bbc--2020-07-07--Russian space official Safronov arrested for treason

A spokesman for the head of the Russian space agency has been arrested for treason , the agency says .
Roskosmos said in a statement ( in Russian ) that former journalist Ivan Safronov 's arrest was not linked to his current job there .
Russian security service the FSB said he was suspected of espionage for a Nato country , Ria news agency said .
Safronov used to be a military reporter at the business dailies Kommersant and Vedomosti .
However , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the BBC : `` As far as we know this is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any way . ''
Safronov joined Roskosmos as information adviser to director general Dmitry Rogozin in the middle of May .
The space agency said it was helping investigators with their inquiries .
The former journalist faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted .
Ria quoted an FSB statement as saying Safronov was believed to have been working for the security services of an unspecified Nato country .
`` He gathered and passed to its representative classified information about military-technical co-operation , defence and security of the Russian Federation , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an FSB source as saying Safronov was called in for questioning by the FSB a year ago but there was no suggestion of criminal charges at the time .
However , in June 2019 , court proceedings were held over the alleged disclosure by Kommersant of information constituting a state secret .
The information reportedly had to do with an article co-authored by Safronov about Russia 's deliveries of Su-35 fighter aircraft to Egypt .
The report was later removed from the Kommersant website .
By the time of the court case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an article he worked on suggesting that Russian upper house speaker Valentina Matviyenko was about to leave her post .
The entire politics desk of the paper resigned in protest at the dismissal .
Safronov 's father , also named Ivan , was a well-known military commentator at Kommersant .
He died after falling from the fifth floor of a Moscow apartment building in 2007 .
Ivan Safronov senior had been investigating claims of planned Russian arms sales to Syria and Iran at the time of his death , Kommersant said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to give it its full name , evolved into its current form in 2015 as a national corporation responsible for a wide range of space flights and programmes .
Mr Rogozin , a controversial nationalist politician , took charge of the agency in May 2018 .
But it has been beset with problems .
An accident later in 2018 forced the launch of a Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station to be aborted .
Just before this incident , the crew on the ISS had discovered a mysterious hole .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pet space project , the Vostochny space centre , was tainted by scandal as top officials were jailed for theft and corruption .

There will be an especially intense focus on this case, though. Ivan Safronov is well known in Moscow journalist circles. A young man who wrote on often sensitive, military topics, he's described by friends as honest, open and professional and there is a sense of bewilderment - and fear - here at his arrest.


bbc--2020-07-07--Johnny Depp takes UK tabloid to court

Johnny Depp takes UK tabloid to court

Claims that Johnny Depp was violent towards ex-wife Amber Heard are `` complete lies '' , his lawyers have told the High Court .
The actor is suing the publisher of The Sun - News Group Newspapers ( NGN ) - and executive editor Dan Wootton , over an April 2018 article that referred to him as a `` wife beater '' .
Mr Depp has strenuously denied that he was violent towards Ms Heard .
Both Mr Depp and Ms Heard were in court in London on Tuesday morning .
In a written outline of the Hollywood star 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said the article made `` defamatory allegations of the utmost seriousness '' against Mr Depp , accusing him of committing serious assaults on Ms Heard and `` inflicting such serious injuries that she feared for her life '' .
Mr Sherborne said : `` The articles amount to a full-scale attack on the claimant as a 'wife beater ' , guilty of the most horrendous physical abuse . ''
He added : `` The claimant 's position is clear - Ms Heard 's allegations are complete lies .
`` The claimant was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was she who was violent to him . ''
Mr Sherborne also asked Mr Depp - called as the first witness in the case - about a recording of a conversation between the actor and Ms Heard on September 26 2015 .
Mr Depp explained that both he and Ms Heard recorded conversations during their relationship .
In her witness statement , Ms Heard had said that she recorded their conversations `` to remind Johnny of what he would do when using drugs and alcohol because he would n't remember , or deny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Depp said that was not correct , telling the court that Ms Heard 's later recollection of their conversations would sometimes be `` radically different '' .
A defamation action is a civil law claim and can be brought if someone publishes to other people a statement about you which has either caused your reputation serious harm or is likely to cause it serious harm .
There are four possible defences to defamation .
Firstly , that the statement about you is true .
Secondly , that it was not a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thirdly , that publication was justified because it was on a matter of public interest , and finally that it was protected by `` privilege '' .
However , defamation actions work differently from many civil actions such as breach of contract , where the burden of proving the `` wrong '' lies with the person bringing the claim .
In defamation , that person has to show that the statement about them has a defamatory meaning - ie that it lowers them in the minds of right-thinking members of society .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge at an early , pre-trial stage .
Many cases settle after the judge has ruled on meaning , but if a claim does go to trial , the burden then lies with the publisher to prove , for example , that the statement was substantially true .
This is when the gloves come off and personal reputations and behaviour come under intense scrutiny .
NGN previously tried to have the case thrown out , but Mr Justice Nicol ruled last week the case could go ahead .
The Sun 's original article @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was married to the Pirates of the Caribbean star from 2015 to 2017 .
Witnesses including Mr Depp 's former partners Vanessa Paradis and Winona Ryder are expected to give evidence via video link , and the trial is expected to last for three weeks .
In preliminary proceedings last month , Mr Justice Nicol ruled that Mr Depp had breached a court order by not providing text messages relating to his alleged drug use .
NGN 's lawyers argued that the texts , sent in 2015 , demonstrated Mr Depp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while staying in Australia with Ms Heard , during which time an incident of domestic abuse is alleged to have occurred .
His barrister had said the messages were not relevant because they did not relate to the allegations of domestic violence that The Sun made reference to in an article headlined `` Gone Potty - How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy ' casting wife beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film ? ''
The judge said he would grant Mr Depp `` relief from sanctions '' over the breach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicol said his decision was conditional on Mr Depp agreeing not to seek sanctions against Ms Heard for allegedly breaching another court order , made during separate libel proceedings in the US , by providing The Sun 's legal team with evidence .
Mr Depp , 57 , has been Oscar and Bafta-nominated and won a Golden Globe in 2008 for Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street .
He married the Aquaman and The Danish Girl actress , now 34 , in February 2015 , but she filed for divorce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email us at entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

Mr Depp was also questioned about his use of drugs and said there had been "an internal fight in me in terms of alcohol and drugs and other numbing agents throughout my life, from the age of 11", when he first took one of his mother's "nerve pills".


bbc--2020-07-07--Hisham al-Hashimi: Leading Iraqi expert on armed groups killed in Baghdad

A leading Iraqi expert on armed groups who advised governments and appeared frequently in the media has been shot dead in the capital , Baghdad .
Hisham al-Hashimi was killed near his home in the Ziyouna district on Monday night by two gunmen riding a motorbike .
No group has said it was behind the shooting , but he had reportedly been threatened by the Sunni jihadist group Islamic State and Shia militias .
`` We vow to his killers that we will pursue them so they are justly punished .
We will not allow assassinations to return to Iraq @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement said .
The US embassy in Baghdad said in a Facebook post that it was `` deeply shocked and saddened by the cowardly murder '' .
`` Our deepest condolences to his family and to the people of Iraq for the tragic loss of this Iraqi national treasure .
We call on the Iraqi government to bring those responsible for his murder to swift justice . ''
`` We strongly condemn this despicable act of cowardice , '' a statement said .
His body was carried in a small , simple cortege @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hisham al-Hashimi was also borne by the wave of grief and shock which swept round the world .
Everyone he had somehow found time for was suddenly connected : young journalists he patiently guided ; diplomats needing greater depth of understanding ; officials and analysts who had turned to the man now hailed as knowing more than anyone else about everyone with a gun and a grievance imperilling a better future for Iraq .
On social media , even the head of an education charity marvelled how Mr Hashimi had found time for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunch , when journalists were queuing for comments .
Iraq 's new Prime Minister , Mustafa al-Kadhimi , another personal friend , vowed to find and punish his killers .
Hundreds of thinkers and doers have been killed with impunity in Iraq .
This time the world is watching .
Mr Hashimi 's research focused on Sunni jihadism and he wrote several books on the subject .
When Islamic State ( IS ) militants seized control of large swathes of Iraq in 2014 , he advised the government on how to defeat them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Hashimi also commented on the Iran-backed Shia militia groups in Iraq that gained substantial power and influence while helping the government battle IS and have remained unaccountable , despite being incorporated into the security forces .
His work reportedly led to him receiving death threats .
Mr Hashimi 's brother told people at his funeral on Tuesday : `` Shortly before the assassination , he told the family about the death threats [ IS ] had made . ''
Acquaintances , meanwhile , told the Washington Post that he had briefly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being warned by Kataib Hezbollah , a Iran-backed militia that is suspected of carrying out a series of rocket attacks targeting Iraqi bases hosting US forces and the US embassy in Baghdad .
Iraqi activist Ghaith al-Tamimi also tweeted screenshots of what he said were WhatsApp messages sent about a month ago by Mr Hashimi , in which he wrote that he had been threatened by Kataib Hezbollah and asked for advice .
Mr Tamimi told the US-based outlet Alhurra that he had subsequently advised Mr Hashimi over the phone that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
However , Mr Hashimi remained in Baghdad and continued his media work .
He recently commented on a raid on a Kataib Hezbollah facility ordered by Prime Minister Kadhimi , who has vowed to crack down on groups operating outside the law .
`` Even if this operation does not lead to a legal or judicial result or it ends with a political settlement or a judicial settlement , it still has given the necessary message to the security forces and the judiciary to allow them to overcome the barrier of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he told the New York Times .

