bbc--2020-08-09--Belarus election: Clashes after poll predicts Lukashenko re-election

Protesters and riot police have clashed in Belarus ' capital Minsk and other cities , after a state TV exit poll said long-time leader Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected in Sunday 's election .
In Minsk , the police used stun grenades to disperse crowds in the city centre .
There have been reports of injuries .
The state TV exit poll showed that Mr Lukashenko won nearly 80 % of the vote .
Main opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya said she did not trust the figures which gave her 7 % .
`` I believe my eyes , and I see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said at a news conference on Sunday evening .
The opposition had said it expected the vote to be rigged , saying it would keep an alternative count of the votes .
Mrs Tikhanovskaya , 37 , entered the election in place of her jailed husband and went on to lead large opposition rallies .
Mr Lukashenko , in power since 1994 , has vowed that the situation in the country will remain `` under control '' .
The lead-up to Sunday 's poll saw a crackdown on activists and journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in years .
In Minsk , clashes were reported near the Minsk-Hero City monument in the city centre late on Sunday .
Witnesses and correspondents say the riot police used rubber bullets and water cannon to disperse demonstrators .
Several ambulances have been seen rushing to the scene .
Footage has emerged of protesters fighting riot police in the capital , and media reports say a number of people have been arrested .
Referring to Mr Lukashenko , crowds on the streets have been chanting `` Go away ! ''
Similar protests are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks earlier said connectivity had been `` significantly disrupted '' across Belarus , with the situation worsening throughout the day and creating an `` information vacuum '' .
Sometimes referred to as Europe 's last dictator , President Lukashenko , 65 , was first elected in 1994 .
In the last vote in 2015 , he was declared winner with 83.5 % of the vote .
There were no serious challengers and election observers reported problems in the counting and tabulation of votes .
This year 's election is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his leadership .
The campaign saw the rise of Ms Tikhanovskaya , a former teacher who became a stay-at-home mother until she was thrust into the political spotlight .
After her husband was arrested and blocked from registering for the vote , she stepped in to take his place .
In the lead-up to the election she told the BBC that people in Belarus did not believe the election would be run fairly .
`` But I still believe that our president will understand that his time is over .
People do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
President Lukashenko has dismissed Ms Tikhanovskaya as a `` poor little girl '' , manipulated by foreign `` puppet masters '' .
Tens of thousands defied an escalating crackdown on the opposition last month to attend a protest in the capital Minsk , the largest such demonstration in a decade .
Since the start of the election campaign in May , more than 2,000 people have been detained , according to Human Rights Centre Viasna .
On the eve of the vote Ms Tikhanovskaya 's team said her campaign manager had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Monday .
And on Sunday , as people voted , internet service was `` significantly disrupted '' , according to online monitor NetBlocks .
Opposition supporters say this makes it harder for evidence of election fraud to be collected and shared .
There were already concerns over a lack of scrutiny because observers were not invited to monitor the election and more than 40 % of votes were cast ahead of election day .
Was anyone else running ?
There were three other candidates : • Anna Kanopatskaya , a former MP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition in parliamentary elections in 2016 • Sergei Cherechen , the leader of the Social Democrat party • Andrei Dmitriyev , the co-chair of the Tell the Truth movement , a campaign group which has been raided by the authorities Two key opposition figures were barred from running and threw their weight behind Ms Tikhanovskaya 's campaign .
One of them , Valery Tsepkalo , fled Belarus ahead of the contest , fearing arrest .
His wife Veronika stayed behind , becoming a key campaigner for Mrs Tikhanovskaya .
It emerged on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus for Moscow , for `` safety '' reasons .
Anger towards Mr Lukashenko 's government has been in part fuelled by the response to coronavirus .
The president has downplayed the outbreak , advising citizens to drink vodka and use saunas to fight the disease .
Belarus , which has a population of 9.5 million , has had nearly 70,000 confirmed cases and 600 deaths .

In the last vote in 2015, he was declared winner with 83.5% of the vote. There were no serious challengers and election observers reported problems in the counting and tabulation of votes.


bbc--2020-08-09--Beirut explosion: Donors pledge aid for Lebanon but want reform

International donors have pledged a quarter of a billion euros in aid for Lebanon five days after the explosion which devastated a swathe of Beirut .
But an online donor summit arranged by France called at the same time for reforms to be made .
The blast at a warehouse holding over 2,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate has focused local outrage on perceived government corruption and incompetence .
Clashes have broken out for a second day running in Beirut .
Young people calling for the government to quit threw projectiles at police and shops in central Beirut , and protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parliament building .
A fire broke out at the scene .
Police in riot gear used tear gas as darkness fell , echoing similar scenes during protests on Saturday .
• 'We do n't have dreams any more' • The inferno and the mystery ship • Why Lebanon is in crisis Fifteen government leaders at the donor summit , spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron , promised `` major resources '' , according to a statement .
`` Assistance should be timely , sufficient and consistent with the needs of the Lebanese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that help must be `` directly delivered to the Lebanese population , with utmost efficiency and transparency '' .
The donors were prepared to help Lebanon 's longer term recovery if the government listened to the changes demanded by the country 's citizens , the communique said .
President Macron 's office said France had received pledges worth €252.7m ( $ 297m , £227m ) from the summit .
Officials estimate the explosion caused up to $ 15 billion ( £11.5bn ) of damage .
It left at least 158 people dead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged that the ammonium nitrate had been left at the port warehouse for six years despite repeated warnings it was dangerous .
Lebanon is in the midst of its worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war , with daily power cuts , a lack of safe drinking water and limited public healthcare .
The currency collapsed and Lebanon defaulted on its debt in March .
Talks with the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) on a $ 10bn bailout have stalled .
It is feared that the effect of the explosion on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of recovery .
The government has begun losing ministers critical of its failings .
Environment Minister Damianos Kattar was the second to leave the cabinet on Sunday , bemoaning a `` sterile regime that botched several opportunities '' .
His resignation followed that of Information Minister Manal Abdel Samad , who cited the failure to reform and the `` Beirut catastrophe '' as her reasons for going .
Among promises made during the summit were : • US - $ 15m so far The United Nations has said more than $ 100m ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ humanitarian aid , such as food and water , and the rebuilding of infrastructure , including hospitals and schools .
The summit took place online due to the coronavirus pandemic .
President Macron , speaking from his summer residence in southern France , called for `` an impartial , credible and independent inquiry '' into how the disaster was allowed to happen .
France is the former colonial power , and Mr Macron was the first world leader to visit Beirut in the days after the blast .
But Lebanese President Michel Aoun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• What is ammonium nitrate and how dangerous is it ?
• What we know about the blast Alluding to Saturday 's protests , the French president said it was up to the government `` to respond to the aspirations that the Lebanese people are expressing right now , legitimately , in the streets of Beirut '' .
But he added that neither violence nor chaos should prevail , adding : `` Lebanon 's future is at stake . ''
President Trump also joined the summit and echoed calls for a transparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to assist , according to a White House statement .
`` The president called for calm in Lebanon and acknowledged the legitimate calls of peaceful protesters for transparency , reform , and accountability , '' the statement said .

"Assistance should be timely, sufficient and consistent with the needs of the Lebanese people," it said, adding that help must be "directly delivered to the Lebanese population, with utmost efficiency and transparency".


bbc--2020-08-09--Whale migration: ‘Super rare’ whale encounter on the Great Barrier Reef

Scuba dive instructor Andrew Lomakin filmed an incredible 12-minute encounter with a juvenile humpback whale in the shallows of Lady @ @ @ @ @ east coast whale migration brings humpbacks to the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef @ @ @ @ @ Lomakin described the interaction in the shallow water as `` super rare '' .

