bbc--2020-06-08--China-US rivalry in Africa fuelled by coronavirus

As Africa braces itself for a surge of coronavirus infections , both China and the US are claiming to be Africa 's greatest supporter , but there is more at stake in this escalating rivalry than simply tackling the virus , writes BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was adamant that `` no country will rival what the US is doing '' in terms of supporting the fight against Covid-19 in Africa .
And he went further to say that `` no nation ever has , or ever will '' do more to support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a conference call with a small group of African and Africa-based journalists .
I was one of them .
At the time - last month - I put the bluster about `` no nation ever doing more '' down to the now-familiar rhetorical habits of the Trump administration , which was evidently trying to polish its internationalist credentials in the aftermath of its decision to turn its back on the World Health Organization ( WHO ) at the height of a global health crisis .
It seemed churlish to point out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new aid that Mr Pompeo was bragging about giving Africa was almost certainly matched - or exceeded - by the donation of just one Chinese billionaire - Jack Ma .
But a few days ago , I saw an article about Africa in a Chinese state-controlled media outlet , the Global Times , and was reminded of Mr Pompeo 's remarks , and struck by the extent to which Africa has become a part - a small corner , perhaps - of Washington and Beijing 's new cold war battlefield , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cold War - a sudden crisis , like Covid-19 , is inevitably transformed into some sort of proxy conflict .
The Global Times article boasted that China 's `` solid political system '' had underpinned its own success in countering Covid-19 .
And then it went further .
Surely now was the time , it argued , for African nations to end their failed experiment with western multi-party democracy - an experiment that had led to inequality , ethnic and religious divisions , violence , and `` the destruction of lives and properties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another article in another state-controlled Chinese newspaper , China Daily , that praised the `` domino effect '' of Beijing 's ambitious `` Belt and Road Initiative '' in Africa , a giant investment and infrastructure strategy that was accelerating the continent 's recovery `` from centuries of slavery , colonialism , neo-colonial domination , and now Covid-19 '' .
Mr Pompeo 's answer to that was brusque .
China 's Communist Party was imposing `` an enormous amount of debt… on African countries… on incredibly onerous terms that will impact African people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A few days later I dialled into a Zoom discussion about China-US relations in Africa - described by the moderator as an `` increasingly toxic duel '' - and listened to a Chinese professor remarking that the coronavirus was helping African journalists appreciate the virtues of China 's ( heavily censored ) media landscape .
`` Western media are focused on the bad , negative news , '' said Professor Zhang Yanqiu , but readers wanted more positive stories during a time of crisis .
In other words , she said , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalism . ''
She mentioned that she had recently encountered clear enthusiasm for the model among Ethiopian journalists .
But is African journalism so easily influenced ?
Read more about China and Africa : When I asked Mr Pompeo whether he thought that America 's image in Africa had been damaged by President Trump 's recent comments about using disinfectants or UV light to treat the virus , the secretary of state did not answer the question directly but instead suggested that Mr Trump 's public utterances had been misunderstood or deliberately twisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a strange moment on the conference call .
For decades American diplomacy has - to some degree - sought to promote and protect independent journalism in Africa against authoritarian regimes and censorship .
But now the American president himself routinely dismisses his country 's own journalists as `` fake '' , `` lamestream , '' and `` enemies of the people '' .
Listening to Mr Pompeo , it suddenly felt like Beijing and Washington 's views about `` constructive journalism '' were no longer so far apart .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - not least through ex-President George Bush 's massive Emergency Plan for Aids Relief ( Pepfar ) programme - has done a huge amount to promote healthcare in Africa .
But it is also clear that China is using the cover of Covid-19 , and America 's many distractions and current struggles , to promote its political agenda on the continent with growing boldness and - I suspect - effectiveness .
That is not to suggest that African states - or journalists - are pawns , to be manipulated at will by global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the continent , heavily in debt to Chinese banks and under growing Covid-19-related economic pressure , may now be tempted to abandon `` the failed ... populist multiparty format '' , and move towards the `` resilience '' of China 's political system ?
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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was adamant that "no country will rival what the US is doing" in terms of supporting the fight against Covid-19 in Africa. And he went further to say that "no nation ever has, or ever will" do more to support global health.


bbc--2020-06-08--The treasure trove hidden in discarded computers

What do you do with an old hard disk drive , the kind that still spins up inside most PCs , once it reaches the end of its life ?
If Allan Walton has his way , parts of it could soon be propelling your next car along the road , assuming you go electric .
The University of Birmingham professor is a director in the firm Hypromag , which extracts and recycles neodymium magnets from used hard disks .
Neodymium is a rare earth metal - chemical elements considered essential ingredients in many of today ’ s must-have technologies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neodymium is used , among other things , to make magnets that turn the motors that drive electric vehicles .
Prof Walton believes that in the next 10 years , his company could be recycling enough neodymium to meet a quarter of the UK ’ s demand - almost all of which is currently imported from China .
Once electric vehicles are assembled and running , they are broadly seen as being more environmentally friendly than cars with an internal combustion engine .
But making magnets from rare earths is far from green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earths use many of the same chemicals found in oven cleaners and cosmetics , their waste can be destructive if not properly controlled .
At one mining site , Bayan Obo in Inner Mongolia , they have contributed to a vast toxic lake .
Next to the mine itself is a tailing dam , a reservoir created by what is left over from separating rare earths .
Steel and aluminium already have large established recycling programmes which help to reduce chemical processing .
However , rare earth minerals used in phones , hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost .
Four years ago at the University of Birmingham , Prof Walton and his mentor , Prof Rex Harris , discovered that running hydrogen gas through old hard-disk drives turns the magnets into powder which can be harvested , re-packed and coated , to become new magnets .
Not only will the project offer a greener solution to the rare earths market , the global demand for these minerals means there is a business case to be built .
“ We are missing a trick .
There is no trouble finding rare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them into a useful material , like a magnet , ” says Prof Walton .
This year , Hypromag expects to announce a deal with the UK car company Bentley .
It has received a £2.6m grant from Innovate UK and a half a million pounds of investment and further partnership from an African junior mine , Mkango .
However , the Hypromag solution will only meet a fraction of the growing demand for rare earths , which analysts estimate will double by 2025 .
Prof Walton believes that if Britain acts now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry , it could become a world leader .
The opportunity is huge , with many emerging technologies such as 5G demanding rare earths , on top of the growing need for established technologies such as phone handsets , microprocessors and wind turbines .
However , the main reason rare earths have been compared to oil , is government policies that will fuel the demand for electric vehicles .
After 2025 , the Netherlands will not sell petrol or diesel cars .
The UK and France have pledged to meet this goal by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 12 % of cars sold in the country to produce zero emissions .
When it comes to the production of rare earths and magnets made from them , China is the world leader .
The country corners the market because its companies can mine rare earths and process them locally into finished products .
More than 70 % of rare earth products are exported by China .
• What 's it like to be fired over Zoom ?
• The little lights now packing a deadly punch • Why some face masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready for the 'Holy Grail ' of computer graphics The country corners the market because it is the only place in the world with companies that can make rare earth minerals into finished products .
More than 70 % of rare earth products are exported by China .
And , its established supply chain offers them unmatchable discounts .
Rare earths are part of the Made in China 2025 plan to become the world ’ s leading manufacturer .
But while China exports processed products , the country ’ s natural resources are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earth that are most in demand , like the neodymium used for car magnets .
China gets most of its neodymium from Burma and the United States , says Christopher Ecclestone , a mining strategist at Hallgarten .
The Mountain Pass mine in California sells 100 % of its rare earths in a concentrated form to China - and is part-owned by Chinese firm Shenghe Resources , which has a 9.9 % stake .
“ The US is one of China ’ s largest sources of rare earths and the Chinese are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Pentagon crazy , ” he says .
What put China in control of the market was that rare earths were a by-product of already established mines , says Ian Higgins , the director of Less Common Metals in Ellesmere Port near Liverpool .
Other rare earth metals and their uses • Neodymium - permanent magnets used in cars and wind turbines Mr Higgins 's firm is one of the only manufacturers outside of China to make and combine rare earth metals into alloys .
He points out that Chinese mines are supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While environmental policy in China has improved , the largest mines were built before their implementation .
“ There is a lot of processing of rare earths which is horrific and there is also a lot of black and grey market smuggling of heavier rare earths.
” says Mr Higgins .
However , he adds that the country is beginning to wake up to the environmental impact of its rare earths industry .
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused global assembly lines to grind to a halt .
But it has also spurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the global supply chain and their reliance on a single source country .
The crisis has pushed governments and businesses to `` localise resources , '' , according to Andrew Bloodworth a director at the British Geological Survey .
“ People like me tell our government that any production that is concentrated in small places will be vulnerable to disruption , ” says Mr Bloodworth .
America , the UK and Europe are trying to build supply chains for rare earths outside of China .
On 13 May , legislation was put before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaks to the industry - $ 50m in funding was also earmarked for start-up mines in the US .
In the EU , the Horizon 2020 fund has launched an initiative to build a supply chain across several European and Nordic countries , including Britain .
In the UK , rare earths are integral to the government ’ s industrial strategy , according to Jeff Townsend , who this year set up a lobbying firm to represent the industry ’ s interests .
“ Government needs to understand and do more than set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy .
It needs to get its hands dirty and provide the supply chain , ” he says .
“ Covid has knocked everyone sideways and lots of people are looking again at the way we do things , ” says Mr Townsend .
He adds : “ If we make the decision that we want to be better , then we have to try to be better because that ’ s the only way we change society .
”

