bbc--2020-04-22--Eliud Kipchoge: The humble home life in rural Kenya behind remarkable athletic success

Growing up , running for Kipchoge was functional .
Schoolchildren in Kenya often run long distances without thinking anything about it , and he would run to school and back every day , also repeating the journey at lunch .
`` You do n't know you are running because it is a must , '' says Kipchoge .
But in 2002 at the age of 18 his life was changed forever when his now-coach Patrick Sang offered him a training plan to channel his obvious talent .
The only problem ?
He did n't have a pen .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan for 10 days down on my arm , '' Kipchoge says .
`` Then I just crammed it in my head , rushed home and got a pen and paper to write down what he had told me while it was fresh in my mind . ''
Eighteen years later , Kipchoge - now 35 and a multi-millionaire thanks to his incredible athletic success , the first person to run the marathon distance in under two hours - has unsurprisingly long since replaced the stick and arm method with a training journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same .
The life Kipchoge lives is a simple one , as free from distractions as possible .
The setting is the remote Kenyan village of Kaptagat .
The first thing that strikes you is the quiet .
It 's taken a 24-hour journey from the UK , with three plane rides and multiple taxis , to reach Kipchoge 's camp .
We 're a long way from the hustle and bustle of city life .
The bright orange dust roads that surround the camp are bumpy and rutted .
But inside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green and smooth .
A host of people mill around - at any given time up to 30 athletes live and train here - but the atmosphere is slow and tranquil .
If it were n't for the rows and rows of £200 Nike Vaporfly shoes on racks outside the two dormitories ( one for men , one for women ) you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a Buddhist retreat .
Kipchoge 's weekly routine is certainly monastic .
From Monday to Saturday every week , running is a religion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being only a short drive away in the family home , Kipchoge chooses to spend the week in a basic room in the dormitories here .
There is one nod to his celebrity status - he has his own room while everyone else shares .
But other than that life is spartan .
`` Our life here is simple , very simple , '' he says .
`` Get up in the morning , go for a run , come back .
If it is a day for cleaning , we do the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then go for lunch , massage , the 4 o'clock run , evening tea , relax , go to sleep .
As simple as that . ''
Kaptagat has performance benefits in terms of its altitude .
It is 8,000 feet above sea level .
But the back-to-basics attitude is its real secret weapon .
When Sang set it up in 2002 , it was expected to serve as a base for juniors and up-and-coming athletes - not become the permanent home for the greatest marathon runner of all time .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was established they would live outside , but then athletes said no , we want to stay , '' Valentijn Trouw - Kipchoge 's long-time manager and confidant - has said .
• Watch on BBC One on Saturday Kipchoge 's ability to lead by example in competition is obvious .
The official marathon world record-holder , and since then the first man ever to run the distance under two hours , has a CV that includes a complete set of Olympic medals : from Athens 2004 ( 5,000m bronze ) , Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 ( marathon gold ) .
He has won 11 of his 12 marathons since he switched to the road in 2013 .
But spending time in Kaptagat - and in a rare interview with his wife Grace - you get a greater sense of who Kipchoge is away from racing .
He and Grace met through her brother Amos - one of Kipchoge 's best friends .
It was his `` silent and humble '' qualities that attracted her .
`` At home he is fun and runs around the house playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict on time , '' says Grace , who also revealed that the family spend Sundays watching Formula 1 together .
`` The children know that .
And I also know that .
I always keep time .
It is very important , especially on Sundays around going to church .
It starts at nine .
But by 8.30 we leave the house .
It is a lot of time because it is only a five-minute drive . ''
Kenyan athletics has seen a number of stories of highly successful athletes celebrating perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried away by fame .
Kipchoge is adamant he will never have his head turned .
`` I do n't have extra money to actually make my mind go haywire , '' says Kipchoge .
`` I am a human being and I stay as a human being .
Money stays away .
I 'm not working with money ; money is in the bank .
I want to live a simple life . ''
Kipchoge 's idea of a weekend blowout is to go to his small farm where he keeps cows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to Eldoret town , about 25km away , pet shop owner Mike Kiplagat describes his monthly visits to buy animal feed .
`` He arrives on the back of a motorbike taxi , comes in , makes his purchase and then leaves .
He is a legend but is so humble . ''
Kipchoge says : `` Animals are good for being around , especially after training - you go to animals and you feel relaxed .
You can refresh your mind . ''
His incredible cardiovascular fitness actually has its origins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to and from school , the teenage Kipchoge used to earn money by transporting milk on a bike .
He would ride a 40km round trip from his family home to a nearby town - collecting and then selling milk from farmers .
These character-building cycling trips immediately come to mind when watching Thursday 's long run - and not just because the distance covered is the same .
It is 5.30am and still nearly pitch black .
Kipchoge and the rest of the training group make their way to the camp gates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the week .
Very few words are spoken , but as we approach the gates there is a real buzz in the air .
Despite the fact that the sun is yet to rise , a crowd of at least 50 ( and rising ) is already waiting by the road .
They are not autograph-hunters but budding local athletes , eager to catch the eye by proving they can keep pace with the greatest marathon runner of all time .
Late in 2019 I had breakfast with Kipchoge on the morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Year Awards .
He assembled an incredible plate of food - fried bread , black pudding , eggs , beans , sausage… and croissants for dipping .
`` British breakfasts are the best in the world , '' he said between mouthfuls .
This morning he is about to take on his longest run of the week having eaten nothing .
Watching the session from a minivan trailing behind , coach Sang provides insight from the front seat .
`` We have had athletes come to the long runs like this who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
At our first stop to watch the athletes fly by , one runner , in his eagerness to impress , is miles ahead of the main pack .
`` Look at this madman , '' Sang laughs .
Kipchoge 's face is stern , a picture of concentration , when he passes a minute later , as it is throughout the two-hour run .
`` He has never missed a session .
Not one , '' says Sang .
It 's an incredible statement given the two have worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistency is arguably Kipchoge 's most remarkable quality .
Marathon running is a notoriously tough sport .
Injuries are commonplace as the workload is often over 100 miles a week .
But it was actually a hamstring problem as a track athlete in 2012 that prompted Kipchoge to switch to marathon running after he failed to qualify for the London Olympics - and he has not had a major injury since .
How is that possible ?
`` Staying fit is really hard , '' says physio Peter Nduhiu .
`` But Eliud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on him .
If he feels an issue , he will come to me straight away after a run before even going back to his room and we can nip it in the bud .
This body that we have , if you treat it well it will treat you well .
If you mishandle it , then it will misbehave . ''
By the time the athletes return to the camp , the group of around 100 that started the run has been whittled down to five .
Kipchoge , predictably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afterwards .
As we walk back to the camp , our conversation again turns to bikes .
After becoming the first man in history to run under two hours in Vienna last October , Kipchoge was given a road bike by Ineos , financial backers behind the sub two-hour marathon event .
Since then he has been riding it around the countryside surrounding Eldoret at the weekends .
Typically for Kipchoge , he 's taking it quite seriously .
He tells me he has a 300km ride lined up for later in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought , that will be OK , right ? ''
he says .
Even for Kipchoge , and his catchphrase 'No human is limited ' , I suggest 100km/h on the dirt roads of Eldoret might be a stretch .
`` Maybe four then , '' he concedes .
Kipchoge 's `` moon-landing '' moment in becoming the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours is not a world record because , among other things , he used pacemakers who swapped in and out during the event .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1:59 in Vienna , Kipchoge said to Nduhiu : `` Now , the next thing .
Make it official . ''
Nduhiu has a take on Kipchoge 's ability to set , and achieve , goals .
`` I think he has left his world limitless so he can settle his mind on anything and go for it , '' he says .
`` For as long as he remains healthy and as strong-minded as he is , he will take on anything .
Anything .
It would n't be out of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a normal course .
He has everything it takes to deliver it . ''
Kipchoge has not gone public with his desire to produce a sub-two hour marathon in regular race conditions , but there were rumours he was planning to attempt it at the London Marathon , scheduled to have taken place this coming Sunday but postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Coronavirus has also put paid , for now , to the Olympic Games in Tokyo where Kipchoge was due to defend his title .
Wife Grace hinted during our conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swansong .
However he has said in the wake of the Olympics ' postponement that he will defend his title in Japan in 2021 instead .
He will be 36 .
A second Olympic gold would send the already world-famous Kipchoge on to another level .
But it 's unlikely to change him - or his pursuit of a low-key life at his high-altitude training base .
`` Vienna felt like a career climax for me - it was a feeling like no other , '' Nduhiu says .
`` If it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record , there would have been a carnival .
But what did Eliud do ?
He came back to camp , had a cup of tea with the team and just started again .
`` People were mad - they asked how can he do that ?
Who does that ?
But Eliud is quiet - that is it .
You will not disrupt his schedule .
He will not allow you to . ''
The 18-year-old who wrote that first training schedule down with a stick has become one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the goals remain simple - and humble .
`` The most important thing to me is inspiration , not fame , '' Kipchoge says .
`` It is not about becoming famous but diffusing that inspiration to every human being .
My happiness is meeting people and they say to me : 'No human is limited . '
`` That makes me so happy . ''