Scuba dive instructor Andrew Lomakin filmed an incredible 12-minute encounter with a juvenile humpback whale in the shallows of Lady Elliot Island.
Australia's east coast whale migration brings humpbacks to the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef every year, but Mr Lomakin described the interaction in the shallow water as "super rare".
Video by Isabelle Rodd


bbc--2020-08-09--Niger attack: French aid workers among eight killed by gunmen

Gunmen have attacked a group of aid workers in Niger , killing six French citizens , their local guide and driver , officials say .
The gunmen arrived on motorcycles and opened fire , the governor of Tillabéri region , Tidjani Ibrahim , told the French news agency AFP .
They were in the Koure region , which attracts tourists who want to see the last herds of giraffe in West Africa .
The French presidency confirmed the deaths of the French citizens .
The French nationals worked for an international aid group , Niger 's defence minister Issoufou Katambé @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials had described them as tourists .
ACTED , a French humanitarian NGO , confirmed its staff members were involved in the incident in Niger .
President Emmanuel Macron spoke on the phone with his Niger counterpart Mahamadou Issoufou on Sunday , a statement said , without giving further details .
In photos seen by the BBC , the victims ' bodies were found lying on a dirt road by the side of a 4x4 vehicle .
The vehicle appeared to have been burned out .
The attack happened at around 11:30 local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Koure , about hour 's drive from the capital Niamey , AFP reported .
It is not yet clear who was behind the attack , but jihadist groups have become increasingly active in Niger .
The French government advises against travel to large parts of Niger , a former French colony .
The threat of terrorism , in particular outside the capital Niamey and near the borders , is high , the French government says .
Militant groups , including Boko Haram , operate in the area and violence by groups linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been on the rise in the Sahel region .
France has been leading a coalition of West African and European allies against Islamist militants in the region since June .
• How West Africa is under threat from Islamist militants • Is France losing ground to militants in West Africa ?
Despite this , tourists still visit to see the Niger giraffes , a sub-species distinguished by its lighter colour .
They settled in the area around 20 years ago and have been largely protected from poachers .
The Koure Giraffe Reserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) south east of the capital Niamey , draws many tourists .

They were in the Koure region, which attracts tourists who want to see the last herds of giraffe in West Africa.


bbc--2020-08-09--Mauritius oil spill: Locals scramble to contain environmental damage

Volunteers in Mauritius are scrambling to create cordons to keep leaking oil from a ship away from the island .
The MV Wakashio , believed to have been carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil , ran aground on a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island on 25 July .
Locals are making absorbent barriers of straw stuffed into fabric sacks in an attempt to contain and absorb the oil .
Mauritius is home to world-renowned coral reefs , and tourism is a crucial part of its economy .
Images posted online by local media show volunteers collecting straw from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Others have been making their own tubes with tights and hair to add to the effort and some have been cleaning up the island 's beaches .
Their actions go against an order from the government asking people to leave the clean-up to local authorities .
`` People have realised that they need to take things into their hands .
We are here to protect our fauna and flora , '' environmental activist Ashok Subron told AFP news agency .
Mitsui OSK Lines , the operator of the ship , said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booms around the vessel but had not been successful owing to rough seas .
Helicopters are attempting to move some of the fuel and diesel off the ship .
It is thought that the bulk carrier , registered in Panama , had some 4,000 tonnes of fuel aboard when it ran aground .
All crew were evacuated .
At least 1,000 tonnes of oil is thought to have leaked into the waters surrounding the island nation .
Environmentalists are concerned about the impact on the country 's ecosystem .
The MV Wakashio ran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctuary for rare wildlife .
The area also contains wetlands designated as a site of international importance by the Ramsar convention on wetlands .
Happy Khamule from Greenpeace Africa warned that `` thousands '' of animal species were `` at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution , with dire consequences for Mauritius ' economy , food security and health '' .
At a news conference , Akihiko Ono , executive vice president of Mitsui OSK Lines `` profusely '' apologised for the spill and for `` the great trouble we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company would do `` everything in their power to resolve the issue '' .
Police in Mauritius say they have been granted a search warrant , allowing them to board the vessel take away items of interest such as the ship 's log book in order to help with an investigation .
The ship 's captain will assist officers with their search .
On Friday , Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth declared a state of emergency and appealed for help .
France has sent a military aircraft with pollution control equipment from its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Japan announced it would dispatch a six-member team to assist the French efforts .
Mr Jugnauth is set to hold an emergency meeting later on Sunday amid fears that bad weather could further complicate efforts to hold back the oil .

Police in Mauritius say they have been granted a search warrant, allowing them to board the vessel take away items of interest such as the ship's log book in order to help with an investigation. The ship's captain will assist officers with their search.


bbc--2020-08-09--Coronavirus: New Zealand marks 100 days without community spread

New Zealand has gone 100 days without recording a locally transmitted Covid-19 case , a milestone that has both been welcomed and brought warnings against complacency .
The last case of community transmission was detected on 1 May , days after the country started easing its lockdown .
Sunday was the fourth day in a row that no new cases of Covid-19 were reported .
The total number of active cases in the country remained at 23 , all in managed isolation .
New Zealand has fared better than other countries , recording 1,219 confirmed cases and 22 deaths since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Praised internationally for its handling of the pandemic , the country 's government has lifted almost all of its lockdown restrictions , first imposed in March .
An early lockdown , tough border restrictions , effective health messaging and an aggressive test-and-trace programme have all been credited with virtually eliminating the virus in the country .
• New Zealand gets its coffee back • How NZ 's 'team of five million ' took on Covid-19 • New Zealand went 'hard and early ' to beat Covid-19 But officials have warned against complacency , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still possible .
`` Achieving 100 days without community transmission is a significant milestone .
However , as we all know , we ca n't afford to be complacent , '' Director-General of Health , Dr Ashley Bloomfield , said on Sunday .
`` We have seen overseas how quickly the virus can re-emerge and spread in places where it was previously under control , and we need to be prepared to quickly stamp out any future cases in New Zealand . ''
The landmark `` does n't lessen any of the risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Ardern said .
`` One hundred days is a milestone to mark but , again , we still need to be vigilant regardless , '' she added .
Other countries have had early success in suppressing the virus , only to see infections rise again after lifting lockdown restrictions that damaged the economy .
Vietnam went 99 days with no community transmission until July , when a 57-year-old man in Da Nang tested positive for the virus .
By the end of July , Da Nang was the epicentre of a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's first coronavirus death since the pandemic began .
• The mysterious resurgence of Covid-19 in Vietnam Australia , too , has seen a resurgence of Covid-19 in some states , including New South Wales and Victoria , where a strict lockdown has been imposed .
New Zealand is among a small group of countries to achieve the 100-day community transmission milestone .
Last month , Taiwan - also praised for its virus response - reached the landmark as well , according to local media .
• IN PICTURES : How coronavirus swept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does it take to get better ?

"We have seen overseas how quickly the virus can re-emerge and spread in places where it was previously under control, and we need to be prepared to quickly stamp out any future cases in New Zealand."


bbc--2020-08-09--Blast 'sent me flying across the room'

Blast 'sent me flying across the room'

Staff at a barber shop that was rocked by the Beirut explosion have said they are haunted by flashbacks .
@ @ @ @ @ moment Tuesday 's blast tore through the store , sending glass flying and leaving workers @ @ @ @ @ The explosion has left more than 150 dead and led to mass protests on the @ @ @ @ @ people show their anger at the Lebanese government .

Staff at a barber shop that was rocked by the Beirut explosion have said they are haunted by flashbacks.
Security cameras captured the terrifying moment Tuesday's blast tore through the store, sending glass flying and leaving workers with cuts and bruises.
The explosion has left more than 150 dead and led to mass protests on the streets of Beirut, as people show their anger at the Lebanese government.
Video by Rachael Thorn


bbc--2020-08-09--Hong Kong elections: UK and allies condemn moves to 'undermine democracy'

The UK and four allies have urged Hong Kong 's government to allow barred opposition candidates to contest delayed parliamentary elections .
The appeal on Sunday was made by the foreign ministers of the UK , Australia , Canada , New Zealand and the US .
The ministers said they were `` gravely concerned by the Hong Kong government 's unjust disqualification of candidates '' .
They condemned a year-long postponement of September 's elections as disproportionate .
The chief executive of Hong Kong , Carrie Lam , announced the delay at the end of July , blaming a rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the time , Hong Kong 's outbreak appeared to be worsening , but daily cases have been declining since 30 July , when a record rise of 149 infections was reported .
Opposition politicians and activists has accused the government of using the coronavirus pandemic as a pretext to stop people from voting .
Hong Kong authorities disqualified 12 pro-democracy candidates from standing in the elections , deepening political tensions .
Opposition activists had hoped to obtain a majority in the Legislative Council ( LegCo ) in September 's poll , capitalising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a controversial national security law in Hong Kong .
• Why Hong Kong 's 'third wave ' is a warning to all • Why people are scared of Hong Kong 's new law Hong Kong , a former British colony , was handed back to China in 1997 under an agreement meant to guarantee a high degree of autonomy for 50 years .
But critics say that the territory 's freedoms are being eroded .
What did the statement say ?
In a joint statement , the five foreign ministers said moves to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to Hong Kong 's stability and prosperity '' .
The ministers , including the UK 's Dominic Raab , called for the disqualified legislators to be reinstated .
The security law imposed by China was `` eroding the Hong Kong people 's fundamental rights and liberties '' , the minister said .
`` We support the legitimate expectations of the people of Hong Kong to elect Legislative Council representatives via genuinely free , fair , and credible elections , '' they added .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tensions between China and western governments , with Hong Kong 's freedoms one of many issues causing acrimony .
On Friday , the US imposed sanctions on a group of Chinese and Hong Kong officials - including city leader Ms Lam - involved in enforcing the security law .
Earlier this week , the Trump administration moved to ban US transactions with the Chinese owners of the WeChat and TikTok apps .
• THE US MOVE : Should US firms be worried about Hong Kong sanctions ?
• RISING TENSIONS : The Hong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • THE NEW LAW : What it is and why Hong Kong is worried • WHAT COULD HAPPEN : Life sentences for breaking the law and more • ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION : What might happen next in the South China Sea ?