He adds: “If we make the decision that we want to be better, then we have to try to be better because that’s the only way we change society.”


bbc--2020-06-08--The black British history you may not know about

`` We have existed in Britain and been pioneers , inventors , icons .
And then colonialism happened , and that has shaped the experiences of black people - but that is not all we are . ''
These are the words of Lavinya Stennett , founder of The Black Curriculum , an organisation which teaches black British history in schools - and is campaigning for Education Secretary Gavin Williamson to make it compulsory .
The death of George Floyd in America has inspired thousands of people in Britain to demand justice , marching through the streets of our biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insist that the UK `` is not innocent '' .
But some commentators have questioned whether racism exists in Britain , and to what extent .
George The Poet , who was questioned about this on Newsnight , believes a lack of education about black British history - and the British Empire - plays a part in racism in the UK and our discussions about it .
The transatlantic slave trade and the US civil rights movement are largely the only black history taught in UK schools , normally in October when we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you 're omitting different histories and narratives , you 're saying that these people are n't part of this country , this nation , this heritage - or they 're not important enough to be taught as common knowledge , '' says Melody Triumph , policy specialist at The Black Curriculum .
These are just a few episodes of black British history we were n't taught in school .
Some might think the first black people in Britain arrived from Britain 's colonies - the countries in Africa , the Caribbean and Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases for centuries - after World War 2 .
But that 's not true , says Lavinya from The Black Curriculum .
`` We know that black people were in Britain since Roman times - and there 's specific examples . ''
The Ivory Bangle Lady is the name given to remains discovered in York in 1901 which are now on display in the York Museum .
Archaeological analysis reveals that although she was born in Roman Britain , she 's likely to be of North African descent .
The remains have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4th Century .
She was found with jet and elephant ivory bracelets , earrings , pendants , beads , a blue glass jug and a glass mirror .
In other words , she was n't poor .
`` It puts into question assumptions that black people have never been aspirationally wealthy or had any kind of wealth , '' Lavinya says .
During the Tudor period there were hundreds of black migrants living in England .
For those of us a bit rusty on our Tudor dates , we 're talking about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trumpeter , was one of them .
His face can be seen inscribed into a 60ft long roll depicting the prestigious Westminster Tournament of 1511 - an elaborate party which Henry VIII put on to celebrate the birth of a son .
There 's even a letter from John Blanke to Henry VIII asking for a pay rise .
`` He petitioned for 8p a day .
I do n't know what the conversion is today , but that showed he knew his worth , '' Lavinya says .
She was a princess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after marrying King George III - and many historians believe Queen Charlotte had African ancestry .
They married in 1761 and Charlotte was the mother of two British monarchs - George IV and William IV .
It 's been argued that despite coming from Germany , Queen Charlotte was descended from a black branch of the Portuguese royal family .
King Afonso III of Portugal conquered the city of Faro from the Moors - Muslims from North Africa who lived in modern-day Spain and Portugal during the Middle Ages - in the 13th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had three children with the city governor 's daughter .
One of their sons , Martim Afonso Chichorro , is also said to have married into a family with black ethnicity .
He and his wife , Ines Lourenco de Sousa de Valadares , founded the Portuguese house of Sousa-Chichorro , which had many descendants , including Queen Charlotte .
Queen Charlotte , whether she had African ancestry or not , joined the Royal Family in the century when Britain started slave-trading - which made it vastly wealthy .
`` A lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history in London - it 's London-centric .
But a lot of Glasgow 's wealth actually comes from the tobacco , the sugar , the cotton that was created and sustained by enslaved people in Jamaica , Trinidad and Barbados , '' Lavinya says .
Many of Glasgow 's prominent city centre streets are named after 18th Century slave owners who made fortunes from plantations .
`` You 're told that black people were slaves , but you 're not told the fruits of their labour are actually the streets we walk on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important but you need to `` contextualise it '' .
`` Talk about who gained from it , the people not only in the colonies but also here in the UK . ''
That also means teaching about the `` black people in Scotland who were part of the abolition of the slave trade '' .
`` All you hear about is William Wilberforce '' - a British politician who campaigned to abolish slavery - Lavinya says .
5 .
WW1 and the race riots that followed When we talk about Caribbean migration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Windrush generation , who arrived in Britain between 1948 and 1971 .
`` But black people were actually brought over from Jamaica to fight in World War One , '' says Lavinya .
Her great-uncle came to England at the age of 17 to help the war effort , settling in London afterwards .
But she says her uncle was `` one of the lucky ones '' - because he was n't sent back after the war .
When soldiers returned to the UK after WW1 there was a jobs shortage and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made the link that they were not getting jobs because of the black people '' - and violence towards black communities followed .
They 're known as the 1919 race riots in Glasgow , Liverpool , Cardiff and other seaports across Britain , during which three people were killed and hundreds injured .
But there were economic consequences too .
Many black serviceman and workers found themselves without jobs after a `` colour bar '' was introduced in many industries , with white workers , often backed by unions , refusing to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men were sent back to the countries they had lived in before the war .
Poverty and a lack of jobs were a big factor in the riots , but according to researcher Jamie Baker , there was also a fear that black men and white women were starting families .
`` It fits into the hyper-sexualisation of black men .
White men felt threatened because they felt that black men were taking their women , '' Lavinya says .
After WW2 black people from the Caribbean and Africa , and people from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain to help rebuild the country .
They were put to work in the NHS and other public sector roles , like driving buses .
But in Bristol the Omnibus Company , run by the council , refused to employ black and Asian drivers , which eventually led to a boycott of buses across the whole city .
`` But it was n't as easy as that , '' Lavinya says .
At the time it was not illegal to discriminate based on race - the first Race Relations Act was passed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about employment or housing until 1968 .
Paul Stephenson , Roy Hackett and Guy Bailey were the brains behind the boycott and Paul drew inspiration from the bus boycott in the US , started when Rosa Parks refused to sit in the `` coloured '' section at the back of the bus , for what they did in Bristol .
Hackett organised blockades and sit-down protests to prevent buses getting through the city centre .
`` White women taking their kids to school or going to work would ask us what it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Later they came and joined us . ''
Students showed support too and it was backed by the local MP Tony Benn as well as Harold Wilson , who became Labour leader a year later .
On the same day Martin Luther King Jr delivered his famous `` I have a dream '' speech after marching on Washington DC - 28 August 1963 - pressure had built enough over the summer that the Bristol Omnibus Company announced a change in policy .
By mid-September Bristol had its first non-white bus conductor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who 'd lived in Bristol since 1959 - and further black and Asian crews followed .
Paul Stephenson , Guy Bailey and Roy Hackett all received OBEs for their action .
• The Bristol Bus Boycott , from those who were there • Amazing black women you should know about Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

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bbc--2020-06-08--Raheem Sterling calls for more BAME coaches and leaders in British football

Progress in the fight against racism will only come in football when more black players become managers , England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling says .
Thousands of people have taken part in anti-racism marches in the UK , following the death of American George Floyd on 25 May in Minneapolis .
`` The protest is a great starting point , to make your voice be heard , '' he said .
`` But just protesting alone is not going to make a change in this country . ''
Speaking to the BBC 's Newsnight programme , the 25-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move on from here .
It 's about highlighting things , the society that needs changing , and then acting upon it .
We 've done a lot of talking , and it 's time now to act . ''
• 'The only disease right now is racism ' - Sterling supports protests Sterling said there needs to be greater black , Asian and minority ethnic representation among administrators and coaching staff in British football , and that equal opportunities should be given to former BAME players .
As an example , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way in management : Chelsea 's Frank Lampard and Rangers ' Steven Gerrard , both white , and Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole , both black .
Campbell 's two management jobs to date have been in lower-league football , at Macclesfield and Southend , while Cole started coaching Chelsea 's Under-15s after ending his playing career last year .
Sterling said : `` The coaching staff that you see around football clubs : there 's Steven Gerrard , your Frank Lampards , your Sol Campbells and your Ashley Coles .
All had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` At the same time , they 've all respectfully done their coaching badges to coach at the highest level and the two that have n't been given the right opportunities are the two black former players .
• Sterling speaks out on racism following the death of George Floyd '' The change is being able to speak to people in Parliament , people at the hierarchy at my football club , football clubs across the country , people at the national team of England , to implement change and give equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also different ethnicities .
`` Give black coaches , not just coaches but people in their respective fields , the right opportunity .
I feel like that 's what 's lacking here , it 's not just taking the knee , it is about giving people the chance they deserve . ''
`` There 's something like 500 players in the Premier League and a third of them are black and we have no representation of us in the hierarchy , no representation of us in the coaching staffs .
There 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relate to and have conversations with .
In 2018 , the Football Association announced in an equality action plan that 5 % of its leadership roles and 13 % of England coaching staff were filled by people from a BAME background .
In the same plan , the FA set targets of 11 % and 20 % , respectively , for 2021 .
`` When there 's someone from a black background I can go to in the FA with a problem I have within the club , that will be when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my field , also in Parliament , '' Sterling added .
`` Once we do see those numbers shifting , that 's when I 'll be happy and the people will be happy . ''
• England coach Powell says generation of BAME players may have missed coaching chance

