bbc--2020-08-14--US seizes millions of dollars of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela

The US says it has taken control of four Iranian fuel shipments bound for Venezuela in the largest-ever seizure of its kind .
About 1.1 million barrels of fuel were confiscated `` with the assistance of foreign partners '' , according to the Justice Department .
Washington said the shipments violated US sanctions .
Iran 's ambassador to Venezuela claimed that neither the ships nor their owners were Iranian .
A judge issued a warrant for the seizure of the oil cargo from the four tankers after the US filed a lawsuit last month .
In a statement on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had `` successfully executed the seizure '' of `` a multimillion dollar fuel shipment by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC ) '' .
The IRGC is a branch of the Iranian armed forces that the US has designated a foreign terrorist organisation .
`` This seized property is now in US custody , '' the statement said , without specifying when or where the seizures took place .
• What are sanctions and how do countries use them ?
• How renewed US sanctions have hit Iran hard The US Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran 's navy made an unsuccessful bid to board an `` unrelated ship '' in an `` apparent attempt to recover the seized petroleum '' .
A senior US official told the Associated Press news agency that no military force was used in the seizures and that the vessels themselves were not confiscated .
Instead , the official said , the US threatened the ships ' owners , insurers and captains with sanctions to force them to hand over the oil .
It is not currently clear where the vessels — the Bella @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are .
Iranian Ambassador to Venezuela Hojat Soltani described reports of the seizures as `` false propaganda '' .
`` This is another lie and act of psychological warfare perpetrated by the US propaganda machine , '' he wrote on Twitter .
Tensions between Iran and the US have escalated since Washington 's unilateral withdrawal in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal .
Washington has imposed heavy sanctions on both Iran and Venezuela to block oil exports .
It wants to drive Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power and change the behaviour of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran and the US were blamed for attacks on oil two tankers near the Strait of Hormuz in June last year - although Tehran denied US accusations that it was behind the explosions .
Later that month , Iran shot down a US drone in the area .
On Friday , a spokeswoman for the US State Department said the proceeds from the seized fuel shipments `` could now support the US Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund instead of those engaging in terrorism '' .
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A senior US official told the Associated Press news agency that no military force was used in the seizures and that the vessels themselves were not confiscated. Instead, the official said, the US threatened the ships' owners, insurers and captains with sanctions to force them to hand over the oil.


bbc--2020-08-14--What to expect as China-US trade talks resume

The US and China are due to resume trade talks in the coming days that last took place in January before tensions escalated .
The two economic superpowers have been embroiled in a trade war since 2018 that has damaged the world economy .
In January both countries agreed to ease restrictions imposed on imported goods from each another .
However , relations have become increasingly strained in the last six months over a wide range of issues .
US President Donald Trump has clashed with China recently over two Chinese apps , TikTok and WeChat , which could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns .
This is the latest sticking point between Washington and Beijing ; others include China 's new national security law for Hong Kong , communications firm Huawei and the origin of the coronavirus .
These clashes come on top of the already-sensitive trade relationship between the world 's two biggest economies .
`` Both sides will be doing a temperature check to see where things stand since January , and indeed they have a lot to talk about , '' Nick Marro , a global trade expert at the Economist Intelligence Unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` At the very least , we expect policymakers in Beijing to now be questioning their commitment to a trade deal that has done little to protect Chinese companies from US pressure . ''
While WeChat , TikTok and Huawei have all come under fire recently , the Trump administration has added dozens of Chinese companies to economic blacklists .
`` The US government will take further measures to prevent US data from being stored on Cloud-based systems owned by Chinese firms as well as impacting upon the use of undersea cables connecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' added Rajiv Biswas , a chief economist at London-based consultancy IHS Markit .
How did the trade war start ?
US President Donald Trump has long accused China of unfair trading practices and intellectual property theft .
Meanwhile , in China there is a perception that America is trying to curb its rise as a global economic power .
The dispute led the US and China to impose tariffs , extra taxes on imports , on hundreds of billions of dollars ' worth of goods .
This tit-for-tat trade war began in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 450bn ( £344bn ) worth of imports .
It has rumbled on ever since .
A breakthrough happened at the start of this year when both countries agreed to relax some restrictions on each other , referred to as `` phase one '' of the negotiations .
What was the `` phase one '' deal ?
The agreement in January was seen as a `` win-win '' deal according to Chinese officials .
China pledged to boost US imports by $ 200bn above 2017 levels including agriculture goods by $ 32bn and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also agreed to strengthen its intellectual property rules by taking more action against counterfeiting and trade secret theft .
In exchange , the US agreed to halve some of the new tariffs it has imposed on Chinese products .
While the majority of the border taxes remained in place , it was widely viewed as a thawing of trade tensions .
Where are we now ?
Just over six months after the agreement came into effect , the landscape is very different .
US-China relations are increasingly tense and global trade has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Given the wide range of differences between the US and China , it may be difficult to achieve further significant progress in the upcoming round of trade talks , '' added Mr Biswas .
China 's commitment to buy at least $ 200bn more in US goods and services during 2020 and 2021 is one area of concern .
Even before the deal was signed , some trade experts said this was an unrealistic target .
It has become more difficult with the coronavirus-driven slump in both the Chinese and US economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see officials study Chinese and US trade data to determine whether the targets can still be met .
`` Our baseline view is that the deal will remain intact after the meetings .
It would be just too costly , for both sides , to terminate it now , '' added EIU 's Mr Marro .

"The US government will take further measures to prevent US data from being stored on Cloud-based systems owned by Chinese firms as well as impacting upon the use of undersea cables connecting the US to the global internet," added Rajiv Biswas, a chief economist at London-based consultancy IHS Markit.


bbc--2020-08-14--Nigerian police rescue Kano man locked up in his parents' garage

A Nigerian man has been rescued from the garage of his parents ' house in the northern city of Kano , where he had been locked up for three years , police say .
Ahmed Aminu , 30 , was discovered after a police raid on the family 's residence .
Neighbours had alerted a local NGO about his plight , and the police were then called .
Mr Aminu 's father and step-mother have been arrested and police say further investigations are under way .
• Africa Live : Updates on this and other stories In a horrific video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Aminu , too frail to walk , was assisted into a vehicle as he was taken to hospital .
He had visible calluses on his knees and his bones were apparent through the little flesh left on him .
`` We found Aminu in a terrible situation , urinating and excreting in same spot without [ being ] given any food and looking like he was going to die at any moment , '' Haruna Ayagi , head of the Human Rights Network NGO , told the BBC .
Police said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents on suspicion of drug abuse and left without proper food and health care .
Some reports said he had been locked up for seven years .
This is the second time this week a victim has been rescued from horrific conditions in their parents ' house in Nigeria .
On Wednesday , police in north-western Kebbi state rescued a 10-year-old boy from an animal pen where he had been kept for two years by his parents .
The BBC 's Nduka Orjinmo in Abuja says that northern Nigeria has a drug addiction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some parents are resorting to self-help for their troublesome children .
Some parents have sent their children with drug problems to private religious rehabilitation centres , but some of those have been raided by officials who described them as `` torture houses '' .
A BBC investigation in 2018 exposed horrifying conditions at a state centre in Kano , where patients with mental health issues were chained to the ground .

"We found Aminu in a terrible situation, urinating and excreting in same spot without [being] given any food and looking like he was going to die at any moment," Haruna Ayagi, head of the Human Rights Network NGO, told the BBC.


bbc--2020-08-14--Kushner: Israel-UAE treaty a 'massive change' for the region

President Trump 's chief adviser , Jared Kushner , has said the US-brokered Israel-UAE peace treaty represents a `` massive change '' for the Middle East .
Speaking to CBS News , Mr Kushner said the deal , unexpectedly announced on Thursday , would make the region safer .
It marks only the third Israeli-Arab peace treaty in the Middle East , and the first involving a Gulf state .
The international community has welcomed the deal , but Palestinians , Iran and Turkey have denounced it .
Israel and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) are expected the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , normalising relations between the two countries , including opening embassies in each other 's territory .
Israel and Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa have historically been in a state of conflict since Israel 's creation in 1948 , but this has receded in recent years after peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 , and what is seen by both sides as a growing threat in the region from Iran .
• What does Trump ’ s Mid-East plan say on key issues ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump had been working on a deal between Israel and the UAE since Mr Trump came to office .
He said the treaty was a `` dramatic breakthrough that will make the Middle East safer ... [ meaning ] less American troops will have to be over there '' , without spelling it out in detail .
The agreement was , he said , `` a very big victory '' for President Trump that would make `` the whole region more hopeful '' .
The announcement came eight months after the US president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Palestinians , negotiated by Mr Kushner .
However , while Israel welcomed the initiative the Palestinians rejected it as heavily biased towards Israel and froze ties with the Trump administration .
What does the new treaty mean for the Palestinians ?
While the agreement between Israel and the UAE establishes full diplomatic relations between the two countries , significantly it also puts the brakes on one of the most divisive issues in years between Israel and the Palestinians - Israel 's planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` extend Israeli sovereignty '' over some 30 % of the West Bank - land claimed by the Palestinians for a future independent state - in line with President Trump 's so-called Vision for Peace .
Palestinians feared such a move would be a death-blow for a state of their own , and while it was widely expected to have happened to some extent by now , it had not received final approval from Washington and so appeared to have stalled .
As part of the treaty with the UAE , Israel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the West Bank - occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war - at the request of Donald Trump .
Speaking at a news conference after the treaty was announced , President Trump said that `` right now it 's off the table '' , but did not rule out anything changing in the future .
Mr Netanyahu said he remained committed to extending Israeli sovereignty , though would not do so for the time being .
How has the region responded to the treaty ?
Israel 's prime minister said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` great privilege '' and spoke of his hope for a `` wonderful future '' for the two countries .
UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash described his country 's recognition of Israel as `` a very bold step '' to stop what he called the `` ticking time bomb '' of Israel 's annexation of parts of the West Bank .
Elsewhere in the Gulf , Bahrain and Oman welcome the agreement , although there was no official response from Saudi Arabia , a leading regional power and close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously spoken of shared interests with Israel and has taken a constructive tone towards Israeli-Palestinian peace-making .
The Palestinians however reacted angrily , calling the peace treaty a `` betrayal '' .
Nabil Abu Rudeinah , a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas , called on the UAE to withdraw from what he called a `` disgraceful '' agreement , while the Palestinian ambassador to the UAE was recalled .
The foreign ministry of Iran , Israel 's staunch foe , said the deal was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and called the UAE `` shameful '' .
Turkey , a strong supporter of the Palestinians , said history would never forgive the `` hypocritical behaviour '' of the UAE , while its president said he was considering suspending diplomatic ties with the country .

