bbc--2020-06-11--Shamed, sacked and back - what Chelsea's £15m man Mutu did next

Leicester 's Ian Walker never stood a chance .
The shot , all bludgeoned power and fizzing swerve , streaked past his stretching fingers and into the bottom corner .
Blackburn 's Brad Friedel was the next victim , left floundering as the ball was ushered around him and rolled into the empty net .
By the time Adrian Mutu scored twice in a September 2003 win over Tottenham , making it four goals in his first three Chelsea games , it seemed the Premier League had a new superstar .
`` He has the predatory skills to rival Ruud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finesse of Thierry Henry , '' reported the Guardian .
`` I ca n't believe that was 17 years ago , '' Romanian Mutu told BBC Sport .
`` In my first year at Chelsea I worked with Claudio Ranieri , a great coach , who wanted me in the squad .
Without those personal problems , things would have been different… '' On 12 July 2004 , less than a year after that explosive start and a little over a month since Jose Mourinho had arrived to replace Ranieri , Mutu found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nothing unusual for a professional footballer , except this was not carried out by anti-doping authorities , but by Chelsea .
The club had grown suspicious after a dip in his form on the pitch and increasingly unreliable behaviour off it .
It came back negative .
But another , carried out by the usual authorities two months later , showed cocaine in Mutu 's system .
He was banned for seven months and summarily sacked .
`` Chelsea believe the club 's social responsibility to its fans , players , employees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more important than the major financial considerations to the company , '' the club said as they wrote off the asset they had paid Parma north of £15m for a little over a year before .
In an unprecedented legal action , Chelsea have pursued Mutu for millions of pounds in compensation for more than a decade since .
In October 2018 , the European Court of Human Rights - Mutu 's final recourse to appeal - confirmed that the Romanian owed his former club - and , ultimately , their Russian multibillionaire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are exercising our legal remedies to recover the amounts owed to us and we will continue to do so , '' a club spokesman said at the time .
Some 20 months on , neither Chelsea nor Mutu are offering any update on their dispute .
`` It is something I do n't want to speak about , '' Mutu told BBC Sport .
Plenty of others have in the past though .
Gordon Taylor , the head of the Professional Footballers ' Association , called Chelsea 's treatment of Mutu `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them of failing in their duty of care .
In March 2005 , less than six months after Mutu 's sacking , a survey of professional footballers in the British Medical Journal showed that 45 % knew a team-mate who had used recreational drugs .
`` It would perhaps be unrealistic to imagine that their use would not be common , '' it concluded .
Mutu was later suspended for nine months in 2010 after testing positive for appetite suppressant sibutramine while playing for Fiorentina .
Now 41 , he would not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ litigation over rehabilitation and reconciliation with a wayward 25-year-old .
But he can reflect on what he would do in a similar situation .
In January , he was appointed as coach of his country 's under-21 side .
`` I think I 'm the right person because I know what happens when a player has problems with indiscipline .
I 've passed through hard moments and I came back stronger , '' he added .
`` If one of my players happens to make a mistake I will tell them to learn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I came back and I played better than before , proving to everyone that the young players who have made a mistake must be helped , not judged and destroyed . ''
Under their previous manager , Romania Under-21s beat an England team containing James Maddison , Mason Mount , Phil Foden , Tammy Abraham and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in 2019 on their way to their first European Championship semi-final at that level .
Among Mutu 's charges , if he is n't required by the Romania senior team , is recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the legendary Barcelona and Real Madrid playmaker Gheorghe .
`` He is a player who hits the ball with both feet just as well and has an extraordinary vision on the field , '' said Mutu .
And what of Mutu 's own future ?
Even with the wages from his revived career with Juventus and , most notably , Fiorentina , Chelsea 's final demand - if still unsettled - looms large .
`` My ambitions as a coach can not be lower than the ones I had as a footballer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to be better and better .
I want to get to coach at least at the same level I played at , and my dream is to be the head coach of the Romanian national team . ''
Mutu 's managerial career is young , but there can be few candidates with the same breadth of life experience , both good and bad .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Adrian Mutu has had short spells coaching Romanian top-flight side Voluntari and in Abu Dhabi before taking on his current role
Leicester's Ian Walker never stood a chance. The shot, all bludgeoned power and fizzing swerve, streaked past his stretching fingers and into the bottom corner.
Blackburn's Brad Friedel was the next victim, left floundering as the ball was ushered around him and rolled into the empty net.
By the time Adrian Mutu scored twice in a September 2003 win over Tottenham, making it four goals in his first three Chelsea games, it seemed the Premier League had a new superstar.
"He has the predatory skills to rival Ruud van Nistelrooy, with something of the finesse of Thierry Henry," reported the Guardian. external-link
"I can't believe that was 17 years ago," Romanian Mutu told BBC Sport.
"In my first year at Chelsea I worked with Claudio Ranieri, a great coach, who wanted me in the squad. Without those personal problems, things would have been different…"
On 12 July 2004, less than a year after that explosive start and a little over a month since Jose Mourinho had arrived to replace Ranieri, Mutu found himself subject to a doping test.
Nothing unusual for a professional footballer, except this was not carried out by anti-doping authorities, but by Chelsea.
The club had grown suspicious after a dip in his form on the pitch and increasingly unreliable behaviour off it.
Mutu left Chelsea with a record of 10 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions
It came back negative. But another, carried out by the usual authorities two months later, showed cocaine in Mutu's system. He was banned for seven months and summarily sacked.
"Chelsea believe the club's social responsibility to its fans, players, employees and other stakeholders in football regarding drugs was more important than the major financial considerations to the company," the club said as they wrote off the asset they had paid Parma north of £15m for a little over a year before.
In an unprecedented legal action, Chelsea have pursued Mutu for millions of pounds in compensation for more than a decade since.
In October 2018, the European Court of Human Rights - Mutu's final recourse to appeal - confirmed that the Romanian owed his former club - and, ultimately, their Russian multibillionaire owner Roman Abramovich - £15.2m.
"We are exercising our legal remedies to recover the amounts owed to us and we will continue to do so," a club spokesman said at the time.
Some 20 months on, neither Chelsea nor Mutu are offering any update on their dispute.
"It is something I don't want to speak about," Mutu told BBC Sport.
Plenty of others have in the past though.
Gordon Taylor, the head of the Professional Footballers' Association, called Chelsea's treatment of Mutu "astonishing" at the time, external-link accusing them of failing in their duty of care.
In March 2005, less than six months after Mutu's sacking, a survey of professional footballers in the British Medical Journal showed that 45% knew a team-mate who had used recreational drugs.
"It would perhaps be unrealistic to imagine that their use would not be common," it concluded. external-link
After being sacked by Chelsea Mutu moved to Juventus, via Livorno, before a successful five-year stay at Fiorentina
Mutu was later suspended for nine months in 2010 after testing positive for appetite suppressant sibutramine while playing for Fiorentina.
Now 41, he would not be drawn on Chelsea's decision to choose litigation over rehabilitation and reconciliation with a wayward 25-year-old.
But he can reflect on what he would do in a similar situation.
In January, he was appointed as coach of his country's under-21 side.
"I think I'm the right person because I know what happens when a player has problems with indiscipline. I've passed through hard moments and I came back stronger," he added.
"If one of my players happens to make a mistake I will tell them to learn from it and not to repeat it.
"I came back and I played better than before, proving to everyone that the young players who have made a mistake must be helped, not judged and destroyed."
Under their previous manager, Romania Under-21s beat an England team containing James Maddison, Mason Mount, Phil Foden, Tammy Abraham and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in 2019 on their way to their first European Championship semi-final at that level.
Among Mutu's charges, if he isn't required by the Romania senior team, is recent Rangers signing Ianis Hagi, son of the legendary Barcelona and Real Madrid playmaker Gheorghe.
"He is a player who hits the ball with both feet just as well and has an extraordinary vision on the field," said Mutu.
"I'm sure he'll have a great career."
And what of Mutu's own future?
Even with the wages from his revived career with Juventus and, most notably, Fiorentina, Chelsea's final demand - if still unsettled - looms large.
"My ambitions as a coach cannot be lower than the ones I had as a footballer," Mutu concluded.
"I always wanted to be better and better. I want to get to coach at least at the same level I played at, and my dream is to be the head coach of the Romanian national team."
Mutu's managerial career is young, but there can be few candidates with the same breadth of life experience, both good and bad.


bbc--2020-06-11--Dortmund want £115m for Sancho - Thursday's football gossip

Chelsea face competition from Real Madrid to sign Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Kai Havertz , 21 .
( Sun ) Meanwhile , the Blues are preparing a bid for Flamengo 's Brazilian midfielder Gerson , 23 , in a deal that would also benefit his former club Roma .
( Corriere dello Sport - in Italian ) Barcelona and Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho - currently on loan at Bayern Munich - is likely to move to the Premier League .
Tottenham and Everton are interested in the 27-year-old while his representatives have also been in touch with Newcastle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho wants to sign Chelsea and France striker Olivier Giroud , 33 .
( Express ) Leicester City are targeting Vitesse Arnhem 's English left-back Max Clark , 24 , to replace Ben Chilwell if the England international , 23 , leaves this summer .
( Mail ) Southampton are planning contract talks with English left-back Ryan Bertrand , 30 , amid mounting interest from the Foxes .
( Mail ) Bournemouth 's Polish keeper Artur Boruc , 40 , English midfielder Andrew Surman , 33 , and English @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Charlie Daniels , 33 , are set to sign short-term deals .
( Bournemouth Echo ) Scotland midfielder Ryan Fraser , 26 , is set to reject the offer of a short-term Cherries deal , meaning he can leave for free in summer .
( Sun ) The chances of Chris Hughton returning to manage Birmingham are slim .
( Birmingham Mail ) Manchester United will face West Brom in two games at Old Trafford on Friday , as they prepare for the return of the Premier League .
( Telegraph ) Villarreal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says he has made a decision on his future - but is not revealing anything yet .
The former Arsenal player is out of contract this summer .
( Cadena Ser , via Mirror ) Leicester are set to become the latest Premier League club to inject further funds into their women 's team with the aim of promotion from the Championship - the second tier of women 's football .
( Times - subscription required ) Real Madrid 's chiefs have politely turned down the offer of playing their final six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stadium of rivals Atletico Madrid .
Real 's home the Santiago Bernabeu is being redeveloped .
( Marca )

