bbc--2020-04-26--'I was just lost. I was confused & overthinking' - Gauff, Medvedev and other tennis players open up

`` I was just lost .
I was confused and overthinking if this is what I wanted .
It took many moments sitting , thinking and crying . ''
Months before the Wimbledon breakthrough which propelled her to global stardom last summer , teenage phenomenon Coco Gauff reveals a `` dark mindset '' almost led to a year-long break from tennis .
Reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu discusses `` feeling worthless '' as she too struggled to cope with being a rising young star .
Britain 's Katie Swan talks about the impact of her coach 's son needing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window .
This platform to open up has been created by fellow professional Noah Rubin , allowing players from across the world to reveal their most personal stories - whatever the subject matter .
The 'Behind The Racquet ' project is inspired by Humans of New York - a revealing photoblog of the city 's residents now tracked by millions of social media users worldwide .
Current stars , former professionals and celebrity fans - including British comedian Miranda Hart - pose behind the strings of a racquet .
Accompanying the striking image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been challenging for them .
`` This has never really been done before , something that shows what these people , who are thought of as having perfect lives or doing really well because they are professional players , are really going through , '' Rubin , who won the 2014 Wimbledon junior title and is seeking to fulfil his promise on the ATP Tour , told BBC Sport .
`` You really get an understanding of what they 're going through on a day-to-day basis , what their thought process is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are feeling , how their family is , just how difficult tennis is . ''
Gauff , who recently turned 16 , shared her innermost thoughts with fellow American Rubin earlier this month , discussing the challenges she has faced as a teenage phenomenon .
Spanish player Roberto Bautista Agut laid bare the struggles of losing both his parents .
His mother unexpectedly died days before the 2018 French Open .
His father , paralysed after an accident at his horse stables in 2016 , died while Agut was helping their nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Stories are varied .
Each are extremely personal .
Former French Open finalist Robin Soderling shot to stardom by beating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2009 .
Two years later , aged 27 , the Swede developed glandular fever and did not play again professionally before retiring in 2015 , an experience which he says took `` a major toll '' on his mind .
Madison Keys , the 2017 US Open runner-up , reveals an eating disorder left her living off three low-calorie bars a day , while Belgian player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a teenage training camp left her `` alone '' and crying in her room `` day after day '' .
`` It is incredible to hear everybody opening up .
I never really imagined , even though I wanted to , actually getting people around the world on the same platform sharing their stories , '' said 24-year-old Rubin .
`` It is the first step in bringing people together , uniting the players on a deeper front and connecting the fans and the players , bringing a new sense of interpersonal relation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to influence change in a sport which he says is `` very tough on the body and the mind '' .
Some Behind the Racquet stories detail the impact of personal issues crossing over into sport , others talk about the strains of tennis ' existing framework having an effect on their health .
Rubin is one of many who believe a fundamental overhaul of the sport is needed - to help improve the mental wellbeing of the players , as well as for its own survival .
`` The seasons are way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long , '' said the world number 225 .
`` And for a certain amount players , if you do n't play and get x amount of money you ca n't pay the expenses for that week .
Not only that but you ca n't save or make sure that week after week you 're able to feed yourself or your families .
`` In terms of the sport , it is not fan-friendly , it is not promotable , it is not TV-friendly .
There are so many issues . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its players - physical and mental - are its `` number one priority '' , adding individual counselling and support is available both remotely and at tournaments .
The ATP said it was `` continually looking to build on its duty of care towards its players '' and had recently carried out a review of this area with players , team members and industry experts .
Financing a professional playing career , which brings the associated expenditure of international travel , coaches and physios , can be hard .
It can often trigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who may be without support from their national federation and lucrative sponsorship deals .
In his recent Behind the Racquet post , Russia 's world number five Daniil Medvedev says after defeats as a young player he could only think about `` the extra dollars '' he could have made if he had won .
Medvedev , who was beaten by Rafael Nadal in last year 's epic US Open final , eventually found a way to a more comfortable existence .
Many others can not .
`` That is where the snowball @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you lose and do n't make enough money in the sport , you ca n't afford to travel with someone , then you 're dealing with failure and financial loss on your own , '' said Rubin .
`` It can put you in a worse place which then leads to more losses and it goes in a circle . ''
The financial pressure on lower-ranked players has come into sharp focus since the ATP and WTA Tours were suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Patrick Mouratoglou , the coach of 23-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the enforced break has illustrated how `` dysfunctional '' tennis is .
In a strongly-worded open letter , the Frenchman drew attention to the financial hardship of those outside the top 100 , describing the gulf between the leading players and the rest as `` revolting '' .
The ATP and WTA , in conjunction with the third governing body , the ITF , and the four Grand Slams , have responded to the pandemic with a package of financial assistance for lower-ranked players expected to total $ 6m .
Leading stars Novak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have launched a separate fund for their fellow ATP professionals .
`` We have got to a point where a pandemic has highlighted the issues we were worried about with a magnifying glass , '' said Rubin .
`` I know players around my ranking who in two months from now will be worried about rent .
I know players who are ranked 250 to 300 who are worried about rent today .
`` We 're very concerned .
There are mental health problems that stem from this .
`` You 're home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person , you do n't know if you 're going to make money or what the state of tennis will be when we come back .
Rubin formulated the concept of Behind The Racquet during a sleepless night after arriving home from playing in Australia , After inspiration struck at 3am , he acquired the name of his new project on Instagram , Twitter and Facebook .
Within three days he had posted for the first time .
Little over a year later , Behind The Racquet has over 35,000 followers across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and clothing range as Rubin aims to build the brand .
Rubin pauses as he recalls one story , which he says still gives him `` chills '' .
`` It was Jolene Watanabe , who was a top-100 player and played in the Grand Slams in the 1990s .
She had cancer , was in remission , and I thought she was going to make it .
`` Then I got a message from her husband on Instagram saying ' I just want you to know she is saying her final goodbyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much appreciated if you could post her story ' .
`` To hear that they 're going through something where she 's not going to make it and he was thinking he wanted me to post her story on Behind The Racquet so people could know about it , be a part of it and inspire them ... it leaves me speechless .
`` To have that kind of impact was something I could not have fathomed , especially this early on , and that 's why I keep pushing on .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pave a way for tennis players that , in five or 10 years from now , are saying 'this is better because of Behind The Racquet ' . ''
This is an updated version of a story previously published in December 2019 .

