bbc--2020-03-30--Cheeky Carragher and '90s Neville - footballers take part in photo challenge

As we all continue to get misty-eyed about the beautiful game a new social media challenge popped up .
The premise was simple , post a football photograph with no description .
There were some crackers ... .
Charlie Austin winning promotion to the Premier League in 2014 with QPR .
This cheeky entry from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher .
Peter Crouch with a throwback to an England training session .
This was BBC commentator Guy Mowbray 's submission from back in the day .
England and Lyon defender Lucy Bronze , the newly crowned BBC Women 's Footballer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment from the 2015 World Cup .
Former world number one golfer Lee Westwood posted a throwback , wearing his beloved Nottingham Forest shirt .
Former Wales striker John Hartson in his Celtic days .
When former Blackburn midfielder David Dunn went in on Cristiano Ronaldo .
Ryan Mason , who was forced to retire at the age of 26 in 2018 as a result of a fractured skull , remembered his time at Tottenham .
Gary Neville remembered when he played alongside Paul Gascoigne for England .
And we are not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dan Walker is doing here .

Last updated on .From the section Football
Another weekend without football.
As we all continue to get misty-eyed about the beautiful game a new social media challenge popped up.
The premise was simple, post a football photograph with no description.
There were some crackers....
A very young Michel Owen.
Charlie Austin winning promotion to the Premier League in 2014 with QPR.
This cheeky entry from former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
Peter Crouch with a throwback to an England training session.
This was BBC commentator Guy Mowbray's submission from back in the day.
That Peter Crouch Podcast Peter co-presenter Chris Stark celebrated his beloved Watford.
England and Lyon defender Lucy Bronze, the newly crowned BBC Women's Footballer of the Year 2020, picked a moment from the 2015 World Cup.
Former world number one golfer Lee Westwood posted a throwback, wearing his beloved Nottingham Forest shirt.
Former Wales striker John Hartson in his Celtic days.
When former Blackburn midfielder David Dunn went in on Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ryan Mason, who was forced to retire at the age of 26 in 2018 as a result of a fractured skull, remembered his time at Tottenham.
Gary Neville remembered when he played alongside Paul Gascoigne for England.
And we are not sure what BBC Breakfast and Football Focus' Dan Walker is doing here.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Three out of four Americans under some form of lockdown

About three out of four Americans are now , or about to be , under some form of lockdown , as more states tighten measures to fight the coronavirus .
Maryland , Virginia , Arizona and Tennessee became the latest states to order citizens to stay at home , meaning 32 of 50 states have taken such steps .
Meanwhile governors are quarrelling with President Donald Trump about the availability of testing kits .
The US has more than 163,000 confirmed virus cases and over 3,000 deaths .
It surpassed Italy last week as the country with the highest number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease caused by the virus .
New York City is the worst-hit place in America , with 914 confirmed fatalities , according to Johns Hopkins University .
How many Americans are affected by lockdown ?
Some 245 million people are already under orders to stay at home , or facing such orders which come into effect later on Tuesday .
Almost two-thirds of states have issued directives for their citizens to stay put , while the remaining states have localised orders in effect .
• Trump extends US virus guidelines to end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York 'quarantine' • What this crisis reveals about the US In Florida , Governor Ron DeSantis , who has been reluctant to impose a state-wide order , said he would instruct people in four counties in the south - where more than half the state 's cases of the virus exist - to stay at home .
He said this would last until at least the middle of May .
In general , the `` lockdowns '' allow people to only go out to get essential supplies and medicines , or limited forms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been profound , with millions of people having lost their jobs .
According to an estimate of the Federal Reserve , the US central bank , 47 million people could be out of work in the coming months , with the US still weeks away from the peak of infections .
What are governors and the presidents disagreeing about ?
According to the New York Times , President Trump and state governors held a conference call on Monday in which Mr Trump suggested there was no longer a lack of kits to test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recording obtained by the newspaper , Mr Trump says he has not `` heard about testing in weeks .
`` We 've tested more now than any nation in the world .
We 've got these great tests and we 're coming out with a faster one this week ...
I have n't heard about testing being a problem , '' he says .
However , Montana Governor Steve Bullock is heard to say his state does not have adequate numbers of kits .
`` Literally , we are one day away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the CDC [ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ] , that we would n't be able to do testing in Montana , '' he says .
Washington Governor Jay Inslee told the Times he was taken aback by Mr Trump 's assertion .
`` It would be shocking to me that if anyone who has had access to any newspaper , radio , social networks , or any other communication would not be knowledgeable about the need for test kits .
`` I can be assured that the White House knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test kits , '' the newspaper quotes him as saying .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Earlier , the president said the US would be in `` a very good shape '' in terms of the number of ventilators available by the time the coronavirus outbreak peaks .
The president said at least 10 US companies were now making the medical devices , and some might be exported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as it attacks the lungs , and ventilators help keep patients breathing .
Several state and local officials have warned hospitals are at risk of running out of equipment .
Mr Trump has alleged some state governors were `` hoarding '' critical medical equipment , and that items including face masks were being stolen from hospitals .
He has not presented any evidence for either claim .

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis, who has been reluctant to impose a state-wide order, said he would instruct people in four counties in the south - where more than half the state's cases of the virus exist - to stay at home. He said this would last until at least the middle of May.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: US death rates v China, Italy and South Korea

The US has seen its virus cases spike dramatically and these graphs show what could be in store .

