bbc--2020-02-14--The end for Guardiola? A player exodus? What does a European ban mean for Man City?

It is arguably the biggest story in English football this season .
Manchester City have been kicked out of the Champions League until 2022 .
City are furious , claim they have effectively been found guilty by a kangaroo court and are promising the fight is not over by any stretch of the imagination .
But for now , they are out , which raises a number of serious questions for the club .
• Man City banned from European club competitions for two seasons by Uefa Is it the end for Pep ?
Time and time again over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guardiola has responded to questions about his future by stating his intention to see out his contract with the Blues , which does not expire until 2021 .
Yet Guardiola has also consistently expressed his trust in the City hierarchy when they have assured him there was no foundation to the claims being looked into by Uefa 's investigatory panel .
Does Guardiola feel let down by this outcome ?
It is impossible to say .
However , it is fair to assume that after winning back-to-back Premier League titles with staggering points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before and , in addition , becoming the first side to win all three domestic trophies in a single season , Guardiola may struggle for motivation .
If City win the Champions League this season , Guardiola could go anyway .
Now it is impossible to imagine him staying and , amid persistent rumours of interest from Juventus and the almost certain knowledge any number of alternative challenges will present themselves , Guardiola 's City future would seem to hinge on whether the club are successful in their appeal .
What about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Silva will be leaving at the end of the season .
But the number of players whose contracts are due to expire before City will return to the Champions League is a concern .
Striker Sergio Aguero is at the top of that list .
His deal expires in 2021 .
Leroy Sane 's deal ends at the same time .
John Stones ' expires a year later .
The same is also true of Nicolas Otamendi .
And what of the plethora of stars who are under contract beyond 2022 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Bernardo Silva , Raheem Sterling , Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez ?
If Guardiola left , it is easy to see a number of players following suit , which could leave City with a massive rebuilding exercise .
What are the financial implications ?
Funnily enough , this is the least important aspect .
Everyone knows City have rich owners .
Everyone also knows the difficulty Manchester United have had trying to get into the Champions League in recent times .
Arsenal have missed out three seasons in a row .
Chelsea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liverpool failed to qualify as recently as 2015 .
Yes , their bottom line will miss out on a few million quid but that wo n't hurt them so much .
Maybe the biggest difficulty will be the loss of the chance to earn coefficient points , which means even when they get back , City will be a lower seed than they would have expected to be and therefore find it harder to reach the latter stages of the competition .
Is this the end of an era ?
If this outcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at City , then marks the end of an era .
Yet eras come and go in football .
Whenever Guardiola goes , City would have had a rebuilding job to do and that will not change , even if signing players might be slightly more difficult .
The bigger issue is the damage to City 's reputation .
Ever since the badly handled dismissal of Mark Hughes in 2009 , City have prided themselves on doing things the right way .
They believe , with some justification , they have a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will undermine all the good work they have done .
They will have been seen to have cheated their way to trophies and in the process damaged the reputation of owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak .
If that proves to be the case , the consequences will be fascinating .
What have they done ?
In effect , concealed a number of payments .
These were either made to individuals or to inflate sponsorship deals , which allowed the club to meet financial fair play regulations .
They were brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leaks organisation , who distributed thousands of confidential emails to the German magazine Der Spiegel .
City alleged they had been the victim of an illegal hack by people who had the express intention of damaging their reputation .
They also said the emails were being used as the basis for reports which were being taken out of context .
That is still their stance .
Is the race for the top four now a race for the top five ?
Heading into this weekend 's games , Chelsea had a two-point advantage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fourth Champions League place .
It is not entirely clear what will happen if City are excluded but if Uefa decide to retain England 's four spots and the team in fifth gets the spare one , a fascinating battle will be in process .
From Sheffield United in fifth to Crystal Palace in 14th , there are just nine points separating 10 teams .
From looking to have no chance of getting back into the Champions League , Arsenal will be back in with a shot .

Manchester City have not finished lower than fourth in the Premier League in the past nine seasons
It is arguably the biggest story in English football this season.
Manchester City have been kicked out of the Champions League until 2022.
City are furious, claim they have effectively been found guilty by a kangaroo court and are promising the fight is not over by any stretch of the imagination.
But for now, they are out, which raises a number of serious questions for the club.
Is it the end for Pep?
What could happen next at Man City after European ban?
Time and time again over the past few weeks, City manager Pep Guardiola has responded to questions about his future by stating his intention to see out his contract with the Blues, which does not expire until 2021.
Yet Guardiola has also consistently expressed his trust in the City hierarchy when they have assured him there was no foundation to the claims being looked into by Uefa's investigatory panel.
Does Guardiola feel let down by this outcome? It is impossible to say.
However, it is fair to assume that after winning back-to-back Premier League titles with staggering points tallies that eclipsed anything that had gone before and, in addition, becoming the first side to win all three domestic trophies in a single season, Guardiola may struggle for motivation.
If City win the Champions League this season, Guardiola could go anyway. Now it is impossible to imagine him staying and, amid persistent rumours of interest from Juventus and the almost certain knowledge any number of alternative challenges will present themselves, Guardiola's City future would seem to hinge on whether the club are successful in their appeal.
What about the players?
Sergio Aguero became Manchester City's all-time highest goal-scorer in November 2017
We already know veteran midfielder David Silva will be leaving at the end of the season. But the number of players whose contracts are due to expire before City will return to the Champions League is a concern.
Striker Sergio Aguero is at the top of that list. His deal expires in 2021. Leroy Sane's deal ends at the same time. John Stones' expires a year later. The same is also true of Nicolas Otamendi.
And what of the plethora of stars who are under contract beyond 2022, such as Kevin de Bruyne, Ederson, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez?
If Guardiola left, it is easy to see a number of players following suit, which could leave City with a massive rebuilding exercise.
What are the financial implications?
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire, a lecturer at the University of Liverpool, told BBC Radio Manchester: "The financial implications of not playing in the Champions League are very significant.
"Liverpool made more than £100m from winning it last season, they also got bonuses from sponsors - and then the six or seven home matches to get to the final can be worth £5m each. So if you put that all together, Champions League participation can be worth up to £150m for a club. And for a club the size of City, that can be a quarter to a third of their income.
"Playing in the premium European competition is very attractive so this will make it more difficult to recruit players. If you go back 10 years, Manchester City were able to attract players that were good enough.
"But there's an issue if the income is going to fall by £100m-£150m a year. While the owners have that money, they are in a catch-22 situation where if City are going to spend the money to recruit players they could fall foul of financial fair play rules again."
Could the Premier League take action?
Uefa's decision is not the only problem facing City just now. The Premier League is also looking closely at the situation and deciding what to do next.
Although the two bodies have different financial fair play rules, they are close enough for there to be a belief that if City have transgressed Uefa's regulations, they have done so with the Premier League too.
Should the league decide to bring a charge, a points deduction cannot be ruled out.
The tricky bit is what the Premier League does now. In theory, it can bring a case. Equally, it may decide it is better to wait until any appeal has been heard by CAS, so it would have a better idea of the likelihood of success.
It is a fascinating situation and one the Premier League clubs have been discussing privately for a while now.
What about their European status?
Manchester City are in their ninth successive Champions League campaign. Of England's clubs, Tottenham are on the next longest current consecutive run - with four seasons. That underlines that qualification should not be taken for granted, but also that City shouldn't be affected too much by missing out for a couple of seasons.
Liverpool have reached the past two finals but weren't even in the competition during the 2016-17 campaign, which shows how quickly situations can change.
Maybe the biggest difficulty will be the loss of the chance to earn coefficient points. From their current sixth spot in the Uefa rankings, City are likely to drop out of the top 20 if they did not play European football for a couple of seasons.
That means even when they get back, City will be a lower seed and could find it harder to reach the latter stages of the competition.
Is this the end of an era?
Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour (left) and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak took charge of the club in 2008
If this outcome sees the end of Guardiola's time at City, then it marks the end of an era.
Yet eras come and go in football. Whenever Guardiola goes, City would have had a rebuilding job to do and that will not change, even if signing players might be slightly more difficult.
The bigger issue is the damage to City's reputation.
Ever since the badly handled dismissal of Mark Hughes in 2009, City have prided themselves on doing things the right way. They believe, with some justification, they have a good reputation.
If this verdict sticks, it will undermine all the good work they have done.
They will have been seen to have cheated their way to trophies and, in the process, to have damaged the reputations of owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak. If that proves to be the case, the consequences will be fascinating.
What have they done?
In effect, concealed a number of payments. These were either made to individuals or to inflate sponsorship deals, which allowed the club to meet financial fair play regulations.
They were brought into the public domain by the Football Leaks organisation, who distributed thousands of confidential emails to the German magazine Der Spiegel.
City alleged they had been the victim of an illegal hack by people who had the express intention of damaging their reputation. They also said the emails were being used as the basis for reports which were being taken out of context. That is still their stance.
Is the race for the top four now a race for the top five?
Heading into this weekend's games, Chelsea had a two-point advantage over Sheffield United in the battle for the fourth Champions League place.
It is not entirely clear what will happen if City are excluded but if Uefa decide to retain England's four spots and the team in fifth gets the spare one, a fascinating battle will be in process.
From Sheffield United in fifth to Crystal Palace in 14th, there are just nine points separating 10 teams. From looking to have no chance of getting back into the Champions League, Arsenal will be back in with a shot.


bbc--2020-02-14--Usain Bolt's heir apparent? Meet Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis, the new star of track and field

