stroke , possibly partly due to a lack of B12 .
The vegan movement also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Movement .
Dick Gregory , a famed civil rights activist and comedian who marched alongside Martin Luther King , gave up meat in 1965 and later became a strict vegan .
`` Because I 'm a civil rights activist , I am also an animal rights activist .
Animals and humans suffer and die alike .
Violence causes the same pain , the same spilling of blood , the same stench of death , the same arrogant , cruel and vicious taking of life .
We should n't be a part of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gregory who introduced Tracye McQuirter to veganism over 30 years ago , when he gave a speech at Amherst College 's black student union .
Now , Ms McQuirter is one of the many writers and influencers who are helping make veganism mainstream in the black community .
Her 2010 cookbook , By Any Greens Necessary , was specifically aimed at black women , and this year she is launching an online campaign to try and get 10,000 black women to go vegan .
Ms McQuirter says that veganism is more important now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many black communities , in part because of their higher rate of pre-existing chronic conditions .
Chronic disease and systemic racism are inextricable , she says .
• Why has the virus hit African Americans so hard ?
`` While the root cause is systemic white supremacy , one of the symptoms is we have access to the unhealthiest foods , '' she says .
As thousands march in Black Lives Matter protests , Ms McQuirter says it is `` urgent for us to take care of ourselves and eat well so we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .

The NHS says that a balanced vegan or vegetarian diet can be "very healthy", but notes that it is not the only path to health. It cautioned that vegans need to be careful to plan their diet to get adequate protein and calcium through plant-based sources, and may need to take supplements to guard against B12 and iron deficiencies.


bbc--2020-09-10--Who will get coronavirus vaccine first, and how?