Noah Rubin (centre) has captured the stories of Grand Slam finalists Bianca Andreescu, Petra Kvitova and Madison Keys (top row), comedian Miranda Hart and LMFAO singer Redfoo (middle row), plus British players Heather Watson, Cameron Norrie and Katie Swan (bottom row)
"I was just lost. I was confused and overthinking if this is what I wanted. It took many moments sitting, thinking and crying."
Months before the Wimbledon breakthrough which propelled her to global stardom last summer, teenage phenomenon Coco Gauff reveals a "dark mindset" almost led to a year-long break from tennis.
Reigning US Open champion Bianca Andreescu discusses "feeling worthless" as she too struggled to cope with being a rising young star.
Britain's Katie Swan talks about the impact of her coach's son needing life-saving surgery after falling through a glass window.
This platform to open up has been created by fellow professional Noah Rubin, allowing players from across the world to reveal their most personal stories - whatever the subject matter.
Mental health issues. Sexuality. Financial worries. Injury. Death.
The 'Behind The Racquet' project is inspired by Humans of New York - a revealing photoblog of the city's residents now tracked by millions of social media users worldwide.
Current stars, former professionals and celebrity fans - including British comedian Miranda Hart - pose behind the strings of a racquet. Accompanying the striking image is emotive detail about an issue which has been challenging for them.
"This has never really been done before, something that shows what these people, who are thought of as having perfect lives or doing really well because they are professional players, are really going through," Rubin, who won the 2014 Wimbledon junior title and is seeking to fulfil his promise on the ATP Tour, told BBC Sport.
"You really get an understanding of what they're going through on a day-to-day basis, what their thought process is, what their mentality is, how they are feeling, how their family is, just how difficult tennis is."
quote There were people in my life who would see me on TV and tell me I was fat. I struggled for almost two years which led to issues with depression. I completely shut my friends and mom out of my life Madison Keys 2017 US Open finalist
Gauff, who recently turned 16, shared her innermost thoughts with fellow American Rubin earlier this month, discussing the challenges she has faced as a teenage phenomenon.
Spanish player Roberto Bautista Agut laid bare the struggles of losing both his parents. His mother unexpectedly died days before the 2018 French Open. His father, paralysed after an accident at his horse stables in 2016, died while Agut was helping their nation win last year's Davis Cup finals.
Stories are varied. Each are extremely personal.
Former French Open finalist Robin Soderling shot to stardom by beating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2009. Two years later, aged 27, the Swede developed glandular fever and did not play again professionally before retiring in 2015, an experience which he says took "a major toll" on his mind.
Madison Keys, the 2017 US Open runner-up, reveals an eating disorder left her living off three low-calorie bars a day, while Belgian player Alison van Uytvanck says being bullied at a teenage training camp left her "alone" and crying in her room "day after day".
"It is incredible to hear everybody opening up. I never really imagined, even though I wanted to, actually getting people around the world on the same platform sharing their stories," said 24-year-old Rubin.
"It is the first step in bringing people together, uniting the players on a deeper front and connecting the fans and the players, bringing a new sense of interpersonal relation."
The New Yorker is determined to influence change in a sport which he says is "very tough on the body and the mind".
Some Behind the Racquet stories detail the impact of personal issues crossing over into sport, others talk about the strains of tennis' existing framework having an effect on their health.
Rubin is one of many who believe a fundamental overhaul of the sport is needed - to help improve the mental wellbeing of the players, as well as for its own survival.
"The seasons are way too long and the matches are too long," said the world number 225.
"And for a certain amount players, if you don't play and get x amount of money you can't pay the expenses for that week. Not only that but you can't save or make sure that week after week you're able to feed yourself or your families.
"In terms of the sport, it is not fan-friendly, it is not promotable, it is not TV-friendly. There are so many issues."
The WTA says the health and safety of its players - physical and mental - are its "number one priority", adding individual counselling and support is available both remotely and at tournaments.
The ATP said it was "continually looking to build on its duty of care towards its players" and had recently carried out a review of this area with players, team members and industry experts.
Financing a professional playing career, which brings the associated expenditure of international travel, coaches and physios, can be hard.
It can often trigger mental health issues for lower-ranked players, who may be without support from their national federation and lucrative sponsorship deals.
Noah Rubin launched Behind The Racquet with a post on 19 January 2019 where he revealed his "most daunting fear" was letting down family and friends
In his recent Behind the Racquet post, Russia's world number five Daniil Medvedev says after defeats as a young player he could only think about "the extra dollars" he could have made if he had won.
Medvedev, who was beaten by Rafael Nadal in last year's epic US Open final, eventually found a way to a more comfortable existence. Many others cannot.
"That is where the snowball effect is for many players. If you lose and don't make enough money in the sport, you can't afford to travel with someone, then you're dealing with failure and financial loss on your own," said Rubin.
"It can put you in a worse place which then leads to more losses and it goes in a circle."
The financial pressure on lower-ranked players has come into sharp focus since the ATP and WTA Tours were suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Patrick Mouratoglou, the coach of 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, says the enforced break has illustrated how "dysfunctional" tennis is.
In a strongly-worded open letter, the Frenchman drew attention to the financial hardship of those outside the top 100, describing the gulf between the leading players and the rest as "revolting".
The ATP and WTA, in conjunction with the third governing body, the ITF, and the four Grand Slams, have responded to the pandemic with a package of financial assistance for lower-ranked players expected to total $6m.
Leading stars Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have launched a separate fund for their fellow ATP professionals.
"We have got to a point where a pandemic has highlighted the issues we were worried about with a magnifying glass," said Rubin.
"I know players around my ranking who in two months from now will be worried about rent. I know players who are ranked 250 to 300 who are worried about rent today.
"We're very concerned. There are mental health problems that stem from this.
"You're home alone, or perhaps with one other person, you don't know if you're going to make money or what the state of tennis will be when we come back.
"It's unsettling and unstable."
quote I had dark times where I didn't know if I was going to make it as a tennis player. This world of Behind The Racquet has opened up my eyes and helped take some pressure off the world of tennis Noah Rubin
How the project began...
Rubin formulated the concept of Behind The Racquet during a sleepless night after arriving home from playing in Australia,
After inspiration struck at 3am, he acquired the name of his new project on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Within three days he had posted for the first time.
Little over a year later, Behind The Racquet has over 35,000 followers across the three platforms, along with a podcast and clothing range as Rubin aims to build the brand.
Rubin pauses as he recalls one story, which he says still gives him "chills".
"It was Jolene Watanabe, who was a top-100 player and played in the Grand Slams in the 1990s. She had cancer, was in remission, and I thought she was going to make it.
"Then I got a message from her husband on Instagram saying 'I just want you to know she is saying her final goodbyes right now and it would be very much appreciated if you could post her story'.
"To hear that they're going through something where she's not going to make it and he was thinking he wanted me to post her story on Behind The Racquet so people could know about it, be a part of it and inspire them... it leaves me speechless.
"To have that kind of impact was something I could not have fathomed, especially this early on, and that's why I keep pushing on.
"What I'm trying to do is pave a way for tennis players that, in five or 10 years from now, are saying 'this is better because of Behind The Racquet'."
This is an updated version of a story previously published in December 2019.


bbc--2020-04-26--'You win us a Super Bowl and we'll discuss Tampa Brady' - mayor apologises for park removal

One minute Tom Brady is being thrown out of a Tampa park , the next the city 's mayor is cheerfully apologising and hinting the area could one day be renamed if the quarterback delivers .
It would appear the 42-year-old 's new home city is keen to ensure all parties get off on the right foot .
No sooner had Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than he was asked to leave a park in the area during a workout because of the city 's coronavirus shutdown .
Still , if you 've won the Super Bowl six times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest of all time ( GOAT ) , people will go out of their way to make you feel at home .
In a witty letter , the city 's major Jane Castor wrote : `` Tom , my apologies for the miscommunication when you arrived - not the best first impression .
`` But given my law enforcement background , I could n't help but have someone investigate the sighting of a GOAT running wild in one of our beautiful city parks .
No harm - no foul and thanks for being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 20-year spell with the New England Patriots to join Tampa Bay , who have also signed his former team-mate Rob Gronkowski for the 2020 season .
Gronkowski , who has openly discussed his love of partying , was also addressed in the letter and politely warned : `` Just remember : 'No Shirt , No Shoes , No Service ' is still in effect around here . ''
Tampa will host Super Bowl 55 on 7 February 2021 , so Castor simply asked the pair : `` So let 's gets serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 55 ?
It is our aim to be the first team to win a Super Bowl in our own back yard .
We dream big and set the bar high around here , more importantly , we get things done . ''
And Brady , it seems , now has new motivation .
The four-time most valuable player in the Super Bowl has reportedly sought to trademark the terms TOMPA BAY and TAMPA BRADY in recent weeks .
It appears , with success , the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing off her letter , mayor Castor wrote : `` PS - Tom , it 's Tampa Bay .
You win us a Super Bowl and we 'll discuss Tampa Brady . ''

One minute Tom Brady is being thrown out of a Tampa park, the next the city's mayor is cheerfully apologising and hinting the area could one day be renamed if the quarterback delivers.
It would appear the 42-year-old's new home city is keen to ensure all parties get off on the right foot.
No sooner had Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than he was asked to leave a park in the area during a workout because of the city's coronavirus shutdown.
Still, if you've won the Super Bowl six times and are regarded as one of the greatest of all time (GOAT), people will go out of their way to make you feel at home.
In a witty letter, external-link the city's major Jane Castor wrote: "Tom, my apologies for the miscommunication when you arrived - not the best first impression.
"But given my law enforcement background, I couldn't help but have someone investigate the sighting of a GOAT running wild in one of our beautiful city parks. No harm - no foul and thanks for being a good sport."
Tampa Brady? Maybe...
Brady ended a 20-year spell with the New England Patriots to join Tampa Bay, who have also signed his former team-mate Rob Gronkowski for the 2020 season.
Gronkowski, who has openly discussed his love of partying, was also addressed in the letter and politely warned: "Just remember: 'No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service' is still in effect around here."
Tampa will host Super Bowl 55 on 7 February 2021, so Castor simply asked the pair: "So let's gets serious, how can we help you guys win the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 55? It is our aim to be the first team to win a Super Bowl in our own back yard. We dream big and set the bar high around here, more importantly, we get things done."
And Brady, it seems, now has new motivation.
The four-time most valuable player in the Super Bowl has reportedly sought to trademark the terms TOMPA BAY and TAMPA BRADY external-link in recent weeks.
It appears, with success, the door may be open for change.
After signing off her letter, mayor Castor wrote: "PS - Tom, it's Tampa Bay. You win us a Super Bowl and we'll discuss Tampa Brady."


bbc--2020-04-26--Pardew says suggestion he will receive bonus for avoiding Eredivisie relegation is 'nonsense'

Alan Pardew says reports stating he will receive a bonus payment for avoiding relegation with Den Haag are `` nonsense '' .
The Dutch Eredivisie season was abandoned on Friday because of coronavirus with no sides relegated .
Den Haag were seven points from safety , prompting reports he will get a £100,000 bonus for keeping them up .
`` If I formally was entitled to a bonus , I would never want to receive it , '' he said in a club statement .
`` In this difficult period , I would always return any bonus to the club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destination for it . ''
Pardew joined Den Haag in December and had taken charge of eight league games - winning one - before play was halted in the Netherlands on 12 March .
On Friday , Dutch authorities announced the league season would end with no champions being named for the first time since the Eredivisie was formed in 1956 .
No sides will be relegated and none promoted .
The move to end the season followed government guidelines stating mass gatherings could not take place until September .
In the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were 11 points above the play-off places with De Graafschap four points behind them in second .
Cambuur head coach Henk de Jong said ending the season felt like `` the biggest disgrace in the history of Dutch sport '' .
Pardew added : `` Of course there is relief , but modesty is appropriate at this moment .
`` Although we still had the belief we could accomplish our mission , we were not doing well and will never know if we would have succeeded .
But because we did not know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ badly , I do not think another outcome for Den Haag was right .
`` Although it is important that our club stays where it belongs , we count our blessings and understand the frustrations at Cambuur and De Graafschap . ''
Pardew has been staying at his Sussex home in recent weeks but remained in contact with his players .
His contract with the club is due to expire in June .
`` I hope to be able to come to The Hague again soon , '' he added .
`` There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at that time .
It is clear for me that I have not regretted my switch to Den Haag for a second .
It is a wonderful club , with very committed and loyal fans . ''