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Borussia Dortmund will demand £115m for 20-year-old England winger Jadon Sancho. (Telegraph) external-link
Crystal Palace's Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Zaha, 27 is attracting interest from Paris St-Germain. (90 Min) external-link
Chelsea face competition from Real Madrid to sign Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Kai Havertz, 21. (Sun) external-link
Meanwhile, the Blues are preparing a bid for Flamengo's Brazilian midfielder Gerson, 23, in a deal that would also benefit his former club Roma. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian) external-link
Barcelona and Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho - currently on loan at Bayern Munich - is likely to move to the Premier League. Tottenham and Everton are interested in the 27-year-old while his representatives have also been in touch with Newcastle. (France Football - in French) external-link
Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho wants to sign Chelsea and France striker Olivier Giroud, 33. (Express) external-link
Leicester City are targeting Vitesse Arnhem's English left-back Max Clark, 24, to replace Ben Chilwell if the England international, 23, leaves this summer. (Mail) external-link
Southampton are planning contract talks with English left-back Ryan Bertrand, 30, amid mounting interest from the Foxes. (Mail) external-link
Bournemouth's Polish keeper Artur Boruc, 40, English midfielder Andrew Surman, 33, and English defenders Simon Francis, 35, and Charlie Daniels, 33, are set to sign short-term deals. (Bournemouth Echo) external-link
Scotland midfielder Ryan Fraser, 26, is set to reject the offer of a short-term Cherries deal, meaning he can leave for free in summer. (Sun) external-link
The chances of Chris Hughton returning to manage Birmingham are slim. (Birmingham Mail) external-link
Manchester United will face West Brom in two games at Old Trafford on Friday, as they prepare for the return of the Premier League. (Telegraph) external-link
Villarreal's Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla, 35, says he has made a decision on his future - but is not revealing anything yet. The former Arsenal player is out of contract this summer. (Cadena Ser, via Mirror) external-link
Leicester are set to become the latest Premier League club to inject further funds into their women's team with the aim of promotion from the Championship - the second tier of women's football. (Times - subscription required) external-link
Real Madrid's chiefs have politely turned down the offer of playing their final six home games at the Wanda Metropolitano - the stadium of rivals Atletico Madrid. Real's home the Santiago Bernabeu is being redeveloped. (Marca) external-link


bbc--2020-06-11--K-pop fans emerge as a powerful force in US protests

Amid ongoing protests in America against racism and police brutality , a global legion of K-pop fans has emerged as an important ally for the Black Lives Matter ( BLM ) movement .
Fans of South Korea 's popular music industry have raised funds for BLM and mobilised to overload social media hashtags used by its opponents , earning appreciation from protesters for their political activism .
Some may have been surprised by their impact , but K-pop observers note fans have long organised support for social and political causes as well as their favourite artists .
This support has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic racism in the industry and fandom , leading to calls for K-pop to address its own complicated relationship with race .
Following the outbreak of protests in the US , sparked by the death of black man George Floyd , the Dallas Police Department asked people to share videos of `` illegal activity protests '' through the iWatch Dallas app .
K-pop fans worldwide responded by inundating it with fan-recorded videos , known as fancams , and memes of various K-pop artists , in an effort to prevent police from tracking protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the app was reported to be experiencing technical difficulties though Dallas Police would not say if it was due to the fancams .
K-pop fans also spammed hashtags used to oppose BLM on social media , such as # AllLivesMatter , # BlueLivesMatter and # WhiteLivesMatter .
Though this made such hashtags trend higher , it also made it harder for their original messages to be seen .
K-pop fans , who have previously been derided online and criticised for `` fancam spam '' , were celebrated as valued allies of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why US protests are so powerful this time Many K-pop artists voiced their support for the movement on Twitter and Instagram , and some donated to the cause .
When popular boy band BTS announced a $ 1m ( £784,000 ) donation , fan group One In An Army ( OIAA ) organised its own fundraising drive and matched the amount in less than 24 hours .
To many outside K-pop fandom , this political activism and co-ordination was a surprise .
However , those who follow K-pop closely consider such fans ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South Korea and worldwide routinely run well-co-ordinated campaigns to promote their favourite artists and propel them to awards and charts success and greater visibility .
These skills are now being applied to the BLM cause .
As Hyunsu Yim , a pop culture reporter for The Korea Herald , has noted in a Twitter thread , this is far from the first time K-pop fans have made a political or social impression .
He illustrated his point with previous examples of activism : donations to a London charity to fund over 35,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bangladesh ; and Chile 's government in 2019 blaming K-pop and other `` international influences and media '' for domestic protests .
But while many have praised K-pop fans for their involvement in the protests , some are highlighting the longstanding abuse and harassment of black fans , many of whom have left fandoms as a result .
Hashtags like # BlackARMYSMatter and # BlackARMYSEquality trended on Twitter in 2018 after black members of the BTS ARMY complained of racism within the fandom .
Fans of other artists have also complained of racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why K-pop idols - many of whom have expressed support for the US protests - are often silent when it comes to discrimination in South Korea .
This may partly be to avoid a backlash from their more conservative fans .
Many female idols have been criticised for expressing feminist views , and many who speak up for LGBTQ rights abroad shy away from such issues at home .
Agencies may also exercise control over what the performers say .
After Denise Kim , a member of rookie girl group Secret Number , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , her Instagram and SoundCloud accounts were deleted and her agency 's Instagram account deleted its latest photo of her .
Fans criticised Kim 's agency and are now increasingly voicing their outrage about such censorship , as well as calling out idols for hypocrisy .
When Amber Liu , a member of girl group f ( x ) , called for George Floyd 's killer to be charged with first-degree murder , some pointed out that in 2019 she said that a black man - seen being harassed and arrested in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For K-pop , a multi-genre industry heavily influenced by black culture and music , the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted the need for artists and fans to do some soul-searching .
But as these protests have shown , their impact on society can not be underestimated .
When harnessed for a cause , K-pop has the potential to make a difference .

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bbc--2020-06-11--How Ghana paid tribute to George Floyd

How Ghana paid tribute to George Floyd

In our series of letters from African writers , Ghana 's Elizabeth Ohene writes that George Floyd , whose killing has sparked a global debate about race relations , has been immortalised in the West African state that was central to the transatlantic slave trade .
We do funerals well here in Ghana .
When it comes to the rituals , music , clothes and ceremonies that accompany them , I can safely say that nobody does them better .
As I watched the funeral of George Floyd on television , I needed no reminding that most African-Americans can trace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funerals come easily to them .
Or they have had to organise these painful funerals of their people so regularly that they have become well practised .
During the Houston funeral on Tuesday , there was a reference to the message of condolence sent to Mr Floyd 's family by Ghana 's President Nana Akufo-Addo .
It was also mentioned that at the president 's request , Mr Floyd 's name had been permanently mounted on the wall of the Diasporan African Forum at the W.E.B .
Du Bois Centre in Ghana 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a moving ceremony , organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority last week , in memory of Mr Floyd , who was killed on a street in Minnesota when a police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes .
Ghana marked in spectacular scale the year 2019 , the 400th anniversary of the start of the transatlantic slave trade .
President Akufo-Addo declared 2019 the Year of Return , with a special invitation to all Africans in the diaspora , especially the descendants of slaves , to come to Ghana , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permanently .
• ' I moved to Ghana to escape US racism' Many of the forts and castles through which the slaves were transported are still standing in Ghana and they remain a source of trauma and emotional distress for visiting black people .
When the Floyd murder story broke , many people took it personally here .
Before the outbreak of coronavirus , we had been looking forward to a big influx of visitors from the African-American community .
Six black state attorneys general from the US had been in Ghana in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Return initiative , and were guests at our Independence Day celebrations on 6 March .
Among that group was Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison , who is now in charge of prosecuting the accused in the Floyd case .
When the GTA organised the memorial , it was personal and it showed .
A crucial part of funerals in Ghana are the colours worn .
They would try to describe the person who had died and how .
So the colour scheme at Mr Floyd 's memorial was predominantly red and black to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the prime of his life , and his death had been unnatural and unexpected .
The haunting music of the dirges on the flutes signalled that he was one of our own and we were sending him off to our forefathers .
• What it 's like to be an African in the US It has been interesting for us here to note that our famous distinctive fabric , the kente , has also become part of the George Floyd story .
When senior US Democratic lawmakers `` took a knee '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Floyd , they all wore kente stoles .
• Why were US Democrats wearing Ghana 's kente cloth ?
Ghanaians are intensely proud of the kente fabric .
Once upon a time , the kente , or kete as it is called in my part of the country , was an almost exclusive fabric worn by royalty and rich people .
It is hand woven and each design has a name and tells a story .
With the passage of time and the intervention of the Arts Faculty of the Kwame Nkrumah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second city Kumasi , the kente was transformed and popularised for use among young people in particular .
It remains the fabric for special occasions but we have now found more and varied uses for it .
When the University of Ghana started issuing its own degrees following independence , it put kente strips on the boring academic gowns that it had been using when it started life as a University College of London University .
Kente stoles soon became the symbol of graduation and other commemoration events , with the appropriate words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therefore have Class of 2000 , or Year of Return , or even The Best Dad kente stoles .
We are happy to have African-Americans adopt the kente to emphasize their African roots and if others want to use it to show their solidarity , we have no complaints .
I suspect that some enterprising weavers will soon bring a kente design named I Ca n't Breathe , and we shall wear it to remember and celebrate the life of Mr Floyd .
• Why Kenyans are begging their president for freedom • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WhatsApp • World of migrants turned upside down by Covid-19 Follow us on Twitter @ BBCAfrica , on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

