bbc--2020-04-16--Veteran, 99, finishes charity walk as total tops $16m

A 99-year-old war veteran has walked 100 laps of his garden to raise more than £13m for the NHS .
Captain Tom Moore originally wanted to raise £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by completing laps of his garden before his 100th birthday .
But he smashed his target after more than 650,000 people made donations to his fundraising page .
As he finished the challenge , he said : `` I feel fine , I hope you 're all feeling fine too . ''
Capt Tom told the BBC earlier that the total amount raised so far was `` an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I never dreamt I would be involved in such an occasion as this , '' he said at the end of his final lap .
By midday , Capt Tom 's JustGiving page , which temporarily crashed shortly after he finished the challenge , was showing donations of £13m .
His daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore said : `` We are absolutely floored by what has been achieved but we 're so happy , so humbled and so proud .
`` He 's a beacon of hope in dark times and I think we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and it 's for such an amazing cause . ''
Capt Tom began raising funds to thank the `` magnificent '' NHS staff who helped him with treatment for cancer and a broken hip .
With the aid of a walking frame , he completed 100 laps of the 25-metre ( 82ft ) loop in his garden in Marston Moretaine , Bedfordshire , in 10-lap chunks well before his birthday on 30 April .
Tributes and messages of congratulations have poured in from politicians , celebrities and NHS workers .
Chancellor Rishi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` extraordinary '' and `` showed that the British spirit was as strong as it 's ever been '' , while Brig Andrew Jackson , colonel of the Yorkshire Regiment , described Capt Tom as `` an absolute legend '' who came from `` an exceptional generation that are still an inspiration for our Yorkshire soldiers today '' .
Celebrity judge Judy Sheindlin described the 99-year-old as `` remarkable '' while former F1 champion Damon Hill congratulated him on the `` brilliant idea and for pulling it off '' .
Nurses on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` Thank you so much for all your efforts and how much money you 've raised for the NHS . ''
Capt Tom also received a special message from actor Michael Ball , who described the challenge as `` an extraordinary achievement '' and sang `` You 'll Never Walk Alone '' to him live on BBC Breakfast .
'It will all be right' Shortly after he finished the fundraiser , the retired soldier had words of advice for the nation about coping with the coronavirus lockdown .
`` You 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get through it in the end , it will all be right , '' he said .
`` For all those people finding it difficult at the moment , the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away . ''
More than 600,000 people from around the world have donated money to the fundraising page since it was set up last week .
Capt Tom , who is originally from Keighley in West Yorkshire , trained as a civil engineer before enlisting in the Army for World War Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India and Myanmar , also known as Burma .
Calls for him to receive a knighthood have gathered momentum and a petition has been signed by almost 2,000 people so far .
`` It would be marvellous to have such an honour but I do n't expect anything like that , '' Capt Tom said .
NHS Charities Together , which support health service charities and will benefit from the funds , said it was `` truly inspired and humbled '' by his efforts .
Chairman , Ian Lush , said about 150 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's extraordinary to see the amount of money and the outpouring of goodwill towards the NHS and towards all the NHS charities who will take good care with the money that he 's raising , '' he said .
JustGiving confirmed it is the largest total ever raised in a single campaign on its site and it had itself donated £100,000 to Capt Tom 's `` amazing campaign '' .
`` This is the largest donation JustGiving has ever made , '' a spokeswoman said .
`` [ The campaign is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the fastest growing campaign on the platform and has attracted donations and media coverage from around the world . ''
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The veteran said plans for his 100th birthday party in two weeks' time have been affected by the pandemic but that the national outpouring of love and support for him was "a party enough for me".


bbc--2020-04-16--Biggest cosmic mystery 'step closer' to solution

Stars , galaxies , planets , pretty much everything that makes up our everyday lives owes its existence to a cosmic quirk .
The nature of this quirk , which allowed matter to dominate the Universe at the expense of antimatter , remains a mystery .
Now , results from an experiment in Japan could help researchers solve the puzzle - one of the biggest in science .
It hinges on a difference in the way matter and antimatter particles behave .
The world that 's familiar to us - including all the everyday objects we can touch - is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building blocks of matter are sub-atomic particles , such as electrons , quarks and neutrinos .
But matter has a shadowy counterpart called antimatter .
Each sub-atomic particle of ordinary matter has a corresponding `` antiparticle '' .
Today , there is far more matter than antimatter in the Universe .
But it was n't always this way .
The Big Bang should have created matter and antimatter in equal amounts .
`` When particle physicists make new particles in accelerators , they always find that they produce particle-antiparticle pairs : for every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( the electron 's antimatter counterpart ) , '' said Prof Lee Thompson from the University of Sheffield , a member of the 350-strong T2K collaboration , which includes a relatively large number of scientists from UK universities .
`` So why is n't the universe 50 % antimatter ?
This is a long-standing problem in cosmology - what happened to the antimatter ? ''
However , when a matter particle meets its antiparticle , they `` annihilate '' - disappear in a flash of energy .
During the first fractions of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot , dense Universe was fizzing with particle-antiparticle pairs popping in and out of existence .
Without some other , unknown mechanism at play , the Universe should contain nothing but leftover energy .
`` It would be pretty boring and we would n't be here , '' Prof Stefan Söldner-Rembold , head of the particle physics group at the University of Manchester , told BBC News .
So what happened to tip the balance ?
That 's where the T2K experiment comes in .
T2K is based at the Super-Kamiokande neutrino observatory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hida , Japan .
Researchers used the facility 's detector to observe neutrinos and their antimatter counterparts , antineutrinos , generated 295km away at the Japanese Proton Accelerator Research Complex ( J-Parc ) in Tokai .
T2K stands for Tokai to Kamioka .
As they travel through the Earth , the particles and antiparticles oscillate between different physical properties known as flavours .
Physicists think that finding a difference - or asymmetry - in the physical properties of neutrinos and antineutrinos might help us understand why matter is so prevalent compared with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge-conjugation and parity reversal ( CP ) violation .
It is one of three necessary conditions , proposed by the Russian physicist Andrei Sakharov in 1967 , that must be satisfied to produce matter and antimatter at different rates .
After analysing nine years ' worth of data , the researchers found a mismatch in the way neutrinos and antineutrinos oscillate by recording the numbers that reached Super Kamiokande with a flavour different from the one they had been created with .
The result has also reached a level of statistical significance - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to indicate that CP violation occurs in these particles .
The results have been published in the journal Nature .
`` While CP violation involving quarks is experimentally well established , CP violation has never been observed for neutrinos , '' said Stefan Söldner-Rembold .
`` The violation of CP symmetry is one of the ( Sakharov ) conditions for a matter-dominated Universe to exist , but the quark-driven effect is unfortunately much too small to explain why our Universe is mainly filled with matter .
`` Discovering CP violation with neutrinos would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how the Universe was formed . ''
He said a theory called leptogenesis links the dominance of matter to CP violation involving neutrinos .
`` These leptogenesis models predict that the matter domination is actually due to the neutrino sector .
If you were to observe neutrino CP violation , that would give us a strong indication that the leptogenesis model is the way forward , '' said Prof Söldner-Rembold .
The results from T2K `` give strong hints '' that the CP violation effect could be large for neutrinos .
This would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is currently being constructed in a mine in South Dakota , might detect the effect faster than expected .
The international project is being hosted by the US Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory ( Fermilab ) .
Prof Söldner-Rembold is a member of the DUNE scientific team and the collaboration 's spokesperson .
The experiment 's detector will contain 70,000 tons of liquid argon buried one mile underground .
It will be used to discover and measure CP violation with high precision .
He added that the T2K result `` brings us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that explains how the Universe evolved from the beginning to the matter-dominated Universe today '' .

