bbc--2020-09-02--Who is moderating the presidential debates?

US President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will go head-to-head in three debates prior to the US election .
There is also one debate scheduled for their vice-presidential candidates , Mike Pence and Kamala Harris .
They are seen as being among the top political events to watch during the US election season .
The moderators for the four debates , which typically draw large TV audiences , have now been announced .
When are the Trump v Biden debates - and who are the moderators ?
Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace will host the first presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Miami will be the host city for the second , a town-hall style debate on 15 October , moderated by C-SPAN 's Steve Scully .
NBC 's Kristen Welker will host the final presidential debate on 22 October in Nashville .
The sole vice-presidential debate , between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Mike Pence , will be in Salt Lake City , Utah on 7 October , moderated by USA Today Washington Bureau chief Susan Page .
All of the debates are scheduled to take place from 21:00-22:30ET ( 02:00-03:30GMT ) with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be held on 3 November .
The first debate will be divided into six segments of approximately 15 minutes each , the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates ( CPD ) announced .
The topics will be selected by Mr Wallace , a long-time Fox News anchor known for his memorable TV interviews with Mr Trump , and will be announced one week before the debate .
Each segment will open with a question and the candidates will get two minutes each to respond , the CPD said .
Mr Wallace , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate between Mr Trump and Hillary Clinton and won widespread praise from commentators at the time for pressing each candidate on uncomfortable issues .
His performance was applauded by both sides of the political spectrum for his even-handed approach and for not letting either candidate digress too wildly .
He said at the time that he took moderating debates `` very seriously ... because this is helping millions of people decide who we 're going to elect as the next president . ''
Mr Wallace has occasionally clashed with Mr Trump during his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him last month in which he revealed he had also taken a cognitive ability test that Mr Trump touted , and that it was `` not the hardest test '' .
Meanwhile , Mr Trump has dismissed Mr Wallace as a `` Mike Wallace wannabe '' - in a reference to Mr Wallace 's father , one of the original members of CBS 60 Minutes - and described him as `` even worse '' than the presenters of NBC and CBS Sunday morning programmes , networks that Mr Trump is highly critical of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Scully is the political editor of C-SPAN and also host of the call-in show Washington Journal .
He served as the backup moderator for all the presidential debates back in 2016 , and told Adweek earlier this month that one of the most important lessons he had learned from covering previous campaigns was `` Do n't believe the polls ... remain sceptical '' .
Kristen Welker is NBC 's White House correspondent , and is a co-anchor of its show Weekend Today , which she joined as an intern back in 1997 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter as `` frankly remarkable '' , adding that `` every minute of everything that we 're covering is history-making '' .
USA Today 's Susan Page has covered six White House administrations and 10 presidential elections , and written a biography of former first lady Barbara Bush .
`` The debates are a crucial part of making our democracy work , and I am honoured to participate , '' she said after she was named as a moderator .
How did the Trump campaign respond ?
The final list of moderators did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month by Trump campaign aide and personal Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said in a statement that `` these are not the moderators we would have recommended '' and alleged that `` some can be identified as clear opponents of President Trump , meaning Joe Biden will actually have a teammate on stage most of the time '' .
This is not a view shared by the CPD , which has described the moderators as `` experienced journalists '' who bring `` great professionalism to moderating '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it makes its own decisions on moderators , no matter who campaigns recommend .
Mr Murtaugh also alluded to the fact that Mr Biden has been accused of avoiding Mr Wallace 's interview requests , saying : `` Chris Wallace 's selection ensures that Biden will finally see him face-to-face after dodging his interview requests .
That is , if Biden actually shows up . ''
How did the Biden campaign respond ?
A spokesman for the Biden campaign , Andrew Bates , told reporters in a statement : `` As Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antics - he looks forward to participating in the debates set by the commission , regardless of who the independently chosen moderators are . ''
What are the rules of the other debates ?
The second debate to take place will be the vice-presidential debate between Vice-President Mike Pence and California Senator Kamala Harris .
That debate will be divided into nine segments of about 10 minutes each .
Like in the first debate , each section will begin with a question , with a candidate allowed two minutes to respond followed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take the form of a town meeting , and Floridians in the audience will pose questions of the candidates , who will be allowed two minutes to answer .
The moderator will be allowed an additional minute to facilitate more debate .
The questioners will be uncommitted voters selected by the chief scientist of analytics firm Gallup .
The third presidential debate will have identical rules to the first .
Why do the presidential debates matter ?
Debate viewership in terms of audience share has dropped in recent years , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters still regularly tune in .
The first debate between Mr Trump and former Ms Clinton was a major draw in 2016 , with a reported record 84 million viewers , according to data from Nielsen Media Research .
Pew Research polling also indicates that voters find the debate performances are a factor in helping them choose their preferred candidate .

US election 2020: What time is the Trump v Biden presidential debate? Published 29 September 2020
We've had months of set-piece events, tightly controlled by a team of campaign staff. Well, that's about to end.
On the debate stage, candidates are on their own and in the whole campaign, this is the moment most fraught with risk.
Plenty can go wrong, so hold on tight.
Here's your handy guide.
When - and where - are the Trump v Biden debates?
There are three presidential debates on the agenda:
29 September in Cleveland, Ohio
15 October in Miami, Florida
22 October in Nashville, Tennessee
Vice-President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris will also go head-to-head:
7 October in Salt Lake City, Utah
They all take place from 21:00-22:30ET (02:00-03:30BST), with no commercial interruptions.
Where can I watch the debate?
The BBC will have a livestream of all the action from the debate in Cleveland where you can also follow all the build-up on our live page here.
That's a one-stop shop for pre-debate commentary from BBC experts across the US, the debate itself and then all the reaction and analysis from our reporters and our voter panel.
All the latest developments will also be tweeted @BBCNorthAmerica while you can also see the main speeches and get analysis on BBC World News (global) and the BBC News Channel (UK).
What's the format for the first debate?
Six questions in six segments, 15 minutes each. The segments are:
Trump and Biden's records
Supreme Court
Coronavirus pandemic
Race protests and violence in cities
Election integrity
Economy
Mr Trump and Mr Biden will get two minutes apiece to respond to the question initially before the back-and-forth begins.
If you've got a question for the candidates, you can tell us what it is and we'll try to answer it for you. There's a form at the bottom of the page.
What should people watch out for in the first debate?
Donald Trump is a known quantity. He seeks out and dominates in the public spotlight, and his strengths and weaknesses are familiar to most Americans. That's why the presidential debates will be much more focused on how Joe Biden performs in the spotlight.
Biden's task will be to post a sure and steady performance. He needs to make Americans, at least enough of them to win in November, comfortable with the thought of him in the Oval Office. He needs to dispel concerns about his age and mental alacrity and avoid the kind of verbal stumbles that have bedevilled him in the past.
Trump's job, on the other hand, will be to trip his opponent up. As Hillary Clinton and his primary opponents can attest, he is a destabilising, unpredictable presence on the stage - and if he can fluster Biden, it might sow the seeds of doubt in the minds of the Democrat's less devoted supporters. While doing so, he will also have to be prepared for Biden's counterattacks - including criticisms about how he has handled the coronavirus pandemic, the economy and the duties of the presidency.
It has the makings of a raucous encounter.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, How will Trump or Biden win the debate? Anthony assesses their strengths and weaknesses
And there could be fireworks from the moderator, right?
The first moderator is Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace.
A lot of people might think a Fox News anchor would give President Trump an easy ride but this is no Sean Hannity. Quite the opposite. The president has endured some of his most awkward moments sitting across from Wallace, whose command of the detail is legendary.
An interview in July went viral when Wallace told Mr Trump he'd taken the same cognitive ability test the president touted, telling him it was "not the hardest test".
Mr Trump - who typically favours Fox News - has dismissed Wallace as a "wannabe" of his father, Mike Wallace, who was an original reporter with CBS 60 Minutes.
A registered Democrat, Wallace has said moderating debates is a serious business as it helps "millions of people decide who we're going to elect".
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, In 2016, Chris Wallace became the first Fox News host to moderate a presidential general election debate
For the second debate, we'll have C-Span's political editor Steve Scully moderating. That's a town hall format which means real people get to play a part too. Who could forget Ken Bone from 2016?
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, US Election: Internet star Ken Bone's message of hope
Finally, NBC's White House correspondent Kristen Welker will round out the debate season.
USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page will tackle the one and only vice-presidential debate.
What do supporters say is the worst thing that could happen?
We asked two voters from our panel.
Trump-supporter Mike Harlow, a 30-year-old writer/YouTuber in New York City says expectations are "so incredibly low with Biden" that he fears it'll look like a stellar performance if he "is just able to speak and stand up straight".
Biden's showing is similarly a concern for Reem Sabha, a 24-year-old graduate student in Seattle. She says she worries the Democrat's debate performance and policy plans may not translate to actual votes.
"I'm concerned people will say Joe Biden doesn't have the energy to be president or he's too old to be president or he doesn't have the character or the gravitas."
But when have debates actually affected an election?
Viewership has been on the decline, but millions of Americans still regularly tune in.
It's both entertainment and informative - for many voters the debates help cement their candidate of choice.
The first ever televised debate in 1960 pitted young Democratic Senator John F Kennedy against the sitting vice-president, Republican Richard Nixon.
Mr Kennedy's team made sure he looked fresh for the close-ups, while Mr Nixon, who was recovering from an illness, donned an ill-fitting suit and was seen wiping sweat off his brow. The story goes that most of the 70 million TV viewers felt the youthful Mr Kennedy had won, while those who tuned in solely on radio thought it was the more experienced Mr Nixon.
Mr Kennedy did see a jump in the polls after the debates, even though we can't say for certain it was due to his small screen prowess.
Republican challenger Ronald Reagan defeated President Jimmy Carter in their 1980 debate by keeping things short and sweet.
Where Mr Carter tried to highlight policy and history, Mr Reagan used one-liners to his advantage. He responded to one of Mr Carter's lengthy criticisms by saying simply: "There you go again."
In 2000, Democratic candidate Al Gore's debate performance against George Bush may have cost him the presidency. His sighing and eye-rolling during his Republican counterpart's responses came across as condescending to many voters (and made it into a Saturday Night Live comedy skit).
If you were a debate moderator, what would you want to ask Mr Trump and Mr Biden?
Send us your questions using the form below. If you can't see the form, you may need to view the site on a desktop.


