bbc--2020-05-01--Coronavirus pandemic: Tracking the global outbreak

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than three million confirmed cases in 185 countries .
More than 200,000 people have lost their lives .
The United States alone has more than one million confirmed cases - five times as many as any other country .
This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year .
How many cases and deaths have there been ?
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is spreading rapidly in many countries and the number of deaths is still climbing .
Note : The map and table in this page uses a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University which results in a slightly lower overall total .
The US has by far the largest number of cases , with more than one million confirmed infections , according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
With more than 60,000 fatalities , it also has the world 's highest death toll .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ France - the worst-hit European countries - have all recorded more than 20,000 deaths .
In China , the official death toll is approaching 5,000 from about 84,000 confirmed cases .
Numbers for deaths jumped on 17 April after what officials called `` a statistical review '' and critics have questioned whether the country 's official numbers can be trusted .
Note : The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average .
Due to revisions in the number of cases for Spain , a three-day rolling average can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
More than three million people are known to have been infected worldwide , but the true figure is thought to be much higher as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
Globally , more than 4.5 billion people - half the world 's population - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the AFP news agency 's estimates last week .
Those restrictions have had a big impact on the global economy , with the International Monetary Fund saying the world faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The UN World Food Programme has also warned that the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to protect your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KNOW : How to understand UK death toll While some regions are now starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall following the introduction of strict lockdown restrictions , others are only now seeing them rise .
Brazil and Russia have doubled their number of deaths in the last eight days , Peru and Mexico have done so in nine days and India in 11 .
While the number of people dying each day in Brazil is much higher , the data suggests Russia , Mexico and Peru are all on a similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many economies are already struggling and millions live on what they can earn day-to-day , there are concerns about the strain the growing number of virus cases could put on health care systems .
Ecuador has already seen its health system collapse - thousands have died from the virus and other conditions that could not be treated because of the crisis .
The country 's official coronavirus death toll is below 1,000 , but the government said 6,700 people died in Guayas province in the first two weeks of April - far more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same period .
For this reason , the virus death toll is thought to be much higher than official figures suggest .
The growing threat in South America and elsewhere comes as other regions are beginning to ease measures brought in to slow the virus 's spread .
Much of Europe , the US , New Zealand and Australia , among others , have started to relax some of their strict lockdown restrictions .
Some US states are doing so despite still seeing new confirmed cases and deaths increasing .
New Zealand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparatively high death tolls elsewhere , says it has effectively eliminated the threat posed by the virus after fewer than 1,500 confirmed cases and just 19 deaths .
Its authorities had brought in some of the toughest restrictions on travel and activity early in the pandemic .
Australia is also planning to review its lockdown earlier than expected , after health officials said the nation had `` pretty convincingly '' curbed the virus 's spread .
• Three continents , four lives , one day • 'We 'll starve to death if this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Italy , the UK , Spain and France - all of which have recorded at least 20,000 deaths .
However , all four countries appear to have passed through the peak of the virus and the number of reported cases and deaths is falling .
Germany and Belgium have also recorded a relatively high number of deaths and are now seeing those numbers decrease , though as Belgium has a far smaller population than Germany the number of deaths per capita there has been higher .
How countries across Europe are planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the EU saying there is `` no one-size-fits-all approach '' to lifting containment measures .
Spain has announced a four-phase plan to lift its lockdown and return to a `` new normality '' by the end of June .
Children under the age of 14 are now allowed to leave home for an hour a day , after six weeks in lockdown .
In Italy , certain shops and factories have now reopened and further measures are due to be eased from 4 May .
In France , non-essential shops and markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 May , but not bars and restaurants .
Schools would also be reopened gradually .
In the UK , lockdown measures are still in full effect .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to reveal a `` comprehensive plan '' in the next week for how the government will get the country moving again .
Denmark , which became the first European country to begin easing its lockdown measures earlier this month , says its overall number of Covid-19 infections has continued to fall .
The country has allowed young children to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other small businesses to reopen .
Other European countries easing restrictions include Austria , Switzerland , the Czech Republic and Germany .
New York remains the epicentre of the US outbreak With more than one million cases , the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world .
The country has also recorded more than 60,000 deaths .
The state of New York has been particularly badly affected , with 18,000 deaths in New York City alone , but Governor Andrew Cuomo says the toll `` seems to be on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point , more than 90 % of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders , but from Friday , Georgia , Texas , Maine and other states will loosen their stay-at-home restrictions and allow certain businesses to reopen .
In Texas , retail stores will be able to reopen if they restrict occupancy to 25 % of capacity .
The re-opening of many businesses follows the release of official unemployment figures showing that more than 30 million Americans have lost their jobs since mid-March .
But public health authorities have warned that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spark a fresh surge of infections just as the number of new cases is beginning to ease off .

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


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus: US authorises use of anti-viral drug Remdesivir

The US 's Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) has authorised emergency use of the Ebola drug remdesivir for treating the coronavirus .
The authorisation means the anti-viral drug can now be used on people who are hospitalised with severe Covid-19 .
A recent clinical trial showed the drug helped shorten the recovery time for people who were seriously ill .
However , it did not significantly improve survival rates .
Experts have warned the drug - which was originally developed to treat Ebola , and is produced by Gilead pharmaceutical company in California - should not be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
The drug interferes with the virus 's genome , disrupting its ability to replicate .
• What is the most promising coronavirus drug ?
During a meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office , Gilead Chief Executive Daniel O'Day said the FDA authorisation was an important first step .
The company would donate 1.5 million vials of the drug , he said .
FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn also said at the meeting : `` It 's the first authorised therapy for Covid-19 , so we 're really proud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emergency FDA authorisation is not the same as formal approval , which requires a higher level of review .
What do we know about remdesivir ?
The drug did not cure Ebola , and Gilead says on its website : `` Remdesivir is an experimental medicine that does not have established safety or efficacy for the treatment of any condition . ''
Gilead also warns of possible serious side-effects .
However , President Trump has been a vocal supporter of remdesivir as a potential treatment for the coronavirus .
In its clinical trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be released , the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases ( NIAID ) found that remdesivir cut the duration of symptoms from 15 days down to 11 .
The trials involved 1,063 people at hospitals around the world - including the US , France , Italy , the UK , China and South Korea .
Some patients were given the drug and others were given a placebo ( dummy ) treatment .
Dr Anthony Fauci who runs NIAID , said that remdesivir had `` a clear-cut , significant , positive effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , although remdesivir may aid recovery - and possibly stop people having to be treated in intensive care - the trials did not give any clear indication whether it can prevent deaths from coronavirus .
As much remains uncertain about the treatment regime , Gilead suggests a 10-day dosing duration for patients on ventilators and five days for patients who are not .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to look after your mental health Could other countries use remdesivir ?
The FDA 's jurisdiction does not stretch overseas so the authorisation only applies to US .
Experts also stressed that the emergency use is not the same as full approval .
Gilead says it is currently using up existing stocks of the drug , and the supply is limited .
The US government will co-ordinate distribution of remdesivir to hospitals in US cities most heavily impacted by Covid-19 .
So it is not clear how much of the drug could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gilead says it is donating 1.5 million individual doses of remdesivir , which `` equates to more than 140,000 treatment courses that will be provided at no cost '' .
The emergency distribution in the US is included in that .
But worldwide there are more than three million confirmed cases , in 185 countries .
Gilead says it is striving to expand production rapidly , with global partners .
The company aims to produce at least 500,000 treatment courses by October , 1 million treatment courses by December 2020 and millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review , a US body which studies drug prices , estimated the cost of a 10-day course of remdesivir at $ 10 ( £8 ) , but suggested a cost-effective price could be as much as $ 4,500 , based on the clinical trials .
Dr Michael Head , a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton , said the move `` shows the importance of exploring the use of existing therapeutics when new pathogens emerge '' .
`` This is an important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat those hospitalised with Covid-19 .
The data shows that many hospitalised patients will die , so although the effectiveness of remdesivir is limited , it may be a useful addition as an option for treatment . ''

The drug did not cure Ebola, and Gilead says on its website: "Remdesivir is an experimental medicine that does not have established safety or efficacy for the treatment of any condition." Gilead also warns of possible serious side-effects.


