bbc--2020-05-28--Online child abuse rising during lockdown warn police

Police forces across the world are warning that criminals and paedophiles are using the coronavirus lockdown to target children .
Data gathered by the BBC reveals demand for abuse imagery has shot up .
Reports of obscene online material more than doubled globally to more than four million between March and April .
The US-based Center for Missing and Exploited Children said some of that rise related to one especially horrific and widely-circulated video .
In the UK , where 300,000 people are considered a threat to children , there were nearly nine million attempts in the last month to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been previously blocked by the Internet Watch Foundation .
The anti-child abuse charity which reports sites to internet service providers , says that since the lockdown began there has been an 89 % drop in site deletions by the tech companies .
It believes this may be because many of these firms have fewer people staffing their hotlines during the pandemic .
Spanish National Police say reports of online child sex videos leapt by just over 20 % since just before the lockdown there began on 13 March .
Their counterparts in Denmark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child abuse websites has trebled .
With most schools closed , children are spending more time online .
Experts say that puts them at greater risk of grooming for sexual abuse .
Cathal Delaney of Europol told the BBC : `` Children are more vulnerable , they 're isolated , they 're not being as well supervised online and they 're spending more time online during this period than they would have previously .
`` Those conditions lend themselves to children being approached in different ways or coerced or exploited . ''
Demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Australia , where police say the downloading leapt by 86 % in the three weeks after the 21 March lockdown .
Commander Paula Hudson of the Australian Federal Police , said many offenders see the pandemic as an ideal opportunity to target children .
`` Across the dark web we 've actually identified Covid-19-themed child exploitation forums , '' said Cdr Hudson .
`` One particular one we 're monitoring has grown by more than 1,000 members .
They 're actively discussing the Covid opportunity to find more victims .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've been finding that dark web systems are crashing . ''
Many child abuse videos commissioned to order by paedophiles are made in the Philippines , where children are trafficked by abuse rings .
The children who are held captive by the gangs are subjected to appalling violence on camera .
These attacks are live-streamed to paying customers in western nations , including the UK .
Officials in the Philippines say reports of online abuse material have soared - from approximately 59,000 in February to more than 101,000 in March , the month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The International Justice Mission ( IJM ) , a global organisation that works in the Philippines , says half of the children rescued from abuse gangs are 12 years old or younger - and it has come across two victims who were babies less than three-months-old .
Earlier this month , police in the country intercepted one gang and took three children into care , the youngest of whom was just six .
Detectives suspect they may have been forced to take part in live-streamed abuse videos .
A 34-year-old woman arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two of the allegedly abused children .
This is consistent with IJM research that found two-thirds of abuses are either parents or close relatives of the victims .
Child abusers already face life terms in the Philippines - and some legislators are proposing changing the law to introduce the death penalty .
• The National Crime Agency in the UK has created the 'ThinkuKnow ' website • It has advice for parents and others working with children on how best to protect them online .
• The website includes advice written for children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 250,000 hits since the pandemic began • The BBC , also has Own It , a guide to staying safe online But Emmeline Villar , under-secretary at the country 's Department of Justice , warned adults are being lured into the online child sex abuse industry because work is hard to find in the pandemic-hit economy .
`` It 's a grave concern to us , '' she said .
`` Especially as we know that these factors that are present right now , because of the lockdown , are contributing to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and supply to increase . ''
The hope is that as the lockdown eases in countries across the world and schools reopen , the risks to children will drop .
But for those who have fallen victim to abusers the road to recovery can be long and painful .
Ruby from the Philippines endured two months of non-stop sexual abuse , live-streamed to western men , before she was finally rescued by police .
`` It 's like being trapped in a dark room without any rays of light at all , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point of living at all .
They made my life so miserable for years .
How much more will I suffer from the damage they did to me ? ''

"It's a grave concern to us," she said. "Especially as we know that these factors that are present right now, because of the lockdown, are contributing to the situation which would allow both the demand and supply to increase."


bbc--2020-05-28--World's deepest octopus captured on camera

The deepest ever sighting of an octopus has been made by cameras on the Indian Ocean floor .
The animal was spotted 7,000m down in the Java Trench - almost 2km deeper than the previous reliable recording .
Researchers , who report the discovery in the journal Marine Biology , say it 's a species of `` Dumbo '' octopus .
The name is a nod to the prominent ear-like fins just above these animals ' eyes that make them look like the 1940s Disney cartoon character .
• US adventurer reaches deepest points in all oceans The scientist behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's pioneered the exploration of the deep using what are called `` landers '' .
These are instrumented frames dropped overboard from research ships .
They settle on the seabed and record what passes by .
Dr Jamieson 's equipment filmed two octopuses - one on a drop to 5,760m and a second to 6,957m .
The individual animals were 43cm and 35cm in length .
They 've been placed in the Grimpoteuthis family - the group commonly known as Dumbo .
Octopus fragments and eggs have been found at very great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the previous deepest reliable sighting was at 5,145m down .
That was a black and white photo of an animal taken 50 years ago in the Caribbean .
The significance of the Indian Ocean observations is that we now know that octopuses can find potentially suitable habitat across at least 99 % of the global seafloor .
But those animals that do live at depth will clearly need some special adaptations , says Dr Jamieson .
`` They 'd have to do something clever inside their cells .
If you imagine a cell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to want to collapse under pressure .
So , it will need some smart biochemistry to make sure it retains that sphere , '' the scientist explained .
`` All the adaptations you need to live at pressure are at the cellular level . ''
Dr Jamieson recorded the new octopus while working as chief scientist on the Five Deeps Expedition .
This was the project that saw Texan financier Victor Vescovo take a submersible to the deepest sectors of the five major oceans on Earth .
While Mr Vescovo was setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducting the tandem science investigations .
He hopes his findings can help dispel some of the misunderstandings about the deepest parts of the ocean .
`` The laws of marine ecology and marine biology are actually much the same .
And we need the Dumbo octopus out there to blur that line between the depths we think we care about and the depths we do n't .
This idea that only animals in a kind Victorian freak show live at depth is n't right . ''
Dr Jamieson is currently the CEO of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He 's also affiliated to Newcastle University .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

"The laws of marine ecology and marine biology are actually much the same. And we need the Dumbo octopus out there to blur that line between the depths we think we care about and the depths we don't. This idea that only animals in a kind Victorian freak show live at depth isn't right."


bbc--2020-05-28--UK PM's adviser 'might have broken lockdown rules'

The PM 's top aide Dominic Cummings might have broken lockdown rules , but it would have been a `` minor breach '' , say Durham Police .
Boris Johnson said he intended to `` draw a line under the matter '' following the police statement .
And he told reporters at the daily Downing Street briefing he did not want his scientific advisers to be dragged into a political row .
Opposition parties are continuing to call for Mr Cummings to be sacked .
Around 40 Tory MPs have called for Mr Cummings to resign or be fired for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prime minister 's authority .
Mr Johnson told the Downing Street press conference : `` I 've said quite a lot on this matter already and what I also note is that what Durham police said was that they were going to take no action and that the matter was closed .
`` And I intend to draw a line under the matter . ''
The prime minister stepped in to prevent his chief medical adviser , Chris Whitty , and his chief scientific adviser , Sir Patrick Vallance , from answering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions .
• Johnson urges UK to 'move on ' from Cummings row Mr Johnson said he `` had to intervene '' when the BBC 's political editor , Laura Kuenssberg , attempted to ask the advisers whether Mr Cummings was setting a good example .
He said he wanted to protect them from what I think would be an unfair and unnecessary attempt to ask any political questions '' .
`` It 's very , very important that our medical officers and scientific advisers do not get dragged into what I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political argument , '' he added .
Later in the briefing , Prof Whitty told another reporter he had no desire to `` get pulled into politics '' - a sentiment immediately echoed by Sir Patrick .
This was the first appearance of the two chief advisers at a Downing Street briefing since the story about Mr Cummings broke last Friday .
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson should have allowed his advisers to answer journalists ' questions , adding : `` We want transparency . ''
`` Nobody should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's the prime minister here that 's in issue , he 's been too weak throughout , '' he said .
Sir Keir said he would have sacked Mr Cummings if he had been prime minster , and there had been a week of needless `` distraction '' from the safe easing of lockdown measures because Mr Johnson had been `` too weak to a draw line under this and take the necessary action '' .
The SNP 's Westminster leader , Ian Blackford , said `` one has to wonder what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' when the prime minister blocks journalists ' questions .
He said Mr Cummings ' continued presence in Downing Street was `` undermining public confidence in the health message '' .
This is a moment of maximum risk for the government and it comes at the end of a rocky week .
Boris Johnson clearly wanted to allay concerns over the timing of his lockdown easing announcement so we got a methodical briefing with graphs and stats to show how those `` five tests '' are being met .
But he also wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still a threat .
The government will have to hope that it has pitched that balance correctly .
The backdrop to all of this was , of course , the row over the PM 's adviser , Dominic Cummings , and if his trip to Barnard Castle might make that harder .
And this is where the briefing took a sharper turn .
For the first time in these press conferences , the PM took the extraordinary step of stopping the advisors flanking him from answering the questions posed by journalists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( and they said they did n't want to be drawn into it ) .
Critics are likely to take a different view .
Mr Johnson clearly wants to draw a line under the events of the past week ; the next few days will decide if that happens .
Mr Cummings ' decision in March to drive from his London home to his parents ' farm in County Durham with his wife - who had coronavirus symptoms - and his son , has dominated the headlines since the story broke on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave a news conference on Monday , explaining that he decided to make the trip because he felt it would be better to self-isolate in a place where he had options for childcare if required , and insisted he had acted `` reasonably '' and within the law .
He said he had made the 50-mile round-trip to Barnard Castle , with his wife and child , 15 days later to test his eyesight before embarking on the longer journey back to London .
In a statement earlier on Thursday , Durham Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offence was committed '' when Mr Cummings drove himself and his family from London to Durham to isolate on his family 's farm .
His later trip to Barnard Castle `` might have warranted a police intervention , '' the force added , but it would not be taking any action against him now .
Durham Police said it regarded the likely breach of lockdown rules at Barnard Castle as minor because there was `` no apparent breach of social distancing '' .
`` Had a Durham Constabulary police officer stopped Mr Cummings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the officer would have spoken to him , and , having established the facts , likely advised Mr Cummings to return to the address in Durham , providing advice on the dangers of travelling during the pandemic crisis .
`` Had this advice been accepted by Mr Cummings , no enforcement action would have been taken . ''
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
The force said it would not be taking retrospective action against Mr Cummings since this would amount to `` treating Mr Cummings differently from other members of the public . ''
Reports that Mr Cummings was seen in Durham on 19 April , suggesting a second trip from London , could not be support by evidence , the police statement added .
Mr Cummings has denied he was in Durham on that date .
BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other aspects of Mr Cummings ' stay in the area , including a possible breach of road safety laws and his trip to and from a hospital , where his son had received treatment .
`` Its findings are not included in the statement - raising the prospect that the force has not quite managed to draw a line under the affair , '' added our correspondent .