bbc--2020-09-02--Nancy Pelosi calls rule-flouting salon visit a 'setup'

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said her visit to a San Francisco hair salon in breach of coronavirus rules was a `` setup '' .
`` I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighbourhood salon , '' the top Democrat told reporters on Wednesday .
`` It turns out it was a setup . ''
Mrs Pelosi was pictured in the salon without a mask over her face .
The California lawmaker has often criticised President Donald Trump for refusing to wear a mask .
`` I take responsibility for trusting the word of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the years many times , '' Mrs Pelosi said in a testy press conference in San Francisco when asked about the incident .
She said eSalon SF had told her they could accommodate one guest at a time .
`` I trusted that - as it turns out it was a setup , '' Mrs Pelosi said .
`` So I take responsibility for falling for a setup and that 's all I 'm going to say on that . ''
Mrs Pelosi has herself previously cited US Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in public , especially when physical distancing measures are difficult .
`` I think this salon owes me an apology for setting up , '' she added .
`` We have to get our country moving again and I will not let this subject take away from the fact that we have 185,000 plus people who have died from this virus . ''
Mrs Pelosi was seen on security camera footage , obtained by Fox News , wearing a face mask around her neck rather than over her mouth and nose .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks in public and has chastised Republicans for not listening to US health agency guidance .
Mr Trump weighed in on Twitter , saying Mrs Pelosi was `` being decimated for having a beauty parlour opened when all others are closed and for not wearing a mask - despite constantly lecturing everyone else '' .
• Why we should all be wearing face masks • Why are Americans so angry about masks ?
• Why men are less likely to wear face masks A spokesman for the speaker earlier issued a statement saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to have one customer inside at a time .
The salon 's owner , Erica Kious , told Fox News a stylist informed her Mrs Pelosi wanted to come in for a wash and blow dry .
`` It was a slap in the face that she went in , you know , that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no-one else can go in , and I ca n't work . ''
San Francisco 's mayor allowed salons to offer services outdoors from Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTACT TRACING : 'He asked me : Am I going to die ?
’ • MEETING FRIENDS : How can I do that safely ?
• ELDERLY TOLL : How bad is the Covid crisis in US care homes ?
• SUPERSPREADERS : What makes some events so risky ?

"It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no-one else can go in, and I can't work."


bbc--2020-09-02--California assemblywoman brings newborn to the legislature floor.

California state legislator Buffy Wicks was denied a request to vote by proxy after giving birth to her daughter on @ @ @ @ @ at risk for Covid-19 were given the choice to vote remotely during the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ the option because maternity leave was deemed not to be a high-risk category .
Assembly @ @ @ @ @ denied the request , has apologised .

California state legislator Buffy Wicks was denied a request to vote by proxy after giving birth to her daughter on 26 July.
Assembly members at risk for Covid-19 were given the choice to vote remotely during the pandemic, but Ms Wicks was denied the option because maternity leave was deemed not to be a high-risk category.
Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, who denied the request, has apologised.


bbc--2020-09-02--Black holes: Cosmic signal rattles Earth after 7 billion years

Imagine the energy of eight Suns released in an instant .
This is the gravitational `` shockwave '' that spread out from the biggest merger yet observed between two black holes .
The signal from this event travelled for some seven billion years to reach Earth but was still sufficiently strong to rattle laser detectors in the US and Italy in May last year .
Researchers say the colliding black holes produced a single entity with a mass 142 times that of our Sun .
This is noteworthy .
Science has long traced the presence of black holes on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even very much larger .
But this new observation inaugurates a novel class of so-called intermediate-sized black holes in the range of 100-1,000 Sun ( or solar ) masses .
The analysis is the latest to come out of the international LIGO-VIRGO collaboration , which operates three super-sensitive gravitational wave-detection systems in America and Europe .
• Breathtaking new map of the X-ray Universe • A black hole is a region of space where matter has collapsed in on itself • The gravitational pull is so strong that nothing , not event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will emerge from the explosive demise of certain large stars • But some are truly gargantuan and are billions of times the mass of our Sun • How these monsters - found at galaxy centres - formed is unknown • Black holes are detected from the way they influence their surroundings • They produce observable gravitational waves as they spiral in to each other The collaboration 's laser interferometer instruments `` listen '' for the vibrations in space-time that are generated by truly cataclysmic cosmic events - and on 21 May , 2019 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharp signal lasting just one-tenth of a second .
Computer algorithms determined the source to be the end-stage moments of two in-spiralling black holes - one with a mass 66 times that of our Sun , and the other with 85 solar masses .
The distance to the merger was calculated to be the equivalent of 150 billion trillion km .
`` It 's astounding , really , '' said Prof Nelson Christensen from the Côte d'Azur Observatory in France .
`` This signal propagated for seven billion years .
So this event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Universe , and now it 's mechanically moved our detectors here on Earth , '' he explained to BBC News .
• Gravitational waves are a prediction of the General Theory of Relativity • It took decades to develop the technology to directly detect them • They are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by violent events • Accelerating masses will produce waves that propagate at the speed of light • LIGO-VIRGO fire lasers into long , L-shaped tunnels ; the waves disturb the light • Detecting the waves opens up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an 85-solar-mass object in the collision has made collaboration scientists sit up because their understanding of how black holes form from the death of a star ca n't really account for something on this scale .
Stars , when they exhaust their nuclear fuel , will experience an explosive core collapse to produce a black hole - if they 're sufficiently big .
But the physics that 's assumed to operate inside stars suggests the production of black holes in the particular mass range between 65 and 120 solar masses is impossible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entities actually tear themselves apart and leave nothing behind .
If the science is correct on this point then the most likely explanation for the existence of an 85-solar-mass object is that it was itself the result of an even earlier black hole union .
And that , believes Prof Martin Hendry , from Glasgow University , UK , has implications for how the Universe evolved .
`` We 're talking here about a hierarchy of mergers , a possible pathway to make bigger and bigger black holes , '' he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 142-solar-mass black hole may have gone on to have merged with other very massive black holes - as part of a build-up process that goes all the way to those supermassive black holes we think are at the heart of galaxies . ''
The LIGO-VIRGO collaboration is reporting the 21 May , 2019 , event ( catalogued as GW190521 ) in two scholarly papers .
One is in the journal Physical Review Letters and describes the discovery .
The second can be found in The Astrophysical Journal Letters , and discusses the signal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GW190521 is one of over 50 gravitational wave triggers presently being investigated at the laser laboratories .
The pace of research has increased rapidly since the collaboration made its first , Nobel-Prize-winning detection of gravitational waves in 2015 .
`` We are increasing the sensitivity of the detectors and , yes , we could end up making more than one detection a day .
We will have a rain of black holes !
But this is beautiful because we will learn so much more about them , '' Prof Alessandra Buonanno , director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Physics in Potsdam , told BBC News .
• Gravitational waves : So many new toys to unwrap • A laser is fed into the machine and its beam is split along two paths • The separate paths bounce back and forth between damped mirrors • Eventually , the two light parts are recombined and sent to a detector • Gravitational waves passing through the lab should disturb the set-up • Theory holds they should very subtly stretch and squeeze its space • This ought to show itself as a change in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photodetector captures this signal in the recombined beam Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

"We're talking here about a hierarchy of mergers, a possible pathway to make bigger and bigger black holes," he said. "So, who knows? This 142-solar-mass black hole may have gone on to have merged with other very massive black holes - as part of a build-up process that goes all the way to those supermassive black holes we think are at the heart of galaxies."


bbc--2020-09-02--Record 400-plus migrants cross Channel in one day

More than 400 migrants have crossed the English Channel in small boats - a record for a single day .
Border Force has intercepted 409 people , including young children , on board 27 boats , with several further vessels still being dealt with .
Some of the migrants were carrying children too young to walk .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier on Wednesday said the UK had become `` a target and a magnet for those who would exploit vulnerable people in this way '' .
A further 53 people were rescued by French authorities after getting into difficulties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people had crossed the Channel in 18 small boats on Tuesday .
Rough seas brought on by Storm Francis made crossings impossible at the end of August , but conditions have improved in the first two days of September .
Speaking in the Commons during Prime Minister 's Questions , Mr Johnson said : `` I have a great deal of sympathy with those who are desperate as to put their children in dinghies or in children 's paddling pools and try to cross the channel .
`` But I have to say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to criminal gangs and they are breaking the law . ''
He added : `` It also undermines the legitimate claims of others who seek asylum in this country .
`` We will address the rigidities in our laws that make this country , I 'm afraid , a target and a magnet for those who would exploit vulnerable people in this way . ''
More than 1,468 migrants made the crossing by small boat in August despite a vow from Home Secretary Priti Patel to make the dangerous route `` unviable '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on how many children are making the crossing on small boats .
Home Office minister Chris Philp told the Commons on Wednesday the government was attempting to return 1,000 people who had arrived in the UK , having `` previously claimed asylum in European countries , and under the regulations legally should be returned there '' .
More than 7,400 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats since January 2019 .
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Speaking in the Commons during Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said: "I have a great deal of sympathy with those who are desperate as to put their children in dinghies or in children's paddling pools and try to cross the channel.


