bbc--2020-07-31--Albon crashes heavily as Stroll goes fastest in British Grand Prix practice

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1 Alexander Albon suffered a heavy crash in his Red Bull as Lance Stroll 's Racing Point set the pace in second practice at the British Grand Prix .
Albon was second fastest , 0.090 seconds behind Stroll , but crashed at Stowe .
Albon has a new race engineer as Red Bull try to help the inexperienced driver cope with a difficult car .
The Anglo-Thai 's crash was the umpteenth time either he or team-mate Max Verstappen have lost the rear of their car mid-corner this season as the team battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new design .
• None Hulkenberg to stand in for Perez after positive Covid-19 test Red Bull brought Daniel Ricciardo 's former engineer Simon Rennie back to the race team to try to help Albon out and the 24-year-old had looked like he was in decent shape before the crash .
`` The rear went quite quickly and I struggled to correct it , '' said Albon .
`` I thought I had it but then you get the tank-slapper as well .
We 'll have a look at the data and see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step as a team .
The car feels good and we expected worse to be honest .
The car was hooked up straight away .
I 'm sure the Merc are hiding quite a lot but as a car it feels well balanced .
`` But the weather is different tomorrow so it will be a reset . ''
Team-mate Max Verstappen was only 14th , after getting blocked by Haas driver Romain Grosjean on his sole flying lap on the soft tyre , but appeared to have similar pace to Bottas on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hamilton , split from his team-mate by Ferrari 's Charles Leclerc in fourth , looked very fast on the race-simulation runs later in the session , but the teams ran different programmes at different times so it was difficult to compare them as accurately as normal .
`` Quite a difficult day , to be honest , '' said Hamilton .
`` It 's always windy here , which is a good thing about this track but it has made it really tricky today with the car and the balance is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are just going to work on it tonight .
`` It is not a disaster but it has been a hard day of driving . ''
Leclerc 's team-mate Sebastian Vettel had a difficult day , missing nearly all the first session with an intercooler problem and then being delayed in the second session by a need to change his pedals after he complained of something loose in the cockpit .
He ended up 18th .
Temperatures were extremely high at Silverstone on Friday , hitting 35C during the course of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be significantly cooler over the weekend , which means the times from Friday are especially unrepresentative .
But Stroll 's time underlines Racing Point 's emergence as a contender close to the front this year , in a car that has been dubbed the 'pink Mercedes ' as the team admit to copying last year 's world title-winning car .
Behind the top five , McLaren 's Carlos Sainz was sixth , ahead of Nico Hulkenberg , who is subbing for Sergio Perez at Racing Point after the Mexican contracted coronavirus .
Perez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to self-isolate and may miss next weekend 's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix , again back at Silverstone .
Hulkenberg flew to Silverstone on Thursday night after Perez 's test result and spent the evening learning about the car and having a seat fit .
He then was confirmed only minutes before the first session in the morning when his coronavirus test came back negative .
Toro Rosso 's Pierre Gasly was eighth , ahead of Renault 's Daniel Ricciardo , both running new parts on their cars .
Sainz 's team-mate Lando Norris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the Spaniard , while George Russell put the Williams 17th fastest .

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1
Third practice and qualifying is live on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Sport website from 11:00 BST
Alexander Albon suffered a heavy crash in his Red Bull as Lance Stroll's Racing Point set the pace in second practice at the British Grand Prix.
Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were only third and fifth, struggling with the windy conditions and balance on the 'soft' tyres.
Albon was second fastest, 0.090 seconds behind Stroll, but crashed at Stowe.
Albon has a new race engineer as Red Bull try to help the inexperienced driver cope with a difficult car.
The Anglo-Thai's crash was the umpteenth time either he or team-mate Max Verstappen have lost the rear of their car mid-corner this season as the team battle with an aerodynamic instability problem with their new design.
Red Bull brought Daniel Ricciardo's former engineer Simon Rennie back to the race team to try to help Albon out and the 24-year-old had looked like he was in decent shape before the crash.
"The rear went quite quickly and I struggled to correct it," said Albon. "I thought I had it but then you get the tank-slapper as well. We'll have a look at the data and see.
"We've definitely made a step as a team. The car feels good and we expected worse to be honest. The car was hooked up straight away. I'm sure the Merc are hiding quite a lot but as a car it feels well balanced.
"But the weather is different tomorrow so it will be a reset."
Team-mate Max Verstappen was only 14th, after getting blocked by Haas driver Romain Grosjean on his sole flying lap on the soft tyre, but appeared to have similar pace to Bottas on the medium tyre on a long run.
Hamilton, split from his team-mate by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in fourth, looked very fast on the race-simulation runs later in the session, but the teams ran different programmes at different times so it was difficult to compare them as accurately as normal.
Stroll topped the leader board in second practice ahead of Albon's Red Bull and Bottas of Mercedes
"Quite a difficult day, to be honest," said Hamilton. "It's always windy here, which is a good thing about this track but it has made it really tricky today with the car and the balance is not as good as I would like so we are just going to work on it tonight.
"It is not a disaster but it has been a hard day of driving."
Leclerc's team-mate Sebastian Vettel had a difficult day, missing nearly all the first session with an intercooler problem and then being delayed in the second session by a need to change his pedals after he complained of something loose in the cockpit. He ended up 18th.
Temperatures were extremely high at Silverstone on Friday, hitting 35C during the course of the afternoon.
But conditions are expected to be significantly cooler over the weekend, which means the times from Friday are especially unrepresentative.
But Stroll's time underlines Racing Point's emergence as a contender close to the front this year, in a car that has been dubbed the 'pink Mercedes' as the team admit to copying last year's world title-winning car.
Behind the top five, McLaren's Carlos Sainz was sixth, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, who is subbing for Sergio Perez at Racing Point after the Mexican contracted coronavirus.
Perez says he is asymptomatic but is forced to self-isolate and may miss next weekend's 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, again back at Silverstone.
Hulkenberg flew to Silverstone on Thursday night after Perez's test result and spent the evening learning about the car and having a seat fit.
He then was confirmed only minutes before the first session in the morning when his coronavirus test came back negative.
Toro Rosso's Pierre Gasly was eighth, ahead of Renault's Daniel Ricciardo, both running new parts on their cars.
Sainz's team-mate Lando Norris was 11th quickest, just over 0.3secs behind the Spaniard, while George Russell put the Williams 17th fastest.


bbc--2020-07-31--Who is Ferran Torres? The inside story of Man City's imminent new signing

Ferran Torres ' signing for Manchester City from Valencia , which will be made official soon , puts an end to the rumours over the past few months linking him to just about every major club in all of the biggest leagues .
He has had offers from Juventus , Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - and got calls from Real Madrid , Barcelona , Chelsea and Manchester United - but it is City about to finalise a deal estimated at about 25m euros ( £22.6m ) plus 12m euros ( £10.9m ) in extras .
The time has come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , lightning fast winger - to seek his fortune elsewhere in the footballing world .
Valencia wanted much more for the youngster but were conscious that he could have left for free in a year 's time - Manchester City have got themselves a bargain .
When I met up with him last week in Valencia , I asked him whether he was learning languages .
`` Yes , you have always got to be learning languages because you never know where football will take you tomorrow ... .
but above all I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential whatever part of the world you are in , '' he said .
So highly is Torres rated that many at the club thought a new Valencia side could be built around him .
But , as always seems to happen at Valencia , politics and finance intervened .
With contract negotiations dragging on , the club decided not to take a chance - and have accepted a transfer fee instead .
Yet Torres retains a loyalty both to the club and his home town of Foios , around six miles to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just as he will have no criticism of Foios - `` I was raised there , have all my friends there and the truth is I feel very much at home there '' - neither will he hear a word said against the club he joined as a seven-year-old .
He recalls the first time he put on the Valencia kit just before going to training as a kid .
`` I remember putting on the shirt then going into the bathroom looking at myself almost in a daze , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shirt and my underpants and I was just staring at the shirt and saying to myself : 'What am I doing here ?
How did I get here ? '
It was a special moment .
`` At the end of the day , it is the team from my land and the team that has given me everything . ''
But now Torres knows the time has come to leave the club he has supported all his life .
He said : `` As a player , I consider myself to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win , win win , and ... as time passes and you feel you are better prepared , then you want to take on greater challenges , experience a change of environment .
Yes , I think I am ready to do so .
`` Inside I always think that I am the best , and that I want to be the best and I work to try to be the best .
If you do n't believe yourself that you are the best , then no-one is ever going to believe that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get here ?
His skill and speed were obvious to everyone from the moment he joined the club as a boy .
He made his way through the ranks and , much like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had done before him , spent most of his time playing in sides and leagues featuring youngsters much bigger - and almost always at least two years older than him .
`` I did suffer because of the big physical differences that existed , '' he said .
`` I was tiny in comparison to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see were fully formed and I struggled to the point that I would leave crying .
`` To go into challenges as a 14 or 15-year-old against strong 17 and 18-year-old men was hard for me .
That feeling of not being able to win , not being able to do what I wanted to was something I found hard to take in . ''
He received news of his inclusion in Valencia 's first-team squad when playing for Spain at the 2017 Under-17 World Cup in India .
On 16 December that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ born in the 2000s to play in La Liga as he made his league debut against Eibar .
What are his major strengths ?
Torres ' game is based on blistering speed , superb close control and unpredictability in attack .
A modern day winger - he can also play inside - he has a great change of pace , is very powerful , steady with the ball at his feet and strong in the air .
Comparisons are already being made to a young Cristiano Ronaldo , a player who he cites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just because of the way he plays his football but also because of the way he carries himself away from football '' .
He added : `` It is worthy of admiration and I would like to follow his steps . ''
He is not yet the finished article but is as close as is possible for one so young and has been described by Valencia academy director of recruitment , Jose Gimenez , as `` the complete player '' .
Perhaps his greatest asset is his football instinct .
`` More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do instinctively , '' he said .
`` If by that you mean understanding then I guess it is , although I never really think that I have known what I am going to do , but rather just done in at that moment . ''
What is he like off the pitch ?
Torres will be sorely missed at Valencia not just by the team but also the fans who adore him as one of their own .
`` For many of the fans you are a reference and they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken with you and that should also be respected and so I spend whatever time is necessary to be with them , '' he said .
Until recently , Torres was still living with his father in Foios , although he has since bought himself an apartment in Valencia .
The winger recalls a childhood tilling the soil in his grandfather 's orchard , something he now realises was another part of his education .
`` At the end of the day , these are the small details that we must never lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do directly with football , it has helped , me at least , to become the type of person that I am , '' he said .
His closest friends call him Ferri ; Torres said of them : `` I have above all four friends that I have had all my life and with who I do practically everything , and the fact is we always stay in contact with one another .
`` When I do things badly , they tell me , and when I do well , they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than anything else I am most grateful to them when they tell me about the things that I have done wrong . ''
He is also extremely fond of his two dogs , an 11-year-old Podenco Andaluz called Minnie and a 12-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog called Lluna .
`` For my sister and me they are everything .
In fact we could n't live without them .
They have lived it all with me .
Everything we have talked about they have lived with me , '' he added .
There is currently no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main woman in his life at present is his sister Arantxa , six years his senior .
Torres said : `` With my sister it 's true that I am much more open .
With her I express much more what I am thinking at that particular moment .
She is my confidante .
`` She 's been through some very difficult and complex times and she has confronted them and come through them .
She has her own career , her master 's degree and that has a great merit .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I think that the reason I get on so well with her is because she knows how to stay on the margins , not to smother me , and I know that if I want something , I can go to her .
`` She will never ask me , but when I have any doubts about anything or any type of problem , the first person I always go to is her .
`` We have a tattoo on our ankles - an anchor - in which are the words ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's because we have gone through difficult times together and we have always come through them and moved forward . ''
I asked him : why is the tattoo in English ?
`` I do n't know , '' he answered .
`` I think it looks better in English . ''