Kipchoge can be joined by 50 or more other athletes on weekly long runs
In the lush green gardens of Eliud Kipchoge's training retreat in the Kenyan highlands, the greatest distance runner of all time is describing the dusty beginnings to his sparkling career.
Growing up, running for Kipchoge was functional. Schoolchildren in Kenya often run long distances without thinking anything about it, and he would run to school and back every day, also repeating the journey at lunch.
"You don't know you are running because it is a must," says Kipchoge.
But in 2002 at the age of 18 his life was changed forever when his now-coach Patrick Sang offered him a training plan to channel his obvious talent. The only problem? He didn't have a pen.
"I just got a stick and wrote the plan for 10 days down on my arm," Kipchoge says. "Then I just crammed it in my head, rushed home and got a pen and paper to write down what he had told me while it was fresh in my mind."
Eighteen years later, Kipchoge - now 35 and a multi-millionaire thanks to his incredible athletic success, the first person to run the marathon distance in under two hours - has unsurprisingly long since replaced the stick and arm method with a training journal.
But many things have remained the same. The life Kipchoge lives is a simple one, as free from distractions as possible. The setting is the remote Kenyan village of Kaptagat.
The first thing that strikes you is the quiet.
It's taken a 24-hour journey from the UK, with three plane rides and multiple taxis, to reach Kipchoge's camp. We're a long way from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The bright orange dust roads that surround the camp are bumpy and rutted. But inside the gates, the grass is lush, green and smooth. A host of people mill around - at any given time up to 30 athletes live and train here - but the atmosphere is slow and tranquil.
If it weren't for the rows and rows of £200 Nike Vaporfly shoes on racks outside the two dormitories (one for men, one for women) you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a Buddhist retreat.
Kipchoge's weekly routine is certainly monastic. From Monday to Saturday every week, running is a religion. Despite his wife and three children being only a short drive away in the family home, Kipchoge chooses to spend the week in a basic room in the dormitories here. There is one nod to his celebrity status - he has his own room while everyone else shares. But other than that life is spartan.
"Our life here is simple, very simple," he says. "Get up in the morning, go for a run, come back. If it is a day for cleaning, we do the cleaning, or we just relax. Then go for lunch, massage, the 4 o'clock run, evening tea, relax, go to sleep. As simple as that."
Running trainers lie next to brooms and mops outside the front door to the main building
Kaptagat has performance benefits in terms of its altitude. It is 8,000 feet above sea level. But the back-to-basics attitude is its real secret weapon.
When Sang set it up in 2002, it was expected to serve as a base for juniors and up-and-coming athletes - not become the permanent home for the greatest marathon runner of all time.
"It was in our mind that when somebody was established they would live outside, but then athletes said no, we want to stay," Valentijn Trouw - Kipchoge's long-time manager and confidant - has said.
A week's stay at camp Kipchoge is formulaic. The training diary is set in stone - two sessions a day, the most of important of which come on Tuesdays (track), Thursdays (long run) and Saturdays (interval training). The second session of the day is the afternoon 10km run. It is known as a recovery run. It certainly didn't feel that way to me when I was invited along one afternoon.
A camp cook prepares the daily meals, which have a similarly rigid structure. Dinner, for example, is always at 7.30pm. And it always features ugali, the ubiquitous Kenyan maize flour porridge dish. The kitchen is tiny and basic, one stove with two hobs. There is meat slow-cooking in a battered pot when I put my head around the door. Adjacent is an equally basic dining room which has a bedraggled poster on the walls with the quote: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
Watch on BBC One on Saturday - Eliud Kipchoge: My Sub-Two Hour Marathon
It feels like a low-budget hostel. But as Geoffrey Kamworor, the half-marathon world record-holder who lives and trains alongside Kipchoge, explains, its minimalism is its allure.
"I think being in the camp is something good for us," he says. "We are away from our families so that brings one focus. It is only running.
"We value running as like our office. It's something we have to take care of, work for, have passion for and respect for."
That respect extends to the camp at large. They have a president, voted for by the 30 residents, and elect subcommittees to make key community decisions. "I don't think he has actually," is coach Sang's jovial response when asked whether Kipchoge has ever served as president.
Regardless, for everybody here, Kipchoge is the undisputed "boss man", even if he winces when asked about the nickname.
"They call me it but I always discourage them," he says. "When you become a boss, you don't think straight. It's better to be a leader than a boss. That is why I do my share of the cleaning. That is how to show the way to young people. I am trusting that I am leading them in a good way."
Kipchoge has three Olympic medals to his name - but failed to qualify for London 2012
Kipchoge's ability to lead by example in competition is obvious.
The official marathon world record-holder, and since then the first man ever to run the distance under two hours, has a CV that includes a complete set of Olympic medals: from Athens 2004 (5,000m bronze), Beijing 2008 (5,000m silver) and Rio 2016 (marathon gold). He has won 11 of his 12 marathons since he switched to the road in 2013.
But spending time in Kaptagat - and in a rare interview with his wife Grace - you get a greater sense of who Kipchoge is away from racing.
He and Grace met through her brother Amos - one of Kipchoge's best friends. It was his "silent and humble" qualities that attracted her.
"At home he is fun and runs around the house playing with the children but he is always strict on time," says Grace, who also revealed that the family spend Sundays watching Formula 1 together.
"The children know that. And I also know that. I always keep time. It is very important, especially on Sundays around going to church. It starts at nine. But by 8.30 we leave the house. It is a lot of time because it is only a five-minute drive."
'I want to live a simple life,' Kipchoge says
Kenyan athletics has seen a number of stories of highly successful athletes celebrating perhaps a little too much, or getting carried away by fame. Kipchoge is adamant he will never have his head turned.
"I don't have extra money to actually make my mind go haywire," says Kipchoge. "I am a human being and I stay as a human being. Money stays away. I'm not working with money; money is in the bank. I want to live a simple life."
Kipchoge's idea of a weekend blowout is to go to his small farm where he keeps cows, sheep and chickens. On a visit to Eldoret town, about 25km away, pet shop owner Mike Kiplagat describes his monthly visits to buy animal feed. "He arrives on the back of a motorbike taxi, comes in, makes his purchase and then leaves. He is a legend but is so humble."
Kipchoge says: "Animals are good for being around, especially after training - you go to animals and you feel relaxed. You can refresh your mind."
His incredible cardiovascular fitness actually has its origins in farming. As well as running to and from school, the teenage Kipchoge used to earn money by transporting milk on a bike. He would ride a 40km round trip from his family home to a nearby town - collecting and then selling milk from farmers.
These character-building cycling trips immediately come to mind when watching Thursday's long run - and not just because the distance covered is the same.
Kipchoge and other runners gather early for their longest run of the week
It is 5.30am and still nearly pitch black. Kipchoge and the rest of the training group make their way to the camp gates to assemble for the most testing run of the week. Very few words are spoken, but as we approach the gates there is a real buzz in the air.
Despite the fact that the sun is yet to rise, a crowd of at least 50 (and rising) is already waiting by the road. They are not autograph-hunters but budding local athletes, eager to catch the eye by proving they can keep pace with the greatest marathon runner of all time.
Late in 2019 I had breakfast with Kipchoge on the morning of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. He assembled an incredible plate of food - fried bread, black pudding, eggs, beans, sausage… and croissants for dipping.
"British breakfasts are the best in the world," he said between mouthfuls.
This morning he is about to take on his longest run of the week having eaten nothing. Watching the session from a minivan trailing behind, coach Sang provides insight from the front seat. "We have had athletes come to the long runs like this who have then been invited to the camp," he says.
At our first stop to watch the athletes fly by, one runner, in his eagerness to impress, is miles ahead of the main pack. "Look at this madman," Sang laughs.
Kipchoge's face is stern, a picture of concentration, when he passes a minute later, as it is throughout the two-hour run. "He has never missed a session. Not one," says Sang. It's an incredible statement given the two have worked together for nearly 20 years.
That consistency is arguably Kipchoge's most remarkable quality. Marathon running is a notoriously tough sport. Injuries are commonplace as the workload is often over 100 miles a week. But it was actually a hamstring problem as a track athlete in 2012 that prompted Kipchoge to switch to marathon running after he failed to qualify for the London Olympics - and he has not had a major injury since. How is that possible?
"Staying fit is really hard," says physio Peter Nduhiu. "But Eliud makes it easy for me to work on him. If he feels an issue, he will come to me straight away after a run before even going back to his room and we can nip it in the bud. This body that we have, if you treat it well it will treat you well. If you mishandle it, then it will misbehave."
By the time the athletes return to the camp, the group of around 100 that started the run has been whittled down to five.
Kipchoge, predictably, leads the handful - and the handshakes afterwards. As we walk back to the camp, our conversation again turns to bikes.
After becoming the first man in history to run under two hours in Vienna last October, Kipchoge was given a road bike by Ineos, financial backers behind the sub two-hour marathon event. Since then he has been riding it around the countryside surrounding Eldoret at the weekends.
Typically for Kipchoge, he's taking it quite seriously. He tells me he has a 300km ride lined up for later in the year. "Under three hours I thought, that will be OK, right?" he says.
Even for Kipchoge, and his catchphrase 'No human is limited', I suggest 100km/h on the dirt roads of Eldoret might be a stretch. "Maybe four then," he concedes.
Kipchoge has said he will defend his Olympic title next year
Kipchoge's "moon-landing" moment in becoming the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours is not a world record because, among other things, he used pacemakers who swapped in and out during the event.
On the treatment table the day after running 1:59 in Vienna, Kipchoge said to Nduhiu: "Now, the next thing. Make it official."
Nduhiu has a take on Kipchoge's ability to set, and achieve, goals. "I think he has left his world limitless so he can settle his mind on anything and go for it," he says.
"For as long as he remains healthy and as strong-minded as he is, he will take on anything. Anything. It wouldn't be out of this world for him to run 1:59 on a normal course. He has everything it takes to deliver it."
Kipchoge has not gone public with his desire to produce a sub-two hour marathon in regular race conditions, but there were rumours he was planning to attempt it at the London Marathon, scheduled to have taken place this coming Sunday but postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus has also put paid, for now, to the Olympic Games in Tokyo where Kipchoge was due to defend his title.
Wife Grace hinted during our conversation that 2020 might have been Kipchoge's swansong. However he has said in the wake of the Olympics' postponement that he will defend his title in Japan in 2021 instead. He will be 36.
A second Olympic gold would send the already world-famous Kipchoge on to another level. But it's unlikely to change him - or his pursuit of a low-key life at his high-altitude training base.
"Vienna felt like a career climax for me - it was a feeling like no other," Nduhiu says. "If it was any other guy to break the two-hour record, there would have been a carnival. But what did Eliud do? He came back to camp, had a cup of tea with the team and just started again.
"People were mad - they asked how can he do that? Who does that? But Eliud is quiet - that is it. You will not disrupt his schedule. He will not allow you to."
The 18-year-old who wrote that first training schedule down with a stick has become one of the most famous athletes on the planet. But the goals remain simple - and humble.
"The most important thing to me is inspiration, not fame," Kipchoge says.
"It is not about becoming famous but diffusing that inspiration to every human being. My happiness is meeting people and they say to me: 'No human is limited.'
"That makes me so happy."


