bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: São Paulo governor at odds with Bolsonaro

The number of coronavirus cases is rising fast in Brazil .
It has more than 125,000 confirmed cases and more @ @ @ @ @ yet , President Jair Bolsonaro is railing against measures imposed by individual states to close @ @ @ @ @ spaces .
He argues that only vulnerable groups should be quarantined and that the rest @ @ @ @ @ back to work .
But with cases increasing sharply - and fears that minimal testing @ @ @ @ @ masking much higher figures - there is growing concern the president is not taking the @ @ @ @ @ Doria is the governor of São Paulo , Brazil 's wealthiest state .
A former @ @ @ @ @ he is now one of his biggest critics .
Mr Doria imposed a state-wide quarantine @ @ @ @ @ suggests only 47 % of residents are abiding by it .
The BBC ’ s @ @ @ @ @ asked Mr Doria what the biggest risk was in Brazil - social unrest from too @ @ @ @ @ of spiralling deaths .

The number of coronavirus cases is rising fast in Brazil. It has more than 125,000 confirmed cases and more than 8,500 deaths.
And yet, President Jair Bolsonaro is railing against measures imposed by individual states to close businesses, schools and public spaces. He argues that only vulnerable groups should be quarantined and that the rest of Brazil needs to get back to work.
But with cases increasing sharply - and fears that minimal testing in the country could be masking much higher figures - there is growing concern the president is not taking the threat seriously enough.
João Doria is the governor of São Paulo, Brazil's wealthiest state. A former ally of Mr Bolsonaro, he is now one of his biggest critics.
Mr Doria imposed a state-wide quarantine in São Paulo but data suggests only 47% of residents are abiding by it. The BBC’s South America correspondent Katy Watson asked Mr Doria what the biggest risk was in Brazil - social unrest from too much quarantine or the threat of spiralling deaths.


bbc--2020-05-07--Super Rugby mini-series planned in NZ as sport resumption nears

New Zealand Rugby has announced plans for a Super Rugby mini-series , with the country potentially lowering its Covid-19 alert level on Monday .
The government has said professional sport would be able to resume behind closed doors when the alert level was changed from three to two , with a decision due on 11 May .
`` The five teams will play each other home and away over 10 weeks , with two matches every weekend , '' said New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson .
`` All matches will be played in closed stadiums .
`` As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we move to alert level two , we will be able to confirm what date Super Rugby will kick off .
`` Both netball and rugby have been working closely with government agencies on what training and playing at level 2 could look like , and we are incredibly grateful for their support . ''
The 'Super Rugby Aotearoa ' would involve the country 's five teams - the Blues , Chiefs , Hurricanes , Crusaders and Highlanders .
Robinson said players would need three to four weeks to adequately prepare with contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added that a decision over hosting scheduled Tests in July against Wales and Scotland would be made within the next two weeks .
New Zealand has recorded under 1,500 coronavirus cases and 21 deaths .
Meanwhile , Rugby Australia submitted plans for the return of the professional game to their government and hopes to see players back in training next month for matches in July .

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
Partners Xavier Numia and Marcelle Parkes, both New Zealand rugby union internationals, training in isolation this week
New Zealand Rugby has announced plans for a Super Rugby mini-series, with the country potentially lowering its Covid-19 alert level on Monday.
The government has said professional sport would be able to resume behind closed doors when the alert level was changed from three to two, with a decision due on 11 May.
"The five teams will play each other home and away over 10 weeks, with two matches every weekend," said New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson.
"All matches will be played in closed stadiums.
"As soon as the country announces what date we move to alert level two, we will be able to confirm what date Super Rugby will kick off.
"Both netball and rugby have been working closely with government agencies on what training and playing at level 2 could look like, and we are incredibly grateful for their support."
The 'Super Rugby Aotearoa' would involve the country's five teams - the Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders.
Robinson said players would need three to four weeks to adequately prepare with contact training before matches could commence.
He added that a decision over hosting scheduled Tests in July against Wales and Scotland would be made within the next two weeks.
New Zealand has recorded under 1,500 coronavirus cases and 21 deaths.
Meanwhile, Rugby Australia submitted plans for the return of the professional game to their government and hopes to see players back in training next month for matches in July.


bbc--2020-05-07--Which Premier League squads need work in the transfer window? The top 10

The uncertainty over the remainder of the Premier League season means there is also a lack of clarity over the next transfer window .
When will it run to and from ?
How will spending be affected ?
And what about the PR implications of paying millions for players in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic ?
But what is for sure is that top-flight managers will be on the lookout for new recruits , whenever that time comes , and the suspension of football will have given clubs plenty of time to assess their squads .
By looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every player this season , we can see the make-up of each squad and where they might need to strengthen , as well as where they might need to replace players who are out of contract and set to leave .
We have assessed all 20 Premier League clubs .
On Friday we 'll look at the bottom half , but here is our analysis of the teams in the top 10 .
On course to win their first league title in 30 years , Liverpool unsurprisingly have no real concerns over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first-team players at what we would generally consider to be the peak of their careers .
They do not have a single first-team regular past their peak .
The only other top-10 club who can say the same is Manchester United .
Given Liverpool 's planning pedigree , however , the champions-elect could look to replace one of those nine with a star for the future , to avoid letting them all grow old together and the need for mass replacements in a few years ' time .
By way of warning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's final title triumph in 2013 , when he guided Manchester United to top-flight success but left an ageing squad who were unable to match that achievement in subsequent years .
With ultimate utility man James Milner now 34 years old , Jurgen Klopp may also look to add some depth to the squad in various positions , especially at full-back .
The lack of a settled defence has been the problem for Manchester City this season , with the club having to rely heavily on the now 35-year-old midfielder Fernandinho to fill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Pep Guardiola 's oldest outfield player but he has played 79 % of all Premier League minutes - the third-highest of any of the club 's outfield players .
But in Benjamin Mendy , Aymeric Laporte , John Stones and Joao Cancelo , the club do already have a back four in reserve worth £216.5m that Guardiola has been unable or unwilling to put on the pitch .
Although 34-year-old David Silva will leave huge boots to fill , Guardiola has already named hot prospect Phil Foden as his successor , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he might not be the only player to depart .
With just two first-team players at their peak , Leicester 's mix of title-winning veterans and top-class young talent makes it arguably the most unique squad in the Premier League .
With Christian Fuchs and Wes Morgan leaving , Brendan Rodgers will need defenders , while the club will one day have to attempt the Herculean task of finding the successor to Jamie Vardy , who turned 33 in January .
The emergence of Caglar Soyuncu and Harvey Barnes means the Foxes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prospects in the first team that Rodgers will hope he can keep together for next season .
After no signings in his first two transfer windows , it will be interesting to see if Frank Lampard continues to trust in youth to replace the front three ( Olivier Giroud , Pedro and Willian ) of experienced attackers set to leave , although Giroud may yet extend his contract for another year .
The signing of 27-year-old Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech will bring in a replacement at his peak , while Lampard may rely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish themselves next season .
Willy Caballero 's departure means the club will also need another goalkeeper , whether as back-up or as direct competition to the under-fire Kepa Arrizabalaga .
Manchester United : What to do about Pogba ?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 's focus on youth means that Manchester United have played the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season , with six players yet to reach their peak and the oldest outfield players aged just 27 .
But this transfer window will likely revolve around the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just five Premier League games this season due to injury and considered having `` a new challenge somewhere else '' last summer .
With Odion Ighalo only on loan until the end of the season , a striker will likely be one of the club 's priorities , given Romelu Lukaku 's exit in August and Marcus Rashford 's recent injury problems .
With 11 players playing at least two-thirds of minutes this season , Wolves have the most settled side in the Premier League but very little squad depth beyond it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 ) .
Of their first-team players , Joao Moutinho is the only one approaching the end of his career , but the club may have to spend big to adequately fill the boots of the influential midfielder .
A striker might also be on Nuno 's shopping list , after last summer 's £16m signing Patrick Cutrone joined Fiorentina on an 18-month loan deal in January .
Like Wolves , Sheffield United have found success playing a settled first team , with the `` back nine '' all playing more than 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The club 's main challenge will be to replace Dean Henderson , with the young goalkeeper set to return to Manchester United after an impressive two years on loan .
Fantasy football favourite John Lundstram could also leave when his contract expires , although record signing Sander Berge 's arrival in January would soften the blow .
With no striker establishing himself and Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick in their thirties , Wilder might look to further add to his options up front .
Having used more players than any other side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the most disrupted and unsettled squad in the Premier League .
While most teams have five or six players who have featured for more than 75 % of all league minutes , poor form and a plethora of injuries mean that Toby Alderweireld is the only one to do so for Spurs this season .
With Christian Eriksen already gone , Jan Vertonghen set to leave and Tanguy Ndombele reportedly unsettled , Jose Mourinho has a lot of work on his hands , although he does have a promising group of young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aubameyang on his way ?
With his contract expiring next summer , Arsenal 's window will likely revolve around the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , who turns 31 next month and has scored 49 of the club 's 137 Premier League goals since joining two years ago .
Decisions will also need to be made on whether to sign loan players Pablo Mari and Dani Ceballos permanently , with the latter reportedly valued at £44m by parent club Real Madrid .
Like arch-rivals Tottenham , the club do have a crop of exciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah impressing in recent months .
Sean Dyche 's main task could be keeping hold of young winger Dwight McNeil , with the 20-year-old the only hot prospect in an otherwise experienced squad .
Recently linked with a move to Manchester United , he has played more minutes and been involved in more goals this season than any Premier League player yet to turn 21 .
Even if he stays , the Clarets will need to sign some wingers , with Robbie Brady , Jeff Hendrick and Aaron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club reportedly have the option to give Brady another year .
Coming up on Friday : The bottom 10 clubs

