bbc--2020-04-29--US economy sees worst slump in over a decade

The US economy suffered its most severe contraction in more than a decade in the first quarter of the year , as the country introduced lockdowns to slow the spread of coronavirus .
The world 's largest economy sank at an annual rate of 4.8 % , according to official figures released on Wednesday .
It marked the first contraction since 2014 , ending a record expansion .
But the figures just hint at the full crisis , since many of the restrictions were not put in place until March .
The pandemic `` is causing tremendous human and economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world '' , policymakers at America 's central bank said on Wednesday .
The US has tried to cushion the economic blow with nearly $ 3tn ( £2.4tn ) in new spending , including direct payments to many families .
The Federal Reserve has also taken with a slew of emergency steps , including lowering interest rates to near zero .
On Wednesday , Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the bank would maintain those levels until it was `` confident that the economy has weathered recent events and is on track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing crisis would `` weigh heavily '' on the economy .
`` Will there be a need to do more ?
I would say the answer to that will be a yes , '' Mr Powell said at a virtual press conference .
Since mid-March , more than 26 million people in the US have filed for unemployment , and the US has seen historic declines in business activity and consumer confidence .
Forecasters expect growth to contract 30 % or more in the three months to June .
`` This is off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mark Zandi , chief economist at Moody 's Analytics .
`` The economy has just been flattened . ''
The contraction in the US economy is part of a global slowdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .
In China , where restrictions were in place for much of the quarter , the economy shrank by 6.8 % - its first quarterly contraction since record-keeping began in 1992 .
And on Wednesday , Germany said its economy could shrink by a record 6.3 % this year .
`` We will experience the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal republic '' founded in 1949 , Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said .
Before the coronavirus knocked the global economy off course , the US economy was expected to grow about 2 % this year .
But by mid April , more than 95 % of the country was was in some form of lockdown .
Although some states have started to remove the orders , they remain in place in many others , including major economic engines such as New York and California .
Many companies have warned of significant hits related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results with investors .
On Tuesday , General Electric said its revenues had fallen 8 % in the first quarter , while Boeing - already in crisis after fatal crashes of its 737 Max plane - reported a 48 % revenue fall , and said it planned to reduce output and cut jobs .
`` The coronavirus pandemic is affecting every aspect of our business , including airline customer demand , production continuity and supply chain stability , '' chief executive Dave Calhoun said .
Despite the widespread warnings , share prices have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier in the year .
Those gains reflect the Fed 's intervention , but not its forecast for the economy , said Seema Shah , chief strategist at Principal Global Investors .
`` [ Mr Powell ] provided a very sobering assessment of the economic impact , acknowledging that this will not just be a short , sharp shock , but a more prolonged event , '' she said .
`` With financial markets being backstopped by the Fed for the foreseeable future , they will likely continue to signal a narrative that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own solemn economic assessment . ''
The Commerce Department on Wednesday said consumer spending - which accounts for about two thirds of the US economy - dropped 7.6 % in the first three months of the year .
Spending on food services and accommodation plummeted more than 70 % , while clothing and footwear purchases were down more than 40 % .
Health spending also plunged - despite the virus - as concerns about infection prompted doctors to postpone routine treatments and other medical care .
The economic pain in the US is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the April-June period , but economists say even the estimate for the first quarter is likely to be revised lower , as the government receives more data .
`` It 's very difficult to gauge the depth of the decline , '' Mr Zandi said .
`` We wo n't really know the extent of the economic damage for years . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California kept ahead of the curve • ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : The good that may come out of this crisis

But by mid April, more than 95% of the country was was in some form of lockdown. Although some states have started to remove the orders, they remain in place in many others, including major economic engines such as New York and California.


bbc--2020-04-29--Clip of California cop striking boy sparks uproar

A viral video showing a California sheriff 's deputy appearing to punch a teenager has spurred an investigation following outcry .
The clip of Elijah Tufono , 14 , being subdued by the Rancho Cordova Police Department officer has been viewed over 7m times on Twitter .
Police said the teenager was resisting arrest , but that they would investigate the incident .
The footage was first posted online by Elijah 's sister , Yralina .
The incident has drawn heavy criticism online , including from public figures .
Julian Castro , a former 2020 Democratic candidate for president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who retweeted video and called for an end to police `` violence '' .
A statement from the Rancho Cordova Police Department said the video should be put `` into context '' .
`` The juvenile was unco-operative and refused to give the deputy basic identifying information , '' it said .
`` He told the deputy he was 18-years-old .
`` The deputy attempted to maintain control of the juvenile without his handcuffs and while alone waiting for his partners to arrive and assist him . ''
The department and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of force '' in the arrest , it said .
The boy in the video has spoken out about the footage , telling Fox40 : `` That cop , he did what he did but do n't hold anything against him because that 's between me and him .
`` Sir , I 'm sorry for the way I acted towards you and for not co-operating , and I just hope we can meet again and be on better terms . ''
'He was very scared' His sister posted further clips from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that he was not resisting arrest .
`` He was simply trying to get his arms free because he was in pain , '' she said , adding : `` My brother has a serious heart condition that can be triggered very easily by getting hit in his chest or back . ''
Later , on Twitter , she added : `` He 's a kid and has never been in any kind of trouble with the law .
He was very scared and in so much pain .
`` He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was he even being arrested for ?
For having a Swisher ? ''
A Swisher Sweet is a brand of flavoured cigar in the US .
The minimum age for smoking in California is 21 .
The teenager was released into his guardians ' custody after the deputy found `` tobacco products '' on him .
His uncle , Justin Tufono , shared a different clip on Instagram in which the boy can be heard saying he is not fighting the officer .
It is the latest accusation of US police brutality against @ @ @

Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbc--2020-04-29--Tupac Shakur: Kentucky governor apologises over benefits error

The governor of Kentucky has apologised to a man named Tupac Shakur , after he filed for unemployment and was wrongly labelled a prankster .
Alas for fans of the popular US rapper , whose 1996 death sparked years of conspiracy theories , it appears the applicant was n't him - but a man who changed his name by deed poll .
On Monday , Governor Andy Beshear said dubious claims were slowing the benefits process .
`` Ca n't be doing that , '' he told media .
`` We had somebody apply for unemployment for Tupac Shakur here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` And that person may have thought they were being funny , they probably did .
Except for the fact that because of them , we had to go through so many other claims . ''
The criticism came as a shock to Tupac Malik Shakur , 46 , who reportedly lives in Lexington , Kentucky , and had worked as a cook before the coronavirus pandemic closed down restaurants .
Mr Shakur , who goes by Malik , filed for unemployment on 13 March and has since waited in vain for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggling for the last month trying to figure out how to pay the bills , '' he told the Lexington Herald-Leader .
`` I 'm hurt , I 'm really embarrassed and I 'm shocked , '' he added .
Mr Shakur said he had legally changed his name in about 1998 , two years after the rapper , also known as 2Pac , was shot dead .
When Governor Beshear learned of the error , he telephoned Mr Shakur to apologise .
The cook said he appreciated the gesture , observing : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a lot .
Mistakes happen . ''
In a press conference on Tuesday , Mr Beshear promised the unemployment claim would now be addressed .
`` I told him how it happened , but I owned it , '' he said .
`` It 's my fault .
He was gracious .
I said I 'm sorry if I embarrassed him or caused him any attention he did n't want , and he was very kind .
He ended the call , 'God bless . '
'' Almost 24 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment , as coronavirus restrictions batter many employment sectors .
The state was among those hit by anti-lockdown protests this month , as demonstrators demanded an end to stay-at-home measures .
Figures released on Wednesday show the US economy suffered its most severe contraction in more than a decade in the first quarter of the year , as the country locked down to slow the spread of Covid-19 .

"I told him how it happened, but I owned it," he said. "It's my fault. He was gracious. I said I'm sorry if I embarrassed him or caused him any attention he didn't want, and he was very kind. He ended the call, 'God bless.'"


bbc--2020-04-29--Inmate who gave birth on ventilator dies of Covid-19

A US federal prison inmate who gave birth while she was on a ventilator has died of Covid-19 .
Andrea Circle Bear , 30 , died on 28 April while serving a 26-month sentence for a drug charge in South Dakota .
There have now been 30 coronavirus-related deaths of federal inmates , and more than 1,300 confirmed cases according to the Bureau of Prisons .
She appears to be the first federal female inmate to have died with coronavirus .
There are around 150,000 federal inmates in the US .
A federal inmate is someone inside a prison or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposed to a particular state .
It is not clear how many inmates have died in state-run prisons .
The Marshall Project , a non-profit news organisation which reports on the US criminal justice system , gathered data from state and federal prison agencies across the US and estimated there have been more than 9,400 cases and 131 coronavirus-related deaths .
Concerns over coronavirus have put pressure on US prison authorities to release inmates in order to prevent infections from spreading .
Circle Bear was in prison for charges related to distributing methamphetamines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , to which she pleaded guilty .
She was moved from a jail in South Dakota to a federal prison and medical facility in Fort Worth , Texas on 20 March for undisclosed reasons , and quarantined as required by the prison for all new inmates .
The following week , she was taken to hospital over concerns about her pregnancy .
She was discharged later that day .
However , she was hospitalised a few days later after displaying Covid-like symptoms and placed on a ventilator .
The next day her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She died on 28 April after testing positive for coronavirus earlier this month- the thirtieth federal inmate to die of Covid-19 , and believed to be the first woman .
The US Federal Bureau of Prisons said in a statement she had a pre-existing medical condition , but did not give further details .
There are 1,625 female inmates at the Federal Medical Center Carswell where Circle Bear was quarantined .
Reform campaigners say prisoners face unique risks , due to a lack of hygiene in overcrowded cells and hallways .
The US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than any other country , with an estimated 2.3 million people behind bars .
US jails and prisons began releasing inmates in March over concerns about the spread of coronavirus between prisoners and staff .
Later that month , the Attorney General advised federal prisons to transfer inmates to home confinement where possible if they are deemed to be non-violent and at-risk for coronavirus .
Following this directive , the Bureau of Prisons has placed 1,751 inmates on home confinement .
However , Circle Bear did not appear to be considered a priority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prisons did not give details on the status of her baby .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LIKE 9/11 EACH DAY : A New York paramedic 's diary • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis

The next day her child was born by Caesarean section. She died on 28 April after testing positive for coronavirus earlier this month- the thirtieth federal inmate to die of Covid-19, and believed to be the first woman.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Germany dashes tourism sector's hopes on lockdown

Germany has taken cautious steps to ease its coronavirus lockdown , allowing small shops to reopen last week .
But in a blow to its tourism sector , its warning against worldwide travel has now been extended until 14 June .
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Germany 's fight against the pandemic was not at a stage where he could `` recommend carefree travel '' .
`` People wo n't be able to spend a holiday as they usually know it , on full beaches or in full mountain huts . ''
Germany warned on Wednesday that its economy could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
`` We will experience the worst recession in the history of the federal republic '' founded in 1949 , Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said .
In common with several other EU states , Germany closed some of its land borders last month to try to curb the spread of Covid-19 , and repatriated 240,000 German travellers from abroad .
The German association for tour operators said it had lost over €4.8bn ( $ 5.21bn ) in sales up until the end of April , and said the tourist sector would now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other European countries doing ?
Tourism accounts for 10 % of the EU 's economic output , and the 27 member states must now decide how to resume public movement both within their countries and beyond .
Croatian Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli has called for `` tourist corridors '' to be created between EU countries , with epidemiologists deciding the rules for movement .
There have been reports that Czech tourists could be allowed into Croatia in July and August .
Austria , which has lifted quarantine restrictions at three popular ski resorts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourist activity that begins by allowing German visitors in .
In Spain , hotels are allowed to reopen from 11 May with social distancing in force - but the proposal has angered the Hotel Business Association of Madrid .
The body expressed its `` serious concern '' over the plan on Wednesday , and shared its `` disbelief '' that the government wanted to reopen hotels `` when the arrival of clients is impossible '' due to border closures and lack of flights .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health France 's exit from lockdown is expected to commence in earnest on 11 May , but Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said travel wo n't become unrestricted there .
Journeys of more than 100km ( 62 miles ) will be allowed `` solely for compelling family or professional reasons '' .
Airlines have been severely hit by the grounding of planes , and 12 EU states want travel rules to be changed so that airlines can compensate passengers with vouchers rather than cash for cancelled flights .
• Berlin 's new airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Airways set to cut up to 12,000 jobs Neighbouring countries are also trying to handle cross-border workers .
Germany has relaxed a quarantine on Polish commuters but Poland has not yet followed suit .
Hundreds of people staged protests in Polish border towns last week .
While Poland said it would reopen hotels and shopping centres from 4 May , there was no indication of when borders would reopen .
Is anyone opening up beaches ?
If and when beaches are reopened , they may only be accessible to those living locally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ along the North Sea coast have agreed to reach a decision by 8 May on how to restrict beach access and `` save the Belgians ' summer '' .
France has said no beaches will be open until at least June , while Spain is also targeting the end of June .
Travel from one part of Spain to another will also be restricted until June .
Authorities in the Spanish coastal resort of Zahara de los Atunes recently caused an outcry by spraying a beach with bleach in an attempt to protect @ @ @ @ @

In Spain, hotels are allowed to reopen from 11 May with social distancing in force - but the proposal has angered the Hotel Business Association of Madrid. The body expressed its "serious concern" over the plan on Wednesday, and shared its "disbelief" that the government wanted to reopen hotels "when the arrival of clients is impossible" due to border closures and lack of flights.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus kills 70 veterans at Massachusetts care home

Seventy veterans living in a care home in the US state of Massachusetts have died after contracting coronavirus , officials said .
The outbreak is the deadliest reported in a long-term care home in the US .
A nurse at the facility claimed understaffing had contributed to the spread as employees moved from one unit to another .
The US has more than one million confirmed cases of coronavirus - more than any other country .
Nursing homes across the US and in other parts of the world have been particularly badly hit by the pandemic .
Officials are investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Holyoke , a state-run healthcare facility , received proper medical care .
The superintendent at the home , Bennett Walsh , has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation .
Mr Walsh said that Massachusetts state officials had been notified about the staffing shortages at the home as well as its coronavirus outbreak .
He has denied any wrongdoing in his management of the facility , rejecting the allegations as `` outrageous '' .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LIKE 9/11 EACH DAY : A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis Edward Lapointe , whose father-in-law lives at the home , claimed the conditions there were `` horrific '' .
`` These guys never had a chance , '' Mr Lapointe told the Associated Press news agency .
As well as the 70 confirmed Covid-19 deaths , there are 80 residents and 81 staff at the home who have tested positive for coronavirus , a spokeswoman from the state 's health office told the BBC .
Eleven veterans who tested negative for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , and one death is unconfirmed for Covid-19 .
Residents are being re-tested for Covid-19 as appropriate , said the statement .
'On top of each other' Joan Miller , a nurse at the Soldiers ' Home , told the AP she thought that veterans were living `` on top of each other '' .
She claimed a lack of staff had meant that a unit in the home had been shut down in response to the coronavirus outbreak and the veterans housed there moved to other parts of the facility , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't know who was positive and who was negative and then they grouped people together and that really exacerbated it even more , '' Ms Miller said .
The attorney general for Massachusetts , Maura Healey , said she had launched an investigation to determine `` what went wrong at this facility and determine if legal action is warranted '' .
Employees of the home had in the past weeks complained to local media about what they alleged were grim circumstances in the facility and what they thought was a poor handling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out a call on Twitter on Tuesday for nursing assistants and practical nurses to join the team at Holyoke .
A spokeswoman told the BBC on Wednesday that the home 's infection control staff are enforcing the use of protective equipment .
There are eight new personal protective equipment coaches to help ensure compliance .
Several additional staff members - some permanent and some contract - have also joined this week .
The outbreak at Holyoke does not appear to be an isolated one .
Twenty-two residents have died after testing positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chelsea , Massachusetts , a spokesman for the home said on Tuesday .
You may want to watch :

Joan Miller, a nurse at the Soldiers' Home, told the AP she thought that veterans were living "on top of each other". She claimed a lack of staff had meant that a unit in the home had been shut down in response to the coronavirus outbreak and the veterans housed there moved to other parts of the facility, making those more crowded.


bbc--2020-04-29--US 'hasn't seen' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently, Mike Pompeo

US officials `` have n't seen '' North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently and are watching reports about his health `` closely '' , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said .
He also expressed concern that the hermit state could be hit either by the coronavirus outbreak or a famine .
Mr Kim , 36 , last appeared in state media on 12 April , triggering speculation that he was seriously ill .
But officials in South Korea later said such reports were not true .
• Who might lead N Korea without Kim ?
There have also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supreme leader '' may be staying at the sea resort of Wonsan to protect himself from possible exposure to coronavirus .
The secretive state shut its borders in late January due to the pandemic .
What did Mike Pompeo say ?
Asked on Wednesday by Fox News to comment on the recent reports on Mr Kim 's health , Mr Pompeo said : `` We have n't seen him .
We do n't have any information to report today , we 're watching it closely .
`` There is a real risk that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food shortage , inside of North Korea too , '' he added .
`` We 're watching each of those things closely , as they have a real impact on our mission set , which to ultimately denuclearise North Korea , '' the secretary of state said .
In the 1990s , a devastating famine is believed to have killed hundreds of thousands of North Koreans .
On Monday , President Donald Trump said he had a `` very good idea '' about Mr Kim 's condition , but added that `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I just wish him well , '' he added .
Mr Trump has met Mr Kim three times since 2018 - but the denuclearisation talks have stalled in recent months .
Kim Jong-un recently failed to appear for the celebration of his grandfather 's birthday on 15 April .
This is one of the biggest events of the year , marking the birth of the nation 's founder .
Kim Jong-un has never missed this event - and it seemed very unlikely that he would simply choose not to turn up .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rumour , none of which is easy to substantiate .
Kim Jong-un last appeared in state media on 12 April `` inspecting a pursuit assault plane group '' in a handout that is undated .
As ever , the images portrayed him as relaxed and at ease .
He chaired a key political meeting the day before , from state media despatches .
But he has not been seen since .
The claim about Mr Kim Jong-un 's ill health first surfaced in a report for a website run by North Korean defectors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told the Daily NK that they understood he had been struggling with 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgery .
However , a statement from the South Korean government , and sources at Chinese intelligence - speaking to the Reuters news agency - said this was not true .