In a joint statement, the five foreign ministers said moves to disqualify candidates and delay the elections "have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to Hong Kong's stability and prosperity".


bbc--2020-08-09--BBC apologises over racial slur used in news report

BBC director general Tony Hall has apologised and said a mistake was made after a news report containing a racial slur was broadcast last month .
More than 18,600 people complained after the N-word was used in full in a report about a racially aggravated attack in Bristol .
The BBC initially defended the use of the slur , broadcast by Points West and the BBC News Channel on 29 July .
Lord Hall said he now accepts the BBC should have taken a different approach .
He said he recognised that the report had caused `` distress '' amongst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be `` strengthening '' its guidance on offensive language in its output .
The use of the N-word in the broadcast prompted widespread criticism , including by a number of politicians and BBC staff .
On Saturday , BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Sideman - real name David Whitely - quit the station over the row .
He said `` the action and the defence of the action feels like a slap in the face of our community '' .
In its initial defence , the BBC said that the organisation felt it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not just the injuries but , given their alleged extreme nature , the words alleged to have been used '' in the attack on an NHS worker known as K-Dogg .
The decision had been supported by the victim 's family , the corporation added .
The sight of K-Dogg 's injuries is shocking .
It took four hours to remove the glass from his face .
What was n't clear when this story was first reported was the alleged racial motive .
The decision to include the `` racist language , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement on the BBC 's complaints website - was , it 's said , because his family wanted it to be `` seen and understood '' by the wider public .
The response - more than 18,000 complaints in a matter of days - makes it clear many people thought this was not just wrong , but insulting and deeply distressing .
When Radio 1Xtra 's Sideman resigned saying `` the BBC sanctioning the N-word being broadcast on national television by a white person is something I ca n't rock with '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the audience , and also many within the BBC .
The corporation has , in recent months , had to reverse a decision censuring BBC Breakfast 's Naga Munchetty for her comments about Donald Trump 's tweet suggesting four female politicians of colour should `` go back '' to `` places from which they came '' .
And there has been considerable internal debate raised by the Black Lives Matter movement .
Broadcasting a racial slur on the news was , they now accept , a `` mistake '' , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highly offensive word .
As today 's statement says , the BBC is , at the moment , having to `` listen - and also to learn '' when it comes to race .
On Sunday , the BBC 's director of creative diversity June Sarpong welcomed Lord Hall 's subsequent apology .
In a tweet , she wrote : `` I am glad BBC director general Tony Hall has personally intervened to unequivocally apologise over BBC News ' use of the N-word . ''
However , BBC Radio 1Xtra 's DJ Target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shame '' that it had taken the resignation of a `` young black broadcaster '' to trigger the BBC apology .
Sideman highlighted parts of Lord Hall 's apology on his Instagram , alongside a tweet that praised his `` courage of conviction '' in quitting - which he said had touched his `` whole soul '' .
`` If people actually take in the level of personal sacrifice involved in his move [ ... ] a Jamaican born man with a Brum accent climbed all the way to the BBC ... and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public tweeted .
In his message , Lord Hall emphasised `` the BBC 's intention was to highlight an alleged racist attack '' .
`` This is important journalism which the BBC should be reporting on and we will continue to do so , '' he said .
`` Yet despite these good intentions , I recognise that we have ended up creating distress amongst many people .
`` The BBC now accepts that we should have taken a different approach at the time of broadcast and we are very sorry for that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance on offensive language across our output .
`` Every organisation should be able to acknowledge when it has made a mistake .
We made one here . ''
His statement followed high-level discussions with BBC colleagues on Sunday morning .
In addition to the 18,600 complaints made to the BBC over the news report , broadcast regulator Ofcom said it received 384 complaints .
It makes the broadcast the second-most complained about since the BBC began using its current system in 2017 .
Commenting on Sunday , Larry Madowo , US correspondent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that he had previously not been allowed to use the racist term in an article when quoting an African American .
`` But a white person was allowed to say it on TV because it was 'editorially justified ' , '' he tweeted .
Labour 's shadow equalities minister Marsha de Cordova said the BBC 's reasons for using the N-word were `` obviously not good enough '' .
Speaking before Lord Hall made his statement , Ms de Cordova called on the broadcaster to apologise and `` learn from this whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Labour MP Dawn Butler , who posted her support for Sideman on Twitter , saying the BBC should have apologised rather than `` doubled down '' on its justification .
Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy praised Lord Hall 's intervention but added that `` once again it has taken a direct intervention by the DG to overturn a mistake on race previously defended by the BBC 's editorial policy managers '' .
He added : `` Obviously they should also go back to Sideman and ask him to take back his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - if anything I 'd promote him . ''
On Saturday , a spokesperson for 1Xtra called Sideman `` incredibly talented '' , adding that the station was `` disappointed '' he had decided to resign .
`` We absolutely wish him well for the future .
The door is always open for future projects , '' the spokesperson added .
The Points West story broadcast last month described an attack on a 21-year-old NHS worker and musician known as K or K-Dogg , who was hit by a car on 22 July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his workplace , Southmead Hospital in Bristol .
K-Dogg suffered serious injuries including a broken leg , nose and cheekbone in the attack .
Police said the incident was being treated as racially aggravated due to the racist language used by the occupants of the car .
A fourth man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder last week .
In its initial defence , the BBC said the decision to report the racial slur had not been taken lightly and that it understood people would be upset .

The response - more than 18,000 complaints in a matter of days - makes it clear many people thought this was not just wrong, but insulting and deeply distressing. When Radio 1Xtra's Sideman resigned saying "the BBC sanctioning the N-word being broadcast on national television by a white person is something I can't rock with", he was echoing the views of large parts of the audience, and also many within the BBC.


bbc--2020-08-09--Greece floods: At least five killed after Evia island storms

At least five people have been killed in flooding caused by thunderstorms and torrential rains on the Greek island of Evia .
Officials said victims included an eight-month-old baby and two people in their 80s .
Rescuers found their bodies in houses in the village of Politika .
Search efforts are continuing for two other people reported missing .
The flooding has blocked roads and damaged houses on the island , north-east of Athens .
Officials said the baby died after floodwaters submerged a ground-floor flat .
The parents were unharmed .
Hours earlier , a man and woman in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate houses .
They were later pronounced dead in hospital , the fire service said .
Two other unidentified bodies have been recovered by rescue workers .
Dozens of people have been evacuated from affected areas , and rescue workers used bulldozers to lift some stranded residents to safety .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed his `` profound pain for the loss of lives '' .
He said he would visit the island - the country 's second largest after Crete - on Monday .
Deputy Civil Protection Minister Nikos Hardalias earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the people who did n't make it '' .
`` We are faced with phenomena that we have n't experienced before , '' he said .
Storm Thalia hit several regions of mainland Greece on Saturday , but the weather was improving on Sunday .
Local officials in Evia said two rivers had burst their banks and filled roads with mud .

Hours earlier, a man and woman in their 80s were found unconscious in two separate houses. They were later pronounced dead in hospital, the fire service said. Two other unidentified bodies have been recovered by rescue workers.


bbc--2020-08-09--Simon Cowell breaks back falling from electric bike

Simon Cowell has broken his back falling off his new electric bike in the courtyard of his Los Angeles home .
The 60-year-old music mogul was taken to hospital for an operation , his spokeswoman said .
`` He 's doing fine , he 's under observation and is in the best possible hands , '' she said after he was admitted .
Cowell , best known for hit shows The X Factor and Britain 's Got Talent , is spending lockdown in the US , where he now lives .
`` Simon has broken his back and is having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed , soon after his arrival at hospital .
The surgery began on Saturday evening Los Angeles time .
Piers Morgan was among those who wished Cowell `` a full and speedy recovery '' on social media .
Cowell , who has a six-year-old son Eric with his partner Lauren Silverman , was reportedly testing his new bike when the accident occurred .
He had a previous fall in 2017 , when he fell down the stairs at his London home .
`` Sometimes we get a reminder that we 're not invincible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he told the Sun newspaper at the time .
`` It was a huge shock . ''
`` They think I fainted because I had low blood pressure and so I have got to really take good care of myself to sort that out , '' he said .
`` After all I am a dad and have more responsibility than ever . ''
Cowell was expected to appear as a judge in the live shows of the latest series of America 's Got Talent , which are scheduled to begin in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tycoon signed a deal with Sony Music Entertainment giving his company , Syco Entertainment , ownership of all the international versions of The X Factor and Got Talent programmes .
The Got Talent format airs in 76 markets , while The X Factor is broadcast in more than 130 territories .

