bbc--2020-06-08--George Floyd death: Why US protests are so powerful this time

Thousands of Americans are taking to the streets to protest about racism - many for the first time in their lives .
Why has this particular tragedy struck such a chord ?
George Floyd is not the first African American whose death in police custody sparked protests .
There were also rallies and calls for change after Tamir Rice , Michael Brown and Eric Garner were killed by police .
But this time seems different , with the response more sustained and widespread .
There have been demonstrations across the US - in all 50 states and DC - including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predominantly white .
Local governments , sports and businesses appear readier to take a stand this time - most notably with the Minneapolis city council pledging to dismantle the police department .
And the Black Lives Matter protests this time seem more racially diverse - with larger numbers of white protesters , and protesters from other ethnicities , standing with black activists .
• Five pieces of context to understand protests • Why I decided not to watch Floyd 's video A number of different factors combined to create `` the perfect storm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death , Frank Leon Roberts , an activist who teaches a course on the Black Lives Matter movement at New York University , told the BBC .
Floyd 's death was particularly 'gruesome and obvious' A police officer , Derek Chauvin , kept his knee on Mr Floyd 's neck for nearly nine minutes - even as Mr Floyd repeatedly said `` I ca n't breathe '' and eventually became unresponsive .
The incident was clearly recorded on video .
`` In many previous instances of police violence , there 's a possibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a partial view of what happened , or the police officer says they made a split-second decision because they feared for their life , '' Mr Roberts said .
`` In this case , it was a completely unambiguous act of injustice - where people could see this man [ Floyd ] was completely unarmed and incapacitated . ''
Many who joined the recent protests were first-time protesters , who said seeing George Floyd 's death made them feel that they simply could n't stay at home anymore .
`` There are hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video , but I think the gruesomeness and obvious hatred of the video woke people up , '' Sarina LeCroy , a protester from Maryland , told the BBC .
Similarly , Wengfay Ho said she had always supported the Black Lives Matter movement , but George Floyd 's death was a particular `` catalyst '' that prompted her to take to the streets for the first time .
It `` prompted a lot more emotion , and the call for change is so much more urgent right now '' .
It comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' History changes when you have an unexpected convergence of forces , '' argued Mr Roberts .
Mr Floyd 's death came in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic that has led to Americans being ordered to stay in their homes , and sparked the highest level of unemployment since the Great Depression in the 1930s .
`` You have a situation where the entire country is on lockdown , and more people are inside watching TV ... more people are being forced to pay attention - they 're less able to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has already changed the way we live and work , and led to many Americans at home `` asking themselves what parts of normal are no longer acceptable '' , he added .
And on a practical level , the US 's 13 % unemployment level means that more people than usual can protest and campaign without juggling work commitments .
'It was the last straw' Mr Floyd 's death came shortly after the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery and Breoanna Taylor .
Mr Arbery , 25 , was shot on 23 February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he resembled a burglary suspect .
Breoanna Taylor , 26 , was a health worker who was shot eight times when police entered her flat in Kentucky .
• Why Breonna Taylor 's name is chanted at demos • Ahmaud Arbery went jogging .
Why did he die ?
Both their names have featured on placards at the latest Black Lives Matters protests , with demonstrators being urged to chant Ms Taylor 's name .
Mr Roberts described Mr Floyd 's death as `` the last straw for many communities '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the summer , when people want to go outdoors , is also significant .
The fact that this is an election year also means that politicians are more likely to pay attention and respond , he said .
These protests appear more racially diverse While there is no hard data on the ethnicity of protesters , many of the demonstrations appear to have a high proportion of supporters who are not African American themselves .
For example , in Washington DC , tens of thousands took to the streets on Saturday - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-black .
Many protesters brought placards that specifically highlighted their desire to be allies to the movement .
Part of this could be down to a shift in opinion .
A poll for ABC suggested that 74 % of Americans felt that the killing of Mr Floyd was part of a broader problem in the treatment of African Americans by police .
This was a sharp rise from a similar poll in 2014 , following deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner - where 43 % of Americans felt that those incidents reflected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the Black Lives Matter movement has `` always been multi-racial ... white folks in the US do n't really have a vocabulary for talking about race '' , Mr Roberts said .
`` It 's uncomfortable , and they think any conversation about racism is an attack on their very existence , or feel they do n't have licence to speak out in case they offend someone . ''
However , he said he now sees more white allies speaking up , and `` feeling more comfortable with being uncomfortable '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cities , there have also been protests in small towns , including in Anna , described locally as one of `` the most racist places '' in Illinois and Vidor , in Texas , which was once infamous as a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group .
• WATCH : 'This is why we are protesting' • BACKGROUND : Five pieces of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?
The fact that the circumstances around Mr Floyd 's death seemed particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to unite .
In one opinion piece , titled `` My tiny , white town just held a protest .
We 're not alone '' , journalist Judy Mueller said she was `` gobsmacked '' to see about 40 people at a vigil in Norwood , Colorado .
The vigil organisers there said `` support for police and Black Lives Matter are not exclusive '' , while a local town board trustee , Republican Candy Meehan , said `` I do n't think this is a political matter… wrong is wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resident , said he joined demonstrations after Trayvon Martin 's death in 2012 , and Breoanna Taylor 's death earlier this year , but the latest wave of protests were `` probably the biggest yet '' .
`` African Americans and minorities have been protesting this [ racism ] for years .
Our voices clearly do not hold as much power as if we 've got some of our white counterparts to help us . ''
Meanwhile , Mr Roberts argued : `` History has been clear that the people who need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been beneficiaries of the existing systems . ''
Did police actions have an impact ?
The vast majority of protests across the US were peaceful - and in several cases local police officers also showed their support .
However , there were some high-profile confrontations and clashes between protesters and police .
• Why do some protests turn violent ?
Last week , authorities forcibly removed peaceful protesters from a square outside of the White House .
Shortly afterwards , President Donald Trump crossed the street to have his photo taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of journalists covering the protests have also reported being targeted by security forces using tear gas , rubber bullets , and pepper spray .
Some demonstrators took to the streets after they felt police used excessive force .
Ben Longwell and Justine Summers said they were medical workers who decided to join the protests in DC - despite the difficulty of maintaining social distancing - as a result of police actions .
`` This is the first time in my life I 've been afraid of the police , '' Mr Longwell said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had not planned to take part - but `` when I heard about how violent the police were getting… it seemed like a thing that I needed to do '' .
One poll conducted for CNN suggested that 84 % of Americans felt peaceful protests in response to police violence against African Americans was justified , while 27 % said violent protests were also justified - although support for violent protests was split sharply along political lines .
`` The reality is we do n't want anyone hurt .
But we also have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media strategy , for better of worse , rioting is often a way for activists to ensure that cameras stay on the issue , '' said Mr Roberts .
Where could these protests lead ?
Many demonstrators have been calling for specific changes - including making it mandatory for police officers to wear body cameras , reducing funding for police forces , or encouraging more people to vote .
Mr Roberts said it was too early to tell whether the current protests would lead to lasting change - `` remember the civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] went on for over a decade . ''
However , he was also hopeful , saying : `` We live in a country where it only takes one Rosa Parks-like moment to change things . ''
Rosa Parks was arrested after she refused to give up her seat for a white man in 1955 - sparking boycotts , and a mass movement which eventually led to ground breaking civil rights legislation in 1964 .
Many protesters in DC over the weekend also felt that they were on the cusp of a historic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point where things could really change , '' said Laura Hopman , adding that she brought her two nine-year-old sons with her because `` I want them to be a part of this - to make it a turning point in their lives and many other peoples ' lives . ''
Dylan Pegram , 10 , was also with there his dad , on his first-ever march .
`` I found it kinda stressful , but at the same time it 's kinda good , because we need change , '' he said @


bbc--2020-06-08--George Floyd murder suspect Derek Chauvin has bail set at $1.25m