`` I do n't blame them for wanting me to have a crazy career like Usain Bolt .
I am going to try and carry the sport as much as I can and I know the best way to do that is to jump really high . ''
Having taken pole vaulting to new heights with a world record of 6.17m in Poland last weekend , Armand 'Mondo ' Duplantis is addressing the question of whether he can be athletics ' next Usain Bolt .
It 's a big question - and on paper an even bigger ask for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a professional .
However , Duplantis is not your regular 20-year-old .
As the son of a world-class pole vaulter ( father Greg jumped 5.80m ) , Mondo has been pole vaulting since the age of three .
The Duplantis family home in Louisiana , USA , has had a pole vault set up in the back garden .
With two older brothers to chase after , Mondo hit the ground running .
His world record in Poland last weekend came 13 years after his first - in the under-seven age category .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at every age level from under-seven to under-12 and then from under-17 all the way to senior .
But for a small blip - he says , `` 14 , 15 16 - those were my little awkward ages .
I was still short '' - the Swedish vaulter would have a clean sweep .
`` Mondo always tells me how easy pole vault is .
He really was born to pole vault , '' is how mother Helena describes her son 's talents .
And she should know .
Helena , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is one part of Duplantis ' dual coaching set-up alongside husband Greg .
Greg Duplantis competed in pole vault 's golden era in the 1980s and 1990s when Sergey Bubka was breaking the world record for fun .
Greg 's best was 5.80m , a mark his youngest son surpassed when he was just 17 with a leap of 5.90m in April 2017 .
Three years later , Mondo is in Glasgow before Saturday 's Indoor Grand Prix and still coming to terms with adding 27 centimetres to that mark - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's heir apparent '' The position I am in , I never really imagined , people talking to me about leading the whole sport of track and field ?
I am just a pole vaulter , it is such a strange and unique event , '' says Mondo - who despite being born and raised in America chose to compete for his mother 's homeland Sweden .
`` I love all the attention it is getting because I love pole vaulting .
To put pole vaulting on the map just for a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best way to continue to do that is to jump really high .
`` But as far as carrying the sport I ca n't say too much about that - I 've got too many opponents to worry about . ''
Heading that list is Sam Kendricks - the American who took gold ahead of Duplantis ' silver at the World Championships in Doha last year .
While Duplantis was confidently holding court with the world 's press to preview in Glasgow , Kendricks was quietly scoping out the Emirates Arena on his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion all of a sudden reduced to a supporting role .
Does Kendricks think Mondomania will go to his head ?
`` I do n't think it 'll change him - he 's got two older brothers , nothing like this will change him , '' he says .
`` Imagine you were taking a test and it decides whether you are going to get into college or not .
Most people would be really focused but Mondo is confident enough to know , ' I 've studied for this test for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my blood ' . ''
It certainly is .
It is the family trade .
Speaking to mother Helena , her children 's pole vault personal bests roll off the tongue almost as quickly as their ages : Andreas , 26 , 5.42m ; Antoine ( now playing baseball with the New York Mets ) , 23 , 4.30m ; Mondo , 20 , 6.17m ; Johanna , 17 , 3.58m .
Speed is one of Mondo 's biggest weapons .
The 20-year-old has run 10.57 seconds ( albeit wind-assisted ) for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shape now to perhaps run 10.4 seconds .
That confidence - and increased turn of pace - has its origins in Duplantis ' decision to ditch a college party lifestyle to turn professional this year .
By his own admission spending last year studying at Louisiana State University left Duplantis with a `` fat college kid '' physique .
However , with the help of his mother , a dietician , Duplantis has made - and profited hugely from - a few small changes .
Gone , mostly , is the fried food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Louisiana , it 's pretty tough not to '' ) .
In its place ?
A new concept .
Vegetables .
`` Mondo has never really enjoyed vegetables , '' Helena says .
`` He would just move them to the side of the plate .
We 're taking it one vegetable at a time . ''
One vegetable at a time and one centimetre at a time perhaps too ?
Bubka 's modus operandi was to break the record in one centimetre increments .
The Ukrainian broke it 35 times ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an incredible career that saw him win one Olympic and six world titles .
When he eventually bowed out he had increased the record to 6.14m - a mark France 's Renaud Lavillenie then extended to 6.16m .
`` Bubka blew it for me , '' Duplantis jokes now .
`` If the world record had been at say six metres 10 centimetres then I could have broken it seven times now . ''
He may yet still do so .
Mother Helena watched husband Greg compete against Bubka .
'Easy ' is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she describes watching last weekend 's world record .
`` When I was in the stadium and watching him I thought , this is scary , '' Helena adds .
`` It just did n't seem that difficult to him .
I do n't know whether I should say this but with Bubka I do n't know if it looked that easy . ''
Easy or not , the difficult question now is whether Duplantis can go higher .
`` With Mondo people see how quickly he did it , and how young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can think of is `` when will he do it again ? ''
Kendricks says .
`` When you expect that of someone , you ruin them .
Not to say it will ruin Mondo because he is bigger than the pressure .
But there is so much more to achieve in the sport than the world record . ''
Duplantis knows - and accepts that - in Tokyo it will be tough to accept anything other than the gold medal - `` especially now '' .
But what of that other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
`` I have been asked it so many times in the last week .
It 's the only thing I am asked now but I guess it makes sense , you break the world record they just want to know when the next one is going to be . ''
So when will that be ?
More smiles .
`` I do n't want to put a limit on myself .
I feel good and I do n't see why I would peak at 20 years old . ''

Armand Duplantis competes for his mother's homeland, Sweden, despite being born and raised in the US
Indoor Grand Prix, Glasgow Coverage: Live BBC TV coverage from 13:15-16:30 on BBC One and online, followed by a Red Button forum from 16:30-17:00
"I don't blame them for wanting me to have a crazy career like Usain Bolt. I am going to try and carry the sport as much as I can and I know the best way to do that is to jump really high."
Having taken pole vaulting to new heights with a world record of 6.17m in Poland last weekend, Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis is addressing the question of whether he can be athletics' next Usain Bolt.
It's a big question - and on paper an even bigger ask for a 20-year-old athlete in his first year as a professional.
However, Duplantis is not your regular 20-year-old. As the son of a world-class pole vaulter (father Greg jumped 5.80m), Mondo has been pole vaulting since the age of three.
The Duplantis family home in Louisiana, USA, has had a pole vault set up in the back garden.
With two older brothers to chase after, Mondo hit the ground running. His world record in Poland last weekend came 13 years after his first - in the under-seven age category.
He holds the world's best mark at every age level from under-seven to under-12 and then from under-17 all the way to senior. But for a small blip - he says, "14, 15 16 - those were my little awkward ages. I was still short" - the Swedish vaulter would have a clean sweep.
"Mondo always tells me how easy pole vault is. He really was born to pole vault," is how mother Helena describes her son's talents. And she should know.
Helena, a Scandinavian age-group record holder in the heptathlon, is one part of Duplantis' dual coaching set-up alongside husband Greg.
Greg Duplantis competed in pole vault's golden era in the 1980s and 1990s when Sergey Bubka was breaking the world record for fun. Greg's best was 5.80m, a mark his youngest son surpassed when he was just 17 with a leap of 5.90m in April 2017.
Three years later, Mondo is in Glasgow before Saturday's Indoor Grand Prix and still coming to terms with adding 27 centimetres to that mark - and catapulting himself into the role of Bolt's heir apparent
"The position I am in, I never really imagined, people talking to me about leading the whole sport of track and field? I am just a pole vaulter, it is such a strange and unique event," says Mondo - who despite being born and raised in America chose to compete for his mother's homeland Sweden.
"I love all the attention it is getting because I love pole vaulting. To put pole vaulting on the map just for a second is a dream come true. The best way to continue to do that is to jump really high.
"But as far as carrying the sport I can't say too much about that - I've got too many opponents to worry about."
Heading that list is Sam Kendricks - the American who took gold ahead of Duplantis' silver at the World Championships in Doha last year.
While Duplantis was confidently holding court with the world's press to preview in Glasgow, Kendricks was quietly scoping out the Emirates Arena on his own in the background.
The world champion all of a sudden reduced to a supporting role.
Armand is the son of world-class pole vaulter Greg Duplantis
Does Kendricks think Mondomania will go to his head? "I don't think it'll change him - he's got two older brothers, nothing like this will change him," he says.
"Imagine you were taking a test and it decides whether you are going to get into college or not. Most people would be really focused but Mondo is confident enough to know, 'I've studied for this test for a long time, this test is in my blood'."
It certainly is. It is the family trade. Speaking to mother Helena, her children's pole vault personal bests roll off the tongue almost as quickly as their ages: Andreas, 26, 5.42m; Antoine (now playing baseball with the New York Mets), 23, 4.30m; Mondo, 20, 6.17m; Johanna, 17, 3.58m.
Speed is one of Mondo's biggest weapons. The 20-year-old has run 10.57 seconds (albeit wind-assisted) for the 100m and believes he is in the shape now to perhaps run 10.4 seconds.
That confidence - and increased turn of pace - has its origins in Duplantis' decision to ditch a college party lifestyle to turn professional this year.
By his own admission spending last year studying at Louisiana State University left Duplantis with a "fat college kid" physique.
However, with the help of his mother, a dietician, Duplantis has made - and profited hugely from - a few small changes. Gone, mostly, is the fried food he so loved ("I'm from Louisiana, it's pretty tough not to"). In its place? A new concept. Vegetables.
"Mondo has never really enjoyed vegetables," Helena says. "He would just move them to the side of the plate. We're taking it one vegetable at a time."
One vegetable at a time and one centimetre at a time perhaps too?
Bubka's modus operandi was to break the record in one centimetre increments.
"I love all the attention it is getting because I love pole vaulting," says Duplantis
The Ukrainian broke it 35 times (17 outdoor and 18 indoor) during an incredible career that saw him win one Olympic and six world titles. When he eventually bowed out he had increased the record to 6.14m - a mark France's Renaud Lavillenie then extended to 6.16m.
"Bubka blew it for me," Duplantis jokes now. "If the world record had been at say six metres 10 centimetres then I could have broken it seven times now."
He may yet still do so.
Mother Helena watched husband Greg compete against Bubka. 'Easy' is the word that keeps coming up when she describes watching last weekend's world record.
"When I was in the stadium and watching him I thought, this is scary," Helena adds. "It just didn't seem that difficult to him. I don't know whether I should say this but with Bubka I don't know if it looked that easy."
Easy or not, the difficult question now is whether Duplantis can go higher.
"With Mondo people see how quickly he did it, and how young he did it and the only question they can think of is "when will he do it again?" Kendricks says.
"When you expect that of someone, you ruin them. Not to say it will ruin Mondo because he is bigger than the pressure. But there is so much more to achieve in the sport than the world record."
Duplantis knows - and accepts that - in Tokyo it will be tough to accept anything other than the gold medal - "especially now".
But what of that other burning question. Can he go higher?
Duplantis laughs.
"I have been asked it so many times in the last week. It's the only thing I am asked now but I guess it makes sense, you break the world record they just want to know when the next one is going to be."
So when will that be? More smiles.
"I don't want to put a limit on myself. I feel good and I don't see why I would peak at 20 years old."