If or when scientists succeed in making a coronavirus vaccine , there wo n't be enough to go around .
Research labs and pharmaceutical companies are rewriting the rulebook on the time it takes to develop , test and manufacture an effective vaccine .
Unprecedented steps are being taken to ensure roll-out of the vaccine is global .
But there are concerns that the race to get one will be won by the richest countries , at the expense of the most vulnerable .
So who will get it first , how much will it cost and , in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure nobody gets left behind ?
Vaccines to fight infectious diseases usually take years to develop , test and deliver .
Even then , their success is not guaranteed .
To date , only one human infectious disease has been totally eradicated - smallpox - and that took 200 years .
The rest - from polio to tetanus , measles , mumps and TB - we live with , or without , thanks to vaccinations .
How soon can we expect a coronavirus vaccine ?
Trials involving thousands of people are already under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against Covid-19 , the respiratory disease caused by coronavirus .
A process that usually takes five to 10 years , from research to delivery , is being pared down to months .
In the meantime , manufacturing is being scaled up - with investors and manufacturers risking billions of dollars to be ready to produce an effective vaccine .
Russia says trials of its Sputnik-V vaccine have shown signs of an immune response in patients and mass vaccination will start in October .
China says it has developed a successful vaccine that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But concerns have been raised about the speed at which both vaccines have been produced .
Neither are on the World Health Organization 's list of vaccines that have reached phase three clinical trials - the stage that involves more widespread testing in humans .
Some of these leading candidates hope to get their vaccine approved by the end of the year - although the WHO has said it does not expect to see widespread vaccinations against Covid-19 until the middle of 2021 .
British drug manufacturer AstraZeneca , which has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ramping up its global manufacturing capacity and has agreed to supply 100 million doses to the UK alone and possibly two billion globally - should it prove successful .
Pfizer and BioNTech , who say they have invested more than $ 1bn in their Covid-19 programme developing an mRNA vaccine , expect to be ready to seek some form of regulatory approval as early as October this year .
If approved , that would mean manufacturing up to 100 million doses by the end of 2020 and potentially more than 1.3 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are around 20 other pharmaceutical companies with clinical trials under way .
Not all of them will succeed - normally only about 10 % of vaccine trials are successful .
The hope is that the global focus , new alliances , and common purpose will raise the odds this time .
But even if one of these vaccines is successful , the immediate shortfall is clear .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
Governments are hedging their bets to secure potential vaccines , making deals for millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything has been officially certified or approved .
The UK government , for example , has signed deals for undisclosed sums for six potential coronavirus vaccines that may or may not prove successful .
The US hopes to get 300 million doses by January from its investment programme to fast-track a successful vaccine .
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has even advised states to be prepared for a vaccine roll-out as early as 1 November .
But not all countries are in a position to do likewise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , often on the frontline delivering vaccines , say locking in advanced deals with pharmaceutical companies creates `` a dangerous trend of vaccine nationalism by richer nations '' .
This in turn reduces global stocks available to the vulnerable in poorer countries .
In the past , the price of life-saving vaccines has left countries struggling to fully immunise children against diseases such as meningitis , for example .
Dr Mariângela Simão , the WHO 's assistant director-general responsible for access to medicines and health products , says we need to ensure vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The challenge will be to ensure equitable access - that all countries have access , not just those who can pay more . ''
The WHO is working with the epidemic response group , Cepi , and the Vaccine Alliance of governments and organisations , known as Gavi , to try to level the playing field .
At least 80 rich nations and economies , so far , have signed up to the global vaccine plan known as Covax , which aims to raise $ 2bn ( £1.52bn ) by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drug worldwide .
The US , which wants to leave the WHO , is not one of them .
By pooling resources in Covax , participants hope to guarantee 92 lower income countries , in Africa , Asia and Latin America , also get `` rapid , fair and equitable access '' to Covid-19 vaccines .
The facility is helping to fund a range of vaccine research and development work , and supporting manufacturers in scaling up production , where needed .
Having a wide portfolio of vaccine trials signed up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least one will be successful so they can deliver two billion doses of safe , effective vaccines by the end of 2021 .
`` With COVID-19 vaccines we want things to be different , '' says Gavi 's CEO Dr Seth Berkley .
`` If only the wealthiest countries in the world are protected , then international trade , commerce and society as a whole will continue to be hit hard as the pandemic continues to rage across the globe . ''
How much will it cost ?
While billions of dollars are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more are being pledged to buy and supply the vaccine .
Prices per dose depend on the type of vaccine , the manufacturer and the number of doses ordered .
Pharmaceutical company Moderna , for example , is reportedly selling access to its potential vaccine at between $ 32 and $ 37 a dose ( £24 to £28 ) .
AstraZeneca , on the other hand has said it will supply its vaccine `` at cost '' - or a few dollars per dose - during the pandemic .
The Serum Institute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's largest vaccine manufacturer by volume , is being backed by $ 150m from Gavi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to make and deliver up to 100 million doses of the successful Covid-19 vaccines for India and low- and middle-income countries .
They say the ceiling price will be $ 3 ( £2.28 ) a dose .
But patients receiving the vaccine are unlikely to be charged in most cases .
In the UK , mass distribution will be via the NHS health service .
Student doctors and nurses , dentists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up existing NHS staff in administering the jab en masse .
Consultation is currently under way .
Other countries , such as Australia , have said they will offer free doses to their population .
People receiving vaccines via humanitarian organisations - a vital cog in the global distribution wheel - will not be charged .
In the US , while the shot might be free , healthcare professionals could charge for administering the jab - leaving uninsured Americans possibly facing a vaccine bill .
So who gets it first ?
Although the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they wo n't be the ones who decide who gets vaccinated first .
`` Each organisation or country will have to determine who it immunises first and how it does that , '' Sir Mene Pangalos - AstraZeneca 's Executive Vice President told the BBC .
As the initial supply will be limited , reducing deaths and protecting health care systems are likely to be prioritised .
The Gavi plan is that countries signed up to Covax , high or low income alike , will receive enough doses for 3 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cover health and social care workers .
As more vaccine is produced , allocation is increased to cover 20 % of the population - this time prioritising over 65s and other vulnerable groups .
After everybody has received 20 % , the vaccine would be distributed according to other criteria , such as country vulnerability and immediate threat of Covid-19 .
Countries have until 18 September to commit to the programme and make their upfront payments by 9 October .
Negotiations are still under way for many other elements of the allocation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there wo n't be enough - the rest is still up in the air , '' says Dr Simao .
Gavi insists richer participants can request enough doses to vaccinate between 10-50 % of their population , but no country will receive enough doses to vaccinate more than 20 % until all countries in the group have been offered this amount .
Dr Berkley says a small buffer of about 5 % of the total number of available doses will be kept aside , `` to build a stockpile to help with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example to vaccinate refugees who may not otherwise have access '' .
How do you distribute a global vaccine ?
A lot depends on which vaccine is successful .
The ideal vaccine has a lot to live up to .
It needs to be affordable .
It needs to generate strong , long-lasting immunity .
It needs a simple refrigerated distribution system and manufacturers must be able to scale-up production rapidly .
The WHO , UNICEF and Medecins Sans Frontieres ( MFS / Doctors Without Borders ) , already have effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the so called `` cold chain '' facilities - cooler trucks and solar fridges to keep vaccines at the right temperature as they travel from factory to field .
But adding a new vaccine to the mix could pose huge logistical problems for those already facing a difficult environment .
Vaccines usually need to be kept refrigerated - usually between 2C and 8C .
That 's not too much of a challenge in most developed countries , but can be an `` immense task '' where infrastructure is weak and electricity supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under cold chain is already one of the biggest challenges ' countries face and this will be exacerbated with the introduction of a new vaccine , '' MSF medical adviser Barbara Saitta told the BBC .
`` You will need to add more cold chain equipment , make sure you always have fuel ( to run freezer and refrigerators in absence of electricity ) and repair/replace them when they break and transport them wherever you need them . ''
AstraZeneca has suggested their vaccine would need the regular cold chain between 2C and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate vaccines will need ultra-cold chain - storage at -60C or colder before being diluted and distributed .
`` To keep the Ebola vaccine at -60°C or colder we had to use a special cold chain equipment to store and transport them , plus we had to train staff to use all this new equipment , '' said Barbara Saitta .
There is also the question of the target population .
Vaccination programmes usually target children , so agencies will have to plan how to reach people that normally are not part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waits for the scientists to do their bit , many more challenges await .
And vaccines are not the only weapon against coronavirus .
`` Vaccines are not the only solution , '' Says Dr Simao , of the WHO .
`` You need to have diagnostics .
You need to have a way to decrease mortality , so you need therapeutics , and you need a vaccine .
`` Besides that , you need everything else - social distancing , avoiding crowded places and so on . ''
What do I need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ENDGAME : When will life get back to normal ?
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

