bbc--2020-01-17--Clinton prosecutor Ken Starr to defend Trump

US President Donald Trump 's defence team in his Senate trial will include special prosecutors from President Bill Clinton 's impeachment .
He will be represented by Ken Starr and Robert Ray , who investigated Mr Clinton , and Alan Dershowitz , whose past clients include OJ Simpson .
White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr Trump 's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow will lead the team .
Opening statements in the Trump impeachment trial will begin next week .
Who are the Clinton prosecutors ?
Mr Starr was the US Department of Justice independent counsel who investigated the Whitewater affair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arkansas involving Bill and Hillary Clinton .
The inquiry ultimately uncovered unrelated evidence that Mr Clinton had been having an affair with a White House intern , Monica Lewinsky .
The investigation culminated in the Democratic president 's impeachment by the US House of Representatives in 1998 .
Mr Clinton was acquitted by the Senate .
Ms Lewinsky tweeted on Friday shortly after Mr Trump 's team was announced : `` This is definitely an 'are you kidding me ? '
kinda day '' , though she inserted an expletive .
In 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his position as president of Baylor University after an inquiry found the school had mishandled rape accusations against its football players .
He later also resigned from his roles as chancellor and law professor at the university .
• Trump impeachment trial : All you need to know Mr Dershowitz is a retired Harvard University law professor and constitutional law expert whose past celebrity clients have also included boxer Mike Tyson .
He told CBS News , the BBC 's US partner , that he had spoken to the president on Wednesday about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it as an independent constitutional scholar , '' Mr Dershowitz said .
`` I take no position on the politics - just on the constitution . ''
He added he was `` very , very concerned '' about the precedent this impeachment could establish .
`` It could weaken the presidency and weaponise impeachment as a partisan tactic , '' he said .
Mr Dershowitz said in a statement that he had also opposed Mr Clinton 's impeachment , and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election .
The president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , during the 2017-19 special counsel investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election .
Mr Dershowitz and Mr Starr both represented disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during his 2008 abuse trial .
Axios reported that some White House officials were against Mr Dershowitz joining the team , given his ties to Mr Epstein .
• The case for and against impeaching Trump • Trump impeachment trial : All you need to know On Friday , the president shared Mr Dershowitz 's comments criticising a Government Accountability Office ruling that the White @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid to Ukraine .
Who else is on the legal team ?
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been asked to join the team .
Mrs Bondi , a longtime Trump ally , joined the White House communications team last November to focus on `` proactive impeachment messaging '' .
The president 's personal attorney Rudy Giuliani , a central figure in the Ukraine investigation , had also hoped to join the defence , but he did not make the cut .
Mr Giuliani told CBS he might be called as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` understood this may happen if I uncovered the 2016 Ukrainian corruption '' .
He was apparently referring to a discredited theory that Ukraine intervened in the last White House election .
One of Mr Giuliani 's associates , Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas , has said he went to Ukraine to pressure local officials on behalf of Mr Trump and Mr Giuliani .
Mr Trump 's allies have rubbished Mr Parnas ' claims , pointing out that he is facing unrelated campaign finance charges .
Mr Trump was impeached by the US House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Democrats have accused him of withholding military aid to Ukraine to pressure the country into investigating his political rival , former US Vice-President Joe Biden .
Mr Trump denies the claims , and calls the impeachment proceedings a partisan `` hoax '' .
The Republican president now faces a trial in the Senate , which must decide whether to remove him from office .
As his Republican party holds a majority in the upper chamber , he is expected to be acquitted .
Want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A SIMPLE GUIDE : If you want a basic take , this one 's for you • GO DEEPER : Here 's a 100 , 300 and 800-word summary of the story • A STATE DIVIDED : What New Hampshire makes of it • YOUR QUESTIONS : Will Trump really testify ?
• CASE FOR & AGAINST : What legal scholars say about Trump conduct

Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbc--2020-01-17--FBI arrests three more members of right wing extremist group 'The Base'

Three more alleged members of a US neo-Nazi hate group have been arrested in Georgia , authorities say , in what appears to be a national operation .
The arrests came on the same day that three suspected members of the same group were detained in Maryland and Delaware .
All six men are reported members of white supremacist group The Base .
One of the three was a Canadian army reservist who had been missing for several months after fleeing Canada .
Patrik Matthews is believed to have illegally crossed into the US after his alleged affiliations with The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside two others in the Maryland and Delaware operation .
The FBI said Mr Matthews and two others planned to travel to a pro-gun rally on Monday in Richmond , Virginia .
Virginia governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Wednesday ahead of the rally , to block attendees from carrying weapons near the grounds of the Capitol building , citing credible threats of violence .
According to an arrest warrant from the Floyd County Police Department , the three Georgia men were arrested after an undercover FBI sting operation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a criminal organisation .
According to arrest affidavits , The Base is a racially motivated violent extremist group that sought to `` accelerate the downfall of the United States government , incite a race war and establish a white ethno-state . ''
Luke Austin Lane , Michael Helterbrand , and Jacob Kaderli were planning to `` overthrow the government and murder a Bartow County couple '' who they believed to be Antifa members , Floyd County police said in a statement .
An unnamed member of The Base who crossed into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those arrested in Georgia in October 2019 to discuss revenge attacks against his enemies , according to charging documents .
The gang member , presumed to be Mr Matthews , is said to have called for the `` death penalty '' against anyone engaged in anti-fascist activities .
It was not known if the three men arrested in Georgia were planning to attend the gun-rights rally in Richmond .
The group was involved in the gang 's paramilitary training camp located at a home Silver Creek , Georgia , police said .

The FBI said Mr Matthews and two others planned to travel to a pro-gun rally on Monday in Richmond, Virginia. Virginia governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency on Wednesday ahead of the rally, to block attendees from carrying weapons near the grounds of the Capitol building, citing credible threats of violence.


bbc--2020-01-17--Chinese tourists found dead by 1973 Iceland plane crash site

Two Chinese nationals in their early 20s have been found dead at the site of a 1973 plane crash in southern Iceland .
Police said the man and the woman were found near the Sólheimasandur crash site , which draws tourists .
A police spokesman told the BBC a post-mortem would take place early next week to establish the causes of death .
Officers had not found any signs of a `` criminal act '' by a third party , he said , adding that the bodies showed signs of hypothermia .
In 1973 , a US military plane crash-landed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one was killed .
The fuselage of the plane still rests at the site , and has become a tourist attraction .
• Are too many tourists visiting Iceland ?
According to a police statement ( in Icelandic ) , officers were first called to the scene on Thursday after people found a woman 's body off a footpath leading to the crashed plane .
Officers found the man 's body a short distance away about two hours later .
A car thought to have been rented by the couple was found in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's embassy has been informed of their deaths , the statement said .
Jóhannes Thór Skúlason , head of the Icelandic Tourism Association , told Icelandic news site Ruv that his group worked with hotels and car rental agencies to warn tourists of bad weather .
`` We have been lucky in the explosion of the tourism industry in recent years , although there are a few events of this kind that we have had to deal with , '' he said .
BBC technology reporter Chris Fox has been to the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site has attracted tourists keen to see something a little more unusual among the natural beauty of Iceland .
The plane is far off the beaten track .
A sign at the nearest car park on the main road warns that it can take slow walkers up to two hours to reach the plane , and another two hours for them to get back .
There is a shuttle bus that takes tourists directly to the plane - though like everything else in Iceland it is n't cheap and many holidaymakers decide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ September , the bus driver told me the site had experienced a surge in popularity since Justin Bieber skateboarded on the wreckage in 2015 .
But once the shuttle bus drops you off and leaves , you really are out in the wilderness until it returns .
As you can expect , the weather in Iceland can be bitterly cold , and it can turn quickly and unexpectedly .
You may also be interested in :

There is a shuttle bus that takes tourists directly to the plane - though like everything else in Iceland it isn't cheap and many holidaymakers decide to walk instead. When I visited in September, the bus driver told me the site had experienced a surge in popularity since Justin Bieber skateboarded on the wreckage in 2015.