Ferran Torres' signing for Manchester City from Valencia puts an end to the rumours over the past few months linking him to just about every major club in all of the biggest leagues.
He has had offers from Juventus, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - and got calls from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United - but it is City who finalised a deal estimated at about 23m euros (£20.87m), plus 12m euros (£10.9m) in extras.
The time has come for the 20-year-old - a prodigiously talented, lightning fast winger - to seek his fortune elsewhere in the footballing world.
A bargain for Man City?
Valencia wanted much more for the youngster but were conscious that he could have left for free in a year's time - Manchester City have got themselves a bargain.
When I met up with him last week in Valencia, I asked him whether he was learning languages.
"Yes, you have always got to be learning languages because you never know where football will take you tomorrow.... but above all I am learning English, because English is essential whatever part of the world you are in," he said.
So highly is Torres rated that many at the club thought a new Valencia side could be built around him. But, as always seems to happen at Valencia, politics and finance intervened.
With contract negotiations dragging on, the club decided not to take a chance - and have accepted a transfer fee instead.
Yet Torres retains a loyalty both to the club and his home town of Foios, around six miles to the north of Valencia's Mestalla home.
Just as he will have no criticism of Foios - "I was raised there, have all my friends there and the truth is I feel very much at home there" - neither will he hear a word said against the club he joined as a seven-year-old.
He recalls the first time he put on the Valencia kit just before going to training as a kid.
"I remember putting on the shirt then going into the bathroom looking at myself almost in a daze," he said.
"I was just wearing the shirt and my underpants and I was just staring at the shirt and saying to myself: 'What am I doing here? How did I get here?' It was a special moment.
"At the end of the day, it is the team from my land and the team that has given me everything."
But now Torres knows the time has come to leave the club he has supported all his life.
He said: "As a player, I consider myself to be ambitious, someone that wants to win, win win, and... as time passes and you feel you are better prepared, then you want to take on greater challenges, experience a change of environment. Yes, I think I am ready to do so.
"Inside I always think that I am the best, and that I want to be the best and I work to try to be the best. If you don't believe yourself that you are the best, then no-one is ever going to believe that you are."
Ferran Torres became the youngest player to make 50 appearances for Valencia
How did Torres get here?
His skill and speed were obvious to everyone from the moment he joined the club as a boy.
He made his way through the ranks and, much like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had done before him, spent most of his time playing in sides and leagues featuring youngsters much bigger - and almost always at least two years older than him.
"I did suffer because of the big physical differences that existed," he said. "I was tiny in comparison to some of the people that I could see were fully formed and I struggled to the point that I would leave crying.
"To go into challenges as a 14 or 15-year-old against strong 17 and 18-year-old men was hard for me. That feeling of not being able to win, not being able to do what I wanted to was something I found hard to take in."
He received news of his inclusion in Valencia's first-team squad when playing for Spain at the 2017 Under-17 World Cup in India. On 16 December that year, he became the first person born in the 2000s to play in La Liga as he made his league debut against Eibar.
What are his major strengths?
Torres' game is based on blistering speed, superb close control and unpredictability in attack. A modern day winger - he can also play inside - he has a great change of pace, is very powerful, steady with the ball at his feet and strong in the air.
Comparisons are already being made to a young Cristiano Ronaldo, a player who he cites as his main reference, "not just because of the way he plays his football but also because of the way he carries himself away from football". He added: "It is worthy of admiration and I would like to follow his steps."
He is not yet the finished article but is as close as is possible for one so young and has been described by Valencia academy director of recruitment, Jose Gimenez, as "the complete player".
Perhaps his greatest asset is his football instinct. "More than a conscious understanding, what I do I do instinctively," he said. "If by that you mean understanding then I guess it is, although I never really think that I have known what I am going to do, but rather just done in at that moment."
What is he like off the pitch?
Torres will be sorely missed at Valencia not just by the team but also the fans who adore him as one of their own.
"For many of the fans you are a reference and they are also spending their time having their photo taken with you and that should also be respected and so I spend whatever time is necessary to be with them," he said.
Until recently, Torres was still living with his father in Foios, although he has since bought himself an apartment in Valencia. The winger recalls a childhood tilling the soil in his grandfather's orchard, something he now realises was another part of his education.
"At the end of the day, these are the small details that we must never lose, because although it has nothing to do directly with football, it has helped, me at least, to become the type of person that I am," he said.
His closest friends call him Ferri; Torres said of them: "I have above all four friends that I have had all my life and with who I do practically everything, and the fact is we always stay in contact with one another.
"When I do things badly, they tell me, and when I do well, they are there to congratulate me, but more than anything else I am most grateful to them when they tell me about the things that I have done wrong."
He is also extremely fond of his two dogs, an 11-year-old Podenco Andaluz called Minnie and a 12-year-old Czechoslovakian Wolfdog called Lluna.
"For my sister and me they are everything. In fact we couldn't live without them. They have lived it all with me. Everything we have talked about they have lived with me," he added.
There is currently no talk of romance for Torres. The main woman in his life at present is his sister Arantxa, six years his senior.
Torres said: "With my sister it's true that I am much more open. With her I express much more what I am thinking at that particular moment. She is my confidante.
"She's been through some very difficult and complex times and she has confronted them and come through them. She has her own career, her master's degree and that has a great merit. She has always been super-protective of me.
"I think that the reason I get on so well with her is because she knows how to stay on the margins, not to smother me, and I know that if I want something, I can go to her.
"She will never ask me, but when I have any doubts about anything or any type of problem, the first person I always go to is her.
"We have a tattoo on our ankles - an anchor - in which are the words 'I refuse to sink'. That's because we have gone through difficult times together and we have always come through them and moved forward."
I asked him: why is the tattoo in English?
"I don't know," he answered. "I think it looks better in English."
A version of this article was originally published on 1 August 2020.