As I watched the funeral of George Floyd on television, I needed no reminding that most African-Americans can trace their origins to West Africa and grand funerals come easily to them. Or they have had to organise these painful funerals of their people so regularly that they have become well practised.


bbc--2020-06-11--Fears of second virus outbreak hit global shares

Financial markets have tumbled amid fears that an uptick in coronavirus cases will hurt the economic recovery .
The global declines came a day after America 's central bank warned the US faced a long road to economic recovery .
In the US , the three main financial indexes saw their worst day in weeks , with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down almost 7 % .
The falls followed a weeks-long rally that had helped shares recover some ground from March lows .
Energy and travel stocks were among the biggest losers , as oil prices also took a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shares also dropped , with the UK 's FTSE 100 sinking about 4 % .
In Germany , the Dax fell 4.4 % , while in France the CAC 40 ended 4.4 % lower .
`` Government , companies and people would be better prepared for a second wave than for the first one , '' said Roland Kaloyan , European equity strategist at Societe Generale .
`` But the problem is there is a limit to governments injecting money . ''
Share prices had gained amid hopes that the economy would rebound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place to try to slow the spread of the virus .
Last week 's surprise report showing US employers had restarted hiring in May helped to push the Nasdaq index to new highs .
But the recovery remains tentative .
On Thursday , the US Labor Department reported that another 1.5 million people had filed new unemployment claims last week .
More than 30 million continue to collect the benefits , it said .
Bank policymakers said on Wednesday that the unemployment rate could remain above 9 % at the end of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the financial crisis , At his press conference on Wednesday , bank chair Jerome Powell warned that assessment may prove optimistic , should infection and hospitalisation rates worsen .
Several states that have moved to reopen , including Arizona and South Carolina , have seen an uptick in cases in recent days .
`` It could hurt the recovery , even if you do n't have a national level pandemic .
Just a series of local ones , of local spikes , could have the effect of undermining people 's confidence in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` It would not be a positive development . ''
The Dow dropped 1,861.8 points or 6.9 % to end at 25,128 , while the S & P 500 slid 188 points or 5.9 % to 3,002.1 .
The Nasdaq closed 527.6 points lower or 5.2 % at 9,492.7 .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he did not want to see a return of the lockdowns that kept the world 's largest economy frozen for weeks this spring .
But economists have warned that people will stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ill .

"It could hurt the recovery, even if you don't have a national level pandemic. Just a series of local ones, of local spikes, could have the effect of undermining people's confidence in travelling, in restaurants and in entertainment," he said. "It would not be a positive development."


bbc--2020-06-11--Lady Antebellum: US band change name to Lady A over slave-era links

Chart-topping US pop group Lady Antebellum have changed their name to Lady A because Antebellum has connotations with the slavery era .
The Nashville trio have won five Grammys and had seven US top 10 albums , including three number ones .
The word antebellum is used to refer to the period and architecture in the US South before the Civil War .
They say they took the name from the architectural style , but are `` deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused '' .
In a statement on Twitter , they said their eyes had been opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ biases black women and men have always faced '' and `` blindspots we did n't even know existed '' .
They originally took their name from the antebellum style of home after taking their first band photos in front of one such house almost 14 years ago , they said .
`` As musicians , it reminded us of all the music born in the South that influenced us , '' they wrote .
`` But we are regretful and embarrassed to say that we did not take into account the associations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period of history before the Civil War , which includes slavery .
`` We are deeply sorry for the hurt this has caused and for anyone who has felt unsafe , unseen or unvalued .
Causing pain was never our hearts ' intention , but it does n't change the fact that indeed , it did just that . ''
The group are best known for their hit Need You Now , which reached number two in the US , and the top 20 in the UK , in 2010 .
They said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflection , band discussion , prayer and many honest conversations with some of our closest black friends and colleagues '' .
They added : `` We can make no excuse for our lateness to this realisation .
What we can do is acknowledge it , turn from it and take action . ''
Their move comes after British record label One Little Indian , which has released music by Bjork , Sigur Ros and Paul McCartney 's side-project The Fireman , changed its name to One Little Independent .
Founder Derek Birkett said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fan explained why the name - which uses an outdated term for the indigenous people of the Americas - was `` offensive '' .
`` The last few weeks have been a monumental learning curve , '' he wrote in a statement .
`` Following the receipt of an eye-opening letter from a Crass fan that detailed precisely why the logo and label name are offensive , as well as the violent history of the terminology , I felt equally appalled and grateful to them for making me understand what must be changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the label had been founded in the late 1970s , when his friends were inspired by the `` philosophies of the Indigenous People of the Americas '' .
`` I was naive enough at the time of founding my label to think that the name and logo was reflective of my respect and appreciation of the culture , '' he said .
`` I recognise now that both contribute to racism and should have been addressed a long , long time ago . ''
The name changes come as the music industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race , in the wake of George Floyd 's death and Black Lives Matter protests around the world .
The term `` urban music '' has been scrapped by Republic Records , which is home to Drake and Ariana Grande , while the Grammys have announced they will stop using `` urban '' to describe music of black origin in their awards categories .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"I was naive enough at the time of founding my label to think that the name and logo was reflective of my respect and appreciation of the culture," he said. "I recognise now that both contribute to racism and should have been addressed a long, long time ago."


bbc--2020-06-11--Argentine couple finally meet son born to surrogate mother

In Ukraine , efforts are continuing to unite newborn babies born to surrogate mothers with their biological parents .
Last @ @ @ @ @ than a hundred babies had been left stranded in Kyiv after coronavirus restrictions prevented parents @ @ @ @ @ world to Ukraine .
But now some of the red tape has been cut , @ @ @ @ @ .
The BBC 's Jonah Fisher spoke to one couple who have finally made it @ @ @ @ @ son - ten weeks after he was born .

In Ukraine, efforts are continuing to unite newborn babies born to surrogate mothers with their biological parents.
Last month officials said that more than a hundred babies had been left stranded in Kyiv after coronavirus restrictions prevented parents from travelling from around the world to Ukraine.
But now some of the red tape has been cut, and special flights laid on. The BBC's Jonah Fisher spoke to one couple who have finally made it to Kyiv to meet their son - ten weeks after he was born.
Video produced by Abdujalil Abdurasulov and Hanna Chornous.


bbc--2020-06-11--Coronavirus: Patients turned away as India hospitals struggle

India ’ s capital Delhi could have more than half a million coronavirus cases by the end of July , @ @ @ @ @ , the number of Covid-19 cases in the country ’ s worst-affected city , Mumbai @ @ @ @ @ China , where the virus first appeared .
Hospitals in the country are struggling to @ @ @ @ @ patients they ’ re getting .
Many are dying without getting the treatment they need @

India’s capital Delhi could have more than half a million coronavirus cases by the end of July, according to officials.
Meanwhile, the number of Covid-19 cases in the country’s worst-affected city, Mumbai, has surpassed Wuhan in China, where the virus first appeared.
Hospitals in the country are struggling to cope with the number of patients they’re getting. Many are dying without getting the treatment they need.
Video by Yogita Limaye, Shalu Yadav and Aakriti Thapar


bbc--2020-06-12--Afghan conflict: US sanctions 'kangaroo' ICC over war crimes probe

President Donald Trump has imposed sanctions on court officials who are investigating whether US forces committed war crimes in Afghanistan .
The executive order allows the US to block the assets of International Criminal Court ( ICC ) employees and stop them from entering the country .
The ICC described the decision as an `` unacceptable attempt to interfere with the rule of law '' .
Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised the court and questioned its independence .
The ICC investigation began after a preliminary report found reason to believe war crimes had been committed .
The US is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not recognise its authority over American citizens .
• The Afghan war : The short and long story • What does the International Criminal Court do ?
On Thursday , shortly after the executive order was signed , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the US would not be `` threatened by a kangaroo court '' .
He added that the latest sanctions could also apply to family members of ICC officials to prevent them from visiting the US .
His criticism of the court was compounded by Attorney General William Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign powers like Russia are ... manipulating the ICC in pursuit of their own agenda '' .
The ICC said in a statement that the US decision had been made `` with the declared aim of influencing the actions of ICC officials '' in the course of their investigations .
`` An attack on the ICC also represents an attack against the interests of victims of atrocity crimes , for many of whom the Court represents the last hope for justice , '' it added .
`` This assault on the ICC is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crimes whether in Afghanistan , Israel or Palestine from seeing justice , '' Andrea Prasow , the Washington director of Humans Rights Watch , said in a statement .
`` Countries that support international justice should publicly oppose this blatant attempt at obstruction . ''
The EU 's diplomatic chief also expressed `` serious concern '' at the move .
`` The court has been playing a key role in providing international justice and addressing the gravest international crimes , '' foreign affairs high representative Josep Borrell told reporters .
The investigation into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others in the Afghan conflict was given the green light by the ICC earlier this year .
Mr Pompeo vowed to protect Americans from it .
`` This is a truly breath-taking action by an unaccountable , political institution masquerading as a legal body , '' he said at the time .
The actions of the Taliban , the Afghan government and US troops since May 2003 are expected to be examined in the probe .
Afghanistan is a member of the court , but officials there have also expressed opposition to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-trial chamber at the ICC ruled that the investigation should not go ahead because it would not `` serve the interests of justice '' .
President Trump has previously pardoned troops prosecuted in the US for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan .
Last year , his administration imposed travel restrictions and other sanctions on ICC officials .
What are the allegations ?
A preliminary investigation lasting more than a decade examined crimes including intentional attacks against civilians , imprisonment and extra-judicial executions .
A 2016 report from the ICC said there was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had committed torture at secret detention sites operated by the CIA .
The report also said it was reasonable to believe the Afghan government had tortured prisoners and the Taliban had committed war crimes such as the mass killing of civilians .
The ICC has been part of the global justice system since 2002 , and it is designed to prosecute those responsible for genocide , crimes against humanity and war crimes .
But the court 's operation is seen as weakened without US involvement .