bbc--2020-02-14--Sancho and Haaland score again in Dortmund win

Borussia Dortmund wonderkids Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland scored again as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to move up to @ @ @ @ @ Lukasz Piszczek fired Dortmund into the lead with a fine 20-yard strike .
England 's @ @ @ @ @ 's pass out to the left wing , cut inside and slammed a low shot @ @ @ @ @ Fellow teenager Haaland tapped home from six yards out before Raphael Guerreiro blasted in a @ @ @ @ @ 12 times in his past 14 games in all competitions .
Norway striker Haaland has @ @ @ @ @ first six games for Dortmund since a £17m switch from RB Salzburg last month .
@ @ @ @ @ to score eight goals in his first five Bundesliga appearances .
Only eight players have @ @ @ @ @ Haaland this season .
Dortmund are one point behind leaders Bayern Munich , who visit @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Jadon Sancho is the top scoring teenager in Bundesliga history with 26
Borussia Dortmund wonderkids Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland scored again as they beat Eintracht Frankfurt to move up to second in the Bundesliga.
Lukasz Piszczek fired Dortmund into the lead with a fine 20-yard strike.
England's Sancho expertly controlled Axel Witsel's pass out to the left wing, cut inside and slammed a low shot into the bottom corner.
Fellow teenager Haaland tapped home from six yards out before Raphael Guerreiro blasted in a fourth.
Sancho has netted 12 times in his past 14 games in all competitions.
Norway striker Haaland has scored nine goals in his first six games for Dortmund since a £17m switch from RB Salzburg last month. He is the first player to score eight goals in his first five Bundesliga appearances.
Only eight players have scored more Bundesliga goals than Haaland this season.
Dortmund are one point behind leaders Bayern Munich, who visit Cologne on Sunday.


bbc--2020-02-14--Liverpool need more details before Salah Olympic decision - Klopp

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the club need more information before they decide whether forward Mohamed Salah can represent Egypt at the Olympics .
The tournament is for under-23 teams but three over-age players are allowed .
Salah , 27 , is on Egypt 's provisional 50-man list for the event , which has its final on 8 August - the first day of the 2020-21 Premier League season .
`` Do I want to lose a player in pre-season ?
Of course not .
That 's clear , '' said Liverpool boss Klopp .
`` But we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Mo and all that stuff . ''
Fifa has previously acknowledged that clubs are not obliged to release over-age players for the Games in Tokyo , and Egypt coach Shawky Gharib says the decision is Liverpool 's .
Klopp says nobody has contacted the club regarding Salah 's involvement and discussion is `` just in the media '' .
`` We are completely clear about what we want , but we need more information : how will it look , when will the preparation start , all that stuff , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we will see . ''

Last updated on .From the section Liverpool
Salah could represent Egypt as one of their three over-age players
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says the club need more information before they decide whether forward Mohamed Salah can represent Egypt at the Olympics.
The tournament is for under-23 teams but three over-age players are allowed.
Salah, 27, is on Egypt's provisional 50-man list for the event, which has its final on 8 August - the first day of the 2020-21 Premier League season.
"Do I want to lose a player in pre-season? Of course not. That's clear," said Liverpool boss Klopp.
"But we have to consider different things. I will speak with Mo and all that stuff."
Fifa has previously acknowledged that clubs are not obliged to release over-age players for the Games in Tokyo, and Egypt coach Shawky Gharib says the decision is Liverpool's.
Klopp says nobody has contacted the club regarding Salah's involvement and discussion is "just in the media".
"We are completely clear about what we want, but we need more information: how will it look, when will the preparation start, all that stuff," he added.
"No decision yet, but we will see."


bbc--2020-02-14--Israel Folau: Ex-Australia rugby union star considered retirement before Catalans Dragons move

Israel Folau says he considered retirement before rugby league side Catalans handed him a career lifeline .
The 30-year-old former rugby union international was sacked by Rugby Australia 10 months ago for posting homophobic comments on social media .
He is now set to make his first rugby league appearance in a decade , having switched codes to revive his career .
`` Yes , of course I thought about ending my career and to do other things , '' Folau told newspaper L'Independant .
`` I have n't played 13-a-side for 10 years , so I am also pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , between the staff and the players , so that I can give my best . ''
Folau could make his Super League debut on Saturday after being named in Catalans Dragons ' 21-man squad to face Castleford Tigers in Perpignan .
It would be his first run-out in the 13-man game since the former Queensland State of Origin and Australia rugby league international left NRL side Brisbane Broncos for a stint playing Australian rules football in 2010 .
`` It 's like a new start for me and I am very excited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I became known , '' said Folau .
Folau moves to Catalans as a versatile player , who will be capable of playing anywhere from full-back to centre .
He thanked the French club 's owner and chairman Bernard Guasch , as well as head coach Steve McNamara , for the opportunity .
Both have defended the club 's move for the player , with Guasch facing angry rival club bosses over the controversial move while former England boss McNamara told BBC Sport that Folau should not face the `` life sentence '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homophobic comments .
Folau 's move to Perpignan has prompted a change in how players are signed by British top-flight clubs , with Super League sides voting unanimously to have `` greater authority '' to stop future `` controversial signings '' .

Last updated on .From the section Rugby League
Israel Folau could make his Catalans debut on Saturday against Castleford after being included in the French club's 21-man squad
Israel Folau says he considered retirement before rugby league side Catalans handed him a career lifeline.
The 30-year-old former rugby union international was sacked by Rugby Australia 10 months ago for posting homophobic comments on social media.
He is now set to make his first rugby league appearance in a decade, having switched codes to revive his career.
"Yes, of course I thought about ending my career and to do other things," Folau told newspaper L'Independant.
"I haven't played 13-a-side for 10 years, so I am also pretty nervous. But the environment is favourable, between the staff and the players, so that I can give my best."
Folau could make his Super League debut on Saturday after being named in Catalans Dragons' 21-man squad to face Castleford Tigers in Perpignan.
It would be his first run-out in the 13-man game since the former Queensland State of Origin and Australia rugby league international left NRL side Brisbane Broncos for a stint playing Australian rules football in 2010.
"It's like a new start for me and I am very excited to return to the sport in which I became known," said Folau.
Folau moves to Catalans as a versatile player, who will be capable of playing anywhere from full-back to centre.
He thanked the French club's owner and chairman Bernard Guasch, as well as head coach Steve McNamara, for the opportunity.
Both have defended the club's move for the player, with Guasch facing angry rival club bosses over the controversial move while former England boss McNamara told BBC Sport that Folau should not face the "life sentence" of being banished from sport despite his homophobic comments.
Folau's move to Perpignan has prompted a change in how players are signed by British top-flight clubs, with Super League sides voting unanimously to have "greater authority" to stop future "controversial signings".


bbc--2020-02-16--Coronavirus: Americans from quarantined cruise ship flown from Japan