Kushner: Israel-UAE treaty a 'massive change' for the region Published 14 August 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Jared Kushner: "This is a dramatic breakthrough that will make the Middle East safer"
President Trump's chief adviser, Jared Kushner, has said the US-brokered Israel-UAE peace treaty represents a "massive change" for the Middle East.
Speaking to CBS News, Mr Kushner said the deal, unexpectedly announced on Thursday, would make the region safer.
It marks only the third Israeli-Arab peace treaty in the Middle East, and the first involving a Gulf state.
The international community has welcomed the deal, but Palestinians, Iran and Turkey have denounced it.
Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are expected the sign the deal in three weeks' time, normalising relations between the two countries, including opening embassies in each other's territory.
Israel and Arab states in the Middle East and North Africa have historically been in a state of conflict since Israel's creation in 1948, but this has receded in recent years after peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, and what is seen by both sides as a growing threat in the region from Iran.
Mr Kushner told CBS he and President Trump had been working on a deal between Israel and the UAE since Mr Trump came to office.
He said the treaty was a "dramatic breakthrough that will make the Middle East safer... [meaning] less American troops will have to be over there", without spelling it out in detail.
The agreement was, he said, "a very big victory" for President Trump that would make "the whole region more hopeful".
The announcement came eight months after the US president unveiled a blueprint for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, negotiated by Mr Kushner. However, while Israel welcomed the initiative the Palestinians rejected it as heavily biased towards Israel and froze ties with the Trump administration.
What does the new treaty mean for the Palestinians?
While the agreement between Israel and the UAE establishes full diplomatic relations between the two countries, significantly it also puts the brakes on one of the most divisive issues in years between Israel and the Palestinians - Israel's planned annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Israel annexation: What is the West Bank?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had vowed to "extend Israeli sovereignty" over some 30% of the West Bank - land claimed by the Palestinians for a future independent state - in line with President Trump's so-called Vision for Peace.
Palestinians feared such a move would be a death-blow for a state of their own, and while it was widely expected to have happened to some extent by now, it had not received final approval from Washington and so appeared to have stalled.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Palestinians have condemned the UAE's treaty with Israel
As part of the treaty with the UAE, Israel agreed to suspend plans to annex territory in the West Bank - occupied by Israel since the 1967 Middle East war - at the request of Donald Trump.
Speaking at a news conference after the treaty was announced, President Trump said that "right now it's off the table", but did not rule out anything changing in the future.
Mr Netanyahu said he remained committed to extending Israeli sovereignty, though would not do so for the time being.
How has the region responded to the treaty?
Israel's prime minister said making peace with the UAE had been a "great privilege" and spoke of his hope for a "wonderful future" for the two countries.
UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash described his country's recognition of Israel as "a very bold step" to stop what he called the "ticking time bomb" of Israel's annexation of parts of the West Bank.
Image source, AFP Image caption, In Tel Aviv, Israel, the municipality building was lit in the colours of the UAE flag
Elsewhere in the Gulf, Bahrain and Oman welcome the agreement, although there was no official response from Saudi Arabia, a leading regional power and close US ally.
Riyadh's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has previously spoken of shared interests with Israel and has taken a constructive tone towards Israeli-Palestinian peace-making.
The Palestinians however reacted angrily, calling the peace treaty a "betrayal".
Nabil Abu Rudeinah, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, called on the UAE to withdraw from what he called a "disgraceful" agreement, while the Palestinian ambassador to the UAE was recalled.
The foreign ministry of Iran, Israel's staunch foe, said the deal was "stabbing the Palestinians in the back", and called the UAE "shameful".


bbc--2020-08-14--VJ Day: The forgotten African soldiers of the Burma Campaign

Ghanaian veteran Private Joseph Hammond , who is now 95 years old , reflects on the Burma Campaign of World @ @ @ @ @ one of 100,000 Africans who fought for the British Army against the Japanese .
The @ @ @ @ @ the forgotten army , as many feel their sacrifices and contributions received little recognition .
@ @ @ @ @ `` Ghanaian Captain Tom '' because of his fundraising efforts during the coronavirus pandemic .

Ghanaian veteran Private Joseph Hammond, who is now 95 years old, reflects on the Burma Campaign of World War Two.
He was one of 100,000 Africans who fought for the British Army against the Japanese. The multinational troops are known as the forgotten army, as many feel their sacrifices and contributions received little recognition.
Hammond has been called the "Ghanaian Captain Tom" because of his fundraising efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.
Video journalist: Alex Dackevych


bbc--2020-08-13--Students from Georgia school district in viral photo speak out

After Hannah shared a photo of a crowded hallway at North Paulding High School in Georgia , the school faced @ @ @ @ @ after Covid-19 cases emerged among students and staff , the school was temporarily shut .
@ @ @ @ @ the tough decision of choosing between in-person or distance learning when school re-opens .
The @ @ @ @ @ a parent from the school district about the county 's decision to start in-person learning @ @ @ @

After Hannah shared a photo of a crowded hallway at North Paulding High School in Georgia, the school faced national criticism.
Then, after Covid-19 cases emerged among students and staff, the school was temporarily shut. Now, parents are facing the tough decision of choosing between in-person or distance learning when school re-opens.
The BBC spoke to students and a parent from the school district about the county's decision to start in-person learning when it did.
Produced by Cody Godwin, Larry Madowo and Sarah Fountain
Edited by Angélica Casas and Tristan Cimini


bbc--2020-08-14--VJ Day: People celebrate with street parties and kisses

On 15 August it will be 75 years since Victory over Japan ( VJ ) Day in 1945 , which marked the end of World War Two .
After the surrender of Japan on 14 August 1945 , two days of national holiday were announced for celebrations in the UK , the US and Australia .
Germany had surrendered on 7 May 1945 , followed by Victory in Europe ( VE ) Day on 8 May , but World War Two still continued in the Asia-Pacific region .
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said then : `` We may allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but let us not forget for a moment the toil and efforts that lie ahead . ''
An estimated 71,000 soldiers from Britain and the Commonwealth were killed in the war against Japan , including more than 12,000 prisoners of war who died in Japanese captivity .
Following the end of the fighting in Europe , the Allies told Japan to surrender by 28 July 1945 , but the deadline passed without them doing so .
It was n't until the US had dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Japan surrendered and ended the war .
The recorded death tolls of the atomic bombings are estimates , but it is thought that about 140,000 of Hiroshima 's 350,000 population were killed in the blast , and at least 74,000 people died in Nagasaki .
In an address to a crowd that had gathered outside the White House , President Truman said : `` This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor .
This is the day when fascism finally dies , as we always knew it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's allies , the Dominions of Australia and New Zealand , India , Burma , all countries occupied by Japan , and the USSR .
He added that special thanks went to the US `` without whose prodigious efforts the war in the East would still have many years to run '' .
The following day , Japan 's Emperor Hirohito was heard on the radio for the first time ever in a broadcast in which he blamed the use of `` a new and most cruel bomb '' for Japan 's unconditional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we continue to fight , it would not only result in the ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation , but would lead also to the total extinction of human civilisation . ''
`` Yet there is not one of us who has experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel its inevitable consequences long after we have all forgotten our rejoicings today . ''

In an address to a crowd that had gathered outside the White House, President Truman said: "This is the day we have been waiting for since Pearl Harbor. This is the day when fascism finally dies, as we always knew it would."


bbc--2020-08-14--Coronavirus: Why Egypt has faced criticism over antibody tests

People who go to beauticians for medically related treatments have had to treat themselves in lockdown , and it 's @ @ @ @ @ life .