"This assault on the ICC is an effort to block victims of serious crimes whether in Afghanistan, Israel or Palestine from seeing justice," Andrea Prasow, the Washington director of Humans Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Countries that support international justice should publicly oppose this blatant attempt at obstruction."


bbc--2020-06-11--Military chief sorry for joining Trump walk

The top US military officer says he was wrong to have joined President Donald Trump during his controversial walk to a damaged church near the White House .
The 1 June event created `` a perception of the military involved in domestic politics '' , Gen Mark Milley said .
Mr Trump walked to the church and held up a Bible after a peaceful protest at the death of African American George Floyd was forcibly dispersed .
The use of troops to tackle the protests has provoked fierce US debate .
Mr Trump has regularly referred to `` law and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guard to the US capital , vowing to deploy the military to other cities and condemning violent protests .
Some of the mostly peaceful initial protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month did turn violent with looting in several cities .
But since four police officers were charged in connection with the death , the protests have been more peaceful , spawning an international movement against police brutality and racial inequality .
Video footage of the death in Minneapolis shows a white officer kneeling on Mr Floyd 's neck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gen Milley say ?
The chairman of the joint chiefs of staff was speaking in a video for a National Defense University commencement ceremony .
He said : `` I should not have been there .
My presence in that moment and in that environment created a perception of the military involved in domestic politics .
`` As a commissioned uniformed officer , it was a mistake that I have learned from , and I sincerely hope we all can learn from it . ''
Gen Milley added : `` We must hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is so deeply rooted in the very essence of our republic . ''
He also said he was outraged at the `` senseless , brutal killing '' of George Floyd .
Gen Milley said : `` The protests that have ensued not only speak to his killing but also to centuries of injustice toward African Americans . ''
The general was wearing battle uniform as he walked with the president and critics said this suggested his support for the deployment of the military against protesters .
Defence Secretary Mark Esper was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not said he was wrong to be there , suggested in a news conference that he thought the walk was for a different purpose of mingling with troops and inspecting damage .
Senior officials told US media that Mr Trump had yelled at Mr Esper after the conference .
This is just the latest sign of growing friction between the White House and the military over how best to deal with the country 's history of racism and the current movement for change .
The incident , which Gen Milley now regrets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of domestic politics and , no less , in an election year .
Several former generals have come out publicly against Mr Trump 's `` law and order '' approach to what is a human rights issue - equality for black Americans .
The president 's first defence secretary , retired general James Mattis , said he never dreamed that troops would be ordered to violate the constitutional rights of their fellow citizens .
But this statement from Gen Milley , given his position at the top of the US military , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ break from the president .
What happened on the day ?
A peaceful demonstration was cleared in Lafayette Square next to the White House with pepper spray and flash-bang grenades so that the president and his entourage could walk to St John 's Episcopal Church .
With the dispersal still ongoing , Mr Trump spoke in the Rose Garden , calling on governors to use the National Guard to `` dominate the streets '' or he would `` deploy the United States military and quickly solve the problem for them '' .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champion of evangelical and conservative voters , then walked to the church , the basement of which had been burned the previous day , and held up a Bible .
A number of religious leaders criticised his actions .
The presiding bishop of the the Episcopal Church , Michael Curry , accused Mr Trump of using the church for `` partisan political purposes '' .
Mr Trump said `` most religious leaders loved '' his visit to the church and denied having any role in dispersing protesters beforehand .
His latest tweet on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security forces .
What are the latest developments on George Floyd 's death ?
• Statues linked to colonialist or imperialist figures continue to be vandalised in the US and abroad , including those of Christopher Columbus and Confederate president Jefferson Davis • Country music band Lady Antebellum have changed their name to Lady A. Antebellum in the US refers to the slavery period before the Civil War • An amendment in the Armed Services Committee of the Republican-led Senate now requires Mr Trump to rename military bases named after Confederate generals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prospects the amendment will pass the full Senate though are unclear • Europe could see a surge in Covid-19 infections as a result of massive Black Lives Matter rallies , EU officials say • WATCH : 'This is why we are protesting' • BACKGROUND : Five pieces of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?

George Floyd dies after police arrest Image caption Tributes to George Floyd at a makeshift memorial Image copyright by Getty Images George Floyd dies after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Footage shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for several minutes while he is pinned to the floor. Mr Floyd is heard repeatedly saying "I can’t breathe". He is pronounced dead later in hospital.
Protests begin Image caption Demonstrators in Minneapolis Image copyright by AFP Four officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd are fired. Protests begin as the video of the arrest is shared widely on social media. Hundreds of demonstrators take to the streets of Minneapolis and vandalise police cars and the police station with graffiti.
Protests spread Image caption Protesters lie on the streets in Portland, Oregon Image copyright by Reuters Protests spread to other cities including Memphis and Los Angeles. In some places, like Portland, Oregon, protesters lie in the road, chanting "I can’t breathe". Demonstrators again gather around the police station in Minneapolis where the officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest were based and set fire to it. The building is evacuated and police retreat.
Trump tweets Image caption President Trump tweets about the unrest Image copyright by Reuters President Trump blames the violence on a lack of leadership in Minneapolis and threatens to send in the National Guard in a tweet. He follows it up in a second tweet with a warning "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". The second tweet is hidden by Twitter for "glorifying violence".
CNN reporter arrested Image caption Members of a CNN crew are arrested at a protest Image copyright by Reuters A CNN reporter, Omar Jimenez, is arrested while covering the Minneapolis protest. Mr Jimenez was reporting live when police officers handcuffed him. A few minutes later several of his colleagues are also arrested. They are all later released once they are confirmed to be members of the media. Derek Chauvin charged with murder Image caption Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin after being charged over the death of George Floyd Image copyright by Getty Images Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, is charged with murder and manslaughter. The charges carry a combined maximum 35-year sentence.
Sixth night of protests Image caption Demonstrators set fire to rubbish in New York Image copyright by Reuters Violence spreads across the US on the sixth night of protests. A total of at least five people are reported killed in protests from Indianapolis to Chicago. More than 75 cities have seen protests. At least 4,400 people have been arrested. Curfews are imposed across the US to try to stem the unrest.
Trump threatens military response Image caption Trump posing with a Bible outside a boarded-up church Image copyright by EPA President Trump threatens to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest. He says if cities and states fail to control the protests and "defend their residents" he will deploy the army and "quickly solve the problem for them". Mr Trump poses in front of a damaged church shortly after police used tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters nearby.
Eighth night of protests Image caption George Floyd’s family joined protesters in Houston Image copyright by Getty Tens of thousands of protesters again take to the streets. One of the biggest protests is in George Floyd’s hometown of Houston, Texas. Many defy curfews in several cities, but the demonstrations are largely peaceful.
Memorial service for George Floyd Image caption Mourners gather to remember George Floyd Image copyright by Getty A memorial service for George Floyd is held in Minneapolis. Those gathered in tribute stand in silence for eight minutes, 46 seconds, the amount of time Mr Floyd is alleged to have been on the ground under arrest. Hundreds attended the service, which heard a eulogy from civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton.
International protests Image caption Protester addresses crowds in Australia Image copyright by Getty As the US saw another weekend of protests, with tens of thousands marching in Washington DC, anti-racism demonstrations were held around the world. In Australia, there were major protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that focused on the treatment of indigenous Australians. There were also demonstrations in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. In Bristol, protesters tore down the statue of a 17th century slave trader and threw it into the harbour.


bbc--2020-06-11--Metin Topuz: Turkish court jails US consulate employee for terror offences

A Turkish employee of the US consulate in Istanbul has been sentenced to almost nine years in prison for aiding a terrorist organisation .
Metin Topuz was arrested in 2017 and accused of having links to an `` armed terror group '' that Turkey blames for a failed coup the previous year .
He was jailed for eight years and nine months in Istanbul on Thursday .
Mr Topuz denies the allegations .
The US has said there is `` no credible evidence '' to support his conviction .
Mr Topuz is reported to have spent decades working as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) in Istanbul .
He was accused of making contact with officials , including police officers and a prosecutor , who were suspected of having ties to the US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen .
Turkey 's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has blamed the 2016 coup - which triggered a massive crackdown and saw scores of people killed - on Mr Gulen and people he accuses of being his followers .
Mr Gulen denies any involvement .
In an earlier court hearing , Mr Topuz said his contact with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my work as a translator and assistant liaison officer at the DEA '' .
He was acquitted on charges of espionage and trying to overthrow the government , but prosecutors later said he should face jail on the lesser charge of belonging to a terrorist organisation .
A lawyer for Mr Topuz told the AFP news agency that the court of appeal is due to decide whether to uphold his conviction .
The decision to arrest Mr Topuz in 2017 sparked a diplomatic row between Washington and Ankara and his trial has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries mutually suspended visa services following his arrest and President Erdogan said the move was `` very , very saddening '' .
In a statement on Thursday , the US embassy said it was `` deeply disappointed '' by Mr Topuz 's conviction .
`` We have seen no credible evidence to support this conviction and hope it will swiftly be overturned , '' it added .
At least 250 people were killed and more than 1,400 were wounded in the failed coup attempt in July 2016 .
Since then , tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with thousands more fired or suspended from public service .