The US has seen its cases spike dramatically in recent days and these graphs show what could be in store.
Produced by the BBC's Franz Strasser, narrated by Hannah Long-Higgins.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: American Airlines to seek $12bn in state aid

American Airlines has confirmed it will seek $ 12bn ( £9.7bn ) of financial support from the US government because of the impact of coronavirus .
Employees were told in an email this `` would allow us to fly through even the worst of potential future scenarios '' .
It said it would mean `` no involuntary furloughs or cuts in pay rates or benefits for the next six months '' .
Staff will also be offered `` enhanced voluntary leave and early retirement options '' .
Last year the company made a $ 2.9bn profit and returned $ 1.3bn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Bloomberg .
• US airlines used up spare cash buying back shares Under the massive $ 2.2tn coronavirus relief bill passed by the US Congress last week , $ 50bn was set aside for airlines with half given as grants .
The other half will be offered as loans in exchange for not furloughing employees until at least 30 September .
American Airlines , the world 's biggest by passenger numbers , said it hoped to be back to flying a full schedule by then .
`` These funds are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ service and protect jobs .
We intend to apply for these funds and are confident that , along with our relatively high available cash position , they will allow us to fly through even the worst of potential future scenarios , '' said the email to staff from chief executive Doug Parker and president Robert Isom .
Global airlines have struggled as countries worldwide have grounded the majority of passenger flights since February as part of efforts to halt the spread of the coronavirus .
Another US airline , Delta , has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carriers outside the US such as Singapore Airlines have unveiled plans to raise funds by tapping share and debt markets with the backing of sovereign investment fund Temasek Holdings .

"These funds are being distributed to ensure continuation of essential airline service and protect jobs. We intend to apply for these funds and are confident that, along with our relatively high available cash position, they will allow us to fly through even the worst of potential future scenarios," said the email to staff from chief executive Doug Parker and president Robert Isom.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Amazon workers threaten strikes over virus protection

Pressure is building on Amazon and other delivery firms to improve protection for workers worried about getting infected with coronavirus .
Some workers at US food delivery firm Instacart and US and Italian workers at Amazon have walked out , complaining of inadequate protection .
US senators have also written to Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to express concerns .
The companies have said they are taking extra precautions , amid booming demand for delivery services due to the virus .
`` We are going to great lengths to keep the buildings extremely clean and help employees practice important precautions such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an Amazon spokesman said in a statement .
`` Those who do n't want to work are welcome to use paid and unpaid time off options and we support them in doing so '' .
Amazon said it had adjusted its practices , including increased cleaning of its facilities and introducing staggered shift and break times .
In Italy , the company said it had reduced deliveries since 22 March .
However , union leaders say workers need access to better protection .
`` Several employees working at the site use face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones each day , '' one union representative told Reuters .
Earlier this month , Mr Bezos addressed the worries in an open letter to staff , thanking them for their work .
The company , which is looking to hire 100,000 more warehouse workers in the US to help address the surge in orders , has also said it would boost pay for warehouse staff around the world , including by $ 2 per hour in the US and by £2 per hour in the UK , where staff have been told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers have questioned Amazon over reports of shortages of protective and cleaning supplies , as well as its sick leave policies .
The firm earlier faced strikes by workers in France and Italy and has been hit by legal complaints over the issues in Spain , according to a global alliance of unions coordinated by UNI Global Union .
A strike on Monday against Instacart was organised by the Instacart Shoppers and Gig Workers collective , which had accused the company of profiting by putting people making its deliveries `` directly in harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the firm should provide protective gear , offer hazard pay and extend the pay for those unable to work because of the virus , whether due to a required quarantine or pre-existing condition .
`` This is an extraordinary time in history , and as Shoppers , those of us who are able - and have the means to protect ourselves - do want to help those in our community by delivery groceries and supplies , '' the organisers wrote .
`` But with Instacart neglecting the basic wellbeing of its 150,000+ drivers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but to not only walk off but to raise awareness to the company 's practices . ''
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do i protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Despite the threat of a walkout , Instacart on Monday said it had seen `` absolutely no impact '' on operations , with more people picking and delivering groceries for its platform than ever before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of shoppers to provide feedback .
On Sunday , after the call about Monday 's strike , Instacart said it was working with a manufacturer to produce its own hand sanitiser and changing its tip policy .
It had earlier said it would pay bonuses and provide 14 days of sick leave for its shoppers or part-time employees diagnosed with the virus or placed under isolation orders .
`` We are immensely grateful to the entire shopper community for continually stepping up as household heroes for families who are relying on Instacart now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` We are continuing to monitor this situation and working around the clock to make sure we 're providing you with the resources and support you need . ''

The company, which is looking to hire 100,000 more warehouse workers in the US to help address the surge in orders, has also said it would boost pay for warehouse staff around the world, including by $2 per hour in the US and by £2 per hour in the UK, where staff have been told to work overtime.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Love knows no borders for elderly couple

An elderly couple have become local celebrities amid the coronavirus outbreak for their daily cross-border meeting .
Inga Rasmussen , 85 , from Denmark and Karsten Tüchsen Hansen , 89 , from Germany meet near the town of Aventoft to chat and share a drink , sitting at the recommended safe distance .
The Germany-Denmark border was closed two weeks ago amid the outbreak .
Germany has some 63,000 confirmed cases of the virus , and Denmark over 2,500 .
Europe ’ s Schengen Area - which allows restriction-free travel throughout vast swathes of the Continent - has seen borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the first time in 25 years .
But the octogenarian couple will not let a global pandemic stop them .
`` It 's sad , but we ca n't change it , '' Ms Rasmussen told German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle .
Both have become local celebrities during the crisis after the mayor of the local town of Tonder found the pair while he was on a bike ride .
The pair first met two years ago , and for more than a year have spent nearly every day together .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town of Gallehus , while Mr Hansen rides his bike from Süderlügum .
He will sometimes have a glass of schnapps during their meeting , but Ms Rasmussen sticks to coffee .
“ After all , I have to drive a car , ” she told Danish newspaper Der Nordschleswiger .
Ms Rasmussen and Mr Hansen have taken trips together in the past , and plan to travel again once the outbreak is over .
They are just one couple who have found creative ways to keep their relationship alive during the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