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: Congress passes $484bn economic relief bill

The US House of Representatives has passed a new Covid-19 relief package totalling $ 484bn ( £391bn ) , the fourth aid bill to clear Congress in response to the pandemic .
The legislation , approved by 388-5 , devotes more money to a small business aid fund , hospitals and wider testing .
President Donald Trump has already said he will enact the bill , which passed the Senate unanimously on Tuesday .
The US has over 845,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 46,800 deaths .
Last month , Washington enacted the largest economic stimulus package in US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus aid .
The additional funding for the small business programme follows Thursday 's unemployment report , which revealed over 26 million Americans filed for jobless claims in the last five weeks - and 4.4 million last week alone .
Lawmakers have given $ 310bn in new funds to the Paycheck Protection Program , which offers loans to small businesses so they can keep employees on the payroll .
• 'What I fear the most is not being able to survive' • The new house rules of my life under lockdown The $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ran out last week , leaving millions of business owners questioning how they could keep operating .
The White House initially requested lawmakers separately allot $ 250bn for the pay programme , but Democrats argued for stipulations to ensure the money reached underserved communities .
Democrats also said funds should be allocated for hospitals and testing .
Hospitals will now receive $ 75bn , and $ 25bn will go towards expanding Covid-19 testing - which experts have emphasised is a key step to re-opening the economy .
Today 's vote took place with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their offices for the vote , came to the floor in small groups and the chamber was cleaned between group votes .
Ohio Republican Jim Jordan angered some Democrats for appearing on the House floor - and reportedly coughing - without a face covering .
• Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren revealed her eldest brother had died from Covid-19 ; her colleague , Congresswoman Maxine Waters , said her sister was dying of the disease and dedicated the relief bill to her • US media report the next planned stimulus bill could top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cuomo said preliminary data suggests many more people than previously believed were infected with Covid-19 , as antibody tests showed over 21 % of 1,300 tested had the virus • The latest unemployment figures showed 4.4 million more Americans filed for jobless insurance in the last week • President Trump and Democrats are keen on passing another relief bill for states and cities not included in Thursday 's package • Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell has drawn bipartisan criticism for saying he would support states declaring bankruptcy rather than having the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to aid them • New guidance from the US Treasury has made it harder for large companies to obtain funding meant for small businesses - and there are now penalty threats for firms who have not yet returned this money • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California kept ahead of the curve • ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis

The economic ravages of the pandemic were brought into sharp focus on Thursday by official unemployment figures that showed over 26 million Americans have filed for jobless claims in the last five weeks - and 4.4 million last week alone.


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: 'I can't wash my hands - my water was cut off'

Unlike in many European countries where it is illegal , US households have the water connection turned off for non-payment of bills .
That has left many Americans without water at a time when they are being told that one of the most important things they can do is wash their hands .
`` I have been without water for about six months now , '' says Akiva Durr .
A mother of two girls , she lives in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods not just of Detroit , but of the entire country .
`` This time has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make my own sanitiser , '' says Akiva , adding that she has been using aloe vera gel and alcohol as a makeshift way to try to protect her children from the virus .
Before the pandemic , Akiva was collecting water from neighbours and friends to bathe her children .
`` I 'd give them a bath every other day , or do a sponge bath to save water , '' she tells me .
`` It 's depressing . ''
Now even visiting neighbours has become difficult , and that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made much more difficult during this time for those without water .
`` Most people whose water is turned off look just like you and I , '' says Reverend Roslyn Bouier .
`` They ( usually ) go to work every day and their kids go to school , '' she says .
`` That means they could use toilets away from home , find ways to drink water , or be able to wash their hands . ''
`` Now because of 'shelter in place ' , people are confined to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't use the restroom while they are out and about , they have to throw their waste in the garbage . ''
Reverend Bouier is director of the Brightmoor Connection Food Pantry in Detroit .
It distributes food to those in need , but in recent years has become heavily focused on getting water to households that have been disconnected .
• Killed by a virus he thought had been overhyped • Why US could be more at risk from coronavirus • Why are African Americans hit so hard by virus ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with 15 millions American households estimated to face shut-offs annually , Detroit has received attention because of the large numbers of disconnections there .
Even though it is a city with high levels of poverty and unemployment , it has comparatively high water rates .
`` The highest proportion of shut-offs is among black women .
Women of colour with babies , '' says Reverend Bouier , explaining the massive impact that has not just on the health but on the dignity of those affected .
`` I have a client whose water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and children with her , a total of 11 people in the home , and the water 's off .
`` She called me to say that her daughter had all the [ coronavirus ] symptoms so she could n't come to collect water but she did n't want me to drop off water because she was embarrassed that the smell coming from her house was so bad . ''
Reverend Bouier says Detroit is seeing the highest number of coronavirus cases in areas in which there are the most households with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she and her volunteers have been hard at work at the food pantry loading up cars with water for those who still have their water disconnected .
That is several weeks after the City of Detroit promised to reconnect everyone 's water during the Covid19 crisis .
• The daunting reality of getting US back to normal • Things the US has got wrong - and got right The head of the city 's Department of Water , Gary Brown , says they have identified thousands of households that need the water @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Detroit has an opportunity not to see an interruption in supply , but they have to ask for help and be a willing participant , '' he says , saying the city has been trying to encourage people to come forward if they are among those affected .
Asked about the ethics of turning off someone 's water in the first place , something the UN considers a basic human right , Mr Brown says that at least no one in his city is being evicted over non-payment .
`` Unlike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to lose their home because they are behind in their water bill , '' he says .
`` Ninety-two per cent of people here are paying their bills on time .
I 'm not saying that 8 % is n't a big number , it 's somewhere between 18 and 20 thousand people that are struggling . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California kept ahead of the curve • ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may come out of this crisis Many cities across the United States have made no commitment at all to reconnect the water to households during this crisis .
Some water departments have not even promised to stop new disconnections for non-payment .
This all leaves many of the poorest Americans without water , unable to follow the principal public health message in this crisis and potentially at the mercy of the virus .
Detroit 's water department has now promised to reconnect Akiva 's water , though for now she has resorted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a friend .

"Every person in the city of Detroit has an opportunity not to see an interruption in supply, but they have to ask for help and be a willing participant," he says, saying the city has been trying to encourage people to come forward if they are among those affected.


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: First patients injected in UK vaccine trial