Sir Keir said he would have sacked Mr Cummings if he had been prime minster, and there had been a week of needless "distraction" from the safe easing of lockdown measures because Mr Johnson had been "too weak to a draw line under this and take the necessary action".


bbc--2020-05-28--Coronavirus: France to reopen cafes, bars and restaurants

France 's PM Edouard Philippe has announced the reopening of bars and restaurants nationally , although Paris will need careful monitoring despite no longer being a virus hotspot .
A ban on travelling more than 100km ( 60 miles ) has also been relaxed , but the bar on gatherings of more than 10 people remains .
`` Freedom will become the rule , bans the exception , '' Mr Philippe said .
More than 28,000 people have died of the virus in France .
On Wednesday the death toll rose by less than 100 for the seventh day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world • France set to roll out virus-tracing app before UK • How is lockdown being lifted across Europe ?
France will look to reopen borders with other European countries on 15 June , he said .
What is the status of Paris ?
The capital is now designated as an `` orange '' zone on the country 's coronavirus risk map , Mr Philippe said .
Almost all other French regions have `` green '' status , meaning they are more free of the virus .
It means the easing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more careful , Mr Philippe said .
As a result , eating and drinking establishments in the city will only be able to serve customers on outside terraces .
However , the city 's parks will reopen , he said , a longstanding demand of the city 's mayor Anne Hidalgo and many residents .
Museums and monuments in Paris and the rest of the country would also reopen from 2 June , the government said .
Paris 's Orly airport will resume operations on 26 June , its operating company said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country ?
Cafes , bars and restaurants can reopen with restrictions from next week .
Staff must wear masks and customers must also wear masks when moving around .
There must be a distance of a metre between tables and no more than 10 people can sit at any one table .
Access to beaches , lakes and rivers will also be fully restored , Mr Philippe said .
`` We are in a better place than where we expected to be , '' he added .
Major sports activities in France remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen secondary and high schools will be brought forward .
Primary schools in most areas have already reopened .
Staff working in public hospitals and care homes in the hardest-hit regions will be paid a €1,500 ( $ 1,650 ; £1,350 ) bonus and Mr Philippe has also promised further pay hikes as part of planned healthcare reforms .
• The US has recorded more than 100,000 deaths from Covid-19 , figures from Johns Hopkins University show • Brazil reported 1,086 new deaths in the past 24 hours , bringing the overall death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has 411,821 confirmed cases , second only to the US • In the UK , groups of up to six people will be able to meet outside in England from Monday , Prime Minister Boris Johnson says • In Australia , the National Rugby League competition resumed on Thursday - but tough restrictions will be enforced on players and officials • A recovery fund worth €750bn ( £670bn ; $ 825bn ) was proposed by the EU 's executive Commission .
Grants and loans will be distributed among member states • Cyprus pledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who tests positive for the virus after travelling to the Mediterranean island • In Ecuador , police raided the offices of the health ministry and the home of the health minister over alleged overpricing of coronavirus testing kits • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• POST-COVID WORLD : Will we ever shake hands again ?
• GLOBAL TAKE : Which country has the most generous bailout ?
• THE LOST SIX WEEKS : Missed chances for US to contain outbreak

The capital is now designated as an "orange" zone on the country's coronavirus risk map, Mr Philippe said. Almost all other French regions have "green" status, meaning they are more free of the virus.


bbc--2020-05-28--Renault prepares for 15,000 job cuts

Renault prepares for 15,000 job cuts

Struggling French carmaker Renault is said to be planning 15,000 job cuts around the world as it tries to contain losses amid the pandemic .
The move comes as the virus deepens the challenges facing the firm , which saw its first annual loss in a decade last year .
The company , which has pledged to cut costs by €2bn ( £1.8bn ) , is expected to discuss the plan on Friday .
Almost one third of the reductions are expected to occur in France .
Speaking on French television , a French labour leader briefed on the plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would come through voluntary layoffs or retirement .
Renault , which claims more than 4 % of the global market , employs more than 179,000 people in 39 countries .
Even before the pandemic , the firm was in trouble , with sales down 3 % last year .
It said last month the number of vehicles sold dropped by 25 % in the first three months of the year and plunged even more dramatically in April .
The firm is currently in talks with the French government , which holds a 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a €5bn emergency loan package .
The French government has also pledged €8bn in wider rescue funds aimed at shoring up the country 's car industry .
In exchange President Emmanuel Macron has said the firm should keep workers and production in the country .

Even before the pandemic, the firm was in trouble, with sales down 3% last year. It said last month the number of vehicles sold dropped by 25% in the first three months of the year and plunged even more dramatically in April.


bbc--2020-05-28--Coronavirus: 'I built a memorial to my grandfather on Animal Crossing'

Isabella Ong , 24 , is American-Chinese living in New York .
Because of coronavirus restrictions she could n't visit @ @ @ @ @ her annual family tradition called Bai San .
So she found a way to honour @ @ @ @ @ Animal Crossing .

Isabella Ong, 24, is American-Chinese living in New York. Because of coronavirus restrictions she couldn't visit her grandfather's grave for her annual family tradition called Bai San.
So she found a way to honour him in the popular game Animal Crossing.
Video by Derek Cai and Joshua Lim.


bbc--2020-05-28--Coronavirus: How the virus is hitting some harder than others

Black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people in England and Wales @ @ @ @ @ National Statistics figures .
The BBC ’ s Clive Myrie has been reporting from inside @ @ @ @ @ East London , which serves a large South Asian community .
He met the black @ @ @ @ @ the frontline , and saw the impact the virus is having beyond the hospital ward @ @ @ @ @ Myrie 's reports from the Royal London Hospital : Prayers for the sick in community @ @ @ @ @ News

Black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people in England and Wales, according to Office of National Statistics figures.
The BBC’s Clive Myrie has been reporting from inside the Royal London Hospital in East London, which serves a large South Asian community.
He met the black and minority ethnic staff on the front line, and saw the impact the virus is having beyond the hospital ward.
Cameraman: Dave McIlveen, Producer: Sam Piranty
See more of Clive Myrie's reports from the Royal London Hospital:
Prayers for the sick in community hit by Covid-19 - BBC News
Life and death on coronavirus ward - BBC News


bbc--2020-05-28--Berlin monument to 1989 heroes

Berlin monument to 1989 heroes

Little remains of the Berlin Wall , but a new monument in the German capital will honour the protesters who defied the communist state in 1989 and led the divided nation to reunification .
A groundbreaking ceremony has just taken place for the Monument to Freedom and Unity , in central Berlin .
The 50m-long ( 164ft ) bowl will move gently up and down when enough people stand on it , and it should be completed by the end of next year .
In a guide to the design , architects Milla & Partner , who won a competition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say `` freedom and unity are n't static conditions , they require participation and interaction '' .
`` When there are at least 30 more people standing on one half of the bowl than on the other , the bowl will start to move , slowly and gently . ''
In 1989 protesters in communist East Germany chanted `` Wir sind das Volk ! ''
( We are the People ) , which later became `` Wir sind ein Volk ! ''
( We are one People ) .
The second slogan captured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cold War border .
The two slogans will be inscribed on the bowl in big letters .
There is also political symbolism in the federal government 's backing for the project - in a city already rich in monuments and reminders of Germany 's turbulent , violent past .
Far-right nationalism , contemptuous of liberal democracy , has made a comeback , with the Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) now the biggest opposition party in parliament .
German unity has also been put under stress by the coronavirus crisis , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Part of the monument 's site was formerly the plinth of an equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I , king of Prussia in the 19th Century and then first emperor of a united Germany .
The architects say `` the chequered history of the location is still there to see - but now Kaiser Wilhelm will be replaced by the people '' .
The project - with an estimated cost of €17m ( £15m ; $ 19m ) - was granted German parliamentary approval in 2007 but was delayed for budgetary reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sheltering at the site .
At Thursday 's ceremony German Commissioner for Culture Monika Grütters said the monument would honour `` the civil courage of those people who raised their voices for democratic rights and freedoms '' .
`` The unity of Germany and a united Europe would have remained , without the 'citizens in motion ' , what they were for a long time : utopian hopes for a distant future .
`` Remembrance of the peaceful revolution therefore deserves to have this prominent place in the heart of the German @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to copyright .