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bbc--2020-03-31--Thomas Becket: Alpine ice sheds light on medieval murder

Ancient air pollution , trapped in ice , reveals new details about life and death in 12th Century Britain .
In a study , scientists have found traces of lead , transported on the winds from British mines that operated in the late 1100s .
Air pollution from lead in this time period was as bad as during the industrial revolution centuries later .
The pollution also sheds light on a notorious murder of the medieval era ; the killing of Thomas Becket .
• Climate secrets of the world 's most remote island The assassination of the Archbishop of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his cathedral was a gruesome event that made headlines all over Europe .
The King , Henry II , and Becket were once very close - Becket had been Henry 's chancellor before he was made Archbishop .
Henry believed the appointment would allow the crown to gain control over the rich , powerful and relatively independent church .
Becket , though , had other plans .
Henry 's growing irritation with his Archbishop led the King to reportedly utter the infamous phrase : `` Will no one rid me of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a group of knights loyal to the King decided to make Henry 's wish come true .
Becket was beheaded in a brutal attack at Canterbury cathedral on 29 December 1170 .
Now scientists have found physical evidence of the impact of the dispute between Henry and Becket in a 72-metre-long ice core , retrieved from the Colle Gnifetti glacier in the Swiss-Italian Alps .
In the same way that trees detail their growth in annual rings , so glaciers compact a record of the chemical composition of the air , trapped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ice .
Analysing the 800 year-old ice using a highly sensitive laser , the scientists were able to see a huge surge in lead in the air and dust captured in the 12th century .
Atmospheric modelling showed that the element was carried by winds from the north west , across the UK , where lead mining and smelting was booming in the late 1100s .
Lead and silver are often mined together and in this period , mines in the Peak District and in Cumbria were among the most productive in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the physical records from the ice with the written tax records of lead and silver production in England .
Lead had many uses in this time , from water pipes to church roofs to stained glass windows .
But production of the metal was clearly linked to political events according to the authors of this latest research .
`` In the 1169-70 period , there was a major disagreement between Henry II and Thomas Beckett and that clash manifested itself by the church refusing to work with Henry - and you actually see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Prof Christopher Loveluck , from Nottingham University .
Excommunicated by the Pope in the wake of the murder , Henry 's attempt at reconciliation is detailed in the ice core .
`` To get himself out of jail with the Pope , Henry promised to endow and build a lot of major monastic institutions very , very quickly , '' said Prof Loveluck .
`` And of course , massive amounts of lead were used for roofing of these major monastic complexes .
`` Lead production rapidly expanded as Henry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Church . ''
The researchers say their data is also clear enough to show the clear connections between lead production rising and falling during times of war and between the reigns of different kings in this period between 1170 and 1220 .
`` The ice core shows precisely when one king died and lead production fell and then rose again with the next monarch , '' said Prof Loveluck .
`` We can see the deaths of King Henry II , Richard the Lionheart and King John there in the ancient ice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mining and smelting of lead in this time period caused the same levels of lead pollution as seen in the 17th century and in 1890 .
They argue that the idea that atmospheric pollution started with the industrial revolution are incorrect .
The study has been published in the journal Antiquity .

"In the 1169-70 period, there was a major disagreement between Henry II and Thomas Beckett and that clash manifested itself by the church refusing to work with Henry - and you actually see a fall in that production that year," said Prof Christopher Loveluck, from Nottingham University.


bbc--2020-03-31--Houseparty offers $1m reward for proof of sabotage

The owner of video chat and game app Houseparty is offering a $ 1m ( £810,750 ) reward for evidence the company was the victim of a commercial smear campaign .
Online rumours alleged that downloading the app led to other services such as Netflix and Spotify being hacked .
The company said there was `` no evidence '' to back up those claims .
Houseparty has become one of the most downloaded apps in several countries including the UK amid restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus .
According to Apptopia downloads of the app rose from an average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week in the middle of March .
Online gaming firm Epic Games , which also makes Fortnite , purchased Houseparty from its creator in 2019 .
Epic Games has not said why it believes Houseparty were the victim of a smear attack but promised to pay the first person to provide evidence of this .
How it all started On Monday the company began fighting rumours on social media that the video chat app was the reason other apps were being hacked .
Several people posted on Twitter screenshots they claimed showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netflix , Spotify and even bank accounts after they downloaded Houseparty .
Houseparty does not access third-party apps like Netflix or Spotify , though it does ask for access to user 's contacts and connections on Facebook and Snapchat .
Those tweets were followed up by calls to delete Houseparty , and by claims that Epic Games was preventing users from removing Houseparty from their phones .
`` We 've found no evidence to suggest a link between Houseparty and the compromises of other unrelated accounts , '' a spokesperson for Epic Games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we suggest all users choose strong passwords when creating online accounts on any platform . ''
Houseparty , which allows users to have group video chats and play games virtually with friends , is not without its risk , however .
Privacy and parenting experts have warned about `` gate crashers '' entering conversation on the app .
If a chat is left `` unlocked '' any user can enter it uninvited - or `` gate crash '' - as long as they are connected to someone in the chat .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and even pornographic images being shown to unwitting users .

