bbc--2020-08-21--Iran nuclear deal: European nations 'siding with ayatollahs' - Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has accused European allies of `` siding with the ayatollahs '' after they said the US could not reimpose sanctions on Iran .
The UK , France and Germany said the US did not have the legal right to trigger `` snapback '' sanctions because it pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 .
The US has controversially initiated a process at the UN Security Council to reinstate the UN sanctions .
They were lifted under the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement .
`` No country but the United States has had the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolution .
Instead , they chose to side with the ayatollahs , '' Mr Pompeo said after formally submitting a complaint accusing Iran of non-compliance with the deal .
Other countries on the Security Council will have 30 days to adopt a resolution to avert the snapback .
But , as a permanent member , the US will be able to exercise its veto power .
• Why do the limits on Iran 's uranium enrichment matter ?
• Iranians on Trump and the nuclear deal • How renewed US sanctions have hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could to enforce the sanctions on Iran if they were violated , Mr Pompeo added .
The Trump administration 's move comes a week after the council rejected its bid to extend indefinitely an arms embargo on Iran that is due to expire in October .
Mr Pompeo said it would be an `` enormous mistake '' not to extend the arms embargo , adding that the US would never allow Iran to buy and sell conventional weapons such as tanks .
How did we get here ?
Under the nuclear deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US , China , France , Russia , the UK and Germany - gave Iran sanctions relief in return for limits on its sensitive activities and international inspections to show it was not developing nuclear weapons .
The accord has been close to collapse since the US withdrew and reinstated economic sanctions in 2018 in an attempt to force Iran to negotiate a replacement that would place indefinite curbs on its nuclear programme and also halt its development of ballistic missiles .
Iran has so far refused and has retaliated by rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the production of enriched uranium , which can be used to make reactor fuel but also nuclear warheads .
The five powers still party to the deal have tried to keep it alive , although the UK , France and Germany triggered a formal dispute mechanism over the Iranian breaches in January that could ultimately lead to the snapback of UN sanctions .
US isolated like never before Mike Pompeo 's assertion that Washington 's key European allies are `` siding with the ayatollahs '' offers a test case of the failures of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his foreign policy in general .
Foreign policy is about defining objectives ; determining the means of getting there and , crucially , carrying other nations along with you .
On Iran , the US has failed on every count .
The Trump administration 's aim is to maintain the UN-backed arms embargo against Tehran .
Most of its European allies agree with this goal .
China and Russia do not .
But in seeking to use the mechanism of the Iran nuclear agreement to `` snap back '' sanctions , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tools of a treaty that they themselves abandoned long ago .
The result - the US is isolated on this issue like never before .
What does the US want ?
After the US defeat at the Security Council last week , US permanent representative Kelly Craft declared that the Trump administration would `` stop at nothing to extend the arms embargo '' on Iran .
On Wednesday , the president announced that the US intended to `` restore virtually all of the previously suspended United Nations sanctions on Iran '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncommon , '' he told reporters in Washington .
`` My administration will not allow this Iran nuclear situation to go on .
They will never have a nuclear weapon . ''
Mr Pompeo stressed that under Security Council resolution 2231 , which endorsed the nuclear deal , the US had a legal right to trigger the snapback .
`` It has a set of provisions , it has a set of rights and obligations , and we will be in full compliance with that , and we have every expectation that every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its obligations , including every member of the P5 , '' he said .
In addition to maintaining the arms embargo , the snapped-back sanctions would force Iran to suspend all nuclear enrichment-related and reprocessing activities , and ban imports of anything that could contribute to those activities or the development of nuclear weapon delivery systems .
Sanctions on dozens of individuals and entities would also be reinstated .
How have other countries reacted ?
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Sunday : `` US recourse to Dispute Resolution Mechanism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ON . ''
The five other remaining parties to the nuclear deal , all of which currently sit on the Security Council , are also opposed to the US plan .
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Thursday that it was `` absurd '' , adding that the administration had no legal grounds to do so .
European countries have said that President Trump made it clear in 2018 that the US had ended its participation in the nuclear deal and given up any rights .
It is not clear how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US .
All UN member states would be obligated to enforce the snapped-back sanctions , although diplomats told Reuters news agency that some might refuse to do so .

"It has a set of provisions, it has a set of rights and obligations, and we will be in full compliance with that, and we have every expectation that every country in the world will live up to its obligations, including every member of the P5," he said.


bbc--2020-08-21--Brexit: UK-EU trade deal 'seems unlikely' says Michel Barnier

A post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU `` seems unlikely '' at this stage , the bloc 's negotiator has said .
Speaking after the latest round of talks , Michel Barnier said he was `` disappointed '' and `` concerned '' .
His UK counterpart David Frost spoke of `` little progress '' , amid differences on fisheries policy and state aid rules .
The EU has said it would like to agree a deal by October so it can be approved by the European Parliament before the post-Brexit transition period expires .
The transition period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deal has not been secured by then , the UK would have to trade with the EU on WTO ( World Trade Organization ) terms .
This means most UK goods would be subject to tariffs until a free trade deal was ready to be brought in .
The UK has said it will not extend talks if an agreement can not be reached by the December deadline .
• UK-EU trade deal some way off , both sides say • What are the sticking points in the trade talks ?
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of talks , Mr Frost said the EU had made it `` unnecessarily difficult '' to make progress by insisting that differences over state aid and fisheries have to be resolved before `` substantive work can be done in any other area of the negotiation , including on legal texts '' .
In a bid to break the deadlock , the UK has presented the EU with a draft legal text for a free-trade agreement .
Mr Frost , who reports directly to Prime Minister Boris Johnson , said the UK was seeking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sovereign control of our own laws , borders , and waters '' .
`` When the EU accepts this reality in all areas of the negotiation , it will be much easier to make progress , '' he said .
A senior UK negotiating official added that a deal was `` still possible but not that easy to get there '' .
They also said it was `` frustrating '' that the EU `` says Brexit means Brexit ... yet they want us to continue with arrangements as though we were still [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Frustrating that they want us to move towards their position on fishing and state aid before doing anything else . ''
Speaking at a press briefing in Brussels , Mr Barnier accused the UK side of `` wasting valuable time '' , suggesting the draft text was `` useful '' but downplaying its significance in reaching any agreement .
`` Too often this week it felt as if we were going backwards more than forwards , '' he said .
`` Given the short time left , what I said in London in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage , an agreement between the UK and EU seems unlikely . ''
While there had been progress on energy co-operation , participation in union programmes and anti-money laundering , on the subject of access to UK and EU fishing waters , there had been `` no progress whatsoever '' .
He also said the EU 's demand for a level-playing field - one of the other sticking points in negotiations - was `` a non-negotiable pre-condition to grant access to our market of 450 million citizens '' .
A level-playing field is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of common rules and standards that prevent businesses in one country undercutting their rivals and gaining a competitive advantage over those operating in other countries .
The EU has been insistent there should be level-playing field for workers ' rights , environmental protection , taxation and state aid .
The next round of talks is due to begin on 7 September in London .

In a statement released after the seventh round of talks, Mr Frost said the EU had made it "unnecessarily difficult" to make progress by insisting that differences over state aid and fisheries have to be resolved before "substantive work can be done in any other area of the negotiation, including on legal texts".


bbc--2020-08-21--Kansas City Chiefs ban fans from wearing headdresses and face paint

Last updated on .From the section American Football Kansas City Chiefs have banned fans from wearing headdresses or face paint @ @ @ @ @ cultures '' at their home stadium .
The decision comes six years after the defending @ @ @ @ @ with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds '' .
In July @ @ @ @ @ its Redskins name .
Previously , the Chiefs had `` discouraged '' fans from wearing @ @ @ @ @ Arrowhead Stadium .
A club statement said : `` We are grateful for the meaningful @ @ @ @ @ all of these American Indian leaders .
`` It is important that we continue the @ @ @ @ @ , and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future . ''
@ @ @ @ @ union team Exeter Chiefs decided to retain their Native American name and logo , but @ @ @ @ @ Chief ' mascot .
In baseball , Cleveland Indians are discussing a name change , @ @ @ @ @ they will keep their title but review the tomahawk chop celebration .