bbc--2020-07-31--12 teams, 12 questions for a new Scottish Premiership season

Three-and-a-half months of controversial resolutions and failed reconstructions , enforced relegations and bitter recriminations .
We 've had the Rangers dossier , the Deloitte report , the Court of Session hearings and the arbitration panel .
Through increasingly aggressive communications - in public and in private - relationships have been torn asunder .
Scottish football is an unending and glorious odditorium , but what 's happened in recent times has gone beyond that .
• Why does the 10 matter so much ?
• Why should the Premiership be your football fix ?
But competitive football is back , thank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season is upon us .
Not as we have known it , but it 's here nonetheless , fan-less for now , but very welcome all the same .
Despite all the talk , there are still 12 teams in the Premiership and 12 distinct stories .
There are hopes and fears , like every other year .
In that sense , if in no other sense , things are back to normal .
It wo n't be long before new narratives take hold , before controversy of a different kind rages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ new season .
Football chat , at last .
Celtic fans have sung about it for years and now the season of truth has arrived .
History beckons for Neil Lennon 's side .
If you had to bet your last fiver , you 'd lump it on them completing what they started when beating Hibs 2-0 away back in the first game of the 2011-12 season .
Can anybody see the pressure getting to them ?
Can anybody see stand-up players who have reeled off trophy win after trophy win suddenly being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're chasing ?
Is Scott Brown going to fall in a heap ?
Is Odsonne Edouard suddenly going to become powder puff in front of goal ?
Are Callum McGregor , Ryan Christie , James Forrest and the rest going to lose their way ?
A whole series of improbable events would need to happen for Celtic to be stopped .
Upsets occur , so it 's not a racing certainty , but they look to have too much artillery , too much character and too much motivation .
Ten-in-a-row is nigh .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a totemic football figure will not have experienced the kind of pressure that awaits him in the coming season , but it 's surely true .
Pressure of playing is one thing , but the pressure of managing a Rangers team that has to stop Celtic winning the league on pain of persecution is quite another .
It 's hard to think of another guy in global football who will have a more stressful environment than Gerrard in the months ahead .
And now he 's got the drama surrounding Alfredo Morelos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if his striker stays - a big if - his best XI is probably going to be largely the same as the implosion months of last season , unless some excellent business is done in the coming weeks and months .
That 's possible , of course .
Gerrard is pushing for more funds to buy more players .
He has a good starting line-up , and if they steal a march on Celtic early on and transfer the pressure on to them then you never know what might happen , but have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance ?
Doubts persist about temperament .
They 've collapsed two years in a row , so predicting anything other than second place is a blind punt not a prediction based on evidence .
Can Turnbull get back to his best ?
David Turnbull 's return after a cruel injury was wonderful to see , even if it only lasted for 19 minutes against St Mirren and 17 minutes against Hearts at the end of last season .
The young Motherwell midfielder is due some luck and , if he gets it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his excellence of 2018-19 that convinced Celtic to bid for him .
Motherwell will feel like they 've signed a new player of fantastic potential .
That 's if they manage to hold on to him .
That 's not a given .
It 's worth reminding ourselves of his influence in the season before last - the decisive goal in games against St Mirren , Dundee , Hibs , Dundee again , Hearts , Hamilton , Dundee once more and Livingston .
Nine league goals ( 16 in all competitions ) and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finished eighth .
A crude way of calculating it , perhaps , but that 's 24 league points .
Stephen Robinson 's pulse must be quickening at the prospect of Turnbull in full flight .
Sam Cosgrove 's injury is a terrible blow after his 23 goals in all competitions last season .
Derek McInnes has indicated that Aberdeen will try to play with more creativity this season , so the two-month loss of the man best equipped to capitalise on the extra attacking edge Jonny Hayes should bring will have rocked everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young Ryan Edmondson from Leeds on loan , but the onus will be on Curtis Main to deliver .
No pressure .
McInnes is going to have to plan without the injured Mikey Devlin for two months but at least he has another important player , Craig Bryson , fit again .
Solving the problem up front is the manager 's biggest early-season challenge .
Gary Holt received great and justified praise for the job he did in getting Livingston up to fifth last season , especially after his goalkeeper Liam Kelly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Declan Gallagher left last summer .
To finish where they did was a tribute to Holt 's management .
There 's always an elephant in the room when it comes to Livi and that 's the perceived advantage their artificial pitch gives them .
Last season they got 28 points at home and only 11 away .
They won one league match on grass .
The previous league season they only won two .
If they manage to keep striker Lyndon Dykes , then improving the away form and silencing the critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force for them .
Is Davidson the new Saint ?
If he 's not already sick of hearing about how much St Johnstone are going to miss Tommy Wright , then he soon will be .
Wright was a colossus at McDiarmid Park and Davidson has a huge job on his hands to keep things moving in the right direction on his return to Perth .
He 's cool , though .
He 's his own man .
The squad he 's inherited is a decent one with some really gifted young players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drey Wright will have hurt but the signing of defender Shaun Rooney from Inverness looks a solid acquisition .
Previously a coach at Millwall , Davidson looks like he 's relishing his new life .
Is Gogic the enforcer Hibs ' need ?
Only Celtic and Rangers scored more league goals last season than Hibs and the signings of Drey Wright and Kevin Nisbet are surely going to see those numbers improve again .
And yet the capture of Gogic might yet prove to be more meaningful as Hibs attempt to bring some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They score enough goals to challenge for top three but concede way too many .
Only the bottom three - Ross County , Hamilton and Hearts - shipped more last season , so it 's not rocket science to see where they need to improve .
Gogic could be part of the solution .
The Kilmarnock winger turns 37 in December and yet he 's still bringing his influence to bear .
Whether it 's for Rangers , Cardiff , Birmingham , Nottingham Forest , Rotherham , Ross County or his current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one goal in each of his last 15 seasons .
He 's odds-on to make it 16 .
To add another layer to this , Burke scored his first senior goal , for Rangers against Kilmarnock , in March 2002 .
Team-mate Eamonn Brophy was still in Primary One .
Burke 's experience and energy is invaluable to his side .
A class guy and an example to others .
How will St Mirren fare without Hladky ?
The Czech goalkeeper was outstanding and his loss is acute .
It 's hard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth to St Mirren , but he was a much-valued character .
Jim Goodwin has brought in Jak Alnwick to replace him and pretty much a new back four .
Richard Tait , Joe Shaughnessy and Marcus Fraser are experienced operators at this level .
Ilkay Durmus and Jonathan Obika scored important goals last season and young Kyle McAllister is a talent .
That said , they need more threat .
They only got 24 league goals in 30 games last season and only escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then the coming campaign can be a whole lot less stressful than the last one .
Can County shore it up at the back ?
If they concede the volume of goals they shipped last season then they 're going to be in trouble .
They lost 60 goals in 30 league games .
The way they were going - only two wins in their 13 games before the season ended - they might have been in mortal danger of the drop had the pandemic not saved them .
Even Hearts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more points in 2020 .
Billy Mckay 's goals in March saved them further anguish , but that defence needs to show vast improvement .
Do we dare write-off Hamilton again ?
Been there , done it and have egg on the face to prove it .
Just when you think Hamilton are on an inexorable slide into relegation , they produce something to remind you of their battling qualities .
From the end of December to the end of February they did n't win a league game , but in their last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they beat Rangers away and Kilmarnock at home and did n't concede in either .
They finished 11th .
You would n't bet against them doing the same this time and then surviving the play-off .
The striker was the difference between promotion and another season in the Championship for Dundee United .
He prospered despite fairly average service for much of the season , a tribute to his predatory instincts .
He scored 29 goals in 35 games , the majority of them in the Championship .
Can he step up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if he did n't .
Shankland had three games against Premiership opposition last season - two Scottish Cup ties against Hibs and a League Cup contest against Hearts - and scored in all three .
He 's a natural finisher and though he 's moving up a level he 's still plenty good enough to take advantage of defensive mishaps .
Watching Shankland adapt will be fascinating .

