bbc--2020-06-19--Coronavirus: Is the pandemic getting worse in the US?

The news in the US has been dominated by anti-racism protests for the past couple of weeks , but coronavirus is now back in the headlines .
Several states have seen a record number of cases in recent days , leading to fears that the country is experiencing a second wave of infections .
But Vice-President Mike Pence said those fears were `` overblown '' and accused the media of using `` grim predictions '' to scare the American people .
So what is going on in the US ?
The number of infections is going up With more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world - about a quarter of the global total .
The situation got really bad in late March but by May , cases were declining and most states had begun to ease restrictions put into place to halt the spread of the virus .
The number of new cases rarely fell below 20,000 though , because as some states were bringing their outbreaks under control , others were only just beginning to see flare-ups .
For this reason , the top US health official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sees the current situation as a continuation of the initial outbreaks .
`` People keep talking about a second wave , '' he told a reporter last week .
`` We 're still in a first wave . ''
Spikes in cases in those new hotspots mean the country 's overall seven-day average has now risen for several days in a row for the first time since cases peaked in early April .
• How our brains are processing the pandemic The North East has been by far the worst-hit region , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more than a third of all US deaths occurring in the states of New York and New Jersey .
But in recent weeks , the region has brought its outbreaks under control .
The South and West of the country , on the other hand , have seen a big rise in the number of infections , according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project .
There 's no debate over whether cases are going up again , but there is over why .
President Donald Trump blames it on increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he thinks `` testing is overrated '' because `` in many ways , it makes us look bad . ''
The US has conducted more tests than any other country - about 25 million so far - so that does go some way to explaining why it has the highest number of cases in the world , although international comparisons are difficult to make for a number of reasons .
But there 's plenty of evidence to suggest the recent rise in infections is down to more than just a higher number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compare different countries ?
• Four reasons why this was a bad week for Trump The rise in cases is n't just down to more testing Twice last week , Arizona saw more new cases on its own than the entire nine-state North East region and that 's not just down to increased testing .
This is clear when you look at the rate of coronavirus tests that are coming back positive .
If lots of tests are being done and the spread of the virus has been reduced , then the positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If the virus is still being spread widely , it goes up .
At the moment the positive case rate is just below 5 % nationally , which is the level the World Health Organization recommends countries be at or below for 14 days before they ease restrictions on movement .
But about a third of states are above that level , as the chart below shows , and all of them have reopened to some extent over the last month .
The number of people being hospitalised has also risen in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where some reopened bars and restaurants are now closing their doors again , reports the Texas Tribune , because of fears over a new surge of cases .
Faced with rising case numbers and an economy that desperately needs to get going again , many public officials are looking to facemasks to help slow the spread of the virus .
California , North Carolina and several US cities mandated or urged their use last week .
But masks have become increasingly politicised in recent weeks , with President Trump saying some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him .
Deaths are trending downwards - for now Amid all of the fears about new hotspots , the most positive news in the US at the moment is that daily deaths continue to fall .
They peaked back in May when the outbreaks in the Northeast were at their most intense , with New York state alone registering around 1,000 a day .
This week , that figure is about 40 a day .
However , deaths is a metric that lags behind cases and hospitalisations because it can take several weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the disease .
That means the consequences of the current spikes in cases wo n't be seen for a couple of weeks at least .
If we do see the number of deaths edging up , there will likely be some pressure on governors to reintroduce restrictions but Dr Fauci does n't think that will happen .
`` I do n't think we 're going to be talking about going back to lockdown , '' he said last week .
`` I think we 're going to be talking about trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that seem to be having a surge of cases . ''
Researchers are racing to produce a vaccine but it 's clear that Americans , and the rest of the world , are going to be living with the virus until next year at the earliest .
One forecasting model run by experts at the University of Washington , which has been cited by the White House in the past , predicts the US death toll will have passed 200,000 by October - a month before the election .

Coronavirus: Is the pandemic getting worse in the US? Published 26 June 2020
The news in the US has been dominated by anti-racism protests in recent weeks, but coronavirus is now back in the headlines.
Several states have seen a record number of cases this week, leading to fears that the country is experiencing a second wave of infections.
But Vice-President Mike Pence said those fears were "overblown" and accused the media of using "grim predictions" to scare the American people.
So what is going on in the US?
The number of infections is going up
With about 2.5 million coronavirus cases, the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world - about a quarter of the global total.
The situation got really bad in late March but by May, cases were declining and most states had begun to ease restrictions put into place to halt the spread of the virus.
The number of new cases rarely fell below 20,000 though, because as some states were bringing their outbreaks under control, others were only just beginning to see flare-ups.
For this reason, the top US health official for infectious diseases, Anthony Fauci, sees the current situation as a continuation of the initial outbreaks.
"People keep talking about a second wave," he told a reporter recently. "We're still in a first wave."
Spikes in those new hotspots mean the number of daily cases has been higher twice this week than previous record back in late April, according to data compiled by the COVID Tracking Project.
But it's important to note that the number of tests being carried out now is about double what it was in April and May so it's likely the true scale of that outbreak wasn't fully captured.
There are big regional differences
The North East has been by far the worst-hit region, with about a quarter of all US cases and more than a third of all US deaths occurring in the states of New York and New Jersey. But in recent weeks, the region has brought its outbreaks under control.
The South and West of the country, on the other hand, have seen a big rise in the number of infections. The Midwest is also starting to see an increase.
There's no debate over whether cases are going up again, but there is over why.
President Donald Trump blames it on increased testing, telling the Wall Street Journal he thinks "testing is overrated" because "in many ways, it makes us look bad."
The US has conducted about 30 million tests so that does go some way to explaining why it has the highest number of cases in the world, although international comparisons are difficult to make for a number of reasons.
But there's plenty of evidence to suggest the recent rise in infections is down to more than just a higher number of people being tested.
The rise in cases isn't just down to more testing
In recent days, Arizona, California, Florida and Texas have seen more new cases on their own than the entire nine-state North East region and that's not just down to increased testing.
This is clear when you look at the rate of coronavirus tests that are coming back positive.
If lots of tests are being done and the spread of the virus has been reduced, then the positive case rate would go down too. If the virus is still being spread widely, it goes up.
The World Health Organization recommends that countries have a positive case rate at or below 5% for 14 days before they ease restrictions on movement. The US was at or below this point for a few days in the middle of June, but the national rate is currently about 6%.
That increase nationally is because more than a third of states are now above that level, as the chart above shows, and all of them have reopened to some extent over the last month.
One state that has seen an increase in cases since reopening is Texas, where bars have now been told to close their doors again by Governor Greg Abbott in a bid to slow the infection rate. An easing of restrictions has also been paused in Florida.
Much of the recent surge in the South and the West has been driven by younger people "newly mobile after months of lockdowns," according to Robert Redfield, the head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
He said many of these infections would have gone undiagnosed earlier on in the outbreak because fewer tests were being carried out.
The CDC continues to advise the American public to maintain social distancing, wash hands frequently and properly wear a facemask or covering.
But masks have become increasingly politicised in recent weeks, with President Trump saying some people wear them primarily to show opposition to him.
Deaths are trending downwards - for now
Amid all of the fears about new hotspots, the most positive news in the US at the moment is that daily deaths continue to fall.
They peaked back in May when the outbreaks in the Northeast were at their most intense, with New York state alone registering around 1,000 a day. That figure has been below 50 in recent days.
However, deaths is a metric that lags behind cases and hospitalisations because it can take several weeks for those who are worst-hit to die from the disease. That means the consequences of the current spikes in cases won't be seen for a couple of weeks at least.
If we do see the number of deaths edging up, there will likely be some pressure on governors to reintroduce restrictions but Dr Fauci doesn't think that will happen.
"I don't think we're going to be talking about going back to lockdown," he said last week. "I think we're going to be talking about trying to better control those areas of the country that seem to be having a surge of cases."
Researchers are racing to produce a vaccine but it's clear that Americans, and the rest of the world, are going to be living with the virus until next year at the earliest.
So far, the US has recorded about 125,000 coronavirus deaths - the highest death toll in the world.
But one forecasting model run by experts at the University of Washington, says the US is on course to hit 180,000 by October - a month before the election.


bbc--2020-06-19--Coronavirus: Brazil becomes second country to hit one million cases