He was acquitted on charges of espionage and trying to overthrow the government, but prosecutors later said he should face jail on the lesser charge of belonging to a terrorist organisation.


bbc--2020-06-11--PlayStation 5: Sony gives first look at the PS5 console and games

Sony has given gamers a first look at the design of its next console as well as some of the titles it will play .
The PlayStation 5 has a black core surrounded by curved white edging , and a blue glow .
Two sequels to bestselling PS4 releases were among the standout games announcements - Spider-Man : Miles Morales , and Horizon : Forbidden West .
Sony 's machine will launch alongside Microsoft 's rival Xbox Series X before the end of the year .
`` While there 's still a lot of unanswered questions about the PS5 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think Sony did exactly what they needed to with this reveal event , '' commented Laura Kate Dale , a freelance games critic .
`` It showed off an hour of games , mixing sequels to popular titles , and new franchises from its biggest first-party studios , for a solid hour .
`` People on Twitter are very split on whether they like or hate the look of the box , but overall Sony spent an hour getting people excited . ''
So many people remarked that the console looked like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term trended on Twitter shortly after the event .
More than two dozen new games were shown off in total .
Other highlights included a first look at Sony 's racing game Grand Turismo 7 and a brief look at Capcom 's zombie horror game Resident Evil 8 .
It was not always clear during the event which titles were PS5 exclusives and which were not .
The PlayStation 5 is set to go on sale later this year , seven years after the PS4 .
In addition to being able to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a customised hard drive that will make it possible to radically reduce load times .
Sony is building a library of launch titles that will only be available on its next-generation machine .
This contrasts with Microsoft 's approach , which is to initially release new first-party games on both its current and next-gen consoles .
Sony opted to stream a pre-recorded video rather than a host a live event because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The video was broadcast at 1080p resolution , much lower than the PS5 is capable of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globally by more than a 2:1 margin , although the gap was much closer in the US .
In advance of Thursday night 's event , one industry insider said there were two things he was most excited about .
`` The first is the new controller - the adaptive triggers offer deeper and more meaningful feedback for gameplay , '' explained Robert Karp , development director at UK developer Codemasters .
`` The other is the super-fast loading .
On PS5 , waiting to get into the action is a thing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game acts as a follow-up to 2018 's action-adventure game based on the Marvel superhero .
But this time round the protagonist is the Afro-Latino teenager Miles Morales rather than Peter Parker .
The brief trailer showed him fighting and web-slinging through New York , showing off snow and electricity particle effects that would not have been possible in such detail on the PS4 .
Several of the other reveals reintroduced familiar characters .
Aloy is back in the follow-up to Horizon : Zero Dawn .
In Forbidden West , the heroine was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a robot crocodile passed overhead , and battling against robot dinosaurs .
Assassin Agent 47 returned in Hitman III , IO Interactive 's stealth series .
It is not due to go on sale until January 2021 , however , so will miss out on launching alongside the PS5 .
Ratchet and Clank : Rift Apart marked a return to Insomniac Games ' cartoon-like third-person action franchise .
Oddworld : Soulstorm was a surprise , bringing back the former slave turned hero Abe , in a series that dates back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more platforming in A Big Adventure , a follow-up to the earlier Little Big Planet Games .
There was also a first look at some new intellectual property , including : • Project Athia , which features a female protagonist on an alien planet who has to survive in a world populated by strange creatures • Deathloop , which centres on two competing assassins battling within a `` time loop '' , which is being developed by Arkane Lyon , the makers of the Dishonored series • Pragmata , a sci-fi adventure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man in a flying suit tackling a space ship that had reversed gravity , which ends up transporting them from planet Earth to the Moon .
It is not due for release until 2022 • Returnal , a moody space horror game in which a female astronaut crash lands on a world containing shadowy angel-like creatures and a floating orb '' What I found particularly great was the push on new IP , '' gaming presenter Shay Thompson told the BBC .
`` Many of the protagonists featured were women or girls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That would 've been a pipe dream , even 10 years ago . ''
There was no mention of any virtual reality games , however .
Nor was was there any mention of a PlayStation 5 version of The Last of Us 2 .
Sony also highlighted new features of the PS5 's hardware including 3D Audio and a 4K Blu-ray player .
It also said the the new console would be released in a version that lacked a disc drive .
While Sony and Microsoft 's next-generation consoles will battle for sales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launching at a time when the coronavirus pandemic may not be over .
Although both firms have said that production is on track for winter 2020 releases , it is unclear what level of demand there will be .
`` Console gaming has proven to be resilient to economic downturns because it continues to offer good per-hour entertainment value , '' Piers Harding-Rolls wrote in a research note for Ampere Analysis .
`` Even so , the recession and growing unemployment in key sales territories will undermine adoption - less so at launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
A confident introduction to the PlayStation 5 from Sony , letting the games do the talking , with a varied mix of big-name fan favourites and a lot of new titles from smaller studios .
The event lacked the fevered energy that a live showcase generates , but it managed to settle into a comfortable groove as games like the new Ratchet and Clank allowed us to see what the PS5 's solid state drive ( SSD ) can do to reduce or almost eliminate load times .
Rather than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like it might be built around lots of smaller improvements in areas like audio , with 3D sound and improved haptic feedback in the controller .
Beyond better visuals and faster loading times , what does the next generation actually mean when it comes to games though ?
On this evidence more of the same : shooters , racers , third-person adventure titles and sports games .
Things we already have , but graphically improved .
PlayStation and Xbox have both struggled to communicate what the next-gen really has to offer .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glimpse of some games and finally clapped eyes on the PS5 's curvy physical case .
It 's enough , perhaps , to whet gamers appetites for what 's to come .

The event lacked the fevered energy that a live showcase generates, but it managed to settle into a comfortable groove as games like the new Ratchet and Clank allowed us to see what the PS5's solid state drive (SSD) can do to reduce or almost eliminate load times.


bbc--2020-06-11--Coronavirus: Fracas on Brazil's Copacabana over Covid-19 'graves'

Activists angry at Brazil 's response to Covid-19 have created 100 graves on Rio 's Copacabana beach to remember the country 's nearly 40,000 victims .
However , organisers said supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro had mocked the event with one man pulling out crosses .
The president 's opposition to lockdowns and his downplaying of the virus have deeply divided the nation .
Brazil has the world 's second-highest number of cases - and the third-highest number of deaths in the world .
• In pictures : Indigenous nurse on frontline in virus fight The symbolic graves , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposite the Copacabana Hotel by members of the Rio de Paz group .
Organiser Antonio Carlos Costa told Reuters news agency : `` The president has not realised that this is one of the most dramatic crises in Brazil 's history .
`` Families are mourning thousands of dead , and there is unemployment and hunger . ''
But he said some supporters of the president had mocked the project .
`` They feel such rage - and I think they 're reproducing the behaviour of the person occupying the highest position in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One man went around knocking down the crosses .
Only the US has more confirmed Covid-19 cases than Brazil figures from Johns Hopkins University show .
Brazil has the third-worst figure on deaths , now at 40,919 according to latest health ministry release , and this is expected to pass the UK 's number soon .
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?

"They feel such rage - and I think they're reproducing the behaviour of the person occupying the highest position in the land," he said.


bbc--2020-06-12--Man charged with poisoning homeless people in California

A man in California has been charged with poisoning eight homeless people with a substance described as `` twice as strong '' as pepper spray .
William Robert Cable , 38 , is accused of giving at least eight people food laced with oleoresin capsicum and filming them as they became ill. Several of the alleged victims were hospitalised and authorities believe the suspect could have targeted others .
Mr Cable faces up to 19 years in prison if convicted .
`` These human beings were preyed upon because they are vulnerable , '' Orange County 's district attorney Todd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and poisoned as part of a twisted form of entertainment , and their pain was recorded so that it could be relived by their attacker over and over again . ''
According to the Orange County District Attorney 's Office , the suspect approached vulnerable homeless people in the Huntington Beach area in Ma and offered them food laced with a substance `` twice as strong '' as the pepper spray used by police .
Oleoresin capsicum is derived from chilli plants and is the main active ingredient used in pepper spray .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturers .
Some of the victims were told they would be taking part in a `` spicy food challenge '' and were given beer to encourage them to take part , while others were unaware the food had been tampered with .
Upon eating the food , they suffered reactions including seizure-like symptoms , difficulty breathing and vomiting , the District Attorney 's Office said .
Cable , who is being held on $ 500,000 bail , was arrested last month and faces eight charges of poisoning , as well as a further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elderly .
He has also been charged with involving a minor in the attacks .
Officials in Orange County have appealed for the public to help identify any further victims or suspects .
Last year a Spanish YouTuber was sentenced to 15 months in prison after tricking a homeless man into eating an Oreo biscuit filled with toothpaste .