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Pardew took charge of ADO Den Haag in December
Alan Pardew says reports stating he will receive a bonus payment for avoiding relegation with Den Haag are "nonsense".
The Dutch Eredivisie season was abandoned on Friday because of coronavirus with no sides relegated.
Den Haag were seven points from safety, prompting reports he will get a £100,000 bonus for keeping them up.
"If I formally was entitled to a bonus, I would never want to receive it," he said in a club statement.
"In this difficult period, I would always return any bonus to the club, which will certainly find a good destination for it."
Pardew joined Den Haag in December and had taken charge of eight league games - winning one - before play was halted in the Netherlands on 12 March.
On Friday, Dutch authorities announced the league season would end with no champions being named for the first time since the Eredivisie was formed in 1956. No sides will be relegated and none promoted.
The move to end the season followed government guidelines stating mass gatherings could not take place until September.
In the second tier, Cambuur topped the table and were 11 points above the play-off places with De Graafschap four points behind them in second.
Cambuur head coach Henk de Jong said ending the season felt like "the biggest disgrace in the history of Dutch sport".
Pardew added: "Of course there is relief, but modesty is appropriate at this moment.
"Although we still had the belief we could accomplish our mission, we were not doing well and will never know if we would have succeeded. But because we did not know whether the season would end well or badly, I do not think another outcome for Den Haag was right.
"Although it is important that our club stays where it belongs, we count our blessings and understand the frustrations at Cambuur and De Graafschap."
Pardew has been staying at his Sussex home in recent weeks but remained in contact with his players.
His contract with the club is due to expire in June.
"I hope to be able to come to The Hague again soon," he added. "There will also be a moment of evaluation at that time. It is clear for me that I have not regretted my switch to Den Haag for a second. It is a wonderful club, with very committed and loyal fans."


bbc--2020-04-25--China and US trade conspiracy theories

China and US trade conspiracy theories

From the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak , conspiracy theories about the origin and scale of the disease were spread on online platforms .
Among these were the false claim that the virus was part of a Chinese `` covert biological weapons programme '' , and a baseless claim that a Canadian-Chinese spy team had sent coronavirus to Wuhan .
The claim that the virus was man-made has been pushed by numerous conspiracy groups on Facebook , obscure Twitter accounts and even found its way on to primetime Russian state TV .
And months into the outbreak , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but new , unverified claims have been promoted by government officials , senior politicians and media outlets in China and the US .
Zhao Lijian , a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman , has repeatedly promoted the idea - without evidence - that Covid-19 might have originated in the US .
On 12 March , he said in a tweet that it might have been the US army that brought the virus to Wuhan .
A day later , he tweeted an article by the website Global Research headlined `` Further evidence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and urged users to read and share it .
The article has since been deleted .
Chinese daily The Global Times echoed Mr Zhao 's sentiment .
While stressing the diplomat had made the claim in a `` personal capacity '' , his remarks resonated `` with similar doubts raised by the Chinese public '' , the paper said .
Mr Zhao 's claims have also been amplified by a number of Chinese embassies and social media users in different parts of the world .
• Is there any evidence for lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialist Kerry Allen said that while Mr Zhao is known for being an outspoken figure - particularly on social media - he has a different persona within mainland China and does not necessarily always represent the view of the leadership .
Founded in 2001 in Canada , Global Research is the website of the Center for Research on Globalization .
According to PolitiFact , a US-based independent fact-checking website , Global Research `` has advanced specious conspiracy theories on topics like 9/11 , vaccines and global warming '' .
The article Mr Zhao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romanoff , who reiterates the conclusion from his earlier piece - now deleted - that the virus did not originate in China .
But the Chinese research and articles in the magazine Science that he quotes do not actually call into question China being the place where the outbreak started .
Instead , they only suggest that specifically the animal market in Wuhan may not have been the origin of the new coronavirus .
Mr Romanoff also claims that Japanese and Taiwanese scientists `` have determined that the new coronavirus could have originated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusion appears to be based on a now debunked Japanese TV report from February and claims made on Taiwanese TV by a pharmacology professor-turned-politician from a pro-Beijing party who Mr Romanoff wrongly describes as a `` top virologist '' on first mention .
Mr Romanoff also claims - without evidence - that the US military germ laboratory in Fort Detrick , Maryland , may have been the original source of the virus .
He adds that `` this would not be a surprise '' since the facility was `` totally shut down '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of safeguards to prevent pathogen leakages '' .
In fact , as the New York Times reported at the time , the facility was not shut down , but only suspended its research , and a spokeswoman said there were `` no leaks of dangerous material outside the laboratory '' .
Mr Romanoff identifies himself as a `` retired management consultant and businessman '' and a `` visiting professor at Shanghai 's Fudan University , presenting case studies in international affairs to senior EMBA classes '' .
According to The Wall Street Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MBA programmes were unfamiliar with Mr Romanoff .
BBC News asked Fudan University to confirm whether Mr Romanoff had any affiliations to it as a visiting professor but did not get a response .
A frequent contributor to Global Research , most of his writings seem to be critical of the US and supportive of China , including an article in which he described the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests as an `` American-instigated colour revolution '' .
Among several other questionable claims , he told a podcast this month that during its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and did not infect peoples of other origins and racial backgrounds .
BBC News approached Mr Romanoff for comment but did not get any response .
Claims by elements in the Chinese government and media about the US being a possible origin of the virus prompted a response from US President Donald Trump who referred to Covid-19 as a `` Chinese virus '' .
And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded that China stop spreading `` disinformation '' .
President Trump recently announced that he was going to halt funding for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing it of being `` very China-centric '' .
In response , Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was `` not the time '' to cut funds to the UN agency .
But a number of US politicians and commentators have also made unfounded claims about the origin of the virus .
Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson cited a study raising the possibility that the coronavirus `` accidentally escaped from a lab in Wuhan '' .
And Republican senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz have both raised the same prospect .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` pre-print '' , or early draft , by two Chinese researchers - Botao Xiao and Lei Xiao from Guangzhou 's South China University of Technology - and was not formally peer-reviewed .
It concluded that `` the killer coronavirus probably originated from a laboratory in Wuhan '' .
But Mr Xiao has since told the Wall Street Journal that he subsequently withdrew the study .
`` The speculation about the possible origins in the post was based on published papers and media and was not supported by direct proofs , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying .
The Washington Post reported in mid-April that two science diplomats from the US embassy paid several visits to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in 2018 and warned Washington about `` inadequate safety at the lab , which was conducting risky studies on coronaviruses from bats '' .
Jeremy Konyndyk , who led the US government 's response to the Ebola outbreak , tweeted in response to reports about an accidental lab leak : `` The science does n't preclude a lab origin but does indicate it 's quite unlikely . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

But the Chinese research and articles in the magazine Science that he quotes do not actually call into question China being the place where the outbreak started. Instead, they only suggest that specifically the animal market in Wuhan may not have been the origin of the new coronavirus.


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: How long does it take to recover?