bbc--2020-05-02--Kim Jong-un appears in public, North Korean state media report

Kim Jong-un has appeared in public for the first time in 20 days , North Korean state media says .
KCNA news agency reports that the North Korean leader cut the ribbon at the opening of a fertiliser factory .
It adds that people at the factory `` broke into thunderous cheers of hurrah '' when he appeared on Friday .
The reported appearance - his first since an event on state media on 12 April - comes amid global speculation over his health .
The latest reports from North Korean media could not be independently confirmed .
State media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Kim cutting a ribbon outside a factory .
Asked about Mr Kim 's reported reappearance , US President Donald Trump told reporters that he did n't want to comment yet .
What does the state media report say ?
According to Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) , Mr Kim was accompanied by several senior North Korean officials , including his sister Kim Yo-jong .
The North Korean leader cut a ribbon at a ceremony at the plant , in a region north of Pyongyang , and people who were attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 'hurrah ! '
for the Supreme Leader who is commanding the all-people general march for accomplishing the great cause of prosperity '' , KCNA says .
• US 'has n't seen ' Kim Jong-un recently , says Pompeo • Sister or spymaster : Who might lead N Korea without Kim ?
Mr Kim said he was satisfied with the factory 's production system , and praised it for contributing to the progress of the country 's chemical industry and food production , the state news agency adds .
What started speculation about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's health began after he missed the birth anniversary celebrations of his grandfather , state founder Kim Il-sung on 15 April .
The anniversary is one of the biggest events in the North Korean calendar , and Mr Kim usually marks it by visiting the mausoleum where his grandfather lies .
Mr Kim had never missed this event .
Claims about Mr Kim 's ill-health then surfaced in a report for a website run by North Korean defectors .
An anonymous source told the Daily NK that they understood he had been struggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu '' .
This led to a chain of reporting by international media on a single-sourced story .
News agencies then began to run with that claim , and it was all they had until some reports emerged that intelligence agencies in South Korea and the US were monitoring the claim .
But then came a more sensational headline in US media that the North Korean leader was in a critical condition after heart surgery .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appeared to stoke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying US officials `` had n't seen '' Mr Kim recently .
However , a statement from the South Korean government , and sources at Chinese intelligence - speaking to the Reuters news agency - said this was not true .
Yes .
Mr Kim went missing for 40 days in September 2014 , after attending a concert .
He reappeared in mid-October , using a cane .
State media never explained where he had been .
But South Korea 's intelligence agency said he probably had an operation on his left ankle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Caution is often tossed aside when reporting on North Korea .
Thinly sourced , wildly speculative rumours can feed an industry aware that sensationalist headlines about Kim Jong-un are great clickbait .
Reporting on the secretive state is difficult .
Facts and sources are very difficult to obtain , especially since the country is even more closed off to the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
The South Korean government was clear that it noted no unusual activity in the North .
Seoul often has the best intelligence from Pyongyang .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past .
Let 's be clear .
Kim Jong-un could have been ill , or he could have had some sort of surgical procedure in the last two weeks .
Or he could have been lounging on a yacht near his villa in Wonsan laughing at the world 's wild speculation .
His 20 day absence is not without precedent .
There are still valid questions to be asked about a potential successor and what plans are in place should something happen to him .
But there is one thing that has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea is more than one man .
It is a country of 25 million people who are often overlooked .
Today , Mr Kim 's reappearance was at a fertiliser plant .
The headlines will of course focus on his return , and on where he has been rather than on whether this factory will help the country tackle chronic food shortages .
I assure you , that for the people of North Korea right now , that is just as important as the unexplained absence of their leader .

Reporting on the secretive state is difficult. Facts and sources are very difficult to obtain, especially since the country is even more closed off to the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The South Korean government was clear that it noted no unusual activity in the North. Seoul often has the best intelligence from Pyongyang. But even they have been wrong in the past.


bbc--2020-05-01--Coronavirus: Charlotte takes food to those in need as she turns five

New photos have been released to mark Princess Charlotte 's fifth birthday , showing her delivering homemade care packages to those in need during the coronavirus crisis .
She has helped her family take food to the elderly and vulnerable in Norfolk .
In one photo , she knocks on a resident 's door clutching a bag of homemade fresh pasta .
The four photos were taken in April by her mother , the Duchess of Cambridge , a keen amateur photographer .
The young royal joined her parents , the Duke of Cambridge and the duchess , and brothers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deliveries , likely to be close to the family home of Anmer Hall , on the Queen 's Sandringham estate .
• How are William and Kate handling lockdown ?
In two photos , the princess is seen picking up white bags of food for pensioners who are shielding from the virus or other vulnerable people in lockdown in Norfolk .
The family spent several hours making fresh pasta before delivering it .
Charlotte was born at the private maternity Lindo Wing of St Mary 's Hospital in Paddington , central London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 , weighing 8lb 3oz .
Catherine , who is patron of the Royal Photographic Society , has regularly released pictures she has taken of George , six , and Louis , two , to mark their birthdays .
Over the past five weeks , the Queen 's Sandringham staff have been preparing and delivering meals for pensioners and vulnerable people living in the local area , Buckingham Palace has said , with about 1,000 meals being made and delivered in the first week alone .

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bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus: Spain enjoys first exercise freedom for weeks

Spanish adults are jogging and cycling again for the first time after seven weeks of coronavirus lockdown .
The lockdown - one of Europe 's strictest - was eased for children a week ago , yet the amount of outdoor exercise time remains limited .
There are now exercise slots for different age groups .
Most adults can walk or play sports between 06:00 and 10:00 , and between 20:00 and 23:00 .
Spain 's official death toll is 24,824 , but the rate of fatalities has dropped .
Italy has Europe 's highest death toll , followed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ runners and cyclists crowded paths near the beach on Saturday , Reuters news agency reported .
In Madrid , residents voiced relief to be finally exercising outdoors .
`` Happy , we feel free ! ''
Susana Piego told Reuters .
Jesus Gutierrez said `` it 's basic , for physical and mental health , it is basic to allow people to do sport '' .
• Spain plans return to 'new normal ' by end of June Since 14 March people have only been allowed to leave the house to buy food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if working from home was not possible , or to briefly walk the dog .
Spaniards have made the most of the latest easing of the national lockdown , as they have taken to the streets in droves since early this morning .
The lifting of exercise restrictions for adults meant that thousands of joggers , walkers and cyclists were able to go out purely for leisure in Madrid and other cities , for the first time in seven weeks .
In many areas , the large numbers who took to the streets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday morning , yet social distancing was observed and few cars were on the roads .
Other sports were also practised .
In the southern province of Cádiz , surfers returned to the water this morning , although regular swimming remains prohibited .
Some , however , remain reluctant to venture out .
`` I want to go out because it 's a beautiful day , '' said Carmen Pérez , a 65-year-old in Madrid .
`` But I 'm a bit scared of getting infected . ''
• Children run free at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain was the only country in Europe where children under 14 could not leave home at all .
From 12:00 to 19:00 only children aged 14 and under are allowed to go outside , accompanied by an adult .
The remaining slots are set aside for elderly and vulnerable people .
Teenagers aged 14 and above can go out for exercise once in one of the adult slots .
Lockdowns in other European countries are also being eased , though social distancing remains in force .
Some countries require mask-wearing in shops and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travelling on Eurostar from the UK will have to wear a face mask or face covering , in line with guidelines from the French and Belgian governments .
Any type of mask is suitable , Eurostar says , as long as it effectively covers the nose and mouth .
Those without masks may be refused travel .
Eurostar has drastically cut its services running between London , Paris and Brussels , with four trains running daily .
In Austria small shops reopened two weeks ago , but now all stores are permitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beauty salons are also allowed to operate .
Hungary is allowing business travel from some countries .
And in Germany , churches , museums and playgrounds will open on Monday .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Meanwhile , the Irish Taoiseach ( prime minister ) Leo Varadkar has outlined a plan to reopen his country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planned that outdoor workers , including builders , will return to their jobs .
DIY and hardware stores will reopen .
From that date , Mr Varadkar said , it would be possible to meet friends and family in small groups outdoors , and some sporting activity would be allowed , again in small groups .

Since 14 March people have only been allowed to leave the house to buy food or medicine, to go to work if working from home was not possible, or to briefly walk the dog.


bbc--2020-05-02--US Women's equal pay claim dismissed by court

The United States women 's football team 's bid for equal pay has been dismissed by a court , with the judge rejecting the players ' claims they were underpaid compared to the men .
The lawsuit was filed by 28 women 's national team players last year against the US Soccer Federation ( USSF ) .
They had been seeking $ 66m ( £52.8m ) in damages under the Equal Pay Act .
Molly Levinson , the players ' spokeswoman , said that they planned to appeal against the decision .
`` We are shocked and disappointed , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give up our hard work for equal pay .
`` We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender . ''
Federal judge Gary Klausner allowed the players ' case for unfair treatment in travel , housing and medical support to go to trial , which is set for 16 June in Los Angeles .
Giving its ruling , the court said : `` The women 's team has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an average per-game basis than the men 's team over the class period . ''
The US team won the Women 's World Cup last summer for their fourth title overall .
They have also won five Olympic gold medals .
After the equal pay claim was dismissed , striker Megan Rapinoe , who won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at last year 's World Cup , tweeted : `` We will never stop fighting for equality . ''
Fellow US striker Alex Morgan said : `` Although disappointing to hear this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our fight for equality . ''
The USSF said it wanted to work with the team to `` chart a positive path forward to grow the game both here at home and around the world '' .
Its statement added : `` US Soccer has long been the world leader for the women 's game on and off the field and we are committed to continuing that work . ''
Former USSF president Carlos Cordeiro resigned in March after lawyers for US football 's governing body made submissions as part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the job of a male footballer on the national team `` requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength '' than their female counterparts .
Before they played Japan in the SheBelieves Cup on 12 March , the US players turned their tops inside out during the warm-up to hide their badges , leaving only the four stars which represent their World Cup successes on show .
The US men 's team made the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002 , while their best finish was third place in the inaugural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case had been publicly supported by male players , and in February the US men 's team issued a statement criticising the governing body , saying that `` the federation continues to discriminate against the women in their wages and working conditions '' .