Egypt has faced criticism for testing frontline healthcare workers for coronavirus using antibody tests.
The World Health Organization says the tests do not show whether a person currently has the virus.


bbc--2020-08-14--Week in pictures: 8-14 August 2020

Week in pictures: 8-14 August 2020

A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week .

Image caption,
Karina Sukkar, a Lebanese architect and designer, stands on the balcony of her damaged apartment overlooking the ravaged port of Lebanon's capital, Beirut. Nearly 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate - stored for years in a warehouse - has been blamed for the deadly explosion that ripped through the city's port area on 4 August, killing more than 200 people.


bbc--2020-08-14--TikTok: New-found fame for ‘No Fizzy Drink Guy’

Over the past 35 years Melbourne man Rohit Roy has battled a fizzy drink addiction .
Despite many failed attempts @ @ @ @ @ , it wasn ’ t until he started documenting his journey on TikTok , that @ @ @ @ @ support .

Over the past 35 years Melbourne man Rohit Roy has battled a fizzy drink addiction. Despite many failed attempts to kick the two-can-a-day habit, it wasn’t until he started documenting his journey on TikTok, that he found real motivation and support.
Video by Isabelle Rodd


bbc--2020-08-14--Belarus 'uniform shame' becomes viral protest

A new social media trend has taken off in Belarus : men destroying their military or police uniforms .
In @ @ @ @ @ ashamed to be linked to the security forces cracking down hard on protesters .
One @ @ @ @ @ BBC Russian he was astonished by the police violence .
For days there have been @ @ @ @ @ of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko .

A new social media trend has taken off in Belarus: men destroying their military or police uniforms.
In clips they say they are ashamed to be linked to the security forces cracking down hard on protesters.
One, Anatoli Novitski, told BBC Russian he was astonished by the police violence.
For days there have been mass protests against the re-election of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.


bbc--2020-08-14--Coronavirus: 'We're packing frantically' after France quarantine rule change

Thousands of holidaymakers have seen their plans thrown into chaos after UK quarantine measures were altered to include France and the Netherlands from Saturday morning .
Here are some of their tales .
Scott and Tracy Cuthbert , from the village of Bloxham in Oxfordshire , say cutting their holiday in the Loire Valley short by six days was an `` easy decision to make for us because we both need to work '' .
Scott , a sales manager for a glazing company , was furloughed for 10 weeks but business has been going well since he returned to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to miss out .
And Tracy wants to make sure she 's back for the start of term for the private school she works at .
The couple and their daughter Milly , 16 , should have been coming back next Thursday , but began `` frantically packing '' and searching for a ferry to bring them home in time after they heard news of the rule changes .
They had been on holiday with three other families who are also all coming home early .
`` It 's ruined everyone 's holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
`` Why 14-day quarantine when parts of the UK are probably more badly affected ?
I am very frustrated . ''
The family booked themselves onto a ferry for Friday afternoon , only to realise they would n't make it to the port in time - so have now booked another ferry , due to leave Calais at 20:30 BST .
`` We 're driving up now and the sat nav says we 'll have about an hour 's leeway , '' Scott says from the car .
Milly is already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news about people being downgraded for A-levels - and is now concerned she could miss the first day back at school if the family have to self-isolate , her father adds .
• What are the UK travel quarantine rules ?
Katie is a teacher in London on holiday in a remote part of France , in a private villa .
She says she and her children will miss the beginning of the school term because they are a 12-hour drive to the Channel crossing `` so we ca n't make it back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checked the government website and signed up for any alerts to keep an eye on changes to the rules .
`` We knew there may be a risk but also we could n't get a refund on our holiday , '' she says .
`` Why did they not give this call at the beginning of the week so we could have travelled back ?
Why were they still advising it was OK to travel to France ? ''
`` We have done everything the government has asked of us for months but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us all with a little respect and give us time to organize ourselves . ''
• I 'm in France right now - what do I do ?
• France to be added to UK quarantine countries 'We thought coming here was low risk' Laurence Dolman and his family , from Sheffield , have enjoyed a week of ice creams and sunshine at a Eurocamp in Wassenaar , in the Netherlands .
Their ferry home will arrive in Hull at 08:30 on Saturday - four hours after the rules come into effect .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a year and a half planning a big trip around Europe for this summer , and they 've lost a lot of money since it was cancelled .
So they decided to treat themselves to a smaller summer holiday , and carefully picked the Netherlands as what they thought was a `` low-risk '' place to visit compared with other European countries .
While Laurence , 41 , and his wife Michelle , 40 , have discussed `` crazy ideas '' about possibly being let off the self-isolation rules , due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' by the cut-off time of 04:00 , they have `` no regrets '' about having to quarantine .
`` We deserved this holiday , '' Laurence says , citing how difficult it has been home-schooling his children during lockdown .
Asked if they considered trying to get home early , he adds : `` No , we 're just going to soak up our last bit of holiday . ''
`` My wife and I have another week 's leave before we are due to return to work .
I 'm fortunate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home but as my wife is a social worker , it 's a bit more of a problem for her '' .
'Who will look after Mum ? '
Karl Simpson went to his second home in the French hamlet of Vion knowing `` full well '' he might have to quarantine on his return home to Southampton on 20 August .
But now that it 's been confirmed , he is worried about arranging care for his 90-year-old mother , who has dementia .
`` There is no time now to rearrange @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
`` Will the government help ?
Will I be breaking quarantine rules if I visit Mum , or do the [ previous lockdown exemptions for carers ] still apply ?
I 've arranged care for the time I 'm away but sustaining that care beyond the 20th will be difficult . ''
Karl , a 68-year-old scientist who has advised the government on vaccines and pandemic planning , is hoping the same exemptions for carers will be in place as when the UK was in full lockdown in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance on that yet '' .
He says he agrees with the principle of quarantining after a foreign holiday , `` but it should be applied intelligently '' .
• You finally got abroad , but was it worth it ?
• Sun , sea and sanitiser : What your holiday will be like 'Why could n't we have had 72 hours ' notice ?
Tom Duffell , who runs a small business , decided to cut short his family holiday to Nice by four days and booked a last minute flight home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cocktail last night and suddenly a news flash pops in and a scramble to book flights , '' he told the BBC from the airport .
`` I think we 've managed to get my wife and one of my sons on one flight and myself and my other son on another flight .
`` We 've had to spend about £800 because we just ca n't afford to take two extra weeks off of work , '' added Tom , whose wife works as an NHS nurse and volunteered in an intensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should have given tourists already in France longer to prepare .
`` They could have said you know give tourists 72 hours to return to the UK , rather than just over 24 hours and there 's this mad scramble , '' he said .
`` Instead we 're all packed into the airport .
There 's huge queues , social distancing 's gone out of the window . ''
`` We 're all scrambling on to the same flight , the flights are all full .
Surely that 's not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to make things worse . ''
Will you be affected by the quarantine ?
Do you have a story to share ?
Email haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
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The couple and their daughter Milly, 16, should have been coming back next Thursday, but began "frantically packing" and searching for a ferry to bring them home in time after they heard news of the rule changes. They had been on holiday with three other families who are also all coming home early.


bbc--2020-08-14--Douglas Emhoff: Kamala Harris's husband and potential 'second gentleman'

Kamala Harris has been thrown into sharper focus now that she has joined Democratic nominee Joe Biden as running mate for the US presidential election in November .
The vice-presidential candidate says family means a lot to her .
`` Family is everything to me too and I can not wait for America to get to know my husband Doug and our amazing kids Cole and Ella , '' she told supporters on 12 August .
`` I 've had a lot of titles over my career and certainly vice president will be great , but 'Momala ' will always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
• Biden and Harris say Trump has left US 'in tatters' Her husband , Douglas Emhoff , joined her on stage and they shared a kiss .
Many of Ms Harris 's supporters will be familiar with her family by now .
A lot has been written of her South Indian mother Shyamala Gopalan and Jamaican father Donald Harris , as well as her sister Maya .
Meanwhile Mr Emhoff and his children - Kamala 's stepchildren - were among Kamala 's most enthusiastic cheerleaders during her run for the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his running mate , Mr Emhoff tweeted his excitement .
Mr Emhoff is a partner at global law firm DLA Piper , specialising in entertainment litigation and intellectual property , and splits his time between Los Angeles and Washington DC .
He graduated from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law , and worked in local law firms until the late 1990s , when he established his own practice .
For one of his first cases he represented former video rental chain Hollywood Video in an accounting dispute with Fox , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself in entertainment law and led to him later representing dozens of production companies in a class action a few years later .
He opened his own firm in 2000 , which was then acquired by Venable in 2006 .
In 2017 , he left Venable to join DLA Piper as a partner .
He and Kamala Harris first met in 2013 , on a blind date set up by PR consultant Chrisette Hudlin , according to The Hollywood Reporter .
Just one year later , the couple got married at a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site SF Gate , they each chose to honour the other 's cultures - Mr Emhoff wore a garland as a nod to Ms Harris 's Hindu roots , and she broke a glass to honour his Jewish heritage .
Meanwhile , Mr Emhoff told The Hollywood Reporter last year that his wife 's political career was `` endlessly fascinating '' , adding that he would get stopped and asked for selfies when she was running for president .
Mr Emhoff has two children from his first marriage - Cole and Ella - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her as `` Momala '' , because they do n't like the term `` stepmom '' .
`` Cole and Ella could not have been more welcoming , '' she wrote in an essay for Elle magazine last year .
`` They are brilliant , talented , funny kids who have grown to be remarkable adults .
I was already hooked on Doug , but I believe it was Cole and Ella who reeled me in . ''
Kamala is also close to her younger sister , Maya Harris , who was her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president last year .
`` I think most people who know Maya will tell you she 's one of the smartest people they know , '' Kamala told political news site Politico at the time .
`` She works around the clock and she 's probably the hardest , if not one of the hardest working people on the campaign . ''
Shyamala Gopalan moved to the US from India in 1960 to pursue a doctorate in endocrinology at the University of California , Berkeley , while their father Donald Harris emigrated from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university .
The two met while being actively involved in the Civil Rights movement .
The couple divorced in 1971 , when Kamala was seven years old .
While their father remained involved in their lives , Harris says her mother was `` the one most responsible for shaping us into the women we would become '' .