bbc--2020-01-17--What US farmers make of Trump's trade deal

President Trump has touted his new US-China trade agreement as a boon for America 's farmers , who have suffered under a nearly-two-year tariff standoff with Beijing .
But what do they think ?
A summary of the new agreement says that Beijing will now `` strive '' to purchase an additional $ 5bn ( £3.8bn ) of US agricultural products over the next two years .
`` That will result in greater prosperity for farmers all across the land , '' Mr Trump said as he signed the agreement .
But farmers in Wisconsin - the swing state proudly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncertain .
And as the president seeks re-election , that could matter .
In 2016 , Mr Trump clinched the state by a 0.8 % margin , becoming the first Republican to do so since Ronald Reagan in 1984 .
• Five things that are n't in the US-China deal • The plight of a US dairy farm In Wisconsin , such a razor's-edge victory is typical .
In three of the five past presidential elections , victory in Wisconsin has been decided by less than one percentage point .
In 2000 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ votes , in 2004 about 13,000 .
Farmers make up about 11 % of the electorate in Wisconsin , says Charles Franklin , director of the state 's leading poll at Marquette Law School .
`` They 're a modest bloc , '' Mr Franklin says .
But even a modest bloc `` could be responsible for tipping a one-point election '' .
So how are farmers feeling about the future ?
`` Every year you lose a few farms , every year you lose a few farmers who do n't want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hsu , president of Hsu Ginseng , a ginseng farm in central Wisconsin 's Marathon County .
The region is reliably Republican - Marathon County went for Trump over Clinton by an 18 point margin in 2016 - and is home to more than 95 % of the United States ' ginseng , almost all of which is shipped to China .
In the 1990s there were 1,000 ginseng farmers in Wisconsin , Mr Hsu says , growing more than 2m lbs of ginseng .
`` There are only about 180 farmers left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's death by a thousand cuts . ''
It 's hard work .
Ginseng takes three to five years to reach maturity and can not be farmed on the same land twice .
• Why this cattle farmer moves his cows every day And it 's been made harder by the trade war , Mr Hsu says , which has pushed tariffs up from 8 % to 38 % , a punishing reality for farmers who rely on Chinese consumers for their survival .
Many farmers are bearing costs themselves - lowering prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not quite devastation , he says , but the pressure on farmers is building .
`` It 's a slow death , '' he says .
Hsu 's criticism of the president 's trade war has raised eyebrows from some in his community , he says .
`` I hear from a lot of farmers who say I 'm a little too vocal against Trump 's policies , that I should be supportive of him . ''
But even though Hsu might support Trump ideologically , `` there 's also the realistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And `` realistically , it 's hurting everyone and our pocketbooks . ''
'Farmers are always the pawns' Joel Greeno , 52 , grew up on a dairy farm in Monroe County in west Wisconsin .
It was `` pretty much assumed '' he would continue the family tradition , he says .
In 1990 , he did , buying a 160 acre dairy farm and 48 cows of his own .
But after twenty years of business , staring down economic ruin , he was forced to sell .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To Mr Greeno , who now farms vegetables in addition to nightshifts at Wisconsin 's Ocean Spray cranberry factory , Mr Trump 's trade war has added needless stress to an already fragile industry .
For years , Wisconsin has led the US in farm bankruptcies .
In 2019 , the state lost one in 10 of its dairy farms , marking the biggest decline on record .
Exports of US dairy products to China declined by over 50 % in 2019 , and the US Dairy Export Council estimated last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US dairy farmers $ 12.2bn by 2023 if they remain in place .
`` Tariffs only hurt us , '' he says .
`` There was no thought process whatsoever . ''
He continues : `` Our labour is stolen , our lives are stolen , our families are broken and it 's all because we have politicians who are absolutely clueless to the reality of farming . ''
`` Farmers are always the pawns . ''
`` We 've dealt with declining prices before , but it has n't lasted this long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she walks through the barn at Tri-Fecta farms , the 400-cow dairy farm she owns with her two siblings just outside of Fox Lake .
The US-China trade war added `` insult to injury '' during a difficult period for farmers , she says .
`` It was already not great times and not great prices . ''
`` I wo n't sugar coat that ... We struggled .
We struggled with everyone . ''
In the weeks before the agreement was signed , people in her community had been talking about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some , Mr Trump 's promises gave them a `` ray of hope '' to hang on through difficult conditions .
Just one door over from 2,000 acres , a neighbour boasts a towering flag pole on the front lawn , adorned with a massive Trump 2020 flag .
It 's not unexpected in Dodge County - which went for Trump in 2016 by a 30-point margin .
Ms Schultz does n't say who she voted for , disclosing only that her siblings were `` divided '' at the ballot box .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat or Republican .
I just want to know that they 're rowing in the same boat that I am , '' Ms Schultz says .
But there are some things the president has done that `` you ca n't really deny '' , like the record-low unemployment rate .
`` Is [ the deal ] the answer to everything ?
Probably not , '' she says .
But , `` I think there 's some optimism now . ''

The region is reliably Republican - Marathon County went for Trump over Clinton by an 18 point margin in 2016 - and is home to more than 95% of the United States' ginseng, almost all of which is shipped to China.


bbc--2020-01-17--'We can get along because that's America'

`` A queer clergy , non-gender normative individual and a big hairy Trump guy , and here we are getting @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The BBC 's Jane O'Brien meets Reverend Shayna Appel and Nick Desautels at @ @ @ @ @ Pete Buttigieg in New Hampshire .

"A queer clergy, non-gender normative individual and a big hairy Trump guy, and here we are getting along because that's America."
The BBC's Jane O'Brien meets Reverend Shayna Appel and Nick Desautels at a rally for Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg in New Hampshire.


bbc--2020-01-17--The big question Canadians have about royal move

Many Canadians have an affection for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex .
But one big question is hanging over the shock news of the couple 's part-time relocation to Canada - what will it cost ?
There has been plenty of chatter in Canada since Prince Harry and Meghan said they would be stepping back as senior royals and spending part of their time in North America .
The duchess is spending time on Canada 's west coast with their infant son as the couple flesh out the details of their move away from their role as full-time royals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the main preoccupation hovering over the royal couple 's decision to spend part of their time in Canada comes down to who will foot the bill - especially if they are spending the bulk of their time as private citizens .
Some have outright rejected the idea of the public shouldering any costs for the couple .
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois - a federal party that represents the interests of Quebec , a province where attitudes towards the monarchy tend to be frostier than in the rest of Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay a dime .
Yves-Francois Blanchet quipped he was already paying for a Netflix subscription , where he could watch The Crown , a drama about Queen Elizabeth II 's reign .
He is not alone in not wanting to fork over any cash .
A public opinion poll released this week by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute indicated that 73 % of Canadians have no interest in paying any of the costs for security and other expenditures associated with their relocation .
`` This view is consistent across demographic groups including age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the organisation said in a release .
Just 3 % of respondents told the pollster that Canadians should pick up the tab for security and other necessary costs , and 19 % said they were fine with paying a portion of the bill .
• Dividing time in two countries ?
How I make it work The Canadian Taxpayers Federation , a taxpayer advocacy group , says the current debate over who should ante up for costs related to the members of the monarchy is different from those that regularly bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a constitutional monarchy - its head of state is Queen Elizabeth II - and things like Royal tours and the office of the Governor General , who is the Queen 's representative in Canada , are paid for by the public purse .
`` Normally when we get into debates about the cost of the monarchy in this country there 's a pretty clear line - people who are monarchists and people who are small ' r ' republicans , '' says Aaron Wudrick , the organisation 's federal director .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` changed the dynamic '' .
`` The distinction is a bit like a friend who comes over for dinner and you 're happy to prepare their meal versus them deciding they 're going to move in and still expecting you to cook for them all the time , '' he said .
• Why Meghan and Harry have Canada in their sights • Harry and Meghan step back : What will happen next ?
`` I think that 's how a lot of Canadians see this .
I actually do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's a general view that people who have a lot of means and the capacity to pay for themselves should be doing it . ''
The duke and duchess themselves have not said they expect Canadians to pick up the tab , Mr Wudrick notes , and federal officials have admitted it 's not clear yet how costs may be divided - or what those costs would be .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told broadcaster Global News this week that `` there 's still a lot of decisions to be taken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves as to what level of engagement they choose to have '' .
The question of security costs is `` part of the reflection that needs to be had and there are discussions going on '' , he said .
So while the Queen has agreed to the couple 's wish to step back as senior royals , become financially independent and to split their time between the UK and Canada , the details of the transition are still being worked out .
Mr Wudrick says that `` in the interests of settling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tempest in a teapot - it would be helpful if the duke and duchess could provide some clarity on what their expectations are '' .
• Why Meghan Markle gets compared to Princess Diana • Where do Prince Harry and Meghan get their money ?
John Michaelson , with the Monarchist League of Canada , agrees answers should come sooner rather than later .
Most Canadians do n't spend much time thinking about the Royal Family or their official role in Canada , he says , and the benefits of the institution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of community , ceremonial , and constitutional engagements the family and the Queen 's representatives there carry out annually across the country .
The league have released regular reports on costs related to the Canadian Crown for the past 20 years `` to try and bring the point home that this is something that we get great benefit from and it does n't cost a great deal '' , he said .
The tally is approximately C $ 1.68 ( $ 1.29 ; £0.99 ) a year per Canadian for the general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their most recent study .
Mr Michaelson says Prince Harry and Meghan 's relocation is also an opportunity for the pair to deepen their engagement with organisations like the Prince 's Trust Canada , a charitable endeavour established by Prince of Wales in 2011 .
Meanwhile , a columnist with the National Post newspaper said the debate over the likely negligible relative cost of protecting direct close relations to Canada 's head of state `` has revealed one of the ugliest elements of the Canadian national character '' .
`` It 's true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cheapskates , '' wrote Matt Gurney .
Richard Powers , with Toronto 's Rotman School of Management , told the BBC that Canada could see some economic benefits from having the famous couple in the country , primarily in the non-profit sector .
Both Prince Harry and Meghan have said they are interested in continuing with their charity work , with the duchess visiting two Vancouver-based women 's organisations this week .
But Mr Wudrick dismisses the idea that doing charitable works should be enough to open the public purse strings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-sports player with a lot of money moved here and they donate to charity and they do good things , they [ still ] pay for themselves , '' he said .