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is about to return to work after recovering from Covid-19 , but for many patients it could take a long time to get back to full health .
Recovery time will depend on how sick you became in the first place .
Some people will shrug off the illness fast , but for others it could leave lasting problems .
Age , gender and other health issues all increase the risk of becoming more seriously ill from Covid-19 .
The more invasive the treatment you receive , and the longer it is performed , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What if I have only mild symptoms ?
Most people who get Covid-19 will develop only the main symptoms - a cough or fever .
But they could experience body aches , fatigue , sore throat and headache .
The cough is initially dry , but some people will eventually start coughing up mucus containing dead lung cells killed by the virus .
These symptoms are treated with bed rest , plenty of fluids and pain relief such as paracetamol .
People with mild symptoms should make a good and speedy recovery .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week , although the cough may linger .
A World Health Organization ( WHO ) analysis of Chinese data says it takes two weeks on average to recover .
What if I have more serious symptoms ?
The disease can become much more serious for some .
This tends to happen about seven to 10 days into the infection .
The transformation can be sudden .
Breathing becomes difficult and the lungs get inflamed .
This is because although the body 's immune system is trying to fight back - it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage .
Some people will need to be in hospital for oxygen therapy .
GP Sarah Jarvis says : `` The shortness of breath may take some considerable time to improve ... the body is getting over scarring and inflammation . ''
She says it could take two to eight weeks to recover , with tiredness lingering .
What if I need intensive care ?
The WHO estimates one person in 20 will need intensive care treatment , which can include being sedated and put on a ventilator .
It will take time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive or critical care unit ( ICU ) , no matter what the illness .
Patients are moved to a regular ward before going home .
Dr Alison Pittard , Dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine , says it can take 12 to 18 months to get back to normal after any spell in critical care .
Spending a long time in a hospital bed leads to muscle mass loss .
Patients will be weak and muscle will take time to build up again .
Some people will need physiotherapy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body goes through in ICU , there 's also the possibility of delirium and psychological disorders .
`` There does seem to be an added element with this disease - viral fatigue is definitely a huge factor , '' says Paul Twose , critical care physiotherapist at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board .
There have been reports from China and Italy of whole-body weakness , shortness of breath after any level of exertion , persistent coughing and irregular breathing .
Plus needing a lot of sleep .
`` We do know patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to recover . ''
But it is hard to generalise .
Some people spend relatively short periods in critical care , while others are ventilated for weeks .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health We do n't know for sure as there is no long-term data , but we can look at other conditions .
Acute respiratory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in patients whose immune systems go into overdrive , causing damage to the lungs .
`` There is really good data that , even five years down the line , people can have ongoing physical and psychological difficulties , '' says Mr Twose .
Dr James Gill , a GP and lecturer at Warwick Medical School , says people also need mental health support to improve recovery .
`` You 're finding breathing difficult , then the doctor says 'We need to put you on a ventilator .
We need to put you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say goodbye to your family ? '
.
`` PTSD [ post-traumatic stress disorder ] in these most severe patients is not unsurprising .
There will be significant psychological scars for many . ''
There remains the possibility that even some mild cases may leave patients with long-term health problems - such as fatigue .
How many people have recovered ?
Getting an accurate figure is difficult .
As of 26 April , Johns Hopkins University reported about 820,000 people had recovered out of 2.9 million people who had been infected .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not publishing recovery figures and many mild infections will be missed .
Mathematical models have estimated between 99-99.5 % of people recover .
There has been much speculation , but little evidence , on how durable any immunity is .
If patients have successfully fought off the virus , they must have built up an immune response .
Reports of patients being infected twice may just be down to tests incorrectly recording they were free of the virus .
The immunity question is vital for understanding whether people can be reinfected and @ @ @ @ @ @ @

More than one million people around the world are known to have recovered from coronavirus, according to Johns Hopkins University. But the road back to full health is not the same for everyone.


bbc--2020-04-24--Was Sweden right to stay largely open?

Was Sweden right to stay largely open?

Sweden 's strategy to keep large parts of society open is widely backed by the public .
It has been devised by scientists and backed by government , and yet not all the country 's virologists are convinced .
There is no lockdown here .
Photos have been shared around the world of bars with crammed outdoor seating and long queues for waterfront ice cream kiosks , and yet it is a myth that life here goes on `` as normal '' .
On the face of it little has shut down .
But data suggests the vast majority of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , which is the crux of Sweden 's strategy to slow the spread of the virus .
Usage of public transport has dropped significantly , large numbers are working from home , and most refrained from travelling over the Easter weekend .
The government has also banned gatherings of more than 50 people and visits to elderly care homes .
Around 9 in 10 Swedes say they keep at least a metre away from people at least some of the time , up from seven in 10 a month ago , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Novus .
How serious is Sweden 's outbreak ?
Viewed through the eyes of the Swedish Public Health Agency , the way people have responded is one to be celebrated , albeit cautiously .
The scientists ' approach has led to weeks of global debate over whether Sweden has adopted a sensible and sustainable plan , or unwittingly plunged its population into an experiment that is causing unnecessary fatalities , and could fail to keep the spread of Covid-19 under control .
In Stockholm , the epicentre of the virus so far , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a spike at the end of this week , put down partly to increased testing .
There is still space in intensive care units and a new field hospital at a former conference venue is yet to be used .
`` To a great part , we have been able to achieve what we set out to achieve , '' says state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell .
`` Swedish healthcare keeps on working , basically with a lot of stress , but not in a way that they turn patients away . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders have fronted the national response to the crisis , Dr Tegnell has led the majority of news conferences .
His tone is typically matter of fact , with a strong focus on figures , and few mentions of the emotional impact of the crisis on victims and their families .
But the Swedish Public Health Agency has maintained high approval ratings throughout the pandemic .
Sweden 's decision to leave larger parts of society open than most of Europe came after Dr Tegnell 's team used simulations which anticipated a more limited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population size than those made by other scientists , including those behind a major report by Imperial College , London .
That report apparently swayed the UK government to introduce a lockdown .
In addition , the Swedish Public Health Agency pushed the idea early on that a large proportion of cases were likely to be mild .
But it denied its strategy was based on the overall goal of herd immunity .
A core aim was to introduce less stringent social distancing measures that could be maintained over a long period time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enable parents to keep working in key areas .
All other Nordic countries opted for stricter temporary restrictions , although some of these have since been relaxed .
• Can you compare different countries ?
• Why Denmark is taking steps to open up again What do the numbers tell us ?
Sweden , with a population of 10 million , remains amongst the top 20 in the world when it comes to the total number of cases , even though it mostly only tests those with severe symptoms .
More widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced .
It has higher death rates in relation to its population size than anywhere else in Scandinavia .
Unlike in some countries , Sweden 's statistics do include elderly care home residents , who account for around 50 % of all deaths .
Dr Tegnell admits that is a major concern .
Foreign residents , particularly those from Somalia who are more likely to live in multi-generational households , are also overrepresented in the figures .
`` There are too many people dying , '' says Claudia Hanson , an epidemiologist based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical research facility .
She is critical of the government 's approach and argues more of society should have been temporarily shut down in March while officials took stock of the situation .
Dr Hanson is among 22 scientists who wrote a damning piece in Sweden 's leading daily last week , suggesting `` officials without talent '' had been put in charge of decision-making .
But chief state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell is broadly popular in Sweden .
An experienced scientist with more than 30 years in medicine , he is known for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` He 's a low-key person .
I think people see him as a strong leader but not a very loud person , careful in what he 's saying , '' reflects Emma Frans , a Swedish epidemiologist and science writer .
`` I think that 's very comforting for many . ''
She argues that many national and international media have been `` searching for conflict '' within the scientific community , whereas she believes there is a consensus that Anders Tegnell 's approach is `` quite positive '' , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategies '' .
History will judge which countries got it right .
But the latest scientific discussion is focused on the number of Swedes who may have contracted the virus without showing any symptoms .
This is important because many scientists here believe Swedes may end up with much higher immunity levels compared with those living under stricter regulations .
A public health agency report this week suggested around a third of people in Stockholm will have been infected by the start of May .
That was later revised down to 26 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But several high-profile scientists have offered even greater numbers .
Prof Johan Giesecke , ex-chief scientist of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) , believes at least half of all Stockholmers will have caught the virus by the end of the month .
It could even be up to half the population of Sweden , suggests Stockholm University mathematician Tom Britton .
And until a vaccine is developed , epidemiologist Emma Frans says immunity will `` probably be important '' for Sweden .
`` When it comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they have shown that people get immune .
Maybe not long-term immunity , but even if we only get this kind of short-term immunity , it may be enough to stop this pandemic , '' says Dr Frans .
Why not enough is yet known The Swedish Public Health Agency believes it is still `` too early to say '' how much of an impact asymptomatic infection rates will have on protecting the general population .
`` We do n't know that much about immunity yet , '' says Dr Tegnell 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will know more as more people are tested for antibodies , but also the more time goes on , and if more accounts of re-infection etcetera are reported . ''
This uncertainty means there is no guarantee Swedes in areas with high infection rates will see social distancing recommendations lifted any time soon , he says .
What happens next in Sweden may largely depend on people carrying on with social distancing .
Some Swedes have responded with an `` outburst of nationalism '' and a `` sense of pride , for Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Prof Nicolas Aylott , a political scientist at Stockholm 's Södertorn University .
`` It sort of chimes with a rather deep seated sense of Sweden 's specialness . ''
That may encourage some Swedes to follow the recommendations but the country is by no means united .
On social media there has been vocal dissent from some foreign residents championing tougher measures .
Meanwhile , there are signs that others living in Sweden believe the worst of the crisis is over .
Mobile phone data suggests Stockholm 's residents are spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fortnight ago , and last weekend police raised concerns about overcrowding in nightlife hotspots .
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has warned it is `` not the time to relax '' and start spending more time with friends and family .
But with spring weather arriving after Sweden 's notoriously long , dark winter , that may be easier said than done .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

"When it comes to studies and other types of coronaviruses, they have shown that people get immune. Maybe not long-term immunity, but even if we only get this kind of short-term immunity, it may be enough to stop this pandemic," says Dr Frans.