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bbc--2020-03-31--Tablighi Jamaat: Delhi Nizamuddin event sparks massive search for Covid-19 cases

Officials across India are searching for hundreds of people who attended a religious event in the capital that has set off several Covid-19 clusters .
At least six regions have reported cases that can be directly traced to the days-long congregation at a mosque .
Delhi officials are now clearing the building , where more than 1,000 people have been stranded since the government imposed a lockdown last week .
At least 24 have tested positive so far , the state health minister said .
They are among some 300 people who showed symptoms and have been moved to various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media .
Another 700 have been shifted into quarantine centres , he added .
It is believed that the infections were caused by preachers who attended the event from Indonesia .
State officials have called for action to be taken against mosque officials , but they have denied any wrongdoing .
Local media reports say that Nizamuddin - the locality where the mosque is located - has been cordoned off and more than 35 buses carrying people to hospitals or quarantine centres .
The congregation - part of a 20th Century Islamic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of February , but some of the main events were held in early March .
It 's unclear if the event was ticketed or even if the organisers maintained a roster of visitors as people attended the event throughout , with some staying on and others leaving .
Even overseas visitors , some of them preachers , travelled to other parts of the country where they stayed in local mosques and met people .
So officials have no easy way of finding out how many people attended the event or where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun to trace and test .
The southern state of Telangana reported on Sunday night that six people who had attended the event died from the virus .
The state 's medical officer told the BBC that more than 40 of Telangana 's 71 cases were either directly or indirectly linked to the event .
Indian-administered Kashmir reported its first death from the virus last week - a 65-year-old who had been in Delhi for the congregation .
Officials told BBC Urdu that more than 40 of the region 's 48 cases could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A cluster has even appeared in the distant Andaman and Nicobar Islands , where six of the nine who have tested positive , had returned from the Delhi event .
The southern states of Tami Nadu , Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have said more than 3,000 people from their states had attended the event , and Tamil Nadu has traced 16 positive patients to it .
• Coronavirus : Why is India testing so little ?
States have also asked other people who attended to come forward for testing .
Delhi Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police complaint to be registered against the head of the mosque .
However , the event 's organisers have issued a statement , saying they had suspended the event and asked everyone to leave as soon as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that there would be a day-long national curfew on 22 March .
While many were able to leave , they say , others were stranded because states began to seal their borders the following day , and two days later , India imposed a 21-day lockdown , suspending buses and trains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can house hundreds of people .
The organisers say they informed the local police about all of this and continued to cooperate with medical officers who came to inspect the premises .
The mosque , the statement says , `` never violated any provision of law , and always tried to act with compassion and reason towards the visitors who came to Delhi from different states .
It did not let them violate the medical guidelines by thronging ISBTs ( bus stops ) or roaming on streets . ''
This is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blamed for the spread of coronavirus .
Tablighi Jamaat events have also been blamed for spreading cases in Indonesia and Malaysia .
And in South Korea , many positive cases were linked to the Schincheonji church , a secretive religious sect , that has since apologised for its role in the outbreak .

It's unclear if the event was ticketed or even if the organisers maintained a roster of visitors as people attended the event throughout, with some staying on and others leaving. Even overseas visitors, some of them preachers, travelled to other parts of the country where they stayed in local mosques and met people.


bbc--2020-03-31--Chinese forest fire: Firefighters and guide killed in Sichuan blaze

Eighteen firefighters and their guide have died while battling a forest fire in China 's Sichuan province , state media @ @ @ @ @ news agency said a sudden change in wind direction led to the group becoming trapped @ @ @ @ @ The fire in Liangshan prefecture has now spread across 1,000 hectares .
More than 2,000 @ @ @ @ @ been sent to the area and 1,200 people have been evacuated .
The fire started @ @ @ @ @ farm .
Strong winds meant that the flames quickly spread to nearby mountains .
The @ @ @ @ @ group of 22 - including one farm worker acting as their guide - who went @ @ @ @ @ been found and were taken to hospital .
Local media reports that heavy clouds of @ @ @ @ @ the nearby city of Xichang .
The incident comes almost exactly a year after a @ @ @ @ @ of Liangshan prefecture which killed 30 firefighters .

The dead firefighters were among a group of 22 - including one farm worker acting as their guide - who went missing. Three survivors have been found and were taken to hospital.


bbc--2020-03-31--Wimbledon cancellation seems inevitable as emergency meetings held

A series of emergency meetings is under way to decide whether Wimbledon can go ahead this year .
The All England Club says a final decision is yet to be made , but the cancellation of the Championships for the first time since the Second World War now seems inevitable .
The Wimbledon Championships are due to run for two weeks from Monday 29 June .
The French Open has already been pushed back four months to late September because of the coronavirus pandemic .
`` I guess everyone 's been waiting on it , '' Britain 's seven time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC Radio 4 's Today programme .
`` It 's obviously the next big event in the tennis calendar that 's still on the calendar for the moment . ''
BBC Sport understands a decision to abandon this year 's grass court season is likely be made in conjunction with three governing bodies - the Lawn Tennis Association , the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women 's Tennis Association - within the next 48 hours .
The All England Club admitted last week that a postponement would not be `` without significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says there are many practical reasons for that .
`` I think for them , it 's difficult to move the tournament back because you 're running into other tournaments that are for the moment still on the schedule , '' he explained .
`` And also just things like daylight to host the event .
Each week that passes , you get less and less light to play the tournament .
And obviously they play until nine and 10 o'clock each night at Wimbledon . ''
The All England Club is confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and debenture holders through the insurance policies it has in place .
But tennis will be denied its annual chance to showcase the sport in the UK , and to encourage people to take to the courts .
The preceding grass court tournaments in Nottingham , Birmingham , Eastbourne and at Queen 's Club in London will also be affected .
There is likely to be no professional tennis played anywhere until at least 13 July , which leaves players like Murray in the same boat as everyone else .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions , and trying to stay as active as I can , '' the Scot continued .
`` It 's different .
We 're used to being on the road all the time , used to being in different cities every week , and you kind of become institutionalised to that .
`` So even when I 'm at events , come Friday , Saturday , when you 're starting to play for big prizes , your mind 's kind of like , ready to go to the next event because that 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do . ''

Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep are the defending men's and women's singles champions from 2019
A series of emergency meetings is under way to decide whether Wimbledon can go ahead this year.
The All England Club says a final decision is yet to be made, but the cancellation of the Championships for the first time since World War Two now seems inevitable.
The Wimbledon Championships are due to run for two weeks from Monday 29 June.
The French Open has already been pushed back four months to late September because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I guess everyone's been waiting on it," Britain's seven time Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"It's obviously the next big event in the tennis calendar that's still on the calendar for the moment."
'Big challenges for Wimbledon' - Judy Murray tells BBC Breakfast
BBC Sport understands a decision to abandon this year's grass court season is likely be made in conjunction with three governing bodies - the Lawn Tennis Association, the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women's Tennis Association - within the next 48 hours.
The All England Club admitted last week that a postponement would not be "without significant risk and difficulty," and Murray says there are many practical reasons for that.
"I think for them, it's difficult to move the tournament back because you're running into other tournaments that are for the moment still on the schedule," he explained.
"And also just things like daylight to host the event. Each week that passes, you get less and less light to play the tournament. And obviously they play until nine and 10 o'clock each night at Wimbledon."
The All England Club is confident it will be able to refund ticket and debenture holders through the insurance policies it has in place.
But tennis will be denied its annual chance to showcase the sport in the UK, and to encourage people to take to the courts.
The preceding grass court tournaments in Nottingham, Birmingham, Eastbourne and at Queen's Club in London will also be affected.
There is likely to be no professional tennis played anywhere until at least 13 July, which leaves players like Murray in the same boat as everyone else.
"I'm just at home, taking the necessary precautions, and trying to stay as active as I can," the Scot continued.
"It's different. We're used to being on the road all the time, used to being in different cities every week, and you kind of become institutionalised to that.
"So even when I'm at events, come Friday, Saturday, when you're starting to play for big prizes, your mind's kind of like, ready to go to the next event because that's just what you've been programmed to do."


bbc--2020-03-30--Blood test 'can check for more than 50 types of cancer'

A simple blood test can check for more than 50 types of cancer , often before any signs or symptoms , scientists say .
It could help diagnose tumours sooner , when they are easier to treat and , ideally , cure , experts hope .
More than 99 % of positive results are accurate , the team says , but it will be crucial to check it does not miss cases and provide false assurance .
Doctors are using it in trials with patients but more studies are needed , they say in Annals of Oncology .
Trial data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advanced disease rather than the beginnings of cancer , which may limit how useful it becomes .
How does it work ?
The test looks for telltale chemical changes to bits of genetic code - cell-free DNA - that leak from tumours into the bloodstream .
The researchers , from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School , working with UK colleagues from The Francis Crick Institute and University College London , tested more than 4,000 samples from patients - some with and some without cancer .
More than 50 types of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ovarian , were included .
And in 96 % of the samples , the test accurately detected the type of cancer .
What do experts say ?
The study is funded by Grail , the maker of the blood test .
One of the lead researchers , Prof Geoff Oxnard , said : `` This blood test seems to have all the features needed to be used on a population scale , as a multi-cancer screening test .
`` Everyone asks when will a test like this will be ready for use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ validation in thousands of patients , the test has actually now been launched for limited use on clinical trials .
`` But before this blood test is used routinely , we will probably need to see results from clinical studies like this to more fully understand the test performance .
`` Certainly the field is moving quickly and it makes us hopeful that blood-based cancer detection will be a reality . ''
Cancer Research UK early detection head Dr David Crosby said : `` Detecting cancers at their earliest stages , when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a huge potential to save lives and we sorely need tech innovations that can turn this potential into reality .
`` Although this test is still at an early stage of development , the initial results are encouraging .
`` And if the test can be fine-tuned to be more efficient at catching cancers in their earliest stages , it could become a tool for early detection .
`` But more research is needed to improve the test 's ability to catch early cancers and we still need to explore how it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''

Cancer Research UK early detection head Dr David Crosby said: "Detecting cancers at their earliest stages, when they are less aggressive and more treatable, has a huge potential to save lives and we sorely need tech innovations that can turn this potential into reality.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Anger as migrants sprayed with disinfectant in India

An investigation has been launched after a group of migrant workers were filmed being doused in a `` chemical solution '' by Indian officials .
They are understood to be migrants who returned to the city of Bareilly , in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh .
They are among millions who have returned to their home villages amid a nationwide , three-week lockdown .
The move is supposed to stop the spread of coronavirus , but there are fears the returnees may spread the virus further .
The video - which has been viewed nearly 400,000 times after it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist - shows the group squatting on the ground while medical and fire department officials dressed in hazmat suits spray them with a `` chemical solution '' .
In the full video seen by the BBC , the officials shout instructions over a megaphone asking the workers to close their eyes and mouths .
In another part of the video , an official can be heard ordering the group to `` close the eyes of your children and close your eyes too '' .
Bareilly 's district magistrate said the video had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the affected persons ... are being treated under the supervision of the Chief Minister 's Office ( CMO ) '' .
`` The team of the Bareilly Municipal Corporation and fire department officials were asked to sanitise buses but in their enthusiasm they sprayed the workers too , '' he wrote .
Several accounts then began to emerge of the harassment of migrant workers leaving the capital at the hands of the police and local administration .
The video has caused an uproar on Twitter , with many users asking if passengers landing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrival , and pointing out that it is not protocol at airports , bus stations or train stations .
This is not the first video showing apparent mistreatment of migrant workers to emerge since the lockdown was announced on 24 March .
Most of them are daily-wage workers who are now out of work .
In the absence of money and jobs , they are desperate to reach their villages .
Some found government-run buses to reach home and others just continued to walk .