Last updated on .From the section Women's Football
The United States women's football team's bid for equal pay has been dismissed by a court, with the judge rejecting the players' claims they were underpaid compared to the men.
The lawsuit was filed by 28 women's national team players last year against the US Soccer Federation (USSF).
They had been seeking $66m (£52.8m) in damages under the Equal Pay Act.
Molly Levinson, the players' spokeswoman, said that they planned to appeal against the decision.
"We are shocked and disappointed," said Levinson. "We will not give up our hard work for equal pay.
"We are confident in our case and steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls and women who play this sport will not be valued as lesser just because of their gender."
Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for US president in this year's election, told the team to not "give up this fight", adding: "This is not over yet.
"To US Soccer: equal pay, now. Or else when I'm president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding."
Federal judge Gary Klausner allowed the players' case for unfair treatment in travel, housing and medical support to go to trial, which is set for 16 June in Los Angeles.
Giving its ruling, the court said: "The women's team has been paid more on both a cumulative and an average per-game basis than the men's team over the class period."
The US team won the Women's World Cup last summer for their fourth title overall. They have also won five Olympic gold medals.
After the equal pay claim was dismissed, striker Megan Rapinoe, who won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at last year's World Cup, tweeted: external-link "We will never stop fighting for equality."
Fellow US striker Alex Morgan said: "Although disappointing to hear this news, this will not discourage us in our fight for equality."
The USSF said it wanted to work with the team to "chart a positive path forward to grow the game both here at home and around the world".
Its statement added: "US Soccer has long been the world leader for the women's game on and off the field and we are committed to continuing that work."
Former USSF president Carlos Cordeiro resigned in March after lawyers for US football's governing body made submissions as part of the lawsuit in which it was claimed that the job of a male footballer on the national team "requires a higher level of skill based on speed and strength" than their female counterparts.
Before they played Japan in the SheBelieves Cup on 12 March, the US players turned their tops inside out during the warm-up to hide their badges, leaving only the four stars which represent their World Cup successes on show.
The US men's team made the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002, while their best finish was third place in the inaugural tournament in 1930.


bbc--2020-05-01--Coronavirus lockdown reduces UK ground motions

The UK has n't been shaking as much since it went into Covid lockdown .
Seismometer stations , which are normally used to record earthquakes , have detected a big fall in the ground vibrations linked to human activity .
Scientists from Imperial College London say this background hum is now half what it would usually be .
The unprecedented seismic quiet - a phenomenon mirrored in other countries - could offer a unique opportunity to study the Earth 's interior .
`` You 'd have to go back decades to see noise levels like this , '' commented Imperial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd often get quiet times in the evenings or at weekends but not continuously , for weeks , '' he told BBC News .
Human activity - cars , lorries , trains , industry , and footfall , etc - turn up in seismometers in a band of frequencies from 5 to 15 Hertz .
Dr Hicks used the data from 127 instruments spread across Britain to map the signal 's evolution from mid-January to the present .
He relied in part on the high-fidelity scientific stations operated by the British Geological Survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distributed network of citizen science seismometers that incorporate Raspberry-Pi mini-computers .
The vibrations sensed in both sets of instruments are seen to drop off dramatically after Prime Minister Boris Johnson orders Britain into lockdown on 23 March .
`` The reduction in seismic noise should help us to see signals from earthquakes that are normally buried in the noise , '' said Dr Brian Baptie , the head of seismology at the BGS .
`` This might allow us to detect more small earthquakes or see the low-amplitude parts of the ground motions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' • AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Scientists around the globe are co-operating to exploit the research potential .
Dr Thomas Lecocq , from the Royal Observatory Belgium , started a community that operates on the Slack communications platform and calls itself `` Lockdown Seismology '' .
The group has more than 85 members in more than 30 different countries .
Dr Lecocq said very low magnitude earthquakes were being investigated , as was volcano activity .
Researchers at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listen to the quiet hum of the mountain , hoping to learn something new about its behaviour - something that could be useful in future monitoring .
`` In theory , [ the reduction in seismic noise ] could lead to new insights , since much of our understanding about the internal structure of the Earth comes from observations of earthquakes .
`` However , this generally relies on observations over long periods of time , whereas the window of time where our detection capability might be improved is likely to be relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's going to be interesting certainly to see how the noise tracks back up and how that varies across the UK .
I suspect London sensors became quieter sooner as we went into lockdown , relatively speaking compared to their baseline .
`` We 'll write a short paper just to say we 've got this cool observation and that we 've seen this seismic noise reaction moving around the world , starting in China .
We 'll then discuss what we might be able to do with it in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow me on Twitter .

"We'll write a short paper just to say we've got this cool observation and that we've seen this seismic noise reaction moving around the world, starting in China. We'll then discuss what we might be able to do with it in the future."


bbc--2020-05-01--Florence Nightingale clock to be auctioned for Worcester hospice

A carriage clock presented as a gift by Florence Nightingale is to be auctioned in aid of a hospice .
The clock was believed to have been given by the famous Victorian nurse to fellow social reformer Mathilde Schwabe .
Its current owner , who has asked to remain anonymous , has said all money raised from its sale should go to St Richard 's Hospice in Worcester .
The hospice said it was a `` wonderful and uplifting gesture '' .
The clock , inscribed with the words `` M.E.S from Florence Nightingale 10 October 1887 '' , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when sold by Philip Serrell Auctioneers .
Philip Serrell said the current owner of the clock inherited it from a cousin who was great-niece of Miss Schwabe , who signed the 1866 Women 's Suffrage petition - the first mass Votes for Women petition .
The owner believes Miss Schwabe received the clock from Nightingale in recognition of work or help she had provided .
St Richard 's Hospice fundraising director Tricia Cavell said : `` It 's particularly poignant that the clock came from the founder of modern nursing , Florence Nightingale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our nursing teams to care for patients and their families facing such challenging times during the Covid-19 crisis .
`` St Richard 's is in the position of many other charities in facing a loss of income from both cancelled events and temporary closure of shops .
`` We have fantastic supporters and are hopeful that together with help from government and the community , we can come through these financially testing times . ''
The auction will contain the sole lot and will close at 12:00 BST on 22 May .
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St Richard's Hospice fundraising director Tricia Cavell said: "It's particularly poignant that the clock came from the founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale, and any funds raised will help our nursing teams to care for patients and their families facing such challenging times during the Covid-19 crisis.