The first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine has begun in Oxford .
Two volunteers were injected , the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study .
Half will receive the Covid-19 vaccine , and half a control vaccine which protects against meningitis but not coronavirus .
The design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting , though doctors will .
Elisa Granato , one of the two who received the jab , told the BBC : `` I 'm a scientist , so I wanted to try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The vaccine was developed in under three months by a team at Oxford University .
Sarah Gilbert , professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute , led the pre-clinical research .
`` Personally I have a high degree of confidence in this vaccine , '' she said .
`` Of course , we have to test it and get data from humans .
We have to demonstrate it actually works and stops people getting infected with coronavirus before using the vaccine in the wider population . ''
Prof Gilbert previously said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the vaccine would work , but now prefers not to put a figure on it , saying simply she is `` very optimistic '' about its chances .
So how does the vaccine work ?
The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus ( known as an adenovirus ) from chimpanzees that has been modified so it can not grow in humans .
The Oxford team has already developed a vaccine against Mers , another type of coronavirus , using the same approach - and that had promising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they know if it works ?
The only way the team will know if the Covid-19 vaccine works is by comparing the number of people who get infected with coronavirus in the months ahead from the two arms of the trial .
That could be a problem if cases fall rapidly in the UK , because there may not be enough data .
Prof Andrew Pollard , director of the Oxford Vaccine Group , who is leading the trial , said : `` We 're chasing the end of this current epidemic wave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we wo n't be able to tell whether the vaccine works in the next few months .
But we do expect that there will be more cases in the future because this virus has n't gone away . ''
The vaccine researchers are prioritising the recruitment of local healthcare workers into the trial as they are more likely than others to be exposed to the virus .
A larger trial , of about 5,000 volunteers , will start in the coming months and will have no age limit .
• A SIMPLE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • WHAT WE DO N'T KNOW How to understand the death toll • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Older people tend to have weaker immune responses to vaccines .
Researchers are evaluating whether they might need two doses of the jab .
The Oxford team is also considering a vaccine trial in Africa , possibly in Kenya , where the rates of transmission are growing from a lower base .
If the numbers could be a problem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
That would be a quick and certain way to find out if the vaccine was effective , but it would be ethically questionable because there are no proven treatments for Covid-19 .
But that might be possible in the future .
Prof Pollard said : `` If we reach the point where we had some treatments for the disease and we could guarantee the safety of volunteers , that would be a very good way of testing a vaccine . ''
The trial volunteers will be carefully monitored in the coming months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may get a sore arm , headaches or fevers in the first couple of days after vaccination .
They are also told there is a theoretical risk that the virus could induce a serious reaction to coronavirus , which arose in some early Sars animal vaccine studies .
But the Oxford team says its data suggests the risk of the vaccine producing an enhanced disease is minimal .
Scientists there hope to have one million doses ready by September , and to dramatically scale up manufacturing after that , should the vaccine prove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first ?
Prof Gilbert says that has not been decided yet : `` It 's not really our role to dictate what will happen , we just have to try to get a vaccine that works and have enough of it and then it will be for others to decide . ''
Prof Pollard added : `` We 've got to ensure we have enough doses to provide for those in greatest need , not just in the UK but also in developing countries . ''
Another team at Imperial College London hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine in June .
The Oxford and Imperial teams have received more than £40m of government funding .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has praised both teams and said the UK will `` throw everything we 've got '' at developing a vaccine .
UK chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty has said neither a vaccine , nor a drug to treat Covid-19 , is likely to be available within the next year .

Coronavirus: First patients injected in UK vaccine trial Published 23 April 2020
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This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Elisa Granato was the first volunteer to be injected
The first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine has begun in Oxford.
Two volunteers were injected, the first of more than 800 people recruited for the study.
Half will receive the Covid-19 vaccine, and half a control vaccine which protects against meningitis but not coronavirus.
The design of the trial means volunteers will not know which vaccine they are getting, though doctors will.
Elisa Granato, one of the two who received the jab, told the BBC: "I'm a scientist, so I wanted to try to support the scientific process wherever I can."
The vaccine was developed in under three months by a team at Oxford University. Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute, led the pre-clinical research.
"Personally I have a high degree of confidence in this vaccine," she said.
"Of course, we have to test it and get data from humans. We have to demonstrate it actually works and stops people getting infected with coronavirus before using the vaccine in the wider population."
Prof Gilbert previously said she was "80% confident" the vaccine would work, but now prefers not to put a figure on it, saying simply she is "very optimistic" about its chances.
So how does the vaccine work?
The vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold virus (known as an adenovirus) from chimpanzees that has been modified so it cannot grow in humans.
The Oxford team has already developed a vaccine against Mers, another type of coronavirus, using the same approach - and that had promising results in clinical trials.
Image caption, Fergus holding a vial of the vaccine developed by the Oxford team
How will they know if it works?
The only way the team will know if the Covid-19 vaccine works is by comparing the number of people who get infected with coronavirus in the months ahead from the two arms of the trial.
That could be a problem if cases fall rapidly in the UK, because there may not be enough data.
Prof Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, who is leading the trial, said: "We're chasing the end of this current epidemic wave. If we don't catch that, we won't be able to tell whether the vaccine works in the next few months. But we do expect that there will be more cases in the future because this virus hasn't gone away."
The vaccine researchers are prioritising the recruitment of local healthcare workers into the trial as they are more likely than others to be exposed to the virus.
A larger trial, of about 5,000 volunteers, will start in the coming months and will have no age limit.
Older people tend to have weaker immune responses to vaccines. Researchers are evaluating whether they might need two doses of the jab.
The Oxford team is also working with researchers in Kenya about a possible vaccine trial there, where the rates of transmission are growing from a lower base.
If the numbers could be a problem, why not deliberately infect volunteers with coronavirus?
That would be a quick and certain way to find out if the vaccine was effective, but it would be ethically questionable because there are no proven treatments for Covid-19.
But that might be possible in the future. Prof Pollard said: "If we reach the point where we had some treatments for the disease and we could guarantee the safety of volunteers, that would be a very good way of testing a vaccine."
Is it safe?
The trial volunteers will be carefully monitored in the coming months. They have been told that some may get a sore arm, headaches or fevers in the first couple of days after vaccination.
They are also told there is a theoretical risk that the virus could induce a serious reaction to coronavirus, which arose in some early Sars animal vaccine studies.
Image source, Sean Elias - Oxford Vaccine trial Image caption, Work began on a vaccine in January
But the Oxford team says its data suggests the risk of the vaccine producing an enhanced disease is minimal, and data from animal studies has been positive.
Scientists there hope to have one million doses ready by September, and to dramatically scale up manufacturing after that, should the vaccine prove effective.
So who would get it first?
Prof Gilbert says that has not been decided yet: "It's not really our role to dictate what will happen, we just have to try to get a vaccine that works and have enough of it and then it will be for others to decide."
Prof Pollard added: "We've got to ensure we have enough doses to provide for those in greatest need, not just in the UK but also in developing countries."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Coronavirus vaccine: How close are you to getting one?
Another team at Imperial College London hopes to begin human trials of its coronavirus vaccine in June.
The Oxford and Imperial teams have received more than £40m of government funding.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has praised both teams and said the UK will "throw everything we've got" at developing a vaccine.
UK chief medical adviser Prof Chris Whitty has said neither a vaccine, nor a drug to treat Covid-19, is likely to be available within the next year.


bbc--2020-04-23--US announces millions in aid for resource-rich Greenland

The US has announced a $ 12.1m ( £10m ) aid package for mineral-rich Greenland - a move welcomed by the Danish territory 's government .
This year the US will also open a consulate in the vast Arctic territory , whose population is just 56,000 .
Last August President Donald Trump expressed an interest in buying Greenland - an idea dismissed by Denmark as `` absurd '' .
The US is competing with Russia and China for Arctic resources .
Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory heavily reliant on fishing and Danish government subsidies .
Most of its people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaining strategic importance due to thawing Arctic ice opening up new sea routes and mineral deposits .
The US has an important military base there , at Thule , crucial for missile early warning and space surveillance .
A senior US state department official said the aid package would help Greenland 's economic development , notably natural resources and education .
The Associated Press reports that a big part of it will be US specialist consultancy work .
`` This good news confirms that our work on building a constructive relationship with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Premier Kim Kielsen said .
• As the ice melts , Greenland considers its future • Trump lashes out at 'nasty ' Denmark over Greenland The US official in Washington said the aid was not `` designed to pave the way to purchase Greenland '' .
The official , quoted by AFP news agency , said `` we also have concerns about Russia 's military build-up in the Arctic - its presence has grown dramatically in recent years '' .
Minerals including uranium , zinc and gold are being mined in Greenland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harsh climate and vast ice sheet make mining difficult and expensive .
The US ambassador in Copenhagen , Carla Sands , has spoken of Washington being Denmark 's `` preferred partner '' in the Arctic - a comment that drew sharp criticism from some Danish politicians .
There was more criticism from Danish politicians after Thursday 's aid announcement too .
`` They have clearly crossed the line , '' said Karsten Honge of the Socialist People 's Party - a government ally - in a Reuters interview .
`` It 's completely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create division between Greenland and Denmark this way . ''
Mr Honge is on the Danish parliament 's foreign affairs committee .
Soeren Espersen of the nationalist Danish People 's Party said the US aid package was like `` something you say about third-world countries ... but Greenland is not a developing country .
It is a Western democracy .
I think it 's reprehensible . ''

Soeren Espersen of the nationalist Danish People's Party said the US aid package was like "something you say about third-world countries... but Greenland is not a developing country. It is a Western democracy. I think it's reprehensible."


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: Tokyo hospitals trying to stay ahead

Until recently , Japan had been one of the success stories in controlling the spread of Covid-19 .
In February @ @ @ @ @ in suppressing early cluster outbreaks , and in keeping total infections in the hundreds .
@ @ @ @ @ appears to have a developing epidemic with more than 3,500 cases confirmed .
Countrywide there @ @ @ @ @ cases .
Doctors in Tokyo say a state of emergency , declared two weeks ago @ @ @ @ @ spread of the virus enough to stop new cases overwhelming the hospital system .
Rupert @ @ @ @ @ Tokyo team have been inside one hospital just south of the capital , which has @ @ @ @ @ in just 10 days , to try to deal with the overflow .