A groundbreaking ceremony has just taken place for the Monument to Freedom and Unity, in central Berlin. The 50m-long (164ft) bowl will move gently up and down when enough people stand on it, and it should be completed by the end of next year.


bbc--2020-05-28--Africa's week in pictures: 22 - 28 May 2020

There is no scientific evidence that steam inhalation is effective against coronavirus , nor is it recommended by the World @ @ @ @ @ has not stopped some Tanzanians from using steaming booths like this one on Friday .

Image caption,
There is no scientific evidence that steam inhalation is effective against coronavirus, nor is it recommended by the World Health Organization. But this has not stopped some Tanzanians from using steaming booths like this one on Friday.


bbc--2020-05-28--Quiz of the Week: Why was Neighbours back in the news?

It 's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what 's been going on @ @ @ @ @ past seven days ?
If you can not see the quiz , follow this link @ @ @ @ @ quiz via this link .

It's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world during the past seven days?


bbc--2020-05-28--The African-American high fashion pioneer

As an African-American woman working in high fashion , Ann Lowe was a groundbreaking figure .
She designed bespoke clothing @ @ @ @ @ decades .
Judith Guile went to work in Ann 's Madison Avenue salon in the @ @ @ @ @ stories of our times told by the people who were there .

As an African-American woman working in high fashion, Ann Lowe was a groundbreaking figure.
She designed bespoke clothing for American high society for decades.
Judith Guile went to work in Ann's Madison Avenue salon in the 1960s.
Witness: The stories of our times told by the people who were there.


bbc--2020-05-28--Why India must battle the shame of period stain

Discrimination against menstruating women is widespread in India , where periods have long been a taboo and considered impure .
They are often excluded from social and religious events , denied entry into temples and shrines and even kept out of kitchens .
On the occasion of World Menstrual Hygiene Day , award winning photographer Niraj Gera attempts to de-stigmatise periods in this hard-hitting series called Sacred Stains .
Given the lack of conversation about periods , according to one study , 71 % of adolescent girls in India are unaware of menstruation until they get it themselves .
Campaigners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their daughters for something they know is bound to happen .
And this unpreparedness leads to so much avoidable fear and anxiety .
The difficulty of accessing sanitary pads is another major issue .
India scrapped a 12 % tax on sanitary products in 2018 after months of campaigning by activists .
Campaigners had argued that menstrual hygiene products were not a luxury and periods were not a choice that a woman could simply opt out of .
However , tax exemption is only a small step towards a much longer journey of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reality for every woman in the country .
According to one study , only 36 % of India 's 355 million menstruating females use sanitary napkins , while the rest use old rags , husk , ash , leaves , mud and soil and such other life-threatening materials to manage their flow .
And menstrual health experts say the current coronavirus crisis has worsened matters further in India .
The country is under a strict lockdown which has severely impacted production and supplies of menstrual hygiene products .
• Stripped for standing up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period poverty does not only affect women in India .
According to Plan International UK , an international development charity , one in 10 disadvantaged girls below the age of 21 can not afford sanitary products and uses unhygienic substitutes such as newspaper , toilet paper and socks .
From an early age , girls learn to live with the pain and fear and seldom do we see a girl seek help when in physical or mental discomfort due to periods .
But with a surge in the use of social media in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their stories about menstruation too .
Yet this freedom is often questioned and those sharing their stories are threatened with bans , while trolls who indulge in moral policing and shaming women go scot-free .
`` It 's time to not silence them with shame , but give them the freedom and knowledge to deal with the pain .
Social media is a powerful tool and it should be used to spread positivity and awareness among the people , '' says Mr Gera .
Millions of families across India can not afford to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photo above , a daily-wage labourer 's daughter wants a pad , Mr Gera says , but feels guilty to even ask her family for the money to buy it .
For them , it 's a toss-up between spending on food for the family or purchasing sanitary napkins .
• Why are menstruating women removing their wombs ?
• Why are Indian women 'Happy to Bleed ' ?
The photographer has launched a petition through his charity - Humanify Foundation - demanding free distribution of pads to all women and girls living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nearly 23 million girls drop out of school annually after they start their periods , according to a 2014 study by Dasra , a charity that works on issues of adolescent health .
Campaigners say the main reasons are a lack of clean toilets in schools and poor access to sanitary products .
There 's also fear of staining and girls worry about being mocked by their classmates .
The study also found that a large number of women considered periods as dirty , explaining why menstruating women are often ostracised from social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put up with all sorts of restrictions .
`` It is time we realise that menstruation is just a biological process and the secrecy surrounding it must go .
It is important to normalise menstruation and destroy taboos around this natural process , '' he says .
`` Talking is all it takes to begin a transformation and it 's time we did it . ''

"It's time to not silence them with shame, but give them the freedom and knowledge to deal with the pain. Social media is a powerful tool and it should be used to spread positivity and awareness among the people," says Mr Gera.


bbc--2020-05-28--Will coronavirus change America's jobless stigma?

More than 21 million people in the US - roughly one in six workers - are now receiving unemployment benefits amid the economic havoc triggered by the pandemic .
The dramatic numbers , a sign of the steep job losses triggered by the virus lockdown , are not unique to the US .
But they are prompting fierce debate in a country that has long attached stigma to state aid .
Another 2.1 million people filed new jobless claims last week .
That pushed the new applications made since mid-March above 40 million , the weekly Labor Department figures show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for benefits through the federal government 's coronavirus emergency relief , which expanded what kinds of workers are eligible for assistance .
The scale of the crisis this spring created rare support among Americans for a broader safety net , said Victor Tan Chen , an assistant professor of sociology at Virginia Commonwealth University , who has studied attitudes toward unemployment in the US compared with other countries .
But he warned that backing is already waning , despite the ongoing need .
`` This is a national and international crisis .
People @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have to do to keep themselves and their families afloat , so it 's diminished that stigma - at least for the time being , '' he said .
`` But you can already see that part of the culture rising up and it 's going to get worse and worse as this situation drags out . ''
Economists - including the head of the America 's central bank - have warned holding back further assistance may slow economic rebound , which remains uncertain , despite loosened restrictions across the US .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency relief and whether a $ 600 across-the-board boost to the benefits - which can vary widely by state and worker - was too generous , noting that many low-wage workers are earning more on unemployment than they did on the job .
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said this week that he thought another round of economic relief was likely .
But talks about the package are reportedly minimal and he rejected an aid proposal worth an estimated $ 3tn approved by the Democrat-controlled House .
`` The way that the recovery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been out of work because of the virus have enough income so that when the economy does reopen they will be able to get out there and spend , '' said Heidi Shierholz , a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute , who was the top economist at the Labor Department during the Obama administration .
The Labor Department 's report on Thursday showed the number of new claims in the week ended 23 May continuing to subside since the peak at the end of March .
For the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state unemployment programmes also dropped back , falling to 21 million in the week ended 16 May from 25 million the week earlier .
But the figures remain much higher than anything seen since the Great Depression , with the total number of people participating in all state and federal programmes at roughly 31 million as of 9 May .
The US also said on Thursday that the economic contraction in the first three months of the year was 5 % , worse than the 4.8 % initially estimated .
Many forecasters expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But predictions by the Congressional Budget Office and others see the unemployment rate staying above 10 % by the end of the year - roughly triple what it was in March and higher than the 10 % peak during the financial crisis .
On Wednesday , Boeing said more than 12,000 employees in the US will lose their jobs in coming weeks and American Airlines revealed plans to cut management and support staff by 30 % , or about 5,000 jobs .
`` We know things are still deteriorating , '' Ms Shierholz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see some turnaround it 's hard to know . ''
Emma Craig , who lost her jobs as a restaurant server and supper club singer when New York 's stay-at-home orders went into effect in March , said government help has been critical .
Without the $ 600 coronavirus bonus , Ms Craig said the benefits would barely cover her $ 1,200 monthly rent .
With it , the 31-year-old says she is making `` just below '' what she earned in a bad week before the pandemic .
`` With the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head above water , '' she said .
`` If I was just getting unemployment it would be laughable . ''
The closures came just as Ms Craig felt like she was finally making it as a professional singer , a career she had been working toward for a decade .
`` It all came crashing in very quickly , '' she recalled .
`` It was literally 24 hours - what is my career , what is the future ? ''
Ms Craig said she had no qualms about seeking assistance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the future since the unemployment benefits finally kicked in , some two months after she first applied .
This week , offering another glimmer of hope , the supper club told her it planned to reopen though it has not set a date .
`` The light at the end of the tunnel just opened , '' she said .