Brazil has become the second country in the world to confirm more than one million cases of Covid-19 , as the disease continues to spread .
The health ministry also posted a record number of new cases in the past 24 hours - more than 54,000 .
In addition , there were more than 1,200 deaths for the fourth consecutive day , taking the total to nearly 49,000 .
A lack of testing suggests the true figures are higher and experts say the outbreak is weeks away from its peak .
Only the US has seen more infections .
Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been particularly badly hit by the pandemic .
President Jair Bolsonaro has been heavily criticised for his response to the crisis .
The far-right leader - who initially described the disease as a `` little flu '' - has repeatedly clashed with state governors and mayors who have adopted strict restrictions to curb the spread of the virus , shutting down major cities .
Mr Bolsonaro argues that the economic impact of the measures will be much bigger than the virus itself , a position shared by many .
But his overall approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resignation of two doctors as health minister .
Jair Bolsonaro has long-admired Donald Trump and his way of doing politics .
The two men have much in common - not least the way they 've handled the pandemic in their own countries .
The figures in the US are staggering - but Brazil , too , is frightening .
They are now exclusive members of a club nobody wants to join .
Such a massive spike in the numbers - even if it was down to inaccurate reporting earlier this week - reveals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is here .
This , at a time when big cities are re-opening and people are returning to work .
For a long time , there was a stand-off between President Bolsonaro and state governors - he was angry that they were imposing tough quarantine measures that he said would damage the economy .
But fast forward three months and that pressure from the top seems to have filtered down .
With millions of people struggling and out of work , there is a desire to return to some kind of normality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ - Brazil has n't yet reached its peak .
What is the situation in Brazil ?
As there was no national lockdown , states and cities adopted their own measures .
After months of restrictions , some are slowly being lifted , even though the infection level remains high .
There is still concern that the health system will be unable to cope in some places , and that the disease is spreading faster in deprived neighbourhoods and remote areas , such as indigenous communities , where access to adequate care is difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a widespread wish to restart the economy as analysts forecast a contraction between 6 % and 8 % this year with millions of jobs lost .
The government has introduced temporary payments to help people affected by the pandemic but large numbers are expected to be thrown into poverty .
On Friday , Brazil 's health ministry confirmed a total of 1,032,913 cases .
It said that the large spike in the number of infections was due , in part , to several states having trouble with reporting data on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers of cases - more than 2.2 million - and nearly 119,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University , which is tracking the disease globally .
• AT THE HEART OF AMAZON : Disease meets deforestation • REALITY CHECK : The crisis in Latin America in numbers • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
How is President Bolsonaro handling the crisis ?
The coronavirus has become a highly political issue in Brazil .
Experts say the president 's refusal to follow scientific advice - including those set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , such as social distancing - is partially responsible for the severity of the crisis .
At the start , Mr Bolsonaro repeatedly said the risk posed by the virus had been exaggerated , and even joined some anti-lockdown rallies organised by his supporters , undermining the message of his own health ministry against crowds .
Mr Bolsonaro has accused state governors of using the issue for political gain as many who have taken stricter measures oppose his government .
João Doria , governor of Brazil 's richest state São Paulo and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's views on tackling the disease as `` Bolsonarovirus '' .
The president has also strongly supported the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of patients , a drug the WHO says does not reduce death rates .
After two health ministers quit , the government 's response is now being led by an army general who has no experience in public health .
Meanwhile , Mr Bolsonaro and his allies have turned against the media , claiming an excessive focus on the number of victims .
The health ministry removed data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier this month , but was forced to reverse the decision after a Supreme Court order and accusations of trying to manipulate the figures .
Amid the pandemic , Mr Bolsonaro is facing a growing political crisis .
He is under investigation for allegedly trying to interfere with the police for political motives , which he denies , while the Supreme Court is carrying out two separate inquiries into his allies .

Jair Bolsonaro has long-admired Donald Trump and his way of doing politics. The two men have much in common - not least the way they have handled the pandemic in their own countries. The figures in the US are staggering - but Brazil, too, is frightening. They are now exclusive members of a club nobody wants to join.


bbc--2020-06-19--Canadian province investigates racist 'game' played by hospital staff

A Canadian province is investigating claims that healthcare staff played a racist `` game '' by betting on the blood alcohol level of indigenous patients .
The claims , involving staff in at least one British Columbia hospital , came to light after a community leader filed a complaint on Thursday .
Health Minister Adrian Dix called the allegations `` abhorrent '' and has hired an independent investigator .
He would not say which hospital was named in the complaint .
`` The allegation is that a game was being played to investigate the blood alcohol level of patients in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indigenous people and perhaps others .
And if true , it is intolerable and racist and of course ( has ) affected profoundly patient care , '' Mr Dix told a press conference Friday .
He did not say if any staff faced disciplinary action .
The game was allegedly dubbed `` The Price is Right '' , after the popular game show .
Staff lost if they guessed above the real blood alcohol limit .
The game was played when indigenous patients were admitted to hospital , but other races may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The original complaint named one hospital , but he said the investigation would look into allegations of racism by staff across the healthcare system , and he expected more issues would come to light .
Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond , the former Representative for Children and Youth in the province , will lead the investigation .
The complaint was filed by Daniel Fontaine , CEO of Métis Nation British Columbia , after a healthcare worker mentioned the game during a San'yas indigenous cultural safety training session .
He says he is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known about racism in the healthcare system for years .
`` There is something seriously wrong here besides The Price is Right .
The Price is Right is just one game , '' he told CBC .
A 2019 report by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer found that eliminating racism would improve cancer outcomes , as patients would be more likely to trust their healthcare providers .
A national report in 2015 called First Peoples , Second-Class Treatment found that racism against indigenous people in the healthcare system contributed to their overall poorer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

"The allegation is that a game was being played to investigate the blood alcohol level of patients in the emergency rooms, in particular with indigenous people and perhaps others. And if true, it is intolerable and racist and of course (has) affected profoundly patient care," Mr Dix told a press conference Friday. He did not say if any staff faced disciplinary action.


bbc--2020-06-19--Katie Hopkins permanently suspended from Twitter

Controversial commentator Katie Hopkins has been permanently suspended from Twitter for violating its hateful conduct policy , the social media giant said .
Ms Hopkins , who had more than one million followers , was previously suspended in January for a week .
But Twitter said her latest ban is permanent .
The social network did not , however , say which tweets Ms Hopkins had posted , to result in the ban .
`` Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us - abuse and hateful conduct have no place on our service and we will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' it said .
The cited hateful conduct policy bans promotion of violence or direct written attacks and threats on other people , based on a wide range of personal characteristics such as race , gender or sexual orientation .
Ms Hopkins is well-known for both her media appearances and controversial right-wing viewpoints .
She has been re-tweeted by US President Donald Trump on several occasions .
Twitter has recently taken a firmer line against Mr Trump himself over tweets it says break its policies .
The US President has seen warnings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others hidden from general view , although they remain online .
But leaving such tweets up in the public interest is an exception Twitter makes for world leaders - other accounts like Ms Hopkins ' risk being suspended when they break Twitter 's rules .

"Keeping Twitter safe is a top priority for us - abuse and hateful conduct have no place on our service and we will continue to take action when our rules are broken," it said.


bbc--2020-06-19--Malala Yousafzai completes Oxford University exams

Human rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai has expressed her `` joy and gratitude '' after finishing her final exams at Oxford University .
The 22-year-old , who survived a shot to the head by Taliban soldiers , studied politics , philosophy , and economics .
Tweeting earlier , she said : `` I do n't know what 's ahead .
For now , it will be Netflix , reading and sleep . ''
Ms Yousafzai was attacked for saying girls should be allowed to stay in education .
She was shot in the head , neck and shoulder while travelling home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about life under the extremists .
After recovering from her near-fatal injuries , she and her family relocated to Birmingham .
In 2014 , she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize , at the age of 17 .
Three years later she accepted a place to study at Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford .
Ms Yousafzai tweeted two pictures as she announced the news that she completed her degree .
In one , she is celebrating with her family in front of a graduation cake .
The other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a tradition at the university where students are covered with food and confetti after completing their exams .

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bbc--2020-06-19--New York City declares Juneteenth an official holiday

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that Juneteenth - the 19 June date which marks the end of US slavery - will become an official holiday .
It comes as millions of Americans plan to commemorate , with marches and personal observances , the 1865 date when the last US slaves were freed .
Several states already observe the day as an official holiday and there is a push to declare it a national holiday .
The date 's significance has grown this year amid Black Lives Matter protests .
Mayor de Blasio said in a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be marked as an official city holiday beginning in 2021 , and will also be a public school holiday .
`` We 'll work with all the unions to work through the plan , give this day the importance and recognition it deserves , '' Mr de Blasio said .
`` Every city worker , every student will have the opportunity to reflect the meaning of our history and the truth . ''
Earlier this week , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an order making Juneteenth - also known as Emancipation Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for state workers .
Mr Cuomo said he would introduce legislation to make the day a holiday for all New Yorkers by 2021 .
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam also promised to make Juneteenth a holiday by 2021 in the former capitol of the Confederacy which rebelled against the US during the Civil War for the legal right to enslave black people .
In Pennsylvania , Gov Tom Wolf has also signed an order making Juneteenth a holiday for state workers .
`` In recent weeks , people around the nation have joined together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and oppression of African Americans , '' he said in the statement .
`` Freedom for all is not fully realised until every person is truly free .
This Juneteenth we have an opportunity to unite against injustice and create lasting change , '' he continued .
Texas was the first US state to declare Juneteenth a holiday in 1980 .
Now all but four US states observe or recognise the date in some form .
This year , the date has become particularly prominent in the public consciousness amid a wave of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of several unarmed African Americans .
Juneteenth rallies are planned in Washington DC and across the country .
On 19 June , 1865 enslaved people in Galveston , Texas received the news that slavery had been abolished by President Abraham Lincoln two years earlier .
The news took so long to reach slaves in Texas in part due to fighting that continued even after the surrender of the Confederacy that ended the Civil War , according to historians .
The US National Archives said on Thursday that the original handwritten decree is believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a researcher was tasked with unearthing it due to heightened interested in the holiday .
`` The people of Texas are informed that , in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States , 'all slaves are free , ' `` the military order reads .
`` This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labour . ''
The elaborately written note was found in a book of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I think it 's terrific .
I think the timing is just amazing , '' David Ferriero , the head librarian of the Archives , told the Washington Post .
What else is happening ?
Corporate America is also treating the holiday with more reverence than in previous years , with employees from Nike , Uber , and Twitter being given a paid day off .
Google has asked employees to cancel non-urgent meetings and instead `` create space for learning and reflection '' .
Amazon told employees to `` take some time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other '' .
In Washington , the most senior Republican in the Senate said on Thursday that he would introduce a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday .
Four Democrats have also announced a similar proposal .
In the House of Representatives , the Texas congresswoman who has been pushing for a national holiday for two decades , told CBS that the chances of a holiday becoming a reality are growing .
`` The potential of having this national holiday opens a whole world of discussion for America , a whole reckoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permeates the nation , '' said Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee , adding that the House proposal now has the endorsement of 204 lawmakers .
`` It 's delayed freedom , but it is the only recognition of the original sin of this nation , '' she continued .
Former President Barack Obama , the first and only ever black US president , said in a statement that the holiday `` has never been a celebration of victory '' , but is instead a `` celebration of progress '' .
`` It 's an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our history , change is possible - and there is still so much work to do . ''
His wife , Michelle Obama - whose ancestors were slaves - said that for her , the delayed communication that freed Texas ' slaves and the slow pace of equality for black Americans , show that `` even in that extended wait , we still find something to celebrate '' .