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bbc--2020-08-09--Beirut explosion: DJ finds 'sense of relief' in music

People in Beirut are clearing up the rubble , and trying to piece back their lives , after a deadly @ @ @ @ @ More than 150 people have died following the explosion on Tuesday at the port .
@ @ @ @ @ huge stock of ammonium nitrate that had been seized from a ship but never moved @ @ @ @ @ resident , 28-year old DJ and music producer 'june as ' was at home when @ @ @ @ @ through his apartment .
He spoke to the BBC 's Claudia Redmond about finding solace @ @ @ @

People in Beirut are clearing up the rubble, and trying to piece back their lives, after a deadly explosion rocked the city.
More than 150 people have died following the explosion on Tuesday at the port. It was caused by a huge stock of ammonium nitrate that had been seized from a ship but never moved and unsafely stored.
Local resident, 28-year old DJ and music producer 'june as' was at home when the explosion happened and tore through his apartment.
He spoke to the BBC's Claudia Redmond about finding solace in his music.


bbc--2020-08-09--Islamic State in Iraq: 'How I survived an IS massacre'

Ali Hussein Kadhim , an Iraqi soldier and a Shia Muslim , was captured in the city of Tikrit by @ @ @ @ @ June 2014 .
He says he will never forget what happened next to him and @ @ @ @ @ .
The cadets , many of them young teenagers starting their careers in the military @ @ @ @ @ groups and shot .
This is Kadhim ’ s own account of how he `` @ @ @ @ @ at Camp Speicher .
UK viewers can watch 'Once Upon a Time in Iraq : @ @ @ @ @ 10 August at 21:00 BST on BBC Two and on BBC iPlayer .

Ali Hussein Kadhim, an Iraqi soldier and a Shia Muslim, was captured in the city of Tikrit by so-called Islamic State militants in June 2014.
He says he will never forget what happened next to him and an estimated 1,700 military cadets.
The cadets, many of them young teenagers starting their careers in the military, were lined up in groups and shot.
This is Kadhim’s own account of how he "miraculously" escaped the massacre at Camp Speicher.
UK viewers can watch 'Once Upon a Time in Iraq: Episode 5' on Monday 10 August at 21:00 BST on BBC Two and on BBC iPlayer.
Digital Producer: Ahmen Khawaja
Commissioning Editor: Kimberley Rowell


bbc--2020-08-09--Keith Mason and fiancé go viral after inspirational posts

Riona Kelly was paralysed in 2015 after suffering a rare spinal stroke .
Her partner , and ex-rugby league star @ @ @ @ @ posting about her recovery on social media from their home in West Yorkshire and they @ @ @ @ @ .

Riona Kelly was paralysed in 2015 after suffering a rare spinal stroke.
Her partner, and ex-rugby league star, Keith Mason has been posting about her recovery on social media from their home in West Yorkshire and they've become a lockdown hit.
Produced by Bella McShane


bbc--2020-08-09--Beirut: Anatomy of a lethal explosion

Beirut: Anatomy of a lethal explosion

The explosion in a warehouse in Beirut ripped through a city known for both a heyday of glamour and a @ @ @ @ @ Lebanese people are calling it their 9/11 .
Starting with the epicentre , here we @ @ @ @ @ shock waves through Beirut , bringing life to a halt .
The Lebanese are famed @ @ @ @ @ after 15 years of civil war , invasion and foreign occupation .
But this disaster @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented economic crisis – and the Covid-19 pandemic .
Will the country ever be the @ @ @

The explosion in a warehouse in Beirut ripped through a city known for both a heyday of glamour and a history of civil war.
Lebanese people are calling it their 9/11.
Starting with the epicentre, here we follow how the blast sent shock waves through Beirut, bringing life to a halt.
The Lebanese are famed for their resilience, rebuilding after 15 years of civil war, invasion and foreign occupation.
But this disaster comes on top of an unprecedented economic crisis – and the Covid-19 pandemic. Will the country ever be the same again?
Narrator: Caroline Hawley
Producers: Kate Forbes and Dave Thomson
Edit producer: Megan Fisher
Graphics: Terry Saunders


bbc--2020-08-09--Coronavirus pandemic: Tracking the global outbreak

Nearly five months since a global pandemic was declared coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world - with more than 19 million confirmed cases in 188 countries .
More than 700,000 people have lost their lives .
Cases of the disease are continuing to surge in many countries , while others which had apparent success in suppressing initial outbreaks are now seeing infections rise again .
Where are cases and deaths rising ?
Latin America is the epicentre of the pandemic , says the World Health Organization .
Brazil has the second highest number of cases in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded more than 100,000 deaths .
In Mexico , the second-most affected country in the region , has recorded more than 50,000 deaths .
Cases are also increasing rapidly in Colombia , Peru , Argentina and Bolivia .
Iran has also been badly affected by the pandemic .
Information leaked to the BBC Persian service revealed the number of deaths from coronavirus was 42,000 by 20 July , around three times the total claimed by Iran 's government .
More than a million cases have been confirmed in Africa , although the true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not known .
Testing rates are reported to be low , which could distort official estimates .
South Africa and Egypt have seen the largest outbreaks so far in Africa , with South Africa becoming only the fifth country in the world to record more than 500,000 confirmed cases .
India now has world 's highest daily cases and deaths India has recorded more than 50,000 new infections every day for more than a week , and has pushed past two million cases in total .
The world 's second most populous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but is continuing to ease public restrictions despite the spike in cases .
Several countries across Europe have reported a recent rise in cases .
Travellers from the UK have been told they will have to quarantine for two weeks if they are returning from Spain , Belgium or Luxembourg , following a surge in infections .
Cases in France are also rising again .
A number of countries have re-imposed localised lockdowns in their worst-affected regions , and there have been renewed appeals for people to wear masks and follow social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffered the worst spike so far - although most of the new cases have been concentrated in the north-east of the country .
Other countries outside Europe that also appeared to have controlled initial outbreaks , like Israel , Australia and Japan , are now seeing cases rise again .
In the table below , countries can be reordered by deaths , death rate and total cases .
In the coloured bars on the right-hand side , countries in which cases have risen to more than 5,000 per day are those with black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US has seen record numbers of new cases in recent weeks , although numbers do now appear to be falling again .
The death toll stands at more than 160,000 - more than a fifth of the reported coronavirus deaths around the world .
President Donald Trump has warned that the US pandemic may `` get worse before it gets better '' .
The University of Washington predicts the death toll could hit more than 295,000 by the beginning of December - though it says this could be reduced to about 230,000 if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public .
The outbreak has had a devastating impact on the US economy , with GDP falling by a record annualised rate of 32.9 % in the three months from April to June .
• How did Florida get so badly hit by Covid-19 ?
How many cases and deaths have there been overall ?
There have been more than 19 million confirmed cases worldwide so far and more than 700,000 people have died .
Note : The map , table and animated bar chart in this page use a different source for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University , which results in a slightly lower overall total .
US figures do not include Puerto Rico , Guam or the US Virgin Islands .
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said the coronavirus pandemic is `` easily the most severe '' global health emergency the organisation has ever seen and that it `` continues to accelerate '' .
However , he has also pointed out that , though the virus has been detected in 188 countries , almost half of all cases reported so far were from just three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan , China , in late 2019 .
The outbreak spread quickly across the globe in the first months of 2020 and declared a global pandemic by the WHO on 11 March .
A pandemic is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
Europe and North America saw their first major outbreaks in April but as they began to ease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases spike .
Governments across the world have been forced to limit public movement and close businesses and venues in a bid to slow the spread of the virus .
This has had a devastating impact on the global economy .
The International Monetary Fund has said the world is in the midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression and warned that it could take two years for economic output to return to pre-pandemic levels .
The United Nations has said that up to 265 million people could face starvation by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the impact of Covid-19 .
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • COMPARING COUNTRIES : The pitfalls of doing so • R0 , FURLOUGH : The language of the outbreak • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
The data used on this page comes from a variety of sources .
It includes figures collated by Johns Hopkins University , data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as UN data on populations .
When comparing figures from different countries it is important to bear in mind that not all governments are recording coronavirus cases and deaths in the same way .
This makes like for like comparisons between countries difficult .
Other factors to consider include : different population sizes , the size of a country 's elderly population or whether a particular country has a large amount of its people living in densely-populated areas .
In addition , countries may be in different stages of the pandemic .