"The way that the recovery will be fast is, if people who have been out of work because of the virus have enough income so that when the economy does reopen they will be able to get out there and spend," said Heidi Shierholz, a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, who was the top economist at the Labor Department during the Obama administration.


bbc--2020-05-28--Rohingya refugee crisis: 'The bodies were thrown out of the boat'

`` Nobody knows how many people have died .
It could be 50 or even more , '' recalls Khadiza Begum .
The 50-year-old was among 396 Rohingya Muslims who had tried to reach Malaysia but who finally returned to the Bangladeshi shore after the boat carrying them was stranded at sea for two months .
Her estimate on the number of deaths comes from the funerals her son officiated as an imam , a Muslim preacher , on the same boat .
The human smugglers never delivered them to their longed-for destination .
Khadiza had to run away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that UN investigators described as a `` textbook example of ethnic cleansing '' .
Neighbouring Bangladesh gave her shelter , settling the fleeing Rohingya Muslims in what has now become the world 's largest refugee camp .
Around one million Rohingya are housed in Cox 's Bazar in Bangladesh , and some among them , like Khadiza , hold dreams of a better life in Malaysia , lying across the Bay of Bengal .
But in Khadiza 's case , the dream turned into a nightmare .
She recounts how the crew - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths on their crowded boat .
`` They would run both engines so that none could hear the sound of splashing water when bodies were thrown out . ''
Often , she says , the bodies were disposed of during the night : `` I know for sure at least 14 to 15 women died . ''
The death of a woman who was sitting next to her continues to traumatise Khadiza .
Severely dehydrated , the woman was initially disoriented and behaving strangely .
The crew took her to the upper deck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she died .
`` I am still haunted by her death .
She died in front of our eyes . ''
The woman had four children with her .
`` My son informed the eldest daughter , just 16 years old , that her mother had died . ''
`` The woman 's three other children did n't know what happened to their mother . ''
she says .
`` They were crying .
It was heart-breaking .
`` The body was immediately thrown out . ''
Khadiza is a mother of four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stateless in 2017 after her husband and one of her sons were killed during army operations in the Rakhine state of Myanmar .
Her village was torched , forcing her to go to Bangladesh to settle in the Cox 's Bazar refugee camp with her children .
After marrying off her eldest daughter , she craved to provide a better life for her remaining son and daughter .
`` We had a tough life .
I did n't see any future for us in a refugee camp . ''
Stories she heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Malaysia for a better life fascinated her .
Khadiza sold her jewels and put together $ 750 ( £610 ) to pay to traffickers who would arrange a boat for them .
Then one night in February , she received the phone call she had been waiting for .
She kept her intentions secret and bundled some clothes and gold jewels in a small bag .
`` I told my friends and neighbours that I would be going away for medical treatment , '' she tells the BBC .
With her son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their home and slipped away in darkness .
A man met them near a bus stand , guiding them to a farm house where she saw hundreds of others .
The group was taken to a boat that slowly set sail in the Bay of Bengal , between the Saint Marin 's Islands in Bangladesh and Akiab in Myanmar .
`` I had been planning for months .
I wanted a better life .
I was dreaming of a new life in a new country , '' she says .
After two days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : a bigger one , full of people .
Khadiza says she did n't even have room to stretch her legs : `` There were families with women and children .
I think there were more than 500 people . ''
The boat was larger than a typical trawler used in South Asia , but certainly not big enough to carry so many people .
Crew members stayed on the upper deck , women were given the middle deck and men were pushed to the bottom .
Ironically , the crew were Burmese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the Rohingya were forced out .
• How a peace icon ended up at a genocide trial • What you need to know about the Rohingya crisis '' At the beginning I was scared , '' Khadiza remembers .
`` I did n't know what our destiny would be , but as we settled in , I started dreaming again .
`` I thought we would achieve a better life .
So whatever troubles we were going through did not matter . ''
The boat lacked basic facilities like water and sanitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months by drawing water from the sea , in front of others .
Toilets consisted of two wooden planks with a hole in the middle .
`` A few days after we started our journey to Malaysia , a boy fell through the hole into the sea , '' Khadiza remembers .
`` He fell and died . ''
It was the first of many deaths she witnessed .
After sailing for seven days , sometimes in bad weather , the group finally spotted the Malaysian coast .
Here , there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the land .
The coronavirus outbreak had tightened Malaysian security : with coast guards conducting more frequent patrols , making it difficult to sneak in the country .
The captain told the refugees they would not be able to land in Malaysia .
Khadiza 's hopes had been shattered by the pandemic .
The crew had to retreat , but faced a shortage of food and water .
On their way to Malaysia the refugees had been given rice twice a day , sometimes with lentils , and a mug of water .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ meal every day .
Then one meal every two days - just plain rice with nothing else , '' Khadiza recalls .
The lack of drinking water was becoming unbearable .
Khadiza says that , in desperation , some of the refugees even drank seawater : `` People would try to quench their thirst by soaking clothes in water , then wringing it get the drops in their mouths . ''
Days later , off the coast of Thailand , a small boat arranged by the human traffickers brought in much needed supplies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for another chance to get to Malaysia , the Burmese navy intercepted them .
`` They arrested the captain and three crew members , but they were released , '' Khadiza says .
`` I guess they made some sort of a deal . ''
Their second and last attempt to land in Malaysia was also to end in failure .
It became clear to everyone on the boat that they were going nowhere .
`` We were drifting around in the sea , with no hope of ever reaching the shore .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking ourselves how long we could survive like this . ''
So , a group of refugees went up to the crew and pleaded with them to disembark anywhere , regardless of whether it was Myanmar or Bangladesh .
But the crew refused , believing it too risky .
They could be arrested and their boat taken away .
As the boat drifted aimlessly in Bay of Bengal , stories accusing the crew of rape and torture started circulating .
`` Things were getting out of control , '' Khadiza says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was attacked and killed - his body dumped in the sea . ''
There were 10 Burmese crew members overseeing almost 400 refugees .
`` They realised it would be very difficult for them to fight and win , '' she says .
The crew demanded more money to hire small boats which would take them ashore .
Those on board coughed up another $ 1,200 .
After a few days , a small boat approached them .
Immediately , the captain and most of the crew members jumped in to run away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boat towards Bangladesh , with the help of two remaining crew members .
`` I was so happy when I finally saw the coast for the first time in two months . ''
Khadiza remembers .
They were back in Bangladesh again .
After seeing the people in such a bad condition , local villagers informed the Bangladeshi Coast Guard .
After spending two weeks in quarantine , Khadiza returned to her refugee camp , only to find out that her place was now occupied by another family .
She has no hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again on the land she farmed .
She now has to share a tiny space with her son and daughter .
`` I lost everything for my dream , '' she says , in quiet contemplation .
`` Never make the mistake I made . ''

The death of a woman who was sitting next to her continues to traumatise Khadiza. Severely dehydrated, the woman was initially disoriented and behaving strangely. The crew took her to the upper deck of the boat, where Khadiza says she died.


bbc--2020-05-28--The films to look out for at the We Are One festival

A foreign language film about the social divide in South Korea would n't normally scream box office hit .
But after Bong Joon-ho 's film Parasite won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival last May , it set it on a path to ultimately winning the best picture Oscar nine months later .
And that 's the thing about film festivals - they may be industry events largely attended by critics , journalists and filmmakers , but their influence can be huge .
The buzz a movie generates at Sundance , Toronto or Venice can determine whether a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public release - and put it firmly on the radar of awards season .
Of course , the coronavirus pandemic has meant this year 's festivals can not go ahead - so instead , they are teaming up for a 10-day online celebration , called We Are One : A Global Film Festival .
It will feature contributions from pretty much every major film festival , including Cannes , Tribeca and Berlin , as well as some of the smaller festivals which do n't attract as much publicity .
`` We thought , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' '' explains organiser and Tribeca CEO Jane Rosenthal .
`` You have musicians , comedians and chefs that have been gathering for various relief efforts , but at a time where we 're all feeling so isolated , and we 're all looking for something to watch , I had this idea of bringing all the film festivals , the great curators , together . ''
Here 's how it will work : • There will be one single YouTube channel , broadcasting continuously from Friday 29 May until Sunday 7 June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 100 films , including 13 world premieres and 31 online premieres • All films will be free to watch • There will only be one chance to see certain films , as they wo n't remain online after their screening • It will be signposted where each film is from , and many will feature introductions from the respective festival directors The We Are One festival , not to be confused with Lady Gaga 's musical equivalent One World : Together , has been an ambitious undertaking , to say the least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes a lot of organisation , not to mention a video platform that can handle it .
`` We wanted to programme a virtual festival using new works , old works , works that have never been seen outside of an individual country , '' Rosenthal explains .
`` So we called YouTube , who were interested in the idea , we felt they were the ideal platform . ''
YouTube already had the required technical infrastructure for such an event - including the ability to add translations on screen , and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Covid-19 efforts .
`` There was also their ability to put a premiere up and take it down very quickly , '' Rosenthal says , `` So if we have a film that 's only up for a day , you can only see if for that day , and then it can be taken down . ''
5 films to look out for at We Are One • Rudeboy : The Story of Trojan Records tracks the history of a British record label founded in 1968 , specialising in reggae and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Lee `` Scratch '' Perry and Marcia Griffiths ( hosted by the BFI London Film Festival ) • The Brat is a short film about a doting mother who tries to teach her seven-year-old son kindness through her bedtime stories ( Mumbai Film Festival ) • Ricky Powell : The Individualist looks back at the street photographer who rose to fame in the 1980s and 90s and toured with the Beastie Boys .
The documentary features interviews with LL Cool J , Chuck D and Laurence Fishburne ( Tribeca Film Festival ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and child-friendly , this eight-minute film from DreamWorks finds a lonesome bilby tangled up with a helpless baby bird in the deadly desert of Australia ( Annecy International Animation Film Festival ) • Sisterhood won the audience choice award at the inaugural Macao Film Festival in December .
When Sei learns of an unexpected death from her past , she is forced to revisit a complicated relationship and explore her regret over a lesbian relationship that never was ( Macao ) Click here for the full line-up and schedule .
In addition to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcast panel discussions recorded at previous festivals , featuring the likes of Jackie Chan , Ang Lee , Jane Campion , Guillermo del Toro , Viggo Mortensen , Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Soderbergh .
However , one imagines convincing directors to allow their film to be viewed online instead of in cinemas was not an easy task .
After all , some major releases , such as Mulan , No Time To Die and Fast & Furious 9 are holding off until cinemas reopen , because producers are so keen on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more conversations than others , '' Rosenthal says of selecting the films for the programme .
`` It depends on the film and what the filmmaker wants . ''
On the flip side , putting all the film festivals on to a single platform will arguably benefitsome of the smaller festivals , who do n't normally get as much publicity as the major ones like Sundance , Cannes and Toronto .
`` Absolutely , it 's wonderful to know what they [ filmmakers ] are doing out of Tokyo , Annecy , Saint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the creativity , how it 's bringing communities together , to see the landscape of these countries , '' Rosenthal says .
While the organisational efforts involved in We Are One may be applauded , The Guardian 's Peter Bradshaw doubts online film festivals are the future .
`` In the end , after this is all over , people will want to go back to the flesh and blood experience , to see the films on the big screen , that sense of occasion that is the vital curatorial tool for focusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` And people will want to talk about films : talk about them over coffee , over lunch , in the street outside the cinema .
That is the festival experience . ''
While nothing will replace that real-life feeling , Rosenthal hopes to recreate some of the atmosphere you 'd normally expect .
`` There will be surprises , whether that 's directors talking , musical surprises , we 're trying to give you that sense of musical spontaneity as much as we can on a virtual screen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ca n't all queue up in a line together , and we 're not able to touch each other or hear the laughing or booing , we can instigate imagination and inspiration . ''
We Are One : A Global Film Festival begins on Friday .