bbc--2020-04-26--Tracking the global outbreak

Tracking the global outbreak

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than 2.8 million confirmed cases of coronavirus now in 185 countries .
At least 200,000 people have died .
The United States has more than four times as many confirmed cases as any other country .
This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year .
How many deaths and recoveries have there been ?
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan , China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rapidly in many countries and the number of deaths is still climbing .
The US has by far the largest number of cases , with more than 900,000 confirmed infections , according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
This is more than 10 times the official number reported by China .
The US also has the world 's highest death toll , with more than 50,000 fatalities .
Spain , Italy , France and the UK - the worst-hit European countries - have all recorded more than 20,000 deaths .
Note @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a three day rolling average In China , the official death toll is just over 4,600 from about 84,000 confirmed cases .
Numbers for deaths jumped on 17 April after what officials called `` a statistical review '' .
Critics of the Chinese government have questioned whether the country 's official numbers can be trusted .
The country 's authorities have now lifted many of the stringent measures they brought in to bring the disease under control , including a ban on all travel to and from Wuhan - the first place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus 's discovery late last year , the outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
While more than 2.8 million people are known to have been infected worldwide , the true figure is thought to be much higher as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
While some countries are now beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought to have passed , such as in Europe and South Africa , others are only now starting to impose them as cases and deaths begin to rise .
Across Latin America , where many economies are already struggling and millions live on what they can earn day-to-day , there are concerns about the strain the growing number of virus cases could put on health care systems .
Of particular concern are Ecuador and Brazil .
Ecuador has already seen its health system collapse - thousands have died from the virus and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the crisis .
Mortuaries and morgues have been overwhelmed .
The country 's authorities confirmed on Thursday that the country 's coronavirus case total was twice as high as previously confirmed , with authorities adding 11,000 new infections that resulted from delayed testing .
Others suspect the numbers are much higher still .
Brazil has also seen a steep rise in both cases and deaths , with every state in South America 's largest country affected .
But there are fears that the country 's official numbers do not reflect the true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local authorities have imposed measures to try to prevent the virus 's spread but Brazil 's President Jair Bolsonaro has come under criticism for his own response , most recently for attending an anti-lockdown rally .
Across the world , more than 4.5 billion people - half the world 's population - are estimated to be now living under social distancing measures to slow the pandemic , according to the AFP news agency .
Among them Muslims beginning to observe the holy month of Ramadan in isolation .
The impact of this global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s , the International Monetary Fund has said .
And the UN World Food Programme has warned the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health Italy and Spain remain the worst affected countries after the US , although the slowing of infection rates appears to show the success of social distancing , Spain has more than 219,000 confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Italy has the second highest death toll of nearly 26,000 .
Both countries have been in lockdown since early March , however some quarantine measures are starting to be relaxed .
Italy has started to allow certain shops to reopen and Spanish children , who have been kept indoors at home since 14 March , are expected to be allowed outside from 26 April .
In the UK , there are now more than 148,000 confirmed cases and 20,319 deaths .
Like Spain , deaths in the UK grew rapidly at first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the rate of increase has slowed , the British government has ruled out lifting lockdown measures until at least early May .
Other European countries easing restrictions include Germany , Austria , Denmark and the Czech Republic .
Despite this , German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the German parliament this was `` not the end phase but still just the beginning '' and the WHO has warned that lockdowns must be lifted slowly and carefully .
A plan for injecting billions of euros of emergency aid into Europe 's battered economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meeting via video , they agreed to set up a massive recovery fund to mobilise €1tn of investment .
They also confirmed that €540bn ( £470bn ) of financial support would be released from 1 June .
New York remains epicentre of US outbreak With more than 900,000 cases , the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world .
The country has also recorded more than 50,000 deaths of people with the virus .
The state of New York has been particularly badly affected , with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , State Governor Andrew Cuomo has said the toll `` seems to be on a gentle decline '' , with deaths over the first four days of the last week down a third on the same period the week before .
Elsewhere in the US , three states , including Georgia , Oklahoma and Alaska have lifted some of the lockdown restrictions , although customers visiting newly reopened businesses will still be expected to maintain social distancing measures .
Georgia , which has one of the fastest reopening timetables in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spas , hair and nail salons , as well as tattoo parlours and other personal care businesses to resume operations .
From Monday , dine-in restaurants and theatres will also be allowed to open .
The economic ravages of the pandemic were brought into sharp focus on Thursday by official unemployment figures that showed over 26 million Americans have filed for jobless claims in the last five weeks .
The US Congress has passed a relief package totalling $ 484bn ( £391bn ) , the fourth aid bill to clear Congress in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal spending on Covid-19-related help to $ 3tn .
US President Donald Trump , meanwhile , was criticised by the medical community after suggesting research should be done into whether coronavirus might be treated by injecting disinfectant into the body .
Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested .
Even external exposure can be dangerous to the skin , eyes and respiratory system .

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This information is regularly updated but may not reflect the latest totals for each country.
** The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average. Due to revisions in the number of cases, an average cannot be calculated for this date.
Source: Johns Hopkins University and national public health agencies


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Italy's PM outlines lockdown easing measures

Italy has outlined plans to ease the strict restrictions imposed seven weeks ago to curb the spread of the coronavirus as it recorded its lowest daily death toll since mid-March .
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said curbs would be eased from 4 May , with people being allowed to visit their relatives in small numbers , in masks .
Parks will reopen , but schools will not restart classes until September .
The country recorded 260 new deaths on Sunday , the lowest daily figure since 14 March .
It has confirmed 197,675 cases of the virus , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is tracking the disease globally .
The number of cases has been falling , and authorities now believe Italy 's contagion rate - the number of people each person with the virus infects - is low enough to justify a cautious easing of curbs .
What has been announced ?
Speaking on television , Mr Conte outlined how the country would begin `` Phase Two '' of lifting its coronavirus lockdown .
The measures include : • People will be allowed to move around their own regions - but not between different regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but with a maximum of 15 people attending , and ideally to be carried out outdoors • Individual athletes can resume training , and people can do sports not only in the vicinity of their homes but in wider areas • Bars and restaurants will reopen for takeaway service from 4 May ( not just delivery as now ) , but food must be consumed at home or in an office • Hairdressers , beauty salons , bars and restaurants are expected to reopen for dine-in service from 1 June • More retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easing measures will reopen on 18 May - along with museums and libraries • Sports teams will also be able to hold group training from 18 May There was no announcement on the possibility of Italy 's premier football league Serie A resuming , even behind closed doors .
Mr Conte stressed that social distancing measures would need to continue for months to come , and said church services would remain banned .
He urged people to stay a metre ( 3ft ) away from each other .
`` If we do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , the deaths will increase , and we will have irreversible damage to our economy , '' the prime minister said .
`` If you love Italy , keep your distance . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • UNDERSTAND : The outbreak around the world • VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
What is the background ?
Italians have been living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , with everyone required to remain within a few streets of their door .
The country brought in very limited easing of its virus control measures on 14 April , permitting some small shops - including bookstores , dry cleaners and stationers - to reopen .
The businesses chosen were deemed to be lower risk as they rarely attract crowds .
This is a roadmap to reopening and a taste of freedom for a country that has endured hell , but it could take years for it to recover , the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If infections show an increase again , the government will have powers to intervene to reintroduce certain restrictions , our correspondent adds .

"If we do not respect the precautions the curve will go up, the deaths will increase, and we will have irreversible damage to our economy," the prime minister said. "If you love Italy, keep your distance."


bbc--2020-04-26--More US states begin lifting virus lockdown orders

More US states are beginning to lift lockdown orders even as US leaders say social distancing guidelines will be necessary throughout the summer .
But governors warn that life will not quickly return to normal , and that restrictions will remain in some places to keep the virus from resurging .
On Friday , the US saw its largest single-day spike in cases .
But the infection rate has dropped significantly in several hotspots , including New York , the US epicentre .
As of Sunday , the US has over 940,000 recorded coronavirus cases , according to Johns Hopkins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Public health experts warn that lifting restrictions too soon could cause a second wave of infections .
The decision to end mandatory orders comes as over 26m Americans seek unemployment protection , and the jobless rate climbs to around 16 % of the population .
Even as state governors allow orders to expire , some city mayors have issued their own separate plans to end local lockdowns rules .
• Why was top Republican likened to Marie Antoinette ?
At one point , over 90 % of the US population was under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began lifting orders over the weekend allowing some Americans to return to hair salons and tattoo parlours .
Georgia , Oklahoma , Alaska and South Carolina have already allowed some businesses to reopen .
They and other states have issued plans that call for more rules to be relaxed in the coming week .
Colorado 's Democratic Governor Jared Polis has said kerb-side retail pickup can begin on Monday , with hair salons , barbershop and tattoo parlours allowed to reopen on Friday .
Tennessee will allow restaurants to reopen on Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown order expires .
Montana 's governor has allowed churches to reopen starting on Sunday , with social distancing measures still required .
Restaurants and schools will be allowed to reopen on 7 May .
Eight states led by Republican governors - Arkansas , Iowa , Nebraska , North Dakota , Oklahoma , South Dakota , Utah and Wyoming - never issued mandatory orders to stay at home .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California kept ahead of the curve • ON @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis What have officials said ?
On Sunday , White House coronavirus taskforce co-ordinator Dr Deborah Birx said social distancing will remain the norm `` through the summer to really ensure that we protect one another as we move through these phases '' .
Her comments come after Vice-President Mike Pence said the virus would be largely `` behind us '' by the 25 May Memorial Day holiday , which signals the unofficial start of summertime in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News this weekend that new cases and deaths `` will be dramatically decreased by the end of May '' .
On Sunday , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said it would be impractical to force people to remain in their homes all throughout the summer with nothing to do .
`` There 's a sanity equation here , '' he says , pointing to reports that domestic violence , drug and alcohol abuse , and mental health problems have already increased .
The death rate has dropped in New York , with 367 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
It represents the lowest increase since 30 March .
Governor Cuomo said that transmission rates , as well as death rates , would dictate how and when the state reopens .
He added that some business sectors may be able to consider reopening after his lockdown order expires on 15 May - but only if the region has seen a two-week decline in infections as outlined by recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