In the full video seen by the BBC, the officials shout instructions over a megaphone asking the workers to close their eyes and mouths. In another part of the video, an official can be heard ordering the group to "close the eyes of your children and close your eyes too".


bbc--2020-03-30--Delay Brexit deadline amid coronavirus, say Euro-MPs

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been urged by a group of MEPs to delay his Brexit deadline as countries around the world battle the coronavirus .
The European Parliament ’ s largest group of MEPs said the pandemic puts pressure on the chance of securing a trade deal by the planned date .
The PM ’ s spokesman insisted there were no plans to change the timetable .
It comes as EU and UK representatives met to discuss implementing the Brexit withdrawal agreement over video link .
Under the agreement , the UK enters a transition period where it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2020 , by which time both sides say they hope to have agreed a trade deal .
• What to expect from UK-EU talks Downing Street said the talks to agree a deal are continuing to take place over the phone , amid the coronavirus outbreak .
The EU ’ s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has contracted the disease , and his opposite UK number David Frost has had to self-isolate .
The European People ’ s Party MEP Christophe Hansen , a negotiator on the parliament 's international trade committee , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I can not see how the UK government would choose to expose itself to the double whammy of the coronavirus and the exit from the EU single market , which will inevitably add to the disruption , deal or no deal .
`` I can only hope that common sense and substance will prevail over ideology .
`` An extension of the transition period is the only responsible thing to do . ''
And the German MEP David McAlister said : `` The coronavirus pandemic complicates the already very ambitious schedule .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extending the transition period - the ball is now clearly in the British court.
” The European Parliament will get a say in ratifying any future trade deal .
When asked if an extension was possible , the prime minister ’ s spokesman said : `` The transition period ends on December 31 2020 .
This is enshrined in UK law . ''
The UK has also held a meeting with the European Commission to talk about implementing the withdrawal agreement .
Following the meeting between European Commission Vice-President Maros Sefcovic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission statement said that “ the proper and timely implementation of the withdrawal agreement is a key priority for the EU '' .
It added : “ This concerns in particular safeguarding the rights of around 4.5 million EU citizens and UK nationals , and maintaining peace and stability on the island of Ireland in the context of the Good Friday Agreement , while ensuring the integrity of the single market.
” The statement also said both sides had “ agreed on the importance for the UK to set out its plans over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implementation of the protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland ” .
It said there was `` an urgent need to present a detailed timetable and proceed with the necessary measures , such as preparing for the introduction of customs procedures for goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain.
” Under the Brexit deal reached in 2019 , Northern Ireland will continue to follow EU rules on agricultural and manufactured goods .
The rest of the UK will stop following these rules at the end of 2020 .

The European People’s Party MEP Christophe Hansen, a negotiator on the parliament's international trade committee, said: "Under these extraordinary circumstances, I cannot see how the UK government would choose to expose itself to the double whammy of the coronavirus and the exit from the EU single market, which will inevitably add to the disruption, deal or no deal.


bbc--2020-03-30--Coronavirus: Protecting yourself in a migrant camp

The often unsanitary conditions in refugee and migrant camps pose a challenge for residents trying to avoid coronavirus .
In @ @ @ @ @ people are staying in a facility built for 3,000 and cases of Covid-19 are already @ @ @ @ @ BBC 's population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty was sent footage by a group of young filmmakers @ @ @ @ @ who recorded scenes of migrants doing their best to keep people safe .

The often unsanitary conditions in refugee and migrant camps pose a challenge for residents trying to avoid coronavirus.
In Moria in Lesbos, 18,000 people are staying in a facility built for 3,000 and cases of Covid-19 are already on their doorstep.
The BBC's population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty was sent footage by a group of young filmmakers living in the settlement, who recorded scenes of migrants doing their best to keep people safe.
Editor: Yousef Eldin
Footage: ReFOCUS Media Labs


bbc--2020-03-30--How (not) to cut your hair at home

How (not) to cut your hair at home

Self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for most people to access a professional hairdresser .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ their family members , have given it a go themselves - with mixed results ...

Self-isolation during the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for most people to access a professional hairdresser.
Instead, some brave individuals, or their family members, have given it a go themselves - with mixed results...