He said a theory called leptogenesis links the dominance of matter to CP violation involving neutrinos. "These leptogenesis models predict that the matter domination is actually due to the neutrino sector. If you were to observe neutrino CP violation, that would give us a strong indication that the leptogenesis model is the way forward," said Prof Söldner-Rembold.


bbc--2020-04-16--South Korea election: Ruling party wins amid coronavirus outbreak

The party of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has won a decisive victory in parliamentary elections , with voters backing the government 's response to the coronavirus pandemic .
South Korea was among the first countries to hold a national vote since the pandemic began .
Strict safety and social distancing measures were in place for the vote .
With nearly all votes counted , Mr Moon 's Democratic Party won 163 seats in the 300-seat National Assembly .
The party 's sister group , the Platform Party , was forecast to win a further 17 seats , giving the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among the winning candidates for United Future was high-profile North Korean defector Thae Yong-ho .
Mr Thae , a former senior diplomat at North Korea 's embassy in London , won a seat for the Gangnam district in Seoul .
Although 35 parties put forward candidates , the race was between the left-leaning Democratic Party and the conservative opposition , United Future Party .
United Future and its parliamentary partners are expected to win 103 seats .
It is the first time in 16 years that left-leaning parties have secured a majority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not look good in January .
The South Korean economy has slowed , talks with North Korea have stalled and news headlines were dominated by a series of political scandals .
But the country has managed to combat coronavirus with aggressive tracing and testing measures .
It brought the number of daily infections down from a peak of 900 a day in late February to fewer than 30 .
The Democratic Party put this effective response at the heart of its campaign .
It has resulted in President Moon 's government winning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seen since it held its first democratic elections in 1987 .
How were people able to vote ?
In order to cast their ballots , voters had to clean their hands with sanitiser , wear face masks and plastic gloves , stand at least one metre ( 3ft ) apart , and have their temperatures taken .
Anyone with a temperature above 37.5C had to cast their vote in separate booths that were then disinfected after each use .
One voter , a young woman , told BBC Seoul correspondent Laura Bicker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be postponed because people wouldn ’ t turn up .
But now that I ’ m here and see so many others , I ’ m not worried . ''
There are currently about 60,000 people in quarantine due to the coronavirus in South Korea .
Despite this , the overall turnout was more than 66 % , the highest in 18 years , aided by the fact it was first time that 18 year olds were allowed to vote .
About 26 % of the population cast their votes in advance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling stations set up in quarantine stations on Friday and Saturday .
People who had tested positive for coronavirus were under strict instructions to only vote at certain times and at specially designated polling stations .
They were also forbidden from using public transport and were only allowed to walk or take their own car .
`` Everyone recognised the seriousness of the situation and showed mature citizenship by encouraging electoral officials rather than complaining , '' the mayor of Seoul 's Yongsan district , Sung Jang-hyun , told the BBC .
South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-largest outbreak of coronavirus but it was largely brought under control through a policy of widespread testing , thorough contact-tracing , and widely observed social distancing .
South Korea has never postponed an election including the presidential election of 1952 , which went ahead despite the country being in the middle of the Korean War .

People who had tested positive for coronavirus were under strict instructions to only vote at certain times and at specially designated polling stations. They were also forbidden from using public transport and were only allowed to walk or take their own car.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: 668 infected on French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle

A third of the sailors on France 's aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle - 668 out of nearly 2,000 - are infected with coronavirus , the navy says .
The ship returned to the French port of Toulon early from Atlantic exercises .
Twenty sailors are in hospital , one of them in intensive care .
The figure for those infected is likely to rise , as 30 % of the test results are not yet in .
The navy is investigating how so many sailors caught the virus .
Of those 10,643 died in hospital .
French health authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in intensive care in France - 273 fewer than on Tuesday .
The aircraft carrier is now in quarantine .
Last week it was brought home 10 days early from its Atlantic deployment after some sailors showed symptoms .
• French care home fights to keep virus at bay Earlier this month nearly 600 coronavirus cases were confirmed aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt , one of two US aircraft carriers in the western Pacific .
One sailor later died of Covid-19 in Guam , after the ship - which has a total crew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The ship 's captain Brett Crozier was fired after his letter pleading for help with the outbreak was leaked to US media .
A public outcry over that dismissal triggered the resignation of acting Navy secretary Thomas Modly .
France has a very strict lockdown , which President Emmanuel Macron has extended to 11 May .
It has the third-highest death toll in Europe after Italy and Spain , however some European countries appear to be under-reporting care home deaths .
A diplomatic row flared up between France and China this week after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in French , dated 12 April , claiming that in some Western care homes staff had abandoned sick pensioners .
The writer used the French term `` Ehpad '' for nursing homes , and the article is still on the Chinese embassy 's website .
Now the Chinese embassy has responded to French anger by adding a statement from its foreign ministry spokesman , Zhao Lijian , stressing that Beijing is co-operating closely with France and other countries to fight the pandemic .
`` We hope that there is no misunderstanding : the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment on French management of the epidemic , and has no intention of doing so , '' he was quoted as saying .
Faced with shortages of medical kit , like many other countries , France has ordered about 600 million face masks from China , though they have not yet arrived , Reuters news agency reports .
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The number of carriers available is limited and there are never enough. The US Navy is taking drastic measures. The carrier USS Harry S. Truman, at the end of a seven-month mission, is being held offshore, to ensure that at least one carrier is ready for a short-notice surge deployment if required.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Fears of spike in poaching as pandemic poverty strikes

Conservation groups say nature must be a cornerstone of economic recovery plans for the sake of people , health and economies .
The call comes amid fears of a `` spike in poaching '' as rural communities lose vital income .
In Cambodia , 1 % of the entire population of one critically endangered bird was wiped out in a single event .
The Wildlife Conservation Society ( WCS ) said three of only a few hundred remaining giant ibis were poisoned .
And more than 100 painted stork chicks were killed at Cambodia 's Prek Toal Ramsar Site , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Asia .
Conservationists are noticing increases in hunting of protected species since the spread of coronavirus began to disrupt traditional economic and social systems in rural areas , said the WCS .
`` Suddenly rural people have little to turn to but natural resources and we 're already seeing a spike in poaching , '' said Colin Poole , WCS regional director in Phnom Penh .
Conservation organisations need to be doing their utmost to support local people , he said .
`` They 're the last line of defence for these forests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they 're the people that need support right now so they have alternatives and they do n't need to turn to natural resource extraction to survive . ''
In India , there have been reports of an upsurge in tiger poaching , while there are fears in Africa that the rhinoceros and other endangered species could be at risk .
Matt Brown , director of the Africa region for the Nature Conservancy , spoke of a sudden decline in tourism revenue at some of Africa 's key wildlife reserves and national parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The concern is how do these areas maintain the effectiveness of their wildlife patrolling and security when about 50 % of their planned revenue for the year has now dropped to zero , '' he said .
And the closing of export businesses and manufacturing plants had put a lot of people out of work , which on top of the tourism drop was `` a double whammy '' .
`` There could be an increased direct poaching pressure on wildlife as a result of the downturn in the global economy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ G20 countries are meeting this week to discuss economic recovery plans to address the impacts of the pandemic .
Conservation group Campaign for Nature , which includes experts from Asia , Africa and Latin America , is calling on ministers to include protection of nature in their plans .
Hugo van der Westhuizen , of the Frankfurt Zoological Society , said now more than ever was the time to re-evaluate the value of nature .
`` Conservation can not be built and maintained only on tourism income or donor funding , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we take nature for granted , together with clean water and air , and it seems we need to lose something before we realise its value .
Nature can not be recreated once it is gone . ''

"Conservation cannot be built and maintained only on tourism income or donor funding," he said. "Covid-19 is teaching us that we take nature for granted, together with clean water and air, and it seems we need to lose something before we realise its value. Nature cannot be recreated once it is gone."


bbc--2020-04-16--Starving Rohingya refugees rescued off Bangladesh after two months at sea

The coast guard of Bangladesh says it has rescued at least 382 starving Rohingya refugees who had been drifting at sea for nearly two months .
More than two dozen people died on the boat , which was trying to reach Malaysia , officials said .
Some reports said the boat had been turned back by Malaysia because of the coronavirus pandemic .
It is unclear whether the refugees had left from Bangladesh or from Myanmar , where they are originally from .
In 2017 , a crackdown by the Myanmar military left thousands of Rohingya Muslims dead and drove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bangladesh .
• Myanmar Rohingya : What you need to know '' We have rescued at least 382 Rohingya from a big overcrowded fishing trawler and brought them to a beach near Teknaf , '' coast guard spokesman Lt Shah Zia Rahman told AFP news agency .
`` They were starving .
They were floating for 58 days and over the last seven days [ the boat ] was moving in our territorial waters . ''
Lt Rahman said authorities launched a three-day search for the boat after receiving a tip-off and found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pictures on social media showed groups of emaciated people , mostly women and children , standing on a beach .
`` We have cordoned off the place where they have landed .
We could not question them because of the fear they could be infected with the coronavirus , '' Lt Rahman said .
In a separate development , leading aid agencies called on the governments of Bangladesh and Myanmar to restore internet access for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees .
The charities , which include Save the Children , Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say access is essential for obtaining life-saving information about the pandemic .
The Bangladeshi government blocked internet access in its biggest camp last year , citing security concerns .
The charities also want Myanmar to restore mobile internet access to nine communities close to the border .
Rohingya Muslims are the largest community of Muslims in Myanmar , with the majority living in Rakhine state .
But Myanmar 's government denies them citizenship , seeing them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh .
Over the decades , waves of Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the 2017 army crackdown .
Myanmar , a predominantly Buddhist state , has always insisted that its military campaign was waged to tackle an extremist threat in Rakhine state .