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bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: The US resistance to a continued lockdown

In these times , the sight of a public gathering of hundreds of people mostly without face masks is alarming .
But that is what happened at a demonstration against the shutdown measures in Washington State .
`` We believe that the state governor has gone beyond his constitutional authority in shutting down businesses and ordering people to stay at home , '' organiser Tyler Miller says from the grounds of the state capitol .
In mid-March , Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced an emergency proclamation mirroring many issued around the world ; closing restaurants and bars and banning large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unconstitutional .
`` The state constitution says that the right of the people to peaceably assemble shall never be abridged .
We believe that the ( emergency coronavirus ) proclamations that the governor here ordered violate that , '' Mr Miller says .
Mr Miller said he was not protesting against the recommendations from the public health bodies and respected the need to 'flatten the curve ' .
`` I even self-quarantined for 14 days back at the very beginning of this myself , when I had an illness that mirrored some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The fact I am protesting does not mean I think it is a good idea to have gatherings , I just believe that the government has no authority to prohibit them . ''
• What 's behind the anti-lockdown protests in US ?
Throughout the crisis , Mr Miller has also been able to continue his work as an engineering technician with the US Navy .
He says the thing that has angered him is what he feels it is an un-American overreach of power by the Democratic governor .
At no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to `` lock down '' .
Instead , it has chosen to issue advice and leave it to the governors of each state to decide .
Minnesota is another of around 20 states that has already seen a protest , with threats of more if the stay-at-home order is not lifted .
`` I 'll tell you that demonstration was like a real kick in the teeth to us frontline health care workers , '' says Mary Turner , a nurse leader in an intensive care unit in Minnesota .
She gets emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and her colleagues are taking every day treating coronavirus patients in her state .
`` These protests here are so discouraging .
With no one doing social distancing or wearing masks , and they all say they are outraged .
I do n't know if this is a problem anywhere else in the world , '' says Mary .
The US is still very much in the grip of this crisis .
There has not yet been a sustained drop in the numbers of US deaths linked to Covid-19 and yet the clamour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from those taking to the streets but from politicians too .
`` The hysteria that surrounded the coronavirus from the beginning was disproportionate , '' says Rick Becker , of North Dakota .
`` There was an overreaction by state governments with regard to mandatory shut downs , shelter in place , and so forth , '' he says .
When it is put to the state representative that tens of thousands of people have died across the country and that it could have been many more if restrictions were not in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is something that you 're going to be able to say no matter what ; that there may have been more deaths , '' he says .
`` You 're taking the 'if it saves just one life ' argument , and I would say that if I would drive 20mph instead of 50mph , it 's possible that I might not kill somebody , and you can look at all aspects of our lives that way .
But our whole way of life in this country would collapse and we ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As well as being an elected official , Rick Becker is also a qualified doctor .
In neighbouring South Dakota , one of those who died with the coronavirus was Bob Glanzer , a state representative .
`` He was a very caring , giving , listening type of individual and certainly faith was a big part of his life .
He 's going to be sorely missed in the legislature , '' says party colleague Jean Hunhoff .
Representative Hunhoff describes how she and other legislative members lined the route of Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Dakota flags .
There were social distancing measures in place for the commemorations , even though South Dakota is one of a handful of states where a state-wide stay at home order has never been imposed .
`` I support the decisions of our governor .
She laid out guidelines and then really left the decisions up to local communities , '' says Jean Hunhoff , who also has a public health background .
• Killed by a virus he thought had been overhyped • Why US could be more at risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit so hard by virus ?
`` I am a registered nurse and I believe it is data that should drive decision making and I think we have done that here .
It is easy to stand on the outside and post judgment . ''
There has been criticism of states like South Dakota that have refused to issue state-wide shut down directives in spite of coronavirus outbreaks there .
Polls show the majority of Americans are still in favour of measures imposed to try to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ want them lifted and they often talk about personal freedoms and their opposition to government interference in people 's affairs .
`` Scepticism of the government is a deep strain in America .
It waxes and wanes - though we 're in a period where it 's been waxing for quite a while , '' says Theda Skocpol , author and professor of government and sociology at Harvard University .
With regard to the anti-shutdown protests , Professor Skocpol says it is political beliefs and not economics that have definitely been the driving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What are the symptoms ?
• LIKE 9/11 EACH DAY : A New York paramedic 's diary • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis She cautions against the notion that they are an organic reaction to the crisis , feeling instead that there is a level of national organisation .
`` You do n't see the US Chamber of Commerce in the vanguard here .
These are ideological forces at play , with some professionally run conservative advocacy groups behind the protests , '' Professor Skocpol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure Americans do n't become too trusting of government .
They do n't worry whether the motives of the people on the ground are exactly the same as theirs .
They 're probably not .
I think most of the people at the protests are just passionate Donald Trump supporters . ''
While some at the protests say they are there because they are losing money during the shutdown , Trump 2020 flags , hats and shirts have been very evident , particularly at the large demonstrations in states run by Democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look of small Trump rallies .
The politicians most vocally calling for the shutdown to be lifted now , like Dr Rick Becker of North Dakota , are mainly Republicans .
All of the governors who did not impose stay at home orders , like the governor of South Dakota , also belong to the president 's party .
While the GOP does have its libertarian streak , Professor Skocpol feels that there is more to it than that , and that many of the people and politicians protesting are taking their cues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is really not all that secretive about what he 's thinking , he sort of says it .
I think that there 's a lot of evidence that he 's worried that this terrible pandemic and his handling of the early stages , combined with the economic impact , could sink his presidency , '' she says .
`` You ca n't expect him , his party and those who support him to sit back and take that lightly , so what is plan B or C ?
It is to go from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO , to now blaming those who are leaving restrictions in place . ''
Indeed , over recent weeks , Donald Trump has openly supported the protesters .
But mixed messages from the White House have been a feature of this crisis .
After signalling that he wanted some Democratic-run states `` liberated '' and opened up , the president then said he was `` unhappy '' when the Republican governor of Georgia made the decision to reopen the economy .
With many hundreds still dying of the virus here each day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of trying to make the right decisions to keep people safe .
But it is the face of a deadly virus on the one hand and massive economic and political pressure on the other .

"You're taking the 'if it saves just one life' argument, and I would say that if I would drive 20mph instead of 50mph, it's possible that I might not kill somebody, and you can look at all aspects of our lives that way. But our whole way of life in this country would collapse and we can't live life that way."


bbc--2020-04-26--Trump faces scrutiny over West Point address plans

US President Donald Trump 's plans to deliver a graduation speech at the West Point military academy in New York are being questioned .
Mr Trump is due to speak on 13 June at the academy , located about 50 miles ( 80 km ) north of New York City .
New York state is the epicentre of the US coronavirus outbreak .
The academy has said `` the size and scope of the graduation ceremony will be determined by safety considerations '' for all attendees .
Cadets have been attending classes virtually since they left campus for spring break @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 17 April he would be giving the West Point commencement address this year .
According to the New York Times , that came as a surprise to West Point event organisers , who had yet to finalise graduation ceremony plans amid the coronavirus pandemic .
In a weekend editorial , the New York Daily News cautioned `` there 's no reason to believe that New York State , nor the academy itself , is prepared to host a graduation ceremony amidst a pandemic '' .
In a statement , the academy said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to campus to pack their dorm rooms , graduate and `` eventually move to Army Officer Basic Training '' .
Cadets would be coming back to campus starting in late May and would be subject to a `` detailed Covid screening , testing , quarantine , and integration plan '' , it added .
The statement noted that this `` graduation ceremony will look different from recent graduation ceremonies because of current social health force protection measures '' and this would be likely to limit family participation .
• The Americans who ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the US Naval Academy in Maryland called off its own commencement and instead held a virtual graduation .
However , the Air Force Academy in Colorado allowed seniors to graduate last week , but required them to maintain strict social distancing .
Vice-President Mike Pence spoke at that event .
The president has previously spoken at Coast Guard , Navy and Air Force academy graduations .
As of Sunday morning , there are 941,628 confirmed cases of the virus in the US and there have been 54,024 related deaths , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LIKE 9/11 EACH DAY : A New York paramedic 's diary • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis

The statement noted that this "graduation ceremony will look different from recent graduation ceremonies because of current social health force protection measures" and this would be likely to limit family participation.


bbc--2020-04-26--Rohingya crisis: Hundreds of refugees stranded in boats at sea

A boat carrying hundreds of Rohingya refugees was turned away from Malaysia , with the government citing fears over coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ United Nations issued a plea for the international community to take urgent action , after @ @ @ @ @ journey .
It is believed that hundreds more people are still stuck at sea .