Midway through April, Scottish football disappeared down a rabbit hole.
Three-and-a-half months of controversial resolutions and failed reconstructions, enforced relegations and bitter recriminations. We've had the Rangers dossier, the Deloitte report, the Court of Session hearings and the arbitration panel.
Through increasingly aggressive communications - in public and in private - relationships have been torn asunder. Scottish football is an unending and glorious odditorium, but what's happened in recent times has gone beyond that.
But competitive football is back, thank heavens. Remember it? The league season is upon us. Not as we have known it, but it's here nonetheless, fan-less for now, but very welcome all the same.
Despite all the talk, there are still 12 teams in the Premiership and 12 distinct stories. There are hopes and fears, like every other year.
In that sense, if in no other sense, things are back to normal. It won't be long before new narratives take hold, before controversy of a different kind rages.
Twelve questions, then, for the new season. Football chat, at last.
Is it 10-in-a-row-time?
Celtic fans have sung about it for years and now the season of truth has arrived. History beckons for Neil Lennon's side. If you had to bet your last fiver, you'd lump it on them completing what they started when beating Hibs 2-0 away back in the first game of the 2011-12 season.
Can anybody see the pressure getting to them? Can anybody see stand-up players who have reeled off trophy win after trophy win suddenly being cowed by the enormity of what they're chasing? Is Scott Brown going to fall in a heap? Is Odsonne Edouard suddenly going to become powder puff in front of goal? Are Callum McGregor, Ryan Christie, James Forrest and the rest going to lose their way? A whole series of improbable events would need to happen for Celtic to be stopped.
Upsets occur, so it's not a racing certainty, but they look to have too much artillery, too much character and too much motivation. Ten-in-a-row is nigh.
Would another treble tempt Celtic captain Brown to retire..?
Is Steven Gerrard ready?
It might seem ridiculous to say that such a totemic football figure will not have experienced the kind of pressure that awaits him in the coming season, but it's surely true. Pressure of playing is one thing, but the pressure of managing a Rangers team that has to stop Celtic winning the league on pain of persecution is quite another.
It's hard to think of another guy in global football who will have a more stressful environment than Gerrard in the months ahead. And now he's got the drama surrounding Alfredo Morelos to contend with as well.
Even if his striker stays - a big if - his best XI is probably going to be largely the same as the implosion months of last season, unless some excellent business is done in the coming weeks and months. That's possible, of course. Gerrard is pushing for more funds to buy more players.
He has a good starting line-up, and if they steal a march on Celtic early on and transfer the pressure on to them then you never know what might happen, but have they got the nerve to go the distance? Doubts persist about temperament. They've collapsed two years in a row, so predicting anything other than second place is a blind punt not a prediction based on evidence.
Can Turnbull get back to his best?
David Turnbull's return after a cruel injury was wonderful to see, even if it only lasted for 19 minutes against St Mirren and 17 minutes against Hearts at the end of last season. The young Motherwell midfielder is due some luck and, if he gets it, the big question is can he reproduce his excellence of 2018-19 that convinced Celtic to bid for him.
Motherwell will feel like they've signed a new player of fantastic potential. That's if they manage to hold on to him. That's not a given.
It's worth reminding ourselves of his influence in the season before last - the decisive goal in games against St Mirren, Dundee, Hibs, Dundee again, Hearts, Hamilton, Dundee once more and Livingston. Nine league goals (16 in all competitions) and five league assists for a team that finished eighth.
A crude way of calculating it, perhaps, but that's 24 league points. Stephen Robinson's pulse must be quickening at the prospect of Turnbull in full flight.
Can Aberdeen replace Big Sam?
Sam Cosgrove's injury is a terrible blow after his 23 goals in all competitions last season.
Derek McInnes has indicated that Aberdeen will try to play with more creativity this season, so the two-month loss of the man best equipped to capitalise on the extra attacking edge Jonny Hayes should bring will have rocked everyone at Pittodrie. They have brought in young Ryan Edmondson from Leeds on loan, but the onus will be on Curtis Main to deliver. No pressure.
McInnes is going to have to plan without the injured Mikey Devlin for two months but at least he has another important player, Craig Bryson, fit again. Solving the problem up front is the manager's biggest early-season challenge.
Can Livingston win on grass?
Behind the scenes as Livingston prepare for players returning
Gary Holt received great and justified praise for the job he did in getting Livingston up to fifth last season, especially after his goalkeeper Liam Kelly and two hugely influential defenders in Craig Halkett and Declan Gallagher left last summer. To finish where they did was a tribute to Holt's management.
There's always an elephant in the room when it comes to Livi and that's the perceived advantage their artificial pitch gives them. Last season they got 28 points at home and only 11 away. They won one league match on grass. The previous league season they only won two.
If they manage to keep striker Lyndon Dykes, then improving the away form and silencing the critics has got to be a major driving force for them.
Is Davidson the new Saint?
If he's not already sick of hearing about how much St Johnstone are going to miss Tommy Wright, then he soon will be. Wright was a colossus at McDiarmid Park and Davidson has a huge job on his hands to keep things moving in the right direction on his return to Perth. He's cool, though. He's his own man.
The squad he's inherited is a decent one with some really gifted young players at his disposal. The loss of Drey Wright will have hurt but the signing of defender Shaun Rooney from Inverness looks a solid acquisition. Previously a coach at Millwall, Davidson looks like he's relishing his new life.
Is Gogic the enforcer Hibs' need?
Only Celtic and Rangers scored more league goals last season than Hibs and the signings of Drey Wright and Kevin Nisbet are surely going to see those numbers improve again. And yet the capture of Gogic might yet prove to be more meaningful as Hibs attempt to bring some robustness to the middle of the park.
They score enough goals to challenge for top three but concede way too many. Only the bottom three - Ross County, Hamilton and Hearts - shipped more last season, so it's not rocket science to see where they need to improve. Gogic could be part of the solution.
Can Burke complete the 16-in-a-row?
The Kilmarnock winger turns 37 in December and yet he's still bringing his influence to bear. Whether it's for Rangers, Cardiff, Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, Rotherham, Ross County or his current team, Burke has scored at least one goal in each of his last 15 seasons. He's odds-on to make it 16.
To add another layer to this, Burke scored his first senior goal, for Rangers against Kilmarnock, in March 2002. Team-mate Eamonn Brophy was still in Primary One. Burke's experience and energy is invaluable to his side. A class guy and an example to others.
How will St Mirren fare without Hladky?
The Czech goalkeeper was outstanding and his loss is acute. It's hard to quantify how many points his saves were worth to St Mirren, but he was a much-valued character. Jim Goodwin has brought in Jak Alnwick to replace him and pretty much a new back four. Richard Tait, Joe Shaughnessy and Marcus Fraser are experienced operators at this level.
Ilkay Durmus and Jonathan Obika scored important goals last season and young Kyle McAllister is a talent. That said, they need more threat. They only got 24 league goals in 30 games last season and only escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth. If Goodwin can find a little firepower, then the coming campaign can be a whole lot less stressful than the last one.
Can County shore it up at the back?
Ross County conceded an average of two goals in each Premiership game last season
If they concede the volume of goals they shipped last season then they're going to be in trouble. They lost 60 goals in 30 league games.
The way they were going - only two wins in their 13 games before the season ended - they might have been in mortal danger of the drop had the pandemic not saved them. Even Hearts, as hopeless as they were, got more points in 2020. Billy Mckay's goals in March saved them further anguish, but that defence needs to show vast improvement.
Do we dare write-off Hamilton again?
Been there, done it and have egg on the face to prove it. Just when you think Hamilton are on an inexorable slide into relegation, they produce something to remind you of their battling qualities.
From the end of December to the end of February they didn't win a league game, but in their last two matches before the season was called, they beat Rangers away and Kilmarnock at home and didn't concede in either. They finished 11th.
You wouldn't bet against them doing the same this time and then surviving the play-off.
Will Shankland step up?
The striker was the difference between promotion and another season in the Championship for Dundee United. He prospered despite fairly average service for much of the season, a tribute to his predatory instincts.
He scored 29 goals in 35 games, the majority of them in the Championship. Can he step up? It would be a major surprise if he didn't. Shankland had three games against Premiership opposition last season - two Scottish Cup ties against Hibs and a League Cup contest against Hearts - and scored in all three.
He's a natural finisher and though he's moving up a level he's still plenty good enough to take advantage of defensive mishaps. Watching Shankland adapt will be fascinating.


bbc--2020-08-01--TikTok: Trump says he will ban Chinese video app in the US

President Donald Trump has announced he is banning the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok in the US .
He told reporters he could sign an executive order as early as Saturday .
US security officials have expressed concern that the app , owned by Chinese firm ByteDance , could be used to collect the personal data of Americans .
TikTok has denied accusations that it is controlled by or shares data with the Chinese government .
The fast-growing app has up to 80 million active monthly users in America and the ban would be a major blow for ByteDance .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're banning them from the United States , '' Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One .
• Should we be worried about TikTok ?
It was not immediately clear what authority Mr Trump has to ban TikTok , how that ban would be enforced and what legal challenges it would face .
Microsoft has reportedly been in talks to buy the app from ByteDance , but Mr Trump appeared to cast doubt that such a deal would be allowed to go through .
If the deal went ahead reports say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US operations .
A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment on Mr Trump 's mooted ban , but told US media outlets the company was `` confident in the long-term success of TikTok '' in the US .
The move to ban TikTok comes at a time of heightened tensions between the Trump administration and the Chinese government over a number of issues , including trade disputes and Beijing 's handling of the coronavirus outbreak .
The platform has exploded in popularity in recent years , mostly with people under 20 .
They use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often involve lip-synching to songs , comedy routines and unusual editing tricks .
These videos are then made available to both followers and strangers .
By default , all accounts are public , although users can restrict uploads to an approved list of contacts .
TikTok also allows private messages to be sent but this facility is limited to `` friends '' .
The app is reported to have around 800 million active monthly users , most of whom are in the US and India .
India has already blocked TikTok as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has already banned Huawei and telecom equipment-maker ZTE , is also considering banning TikTok .
Trump 's dislike of TikTok goes further than just privacy concerns .
In India TikTok was banned after a border skirmish with China - it was caught up in a geopolitical feud .
And that 's what 's happened here , too .
Trump 's sights are set firmly on China - and this should be seen through that lens .
TikTok says that it does n't keep any data in China and would never give it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways it does n't matter what they say , the fact that they are owned by a Chinese 's company is guilt enough .
Not to be overlooked either is Trump 's previous experience with TikTok .
Last month users claimed to have scuppered his Tulsa rally after signing up to tickets they had no intention of using .
And although there are Republican and Conservative voices on TikTok , the profile of users in the US is generally young and liberal/left .
It 's hard to believe that 's not a factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about TikTok ?
US officials and politicians have raised concerns data collected by ByteDance via TikTok may end up being passed to the Chinese government .
TikTok operates a similar but separate version of the app in China , known as Douyin .
It says all US user data is stored in the US , with a backup in Singapore .
• TikTok sent US user data to China , lawsuit claims • TikTok : We are not 'under the thumb ' of China This week , TikTok told users and regulators it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including allowing reviews of its algorithms .
`` We are not political , we do not accept political advertising and have no agenda - our only objective is to remain a vibrant , dynamic platform for everyone to enjoy , '' the CEO of TikTok , Kevin Mayer , said in a post this week .
`` TikTok has become the latest target , but we are not the enemy . ''

Microsoft has reportedly been in talks to buy the app from ByteDance, but Mr Trump appeared to cast doubt that such a deal would be allowed to go through. If the deal went ahead reports say it would involve ByteDance shedding TikTok's US operations.


bbc--2020-08-01--Dr Fauci grilled on virus spread during protests

`` You 're putting words into my mouth , '' the top US infectious disease expert said as he was @ @ @ @ @ Dr Fauci clashed with congressman Jim Jordan , an Ohio Republican , over whether the @ @ @ @ @ many Americans have also been told not to go to church or gyms .