"We'll work with all the unions to work through the plan, give this day the importance and recognition it deserves," Mr de Blasio said. "Every city worker, every student will have the opportunity to reflect the meaning of our history and the truth."


bbc--2020-06-19--Sir Ian Holm: Lord of the Rings and Alien star dies aged 88

Stage and film actor Sir Ian Holm , who played Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings films , has died aged 88 .
Sir Ian , Oscar-nominated as Olympic running coach Sam Mussabini in Chariots of Fire , also played the android Ash in 1979 's Alien .
`` It is with great sadness we can confirm that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88 , '' his agent said in a statement .
`` He died peacefully in hospital with his family and carer , '' he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed .
Holm , who also played Dr Willis in The Madness of King George , was classically trained and put in memorable performances in numerous plays .
The National Theatre remembered him as an `` extraordinary actor '' whose performance as King Lear in 1997 created `` wonderful memories '' .
Samuel West , whose father Timothy played Gloucester in the production , recalled on Twitter that the older cast members were all asked to grow beards .
When they came together for a read-through , he remembered , `` [ director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a garden gnome convention '' .
Sir Ian originated the role of Lenny in Harold Pinter 's The Homecoming in 1965 , reprising his performance on film eight years later .
However , his stage career was cut short after he developed acute stage fright during a production of The Iceman Cometh in 1976 .
He went on to work primarily in film , thanks to roles in such high-profile movies as The Fifth Element and the Lord of the Rings series .
It was 1981 's Chariots of Fire that saw him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The same film won him a Bafta , as did his supporting performance in The Bofors Gun in 1968 .
Sir Ian played Bilbo in Peter Jackson 's Lord of the Rings films , having played Frodo Baggins for BBC radio in 1981 .
Diminutive in stature , he was similarly well-cast as Pod in 1992 children 's series The Borrowers .
`` I 'm never the same twice , '' he told the Los Angeles Times in 2000 , `` and I 'm not a movie star-type , so people do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same . ''
He received a knighthood in 1998 for his contribution to drama following the CBE he received in 1989 .
Comedian Eddie Izzard remembered Sir Ian as `` a wonderful actor '' , adding : `` It 's so sad to see him go . ''
Director Edgar Wright also paid tribute , calling him `` a genius actor who brought considerable presence to parts funny , heartbreaking and terrifying '' .
`` What an actor , '' tweeted League of Gentleman star Reece Shearsmith .
`` A lifetime of incredible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Webb was among many others to express respect for `` a splendid actor '' who `` could be very funny too '' .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

He went on to work primarily in film, thanks to roles in such high-profile movies as The Fifth Element and the Lord of the Rings series.


bbc--2020-06-19--Fears over US media independence as Trump-appointed chief fires editors

The new chief of the US federal media agency , a Trump-appointee , has sacked three senior officials , raising fears that networks will be politicised .
Michael Pack , a conservative filmmaker and former associate of ex-White House adviser Steve Bannon , has also begun to install Trump loyalists at the agency .
The firings have been criticised by liberals and some conservatives .
Mr Pack has defended his actions as transitional steps that any new leader of an organisation would take .
The US Agency for Global Media ( USAGM ) is a taxpayer funded body that oversees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty , Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting .
The USAGM is tasked with broadcasting independent news to a global audience of more than 280 million people .
It was created in 1942 to combat Nazi propaganda .
• Why Voice of America matters outside US The director of Voice of America , Amanda Bennett , and her deputy Sandy Sugawara resigned on Monday after Mr Pack was confirmed by the Senate .
The heads of Radio Free Europe , Asia , Middle East Broadcasting as well as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Pack has not offered public details on why these individuals were fired .
President Donald Trump has recently criticised Voice of America , calling its reporting `` disgusting '' and accusing it of spreading `` propaganda '' in favour of China .
The leaders of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Middle East Broadcasting networks - Jamie Fly and Alberto Fernandez - were both appointed during Mr Trump 's presidency .
Mr Fly was a former adviser to Republican Senator Marco Rubio while Mr Fernandez was a former ambassador .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also been removed , and Mr Pack is now the chairman of these outlets ' boards of directors .
Mr Pack has also appointed a number of former Trump administration officials - including from the Departments of Justice , Homeland Security and Office of Management and Budget - to high level positions in the agency , CNBC reported .
These new appointees also have ties to conservative organisations .
Democrats have been particularly concerned by Jonathan Alexandre 's addition to the board of Radio Free Asia , as he is a policy director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its opposition to LGBT rights .
The sackings followed an internal email to staff from Mr Pack , saying he would maintain `` the agency 's independence '' .
He later told staff `` no actions are to be taken , and no external communications are to be made without explicit approval '' from the new leaders .
On Thursday , Mr Pack defended his decisions as `` critical changes '' that were `` long overdue '' .
`` Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every action I will carry out will be - geared toward rebuilding the USAGM 's reputation , boosting morale , and improving content , '' Mr Pack said .
`` This plan is wholly pursuant to the bipartisan language that was developed and approved by Congress and the previous administration , both of which readily recognised that the agency had grown obsolete and ineffective implementing its statutory mission . ''
Ranking Foreign Relations Committee Democratic Senator Bob Menendez called the `` wholesale firing '' of the network heads an `` egregious breach of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This attack is sadly the latest - but not the last - in the Trump administration 's efforts to transform US institutions rooted in the principles of democracy into tools for the president 's own personal agenda . ''
Democrats Eliot Engel , chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee , and Nita Lowey , chairwoman of the House Appropriation Committee , said on Thursday they were `` outraged '' by Mr Pack 's actions that prioritised `` political whims '' .
Former National Security adviser and Treasury Assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the removals of Mr Fly and Mr Fernandez were `` incomprehensible '' .

Democrats have been particularly concerned by Jonathan Alexandre's addition to the board of Radio Free Asia, as he is a policy director for the Liberty Counsel, which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its opposition to LGBT rights.


bbc--2020-06-19--Galwan Valley: India PM Modi says military will keep borders secure

India has vowed to defend its border with military force if necessary , after 20 of its soldiers were killed in violence with Chinese troops on Monday .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says no foreign soldiers are inside Indian borders and no territory has been lost .
China has not released any information about its casualties since the clashes at the disputed Himalayan border .
The two nuclear powers accuse each other of crossing the poorly demarcated border and provoking the fight .
India has said that both sides suffered losses during the fighting in the Galwan Valley , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ India and China 's border clash In a televised statement on Friday , Mr Modi said that India 's armed forces had been `` given a free hand to take all necessary steps '' to protect Indian territory .
`` The entire country is hurt and angry at the steps taken by China , '' he said , adding : `` India wants peace and friendship , but upholding sovereignty is foremost . ''
Mr Modi went on to say that following Monday 's clashes , `` neither is anyone inside our territory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
The fatal incident , which was fought without any firearms because of a 1996 agreement barring guns and explosives from the area , also reportedly injured at least 76 other Indian soldiers .
An image that emerged on Thursday purportedly showed some of the crude weapons used in the fight .
The photograph , which appears to show iron rods studded with nails , was passed to the BBC by a senior Indian military official on the India-China border , who said the weapons had been used by the Chinese .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in India , prompting outrage from many social media users .
Neither Chinese or Indian officials have commented on it .
Media reports said troops clashed on ridges at a height of nearly 4,300m ( 14,000 ft ) on steep terrain , with some soldiers falling into the fast-flowing Galwan river in sub-zero temperatures .
Why were there no guns ?
The Galwan river valley in Ladakh , with its harsh climate and high-altitude terrain , is close to Aksai Chin , a disputed area claimed by India but controlled by China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two nuclear-armed neighbours have fought without conventional firearms on the border .
India and China have a history of face-offs and overlapping territorial claims along the more than 3,440km ( 2,100 mile ) , poorly drawn LAC separating the two sides .
The last firing on the border happened in 1975 when four Indian soldiers were killed in a remote pass in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh .
The clash was variously described by former diplomats as an ambush and an accident .
But no bullets have been fired since .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bilateral agreement that says `` neither side shall open fire ... conduct blast operations or hunt with guns or explosives within two kilometres of the Line of Actual Control '' .
But there have been other tense confrontations along the border in recent weeks .
In May Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged physical blows on the border at Pangong Lake , also in Ladakh , and in the north-eastern Indian state of Sikkim hundreds of miles to the east .
India has accused China of sending thousands of troops into the Galwan Valley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 14,700 sq miles ) of its territory .
Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes .

The last firing on the border happened in 1975 when four Indian soldiers were killed in a remote pass in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. The clash was variously described by former diplomats as an ambush and an accident. But no bullets have been fired since.


bbc--2020-06-19--Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor: Canada renews calls for China to release charged pair

Canada is working `` very actively '' to bring home two of its citizens charged with spying in China , Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said .
Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor were detained in China in December 2018 but were only charged on Friday .
Their arrests came just days after Meng Wanzhou - an executive of the Chinese giant Huawei - was detained in Vancouver , at the request of the US .
China denies that the arrests were in retaliation for Ms Meng 's detention .
Mr Trudeau said he was `` concerned and disappointed '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a former diplomat , and Mr Spavor , a businessman , calling their detention `` arbitrary '' .
Canadian officials were using both private and public tactics `` to make sure we have a positive outcome '' , he added at a press conference on Friday .
Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor have been charged with `` spying on national secrets '' and providing intelligence for `` outside entities '' .
Canada 's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was `` heartbroken and really angry '' when she heard the pair had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not rest '' until they come home .
The men are `` very brave Canadians who are behaving with incredible decency and incredible courage '' and are in very difficult circumstances `` through no fault of their own '' , she said .
China 's court system is completely controlled by the Communist Party and has an almost 100 % conviction rate once defendants are charged , notes the BBC 's Stephen McDonell in Beijing .
The Chinese government has not explicitly linked the cases of the two Canadians with Meng Wanzhou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is a connection , he explains .
At the Chinese foreign ministry 's regular press briefings , spokespeople routinely mention the fate of the Canadians and that of the daughter of Huawei 's founder in the same response .
Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor could face 10 years in prison if found guilty of violating Article 111 of the Criminal Law of the People 's Republic of China .
The Canadian prime minister also said he continued to highlight to China that the Canadian judicial system is independent and Mr Trudeau 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Ms Meng .
Canada 's concern for `` the Two Michaels '' In Canada , Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig are now frequently referred to simply as `` the Two Michaels '' .
It 's an indication of how closely followed their detention has been in Canada .
They are undoubtedly the most high-profile Canadian citizens being held abroad .
Their cases are raised by Canadian officials and in the media almost every time Meng Wanzhou 's trial makes news .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has become increasingly blunt about their cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their arrest was a tit-for-tat reaction by Beijing to Canada 's arrest of Ms Meng .
Since their detention , Canada has pressed many of its allies to speak in support of Mr Spavor and Mr Kovrig , including Australia , France , Germany , Spain , the UK , the US , the EU , and the G7 .
News they have been charged comes amid an ongoing deterioration in how Canadians view China .
Polls suggest Canadians are increasingly concerned about human rights in that country and sceptical about any potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What is the timeline ?
Meng Wanzhou - the chief financial officer of Huawei , and daughter of the company 's founder - was arrested on 1 December 2018 in Vancouver .
Her arrest was requested by the US , which accuses her of breaking Iranian sanctions .
She is still fighting extradition to the US .
On 10 December , the Canadians were detained in China .
They were formally arrested in May 2019 and charged 13 and a half months later .
In September , Mr Trudeau accused China of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to achieve political goals '' .
How have they been treated ?
Michael Kovrig 's employer , the Crisis Group think tank , says on its website that he has not seen a lawyer or his family since the detention , and that he only has `` periodic consular visits '' .
`` Michael 's work has included meeting ... Chinese officials , academics and analysts from multiple Chinese state institutions , '' the Crisis Group said .
`` He has attended numerous conferences at the invitation of Chinese organisations .
He frequently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media to comment on regional issues .
`` Nothing Michael does has harmed China . ''
The Free Michael Spavor website , updated earlier this year , said he was `` behind bars , without his family , and without access to lawyers '' .
`` Michael is an earnest , genuine , and impossibly fun person , who we believe has been detained in error , '' the website says .
In April 2019 , it was reported that both men were being interrogated for between six to eight hours a day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ artificial lighting .
The Chinese government says the men are in `` good health '' .
What is the latest with Meng Wanzhou ?
Last month , a Canadian court ruled that her case could go forward .
A judge found the case met the threshold of double criminality - meaning the charges would be crimes in both the US and Canada .
Her lead defence lawyer , Richard Peck , argued that Canada was effectively being asked `` to enforce US sanctions '' .
• Canadians held for a year by China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms Meng released an open letter , detailing her life in detention at her home in Vancouver .
`` Over the past year , I have learned to face up to and accept my situation , '' she said .
`` I 'm no longer afraid of the unknown . ''
She also said she finally had time to `` read a book cover to cover , '' or `` carefully complete an oil painting '' .

Michael Kovrig's employer, the Crisis Group think tank, says on its website that he has not seen a lawyer or his family since the detention, and that he only has "periodic consular visits".


bbc--2020-06-19--The New Zealand porn ad designed to protect children

How do children learn about sex ?
If it 's via pornography , a New Zealand public advertising campaign is @ @ @ @ @ a great thing .
The ad , with two porn actors showing up at a @ @ @ @ @ since gone viral .

How do children learn about sex?
If it's via pornography, a New Zealand public advertising campaign is warning that may not be a great thing.
The ad, with two 'porn actors' showing up at a boy's home, has since gone viral.
Video produced by Andreas Illmer.


bbc--2020-06-19--Serbia election: Vote in EU candidate state scorned as sham

The disruption from coronavirus is not the only thing Serbia 's parliamentary election has in common with the restart of the English Premier League .
An outcome that is beyond serious doubt is the other .
But while Liverpool FC should shortly confirm their first title in 30 years , Aleksandar Vucic would simply be extending a dominant run which already stretches back the best part of a decade .
Serbia 's president started his winning run in 2012 - when his Progressive Party ( SNS ) became the senior partner in a governing coalition .
His official title was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear from the start that Mr Vucic was running the show .
But despite his successes , the president 's past means that a significant proportion of Serbians will never accept him as their leader .
Mr Vucic served as information minister in the ruinous regime of Slobodan Milosevic - the president who presided over the violent disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s .
His subsequent apologies and conversion to a pro-EU policy cut no ice with critics .
An SNS victory in the 2014 election allowed him to become prime minister .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidency - appointing Ana Brnabic as prime minister , but keeping a firm hold on executive power .
Opposition parties claim that Mr Vucic 's grip has started to strangle Serbia 's young democracy .
Many of them are boycotting Sunday 's vote because they say conditions for a free and fair election do not exist .
Dragan Djilas , a former mayor of Belgrade who now leads the Party of Freedom and Justice ( SSP ) , has labelled the poll a `` hoax vote '' , saying that SNS dominance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear something different '' .
Another opposition activist , Dobrica Veselinovic of Do n't Let Belgrade Drown , told the BBC that `` unfair conditions '' were behind his movement 's decision to boycott the election .
He said that `` every attempt to open dialogue with the government fails - the institutions do n't want to hear what citizens are demanding '' .
Eric Gordy , a Balkans specialist at University College London , says the partial opposition boycott - and the predictability of the outcome - are damaging to Serbia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a democratic election is that more than one result is possible - but with this one , there 's no suspense at all , '' he says .
But Prof Gordy believes the opposition are misguided to believe their boycott will undermine the legitimacy of the election .
`` For it to succeed , they would have to have an audience which is interested in legitimacy - either the domestic public or the internationals .
But none of them seem to be terribly bothered by legitimacy - and they do n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to create greater legitimacy than the party that 's ruling now . ''
• Nato and Serbia put bombing behind them Indeed , boycott or no boycott , the political opposition is an incoherent mess .
The Democratic Party ( DS ) splintered after losing power in 2012 , with multiple new parties forming around key figures such as Dragan Djilas and Serbia 's former president , Boris Tadic .
It was not an attractive proposition for voters - even before the ostensibly centre-left DS and SSP joined other parties including the far-right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alliance for Serbia '' .
The boycott means the palatability of this strange arrangement will not be put to the test .
The Alliance also refused to take part in talks mediated by the European Parliament ( EP ) , which aimed to persuade the government to address opposition grievances while heading off a boycott .
Tanja Fajon , who chairs the EP 's delegation for relations with Serbia , told the BBC she regrets the absence of Alliance parties from the ballot .
`` It is important that after the elections we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in parliament - and we wo n't get into the situation again when the opposition is on the streets and not working in parliament .
`` Serbia is a deeply polarised country - lots of people who are discontent are afraid to express their opinions .
If you have a government which is very strong , with very fragmented opposition , it is difficult to have a proper democracy . ''
President Vucic is not a candidate on Sunday .
But the title of the SNS-led candidate reflects his incomparable status : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Serbia 's leader promises `` the acceleration of European integration '' , improving economic conditions and giving young people a reason to stay in the country .
But finding a way to restore confidence in Serbian democracy may be just as important .