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Kansas City Chiefs won the 2020 Super Bowl
Kansas City Chiefs have banned fans from wearing headdresses or face paint that "appropriates American Indian cultures" at their home stadium.
The team will review the Arrowhead Chop, where a celebrity bangs a drum and supporters make a chopping motion.
The decision comes six years after the defending NFL champions began "dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds".
In July, Washington Football Team retired its Redskins name.
Previously, the Chiefs had "discouraged" fans from wearing headdresses and face paint at Arrowhead Stadium.
A club statement said: "We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders.
"It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future."
In July, English rugby union team Exeter Chiefs decided to retain their Native American name and logo, but retired the club's 'Big Chief' mascot.
In baseball, Cleveland Indians are discussing a name change, while the Atlanta Braves said they will keep their title but review the tomahawk chop celebration.


bbc--2020-08-20--RuPaul's Drag Race star Chi Chi DeVayne dead aged 34

Drag queen Chi Chi DeVayne , best known for appearing on two seasons of RuPaul 's Drag Race , has died aged 34 .
DeVayne , whose non-stage name was Zavion Davenport , appeared on season eight of the show , as well as season three of RuPaul 's Drag Race All Stars .
She posted on Instagram last week that she was in hospital for a chronic condition - the second time this year .
RuPaul paid tribute to DeVayne , saying that he was `` heartbroken '' to learn of her death .
`` I am so grateful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beautiful soul , '' he said in a statement , posted on the show 's Twitter account .
`` She will be dearly missed , but never forgotten .
May her generous and loving spirit shine down on us all . ''
Former contestants and fans of the show also paid tribute to DeVayne .
DeVayne 's first stint on RuPaul 's Drag Race was aired in 2016 , where she impressed the judges with her ingenuity and quick wit .
Her lip sync to Dreamgirls ' And I Am Telling You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iconic in Drag Race history .
Contestants on the show perform lip syncs when they are at risk of elimination .
She finished in fourth place , but was invited to take part in the spin-off show RuPaul 's Drag Race All Stars , which aired at the beginning of 2018 .
She finished in eighth place .
• Drag Race : The most political , troubled season ever ?
Later in 2018 DeVayne was diagnosed with scleroderma , a condition that attacks the internal organs .
She was taken to hospital in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram it was for kidney failure .
She was discharged later that month , but went back to hospital again last week - this time , she said , for pneumonia .
`` Keep me in your prayers , '' she said in a video message to her fans .
`` I 'll be back soon . ''

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bbc--2020-08-21--China floods: World's biggest dam nears capacity

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is nearing capacity after weeks of record floods in China .
Authorities @ @ @ @ @ the massive structure will hold .
The floods have killed hundreds of people and hundreds @ @ @ @ @ .

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River is nearing capacity after weeks of record floods in China. Authorities have had to reassure people the massive structure will hold.
The floods have killed hundreds of people and hundreds of thousands have been evacuated.


bbc--2020-08-21--Japanese airline ANA trials germ-busting 'elbow doorknob'

It 's no secret airplane toilets are probably the one place where passengers try to avoid touching - and the Covid-19 outbreak has only made it worse .
Japanese airline All Nippon Airways ( ANA ) is now trying to turn the bathroom experience into a more hands-free one , with a doorknob that can be opened and closed with the elbow .
It is currently on trial at Tokyo 's Haneda Airport until the end of August .
ANA is collecting feedback to decide whether to roll out the system .
A spokesperson said the design was only in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] testing phase '' .
The `` elbow doorknob '' was first trialled in Haneda Airport in mid-June .
There are two different components to the locking mechanism , which has been jointly developed with aircraft interior supplier giant , Jamco .
The first involves a sliding lock , which enables the user to lock or unlock the door from the inside .
A second door handle allows the user to then push the door open , so they can let themselves out .
A spokesperson for ANA told the BBC that some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sensor-type taps in the lavatories .
The airline therefore decided that it also wanted to make the process of door-opening hands free .
At first , it explored the option of opening the toilet door by foot , but decided to scrap this due to `` safety reasons such as turbulence and the passengers might lose their balance '' .
It 's not clear if the novel doorknob would have to pass through regulations and aviation standards before it is eventually rolled out .
Aircraft engineering firm Haeco Americas , is currently also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bathroom door through the use of sensors , according to CNBC .
But it 's not just aircraft bathrooms that people are trying to avoid touching .
One mall in the Thai capital , Bangkok , swapped lift buttons for foot pedals in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , touching a surface or object contaminated with the virus and then touching one 's own face `` is not thought to be the main way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the CDC updated its guidance to say that Covid-19 spreads `` very easily '' from person to person through contaminated droplets produced by others as they talk , cough , sneeze and breathe .
However , the CDC still encourages people to wash their hands and says frequently touched surfaces like door handles , bathroom taps and drinking fountains should be disinfected daily .

But according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), touching a surface or object contaminated with the virus and then touching one's own face "is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads".


bbc--2020-08-21--Glass blower Chris Day reflects Black Lives Matter in his art

Three years ago , self-employed plumber Chris Day started a university course to study the art of glass blowing .
@ @ @ @ @ exhibition at a glass art gallery in London , after a producing a body of @ @ @ @ @ and the civil rights movement .
Chris , 52 , says his work has been @ @ @ @ @ conversation surrounding Black Lives Matter and the death of George Floyd , who died in @ @ @ @ @ police outside a shop in Minneapolis , Minnesota .
Chris , from Lichfield , Staffordshire @ @ @ @ @ Wolverhampton , and believes he 's the only black glass blower in England .
His @ @ @ @ @ part of London Craft Week at the Vessel Gallery .

Three years ago, self-employed plumber Chris Day started a university course to study the art of glass blowing.
Now he's landed an exhibition at a glass art gallery in London, after a producing a body of work that reflects black slavery and the civil rights movement.
Chris, 52, says his work has been given extra prominence by the conversation surrounding Black Lives Matter and the death of George Floyd, who died in May after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Chris, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, studied at University of Wolverhampton, and believes he's the only black glass blower in England.
His work can be seen as part of London Craft Week at the Vessel Gallery.
Video journalist: John Bray


bbc--2020-08-21--DNC 2020: Joe Biden convention speech fact-checked

Joe Biden has made his first major speech as the Democratic presidential nominee at the party 's convention .
He said President Trump had `` cloaked America in darkness '' and made several claims about his record in office , including his handling of the coronavirus pandemic .
We 've taken a look at three of these claims .
Claim 1 : `` We lead the world in confirmed cases .
We lead the world in deaths . ''
Mr Biden criticised President Trump 's response to the coronavirus outbreak saying he had failed to protect American people .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases and deaths in the world , with more than 5.5 million confirmed cases and 174,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .
It also has a larger population than many other countries .
If you look at deaths per capita - as a proportion of each country 's population - the US is no longer top of the list but remains in the top ten worst hit countries .
The US has recorded more than 52 coronavirus deaths per 100,000 people - according to Johns Hopkins University - but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recorded more on this measurement , including the UK and Italy .
It is worth remembering that there are differences in how countries count coronavirus deaths , making exact comparisons difficult .
Claim 2 : `` More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year . ''
Mr Biden was talking about the impact of the pandemic on the US economy .
The 50m figure is right and is based on the total number of Americans who have filed jobless claims since the virus struck , according to US Labor Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming unemployment benefits is 14.8m , according to the latest release of weekly figures .
It has been declining since May , when there were more than 20m claims .
The unemployment rate is still much higher than pre-pandemic levels and currently stands at 10.2 % .
Mr Biden also said : `` Nearly one in six small businesses have closed this year . ''
But a recent survey of small business owners in the US suggested that only 1 % of small businesses had closed permanently by mid-July this year .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporarily , but even accounting for these it is less than the one in six Mr Biden claimed .
Claim 3 : President Trump said there were `` very fine people on both sides '' , when asked about a far-right rally in 2017 .
Mr Biden said one of his goals would be to `` wipe out the stain of racism '' and he recalled the far-right protests in Charlottesville , Virginia in 2017 which led to violent clashes and left one counter-protester dead .
He said : `` Remember what the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were , quote , very fine people on both sides '' .
Mr Biden said that after this moment `` I knew I had to run '' for president .
According to a transcript of a press conference on 15 August , President Trump did say - when asked about the presence of neo-Nazis at the rally - `` you had some very bad people in that group , but you also had people that were very fine people , on both sides . ''
During the same press conference , Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm not talking about the neo-Nazis and the white nationalists , because they should be condemned totally . ''

DNC 2020: Joe Biden convention speech fact-checked Published 21 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
Joe Biden has made his first major speech as the Democratic presidential nominee at the party's convention.
He said President Trump had "cloaked America in darkness" and made several claims about his record in office, including his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
We've taken a look at three of these claims.
Claim 1: "We lead the world in confirmed cases. We lead the world in deaths."
Mr Biden criticised President Trump's response to the coronavirus outbreak saying he had failed to protect American people.
The US does have the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, with more than 5.5 million confirmed cases and 174,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University.
It also has a larger population than many other countries.
If you look at deaths per capita - as a proportion of each country's population - the US is no longer top of the list but remains in the top 10 worst hit countries.
The US has recorded more than 52 coronavirus deaths per 100,000 people - according to Johns Hopkins University - but there are a handful of countries that have recorded more on this measurement, including the UK and Italy.
It is worth remembering that there are differences in how countries count coronavirus deaths, making exact comparisons difficult.
Claim 2: "More than 50 million people have filed for unemployment this year."
Mr Biden was talking about the impact of the pandemic on the US economy.
The 50 million figure is right and is based on the total number of Americans who have filed jobless claims since the virus struck, according to US Labor Department statistics.
The number of people currently claiming unemployment benefits is 14.8 million, according to the latest release of weekly figures. It has been declining since May, when there were more than 20 million claims.
The unemployment rate is still much higher than pre-pandemic levels and currently stands at 10.2%.
Mr Biden also said: "Nearly one in six small businesses have closed this year."
But a recent survey of small business owners in the US suggested that only 1% of small businesses had closed permanently by mid-July this year.
A further 12% said they had closed temporarily, but even accounting for these it is less than the one in six Mr Biden claimed.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, White nationalist militia descended on Charlottesville armed with rifles and handguns
Claim 3: President Trump said there were "very fine people on both sides", when asked about a far-right rally in 2017.
Mr Biden said one of his goals would be to "wipe out the stain of racism" and he recalled the far-right protests in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017 which led to violent clashes and left one counter-protester dead.
He said: "Remember what the President said when asked, he said there were, quote, very fine people on both sides".
Mr Biden said that after this moment "I knew I had to run" for president.
According to a transcript of a press conference on 15 August, President Trump did say - when asked about the presence of neo-Nazis at the rally - "you had some very bad people in that group, but you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides."