"Cole and Ella could not have been more welcoming," she wrote in an essay for Elle magazine last year. "They are brilliant, talented, funny kids who have grown to be remarkable adults. I was already hooked on Doug, but I believe it was Cole and Ella who reeled me in."


bbc--2020-08-14--'If you croak we don't care': Brutality in Belarus

Victims of police brutality in Belarus have told the BBC about their experiences of the crackdown after the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko .
There have been many complaints of police beatings and other abuses that may amount to torture .
The opposition accuses Mr Lukashenko - in power for 26 years - of stealing victory on 9 August , in an election widely criticised for a lack of transparency and muzzling of dissent .
Hundreds of people including many police have been hurt in protests unprecedented for modern Belarus .
Most victims interviewed by BBC Russian declined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the authorities .
Here are excerpts from their eyewitness descriptions in Minsk .
Warning : you may find some of the accounts below disturbing .
Alina Beresneva , 20 : 'They were forced to kneel half-naked' On the night of 9-10 August my friends and I were returning from central Minsk and came across a group of Omon [ police special forces ] .
We had n't been protesting , but still they threw me to the ground - I still have the scratches on my arms - and then they bundled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to Okrestina Street [ the location of a police detention centre ] .
At the entrance stood a man who shouted : `` Faster , you bitches ! ''
I said : `` Why are you speaking to us like that ? ''
He grabbed my neck and kicked me against the wall .
They put us 13 girls into a cell designed for four .
The night went by and at about midday they counted us and took down our names .
We were all hungry , realising we had n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking for food , saying we 'd pay for it .
They answered : `` No , bitches , now you 'll find out who to vote for '' .
We were shocked by this language .
I tried reading the statement they wanted me to sign .
`` Please let me understand what I 'm signing , '' I protested .
I was told : `` I 'll tell you , you bitch , get on and sign it , or I 'll [ rape ] you and put you away for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shocked , crying , my tears fell on that statement .
I wrote `` I agree '' and signed it , without even knowing what I was signing .
The police vans came for us on 11 August .
Through the window we saw how they were mistreating the guys .
They were forced to kneel half-naked , with their backsides in the air , hands behind their heads .
Anyone who budged was beaten with batons .
Previously I wanted to join the police , to protect the people , human rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not any more .
Now I just want to leave this country , with my family , so I do n't have to stay here .
Sergei , 25 : 'They yelled at me and told me to crawl' I was taken in a police van - there were about 20 of us , thrown in one on top of another .
An Omon guy walked over us , they pressed their boots into our necks , we were suffocating .
People were getting swollen hands from the handcuffs - and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was an asthmatic among us , he was gasping for breath .
The Omon guy pressed his boot on his neck and said `` if you croak we do n't care '' .
One guy did n't want to unlock his phone .
They stripped him and said that if he did n't reveal his password they 'd rape him with batons .
So he agreed .
They yelled at me and told me to crawl , which I did slowly , and they kept on beating me .
That carried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others were thrown on top of me , I could hardly breathe .
When I was pushed up against a wall I realised I was bleeding from a head wound .
I passed out a few times .
The doctors know people are being tortured , they try to get them out .
In all I was given 12 stitches for three wounds , I had surgery and they took x-rays .
After a few hours in hospital my friends collected me .
More about the protests in Belarus • LETTER FROM MINSK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their fear • THE CONTEXT : Five things you may not know about Belarus Oleg , 24 : 'Only water and a loaf of bread' I 'm a truck driver , not political at all , I 'm no enemy of the people .
I saw what was happening on the internet , saw that children and grandmothers were joining in .
I 'm a young man , I thought , what am I doing sitting at home ?
So I went down there too .
I was arrested near midnight on 10-11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from behind , kicked us , then twisted our arms behind our heads and carried on kicking us .
For an hour and a half we were made to kneel with our heads down , by a concrete wall .
The ground was stony - my knees are still black from that .
If anyone protested he was beaten up .
One bloke shouted that he was an officer in the FSB [ Federal Security Service ] .
They surrounded him , punched him in the solar plexus , about five laid into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia was beaten up , he was screaming .
Later there were 120 of us packed into a cell and in 24 hours they only gave us water and a loaf of bread .
On 12 August I was in a car with friends , going home after 11pm .
A traffic cop pulled us over and then a lot of guys in black uniforms , black balaclavas , came over and told us to get out .
They made us show them what was on our mobile phones , then they discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take us to a police station .
They stood behind us , mocking us , saying `` if only you 'd stayed at home '' .
The guy with us - his hand went numb , and they ordered him not to move it .
They said : `` why are you hanging around with protesters , if you 're so sickly ? ''
They said things like : `` You chuck Molotov cocktails at us '' , or `` the West is funding all of this '' .
Then we heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rhythmical thumping of their batons on him .
Several people were beating him up cruelly .
He begged them to stop , but they swore and carried on .
It was terrifying .
Nikita Telizhenko , 29 , Russian journalist : 'They can not speak , they howl' They grabbed my phone .
They decided that as I was writing something and had the internet I must be a co-ordinator .
The cruelty started at the Moskovsky police station where they took us .
They were twisting our arms , and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would get whacked on the back of the head with a baton or shield .
There was blood and excrement on the floor .
They threw us on the floor , you could n't turn your head .
Luckily I had a mask on .
The worst moment was - you 're sitting there and on the floor below , in the corridors , they 're beating people up so viciously that they can not speak , they howl .
They put 20 to 30 of us in each cell .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were drenched in sweat .
When they took us to Zhodino [ prison ] they said : `` Say farewell to life , they 're going to kill you here . ''
But to our surprise we were treated OK there .
I spent about four hours there , then a colonel came for me , I was released and they went to get my things .
A [ Russian ] consular official met me at the exit .
They expelled me from Belarus , banned me from re-entering for five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @

'If you croak we don't care': Brutality in Belarus Published 15 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
Victims of police brutality in Belarus have told the BBC about their experiences of the crackdown after the disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko.
There have been many complaints of police beatings and other abuses that may amount to torture.
The opposition accuses Mr Lukashenko - in power for 26 years - of stealing victory on 9 August, in an election widely criticised for a lack of transparency and muzzling of dissent. Hundreds of people including many police have been hurt in protests unprecedented for modern Belarus.
Most victims interviewed by BBC Russian declined to give their full names, fearing persecution by the authorities. Here are excerpts from their eyewitness descriptions in Minsk.
Warning: you may find some of the accounts below disturbing.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Protesters confronted police in Minsk after Mr Lukashenko's official re-election
Alina Beresneva, 20: 'They were forced to kneel half-naked'
On the night of 9-10 August my friends and I were returning from central Minsk and came across a group of Omon [police special forces]. We hadn't been protesting, but still they threw me to the ground - I still have the scratches on my arms - and then they bundled us into a bus.
They took us to Okrestina Street [the location of a police detention centre]. At the entrance stood a man who shouted: "Faster, you bitches!" I said: "Why are you speaking to us like that?" He grabbed my neck and kicked me against the wall.
They put us 13 girls into a cell designed for four. The night went by and at about midday they counted us and took down our names. We were all hungry, realising we hadn't eaten for 24 hours, and started asking for food, saying we'd pay for it. They answered: "No, bitches, now you'll find out who to vote for". We were shocked by this language.
I tried reading the statement they wanted me to sign. "Please let me understand what I'm signing," I protested. I was told: "I'll tell you, you bitch, get on and sign it, or I'll [rape] you and put you away for another 20 days." I was shocked, crying, my tears fell on that statement. I wrote "I agree" and signed it, without even knowing what I was signing.
The police vans came for us on 11 August. Through the window we saw how they were mistreating the guys. They were forced to kneel half-naked, with their backsides in the air, hands behind their heads. Anyone who budged was beaten with batons.
Previously I wanted to join the police, to protect the people, human rights, but after being there, no, not any more. Now I just want to leave this country, with my family, so I don't have to stay here.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Detainees freed on Friday got medical treatment outside the Minsk detention centre
Sergei, 25: 'They yelled at me and told me to crawl'
I was taken in a police van - there were about 20 of us, thrown in one on top of another. An Omon guy walked over us, they pressed their boots into our necks, we were suffocating. People were getting swollen hands from the handcuffs - and if one complained they would hit his hands.
There was an asthmatic among us, he was gasping for breath. The Omon guy pressed his boot on his neck and said "if you croak we don't care".
One guy didn't want to unlock his phone. They stripped him and said that if he didn't reveal his password they'd rape him with batons. So he agreed.
They yelled at me and told me to crawl, which I did slowly, and they kept on beating me. That carried on for some time, then some others were thrown on top of me, I could hardly breathe. When I was pushed up against a wall I realised I was bleeding from a head wound. I passed out a few times.
The doctors know people are being tortured, they try to get them out. In all I was given 12 stitches for three wounds, I had surgery and they took x-rays. After a few hours in hospital my friends collected me.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, On 13 August some detainees were released, as friends and relatives waited anxiously
More about the protests in Belarus
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, An ex-elite soldier in Belarus bins his uniform in protest
Oleg, 24: 'Only water and a loaf of bread'
I'm a truck driver, not political at all, I'm no enemy of the people. I saw what was happening on the internet, saw that children and grandmothers were joining in. I'm a young man, I thought, what am I doing sitting at home? So I went down there too.
I was arrested near midnight on 10-11 August. The Omon sprang on us from behind, kicked us, then twisted our arms behind our heads and carried on kicking us.
For an hour and a half we were made to kneel with our heads down, by a concrete wall. The ground was stony - my knees are still black from that. If anyone protested he was beaten up. One bloke shouted that he was an officer in the FSB [Federal Security Service]. They surrounded him, punched him in the solar plexus, about five laid into him with batons. A reporter from Russia was beaten up, he was screaming.
Later there were 120 of us packed into a cell and in 24 hours they only gave us water and a loaf of bread.
Image source, AFP Image caption, Released detainees show bruises from beatings (14 Aug 20)
Marylya, 31: 'Rhythmical thumping of their batons'
On 12 August I was in a car with friends, going home after 11pm. A traffic cop pulled us over and then a lot of guys in black uniforms, black balaclavas, came over and told us to get out.
They made us show them what was on our mobile phones, then they discussed what to do with us and decided to take us to a police station.
They stood behind us, mocking us, saying "if only you'd stayed at home". The guy with us - his hand went numb, and they ordered him not to move it. They said: "why are you hanging around with protesters, if you're so sickly?"
They said things like: "You chuck Molotov cocktails at us", or "the West is funding all of this".
Then we heard them bring a guy in and heard the rhythmical thumping of their batons on him. Several people were beating him up cruelly. He begged them to stop, but they swore and carried on. It was terrifying.
Nikita Telizhenko, 29, Russian journalist: 'They cannot speak, they howl'
They grabbed my phone. They decided that as I was writing something and had the internet I must be a co-ordinator.
The cruelty started at the Moskovsky police station where they took us. They were twisting our arms, and if anyone's head was raised too high he would get whacked on the back of the head with a baton or shield.
There was blood and excrement on the floor. They threw us on the floor, you couldn't turn your head. Luckily I had a mask on. The worst moment was - you're sitting there and on the floor below, in the corridors, they're beating people up so viciously that they cannot speak, they howl.
They put 20 to 30 of us in each cell. There was no ventilation and after an hour we were drenched in sweat.
When they took us to Zhodino [prison] they said: "Say farewell to life, they're going to kill you here." But to our surprise we were treated OK there. I spent about four hours there, then a colonel came for me, I was released and they went to get my things.
A [Russian] consular official met me at the exit. They expelled me from Belarus, banned me from re-entering for five years, and took me to Smolensk.


bbc--2020-08-13--Deta Hedman: 'I'm not here to please you. I'm here to play a game that I enjoy'

Last updated on .From the section Darts It all started in the house at the top of the hill .
When asked how she first got into the sport Hedman lets out a low , easy laugh .
She is 60 years old and it was quite a while ago , you know .
It 's the laugh of someone who has earned the right to playfully mock younger journalists trying to pry into the past .
But there is a reason Hedman is sharing her story now .
A BBC Sport survey found that one in five elite British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost a third had been trolled on social media .
Hedman is one of the faces behind those statistics .
Making her way up in a predominantly white sport as a black immigrant in 1970s England came with untold hardships .
And the abuse has n't gone away .
When Hedman was two years old , her father left Jamaica and her mother followed shortly after .
She did not see them again until she was 13 .
The experience was n't uncommon at the time .
Like many other members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to England in search of work and a better life for their children .
Hedman and her five siblings were left behind , moving from house to house between family members until they eventually settled with their maternal aunt in the house on the top of the hill .
She describes Castleton as `` not even a village , more a collection of houses jotted about '' and has no trouble remembering the place where she lived .
The house was made of wood with a zinc roof and a veranda .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candles were the only source of light .
When she was there , every day began at the creek .
With no running water or electricity in Castleton , Hedman would walk a mile with a bucket , back and forth until she had enough water for the whole family to drink .
Every week would follow a similar pattern .
From Monday to Thursday she went to school , travelling to the creek before or after lessons to collect water or wash clothes .
Fridays were spent at the farm .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the long journey with their horse , mule and donkey to collect produce for her aunt to sell at the market on Saturdays .
On Sundays , a lorry laden with blocks of ice would arrive in Castleton .
Hedman and her siblings would await its arrival and rush home to bury their treasure before it melted - a makeshift fridge in the ground .
`` It was hard in Jamaica , that 's all I can say , '' Hedman recalls .
`` We were a poor family .
You got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read and write .
The rest of it was just surviving the best we could .
`` As kids you did n't think any different because that 's what your life was so you just get on with it .
You adjusted to what you had . ''
That would become something of a mantra for Hedman - `` just get on with it '' .
Sometimes , it was all she could do .
When Hedman 's parents first arrived in England they struggled to find somewhere to live .
Many landlords @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when they found one that would , prices were high .
But they established a home in Witham , Essex and gradually began to bring their children over when they could afford to .
The beginning of her English childhood came as a shock to Hedman , who along with two of her brothers was the last of the family to move in 1973 .
She had never owned a coat but soon became convinced of the necessity as she stepped off the plane into the bitter cold of a British January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laugh .
`` When I arrived I remember I had this little dress on .
Oh my god I was so cold , '' she says .
`` Where we were it was warm all the time .
Our winter was like English summer .
`` Because I came from Jamaica where it was predominantly black people , when I did arrive and saw all the different colours and different hair , I found myself staring .
`` I remember when I saw my first snow , I went out in it and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ice was a luxury for us in Jamaica . ''
Hedman arrived speaking Jamaican patois and she would often have to help translate what her brother was saying for teachers at school .
She says her exams `` went by the by '' as she struggled to make the transition from a Jamaican education to an English one .
But it was what she had been doing after school that would come to determine the course of her life .
Hedman 's older brother had come to England years before her and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she arrived .
She used to babysit for him and when he got home from his night out , they would play darts .
As younger sisters often do , Hedman refused to leave until she could claim some victory .
At first , she just wanted to win a leg .
`` I just think he let me win a leg so I could go home , '' she jokes .
Once she was old enough , or - she admits - tall enough to pass for 18 , she went to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoons once spent waiting for the ice lorry in Castleton were now passed at The Crown in Witham .
Hedman would put her name on the chalkboard and wait her turn .
`` Those were the days , '' she says .
`` They were good times . ''
Hedman , her two brothers and a friend would travel around Essex playing at different pubs .
She says they were the only black people who did so at the time .
According to Hedman , they did not encounter discrimination locally because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Witham .
`` The racism really came once I ventured out into the world of competitions , '' she says .
In 1984 , a 25-year-old Hedman was invited to join a super league , which involved travelling more to compete , and then got picked to play for the county .
During the week she worked fitting kitchens and on the weekends she and other players got in the car and went wherever the competition was .
It was exciting - first Ilford and Romford in east London , then further afield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new faces , but even in friendship encountered ignorance .
It did not always provide a safe haven from discrimination .
`` I used to be called 'the 6ft Mars bar ' , '' she says .
`` They all thought it was fun but inside it used to grind on me .
`` There were a few times I used to say to people that I did n't really like being called that .
`` They would stop it but then somebody else would say it and you would just think , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them happy let them get on with it ' .
`` At the time what could you have done ? ''
she continues .
`` Not a lot really .
You just take it on the chin .
`` I used to just play my darts and let my darts do the talking . ''
In 1987 , at the age of 28 , Hedman began playing in British Darts Organisation events - national tournaments organised for semi-professional players .
In 1990 , she reached the Women 's World Masters final for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she won the competition .
She won another major , the Finder Masters , in 1996 and reigned as women 's world number one for three years between 1994 and 1997 .
But by then , she had taken enough .
Having just started a new job at Royal Mail , Hedman said she was quitting darts because of work commitments .
She admits now that exhaustion from the racist abuse she received in the sport played its part too .
Her friends persuaded her to return and after five years she began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out , because she was giving in to her friends ' demands .
In fact , she had had enough of making decisions based on how other people viewed her .
Hedman has fought to overcome a feeling that has held back too many women in history .
She is not here to please .
`` Sometimes you just think , 'oh for God 's sake ' , '' she says .
`` I thought to myself why should I give up ?
`` It 's something I enjoy .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your problem .
I 'm not here to please you .
I 'm here to play a game that I enjoy .
I wo n't be pushed out by someone .
I just tried not to let them grind me down . ''
Hedman 's fire is inspiring and it could mislead you into thinking she has solved all her problems .
But of course she has not , because they are society 's problems and they are far from solved .
She took another break from darts in 2007 and when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had changed .
At events in the Isle of Man and Prague , spectators made blatantly racist comments about her .
She heard the first one and her partner the second .
`` You think : 'Really ?
In this day and age ? '
'' Hedman says .
`` I just take it in my stride , if they say it in front of me I confront them .
If I hear somebody say something and I do n't know who it is I ca n't do anything about it . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hedman is still captain of the England Ladies team .
Having been runner-up three times in 2012 , 2014 and 2016 , she continues to chase a BDO World Championship title and is working to bring the next generation through as an ambassador for England Youth Darts .
After losing a World Championship match in 2019 , Hedman was targeted via email and on Facebook .
She was racially abused and was told by one person that they hoped she died of cancer .
`` I am a fighter , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
`` If I like something and I want to do something , I will climb mountains to do it .
When I get there and I 've achieved it then I 've done it so it 's basically : in your face .
`` That 's my mentality and if somebody tries to put me down I will not sit down until I get the better of them .
`` That 's what drives me . ''