"There was also their ability to put a premiere up and take it down very quickly," Rosenthal says, "So if we have a film that's only up for a day, you can only see if for that day, and then it can be taken down."


bbc--2020-05-28--Coronavirus: How Turkey took control of Covid-19 emergency

Covid-19 came late to Turkey - on 11 March - but soon singed every corner of the country .
Within a month all 81 provinces had been affected .
It was the one of the fastest growing outbreaks in the world - worse than China or the UK .
There were fears that the death toll would soar turning Turkey into another Italy , which was then the hardest hit country .
Three months on that has n't happened , even without a total lockdown .
The official death toll is 4,397 .
Some doctors here dispute that , claiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high because Turkey only includes those who test positive .
Either way , in the horrific annals of the Covid-19 era , it 's a relatively low number for a population of 83 million .
Experts warn it is hard to reach conclusions and compare statistics while countries are still burying their dead .
But Turkey has `` clearly averted a much bigger disaster '' , according to Dr Jeremy Rossman , Lecturer in Virology at the University of Kent .
`` Turkey fits in the category of several countries that responded fairly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and movement restrictions , '' he told the BBC .
`` It 's a fairly small club of countries that have been quite effective in reducing the viral spread . ''
As the virus multiplied , the authorities subtracted key pieces from the jigsaw of daily life - no trips to the coffee shop , no shopping in crowded markets , no communal prayers at the mosque .
The over-65s and under-20s were locked down completely , weekend curfews were imposed , and major cities were sealed off .
Istanbul was the centre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its rhythm , like a heart that keeps missing a beat .
Now restrictions are gradually easing , but Dr Melek Nur Aslan remains on alert .
She 's director of public health for the district of Fatih , a heavily populated area in the heart of old Istanbul .
Dr Aslan , who is articulate , and energetic , leads a contract-tracing operation .
Across Turkey there are 6,000 teams .
`` We feel we are in a war , '' she tells me .
`` People forget to go home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' but they do n't even care about going home because they know this is a duty they have to complete , before it spreads to anyone else . ''
Dr Aslan says they began tracking the virus on day one - 11 March - thanks to decades of experience tracking measles .
`` Those plans were ready , '' she says .
`` We just got them off the shelf and started using them . ''
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
We join two young doctors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an app , and clad in Hazmat suits .
They head for an apartment block where two flatmates in their twenties have been in quarantine .
Their friend is Covid-19 positive .
The women are framed in the doorway of their apartment , both in face masks , and one wearing a headscarf .
They are tested on the spot for Covid-19 and will get the results within 24 hours .
It 's just a day since they started showing mild symptoms .
Nazli Demiralp , 29 , is grateful for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news , '' she says , `` and when we first heard about the virus we were really scared .
But Turkey has rallied faster than we thought - much faster than Europe and the United States.
`` The country has public health lessons to offer , according to acting head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) in Turkey , Dr Irshad Shaikh .
`` Initially we were worried , '' he told the BBC .
`` They were having 3,500 positive cases per day .
But what has worked is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wait five or six days for results . ''
He also credits the quarantine , isolation and contract tracing measures but says it 's too soon to judge Turkey 's treatment protocol for patients .
Controversially that includes the anti-malarial drug , hydroxychloroquine , as standard .
It 's much touted by President Donald Trump - but has been roundly rejected by the latest international research .
The WHO has temporarily suspended it from their trial of possible treatments for the virus .
That followed research published in the Lancet which suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patients , and could do more harm than good .
• Why anti-malarial drugs are proving so controversial We were given access to a hospital where it has been part of the standard treatment for thousands of patients .
The Dr Sehit Ilhan Varank hospital , a two-year old-state hospital , is also state of the art .
It 's a bright , spacious battlefront against the virus .
Chief doctor Nurettin Yiyit - whose art work is on the hospital walls - says it 's key to use hydroxychloroquine early .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late , '' he says , `` especially the United States .
We only use it at the beginning .
We have no hesitation about this drug .
We believe it 's effective because we get the results . ''
On a tour of the hospital , adding and subtracting protective layers as we go , he explains that Turkey 's approach is to `` get ahead of the virus '' , by treating early and treating aggressively .
They use hydroxychloroquine and other drugs , along with blood plasma and oxygen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most promising coronavirus drug ?
• When will the coronavirus outbreak end ?
Dr Yiyit is proud of his hospital 's mortality rate of under 1 % , and of the empty beds in the intensive care unit .
They try to keep patients out of here , and off ventilators .
We meet 40-year old Hakim Sukuk who has left the ICU and is homeward bound , brimming with gratitude .
`` Everyone took care of me so well , '' he said , sitting up in bed .
`` It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Not over yet The government 's handling of the pandemic has not been given a clean bill of health by the Turkish Medical Association .
It says there were many mistakes in Ankara 's `` inadequate '' response to the pandemic , including leaving borders open for too long .
However , Turkey is getting some credit from the WHO .
`` This is a young outbreak , '' said Dr Shaikh .
`` But we would expect more people to be severely sick .
Something is going right . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rising ?
• How is lockdown being lifted across Europe ?
Turkey has advantages in the fight against Covid-19 , including a young population and a high number of ICU beds .
Despite this , new cases continue to be recorded , currently at the rate of about 1,000 a day .
While the country is being seen as a success story , there 's still plenty of caution because the story is n't over yet .

Chief doctor Nurettin Yiyit - whose art work is on the hospital walls - says it's key to use hydroxychloroquine early. "Other countries are using this drug too late," he says, "especially the United States. We only use it at the beginning. We have no hesitation about this drug. We believe it's effective because we get the results."


bbc--2020-05-28--The coronavirus conundrum when your mouth is your ‘hand’

Many disabled people face difficulties adapting their routines to stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic .
Chairman of the Thalidomide Society , Geoff Adams-Spink , reveals some survivors have been left perplexed after realising they often use their mouths and feet for tasks , instead of their hands .
It was a friend and fellow thalidomide survivor , Berrisford , who first alerted me and other members of our community to the added dangers posed by coronavirus .
Thalidomide was a morning sickness drug given to pregnant women in the late 1950s and early 60s , but it typically caused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For both Berrisford and me , it affected our arms .
In a Facebook post for friends , Berrisford described the great lengths he had gone to in order to remain safe while out on a shopping trip just after Covid-19 hit the UK .
He explained that he meticulously swabbed his supermarket trolley and maintained social distancing at all times .
He took his goodies home in the knowledge he had kept himself safe having followed the government 's guidelines .
A good job well done .
At home , hungry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of him , he grabbed something that looked tasty and tore into the packet in a way he has done for most of his life - with his teeth .
Despites all of those elaborate precautions he had momentarily forgotten he often relies on his mouth instead of his hands for such tasks .
His hygiene routine had effectively been thwarted by a rumbling stomach and a workaround that many of us with shorter arms have used several times each day for decades .
So how do you deal with coronavirus when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead of your hands ?
It surely does n't need to be pointed out that the hand-washing principles are n't as effective for my friend or me in this situation as for many others .
But putting something in your mouth that has come from a public place could potentially transfer the virus straight to your body - it would be a very direct transmission .
Many Thalidomide survivors use the same mouth-trick as Berrisford for the sake of simplicity and speed .
My dentist constantly reminds me that opening bottles with my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't worry ) will result in lasting damage .
Correction , has already resulted in some lasting damage .
But at the moment , life with coronavirus means taking care to wash all my shopping once I return home , before I open a packet and devour the contents .
Or I can ask someone within my household to help me , providing they have washed their hands first .
It 's not just our mouths that can cause dilemmas .
A lot has already been written about the difficulty some disabled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2m ( 6ft ) distance from care givers - if somebody is washing my hair in the shower , they are in the danger zone , as am I. Thalidomide survivors are all around the same age - heading into our 60s - but we now face a whole new set of challenges to untangle related to this pandemic .
We 'll have to wait for a vaccine before we can go back to using some of our old tricks and workarounds again .
In my friend 's characteristically poignant words : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' book ( again ) '' .
This got me thinking - could there be an upside , as well as a downside , to living with upper limb impairment ?
Although we do use our mouths and our chins a lot , perhaps to guide a pen or maybe to open a packet of crisps , many of us are extremely adept at using our feet to do things at waist level or below .
For example , I will automatically open and close doors or flush the toilet using my feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my face or mouth .
And at the end of the day , those socks go into the wash .
When I saw videos of people fighting over toilet rolls , forgive me , but I felt a little bit smug .
In common with many other thalidomide survivors who have short arms , I have used a bidet or shower toilet since childhood - I even have a portable one for use while travelling .
We are therefore among the very few people who have not had to stress about toilet paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SIMPLE GUIDE : How do 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 ?
It 's all too easy to think yourself into a passive , victim mentality when it comes to coronavirus but disabled people are ingenious problem solvers - life hacks are what we do all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through this extraordinary episode will call for vast reserves of lateral thinking , creativity and ingenuity .
As disabled people , we already have those things in spades .
For more Disability News , follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook , and subscribe to our podcasts .

