bbc--2020-05-04--HS2 protesters spending coronavirus lockdown in trees

As the nation is told to stay at home , defiant protesters against HS2 have chosen to self-isolate at makeshift camps in under-threat forests .
Dozens are living in ancient woodlands during lockdown - spending the days up trees - where they say they have been isolating as though they are a single , large household .
The camp at Crackley Woods , near Kenilworth , Warwickshire , consists of a roundhouse built from hay bales and covered in tarpaulin , a field kitchen , about 20 small tents and a handful of camper-vans .
The landowner gave the protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and they have continued to do so over the past six weeks .
Supporters bring food and care packages and leave them at the edge of the camp .
It was originally made up of locals from the Stop HS2 campaign group , but they have been joined by people from other organisations including Extinction Rebellion .
It is possible to walk along a public bridleway which brings you through the woods to the edge of the camp , and to the fences which have been erected by HS2 contractors to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are mobile CCTV camera units called Armadillos , as well as HS2 staff wearing PPE who are patrolling the boundary to check for incursions .
On the other side , the protesters have built tree-houses and a gantry so they can see what 's happening over the fence .
Nearly all of the trees that should have been felled have been taken down over the past few weeks .
The campaigners took to the treetops to try to stop the work going ahead , and a number were arrested by enforcement officers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Latin for oak - is a former tree surgeon .
He spends most of the day in a tree-house 30ft up .
He told me when he saw the trees coming down he was `` overcome with grief '' and he was willing to be arrested again to try to stop the trees being felled .
He has been at the camp for several weeks and says he feels it is important to continue the fight as the country remains on lockdown .
`` Even before we had the pandemic and lockdown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were able to come out and do protests like this - certainly far fewer people now , '' he said .
`` People 's democratic right to protest and have their say has been taken away at this time . ''
Campaigners claim 108 ancient woodlands along the route , which has been given the go ahead by the government , are under threat .
HS2 said that was an exaggeration .
Paul Faulkner , chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce , is a big supporter of the project .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ credentials and says a tiny fraction of the country 's ancient woodland will be felled .
`` HS2 is aiming to be the world 's most sustainable high-speed railway .
It 's got a whole host of pro-environmental measures that it 's introducing , and that 's before we get on to the massive economic benefits that HS2 is going to bring . ''
Stop HS2 has argued the economic benefits have never been proven and they believe the money would be better spent after lockdown ends .
Chief executive of HS2 Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were already working on the project and he expected that to double over the next two years .
`` We see HS2 now as having an important role in getting the economy back on its feet , '' he said .
The Department for Transport said in a statement : `` While the government 's top priority is rightly to combat the spread of coronavirus , we should not delay work on our long-term plan to level up the country . ''
Matt Bishop grew up in Coventry and visited Crackley Woods when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become one of the camp 's leaders .
He still hopes the project - which has been given the green light by the government - can be halted .
`` We need to show the government that you can not just draw a line across the middle of the countryside .
That 's just not acceptable , '' he said .
The first train is not expected to roll into the new Birmingham Curzon Street station until 2029 .

On the other side, the protesters have built tree-houses and a gantry so they can see what's happening over the fence. Nearly all of the trees that should have been felled have been taken down over the past few weeks. The campaigners took to the treetops to try to stop the work going ahead, and a number were arrested by enforcement officers.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: The seven types of people who start and spread viral misinformation

Coronavirus : The seven types of people who start and spread viral misinformation Conspiracy theories , misinformation and speculation about coronavirus have flooded social media .
But who starts these rumours ?
And who spreads them ?
We 've investigated hundreds of misleading stories during the pandemic .
It 's given us an idea about who is behind misinformation - and what motivates them .
Here are seven types of people who start and spread falsehoods : You 'd hope no-one was fooled by a WhatsApp voice note claiming the government was cooking a giant lasagne in Wembley stadium to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't get the joke .
To take a slightly more serious example , a prankster created a screenshot of a fake government text that claimed the recipient had been fined for leaving the house too many times .
He thought it would be funny to scare people breaking lockdown rules .
After encouraging his followers to share it on Instagram , it found its way to local Facebook groups , where it was posted by worried residents , some of whom took it seriously .
`` I do n't really want to cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who would n't give us his real name .
`` But if they believe a screenshot on social media , they really need to sort of re-evaluate the way they consume information on the internet . ''
• The people fighting fakes from their sofas • How you can stop bad information from going viral • What we know about those NHS Twitter bot rumours Other fake texts claiming to be from the government or local councils have been generated by scammers looking to make money from the pandemic .
One such scam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March claimed that the government was offering people relief payments and asked for bank details .
Photos of the scam text were shared on Facebook .
Since it circulated by text message , it 's difficult to get to the bottom of who was behind them .
Scammers started using fake news about the virus to make money as early as February , with emails suggesting people could `` click for a coronavirus cure review '' or suggesting they were entitled to a tax refund because of the outbreak .
Misinformation does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internet .
Last week President Donald Trump questioned whether exposing patients ' bodies to UV light or injecting bleach could help treat the coronavirus .
He was speculating and took facts out of context .
He later claimed the comments were sarcastic .
But that did n't stop people from phoning hotlines to ask about treating themselves with disinfectant .
It 's not just the US President .
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman promoted the idea that Covid-19 might have been brought to Wuhan by the US Army .
Conspiracy theories about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Russian state TV , and by pro-Kremlin Twitter accounts .
All the uncertainty about the virus has created a perfect breeding ground for conspiracy theories .
A false story of murky origins claiming the first volunteer to take part in a UK vaccine trial had died circulated in big anti-vaccination and conspiracy Facebook groups .
It was fiction .
Interviews with David Icke on YouTube , which have since been removed , also peddled false claims that 5G is linked to coronavirus .
Mr Icke also appeared on a London TV station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK 's broadcasting standards .
His Facebook page was later taken down , the company said , for publishing `` health misinformation that could cause physical harm '' .
Conspiracy theories have led to scores of attacks on 5G masts .
• Reality Check : No , 5G does not spread coronavirus Sometimes misinformation seems to come from a trustworthy source - a doctor , professor or hospital worker .
But often the `` insider '' is nothing of the sort .
A woman from Crawley in West Sussex was the originator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - and completely unsubstantiated - death tolls for young and healthy coronavirus sufferers .
She claimed to have inside information through her work at an ambulance service .
She did not respond to requests for comment or provide proof of her job , so we do n't know whether she actually is a health worker .
But we do know that the claims in her voice note were unfounded .
That alarming voice note and many others went viral because they worried people , who then shared the messages with friends and family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mum of four from Essex , who forwarded a note on Facebook messenger `` just in case it was true '' .
`` At first I was a bit wary because it was sent from a lady that I did n't know , '' she says .
`` I forwarded it on because myself and my sister have babies the same age and also have older children , and we all have high risk in our households . ''
They 're trying to be helpful and they think they 're doing something positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does n't make the messages they pass along true .
• Jeff Bezos did not say this about coronavirus It 's not just your mum or uncle .
Celebrities have helped amplified misleading claims go mainstream .
The singer M.I.A .
and actor Woody Harrelson are among those who have been promoting the 5G coronavirus theory to their hundreds of thousands of followers on social media .
A recent report by the Reuters Institute found that celebrities play a key role in spreading misinformation online .
Some have huge platforms on traditional media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for appearing to give some credence to the 5G conspiracy theorists on ITV This Morning .
`` What I do n't accept is mainstream media immediately slapping that down as not true when they do n't know it 's not true , '' he said .
Mr Holmes later apologised and Ofcom `` issued guidance '' to ITV , deeming the comments `` ill-judged '' .
Is there a story we should be investigating ?
Email Marianna We 've been nominated for a Webby Award - if you appreciate the work we do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter @ BBCtrending or on Facebook .

"At first I was a bit wary because it was sent from a lady that I didn't know," she says. "I forwarded it on because myself and my sister have babies the same age and also have older children, and we all have high risk in our households."


bbc--2020-05-03--Coronavirus lockdown breakers: 'We got a dirty look and I called it to an end'