Russia says trials of its Sputnik-V vaccine have shown signs of immune response in patients and has rolled out the vaccine for public use while late-stage trials continue. China says it has developed a successful vaccine that is being made available to its military personnel. But concerns have been raised about the speed at which both vaccines have been produced.


bbc--2020-09-10--Suspension of a US professor sparks debate over a Chinese word

The suspension of a US university professor has ignited a debate over the use of a seemingly innocuous Chinese word .
Professor Greg Patton at the University of Southern California ( USC ) was telling students in a communications lecture last month about filler , or pause words , such as 'err ' , 'umm ' or 'you know ' in English .
Footage of his lecture , which has now gone viral , shows Prof Patton saying : `` In China , the common pause word is 'that , that , that ' .
So in China , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Annunciated , na-ge sounds like the N-word , which led several of the professor 's students to complain to the university .
Responding to the complaint , the dean of the university , Geoffrey Garrett , told students that Prof Patton would no longer be teaching the course .
`` It is simply unacceptable for the faculty to use words in class that can marginalize , hurt and harm the psychological safety of our students , '' he said .
News of the spat reached China , where many posted on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's punishment , conversely , was discrimination against speakers of the Chinese language .
In Chinese the word `` na-ge '' ( 那个 ) is a common filler phrase that people use when they 're hesitating or trying to find the right word .
It literally translates to the word `` that '' .
But there have been many documented incidents of the word being used innocuously and leading to misunderstandings , and even violence .
In July 2016 , a fight broke out on the subway in the city of Southern Guangzhou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese man saying na-ge and mistook it for the N-word .
Footage went viral online showing the black man slapping the Chinese commuter and shouting `` you dare try that again '' and `` never say that again '' More recently , in April this year , Taiwanese news website UDN reported that two men nearly came to blows on the island outside a restaurant over the same misunderstanding .
Even Chinese basketball star Yao Ming has spoken of how the word brought him `` some trouble '' while playing in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
CC Chen , a student at the USC , defended Prof Patton , arguing that it was `` clearly an academic lecture on communication '' and the professor was `` describing a universal mistake commonly made in communication '' .
`` For him to be censored simply because a Chinese word sounds like an English pejorative term is a mistake and is not appropriate , especially given the educational setting , '' she said .
`` It also dismisses the fact that Chinese is a real language and has its own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
• BBC says sorry over racial slur in news report More than 11,000 people have now signed a Change.org petition calling for Prof Patton to be re-instated .
And in China there are discussions taking place over whether the university acted too abruptly .
On the popular Sina Weibo microblog , more than 1,000 posts have used the hashtag # USProfessorSuspendedForUsingNaGe , with many viewing the move as a suppression of Chinese speech .
One post called the incident a `` contemporary version of the literary inquisition '' - referring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imperial era .
What began as an accusation against the professor of using discriminatory language has morphed , in China , into accusations of discrimination against the Chinese language .
`` Is it now forbidden to speak Chinese in the United States ? ''
asked one Sina Weibo user .
In recent months , many in China have expressed solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in the US .
China itself has been on the receiving end of racist sentiment from America , stoked by the highest official in the nation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus the `` China virus '' , `` Wuhan virus '' , and even `` Kung Flu '' .
His language has been regularly cited by Chinese media as an example of xenophobic attitudes towards the Chinese people .
Some Chinese posters on Sina Weibo argued that USC , in suspending Prof Patton , had chosen `` political correctness '' over genuine change .
Others raised a note of optimism that the story would raise awareness of differences rather than marginalise them .
Many were of the view that shared discrimination in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should work to understand each other rather than fight against one another .
`` There should be respect for differences , '' wrote one Weibo user .
Back in the US , USC staff and students reacted to the decision to suspend Prof Patton .
`` There 's no language superior to the other , '' Chengyan Wu , Co-President of USC Chinese Student and Scholar Association , told the university 's student news organisation .
`` Restating the rights of one minority group should not be at the expense of violating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have the right to use our own language . ''
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
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"For him to be censored simply because a Chinese word sounds like an English pejorative term is a mistake and is not appropriate, especially given the educational setting," she said. "It also dismisses the fact that Chinese is a real language and has its own pronunciations that have no relation to English."


bbc--2020-09-10--George Bizos obituary: Remembering Mandela's gentle but fierce lawyer