Thalidomide survivors are all around the same age - heading into our 60s - but we now face a whole new set of challenges to untangle related to this pandemic. We'll have to wait for a vaccine before we can go back to using some of our old tricks and workarounds again. In my friend's characteristically poignant words: "We have to rewrite the 'how to' book (again)".


bbc--2020-05-28--RuPaul's Drag Race season 12: The most political, troubled series ever?

Strip the format of RuPaul 's Drag Race back to its most basic and you 've got a TV show about men competing to see who 's the best at twirling around while pretending to sing a song .
But the 12th season has urged its US viewers to register to vote every week and made no secret of its political agenda .
The series has been a bumpy ride for viewers though and negative press about the behaviour of contestants - as well as host RuPaul - threaten to overshadow the message .
In one episode , contestants Jackie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lip-sync to Katy Perry 's Firework - Jackie in a hijab based on the American flag , Widow in a gown inspired by the Black Panther Party .
When Democratic politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez appeared on the show as a guest judge , Jackie spoke about her Iranian mum 's experiences in the US as an immigrant .
`` People would tell her to go back to where she came from , '' explained a tearful Jackie .
`` When I was young , I hid this part of my heritage for so long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Seeing you standing up for people like my mum gives me so much hope . ''
One episode included a challenge where contestants took part in a fake rally to become the first-ever drag President of the United States - a format that has n't been seen on Drag Race since 2012 .
And every episode has ended with contestants dancing on stage carrying signs reading `` register to vote '' .
There 's political bias on Drag Race , no doubt .
It 's a left-wing show with a strong anti-Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up ahead of the US election in November 2020 .
Since coming to power in 2016 , President Donald Trump has introduced , or tried to introduce , a number of measures which have stripped rights from LGBT people in America .
`` Drag Race is a show that appeals to queer people , to women , to the groups that need to get out and vote , '' says Kevin O'Keefe , a US journalist who covers Drag Race for LGBT publication Xtra Magazine and considers himself a Drag Race `` herstorian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more and more . ''
In the 2016 US election , only 50 % of the population turned out to vote .
`` Young people do n't vote .
That 's a generalisation but the exit polls bear it out .
A simple weekly reminder is useful , '' Kevin adds .
`` Seeing those placards at the end of every episode , people may think it 's showmanship , but that kind of repeated messaging actually does work . ''
Season 12 is n't the first season where politics has played an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Speaker of the House of Representatives ) made a brief appearance in the 2018 series of All Stars .
Contestants in 2016 had to produce smear campaigns against each other in season eight and in 2011 there were messages of support for US troops in season three .
But some Drag Race experts say the very nature of the show is political , even when it 's not directly referencing what 's going on in Washington .
`` Drag Race has always shown that people come for the drag , but you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these queer people , '' says Mikelle Street , digital director of Out magazine .
`` They always talk about issues that this community is dealing with . ''
In previous series ' , contestant Dusty Ray Bottoms spoke about their experience of conversion therapy , Nina West revealed they were threatened with murder by a far-right hate group while at college , Latrice Royale talked about spending time in prison .
`` I do n't know if season 12 is a return to politics , because I 'm not sure the show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kevin says that just because politics has been mentioned more does n't make it the most political season .
`` There 's part of me that just wants to say that season one was the most political because it presented drag in this very rough around the edges way , something the show has shied away from since , '' he says .
`` To me , letting drag queens be their messiest selves and presenting Cameroonian drag in BeBe Zahara Benet and pageant drag in Shannel - that to me will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 'register to vote ' sign . ''
Despite grand political ambitions for the 12th season of Drag Race , it 's also been the most troubled .
A contestant was disqualified before the series started when sexual misconduct allegations were made against them , leading to a hasty re-edit of every episode to remove them from the show .
Comments made by Jeff Goldblum about Islam 's stance on homosexuality were widely criticised and even RuPaul faced their own controversy when it was revealed they lease part of their 60,000 acre Wyoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The reality is that people like Ru were progressive when they were coming up , '' says Mikelle .
`` But what happens with some of them - like Ru , like Ellen - is that they were progressive for their time when they were first coming in , and the movement continued to progress and they did n't necessarily move with it . ''
But even if this is at odds with the left-wing stance the show has , the negative press did n't seem do any damage to viewing figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 18 to 34-year-olds in the US on Friday nights .
The show has also been affected by coronavirus , with its finale and reunion shows being filmed online due to social distancing measures .
Season 12 's big political storyline ended just before the final when Jackie was eliminated in the last of the episodes filmed in 2019 .
Kevin believes her time on the show will resonate with many LGBT viewers on a personal level .
`` All of the stuff about her mum 's experience as an immigrant , about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Muslim , that all is a genuine weight on Jackie , '' he says .
`` I think a small push opens the floodgates , a lot of queer people wear that stuff on their sleeve and it does n't take much for that to come out . ''
Going into the final , both Kevin and Mikelle are backing the same contestant to win : Jaida Essence Hall .
`` Jaida represents something we have n't seen since Tyra Sanchez won season two , '' says Kevin .
`` She is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've seen Asia O'Hara falter , we 've seen Akeria Chanel Davenport falter - and I would be really bummed if it happened to Jaida . ''
But with the political agenda of season 12 , RuPaul and the producers of Drag Race seem to want viewers to think about more than just who should become the world 's next drag superstar when they watch the show .
`` We 're thinking about this administration , we 're thinking about the election that 's coming up , '' says Mikelle .
`` Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinking about and the ways in which the policies or lack of policies from the administration are affecting our daily lives . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

"There's part of me that just wants to say that season one was the most political because it presented drag in this very rough around the edges way, something the show has shied away from since," he says.


bbc--2020-05-28--The little lights now packing a deadly punch

`` The tech we are working on could transform water sanitisation techniques and offer access to clean drinking water to even remote developing regions via portable systems , '' says Christian Zollner from the University of California in Santa Barbara .
Mr Zollner has been working on light emitting diodes ( LEDs ) , the long-lasting technology in modern lightbulbs .
They are probably in the lightbulbs in your house , or the headlamps of your car .
Because they are tough and energy efficient , researchers are always trying to find new ways of using them .
Mr Zollner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LEDs that emit ultraviolet light , in particular UV-C light , which is deadly to bacteria and viruses , including the coronavirus .
His goal is to make those LEDs more powerful , robust and cheaper .
`` Right now , UV LEDs are capable of a few milliwatts of power .
Our aim is to make them 10 to 20 times more powerful .
`` Our focus previously was mainly on using them for water sterilisation , but the Covid-19 pandemic has made us realise there is also a big market for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is another virus situation in say five or 10 years , this technology could be very useful . ''
At the moment his lights are powerful enough to cleanse a closed cabinet , but need to be 20 times more powerful to zap a whole room .
The light can also damage human skin and eyes , so the commercial applications are limited .
But one firm has found a use .
Californian firm LARQ makes what it says is the world 's first self-cleaning water bottle .
Its solution to prevent exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny UV LEDs in the lids of its bottles only come on when the bottles are screwed shut .
Users must then push down on the lid to activate the technology , which the company claims eradicates more or less all bacteria and viruses in 60 seconds .
LEDs have come a long way since the first were produced in the 1960s .
Back then , the only light the semiconductor devices could generate was an infrared light invisible to the human eye .
Now , they cover the entire visible spectrum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and come in a dazzling array of forms .
Micro-LEDs that measure less than 1mm across are another of the latest variants .
Designed for use in high-end screens , micro-LEDs promise blacker blacks , brighter blues .
Samsung has been showing off its massive screen made of micro-LEDs at consumer electronics shows .
`` Micro-LED display technology offers a huge improvement to standard LED panels due to its optimum brightness and image definition , '' says Damon Crowhurst , head of display at Samsung UK .
But the engineering involved is mind-boggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which means they are expensive - a 75-inch TV costs tens of thousands of pounds .
`` Micro-LED screens cost about £1,000 per inch to make , so a 75-inch micro-LED television could easily cost the same as a new Porsche Cayenne , '' says Paul Gray , an analyst at global technology researcher Omdia .
`` You have to ask yourself how many people will be prepared to pay that to get better contrast when they watch TV . ''
The crushingly high cost of micro-LEDs is one reason a number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though still tiny measure more than 1mm across .
Apple , for example , is rumoured to be developing six new products with mini-LED displays , including both iPads and MacBooks .
In the short term , small-screen devices such as smartwatches are expected to be the biggest growth area for micro-LEDs .
`` Small screens are a much easier proposition , as a 1cm micro-LED screen can be made on a single silicon chip , '' Mr Gray says .
`` They are already being used in camera viewfinders .
So for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at a much shorter timeframe . ''
Researchers are finding ever more exotic ways to make the perfect LED - more light with less power .
UK-based start-up Kubos Semiconductors is developing LEDs based on a form of Gallium Nitride ( GaN ) with a crystal structure that is cubic rather than hexagonal , an approach it believes could solve long-term problems creating more efficient micro-LEDs .
At the moment , green and amber LEDs are up to three times less efficient than blue and red ones .
Known as the Green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and increases the cost of lighting and displays .
`` This will be very important in applications such as mobile phones and smartwatches where displays need to run off a battery , '' says Kubos chief executive Caroline O'Brien .
• Why some face masks are more effective than others • Get ready for the 'Holy Grail ' of computer graphics • The robot assistant that can guess what you want Elsewhere , researchers are working to reduce LED production costs and environmental impact .
An EU-funded study is experimenting with using naturally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Based in Austria , Spain , and Italy , the multi-university project began in January and is due to run for four years .
`` The goal is to find a cheaper and more environmentally friendly way of producing LEDs by avoiding the need for inorganic phosphates that have to be mined in specific locations , '' says Gustav Oberdorfer , who is leading research at Graz University of Technology in Austria .
`` We hope our LEDs will be used commercially in devices within the next 10 years , and believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LED devices and make them much more sustainable . ''
So next time you turn on a light , think of the humble LED , which has come a long way since the 1960s and has a bright future .