Two planes carrying Americans from the quarantined cruise ship Diamond Princess have left Japan .
The aircraft chartered by the US government departed Tokyo 's Haneda Airport in the early hours of Monday , Kyodo news agency reported .
There were some 400 Americans on board the ship , which has been held since 3 February due to infections from the new coronavirus which has hit China .
At least 40 US citizens are infected and will be treated in Japan .
The Diamond Princess has been quarantined in Japan 's port of Yokohama with some 3,700 passengers and crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a man who disembarked in Hong Kong was found to have the virus .
It has the largest cluster of coronavirus cases outside China .
The Japanese authorities on Sunday said the number of new cases on board the ship had risen by 70 to 355 .
The Americans who are infected will receive medical treatment in Japan , Dr Anthony Fauci , Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases told Face the Nation on CBS .
It is not clear exactly how many are on board the evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Air Force bases .
`` If people on the plane start to develop symptoms , they 'll be segregated within the plane , '' Dr Fauci said .
• Watching loved ones die without care in Wuhan • Why Singapore is so vulnerable to virus spread Those entering the US will undergo a 14-day quarantine , on top of the time they have already spent confined on the ship .
`` And the reason for that , '' Dr Fauci added , `` is that the degree of transmissibility , on that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being in a hotspot . ''
Some of the Americans have declined to be evacuated , preferring to wait until the ship quarantine comes to an end on 19 February .
Passenger Matt Smith , a lawyer , said he would not want to travel on a bus to the plane with possibly infected people .
Other evacuation flights will repatriate residents of Israel , Hong Kong and Canada .
In the meantime , to assist with relief efforts , Japan 's government has given away 2,000 iPhones to passengers on the ship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smartphones were distributed so people could use an app , created by Japan 's health ministry , which links users with doctors , pharmacists and mental health counsellors .
Phones registered outside of Japan are unable to access the app .
What is happening in China ?
According to official figures for 16 February , 100 people died from the virus in Hubei , the province at the centre of the epidemic .
This was down from 139 on Saturday .
A total of 1,933 new cases were also reported , nearly 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ending three days of consecutive drops in new cases .
The official number of cases in the province currently stands at 58,182 , with 1,692 deaths .
Most new cases and deaths have been reported in Wuhan , Hubei 's largest city .
Authorities are tightening curbs on movement to combat the outbreak .
People in the province of 60 million have been ordered to stay at home , though they will be allowed to leave in an emergency .
In addition , a single person from each household will be allowed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy food and essential items .
On housing estates , one entrance will be kept open .
It will be guarded to ensure that only residents can enter or leave .
All other businesses will stay closed , except chemists , hotels , food shops and medical services .
• What are the symptoms ?
• 'No change ' in virus outbreak despite China spike There will be a ban on the use of private cars , but vehicles used for the delivery of essential goods are exempt .
Meanwhile , authorities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone returning to the city to go into quarantine for 14 days or risk punishment .
China 's central bank will also disinfect and store used banknotes before recirculating them in a bid to stop the virus spreading .
What is the latest on cases ?
On Sunday , the Chinese authorities reported 2,009 new cases - down from 2,641 on Saturday , and 5,090 the day before .
New cases spiked earlier in the week after a change in the way they were counted but have been falling ever since .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far been infected in China .
National Health Commission spokesman Mi Feng said the figures showed China was managing to curb the outbreak .
`` The effects of epidemic prevention and control in various parts of the country can already be seen . ''
The commission 's daily bulletin also reported 142 more deaths nationwide , the vast majority in Hubei .
However Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that along with a drop in infections within Hubei there had been a rapid increase in the number of people who had recovered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in a `` serious condition '' has dropped nationwide from more than 15 % to just over 7 % , according to China 's State Council .
Taiwan has now reported a death from the illness - a taxi driver , 61 , who had not travelled abroad recently but had diabetes and hepatitis B , Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said .
The minister said many of his passengers had come from China .
Outside China , there have been more than 500 cases in nearly 30 countries .
Four others have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kong , the Philippines and Japan .
Meanwhile , a plane carrying 175 evacuated Nepalis , mostly students , has arrived in Kathmandu from Wuhan .
It is the latest country to fly its citizens out of Hubei province .
The virus is a new strain of coronavirus and causes an acute respiratory disease which has been named Covid-19 .
Read more about the coronavirus and its impact • SHOULD WE WORRY ?
Our health correspondent explains • YOUR QUESTIONS : Can you get it more than once ?
• WHAT YOU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• UNDERSTANDING THE SPREAD : A visual guide to the outbreak

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bbc--2020-02-16--Major incidents declared after UK storm flooding

Major incidents have been declared in south Wales and parts of England , as Storm Dennis batters the UK .
South Wales Police has been dealing with `` multiple '' landslides and floods - some trapping residents .
Homes have also been flooded , while police in Worcestershire are searching for a person who is feared to have been swept into the River Teme .
More than 700 flood warnings and alerts are in place across the UK , as of 23:45 GMT on Sunday .
There are currently eight severe flood warnings in England , which mean there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do I stop my trampoline flying off in a storm ?
• What do we know about Storm Dennis ?
A record number of flood warnings and alerts were issued for England on Sunday , according to John Curtin , the Environment Agency 's head of floods and coastal management - reaching a combined total of 624 by Sunday night .
He said `` the saturated ground conditions '' left by last weekend 's Storm Ciara has `` driven '' the severe flooding seen across the UK over the past 24 hours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ landslides , according to South Wales Police .
Dramatic video footage emerged of a landslide tearing down a mountain in Tylorstown , Rhondda Cynon Taf , south Wales , on Sunday morning .
Jessica Falk Perlman , who is on holiday with her family in Crickhowell , Powys , to celebrate her mother 's 60th birthday , told BBC Radio 5 Live that firefighters woke them at 04:00 GMT to tell them they were being evacuated because the River Usk had burst its banks .
But water quickly came flooding into their holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their evacuation .
`` The door of our house burst open and water came flooding in right up to the top of the stairs which was quite nerve wracking at the time , '' she said .
`` It 's well over the front door of the house , it 's flooded all the way up to the ceiling . ''
Amy Price , 20 , said her family were trapped in the upstairs of their home in Llanover , Monmouthshire , because water on the ground floor had reached as high as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started rising about 1am and at 3am it started coming into the house , '' she said .
`` We started sweeping the water away and then at 6am the river started coming over the bank . ''
South Wales Police said emergency services were working with local organisations to ensure the safety of people in communities cut-off by flooding , and to minimise damage and disruption .
Emergency centres have been set up for those who have been displaced .
Assistant chief constable Jennifer Gilmer praised rescue workers ' professionalism and advised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A man 's body was recovered from the River Tawe near Trebanos in the Swansea Valley but Dyfed-Powys Police later said his death was not linked to the extreme weather .
It is not being treated as suspicious .
West Mercia Police said a man had been rescued from the River Teme close to Eastham Bridge , Worcestershire , and taken to hospital by ambulance but that a woman was still missing .
The search for the woman has been called off until Monday .
Meanwhile , in Herefordshire , the council said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Environment Agency and health partners to assist residents .
It urged people to avoid unnecessary travel and check on their neighbours , and said `` rest centres '' are being set up for those who need to be evacuated .
Sarah Bridge , 55 , compared Storm Dennis to a tornado and said water had flooded her home in Pontrilas in Herefordshire despite specialist flood doors , reaching her knees .
`` It 's heartbreaking , '' she said .
`` The kitchen is completely flooded , I can hear things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident has also been declared after flooding at properties in Lowdham in Nottinghamshire .
Properties were also flooded in Tenbury Wells , Worcestershire - and residents were urged to take `` extreme care '' by the area 's Environment Agency manager .
A major incident has been declared by police following flooding in Shropshire .
Severe flood warnings , posing a danger to life , are in place at the Teme river in Ludlow , Shropshire .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News 's Sophy Ridge that the UK government was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather conditions .
He said it had put £2.4bn into defences over a six-year spending period up until next year , and would allocate £4bn for the next six-year period .
New Environment Secretary George Eustice denied that the government had been caught off guard by the floods caused by Storm Dennis .
He told Sky News : `` We 'll never be able to protect every single household just because of the nature of climate change and the fact that these weather events are becoming more extreme , but we 've done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant sum of money , and there 's more to come . ''
Of the flood warnings , more than 200 apply in England , more than 20 in Wales , and more than 10 in Scotland - where two people had to be rescued after their car was swept off the road near Newcastleton .
In Scotland , the Forth and Tay road bridges have been closed to all traffic .
Winds battered most of Scotland on Sunday with a Met Office warning in place until 11am on Monday .
In York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ River Ouse could come close to record levels seen in 2000 .
Across the UK road , rail and air travellers also face disruption .
About 170 flights were cancelled on Sunday morning , affecting at least 25,000 passengers .
Storm Dennis caused disruption for 19 train companies , according to National Rail , with routes suspended across south Wales and in parts of England and Scotland .
Highways England said strong winds had closed part of the M48 Severn Bridge eastbound , while flooding closed part of the M54 and A-roads in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Gloucestershire .
Amber warnings for rain and yellow warnings for wind are in place for most of the country into Sunday evening .
This means flooding could cause a danger to life , power cuts are expected and there is a good chance transport links will continue to be impacted .
Wind gusts reached 91mph on Saturday , according to the Met Office .
• The Army helped residents shore up flood defences in Ilkley and Calder in West Yorkshire • The body of a man was pulled from the sea off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not link his death to Storm Dennis • A second body was found by the RNLI after a seven-hour search in `` rough seas '' for a man who fell from a fuel tanker off the coast of Margate Last weekend Storm Ciara brought as much as 184mm of rain and gusts reaching 97mph .
It also caused hundreds of homes to be flooded and left more than 500,000 people without power .
For more information , check the BBC Weather website and your BBC Local Radio station for regular updates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Get in touch by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
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He told Sky News: "We'll never be able to protect every single household just because of the nature of climate change and the fact that these weather events are becoming more extreme, but we've done everything that we can do with a significant sum of money, and there's more to come."


bbc--2020-02-16--US election 2020: Could it be Bernie Sanders v Donald Trump?

