bbc--2020-07-10--Trump and Supreme Court: How has it changed America?

The US Supreme Court reshaped under President Donald Trump has been called the most conservative-leaning court in modern US history .
With two appointments already in the president 's first term , the bench 's ideological balance tilts right , favouring conservatives in a 6-3 split .
The top court in the US has a profound impact on American life , ruling on highly contentious issues like abortion and gun rights .
Nine judges on its bench , called justices , get lifetime terms so when President Trump got to pick two - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this would have .
Now that this court 's first full term has ended , we look back at five closely watched cases this year to see if this conservative-leaning court actually votes that way .
In June , the court said that a Louisiana law requiring doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals - effectively limiting the number of abortion providers in the state - was unconstitutional .
The ruling , in which Justice Roberts sided with the court 's liberal quartet , was seen as a major victory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of reproductive rights in the US had been garnered intense focus since Justice Kavanuagh 's nomination in 2018 .
With a conservative majority secured , many feared previous cases protecting a woman 's right to choose , namely Roe v Wade , would be overturned .
Anti-abortion activists were hoping this case would provide proof that a majority of the court was ready to start rolling back abortion protections with the ultimate goal of allowing states to entirely ban the procedure .
Instead , it demonstrated that Roberts , who sided with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in respecting the precedent set by a recent case with similar facts than quickly steering the court in a more conservative direction .
• Meet the Supremes - the judges on the top US court • The US top court v UK top court - which is more political ?
Looking at three different cases , the court decided that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects gay and transgender employees from workplace discrimination .
Justice Roberts and Justice Gorsuch joined the court 's progressives in arguing that Title VII of the act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applies to claims of sexual orientation and gender identity .
The 6-3 ruling is a resolute victory for progressives and marks the biggest moment for LGBT rights in the US since the court legalised same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015 .
This will probably be seen as the big surprise of this court term , given that conservatives Roberts and Gorsuch sided voted with the liberals to expand federal employment protections to gay and transgender individuals .
It 's yet further evidence of how fast and how far views in American society , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue of gay rights .
• Why this LGBT court ruling is such a big deal In Department of Homeland Security v Regents of the University of California , the nine justices examined an Obama-era policy that shields hundreds of thousands of undocumented young people - known as Dreamers - from deportation , and gives them work and study permits .
Somewhat unexpectedly , the court ruled that the administration 's attempts to shut down the program were `` arbitrary and capricious '' in a way prohibited by federal law .
Once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deliver a win for progressives .
This case had all the makings of political dynamite , with the possibility that hundreds of thousands of US residents could face the prospect of deportation if their temporary immigration protection was stripped away .
Instead , Roberts once again proved to be a stickler for proper procedure , ruling that while the Trump administration may have had the power to do something - in this case , rescind DACA - they botched the process so badly they 'd have to start over from the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American dream' Last month , the court ruled that states must allow religious schools to participate in state scholarship programs funded by tax credits .
The case , Espinoza v Montana Department of Revenue , centred on a 2015 Montana law - later struck down by the state supreme court - that allowed public funds for scholarships to help families send their children to private schools , most of which were religious schools .
The 5-4 ruling , which fell neatly within ideological lines , may open the door to further public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victory for conservatives and the Trump administration .
Critics say it may divert funds from public schools , in favour of private or religious schools .
The court had a number of cases dealing with issues of religious freedom and church/state separation this term .
While decisions involving contraceptive coverage and employment discrimination in religious institutions garnered the headlines , they turned on details of the laws in question .
No case more clearly exposed the durability of the conservative majority in this area than the ruling in Montana v. Epsinoza , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself required government programmes to be made equally accessible to secular and religious schools .
The Supreme Court ruled in March that states are free to abandon the insanity defence in cases where defendants argue they could not distinguish between right and wrong .
In an unusual move , liberal Justice Elena Kagan joined the five conservative justices in her decision .
The 6-member majority ruled that a 1995 Kansas law eliminating the insanity defence did not violate the US constitution .
In this state , mental capacity may only be considered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date , Kansas is one of just five states to effectively eliminate the insanity defence .
This ruling may encourage others to follow suit .
The use of insanity as a defense from criminal culpability has been around longer than the United States itself .
This term , however , Elena Kagan broke with the liberal justices to write an opinion joined by the five conservatives allowing states to significantly curtail its use in criminal trials .
It 's a notable ruling , given that criminal procedure is one area where even some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the court tries to balance the powers of law enforcement and the criminal courts with defendant rights .

The Supreme Court ruled in March that states are free to abandon the insanity defence in cases where defendants argue they could not distinguish between right and wrong. In an unusual move, liberal Justice Elena Kagan joined the five conservative justices in her decision. The 6-member majority ruled that a 1995 Kansas law eliminating the insanity defence did not violate the US constitution. In this state, mental capacity may only be considered in the sentencing phase of trial. To date, Kansas is one of just five states to effectively eliminate the insanity defence. This ruling may encourage others to follow suit.


bbc--2020-07-10--Bosnia's Srebrenica massacre 25 years on - in pictures

`` All who wish to go will be transported , large and small , young and old .
Do n't be afraid ... No one will harm you . ''
On 11 July 1995 , Bosnian Serb units captured the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina .
In less than two weeks , their forces systematically murdered more than 8,000 Bosniaks ( Bosnian Muslims ) - the worst act of mass killing on European soil since the end of World War Two .
Ratko Mladic , commander of the Bosnian Serb units , told the terrified civilians not to be afraid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They did not stop for 10 days .
Lightly-armed UN peacekeepers , in what had been declared a UN `` safe area '' , did nothing as the violence raged around them .
Former Secretary-General Kofi Annan later declared : `` The tragedy of Srebrenica will forever haunt the history of the United Nations . ''
The massacre was part of a genocide committed against the Muslims by Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian War , one of several conflicts fought in the 1990s as Yugoslavia imploded .
The Socialist Republic of Bosnia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it was part of Yugoslavia - was a multi-ethnic region of Muslim Bosniaks , Orthodox Serbs and Catholic Croats .
Bosnia-Herzegovina declared its independence in 1992 following a referendum , and was recognised shortly afterwards by the US and European governments .
• A brief guide to the Balkans War But the Bosnian Serb population had boycotted the referendum .
Soon afterwards Bosnian Serb forces - supported by the Serbian government - attacked the newly formed country .
They began removing Bosniaks from territory in a bid to create a `` Greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic cleansing .
The Bosniak people , most of whom are Muslims , are descended from Bosnian Slavs who adopted Islam under Ottoman Turkish rule in the Middle Ages .
Bosnian Serb troops captured Srebrenica in 1992 but it was retaken by the Bosnian army soon after .
A siege ensued with clashes between both sides .
In April 1993 , the UN Security Council declared the enclave a `` safe area ... free from any armed attack or any other hostile act '' .
But the siege continued .
Supplies ran low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dutch soldiers operating as UN peacekeepers .
Bosniak residents began to die of starvation .
On 6 July 1995 , Bosnian Serb forces attacked Srebrenica in earnest .
UN forces surrendered or retreated into the town , and Nato air strikes , called in to help , did little to slow the advance .
The enclave fell within five days .
Gen Mladic walked triumphantly through the town with other generals .
Some 20,000 refugees fled to the main Dutch UN base .
• 'The soil is soaked with blood ' : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As Muslim refugees boarded buses for evacuation , Bosnian Serb forces separated out men and boys from the crowds and took them away to be shot .
Thousands were executed and then pushed into mass graves with bulldozers .
Reports suggest some were buried alive , while some adults were forced to watch their children be killed .
Women and girls meanwhile were taken out of the queues of evacuees and raped .
Witnesses spoke of streets littered with corpses .
Under-equipped Dutch soldiers witnessing the Serb aggression did nothing and about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handed over .
• 'Burying my twin was the most difficult day of my life' A UN tribunal in The Hague that investigated the events later spoke of the huge amount of planning that went into the massacre .
`` A concerted effort was made to capture all Muslim men of military age , '' a judgement against one Bosnian Serb commander read .
Buses carrying women and children were systematically search for males , and often troops took young boys and elderly men who would not have been eligible to serve in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ massacre still reverberate to this day .
New mass graves and bodies of victims are still being discovered , 25 years after the genocide .
A 2002 report blamed the Dutch government and military officials for failing to prevent the killings .
The entire government resigned in the wake of the report .
In 2019 , the country 's supreme court upheld a ruling that the Netherlands was partially responsible for 350 deaths at Srebrenica .
In 2017 , a UN tribunal in The Hague convicted Mladic of genocide and other atrocities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of the war in 1995 and was not found until 2011 , in his cousin 's home in northern Serbia .
Serbia has since apologised for the crime but still refuses to accept this was a genocide .

In 2017, a UN tribunal in The Hague convicted Mladic of genocide and other atrocities. The commander had gone into hiding after the end of the war in 1995 and was not found until 2011, in his cousin's home in northern Serbia.


bbc--2020-07-10--Naya Rivera: CCTV of star boarding boat

Naya Rivera: CCTV of star boarding boat

Glee star Naya Rivera went missing on Wednesday after going out boating with her son .
The boy was found @ @ @ @ @ , he told police he and his mother had gone swimming but she did n't @ @ @ @ @ Search and rescue has so far found no trace of Rivera .
Police are presuming @ @ @ @ @ the lake .

Glee star Naya Rivera went missing on Wednesday after going out boating with her son.
The boy was found asleep on the boat alone. He told police he and his mother had gone swimming but she didn't return to the boat.
On Monday, police said a body found in Lake Piru in California had been identified as Rivera.
Sheriff Bill Ayub of the Ventura County Sheriff Department said there was no indication of foul play or that she took her own life.