More than 9,000 fines were issued by police in England and Wales to people breaking the lockdown .
While the vast majority are obeying the lockdown rules , a small minority are resistant to them .
The government 's health advisers say we are just over the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and sticking to the lockdown is crucial to save lives .
Here , three people explain why they did n't .
Two of my best friends are in a couple .
Both said they had the virus a few weeks ago .
They had n't been tested but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend they sent me a message saying they were coming to east London to see people from a safe social distance .
I said to stop and wave when they got to my house .
But when they arrived outside I thought we 're going to have to invite them in .
Part of it was the weather .
It was so beautiful it lulled me into a sense of false security .
I live near a canal path and last weekend I felt there were more people out drinking and getting together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all been meeting up secretly for walks and they are in the at-risk category as well .
It was so exciting to see friends again and have that human interaction but very quickly I started to feel very guilty .
What are the social distancing rules ?
• People should go out as little as possible and only if they have a `` reasonable excuse '' • Leaving home for shopping , medical reasons or to exercise with members of your household is allowed • Travel to and from work is permitted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home • If you have to go outside stay more than 2m ( 6ft ) apart from anyone other than members of your household What are the rules on social distancing ?
My husband was n't happy about it at all .
He said it gave off the impression that we felt we are somehow better than everyone else .
We sat outside on the balcony and quickly got spotted by a neighbour .
She gave us a dirty look and I felt we had to call an end to it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ great but within half an hour it did make me feel bad .
They were gone within an hour .
My friends said we should go and visit them next time .
But I do n't think I would do that again until I had some new advice from the government .
Looking back now it does feel irresponsible .
I am a student back from university and living at home .
My mum had been on at me for weeks to get a new haircut .
My hair is really frizzy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hot .
We have n't got razors , clippers or anything like that so cutting it myself just was n't an option .
Mum is in touch with this underground network of hairdressers who have been working from home .
We drove to a nearby city .
We parked down the road and just knocked on the door .
I 'd never met the hairdresser before .
She was in her 20s and had everything set up in her kitchen : all the proper utensils and a mirror from her bedroom propped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed the money .
She had just started her own business so could n't be furloughed and had fallen through the cracks [ of the government 's different support schemes ] .
I did spot one of the neighbours as I was coming out of the house and wondered what they were thinking .
I know it was n't in accordance with the rules and most people would think this is n't essential .
But I did n't worry too much about the risks .
The whole thing took about half an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was really irritated at me for doing it and thought it was a risk for no good reason .
We had been reading about a meteor shower that was meant to be really spectacular on Wednesday night .
So around 11.30pm I piled into the car with my mum , dad and younger brother .
We had a telescope and binoculars .
The idea was to drive about four or five miles out of the city to get a better view of the sky at midnight .
We were less than 500m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulled out .
It had been stationary and parked at the side of the road .
It followed us and its lights came on .
Then a second police car arrived with lights , sirens , the whole works .
They asked what we were doing and were perfectly polite .
They said this was an unnecessary journey and we had to go home .
My dad told them this was our daily exercise but they were not having it .
I can understand their argument but to deny us the right to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a night curfew and that 's not what the regulations are about .
For example if I was an essential worker and wanted to go for a late-night run , then what 's to stop me doing that ?
They were saying we should exercise in a local space but the lockdown rules say you are allowed to drive a short distance to exercise .
I did complain to the police in writing afterwards .
They replied saying our travel was non-essential but I still do n't think we broke the rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed .
• PODCAST : The Next Episode 's Breaking the Lockdown • AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • LOCKDOWN : Do Brits still accept it ?

I'd never met the hairdresser before. She was in her 20s and had everything set up in her kitchen: all the proper utensils and a mirror from her bedroom propped up against the table. She said she needed the money. She had just started her own business so couldn't be furloughed and had fallen through the cracks [of the government's different support schemes].


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus lockdown: Inventive routes back to normal life

Across the world , countries are embarking on enormous experiments in ending coronavirus lockdown measures - and others are looking on nervously , asking themselves what 's the best way back to normality .
There 's no international consensus over how best to do it - but we 've looked at the key trends that are emerging , and some of the innovative thinking leading the way .
Easy does it - but only if it works The big trend around the world is to ease lockdown gradually .
Many will be closely watching what happens in hard-hit Italy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about how everything from shops to museums may be able to open with the most significant opening up yet due on 4 May .
All Italians - particularly those in the areas with highest infection rates - know they wo n't see anything approaching normal life before September .
• How travel may look in the future Dr Michael Tildesley , an expert in infectious diseases at Warwick University , says the world just does n't know what will happen to the rate of coronavirus transmission as lockdowns ease .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all the lockdown measures to work out what effect each of them has , '' he told BBC Radio 4 's The Briefing Room .
`` It may be that the only way we can do that - and get a real understanding - is when we start to relax them .
We may have to lift a certain measure and monitor what that does to the epidemic . ''
The second more important step appears to be the roll-out of smartphone apps to track infections .
More and more nations - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it - are designing apps for their population .
Some - such as Australia 's operational app , and proposed solutions in Italy , France and the UK - will see phones gather anonymised records of other phones the user has been close to .
If someone develops symptoms , each phone in that log of potential contacts will receive an alert .
In Israel , the government went straight to one of its secret services and asked it to track phones to , in turn , track likely transmissions .
South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact anyone who was near to someone who tested positive .
The government there relied on this aggressive strategy of testing and alerting to avoid a complete lockdown .
Thermal cameras could soon have a crucial role , particularly in transport hubs .
During the 2003 Sars outbreak , anyone who travelled through Hong Kong airport had to stand in a queue while an official pointed a heat gun at their head to discover if they had the tell-tale temperature of a fever .
A smarter thermal camera is now being tested at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how quickly it could spot potential coronavirus carriers .
Listen to The Briefing Room - available now on BBC Sounds .
Experts explain how lockdowns could be lifted around the world - and why we do n't know what will happen next .
Some nations looked at wristbands to enforce lockdown - but the Belgian port of Antwerp is testing whether this technology can help let people go about their business .
Workers there wear wristbands that aim to reduce accidents .
They vibrate as a vehicle approaches and raise the alarm if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company behind this safety system , has modified the sportswatch-like wristband so that it buzzes if workers who may be too busy to notice each other inadvertently become too close .
New Zealand is emerging from one of the toughest and most successful lockdowns in the world with a national `` social bubble '' plan .
Each household is a bubble .
Citizens can now expand their bubble by inviting up to two specific additional people into it who , ideally , live close by .
In other words , two bubbles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact increases in a controlled way : grandparents see family , singletons can meet up instead of being home alone .
If any of them want a coffee , Kiwis have come up with innovative non-contact ways of buying their flat whites : As lockdown eases , one of the worst possible outcomes could be long queues in pharmacies for face masks - increasingly the likelihood of accidental spreading while people wait to buy them .
Germany , Taiwan and Poland are among countries that have seen face mask vending machines pop up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Lithuania , cafes and bars have reopened - but only if they can serve customers sitting outside and ensure social distancing .
That 's a huge problem in the capital , Vilnius , where narrow historic streets make distancing impossible .
So the mayor is handing 18 of the city 's historic public spaces to those hardest-hit businesses .
Large parts of the city are going al fresco .
There 's a public appeal to customers to help venues find furniture to make the sociable-but-social-distancing plan work .
`` Buy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help , '' says the mayor 's office .
`` The municipality asks only one thing - maintain a high-quality visual appearance , do n't build cheap with poor-looking plastic furniture . ''
Lots of teachers say social distancing ca n't be done in schools .
But Norway is giving it a try .
Children are now arriving for school at staggered times to prevent overcrowding at the gates .
Parents ca n't come inside and mill around for a chat with friends .
Teachers then take the students and place them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must remain in - both for lessons and playtime - without variation .
Iran is experimenting with a flexible approach that allows more freedom in areas that are the least affected .
Towns and cities across the country are being graded white , yellow or red - and each of those designations indicates the level of infections and deaths - and what level of easing each community should expect .
The more places that are coded white based on the local health data , the more freedom there will be .
While Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents in the most severely affected communities in northern Italy are expecting their lockdown to continue longer than others in the nation .
These techniques link to the all-important `` R '' number - the mathematical model of how fast of slow the virus is spreading .
China , on the other hand , has decided to colour-code people rather than places - the first nation effectively to license people to go about freely .
A month ago it rolled out a health status smartphone app .
In the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use public transport .
If they 're green , they 're healthy and good to go .
If they 're red , they should be in isolation as a known sufferer of Covid-19 .
Aside from privacy issues that would be a major factor in Europe , critics say there is no guarantee the health status will be accurate when it 's checked by an official .
Those kinds of concerns have played into a World Health Organisation recommendation to all governments not to issue `` immunity passports '' .
Chile has nevertheless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' system .
Ministers said the document would confirm whether or not someone had been infected and recovered after a period of isolation .
All these novel schemes , and many more , may help a return to some form of normality .
But Ngaire Woods , professor of global economic governance at Oxford University , says easing lockdown requires us all to rethink our lives .
`` We have got to get testing tracing and isolating up and running fantastically well , '' she told Radio 4 's Briefing Room .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures in public spaces and schools .
We have got to manage the import of cases - so think about travel restrictions .
That 's a clear checklist in order to safely start lifting the lockdown . ''
Prof Woods says thinking will have to go far beyond just re-opening closed-down businesses .
We may need to split workforces by age group - an example could be that older teachers must take their classes by video link .
`` Those are the questions we have to ask - they are not insurmountable problems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a total lockdown . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?
• PUBLIC TRANSPORT : Is it safe to travel ?

"It's really difficult to untangle the relative effectiveness of all the lockdown measures to work out what effect each of them has," he told BBC Radio 4's The Briefing Room. "It may be that the only way we can do that - and get a real understanding - is when we start to relax them. We may have to lift a certain measure and monitor what that does to the epidemic."


