bbc--2020-07-20--EU coronavirus recovery deal: Wrangling over huge plan enters fourth day

EU talks aimed at reaching an agreement on a huge post-coronavirus recovery fund have stretched into a fourth day .
The main division is between countries hit hardest by the virus - such as Italy and Spain - and some EU members seeking to limit the size of the fund and stricter controls on its use .
They argue the proposed €750bn ( $ 857bn ; £680bn ) package is too large and should be repayable loans , rather than grants .
The talks are reported to have been testy , with tempers flaring at times .
In the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emmanuel Macron reportedly banged his hand on the table and threatened to walk out of the discussions .
And Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has admitted leaders were `` close to failure '' and talks could still `` fall apart '' .
Discussions are due to resume at 14:00 GMT on Monday for what is now the longest EU summit since Nice 2000 , when talks lasted five days .
President of the European Council Charles Michel reminded the leaders that more than 600,000 people had died of the virus worldwide , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that the EU has accomplished mission impossible '' .
On Monday morning , the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus was almost 14.5 million globally .
EU leaders are trying to negotiate the stimulus package to help countries recover the pandemic at the same time as the bloc 's €1tn seven-year budget .
It was the first face-to-face meeting between leaders since governments began imposing lockdowns in a bid to stop the spread of the virus in March .
Member states are largely split between those hit hardest by the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and those more concerned about the costs of the recovery plan .
The self-proclaimed frugal four ( Sweden , Denmark , Austria and the Netherlands ) along with Finland , have been unwavering in their refusal to allow €500bn to be offered in the forms of grants to countries hardest hit by the effects of Covid-19 .
Led by Mr Rutte , they now say that €375bn is as far as they will go , plus conditions including the right to block requests .
The others , including Spain and Italy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy in particular was one of the earliest European countries to suffer an outbreak and has recorded 35,000 deaths - one of the highest tolls in the world .
Italian PM Giuseppe Conte said Europe was `` under the blackmail of the 'frugals ' '' and described negotiations as `` heated '' .
The new proposal being put on the table is €390bn .
The Austrian chancellor has tweeted , suggesting there are signs of progress .
• Are Italians losing faith in the EU ?
Hungarian PM Viktor Orban accused Mr Rutte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to link financial help to political issues .
Mr Orban , and his ally Poland , have threatened to veto the package if it adopts a policy of withholding funds from nations who do not meet certain democratic principles .
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there was `` a way to go '' , but that it was possible a deal could be achieved .
Mrs Merkel said : `` I still can not say whether we will find a solution .
There is a lot of goodwill but also many different positions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European summit since Nice 20 years ago , which went into day five when leaders agreed to expand the membership .
This time around , money is at the heart of the negotiations and the issue of trust is the cause of the quarrelling .
Tempers have flared , and there has been some name calling , too .
Mostly at the Dutch leader , Mark Rutte .
Bulgaria 's leader Boyko Borissov accused Mr Rutte of `` acting like the policeman of Europe '' .
Hungary 's Viktor Orban said , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blame ...
I do n't know why he dislikes us . ''
French officials tell me President Macron `` banged his fists '' on the table in the early hours of Monday morning , as he told the `` frugal four '' that he thought they were putting the European project in danger .
An Italian diplomat said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told Mr Rutte : `` You might be a hero in your home country for a few days .
But after a few weeks you will be held responsible for blocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' These negotiations may become known unofficially as the `` stiff-leg summit '' - a term being used by the Dutch here meaning that Mr Rutte has been sticking to his guns .
Now , the prime ministers , presidents and chancellors are taking a power nap .
It 's much needed .
There was a notable show of social-distancing etiquette when the leaders first arrived , faces covered by masks .
But photos from Sunday evening show that the masks have slipped , along , it seems , with their approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus ?
Many European nations have ended lockdown restrictions , but the virus remains a major threat .
Officials are facing localised outbreaks across the continent , with the largest appearing in Spain 's north-eastern region of Catalonia .
About four million people in Barcelona , La Noguera and El Segrià have been ordered to stay at home for 15 days .
Among the measures imposed are a ban on public or private meetings of more than 10 people ; a ban on visits to nursing homes ; and the closure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johannes Hahn tweeted a `` solemn reminder '' on Saturday that the pandemic was `` not over '' .
`` High time to reach an agreement which allows us to provide the urgently needed support for our citizens and economies , '' he wrote .
How is the virus spreading elsewhere in the world ?
On Saturday the World Health Organization ( WHO ) recorded the largest single-day increase in cases of the virus globally .
The largest increases were in Brazil , India , South Africa and the US .
Florida is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The state recorded more than 10,000 new infections and 90 more deaths on Saturday , bringing its total number of cases to more than 337,000 and its death toll to more than 5,000 .
In Brazil , where the coronavirus and measures to contain it have been highly politicised , cases continue to surge - although the WHO announced last week that infections were no longer increasing exponentially .
Scientists have also warned that India could still be months away from the peak of its outbreak - despite already having the third-highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst-hit cities , including Mumbai and Bangalore , have been overwhelmed with patients .
India recorded another 34,884 infections in a 24-hour period on Saturday , and another 671 deaths linked to coronavirus .
And South Africa , which saw one of the largest single-day rises in cases , has the highest number of confirmed infections on the African continent .
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• STRESS : How to look after your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are we to finding one ?

French officials tell me President Macron "banged his fists" on the table , as he told the "frugal four" that he thought they were putting the European project in danger. An Italian diplomat said Prime Minister Conte told Mr Rutte: "You might be a hero in your home country for a few days. But after a few weeks you will be held responsible for blocking an effective European response to Covid-19."


bbc--2020-07-20--UK to change extradition deal with Hong Kong - PM

Boris Johnson says the UK 's extradition arrangements with Hong Kong will be changed , amid rising tensions with China .
It comes after Beijing imposed a controversial national security law on the ex-British colony , introducing new crimes with severe penalties .
The UK has already offered residency rights to three million Hong Kongers in response .
China has accused the UK of `` brutal meddling '' in its internal affairs .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is expected to confirm later that the UK will suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong in a statement to Parliament .
Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international law , and has promised a `` resolute response '' if the UK withdraws from extradition arrangements .
• China 's new law : Why is Hong Kong worried ?
• What is behind the Hong Kong citizenship offer ?
The extradition treaty means that , if someone in Hong Kong is suspected of a crime in the UK , then the British authorities can ask Hong Kong to hand them over to face justice - and vice versa .
The UK fears the arrangement - which has been in place for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone it extradites to Hong Kong being sent on to China .
Hong Kong has extradition agreements with 19 other countries apart from the UK , including Canada and Australia , which have already suspended theirs following the imposition there of China 's new security law - which makes acts of subversion punishable by life sentences .
Mr Johnson said the UK had `` concerns '' over the new law , and it had to think about the rights of people in Hong Kong to participate in democratic processes .
But he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I 'm not going to be pushed into a position of becoming a knee-jerk Sinophobe on every issue , somebody who is automatically anti-China '' .
`` We 've got to have a calibrated approach .
We 're going to be tough on some things , but we 're going to continue to engage . ''
The UK handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997 but , as part of an agreement signed at the time , it enjoys some freedoms not seen in the mainland .
But political and economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become strained in recent months .
Earlier this month , the UK decided to ban Chinese tech firm Huawei from its 5G network , citing security concerns denied by the company .
The UK , US and EU have accused Beijing of undermining the `` One Country , Two Systems '' principle , which has guaranteed a high degree of autonomy for Hong Kong since it was handed back to Chinese rule in 1997 .
They say the security laws which came into force last month breach the terms of the 1984 Joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which agreed the conditions under which Hong Kong would be run when Britain gave it back to China in 1997 .
The UK denounced the new laws as `` deeply troubling '' , with the foreign secretary calling the move `` a grave step '' .
In response , the UK has offered the 350,000 Hong Kong residents who hold British Overseas National passports - and a further 2.6 million who are eligible for them - enhanced residency rights should they wish to come to the UK and a route to possible citizenship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retaliate if the UK imposes sanctions on any of its leading officials in relation to human rights offences and allegations of police brutality in Hong Kong .
Speculation that the extradition arrangements could be suspended follows concerns expressed by senior judges in the UK about threats to the independence of the Hong Kong judicial system .
Lord Reed , president of the UK 's Supreme Court , has warned the practice of UK judges sitting on Hong Kong 's Court of Final Appeal is under threat and must `` remain compatible with judicial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Proposals for an extradition treaty between Hong Kong and mainland China provoked widespread protests last year amid concerns about political interference in the Chinese judicial system and the right to a fair trial .
The UK has also stepped up its criticism of China 's human rights record , accusing Beijing of `` gross and egregious '' abuses against the Uighur population in Xinjiang province .
Mr Raab told the BBC that reports of forced sterilisation and wider persecution of the Muslim group were `` reminiscent of something not seen for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for sanctions on Chinese officials involved in the alleged abuse of Uighur Muslims .
• Who are the Uighurs ?
Drone footage that has been widely circulated - and authenticated by Australian security services - appears to show Uighurs being blindfolded and led to trains .
However , China 's UK ambassador , Liu Xiaoming , dismissed talks of concentration camps as `` fake '' .
On Monday Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said accusations of forced sterilisation of Uighurs in Xinjiang were `` nothing but lies '' .
• I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making headlines in lockdown