"You're putting words into my mouth," the top US infectious disease expert said as he was grilled on Capitol Hill.
Dr Fauci clashed with congressman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, over whether the government should limit protests when many Americans have also been told not to go to church or gyms.


bbc--2020-08-01--US election 2020: The war hero who could be Biden's running mate

Who is Tammy Duckworth , the US senator from Illinois who is reportedly on the short list for the vice-presidential slot on the Democratic ticket ?
Born in Bangkok and wounded in the Iraq war , Tammy Duckworth has a Purple Heart and the instincts of a street fighter .
Her name has come up frequently during high-level discussions about the vice-presidential slot for the presumptive Democratic nominee , Joe Biden .
She has also become a target for Fox News 's Tucker Carlson and other conservatives .
When she said recently on CNN that she was open-minded about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founders and slave holders , Mr Carlson questioned her patriotism .
She fired back , saying that Mr Carlson should `` walk a mile in my legs and then tell me whether or not I love America '' .
Her challenge to Mr Carlson attracted national notice and drew people 's attention both to her political acumen and to her military background .
She was shot down in a helicopter during the Iraq war and lost her legs .
Many Democrats believe that her military record and her tenacity during fights with conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Asian-American , would strengthen Mr Biden 's candidacy .
If he chose her as a running mate , say her supporters , she would help to shore up votes among veterans , minorities and women .
Yet many believe that Mr Biden should pick a black running mate instead - Senator Kamala Harris is frequently mentioned as a possibility .
Besides that , Ms Duckworth 's home state is safely Democratic .
Other contenders for the Democratic ticket , a group that includes New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham , could help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use a boost .
• Will Joe Biden 's record come back to haunt him ?
The choice of a running mate has added importance for Democrats because of Mr Biden 's age and his own assessment of his role .
He is 77 , and if he were elected he would be 82 by the end of his term .
He sees himself as a `` transition candidate '' , and even his diehard supporters assume that if he were elected he would not seek a second term .
That means that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could someday become president .
Ms Duckworth , who is 52 , is best known for her work on veterans ' issues .
In addition , she has worked on health-care policy and spoken frequently about national security .
She fought in the Iraq war , but she believes that it was a mistake .
`` It 's a tough lesson , '' she says .
`` And I hope this nation will be a lot more sceptical of the reasons to go to war . ''
She also has a compelling personal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bryan Bowlsbey , have two daughters , Abigail and Maile Pearl , and she was the first to bear a child while serving as a US senator .
Her father , Frank , a US citizen , worked for the United Nations , and her mother , Lamai , is originally from Thailand .
Ms Duckworth , who speaks Thai , lived with her parents in Singapore , Indonesia and Cambodia because of her father 's UN job .
The family was in Cambodia , living in Phnom Penh during a period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power in the mid-1970s .
She recalls going to her market with her mother when , suddenly , bombs began falling .
Her mother pushed her to the floor of the car , Ms Duckworth says , `` so I would n't see the bloodiness '' .
• The 'miracle ' that helped a US mother make history Ms Duckworth later enlisted in the military , following in the footsteps of her father , a Vietnam veteran .
She once told me that she did not see herself ever running for president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my belly , '' she says .
But she is a ferocious advocate for Mr Biden , and he has taken a shine to her .
During an online fundraiser , he praised her bravery in battle and in politics .
`` I ca n't think of anyone who has shown more courage , '' he said .
Addressing her directly , he said : `` I 'm grateful for you here with me in this fight . ''
Ideologically , Ms Duckworth is a good match for Mr Biden , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Senate , she , too , appears in the middle of the ideological spectrum .
In recent weeks , she has ripped into President Donald Trump and his `` failure to lead our nation '' , showing her willingness to act as Mr Biden 's attack dog during the campaign .
Mr Biden 's aides interviewed her not long ago for the vice-presidential slot , she said during a live Washington Post chat on Thursday .
She described the job interview as `` positive '' .
Who could be Joe Biden 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has pledged he would choose a woman as his running mate .
Those on the rumoured shortlist include : Read more about Mr Biden 's potential running mate here After retiring from the military , Ms Duckworth worked on veterans ' issues at the state and national level and was elected to Congress in 2012 .
She won a senate seat in 2016 , becoming the state 's junior senator and following in the footsteps of President Barack Obama .
Her rise from state politics to national prominence has been fast .
Dick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ science department at the University of Illinois at Chicago , says that she has moved up more rapidly than anyone in politics he has seen in half a century .
Mr Obama , who also got his start in Illinois politics , rose higher than Ms Duckworth .
But as Mr Simpson points out : `` It took a little longer . ''
Peter Levin , the founder of a software company in Washington , worked with her at the US department of veterans affairs and says that she has an innate talent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the best in people even when there 's tension in the room , '' he says , explaining that she is skilled at tuning `` her language , her emphasis , to the person she 's speaking to '' in order to build consensus .
Her record in politics is far from perfect , however .
She has struggled to get legislation passed in Congress , and she has been criticised for her work on veterans ' issues .
She said all the right things , according to her detractors in Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programmes that she spoke about never got off the ground .
A spokesman for Ms Duckworth disagreed with the negative assessment of her work as a lawmaker , saying that she has been effective as a senator and has , among other achievements , passed bipartisan legislation and blocked `` efforts to repeal the Americans With Disabilities Act '' .
The criticism has hardly slowed her down , and throughout her career she has shown an unusual resolve .
While recovering from her war injuries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Maryland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy-duty pain blocks '' , she says , but they barely muffled the agony of losing her legs .
Yet during her recovery and in the years that followed , she has shown almost no self-pity : `` For me , it just comes back to the fact that I 'm so grateful to be alive .
I know that sounds so corny , '' she says .
`` But I think of what my buddies did to get me out and of the pilot who carried me to safety .
I ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are hoping that Mr Biden will choose her as his running mate so that she can bring her enthusiasm to the campaign .
He is expected to announce his decision this week .

Dick Simpson, the head of the political science department at the University of Illinois at Chicago, says that she has moved up more rapidly than anyone in politics he has seen in half a century. Mr Obama, who also got his start in Illinois politics, rose higher than Ms Duckworth. But as Mr Simpson points out: "It took a little longer."


bbc--2020-08-01--Dangerous heat wave forecast for south-western areas of US

US weather forecasters have issued warnings of a potentially life-threatening heat wave over the weekend in south-western areas of the @ @ @ @ @ Service ( NWS ) said temperatures could reach 50C ( 122F ) in southern California @ @ @ @ @ Utah , Arizona and Nevada , including the city of Las Vegas , may also @ @ @ @ @ wave of up to 49C .
It comes after a day of record temperatures in @ @ @ @ @ The NWS has urged people to take safety precautions like limiting the amount of time @ @ @ @ @ a high-pressure system was moving through the south-west and causing temperatures to rise .
A @ @ @ @ @ Friday in Phoenix , Arizona and records were also beaten in four cities in California @ @ @ @ @ a tweet that `` rare , dangerous and deadly '' temperatures were expected in large @ @ @ @ @ .

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bbc--2020-08-01--Coronavirus: South Korean Shincheonji sect leader arrested

South Korea has arrested the leader of a religious sect linked to the country 's largest coronavirus outbreak .
Lee Man-hee , 88 , heads the Shincheonji Church of Jesus .
More than 5,000 of its members became infected , making up 36 % of all Covid-19 cases in the country .
The authorities accuse him of hiding information about the group 's members and gatherings from contact tracers .
The church says Mr Lee was concerned for his members ' privacy , but never hid information from the authorities .
South Korea currently has 14,336 coronavirus cases , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early on Saturday , following an investigation .
A judge said there were signs that evidence related to the case was being destroyed .
• Is S Korea 's rapid testing the key to coronavirus ?
• Swimming defector did not have virus , says S Korea Mr Lee is also accused of embezzling 5.6bn won ( $ 4.7m ; £3.6m ) and holding unapproved religious events .
In a statement , the Shincheonji Church said Mr Lee had been concerned about `` excessive requests '' for personal details of members , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The court 's issuance of an arrest warrant does n't mean a guilty verdict , '' it added .
`` All possible efforts will be made to unveil the truth in the upcoming court trials . ''
Lee Man-hee says he is the incarnation of Jesus Christ 's second coming , and identifies as `` the promised pastor '' mentioned in the Bible .
He founded the Shincheonji Church in 1984 .
In Korean , Shincheonji means `` new heaven and earth '' .
The group , which has 230,000 members , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Lee 's followers believe he will take 144,000 people to heaven with him .
The church says it has more than 20,000 followers outside of South Korea including in China , Japan and areas of Southeast Asia .
The group is known for packing its followers tightly together during services .
Glasses , necklaces and earrings are reportedly banned from services .
Members of the fringe Christian group are believed to have infected one another and then travelled around the country , apparently undetected , in February .
In March , Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Although it was not intentional , many people have been infected , '' he said at the time .
`` We put our utmost efforts , but were unable to prevent it all . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

The group, which has 230,000 members, is considered a cult by many. Mr Lee identifies as "the promised pastor" mentioned in the Bible, and his followers believe he will take 144,000 people to heaven with him after Christ's Second Coming.