The Minneapolis ex-policeman accused of killing unarmed black man George Floyd has made his first court appearance , where his bail was set at $ 1.25m ( £1m ) .
Prosecutors cited the `` severity of the charges '' and public outrage as the reason for upping his bail from $ 1m .
Derek Chauvin faces charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter .
Three other arresting officers are charged with aiding and abetting murder .
Mr Floyd 's death in May led to global protests and calls for police reform .
Mr Chauvin , who is white , knelt on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minutes while he was being arrested in Minneapolis on 25 May .
He and the three other police officers have since been fired .
• Who are the officers charged over George Floyd 's death ?
• Why I decided not to watch Floyd 's video Meanwhile , mourners in Houston , Texas , where Mr Floyd lived before moving to Minneapolis , have been viewing his body , publicly on display for six hours at The Fountain of Praise church .
On Tuesday , a private funeral service will be held in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held in Minneapolis and North Carolina , where Mr Floyd was born .
It is believed a family member escorted Mr Floyd 's body on a flight to Texas late on Saturday .
Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden met privately with Mr Floyd 's relatives in Houston to offer his sympathies on Monday .
`` He listened , heard their pain , and shared in their woe , '' said Floyd family spokesman Benjamin Crump , who tweeted a photo of the meeting .
`` That compassion meant the world to this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former vice-president said he would also record a video message for Tuesday 's service .
What happened at the bail hearing ?
Mr Chauvin , a 19-year police veteran , did not enter a plea as he appeared via teleconference on Monday .
He did not speak during the 15-minute hearing , and was handcuffed and wearing an orange jumpsuit as he sat a small table .
Judge Jeannice M Reding set a bail of $ 1.25m with no preconditions , or $ 1m with conditions that include Mr Chauvin not contacting Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and not working in law enforcement or security as he awaits trial .
His lawyer did not object to the bail price .
Mr Chauvin , 44 , is currently being held at the Minnesota state prison in Oak Park Heights , after being transferred several times .
His next court appearance is set for 29 June .
What are the accusations against Chauvin ?
He faces three separate charges : unintentional second-degree murder , third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter , for which the maximum penalties are prison terms of 40 , 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be brought but it appears unlikely he will be accused of first-degree murder as prosecutors would have to prove premeditation , intent and motive , the Associated Press reports .
By bringing multiple charges , prosecutors give jurors a choice and increase the chances of a conviction .
Minneapolis city council has voted to ban chokeholds and neck restraints by police officers , and Democrats in Congress have unveiled sweeping legislation on police reform .
In France , which saw Black Lives Matter protests over the weekend , Interior Minister Christophe Castaner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to use chokeholds to arrest people .
France 's police watchdog has revealed that there were 1,500 complaints against officers last year , half of them for alleged assaults .
How are people in Houston mourning Floyd ?
Masked and gloved mourners have been filing past Mr Floyd 's coffin in line with coronavirus social distancing requirements , with only 15 guests allowed in the church at a time .
Anti-racism protests started by Mr Floyd 's death are now entering their third week in the US .
Huge rallies have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DC , New York , Chicago , Los Angeles and San Francisco .
With the rallying cries `` Black Lives matter '' and `` No Justice , No Peace '' , the demonstrations are among the largest US protests against racism since the 1960s .
Saturday 's gatherings included a protest in the Texas town of Vidor , once infamous as a stronghold of the Ku Klux Klan white supremacist group .
The majority of protests have been peaceful , however episodes of looting and violence have been reported .
President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quash any unrest .
Security measures were lifted across the US on Sunday as unrest started to ease .
New York ended its nearly week-long curfew , and Mr Trump said he was ordering the National Guard to start withdrawing from Washington DC .
• WATCH : 'This is why we are protesting' • BACKGROUND : Five pieces of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?
Protesters in European cities including London and Rome also gathered to show their support for Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Australia were attended by tens of thousands .
In the city of Bristol in the UK , protesters tore down a statue of Edward Colston , a prominent 17th Century slave trader .

George Floyd dies after police arrest Image caption Tributes to George Floyd at a makeshift memorial Image copyright by Getty Images George Floyd dies after being arrested by police outside a shop in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Footage shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for several minutes while he is pinned to the floor. Mr Floyd is heard repeatedly saying "I can’t breathe". He is pronounced dead later in hospital.
Protests begin Image caption Demonstrators in Minneapolis Image copyright by AFP Four officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd are fired. Protests begin as the video of the arrest is shared widely on social media. Hundreds of demonstrators take to the streets of Minneapolis and vandalise police cars and the police station with graffiti.
Protests spread Image caption Protesters lie on the streets in Portland, Oregon Image copyright by Reuters Protests spread to other cities including Memphis and Los Angeles. In some places, like Portland, Oregon, protesters lie in the road, chanting "I can’t breathe". Demonstrators again gather around the police station in Minneapolis where the officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest were based and set fire to it. The building is evacuated and police retreat.
Trump tweets Image caption President Trump tweets about the unrest Image copyright by Reuters President Trump blames the violence on a lack of leadership in Minneapolis and threatens to send in the National Guard in a tweet. He follows it up in a second tweet with a warning "when the looting starts, the shooting starts". The second tweet is hidden by Twitter for "glorifying violence".
CNN reporter arrested Image caption Members of a CNN crew are arrested at a protest Image copyright by Reuters A CNN reporter, Omar Jimenez, is arrested while covering the Minneapolis protest. Mr Jimenez was reporting live when police officers handcuffed him. A few minutes later several of his colleagues are also arrested. They are all later released once they are confirmed to be members of the media. Derek Chauvin charged with murder Image caption Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin after being charged over the death of George Floyd Image copyright by Getty Images Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, is charged with murder and manslaughter. The charges carry a combined maximum 35-year sentence.
Sixth night of protests Image caption Demonstrators set fire to rubbish in New York Image copyright by Reuters Violence spreads across the US on the sixth night of protests. A total of at least five people are reported killed in protests from Indianapolis to Chicago. More than 75 cities have seen protests. At least 4,400 people have been arrested. Curfews are imposed across the US to try to stem the unrest.
Trump threatens military response Image caption Trump posing with a Bible outside a boarded-up church Image copyright by EPA President Trump threatens to send in the military to quell growing civil unrest. He says if cities and states fail to control the protests and "defend their residents" he will deploy the army and "quickly solve the problem for them". Mr Trump poses in front of a damaged church shortly after police used tear gas to disperse peaceful protesters nearby.
Eighth night of protests Image caption George Floyd’s family joined protesters in Houston Image copyright by Getty Tens of thousands of protesters again take to the streets. One of the biggest protests is in George Floyd’s hometown of Houston, Texas. Many defy curfews in several cities, but the demonstrations are largely peaceful.
Memorial service for George Floyd Image caption Mourners gather to remember George Floyd Image copyright by Getty A memorial service for George Floyd is held in Minneapolis. Those gathered in tribute stand in silence for eight minutes, 46 seconds, the amount of time Mr Floyd is alleged to have been on the ground under arrest. Hundreds attended the service, which heard a eulogy from civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton.
International protests Image caption Protester addresses crowds in Australia Image copyright by Getty As the US saw another weekend of protests, with tens of thousands marching in Washington DC, anti-racism demonstrations were held around the world. In Australia, there were major protests in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane that focused on the treatment of indigenous Australians. There were also demonstrations in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. In Bristol, protesters tore down the statue of a 17th century slave trader and threw it into the harbour.


bbc--2020-06-08--Bonnie Pointer: Former Pointer Sisters singer dies aged 69

She and her sisters found rose to fame as the Grammy award-winning Pointer Sisters , which was best known for the hits Jump ( For My Love ) and I 'm So Excited .
`` Our family is devastated , '' her sister Anita told the Associated Press on Monday .
`` On behalf of my siblings and I and the entire Pointer family , we ask for your prayers at this time . ''
Bonnie and her sister Ruth Pointer originally performed as a duet and were later were joined by their sisters Anita and Ruth .
The Pointers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won the first of their three Grammy Awards for the song Fairytale in 1975 .
Bonnie left the group to pursue a solo career two years later , but the Pointer Sisters ' success continued into the 1980s and they were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994 .
Earlier this year , Anita and Bonnie Pointer released a single in memory of their sister June , who died in 2006 .
Their sister Ruth is the only sibling still performing in the Pointer Sisters , joined by her @ @ @ @

She and her sisters rose to fame as the Grammy award-winning Pointer Sisters, who were best known for the hits Jump (For My Love) and I'm So Excited.


bbc--2020-06-08--Coronavirus economy: What can 2008 recession teach us about this one?