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: Disease meets deforestation at heart of Brazil's Amazon

In the middle of the rainforest , the virus has taken hold .
Manaus , the Amazon 's biggest city , is at breaking point .
They are digging mass graves , or trenches .
It is the only way overwhelmed authorities can cope with the deaths from Covid-19 .
People are asking whether this city , the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas , will become the next Guayaquil .
It is hard not to compare the two , as the images of unburied bodies in Ecuador are still etched on many peoples ' minds here .
Amazonas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates and also one of the most underfunded health systems , a combination that has brought chaos to the heart of the jungle .
In April , Manaus saw a rise of 578 % in the number of people who died from respiratory problems .
They are not officially noted as victims of Covid-19 but experts believe there can only be one explanation .
With testing still low , there is a massive underreporting of the real numbers .
But even the official figures - about 92,000 confirmed cases and more than 6,500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ milestone as it passed China where the outbreak started .
`` We do n't want miracles , '' said the mayor of Manaus , Arthur Virgilio Neto .
It was a dig at President Jair Bolsonaro , who mocked the rising numbers of deaths by joking that his middle name was Messiah but he did not work miracles .
`` What we need is a plane full of scanners , ventilators , medicines and PPE , '' he said , referring to protective equipment for health workers .
But help has been slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the severity of the virus .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health • IN BRAZIL : Fears over impact on indigenous people Home to nearly two million people , Manaus is the seventh-biggest city in Brazil and its most isolated urban centre .
Amazonas also has the largest number of indigenous in the country , many of whom now live in the city .
Poverty , malnutrition and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger challenge for these communities , some of Brazil 's most vulnerable .
In Parque das Tribos , on the outskirts of Manaus , several women are busy at sewing machines .
History has taught people that viruses from outside bring devastation .
Their only defence now are home-made masks , but much more is needed to protect them .
`` We already have lots of people in the community with symptoms , '' says resident Vanderleia dos Santos .
`` We do n't have a doctor here , or a nurse to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus crisis , she says , indigenous communities in the city are being attended to by the public health system , known as SUS .
Rural indigenous communities have their own special health service , the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health ( Sesai ) .
She worries though that the system masks the true numbers of indigenous suffering from Covid-19 .
She says indigenous are not being registered as such , instead they are put down as `` white '' .
`` Our identity is being questioned all the time , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't map the relatives who could be infected . ''
With nearly half of Brazil 's indigenous communities now in cities , it is not a small problem .
`` The indigenous in urban areas feel abandoned , '' says Sonia Guajajara , who heads up the Association of Brazil 's Indigenous People .
`` They 're exposed to contagion and death because they 're not being attended to straight away . ''
For those living deep in the rainforest , the closest medical help is often days away by boat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fearful of contagion .
Others remain uncontacted , but their livelihoods are at threat when there is also less oversight from indigenous and environmental agencies .
`` It 's a double whammy , '' says Jonathan Mazower of Survival International .
`` Many of the field agents who would have been working to protect reserves from invasions have pulled back and are not patrolling anymore . ''
That has huge consequences in a country where illegal loggers and miners have been emboldened by a government set on getting rid of protected areas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are eyeing up these lands , '' Mr Mazower says .
`` Undoubtedly they 're taking advantage and staking their claim . ''
The figures speak for themselves .
In the first three months of the year , deforestation rose 51 % .
`` At the same time as adopting measures to combat Covid-19 , we ca n't forget the incursions and attacks that keep happening and are never resolved , '' says Sonia Guajajara .
`` Looking out for Covid-19 makes the other issues invisible . ''
She says illegal miners , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with uncontacted tribes `` are n't in quarantine '' , adding : `` They are using this time to explore and they are the principal vectors . ''
And there is an added urgency as fire season begins .
Last year an unprecedented number of fires devastated huge swathes of forest in the Amazon .
Peak fire season is from July which some experts worry could coincide with the peak of the coronavirus crisis .
`` This will be double-trouble , '' says Romulo Batista of Greenpeace in Manaus .
In 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half times the number of people with lung problems than usual , he said .
And municipalities closer to the fire areas , like Porto Velho in the state of Rondônia , will suffer the most .
`` When you have a lot of fires , you have a lot of people going to hospital and when you have a hospital full of Covid-19 , it will be madness when the fires start this year . ''

People are asking whether this city, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, will become the next Guayaquil. It is hard not to compare the two, as the images of unburied bodies in Ecuador are still etched on many peoples' minds here.


bbc--2020-05-04--Night burials amid Tanzania's coronavirus defiance

Videos of night burials have been circulating on social media in Tanzania causing some to call into question the government 's approach to the coronavirus pandemic .
The footage shows the funerals taking place under tight security with people wearing personal protective equipment and very few mourners in attendance .
Opposition politicians and activists believe it may be part of cover-up by the authorities who have not been releasing regular updates on coronavirus .
Unlike other countries , Tanzania has not opted for strict lockdown measures although mass gatherings at funerals , like weddings , have been banned .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is fuelling speculation that the true scale of infections around the country is being hidden .
`` I do n't want to feel like the government is hiding something .
I want it to perform its role .
Right now , we are witnessing a lot of mourning , burials and dead bodies everywhere , '' said opposition leader Zitto Kabwe .
`` Without transparency , the citizens will be more scared , which may cause even more deaths . ''
The Tanzanian health ministry on Sunday said there would be no more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , family members would be fully involved in funeral preparations to ensure that the dignity of the deceased is preserved .
Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has cautioned against spreading fear , saying not all deaths should be attributed to coronavirus .
The East African nation has recorded 480 cases of Covid-19 and 16 deaths .
The government 's main priority appears to be keeping the economy going as President John Magufuli refuses to countenance the closure of markets or the lucrative port in the commercial hub of Dar es Salaam .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop shaking hands in early March - being pictured exchanging the `` Wuhan shake '' foot greeting with an opposition politician .
On the same day UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson , after a visit to a hospital , declared he would continue to shake hands - and later contracted coronavirus .
But some of the Tanzanian leader 's attitudes to the dangers of coronavirus have caused controversy - though those familiar with his leadership style may not be surprised - and his nickname , `` The Bulldozer '' , hints at his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healing' Mr Magufuli has insisted that people should still go to places of worship to find `` true healing '' - despite these being areas where social distancing is difficult to follow .
During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan , mosques are open for prayers though the meal eaten to break the fast can only be offered as a takeaway .
While attending church several weeks ago , the president , a devout Catholic who has a PhD in chemistry , termed coronavirus a `` devil '' .
`` It can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It will burn instantly , '' he said .
The president has often asked citizens to turn to prayers , with the government even setting aside days to do so .
He has also stopped the disinfection of public places , suggesting that chlorine spraying may be responsible for a rise in Covid-19 cases in Dar es Salaam .
`` There is no disinfectant that kills coronavirus .
This disinfection that was done in Dar es Salaam is stupidity… .
Such an exercise only eliminates mosquitoes , fleas and cockroaches .
`` What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in it . ''
There is a debate about the effectiveness of spraying diluted bleach outside , which cities around the world have been doing , as it breaks down under ultraviolet ( UV ) light - though there is no suggestion that the practice will spread the virus .
More about coronavirus and Africa : • What African nations are doing to help people eat • Why lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa The president has also questioned the safety of some equipment : `` Even on the testing kits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importing , we must ask ourselves , are we sure they are safe for our people ? ''
He would prefer home-grown solutions and has suggested the health ministry consider neem leaves , known as `` mwarubaini '' - meaning `` 40 cures '' - by boiling them with onions and getting patients to inhale the steam .
On Sunday , he said that Tanzania would import a herbal tonic touted by Madagascar 's President Andry Rajoelina as a cure for coronavirus .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) says there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against self-medication .
• No , hot steam is not a cure for coronavirus Mr Magufuli also cast doubt on the credibility of the national laboratory where samples are tested , saying that he had secretly had some animals and fruits tested and that a papaya ( paw-paw ) , a quail and a goat had all tested positive .
`` That means there is possibility for technical errors or these imported reagents have issues , '' he said , without giving more detail .
The man who 'turned bullets into water' Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forums been likened to Kinjeketile Ngwale , a spirit medium who united Tanzanians in the Maji Maji Rebellion against German colonial occupation at the beginning of the 20th Century .
He may be a nationalist hero but his promise that German bullets would turn into water ( or `` maji '' in Swahili ) turned out not to be true and many thousands died in the conflict .
The WHO is happy to see that the East African nation has taken some measures against coronavirus , such as closing schools and colleges .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was only done in mid-March , after the first case was announced , means an opportunity was lost to slow the spread of the virus .
`` Certainly in Tanzania we have observed that physical distancing , including the prohibition of mass gatherings , took some time to happen and we believe that these might have been probable factors that led to a rapid increase in cases there , '' said Matshidiso Moeti , the WHO 's regional director for Africa .
And while sporting and social activities are not allowed , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
High-end restaurants and hotels may be required to only sell takeaway food , but most other cafes are still operational , with no distancing at all .
Public transport is still running , and keeping one 's distance from fellow passengers is near impossible .
At Dar es Salaam 's fish market there are water containers and soap available at the entrance , but again social-distancing requirements are not being followed , and not many people wear face masks .
Fishmonger Juma Issa is happy that the city has not gone into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support his family , but fears that some customers are staying away of their own accord .
`` I know this is a serious pandemic and I work here in a fish market which can be so dangerous with lots of people coming - I believe people are scared to come here , '' he told the BBC .
He wants the government to make sure hygiene rules are observed so that customers feel safe .
It is a view echoed by Mohammed Khamis in Zanzibar , who says his local mosque is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I found a bucket of water with no soap .
The mosque is not disinfected before and after the prayers , '' he told the BBC .
The devout Muslim , who prays five times a day , said he had now stopped going to the mosque because of the lack of hygiene .
And with the deaths of three MPs in less than two weeks , the main opposition Chadema party , which has been calling for parliamentary sessions to be suspended for some time , has banned its members from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least two weeks .
There has been no suggestion by the authorities that the deaths are linked to coronavirus , but the move is a reflection of the distrust spreading about the handling of the pandemic .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?