What does the future hold for James Maddison, Paul Pogba and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?
The uncertainty over the remainder of the Premier League season means there is also a lack of clarity over the next transfer window.
When will it run to and from? How will spending be affected? And what about the PR implications of paying millions for players in the immediate aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic?
But what is for sure is that top-flight managers will be on the lookout for new recruits, whenever that time comes, and the suspension of football will have given clubs plenty of time to assess their squads.
By looking at the age and playing time of every player this season, we can see the make-up of each squad and where they might need to strengthen, as well as where they might need to replace players who are out of contract and set to leave.
We have assessed all 20 Premier League clubs. You can read about the bottom 10 here - and below is our analysis of the top 10.
Liverpool: If it ain't broke…
On course to win their first league title in 30 years, Liverpool unsurprisingly have no real concerns over the make-up of their squad, with nine first-team players at what we would generally consider to be the peak of their careers.
They do not have a single first-team regular past their peak. The only other top-10 club who can say the same is Manchester United.
Given Liverpool's planning pedigree, however, the champions-elect could look to replace one of those nine with a star for the future, to avoid letting them all grow old together and the need for mass replacements in a few years' time. By way of warning, they may look to Sir Alex Ferguson's final title triumph in 2013, when he guided Manchester United to top-flight success but left an ageing squad who were unable to match that achievement in subsequent years.
With ultimate utility man James Milner now 34 years old, Jurgen Klopp may also look to add some depth to the squad in various positions, especially at full-back.
Manchester City: Defensive issues
The lack of a settled defence has been the problem for Manchester City this season, with the club having to rely heavily on the now 35-year-old midfielder Fernandinho to fill in at the back. The Brazilian is Pep Guardiola's oldest outfield player but he has played 79% of all Premier League minutes - the third-highest of any of the club's outfield players.
But in Benjamin Mendy, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Joao Cancelo, the club do already have a back four in reserve worth £216.5m that Guardiola has been unable or unwilling to put on the pitch.
Although 34-year-old David Silva will leave huge boots to fill, Guardiola has already named external-link hot prospect Phil Foden as his successor, but with a possible two-year European ban looming, he might not be the only player to depart.
Leicester: The next generation
With just two first-team players at their peak, Leicester's mix of title-winning veterans and top-class young talent makes it arguably the most unique squad in the Premier League.
With Christian Fuchs and Wes Morgan leaving, Brendan Rodgers will need defenders, while the club will one day have to attempt the Herculean task of finding the successor to Jamie Vardy, who turned 33 in January.
The emergence of Caglar Soyuncu and Harvey Barnes means the Foxes have as many as six fantastic young prospects in the first team that Rodgers will hope he can keep together for next season.
Chelsea: Lampard's first signings
After no signings in his first two transfer windows, it will be interesting to see if Frank Lampard continues to trust in youth to replace the front three (Olivier Giroud, Pedro and Willian) of experienced attackers set to leave, although Giroud may yet extend his contract for another year.
The signing of 27-year-old Ajax winger Hakim Ziyech will bring in a replacement at his peak, while Lampard may rely on prospects Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi to establish themselves next season.
Willy Caballero's departure means the club will also need another goalkeeper, whether as back-up or as direct competition to the under-fire Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Manchester United: What to do about Pogba?
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's focus on youth means that Manchester United have played the youngest average starting XI in the Premier League this season, with six players yet to reach their peak and the oldest outfield players aged just 27.
But this transfer window will likely revolve around the future of Paul Pogba, who has started just five Premier League games this season due to injury and considered having "a new challenge somewhere else" last summer.
With Odion Ighalo only on loan until the end of the season, a striker will likely be one of the club's priorities, given Romelu Lukaku's exit in August and Marcus Rashford's recent injury problems.
Wolves: Lacking depth
With 11 players playing at least two-thirds of minutes this season, Wolves have the most settled side in the Premier League but very little squad depth beyond it, having used the fewest players overall (20).
Of their first-team players, Joao Moutinho is the only one approaching the end of his career, but the club may have to spend big to adequately fill the boots of the influential midfielder.
A striker might also be on Nuno's shopping list, after last summer's £16m signing Patrick Cutrone joined Fiorentina on an 18-month loan deal in January.
Sheffield United: A new number one
Like Wolves, Sheffield United have found success playing a settled first team, with the "back nine" all playing more than 80% of minutes in the Premier League.
The club's main challenge will be to replace Dean Henderson, with the young goalkeeper set to return to Manchester United after an impressive two years on loan.
Fantasy football favourite external-link John Lundstram could also leave when his contract expires, although record signing Sander Berge's arrival in January would soften the blow.
With no striker establishing himself and Billy Sharp and David McGoldrick in their thirties, Wilder might look to further add to his options up front.
Tottenham: An unsettled side
Having used more players than any other side this season (29), Tottenham have the most disrupted and unsettled squad in the Premier League.
While most teams have five or six players who have featured for more than 75% of all league minutes, poor form and a plethora of injuries mean that Toby Alderweireld is the only one to do so for Spurs this season.
With Christian Eriksen already gone, Jan Vertonghen set to leave and Tanguy Ndombele reportedly unsettled external-link , Jose Mourinho has a lot of work on his hands, although he does have a promising group of young prospects to work with.
Arsenal: Aubameyang on his way?
With his contract expiring next summer, Arsenal's window will likely revolve around the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who turns 31 next month and has scored 49 of the club's 137 Premier League goals since joining two years ago.
Decisions will also need to be made on whether to sign loan players Pablo Mari and Dani Ceballos permanently, with the latter reportedly valued at £44m by parent club Real Madrid.
Like arch-rivals Tottenham, the club do have a crop of exciting prospects for Mikel Arteta to develop, with Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah impressing in recent months.
Burnley: What price is Dwight?
Sean Dyche's main task could be keeping hold of young winger Dwight McNeil, with the 20-year-old the only hot prospect in an otherwise experienced squad.
Recently linked with a move external-link to Manchester United, he has played more minutes and been involved in more goals this season than any Premier League player yet to turn 21.
Even if he stays, the Clarets will need to sign some wingers, with Robbie Brady, Jeff Hendrick and Aaron Lennon all out of contract, although the club reportedly have the option to give Brady another year.


bbc--2020-05-07--German Bundesliga to resume this month

German Bundesliga to resume this month

The German Bundesliga season can resume this month , Chancellor Angela Merkel has confirmed .
It will become the first major league in Europe to return to competition , and clubs have been told by the German Football League ( DFL ) that it wants to restart on 15 May .
All matches will be played behind closed doors .
With nine games remaining , Bayern Munich are top of the table , four points above Borussia Dortmund .
The start date will be confirmed on Thursday after the 36 clubs and the DFL have met via video link .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I would like to thank the politicians for giving today 's decision [ and for ] the opportunity to finish the Bundesliga season .
`` We are now looking forward to resuming play , ideally from mid-May .
This ensures that the sporting decisions are made on the pitch .
`` I appeal to everyone involved to follow the requirements , which are the basis for resuming games , in an exemplary and extremely disciplined manner . ''
Christian Seifert , chief executive of the DFL , added : `` Today 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Bundesliga 2 .
`` It is associated with a great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement the medical and organisational requirements in a disciplined manner .
`` Games without spectators are not an ideal solution for anyone .
In a crisis threatening the very existence of some clubs , however , it is the only way to keep the leagues in their current form . ''
• What is the status of Europe 's other top leagues ?
The announcement comes a day after clubs in the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 1,724 coronavirus tests .
The DFL had warned that many top-division teams would be in an `` existence-threatening '' financial position if play did not resume by June .
Players returned to training last month , with the DFL initially saying the league would be ready to return on 9 May .
Germany has banned large events with crowds until 24 October , so games will be behind closed doors , but the DFL has developed a health and safety plan that would see only about 300 people or near the pitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infection .
According to official figures , just under 7,000 people have died in Germany from coronavirus , a much lower figure than in other western European countries including the UK , Italy , France and Spain .
It was also announced on Wednesday that the Turkish Super Lig will resume on 12 June with the aim being to complete the season by the end of July .
The country 's football federation chairman Nihat Ozdemir said Turkey intended to host the Champions League final in Istanbul in August as planned .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume - without spectators - with cup ties to take place on 30 May , followed by league action on 6 June , pending government approval .
Spain 's La Liga has announced plans for a June return and president Javier Tebas said the league was `` pleased '' with the Bundesliga 's decision .
`` This is good news for European football and for the return to the new normal after this crisis , '' he added .
Over the years we 've come to expect German football success on the pitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their clear , detailed and , above all , collective planning off the pitch .
Back on 23 April , DFL president Christian Seifert revealed the league 's proposals for matches behind closed doors , collaborating with five laboratories and involving around 20,000 tests and it appears to have impressed the local and national government .
That 's despite some setbacks over the past week , such as Salomon Kalou 's social media video , which showed him flouting social distancing rules at Hertha Berlin , and the fact that 10 players or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
The clubs have put a huge amount of work into this though and Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes assured me this week that his players feel safe now that there is testing every three or four days and temperature checks every day as they arrive at the training centre .
They are certainly under pressure to make this work , with vital TV money at stake .
One player told me he felt a duty to play again because in the Bundesliga clubs do n't have rich owners who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interesting to see whether this news can give the Premier League , Serie A and La Liga extra impetus in their efforts to resume .
One thing the German football authorities have demonstrated is that it needs to be a collective and unified effort from clubs , league and players .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Bayern Munich lead the Bundesliga table by five points
The German Bundesliga season can resume this month, Chancellor Angela Merkel has confirmed.
It will become the first major league in Europe to return to competition, and clubs have been told by the German Football League (DFL) that it wants to restart on 15 May.
All matches will be played behind closed doors.
With nine games remaining, Bayern Munich are top of the table, four points above Borussia Dortmund.
The start date will be confirmed on Thursday after the 36 clubs and the DFL have met via video link.
Bayern chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge said: "I would like to thank the politicians for giving today's decision [and for] the opportunity to finish the Bundesliga season.
"We are now looking forward to resuming play, ideally from mid-May. This ensures that the sporting decisions are made on the pitch.
"I appeal to everyone involved to follow the requirements, which are the basis for resuming games, in an exemplary and extremely disciplined manner."
Christian Seifert, chief executive of the DFL, added: "Today's decision is good news for the Bundesliga and the Bundesliga 2.
"It is associated with a great responsibility for the clubs and their employees to implement the medical and organisational requirements in a disciplined manner.
"Games without spectators are not an ideal solution for anyone. In a crisis threatening the very existence of some clubs, however, it is the only way to keep the leagues in their current form."
The announcement comes a day after clubs in the top two German divisions returned 10 positive results from 1,724 coronavirus tests.
The DFL had warned that many top-division teams would be in an "existence-threatening" financial position if play did not resume by June.
Players returned to training last month, with the DFL initially saying the league would be ready to return on 9 May.
Germany has banned large events with crowds until 24 October, so games will be behind closed doors, but the DFL has developed a health and safety plan that would see only about 300 people or near the pitch during matches, to minimise the risk of infection.
According to official figures, just under 7,000 people have died in Germany from coronavirus, a much lower figure than in other western European countries including the UK, Italy, France and Spain.
Borussia Monchengladbach fans show support with cut-outs
It was also announced on Wednesday that the Turkish Super Lig will resume on 12 June with the aim being to complete the season by the end of July.
The country's football federation chairman Nihat Ozdemir said Turkey intended to host the Champions League final in Istanbul in August as planned.
The Croatian top-flight is also poised to resume - without spectators - with cup ties to take place on 30 May, followed by league action on 6 June, pending government approval.
Spain's La Liga has announced plans for a June return and president Javier Tebas said the league was "pleased" with the Bundesliga's decision.
"This is good news for European football and for the return to the new normal after this crisis," he added.
Analysis
John Bennett, BBC World Service
Over the years we've come to expect German football success on the pitch but this feels like a victory for their clear, detailed and, above all, collective planning off the pitch.
Back on 23 April, DFL president Christian Seifert revealed the league's proposals for matches behind closed doors, collaborating with five laboratories and involving around 20,000 tests and it appears to have impressed the local and national government.
That's despite some setbacks over the past week, such as Salomon Kalou's social media video, which showed him flouting social distancing rules at Hertha Berlin, and the fact that 10 players or members of staff have tested positive for coronavirus.
The clubs have put a huge amount of work into this though and Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes assured me this week that his players feel safe now that there is testing every three or four days and temperature checks every day as they arrive at the training centre.
They are certainly under pressure to make this work, with vital TV money at stake. One player told me he felt a duty to play again because in the Bundesliga clubs don't have rich owners who can bail them out.
It will be interesting to see whether this news can give the Premier League, Serie A and La Liga extra impetus in their efforts to resume. One thing the German football authorities have demonstrated is that it needs to be a collective and unified effort from clubs, league and players.