"Even if this operation does not lead to a legal or judicial result or it ends with a political settlement or a judicial settlement, it still has given the necessary message to the security forces and the judiciary to allow them to overcome the barrier of fear made by these armed groups," he told the New York Times.


bbc--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Spanish study casts doubt on herd immunity feasibility

A Spanish study has cast doubt on the feasibility of herd immunity as a way of tackling the coronavirus pandemic .
The study of more than 60,000 people estimates that around just 5 % of the Spanish population has developed antibodies , the medical journal the Lancet reported .
Herd immunity is achieved when enough people become infected with a virus to stop its spread .
Around 70 % to 90 % of a population needs to be immune to protect the uninfected .
The prevalence of Covid-19 antibodies was below 3 % in coastal regions , but higher in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the report said .
`` Despite the high impact of Covid-19 in Spain , prevalence estimates remain low and are clearly insufficient to provide herd immunity , '' the study 's authors said in the report .
`` This can not be achieved without accepting the collateral damage of many deaths in the susceptible population and overburdening of health systems .
`` In this situation , social distance measures and efforts to identify and isolate new cases and their contacts are imperative for future epidemic control . ''
The study is thought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus in Europe .
There have been studies of a similar kind in China and the US and `` the key finding from these representative cohorts is that most of the population appears to have remained unexposed '' to the coronavirus , `` even in areas with widespread virus circulation , '' the Lancet article said .
Prof Danny Altmann , British Society for Immunology spokesperson and Professor of Immunology at Imperial College London , described the study as `` sobering '' .
`` Findings such as this reinforce the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather short-lived immunity , the challenge is to identify the best vaccine strategies able to overcome these problems and stimulate a large , sustained , optimal , immune response in the way the virus failed to do , '' Prof Altmann said .
The country has recorded more than a quarter of a million cases and at least 28,385 deaths .
But daily fatalities have been in the single figures for most of the past three weeks .
However , officials in the north-western region of Galicia have re-imposed restrictions on an area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials linked local outbreaks to bars in the area .
Capacity in bars and restaurants have been limited to 50 % .
There are now 258 cases of Covid-19 in Galicia , including 117 in Lugo province , authorities say .
On Saturday the autonomous government of Catalonia re-imposed controls on an area of 210,000 residents after a sharp rise in infections there .
Catalan President Quim Torra said no-one would be allowed to enter or leave Segrià , a district west of Barcelona that includes the city of Lleida .
Herd immunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or if enough of the population is exposed to an infection and recovers .
If enough people are immune to a disease , it is unlikely to keep spreading from person to person .
Letting the coronavirus infection run and risking lots of people getting very sick with it is not an option - it would put too many lives in danger .
And currently , there is no vaccine for coronavirus - even though hundreds are in development .
The challenge is to make a jab that provides enough protection .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system to learn and remember how to make antibodies that can fight off coronavirus .
Scientists are concerned that this `` memory '' might be too short-lived though , given the nature of the disease .
While some people who catch coronavirus develop protective antibodies , experts do not yet know how long these last .
Common colds are caused by similar viruses and the body 's immune response fades quickly to those .

Herd immunity can be reached either by widespread vaccination or if enough of the population is exposed to an infection and recovers. If enough people are immune to a disease, it is unlikely to keep spreading from person to person. Letting the coronavirus infection run and risking lots of people getting very sick with it is not an option - it would put too many lives in danger.


bbc--2020-07-07--Russia cracks down on marmot hunt in plague scare

Russian public health officials and police are visiting communities near Mongolia warning them not to hunt marmots , as at least two people have caught bubonic plague in Mongolia .
Some shepherds in Russia 's mountainous Altai region traditionally hunt marmots and eat the meat , defying a ban .
In western Mongolia a quarantine has been imposed on Khovd province .
A plague case was also confirmed in neighbouring China .
Fleas from rats transmitted the medieval Black Death .
Highly infectious bubonic plague killed about 50 million people across Africa , Asia and Europe in the 14th Century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Death after the dark swellings or `` buboes '' that victims suffered .
Today plague can be treated effectively with antibiotics if caught in time , but left untreated the fever can kill a victim in a very short time .
Russian media report that there have been previous outbreaks of plague in Altai and that the consumption of infected marmot meat is a known transmission route .
The public information campaign in Altai 's Kosh-Agach district is being led by the Russian food hygiene agency Rospotrebnadzor .
Leaflets are being distributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for rapid diagnosis has been sent to Tashanta , near the border .
Most cross-border traffic - apart from food deliveries - is already banned because of the coronavirus lockdown .
The government in neighbouring Tuva , another mountainous region bordering on Mongolia , has also warned citizens of the plague risk , and told them not to hunt marmots .
A Tuva government notice says `` the bacteria are spread by fleas which inhabit the fur of rodents .
Rats and the meat of marmots and camels are dangerous to humans '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports that 16,500 people were inoculated against plague at the start of the hunting season in Kosh-Agach .
`` Since the middle of the last century the Kosh-Agach district has been a known natural hotbed of plague , '' it reports .
A 15-year-old boy who ate marmot meat reportedly infected with plague is now in hospital in Mongolia , Tass news agency reports .
In 2016 , in Altai , a 10-year-old boy was cured of plague after eating marmot meat .
He had been staying with his shepherd grandfather .

Leaflets are being distributed in remote communities and a mobile lab for rapid diagnosis has been sent to Tashanta, near the border. Most cross-border traffic - apart from food deliveries - is already banned because of the coronavirus lockdown.


bbc--2020-07-07--Ringo Starr to celebrate 80th milestone with music friends

Ringo Starr is grateful for the past and upbeat about the future , saying he 's looking forward to celebrating his 80th birthday on 7 July , even though it will now be online due to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I 've got a huge birthday ; I am going to be 80 , '' says Starr .
`` But I am going to celebrate it a little differently this year from the last 12 years , where we had the peace and love moment at noon . ''
This annual tradition began in 2008 at a 100-guest gathering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago .
Since then it has expanded to 27 countries , with its epicentre on a big stage in Hollywood .
The Beatles drummer celebrates the event with music performances from himself and his friends , in front of 100s of fans .
But he had to cancel the event this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
Instead , he will put on a virtual charity concert on YouTube called Ringo 's Big Birthday Show .
He 'll be joined by Sir Paul McCartney , Joe Walsh , Ben Harper , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheila E to benefit Black Lives Matter , The David Lynch Foundation , MusiCares and WaterAid .
`` I 've asked several of my friends to either send me footage from a show they 've done and I 'm using some of mine from the All-Starrs [ his band ] last year and I 'll be there introducing .
`` We 're putting the show on at 5 o'clock ( PST ) .
But it 's still my birthday and still peace and love , '' says Starr .
Neither age nor the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his upcoming tours have dimmed his spirit .
`` I 'm playing actually more now than I ever did , '' he says .
`` With the All-Starrs we do one tour a year , now I 'm doing two tours a year .
And I have many blessings : family blessings , children blessings .
`` I 've got eight grandchildren now and a great-grandson .
Life has been very kind to me .
And we 're in a great business because we do n't have to retire ; we can just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go on .
And I plan to go on a lot longer than 80 . ''
The Liverpool-born musician began his love affair with music at the age of 13 , when he was in the hospital recovering from tuberculosis .
`` The music teacher came round to keep us busy .
We were all in bed with tuberculosis .
He gave me a little drum .
And from that minute I only wanted to be a drummer .
And look at this now ; I 'm still doing it . ''
Soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a taste for Country .
But it was his infatuation with Blues that drove him to apply for immigration to the US in order to move to Houston , Texas .
`` I wanted to be where Lightnin ' Hopkins was - my all-time favourite Blues player , '' he explains .
Starr went to London to submit the paperwork at the US embassy .
`` We even had a list of factories that we could 've applied for jobs .
But they gave us more paperwork and more sheets to fill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Back in Liverpool , the 19-year-old drummer was recruited by Rory Storm and the Hurricanes before replacing The Beatles ' drummer , Pete Best , in 1962 and becoming the fourth member of the band alongside John Lennon , Paul McCartney and George Harrison .
Soon , the Beatles were catapulted to the pinnacle of worldwide influence and fame .
`` At the beginning , we wanted to make music , which we did .
`` But we got so big the price to pay was that we could n't go to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
We can go where we like .
And thanks to the pandemic we 've all got masks on so they do n't know me , '' Starr laughs .
The pressure of Beatlemania , the death of manager Brian Epstein in 1967 , and disagreements among the members led to the breakup of the band in 1970 .
Some laid the blame on Lennon 's partner , Yoko Ono but Starr speaks fondly of her , saying `` the press put it all in a strange place '' .
Starr met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studio .
`` She was in bed , and John , '' he laughs .
`` We never had our wives there , because we were working .
They 'd come in , say 'hi ' and leave .
So we saw this bed and that was pretty freaky . ''
Lennon said afterwards : `` When you go home , and your wife asks you , 'What have you been doing today ? '
You say : 'Oh , we made a few tracks ' or , 'We had a cup of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them : `` What we are planning is for her ( Ono ) to know exactly what I 'm doing and I 'll know what she 's doing .
So we know each other better . ''
Starr accepted Lennon 's reasoning and became friends with Ono and later played on The Plastic , Ono 's first record .
`` You know , she made a lot of records and I said one day : 'Yoko , you should make a record , sing the songs . '
And she did .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I said : 'You should go back to the yodelling , ' '' he laughs , adding that he always says hello to her whenever he visits New York .
After the Beatles , Starr released several solo records , scoring several hits in the '70s before alcohol paused his career until 1989 , when he made a comeback with the formation of the All-Starr band .
To this day , however , he remains attached to his iconic band .
`` The Beatles are still relevant today to the next generation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're interested in music they listen to our stuff .
And to this day , thanks to Giles Martin , who 's remastering everything , I 'm still playing it . ''