And with the deaths of three MPs in less than two weeks, the main opposition Chadema party, which has been calling for parliamentary sessions to be suspended for some time, has banned its members from parliament and told them to self-isolate for at least two weeks.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: US to borrow record $3tn as spending soars

The US has said it wants to borrow a record $ 3tn ( £2.4tn ) in the second quarter , as coronavirus-related rescue packages blow up the budget .
The sum is more than five times the previous quarterly record , set at the height of the 2008 financial crisis .
In all of 2019 , the country borrowed $ 1.28tn .
The US has approved about $ 3tn in virus-related relief , including health funding and direct payouts .
Total US government debt is now near $ 25tn .
The packages are estimated to be worth about 14 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government also extended the annual 15 April deadline for tax payments , adding to the cash crunch .
The new borrowing estimate is more than $ 3tn above the government 's previous estimate , a sign of the impact of the new programmes .
• The Fed 's four radical moves to save the economy • Does the US debt of $ 20tn matter ?
Discussions are under way over further assistance , though some Republicans have expressed concerns about the impact of more spending on the country 's skyrocketing national debt .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It has historically enjoyed relatively low interest rates since its debt is viewed as relatively low-risk by investors around the world .
But even before the coronavirus , the country 's debt load had been climbing toward levels many economists consider risky for long-term growth , as the country spent more than it took in .
The US Congressional Budget Office last month predicted the budget deficit would hit $ 3.7tn this year , while the national debt soared above 100 % of GDP .
Last week , the chair of America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he would have liked to see the US government 's books be in better shape before the pandemic .
However , he said spending now was essential to cushion the economic blow , as orders to shut businesses to slow the spread of the virus cost at least 30 million people their jobs .
`` It may well be that the economy will need more help from all of us if the recovery is to be a robust one , '' he said .
As part of its own relief efforts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1tn in treasuries in recent weeks .
Investors from foreign countries are also historically significant holders of US debt , with Japan , China and the UK at the top of the pack as of February .
Increased tensions between the US and China in recent years have renewed scrutiny of America 's debt position .
According to the Washington Post last week , Trump administration officials had discussed cancelling debt obligations to China , but US President Donald Trump reportedly played down the idea , saying `` you start playing those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For now , continued low rates suggest investor appetite for US debt remains , allowing for a borrowing increase , Alan Blinder , a professor of economics and public affairs at Princeton University , told the BBC last month .
`` So far , the answer has been everything is fine , as to how much borrowing the United States government can do before investors start to feel satiated with US debt , '' he said .
`` But there is a legitimate question . ''

"It may well be that the economy will need more help from all of us if the recovery is to be a robust one," he said.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: World leaders pledge billions for vaccine fight

More than $ 8bn ( £6.5bn ) has been pledged to help develop a coronavirus vaccine and fund research into the diagnosis and treatment of the disease .
Some 40 countries and donors took part in an online summit hosted by the EU .
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the money would help kickstart unprecedented global co-operation .
She said it showed the true value of unity and humanity , but warned much more would be needed in the days ahead .
In total , more than 30 countries , along with UN and philanthropic bodies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also included pop singer Madonna , who pledged €1m ( $ 1.1m ) , said Ms von der Leyen , who set out the Brussels-led initiative on Friday .
The European Commission pledged $ 1bn to fund research on a vaccine .
Norway matched the European Commission 's contribution , and France has pledged €500m , as have Saudi Arabia and Germany .
Japan pledged more than $ 800m .
The US and Russia did not take part .
China , where the virus originated in December , was represented by its ambassador @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money raised , $ 4.4bn will go on vaccine development , some $ 2bn on the search for a treatment and $ 1.6bn for producing tests , the EU said .
In her opening remarks at the summit , Ms von der Leyen said everyone must chip in to finance `` a truly global endeavour '' .
`` I believe 4 May will mark a turning point in our fight against coronavirus because today the world is coming together , '' she said .
`` The partners are many , the goal is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson , another co-host of the conference , said the `` more we pull together '' in sharing expertise , `` the faster our scientists will succeed '' in developing a vaccine .
Mr Johnson , who spent three nights in intensive care with Covid-19 , was to confirm the UK 's pledge of £388m for vaccine research , testing and treatment during the conference .
Along with the European Commission , the conference is being co-hosted by the UK , Canada , France , Germany , Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte , French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are also among those who have signed up to the initiative .
In the open letter published in weekend newspapers , the leaders said the funds raised would `` kickstart an unprecedented global co-operation between scientists and regulators , industry and governments , international organisations , foundations and healthcare professionals '' .
`` If we can develop a vaccine that is produced by the world , for the whole world , this will be a unique global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' they added .
At the same time , the signatories gave their backing to the World Health Organization in the face of US criticism of its handling of the outbreak .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
The UN says a return to normal life will only be possible with a vaccine .
Dozens of research projects trying to find a vaccine are currently under way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial commitment , it will take time to know which ones might work and how well .
Most experts think it could take until mid-2021 , about 12-18 months after the new virus first emerged , for a vaccine to become available .

"If we can develop a vaccine that is produced by the world, for the whole world, this will be a unique global public good of the 21st Century," they added.


bbc--2020-05-04--Malaria 'completely stopped' by microbe

Malaria 'completely stopped' by microbe

Scientists have discovered a microbe that completely protects mosquitoes from being infected with malaria .
The team in Kenya and the UK say the finding has `` enormous potential '' to control the disease .
Malaria is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes , so protecting them could in turn protect people .
The researchers are now investigating whether they can release infected mosquitoes into the wild , or use spores to suppress the disease .
What is this microbe ?
The malaria-blocking bug , Microsporidia MB , was discovered by studying mosquitoes on the shores of Lake Victoria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gut and genitals of the insects .
The researchers could not find a single mosquito carrying the Microsporidia that was harbouring the malaria parasite .
And lab experiments , published in Nature Communications , confirmed the microbe gave the mosquitoes protection .
Microsporidias are fungi , or at least closely related to them , and most are parasites .
However , this new species may be beneficial to the mosquito and was naturally found in around 5 % of the insects studied .
How big a discovery is it ?
`` The data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 % blockage , it 's a very severe blockage of malaria , '' Dr Jeremy Herren , from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology ( icipe ) in Kenya told the BBC .
He added : `` It will come as a quite a surprise .
I think people will find that a real big breakthrough . ''
More than 400,000 people are killed by malaria each year , most of them children under the age of five .
While huge progress has been made through the use of bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this has stalled in recent years .
It is widely agreed new tools are needed to tackle malaria .
How does the microbe stop malaria ?
The fine details still need to be worked out .
But Microsporidia MB could be priming the mosquito 's immune system , so it is more able to fight off infections .
Or the presence of the microbe in the insect could be having a profound effect on the mosquito 's metabolism , making it inhospitable for the malaria parasite .
Microsporidia MB infections appear to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show they become more intense , so the malaria-blocking effect would be long-lasting .
When can this be used against malaria ?
At the very least , 40 % of mosquitoes in a region need to be infected with Microsporidia in order to make a significant dent in malaria .
The microbe can be passed between adult mosquitoes and is also passed from the female to her offspring .
So , the researchers are investigating two main strategies for increasing the number of infected mosquitoes .
• Microsporidia form spores which could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Male mosquitoes ( which do n't bite ) could be infected in the lab and released into the wild to infect the females when they have sex '' It 's a new discovery .
We are very excited by its potential for malaria control .
It has enormous potential , '' Prof Steven Sinkins , from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research , told the BBC .
This concept of disease control using microbes is not unprecedented .
A type of bacteria called Wolbachia has been shown to make it harder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real-world trials .
What happens next ?
The scientists need to understand how the microbe spreads , so they plan to perform more tests in Kenya .
However , these approaches are relatively uncontroversial as the species is already found in wild mosquitoes and is not introducing something new .
It also would not kill the mosquitoes , so would not have an impact on ecosystems that are dependent on them as food .
This is part of other strategies like a killer fungus that can almost completely collapse mosquito populations in weeks @

Malaria 'completely stopped' by microbe Published 4 May 2020
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Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Malaria is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes
Scientists have discovered a microbe that completely protects mosquitoes from being infected with malaria.
The team in Kenya and the UK say the finding has "enormous potential" to control the disease.
Malaria is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes, so protecting them could in turn protect people.
The researchers are now investigating whether they can release infected mosquitoes into the wild, or use spores to suppress the disease.
What is this microbe?
The malaria-blocking bug, Microsporidia MB, was discovered by studying mosquitoes on the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. It lives in the gut and genitals of the insects.
The researchers could not find a single mosquito carrying the Microsporidia that was harbouring the malaria parasite. And lab experiments, published in Nature Communications, confirmed the microbe gave the mosquitoes protection.
Microsporidias are fungi, or at least closely related to them, and most are parasites.
However, this new species may be beneficial to the mosquito and was naturally found in around 5% of the insects studied.
How big a discovery is it?
"The data we have so far suggest it is 100% blockage, it's a very severe blockage of malaria," Dr Jeremy Herren, from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) in Kenya told the BBC.
He added: "It will come as a quite a surprise. I think people will find that a real big breakthrough."
More than 400,000 people are killed by malaria each year, most of them children under the age of five.
While huge progress has been made through the use of bed nets and spraying homes with insecticide, this has stalled in recent years. It is widely agreed new tools are needed to tackle malaria.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Bed nets have helped cut the number of people infected with malaria around the world
How does the microbe stop malaria?
The fine details still need to be worked out.
But Microsporidia MB could be priming the mosquito's immune system, so it is more able to fight off infections.
Or the presence of the microbe in the insect could be having a profound effect on the mosquito's metabolism, making it inhospitable for the malaria parasite.
Microsporidia MB infections appear to be life-long. If anything, the experiments show they become more intense, so the malaria-blocking effect would be long-lasting.
When can this be used against malaria?
At the very least, 40% of mosquitoes in a region need to be infected with Microsporidia in order to make a significant dent in malaria.
The microbe can be passed between adult mosquitoes and is also passed from the female to her offspring.
So, the researchers are investigating two main strategies for increasing the number of infected mosquitoes.
Microsporidia form spores which could be released en masse to infect mosquitoes
Male mosquitoes (which don't bite) could be infected in the lab and released into the wild to infect the females when they have sex
"It's a new discovery. We are very excited by its potential for malaria control. It has enormous potential," Prof Steven Sinkins, from the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, told the BBC.
This concept of disease control using microbes is not unprecedented. A type of bacteria called Wolbachia has been shown to make it harder for mosquitoes to spread dengue fever in real-world trials.
What happens next?
The scientists need to understand how the microbe spreads, so they plan to perform more tests in Kenya.
However, these approaches are relatively uncontroversial as the species is already found in wild mosquitoes and is not introducing something new.
It also would not kill the mosquitoes, so would not have an impact on ecosystems that are dependent on them as food. This is part of other strategies like a killer fungus that can almost completely collapse mosquito populations in weeks.