Most Canadians don't spend much time thinking about the Royal Family or their official role in Canada, he says, and the benefits of the institution are often hidden from view - the thousands of community, ceremonial, and constitutional engagements the family and the Queen's representatives there carry out annually across the country.


bbc--2020-01-17--Minnesota voters cast first ballots of 2020 election

The first votes of the 2020 primary presidential election have been cast in the Midwestern state of Minnesota .
Voters are deciding which Democratic presidential hopeful they want to become the party 's eventual nominee in the November presidential election .
Though Iowa 's contest next month will be the first to announce a candidate as winning the state , early voting began in Minnesota on Friday .
Thousands of early ballots have already been cast .
The nation is fixated on Iowa 's caucus - party-held elections across the state 's precincts - on 3 February as the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters from several states will have already had their say by then .
• Who will take on Trump in 2020 ?
• US election 2020 : All you need to know • What US farmers make of Trump 's trade deal After this primary election process , each party will name their presidential nominee in the summer .
Voters will then cast their ballots for the next president of the United States on 3 November .
Facing frigid temperatures of -2°F ( -19°C ) , voters in Minneapolis - the seat of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arriving to vote at 08:00 local time , when polling stations opened .
`` We even had a little bit of a line , '' Ginny Gelm , the Hennepin county elections manager , told the BBC .
Over 280 people had cast ballots in person in the county before noon and over 6,000 more had been received by post , Ms Gelm said .
Thirty-eight US states and the District of Columbia allow voters to cast ballots before election day , either in person or by mail .
These 'absentee ' ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel overseas , or those not able to get to a poll station on election day .
Though some jurisdictions have already begun accepting ballots by post , Minnesota is the first to open polling stations where voters can turn up .
They have 46 days to vote before the state 's primary election day on 3 March , when over a dozen other states and territories will also hold their primary contests on the so-called 'Super Tuesday ' .
Vermont , Virginia and North Dakota will also open polls for early voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increasingly popular , though most voters still wait until election day .
In 2000 , 16 % of voters cast early ballots in the general election , compared to nearly 40 % in 2016 .
Where are the candidates ?
Amy Klobuchar , a Minnesota senator who is running for president , campaigned in her home state as polls were open , but others were on the ground in Iowa and New Hampshire , which hold primary contests next month .
A strong result in the two February races can give a lift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice president , and Bernie Sanders , the Vermont senator , are the frontrunners , according to polls .
Though Mr Sanders was not there for the first ballots , Ilhan Omar , a Minnesota congresswoman and supporter , campaigned in the state Friday on his behalf .
Candidates still have a long road ahead .
Americans wo n't know their next president until the general election on 3 November .

The nation is fixated on Iowa's caucus - party-held elections across the state's precincts - on 3 February as the start of the 2020 election season, but voters from several states will have already had their say by then.


bbc--2020-01-17--Can Microsoft's 'moonshot' carbon goal succeed?

Tech giant Microsoft has announced two bold ambitions : firstly , to become carbon negative by the year 2030 - meaning it will be removing more carbon from the air than it emits - and secondly , to have removed more carbon by 2050 than it has emitted , in total , in its entire history .
In an interview with the BBC 's Chris Fox , Microsoft president Brad Smith admitted that the plan was a `` moonshot '' - a very big idea with no guaranteed outcome or profitability - for the company .
He stressed there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to take the time to do the job properly .
He also said that the tools required do n't entirely exist yet .
Mr Smith talked about tree planting , and direct air capture - a way of removing carbon from the air and returning it to the soil - as examples of available options .
`` Ultimately we need better technology , '' he said .
But do n't expect Microsoft to roll up its sleeves : `` That 's not a business we will ever be in but it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he added , announcing a $ 1bn Climate Innovation Fund , established with the intention of helping others develop in this space .
He expects support from the wider tech sector , he said , `` because it 's a sector that 's doing well , it can afford to make these investments and it should . ''
But historically , is n't it also one of the worst offenders ?
CES in Las Vegas , the huge consumer tech show , has just ended .
It was attended by 180,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to look at mountains of plastic devices clamouring to be the Next Big Thing .
From gas-guzzling cars and power-hungry data centres to difficult-to-recycle devices and the constant consumer push to upgrade to new shiny plastic gadgets - the tech sector 's green credentials are not exactly a blueprint for environmental friendliness despite much-publicised occasional projects .
There was no immediate announcement from fellow tech giants about any collaborations with Microsoft , or indeed similar initiatives of their own - but the aim is ahead of the current ambitions of many , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which have not ( yet ) made a `` carbon negative '' commitment .
That said , software-maker Intuit has pledged to be carbon negative by 2030 , and Jeff Bezos announced in September 2019 that Amazon would be carbon neutral by 2040 .
`` Competition can make each of us better , '' he said of the notoriously rivalry-fuelled industry .
`` If we make each other better the world is going to be better off and we should applaud each other as we take these new steps . ''
Mr Smith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Xbox '' , Microsoft 's games console , was as much part of the firm 's carbon footprint as the carbon that went into creating the cement used in its buildings .
However , he did not suggest scaling back on collaborations with the big energy firms - on the contrary , we are going to need more power rather than less in the coming decades , he said - and that has troubled campaigner Greenpeace .
`` While there is a lot to celebrate in Microsoft 's announcement , a gaping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to help fossil fuel companies drill more oil and gas with machine-learning and other AI technologies , '' commented senior campaigner Elizabeth Jardim .
Environmental awareness , especially among the under-30s , will ultimately prove to be a big driver for market change , Mr Smith believes .
`` I think it 's interesting to think about a future where buying a product and understanding how much carbon was emitted to create it is like going to the supermarket and looking at what 's on the shelf and seeing how many calories @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"I think it's interesting to think about a future where buying a product and understanding how much carbon was emitted to create it is like going to the supermarket and looking at what's on the shelf and seeing how many calories it contains," he said.


bbc--2020-01-17--Portrait of a Lady: Painting found in wall confirmed as stolen Klimt

A painting discovered by chance last month is a Gustav Klimt original that was stolen nearly 23 years ago , Italian authorities have confirmed .
The painting , Portrait of a Lady , was taken from a gallery in the northern city of Piacenza in 1997 .
It was thought to have disappeared for good until gardeners clearing away ivy found it concealed in an external wall at the same gallery .
The Klimt has an estimated value of at least €60m ( $ 66m ; £51m ) .
Why the painting was left in the wall at the Ricci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mystery .
• The mystery of the stolen Klimt '' It is with no small emotion that I can tell you the work is authentic , '' said Prosecutor Ornella Chicca .
She said further tests would clarify whether the painting had been inside the wall space ever since it was stolen , or if it was placed there later .
After those tests were complete the artwork would go back on display , Ms Chicca added .
To determine its authenticity , experts studied the painting under infrared and ultraviolet light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during tests in 1996 .
`` The correspondence between the images allowed us to determine that it 's definitely the original painting , '' art expert Guido Cauzzi said .
He said the condition of the work was `` relatively good '' , adding : `` It 's gone through a few ordeals but only needs some routine care , nothing particularly complicated . ''
Portrait of a Lady was painted in 1916-17 by Viennese artist Gustav Klimt towards the end of his life .
It was bought by Giuseppe Ricci Oddi in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was stolen on 22 February 1997 amid preparations for a special exhibition .
The frame of the painting was discarded on the roof of the building to make it appear that thieves had broken in through the skylight .
That was not the case as the skylight was too small for the painting to fit through .
In December , gardeners clearing ivy from a wall stumbled on a metal panel .
Behind it lay a recess , within which was a black bag containing the missing painting .
The ivy covering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for almost a decade , officials said .
Shortly before it was stolen , art student Claudia Maga revealed that it had been painted over another Klimt painting , Portrait of a Young Lady , which had not been seen since 1912 .
She managed to prove her theory by persuading the Piacenza gallery 's former director to have it X-rayed .
The original painting was of a young girl from Vienna who had died .
Klimt had painted over the portrait when the girl died suddenly , to forget the pain of @ @ @

The frame of the painting was discarded on the roof of the building to make it appear that thieves had broken in through the skylight. That was not the case as the skylight was too small for the painting to fit through.


bbc--2020-01-17--Countdown clock to illuminate Downing Street on Brexit Day

A clock counting down to the moment the UK leaves the EU on 31 January will be projected on to Downing Street as part of government plans to mark Brexit Day .
The clock will tick down to 23:00 GMT , while Prime Minister Boris Johnson will give a `` special '' address to the nation in the evening , the government said .
A special 50p coin will also enter circulation to mark the occasion .
Meanwhile , a campaign to find £500,000 to make Big Ben ring when the UK leaves the EU has raised more than £200,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leave Means Leave group have donated £50,000 to the campaign .
• Why are Big Ben 's Brexit bongs so costly ?
Downing Street has said the prime minister will chair a cabinet meeting in the north of England during the day , to discuss spreading `` prosperity and opportunity '' .
He will then make a special address to the nation in the evening .
Mr Johnson is expected to be one of the first people to receive one of the newly-minted 50p coins , which will bear the motto `` peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Buildings around Whitehall will be lit up to mark Brexit , with the government saying that , `` in response to public calls , the Union Jack will be flown on all of the flag poles in Parliament Square '' .
The government says it will use the `` significant moment in our history '' to `` heal divisions , re-unite communities and look forward to the country that we want to build over the next decade . ''
However , it is not certain whether Big Ben - which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work going on at the Houses of Parliament - will chime to mark the moment the UK leaves the EU .
Earlier this week , Mr Johnson told BBC Breakfast he wanted the public to raise funds to ensure this can happen .
The House of Commons Commission estimates the cost will be up to £500,000 , and it has raised concerns over using donations to fund the project .
It says this would involve bringing back the chiming mechanism and installing a temporary floor , resulting in delays to the conservation work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4 Brexit set up an online appeal to raise the money , collecting more than £200,000 by Friday evening .
Conservative MP Mark Francois told BBC Radio 4 's The World at One that the pro-Brexit Leave Means Leave campaign and Mr Banks had donated £50,000 .
He queried whether the cost of getting the bell to ring again was really £500,000 , adding that he believed officials had `` deliberately inflated the figure '' because `` they do n't want to do it '' .
It comes as Downing Street has said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they fail to sign up to the settled status scheme by the 2021 .
Under the settlement scheme , EU citizens living in the UK can apply to stay in the country after Brexit .
So far the number of applicants to the scheme has hit more than 2.7 million .
UK voters backed leaving the EU by a margin of 52 % to 48 % in the June 2016 referendum .