"For it to succeed, they would have to have an audience which is interested in legitimacy - either the domestic public or the internationals. But none of them seem to be terribly bothered by legitimacy - and they don't have a lot of faith in the opposition to create greater legitimacy than the party that's ruling now."


bbc--2020-06-19--Coronavirus: Quarantine rules for some countries set to be relaxed

The government is planning to relax its travel quarantine rules in early July for some countries .
UK officials are talking to their counterparts in Portugal , France , Italy , Greece and Spain .
However , the UK hopes to make an announcement on 29 June that it has secured a number of `` travel corridors '' .
The government had previously said that the quarantine would be reviewed every three weeks and 29 June marks the end of the first three-week period .
A travel corridor would mean that two people travelling in both directions between two countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel .
The first travel corridors could come into force on 4 July , although that date is by no means confirmed .
Even if certain routes are exempt , the travel quarantine for people arriving from other destinations will remain in place .
A senior aviation source has told the BBC that the quarantine could remain throughout the summer for anyone arriving from countries which do not have a travel corridor with the UK .
• What 's the chance of going on holiday ?
Portugal 's foreign minister previously said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Portugal this summer would be `` most welcome '' despite the coronavirus pandemic .
Augusto Santos Silva said he hoped an `` air bridge '' between the UK and Portugal could be secured by the end of June .
However , the broader travel quarantine is expected to remain in place .
What are the new rules ?
• People arriving in the UK should drive their own car to their destination , where possible , and once there they must not use public transport or taxis • Arrivals must not go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas , or have visitors - except for essential support .
They are also not allowed to go out to buy food , or other essentials , where they can rely on others • Those arriving in England , Wales and Northern Ireland could face a fine of £1,000 if they fail to self-isolate for the full 14 days , while they face a £480 fine in Scotland .
The maximum fine for repeat offenders in Scotland is £5,000 .
For more on the rules click here .
Anyone arriving from the Republic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Isle of Man does not have to complete a form or enter quarantine upon arrival in the UK .
There are also exemptions for workers in some industries such as road haulage and medical professionals who are providing essential care .
The travel industry has been vocal in its criticism of the government 's quarantine rules , warning that the isolation period will deter visitors and put jobs at risk .
Some airlines were in the early stages of legal action .
The manufacturing industry has also highlighted that fewer flights will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a knock-on effect for the freight industry , as well as hampering the recovery of some businesses .
Despite criticism from businesses , Home Secretary Priti Patel said that the measures were `` proportionate '' and being implemented `` at the right time '' when they came into effect on 8 June .

The travel industry has been vocal in its criticism of the government's quarantine rules, warning that the isolation period will deter visitors and put jobs at risk. Some airlines were in the early stages of legal action.


bbc--2020-06-19--Belarus opposition protests end in arrests

Police in Belarus have detained demonstrators and journalists at a gathering of hundreds of people protesting President Alexander Lukashenko 's re-election campaign .
Mr Lukashenko , who has ruled the country since 1994 , is seeking a sixth term in office in August .
Opposition candidates gathered supporters ' signatures in the capital Minsk before riot police moved in .
Earlier authorities arrested Mr Lukashenko 's main rival Viktor Babaryko on suspicion of financial crimes amid increased harassment of opposition figures .
Opposition activists , journalists and bloggers have also been arrested in recent weeks , according to website Belorusskiye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe 's last death row' Candidates must gather 100,000 signatures of support in order to stand in the election , and Friday is the last day they can collect the names .
Several hundred people stood on the streets of Minsk with flags , while some clapped in support of the president 's critics , according to AFP news agency .
But at 19:00 local time police intervened to prevent further signatures being gathered , and arrested about 10 people including journalists from various foreign media , AFP reports .
Radio Free Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was reporting live on the protest .
Police threatened protesters in the city of Mahilyow with force , while in Homel demonstrators were told their gathering was illegal , according to local media .
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for the release of Mr Babaryko , calling his detention `` politically motivated '' .
Mr Babaryko was head of Belgazprombank , a Belarus subsidiary of Russian energy giant Gazprom , before entering politics .
His 30-year-old son Eduard , who is running his election campaign , was also arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenko alleged that his authorities had foiled a plot designed to destabilise the country , claiming that forces from `` both from the West and from the East '' were interfering in Belarus .
International election monitor the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe , has not recognised any elections in Belarus as free and fair since 1995 .

Now, people are also fed up with the government's indifference to their needs, opposition politician Anatoly Lebedko told me, and they want to choose MPs and a president in transparent elections.


bbc--2020-06-19--Coronavirus: EU leaders disagree over rescue package

EU leaders have failed to agree on a €750bn ( £676bn ; $ 840bn ) recovery fund for the coronavirus crisis , but Germany called the talks `` constructive '' .
Chancellor Angela Merkel said `` the bridges we still have to build are big , that 's true , but it was a discussion in a very constructive atmosphere '' .
Several northern European nations oppose the plan to pay out €500bn in EU grants .
They insist on loans instead .
Italy and Spain , worst-hit by Covid-19 , would get the largest aid packages .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July , it is hoped , will be face-to-face .
Sweden , Denmark , Austria and the Netherlands say the proposed EU fund is too large and insist any money given out must eventually be repaid .
Earlier , the head of the European Central Bank ( ECB ) , Christine Lagarde , said EU economies were heading for a dramatic fall .
Chancellor Merkel said : `` It was clear today that we would n't reach a result , but we will continue discussions in mid-July .
`` Today was basically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very factual discussion . ''
She added that `` nobody called into question that the European Commission would issue bonds '' .
`` It 's no exaggeration to say we are facing the biggest economic challenge in the history of the European Union . ''
The EU Commission , which drafts EU laws , calls the plan Next Generation EU .
The idea is to direct the aid especially at promising areas such as digital and green technologies , not propping up ailing old industries .
The grants would be funded by allowing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets , with national commitments to the EU budget as a guarantee .
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there were `` differences of opinion on various issues - for example , the overall size of Next Generation EU , on the balance between grants and loans '' .
• How is lockdown being lifted across Europe ?
• Are Italians losing faith in the EU ?
Traditionally the EU helps member states through loans , which have to be paid back , though the terms can be generous .
Spain and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in the EU during the coronavirus crisis and , in the wake of the financial crisis , are particularly keen on grants rather than loans being added to their public debt .
The Commission would borrow from financial markets to raise money for the grants , and the money would be paid back in instalments , after boosting EU income from taxes .
The payback would be spread over 30 years between 2028 and 2058 .
The Commission has plans for : When added to a proposed €1.1 trillion budget for 2021-27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to €1.85tn the amount that the Commission says will `` kick-start our economy and ensure Europe bounces forward '' .

Spain and Italy have seen the highest number of deaths in the EU during the coronavirus crisis and, in the wake of the financial crisis, are particularly keen on grants rather than loans being added to their public debt.


bbc--2020-06-19--Thousands of protesters call for resignation of Mali president

Thousands of protesters in Mali have gathered in the capital , Bamako , calling for the president to resign .
Led by conservative imam Mahmoud Dicko , a coalition of opposition groups is demanding political and economic reform .
They are seeking the resignation of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta because of escalating jihadist and inter-communal violence .
The president had pledged to form a new government with opposition members .
But despite negotiations between the two sides earlier this week , the protest has gone on as planned .
On Friday , crowds gathered in Bamako 's Independence Square , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding placards with anti-government messages .
A letter has also been sent to the president by the opposition groups demanding his resignation .
Mr Dicko led prayers during the rally .
Opposition politician Cheick Oumar Sissoko also delivered a speech calling for civil disobedience until Mr Keïta stepped down , according to Reuters news agency .
It follows a similar rally held on 5 June , which was organised by the same coalition .
The group have since adopted the name `` Movement of 5 June - Rally of Patriotic Forces '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as IBK , was first elected president of the west African nation in 2013 .
He secured a second five-year term in 2018 .
But he has come under mounting pressure in recent months due to Mali 's worsening economy , coronavirus , and a teachers ' strike .
Political tensions have also arisen from a disputed legislative election in March , and allegations of corruption .
Mali has been wracked by instability since 2012 , when Islamist groups hijacked an insurrection by Tuareg separatists , seizing swathes of territory in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces and UN peacekeepers continue .
In recent days , the president has been pushed to make concessions to opposition groups , like raising the salaries of public teachers following a pay dispute .
A delegation from the West African regional bloc Ecowas is also mediating between the two sides .
But protesters say not enough is being done to curb corruption or fix the failing economy .