Layoffs , stock market crashes and bailouts - America has been through this before .
Can we learn from the Great Recession of 2008 , or are we doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past ?
Then : Wall Street blew up the economy The Great Recession was not caused by a deus ex machina or a stroke of bad luck - it was caused by some fundamentally poor choices made by Wall Street .
During the housing boom , bankers had given mortgages to people with credit and income challenges .
Many banks then sold these mortgages off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banks , who bundled the debt with other similar loans .
The idea was that these bundles would make the bank more money when the loans were paid off , but when foreclosures rose , many banks began to fail .
In order to fix the problem , the government passed reforms - like the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in 2010 - and created the Troubled Asset Relief Program ( Tarp ) , a $ 700bn programme to let the government bailout failing banks .
• The panics of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official recession At the time , bailing out big banks and failing industries like the auto sector was highly controversial - many felt it was rewarding companies for making bad decisions .
But ultimately , increased oversight , coupled with financial support from the government , has been credited with keeping the financial system from completely collapsing .
The current recession is not caused by a broken link within the system , but from an external threat , a worldwide pandemic .
In order to keep the disease from spreading , many governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in lockdown orders , bringing many industries to a grinding halt .
But luckily , the overall financial system is in much better shape this time around - in part because of some of the policy changes made in response to the 2008 the recession .
Markets have already partially recovered , and the Dodd-Frank act has helped make banks much healthier and able to withstand the market downturn , says Todd Knoop , an economist who researches the history of recessions at Cornell College .
`` Policy makers have developed a script @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed over time , they have a much better idea of what to do during a crisis than they did during the Great Depression , or even in 2008 , '' he says .
But helping businesses has proven trickier , says Duke University economist Campbell Harvey .
`` I do n't even call it a bailout .
A bailout to me means you 're bailing out somebody that 's done a bad job .
Whereas this is more like aid , '' he says .
The scale and the complexity of delivering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well .
In the US , about 40 % of the population is employed by over 30m small businesses .
`` In the Great Recession , the policy makers could summon the CEOs of the top-25 financial institutions into a room and literally hand out their bailout cheques , '' he says .
`` Whereas this recession , it 's not really the financial instructions that are being hit , but ( millions of ) small and medium-sized businesses . ''
Then : The system broke down Prior to 2008 , the prevailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets would take care of themselves .
It seemed to be working - just months before the economy began to shrink , the stock market had reached an all-time high .
But the palace was built on quicksand .
When foreclosures began to rise , banks that had heavily invested in mortgage-backed securities , which are investments tied to other people 's home mortgages , began to fail .
People lost their retirement savings , and companies completely unrelated to either banking or real estate lost investments they needed to keep their businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think the reason why most economists did n't understand how bad this was , is most economists could n't wrap their mind around how stupid some of the players were being , '' Mr Knoop says .
• Was 2008 the worst time to graduate ?
To fix the problem , the US officials unveiled a number of programmes and policies aimed at getting the country back on its feet , including passing two separate stimulus packages worth approximately $ 1 trillion ( £800bn ) between 2008-2009 .
The Federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and launched a quantitative easing programme , which is when the Fed buys investments to increase cash flow .
Now : The system has transformed It 's still early days , but politicians seem to have learned some of the lessons of 2008 .
`` Now we expect the government to take a very active role , '' Mr Knoop says .
It took over six months from the collapse of the 85-year-old investment bank Bear Sterns - one of the earlier bank busts in the recession - for the Fed to drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This time around , the Fed slashed interest to zero within days of President Trump declaring coronavirus a national emergency and spent $ 700bn on a new quantitative easing programme .
Just two weeks later , Congress passed a $ 2.2 trillion stimulus package to help the millions of Americans out of work , and a second stimulus may be on its way .
But how we go about our day-to-day lives , from taking public transport to working from an office , has completely transformed and the `` new normal '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while .
Some companies like Canadian tech giant Shopify may get rid of offices altogether , while others may look into automating certain jobs .
`` This is really destroying people and it 's destroying human systems , in the way we share ideas and technology and interacting with each other , '' Mr Knoop says .
Then : It was like a slow-moving panic One of the defining aspects of the Great Recession was its length .
The National Bureau of Economic Research retroactively noted that the economy first began shrinking in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapsed in February 2008 , but it was n't until September that the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 777.68 - its largest point crash in history , until 2020 .
Meanwhile , jobs began to slowly disappear .
By October 2010 , the unemployment rate had peaked at 10 % .
Recessions are fuelled by uncertainty - uncertainty that the financial system can really recover , uncertainty that one 's job is safe .
`` If there 's a lot of uncertainty , companies do n't make capital investments and consumers do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ During the Great Recession , this uncertainty dragged on .
Even after the stock market recovered , and production increased , employment lagged , and it was n't until 2017 that it returned to its pre-recession lows .
Now : It 's like a hurricane If the Great Recession was a long-term degenerative illness , then the coronavirus economic downturn is like a natural disaster , that takes out everything at once , says Mr Harvey .
`` You just ca n't pull out the playbook of 2008 and apply it to 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic , there 's no place to really hide - everyone is affected around the world . ''
Between March and April , the unemployment rate jumped 10 points to over 14 % .
The GDP - the value of goods and services made in the US - dropped by nearly 5 % .
But there is a silver lining , Mr Harvey says .
The uncertainty of this recession is mostly biological - in the beginning , we did n't know how deadly the disease was , what its side effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be effective .
But as time goes on , science advances .
• Which country has the most generous bailout ?
• Seven charts on the coronavirus jobs market As soon as a vaccine is developed , companies will be able to reopen without fear , which means they can rehire people , Mr Harvey says .
Whereas 2008 , it was n't clear when it was going to end .
There are signs the economy is already starting to recover - data from May released on Friday shows that the unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a slight decline to April 's high of 14.7 % .
Everyone wo n't make it , Mr Harvey says - some will close their doors permanently .
`` The key thing for policy makers is to minimise the collateral damage , '' he says .
That means ensuring that stimulus packages are hearty enough to keep good businesses on life support until they can reopen their doors .
But some are sceptical everything will start right back up again .
`` When the economy starts up , when social distancing comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a vaccine , will employment go right back up to where it was the day before the pandemic hit '' asks Mr Knoop .
`` Who knows , maybe , but I think it 's kind of unlikely . ''

But how we go about our day-to-day lives, from taking public transport to working from an office, has completely transformed and the "new normal" could be here to stay for a while. Some companies like Canadian tech giant Shopify may get rid of offices altogether, while others may look into automating certain jobs.


bbc--2020-06-08--George Floyd: Black Lives Matter protests go global

Tens of thousands of people around the world have been protesting against the death of George Floyd .
For many @ @ @ @ @ of the issues they face in their own countries , including their own personal experiences @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Kash Jones has been speaking to protesters from New Zealand to France to @ @ @ @ @ re taking to the streets .

Tens of thousands of people around the world have been protesting against the death of George Floyd. For many it’s reminded them of the issues they face in their own countries, including their own personal experiences of racism.
BBC Minute’s Kash Jones has been speaking to protesters from New Zealand to France to find out why they’re taking to the streets.
Video Journalist: Olivia Le Poidevin, BBC Minute


bbc--2020-06-08--Coronavirus: Lockdowns in Europe saved millions of lives

Lockdowns have saved more than three million lives from coronavirus in Europe , a study estimates .
The team at Imperial College London said the `` death toll would have been huge '' without lockdown .
But they warned that only a small proportion of people had been infected and we were still only `` at the beginning of the pandemic '' .
Another study argued global lockdowns had `` saved more lives , in a shorter period of time , than ever before '' .
The Imperial study assessed the impact of restrictions in 11 European countries - Austria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany , Italy , Norway , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland and the UK - up to the beginning of May .
By that time , around 130,000 people had died from coronavirus in those countries .
The researchers used disease modelling to predict how many deaths there would have been if lockdown had not happened .
And the work comes from the same group that guided the UK 's decision to go into lockdown .
They estimated 3.2 million people would have died by 4 May if not for measures such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home .
That meant lockdown saved around 3.1 million lives , including 470,000 in the UK , 690,000 in France and 630,000 in Italy , the report in the journal Nature shows .
`` Lockdown averted millions of deaths , those deaths would have been a tragedy , '' said Dr Seth Flaxman , from Imperial .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How do we get out of this mess ?
Their equations made several assumptions , which will affect the figures .
They assume nobody would have changed their behaviour in response to the Covid threat without a lockdown - and that hospitals would not be overwhelmed resulting in a surge in deaths , which nearly happened in some countries .
The study also does not take into account the health consequences of lockdowns that may take years to fully uncover .
The model also predicted that the outbreak would be nearly over by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people would have been infected .
More than seven in 10 people in the UK would have had Covid , leading to herd immunity and the virus no longer spreading .
Instead , the researchers estimate that up to 15 million people across Europe had been infected by the beginning of May .
The researchers say at most , 4 % of the population in those countries had been infected .
`` Claims this is all over can be firmly rejected .
We are only at the beginning of this pandemic , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that as lockdowns start to lift , there is the risk the virus could start to spread again .
`` There is a very real risk if mobility goes back up there could be a second wave coming reasonably soon , in the next month or two , '' said Dr Samir Bhatt .
Meanwhile , a separate study by University of California , Berkeley , analysed the impact of lockdowns in China , South Korea , Iran , France and the US .
Their report , also in Nature , says lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just before lockdowns were introduced , they said cases were doubling every two days .
Dr Solomon Hsiang , one of the researchers , said coronavirus had been a `` real human tragedy '' but the global action to stop the spread of the virus had `` saved more lives , in a shorter period of time , than ever before '' .

The researchers used disease modelling to predict how many deaths there would have been if lockdown had not happened. And the work comes from the same group that guided the UK's decision to go into lockdown.


bbc--2020-06-08--KKK 'leader' charged for attack on Black Lives Matter protesters

A self-described Ku Klux Klan leader has been arrested for allegedly driving his car into a group of Black Lives Matters protesters gathered on Sunday in the US state of Virginia .
Prosecutors say that Harry Rogers , 36 , drove `` recklessly '' towards a protest in Henrico County , and `` revved the engine '' before driving into protesters .
Mr Rogers appeared in Henrico court on the outskirts of Richmond on Monday , facing charges of assault and battery .
One protester was injured and treated at the scene , authorities said , but was not seriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death of George Floyd are entering their third week .
Mr Floyd died while being restrained by a Minnesota police officer last month .
Large rallies and protests have been held in several US cities , including Richmond , New York , Chicago , and Los Angeles .
• Viewpoint : US must confront its Original Sin to move forward • In pictures : Protests against racism around world • ' A battle for the soul of America' Though some protests have involved rioting or looting , and violent clashes between participants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful .
`` An attack on peaceful protesters is heinous and despicable and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law , '' Henrico Country Commonwealth 's Attorney Shannon Taylor said in a statement .
Mr Rogers told officers he was president of the Virginia KKK , the highest-ranking member of the white supremacist group not in prison , US media report .
`` The accused , by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media , is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taylor said .
`` This egregious criminal act will not go unpunished .
Hate has no place here under my watch . ''
Mr Rogers is expected back in court in August .
Virginia has long been a locus for racial tensions in the US .
Heated debate around Confederate symbols in the state , and the statue of Confederate general Robert Lee sparked the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville , about 80 miles from Henrico .
At that rally , a man drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty of murder .
Mr Rogers was also pictured at that white nationalist rally , according to the Guardian .
Last week , amid Black Lives Matters protests over the killing of Mr Floyd , Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that a statue of Lee would be removed from the state capital and `` immediately '' put into storage .