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.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Madrid's balcony cinema screens films for people in lockdown

People living in Madrid can watch films from their balconies after the local government brought in huge screens to bring @ @ @ @ @ balcony cinema moves to a different neighbourhood every evening for people to watch a film @ @ @ @

People living in Madrid can watch films from their balconies after the local government brought in huge screens to bring people together.
The new balcony cinema moves to a different neighbourhood every evening for people to watch a film with their neighbours.
Video produced by Maarten Willems and Kate Vandy


bbc--2020-04-29--Swedish city to use chicken manure to deter crowds

The Swedish city of Lund is to spread chicken manure in its central park in an effort to deter crowds @ @ @ @ @ Tens of thousands of people usually descend on southern city to celebrate Walpurgis Night , @ @ @ @ @ .
But officials want to keep people away because of the coronavirus outbreak .
There @ @ @ @ @ , where data show most people have taken to voluntary social distancing .
• Has @ @ @ @ @ on coronavirus ?
`` Lund could very well become an epicentre for the spread of @ @ @ @ @ night in April , '' the chairman of the local council 's environment committee , @ @ @ @ @ Sydsvenskan newspaper .
Defending the decision to spread a ton of chicken manure in the @ @ @ @ @ `` We get the opportunity to fertilise the lawns , and at the same time @ @ @ @ @ it may not be so nice to sit and drink beer . ''
The origins @ @ @ @ @ to pagan celebrations of spring .

Defending the decision to spread a ton of chicken manure in the park, he said: "We get the opportunity to fertilise the lawns, and at the same time it will stink and so it may not be so nice to sit and drink beer."


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Outcry as Spanish beach sprayed with bleach

Authorities in a Spanish coastal resort have apologised after spraying a beach with bleach in an attempt to protect children from coronavirus .
Zahara de los Atunes , near Cadiz , used tractors to spray more than 2km ( 1.2 miles ) of beach with a bleach solution a day before Spain allowed children out of lockdown for the first time .
Environmentalists say the move caused `` brutal damage '' to the local ecosystem .
Spain has been badly affected by the coronavirus , with 23,800 deaths .
It recently announced a four-phase plan to lift its stringent lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normality '' by the end of June .
María Dolores Iglesias , who heads an environmental volunteer group in the Cadiz region , said she had visited the beach at Zahara de los Atunes and seen the damage for herself .
She said the bleach `` killed everything on the ground , nothing is seen , not even insects '' .
The beach and its dunes are protected breeding and nesting places for migratory birds and Ms Iglesias said she had seen at least one nest with eggs destroyed by the tractors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Madrid ’ s medical heroes in fight of their lives '' Bleach is used as a very powerful disinfectant , it is logical that it be used to disinfect streets and asphalt , but here the damage has been brutal , '' she told Spanish media .
`` They have devastated the dune spaces and gone against all the rules .
It has been an aberration what they have done , also taking into account that the virus lives in people not on the beach .
It is crazy . ''
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wildlife had been thriving on the beach .
`` The beach has its own way of cleaning itself , it was not necessary , '' she said .
`` They do not think that this is a living ecosystem , but a lot of land . ''
Local official Agustín Conejo admitted it was `` a wrong move '' .
`` I admit that it was a mistake , it was done with the best intention , '' he said .
Mr Conejo said they had wanted to protect children who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks in confinement .
The Andalusian regional government is now considering fining the local authority for its action , El Pais newspaper reports .
Greenpeace in Spain drew a comparison with controversial statements by US President Donald Trump , who suggested that injecting patients with disinfectant might help treat coronavirus .
`` Fumigating beaches in the middle of the breeding season for birds or the development of the invertebrate network that will support coastal fishing ... is not one of Trump 's ideas .
It is happening in Zahara de los Atunes , @ @ @ @

"They have devastated the dune spaces and gone against all the rules. It has been an aberration what they have done, also taking into account that the virus lives in people not on the beach. It is crazy."


bbc--2020-04-29--Australians urged to sign up to tracking app

The Australian government has called on millions more citizens to download the country 's coronavirus contact-tracing app .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said wide usage would be the `` ticket '' to normal life resuming as soon as possible .
Three million people have downloaded the COVIDSafe app since its launch on Sunday evening , the government said .
It has said that for maximum effectiveness , some 40 % of the population will need to download it .
`` I would liken it to the fact if you want to go outside when the sun is shining , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the same thing , '' the prime minister said .
• Why are there doubts over contact-tracing apps ?
Australia has succeeded in flattening its virus curve , with only one case from an unknown source reported on Tuesday .
The government plans to expand screening for Covid-19 after securing 10 million more test kits on Wednesday .
The nation has about 6,700 cases , and 88 people have died .
What is the app ?
The COVIDSafe app asks users to supply their age range , a mobile number , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a pseudonym .
It uses a Bluetooth wireless signal to exchange a `` digital handshake '' with another user when they come within 1.5m ( 4.9ft ) .
The app then logs this contact and encrypts it .
Users will be notified if they have had more than 15 minutes of close contact with another user who tests positive .
Amid privacy concerns about who will have access to the app 's stored data , the government said only state health authorities would qualify .
The data will be stored in Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not even a court order '' would allow other authorities such as the police to access it .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

"I would liken it to the fact if you want to go outside when the sun is shining, you have to put sunscreen on. This is the same thing," the prime minister said.


bbc--2020-04-29--Irrfan Khan: Movie world pays tribute to Bollywood star's 'pure magic'

Director Danny Boyle , actress Angelina Jolie and a host of Bollywood stars have paid tribute to Indian actor Irrfan Khan , who has died aged 53 .
Priyanka Chopra , who starred with him in 7 Khoon Maaf in 2011 , said his `` charisma '' made for `` pure magic '' on set and on screen .
Khan was also known for roles in Jurassic World , Life of Pi and the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire .
Boyle told the BBC : `` Irrfan was a wonderful actor and a pivotal figure in the making of Slumdog Millionaire .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't a huge role , and in fact on paper it was even less rewarding-looking .
`` But Irrfan saw the possibility of guiding our audience - with his dignity , his grace , his charm , his intelligence and his calmness - through this crossword puzzle of an idea of a film . ''
Angelina Jolie said she had been privileged to work with Khan on the set of 2007 drama A Mighty Heart .
`` He stood out for his generosity as an artist , which made it a pleasure to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she told the BBC .
`` I remember the intensity of his commitment , and equally his smile .
I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family , his friends , and all admirers of his work , in India and around the world . ''
Rogue One and Venom actor Riz Ahmed described Khan as `` one of the greatest actors of our time '' .
`` I never met him but he was an inspiration and a hero to me and millions of others , '' he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues .
You inspired so many of us . ''
Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow described Khan as `` a thoughtful man who found beauty in the world around him , even in pain '' .
Having been diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine cancer in 2018 , Khan underwent months of treatment in the UK .
Khan 's fellow Bollywood star Sonam Kapoor shared a photo of them together on Instagram , declaring : `` You have no idea what your kindness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was at my least confident . ''
Indian superstar Amitabh Bachchan , who worked with him on the film Piku , tweeted : `` An incredible talent ... a gracious colleague ... a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema ... left us too soon ... creating a huge vacuum . ''
Actor Raveena Tandon tweeted that Khan was a `` fantastic co-star , an actor par excellence , and a beautiful human being '' .
Actor Konkona Sensharma said Khan paved the way for many actors .
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` a loss to the world of cinema and theatre '' .
Khan 's breakthrough came in the 2001 film The Warrior , the low-budget directorial debut of Asif Kapadia .
The Samurai-esque production went on to win the Bafta Award for best British film , propelling both actor and director into the spotlight .
Kapadia honoured the late star by simply posting the words `` Love you Irrfan bhai [ brother ] '' alongside a picture of him in action .
Khan was buried at the Versova Kabristan cemetery in Mumbai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced on Wednesday .
His family , close relatives and friends were present .
Four days earlier , Khan 's 95-year-old mother had died in Jaipur - but he could not attend her funeral because of India 's nationwide lockdown , aimed at tackling the coronavirus pandemic .
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him," she told the BBC. "I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world."


bbc--2020-04-29--New York from the cockpit of a fighter jet during a flyover

The US 's Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the New York and Philadelphia area on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ fighting coronavirus .
To adhere to social distancing guidelines , residents were advised to watch @ @ @ @ @ .

The US's Navy Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds flew over the New York and Philadelphia area on Tuesday to salute the medical teams fighting coronavirus.
To adhere to social distancing guidelines, residents were advised to watch the spectacle from their homes.


bbc--2020-04-29--Will thermal cameras help to end the lockdown?

Thermal cameras detect whether people have a temperature .
They are being tested at Bournemouth Airport , to see if @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus before they infect others .
Hospitals and restaurants are also considering whether they @ @ @ @ @ to enable the transition to a more normal world .

Thermal cameras detect whether people have a temperature. They are being tested at Bournemouth Airport, to see if they can detect carriers of the coronavirus before they infect others.
Hospitals and restaurants are also considering whether they could be a useful tool to enable the transition to a more normal world.
The BBC's transport correspondent Tom Burridge reports.


bbc--2020-04-29--An unlikely coronavirus hotspot in forgotten US corner

As the coronavirus sweeps across the US , it has been infecting and killing black Americans at a disproportionate rate @ @ @ @ @ , decades of poverty and economic inequality are threatening an entire generation of African Americans @ @ @ @

As the coronavirus sweeps across the US, it has been infecting and killing black Americans at a disproportionate rate. In Albany, Georgia, decades of poverty and economic inequality are threatening an entire generation of African Americans in the pandemic.
Produced by Xinyan Yu, Chelsea Bailey and Roderick Macleod


bbc--2020-04-29--'We'll starve to death if this continues'

Half of the world 's workers could lose their jobs because of this pandemic , the International Labour Organisation has @ @ @ @ @ billion people but who are they ?
The BBC 's population reporter Stephanie Hegarty heard @ @ @ @ @ who used to get by on a daily wage , but whose lives have been @ @ @ @ @ .