Raheem Sterling: 'We have no representation in the hierarchy'
Progress in the fight against racism will only come in football when more black players become managers, England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling says.
Thousands of people have taken part in anti-racism marches in the UK, following the death of American George Floyd on 25 May in Minneapolis.
"The protest is a great starting point, to make your voice be heard," he said.
"But just protesting alone is not going to make a change in this country."
Speaking to the BBC's Newsnight programme, the 25-year-old added: "It's how we move on from here. It's about highlighting things, the society that needs changing, and then acting upon it. We've done a lot of talking, and it's time now to act."
Sterling said there needs to be greater black, Asian and minority ethnic representation among administrators and coaching staff in British football, and that equal opportunities should be given to former BAME players.
As an example, he compared four former England internationals making their way in management: Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Rangers' Steven Gerrard, both white, and Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole, both black.
Campbell's two management jobs to date have been in lower-league football, at Macclesfield and Southend, while Cole started coaching Chelsea's Under-15s after ending his playing career last year.
Sterling said: "The coaching staff that you see around football clubs: there's Steven Gerrard, your Frank Lampards, your Sol Campbells and your Ashley Coles. All had great careers, all played for England.
"At the same time, they've all respectfully done their coaching badges to coach at the highest level and the two that haven't been given the right opportunities are the two black former players.
"The change is being able to speak to people in Parliament, people at the hierarchy at my football club, football clubs across the country, people at the national team of England, to implement change and give equal chances to not just black coaches but also different ethnicities.
"Give black coaches, not just coaches but people in their respective fields, the right opportunity. I feel like that's what's lacking here, it's not just taking the knee, it is about giving people the chance they deserve.
"There's something like 500 players in the Premier League and a third of them are black and we have no representation of us in the hierarchy, no representation of us in the coaching staffs. There's not a lot of faces that we can relate to and have conversations with."
In 2018, the Football Association announced in an equality action plan that 5% of its leadership roles and 13% of England coaching staff were filled by people from a BAME background. In the same plan, the FA set targets of 11% and 20%, external-link respectively, for 2021.
"When there's someone from a black background I can go to in the FA with a problem I have within the club, that will be when I know change is happening and not just in my field, also in Parliament," Sterling added.
"Once we do see those numbers shifting, that's when I'll be happy and the people will be happy."


bbc--2020-06-08--Lewis Hamilton: 'Remove all racist symbols'

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1 The world champion saluted anti-racism protesters for tearing down a monument to the 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston at a demonstration on Sunday .
Hamilton said governments around the world should `` implement the peaceful removal of these racist symbols '' .
He has made a series of statements amid global anti-racism protests .
• None Hamilton 'overcome with rage ' at events in US These have occurred in a number of countries following the death of George Floyd in the US last month .
Floyd , a 46-year-old African-American man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes .
Hamilton said last week that he was `` completely overcome with rage '' at events following Floyd 's death .
And on Monday he said the Colston statue should not be recovered after demonstrators threw it into a river .
`` If those people had n't taken down that statue , honouring a racist slave trader , it would never have been removed , '' he said on Instagram .
`` There 's talks of it going into a museum .
That man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just like the 20,000 African souls who died on the journey here and thrown into the sea , with no burial or memorial .
He stole them from their families , country and he must not be celebrated ! ''
In a post on Twitter shortly afterwards , Hamilton made a pointed reference to US President Donald Trump 's response to the protests that have swept America .
The 35-year-old posted a picture of the slogan `` Black Lives Matter '' painted on the road leading to the White House and wrote : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1
Protesters in Bristol pull down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston
Lewis Hamilton has urged countries around the world to remove "racist symbols" after the toppling of the statue of a slave trader in Bristol.
The world champion saluted anti-racism protesters for tearing down a monument to the 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston at a demonstration on Sunday.
Hamilton said governments around the world should "implement the peaceful removal of these racist symbols".
He has made a series of statements amid global anti-racism protests.
These have occurred in a number of countries following the death of George Floyd in the US last month.
Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, died in police custody in Minneapolis after an officer knelt on his neck for nine minutes.
Hamilton said last week that he was "completely overcome with rage" at events following Floyd's death.
And on Monday he said the Colston statue should not be recovered after demonstrators threw it into a river.
"If those people hadn't taken down that statue, honouring a racist slave trader, it would never have been removed," he said on Instagram.
"There's talks of it going into a museum. That man's statue should stay in the river just like the 20,000 African souls who died on the journey here and thrown into the sea, with no burial or memorial. He stole them from their families, country and he must not be celebrated!"
In a post on Twitter shortly afterwards, Hamilton made a pointed reference to US President Donald Trump's response to the protests that have swept America.
The 35-year-old posted a picture of the slogan "Black Lives Matter" painted on the road leading to the White House and wrote: "And don't you forget it."


bbc--2020-06-08--'I salute those who have, but athletes shouldn't have to fix racism' - Sport England's Grant

It is not the `` job '' of professional athletes to `` fix the systemic problem '' of racism in sport , says Sport England board member Chris Grant .
A number of sportspeople have spoken out since the death of American George Floyd .
The 46-year-old died while being arrested on 25 May in Minneapolis , USA .
Thousands of people have taken part in marches across the UK , despite a government ban on mass gatherings because of the threat of coronavirus .
England and Manchester City footballer Raheem Sterling and world heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Black Lives Matter protests .
Sterling told the BBC `` the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting '' .
Grant , who is one of the most senior black administrators in British sport , has asked for a commission to be set up to explore the `` roots of inequality in sport '' .
`` These problems have grown up quietly over decades , '' Grant told BBC Sport .
`` I salute [ footballers ] Raheem Sterling , Eni Aluko and Alice Dearing , who will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next year , for speaking out .
`` At the same time , it is not their job to fix this , and that is why I have written to the chairs of UK Sport and Sport England , asking them to work with other leaders in sport to see the real extent of these problems , and to fix them . ''
Grant 's request follows comments by Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth , who said `` sport has never done enough properly to tackle racism '' .
In response , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` There is absolutely no place for racism or discrimination of any sort in sport .
`` We acknowledge that , sadly , racial inequalities still exist and we are determined to do everything in our power to eradicate it .
`` [ UK Sport chief executive ] Sally Munday and I have arranged to meet with Chris to discuss this important issue . ''
Sport England 's Chair Nick Bitel added : `` The challenges we face in tackling long-standing racial inequalities across sport are significant and this has become an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We very much welcome Chris Grant 's letter .
He is already leading our Talent Inclusion Advisory Group and we look forward to continuing to work with him as we consider the next steps . ''

Last updated on .From the section Sport
Liverpool players showed their support of the Black Lives Matter movement by taking a knee during training
It is not the "job" of professional athletes to "fix the systemic problem" of racism in sport, says Sport England board member Chris Grant.
A number of sportspeople have spoken out since the death of American George Floyd.
The 46-year-old died while being arrested on 25 May in Minneapolis, USA.
Thousands of people have taken part in marches across the UK, despite a government ban on mass gatherings because of the threat of coronavirus.
We're looking at a systemic problem - Sport England's Chris Grant
England and Manchester City footballer Raheem Sterling and world heavyweight champion boxer Anthony Joshua are among the British athletes to have backed the Black Lives Matter protests.
Sterling told the BBC "the only disease right now is the racism that we are fighting".
Grant, who is one of the most senior black administrators in British sport, has asked for a commission to be set up to explore the "roots of inequality in sport".
"These problems have grown up quietly over decades," Grant told BBC Sport.
"I salute [footballers] Raheem Sterling, Eni Aluko and Alice Dearing, who will be our first black swimmer at Tokyo next year, for speaking out.
"At the same time, it is not their job to fix this, and that is why I have written to the chairs of UK Sport and Sport England, asking them to work with other leaders in sport to see the real extent of these problems, and to fix them."
Grant's request follows comments by Sport England chief executive Tim Hollingsworth, who said "sport has never done enough properly to tackle racism". external-link
In response, UK Sport chair Dame Katherine Grainger said: "There is absolutely no place for racism or discrimination of any sort in sport.
Raheem Sterling: "The only disease right now is the racism that we're fighting"
"We acknowledge that, sadly, racial inequalities still exist and we are determined to do everything in our power to eradicate it.
"[UK Sport chief executive] Sally Munday and I have arranged to meet with Chris to discuss this important issue."
Sport England's Chair Nick Bitel added: "The challenges we face in tackling long-standing racial inequalities across sport are significant and this has become an increasing focus of Sport England's work.
"We very much welcome Chris Grant's letter. He is already leading our Talent Inclusion Advisory Group and we look forward to continuing to work with him as we consider the next steps."


bbc--2020-06-08--Fundraising, trash-talking & on-court fan chats - tennis is back but not as you know it