bbc--2020-08-21--Mali's coup is cheered at home but upsets neighbours

Crowds rejoiced after a group of colonels seized power in Mali , a vast country stretching into the Sahara , where troops - including French soldiers and UN peacekeepers - are fighting jihadist groups , but not everyone is happy , writes West Africa analyst Paul Melly .
Negotiations are rumoured to be under way for the exile of Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta , deposed as president of Mali in a military putsch on Tuesday and currently detained with his son , his Prime Minister Boubou Cissé and a number of other senior government officials .
But now Ecowas , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belongs , has laid down a firm line , with member heads of state issuing a call for Mr Keïta 's reinstatement as president .
The weary-sounding 75-year-old had announced his enforced resignation in a televised statement around midnight on Tuesday , apparently from a room at the Kati army base , 15km ( nine miles ) from Bamako , where he and Mr Cissé had been taken by soldiers that afternoon .
This came after more than two months of confrontation with an alliance of opposition politicians and civil society , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staged a series of street demonstrations shrewdly piloted by the charismatic imam Mahmoud Dicko .
Protesters had only one central demand - Mr Keïta 's resignation , although Mr Dicko held back from explicitly calling for this himself .
In negotiations mediated by Ecowas , Mr Keïta had made concession after concession , but never ceding either his own position or the decisive reforms that would have clearly ended his command of the state machine .
You may also be interested in : • Are coups on the rise in Africa ?
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group of senior - but not top-ranking - officers , moved to end his occupation of the presidency .
But Ecowas is not prepared to go along with this unconstitutional change of power and its envoy , former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan , is soon expected back in Bamako to talk to the putchists .
Difficult negotiations lie ahead and no-one can be sure how they will pan out .
When gunshots were heard over the Kati barracks on Tuesday it was not immediately obvious that this was anything other than a mutiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption while they risk their lives in the war against jihadists in the north .
But as military vehicles swept from Kati down into Bamako to arrest Mr Keïta and a string of senior figures , it became clear that something much more substantial was under way .
For exasperation with Mr Keïta stretched back much further than the face-off with protesters over recent months .
Faith in the slogans about restoring national pride that had carried him to election victory over the technocratic Soumaïla Cissé back in 2013 had long since faded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keïta 's failure to use his early popularity to swing politicians and the public behind the difficult compromises required to effectively implement peace with Tuareg separatists in the north , a dilatory approach that left a vacuum in which terrorism could flourish .
More about Mali 's battle against jihadists • Why France is focused on fighting jihadists in Mali • The women keeping peace in the deadliest place • The war in the desert • How West Africa is under threat from militants But for Malians , particularly in the south and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Keïta 's administration was most tarnished by a string of corruption scandals , sometimes undermining basic services such as the supply of fertiliser to poor farmers , amidst stories about the ostentatious high life of the ruling elite .
The president only secured easy re-election in 2018 because traditional opponents and a raft of new centrist groups failed to establish a common front .
The issue that finally triggered the massive upsurge of popular anger that spilled on to the streets of Bamako this year was a rather narrowly political one - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overturn the results for 31 parliamentary seats in the elections held over two rounds in March and April .
This cancelled voters ' humiliation of the government in Bamako constituencies - and it came at a moment when feelings were already raw after northern militants had kidnapped opposition leader Soumaïla Cissé while he was out on the campaign trail in the north , near Timbuktu .
He is still a hostage now .
Then after Covid-19 had forced Bamako residents to endure lockdown measures , and while Malian soldiers continued to sacrifice their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emerged appearing to show the president 's son , Karim - chair of parliament 's defence committee - on a holiday yacht abroad .
The pictures could not be verified and may have been old .
Karim Keïta himself insisted no public expense had been incurred - yet the images could only further fuel perceptions of a presidential circle somehow unengaged and distanced from Mali 's multiple crises .
Throughout all this Mr Keïta 's prime minister struggled assiduously to broker a political path forward and tackle the country 's real problems .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ clout to save the beleaguered administration .
Ecowas mediation was making progress , but slowly - and then , this week , the soldiers stepped in .
So where does Mali go from here ?
For the very short term the UN 's large Mali peacekeeping mission , French anti-terrorist forces and national military units deployed in the north and the centre should be able to maintain a stable security position .
But the position is fragile and jihadist groups will take heart if there is a prolonged delay in agreeing arrangements for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internationally accepted interim government .
One person who has already signalled that he will not take a frontline role at this stage is Mr Dicko .
The influential imam has declared his intention to step back from politics for now , although he will remain an influential figure , if and when he chooses to exert that influence .
In the meantime , much hangs on the talks now expected between the putschists , the M5-RFP and Ecowas .

This cancelled voters' humiliation of the government in Bamako constituencies - and it came at a moment when feelings were already raw after northern militants had kidnapped opposition leader Soumaïla Cissé while he was out on the campaign trail in the north, near Timbuktu. He is still a hostage now.


bbc--2020-08-21--Call of Duty: The twins who 'stole' grandad's internet now playing for millions

Life was n't easy for Bradley and Matthew Marshall growing up .
The twins ' parents split when they were 10 years old , money was so tight they could n't get online and other kids in school teased them for being poor .
`` At some points we had nothing , wearing the same school shoes for three years straight , '' Bradley tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
Today , aged 23 , they 're two of the best Call of Duty players in the world .
They live in the US , their shoes are designer and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Royal Ravens they 're in with a chance of being crowned World Champions this month .
The Call of Duty league playoffs have started , with 12 teams from across America and Europe competing virtually to be the best in the world and win a slice of a £3 million prize pool .
`` I remember we did n't have any internet so we were using our grandad 's next door to play , '' laughs Matthew - better known in the CoD scene as Skrapz .
`` He would be knocking on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We loved playing Call of Duty , it 's what we did to stay off the streets and out of trouble , which was hard to do where we 're from . ''
When Matthew and brother Bradley ( who competes under the name of Wuskin ) did manage to get online they would play for money late at night against American players to perfect their skills .
`` Grandad 's internet came in clutch for us for years ! ''
' I need to do this properly' In the end grandad cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their mum to set them up on the internet , but she could n't always pay for it .
`` We 'd have to wait a week sometimes until payday for it to come back on so we could play - but she always made ends meet . ''
The twins say they 'd never have been able to become professional Call of Duty players without the support of their mum .
`` She always made sure things were right with us and when my dad was n't there , she played both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It got hard at times but she always made it look easy . ''
The twins ' talent and skill started to shine and in 2016 Matthew qualified for the World Championships and travelled to play in Los Angeles .
`` I stopped playing as much at one point , '' says Bradley .
`` Then Matty ended up going to the World Championships in LA . ''
`` This was the first time I 'd seen what an event was really like , once I 'd seen him do it I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I need to do this properly . ''
The twins have competed at the top level of the game since then .
They 've lived in the US for two years and now they 're two of the best known players in competitive Call of Duty .
Bradley is deadly with a sniper rifle and Matthew is known for his aggressive style of play - getting up close and personal with opponents .
'Call of Duty has stories to tell' There are around 75 million Call of Duty players worldwide , for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twelve teams play in the recently restructured Call of Duty League with on average only five players representing a team during a match .
The Call of Duty League is trying to grow and compete with the other big esports titles out there .
Top of the agenda is to use the experience of people like Bradley and Matthew to turn the millions of casual players into followers of the competitive scene .
Johanna Faries , Commissioner of Call of Duty Esports tells us : `` We have stories to tell and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 've tried many different things to market to different parts of the player base , some of them work , some of them do n't .
`` We 've seen incredible growth in our digital channels and on YouTube , so I think we 're starting to learn .
It 's an everyday job , an everyday challenge . ''
As for the twins they 're focused on trying to be crowned World Champions as the end of season playoffs begin .
The team 's form this season has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ match , but if they play to their potential , the London Royal Ravens have a shot at winning big .
And now , they 're also reflecting on how life has changed for them .
`` I 'll never forget the feeling when people used to take the mickey .
It 's nice to now be able to basically buy whatever I want - that feeling will never ever get old , '' says Bradley .
`` Playing Call of Duty , representing London and getting paid to do it , what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
says Matthew .
Bradley adds : `` If it was n't for Call of Duty , who knows where I 'd be ?
It 's a lot deeper than what a lot of people think .
`` It 's put me in a position where I can help my mum , and give back to her in a way I never thought I 'd be able to .
`` To see where we 've come from to where we are now - it 's a great feeling . ''
Listen to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - or listen back here .