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


bbc--2020-08-09--Coronavirus: Is the world winning the pandemic fight?

It is little more than six months since the World Health Organization ( WHO ) declared the arrival of a new virus a global emergency .
On that day , at the end of January , there had been almost 10,000 reported cases of coronavirus and more than 200 people had died .
None of those cases were outside of China .
Since then the world , and our lives , have changed profoundly .
So how are we faring in this battle between the human race and the coronavirus ?
If we take the planet as a whole , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been more than 19 million confirmed cases and 700,000 deaths .
At the start of the pandemic it was taking weeks to clock up each 100,000 infections , now those milestones are measured in hours .
`` We 're still in the midst of an accelerating , intense and very serious pandemic , '' Dr Margaret Harris , from the WHO , told me .
`` It 's there in every community in the world . ''
While this is a single pandemic , it is not one single story .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world and it is easy to blind yourself to the reality beyond your own country .
But one fact unites everyone , whether they make their home in the Amazon rainforest , the skyscrapers of Singapore or the late-summer streets of the UK : this is a virus that thrives on close human contact .
The more we come together , the easier it will spread .
That is as true today as when the virus first emerged in China .
This central tenet explains the situation wherever you are in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like .
It is driving the high volume of cases in Latin America - the current epicentre of the pandemic - and the surge in India .
It explains why Hong Kong is keeping people in quarantine facilities or the South Korean authorities are monitoring people 's bank accounts and phones .
It illustrates why Europe and Australia are struggling to balance lifting lockdowns and containing the disease .
And why we are trying to find a `` new normal '' rather than the old one .
`` This is a virus circulating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every single one of us .
It goes from human to human , and highlights that we are all connected , '' said Dr Elisabetta Groppelli , from St George 's , University of London .
`` It 's not just about travel , it 's speaking and spending time together - that 's what humans do . ''
Even the simple act of singing together spreads the virus .
It has also proven to be an exceptionally tricky virus to track , causing mild or no symptoms for many , but deadly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's the perfect pandemic virus of our time .
We are now living in the time of coronavirus , '' said Dr Harris .
Where there has been success , it is through breaking the ability of the virus to spread from one person to the next .
New Zealand gets the most attention .
They acted early , while there were still few cases in the country : locked down , sealed their borders and now have barely any cases .
Life is largely back to normal .
Getting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too .
Mongolia has the longest shared border with China , where the pandemic began .
The country could have been badly impacted .
However , not a single case requiring intensive care occurred until July .
To date they have only had 293 diagnoses and no deaths .
`` Mongolia has done a good job with very limited resources .
They did 'shoe-leather epidemiology ' isolating cases , identifying contacts and isolating those contacts , '' said Prof David Heymann , of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel and were early promoters of face masks and hand-washing .
On the other hand , Prof Heymann argues , a `` lack of political leadership '' has hampered many countries where `` public health leaders and political leaders have difficulty speaking together '' .
In such a climate , the virus has flourished .
US president Donald Trump and the country 's top infectious disease doctor , Anthony Fauci , have clearly been on different pages , if not completely different books , during the pandemic .
Brazil 's president , Jair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus as `` a little flu '' and said the pandemic was nearly over in March .
Instead , in Brazil alone , 2.8 million people have been infected and nearly 100,000 have died .
But countries that have got on top of the virus - mostly through painful , society-crippling lockdowns - are finding it has not gone away , will spread again if we relax our guard and that normality is still elusively distant .
`` They 're discovering it 's more challenging coming out of lockdown than going in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have n't thought about how we can co-exist with the virus . ''
Australia is one of the countries trying to chart a path out of lockdown , but the state of Victoria is now in `` disaster '' mode .
Melbourne went back into lockdown in early July , but - as contagion continues - has since imposed even stricter rules .
Now there is a night-time curfew and people are expected to exercise within 5km of their homes .
Europe too is opening up , but Spain , France and Greece @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in weeks .
Germany has reported more than 1,000 cases a day for the first time in three months .
Wearing face masks , once an oddity , is now commonplace in Europe , with even some beach resorts insisting upon it .
And - in a warning to us all - past success is no guarantee for the future .
Hong Kong was widely praised for resisting the first wave of coronavirus - now bars and gyms have been closed again , while its Disneyland resort managed to keep the gates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Leaving lockdown does not mean back to the old ways .
It 's a new normal .
People have not got that message at all , '' Dr Harris said .
Africa 's position in the fight against coronavirus remains an open question .
There have been more than one million cases ; after a successful start , South Africa looks to be in a bad place , with the majority of cases on the continent .
But relatively little testing means a crystal clear picture is difficult .
And there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death rate compared with the rest of the world .
Here are some of the suggestions as to why : • People are a lot younger - the median ( average ) age in Africa is 19 and Covid is more deadly in old age • Other related coronaviruses may be more common and that may provide some protection • Health problems common to richer countries , such as obesity and type 2 diabetes , which increase Covid risk , are less common in Africa Countries are innovating in response .
Rwanda has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitals and broadcast coronavirus restrictions .
They are even being used to catch those flouting the rules , as one church-bound pastor found out .
But as with parts of India , south east Asia and beyond , access to clean water and sanitation undermines the simplest hand-washing messages .
`` There are people that have water to wash their hands and those that do not , '' Dr Groppelli said .
`` This is a major difference , we can pretty much break the world in two .
And there is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus unless there is a vaccine . ''
• SCHOOLS : What is school life like now ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
So when will all this be over ?
Already there are drug treatments .
Dexamethasone - a cheap steroid - has been shown to save some of the sickest patients .
But it is not enough to stop all Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for all restrictions .
Close attention will be paid to Sweden in the coming months to see whether its strategy is rewarded in the longer term .
It did n't lock down , but so far has had a significantly higher death rate than its neighbours , after failing to protect people in care homes .
Generally , the world 's hopes of getting life back to normal are pinned on a vaccine .
Immunising people breaks the virus 's ability to spread .
There are six vaccines now entering phase three clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we will discover if the vaccines that appear promising actually work .
The final hurdle is also the point where many a medicine has stumbled .
Health officials say the emphasis should remain on `` if '' we get a vaccine not `` when '' .
Dr Margaret Harris , of WHO , said : `` People have this Hollywood-esque belief in a vaccine ; that scientists are just going to fix it .
In a two-hour film the end comes pretty quickly , but scientists are n't Brad Pitt , injecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be saved ' . ''
• CARE HOMES : The forgotten frontline struggling to protect residents against the killer virus • TEMPERATURE CHECKS : Do they work or are they giving false reassurance ?

It is driving the high volume of cases in Latin America - the current epicentre of the pandemic - and the surge in India. It explains why Hong Kong is keeping people in quarantine facilities or the South Korean authorities are monitoring people's bank accounts and phones. It illustrates why Europe and Australia are struggling to balance lifting lockdowns and containing the disease. And why we are trying to find a "new normal" rather than the old one.