With the professional tours on hold until at least August because of the coronavirus pandemic , the world 's top players are looking for alternative ways to keep match sharp .
The future - in the short term at least - appears to be domestic and regional exhibition tournaments between players based in the same part of the world .
With fundraising , trash-talking and changeover chats with online fans , tennis is back with a twist .
Where are they being held ?
And who is playing ?
Seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray has organised a Battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading British men , with Andy Murray , Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund also taking part .
In the singles , the eight players will be split into two groups for round-robin matches , leading to semi-finals and the final .
`` This is the first time these guys have come together to compete against each other , '' Jamie Murray told several UK newspapers .
`` They have been trash-talking about this for quite a few weeks . ''
The event , which hopes to raise at least £100,000 for the NHS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Amazon Prime .
The Lawn Tennis Association has organised four separate tournaments for men and women over consecutive weekends in July .
Sixteen players will compete in each knockout singles tournament , with matches being played over two sets and a deciding match tie-break if needed .
They are open to the highest-ranked players with LTA membership , although British women 's number one Johanna Konta is not expected to enter .
Serbia 's world number one Novak Djokovic is behind a tournament also featuring world number three Dominic Thiem and world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 tickets were sold in seven minutes for the first leg of the Adria Tour which takes place on clay in Belgrade this weekend , with strict health and safety measures in place .
The eight-man , round-robin tournament will raise funds for charitable causes , including childhood development and education programmes run by Djokovic 's foundation , with further events set for Montenegro , Croatia and Bosnia .
With many players based in the glamorous surroundings of the French Riviera , leading coach Patrick Mouratoglou is using his training academy near Cannes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete in the Ultimate Tennis Showdown .
Greek world number six Stefanos Tsitsipas is one of three top-10 ranked players , alongside Italy 's Matteo Berrettini and Belgium 's David Goffin , signed up to the five-week event .
Mouratoglou says the players have been chosen `` because of their personality '' as well as their ability , with the event promising to create a unique digital experience for fans .
That includes players wearing microphones and subscribers asking them questions at changeovers .
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and world number three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ featuring five players in the WTA 's top 50 .
The Elite Trophy will run over four weekends , with two teams of six players facing off in three singles and one doubles match each weekend .
A men 's tournament between the `` best Spanish players in the world rankings '' was announced last month - but Rafael Nadal is not expected to be among them .
Members of the victorious Davis Cup team , including world number 12 Roberto Bautista Agut , are expected to play in a league format over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced shortly after , although it is thought Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza will not take part .
Up to 500 fans ( 20 % of the stadium capacity ) will be able to watch Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin , along with former Grand Slam champions Kim Clijsters and Sloane Stephens , take part in the World Team Tennis event .
Nine teams representing American cities , including New York and Chicago , will play in the mixed gender event .
A 63-match season will be played over 19 consecutive days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow .
With Wimbledon and the British grass-court season cancelled , the first event of the year on the surface will be held in Berlin .
Australia 's Nick Kyrgios and German world number seven Alexander Zverev are the star attractions on the men 's side , while Ukraine 's Elina Svitolina and Dutch world number seven Kiki Bertens lead the women 's field .
`` I am curious to see where I stand with my tennis , '' said Zverev .
The competition will be held on grass at the Steffi Graf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hard court in a hangar at Berlin 's Tempelhof Airport from 17-19 July .
What is it like to play in these events ?
Several regional events have already been held , including a smaller tournament in Prague which was won by Kvitova .
`` The fact that there were only Czech girls in the tournament was n't unusual for me , '' said the world number 12 .
`` It was very unusual to see people wearing gloves , face masks , towels not being handed over by ball girls , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that it was without spectators .
`` The atmosphere was n't what we are used to , but I think all went well .
After all that happened it was an amazing tournament . ''
How have these events been made safe ?
Although national guidelines to safely playing tennis differ between countries , there are a number of common rules which are likely to be followed across the world : • No spectators , no line judges or ball kids • Stay at least two metres away from other players , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands or high fives between players However , some events - including Djokovic 's Adria Tour and the World Team Tennis event - are allowing a small number of fans who will sit apart at safe distances .
How do these events affect the ATP and WTA tours ?
Prize money is available at some of the events - including the LTA-organised one in Britain - which will provide much-needed income to many players .
No ranking points are available as they are classed as exhibitions outside the ATP and WTA tours .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tournaments , providing they meet health and safety requirements .
`` We understand these are attractive opportunities for our players to play some competitive matches and earn some income , '' said the ATP .
`` We welcome the opportunity for live sports and live tennis to resume as it has certainly been missed , '' added the WTA .

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova beat world number 26 Karolina Muchova in the final of an all-Czech tournament last month
With the professional tours on hold until at least August because of the coronavirus pandemic, the world's top players are looking for alternative ways to keep match sharp.
The future - in the short term at least - appears to be domestic and regional exhibition tournaments between players based in the same part of the world.
With fundraising, trash-talking and changeover chats with online fans, tennis is back with a twist.
Where are they being held? And who is playing?
Balkans
Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic is behind a tournament also featuring world number three Dominic Thiem and world number seven Alexander Zverev.
An initial 1,000 tickets were sold in seven minutes for the first leg of the Adria Tour external-link which takes place on clay in Belgrade this weekend, with strict health and safety measures in place.
The eight-man, round-robin tournament will raise funds for charitable causes, including childhood development and education programmes run by Djokovic's foundation, with further events set for Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia.
Dates: 13 June-5 July. Venues: Belgrade, Zadar, Montenegro, Banja Luka
France
"June 13th will be remembered as the day that revolutionised tennis, forever," declares the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS) website. external-link
With many players based in the glamorous surroundings of the French Riviera, leading coach Patrick Mouratoglou is using his training academy near Cannes to bring together several well-known faces for the five-week event.
Stefanos Tsitsipas is 'The Greek God', Matteo Berrettini 'The Hammer' and David Goffin is 'The Wall' while Dominic Thiem will be known as 'The Dominator' when he arrives.
Mouratoglou says the players have been chosen "because of their personality" as well as their ability, with the event promising to create a unique digital experience for fans.
The familiar scoring system has been abandoned in favour of collecting the most points in a 10-minute quarter because, according to Mouratoglou, the existing system "is a big problem" in attracting a young audience.
Other innovations include players wearing microphones and subscribers asking them questions at changeovers.
Dates: Starts 13 June. Venue: Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, Cannes.
Britain
Seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray has organised a Battle of the Brits exhibition event external-link for the leading British men, with Andy Murray, Dan Evans and Kyle Edmund also taking part.
In the singles, the eight players will be split into two groups for round-robin matches, leading to semi-finals and the final.
"This is the first time these guys have come together to compete against each other," Jamie Murray told several UK newspapers. external-link "They have been trash-talking about this for quite a few weeks."
The event, which hopes to raise at least £100,000 for the NHS Charities Together fund, will be televised on Amazon Prime.
Dates: 23-28 June. Venue: National Tennis Centre, Roehampton
The Lawn Tennis Association has organised four separate tournaments external-link for men and women over consecutive weekends in July.
Sixteen players will compete in each knockout singles tournament, with matches being played over two sets and a deciding match tie-break if needed.
They are open to the highest-ranked players with LTA membership, although British women's number one Johanna Konta is not expected to enter.
Dates: 3-26 July. Venue: National Tennis Centre, Roehampton
Czech Republic
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and world number three Karolina Pliskova headline a charity team tournament featuring five players in the WTA's top 50.
The Elite Trophy external-link will run over four weekends, with two teams of six players facing off in three singles and one doubles match each weekend.
Dates: 13 June-27 July. Venue: Prague.
Spain
A men's tournament between the "best Spanish players in the world rankings" was announced last month - but Rafael Nadal is not expected to be among them.
A women's event was announced shortly after, although it is thought Australian Open finalist Garbine Muguruza will not take part.
Dates: 15 July-9 August. Venue: Various.
United States
Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin and Bianca Andreescu will be among 16 women competing in the Credit One Bank Invitational team event.
Featuring captains Madison Keys and Bethanie Mattek-Sands, the tournament will take place without fans and feature 16 singles and eight doubles matches.
"The uncharted waters that we are currently facing calls for something completely fresh and new," said Mattek-Sands.
Dates: 23-28 June. Venue: LTP Daniel Island, Charleston.
Up to 500 fans (20% of the stadium capacity) will be able to watch Australian Open champion Kenin, along with former Grand Slam champions Kim Clijsters and Sloane Stephens, play in the World Team Tennis event. external-link
Nine teams representing American cities, including New York and Chicago, will play in the mixed gender event.
Dates: 12 July-2 August. Venue: The Greenbrier, West Virginia.
Germany
With Wimbledon and the British grass-court season cancelled, the first event of the year on the surface will be held in Berlin.
Australia's Nick Kyrgios and home favourite Alexander Zverev are the star attractions on the men's side, while Ukraine's Elina Svitolina and Dutch world number seven Kiki Bertens lead the women's field.
The competition will be held on grass at the Steffi Graf Stadium from 13-15 July, then switch to hard court in a hangar at Berlin's Tempelhof Airport from 17-19 July.
Dates: 13-19 July. Venue: Berlin
What is it like to play in these events?
Several regional events have already been held, including a smaller tournament in Prague which was won by Kvitova.
"The fact that there were only Czech girls in the tournament wasn't unusual for me," said the world number 12.
"It was very unusual to see people wearing gloves, face masks, towels not being handed over by ball girls, not shaking hands, but most importantly, that it was without spectators.
"The atmosphere wasn't what we are used to, but I think all went well. After all that happened it was an amazing tournament."
How have these events been made safe?
Although national guidelines to safely playing tennis differ between countries, there are a number of common rules which are likely to be followed across the world:
No spectators, no line judges or ball kids
Stay at least two metres away from other players, during play and changeovers
No shaking hands or high fives between players
However, some events - including Djokovic's Adria Tour and the World Team Tennis event - are allowing a small number of fans who will sit apart at safe distances.
How do these events affect the ATP and WTA tours?
Prize money is available at some of the events - including the LTA-organised one in Britain - which will provide much-needed income to many players.
No ranking points are available as they are classed as exhibitions outside the ATP and WTA tours.


bbc--2020-06-08--Democrats kneel in moment of silence for George Floyd

Senior Democratic lawmakers observed the silence for nearly nine moments , the length of time Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd @ @ @ @ @ unveiled police reform legislation following nationwide anti-racism protests that continue after almost two weeks .