A campaign to find the £500,000 needed to make Big Ben ring when the UK leaves the EU has raised more than £200,000, but the House of Commons Commission cast doubt on whether it was permitted to use public donations to cover the costs.


bbc--2020-01-17--Brazil's culture minister fired after echoing Goebbels

Brazil 's culture minister has been sacked after using parts of a speech by Nazi Germany 's propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels in a video , sparking outrage .
In the clip posted on the ministry 's Twitter page , Roberto Alvim detailed an award for `` heroic '' and `` national '' art .
Lohengrin by Wagner , Hitler 's favourite composer , played in the background .
Earlier , Mr Alvim said the now-deleted video was a `` rhetorical coincidence '' .
Far-right President Jair Bolsonaro said the speech had been `` unfortunate '' .
`` I reiterate our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Nazism and communism , as well as any inference to them .
We also express our full and unrestricted support for the Jewish community , of which we 're friends and share many common values , '' the president said on Twitter .
• How Brazil 's culture wars are being waged in classrooms In the six-minute video detailing the National Arts Awards , Mr Alvim said : `` The Brazilian art of the next decade will be heroic and will be national , will be endowed with great capacity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent aspirations of our people , or else it will be nothing . ''
Parts of it were identical to a speech quoted in the book Joseph Goebbels : A Biography , by German historian Peter Longerich , who has written several works on the Holocaust .
`` The German art of the next decade will be heroic , it will be steely-romantic , it will be factual and completely free of sentimentality , it will be national with great pathos and binding , or it will be nothing . ''
Goebbels led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ designed to brainwash people into obeying the Nazis and idolising leader Adolf Hitler .
Its methods included censorship of the press and control of radio broadcasts , as well as control of culture and arts .
In a post on his Facebook page , Mr Alvim , a theatre director who was appointed to the ministerial post last year , said `` the left was doing a fallacious remote association '' between the two speeches , and that `` there was nothing wrong with his sentence '' .
`` The whole speech was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazilian art and there was a coincidence with ONE sentence of a speech by Goebbels .
I did n't quote him and I 'd NEVER do it ...
But the sentence itself is perfect . ''
Later , in a second post , he said `` the speech had been written from various ideas linked to nationalist art that had been brought by his advisers '' .
He did not comment on the music that played in the video in any of his posts .
Among those who called for him to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house of Brazil 's Congress , Rodrigo Maia , who said Mr Alvim had `` gone beyond all limits '' with an `` inacceptable '' video .
The Brazilian Israelite Confederation said : `` To emulate [ Goebbels ' ] view ... is a frightening sign of his vision of culture , which must be combated and contained . ''
It called for Mr Alvim 's immediate removal , adding : `` Brazil , which sent brave soldiers to combat Nazism on European soil , does n't deserve it . ''
Mr Bolsonaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative social agenda , has frequently accused Brazil 's artists and cultural productions including schoolbooks and movies of `` left-wing bias '' .

Later, in a second post, he said "the speech had been written from various ideas linked to nationalist art that had been brought by his advisers". He did not comment on the music that played in the video in any of his posts.


bbc--2020-01-17--Squash seeks recognition in famed NYC rail station

Although 20 million people play squash around the world , it is not an Olympic game .
The Tournament of @ @ @ @ @ York 's Grand Central Terminal hopes to bring more recognition to the sport .

Although 20 million people play squash around the world, it is not an Olympic game. The Tournament of Champions being held in New York's Grand Central Terminal hopes to bring more recognition to the sport.


bbc--2020-01-18--'You can quit': Colombian cocaine farmers' message to UK user

Lewis is a young occasional cocaine user from the Midlands in the UK .
The BBC set up a video @ @ @ @ @ Colombian men who harvest coca leaves and turn them into cocaine using ingredients such as @ @ @ @ @ Lewis : `` I do n't want to take it because I know what is @ @ @ @ @ full Our World documentary , Colombia : The New Cocaine War , can be watched @ @ @ @ @ on BBC World News .
If you are affected by drug addiction , information and @ @ @ @ @ Action Line .

Lewis is a young occasional cocaine user from the Midlands in the UK.
The BBC set up a video chat between him and two Colombian men who harvest coca leaves and turn them into cocaine using ingredients such as petrol.
One farmer told Lewis: "I don't want to take it because I know what is in it."
The full Our World documentary, Colombia: The New Cocaine War, can be watched at various times this weekend on BBC World News and BBC News Channel.
If you are affected by drug addiction, information and support is available from BBC Action Line.


bbc--2020-01-18--Bury FC: The football fans without a team

When Bury FC was expelled from the English Football League in August 2019 , its supporters were left with no team to follow and a hole in their Saturday afternoons .
Many have found it too painful to watch any football since .
But they hope the club can somehow be revived .
Photographer Madeleine Penfold has been following them .
Every other Saturday , Kenny Hindle would leave his sheltered housing , take the bus into town , go for a pint and then watch the team he has supported for more than 70 years .
Not any more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football in August after the collapse of a takeover bid and its failure to provide financial guarantees .
`` What do you do without bloody football ? ''
says Hindle , who is 78 .
`` Bit boring when you just watch TV . ''
Kenny is n't alone in feeling bereft .
The new MP for Bury North , James Daly , used his maiden speech in the House of Commons to say the loss of football at Bury FC `` has increased social isolation '' and that some supporters `` no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a lifetime '' .
When the turnstiles closed for the last time at Bury 's ground , Gigg Lane , fans left shirts , scarves , flags and messages outside .
Some of them are inscribed with the words `` Dale out '' - a reference to the deeply unpopular owner who bought the club for a £1 and did n't pay the players for weeks on end .
For fans who have a long relationship with the club , it 's difficult seeing Gigg Lane lie empty .
Joy Hart , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chained herself to a drainpipe outside the stadium during protests in August last year .
Her father , Les - a former Bury player and manager - has a stand named after him , and she has faith that Bury FC will rise from the ashes .
She says , `` I think we will all come together , and that 's all we need for Gigg Lane to rise again . ''
No football will be played at Gigg Lane this season but the company that owns the club has not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has worked at Bury FC - nicknamed the Shakers - for over three decades , continues to keep the pitch match-ready .
Without football on Saturday afternoons , many of the pubs around Gigg Lane began to suffer financially , because supporters were no longer meeting there for drinks before and after matches .
Some fans came up with a plan - Saturday afternoon meet-ups at three of the pubs and clubs that have suffered the most , with recordings of old Bury matches played on the screens and memories shared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gigg Lane is Daphne 's Cafe .
When the players trained nearby they came to Daphne 's for their breakfasts .
These days Debra Melia runs a quieter cafe , with the main morning trade coming from students at the local college .
Former club photographer Zoe Hitchen put together an exhibition in Manchester celebrating the club 's 134-year-history from the point of view of the fans .
She wanted to hold it because she felt `` the true value of Bury FC - which is people and community - has been forgotten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care because that football club was my extended family . ''
In October 2019 some fans organised a fundraising match between former players which took place at nearby Radcliffe FC .
The teams were led on to the pitch by Kenny Hindle .
The match was sold out and raised over £14,000 to revive the club - either to support any buyer who came forward to purchase the existing Bury FC , or to set up a new , `` phoenix '' side .
A new club , named Bury AFC after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join the North West Counties League .
They are looking into ground-sharing for the 2020-21 season and hope , eventually , to play at Gigg Lane .
Dominic Martinez is a project manager by profession .
In recent months he has been one of the volunteers devoting any available time to setting up the phoenix club .
`` I could live without Bury football club for the rest of my life , I 've got the memories , I 've been to Wembley , I 've seen championships , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next generation : `` My son is never going to have that unless I do something . ''
Four hundred fans came to Bury Town Hall in December to hear about options for the future of football in Bury .
They were told that a consortium was in talks to buy the club from its current owner .
Entrepreneur Robert Benfold outline his plan if the current club goes into liquidation .
Chris Murray from the phoenix club said : `` We 've ensured that there will at least be some football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Byron Rudravajhala was born on the day in January 2019 that Bury came back from 3-1 down to beat MK Dons 4-3 , when both teams were still playing in League Two .
His dad , Sanny , managed to take his son to one game before the club stopped playing .
He says : `` One thing I really was looking forward to as a new dad was taking my son to the football .
Hopefully that can happen again in the future . ''
You may also be interested in ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means to them to have been left without a team , and why they 're determined to fight for something that `` brings people together '' .
Bury Football Club 's fans fight to keep their club alive

Byron Rudravajhala was born on the day in January 2019 that Bury came back from 3-1 down to beat MK Dons 4-3, when both teams were still playing in League Two. His dad, Sanny, managed to take his son to one game before the club stopped playing. He says: "One thing I really was looking forward to as a new dad was taking my son to the football. Hopefully that can happen again in the future."


bbc--2020-01-17--‘Why England's Ollie Pope is the real deal and belongs in Test cricket’ - Agnew column