Bernie Sanders is firmly the front-runner in the race to become the Democratic challenger to Republican President Donald Trump , fresh from a victory this week in the second state-by-state contest .
His support is fervent but is his party , let alone the country , ready to embrace such an unusual candidate ?
Bernie Sanders likes to call his presidential campaign a revolution , but these days it feels more like a touring rock concert .
The Vermont senator may seem like an unlikely front-man for bands like Vampire Weekend and The Strokes , but both have served as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign rallies .
But the thousands of fans in packed arenas reserve their loudest cheers for the scruffy-haired 78-year-old candidate with a clipped Brooklyn accent .
After nearly a year-long marathon of rallies , meetings , debates and ground-laying , the Sanders campaign is now entering a sprint of near-nonstop activity that will carry it through dozens of states across the country - an impressive test of endurance for a man who just months ago was hospitalised for a heart attack .
`` Bernie Sanders is the only candidate that has given me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only demand bold , radical change , but that it 's actually very attainable , '' said Aletha Shapiro , who travelled to New Hampshire from Long Island , New York , to help the Sanders campaign .
`` If the people stick together , we can actually put power back in the hands of the people . ''
The end result of all this effort was a split decision in Iowa , as former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg claimed the most delegates to the Democratic National Convention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more votes .
In New Hampshire , Sanders finished narrowly ahead of Buttigieg again , with the two tied in the state 's delegate count .
That did n't stop Sanders from claiming victory both in Iowa and New Hampshire on Tuesday night , however , and looking ahead to a showdown with Trump in November .
• A simple guide to US primaries and caucuses • How Bernie Sanders always beats the odds '' The reason we won tonight in New Hampshire , we won last week in Iowa , is because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volunteers , '' he said .
`` Let me say tonight that this victory here is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump . ''
The crowd , packed into a college gymnasium , responded with deafening applause , as though the volume of their cheers could will their beloved candidate to more victories in the days ahead .
`` It was electric , '' said Scott Sandvik , a music teacher from Boston .
`` I really think it was a release of tension after a nail-biter of an election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ does take hold - an outsider campaign pitted as much against the Democratic Party 's establishment as it is the incumbent president - New Hampshire could very well be seen as where it all began .
But the campaign still has a long road ahead .
Another shot at the prize Four years ago , Sanders also followed a tight result in Iowa with a victory in New Hampshire .
That contest was actually more decisive - a 20-point win over Hillary Clinton , who was considered the prohibitive favourite entering the race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , was a springboard into an empty pool .
He followed his win in the overwhelmingly white New England state with a narrow loss in Nevada and a drubbing in South Carolina , where the Democratic voting population is majority black .
Although there were a few bright spots after that - victories in Michigan and Wisconsin - Clinton spent the next few months pulling away from Sanders in the nomination race .
Now Sanders is back , hoping history does n't repeat itself .
Facing a more crowded field , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better position , as the nomination fight becomes a state-by-state slog on a battleground that stretches the breadth of the nation .
There is no Clinton machine waiting to do battle against the Sanders insurgency this time around .
Instead , the Vermont senator heads out of New Hampshire along with a ragtag mix of candidates all scrambling for a foothold .
Joe Biden , the apparent front-runner through much of 2019 , is grievously wounded by poor showings in the first two contests .
Elizabeth Warren , the other candidate appealing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has finished behind Sanders twice now and shows no signs gaining any ground .
Meanwhile , the continued presence of Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar among the moderates of the party ensures middle-of-the road and establishment Democrats will remain divided .
Buttigieg has money , but a thin resume and doubts about his appeal to the more diverse rank-and-file of the Democratic Party .
Klobuchar is counting on media coverage of her late surge in New Hampshire to make up for depleted campaign coffers and a virtually non-existent national organisation .
• Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Vermont , where he toppled the reigning six-term Democrat in 1981 for the mayoral seat by a margin of just 10 votes • Despite efforts by establishment Democrats to thwart his early career , Sanders served four terms as mayor before being elected to the US House of Representatives in 1990 - the first independent politician in four decades to do so • He won his current senate seat in 2007 and is currently in his third term • Sanders has an older brother , Larry , who lives in the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care spokesman for the Green Party The Sanders brothers : A tale of two underdogs How Bernie Sanders always beat the odds Meanwhile , Sanders has risen in national polls as Biden has faltered .
He boasts a veteran campaign structure that has basically been up and running since 2015 , and a donor and volunteer network that spans the nation .
His $ 25m ( £19m ) fundraising haul in January alone will ensure he has more than enough resources to compete in every state on the crowded March primary calendar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by figures from UK Labour MP Diane Abbott to YouTube star Joe Rogan .
On Friday , he picked up another endorsement , from New York mayor and erstwhile 2020 candidate Bill de Blasio .
If Bernie Sanders is n't the Democratic front-runner at this point , the word has little meaning .
He 's far from a lock for the nomination , but his path ahead appears to be the clearest of any of his competitors .
On Tuesday night , Sanders essentially said as much .
`` The reason I believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have an unprecedented grass-roots movement from coast to coast of millions of people , '' he said .
`` The reason that we are going to win is that we are putting together an unprecedented multi-generational , multi-racial movement . ''
History is certainly on Sanders ' side .
Putting the Iowa popular-vote result in his column means the Vermont senator joins Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004 , both eventual nominees , as the only non-incumbents to win there and New Hampshire .
In fact , no candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Hampshire and gone on to the nomination .
`` I think the people of the United States will unite around his message supporting the true hard working people of this country , '' said Tomas Amadeo of Hooksett , New Hampshire , echoing the optimism of many at the New Hampshire Sanders rally .
`` He can resonate with people of all ages . ''
The current disposition of the Sanders campaign has his supporters hoping for the best , however , a big chunk of the Democratic establishment and moderates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last Friday , in the spin room before the Democratic candidate debate in Manchester , senior Sanders campaign adviser Jeff Weaver was clear-eyed about what 's in store for his candidate , as a Democratic establishment that views Sanders as a meddlesome and disruptive outsider prepares to fight back .
`` There 's always a target on his back , '' he said of Sanders .
`` They wo n't stop until they 're beaten .
Well , we 're ready for it . ''
In Iowa , Sanders was the subject of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the right .
The conservative Club for Growth aired a spot that painted the Vermont senator as an extremist - and said that his health was suspect after his heart attack last autumn .
`` It is no secret that our campaign is taking on the political establishment and the big-money interests who are now running negative ads against us in Iowa , '' Sanders said in response .
`` The billionaire class is getting nervous , and they should . ''
There 's reason to believe Sanders ' political-jujitsu strategy could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Republican establishment finally acknowledged the threat that Donald Trump 's candidacy posed , its scions - including 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney - began to speak out .
Their attacks only made Trump stronger , however , as he painted them as the `` swamp 's '' last-gasp efforts to stop him .
`` The establishment has never taken Sanders seriously , and now that they 're having to they 're going to attack him , '' said Caleb Gates , a Sanders supporter from Cedar Rapids , Iowa , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day before the Iowa Caucuses .
`` But I think that will only increase his appeal to a lot of people , especially those who are not politically active . ''
In New Hampshire , Biden and Buttigieg hit at Sanders directly , both warning he was too extreme to be the party 's nominee and that his ideological views were too rigid .
Buttigieg accused Sanders of `` dividing people with the politics that says , 'If you do n't go all the way to the edge , it does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'It 's my way or the highway ' . ''
What are his key campaign promises ?
Time and again , it 's the `` electability '' criticism that is used as a cudgel against Sanders , a self-described Democratic Socialist .
One recent poll indicated that more than half of Americans would not vote for a `` socialist '' president .
Trump , at his rallies , regularly promises to his cheering support that `` American will never be a socialist nation '' .
The `` conventional '' view of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a tweet by Sean Trende , an elections analyst with the website RealClear Politics .
`` Bernie Sanders is a complete wildcard , '' he wrote .
`` He could win by 10 points or lose by 20 . ''
A blunter take by a Sanders critic was offered by New York Magazine 's Jonathan Chait in a column that particularly irked the Sanders faithful .
`` No party nomination , with the possible exception of Barry Goldwater in 1964 , has put forth a presidential nominee with the level of downside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring , '' he wrote .
`` To nominate Sanders would be insane . ''
When the stakes are so high - defeating Trump has been a central focus of Democrats since the day he was elected in 2016 - why , they ask , would the party choose a candidate so far away from the comfortable middle of American politics ?
Moderate members of Congress , in particular , have expressed apprehension about sharing a ticket with the independent-minded Vermont senator who only joined the Democratic Party to run for president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Minnesota who has endorsed Klobuchar , told CNN that Sanders could have a `` disastrous '' effect on congressional races in November , jeopardising the majority Democrats won in the 435-seat chamber in 2018.. '' There are probably 25 to 30 seats that absolutely would be impacted directly by having a self-avowed socialist at the top of the ticket , '' he said .
`` He 's not a Democrat , you know , and that 's something that I wish was better understood . ''
The Sanders campaign clearly realises that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential to securing the party 's 2020 nomination .
It 's why they hand out `` Sanders beats Trump '' stickers at their campaign events and chanted the refrain at his New Hampshire victory celebration .
They 're quick to cite head-to-head polling that shows little significant difference between a Sanders-Trump matchup and one between Trump and Biden , the candidate frequently offered as the safe and electable option .
A recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll had Biden on top 50-44 , while Sanders led Trump 49-45 - a statistically insignificant difference .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about electability is framed incorrectly .
American politics , they say , is n't a battle for the middle , it 's a battle of ideas and a battle for authenticity .
`` What we did last time was nominate someone who was down the middle and another Washington person who was n't going to change anything , '' said Pat Miguel Tomaino of Boston .
`` There are people hurting in this country who bought a lot of fake change from Donald Trump , and now we 're all suffering for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders in New Hampshire , added that the economic collapse of 2008 destroyed the trust many Americans have in the current economic and political order , and unless the Democratic Party acknowledges this and adjust to the new reality , it 's going to lose to Trump again .
`` We have no illusion about elites coming to save us or tinkering around a little bit for a better technocratic way of ordering an elitist system where just 1 % benefit , '' he said .
`` We know that Bernie Sanders does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know he has our back , and we have his . ''
To pull this off , however , the Sanders campaign has to successfully identify and turn out voters who have sat out past elections .
They 're counting on the younger voters who polls show overwhelmingly back Sanders for the nomination , as well other disaffected Americans who have been marginalised by the system .
In Iowa , at least , the results were not encouraging .
Although young voters made up a larger share of caucus participants , the total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barack Obama 's first campaign was electrifying many Democrats .
New Hampshire 's numbers were better , but early indications are the higher turnout was in part due to moderate and independent voters showing up to support Klobuchar and Buttigieg .
`` I 've always believed strongly that our case for winning this nomination and also beating Trump is that we can expand the base , '' said Faiz Shakir , the Sanders campaign manager .
`` We have the most ambitious and difficult path to winning this nomination because it requires , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be brought into this process . ''
He added that he thought the campaign had laid the groundwork for increased turnout in the states ahead , but there is reason the whole party should be concerned .
`` We 've got much more work to do , '' he said .
Take a closer look at the other candidates • Find out who is still in the running and what they stand for • Choose your candidate and filter by category • All you need to know about the presidential race As the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its caucus a week from Saturday , Sanders is facing criticism from a different direction .
The state 's powerful Culinary Union is circulating literature suggesting Sanders 's plan for replacing private health insurance with a government-run programme will abolish their union-negotiated plans .
The union then released a statement saying that Sanders supporters , upon learning of the union 's criticism , had `` viciously '' attacked the organisation .
Already Sanders ' Democratic opponents , sensing a vulnerability in Nevada , are positioning themselves as defenders of union healthcare plans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the union are unacceptable , '' Klobuchar wrote in a tweet .
`` I come from a family of proud union members and I know when unions are strong , America is strong '' Four years ago Nevada was the staging ground for Clinton 's counterattack , as she won over union support in Las Vegas hotels and restaurants - even without an outright endorsement .
If Sanders stumbles in Nevada again , the momentum he gained over the past two weeks could be lost , opening the door for one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - or for another , unexpected candidate who looms on the horizon in the weeks ahead .
After Iowa and New Hampshire , the outcome of the race may be uncertain , but it has at least followed a somewhat predictable course .
The field is narrowing as candidates struggle at the ballot box or run out of money .
The hardiest campaigns have moved on to the later battlegrounds .
That may all head out of the window soon .
There has n't been a presidential candidate quite like Michael Bloomberg .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first four Democratic nomination contests , and instead using his vast resources to campaign in later states , which award the lion 's share of delegates to the Democratic national convention , where the party 's standard-bearer will ultimately be decided .
• The Democratic 2020 race - in five charts • How Bloomberg could shake up 2020 race The Bloomberg challenge presents one additional , unprecedented hurdle Sanders must clear if he wants to be the party 's nominee - a circumstance not lost on the senator 's team .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday to try to block us if some if these other people ca n't , '' said Weaver of the Sanders campaign .
`` So , this race has got a long way to go and the ruling class in this country will do whatever it takes to stop Bernie Sanders . ''
Sanders 's supporters have been even more blunt .
`` It 's not subtle at all what Michael Bloomberg is doing , '' says Tomas Armadeo of Hookset , New Hampshire .
`` It 's very egregious how he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this election .
And I think people are going to see that . ''
Not everyone considers Bloomberg 's presence as a threat , however .
`` Bloomberg 's a perfect foil for Bernie because Bernie has been railing against the billionaire class for decades , '' said Gates of Cedar Rapids .
`` And the chances of running against an actual billionaire , I think that plays right into his strengths . ''
That may be easy to say at this point , but if Bloomberg does become a serious obstacle for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Vermont senator a majority of the delegates at the convention or becomes the nominee himself - there could be hell to pay from the Sanders faithful .
Outside a Sanders canvassing rally in Newton , a tiny town in central Iowa , campaign volunteer Krissy Haglund hands out leaflets and says Bloomberg is a `` test for the American people '' .
`` I think it 's a test to see if they 're willing to believe that money should be out of politics . ''
Four years ago Haglund , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American people missed the `` gift '' that Sanders was offering them .
And when presented with the choice between Clinton and Trump , she opted to vote for the Green Party 's Jill Stein .
This time around , she 's not sure she 'd be able to support anyone but Sanders .
`` I feel as though Bernie is in a class by himself and none of the other candidates are even close , '' she said .
`` And I think if he does n't get it , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he has n't earned it in the numbers or from the American people . ''
And if it 's Bloomberg , she 's definitely looking elsewhere .