"The accused, by his own admission and by a cursory glance at social media, is an admitted leader of the Ku Klux Klan and a propagandist for Confederate ideology," Ms Taylor said. "This egregious criminal act will not go unpunished. Hate has no place here under my watch."


bbc--2020-06-08--Prince Andrew 'falsely portraying himself as willing', US prosecutor claims

The Duke of York has `` sought to falsely portray himself '' as eager to co-operate with an inquiry into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , the US prosecutor in charge of the investigation has said .
US attorney Geoffrey Berman said Prince Andrew `` has repeatedly declined our request '' to schedule an interview .
The prince 's lawyers previously rejected claims he had not co-operated , saying he offered to help three times .
The duke will not be extradited , the US government 's chief lawyer has said .
US Attorney General William Barr told Fox News : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question of handing him over .
I think it 's just a question of having him provide some evidence . ''
Prince Andrew stepped away from royal duties last year after an interview he gave to the BBC about his relationship with Epstein .
Epstein took his own life in a US jail cell in August , aged 66 , while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges .
The duke has been heavily scrutinised for his friendship with Epstein , but he has said he did not witness any suspicious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's homes .
Mr Berman , the US attorney for the Southern District of New York , has criticised the duke in the past .
In January he accused him of providing `` zero co-operation '' and in March he said Andrew had `` completely shut the door '' on helping investigators .
On Monday , Prince Andrew 's lawyers responded for the first time and hit back at the claims as `` inaccurate '' .
Mr Berman then issued a statement , deepening the row .
He said : `` Today , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portray himself to the public as eager and willing to co-operate with an ongoing federal criminal investigation into sex trafficking and related offences committed by Jeffrey Epstein and his associates . ''
He said the duke `` has not given an interview to federal authorities , has repeatedly declined our request to schedule such an interview , and nearly four months ago informed us unequivocally - through the very same counsel who issued today 's release - that he would not come in for such an interview '' .
`` If Prince Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-operating with the ongoing federal investigation , our doors remain open , and we await word of when we should expect him . ''
Lawyer Gloria Allred , who represents some of Epstein 's victims , has told the BBC 's Newsnight she was not aware of any attempts from the duke to assist the investigation .
She said Prince Andrew `` needs to stop playing a cat-and-mouse game with the United States Department of Justice '' and insisted `` it 's time for him to stand before the bar of justice '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dragging this out is really inflicting quite a bit of emotional harm on many victims , it 's not fair , '' she said .
`` All they want is truth , and they want transparency . ''
The duke 's lawyers declined to comment further .
But a source said : `` This is the third time Berman has breached his own confidentiality rules , further diminishing our trust in the DoJ 's willingness to play a straight bat .
It 's frankly bewildering . ''
Earlier , the legal team said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DoJ has been actively investigating Mr Epstein and other targets for more than 16 years , yet the first time they requested the duke 's help was on 2 January 2020 .
`` Importantly , the DoJ advised us that the duke is not and has never been a 'target ' of their criminal investigations into Epstein and that they sought his confidential , voluntary co-operation . ''
The duke 's lawyers said they had asked US prosecutors to confirm the co-operation would remain confidential , adding : `` We were given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the interview process would remain confidential . ''
They added : `` The Duke of York has on at least three occasions this year offered his assistance as a witness to the DoJ .
`` Unfortunately , the DoJ has reacted to the first two offers by breaching their own confidentiality rules and claiming that the duke has offered zero co-operation .
In doing so , they are perhaps seeking publicity rather than accepting the assistance proffered . ''
The legal team added : `` It is a matter of regret that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own rules of confidentiality , not least as they are designed to encourage witness co-operation .
`` Far from our client acting above the law , as has been implied by press briefings in the US , he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen .
Further , those same breaches of confidentiality by the DoJ have given the global media - and , therefore , the worldwide audience - an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them . ''
The DoJ has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prince as part of its Epstein inquiry , by submitting a mutual legal assistance ( MLA ) request to the UK Home Office .
Under the terms of a MLA request if Prince Andrew does not voluntarily respond , he can be called to a UK court to answer questions .
The duke 's lawyers described the request as `` disappointing '' because the Duke of York was `` not a target of the DoJ investigation and has recently repeated his willingness to provide a witness statement '' .
Allegations against Jeffrey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents of a 14-year-old girl told police in Florida that Epstein had molested their daughter at his Palm Beach home .
The financier was accused of paying girls under the age of 18 to perform sex acts at his Manhattan and Florida mansions between 2002 and 2005 .
However , a controversial secret plea deal in 2008 saw him plead guilty to a lesser charge of soliciting a minor for prostitution .
He received an 18-month prison sentence and was released on probation after 13 months .
In July 2019 he was charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sex trafficking and conspiracy and was due to face trial .
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges .
In his interview with the BBC 's Newsnight programme in November 2019 , the duke said he did not regret his friendship with Epstein - which led to Epstein attending events at Windsor Castle and Sandringham - because it had `` some seriously beneficial outcomes '' .
• Six things we learned from Prince Andrew interview However , he admitted it was wrong of him to visit Epstein at his home in 2010 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied having sex with Virginia Giuffre , when she was a teenager , who said she was trafficked by Epstein when she was 17 and forced to have sex with Prince Andrew .
Prince Andrew emphatically denies any form of sexual contact or relationship with her and says any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation .
He said he has no recollection of ever meeting the woman , who was previously known as Virginia Roberts .
Shortly after the interview was broadcast , Prince Andrew said he was `` willing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .

"Far from our client acting above the law, as has been implied by press briefings in the US, he is being treated by a lower standard than might reasonably be expected for any other citizen. Further, those same breaches of confidentiality by the DoJ have given the global media - and, therefore, the worldwide audience - an entirely misleading account of our discussions with them."


bbc--2020-06-08--North Korea halts all communications with South in row over leafleting

North Korea has said it will cut off all inter-Korean communication lines with the South , including a hotline between the two nation 's leaders , The North said this was the first in a series of actions , describing South Korea as `` the enemy '' .
Daily calls , which have been made to a liaison office located in the North Korean border city of Kaesong , will cease from Tuesday .
The two states had set up the office to reduce tensions after talks in 2018 .
North Korea `` will completely cut off and shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North and the South , which has been maintained through the North-South joint liaison office ... from 12:00 on 9 June 2020 , '' the Korean Central News Agency report said .
When the liaison office was temporarily closed in January because of Covid-19 restrictions , contact between the two states was maintained by phone .
• What do we know about North Korea ?
The two Koreas made two phone calls a day through the office , at 09:00 and 17:00 .
On Monday , the South said that for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning call had gone unanswered , although contact was made in the afternoon .
Kim Yo-jong , the North Korean leader 's sister , threatened last week to close the office unless South Korea stopped defector groups from sending leaflets into the North .
She said the leaflet campaign was a hostile act that violated the peace agreements made during the 2018 Panmunjom summit between the South 's Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un .
North Korean defectors occasionally send balloons carrying leaflets critical of the communist region into the North , sometimes with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them up .
North Koreans can only get news from state-controlled media , and most do not have access to the internet .

But how disappointing this must be for the Moon administration. Two years ago in a wave of optimism, the country cheered as the two leaders met and agreed to keep the phone lines open. Now all calls to the North are not being picked up.


bbc--2020-06-08--UAE Mars mission: Hope project a 'real step forward for exploration'

The first Arab space mission to Mars is preparing to lift off within weeks .
Fuelling is due to begin next week .
It will take seven months to travel the 493 million km ( 308 million miles ) to reach Mars and begin its orbit , sending back ground-breaking new data about its climate and atmosphere .
The probe will remain orbiting Mars for an entire Martian year , 687 days , to gather sufficient data .
A single orbit around Mars will take the probe 55 hours .
In a briefing on Monday , programme director Sarah Al-Amiri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incentive for young Arab scientists to embark on a career in space engineering .
• The United Arab Emirates reaches for the Red Planet Named Amal , meaning Hope , the unmanned craft is due to lift off from a remote Japanese island , Tanegashima , during a narrow launch window on 14 July .
Powered by a Japanese rocket , it will be carrying three types of sensors for measuring the complex make-up of Mars 's atmosphere .
These include a high-resolution multiband camera for measuring the planet 's dust and ozone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for measuring both the upper and lower atmosphere and developed by Arizona State University , one of the project 's three US partner universities .
The third sensor will be an ultraviolet spectrometer for measuring oxygen and hydrogen levels .
Ms Al-Amiri said one of the focuses of the research will be into how these two elements , essential for water , are escaping from the planet .
Sir Ian Blatchford , director of the UK 's Science Museum Group , pointed out that `` a lot of missions have focused on geology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive , holistic picture of Mars 's climate '' .
The UAE has a track record of space travel .
It has sent rockets into the Earth 's orbit and one of its astronauts to the International Space Station .
• Hazzaa Al Mansoori to become first Emirati astronaut The first Arab astronaut to go into space was Saudi Arabia 's Prince Sultan Bin Salman Al-Saud , who flew on the US space shuttle in 1985 .
But this is of a totally different magnitude .
The spacecraft was built in the UAE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its engineers immediately had to go into quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic , threatening to delay the launch .
Monica Grady , professor of planetary and space science at Britain 's Open University , believes this Mars mission marks a major change in an industry previously dominated by the major powers of the world .
`` It 's a real step forwards for Mars exploration , because it shows that other nations - rather than the European Space Agency and Nasa can actually go there - well we hope it will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history of mission failures , '' she said .
UAE project leaders working on the mission have reminded the world that , eight centuries ago , Arab inventors and intellectuals were right at the forefront of scientific discovery .
So today , the ruler of Dubai , one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE , is hoping this ambitious project will rekindle a sense of cultural pride and help the region to diversify away from its dependence on the oil industry .
Provided it does reach Mars , Hope will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same year that the UAE celebrates 50 years since its founding as a nation in 1971 .
Certainly no one could accuse the country of lacking in ambition .
It has vowed to build a human settlement on Mars by the year 2117 .
You may also be interested in :