bbc--2020-08-20--Stress, burnout and redundancy: Tough times in IT

You would think that an IT professional could switch to remote working smoothly .
But that 's a misconception , according to Jack Stevens , senior product manager at IT services company Publicis Sapient .
`` I just had an anxious feeling all of the time , '' he says about the start of the lockdown in the UK .
His role involved a lot of teamwork and ad hoc conversations and when lockdown began , the only conversations he would have with his colleagues were using video conferencing tools .
`` I get a lot of energy from being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't have that anymore - everything has to be conducted through screens and it just does n't provide me with social interactions that I have any interest in being a part of for the long term , '' he says .
Mr Stevens struggled for a number of weeks with his sleep , his productivity dipped and he constantly felt exhausted .
He was constantly worried that he would be laid off as he only joined the company a year ago , and this combined with remote working , made him work longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I spent time working on a project four weekends in a row , 10 to 14-hour days , and I do n't think I did any more work than I would have if I was working a normal 9 to 5 job , but it was a way of making up for the fact that people are n't seeing you , '' he says .
His employer Publicis Sapient says it provided employees with a number of resources `` to help them manage their mental health and wellbeing in these uncertain times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mindfulness and mediation app Headspace , and access to trained mental health first aiders who offer support `` and a confidential ear if needed '' .
Mr Stevens says he is in a much better place now , having cut his working hours , and feels he has a better work-life balance .
His case is not unique - more than a third of tech professionals ( 36 % ) have seen their mental health deteriorate as a result of the crisis , according to a May survey by tech recruiters Harvey Nash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actively concerned about their mental health , it is the first time in their lives that they have experienced that worry .
The two key reasons cited by respondents were having no time to personally switch off ( 46 % ) , and the worry of losing their job or contract during the pandemic ( 41 % ) .
The crisis has meant a lot of extra work on IT professionals .
And while job monitoring sites have said that the sector is one currently in growth , that can be a double-edged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were told to go 100 % remote working immediately and all of the tech workers - who were already under the stress and strain of having their foundations rocked - suddenly needed to make sure they could pivot their entire focus to accommodate their companies ' needs in record time , '' says Amber Coster .
She set up her company Balpro with a mission to help businesses with employee wellbeing in mind , after burning out herself years ago working for a tech start-up .
`` For a lot of those tech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there was a lot of adrenalin and purpose , but this was fairly short-lived because after the workforces were made remote , the question for IT staff was 'now what ? '
'' she says .
IT professionals , like everyone else in the country , had to then get to grips with managing their usual full-time job , as well as other responsibilities which changed in light of the pandemic .
`` I 've been remote working for a number of years , but working from home during a crisis has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stu Hirst , cloud security engineer at Just Eat .
`` There was a 10 to 12-week period where my two small children , wife and I were all in the house together all day and there have been days that have been hugely stressful , '' he says .
In the Harvey Nash survey , for 32 % of those with children , caring for and home-schooling their children was cited as the main cause of their stress .
This is made more challenging because there have been fewer outlets to unload @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and because there 's still a constant pressure to keep systems working remotely .
`` Given the nature of an entire country working from home , keeping those IT systems working and functional is far greater than it was before - we have to make applications and collaboration tools work and that 's where IT teams in particular have a lot of pressure placed on them , '' Mr Hirst says .
• Tracking down billions of litres of lost water • Robots find their own way deep in the ocean • The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The coldest computers in the world But Ms Coster says that she is reluctant to blame remote working for having an impact on mental health .
She believes it is up to managers to enforce boundaries around remote working .
`` Presenteeism exists when you 're in an office where long hours exist and it 's very easy to get into that slippery slope when remote working , '' she says .
Like thousands of other workers , many staff in the IT sector were furloughed or let go altogether .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ load of work when everything hit and then half of the team are then told they 're going to be put on furlough , which means you 've got a smaller percentage of that group carrying an even larger burden , '' says Ms Coster .
For those that have been let go , the outlook is also bleak , and this is affecting mental health .
Sam Reynolds accepted a job offer with Storm Technologies in January , and worked his notice period at his previous employer Whistles until March .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in a remote working environment and two and a half weeks into his new role , he was told he would be made redundant .
`` That was a hard pill to swallow - at the time my wife and I had a four-month-old baby , and we were looking to move house so that all went out of the window , '' he says .
At the time , Mr Reynolds believed he would find a new job but as time has gone on he believes the market has worsened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day over the last four months , paid to revamp his CV and has undertaken a number of courses such as his ScrumMaster - a project management certification sought by many professionals working in IT - in order to give himself an edge over other applicants .
But he does n't feel all this has helped .
`` There 's definitely been times where I 've wanted to cry but it 's not something I can control , there 's nothing more I can do , '' he says .
Even for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health issues can be non-existent - half of employers do n't provide formal support for mental health issues , and one in seven tech professionals describe their employer as unsupportive on mental health issues .
Bev White , chief executive of Harvey Nash , believes employers need to review their mental health support measures , and provide virtual support through dedicated webinars .
`` It is also important to encourage staff themselves to share their own views and experiences on the topic through blogs and vlogs , '' says Ms White .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place , you also need to change the culture so everyone feels that it 's their responsibility to look out for their colleagues , and take a real interest in how they are . ''

For over a third of those actively concerned about their mental health, it is the first time in their lives that they have experienced that worry. The two key reasons cited by respondents were having no time to personally switch off (46%), and the worry of losing their job or contract during the pandemic (41%).


bbc--2020-08-21--Maguire 'co-operating with Greek authorities', say Man Utd

Manchester United say captain Harry Maguire is `` fully co-operating with the Greek authorities '' following an `` alleged incident @ @ @ @ @ Mykonos on Thursday night .
Local reports have named Maguire as being involved in an @ @ @ @ @ have yet been confirmed .
The England defender , 27 , is on holiday in @ @ @ @ @ from Leicester for £80m - a world record fee for a defender - in August @ @ @ @ @ is aware of an alleged incident involving Harry Maguire in Mykonos last night , '' @ @ @ @ @ on Friday .
`` Contact has been made with Harry , and he is fully @ @ @ @ @ .
At this time we will be making no further comment . ''

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd
Harry Maguire played in United's Europa League semi-final defeat by Sevilla
Manchester United captain Harry Maguire appeared in court on Saturday after being arrested following an incident on the island of Mykonos.
The England defender, 27, is on holiday in Greece.
The Syros prosecutor's office said on Friday that "three foreigners" had been arrested after an alleged altercation with police officers on Thursday.
Maguire's lawyer Konstantinos Darivas said he denies the allegations and the defender left court without comment.
Darivas added that he was "fully convinced he will be released without any charges" on Saturday.
Maguire joined United from Leicester for £80m - a world record fee for a defender - in August 2019.
"The club is aware of an alleged incident involving Harry Maguire in Mykonos last night," United said in a statement on Friday.
"Contact has been made with Harry, and he is fully co-operating with the Greek authorities. At this time we will be making no further comment."
Greek police said in a statement officers had tried to break up an altercation between two groups outside a bar and that the three foreigners had then verbally abused and assaulted one of the officers.
The statement claimed that after arriving at Mykonos police station, the three arrested individuals then "strongly resisted, pushing and hitting three police officers" and that "one of the detainees tried to offer money so that the trial against them would not be completed".
The police say a file has been opened which includes accusations of "violence against officials, disobedience, bodily harm, insult and attempted bribery of an official".
It is not known specifically what Maguire has been accused of.
United's season finished with a 2-1 defeat by Sevilla in the Europa League semi-finals on 16 August.


bbc--2020-08-21--Kane in quarantine after Bahamas trip but expected to be fit for England

England captain Harry Kane should be available for the Nations League games next month despite being in quarantine following a trip to the Bahamas .
Tottenham striker Kane , 27 , was on holiday in the Caribbean when the island was added to the UK quarantine list on 7 August .
He is now in self-isolation for 14 days after returning home .
Kane is expected back in Spurs training next week before their Premier League opener against Everton on 12 September .
• How 's it turned out for your side ?
Club-by-club Premier League fixture list On Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to name his squad for matches against Iceland and Denmark on 5 and 8 September .
There is doubt over whether players from Chelsea , Manchester City and Manchester United will be involved because they are still on their agreed 30-day break after the end of their European campaigns .
Kane was Tottenham 's top scorer with 24 goals last season .
He suffered a hamstring injury in January and spent four months on an individual training plan to ensure he was fit to play in time for the Premier League 's restart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spurs face League One side Ipswich in a pre-season friendly on Saturday .
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• The First Team : Laughs from inside the dressing room

Last updated on .From the section Tottenham
Harry Kane (right) recovered from an injury sustained in January to play for Spurs after the Premier League's restart in June
England captain Harry Kane should be available for the Nations League games next month despite being in quarantine following a trip to the Bahamas.
Tottenham striker Kane, 27, was on holiday in the Caribbean when the island was added to the UK quarantine list on 7 August.
He is now in self-isolation for 14 days after returning home.
Kane is expected back in Spurs training next week before their Premier League opener against Everton on 12 September.
On Tuesday, England manager Gareth Southgate is due to name his squad for matches against Iceland and Denmark on 5 and 8 September.
There is doubt over whether players from Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United will be involved because they are still on their agreed 30-day break after the end of their European campaigns.
Kane was Tottenham's top scorer with 24 goals last season.
He suffered a hamstring injury in January and spent four months on an individual training plan to ensure he was fit to play in time for the Premier League's restart in June after the coronavirus shutdown.
Spurs face League One side Ipswich in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.