"I've got eight grandchildren now and a great-grandson. Life has been very kind to me. And we're in a great business because we don't have to retire; we can just go on as long as we can go on. And I plan to go on a lot longer than 80."


bbc--2020-07-06--‘I’m looking forward to hugging my grandchildren’

The Duchess of Cornwall has said the `` worst bit '' of lockdown has been not seeing her children and @ @ @ @ @ Radio 5 Live 's Emma Barnett , Camilla said the internet has been `` brilliant @ @ @ @ @ , but she `` shall look forward to the day when I can give [ @ @ @ @ @ hug again '' .
As part of her being the guest editor of The Emma @ @ @ @ @ also explained how she has been taking ballet classes over Facebook during lockdown , before @ @ @ @ @ , she said the Prince of Wales is unlikely to join her in a `` @ @ @ @ @ soon .
The duchess also reflected on causes and charities which have come to the @ @ @ @ @ Listen on BBC Sounds from 10:00 BST on Tuesday 7 July 2020 .

The Duchess of Cornwall has said the "worst bit" of lockdown has been not seeing her children and grandchildren.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Emma Barnett, Camilla said the internet has been "brilliant" for keeping in touch, but she "shall look forward to the day when I can give [my grandchildren] a big hug again".
As part of her being the guest editor of The Emma Barnett Show, the duchess also explained how she has been taking ballet classes over Facebook during lockdown, before injuring her back.
However, she said the Prince of Wales is unlikely to join her in a "pas de deux" anytime soon.
The duchess also reflected on causes and charities which have come to the fore during the lockdown.
Listen on BBC Sounds from 10:00 BST on Tuesday 7 July 2020.


bbc--2020-07-07--India coronavirus: Life-saving Covid-19 drugs sold on Delhi black market

A BBC investigation has found that two life-saving drugs used to treat Covid-19 patients in India - remdesivir and tocilizumab - are in short supply and being sold for excessive rates on a thriving black market .
Vikas Pandey reports from the capital Delhi .
Abhinav Sharma 's uncle had very high fever and difficulty breathing when he was admitted to a hospital in Delhi .
He tested positive for coronavirus and doctors told the family to get remdesivir - an antiviral drug that 's been approved in India for clinical trial and also under `` emergency use authorisation '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compassionate grounds .
But procuring it proved an impossible task - remdesivir did not seem to be available anywhere .
Mr Sharma desperately called people to arrange for the drug as his uncle 's condition deteriorated by the hour .
`` I had tears in my eyes .
My uncle was fighting for his life and I was struggling to arrange the medicine that could possibly save him , '' he said .
`` After dozens of calls , I paid seven times the price to get the medicine .
I was willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my heart goes out to people who ca n't afford it , '' he said .
Mr Sharma 's plight is familiar to many families in Delhi , desperate to do whatever it takes to save their loved ones .
Some say they have been forced to pay exorbitant prices for the drug - many of those ending up at a medicine market in old Delhi .
The BBC was able to connect to people working at the market who said they could arrange the drug , but for the right price .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ - but each will cost 30,000 rupees [ $ 401 ; £321 ] and you have to come right away , '' said one man , who claimed he worked in the `` medicine business '' .
The official price for each vial is 5,400 rupees , and a patient typically needs five to six doses .
Another man quoted 38,000 rupees per vial .
• US buys nearly all of Covid-19 drug remdesivir The demand for remdesivir is driven by the fact that it has managed to cut the duration of Covid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in clinical trial at hospitals around the world .
Experts have warned that it 's no `` silver bullet '' .
But in the absence of any proven drug , doctors are increasingly prescribing it in India , driving demand in Delhi and other Indian cities .
The BBC has learned of several similar instances where families of patients in Delhi and neighbouring districts had to pay excessive prices for remdesivir .
Some say they even spent their life 's savings to buy the drug - just to give a loved one a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reason for this kind of profiteering seems to be a massive gap between supply and demand .
US-based Gilead Sciences , which originally developed remdesivir to treat Ebola , has allowed four Indian companies - Cipla , Jubilant Life , Hetero Drugs and Mylon - to produce it in India .
However , only one of these companies - Hetero- has produced it so far .
The company has distributed 20,000 doses of the drug between five states and told the BBC that it was n't sure how the `` leakage '' was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the medicine to our distributors .
As per the guidelines , we have directly supplied the vials to hospitals , '' Hetero 's vice-president of sales Sandeep Shahstri said .
He added that the firm was working hard to meet demand and `` such black marketing was really demoralising '' .
`` We understand the pain of the families .
They should n't be told to go and hunt for the drug .
We are confident of increasing our production in the next few days and the situation should get better . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the drug either .
`` A woman called me from Hyderabad last night .
Her father is in a Delhi hospital - she said she would pay any amount to get the medicine .
But there was nothing that I could do , '' said Rajeev Tyagi , vice president of a chemists association in Ghaziabad near Delhi .
So how is the drug ending up at the medicine market in old Delhi ?
Rajiv Singhal , general secretary of All India Chemists and Druggists Association - an umbrella body of medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner is involved .
`` I am sure that none of our members are involved in such practices .
It 's a national health emergency and I want to give a clear message that strict action will be taken against if anyone is found to be selling life-saving medicines illegally , '' he said .
But the issue appears to not just be with remdesivir .
The prices of another life-saving drug , tocilizumab , have also exponentially gone up .
The drug , sold as Actemra , has shown positive results in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Experts say more research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness , but many hospitals have reported positive results .
But the drug was originally meant for patients of rheumatoid arthritis and supply has always has been limited .
Cipla sells the medicine in India on behalf of Switzerland-based Roche and it 's entirely imported .
But it 's hard to find - especially when you in need it within hours .
A representative of Cipla in north India said demand has risen drastically in the past few weeks .
`` We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue to grow in the coming days , '' he said .
The BBC has learned of several cases where hospitals asked family members of patients to find the drug themselves .
`` I must have gone to 50 stores in Delhi .
They all promised but asked for twice or thrice the price of each dose .
It took me two days to get the number of doses needed for my aunt , '' a Delhi resident , who did not wish to be identified , said .
But the Cipla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the black market .
`` We are tracking each dose to ensure that there is no profiteering .
We wo n't let that happen , '' he said .
Some names have been changed on request .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?

Mr Sharma's plight is familiar to many families in Delhi, desperate to do whatever it takes to save their loved ones. Some say they have been forced to pay exorbitant prices for the drug - many of those ending up at a medicine market in old Delhi.


bbc--2020-07-07--Dinosaur ancestors 'may have been tiny'

Dinosaur ancestors 'may have been tiny'

Dinosaurs are often thought of as giant creatures , but new research adds to evidence they started out small .
The evidence comes from a newly described fossil relative found on Madagascar that lived some 237 million years ago and stood just 10cm tall .
The specimen may also help clarify the currently murky origins of pterosaurs , the winged reptiles that ruled the skies at the time of the dinosaurs .
The work appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
`` There 's a general perception of dinosaurs as being giants , '' said co-author @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Museum of Natural Sciences .
`` But this new animal is very close to the divergence of dinosaurs and pterosaurs , and it 's shockingly small . ''
The specimen , named Kongonaphon kely , or `` tiny bug slayer '' , was found in 1998 in Madagascar by a team of palaeontologists , led by John Flynn from the American Museum of Natural History in New York .
Dinosaurs and pterosaurs both belong to the group Ornithodira .
Their origins , however , are poorly known , as few specimens from near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found .
Kongonaphon is not the first small fossil animal known near the root of the ornithodiran family tree but , previously , such specimens were considered isolated exceptions .
In general , scientists thought body size remained similar among the first archosaurs - the larger reptile group that includes birds , crocodilians , non-avian dinosaurs , and pterosaurs - and the earliest ornithodirans .
They are then thought to have increased to gigantic proportions in the dinosaur lineage .
`` Analysing changes in body size throughout archosaur evolution , we found compelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the history of the dinosaur-pterosaur lineage , '' Dr Kammerer said .
Wear on the teeth of Kongonaphon suggests it ate insects .
A shift to this kind of diet , which is associated with small body size , may have helped early ornithodirans survive by occupying a niche different from their mostly meat-eating contemporaneous relatives .
The work also suggests that fuzz over the skin , ranging from simple filaments to feathers , known on both the dinosaur and pterosaur sides of the ornithodiran tree , may have originated for regulating body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's because heat retention in small bodies is difficult , and the mid-late Triassic Period , when the animal lived , was a time of climatic extremes .
Researchers think there were sharp shifts in temperature between hot days and cold nights .