bbc--2020-05-04--Colson Whitehead: Black author makes Pulitzer Prize history

US author Colson Whitehead has become only the fourth writer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction twice .
The African-American author was honoured for The Nickel Boys , which chronicles the abuse of black boys at a juvenile reform school in Florida .
Whitehead , a 50-year-old New Yorker , won the 2017 prize in the same category for his book Underground Railroad .
Before him , only Booth Tarkington , William Faulkner and John Updike had won the Pulitzer for fiction twice .
The 2020 awards , postponed for several weeks due to the coronavirus , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room of Pulitzer administrator Dana Canedy .
She noted that the first Pulitzers were awarded in 1917 , less than a year before the outbreak of the Spanish Flu .
They are among the highest honours for US-based journalists and authors .
Whitehead has previously said he grew up wanting to be the black version of horror writer Stephen King .
His Nickel Boys was inspired by the real-life horror story of the Dozier School for Boys in the Florida panhandle , where children convicted of minor offences were subjected to violent abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ praised by the Pulitzer committee for its `` spare and devastating exploration of abuse at a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida that is ultimately a powerful tale of human perseverance , dignity and redemption '' .
The New York Times newspaper topped the list of publications for journalism honours with three awards , including the prestigious investigative reporting prize for Brian Rosenthal 's expose of New York City 's taxi industry , showing how predatory lenders exploited vulnerable drivers .
In collaboration with ProPublica , the Anchorage Daily News won what is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for Public Service journalism , in recognition of its work on the lack of police coverage in many small towns in Alaska .
The honour for Breaking News photography was awarded to the photography staff at Reuters for their images of last year 's Hong Kong protests .
And , for the first time in its history , the Pulitzer committee bestowed a prize in Audio Reporting , which was awarded to the staff of This American Life for its episode The Out Crowd , which examined US President Donald Trump 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait in Mexico while their claims are adjudicated .
The episode was a collaboration with Molly O'Toole of the Los Angeles Times and Emily Green of Vice News , who will also share the prize .
A posthumous special citation was awarded to African-American civil rights activist and early champion of investigative journalism Ida B Wells , who died in 1931 , for her `` outstanding and courageous reporting '' on lynching .
The citation comes with a donation of at least $ 50,000 ( £40,120 ) in support of Ms Wells ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It goes without saying that today we announce the Pulitzer winners in deeply challenging times , '' Ms Canedy said on Monday , though she said journalism was as valuable as ever , with the arts continuing to `` sustain , unite and inspire '' .

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bbc--2020-05-05--Coronavirus: When might Hollywood reopen for business?

The film industry has halted production during the pandemic .
Cast and crews might have to quarantine together in future @ @ @ @ @ Downton Abbey star Lesley Nicol speaks to the BBC 's Sophie Long about the difficulties @ @ @ @ @ .

The film industry has halted production during the pandemic. Cast and crews might have to quarantine together in future when filming begins again.
Downton Abbey star Lesley Nicol speaks to the BBC's Sophie Long about the difficulties of social distancing on set.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: France's first known case 'was in December'

A patient diagnosed with pneumonia near Paris on 27 December actually had the coronavirus , his doctor has said .
Dr Yves Cohen told French media a swab taken at the time was recently tested , and came back positive for Covid-19 .
The patient , a man in his 50s who has since fully recovered , said he has no idea where he caught the virus as he had n't been to any infected areas .
This news means the virus may have arrived in France almost a month earlier than previously thought .
Until now , the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed on 24 January .
Of those , two had been to Wuhan in China - where the outbreak was first detected - and the third was a close family member .
How was the new case found ?
Dr Cohen , head of emergency medicine at Avicenne and Jean-Verdier hospitals near Paris , told French broadcaster BFMTV that he recently went over the files of patients admitted with flu-like symptoms in December and January .
In total he tested the swabs of 14 patients , he said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE BODY ?
Doctors on the front line explain • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
`` We re-tested the nasal swabs which were conducted at the time in relation to another diagnosis , to try and find traces of coronavirus , '' he said .
`` Out of 14 patients , one tested positive .
We tested it two more times to make sure there was no mistake .
And twice , it came back positive . ''
Dr Cohen said he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and was urging other virologists to re-test swabs in their hospitals for Covid-19 .
A full report is due later this week , and will be published by the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents , he added .

Coronavirus: France's first known case 'was in December' Published 5 May 2020
Image source, AFP Image caption, A doctor suggests the virus arrived in France almost a month earlier than previously thought
A patient treated in a hospital near Paris on 27 December for suspected pneumonia actually had the coronavirus, his doctor has said.
This means the virus may have arrived in Europe almost a month earlier than previously thought.
Dr Yves Cohen said a swab taken at the time was recently tested, and came back positive for Covid-19.
The patient, who has since recovered, said he had no idea where he caught the virus as he had not travelled abroad.
Knowing who was the first case is key to understanding how the virus spread.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says it is possible more early cases will come to light, and spokesman Christian Lindmeier urged countries to check records for similar cases in order to gain a clearer picture of the outbreak.
The French health ministry told the BBC that the government was obtaining confirmation on the case and that it would consider further investigations if they proved necessary.
France is not the only country where subsequent testing points to earlier cases. Two weeks ago, a post-mortem examination carried out in California revealed that the first coronavirus-related death in the US was almost a month earlier than previously thought.
What do we know about the new case?
Dr Cohen, head of emergency medicine at Avicenne and Jean-Verdier hospitals near Paris, said the patient was a 43-year-old man from Bobigny, north-east of Paris.
He told the BBC's Newsday programme that the patient must have been infected between 14 and 22 December, as coronavirus symptoms take between five and 14 days to appear.
The patient, Amirouche Hammar was admitted to hospital on 27 December exhibiting a dry cough, a fever and trouble breathing - symptoms which would later become known as main indications of coronavirus.
This was four days before the WHO's China country office was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause being detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Mr Hammar told French broadcaster BFMTV that he had not left France before falling sick. Dr Cohen said while two of the patient's children had also fallen ill, his wife had not shown any symptoms.
But Dr Cohen pointed out that the patient's wife worked at a supermarket near Charles de Gaulle airport and could have come into contact with people who had recently arrived from China. The patient's wife said that "often customers would come directly from the airport, still carrying their suitcases".
"We're wondering whether she was asymptomatic," Dr Cohen said.
What does it tell us?
Could coronavirus have been circulating in Europe in late 2019, many weeks before it was officially recognised and declared a threat there? That is the suggestion being made after a French doctor has revealed that he treated a patient in Paris with all of the symptoms of coronavirus just after Christmas.
How does this change what we know about the pandemic? It might be that the test result is an error and so does not change a thing.
But it if is correct, it could mean spread of the disease was going unchecked in Europe while all eyes were on the East in Wuhan.
Certainly, any laboratories in Europe with samples from patients sick with similar symptoms around that time might want to run a test for coronavirus to see what it reveals so that we can learn more about this new disease.
Why does it matter?
Until now, what were thought to have been the France's first three cases of coronavirus were confirmed on 24 January. Of those, two had been to Wuhan - where the outbreak was first detected - and the third was a close family member.
Mr Hammar's positive test result suggests the virus was present in France much earlier.
The first human-to-human transmission within Europe had until now thought to have been a German man who was infected by a Chinese colleague who visited Germany between 19 and 22 January.
Rowland Kao, a professor of veterinary epidemiology and data science at the University of Edinburgh, said that if confirmed, Mr Hammar's case highlighted the speed at which an infection starting in a seemingly remote part of the world could quickly seed infections elsewhere.
"It means that the lead time we have for assessment and decision-making can be very short," Prof Kao said.
How was the new case found?
Dr Cohen told the BBC that he had the idea to look back at all patients who had been in intensive care units with suspected pneumonia between 2 December and 16 January.
He found 14 patients who had tested negative for pneumonia. He defrosted their samples and tested them for traces of Covid-19.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Coronavirus vaccine: How close are you to getting one?
He said that out of the 14 samples, one tested positive for traces of Covid-19. A second test on that same sample also came back positive. He added that the patient's chest scan was also compatible with the symptoms of Covid-19.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: Thanking healthcare workers worldwide

From a flower drop to a star performance - a look at some of the ways that people have expressed @ @ @ @ @ the frontline against Covid-19 .