bbc--2020-09-02--Officials investigate 'guy in jetpack' seen flying near LA airport

The FBI is investigating reports that a `` guy in a jetpack '' was seen by pilots flying near Los Angeles ' LAX airport nearby to where planes were landing .
The incident , which was recorded by air traffic controllers , happened on Sunday evening and was witnessed by pilots on two separate planes .
The apparent culprit was seen flying at an elevation of 3,000ft ( 915 meters ) .
Jetpacks , once the realm of science fiction , have become a thing of reality in recent years , according to experts .
`` Tower , American 1997 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a jetpack , '' the pilot of American Airlines flight 1997 from Philadelphia told officials in the control tower as he approached LAX around 18:30 local time ( 01:30 GMT ) .
`` Were they off to your left side or right side ? ''
the controller responds , leading the pilot to say the person was 300 yards to the plane 's left .
Within a minute , a pilot flying JetBlue Flight 23 also reported seeing a man fly past .
As the controller advised the pilot to be cautious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to LiveATC.net , which records air-traffic control transmissions .
The FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration are both investigating the incident .
Inventors around the world have constructed jetpacks in the past decade , with one man in Brighton , in the UK , recently breaking the speed record after travelling at a rate of 85.06 mph ( 136.89km/h ) .
They have been used to fly around Dubai and the Statue of Liberty in New York City .
JetPack Aviation , based in the San Fernando Valley region of Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fly a person to 15,000ft , but the owner of the company told the LA Times on Tuesday that their product is not available for private use .
David Mayman , the chief executive of the company , speculated that someone may have been working on a secret project and just revealed it over the weekend .
Or it could have been a mannequin strapped to a drone , he suggested .

JetPack Aviation, based in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, boasts of being able to fly a person to 15,000ft, but the owner of the company told the LA Times on Tuesday that their product is not available for private use.


bbc--2020-09-02--Moon booster rocket fired up in critical test

Engineers have fired a kind of booster rocket that will help send Americans back to the Moon in 2024 .
At 20:05 BST ( 15:05 EDT ) the booster , which was secured to the ground , expelled an immense column of flame for two minutes .
Two of these boosters will form part of Nasa 's massive Space Launch System ( SLS ) rocket , the biggest launcher built since the Saturn V in the 1960s .
Wednesday 's rocket firing was carried out at a test site in Promontory , Utah .
The facility is operated by aerospace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rocket Boosters ( SRBs ) provide most of the thrust in the first two minutes of the SLS 's ride to space .
The test was designed to test the performance and manufacturing quality of the booster 's rocket motor .
It will also help teams evaluate potential new materials , processes , and improvements for the boosters beyond the first landing on the Moon in 2024 .
Measuring 54m ( 177ft ) long and 4m ( 12ft ) wide , the SLS booster is the largest and most powerful solid propellant booster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Moon and Beyond • Designed to send the Orion spacecraft , astronauts and cargo to the Moon • Consists of a core stage with two attached solid rocket boosters • Four RS-25 engines sit at the base of the core stage ; they 're the same engines used on the space shuttle orbiter • The core stage stands 98m ( 322ft ) tall in its initial , or Block 1 , configuration .
• The Block 1 SLS can send more than 27 metric tonnes ( 59,500 pounds ) to orbits beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8.8 million pounds ( 39.5 Meganewtons ) of maximum thrust , 15 % more than the Saturn V rocket used for the Apollo missions It burns around six tonnes of propellant every second , generating more thrust than 14 four-engine jumbo commercial airliners .
The SLS consists of a huge core stage with four engines at its base .
Two SRBs are attached on each side of the core and provide 75 % of the thrust during the first two minutes of the ascent to space .
Both the core and boosters are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shuttle , which was retired in 2011 .
Able to produce a total thrust of more than eight million pounds , the SLS will supply the power necessary to launch crewed missions to the Moon , and eventually - it is hoped - Mars .
Nasa plans to launch the giant rocket on its maiden flight next year .
This mission , called Artemis 1 , will see an unpiloted Orion capsule sent on a loop around the Moon .
Teams at Nasa 's Kennedy Space Center are already assembling the solid rocket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 , four astronauts will travel around the Moon in 2023 , followed a year later by the first crewed landing since 1972 .
Meanwhile , engineers in Mississippi have resumed their `` Green Run '' testing of the massive SLS core stage , after operations were paused in response to the threat from tropical storms Marco and Laura .
The Green Run consists of eight tests , four of which have been completed since the core stage arrived at Nasa 's Stennis Space Center near Bay St Louis in January .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will aim to check out rocket controls and hydraulics .
Nasa 's head of human spaceflight Kathy Lueders said she hoped the programme could stay on track for a `` hot fire '' test in October .
During the hot fire , all four of the powerful RS-25 engines at the base of the core stage are fired for about eight minutes - the time it takes for the SLS to get from the ground to orbit .

The SLS consists of a huge core stage with four engines at its base. Two SRBs are attached on each side of the core and provide 75% of the thrust during the first two minutes of the ascent to space.


bbc--2020-09-02--Georgia man who struck reporter's rear pleads guilty to sexual battery

A man in the US state of Georgia filmed striking a female reporter 's backside during a live TV broadcast has pleaded guilty to a sexual battery charge .
Thomas Callaway was sentenced to a year on probation and must pay a $ 1,000 ( £750 ) fine .
Reporter Alex Bozarjian had been covering a run when Callaway hit her .
She said she forgave him in court on Tuesday , adding : `` Nobody has the right to touch anybody or slap anybody for their own amusement . ''
`` It may seem harmless to other people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But it 's obviously a toxic thought pattern because what Mr Callaway did on that bridge validates the idea that I do n't deserve my own personal space .
`` It also reinforces the belief that as a woman , my body does n't belong to me .
But the reality of that is it 's not true - because he came in court today and plead guilty to a crime . ''
The video of the incident during a race in Savannah , Georgia , was viewed nearly 10 million times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , runner Callaway is seen striking Bozarjian 's backside as he passes , causing her to stare after him in alarm before continuing her report .
Bozarjian told CBS News last year : `` He took my power , and I 'm trying to take that back ...
I think what it really comes down to is that he helped himself to a part of my body . ''
Following Tuesday 's hearing , Bozarjian noted that Callaway had tried to apologise a number of times , and she now accepted .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I forgave him . ''
There are a number of accounts of female reporters being harassed while doing their jobs .
A 2018 survey by the International Women 's Media Foundation reported 58 % of female journalists surveyed indicated they had been threatened or harassed in person , and 26 % said they had been physically attacked .
Last year , a reporter was kissed on air by a man while covering a music festival in Kentucky .
In 2018 , multiple reporters were subject to kiss attempts by strangers during live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Bozarjian told CBS News last year: "He took my power, and I'm trying to take that back...I think what it really comes down to is that he helped himself to a part of my body."


bbc--2020-09-02--WWF: Canada endangered species face 'staggering losses'

Canadian wildlife at risk of extinction has undergone `` staggering '' losses over the past 50 years , the World Wildlife Fund ( WWF ) conservation group says .
In a report , the charity says that species at risk of global extinction have seen their Canadian populations fall by over 40 % between 1970 and 2016 .
Populations of species that are at risk of extinction in Canada itself fell even more dramatically - by 59 % .
The report said human activity was mostly to blame .
Wednesday 's report is based on the Living Planet Index , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ species around the world , including the North Atlantic Right Whale and the Barren Ground Caribou .
The report found that endangered species were likely to face at least five threats , such as habitat loss , land and shoreline developments and pollution , and that human-activity was mostly to blame .
Climate change and biodiversity loss accelerated the impacts of those threats the animals were already facing , the report said .
`` Conservation actions that target only a single threat are unlikely to successfully stop and reverse wildlife declines as threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can have cascading effects , '' the report said .
In the case of the Right Whale , climate change shifted the whale 's migratory pattern to more commercial areas where they became vulnerable to ship strikes and more frequently became entangled in shipping gear .
• The people risking their lives to save Canada 's whales The report also pointed to recent research that found that indigenous-managed lands had more species than other parts of Canada , and better supported at-risk wildlife .
The report suggested working with Canada 's indigenous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conserved Areas .
Canada is not alone in this crisis .
A recent study found that humans have pushed 500 mammals , birds , reptiles and amphibians to the brink of extinction .

The report found that endangered species were likely to face at least five threats, such as habitat loss, land and shoreline developments and pollution, and that human-activity was mostly to blame.


bbc--2020-09-02--Nile dam row: US 'to cut $100m in aid' to Ethiopia

The US is reportedly cutting $ 100m ( £75m ) in aid to Ethiopia over a controversial mega dam being built on a tributary of the River Nile .
A government source said the move had been triggered by Ethiopia 's move to start filling the dam before reaching agreement with Egypt and Sudan .
Egypt has long been opposed to any development on the Nile that could reduce the amount of water it receives .
Once fully operational , the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam ( Gerd ) will be the largest hydro-electric plant in Africa and provide power to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Up to $ 100m or so will be affected , of which $ 26m is funding that expires at the end of the [ financial year ] , '' a US congressional source told Reuters news agency .
The funding affected is linked to nutrition , regional or border security , political competition and consensus-building , the official said .
Funding for projects connected to HIV/Aids , migration and refugee assistance and the food for peace programme would be unaffected .
A US state department official told Reuters Ethiopia 's decision to start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Sudan were under way had undermined confidence in the talks and was inconsistent with commitments Ethiopia had made .
`` The United States previously and repeatedly expressed its concern that commencing the filling of the Gerd before all necessary dam safety measures were implemented created serious risks , '' the official said .
`` We 've asked them to reconsider and we 're waiting .
We hope 117 years of diplomatic relations will not be damaged because of an issue not related to the two countries , '' Fitsum Arega said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seen as US President Donald Trump punishing Ethiopia after the country rejected US-led mediation with Egypt and Sudan .
The talks have stalled over various issues including demands by Egypt and Sudan that any deal should be legally binding and how to manage the dam during periods of drought .
The Gerd sits on the Blue Nile upstream of Egypt and has the potential to control the flow of water that the country receives .
The Nile is Egypt 's primary source of water for both drinking and agriculture .