Even if the treaty remained fully in place, it would be hard to imagine the circumstances in which the UK would now agree to hand over any suspect to the Hong Kong authorities for trial - knowing they might end up in a Chinese mainland court, and then a prison far from Hong Kong.


bbc--2020-07-20--Iran executes man convicted of spying for US and Israel

Iran has executed a man convicted of spying for the CIA and Israel 's Mossad intelligence agency .
Mahmoud Mousavi-Majd was accused of reporting on the movements of Iranian forces in Syria and of spying on the Revolutionary Guards commander , Qasem Soleimani .
Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike earlier this year .
Last week Iran executed a former defence ministry employee convicted of selling information to the US .
The Iranian judiciary 's official news agency Mizan Online said that Majd 's death sentence `` was carried out on Monday morning over the charge of espionage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his country will be closed forever '' .
• Iran halts execution of protesters after online campaign • US strike on Soleimani was unlawful - UN expert Earlier this month a spokesman for the news agency said the former translator had been sentenced to death for spying on `` various security fields , especially the armed forces and the Quds Force and the whereabouts and movements of martyr General Qasem Soleimani '' .
The spokesman , Gholamhossein Esmaili , said Majd had been found guilty of receiving money from the CIA and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June that Majd was arrested about two years ago and was not directly involved in the attack on Gen Soleimani .
Some Iranian news agencies reported that Majd had been arrested by the Lebanese Shia Muslim militant group Hezbollah and extradited to Iran .
Majd 's execution comes days after that of another Iranian convicted of selling information to the US .
Mizan Online said Reza Asgari had passed on details of Iran 's missile programme to the CIA after retiring from the defence ministry 's aerospace division in 2016 .
Last July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had arrested 17 people accused of collecting information on the country 's nuclear and military sectors for the CIA .
The ministry said some had been sentenced to death but did not name them .
US President Donald Trump dismissed that announcement as `` totally false '' .

The judiciary said in June that Majd was arrested about two years ago and was not directly involved in the attack on Gen Soleimani. Some Iranian news agencies reported that Majd had been arrested by the Lebanese Shia Muslim militant group Hezbollah and extradited to Iran.


bbc--2020-07-20--Portland protests: Mayor demands federal troops leave city

The mayor of Portland in Oregon has renewed his call for federal troops to leave the US city , accusing them of abusive tactics against protesters .
`` They are sharply escalating the situation , '' Mayor Ted Wheeler told CNN on Sunday .
There have been nightly protests against police brutality in the city since the killing of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis in May .
The federal government has said it is trying to restore order in Portland .
Speaking to CNN on Sunday , Mayor Wheeler said there were `` dozens if not hundreds of federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism .
`` They 're not wanted here .
We have n't asked them here .
In fact , we want them to leave , '' he said .
His comments echoed those of Oregon Governor Kate Brown , who described the presence of federal troops in the city as `` purely political theatre '' from the Donald Trump administration .
Ms Brown told MSNBC that she had asked the federal government on Tuesday to remove the troops , saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenging situation . ''
Their comments came after Oregon 's attorney general filed a lawsuit against the federal government , accusing it of unlawfully detaining protesters .
In the lawsuit , Ellen Rosenblum requested a restraining order to stop agents from the Department of Homeland Security , US Marshals Service , US Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Protection Service from making any more arrests in the city .
`` These tactics must stop , '' Ms Rosenblum said in a statement .
The lawsuit said the actions of federal officers violated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First Amendment right to assembly and , by seizing and detaining people without a warrant , also breached the Fourth and Fifth Amendment right to due process .
The troops , a new Department of Homeland Security unit made up of people from the US Marshals Service and Customs and Border Protection , have been deployed under an executive order protecting statues , signed by Mr Trump last month .
The executive order , which says anyone who damages a public statue must be prosecuted to the `` fullest extent of the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without the permission of the state .
Meanwhile on Sunday , Democrats in the House of Representatives called for watchdogs belonging to the departments of justice and homeland security to investigate whether the two bodies had `` abused emergency authorities to justify the use of force '' against protesters .
The letter , which was signed by the heads of three house committees , specifically mentioned the reports from Portland as well as the dispersal of Lafayette Square in Washington DC during protests in June .
`` This is a matter of utmost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Citizens are concerned that the Administration has deployed a secret police force , not to investigate crimes , but to intimidate individuals it views as political adversaries , and that the use of these tactics will proliferate throughout the country . ''
Federal agents , deployed by President Trump , have fired tear gas into crowds of demonstrators .
Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf previously called the protesters a `` violent mob '' .
Late on Saturday , protesters were seen dismantling a fence around the federal courthouse , hours after it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ office in Oregon said on Twitter that the fence aimed to `` de-escalate tensions '' between protesters and law enforcement officials and asked people to leave it alone .
Officers declared a riot outside the Portland Police Association building .
It was set on fire .
The last week has seen a violent escalation between protesters and federal agents , deployed two weeks ago by Mr Trump to quell civil unrest .
A report from Oregon Public Broadcasting ( OPB ) this week contained detailed accounts of witnesses who had seen federal law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unmarked vehicles , grab protesters without explanation , and drive off .
Video checked by the broadcaster shows a protester , Mark Pettibone , describe how on 15 July he was `` basically tossed '' into a van containing people in body armour .
Mr Pettibone said he was taken to a holding cell in a federal courthouse , where he was read his arrest rights .
After he declined to answer questions , he was released without any citation or arrest record .
• This police-free protest zone was dismantled - but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US protests are so powerful this time According to OPB , federal officers have charged at least 13 people with crimes .
What has the Trump administration said ?
In a tweet on Sunday , President Donald Trump defended the actions of the federal government .
`` We are trying to help Portland , not hurt it .
Their leadership has , for months , lost control of the anarchists and agitators , '' he said .
Earlier in the week , the president said officers in the city had done a `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ totally out of control , and they went in , and I guess we have many people right now in jail , '' he said on Monday .
`` We very much quelled it . ''
Chad Wolf arrived in the city on Thursday and defended the agents against the assembled `` anarchists '' .
He blamed state and city authorities for failing to `` restore order '' , saying the `` city of Portland has been under siege for 47 straight days '' .

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


bbc--2020-07-20--New Zealand: New volcano alert system 'could have warned of White Island eruption'

New Zealand scientists have invented a new volcano alert system that they say could have provided warning ahead of last year 's White Island disaster .
Twenty-one people died when the country 's most active volcano , also called Whakaari , suddenly erupted last December with tourists on it .
The new system uses machine learning algorithms to analyse real-time data to predict future eruptions .
The research was publish in the journal Nature Communications last week .
One of the scientists involved in the project , Shane Cronin from the University of Auckland , told the BBC the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide warnings for people [ on ] the island . ''
`` The current [ alert system ] collects data in real-time but what tends to happen is that this information gets assessed by a panel and they have an expert process ... this all takes a while , '' he said .
`` The way we warn for volcanoes was good enough 10 years ago but it 's not actually moving with the times . ''
'We 've really got to work on this now' The new automated warning system was fed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from White Island .
From that data it learns patterns that indicate that an eruption might be on the way .
• The privately owned volcano that is always active • How are volcano bodies being recovered ?
It successfully predicted four out of five past eruptions at White Island - missing only one which had different `` precursors '' in place .
`` We picked up all but one eruption which was a different type which involved no magma , just an eruption from the shallow system and that has a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Cronin .
`` So at the moment , we can identify the main normal type of eruption and we 're just trying to work out the second model [ involving the shallow surface eruptions ] . ''
According to Dr Cronin , research on the new system had already begun before the White Island eruption , but `` when the eruption happened it really accelerated us .
We were like - we 've really got to work on this now '' .
They say that if this system had been implemented last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 16 hours before the eruption took place .
Despite some seismic activity in the weeks prior to the White Island explosion the sudden and dramatic nature of the eruption took everyone , including authorities , by surprise .
New Zealand 's official volcano monitoring agency , GNS Science , said the new system could be a `` potentially useful addition '' to its own systems , but cautioned that it had its limitations .
`` As for any technique in development , it still incorporates a high level of uncertainty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NZ Herald .
However , Mr Fournier revealed that the technique had been `` added to the multiple datasets and analyses we routinely look at '' .
Another scientists involved in the research Dr David Dempsey also acknowledged that the system `` is not without its caveats '' .
`` The system is not 100 % to catch every future eruption , '' he told BBC News .
`` When it does raise an alert for suspicious activity , it does not guarantee that an eruption will occur .
However , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provides no short term warnings . ''

According to Dr Cronin, research on the new system had already begun before the White Island eruption, but "when the eruption happened it really accelerated us. We were like - we've really got to work on this now".


bbc--2020-07-20--Gunman attacks family of US federal judge Esther Salas

The son of a US federal judge has been shot dead and her husband injured in an attack at their family home in New Jersey .
Investigators said the judge , Esther Salas , was unharmed .
According to reports the attacker was dressed as a FedEx delivery driver and is still at large .
The motive for the attack is unclear .
A local mayor and family friend said Judge Salas had received threats in the past .
The FBI says it is investigating and has appealed for information .
Sources quoted by US media said Judge Salas 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - opened the door at the family home in North Brunswick at about 17:00 on Sunday and was fatally shot .
The judge 's husband , Mark Anderl , 63 , was then shot several times .
He is in a critical but stable condition in hospital , the New Jersey Globe reported .
North Brunswick Mayor Francis Womack told ABC News that `` as a judge , she had threats from time to time but everyone is saying that recently there had not been any '' .
Investigators said prior threats made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inquiry but authorities were also considering whether the husband 's work as a criminal defence lawyer could be a motive .
In a statement , the FBI said it was looking for one suspect and asked anyone who thought they might have relevant information to call them .
`` We are working closely with our state and local partners and will provide additional updates when available , '' it added .
New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez said he hoped that `` those responsible for this horrendous act are swiftly apprehended and brought to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Salas and her husband well , and was proud to recommend her to President Obama for nomination to NJ 's federal bench , '' he said .
`` My prayers are with Judge Salas and her family . ''
Judge Salas serves on the federal bench in New Jersey , the first Hispanic woman to do so , ABC News reported .