Week in pictures: 4-10 July 2020

Villagers use nets to catch offerings thrown by Tenggerese worshippers during the Yadnya Kasada Festival at the crater of Mount @ @ @ @ @ Java , Indonesia .
As part of the festival , offerings of rice , fruit @ @ @ @ @ thrown into the volcano to appease the mountain gods .

Image caption,
Villagers use nets to catch offerings thrown by Tenggerese worshippers during the Yadnya Kasada Festival at the crater of Mount Bromo in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. As part of the festival, offerings of rice, fruit, vegetables and flowers are thrown into the volcano to appease the mountain gods.


bbc--2020-07-10--Coronavirus: Thrifty Germany takes on debt to rescue arts

As evening sunshine ripples through a ripening pear tree , birds chatter above the distant hum of a lawnmower .
Then , suddenly , the singers of Lübeck 's rock and roll choir raise their voices .
Swaying and smiling , they run through their repertoire : classics like Jailhouse Rock and Ghost Riders in the Sky .
Germany 's cultural life is slowly coming back to life .
The German government has set aside more than €1bn ( £896m ; $ 1.13bn ) to protect the arts - in addition to a furlough scheme and grants for freelancers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Concerts are still forbidden and the rehearsal room remains out of bounds .
But many are trying to find ways to safely sing again .
For the Lübeck singers that means practice in their conductor 's garden .
`` You come home with a smile after every time you sing with friends here .
That was really missing , '' says one of the singers .
Galleries have reopened to ( masked and distanced ) visitors .
So have some theatres - like the Theater Combinale in Lübeck , where they are preparing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months when the house was forced to `` go dark '' .
On a stage cluttered with lighting equipment , two actors try out a scene before an empty auditorium which can seat 120 people .
They will only be allowed to let 40 in to see their performance .
Despite the disastrous impact on takings , Ulli Haussmann , who co-founded the private theatre , says they will survive for now .
`` We had a lot of support from our audiences - donations and emails telling us to stay strong .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ artists in the city , '' he says .
`` The regional and national government also gave us the impression they want to keep the cultural infrastructure running . ''
• How are other economies dealing with the downturn ?
• How is lockdown being lifted across Europe ?
• The strange case of the choir that coughed in January The national government intervened relatively early in the crisis and that appears to have secured the country 's cultural institutions for now .
But there are concerns about the future .
As she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swipes a thin-bowed piece of wood through the air , dancer Shiao Ing Oei looks as though she 's battling an invisible enemy .
She , like other freelancers in Lübeck , also had help from a local arts foundation .
Even so , she says , some are struggling .
`` I think this is going to be a long fight .
The cultural landscape will change .
I personally will try to find an alternative source of income , so I 'm not dependent on the arts . ''
Arguably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other countries , relatively well insulated against the corona crisis .
This is a rich country and the arts were highly valued and comparatively well-funded by national and regional governments .
Although Prof Susanne Keuchel , from Germany 's culture council , says there was a growing tendency to commercialise state-funded institutions .
Nevertheless , she says , `` I have the feeling that the pandemic has given culture in Germany more visibility .
`` Compared with other countries we have good cultural infrastructure , and it 's nice to have that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granted .
`` The pandemic showed that people ca n't live without culture , without concerts , without theatre .
That gave us political support . ''
How long will money last ?
The coronavirus crisis has led Germany into new territory .
For the first time in years , its government is taking on new debt to keep the country going , and that includes its culture .
Many in its theatres , museums , studios and galleries wonder what will happen to them in a few months ' time , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thus far runs out .
In the summer garden , reunited with their fellow singers , the rock and roll choir tries not to think about the autumn .
For now , while the sun shines , Lübeck 's artists and performers are doing what they can .

Galleries have reopened to (masked and distanced) visitors. So have some theatres - like the Theater Combinale in Lübeck, where they are preparing a new piece, written during the months when the house was forced to "go dark".


bbc--2020-07-10--Love and guilt in lockdown: Your stories of getting in touch with an ex

Lockdown prompted many people to reflect on past relationships that ended badly .
Here is a selection of stories sent in by people who read A surprise lockdown apology from my ex ( 8 June 2020 ) We forgive each other for the past and now might have a future I was contacted in early May by my ex-girlfriend .
A simple `` Hi '' on WhatsApp .
She had taken a gamble that I had n't changed my number in the past eight years , and she was right .
My ex-girlfriend and I were together for a year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of years in a complicated status .
We had not parted on the best of terms .
I have had other relationships before and since , but she was always the one that got away , the one I would have settled down with , the one who made me feel things nobody else ever has .
That simple WhatsApp message started a conversation which , during the past six weeks has only paused for sleep .
We have sent messages , shared video calls and even met up once ( adhering to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chatted long past sunrise .
It seems that everything that went wrong all those years ago has long since been forgiven on both sides .
We are both a little bit older , more mature and able to admit our mistakes .
Things have certainly moved at quite a pace over the last couple of months .
It 's too soon to predict the future but , for the moment at least , it seems that we actually have one .
It 's looking likely that we will get back together , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how things go once we both go back to work full-time .
The pandemic may have brought about untold suffering and misery , but somehow , it has brought two people back together who should never have been apart .
I had to reach out to my ex after a lockdown dream In 2009 I met a guy .
It happened out the blue .
I was walking to the shop across the road from where I live .
He said , `` Hi '' and so did I , then when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again as I knew he liked me .
I made it look like I 'd forgotten something from the shop and we stopped and he asked for my number .
We fell in love with each other , but he said he was bisexual - although he later admitted he was gay but could never come out as he was scared of what his family and friends would say .
Even though I had never met James before , I discovered that I knew his dad - he lives on my estate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , all of a sudden he disappeared and I did n't see him for over two years .
Then , out the blue , he got in touch .
We met up and he confessed he had met a girl and was due to marry her .
Anyway , one thing led to another , and we kissed , had sex , and started seeing each other again - although he said his fiancée must not find out .
One day he was on his way round to see me and we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted each other and exchanging explicit messages .
But he had left his Facebook logged on at his fiancée 's house and she saw our messages in real time .
They split up and we continued to see each other , but he went into denial about his sexuality .
I ended it because he was n't prepared to come out and since then he 's back with her and had two kids .
Three weeks into lockdown I had a dream about him , even though I have n't seen him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had all the messages from when she found out , and his old number .
I texted him and asked him how he was .
Two days later I had a call from a withheld number and it was him .
We chatted for nearly 30 minutes and I said to him , `` I just had to call '' .
He said we should n't really be talking and had his missus never seen the Facebook messages then we would still be seeing each other now .
He said he never regretted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood why I contacted him and maybe we would talk in another eight years .
I forgave my ex to release him from the guilt I contacted a significant ex to tell him I had forgiven him - he did n't ever do anything particularly awful , but we were together for five years , 15 years ago , and he put me through a lot of heartache .
Oddly , although I was the one who was heartbroken at the time , he was the one who carried the pain - I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I moved on , went wild , and then settled down .
I have been married for more than 10 years and have three children , he is just beginning his `` family life phase '' and I feel a deep , probably everlasting , warm love and fondness for him , and genuine care .
At the start of Covid-19 I felt not everyone would be untouched by this virus , and I wanted him to know that I had moved into a platonic , positive form of `` memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was absolutely forgiven .
I did n't use quite such blunt words , but I told him what truly great , formative memories I had from our time together and essentially released him from the weight of the guilt that I knew he carried .
His response was the most open-hearted , vulnerable , loving ( not romantic love ) , grateful and moving email I have ever received .
He was always emotionally unavailable when I knew him , and I had n't quite expected it to mean so much to him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I was able to be a support to him .
It 's fascinating how Covid-19 has reached its tendrils right into the core of who we are .
I love these small little shifts in our human behaviour , little clicks in the cogs of time , etching our stories as part of an enormous whole .
It took courage to suggest he might want my forgiveness - he could have come back all cool and brushed me off , but I did n't really mind taking the risk .
If one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now just a positive , loving part of our lives .
I do n't forgive him , but I respect him for finally apologising I received a WhatsApp apology whilst in lockdown from my ex-husband who I divorced two years ago .
It was completely out of the blue - the only communication we 've had in the last 18 months has been short , sharp and only related to pick up arrangements for our son .
He had an affair on-board his ship with another naval officer .
They maintained the affair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and confronted him - I was at home with our two-year-old son , patiently awaiting his arrival home from deployment .
We had been together for 10 years when I filed for divorce .
He moved in with her , they got engaged and we were abandoned .
It was brutally heart-breaking , but I never let my emotions get the better of me , and maintained decorum throughout .
He never explained , and certainly did n't apologise for his actions .
It made the recovery for me much harder and longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months later I hoped he would swallow his pride and admit he did wrong .
Then suddenly , two weeks ago , I got a message saying he was so sorry for everything .
It was long and well thought through .
I actually cried when I read it as it felt like I was finally able to close the lid on the divorce box and completely mentally move on .
It came from nowhere - must be all the isolation and time he has to think about where he is in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he earned some respect back .
Thirty-two years have passed , but I 'd like to apologise to someone I cared about for hurting them I grew up in an industrial area of the country and on leaving school I found a dreary position of employment in a local factory .
With each year that passed I found the area to be increasingly insular and claustrophobic .
I wanted more than weekends spent drinking and enduring my life in a grey factory .
I found planning my working tour of Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an escape plan .
It was 1988 , I was 21 and on arrival in Perth I felt exhilarated and elated .
Everything seemed new , colourful , fresh and exciting .
I found the different nationalities of the people in the backpackers ' hostel just as interesting as the new country I was in .
Everyone seemed to have a buzz , a plan , and a destination .
I felt at home instantly .
Debah was from Yugoslavia - dark-haired , with olive skin and beautiful .
We embarked on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out with new mates , and generally living it up we saw each other .
Debah wanted to get to know me better and become more of a couple .
I decided against this and we went our separate ways .
The rest of the year passed by like a wonderful dreamlike experience .
On my return I went to university .
A profession , house in a pleasant suburb , and family followed .
I usually sleep quite well .
Lockdown for Covid-19 had barely been in place and I awoke in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Debah after almost 32 years .
Gradually conversations that we had came back .
They were n't good .
I found these quite unsettling and somewhat shameful .
Whilst out as a group in a club she had come over to me and asked if I would like to go back with her later that evening , to which I replied , `` I 'll see what 's on TV first . ''
She did n't swear or glare , she just went back to join her friends with a quiet dignity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the comment as it got some cheap laughs .
After a few days of deliberately avoiding Debah at the hostel , she sought me out and stated that she knew I did n't want to see her and that she did n't want there to be any bad feeling between us .
Later that month I continued travelling without saying goodbye .
The truth is if we had got any closer I could n't have left her without a traumatic upheaval later .
I found it easier to put up a front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance of there being a greater hurt later .
I do n't know why it 's taken 32 years to rise to the surface .
Since the literal awakening at the start of Covid-19 , it was constantly on my mind why I treated Debah so appallingly .
It 's not a comfortable feeling at all knowing that I deliberately hurt someone whom I cared about .
It 's not someone I recognise as me .
But , unfortunately , it was me .
I do n't have Debah 's address but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologise .
I hope she stayed in Australia and avoided the Balkans conflict that ripped apart her country .
Wherever she is I know she will be living with dignity .
Reaching out to my ex is bad for my mental health I was on a bus and the song Hello by Adele came on my headphones and I had this urge to find my ex , Mark , who had totally wrecked me when I was in my early 20s .
We 'd gotten engaged at his suggestion , but the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missed from behind rose-tinted glasses .
I 'd found myself back home in Wales and more than a bit lost having dropped out of university .
I now know that I was experiencing the first flushes of the clinical depression that has dogged me for decades .
I manage it much better today .
Mark had broken things off after a period of cruel behaviour .
He strung me along for a good few weeks until I finally realised he was done with me .
I was truly broken .
He was my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gained the closure I wanted .
I found him on Facebook but his profile was shared with a woman .
In 2015 I emailed an old address I had for him but got no response .
Then in lockdown I once again had that pull , but this time it felt self-destructive .
Whenever I look for him it feels like picking at an old scar that has n't quite healed properly , reopening a wound that should have closed years ago .
I searched on Facebook but the old joint profile was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him alone .
I saw his face and again my insides twisted like I was going to throw up .
I sent a message , one simple sentence , `` Is that really you ? ''
I 'm not sure why I still look back at him .
He hurt me so completely it 's taken me all this time to really let myself feel ready to seek a relationship .
The profile disappeared .
He 'd clearly blocked me once he saw the message , so I still do n't get my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maybe he 's actually ashamed of what he did but is n't ready to connect .
Whatever it is , I 'm still forging on .
I have a good job and my mental health is much better .
I have an excellent group of friends and whilst I am still utterly single , I do n't mind .
I 'm happy with who I am these days and each day things get a little better .
The pain is n't gone .
I 've just moved much further from it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was too late With lots of time during lockdown I looked back on my life and thought of my first boyfriend who , after three intense years when we were teenagers , decided he did n't want to spend the rest of his life with me and I never heard from him again .
I recently felt like contacting him to say that , in retrospect , it was the right decision to go our separate ways and I have had a happy life , hope he had too .
But then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I would say to get in touch if it will not upset anyone , but do n't delay as long as I did - I waited 62 years !