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: I'm in lockdown with my abuser

With much of the world on coronavirus lockdown , there are warnings that those living with domestic abuse could become hidden victims of the pandemic .
In the UK , calls to the national abuse hotline went up by 65 % this weekend , according to the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales .
Meanwhile , the UN has warned that women in poorer countries and smaller homes are likely to have fewer ways to report abuse .
The BBC has spoken to two women who are currently under lockdown with men who they say have abused them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ India announced a 21-day complete lockdown in order to curb the spread of coronavirus .
Geeta wakes up at 5am , her husband is lying next to her on the floor .
He 's snoring loudly .
The previous night he had come home drunk and upset .
The coronavirus outbreak meant fewer people were using public transport , so as an autowallah , or rickshaw driver , Vijay 's income had dropped from 1,500 rupees a day ( just over £16 ) , to 700 rupees a day .
`` How many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he 'd shouted , throwing a bottle of the spirit he 'd been drinking against the wall .
Geeta 's children scrambled behind her for shelter .
Thankfully , Vijay climbed onto the small mattress the whole family share and fell asleep soon after his outburst .
`` It took a while to calm the children , '' says Geeta .
`` They 've seen their father angry many times in their life but the past few weeks it has been worse .
They 've seen him throw things against the wall and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Geeta 's husband has hit her more times than she can remember , the first time on their wedding night .
She tried to leave him once , but he would n't let her take the children .
They live in a low-income neighbourhood , called a mohalla , in a rural area .
On a typical day she would walk a kilometre to the nearest well to fetch water for the day .
Once she had taken it home , she 'd chat with neighbours waiting for the grocer to arrive with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the household food for the day , Geeta would start preparing breakfast .
Her husband would leave at around 7am , returning for lunch and a nap , leaving again after the two older children returned from school .
`` But things changed when the school closed on the 14th , '' she says .
`` Then the children were home constantly and they began to irritate my husband .
`` Usually he saves his anger for me , but he has begun to yell at them for minor things like leaving a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say something to divert his attention so he can be angry at me , but the more time we are together , the less I can think of to distract him . ''
Geeta had a plan .
While her husband was at work , and after cleaning the house , she would walk to a nondescript office building just outside the neighbourhood .
There she used to attend a secret class set up by community organisers where women learn to sew , read and write .
Geeta wants to get enough skills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with her children .
At the class , she also met with counsellors who are trained to help domestic violence victims .
But India 's 21-day lockdown , which began on 24 March , has put a stop to this .
The classes have ended and it 's impossible for community counsellors to visit vulnerable women .
Vimlesh Solanki , a volunteer for a Sambhali Trust , an organisation that supports women in Jodhpur , the second largest city in Rajasthan , says coronavirus has put women in danger .
`` A complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There are now no local grocers with carts so they need to travel further to the supermarket for food every day .
`` Stressful situations like this means that there are more things that trigger their already abusive partners . ''
Kai got out her phone and typed slowly .
`` Mom wants me to stay with you . ''
She pressed send .
A reply came quickly : `` That 's fine . ''
Last week , the teenager stepped back inside the house she vowed she would never enter again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in my brain shut down , '' she says softly .
`` Everything turned off , every feeling . ''
She had moved back in with her father , the man who she says physically and sexually abused her for years .
Two weeks ago Kai thought coronavirus was something that would blow over with a passing news cycle .
Then things changed .
The staff at the shop where her mother worked were getting restless .
News that the virus had crossed shores , spread to more than 170 countries and now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nervous .
Working at a shop meant interacting with customers on a daily basis .
Kai 's mum and her co-workers worried about contact with the customers , but they did n't have to worry for long .
The shop announced it would close indefinitely and staff would be made redundant .
Kai 's mother lost her $ 15-an-hour ( £12 ) job and was told she would only have health insurance for five days .
It began to take a toll on Kai 's mother , who had suffered from mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` She had an episode , '' says Kai .
`` She shouted 'things are crazy here , you should go to your dad 's house ' '' .
The words sent a cold pang of distress through Kai 's veins .
She retreated to her room , hoping that if she gave her mother some time things may blow over .
But when she returned downstairs her mother simply said : `` Why are you still here ? ''
It was only a few months since Kai had started therapy for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had experienced with her father .
She says he had abused her since she was a toddler .
She still had n't confided the full extent of the abuse to her mother and sister .
It was early days , but Kai says the therapy was helping her and she felt more in control .
She was feeling more hopeful for the future .
Then the shelter where she saw her therapist announced that the coronavirus outbreak meant it had to close .
And last week , she moved back in with her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole time , '' she whispers , `` during the day he watches TV on his computer in the living room .
At night I hear him watching porn . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak She knows he 's awake when she hears him making his breakfast smoothie .
`` I hate it so much , it 's so loud , the sound of the blender petrifies me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , when I have to be vigilant . ''
Kai has n't slept much since she moved back in , her door does n't have a lock .
There was a routine to the physical abuse , it happened only when Kai did something to upset him .
So she plans to stay out of his way and now only leaves her room to run to the bathroom and make herself something to eat in the kitchen .
The last time they were stuck together the house lost power and the abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like we are living through a strange time in history , but does n't mention anything about the abuse , '' she says .
`` That makes me feel like I 'm going crazy .
He has n't done anything yet but the anticipation is killing me . ''
Kai spends all day online .
Recently she 's been watching YouTube video essays on movies .
She enjoys watching analysis of films she 's never seen .
She hopes that her mother will let her come back soon , or the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live .
Nicole Jacobs , domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales says police are ready to deal with a spike in domestic abuse calls .
`` We 're trying to make sure people realise that the police are anticipating that domestic abuse will increase , that they 're planning for that , '' she told the BBC .
`` And they 're very clear that these are prioritised calls .
So you can make silent 999 calls by waiting for the call handler to pick up making some kind of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pressing 5,5 . ''
She added that women with insecure immigration status should have `` all barriers removed , without fear of deportation , when reporting violence at this time '' , with more funding for key workers in refuges .
She also called for workers in social care and within specialist services to receive protective equipment during the virus outbreak .
This is a sentiment echoed by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka , Executive Director of UN Women , who told the BBC that there 's an urgent need for people working with vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` What we need is funding for field workers with PPE to reach communities and check in on vulnerable women .
This needs to be a priority and there needs to be urgent global government funding for this . ''
She said that unlike the US and the UK , where national abuse hotlines have seen increased calls , the opposite will likely be the case in more developing countries .
`` It is impossible for women from lower socio-economic backgrounds , in several countries , to report cases of domestic violence as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room homes with their abusers .
`` It was only in the months after the worst of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa where we learned of increases in gender-based violence at home . ''
Meanwhile , Ms Jacobs says now is the time for a proactive approach to dealing with domestic abuse in the UK .
`` We 've heard about these vast amounts of people who are recruited to be NHS volunteers .
We need to make sure that they have the information they need to spot domestic violence because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and about in the community . ''
The names of the two women have been changed .