While the US has not said openly how much aid will be cut, a US congressional source told Reuters news agency that "up to $100m or so will be affected, of which $26m is funding that expires at the end of the [financial year]".


bbc--2020-09-02--Detained Iran protesters 'flogged, sexually abused and electrocuted'

Iranian security forces committed a `` catalogue of shocking human rights violations '' against those detained in a crackdown on nationwide protests last November , Amnesty International says .
Dozens of men and women told the human rights group they were beaten , flogged , given electric shocks , or sexually abused to extract bogus confessions .
More than 7,000 people - including children as young as 10 - were arrested in the crackdown .
Hundreds more died .
The decision was met with widespread anger in a country where the economy was already reeling as a result of US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people took to the streets .
At least 7,000 other people were arrested , according to the spokesman for the Iranian parliament 's national security committee , although media reports suggest the figure was far higher .
The detainees alleged that torture was routinely used to elicit `` confessions '' and incriminating statements , not just about their involvement in the protests , but also about their alleged associations with opposition groups , human rights defenders , media outside Iran , as well as with foreign governments .
Amnesty said the torture methods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , electric shocks , pepper-spraying genitals , sexual violence , mock executions , pulling out nails and solitary confinement , sometimes for weeks or even months '' .
One man who was subjected to electric shocks recounted : `` It felt like my entire body was being pierced with millions of needles .
If I refused to answer their questions , they would raise the voltage levels and give me stronger electric shocks ...
The torture has had lasting effects on my mental and physical health . ''
Another man was suspended from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a painful method his interrogators referred to as `` chicken kebab '' .
`` The pain was excruciating .
There was so much pressure and pain in my body that I would urinate on myself , '' he said .
`` My family know that I was tortured , but they do n't know how I was tortured . ''
Amnesty said hundreds of detainees were convicted of `` vague or spurious national security charges '' following `` grossly unfair trials which were presided over by biased judges behind closed doors '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .

One man who was subjected to electric shocks recounted: "It felt like my entire body was being pierced with millions of needles. If I refused to answer their questions, they would raise the voltage levels and give me stronger electric shocks... The torture has had lasting effects on my mental and physical health."


bbc--2020-09-02--Taiwan's redesigned passport shrinks words 'Republic of China'

Taiwanese officials have announced changes to the passport design , making the word `` Taiwan '' larger and shrinking the words `` Republic of China '' .
Authorities said the redesign was to stop confusion between its nationals and citizens of China .
The island is for all practical purposes an independent state but China sees it as a breakaway province .
A Beijing foreign ministry spokeswoman said this would not change Taiwan being an `` inalienable part of China '' .
Officials unveiled the new passports at a ceremony on Wednesday .
The English words Republic of China - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved from the top of the cover to instead wrap around the national emblem in a smaller font , and the English word Taiwan will be larger and in bold .
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic `` our people have kept hoping that we can give more prominence to Taiwan 's visibility , avoiding people mistakenly thinking they are from China '' , Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told reporters .
As countries have imposed travel bans in a bid to combat the outbreak they have imposed the same restrictions on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities have said .
The spread of Covid-19 has brought the Taiwan dispute back to prominence .
While it has won international praise for its handling of the health crisis , it is not a member of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
China has not allowed it to attend any WHO meetings since 2016 .
• Why Taiwan wo n't have a seat at the virus talks Taiwan has governed itself since 1949 , when the mainland government fled to the island after its defeat by the Communist Party in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own democratically elected government , its own army and its own currency .
But under the One China policy , the government in Beijing insists it is the legitimate ruler of Taiwan .
It says the territory will one day come under its leadership again - by force if necessary .
Few countries diplomatically recognise Taiwan as a sovereign nation , and China has reacted furiously when countries , dignitaries or businesses have suggested as much .
Milos Vystrcil , Senate speaker in the Czech Republic , visited Taiwan on Tuesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcing his support and declaring `` I am Taiwanese '' - a reference to US President John F Kennedy 's famous `` Ich bin ein Berliner '' speech in 1963 .
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi denounced the move , saying Mr Vystrcil had `` crossed a red line '' and said he would `` pay a heavy price '' .
It came just weeks after US cabinet member Alex Azar travelled to Taiwan and met President Tsai Ing-wen .
The health and human services secretary was the highest-ranking US politician to hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ China firmly opposes any official interactions between the US and Taiwan , ” a foreign ministry spokesman said when the visit was announced .
“ We urge the US… not to send any wrong signals to ‘ Taiwan independence ’ elements to avoid severe damage to China-US relations .
”

But under the One China policy, the government in Beijing insists it is the legitimate ruler of Taiwan. It says the territory will one day come under its leadership again - by force if necessary.


bbc--2020-09-02--Apple more valuable than the entire FTSE 100

The valuation of US tech giant Apple has continued to surge , surpassing the entire value of all the members of the UK 's top share index .
Apple 's shares rose 4 % on Tuesday , valuing it at $ 2.3 trillion ( £1.7tn ) , compared to the £1.5tn value of all the companies in the FTSE 100 .
Apple shares fell back on Wednesday , but remained ahead of the London index at the close of trading on Wednesday .
It is just two weeks since Apple became the first US firm to be valued at $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US tech stocks as demand for tech goods has surged amid the coronavirus pandemic .
More people are relying on technology to work and shop from home , and Apple has been one of the major beneficiaries .
The iPhone-maker has seen its share price more than double since March , when panic about the coronavirus pandemic swept the world 's stock markets .
Demand for Apple 's shares was also said to be boosted on Tuesday by company 's decision to divide its shares , swapping four new ones for every old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to make it easier for individuals to invest .
By contrast , market-watchers said London-listed companies , which include lockdown-hit oil companies and banks , have performed sluggishly compared to the runaway share prices of big US-listed tech firms .
`` The FTSE 100 is a dinosaur , full of rather lumbering old-world stocks with precious little growth to offer , '' said Neil Wilson , chief market analyst for Markets.com .
He added that it is also `` a very good proxy for the global economy , which we know is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exception of Ocado , `` there is no tech to speak of , which is where the real money has been made this year , '' he added .
`` Whilst the US has Zoom , we have BT and Vodafone .
The US boasts Netflix and Amazon - the FTSE can muster ITV and Sainsbury 's . ''
The FTSE 100 is trading at 5,972 points , down 22 % from its 2020 high of 7,675 in January .
By contrast , the Nasdaq index in the US , which includes many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record on Tuesday .
It has almost doubled since the collapse in share prices in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak .
Some investors have warned that that all markets - including those trading in stocks , bonds and commodities - are overvalued at the moment .
Stimulus from central banks to support struggling economies - including quantitative easing and historic low interest rates - have buoyed the value of many companies and assets .
In another sign of booming tech valuations , Tesla 's 12 % stock gain propelled founder Elon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week , briefly making him the third-richest person in the world , according to Bloomberg .
He temporarily overtook Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg .

Demand for Apple's shares was also said to be boosted on Tuesday by company's decision to divide its shares, swapping four new ones for every old one investors held. The move is expected to make it easier for individuals to invest.


bbc--2020-09-02--Coronavirus in South Africa: Misuse of Covid-19 funds 'frightening'

In some cases personal protective equipment ( PPE ) was bought for five times more than the price the national treasury had advised .
Mr Makwetu has been tracking the spending of 500 billion rand ( $ 26bn ; £19bn ) which is equivalent to 10 % of the country 's gross domestic product .
`` A lot of the effort that we put into this on the detection side of things has revealed a number of frightening findings that require to be followed up very quickly so that there is no significant passage of time before the required actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press conference on Wednesday .
Will the corrupt get caught ?
Corruption was `` amplified '' - that 's the term used by South Africa 's auditor general in his report on the misuse of funds which were aimed at mitigating the impact of coronavirus in the country .
Wednesday 's announcement of the damning findings has angered many who had suspected there was fraud and corruption in how the government dealt with the allocation of funds , particularly the millions of dollars which were supposed to purchase PPE for schools and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly those within the governing ANC , were told to resign and open themselves up for investigation by law enforcement agencies who have started to investigate many illegal transactions which took place .
But South Africans want to see real action - they want to see politicians facing trial and being convicted for corruption .
That 's the only way to convince them that the government is serious about tackling corruption .
Out of four million people in the database he said the `` somewhere around 30,000 beneficiaries require further investigation '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the area of procurement of PPE to be `` further scrutinised '' as `` there are instances of the price being 200 % and , in some instances , fives times more '' than the price the national treasury had advised .

"A lot of the effort that we put into this on the detection side of things has revealed a number of frightening findings that require to be followed up very quickly so that there is no significant passage of time before the required actions are implemented," he said at a press conference on Wednesday.


bbc--2020-09-02--Body neutrality: What if you don't really love or hate your body?