A boat carrying hundreds of Rohingya refugees was turned away from Malaysia, with the government citing fears over coronavirus.
It comes as the United Nations issued a plea for the international community to take urgent action, after dozens died on the perilous journey.
It is believed that hundreds more people are still stuck at sea.


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Spain eases lockdown measures to allow children outside

Lockdown measures in Spain have been eased to allow children outside for the first time in six weeks .
Spain @ @ @ @ @ 's strictest lockdowns but the government hopes to ease measures further to let everyone exercise @ @ @ @ @ who lives in Madrid , filmed her family both during the lockdown and as they @ @ @ @ @ days inside .

Restrictions of movement in Spain, one of the worst-hit countries in the coronavirus pandemic, have been eased to allow children outside for the first time in six weeks.
Spain has had one of Europe's strictest lockdowns but the government hopes to ease measures further to let everyone exercise outside.
On Sunday, the country reported its lowest daily death toll since 20 March - 288. The health ministry said the total number of fatalities now stood at 23,190.
Kate Walder, who lives in Madrid, filmed her family both during the lockdown and as they ventured out again after 42 days inside.
Video produced by Kate Vandy and Maarten Lernout
Read more: Spain records lowest daily death toll as lockdown eases


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Chile to introduce controversial 'virus-free' ID

Chile 's government says it will go ahead with a controversial plan to issue certificates to people who have recovered from Covid-19 .
The documents would be given to people to allow them to return to work , Deputy Health Minister Paula Daza said .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has said there is `` no evidence '' that people who contract coronavirus are immune from being infected again .
The body said `` immunity '' certificates could help the virus spread .
Chile has reported 189 virus-related deaths and more than 13,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection , '' the WHO said in a briefing note on Friday .
The body argued that so-called `` immunity certificates '' could even be harmful , because they could lead people to ignore public health advice and therefore increase the risk of transmitting the disease .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come out of this crisis • AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise However , MS Daza told reporters on Sunday : `` One of the things that we know is that a person who has had the illness has a lower probability of becoming ill again . ''
She added that the certificates would not confirm that people had immunity to Covid-19 , but rather state that they had recovered from the disease and had completed a period of isolation .
At least 200,000 people have died with the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now trying to find ways to ease their lockdown restrictions .

"There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection," the WHO said in a briefing note on Friday.


bbc--2020-04-27--Saudi Arabia to end executions for crimes committed by minors, says commission

Saudi Arabia will no longer impose the death penalty on people who committed crimes while still minors , the country 's Human Rights Commission says .
The announcement , citing a royal decree by King Salman , comes two days after the country said it would ban flogging .
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - which Riyadh has signed - says capital punishment should not be used for offences carried out by minors .
Activists say Saudi Arabia has one of the world 's worst human rights records .
They say freedom of expression is severely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject to what they say is arbitrary arrest .
A record 184 people were executed in the kingdom in 2019 , according to human rights group Amnesty International .
At least one case involved a man convicted of a crime committed when he as a minor , the rights group has reported .
• Reform and repression go hand in hand in Saudi Arabia In a statement published on Sunday , Awwad Alawwad , president of the state-backed commission , said a royal decree had replaced executions in cases where crimes were committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 years in a juvenile detention centre .
`` The decree helps us in establishing a more modern penal code , '' Mr Alawwad said .
It was unclear when the decision - which was not immediately carried on state media - would come into effect .
The kingdom 's human rights record has remained under intense scrutiny , despite recent changes , following the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018 , while many civil rights and women 's rights activists remain in prison .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi human rights campaigner died in jail after a stroke which fellow activists say was due to medical neglect by the authorities .

The kingdom's human rights record has remained under intense scrutiny, despite recent changes, following the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, while many civil rights and women's rights activists remain in prison.


bbc--2020-04-26--UK PM to return to work as virus strategy questioned

Boris Johnson 's return to work on Monday after more than three weeks out of action will be a `` boost for the country '' , his deputy has said .
The PM has arrived in Downing Street to resume full-time duties after a fortnight recovering from coronavirus .
He will chair the morning meeting of the government 's coronavirus `` war cabinet '' on Monday .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab , who has been standing in for him during his absence , said he was `` raring to go '' .
The PM spent a week in hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being admitted on 5 April .
During his hospitalisation , he received regular oxygen treatment to help his breathing .
After he was discharged on 12 April , Mr Johnson suggested his condition `` could have gone either way '' and praised the staff at St Thomas ' Hospital in central London who looked after him .
He has not been doing any official government work during his convalescence at Chequers , on medical advice .
• Live : Latest from around the world • How long does it take to recover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'just another patient ' - nurse But last week he spoke to the Queen and US President Donald Trump and also met senior ministers , including Mr Raab and Chancellor Rishi Sunak , to discuss the next stage of the UK 's response to the pandemic .
It is unclear at this stage whether he will lead Monday 's press briefing - which has not fronted for a month .
Mr Raab told the BBC 's Andrew Marr that it was good to have the prime minister back and his return would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a boost for the country '' .
It has been a `` difficult time '' , acknowledged Dominic Raab of the period he 's spent deputising for the PM .
The government has been without its leader through much of this tumultuous time but Boris Johnson is now well enough to be back in charge as the next major decision looms - where the lockdown goes from here .
Remember , by law , the measures have to be `` reviewed '' every three weeks .
The PM returns to intense debate within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposition MPs about the impact of the lockdown and what combination of measures will come to replace the blunt instrument of asking us all to stay at home .
Everyone is mindful of rushing to relax restrictions in case the virus starts to spread rapidly and widely again - and Boris Johnson has his own recent experience of being struck down too .
But there are growing concerns about the profound effect on the economy and all of our lives - as well as what needs to be in place before restrictions can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is clear , that things wo n't snap back to how they were before - but the prime minister will ultimately be the one to make the decision about where the new balance lies .
The foreign secretary , who as first secretary of state is the second most senior member of the cabinet , praised other ministers and civil servants for `` stepping up to the plate '' during the PM 's absence .
Asked whether he had enjoyed the experience of temporarily running the country , he said this `` did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had been faced with and his thoughts throughout had been with Mr Johnson and his family , `` particularly when we knew it was touch and go '' .
• Raab : UK must find 'new normal ' to ease lockdown On Saturday , the number of recorded UK hospital deaths of people with the virus exceeded 20,000 .
These figures , the fifth highest in the world , do not include deaths in care homes and in the community .
Critics say Mr Johnson was far too slow to respond once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the Liberal Democrats calling for a public inquiry into the `` appalling '' fatality rate .
Mr Raab said the figures were a `` grim milestone '' but defended the UK 's handling of the crisis , saying the death toll would have been higher if ministers had not followed scientific advice and made key decisions at the right time .
While the UK was `` not in the place '' it wanted to be in terms of supplies of protective kit to NHS workers , he insisted it was doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` international buyer of choice '' amid a global shortage .
Opposition parties have wished Mr Johnson well on his return but said he urgently needs to give more detail about his approach to easing aspects of the current lockdown next month , if it is deemed safe to do so .
Labour 's Rachel Reeves said the UK should `` potentially '' be following the example of countries like Belgium , Germany and Denmark which have already signalled partial re-opening of some businesses and schools .
`` We want to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan and getting it right , '' she told Andrew Marr .
Speaking on Sky 's Sophy Ridge show , the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham suggested businesses , including shops , should only be allowed to open if they followed strict social distancing rules .
The ex-Labour minister said such a `` standards-based '' approach could be enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and would be fairer than favouring different sectors of the economy or parts of the country .

Asked whether he had enjoyed the experience of temporarily running the country, he said this "did not do justice" to the task he had been faced with and his thoughts throughout had been with Mr Johnson and his family, "particularly when we knew it was touch and go".