Sources quoted by US media said Judge Salas's 20-year-old son Daniel Anderl - a student - opened the door at the family home in North Brunswick at about 17:00 on Sunday and was fatally shot. The judge's husband, Mark Anderl, 63, was then shot several times. He is in a critical but stable condition in hospital, the New Jersey Globe reported.


bbc--2020-07-20--Missing Kansas dog makes 50-mile trip to old home in Missouri

A dog that disappeared in the US state of Kansas earlier this month has been found more than 50 miles ( 80.4 km ) away - at her owner 's previous home .
Cleo , a four-year-old labrador , was reported missing from the town of Olathe on 12 July .
Several days later , she showed upon the porch of her old home in Lawson , Missouri .
Colton Michael , the house 's new owner , told local media he and his wife had moved there almost two years ago .
At first , Cleo was anxious when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
• How a beer can helped reunite a woman with her dog • US woman reunited with missing dog 12 years later '' She finds her way home , and there 's some strangers living in it .
That would be scary for anybody , '' Mr Michael told TV station KMBC .
Eventually , Mr Michael earned Cleo 's trust and had her scanned for a microchip , which owners often fit with personal information so their pets can be traced if they go missing .
The microchip revealed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had posted a missing appeal on Facebook a week earlier .
Mr Michael said his wife recognised the name as the former owner of their home .
Speaking to CNN , Mr Michael said Cleo 's owner , Drew , was `` kind of speechless '' when told she had been found .
`` It 's the most bizarre story .
Really , she 's everything to us and to my mother , '' her owner said .
From door to door , Cleo would have walked 57 miles from her current home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Missouri , according to KMBC .
The dog may have crossed busy roads and a river , a journey Mr Michael described as a `` mystery '' .
`` Now that we know who she belongs to , if she pops up again , we know who to call , '' Mr Michael said .
You may also be interested in :

"Now that we know who she belongs to, if she pops up again, we know who to call," Mr Michael said.


bbc--2020-07-20--US election 2020: Kanye West breaks down in tears at rally

Kanye West broke down in tears when talking about abortion as he launched his campaign for the 2020 US presidential @ @ @ @ @ rally in Charleston , South Carolina , he said his father had wanted to abort @ @ @ @ @ `` saved my life '' .
He also said he considered having one of his @ @ @ @ @ : `` I almost killed my daughter . ''
The speech has led to some @ @ @ @ @ has spoken in the past about battling mental illness .

Kanye West broke down in tears when talking about abortion as he launched his campaign for the 2020 US presidential election.
Speaking at a rally in Charleston, South Carolina, he said his father had wanted to abort him but his mother had "saved my life".
He also said he considered having one of his own children aborted, saying: "I almost killed my daughter."
The speech has led to some concerns for West, who has spoken in the past about battling mental illness.
Kanye West launches unconventional bid for presidency


bbc--2020-07-20--The Uighurs and the Chinese state: A long history of discord

China is facing global political criticism over its alleged persecution of the Uighurs - a Muslim minority group which lives mostly in the Xinjiang province in northwestern China .
It is believed that the Chinese government has detained up to a million Uighurs over the past few years in what the state defines as `` re-education camps '' .
The government is now also accused of a programme of forced sterilisation against Uighur women .
China initially denied the existence of the camps , before claiming they were a necessary measure against separatist violence in Xinjiang .
It also denies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 , the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused China of `` gross and egregious '' human rights abuses against the Uighurs .
The reports of forced sterilisation and wider persecution of the ethnic group were `` reminiscent of something not seen for a long time '' , he said .
Who are the Uighurs ?
The Uighurs are a mostly Muslim Turkic ethnicity who regard themselves as culturally and ethnically close to Central Asian nations .
The majority live in Xinjiang , where they number about 11 million people .
The region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agriculture and trade .
Towns there such as Kashgar thrived with the growth of the famous Silk Road trading route .
Uighur communities are also found in Uzbekistan , Kyrgyzstan , and Kazakhstan , and several thousand live in Australia .
They have their own language , also called Uighur , though China is accused of forcing those taken to camps in Xinjiang to learn Mandarin .
In the early part of the 20th Century , Uighurs briefly declared independence , but the region was brought under the complete control of communist China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an autonomous region within China , like Tibet to its south , but in reality the province has little autonomy from the Chinese state .
Activists say that over the years , central government policies have gradually curtailed the Uighurs ' religious , commercial and cultural activities , as large numbers of majority Han Chinese have been encouraged to move to the region .
Beijing is accused of intensifying its crackdown after street protests in Xinjiang in the 1990s , and again in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights .
University students in Xinjiang told the BBC in 2014 that they were banned from fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan , and reports from the region say Uighur local government officials have been banned from fasting or attending mosques .
In 2017 , President Xi Jinping issued a directive that `` religions in China must be Chinese in orientation '' and `` adapt themselves to socialist society '' .
The directive led to a fresh crackdown on religious practice that particularly affected the Uighurs .
Xinjiang is now covered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including police , checkpoints , and cameras that scan everything from number plates to individual faces .
The Chinese government says the measures are necessary to combat separatist violence in the region , but it is accused of exaggerating the threat in order to justify repression of the Uighurs .
Many prominent members of the ethnic minority have been imprisoned or sought asylum abroad after being accused of terrorism .
• The Uighur geography teacher who vanished in China In July 2020 , the UK warned that it may sanction China over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abuses reported in Xinjiang .
Asked whether the treatment of the Uighurs met the legal definition of genocide , UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the international community had to be `` careful '' before making such claims .
But a UN human rights committee found in 2018 there were credible reports that China was holding a million Uighurs in political 'counter-extremism ' camps .
Committee member Gay McDougall said the Chinese government had `` turned the Uighur autonomous region into something that resembles a massive internment camp '' .
Human rights charities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( HRW ) have long accused Beijing of mass imprisonment and torture .
Most inmates in the so-called `` re-education camps '' have never been charged with a crime and have not received any legal representation , the charities say .
`` Beijing 's shameful denials in the face of well-evidenced UN allegations regarding mass arbitrary detentions in Xinjiang ought to shock the world , '' HRW China director Sophie Richardson told the BBC at the time .
In the wake of recent reports of mass sterilisation of Uighur women , the Interparliamentary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an international cross-party group of politicians , called on the UN to `` establish an international , impartial , independent investigation into the situation in the Xinjiang region '' .
`` A body of mounting evidence now exists , alleging mass incarceration , indoctrination , extrajudicial detention , invasive surveillance , forced labor , and the destruction of Uighur cultural sites , including cemeteries , together with other forms of abuse , '' the statement said .
The US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo urged `` all nations to join the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dehumanizing abuses '' .
China has long denied operating internment camps and says that the outside world does not understand the situation in Xinjiang .
It insists that Uighur militants are waging a violent campaign for an independent state by plotting bombings , sabotage , and civic unrest .
In response to the UK 's recent accusations of abuse , China 's UK ambassador Liu Xiaoming said reports of concentration camps were `` fake '' .
Mr Liu dismissed claims of `` ethnic cleansing '' of the Uighurs , saying they `` enjoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups of people '' .
He told the BBC in an interview that the Uighurs received the same treatment under the law as other ethnic groups in his country .
Chinese state media has warned that without tight control by the state , violence in Xiniang would turn the province into `` China 's Syria '' or `` China 's Libya '' .
Since the 9/11 attacks in the US , China has increasingly portrayed its Uighur separatists as auxiliaries of al-Qaeda , claiming Uighur Muslims have received training in Afghanistan .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US military after its invasion of Afghanistan .
They were imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay for years without being charged with any offence and most have now been resettled elsewhere .
What is the situation in Xinjiang ?
The province has received huge state investment in recent years in industrial and energy projects , and Beijing has claimed the investments are major steps forward for the region .
But many Uighurs complain that Han Chinese are taking their jobs , and that their farmland has been confiscated for redevelopment .
Mass immigration of Han @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minority now in the province .
Occasional attacks on Chinese targets in Xinjiang over the years suggest Uighur separatism remains a potential threat .
And China has blamed Xinjiang separatists for attacks outside the region , including an incident in October 2013 in which a car was driven into a crowd in Beijing 's Tiananmen Square .
The 2017 crackdown on the Uighurs in Xinjiang began after eight people were killed in a knife attack in the province in February that year .
At the time , Xinjiang 's Communist Party boss Chen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corpses of terrorists in the vast sea of a people 's war '' .