Love and guilt in lockdown: Your stories of getting in touch with an ex Published 11 July 2020
Image source, Somsara Rielly
Lockdown has prompted many people to reflect on past relationships that ended badly.
Here is a selection of stories sent in by people who read A surprise lockdown apology from my ex (8 June 2020)
We forgive each other for the past and now might have a future
I was contacted in early May by my ex-girlfriend. A simple "Hi" on WhatsApp. She had taken a gamble that I hadn't changed my number in the past eight years, and she was right.
My ex-girlfriend and I were together for a year in 2009 and then spent a couple of years in a complicated status. We had not parted on the best of terms.
I have had other relationships before and since, but she was always the one that got away, the one I would have settled down with, the one who made me feel things nobody else ever has.
That simple WhatsApp message started a conversation which, during the past six weeks has only paused for sleep. We have sent messages, shared video calls and even met up once (adhering to lockdown rules). Sometimes we've chatted long past sunrise.
It seems that everything that went wrong all those years ago has long since been forgiven on both sides. We are both a little bit older, more mature and able to admit our mistakes.
Things have certainly moved at quite a pace over the last couple of months. It's too soon to predict the future but, for the moment at least, it seems that we actually have one.
It's looking likely that we will get back together, but we've decided to wait and see how things go once we both go back to work full-time. The pandemic may have brought about untold suffering and misery, but somehow, it has brought two people back together who should never have been apart.
Michael, UK
I had to reach out to my ex after a lockdown dream
In 2009 I met a guy. It happened out the blue. I was walking to the shop across the road from where I live. He said, "Hi" and so did I, then when I got home I went straight back out again as I knew he liked me. I made it look like I'd forgotten something from the shop and we stopped and he asked for my number.
We fell in love with each other, but he said he was bisexual - although he later admitted he was gay, like me, but could never come out as he was scared of what his family and friends would say. Even though I had never met James before, I discovered that I knew his dad - he lives on my estate.
After meeting up in secret for years, all of a sudden he disappeared and I didn't see him for over two years.
Then, out the blue, he got in touch. We met up and he confessed he had met a girl and was due to marry her.
Anyway, one thing led to another, and we kissed, had sex, and started seeing each other again - although he said his fiancée must not find out.
One day he was on his way round to see me and we were messaging each other saying how much we wanted each other and exchanging explicit messages. But he had left his Facebook logged on at his fiancée's house and she saw our messages in real time.
They split up and we continued to see each other, but he went into denial about his sexuality. I ended it because he wasn't prepared to come out and since then he's back with her and had two kids.
Three weeks into lockdown I had a dream about him, even though I haven't seen him in eight years. I discovered I still had all the messages from when she found out, and his old number.
I texted him and asked him how he was. Two days later I had a call from a withheld number and it was him. We chatted for nearly 30 minutes and I said to him, "I just had to call".
He said we shouldn't really be talking and had his missus never seen the Facebook messages then we would still be seeing each other now. He said he never regretted anything we did. He said he understood why I contacted him and maybe we would talk in another eight years.
Mark, Rugby, UK
I forgave my ex to release him from the guilt
I contacted a significant ex to tell him I had forgiven him - he didn't ever do anything particularly awful, but we were together for five years, 15 years ago, and he put me through a lot of heartache.
Oddly, although I was the one who was heartbroken at the time, he was the one who carried the pain - I knew he had always felt terrible about it. I moved on, went wild, and then settled down.
I have been married for more than 10 years and have three children, he is just beginning his "family life phase" and I feel a deep, probably everlasting, warm love and fondness for him, and genuine care.
At the start of Covid-19 I felt not everyone would be untouched by this virus, and I wanted him to know that I had moved into a platonic, positive form of "memory love" for him and that he was absolutely forgiven.
I didn't use quite such blunt words, but I told him what truly great, formative memories I had from our time together and essentially released him from the weight of the guilt that I knew he carried.
His response was the most open-hearted, vulnerable, loving (not romantic love), grateful and moving email I have ever received. He was always emotionally unavailable when I knew him, and I hadn't quite expected it to mean so much to him.
It then opened up more communication where I was able to be a support to him.
It's fascinating how Covid-19 has reached its tendrils right into the core of who we are. I love these small little shifts in our human behaviour, little clicks in the cogs of time, etching our stories as part of an enormous whole.
It took courage to suggest he might want my forgiveness - he could have come back all cool and brushed me off, but I didn't really mind taking the risk. If one of us dies unexpectedly that experience is now just a positive, loving part of our lives.
Katie, New South Wales, Australia
I don't forgive him, but I respect him for finally apologising
Image source, Somsara Rielly
I received a WhatsApp apology whilst in lockdown from my ex-husband who I divorced two years ago. It was completely out of the blue - the only communication we've had in the last 18 months has been short, sharp and only related to pick up arrangements for our son.
He had an affair on-board his ship with another naval officer. They maintained the affair for five months before I found out and confronted him - I was at home with our two-year-old son, patiently awaiting his arrival home from deployment.
We had been together for 10 years when I filed for divorce.
He moved in with her, they got engaged and we were abandoned.
It was brutally heart-breaking, but I never let my emotions get the better of me, and maintained decorum throughout. He never explained, and certainly didn't apologise for his actions. It made the recovery for me much harder and longer, and when she dumped him 18 months later I hoped he would swallow his pride and admit he did wrong.
Then suddenly, two weeks ago, I got a message saying he was so sorry for everything. It was long and well thought through. I actually cried when I read it as it felt like I was finally able to close the lid on the divorce box and completely mentally move on.
It came from nowhere - must be all the isolation and time he has to think about where he is in his life. I don't forgive him, but he earned some respect back.
Deborah, Plymouth, UK
Thirty-two years have passed, but I'd like to apologise to someone I cared about for hurting them
I grew up in an industrial area of the country and on leaving school I found a dreary position of employment in a local factory.
With each year that passed I found the area to be increasingly insular and claustrophobic. I wanted more than weekends spent drinking and enduring my life in a grey factory.
I found planning my working tour of Australia liberating and enjoyed the fact I had an escape plan. It was 1988, I was 21 and on arrival in Perth I felt exhilarated and elated. Everything seemed new, colourful, fresh and exciting.
I found the different nationalities of the people in the backpackers' hostel just as interesting as the new country I was in. Everyone seemed to have a buzz, a plan, and a destination. I felt at home instantly.
Debah was from Yugoslavia - dark-haired, with olive skin and beautiful. We embarked on a casual relationship. Between work, going out with new mates, and generally living it up we saw each other. Debah wanted to get to know me better and become more of a couple. I decided against this and we went our separate ways.
The rest of the year passed by like a wonderful dreamlike experience.
On my return I went to university. A profession, house in a pleasant suburb, and family followed.
I usually sleep quite well. Lockdown for Covid-19 had barely been in place and I awoke in the middle of the night thinking of Debah after almost 32 years. Gradually conversations that we had came back. They weren't good. I found these quite unsettling and somewhat shameful.
Whilst out as a group in a club she had come over to me and asked if I would like to go back with her later that evening, to which I replied, "I'll see what's on TV first."
She didn't swear or glare, she just went back to join her friends with a quiet dignity. I remember being happy at the time with the comment as it got some cheap laughs.
After a few days of deliberately avoiding Debah at the hostel, she sought me out and stated that she knew I didn't want to see her and that she didn't want there to be any bad feeling between us. Later that month I continued travelling without saying goodbye.
The truth is if we had got any closer I couldn't have left her without a traumatic upheaval later. I found it easier to put up a front of indifference and belittlement than to take a chance of there being a greater hurt later. I don't know why it's taken 32 years to rise to the surface.
Since the literal awakening at the start of Covid-19, it was constantly on my mind why I treated Debah so appallingly. It's not a comfortable feeling at all knowing that I deliberately hurt someone whom I cared about. It's not someone I recognise as me. But, unfortunately, it was me.
I don't have Debah's address but I do have a strong desire to apologise. I hope she stayed in Australia and avoided the Balkans conflict that ripped apart her country. Wherever she is I know she will be living with dignity.
Michael, UK
Reaching out to my ex is bad for my mental health
Image source, Somsara Rielly
I was on a bus and the song Hello by Adele came on my headphones and I had this urge to find my ex, Mark, who had totally wrecked me when I was in my early 20s. We'd gotten engaged at his suggestion, but the whole relationship was plagued with red flags I missed from behind rose-tinted glasses.
I'd found myself back home in Wales and more than a bit lost having dropped out of university. I now know that I was experiencing the first flushes of the clinical depression that has dogged me for decades. I manage it much better today.
Mark had broken things off after a period of cruel behaviour. He strung me along for a good few weeks until I finally realised he was done with me. I was truly broken. He was my first real love and I never really gained the closure I wanted. I found him on Facebook but his profile was shared with a woman.
In 2015 I emailed an old address I had for him but got no response. Then in lockdown I once again had that pull, but this time it felt self-destructive. Whenever I look for him it feels like picking at an old scar that hasn't quite healed properly, reopening a wound that should have closed years ago.
I searched on Facebook but the old joint profile was gone. I found a profile for him alone. I saw his face and again my insides twisted like I was going to throw up. I sent a message, one simple sentence, "Is that really you?"
I'm not sure why I still look back at him. He hurt me so completely it's taken me all this time to really let myself feel ready to seek a relationship.
The profile disappeared. He'd clearly blocked me once he saw the message, so I still don't get my closure, and I likely never will. Maybe he's actually ashamed of what he did but isn't ready to connect.
Whatever it is, I'm still forging on. I have a good job and my mental health is much better. I have an excellent group of friends and whilst I am still utterly single, I don't mind. I'm happy with who I am these days and each day things get a little better. The pain isn't gone. I've just moved much further from it.
Rhian, UK
By the time I decided to apologise it was too late
With lots of time during lockdown I looked back on my life and thought of my first boyfriend who, after three intense years when we were teenagers, decided he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with me and I never heard from him again.
I recently felt like contacting him to say that, in retrospect, it was the right decision to go our separate ways and I have had a happy life, hope he had too. But then I found he was no longer alive. I would say to get in touch if it will not upset anyone, but don't delay as long as I did - I waited 62 years!