bbc--2020-05-02--Kim Jong-un and the brutal North Korea rumour mill

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has appeared at a fertiliser factory , looking remarkably cheerful for a man killed off by rumour and some of the world 's media last week .
These will be carefully staged and timed photos , but what can we learn about the North Korea rumour mill from this and past episodes ?
TMZ - among others - had him for dead ; Chinese social media whispered that his doctors were too scared to operate and so he died before a Chinese medical team arrived - an apparent cautionary tale of being a casualty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not the first time the North Korean leader has disappeared from public view .
In February , he was absent for almost three weeks without wild speculation .
In 2014 , he was absent for 40 days - then the rumours went that he had been ousted in a political coup .
He turned up with a walking stick .
It was not a coup , but perhaps gout .
South Korean intelligence later reported that he had undergone surgery on his ankle .
Obviously none of this was confirmed by the North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jocular photo opportunities from inspections and other public events seemingly untouched by rampant rumours - just as they have done today .
So what was it about this absence that allowed him to die in speculation ?
There were three phases to the escalation .
First , he missed a key anniversary on 15 April , the day of the sun , and incredibly important commemoration of the birthday of his grandfather , North Korea 's founder Kim Il-sung .
Kim Jong-un is known to model himself on his grandfather 's image , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sign that something was amiss .
Then a well-regarded defector website , Daily NK , which is funded by a US think tank , but which clearly also provides credible reports through its network , published a single-sourced story that he had undergone some sort of heart procedure and was recovering .
Stage three was when the world 's media pounced on that report and ferreted out their own unnamed sources in intelligence communities and elsewhere - and a combination of these ended up with formulations of Kim being `` gravely ill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea said they had not seen any unusual activity and even denied reports of this death , the rumours kept growing and the echo chamber grew louder .
Chinese social media began playing its role with rumours circulating there too .
In none of this was there any actual evidence : there were some very insightful analyses of train movements and activity around the resort of Wonsan that seemed to weigh on the side that he might not have expired - yet .
So where do these sources who fuel speculation that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Surely there must be a North Korean origin somewhere ?
And are we seeing more than we used to ?
Rumours have always happened and there is historical record going back 30 years on this .
There are a couple of places from within North Korea they can originate .
In the past , what is known as the foreign trade sector in North Korea has been thought to be the source of some leadership rumours .
The secretive Office 39 - the department that funnels cash and luxuries back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel back and forth from the DPRK .
There is some level of communication to the inner sanctum and its coffers , and it has long been thought that some rumours originate from some of the extensive network of operatives we know exist- as testified by defectors who have worked there .
Some then make their way into Japanese and South Korean media .
But that does n't change much about the nature of the information - it 's gossip .
If somebody works in the central party complex , there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intense interest in the lives of the Kims - we know from accounts of people who have left .
The equivalent of a water cooler chat based on one-third of a story can make its way out of North Korea more easily than people might assume .
Rumour and gossip are very prevalent in totalitarian systems like this .
One example is recounted in the memoir entitled Wisteria House by Song Hee-rong , the maternal aunt of Kim Jong-nam - Kim Jong-un 's estranged half-brother who was murdered in 2017 .
She talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compound and how one member of staff gave her information that Kim Jong-un 's family was the branch currently in favour .
Notably , she makes a point of saying her source was `` reliable . ''
Again , in an information black hole you take what you can get and that is how it works with North Korea .
In the fog of war there are not that many options .
So the legitimacy conferred onto North Korean gossip is disproportionate .
Intelligence agencies around the world will also look at open-source @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to test hypotheses .
South Korea has its ways of monitoring the North - sometimes these involve satellites - and the Unification Ministry last week said they were actively monitoring the situation and had not seen anything unusual .
It 's an open secret that the US sends surveillance planes - this time it was reported in the world 's media .
They were checking things out .
So if some of this just comes from rumour - and remember it is very easy to call South Korea from the North ( not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regime crack down on the rumours ?
In 2008 conversations about Kim would happen in a closed room .
Nowadays , the game changer is mobile technology .
North Koreans who gossip about their leader will certainly be being tracked , but may not be cracked down on until a further opportunity arises .
Kim is unlikely to be able to control this information flow - but if rumours are connected to people close to him or tied to him - one can expect consequences .
It 's important to remember that most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his testimony to the US Congress in 2017 high profile defector Thae Yong-ho said most North Koreans would not even know their leader was educated in Switzerland .
He advocated using satellites and smuggling chips the other way across the border to give ordinary North Koreans access to information .
• US 'has n't seen ' Kim Jong-un recently , says Pompeo In reality the people with access to accurate information about Kim 's health are likely to be just a handful .
That does n't mean rumours ca n't slip out - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be correct .
It 's always been that way .
In 1986 Kim Il-song was rumoured to have had a heart attack - it was fake even though it was reported at the time .
In 1990- 1992 Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il were shot to death on a train platform by the military - so said the rumour - that was clearly not the case .
There are three different accounts of a coup in North Hangyong province - of the sixth army corps - a company that has since been disbanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the details are not clear .
Then there is the rumour that Kim Jong-il died in 2003 and the country was being led by a body double .
Like everywhere else in the world , gossip still happens and rumours still circulate .
Unlike everywhere else , we are left to the whim of the North Korean state to confirm or deny whatever they so wish .

In the past, what is known as the foreign trade sector in North Korea has been thought to be the source of some leadership rumours. The secretive Office 39 - the department that funnels cash and luxuries back to the leadership - is staffed by overseas operatives to travel back and forth from the DPRK. There is some level of communication to the inner sanctum and its coffers, and it has long been thought that some rumours originate from some of the extensive network of operatives we know exist- as testified by defectors who have worked there. Some then make their way into Japanese and South Korean media.


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus pandemic: Tracking the global outbreak

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than three million confirmed cases in 185 countries .
More than 200,000 people have lost their lives .
The United States alone has more than one million confirmed cases - five times as many as any other country .
This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year .
How many cases and deaths have there been ?
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is spreading rapidly in many countries and the number of deaths is still climbing .
Note : The map and table in this page uses a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University which results in a slightly lower overall total .
The US has by far the largest number of cases , with more than one million confirmed infections , according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
With more than 60,000 fatalities , it also has the world 's highest death toll .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ France - the worst-hit European countries - have all recorded more than 20,000 deaths .
In China , the official death toll is approaching 5,000 from about 84,000 confirmed cases .
Numbers for deaths jumped on 17 April after what officials called `` a statistical review '' and critics have questioned whether the country 's official numbers can be trusted .
Note : The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average .
Due to revisions in the number of cases for Spain , a three-day rolling average can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
More than three million people are known to have been infected worldwide , but the true figure is thought to be much higher as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
Globally , more than 4.5 billion people - half the world 's population - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the AFP news agency 's estimates last week .
Those restrictions have had a big impact on the global economy , with the International Monetary Fund saying the world faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The UN World Food Programme has also warned that the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to protect your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ KNOW : How to understand UK death toll While some regions are now starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall following the introduction of strict lockdown restrictions , others are only now seeing them rise .
Brazil and Russia have doubled their number of deaths in the last nine days , Peru and Mexico have done so in 10 days and India in 11 .
While the number of people dying each day in Brazil is much higher , the data suggests Russia , Mexico and Peru are all on a similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many economies are already struggling and millions live on what they can earn day-to-day , there are concerns about the strain the growing number of virus cases could put on health care systems .
Ecuador has already seen its health system collapse - thousands have died from the virus and other conditions that could not be treated because of the crisis .
The country 's official coronavirus death toll is around 1,000 , but the government said 6,700 people died in Guayas province in the first two weeks of April - far more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same period .
For this reason , the virus death toll is thought to be much higher than official figures suggest .
The growing threat in South America and elsewhere comes as other regions are beginning to ease measures brought in to slow the virus 's spread .
Much of Europe , the US , New Zealand and Australia , among others , have started to relax some of their strict lockdown restrictions .
Some US states are doing so despite still seeing new confirmed cases and deaths increasing .
New Zealand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comparatively high death tolls elsewhere , says it has effectively eliminated the threat posed by the virus after fewer than 1,500 confirmed cases and just 19 deaths .
Its authorities had brought in some of the toughest restrictions on travel and activity early in the pandemic .
Australia is also planning to review its lockdown earlier than expected , after health officials said the nation had `` pretty convincingly '' curbed the virus 's spread .
• Three continents , four lives , one day • 'We 'll starve to death if this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are Italy , the UK , Spain and France - all of which have recorded at least 20,000 deaths .
However , all four countries appear to have passed through the peak of the virus and the number of reported cases and deaths is falling .
Germany and Belgium have also recorded a relatively high number of deaths and are now seeing those numbers decrease , though as Belgium has a far smaller population than Germany the number of deaths per capita there has been higher .
How countries across Europe are planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the EU saying there is `` no one-size-fits-all approach '' to lifting containment measures .
Spain has announced a four-phase plan to lift its lockdown and return to a `` new normality '' by the end of June .
Children under the age of 14 are now allowed to leave home for an hour a day , after seven weeks in lockdown .
The government has also eased restrictions for adults , allowing exercise between 06:00 and 10:00 , and between 20:00 and 23:00 .
In Italy , certain shops and factories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to be eased from 4 May .
In France , non-essential shops and markets are to open their doors again from 11 May , but not bars and restaurants .
Schools would also be reopened gradually .
In the UK , lockdown measures are still in full effect .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to reveal a `` comprehensive plan '' in the next week for how the government will get the country moving again .
Denmark , which became the first European country to begin easing its lockdown measures earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 infections has continued to fall .
The country has allowed young children to return to school , and hairdressers and other small businesses to reopen .
Other European countries easing restrictions include Austria , Switzerland , the Czech Republic and Germany .
New York remains the epicentre of the US outbreak With more than one million cases , the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world .
The country has also recorded more than 60,000 deaths .
The state of New York has been particularly badly affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City alone , but Governor Andrew Cuomo says the toll `` seems to be on a gentle decline '' .
At one point , more than 90 % of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders , but from Friday , Georgia , Texas , Maine and other states will loosen their stay-at-home restrictions and allow certain businesses to reopen .
In Texas , retail stores will be able to reopen if they restrict occupancy to 25 % of capacity .
The re-opening of many businesses follows the release of official unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans have lost their jobs since mid-March .
But public health authorities have warned that increasing human interaction and economic activity could spark a fresh surge of infections just as the number of new cases is beginning to ease off .