bbc--2020-08-21--EFL fixtures released - Watford host Middlesbrough, Wycombe start at home to Rotherham

Wycombe will host Rotherham in their first-ever match in the Championship on the opening weekend of the 2020-21 English Football League season .
The pair , both promoted from League One , will meet on 12 September - six weeks later than the season was due to start because of the Covid-19 pandemic .
Relegated Bournemouth host Blackburn , while Watford welcome Middlesbrough and Norwich are away at Huddersfield .
Coventry , who were League One champions on points per game , visit Bristol City .
For both the Sky Blues and Rotherham it will mark their first competitive league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019-20 EFL season was originally suspended on 13 March because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The third- and fourth-tier campaigns were eventually curtailed following a vote by clubs in June , although the play-offs were still able to go ahead as planned , with Wycombe beating Oxford at Wembley to win promotion .
There will have been fewer than 40 days between the end of the last Championship campaign and the start of the new one , after Fulham concluded the English domestic season with victory over Brentford in the second-tier play-off final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of the 2020-21 season , which officially begins on 5 September with ties in the Carabao Cup first round , are to remain behind closed doors because of the ongoing impact of the pandemic .
All matches currently scheduled for Saturday , 12 September at 15:00 BST How will they cram everything in ?
With every team in the EFL facing 46 league games - plus further possible matches in the FA Cup , Carabao Cup , Leasing.com Trophy and play-offs - the season promises to be more congested than ever .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ further down the line , the first four rounds of the Carabao Cup are due to be completed within the opening month of the campaign , meaning there are no midweek games in the league until 20 October .
However , there are then 13 rounds of midweek fixtures scheduled to take place in the Championship - not including the Christmas and Easter periods - up from the eight initially planned in 2019-20 .
It is a similar story in League One and League Two , where there will be 11 rounds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is before taking into account the impact of the winter weather .
Despite starting six weeks late , the season is still due to finish before the end of May , with the play-off finals taking place on the weekend of 29-31 May .
Bournemouth and Watford will be under new management when they return to the second tier , having each spent the past five seasons in the Premier League .
Jason Tindall , who was previously Eddie Howe 's assistant at Bournemouth , has been given the task of trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top flight .
Four different managers took charge of Watford last season and the Hornets , who were FA Cup finalists in 2019 , have turned to Vladimir Ivic as their new boss .
Norwich were the other side to drop out of the Premier League in July and will be once again led by Daniel Farke , under whom the Canaries won the Championship title in 2018-19 .
Coventry will again be ground-sharing with Birmingham City next season after failing to agree a deal with Premiership rugby union club Wasps to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clubs met in an FA Cup tie last term , and now find themselves in the same division after Coventry won the League One title .
The Sky Blues ' nominal 'home ' fixture at St Andrew 's will be on Saturday , 21 November .
Wycombe 's first season in England 's second tier will start just over six years after they were nearly relegated from the English Football League .
Their campaign begins with a home match against Rotherham , who have twice been relegated in their first year after winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that manager Paul Warne will hope to end in 2020-21 .
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• The First Team : Laughs from inside the dressing room

Captain Matt Bloomfield and manager Gareth Ainsworth celebrate Wycombe's promotion to the Championship - six years after they escaped relegation from League Two with the Chairboys
Wycombe will host Rotherham in their first-ever match in the Championship on the opening weekend of the 2020-21 English Football League season.
The pair, both promoted from League One, will meet on 12 September - six weeks later than the season was due to start because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Relegated Bournemouth host Blackburn, while Watford welcome Middlesbrough and Norwich are away at Huddersfield.
Coventry, who were League One champions on points per game, visit Bristol City.
For both the Sky Blues and Rotherham it will mark their first competitive league matches in six months, after the 2019-20 EFL season was originally suspended on 13 March because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The third- and fourth-tier campaigns were eventually curtailed following a vote by clubs in June, although the play-offs were still able to go ahead as planned, with Wycombe beating Oxford at Wembley to win promotion.
There will have been fewer than 40 days between the end of the last Championship campaign and the start of the new one, after Fulham concluded the English domestic season with victory over Brentford in the second-tier play-off final on 4 August.
Matches at the start of the 2020-21 season, which officially begins on 5 September with ties in the Carabao Cup first round, are to remain behind closed doors because of the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
However, League One side Charlton Athletic said on Friday their home game against Doncaster on 19 September is "likely" to be used as a crowd pilot test.
Opening fixtures
All matches currently scheduled for Saturday, 12 September at 15:00 BST
AFC Bournemouth v Blackburn Rovers
Barnsley v Luton Town
Birmingham City v Brentford
Bristol City v Coventry City
Cardiff City v Sheffield Wednesday
Derby County v Reading
Huddersfield Town v Norwich City
Millwall v Stoke City
Preston North End v Swansea City
Queens Park Rangers v Nottingham Forest
Watford v Middlesbrough
Wycombe Wanderers v Rotherham United
How will they cram everything in?
With every team in the EFL facing 46 league games - plus further possible matches in the FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Leasing.com Trophy and play-offs - the season promises to be more congested than ever.
In an attempt to combat fixture pile-ups further down the line, the first four rounds of the Carabao Cup are due to be completed within the opening month of the campaign, meaning there are no midweek games in the league until 20 October.
However, there are then 13 rounds of midweek fixtures scheduled to take place in the Championship - not including the Christmas and Easter periods - up from the eight initially planned in 2019-20.
It is a similar story in League One and League Two, where there will be 11 rounds of midweek games up from five - and that is before taking into account the impact of the winter weather.
Despite starting six weeks late, the season is still due to finish before the end of May, with the play-off finals taking place on the weekend of 29-31 May.
The relegated trio
After being Eddie Howe's assistant for more than a decade at Bournemouth and Burnley, Jason Tindall (left) will manage in the EFL for the first time this season
Bournemouth and Watford will be under new management when they return to the second tier, having each spent the past five seasons in the Premier League.
Jason Tindall, who was previously Eddie Howe's assistant at Bournemouth, has been given the task of trying to secure an immediate return to the top flight.
Four different managers took charge of Watford last season and the Hornets, who were FA Cup finalists in 2019, have turned to Vladimir Ivic as their new boss.
Norwich were the other side to drop out of the Premier League in July and will be once again led by Daniel Farke, under whom the Canaries won the Championship title in 2018-19.
The promoted trio
Coventry will again be ground-sharing with Birmingham City next season after failing to agree a deal with Premiership rugby union club Wasps to return to the Ricoh Arena.
The two clubs met in an FA Cup tie last term, and now find themselves in the same division after Coventry won the League One title.
The Sky Blues' nominal 'home' fixture at St Andrew's will be on Saturday, 21 November.
Wycombe's first season in England's second tier will start just over six years after they were nearly relegated from the English Football League.
Their campaign begins with a home match against Rotherham, who have twice been relegated in their first year after winning promotion from League One - a sequence that manager Paul Warne will hope to end in 2020-21.


bbc--2020-08-21--Key Pakistan trio on bubble life, Anderson and more

The world-class leg-spinner , the new star fast bowler and the century-making opener .
Yasir Shah , Naseem Shah and Shan Masood are three of the key players in Pakistan 's Test team .
Yasir , Naseem and Shan talked about life in the cricket bubble , facing James Anderson and Stuart Broad , missing their fans and more ...
The Pakistan squad arrived in the UK for the tour on 28 June and by the time they leave will have spent about 10 weeks together in the bio-secure environment created because of the coronavirus pandemic .
They 've had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downtime : Yasir : We chill out in our rooms together and have green tea .
Shaheen [ Afridi ] is a good friend and is a great host .
We go to his room , he looks after us , we have green tea , chat and have a good laugh .
It feels really nice .
We play snooker and table tennis in the team games room .
Everyone 's pretty good but the coaches are very good .
Shan : Batsman Imam-ul-Haq by a mile is the funniest character in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joke under his sleeve every time .
There is no person he lets go .
You just do n't want to be Imam 's target .
He is quite a character .
Naseem : We 're cherishing this time because we 've got to know about each other 's lives , listen to stories and get to know each other a bit better .
Everyone tells great stories but pace bowler Imran Khan has the best stories , he 's such a good laugh .
Naseem has been nicknamed `` Lillee Shah '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is similar to that of Australia great Dennis Lillee : I just do my natural bowling and a legend like that has worked so hard .
I 'll try my very best to try and work as hard as him if not harder and make a name for myself .
The senior players all show so much love for me as I 'm the youngest in the team .
They call me this name and it motivates me that they have so much faith in me .
Pakistan 's coaching line-up includes legends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ex-fast bowler Waqar Younis .
Batting coach Younis was pictured playing with Yasir 's hair during a Test : Yasir : I love spending time with Younis .
The time passes well even when he was playing .
Now he 's the batting coach and he really loves us all .
He told me ' I love you so much , I see no difference between you and my son ' .
He said he only stroked his son 's hair like that .
I did n't even realise that anyone was filming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Waqar and it 's not just cricket , it 's about life .
He asks me about everything and I 'm not scared of such a big legend .
The only thing I fear is that I do n't want to ever say the wrong thing .
He advises me on everything in life .
Naseem : Anderson is a legendary bowler .
His line and length bowling , the swing , control , and his action is incredible .
Afterwards I watched the clip on my phone and could n't believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on TV .
Shan : Jimmy makes the ball talk , he is a phenomenal bowler .
Playing him , those are the things you play for .
Shan , who scored a century in the first Test against England , reveals he sings to himself while at the crease : Shan : Whenever I 'm batting there 's always a song in my head .
One I remember vividly was when I was at the Gabba - facing Australia 's Starc , Cummins and Hazlewood .
That was always going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow song , I kept singing Memories by Maroon 5 just to calm myself down .
'Keep supporting us and pray for us' Yasir : We miss our fans so much .
We miss the crowds .
When they come to see us especially when we 're in a different country we 're sad to not see them .
We hope to see them next time .
Naseem : I get loads of messages on Instagram and I read them all .
We 've had so much love and support and if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have seen them but because of coronavirus everyone has to watch the matches at home .
I want to say to the fans please keep supporting us and pray for us that we can play well and that you 'll enjoy it all .
'Our children deserve to see world stars in Pakistan' Test cricket returned to Pakistan for first time in 10 years in December .
England have not toured Pakistan since 2005 : Shan : I think cricket coming back to Pakistan was very meaningful for us .
It makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because kids did n't get to see their heroes , so people drifted away from the game .
Now when you go to the stadium you hear chants of `` Babar '' , `` Shaheen '' and `` Abid '' .
When Abid Ali made his debut and scored back-to-back centuries the way the crowd chanted `` Abid !
Abid !
`` , those are the things you live to see .
What would make it better would be that we get cricketing heroes like Ben Stokes , like Joe Root , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even guys like Stuart Broad and James Anderson coming to Pakistan and just helping Pakistan cricket out .
We 've suffered a lot , we paid a huge price for whatever 's been going on around the world and I think our people , but especially our children , our future generation , they deserve to see not just their Pakistani heroes but the cricketing heroes from [ around ] the globe .
• None Can he really become a rap star ?