The work also suggests that fuzz over the skin, ranging from simple filaments to feathers, known on both the dinosaur and pterosaur sides of the ornithodiran tree, may have originated for regulating body temperature in this small-bodied ancestor.


bbc--2020-07-06--Racism and statues: How the toxic legacy of empire still affects us

There is no shortage of websites that , for the right fee , will help you trace your ancestry .
Some even offer step-by-step instructions on how to complete a DNA test to pinpoint the global region you may belong to .
Just pop a small sample of saliva into a container in a prepaid envelope , send it off to be analysed against hundreds of thousands of genetic markers , and a couple of months later , voila .
I know I 'm Afro-Caribbean , born in Bolton to parents who came to the UK from Jamaica in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mum 's side spent a few years in Panama as a child , when her father , my great-grandad , worked on the building of the Panama Canal .
Beyond that , I have no clue who I am .
That 's because , like virtually all British West Indians , my lineage extends back to Africa and the transatlantic slave trade .
I know I 'm likely to have come from somewhere in West Africa , but which country ?
I have n't the foggiest .
Does this matter to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all want to feel rooted with a clear connection to the past .
Deep roots help steady us , give us confidence , hold us upright .
When those roots are n't there , when the branches of the family tree are broken , there 's a sadness and a sense you 're almost floating through life , untethered to the ground .
This is one of the toxic legacies of empire , and part of the debate currently raging about the veneration of men - and they 're overwhelmingly men - whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in towns and city centres .
• 'Talking to my white friend about race - for the first time' • 'My 30-year struggle with racism in the Metropolitan Police' These are people whose lives and achievements were - shall we say - complicated , and the people who raised the money to erect their statues chose to focus on the `` good '' they did in life , not the bad .
Take Edward Colston , 17th Century Bristol merchant and deputy governor of the Royal African Company , which held a monopoly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He made a fortune out of human bondage , but you would n't know it to read the words at the base of his statue in Bristol city centre - `` Erected by citizens of Bristol as a memorial of one of the most virtuous and wise sons… AD 1895 . ''
On the west-facing relief , Colston is depicted dispensing charity to poor children ; on the north he is shown at the harbour ; on the east is a scene with marine horses , mermaids , and anchors .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the more than 80,000 slaves he helped to put in chains and send to the plantations of the British Caribbean territories - that 's if they managed to survive the terrible Atlantic voyage at all .
The people who erected Colston 's statue in the late 19th Century decided their version of this man 's history was more palatable and more valid .
It was his philanthropy that won the day , not his slave trading .
But a new generation is n't willing to absolve Colston any longer .
His statue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people in front of the world 's media , and now an updated city-wide school curriculum for primary and secondary pupils is due to come into force in Bristol in September .
That curriculum will provide a more comprehensive analysis of Bristol 's role in the Atlantic slave trade , and context for the life of men like Edward Colston .
Asha Craig is the deputy mayor of Bristol and the descendent of Jamaican immigrants .
She 's one of the driving forces behind the new curriculum and she told me it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look at the legacy of the city , because we all have to know our own history .
`` Education , '' she says , `` is what will help eliminate racism . ''
Children need to understand early on that history has many perspectives , that memory can be multidimensional .
Yes , the UK had a great empire , but there was a dark side to that supremacy , and racism was the rocket fuel of conquest .
In the weeks since the death of George Floyd at the hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a global soul-searching over racism and its causes .
There has been much discussion of the `` othering '' of individuals and whole peoples , and how to tackle discrimination and unequal treatment of some in society .
Greater knowledge and awareness of history is a good first step .
The protesters in Bristol , after pulling down the statue of Edward Colston , dragged him through the city centre and dumped him in the harbour , near where his ships set sail for West Africa with goods that would be traded for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the statue eventually ended up , in a warehouse covered in mud after having been fished from the water .
Council conservation workers are now trying to preserve the various pieces of graffiti that the protesters spray-painted on Colston in red .
I peered down on Colston 's oversized face and reflected on the irony of me , a second-generation immigrant of Jamaican parents , now looking down on the man who may even have helped ship my ancestors into slavery , having branded into their backs the letters RAC - for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my gaze , not the other way round .
At some point , he 'll be placed back on his plinth , probably in a museum with a plaque outlining not just his philanthropy , but also his slave trading .
A reminder that , ultimately , history and memory belong to us all , not just the victors .

Asha Craig is the deputy mayor of Bristol and the descendant of Jamaican immigrants. She's one of the driving forces behind the new curriculum and she told me it had been a key objective of councillors to look at the legacy of the city, because we all have to know our own history.


bbc--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: How fast is it spreading in Africa?

Africa is seeing coronavirus cases rapidly increasing and deaths rising , according to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
We 've looked at the situation across the continent , and examined which countries are of most concern .
In terms of overall numbers , Africa currently accounts for only a small proportion of total global cases , but the acceleration in rates of infection in some countries is clearly a cause for concern .
While it took nearly 100 days for Africa to reach an initial 100,000 cases , it took only 18 days for that to double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 400,000 cases over the next 20 days .
The upward trend in Africa is starting to resemble other parts of the world that have been badly hit by the coronavirus .
Most African countries are now experiencing community transmission , according to the WHO .
This is when a person gets Covid-19 without having been in contact with a known case from abroad or a confirmed domestic case , which makes it hard for for the authorities to track down the source of a local outbreak .
The two countries with the highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Egypt .
They accounted for over 60 % of all the new cases reported in late June .
South Africa has the highest recorded number of total cases , while Egypt has the largest number of recorded coronavirus deaths .
South Africa , which imposed one of the world 's strictest lockdowns in late March , has seen cases rise steadily after this was relaxed in early May .
The Western Cape province ( where Cape Town is located ) , accounts for nearly half of all cases in the country and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are steadily rising in Gauteng province , which includes Johannesburg .
Egypt has seen case numbers rising rapidly since mid-May , but there are indications that this may now have reached a peak with recorded new infections levelling off slightly in early July .
There is also concern about what is happening in Nigeria , which recorded the second-highest increase in deaths from Covid-19 after South Africa in the WHO report for 1 July .
Note : Data for Egypt can be found by selecting the Middle East region from the drop-down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table below .
Mauritania has also seen a steep increase in cases in recent weeks .
It 's worth stressing that parts of the continent have seen relatively few cases , such as some areas of East Africa .
In fact , the latest WHO Africa region report said just 10 countries accounted for more than 80 % of all the reported cases on the continent .
How many people are dying in Africa ?
The reported death rate per capita has been low compared to other parts of the world , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries .
The WHO says this could be partly because of the relatively young population in Africa - more than 60 % under the age of 25 .
Covid-19 is known to have a higher mortality rate for older age groups .
Another way to look at death rates is to see what proportion of people who get Covid-19 go on to die .
On this basis , there are five countries with death rates that are comparable to or higher than the most recent global average rate of just under 5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Amref Health Africa , an NGO which specialises in health matters , says the higher rates could be an indication of much higher infection levels than those being recorded , and that it could be down to low levels of testing .
The fewer tests you carry out , the fewer cases you find , and so the number of deaths appears relatively high .
Different methods of reporting deaths may also affect the number .
For example , where community health workers and other frontline staff record Covid-19 deaths , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a higher death rate .
How much testing is done in Africa ?
Ten countries account for about 80 % of the total tests conducted - South Africa , Morocco , Ghana , Egypt , Ethiopia , Uganda , Mauritius , Kenya , Nigeria and Rwanda .
There are wide variations in testing rates , with South Africa doing the most and Nigeria doing relatively few , according to Our World in Data , a UK-based project which collates Covid-19 information .
On 4 July , South Africa was doing just over 30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 72 in the UK and 105 in the US .
Nigeria is achieving 0.7 tests per 1,000 people , Ghana 10 and Kenya 3 .
It 's worth pointing out that for some African countries , it is impossible to know what exactly is happening due to a lack of any data or data being incomplete .
`` We have to take the numbers with a pinch of salt , '' says Chiedo Nwankwor , a lecturer in African affairs at Johns Hopkins University in the US .
In Tanzania , President John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of virus testing results at the national laboratory , and has allowed only limited data on infection rates and testing to be made public .
Equatorial Guinea had a row with the WHO after accusing its country representative of inflating the number of Covid-19 cases .
For a while it held back its data , but has now started sharing it again .
And in Kano state in northern Nigeria , an unusual spike of close to 1,000 deaths was reported in late April , but the government has not still confirmed how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The graphics in this page use a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University , which results in a slightly lower overall total .
US figures do not include Puerto Rico , Guam or the US Virgin Islands .
• GLOBAL TRENDS : Where are cases rising and falling ?
• SYMPTOMS : What are the symptoms of the coronavirus ?

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


bbc--2020-07-06--Iran blasts: What is behind mysterious fires at key sites?