bbc--2020-07-10--Coronavirus: Why politics means success or failure in South America

South America is the new epicentre of the global coronavirus pandemic , but the region 's leaders have responded to the crisis very differently .
A great deal has been said about poverty in this part of the world , like the favelas in Brazil where social distancing is hard to achieve and where basic sanitation is not always a given .
There is also the fact that there are so many millions of unregistered workers who rely on earning money every day to put food on the table for their families .
The impossible choice that many people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starving or risk getting Covid-19 .
There are , undoubtedly , massive challenges in this , one of the most unequal parts of the world .
But , say many experts , politics is just as important as poverty .
`` I always defended - as many of us in public health did - the importance of having strong , structured health systems , '' says Deisy Ventura , professor of Global Health Ethics at the University of Sao Paulo .
`` But if there 's one thing I have learned from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - for good and bad . ''
Professor Ventura singles out Argentina .
Leading a country already deep in economic crisis , President Alberto Fernandez , who has been in power for less than a year , locked down swiftly when the virus hit .
The country has registered just over 90,000 cases and 1,720 people have died .
`` It 's an extremely divided country , it 's been through a very intense political crisis but those adversaries were able to sit around the table and come to an agreement over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Professor Ventura .
`` They have press conferences with various politicians from different political stripes and they announce things together - so the population understand what needs to be done . ''
Uruguay and Paraguay have also been singled out as examples .
They have fewer than 100 deaths between them , even though they both share borders with badly hit Brazil .
But they are the exceptions .
`` Unfortunately in some Latin American countries - Brazil especially - the issue of measures has become partisan and that is absurd , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jair Bolsonaro , is a man who has made light of the virus from the very start .
He 's called it the sniffles and seldom paid tribute to the nearly 70,000 people who have died .
He has disagreed with his own health ministry over the importance of social distancing , he has argued with state governors who introduced quarantine measures and he has pushed to re-open the economy at the earliest opportunity .
Now he has the virus himself , he 's taking the opportunity to promote the unproven anti-malarial drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazil is the only country dealing with a pandemonium and a pandemic at the same time , '' says Miguel Nicolelis , a neuroscientist who is helping north-eastern states tackle Covid-19 .
`` Nowhere that you can look in the world you can see a political upheaval at the same time you are trying to fight the coronavirus .
The response of the federal government has been the worst you could imagine . ''
Communication is key during an emergency , says Professor Ventura .
`` People learn very quickly when they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand the risk , communication needs to be efficient and they need to trust authorities . ''
But that lack of trust is echoed across the region .
Mati Libuy Rios is a doctor in Maipu , one of the worst-hit parts of Chile 's capital Santiago .
A relatively rich country in South America , Chile has seen a sharp rise in cases and deaths in recent weeks .
More than 300,000 registered infections and nearly 7,000 confirmed deaths .
Mati has been working flat out in recent months - on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell 10 families that their loved ones were dying .
`` It 's really hard - I am 30 years old , this will probably be the most challenging experience of my life as a physician .
Nobody prepares you for this situation . ''
There is tension in Chile over lockdown - and the pandemic hit just months after widespread protests last year over social and economic inequalities .
Mati thinks the government failed to step up to the task of dealing with the pandemic early on .
`` We have massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get food every day , it 's as simple as that , '' he says .
`` The government needed to give people all the material conditions to stay at home and at the same time increase testing , isolate contagious people and track all the possible contacts .
It 's the simplest way to control it and they missed the opportunity . ''
But nothing compares to the numbers in Brazil - a country where many feel the pandemic is nothing but political .
`` Every country that took this lightly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it - paid a huge price , '' says Miguel Nicolelis .
`` When politicians challenge biology , biology wins by a huge margin .
Sorry and sad to say as a Brazilian but it 's the reality .
We did n't prepare , take it seriously and we now see exponential curves exploding .
You can not even describe this . ''
• NEW ZEALAND 'S SUCCESS How the country went `` hard and early '' to beat virus

He's called it the sniffles and seldom paid tribute to the nearly 70,000 people who have died. He has disagreed with his own health ministry over the importance of social distancing, he has argued with state governors who introduced quarantine measures and he has pushed to re-open the economy at the earliest opportunity.