The best thing about Pakistan's dressing room is the culture - Shan Masood
The world-class leg-spinner, the new star fast bowler and the century-making opener. Yasir Shah, Naseem Shah and Shan Masood are three of the key players in Pakistan's Test team.
Before the third Test against England, which starts on Friday with the tourists looking to draw the series 1-1, the trio spoke exclusively to the BBC's Aatif Nawaz.
Yasir, Naseem and Shan talked about life in the cricket bubble, facing James Anderson and Stuart Broad, missing their fans and more...
Table tennis, green tea and Imam's jokes
The Pakistan squad arrived in the UK for the tour on 28 June and by the time they leave will have spent about 10 weeks together in the bio-secure environment created because of the coronavirus pandemic. They've had to find ways to entertain themselves during downtime:
Yasir: We chill out in our rooms together and have green tea. Shaheen [Afridi] is a good friend and is a great host. We go to his room, he looks after us, we have green tea, chat and have a good laugh. It feels really nice. We play snooker and table tennis in the team games room. Everyone's pretty good but the coaches are very good.
Shan: Batsman Imam-ul-Haq by a mile is the funniest character in the dressing room. He has a joke under his sleeve every time. There is no person he lets go. You just don't want to be Imam's target. He is quite a character.
Naseem: We're cherishing this time because we've got to know about each other's lives, listen to stories and get to know each other a bit better. Everyone tells great stories but pace bowler Imran Khan has the best stories, he's such a good laugh.
Naseem on 'Lillee Shah' nickname
Lillee (right) took 355 wickets in 70 Tests for Australia between 1971 and 1984
Naseem has been nicknamed "Lillee Shah" by his team-mates because his bowling action is similar to that of Australia great Dennis Lillee:
Naseem: He's such a big legend.
I just do my natural bowling and a legend like that has worked so hard. I'll try my very best to try and work as hard as him if not harder and make a name for myself.
The senior players all show so much love for me as I'm the youngest in the team. They call me this name and it motivates me that they have so much faith in me.
Pakistan's coaching staff of legends
Pakistan's coaching line-up includes legends such as former batsman Younis Khan and ex-fast bowler Waqar Younis. Batting coach Younis was pictured playing with Yasir's hair during a Test:
Yasir: I love spending time with Younis. The time passes well even when he was playing. Now he's the batting coach and he really loves us all. He told me 'I love you so much, I see no difference between you and my son'. He said he only stroked his son's hair like that. I didn't even realise that anyone was filming.
Naseem: I'm very close to Waqar and it's not just cricket, it's about life. He asks me about everything and I'm not scared of such a big legend. The only thing I fear is that I don't want to ever say the wrong thing. He advises me on everything in life.
Facing legend Anderson
Stuart Broad and James Anderson have taken 511 and 593 Test wickets respectively
Naseem: Anderson is a legendary bowler. His line and length bowling, the swing, control, and his action is incredible. Afterwards I watched the clip on my phone and couldn't believe it. I used to watch him on TV.
Shan: Jimmy makes the ball talk, he is a phenomenal bowler. Playing him, those are the things you play for.
Singing while facing Starc and Cummins
Shan, who scored a century in the first Test against England, reveals he sings to himself while at the crease:
Shan: Whenever I'm batting there's always a song in my head.
One I remember vividly was when I was at the Gabba - facing Australia's Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood. That was always going to be a feisty battle so I kept a slow song, I kept singing Memories by Maroon 5 just to calm myself down.
'Keep supporting us and pray for us'
Yasir: We miss our fans so much. We miss the crowds. When they come to see us especially when we're in a different country we're sad to not see them. We hope to see them next time.
Naseem: I get loads of messages on Instagram and I read them all. We've had so much love and support and if the crowd were here we would have loved to have seen them but because of coronavirus everyone has to watch the matches at home.
I want to say to the fans please keep supporting us and pray for us that we can play well and that you'll enjoy it all.
'Our children deserve to see world stars in Pakistan'
Test cricket returned to Pakistan for first time in 10 years in December. England have not toured Pakistan since 2005:
Shan: I think cricket coming back to Pakistan was very meaningful for us. It makes us all very emotional, very passionate, because kids didn't get to see their heroes, so people drifted away from the game.
Now when you go to the stadium you hear chants of "Babar", "Shaheen" and "Abid". When Abid Ali made his debut and scored back-to-back centuries the way the crowd chanted "Abid! Abid!", those are the things you live to see.
Sri Lanka's tour in 2019 was the first full tour of Pakistan since 2009
What would make it better would be that we get cricketing heroes like Ben Stokes, like Joe Root, like Jos Buttler, all of them even guys like Stuart Broad and James Anderson coming to Pakistan and just helping Pakistan cricket out.
We've suffered a lot, we paid a huge price for whatever's been going on around the world and I think our people, but especially our children, our future generation, they deserve to see not just their Pakistani heroes but the cricketing heroes from [around] the globe.


bbc--2020-08-21--Brayden Harrington: Joe Biden and the boy with the stutter

As Joe Biden formally became the Democratic presidential nominee , a 13-year-old boy from New Hampshire emerged as the virtual convention 's highlight .
On the face of it , not particularly remarkable , but Brayden captured the imagination of many as he conveyed his message while having a stutter .
He revealed how he had been inspired by Mr Biden because the nominee , too , had a stutter .
In a video that has been viewed more than two million times , Brayden started his speech by saying : `` Without Joe Biden , I will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair met in New Hampshire a few months earlier when Mr Biden told Brayden that they were `` members of the same club - we stutter '' .
Brayden said he was amazed to see that someone similar to himself had become the vice-president of the United States .
He went on to say how Mr Biden had made him feel `` confident '' about his stutter , which he has lived with his whole life .
He closed his speech with a plea to US voters : `` Kids like me are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can all look up to , someone who cares , someone who will make our country and the world feel better . ''
Veteran journalist and broadcaster , Dan Rather , described Brayden as `` pure , unvarnished , courage '' .
Former Arizona congresswoman , Gabrielle Giffords who was shot in the head while in office in 2011 , tweeted how she could relate to Brayden .
`` Speaking is hard for me too , Brayden , '' she says .
`` But as you know , practice and purpose help .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the great speech . ''
In a Twitter thread , journalist Elie Mystal said her mother , who is a speech pathologist , was `` coaching '' him through his speech .
Journalist Philip Lewis called Brayden 's address the `` speech of the night '' .
And writer Meena Harris said that Mr Biden would be happy that Brayden `` stole the show '' .
Journalist and author Kurt Eichenwald echoed the sentiments of many when he tweeted : `` I hope Brayden follows Twitter so he knows how proud of him @ @ @ @ @ @

He closed his speech with a plea to US voters: "Kids like me are counting on you to elect someone we can all look up to, someone who cares, someone who will make our country and the world feel better."


bbc--2020-08-21--DNC 2020: Julia Louis-Dreyfus brings comedy to Joe Biden's convention

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays a fictional vice-president on the hit satirical show Veep - but as the host of the last @ @ @ @ @ , she ventured into real-life politics .
Alternating between praising her friend , former Vice-President @ @ @ @ @ fun at Donald Trump , was a difficult balancing act - and there was no @ @ @ @ @ .
We 'll let you decide if the former Seinfeld star 's jokes landed or @ @

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays a fictional vice-president on the hit satirical show Veep - but as the host of the last night of the Democratic convention, she ventured into real-life politics.
Alternating between praising her friend, former Vice-President Joe Biden, and poking fun at Donald Trump, was a difficult balancing act - and there was no live audience to play off.
We'll let you decide if the former Seinfeld star's jokes landed or not.


bbc--2020-08-21--Joe Biden: Where does Joe Biden stand on key issues?