Half of the world's workers could lose their jobs because of this pandemic, the International Labour Organisation has said.
That's 1.6 billion people but who are they?
The BBC's population reporter Stephanie Hegarty heard from people in four countries who used to get by on a daily wage, but whose lives have been torn apart by the lockdown.
Video editor: Yousef Eldin


bbc--2020-04-29--Staging a 'socially distanced' boxing match

Boxing is on hiatus worldwide during the coronavirus pandemic , but , on Saturday night , Nicaragua made the controversial decision to press on with a big match , attracting global attention .
Photographer Carlos Herrera captured the build-up and the main event .
It was the first professional boxing match in a month .
When the television channel ESPN Knockout found out it was going ahead , they bought the rights to show it across Latin America .
The two little-known local competitors , Robin Zamora and Ramiro Blanco , were suddenly thrust into the spotlight .
The international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incredulity , as contact sports taking place in front of an audience have been temporarily paused almost everywhere .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health However , while much of the world is under lockdown , Nicaragua has rejected enforced social distancing , citing concerns about the economic impact .
`` Nicaragua has not and will not establish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presidential statement in February , and that stance has been maintained .
The latest government figures show 13 positive cases of Covid-19 and three deaths since 19 March .
However , independent experts have questioned the official data .
Neighbouring Costa Rica and Honduras have each reported more than 700 cases .
• US expels thousands of migrants using virus order • Brazil 's favelas work to protect themselves from virus Across the region , there is concern that the impact of the virus is yet to hit and could be devastating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stretched resources of health services .
Currently life in Nicaragua is carrying on almost as normal .
Rosendo Álvarez , a world-champion fighter turned promoter , says boxers , who mostly come from working-class backgrounds , have urged him to continue holding matches .
He organised Saturday 's event in the capital , Managua , through his company , Búfalo Boxing Promotions .
`` We are going to do boxing , even if they [ critics ] want to make me look stupid and irresponsible , '' he wrote on Facebook ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families and children to feed .
If they do n't fight , they do n't have money . ''
The organisers implemented various safety measures for the event , including mandatory mask-wearing for all attendees .
Before the fight , Zamora said his career highlight was a tournament in London four years ago and he hoped he would get chance to compete abroad in the future .
`` They do n't pay very well here , but overseas you get more in your pocket . ''
The fighters lasted eight rounds before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All photographs taken by Carlos Herrera

"We are going to do boxing, even if they [critics] want to make me look stupid and irresponsible," he wrote on Facebook ahead of the night. "Boxers have families and children to feed. If they don't fight, they don't have money."


bbc--2020-04-29--In pictures: Iranian embassy siege in London

Negotiations continued as the gunmen demanded the release of 91 political prisoners who were jailed in Iran and a plane @ @ @ @ @ hostages out of the UK .
Here , a negotiator can be seen walking away @ @ @ @

Image caption,
Negotiations continued as the gunmen demanded the release of 91 political prisoners who were jailed in Iran and a plane to fly themselves and the hostages out of the UK. Here, a negotiator can be seen walking away from the embassy.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Trentham Estate puts its blooms online

Flower lovers locked out of a huge garden due to the coronavirus pandemic can see the colourful blooms online instead @ @ @ @ @ Trentham Estate , in Stoke-on-Trent , normally receives about 80,000 visitors to its gardens .
@ @ @ @ @ three million , but for now the garden gates are locked .
That also meant @ @ @ @ @ who planted 200,000 bulbs for the Spring Bulb Festival were unable to see the end @ @ @ @ @ Estate commissioned a series of videos and photographs to post on its website .
The @ @ @ @ @ more than 400 years by the Dukes of Sutherland , and has undergone a major @ @ @ @ @

Flower lovers locked out of a huge garden due to the coronavirus pandemic can see the colourful blooms online instead.
Each April, the Trentham Estate, in Stoke-on-Trent, normally receives about 80,000 visitors to its gardens.
Annually, visitor numbers top three million, but for now the garden gates are locked.
That also meant the 12 members of staff who planted 200,000 bulbs for the Spring Bulb Festival were unable to see the end result.
So the Trentham Estate commissioned a series of videos and photographs to post on its website.
The 725-acre estate was owned for more than 400 years by the Dukes of Sutherland, and has undergone a major regeneration programme since 2003.
Video journalist: John Bray


bbc--2020-04-29--Irrfan Khan: The Bollywood star loved by Hollywood

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan has died aged 53 .
Here biographer Aseem Chhabra charts how the actor also rose to become one of its biggest stars in the West .
In 2007 Irrfan came to New York to promote Michael Winterbottom 's A Mighty Heart , an investigation into the kidnapping and murder of the Wall Street Journal 's South Asia correspondent Daniel Pearl .
In the midst of interviews with him and his co-stars , including Angelina Jolie , Irrfan pulled me aside and talked to me in Hindi .
He asked if anything was happening - if people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chance to get more work in the West .
A Mighty Heart was Irrfan 's second international project .
His first , Mira Nair 's The Namesake ( 2006 ) - a story about Indian American immigrants that was financed by a Hollywood studio - was still playing in some cinemas in New York and elsewhere .
Yes , certainly something was definitely happening , I told Irrfan .
I did not know of any other Bollywood actor who had two films playing in US movie theatres at the same time .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , playing a small supporting role in Wes Anderson 's The Darjeeling Limited .
Irrfan Khan was trained as a theatre actor in India 's prestigious National School of Drama , but then struggled working as a television actor .
His first big break was in British Indian filmmaker Asif Kapadia 's film The Warrior ( 2001 ) .
The Bafta-winning film was presented in cinemas with an endorsement from late filmmaker Anthony Minghella .
By 2007 Irrfan was already a star in Bollywood , India 's Hindi film industry .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside India , but as an actor he was always looking to face new challenges .
His big break came the next year - Danny Boyle 's unexpected hit film , Slumdog Millionaire .
Slumdog made overnight stars of its young leads - Freida Pinto and Dev Patel .
But it also opened up doors for Irrfan .
He managed to get an agent and a manager in the US and there was no looking back .
Soon he landed big-ticket projects - The Amazing Spider-Man ( 2012 ) , although a rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even Jurassic World ( 2015 ) .
There is a story Irrfan told the press while promoting Jurassic World .
When the original Jurassic Park opened in 1993 , Irrfan was a struggling television actor in Bombay ( now Mumbai ) .
He could not afford to buy a ticket to see the film .
Some 22 years later he played a key role in a franchise film that went on to earn $ 1.7bn ( £1.4bn ) worldwide .
Irrfan suddenly became the most successful Indian actor to perform in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects in the West - he played a key role in Ang Lee 's Life of Pi ( 2012 ) - Irrfan had to make tough decisions , whether to accept big Hollywood films or to work on smaller but prestigious ones in India .
In 2015 he said no to working on Ridley Scott 's The Martian , instead choosing a charming love story Piku , set in Delhi and Kolkata ( Calcutta ) .
`` He was in two minds about what to do , and he kept asking me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me when I interviewed him for the biography of Irrfan .
`` I was thinking , possibly for him , who is Shoojit Sircar ?
He 's nobody compared to a Hollywood director . ''
Irrfan also said no to Ridley Scott 's Body of Lies ( 2008 ) .
And his biggest regret was missing out on Christopher Nolan 's Intersteller ( 2014 ) , because his smaller India-based project The Lunchbox was being shot at the same time .
This is a sign of the star Irrfan had become , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone along that path of A-list projects , but in 2018 he acted in his first American indie , a sweet little film called Puzzle where he played an eccentric rich man , alongside Kelly Macdonald .
The world was just opening up for Irrfan and he was in his early 50s .
Then in the spring of 2018 he disclosed he was suffering from a neuroendocrine tumour .
Soon he left for London for treatment .
In two years of the struggle and cancer treatment , Irrfan was able to complete one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There was so much promise , so many more roles to play .
Fortunately , he has left behind a large treasure trove of films his fans can watch .

I did not know of any other Bollywood actor who had two films playing in US movie theatres at the same time. And later that year, Irrfan was back again, playing a small supporting role in Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited.


bbc--2020-04-29--Training AI 'to translate mum's phone messages'