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bbc--2020-04-16--North Korean defector becomes first to win South Korea parliamentary seat

Thae Yong-ho has become the first ever North Korean defector to win a constituency seat in South Korea .
Mr Thae was once North Korea 's deputy ambassador to the UK , but defected in 2016 with his family , becoming the highest-ranking North Korean official to ever do so .
He was running as the opposition United Future Party 's main candidate in the affluent district of Gangnam of Seoul .
He won by 58.4 % and was seen crying after his victory was announced .
He said ahead of his victory that he hoped his running would send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea about what could happen if they turned their back on the regime .
`` I want to tell them that there is a new way for their future , '' he said .
South Korea held its parliamentary elections on Wednesday which saw a record turnout of 66.2 % , despite voting taking place in the middle of a virus outbreak .
The party of President Moon Jae-in - the Democratic Party - won a resounding victory , taking 163 seats in the 300-seat National Assembly .
Thae Yong-ho could have lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instead he has used his platform to openly denounce Kim Jong-un 's regime and highlight the various challenges faced by the 33,000 defectors who have made it to the South .
He has even changed his name to Ku-min , which means `` saving people '' .
He has cast a colourful figure during the campaign and rapped in his own campaign song wearing a pink baseball cap .
When not pounding the pavements of Gangnam , he was holding chats over social media .
It was a safe seat .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea 's richest district is still remarkable .
Whatever the politics of this win , it is such a positive signal for other defectors who 've risked their lives to come to the South .
You 've also got to wonder what they 're thinking in Pyongyang right now as someone who was once part of their regime steps into the South 's National Assembly .
Mr Thae defected to the South in August 2016 , saying he had become increasingly aware of the `` gruesome realities '' of life in North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliamentary committee , he said North Koreans were living in conditions amounting to slavery .
After his defection North Korea called him `` human scum '' .
The North 's state media said the envoy had been accused of leaking secrets , embezzlement and child rape .
About 1,000 people defect from North Korea each year , fleeing a repressive state that has faced numerous accusations of human rights abuses .

He said ahead of his victory that he hoped his running would send a message to the elite in North Korea about what could happen if they turned their back on the regime.


bbc--2020-04-16--US Navy accuses Iranian vessels of harassing warships in Gulf

The US Navy has accused Iran 's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps ( IRGC ) of `` dangerous and provocative actions '' in international waters in the Gulf .
Eleven IRGC Navy vessels repeatedly conducted `` harassing '' approaches of six US Navy and Coast Guard ships on Wednesday , it said .
One passed within 10 yards ( 9m ) of a Coast Guard cutter .
The US vessels were involved in a military exercise with US Army Apache attack helicopters .
There has been no word yet from Iran .
The incident came a day after armed men - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seized a Hong Kong-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Oman and redirected it into Iranian waters before releasing it .
• Is this the world 's most important waterway ?
The US Navy said that during Wednesday 's exercise the IRGC vessels crossed the bows and sterns of the US vessels at `` extremely close range and high speeds , including multiple crossings of the [ USS Lewis B ] Puller with a 50 yard closest point of approach and within 10 yards of [ USCGC ] Maui 's bow .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio , five short blasts from the ships ' horns and long-range acoustic noise maker devices , but received no response from the IRGCN . ''
`` After approximately one hour , the IRGCN vessels responded to the bridge-to-bridge radio queries , then manoeuvred away from the US ships and opened distance between them , '' it added .
The US Navy said such `` dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision '' , and were not in accordance with international maritime conventions or customs .
Last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retaliation for the seizure of an Iranian tanker by the British territory of Gibraltar .
Both vessels were eventually released .
The US also accused Iran of carrying out attacks on six tankers in the Gulf of Oman and launching missiles and drones at two oil facilities in Saudi Arabia .
Iran denied any involvement .
Tensions between the US and Iran rose further in January , when the US killed a top IRGC general in a drone strike in Iraq .
Iran responded by launching missiles at Iraqi military bases hosting US @ @


bbc--2020-04-15--In pictures: Sony World Photography Awards

The World Photography Organisation has announced the 10 category winners in the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards Open competition .
More than 100 photographers were also shortlisted .
Craig McGowan 's image of a solitary iceberg set against the fjord walls in Northeast Greenland National Park won the Landscape category .
The iceberg and surrounding landscape are perfectly mirrored in the clear waters of the river , resulting in a painterly and abstract photograph .
Santiago Mesa 's photograph of a protester in the city of Medellin , Colombia , won the Street Photography category .
Riot police dispersed marching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's photograph of the demolition of the four cooling towers of Ironbridge Power Station , in Shropshire , on 6 December , won the Motion category .
Antoine Veling 's photograph of fans on stage at an Iggy Pop concert in the Sydney Opera House , on 17 April 2019 , won the Culture category .
The light and composition is reminiscent of a Caravaggio painting .
Guofei Li 's image of two cheetahs in Botswana grooming each other won the Natural World and Wildlife category .
Their position in the frame resembles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photograph of a dead fish in a plastic bag won the Still Life category .
The image aims to highlight the crisis affecting the oceans .
Tom Oldham 's black and white photograph of Pixies frontman Charles Thompson , also known as Black Francis , taken for Mojo magazine , won the Portraiture category .
Oldham asked him to show his frustration with the many photoshoots he had been the subject of .
Suxing Zhang 's black and white portrait of a young woman with a collage of symbolic elements won the Creative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series Hua , meaning flower in Chinese , which looks at flowers as metaphors of femininity .
Adrian Guerin 's photograph from the top of the rear carriage of the Mauritania iron-ore train won the Travel category .
One of the longest trains in the world , at 2.5km ( 1.5 miles ) , its more than 200 carriages transport rocks 700km from the coastal town of Nouadhibou to the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat .
Following the cancellation of the 2020 exhibition because of the current pandemic , the overall Open winner will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online platform on 9 June .

Image caption,
Adrian Guerin's photograph from the top of the rear carriage of the Mauritania iron-ore train won the Travel category. One of the longest trains in the world, at 2.5km (1.5 miles), its more than 200 carriages transport rocks 700km to the coastal town of Nouadhibou from the Saharan wilderness of Zouérat.


bbc--2020-04-16--New Zealand comic 'deeply sorry' for botched Jacinda Ardern cake

A comedian has apologised to New Zealand ’ s prime minister after she tried to bake a cake in her likeness and produced a calamitous result .
Laura Daniel baked the cake , meant to resemble Jacinda Ardern 's face , during an episode of the TV programme Seven Sharp , which aired earlier this week .
Both were tasked with baking an iconic Kiwi cake in 120 minutes without using flour .
Barry , an experienced baker , made pavlova in the shape of Mount Cook , the highest mountain in New Zealand , which she appeared pleased with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , baked a lolly cake supposed to look like Ms Ardern , using a picture on the front of her autobiography for inspiration .
As images of the finished article show , the cake was hardly a dead ringer for Ms Ardern .
Reflecting on her cake catastrophe in an Instagram post , Daniel said she realised the wisdom of the phrase `` don ’ t bake your heroes '' , but `` wanted to try anyway '' .
`` I ’ m deeply sorry Jacinda Ardern , '' Daniel wrote .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had available… it ’ s made from another NZ icon lolly cake . ''
The prime minister later commented in the post : `` 😳😳 '' .
The cake promoted amusement and ridicule on social media , where people poked fun at Daniel ’ s crude creation .
One person described the cake as `` truly haunting '' , while another wrote , apparently sarcastically , `` spitting image '' alongside a thumbs-up emoji .
Baking at home has increased in popularity during New Zealand ’ s lockdown , imposed by Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms Ardern ’ s handling of New Zealand ’ s coronavirus outbreak has received widespread praise in the media .
Her response to the coronavirus pandemic was swift , involving the closure of New Zealand ’ s borders to foreigners on 20 March before the introduction of strict social-distancing measures on 26 March .
All but essential businesses and services were closed and stay-at-home orders were issued nationwide as part of the four-stage lockdown .
• New Zealand PM says all arrivals must self-isolate Currently , there are around 1,400 known cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand , a country of almost five million people .
On Thursday , Ms Ardern signalled the country was approaching a position where she may be able to lift some restrictions on life .
`` There are promising signs our go-hard-and-go-early elimination strategy is working and the lockdown is breaking the chain of community transmission , '' Ms Ardern said .
Earlier this week , the prime minister said she and other ministers would take a 20 % pay cut for the next six months to show solidarity with those affected by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including those in Singapore and Ecuador , have reduced their pay for similar reasons .

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bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Rwandan radio stars spread hygiene message

A group of young people in Rwanda have been writing and producing a series of radio dramas to teach listeners about the vital role hand-washing and sanitation play in preventing the spread of diseases such as Covid-19 .
The radio plays were produced in partnership with the charity WaterAid , over an 18-month period .
And photographer Elena Heatherwick has created a series to show the radio producers at work .
Broadcast on Radio Ishingiro , the plays reach four million listeners , a third of the population of Rwanda .
Rwanda imposed Africa 's first lockdown following the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martha Uwimana , a school water , sanitation and hygiene ( Wash ) officer for WaterAid in Rwanda , says : `` The dramas are playing a crucial role in helping prevent the spread of Covid-19 .
`` People are being encouraged to remain at home for 14 days , so radio is a powerful tool . ''
With fragile health systems and a lack of access to clean water , African countries may be severely affected by the virus .
And with one in four Rwandans unable to read and many not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most popular medium for news and information .
The young people produce everything in the dramas , including the writing , acting , and even sound effects such as creaking doors and animal noises .
Solonge says : `` I taught my mother how to be hygienic and showed her that if you do n't wash your hands , you are going to catch diseases .
`` The dramas really are changing lives and that makes me feel important and really happy . ''
Her mother , Emelthe Mukashyakh , says : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her and talking about her and that makes me feel really proud .
`` I never used to cover the latrine or wash my hands after going to the toilet .
`` I now understand good hygiene and sanitation is the source of good health .
`` It is so important . ''

A group of young people in Rwanda have been writing and producing a series of radio dramas to teach listeners about the vital role hand-washing and sanitation play in preventing the spread of diseases such as Covid-19.


bbc--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: Should I wear a mask to stop the virus?