"It's a real step forwards for Mars exploration, because it shows that other nations - rather than the European Space Agency and Nasa can actually go there - well we hope it will get there. Mars has a very long history of mission failures," she said.


bbc--2020-06-08--Forrest Fenn: Collector says his $1m Rocky Mountain treasure hunt has been won

A treasure chest full of gold , jewels and other valuables worth more than $ 1m ( £790,000 ) is said to have been found in the Rocky Mountains .
Antiquities collector Forrest Fenn says he hid the bronze chest more than a decade ago , creating a treasure hunt for people to find it .
Thousands of people searched for it , many quitting their jobs and using up their savings .
Four people died .
Now , Mr Fenn says , a man from `` back East '' has finally tracked it down .
`` It was under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago , '' Mr Fenn , an 89-year-old millionaire from New Mexico , said in a statement .
He added that he did not know the man who found it but that a 24-line poem in his 2010 autobiography The Thrill of the Chase had led the man to the exact spot .
Mr Fenn also told his local paper , the Santa Fe New Mexican , that the man did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but had confirmed the finding by sending over a photograph .
As well as rare gold coins and antique jewellery , Mr Fenn said he had packed the 20 lb ( 9 kg ) chest with pre-Columbian animal figures , prehistoric hammered gold `` mirrors '' and ancient Chinese faces carved from jade .
Asked how he felt about the treasure being found , Fenn told the paper : `` I do n't know , I feel halfway kind of glad , halfway kind of sad because the chase is over . ''

"It was under a canopy of stars in the lush, forested vegetation of the Rocky Mountains and had not moved from the spot where I hid it more than 10 years ago," Mr Fenn, an 89-year-old millionaire from New Mexico, said in a statement.


bbc--2020-06-08--Debbie Kaore: Papua New Guinea sports star 'attacked by partner'

The partner of Papua New Guinea sports star Debbie Kaore has been charged with grievous bodily harm over footage appearing to show him attacking her .
The graphic video , which reportedly showed the rugby player being hit with a hot iron and headbutted , was posted on social media on Friday .
It sparked outrage and calls for action against domestic abuse in the country .
Prime Minister James Marape put out a statement urging the country 's men not to beat up their wives .
• What India 's lockdown did to domestic abuse victims According to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women in Papua New Guinea have experienced domestic violence .
`` I am putting this out here 'cause this has gone too far , '' Ms Kaore , 30 , posted on social media .
`` I can only hope that there wo n't be another victim after me . ''
She is also a champion boxer - she won gold for Papua New Guinea at the Pacific Games in 2015 .
She recently switched to rugby sevens and she represented the country at the HSBC World Series last year .
Ms Kaore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacked and releasing the images .
Her partner , 33-year-old army lieutenant Murray Oa with whom she has a two-year-old child , was arrested and charged .
`` I 'm still traumatised by what happened ...
I know there 's a lot of women , Papua New Guinea women out there , who go through the same thing , '' Ms Kaore told Australian broadcaster ABC .
`` They need to be strong , they need to get and report if it 's wrong .
Do what is right for you .
Your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Prime Minister Marape said : `` I am a Tari man who learnt not to beat up my wife .
My brother or son , you can do it too . ''

"I am putting this out here 'cause this has gone too far," Ms Kaore, 30, posted on social media. "I can only hope that there won't be another victim after me."


bbc--2020-06-08--New Zealand lifts all Covid restrictions, declaring the nation virus-free

New Zealand has lifted almost all of its coronavirus restrictions after reporting no active cases in the country .
At midnight local time ( 12:00 GMT ) , all of New Zealand moved to level one , the lowest of a four-tier alert system .
Under new rules , social distancing is not required and there are no limits on public gatherings , but borders remain closed to foreigners .
New Zealand has reported no new Covid-19 cases for more than two weeks .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters she did `` a little dance '' when she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active virus cases .
`` While we 're in a safer , stronger position , there 's still no easy path back to pre-Covid life , but the determination and focus we have had on our health response will now be vested in our economic rebuild , '' Ms Ardern said .
`` While the job is not done , there is no denying this is a milestone .
So can I finish with a very simple , 'Thank you , New Zealand ' . ''
New Zealand first went into lockdown on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four-stage alert system and going in at level four , where most businesses were shut , schools closed and people told to stay at home .
After more than five weeks , it moved to level three in April , allowing takeaway food shops and some non-essential businesses to re-open .
• New Zealand gets its coffee back • How NZ 's 'team of five million ' took on Covid-19 • New Zealand PM : No open borders for ' a long time' As the number of community cases continued to decline , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-May .
The move to level one comes ahead of time - the government had originally planned to make the move on 22 June , but it was brought forward after no new cases were reported for 17 days .
Under the new rules , all schools and workplaces can open .
Weddings , funerals and public transport can resume without any restrictions .
Social distancing is no longer required but will be encouraged .
The country 's borders remain closed to foreign travellers , and rules remain in place requiring New Zealanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-day period of isolation or quarantine .
Ms Ardern warned that the country would `` certainly see cases again '' , adding that `` elimination is not a point in time , it is a sustained effort '' .
New Zealand has recorded 1,154 confirmed cases and 22 deaths from Covid-19 since the virus arrived in late February , but has been widely praised for its handling of the crisis .
For many , the latest announcement is a cause for celebration - but not without caution .
Auckland-based lorry driver Patrick Weston @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so happy we 're finally through this , but we 're still nervous .
`` I think the main thing people are worried about is the economy - so many people out of work , so many people looking for work at the same time .
`` [ On Tuesday ] all restrictions are lifted and we can carry on as normal .
Sporting events , music events can all take place with no restriction of numbers .
We 're still being encouraged to social distance of course , so we hope people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy , but nervous about the future . ''
Do you live in New Zealand ?
What are your thoughts on the lifting of lockdown restrictions ?
Email haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
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"[On Tuesday] all restrictions are lifted and we can carry on as normal. Sporting events, music events can all take place with no restriction of numbers. We're still being encouraged to social distance of course, so we hope people will be sensible.


bbc--2020-06-08--Salvadorean war crimes suspect Montano on trial in Spain

A former military commander in El Salvador , Inocente Montano , has gone on trial in Madrid accused of ordering the murder of six Jesuit priests in 1989 .
He was alone in the dock on Monday .
A man suspected of shooting the priests , ex-Lt René Yusshy Mendoza , is helping prosecutors as a witness now .
Two Salvadorean women - a housekeeper and her daughter - were also murdered .
Five of the Jesuit priests were Spanish .
Salvadorean troops were fighting leftist rebels at the time .
Prosecutors believe ex-Col Inocente Montano , a former deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-right group in the military responsible for atrocities and opposed to any peace deal with the Farabundo Marti Liberation Front ( FMLN ) .
He was extradited from the US in November 2017 , having been charged , along with other Salvadorean officers , by a Spanish judge in 2011 .
He has denied wrongdoing .
He had moved to the US in 2002 and was in jail there for immigration fraud and perjury when the Spanish extradition request was made .
One of the murdered priests , Ignacio Ellacuria , was rector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) in the capital San Salvador and a leading figure in the liberation theology movement , which reached out to the poor of Latin America .
The priests and the two women were dragged from their beds early on 16 November , 1989 , and murdered on the university campus .
In 1989 the civil war had escalated into street fighting between the FMLN rebels and the army in San Salvador .
Prosecutors are calling for 150 years in jail for Mr Montano , accusing him of having `` given the direct order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to make a statement in court on Wednesday .
Spain 's Efe news agency reports that Mr Yusshy , one of the alleged killers , has expressed remorse and is giving evidence to prosecutors in the case .
He followed Monday 's proceedings from the El Salvador consulate and is to testify on 7 July .
According to a 1993 UN Truth Commission report , more than 75,000 people were killed during the 12-year civil war .
A UN-brokered peace process ended the conflict in 1992 , but a 1993 amnesty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violations went unpunished .
El Salvador refused to hand over to Spain other officers accused over the 1989 murder plot .

Spain's Efe news agency reports that Mr Yusshy, one of the alleged killers, has expressed remorse and is giving evidence to prosecutors in the case. He followed Monday's proceedings from the El Salvador consulate and is to testify on 7 July.


bbc--2020-06-08--Coronavirus: Transiting Europe's eerily quite airports

During the coronavirus pandemic , international travel has virtually ground to a halt .
But as Europe starts to open @ @ @ @ @ to fly at the moment ?
The BBC ’ s Europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie has @ @ @ @ @ while reporting on coronavirus .
She documented her journey back to the UK last week @

During the coronavirus pandemic, international travel has virtually ground to a halt. But as Europe starts to open, what is it like to fly at the moment?
The BBC’s Europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie has taken a number of flights while reporting on coronavirus. She documented her journey back to the UK last week.
Filmed and edited by Andy Smythe.


bbc--2020-06-08--Notre-Dame fire: Work starts to remove melted scaffolding

The delicate work of removing melted scaffolding from Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris has got under way .
When the fire broke out in April of last year , there was already work in progress on the roof of the cathedral , with a big structure of scaffolding in place around the spire , BBC Paris Correspondent Hugh Schofield reports .
While the spire did not survive - it crashed down at the height of the conflagration - the scaffolding did .
In fact in the intense heat , a lot of it melted and became attached to the building , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begins the exceedingly delicate operation of cutting away this metal , all 20 tons of it .
The damaged scaffolding has been surrounded with yet more scaffolding , and an enormous crane has been brought in .
Teams hanging from ropes 40 to 50 metres ( 130-164ft ) in the air will be using electric saws to carve away the encrusted material piece by piece .
The building is still not entirely out of danger and only when this operation is finished in three or four months ' time can they start thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : reconstruction and maybe redesign .