bbc--2020-05-02--I needed 'litres and litres' of oxygen, UK PM reveals

Boris Johnson has revealed `` contingency plans '' were made while he was seriously ill in hospital with coronavirus .
In an interview with the Sun on Sunday , he says he was given `` litres and litres of oxygen '' to keep him alive .
He says during a week in London 's St Thomas ' Hospital , with three nights in intensive care , he kept asking himself : `` How am I going to get out of this ? ''
Earlier , his fiancee , Carrie Symonds , revealed they had named their baby boy Wilfred Lawrie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tribute to their grandfathers and two doctors who treated Mr Johnson while he was in hospital with coronavirus , Ms Symonds wrote in an Instagram post .
She posted a picture of herself with the baby , who was born on Wednesday .
The birth came just weeks after Mr Johnson 's discharge from intensive care .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
In his newspaper interview , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to monitors and finding the `` indicators kept going in the wrong direction '' .
`` It was a tough old moment , I wo n't deny it , '' he 's quoted as saying .
`` The doctors had all sorts of arrangements for what to do if things went badly wrong . ''
Mr Johnson had been diagnosed with coronavirus on March 26 and was admitted to hospital 10 days later .
The following day , he was moved to intensive care .
`` It was hard to believe that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deteriorated to this extent , '' the prime minister tells the Sun on Sunday .
His recovery , he says , was down to `` wonderful , wonderful nursing '' .
The total number of reported coronavirus-related deaths in the UK now stands at 28,131 - an increase of 621 on Friday 's figure .
However , England 's deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries said the number of people being treated in hospitals for the virus had fallen by 13 % over the past week .
On Saturday , the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims of domestic violence and modern slavery , who were `` trapped '' at home during the lockdown .
The announcement followed reports of a `` surge '' in violence in the weeks since the lockdown was introduced .
Mr Johnson has been back in charge of the government since last Sunday .
But he was in Downing Street a matter of days before Ms Symonds gave birth .
When posting their newborn 's photograph , she said his second middle name , Nicholas , was a tribute to `` Dr Nick Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors that saved Boris ' life '' .
This offered `` an insight into just how serious things were for the prime minister '' after contracting the virus , said BBC political correspondent Jonathan Blake .
Dr Nick Price and Prof Nick Hart offered their `` warm congratulations '' to the PM and Ms Symonds .
They said in a statement : `` We are honoured and humbled to have been recognised in this way , and we give our thanks to the incredible team of professionals who we work with at Guy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure every patient receives the best care .
`` We wish the new family every health and happiness . ''

They said in a statement: "We are honoured and humbled to have been recognised in this way, and we give our thanks to the incredible team of professionals who we work with at Guy's and St Thomas' and who ensure every patient receives the best care.


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus: Spain makes masks compulsory on public transport

Masks will be compulsory on public transport in Spain from Monday as the country moves to gradually relax its tough lockdown .
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the government would distribute 6m masks , mainly at transport locations , and give another 7m to local authorities .
Adults in Spain were able to exercise outdoors on Saturday for the first time in seven weeks .
The lockdown was eased for children under 14 a week ago .
Lockdowns in other European countries are also being eased , though social distancing remains in force .
Some countries require mask-wearing in shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe 's highest death toll from coronavirus , closely followed by the UK and then Spain ( though experts caution that countries do not record death figures in exactly the same way ) .
The UK 's figures show hundreds of people are still falling victim to Covid-19 every day - on Saturday the deaths of a further 621 people were announced .
Both France and Italy recorded fewer than 200 deaths in a 24-hour period .
Italy announced another 474 deaths on Saturday , a larger number than in recent days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes 282 deaths outside of hospitals in April which were not included in earlier figures .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Mr Sanchez said Spain was now reaping the rewards of the sacrifices made during the lockdown , one of Europe 's strictest .
He also said his government would approve a €16bn ( $ 17.6bn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities deal with the economic damage inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic .
• Should the public in the UK wear face masks ?
• Spain plans return to 'new normal ' by end of June In Madrid , residents voiced relief to be finally exercising outdoors .
`` Happy , we feel free ! ''
Susana Piego told Reuters .
Jesus Gutierrez said `` it 's basic , for physical and mental health , it is basic to allow people to do sport '' .
Since 14 March people have only been allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or medicine , to go to work if working from home was not possible , or to briefly walk the dog .
There are now exercise slots for different age groups , and the amount of outdoor exercise time remains limited .
Most adults can walk or play sports between 06:00 and 10:00 , and between 20:00 and 23:00 .
Spaniards have made the most of the latest easing of the national lockdown , as they have taken to the streets in droves since early this morning .
In many areas , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it look almost like a normal Saturday morning , yet social distancing was observed and few cars were on the roads .
Some , however , remain reluctant to venture out .
`` I want to go out because it 's a beautiful day , '' said Carmen Pérez , a 65-year-old in Madrid .
`` But I 'm a bit scared of getting infected . ''
While we all understand why we have been in 'la cuarentena ' [ 'quarantine ' ] , I can say from first-hand experience that seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential journeys , has been a test .
For most city residents , buying food or visiting a pharmacy involves walking no further than a few dozen metres .
Today is different .
People are in sports gear and running , walking and cycling freely .
A man is playing Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe 's famous song Barcelona loudly down at the water 's edge and a nearby advertising board says , `` Bienvenidos a la libertad '' - `` Welcome to freedom '' .
Until last week Spain was the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not leave home at all .
From 12:00 to 19:00 only children aged 14 and under are allowed to go outside , accompanied by an adult .
The remaining slots are set aside for elderly and vulnerable people .
Teenagers aged 14 and above can go out for exercise once in one of the adult slots .
In other news from Europe : • From Monday passengers travelling on Eurostar from the UK will have to wear a face mask or face covering , in line with guidelines from the French and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extend national emergency measures in place until 24 July .
The measures give the government power to impose restrictions to fight coronavirus , although an easing is still planned for later this month .
• In Austria small shops reopened two weeks ago , but now all stores are permitted to start up business again .
Hairdressers and beauty salons are also allowed to operate • Hungary is allowing business travel from some countries • In Germany , churches , museums and playgrounds will open on Monday .
Meanwhile , the Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has outlined a plan to reopen his country 's economy .
On 18 May it is planned that outdoor workers , including builders , will return to their jobs .
DIY and hardware stores will reopen .
From that date , Mr Varadkar said , it would be possible to meet friends and family in small groups outdoors , and some sporting activity would be allowed , again in small groups .


bbc--2020-05-02--Malaysia migrant raids 'to reduce Covid-19 spread'

Malaysian police say an operation to arrest hundreds of undocumented migrants in Kuala Lumpur on Friday aimed to reduce the spread of Covid-19 .
They were detained to ensure that they did not move around and spread the disease , police chief Abdul Hamid Bador told the state news agency .
Images show large numbers of enforcement agents wearing protective suits to carry out the arrests .
The raids took place in a part of the capital known to house foreigners .
The United Nations has urged the Malaysian authorities to release children and vulnerable individuals from the detention camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Human Rights Watch tweeted that the detentions risked worsening the pandemic in Malaysia , both in terms of potential outbreaks inside the camps but also by making undocumented people less likely to co-operate : Images shared by Human Rights Watch and other organisations but not verified by the BBC , apparently from the raids , show hundreds of people sitting on the ground in close proximity , surrounded by armed police .
Malaysia has seen just over 100 deaths from coronavirus , according to figures tracked by Johns Hopkins University .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not recognise refugees and there are high levels of distrust for those who come from abroad , often working as low-paid labourers .


bbc--2020-05-02--Daniel Pearl: Parents of murdered journalist launch appeal in Pakistan

The parents of murdered US journalist Daniel Pearl have filed an appeal with Pakistan 's Supreme Court to reverse a ruling overturning the convictions of four men in the case .
Pearl was kidnapped and beheaded in 2002 while investigating Islamist militants in Karachi , Pakistan .
Last month a court in Karachi overturned the death sentence of the man convicted of masterminding the killing , and acquitted three others .
Pearl was the Wall Street Journal 's Asia bureau chief when he was abducted and killed .
A graphic video of his killing was sent to the US consulate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , his father Judea Pearl said : `` We have filed an appeal of this decision to the Pakistan Supreme Court .
`` We are standing up for justice not only for our son , but for all our dear friends in Pakistan so they can live in a society free of violence and terror and raise their children in peace and harmony . ''
Their petition adds to one already filed by prosecutors .
• No release for man acquitted of Daniel Pearl murder Shortly after their acquittal the four men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saeed Sheikh - were re-arrested .
They will be held for at least three months as the appeals play out .
Sheikh 's death sentence had been reduced to seven years in prison for kidnapping .
The Committee to Protect Journalists voiced its support for the appeal , and said that releasing the four men in the case `` would only add to the threats facing journalists in Pakistan and deepen Pakistan 's reputation as a haven for terrorists '' .
He had been researching links between Islamist militant activity in Karachi and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a passenger plane using bombs hidden in his shoes .
According to prosecutors , Sheikh lured him to a meeting with an Islamic cleric .
The two had built up a relationship discussing concerns about their wives , who were both pregnant at the time .
Almost a month later , a video showing the 38 year old 's beheading was sent to the US consulate in Karachi .
Pearl 's son , Adam , was born in May 2002 .
Sheikh was convicted of Pearl 's murder in July 2002 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on death row since .
Sheikh was born in London in 1973 , where he attended public school before going on to study at the London School of Economics .
He did not graduate , failing to return after driving aid to conflict-wracked Bosnia after his first year .
He was arrested for involvement in the kidnapping of four tourists - three British and one American - in Delhi in 1994 .
Sheikh was released from prison as part of demands by militants who hijacked a plane in 1999 .
According to news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accused him of transferring money to one of the militants who flew a plane into the World Trade Center on 9/11 .