Feeling confused about whether you should wear a face mask to protect yourself and others from coronavirus ?
The World @ @ @ @ @ medical masks should be for healthcare workers , not for the general public .
But @ @ @ @ @ , with several governments telling people they need to wear masks whenever they go out @ @ @ @ @ to make their own .
BBC health correspondent Laura Foster looks at the science .

Feeling confused about whether you should wear a face mask to protect yourself and others from coronavirus?
The World Health Organization clearly states that medical masks should be for healthcare workers, not for the general public.
But some countries don't agree, with several governments telling people they need to wear masks whenever they go out.
Some are advising people to make their own.
BBC health correspondent Laura Foster looks at the science.
Please note: This video was produced on 16 April 2020 and based on the advice available from the World Health Organization at the time.
Video by Tobias Chapple, Laura Foster and Terry Saunders.


bbc--2020-04-15--Coronavirus in Egypt: 'The supervising doctor has tested positive'

Doctors tackling coronavirus in Egypt have told the BBC they are worried about shortages of protective equipment and feel their @ @ @ @ @ seriously enough .
But the government says supplies are sufficient , and a doctor at @ @ @ @ @ there had been able to secure extra masks quickly .
As of Wednesday , the @ @ @ @ @ country had seen 178 deaths from the virus .
The World Health Organization says about @ @ @ @ @ in Egypt are healthcare workers .
The country has a night-time curfew in place , @ @ @ @ @ mosques are closed .

Doctors tackling coronavirus in Egypt have told the BBC they are worried about shortages of protective equipment and feel their concerns are not being taken seriously enough.
But the government says supplies are sufficient, and a doctor at one quarantine hospital said medics there had been able to secure extra masks quickly.
As of Wednesday, the Middle East's most populous country had seen 178 deaths from the virus. The World Health Organization says about 13% of those infected in Egypt are healthcare workers.
The country has a night-time curfew in place, and schools, universities and mosques are closed.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: 'I'm scared my dreams of becoming a mother are gone'

Women hoping to become mothers are worried it might never happen , as fertility clinics around the world stop treatment in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I want a baby with my husband .
We 've been dreaming of this baby for 12 years , '' says Sian Brindlow , from West Sussex .
`` I am scared all those dreams are gone . ''
She 's one of many people who were about to undergo fertility procedures , only to be told that coronavirus restrictions meant their treatments were being put on hold indefinitely .
Sian is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had just started their third cycle of IVF , when news of the suspension reached them .
Their two previous cycles of IVF were unsuccessful .
The procedures she has already been through have affected her and her husband 's mental health and the impact of coronavirus is also taking its toll .
`` We have no idea what 's going to happen , '' she says .
`` It 's really tough . ''
Fertility clinics in many countries have stopped their services and there 's currently no clear indication on when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is a difficult time for patients and clinics with all fertility treatment being stopped from 15 April 2020 , '' the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority ( HEFA ) , in the UK , said in a statement .
`` We will do all we can to lift this restriction as soon as possible but we can not give a date when this will happen given the current situation with the Covid-19 pandemic . ''
In the US , the American Society for Reproductive Medicine ( ASRM ) , has reiterated recommendations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Obstetric and Gynaecological Society of India ( FOGSI ) says that `` new treatments for fertility care and other similar conditions should be deferred '' .
The ban in the UK came into force on 15 April , but appointments started being cancelled back in March , when clinics were advised to not start new treatments .
Sian says she understands why her IVF had to be postponed but the last couple of weeks have still left her heartbroken .
Before coronavirus spread to the UK , she had hoped freezing some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is on a waiting list for surgery .
Now , she does n't have that reassurance .
`` I genuinely thought that if I could just get to the point where they could do the egg collection , and have the eggs frozen , that would be fine .
Then we would n't have to worry as much about [ my ] age , '' she says .
At this point , she is still hopeful that her treatment will go ahead in the not too distant future .
`` I am prepared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means it 's going to happen '' says Sian .
But she 's aware her dreams might not come true .
Experts say stopping fertility treatments will contribute to slowing the spread of coronavirus and means medical staff can be redeployed to help patients with Covid-19 .
Many people waiting for other kinds of surgery and procedures have also faced delays .
Dr Marco Gaudoin , a fertility specialist , says that there will be `` an impact '' on some women waiting for treatment , as success is dependent on age and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 34 onwards , for every month that passes your chances drop by around 0.3 % .
So after six months it 's about 2 % , '' he told BBC Scotland .
`` If you are only starting at a level of 14 % chance of it working , six months later you are down to 12 % .
`` That is a big drop proportionately and there will be an impact on patients chances of success . ''
Fertility charities say they 've seen an increase in people getting in touch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chief executive of the Fertility Network which offers specialist support in the UK , says : `` It 's quite distressing and devastating to almost get to have your treatment after a very emotional journey to then be told everything is cancelled . ''
Although Katy Brunton is 32 , she has concerns about the effect this delay will have on her ability to have a biological child .
She and her husband have been trying for a baby for almost three years .
Katy , who is from Dorset , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reserve for her age and this is a factor in the couple needing medical assistance to start their family .
They 've been through multiple rounds of IVF with no success .
`` People are very quick to talk about your age in fertility , '' she says .
`` I 'm still young in terms of the fertility world , but I do n't have many eggs left and the thought of that time just ticking away is really scary . ''
Katy was intending to start a new cycle of treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been for an appointment just days before the restrictions were first introduced .
`` I really hope that we get to do our treatment and my dream will always be to grow our family , '' she says .
`` I 've always dreamed of one day having a bump . ''
Katy articulated something many people struggling with infertility mentioned , about how hard it 's been to hear about young families being in lockdown together .
`` There 's a lot of people talking about how awful it is being stuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment , '' she says .
`` I would do anything to be stuck inside with a screaming toddler right now , I really would . ''
'You ca n't have it' Midwife Eleanor Crabb is 35 and from Dorset , and has been trying for a baby with her husband for more than four years .
After some failed attempts , they had used donor eggs and were hoping to have an embryo transfer this month , but this has been cancelled and the embryo remains frozen .
Eleanor loves being a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes dealing with infertility even more difficult .
`` Imagine you work in a cake factory , and all you want to do is eat the cake but you 're not allowed any of it .
Ever '' .
She works hard not to let her feelings impact on anyone 's care .
Coronavirus has made it a even more of struggle .
`` I ca n't have my embryo transfer , I do n't know when that 's going to be , '' she says .
`` Will it even work ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will I ever be a mum ?
`` And then I have to go into work , looking after pregnant women , who need me to be caring and understanding , whilst also wearing a face mask , a visor , apron and gloves .
`` They can only see your eyes , so it 's really difficult to look after people in the same way . ''
London-based writer Seetal Savla , 38 , blogs about her fertility journey , hoping that reading about her story will help people in a similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss that sense of failure , '' she says .
`` You 're repeatedly trying to get pregnant and nothing ever happens .
`` It does make me feel like a failure as a woman , as a wife , and then in the extended roles , as a daughter-in-law , a daughter and a granddaughter . ''
She and her husband were on their fourth cycle of IVF when the clinics shut down , and they have now frozen one embryo .
Like many others , Seetal felt devastated , but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has become more resilient .
`` But that does n't mean it is n't tough , and there are moments you feel hopeless , '' she says .
When she first started getting help with her fertility , Seetal says she was comforted by reading stories from the TTC ( Trying to Conceive ) community on Instagram .
Now she 's trying to give back to others , by sharing her experiences online .
`` People who are going through it , they can relate to the story , especially Indians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voices talking about the cultural pressures and expectations that we face . ''
Most of the people BBC 100 Women heard from had been going through years of tests and procedures .
They described how fertility treatment had come to dominate everything , and they had been living from one appointment to the next .
The cancellations have left them reeling .
`` What happens over the next 12 months might dictate the rest of my whole life , '' says Siobhan , who does n't want to use her full name .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between me being a biological mum or not . ''
She 's 41 and experienced miscarriages in the past .
She 's also had to overcome various health conditions in order to have IVF and it was only recently that her doctors had found the right regimen to help her .
`` I was in a good position two months ago .
Will I be in a good position in a year ?
I do n't know , '' she says .
She 's also concerned about how the backlog will be dealt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Who goes first ?
My husband and I were scheduled for April .
Will it be the same order ?
`` That does n't seem fair to me because there are probably women who are in a worse position than me , biologically , who probably need to go first to give themselves the optimum chance . ''
BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year .
We create documentaries , features and interviews about their lives - stories that put women at the centre .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook and join the conversation .