Cable, who is being held on $500,000 bail, was arrested last month and faces eight charges of poisoning, as well as a further count because one of the victims was elderly. He has also been charged with involving a minor in the attacks.


bbc--2020-06-12--Coronavirus: Italy prosecutors to quiz PM Conte on crisis

Prosecutors in northern Italy are to question Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday after relatives of Covid-19 victims demanded an inquiry into alleged government negligence .
The hearing will take place in Bergamo , the city near Milan worst hit by coronavirus before the whole country was locked down in March .
Mr Conte said he was `` not at all worried '' about the questioning .
Relatives argue that virus hotspots should have been isolated earlier .
Fifty legal complaints were filed on Thursday at the Bergamo prosecutor 's office by a citizens ' group called Noi Denunceremo ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consists of bereaved relatives of Covid-19 victims , who say two Lombardy towns - Alzano and Nembro - should have been declared `` red zones '' as soon as the outbreaks were detected there .
It is the first legal group action in Italy triggered by the pandemic .
But the Lombardy region is governed by the right-wing opposition League party , and many have blamed them , rather than the central government , for alleged failures in the coronavirus response .
In addition , the prosecutors will question Italian Interior Minister Luciana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
The prosecutors aim to determine if there are grounds for any charges of criminal negligence .
Lombardy was where the virus first started spreading in Europe and more than half the victims in Italy died in the region .
On Thursday , Italy 's official coronavirus death toll stood at 34,114 - the second highest figure in Europe after the UK , and fourth-highest in the world .
But Italy 's infection rate has been brought down , enabling the authorities to gradually ease draconian restrictions .
Mr Conte said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facts of which I have knowledge .
I am not at all worried .
`` All investigations are welcome .
The citizens have the right to know and we have the right to reply . ''
In a BBC interview in early April , Mr Conte denied claims that he had underestimated the crisis .
He said that if he had ordered a lockdown at the beginning , when the first virus clusters were detected , `` people would have taken me for a madman '' .
He dismissed the suggestion that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown like the one in the Chinese city of Wuhan .
Lombardy officials say locking down virus hotspots was a central government responsibility .
The region 's Health Minister Giulio Gallera has said it was clear from 23 February that Alzano and Nembro had many cases .
But Mr Conte , who heads a centre-left coalition government , hit back by saying `` if Lombardy had wanted to , it could have made Alzano and Nembro red zones '' , AFP news agency reported .
The prosecutors have already questioned senior Lombardy officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lombardy ?
The little town of Codogno was first to be locked down , on 21 February .
Then Lombardy and 14 provinces in the neighbouring regions of Veneto , Piedmont and Emilia Romagna were locked down on 8 March .
Two days later the lockdown was extended to the whole of Italy .
• 'We all became heroes but they 've already forgotten us' • Italy 's 'time to smile ’ as travel allowed again • Are Italians losing faith in the EU ?
• Can you compare the UK with Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that hospitals in the Lombardy crisis zone were overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients and struggling with shortages of protective kit , beds and medical staff .
BBC footage from a hospital in Brescia , near Bergamo , showed how doctors struggled with `` staggering '' numbers of Covid-19 patients , without medication to fight the virus .
The widow of one victim , Monica Plazzoli , said : `` If it had n't been so disorganised , if [ the province of ] Bergamo had been made into a red zone earlier , perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to collapse '' .
How the crisis has taken a toll on mental health : • SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• EUROPE LOCKDOWN : How is it being lifted ?
• WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE BODY ?
Doctors on the front line explain

The little town of Codogno was first to be locked down, on 21 February. Then Lombardy and 14 provinces in the neighbouring regions of Veneto, Piedmont and Emilia Romagna were locked down on 8 March. Two days later the lockdown was extended to the whole of Italy.


bbc--2020-06-11--Brexit: Boris Johnson to hold crunch EU-UK meeting next week

Boris Johnson will hold post-Brexit trade talks with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen via video link on Monday next week .
The UK and EU have said no major progress has been made towards a deal after four rounds of talks this year .
Both sides are due to decide by the end of June whether the current deadline for negotiating a deal should be extended beyond the end of December .
The UK has said it will not agree to an extension , even if the EU requests one .
A UK government spokesman said both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schedule of weekly talks throughout the month of July .
This will involve a mix of formal negotiating rounds and smaller group meetings in London and Brussels , if coronavirus guidelines allow , he added .
• Trade deal still possible with EU - Hancock • What are the sticking points in the trade talks ?
• Firms ca n't cope with no deal and virus - CBI boss European Council President Charles Michel and European Parliament President David-Maria Sassoli will also take part in the video call on Monday .
Mrs von @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward '' to the meeting , while UK chief negotiator David Frost said he was `` very pleased '' an `` intensified talks process '' had been agreed .
But he said the government 's policy on not extending the transition period - during which the UK stays in the single market and customs union - `` remains valid '' .
Earlier , Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove told the Commons the UK will `` under no circumstances '' accept an extension to the transition period .
He said the EU 's Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be made on issues including fisheries and state aid .
but some EU member states had been a `` little more reluctant '' .
`` I think it would be in everyone 's interests , EU member states , the Commission , and of course the UK government , if Michel Barnier were able to use the flexibility that he has deployed in the past in order to secure an arrangement that would work in everyone 's interests , '' he told MPs .
It comes after Mr Barnier said there had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at last week 's negotiating round .
Likewise his UK counterpart Mr Frost said progress `` remains limited , '' and negotiators were `` reaching the limits '' of what could be achieved in formal talks .
Differences between the two sides remain on fisheries , competition rules , police co-operation , and how a deal would be enforced .

"I think it would be in everyone's interests, EU member states, the Commission, and of course the UK government, if Michel Barnier were able to use the flexibility that he has deployed in the past in order to secure an arrangement that would work in everyone's interests," he told MPs.


bbc--2020-06-11--Mining firm BHP halts plan to disturb Aboriginal sites after outcry

The mining giant BHP has halted plans to expand a mine in Western Australia because of concerns it could destroy dozens of indigenous heritage sites .
It follows a public outcry over the destruction of a 46,000-year-old site by another firm , Rio Tinto , last month .
BHP had been granted approval to work on up to 40 sites in the remote Pilbara region as part of its expansion of an iron ore mine .
But on Thursday , it said it would consult further with Aboriginal groups .
`` We will not disturb the sites identified without further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' a statement said .
`` That consultation will be based on our commitment to understanding the cultural significance of the region , '' it added .
`` This will include further scientific study and discussion on mitigation and preservation . ''
It is not clear how the delay will affect the development of the AUD $ 3.6bn ( USD $ 2.5bn ; £2bn ) South Flank mine , which is near the town of Newman .
It is due to start producing iron ore next year , local media report .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Affairs Minister Ben Wyatt said he had approved BHP 's application to `` impact '' 40 heritage sites in the iron-ore rich region .
`` No objections were filed and I approved the notice on 29 May , '' he said in a statement .
Mr Wyatt , who is Aboriginal , added that the area covered by the application was subject to a 2015 land use agreement that limited the Banjima people 's ability to contest government approval , but promised co-operation from the mining company .
The chairman of the Banjima @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in a statement : `` As a matter of lore and culture ... the Banjima people do not support the destruction of sites of cultural significance . ''
The decision to halt the expansion of the mine comes shortly after Rio Tinto destroyed two indigenous caves in the Juukan Gorge , about 1,075 km ( 667 miles ) north of Perth .
The company later apologised for blowing up the caves , which date back to the last Ice Age , saying it was `` sorry for the distress we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plans of all other sites in the Juukan Gorge area , '' it said in a statement .
Many prehistoric artefacts have been found at the remote heritage site .
The destruction of the caves sparked protests and calls for urgent reform of heritage protection laws in Western Australia .

The company later apologised for blowing up the caves, which date back to the last Ice Age, saying it was "sorry for the distress we have caused".


bbc--2020-06-11--Coronavirus: Domestic violence 'increases globally during lockdown'

The UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a `` shadow pandemic '' alongside Covid-19 .
It @ @ @ @ @ increased by 20 % during the lockdown , as many people are trapped at home @ @ @ @ @ BBC ’ s Gender and Identity Correspondent , Megha Mohan , has been finding out @ @ @ @ @ have come up with solutions to help vulnerable women in their communities .

The UN has described the worldwide increase in domestic abuse as a "shadow pandemic" alongside Covid-19.
It’s thought cases have increased by 20% during the lockdown, as many people are trapped at home with their abuser.
The BBC’s Gender and Identity Correspondent, Megha Mohan, has been finding out how women in four countries have come up with solutions to help vulnerable women in their communities.
Reporter: Megha Mohan, video journalist: Olivia Le Poidevin, BBC Minute


bbc--2020-06-11--What should UK do with its symbols of slavery?

Millions around the world have seen the image of slave trader Edward Colston 's statue being pulled down in Bristol @ @ @ @ @ took it to the harbour and threw it into the water .
Bristol Council have @ @ @ @ @ dredged up and put into a museum .
But what about other statues dedicated to @ @ @ @ @ ?
Marenka Thompson-Odlum and Sir Geoff Palmer share their views .