When he formally announced his entry into the 2020 presidential race , Joe Biden declared that he stood for two things - workers who `` built this country '' , and values that can bridge its divisions .
As the US faces challenges from coronavirus to racial inequity , his pitch in essence is to create new economic opportunities for workers , restore environmental protections and healthcare rights , and international alliances .
He has officially become the Democratic presidential nominee on Thursday with this message delivered to a national audience .
• What to watch for at the Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate stands on eight key issues .
Mr Biden 's approach to tackling coronavirus , the most immediate and obvious challenge facing the country , is to provide free testing for all and hire 100,000 people to set up a national contact-tracing programme .
He says he wants to establish at least 10 testing centres in every state , call upon federal agencies to deploy resources and give firmer national guidance through federal experts .
He says all governors should mandate wearing masks .
Voters suspicious of federal authority will see this as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in line with Mr Biden 's and Democrats ' general view on the role government should play .
To address the immediate impact of the coronavirus crisis , Mr Biden has vowed to spend `` whatever it takes '' to extend loans to small businesses and increase direct money payments to families .
Among the proposals are an additional $ 200 in Social Security payments per month , rescinding Trump-era tax cuts and $ 10,000 of student loan forgiveness for federal loans .
Mr Biden 's broader economic policies , dubbed his `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to please two constituencies that traditionally support Democrats - young people and blue collar workers .
He supports raising the federal minimum wage to $ 15 ( £11.50 ) an hour - a measure that is popular among young people and that has become something of a totem figure for the party in 2020 , and a sign of its move to the left .
He also wants a $ 2tn investment in green energy , arguing that boosting green manufacturing helps working class union workers , who perform most of those jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledge to use federal dollars to buy American goods , alongside a wider commitment to enforce `` Buy American '' laws for new transport projects .
Mr Biden was previously criticised for backing the North American Free Trade Agreement ( Nafta ) , which critics say shipped jobs overseas .
His 2020 plan calls for the federal government to invest $ 300bn in US-made materials , services , research and technology .
In the wake of the race protests that have gripped the US this year , he said he believes that racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealt with through broad economic and social programmes to support minorities - and a pillar of his `` build back '' programme is to create business support for minorities through a $ 30bn investment fund .
On criminal justice , he has moved far from his much-criticised `` tough-on-crime '' position of the 1990s .
Mr Biden has now proposed policies to reduce incarceration , address race , gender and income-based disparities in the justice system , and rehabilitate released prisoners .
He would now create a $ 20bn grant programme to incentivise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , eliminate mandatory minimum sentences , decriminalise marijuana and expunge prior cannabis convictions , and end the death penalty .
However , he has rejected calls to defund police , saying resources should instead be tied to maintaining standards .
He argues that some funding for police should be redirected to social services like mental health , and calls for a $ 300m investment into a community policing programme .
Mr Biden has called climate change an existential threat , and says he will rally the rest of the world to act more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paris Climate Accord .
The agreement , which Donald Trump withdrew from , committed the US to cutting greenhouse gases up to 28 % by 2025 , based on 2005 levels .
Though he does not embrace the Green New Deal - a climate and jobs package put forward by the left wing of his party - he is proposing a $ 1.7tn federal investment in green technologies research , some of which overlaps with the funding in his economics plan , to be spent over the next 10 years , and wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 2050 - a commitment that was made by more than 60 other countries last year .
China and India , the two other biggest carbon emitters , have yet to join the pledge .
The investments dovetail with his economic plan to create jobs in manufacturing `` green energy '' products .
Restore America 's reputation ... and maybe take on China Mr Biden wrote that as president , he will focus on national issues first .
That said , there is little to suggest that Mr Biden 's values on foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engagement on the world stage , in opposition to Mr Trump 's unabashedly isolationist one .
He has also promised to repair relationships with US allies , particularly with the Nato alliance , which Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to undermine with funding cuts .
The former vice-president has said China should be held accountable for unfair environment and trade practices , but instead of unilateral tariffs , he has proposed an international coalition with other democracies that China `` ca n't afford to ignore '' , though he has been vague about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he will expand the public health insurance scheme passed when he was President Barack Obama 's deputy , and implement a plan to insure an estimated 97 % of Americans .
Though he stops short of the universal health insurance proposal on the wish lists of the more left-wing members of his party , Mr Biden promises to give all Americans the option to enrol in a public health insurance option similar to Medicare , which provides medical benefits to the elderly and to lower the age of eligibility for Medicare itself from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget , a non-partisan group , estimates that the total Biden plan would cost $ 2.25tn over 10 years .
In his first 100 days in office , Mr Biden promises to reverse Trump policies that separate parents from their children at the US-Mexican border , rescind limits on the number of applications for asylum and end the bans on travel from several majority-Muslim countries .
He also promises to protect the `` Dreamers '' - people brought illegally to the US as children who were permitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as ensure they are eligible for federal student aid .
In a notable shift to the left , he has endorsed several big pieces of education policy that have become popular within the party - student loan debt forgiveness , expansion of tuition-free colleges , and universal preschool access .
These would be paid using money gained back from withdrawing the Trump-era tax cuts .

Though he does not embrace the Green New Deal - a climate and jobs package put forward by the left wing of his party - he is proposing a $1.7tn federal investment in green technologies research, some of which overlaps with the funding in his economics plan, to be spent over the next 10 years, and wants the US to reach net zero emissions by 2050 - a commitment that was made by more than 60 other countries in 2019. China and India, the two other biggest carbon emitters, have yet to join the pledge. The investments dovetail with his economic plan to create jobs in manufacturing "green energy" products.


bbc--2020-08-21--Coronavirus pandemic could be over within two years - WHO head

The head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) says he hopes the coronavirus pandemic will be over in under two years .
Speaking in Geneva on Friday , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Spanish flu of 1918 took two years to overcome .
But he added that current advances in technology could enable the world to halt the virus `` in a shorter time '' .
`` Of course with more connectiveness , the virus has a better chance of spreading , '' he said .
`` But at the same time , we have also the technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stop it , '' he noted , stressing the importance of `` national unity , global solidarity '' .
The deadly flu of 1918 killed at least 50 million people .
The coronavirus has so far killed almost 800,000 people and infected 22.7 million more .
• What can we learn from the Spanish Flu ?
• How they tried to curb a pandemic in 1918 Dr Tedros also responded to a question about corruption relating to personal protective equipment ( PPE ) during the pandemic , which he described as `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corruption is unacceptable , '' he answered .
`` However , corruption related to PPE ... for me it 's actually murder .
Because if health workers work without PPE , we 're risking their lives .
And that also risks the lives of the people they serve . ''
Although the question related to allegations of corruption in South Africa , a number of countries have faced similar issues .
On Friday , protests were held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi over alleged graft during the pandemic , while doctors from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went on strike over unpaid wages and a lack of protective equipment .
The same day , the head of the WHO 's health emergencies programme warned that the scale of the coronavirus outbreak in Mexico was `` clearly under-recognised '' .
Dr Mike Ryan said the equivalent of around three people per 100,000 were being tested in Mexico , compared to about 150 per 100,000 people in the US .
Mexico has the third highest number of deaths in the world , with almost 60,000 fatalities recorded since the pandemic began , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Where are the world 's coronavirus hotspots ?
In the US , meanwhile , Democratic nominee Joe Biden has attacked President Donald Trump 's handling of the pandemic .
`` Our current president 's failed in his most basic duty to the nation .
He 's failed to protect us .
He 's failed to protect America , '' Mr Biden said , and pledged to introduce a national mandate to wear masks if elected .
More than 1,000 new deaths were announced in the US on Friday , bringing the total number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a number of countries announced their highest numbers of new cases in months .
South Korea recorded 324 new cases - its highest single-day total since March .
As with its previous outbreak , the new infections have been linked to churches , and museums , nightclubs and karaoke bars have now been closed in and around the capital Seoul in response .
A number of European countries are also seeing rises .
Poland and Slovakia both announced record new daily infections on Friday , with 903 and 123 cases respectively , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increases in recent days .
• Why Spain is seeing second Covid wave In Lebanon , a two-week partial lockdown - including a night-time curfew - has come into effect as the country saw its highest number of cases since the pandemic began .
Infections have doubled since a devastating blast in the capital Beirut killed at least 178 people and injured thousands more on 4 August .
The disaster left an estimated 300,000 people homeless and placed massive strain on medical facilities .