Until recently, Japan had been one of the success stories in controlling the spread of Covid-19.
In February and March, Japan succeeded in suppressing early cluster outbreaks, and in keeping total infections in the hundreds.
But now the capital Tokyo appears to have a developing epidemic with more than 3,500 cases confirmed. Countrywide there are now more than 12,000 cases.
Doctors in Tokyo say a state of emergency, declared two weeks ago, is not slowing the spread of the virus enough to stop new cases overwhelming the hospital system.
Rupert Wingfield-Hayes and the BBC's Tokyo team have been inside one hospital just south of the capital, which has built a makeshift Covid-19 unit in just 10 days, to try to deal with the overflow.


bbc--2020-04-24--'Ousted' US vaccine expert Rick Bright to file whistleblower complaint

A vaccine expert who says he lost his job because he disagreed with Donald Trump 's claims about treatments for Covid-19 is to file a whistleblower complaint , his lawyers say .
Dr Rick Bright led the US government agency trying to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus .
He says he was ousted for questioning the potential of hydroxychloroquine , an anti-malaria drug touted by Mr Trump .
President Trump said he had `` never heard '' of Dr Bright .
The president has previously mentioned the use of hydroxychloroquine and the related drug chloroquine as a possible `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many experts have cautioned that hydroxychloroquine could be ineffective , or even dangerous .
`` In our filing we will make clear that Dr Bright was sidelined for one reason only - because he resisted efforts to provide unfettered access to potentially dangerous drugs , including chloroquine , a drug promoted by the administration as a panacea , but which is untested and possibly deadly when used improperly , '' a statement from the doctor 's lawyers said .
But Politico reports that in internal emails Dr Bright praised the health department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of doses of those drugs .
`` If Bright opposed hydroxychloroquine , he certainly did n't make that clear from his email - quite the opposite , '' an unnamed official told Politico .
• Chloroquine : Is there evidence it works ?
• The unproven 'corona drug ' US is threatening India for • Why is Trump so keen on malaria drug to treat coronavirus ?
Under US law , a whistleblower complaint can be filed if a person believes their employer retaliated against them for exercising their rights as an employee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the US health department said Dr Bright had been removed as director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority ( Barda ) and reassigned to a different role at the National Institutes of Health .
The following day , Dr Bright released a statement saying that he was replaced because he resisted `` misguided directives '' to promote hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as treatments for Covid-19 .
`` While I am prepared to look at all options and to think 'outside the box ' for effective treatments , I rightly resisted efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the American public , '' Dr Bright said .
Asked about the row during the daily coronavirus briefing on Wednesday , President Trump responded : `` I 've never heard of him . ''
On Dr Bright 's claim that he was driven out , Mr Trump added : `` A guy says he was pushed out of a job .
Maybe he was , maybe he was n't .
You 'd have to hear the other side . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

"In our filing we will make clear that Dr Bright was sidelined for one reason only - because he resisted efforts to provide unfettered access to potentially dangerous drugs, including chloroquine, a drug promoted by the administration as a panacea, but which is untested and possibly deadly when used improperly," a statement from the doctor's lawyers said.


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: Lockdown's heavy toll on Italy's mental health

Italy ’ s coronavirus death toll is the second highest in the world , and its lockdown is the strictest @ @ @ @ @ Doctors say both things are creating a mental health emergency .
The BBC has been @ @ @ @ @ support centre run by the Red Cross , where staff say they ’ re overwhelmed @ @ @ @ @ .
Psychologists are warning that Italy is not equipped to deal with the crisis , @ @ @ @ @ Europe must prepare .
If you 've been affected by a mental health issue , @ @ @ @ @ .
Visit Befrienders International for more information about support services in your country , or @ @ @ @ @ by the BBC ’ s Europe Correspondent Jean Mackenzie , produced by Sara Monetta , @ @ @ @ @ Smythe .

Italy’s coronavirus death toll is the second highest in the world, and its lockdown is the strictest and longest in Europe.
Doctors say both things are creating a mental health emergency.
The BBC has been given access to a psychological support centre run by the Red Cross, where staff say they’re overwhelmed by calls from people struggling.
Psychologists are warning that Italy is not equipped to deal with the crisis, and that the rest of Europe must prepare.
If you've been affected by a mental health issue, help and support is available. Visit Befrienders International for more information about support services in your country, or visit BBC Action Line
Film by the BBC’s Europe Correspondent Jean Mackenzie, produced by Sara Monetta, filmed and edited by Andy Smythe.


bbc--2020-04-24--Severe storms and tornadoes kill seven in Texas and Oklahoma

At least seven people have been killed and dozens injured due to severe weather in southern Oklahoma , Texas and Louisiana .
On Wednesday and early Thursday , severe thunderstorms , flooding and tornadoes were reported in the region .
Five people were killed in `` extremely dangerous '' twisters in Oklahoma and Texas .
In Louisiana , one person died in a storm and another in floodwaters .
Millions of people remain in the path of possible severe weather on Thursday .
More than 100,000 homes across the US south were without power as of Thursday afternoon .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` extremely dangerous tornado '' that hit the city of Onalaska and other parts of Polk and San Jacinto counties in Texas formed around 18:00 local time ( 23:00 GMT ) .
Onalaska is some 90 miles ( 144km ) north of the city of Houston .
The tornado killed three and injured up to 30 , local media report , and caused significant damage to homes and businesses and other infrastructure .
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the state 's emergency management agencies are working with local officials to provide assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predict storms ?
• Why tornado chasers are facing a storm over safety A `` large and dangerous '' tornado also struck Marshall County in southern Oklahoma at around 16:30 , according to the NWS .
The county 's emergency management chief Robert Chaney told CBS News one person 's body was found a quarter-mile ( 0.4km ) away from a factory near the town of Madill .
Employees were leaving just as the twister hit , he said .
Other tornadoes were also reported throughout the evening in the region , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Louisiana , one woman was killed in Rapides Parish in a severe storm , according to local authorities .
The severe weather in the region damaged homes , uprooted trees and downed power lines .
In DeSoto Parish , one man reportedly drowned after accidentally falling into floodwaters .
Officials had to rescue others in their homes .
DeSoto Parish Sheriff Jayson Richardson told the Shreveport Times there was `` extreme flooding '' in the city of Mansfield .
`` Water like I 've not seen in many , many years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I think we had about 20 or so homes that people were flooded in . ''
Tornadoes were also reported in Mississippi .
The NWS forecast for Thursday says a storm system that could cause `` widespread regions of heavy rains , flash flooding and severe thunderstorms '' is moving across the south-eastern part of the country .
Parts of the South are under tornado warnings as of Thursday morning .
Earlier this month , tornados and flooding killed 26 people in the same region .
These storms bring the 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest annual total so far since 2011 , according to the Washington Post .
As many as 60 tornadoes ripped through Louisiana , Texas and Mississippi on 12 April , while severe storms also hit parts of Alabama , Georgia and the Carolinas .

"Water like I've not seen in many, many years, if ever," he said. "I think we had about 20 or so homes that people were flooded in."


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: Huge economic rescue plan agreed by EU leaders

A plan for injecting billions of euros of emergency aid into Europe 's battered economies has been agreed by EU heads .
Meeting via video , they agreed to set up a massive recovery fund , closely tied to the bloc 's seven-year budget .
They also confirmed that €540bn ( £470bn ) of financial support would be released through existing mechanisms from 1 June .
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the fund would mobilise €1 trillion of investment .
There has been bitter argument over how to fund the much-needed aid .
But Italy 's Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' had been made on Thursday .
Italy - which has had the deadliest outbreak in Europe to date - had urged its EU partners , especially the richer countries of northern Europe , to show more solidarity .
Very aware of the negative headlines of late , depicting EU leader v EU leader - the rich and frugal North v the suffering , spendthrift South - there was a determination at Thursday 's summit to avoid the verbal fisticuffs .
There was no walkout by Angry Italy .
No fuming about Eurobonds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed off , as expected , on a pre-agreed €500bn euro emergency financial package and on guidelines for lifting Covid-19 restrictions .
Heated discussion about a recovery plan for European economies after the health crisis was left for another day .
The buck passed to the European Commission , which now has the unenviable task of conjuring up a proposal acceptable to divided EU opinion .
Today at least , EU leaders were keen to present a united front .
Their underlying intended message : `` Yes , we argue but EU solidarity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the end . ''
Leaders also agreed to follow guidance from the EU Commission - the organisation 's executive arm - on easing their respective lockdowns once the spread of the virus had reduced for a `` significant period '' .
Details of how the longer term recovery plan will be funded will be discussed at another videoconference on 6 May .
There had earlier been divisions over sharing the burden , with the Netherlands , Denmark , Austria , Germany and Sweden opposing France 's proposal on how to support Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health But Prime Minister Conte expressed satisfaction with what had been agreed , calling it `` an important milestone in European history '' .
The French president , Emmanuel Macron said that divisions remained .
`` I 'm saying this sincerely : if Europe raises debt to loan to others , that wo n't live up to the response we need , '' Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks , German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that her country was not seeing `` the end phase but still just the beginning '' .
`` We 'll have to live with this virus for a long time , '' Ms Merkel told parliament , adding that Germany should be ready to `` make very different , meaning much higher contributions to the EU budget '' .