Senior Democratic lawmakers observed the silence for nearly nine moments, the length of time Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck.
Later they unveiled police reform legislation following nationwide anti-racism protests that continue after almost two weeks.


bbc--2020-06-08--Black Lives Matter: Ghana protest leader arrested

Police in Ghana fired warning shots to break up a rally against police brutality after arresting the organiser .
Ernesto Yeboah was charged with failing to obtain a police permit for the protest on Saturday and for breaking the rules on public gatherings .
But his lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu said the charges were `` baseless '' .
More than 60 people attended the vigil in Accra , one of a wave of Black Lives Matter rallies across the world .
Demonstrators in dozens of countries are demanding an end to systemic racism and state-sponsored violence against black people following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African-American man who was killed in broad daylight by police last month in the US city of Minneapolis .
• What it 's like to be an African in the US • ' I moved to Ghana to escape US racism' • Why I decided not to watch Floyd 's video At Saturday 's rally in Ghana 's capital , Accra , the protesters were also highlighting police brutality in the West African country .
They chanted : `` We are not free until we are all free . ''
People in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unite '' , `` Black Lives Matter '' , `` Police Brutality = Colonial Violence '' , and `` Justice for George '' .
They also honoured Ahmaud Arbery - an African-American man who was shot dead at point-blank range while jogging in his neighbourhood earlier this year , and the Taadi girls - three Ghanaian children who were abducted in 2018 and later declared dead by police but whose parents are demanding an independent investigation .
A joint police and military team forcibly dispersed the crowds on Saturday , then arrested Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his release , police fired warning shots .
According to Mr Yeboah 's lawyer , the protest leader did not break the law because police were notified in advance .
The BBC 's Thomas Naadi in Accra says public gatherings of fewer than 100 people are allowed in Ghana .
Only 67 people attended the rally on Sunday .
Our correspondent also reports that police are required by law to secure a court injunction if they plan to stop or break up such a gathering , but are not permitted to use force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the civil liberties pressure group Economic Fighters League ( EFL ) .
His campaigning last year led to Ghana 's parliament dropping plans to build a new parliamentary chamber , which had been branded a waste of public resources .
The EFL says some 20 people died in Ghana from police brutality in 2018 .
Ten people have been jailed in the country for protesting since coronavirus lockdown restrictions began at the end of March .

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bbc--2020-06-09--North Korea halts all communications with South in row over leafleting

North Korea has said it will cut off all inter-Korean communication lines with the South , including a hotline between the two nations ' leaders .
The North said this was the first in a series of actions , describing South Korea as `` the enemy '' .
Daily calls , which have been made to a liaison office located in the North Korean border city of Kaesong , will cease from Tuesday .
The two states had set up the office to reduce tensions after talks in 2018 .
North and South Korea are technically still at war because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korean War ended in 1953 .
• What do we know about North Korea ?
North Korea `` will completely cut off and shut down the liaison line between the authorities of the North and the South , which has been maintained through the North-South joint liaison office ... from 12:00 on 9 June 2020 , '' the Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) report said .
Military communication channels will also be cut , North Korea said .
When the liaison office was temporarily closed in January because of Covid-19 restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintained by phone .
The two Koreas made two phone calls a day through the office , at 09:00 and 17:00 .
On Monday , the South said that for the first time in 21 months , its morning call had gone unanswered , although contact was made in the afternoon .
`` We have reached a conclusion that there is no need to sit face-to-face with the south Korean authorities and there is no issue to discuss with them , as they have only aroused our dismay , '' KNCA said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's sister , threatened last week to close the office unless South Korea stopped defector groups from sending leaflets into the North .
She said the leaflet campaign was a hostile act that violated the peace agreements made during the 2018 Panmunjom summit between the South 's Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un .
It 's likely that this shut down is n't just about sending leaflets over the border - but instead , all part of a grander plan by Pyongyang .
North Korea may be creating a crisis in order to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In short , it could be simply spoiling for a fight to get attention and ask for more from its neighbour .
They 've played this particular game before in 2013 to try to win more concessions from South Korea .
It 's also a good distraction domestically .
Kim Jong-un is failing to deliver the economic prosperity he keeps promising and rumours continue to circulate that Covid-19 is affecting parts of the country .
Giving the nation a common enemy helps rally his people back around a cause .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this policy .
Kim 's sister , Kim Yo-Jong gave the order to sever ties with Seoul .
This gives her a platform and the spotlight and will fuel more speculation that she is being groomed as a potential leader .
But how disappointing this must be for the Moon administration .
Two years ago in a wave of optimism , the country cheered as the two leaders met and agreed to keep the phone lines open .
Now all calls to the North are not being picked up .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the start of Pyongyang 's plan , what comes next ?
North Korean defectors occasionally send balloons carrying leaflets critical of the communist region into the North , sometimes with supplies to entice North Koreans to pick them up .
North Koreans can only get news from state-controlled media , and most do not have access to the internet .
Ties between the North and South appeared to improve in 2018 , when the leaders of both countries met three times .
Such high-level meetings had not taken place in over a decade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Seoul following the collapse of a summit between Kim and US president Donald Trump in Hanoi last year that left nuclear talks at a standstill .
The two Koreas remain technically at war because the 1950-1953 Korean war ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty .

But how disappointing this must be for the Moon administration. Two years ago in a wave of optimism, the country cheered as the two leaders met and agreed to keep the phone lines open. Now all calls to the North are not being picked up.


bbc--2020-06-09--Coronavirus: Satellite traffic images may suggest virus hit Wuhan earlier

An apparent surge in traffic outside Wuhan hospitals from August 2019 may suggest the coronavirus hit the area earlier than reported , a study says .
Harvard researchers say satellite images show an increase in traffic outside five hospitals in the Chinese city from late August to December .
The traffic spike coincided with a rise in online searches for information on symptoms like `` cough '' and `` diarrhoea '' .
China said the study was `` ridiculous '' and based on `` superficial '' information .
It is believed that the virus first appeared in China some time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pneumonia cases with an unknown cause to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 31 December 2019 .
`` Clearly , there was some level of social disruption taking place well before what was previously identified as the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic , '' Dr John Brownstein , who led the research , told ABC news .
The study has not been peer-reviewed .
What did the study show ?
The researchers examined commercial satellite data from outside five Wuhan hospitals , comparing data from late summer and autumn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 .
In one case , researchers counted 171 cars parked at one of Wuhan 's largest hospitals , Tianyou Hospital in October 2018 .
Satellite data from the same time in 2019 showed 285 vehicles in the same place , an increase of 67 % .
A surge in online searches for words associated with the symptoms of coronavirus on the Chinese search engine Baidu seemed to emerge at the same time .
`` This is all about a growing body of information pointing to something taking place in Wuhan at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Many studies are still needed to fully uncover what took place and for people to really learn about how these disease outbreaks unfold and emerge in populations .
So this is just another point of evidence . ''
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying dismissed the findings at a press briefing on Tuesday .
`` I think it is ridiculous , incredibly ridiculous , to come up with this conclusion based on superficial observations such as traffic volume , '' she said .
What are the implications of the study ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ says there were limits on the data set used by researchers - for example , they could not always compare satellite images taken on the same day in consecutive years due to cloud cover in some of the photos .
But if the infection was present - undetected perhaps - some people could have been leaving Wuhan and travelling abroad and that fits with some of the other evidence we have begun to see in other parts of the world suggesting early cases of Covid-19 , our correspondent says .
However it may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of a cover-up or delay in China 's response , because with a previously unknown illness taking root in a community it is quite possible that there was some undetected spread before it was noticed officially , our correspondent adds .
China reported pneumonia cases with an unidentified cause to WHO on 31 December 2019 .
Nine days later , Chinese authorities revealed they had detected a novel coronavirus ( later named Sars-CoV-2 , the virus causing Covid-19 ) in several of the pneumonia cases .
Wuhan and other Chinese cities went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The WHO declared Covid-19 a Public Health Emergency of Global Concern on 30 January 2020 - this followed 82 confirmed cases outside China .
The precise events around the virus timeline are still unclear , more than six months on .
The first known cluster of cases in Wuhan in December 2019 was centred around a local seafood market , which also sold live animals , including wildlife .
Tests suggest the virus was present in some form , but not all cases were connected with the market and no animal source has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged suggesting the virus might have been circulating earlier , including from a French doctor who said his patient tested positive for coronavirus in late December .
Now there is an intriguing new clue , gleaned not from direct evidence , but from studying satellite imagery and internet search terms , which suggest hospital traffic and internet searches for symptoms were on the rise in Wuhan as early as late summer/early autumn .
Only further research into the virus , both in animals and humans will give an answer , although it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when it emerged .