bbc--2020-08-09--Trump WeChat ban 'an unwelcome signal' for Chinese community

For the global Chinese community , WeChat is more than a chat app : it is often the primary means of staying in touch with friends and family back home .
So the decision last week by US President Donald Trump to order American firms to stop doing business with WeChat has sent shockwaves rippling out .
`` WeChat has become the 'it ' tool for Chinese-speaking people , no matter where you are around the world , '' one Shanghai resident told the BBC .
The billion-user app is primarily a social networking platform but can be used for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gaming and even dating .
But WeChat has a less innocent side .
It is seen a key instrument of China 's internal surveillance apparatus .
In an executive order , President Trump labelled WeChat a threat to US national security and accused it of gathering `` vast swaths '' of user data , threatening Americans ' personal and proprietary information .
WeChat 's owner , TenCent , has been ordered to sell the app by mid-September or face a ban on US operations .
The move to block WeChat , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is seen by many Chinese as an attack on their culture , its people and state .
In response to President Trump , China 's foreign ministry has accused America of using national security as a cover to exert hegemony .
The Chinese diaspora in the US has been shocked by the move , and many people are worried - not just about keeping in touch with loved ones , but what this means for China-US relations .
Jennie , 21 , is a student at the University of California , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` At first I did n't believe that it is true , '' she told the BBC .
`` Then I just felt very angry . ''
Jennie spends around four hours a day on WeChat , using it to contact people in the US and China .
It is also a vital source of information and she spends a lot of time reading articles published on the public accounts of Chinese media , content creators and businesses .
• Is the US about to split the internet ?
On the anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a one-sentence post of commemoration .
It was quickly removed , and her entire public account vanished .
She told the BBC she is `` very worried '' that WeChat will share her information with the Chinese government , but strongly opposes America blocking the app .
`` It 'd be similar to what China does - to censor , '' said Jennie .
She used to publish on her own public account , until it was censored by WeChat two years ago .
Jennie believes that there should be alternative to manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banning it altogether .
`` I wanted to study in the US because of its openness , but this move has burst my bubble . ''
This sense of disappointment is shared by other Chinese immigrants in the US .
`` I used to think America is culturally inclusive , '' says Miley Song , a Chinese immigrant in California .
Washington 's move sends `` an unwelcome signal '' to Chinese immigrants in the country , she believes .
The 30-year-old stay-at-home mum often uses the app to connect with her parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panic after hearing about Mr Trump 's executive order .
But Ms Song says she is cautiously optimistic .
`` The ban seems very vague , I think it may be difficult to ban WeChat entirely , '' she says , `` We 'll wait and see . ''
While not particularly worried about the ban , she is concerned about what it means for her future in the America .
In the midst of a pandemic , and with presidential elections on the way , Ms Song thinks the Trump administration is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death tolls and falling polling numbers .
`` Otherwise , why has Trump focused on cracking down Chinese apps now ? ''
There is also concern among those who have returned to China after living and studying in America .
Rachel spent 10 years in the US , many of them as a student in the capital , Washington , DC .
Now home in Shanghai , WeChat has become `` fully embedded into people 's daily lives , '' she told the BBC .
`` If you live in China , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apps : one is WeChat , the other is AliPay , '' said Rachel .
`` If you want to buy a bottle of milk , you open you WeChat Pay or AliPay to scan the QR code and pay , and most stores do n't accept cash . ''
• Are you one of the WeChat billion ?
WeChat is also being used as a tracking tool to help the government with containing the spread of coronavirus .
While President Trump 's order will have little impact on her daily activities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder to connect with people in the US .
As a result , she said some are exploring alternatives like communication app Line , or VPNs - virtual private networks which mask your computer 's location .
`` It 's sad that it 's going down this way , '' said Rachel .
`` I see both sides , there is always good and bad in both societies , and I want to be neutral but it 's harder and harder to become neutral . ''

"If you live in China, you cannot go anywhere without two major apps: one is WeChat, the other is AliPay," said Rachel. "If you want to buy a bottle of milk, you open your WeChat Pay or Alipay to scan the QR code and pay, and most stores don't accept cash."


bbc--2020-08-09--Police racism inquiries in the UK: Do they change how things work?

Do the police racially discriminate against people from black , Asian and minority ethnic ( BAME ) communities ?
That 's what a new investigation is going to ask in the wake of George Floyd 's death and anti-racism protests .
It 's being done by the Independent Office for Police Conduct ( IOPC ) - which handles complaints about officers ' behaviour in England and Wales .
Some of the more controversial parts of policing , like stop and search tactics , are going to be looked at .
It 's the latest in a long line of reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism these reviews do n't change things - and can be used to give the impression of taking action while ignoring real problems .
We 've looked at some of the biggest ones focussed on policing .
In April 1981 , violence broke out over three days in Brixton in south London .
Around 300 officers and 65 members of the public were injured .
The trouble started after unproven rumours about a young black man being badly treated by the police - which came at a time when tensions were already high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut street crime in the area had led to a thousand people being stopped by officers in less than a week .
Police only needed to suspect someone might be planning a crime to stop and search them .
The investigation into what happened in Brixton was written by Lord Scarman .
It found the riots were n't planned - but happened after `` a loss of confidence '' in the police .
It said resentment had built up over the search tactics used - which was n't helped by unemployment levels .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ conduct by some officers '' .
But he said there was n't evidence of `` institutional racism '' , where racist behaviour becomes `` part of the normal behaviour of people within an organisation '' .
The report called for building better trust with the local population , including recording all stops made by officers .
It also wanted to see more BAME people working in the police and new approaches to how recruits were trained .
Three years after the riots , some changes were made in the Police and Criminal Evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to record all stops and searches under new powers .
Guidance on what justified stopping someone was made stricter , and in 1991 another change meant the ethnicity of who was being stopped also had to be logged .
The next decade saw a small rise in BAME officers .
At the time of the riots , only 143 officers in the Metropolitan Police were from those backgrounds - that was 0.6 % of the force .
By 1991 , it had gone up to 556 officers - or 1.6 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line with how many black , Asian and minority ethnic people lived in London .
That year they made up 20 % of the capital 's overall population .
In 1993 black teenager Stephen Lawrence was stabbed to death by a gang in south east London in a racist attack .
Two white suspects were charged - but the case was eventually dropped , with prosecutors saying the evidence was n't reliable .
No-one else was put on trial and it reignited debates around policing and racial discrimination .
The 18-year-old 's family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and locked up .
Four years after Stephen Lawrence 's murder an investigation started into how his case was handled - and why no-one had yet been jailed .
The Macpherson 's report was published in 1999 saying there was `` institutional racism '' in London 's Metropolitan Police .
It highlighted a `` failure of leadership '' and suggested wide-ranging changes .
The Macpherson report wanted police to show `` zero tolerance '' for racism in society .
It said there still were n't enough BAME people working as officers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ useful when used the right way - but it wanted the police to actively review the ethnicity of people being stopped , to look out for patterns that might suggest discrimination .
They prevented people from being put on trial for the same thing twice , and were significant because of the failed case into Stephen 's murder .
Double jeopardy rules were ditched in 2005 .
That eventually led to Stephen Lawrence 's killers being jailed - nearly 20 years after his death .
In 1999 - when the report came out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BAME backgrounds and by 2011 that had gone up to nearly 10 % .
But it was still well short of comparability with the 40 % BAME proportion of people living in London .
Stop and search statistics then began being regularly published .
A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2010 suggested that a black person was six times more likely to be stopped than a white person in England and Wales .
An Asian person was around twice as likely .
The authors said more research was needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from one police force to another .
When it comes to statistics based on population averages though , there 's a warning from an expert team in government that gathers detail on ethnic groups .
The Race Disparity Unit says we should n't read too much into stop and search information covering the whole of England and Wales .
It says that 's because the tactic is n't used evenly from force to force , and a high number of stops in one place involving a specific ethnic group can skew the overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact 79 % of all searches of black people in 2018-19 were in London alone .
In August 2011 , violence broke out in north London after 29-year-old Mark Duggan was controversially shot dead by police .
Officers said he was a known gangster reaching for a gun , but other accounts challenged this and questioned the circumstances of how a gun was eventually found .
In the end , the inquest into his death said that he had been lawfully killed .
Trouble spread from London to Birmingham , Bristol , Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were arrested - with shops looted , businesses set on fire and houses broken into .
Five deaths were linked to the violence .
The 'After the riots ' report The Riots , Communities and Victims ' Panel found `` no specific cause '' for the trouble , but said it would n't have spread if police had acted more `` robustly '' in London .
Its report - called `` After the riots '' - said the people who got involved wanted anything from stolen new trainers to the chance to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and search tactics were a big reason behind resentment among young black and Asian men - and police forces needed to focus on better relationships .
Specifically , it wanted to see higher police satisfaction levels among black , Asian and minority ethnic communities .
Trust in the police has gone up since the riots , according to the latest official statistics .
According to the latest Crime Survey , published in 2019 , 70 % of black people said they had confidence in their local force - up from 65 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is 78 % - up from 76 % .
For white people it 's stayed steady - at 75 % in both 2011-12 and 2018-19 .
The number of stops has come down significantly for all ethnicities in the time since the report .
In 2011 , there were 113 stops for every 1,000 black people .
In 2018-19 , it was 38 stops .
The same statistic for Asian people in England and Wales went from 37 to 11 stops .
For every thousand white people , there were four stops in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010-11 .
You might also like : • Police watchdog : 'If you 're unhappy with the police , complain' • Black and in the police : ' I 've been called a traitor' • George Floyd : 10 things that have changed since his death Changes happen , whether they are the right changes , fast enough or go far enough will always be up for debate .
In 2019 England and Wales had the highest number of BAME police staff ever recorded .
But it 's still a significantly lower proportion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the overall population .
Some see a link between the recurring themes of recruitment problems and stop and search .
Last year the government said it was giving police more powers to use stop and search - reversing some of the changes that had come before .
It said it was aimed at tackling rising knife crime , which is at the highest-ever recorded level in England and Wales .
In early July , Sir Thomas Winsor - Her Majesty 's chief inspector of constabulary - said disproportionate use of stop and search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder to make police forces more diverse .
He blames the resentment it can build up towards officers .
There 's no clear deadline on when the latest review will come back with recommendations but the Independent Office for Police Conduct says : `` This is about identifying where we are seeing good and bad practice , and where there are then opportunities to drive real learning and change . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