Hedman shared her experiences through the biggest women's sport study ever carried out by BBC Sport
It all started in the house at the top of the hill.
The highest of five homes on a road in Castleton, Jamaica is where Deta Hedman's journey began. A journey that established her as one of Britain's most successful female darts players.
When asked how she first got into the sport Hedman lets out a low, easy laugh. She is 60 years old and it was quite a while ago, you know.
It's the laugh of someone who has earned the right to playfully mock younger journalists trying to pry into the past.
But there is a reason Hedman is sharing her story now. A BBC Sport survey found that one in five elite British sportswomen had experienced or witnessed racism and almost a third had been trolled on social media.
Hedman is one of the faces behind those statistics.
Making her way up in a predominantly white sport as a black immigrant in 1970s England came with untold hardships.
And the abuse hasn't gone away.
When Hedman was two years old, her father left Jamaica and her mother followed shortly after. She did not see them again until she was 13.
The experience wasn't uncommon at the time.
Like many other members of the Windrush generation, Hedman's parents travelled to England in search of work and a better life for their children.
Hedman was 13 when she joined her parents and arrived in the UK in January 1973
Hedman and her five siblings were left behind, moving from house to house between family members until they eventually settled with their maternal aunt in the house on the top of the hill.
She describes Castleton as "not even a village, more a collection of houses jotted about" and has no trouble remembering the place where she lived.
The house was made of wood with a zinc roof and a veranda. In the evenings, a paraffin lamp and candles were the only source of light.
When she was there, every day began at the creek.
With no running water or electricity in Castleton, Hedman would walk a mile with a bucket, back and forth until she had enough water for the whole family to drink.
Every week would follow a similar pattern. From Monday to Thursday she went to school, travelling to the creek before or after lessons to collect water or wash clothes.
Fridays were spent at the farm. The whole family would set out at 3am on the long journey with their horse, mule and donkey to collect produce for her aunt to sell at the market on Saturdays.
On Sundays, a lorry laden with blocks of ice would arrive in Castleton. Hedman and her siblings would await its arrival and rush home to bury their treasure before it melted - a makeshift fridge in the ground.
"It was hard in Jamaica, that's all I can say," Hedman recalls.
"We were a poor family. You got the education - you could learn to read and write. The rest of it was just surviving the best we could.
"As kids you didn't think any different because that's what your life was so you just get on with it. You adjusted to what you had."
That would become something of a mantra for Hedman - "just get on with it". Sometimes, it was all she could do.
Hedman decided to take a break from her sport in 1997, partly because of the racist abuse she received
When Hedman's parents first arrived in England they struggled to find somewhere to live.
Many landlords would not rent to a black couple and when they found one that would, prices were high.
But they established a home in Witham, Essex and gradually began to bring their children over when they could afford to.
The beginning of her English childhood came as a shock to Hedman, who along with two of her brothers was the last of the family to move in 1973.
She had never owned a coat but soon became convinced of the necessity as she stepped off the plane into the bitter cold of a British January.
The memory brings forth another warming laugh. "When I arrived I remember I had this little dress on. Oh my god I was so cold," she says.
"Where we were it was warm all the time. Our winter was like English summer.
"Because I came from Jamaica where it was predominantly black people, when I did arrive and saw all the different colours and different hair, I found myself staring.
"I remember when I saw my first snow, I went out in it and picked it up. It was ice. Ice was a luxury for us in Jamaica."
Hedman arrived speaking Jamaican patois and she would often have to help translate what her brother was saying for teachers at school.
She says her exams "went by the by" as she struggled to make the transition from a Jamaican education to an English one.
But it was what she had been doing after school that would come to determine the course of her life.
Hedman's older brother had come to England years before her and was married with children by the time she arrived.
She used to babysit for him and when he got home from his night out, they would play darts. As younger sisters often do, Hedman refused to leave until she could claim some victory. At first, she just wanted to win a leg.
"I just think he let me win a leg so I could go home," she jokes.
Once she was old enough, or - she admits - tall enough to pass for 18, she went to the pub and played there.
Sunday afternoons once spent waiting for the ice lorry in Castleton were now passed at The Crown in Witham. Hedman would put her name on the chalkboard and wait her turn.
"Those were the days," she says. "They were good times."
Hedman, her two brothers and a friend would travel around Essex playing at different pubs. She says they were the only black people who did so at the time.
According to Hedman, they did not encounter discrimination locally because of the number of black families living in Witham.
"The racism really came once I ventured out into the world of competitions," she says.
Hedman, pictured in 2004 at the UK Open, two years after returning to the sport following her break from 1997
In 1984, a 25-year-old Hedman was invited to join a super league, which involved travelling more to compete, and then got picked to play for the county.
During the week she worked fitting kitchens and on the weekends she and other players got in the car and went wherever the competition was.
It was exciting - first Ilford and Romford in east London, then further afield to Norfolk or Hampshire.
She met new faces, but even in friendship encountered ignorance. It did not always provide a safe haven from discrimination.
"I used to be called 'the 6ft Mars bar'," she says. "They all thought it was fun but inside it used to grind on me.
"There were a few times I used to say to people that I didn't really like being called that.
"They would stop it but then somebody else would say it and you would just think, 'what the hell. If it makes them happy let them get on with it'.
"At the time what could you have done?" she continues. "Not a lot really. You just take it on the chin.
"I used to just play my darts and let my darts do the talking."
In 1987, at the age of 28, Hedman began playing in British Darts Organisation events - national tournaments organised for semi-professional players.
In 1990, she reached the Women's World Masters final for the first time. Four years later, she won the competition.
She won another major, the Finder Masters, in 1996 and reigned as women's world number one for three years between 1994 and 1997.
But by then, she had taken enough.
Having just started a new job at Royal Mail, Hedman said she was quitting darts because of work commitments.
She admits now that exhaustion from the racist abuse she received in the sport played its part too.
Her friends persuaded her to return and after five years she began to compete again. Not, she points out, because she was giving in to her friends' demands. In fact, she had had enough of making decisions based on how other people viewed her.
Hedman has fought to overcome a feeling that has held back too many women in history. She is not here to please.
"Sometimes you just think, 'oh for God's sake'," she says. "I thought to myself why should I give up?
"It's something I enjoy. If you don't like me then that's your problem. I'm not here to please you. I'm here to play a game that I enjoy. I won't be pushed out by someone. I just tried not to let them grind me down."
Hedman celebrates after reaching the 2014 World Championship final. The title still eludes her.
Hedman's fire is inspiring and it could mislead you into thinking she has solved all her problems.
But of course she has not, because they are society's problems and they are far from solved.
She took another break from darts in 2007 and when she returned in 2010, it seemed nothing had changed.
At events in the Isle of Man and Prague, spectators made blatantly racist comments about her. She heard the first one and her partner the second.
"You think: 'Really? In this day and age?'" Hedman says.
"I just take it in my stride, if they say it in front of me I confront them. If I hear somebody say something and I don't know who it is I can't do anything about it."
Forty-six years after taking up the sport, Hedman is still captain of the England Ladies team.
Having been runner-up three times in 2012, 2014 and 2016, she continues to chase a BDO World Championship title and is working to bring the next generation through as an ambassador for England Youth Darts.
The abuse continues.
After losing a World Championship match in 2019, Hedman was targeted via email and on Facebook. She was racially abused and was told by one person that they hoped she died of cancer.
But Hedman won't be stopping.
"I am a fighter," she says. "I don't give up.
"If I like something and I want to do something, I will climb mountains to do it. When I get there and I've achieved it then I've done it so it's basically: in your face.
"That's my mentality and if somebody tries to put me down I will not sit down until I get the better of them.
"That's what drives me."


bbc--2020-08-14--The fiery Indian student who ran a secret radio station for independence