From a flower drop to a star performance - a look at some of the ways that people have expressed thanks to the workers on the frontline against Covid-19.
Produced by Elise Wicker


bbc--2020-05-04--Mexican drug lord Carrillo Fuentes' villa auctioned for $2m

The Mexican government has auctioned off the villa of the late drug lord Amado Carrillo Fuentes .
The Mexico City home sold for more than $ 2m ( £1.6m ) and the proceeds will go to Mexico 's public health service and its fight against coronavirus .
Carrillo Fuentes , who was known as `` Lord of the Skies '' , died in 1997 after botched plastic surgery .
He gained his nickname for his knack of smuggling large quantities of drugs in his private fleet of aeroplanes .
Amado Carillo Fuentes was one of the most powerful Mexican drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Born in the northern state of Sinaloa , he was the nephew of one of the founders of the Guadalajara cartel , which he soon joined .
Carillo Fuentes learned to fly planes and would later use his knowledge of planes and flight routes to expand the drug-smuggling business to the skies , earning him his nickname .
He began by smuggling marijuana but later switched to smuggling mainly cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and on to the US in his fleet of aeroplanes .
He took control of the Juárez cartel after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and was known for his ruthlessness .
He kept out of the public eye and was rarely photographed .
In 1997 , he checked into a Mexican hospital under a false name to have plastic surgery to alter his appearance and evade capture .
He died as a result of the botched operation , which included liposuction .
The authorities released gruesome photos of his body to counter rumours he was still alive .
But the battered state of the body meant he was almost unrecognisable , and their release only fuelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the operation were killed some months later .
Their bodies , which showed signs of torture , had been stuffed into an oil drum and covered in concrete .
Amado Carrillo Fuentes ' brother , Vicente , allegedly took over leadership of the Juárez cartel after Amado 's death .
Vicente Carrillo Fuentes was arrested in October 2014 and is awaiting sentencing in a jail in Mexico .
Under the slogan `` buy goods to do good '' , Indep , the Mexican government body created to return the proceeds of crime to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City home for auction on Sunday .
There was only one bidder for the luxurious property in the Álvaro Obregón neighbourhood and the sum he offered fell short of the $ 2.17m Indep had hoped to sell it for .
The house measures 3,500 sq m ( 38,000 sq ft ) and boasts a swimming pool , a jacuzzi , a bar and a wine cellar , as well as extensive gardens .
Apart from Carrillo Fuentes ' home , there were another 143 lots for sale at the auction , held at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 70 cars , five planes , five other homes and more than 100 items of jewellery .
In total , the six-hour-long auction raised more than 111m Mexican pesos ( $ 4.5m ; £3.6m ) the highest amount an Indep auction has so far fetched , the government body said in a statement .

Amado Carrillo Fuentes was one of the most powerful Mexican drug lords in the 1980s and 1990s. Born in the northern state of Sinaloa, he was the nephew of one of the founders of the Guadalajara cartel, which he soon joined.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus aid: Air France 'must cut domestic flights to get state loan'

A French government plan to rescue Air France is contingent on the carrier scrapping some domestic flights , the country 's economy minister has said .
Air France should become `` the most environmentally respectful airline '' , Bruno Le Maire told France Inter radio .
The government has approved a €7bn ( £6.15bn ) loan to Air France , which has been hit hard by coronavirus curbs .
On Monday , the European Commission approved the proposal , saying it met EU rules on state aid .
In his radio interview , Mr Le Maire said the coronavirus crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ model of economic development to ensure it is more respectful of the environment '' .
• BA warns of job cuts in 'survival ' letter to staff He added this meant a number of Air France domestic routes would need to go .
`` It is obvious that today a number of domestic routes are no longer justified , '' he said , without giving further details .
`` When you can travel by train in less than two and a half hours , there is no justification for taking a plane .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has drastically reduced its activities .
The company is currently operating about 5 % of its usual scheduled flights .
Last month , Air France-KLM secured at least €9bn in government aid , as the Franco-Dutch airline group struggles to stay afloat because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The French authorities said Air France would get €3bn in loans and another €4bn in state-guaranteed funds .
The Dutch government said it was preparing between €2bn and €4bn in aid to KLM .
Earlier this year , Air France-KLM estimated the outbreak would cost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between February and April .
The two airlines merged in 2004 .

In his radio interview, Mr Le Maire said the coronavirus crisis provided an opportunity to "reinvent our model of economic development to ensure it is more respectful of the environment".


bbc--2020-05-04--'Murder hornets' land in the US for the first time

Even as the US remains under attack from the coronavirus outbreak , a new terror has arrived : `` murder hornets '' .
The 2-inch long Asian giant hornets have landed in the US for the first time , spotted on the west coast .
Multiple stings are deadly to humans and in their `` slaughter phase '' the hornets destroy honeybees , whose bodies they feed to their young .
Scientists are now on a hunt for the hornets , hoping to eradicate the species before they wipe out US bees .
• Asian hornet queen is UK 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , in Asia , `` murder hornet '' stings are thought to cause as many as 50 human fatalities a year , according to the New York Times .
The hornets made their first North American appearance in August 2019 , in British Columbia , Canada .
Months later , in December 2019 , the flying insects were reported south of the border , in Washington State .
Washington State University ( WSU ) are unsure how or when the hornet first arrived in North America , but beekeepers in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months .
Scientists are bracing for further emergence of the species , which begins its life cycle in spring .
The hornets are `` shockingly large '' , said Todd Murray , a WSU scientist and invasive species specialist .
`` It 's a health hazard , and more importantly , a significant predator of honeybees . ''
The insects , roughly the size of a matchbox , have large yellow-orange heads , prominent black eyes , and a black and yellow striped abdomen .
`` They 're like something out of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Susan Cobey , a bee breeder with WSU entomology department in a press release .
The Asian giant hornet 's life cycle begins in April , when queens come out of hibernation , and begin to feed and seek out subterranean dens to build their nests .
Once their habitats are built in the summer and autumn months , worker hornets are sent to find food .
With their sharp , spiked mandibles , the hornets decapitate honeybees , using the bodies to feed their young .
The hornets can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hours .
Though beehives are their primary target , when threatened the hornets can attack people .
Multiple stings can kill humans , even those who are not allergic .
In Japan , where they 're most common , murder hornets kill roughly 30 to 40 people each year .
`` It was like having red-hot thumbtacks being driven into my flesh , '' Vancouver Island beekeeper Conrad Bérubé told the New York Times .
He was stung through a bee suit and sweatpants underneath .
The WSU scientists will begin trapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to detect and eradicate the species .
Populations of honeybees and other pollinators in the US were already under pressure .
Between 1947 and 2017 , number of honeybee colonies in the US plummeted from 6 million to 2.5 million .
And last year , researchers from the University of Maryland reported that 40 % of the country 's honeybee colonies died in a single winter , between October 2018 and April 2019 - the largest loss of its kind .
Pollinators , most often honeybees , are responsible for one of every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , and increase the country 's nation crop values every year by more than $ 15bn ( £12bn ) , according to the US Department of Agriculture .

Populations of honeybees and other pollinators in the US were already under pressure. Between 1947 and 2017, number of honeybee colonies in the US plummeted from 6 million to 2.5 million. And last year, researchers from the University of Maryland reported that 40% of the country's honeybee colonies died in a single winter, between October 2018 and April 2019 - the largest loss of its kind.


bbc--2020-05-04--IS militants 'dumped bodies in Syria gorge', HRW says

The jihadist group Islamic State used a gorge in north-eastern Syria to dump the bodies of people it had abducted or detained , Human Rights Watch says .
Researchers began an investigation after being sent a video in 2014 showing militants throwing corpses into the 50m ( 164ft ) deep al-Hota gorge .
HRW also believes bodies continued to be dumped there following IS rule .
It wants local authorities to secure the site , remove human remains , and preserve evidence for prosecutions .
More than 20 mass graves containing thousands of bodies have been found in areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those missing and believed to have been killed are activists , humanitarian workers , journalists , and residents who ran afoul of the jihadists .
IS once controlled 88,000 sq km ( 34,000 sq miles ) of land stretching from western Syria to eastern Iraq , and imposed its brutal rule on almost eight million people .
The al-Hota gorge , which is about 85km ( 53 miles ) north of the former IS `` capital '' of Raqqa , is a site of spectacular natural beauty .
But when IS controlled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it became `` a place of horror and reckoning '' , HRW Syria researcher Sara Kayyali said .
`` Exposing what happened there , and at the other mass graves in Syria , is crucial to determining what happened to the thousands of the people [ IS ] executed and holding their killers to account , '' she added .
According to a report published by HRW on Monday , locals recalled that IS militants had threatened people with being thrown into al-Hota .
Some said they had seen bodies scattered along the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posted on social media in 2014 also showed a group of militants throwing into the gorge the bodies of two men summarily killed by IS .
During a visit in 2018 , HRW researchers flew a drone into the chasm and found six bodies floating in water at the bottom .
But they concluded that , based on the state of decomposition , the bodies had been dumped there long after IS had left the area .
Geological maps and a topographic model also suggest the gorge goes deeper than the drone was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains may lie below the water 's surface , according to the report .
HRW said that whoever controlled the gorge had an obligation to treat al-Hota as a crime scene , identify the missing , and investigate their deaths .
The area around al-Hota is currently held by the Turkish-backed Syrian rebel factions fighting under the banner of the Syrian National Army ( SNA ) .
They captured the territory last year from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces ( SDF ) , a Kurdish-led militia alliance that drove IS out of north-eastern @ @