Erynn Chambers has been practising body neutrality since she learned about it a few years ago .
She recently spoke @ @ @ @ @ video and received over 52,000 likes .
Body neutrality encourages people to appreciate their bodies @ @ @ @ @ than how it looks .
The movement has been spreading across social media platforms , @ @ @ @ @ but is also recommended by some therapists to clients who are struggling with body image @ @

Erynn Chambers has been practising body neutrality since she learned about it a few years ago. She recently spoke about it on a TikTok video and received over 52,000 likes.
Body neutrality encourages people to appreciate their body for what it can do rather than how it looks.
The movement has been spreading across social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, but is also recommended by some therapists to clients who are struggling with body image issues.
Video journalist Cody Melissa Godwin.
Senior producer: Phoebe Frieze


bbc--2020-09-02--Harry and Meghan to make shows with Netflix

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reached a deal with streaming giant Netflix to make a range of programmes , some of which they may appear in .
`` Our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope , '' said Prince Harry and wife Meghan .
`` As new parents , making inspirational family programming is also important to us , '' they continued .
Netflix chief Ted Sarandos said he was `` incredibly proud '' the royal couple had made the company `` their creative home '' .
The multi-year deal will encompass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scripted shows and children 's programming .
It comes six months on from the couple stepping down from royal life and moving to California to live away from the media spotlight .
`` Our lives , both independent of each other , and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit : of courage , resilience , and the need for connection , '' said the couple in a statement .
`` Through our work with diverse communities and their environments , to shining a light on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our focus will be on creating content that informs but also gives hope .
`` As new parents , making inspirational family programming is also important to us , as is powerful storytelling through a truthful and relatable lens . ''
The pair said they were `` pleased to work with Netflix , saying its `` unprecedented reach '' would `` help us share impactful content that unlocks action '' .
Sarandos said Netflix was `` excited about telling stories '' with the couple `` that can help build resilience and increase understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Deadline , projects already in development include `` an innovative nature docu-series and an animated series that celebrates inspiring women '' .
The royal couple will make their shows for Netflix under the banner of an as yet unnamed production company .
The Duke of Sussex can currently be seen on the streaming service in Rising Phoenix , a documentary about the Paralympic Games .
Meghan previously partnered with Disney to narrate Elephant , a documentary about the species for its Disneynature outlet .
This week 's announcement follows the recent publication of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple 's life in the Royal Family .
A spokesman for the Sussexes said they had not been interviewed for the book , which describes a culture of increasing tension between the Sussexes and other family members .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"Our lives, both independent of each other, and as a couple have allowed us to understand the power of the human spirit: of courage, resilience, and the need for connection," said the couple in a statement.


bbc--2020-09-02--Moments of joy between mothers and children in prison

"One of them is here with me in the prison - but the other one is with an aunt of mine... far from the prison.


bbc--2020-09-02--Mishal Husain: My grandfather’s war

Mishal Husain: My grandfather’s war

This week marks the 75th anniversary of World War Two formally coming to an end .
A crucial part of @ @ @ @ @ came from the soldiers of its empire – particularly the Indian Army , which by @ @ @ @ @ had provided more than two million men .
BBC presenter and journalist Mishal Husain ’ @ @ @ @ @ them .

This week marks the 75th anniversary of World War Two formally coming to an end.
A crucial part of Britain’s war effort came from the soldiers of its empire – particularly the Indian Army, which by the end of the war had provided more than two million men.
BBC presenter and journalist Mishal Husain’s grandfather was one of them.


bbc--2020-09-02--What a US ban on WeChat could mean for American firms

President Donald Trump has proposed banning WeChat in the US , claiming that the Chinese app poses a national security @ @ @ @ @ prohibit US citizens and firms from making `` any transaction related to WeChat '' .
@ @ @ @ @ have on American companies doing business in China ?

President Donald Trump has proposed banning WeChat in the US, claiming that the Chinese app poses a national security risk.
The ban would prohibit US citizens and firms from making "any transaction related to WeChat". But what effect could this have on American companies doing business in China?
The BBC's Robin Brant in Shanghai explains.
Filmed and edited by Ed Lawrence


bbc--2020-09-02--Rolls-Royce launches £250,000 car as demand rebounds

The boss of carmaker Rolls-Royce has said global demand for luxury vehicles is rebounding despite the pandemic .
Boss Torsten Müller-Ötvös told the BBC that markets in Asia , Europe and the US were now `` more or less back to normal '' .
Mr Müller-Ötvös was speaking at the launch of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost , the company 's latest model , which is expected to retail at around £250,000 .
He said sales for the first half of 2020 were down 30 % , but now `` times are starting to become better and better '' .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rolls-Royce Ghost , a complete redesign of the most successful car in the firm 's history , as a `` seminal moment '' .
At the height of the coronavirus pandemic , Rolls-Royce shut down production for a couple of weeks , while dealerships around the world followed suit .
The slump in sales came after a bumper year in 2019 , which Mr Müller-Ötvös described as `` the best-ever year in the 116-year history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars '' .
`` But of course , then Covid happened , '' he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise this year Since then , the firm had seen an `` upward trend '' , he said .
`` Business is coming back to what I would call far more normal . ''
The Rolls-Royce boss rejected suggestions that the carmaker was overly dependent on one region for its sales , saying it was `` well balanced worldwide '' .
Although the US was its biggest market and China was important , there was also strong demand in countries such as the UK , which accounted for 10 % of its sales @ @ @ @

Although the US was its biggest market and China was important, there was also strong demand in countries such as the UK, which accounted for 10% of its sales, he said.


bbc--2020-09-02--Portland: How a 'hyper-liberal' city's racist past is resurfacing

`` Portland is a city where young people go to retire . ''
Fred Armisen declared this - in song form - in the opening scene of the sketch comedy show Portlandia in January 2011 .
The show satirised the city on the US West Coast for its `` hipster '' culture - a city that gave unicyclists the right of way , where people brewed kombucha before it became mainstream , and whose slogan was literally `` Keep Portland Weird '' .
Four years later , with the city in the throes of rapid gentrification , beloved Portland magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this moment in 2011 was officially the day `` Old Portland '' , the one that was fun , bohemian and `` weird '' , died .
If the `` Old Portland '' was seen as a liberal utopia , then the `` New Portland '' , in 2020 , is characterised by civil rights protests , violent clashes between far-right and anti-fascist groups , and images of federal agents indiscriminately bundling protesters into unmarked vehicles .
While Old Portlanders may have discussed their vegan cheese side-businesses , New Portlanders bond over how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But this change was n't as much of a leap as it may seem on the surface .
While the Portlandia stereotype endured for almost a decade , the reality for Portlanders themselves was very different .
In the 2010s , wealthy outsiders relocated themselves and their businesses to the city in the hopes of capitalising on its `` cool '' , while East Coast publications repeated the show 's joke about Portland being `` a retirement community for the young '' .
The city 's residents were frequently caricatured as the kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a safe word .
At the same time , Portlanders struggled to afford rents that were increasing at one of the fastest rates in the country ; beloved local shops were being pushed out in favour of chains and high-rise apartment blocks ; and the small businesses parodied on Portlandia , such as the feminist bookshop In Other Words , hit out at the show and everything it represented .
Locals explicitly blamed the show for hastening unwanted development in the city .
By the time the series ended in 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influence .
For people of colour in Portland in particular , there was something egregious about the city 's `` Portlandia '' reputation .
The show - and subsequent portrayals of the city in national media - seemed to whitewash life in what was already an extremely white city .
`` I 've never looked to Portlandia or other cultural phenomena for self-affirmation , '' said activist Cameron Whitten , who set up the Black Resilience Fund during this summer 's protests .
`` Much of what Portland is famous for was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like me . ''
Mr Whitten moved to Portland from Northern Virginia in 2009 , at the age of 18 .
His first day in Oregon was marred by racism .
`` My first day in the state , my friend and I drove to Albany to stay at their dad 's house , '' he said .
`` After the first night there , we were told to leave because his father was uncomfortable with a black man in his home .
I remember that I laughed , because I was surprised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't find it funny anymore .
I 've now lived in Oregon for more than a decade , and I 'm reminded daily that because of my skin colour , I can be looked at as different , other , and less . ''
Portland is often called the whitest big city in the US - about 72 % of its population is non-Latino white , while only about 6.6 % of the population is black ( compared to 12.7 % of the overall US population ) .
This is something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is by design , not happenstance .
Prof Shirley Jackson , a Black Studies professor at Portland State University , said that it was important to remember that Oregon was founded on the basis of `` excluding certain populations , namely African-Americans '' .
Although the provisional government of the territory banned slavery in 1844 , it also required all African-Americans to leave Oregon - any black person who stayed would be publicly flogged every six months until they left .
Five years later , in 1849 , another law was passed forbidding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in 1857 Oregon adopted a state constitution banning black people from entering , living or owning property in the state .
In 1859 , when Oregon joined the union ahead of the civil war , it was the only state to explicitly forbid black people from living within its borders .
Going into the 20th Century , the deadly , white supremacist Ku Klux Klan had increasing influence in the state .
In one particularly telling photo , published by a local newspaper in 1921 and preserved by the Oregon History Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oregon chapter , wearing hoods and robes , posed with some of the state 's most powerful officials - including the police chief and the district attorney .
One moment in particular is seared into the black community 's collective memory - the Vanport disaster .
During World War Two , black people were recruited from across the US to work at a shipyard on the Columbia River , about five miles north of Portland .
They were housed in a new development called Vanport , which was built in 110 days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about 40,000 people lived there .
But it was always intended to be a temporary housing project .
`` After the war ended , many white Portlanders had hoped that the black people who came to work at the shipyards would return to the states from which they had originally come .
Although some did , at least one-third of the 18,500 residents who remained in Vanport were black , '' she explained .
`` On 30 May 1948 , Memorial Day , the waters of the Columbia River flooded Vanport and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappeared .
For the 6,000 Black people who found themselves without housing , it was especially traumatic . ''
At least 15 people died - although some at the time believed the housing authority had quietly destroyed hundreds more bodies to cover up its slow response to the disaster .
Surviving residents , who had been assured that the housing was safe , now had to try and find new homes in Portland .
The Red Cross tried to help , but struggled because of deep-seated racism in the city .
Housing was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that restricted whites from selling their homes to blacks '' , said Prof Jackson .
`` Many ended up in north and north-east Portland , '' she said .
`` It is ironic that gentrification has [ now ] added to the movement of blacks out of the very areas that they were confined to .
Today , these areas are populated in large part by white people , as black people have moved to the surrounding cities of Gresham , Beaverton , and Hillsboro . ''
Racism has persisted in Portland .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ landlords in the city discriminated against black and Latino tenants 64 % of the time , by charging them extra fees , higher rents or demanding larger deposits , while black school pupils are four to five times more likely than their white classmates to be suspended or expelled .
Another report on racism from Portland State University and the Coalition of Communities of Color , published in 2014 , found that black people were still disadvantaged in employment , health and high school graduation rates , compared to both white Portlanders and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US .
Average incomes and rates of home ownership are also significantly lower for black Portlanders than for their white neighbours and black Americans generally .
• This police-free protest zone was dismantled - but was it the end ?
Activist Gregory McKelvey has been heavily involved in this summer 's protests .
The city , he says , has only been able to see itself as a `` liberal utopia '' by adopting a colour-blind approach to racism - which for him means ignoring it .
`` Portland is allowed to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city because it does not have to reckon with its racist past , policing or segregation due to the demographics of the city , '' he said .
`` Portland is certainly a lovely city and is a beautiful place to live - but part of what it is built upon is colonialism , white supremacy and segregation .
Many people say Portland is a place that pushes black people out of neighbourhoods and replaces them with 'Black Lives Matter ' signs . ''
But could this year 's protests change how Portland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past ?
The protests - which have now gone on for nearly 100 consecutive days - were sparked by the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May , and at least initially were explicitly held in support of Black Lives Matter .
When protesters established an autonomous zone in the city in June , they named it after a black man who was killed by Portland police in 2018 .
They made global headlines in July , when federal agents were deployed to the city .
Mr Whitten said he did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have on racial inequality in the city .
But he said he was feeling hopeful .
`` Frederick Douglass once said , 'power concedes nothing without a demand ' .
I hope that these protests fuel powerful demands that lead to the transformation we 've been longing for . ''
Prof Jackson is less optimistic .
She said it was `` ironic '' that the protests had , in her opinion , `` taken attention away from Black Lives Matter , and have become something completely different - we have come to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being hijacked for anti-government causes '' .
Gregory McKelvey , meanwhile , does n't believe these protests alone will trigger a reckoning .
It was `` frustrating '' , he said , that the movement was being framed by politicians as an issue of Democrats v Republicans , diverting the focus away from the local issues .
`` Portland Police is the target of most of the protests , not Donald Trump .
Our ( local ) elected officials want to deflect the issue to Trump and many national audiences allow that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what is happening at the federal level than in our small city .
`` For Portlanders , this has always been about Portland and nothing will change that . ''