The Xinjiang Police Files, which all date from before 2019, shed further light on Uyghurs being punished for alleged crimes that took place years ago. Many appear to have been targeted for their mobile phone use, for listening to "illegal lectures" or not using their phones enough, which is regarded as a sign the user is trying to evade digital surveillance.


bbc--2020-07-20--Brees & Mahomes call for NFL to improve coronavirus safety measures or risk 'no football in 2020'

Last updated on .From the section American Football The NFL has been urged by players to improve coronavirus safety measures or risk there being `` no football in 2020 '' .
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson says his wife is pregnant and `` there 's still no clear plan on player health and family safety '' .
`` We want to play but we also want to protect our loved ones , '' Wilson added .
The group of players raising concerns with the safety measures in place ended tweets with the hashtag # WeWantToPlay .
Brees tweeted : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
We need hope !
The NFL 's unwillingness to follow the recommendations of their own medical experts will prevent that .
`` If the NFL does n't do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020 .
It 's that simple .
Get it done NFL . ''
Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes , of the Kansas City Chiefs , tweeted : `` Getting ready to report this week hoping the NFL will come to agreement with the safe and right protocols so we can feel protected playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Texans defensive end JJ Watt offered the most detailed tweet , which outlined how players do not know how often they will be tested and questioned how a positive test will be dealt with .
Watt and Mahomes are scheduled to face one another in the NFL 's season opener on 10 September .
NFL players ' union representatives said in a conference call with reporters on Friday that the union and league had failed to reach agreement on preparations for the upcoming season .
Cleveland Browns ' JC Tretter , president of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that some coaches appear to accept that `` everyone 's going to get sick '' is a major sticking point for players .
Following the conference call , the NFL said it will continue to implement protocols `` based on the advice of leading medical experts '' .

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Patrick Mahomes, winner of the Super Bowl in 2020, is one of a group of players calling for NFL action
The NFL has been urged by players to improve coronavirus safety measures or risk there being "no football in 2020".
New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees, 41, joined a group of players to tweet views on issues with the NFL's protocols as teams return to training.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson says his wife is pregnant and "there's still no clear plan on player health and family safety".
"We want to play but we also want to protect our loved ones," Wilson added.
The group of players raising concerns with the safety measures in place ended tweets with the hashtag #WeWantToPlay.
Brees tweeted: external-link "We need football! We need sports! We need hope! The NFL's unwillingness to follow the recommendations of their own medical experts will prevent that.
"If the NFL doesn't do their part to keep players healthy there is no football in 2020. It's that simple. Get it done NFL."
Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes, of the Kansas City Chiefs, tweeted: "Getting ready to report this week hoping the NFL will come to agreement with the safe and right protocols so we can feel protected playing the sport we love."
Houston Texans defensive end JJ Watt offered the most detailed tweet, external-link which outlined how players do not know how often they will be tested and questioned how a positive test will be dealt with.
Watt and Mahomes are scheduled to face one another in the NFL's season opener on 10 September.
NFL players' union representatives said in a conference call with reporters on Friday that the union and league had failed to reach agreement on preparations for the upcoming season.
Cleveland Browns' JC Tretter, president of the NFL Players Association, said the fact that some coaches appear to accept that "everyone's going to get sick" is a major sticking point for players.
Following the conference call, the NFL said it will continue to implement protocols "based on the advice of leading medical experts".


bbc--2020-07-20--Bellingham, 17, to join Dortmund from Birmingham at end of season

Birmingham City teenager Jude Bellingham has completed a move to German giants Borussia Dortmund which could eventually be worth over £30m .
The 17-year-old midfielder has signed a long-term deal with Dortmund .
Bellingham , who is the Blues ' youngest player , will leave the Championship club after their final game of the season on Wednesday .
`` I 'm incredibly excited to have joined one of Europe 's biggest clubs , '' said the England Under-17 international .
`` The direction they are heading in and how much they help to improve young players made it an easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I ca n't thank Birmingham City enough for what they have done for me , not just this past year but since the age of seven .
Once a blue always a blue . ''
• 'Incredible emotional intelligence , clever , role model ' - why Bellingham could be a hit like Sancho at Dortmund Dortmund were Bellingham 's preferred choice ahead of a number of English clubs , including Manchester United .
United even arranged a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson when Bellingham visited their training ground .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young players , most notably Jadon Sancho and Christian Pulisic , proved persuasive , in addition to Dortmund 's continuing presence in the Champions League .
In August 2019 , Bellingham broke the record of former England striker Trevor Francis as Birmingham 's youngest player , when he made his first-team debut aged 16 years 38 days .
He also scored the winner against Stoke on his home debut .
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page .
• The Young Offenders are back : Watch the trailer for series @ @

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Jude Bellingham (right) has played at youth level for England
Birmingham City teenager Jude Bellingham has completed a move to German giants Borussia Dortmund which could eventually be worth over £30m.
The 17-year-old midfielder has signed a long-term deal with Dortmund.
Bellingham, who is the Blues' youngest player, will leave the Championship club after their final game of the season on Wednesday.
"I'm incredibly excited to have joined one of Europe's biggest clubs," said the England Under-17 international.
"The direction they are heading in and how much they help to improve young players made it an easy decision for myself and my family.
"I can't thank Birmingham City enough for what they have done for me, not just this past year but since the age of seven. Once a blue always a blue."
Dortmund were Bellingham's preferred choice ahead of a number of English clubs, including Manchester United.
United even arranged a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson when Bellingham visited their training ground.
However, Dortmund's recent impressive history of developing young players, most notably Jadon Sancho and Christian Pulisic, proved persuasive, in addition to Dortmund's continuing presence in the Champions League.
In August 2019, Bellingham broke the record of former England striker Trevor Francis as Birmingham's youngest player, when he made his first-team debut aged 16 years 38 days.
He also scored the winner against Stoke on his home debut.
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


bbc--2020-07-20--Rahm wins Memorial to take world number one spot from McIlroy

Last updated on .From the section Golf Jon Rahm wiped away a tear of joy after replacing Rory McIlroy as world number one by winning the Memorial Tournament .
Rahm is the second Spaniard , after Seve Ballesteros , to top the rankings .
`` I 've accomplished a lifelong goal and any time I can join Spanish history with Seve is incredible , '' said Rahm .
`` But it 's hard to process right now because golf feels secondary .
I lost two family members in the [ coronavirus ] quarantine .
`` There are so many things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have nothing to do with golf . ''
This was the sixth PGA Tour event since professional golf resumed in the United States after an enforced three-month shutdown and had been been earmarked as the first to allow fans in to watch .
However , last week the PGA Tour said the remaining nine events of this season would take place behind closed doors as cases of coronavirus continue to soar in the country .
Rahm , 25 , started the final round at Muirfield Village in Ohio with a four-shot lead over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was eight by the eighth hole .
`` And then it got a little twisted , '' said Rahm .
He bogeyed the 10th and then slammed his driver into the ground in anger after hitting his tee shot on the par-five 11th into water .
He would double bogey the hole and see his lead cut to five .
It was four when Palmer birdied the short 12th and three after Rahm bogeyed the 14th .
He also looked in trouble on the par-three 16th after his errant tee shot flew into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a beautifully delicate chip that rolled right into the centre of the cup for a birdie .
`` It was an unbelievable shot , '' said Rahm .
`` It was the best short-game shot I 've ever hit . ''
However , in addressing the ball before his chip , television pictures showed that he inadvertently moved his ball a fraction .
PGA Tour rules officials studied the footage while Rahm played his final two holes .
He only learned of his potential infringement when being interviewed immediately after his round and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I did not see or feel anything , '' he said .
`` If it did move I did not see anything .
It 's not going to take anything away from that shot .
`` For that to go in , that was exactly what I needed . ''
He was eventually penalised two shots but that only changed the size of his victory .
English pair finish well as McIlroy and Woods fade Fitzpatrick 's 68 was the lowest round of a day when the average score was closer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up the leaderboard .
`` It was just a grind , '' he said after an excellent round which featured one bogey and five birdies and was interrupted by a 50-minute delay as a storm blew across the course .
Wallace had three birdies in his final four holes , including one at the last to card a level-par 72 and take joint fourth with Australian Jason Day .
Northern Ireland 's McIlroy had an early birdie but a triple-bogey eight on the par-five fifth hole derailed his round as his reign as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 78 and four over total .
Tiger Woods said he would take `` a lot of positives '' away from his first tournament in five months despite finishing with a four-over 76 and six over par total .
The record five-times winner of this Jack Nicklaus-hosted event holed birdie putts of 18 and 22 feet on the 16th and 17th holes but he also had five bogeys and a double bogey .
Record 18-time major winner Nicklaus said during the round that he and his wife Barbara both tested positive for coronavirus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no symptoms , while he dealt with a sore throat and cough for more than a month .
`` It did n't last very long , and we were very , very fortunate , very lucky , '' said Nicklaus , who noted that he and his wife , both 80 , are at an `` at-risk age '' for more serious Covid-19 symptoms .
`` Our hearts go out to the people who did lose their lives and their families .
We were just a couple of the lucky ones , @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section Golf
Rahm has won a tournament on the PGA Tour in each of the past four seasons
Memorial Tournament, final leaderboard -9 J Rahm (Spa); -6 R Palmer (US); -5 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); -4 M Wallace (Eng), J Day (Aus) Selected: -2 T Finau (US); +4 S Garcia (Spa), R McIlroy (NI), D Willett (Eng); +6 T Woods (US) Full leaderboard
Jon Rahm wiped away a tear of joy after replacing Rory McIlroy as world number one by winning the Memorial Tournament.
A three-over-par 75 was enough to win on nine under, three clear of American Ryan Palmer (74), with Matt Fitzpatrick (68) third on five under, with fellow Englishman Matt Wallace (72) one back.
Rahm is the second Spaniard, after Seve Ballesteros, to top the rankings.
"I've accomplished a lifelong goal and any time I can join Spanish history with Seve is incredible," said Rahm.
"But it's hard to process right now because golf feels secondary. I lost two family members in the [coronavirus] quarantine.
"There are so many things going through my mind right now that have nothing to do with golf."
This was the sixth PGA Tour event since professional golf resumed in the United States after an enforced three-month shutdown and had been been earmarked as the first to allow fans in to watch.
However, last week the PGA Tour said the remaining nine events of this season would take place behind closed doors as cases of coronavirus continue to soar in the country.
Rahm overcomes wobble and penalty to win
Rahm, 25, started the final round at Muirfield Village in Ohio with a four-shot lead over Palmer and Tony Finau.
That lead was eight by the eighth hole. "And then it got a little twisted," said Rahm.
He bogeyed the 10th and then slammed his driver into the ground in anger after hitting his tee shot on the par-five 11th into water. He would double bogey the hole and see his lead cut to five.
It was four when Palmer birdied the short 12th and three after Rahm bogeyed the 14th.
He also looked in trouble on the par-three 16th after his errant tee shot flew into the greenside rough, but he hit a beautifully delicate chip that rolled right into the centre of the cup for a birdie.
"It was an unbelievable shot," said Rahm. "It was the best short-game shot I've ever hit."
However, in addressing the ball before his chip, television pictures showed that he inadvertently moved his ball a fraction. PGA Tour rules officials studied the footage while Rahm played his final two holes.
He only learned of his potential infringement when being interviewed immediately after his round and before he had signed his scorecard.
"I did not see or feel anything," he said. "If it did move I did not see anything. It's not going to take anything away from that shot.
"For that to go in, that was exactly what I needed."
He was eventually penalised two shots but that only changed the size of his victory.
English pair finish well as McIlroy and Woods fade
Fitzpatrick's 68 was the lowest round of a day when the average score was closer to 76, and moved him 15 places up the leaderboard.
"It was just a grind," he said after an excellent round which featured one bogey and five birdies and was interrupted by a 50-minute delay as a storm blew across the course.
"Pars were a good score," he added.
Wallace had three birdies in his final five holes, including one at the last to card a level-par 72 and take joint fourth with Australian Jason Day.
Northern Ireland's McIlroy had an early birdie but a triple-bogey eight on the par-five fifth hole derailed his round as his reign as world number one finished with a six-over 78 and four over total.
Tiger Woods said he would take "a lot of positives" away from his first tournament in five months despite finishing with a four-over 76 and six over par total.
The record five-times winner of this Jack Nicklaus-hosted event holed birdie putts of 18 and 22 feet on the 16th and 17th holes but he also had five bogeys and a double bogey.
Nicklaus and wife recover from coronavirus
Record 18-time major winner Nicklaus said during the round that he and his wife Barbara both tested positive for coronavirus in March.
The American said his wife had no symptoms, while he dealt with a sore throat and cough for more than a month.
"It didn't last very long, and we were very, very fortunate, very lucky," said Nicklaus, who noted that he and his wife, both 80, are at an "at-risk age" for more serious Covid-19 symptoms.
"Our hearts go out to the people who did lose their lives and their families. We were just a couple of the lucky ones," he added.