Mohammed told US interrogators he killed the journalist with his "blessed right hand", according to the Pentagon. The confession was made under torture and Mohammed - whose trial date for the 11 September 2001 attacks has been set for next year - has not been charged with Pearl's murder.


bbc--2020-05-02--Hafthor Bjornsson: Game of Thrones actor breaks 501kg deadlift record

Game of Thrones actor Hafthor Bjornsson has set a world deadlifting record by lifting 501 kg ( 1,104 lbs ) .
Bjornsson , a powerlifter who portrayed Ser Gregor `` The Mountain '' Clegane in the HBO series , broke the record at his gym in his native Iceland .
He lifted the barbell for two seconds , before dropping the weights and roaring in delight .
The event was streamed by sports broadcaster ESPN and filmed for Bjornsson 's YouTube channel .
Bjornsson , who is 2.05m tall ( 6ft 9in ) , previously won the World 's Strongest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' powerlifter still competing at almost 90 Speaking in a `` behind-the-scenes '' video posted on YouTube , Bjornsson said : `` I 'm extremely proud , you know .
I 'm extremely happy .
`` It 's great - there 's nothing better than proving people wrong .
So many people did n't believe in me , so many people that said , '501 kg is never going to go up ' ...
But I also had a lot of support . ''
He added : `` I feel healthy , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speechless , even though I 'm talking a lot now .
But I 'm excited , super excited - this is huge for me . ''
The record was previously held by Eddie Hall , a British man who in 2016 became the first man to lift 500 kg .
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"It's great - there's nothing better than proving people wrong. So many people didn't believe in me, so many people that said, '501kg is never going to go up'... But I also had a lot of support."


bbc--2020-05-02--Kim Jong-un: Trump 'glad' about reappearance of North Korean leader

US President Donald Trump has said he is `` glad '' that Kim Jong-un has re-emerged and appears to be healthy .
`` I , for one , am glad to see he is back , and well ! ''
Mr Trump tweeted , after the North Korean leader reportedly attended the opening of a fertiliser plant .
It was Mr Kim 's first public appearance in almost three weeks .
His absence - particularly from his late grandfather 's birthday celebration on 15 April - had sparked intense global speculation over his health .
KCNA news agency reported that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening of the fertiliser factory on Friday , and added that crowds `` broke into thunderous cheers of hurrah '' when he appeared .
On Monday , amid speculation and rumour about Mr Kim 's health , President Trump had said he had a `` very good idea '' about Mr Kim 's condition , but added that `` I ca n't talk about it '' .
`` I just wish him well , '' he added at the time .
President Trump and Mr Kim have developed a unique relationship in recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three times since 2018 , and have exchanged personal letters with each other that Mr Trump has described as `` excellent '' .
However , talks about the denuclearisation of North Korea have stalled in recent months .
What did the state media report say ?
According to Korean Central News Agency ( KCNA ) , Mr Kim was accompanied by several senior North Korean officials , including his sister Kim Yo-jong .
The North Korean leader cut a ribbon at a ceremony at the plant , in a region north of Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event `` burst into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah ! '
for the Supreme Leader who is commanding the all-people general march for accomplishing the great cause of prosperity '' , KCNA said .
• US 'has n't seen ' Kim Jong-un recently , says Pompeo • Sister or spymaster : Who might lead N Korea without Kim ?
Mr Kim said he was satisfied with the factory 's production system , and praised it for contributing to the progress of the country 's chemical industry and food production , the state news agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health ?
Speculation about Mr Kim 's health began after he missed the birth anniversary celebrations of his grandfather , state founder Kim Il-sung on 15 April .
The anniversary is one of the biggest events in the North Korean calendar , and Mr Kim usually marks it by visiting the mausoleum where his grandfather lies .
Mr Kim had never missed this event .
Claims about Mr Kim 's ill-health then surfaced in a report for a website run by North Korean defectors .
An anonymous source told the Daily NK that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cardiovascular problems since last August `` but it worsened after repeated visits to Mount Paektu '' .
This led to a chain of reporting by international media on a single-sourced story .
News agencies then began to run with that claim , and it was all they had until some reports emerged that intelligence agencies in South Korea and the US were monitoring the claim .
But then came a more sensational headline in US media that the North Korean leader was in a critical condition after heart surgery .
US Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rumours on 29 April , by saying US officials `` had n't seen '' Mr Kim recently .
However , a statement from the South Korean government , and sources at Chinese intelligence - speaking to the Reuters news agency - said this was not true .
Yes .
Mr Kim went missing for 40 days in September 2014 , after attending a concert .
He reappeared in mid-October , using a cane .
State media never explained where he had been .
But South Korea 's intelligence agency said he probably had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from problems with a cyst .
Caution is often tossed aside when reporting on North Korea .
Thinly sourced , wildly speculative rumours can feed an industry aware that sensationalist headlines about Kim Jong-un are great clickbait .
Reporting on the secretive state is difficult .
Facts and sources are very difficult to obtain , especially since the country is even more closed off to the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
The South Korean government was clear that it noted no unusual activity in the North .
Seoul often has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have been wrong in the past .
Let 's be clear .
Kim Jong-un could have been ill , or he could have had some sort of surgical procedure in the last two weeks .
Or he could have been lounging on a yacht near his villa in Wonsan laughing at the world 's wild speculation .
His 20 day absence is not without precedent .
There are still valid questions to be asked about a potential successor and what plans are in place should something happen to him .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in all of this .
North Korea is more than one man .
It is a country of 25 million people who are often overlooked .
Today , Mr Kim 's reappearance was at a fertiliser plant .
The headlines will of course focus on his return , and on where he has been rather than on whether this factory will help the country tackle chronic food shortages .
I assure you , that for the people of North Korea right now , that is just as important as the unexplained absence of @ @ @


bbc--2020-05-02--Venezuela prison riot leaves more than 40 dead

More than 40 people were reportedly killed after rioting broke out at a prison in Venezuela .
Inmates at Los Llanos jail , near western Guanare city , were angry at a lack of food and water , according to the Venezuelan Prison Observatory .
The organisation called for an investigation , casting doubt on the official version that the prisoners had attempted a jail-break .
Prison staff including the governor were wounded in the incident .
The Prisons Minister Iris Varela told a Venezuelan newspaper that there had been an incident at the jail but did not give a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as an escape attempt in that report .
Riots in the unsanitary and overcrowded prisons of Latin America have been increasing as governments introduce containment measures to help slow the coronavirus outbreak .
Quarantine measures may mean that inmates can not receive food brought by relatives , on which they may depend .
You may also be interested in : The observatory , a prison watchdog , said 46 inmates had died and the local hospital 's emergency department was overwhelmed with the number of wounded .
Opposition National Assembly member Maria Beatriz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( in Spanish ) , described the incident as a `` massacre '' and said relatives understood their loved ones would be buried in mass graves .
They were demanding the bodies be returned to them , they said .
As well as the coronavirus pandemic , Venezuela is engulfed in a political crisis with two rival politicians claiming to be the country 's legitimate leader .
Under President Nicolás Maduro the economy has collapsed and shortages of basic commodities have become widespread .
Millions of people have fled to neighbouring countries .

Opposition National Assembly member Maria Beatriz Martinez, tweeting from outside the prison (in Spanish), described the incident as a "massacre" and said relatives understood their loved ones would be buried in mass graves. They were demanding the bodies be returned to them, they said.


bbc--2020-05-02--Canada navy helicopter crash: Five presumed dead

Five missing crew members of a Canadian navy helicopter that crashed off a Greek island during a Nato exercise are presumed dead , Canada 's military says .
The body of a sixth crew member , Sub-Lt Abbigail Cowbrough , has been recovered .
It is not yet clear why the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone crashed .
It took off from a Canadian frigate in the Ionian Sea on Wednesday and came down off the island of Kefalonia .
A search-and-rescue mission in the area is now officially a recovery effort .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said `` I join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six Canadian Armed Forces members '' .
`` All of them are heroes .
Each of them will leave a void that can not be filled , '' he said .
Who was on board ?
The body of Abbigail Cowbrough , a marine systems engineering officer originally from Toronto , Ontario , has been identified .
`` There are no words .
You made me forever proud .
I will love you always , and miss you in every moment .
You are the bright light in my life taken far too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cowbrough , wrote on Facebook .
The CAF says five other people were on board :

"There are no words. You made me forever proud. I will love you always, and miss you in every moment. You are the bright light in my life taken far too soon," her father, Shane Cowbrough, wrote on Facebook.