But if the infection was present - undetected perhaps - some people could have been leaving Wuhan and travelling abroad and that fits with some of the other evidence we have begun to see in other parts of the world suggesting early cases of Covid-19, our correspondent says.


bbc--2020-06-09--Daniel Radcliffe hopes JK Rowling trans tweets don't 'taint' Harry Potter

Daniel Radcliffe hopes JK Rowling 's comments about gender will not `` taint '' the Harry Potter series for fans .
In a statement posted on an LGBT suicide prevention charity website , the actor said : `` Transgender women are women .
`` Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people . ''
JK Rowling had been criticised for tweets taking issue with the phrase `` people who menstruate '' .
Radcliffe said this was not about `` in-fighting '' and added he felt `` compelled to say something '' because Rowling was responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken '' .
Writing on The Trevor Project 's website he said he was sorry to anyone whose `` experience of the [ Harry Potter ] books has been tarnished '' .
`` If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe ... that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups ; if you believe that a particular character is trans , non-binary , or gender fluid , or that they are gay or bisexual ; if you found anything in these stories that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any time in your life - then that is between you and the book that you read , and it is sacred .
`` I hope that these comments will not taint that too much . ''
The actor started supporting the charity , which provides suicide-prevention counselling to young people in the US , in 2009 .
Rowling had tweeted at the weekend about an article discussing `` people who menstruate '' .
`` I 'm sure there used to be a word for those people .
Someone help me out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ In response , she was called transphobic .
Rowling stood by her comments , saying it `` is n't hate to speak the truth '' .
`` My life has been shaped by being female .
I do not believe it 's hateful to say so .
`` I know and love trans people , but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives . ''
Radcliffe said it 's important not to `` invalidate '' transgender people 's identities and `` cause further harm '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I . ''
The actress who played character Cho Chang in the Harry Potter films , Katie Leung , also shared support for trans people .
Conversation online had touched on the representation of black , Asian and minority ethnic characters in the Harry Potter series , with Cho Chang trending on Twitter .
Leung tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thoughts on Cho Chang ?
Okay , here goes ... '' Instead of commenting , she used the rest of the thread to share links to charities helping black trans people .
JK Rowling 's comments feel like `` the biggest slap in the face '' , says Scarlet Marie , a Harry Potter fan who recently came out as a trans woman .
`` Harry had all of this power and a world awaiting him , but he hid away .
I related to that , '' she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the Harry Potter series `` saved '' her .
`` No matter what torture I was feeling , I could escape it .
What people said to me could n't hurt me .
I was no longer in Birmingham , I was at Hogwarts . ''
Now she no longer wants to read the books .
`` As children , watching the movies , you 'd with siblings and say ' I 'll be Hermoine !
I 'll be Harry ! '
.
She 's taken that away .
I know she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I was n't born one .
`` It feels like this magical world she created for me , where anyone can be themselves , was n't real . ''
Rowling was criticised in December last year for defending a woman who lost her job after saying children can not change their biological sex .
At Maya Forstater 's employment tribunal , which she lost , the judge spoke about the `` enormous pain that can be caused by misgendering '' .
JK Rowling used the hashtag # IStandWithMaya , and said women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jobs for `` stating that sex is real '' .
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe... that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, non-binary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual; if you found anything in these stories that resonated with you and helped you at any time in your life - then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred.


bbc--2020-06-09--KKK 'leader' charged for attack on Black Lives Matter protesters

A self-described Ku Klux Klan leader has been arrested for allegedly driving his car into a group of Black Lives Matters protesters gathered on Sunday in the US state of Virginia .
Prosecutors say that Harry Rogers , 36 , drove `` recklessly '' towards a protest in Henrico County , and `` revved the engine '' before driving into protesters .
Mr Rogers appeared in Henrico court on the outskirts of Richmond on Monday , facing charges of assault and battery .
One protester was injured and treated at the scene , authorities said , but was not seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday night , a man drove at a crowd of protesters in Seattle , and brandished a gun at them .
The suspect is now in custody , while a 27-year-old man who was shot at the scene was taken to hospital , local authorities said .
Anti-racism protests sparked by the death of George Floyd are entering their third week .
Mr Floyd died while being restrained by a Minnesota police officer last month .
Large rallies and protests have been held in several US cities , including Richmond , New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Viewpoint : US must confront its Original Sin to move forward • In pictures : Protests against racism around world • ' A battle for the soul of America' Though some protests have involved rioting or looting , and violent clashes between participants and police , an overwhelming majority have been peaceful .
`` An attack on peaceful protesters is heinous and despicable and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law , '' Henrico Country Commonwealth 's Attorney Shannon Taylor said in a statement .
Mr Rogers told officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the highest-ranking member of the white supremacist group not in prison , US media report .
`` The accused , by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media , is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology , '' Ms Taylor said .
`` This egregious criminal act will not go unpunished .
Hate has no place here under my watch . ''
Mr Rogers is expected back in court in August .
Virginia has long been a locus for racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around Confederate symbols in the state , and the statue of Confederate general Robert Lee sparked the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville , about 80 miles from Henrico .
At that rally , a man drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters , killing a woman .
He was found guilty of murder .
Mr Rogers was also pictured at that white nationalist rally , according to the Guardian .
Last week , amid Black Lives Matters protests over the killing of Mr Floyd , Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the state capital and `` immediately '' put into storage .

"The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology," Ms Taylor said. "This egregious criminal act will not go unpunished. Hate has no place here under my watch."


bbc--2020-06-08--Britain goes coal free as renewables edge out fossil fuels

Britain is about to pass a significant landmark - at midnight on Wednesday it will have gone two full months without burning coal to generate power .
A decade ago about 40 % of the country 's electricity came from coal ; coronavirus is part of the story , but far from all .
When Britain went into lockdown , electricity demand plummeted ; the National Grid responded by taking power plants off the network .
The four remaining coal-fired plants were among the first to be shut down .
The last coal generator came off the system at midnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been burnt for electricity since .
The current coal-free period smashes the previous record of 18 days , 6 hours and 10 minutes which was set in June last year .
• Coronavirus : Five charts about the biggest carbon crash The figures apply to Britain only , as Northern Ireland is not on the National Grid .
But it reveals just how dramatic the transformation of our energy system has been in the last decade .
That the country does not need to use the fuel that used to be the backbone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massive investment in renewable energy over the last decade .
Two examples illustrate just how much the UK 's energy networks have changed .
A decade ago just 3 % of the country 's electricity came from wind and solar , which many people saw as a costly distraction .
Now the UK has the biggest offshore wind industry in the world , as well as the largest single wind farm , completed off the coast of Yorkshire last year .
At the same time Drax , the country 's biggest power plant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to renewable energy .
The plant , which is also in Yorkshire , generates 5 % of the country 's electricity .
A decade ago , it was the biggest consumer of coal in the UK but has been switching to compressed wood pellets .
`` We here at Drax decided that coal was no longer the future , '' explains Will Gardiner , the chief executive of the power group .
`` It has been a massive undertaking and then the result of all that is we 've reduced our CO2 emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year to almost zero . ''
He says the plant now uses seven million tonnes of pellets sourced from commercial forests in the US a year and says Drax will phase out coal entirely by March next year .
And it is not just coal that is being eclipsed by renewables .
So far this year , renewables have generated more power than all fossil fuels put together .
Breaking it down , renewables were responsible for 37 % of electricity supplied to the network versus 35 % for fossil fuels .
Nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the remaining 10 % or so , according to figures from the online environmental journal , Carbon Brief .
`` So far this year renewables have generated more electricity than fossil fuels and that 's never happened before '' , says Dr Simon Evans of Carbon Brief .
`` With gas also in decline , there 's a real chance that renewables will overtake fossil fuels in 2020 as a whole . ''
Setting the figures for this year context shows just how quickly this turnaround has happened .
The first day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December 2016 .
Before this year , there had been a total of 154 days when the combined power created from renewable sources exceeded those from fossil fuels .
Carbon Brief says that 91 of those days occurred in 2019 .
The decline in the role of fossil fuels in general and coal in particular looks set to continue .
The remaining three coal plants in the UK will be shut down within five years .
Then the fuel that sparked the industrial revolution here in Britain almost two centuries ago will @ @ @ @ @ @ @

They also say it will take many years for the trees in US forests where Drax sources the seven million tonnes of wood pellets it now burns each year to absorb the CO2 the power plant and its wood processing operations produce each year.