bbc--2020-07-10--Breast cancer: Zimbabwe woman's struggle to avoid mastectomy

A 44-year-old woman in Zimbabwe , Tendayi Gwata , is battling to avoid a mastectomy after her breast cancer treatment abruptly ended when the only radiotherapy machine in the capital , Harare , stopped working .
Ms Gwata , a marketing consultant , had already lost all her hair during chemotherapy .
Then she was told that because the machine had broken down , she may need her breast removed .
Zimbabwe 's health sector has largely collapsed amidst an economic crisis that has seen inflation soaring to 785 % , and a severe shortage of cash .
The crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms Gwata told the BBC 's Clare Spencer about her ordeal : In July 2019 I had discomfort in my breast so I went to the doctor in Harare and had a scan and mammogram .
A biopsy then confirmed I had stage-three breast cancer and the cancer had spread to my armpit .
I flew to South Africa to go through the full cycles of chemotherapy and had surgery to remove the tumour .
Then I started radiotherapy back in Harare to stop the tumour from recurring .
When we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one machine working in the whole of Harare and that was at the private facility , Oncocare .
I 'd got quite far in my treatment - 21 sessions of the 30 that I was supposed to do .
Then I got the call .
I was in my car on my way to my 22nd daily radiotherapy session when they phoned me to tell me to turn around because the machine had broken .
That was on 21 April .
A week went by .
A month went by .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine was going to get fixed .
My oncologist said I would need to start thinking about having a mastectomy .
I tried really hard to not cry .
I 've worked so hard to stay positive , to stay energised , to look to the future and say : `` I 'm going to survive this , '' to only get to this point where I 'm now having to go through a new set of fully invasive procedures , in the hope that I have a better chance of survival all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I was really just wanting to burst into tears but my anger took over and I went to Twitter .
I also started learning as much as I could about radiotherapy .
The only research I could find on the impact of missing radiotherapy sessions is for up to two days .
I could n't find any research on the impact of missing it for two months , for three months .
It 's not even explored because it 's so incomprehensible to the rest of the world that a machine can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talked on BBC Focus on Africa radio about my anger and frustration and after that interview I had loads of people phoning me asking : `` What can I do ?
How can we help ? ''
I explained to them that I was failing to get in touch with someone who could actually give me answers and who I could talk to for a way forward .
So , one of my friends I went to high school with gave me the phone number of the head of the health services board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch with Ernest Manyawo , the chief executive officer of Harare 's biggest public hospital , Parirenyatwa .
It 's not just me That 's when I discovered the scale of the problem .
He said that there are 500 people sitting at home right now waiting for radiotherapy because of broken machines .
It 's not just me .
It 's not just a handful of people but it 's a lot of people and that 's where my outrage comes from .
Having had personal experience of the pain and agony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chemo , surgery , raising money for treatment , the overall impact on your family , just to then fall at the last hurdle because these facilities do n't exist , that really struck a chord with me .
When I was first looking for radiotherapy , Parirenyatwa was not given as an option to me .
It turned out they had three machines , which had all been broken and had been sitting idle since August 2019 .
You may also be interested in : • 'My cousin died as the doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me they had received the spare parts for the machines in February .
These machines cost anything between $ 1m ( £795,000 ) and $ 3m .
So , there 's an agreement with the company that sold the machines that only their engineers can come and fix them .
But those engineers are in South Africa .
Mr Manyawo did n't say why it had taken six months to get those parts , nor why the engineers did n't come as soon as the spare parts arrived .
Then , on 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Zimbabwe shut its borders to try and restrict the spread of coronavirus .
This case got lost in a whirlwind of red tape .
Now , I 've been told that the engineers ' flight has been booked and all that is pending is a clearance from the Ministry of Health to allow them into the country .
So we 're in that limbo period .
I 'm anxious .
I have n't slept well .
I keep waking up in the middle of the night .
But I 'm trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one thing that cancer has taught me is that you should really only worry about something when you get to it .
Otherwise you 'll just spend your entire life worrying and that 's not good for your health .
More about cancer treatment during the coronavirus pandemic :

I've worked so hard to stay positive, to stay energised, to look to the future and say: "I'm going to survive this," to only get to this point where I'm now having to go through a new set of fully invasive procedures, in the hope that I have a better chance of survival all because someone won't fix the machine.


bbc--2020-07-10--Huawei: Why the UK might hang up on 5G and broadband kit supplier

These are tense times for Huawei and the UK 's telecoms providers .
The prime minister will shortly review use of the Chinese company 's equipment , with MPs set to be informed of his decision on Tuesday .
It seems likely that Boris Johnson will set a deadline by which time the firm should stop being involved in the country 's 5G network .
But what 's unclear is whether he 'll also order it to be stripped out of other mobile and fixed-line broadband systems too .
The decision will not only have an impact on the rollout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encourage other countries to rethink their own relationships with Huawei .
What are the options ?
In January , the government ordered that Huawei 's market share of 5G and fibre-to-the-premises ( FTTP ) broadband be capped at 35 % , and that it also be removed from the most sensitive part of mobile networks , known as the core .
Since then ministers have said that `` over time '' they want high-risk vendors - including Huawei - to be excluded outright , but have not said by when .
Some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent large sums installing Huawei masts and other equipment to connect smartphones to their 5G networks .
They have said they want about seven years to replace it with another option if they must , and at a push could do it in five .
But some Tory MPs say the deed must be done before 2024 's general election .
The networks claim this would be difficult , not least because today 's 5G base stations are often upgrades of existing 4G kit .
So the swap to another supplier is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it involves replacing much of their 4G infrastructure too .
In regard to broadband , BT 's Openreach division will bear the brunt of any decision .
It currently aims to meet the cap by using two other vendors to build new FTTP capacity rather than by replacing any existing Huawei equipment , which would involve extra cost and effort .
And then there 's the nuclear option .
If Mr Johnson wants Huawei out of the telecoms network altogether , then 70,000 roadside cabinets used to provide existing broadband connections would also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , the sums and work involved start to become colossal .
Why is this happening ?
Geopolitical tension between the US and China is the reason behind the review into the use of Huawei 's technology .
Washington claims Huawei poses a national security risk and has unfairly benefited from government support .
Whether these claims are true - and Huawei denies them - the Trump administration clearly sees the company as a totem for the spread of Chinese influence , and is trying to push back .
Its latest move is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being able to get its own chips manufactured .
Neither Huawei nor the third-party fabricators it relies on would be allowed to use American electronic design automation ( EDA ) software - which is used to design , simulate and produce the firm 's processors - or any other tool based on American intellectual property , At present there is no quick way to get round this , leading one of the world 's biggest chip producers - TSMC - to stop taking new orders from the Chinese company .
With enough time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` de-Americanised '' production lines .
But in some cases there are no easy substitutes .
In particular , it would lose the ability to make chips as densely packed with transistors as is currently the case , meaning they would not work as efficiently .
As a result , Huawei may have to let others design and make the chips at the heart of its products .
However , UK security chiefs are concerned that this would prevent them being able to vet it equipment as thoroughly .
And it is believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told politicians the balance of risk has shifted as a consequence .
One option that had been considered was for the government to advise - but not order - networks to stop using Huawei 's kit .
But dozens of Tory MPs have made clear they would rebel unless a tougher line is taken .
Bob Seely - a member of the Huawei Interest Group of Conservative MPs - told the BBC he believes the government will announce that no new 5G Huawei kit can be installed after 2021 , and all such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2025 .
`` Not everyone would be satisfied by that , '' he said , but added that it would be enough to prevent the government losing a parliamentary vote .
What can Huawei do ?
For now , the firm seems to be hoping it can sway the prime minister 's mind at the eleventh hour .
Huawei can make the case that it has built up stockpiles of its chips and the sanctions allow foundries outside the US to continue making more until mid-September .
Moreover , it could promise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically to fulfil UK orders , and thus guarantee that it would not need to ship kit using third-party components to the country for at least two or three years - by which point the US sanctions might be over .
That might satisfy immediate security concerns , but the decision is also a political one .
Huawei hopes any new restrictions are accompanied by a pledge to carry out a follow-up review , leaving the door open to a further U-turn .
But in the light of tensions with China over its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might not be in any mind to offer such a concession .
• Why Huawei 's days in the UK could be numbered Huawei could still try to mount a legal challenge .
When asked about this possibility , its UK chief Victor Zhang said now was `` not the right time to make the case '' .
What would be the consequences for the UK ?
Ericsson already supplies many of the UK networks with 5G kit and has said it can take on extra demand at a competitive price .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I can guarantee you no , '' the firm 's European chief Arun Bansal told the BBC .
Nokia is another existing supplier that could pick up the slack .
And - in time - there 's also talk of bringing Samsung and NEC on board too .
But Vodafone has warned that unless operators are given at least seven years to pull Huawei out , then the further rollout of 5G will be slower than planned .
Likewise , Openreach believes it would struggle to meet the prime minister 's 2025 target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if it has to replace existing Huawei broadband gear .
There would also be wider ramifications .
Huawei would presumably rethink promises it has made to invest in R & D in the country , including plans for a £1bn development near Cambridge .
Furthermore , China 's ambassador to the UK has said it would damage Britain 's reputation for being a business-friendly , open nation .
`` When you get rid of Huawei , it sends it a very wrong message .
You punish your image as a country that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xiaoming .
On the flipside , a ban might encourage the Trump administration to give the UK a free trade deal that would aid its post-Brexit fortunes .

Moreover, it could promise to set aside some of that supply specifically to fulfil UK orders, and thus guarantee that it would not need to ship kit using third-party components to the country for at least two or three years - by which point the US sanctions might be over.


bbc--2020-07-10--Coronavirus: How can we make post-pandemic cities smarter?