Bonaventure Dossou has been thinking a lot about how to improve phone conversations with his mother .
She often sends him voice messages in Fon , a Beninese language , as he is away studying in Russia .
He , however , does not understand some of the phrases she uses .
`` My mum can not write Fon and I do n't speak the language very well but I 'm fluent in French , '' Mr Dossou told the BBC .
`` I frequently ask my sister to help me understand some of the phrases mum uses , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study is out of the question because like hundreds of other African languages , it is mostly spoken and rarely documented , so there are few , if any , books to teach the grammar and syntax .
Driven by curiosity and powered by data scraped from a Fon to French Jehovah Witness Bible , Mr Dossou and Chris Emezue , a Nigerian friend , developed an Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) language translation model , similar to Google Translate , which they have named FFR .
It is still a work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several AI researchers using African languages in Natural Language Processing ( NLP ) , a branch of AI used to teach and help computers understand human languages .
Had the world not ground to a halt following the Covid-19 pandemic , Mr Dossou and Mr Emezue would have presented their creation to hundreds of participants at one of the world 's biggest AI conferences , ICLR , in Ethiopia 's capital , Addis Ababa , this week .
It would have been the first time the event was held in Africa .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold it virtually .
You may also be interested in : • How decoding African DNA could help fight disease • ' I make my money from Bitcoin and tasty roast meat' AI innovations have been singled out as the driver of the so-called fourth industrial revolution which will bring radical changes to almost every aspect of our lives including how we work .
Some analysts have called big data , which power AI systems , the new oil .
At the moment , Africa is seen as losing out in playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because the majority of the continent 's estimated 2,000 languages are categorised as `` low-resourced '' meaning there 's a dearth of data about them and/or what is available has not been indexed and stored in formats that can be useful .
African languages are not considered when building NLP applications like voice assistants , image recognition software , traffic alerts systems and others .
But African researchers are working to eliminate this handicap .
`` We are focused on placing Africa on the NLP and AI research map , '' Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lancaster , told the BBC .
`` Unless you have your language resources publicly available , free and open , researchers will not have the data for creative solutions on the fly .
We will always have to depend on , say , Google to determine the direction of research , '' Dr Ezeani said .
The conference in Ethiopia was set to be a big deal for African researchers who , among the other challenges they face , have been denied visas to attend past ICLR conferences held in the US and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AI conversations .
`` Not having the conference in Addis was a huge blow , it would have provided a massive shift in the diversity of the conference , '' Jade Abbott , founder of Masakhane , a research movement for machine translation for African languages , told the BBC .
Masakhane , which means `` We Build Together '' in isiZulu , has 150 members in 20 African countries .
Its membership is open to anyone who is interested in language translation .
`` We are building a community of people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build translation models , 30 % of the world 's languages are African , so why do n't why have 30 % of NLP publications ? ''
Ms Abbott asked .
The network focusses on promoting language translation for Africans by Africans and is encouraging open sharing of resources and collaboration to help researchers build upon each other 's work .
However , most of the time it means starting from scratch .
A Masakhane affiliated researcher , for example , is currently collecting data from speakers of the Damara , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound - in Namibia , Ms Abbott said .
So far Masakhane members have done 35 translations of 25 African languages , she added .
Apart from Masakhane there are other initiatives building and strengthening the networks of AI researchers on the continent : • Deep Learning Indaba , which promotes AI in Africa and holds an annual conference • BlackinAI , an initiative that promotes inclusion of black people in the field of Artificial Intelligence Dr Ezeani calls them `` silent struggles '' of Africans working in the AI field .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the continent 's capacity both in terms of building AI infrastructure and the skills of researchers and developers .
`` This is essential not just for recognition but for actually addressing our local challenges for example in health , agriculture , education and governance with home-grown and targeted solutions , '' he said .
`` Maybe we can also take ownership and control the narrative at some point , '' he added .
Dr Ezeani is currently working on a machine translation of Nigeria 's Igbo language to English .
`` In five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll be able to interact with Alexa in Igbo or indeed any minority language which will be a huge and fulfilling achievement , '' Dr Ezeani said .
Currently , none of Amazon 's Alexa , Apple 's Siri and Google Home , the main players in the global voice assistants market , support a single native African language .
Google Translate is enabled for 13 African languages , including Igbo , however it is far from perfect .
Dr Ezeani said that the work that he and others are doing might tempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their devices .
He however cautions that African researchers working in the AI field should be driven by original ideas `` that are actually useful to the people '' and not pursue vanity projects .
`` We can check whether , for example to see if , Igbo-to-Yoruba and vice-versa translation is actually more useful than Igbo-to-English ; or whether speech or visual-to-text systems are more required than text-to-text , '' he said .
As for Mr Dossou and his co-creator , Mr Emezue , they have big ambitions for FFR if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Bantu language spoken by more than two million people in Benin , and also parts of Nigeria and Togo , as helping them expand their work in other markets .
Fon is part of the Niger-Congo family of languages , meaning it shares a common ancestral lineage , with languages spoken in parts of West , Central , East and Southern Africa .
But for now their focus is to continue to train FFR to get better at translating daily conversation .
`` Maybe in the next one year or so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Fon would be translated into text in French , '' Mr Dossou said .

At the moment, Africa is seen as losing out in playing a role in shaping the AI future, because the majority of the continent's estimated 2,000 languages are categorised as "low-resourced" meaning there's a dearth of data about them and/or what is available has not been indexed and stored in formats that can be useful.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: Why the fashion industry faces an 'existential crisis'

Normally , at this time of year , many of us would be curating our perfect summer wardrobe as we prepare for sunny weather and foreign holidays .
Instead , clothing sales plummeted by 34 % in March as much of the world 's population is currently unable to travel abroad or even socialise amid lockdown restrictions .
`` No-one wants to buy clothes to sit at home in , '' as Next 's chief executive Simon Wolfson put it last month .
The fashion industry has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus outbreak on every imaginable level ; production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand has plummeted .
`` It has led to a real existential crisis for the fashion industry , '' says Imran Amed , the founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion , a leading industry website which has produced a report about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak .
`` This is an industry which is still almost entirely dependent oh physical retail .
More than 80 % of transactions in the fashion industry still happen in physical stores .
`` Added to that , many consumers simply are n't interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so much focus on purchasing essential items to survive during the lockdown and I think everyone 's minds have naturally been focused on that .
So fashion just becomes an after-thought , or no thought at all in that kind of context . ''
With sales so low , there are questions about what will happen to the existing stock of clothes building up in stores and warehouses .
`` Unlike food or some medicines , [ fashion ] products do not go off .
But many go out of style , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as with seasonal apparel collections , rather quickly . ''
In an effort to maintain some income , many high street retailers are selling anything they 're able to at significantly discounted prices online .
Gap and H & M , for example , have been offering mid-season sales , while Uniqlo is promoting discounted comfort-wear items people are likely to need at home , such as jogging bottoms and leggings .
( Browns in London has reported a 70 % increase in sales of loungewear . )
It 's likely more brands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes on , Amed notes , which will damage profit margins , but he is hopeful that the fashion calendar being out of sync wo n't be as big an issue as many fear .
`` We always have to remember there are two hemispheres in the world , so when it 's summer in one place it 's winter in another , '' he says .
`` And I think there are creative ways we could think of to redistribute those collections .
`` But as for clothing going out of style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of trends and aesthetics now that I think the idea of things being in or out of style is less marked now than it was maybe 10 or 15 years ago .
`` I 've actually heard of some designers who are saying , 'the collection I showed for spring/summer 2020 , we 're just going to sell that in spring/summer 2021 ' .
That wo n't be a solution that works for every brand , but I think getting through this situation is going to require some real lateral thinking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many brands have suspended advertising - although some continue to use social media influencers to promote products .
Emily Canham , who has more than 700,000 Instagram followers , regularly promotes services and products including health foods , make-up , streaming services , holidays and clothes .
`` For me right now it 's really about listening to my followers about what feels appropriate , '' Canham tells BBC News .
Some of her recent posts have been reflective of her current lifestyle under lockdown - not always necessarily promoting something .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wear what makes them feel great and powerful rather than adhering to traditional seasonal trends .
It 's about how you wear it , not what season it 's worn in . ''
As things stand , it 's not clear whether September 's Fashion Weeks will go ahead in London , Paris , New York and Milan , and if so what form they may take - designers could potentially broadcast fashion shows online if social distancing measures are still in place , for example .
May 's Met Gala , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has already effectively moved online , with Billy Porter encouraging people to recreate their favourite red carpet looks at home .
But even once the coronavirus pandemic has settled somewhat , however long that may take , there are questions about what the fashion industry will look like .
`` I feel very strongly that when we come out at the other end , people 's values are really going to have shifted , '' Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour said last week .
`` I think it 's an opportunity for all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to look at our lives , and to rethink our values , and to really think about the waste , and the amount of money , and consumption , and excess that we have all indulged in and how we really need to rethink what this industry stands for . ''
The fashion industry is hugely polluting , producing about 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon emissions per year - and for some time has been under huge pressure to become more sustainable .
Much has been made of the damaging effect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where consumers buy something cheap , hardly wear it and then throw it out .
It was the subject of a BBC Three documentary last year .
Dame Anna said the industry will need to `` slow down '' so that people can `` enjoy it much more '' without always looking for the next new thing .
`` The conversation about sustainability and the fashion industry has been going on for a long time now , so this is not a new conversation , but I do think this situation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's going to accelerate the fashion industry 's engagement with digital technology , and its desire to rethink the fashion calendar , but it will also accelerate the approach to sustainability and building responsible businesses .
That means using supply chains that are creating clothing in a circular way and take into account the impact on the planet and the people who make our clothes . ''
With regards to the current build-up of inventory , he adds : `` There was a time when certain companies and brands would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practice which is frowned upon now . ''
Dame Vivienne Westwood has been a particular champion of sustainability , teaming up with green organisations and making her business more environmentally efficient .
At a time when sustainability and financial restraints are at the forefront of people 's minds , the launch of the latest series of The Great British Sewing Bee on BBC One could hardly have been more appropriate .
Like The Repair Shop , it provides practical tips and encourages creativity and craft at home - an antidote to a culture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
`` Last year , home-made clothes seemed as old-fashioned as steam trains and oil lamps , '' said The Daily Mail 's Christopher Stevens in his review of the show .
`` But if lockdown goes on much longer , we 'll all be at it . ''
That would spell financial catastrophe to the fashion industry , which was generating $ 2.5 trillion ( £2.02 trillion ) in global annual revenues before the pandemic hit .
`` We 're going to see a wave of insolvencies and bankruptcies as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is the largest crisis that the modern industry has ever faced . ''

"I think it's an opportunity for all of us to look at our industry and to look at our lives, and to rethink our values, and to really think about the waste, and the amount of money, and consumption, and excess that we have all indulged in and how we really need to rethink what this industry stands for."