There was no walkout by Angry Italy. No fuming about Eurobonds by the Dutch. Instead EU leaders signed off, as expected, on a pre-agreed €500bn euro emergency financial package and on guidelines for lifting Covid-19 restrictions.


bbc--2020-04-23--Hopes dashed as coronavirus drug remdesivir fails first trial

A potential antiviral drug for the coronavirus has reportedly failed in its first randomised clinical trial .
There had been widespread hope that remdesivir could treat Covid-19 .
But a Chinese trial showed that the drug had not been successful , according to draft documents accidentally published by the World Health Organization .
The drug did not improve patients ' condition or reduce the pathogen 's presence in the bloodstream , it said .
• When will we have a vaccine ?
The US firm behind the drug , Gilead Sciences , said the document had mischaracterised the study .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
News of the failed trial spread after the WHO posted details on its clinical trials database , before it was removed .
The WHO has since confirmed the draft report was mistakenly uploaded .
It showed that researchers studied 237 patients , administering the drug to 158 and comparing their progress with the remaining 79 , who received a placebo .
After a month , 13.9 % of the patients taking the drug had died compared to 12.8 % of those receiving the placebo .
The trial was stopped early because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with clinical or virological benefits , '' the summary states .
All three main US stock indexes fell back from gains of over 1 % after the news broke over the trial .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise What has the company said ?
Gilead has disputed the WHO post .
`` We believe the post included inappropriate characterisations of the study , '' a spokesman for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terminated early due to low enrolment and was therefore not statistically meaningful .
`` As such , the study results are inconclusive , though trends in the data suggest a potential benefit for remdesivir , particularly among patients treated early in disease , '' he said .
This does not spell the end of the road for the drug , however , and several continuing trials will soon provide a clearer picture on the drug 's use .

Hopes dashed as coronavirus drug remdesivir 'fails first trial' Published 23 April 2020
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Image source, Reuters Image caption, There had been been widespread hope that remdesivir could treat Covid-19
A potential antiviral drug for the coronavirus has reportedly failed in its first randomised clinical trial.
There had been widespread hope that remdesivir could treat Covid-19.
But a Chinese trial showed that the drug had not been successful, according to draft documents accidentally published by the World Health Organization.
The drug did not improve patients' condition or reduce the pathogen's presence in the bloodstream, it said.
The US firm behind the drug, Gilead Sciences, said the document had mischaracterised the study.
What do we know about the study?
News of the failed trial spread after the WHO posted details on its clinical trials database, before it was removed. The WHO has since confirmed the draft report was mistakenly uploaded.
It showed that researchers studied 237 patients, administering the drug to 158 and comparing their progress with the remaining 79, who received a placebo.
After a month, 13.9% of the patients taking the drug had died compared to 12.8% of those receiving the placebo. The trial was stopped early because of side-effects.
"Remdesivir was not associated with clinical or virological benefits," the summary states.
All three main US stock indexes fell back from gains of over 1% after the news broke over the trial.
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
What has the company said?
Gilead has disputed the WHO post.
"We believe the post included inappropriate characterisations of the study," a spokesman for Gilead said, adding that it was terminated early due to low enrolment and was therefore not statistically meaningful.
"As such, the study results are inconclusive, though trends in the data suggest a potential benefit for remdesivir, particularly among patients treated early in disease," he said.
This does not spell the end of the road for the drug, however, and several continuing trials will soon provide a clearer picture on the drug's use.


bbc--2020-04-23--Boris Johnson nurse: He got no special treatment

How to keep 2m social distancing The UK government is advising us to stay two metres apart - but what @ @ @ @ @

New Zealand nurse Jenny McGee has been speaking about treating UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for coronavirus.
She told TVNZ that she wasn't expecting to be singled out for praise in Mr Johnson's video message after leaving hospital.
Read more: Boris Johnson was 'just another patient' - nurse


bbc--2020-04-23--India rape: Six-year-old victim's eyes damaged in attack

Police in India have launched a manhunt after a six-year-old girl was abducted outside her home in Madhya Pradesh state and raped .
The attacker inflicted severe injuries to the child 's eyes , in an apparent attempt to stop her identifying him .
She is in a critical condition in hospital in Jabalpur city , police told the BBC .
Police said that the girl had been playing with friends near her home in a village in Damoh district on Wednesday evening when she was abducted .
She was found on Thursday morning , unconscious with her hands tied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ village .
`` We found that her eyes were damaged by the accused , who also inflicted injuries on her face , '' district superintendent Hemant Chauhan told the Press Trust of India ( PTI ) news agency .
`` Doctors are operating on her eyes . ''
• Why India 's rape crisis shows no signs of abating • Raped for money 'by her father 's friends' A reward of 10,000 rupees ( £100 ) has been offered for information leading to an arrest .
Supt Chauhan said some suspects had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest soon .
Rape and sexual violence have been under particular spotlight in India since the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in the capital , Delhi .
That attack led to huge protests and changes to the country 's rape laws , but there has been no sign of crimes against women and girls abating .
According to recent crime figures , every fourth rape victim in India is a child .
In an overwhelming number of rape cases , the victims know the perpetrators .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for allegedly raping a five-year-old girl on the premises of the US embassy in Delhi .
In November , the gang rape and murder of a 27-year-old vet in the southern city of Hyderabad also made global headlines and triggered protests .

Rape and sexual violence have been under particular spotlight in India since the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a young woman on a bus in the capital, Delhi. That attack led to huge protests and changes to the country's rape laws, but there has been no sign of crimes against women and girls abating.


bbc--2020-04-23--Bundesliga 'ready to return on 9 May', says German Football League

Despite football being halted across the globe by the coronavirus pandemic with all major leagues and competitions suspended , the Bundesliga is now eager to return to action with plans to play spectator-free games in May .
Germany has led the way in its approach to combating the coronavirus pandemic .
The country 's intense programme of consistent testing from early on has resulted in far fewer deaths than the worst-affected countries .
The German Football League ( DFL ) , responsible for operating the Bundesliga and the second division , is determined to finish the current season .
Its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discuss a restart of the season next month .
However , Germany 's football authorities still face some huge questions before they get the green light to resume football in the country behind closed doors .
`` If we start on 9 May , we are ready .
If it is later , we will be ready again , '' DFL chief executive Christian Seifert said on Thursday .
`` For us , what is decisive is what the politicians will decide .
It is not for us to decide when .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want - but at the moment the only thing that seems feasible . ''
So , what challenges do they face and how are they planning to combat them ?
What will Germany 's government say ?
German politics has recently decided that large events with crowds will be banned at least until 24 October .
That rules out the Bundesliga being played in front of spectators until the scheduled start of next season .
The only way to work around regulations is to stage spectator-free games , with only players , coaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boys and ball girls , ground staff , technicians , safety officers , and production staff for television and VAR being present inside the stadiums .
League officials estimate that up to 300 people are needed per match .
In Germany , the 16 federal states determine the maximum number of people allowed for public gatherings and a decision about that number will be made by the end of April .
The governments could put a stop to any plans from the DFL , but they are aware of the economic struggles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the wish of the clubs .
`` A weekend with football is much more bearable than a weekend without football .
That 's why I could picture to have matches behind closed doors '' , Markus Soder , state premier of Bavaria , said at a recent online talk show hosted by German newspaper Bild .
He and Armin Laschet , state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia , have said they think it 's conceivable the Bundesliga would restart as soon as 9 May .
Soder and Laschet rushed ahead with their statements , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state governments meet on 30 April , with the likely outcome that football matches are allowed to be staged in the following months .
Staging professional football games even with only a few hundred people present becomes a logistical challenge .
A few weeks ago , the DFL set up a task force to define the necessary medical and hygiene protocols which would be required .
According to plans of the task force , the stadiums will be divided into three zones .
Only a maximum of 100 people can be in each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belongs to the 22 players , 18 bench players , five referees and around 53 others .
The stands are considered the second section , and the area directly surrounding the stadium is the third one .
The plans also include regular testing of players and coaches between training sessions and before every match .
Alexander Kekule , a biochemist from Martin Luther University in Halle , estimates that the DFL would need up to 20,000 detection tests and exceptional organisational measures .
He said : `` Players have to be shielded under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they are not able to avoid contact on the pitch . ''
Regular testing could create a headache from a practical standpoint , because it is impossible to know whether a player is already infected when he takes to the pitch .
`` It takes a couple of days before someone , who has contracted the virus , tests positive , '' Martin Eichner , an epidemiologist from University of Tubingen , explains .
He dismisses the option of faster detection tests that have been in development , as they are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns about the moral implications .
`` Tens of thousands of tests would be needed that are missing in nursing facilities '' , Karl Lauterbach , health expert for the Social Democratic Party ( SPD ) , recently tweeted .
The DFL disputes these concerns .
`` Any assumption that possible continuous testing will cause a shortage of supplies for the general public ignores the facts .
Testing capacity has been increased massively in recent weeks , '' the DFL executive committee stated in a press release on Tuesday .
There are currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Bundesliga and second division would require about 0.5 % of these tests .
While political backlash and criticism from influential fan groups is inevitable , various club officials have indicated they want to go ahead with their current plans .
They argue that a continuation of the season , even without spectators in the stands , is the only way to guarantee the immediate survival of Germany 's professional football industry .
According to an internal DFL report from late March , at least 13 of the 36 Bundesliga and second-division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if the season does not restart soon .
Twelve of these 13 clubs have already guaranteed the fourth and last instalment of this season 's television rights money to creditors .
However , the main television rights holders , Sky , Eurosport and the public broadcasters ARD and ZDF , have not paid that instalment of a total of €304m ( £265m ) .
The remaining nine matchdays equal exactly a quarter of the season worth that fourth instalment .
The payment to the DFL was initially scheduled for 10 April .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Sky , ARD and ZDF about 2 May being the new day of payment , shortly after the restart of the season gets the go ahead .
In the meantime , the teams try to cope with the current crisis .
Most players have returned to training .
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came back to their training ground on 6 April , with players practising in small groups and keeping distance at all times .
RB Leipzig returned on 2 April , while Borussia Dortmund started with individual workouts two days earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its clubs a paper including 31 instructions for training sessions .
Among other things , the clubs have to arrange coronavirus drive-through test centres for symptomatic players and staff members .
The use of locker rooms is only allowed if players enter in small groups and stay two metres apart from one another .
Team meals are generally prohibited .
The clubs promise to obey these rules in the hopes that they are able to return to the pitch and finish the season .