"I genuinely thought that if I could just get to the point where they could do the egg collection, and have the eggs frozen, that would be fine. Then we wouldn't have to worry as much about [my] age," she says.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: French care home fights to keep Covid-19 at bay

Care homes have become a vulnerable front in the fight against coronavirus - and in France they account for a third of the 17,000 fatalities linked to Covid-19 so far .
One care home in southern France has recorded 36 deaths .
But in those that remain virus-free , a desperate effort is under way to keep it out .
The Résidence Saint-Julien in Burgundy has been in full lockdown for more than a month .
Located in the town of Saint-Julien-du-Sault , not far from some of the hardest-hit parts of the Grand Est region and Paris , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and meals only in rooms .
None of the 65 elderly residents or 50 staff has so far been infected .
The person in charge of keeping it that way is 29-year-old director Hugo Vidal-Rosset .
A particular onus is being placed on workers , he told the BBC .
`` The challenge is to make them feel responsible without making them feel guilty , because right now the virus can only come from them - right now that 's the biggest worry for them . ''
Another concern among staff is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Distancing rules were put in place at the start of the emergency last month .
Face masks are provided and are to be used in any contact with other people .
`` There are too many asymptomatic workers , '' Mr Vidal-Rosset says .
`` You 're taking a risk if you do n't have everyone wear face masks . ''
So far he has had the luxury of running a Covid-free establishment .
But these measures , he admits , can not offer absolute protection .
When one staff member asked him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection at work , there was little he could say .
`` I would be a liar if I promised you this because I do n't know .
What I can promise is that we have done everything to make sure the risks are as low as they can be . ''
• How big is the problem in care homes ?
The director has tried to provide reassurances , telling staff who live in a household where someone has been diagnosed with coronavirus to stay home .
This is not government policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK , health-care workers in this position are expected to turn up , provided they wear face masks at work .
Until now he has managed to hire replacements for staff he has asked to stay away .
`` We might not be able to manage it indefinitely .
If too many staff were in this situation it would get complicated , '' he says . '
I 'm not thinking about myself' The care home 's residents have responded depending on their circumstances .
Gilberte Charbonnier , 94 , finds it `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son '' .
Lucette Godard , 86 , has no surviving family and takes it all her stride .
`` I 'm used to being isolated , '' she told the BBC .
`` I do n't mind being locked up all day .
I watch TV and do crosswords . ''
Céline Jeanvoine , 94 , also says the lockdown has not affected her : `` I 'm not thinking about myself .
I 'm thinking about all those people who lost loved one because of this damn virus . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purpose among staff , says Mr Vidal-Rosset says .
Unusually for the French health care sector , no-one at the home has called in sick since the start .
`` The team is united , everyone remains focused , '' he says .
`` We 're concentrating on the basics - links with families , and keeping residents in good physical and mental health . ''
The lockdown , he stresses , has provided an opportunity to allow residents to contact their relatives via videoconferencing apps .
`` When it turned out that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , we decided to speed up that process , '' says the director .
Now the system is up and running , some residents have had more access to their far-flung relatives than before , because families are staying at home themselves with time on their hands .
`` One of the paradoxes of the crisis is that we have been forced to move forward on things that we knew had to come . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How to look after your mental health

A particular onus is being placed on workers, he told the BBC. "The challenge is to make them feel responsible without making them feel guilty, because right now the virus can only come from them - right now that's the biggest worry for them."


bbc--2020-04-16--Bangladesh overfishing: Almost all species pushed to brink

Overfishing off the coast of Bangladesh is creating a `` fishless '' zone in one of the world 's largest marine ecosystems , scientists are warning .
Most fish species are in decline , with some nearing extinction , a report on fish stocks in the Bay of Bengal says .
`` Some seas in the world , like the Gulf of Thailand , have run out of fish , '' one of the authors of the report , Sayedur Rahman Chowdhury , told BBC Bengali .
`` We do n't want our Bay of Bengal to end up like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are overfishing at an unsustainable rate , monitors suggest .
Local fishermen say the government is turning a blind eye as the trawlers target key fish species they rely on .
Bangladesh is one of the most densely-populated countries on Earth , with its population crammed into a delta of rivers that empty into the Bay of Bengal .
At least 1.5m people in the country are dependent on fishing for their livelihoods and fish remains the most important source of animal protein for the population overall .
But a three-year report commissioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most valuable species , like tiger prawns and Indian salmon , are almost completely gone .
Jasim is a fisherman who 's worked out of the port of Chittagong for 35 years .
He says until a few years ago he only had to sail for a couple of hours to catch fish but now he and his colleagues travel for up to 20 hours before they find anything .
`` There are many species of fish we used to catch before but we ca n't find nowadays , '' Jasim says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ small-scale , fishermen blame the scarcity on the presence of large trawlers in the bay .
There are about 270 trawlers off the coast of Bangladesh , the biggest of which can catch up to 400 tonnes of fish each trip , 20 times the amount of the largest artisanal vessel .
`` We are truly worried that if the fishing effort is not substantially reduced , we may lose this resource for generations to come , '' Mr Chowdhury says .
The fees the government receives from trawler licences are a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handful of companies which own the industrial fleet .
These companies sell and trade fishing licences that were issued by the government years ago , making it difficult for the department of fisheries to control the amount of vessels operating .
New legislation that will give the department the power to cancel old licences is currently making its way through parliament .
But enforcement officers from the department are often taken to court by operators over their attempts to enforce existing regulation and risk being held personally liable if they lose .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death • Is China 's fishing fleet taking all of West Africa 's fish ?
A senior official at the Naval Trade Department , Captain Mohammad Giasuddin Ahmed , said no new licenses should be issued to trawlers until there is concrete information about stocks .
`` If this carries on then our fishing ground will become fishless , '' he says .
With fish increasingly scarce , trawlers have begun targeting hilsa , a species crucial to the livelihoods of artisanal fishermen and the food security of Bangladesh .
The hilsa , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national fish , is the only species showing some signs of recovery .
For several years now , the government has implemented a 22-day annual ban on hilsa fishing that takes effect every October .
The seasonal ban allows the hilsa time to migrate from the bay into river estuaries to spawn .
As compensation , the government gives artisanal fishermen a subsidy of around 44 pounds of rice per household not to fish .
But many say they struggle to feed their families and face financial ruin during this time .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers get healthcare with their groceries • The pressure to be beautiful in Bangladesh When the government announced in May last year that it was adding a further 65-day ban for all fishing activity without the benefit of subsidies , hundreds of fishermen took to the streets to protest .
The bans have helped hilsa stocks recover but artisanal fishermen are n't the ones reaping the rewards , according to Mr Chowdhury .
`` Although hilsa conservation affects millions of poor fishers , a large proportion of the benefit is going towards the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of tonnes of hilsa without providing much social benefit or revenue to the government , '' he says .
The hilsa recovery has also begun attracting `` 'super-trawlers '' from abroad that are fitted with equipment to track and target the hilsa schools .
Super trawlers have double the capacity of existing industrial vessels .
Their size and engine power makes them quick enough to catch the fast-moving hilsa and they are fitted with sonar equipment to help them locate the shoals .
Four of these huge vessels arrived in Chittagong from abroad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four super trawlers moored in the port and claim they have rights to use them to fish .
Two of the four vessels , Sea View and Sea Wind , originally of Thai origin , are subject to an Interpol notification for illegally fishing in Somalia .
International monitoring organisations OceanMind and the International Justice Mission ( IJM ) have been following the super trawlers since 2018 and confirmed , using satellite imagery , the presence of both vessels in Chittagong port .
Under international law Bangladesh must notify the government of Somalia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sea Wind in its waters .
When asked about the blacklisted vessels , Capt Giasuddin Ahmed said : `` We are not aware of the presence of Sea View and Sea Wind vessels .
`` They first entered Bangladesh with the excuse of repair work , but they were later expelled . ''
The BBC approached the Bangladeshi government for comment and was told the fisheries department was closed because of the coronavirus outbreak and the minister was unable to respond .
But Mr Chowdhury is worried about the impact the super trawlers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future of fisheries management in Bangladesh .
`` These super trawlers are a threat to marine resources , '' he says .
`` If such illegal vessels can enter Bangladeshi waters and get registered without any obstacles , then it could be suggested that Bangladesh has become a safe haven for blacklisted vessels . ''

Jasim is a fisherman who's worked out of the port of Chittagong for 35 years. He says until a few years ago he only had to sail for a couple of hours to catch fish but now he and his colleagues travel for up to 20 hours before they find anything.