The building is still not entirely out of danger and only when this operation is finished in three or four months' time can they start thinking about the real response to the disaster: reconstruction and maybe redesign.


bbc--2020-06-08--In pictures: Sony World Photography Awards

The winners of the professional category of the 2020 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced , with Pablo Albarenga named as Photographer of the Year for his work on indigenous communities in Latin America .
Pablo Albarenga , a documentary photographer from Uruguay , is this year 's Photographer of the Year for his series Seeds of Resistance , which highlights the plight of indigenous communities in Latin America , who are fighting to preserve their territories from agri-business and deforestation .
Albarenga 's work pairs aerial images of some of the locations in danger with portraits of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project explores the people and their lands - sacred areas where generations of their ancestors are buried .
Shot from above , the main characters are pictured as though they are laying down their lives for their territory .
The winners of the Open , Student , and Youth competitions have also been announced along with the overall winners in each of the Professional competition categories .
The Open competition celebrates the power of single images and this year 's winner is Tom Oldham for his portrait of Black Francis , frontman of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MOJO Magazine .
Ioanna Skellaraki , representing the Royal College of Art , triumphed in the Student competition for her series Aeiforia , which addresses the issue of sustainability through a series of night-time photographs of solar panels , wind turbines and battery farms on the island of Tilos in Greece .
The Youth Photographer of the Year award went to 19-year-old Hsien-Pang Hsieh from Taiwan for his image titled Hurry , featuring a street performer who appears to be walking quickly but is in fact standing still .
Sandra Herber is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ series Ice Fishing Huts , Lake Winnipeg .
`` These huts , shacks or permies ( as they are called in Manitoba ) must be transportable , protect their occupants from the elements and allow access to the ice below for fishing . ''
Documentary category winner Chung Ming Ho focused on protesters for his series Wounds of Hong Kong .
`` Reports suggest that since the demonstrations began , cases of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) have risen among the population . ''
First place in the Environment category @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wahala which looks at the affects of the petroleum industry on the communities and ecosystem of the Niger Delta .
`` Covering 70,000sq km [ 27,000sq miles ] of wetlands , the Niger Delta was formed primarily by sediment deposition .
The region is home to more than 30 million people and 40 different ethnic groups , making up 7.5 % of Nigeria 's total land mass .
It used to boast an incredibly rich ecosystem , containing one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity on the planet , before the oil industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Landscape category with a series titled Torii - traditional Japanese gates commonly found at the entrance to Shinto shrines .
`` Most of the time I use neutral density filters to force long exposures and keep my work minimalist in style .
Some of my exposures last five minutes or more , which makes any distracting elements in the water or sky disappear - the longer the exposure , the clearer the photograph . ''
Pangolins in Crisis by Brent Stirton was first in the Natural World & Wildlife category .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trafficked mammals , with an estimated one million trafficked to Asia in the last 10 years .
This body of work exposes the trade , while exploring aspects of illegality and celebrating the people who are trying to save these animals . ''
Portraiture winner Cesar Dezfuli photographed people rescued from a rubber boat drifting in the Mediterranean Sea for the series Passengers .
`` The boat had departed some hours prior from Libya .
In an attempt to give a human face to this event , I photographed the passengers minutes after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks , the marks on their bodies all reflected the mood and physical state they were in after a journey that had already marked their lives forever . ''
Senegalese Wrestlers by Angel Lopez Soto triumphed in the Sport category .
`` Fights have been known to attract audiences of around 50,000 in a stadium .
For many , it 's a slice of African life , tradition and culture , in which there is a mix of animist and Muslim beliefs . ''
The Still Life category winner is Alessandro Gandolfi for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really become immortal ?
Few truly believe it , and so research has focused on cryo-conservation , man-machine hybridisation and mind downloads instead . ''

"Covering 70,000sq km [27,000sq miles] of wetlands, the Niger Delta was formed primarily by sediment deposition. The region is home to more than 30 million people and 40 different ethnic groups, making up 7.5% of Nigeria's total land mass. It used to boast an incredibly rich ecosystem, containing one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity on the planet, before the oil industry moved in."


bbc--2020-06-08--If it ain't broke: You share your oldest working gadgets

These days , your shiny new gadget is likely to be rendered obsolete by software updates ( or a lack of them ) before it physically grinds to a halt .
A recent report by the consumer campaign group Which ?
suggests the lifespan of a smart fridge could be just a few years if the brand behind it stops providing software support and updates .
Meanwhile , Sonos has released new software for its internet-connected speakers that does not work on its own-branded older devices .
And this prompted me to casually mention on Twitter that I have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better , I also asked people to share their oldest working gadgets .
Made in the days before software updates , operating systems and security vulnerabilities were part of of the ecosystem , they 're all still going strong .
Kitchen gadgets were built to last , with a number of 20- , 30- , 40- and even 50-year-old whisks and mixers proudly shown off , along with a 20-year-old Breville sandwich toaster , a rice cooker from the early 1990s and a 33-year-old Braun juicer .
Rachel Rogers has a working toaster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 1925 .
And the broadcaster Mariella Frostrup has a 25-year-old Magimix food processor .
Mary Branscombe , meanwhile , writes : `` Dishwasher from 1996 , fridge and washing machine from 1997 - but the Braun hand blender is from the early 90s .
And of course my mid-80s sandwich toaster from college is still going strong . ''
Sarah is still using a Sunbeam iron she received as a wedding present in 1977 , which `` lasted longer than the marriage '' .
And Sue says : `` My Prestige High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1975 - still in use .
My mother 's identical one , from Christmas 1953 , was passed on six years ago , still good . ''
A surprising number of Nintendo Game Boys ( launched in 1989 ) and the occasional NES ( Nintendo Entertainment System , launched in 1983 ) are still being put through their paces too .
Jorn Madslien 's teenage son has acquired his mum 's Binatone console from the early 1980s .
And Peter Gothard 's Sega Mega Drive is `` coming up for 30 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spence still uses a Psion organiser from 1993 .
And Amin has been using the same memory stick since 2005 .
`` This little stick has been 'backing me up ' since before I can remember , '' he says .
`` It even broke and I fixed it with superglue many years ago . ''
There are also a number of vintage calculators still in service - the one above belongs to Prof Moataz Attallah .
`` My dad bought it for me in 1997 from France - hence the name , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It can plot graphs , do matrix calculations and more , with 64KB '' .
Meanwhile , Peter Gillingwater 's Casio FX-602P , which he bought in 1981 , still works .
And Paul Marks has been using his Casio FX-29 calculator since he got it , in 1977 .
`` Fitted well in the knee pockets of high-waisters - anyone remember those ? ''
he asks .
Plenty of iPods , Sony Walkmans and hi-fis are still in good working order , along with the occasional Minidisc player and one 1960s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably - the Vestax recorder , which I have had since the early 90s , '' Keith Devereux says , `` unused now since I ca n't really get audio cassettes any more .
Currently in use ?
Almost certainly the trusty old iPod from the early 2000s . ''
Sean McManus says : `` My Amstrad CPC 464 computer from 1984 still works fine .
`` I 've got some music keyboards from the mid-80s and early-90s too . ''
And restaurant critic Jay Rayner asks : `` Does a Yamaha Clavinova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are also a variety of working FM radios , turntables , early digital radios and speakers .
`` As hardware lifecycles get shorter and shorter , with some even measured in months not years , it 's easy to think that most people just want the latest version of a product , '' Wired UK executive editor Jeremy White says .
`` Well , that view may have value in the worlds of laptops and smartphones but sometimes older products are just better - better components , better design and a better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time and again .
`` A new Bluetooth speaker may have the latest software and chipsets - but this wo n't mean it 's superior .
`` I still use a TV sound system that came out in 2009 .
`` And I 've yet to find one that sounds better or works as seamlessly . ''
However , some older gadgets may need a little bit of 21st-Century magic .
Martin Mander , host of the YouTube channel Old Tech New Spec , modifies old devices that continue to be of service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wall at home is a Hitachi CRT TV from 1975 , which he has refitted to stream digital video .
`` At its heart , old technology was really bulky and modern technology is really tiny , '' he says , `` so you have more space inside an old device to modify it .
`` You can fit something new inside it , like a Raspberry Pi or an Arduino , to make it work like it is supposed to but in a more modern way . ''

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bbc--2020-06-08--Climate Basics: CO2 explained

Climate Basics: CO2 explained

It 's been linked to a year of extremes – from bushfires to torrential rains – but what is it @

CO2 - or carbon dioxide - is at the heart of the world's changing climate. Reality Check's Chris Morris explains why.
Motion graphics by Jacqueline Galvin.