bbc--2020-05-07--Calais Racing Union: The amateur team that went to Coupe de France final

The French word epopee is a tricky one to translate directly into English , but it essentially means epic or saga , as in the poetic narrative of people performing extraordinary deeds to overcome insurmountable odds .
In French football , it is a word synonymous with one club : Calais Racing Union .
To fully understand why , we must go back 20 years to the 1999-2000 season and one of the single greatest cup runs in sport .
Football history is replete with Cinderella stories but a special romance is reserved for the fairytale cup adventure of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the FA Cup exploits of the likes of Chesterfield , Wycombe and Lincoln City .
In Spain , Castilla ’ s run to meet parent club Real Madrid in the 1980 final is enshrined in Copa del Rey folklore .
While in Italy , there are the respective achievements of then third-tier sides Bari and Alessandria in reaching the Coppa Italia semi-finals .
In France , though , they have a story to top them all - that of the amateur fourth-tier team comprised of shopkeepers , teachers and labourers whose remarkable and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a showdown with holders and then seven-time national champions Nantes gripped the whole nation .
As in most epic tales , though , the journey matters more than the goal .
When Calais began their 1999-2000 cup campaign , with a tie against Campagne les Hesdin , glory in the Stade de France was the furthest thing from the minds of their players and fans .
On the pitch , 11 games and all of the country ’ s professional sides stood between them and an unthinkable final .
Off it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand .
The northern port town of Calais was then , and remains now , one of the most economically challenged in France .
At the turn of the century , unemployment was at nearly 17 % , with almost half of its 75,000 inhabitants earning less than £5,000 a year .
As an amateur organisation , Calais Racing Union and its players were not immune to the economic hardship .
The year before , the club had lost in the region of £200,000 .
Most of those who turned out regularly for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead relying entirely on mainly low-paid jobs for their livelihood .
Defender Jocelyn Merlen and winger Mickael Gerard sold alcohol to English day-trippers in a local cash and carry , midfielder Gregory Lefebvre was a camp attendant , Stephane Canu a gardener and star player Emmanuel Vasseur an electrician on trains in the Channel Tunnel .
Their manager , Ladislas Lozano , who had fled Spain with his family as a child to escape the Franco regime , was a council foreman responsible for tending to the area ’ s sporting facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season brought football and its emotional and financial rewards to the foreground and enabled players and fans alike to briefly forget about day-to-day hardships .
Four fellow amateur sides and one semi-professional outfit ( Dunkerque ) were dispatched en route to the round of 32 and a clash with their first fully professional opponent , Lille , then a Ligue 2 side .
The gulf in ability between divisions is much smaller in France than it is in England .
There is also a structural advantage for underdogs in the French Cup , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than their opponent automatically handed a home tie .
Even so , few gave Calais a prayer .
But a 1-1 draw at their tiny Stade Julien-Denis was followed by a stunning 7-6 penalty shootout win .
And the victories kept on coming .
After seeing off fifth-tier Langnon-Castets 3-0 , they beat another Ligue 2 side , Cannes , again on penalties - which brought each of their players a huge £2,000 bonus and firmly into the public limelight .
If that win caused waves , the next , against Ligue 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognition .
Technically a home draw , the tie was played in Lens because Calais ’ 2,100-capacity stadium - usually home to 300 staunch fans on a weekend - was too small .
The now swollen travelling Calais support required 250 buses to take them the 65 miles to the game , won 2-1 thanks to goals from social worker Christophe Hogard and shopkeeper Merlen .
The day after , Lozano was given a standing ovation by fellow diners as he ate at the historic restaurant Fouquet ’ s , on the Champs-Elysees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t done yet , though .
The semi-finals brought them up against Bordeaux , the reigning French champions , a side full of internationals - Christophe Dugarry , Lilian Laslandes , Johan Micoud and Sylvain Legwinski to name a few .
Again played in Lens , with 40,000 of their fans travelling to support them both inside and outside the stadium , Calais won 3-1 in extra time .
The town went wild , the players received £10,000 each for their efforts and Lozano suffered a minor heart attack in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital , during which he received a get-well phone call from president Jacques Chirac .
In the build-up to the final `` Calais-mania '' gripped France - its TV channels , newspapers , bars and cafes were awash with talk of the “ sang et ors ” ( Blood and Golds ) .
`` All of France behind Calais ! ''
declared Le Parisien .
Unfortunately , not all of Calais could secure access to their side ’ s greatest moment .
Far from it .
The club received 50,000 applications for tickets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 19,300 of the Stade de France ’ s 80,000 seats .
Many went to Paris anyway , just to be near to the event and soak up its magic .
For 49 glorious minutes on 7 May 2000 , the fairytale story appeared as though it was going to get its perfect ending , thanks to Jerome Dutitre ’ s 34th-minute opening goal .
However , reality came crashing back in , in the shape of two Nantes goals - both scored by future Manchester City , Newcastle and Wigan midfielder Antoine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game-winning penalty .
Losers within the 90 minutes , Calais were victors in a much broader sense .
At the Stade de France , Nantes captain Mikael Landreau invited his Calais counterpart Reginald Becque to lift the Coupe de France trophy alongside him .
Later , the French president again sought out Lozano .
`` Mr Chirac told us that there is a sport winner and a moral winner .
He told us that Calais was the real winner , ” the coach revealed afterwards .
Nantes would win the French title the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ high point .
They would embark on another cup run in 2006 , reaching the quarter-finals , but then fell into prolonged financial problems that eventually led to the club ’ s liquidation in 2017 .
They live on , though , in French football folklore , as a symbol of defying the odds .
Their cup run was voted as the best of all time by France Football magazine readers in 2017 , while this year a replay of the 2000 final , featuring players who featured from both clubs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many other clubs have followed in Calais ’ footsteps , establishing the Coupe de France as one of the most unpredictable and entertaining domestic cup competitions in Europe , while others , including the FA Cup in England , continue to have their lustre questioned .
Third-tier Amiens ( 2001 ) made it to the Coupe de France final the year after Calais , while Dijon ( 2004 ) , Nimes ( 2005 ) and Gazelec Ajaccio ( 2011 ) have all reached the last four since the turn of the century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-tier sides , played each other in the semis in 2018 , with the former going on to lose to Paris St-Germain in the final .
To top that , fourth-tier amateurs Quevilly reached the same stage in 2010 and then went one better in 2012 , making it to the final , where they were beaten by Lyon .
More importantly , the club remains an aspirational example for their troubled city .
As Lozano said in an interview with French football news site sofoot.com this year , following his appointment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six years spent at the club affected me , but also the mentality of the locals , their way of fighting , going beyond their limits , rejecting adversity .
Calais is forging characters.
” Even 20 years on , the legacy of the club ’ s now legendary achievement lives on in the city , both in memories and mortar .
This year , an exhibition of the letters and faxes sent to Lozano by fans during the cup run was inundated with visitors .
The city ’ s football stadium , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union for its final nine years and now the residence of spiritual successor Grand Calais Pascal FC bears a grand but fitting title : the Stade de l'Epopee .