bbc--2020-04-15--Seafarers in limbo as coronavirus hits shipping

With the world in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic , the shipping industry is already feeling the impact as the global economy heads into a deep recession .
Hundreds of ship sailings have been cancelled as first ports in China , and then across the globe , have seen trade fall away - with millions of workers and consumers in lockdown .
Caught in the centre of this have been the world 's 1.6 million seafarers , on 50,000 tankers and cargo carriers .
Many of them are unable to leave their ships , or find themselves stuck in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flights home .
Every month , 100,000 merchant mariners come to the end of their contracts on a their ships and need to be flown home .
But the pandemic has halted this .
`` Working at sea is often described as similar to being in prison , except there is no TV , '' says former ship 's navigator Nick Chubb .
`` Though my experience was usually positive , a feeling of deep fatigue sets in towards the end of a contract .
I once had a four-month contract on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and found it incredibly difficult to deal with .
`` Some of these seafarers have spent nine months away from their families already .
And it 's not looking particularly likely they 'll be able to go home any time soon , '' adds Mr Chubb , who is now a director for the maritime technology intelligence platform Thetius .
The world 's biggest shipping firm , AP Moller-Maersk , is one of those which has halted its crew changes , and says its done so to protect them , by lessening the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have .
It adds that `` the rapid changes to global travel poses a risk of stranding seafarers in locations from where they are unable to leave , or get sufficient assistance '' .
Yet even before the coronavirus outbreak , the industry was grappling with major issues .
First , the need to move to cleaner fuels because of the introduction of the 2020 sulphur emissions cap by the International Maritime Organization .
Second , the fallout from the US-China trade war , and the failure of Washington and Beijing to implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Shipping lines have had a very hard time making money in the past ten years , '' says Alan Murphy , chief executive of analysts Sea-Intelligence in Copenhagen .
For example , for a $ 100 ( £80 ) pair of trainers , the cost of ocean transport will be a fraction of that - just 10c .
This makes the distance that goods travel to market irrelevant in cost terms .
And it is why China , with its low labour costs , has become the world 's main manufacturer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Bimco , the world 's largest international shipping association , warned at a recent webinar that 2020 could become increasingly harsh for the industry .
`` We need to make sure that local ports and terminals are kept open , to make sure that food and goods are kept flowing to where it 's needed - because that 's where shipping hands a lifeline to the global public . ''
Faced with the rippling disruptions to supply and demand around the globe , shipping firms have been scaling back operations .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the first half of 2020 could see a 25 % fall in shipping , with a 10 % drop for the year overall , says Sea-Intelligence .
Chinese ports have resumed sailings in April , but many ports serving key consumer markets are still operating well below capacity .
The industry has not yet had to lower prices , but if shipping firms are forced to do so , and freight rates fall by 20 % - as they did after the 2008 financial crisis - and were shipping volumes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could see operating losses of some $ 20-23bn '' , says Mr Murphy .
`` That would wipe out the shipping firms ' last eight years ' worth of profits , '' he adds .
There are a lot of unknowns in the preceding sentences , and Sea-Intelligence stresses it is not yet clear how long it will take for fractured global supply chains to get back to normal once lockdowns are ended .
For consumers , there could well be periodic shortages to come , says Jody Cleworth , of consultants Marine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like South Africa there 's an almost complete shutdown in exports , whereby only critical goods are moving through ports .
So the seasonal goods we expect in Europe in summer would be limited from such countries .
`` For example , charcoal for your summer barbecue .
At the moment those containers are not being moved out of South Africa , so they will not be arriving in the UK for their intended dates , '' he says .
But there is one exception to this gloom : the oil tanker sector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising following the oil price falls , which have sent the tanker sector `` sky-high '' , says Nick Chubb of Thetius .
`` There are ships that are being chartered now for $ 230,000 a day as offshore floating storage for when the oil prices recover .
It 's almost a tale of two industries , '' he says .
But given the impact of Covid-19 on economic activity , energy demand in 2020 is likely to be substantially lower , and it is possible these tankers may be storing oil for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • Will we ever take cruise holidays again ?
• How are food supply networks coping with coronavirus ?
• Should street food vendors be cleared off the streets ?
So what will be the effect of Covid-19 on the shipping industry beyond 2020 ?
With virtually no cargo moving by air , shipping could become even more crucial .
Already 90 % of world trade by volume goes by sea .
Yet many analysts expect the drop in demand across Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact .
`` We could be talking a decade , at least , of difficulty , '' suggests Nick Chubb of Thetius .
Alan Murphy says the pandemic will trigger questions about the shape and sustainability of world trade - and globalisation .
`` A lot of protectionist arguments are going to be made against outsourcing .
`` It will have a very profound impact on how global supply chains are organised .
It is going to be a political topic in coming years . ''
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The industry has not yet had to lower prices, but if shipping firms are forced to do so, and freight rates fall by 20% - as they did after the 2008 financial crisis - and were shipping volumes to remain 10% lower, "we could see operating losses of some $20-23bn", says Mr Murphy.


bbc--2020-04-16--Premier League clubs to discuss 30 June deadline

Premier League clubs will discuss the option of putting a 30 June deadline on the 2019-20 season at a meeting on Friday .
Not all clubs have been involved in informal discussions at this stage but , with a hoped-for May resumption to the season unlikely , club owners are looking at how to avoid potentially difficult contractual situations .
In addition , Liverpool are due to change shirt manufacturers from New Balance to Nike , while Watford and Newcastle are also changing kit suppliers .
World governing body FIFA are aware of the problem and are looking at alternatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season currently suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic .
However , legally , players can not be forced to sign them , raising the possibility of clubs losing key parts of their squad before the campaign has been concluded .
It has led to an increasing body of opinion that , no matter what the state of the Premier League at that point , 30 June should be the final day .
Such a move would also bring more clarity to the 2020-21 season , which BBC Sport has been told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current one .
Putting a deadline on this season is fraught with problems , particularly surrounding relegation and promotion .
One idea being pushed forward again is to promote current Championship top two Leeds and West Brom , not relegate anyone from the top flight and go with a 22-team competition , which would increase the number of TV games and potentially avoid the need to repay this season 's broadcast money .
However , that would create a problem for the Football League as it would lead to an imbalance in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will be debated by Premier League executives on Friday , although a definitive decision seems unlikely given Uefa has pleaded for leagues to give them time to return with their own proposals for ending the season across Europe , something they expect to do by mid-May at the latest .
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder though does not expect a deadline to be set for the end of the campaign .
He told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme : `` I 'm sure that we will adjust accordingly .
I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competitions , especially the top end of English football and European football , they 'll want to finish the season .
`` I believe that there will be an ability next year to adjust , with international breaks , with moving a few games into midweek .
We have that ability through organisation and planning to finish this season off .
`` But only as everybody said , and I 'll reiterate that , when it 's safe to do so for everybody .
And that obviously we have to take our lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and want us to do . ''

Premier League clubs will meet to discuss what should happen to the remainder of this campaign at a meeting on Friday
Premier League clubs will discuss the option of putting a 30 June deadline on the 2019-20 season at a meeting on Friday.
Not all clubs have been involved in informal discussions at this stage but, with a hoped-for May resumption to the season unlikely, club owners are looking at how to avoid potentially difficult contractual situations.
Numerous players' present deals expire on 30 June, notably Chelsea midfielder Willian and Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen.
In addition, Liverpool are due to change shirt manufacturers from New Balance to Nike, while Watford and Newcastle are also changing kit suppliers.
World governing body Fifa is aware of the problem and is looking at alternatives, like rolling contract extensions, with the season currently suspended indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, legally, players cannot be forced to sign them, raising the possibility of clubs losing key parts of their squad before the campaign has been concluded.
It has led to an increasing body of opinion that, no matter what the state of the Premier League at that point, 30 June should be the final day.
Such a move would also bring more clarity to the 2020-21 season, which BBC Sport has been told by numerous sources is more important than the current one.
Brighton owner Tony Bloom said on Thursday, he does not want 30 June to automatically mark the end of the season, even though it would be "difficult" to play beyond then.
"There does come a point when you can’t keep waiting, but I don’t think 30 June is that point,” he said
"It is difficult to play after 30 June because of contracts but we are in such a unique situation, every option should be looked at."
Putting a deadline on this season is fraught with problems, particularly surrounding relegation and promotion.
One idea being pushed forward again is to promote current Championship top two Leeds and West Brom, not relegate anyone from the top flight and go with a 22-team competition, which would increase the number of TV games and potentially avoid the need to repay this season's broadcast money.
However, that would create a problem for the Football League as it would lead to an imbalance in their numbers.
These are all issues that will be debated by Premier League executives on Friday, although a definitive decision seems unlikely given Uefa has pleaded for leagues to give them time to return with their own proposals for ending the season across Europe, something they expect to do by mid-May at the latest.
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder though does not expect a deadline to be set for the end of the campaign.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sure that we will adjust accordingly. I think for the integrity of the competition and competitions, especially the top end of English football and European football, they'll want to finish the season.
"I believe that there will be an ability next year to adjust, with international breaks, with moving a few games into midweek. We have that ability through organisation and planning to finish this season off.
"But only as everybody said, and I'll reiterate that, when it's safe to do so for everybody. And that obviously we have to take our lead off the government and what they suggest and want us to do."