And indeed , in person , he was famously courteous and deferential .
No airs and graces - and no easy retirement - for a man who could easily have basked in his hard-earned reputation as a pivotal figure in South Africa 's long struggle against apartheid .
But it masked a fierce and uncompromising devotion to justice and human rights , and a belief that the law was a weapon which , used correctly , had at least as much power as guns and speeches .
I met him many times in the last two decades of his life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Zimbabwe - his simple maxim that an election is pointless unless both sides accept the result , stuck with me - about his mediating role in the difficult family battles over Mandela 's will , and about his determination to fight for justice for the families of those shot by police in the Marikana killings of 2012 .
But it is a trip I made with him a decade ago , to revisit his first law office , in central Johannesburg , that comes to mind now .
I remember following Bizos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , over to a shabby-looking café .
He and his friend Nelson Mandela used to come at least once a week to grab a couple of pies and take them back to Mandela 's office around the corner .
At the far end - a makeshift door opened into what was once Mandela 's office - the very first black law firm in South Africa - a place that used to be besieged by clients .
It was occupied at the time by a 38-year-old old unemployed electrician - Dick Macomary - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mattress on the floor .
Pots and pans .
Some clothes drying by the boarded-up windows .
`` This is not good for you , and it is not good for Mr Mandela .
The city council has a reputation for being a little tardy , to say the least .
It is almost a malaise .
Nobody seems to take responsibility , '' Bizos sighed .
You might also be interested in : A group of lawyers standing outside the magistrate 's court all turned and smiled at Bizos as he walked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you must bear in mind that I was optimistic in the 40s , and the 50s , and 60s , and so on .
I have always been optimistic . ''

I met him many times in the last two decades of his life, to interview him about stolen elections in Zimbabwe - his simple maxim that an election is pointless unless both sides accept the result, stuck with me - about his mediating role in the difficult family battles over Mandela's will, and about his determination to fight for justice for the families of those shot by police in the Marikana killings of 2012.


bbc--2020-09-10--Covid hotspots, six months after pandemic declared

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than 27 million confirmed cases in 188 countries .
About 900,000 people have lost their lives .
Exactly six months after the World Health Organization declared a pandemic - a worldwide spread - cases of the disease are continuing to surge in many countries .
Some that had apparent success in suppressing initial outbreaks have seen infections rise again .
However , the number of confirmed cases during the spring peak is likely to be an underestimate of the true level of infection , as widespread testing was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
Note : The map , table and animated bar chart in this page use a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University , which results in a slightly lower overall total .
US figures do not include Puerto Rico , Guam or the US Virgin Islands .
Where are cases and deaths rising ?
Asia and Latin America are the continents that currently have the highest number of daily confirmed cases .
India now has the second largest number of confirmed cases in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a recent surge in reported infections .
Newly recorded cases have hit 90,000 a day .
In August , India saw cases increase by almost two million , the highest single-month rise reported anywhere in the world during the pandemic .
The surge comes as the government continues to lift restrictions to try to boost the economy , but is also a reflection of increased testing - as daily tests have risen to more than a million .
Given the size of its population , India has a low death rate from Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded every day from across the country since 2 September .
In Latin America , Brazil has the highest number of deaths , with more than 128,000 so far .
It has also recorded more than four million cases , the third highest in the world .
Newly confirmed cases in the region are also rising in Argentina , which now has more than half a million in total .
The country recorded its highest daily total so far - more than 12,000 - on Tuesday .
In the Middle East , Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and documents leaked to the BBC Persian service suggest the death toll there is more than double the official total , which currently stands at more than 22,000 .
Neighbouring Iraq has also seen a spike in cases .
Cases are also continuing to rise in Indonesia and the country has recorded more than 8,000 deaths - the highest number in South East Asia .
Africa has recorded more than a million confirmed cases , although the true extent of the pandemic in the continent is not known .
Testing rates are reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official estimates .
South Africa and Egypt have seen the largest recorded outbreaks so far , with South Africa one of only 10 countries in the world to record more than 500,000 confirmed cases .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) Director-General , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , has warned : `` No country can just pretend the pandemic is over . ''
France and Spain have recently recorded their highest numbers of daily cases since the spring , and the WHO has warned of a possible resurgence of the disease in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now become the first country in the EU to pass half a million , adding 100,000 new cases in the last month .
Hans Kluge , the director general of the WHO 's Europe office , has likened Covid-19 to a `` tornado with a long tail '' and warned that rising cases among young people could spread the disease to more vulnerable older people .
A number of countries have re-imposed local lockdowns in their worst-affected regions , and there have been renewed appeals for people to wear face coverings and follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising infections following the end of lockdown restrictions is not limited to Europe .
Other countries that have seen a resurgence of the virus include Peru , Israel , South Korea and Australia .
In the table below , countries can be reordered by deaths , death rate and total cases .
In the coloured bars on the right-hand side , countries in which cases have risen to more than 5,000 per day are those with black bars on the relevant date .
Cases in the US have slowed after second surge The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of coronavirus , almost a quarter of the world 's total .
It saw an increase in the number of daily cases to record levels in July , but the numbers have fallen since then .
With more than 190,000 deaths , the US has the world 's highest death toll .
A projection from the University of Washington suggests there could be more than 400,000 deaths by the end of the year , though it says this could be reduced to 286,000 if 95 % of Americans wear masks in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on the US economy , with GDP falling by a record rate of 33 % in the three months from April to June .
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan , China , in late 2019 .
The outbreak spread quickly across the globe in the first months of 2020 and declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March .
A pandemic is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and North America saw their first major outbreaks in April but as they began to ease , Latin America and Asia started seeing cases spike .
Governments across the world have been forced to limit public movement and close businesses and venues in a bid to slow the spread of the virus .
This has had a devastating impact on the global economy .
The International Monetary Fund has said the world is in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression and warned that it could take two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels .
The United Nations has said that up to 265 million people could face starvation by the end of the year because of the impact of Covid-19 .
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• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• HOLIDAYS : Where can I go away in the UK ?
The data used on this page comes from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures collated by Johns Hopkins University , data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , national governments and health agencies , as well as UN data on populations .
When comparing figures from different countries it is important to bear in mind that not all governments are recording coronavirus cases and deaths in the same way .
This makes like for like comparisons between countries difficult .
Other factors to consider include : different population sizes , the size of a country 's elderly population or whether a particular country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in densely-populated areas .
In addition , countries may be in different stages of the pandemic .