Every now and then you see a young player come into international cricket and you know that they are on a different level .
Joe Root was the last one England had .
There was Alastair Cook and Ian Bell before that .
You watch them and think 'this youngster is going to make it ' .
In scoring 135 not out on the second day of the third Test against South Africa , his maiden century , Pope showed that he has everything it takes to have an outstanding career .
There are no signs of tension , nerves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players that are new to the side desperately fighting to prove they are worthy of their place .
Not for players like Pope , who seamlessly move up to the highest level and look like they belong .
The Surrey man , who is only 22 , first had a go at Test cricket back in 2018 , with two matches against India .
At that time , it was difficult to take anything from those outings because he was batting at number four - two places higher than he ever had for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent so little time at the crease .
It was too fleeting to make a judgement .
Now we can see that he is a very modern batsman , with a sound technique .
People will talk about the comparisons with Bell , the lovely late cuts behind square on the off side and the beautiful drives through the covers , but there is also an incredible extension to his repertoire - the ramps and scoops - which have been brought about entirely by Twenty20 cricket .
He is not a big hitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player .
He makes things looks so easy and he is an incredibly exciting prospect for this England team .
I have spent a little bit of time with Pope on these winter tours of New Zealand and South Africa .
Often , when they are playing away , England will host quiz nights and invite former players who happen to be in the country , either with the media or travelling fan groups .
It is a bit like an 'England club ' , which is a lovely idea .
In New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my quiz team , which is why I now call him 'skipper ' when I see him .
He came across as a lovely young man with a very good sense of humour , albeit with some improvement needed to his spelling .
The hope is that he keeps on track and his game is not forced or pushed , that there is no talk of him being a future captain or anything like that .
He should be left alone to enjoy his cricket .
You would want to see him establish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the settled pair of Root at four and Ben Stokes at five , and not worry about an elevation to number three .
I doubt any of this success will go to his head , especially with a mentor like Alec Stewart at Surrey there to keep his feet on the ground .
We often see young players arrive , do well , then disappear .
Something tells me that will not be the case with Ollie Pope .
He did a lot of his batting with Stokes , who made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running out of new ways to praise Stokes , but what we can say is that joining Ian Botham as the only England players to score 4,000 runs and take 100 wickets in Tests puts him in outstanding company .
We often think of the great all-rounders as hard-hitting batsmen .
Botham certainly was .
Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee too .
And that is how Stokes began .
As one of the world 's leading limited-overs players , that part of his game remains .
But he has also adapted , tightening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you would happily let him bat for your life .
He is a proper Test batsman .
England promoted him to number three for one Test against Sri Lanka last winter .
Given how technically sound he is , it was not a ludicrous idea .
He may well do it again in the future .
When you add that to his natural power and the innovations he has in the short forms of the game , then his bag of tricks is fit to burst .
That is before we even consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Pope scoring centuries , then Dom Bess chipping in with two wickets late on Friday , England are in a fantastic position to win the third Test and take a 2-1 lead in the series .
If the forecast is accurate , England may get the best of the bowling conditions .
The first two days have mainly been hot and humid , with the rain and cloud only rolling in late on the second day .
If England find themselves them in a position to enforce the follow-on , the cool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physically fresh enough to do just that .

Ollie Pope became the youngest England batsman to make his maiden Test century since Alastair Cook
Ollie Pope is the real deal.
Every now and then you see a young player come into international cricket and you know that they are on a different level.
Joe Root was the last one England had. There was Alastair Cook and Ian Bell before that. You watch them and think 'this youngster is going to make it'.
In scoring 135 not out on the second day of the third Test against South Africa, his maiden century, Pope showed that he has everything it takes to have an outstanding career.
There are no signs of tension, nerves or pressure. Sometimes, you see players that are new to the side desperately fighting to prove they are worthy of their place.
Not for players like Pope, who seamlessly move up to the highest level and look like they belong.
The Surrey man, who is only 22, first had a go at Test cricket back in 2018, with two matches against India.
At that time, it was difficult to take anything from those outings because he was batting at number four - two places higher than he ever had for his county at that point - and spent so little time at the crease. It was too fleeting to make a judgement.
Now we can see that he is a very modern batsman, with a sound technique. People will talk about the comparisons with Bell, the lovely late cuts behind square on the off side and the beautiful drives through the covers, but there is also an incredible extension to his repertoire - the ramps and scoops - which have been brought about entirely by Twenty20 cricket.
He is not a big hitter and instead is more of a touch player. He makes things looks so easy and he is an incredibly exciting prospect for this England team.
I have spent a little bit of time with Pope on these winter tours of New Zealand and South Africa.
Often, when they are playing away, England will host quiz nights and invite former players who happen to be in the country, either with the media or travelling fan groups. It is a bit like an 'England club', which is a lovely idea.
In New Zealand, Pope was the captain of my quiz team, which is why I now call him 'skipper' when I see him. He came across as a lovely young man with a very good sense of humour, albeit with some improvement needed to his spelling.
The hope is that he keeps on track and his game is not forced or pushed, that there is no talk of him being a future captain or anything like that. He should be left alone to enjoy his cricket.
You would want to see him establish himself as England's number six, behind the settled pair of Root at four and Ben Stokes at five, and not worry about an elevation to number three.
I doubt any of this success will go to his head, especially with a mentor like Alec Stewart at Surrey there to keep his feet on the ground.
We often see young players arrive, do well, then disappear. Something tells me that will not be the case with Ollie Pope.
Ben Stokes and Ollie Pope shared 203 for England's fifth wicket
He did a lot of his batting with Stokes, who made a century of his own.
We are running out of new ways to praise Stokes, but what we can say is that joining Ian Botham as the only England players to score 4,000 runs and take 100 wickets in Tests puts him in outstanding company.
We often think of the great all-rounders as hard-hitting batsmen. Botham certainly was. Imran Khan and Richard Hadlee too.
And that is how Stokes began. As one of the world's leading limited-overs players, that part of his game remains.
But he has also adapted, tightening his defence to such a degree that you would happily let him bat for your life. He is a proper Test batsman.
England promoted him to number three for one Test against Sri Lanka last winter. Given how technically sound he is, it was not a ludicrous idea. He may well do it again in the future.
When you add that to his natural power and the innovations he has in the short forms of the game, then his bag of tricks is fit to burst.
That is before we even consider his bowling and fielding.
With Stokes and Pope scoring centuries, then Dom Bess chipping in with two wickets late on Friday, England are in a fantastic position to win the third Test and take a 2-1 lead in the series.
If the forecast is accurate, England may get the best of the bowling conditions. The first two days have mainly been hot and humid, with the rain and cloud only rolling in late on the second day.
If England find themselves them in a position to enforce the follow-on, the cool weather could mean that the bowlers are physically fresh enough to do just that.
Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport's Stephan Shemilt


bbc--2020-01-17--Fulham beat Middlesbrough to go third in Championship

Fulham moved up to third in the Championship as Anthony Knockaert 's early goal gave them victory over in-form Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage .
Knockaert capped a blistering opening half an hour from the hosts with what proved to be the winner , meeting Joe Bryan 's low fizzing cross to tap home at the far post .
It was the least Fulham deserved for their relentless first-half pressure , with the absence of injured top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic perhaps telling as Scott Parker 's side squandered at least three guilt-edged opportunities .
Ivan Cavaleiro and Josh Onomah were most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ target when well placed , while Denis Odoi deflected Hayden Coulson 's cross on to his own crossbar on a rare foray forward from Boro .
The contest was much tighter after half-time , although Odoi thought he had made the game safe when his glancing header found the corner of the net - only to be flagged offside by the barest of margins .
But Fulham were able to see the game out relatively comfortably to leapfrog Brentford and close the gap to the automatic promotion places to four points .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with defeat in west London their first in six league matches , after they had clawed themselves clear of relegation trouble .
That run included eye-catching wins at West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End , but they never came close to repeating that level of performance against Fulham .
Knockaert had already curled one effort wide even before opening the scoring in the sixth minute , while captain Tom Cairney and Bryan also had efforts saved .
Paddy McNair came closest to an equaliser in the closing stages , inadvertently guiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far corner and forcing goalkeeper Marek Rodak into a smart save .
Fulham manager Scott Parker told BBC Radio London : `` I thought we were very , very good first half .
And I thought second half we had some big chances but did n't capitalise .
`` We were n't clinical enough in the first half .
I thought everything we 've worked on this week worked so well .
`` But we won the game with another clean sheet , we looked pretty solid and for the majority of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Tees : `` Fulham are a good team .
They were right on top .
But we kept on going .
`` We did n't give up .
In the second half , we were miles better . ''
On the signing of goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic on Thursday , Woodgate added : `` His concentration level is very good .
He makes important saves , he 's quick off his line .
`` It 's Aynsley [ Pears ] 's shirt to lose at the minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aynsley for the number one spot along with Tommy [ Tomas Mejias ] .
You ca n't drop Aynsley .
He 's done really well . ''

Last updated on .From the section Championship
Anthony Knockaert scored his first Championship goal since September to give Fulham victory
Fulham moved up to third in the Championship as Anthony Knockaert's early goal gave them victory over in-form Middlesbrough at Craven Cottage.
Knockaert capped a blistering opening half an hour from the hosts with what proved to be the winner, meeting Joe Bryan's low fizzing cross to tap home at the far post.
It was the least Fulham deserved for their relentless first-half pressure, with the absence of injured top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic perhaps telling as Scott Parker's side squandered at least three gilt-edged opportunities.
Ivan Cavaleiro and Josh Onomah were most guilty, both failing to hit the target when well placed, while Denis Odoi deflected Hayden Coulson's cross on to his own crossbar on a rare foray forward from Boro.
The contest was much tighter after half-time, although Odoi thought he had made the game safe when his glancing header found the corner of the net - only to be flagged offside by the barest of margins.
But Fulham were able to see the game out relatively comfortably to leapfrog Brentford and close the gap to the automatic promotion places to four points.
The result also checks Middlesbrough's recent resurgence, with defeat in west London their first in six league matches, after they had clawed themselves clear of relegation trouble.
That run included eye-catching wins at West Bromwich Albion and Preston North End, but they never came close to repeating that level of performance against Fulham.
Knockaert had already curled one effort wide even before opening the scoring in the sixth minute, while captain Tom Cairney and Bryan also had efforts saved.
Paddy McNair came closest to an equaliser in the closing stages, inadvertently guiding a free-kick from out wide towards the far corner and forcing goalkeeper Marek Rodak into a smart save.
Fulham manager Scott Parker told BBC Radio London: "I thought we were very, very good first half. And I thought second half we had some big chances but didn't capitalise.
"We weren't clinical enough in the first half. I thought everything we've worked on this week worked so well.
"But we won the game with another clean sheet, we looked pretty solid and for the majority of the game we played some good stuff."
Middlesbrough boss Jonathan Woodgate told BBC Tees: "Fulham are a good team. They were right on top. But we kept on going.
"We didn't give up. In the second half, we were miles better."
On the signing of goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic on Thursday, Woodgate added: "His concentration level is very good. He makes important saves, he's quick off his line.
"It's Aynsley [Pears]'s shirt to lose at the minute so Dejan will come in and challenge Aynsley for the number one spot along with Tommy [Tomas Mejias]. You can't drop Aynsley. He's done really well."