The report said stop and search tactics were useful when used the right way - but it wanted the police to actively review the ethnicity of people being stopped, to look out for patterns that might suggest discrimination.


bbc--2020-08-09--'People told me my plans for a skincare firm were crazy'

The BBC 's weekly The Boss series profiles different business leaders from around the world .
This week we speak to Tata Harper , owner of the popular US skincare company of the same name .
Tata Harper 's mission to create a natural skincare range began when her stepfather was diagnosed with cancer in 2005 .
His doctors advised him to adopt a healthier lifestyle .
They wanted him to reduce the amount of toxins and synthetic chemicals he was exposing his body to , be it through the food he was eating , or what he was putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soap .
Ms Harper says it made her realise that she , and the rest of the family , also needed to make the change .
`` While I was looking for new products for him , I was also looking for new products for me , because I was trying to make my life more healthy , '' says the 44-year-old Colombian .
She switched to eating organic foods wherever possible , and started using chemical-free cleaning products in her home .
However , she was reluctant to swap her expensive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I 'm a Latin woman and I love beauty products , '' she says .
`` Natural products were super simple , with , like , three ingredients .
I thought , I will never replace my super high tech Swiss skincare line with that , it 's too basic . ''
But the more she thought about it , the more she realised that there was a gap in the market for a luxury , all-natural skincare company .
So despite having no experience in the cosmetics industry - she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development - she decided to launch her own business .
Her namesake firm is today reported to be valued at more than $ 65m ( £49m ) , with annual revenues estimated to total more than $ 25m .
Meanwhile , actors Gwyneth Paltrow , Kate Hudson and Hilary Duff are among its high profile fans , and Forbes magazine calls her the `` Queen of the green skincare movement '' .
Born and raised in the Colombian city of Barranquilla , on the country 's Caribbean coast , as a child she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandmother from fruit they bought from local markets .
After school she went to university in Mexico , and got a degree in industrial engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology .
Then in 2000 she moved to the US , where based in Miami , she and her former husband Henry , who is also from Colombia , started to build and sell apartments .
A few years later they started to do the same in New York City , which was when Ms Harper 's stepfather got his cancer diagnosis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ skincare business , she started by doing a lot of research , into natural sciences , herbal medicines and biotechnology .
However , her plans were met with scepticism .
`` People told me I was crazy , '' she says .
`` The reaction from the industry was that luxury and naturals do n't go together . ''
Undeterred she started working with chemists to come up with a number of natural skincare product formulations , using savings she and her ex-husband had built up to pay for the work .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Typically , the development of a skincare product takes a couple of weeks .
The development of our know-how took five years and eight chemists . ''
By 2010 the first products were ready for sale , and Tata Harper the business was launched .
At that stage , Tata , Henry and their three kids had moved to a 1,200-acre organic farm in the small US state of Vermont , some 350 miles north east of New York City .
To this day , all production is done at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ herbs and other plants grown on the farm , and from other natural ingredients flown in from 70 countries around the world .
The range is mostly bottled in glass , because it is easily recycled , while the labels and other packaging are made from recycled paper , and natural soya-based dyes .
`` Typically the industry outsources the manufacturing of its products and I really rejected that , '' says Ms Harper .
`` Because I 'm an industrial engineer and also , as a beauty customer , I always had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying from was the company producing the products . ''
Her big break came just as she was launching the business , with a three-page spread about the brand in Vogue magazine .
`` I was n't expecting to get coverage from Vogue so early , but it made a big impact , '' she says .
The big media buzz around the new brand led to beauty retailer SpaceNK stocking its products , followed by Bergdorf Goodman , Niemen Marcus , Nordstrom and Sephora .
The brand 's popularity with celebrities has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Gwyneth Paltrow was always a fan and a big supporter of the brand , and it 's kind of taken off from there , '' she says .
She is keen to stress that the endorsements from famous fans are genuine - `` We do n't have budgets to pay celebrities . ''
Today Tata Harper is widely available across the US , the UK , Europe , Asia and Australia , with plans to expand into new markets including China , Russia and Japan .
The company now has around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have grown 50 % every year .
Ms Harper and her former husband retain a majority share , with outside investors including US private equity fund ACG .
`` We 've been lucky .
Our investors believed in what we were doing and understood the movement , '' she says .
While Tata looks after research and product development and media relations , Henry is in charge of sales and finance .
The pair , who ended their marriage four years ago , both have the job title co-chief executive .
Mortimer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and boss of US management consultancy Traub , says she is a great ambassador for her brand .
`` Tata Harper is a great leader in the natural skincare space , '' he says .
`` She herself is a wonderful talent in being a muse for her consumers .
She lives the dream .
`` [ And ] very few beauty companies are able to be fully integrated and create their own ingredients in their own facilities . ''
• The boss who bounced her way to £3m from just £200 • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of a machine gun' • 'Someone needs to help parents control their kids ' spending' During the coronavirus lockdown period , after setting up her three children , aged 10 , 11 and eight , with their home schooling , she takes online meetings and says she is `` pretty much on the phone all day '' until 6pm .
After a decade running her business , she says she ca n't imagine wanting to do anything else .
`` I put so much of my personal values into the brand .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like many other manufacturers , Ms Harper has had to close her production facilities during the pandemic .
And , as sales are evenly split between digital channels and physical stores , many of which have had to temporarily shut , the business has been affected .
But she believes the current global crisis will serve to emphasise the importance of brands supporting good health and sustainability : `` If anything , this is going to make people appreciate what we do more . ''

But the more she thought about it, the more she realised that there was a gap in the market for a luxury, all-natural skincare company. So despite having no experience in the cosmetics industry - she was an industrial engineer who worked in property development - she decided to launch her own business.


bbc--2020-08-09--Verstappen wins at Silverstone after Mercedes struggle

Red Bull 's Max Verstappen took a sensational surprise victory in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix to bring Mercedes ' domination to an end .
Hamilton fought back from early struggles to catch and pass Bottas for second place with two laps to go .
Ferrari 's Charles Leclerc was outstanding in taking fourth on a one-stop strategy .
It was an unexpectedly thrilling race , a fitting testament to the occasion as F1 celebrated 70 years since the F1 championship started at Silverstone in 1950 .
Verstappen 's victory was a major upset and it was helped by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of the race .
But the fact was that their car was simply faster than the Mercedes for the first time this season in the specific conditions created by the deliberate supply of a soft tyre range on a warm day around one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar .
`` I did n't see that coming , '' Verstappen said afterwards .
How did Verstappen do it ?
The Mercedes had produced their usual dominant performance in qualifying , a second clear of the field , but Verstappen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the race , found he was able to follow them comfortably after he passed Racing Point 's Nico Hulkenberg at the start from his fourth place on the grid .
Bottas led Hamilton away from pole and , while Verstappen tracked the Mercedes , the black cars , on the softer 'medium ' tyres at the start , began to struggle .
By 10 laps into the race , the Red Bull was on Hamilton 's tail and it was clear the Mercedes had a real race on their hands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of each other on laps 13 and 14 , and fitted the hard tyres , but they continued to struggle .
Verstappen motored on out front and , surprisingly , despite older tyres , extended his lead as the Mercedes ran into problems with tyre blistering .
Verstappen pitted on lap 26 for medium tyres , rejoining right behind Bottas , whom he passed immediately around the outside of Luffield corner .
Once back in the lead , Verstappen was again able to hold the Mercedes , with Bottas about two seconds behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later to switch back to the hard tyre , and Bottas followed him in , the Finn 's hopes of victory now over .
Hamilton , though , stayed out for another nine laps .
His tyres were blistered badly but he drove well to maintain a gap of around 10 seconds over Verstappen and Bottas .
That meant when he finally came in on lap 41 , with 11 to go , he had an abundance of grip compared to the cars in front .
He quickly passed Leclerc and then closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brooklands corner with two laps to go .
The result , with fastest lap for Hamilton , means he extends his championship lead over Bottas to 34 points , and Verstappen has slipped ahead of the Finn into second place , 30 behind the leader .
How about that from Leclerc ?
Leclerc took a superb third in the uncompetitive Ferrari last weekend at the British Grand Prix and he continued his excellent form this weekend .
Qualifying did not go so well for the 22-year-old - he could manage only eighth on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but his race drive was every bit as good .
The Ferrari was running low downforce to try to off-set its straight-line speed disadvantage , so to make a one-stop strategy work was a remarkable achievement .
His team-mate Sebastian Vettel had a difficult day , almost losing control of his car at the first corner and lucky not to be tagged as he fish-tailed left and right in yet another unforced error from the German , and struggling to 12th place .
Red Bull 's Alex Albon drove well to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of bold overtaking moves , ahead of the Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Hulkenberg .
Renault 's Daniel Ricciardo faded after a strong qualifying in fifth place , not helped by a spin between Turns Three and Four while battling with McLaren 's Carlos Sainz , and ended up 14th .
Lando Norris took ninth for McLaren , while George Russell was 18th in the Williams .
What happens next ?
Another weekend , another race .
This time in Spain , despite the rise in coronavirus cases there .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle again ?
What they said Max Verstappen : `` I did n't see it coming , but after the first stint we seemed really good on tyres and we did n't have many tyres issues at all .
It is a great result to win here and I am incredibly happy .
We have not had an opportunity to push them so far this season .
We need to use soft tyres - that seems to suit our car . ''
Lewis Hamilton : `` It was a massive challenge today but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they did n't have the problems we had .
Unexpected to have blistering as hardcore as we experienced .
I was managing the tyres like you could n't believe .
In the middle stint , one half was bald and the other half was OK .
I was afraid it was going to explode . ''
Valtteri Bottas : `` It was very frustrating - starting on pole and finishing third .
As a team we were sleeping at some points , Red Bull 's strategy was far better and we have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to keep up with Max , but as soon as I pushed the tyres fall apart .
When you have those blisters , you lose cornering grip . ''