Calais boss Ladislas Lozano suffered a minor heart attack in the aftermath of their semi-final
The French word epopee is a tricky one to translate directly into English, but it essentially means epic or saga, as in the poetic narrative of people performing extraordinary deeds to overcome insurmountable odds.
In French football, it is a word synonymous with one club: Calais Racing Union.
To fully understand why, we must go back 20 years to the 1999-2000 season and one of the single greatest cup runs in sport.
Football history is replete with Cinderella stories but a special romance is reserved for the fairytale cup adventure of a lower-league side.
In England we have the FA Cup exploits of the likes of Chesterfield, Wycombe and Lincoln City. In Spain, Castilla’s run to meet parent club Real Madrid in the 1980 final is enshrined in Copa del Rey folklore. While in Italy, there are the respective achievements of then third-tier sides Bari and Alessandria in reaching the Coppa Italia semi-finals.
In France, though, they have a story to top them all - that of the amateur fourth-tier team comprised of shopkeepers, teachers and labourers whose remarkable and unprecedented journey to the French Cup final and a showdown with holders and then seven-time national champions Nantes gripped the whole nation.
As in most epic tales, though, the journey matters more than the goal.
An escape from reality
When Calais began their 1999-2000 cup campaign, with a tie against Campagne les Hesdin, glory in the Stade de France was the furthest thing from the minds of their players and fans.
On the pitch, 11 games and all of the country’s professional sides stood between them and an unthinkable final. Off it, there were even more pressing issues at hand.
The club's run captured the hearts of not just people from Calais but also from across France
The northern port town of Calais was then, and remains now, one of the most economically challenged in France. At the turn of the century, unemployment was at nearly 17%, with almost half of its 75,000 inhabitants earning less than £5,000 a year.
As an amateur organisation, Calais Racing Union and its players were not immune to the economic hardship. The year before, the club had lost in the region of £200,000.
Most of those who turned out regularly for the side received no money in return, instead relying entirely on mainly low-paid jobs for their livelihood.
Defender Jocelyn Merlen and winger Mickael Gerard sold alcohol to English day-trippers in a local cash and carry, midfielder Gregory Lefebvre was a camp attendant, Stephane Canu a gardener and star player Emmanuel Vasseur an electrician on trains in the Channel Tunnel.
Their manager, Ladislas Lozano, who had fled Spain with his family as a child to escape the Franco regime, was a council foreman responsible for tending to the area’s sporting facilities.
But every successive cup win that season brought football and its emotional and financial rewards to the foreground and enabled players and fans alike to briefly forget about day-to-day hardships.
'Calais-mania'
Four fellow amateur sides and one semi-professional outfit (Dunkerque) were dispatched en route to the round of 32 and a clash with their first fully professional opponent, Lille, then a Ligue 2 side.
The gulf in ability between divisions is much smaller in France than it is in England. There is also a structural advantage for underdogs in the French Cup, which sees any side two tiers lower than their opponent automatically handed a home tie. Even so, few gave Calais a prayer.
But a 1-1 draw at their tiny Stade Julien-Denis was followed by a stunning 7-6 penalty shootout win.
And the victories kept on coming. After seeing off fifth-tier Langnon-Castets 3-0, they beat another Ligue 2 side, Cannes, again on penalties - which brought each of their players a huge £2,000 bonus and firmly into the public limelight.
If that win caused waves, the next, against Ligue 1 Strasbourg, prompted a tsunami of public recognition. Technically a home draw, the tie was played in Lens because Calais’ 2,100-capacity stadium - usually home to 300 staunch fans on a weekend - was too small.
The now swollen travelling Calais support required 250 buses to take them the 65 miles to the game, won 2-1 thanks to goals from social worker Christophe Hogard and shopkeeper Merlen.
The day after, Lozano was given a standing ovation by fellow diners as he ate at the historic restaurant Fouquet’s, on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
Lozano and his team weren’t done yet, though. The semi-finals brought them up against Bordeaux, the reigning French champions, a side full of internationals - Christophe Dugarry, Lilian Laslandes, Johan Micoud and Sylvain Legwinski to name a few.
Again played in Lens, with 40,000 of their fans travelling to support them both inside and outside the stadium, Calais won 3-1 in extra time.
A team of shopkeepers, teachers and labourers lined up in the cup final
The town went wild, the players received £10,000 each for their efforts and Lozano suffered a minor heart attack in the aftermath, resulting in three days in hospital, during which he received a get-well phone call from president Jacques Chirac.
In the build-up to the final "Calais-mania" gripped France - its TV channels, newspapers, bars and cafes were awash with talk of the “sang et ors” (Blood and Golds). "All of France behind Calais!" declared Le Parisien.
Unfortunately, not all of Calais could secure access to their side’s greatest moment. Far from it. The club received 50,000 applications for tickets for the final, but were allocated just 19,300 of the Stade de France’s 80,000 seats.
Many went to Paris anyway, just to be near to the event and soak up its magic.
For 49 glorious minutes on 7 May 2000, the fairytale story appeared as though it was going to get its perfect ending, thanks to Jerome Dutitre’s 34th-minute opening goal.
However, reality came crashing back in, in the shape of two Nantes goals - both scored by future Manchester City, Newcastle and Wigan midfielder Antoine Sibierski, the second a cruel 90th-minute game-winning penalty.
'Calais is forging characters'
Nantes captain Mikael Landreau (left) and Calais skipper Reginald Becque lifted the trophy together
Losers within the 90 minutes, Calais were victors in a much broader sense.
At the Stade de France, Nantes captain Mikael Landreau invited his Calais counterpart Reginald Becque to lift the Coupe de France trophy alongside him. Later, the French president again sought out Lozano.
"Mr Chirac told us that there is a sport winner and a moral winner. He told us that Calais was the real winner,” the coach revealed afterwards.
Nantes would win the French title the following season but 2000 would remain Calais’ high point. They would embark on another cup run in 2006, reaching the quarter-finals, but then fell into prolonged financial problems that eventually led to the club’s liquidation in 2017.
They live on, though, in French football folklore, as a symbol of defying the odds.
Their cup run was voted as the best of all time by France Football magazine readers in 2017, while this year a replay of the 2000 final, featuring players who featured from both clubs, was planned until the coronavirus pandemic intervened.
Many other clubs have followed in Calais’ footsteps, establishing the Coupe de France as one of the most unpredictable and entertaining domestic cup competitions in Europe, while others, including the FA Cup in England, continue to have their lustre questioned.
Third-tier Amiens (2001) made it to the Coupe de France final the year after Calais, while Dijon (2004), Nimes (2005) and Gazelec Ajaccio (2011) have all reached the last four since the turn of the century. Les Herbiers and Chambly, also third-tier sides, played each other in the semis in 2018, with the former going on to lose to Paris St-Germain in the final.
To top that, fourth-tier amateurs Quevilly reached the same stage in 2010 and then went one better in 2012, making it to the final, where they were beaten by Lyon.
More importantly, the club remains an aspirational example for their troubled city.
As Lozano said in an interview with French football news site sofoot.com external-link this year, following his appointment to Calais’ municipal council: “The six years spent at the club affected me, but also the mentality of the locals, their way of fighting, going beyond their limits, rejecting adversity. Calais is forging characters.”
Even 20 years on, the legacy of the club’s now legendary achievement lives on in the city, both in memories and mortar.
This year, an exhibition of the letters and faxes sent to Lozano by fans during the cup run was inundated with visitors.
The city’s football stadium, built in 2008, home to Racing Union for its final nine years and now the residence of spiritual successor Grand Calais Pascal FC bears a grand but fitting title: the Stade de l'Epopee.
Additional reporting by Ian Holyman.


bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus lockdown: Would you report people who break the rules?