Millions around the world have seen the image of slave trader Edward Colston's statue being pulled down in Bristol. Black Lives Matter protesters took it to the harbour and threw it into the water.
Bristol Council have now said it will be dredged up and put into a museum.
But what about other statues dedicated to men linked to the slave-trade? Marenka Thompson-Odlum and Sir Geoff Palmer share their views.
Produced by Larissa Kennelly and Tiffany Wertheimer


bbc--2020-06-11--La Liga returns: Sevilla beat rivals Real Betis 2-0 in derby

Sevilla beat Real Betis in the Seville derby as La Liga returned after a three-month gap - with some teething problems off the pitch .
Groups of fans ignored guidance as they gathered outside the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium before the game , and some of the TV presentation left plenty to be desired .
But in Lucas Ocampos the hosts had the key man to win the first match played in Spain since the coronavirus pandemic halted proceedings on 10 March .
La Liga is the second of Europe 's big five leagues to resume , with the Premier League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you need to know as La Liga returns • Spanish game finishes six months after it started After a minute 's silence in memory of those who have died during the pandemic , La Liga returned with some new additions .
As previously heard in Germany , there was artificial crowd noise .
But unlike in Germany , the mix was way too low and almost inaudible for much of the game .
The vast , empty stands were painted in 'virtual support ' in what was sold beforehand as images of fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was extremely low key though , looking more like a collage of coloured dots which were only visible on the one wide camera shot , with the 'crowd ' disappearing whenever the director changed angle , and sometimes hovering in mid-air when a replay appeared .
At times , such as during some pre-arranged drinks breaks , the vacant stands displayed the message of 'Safe sport , safe tourism - Spain welcomes you ' .
When tourists return to Seville remains to be seen , but Champions League football may well soon - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points of Real Madrid .
Ocampos was the game 's key player throughout , rattling the crossbar from a narrow angle in the first half before breaking the deadlock from the penalty spot .
He then conjured an ingenious backheeled flick from a corner to find Fernando for the game-sealing second goal , Sevilla celebrating the three points just after midnight local time .
Leaders Barcelona are in action for the first time on Saturday , while Real Madrid play on Sunday .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Lucas Ocampos is the first Sevilla player to score in five consecutive La Liga appearances since Alvaro Negredo in September 2011
Sevilla beat Real Betis in the Seville derby as La Liga returned after a three-month gap - with some teething problems off the pitch.
Groups of fans ignored guidance as they gathered outside the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium before the game, and some of the TV presentation left plenty to be desired.
But in Lucas Ocampos the hosts had the key man to win the first match played in Spain since the coronavirus pandemic halted proceedings on 10 March.
La Liga is the second of Europe's big five leagues to resume, with the Premier League following suit next week.
Plenty of fans of both sides gathered outside before the match
After a minute's silence in memory of those who have died during the pandemic, La Liga returned with some new additions.
As previously heard in Germany, there was artificial crowd noise. But unlike in Germany, the mix was way too low and almost inaudible for much of the game.
The vast, empty stands were painted in 'virtual support' in what was sold beforehand as images of fans wearing club colours.
The actual effect was extremely low key though, looking more like a collage of coloured dots which were only visible on the one wide camera shot, with the 'crowd' disappearing whenever the director changed angle, and sometimes hovering in mid-air when a replay appeared.
At times, such as during some pre-arranged drinks breaks, the vacant stands displayed the message of 'Safe sport, safe tourism - Spain welcomes you'.
After three months away fans were keen to see the game from wherever they could
When tourists return to Seville remains to be seen, but Champions League football may well soon - the home side are now within six points of Real Madrid.
Ocampos was the game's key player throughout, rattling the crossbar from a narrow angle in the first half before breaking the deadlock from the penalty spot.
He then conjured an ingenious backheeled flick from a corner to find Fernando for the game-sealing second goal, Sevilla celebrating the three points just after midnight local time.
Leaders Barcelona are in action for the first time on Saturday, while Real Madrid play on Sunday.


bbc--2020-06-11--Quiz of the Week: Whose statue got dunked?

It 's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what 's been going on @ @ @ @ @ past seven days ?
If you can not see the quiz , follow this link @ @ @ @ @ quiz via this link .

It's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world during the past seven days?


bbc--2020-06-11--Africa's week in pictures: 5 - 11 June 2020

... one of the protesters is the widow of a man who was killed during the night curfew put in @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus .

Image caption,
... one of the protesters is the widow of a man who was killed during the night curfew put in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus.


bbc--2020-06-11--Hong Kong: City of two masks faces a new crisis

One year ago , black-clad youth of Hong Kong gathered outside parliament .
Bricks and projectiles met rubber bullets and tear gas .
Many protests and one pandemic later , the territory is facing another existential challenge .
Will it survive ?
In the past 12 months , almost everyone in Hong Kong has worn a mask for one reason or another .
For the protesters who fought pitched battles against police , it was a gas mask .
For the peaceful demonstrators , it was a black face covering , to make a statement .
For everyone else , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic sweeping the globe .
Scarred by the memories of the 2003 SARS epidemic in the city , almost every Hong Konger donned a mask , and somehow the city came through relatively unscathed - even as the rest of the world was plunged into sickness and crisis .
It planned to impose a national security law - one that would make crimes of what it called `` subversion , secession , terrorism and foreign interference '' .
The law is being drafted and is likely to be approved this month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , it is tantamount to making a crime of free speech , protest and dissent - and could mean the end of the unique freedoms guaranteed to Hong Kong when it was handed over to China in 1997 .
`` Hong Kong has entered a new stage .
After what happened in the past year , Hong Kong could become totally different in the future , '' said Alice Cheung , a former student leader .
It has been a year of disbelief and mental exhaustion for Ms Cheung .
She could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go through - and the many masks she would have to wear .
Like many in the city - on all sides of the argument - her fear for the future is real and raw .
Beijing sees this as a necessary crackdown on an unruly city .
Hong Kong was always meant to introduce its own national security law , but never could because it the prospect was so unpopular to its people .
Now , after a wave of defiance , unleashed in response to China 's attempt to impose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
For Ms Cheung and others like her the proposed national security law strikes at the heart of Hong Kong 's civic political identity , its success as an international hub .
But most of all it strikes at people 's sense of belonging .
Yet some local opponents of the law say they welcome it , even though it could spell disaster for Hong Kong economically .
To describe this sentiment , Ms Cheung uses the term `` laam chau '' , Cantonese slang which means `` mutual destruction '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down on Hong Kong , the West will have to sanction China by revoking special treatment for Hong Kong , damaging China 's economy in turn .
The US laid down the gauntlet last month by threatening to remove special privileges for Hong Kong and impose sanctions on Chinese officials who undermined the city 's autonomy .
Once upon a time , colonial flag-waving protesters who wanted the UK to interfere in Hong Kong 's affairs earned ridicule .
Now , the UK has vowed , if if Beijing goes ahead with its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the three million Hong Kongers eligible for a British National ( Overseas ) passport , which was issued to residents born during the colonial era .
• China 's new law : Why is Hong Kong worried ?
• The background you need on Hong Kong 's protests The implications of the UK 's pledge are not small .
Beijing has warned it will retaliate for any intervention in its internal affairs , and Hong Kong could become caught in the middle of a much bigger global dispute .
Ms Cheung was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not want to distance herself from the violent frontliners - partly because she has taken on the profound mistrust of the police that became a rallying cry of the protesters .
She saw people like her arrested and it changed her view of who she was and what belonging to the city meaned to her .
`` I have become somewhat numb , '' she said .
`` I do n't have a lot of feelings when I watch the news… I do n't know if I am suppressing my feelings or what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested - 40 % of them students .
The youngest was just 11 years old .
More than 1,800 have been charged and about one-third of them now face a charge of rioting - an offence which carries a maximum sentence of a decade in jail .
Ms Cheung worries what will come of this protest generation if China 's law is passed .
When the coronavirus came it filled her with dread .
She grew up at Amoy Gardens , the housing complex which was the deadly centre of the SARS outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were infected .
Ms Cheung was just six at that time .
`` I remember how residents living at Block E had to board a bus to be quarantined at a government camp , '' she recalled .
`` I remember watching on television that the number of infections jumped every day . ''
Ms Cheung began wearing a face mask in early January , soon after she first heard news of a `` mysterious pneumonia '' in Wuhan .
`` It reminded me of what happened during SARS , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I assumed things would fare worse than what was being reported . ''
Like Ms Cheung , many Hong Kongers sprang into action soon after mainland authorities confirmed human-to-human transmission .
According to a study by the University of Hong Kong , nearly 75 % of respondents said they used face masks when going out and about 61 % said they avoided crowded places in late January .
The figures jumped to 99 % and 85 % respectively in mid-March .
For a moment , the pandemic provided a lull from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point for the city .
Hong Kong has always taken pride in its can-do spirit .
To many , surviving the pandemic was yet another example of what happens when people pull together .
The authorities had taken action , but the idea took hold among many that it had been primarily a triumph of the people .
Dr King-wa Fu , who teaches journalism at the University of Hong Kong , says that the city government reacted slowly in the early stages , cementing the perception that the community deserved credit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the SARS experience , and that 's why people know what to do very quickly .
Wear a mask , wash your hands frequently , and keep a social distance from people .
We did n't really need the government to promote these messages , '' he said .
But whether or not it gets credit , experts acknowledge that the government has shown technocratic skill in managing the pandemic .
Hong Kong has seen just four deaths , and no lockdown .
The announcement of the China 's proposed national security @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response to a blip .
The narrative of a people pulling together in a communal triumph simply evaporated .
Hong Kong 's leader , Carrie Lam has said the proposed law must be enacted `` because national sovereignty has been undermined by `` the advocacy of independence and even violence verging on terrorist activities '' .
Pro-democrats believe Beijing has been biding its time for years .
`` China has always found it difficult to accept the kind of freedom and restraint to power that Hong Kong has under a separate system , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Now , they have chosen this way of imposing this law at the excuse of the protests last year .
It gave them an opening , but they always wanted to do it . ''
There are many fears about what the law could mean for Hong Kong , apart from a squeezing of civil liberties .
For one , there is a fear that China will set up its own security organisations in the city .
Margaret Ng , who is 72 , said she feared speech itself could become a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested for the first time in her life , alongside 14 high-profile democracy activists .
Then there are fears for Hong Kong 's cherished protest culture , which pre-dates the events of last year .
It is a culture shaped in part by China 's Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989 , when a million Hong Kong residents marched in support of the student protests in Beijing .
`` People waited for four hours at Chater Garden before they could start marching .
Back then , it was unprecedented and it was the biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has worked for 31 years as a volunteer for the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China .
Until this year , Hong Kong authorities had always allowed the vigil and it was seen as a yardstick of the city 's civil liberties - such commemorations are not allowed in mainland China .
This year , it fell under a ban on public gatherings which the government said was driven by public health concerns .
Still , tens of thousands came out to commemorate those killed during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Lam worries that there will be no more candlelight vigils after the national security law takes effect .
Hong Kong 's Justice Secretary Theresa Cheng told the BBC she believed the city was edging towards extreme levels of protest that needed to be dealt with .
`` Apart from the violence we see on the streets , you will have seen reports where bombs , petrol bombs , guns have been seized through the searches conducted by the police , '' she said .
She defended the proposed law , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not in any way affected by this decision and the legislation that is going to come '' .
Many wonder if it is wise for China to go down this path , eroding Hong Kong 's unique position as a part of China that enjoys the rule of law , an independent judiciary and certain freedoms .
But China has become a very different country than it was in the days before Hong Kong was handed over by the British .
The advent of Xi Jinping , China 's most assertive leader in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurisdiction '' over Hong Kong .
The risks are not inconsiderable .
Brian Fong , a Hong Kong-based comparative political scientist , described the latest development as `` a fundamental change in China 's policy toward Hong Kong '' - Beijing could risk losing access to foreign capital and technology through Hong Kong .
But the economic realities have changed too .
In 1997 , Hong Kong 's economy was equivalent to 16.6 % of China 's economy .
By 2018 , it had fallen to less than 3 % .
And after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , exchanging US dollars , and emigration have become hot topics among Hong Kongers .
Charles Chan ( not his real name ) , a 40-year-old lawyer who makes between HK $ 1 million and $ 2 million a year , has made changes to his personal finances .
`` I will hold less Hong Kong dollars .
I am also making preparations to move my money to offshore accounts , '' he said .
Mr Chan is considering opening accounts in Singapore or Jersey .
No economic apocalypse has materialised so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from an immediate sharp drop ; the Hong Kong dollar , which is pegged to USD , remains strong ; there has not been capital outflow .
But analysts predict the political storm could mean that Hong Kong will gradually lose its attractiveness as a base of regional headquarters for foreign multinationals - and the city 's economy has already been battered by the protests and the virus .
`` A lot of the foundations of Hong Kong 's success is now at risk , '' said Julian Evans-Pritchard , a senior China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's not just the Hong Kong national security law , even prior to this there were concerns .
It just continues this trend… Even if the law itself turns out to not directly affect Hong Kong 's legal system that much , just the perception of imposing it on Hong Kong has already deepened the concerns of the business community both within Hong Kong and internationally . ''
In the 1980s , Hong Kong experienced a wave of emigration .
Tens of thousands of people left the city in fear of Communist rule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he came back to build his career and start a family of his own .
`` I have always planned to move once my children finish their primary education . ''
he said .
`` If the situation in Hong Kong becomes really bad , the whole family will move . ''
He did not join the protests last year but felt sympathetic to the cause , he said .
`` Under China 's system , there is only one voice .
It clashes with Hong Kong 's original system because people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't want my children to grow up under such totalitarian values . ''
There has not been a mass exodus yet , but there have been signs of growing interest in emigrating .
`` The BNO has been widely publicised and there is a jump in the number of Hong Kong residents renewing those passports , '' said Mr Evans-Pritchard .
Ms Cheung is a BNO passport holder .
But she has no plans to leave Hong Kong , even after this year of tumult .
`` You thought you relied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrifice to meet one goal , but Beijing now tells you the bill was withdrawn because I have a tougher solution to deal with you people , '' she said .
The next significant moment in the city will be the legislative council elections in September .
Everyone will be watching , after the pro-democrat successes in last year 's district polls .
Ms Cheung looks forward in hope , she said , not despair .
Despite the political and economic uncertainty , or the fear that Hong Kongers may decide to opt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight to the bitter end .
`` The world has entered an uncertain stage , '' she said .
`` At this moment , you can only be stronger mentally to make it through . ''