Usha Mehta was just 22 when she went `` underground '' to run a secret radio station during India 's fight for freedom from British colonial rule .
BBC Gujarati 's Parth Pandya and Ravi Parmar report .
`` Do or Die .
We shall either free India or die in the attempt , '' Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi told fellow leaders on 8 August 1942 .
The now-famous speech launched the Quit India movement - and catapulted one young woman in the crowd , 22-year-old Usha Mehta , into the history books .
Moved by Gandhi 's words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other young independence activists - launched an underground radio station within a week .
`` When the press is gagged and all the news banned , a transmitter certainly helps a good deal in… spreading the message of rebellion in the remotest corners of the country , '' she said in an interview in 1969 .
They spent the next few months broadcasting news about India 's fight for freedom , urging people to join the resistance .
Her stint behind the microphone may have been short but its impact was powerful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ within hours of his speech in the hope that it would leave the movement rudderless .
Instead , civilians and the underground press stepped in to galvanise people across the country .
The Quit India movement quickly spread , sparking massive protests and waves of civil disobedience that lasted for two years .
And a band of young people , led by a feisty woman , played their part .
Resistance was not new to Mehta .
She was born in a village called Saras in what is today the western state of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's home state , it was also the site of his iconic salt march in 1930 .
She was just eight years old when she took part in her first protest .
It was against a committee of Englishmen led by Sir John Simon that was tasked with recommending constitutional reform in India .
`` The first slogan I shouted against the British was 'Simon Go Back ' , '' she said in an interview in Naveen Joshi 's book , Freedom Fighters Remembered .
She was a teenager when she responded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax .
`` I had the satisfaction of breaking the law and doing something for the nation even as a young child , '' she said of the moment in an interview years later .
She took part in all sorts of civil disobedience campaigns - from picketing and protests to spinning cotton as a way of rejecting British imports .
`` There was no need for any inspiration .
The whole atmosphere was so charged that no-one was left untouched , '' she once said .
In 1933 , after her father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved to Bombay , now Mumbai .
And it was there - nine years later - that Mehta heard Gandhi speak at that historic meeting of the Congress party .
`` This is the Congress Radio calling on 42.34 from somewhere in India . ''
This is how the broadcasts would always begin - Mehta later revealed that they were all recorded in Bombay .
She managed to get the station up and running with the help of two other activists , Chandrakant Babubhai Jhaveri and Vithaldas K Jhaveri , along with Nanka @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company called Chicago Radio .
Nariman Printer , an amateur radio operator , also helped .
Their first broadcast was on 14 August 1942 .
In the beginning , they were broadcasting twice a day , in Hindi and English .
But they reduced it to just once in the evening between 7.30 and 8.30 pm .
But they kept moving to throw the police off their trail - Mehta said they would have moved locations six to seven times in the three months they broadcast .
The station carried all sorts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rice to arrests of leaders and civilians .
`` We got news from all over India by special messengers .
Also , the office of the All India Congress Committee , which was in Bombay then , used to supply us with important news . ''
she said in an interview .
`` When newspapers dared not touch upon these subjects under the prevailing conditions , it was only the Congress radio which could defy the orders and tell the people what actually was happening . ''
Many prominent leaders also delivered radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the British .
`` ( Police ) vans used to chase us regularly and very often it was merely a question of touch and go , '' Mehta said .
In November 1942 , the police raided radio shops in Bombay , including one owned by Chicago Radio .
They arrested Nariman Printer , who is believed to have tipped them off about the whereabouts of the radio station .
On 12 November , Mehta recalled in an interview , that police raided Babubhai Khakkhar 's office while she was also in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcast material she had , and rushed to the recording studio , which was elsewhere .
Two of her colleagues were busy preparing a program for that evening .
With the help of one of Printer 's assistants , Mehta said they set up a new transmitter for a final broadcast .
`` We played Hindustan Hamara , then we relayed some news bulletins and a speech .
Just when we were at the end of the program , playing 'Vande Mataram ' , we heard hard knocks on the door . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enter .
`` They ordered us to stop playing 'Vande Mataram ' .
We did not oblige them . ''
She said they seized the equipment and 22 cases containing photos and sound films of the Congress party sessions .
She and four others were arrested , and the investigation lasted for months .
Mehta said it was `` real mental torture '' .
She recalled that they even offered to send her abroad to study if she turned over more people but she refused .
Three of the five , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sentenced to four years in jail and released in April 1946 .
`` I came back from jail a happy and to an extent a proud person . ''
After her release , she pursued her PhD and went on to teach at Wilson College in Bombay University for 30 years .
She was conferred the Padma Vibhushan , one of India 's highest civilian honours in 1998 .
She passed away on 11 August 2000 after a brief illness .
She was 80 .

She was a teenager when she responded to Gandhi's call to defy the salt tax. "I had the satisfaction of breaking the law and doing something for the nation even as a young child," she said of the moment in an interview years later.


bbc--2020-08-14--Coronavirus: Putin memes flood social media

The announcement that Russia is forging ahead with its locally developed vaccine for Covid-19 has not only led to international concerns over its safety , but also generated a great deal of both misinformation and humour on social media platforms .
We 've been looking at some of the more widely shared posts .
There have been many satirical memes about Russia 's announcement , shared in a range of languages .
Some show Russian President Vladimir Putin as a superhero , such as Spiderman or Ironman , saving the world .
One of the most popular being shared portrays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ giant syringe strapped to his back .
A version of this meme even claims , incorrectly , that it was shared by Mr Putin himself .
Another widely shared post celebrating Russia 's vaccine announcement appeared on a Facebook page supporting Mr Putin , and has been shared more than 200,000 times .
It 's not an official account of the Russian president , who is believed to shun social media .
But many of the tens of thousands of people commenting in numerous languages on the post clearly believe it is .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ satellite which `` paved the way for humanity in space '' with the Russian vaccine which `` will pave the way to the future without Covid-19 , masks and social isolation . ''
Increasing international concern that safety may have been compromised in developing a vaccine has led the World Health Organization ( WHO ) to urge Russia to follow international guidelines .
Another post that also proved popular on Facebook claims that Russia has `` repeatedly saved the world with its vaccines '' .
`` This is a major overstatement '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert in Cold War-era disease control .
The post lists several vaccinations that were `` invented '' in Russia , among them those for cholera and polio .
It was , in fact , French scientist Louis Pasteur who discovered the first cholera vaccine - for a strain of the disease that affects chickens .
Later in 1885 , Jaime Ferran , a Spanish doctor , developed a vaccine that immunised humans against cholera for the first time .
An American virologist , Dr Jonas Salk , developed the first effective vaccine against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shortly after by another Cold War-era breakthrough - the first oral polio vaccine , which is still used to eradicate the disease around the world today .
It 's been represented as both an American and a Russian , or Soviet , creation .
Dr Vargha says it should be seen as a collaborative effort between Dr Albert Sabin , an American , and Mikhail Chumakov , a Russian scientist .
The news of a locally produced vaccine has been presented in the Russian state media as a major breakthrough in the fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlighted the reported safety of the Russian invention and featured comments likening the achievement to the Soviet Union putting Sputnik , the first satellite , into space .
State TV channels also mentioned scepticism in the West about the vaccine undergoing sufficient testing .
But these concerns were quickly dismissed as `` jealousy '' and `` information attacks '' on Russia .
This week 's upbeat reporting is reminiscent of the Kremlin media coverage of Russia 's Ebola vaccine in early 2016 .
Then , state TV presented the registration of the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pharmaceutical science , stressing it was `` several-fold more effective '' than any foreign vaccine , without providing evidence .
An Italian post attributed a controversial quote to President Putin , but it does n't appear to have been reported anywhere , including in the Russian media .
The image , which has been liked , commented on and shared over 35,000 times on Facebook says : `` Pharmaceutical companies have asked us to delay the release of the vaccine !
It 's not about economics .
Russia does not think about money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of people . ''
The quote may be a mistranslation of a similar post from the Putin fan page we looked at earlier .
The post contains the same criticism of pharmaceutical companies and praise of Russia 's values .
However , as already established , this fan account is not Putin 's , and he has not been quoted elsewhere making these statements .
Both posts paint criticism of Russia 's plans to approve a vaccine early as being driven by profit-hungry pharmaceutical companies .
This ignores the biggest concerns scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian vaccine , which are about the lack of published findings from Russia 's trials so far , including safety data .
Other posts have chosen to focus on President Putin 's daughter , who he said had received the vaccine .
Mr Putin did n't specify which one of his daughters had been given the vaccine , but said the only side-effects she experienced were a slightly raised temperature for a brief period .
A video has been circulating in India along with claims the clip shows a daughter of President Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fact of a participant in Russia 's vaccine trial , but she has been identified in Russian media coverage as a cadet in a military medical academy and not Mr Putin 's daughter .