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


bbc--2020-09-10--Rhea Chakraborty: Why is Indian TV obsessed with Sushant Singh Rajput's death?

But the frenzied coverage of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput 's death and vilification of his actor-girlfriend Rhea Chakraborty has dominated prime-time in India , leading many to ask whether the story is distracting from more important issues at a time of national crisis .
The media obsession began in June when Rajput was found dead in his apartment .
Mumbai police said the 34-year-old actor had taken his own life , and reports in the press suggested he had been dealing with mental health issues .
But the case is now being investigated by federal police after Rajput 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stealing his son 's money , overdosing him on medication , and even murdering him - unsubstantiated allegations that she has denied .
But most television news channels have devoted little time to these issues .
When a panellist on one channel gamely sought to discuss the economy , he was slapped down .
The host cut him short : `` You do n't need to be part of this debate if you find it so disgusting .
Do n't waste our time , your time , nation 's time , viewers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he shouted .
`` Go , go , '' he told him before advising him to read newspapers the next day if he wanted to know about GDP .
The have been similarly theatrical performances on other channels too , with prime-time hosts telling viewers repeatedly that the star 's death was the `` biggest story '' of our times .
On Tuesday , after Chakraborty 's arrest , one presenter boasted on air that their channel had spent 2,000 hours on the story .
The most obvious reason is politics , say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have given most attention to the story are those that are sympathetic to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) '' Elections are due later in the year in Bihar - Rajput 's home state - and politicians here are seeking votes in the actor 's name , '' says Amarnath Tewari , a senior journalist in the state capital , Patna .
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar invoked Rajput 's name at his first virtual election rally on Monday and his alliance partner BJP has been distributing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actor 's smiling face , Mr Tewari says , adding that `` once the elections are over , no-one in Bihar will talk about Rajput '' .
The story may have a longer shelf life in the western state of Maharashtra - capital , Mumbai - where an ugly spat has broken out between the BJP and its former ally-turned-bitter rival Shiv Sena , which governs the state .
The BJP has accused a Shiv Sena minister of involvement in the case - a charge the minister strongly denies , reports senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BJP is trying to expedite the fall of the Shiv Sena government .
But first , they want to discredit Sena so that it does n't win people 's sympathy .
So , they are letting the story roll . ''
`` You have a story that has juicy crime , Bollywood , cinema and current affairs .
You place a nice-looking young woman at the centre of it and it 's tailor-made to divert attention and distract people from the real issues , '' Ms Bajpai says .
`` The ratings have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are lapping up every twist and turn in the story .
So the channels stay with it .
But we also have to confront the elephant in the room - what does it say about our society ? ''

"The ratings have constantly gone up because the voyeuristic audiences are lapping up every twist and turn in the story. So the channels stay with it. But we also have to confront the elephant in the room - what does it say about our society?"


bbc--2020-09-10--9/11 attacks: What's happened to al-Qaeda?