May return for German clubs? Mbappe only worth 40m? Latest European news
Despite football being halted across the globe by the coronavirus pandemic with all major leagues and competitions suspended, the Bundesliga is now eager to return to action with plans to play spectator-free games in May.
Germany has led the way in its approach to combating the coronavirus pandemic. The country's intense programme of consistent testing from early on has resulted in far fewer deaths than the worst-affected countries.
The German Football League (DFL), responsible for operating the Bundesliga and the second division, is determined to finish the current season. Its 36 professional clubs met on Thursday to discuss a restart of the season next month.
However, Germany's football authorities still face some huge questions before they get the green light to resume football in the country behind closed doors.
"If we start on 9 May, we are ready. If it is later, we will be ready again," DFL chief executive Christian Seifert said on Thursday.
"For us, what is decisive is what the politicians will decide. It is not for us to decide when.
"Games without spectators are not what we want - but at the moment the only thing that seems feasible."
So, what challenges do they face and how are they planning to combat them?
The last Bundesliga match, Borussia Monchengladbach v Cologne on 11 March, was played behind closed doors
What will Germany's government say?
German politics has recently decided that large events with crowds will be banned at least until 24 October. That rules out the Bundesliga being played in front of spectators until the scheduled start of next season.
The only way to work around regulations is to stage spectator-free games, with only players, coaching staff, medics, referees, ball boys and ball girls, ground staff, technicians, safety officers, and production staff for television and VAR being present inside the stadiums. League officials estimate that up to 300 people are needed per match.
In Germany, the 16 federal states determine the maximum number of people allowed for public gatherings and a decision about that number will be made by the end of April.
The governments could put a stop to any plans from the DFL, but they are aware of the economic struggles of professional football and are expected to grant the wish of the clubs.
"A weekend with football is much more bearable than a weekend without football. That's why I could picture to have matches behind closed doors", Markus Soder, state premier of Bavaria, said at a recent online talk show hosted by German newspaper Bild.
He and Armin Laschet, state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, have said they think it's conceivable the Bundesliga would restart as soon as 9 May.
Soder and Laschet rushed ahead with their statements, knowing the federal government and the 16 state governments meet on 30 April, with the likely outcome that football matches are allowed to be staged in the following months.
Borussia Monchengladbach fans show support with cut-outs
20,000 tests required
Staging professional football games even with only a few hundred people present becomes a logistical challenge. A few weeks ago, the DFL set up a task force to define the necessary medical and hygiene protocols which would be required.
According to plans of the task force, the stadiums will be divided into three zones. Only a maximum of 100 people can be in each of these sections. The inner section belongs to the 22 players, 18 bench players, five referees and around 53 others. The stands are considered the second section, and the area directly surrounding the stadium is the third one.
The plans also include regular testing of players and coaches between training sessions and before every match. Alexander Kekule, a biochemist from Martin Luther University in Halle, estimates that the DFL would need up to 20,000 detection tests and exceptional organisational measures.
He said: "Players have to be shielded under specific safety rules to prevent infections, because they are not able to avoid contact on the pitch."
Regular testing could create a headache from a practical standpoint, because it is impossible to know whether a player is already infected when he takes to the pitch.
"It takes a couple of days before someone, who has contracted the virus, tests positive," Martin Eichner, an epidemiologist from University of Tubingen, explains. He dismisses the option of faster detection tests that have been in development, as they are not fully reliable yet.
Others have expressed concerns about the moral implications. "Tens of thousands of tests would be needed that are missing in nursing facilities", Karl Lauterbach, health expert for the Social Democratic Party (SPD), recently tweeted. external-link
The DFL disputes these concerns. "Any assumption that possible continuous testing will cause a shortage of supplies for the general public ignores the facts. Testing capacity has been increased massively in recent weeks," the DFL executive committee stated in a press release on Tuesday.
There are currently 640,000 tests available per week in Germany. The Bundesliga and second division would require about 0.5% of these tests.
Clubs face insolvency
While political backlash and criticism from influential fan groups is inevitable, various club officials have indicated they want to go ahead with their current plans. They argue that a continuation of the season, even without spectators in the stands, is the only way to guarantee the immediate survival of Germany's professional football industry.
According to an internal DFL report from late March, at least 13 of the 36 Bundesliga and second-division sides face insolvency by May or June, if the season does not restart soon. Twelve of these 13 clubs have already guaranteed the fourth and last instalment of this season's television rights money to creditors.
However, the main television rights holders, Sky, Eurosport and the public broadcasters ARD and ZDF, have not paid that instalment of a total of €304m (£265m). The remaining nine matchdays equal exactly a quarter of the season worth that fourth instalment.
The payment to the DFL was initially scheduled for 10 April. The DFL has now reached an agreement with Sky, ARD and ZDF about 2 May being the new day of payment, shortly after the restart of the season gets the go ahead.
Players keep distance in training
In the meantime, the teams try to cope with the current crisis. Most players have returned to training.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came back to their training ground on 6 April, with players practising in small groups and keeping distance at all times. RB Leipzig returned on 2 April, while Borussia Dortmund started with individual workouts two days earlier.
This week, the DFL sent its clubs a paper including 31 instructions for training sessions. Among other things, the clubs have to arrange coronavirus drive-through test centres for symptomatic players and staff members. The use of locker rooms is only allowed if players enter in small groups and stay two metres apart from one another. Team meals are generally prohibited.
The clubs promise to obey these rules in the hopes that they are able to return to the pitch and finish the season.


bbc--2020-04-23--Nature crisis: 'Insect apocalypse' more complicated than thought

The global health of insect populations is far more complicated than previously thought , new data suggests .
Previous research indicated an alarming decline in numbers in all parts of world , with losses of up to 25 % per decade .
This new study , the largest carried out to date , says the picture is more complex and varied .
Land-dwelling insects are definitely declining the authors say , while bugs living in freshwater are increasing .
• Insect decline may see 'plague of pests' Reports of the rapid and widespread decline of insects globally have caused great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among the most abundant and diverse species on the planet and play key roles , from aerating the soil to pollination and recycling of nutrients .
Case studies , such as one from nature reserves in western Germany , indicated a dramatic fall , with around a 75 % decrease over 27 years .
Many other , similar reports have followed .
But many of these were specific to a region or a species .
This new study , the largest on insect change to date , aims to give a more complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bugs worldwide .
Drawing on data from 166 long-term surveys across 1,676 sites , it paints a highly nuanced and variable picture of the state of insect health .
The compilation indicates that insects like butterflies , ants and grasshoppers are going down by 0.92 % per year , which amounts to 9 % per decade , lower than many published rates .
This is not as bad as previous reports but the authors stress that it is still substantial .
`` That is extremely serious , over 30 years it means a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author Dr Roel Van Klink , from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research .
`` And because it 's a mean , there are places where it is much worse than that . ''
Many people have an instinctive perception that insects are decreasing - often informed by the so-called `` windscreen phenomenon '' , where you find fewer dead bugs splattered on cars .
The researchers say it 's real .
`` Many insects can fly , and it 's those that get smashed by car windshields , '' said Prof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research .
`` Our analysis shows that flying insects have indeed decreased on average . ''
`` However , the majority of insects are less conspicuous and live out of sight - in the soil , in tree canopies or in the water . ''
The losses were strongest in the US West and Midwest and in Europe , especially in Germany .
Trends in Europe have become more negative in recent years , with the biggest declines since 2005 .
However while many land-based species are declining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that live in fresh water , like midges and mayflies , are growing by 1.08 % per year .
This positive trend was strong in northern Europe , in the western US and since the 1990s in Russia .
The researchers believe this is because of legislation that has cleaned up polluted rivers and lakes .
However the increase in water based insects will not compensate for land losses .
`` They are just a fraction of land based insects , not more than 10 % , '' said Dr Van Klink '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earth is just a small percentage of the total land mass , so the numbers of freshwater insects will never be able to compensate for the terrestrial insects . ''
The scientists say there is no smoking gun on insect declines but they find the destruction of natural habitats due to urbanisation , to be key .
This finding about habitat destruction has been echoed in other major pieces of research on biodiversity , including last year 's IPBES Global Assessment .
The overall picture is complex - even in close geographical areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next door to members of the same species who are struggling .
Ann Swengel , another author on the paper has spent more than 30 years studying butterflies in parts of the US .
`` We 've seen so much decline , including on many protected sites .
But we 've also observed some sites where butterflies are continuing to do well , '' she said .
`` It takes lots of years and lots of data to understand both the failures and the successes , species by species and site by site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the authors believe they offer hope for the future .
`` We believe that because we see these increases in fresh water insects , that are related to legislation being put in place , it makes us hopeful that if we put in place the right types of legislation for land insects we can also make them recover , '' said Dr Van Klink .
`` The nice thing about insects is that most have incredibly large numbers of offspring , so if you change the habitat in the right way we will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The study has been published in the journal , Science .