"I feel as though Bernie is in a class by himself and none of the other candidates are even close," she said. "And I think if he doesn't get it, it will be because of politics and not that he hasn't earned it in the numbers or from the American people."


bbc--2020-02-16--Uganda's Queen of Katwe star Nikita Pearl Waligwa dies aged 15

An actress who starred in the Queen of Katwe , a Disney film about a chess prodigy from a Ugandan @ @ @ @ @ 15 , Ugandan media report .
Nikita Pearl Waligwa had been diagnosed with a brain @ @ @ @ @ was based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi , who took up chess aged @ @ @ @ @ school and went on to compete in international tournaments .
It starred Lupita Nyong ' @ @ @ @ @ David Oyelowo as her chess teacher .
Waligwa played the role of Gloria , a @ @ @ @ @ the rules of chess to her .
She was first diagnosed with a brain tumour @ @ @ @ @ Katwe director Mira Nair reportedly mobilised people to help fund her treatment in India , @ @ @ @ @ saying they did not have the necessary equipment .
She was given the all-clear in @ @ @ @ @ found to have another tumour .
• ' I had to sell everything to pay @ @ @ @

She was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016 and Queen of Katwe director Mira Nair reportedly mobilised people to help fund her treatment in India, with Ugandan doctors quoted as saying they did not have the necessary equipment.


bbc--2020-02-16--Emotional Elton John halts New Zealand gig after pneumonia diagnosis

A visibly upset Sir Elton John has been forced to cut short a concert in New Zealand after falling ill with walking pneumonia .
The musician , 72 , lost his voice mid-way through his set at Auckland 's Mount Smart Stadium on Sunday .
`` I 've just completely lost my voice .
I ca n't sing , '' Sir Elton told the crowd .
`` I 've got to go .
I 'm sorry . ''
Sir Elton appeared to break down in tears as he leaned on his piano and shook his head .
The audience gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he walked gingerly off stage , helped by several assistants .
Earlier in his set , Sir Elton told the sold-out crowd he had been diagnosed with walking pneumonia on Sunday .
The concert was one of a number of New Zealand shows on Sir Elton 's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour .
Walking pneumonia , also called atypical pneumonia , is a type of lung infection often caused by bacteria or viruses .
It is less severe than other types of pneumonia , with most sufferers not requiring medical attention .
Symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold , often including a cough , chest pain , a sore throat and a headache .
• Elton John 'to go out with a bang ' on final world tour Sir Elton was checked by a medic halfway through the show and , despite his illness , was able to perform classics such as Candle in the Wind and All the Girls Love Alice .
But ultimately , he was unable to finish the set , his voice giving way as he attempted to sing Daniel .
Shortly after leaving the stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an emotional Instagram post .
`` I played and sang my heart out , until my voice could sing no more .
I 'm disappointed , deeply upset and sorry .
I gave it all I had .
Thank you so much for your extraordinary support and all the love you showed me during tonight 's performance .
I am eternally grateful .
Love , Elton xx , '' he wrote .
On social media , concertgoers expressed sympathy for the singer , who remains one of the world 's most in-demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2018 that he would stop touring in order to prioritise his family .
But he announced he would say goodbye to fans with a series of 300 dates spanning three years .
It is not clear what effect Sir Elton 's illness will have on upcoming tour dates .
The star is scheduled to play two more concerts in Auckland on Tuesday and Thursday as part of the tour .
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"I played and sang my heart out, until my voice could sing no more. I'm disappointed, deeply upset and sorry. I gave it all I had. Thank you so much for your extraordinary support and all the love you showed me during tonight's performance. I am eternally grateful. Love, Elton xx," he wrote.


bbc--2020-02-16--Human compost funerals 'better for environment'