"My first day in the state, my friend and I drove to Albany to stay at their dad's house," he said. "After the first night there, we were told to leave because his father was uncomfortable with a black man in his home. I remember that I laughed, because I was surprised by the absurdity of the situation… But I don't find it funny anymore. I've now lived in Oregon for more than a decade, and I'm reminded daily that because of my skin colour, I can be looked at as different, other, and less."


bbc--2020-09-02--The other public health crisis killing Canadians

Opioid deaths have been rising again in the shadow of the pandemic , notably in the Canadian province of British Columbia , where overdose casualties have reached historic highs .
Is enough being done to end this second public health crisis ?
Every month or so , Garth Mullins has breakfast with his best friend .
They go to the same place - an aging diner in downtown Vancouver with chipped wooden booths and neon signs .
They always end up there around 1pm , talking through bites of bacon , eggs and white toast .
`` And I always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm going to get bacon eggs with him ? '
'' Mullins said .
Mullins was an injection heroin user for more than a decade , before moving to methadone .
He is now a journalist and advocate for drug users and harm reduction policies in his home of Vancouver - at the centre of the overdose crisis in the province of British Columbia [ BC ] .
When the coronavirus hit the province in March , one public health crisis collided with another , and overdose deaths began to climb .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 174 deaths in May , then 177 in June , 175 in July .
So far this year , 909 people have died of an overdose in BC .
Deaths from illicit drugs continue to eclipse deaths from homicides , suicides , car crashes and Covid-19 , combined .
It 's led to Canada 's chief public health official - and the face of the country 's coronavirus response - to warn of this second health emergency .
`` Canadians should be seized with this particular crisis , '' said Dr Theresa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escalating as we speak '' .
The record-breaking figures reversed a period of relative stability in the province 's battle with opioid abuse .
In 2019 , three years after the province declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency , the number of drug deaths fell by more than a third from the year before - an encouraging trend that continued into the early months of 2020 .
Then the coronavirus hit .
Experts say the necessary response to the pandemic laid the foundation for a spike in overdose deaths .
First @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drugs on the street , said Dr Jane Buxton , the medical lead for harm reduction at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control .
Canada 's border closure has disrupted the country 's typical illicit drug supply chain , Dr Buxton said , leaving drugs more vulnerable to contamination as local dealers cut them with toxic additives to increase supply and lower costs .
A second factor is the clash in guidance between the two health emergencies .
Safety amid Covid-19 means social distancing and prolonged periods of isolation .
Harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone - and social distancing requirements have compelled some supervised consumption sites in Canada - where no overdose deaths have ever been recorded - to reduce capacity or shutter altogether .
And experts say some of the common side effects of the Covid-19 pandemic - anxiety , isolation and uncertainty - may drive people to use .
Mullins said Canada did n't have an effective plan to address the opioid crisis to begin with , a shortfall that has been compounded by Covid .
`` Everything is so precarious that if any one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jump up . ''
These same factors are at play in the US .
In August , the American Medical Association reported increases in opioid-related deaths in more than 40 states .
In Canada , the crisis is most pronounced in BC .
A few years ago , Mullins said , he tried to tally the number of people he had lost to an overdose .
When he got to 50 he stopped counting .
`` It 's a terrible , morbid exercise , '' he said .
Lately , the deaths feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Last month , Mullins and other advocates in Vancouver gathered for a `` mass memorial '' and eulogies for some of those who have died in recent months .
`` It 's been a crisis for so long I feel like it 's rewritten a part of my personality .
You just expect this kind of loss , '' he said .
Advocates say the response to the coronavirus outbreak and the overdose crisis has exposed a gulf between the respective public and political attitudes .
Canada 's `` bold and urgent '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by that to the overdose crisis , said Leslie Mcbain , who lost her 25-year-old son Jordan in 2014 to a drug overdose after he was prescribed opioids for a back injury .
`` It 's the absolute worst thing that could happen to a family , '' she said .
`` You do n't go through it , you carry it .
We carry it forever . ''
• Why are opioids still given for chronic pain ?
• Brain implants used to fight drug addiction in US • The US opioid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jordan 's death , Mcbain co-founded Moms Stop the Harm , a support group for families affected by substance use .
In August , both Mcbain and Mullins quit a provincial overdose response committee over what she described as governmental inaction .
`` Nothing was happening , '' she said , just as `` everything '' was being done to protect the province from Covid-19 .
`` We realised we were at the kids ' table , '' she said .
In July , BC Premier John Horgan apologised for remarks suggesting that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any time '' , the opioid crisis involves those who made an initial `` choice '' to use drugs .
Critics say the premier 's comments signal why the overdose crisis has not received the type of muscular response summoned for the coronavirus - that those dying of an overdose were `` morally culpable '' .
`` The wrong people are dying , '' Mullins said .
Among those struggling with addiction and those in the harm reduction community , the disparity seemed clear , according to Dr Buxton .
`` There 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , energy and money is being spent on Covid , '' Dr Buxton said .
`` There 's also that feeling of despondency : 'We 've been telling people this is an issue and nobody 's been listening and then it 's gotten worse .
So what 's being done about it ? '
'' Amid mounting deaths , authorities have suggested two principal solutions : decriminalising the possession of illicit substances and providing a safe supply of prescribed alternatives - pharmaceutical-grade medication as a substitutes to illegal drugs like heroin .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for decades .
In recent weeks , BC provincial health officer Dr Bonnie Henry , Premier Horgan , the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and health officers in Toronto and Montreal have all called on the federal government to decriminalise possession .
Dr Henry has joined BC 's chief coroner Lisa Lapointe and Guy Felicella , a harm reduction campaigner and advisor with the BC Centre on Substance Use in advocating for prescribed alternatives .
`` Access to a safer supply remains the number one , most urgently needed intervention to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Felicella told reporters .
Early in the pandemic , the BC government announced new guidelines to allow more people - those at risk of Covid-19 infection , those with a history of ongoing substance abuse and those at high risk of withdrawal or overdose - to access prescription alternatives .
Nearly 2,000 people in the province can now use prescribed opioids .
But this figure is a `` drop in the bucket '' for a province with an estimated 55,000 to 100,000 illicit drug users , said Leslie Mcbain .
And much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada rests with the federal government .
`` Even when we have a supervised consumption site [ in BC ] we have to get an exemption , '' Dr Buxton said .
`` It 's not as easy just to go in and say , 'OK we 're going to change this in BC . '
It all comes under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act , which is the federal piece . ''
Asked about the surge in overdose deaths on Wednesday , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that there was not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this crisis .
`` We 're prioritising the things that are going to make the biggest difference immediately , '' he told CBC News , and said that his government was `` moving forward aggressively '' on ensuring a safer supply .
In July , Health Canada department announced C $ 2m ( $ 1.5m ; £1.15m ) in funding for a safe supply pilot project in BC 's Cowichan Valley .
Inside this roughly 84,000-person region , the program is reserved for those who have not responded to other treatments for opioid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far .
And the Canadian government is not currently considering the decriminalisation or legalisation of illegal drugs , Trudeau said on Wednesday .
For many advocates , including Garth Mullins , until both measures are mandated by the federal government , it wo n't be enough .
Unlike the virus outbreak , the spike in drug deaths in British Columbia was `` entirely predictable '' , according to Mullins .
Covid-19 was `` a force of nature '' , he said .
Canada 's overdose crisis was `` a force of policy '' @