"The area of freshwater we have on earth is just a small percentage of the total land mass, so the numbers of freshwater insects will never be able to compensate for the terrestrial insects."


bbc--2020-04-23--Rolling Stones release their first new song in eight years, Living In A Ghost Town

The Rolling Stones have released their first new single in eight years , Living In A Ghost Town .
The sparse blues track references the coronavirus crisis , with Sir Mick Jagger singing : `` Life was so beautiful , now we all got locked down / Feel like a ghost , living in a ghost town . ''
In a statement , the band said the track was initially recorded a year ago in LA but was `` finished in lockdown '' .
`` We thought would resonate through the times we 're living in , '' Sir Mick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the singer revealed the track had been written `` in 10 minutes '' during a jam session last February .
`` It was n't written for now but it was written about being in a place which was full of life , and then now that 's all bereft of life , so to speak , '' he told Zane Lowe .
`` And when I went back to what I 'd written originally lyrically , it was all full of plague terms and things like that .
`` Keith Richards and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ release it .
But I said , 'Well I 've got to rewrite it - some of it is not going to work and some of it was a bit weird and a bit too dark ' . ''
Richards said the song had been completed `` via satellite '' before being released on Thursday .
`` It 's sort of eerie when suddenly it 's coming to life , '' he said .
`` We sort of did it from outer space .
But I actually liked the way it turned out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myself' Living In A Ghost Town is the first original song the band have released since two new tracks - Doom and Gloom and One More Shot - featured on their 2012 Greatest Hits album Grrr !
Before that , their last album of new material was 2005 's A Bigger Bang .
`` Yeah , it was so long , '' Sir Mick told Apple .
`` And I think one of the problems I personally have with it is that it 's suddenly that you want it to be really good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want it to be a good album , I want it to be great .
You know ?
Yes , I 'm very hard on myself .
If I write something or if I write something with Keith Richards or whatever , it 's going to be great .
It ca n't just be good . ''
The singer said he hoped to finish more tracks while in isolation , but added : `` there 's obviously no substitute for being together '' .
He also acknowledged it was hard to say when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their world tour , which was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
`` The whole touring thing , we do n't know what 's going to be happening , '' he said .
`` We do n't know when there 's going to be the next football match .
We do n't know when the next tour outside 's going to be .
`` You would imagine that playing outside would be more healthy than playing inside , but you do n't know ...
This is all in the realm of conjecture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the One World : Together At Home concert last weekend , playing together from four separate locations - although drummer Charlie Watts did not appear to have a drum kit in his house .
Instead , he banged on flight cases and the arm of a sofa for their rendition of You Ca n't Always Get What You Want .
Reflecting on the current situation , Sir Mick said he was `` very aware of how lucky I am . ''
`` A lot of people lost their jobs and it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely out of your control .
It 's not as though I did a bad job or I screwed up on my job and got fired , '' he said .
`` And also the less money you have , the more worries you have .
So for lots of people , it 's really tough .
`` It 's been a horrible time for everyone .
But some people worse than others . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email @ @ @ @

"So I don't just want it to be a good album, I want it to be great. You know? Yes, I'm very hard on myself. If I write something or if I write something with Keith Richards or whatever, it's going to be great. It can't just be good."


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronvirus: Europe 'wary of confronting China over deaths'

China is continuing to under-report the true levels of deaths from Covid-19 , national security officials in London and Washington believe .
But European officials are wary about directly challenging China over the figures , sources told the BBC .
That concern also extends to confronting Beijing over an information campaign to improve its standing and distract from blame in the crisis .
China has denied allegations of a cover up , saying it has been transparent about its efforts to battle the virus .
On 17 April , officials in Wuhan , the city where the outbreak is believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll from Covid-19 by 50 per cent overnight .
They said the sharp increase reflected updated reporting and deaths outside hospitals , insisting there had been no cover-up .
But several officials in London and Washington say they still believe the picture is not an accurate reflection of the death toll , and that the central government in Beijing knows this .
They do not however believe China knows the real figure for certain and is hiding it .
Western intelligence officials say that figures underplaying the toll are likely pushed up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials nervous of revealing the full truth , and these make their way up to Beijing , with officials at the top fully aware of this problem occurring along the chain .
`` It is impossible to know what the figures are in China .
What we do know is the figures are very likely to be wrong , '' Tom Tugendhat MP , Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee , told the BBC .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis Many countries are struggling with quickly reporting precise figures and establishing which deaths are due to Covid-19 , but China is different , Mr Tugendhat argued , because scientists there and others are `` afraid of the state punishing them for telling the truth '' .
`` In China you always have the problem of what the localities are reporting up to the centre , '' said Charles Parton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now a senior associate fellow at the Rusi think-tank .
Beijing was also likely to be calibrating the figures for audiences inside and outside the country , Mr Parton said .
`` The Chinese government is making a decision of what is the lowest number we can get away with to prop up the line that we have been far more successful in dealing with this than the West . ''
Governments in Europe have been wary of engaging in a diplomatic row with China at a sensitive time .
One UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speak on the record , said there was a `` nervousness '' about confronting China and that relations were `` delicate '' .
Countries are dependent on Beijing for deliveries of vital equipment in dealing with the crisis and want to keep the flow of information open to help understand what happened this time and prevent future outbreaks .
Experts said the approach needed to be carefully calibrated .
`` We need to dial down the rhetoric and the confrontation because we 've got something more serious to deal with , '' Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by contrast , the issue of China is becoming highly politicised in an election year , with competing calls for a tough line on Beijing and pressure to investigate the origins of the virus .
China has denied there was a cover up .
`` China has been open and transparent from the very beginning , '' Liu Xiaoming , the country 's ambassador to the UK , said on Thursday .
He said China was on a mission to defend its reputation against criticism in the media and Western countries which did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Western officials say China is keen to play up its success in combating the virus and minimise any fallout from its role as the origin of the virus and early failures to be open .
A report by the European External Action Service ( EEAS ) looking at the spread of disinformation was , according to one European official , pulled from publication because of concerns about Chinese reaction .
The report , which had already been circulated to member states and leaked to media , was reported to have said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deflect blame for Covid-19 with the aim of improving the country 's international standing and said there had been both overt and covert activity .
The EEAS denied a report was due to be published , saying an internal report was leaked .
Analysts say they have seen a push from Chinese media to emphasise the country 's success and other 's failings in dealing with the virus ( Russia has also been emphasising the West 's failings in its strategy ) .
China 's messaging is believed to reflect fears from Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over .
A New York Times report this week also claimed that Chinese `` agents '' had been pushing misinformation in March about a lockdown in the US .
The agents were not alleged to have originated the information and the volume and extent of their activity is unclear .
Sources in the UK have played down the extent to which they have seen similar activity and say they have not seen large-scale state disinformation campaigns but rather lower-level activity .
`` Our priority is to protect UK citizens from disinformation by any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' a spokesman said .
`` We are actively monitoring for disinformation narratives related to Covid-19 which could impact the UK . ''

Western officials say China is keen to play up its success in combating the virus and minimise any fallout from its role as the origin of the virus and early failures to be open. A report by the European External Action Service (EEAS) looking at the spread of disinformation was, according to one European official, pulled from publication because of concerns about Chinese reaction.


bbc--2020-04-23--Prickles the sheep found after seven years of Tasmania self-isolation

A lone sheep that went missing after the 2013 Tasmanian bushfires has been found - and is a lot bigger @ @ @ @ @ her family came across the ewe when having a barbecue on their farm .
They @ @ @ @ @ Prickles , after her enormous , prickly fleece .

A lone sheep that went missing after the 2013 Tasmanian bushfires has been found - and is a lot bigger.
Farmer Alice Gray and her family came across the ewe when having a barbecue on their farm. They captured her and named her Prickles, after her enormous, prickly fleece.
Produced and edited by Isabelle Rodd


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: Smog pollution in Delhi vanishes

The Indian capital , Delhi , experienced some of its worst days in history for pollution in November .
The @ @ @ @ @ lockdown since March and experts say this closure of factories and airports has resulted in @ @ @ @ @ pollution .

The Indian capital, Delhi, experienced some of its worst days in history for pollution in November.
The country has been under strict lockdown since March and experts say this closure of factories and airports has resulted in a dramatic reduction in smog pollution.


bbc--2020-04-23--Coronavirus: What is contact tracing and how does it work?

Governments around the world are proposing contact tracing as a way of limiting the spread of coronavirus after lockdown .
@ @ @ @ @ from memory , but smartphones apps that can automate the process have also been developed @ @ @ @ @ Fox explains what contact tracing is , and some of the methods that have been @ @ @ @ @ Click 's website and @ BBCClick

Governments around the world are proposing contact tracing as a way of limiting the spread of coronavirus after lockdown.
Nations are recruiting thousands of people to do the task manually, but smartphones apps that can automate the process will also have a role to play.
BBC Click's Chris Fox explains what contact tracing is, and some of the methods that have been proposed.
See more at Click's website and @BBCClick


bbc--2020-04-23--Quiz of the Week: On satellites and stars Together at Home

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--2020-04-23--Africa's week in pictures: 17 - 23 April 2020

Also on Sunday , an artist paints a mural advertising a mobile money service in Kenya 's capital , Nairobi @ @ @ @ @ citizens to avoid using cash where possible because of concerns the virus can linger on @ @

Image caption,
Also on Sunday, an artist paints a mural advertising a mobile money service in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. The government has advised citizens to avoid using cash where possible because of concerns the virus can linger on it.