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus: India's Alpine flag show and other claims checked

Misleading information has been spreading in India as the authorities attempt to control the coronavirus with strict restrictions on movement throughout the country .
We 've been looking at some of the more widely shared examples .
1 .
Was a peak in the Alps lit up to thank India ?
This claim refers to an image of the Matterhorn , one of the highest mountains in the Alps , straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy , lit up with an image of the Indian flag .
A widely shared tweet by a senior official of the ruling party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognition of India 's leading role in combatting the coronavirus .
According to BJP National General Secretary B L Santosh this was because India 's Prime Minister , Narendra Modi , had supplied the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine .
The drug has attracted attention as a potential treatment for Covid-19 , although there are no completed clinical trials or evidence of its efficacy .
India is one of the largest manufacturers of this drug and has so far agreed to supply hydroxychloroquine to at least 55 countries , although Switzerland is not one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug to other countries is not the reason the Swiss authorities lit up the mountainside with the Indian flag .
The local tourism authority has been illuminating the Matterhorn every day since late March with the flags of many different countries hit by coronavirus `` as a sign of hope to the world in difficult times '' .
You can follow these daily projections here .
2 .
Is a Muslim man spitting linked to the virus spread ?
A video showing a Muslim man spitting is doing the rounds on social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the Muslim minority in India .
The video shows the man in a vehicle with police officers , one of whom he spits on .
The original text ( in Bengali ) roughly translates as : `` For those who want proof , here 's a video that shows the Jamaatis from Nizamuddin spitting on policemen . ''
This refers to a large Muslim religious gathering in March by a group known as the Tablighi Jamaat , in the Nizamuddin area of the Indian capital , Delhi .
This gathering was later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with several thousand positive cases linked back to it , according to official figures .
The video of the Muslim man spitting has been shared several thousand times - but it 's misleading .
A reverse image search shows it has nothing to do with the religious gathering in Delhi .
It 's from a report in February by the Mumbai Mirror , a local newspaper in western India , about a 26-year-old man who was under arrest and got into an argument with police officers about the food he was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thane , a city on the outskirts of Mumbai , in the Indian state of Maharashtra , and not in Delhi .
Images of proper social distancing said to be from a marketplace in the north-eastern Indian state of Mizoram have been widely shared by Indian users on social media , They 've commented on what a good example it sets to the rest of the country , given widespread concerns about the lack of social distancing in some places .
• Can you do social distancing in India ?
But these images @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India - they 're from neighbouring Myanmar .
A reverse image search reveals the same images were used this month by Philippines-based ABS-CBN News and other media outlets in South East Asia , saying they are from Myanmar .
The images have also been shared by some Burmese Facebook users , who say they show a market in Myanmar .
And by zooming in on some of these pictures , it 's just possible to make out a couple of shop signs and an advertising hoarding written in Burmese script .
• EASY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

India is one of the largest manufacturers of this drug and has so far agreed to supply hydroxychloroquine to at least 55 countries, although Switzerland is not one of them.


bbc--2020-04-29--Palestinians working in Israel face coronavirus dilemma

Before dawn , Palestinian security officers put on protective masks and gloves as they set up a hidden roadblock by the start of a dirt track through fields west of Hebron .
Their task is to stop labourers from crossing illegally to Israel through gaps in its separation barrier .
They would not normally do this , but these are unusual times .
`` We 'll prevent workers from sneaking into Israel until this pandemic is over , '' says intelligence officer Raed Zghayar .
`` We must protect our mothers , wives and children . ''
Of the 326 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestinians in the occupied West Bank , excluding East Jerusalem , most have been traced to workers in Israel and its settlements , which have been dealing with a much larger outbreak .
The Palestinian Authority ( PA ) tells those returning from their jobs to spend two weeks in self-isolation , but some try to go back and forth .
After a tip-off , the Hebron patrol stops a van with five men inside .
They claim they are doing nothing wrong , but an inspection turns up Israeli work permits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to collect them later .
This happens dozens of times a day .
Usually , more than 100,000 Palestinians with permits work in Israel and Israeli settlements , earning far better wages than they could at home .
Many others have informal jobs .
Their income is vital to the West Bank economy , weakened by decades of military occupation .
Despite the tight lockdowns imposed to limit the spread of Covid-19 , last month some 50,000 workers were allowed to cross , mainly for jobs in agriculture , construction and healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PA and the Israeli government , their employers were supposed to arrange accommodation for them to stay for at least a month .
Some workers have also been sleeping in settlements to protect their jobs .
`` I want to keep my family , friends and my town safe , '' says Muath Balasmeh , who is temporarily living in a tent at his workplace , a factory in Ariel , in the northern West Bank .
`` If I do n't work , nobody will help me with even the basics .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is .
God help us .
God help the workers . ''
The United Nations has praised Israeli-Palestinian co-operation on dealing with the coronavirus , which has included joint training of health staff and Israeli provision of protective gear for Palestinian medical and security personnel .
But a political row broke out after reports that some Palestinian workers in Israel had no decent accommodation and the circulation of social media footage showing a sick man , who later tested negative for Covid-19 , being dumped at a checkpoint by Israeli forces .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of `` racist and inhumane '' behaviour .
Amid fears of a crisis that would overwhelm the local health system , Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh called on workers to come home .
`` The economy of Israel is not as precious as the lives of our children , '' he said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfair amid ongoing support .
`` These remarks , they 're just misleading and even encouraging incitement , I 'd say , in the Palestinian people , '' says Major Yotam Shefer from the Co-ordination of Government Activities in the Territories ( Cogat ) .
`` We 've been doing really a joint effort to combat this virus and it 's a common enemy . ''
Some Palestinians have stayed in Israel for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan , but others are heading home .
At the Tarqumiya checkpoint , near Hebron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for signs of Covid-19 by PA medics wearing protective equipment .
Zahid Soleiman , who works as an ironmonger , has a fever , so he is tested for the disease on the spot .
He says he is worried about infection but that 10 members of his family rely on his salary .
`` What can I do ?
My financial situation is really bad .
I had n't worked for three weeks before I went to Israel .
I needed to earn money . ''
He has now been told to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The desperation of workers to return to their jobs , even during a pandemic , has underlined the economic reliance of the Palestinians on Israel - a sensitive issue in their decades-old conflict .

Zahid Soleiman, who works as an ironmonger, has a fever, so he is tested for the disease on the spot. He says he is worried about infection but that 10 members of his family rely on his salary.


bbc--2020-04-29--Coronavirus 'could affect international football calendar for two or three years'

Coronavirus could impact on the international football calendar for `` two or three years '' , says a member of Uefa 's executive committee .
Lars-Christer Olsson , president of European Leagues , said that it would be a case of `` wait and see '' to assess the disruption of the pandemic , including on the 2022 Qatar World Cup .
Uefa hopes to complete the Champions League and Europa League in August .
A decision is set to be made at the end of May around whether this is feasible .
There are also plans to fit three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international windows this autumn to play Euro 2020 qualifiers and Nations League fixtures .
Olsson said that he would `` rather see a scenario where the current season is not finished than not kicking off the new season '' .
Following the widespread suspension of football and the postponement of Euro 2020 and Euro 2021 , he was asked on a Soccerex webinar how long he thought that the international calendar could be affected .
`` Probably two or three years I think , '' he said .
Earlier , he had told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` no consensus '' between countries regarding finishing the domestic season , as each country faces different situations regarding the virus and government decisions .
France 's top two divisions , Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 , will not resume this season after France banned all sporting events , including those behind closed doors , until September .
The Dutch top flight was abandoned last week with no promotion or relegation and no champions .
Asked how Uefa would claim to have a satisfactory conclusion to their competitions if competing clubs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not played football for many months , he said : `` It 's difficult to say but in any case , it 's a extraordinary situation we are in and there have to be extraordinary solutions . ''
Speaking on the webinar , he said : `` For the time being we are planning , trying to squeeze in the rest of the season 2019-20 in the month of August .
`` If that would be possible , then I think it would be fine because that would also mean that we can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the current season of international football .
`` But of course we have to take decisions about that at the end of May at least because otherwise it will probably not be possible to squeeze it in and also to qualify the clubs for the new season . ''
With the World Cup less than three years away , Olsson was asked if that could be affected .
`` If the virus is developing in an even more serious way as it has been for the time being there will definitely be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` When some of the competitions are moved from one year to another .
And then the Qatar World Cup is coming in the middle of the European season and you have to squeeze in domestic and international competitions .
But I think we have to wait and see how that is going to affect the business . ''

It is not yet known if the coronavirus will impact the 2022 World Cup in Qatar
Coronavirus could impact on the international football calendar for "two or three years", says a member of Uefa's executive committee.
Lars-Christer Olsson, president of European Leagues, said that it would be a case of "wait and see" to assess the disruption of the pandemic, including on the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Uefa hopes to complete the Champions League and Europa League in August.
A decision is set to be made at the end of May around whether this is feasible.
There are also plans to fit three - rather than two - fixtures into international windows this autumn to play Euro 2020 qualifiers and Nations League fixtures.
Olsson said that he would "rather see a scenario where the current season is not finished than not kicking off the new season".
Following the widespread suspension of football and the postponement of Euro 2020 and Euro 2021, he was asked on a Soccerex webinar how long he thought that the international calendar could be affected.
"Probably two or three years I think," he said.
Earlier, he had told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast that there was "no consensus" between countries regarding finishing the domestic season, as each country faces different situations regarding the virus and government decisions.
France's top two divisions, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, will not resume this season after France banned all sporting events, including those behind closed doors, until September.
The Dutch top flight was abandoned last week with no promotion or relegation and no champions.
Asked how Uefa would claim to have a satisfactory conclusion to their competitions if competing clubs, such as PSG and Ajax, have not played football for many months, he said: "It's difficult to say but in any case, it's a extraordinary situation we are in and there have to be extraordinary solutions."
Speaking on the webinar, he said: "For the time being we are planning, trying to squeeze in the rest of the season 2019-20 in the month of August.
"If that would be possible, then I think it would be fine because that would also mean that we can safeguard the integrity of the final phase of the current season of international football.
"But of course we have to take decisions about that at the end of May at least because otherwise it will probably not be possible to squeeze it in and also to qualify the clubs for the new season."
With the World Cup less than three years away, Olsson was asked if that could be affected.
"If the virus is developing in an even more serious way as it has been for the time being there will definitely be a problem with the international calendar," he said.
"When some of the competitions are moved from one year to another. And then the Qatar World Cup is coming in the middle of the European season and you have to squeeze in domestic and international competitions. But I think we have to wait and see how that is going to affect the business."