Every month or so, Garth Mullins has breakfast with his best friend. They go to the same place - an aging diner in downtown Vancouver with chipped wooden booths and neon signs. They always end up there around 1pm, talking through bites of bacon, eggs and white toast.


bbc--2020-09-02--Navalny 'Novichok poisoning' a test for the West

Most importantly , it will increase suspicions that , despite its denials , the Russian state was behind his poisoning .
Novichok - meaning `` newcomer '' in Russian - applies to a group of synthetically produced nerve agents originally developed by the Soviet Union in a laboratory in Uzbekistan before the USSR disintegrated in 1991 .
Western intelligence agencies believe that Novichok has since been refined into a hard-to-detect assassination weapon in covert techniques practised by operatives of the GRU , Russian military intelligence , including being smeared on to door handles .
Two of those operatives were widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury in 2018 using Novichok .
A local Wiltshire resident , Dawn Sturgess , subsequently died after handling the contents of the discarded perfume bottle used to disguise the nerve agent .
Western governments reacted forcefully to this failed assassination attempt on British soil .
In a co-ordinated move , 20 countries expelled more than a hundred Russian diplomats and spies , dealing a huge blow to Moscow 's intelligence-gathering networks in the West .
This was all in marked contrast to the mild British government response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of former KGB officer and defector Alexander Litvinenko in 2006 .
After the agonising death in a London hospital by radioactive Polonium poisoning of this former Russian colonel , branded as a traitor by the Kremlin , an investigation dragged on for years while the two Russian suspects remained at large in Russia .
Critics believe the lack of a forceful response by the West encouraged hardliners in the Kremlin to sanction the targeting abroad of those considered traitors to the Russian state .
Today , Alexei Navalny has no shortage of enemies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he has amassed millions of young followers but also angered those people whose nefarious activities have been exposed in his popular videos .
There are plenty of people both in government and in business circles who would like to see him removed from the public sphere .
But Novichok , unlike naturally occurring toxins that can be refined from natural products found in the countryside , is not something casually cooked up by amateurs .
It is a military-grade chemical weapon that tends to point the finger of suspicion towards the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be poisoned on Russian soil , rather than in a Nato member country , Germany 's Chancellor Angela Merkel said `` there were now very serious questions which only the Russian government could and must answer '' .
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab echoed that comment , saying that the Russian government had a clear case to answer about what happened to Mr Navalny .
He said Britain would now work closely with Germany and other allies to show there were consequences for using banned chemical weapons .
In Washington , the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying it would work with allies to hold those in Russia accountable .
The former British Army officer and chemical weapons expert , Hamish de Bretton-Gordon , has been warning for years that the unchecked use of chemical weapons against rebels and civilians alike in populated areas by the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria sends a dangerous signal .
How governments now react to this latest use of a Novichok nerve agent against a public political figure will be influenced in part by the findings of the global chemical watchdog , the Organisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the OPCW .

This was all in marked contrast to the mild British government response - since criticised - to the poisoning of former KGB officer and defector Alexander Litvinenko in 2006. After the agonising death in a London hospital by radioactive Polonium poisoning of this former Russian colonel, branded as a traitor by the Kremlin, an investigation dragged on for years while the two Russian suspects remained at large in Russia.


bbc--2020-09-02--Coronavirus in Africa: Could poverty explain mystery of low death rate?

Even if deaths have been under-reported here - perhaps by a factor of two - South Africa has still performed impressively well , as have many other parts of the continent , where hospital beds remain stubbornly empty , and where infection graphs have almost entirely avoided the pronounced peaks and sharp angles seen in so many other parts of the world .
For a while now , experts have cited a youthful population as the best explanation for Africa 's relatively low infection rates .
After all , the average age on the continent is roughly half that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in : '' I would not venture to say that Africa is over its worst .
I 'm not sure whether one day the epidemic is going to spread like crazy here , '' said Prof Karim .
But in recent days , scientists at the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Analytics unit , at Baragwanath hospital in Soweto , have been wondering if the missing factor - the answer to what they see as the continent 's pandemic mystery - might lie inside a glorified chest freezer in their laboratory , on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , by studying the PBMCs , the scientists might find evidence that people had been widely infected by other coronaviruses - those , for instance , responsible for many common colds - and that , as a result , they might enjoy some degree of immunity to Covid-19 .
`` It 's a hypothesis .
Some level of pre-existing cross-protective immunity… might explain why the epidemic did n't unfold [ the way it did in other parts of the world ] , '' said Prof Madhi , explaining that data from scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hypothesis .
`` We 're very disappointed .
We were all ready but unfortunately this thing happened , '' said Doctor Gaurav Kwatra , who was leading the experiment .
There was no-one to blame - not even South Africa 's notorious power-cuts .
It was just one of those things .
The team is now busy hunting for new samples to test , but that may take months .
In the meantime , the mystery of Africa 's relatively mild pandemic lives on .

Scientists acknowledge that reliable data is not always easy to come by and all these figures are likely to change. But even if deaths have been under-reported here - perhaps by a factor of two - South Africa has still performed impressively well, as have many other parts of the continent, where many hospital beds remain empty, and where infection graphs have almost entirely avoided the pronounced peaks and sharp angles seen in so many other parts of the world.


bbc--2020-09-02--How Covid-19 myths are merging with QAnon conspiracy theory

Online and in real-life demonstrations , two viral conspiracy theories are increasingly coming together .
At first glance the only thing they appear to have in common is their vast distance from reality .
On one hand , QAnon : a convoluted conspiracy theory that contends that President Trump is waging a secret war against Satan-worshipping elite paedophiles .
On the other , a swirling mass of pseudoscience claiming that coronavirus does not exist , or is not fatal , or any number of other baseless claims .
These two ideas are now increasingly coming together , in a grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets of London last weekend , where speakers addressing thousands of followers at an anti-mask , anti-lockdown demonstration touched on both themes .
Posters promoting QAnon and a range of other conspiracy theories were on display .
On Sunday , President Trump retweeted a message claiming the true number of Covid-19 deaths in the United States was a small fraction of the official numbers .
The tweet was later deleted by Twitter under its policy on misinformation .
The account that posted it - `` Mel Q '' - is still live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ QAnon ideas .
QAnon 's main strand of thought is that President Trump is leading a fight against child trafficking that will end in a day of reckoning with prominent politicians and journalists being arrested and executed .
Mel Q is just one of many QAnon influencers who have also been plugging coronavirus disinformation .
The merger between QAnon and Covid-19 conspiracies is also apparent in a number of emails received by the BBC .
`` Coronavirus is a cover-up for… child sex trafficking - a major issue in this world and nobody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one typical email read .
Another man got in touch to explain how his mother - who attended the protests - has been led down the rabbit hole over the course of the pandemic , taken in first by coronavirus conspiracy theories and now by QAnon .
There has long been overlap between QAnon influencers and pandemic conspiracists , but the weekend protests in London and other cities around the world were the biggest offline demonstration to date of their increasing ties .
`` Proponents of Covid conspiracies have found ready-made audiences in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Chloe Colliver , senior policy director at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue ( ISD ) , a think tank focused on extremism .
`` In the face of the pandemic , conspiracy theories paint a world that is ordered , and controllable , '' explains Open University psychologist Jovan Byford .
`` Conspiracy theories flourish when social machinery breaks down and available ways of making sense of the world prove inadequate for what is going on . ''
While the pandemic has increased the overall potential audience for such ideas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked by a preoccupation - or obsession - with children and their safety .
That explains why we 've seen these theories spread in local Facebook groups where more benign discussions cover which cafes are baby-friendly or which local schools make the grade .
`` Child abuse is the epitome of sexual and moral depravity and something that is indisputably evil , '' Jovan Byford says , `` so its incorporation into the theory helps take the idea of the conspirators ' monstrosity and iniquity to the absolute , unquestionable extreme . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were presumably drawn by legitimate concerns about mental health , the economy , criticism of government policy or by questions about still-evolving science .
But , overwhelmingly , what attendees heard from the speakers was a steady stream of bad information ( about coronavirus death rates ) , groundless speculation ( about child abuse and `` mandatory '' vaccinations ) and baseless assertions ( about the pandemic being planned by governments or shadowy forces - or in the words of the conspiracy theorists , a `` plandemic '' ) .
You may also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the content was about conspiracies , '' says Joe Mulhall , a senior researcher at Hope Not Hate , an advocacy group which tracks far-right and conspiracy movements .
`` Very little of it came from a constructive viewpoint .
There were no speakers talking about , for instance , the impact of the lockdown on small businesses , '' says Mulhall , who was at Saturday 's event .
And conspiratorial thinking was n't limited to the UK - similar signs could be seen in weekend demonstrations in Boston , Berlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories have truly gone international .
One man who contacted the BBC says his mother attended the London demonstration and carried two posters .
One featured a coronavirus conspiracy theory : `` Arrest Bill Gates for crimes against humanity '' .
The other had a QAnon hashtag : `` # SavetheChildren '' The man , who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of falling out with his family , explained how his mother adopted conspiratorial views after becoming increasingly obsessed with YouTube videos of a number of the protest speakers .
`` She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theories , it 's becoming difficult to pin down what she believes .
Everything contradicts each other , '' he explained .
His mother 's transformation has put a huge strain on their relationship .
`` She 's always sending videos and messages promoting these conspiracy theories on the family WhatsApp chat now , '' he says .
`` It 's so hard to have a normal conversation . ''
The organisers of Saturday 's rally declined to comment for this story .
`` What worries us is that these lines of thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ QAnon as its backbone , '' says Joe Mulhall of Hope Not Hate .
`` Q allows you to join the dots between all different conspiracies - there 's a secret cabal doing things behind the scenes .
And as soon as you talk about super-conspiracies and secret hands , it is a short step to the 'other ' and in many cases , that means 'Jews ' .
`` Anti-Semitism is never far from the surface of these conspiracy theories , '' he adds .
`` The potential audiences for dangerous disinformation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain , '' says Chloe Colliver of the ISD .
`` They are becoming so inter-connected that it is hard for tech platforms at this late stage to now get a grip on limiting the reach of potentially dangerous disinformation . ''
In recent weeks , Twitter has acted to remove a number of big QAnon accounts ; Facebook has closed large many QAnon groups ; and thousands of QAnon Instagram pages have been removed .
TikTok has also blocked hashtags linked to the conspiracy theory .
In response , the conspiracy theorists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - for instance , # SaveTheChildren .
The growing conspiracy movement - while still at the fringes - seems to be picking up momentum on the streets .
`` We ca n't pick up all the events that are being organised , '' Joe Mulhall says .
`` They 're being set up too fast . ''
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"What worries us is that these lines of thought are being linked into a super-conspiracy with QAnon as its backbone," says Joe Mulhall of Hope Not Hate. "Q allows you to join the dots between all different conspiracies - there's a secret cabal doing things behind the scenes. And as soon as you talk about super-conspiracies and secret hands, it is a short step to the 'other' and in many cases, that means 'Jews'.