Streets have been eerily quiet in recent months as coronavirus lockdowns imposed by governments around the world hit the pause button on normal life .
And while many people have missed the shops and cafes , many have also appreciated the temporary respite from noise , pollution and congestion .
As cities start to wake up from the so-called anthropause , questions are being being asked about how we can improve them more permanently .
And the assumptions we had about making our cities smart may also need a rethink .
Robots and drones have certainly come into their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dynamics Spot robot has been used to help enforce social distancing in Singapore , while drone regulation has been fast-tracked in North Carolina to allow Zipline to deliver medical supplies to hospitals and telepresence robots have helped connect people in quarantine .
Daniela Rus is head of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her lab designed a disinfectant robot , which is being used to clean Boston 's food bank .
She told the BBC that robots have made a `` tremendous contribution '' during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep people out of harm 's way and that is very powerful . ''
In future , she sees them taking on a wider role in smart cities `` helping with both physical and cognitive work '' .
Cities already collect vast amounts of data via sensors embedded in infrastructure and even lamp posts , observing a range of metrics - from air quality and transport usage to the movement of people .
And , for probably the first time , ordinary people became interested in this information - how many cars are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are gathering in parks was suddenly directly pertinent to their health and well-being .
Prof Phil James measures what he calls the `` heartbeat of Newcastle '' from his urban observatory based at the city 's university .
He has seen incredible changes in the last few months .
`` They were dramatic , off-the-cliff-type changes .
Pedestrian footfall fell by 95 % , traffic fell to about 40 % of normal levels with much reduced peaks . ''
One of the most powerful things about this data was `` the city council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how those changes were playing out in real-time in the city . ''
`` When garden centres opened we saw an increase in traffic as people went to buy potted plants . ''
He hopes this data will be carried forward to make more permanent , post-pandemic changes , for `` pressing problems '' such as air pollution .
`` When there was 50 % of traffic , then we saw a 25 % drop in nitrogen dioxide ( NO2 ) levels .
Unfortunately it has not stayed with us because traffic is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal , so we are hitting those barriers again .
`` But as cities attempt to reduce carbon levels , the data helps understand the magnitude of these issues .
Data should and can empower policy-makers and decision-makers . ''
Post-pandemic cities need to also consider whether they want to make more permanent changes to transport , via electric vehicles and bikes , thinks Dr Robin North , who founded Immense , a firm that offers simulations of future cities .
`` There is a huge opportunity to redesign the transport system brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it .
If we want to take advantage of that we have to be able to plan and think ahead , '' he told the BBC .
Some cities are already thinking about how they might change when the pandemic is over .
Paris is experimenting with the idea of a 15-minute city - decentralised , mini-hubs where everything you need is within a 15-minute walk or bike ride .
The `` ville du quart d'heure '' is a key pillar of Mayor Anne Hidalgo 's re-election campaign , turning Paris into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in the wake of the success of home working during lockdown , firms are starting to question the need for big , expensive , centrally located offices .
`` The skyscraper 's moment may be over .
As a result of the pandemic , urban planners are going to have to rethink the idea of space , '' said Prof Richard Sennett , an urban planning expert who helped redesign New York City in the 1980s and who is currently chairman of the Council on Urban Initiatives at the United Nations .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixed , immobile structures that only serve one purpose . ''
What is needed , he explained , is more flexible buildings , ones that can adapt to the short-term need for greater social distancing but also , in future , to changing economics which might mean offices need to become retail outlets or even homes .
For him the biggest lesson of the pandemic is that cities need to be sociable places .
He says that , not just because he is missing having a beer in a city bar , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has worked better when it is used to help people communicate .
While track and trace apps have had mixed reviews and success , localised neighbourhood apps that keep people informed about rubbish collection times or enable them to help a sick neighbour have soared in popularity - what Prof Sennet calls a new era of `` neighbours responsible to strangers '' .
Sensors may be good at collecting city data but actually the smartphones people carry around with them are far more powerful , he thinks .
`` Using an app to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There has been a lot more use of social apps .
`` Sensors ca n't tell you why a crowd has gathered .
We can replace the cop on the corner with a camera but what are we looking for ? ''
In San Diego , there are suggestions that smart street lights were used to spy on Black Lives Matter protesters , raising civil liberties questions .
And actually data is pretty dumb , said Prof James .
`` I can tell you how many pedestrians are wandering through Newcastle city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why they decided to do that today .
`` A smart city has to work with citizens , behavioural scientists , social policy-makers .
It should n't just be about data and technology . ''

For him the biggest lesson of the pandemic is that cities need to be sociable places. He says that, not just because he is missing having a beer in a city bar, but also because he has seen how technology has worked better when it is used to help people communicate.


bbc--2020-07-10--Dowrich and Brathwaite punish England as West Indies take command in first Test

England are under huge pressure in the opening Test after West Indies took a first-innings lead of 114 on day three in Southampton .
From 57-1 overnight , the tourists were eventually bowled out for 318 , with Kraigg Brathwaite making 65 , Shane Dowrich 61 and Roston Chase 47 .
In doing so , they took advantage of improved batting conditions under sunny skies at the empty ground , but also put England 's 204 all out into context .
The home side at least battled through a tough 40-minute spell to start their second innings as openers Rory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deficit of 99 .
• Watch Today at the Test on iPlayer Without a crowd to lift them , England 's bowlers struggled at times .
Stand-in captain Ben Stokes provided inspiration with 4-49 , James Anderson nagged away for 3-62 and off-spinner Dom Bess impressed in taking 2-51 , but the extra pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood did not make an impact .
That will only fuel the debate over the decision to drop Stuart Broad , who candidly spoke of being `` angry , frustrated and gutted '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England are behind in this match because they did not get enough runs after choosing to bat first in grey and damp conditions .
They must put in an improved batting display on Saturday in order to set West Indies a testing target to chase on a pitch that is likely to deteriorate .
The arguments for and against the omission of Broad are both valid .
On the one hand , it seems confusing that England left out their second highest Test wicket-taker , and the second highest in the world in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may well have suited him .
However , the complaint during England 's previous two awful tours of Australia has been their lack of pace , and using Archer and Wood now is one way of preparing for the 2021-22 Ashes .
There is a danger of that argument masking what has happened so far in this match , namely that West Indies have adapted to the conditions , lack of crowd and truncated preparation better than England .
While some of the England dismissals on the second day could have been put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tourists showed on Friday that excuse does not hold much water .
Just as they did in winning when these sides met in the Caribbean in 2019 , the West Indies batsmen showed patience , stubbornness and determination , moving their side into a very strong position .
West Indies have not won a series in this country since 1988 , but have shown enough in the first three days of this match to suggest England face a battle to keep that record intact .
This was a collective effort by West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make a huge score , they put together several meaningful partnerships , rarely gifted wickets and ensured they never fell in clusters .
Their willingness to occupy the crease was epitomised by Chase , who dug in to such an extent that he scored only 14 runs between lunch and tea .
He picked up the mantle left by Brathwaite , the obdurate opener moving from his overnight 20 with tucks and nudges into the leg side .
Flair was provided by the handsome drives that made up Shamarh Brooks ' 39 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 186-5 and marshalled the lower order up to and beyond 300 , surviving a sharp caught-and-bowled chance offered to Bess when on 25 .
When England came to bat , they were faced with a tricky evening period in which the West Indies fielders were chirpy and their bowlers on the money .
Playing and missing on numerous occasions , Sibley and Burns clung on for 10 overs to give the home side a much-needed boost .
While England 's bowlers were not afforded the assistance West Indies enjoyed over the first two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point out the home side did not hit the right lengths as consistently as the tourists .
They particularly struggled in the morning session , when Archer and Wood were lively but ineffective , even if Archer had Shai Hope lbw with a no-ball .
The improvement was led by Anderson , who had Brathwaite lbw and Brooks caught behind , and Bess , who dragged Hope into edging a drive and persuaded Jermaine Blackwood to slap to mid-off .
When Archer dropped his pace he was more threatening , but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who was heard on the stump microphone lamenting his lack of success .
The spark , as it usually does , came from Stokes , the skipper producing a fiery spell to have opposite number Jason Holder and Dowrich fall to short balls , either side of bowling Alzarri Joseph .
Wood finally got his reward by yorking last man Shannon Gabriel , raising both fists in exhausted celebration .
'We have to bat the whole day tomorrow ' - what they said England bowler James Anderson on BBC Test Match Special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moment .
We have a lot of work to do to get back into the game .
`` We have to bat the whole day tomorrow and get a decent lead to give us any chance of winning the game . ''
Former England captain Michael Vaughan : `` I do n't think there are a huge amount of gremlins on this surface , so someone should be able to get a big score . ''
West Indies limited-overs all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite : `` West Indies will be very pleased .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck it out in the difficult periods . ''