bbc--2020-04-29--Tour de France could still go ahead as Vuelta cancels race start

Last updated on .From the section Cycling The Tour de France could still go ahead despite more sanctions on mass gatherings by the French government .
`` The Tour de France has not been called into question , '' said French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu .
The Vuelta a Espana also announced it would cancel its departure from the Netherlands , set for 14 August .
• None Tour to go ahead after coronavirus delay • None Tour de Yorkshire 'more likely ' to be postponed to 2021 Maracineanu added : `` There will not be any large gatherings before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 August , there could be adjustments .
It is up to [ organisers ] ASO to make some suggestions . ''
The Tour , won by Team Ineos ' Egan Bernal last year , was originally scheduled to run from 27 June to 19 July .
Many large-scale sporting events scheduled to take place this summer have either been called off , such as Wimbledon , or pushed back by a year , such as football 's European Championship and the summer Olympics .
The Vuelta , also run by Tour organisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Utrecht but that leg of the three-week event has been cancelled .
The race will now run across 18 stages - three fewer than planned - starting in the Basque country , northern Spain .
Cycling 's governing body the UCI was expected to release a revised calendar for the men 's and women 's road cycling 2020 season on Wednesday , but have pushed that date back to 5 May .
Four-time winner Chris Froome is set to return at this year 's Tour , which will start in Nice , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high-speed accident in which he broke his neck , femur , elbow , hip and ribs .
Alongside the Tour and the Vuelta , the remaining Grand Tour race - the Giro d'Italia - also awaits rescheduling after being postponed from its May start date in Hungary .
The women 's version of the Tour de France , La Course by le Tour de France , was initially scheduled to take place over one day on 19 July on the Champs Elysees in Paris .
But organiser ASO said it will also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the Tour de France 2020 '' .
The Road World Championships , which will be held in Switzerland , remain in their 20-27 September slot .
The postponed 'monument ' one-day races - Milan-San Remo , Liege-Bastonge-Liege , Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix - `` will all take place this season , at dates still to be defined '' , said the UCI .
On 10 April , the UCI furloughed staff and cut the salaries of senior employees as a result of the coronavirus pandemic .

Last updated on .From the section Cycling
British Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) have won the past five Tours
The Tour de France could still go ahead despite more sanctions on mass gatherings by the French government.
Cycling's biggest race was set to start two months late, on 29 August, because of coronavirus, but the government ban has extended until September.
"The Tour de France has not been called into question," said French sports minister Roxana Maracineanu.
The Vuelta a Espana also announced it would cancel its departure from the Netherlands, set for 14 August.
Maracineanu added: "There will not be any large gatherings before September but with the Tour starting on 29 August, there could be adjustments. It is up to [organisers] ASO to make some suggestions."
ASO chose not to comment.
The Tour, won by Team Ineos' Egan Bernal last year, was originally scheduled to run from 27 June to 19 July.
Many large-scale sporting events scheduled to take place this summer have either been called off, such as Wimbledon, or pushed back by a year, such as football's European Championship and the summer Olympics.
The Vuelta, also run by Tour organisers ASO, was scheduled to set off from Utrecht but that leg of the three-week event has been cancelled. The race will now run across 18 stages - three fewer than planned - starting in the Basque country, northern Spain.
Cycling's governing body the UCI was expected to release a revised calendar for the men's and women's road cycling 2020 season on Wednesday, but have pushed that date back to 5 May.
Four-time winner Chris Froome is set to return at this year's Tour, which will start in Nice, after he missed the 2019 race following a high-speed accident in which he broke his neck, femur, elbow, hip and ribs.
Alongside the Tour and the Vuelta, the remaining Grand Tour race - the Giro d'Italia - also awaits rescheduling after being postponed from its May start date in Hungary.
The women's version of the Tour de France, La Course by le Tour de France, was initially scheduled to take place over one day on 19 July on the Champs Elysees in Paris.
But organiser ASO said it will also be postponed and instead take place "during the Tour de France 2020".
The Road World Championships, which will be held in Switzerland, remain in their 20-27 September slot.
The postponed 'monument' one-day races - Milan-San Remo, Liege-Bastonge-Liege, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix - "will all take place this season, at dates still to be defined", said the UCI.
On 10 April, the UCI furloughed staff and cut the salaries of senior employees as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.


bbc--2020-04-29--Neymar & Mbappe's future and who qualifies for Europe? The fallout for French football

`` It wo n't be possible to do sport in covered areas , nor practice team or contact sports , '' said France 's Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday .
`` Events gathering more than 5,000 participants can not be staged until September . ''
And so were skewered the French Football League 's ( LFP ) hopes of professional football returning on 17 June , a full month after France is supposed to ease the lockdown restrictions that for six weeks have suffocated but not stamped out coronavirus .
So what happens now ?
The clamour to claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get just for qualifying for the Champions League group stage is a pretty penny that has - predictably - already seen things get ugly .
No sooner had the Ligue 1 season been suspended in mid-March than Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas and his Marseille counterpart , Jacques-Henri Eyraud , launched into an unsightly public spat .
Aulas claimed last season 's final placings should be used to determine next season 's European participants ; Eyraud disagreed .
Aulas ' Lyon side finished third in 2018-19 , Marseille were out of European competition in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seventh and whose in second when play was halted this term ?
Aulas ' suggestion is not one of three possible scenarios set out by an LFP working group , though .
They are : • finalise the table on the last full round of games played - 27 in the case of Ligue 1 • take the standings as they were after 19 matches , the halfway point of the season The solution is now likely to be decided by a general assembly vote of France 's professional clubs .
In all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would stay the same , happily fulfilling Uefa 's hope that the 2020-21 European participants would be decided on `` sporting merit '' - Paris St-Germain as champions and Marseille would qualify for the Champions League group stage with Rennes heading into the third qualifying round .
Lille would finish fourth to take Ligue 1 's only Europa League qualifying place .
However , if the two Europa League places available from the domestic cup competitions are given to the teams finishing fifth and sixth in the league , expect squabbling : Lyon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nice would all have a claim .
While the third promotion/relegation place - decided by a play-off in normal circumstances - is likely to not be attributed , L1 strugglers Toulouse and Amiens are set to be relegated , replaced by Ligue 2 top two Lorient and Lens .
Winning a ninth league title in these circumstances will sting , especially as Thomas Tuchel 's men were 12 points clear and would have matched arch-rival Marseille 's nine French crowns at a canter .
But they also wanted to equal Marseille in another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Champions League winner .
After getting over the formidable obstacle of Borussia Dortmund and clearing an even bigger psychological barrier to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in four attempts , PSG were looking good .
Neymar - key against Dortmund - was playing well and , crucially , for the team , Kylian Mbappe and Angel di Maria were in sizzling form .
For the first time since Qatar Sports Investments took over the club in 2011 and stated they wanted to claim European football 's premier prize , PSG looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If it 's not possible to play in France , we 'll play our matches abroad , '' PSG chief executive and chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi said of the Champions League on Tuesday .
Bold and bullish in the boardroom then , but the reality on the pitch could be very different .
If Uefa manage to stage the remaining ties , Tuchel would have to mould his side into shape - mentally and physically - for potentially five top-grade matches with no competitive football in their legs between now and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ League final might be staged .
Should the other leagues restart , PSG would be at a massive disadvantage .
The Spanish press have been getting excited over the possibility of seeing both of PSG 's crown jewels in La Liga next season .
Mbappe has made little secret of his love of Real Madrid and hero-worship of manager Zinedine Zidane , while Neymar had already pushed hard to move back to Barcelona last summer .
Will they go this time ?
Unlikely .
Mbappe will be in a stronger bargaining position in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract and - according to recent reports in France - the Emir of Qatar 's `` will '' is for the World Cup winner to stay .
The same goes for Neymar , another favourite of the Gulf state 's ruler , and he too has another two years on his PSG deal .
Most significantly , the tears that flooded from him after qualifying behind closed doors against Dortmund , and the acclaim of the fans outside the Parc des Princes ' locked gates , suggested his Nou Camp nostalgia is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less financially muscled French clubs will be how to hold on to their best players in the summer transfer window , if there is a mercato , as it 's known in France .
`` This stoppage raises other problems , one of which is decisive , the economic one , '' said Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas who , while hailing a `` logical '' decision by the government , added soberly : `` The survival of the clubs depends on it . ''
In France , arguably even more than anywhere else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The current TV rights deal is due to expire at the season 's end with the new contract , largely financed by Mediapro , worth 60 % more , tipping the Ligue 1 clubs ' pot over the 1bn euros ( £0.86bn ) mark .
Clubs were desperate to finish the 20190-20 campaign though as they were reliant on the more than 200m euros due as the final slice of the cake broadcasters Canal+ and BeIN SPORTS had shared for the last four years .
Most of that sum now looks highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40 % of Ligue 1 outfits ' budgets coming from the TV deal , and Rennes currently the only top-flight side whose players have agreed to a wage cut , the future of some clubs is in the balance .