Just after midnight on 30 June , an email dropped into my inbox .
It claimed to be from an unknown group calling itself the Homeland Cheetahs .
The group said it had attacked the major Iranian nuclear site at Natanz some two hours earlier , at 02:00 local time .
In the detailed message , it claimed it had blown up a facility and that the Iranian regime would not be able to hide it .
The group said it was composed of dissidents within Iran 's military and security forces and that they had been behind numerous attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concealed from the public .
I went online to check Iranian news agencies and reliable accounts on social media , but I found no mention of such an attack anywhere .
Several hours later , Iran 's Atomic Energy Organisation announced there had been an incident at the Natanz nuclear plant , but they ruled out sabotage .
The next day , Iran 's Supreme National Security Council - its top security body - announced that it knew what caused the `` incident '' at Natanz but that `` for security reasons '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say what this was .
Nasa satellite images showed there had been a fire at Natanz at 02:06 .
The damage corresponded with details contained in the email from the Homeland Cheetahs .
The group 's message had been carefully crafted and included a propaganda video about attacks on strategic sites it said it had carried out inside Iran .
• Why do the limits on Iran 's uranium enrichment matter ?
• Iranians on Trump and the nuclear deal Preparing this kind of statement and video requires hours , if not days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knew about the Natanz explosion in advance , which supports the theory that it was an act of sabotage .
But there is also the possibility that the email was an elaborate attempt to mislead us as to who was behind the attack , and could actually be the work of foreign agents posing as opponents of the regime in Iran .
The group 's name , the Homeland Cheetahs , is similar to those of other `` Iranian '' cyber groups , such as Persian Cat , or Charming Kitten - teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Cyber Army .
It is possible that the Homeland Cheetahs were born to confront the Persian Cat .
In late May , national cyber security in Israel - Iran 's arch-foe - said the country had prevented a major cyber attack on its water system , widely thought to have been the work of Iran .
Days later , there was a cyber attack on Shahid Rajaae , an important economic and shipping hub in southern Iran .
More than 50 % of Iran 's sea imports and exports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack caused a massive blockage of water in the canals and flooded roads leading to the terminal .
Iranian officials blamed power shortages , but Western intelligence sources believe it was Israeli retaliation against Iran .
In the past three months there have been an increasing number of mysterious incidents which have damaged sensitive sites in Iran .
Numerous fires have broken out in nuclear facilities , oil refineries , power plants , major factories and businesses across the country .
Since 26 June alone , there have been several such incidents : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liquid fuel production facility for ballistic missiles in Khojir , close to Parchin , near Tehran ; fire at power plant in Shiraz , causing a blackout • 4 July : Explosion and fire in power plant in Ahwaz ; chlorine gas leak at Karoun petrochemical plant in Mahshahr Saeed Aganji , a Finland-based Iranian journalist who has been following the events , says the incidents are unusual and could be deliberate .
`` By targeting Iran strategic and economic sites , the aim is to bring Iran 's economy to its knees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militia groups and change course in the Middle East . ''
Parchin and Khojir are two military sites believed to house nuclear and missile production facilities on the eastern edge of Tehran .
Inspectors from the global nuclear watchdog , the International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) , have long been denied access to Parchin , where Iran is suspected of having conducted high-explosive tests related to the manufacture of nuclear weapons .
In a rare acknowledgement , Iran 's state news agency Irna said the fire at Natanz could have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries , especially the Zionist regime [ Israel ] and the US '' .
Iran 's civil defence chief has vowed to `` respond '' if it turns out Iran was the victim of a cyber attack .
On Sunday , an unnamed `` Middle Eastern intelligence official '' told the New York Times Israel had caused the blast at Natanz .
Just a day earlier , Israel 's foreign minister responded obliquely when asked if Israel was behind the incident , saying `` our actions in Iran better left unsaid '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these kinds of `` attacks '' , and Iranian officials have avoided blaming Israel directly .
But it seems the cyber war between the two countries has already started .

But there is also the possibility that the email was an elaborate attempt to mislead us as to who was behind the attack, and could actually be the work of foreign agents posing as opponents of the regime in Iran.


bbc--2020-07-07--Super Bowl MVP Mahomes signs 10-year deal with Chiefs 'worth $503m'

Last updated on .From the section American Football NFL star Patrick Mahomes has signed a 10-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs worth a record $ 503m ( £403m ) .
Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for his performance in guiding the Chiefs to their first championship in 50 years in February , producing a stunning fourth-quarter display in a 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers .
`` Chiefs kingdom , you 've been with me since the beginning - from rookie year , '' Mahomes wrote on Twitter .
`` You helped us overcome adversity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staying together for a long time .
We 're chasing a dynasty . ''
Mahomes was named the NFL 's Most Valuable Player in 2018 , in his first full season in the league .
`` He 's an extraordinary leader and a credit to the Kansas City community , and I 'm delighted that he will be a member of the Chiefs for many years to come , '' said Chiefs chairman and chief executive Clark Hunt .
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid added : `` I 've had the privilege of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special people in my career , and Patrick is without question on that list of players . ''
Mahomes , the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft , averages 302.4 passing yards per game , including play-offs , which is the most in NFL history .
He completed 319 of 484 passes for 4,031 yards and 26 touchdowns in the last regular season after throwing a league-high 50 touchdowns in 2018 .
He has also thrown 13 touchdowns in five career post-season games .
• None Can we avoid the consequences @ @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section American Football
NFL star Patrick Mahomes has signed a 10-year contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs worth a record $503m (£403m).
The extension will keep the 24-year-old quarterback at the Chiefs until 2031 and is the richest contract in the history of North American team sports.
Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP for his performance in guiding the Chiefs to their first championship in 50 years in February, producing a stunning fourth-quarter display in a 31-20 win over the San Francisco 49ers.
"Chiefs kingdom, you've been with me since the beginning - from rookie year," Mahomes wrote on Twitter. external-link
"You helped us overcome adversity to become Super Bowl champs and we're staying together for a long time. We're chasing a dynasty."
Mahomes was named the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2018, in his first full season in the league.
"He's an extraordinary leader and a credit to the Kansas City community, and I'm delighted that he will be a member of the Chiefs for many years to come," said Chiefs chairman and chief executive Clark Hunt.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid added: "I've had the privilege of coaching a lot of incredible athletes and special people in my career, and Patrick is without question on that list of players."
Mahomes, the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, averages 302.4 passing yards per game, including play-offs, which is the most in NFL history.
He completed 319 of 484 passes for 4,031 yards and 26 touchdowns in the last regular season after throwing a league-high 50 touchdowns in 2018. He has also thrown 13 touchdowns in five career post-season games.


bbc--2020-07-06--Nascar driver Wallace posts defiant tweet over Trump's 'hate'

African-American Nascar driver Bubba Wallace has sent out a tweet condemning words of `` hate from the president of the United States '' .
Wallace is the sole full-time black driver in the US racing organisation and was instrumental in it banning the Confederate flag from races .
A noose was later found in his garage but an FBI inquiry determined `` no federal crime was committed '' .
President Trump called the story a hoax and suggested Wallace should apologise .
Wallace has been a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement , which has come to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
The movement has sparked a campaign to remove symbols associated with slavery , imperialism and the Confederacy .
President Trump has strongly defended the monuments as part of US history .
The noose is a particularly evocative symbol of hate connected to lynching .
One was found in the garage assigned to Wallace at the Geico 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama .
Wallace , 26 , received messages of solidarity from fellow Nascar drivers and sports stars around the world after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The FBI investigation found that the noose was in that garage as early as October 2019 and `` nobody could have known Mr Wallace would be assigned the garage ... last week '' .
Wallace rejected suggestions the noose was a door handle , saying `` what was hanging in my garage is not a garage pull '' .
But President Trump on Monday tweeted : `` Has Bubba Wallace apologized to all of those great Nascar drivers & officials who came to his aid , stood by his side , & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX . ''
He did not elaborate on his allegation .
He said the noose incident and the removal of the flag had caused Nascar 's `` lowest ratings ever '' .
Later , White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said the president was making `` a broader point that this rush to judgment on the facts before the facts are out is not acceptable '' .
In his tweet , which he said was being sent to `` the next generation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , Wallace wrote : `` You will always have people testing you .
Seeing if they can knock you off your pedestal .
I encourage you to keep your head high and walk proudly on the path you have chosen . ''
He added : `` Always deal with the hate being thrown at you with LOVE !
... Love should come naturally as people are TAUGHT to hate .
Even when it 's HATE from the POTUS . ''
In a statement , Nascar said : `` We are proud to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we commend his courage and leadership .
Nascar continues to stand tall with Bubba , our competitors and everyone who makes our sport welcoming and inclusive for all racing fans . ''

In his tweet, which he said was being sent to "the next generation and little ones following my foot steps", Wallace wrote: "You will always have people testing you. Seeing if they can knock you off your pedestal. I encourage you to keep your head high and walk proudly on the path you have chosen."


bbc--2020-07-07--West Indies must win in four days because they won't last five - Lara

West Indies must try and win the Tests against England in four days because they can not last five days , says legendary batsman Brian Lara .
The three-Test series starts on Wednesday at Southampton .
The tourists have a strong fast bowling line-up but their batsmen average only 23.59 in 19 Tests since their most recent tour of England in 2017 .
`` They have to be able to pounce immediately , '' said Lara , who will be part of the BBC highlights programme .
`` England are not beaten very easily at home and are overwhelming favourites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ v West Indies on the BBC • Can Holder outdo Stokes and who is West Indies ' breakout star ?
Lara , who scored a record 11,953 runs for West Indies in 131 Tests , said the series would depend on how quickly they can adapt to English conditions .
`` They have to hit the road running and stamp their authority on England , '' said the 51-year-old .
`` I do n't think they can last five days , so they have to take these games in four days .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it . ''
The opening Test at Southampton and the second and third at Old Trafford will be played in a bio-secure environment and behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic .
West Indies have been in the UK since 9 June to prepare for the series .
They are holders of the Wisden Trophy after winning 2-1 in the Caribbean last year , but have not won a series in England since 1988 .
`` It 's going to be a series that 's watched all around the world and everybody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Lara , who scored 34 Test centuries .
`` It would mean a lot to all West Indians if they could win .
`` If they play good cricket on the first day of the Test series , show they have the mettle to perform against England , that 's the key . ''
• Racism in British sport : How do we change ?