It follows a similar rally held on 5 June, which was organised by the same coalition. The group have since adopted the name "Movement of 5 June - Rally of Patriotic Forces".


bbc--2020-06-19--Apple 'not told' about UK's latest app plans

Apple says it did not know the UK was working on a `` hybrid '' version of the NHS coronavirus contact-tracing app using tech it developed with Google .
The firm took the unusual step of saying it was also unaware of an issue regarding distance-measuring , which was flagged by Health Secretary Matt Hancock in Thursday 's daily briefing .
Apple said it was `` difficult to understand '' the claims .
Downing Street said the government had `` worked closely with Apple and Google '' .
In tests carried out in the UK , there were occasions when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not differentiate between a phone in a user 's pocket 1m ( 3.3ft ) away and a phone in a user 's hand 3m ( 9.8ft ) away .
During the briefing , Mr Hancock said : `` Measuring distance is clearly mission critical to any contact-tracing app . ''
However , speaking to the Times , Apple said : `` It is difficult to understand what these claims are as they have n't spoken to us . ''
The firm also pointed out that the tech was already either in use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy , the Netherlands and Ireland .
The tech giant also expressed surprise that the UK was working on a new version of the contact-tracing app which incorporated the Apple-Google software tool .
`` We 've agreed to join forces with Google and Apple , to bring the best bits of both systems together , '' Mr Hancock said .
However , Apple said : `` We do n't know what they mean by this hybrid model .
They have n't spoken to us about it . ''
It told the BBC it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , the Department of Health said the NHS 's digital innovation unit had indeed discussed its ambitions with Apple .
`` NHSX has been working with Google and Apple extensively since their API [ application programming interface ] was made available , '' it told the BBC .
`` Over the last few weeks , senior representatives from NHSX and Apple have had productive meetings to discuss both products and future direction .
`` There is a commitment between the teams to work together to improve the distance measurement technology , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract-tracing app . ''
Google said yesterday that it welcomed the government 's announcement .
A Downing Street spokesman said the government continued to work closely with both Apple and Google on the app , and had done so since development began .
`` We 've agreed with them to take forward our work on estimating distance through the app that we 've developed and work to incorporate that into their app , '' he said .
Apple and Google have not created an app .
What they have built is a software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more smoothly with both iPhones and Android devices , but which does not store any data centrally .
The UK wanted to store the data as it argued it would be useful for scientists tracking the spread of Covid-19 .
Dr David Bonsall from Oxford University , who is an adviser to the NHS app developers , told the BBC the tech giant had made a choice not to support the UK 's original model .
`` Ultimately , a decision was taken by Apple to not support the centralised system that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , and six weeks before they announced their own system under a decentralised model , '' he said .
`` And that has got to be considered in our reflection on the situation that the UK now faces . ''
The now-abandoned NHS app was tested on the Isle of Wight where it was downloaded more than 50,000 times .
However , it registered only about 4 % of the iPhones that were nearby .
Islanders have now been asked to delete it .
It 's not the first time the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - in 2018 an app built to help EU citizens apply to remain in the UK after Brexit was also found to not work properly on iPhones .
On that occasion Apple did eventually agree to make the necessary changes to its system .

"Ultimately, a decision was taken by Apple to not support the centralised system that had been in development by the UK from March, and six weeks before they announced their own system under a decentralised model," he said.


bbc--2020-06-19--George Floyd protests: Has policing changed?

Many people are asking : will these demonstrations change anything ?
Joice Etutu takes us through some of the changes @ @ @ @ @ the protests began .
See more of BBC My World on YouTube

Many people are asking: will these demonstrations change anything? Joice Etutu takes us through some of the changes to US policing introduced since the protests began.
See more of BBC My World on YouTube


bbc--2020-06-19--Inside Wuhan: Life after coronavirus lockdown

On 8 April , the Chinese government lifted lockdown in Wuhan , the city where the coronavirus pandemic began .
@ @ @ @ @ million people are still trying to restart their lives – and one Wuhan film-maker has @ @ @ @ @ .
How has Wuhan changed ?
And what can the rest of the world learn @ @ @ @ @ You can watch the full story , Our World – Wuhan : Life After Lockdown @ @ @ @ @ World News this weekend .

On 8 April, the Chinese government lifted lockdown in Wuhan, the city where the coronavirus pandemic began.
Two months on, 11 million people are still trying to restart their lives – and one Wuhan film-maker has set out to capture it.
How has Wuhan changed? And what can the rest of the world learn about life after lockdown?
You can watch the full story, Our World – Wuhan: Life After Lockdown on BBC News and BBC World News this weekend.
Producer: Natalia Zuo; Filmed by: Hong Chutian; Edited by: Natalia Zuo, Gordon Watt; Assistant Producer: Yitsing Wang; Executive Producers: Claire Williams, Adam Grimley, Howard Zhang


bbc--2020-06-19--How football can help displaced people 'heal, develop and grow'

Goal Click Refugees is a photo and text series that gives unheard voices a platform to share their experiences of displacement through the language of football .
Created by the UNHCR ( UN Refugee Agency ) and Goal Click ( a football story-telling and photo project ) , the new series aims to raise awareness of the rising levels of forced displacement .
Photos and stories have been collected from 25 participants across five continents , for World Refugee Day on 20 June .
They 've come from refugee camps in Jordan , Kenya and South Sudan , and from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Each participant was given a disposable film camera to capture the realities of their football lives and communities .
The photos and stories show how football helped the refugees and asylum seekers find their feet and rebuild their lives in new societies after the trauma and confusion of displacement .
`` For young men and women uprooted by war or persecution , sport is much more than a leisure activity , '' said Dominique Hyde , global head of External Relations at UNHCR .
`` [ Sport is ] an opportunity to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heal , develop and grow . ''
Founder of Goal Click , Matthew Barrett , added : `` This series aims to challenge existing stereotypes and give an intimate look into refugees ' football lives , in a way that no-one from outside these communities could do . ''
Goal Click Refugees is a year-long campaign that will culminate in a physical photo exhibition .

Photos and stories have been collected from 25 participants across five continents, for World Refugee Day on 20 June. They've come from refugee camps in Jordan, Kenya and South Sudan, and from football fields from London to Sydney.


bbc--2020-06-19--Coronavirus: Designer develops mobile plastic shield

Plastock , a UK plastics company , has developed a personal , mobile plastic shield for use by the public @ @ @ @ @ Persona 360 or `` Tube Tube '' .
At the moment it has to be @ @ @ @ @ and costs more than £100 , but if there 's enough interest the company plans @ @ @ @ @

Plastock, a UK plastics company, has developed a personal, mobile plastic shield for use by the public during coronavirus, called the Persona 360 or "Tube Tube". At the moment it has to be ordered on a bespoke basis and costs more than £100, but if there's enough interest the company plans to mass produce it.
Filmed and edited by digital reporter Dougal Shaw


Week in pictures: 13-19 June 2020

Doug Hassebroek pours confetti over his daughter , Lydia , during her school graduation ceremony at their home in Brooklyn @ @ @ @ @ have to be held remotely because of coronavirus .

Image caption,
Doug Hassebroek pours confetti over his daughter, Lydia, during her school graduation ceremony at their home in Brooklyn, New York. Celebrations have to be held remotely because of coronavirus.


bbc--2020-06-19--Father's day: These black dads share their experiences

This group of dads are opening up about the challenges of parenting , when separated from the mother of your @ @ @ @ @ who runs The Stepmums Club an online and offline platform that aims to improve relationships @ @ @ @ @ brought this group of men from London together , who she knows through friends , @ @ @ @ @ she 's gathered from the birth mums and step-mums who follow her account .
`` @ @ @ @ @ not being there for their children is a thing of the past , '' says @ @ @ @ @ stereotypes about black fathers .
This is a chance to hear from the dads about @ @ @ @ @ 'the man in the middle ' in a blended family .

This group of dads are opening up about the challenges of parenting, when separated from the mother of your child.
Priscilla Appeaning, who runs The Stepmums Club an online and offline platform that aims to improve relationships within blended families, has brought this group of men from London together, who she knows through friends, to ask them questions that she's gathered from the birth mums and step-mums who follow her account.
"This stigma about black men not being there for their children is a thing of the past," says Aaron when talking about negative stereotypes about black fathers.
This is a chance to hear from the dads about how it feels to be 'the man in the middle' in a blended family.
Filmed and edited by: Dave O'Neill
Additional filming: Alice Wright and Ammar Ebrahim
Executive Producer: Natalie Truswell
Commissioning Editor: Kimberley Rowell