"It won't be possible to do sport in covered areas, nor practice team or contact sports," said France's Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Tuesday.
"Events gathering more than 5,000 participants cannot be staged until September."
And so were skewered the French Football League's (LFP) hopes of professional football returning on 17 June, a full month after France is supposed to ease the lockdown restrictions that for six weeks have suffocated but not stamped out coronavirus.
So what happens now?
The league table
The clamour to claim the 15m euros (£12.91m) teams get just for qualifying for the Champions League group stage is a pretty penny that has - predictably - already seen things get ugly.
No sooner had the Ligue 1 season been suspended in mid-March than Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas and his Marseille counterpart, Jacques-Henri Eyraud, launched into an unsightly public spat.
Aulas claimed last season's final placings should be used to determine next season's European participants; Eyraud disagreed. Aulas' Lyon side finished third in 2018-19, Marseille were out of European competition in fifth. Guess which team was in seventh and whose in second when play was halted this term?
Monaco's Wissam Ben Yedder is joint top of the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts with Kylian Mbappe
Aulas' suggestion is not one of three possible scenarios set out by an LFP working group, though. They are:
base the final standings on a points-per-game average
finalise the table on the last full round of games played - 27 in the case of Ligue 1
take the standings as they were after 19 matches, the halfway point of the season
The solution is now likely to be decided by a general assembly vote of France's professional clubs.
In all three cases, the current top four would stay the same, happily fulfilling Uefa's hope that the 2020-21 European participants would be decided on "sporting merit" - Paris St-Germain as champions and Marseille would qualify for the Champions League group stage with Rennes heading into the third qualifying round.
Lille would finish fourth to take Ligue 1's only Europa League qualifying place.
However, if the two Europa League places available from the domestic cup competitions are given to the teams finishing fifth and sixth in the league, expect squabbling: Lyon, Montpellier, Reims, Nantes and Nice would all have a claim.
While the third promotion/relegation place - decided by a play-off in normal circumstances - is likely to not be attributed, L1 strugglers Toulouse and Amiens are set to be relegated, replaced by Ligue 2 top two Lorient and Lens.
PSG's Champions League hopes dashed
Winning a ninth league title in these circumstances will sting, especially as Thomas Tuchel's men were 12 points clear and would have matched arch-rival Marseille's nine French crowns at a canter.
But they also wanted to equal Marseille in another way, by becoming France's second Champions League winner.
After getting over the formidable obstacle of Borussia Dortmund and clearing an even bigger psychological barrier to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in four attempts, PSG were looking good.
Neymar - key against Dortmund - was playing well and, crucially, for the team, Kylian Mbappe and Angel di Maria were in sizzling form.
For the first time since Qatar Sports Investments took over the club in 2011 and stated they wanted to claim European football's premier prize, PSG looked in a promising position to do it.
"If it's not possible to play in France, we'll play our matches abroad," PSG chief executive and chairman Nasser Al Khelaifi said of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Bold and bullish in the boardroom then, but the reality on the pitch could be very different.
If Uefa manage to stage the remaining ties, Tuchel would have to mould his side into shape - mentally and physically - for potentially five top-grade matches with no competitive football in their legs between now and the end of August when the Champions League final might be staged.
Should the other leagues restart, PSG would be at a massive disadvantage.
Mbappe, Neymar and the mercato
Neymar and Kylian Mbappe finish the French campaign with 31 top-flight goals between them
The Spanish press have been getting excited over the possibility of seeing both of PSG's crown jewels in La Liga next season. Mbappe has made little secret of his love of Real Madrid and hero-worship of manager Zinedine Zidane, while Neymar had already pushed hard to move back to Barcelona last summer.
Will they go this time? Unlikely.
Mbappe will be in a stronger bargaining position in 2021 with a year left on his contract and - according to recent reports in France - the Emir of Qatar's "will" is for the World Cup winner to stay.
The same goes for Neymar, another favourite of the Gulf state's ruler, and he too has another two years on his PSG deal.
Most significantly, the tears that flooded from him after qualifying behind closed doors against Dortmund, and the acclaim of the fans outside the Parc des Princes' locked gates, suggested his Nou Camp nostalgia is no more.
A thornier question for other less financially muscled French clubs will be how to hold on to their best players in the summer transfer window, if there is a mercato, as it's known in France.
The money
"This stoppage raises other problems, one of which is decisive, the economic one," said Marseille boss Andre Villas-Boas who, while hailing a "logical" decision by the government, added soberly: "The survival of the clubs depends on it."
In France, arguably even more than anywhere else, the money is a pressing issue. The current TV rights deal is due to expire at the season's end with the new contract, largely financed by Mediapro, worth 60% more, tipping the Ligue 1 clubs' pot over the 1bn euros (£0.86bn) mark.
Clubs were desperate to finish the 20190-20 campaign though as they were reliant on the more than 200m euros due as the final slice of the cake broadcasters Canal+ and BeIN SPORTS had shared for the last four years. Most of that sum now looks highly unlikely to be paid.
With nearly 40% of Ligue 1 outfits' budgets coming from the TV deal, and Rennes currently the only top-flight side whose players have agreed to a wage cut, the future of some clubs is in the balance.


bbc--2020-04-29--Newcastle want Pochettino to replace Bruce - gossip

Mauricio Pochettino is the first choice of Newcastle 's prospective new owners to replace Steve Bruce as manager and they are willing to pay him £19m per year .
( Sky Sports ) Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick held a 30-minute phone call with Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane , 24 , to discuss a potential transfer .
( Bild , via Goal - in German ) Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho , 20 , is being offered the number seven shirt by Manchester United in a bid to tempt him to the club .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 23 , is considering his future at Tottenham , with Barcelona reportedly interested .
( Sky Sports ) Roma boss Paulo Fonseca wants to sign Chelsea and Spain winger Pedro , 32 .
( Corriere dello Sport - in Italian ) Arsenal have been told they must pay more than £25m if they want to land Celtic 's French forward Odsonne Edouard , 22 .
( Express ) Napoli forward Dries Mertens , 32 , is interested in a move to London , with Chelsea still keen on the Belgium international .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Real Madrid over a potential deal for Spain left-back Sergio Reguilon .
The 23-year-old is currently on loan at Sevilla .
( ABC , via Star ) Leicester are interested in signing Saint-Etienne 's French centre-back Wesley Fofana , 19 .
( Le10 Sport - in French ) AC Milan will look to sell former Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina when the transfer market re-opens .
The 37-year-old is currently on loan at Aston Villa .
( Calciomercato ) Nigel Pearson will remain as Watford manager until the end of the season , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expiring in May .
( Sky Sports ) Arsenal will look to make free transfers and swap deals during the summer transfer window because of the financial impact of coronavirus .
( Mail ) Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho , 28 , says he considered leaving the Blues after just one season because of the criticism he faced from fans .
( FourFourTwo )

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is the first choice of Newcastle's prospective new owners to replace Steve Bruce as manager and they are willing to pay him £19m per year. (Sky Sports) external-link
Liverpool have been handed a boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner with the 24-year-old Germany international ruling out a transfer to another Bundesliga team. (Bild, in German - subscription required) external-link
Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho, 20, is being offered the number seven shirt by Manchester United - currently held by Alexis Sanchez, who is out on loan - in a bid to tempt him to the club. (Mirror) external-link
France midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, 23, is considering his future at Tottenham, with Barcelona reportedly interested. (Sky Sports) external-link
Roma boss Paulo Fonseca wants to sign Chelsea and Spain winger Pedro, 32. (Corriere dello Sport, in Italian) external-link
Arsenal have been told they must pay more than £25m if they want to land Celtic'sFrench forward Odsonne Edouard, 22. (Express) external-link
Napoli forward Dries Mertens, 32, is interested in a move to London, with Chelsea still keen on the Belgium international who will be a free agent thsi summer. (Mail) external-link
How realistic is Project Restart? When Premier League club executives meet on Friday they will do so amid mounting unease over whether the season can resume at all...
Arsenal have reportedly made contact with Real Madrid over a potential deal for Spain left-back Sergio Reguilon. The 23-year-old is currently on loan at Sevilla. (ABC, via Star) external-link
Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick held a 30-minute phone call with Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 24, to discuss a potential transfer. (Bild, in German - subscription required) external-link
Leicester are interested in signing Saint-Etienne's French centre-back Wesley Fofana, 19. (Le10 Sport, in French) external-link
AC Milan will look to sell former Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina when the transfer market re-opens. The 37-year-old is currently on loan at Aston Villa. (Calciomercato) external-link
Nigel Pearson will remain as Watford boss until the end of the season when it resumes, despite his contract expiring in May. (Sky Sports) external-link
Arsenal will look to make free transfers and swap deals during the summer transfer window because of the financial impact of coronavirus. (Mail) external-link
Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho, 28, says he considered leaving the Blues after only one season because of the criticism he faced from fans. (FourFourTwo) external-link
Manchester United players have been told to wash their own kit before they return to training on 18 May, with the club's laundry facilities off limits - and players are also expected to shower at home. (Mail) external-link


bbc--2020-04-29--Exotic dancers swap club for food delivery service

'Without able-bodied women I 'd never have sex' Disability and sex is a topic around which there are a lot @ @ @ @ @ do disabled people think when people get awkward talking about sex with them ?

Lucky Devil Lounge in Portland, Oregon has adapted its business to comply with social distancing, by delivering food and offering a drive through food service with strippers.
"The biggest thing is that we're continuing to employ all of our staff," said owner Shon Boulden.