First Test, day three, Ageas Bowl England 204 (Stokes 43, Holder 6-42) & 15-0 West Indies 318 (Brathwaite 65, Dowrich 61, Stokes 4-49) England trail by 99 Scorecard
England are under huge pressure in the opening Test after West Indies took a first-innings lead of 114 on day three in Southampton.
From 57-1 overnight, the tourists were eventually bowled out for 318, with Kraigg Brathwaite making 65, Shane Dowrich 61 and Roston Chase 47.
In doing so, they took advantage of improved batting conditions under sunny skies at the empty ground, but also put England's 204 all out into context.
The home side at least battled through a tough 40-minute spell to start their second innings as openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley reached 15-0, a deficit of 99.
Without a crowd to lift them, England's bowlers struggled at times.
Stand-in captain Ben Stokes provided inspiration with 4-49, James Anderson nagged away for 3-62 and off-spinner Dom Bess impressed in taking 2-51, but the extra pace of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood did not make an impact.
That will only fuel the debate over the decision to drop Stuart Broad, who candidly spoke of being "angry, frustrated and gutted" to be left out.
However, England are behind in this match because they did not get enough runs after choosing to bat first in grey and damp conditions.
They must put in an improved batting display on Saturday in order to set West Indies a testing target to chase on a pitch that is likely to deteriorate.
West Indies show England the way
The arguments for and against the omission of Broad are both valid. On the one hand, it seems confusing that England left out their second highest Test wicket-taker, and the second highest in the world in the past year, in conditions that may well have suited him.
However, the complaint during England's previous two awful tours of Australia has been their lack of pace, and using Archer and Wood now is one way of preparing for the 2021-22 Ashes.
There is a danger of that argument masking what has happened so far in this match, namely that West Indies have adapted to the conditions, lack of crowd and truncated preparation better than England.
While some of the England dismissals on the second day could have been put down to a lack of practice, the tourists showed on Friday that excuse does not hold much water.
Just as they did in winning when these sides met in the Caribbean in 2019, the West Indies batsmen showed patience, stubbornness and determination, moving their side into a very strong position.
West Indies have not won a series in this country since 1988, but have shown enough in the first three days of this match to suggest England face a battle to keep that record intact.
Batsmen grind it out
This was a collective effort by West Indies. Although no player went on to make a huge score, they put together several meaningful partnerships, rarely gifted wickets and ensured they never fell in clusters.
Their willingness to occupy the crease was epitomised by Chase, who dug in to such an extent that he scored only 14 runs between lunch and tea.
He picked up the mantle left by Brathwaite, the obdurate opener moving from his overnight 20 with tucks and nudges into the leg side.
Flair was provided by the handsome drives that made up Shamarh Brooks' 39, while the combative Dowrich arrived at 186-5 and marshalled the lower order up to and beyond 300, surviving a sharp caught-and-bowled chance offered to Bess when on 25.
When England came to bat, they were faced with a tricky evening period in which the West Indies fielders were chirpy and their bowlers on the money.
Playing and missing on numerous occasions, Sibley and Burns clung on for 10 overs to give the home side a much-needed boost.
England made to work hard
While England's bowlers were not afforded the assistance West Indies enjoyed over the first two days, it is also fair to point out the home side did not hit the right lengths as consistently as the tourists.
They particularly struggled in the morning session, when Archer and Wood were lively but ineffective, even if Archer had Shai Hope lbw with a no-ball.
The improvement was led by Anderson, who had Brathwaite lbw and Brooks caught behind, and Bess, who dragged Hope into edging a drive and persuaded Jermaine Blackwood to slap to mid-off.
When Archer dropped his pace he was more threatening, but it was a frustrating day for him and Wood, who was heard on the stump microphone lamenting his lack of success.
The spark, as it usually does, came from Stokes, the skipper producing a fiery spell to have opposite number Jason Holder and Dowrich fall to short balls, either side of bowling Alzarri Joseph.
Wood finally got his reward by yorking last man Shannon Gabriel, raising both fists in exhausted celebration.
'We have to bat the whole day tomorrow' - what they said
England bowler James Anderson on BBC Test Match Special: "We're certainly behind at the moment. We have a lot of work to do to get back into the game.
"We have to bat the whole day tomorrow and get a decent lead to give us any chance of winning the game."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan: "I don't think there are a huge amount of gremlins on this surface, so someone should be able to get a big score."
West Indies limited-overs all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite: "West Indies will be very pleased. The batters got in, showed discipline and stuck it out in the difficult periods."


bbc--2020-07-10--Man City to learn European appeal fate on Monday

Manchester City will learn on Monday whether their appeal against a two-year ban from European club competitions has been successful .
City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( Cas ) after Uefa 's Club Financial Control Body ( CFCB ) issued the ban in February .
The CFCB ruled the club had committed `` serious breaches '' of Uefa 's Financial Fair Play ( FFP ) regulations between 2012 and 2016 .
They were also fined 30m euros ( £25m ) .
City immediately signalled their intention to appeal to Cas .
They believe the CFCB was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of it , partly due to the amount of secretive information the club felt was leaked to the media .
They are adamant that what they consider an independent judiciary will clear them .
• How did we get here ?
• Why legal battle with Uefa is a watershed moment '' We are ready , '' said manager Pep Guardiola on Friday .
`` I have a lot of confidence and trust with the people that we will be allowed to play the Champions League because we want to be on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal began in June and has been heard by three Cas lawyers in private video conferences .
Unless the club are successful , they will not be able to participate in Europe 's flagship competition next season and will be prevented from playing in the annual Uefa Super Cup if they win this season 's delayed Champions League .
City face Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 second leg at Etihad Stadium on either 7 or 8 August .
They lead 2-1 from the first leg in Madrid and will face Juventus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be held in Lisbon , if they progress .

Last updated on .From the section Man City
Manchester City have made 10 appearances in Uefa's premier club competition
Manchester City will learn on Monday whether their appeal against a two-year ban from European club competitions has been successful.
City appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) after Uefa's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) issued the ban in February.
The CFCB ruled the club had committed "serious breaches" of Uefa's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations between 2012 and 2016.
They were also fined 30m euros (£25m).
City immediately signalled their intention to appeal to Cas. They believe the CFCB was not independent and ended up being distrustful of it, partly due to the amount of secretive information the club felt was leaked to the media.
They are adamant that what they consider an independent judiciary will clear them.
"We are ready," said manager Pep Guardiola on Friday.
"I have a lot of confidence and trust with the people that we will be allowed to play the Champions League because we want to be on the field during these years."
Their appeal began in June and has been heard by three Cas lawyers in private video conferences.
Unless the club are successful, they will not be able to participate in Europe's flagship competition next season and will be prevented from playing in the annual Uefa Super Cup if they win this season's delayed Champions League.
City face Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 second leg at Etihad Stadium on either 7 or 8 August.
They lead 2-1 from the first leg in Madrid and will face Juventus or Lyon in the quarter-finals, which will be held in Lisbon, if they progress.


bbc--2020-07-10--Real two wins from title after beating Alaves

Real Madrid are two wins away from clinching La Liga title after victory over strugglers Alaves .
Karim Benzema 's penalty put the league leaders in front after Ximo Navarro 's foul on Ferland Mendy .
Benzema then teed up Marco Asensio for the second , awarded after VAR overruled an incorrect offside decision .
Second-placed Barcelona trail by four points and , if they lose at Real Vallodolid on Saturday , Real can clinch the title by beating Granada on Monday .
Regardless , two wins - or one win and two draws - from their remaining three games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's side .
Alaves , three points above the relegation zone , were overseen by new manager Juan Lopez Muniz for the first time after a five-game losing run had led to Asier Garitano 's departure .
But the Basque underdogs almost took a shock lead in the opening minutes when former Stoke and Newcastle striker Joselu 's header crashed off the bar and Lucas Perez 's follow-up was cleared off the line by Raphael Varane .
Real survived that scare and led through Benzema 's penalty - the Frenchman 's 18th league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remained lively , with on-loan West Brom winger Oliver Burke their main threat , forcing a save from Thibaut Courtois .
Asensio eventually added the second , after VAR confirmed Benzema was onside in the build-up , and while Joselu brought a smart save from Courtois , former West Ham goalkeeper Roberto had to be alert at the other end to keep out efforts from Rodrygo and Benzema .
If Real can finish the job , it will be only their second title in eight years , with their most recent coming in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as manager .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Karim Benzema (right) scored Real's first and assisted Marco Asensio (left) for the second
Real Madrid are two wins away from becoming La Liga champions after victory over strugglers Alaves.
Karim Benzema's penalty put the league leaders in front after Ximo Navarro's foul on Ferland Mendy.
Benzema then teed up Marco Asensio for the second, awarded after VAR overruled an incorrect offside decision.
Second-placed Barcelona trail by four points and, if they lose at Real Vallodolid on Saturday, Real can clinch the title by beating Granada on Monday.
Regardless, two wins - or one win and two draws - from their remaining three games will bring the championship to Zinedine Zidane's side.
Alaves, three points above the relegation zone, were overseen by new manager Juan Lopez Muniz for the first time after a five-game losing run had led to Asier Garitano's departure.
But the Basque underdogs almost took a shock lead in the opening minutes when former Stoke and Newcastle striker Joselu's header crashed off the bar and Lucas Perez's follow-up was cleared off the line by Raphael Varane.
Real survived that scare and led through Benzema's penalty - the Frenchman's 18th league goal of the season - although Alaves remained lively, with on-loan West Brom winger Oliver Burke their main threat, forcing a save from Thibaut Courtois.
Asensio eventually added the second, after VAR confirmed Benzema was onside in the build-up, and while Joselu brought a smart save from Courtois, former West Ham goalkeeper Roberto had to be alert at the other end to keep out efforts from Rodrygo and Benzema.
If Real can finish the job, it will be only their second title in eight years, with their most recent coming in 2016-17, during Zidane's last spell as manager.


bbc--2020-07-10--'How long did it take Klopp?' - Mourinho confident of trophies with Spurs