"Our focus previously was mainly on using them for water sterilisation, but the Covid-19 pandemic has made us realise there is also a big market for sanitising surfaces and equipment. If there is another virus situation in say five or 10 years, this technology could be very useful."


bbc--2020-05-28--What if the US removes Hong Kong's special status?

Top members of the US administration have warned that Hong Kong no longer merits a special status when it comes trade , and the territory could be treated the same way as mainland China .
Until now , the US has given Hong Kong favourable trading terms , dating back to the territory 's time as a British colony , but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Congress that Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from China .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump 's top economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Beijing `` will be held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set to be imposed on Hong Kong .
The National Economic Council Director told CNBC , `` If need be , Hong Kong now may have to be treated the same way as China is treated , and that has implications for tariffs '' .
So what will it mean if that special status is revoked ?
Hong Kong is well-known as one of the world 's most important financial centres .
With a free economy and a competitive tax regime , it 's attracted many multinational companies to its shores .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But all of that could be in jeopardy , if the US changes the way it deals with Hong Kong .
So what is the US threatening ?
At the moment , Hong Kong enjoys special trade relations with the US .
It operates as a separate customs territory to mainland China .
It also has a free port , meaning no tariffs are charged on the import or export of goods .
Those arrangements have helped Hong Kong become a centre for global trade .
But now the US is threatening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainland China .
That would mean its goods would be subject to additional tariffs , including those extra charges that were introduced as part of the US-China trade war , although some of those have recently been rolled back .
`` Hong Kong has had a special trading relationship with different types of tariffs and regulations that have allowed it to trade in a freer way , particularly in relation to capital markets , '' said Dr Rebecca Harding , independent trade expert and CEO of Coriolis Technologies .
`` The US has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you like .
But it 's now saying we are going to treat you in a similar way to how we treat China , '' she said .
Where does that leave Hong Kong ?
Hong Kong is one of the world 's top trading territories .
In 2018 it was ranked with the 7th highest volume of trade with a total value of nearly $ 1.2tn .
But much of that trade is made up of goods that pass into , or come out of , mainland China .
In 2018 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the US and 6 % of mainland China 's imports from the US , passed through Hong Kong .
This role as a gateway between the Chinese market and the rest of the world has put Hong Kong in a unique position , but different trade arrangements could change that .
`` If there 's a new trade regime in place , that changes the calculation for companies , '' said Dr Tim Summers , a Senior Fellow at Chatham House , based in Hong Kong .
Companies could choose to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China instead , and higher tariffs there will mean higher price tags .
`` The people who are going to get hurt are businesses and consumers , '' Dr Summers said .
Not so much as it might have been at the time of the Hong Kong handover .
Back in 1997 , Hong Kong played a much more significant role in China 's economy , accounting for around 18 % of China 's GDP .
`` But over the last 25 years China has grown massively , '' said Dr Summers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of China 's GDP .
`` Put that in context of the ocean of trade coming out of China , it 's not so significant any more .
So if President Trump were to act on trade , Hong Kong would suffer , but it 's not a gamechanger for China , '' he said .
Beijing will however want to maintain Hong Kong 's status as a global financial centre .
Mainland Chinese companies are among those which choose to list on Hong Kong 's Stock Exchange because of its access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit from Hong Kong 's large financial services sector .
`` Shanghai and Shenzhen already have a vibrant financial services sector serving mainlanders , '' said David Webb , a former investment banker who 's lived in Hong Kong since 1991 .
But so long as Beijing has capital controls on the movement of money in and out of China for investment , `` then it ca n't compete with Hong Kong on international capital , '' he said .
How could this affect the US ?
Each year , billions of dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Hong Kong and the US .
In 2018 , the total value of that trade was almost $ 67bn according to the US Trade Representative , including $ 17bn worth of imports that Americans bought from Hong Kong .
If Hong Kong faces the same trading terms as mainland China , US consumers will pay more for those goods .
`` American businesses both in the US itself and in Hong Kong are lobbying hard to try and get any action diluted , '' said Rachel Cartland , director of Cartland Consulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The US Chamber of Commerce has warned that far-reaching changes to Hong Kong 's status would have `` serious implications '' for Hong Kong and US businesses .
That puts Washington in a tricky position , according Dr Summers .
He says ostensibly , Secretary Pompeo 's threat appears to be about recent developments in Hong Kong , and Beijing 's new security law for the territory .
But he said , what it 's really about is US-China relations .
`` If I were going to be really cynical , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some people in Washington to take measures they wanted to take anyway against China , in the context of a wider US-China rivalry , '' he said .
`` That may well drive the thinking of what Trump does next more than any particular concern about the political autonomy of Hong Kong , '' he said .

Those arrangements have helped Hong Kong become a centre for global trade. But now the US is threatening to treat Hong Kong the same as mainland China. That would mean its goods would be subject to additional tariffs, including those extra charges that were introduced as part of the US-China trade war, although some of those have recently been rolled back.


bbc--2020-05-28--Leicester offer long-term deal to Liverpool's Lallana - Friday's gossip

Leicester have made a long-term contract offer to Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana .
The 32-year-old England international is out of contract at Anfield at the end of June .
( Football Insider ) Five Premier League Clubs - Chelsea , Newcastle , Manchester United , Arsenal and Leicester - are interested in Barcelona and Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho .
The 27-year-old , currently on loan at Bayern Munich , will cost around £90m .
( Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish ) Real Madrid have received no offers for Wales forward Gareth Bale and the 30-year-old is expected to remain at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marca ) Manchester United and Newcastle are interested in Uruguayan winger Facundo Pellistri .
The 18-year-old currently plays for Penarol .
( Mail ) Galatasaray want to sign Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser .
The Scot , 26 , is out of contract and has also been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham .
( Daily Record ) Everton will hold talks with defender Djibril Sidibe over extending his loan when the Premier League resumes in June .
Frenchman Sidibe , 27 , is on loan from AS Monaco until 30 June .
( Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stance on allowing 30-year-old Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo to extend his loan spell at Manchester United .
( ESPN ) Paris St-Germain are close to securing a permanent deal for striker Mario Icardi .
The Argentine , 27 , is on loan at PSG from Inter Milan but his deal ends on 31 May .
( Sky Sports ) PSG are also considering a move for Chelsea 's Brazilian playmaker Willian .
The 31-year-old is likely to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season .
( Le10Sport - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play their remaining home games at a neutral venue , should the Premier League resume from 17 June .
( Times - subscription required ) Inter Milan will extend former Manchester United defender Ashley Young 's contract .
The Englishman , 34 , joined the Italian club in January on an initial six-month deal .
( Telegraph - subscription required ) England forward Jadon Sancho feels the pressure of being linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund , says team-mate Thomas Delaney .
Sancho , 19 , has been linked with Manchester @ @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Leicester have made a long-term contract offer to Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana. The 32-year-old England international is out of contract at Anfield at the end of June. (Football Insider) external-link
Real Madrid have received no offers for Wales forward Gareth Bale and the 30-year-old is expected to remain at the club for another year. (Marca) external-link
Manchester United and Newcastle are interested in Uruguayan winger Facundo Pellistri. The 18-year-old currently plays for Penarol. (Mail) external-link
Two "top European clubs" have contacted the agent of Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho to discuss the 28-year-old's availability. (Radio Musica Television, via Goal) external-link
Tottenham have been told they can sign Barcelona and Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho for a loan fee of around £8m. The 27-year-old is currently on loan at Bayern Munich. (Football Insider) external-link
Premier League to restart on 17 June With 92 games left, how well do you know the Premier League season so far?
Galatasaray want to sign Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser. The Scot, 26, is out of contract and has also been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham. (Daily Record) external-link
Everton will hold talks with defender Djibril Sidibe over extending his loan when the Premier League resumes in June. Frenchman Sidibe, 27, is on loan from AS Monaco until 30 June. (Liverpool Echo) external-link
Shanghai Shenhua have softened their stance on allowing 30-year-old Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo to extend his loan spell at Manchester United. (ESPN) external-link
Arsenal are monitoring Lille and Brazil defender Gabriel. The 22-year-old has a £27m asking price, and is also a target for Everton. (Le10Sport, via Express) external-link
Atalanta have reportedly agreed with Chelsea to make 25-year-old Croatia midfielder Mario Pasalic's loan deal at the Serie A side permanent. (Tuttosport, via Sport Witness) external-link
Paris St-Germain are close to securing a permanent deal for striker Mario Icardi. The Argentine, 27, is on loan at PSG from Inter Milan but his deal ends on 31 May. (Sky Sports) external-link
PSG are also considering a move for Chelsea's Brazilian playmaker Willian. The 31-year-old is likely to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season. (Le10Sport - in French) external-link
Liverpool are likely to play their remaining home games at a neutral venue, should the Premier League resume from 17 June. (Times - subscription required) external-link
Inter Milan will extend former Manchester United defender Ashley Young's contract. The Englishman, 34, joined the Italian club in January on an initial six-month deal. (Telegraph - subscription required) external-link
England forward Jadon Sancho feels the pressure of being linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund, says team-mate Thomas Delaney. Sancho, 19, has been linked with Manchester United. (ESPN) external-link


bbc--2020-05-28--What is still up for grabs in the Premier League this season?