Much of the world is in some form of a coronavirus lockdown .
So if you saw someone breaking the rules , would you report them ?
Is it a civic duty - or spying on your neighbours ?
And what determines this difference ?
Jenny and Veronika noticed the bar next door was open .
Like a prohibition-era speakeasy , it was letting people slip in the back , operating during the coronavirus lockdown .
They scowled at the drinkers who were flouting Chicago 's rules - a city suffering one of America 's largest outbreaks .
But , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on their door to ask about the bar , they had nothing to say .
`` He had a huge shiny silver star badge like a sheriff , '' Jenny said .
`` But when we had the chance , we decided we ai n't snitches . ''
Around the world people have obeyed orders to stay home - but many like housemates Jenny and Veronika have faced a dilemma over when , if at all , to report the rule-breakers .
Is it their civic duty - or should they mind their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have passed emergency laws to make breaking the lockdown a crime punishable by fines or jail .
Some have promoted hotlines to gather intelligence .
In the Australian state of Victoria , friends who gathered to play video games were reported to the police - and guests at an `` illegal '' dinner party were fined .
• Breaching lockdown : 'We got a dirty look and packed it in' And as infections escalated across New South Wales - while crowds flocked to the beaches - that state 's premier , Gladys Berejiklian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 5,000 calls were made to the police in the week that followed .
But some callers had the wrong end of the stick .
Police were alerted to a couple 's holiday pictures on Facebook - only for officers to discover on a doorstep visit that they were more than a year old .
In Singapore , where the law does not prize personal freedom over collective responsibility , an official app to report things like cracked footpaths has been updated to receive alerts of people out and about .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in two days - the government urged the public to only tell them about things they had actually witnessed .
Outside of official hotlines - thousands have also engaged in online shaming forums .
The largest Singaporean `` Covidiot '' group on Facebook has over 26,000 members .
It 's littered with grainy pictures of alleged breaches - usually taken from some distance - the safety of one 's apartment balcony .
Is it unusual to report on others ?
So is `` dobbing in '' - how it 's known in Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Is it more ethical to report or not report someone pushing the limits ?
People in their everyday lives - at the supermarket , at the park - are grappling with this , says moral philosopher Dr Hannah Tierney from the University of Sydney .
`` I do understand the impulse to talk , especially in this situation , '' says Dr Tierney .
`` Until a vaccine or treatment comes along , the only thing keeping people safe is social distancing .
`` Even if it 's just a small percentage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could well undermine everyone else 's hard work . ''
It can be extremely galling , she says , if people feel others are n't keeping their side of the bargain .
Minzheng Hou , a psychology researcher at the National University of Singapore , and his colleague , Assistant Professor Lile Jia , have been studying what leads people to report their friends and families for crimes .
They 've found that a strong community conscience threads through this decision-making .
Assistant Prof Jia says : `` It 's not like there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , bored in quarantine , so they want to rat someone out and get someone in trouble .
`` Overwhelmingly , the people reporting are people who want to do the right thing for the group . ''
As the Australian holiday couple 's tale shows , however , there is the risk that people will project blame when they do n't know the full story .
It 's partly why Jenny and Veronika chose not to report on the bar in Chicago : they did n't know for certain what was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tierney says the ambiguities around what is wrong and right to report in a lockdown could also have unintended consequences for both people - and the officials charged with maintaining it .
From New York to Sydney , crime figures shows a disproportionate number of fines being issued to people in poorer areas .
`` I worry about the impact on vulnerable and marginalised populations in this kind of system where police are left to exercise discretion , '' she says .
This ambiguity over what is permissible has led to a hot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have asked for reports of breaches - but there are also grey areas in the lockdown law .
Secondly , British policing relies on `` policing by consent '' - the legal concept that officers only have their exceptional powers to arrest and detain because the public wish them to act on their behalf .
After some weeks of debate over whether people could go for country walks - with some rural communities demanding a stop to it - police chiefs clarified it was n't a crime to drive a short distance for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective is a policy that encourages people to turn on one another ?
Particularly when the overarching message in these times promotes group solidarity ?
Take New York City - the epicentre of the virus in North America .
Its reporting hotline was overwhelmed within days of its opening - but with prank calls and mockery as opposed to complaints .
For authorities , it 's always tricky to manage a message between condescension and social empowerment , says Dr Tierney .
`` Punishing people who violate the rules is just one way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be the only thing we have in our toolbox . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health • PUBLIC TRANSPORT : Is it safe to travel ?

As the Australian holiday couple's tale shows, however, there is the risk that people will project blame when they don't know the full story. It's partly why Jenny and Veronika chose not to report on the bar in Chicago: they didn't know for certain what was going on.


bbc--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: Lockdown bites poor as France eases grip

Behind a faded door , in a side-street near Montmartre , a long straggly queue is starting to form .
In Paris under lockdown , hotels and restaurants may be deserted but food banks are getting busier .
Women with pushchairs , men with umbrellas , everyone a metre apart ; there 's very little talking .
The government will set out on Thursday how it plans to lift restrictions on movement on Monday .
But for many the damage from one of Europe 's strictest lockdowns has been done .
This centre , one of a network run by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants of the heart ) , saw a 40 % rise in subscriptions last week .
Director François Coadour expects the numbers to keep rising and says the profile of his clients is changing .
`` We have workers , precarious workers , people who were moonlighting , and part-time workers , '' he told me .
`` These are people we did n't see before . ''
Clients here used to choose their own food from the shelves inside the centre ; now they 're simply handed a bag of goods through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young woman waiting in the queue , who introduces herself as Madame Ouattara .
Even behind her mask , her face wears a gentle smile .
She tells me she began coming here last month after the lockdown left her husband out of work .
They ate through their savings in weeks .
What will happen to France 's economy ?
France 's biggest economic players have also been badly hit by coronavirus : tourism , construction and manufacturing in particular .
The economy shrank by almost 6 % in the first part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an economist at the prestigious Sciences-Po University and an adviser to President Emmanuel Macron , says the construction industry in France was hit more harshly than in other heavily confined countries such as Italy , and that conditions for restarting work were also tougher here .
But he also questions whether financial support packages offered by the government , such as `` partial unemployment benefit '' , may have helped to slow the economy too : `` Because this system was quite generous , '' he said , `` it may have pushed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than keep trying to produce , because the full wages were paid by the [ government ] . ''
Others believe the high losses felt by France are a sign of its efficiency in policing the lockdown .
The impact on the future economy here is likely to be severe - the worst recession since World War Two , as the government put it .
It 's also expected to hit Italy , Spain and Greece very hard .
Germany and Austria , meanwhile , seem to have escaped relatively lightly , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create fatal cracks in the eurozone .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• HOW MIGHT UK LOCKDOWN END ?
What will be the 'new normal ' ?
• GERMANY RELAXES MEASURES : Germany says football can resume and shops reopen • TWO COUNTRIES TRY TO SAVE SUMMER : Fast on coronavirus , now they need to save summer • EUROPEAN COUNTRY WITH BIGGEST MORTALITY RATE : Why so many people are dying in Belgium Jean-Claude Trichet , who ran the European Central Bank during the last financial crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of `` stress test '' before : `` I was permanently told , 'You will explode the euro , it will evaporate , the euro area will disappear , ' '' he said .
`` We did not disappear , as you know , but on top of that , four new countries decided to enter the euro area after [ the collapse of ] Lehman Brothers .
The resilience of this historical project is very , very high , and I am absolutely convinced that will prove true in the future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 11 May Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will give details of the changes on Thursday .
The plan is to divide the country into red and green zones , with different rules for different places .
The map above shows a large area of orange zones , and a decision will be taken on whether they will be either green or red .
If conditions are right , the government says , most shops will be allowed to reopen from Monday , and people will be able to travel freely up to 100km @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's also suggested some small tourist sites in green areas of the country could also reopen .
But France 's borders will remain closed , as will its hotels and restaurants .
France has seen 25,809 deaths in hospitals and care homes , and reported 278 deaths in the past 24 hours on Wednesday .
Paris is likely to be classified as red .
Of more than 23,000 patients in hospital , almost 10,000 are in the Paris area .
Geneviève Rossillon runs almost a dozen tourist sites around France and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost '' from the government .
`` Obviously when you hear what Italy has been saying last week , they have been saying 'we are ready to welcome everybody from this summer ' , '' she says .
`` It 's not the message France is sending so far . ''
France 's approach to lifting the lockdown may be localised , detailed and bureaucratic but the message after almost two months of confinement is changing : do n't stay at home .
A new mantra for the nation 's economic health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in France • France 's first coronavirus case 'was in December '

But he also questions whether financial support packages offered by the government, such as "partial unemployment benefit", may have helped to slow the economy too: "Because this system was quite generous," he said, "it may have pushed some firms to close down, rather than keep trying to produce, because the full wages were paid by the [government]."


bbc--2020-05-07--Ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn charges of lying to FBI dropped

The US Department of Justice is moving to drop the criminal charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn .
Flynn was among the former aides to President Donald Trump convicted during the special counsel 's investigation into Russian election interference .
He had pleaded guilty in 2017 to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russia 's ambassador to the US .
Flynn had been seeking to withdraw his guilty plea .
The justice department 's decision also follows criticism of the case by President Trump and his supporters .
Flynn , a retired Army three-star lieutenant general , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , just weeks after Mr Trump was sworn in .
In response to the announcement , Flynn tweeted a video of his grandson reciting the US Pledge of Allegiance with the caption : `` and JUSTICE for ALL '' .
On Thursday , Mr Trump said he was `` very happy for General Flynn '' .
• Russia-Trump : Who 's who in the drama to end all dramas ?
He was an early and ardent supporter of Mr Trump during the 2016 campaign , though he had been a life-long Democrat before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's first appointments - Mr Trump brought him on just days after winning the election .
The two saw eye-to-eye on many issues , including the advantages of closer ties with Russia , renegotiating the Iran deal and combating the threat from Islamic State militants .
But Mr Trump 's predecessor , President Barack Obama , had warned against hiring Flynn .
In 2014 , the Obama administration fired Flynn from his role as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency , citing issues of mismanagement and temperament .
Flynn , who served three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complained he was ousted for telling hard truths about the war on Islamist extremism .
Why is the case being dropped ?
In a court filing first reported by the Associated Press , the justice department said it moved to dismiss the charges `` after a considered review of all the facts and circumstances of this case , including newly discovered and disclosed information '' .
The department said the interview between investigators and Flynn in January 2017 was `` unjustified '' and not conducted on a `` legitimate investigative basis '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond reasonable doubt that Flynn had lied , and said that after the interview , FBI agents had `` expressed uncertainty as to whether Mr Flynn had lied '' .
The department also said proving someone made a false statement to federal investigators `` requires more than a lie .
`` It also requires demonstrating that such a statement was 'material ' to the underlying investigation . ''
Donald Trump said he did n't know that the justice department was going to drop its charges on Thursday against his former national security adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his thoughts .
The Obama administration officials responsible for his prosecution were `` human scum '' and would pay a `` big price '' .
Flynn , whom Mr Trump fired because he lied to Vice-President Mike Pence about his contacts with Russians , was a `` great gentleman '' and a `` great warrior '' , said the president .
And the media that reported on Flynn 's prosecution and the Russian investigation were `` fake news '' and `` thieves '' who should give back their journalism awards .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an isolated event , but as the genesis of a plot to take down his presidency .
As such , Flynn 's reprieve has been received as total vindication .
The justice department 's move has left many Trump critics stunned .
They had suspected a presidential pardon of Flynn was coming , but this - in their mind - is much worse .
Both left and right now seem to believe that the justice department 's prosecutorial process has been wholly corrupted and politicised - whether it was through Flynn 's prosecution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both will also agree such widespread distrust is treading on dangerous ground .
Mr Trump was informed by reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday of the department 's decision .
He said he was unaware of it at the time , but had `` felt it was going to happen '' .
`` He was an innocent man , '' the president said .
`` He was targeted in order to try and take down a president . ''
`` I hope a lot of people are going to pay a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Former FBI director James Comey , who has been a critic of the president since he was fired in May 2017 , tweeted that the justice department `` has lost its way '' .
Andrew McCabe , who took over as acting FBI chief in 2017 before he too was ousted in 2018 , said the department 's decision was `` pure politics designed to please the president '' .
He said the FBI `` received incontrovertible evidence '' Flynn spoke to the ambassador multiple times and tried to influence the actions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position that the FBI had no reason to interview Mr Flynn pursuant to its counterintelligence investigation is patently false , and ignores the considerable national security risk his contacts raised . ''
Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler , who chairs the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee , said in a statement the move was `` outrageous '' .
Mr Nadler said he would be rescheduling a hearing with Attorney General Bill Barr as soon as possible to explain the decision .
He added that he would ask the justice department 's inspector general to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against General Flynn is overwhelming , '' Mr Nadler said .
`` We are not supposed to get special treatment because we are friends with the President . ''
Flynn lasted just 23 days as national security counsel adviser - the president 's chief counsellor on international affairs and defence .
Mr Trump fired him after it emerged that he had discussed lifting sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to Washington before Mr Trump took office and had lied to the vice-president about that conversation .
In March , Mr Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he initially agreed to co-operate with prosecutors , Flynn asked to withdraw his guilty plea this January .
With the help of a new legal team , he had accused prosecutors of misconduct , including withholding evidence .
Attorney General Barr appointed US Attorney Jeffrey Jensen to review the handling of Flynn 's case earlier this year .
Mr Jensen said in a statement that he `` concluded the proper and just course was to dismiss the case '' .
Just ahead of the announcement , US media reported that prosecutor Brandon Van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Special Counsel Robert Mueller 's team , had stepped back from handling the case .
No further details were given regarding his withdrawal .