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Brian Lara (right, speaking to Shai Hope in 2017) retired from international cricket in 2007
England v West Indies, first Test Venue: Ageas Bowl, Southampton Dates: 8-12 July Time: 11:00 BST Coverage: Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra; live text commentary and in-play clips on BBC Sport website; highlights on BBC Two and BBC Sport website at 19:00 (19:30 on Sunday)
West Indies must try and win the Tests against England in four days because they cannot last five days, says legendary batsman Brian Lara.
The three-Test series starts on Wednesday at Southampton.
The tourists have a strong fast bowling line-up but their batsmen average only 23.59 in 19 Tests since their most recent tour of England in 2017.
"They have to be able to pounce immediately," said Lara, who will be part of the BBC highlights programme.
"England are not beaten very easily at home and are overwhelming favourites."
Lara, who scored a record 11,953 runs for West Indies in 131 Tests, said the series would depend on how quickly they can adapt to English conditions.
"They have to hit the road running and stamp their authority on England," said the 51-year-old.
"I don't think they can last five days, so they have to take these games in four days. They have to establish a lead and keep it."
The opening Test at Southampton and the second and third at Old Trafford will be played in a bio-secure environment and behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.
West Indies have been in the UK since 9 June to prepare for the series.
They are holders of the Wisden Trophy after winning 2-1 in the Caribbean last year, but have not won a series in England since 1988.
"It's going to be a series that's watched all around the world and everybody is hoping to see a competitive series," said Lara, who scored 34 Test centuries.
"It would mean a lot to all West Indians if they could win.
"If they play good cricket on the first day of the Test series, show they have the mettle to perform against England, that's the key."


bbc--2020-07-07--FBI director: China is 'greatest threat' to US

The director of the FBI has said that acts of espionage and theft by China 's government pose the `` greatest long-term threat '' to the future of the US .
Speaking to the Hudson Institute in Washington , Christopher Wray described a multi-pronged disruption campaign .
He said China had begun targeting Chinese nationals living abroad , coercing their return , and was working to compromise US coronavirus research .
`` The stakes could not be higher , '' Mr Wray said .
`` China is engaged in a whole-of-state effort to become the world 's only superpower by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Could TikTok be banned in the US ?
• ' I 'm Asian , so I can never be American' In a nearly hour-long speech on Tuesday , the FBI Director outlined a stark picture of Chinese interference , a far-reaching campaign of economic espionage , data and monetary theft and illegal political activities , using bribery and blackmail to influence US policy .
`` We 've now reached a point where the FBI is now opening a new China-related counterintelligence case every 10 hours , '' Mr Wray said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases currently underway across the country , almost half are related to China . ''
The FBI director said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had spearheaded a programme called `` Fox Hunt '' , geared at Chinese nationals living abroad seen as threats to the Chinese government .
`` We 're talking about political rivals , dissidents , and critics seeking to expose China 's extensive human rights violations , '' he said .
`` The Chinese government wants to force them to return to China , and China 's tactics to accomplish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` When it could n't locate one Fox Hunt target , the Chinese government sent an emissary to visit the target 's family here in the United States .
The message they said to pass on ?
The target had two options : return to China promptly , or commit suicide . ''
This is not the first time FBI Director Christopher Wray categorised China as a `` top intelligence threat '' for the US , but on Tuesday he ramped up the criticism by focussing on Beijing 's `` whole-of-state effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superpower .
It clearly signals that Washington now sees Beijing not only as an aggressive adversary , but also an ambitious contender for global leadership .
Since the Covid-19 outbreak in the US , the Trump administration have unleashed anger over China from its initial response to coronavirus , economic espionage to Hong Kong 's new national security law .
Mr Wray 's remarks are among a series of hard-hitting speeches by senior US officials on the topic .
The Trump administration says it 's now time to wake up from the 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China , while critics see this as an attempt to deflect attention from the president own failures in office and to increase his chances of winning re-election .
What 's certain is that the power dynamics between China and the US have fundamentally shifted , and no matter who will be the next US president , the tense standoffs of Sino-US relations will inevitably continue .
In the unusual address , Mr Wray asked Chinese-born people living in the US to contact the FBI if Chinese officials target them seeking their return .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , saying it is part of a legitimate anti-corruption effort .
The threat posed by China will be further addressed by the US attorney general and secretary of state in coming weeks , Mr Wray said .
The address comes amid heightened tensions between the US and China .
US President Donald Trump has been highly critical of China amid the coronavirus outbreak , repeatedly blaming the country for the global pandemic .
In another move , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said this week that the administration was looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugely popular TikTok .
The apps `` serve as appendages of the Chinese Communist Party 's surveillance state '' , he said .

China is fast becoming a new kind of threat to the West, not so much because of its growing military capabilities - though that is a factor - but because in economic and technical terms it is already a peer competitor of the United States, and a peer competitor in a very different kind of world.


bbc--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Brazil's President Bolsonaro tests positive

He took the test , his fourth , on Monday after developing symptoms , including a high temperature .
Mr Bolsonaro has repeatedly played down risks of what he has called the `` little flu '' , saying he would not be seriously affected .
He has opposed lockdowns , which he says hurt the economy .
Brazil has the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths in the world , after the US .
What did Mr Bolsonaro say ?
He made the announcement in a TV interview on Tuesday , saying the fever he had been experiencing had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very well '' .
Mr Bolsonaro said that he had started experiencing symptoms on Sunday .
He said he had had a high temperature , a cough and had felt unwell .
He added that on Monday he had felt worse , which prompted him to take the coronavirus test .
Mr Bolsonaro is in a higher-risk group because of his age , 65 .
He said he was taking hydroxychloroquine - championed by US President Donald Trump - and azithromycin , an antibiotic , to treat the illness .
Neither has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• How near are we to curing coronavirus ?
Contact tracing and tests will be carried out for the people Mr Bolsonaro has met recently .
His previous three tests for the virus all came back negative .
The executive director of the World Health Organization , Dr Mike Ryan , wished President Bolsonaro `` a speedy and full recovery from this disease '' , adding : `` I think the message to us all is : we are vulnerable to this virus . ''
What had he previously said ?
Back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even if infected , he would `` not have to worry as I would n't feel anything , at most it would be like a little flu or a little cold '' .
The number of Covid-19-related deaths and infections - at that time under 3,000 and 40,000 - has since soared .
Despite this , President Bolsonaro has argued that regional lockdowns are having a more damaging effect than the virus itself , and accused the media of spreading panic and paranoia .
His other comments on the virus include : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen until now , there are other kinds of flu which have killed more people than that [ coronavirus ] one '' • 18 March : `` Today we have information , that because we have a more tropical climate [ in Brazil ] we 've almost reached the end [ of the pandemic ] , or it 's already over ... the virus does n't spread as fast in warm climates like ours '' • 20 March : `` After being stabbed , I 'm not going to be brought down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since continued to rail against measures that he deems `` dictatorial '' such as the closing beaches or requirements to wear face coverings .
On Monday , he made further changes to a law that would require Brazilians to wear masks in public .
• How the pandemic turned political in Brazil He has attended a number of public events without a mask , even when local rules required him to wear one .
On Sunday , Foreign Minister Ernesto Araújo posted a photo on social media showing himself with President Bolsonaro and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US embassy in Brasilia .
None of those in the photo is wearing a mask or observing social distancing .
The US embassy said that the ambassador had had lunch with Mr Bolsonaro and others on 4 July .
It added that the ambassador had no symptoms but that he would undergo testing .
The ambassador had earlier tweeted a picture of himself with President Bolsonaro .
What is the state of Covid-19 in Brazil ?
Infections in Brazil and Latin America as a whole took a while to take hold but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil in its Amazonas region but then more starkly in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo .
Brazil became only the second country to pass one million cases on 20 June and has continued to rise , passing 1.5 million .
Many experts believe deficiencies in testing mean the overall figures for cases and deaths could be considerably higher .
Nevertheless lockdowns began to be lifted in many areas even as the cases surged .
Both Rio and São Paulo have reopened bars and restaurants in the past week .
Two health ministers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts after disagreements with the president .
One ray of hope though is Brazil 's renowned expertise in vaccines .
Two major vaccine tests , in partnership with AstraZeneca and Sinovac , are to begin final phase testing on thousands of Brazilian volunteers .
• AT THE HEART OF AMAZON : Disease meets deforestation • REALITY CHECK : The crisis in Latin America in numbers