bbc--2020-06-09--Spain ex-king Juan Carlos probed over Saudi rail deal

Spain 's Supreme Court has launched an investigation into former king Juan Carlos over possible illegal commissions linked to a high-speed rail project in Saudi Arabia .
The court prosecutor 's office says it aims to establish the ex-king 's connection with the project after his abdication in June 2014 .
At that point he lost his immunity from prosecution .
Spanish anti-corruption officials suspect that the king kept some undeclared funds in Switzerland , and a Swiss investigation is under way .
However , those officials are awaiting documentation from the Swiss authorities , Spain 's La Vanguardia news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , precisely , on establishing or discarding the criminal relevance of deeds that happened after June 2014 , '' the Spanish prosecutor 's office said .
There has been no comment so far from the ex-king himself or his lawyers .
The Spanish government said that `` justice is equal for all '' and it would `` not interfere '' in the inquiry .
In March King Felipe VI renounced his inheritance from his father Juan Carlos , who is now 82 .
The royal palace said Juan Carlos would also stop receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; $ 217,100 ) .
An economic crimes specialist , Juan Ignacio Campos , will head the new investigation , aided by three other Supreme Court prosecutors .
Preliminary inquiries were launched in September 2018 , after recordings emerged of the king 's ex-mistress Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein .
Reports say she mentioned a commission in connection with the Saudi contract .
Juan Carlos ascended the throne in 1975 on the death of Gen Francisco Franco , the fascist dictator who ruled Spain for 36 years .
Juan Carlos was widely admired for steering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But towards the end of his 39-year reign he drew criticism .
There was a lavish elephant hunting trip to Botswana in 2012 , then a corruption scandal involving his youngest daughter , Cristina , and her husband Iñaki Urdangarin , which led to calls for him to step aside .

The court prosecutor's office says it aims to establish the ex-king's connection with the project after his abdication in June 2014. At that point he lost his immunity from prosecution.


bbc--2020-06-09--US Democrats introduce sweeping legislation to reform police

US Democrats in Congress have proposed sweeping legislation to reform American police , following weeks of protests against police brutality and racism .
The bill would make it easier to prosecute police for misconduct , ban chokeholds , and addresses racism .
It comes as Minneapolis lawmakers vowed to disband the city 's police force .
The death of George Floyd at the hands of a white officer there sparked national pressure for change .
However , it was unclear whether Republicans , who control the US Senate , would support the proposed Justice in Policing Act of 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` the Radical Left Democrats want to Defund and Abandon our Police .
Sorry , I want LAW & ORDER ! ''
• Five pieces of context to understand protests • Why I decided not to watch Floyd 's video Mr Floyd 's brother is expected to testify to the House of Representatives later this week in a hearing on police reform .
What does the bill say ?
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 was introduced on Monday by top Democratic lawmakers House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , Senate Minority Leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Cory Booker and members of the Congressional Black Caucus .
As she unveiled the bill , Mrs Pelosi read the names of black men and women who have died at the hands of police in recent years .
The bill forces federal police to use body and dashboard cameras , ban chokeholds , eliminate unannounced police raids known as `` no-knock warrants '' , make it easier to hold police liable for civil rights violations and calls for federal funds to be withheld from local police forces who do not make similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd gave the American experience a moment of national anguish , as we grieve for the black Americans killed by police brutality , '' Mrs Pelosi said .
`` Today , this movement of national anguish is being transformed into a movement of national action '' .
The bill makes lynching a federal crime , limits the sale of military weapons to the police and gives the Department of Justice the authority to investigate state and local police for evidence of department-wide bias or misconduct .
It would also create a `` national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of complaints against police .
Some Republican leaders have said they would consider the possibility of writing their own bill , with a hearing scheduled in the Senate Judiciary committee next week .
However , members of President Trump 's party have been largely reticent on signalling support for legislation .
In a break with his party , Republican Senator Mitt Romney on Sunday tweeted pictures of himself marching towards the White House with Christian protesters , with the caption `` Black Lives Matter . ''
What chance does the bill have ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders in Congress , can be viewed as the `` official '' position of the party - at least for now .
It is , in part , an effort to head off more drastic measures that some on the left , under the slogan `` defund the police '' , are pushing .
If the Democrats can keep their liberal ranks in line , they should be able to get the reforms passed in the House of Representatives , where they have a majority .
The outlook is less certain in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sees political advantage in trying to paint Democratic proposals as a threat to `` law and order '' .
While there is sure to be plenty of heated rhetoric from national politicians during a presidential election season , the real change may end up coming from local officials who are more directly accountable to the voters in municipalities that have seen the largest protests .
The call to disband the police in Minneapolis , while largely symbolic at this point , could indicate that sweeping changes are very real possibility - with or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of series of local experiments in policing reform that take very different forms in different parts of the US .
• WATCH : 'This is why we are protesting' • BACKGROUND : Five pieces of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?
`` Defund the police '' was a rallying cry during the latest street protests , that at times spilt into violence and looting .
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had already said he would divert money from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Defunding '' advocates have for years been condemning what they describe as the aggressive militarised policing in the US .
They argue that police departments ' budgets should be slashed and funds diverted to social programmes to avoid unnecessary confrontation and heal the racial divide .
President Donald Trump has sought to cast his expected presidential challenger , Democrat Joe Biden , as a proponent of defunding police , but Mr Biden on Monday denied that he was a supporter .
`` I do n't support defunding the police , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC 's US partner CBS .
`` I support conditioning federal aid to police , based on whether or not they meet certain basic standards of decency and ... are able to demonstrate they can protect the community and everybody in the community . ''
Entire city police departments have been disbanded before in the country : in Compton , California , in 2000 , and 12 years later in Camden , New Jersey .
In both cases they were replaced with bigger new forces that covered local counties .
What 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered again on Sunday in US cities including Washington DC , New York , and Los Angeles - where a local broadcaster estimated 20,000 people had rallied down Hollywood Boulevard .
The protests were mostly peaceful , and security measures across the US were lifted as unrest started to ease .
However , Seattle Police Department said a man drove a car into a demonstration there on Sunday night , before shooting and wounding a 27-year-old bystander .
The UK also saw sizeable weekend protests in support of Black Lives Matter , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cardiff , Leicester and Sheffield .
Protesters in London knelt for a minute 's silence before chanting `` no justice , no peace '' .
In Australia , tens of thousands joined anti-racism protests in Brisbane , Melbourne , Hobart , Adelaide and elsewhere , despite warnings from officials over the coronavirus .

George Floyd dies after police arrest Image caption Tributes to George Floyd at a makeshift memorial Image copyright by Getty Images George Floyd dies after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Footage shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for several minutes while he is pinned to the floor. Mr Floyd is heard repeatedly saying "I can’t breathe". He is pronounced dead later in hospital.
Protests begin Image caption Demonstrators in Minneapolis Image copyright by AFP Four officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd are fired. Protests begin as the video of the arrest is shared widely on social media. Hundreds of demonstrators take to the streets of Minneapolis and vandalise police cars and the police station with graffiti.
Protests spread Image caption Protesters lie on the streets in Portland, Oregon Image copyright by Reuters Protests spread to other cities including Memphis and Los Angeles. In some places, like Portland, Oregon, protesters lie in the road, chanting "I can’t breathe". Demonstrators again gather around the police station in Minneapolis where the officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest were based and set fire to it. The building is evacuated and police retreat.
Trump tweets Image caption President Trump tweets about the unrest Image copyright by Reuters President Trump blames the violence on a lack of leadership in Minneapolis and threatens to send in the National Guard in a tweet. He follows it up in a second tweet with a warning "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". The second tweet is hidden by Twitter for "glorifying violence".
CNN reporter arrested Image caption Members of a CNN crew are arrested at a protest Image copyright by Reuters A CNN reporter, Omar Jimenez, is arrested while covering the Minneapolis protest. Mr Jimenez was reporting live when police officers handcuffed him. A few minutes later several of his colleagues are also arrested. They are all later released once they are confirmed to be members of the media. Derek Chauvin charged with murder Image caption Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin after being charged over the death of George Floyd Image copyright by Getty Images Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, is charged with murder and manslaughter. The charges carry a combined maximum 35-year sentence.
Sixth night of protests Image caption Demonstrators set fire to rubbish in New York Image copyright by Reuters Violence spreads across the US on the sixth night of protests. A total of at least five people are reported killed in protests from Indianapolis to Chicago. More than 75 cities have seen protests. At least 4,400 people have been arrested. Curfews are imposed across the US to try to stem the unrest.
Trump threatens military response Image caption Trump posing with a Bible outside a boarded-up church Image copyright by EPA President Trump threatens to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest. He says if cities and states fail to control the protests and "defend their residents" he will deploy the army and "quickly solve the problem for them". Mr Trump poses in front of a damaged church shortly after police used tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters nearby.
Eighth night of protests Image caption George Floyd’s family joined protesters in Houston Image copyright by Getty Tens of thousands of protesters again take to the streets. One of the biggest protests is in George Floyd’s hometown of Houston, Texas. Many defy curfews in several cities, but the demonstrations are largely peaceful.
Memorial service for George Floyd Image caption Mourners gather to remember George Floyd Image copyright by Getty A memorial service for George Floyd is held in Minneapolis. Those gathered in tribute stand in silence for eight minutes, 46 seconds, the amount of time Mr Floyd is alleged to have been on the ground under arrest. Hundreds attended the service, which heard a eulogy from civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton.
International protests Image caption Protester addresses crowds in Australia Image copyright by Getty As the US saw another weekend of protests, with tens of thousands marching in Washington DC, anti-racism demonstrations were held around the world. In Australia, there were major protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that focused on the treatment of indigenous Australians. There were also demonstrations in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. In Bristol, protesters tore down the statue of a 17th century slave trader and threw it into the harbour.