bbc--2020-06-07--A surprise lockdown apology from my ex

A surprise lockdown apology from my ex

A Reddit post by a woman who explained her mixed emotions at receiving an out-of-the-blue apology from her first boyfriend during lockdown prompted dozens of others to share details of their own experiences .
The BBC spoke to a man who has sent two unexpected lockdown apologies - and to a woman who has received one .
Irina , 26 , received a lockdown apology email from her first boyfriend It was another Friday evening in lockdown , of staring at a computer screen , toggling between news sites and social media , when the email from James arrived .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ recall the last time she had thought of her first boyfriend , before clicking it open .
`` Irina , I know this is out of the blue and years too late , '' it began , `` but this is a message I need to send . ''
She had been 16 and ready for a boyfriend when she met James .
It seemed like a normal step a girl her age should take .
So much of her life had n't been typical .
Born in Moscow , Irina had come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchange and liked the education system here .
At the age of 14 she told her parents she wanted to leave Russia and go to a British boarding school .
After initial hesitation , they gave in .
Irina 's mother had been a railway conductor from a rural part of Russia when she fell in love with Irina 's father , a passenger on her train .
She was 19 , he was 30 .
Weeks later she packed her bags and knocked on his door , 1,000 miles away , informing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
How could they deny their daughter her own big adventure ?
Arriving in England , Irina felt the culture shock immediately .
Growing up in Moscow , Irina 's inner-city school had been , in her words , `` hardcore '' .
There were fights in the toilets and open bullying .
Here , she was amused by mandatory chapel visits and the invisible social hierarchies of an English school .
Irina found her way into the ecosystem and made friends .
Over time , and after a giggly afternoon in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her eye .
James fitted the brief for a cool boyfriend .
He was cute .
He was funny .
At 17 , he was a year older than Irina .
He was tall , too .
They texted over the next few weeks , and soon their relationship became official , though the cracks appeared right away .
`` When you 're that age , status amongst friends is very important , '' Irina says .
`` And it was very important for James to appear cool . ''
In public there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their mutual friends .
In private , James was frustrated if she appeared to be better than him at some things .
`` If I was better than him at crosswords he would be insulted and say , 'But you 're Russian , your English should n't be as good as mine , ' '' Irina says .
`` And I would reassure him by saying , 'It 's not , I 'm just good at crosswords . '
'' Eventually , two years later , Irina was told by mutual friends that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
Irina ended the relationship abruptly , distancing herself as best she could , telling him she did n't want contact .
She moved to a different city for university and a fresh start .
James texted sporadically over the next couple of years - always on her birthday , and to wish her happy new year .
Eventually , after one exchange , Irina suggested to James that for them to successfully move on it would be better if they cut contact altogether .
James ' response was swift and icy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back together with Irina , he wrote .
Then he told her to never message him again .
Irina stared at the message and responded , Lol .
That , she decided , would be the end of this chapter of her life .
Years passed and Irina moved again , settling into a tech job .
Now at ease making friends , she found her rhythm in a new city .
When coronavirus hit , Irina 's work sent her a keyboard and a large monitor so she could work from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived .
In the 800-word-message , James explained that lockdown had forced him to assess his own past behaviour , and he felt he owed her an apology for his immaturity all those years ago .
He apologised about how he had behaved , saying that he felt mortified when he read the texts he had sent her .
And then he made a stunning confession .
He had never actually cheated on Irina - that too had been a lie to impress their friends .
He went on to write that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during lockdown and now was a time for true reflection and for people to be kinder to one another .
Transported back in time , with a mix of emotions she had n't felt in years , Irina went for a walk to clear her head .
When she got back , she decided to reply .
She told him to be kind to himself and said that everyone has made mistakes , especially when they are young .
And then she addressed his apology .
I do n't have a reaction to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , perhaps I stopped caring .
I hope it brings you closure to know I feel no ill feelings towards you .
She thought for a moment , wondering if this was a fair response .
`` I think he was looking for redemption from me , '' Irina says .
`` But it 's not really for me to give it to him .
He 's the only one who can give it to himself - forgive himself . ''
Irina sent the email and went back to her computer , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 26 , has sent apologies to two exes during lockdown It was 10 days into lockdown when Chris texted Sarah .
The last time he 'd seen her she was on the floor of her room , curled up in the foetal position , tears and hiccups breaking up her breathing .
He left her that way .
She wanted him to .
This was the end result of a long and emotional conversation , and the conclusion of their eight-month relationship .
He thought of her occasionally in the years that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media .
But she had faded into memory , a college girlfriend .
Now , seven years later , that image kept popping back into Chris 's mind : Sarah on the floor in tears .
Chris began lockdown on 10 March , the day the US National Emergency Commission advised restaurants and bars to close , and a presidential directive asked people to work from home where they could .
The week before , a typical day for him started at 5.30am .
He 'd work out with his colleagues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he worked as an IT engineer , go home , shower , eat and go back to the base .
He lived alone in an apartment nearby .
After finishing work he 'd go home again and either go out with friends , or make dinner and hang out online until it was time for bed .
With lockdown came a lot of free time .
At first he kept busy .
But after 10 days of Zoom calls and YouTube workouts and the whole second season of Succession , his mind kept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first girlfriend .
He 'd met Sarah when they were 18 , at a military academy .
`` It was an intense relationship , '' Chris , now 26 , says .
`` We spent all of our time together , all our plans were together and so was our identity . ''
As teenagers at the start of their career with the US Army , they shared all their problems with each other .
As the months went by , though , Sarah 's troubled relationship with her family began to consume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he felt ill-equipped to help .
When he finally told her all this , saying he did n't think they could carry on , Sarah dissolved into tears on the floor .
She was devastated .
This was too abrupt an end to their relationship , she said .
They avoided each other for the rest of their time at the academy , sometimes awkwardly .
Then they graduated and went their separate ways , and that 's how it stayed - until , on 19 March , Chris sent Sarah a text @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's been a long time , but I really feel that the way that we ended things was n't right , and the way that I treated you at the end of our relationship was a disservice to you .
I know we 've both had a lot of time apart from each other and I would really like to make that up to you .
I really hope you 're doing well .
The response came almost immediately .
And the two began to exchange texts .
She brought him up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which she loved .
And , she added excitedly , she had a much better relationship with her parents .
`` She said for a while she could n't see me [ because I was ] someone who had caused her pain , but that was all over now , '' Chris says .
`` She said she now realised that we were n't right for each other . ''
Emboldened by the warmth of their interaction , Chris decided to text a second ex .
Well , ex may be a stretch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits , '' he says .
`` We did n't ever say we were exclusive . ''
Lisa and Chris had matched on Tinder in 2016 .
They lived in different cities .
She lived in Washington DC , where Chris had family .
The relationship was carried out mostly online .
`` We chatted on almost every single social media app and then mostly by text , '' says Chris .
In the beginning they had video chats but that gradually decreased .
They saw each other every few months , hooking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place .
Over the next couple of years that petered out too , eventually settling into an online friendship .
Then on New Year 's Eve 2018 Lisa and Chris found themselves in the same city and arranged to meet up to ring in the new year , along with a mutual friend .
Lisa had a new boyfriend , Sam , by then .
She 'd told Chris about him , even sharing points of tension she felt in their relationship .
It was the first time Chris and he had met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough tone but soon everyone was drunk .
And in the midst of a blurry conversation Chris brought up something Lisa had told him in confidence about her relationship with Sam .
It was so personal that Chris knew as soon as he spoke that he had broken the trust between them .
After an argument outside , Lisa , Sam and their friend left Chris to go to another venue .
Lisa later texted Chris to say how angry she was that he had shared her confession with Sam .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So after his message to Sarah , Chris texted Lisa .
You were and are very important to me , and I 'm sorry for everything that I did that night .
I know that I crossed a bunch of lines and I wish I had n't .
I hope you 're doing well and lockdown is OK. Lisa 's reply came the next day .
She said she was well .
Lockdown was going OK , and she and Sam were now married .
But it was clear that she did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't address or accept Chris 's apology .
Chris says that he hopes he would have apologised to both women in time , even if lockdown were not a factor .
`` But maybe it would have been a drunk text in the middle of the night . ''
He says he accepts that apologies may be seen by some as selfish , because they answer the sender 's needs , and not necessarily the recipient 's .
But he says he was n't expecting either Sarah or Lisa to say anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I ca n't say I was n't doing it in the hope that they would absolve me ...
I was n't expecting a reply from either .
And if they had n't forgiven me it would have been fine by me too .
I just wanted them to know that I was n't OK with some of my past behaviour . ''
Nastaran Tavakoli-Far is the co-host of The Gender Knot , a podcast that explores cultural issues .
She 's hosted `` loads and loads and loads '' of shows on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ motivates someone to make one .
Lockdown , she says , adds another dimension .
`` There 's the obvious reason why we are reflecting on our behaviour , we 've all got a lot of time to think .
A lot of the things we do to avoid reflection are n't possible right now , like travelling , socialising , commuting .
`` At the same time it 's an opportunity to become thoughtful about your relationships and ask all these big fundamental questions of the purpose in your life and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be thought through , she says .
`` You should never give an apology to feel better .
Making an apology is only the first step to making amends .
You need to be ready for the person to respond in any way they need , and not at all if they want .
`` While you have time to think about the bad things in the past , so does the person receiving the apology , and you may trigger an emotion in them that they do n't necessarily want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those making and receiving apologies have been changed

And in the midst of a blurry conversation Chris brought up something Lisa had told him in confidence about her relationship with Sam. It was so personal that Chris knew as soon as he spoke that he had broken the trust between them. After an argument outside, Lisa, Sam and their friend left Chris to go to another venue. Lisa later texted Chris to say how angry she was that he had shared her confession with Sam.


bbc--2020-06-08--Coronavirus: How Covid-19 has changed the 'big fat Indian wedding'