bbc--2020-08-01--Coronavirus: Mexico's death toll becomes world's third highest

Mexico has become the country with the third highest death toll with coronavirus , with only the US and Brazil recording greater numbers .
It has now suffered at least 46,688 deaths during the pandemic , with a total of 424,637 infections .
Previously the United Kingdom had the third highest toll , and registered 46,204 deaths as of Friday .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has warned the effects of the pandemic will be felt `` for decades to come '' .
In Mexico , local authorities have previously said they believe the real number of infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those reported .
• Mexico healthcare workers attacked for doing their job President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is eager to restart the country 's flagging economy .
His government announced a phased plan to lift restrictions in May .
In Mexico City , the capital , hundreds of thousands of factory workers returned to their jobs in mid-June .
Some non-essential businesses were then allowed to reopen at the start of July in the city , the epicentre of the country 's epidemic .
But critics say Mr Obrador was slow to impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly .
Most of the Mexican economy stopped on 23 March but some industries that were declared key to the functioning of the nation and were exempt from the restrictions .
On Friday ten state governors chastised the government 's handling of the outbreak and called for the resignation of Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López-Gatell - an epidemiologist and Mexico 's coronavirus tsar .
More than 17.5 million coronavirus cases have been reported worldwide , along with nearly 679,000 deaths , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
The US has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 92,475 .
Some countries have tried to emerge from lockdown but in many , cases are rising again , reports the BBC 's Geneva correspondent , Imogen Foulkes .
Some , like Spain and the UK , are partially reintroducing restrictions or delaying plans for their easing .
More measures were expected to be relaxed in England this weekend but Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that this would be delayed for at least two weeks .
With cases continuing to rise around the world , WHO head Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the effects of which will be felt for decades to come '' .
`` Although vaccine development is happening at record speed , we must learn to live with this virus , and we must fight it with the tools we have , '' he said on Friday .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

But critics say Mr Obrador was slow to impose lockdown measures and has lifted them too quickly. Most of the Mexican economy stopped on 23 March but some industries that were declared key to the functioning of the nation and were exempt from the restrictions.


bbc--2020-08-01--News Corp: Rupert Murdoch's son James quits company

James Murdoch , the younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch , has resigned from the board of News Corporation citing `` disagreements over editorial content '' .
In a filing to US regulators , he said he also disagreed with some `` strategic decisions '' made by the company .
The exact nature of the disagreements was not detailed .
But Mr Murdoch has previously criticised News Corp outlets , which include the Wall Street Journal , for climate change coverage .
In recent years James Murdoch has also found himself at odds - politically - with his father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
Whilst Murdoch Senior has pledged support for Donald Trump , James Murdoch has reportedly contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the campaign of Mr Trump 's Democratic rival , Joe Biden .
James Murdoch 's departure from News Corp would , our correspondent says , appear to grant even more influence to his brother Lachlan who is generally thought to share his father 's more conservative views .
Rupert , News Corp 's executive chairman , and Lachlan , co-chairman , wished James well in a joint statement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many years of service to the company , '' the statement said .
`` We wish him the very best in his future endeavours . ''
News Corp also owns The Times , The Sun and The Sunday Times in the UK , as well as a stable of Australian newspapers , including The Australian , The Daily Telegraph and The Herald Sun .
What do we know about past disagreements ?
Earlier this year , amid devastating wildfires in Australia , James Murdoch and his wife Kathryn expressed their frustration with climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Their spokesperson told The Daily Beast they were `` particularly disappointed with the ongoing denial among the news outlets in Australia given obvious evidence to the contrary . ''
Rupert Murdoch has described himself as a climate change `` sceptic '' and denies employing climate deniers .
But critics of News Corp pointed to its comment articles and reporting of the alleged role of arson in the wildfires as minimising the impact of a changing climate .
Born in London in 1972 , he is the youngest of Rupert Murdoch 's three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the others being sister Elisabeth and brother Lachlan .
He was schooled in New York , going on to study film and history at Harvard University but he dropped out in the mid-1990s without completing his degree .
Gaining a reputation as the family rebel , he set up an independent hip-hop label , Rawkus Records , which launched the career of rapper-actor Mos Def and gave an airing to the then little-known Eminem .
He was formerly chief executive of 21st Century Fox before Walt Disney bought most of its assets @ @ @


bbc--2020-08-01--Coronavirus: Millions of Americans set to lose key $600 benefit

A $ 600 ( £459 ) jobless benefit paid weekly to tens of millions of unemployed Americans expired overnight after Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a deal on its extension .
Friday was the deadline for an agreement on the coronavirus relief , which tops up state benefits that are mostly far below $ 600 .
Republicans want a smaller relief plan than one passed by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives .
Unemployment has soared during the coronavirus pandemic , with 30 million Americans currently collecting jobless benefits .
The US economy shrank at a 32.9 % annual rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decline for decades .
• The millions of Americans 'hanging by a thread' The $ 600 payments are part of a $ 2.2tn congressional package adopted in March as coronavirus forced businesses to shut down .
But Congress did not anticipate the current resurgence of the virus , deepening the impact on the economy .
The Covid-19 pandemic has killed at least 152,384 people in the US - the highest death toll in the world .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , a Democrat , rejected a Republican proposal to extend the benefits for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreement .
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Democrats had rejected reasonable offers , and `` what we 're seeing is politics as usual from Democrats '' .
Many of the unemployed have already received their final $ 600 top-up .
Danielle Grant , a single parent in San Francisco , told CBS that without the $ 600 relief she would struggle to pay her monthly mortgage and other bills .
`` I 'm already financially strapped .
It 's an impossible situation , '' she said .
Her public relations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ museums and other venues were forced to close in the pandemic .
Ms Pelosi said Republican leaders `` and perhaps the White House do not understand the gravity of the situation '' .
She said she rejected the one-week extension proposed by President Donald Trump 's team because such a move would occur `` if you are on a path '' toward a deal , and `` we 're not '' .
Democrats also rejected a later White House proposal to cut the $ 600 weekly payment to $ 400 for the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the $ 600 weekly top-up benefit into next year , and are pushing for a new federal stimulus package to help states through the crisis .
President Trump turned to Twitter to attack both Ms Pelosi and the top Democrat in the Senate Chuck Schumer for the impasse .
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• YOUR QUESTIONS : Our experts have answers


bbc--2020-08-01--Lockdown easing on hold in England as shielding ends

People shielding against coronavirus can now leave their home and return to work , as a further easing of lockdown restrictions in England is postponed .
More than two million at high risk will no longer need to isolate in most of England , Scotland and Northern Ireland .
But charity Macmillan Cancer Support has said people in the shielded group do not feel safe .
It comes after the PM applied the brakes to easing restrictions further and as some businesses remain closed .
Labour said it supported the government 's decision but criticised the initial lack of detail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tightening of restrictions for parts of the north of England .
Elsewhere , Graham Medley , a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) , which advises the government , has said England could have to consider closing pubs in order to reopen schools in September .
`` It might come down to a question of which do you trade off against each other and then that 's a matter of prioritising , do we think pubs are more important than schools ? ''
He told BBC Radio 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new report suggests more than half of the people furloughed during the pandemic are now back at work , as companies begin contributing to the costs .
• Analysis : We 're at the limit of easing lockdown • At-a-glance : What can I do now ?
• Do people still have to shield ?
When lockdown began in March , those considered extremely clinically vulnerable - an estimated 2.2 million people in England - were advised to stay at home , or shield , to avoid contracting Covid-19 .
People in high-risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organ transplant , are receiving immunosuppressant drugs , undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy , or have severe respiratory conditions .
Now , they can return to work if they can not work from home and as long as their workplace is Covid-secure .
It is still advised they maintain social distancing when outside .
From Saturday , those who were shielding in England , Scotland and Northern Ireland will no longer receive food boxes and medicine deliveries from the government .
But shielding advice remains in place for Blackburn with Darwen in the north-west @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the most vulnerable will continue to shield in Wales for another two weeks .
Eve Byrne from Macmillian Cancer Support said the organisation had written to the government over concerns shielders are having to `` make the impossible choice '' between their health and their job .
`` People in the shielded group are telling us that they are just not feeling safe , '' she told the BBC , adding that government needs to ensure the necessary protections are in place for people returning to work .
Norah Grant , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support group for people under 60 with the condition , says the decision to end shielding was `` very odd just considering everything that is happening in Manchester and all around '' .
`` I do n't think I will be changing my habits , '' she tells BBC Radio 4 's Today programme , adding that she will be able to work from home in one of her two jobs .
`` A lot of people in our [ support ] group are very nervous about going back to work , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has an immune deficiency which means she can not produce antibodies , says she will also continue to shield .
`` I really do n't think it is safe , '' she says .
`` There are a lot of people not following the rules .
`` So for me it is safer to just stay at home . ''
She adds she will only be able to work `` partially '' from home , so it will impact her financially .
On Friday , Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to come in this weekend - would be postponed for at least a fortnight .
It means that the following will not be able to take place until 15 August , at the earliest : • the reopening of casinos , bowling alleys , skating rinks and remaining close contact services • pilots of larger gatherings in sports venues and conference centres • the expansion of wedding receptions to allow up to 30 people • beauty treatments that involve the face , such as eyelash , eyebrow and threading treatments Labour 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported the government 's decisions on shielding and the lockdown restrictions .
But he told BBC Breakfast the `` way in which the [ lockdown ] announcement was communicated '' on Thursday night `` sort of dribbling out '' without all the detail `` has caused a degree of confusion and anxiety '' .
When asked about the chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty 's remarks that the country was `` near the limits '' of opening up society , Prof Medley , who advises the government , told BBC Radio 4 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's quite possible .
`` I think we 're in a situation whereby most people think that opening schools is a priority for the health and wellbeing of children and that when we do that we are going to reconnect lots of households .
`` And so actually , closing some of the other networks , some of the other activities may well be required to enable us to open schools . ''
'Everything is up in the air for our wedding reception' Kirsty Drake is supposed to be getting married on 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when the decision on easing restrictions again is due to be reviewed .
She had finalised plans this week for a small wedding reception but now the restrictions mean she is unable to go ahead with the gathering at her venue after her ceremony .
`` I 'm a little bit emotional about it today , '' she says .
`` Everything is all up in the air again . ''
`` What I do n't understand is that if I wanted to now I could book six tables in a restaurant outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those same group of people I 've just got married with .
We 'd have to [ socially distance ] at the venue anyway .
`` In our situation it would be safer to have a meal at the venue where we are due to get married . ''
The rethink on easing England 's lockdown follows new restrictions for people in parts of northern England , after a spike in virus cases .
New lockdown rules were introduced in areas including Greater Manchester , east Lancashire , and parts of West Yorkshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate households meeting each other inside their homes and private gardens .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health Face coverings will be mandatory in more indoor settings , such as cinemas , with the new rules being enforceable in law from 8 August .
Figures published by the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) on Friday suggest infection rates in England are rising , with around 4,200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,200 a week ago .
However , the level of infection is still significantly lower than it was during the peak of the pandemic .
A further 120 people have died with Covid-19 in the UK according to the latest government figures , bringing the total number of virus deaths to 46,119 .
Meanwhile , 880 new lab-confirmed cases have been recorded - the highest in more than a month .
• ASK MARTIN LEWIS : Answering your questions about travelling to Spain Are you getting married this weekend ?
Or were you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postponement affect you ?
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Sara Swanson, who has an immune deficiency which means she cannot produce antibodies, said she would also continue to shield. "I really don't think it is safe," she said. "There are a lot of people not following the rules."