bbc--2020-01-17--Arfield and Defoe see Rangers past Stranraer in Scottish Cup

Rangers began their Scottish Cup campaign with a routine victory over Stranraer at Ibrox to ease into the fifth round .
Scottish League One 's bottom club held out until Scott Arfield poked home on the cusp of half-time .
Jermain Defoe doubled the lead from the spot as Rangers , showing seven changes from their Old Firm derby triumph , made a winning return from the winter break .
Steven Gerrard 's side are the first club into Sunday 's last-16 draw .
Stranraer , with former Scottish Premiership players Jamie Hamill and Ryan Stevenson in their side , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but offered virtually nothing in attack .
• Who was your man of the match ?
After an impeccably observed minute 's silence for former Rangers goalkeeper and Scotland manager Bobby Brown , who died this week aged 96 , Stranraer set about trying to keep the hosts quiet .
It was a thankless and exhausting task that came with a cruel twist as League One 's bottom club looked set to make it to half-time unscathed .
Rangers had an unfamiliar look as Gerrard fielded a host of fringe men .
Few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager they deserve more regular inclusion .
Jordan Jones , Andy Halliday and goalkeeper Wes Foderingham were making their first start in months , while right-back Nathan Patterson impressed on his debut .
The rangy 18-year-old , given the freedom of the flank as Stranraer packed the middle of the pitch , supplied a series of excellent deliveries .
And he came close to marking his big night with a goal , his second-half snapshot bringing out the best in former Ibrox youth goalkeeper Max Currie .
Stranraer were hemmed in by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at their massed ranks .
Defoe sent a couple of efforts whistling just past the post before the break , while Jones , Nikola Katic and Joe Aribo tried their luck with no success .
Ryan Jack almost prised open the stubborn visitors when he played a one-two with Defoe and saw his drive deflected on to the post by Currie .
When Stranraer were finally undone it was a scruffy opener from a corner that should have been a goal-kick for the visitors .
Regardless , the set-piece was floated into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a miss and Arfield pounced to fire home .
Currie clawed a Katic header away from the top corner to prevent further damage and pulled off eye-catching saves from Defoe 's close-range blast and a Davis drive after the restart as Stranraer kept throwing their knackered bodies on the line .
The result was never really in doubt but Defoe made sure when his smart turn coaxed Adam Cummins into clipping the striker 's heels .
Defoe tucked the penalty into the bottom left-hand corner for his 15th goal of the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gerrard keen not to over-exert the striker who will lead the line in Rangers ' next two league games in place of suspended Alfredo Morelos .
Aribo threatened a third on a couple of occasions , and 17-year-old midfielder Kai Kennedy came off the bench for his Rangers debut , but the match petered out as Stranraer departed with heads held high .
The 18-year-old is highly regarded at Ibrox and showed why with an assured debut .
Comfortable and unfussy in possession , his eye for an accurate cross is a real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sidelined for at least a couple of weeks , Patterson could have a bigger role to play in the upcoming games and will take confidence from his first taste of action .
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard : `` It was a dominant performance in-terms of possession and really only one team trying to find the answers and create .
`` The priority was to get in the next round and it was a chance to give people an opportunity and knock a bit of rust off from the break .
But , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to see more . ''
Stranraer manager Steven Farrell : `` We worked all week trying to invite Rangers into wider areas rather than the centre of the park where they are so dangerous .
I thought we did that .
I do n't think Rangers carved us open .
`` Ultimately , we 've lost two goals - one from a second phase on a corner kick and the other from a penalty .
Over the piece , I thought we were excellent .
There have been better teams than Stranraer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much heavier defeats . ''

Last updated on .From the section Scottish Cup
Rangers began their Scottish Cup campaign with a routine victory over Stranraer at Ibrox to ease into the fifth round.
Scottish League One's bottom club held out until Scott Arfield poked home on the cusp of half-time.
Jermain Defoe doubled the lead from the spot as Rangers, showing seven changes from their Old Firm derby triumph, made a winning return from the winter break.
Steven Gerrard's side are the first club into Sunday's last-16 draw.
Stranraer, with former Scottish Premiership players Jamie Hamill and Ryan Stevenson in their side, defended bravely to keep the scoreline respectable but offered virtually nothing in attack.
Patterson sparkles on debut
After an impeccably observed minute's silence for former Rangers goalkeeper and Scotland manager Bobby Brown, who died this week aged 96, Stranraer set about trying to keep the hosts quiet.
It was a thankless and exhausting task that came with a cruel twist as League One's bottom club looked set to make it to half-time unscathed.
Rangers had an unfamiliar look as Gerrard fielded a host of fringe men. Few, though, will have convinced the manager they deserve more regular inclusion.
Jordan Jones, Andy Halliday and goalkeeper Wes Foderingham were making their first start in months, while right-back Nathan Patterson impressed on his debut.
The rangy 18-year-old, given the freedom of the flank as Stranraer packed the middle of the pitch, supplied a series of excellent deliveries. And he came close to marking his big night with a goal, his second-half snapshot bringing out the best in former Ibrox youth goalkeeper Max Currie.
Stranraer were hemmed in by a barrage of pressure as Rangers chipped away at their massed ranks. Defoe sent a couple of efforts whistling just past the post before the break, while Jones, Nikola Katic and Joe Aribo tried their luck with no success.
Ryan Jack almost prised open the stubborn visitors when he played a one-two with Defoe and saw his drive deflected on to the post by Currie.
When Stranraer were finally undone it was a scruffy opener from a corner that should have been a goal-kick for the visitors. Regardless, the set-piece was floated into the box, George Edmundson took a swing and a miss and Arfield pounced to fire home.
Currie clawed a Katic header away from the top corner to prevent further damage and pulled off eye-catching saves from Defoe's close-range blast and a Davis drive after the restart as Stranraer kept throwing their knackered bodies on the line.
The result was never really in doubt but Defoe made sure when his smart turn coaxed Adam Cummins into clipping the striker's heels.
Defoe tucked the penalty into the bottom left-hand corner for his 15th goal of the season and was substituted shortly after, with Gerrard keen not to over-exert the striker who will lead the line in Rangers' next two league games in place of suspended Alfredo Morelos.
Aribo threatened a third on a couple of occasions, and 17-year-old midfielder Kai Kennedy came off the bench for his Rangers debut, but the match petered out as Stranraer departed with heads held high.
Man of the match - Nathan Patterson
The 18-year-old is highly regarded at Ibrox and showed why with an assured debut. Comfortable and unfussy in possession, his eye for an accurate cross is a real asset.
With first-choice right-back James Tavernier sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, Patterson could have a bigger role to play in the upcoming games and will take confidence from his first taste of action.
'I don't think Rangers carved us open' - reaction
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard: "It was a dominant performance in-terms of possession and really only one team trying to find the answers and create.
"The priority was to get in the next round and it was a chance to give people an opportunity and knock a bit of rust off from the break. But, in terms of the performance, I did want to see more."
Stranraer manager Steven Farrell: "We worked all week trying to invite Rangers into wider areas rather than the centre of the park where they are so dangerous. I thought we did that. I don't think Rangers carved us open.
"Ultimately, we've lost two goals - one from a second phase on a corner kick and the other from a penalty. Over the piece, I thought we were excellent. There have been better teams than Stranraer who come here this season and suffered much heavier defeats."


bbc--2020-01-17--Guardiola '100% staying' with Man City next season

Pep Guardiola says he is `` 100 % staying '' as Manchester City manager next season .
After winning successive Premier League titles with record points totals , City look certain to finish second at best to runaway leaders Liverpool this term .
It has led to suggestions Guardiola will trigger a break clause in his contract , which runs to 2021 .
However , speaking before Saturday 's home game with Crystal Palace , Guardiola said : `` Unless they sack me , I am staying , 100 % . ''
City were third in the Premier League before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final and beating Aston Villa 6-1 to go back above Leicester .
`` It 's not because we have won the last two games , '' Guardiola added .
`` Even if it was going bad , I 'm not going anywhere .
`` No manager wins all the time .
I enjoy working with these players .
We 've lost some games so it is simple , we need to work out what we can do better . ''
'If you 're training at 72 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrates his 49th birthday on Saturday , which means he will be 23 years younger than Roy Hodgson in the opposite dugout at Etihad Stadium .
Guardiola was only five when Hodgson began his managerial career at Swedish club Halmstad .
The Spaniard marvels at how the former England boss has retained his enthusiasm for the game , although Hodgson 's wife , Sheila , may not be too pleased at Guardiola 's assessment .
`` I think when you are training at 72 , it must be boring at home , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nice .
You are working with young people , athletes , in competition .
Every game is different .
Maybe that 's why Roy and the other older managers do it .
I am not going to retire next week or next year but I do n't think I will still be a manager at that age . ''
Meanwhile , City 's French defender Aymeric Laporte is closing in on a comeback .
Laporte has been absent since August , when he suffered a knee injury against Brighton .
He has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of weeks and although Guardiola has ruled the 25-year-old out of the Palace game , it is understood he may be in contention for a return when City host Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round on 26 January .