A US firm has given scientific details of its `` human composting '' process for environmentally friendly funerals .
A pilot study on deceased volunteers showed that soft tissue broke down safely and completely within 30 days .
The firm , Recompose , claims that its process saves more than a tonne of carbon , compared to cremation or traditional burial .
It says that it will offer the world 's first human composting service in Washington state from next February .
Speaking exclusively to BBC News , Recompose 's chief executive and founder , Katrina Spade , said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big factor in so many people expressing interest in the service .
`` So far 15,000 people have signed up to our newsletter .
And the legislation to allow this in the state received bi-partisan support enabling it to pass the first time it was tabled , '' she said .
`` The project has moved forward so quickly because of the urgency of climate change and the awareness we have to put it right . ''
Ms Spade spoke to me as results of the scientific study into the composting process , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was being presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle .
`` There is a loving practicability to it , '' she said , in one of the few interviews she has given since announcing details of the project a year ago .
She told me that she came up with the idea 13 years ago when she began to ponder her own mortality - at the ripe old age of 30 !
`` When I die , this planet , which has protected and supported me my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back what I have left ?
`` It is just logical and also beautiful . ''
• How do you compost a human body - and why ?
Ms Spade draws a distinction between decomposing and recomposing .
The former is what happens when a body is above ground .
Recomposing involves integrating it with the soil .
She claims that natural organic reduction of a body prevents 1.4 tonnes of carbon being released into the atmosphere , compared with cremation .
And she believes there is a similar saving compared to traditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the casket is taken into account .
`` For a lot of folks it resonates with the way they try to lead their lives .
They want to pick a death care plan that resonates with the way they live . ''
The process involves laying the body in a closed vessel with woodchips , alfalfa and straw grass .
The body is slowly rotated to allow microbes to break it down .
Thirty days later the remains are available to relatives to scatter on plants or a tree .
Although the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years of scientific research to perfect the technique .
Ms Spade asked soil scientist Prof Lynne Carpenter Boggs to undertake the work .
Composting livestock is a well-established practice in Washington state .
Prof Carpenter Boggs 's task was to adapt it for human subjects and ensure that the remains were environmentally safe .
She carried out pilot studies with six volunteers who had given their enthusiastic consent to the research prior to their deaths .
She told me that the work took an emotional toll on her and her team .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other .
My physiology felt different , I was n't sleeping well for a few nights , I was n't hungry - it was a distress response . ''
Prof Carpenter-Boggs found that the recomposing body reached temperatures of 55C ( 131F ) for a period of time .
`` We are certain that there has been a destruction of the vast majority of [ disease-causing organisms ] and pharmaceuticals because of the high temperatures that we reached . ''
Recompose will begin business later this year .
Anyone can participate but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Legislation to allow natural organic reduction is currently being considered in Colorado .
Ms Spade believes that it will be a matter of time before it is more widely available - in the US and elsewhere .
`` We hope other states will pick up the idea once we get going in Washington .
We have had lots of excitement from the UK and other parts of the world and we hope to open branches overseas when we can . ''

Recompose will begin business later this year. Anyone can participate but the process is legal only in Washington state. Legislation to allow natural organic reduction is currently being considered in Colorado. Ms Spade believes that it will be a matter of time before it is more widely available - in the US and elsewhere.


bbc--2020-02-17--The doctors and lawyers giving advice on TikTok

The BBC meets a fertility doctor , a psychiatrist and an immigration lawyer in the US who are all using @ @ @ @ @ misinformation in their fields .

The BBC meets a fertility doctor, a psychiatrist and an immigration lawyer in the US who are all using the app to help combat misinformation in their fields.
Video by Shrai Popat


bbc--2020-02-16--Petr Pavlensky: Russian activist's girlfriend held over Macron ally sex video

French police have arrested a woman in connection with the release of a sex video that brought down a political ally of President Emmanuel Macron .
Alexandra de Taddeo is the girlfriend of activist Petr Pavlensky .
Both were detained on Saturday but police did not initially reveal her arrest .
She was arrested on charges of invasion of privacy and distributing personal images without consent , officials said .
The video scuppered Benjamin Griveaux 's candidacy for mayor of Paris .
It was published on a little-known website that alleged Mr Griveaux , 42 , had exchanged intimate mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman .
Ms de Taddeo is suspected of being the recipient of the intimate footage , France 's Le Figaro newspaper reported on Sunday , quoting the Paris prosecutor 's office .
Mr Pavlensky , a Russian who sought asylum in France in 2017 , earlier said that he was responsible for posting the video , which showed a man involved in a sexual act .
He was detained on Saturday as part of a separate investigation into an alleged brawl in Paris on 31 December involving `` wilful violence with a weapon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Taddeo , whom he had reportedly been in a relationship with since January 2019 , was being held over the widely condemned release of the footage of Mr Griveaux .
The politician had filed an invasion of privacy complaint hours before she was detained .
What was the video 's impact ?
The distribution of the clip , which spread quickly across social media last Thursday , brought condemnation from across the political spectrum .
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said people 's private lives should be respected .
Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ odious '' , while far-right leader Marine Le Pen suggested Mr Griveaux should not have quit .
Mr Pavlensky has said he posted the video to expose what he sees as the politician 's hypocrisy .
Mr Griveaux , who is married with children and was once a government spokesman , condemned the distribution of the video as he withdrew his mayoral candidacy on Friday .
`` My family does not deserve this .
No-one should ever be subjected to such abuse , '' he said .
On Sunday , French Health Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Griveaux as the En Marche party 's candidate for mayor of Paris .
The 35-year-old first gained notoriety by nailing his scrotum to Moscow 's Red Square in 2013 .
He fled Russia and sought asylum in France when he was accused by the authorities of a sexual assault that he denied .
He served seven months in jail for setting the front door of the FSB intelligence agency on fire in Moscow and later caused minor damage to a Banque de France branch by setting that alight .
Before his arrest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Mr Griveaux was only the first politician that he would target , saying he would carry on fighting the `` propaganda and puritanism of politicians '' .
French media have traditionally avoided prying into the private lives of people in public life and a number of figures have referred distastefully to the `` Americanisation '' of politics .

Prosecutors later said that Ms de Taddeo, whom he had reportedly been in a relationship with since January 2019, was being held over the widely condemned release of the footage of Mr Griveaux.


bbc--2020-02-16--Porto footballer quits match over racist abuse

Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off midway through his side 's win at Vitoria Guimaraes , saying he was subjected to racist abuse from fans .
Marega , 28 , started to walk towards the dugouts in the 69th minute , nine minutes after scoring what would prove the winner in Porto 's 2-1 victory .
He pointed his thumbs down and also raised his middle fingers to the crowd .
Team-mates and opposition players tried to persuade him to stay on , but he was eventually substituted .
In an Instagram post , Marega said the home supporters `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist screams '' were `` idiots '' .
Porto boss Sergio Conceicao said : `` We are a family regardless of nationality , skin colour , hair colour .
We are human , we deserve respect .
What happened here is unfortunate .
`` We are completely indignant about what happened .
I know the passion that exists for Vitoria and I think most of the fans do not see themselves in the same attitude of some people who have insulted Moussa since the warm-up . ''
Porto 's match report on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation that should make the Guimaraes club and Portuguese football blush with shame '' .
Team-mates including Alex Telles , Sergio Oliveira and Ivan Marcano all tried to stop Marega walking off the pitch , grabbing the Malian player around the waist - but he pushed everyone aside on his way to the tunnel .
Marega spent a season on loan at Vitoria in the 2016-17 campaign , scoring 15 goals in 25 games .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Mali forward Moussa Marega gave home fans the thumbs down at Vitoria Guimaraes
Porto forward Moussa Marega walked off midway through his side's win at Vitoria Guimaraes, saying he was subjected to racist abuse from fans.
Marega, 28, started to walk towards the dugouts in the 69th minute, nine minutes after scoring what would prove the winner in Porto's 2-1 victory.
He pointed his thumbs down and also raised his middle fingers to the crowd.
Team-mates and opposition players tried to persuade him to stay on, but he was eventually substituted.
In an Instagram post, Marega said the home supporters "who come to the stadium to make racist screams" were "idiots".
Porto defender Alex Telles tried to prevent Moussa Marega from leaving the pitch
And staff from the dugouts tried to persuade Marega to remain
Porto boss Sergio Conceicao said: "We are a family regardless of nationality, skin colour, hair colour. We are human, we deserve respect. What happened here is unfortunate.
"We are completely indignant about what happened. I know the passion that exists for Vitoria and I think most of the fans do not see themselves in the same attitude of some people who have insulted Moussa since the warm-up."
Porto's match report on their website described it as "a sad situation that should make the Guimaraes club and Portuguese football blush with shame".
Team-mates including Alex Telles, Sergio Oliveira and Ivan Marcano all tried to stop Marega walking off the pitch, grabbing the Malian player around the waist - but he pushed everyone aside on his way to the tunnel.
Marega spent a season on loan at Vitoria in the 2016-17 campaign, scoring 15 goals in 25 games.
'These acts shame football'
The Liga Portugal - the governing body of Portugal's top flight - condemned the behaviour of supporters, saying it "does not agree with acts of racism, xenophobia, intolerance".
In a statement, it said: "The values of football are not compatible with what happened at the stadium, in which an athlete no longer endured the insults he was being targeted [by] and chose to abandon the game.
"These acts shame football and human dignity.
"The greatness of the institution of Vitoria should not be confused with the attitudes of some fans who have no place in football and sport.
"Liga Portugal will do everything so that this, and all episodes of racism, do not go unpunished, believing that this is a fight without colours and where everyone is decisive to eradicate this scourge."
The Portuguese players' union (SJPF) expressed its "solidarity" with Marega.
It said: "This case deserves the most serious condemnation, but also the recognition to the player for the courage he had in taking a stand and leaving the field.
"This time Marega stopped, but if nothing is done the players' union makes it known that racism and discrimination in football are more than enough reasons for all the players in Portugal to stop."
After the game, Vitoria coach Ivo Vieira said he did not want to speak about the incident "without being aware of all the facts", but added: "If the player was provoked, then he should not have been."
Vitoria said in a statement: "We will investigate what happened during the game played at Estadio D Afonso Henriques, acting firmly and thoroughly in full co-operation with the competent authorities."


bbc--2020-02-16--French ski resort uses helicopters to deliver snow for bare slopes