During a visit in 2018, HRW researchers flew a drone into the chasm and found six bodies floating in water at the bottom. But they concluded that, based on the state of decomposition, the bodies had been dumped there long after IS had left the area.


bbc--2020-05-04--Don Shula: Miami Dolphins Super Bowl-winning head coach dies, aged 90

Legendary Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula has died at the age of 90 .
Shula guided the Dolphins to successive Super Bowl victories in the 1970s , and holds the record for the most career wins as an NFL head coach with 347 .
He guided the Dolphins to the NFL 's only perfect season in 1972 , winning all 14 regular season games , two play-off games and beating the Washington Redskins to win his first Super Bowl .
The Dolphins won the 1973 Super Bowl but Shula lost for other finals .
One of those was defeats was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coached from 1963 before moving to the Dolphins in 1970 , where he remained until retiring in 1995 .
In all , he coached in a record 526 games across 33 seasons .
“ The Miami Dolphins are saddened to announce that head coach Don Shula passed away peacefully at his home this morning , ” said a statement .
“ Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years .
He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shula played as a defensive back for the Cleveland Browns , Baltimore Colts , and Washington Redskins across seven seasons .
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Shula `` will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game '' .
In a statement , he added : `` He made an extraordinarily positive impact on so many lives .
The winningest coach in NFL history and the only one to lead a team to a perfect season , Coach Shula lived an unparalleled football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Shula 's Dolphins team of 'misfits ' who won the Super Bowl undefeated

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Don Shula won two successive Super Bowl titles with the Miami Dolphins in the 1970s
Legendary Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula has died at the age of 90.
Shula guided the Dolphins to successive Super Bowl victories in the 1970s, and holds the record for the most career wins as an NFL head coach with 347.
He guided the Dolphins to the NFL's only perfect season in 1972, winning all 14 regular season games, two play-off games and beating the Washington Redskins to win his first Super Bowl.
The Dolphins won the 1973 Super Bowl but Shula lost for other finals.
One of those was defeats was with the Batlimore Colts, who he coached from 1963 before moving to the Dolphins in 1970, where he remained until retiring in 1995. In all, he coached in a record 526 games across 33 seasons.
“The Miami Dolphins are saddened to announce that head coach Don Shula passed away peacefully at his home this morning,” said a statement.
“Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years. He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the national sports scene.”
As a player, Shula played as a defensive back for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Colts, and Washington Redskins across seven seasons.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Shula "will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game".
In a statement, he added: "He made an extraordinarily positive impact on so many lives. The winningest coach in NFL history and the only one to lead a team to a perfect season, Coach Shula lived an unparalleled football life."


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: UK contact-tracing app is ready for Isle of Wight downloads

A test version of the NHS 's coronavirus contact-tracing app has been published to Apple and Google 's app stores .
Council staff and healthcare workers on the Isle of Wight will be invited to install it on Tuesday , ahead of a wider roll-out on the island on Thursday .
Project chiefs have said their so-called `` centralised '' approach gives them advantages over a rival scheme advocated by the US tech giants and some privacy experts .
But fresh concerns have been raised .
The Information Commissioner 's Office has declared that `` as a general rule , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its principle that organisations should minimise the amount of personal data they collect .
The House of Commons ' Human Rights Select Committee also discussed fears about plans to extend the app to record location data .
`` There is an inherent risk that if you create a system that can be added to incrementally , you could do so in a way that is very privacy invasive , '' cautioned law professor Orla Lynskey .
But NHSX - the health service 's digital innovation unit - has stressed that : • use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only personal data stored by the app at the start will be the first part of the user 's postcode • additional location data will only be recorded if users agree to a further opt-in request '' Please download the app to protect the NHS and save lives , '' Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged Isle of Wight residents .
`` By downloading the app , you 're protecting your own health , you 're protecting the health of your loved ones , and the health of the community . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical tests and contact-tracing interviews carried out by humans , in order to prevent a resurgence of Covid-19 when lockdown measures are eased .
It works by using Bluetooth signals to detect when two people 's smartphones are close to each other .
If one person later registers themselves as being infected , an alert can be sent to others judged to be at high risk of contagion .
This might be based on the fact they were exposed to the same person for a long period of time or that there had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vicinity of different people .
The trial on the Isle of Wight will help NHSX test how well the system works in practice , as well as judge how willing a population is to install and use the software .
It follows a smaller experiment on an RAF base .
Although the app is live , it is effectively hidden on the iOS and Android marketplaces , and residents will need to follow a set of instructions to install it .
While in theory there is nothing to prevent the details being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHSX hopes this will not happen as it could confuse the feedback it receives .
Ahead of the trial , NHSX chief Matthew Gould acknowledged that there would `` inevitably be unintended consequences '' and that `` if we think there is a better way of doing what we need to do , we wo n't hesitate to change '' .
But he added that if citizens `` want to carry on saving lives , protecting the NHS and get the country back on its feet , then downloading the app is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHSX 's app will send back details of the logged Bluetooth `` handshakes '' to a UK-based computer server to do the contact matching , rather carrying out the process on the handsets themselves .
Apple , Google and hundreds of privacy advocates have raised concerns that this risks hackers or even the state itself being able to re-identify anonymised users , and thus learn details about their social circles .
But NHSX has consulted ethicists and GCHQ 's National Cyber Security Centre ( NCSC ) on the matter , and believes safeguards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this happening .
Furthermore , it believes any such concerns are outweighed by the benefits of adopting a centralised approach .
It says a centralised app will let it : • spot geographical hotspots where the disease is spreading • work out how to optimise the app 's algorithms to make its risk-model as accurate as possible , which in turn should help it decide who needs to be told to self-isolate or request a test • gain fresh insights into how the virus spreads , such as the degree to which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passes since first symptoms NHSX believes another major benefit is that its app can make use of people self-diagnosing themselves before they obtain test results .
This would only be possible , Mr Gould explained , because NHSX could spot `` anomalous patterns of activity '' indicating that people were lying to the app for malicious reasons .
But the DPT3 group - which promotes the decentralised approach - believes this claim is misleading .
`` I have not seen any evidence that this would do anything but spot very large-scale and quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Veale .
`` The only way to make sure that people can be held to account for submitting false reports is to identify them [ which takes you down ] a slippery slope . ''
• What is the UK 's new contact tracing plan ?
Another criticism of NHSX 's approach is that it puts the UK at odds with Ireland , Germany , Switzerland and a growing list of other nations , which are pursuing decentralised apps .
The fear is that UK citizens may face tougher restrictions on international travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others .
Mr Gould said that NHSX was `` talking to a range of countries [ to ] make sure that systems can talk to each other , '' adding that France and Japan were among others developing centralised apps .
But Prof Veale warned that any attempt to try to join up the two systems risked `` the worst of both worlds '' .
`` I do n't think it 's just a mater of political will .
It would be a matter of sacrificing the privacy-by-design within both systems . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • WILL I GET PAID IF I CA N'T WORK ?
Rules on sick pay , wages and time off • PUBLIC TRANSPORT : Is it safe to travel ?
• TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
The Isle of Wight 's Green Party - which has nine locally-elected councillors - has also expressed its doubts .
`` The Isle of Wight has a significantly older and more vulnerable population [ and ] the island 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people feel they do no need to stick to lockdown measures due to the rolling out of this app , '' it said .
But the government 's coordinator for testing said the island was `` well-equipped '' to cope .
`` It 's quite a large population and there is a benefit in the fact that travel on and off the island is relatively restricted - the ferries are there , but they 're running relatively infrequently , '' added Public Health England 's Prof John Newton .
`` So it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ epidemiology and see the impact . ''

It works by using Bluetooth signals to detect when two people's smartphones are close to each other. If one person later registers themselves as being infected, an alert can be sent to others judged to be at high risk of contagion. This might be based on the fact they were exposed to the same person for a long period of time or that there had been multiple instances of them being in the vicinity of different people.