bbc--2020-07-20--Portland protests: Trump threatens to send officers to more US cities

President Donald Trump has threatened to send more federal law enforcement officers to major US cities to control ongoing protests .
Mr Trump on Monday criticised a number of cities run by `` liberal Democrats '' , including Chicago and New York , saying their leaders were afraid to act .
He said officers sent to Oregon had done a `` fantastic job '' restoring order amid days of protests in Portland .
Local officials say the federal officers are making matters worse .
State leaders have demanded Mr Trump remove the personnel from Portland , accusing him of escalating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an election year .
Does Trump have the right to send in federal forces ?
Speaking at the White House on Monday , Mr Trump reiterated his call for law and order .
`` We 're sending law enforcement , '' he told reporters .
`` We ca n't let this happen to the cities . ''
He specifically named New York City , Chicago , Philadelphia , Detroit , Baltimore and Oakland in discussing problems with violence .
`` We 're not going to let this happen in our country , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump also praised the controversial federal law enforcement efforts in Portland .
The city has seen ongoing protests against police brutality in the city since the death of George Floyd , an unarmed black man , in Minnesota in May .
Mr Trump deployed the personnel to the US west coast city two weeks ago to quell the civil unrest .
Some officers have used unmarked cars and worn military-style camouflage on the streets , sparking condemnation from Democrats and activists .
In the past week , tensions between protesters and these officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for the federal personnel to leave the city .
Mr Trump said Oregon 's governor , Portland 's mayor and other state lawmakers were scared of the `` anarchists '' .
`` They 're afraid of these people , '' he said .
`` That 's the reason they do n't want us to help them . ''
He added : `` [ Federal officers ] have been there three days and they really have done a fantastic job in a very short period of time , no problem .
They grab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders .
These are anarchists . ''
The officers are part of a new Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) unit made up of people from the US Marshals Service and Customs and Border Protection .
They have been deployed under an executive order protecting statues , signed by Mr Trump last month .
That order allows federal officers to be deployed without the permission of individual US states .
DHS is also planning to deploy some 150 agents to Chicago this week , the Chicago Tribune reported on Monday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement officers and Chicago police in fighting crime .
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had earlier said she was concerned about Mr Trump deploying federal officers to the city .
She said she had spoken with Portland 's mayor on Sunday `` to get a sense of what 's happened there '' .
`` We do n't need federal agents without any insignia taking people off the streets and holding them , I think , unlawfully , '' Ms Lightfoot said .
Speaking to CNN on Sunday , Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal troops '' in the city , adding : `` Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism .
`` They 're not wanted here .
We have n't asked them here .
In fact , we want them to leave , '' he said .
Oregon 's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against the federal government for allegedly unlawfully detaining protesters and violating their constitutional rights of assembly and due process .

He added: "[Federal officers] have been there three days and they really have done a fantastic job in a very short period of time, no problem. They grab a lot of people and jail the leaders. These are anarchists."


bbc--2020-07-20--Portland protests: All you need to know about Trump's crackdown

Tensions are mounting in the US city of Portland , where federal troops have been sent to end almost two months of anti-racism protests , some of them violent .
The protests began after the death of George Floyd in police custody in May .
There have been nightly rallies ever since , with clashes between protesters and police escalating in recent days .
President Donald Trump says he is trying to restore order .
The approach has been criticised by local officials .
What has been going on in Portland ?
Like other US cities , Portland , Oregon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd 's death in Minneapolis , with thousands taking to the streets to demand police reform and racial equality .
Recent protests , however , have been marred by violence , arson , damage to property , arrests and allegations of police brutality .
Last week , federal officers started cracking down on crowds gathering in the city against the wishes of state and local officials , drawing widespread criticism and legal challenges .
Federal officers in unmarked vehicles appeared to forcefully seize protesters from the streets and detain them without justification .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ less-lethal munitions into crowds of demonstrators .
Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf has called the protesters a `` violent mob '' and `` anarchists '' .
But officials in the city have drawn a distinction between the peaceful majority and smaller groups of troublemakers .
Facing an election in November , President Trump has pledged to bring the unrest under control , blaming Democrats for allowing protests to descend into violence .
`` We are trying to help Portland , not hurt it .
Their leadership has , for months , lost control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday .
Who are the federal officers in Portland ?
The role of federal troops sent to Portland is the subject of intense speculation at the moment .
Numerous widely-shared videos show troops in camouflaged combat-style uniform arresting protesters , transporting them away in apparently unmarked vehicles .
Senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi said `` unidentified Stormtroopers '' were `` kidnapping protesters '' .
Another Democrat Ro Khanna described those involved as `` secret federal agents '' .
So , who exactly are they ?
They belong to a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive order signed by President Trump which tasks them to protect historic monuments , memorials , statues , and federal facilities .
The personnel are drawn from a range of teams including the Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) agency and the US Marshals Service .
The Federal Protection Service , part of the Homeland Security and charged with protecting government buildings , also has officers in Portland and has detained protesters .
The US Marshals Service 's Special Operations Group says it is `` deployed in high-risk and sensitive law enforcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and natural disasters . ''
When asked about the arrest of a protester captured on video , the CBP said the individual was suspected of destroying federal property .
They said agents had identified themselves and were wearing CBP insignia but their names were not displayed `` due to recent doxing incidents against law enforcement personnel who serve and protect our country . ''
Some of those CBP agents in Portland photographed in camouflage are in the Border Patrol Tactical Unit , the agency 's equivalent to a Swat team .
What reaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wheeler , a Democrat , said the `` dozens if not hundreds of federal troops '' were `` sharply escalating the situation '' .
`` Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism , '' he told CNN on Sunday , renewing his call for the troops to leave the city .
Oregon Governor Kate Brown , also a Democrat , mirrored those comments , accusing President Trump of sending federal troops to the city for `` political theatre '' .
The state of Oregon filed a lawsuit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing them of unlawfully detaining protesters .
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum requested a restraining order to stop agents arresting people .
Given this legal challenge , the American Civil Liberties Union said the situation in Portland amounted to a `` constitutional crisis '' .
But some activists have criticised the violence in the city , blaming it on a small minority of trouble-causers .
Civil rights advocate Ron Herndon told the Associated Press some were `` taking advantage of the demonstrations for their own reasons that have nothing to do with social justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state of Oregon is awaiting the outcome of its lawsuit against the federal government .
• Is it legal to send in federal forces ?
• Why US protests are so powerful this time Meanwhile , the White House is said to be considering other ways it can use federal law enforcement agencies to quell civil unrest nationwide .
`` You 'll see something rolled out this week as we start to go in and make sure that the communities , whether it 's Chicago or Portland , or Milwaukee , or someplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to make sure our communities are safe , '' White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told Fox News on Sunday , without giving specifics .