bbc--2020-08-01--NBA star bucks trend of kneeling for anthem

Last updated on .From the section Basketball Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac became the first NBA player not to kneel during the national anthem since the league resumed on Thursday .
On Thursday all players from the four teams in action all knelt during the pre-match anthem .
Isaac , who chose not to wear a Black Lives Matter t-shirt , said : `` Absolutely I believe Black Lives Matter . ''
He added : `` A lot went into my decision ... kneeling or wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt does n't go hand in hand in supporting Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team-mates earlier in the week of his decision .
They all chose to kneel before their 128-118 win over the Brooklyn Nets .
`` That 's a personal decision , '' said Magic coach Steve Clifford .
`` We 're all supporting each other in this .
And if guys are not comfortable kneeling and they want to stand , nobody has a problem with that .
I support him .
His team-mates support him .
The organisation supports him .
That 's part of living in our country . ''
Explaining his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Hammon wore a Black Lives Matter t-shirt , said : `` I prefer to keep that to myself .
Everybody has to make a personal decision .
The league has been great about that .
Everybody has the freedom to react any way that they want .
For whatever reasons that I have , I reacted the way I wanted to . ''
Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan added : `` ( Their decision to stand was ) out of a positive side of their heart .
Same way we kneel .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 119-112 in their first game since the restart .
The Bucks , who are trying to win their first NBA title since 1971 , had the best record at 53-12 when the league was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Elsewhere James Harden scored 49 points and Russell Westbrook added 31 as the Houston Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 153-149 in overtime , despite Luka Doncic 's 15th triple-double of the season as he recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assists .

Jonathan Isaac stands for the national anthem before the Orlando Magic's victory over the Brooklyn Nets
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac became the first NBA player not to kneel during the national anthem since the league resumed on Thursday.
Later on Friday San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and assistant coach Becky Hammon also stood.
On Thursday all players from the four teams in action all knelt during the pre-match anthem.
Isaac, who chose not to wear a Black Lives Matter t-shirt, said: "Absolutely I believe Black Lives Matter."
He added: "A lot went into my decision ... kneeling or wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt doesn't go hand in hand in supporting Black lives."
Isaac had told his team-mates earlier in the week of his decision. They all chose to kneel before their 128-118 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
"That's a personal decision," said Magic coach Steve Clifford. "We're all supporting each other in this. And if guys are not comfortable kneeling and they want to stand, nobody has a problem with that. I support him. His team-mates support him. The organisation supports him. That's part of living in our country."
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich stands for the anthem before their match against the Sacramento Kings
Explaining his decision to stand, Popovich, who like Hammon wore a Black Lives Matter t-shirt, said: "I prefer to keep that to myself. Everybody has to make a personal decision. The league has been great about that. Everybody has the freedom to react any way that they want. For whatever reasons that I have, I reacted the way I wanted to."
Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan added: "(Their decision to stand was) out of a positive side of their heart. Same way we kneel. Don't take away nothing from those guys."
Harden and Antetokounmpo star on return
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have the best record in the NBA
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 36 points as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Boston Celtics 119-112 in their first game since the restart.
The Bucks, who are trying to win their first NBA title since 1971, had the best record at 53-12 when the league was halted in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Elsewhere James Harden scored 49 points and Russell Westbrook added 31 as the Houston Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 153-149 in overtime, despite Luka Doncic's 15th triple-double of the season as he recorded 28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.


bbc--2020-07-31--Week in pictures: 25 July-31 July 2020

Week in pictures: 25 July-31 July 2020

Gallery assistants pose during the opening of the Electronic : From Kraftwerk to the Chemical Brothers , at The Design @ @ @ @ @ The exhibition , marking 50 years of Kraftwerk , is due to run until February @ @

Image caption,
Gallery assistants pose during the opening of the Electronic: From Kraftwerk to the Chemical Brothers, at The Design Museum, in London. The exhibition, marking 50 years of Kraftwerk, is due to run until February 2021.


bbc--2020-07-31--India Atkinson: TikTok disability educator goes viral

India Atkinson has become a social media sensation for educating people about her disability .
The 20-year-old from Belfast has @ @ @ @ @ meaning she was born without fingers on her left hand .
She says there is @ @ @ @ @ having a disability and she wants to make others feel comfortable by showing it off @ @ @ @ @ videos to address common misconceptions about her disability using humour .
Growing up , India @ @ @ @ @ weird '' being used to describe her hand .
Had there been someone with a @ @ @ @ @ up to on social media , she says , it would have given her more @ @

India Atkinson has become a social media sensation for educating people about her disability.
The 20-year-old from Belfast has Symbrachydactyly, a rare condition meaning she was born without fingers on her left hand.
She says there is often a stigma attached to having a disability and she wants to make others feel comfortable by showing it off.
She started making TikTok videos to address common misconceptions about her disability using humour.
Growing up, India often heard the word "weird" being used to describe her hand. Had there been someone with a disability she could have looked up to on social media, she says, it would have given her more confidence.
Video journalist: Emily McGarvey


bbc--2020-08-01--James Baldwin: World's fastest gamer to real life racer

James Baldwin 's journey to becoming a professional racing driver took off in a very unusual place .
Not on a circuit driving at more than 100mph ( 160km/h ) , or while travelling the world , or by getting to drive for a Formula 1 world champion .
Although all that would come later .
Instead it all started during a look around PC World .
It 's led to a career that not too many years ago would have been deemed impossible by motorsport experts .
A career that 's seeing the 22-year-old from Buckinghamshire train his sights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racing drivers in the world .
A world far away from traditional go-karting that you might do at a mate 's birthday party , it 's a serious , expensive business ; and the first step on the road to Formula 1 for the likes of Lewis Hamilton .
James , who was captivated my motorsport from the age of four , was no different .
He raced karts but dropped out of the sport aged 16 because of a lack of funds .
He thought his motorsport career was over before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went into engineering and had no racing of any kind in my life , '' James tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
`` But I think two years after I dropped out of racing , I was in PC World with my girlfriend .
`` We saw a simulator rig with a wheel and pedals on it on sale for about 250 quid and I was like , 'oh that 's cool . '
So I bought it .
`` At the time racing esports had n't really boomed at all so I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was more of a casual thing .
`` That was kind of where it led on from . ''
'The dream was back on' James spent about a year as a casual gamer until finishing in the top 10 of one event won him an all-expenses-paid trip to Austria to compete for a cash prize .
`` I took my girlfriend and I was like 'what , this is crazy ! '
'' `` I was completely out of my comfort zone , '' James recalls .
`` But it was cool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being a driver of some kind was back on which was quite a weird feeling . ''
Continued success led to more travel and an invitation to compete for one of the biggest trophies , and coolest titles , in esports .
The World 's Fastest Gamer .
`` The competition was in West Coast California , and consisted of real driving , simulator driving , physical fitness tests , and media training , all over the space of two weeks .
`` It came to a judge 's decision where they announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cool .
`` Juan Pablo Montoya was one of them and Rubens Barrichello was a coach ( both ex Formula 1 drivers and multiple race winners ) .
It was a very unique and special competition . ''
World 's Fastest Gamer is now in its third season and looking for new competitors .
It was hugely competitive , but James says the key to what 's turned out to be a career-defining win , was remembering to have fun .
`` It was very intense .
Two weeks when you 're on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite long .
It was definitely a pressure cooker .
`` But it was really enjoyable .
I think a lot of the finalists forgot that they were out there to enjoy it at the same time .
`` It was a once in a lifetime thing .
They kind of got too fixated on doing well and I think they lost that enjoyment . ''
The World 's Fastest Gamer prize was a million dollar drive in a real life sports racer , known as GT car .
If that was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team owned by Jenson Button , 2009 Formula 1 champion and British racing legend .
But , like so many things across the world , that 's on hold for now because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Instead James will be doing not one , but six races in the British GT Championship , starting this weekend , at iconic British tracks like Brands Hatch , Donnington Park and Silverstone .
The circuits are famous for a reason .
`` If you go off , you 're probably going to hit something , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James says .
`` And the GT is quite a big step up , so it 's going to be insane . ''
Racing is far more physical than many realise .
The drivers have to be super fit as their bodies are put under intense pressure and high G-forces .
`` The brake pedal is the biggest difference .
It requires a lot of force to get that down .
`` If you crash , you 've got financial implications and you could get injured .
In esports you can push and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to matter .
`` It 's just the immersion in a real car .
You can smell things that you probably do n't smell in sim .
`` The heat is really hot in a race , it takes you by surprise when you first get in the real car . ''
'If the goal is n't audacious then what 's the point ? '
The six British GT races represent a real chance for James to prove he has what it takes for a long career in real life racing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he 's ready to show the world he 's ready .
`` I 've been waiting for this for a very long time , the opportunity to race in a big scale event .
I did n't think it would come if I 'm being brutally honest , so I 'm not going to sit at home feeling scared .
`` My ultimate ambition is to be one of the best racing drivers in the world .
`` My goal is quite audacious , but I think if it 's not audacious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing it .
`` I 've always wanted to be a racing driver and I 've got the opportunity to do that .
So I 'm going to make the most of it . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"I've always wanted to be a racing driver and I've got the opportunity to do that. So I'm going to make the most of it."