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bbc--2020-05-07--Tara Reade: Biden sex attack accuser urges him to quit race

A woman who accuses Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her 27 years ago has called on him to quit the presidential race .
In an interview , Tara Reade urged Mr Biden to `` please step forward and be held accountable '' .
She added : `` You should not be running on character for the president of the United States . ''
Mr Biden , who is set to challenge President Donald Trump in November , has denied Ms Reade 's accusation .
What is the allegation ?
Ms Reade , now 56 , worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 1992-93 when he was a senator for the US state of Delaware .
She has said that in 1993 he forced her against a wall and put his hands under her shirt and skirt , penetrating her with a finger , after she delivered him his gym bag .
`` I remember him saying , first , as he was doing it 'Do you want to go somewhere else ? '
and then him saying to me , when I pulled away ... he said 'Come on man , I heard you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told podcast host Katie Halper in March .
`` That phrase stayed with me . ''
What did Ms Reade say in the new interview ?
In a clip from the interview released on Thursday , Ms Reade was asked by host Megyn Kelly if she wanted Mr Biden to withdraw from the race .
`` I wish he would , but he wo n't , but I wish he would , '' she said .
`` That 's how I feel emotionally . ''
Ms Reade offered to take a lie detector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Mr Biden do so also .
`` I will take one if Joe Biden takes one , '' she said .
Ms Reade continued : `` His campaign is taking this position that they want all women to be able to speak safely .
I have not experienced that . ''
She said that she had received a death threat after Biden supporters accused her without evidence of being a Russian agent .
`` It 's been stunning how - some of his surrogates with the blue checks [ verified identities ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been saying really horrible things about me and to me on social media , '' said Ms Reade .
`` He has n't himself , but there is a measure of hypocrisy with the campaign saying it 's been safe - it 's not been safe .
`` All of my social media has been hacked , all of my personal information has been dragged through .
`` Every person that maybe has a gripe against me , maybe an ex-boyfriend or an ex-landlord or whatever it is has been able to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How did Biden 's campaign respond ?
Biden campaign communications director Kate Bedingfield said in a statement after the interview aired that Ms Reade 's story contained `` inconsistencies '' .
`` Women must receive the benefit of the doubt , '' said the statement .
`` They must be able to come forward and share their stories without fear of retribution or harm - and we all have a responsibility to ensure that .
`` At the same time , we can never sacrifice the truth .
And the truth is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material that has been presented to back them up , under scrutiny , keeps proving their falsity . ''
Mr Biden , who is the Democratic party 's presumptive presidential nominee , broke his silence on the matter a week ago , appearing on a morning television show to brand the allegations `` false '' .
What other latest developments are there ?
A court document from 1996 shows Ms Reade 's ex-husband describing `` a problem she was having at work regarding sexual harassment , in US Senator Joe Biden 's office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Obispo Tribune .
The file obtained by the California newspaper appears to be the only document from the time that might describe Ms Reade 's allegation .
Theodore Dronen , her then-husband , penned the court memo during a divorce battle .
Mr Dronen wrote that his wife had told him she `` eventually struck a deal with the chief of staff of the Senator 's office and left her position , '' the Tribune reported .
`` It was obvious that this event had a very traumatic effect on [ Reade ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and effected [ sic ] by it today , '' he continued .
Ms Reade 's brother , a former neighbour and a former colleague have all said they heard her describe the accusation against her boss after the alleged incident .
And her mother appears to have called a CNN show about the claim back in 1993 .
High-powered Manhattan lawyer Douglas Wigdor said in a statement that he is representing Ms Reade .
He has represented alleged sexual assault victims of jailed Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein .
Some Republicans are seizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as hypocrites who only defend women when claims of wrongdoing are aimed at conservatives .
Mr Trump himself has faced a barrage of sexual misconduct allegations , which he also denies .
He once boasted of grabbing women by the genitals .
However , the Democrats have much more strongly championed the # MeToo movement , which backs women who make accusations of sexual assault and calls for their stories to be heard .
Women are a core constituency for the party , traditionally giving more votes to Democratic candidates than Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tara Reade but will vote for Mr Biden anyway because they view Mr Trump as much worse .
November 's presidential election will be the first of the # MeToo era , and Mr Biden has framed it as a `` battle for the soul of America '' .

"So, he had one hand underneath my shirt, and the other had, I had a skirt on, and he went down my skirt and then went up and I remember I was up almost on my tippy toes," she said.


bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Paris restrictions to stay as France reopens

Measures to curb the spread of coronavirus will be kept in place in Paris when the lockdown is eased in other parts of France , its PM says .
Edouard Philippe said the country was `` cut in two '' in terms of the rate of infections .
Restrictions will remain in the capital and north-eastern regions .
It comes as France prepares to relax its lockdown on Monday , with shops and some schools allowed to reopen .
The country has suffered one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in Europe .
Almost 26,000 people there have died from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the number of new cases has also fallen in recent days .
On Thursday , the health ministry said the virus had claimed 178 lives over the past 24 hours - 100 fewer than a day earlier .
Restrictions - introduced on 17 March - would be lifted over the course of several weeks , Prime Minister Philippe said on Thursday .
`` It 's good news for France and for the French people , '' he said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• HOW @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the 'new normal ' ?
• GERMANY RELAXES MEASURES : Germany says football can resume and shops reopen • TWO COUNTRIES TRY TO SAVE SUMMER : Fast on coronavirus , now they need to save summer • EUROPEAN COUNTRY WITH BIGGEST MORTALITY RATE : Why so many people are dying in Belgium The government has issued a colour-coded map of the country , splitting it into green and red areas depending on the rate of infection .
Restrictions will be eased more in the green areas than the red for the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools and most businesses will be allowed to reopen in both zones .
Cafes , restaurants and secondary schools will be able to reopen in June in the green zones , infection rates permitting , Mr Philippe said .
In Paris and the four adjoining regions - Ile-de-France , Hauts-de-France , Grand Est Bourgogne-Franche-Comte - which comprise the red zone , public parks and gardens will stay shut .
Masks must be on worn on public transport , which will be disinfected at least once a day , and stores will have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Social distancing rules will also stay in place .
But for the first time since the lockdown began , people everywhere ( except the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte ) can go back to work and leave home without downloading a permit .
Video surveillance cameras will monitor how many people are wearing masks and staying at least a metre ( 3ft ) apart .
In other developments in Europe : • Sweden 's reported death toll has now passed 3,000 .
The country did not impose strict lockdown measures and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Scandinavian neighbours it is lower per capita than Britain , France , Spain or Italy • UK PM Boris Johnson is to announce for the first time on Sunday plans to ease the country 's lockdown • Restrictions in Moscow are to be extended until 31 May , the city 's mayor has said • Germany 's Bundesliga will resume on 16 May , the first major European football league to do so • Greece will reopen museums in June , the culture ministry says .
Tourism is a vital part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like :

Masks must be on worn on public transport, which will be disinfected at least once a day, and stores will have the right to ask shoppers to wear them. Social distancing rules will also stay in place.


bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Meat shortage leaves US farmers with 'mind-blowing' choice