Red Bull's Max Verstappen took a sensational surprise victory in the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix to bring Mercedes' domination to an end.
Verstappen's win was founded on his car being kinder to its tyres than the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas and the Dutchman capitalised brilliantly.
Hamilton fought back from early struggles to catch and pass Bottas for second place with two laps to go.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was outstanding in taking fourth on a one-stop strategy.
It was an unexpectedly thrilling race, a fitting testament to the occasion as F1 celebrated 70 years since the F1 championship started at Silverstone in 1950.
Verstappen's victory was a major upset and it was helped by a decision to use the hard tyres for the start of the race.
But the fact was that their car was simply faster than the Mercedes for the first time this season in the specific conditions created by the deliberate supply of a soft tyre range on a warm day around one of the most demanding tracks on the calendar.
"I didn't see that coming," Verstappen said afterwards.
How did Verstappen do it?
Verstappen told his engineer he was not going to sit back behind the Mercedes "like a grandma"
The Mercedes had produced their usual dominant performance in qualifying, a second clear of the field, but Verstappen, choosing the hardest tyre for the start of the race, found he was able to follow them comfortably after he passed Racing Point's Nico Hulkenberg at the start from his fourth place on the grid.
Bottas led Hamilton away from pole and, while Verstappen tracked the Mercedes, the black cars, on the softer 'medium' tyres at the start, began to struggle.
By 10 laps into the race, the Red Bull was on Hamilton's tail and it was clear the Mercedes had a real race on their hands.
Bottas and Hamilton stopped within a lap of each other on laps 13 and 14, and fitted the hard tyres, but they continued to struggle.
Verstappen motored on out front and, surprisingly, despite older tyres, extended his lead as the Mercedes ran into problems with tyre blistering.
Verstappen pitted on lap 26 for medium tyres, rejoining right behind Bottas, whom he passed immediately around the outside of Luffield corner.
Once back in the lead, Verstappen was again able to hold the Mercedes, with Bottas about two seconds behind.
Red Bull's call to start Verstappen on the hard tyres paid off
Verstappen then stopped again six laps later to switch back to the hard tyre, and Bottas followed him in, the Finn's hopes of victory now over.
Hamilton, though, stayed out for another nine laps. His tyres were blistered badly but he drove well to maintain a gap of around 10 seconds over Verstappen and Bottas.
That meant when he finally came in on lap 41, with 11 to go, he had an abundance of grip compared to the cars in front.
He quickly passed Leclerc and then closed in on Bottas, passing him into Brooklands corner with two laps to go.
The result, with fastest lap for Hamilton, means he extends his championship lead over Bottas to 34 points, and Verstappen has slipped ahead of the Finn into second place, 30 behind the leader.
Archive: Silverstone hosts first World Championship race
How about that from Leclerc?
Leclerc took a superb third in the uncompetitive Ferrari last weekend at the British Grand Prix and he continued his excellent form this weekend.
Qualifying did not go so well for the 22-year-old - he could manage only eighth on the grid compared to fourth last time, but his race drive was every bit as good.
The Ferrari was running low downforce to try to off-set its straight-line speed disadvantage, so to make a one-stop strategy work was a remarkable achievement.
In contrast to Leclerc's race, Vettel was sent spinning across the track on the opening lap after hitting the curb
His team-mate Sebastian Vettel had a difficult day, almost losing control of his car at the first corner and lucky not to be tagged as he fish-tailed left and right in yet another unforced error from the German, and struggling to 12th place.
Red Bull's Alex Albon drove well to take fifth, a drive that featured a number of bold overtaking moves, ahead of the Racing Points of Lance Stroll and Hulkenberg.
Renault's Daniel Ricciardo faded after a strong qualifying in fifth place, not helped by a spin between Turns Three and Four while battling with McLaren's Carlos Sainz, and ended up 14th.
Lando Norris took ninth for McLaren, while George Russell was 18th in the Williams.
Driver of the day
A tie between Verstappen and Leclerc, each outstanding in their way, the two emerging as the defining talents of the new generation behind Hamilton
What happens next?
Another weekend, another race. This time in Spain, despite the rise in coronavirus cases there. A hot summer in Barcelona. Could Mercedes struggle again?
What they said
Max Verstappen: "I didn't see it coming, but after the first stint we seemed really good on tyres and we didn't have many tyres issues at all. It is a great result to win here and I am incredibly happy. We have not had an opportunity to push them so far this season. We need to use soft tyres - that seems to suit our car."
Lewis Hamilton: "It was a massive challenge today but congrats to Red Bull and Max, they didn't have the problems we had. Unexpected to have blistering as hardcore as we experienced. I was managing the tyres like you couldn't believe. In the middle stint, one half was bald and the other half was OK. I was afraid it was going to explode."
Valtteri Bottas: "It was very frustrating - starting on pole and finishing third. As a team we were sleeping at some points, Red Bull's strategy was far better and we have to look at this. There was a chance to keep up with Max, but as soon as I pushed the tyres fall apart. When you have those blisters, you lose cornering grip."
Mercedes had won all four of the opening races before Verstappen's 70th Anniversary GP victory
The drivers once again took the knee or stood for the anti-racism protest


bbc--2020-08-09--Two Atletico individuals test positive before Leipzig quarter-final

Atletico Madrid say two individuals have tested positive for coronavirus before Thursday 's Champions League quarter-final against RB Leipzig in @ @ @ @ @ said the unnamed individuals are isolating at home .
The positive cases were discovered after @ @ @ @ @ travelling to Lisbon were tested in Madrid on Saturday .
They will now be retested @ @ @ @ @ the positive cases .
`` This motivates changes in the training schedules , in the @ @ @ @ @ trip and the accommodation in the Portuguese capital , '' Atletico said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ coordinate the new schedules with Uefa and as soon as there is a new plan @ @ @ @ @ .
It also calls for maximum respect for the identity of the two positive cases @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic , the Champions League is concluding with a 'final eight ' tournament in @ @ @ @ @ held behind closed doors .

Last updated on .From the section Champions League
Atletico say both Sime Vrsaljko (left) and Angel Correa are asymptomatic
Atletico Madrid say forward Angel Correa and defender Sime Vrsaljko tested positive for coronavirus before Thursday's Champions League quarter-final against RB Leipzig in Lisbon.
The players are isolating at home and will miss the rest of the tournament.
The two positive cases were discovered after players and staff travelling to Lisbon were tested in Madrid on Saturday.
Players and staff have since been retested with all results negative.
Relatives of Argentina winger Correa, 25, and 28-year-old Croatia right-back Vrsaljko were also tested and cleared.
The club said they decided to name the players to put an end to "speculation".
The first team returned to training on Monday and the club said Correa was "asymptomatic and self-isolating at home", while Vrsaljko "was recovering from an injury and not training with the group".
"The Croat is also asymptomatic and will remain at home by decision of the medical services, although his case is considered to be resolved by the health authorities, having generated antibodies several months ago," Atletico said in a statement.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Champions League is concluding with a 'final eight' tournament in Lisbon, with single-leg games held behind closed doors.