bbc--2020-06-19--Obituary: Ian Holm, star of Alien and Chariots of Fire

Sir Ian Holm was the consummate supporting actor , happy to let others bask in the limelight of stardom .
He built his career in the theatre with the Royal Shakespeare Company , later wowing critics in Richard Eyre 's National Theatre production of King Lear , and electrified audiences in Harold Pinter 's The Homecoming .
His move into cinema saw him playing a variety of supporting roles including an android in Alien , the professional coach in Chariots of Fire and Dr Willis in The Madness of King George .
And he achieved international fame as Bilbo Baggins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rings trilogy .
Ian Holm Cuthbert was born on 12 September 1931 in a psychiatric hospital in Goodmayes , Essex , where his father , a psychiatrist and a pioneer of electric shock treatment , was the superintendent .
His mother was a nurse .
He suffered from anxiety as a child and was bullied at his private school , where he took refuge in a love of drama .
A chance meeting with the noted actor-manager Henry Baynton saw him enrolled at Rada in 1949 .
His studies were cut short by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent in Germany with the British army .
He eventually returned to Rada and graduated in 1953 .
He secured a job with the Royal Shakespeare Company at Stratford , where his first recorded role was as a spear carrier in a 1954 production of Othello .
He also played Mutius in a production of Titus Andronicus that toured Europe in 1956 .
Over the ensuing years he moved further up the cast list with roles that included Donalbain in Macbeth , The Fool in King Lear and Puck in A Midsummer Night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a talented and reliable actor - so much so that by the mid-1960s he was playing meatier parts , including the title roles in Henry V and Richard III .
Holm stepped away from the works of the Bard to take the role of Lenny in both the London and New York premieres of Harold Pinter 's play The Homecoming .
Appearing in the latter won him a Tony award .
He made his first foray into cinema in John Frankenheimer 's film of The Fixer , based on a true story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Tsarist Russia .
It was just one of more than 90 films in which he would appear .
Holm became the master of the sound , supporting performance in a variety of roles .
During the 1970s these included David Riccio in Mary , Queen of Scots and Yakovlev in Nicholas and Alexandra .
In 1973 he reprised the role of Lenny in the film version of The Homecoming .
For a time he had parallel careers in both theatre and cinema .
But he had a history of depression and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The crack-up '' , as he later termed it , came during a 1976 production of The Iceman Cometh , when a sudden attack of stage fright forced him to stop performing .
Apart from two brief appearances , one as Uncle Vanya in 1979 , he did not return to the stage for 18 years .
But his career was rescued by his TV and film work and the awards started to come .
His role as Peter Pan author J M Barrie in the BBC 's production of The Lost Boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a Bafta nomination .
In 1979 he made his first big Hollywood appearance , as the android Ash in Alien .
`` It was n't a particularly pleasant film to do , '' he later recalled .
`` It was 16 weeks of bloody hard work down at Shepperton Studios . ''
Two years later he appeared as Sam Mussabini in Hugh Hudson 's film Chariots of Fire , based on the story of the athletes Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams as they prepared for the 1924 Olympics .
His performance as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities in an age of amateurism , won him a Bafta for best supporting actor as well as an Oscar nomination .
In the same year he took the part of Frodo Baggins in BBC Radio 4 's massive adaptation of The Lord of the Rings , which featured Holm alongside a host of other stars including Michael Hordern and Robert Stephens .
He continued to receive critical praise for his film roles , notably in Time Bandits ( 1981 ) , Brazil ( 1985 ) and a performance as Lewis Carroll in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the life of Alice Liddell .
And the awards continued , including a Bafta for the Granada TV series Game , Set & Match , based on Len Deighton 's spy trilogy .
Holm never lost his fascination with Shakespeare .
He took the role of Fluellen in Kenneth Branagh 's highly acclaimed 1989 film of Henry V and , a year later , played Polonius alongside Mel Gibson as Hamlet in Franco Zeffirelli 's film of the play .
He was eventually lured back to the stage in 1993 to star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moonlight .
Pinter was said to have described Holm as his favourite performer , `` an actor of total integrity '' .
He continued to demonstrate his versatility in a wide range of roles , from Pod Clock in the BBC children 's series The Borrowers to Kenneth Branagh 's father in Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein .
His performance as Dr Willis , the physician who treated George III in The Madness of King George , garnered yet another Bafta nomination .
There were further nominations and awards for his portrayal of lawyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Sweet Hereafter .
Back on stage he won an Olivier for his King Lear in 1998 , the year in which he received a knighthood .
In 2001 he took what was probably his highest-profile role , that of the hobbit Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson 's epic production of the Lord of the Rings trilogy .
In the same year he once again appeared in a production of Pinter 's The Homecoming , this time as Max , the father of his previous character Lenny .
The critic Charles Spencer said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the vulnerability of a life-long bully who is appalled to discover that his word is no longer writ '' .
In 2012 , at the age of 81 , he reprised the role of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson 's film trilogy based on The Hobbit .
Away from stage and screen he was much sought-after as a narrator , notably on the BBC documentary Elizabeth R and for voiceover work in commercials and video games .
Holm married Lynn Shaw in 1955 , a union that lasted for 10 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in divorce in 1986 and , five years later , he married the actress Penelope Wilton .
The couple divorced in 2001 and he subsequently married Sophie de Stempel in 2003 .
Ian Holm was once asked how he felt about being so often the supporting actor , rarely the star .
`` As an actor , '' he replied , `` I 'm very much a company person .
`` I have a dread of responsibility .
I like someone else to be in charge . ''

He made his first foray into cinema in John Frankenheimer's film of The Fixer, based on a true story of a Jew falsely accused of murder in Tsarist Russia. It was just one of more than 90 films in which he would appear.