Coronavirus has so far killed 800,000 people. Nearly 23 million infections have been recorded but the number of people who have actually had the virus is thought to be much higher due to inadequate testing and asymptomatic cases.


bbc--2020-08-21--Alexei Navalny: Russian doctors agree to let Putin critic go to Germany

Russian doctors treating Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny , who fell into a coma after being taken ill on a plane , have changed their minds and agreed to let him be flown to Germany .
The doctors , in the Siberian city of Omsk , had earlier insisted he was too ill to be moved .
His supporters suspect he drank poisoned tea , and accuse authorities of trying to cover up a crime .
A medically equipped plane is waiting to take him to Germany for treatment .
Mr Navalny 's team said earlier it was `` deadly '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his wife , Yulia , appealed in a letter to the Kremlin to give permission for him to flown abroad .
Eventually , German medics were allowed to see him and said they were `` able and willing '' to fly him to Berlin .
Mr Navalny 's spokeswoman , Kira Yarmysh , said it was a pity doctors had taken so long to approve his flight as the plane and the right documents had been ready since Friday morning .
Reports say he could leave within hours , but Mr Navalny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happen for at least seven hours - which would be early on Saturday morning in the Siberian city .
What the doctors said Mr Navalny remains in a coma and hospital head doctor Alexander Murakhovsky warned late on Friday they did not recommend flying , '' but his wife insists on her husband being transferred to a German clinic '' .
`` The patient 's condition is stable , '' deputy chief doctor Anatoly Kalinichenko was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency .
`` As we 're in possession of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be transported somewhere , we have now taken the decision that we do not object to his transfer to another in-patient facility . ''
Doctors said earlier that no poison had been found in his body , suggesting his condition might be the result of a `` metabolic disorder '' caused by low blood sugar .
Health officials then indicated that traces of an industrial chemical had been found on his skin and hair .
The local interior ministry told the Rapsi legal news agency that the chemical was usually included in polymers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concentration was impossible to establish .
The prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin has consistently exposed official corruption in Russia .
He has served multiple jail terms .
His team suspects a poisonous substance was put in his tea at an airport cafe in the city of Tomsk as he prepared to fly to Moscow .
Foreign leaders including Germany 's Angela Merkel and France 's Emmanuel Macron have expressed concern for Mr Navalny .
In the US , Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has described the incident as `` unacceptable '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would `` stand up to autocrats like Putin '' .
Who will take him to Germany ?
The Berlin-based Cinema for Peace Foundation organised an air ambulance to pick up Mr Navalny and bring him back to Berlin , where it said the Charité hospital was ready to treat him .
`` They can fly him , we are willing , '' it told the BBC .
`` The circumstances and equipment make it possible . ''
At a news conference in Berlin , Mr Navalny 's aide Leonid Volkov said at first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to facilitate his transfer but abruptly stopped doing so .
`` [ It was ] like something was switched off - like medicine mode off , cover-up operation mode on - and the doctors refused to co-operate any more , refused to give any information even to Alexei 's wife , '' he said .
`` The doctors who were helping to do the paperwork to make the transportation of Alexei to Charité possible started to say that he 's not any more transportable , he 's not any more stable , contradicting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation was founded by activist and filmmaker Jaka Bizilj .
In 2018 , it arranged for the treatment of Pyotr Verzilov - an activist with Russian protest group Pussy Riot - who had symptoms of poisoning .
Mr Verzilov 's ex-wife , activist Nadya Tolokonnikova , told BBC News that Mr Navalny 's condition resembles the `` poisoning '' of her ex-husband .
`` What German doctors told me after not finding poison in my ex-husband 's blood is that the poison disappears in three days .
So the Russian doctors only let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no traces of poison left , '' she explained .
She also expressed surprise about what has happened to Mr Navalny : `` I thought Alexei was so powerful as a political figure that Mr Putin would not interfere . ''
Mr Navalny 's wife Yulia wrote to President Putin asking him to allow her husband to be moved .
She feared the Russian authorities were stalling so that evidence of any chemical substance would be lost .
Mr Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the Kremlin would help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wished him a `` speedy recovery '' .
On Friday he said it was purely a medical decision .
April 2017 : He was taken to hospital after an antiseptic green dye was splashed on his face in Moscow .
It was the second time he was targeted with zelyonka ( `` brilliant green '' in English ) that year .
`` It looks funny but it hurts like hell , '' he tweeted following the attack .
July 2019 : He was sentenced to 30 days in prison after calling for unauthorised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and doctors said he had suffered an acute allergic reaction , diagnosing him with `` contact dermatitis '' .
His own doctor suggested he might have been exposed to `` some toxic agent '' and Mr Navalny said he thought he might have been poisoned .
December 2019 : Russian security forces raided the offices of his Anti-Corruption Foundation , taking laptops and other equipment .
CCTV footage showed officials using power tools to get through the door .
Earlier that year , his organisation was declared a `` foreign agent '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
When Mr Navalny fell ill during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow his plane made an emergency landing in Omsk .
A photograph on social media purported to show him drinking from a cup at a Tomsk airport cafe before the flight .
Disturbing video appeared to show a stricken Mr Navalny howling in agony on the flight .
Passenger Pavel Lebedev said he heard the activist `` screaming in pain '' .
Further footage showed him being taken on a stretcher to an ambulance on the airport runway at Omsk .

Eventually, German medics were allowed to see him and said they were "able and willing" to fly him to Berlin. Mr Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, said it was a pity doctors had taken so long to approve his flight as the plane and the right documents had been ready since Friday morning.


bbc--2020-08-21--US Postal Service head: Mail-in ballots 'will arrive in time'

The head of the US Postal Service has said the agency is `` fully capable and committed '' to handling the nation 's mail-in votes for November 's election .
Postmaster General Louis DeJoy told lawmakers that postal votes would continue to be prioritised and that recent policy changes were not made in attempt to influence the 2020 election .
Democrats say new delivery policies could lead to issues with postal votes .
The row quickly became a top campaign issue in the past two weeks .
Mr DeJoy , a top Republican donor and former logistics executive appointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senate panel on Friday that the delivery changes - which have drastically slowed deliveries - were based on a `` data-driven '' review of mail volume .
He addressed the Republican-led Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee amid a public furore to the changes , and amid concerns that they were made to help re-elect US President Donald Trump .
During the hearing , Mr DeJoy fended off criticism from lawmakers who said they were concerned that the removal of mail sorting machines and post boxes would lead to millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counted on election day .
Mr DeJoy told lawmakers that he is `` extremely highly confident '' that ballots sent back to state election officials seven days before election day on 3 November will still be delivered on time .
It comes after the US Postal Service ( USPS ) sent letters to states warning that mail delays may mean that millions of ballots are unable to be returned by the deadline .
`` There have been no changes to any policies with regard to election mail , '' he told lawmakers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fully capable and committed to delivering the nation 's election mail fully and on time . ''
Why is there a political row over the mail ?
Slower mail delivery times in the US have raised concerns about how one of the oldest and most trusted institutions in the US can handle an unprecedented influx of mail-in ballots in November 's election .
This year fewer people are expected to vote in-person amid the coronavirus pandemic , in which the US has seen the highest number of deaths and infections in the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to an unprecedented influx of voters submitting their ballot by mail .
• What is US row over postal service about ?
The measures , which included cuts to overtime and delivery trips as well as to equipment , were brought in as a cost saving initiative , the USPS said .
But on Tuesday , as the backlash grew , Mr DeJoy announced that he was suspending the changes to `` avoid even the appearance of any impact on election mail '' .
The USPS , the only government agency tasked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has risen to $ 160bn ( £122bn ) amid a decade-long decline in mail volume which has coincided with the rise in computer-based messaging .
What is happening in Congress ?
During the hearing , Mr DeJoy denied he had spoken to Mr Trump about the changes , said that he himself has voted by mail `` for a number of years '' and called any alleged attempts to interfere in the election `` outrageous '' .
He also said that there are 140,000 collection boxes in the US , but over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been removed .
He added that the recent removal of mail sorting equipment and boxes predates his tenure .
`` I repeat , both the collection boxes and this machine closedown I was — I was made aware when everybody else was made aware , '' Mr DeJoy said .
During the hearing , which was conducted over video-link , one Democratic senator told Mr DeJoy that he owed the American public an `` apology for the harm you have caused '' .
Michigan Senator Gary Peters said medications have arrived weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and businesses that relay on mail have been forced to layoff customers `` all because of changes you directed '' .
Delaware Democrat Tom Carper suffered an apparent hot mic moment , when lawmakers heard him uttering profanity to an aide as he tried to connect his video feed .
A spokesman for Mr Carper said the senator `` got frustrated with technical difficulties this morning , but that pales in comparison to his frustration with a Postmaster General who 's actively undermining the US Postal Service during a national crisis '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold a rare Saturday session to pass $ 25bn ( £19bn ) in spending to help mail in voting operations .
Twenty states have sued the USPS to reverse the changes that have already been made .
The mail slowdown has been felt across the US .
In California and Maine , farmers who raise chickens have reported receiving orders of dead baby chicks .
The chicks are sent live through the mail , and typically only a few die in transit , farmers say .
California mail sorting centres have suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the LA Times .

Delaware Democrat Tom Carper suffered an apparent hot mic moment, when lawmakers heard him uttering profanity to an aide as he tried to connect his video feed. A spokesman for Mr Carper said the senator "got frustrated with technical difficulties this morning, but that pales in comparison to his frustration with a Postmaster General who's actively undermining the US Postal Service during a national crisis".