内容摘要：Michael Menzies-Baird, from SSAFA, the armed forces charity, is encouraging shops and businesses to fly the flag.

Michael Menzies-Baird, from SSAFA, the armed forces charity, is encouraging shops and businesses to fly the flag.

At the same time, the former president has repeatedly insisted, without evidence, that he was cheated out of victory in 2020 and has warned that there will be attempts to “rig” the vote this year. He has pledged to pardon some or all of the people convicted for rioting at the US Capitol in January 2021.Mr Biden said he would be campaigning on behalf of Ms Harris and that he had spoken to Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro about touring the state. Mr Biden was born in the working-class city of Scranton, about 120 miles (190km) north-west of New York City.

“I'm going to be campaigning in other states as well. And I'm going to do whatever Kamala thinks I can do to help most,” he said.A charismatic 37-year-old, Burkina Faso's military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré has skilfully built the persona of a pan-Africanist leader determined to free his nation from what he regards as the clutches of Western imperialism and neo-colonialism.His message has resonated across Africa and beyond, with his admirers seeing him as following in the footsteps of African heroes like Burkina Faso's very own Thomas Sankara - a Marxist revolutionary who is sometimes referred to as "Africa's Che Guevara".

"Traoré's impact is huge. I have even heard politicians and authors in countries like Kenya [in East Africa] say: 'This is it. He is the man'," Beverly Ochieng, a senior researcher at global consultancy firm Control Risks, told the BBC."His messages reflect the age we are living in, when many Africans are questioning the relationship with the West, and why there is still so much poverty in such a resource-rich continent," she said.

After seizing power in a coup in 2022, Traoré's regime ditched former colonial power France in favour of a strong alliance with Russia, that has included the deployment of a Russian paramilitary brigade, and adopted left-wing economic policies.

This included setting up a state-owned mining company, requiring foreign firms to give it a 15% stake in their local operations and to transfer skills to Burkinabé people."I don't have hidden luxuries like Ola. I'm not at that level yet!" laughs Van Rouwendaal

"But backstage, I've got a spot with my crew. We've got stroopwafels there and, last week, it was King's Day in Holland, so I baked pancakes for everyone."I try to make it fun. Sometimes we go out and have a drink and cheer because we had a great day.

"Yes, we have to be on top, and we have to be sharp as a knife, but having fun together is also very important."And if all goes to plan, you won't see them at all this weekend.