bbc--2020-04-16--BBC Sport's five things to do today

BBC Sport's five things to do today

In the latest in our series , British tennis player Heather Watson talks about life in lockdown .
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bbc--2020-04-16--Gerrard says SPFL vote 'a mess' after champions decided

The SPFL 's handling of the vote to curtail Scotland 's lower leagues has been an `` absolute mess '' and needs investigating , says Steven Gerrard .
The Championship and Leagues One and Two have ended after Dundee belatedly backed the league 's resolution following a change of heart .
Rangers had previously called for an inquiry and the suspension of SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster .
`` From afar the SPFL looks an absolute mess , '' Gerrard told Sky Sports .
`` All I ask is for the main leader of the SPFL to show some real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to do now - because there are so many accusations , doubts and questions about this institution - is allow an independent investigation into the setup to prove everything wrong and make sure there is fairness and transparency . ''
The passing of the resolution means Dundee United , Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers have been declared champions of their respective leagues , while Partick Thistle and Stranraer have been relegated .
It also means the SPFL board has the power to `` call '' the Premiership season when it becomes clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would drop down a division .
A working group has been set up to examine the possibility of league reconstruction , including an expanded top flight for next term .
Rangers have already raised concerns about the vote process , claiming they had evidence which showed `` bullying '' and `` coercion '' of clubs into backing the proposal .
Hearts also claimed the SPFL had exerted `` undue influence '' on the vote , but the league has said it has acted `` wholly properly '' at every stage of the process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the evidence to back up their claims .
`` I 'm listening to ex players , pundits , I 'm reading media and it 's [ the SPFL ] getting absolutely battered from pillar to post the way it 's handled things in the past couple of days , '' Gerrard added .
`` The SPFL has said it 's open to an internal investigation but I do n't agree with that because you should n't really be allowed to mark your own homework .
If you mark your own homework , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the class .
There 's not going to be any questions asked .
`` I 'm waiting for the leader [ chairman ] Murdoch MacLennan to say 'Okay , this is our organisation , I 'm going to be the leader , show leadership and I 'm going to allow an outside investigator to come in and go right across the whole situation and prove that everything 's clean ' .
`` And if everything 's clean , fair and transparent then the media and ex players ca n't slam the organisation .
@

Gerrard has urged SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan to show "leadership" and back an independent inquiry
The SPFL's handling of the vote to curtail Scotland's lower leagues has been an "absolute mess" and needs investigating, says Steven Gerrard.
The Championship and Leagues One and Two have ended after Dundee belatedly backed the league's resolution following a change of heart.
Rangers had previously called for an inquiry and the suspension of SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster.
"From afar the SPFL looks an absolute mess," Gerrard told Sky Sports.
"All I ask is for the main leader of the SPFL to show some real leadership.
"I think what he has to do now - because there are so many accusations, doubts and questions about this institution - is allow an independent investigation into the setup to prove everything wrong and make sure there is fairness and transparency."
The passing of the resolution means Dundee United, Raith Rovers and Cove Rangers have now all been named champions of the Championship, League One and League Two respectively.
Hearts, who sit bottom of the Scottish top flight by just four points from Hamilton Academical, are in danger of joining Thistle, bottom of the Championship by two points but with a game in hand and Stranraer, League One's bottom side by eight points, in dropping down a division if the Premiership season is also called with eight full rounds of fixtures to play.
Celtic are 13 points ahead of Rangers, who have a game in hand, while Motherwell are third, 21 points further back.
It also means the SPFL board has the power to "call" the Premiership season when it becomes clear it cannot continue, meaning Hearts would drop down a division.
A working group has been set up to examine the possibility of league reconstruction, including an expanded top flight for next term.
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'Battered from pillar to post'
Rangers have already raised concerns about the vote process, claiming they had evidence which showed "bullying" and "coercion" of clubs into backing the proposal.
Hearts also claimed the SPFL had exerted "undue influence" on the vote, but the league has said it has acted "wholly properly" at every stage of the process and added Rangers have yet to produce the evidence to back up their claims.
"I'm listening to ex players, pundits, I'm reading media and it's [the SPFL] getting absolutely battered from pillar to post the way it's handled things in the past couple of days," Gerrard added.
"The SPFL has said it's open to an internal investigation but I don't agree with that because you shouldn't really be allowed to mark your own homework. If you mark your own homework, you're always going to come top of the class. There's not going to be any questions asked.
"I'm waiting for the leader [chairman] Murdoch MacLennan to say 'Okay, this is our organisation, I'm going to be the leader, show leadership and I'm going to allow an outside investigator to come in and go right across the whole situation and prove that everything's clean'.
"And if everything's clean, fair and transparent then the media and ex players can't slam the organisation."


bbc--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: Why is NYC reporting surge in virus deaths?

New York City 's death count has spiked to more than 10,000 after it reported 3,778 people who likely had Covid-19 , but died without being tested .
Firefighters and paramedics had been recording drastic increases in deaths at home around the city , assumed to be caused by the virus .
The new figures , from the city 's Health Department , mark a 60 % rise in deaths .
In terms of per-capita death rate , New York City has now outpaced Italy - home to the highest death toll in Europe .
`` Behind every death is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a loved one .
We are focused on ensuring that every New Yorker who died because of Covid-19 gets counted , '' said the city 's health commissioner , Dr Oxiris Barbot .
The revised count brings New York 's total virus fatalities to 10,367 .
Why has this happened ?
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday said that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) had changed guidelines for how coronavirus deaths were to be recorded .
`` They want deaths , and then another category of probable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be administered by local health departments or coroners .
He added that people who passed away outside of a hospital or nursing home may have been missed in previous counts .
Mark Levine , chair of the city 's Heath Council that even these adjusted numbers were likely an undercount .
• The young doctors being asked to play god • 'Like 9/11 every day ' : A New York paramedic 's diary '' There were an additional 3,017 deaths above normal levels in past month , not known to be connected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter .
`` There is only one explanation for this increase : direct & indirect victims of the pandemic . ''
How does this affect the official death toll ?
It 's unclear .
Mr Cuomo said the state will work with local agencies to publish revised numbers `` as soon as we can '' .
As of yet , the coronavirus database from Johns Hopkins University - used as the definitive count by many US states and news outlets , including the BBC - has not changed its tally to include `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data reflect the tragic impact that the virus has had on our city , they will also help us to determine the scale and scope of the epidemic and guide us in our decisions , '' Dr Barbot said .
What are other states doing ?
Since the start of March - before New York City reported its first death - the CDC asked local governments to record `` assumed '' coronavirus infections on death certificates .
But so far , the application has been inconsistent .
Municipalities in Connecticut , Ohio and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infection is assumed but not confirmed with a test , Dr Barbot told the New York Times , while officials in California and Seattle only count virus deaths if proven with a positive test .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

"While these data reflect the tragic impact that the virus has had on our city, they will also help us to determine the scale and scope of the epidemic and guide us in our decisions," Dr Barbot said.


bbc--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: False claims by politicians debunked

Stolen face masks , an effective cure and biological weaponry : Reality Check ’ s Chris Morris takes a look @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus claims made by leading politicians .

Stolen face masks, an effective cure and biological weaponry: Reality Check’s Chris Morris takes a look at some of the false coronavirus claims made by leading politicians.
Motion graphics by Jacqueline Galvin.


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus: Michigan protesters defy stay-at-home order

Do celebrities still matter in a crisis ?
The role of celebrities in this crisis - how much do we @ @ @ @

Workers blocked roads, demanding the state reopen after Governor Gretchen Whitmer extended stay-at-home restrictions.
There are 27,000 Covid-19 cases in Michigan, where more than 1,700 have died from the virus.