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus: Timelapse of London artist creating NHS mural

The telepresence robot is helping people who would not be able to visit to experience the gallery .

Up Next. 'Dear world... we will again chase our dreams' Video, 00:01:54'Dear world... we will again chase our dreams'


bbc--2020-05-02--Islamic State militants kill ten Iraqis in 'fierce clashes'

At least ten members of an Iraqi militia group have been killed in an attack by Islamic State militants .
A statement released by the Shia-dominated Popular Mobilisation Forces ( PMF ) said the deaths came during `` fierce clashes '' with IS .
Attacks by the IS group have continued in parts of Iraq , despite the country claiming victory over the group following its loss of territory .
The country 's prime minister-designate has vowed to pursue those responsible .
`` The operation carried out by the criminal terrorist groups represents a desperate attempt to exploit the situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the government to carry out its national duty of ensuring the security of citizens , '' a statement from Mustafa al-Kadhimi said on Saturday .
Mr Kadhimi is the country 's third prime minister-designate in three months .
His statement , released Saturday , urged the formation of a new government to help with national security and stability .
• IS militants 'getting stronger again' Iraq has been beset by political deadlock since mass anti-government protests forced former prime minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to resign in November 2019 .
Hundreds of protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by security forces and unidentified gunmen .
Saturday 's statement by the PMF said a number of their other militiamen were wounded in the attack , which came amid clashes in Salahuddin province .
The PMF is an umbrella organisation formed in 2014 , and comprises dozens of predominantly Shia militias .
The PMF continue to work alongside state security forces to stop IS gaining ground in the region .
More than two years after the territorial defeat of IS in Iraq , militants still loyal to the group have continued to carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rugged and remote areas .
Kurdish and Western intelligence officials warned late last year that IS were returning to strength as a sophisticated insurgency .
Saturday 's clashes appeared to be the fiercest for some time , the BBC 's Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher reports .

"The operation carried out by the criminal terrorist groups represents a desperate attempt to exploit the situation of political rivalry that hinders the formation of the government to carry out its national duty of ensuring the security of citizens," a statement from Mustafa al-Kadhimi said on Saturday.


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus: Eurostar passengers told to cover their faces

Eurostar passengers will be required to cover their faces from Monday 4 May or risk being refused travel .
The rail company said the rule for travellers to wear face coverings is in line with guidelines from the French and Belgian governments .
Any type of face covering is allowed `` as long as it effectively covers your nose and mouth '' , a statement said .
It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said face coverings `` will be useful '' as the UK eases lockdown .
Mr Johnson 's comments followed a Scottish government recommendation for people to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on public transport .
In its statement , Eurostar said fines may be imposed in France and Belgium for anyone without a face covering .
The company is operating a significantly reduced service , in line with increased border controls and a lower demand for travel triggered by the coronavirus pandemic .
Just four services are running each day between London and Paris , and London and Brussels , according to timetables published on the company 's website .
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT : Is it safe to travel ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?
• WILL I GET PAID IF I CA N'T WORK ?
The rules on sick pay , wages and time off Eurostar is a UK-based company but its main shareholder is the French state railway , SNCF .
The French government has said face coverings will be mandatory on public transport when it begins to ease lockdown restrictions on 11 May .
The World Health Organization 's ( WHO ) current advice says two groups of people should wear protective masks , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected to have coronavirus There are concerns that wearing a mask may offer a false sense of security and lead people to be less careful regarding social distancing and other hygiene measures , such as washing hands .
The WHO said countries must weigh the risks and benefits when it comes to advising the whole populations about wearing face coverings .

Eurostar is a UK-based company but its main shareholder is the French state railway, SNCF. The French government has said face coverings will be mandatory on public transport when it begins to ease lockdown restrictions on 11 May.


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus: 'We used to donate to this food bank, now we rely on it'

The pandemic has left nearly 30 million unemployed in the US .
Now , many are turning to charities for @ @ @ @ @ scene one day in Texas where thousands of cars lined up for hours in hot @ @ @ @ @ .
Families like Brenda Zuniga 's have become dependent on this kind of help to @ @ @ @ @ income .

The pandemic has left nearly 30 million unemployed in the US. Now, many are turning to charities for help.
That was the scene one day in Texas where thousands of cars lined up for hours in hot temperatures to get some food. Families like Brenda Zuniga's have become dependent on this kind of help to get by with a reduced income.
Video by Angélica M Casas reporting from San Antonio, Texas.


bbc--2020-05-02--Coronavirus coffee farmer: 'We're definitely scared'

Miguel Fajardo , a coffee farmer in western Colombia , spent the last eight years trying to rebuild his family 's fortunes after his father went bankrupt .
But he now fears he 'll lose everything once again as his orders dry up in the wake of coronavirus .
`` We 're definitely scared , we do n't know how things will progress , '' he says .
`` We will keep producing coffee but where are we going to sell it ?
That 's the difficult question . ''
Demand for coffee has soared in recent weeks , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , it is a very different picture for pricier speciality coffee , which is what Mr Fajardo produces .
This high-quality coffee , which is graded to have very few defects , is primarily sold in cafes and restaurants - many of which have shut due to coronavirus lockdowns .
The Speciality Coffee Association warns that many small businesses now fear for their survival , while there are mounting concerns for the livelihoods of farmers who grow the beans .
Mr Fajardo has seen a drop in orders of more than 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he fears the situation is only going to get worse .
`` We watch the news , and we can see most of the world is now in isolation , '' he says .
`` The biggest fear is that this will bounce back to us , in that there 's not going to be demand for speciality coffee . ''
Many farmers in Colombia 's coffee belt already live a precarious existence .
After spiralling debts and a wildly fluctuating coffee price drove Mr Fajardo 's father into bankruptcy , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coffee farms .
'We never know' It was at that point that he turned to speciality coffee production , because it guarantees farmers like him a stable price , agreed in advance .
It allowed him to buy a farm of his own .
If speciality buyers disappear , he 'll be forced once again to sell his coffee directly into the commodity market , where pricing can be very volatile .
`` It 's difficult to return back to commodity because with the uncertainty of price , we will never know if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our farms , or in our households , or eventually in education , '' Mr Fajardo says .
`` So it 's just returning back to where we started . ''
One of Miguel 's buyers is Volcano Coffee Works , a speciality roaster based in Brixton in South London .
Coronavirus has taken a huge toll on the business .
They usually supply coffee beans to restaurants , hotels , offices and cafes , but when the UK went into lockdown in March , 91 % of their orders stopped overnight .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' says Emma Loisel , co-founder and chair of Volcano Coffee Works .
`` We 've only got online , direct to consumer , to sell our coffee to . ''
Online sales have surged , but Emma says these remain a tiny part of the overall business and wo n't offset the decline in orders from cafes and restaurants .
She warns that the speciality coffee industry might not survive the coronavirus shock .
`` This is bad news for coffee lovers and it 's really bad for high streets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just multinationals selling our coffee on our high streets . ''
While Ms Loisel is concerned about her own business and her customers ' businesses , she 's also worried about the farmers they work with .
`` These are people who live off dollars a day at times , and we 're really anxious that we 're able to continue to support them . ''
For now , high streets are silent .
Cafes and restaurants remain boarded up .
For Lore Mejia , the timing of all of this could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cafe in Chiswick , in west London , in early March , but was forced to close just days later , when the UK went into lockdown .
Ms Mejia is now trying to reinvent her business by turning to online sales , and by making videos to teach people how to brew speciality coffee at home .
She is determined that when all of this is over , she will reopen her café .
`` I 'm from Colombia , coffee has always been part of my life , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen , but the next few months are going to be all about survival . ''
Farmers and traders want cafes like Ms Mejia 's to bounce back .
Demand , even for more expensive coffee , will also eventually return .
But this is a challenge encompassing many interconnected businesses , stretching right into some of the most impoverished communities in the world .
If these relationships are broken , they could take months , if not years , to rebuild .
That 's why farmers like Miguel Fajardo fear the worst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eventually what that means is that we will have to change our crops , sell our farms , or even going into bankruptcy again , '' he adds .
`` It 's difficult to know how things will evolve , but that 's what really worries us for the future . ''

"It's difficult to return back to commodity because with the uncertainty of price, we will never know if we will be able to invest in our farms, or in our households, or eventually in education," Mr Fajardo says. "So it's just returning back to where we started."


bbc--2020-05-02--Michael Wray: How a Hell's Kitchen winner ended up on the streets