On the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks in the US , the perpetrator - the then-Afghan based jihadist group al-Qaeda - is in a state of disarray .
Its branch in Syria was silenced in June by a rival force ; in Yemen it suffered a defeat at the hands of rebels shortly after losing its leader in a US drone strike ; and the leader of its North Africa branch was killed in a French raid in Mali in June and is yet to name a successor .
Meanwhile , al-Qaeda 's leader , Ayman al-Zawahiri , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speculation that he might be dead or incapacitated .
But al-Qaeda 's Africa branches , in Somalia and Mali , remain a potent force .
Ideologically , al-Qaeda faces a familiar dilemma for the jihadist movement : to modernise and show flexibility in order to win over ordinary Muslims , and basically survive ; or stick to strict jihadist principles and risk alienating Muslims .
Each path has its risks .
The first could jeopardise the group 's jihadist credentials and lead to splits and defections by hardliners , while the second could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the point of the group 's demise .
In Syria , al-Qaeda - represented by its unannounced branch Hurras al-Din - has failed to make inroads .
This is partly the result of jihadist rivalries on the one hand , and the eagle-eyed surveillance of al-Qaeda officials by the US-led coalition on the other .
The group is also not popular on the ground as Syrians see the al-Qaeda brand as a threat and a magnet for government and international action .
Hurras al-Din has been inactive for over two months now following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group and the targeting of some of its top officials in suspected US air strikes .
The group 's branch in Yemen - al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula ( AQAP ) - was once the most feared of all al-Qaeda chapters , but it has suffered a number of blows this year and is currently one of the organisation 's least active branches .
AQAP lost its leader in a US drone strike in late January , and recently lost its stronghold in the central Bayda province at the hands of the Houthi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have infiltrated the group and facilitated the accurate targeting of its leadership figures .
It is also beset by internal divisions .
But one event this year showed that AQAP was still playing the role for which it was previously most feared : orchestrating `` lone wolf '' attacks in the West .
In February , the group said it was behind the deadly shooting last December at the Pensacola naval base in Florida that was carried out by Saudi military trainee Mohammed Alshamrani - a link the US later confirmed .
Al-Qaeda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one of the franchise 's least active branches , lost its Algerian leader in a French raid in Mali in early June .
Three months on , the group has yet to name a successor .
It is not clear why , but - whatever the reason - a vacant leadership post does not reflect well on the group .
Algeria and North Africa more broadly remain tough for al-Qaeda to make inroads into , given the infamous legacy of jihadists in the 1990s represented by the ultra-extremist Armed Islamic Group ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deaths of many Algerian civilians .
The Mali-focused Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin ( JNIM ) , which also operates in Burkina Faso and occasionally in Niger , was set up in March 2017 .
After al-Shabab - an al-Qaeda affiliate in Somalia - JNIM is the second most active al-Qaeda branch .
JNIM attacks are largely focused on local troops and foreign forces , mostly French , in the Sahel .
But in recent months , it appears to have been side-tracked by battles against the Islamic State ( IS ) group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to engage in talks with the government of Mali , but with the overthrow of the government in August and the arrival of a new one through a coup , JNIM 's fortunes and next steps are unclear .
Al-Shabab is undoubtedly al-Qaeda 's strongest and largest threat at the moment .
The group holds territory and exercises a form of governance across most rural areas in central and southern Somalia .
In addition , al-Shabab claims daily attacks and frequent high-profile operations inside Somalia and occasionally in neighbouring Kenya .
Among its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack on the US Manda Bay military base in Kenya , which left three Americans dead and destroyed several planes .
More recently , in August , al-Shabab stormed a seaside hotel frequented by government officials in Mogadishu , killing more than a dozen people .
Capitalising on big attacks by al-Shabab and JNIM , al-Qaeda launched in 2019 its global Jerusalem-focused military and propaganda campaign , reiterated in 2020 , which cites the `` liberation of Palestine '' as its purported end goal and situates the US as its ongoing number one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has made only one appearance this year , in a video in May .
A month before that , supporters of IS speculated that al-Zawahiri was either dead or had suffered a stroke and become incapacitated .
They based this on his failure to appear in new videos or personally comment on key events .
Several of al-Qaeda 's central command officials had already died in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region over the past years or were killed in US drone strikes in Syria .
The US-Taliban peace deal signed in February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not shelter any global jihadist organisation , could make it trickier for al-Qaeda officials to find a safe haven there .
Al-Qaeda , meanwhile , has attempted to exploit the worldwide health crisis and race protests in the US to win support for its anti-US government message .
The group addressed Western publics in general and those in the US in particular to tell them that their governments had failed to support them during the pandemic and that the `` racist '' treatment of African Americans in the US could only be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is doubtful that such messaging from a group responsible for the largest terror attack on US soil will resonate with the American public , if it reaches them at all .
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

Its branch in Syria was silenced in June by a rival force; in Yemen it suffered a defeat at the hands of rebels shortly after losing its leader in a US drone strike; and the leader of its North Africa branch was killed in a French raid in Mali in June and is yet to name a successor.


bbc--2020-09-10--'There have been sleepless nights over staff cuts' - Arsenal chief exec Vankatesham

Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham says he has had sleepless nights over recent staff redundancies .
Senior staff , including manager Mikel Arteta and his players , took pay cuts .
`` I would be lying if I said there had not been sleepless nights , '' Venkatesham said .
Nine days after announcing the redundancies , Arsenal signed Willian on a three-year deal from Chelsea , before paying Lille £23.14m for Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes at the beginning of September .
But Venkatesham indicated that top-level clubs are facing financial uncertainty even as they invest in players .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professional clubs across Uefa 's jurisdiction - has estimated this week that the overall losses being borne by their members will be around £3.7bn .
And Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has said in recent days that English top-flight clubs faced losing £700m if fans were not allowed into stadiums during the 2020-21 campaign .
`` This has been a really tough week , '' said Venkatesham .
`` It is a week where lots of people have been finding out about how it all lands . ''
Arsenal 's chief executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not been taken easily - and defended the recruitment of players that followed , arguing that it was necessary to keep investing in the team .
He added that he was worried how the club would be affected by Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's announcement on Wednesday that plans to allow spectators to attend sporting events in England from 1 October are to be reviewed following an increase in coronavirus transmission rates .
`` This is not a big organisation , '' he said .
`` We 've got hundreds of employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other .
I know the people , I know their families .
To make that decision was really tough but we needed to restructure our organisation .
`` We hope the government announcement wo n't change the aim to get fans back in the stadium on 1 October , but it 's possible that it will .
Then there is the Premier League TV deal in China being terminated .
`` Does anyone really think this thing is going away in two , three or six months ?
It is not .
All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matchday and commercial will be impacted for a long time .
`` At the same time , we need to make sure we are looking after the long-term health of this football club and , like any organisation , that means you need to invest .
`` I understand the position of redundancies and then investing .
But that 's because in other industries , the investment is made in machines .
If you work for an airline , you need to buy new planes .
Here , we need to invest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Premier League will lobby the government to be allowed to let fans back into grounds .
Plans for Tottenham , Manchester United and others to trial a percentage of spectators at league games this month have already been shelved .
`` The virus is evolving in a way that is completely unpredictable but I would hope within grounds across the pyramid we can find a solution that would get fans back into stadiums in a safe way , '' Venkastesham said .
`` We could know the names and addresses of everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arrive earlier and leave later and we can check temperatures and social distance them for what is , predominantly , an outdoor rather than indoor environment . ''
Arsenal head into the new season with the stated aim of qualification for the Champions League .
This will be the fourth successive campaign they have played in the Europa League , which they only qualified for by beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final on 1 August .
But Arsenal have been impressed by Arteta , who replaced the sacked Unai Emery last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ title from head coach to manager .
That has been done to reflect the wider scope of his responsibilities , though they do not extend quite as far as Arsene Wenger 's did before his exit in 2018 .
`` This is recognition of what he has been doing from the day he walked in the door and also the capabilities we believe Mikel has , '' said Venkatesham .
`` He has walked into probably the toughest nine-month period this football club has had in its 134-year history .
He 's on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really comfortable with what he 's doing .
`` We belong in the Champions League .
Yes we 've been in European football for the past 25 years , which is a great record .
But the past three years and this one , we are in a competition we do n't want to be in .
`` We want to get back in the mix competing for the Premier League - and doing it the way Arsenal have always done , playing the entertaining , engaging football our fans want to see @ @