bbc--2020-09-02--Mulan: Disney remakes and the power of nostalgia during coronavirus

Ever since she can remember , Emily Talbut 's been a massive Disney fan .
`` I got the dresses for Christmas , played dress-up , and I got to go to the parks with my family , '' she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
`` I just grew up in a progressively more intense Disney household , I guess - probably driven by me and my sister , because we just loved the stories and the music as well . ''
Emily 's go-to costume was Belle from Beauty and the Beast .
`` Belle had brown hair , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to read - and that was basically me .
I could see myself in the character '' .
When the Beauty and the Beast remake came out in 2017 , starring Emma Watson , Emily was delighted .
`` A big reason why that 's still probably my favourite live action remake is the nostalgia playing into it , '' she says .
For her .
the appeal is `` the idea of going back to your childhood again - but in a reimagined way '' .
Disney Plus launched in March , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old classics .
And for the first few months of lockdown , it was all Emily watched .
`` It was very comforting in that very scary period to just have old favourites to turn back to and relive , '' she says .
She went straight to `` the ones that are the most comforting , like the key soundtracks from the 90s that I loved . ''
That feeling - of comfort , losing yourself in another world , going back in time - is hard to beat , especially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney is particularly good at creating .
But does that mean the feeling can be exploited too ?
Nostalgia in the time of corona '' Nostalgia is commonly defined as in a sentimental or wistful affection for the past , '' says Dr Wijnand van Tilburg , a psychology lecturer and expert in nostalgia at the University of Essex .
`` With the remake of some of these movies , it might be that they capitalise on those past feelings of nostalgia and make us fondly remember those past events . ''
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by people as a as a somewhat positive , bittersweet emotion . ''
It can also be useful during uncertain and difficult times .
`` Research shows that nostalgia is quite effective in combating loneliness , boredom , and sadness .
And these are all experiences that that not implausibly have arisen during the lockdown . ''
Part of the reason nostalgia can be useful , he says , is because it `` contains strong social elements . ''
It can help us feel more connected with others who have the same shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its 1998 animated film , which was based on the Chinese legend the Ballad of Mulan .
Its release - a few months delayed and on Disney Plus rather than in the cinema due to coronavirus - comes off the back of three Disney makeovers last year : The Lion King , Aladdin and Dumbo .
Cinderella kicked off the latest batch of `` reimagined '' works in 2015 , followed by The Jungle Book ( 2016 ) and Beauty and the Beast ( 2017 ) .
With the six recent remakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £4.4bn ) at the box office , there 's clearly a huge appetite for our childhoods to be given the live-action treatment .
Pre-coronavirus , Disney clearly backed the film to make money - having spent a reported $ 200m ( £160m ) on making it .
But in an industry dominated by sequels and big franchises , should audiences be asking for more original stories ?
'You 've got to give us something fresh' '' There 's an inclination to want to reach for the past , '' says Samuel Jones , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NitPix .
`` The majority of films right now are sequels and remakes .
They 're ways to stay somewhere that 's separate from our world . ''
NitPix 's most recent video is called `` How Disney Decimated Lion King '' .
It 's over an hour long .
One of the many criticisms of the film is that it 's a watered-down version of the original .
`` You end up with a film that 's like kind of missing its essential nuts and bolts , '' says Samuel .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personality , none of the character , none of the things that like make us excited about what will make us like what the original Lion King did , '' adds Max Bardsley , Samuel 's NitPix co-creator .
Max makes the point that remakes are nothing new .
`` Art has always been founded on recycling assets from other pieces of art and reinvigorating those assets as a way to offer them to people in new ways , '' he says .
But his opinion is that these remakes are different .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ assets that you feel really excited about as an artist and reinvigorating those in a way that is an expression of yourself .
`` It 's more about taking assets that lots of people seem to like , re-offering those assets in a way that 's not too insulting or not too unfamiliar so that we can be assured everyone will like what they 're being provided . ''
`` I think it 's a shame though , because these films do deserve better , '' adds Samuel .
`` You can look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a lot of different ideas and themes and filmic concepts and great visual storytelling .
`` But the easiest , risk-free option is the one that you usually take .
And in these times when it 's harder for businesses and harder for filmmakers , they 're going to want to take even less of a risk . ''
The pandemic 's not the only reason we 're so drawn to that feeling of nostalgia right now .
Samuel says technology has a lot to do with it too .
He thinks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to break down boundaries in society and bring us all closer together .
But instead , `` We 've realised that it has n't brought anyone together that much .
I think that can feel very disorienting . ''
And that leads people to `` grasp on to something that they 're familiar with '' .
It 's not just at the box office where we see people reaching out for nostalgic experiences .
After a lifetime of Disney fandom , Emily got her dream job working at Walt Disney World in Florida @ @ @ @ @ @ @ university .
She describes her job there as `` making people smile all day '' and helping create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere .
While there were a lot of young families there , Emily says there were also a lot of adults who would go without children , on romantic getaways or stag and hen dos .
`` You get people coming to visit and they 've left their kids at home - because the kids are n't as interested as they are , '' she says .
Emily thinks escapism is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immersing themselves in Disney World .
`` People are so invested in these stories , '' she says .
`` We 've all seen the movies , countless times - so getting to experience it in a different way I think is really appealing .
`` It 's also a very safe place - when you go into the parks you ca n't see the outside world . ''
Too much , too fast But even as a huge Disney fan , Emily 's worried the remakes might start to lose their appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting a bit fatigued of it because we had Dumbo , Aladdin and The Lion King .
`` Obviously it 's been a while now since any came out .
So I feel like people are ready again to kind of embrace that '' .
Mulan is slightly different as the signs are that it draws more on the Chinese legend than the Disney animation .
Fan favourite Mushu the dragon - voiced by Eddie Murphy in the 1998 version - is n't in it , and the songs have been cut .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeal , like Will Smith being the genie , '' says Emily .
`` But fans of Disney will want to see it , especially to support those lesser-known actors and encourage Disney to continue making films like that .
`` It does have greater diversity than what we 've seen before . ''
After Mulan , Disney 's announced nine `` Disney live-action '' movies to come out between 2021 and 2023 .
We know they will include The Little Mermaid , Peter Pan and Cruella ( a 101 Dalmatians origin story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be more remakes of old animations - reports suggest they 're working on the Hunchback of Notre Dame , Lilo & Stitch and Pinocchio , among many others .
Some of those may only be released on streaming service Disney+ in the same way 2019 's Lady and the Tramp remake was .
It 's not just animations that will get retold either .
It was announced in 2019 there are `` reimaginations '' of Home Alone , Night At the Museum , Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Cheaper By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 's another Indiana Jones sequel on the way too .
With evidence to say that young people are feeling more distant from family and friends than ever before , nostalgia might just be our way of dealing with it .
`` We 've all grown up and we have to live proper adult lives , '' says Emily Talbut .
`` But it 's fun to go back in time '' .
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"It's more about taking assets that lots of people seem to like, re-offering those assets in a way that's not too insulting or not too unfamiliar so that we can be assured everyone will like what they're being provided."