Boss Jose Mourinho is confident he can win trophies at Tottenham and does not think the club need to make a `` huge investment '' this summer .
Mourinho , appointed in November , has a three-year contract and believes in that time he can deliver Spurs ' first silverware since the 2008 League Cup .
Spurs host Arsenal in Sunday 's north London derby with both sides competing to earn a Europa League spot .
`` How long it took for Jurgen [ Klopp ] and Liverpool ? ''
said Mourinho .
`` Four years , four seasons .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world , buying one of the best centre-backs in the world and so on and so on and so on .
`` I 'm focused on my three-year contract .
I believe that in my three-year contract we can win trophies .
If we do n't , but the club does it in the new era if I stay here only for three years , I will be happy with that . ''
Tottenham spent more than £100m last summer , including on record buy Tanguy Ndombele , who has made just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but also endured a string of injuries to key players earlier this season .
`` I work for the club .
I 'm not thinking about myself , '' added Mourinho .
`` I keep saying that my ambition is the same , my DNA is the same , but probably I am in the stage where I look less to myself and my records and I look more to the club .
`` I am optimistic because I start working from day one .
Because I believe we are going to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for that we do n't need a huge investment like the club made in the past summer .
`` I can not believe that the season is going to be so full of negative episodes like we 've had since practically day one .
There are many reasons to believe that it is going to be different . ''
Spurs reached the Champions League final last June under former boss Mauricio Pochettino , but are set to record their lowest points tally in the league since 2008-09 , when they finished eighth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Daniel Levy by some fans , which Mourinho says in unfair .
`` The only thing that I feel is quite an injustice is to forget that the best stadium in the world is there , the best training ground in the world is here , and around £100m investment in the summer , '' he said .
`` That was probably one of the biggest investments by a Premier League club [ that ] is considered quite not committed with evolution or not committed with an investment - £100m .
`` Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful , not successful .
You can discuss all these things .
`` But nobody can discuss that around £100m was on the table in the last summer which I think is proof , open proof , that the club wanted to invest . ''
Mourinho , whose side failed register a shot on target in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth on Thursday , also defended his record since taking charge .
Only Liverpool , Manchester City , Manchester United , Southampton and Wolves have taken more points than Spurs since his appointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I arrived which was already a very difficult situation to manage , '' he said .
`` Everything was so , so strange during the season , so it 's difficult to speak about evolutions , it 's difficult to speak about targets .
`` It 's really , really strange .
But four matches to go , 12 points to fight for , best possible position to fight and a derby that means a lot to the fans . ''

Jose Mourinho won three Premier League titles in two spells as Chelsea manager
Boss Jose Mourinho is confident he can win trophies at Tottenham and does not think the club need to make a "huge investment" this summer.
Mourinho, appointed in November, has a three-year contract and believes in that time he can deliver Spurs' first silverware since the 2008 League Cup.
Spurs host Arsenal in Sunday's north London derby with both sides competing to earn a Europa League spot.
"How long it took for Jurgen [Klopp] and Liverpool?" said Mourinho.
"Four years, four seasons. Buying one of the best goalkeepers in the world, buying one of the best centre-backs in the world and so on and so on and so on.
"I'm focused on my three-year contract. I believe that in my three-year contract we can win trophies. If we don't, but the club does it in the new era if I stay here only for three years, I will be happy with that."
Tottenham spent more than £100m last summer, including on record buy Tanguy Ndombele, who has made just two substitute appearances since the restart, but also endured a string of injuries to key players earlier this season.
"I work for the club. I'm not thinking about myself," added Mourinho. "I keep saying that my ambition is the same, my DNA is the same, but probably I am in the stage where I look less to myself and my records and I look more to the club.
"I am optimistic because I start working from day one. Because I believe we are going to make some changes in our squad, and for that we don't need a huge investment like the club made in the past summer.
"I cannot believe that the season is going to be so full of negative episodes like we've had since practically day one. There are many reasons to believe that it is going to be different."
Spurs reached the Champions League final last June under former boss Mauricio Pochettino, but are set to record their lowest points tally in the league since 2008-09, when they finished eighth.
It has led to criticism of chairman Daniel Levy by some fans, which Mourinho says in unfair.
"The only thing that I feel is quite an injustice is to forget that the best stadium in the world is there, the best training ground in the world is here, and around £100m investment in the summer," he said.
"That was probably one of the biggest investments by a Premier League club [that] is considered quite not committed with evolution or not committed with an investment - £100m.
"Then you can discuss good, bad, successful, not successful. You can discuss all these things.
"But nobody can discuss that around £100m was on the table in the last summer which I think is proof, open proof, that the club wanted to invest."
Arteta and Mourinho exchange compliments before derby
Mourinho, whose side failed register a shot on target in a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth on Thursday, also defended his record since taking charge.
Only Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Southampton and Wolves have taken more points than Spurs since his appointment.
"There is a past before I arrived which was already a very difficult situation to manage," he said. "Everything was so, so strange during the season, so it's difficult to speak about evolutions, it's difficult to speak about targets.
"It's really, really strange. But four matches to go, 12 points to fight for, best possible position to fight and a derby that means a lot to the fans."


bbc--2020-07-10--Verstappen fastest in Styrian GP practice as Ricciardo crashes

Red Bull 's Max Verstappen headed Mercedes ' Valtteri Bottas in second practice at the Styrian Grand Prix .
Renault 's Daniel Ricciardo had a heavy crash at Turn Nine early in the session , and limped away from the car .
World champion Lewis Hamilton was only sixth , unhappy with both the balance of his Mercedes and his fastest lap .
Teams were trying harder than usual in the session as there is an outside chance of it defining the grid order if cars can not run in the predicted rain on Saturday .
That is still an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of potential solutions if qualifying is washed out .
Verstappen was impressive on both short and long runs , beating Bottas on his qualifying simulation lap , and then lapping at very similar pace when they switched to race preparation , despite being on the harder medium tyre with the Finn on the soft .
Hamilton said : `` It felt relatively normal but it was quite far off .
There is a lot of work needed to do to find out why .
I was feeling pretty good in P1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then it started to drop off .
It does seem the others are pretty quick or we have slowed down . ''
Racing Point 's pace was a further emphasis of their rise to become real contenders this season with a car that has been dubbed the 'Pink Mercedes ' for its likeness to last year 's world championship-winning car .
Perez was just 0.217secs off the outright pace , with Stroll his usual 0.3secs or so behind his team-mate .
McLaren 's Carlos Sainz was fifth , ahead of Hamilton and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had two spins in the course of the day .
Sainz 's team-mate Lando Norris was eighth fastest , limiting his running because of some pain he was experiencing when braking .
The Briton , who scored his maiden podium last weekend , was also handed a three-place grid penalty for overtaking while passing yellow caution flags in first practice .
He said : `` I 've been struggling a bit physically with something ; I do n't know what it is .
It 's been pretty painful , particularly in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Something in my chest or something .
I do n't know where .
I hit the brakes and the compression it spikes up massively . ''
Ricciardo said the crash was his mistake .
`` I 'm OK , '' he said .
`` I hit my knee on the steering column but it 's just a bit bruised .
It went so quickly .
`` A little bit of wind and probably coming in with a little bit too much speed for the conditions . ''
Charles Leclerc was the fastest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new front wing and new floor , the first of a series of developments scheduled to come to the car aimed at reducing the performance shortfall it suffered at the opening race of the season .
He and team-mate Sebastian Vettel , who was 16th fastest after having his best lap deleted for exceeding track limits , said the upgrades were `` positive '' but that the team still needed to work out how to get the best out of them .
This is the first time in F1 history that a circuit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season , this weekend 's event named after the region in which the Red Bull Ring is situated , following on from last Sunday 's Austrian Grand Prix .

Live text and audio commentary of the Styrian Grand Prix is live on the BBC Sport website
Red Bull's Max Verstappen headed Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas in second practice at the Styrian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman pipped Bottas by just 0.043 seconds, with the Racing Points of Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll third and fourth.
Renault's Daniel Ricciardo had a heavy crash at Turn Nine early in the session, and limped away from the car.
World champion Lewis Hamilton was only sixth, unhappy with both the balance of his Mercedes and his fastest lap.
Teams were trying harder than usual in the session as there is an outside chance of it defining the grid order if cars cannot run in the predicted rain on Saturday.
That is still an unlikely scenario, however, as there a number of potential solutions if qualifying is washed out.
Verstappen was impressive on both short and long runs, beating Bottas on his qualifying simulation lap, and then lapping at very similar pace when they switched to race preparation, despite being on the harder medium tyre with the Finn on the soft.
F1 Breakdown: Jack Nicholls previews new Formula 1 season
Hamilton said: "It felt relatively normal but it was quite far off. There is a lot of work needed to do to find out why. I was feeling pretty good in P1 and at the start of P2 but then it started to drop off. It does seem the others are pretty quick or we have slowed down."
Racing Point's pace was a further emphasis of their rise to become real contenders this season with a car that has been dubbed the 'Pink Mercedes' for its likeness to last year's world championship-winning car.
Perez was just 0.217secs off the outright pace, with Stroll his usual 0.3secs or so behind his team-mate.
McLaren's Carlos Sainz was fifth, ahead of Hamilton and the second Red Bull of Alexander Albon, who had two spins in the course of the day.
Sainz's team-mate Lando Norris was eighth fastest, limiting his running because of some pain he was experiencing when braking. The Briton, who scored his maiden podium last weekend, was also handed a three-place grid penalty for overtaking while passing yellow caution flags in first practice.
He said: "I've been struggling a bit physically with something; I don't know what it is. It's been pretty painful, particularly in the high-speed corners and when I'm braking. Something in my chest or something. I don't know where. I hit the brakes and the compression it spikes up massively."
Ricciardo said the crash was his mistake.
"I'm OK," he said. "I hit my knee on the steering column but it's just a bit bruised. It went so quickly.
"A little bit of wind and probably coming in with a little bit too much speed for the conditions."
Charles Leclerc was the fastest Ferrari in ninth place after trialling a new front wing and new floor, the first of a series of developments scheduled to come to the car aimed at reducing the performance shortfall it suffered at the opening race of the season.
He and team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who was 16th fastest after having his best lap deleted for exceeding track limits, said the upgrades were "positive" but that the team still needed to work out how to get the best out of them.
This is the first time in F1 history that a circuit has hosted two races in a single season, this weekend's event named after the region in which the Red Bull Ring is situated, following on from last Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.