Vinai Venkatesham (right) watched his Arsenal side win the FA Cup for a 14th time against Chelsea
Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham says he has had sleepless nights over recent staff redundancies.
The club were criticised for buying players shortly after announcing 55 redundancies - mainly affecting the commercial and administrative departments - on 5 August.
Senior staff, including manager Mikel Arteta and his players, took pay cuts.
"I would be lying if I said there had not been sleepless nights," Venkatesham said.
Nine days after announcing the redundancies, Arsenal signed Willian on a three-year deal from Chelsea, before paying Lille £23.14m for Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes at the beginning of September.
But Venkatesham indicated that top-level clubs are facing financial uncertainty even as they invest in players.
The European Clubs' Association - which represents professional clubs across Uefa's jurisdiction - has estimated this week that the overall losses being borne by their members will be around £3.7bn.
And Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has said in recent days that English top-flight clubs faced losing £700m if fans were not allowed into stadiums during the 2020-21 campaign.
"This has been a really tough week," said Venkatesham. "It is a week where lots of people have been finding out about how it all lands."
Arsenal's chief executive said the decision to make people redundant had not been taken easily - and defended the recruitment of players that followed, arguing that it was necessary to keep investing in the team.
He added that he was worried how the club would be affected by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement on Wednesday that plans to allow spectators to attend sporting events in England from 1 October are to be reviewed following an increase in coronavirus transmission rates.
"This is not a big organisation," he said. "We've got hundreds of employees all based within 30 miles of each other. I know the people, I know their families. To make that decision was really tough but we needed to restructure our organisation.
"We hope the government announcement won't change the aim to get fans back in the stadium on 1 October, but it's possible that it will. Then there is the Premier League TV deal in China being terminated.
"Does anyone really think this thing is going away in two, three or six months? It is not. All of our revenue streams; broadcast, matchday and commercial will be impacted for a long time.
"At the same time, we need to make sure we are looking after the long-term health of this football club and, like any organisation, that means you need to invest.
"I understand the position of redundancies and then investing. But that's because in other industries, the investment is made in machines. If you work for an airline, you need to buy new planes. Here, we need to invest in the team."
It is anticipated the Premier League will lobby the government to be allowed to let fans back into grounds.
Plans for Tottenham, Manchester United and others to trial a percentage of spectators at league games this month have already been shelved.
"The virus is evolving in a way that is completely unpredictable but I would hope within grounds across the pyramid we can find a solution that would get fans back into stadiums in a safe way," Venkastesham said.
"We could know the names and addresses of everyone in the stadium, they can self-certify, arrive earlier and leave later and we can check temperatures and social distance them for what is, predominantly, an outdoor rather than indoor environment."
Mikel Arteta replaced Unai Emery as head coach of Arsenal in December 2019
New title for Arteta
Arsenal head into the new season with the stated aim of qualification for the Champions League.
This will be the fourth successive campaign they have played in the Europa League, which they only qualified for by beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final on 1 August.
But Arsenal have been impressed by Arteta, who replaced the sacked Unai Emery last December, and have upgraded his job title from head coach to manager. That has been done to reflect the wider scope of his responsibilities, though they do not extend quite as far as Arsene Wenger's did before his exit in 2018.
"This is recognition of what he has been doing from the day he walked in the door and also the capabilities we believe Mikel has," said Venkatesham.
"He has walked into probably the toughest nine-month period this football club has had in its 134-year history. He's on a long term contract and we're really comfortable with what he's doing.
"We belong in the Champions League. Yes we've been in European football for the past 25 years, which is a great record. But the past three years and this one, we are in a competition we don't want to be in.
"We want to get back in the mix competing for the Premier League - and doing it the way Arsenal have always done, playing the entertaining, engaging football our fans want to see."