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bbc--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Airborne transmission cannot be ruled out, WHO says

The World Health Organization has acknowledged there is emerging evidence that the coronavirus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air .
The airborne transmission could not be ruled out in crowded , closed or poorly ventilated settings , an official said .
If the evidence is confirmed , it may affect guidelines for indoor spaces .
An open letter from more than 200 scientists had accused the WHO of underestimating the possibility of airborne transmission .
The WHO has so far said that the virus is transmitted through droplets when people cough or sneeze .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Jose Jimenez , a chemist at the University of Colorado who signed the paper , told the Reuters news agency .
`` This is definitely not an attack on the WHO .
It 's a scientific debate , but we felt we needed to go public because they were refusing to hear the evidence after many conversations with them , '' he said .
WHO officials have cautioned the evidence is preliminary and requires further assessment .
Benedetta Allegranzi , the WHO 's technical lead for infection prevention and control , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus in `` crowded , closed , poorly ventilated settings that have been described , can not be ruled out '' .
For months , the WHO has insisted that Covid-19 is transmitted via droplets emitted when people cough or sneeze .
Droplets that do not linger in the air , but fall onto surfaces - that 's why handwashing has been identified as a key prevention measure .
But 239 scientists from 32 countries do n't agree : they say there is strong evidence to suggest the virus can also spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particles that float around for hours after people talk , or breathe out .
Today the WHO admitted there was evidence to suggest this was possible in specific settings , such as enclosed and crowded spaces .
That evidence will have to be thoroughly evaluated , but if it is confirmed , the advice on how to prevent the virus spreading may have to change , and could lead to more widespread use of masks , and more rigorous distancing , especially in bars , restaurants , and on public transport .

"In healthcare settings, if aerosol transmission poses a risk then we understand healthcare workers should really be wearing the best possible preventive equipment... and actually the World Health Organization said that one of the reasons they were not keen to talk about aerosol transmission of Covid-19 is because there's not a sufficient number of these kind of specialised masks for many parts of the world," he said.


bbc--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Trump moves to pull US out of World Health Organization

President Donald Trump has formally moved to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
The president had made his intentions clear in late May , accusing the WHO of being under China 's control in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic .
Despite calls from the EU and others , he said he would pull out of the UN agency and redirect funds elsewhere .
He has now notified the UN and Congress of his intentions , although the process could take at least a year .
Stéphane Dujarric , spokesman for the UN secretary-general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its withdrawal , effective as of 6 July 2021 .
Senator Robert Menendez , the leading Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee , also wrote on Twitter : `` Congress received notification that POTUS officially withdrew the US from the WHO in the midst of a pandemic .
`` It leaves Americans sick and America alone . ''
A senior US administration official told CBS News that Washington had detailed the reforms that it wanted the WHO to make and engaged with it directly , but that the WHO had refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make the requested and greatly needed reforms , we will be today terminating our relationship , '' the official was quoted as saying .
Joe Biden , who will challenge Donald Trump in the November presidential election , tweeted : `` On my first day as President , I will rejoin the WHO and restore our leadership on the world stage . ''
The US is the global health agency 's largest single contributor , providing more than $ 400m ( £324m ; €360m ) in 2019 , around 15 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolution in 1948 , the US can withdraw but must give a year 's notice and should pay outstanding fees , although it is unclear where Mr Trump stands on that .
Mr Dujarric stressed that those conditions should be met .
The withdrawal will call into question the WHO 's financial viability and the future of its many programmes promoting healthcare and tackling disease .
What has Mr Trump said about the WHO ?
He first announced in April that he was going to halt US funding for the WHO unless it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
Then in late May he said : `` We will be terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization and directing those funds '' to other global public health charities .
`` The world is now suffering as a result of the malfeasance of the Chinese government , '' he said , adding that China had `` instigated a global pandemic '' .
The president accused China of pressurising the WHO to `` mislead the world '' about the virus , without giving evidence for his allegations .
`` China has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the president said .
Other countries , including Germany and the UK , have said they have no intention of withdrawing funding from the WHO , which is co-ordinating a global initiative to develop a vaccine against Covid-19 What is the WHO - and who funds it ?
• Founded in 1948 and based in Geneva , Switzerland , it is the UN agency responsible for global public health • Has 194 member states , and aims to `` promote health , keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergencies and supporting countries in primary care • Funded by a combination of members ' fees based on wealth and population and voluntary contributions • A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• STRESS : How to look after your mental health

A senior US administration official told CBS News that Washington had detailed the reforms that it wanted the WHO to make and engaged with it directly, but that the WHO had refused to act.


bbc--2020-07-07--Coronavirus: Moguls and lobbyists get millions in government aid

The US government has distributed more than $ 521bn ( £415bn ) to businesses from its emergency coronavirus aid .
This week , the public finally got a glimpse of who 's been getting the money .
The list , released by the US Treasury Department , reignited debate about the controversial programme , called the Paycheck Protection Program ( PPP ) .
`` We do n't want to say that the PPP did n't help small businesses - it did .
But well-connected small businesses got helped first and most , '' said Joshua Gotbaum , a guest scholar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The programme was intended to help small firms and prevent widespread layoffs during the pandemic .
It offers loans , distributed by banks , that can be forgiven if firms use them primarily to pay staff wages , But it has faced significant criticism , including that money has gone to bigger companies that do n't need the help .
Government inspectors have also warned that it is at risk of fraud , due to limited transparency and oversight .
• US sent $ 1.4bn of pandemic aid to dead people • Which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The names published on Monday represented firms that received loans worth more than $ 150,000 - less than 15 % of the more than 4.8 million overall loans .
And some flaws in the data have surfaced .
( Scooter company Bird said it was erroneously listed . )
Steve Ellis , president of budget watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense , called the disclosures long overdue .
But he warned that the government will have to provide much more information if it wants to build confidence that programme is not being abused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a list of names and businesses ... does n't mean the money was n't wasted or does n't mean the money was wasted , '' he said .
So who got the money ?
Recipients included businesses owned by the family of Jared Kushner , US President Donald Trump 's son-in-law ; a shipping business owned by the family of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao ; and several members of Congress or their spouses .
New York law firm Kasowitz , Benson & Torres , headed by Mr Trump 's long-time personal attorney Marc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between $ 5 million and $ 10 million .
It was among dozens of law firms that received PPP aid .
Dozens of tenants of Mr Trump 's real estate company also received money , as did many powerful Washington lobby groups and political organisations , such as the Black Congressional Caucus .
Mr Gotbaum said it was `` scandalous '' that firms tied to politicians were benefiting from the programme , which at one point ran out of money .
Kanye West 's Yeezy apparel brand - which recently announced a long-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth between $ 2m and $ 5m , which was expected to help save 106 jobs .
Several other high profile fashion figures also got funds in that range , including Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang .
The Nobu restaurants and hotels backed by actor Robert De Niro also received worth between $ 11m and $ 28m , while Francis Ford Coppola Winery , owned by the director 's family , received a loan worth between $ 1m and $ 2m .
`` We are using the PPP loan to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertain times , '' the winery wrote on Twitter after the deal was flagged .
The Ayn Rand Institute received a loan between $ 350,000 and $ 1m , to retain 35 jobs , while Grover Norquist 's Americans for Tax Reform Foundation received $ 150,000- $ 300,000 for 33 jobs .
The group , known for its anti-tax , anti-spending views , said it had not opposed the Paycheck Protection Program , `` viewing it as compensation for a government taking during the shutdown '' .
Planned Parenthood affiliates also received more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers and the Small Business Administration have pressed the women 's health care group , which provides abortion services , to return the money .
Some foreign companies also receiving relief including Korean Airlines , which received $ 5- $ 10m in aid to retain 500 US-based employees ; and Chinese electric car maker Nio , which received $ 5- $ 10m in aid to retain 204 employees in America .
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the money has been used to save more than 51 million jobs but in thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job numbers being provided .
Mr Gotbaum said evidence so far suggests the boost to employment has been somewhat limited , especially after Congress loosened rules about how the PPP funds must be spent .
He said it would have been more effective to send money to workers directly via tax systems , as many other countries have done .
`` You have to be smart about how to get the money out , '' he said .