The United States faces a major meat shortage due to virus infections at processing plants .
It means millions of pigs could be put down without ever making it to table .
This is what the predicament looks like on a Minnesota farm .
When Mike Boerboom enters the `` nursery '' - a long , low building lit astonishingly bright - a sea of piglets parts in front of him .
The clatter of 5,800 sets of hooves is deafening .
But within moments they calm and creep back towards him , their pink snouts in the air , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspect their visitor .
Dressed in khaki coveralls , rubber boots and plastic gloves , Boerboom looks out over the dozens of pens teeming with animals , one of 40 barns in southwest Minnesota that contain Boerboom pigs once destined for slaughter , butchering , and eventually , grocery stores around the country .
`` It 's mind-blowing to look at all the pigs in here , '' he says with a joyless smile .
`` With the situation that 's going on , there 's a chance that none of these may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Boerboom , a third-generation hog farmer , is just one of the tens of thousands of US pork producers who are facing a stark reality : although demand for their products is high in the nation 's grocery stores , they may have to euthanise and dispose of millions of pigs due to a breakdown in the American food supply chain .
Although chicken and cattle farmers are facing a similarly paradoxical situation , as are milk and egg producers , because of the tight time frame between when a pig is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slaughter , some of the most drastic actions are occurring on these farms first .
According to the Minnesota Pork Producers Association , an estimated 10,000 pigs are being euthanised every day in the state .
Boerboom has bought himself time by selling some loads of pigs , aborting piglets and euthanising about 600 underweight animals .
But he estimates that within weeks , he may have to put down 10,000 market-weight pigs .
`` On the same day that we 're euthanising pigs - and it 's a horrible day - is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 miles away may not get a shipment of pork .
It 's just that the supply chain is broken at this point . ''
The first major sign of trouble came at a Sioux Falls , South Dakota , pork processing plant called Smithfield - one of the largest in the nation , responsible for about 5 % of the nation 's pork products .
Coronavirus ripped through the 3,700 workers , who have to stand extremely close together on production lines as they debone carcases and carve up huge cuts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off financial cliff Employees passed through crowded cafeterias , walkways and locker rooms together everyday for weeks after the plant 's first confirmed coronavirus case in late March .
Many knew that there were cases in the plant , but continued going to work because they needed their jobs .
`` They ca n't work at home , they have to show up , and if they do n't show up , they lose their jobs , '' says Carolyn Dimitri , associate professor of nutrition and food studies at NYU .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends upon vulnerable workers . ''
By mid-April , when the plant finally shut down under pressure from local politicians , it had become the number one Covid-19 hotspot in the country , with 644 cases tied to the factory .
Around the US , 170 meat and poultry processing facilities reported coronavirus cases .
According to the CDC , nearly 5,000 workers have fallen ill. At least 45 have died .
`` There are actual human faces tied to all the goods that [ you ] buy at the store , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a Smithfield worker in Sioux Falls .
`` Those people are being exploited . ''
Meanwhile , the outbreaks led 38 factories to cease operations for days or even weeks .
Because of the highly consolidated state of meat processing in the US , those closures led to what some analysts say could be as much as a 50 % drop in meat production .
Although President Donald Trump issued an executive order last week deeming meatpacking facilities `` critical infrastructure , '' seven more plants have shut since then .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grocery stores around the country .
The CostCo chain is limiting customers to three meat items each .
The fast food chain Wendy 's acknowledged in a statement that they 're having trouble sourcing enough beef .
And for farmers who have pigs ready for slaughter , there are no easy solutions .
Once pigs reach 350 to 400 pounds they are too large for slaughterhouse equipment .
Continuing to feed hogs that will never be sold is a drain on the farm 's bottom line .
And new piglets are being born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply have no place to put them .
All of this amounts to a huge financial hit for farmers , many of whom run small , independent operations .
`` I think a lot of farms are probably going to go out of business , '' says Dmitri .
All of this has left farmers like Boerboom in an impossible situation .
Currently he is only able to sell about 25 % of his normal loads , and now his operation of 150,000 pigs could be facing serious trouble , to say nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who make their livelihood at the farm .
`` It potentially could lead to staffing cuts or needing to work with less contract growers , which in a community like this will be a huge trickle down effect , '' he says .
`` Everything in a rural area would be impacted . ''
Boerboom is careful to say that he realises that many people are suffering due to the global pandemic .
He tries not to throw himself a `` pity party '' , he says .
At the same time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a farm to save , a situation that he acknowledges has brought him to tears .
`` Every day that you raise a pig , you 're raising it for food .
You 're raising it to put it on someone 's table , '' he says .
`` The thought that you 're gon na take what was food and just throw it away… it makes you sick to your stomach . ''

Although chicken and cattle farmers are facing a similarly paradoxical situation, as are milk and egg producers, because of the tight time frame between when a pig is born to when it is ready for slaughter, some of the most drastic actions are occurring on these farms first. According to the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, an estimated 10,000 pigs are being euthanised every day in the state.


bbc--2020-05-07--Texas governor amends lockdown and orders salon owner freed from jail

The governor of Texas has amended his lockdown executive order to free a salon owner who was jailed after refusing to close down her business .
Shelley Luther , the owner of Salon à la Mode in Dallas , was jailed for contempt of court on Tuesday after she refused to apologise and pay a fine for staying open despite official warnings .
On Thursday , Gov Abbott said in a news release : `` Throwing Texans in jail who have had their businesses shut down through no fault of their own is nonsensical , and I will not allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is why I am modifying my executive orders to ensure confinement is not a punishment for violating an order .
This order is retroactive to April 2nd , supersedes local orders and if correctly applied should free Shelley Luther . ''
What else did the governor say ?
He said his updated order should also led to the release of Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia and Brenda Stephanie Mata , who were arrested in Laredo for allegedly selling cosmetic services from their homes .
He added : `` As some county judges advocate for releasing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of Covid-19 , it is absurd to have these business owners take their place . ''
Data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows that more new cases are being recorded each day , even as the state begins to reopen parts of its economy .
Across the state , there have been over 35,000 confirmed infections .
On Tuesday , Ms Luther was ordered to jail for one week after she defied a cease-and-desist letter and a restraining order requiring her to shut down her salon as a non-essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Judge Eric Moyé said she could avoid jail if she apologised for being selfish , shut the salon and paid a fine .
But Ms Luther refused , saying `` feeding my kids is not selfish '' .
Ms Luther was fined $ 7,000 ( £5,652 ) and was warned that she would be fined a further $ 500 a day from now until Friday if the business continued to remain open .
She was ordered to remain in jail for seven days after the judge found her guilty of contempt of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` The rule of law governs us .
People can not take it upon themselves to determine what they will and will not do . ''
A Dallas inspector and a police officer told the court that they saw clients inside getting haircuts and manicures , according to the Texas Tribune .
On 25 April , Ms Luther was pictured at a rally to reopen the state , ripping up a cease-and-desist letter that had been handed to her .
Last week , she told her followers on Facebook that she had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have other officials said ?
On Thursday , the Texas Supreme Court ordered her freed from a Dallas County jail .
`` We just thought that was way over the top , '' he told CBS .
`` It was an abuse of discretion and that the judge should not put people in jail like her who are just trying to make a living . ''
On Wednesday , Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick tweeted that he would personally pay off Ms Luther 's fine .
`` 7 days in jail , no bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he wrote .
`` No surprise Texans are responding .
I 'm covering the $ 7K fine she had to pay and I volunteer to be placed under House Arrest so she can go to work and feed her kids . ''
Also on Wednesday , Ms Luther receiving a show of support from former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin , who visited the salon on her way to Austin , Texas , to visit her daughter .

Ms Luther was fined $7,000 (£5,652) and was warned that she would be fined a further $500 a day from now until Friday if the business continued to remain open. She was ordered to remain in jail for seven days after the judge found her guilty of contempt of court.


bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: US unemployment claims hit 33.3 million amid virus

A further 3.2 million Americans sought unemployment benefits last week as the economic toll from the coronavirus pandemic continued to mount .
The new applications brought the total number of jobless claims since mid-March to 33.3 million- or about 20 % of the US workforce .
The number of new claims reported each week by the Department of Labor has subsided since hitting a peak of 6.9 million in March .
And the number of people collecting benefits has continued to rise , despite recent moves to start re-opening in some parts of the country .
`` The significant rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointing since it suggests few people are being recalled to work , '' said Paul Ashworth , chief US economist at Capital Economics .
Companies such as Uber , Lyft and Airbnb are amongst the firms that have announced cuts in recent weeks , as shutdowns halted significant amounts of travel .
The impact has been felt across the economy , affecting medical practices , restaurants and administrative workers among many others .
Economists say the monthly unemployment rate for April , which will be released on Friday , is likely to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months ago , the unemployment rate was at 3.5 % , a 50-year low .
Since the coronavirus has taken hold in the US , the country has suffered its worst growth numbers in a decade , the worst retail sales report on record and declines in business activity not seen since the 2008 financial crisis .
Meanwhile , weeks of elevated unemployment claims have far surpassed the prior record of 700,000 .
Food pantries have seen spikes in demand , and homeowners and renters have delayed monthly payments .
The National Multifamily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apartment owners - reported last month that nearly a third of renters did not make their full payment by the first of the month .
`` If nothing else changes and evictions continue as normal , this public health crisis will turn into a full blown homelessness crisis , '' said Matthew Desmond , a sociology professor at Princeton University who runs the Eviction Lab project .
'All of my business has been cancelled ' - Steve Becker , photographer , 62 , Chicago All of my business has been cancelled - I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm a corporate photographer , and businesses are n't doing corporate events right now , and school graduations have been delayed .
I 've had about 15 jobs cancelled .
My work normally happens in the spring and fall - a lot of corporations do n't have events over the summer , so I only have about seven months to make my income .
I have some events scheduled for October , but it 's not clear whether they 're going to go ahead .
I have n't gotten my stimulus cheque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I had applied for unemployment , but was told I did n't qualify - it 's complicated because I 'm an employee of my own company , but do n't pay myself until mid-year or the end of the year .
Fortunately my partner works .
I do miss my work - I 'm very blessed I was able to do what I enjoy and make a good living out of it .
It takes a lot of perseverance , and I miss going out and talking to people .
Economists are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gradually restart .
Retailers such as Gap have already announced plans for re-opening some stores .
Others , including J Crew and department store Neiman Marcus , have been pushed into bankruptcy .
Moody 's Investors Service has predicted that the unemployment rate could fall back to 7 % by the end of the year , but that forecast depends on the virus .
The longer the shutdown persists , the harder it will be for the economy to rebound .
`` If the US does not contain the pandemic and the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unemployment rate would rise further ... and many of the job losses that we currently view as temporary would likely become permanent , '' the firm 's analysts said .