Portland protests: All you need to know about Trump's crackdown Published 20 July 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Portland protests: Calls for federal troops to leave US city
Tensions are mounting in the US city of Portland, where federal troops have been sent to end almost two months of anti-racism protests, some of them violent.
The protests began after the death of George Floyd in police custody in May.
There have been nightly rallies ever since, with clashes between protesters and police escalating in recent days.
President Donald Trump says he is trying to restore order. The approach has been criticised by local officials as an election-year ploy to try and paint his opponents as weak on law and order.
What has been going on in Portland?
Like other US cities, Portland, Oregon saw a wave of peaceful protests over Floyd's death in Minneapolis, with thousands taking to the streets to demand police reform and racial equality.
Recent protests, however, have been marred by violence, arson, damage to property, arrests and allegations of police brutality.
Last week, federal officers started cracking down on crowds gathering in the city against the wishes of state and local officials, drawing widespread criticism and legal challenges.
Federal officers in unmarked vehicles appeared to forcefully seize protesters from the streets and detain them without justification. They have also fired tear gas and less-lethal munitions into crowds of demonstrators.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Matcha chai Allow Twitter content? This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of twitter post by Matcha chai
Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf has called the protesters a "violent mob" and "anarchists".
But officials in the city have drawn a distinction between the peaceful majority and smaller groups of troublemakers.
Facing an election in November, President Trump has pledged to bring the unrest under control, blaming Democrats for allowing protests to descend into violence.
"We are trying to help Portland, not hurt it. Their leadership has, for months, lost control of the anarchists and agitators," Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday.
Who are the federal officers in Portland?
The role of federal troops sent to Portland is the subject of intense speculation at the moment. Numerous widely-shared videos show troops in camouflaged combat-style uniform arresting protesters, transporting them away in apparently unmarked vehicles.
Senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi said "unidentified Stormtroopers" were "kidnapping protesters". Another Democrat Ro Khanna described those involved as "secret federal agents".
So, who exactly are they?
They belong to a new federal force created last month in an executive order signed by President Trump which tasks them to protect historic monuments, memorials, statues, and federal facilities.
The personnel are drawn from a range of teams including the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency and the US Marshals Service. The Federal Protection Service, part of the Homeland Security and charged with protecting government buildings, also has officers in Portland and has detained protesters.
The US Marshals Service's Special Operations Group says it is "deployed in high-risk and sensitive law enforcement situations, national emergencies, civil disorder and natural disasters."
When asked about the arrest of a protester captured on video, the CBP said the individual was suspected of destroying federal property. They said agents had identified themselves and were wearing CBP insignia but their names were not displayed "due to recent doxing incidents against law enforcement personnel who serve and protect our country."
Some of those CBP agents in Portland photographed in camouflage are in the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, the agency's equivalent to a Swat team.
What reaction has there been?
Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, said the "dozens if not hundreds of federal troops" were "sharply escalating the situation".
"Their presence here is actually leading to more violence and more vandalism," he told CNN on Sunday, renewing his call for the troops to leave the city.
Oregon Governor Kate Brown, also a Democrat, mirrored those comments, accusing President Trump of sending federal troops to the city for "political theatre".
The state of Oregon filed a lawsuit against the federal agencies involved last week, accusing them of unlawfully detaining protesters. Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum requested a restraining order to stop agents arresting people.
Given this legal challenge, the American Civil Liberties Union said the situation in Portland amounted to a "constitutional crisis".
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Federal officers have been accused of seizing protesters and driving away with them in unmarked vans
But some activists have criticised the violence in the city, blaming it on a small minority of trouble-causers.
Civil rights advocate Ron Herndon told the Associated Press some were "taking advantage of the demonstrations for their own reasons that have nothing to do with social justice".
What happens next?
The state of Oregon is awaiting the outcome of its lawsuit against the federal government.
Meanwhile, the White House is said to be considering other ways it can use federal law enforcement agencies to quell civil unrest nationwide.


bbc--2020-07-20--St Louis couple charged for pointing guns at protesters

A husband and wife have been charged with unlawful use of a weapon for pointing guns at demonstrators outside their home in St Louis , Missouri .
Lawyers Mark and Patricia McCloskey drew guns on racial justice protesters marching through the grounds of their $ 1.15m mansion last month .
The couple said they armed themselves because they felt threatened .
But St Louis ' top prosecutor said their actions had risked creating violence at an otherwise peaceful protest .
`` It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest , and while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ escalate into deadly force , this type of conduct is unacceptable in St Louis , '' said Kim Gardner , who is the city 's the first black circuit attorney .
`` We must protect the right to peacefully protest , and any attempt to chill it through intimidation will not be tolerated , '' she added .
The McCloskeys also face a charge of fourth-degree assault .
The couple 's lawyer , Joel Schwartz , called the decision to press charges `` disheartening as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the US anti-racism protests • Four dates that explain the US gun debate The couple , both personal injury attorneys who live on a private street , have said they were within their rights to defend their property .
Missouri Governor Mike Parson has said he was prepared to exercise his pardon powers if prosecutors brought criminal charges in the case .
`` I do n't think they 're going to spend any time in jail , '' the Republican told a local radio station last week .
When he was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` castle doctrine '' law that justifies deadly force for those who are defending their homes from intruders .
Video footage showed Mr McCloskey , 63 , and his wife , 61 , draw firearms as demonstrators marched past their mansion to the home of St Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson to call for her resignation on 28 June .
The mayor had infuriated activists by reading out on Facebook Live the names and addresses of people advocating for defunding police .
The McCloskeys ' legal team has said two or three white protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to a police report on the incident , the couple said a large group of people had broken through an iron gate marked with `` No Trespassing '' and `` Private Street '' signs .
One of the protest leaders maintained the gate was already open .
The march was part of a nationwide wave of demonstrations over police brutality and racism prompted by the alleged killing of an unarmed black man , George Floyd , by a white policeman .
Ms Gardner is recommending that the husband and wife participate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce unnecessary involvement with the courts .
It could see them ordered to take part in community service or a remedial course .
Class E felonies like unlawful use of a weapon can carry prison sentences of up to four years .

"It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in non-violent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St Louis," said Kim Gardner, who is the city's first black circuit attorney.