After nine weeks of gruelling competition , chef Michael Wray faced his final test .
The shy but talented cook had made it through to the final on the first US series of Gordon Ramsay 's show Hell 's Kitchen .
His last challenge was to run his own kitchen in full view of TV cameras and one of the world 's most fearsome chefs .
It was a test Michael , then aged 27 , passed .
Footage of the tall , heavily tattooed young chef embracing Ramsay after winning the show was beamed into millions of households across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time I feel like I 'm in control of my own future , '' Michael said on the show .
`` I 've proven myself to myself and that 's important . ''
Michael initially thought he had won $ 250,000 prize money to open up his own restaurant .
`` As Michael was celebrating the win of a restaurant , '' Ramsay 's voiceover said , `` I realised that an individual of Michael 's talent - I did n't want him to get away . ''
Ramsay made Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London .
After some nervous deliberation , a shell-shocked Michael agreed .
The room erupted in cheers .
But Michael would later change his mind .
`` It was the hardest decision I 've ever had to make .
I regret it all the time , '' he tells the BBC .
`` I was in Hell 's Kitchen with a drug problem .
I was deathly afraid of going to London with this giant addiction . ''
Growing up in rural Colorado , Michael was interested in cooking from an early age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitchen .
He says it was a way to express himself outside the classroom , where he struggled due to his attention deficit disorder .
He dropped out of high school and went to work in a kitchen .
In 1999 , Michael spent two years training to be a chef in London .
It was during this period he became fully aware of a chef with a fearsome temper called Gordon Ramsay , who was building a name as one of the world 's best chefs .
`` He had this reputation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that no one wants to mess with , '' Michael recalls .
`` I tried for like a year to work with him for free but no-one could get in there , it was really exclusive . ''
When he heard about auditions for Hell 's Kitchen through his in-laws , who worked in the industry , Michael decided this would be his best shot at getting close to Ramsay .
He applied and went through a rigorous process of interviews and tests .
Eventually , he was told he had made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a chance to show off his talent and draw on Ramsay 's expertise .
But as soon as the cameras started rolling , Michael realised it was going to be tougher than he thought .
He learned that Hell 's Kitchen would be open to the public and one contestant would be eliminated after each service .
Cameras would be rolling 24/7 , even when they slept .
`` I went into this thinking that I 'm going to learn all this great chef stuff from Gordon Ramsay and then I ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I could to stay on this show to win , '' he says .
`` I did n't want to be on national TV and lose . ''
But Michael had little to worry about .
Despite Ramsay telling him he had a `` palate like a cow 's backside '' in the first episode , Michael soon emerged as a frontrunner .
While contestants regularly received the famous wrath of Ramsay 's tongue , Michael generally dodged verbal attacks .
He was winning tasks and carrying his team , regularly stepping in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's fearsome persona in the kitchen , Michael says he was the polar opposite outside of it .
And even when Ramsay would let rip , he recognised it was for good reason .
`` I did n't know if he 'd be able to turn off his chef persona once he got out of his chef clothes , but as soon as he changed out he was n't chef Ramsay , he was this happy , boisterous kid , '' Michael says .
`` When he leaves the restaurant I think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like a poltergeist .
When he leaves people are still pushing themselves to be as perfect as it can be , every single dish , '' he says .
After seeing off every other contestant , Michael faced off against Ralph Pagano in the final .
Both chefs had to create their own menu and decor , with former contestants returning to help them run their kitchens .
Although Ramsay voiced reservations over whether Michael was assertive enough to run his own kitchen , his cooking ability and high standards shone through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ralph were made to stand in front of two doors .
The winning door was unlocked , while the other was locked .
Michael stepped forward , turned the handle and walked into a room full of cheers .
`` My mind went blank for a little bit , '' he recalls .
`` What 's going to happen now with the rest of my life ?
I was flooded with possibilities . ''
But Ramsay 's offer of working alongside him in London immediately made Michael face up to a problem that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A couple of years before he appeared on Hell 's Kitchen , Michael had back surgery for scoliosis and was prescribed powerful opioid painkillers for his recovery .
He was soon hooked .
During filming he handed his prescribed pills to producers while also smuggling his own into the house .
Even then , he still needed to request more from his doctor .
`` It was already taking half my mental energy just to keep my addiction in check just so I could work and live a normal life , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London for five days and got a taste of what could lie ahead for him .
But in the end , fears of not having access to his drugs eventually made him turn down the offer .
`` Gordon wanted me to move out there .
He probably got a little miffed that I did n't go out to London , '' he says .
`` He 's offering this young chef to move to London to mentor , to show how this is all done , and I had to turn him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to a request for comment .
Despite turning down the chance to work with one of the world 's best chefs , Michael still had a lot going for him in the US .
He was preparing to open his own restaurant in Los Angeles .
He had money in the bank and was expecting his first child with his wife Lola .
`` Within a few weeks of opening the restaurant my daughter passed away , '' Michael says .
`` We had some complications at birth where she lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She lost too much oxygen to her brain and died . ''
Michael could no longer prevent his addiction taking hold of his life .
`` It put me in a tail-spin for the next couple years , '' he says .
`` It was all starting to crumble around me . ''
Michael managed to carry on at the restaurant for around six weeks after his daughter passed away before walking away .
His relationship soon broke down and he started living out of his truck .
Michael would still find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could fund his spiralling drug habit .
Before long , Michael was living beneath an underpass near Hollywood Boulevard .
`` I was a complete loner , '' he says .
`` I would listen to my radio at night and go to sleep .
It was almost like there was nothing really happening in my life .
It was just like existing , '' he adds .
`` I was sticking a needle in my arm , I did n't want anyone to see that . ''
Although Michael was by then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thralls of addiction , he would still find ways to cook .
At one point , he was leading classes at the high-end Sur La Table store by day , then retiring to the underpass to take drugs and sleep at night .
`` I was living this dual life where you had this persona of 'Chef Michael from Hell 's Kitchen is going to teach you guys to cut onions today ' but then at the same time I had this raging drug addiction that I 'm trying to hide from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all his money going on drugs , Michael was forced to visit homeless shelters for meals , but would usually end up rustling up dishes in the kitchen for the rest of the shelter .
After years of Michael getting highly addictive painkillers on prescription , his doctor in New Mexico , where he had relocated , eventually refused to give him any more .
With the withdrawals kicking in , he started to panic .
He tried to check himself into rehab but was told his withdrawals were too severe so he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ By this point , Michael knew he had to get drugs inside his system .
It was then he remembered that his pharmacy was the only one in the state that keeps all their medication on the shelves at night .
He broke in with an axe , stole the drugs and drove out to the middle of the desert .
Michael had intended to use his time in the desert as an opportunity to slowly wean himself off the drugs - but things went from bad to worse .
`` What ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days without eating any food .
I had almost no water , '' he says .
`` I was literally just lying in this adobe hut , watching the sun come up , go across the sky , fall down , watch the moon come up , go across the sky .
There were two baby rattlesnakes living with me in there for the first two or three days . ''
After about a month , Michael started hallucinating , believing that ghosts were trapped inside him .
He then attempted to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passing driver as he drifted in and out of consciousness while crawling by the side of the road .
`` I did n't want to die and I needed to get somewhere where someone could see me and help me , '' he says .
Michael woke up in hospital 48 hours later and decided it was time to get clean .
After 10 days recovering in hospital , he entered rehab in June 2012 .
`` All my days were spent cooking three meals a day for seven or eight people dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really fulfilling time in my life , '' he says .
It was in rehab that Michael met his wife Sharlene .
`` I had a smile on my face for the first two or three years .
I could n't believe how good life is , '' he says .
When Michael left rehab , he handed himself into the police for the pharmacy raid .
He ended up serving close to a month in jail , where he was allowed to help out in the kitchen .
`` I felt I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it right , '' he says .
Once out , he knew it was time to get back to what he loved .
But he felt he needed to earn the right to call himself a chef again .
He started by taking some shifts at a local breakfast cafe .
`` I spent the next three to four years just getting back to the ability where I could call myself a chef , '' he says .
`` I started the whole process again . ''
In recent years Michael has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants and has also been consulting with other chefs to help with their menus .
He dreams of one day owning his own food van .
`` To me , as a chef , it seems like the ultimate expression of our art - to be able to go anywhere and cook anything , '' he says .
Michael has also visited the Philippines where he has some pop-up events lined up for later this year , that he hopes will not be derailed by the coronavirus pandemic .
He is looking into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reached out to Hell 's Kitchen a few times , but never got a response .
`` I think that because the way my life went right after Hell 's Kitchen , I think they 're more interested in having success stories , '' he says .
But after the journey he has been on , Michael is happy to be alive and cooking again .

By this point, Michael knew he had to get drugs inside his system. It was then he remembered that his pharmacy was the only one in the state that keeps all their medication on the shelves at night. He broke in with an axe, stole the drugs and drove out to the middle of the desert.