My work normally happens in the spring and fall - a lot of corporations don't have events over the summer, so I only have about seven months to make my income. I have some events scheduled for October, but it's not clear whether they're going to go ahead.


bbc--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: Lockdown lives behind each door

Since the lockdown started , back in March , we ’ ve been telling ourselves that we ’ re “ @ @ @ @ @ .
With local Whatsapp groups offering help and support , and Thursday night ’ s @ @ @ @ @ lockdown has often felt like a collective experience .
But as our diplomatic correspondent Paul @ @ @ @ @ is rather different .
Over the past few weeks , he ’ s been finding @ @ @ @ @ of people living close to him , in south-west London .

Since the lockdown started, back in March, we’ve been telling ourselves that we’re “all in this together”.
With local Whatsapp groups offering help and support, and Thursday night’s clap for carers, the lockdown has often felt like a collective experience.
But as our diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams reports, the truth is rather different.
Over the past few weeks, he’s been finding out about the lockdown lives of people living close to him, in south-west London.
Video journalist Rachael Thorn


bbc--2020-05-07--Axl Rose and Steven Mnuchin in coronavirus Twitter spat

In a competitive field , Twitter has seen one of its strangest arguments yet - a spat between Guns n ' Roses singer Axl Rose and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
It began when Rose flung an insult at Mr Mnuchin , a key figure in the US response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Mr Mnuchin then hit back , questioning the musician 's patriotism : `` What have you done for the country lately ? ''
he asked .
It did not end there .
Social media users soon noticed that a flag emoji used in the treasury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which although visually very similar to the US flag , has only one star .
The original tweet was deleted and replaced with one showing the correct flag , but not before the mistake was screen grabbed and shared .
Rose mocked Mr Mnuchin for the mix-up , saying he had n't realised `` we 're hoping to emulate Liberia 's economic model but… unlike this admin [ istration ] I 'm not responsible for 70k+ deaths '' .
It is not clear why Rose attacked the US treasury secretary , although the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an appearance by Mr Mnuchin on Fox News .
Despite the row , however , it appears Guns n ' Roses have their admirers in the White House - their cover of Live and Let Die blasted out when President Donald Trump visited a mask plant on Tuesday .


bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Google ends plans for smart city in Toronto

Google 's sister firm Sidewalk Labs has scrapped a plan to build a smart city in Canada , citing complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic .
For several years it had pursued ambitions to build a digital-first city in Toronto `` from the internet up '' .
The project had proved controversial and Sidewalk Labs had already been forced to scale back its ambitions .
In a blog post , Mr Doctoroff said : `` As unprecedented economic uncertainty has set in around the world , and in the Toronto real estate market , it has become too difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sacrificing core parts of the plan we had developed together with Waterfront Toronto to build a truly inclusive , sustainable community .
`` I believe the ideas we have developed over the last two-and-a-half years will represent a meaningful contribution to the work of tackling big urban problems , particularly in the areas of affordability and sustainability . ''
The vision was to have a city full of technology , from autonomous cars to innovative ways of collecting rubbish , and hundreds of sensors collecting data on air quality and the movements of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built in radical new ways , and cycle lanes would be heated .
But some questioned how Sidewalk Labs had won the contract .
When it emerged that it planned to develop a much larger site than originally stated , a lobby group of citizens opposing the plans emerged , asking why they would want to be `` lab rats '' in a digital experiment .
An independent panel was set up to scrutinise its plans and released a report suggesting some of its ideas were `` tech for tech 's sake '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was eventually given a tentative green light to continue its plan , but it was heavily scaled back from the 190-acre site it wanted to work with to a 12-acre piece of land .
It was also told that any data it collected from its sensors would have to become a public asset .
Stephen Diamond is chairman of Waterfront Toronto , the body set up to oversee development of the site .
Reacting to Sidewalk 's announcement , he said : `` While this is not the outcome we had hoped for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Sidewalk Labs for its vision , effort and the many commitments that both the company and its employees have made to the future of Toronto .
`` Quayside remains an excellent opportunity to explore innovative solutions to affordable housing , improved mobility , climate change and several other urban challenges that Toronto - and cities around the world - must address in order to continue to grow and succeed . ''
In his blog , Dan Doctoroff said the firm continued to invest in start-ups `` working on everything from robotic furniture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to work internally on factory-made mass timber construction that can improve housing affordability ''

Reacting to Sidewalk's announcement, he said: "While this is not the outcome we had hoped for, Waterfront Toronto offers thanks and appreciation to Sidewalk Labs for its vision, effort and the many commitments that both the company and its employees have made to the future of Toronto.


bbc--2020-05-07--US Supreme Court overturns 'Bridgegate' convictions

The US Supreme Court has overturned the convictions of two state officials who were jailed for their role in the Bridgegate political revenge plot .
The aides to then-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had arranged a bridge traffic jam to target a mayor who did not endorse Mr Christie 's re-election .
But the court unanimously ruled that , as the scheme did not aim to obtain money or property , it was not fraud .
Former aide Bridget Anne Kelly and former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey deputy executive director Bill Baroni were convicted on nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Prosecutors said the 2013 plan to shut down the George Washington Bridge was a way of exacting revenge on a local mayor who refused to back Mr Christie in his re-election bid .
The unannounced closures to 12 toll lanes on the bridge - an entry point to Manhattan - caused a monumental traffic jam for four days .
Only one lane was available to commuters .
Justice Elena Kagan , who wrote the court 's opinion , said that the aides `` jeapordised the safety of the town 's residents '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state or local officials is a federal crime '' .
• The fall and fall of Chris Christie Both officials had testified in court that the governor had known about the lane closures on the country 's busiest bridge in advance .
Mr Christie has said he had no prior knowledge of their plan and was never charged .
Lawyers for Ms Kelly had said the plot was for a political motive , not fraud , and that prosecutors had overreached in their charges .
Ms Kelly did not serve her 13-month sentence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Court last year .
Mr Baroni had begun serving his 18-month prison term but was released when the top court took up the appeal .
Mr Christie called the decision a `` complete exoneration '' for his team , criticising Obama-era justice officials for prosecutorial misconduct .
`` As many contended from the beginning , and as the Court confirmed today , no federal crimes were ever committed in this matter by anyone in my administration , '' he said , adding that `` justice has finally been done '' .
Mr Christie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a predetermined and biased outcome '' and had `` violated the oath sworn by every member of the Department of Justice '' .
Ms Kelly said in a statement to Reuters : `` While this may finally have made this case right for me , it does not absolve those who should have truly been held accountable . ''
A lawyer for Mr Baroni said his client was `` heartened that the system ultimately worked '' , Reuters reported .
What did the Supreme Court say ?
The court noted that the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under federal statutes against wire fraud and fraud on federally funded programmes - both of which target schemes to obtain money or property .
`` The evidence the jury heard no doubt shows wrongdoing- deception , corruption , abuse of power , '' Justice Kagan wrote , adding that the fraud laws `` do not criminalise all such conduct '' .
`` The realignment of the toll lanes was an exercise of regulatory power - something this Court has already held fails to meet the statutes ' property requirement .
`` And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost of that regulation , rather than itself an object of the officials ' scheme .
We therefore reverse the convictions . ''

"As many contended from the beginning, and as the Court confirmed today, no federal crimes were ever committed in this matter by anyone in my administration," he said, adding that "justice has finally been done".


bbc--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Russian hospital staff 'working without masks'

As coronavirus spreads more widely in Russia ’ s provinces , hospitals - often old and ill-equipped - have become @ @ @ @ @ .
The number of medical workers getting sick , and dying , is growing .
@ @ @ @ @ was a shortage of PPE and ordered an increase in production .
But even now @ @ @ @ @ are scared to complain publicly about having to work without proper protection .

As coronavirus spreads more widely in Russia’s provinces, hospitals - often old and ill-equipped - have become infection "hot spots". The number of medical workers getting sick, and dying, is growing.
President Putin admitted that there was a shortage of PPE and ordered an increase in production. But even now, many Russian healthcare staff are scared to complain publicly about having to work without proper protection.
Video by Sarah Rainsford, Elizaveta Vereykina, Liza Shuvalova, Anton Chicherov.


bbc--2020-05-07--Serkis: ‘Hobbit reading will take you on an adventure’

Andy Serkis has told BBC Radio 5 Live why he wanted to do a continuous live reading of The Hobbit @ @ @ @ @ will read JRR Tolkien 's 1937 novel from start to end , breaking only to @ @ @ @ @ Money raised will be split between NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings .
Speaking to @ @ @ @ @ “ I just thought , everyone is under such stressful conditions ...
I wanted to @ @ @ @ @ [ that ] , of taking people on an adventure.
” His reading will take @ @ @ @ @ bank holiday Friday , with streaming details to follow via his Hobbitathon Covid-19 Go Fund @ @ @

Andy Serkis has told BBC Radio 5 Live why he wanted to do a continuous live reading of The Hobbit online.
The Gollum actor will read JRR Tolkien's 1937 novel from start to end, breaking only to nip to the loo.
Money raised will be split between NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings.
Speaking to Nihal Arthanayake he said: “I just thought, everyone is under such stressful conditions... I wanted to find some way of alleviating [that], of taking people on an adventure.”
His reading will take place from 10:00 BST on bank holiday Friday, with streaming details to follow via his Hobbitathon Covid-19 Go Fund Me Page.