bbc--2020-07-20--Oxford coronavirus vaccine trial shows promise

A coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford appears safe and triggers an immune response .
Trials involving 1,077 people showed the injection led to them making antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus .
The findings are hugely promising , but it is still too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection and larger trials are under way .
The UK has already ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine .
How does the vaccine work ?
The vaccine - called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 - is being developed at unprecedented speed .
It is made from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common cold in chimpanzees .
It has been heavily modified , first so it can not cause infections in people and also to make it `` look '' more like coronavirus .
Scientists did this by transferring the genetic instructions for the coronavirus 's `` spike protein '' - the crucial tool it uses to invade our cells - to the vaccine they were developing .
This means the vaccine resembles the coronavirus and the immune system can learn how to attack it .
What are antibodies and T-cells ?
Much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about antibodies , but these are only one part of our immune defence .
Antibodies are small proteins made by the immune system that stick onto the surface of viruses .
T-cells , a type of white blood cell , help co-ordinate the immune system and are able to spot which of the body 's cells have been infected and destroy them .
Nearly all effective vaccines induce both an antibody and a T-cell response .
Levels of T-cells peaked 14 days after vaccination and antibody levels peaked after 28 days .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand how long they may last , the study in the Lancet showed .
Prof Andrew Pollard , from the Oxford research group told the BBC : `` We 're really pleased with the results published today as we 're seeing both neutralising antibodies and T-cells .
`` They 're extremely promising and we believe the type of response that may be associated with protection .
`` But the key question everyone wants to know is does the vaccine work , does it offer protection ... and we 're in a waiting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of people developed neutralising antibodies after one dose .
Only ten people were given two doses and all of them produced neutralising antibodies .
`` We do n't know the level needed for protection , but we can maximise responses with a second dose , '' Prof Pollard told the BBC .
Yes , but there are side-effects .
There were no dangerous side-effects from taking the vaccine , however , 70 % of people on the trial developed either fever or headache .
The researchers say this could be managed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Oxford , UK , says : `` There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the Covid-19 pandemic , but these early results hold promise . ''
What are the next steps in the trial ?
The results so far are promising , but their main purpose is to ensure the vaccine is safe enough to give to people .
The study can not show whether the vaccine can either prevent people from becoming ill or even lessen their symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take part in the next stage of the trials in the UK .
However , the trial has also been expanded to other countries because levels of coronavirus are low in the UK , making it hard to know if the vaccine is effective .
There will be a large trial involving 30,000 people in the US as well 2,000 in South Africa and 5,000 in Brazil .
There are also calls to perform `` challenge trials '' in which vaccinated people are deliberately infected with coronavirus .
However , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatments .
When will I get a vaccine ?
It is possible a coronavirus vaccine will be proven effective before the end of the year , however , it will not be widely available .
Health and care workers will be prioritised as will people who are deemed at high risk from Covid-19 due to their age or medical conditions .
However , widespread vaccination is likely to be , at the earliest , next year even if everything goes to plan .
Boris Johnson said : `` Obviously I 'm hopeful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but to say I 'm 100 % confident we 'll get a vaccine this year , or indeed next year , is , alas , just an exaggeration .
`` We 're not there yet . ''
What progress is being made with other vaccines ?
The Oxford vaccine is not the first to reach this stage , with groups in the US and China also publishing similar results .
The US company Moderna was first out of the blocks and its vaccine can produce neutralising antibodies .
They are injecting coronavirus RNA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then starts making viral proteins in order to trigger an immune response .
The companies BioNtech and Pfizer have also had positive results using their RNA vaccine .
A technique similar to the Oxford one , developed in China , also seems promising .
However , all these approaches are at the absolute boundary of science and have not been proven to work before .
More traditional methods of vaccine development are also being investigated .
The company Valneva is taking the whole coronavirus , inactivating it and then inject it .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinical trials around the world and another 140 in early stage development .
Will the UK get a coronavirus vaccine ?
The UK government has struck deals for 190 million doses of different vaccines .
• 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine made from a genetically engineered virus • 30 million doses of the BioNtech/Pfizer vaccine , which injects part of the coronavirus ' genetic code These have been paid for even though it is uncertain which , if any , of the vaccines may prove effective for immunising a nation with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the UK Vaccine Taskforce , told the BBC : `` What we are doing is identifying the most promising vaccines across the different categories , or different types of vaccine , so that we can be sure that we do have a vaccine in case one of those actually proves to be both safe and effective .
`` It 's unlikely to be a single vaccine for everybody .
`` We may well need different vaccines for different groups of people . ''
• INSIDE HEALTH : Why is there an elevated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society ?
• DIET AND MENTAL WELLBEING : Does the food you eat help or hinder you emotionally ... What questions do you have about vaccines and the coronavirus ?
In some cases your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

Coronavirus: Oxford vaccine triggers immune response Published 20 July 2020
comments Comments
Image source, Oxford University
A coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford appears safe and triggers an immune response.
Trials involving 1,077 people showed the injection led to them making antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus.
The findings are hugely promising, but it is still too soon to know if this is enough to offer protection and larger trials are under way.
The UK has already ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine.
How does the vaccine work?
The vaccine - called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 - is being developed at unprecedented speed.
It is made from a genetically engineered virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees.
It has been heavily modified, first so it cannot cause infections in people and also to make it "look" more like coronavirus.
Scientists did this by transferring the genetic instructions for the coronavirus's "spike protein" - the crucial tool it uses to invade our cells - to the vaccine they were developing.
This means the vaccine resembles the coronavirus and the immune system can learn how to attack it.
What are antibodies and T-cells?
Much of the focus on coronavirus so far has been about antibodies, but these are only one part of our immune defence.
Antibodies are small proteins made by the immune system that stick onto the surface of viruses.
Neutralising antibodies can disable the coronavirus.
T-cells, a type of white blood cell, help co-ordinate the immune system and are able to spot which of the body's cells have been infected and destroy them.
Nearly all effective vaccines induce both an antibody and a T-cell response.
Image source, Oxford University Image caption, Sample from patients are analysed as part of the trial.
Levels of T-cells peaked 14 days after vaccination and antibody levels peaked after 28 days. The study has not run for long enough to understand how long they may last, the study in the Lancet showed.
Prof Andrew Pollard, from the Oxford research group told the BBC: "We're really pleased with the results published today as we're seeing both neutralising antibodies and T-cells.
"They're extremely promising and we believe the type of response that may be associated with protection.
"But the key question everyone wants to know is does the vaccine work, does it offer protection... and we're in a waiting game."
The study showed 90% of people developed neutralising antibodies after one dose. Only ten people were given two doses and all of them produced neutralising antibodies.
"We don't know the level needed for protection, but we can maximise responses with a second dose," Prof Pollard told the BBC.
Is it safe?
Yes, but there are side-effects.
There were no dangerous side-effects from taking the vaccine, however, around 17% had fever and more than six-in-10 patients had a headache.
The researchers said this could be managed with paracetamol.
Prof Sarah Gilbert, from the University of Oxford, UK, says: "There is still much work to be done before we can confirm if our vaccine will help manage the Covid-19 pandemic, but these early results hold promise."
What are the next steps in the trial?
The results so far are promising, but their main purpose is to ensure the vaccine is safe enough to give to people.
The study cannot show whether the vaccine can either prevent people from becoming ill or even lessen their symptoms of Covid-19.
More than 10,000 people will take part in the next stage of the trials in the UK.
However, the trial has also been expanded to other countries because levels of coronavirus are low in the UK, making it hard to know if the vaccine is effective.
There will be a large trial involving 30,000 people in the US as well 2,000 in South Africa and 5,000 in Brazil.
There are also calls to perform "challenge trials" in which vaccinated people are deliberately infected with coronavirus. However, there are ethical concerns due to a lack of treatments.
When will I get a vaccine?
It is possible a coronavirus vaccine will be proven effective before the end of the year, however, it will not be widely available.
Health and care workers will be prioritised as will people who are deemed at high risk from Covid-19 due to their age or medical conditions.
However, widespread vaccination is likely to be, at the earliest, next year even if everything goes to plan.
Boris Johnson said: "Obviously I'm hopeful, I've got my fingers crossed, but to say I'm 100% confident we'll get a vaccine this year, or indeed next year, is, alas, just an exaggeration.
"We're not there yet."
What progress is being made with other vaccines?
The Oxford vaccine is not the first to reach this stage, with groups in the US and China also publishing similar results.
The US company Moderna was first out of the blocks and its vaccine can produce neutralising antibodies. They are injecting coronavirus RNA (its genetic code), which then starts making viral proteins in order to trigger an immune response.
The companies BioNtech and Pfizer have also had positive results using their RNA vaccine.
A technique similar to the Oxford one, developed in China, also seems promising.
However, all these approaches are at the absolute boundary of science and have not been proven to work before.
More traditional methods of vaccine development are also being investigated. The company Valneva is taking the whole coronavirus, inactivating it and then inject it.
In total there are 23 coronavirus vaccines in clinical trials around the world and another 140 in early stage development.
Will the UK get a coronavirus vaccine?
The UK government has struck deals for 190 million doses of different vaccines.
This includes:
100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine made from a genetically engineered virus
30 million doses of the BioNtech/Pfizer vaccine, which injects part of the coronavirus' genetic code
60 million doses of the Valneva inactivated coronavirus
These have been paid for even though it is uncertain which, if any, of the vaccines may prove effective for immunising a nation with 66m people.
Kate Bingham, chairwoman of the UK Vaccine Taskforce, told the BBC: "What we are doing is identifying the most promising vaccines across the different categories, or different types of vaccine, so that we can be sure that we do have a vaccine in case one of those actually proves to be both safe and effective.
"It's unlikely to be a single vaccine for everybody.
"We may well need different vaccines for different groups of people."
Follow James on Twitter
Image source, BBC
What questions do you have about vaccines and the coronavirus?
In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, age and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy.
Use this form to ask your question:


bbc--2020-07-20--Breonna Taylor: Hunger strike begins amid US racism protests

Protesters in Kentucky are on hunger strike demanding justice for Breonna Taylor , a black woman killed by police in her home in March .
The strike comes as thousands of US workers walk off the job on Monday to protest racism , inequality and police brutality .
The Strike for Black Lives builds the country-wide protests over the death of a black man , George Floyd , in May .
Many of the striking workers are considered `` essential '' in the pandemic .
Organisers said tens of thousands of workers in at least 25 cities were predicted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work day on Monday .
Those unable to leave the job for the entire day are instead holding lunchtime rallies and kneeling for eight minutes and 46 seconds - the time that Minneapolis prosecutors initially said that ex-Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd 's neck , allegedly killing him .
Who is on hunger strike ?
Four hunger strikers in Louisville , Kentucky , are demanding that two city officers involved in Taylor 's death - Sgt John Mattingly and Detective Myles Cosgrove - be fired and stripped of their pensions .
Ex-Detective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a raid on Taylor 's apartment in March , was fired but is appealing the decision .
The four strikers are also live-streaming their strike on their Facebook page , Hunger Strikers for Breonna .
`` In this form , we can control it , '' one participant , Ari Maybe , told the Courier Journal , adding that the strike will take place on private property .
`` It 's not like a sit-in , where we can be arrested .
It 's not like a protest , where there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control the beginning , the end and the entire narrative . ''
She added that in addition to the four people involved , they have support from around 35 others , including medical personnel and a crew responsible for the Facebook stream .
• Why Breonna Taylor 's name is chanted at demos Who else is striking ?
Fast-food servers , healthcare workers , ride-share drivers , airport workers , cleaning staff and workers from many other industries are taking part in a larger , separate national day of protest , which brings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social justice organisations .
The strikers are calling for lawmakers to create equal opportunities for racial minorities and for corporations to take stronger action to support civil rights .
The diverse group is calling for higher wages for all workers as well as better healthcare access , sick leave , and child support among other demands .
In Manhattan , workers are protesting outside Trump Tower , calling for Republicans to approve the Heroes Act , a second economic stimulus bill that has already been approved by the Democratic-led House of Representatives .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ McDonald 's restaurant , then marched to a memorial for Michael Brown , a black teenager who was killed by police in Ferguson , Missouri , in 2014 .
In Los Angeles , workers led a `` car caravan '' to the University of Southern California to `` demand the nation 's second-largest school district and the university drop their use of the [ Los Angeles Police Department ] on campuses '' , according to a press release .
Police had suspected Taylor 's flat was being used to receive drugs by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miles ( 16km ) away .
One of the suspects was an ex-boyfriend of Taylor .
Shortly after midnight on 13 March , officers Hankison , Mattingly and Cosgrove stormed Taylor 's apartment by executing a no-knock search warrant - a court document that authorises police to enter a home without permission .
Taylor and her partner , Kenneth Walker , were reportedly asleep as the commotion began .
Police said they knocked before using a battering ram to enter the home , though this account has been disputed by Taylor 's family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire with Mr Walker , a licensed gun owner who called 911 in the belief that the drug raid was a burglary .
The officers - who fired more than 25 bullets - said they returned fire after one officer was shot and wounded .
During the exchange , Taylor , an emergency medical technician , was shot eight times .
She died on her hallway floor .
She was 26 years old .
Mr Walker surrendered and was arrested on charges of attempted murder of a police officer , but officials have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor was one of three people named on the warrant , according to Louisville NBC affiliate Wave 3 .
But she was not the main subject of the investigation , the city 's Courier-Journal newspaper reports .
No drugs were found in the property .
Police officer Brett Hankison was accused of `` blindly '' firing 10 rounds into the apartment , displaying `` an extreme indifference to the value of human life '' .
A lawsuit filed by Taylor 's family accuses the officers of battery , wrongful death , excessive force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family , Taylor took `` five to six minutes '' to die from her injuries and did not receive urgent medical care from officers at the scene .

The strikers are calling for lawmakers to create equal opportunities for racial minorities and for corporations to take stronger action to support civil rights. The diverse group is calling for higher wages for all workers as well as better healthcare access, sick leave, and child support among other demands.


bbc--2020-07-20--Dramatic video shows house collapsing into flood

Monsoon rains lashed the Indian capital , Delhi , on Sunday , causing floods in several areas .
Firefighters had @ @ @ @ @ areas .
At least four people died , one of them a man whose vehicle @ @ @ @ @ under a bridge .
More heavy rains are expected in the capital in the coming @ @

Monsoon rains lashed the Indian capital, Delhi, on Sunday, causing floods in several areas.
Firefighters had to rescue people from low-lying areas. At least four people died, one of them a man whose vehicle got stuck in flood waters under a bridge.
More heavy rains are expected in the capital in the coming days.


bbc--2020-07-20--Climate change: Polar bears could be lost by 2100

Polar bears will be wiped out by the end of the century unless more is done to tackle climate change , a study predicts .
Scientists say some populations have already reached their survival limits as the Arctic sea ice shrinks .
The carnivores rely on the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean to hunt for seals .
As the ice breaks up , the animals are forced to roam for long distances or on to shore , where they struggle to find food and feed their cubs .
The bear has become the `` poster child of climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the University of Toronto in Ontario , Canada .
`` Polar bears are already sitting at the top of the world ; if the ice goes , they have no place to go , '' he said .
Polar bears are listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) , with climate change a key factor in their decline .
Studies show that declining sea ice is likely to decrease polar bear numbers , perhaps substantially .
The new study , published in Nature Climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that might happen .
• Polar bears fail to adapt to lack of food in warmer Arctic By modelling the energy use of polar bears , the researchers were able to calculate their endurance limits .
Dr Steven Amstrup , chief scientist of Polar Bears International , who was also involved in the study , told BBC News : `` What we 've shown is that , first , we 'll lose the survival of cubs , so cubs will be born but the females wo n't have enough body fat to produce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ice-free season .
`` Any of us know that we can only go without food for so long , '' he added , `` that 's a biological reality for all species '' .
The researchers were also able to predict when these thresholds will be reached in different parts of the Arctic .
This may have already happened in some areas where polar bears live , they said .
`` Showing how imminent the threat is for different polar bear populations is another reminder that we must act now to head off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us all , '' said Dr Amstrup .
`` The trajectory we 're on now is not a good one , but if society gets its act together , we have time to save polar bears .
And if we do , we will benefit the rest of life on Earth , including ourselves . ''
Under a high greenhouse gas emissions scenario , it 's likely that all but a few polar bear populations will collapse by 2100 , the study found .
And even if moderate emissions reduction targets are achieved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings match previous projections that polar bears are likely to persist to 2100 only in a few populations very far north if climate change continues unabated .
Sea ice is frozen seawater that floats on the ocean surface , forming and melting with the polar seasons .
Some persists year after year in the Arctic , providing vital habitat for wildlife such as polar bears , seals , and walruses .
Sea ice that stays in the Arctic for longer than a year has been declining at a rate of about 13 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late 1970s .

Dr Steven Amstrup, chief scientist of Polar Bears International, who was also involved in the study, told BBC News: "What we've shown is that, first, we'll lose the survival of cubs, so cubs will be born but the females won't have enough body fat to produce milk to bring them along through the ice-free season.


bbc--2020-07-20--Belgian authorities investigate police 'kneeling' death

Belgian authorities are investigating the death of a man after footage shared on social media appeared to show a police officer kneeling on his back .
Police said a 29-year-old man of Algerian origin was arrested outside a café in Antwerp on Sunday after he allegedly tried to attack people .
The man died in hospital hours later .
His death drew parallels with the case of George Floyd , who died in May after a police officer knelt on his neck during his arrest in the US .
• An athlete , friend and father - who was George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its bloody colonial past A police spokesman told the AFP news agency that officers were called after the `` very agitated '' man tried to attack people , adding that the man had already been injured and appeared intoxicated .
Antwerp police said in a tweet that they would not comment on the case pending a judicial investigation .
The man has been named in local media as Akram , and the hashtags # JusticeForAkram and # MurderInAntwerp have been trending in Belgium .
Floyd 's death led to an outpouring of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police brutality and racism .
Thousands of Belgians took to the streets to join solidarity protests and more than 80,000 people have signed a petition calling for statues of King Leopold II , whose rule in the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo killed millions of Africans , to be taken down from the capital Brussels .
A statue of the monarch has already been removed in Antwerp after it was targeted during demonstrations .

Thousands of Belgians took to the streets to join solidarity protests and more than 80,000 people have signed a petition calling for statues of King Leopold II, whose rule in the present-day Democratic Republic of Congo killed millions of Africans, to be taken down from the capital Brussels.


bbc--2020-07-20--Esther Salas case: Main suspect in attack on judge's family found dead

The FBI has named the suspect in the deadly attack on a federal judge 's family and says he is now dead .
It identified the man as Roy Den Hollander .
No more details were given but sources told US media he had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound .
The son of Judge Esther Salas was killed in the attack in New Jersey on Sunday and her husband was badly hurt .
The gunman , dressed as a FedEx delivery man , had opened fire at their home , police said .
A package addressed to Judge Salas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The naming of the suspect was carried in a statement from the US attorney 's office for the district of New Jersey .
The New York Times said Den Hollander was a self-described `` anti-feminist '' lawyer who had sued nightclubs over ladies ' night discounts , the federal government over a law protecting women from violence and a university over women 's studies courses .
He also brought a lawsuit before Judge Salas in 2015 challenging the male-only military draft , the Times said .
The suspect 's body was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sullivan County , about 130 miles ( 210km ) from the crime scene , according to CBS News .
The motive for the attack was unclear .
A local mayor and family friend said Judge Salas had received threats in the past .
Friends of the family told US media that Judge Salas 's 20-year-old son Daniel Anderl , a student , opened the door at the family home in North Brunswick at about 17:00 local time ( 21:00 GMT ) on Sunday and was fatally shot .
The judge 's husband , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shot several times .
Mr Anderl , who works as a criminal defence lawyer , was taken to hospital and was in a critical but stable condition in hospital , family said .
`` We do n't know if she was the target or he was the target , '' Carlos Salas , the judge 's older brother , told the New York Times .
North Brunswick Mayor Francis Womack , who is a friend of the Salas family , told ABC News that as a judge , Esther Salas `` had threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying that recently there had not been any '' .
Judge Salas serves on the federal bench in New Jersey .
She is the first Hispanic woman to serve as a federal judge in New Jersey .
Daniel Anderl , the couple 's only son , was due to resume university at the Catholic University of America in Washington in the autumn .
In a 2018 profile in New Jersey Monthly , Judge Salas said she thought her son would someday pursue a career in law , like his parents .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I was pulling for a doctor , '' she told the magazine .
`` He 's been arguing with us since he could talk - practising his advocacy skills . ''

"The only problem with a life lived too long under Feminazi rule is that a man ends up with so many enemies he can't even the score with all of them."