bbc--2020-09-10--Vettel has made the 'ideal choice' with Aston Martin, says Hamilton

Sebastian Vettel has made the `` ideal '' choice in moving to Aston Martin next season , says Lewis Hamilton .
Hamilton said : `` I was really pleased to hear it , the team has new ownership and has already taken huge steps forward . ''
The world champion feels Vettel 's nous will `` help steer that team in a better direction in terms of car development '' .
The world champion , speaking on the eve of the Tuscan Grand Prix weekend at Mugello , added that he was `` sorry for Sergio '' but said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopefully he will other options '' .
Vettel said joining Aston Martin , as the team will be called next year , `` was n't an easy call '' and that he had come `` close '' to retiring before deciding on a route he believed was `` best for me '' .
The German said the fact new regulations are being introduced in 2022 in an attempt to close up the field , his new team 's strong performances with a small budget in previous years and their development this year under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who bought the team in 2018 - were all factors in his decision .
`` The last weeks and months have been quite intense , '' Vettel said .
`` I felt like I wanted to remain if something really attracted me .
The team 's performances this year are very encouraging .
`` If you are fair , Mercedes has the edge over everyone and that 's not just valid for next year but also probably the years after that .
`` But it is an exciting challenge .
I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so I think the team is giving me that chance .
`` The team is ready to grow and I am happy to do those together .
Next year is the first year with the budget cap , but the team is in a much better place than in the past .
`` It is a team that is growing .
Other teams have to go down in size ( next year ) .
So lots of things make me confident and happy .
It is a good step and an exciting project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some good results in the near future . ''
Perez had previously insisted he had a contract and the team had indicated to him he would be staying .
He said the team had not told him anything about their plans to recruit Vettel until he was called by Stroll on Wednesday to be told he was dropped - but added he had an inkling something was happening in the background .
Perez , who has been linked with moves to the Alfa Romeo and Haas teams , said : `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is part of this crazy world called F1 .
`` The team will be stronger next year than this year , so it hurts a bit more knowing you will be leaving a good car .
`` There is no secret .
I put a lot of effort into this team in many ways .
But at the same time they gave me a great opportunity to continue with my career .
`` In the end , it did n't work out , a better opportunity came to the team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can do .
`` My priority will be to carry on and try to do at least a two-year contract and try to be here for 2022 because once you go out , you might never come back .
I 'd rather retire than take a sabbatical . ''
• None Listen to unique tracks from Stormzy , Miley and Biffy Clyro

Vettel and Hamilton have enjoyed some entertaining and closely fought title battles, particularly in 2017
Sebastian Vettel has made the "ideal" choice in moving to Aston Martin next season, says Lewis Hamilton.
Vettel's move to the team currently known as Racing Point was announced on Thursday, one day after current driver Sergio Perez said he was leaving.
Hamilton said: "I was really pleased to hear it, the team has new ownership and has already taken huge steps forward."
The world champion feels Vettel's nous will "help steer that team in a better direction in terms of car development".
The world champion, speaking on the eve of the Tuscan Grand Prix weekend at Mugello, added that he was "sorry for Sergio" but said the Mexican was a "great driver and hopefully he will other options".
Vettel said joining Aston Martin, as the team will be called next year, "wasn't an easy call" and that he had come "close" to retiring before deciding on a route he believed was "best for me".
The German said the fact new regulations are being introduced in 2022 in an attempt to close up the field, his new team's strong performances with a small budget in previous years and their development this year under the new ownership of Lawrence Stroll - who bought the team in 2018 - were all factors in his decision.
"The last weeks and months have been quite intense," Vettel said. "I felt like I wanted to remain if something really attracted me. The team's performances this year are very encouraging.
"If you are fair, Mercedes has the edge over everyone and that's not just valid for next year but also probably the years after that.
"But it is an exciting challenge. I want to race at the front not the back so I think the team is giving me that chance.
"The team is ready to grow and I am happy to do those together. Next year is the first year with the budget cap, but the team is in a much better place than in the past.
"It is a team that is growing. Other teams have to go down in size (next year). So lots of things make me confident and happy. It is a good step and an exciting project and I am sure we will fight for some good results in the near future."
Perez had previously insisted he had a contract and the team had indicated to him he would be staying.
Sergio Perez is yet to confirm what he will do in 2021
He said the team had not told him anything about their plans to recruit Vettel until he was called by Stroll on Wednesday to be told he was dropped - but added he had an inkling something was happening in the background.
Perez, who has been linked with moves to the Alfa Romeo and Haas teams, said: "I have been long enough in this business. It is part of this crazy world called F1.
"The team will be stronger next year than this year, so it hurts a bit more knowing you will be leaving a good car.
"There is no secret. I put a lot of effort into this team in many ways. But at the same time they gave me a great opportunity to continue with my career.
"In the end, it didn't work out, a better opportunity came to the team, to the brand and there is nothing I can do.
"My priority will be to carry on and try to do at least a two-year contract and try to be here for 2022 because once you go out, you might never come back. I'd rather retire than take a sabbatical."