The image, which has been liked, commented on and shared over 35,000 times on Facebook says: "Pharmaceutical companies have asked us to delay the release of the vaccine! It's not about economics. Russia does not think about money when it comes to the lives of millions of people."


bbc--2020-08-14--How a BBC show helped shape Africa

How a BBC show helped shape Africa

As BBC Focus on Africa marks its 60th anniversary , one of its former deputy editors , Ghanaian journalist Elizabeth Ohene , looks back at her time with the radio programme , how its journalism changed and how it helped shape the continent .
I joined Focus on Africa in September 1986 .
I left the programme in July 2000 .
The team I joined was a small group , dominated totally by Robin White , the editor , and the voice of the programme , Chris Bickerton .
My introduction on air was a shock to the system ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exactly what people were used to on Focus on Africa - not the BBC hierarchy and certainly not the listeners .
Until then , the BBC voices sounded like the BBC , clipped , upper Middle-Class , posh , public-school educated English and the only African voices were of those involved in the stories who happened to be interviewed .
There were protests about my voice and accent , but everybody kept their nerve and after a while , people with even stronger African accents were allowed on the programme .
Only four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters around the continent , on whom Focus built such a strong reputation , were not broadcasting `` in voice '' in those days .
Their reports came in written form by telex and were edited and read in the studio by Focus staff .
Until the mid-1990s when the telephone systems became much improved , any listener of Focus on Africa must have thought Sola Odunfa , our legendary Nigerian reporter in Lagos sounded like presenters Julian Marshall or Rick Wells , or Robin White , who would read his reports in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Focus in Bush House , where the BBC World Service was based for many years , there were only four countries in Africa that you could make telephone calls to directly from London .
The first satellite phone call that came to the office came from the EPRDF , a rebel group at the time waging a war against the Ethiopian government .
I took the call and it was a crystal-clear line and of course , I was incredulous when the man on the line claimed to be calling from some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been a major battle that they had won .
It was a bright late morning in London and I suspected the man must have been in one of the red telephone booths outside Bush House at the junction of Kingsway and the Strand .
I looked out of the window onto the street , fully expecting to see the man that I was sure was trying to stage a gigantic hoax on us .
Satellite phones were to come to play a big role in our lives later on with the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who launched a rebellion in Liberia in 1989 .
There were many anguished arguments in the Focus office about what to do with people who call up offering to tell us stories - and they were not all rebels fighting to overthrow governments .
When Laurent-Désiré Kabila rang to say he had invaded Zaire , now the Democratic Republic of Congo , and about to chase out its leader Mobutu Sese Seko , we almost did n't use the story , for fear of being accused of instigating rebellions .
• How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anna Borzello : ' I would go to a war zone by bus' Focus on Africa had by this time got a reputation as the programme that gave space for opposition voices to be heard .
I do n't think there was much hesitation in playing that role .
At the time , there were very few private radio stations on the African continent and the state broadcasters were usually not minded to allow any dissenting voices to be heard .
The irony was not lost on us about the number of rebels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they became the government were no longer keen on speaking to Focus .
The first reporting trip I went on , took me to Zambia , Zimbabwe , and Botswana .
I was physically carried and thrown out of the Zambian parliament , not for doing something heroic , but because I was not properly dressed .
I have never lived that one down .
I met Dennis Liwewe in the flesh and a more dramatic sports reporter has never graced our programmes .
I interviewed then-President Kenneth Kaunda , got back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had malfunctioned !
I got a recording of the interview from the Zambian presidency and President Kaunda became my friend .
On that same trip , I met and interviewed a certain Frederick Chiluba in his office in Kitwe .
He was so grateful I interviewed him , I was embarrassed .
A few years later , he became President Chiluba and I never got an interview from him .
I finally got to South Africa in October 1989 and started a love affair with that country .
Milton Nkosi , later to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh out of school and had started work in the BBC office with Mike Woolridge .
There were many times Nkosi and I were not sure we would survive the madness that had taken over South Africa in the period leading to the first democratic elections , but we did .
The day of Nelson Mandela 's inauguration as president , as I was reporting on the events for our programmes , I felt a big part of the Focus story was coming to an end .
The liberation struggles on the continent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next struggles were bound to be different .
We got a Sony award for our coverage of the day Mandela was released from jail ; but somehow , in spite of our best efforts , we never thrived in the coverage of post-apartheid South Africa .
Maybe Focus is wired for crisis and not for everyday drab events .
'Abacha dead , may he rot in hell' So , what sticks in my mind ?
UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher scrambling on all fours trying to find my umbrella after Robin White and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Downing Street in 1989 prior to her visit to Africa .
The newspaper headline I saw as I got out of the airport in Lagos soon after the death of Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha .
The banner headline said : `` Abacha dead , may he rot in hell '' .
A hospital room in Makeni , Sierra Leone , full of people , young , old , male , female , all of whose arms had been butchered .
There was a lot of blood around , there was one doctor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a man with a fresh , deep , cutlass wound across his head , I could see his brain ; miraculously he was not dead and he wanted to talk to me .
And a jug of iced Pimms as the tensions eased in the Focus office at the end of a broadcast at the height of summer .
My recollections of Focus on Africa are from a different era , but then I am an old woman .

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Bilkisu Labaran is the News Editor for Focus on Africa. A Nigerian, she presented and reported for Focus for many years. "Interviewing the then president of Ghana in 2010, Professor John Atta Mills, I was under strict instructions from his press team not to bring up the sensitive issue of his health. So I didn't. Instead, I asked why he, as a known sportsman with such prowess, no longer played any sport? He was very gracious but the response from his press team made headlines."
Catherine Fellows has been a producer at BBC Africa for many years, specialising in documentaries and arts programmes. She's now the editor of the music programme "This Is Africa", presented by DJ Edu.


bbc--2020-08-14--Netanyahu focus of Israeli protests against 'the king'

Every weekend evening in the upscale district of Rehavia , crowds in their thousands gather around Balfour Street .
Sometimes the atmosphere is carnival-like , with theatrical displays , free plastic trumpets and families milling around ; other times it is tense , turning rowdy and ending with arrests .
The focal point is the official residence of Israel 's prime minister and the repeated scenes are mass protests against him .
`` I 'm here because I 'm sick of the way [ PM ] Benjamin Netanyahu treats the people and treats the country as if it 's his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ king and it 's not a democracy , '' says one of the regular protesters , Adi Rosenthal .
She lives in Givatayim , east of Tel Aviv , but has been coming to Jerusalem twice a week for a month .
Despite the coronavirus advice on social distancing , the pandemic has not prevented large gatherings .
The demonstrations are the biggest but they are not the first - one group , many with signs and masks saying `` crime minister '' , have long camped out on the pavement .
Other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-Netanyahu rallies in recent months .
They argue Mr Netanyahu should not remain in office while on trial for corruption , a charge he denies .
Now they have been joined by a younger , more diverse crowd accusing the large unity government of mishandling the Covid-19 crisis and ignoring their suffering .
• Netanyahu trial : What are the allegations ?
The rallies are the largest Israel has seen since 2011 , when hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across the country in protest at high living costs .
`` The young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do but protest , '' says Shai , a jobless 27-year-old with two master 's degrees .
`` We ca n't buy a house , we ca n't even rent .
They have destroyed the economy so we can not go to work .
We ca n't even afford to get married right now . ''
After acting quickly to contain the coronavirus in the spring many public health experts believe Israel reopened its economy too fast , leading to a new surge in cases .
It now has record high numbers of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 % .
`` The government is n't taking responsibility .
It does n't give us economic support , '' says Yanal , an Israeli-Arab student from Umm al-Fahm .
He lost his job in March and can not afford his board and university fees but says he came to protest for many political reasons .
`` We 're united : Arab and Jew , against the occupation [ of Palestinian territory ] , for democracy , peace and total equality , '' he says .
Some small business owners hit by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Erez Galit part-owns a smart restaurant in Jaffa flea market and has a production company for music events .
Both are now closed leaving some 30 staff without incomes .
`` It drives me crazy .
You know the restaurants , the bars , the nightlife , the tourism - hundreds of thousands of people live off this work , '' Mr Galit tells me .
`` We 're good citizens , we paid our taxes , but now there are no clients and there 's nothing coming back from the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The prime minister 's Likud party says : `` Netanyahu is fighting to get Israel 's economy back to normal and to transfer funds and grants to Israeli citizens . ''
Mr Netanyahu - who was sworn in for a fifth term in May after a close election - has claimed the protests are funded by leftist foundations and get disproportionate media coverage amounting to incitement .
He has called the demonstrators `` anarchists '' and `` coronavirus incubators '' while his son Yair described them as `` aliens '' .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netanyahu to stop harassing three protest leaders after he published their addresses and mobile numbers on his Twitter account , urging his followers to demonstrate in front of their homes .
Protests have stretched to bridges and road junctions across the country and near the Netanyahus ' private beach house in Caesaria .
There are no signs they are slowing down .
A recent poll suggested that only 25 % of Israelis approve of the way Mr Netanyahu has dealt with the pandemic .
Meanwhile , tensions within his governing coalition continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the prospect of early elections - the fourth in a year and a half .
`` My hopes are that the government wo n't last , '' says Nilly Mor , an academic in Jerusalem who has attended some 10 demonstrations - the latest with her young daughter .
`` We do n't look like anarchists , do we ? ''
she says rhetorically .
`` We 're highly educated .
We read the newspapers and we see what 's going on .
Whatever happens I think these protests are going to @ @ @ @ @

"I'm here because I'm sick of the way [PM] Benjamin Netanyahu treats the people and treats the country as if it's his own - as if he's the king and it's not a democracy," says one of the regular protesters, Adi Rosenthal.