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Auschwitz survivor Henri Kichka dies of Covid-19

One of Belgium 's last Holocaust survivors , Henri Kichka , has died of Covid 19 .
He passed away on Saturday in a Brussels care home at the age of 94 .
He was one of a handful of men and women left who had survived Auschwitz , the Nazi death camp in occupied southern Poland during World War Two .
He spoke to the BBC in January about his experience .
Asked how he survived , he said : `` You did not live through Auschwitz .
The place itself is death . ''
In a Facebook tribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` A small microscopic coronavirus has succeeded where the entire Nazi army had failed .
My father had survived the Death March , but today his Life March has ended . ''
Henri Kichka was born in Brussels in 1926 , in a Jewish family of Polish origin .
His parents had fled anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe to build new lives in the West .
When Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Belgium , they were left with nowhere to hide and were soon deported , in 1942 .
Henri and his father were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the women of the family - Henri 's mother and his sisters as well as his aunt - were taken to Auschwitz where they were gassed and cremated as soon as they arrived .
In 1945 , Henri was marched to a German camp by Nazi guards who sent starving camp prisoners on `` death marches '' westwards as Soviet forces approached Nazi camps in eastern and central Europe .
For years after the war , Henri never spoke of his experience .
He married , opened a shop with his wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , nine grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren .
But later on , he started to give lectures in schools , feeling it was worth suffering the pain of remembering to make sure that others did not forget .
And 60 years after the war ended , Henri published a memoir of his life in the camps , to make sure his voice would still be heard when he was gone .
Find out more about Auschwitz and the Holocaust : • How Auschwitz became centre of Nazi Holocaust • The Holocaust : Who are @ @ @ @

Henri and his father were to work as slave labourers, while the women of the family - Henri's mother and his sisters as well as his aunt - were taken to Auschwitz where they were gassed and cremated as soon as they arrived.


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: French police seize 140,000 black market masks

French police say they have seized 140,000 face masks destined for sale on the black market .
Officers say they caught a businessman unloading the masks from a lorry into a house in St Denis , north of Paris .
Last month , France requisitioned all stocks and production of face masks to equip health workers .
Meanwhile in China , the authorities have confiscated 89m poor quality face masks .
The country has faced criticism over poor quality exports .
Officials had inspected nearly 16 million businesses and had also seized large quantities of ineffective disinfectant , government official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK public be wearing face masks now ?
• Can you compare different countries ?
• Why some countries wear face masks and others don't And in Germany , medical wholesalers say they have almost run out of masks .
From Monday it will be compulsory for people to cover their faces in shops and on public transport in the country .
The prices of masks online and in French shops had tripled before all stocks were requisitioned .
The seized masks included 5,000 high specification ( FFP2 ) masks for use with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgical masks .
The suspects included a 60-year-old man , reportedly the seller who had bought the masks for €0.50 ( $ 0.54 ; £0.44 ) each in the Netherlands .
He was selling them for between €0.55-€0.60 , Le Parisien newspaper reported .
The seller appeared to have a list of clients including company bosses , the newspaper said .
A second suspect was a 46-year-old who was allegedly about to buy some of the stock to sell on .
There have been several seizures of masks in the Paris region since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found in Aubervilliers and 32,000 masks sezied in Saint-Ouen , both to the north of Paris .
The country has seen 160,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 22,600 deaths .
What is China doing ?
The huge seizure of masks there comes after several countries , including Spain , the Netherlands and Turkey , had to recall hundreds of thousands of items of poor-quality imported equipment .
In the first two months of the year , almost 9,000 new manufacturers started producing masks in China , the business data platform Tianyancha reported .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exported protective gear had to meet international standards .
• The man trying to stop the virus ( and fix China 's image ) How is Germany preparing for mandatory mask-wearing ?
The country 's third-biggest supplier , Gehe of Stuttgart , said demand was outstripping supply despite stockpiling in anticipation of the new measures .
Many German states have stressed that a scarf across the nose and mouth will be acceptable .
Other countries including the UK have been reluctant to order people to cover their faces in public , partly for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the US , members of the public have been advised to use clean cloth or fabric to cover their faces whilst in public .
Officials have stressed that medical masks are in short supply and should be left for healthcare workers .
The Czech Republic also urged people to make their own cloth masks when it made it obligatory several weeks ago to wear one in public .
Researchers say a non-medical mask may help protect others from an infected wearer , but will do little to ward off the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

And in Germany, medical wholesalers say they have almost run out of masks. From Monday it will be compulsory for people to cover their faces in shops and on public transport in the country.


bbc--2020-04-26--Tom Brady gets apology for park removal

Tom Brady gets apology for park removal

One minute Tom Brady is being thrown out of a Tampa park , the next the city 's mayor is cheerfully apologising and hinting the area could one day be renamed if the quarterback delivers .
It would appear the 42-year-old 's new home city is keen to ensure all parties get off on the right foot .
No sooner had Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than he was asked to leave a park in the area during a workout because of the city 's coronavirus shutdown .
Still , if you 've won the Super Bowl six times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greatest of all time ( GOAT ) , people will go out of their way to make you feel at home .
In a witty letter , the city 's major Jane Castor wrote : `` Tom , my apologies for the miscommunication when you arrived - not the best first impression .
`` But given my law enforcement background , I could n't help but have someone investigate the sighting of a GOAT running wild in one of our beautiful city parks .
No harm - no foul and thanks for being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 20-year spell with the New England Patriots to join Tampa Bay , who have also signed his former team-mate Rob Gronkowski for the 2020 season .
Gronkowski , who has openly discussed his love of partying , was also addressed in the letter and politely warned : `` Just remember : 'No Shirt , No Shoes , No Service ' is still in effect around here . ''
Tampa will host Super Bowl 55 on 7 February 2021 , so Castor simply asked the pair : `` So let 's gets serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 55 ?
It is our aim to be the first team to win a Super Bowl in our own back yard .
We dream big and set the bar high around here , more importantly , we get things done . ''
And Brady , it seems , now has new motivation .
The four-time most valuable player in the Super Bowl has reportedly sought to trademark the terms TOMPA BAY and TAMPA BRADY in recent weeks .
It appears , with success , the door @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signing off her letter , mayor Castor wrote : `` PS - Tom , it 's Tampa Bay .
You win us a Super Bowl and we 'll discuss Tampa Brady . ''

One minute Tom Brady is being thrown out of a Tampa park, the next the city's mayor is cheerfully apologising and hinting the area could one day be renamed if the quarterback delivers.
It would appear the 42-year-old's new home city is keen to ensure all parties get off on the right foot.
No sooner had Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than he was asked to leave a park in the area during a workout because of the city's coronavirus shutdown.
Still, if you've won the Super Bowl six times and are regarded as one of the greatest of all time (GOAT), people will go out of their way to make you feel at home.
In a witty letter, external-link the city's major Jane Castor wrote: "Tom, my apologies for the miscommunication when you arrived - not the best first impression.
"But given my law enforcement background, I couldn't help but have someone investigate the sighting of a GOAT running wild in one of our beautiful city parks. No harm - no foul and thanks for being a good sport."
Tampa Brady? Maybe...
Brady ended a 20-year spell with the New England Patriots to join Tampa Bay, who have also signed his former team-mate Rob Gronkowski for the 2020 season.
Gronkowski, who has openly discussed his love of partying, was also addressed in the letter and politely warned: "Just remember: 'No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service' is still in effect around here."
Tampa will host Super Bowl 55 on 7 February 2021, so Castor simply asked the pair: "So let's gets serious, how can we help you guys win the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl 55? It is our aim to be the first team to win a Super Bowl in our own back yard. We dream big and set the bar high around here, more importantly, we get things done."
And Brady, it seems, now has new motivation.
The four-time most valuable player in the Super Bowl has reportedly sought to trademark the terms TOMPA BAY and TAMPA BRADY external-link in recent weeks.
It appears, with success, the door may be open for change.
After signing off her letter, mayor Castor wrote: "PS - Tom, it's Tampa Bay. You win us a Super Bowl and we'll discuss Tampa Brady."


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Australians download COVIDSafe contact tracing app

More than a million Australians have downloaded a coronavirus contact tracing app within hours of it being released by the government .
The COVIDSafe smartphone app uses a Bluetooth wireless signal to exchange a `` digital handshake '' with another user when they come within 1.5m ( 4.9ft ) .
The app then logs this contact and encrypts it .
Users will be notified if they have had more than 15 minutes of close contact with another user who tests positive .
Australia has recorded 6,694 confirmed coronavirus cases and 80 deaths from the virus , according to data from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections has slowed considerably in recent weeks , however , with just 16 new cases recorded on Sunday .
The app - based on one introduced in Singapore - went live at 1800 local time on Sunday ( 0900 BST ) , and Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed the download figures on Sunday night .
`` As at 10:30 PM , 1 million Australians have now downloaded and registered for the # COVIDSafeapp - please join us and help protect ourselves , our families , each other but above all else our nurses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter .
• Why are there doubts over contact-tracing apps ?
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said social restrictions could be eased if enough people use the app .
The government has said that for maximum effectiveness , some 40 % of the population would need to download it .
Amid privacy concerns about who will have access to the app 's stored data , the government said only state health authorities would qualify .
The data will be stored in Australia , and the health minister said `` not even a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as the police to access it .
The protections have not yet been put into legislation , however , as Australia 's Parliament is not sitting regularly .
The app asks users to supply their age range , a mobile number , a post code and a name - which can be a pseudonym .
The government said all data would be wiped after 21 days , or when someone deleted the app from their phone .
On Sunday , the Australian states of Queensland and Western Australia said they would relax @ @ @ @ @ @ @ larger outdoor gatherings - but the state of Victoria will continue with stricter curbs .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Amid privacy concerns about who will have access to the app's stored data, the government said only state health authorities would qualify. The data will be stored in Australia, and the health minister said "not even a court order" would allow other authorities such as the police to access it.