Marriage ceremonies across India have been put on hold due to the coronavirus lockdown .
But some couples chose to swap their big fat weddings for small intimate affairs .
So , could that be the new normal ?
The BBC 's Geeta Pandey in Delhi reports .
Nitin Arora and Chaitali Puri met in college six years ago and began dating a year later .
When they set a date for their wedding in early May , it was meant to be a lavish affair .
The celebrations began with an engagement party in March .
Attended by 170 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawns of a posh club in the city of Chandigarh .
The venue was decorated with white and green flowers , and golden fairy lights twinkled everywhere .
`` It was a typical Punjabi function , '' says Chaitali , `` there was lots of booze , lots of food , crazy loud music .
And we danced the whole night .
We stopped only when it was time for the DJ to go . ''
For their wedding scheduled for 2 May , a sprawling resort was booked on the outskirts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was meant to be a pre-wedding cocktail party , a music and dance event , and several other rituals .
The actual wedding , which involves the bride and the groom walking around a sacred fire seven times , was due to take place on top of a hill within the resort with the setting sun providing the perfect backdrop for photos .
The guest list had 450 names , the 10-page food menu had four different styles of cuisines , and a DJ had been booked for the after party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , blouse and scarf and the groom 's outfit were being custom made while orders for jewellery had been placed .
And then came the lockdown - on 24 March , India announced a complete shutdown of the country to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
The couple waited , hoping that the restrictions would be eased and they would be able to have their perfect wedding .
But with no sign of the lockdown being lifted , on 15 April , they decided to postpone the wedding to November .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own plans .
`` At noon on 1 May , my dad got a call from a friend who said he could help arrange a curfew pass for us to travel from Chandigarh to Delhi if I still wanted to marry Chaitali on 2 May , '' Nitin told me on the phone from Chandigarh .
It was a nail-biting few hours - after their initial request was turned down , the pass finally came through at 5:30pm .
`` They said the wedding is on , '' says Chaitali .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conduct the ceremony .
Our local priest first said yes , then he said no because his children were worried about him catching the virus .
We finally found another priest at 7:30pm . ''
At 9:30am the next day , Nitin reached Delhi with his parents and his brother .
The priest arrived at 10:30 and the wedding began at 11 .
`` My living room became the wedding venue , I wore my mum 's magenta sari and my grandmother 's jewellery , the photographs were taken by Nitin 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lunch , '' laughs Chaitali .
The ceremony was attended by 16 people , including the priest .
A Zoom link was created to let friends and relatives watch from across India .
Although Nitin is not happy that his extended family of cousins , aunts and uncles missed his wedding and is planning a `` grand reception '' later in the year if the Covid-19 threat abates , Chaitali says `` we thank our stars that it happened '' .
Three weeks later , similar sentiments were being expressed by newly-weds Sukanya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exchanged wedding rings in a dusty parking lot in the southern city of Bangalore .
Minutes earlier , they had been married at the Marriage Registrar 's office with the bride 's mother and the groom 's uncle and aunt as witnesses .
The paperwork was always a part of the plan - Sukanya is a Hindu and Shanthu a Christian and inter-religious marriages have to be registered - but it was not meant to be the only event .
`` Shanthu wanted a beach wedding in Chennai where his parents live .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chennai ( formerly Madras ) and Bangalore .
In our heads , we were expecting 200 guests , '' Sukanya told me over the phone from Bangalore .
`` I had always wanted to dress up as a bride , I wanted to wear a crimson silk sari , do up my hair and have elaborate henna designs on my hands . ''
In the end , she did her own henna patterns and wore a white and gold sari Shanthu had gifted her two years back .
The groom 's uncle took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Zoom link and did a running commentary as friends and relatives tuned in from Scotland , Norway , UAE and the US .
`` I am pretty content .
I like the idea of a much more personal , intimate wedding , but my husband has plenty of regrets , he 's got a laundry list , '' says Sukanya , laughing .
Adds Shanthu , `` It was an important day of our life .
I had an idea what I wanted it to be .
I wanted a month of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebration , I wanted my family and friends to be there to witness our big day . ''
He has n't given up on a big celebration though .
`` Once it 's safe and the threat of coronavirus has receded , we will do receptions in Chennai and Bangalore .
We 'll go to Paris for our honeymoon .
Since we missed out on the beach wedding , we 'll go for a holiday to Mauritius or Maldives , '' he says .
The May weddings have been exceptions , says Vandana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wedding planners who organised Bollywood superstars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh 's wedding at Lake Como in Italy .
`` I have advised all my clients to move their weddings scheduled for April and May to next year and they have all agreed to wait it out .
Ms Mohan says she 's been getting a lot of inquiries for later in the year , but she 's not encouraging couples to plan anything before mid-October because most people want to invite 250 to 300 people , but current rules allow only 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A wedding is a time of great celebration , a time of great joy , it 's the coming together not just of two people but also of families and communities , '' she says , adding that she ca n't `` imagine a time in India when you 'll have a wedding and you wo n't involve the community '' .
Nupur Mehta , former editor of a bridal magazine , says `` everyone is waiting for the Covid-19 vaccine '' .
The wedding industry , she says , is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 10 million marriages take place every year .
Accounting and research firm KPMG estimates the wedding market to be more than $ 50bn .
The lockdown has hit the clothing industry and jewellery makers hard but , Ms Mehta says it will recover quickly because weddings are an integral part of Indian culture where - unlike in the West - living together and civil partnerships are rare .
`` It 's one of the biggest events in most people 's lives .
We wait all our lifetime for the wedding , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time people will have smaller weddings with fewer guests , but in the long run , the big fat wedding will be back in vogue . ''

"They said the wedding is on," says Chaitali. "We had to then find a priest to conduct the ceremony. Our local priest first said yes, then he said no because his children were worried about him catching the virus. We finally found another priest at 7:30pm."


bbc--2020-06-08--How backpacking towns are coping after being left empty by coronavirus

For some it 's to skydive , others it 's to find themselves , but for Tara Bashford it was her love of mountains that made her book a backpacking trip to New Zealand .
The 23-year-old climbing instructor from Liverpool had `` saved up as much as possible '' with her fiancé after recovering from a kidney transplant .
`` I love the spontaneity of backpacking , '' she tells Radio 1 Newsbeat .
`` I do n't make that much of a plan and just go with the flow . ''
Tara was supposed to fly to New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its borders , New Zealand 's prime minister has said it wo n't open up to global travellers for `` a long time to come '' .
The European Union has insisted there will be a summer season this year , but for more remote places it 'll be harder for them to recover .
There 's a proposed 'travel bubble ' - a quarantine-free flow of people between Australia and New Zealand - which business owners hope will be `` the seeds for businesses to survive '' .
More than half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tourism sector - with around two million international visitors each year contributing NZD $ 2.4bn ( £1.2bn ) to the local economy .
`` Right now we 're not even close to breaking even , '' Brett Duncan - who owns the two adventure hostels in the town - tells Newsbeat .
`` It 's expensive to run a business here .
Our break-even point at full rates is 71 % occupancy and I 've now closed one hostel and the other I have at 40 % occupancy with discounted rates '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` decimated '' the industry and as Queenstown is `` so heavily reliant '' on tourism it 's been hit harder than others .
`` We 've now got a disproportionate amount of bars and restaurants to the people who live here , '' Brett explains .
`` We 're going to see a lot of casualties here and a lot of businesses will close , '' he believes .
Brett hopes `` it 'll only be 12 months of real pain '' but is mindful that the accommodation sector - especially hostels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domestic tourism '' and he 's likely to continue to lose money until 2021 .
The UK Foreign Office currently advises British nationals against all but essential international travel , meaning backpackers like Tara will have to postpone their trips indefinitely .
As well as her trip to New Zealand Tara has a one-way flight to Australia booked for October and has plans to travel the world with her fiancé for 12 months .
Instead of travelling , Tara has been spending the majority of her time at home , as she 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at risk of catching coronavirus .
`` On the day we were supposed to fly to New Zealand I was pretty devastated , '' she explains .
`` You just watch each plan get cancelled and postponed .
We were supposed to get married this year and that 's not going to happen either . ''
While international travel is paused , there 's now a push for domestic tourists to visit Queenstown - but for destinations on backpacking routes in other parts of the world it 's not as simple .
Visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new seven wonders of the world - have to pass through Cusco , in southern Peru , but `` nobody 's taking reservations '' .
`` Normally we would be coming into our high season now , '' explains Irishman Christopher Doyle , who moved to the city and is general manager of Wild Rover - a popular bar and hostel for backpackers .
`` We 're down to bare bones of staff now and we employed all locals .
The only foreigner working here was me . ''
`` We have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario is tourists do n't come back to Peru in those numbers , '' he tells Newsbeat .
`` Landmarks like Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain need to reopen first , '' Christopher says .
`` That 's to get to just some form of normality . ''
Nearly 10 thousand miles away in Sri Lanka 's Arugam Bay locals were hoping this season would be the start of their `` normal '' following a huge dip in tourist numbers in the aftermath of the country 's terror attacks last Easter .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' explains Ayathu Pichai Mubarak - who prefers to go by his surf instructor name of Muba .
`` We 're waiting for the tourists to come back .
I 've had no business in three months and I 've had to borrow money from friends but I need to pay them back some day . ''
Muba says most of the population in the area - popular with backpackers who want to take up surfing - work in hotels or are Tuk Tuk drivers and that tourists `` help us all earn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earns up to US $ 100 ( £80 ) a day teaching `` from sunrise to sunset '' but he 's now uncertain about the future .
`` Last year people were afraid to visit Sri Lanka but now with coronavirus they ca n't come , '' Muba tells Newsbeat .
`` I 'm talking with my friends about how we 're going to survive if tourists do n't return . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

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