A French ski resort has used helicopters to deliver snow after mild weather dried out its slopes , threatening it with closure .
The Luchon-Superbagnères resort in the Pyrenees arranged for around 50 tonnes of snow to be dropped on its slopes .
Taken from higher mountains , the snow was dumped on slopes for beginners and children on Friday and Saturday .
Temperatures have risen above 10C across the Pyrenees this week , leaving ski slopes devoid of snow .
Milder weather and a lack of snow during winter are trends that meteorologists have linked to climate change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the local council arranged for snow to be sent at a cost of more than 5,000 euros ( £4,150 ) .
Hervé Pounau , director of the local council , said it was a worthwhile investment .
`` We 're not going to cover the entire ski station in snow , but without it we would have had to close a huge part of the ski domain , and it 's during the holidays that we have the most activity for beginners and the ski schools , '' Mr Pounau said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typically the busiest time of year for ski resorts in France .
The jobs of up to 80 people , including lift operators , ski school teachers and child minders , will be protected by keeping the resort open , Mr Pounau said .
However , the delivery of snow has been criticised by environmental groups .
• Moscow brings in artificial snow for New Year in mild winter • Where in the world is snow getting rarer ?
`` Instead of adapting to global warming we 're going to end up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of energy , that contributes heavily to global warming and that in addition is only for an elite group of people who can afford it .
It is the world upside down , '' Bastien Ho , of green group Europe Écologie Les Verts ( EELV ) , told French television .
Mr Pounau conceded that moving the snow was not a `` particularly ecological '' solution but said `` we had no choice '' .
Many other ski resorts in the Pyrenees mountains are facing an uncertain future , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This month , the ski resort of Le Mourtis was forced to temporarily close down its ski runs in mid-season , impacting the local economy .
Unseasonably mild temperatures have melted snow at lower altitude ski resorts .
France experienced its mildest January since 1900 , according to Meteo-France , the country 's national forecaster .
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"We're not going to cover the entire ski station in snow, but without it we would have had to close a huge part of the ski domain, and it's during the holidays that we have the most activity for beginners and the ski schools," Mr Pounau said.


bbc--2020-02-16--South Sudan peace talks: Machar and Kiir in deadlock over states

Former South Sudanese rebel chief Riek Machar has said he is not satisfied by proposals made by the president aimed at paving the way for the formation of a government of national unity .
On Saturday President Salva Kiir agreed to an opposition demand to reduce the number of states in the country .
But Mr Machar says the new proposals do not go far enough .
Six years of conflict have devastated South Sudan , with some 380,000 deaths in the world 's newest country .
The two rivals are under increasing international pressure to meet a deadline of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The US last year warned that it would impose sanctions on anyone working against the peace process .
Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby , spiritual leader of the Anglican Church , have said they will visit South Sudan once a national unity government is formed .
Mr Machar has long demanded that President Kiir reverse his decision to increase the number of states to 32 , seeing it as a way to give positions to presidential loyalists and boost his power base .
On Saturday , the president agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states and sacked all 32 state governors , raising hopes of an end to the deadlock .
But he also created three `` administrative areas '' of Pibor , Ruweng and Abyei - a move rejected by Mr Machar .
The three areas have all witnessed ethnic violence during the conflict , while Ruweng is a key producer of oil - South Sudan 's major export .
Last week , the US , UK and Norway urged both side to compromise and avoid a return to conflict .

Former South Sudanese rebel chief Riek Machar has said he is not satisfied by proposals made by the president aimed at paving the way for the formation of a government of national unity.


bbc--2020-02-16--Costa Rica makes biggest ever cocaine haul

Police in Costa Rica have made the biggest seizure of illegal drugs in the country 's history - finding more @ @ @ @ @ in a shipping container .
The drugs were hidden in a consignment of flowers headed @ @ @ @ @ news agency quoted Interior Minister Michael Soto Rojas as saying .
Central America is one @ @ @ @ @ cartels moving drugs from South America to the US and Europe .
• US and @ @ @ @ @ production When the authorities searched a suspicious shipping container on Saturday , they discovered 202 @ @ @ @ @ 5,048 packages of cocaine weighing around 1 kg ( 2.2 lbs ) each , AFP @ @

Police in Costa Rica have made the biggest seizure of illegal drugs in the country's history - finding more than five tonnes of cocaine in a shipping container.


bbc--2020-02-16--Caroline Flack: Boyfriend Lewis Burton says 'my heart is broken'

Caroline Flack 's boyfriend said they had `` something special '' as he paid tribute to the former Love Island host , who was found dead in her London flat on Saturday .
In an emotional Instagram post , Lewis Burton said : `` My heart is broken '' .
A lawyer for her family said Flack had taken her own life .
Her management company said the 40-year-old had been `` under huge pressure '' since she was accused of assaulting Burton - a charge she denied .
She was due to stand trial next month .
In his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a beach bar , Burton promised the star he would `` be your voice baby '' , and that he would `` try make you proud everyday '' .
Flack 's management company have criticised prosecutors for pursuing her `` show trial '' , even after her partner said he did not support it .
In response , the Crown Prosecution Service said : `` Given the tragic circumstances , we will not comment on the specifics of this case at this stage . ''
Bail conditions had stopped Flack having any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Burton said in his post that he had not been allowed to be with her .
His full post reads : '' My heart is broken we had something so special .
`` I am so lost for words I am in so much pain I miss you so much I know you felt safe with me you always said I do n't think about anything else when I am with you and I was not allowed to be there this time I kept asking and asking .
`` I will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask all the questions you wanted and I will get all the answers nothing will bring you back but I will try make you proud everyday .
`` I love you with all my heart . ''
Flack had co-hosted The X Factor and won Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 , as well as presenting ITV 's Love Island .
She stood down from the dating show after she was charged with assaulting her partner , tennis player Lewis Burton , in December .
Following her death , an ITV spokeswoman said Flack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Love Island team '' .
Celebrities and ex-Love Island stars also paid tribute , describing her death as `` heartbreaking '' .
Laura Whitmore , who took over presenting Love Island following Flack 's arrest , said her friend was `` vivacious , loving and had a passion for life , which is why none of this makes sense '' .
Fighting back tears in a tribute on her BBC Radio 5 Live Sunday morning show , she said Flack `` loved to love , that 's all she wanted , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important to her '' and appealed to listeners to `` be kind '' to how they treat others .
`` I want to use my platform , this platform , to call people out because it 's gone too far .
Your words affect people .
To paparazzi and tabloids looking for a cheap sell , to trolls hiding behind a keyboard , enough , '' she said .
The health secretary , Matt Hancock , said in a tweet that `` we must do more as a society to look out for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
If you or someone you know needs support for issues about emotional distress , these organisations may be able to help .
Fellow ITV presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly said they were `` devastated '' by the news .
Honey Lancaster-James , a TV psychologist who worked with celebrity contestants on an early series of Love Island , said it was important not to `` point the finger of blame '' .
Anger was a natural response to death - particularly in tragic circumstances , she said , but people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flack 's mind .
`` There are often a number of factors , and a number of things that have led to a deterioration in mental health , '' she said , adding that she did n't know Caroline Flack personally .
Many of those who paid tribute urged for greater kindness towards people going through difficult circumstances .
This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield wrote on Instagram : `` You poor darling girl my heart is breaking # BeKind '' .
Kady McDermott , who featured in the show 's second series , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news about Caroline Flack .
`` Caroline was nothing but kind to me and that 's how I will always remember her .
`` Saddens me so much when people think the only way out is death .
My prayers and thoughts go out to Caroline 's friends and family . ''
Confirming that Saturday 's episode of Love Island would not air , an ITV spokeswoman said : `` Everybody at Love Island and ITV is shocked and saddened by this desperately sad news . ''
Meanwhile , Strictly Come Dancing praised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for dance '' in a statement on Twitter .
Flack won series 12 of the show in 2014 .
`` The entire Strictly Come Dancing family are heartbroken to hear this incredibly sad news , '' the tweet said .
Judge Bruno Tonioli said he could not believe the news , and praised Flack as `` always so much fun to be around '' .
The show 's co-presenters , Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly , both posted messages in tribute to Flack , with Winkleman saying her death was `` heartbreaking '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a string of messages on Twitter , saying : `` At some point I will find my words , and I will write the tribute she deserves .
My dear friend .
I 'm lost . ''
Flack 's career : From children 's TV to Chicago on stage Many fans grew up with Flack following her breakthrough co-hosting Saturday morning show TMi with Sam and Mark on CBBC in 2007 .
From there , she went on to front Gladiators on Sky One , ITV2 's I 'm A Celebrity… Get Me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xtra Factor , before moving to The X Factor itself with Olly Murs in 2015 .
She cemented her popular appeal when she won Strictly Come Dancing in 2014 with partner Pasha Kovalev .
She is credited with making Love Island one of the biggest shows on British TV and was the one to pick up the award when it won the Bafta for best reality show in 2018 .
The same year , Flack made her West End stage debut as Roxie Hart in Chicago and even appeared on the celebrity version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the time of her death , Flack had been waiting to stand trial after she was charged with assaulting her boyfriend with a lamp .
She pleaded not guilty in December and was released on bail on the condition she did not contact Mr Burton .
Her solicitor made an application to have these bail conditions lifted , arguing they remained a couple and wanted to spend Christmas together .
In a statement following her death , Flack 's management company criticised the CPS for pressing ahead with the case .
Francis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` In recent months Caroline had been under huge pressure because of an ongoing case and potential trial which has been well reported .
`` The Crown Prosecution Service pursued this when they knew not only how very vulnerable Caroline was but also that the alleged victim did not support the prosecution and had disputed the CPS version of events .
`` The CPS should look at themselves today and how they pursued a show trial that was not only without merit but not in the public interest .
And ultimately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In response , the CPS said its `` deepest sympathies go to the family and friends of Caroline Flack '' , but that it would `` not comment on the specifics of this case at this stage '' .

"I am so lost for words I am in so much pain I miss you so much I know you felt safe with me you always said I don't think about anything else when I am with you and I was not allowed to be there this time I kept asking and asking.