bbc--2020-07-07--Five shocking passages in Mary Trump's tell-all book

A tell-all memoir written by President Donald Trump 's niece claims that he is a `` narcissist '' who now threatens the life of every American .
Mary Trump 's book , Too Much and Never Enough : How My Family Created the World 's Most Dangerous Man , describes her uncle as a fraud and a bully .
The White House rejects claims made in the book , excerpts of which have been leaked to US media .
The Trump family has sued to block its 14 July publication .
Ms Trump , 55 , writes that for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and that the US president exhibits all the characteristics of a narcissist .
`` This is far beyond garden-variety narcissism , '' his niece , who has a doctoral degree in clinical psychology , writes of Mr Trump .
`` Donald is not simply weak , his ego is a fragile thing that must be bolstered every moment because he knows deep down that he is nothing of what he claims to be . ''
She says the president was influenced by watching his father , Fred Trump Sr , bully her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an alcohol related illness when she was 16 years old .
Ms Trump writes that Trump Sr was extremely harsh to his oldest son , whom he wanted to take over the family real estate business .
But as Ms Trump 's father drifted away from the business , Trump Sr had no choice but to turn to his second son , Donald .
It was not a happy choice , Ms Trump appears to claim .
`` When things turned south in the late 1980s , Fred could no longer separate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the father had no choice but to stay invested , '' she writes of the senior Trump 's attitude towards the future 45th US President .
`` His monster had been set free . ''
The White House rejected the claim that Mr Trump 's father had been abrasive and harsh , saying that the president `` describes the relationship he had with his father as warm and said his father was very good to him '' . '
I had to take Donald down' In the book , Ms Trump describes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times , which used them to publish a 14,000 word investigative article into Mr Trump 's `` dubious tax schemes during the 1990s , including instances of outright fraud , that greatly increased the fortune he received from his parents '' .
Ms Trump said she was approached by journalists at her home in 2017 and was initially reluctant to help .
She waited for a month , watching as `` Donald shredded norms , endangered alliances , and trod upon the vulnerable , '' before deciding to contact the Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal documents out of the law firm where they were kept , she handed them over to reporters .
She describes hugging them and calls the moment `` the happiest I 'd felt in months '' .
`` It was n't enough for me to volunteer at an organisation helping Syrian refugees , '' she writes .
`` I had to take Donald down . ''
Ms Trump claims that her uncle paid a friend to take the SAT test for him - a standardised exam which determines university placement - because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average , which put him far from the top of his class , would scuttle his efforts to get accepted '' .
He hired `` a smart kid with a reputation for being a good test taker , to take his SATs for him , '' she writes , adding : `` Donald , who never lacked for funds , paid his buddy well . ''
Mr Trump attended Fordham University in New York City , but later transferred to the Wharton School of business at the University of Pennsylvania .
The White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the university entrance exam .
Ms Trump blames the Trump family patriarch , Fred Trump Sr for much of the family 's alleged dysfunction .
She says Trump Sr , a New York City real estate mogul , `` destroyed '' Donald Trump by interfering in his `` ability to develop and experience the entire spectrum of human emotion '' .
`` By limiting Donald 's access to his own feelings and rendering many of them unacceptable , Fred perverted his son 's perception of the world and damaged his ability to live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Softness was unthinkable , '' for Trump Sr , she writes , adding that he would grow furious whenever her father - known as Freddy - apologised for any errors .
Fred Sr , she said `` would mock him .
Fred wanted his oldest son to be a 'killer . '
'' Donald Trump , who is seven years younger than his late brother , `` had plenty of time to learn from watching Fred humiliate '' his eldest son , Ms Trump writes .
`` The lesson he learned , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was wrong to be like Freddy : Fred did n't respect his oldest son , so neither would Donald . ''
Ms Trump writes that her uncle had asked her to ghost write a book about him , called the Art of the Comeback , and provided `` an aggrieved compendium of women he had expected to date but who , having refused him , were suddenly the worst , ugliest and fattest slobs he 'd ever met '' .
He later had someone else fire her and never paid her for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trump made suggestive comments about her body when she was 29 years old , even though she is his niece and Mr Trump was married to his second wife , Marla Maples .
She says Mr Trump told his current wife Melania that his niece had dropped out of university and took drugs around the time he hired her for the book project .
It is true that Ms Trump had left college , but she says she never took any drugs , and that she believes her uncle made up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saviour '' .
`` The story was for his benefit as much as anybody else 's , '' she writes , `` and by the time the doorbell rang , he probably already believed his version of events . ''
Mary Trump , 55 , is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr , the president 's older brother , who died in 1981 at the age of 42 .
He struggled with alcoholism for much of his life and his premature death was caused by a heart attack linked to his drinking .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal problems as spurring his administration 's push for tackling the opioid addiction epidemic .
In an interview last year with the Washington Post , Mr Trump said he regretted pressuring his older brother to join the family real estate business .
Mary Trump has largely avoided the limelight since her uncle became president , though she has been critical of him in the past .
After Mr Trump won the election in 2016 , she described the experience as the `` worst night of my life , '' according to the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harshly , '' she tweeted .
`` I grieve for our country . ''

She says Mr Trump told his current wife Melania that his niece had dropped out of university and took drugs around the time he hired her for the book project. It is true that Ms Trump had left college, but she says she never took any drugs, and that she believes her uncle made up the story to present himself as her "saviour".


bbc--2020-07-07--NFL player faces punishment for anti-Semitic post

Last updated on .From the section American Football Philadelphia Eagles say they will take `` appropriate action '' after wide receiver DeSean Jackson shared anti-Semitic quotes on social media .
One post had an image of a book page that included anti-Semitic quotes falsely attributed to Adolf Hitler .
In response , Jackson said he had `` no hatred in my heart towards no-one .
Equality , equality '' .
The 33-year-old added : `` Anyone who feels I have hate towards the Jewish community took my post the wrong way . ''
The Eagles said they had spoken to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Regardless of his intentions , the messages he shared were offensive , harmful , and absolutely appalling , '' the statement added .
`` They have no place in our society , and are not condoned or supported in any way by the organisation .
`` We are disappointed and we reiterated to DeSean the importance of not only apologising , but also using his platform to take action and promote unity , equality , and respect .
We are continuing to evaluate the circumstances and will take appropriate action .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are committed to continuing to have productive and meaningful conversations with DeSean , as well as all of our players and staff , in order to educate , learn , and grow . ''

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Jackson has two years remaining on his contract with the Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles say they will take "appropriate action" after wide receiver DeSean Jackson shared anti-Semitic quotes on social media.
In a statement, the NFL franchise said the messages he shared were "offensive, harmful, and absolutely appalling".
One post had an image of a book page that included anti-Semitic quotes falsely attributed to Adolf Hitler.
In response, Jackson said he had "no hatred in my heart towards no-one. Equality, equality".
The 33-year-old added: "Anyone who feels I have hate towards the Jewish community took my post the wrong way."
The Eagles said they had spoken to Jackson about his social media posts.
"Regardless of his intentions, the messages he shared were offensive, harmful, and absolutely appalling," the statement added. "They have no place in our society, and are not condoned or supported in any way by the organisation.
"We are disappointed and we reiterated to DeSean the importance of not only apologising, but also using his platform to take action and promote unity, equality, and respect. We are continuing to evaluate the circumstances and will take appropriate action.
"We take these matters very seriously and are committed to continuing to have productive and meaningful conversations with DeSean, as well as all of our players and staff, in order to educate, learn, and grow."


bbc--2020-07-07--Indiana officials probe alleged lynching of black activist

Authorities in the US state of Indiana are investigating allegations that a group of white men attacked and attempted to `` lynch '' a black man at a 4 July weekend gathering .
Viral video of the incident shared by Vauhxx Booker shows a man on all fours , held down by a white man as onlookers shout for him to be released .
In an accompanying post , Mr Booker wrote that he was pinned to a tree and beaten near Lake Monroe .
He called 911 but no arrests were made .
On Monday , hundreds gathered outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrests be made in Mr Booker 's case .
As the peaceful protest was drawing to a close , a speeding vehicle struck at least one person .
Organisers of the protest told the BBC 's US partner CBS News that a woman was taken to hospital , and her condition is unknown .
• US must confront its Original Sin to move forward • George Floyd : How are African-Americans treated under the law ?
According to Mr Booker , a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had gathered to watch the lunar eclipse at Lake Monroe when they encountered a man donning a hat with a Confederate flag print who told them they were on private property .
Later on , when Mr Booker and his friends approached the man and his group to `` smooth things over '' , the interaction `` quickly became aggressive '' , he wrote .
`` I was almost the victim of an attempted lynching '' , he said , adding that the men threatened to `` get a noose '' .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from behind and knocked him to the ground before three others joined .
`` The five were able to easily overwhelm me and got me to the ground and dragged me pinning my body against a tree as they began pounding on my head and ripped off some of my hair , '' he wrote .
While bystanders shouted for the assailants to release him , Mr Booker said the men said they would `` break his arms '' before saying `` get a noose '' .
These alleged comments were not captured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mr Booker , these bystanders were able to get the attackers off him , though they continued to shout racial slurs .
He suffered a concussion as a result of the attack , he wrote .
Mr Booker said he called 911 , but was transferred to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources .
Agents eventually reported to the park but made no arrests .
In a statement , the Department of Natural Resources confirmed it received a call regarding a battery `` on private property adjacent to Monroe Reservoir property '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now working with the Monroe County Prosecutor 's office `` to ensure a lawful resolution , '' the statement said .
`` This matter remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time . ''
The prosecutor 's office did not immediately return a request for comment .
In a statement , Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton condemned the incident , in which he said Mr Booker was `` physically assaulted and denounced and threatened with racial epithets '' .
The mayor said he was `` reaching out '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Prosecutor regarding the encounter , although the city does not have jurisdiction over the investigation .
On Tuesday , former Democratic presidential candidate and Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg weighed in on Twitter , describing the `` violent show of racism '' as `` sickening '' .
`` Something is deeply wrong in Indiana , '' he wrote .

In a statement, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton condemned the incident, in which he said Mr Booker was "physically assaulted and denounced and threatened with racial epithets". The mayor said he was "reaching out" to the law enforcement and the Monroe County Prosecutor regarding the encounter, although the city does not have jurisdiction over the investigation.