"It's not just the Hong Kong national security law, even prior to this there were concerns. It just continues this trend… Even if the law itself turns out to not directly affect Hong Kong's legal system that much, just the perception of imposing it on Hong Kong has already deepened the concerns of the business community both within Hong Kong and internationally."


bbc--2020-06-11--King of Staten Island: 'There's comedy in the most difficult situations'

Filmmaker Judd Apatow has never been afraid to poke fun at serious subjects .
In Knocked-Up he found the humour in an unwanted pregnancy from a one-night stand .
In This is 40 he made us laugh about a couple going through a midlife crisis .
And in 40-year-old Virgin he addressed ... well , you know .
For his latest project , The King of Staten Island , the director has joined forces with US comedy star Pete Davidson to tell the tale of the effects of the latter 's own personal 9/11 tragedy .
Aged seven , Davidson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while working as a fire fighter helping to deal with the aftermath of the plane attacks on New York City in 2001 .
His dad was one of 2,977 people to lose their lives .
`` I always think that there 's comedy in the most difficult situations , '' says Apatow , across a three-way virtual film junket .
`` That 's why we like Dr Strangelove [ Stanley Kubrik and Peter Sellers ' dark comedy about nuclear war ] .
You ca n't have a more difficult situation than that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've always seen everything through .
`` I think as a kid , I felt a lot of hostility , I did n't feel like the world was fair .
But I loved comedy films and comedians and I loved that they mocked how the world worked , and they helped me try to figure it out .
`` So I do n't think anything is off limits , if your heart is in the right place you really can explore anything . ''
In the film , Davidson plays a `` 75 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a directionless grief-stricken 20-something stoner named Scott , who has behavioural issues , and lives with his mum and sister in the least fashionable of the five boroughs .
He agrees it 's all a rich vein of material .
`` I had similar experiences growing up as Judd , where I did n't think the world was fair and I had people like Adam Sandler and Jim Carey and Eddie Murphy and Bill Burr to point those things out to me and make it humorous , '' he says .
Burr , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help out Davidson directly , by playing the new love interest for Scott 's widowed mother Margie ; played by Marisa Tomei .
As if having a new man in the house is n't problematic enough , Burr 's character Ray just happens to be another fireman , and of course , comedy ensues .
What initially began as `` 90 pages of toilet humour , '' written by Davidson and his writing buddy Dave Cyrus , was , with Apatow 's help , turned into a `` beautiful script '' , full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Put that part of my life behind me' As well as being a `` love letter '' to his mum , Davidson , who also has an executive producer credit , hopes the feature will allow him to draw a line under many of the mental health issues that have plagued him , very publicly , for years .
In December 2018 , the police checked in on the at-times controversial SNL breakout stand-up star after he alarmed fans by posting on social media that he did n't `` want to be on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his high-profile breakup from ex-fiance Ariana Grande .
`` I had a lot of prior issues and a lot of stuff that I was dealing with personally that I wanted to bring to the forefront so that I could not only make a movie but also just grow as a person , '' says Davidson , who has borderline personality disorder , as well as Crohn 's Disease .
`` What I wanted to do was maybe after we did this I could put that part of my life behind me and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward and have a new outlook on life . ''
Apatow believes the lead character , who daydreams about one day running a tattoo restaurant , is a fair reflection of what Pete 's life might be like now if he had n't found his comedy calling .
The pair first worked together on another Apatow film - 2015 's Trainwreck , and he describes Davidson as `` a funny , great , fascinating person '' .
That particular film gave another comic actor and writer , Amy Schumer , her big movie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carell , Seth Rogen , Jonah Hill and Kristen Wiig have all benefitted similarly from his direction early on .
Now , with no cinematic release , due to the Covid-19 virus shutting theatres , and against the backdrop of mass Black Lives Matter protests , following the death of George Floyd , Davidson admits it 's `` an odd time to put something out '' .
`` It 's nice to put something positive into the world , so I hope people enjoy it , '' he says .
Making movies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hardest professions to make safe '' , as they are `` all about being close to each other , touching each other , and being in very small spaces '' .
The director also hopes the protests , for people who `` were ignored for a very long time '' ultimately `` lead to meaningful change , '' and he urges people to vote for it in the US elections in November .
`` I just hope that people are kinder to each other in the future , '' adds Davidson .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the old pre-coronavirus world is the ability to simply hang out with friends at comedy clubs , where Apatow also began his career , as a stand-up .
The 52-year-old jokes they 'll both mark their film 's online release by simultaneously pressing play on iPads from their own respective beds !
The King of Staten Island is a film about trauma , loss , and the healing qualities of opening your heart again to love and laughter .
What might Davidson 's dad have made of it ?
`` I think if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a kick out of it , '' says the leading man .
`` He would be like , 'holy crap , dude , that 's crazy ! '
`` My dad was a huge comedy fan , so I think he would just be thrilled '' .
As well as being there in spirit , the real Scott is made flesh on-screen not only by his son , but also by his own father Stephen , who makes a scene-stealing cameo as Grandpa .
Apatow says : `` The truth is Pete , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandfather actually would get called , you can see him as a regular on Seinfeld .
He actually could have been that guy '' .
`` Oh yeah , he 'll get some work out of this , '' nods his rather more famous grandson .
For now , at least .
The King of Staten Island is out now on various platforms now Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

Burr, as it happens, was able to help out Davidson directly, by playing the new love interest for Scott's widowed mother Margie; played by Marisa Tomei. As if having a new man in the house isn't problematic enough, Burr's character Ray just happens to be another fireman, and of course, comedy ensues.