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: Amazon vice-president quits over virus firings

A vice-president at Amazon has quit `` in dismay '' at the internet giant 's crackdown on workers who criticised it over coronavirus safety measures .
Tim Bray described the firing of protesters as `` evidence of a vein of toxicity running through the company culture '' .
Workers have criticised Amazon for not doing enough to protect warehouse staff against the virus .
Amazon declined to comment , but has previously defended its actions .
Mr Bray , who was a senior engineer at Amazon Web Services , set out in a blog why he had left the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The firm faces possible investigation of worker rights violations in New York , where the company fired the organiser of a small protest about safety conditions at a warehouse .
Mr Bray said Amazon also fired office staff who had been organising another protest and had spoken out against the company on climate issues .
`` At that point , I snapped , '' he wrote , adding that he raised his concerns internally first .
`` That done , remaining an Amazon [ vice-president ] would have meant , in effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So I resigned , '' he wrote .
Mr Bray said working at the firm had been `` rewarding fun '' and his decision would cost him financially .
`` What with big-tech salaries and share vestings , this will probably cost me over a million ( pre-tax ) dollars , not to mention the best job I 've ever had , working with awfully good people .
So I 'm pretty blue , '' he wrote .
However , he said : `` Firing whistleblowers is n't just a side-effect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the function of free markets .
`` It 's evidence of a vein of toxicity running through the company culture .
I choose neither to serve nor drink that poison . ''
By business reporter Zoe Thomas in New York Amazon had an image problem before the Covid-19 pandemic .
The company has taken aggressive steps to stop unionisation in its warehouse .
Its vast collection of personal data on users raised concerns about privacy .
Its tax avoidance tactics had politicians across the globe asking why such a prosperous company led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be paying more to public coffers .
But these concerns dogged other big tech firms ( Google , Facebook , Apple ) as well .
The coronavirus pandemic has given these companies a way to redeem their image .
Tech giants are helping develop programs to track the virus , making it possible for other business to work remotely and keeping people connected to friends and family .
Amazon should be at the head of this pack for image improvement .
By keeping its delivery business going , Amazon has allowed millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the treatment of its workers has become the story .
The company has arguably tried to brush it under the rug , blaming the firing of workers who spoke up about warehouse conditions on other factors .
Mr Bray 's resignation may be a sign that wo n't be enough to appease senior staff within Amazon 's ranks and , down the line , even shareholders .
Shareholders were told Amazon would n't make a profit in the second quarter , because the firm would be spending more on warehouse safety and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising concerns , investors may question if the company is getting it right .
This should be Amazon 's moment to show shoppers , investors and government officials just how useful it can be , and that mammoth size is a helpful thing in a crisis like this .
Instead , the conversation is being steered away from it , and if Amazon does n't resolve these issues with the workforce , it may never have a chance to redeem its image .
Amazon declined to comment on Mr Bray 's characterisation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ office staff , it has said it supports its staff 's right to speak out , but added , `` That does not come with blanket immunity . ''
The firm has been facing renewed scrutiny over its business practices as the pandemic pushes the company into overdrive to fill online orders from people in lockdown .
The e-commerce giant temporarily shut its six warehouses in France after a court ordered it to stop all but essential deliveries .
Amazon 's chief executive , Jeff Bezos - one of the world 's richest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 138bn - has also been asked to speak before the US Congress as part of a broader investigation of monopoly power .
Amazon last week warned investors that the pandemic had forced costly changes to the business , including spending on protective gear and adjustments to operations that make its warehouses less efficient .
It said it expected to spend $ 4bn ( £3.2bn ) - its anticipated quarterly profit - on coronavirus measures in the three months through June .
Sales are booming , however , and it expects sales to rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current quarter .

This should be Amazon's moment to show shoppers, investors and government officials just how useful it can be, and that mammoth size is a helpful thing in a crisis like this. Instead, the conversation is being steered away from it, and if Amazon doesn't resolve these issues with the workforce, it may never have a chance to redeem its image.


bbc--2020-05-04--Colours of corona: Capturing moments in isolation

Photographer Annie Sanderson has set up an Instagram page asking people to explore the different colours they see while on their daily exercise , during the lockdown across the UK due to the coronavirus .
Sanderson is studying Press and Editorial Photography at Falmouth University and , like many people , started taking pictures to keep her amused at this time .
`` One thing that has been keeping me sane has been my walk out of the house , '' she says .
`` At the start of lockdown , we had unbroken sunshine which highlighted all the beautiful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take photos of colours as I walked past .
It was almost like a treasure hunt . ''
In addition she matched the colours to something related to the lockdown , perhaps an activity which was no longer possible , or a favourite food enjoyed while at home .
As the collection grew , she thought it was an idea that could be shared with others , and so set up an Instagram page .
`` It has helped bring little moments of joy to my days , and I had hoped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she says .
`` There are a lot of Covid-19 related posts on social media and in the news at the moment , I thought this could be a space for positivity , colour and fun during this time . ''
Anyone who wants to join in just needs to see what colours they can find while out on a walk or at home .
You can see images from the collection and details of how to join on the Instagram page @ coloursofcorona Here is a selection of pictures from the @ @ @ @

Anyone who wants to join in just needs to see what colours they can find while out on a walk or at home. You can see images from the collection and details of how to join on the Instagram page @coloursofcorona


bbc--2020-05-04--Hundreds of sheep flock to locked down city

Goats have been taking over the streets of Wales !
Mountain goats have been wandering the streets of Llandudno , @ @ @ @ @ in the country .

Up Next. Goats have been taking over the streets of Wales! Video, 00:00:28Goats have been taking over the streets of Wales!


bbc--2020-05-04--VE day: 'Our dad wrote the peace document'

Friday 8 May is the 75th anniversary of VE day- the end of the Second World War in Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ British theatre actor and manager , turned soldier , drafted the historic document of surrender @ @ @ @ @ For years , John Counsell ’ s twin daughters had no idea about the role @ @ @ @ @ Elizabeth Counsell , who are now 77 , have spoken of their pride at his @ @ @ @ @ the Second World War to an end .

Friday 8 May is the 75th anniversary of VE day- the end of the Second World War in Europe.
Few people realised that a British theatre actor and manager, turned soldier, drafted the historic document of surrender which ended the conflict.
For years, John Counsell’s twin daughters had no idea about the role he played.
Jenny and Elizabeth Counsell, who are now 77, have spoken of their pride at his part in helping to bring the Second World War to an end.
Produced by Bernadette Kitterick
Filmed and edited by Julius Peacock


bbc--2020-05-04--Coronavirus: Your pictures of lockdown at home

We asked our readers to send in their pictures of life at home during lockdown due to the spread of the coronavirus .
Here are some of the pictures sent to us from across the UK .
Gillian Deveney : `` Flowers I ca n't kill in my garden and [ which ] will have to do .
Normally , I would be visiting the local garden centre to add colour and bedding plants .
I showed my friend the picture and he called my stone flowers 'pebbleanthiums ' . ''
Daniel Yiu : `` A junior doctor redeployed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask at home .
The masks have to be moulded to the face in order to create an airtight seal . ''
Douglas Fry : `` School science projects need to continue during lockdown , so Clementine is upgrading the school robot entry into this year 's competition at Southampton University , which would have taken place today .
Working solidly on it over an extended period stuck at home , the robot , she hopes will perhaps become sentient . ''
Yvonne Ayoub : `` I 'm an artist , six weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in central London .
I decided , on a whim , to paint a mural 'en grisaille ' , in my hallway and up the stairs .
It 's turning into an all-consuming , mammoth task but passes the time perfectly . ''
Anthea Benyon : `` Lockdown has meant spending more time with my daughter and I have been very glad of our little garden , at home , in Devizes . ''
Verna Evans : `` Day 34 of self-isolation .
I ca n't go out to take photographs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I took before being confined to the house . ''
Penny Phillips : `` Why are you at home ?
Monty is bemused that his home is full of people every day and has taken to having a cheeky lie-in himself . ''
Angela Reid : `` We 're supporting the NHS and key workers .
Many windows in our street have rainbows and teddies .
We did n't have a teddy , so we had the idea for our dog Talla to kindly donate her Miss Piggy as a stand-in .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home , ' to remind people to stay at home . ''
Hannah Semore : `` My children delight in being at home and even relish re-enacting everyday life in an even more shrunken world .
This miniature world of controllable predictability was made be my grandmother , who lived through a very different era of extraordinary home life . ''
Charlotte Gurney-Read : `` Making the most of having lots of free time at home , by learning the ancient art of levitation . ''
Kelly Jennings : `` Awaiting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our time at home during the Covid-19 pandemic .
As spring emerges and flowers come to life , we are spending as much time as we can in the garden . ''
Dave Cook : `` This was taken at home in our backyard tree and shows the second white squirrel born to that family in 12 years .
He 's pretty friendly , too . ''
Chandralekha Sumar : `` Being at home with kids is tough .
Always coming up with ideas to keep each other busy , be it lawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or solving a 1,000-piece puzzle where the pieces look the same . ''
Tim Jones : `` As we are all staying at home this weekend , I 'm planning an expedition to the bottom of the garden . ''
Richard Hughes : `` I have got into photography over the last year and been taking pictures daily on my new Instagram page .
This day me and my wife had fun creating these pictures . ''
The next theme is `` working at home '' .
Now many of us are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see your pictures of your workspace , be it a desk or something less permanent , and the deadline for entries is 12 May 2020 .
Send pictures to yourpics @ bbc.co.uk or follow the link to `` Upload your pictures here '' below .
Further details and terms can be found by following the link to `` We set the theme , you take the pictures , '' at the bottom of the page .

Image caption,
Angela Reid: "We're supporting the NHS and key workers. Many windows in our street have rainbows and teddies. We didn't have a teddy, so we had the idea for our dog Talla to kindly donate her Miss Piggy as a stand-in. Our message is: 'This little piggy stayed at home,' to remind people to stay at home."


bbc--2020-05-03--Dealing with curly hair during lockdown

Dealing with curly hair during lockdown

Kezia from Birmingham , is struggling to find the products she needs for her hair during lockdown .
High street @ @ @ @ @ would usually get advice and products to keep her moisturised , are currently closed .
@ @ @ @ @ from Dominique , who has been running online hair tutorials during the coronavirus crisis .

Kezia from Birmingham, is struggling to find the products she needs for her hair during lockdown.
High street hair shops, where she would usually get advice and products to keep her moisturised, are currently closed.
She asked for some tips from Dominique, who has been running online hair tutorials during the coronavirus crisis.
Video journalist: Simone Stewart