bbc--2020-06-09--Prince Andrew 'falsely portraying himself as willing', US prosecutor claims

The Duke of York has `` sought to falsely portray himself '' as eager to co-operate with an inquiry into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , the US prosecutor in charge of the investigation has said .
US attorney Geoffrey Berman said Prince Andrew `` has repeatedly declined our request '' to schedule an interview .
The prince 's lawyers previously rejected claims he had not co-operated , saying he offered to help three times .
The duke will not be extradited , the US government 's chief lawyer has said .
US Attorney General William Barr told Fox News : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question of handing him over .
I think it 's just a question of having him provide some evidence . ''
Prince Andrew stepped away from royal duties last year after an interview he gave to the BBC about his relationship with Epstein .
Epstein took his own life in a US jail cell in August , aged 66 , while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges .
The duke has been heavily scrutinised for his friendship with Epstein , but he has said he did not witness any suspicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's homes .
Mr Berman , the US attorney for the Southern District of New York , has criticised the duke in the past .
In January he accused him of providing `` zero co-operation '' and in March he said Andrew had `` completely shut the door '' on helping investigators .
On Monday , Prince Andrew 's lawyers responded for the first time and hit back at the claims as `` inaccurate '' .
Mr Berman then issued a statement , deepening the row .
He said : `` Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portray himself to the public as eager and willing to co-operate with an ongoing federal criminal investigation into sex trafficking and related offences committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates . ''
He said the duke `` has not given an interview to federal authorities , has repeatedly declined our request to schedule such an interview , and nearly four months ago informed us unequivocally - through the very same counsel who issued today 's release - that he would not come in for such an interview '' .
`` If Prince Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-operating with the ongoing federal investigation , our doors remain open , and we await word of when we should expect him . ''
The duke 's lawyers declined to comment further .
But a source said : `` This is the third time Berman has breached his own confidentiality rules , further diminishing our trust in the DoJ 's willingness to play a straight bat .
It 's frankly bewildering . ''
Earlier , the legal team said : `` As the public record indicates the DoJ has been actively investigating Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 16 years , yet the first time they requested the duke 's help was on 2 January 2020 .
`` Importantly , the DoJ advised us that the duke is not and has never been a 'target ' of their criminal investigations into Epstein and that they sought his confidential , voluntary co-operation . ''
Lawyer Gloria Allred , who represents some of Epstein 's victims , told BBC Breakfast she thinks Prince Andrew has `` very little credibility '' .
`` I have a lot of suspicion about what he is saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that she did not feel the same way towards Mr Berman .
She added that the victims are in pain and `` deserve the truth '' .
`` Questioning the motives of the prosecutors , I just think that 's meaningless in this situation , '' she said .
`` Let him step up to the bar of justice , take the oath and just tell the truth . ''
The duke 's lawyers said they had asked US prosecutors to confirm the co-operation would remain confidential , adding : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our discussions and the interview process would remain confidential . ''
They added : `` The Duke of York has on at least three occasions this year offered his assistance as a witness to the DoJ .
`` Unfortunately , the DoJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the duke has offered zero co-operation .
In doing so , they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered . ''
The legal team added : `` It is a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to breach its own rules of confidentiality , not least as they are designed to encourage witness co-operation .
`` Far from our client acting above the law , as has been implied by press briefings in the US , he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen .
Further , those same breaches of confidentiality by the DoJ have given the global media - and , therefore , the worldwide audience - an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak to the prince as part of its Epstein inquiry , by submitting a mutual legal assistance ( MLA ) request to the UK Home Office .
Under the terms of a MLA request if Prince Andrew does not voluntarily respond , he can be called to a UK court to answer questions .
The duke 's lawyers described the request as `` disappointing '' because the Duke of York was `` not a target of the DoJ investigation and has recently repeated his willingness to provide a witness statement '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2005 when the parents of a 14-year-old girl told police in Florida that Epstein had molested their daughter at his Palm Beach home .
The financier was accused of paying girls under the age of 18 to perform sex acts at his Manhattan and Florida mansions between 2002 and 2005 .
However , a controversial secret plea deal in 2008 saw him plead guilty to a lesser charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution .
He received an 18-month prison sentence and was released on probation after 13 months .
In July 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further allegations of sex trafficking and conspiracy and was due to face trial .
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges .
In his interview with the BBC 's Newsnight programme in November 2019 , the duke said he did not regret his friendship with Epstein - which led to Epstein attending events at Windsor Castle and Sandringham - because it had `` some seriously beneficial outcomes '' .
• Six things we learned from Prince Andrew interview However , he admitted it was wrong of him to visit Epstein at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He also denied having sex with Virginia Giuffre , when she was a teenager , who said she was trafficked by Epstein when she was 17 and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew .
Prince Andrew emphatically denies any form of sexual contact or relationship with her and says any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation .
He said he has no recollection of ever meeting the woman , who was previously known as Virginia Roberts .
Shortly after the interview was broadcast , Prince Andrew said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement agency '' .

"Far from our client acting above the law, as has been implied by press briefings in the US, he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen. Further, those same breaches of confidentiality by the DoJ have given the global media - and, therefore, the worldwide audience - an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them."


bbc--2020-06-09--Adam Rapoport: Bon Appetit editor resigns over 'racist culture'

The editor-in-chief of food magazine Bon Appetit has resigned after a `` brownface '' photo sparked allegations of racism at the outlet .
Adam Rapoport stood down after the photo from 2013 resurfaced online .
At the same time , staff described a culture of racism at the magazine - including allegations that non-white people were n't paid , or were paid less , for video appearances .
The fallout began on 31 May , when Mr Rapoport wrote a blog post about how Bon Appetit was covering the protests around George Floyd 's death and the Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korsha Wilson called the post `` empty '' , saying she personally knew `` Black women and women of colour who were gaslit , fired , and their ideas used by y'all '' .
Then , on Monday , a screenshot of a 2013 Instagram photo of Mr Rapoport was posted on Twitter .
The original photo had been posted by Mr Rapoport 's wife on her private account , according to reports , and showed him wearing a durag , baseball cap and chains .
His wife tagged the photo `` boricua @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like `` blackface '' , `` brownface '' typically refers to when someone paints their face darker to appear like someone with a different skin colour .
But it is also used when someone dresses up in a way to evoke a racial or cultural stereotype .
After the photo was circulated , a number of current and former Bon Appetit staff members publicly condemned Mr Rapoport on social media , and shared their own experiences of racism at the outlet .
In a statement posted on Instagram , Mr Rapoport said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costume 16 years ago to my blind spots as an editor , I 've not championed an inclusive vision . ''
Meanwhile , Carla Lalli Music , a chef and former food director at the magazine , tweeted that while she was there she `` did n't do enough to make sure we covered Black cuisine and Black chefs in particular , and BIPOC [ Black , indigenous and people of colour ] recipes in general '' .
`` I accepted the brand 's definition of what the 'mainstream ' food trends were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke up ... sometimes .
I should have done more . ''
• ' I was called `` bling '' because I was black' • Why US protests are so powerful this time Alex Lau , who was a staff photographer at Bon Appetit , said he left for `` multiple reasons , but one of the main reasons was that white leadership refused to make changes that my BIPOC coworkers and I constantly pushed for '' .
`` This is a larger issue than that picture ( which is irrefutably terrible and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem that needs to be addressed now , '' he tweeted .
And in a series of Instagram stories , Sohla El-Waylly , an editor at the magazine , said Mr Rapoport 's photo was `` just a symptom of the systematic racism that runs rampant within Conde Nast as a whole '' .
`` I am 35 years old and have over 15 years of professional experience .
I was hired as an assistant editor at $ 50k ( £39,600 ) to assist mostly white editors with significantly less experience than me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been pushed in front of video as a display of diversity .
In reality , currently only white editors are paid for their video appearances .
None of the people of colour have been compensated . ''
In a statement , Condé Nast said it had a `` zero tolerance '' policy towards discrimination .
`` Consistent with that , we go to great lengths to ensure that employees are paid fairly , in accordance with their roles and experience , across the entire company . ''
Bon Appetit is n't the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Monday , Refinery29 's editor-in-chief and co-founder Christene Barberich resigned after former staff described a `` toxic '' office culture .
When the women 's lifestyle site blacked out its homepage last week for the Black Out Tuesday movement , Ashley Alese Edwards accused the company of hypocrisy .
In response another journalist , Ashley C Ford , wrote : `` I worked at Refinery29 for less than nine months due to a toxic company culture where white women 's egos ruled the near non-existent editorial processes .
One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our full-time front desk associates and pay disparity was atrocious . ''
In a statement on Instagram , Ms Barberich wrote that she 'd `` taken in the raw and personal accounts of Black women and women of colour regarding their experiences inside our company at Refinery29 '' .
`` What 's clear from these experiences is that R29 has to change .
We have to do better , and that starts with making room , '' she said .
`` And so I will be stepping aside in my role at R29 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ensure this brand and the people it touches can spark a new defining chapter . ''