bbc--2020-08-01--Coronavirus: The bogus meme targeting Dr Fauci, and other fake claims

This has been a busy week for fact-checkers looking into false and misleading claims about the coronavirus pandemic .
A misleading video featuring American doctors clocked up over 17 million views before social media platforms took it down .
There have been plenty of other claims flying around on US social media accounts , some of which we 've been debunking .
Claim : Dr Fauci says once manufactured , a Covid-19 vaccine should be rolled out before `` proper studies '' are done .
Verdict : The quote , widely shared on social media , is false .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Facebook this week implies that Dr Anthony Fauci , who is leading America 's coronavirus response , is of the view that a vaccine must be delivered for `` immediate human injection .
Proper studies can be performed later '' .
This same post also suggests Dr Fauci has refused to endorse the use of the drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus because no `` major study '' has been done , presumably in an attempt to highlight the inconsistency of his position .
When contacted by the BBC , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Fauci works ) said the reference to vaccines `` is completely made up , Dr Fauci has never said anything like that '' .
`` Operation Warp Speed '' is the US government 's plan to deliver a working vaccine by January 2021 .
`` The programme will determine the safety of the Covid-19 vaccines under study , ensure the safety of study participants , and maintain the integrity of the vaccine trials , '' according to the NIH .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
Regarding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body said : `` Dr Fauci has said publicly that sound clinical research must be conducted to determine whether any particular drug is safe and effective for treating Covid-19 . ''
Dr Fauci has also recently told the BBC that there have been `` randomised control studies '' which have shown that hydroxychloroquine is `` not effective in the treatment of Covid-19 '' .
• False and misleading claims about the hunt for a vaccine Verdict : We can find no evidence to support this claim .
A post liked and shared 40,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surveyed around the world said hydroxychloroquine `` works in Covid patients '' .
It was shared without a source and the post gained traction as the `` America 's Frontline Doctors '' video was going viral this week .
We believe it incorrectly reports the results of a survey of about 6,000 doctors in 30 countries published in April by a company called Sermo .
We contacted the company and they provided data which showed that although 6,000 doctors were approached , only 2,171 responded to that particular question .
Of those , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most effective treatment out of a list of 15 options .
That 's around 800 doctors , or just 13 % of those surveyed .
Far fewer than the 6,000 claimed in the post above .
Furthermore , the survey company says the participants were doctors registered with them , and so not representative sample of all doctors across the world .
Claim : Vital research into coronavirus treatment is being blocked .
Verdict : This is misleading because it refers to research into a different virus .
Another widely shared tweet this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effectiveness of the drug chloroquine against the Sars coronavirus , followed by claims that `` blocking access to a proven preventative treatment during a pandemic is a crime against humanity '' .
This is highly misleading .
The 2005 study was testing chloroquine to combat infection from the Sars virus long before the current coronavirus or Covid-19 was known to exist .
Chloroquine is similar to hydroxychloroquine ( the latter is a less toxic form of the former ) and it has not been shown to be effective against Covid-19 .
Sars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the novel coronavirus which causes Covid-19 .
Also , this was done in a laboratory setting which means it was n't administered to human patients .
Claim : 'Big pharma ' is blocking the rollout of hydroxychloroquine .
Rumours about the pharmaceutical industry blocking the rollout of hydroxychloroquine have also been widespread this week , particularly following the takedown of the video of the `` America 's Frontline Doctors '' press conference .
A conservative radio host said in a post shared 3,000 times on Facebook : `` Nobody 's gon na @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is why , ladies and gentlemen , it is opposed . ''
A post shared thousands of times claims `` Big Pharma '' and `` big government '' in both the US and Europe have deliberately promoted other drugs because they are more expensive .
One Instagram user claimed that the doctors in the viral video were `` risking their lives speaking out against Big Pharma '' .
`` There is not a shred of evidence that hydroxychloroquine was `` blocked '' by anyone , '' says Prof Stephen Evans of the London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He says the pharmaceutical industry does make money from hydroxychloroquine , which is approved for treating other illnesses such malaria .
`` But in this specific area [ treating Covid-19 ] they do n't have a current alternative product , so they do n't have a strong interest to discourage hydroxychloroquine use . ''

Coronavirus: The bogus meme targeting Dr Fauci, and other fake claims Published 1 August 2020
Image source, Reuters
This has been a busy week for fact-checkers looking into false and misleading claims about the coronavirus pandemic.
A misleading video featuring American doctors clocked up over 17 million views before social media platforms took it down.
There have been plenty of other claims flying around on US social media accounts, some of which we've been debunking.
Claim: Dr Fauci says once manufactured, a Covid-19 vaccine should be rolled out before "proper studies" are done.
Verdict: The quote, widely shared on social media, is false.
A meme generating thousands of likes on Instagram and Facebook this week implies that Dr Anthony Fauci, who is leading America's coronavirus response, is of the view that a vaccine must be delivered for "immediate human injection. Proper studies can be performed later".
This same post also suggests Dr Fauci has refused to endorse the use of the drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus because no "major study" has been done, presumably in an attempt to highlight the inconsistency of his position.
When contacted by the BBC, the US National Institutes of Health (where Dr Fauci works) said the reference to vaccines "is completely made up, Dr Fauci has never said anything like that".
"Operation Warp Speed" is the US government's plan to deliver a working vaccine by January 2021.
"The programme will determine the safety of the Covid-19 vaccines under study, ensure the safety of study participants, and maintain the integrity of the vaccine trials," according to the NIH.
Regarding the comments on hydroxychloroquine studies, the health body said: "Dr Fauci has said publicly that sound clinical research must be conducted to determine whether any particular drug is safe and effective for treating Covid-19."
Dr Fauci has also recently told the BBC that there have been "randomised control studies" which have shown that hydroxychloroquine is "not effective in the treatment of Covid-19".
Claim: "6,000 doctors surveyed" say hydroxychloroquine is effective.
Verdict: We can find no evidence to support this claim.
A post liked and shared 40,000 times on Twitter claims that 6,000 doctors surveyed around the world said hydroxychloroquine "works in Covid patients".
It was shared without a source and the post gained traction as the "America's Frontline Doctors" video was going viral this week.
We believe it incorrectly reports the results of a survey of about 6,000 doctors in 30 countries published in April by a company called Sermo.
We contacted the company and they provided data which showed that although 6,000 doctors were approached, only 2,171 responded to that particular question.
Of those, just 37% chose hydroxychloroquine as the most effective treatment out of a list of 15 options. That's around 800 doctors, or just 13% of those surveyed. Far fewer than the 6,000 claimed in the post above.
Furthermore, the survey company says the participants were doctors registered with them, and so not representative sample of all doctors across the world.
Claim: Vital research into coronavirus treatment is being blocked.
Verdict: This is misleading because it refers to research into a different virus.
Another widely shared tweet this week posted a 2005 laboratory study into the effectiveness of the drug chloroquine against the Sars coronavirus, followed by claims that "blocking access to a proven preventative treatment during a pandemic is a crime against humanity".
This is highly misleading. The 2005 study was testing chloroquine to combat infection from the Sars virus long before the current coronavirus or Covid-19 was known to exist.
Chloroquine is similar to hydroxychloroquine (the latter is a less toxic form of the former) and it has not been shown to be effective against Covid-19.
Sars is similar to but not the same as the novel coronavirus which causes Covid-19.
Also, this was done in a laboratory setting which means it wasn't administered to human patients.
Claim: 'Big pharma' is blocking the rollout of hydroxychloroquine.
Verdict: No evidence.
Rumours about the pharmaceutical industry blocking the rollout of hydroxychloroquine have also been widespread this week, particularly following the takedown of the video of the "America's Frontline Doctors" press conference.
A conservative radio host said in a post shared 3,000 times on Facebook: "Nobody's gonna make any money off hydroxychloroquine. Which is why, ladies and gentlemen, it is opposed."
A post shared thousands of times claims "Big Pharma" and "big government" in both the US and Europe have deliberately promoted other drugs because they are more expensive.
One Instagram user claimed that the doctors in the viral video were "risking their lives speaking out against Big Pharma".
"There is not a shred of evidence that hydroxychloroquine was "blocked" by anyone," says Prof Stephen Evans of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
He says the pharmaceutical industry does make money from hydroxychloroquine, which is approved for treating other illnesses such malaria.
"But in this specific area [treating Covid-19] they don't have a current alternative product, so they don't have a strong interest to discourage hydroxychloroquine use."