bbc--2020-06-19--Coronavirus: Why US is expecting an 'avalanche' of evictions

As hair salons , churches and restaurants reopen across the US , so are eviction courts .
Advocates and experts say that an unprecedented crush of evictions is coming , threatening millions of Americans with homelessness as a possible second wave of the pandemic looms .
Sitting in her car parked outside of the little white house in Kansas City , Missouri , where she 'd lived for two years , Tamika Cole was overwhelmed .
She 'd worked a long shift as a machine operator the night before , at a factory where she makes detergent bottles for $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stable work .
Nevertheless , Cole was on the brink of losing her home .
Her nerves were shot .
`` What am I supposed to do ? ''
she said .
`` I 'm tired of crying . ''
Cole said that she came home in early May to find an eviction notice affixed to her door .
She believed that it was because of a dispute she had with her upstairs neighbour , but that her landlord never spoke to her about it before filing the eviction against her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ moratorium was in place in Kansas City , and Cole 's landlord could n't force her to move out right away .
But she said that did n't stop him from trying to make her as uncomfortable as possible , entering her apartment without her knowledge , cutting off her electricity , and unscrewing and removing a barred security door on her unit .
Now , due to the rapid reopening of Missouri and states like it all over the country , the moratorium was allowed to expire .
The renter protections Cole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homelessness in the middle of the pandemic .
`` I 've been up all night , '' she said .
`` I 'm just trying to make it . ''
In Kansas City , local courts declared a moratorium on evictions after a campaign by local tenants ' rights activists .
Similar campaigns have had success nationally , and as the pandemic went into full swing in the US in mid-to-late March , most places halted eviction proceedings in some form - either on the state or local level - as both a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus .
The federal CARES Act , which passed in early April , froze evictions for renters living in federally subsidised housing or in property backed by government loans .
Surveys estimated that in the month of May , nearly a third of renters failed to pay their landlords on time , and over half had lost jobs due to the crisis .
But as the country begins opening up again , moratoriums are ending and 40 % of states no longer offer renters any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apply to less than one-third of the country 's 108 million renters .
Missouri is one of nine states in the US that never issued any type of statewide moratorium or stay on eviction proceedings , leaving it up to cities , counties and even individual courthouses to determine how to move forward .
As temporary protections are falling away , like a patchwork quilt slowly fraying , hundreds of evictions are already under way in states like Missouri , Virginia and Texas .
That could be sending thousands to homeless shelters or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a time when coronavirus cases are still on the rise in many places .
`` No court anywhere should be evicting anybody until at least the pandemic has sufficiently subsided , '' said Eric Dunn , director of litigation for the National Housing Law Project .
`` Most people being evicted right now - it 's because their incomes have been disrupted during the crisis .
Where are they supposed to go ?
It 's not like they have money to move somewhere else . ''
According to newly released data from Princeton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first places in the country to post worrisome eviction numbers is Milwaukee , Wisconsin - up 37 % on last year .
In Columbus , Ohio , eviction hearings are taking place in a convention centre in order to accommodate the number of cases and adhere to social distancing guidelines .
In North Carolina , a 9,000-case backlog is set to resume on 21 June .
Michigan 's State Court Administrative Office estimated when its moratorium comes to an end this month , 75,000 evictions will be filed .
In New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated that 50,000 evictions will be filed once Governor Andrew Cuomo 's statewide moratorium ends .
`` Eviction was always too high in this country , but these are extreme numbers , '' said Emily Benfer , a visiting professor of law at Columbia University and a former housing lawyer .
`` The United States can expect an avalanche of evictions and it will negatively impact entire communities… We will be recovering from that for generations to come without federal intervention . ''
A week after Kansas City officially opened up its courts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 10:30am to make the case to a judge that she be allowed to stay .
She had no lawyer , and only her own documentation , her own version of events and some advice she got from a tenants ' rights non-profit .
Cole said she suffers respiratory issues .
The eviction courtrooms are on the seventh floor of a building that has only one consistently functioning elevator , and can hear hundreds of cases a day , making it unclear how effectively social distancing would be maintained .
But in order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Cole did n't have a choice - she had to go .
And once she did , she was almost certainly going to lose .
A study of eviction court outcomes in Kansas City from 2006-2016 showed that over 99 % eviction cases went against the tenant .
`` What am I supposed to do ? ''
Cole kept repeating .
`` There 's coronavirus .
I ca n't move into no shelter .
I 'm going to [ have to ] live in my car . ''
Months before the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoffman got behind on her bills and lost her car .
Without transportation , she lost her job cleaning houses .
Without an income , she lost her apartment .
After she spoke to the management at a Howard Johnson hotel in College Park , Georgia , she thought she 'd found a solution .
If Hoffman cleaned rooms for the hotel , she could get a discount on the weekly rent .
She 'd be employed and housed , paying $ 250 a week for a room with a double bed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up against the wall for her .
`` It 's a roof and I have a little bit of income coming in , '' she recalled thinking .
But after five months of living in the hotel , as a tidal wave of coronavirus cases was sweeping across the nation , Hoffman 's feelings about the arrangement changed .
She said that because she was paid by the room , not by the hour , her pay cheques mostly went back to the hotel .
As tourism ground to a halt , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the cheques got even smaller .
Hoffman became nervous about cleaning strangers ' rooms , and bringing the virus home to her six-year-old and 19-year-old daughters .
So she put in her two weeks ' notice .
According to Hoffman , the hotel told her her rent would immediately go up to $ 350 a week , even before her two weeks were up , and that she owed them back rent for two weeks that she said she was told she did n't have to pay .
When she protested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her pay cheques altogether .
She said they cut off power to her room for three days .
Then they started calling the police .
As evictions , both legal and illegal , ramp up in the United States they are likely to disproportionately impact a population that has already been devastated by the coronavirus - African Americans .
Before the pandemic , research showed that of the 2.3 million evictions that take place each year ( about four per minute ) , they disproportionately impacted black families , particularly low-income , black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women are twice as likely to be evicted as white renters , according to statistics from the American Civil Liberties Union .
`` The most common client we have is a black single mom , '' said Erica Taylor , director of the Saturday Lawyer Program at the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation , which provides free legal representation to indigent clients .
Atlanta is located in Fulton County , Georgia , which is about 45 % black , and where there are 2,000 pending eviction cases .
Eviction Lab 's previous research found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the southeast region of the country , and in places where the population was 30 % African American or higher .
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Georgia was one of the first states in the country to reopen its bars , restaurants , gyms and clubs , and allow gatherings of up to 50 people .
At almost the same time that Governor Brian Kemp announced that the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control and Prevention study that took place in Georgia showed that more than four-fifths of hospitalised coronavirus patients were black .
`` That 's our clients , '' said Taylor .
`` They 're the most vulnerable . ''
Devin Q Rutan , a researcher with Eviction Lab , said that even during normal times , an eviction can be the difference between a household maintaining stability and chaos .
`` We know that evictions have really lasting damage for household finances and health .
They precede job loss , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when it 's most dangerous , on top of that , in a pandemic .
It 's already devastating the families to suffer an eviction to begin with . ''
Many landlords and property managers will not even consider a tenant with a previous eviction on her record .
But going to court is not always how evictions play out , especially during coronavirus .
Several advocates and experts that spoke to the BBC also reported seeing an uptick in `` self-help '' evictions , the colloquial name for illegal means that landlords @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leave .
`` People changing locks and shutting off utilities and resorting to threats , '' explained Dunn .
`` Under pre-pandemic conditions it was not the rule , and now it just seems like those cases are routine . ''
Not all informal evictions are done maliciously - some landlords work out a handshake agreement with tenants to move out and keep the eviction from appearing on the tenants ' record , which can badly impede their ability to rent elsewhere .
But Taylor said her organisation is seeing more cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bully renters out of the property , or conversely , proposing unconscionable deals that would allow a tenant to stay - like having sex with a landlord in exchange for rent .
`` I thought I 'd gotten to the point where I 'd seen almost everything , but in this last period of time it has been absurd and ridiculous the kind of behaviour we 've seen from landlords , '' she said .
`` With them not being able to use the court system to do their dirty work , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people . ''
Luckily for Hoffman , when the College Park police responded to her room , the officers recognised that as a long-term renter at the hotel , Hoffman qualified under the eviction moratorium .
They put her in touch with Taylor 's organisation , who is helping her stay for the time being and fight to get her wages back .
A man who identified himself as a manager at the hotel denied that they had intentionally cut off Hoffman 's power , but declined to comment further .
But Hoffman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to throw her things out on the street while she 's gone .
She rarely leaves the room now .
`` I 've been a praying woman , '' she said , laughing gently .
`` Everybody 's like , 'It 's good you 're staying strong , ' but I know it ai n't nothing but the grace of God that 's keeping me going .
For real .
I 'm doing it for my kids .
I have to get out of this situation . ''
On the day of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day in Kansas City - Tamika Cole got up a few hours after her shift at the factory ended and headed to the courthouse .
When she got there , the activist group KC Tenants was preparing to stage a `` die-in '' on the courthouse steps , beneath a statue of President Andrew Jackson on horseback .
The activists hung a huge banner on Jackson 's pedestal , who - as America 's seventh president - signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830 , which forced tens of thousands of Native Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Trail of Tears '' .
As Cole headed inside , the activists laid down - six feet apart - on the rain drenched concrete .
`` Housing was the prescription [ for coronavirus , ] '' said Tara Raghuveer , the director of KC Tenants .
`` People are going to be forced to put themselves at extraordinary health risk only to show up to court and get evicted . ''
Gina Chiala , a lawyer for the Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom , acknowledged that so far , the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is still way down from an average year .
`` I do n't think the full spike has hit .
I think that 's still coming , '' she said .
Even without a surge in cases , Chiala said she did n't like what she had seen inside the courthouse - that the elevators and courtroom gallery were `` troublingly crowded '' .
And she said she 'd just recently had a client whose son worked in a factory with an outbreak , and had tested positive for the virus .
Although @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented the woman .
`` It 's not safe for tenants .
It 's not safe for us .
But I feel like we have to , '' she said .
`` Hopefully nobody gets sick . ''
When Cole emerged from court hours later , it was with mixed news - she 'd been given a continuance , another week to bolster her case .
But she was also unnerved by how friendly her landlord 's lawyer had been with the judge .
`` He must have a lot of cases down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to address safety concerns , some courts in the US are offering `` remote hearings '' where tenants can appear by phone or even video .
But advocates are split on their usefulness - it 's unclear whether tenants who ca n't pay rent will have a high speed internet connection or even a working cell phone .
And advocates on all sides of the issue - both tenants and landlords - are desperate for some kind of solution that can stop cases from winding up in court in the first place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evicting someone , a way of getting a continued revenue stream and keeping that person housed will be a win-win for everyone , '' said Jay Martin , executive director of Community Housing Improvement Program , which represents most small , independent landlords in New York City .
Martin said his organisation fears that as more people are unable to make rent , building owners will not be able to pay their property taxes , utility bills and mortgages , eventually leading to foreclosures and bank takeovers of multi-family housing units .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the foreclosure crisis of 2008 , with massive impact on rental property owners rather than individual homeowners , and potential cascading effects on tenants .
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• THE LOST SIX WEEKS : Missed chances for US to contain outbreak He rejects an idea put forward by the tenant advocacy community that `` cancel the rent '' makes tenants safe , because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a hedge fund or a bank , and tenants could lose all their rights to the building .
Benfer agreed that what is truly needed is a federal assistance package that would allow renters to remain in their homes but also makes sure that landlords and property owners also make the money they need to stay solvent .
She points to the HEROES Act , which has passed the House and includes $ 100 billion in emergency rental assistance .
The $ 3 trillion package has been stalled in the Senate for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` At the end of the day , the rent , the housing market is really a keystone to our communities .
When the rent is n't paid , property taxes are n't paid , mortgages are n't paid , maintenance employees are n't paid , '' she said .
`` All of that has ripple effects into these communities .
It affects our education system , it affects basic necessities in the community .
Once that link is broken we see this chain reaction .
`` Renters are n't the only ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before her final hearing in Kansas City court , Tamika Cole sounded exhausted while on break at work , the sound of equipment whirring and clattering behind her .
`` I do n't have no strategy .
I do n't know what I 'm fighting for .
I have my receipts .
I have the pictures and little videos , '' she said .
`` I really do n't even care .
I 'm just praying this judge will buy me a little time so I can find some place to go .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ place to move to , but it was n't going to be ready until 15 June .
That still left her with about 10 days without a place to stay , or anywhere to store her possessions .
Even though she has family in town , Cole said she does n't want to put herself or her family at risk of contracting Covid-19 .
`` Half of your family do n't even want you to be there , because they do n't know who 's sick or not , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the courthouse once again .
When she walked back out , she sounded like a completely different person .
`` It 's just over , '' she sighed .
`` It 's not going to be on my record . ''
Cole said that a tenant 's rights advocate - she was n't sure from where - was in the courtroom and heard her story .
The advocate advised that Cole approach her landlord 's lawyer directly and explain that she was willing to move out and pay back rent if she could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move out .
According to Cole , the landlord reluctantly agreed .
It was a moment of total relief , a break in the clouds .
`` That 's all I wanted was a little time to go on and move , '' she said .
`` I 'm happy . ''

But after five months of living in the hotel, as a tidal wave of coronavirus cases was sweeping across the nation, Hoffman's feelings about the arrangement changed. She said that because she was paid by the room, not by the hour, her pay cheques mostly went back to the hotel. As tourism ground to a halt, there were fewer and fewer rooms to clean, and the cheques got even smaller. Hoffman became nervous about cleaning strangers' rooms, and bringing the virus home to her six-year-old and 19-year-old daughters. So she put in her two weeks' notice.