Premier League football is on its way back .
No ball has been kicked in the top flight since mid-March after the season was suspended indefinitely because of coronavirus but players are back in training and it emerged on Thursday that the season is set to resume on 17 June .
With social distancing rules in place , no fans in the stadiums and the possibility of being able to make five substitutions , it will be a very different football to the one we enjoyed before the suspension , but it will at least allow the 2019-20 campaign to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , on the verge of winning a first top-flight title in 30 years , but how quickly could they achieve that and what else is there to look out for ?
BBC Sport takes a look at some of the issues still to be resolved .
What still needs sorting out at the top ?
The title was tantalisingly within reach for Liverpool before the coronavirus pandemic brought a halt to the domestic football programme .
The good news for the Reds , however , is they probably will not need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line once football returns .
Just two more wins will do the job for Liverpool , although they could seal the title in their first game back if Manchester City lose at home to Arsenal on 17 June .
Once the title is wrapped up , next to sort out is Champions League qualification .
As things stand , Manchester City can not compete in Europe 's premier club competition for the next two seasons after being banned for breaking Financial Fair Play rules .
Pep Guardiola 's side have appealed , however @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban is overturned .
If the ban is upheld , whoever finishes fifth will take their place in next season 's Champions League .
Manchester United currently occupy that position ( on 45 points ) , but Wolves and Sheffield United are both just two points behind and will undoubtedly have their eye on securing an unlikely place alongside Europe 's elite .
Tottenham , in eighth and four points off fifth , and Arsenal , five points off with a game in hand , will also fancy their chances of pinching the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One side-effect of the enforced lack of matches over the past two months is that teams in poor form have a chance to reset .
Aston Villa , in particular , were on a desperately poor run , with four successive defeats seeing them drop to second from bottom and two points from safety - although they have a game in hand over their rivals .
Villa are one of six sides realistically fighting against the drop , with anyone from 15th down looking over their shoulder .
Norwich are bottom and six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side in the bottom three to have won any of their four previous games before football 's suspension .
A run of seven defeats in 10 games had seen Bournemouth drop into the bottom three but they had been struggling with injuries to several first-team players .
A number of those will now be fit again , meaning the Cherries will probably have a strong squad to choose from for the run-in .
Watford had looked doomed in December but the arrival of Nigel Pearson sparked a revival with four wins from five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They recorded a hugely impressive 3-0 win against champions-elect Liverpool just before the Premier League was halted , so how such a long break in action will affect their momentum remains to be seen .
The resumption of the Premier League will also be good news for those players who thought injury had put paid to their season .
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho will be one of the bigger beneficiaries of that , with England striker Harry Kane likely to be back to full fitness .
Kane had surgery on a hamstring injury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , would have ended his involvement in 2019-20 , while his Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min , recently back from South Korea after completing national service , will also be able to feature after recovering from a broken arm .
Meanwhile , an ankle injury and related issues had restricted Paul Pogba to just eight appearances this season for Manchester United , with his last back on Boxing Day , but he is expected to be fit for football 's return .
Reds striker Marcus Rashford , out of action since January with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fitness .
As mentioned , Bournemouth will be particularly boosted by the break in play as they should be able to call upon a number of first-team players who had otherwise looked out of the picture .
The Cherries said last month they were `` cautiously optimistic '' that winger David Brooks would play again this season after an ankle injury last July robbed him of any game time so far in 2019-20 .
Summer signing Lloyd Kelly has also overcome the injuries that have disrupted his time at the club .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as winning a first league title in 30 years , there are a number of records Liverpool will be looking to break when the season resumes .
The Reds needs 19 points from the remaining 27 to beat Manchester City 's total of 100 points from 2017-18 , while they could also better City 's record title-winning margin of 19 points from the same campaign .
Then there is , of course , the Premier League 's top scorer .
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy leads the way with 19 goals but Arsenal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liverpool 's Mohamed Salah ( 16 ) , Sergio Aguero of Manchester City ( 16 ) and Southampton 's Danny Ings ( 15 ) are in contention .
Could there even be enough time for Kane ( 11 ) to mount an unlikely challenge ?

Liverpool's last Premier League game before the suspension of the season was a 2-1 win against Bournemouth
Premier League football is back - with Aston Villa's goalless draw with Sheffield United and Manchester City's victory over Arsenal kickstarting the season again.
No ball had been kicked in the top flight since 9 March after the league was suspended indefinitely because of coronavirus but the announcement came in late May that the season would resume on 17 June.
With social distancing rules in place, no fans in the stadiums and the possibility of being able to make five substitutions, it will be a very different football to the one we enjoyed before the suspension, but it will at least allow the 2019-20 campaign to be completed.
Liverpool are, of course, on the verge of winning a first top-flight title in 30 years, but how quickly could they achieve that and what else is there to look out for? BBC Sport takes a look at some of the issues still to be resolved.
What still needs sorting out at the top?
The title was tantalisingly within reach for Liverpool before the coronavirus pandemic brought a halt to the domestic football programme.
The good news for the Reds, however, is they probably will not need to wait long to finally get over the line once football returns.
With Manchester City beating Arsenal on 17 June, just two more wins will do the job for Liverpool.
That means they can seal their first top-flight title in 30 years if they beat Everton in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Sunday and then Crystal Palace at Anfield the following Wednesday.
Once the title is wrapped up, next to sort out is Champions League qualification.
As things stand, Manchester City cannot compete in Europe's premier club competition for the next two seasons after being banned for breaking Financial Fair Play rules. Pep Guardiola's side have appealed, however, and could still compete if the ban is overturned.
If the ban is upheld, whoever finishes fifth will take their place in next season's Champions League. Manchester United currently occupy that position (on 45 points), but Sheffield United (on 44) and Wolves (43) will undoubtedly have their eye on securing an unlikely place alongside Europe's elite.
Tottenham, in eighth and four points off fifth, and Arsenal, five points off, will also fancy their chances of pinching the position.
The battle at the bottom
One side-effect of the enforced lack of matches over the past three months is that teams in poor form have a chance to reset.
Aston Villa, in particular, were on a desperately poor run, with four successive defeats seeing them drop to second from bottom - although they arrested that somewhat with the draw against the Blades.
Villa are one of six sides realistically fighting against the drop, with anyone from 15th down looking over their shoulder.
Everybody has written us off already - Villa boss Smith
Norwich are bottom and six points from safety but were the only side in the bottom three to have won any of their four previous games before football's suspension.
A run of seven defeats in 10 games had seen Bournemouth drop into the bottom three but they had been struggling with injuries to several first-team players. A number of those will now be fit again, meaning the Cherries will probably have a strong squad to choose from for the run-in.
Watford had looked doomed in December but the arrival of Nigel Pearson sparked a revival with four wins from five games giving them a fighting chance. They recorded a hugely impressive 3-0 win against champions-elect Liverpool just before the Premier League was halted, so how such a long break in action will affect their momentum remains to be seen.
Look who's back
Harry Kane has scored 11 goals so far this season
The resumption of the Premier League will also be good news for those players who thought injury had put paid to their season.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho will be one of the bigger beneficiaries of that, with England striker Harry Kane likely to be back to full fitness.
Kane had surgery on a hamstring injury in January that, under normal circumstances, would have ended his involvement in 2019-20, while his Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min, recently back from South Korea after completing national service, will also be able to feature after recovering from a broken arm.
Meanwhile, an ankle injury and related issues had restricted Paul Pogba to just eight appearances this season for Manchester United, with his last back on Boxing Day, but he is expected to be fit for football's return. Reds striker Marcus Rashford, out of action since January with a back injury, is also nearing full fitness.
As mentioned, Bournemouth will be particularly boosted by the break in play as they should be able to call upon a number of first-team players who had otherwise looked out of the picture, including winger David Brooks.
What else is up for grabs?
As well as winning a first league title in 30 years, there are a number of records Liverpool will be looking to break when the season resumes.
The Reds needs 19 points from the remaining 27 to beat Manchester City's total of 100 points from 2017-18, while they could also better City's record title-winning margin of 19 points from the same campaign.
Then there is, of course, the Premier League's top scorer.
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy leads the way with 19 goals but Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (17), Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (16), Sergio Aguero of Manchester City (16) and Southampton's Danny Ings (15) are in contention.
Could there even be enough time for Kane (11) to mount an unlikely challenge?