bbc--2020-04-16--Lessons from Japanese city's return to lockdown

It was once seen as something of a success story - a city that worked to contain , trace and isolate the virus - leading to a huge drop in numbers .
But Hokkaido is in the spotlight again as it struggles to deal with a second wave of infections .
In late February , Hokkaido became the first place in Japan to declare a state of emergency due to Covid-19 .
Schools were closed , large-scale gatherings cancelled and people `` encouraged '' to stay at home .
The local government pursued the virus with determination - aggressively tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with victims .
The policy worked and by mid-March the number of new cases had fallen back to one or two a day .
On 19 March the state of emergency was lifted , and at the beginning of April , schools re-opened .
But now , just 26 days after the state of emergency was lifted , a new one has had to be imposed .
In the last week , Hokkaido has recorded 135 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 .
Unlike the first outbreak in February , there is no evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan .
None of the new cases are foreigners , nor have any of those infected travelled outside Japan in the last month .
What does this tell us about how the virus outbreak was handled in Hokkaido ?
Firstly , if you get on top of it really early , you can get it under control .
`` It is relatively easy to tackle clusters , to contact trace and isolate , '' says Professor Kenji Shibuya of King 's College London .
`` The authorities were quite successful in their cluster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very early phase of the outbreak back then .
It was localised and it was a success story . ''
In this respect , Hokkaido has some similarity to what happened in the South Korean city of Daegu .
There , a large outbreak in a religious cult was aggressively traced .
Those infected were isolated and the outbreak was suppressed .
But the second lesson from Hokkaido is much less reassuring .
After the Daegu outbreak , the South Korean government began a massive testing program to try and track the epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even now , more than three months after Japan recorded its first case , it is still only testing a tiny percentage of the population .
Initially , the government said it was because large-scale testing was a `` waste of resources '' .
It 's now had to change its tune a bit and says it will ramp up testing - but several reasons appear to have slowed it down .
Firstly , Japan 's health ministry fears that hospitals will be overwhelmed by people who test positive - but only have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scale , the testing is the responsibility of local health centres and not on a national government level .
Some of these local centres are simply not equipped with the staff or the equipment to deal with testing on a major scale .
Local hotlines have been overwhelmed and even getting a referral from a doctor is a struggle .
The combination of these reasons mean authorities in Japan do n't have a clear idea of how the virus is moving through the population , says Prof Shibuya .
`` We are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak , '' he said .
`` The major lesson to take from Hokkaido is that even if you are successful in the containment the first time around , it 's difficult to isolate and maintain the containment for a long period .
Unless you expand the testing capacity , it 's difficult to identify community transmission and hospital transmission . ''
The third lesson is that this `` new reality '' is going to go on a lot longer than most people expect .
Hokkaido has now had to re-impose the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Covid-19 `` lockdown '' is a rather softer than those imposed elsewhere .
Most people are still going to work .
Schools may be closed , but shops and even bars remain open .
Prof Shibuya thinks without tougher measures Japan has little hope of controlling this so called `` second wave '' of infections now taking place , not just in Hokkaido , but across the country .
`` The key lesson '' he says `` is even if you are successful in containment locally but there is transmission going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long as people are moving around , it 's difficult to maintain a virus-free status '' .
Even so , the economy in Hokkaido is already hurting badly .
The island is hugely dependent on tourism , and Japan has banned travel from the US and Europe and most countries in Asia .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health A friend who owns a bar in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut it down and lay off his staff .
Further north in the city of Asahikawa , Naoki Tamura told us his bar is still open but there are now almost no customers .
`` One or two come by each night , '' he says .
`` There used to be many tourists from China and South East Asia .
They are completely gone .
We do n't hear any foreign language spoken on the street now .
Smaller lodging places are having to shut down .
Tourism businesses are really struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is officially due to finish on 6 May , the end of Japan 's `` Golden Week '' holiday .
But one local government official working on epidemic suppression in Hokkaido told us they may now have to keep measures in place for much longer .
`` We feel we have to keep on doing the same thing , '' he said .
`` The goal is to minimise contact between people to stop the spread of the virus . ''
So how long does that mean ?
`` Till we find a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have to keep on trying to stop the expansion . ''

"The major lesson to take from Hokkaido is that even if you are successful in the containment the first time around, it's difficult to isolate and maintain the containment for a long period. Unless you expand the testing capacity, it's difficult to identify community transmission and hospital transmission."


bbc--2020-04-16--Coronavirus in Africa: 'No time for half measures in helping the economy'

Not only could coronavirus `` cause thousands of deaths '' in Africa , but it has the potential to `` unleash economic and social devastation '' , according to the head of the World Health Organization for the continent , Matshido Moeti .
Her words are a reminder that the pandemic is not only a health emergency .
A year ago , the World Bank 's Africa Pulse report was forecasting sub-Saharan economies to grow in 2019 and 2020 by around 2.8 % .
A fragile rate , disguising some more promising news , but now the bank forecasts that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recession in 25 years , with the overall economy shrinking by somewhere between 2.1 % and 5.1 % , because of the impact of the spread of Covid-19 .
The World Bank says the effects of Covid-19 on the continent can essentially be broken down into three areas : • Reductions in the amount of investment and other money coming from abroad • The day-to-day economic problems caused by lockdowns and other restrictions .
The price of oil , although it has recovered slightly , is far below what it needs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ properly , or to pull Angola out of recession .
A year ago the price of copper was just under $ 3 ( £2.40 ) a pound .
Now it is hovering around the $ 2.20 mark .
Copper prices have been on a downward slope for nearly a decade .
But in the last month , coronavirus has pushed them off a cliff .
That is extremely bad news for exporters such as Zambia .
Until very recently , palladium and platinum were the darlings of the mining industries in South Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in catalytic converters in vehicles .
But when coronavirus fears closed car plants across the world , the prices of the metals halved in a matter of days .
In 2018 , according to the UN 's trade and development body , Unctad , FDI into the continent was on the rise and looking good .
But now , Unctad says that as a result of coronavirus , investment could fall by as much as 15 % .
The World Bank estimated that $ 49bn was sent home by Africans in the diaspora @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was thought that 2020 would be even better .
But now that so much of Europe , the US and China are in lockdown , jobs are being lost and remittances are under serious threat .
Countries including The Gambia , Zimbabwe and Liberia , where a quarter of GDP is made up of remittances , rely on the money and goods sent from abroad .
Without them , large numbers of people have huge holes in their personal budgets .
It is estimated around 67 million tourists came to Africa in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported more than 20 million jobs , contributing about 8 % of the continent 's GDP .
The coronavirus has grounded whole airline fleets , emptied hotels and closed tourist attractions and restaurants .
The outbreak came at a time when tourism was increasing in Africa , especially from China , and now economists feel the sector will take a big hit .
An African Union report said that it could lose at least $ 50bn and two million jobs connected to the industry .
But in the short term , the immediate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt through the lockdowns .
To varying degrees , several African governments have placed restrictions on their citizens from curfews to social distancing , from travel bans to a prohibition on alcohol sales .
Seen by some as crucial to stop the spread of coronavirus , the measures have been met with different levels of success and in many cases have had to be adapted .
But they come with their own warning .
`` Social upheaval is very likely if the measures are not accompanied by relief and stronger social safety nets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brahima Sangafowa Coulibaly , a senior fellow and director of the Africa Growth Initiative at the Brookings Institution .
`` The populations in confinement could face the uncomfortable choice between the certainty of death by starvation or some risks of death by Covid-19 , unless the government steps up the relief efforts . ''
One further consequence of the virus will be a growing debt repayment bill .
Plunging commodity prices , weaker currencies and ballooning deficits mean African governments are spending more on their debts rather than ploughing it into healthcare .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Why lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa The simple answer is for creditors to offer debt relief .
And this week , that has been forthcoming from one quarter at least .
The IMF announced that it would be giving debt relief to 25 countries , including 19 in Africa .
The cessation of interest payments for six months goes some way to answering the recent calls led by Ethiopia but it is only a small part of the picture .
There has been no mention yet of restructuring of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poorest African nations .
Getting to that stage is more complicated than it once was .
Almost a quarter of a century ago , when the IMF and World Bank set up the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries ( HIPC ) debt relief programme , African nations mainly owed money to wealthy countries and multilateral institutions .
But nowadays , private lenders play a much bigger role , a fact that is illustrated by the rise in Eurobond issues , bought by private investors , by various African governments in the last 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eurobond issues are willing to forgo interest payments immediately is unclear .
`` The complicated structure makes it harder , undoubtedly .
But let 's do what we can , '' said Masood Ahmed , president of the Center for Global Development in Washington .
The IMF and the World Bank have put about $ 64bn of global aid on the table to fight coronavirus .
Ethiopia says that is not enough and that at least $ 150bn is needed in Africa alone .
While rich countries have the luxury of low interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help weather the coronavirus economic storm , that option is not available to most African countries .
African central banks have been cutting interest rates , but as fewer people have mortgages and bank loans than in more developed economies , this does not have the same impact .
South Africa has also said that it will put $ 66m aside to help small-scale farmers , so that food production can be supported .
Other African governments , like Nigeria , have pledged financial support for the most vulnerable people , but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• STRESS : How to look after your mental health But if governments try to borrow more money , the debt repayments will rise .
Tim Jones , from the Jubilee Debt Campaign , argued because of that , simply dishing out more aid cash is not the answer .
`` Without a moratorium on debt payments , it 's not going to stay in country .
It 's going to be used to pay back various creditors , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to have escaped the rapid escalation of infections that have characterised the outbreaks in some European countries and the United States .
Many believe Africa is experiencing the lull before the storm in this sense .
But on the economic front , the continent is already feeling the effects of coronavirus with the loss of jobs and a profound slowdown in activity , which could push some parts of Africa further into life-threatening poverty .
Some observers are already suggesting that more lives could be lost in the fight against Covid-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop this , Abebe Aemro Selassie , head of the IMF 's Africa Department , feels policy makers need to be thinking outside the box .
`` Now is really not the time for half measures , '' he said .

South Africa has also said that it will put $66m aside to help small-scale farmers, so that food production can be supported. Other African governments, like Nigeria, have pledged financial support for the most vulnerable people, but there is not much evidence of this so far.