Last updated on .From the section Man City
Manchester City's win at Aston Villa put them second in the Premier League but they still trail Liverpool by 14 points
Pep Guardiola says he is "100% staying" as Manchester City manager next season.
After winning successive Premier League titles with record points totals, City look certain to finish second at best to runaway leaders Liverpool this term.
It has led to suggestions Guardiola will trigger a break clause in his contract, which runs to 2021.
However, speaking before Saturday's home game with Crystal Palace, Guardiola said: "Unless they sack me, I am staying, 100%."
City were third in the Premier League before winning 3-1 at Manchester United in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final and beating Aston Villa 6-1 to go back above Leicester.
"It's not because we have won the last two games," Guardiola added. "Even if it was going bad, I'm not going anywhere.
"No manager wins all the time. I enjoy working with these players. We've lost some games so it is simple, we need to work out what we can do better."
'If you're training at 72, it must be boring at home'
Guardiola celebrates his 49th birthday on Saturday, which means he will be 23 years younger than Roy Hodgson in the opposite dugout at Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola was only five when Hodgson began his managerial career at Swedish club Halmstad.
The Spaniard marvels at how the former England boss has retained his enthusiasm for the game, although Hodgson's wife, Sheila, may not be too pleased at Guardiola's assessment.
"I think when you are training at 72, it must be boring at home," he said.
"Our job is nice. You are working with young people, athletes, in competition. Every game is different. Maybe that's why Roy and the other older managers do it. I am not going to retire next week or next year but I don't think I will still be a manager at that age."
Meanwhile, City's French defender Aymeric Laporte is closing in on a comeback.
Laporte has been absent since August, when he suffered a knee injury against Brighton.
He has been training with the first-team squad for a couple of weeks and although Guardiola has ruled the 25-year-old out of the Palace game, it is understood he may be in contention for a return when City host Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round on 26 January.


bbc--2020-01-18--New Chinese virus 'will have infected hundreds'

The number of people already infected by the mystery virus emerging in China is far greater than official figures suggest , scientists have told the BBC .
There have been nearly 50 confirmed cases of the new virus , but UK experts estimate the figure is closer to 1,700 .
Two people are known to have died from the respiratory illness , which appeared in Wuhan city in December .
`` I am substantially more concerned than I was a week ago , '' disease outbreak scientist , Prof Neil Ferguson , said .
The work was conducted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Imperial College London , which advises bodies including the UK government and the World Health Organization .
• Mystery Chinese virus : How worried should we be ?
Singapore and Hong Kong have been screening air passengers from Wuhan and US authorities announced similar measures starting on Friday at three major airports in San Francisco , Los Angeles and New York .
How were the numbers calculated ?
The crucial clue to the scale of the problem lies in the cases being detected in other countries .
While the outbreak is centred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there have been two cases in Thailand and one in Japan .
`` That caused me to worry , '' said Prof Ferguson .
He added : `` For Wuhan to have exported three cases to other countries would imply there would have to be many more cases than have been reported . ''
It is impossible to get the precise number , but outbreak modelling , which is based on the virus , the local population and flight data , can give an idea .
Wuhan International Airport serves a population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,400 a day travel internationally .
The detailed calculations , which have been posted online ahead of publication in a scientific journal , came up with a figure of 1,700 cases .
What does it all mean ?
Prof Ferguson said it is `` too early to be alarmist '' but he was `` substantially more concerned '' than a week ago .
Chinese officials say there have been no cases of the virus spreading from one person to another .
Instead they say the virus has crossed the species barrier and come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildlife market in Wuhan .
Prof Ferguson argues : `` People should be considering the possibility of substantial human-to-human transmission more seriously than they have so far .
`` It would be unlikely in my mind , given what we know about coronaviruses , to have animal exposure be the principal cause of such a number of human infections . ''
Understanding how a novel virus is spreading is a crucial part of assessing its threat .
What is this virus ?
Viral samples have been taken from patients and analysed in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Health Organization have concluded the infection is a coronavirus .
Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses , but only six ( the new one would make it seven ) are known to infect people .
At the mild end they cause the common cold , but severe acute respiratory syndrome ( Sars ) is a coronavirus that killed 774 of the 8,098 people infected in an outbreak that started in China in 2002 .
Analysis of the genetic code of the new virus shows it is more closely related to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The virus has caused pneumonia in some patients and been fatal in two of them .
What do other experts say ?
Dr Jeremy Farrar , director of the Wellcome medical research charity , said : `` There is more to come from this epidemic .
`` Uncertainty and gaps remain , but it 's clear that there is some level of person-to-person transmission .
`` We are starting to hear of more cases in China and other countries and it is likely , as this modelling shows , that there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of countries . ''
Prof Jonathan Ball , from the University of Nottingham , said : `` What 's really important is until there has been widespread laboratory testing it is very difficult to put a real number on the cases out there .
`` But this is a figure we should take seriously until we know otherwise , 41 animal-to-human 'spillovers ' is stretching it a bit and there probably is more underlying infection than has been detected so far . ''

"Much remains to be understood about the new coronavirus," it said. "Not enough is known to draw definitive conclusions about how it is transmitted, the clinical features of the disease, the extent to which it has spread, or its source, which remains unknown."


bbc--2020-01-18--Australia fires: Heavy rains hit some blaze-hit regions

Heavy rains and thunderstorms have lashed parts of Australia 's east coast , dousing some of its fires but bringing a new threat of flooding to some areas .
There have been downpours in the states of Victoria , New South Wales ( NSW ) and Queensland , which have all been badly hit by the bushfire crisis .
Major roads were closed in Queensland and power cuts were reported in parts of NSW as a result of the weather .
But fire officials said the rain was helping to tackle some of the blazes .
Fires have been raging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least 28 people , destroying thousands of homes and scorching millions of acres of land .
NSW reported severe rainfall and storms in several areas , and warned of potential flooding .
Firefighters in the state said they were making the most of the `` benign conditions '' of rain and cooler temperatures to try to tackle the remaining bushfires .
Some 75 fires were still burning in the state on Saturday , down from well over 100 a few days ago .
`` Rain continues to fall across a number of firegrounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the border are still yet to receive any moisture , '' the Rural Fire Service said on Twitter .
• Are most fires in Australia caused by arson ?
It also urged people to `` take this time to discuss your bush fire survival plan '' .
The state of Queensland has had some of the heaviest rainfall Australia has seen in months .
Some major roads were closed and residential areas flooded , but no deaths or injuries were reported .
`` Heavy , intense rainfall has eased , but showers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Take care on the roads - if it 's flooded , forget it , '' the Bureau of Meteorology in Queensland wrote on Twitter on Saturday .
Forecasters in Victoria said thunderstorms were possible across much of the central and eastern state on Saturday .
`` Thunderstorms could become severe due to heavy falls across the northeast of the State .
Damaging winds and large hail are a slight risk , '' the state 's Bureau of Meteorology said .
Major bushfires continued to rage on Saturday in regions in the south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Kangaroo Island - which have so far missed out on the rain .

Firefighters in the state said they were making the most of the "benign conditions" of rain and cooler temperatures to try to tackle the remaining bushfires. Some 75 fires were still burning in the state on Saturday, down from well over 100 a few days ago.


bbc--2020-01-18--'No alignment' with EU after Brexit on business

The chancellor has warned manufacturers that `` there will not be alignment '' with the EU after Brexit and insists firms must `` adjust '' to new regulations .
Speaking to the Financial Times , Sajid Javid admitted not all businesses would benefit from Brexit .
The Food and Drink Federation said it sounded like the `` death knell '' for frictionless trade with the EU and was likely to cause food prices to rise .
Mr Javid declined to specify which EU rules he wanted to drop .
The automotive , food and drink and pharmaceutical industries all warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from key EU rules would be damaging .
• Clock to illuminate No 10 as UK leaves the EU • How soon will Brexit happen ?
But Mr Javid told the paper : `` There will be an impact on business one way or the other , some will benefit , some wo n't . ''
He said Japan 's car industry was an example of a manufacturing sector which found success without following EU rules .
Asked how differing regulations between the UK and EU may impact industries such as automotive and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're also talking about companies that have known since 2016 that we are leaving the EU .
`` Admittedly , they did n't know the exact terms . ''
Tim Rycroft , chief operating officer of the Food and Drink Federation , told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme that `` it sounds awfully like the death knell for the concept of frictionless trade with the EU '' .
He said it probably meant that food prices would rise when the transition period finishes at the end of this year .
Mr Rycroft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from UK-specific trade rules .
But he said : `` We also have to make sure the government clearly understands what the consequences will be for industries like ours if they go ahead and change our trading terms . ''
The Confederation of British Industry ( CBI ) said it welcomed the chancellor 's `` ambitious '' vision but said government should not feel it has an `` obligation '' to depart from EU rules .
Carolyn Fairbairn , CBI director-general , said for many companies , `` particularly in some of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , keeping the same rules would support jobs and maintain competitiveness .
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said the automotive industry in the UK and EU was `` uniquely integrated '' and its priority was to avoid `` expensive tariffs and other 'behind the border ' barriers '' .
It said it was vital to have `` early sight '' of the government 's plans so companies could evaluate their impact .
The government has not yet agreed a future trading relationship with the EU - it plans to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the UK leaves the bloc on 31 January .
During the transition period the UK will continue to follow EU rules and contribute to its budget .
'Here 's the cash , use it' The chancellor also said he wanted to double the UK 's annual economic growth to between 2.7 and 2.8 % .
However , the outgoing governor of the Bank of England , Mark Carney , told the Financial Times last week he thought the UK 's trend growth rate was much lower , at between 1 and 1.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth would come from spending on skills and infrastructure in the Midlands and the north of England - even if they did not offer as much `` bang for the buck '' as projects in other parts of the country .
Historically low interest rates , which allow the government to borrow money relatively cheaply , were `` almost a signal to me from the market - from investors - that here 's the cash , use it to do something productive '' , Mr Javid said .
He pledged to rewrite Treasury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favour government investment in places with high economic growth and high productivity .
Mr Javid said the rules had helped to `` entrench '' inequality and insisted weaker parts of the country would have first call on the new money .
• How Treasury rules may be rewritten In November , the Bank of England said a weaker global economy and its new assumptions about Brexit would knock 1 % off UK growth over the next three years compared with its previous August forecast .

Mr Rycroft acknowledged that some other industries might benefit from UK-specific trade rules. But he said: "We also have to make sure the government clearly understands what the consequences will be for industries like ours if they go ahead and change our trading terms."


bbc--2020-01-17--Harry and Meghan: The big question Canadians have about move

Many Canadians have an affection for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex .
But one big question is hanging over the shock news of the couple 's part-time relocation to Canada - what will it cost ?
There has been plenty of chatter in Canada since Prince Harry and Meghan said they would be stepping back as senior royals and spending part of their time in North America .
The duchess is spending time on Canada 's west coast with their infant son as the couple flesh out the details of their move away from their role as full-time royals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the main preoccupation hovering over the royal couple 's decision to spend part of their time in Canada comes down to who will foot the bill - especially if they are spending the bulk of their time as private citizens .
Some have outright rejected the idea of the public shouldering any costs for the couple .
The leader of the Bloc Quebecois - a federal party that represents the interests of Quebec , a province where attitudes towards the monarchy tend to be frostier than in the rest of Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay a dime .
Yves-Francois Blanchet quipped he was already paying for a Netflix subscription , where he could watch The Crown , a drama about Queen Elizabeth II 's reign .
He is not alone in not wanting to fork out any cash .
A public opinion poll released this week by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute indicated that 73 % of Canadians have no interest in paying any of the costs for security and other expenditures associated with their relocation .
`` This view is consistent across demographic groups including age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the organisation said in a release .
Just 3 % of respondents told the pollster that Canadians should pick up the tab for security and other necessary costs , and 19 % said they were fine with paying a portion of the bill .
• Dividing time in two countries ?
How I make it work The Canadian Taxpayers Federation , a taxpayer advocacy group , says the current debate over who should ante up for costs related to the members of the monarchy is different from those that regularly bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a constitutional monarchy - its head of state is Queen Elizabeth II - and things like Royal tours and the office of the Governor General , who is the Queen 's representative in Canada , are paid for by the public purse .
`` Normally when we get into debates about the cost of the monarchy in this country there 's a pretty clear line - people who are monarchists and people who are small ' r ' republicans , '' says Aaron Wudrick , the organisation 's federal director .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` changed the dynamic '' .
`` The distinction is a bit like a friend who comes over for dinner and you 're happy to prepare their meal versus them deciding they 're going to move in and still expecting you to cook for them all the time , '' he said .
• Why Meghan and Harry have Canada in their sights • Harry and Meghan step back : What will happen next ?
`` I think that 's how a lot of Canadians see this .
I actually do n't think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's a general view that people who have a lot of means and the capacity to pay for themselves should be doing it . ''
The duke and duchess themselves have not said they expect Canadians to pick up the tab , Mr Wudrick notes , and federal officials have admitted it 's not clear yet how costs may be divided - or what those costs would be .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told broadcaster Global News this week that `` there 's still a lot of decisions to be taken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves as to what level of engagement they choose to have '' .
The question of security costs is `` part of the reflection that needs to be had and there are discussions going on '' , he said .
So while the Queen has agreed to the couple 's wish to step back as senior royals , become financially independent and to split their time between the UK and Canada , the details of the transition are still being worked out .
Mr Wudrick says that `` in the interests of settling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tempest in a teapot - it would be helpful if the duke and duchess could provide some clarity on what their expectations are '' .
• Why Meghan Markle gets compared to Princess Diana • Where do Prince Harry and Meghan get their money ?
John Michaelson , with the Monarchist League of Canada , agrees answers should come sooner rather than later .
Most Canadians do n't spend much time thinking about the Royal Family or their official role in Canada , he says , and the benefits of the institution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of community , ceremonial , and constitutional engagements the family and the Queen 's representatives there carry out annually across the country .
The league have released regular reports on costs related to the Canadian Crown for the past 20 years `` to try and bring the point home that this is something that we get great benefit from and it does n't cost a great deal '' , he said .
The tally is approximately C $ 1.68 ( $ 1.29 ; £0.99 ) a year per Canadian for the general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their most recent study .
Mr Michaelson says Prince Harry and Meghan 's relocation is also an opportunity for the pair to deepen their engagement with organisations like the Prince 's Trust Canada , a charitable endeavour established by Prince of Wales in 2011 .
Meanwhile , a columnist with the National Post newspaper said the debate over the likely negligible relative cost of protecting direct close relations to Canada 's head of state `` has revealed one of the ugliest elements of the Canadian national character '' .
`` It 's true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cheapskates , '' wrote Matt Gurney .
Richard Powers , with Toronto 's Rotman School of Management , told the BBC that Canada could see some economic benefits from having the famous couple in the country , primarily in the non-profit sector .
Both Prince Harry and Meghan have said they are interested in continuing with their charity work , with the duchess visiting two Vancouver-based women 's organisations this week .
But Mr Wudrick dismisses the idea that doing charitable works should be enough to open the public purse strings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-sports player with a lot of money moved here and they donate to charity and they do good things , they [ still ] pay for themselves , '' he said .


bbc--2020-01-18--Disney culls 'Fox' from 20th Century Fox in rebrand

Disney executives have cut the word `` Fox '' from their 20th Century Fox film studio in an apparent bid to distance it from operations of the previous owner , Rupert Murdoch .
US media suggests Disney does not want to it to be associated with the media mogul 's highly partisan , right-wing Fox News network .
However , Disney has not clarified its reasons .
It bought the studio , with other media operations , in a $ 71bn deal last March .
20th Century Fox is known for producing some of the biggest films of all-time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which broke the news about the name change , said it had spoken to an unnamed Disney source , who said : `` I think the Fox name means Murdoch , and that is toxic . ''
Hollywood is known for being liberal , unlike the Australian tycoon .
Disney has also renamed Fox Searchlight Pictures , the arthouse arm , as simply Searchlight Pictures .
Staff emails were changed on Friday , from @ fox.com to @ 20thcenturystudios.com or @ searchlight.com .
The original 20th Century Fox company was formed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's News Corporation bought it in the mid-1980s , and the Fox News channel was created in 1996 , growing to become most-watched in the US .
News Corporation was later split into News Corp and 21st Century Fox - which Disney acquired as the parent company of various film and television studios , including the renowned 20th Century Fox .
The Murdoch family retained the news outlets in a spin-off company , Fox Corporation , which is run by Rupert Murdoch 's son Lachland .
• The Disney-Fox giant in four charts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on streaming Variety says the 20th Century Fox studio 's well-known fanfare theme and searchlight logo will be retained .
Disney also runs 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios .
Any changes to their names have not been announced .
Disney is already a dominant force in US news , as the owner of the ABC network .
It is also hoping to challenge Netflix with its own streaming service Disney+ , which launched in the US last year .

Disney is already a dominant force in US news, as the owner of the ABC network. It is also hoping to challenge Netflix with its own streaming service Disney+, which launched in the US last year.


bbc--2020-01-18--Global Hawk drones: A look at Nato's new spy tool

The Nato military alliance has just received its first cutting-edge spy drones called Global Hawks .
They ’ ll help @ @ @ @ @ potential threats to Nato members - with one single drone able to watch over a @ @ @ @ @ .
BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale has been given an exclusive look at the new @ @ @

The Nato military alliance has just received its first cutting-edge spy drones called Global Hawks.
They’ll help commanders on the ground identify potential threats to Nato members - with one single drone able to watch over a territory the size of Poland.
BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale has been given an exclusive look at the new unmanned aircraft.


bbc--2020-01-18--Nepal avalanche: Four South Korean trekkers among missing

At least six people have gone missing after an avalanche hit a trekking route on a Himalayan mountain in north-west Nepal , officials say .
The avalanche struck near a base camp in the Annapurna region after heavy snowfall on Friday .
Four South Koreans - all volunteer teachers - and at least two Nepali guides are among those missing .
A number of other trekkers have been rescued from the site of the avalanche .
A rescue operation is under way , but poor weather conditions and plunging temperatures have hampered efforts .
Authorities have deployed four helicopters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas .
The avalanche happened at an altitude of 3,230m ( 10,600ft ) about 150km ( 93 miles ) north-west of Nepali capital Kathmandu , officials say .
The missing trekkers , two women in their 30s and 50s and two men in their 50s , are teachers who were staying in Nepal for volunteer work , South Korea 's foreign ministry told Yonhap News Agency .
The ministry said five other South Korean members of their group were safe and taking shelter in a lodge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was unaccounted for .
Sandesh Pandey of Jangbogo Tour Nepal , which helped organise the trek , said the four missing people were part of an 11-member team from South Korea .
`` They were descending yesterday after heavy snowfall stopped them from going higher .
The remaining five from the team are moving down safely .
The other two did not go up in the trek , '' Mr Pandey said .
South Korea 's government has dispatched an emergency team to assist rescue efforts and help those affected .
Hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Himalayas in Nepal , which has eight of the world 's 14 highest mountains , including Mount Everest .
Fatal accidents occur quite frequently .
In October 2018 , nine climbers died when a violent snowstorm destroyed their camp on a Himalayan peak in western Nepal .
You may also be interested in :

"They were descending [on Friday] after heavy snowfall stopped them from going higher. The remaining five from the team are moving down safely. The other two did not go up in the trek," Mr Pandey said.