"Usually he saves his anger for me, but he has begun to yell at them for minor things like leaving a cup on the floor. I then say something to divert his attention so he can be angry at me, but the more time we are together, the less I can think of to distract him."


bbc--2020-03-31--Lagos lockdown over coronavirus: 'How will my children survive?'

As more than 25 million people are placed on a two-week lockdown in parts of Nigeria in a bid to curtail the spread of coronavirus , poor people in congested neighbourhoods are worried about how they will cope , writes the BBC 's Nduka Orjinmo from the commercial capital Lagos .
`` From where do we get the extra water to wash the hands you are talking about , '' asked Debby Ogunsola , 36 , as she led me down a dark corridor towards her room in the Alapere area of Lagos state .
A lockdown in Lagos - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as the neighbouring state of Ogun and the capital Abuja - came into force on Monday night , following an announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the fight against the virus was a `` matter of life and death '' .
For Ms Ogunsola it will be difficult to remain indoors .
She and her family live in one room in a block of 20 , locally called Face-me-I-face-you because of their close proximity to each other .
There is no electricity , and when I visited , light was coming in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standing .
Outside there were two toilets and bathrooms shared by all the families living in the 20 rooms .
There is no pipe-borne water either in Alapere , and Ms Ogunsola is forced to walk more than 50 metres to a broken public water pipe for her supply .
`` It 's my children I am worried about , '' she said .
All four of them were lying on the floor as it rained outside .
A single window was the only source of air into the room and it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If I am not able to go out and sell , how will they [ children ] survive ? ''
asked Ms Ogunsola , who earns money by selling fruit and vegetables by the roadside .
Her husband works at an oil rig in the southern city of Warri and is due to come home in a month .
But several states - including Rivers , Delta , Kano and Bayelsa - have closed their borders , prohibiting inter-state movement .
So if the lockdown is extended , it could be a while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It is hunger I am worried about , not a virus .
I even heard it does n't kill young people , '' Ms Ogunsola told the BBC .
Though there is a higher mortality rate among the old and those with underlying health conditions , young people are also dying of the virus - and they can transmit it if they do not act responsibly .
Across an open drain from Mrs Ogunsola 's residence are more rows of similar apartments .
One has an expansive veranda where two old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not uncommon for urban Nigerian families to live with older relatives , who also double up as nannies .
And the concern is that these old people could be at risk if the virus spreads .
`` They are at home and they are still gathering in crowded conditions .
If you were to have someone who has the virus there , the chances of spreading it is high , '' said Dr Oyewale Odubanjo , a public health expert .
In Italy , many multi-generational families also live together and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more coronavirus deaths than any other country .
All non-essential travel has been banned in most states and many workers , including civil servants , have been told to work from home .
But with a lack of reliable electricity supplies and poor internet connections , it is hard to see how most people will get any work done .
There were long queues at supermarkets after President Muhammadu Buhari announced the lockdown , with people rushing to stock up on essentials .
But many Nigerians live hand-to-mouth , often on less than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not stock up on food or other essentials .
Many workers are also yet to be paid their wages for March so there are deep concerns about the financial implications of a lockdown .
Mr Buhari outlined some measures to ease the hardship , including a one-month advance payment of the monthly $ 13 given to the poorest of the poor , but most people feel that millions of self-employed Nigerians have been left without financial aid .
`` It 's only those who have money that can buy now .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do ? ''
said a taxi driver parked outside a supermarket .
You may also be interested in : • Why coronavirus advice won ’ t work for millions of people • Going into mourning for mass funeral ban There are also fears that if things get worse in the urban areas , people would ignore the ban on travel and start moving to rural areas - where they are guaranteed food from family farms but where there is a higher population of vulnerable older people and more limited health services .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , if people begin to move to their villages , '' said town planner Ayobami Bamidele .
`` Whatever happens , people should remain where they are .
We will survive this , '' he said .
Early March now seems like a long time ago , when the World Health Organization praised Nigeria for its handling of coronavirus after the first case was reported in the country .
Officials had swiftly identified , traced and quarantined contacts of the Italian man they referred to as the index case .
But now there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done enough to curb the spread of the virus , and its health system is ill-equipped to cope with a major outbreak .
Nigeria has few testing kits , but many asymptomatic government officials and music stars are being tested , raising questions about the fairness of the process .
Despite Mr Buhari 's promise when he took office to put an end to medical tourism , he and other government officials still go abroad for treatment .
However , this is unlikely to happen if any official gets Covid-19 .
`` Even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to use the same health facilities with others , whether good or bad - nobody is going to accept a patient from abroad to treat , '' Dr Odubanjo said .
Lagos and some other states introduced restrictions on large gatherings about a fortnight ago , but many people - including some pastors - are ignoring calls to adhere to social distancing .
Meanwhile , back at a crowded bus stop in Alapere , hawkers competed for every inch of available space to sell their wares , ignoring any thought of social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
`` All death is death , '' a woman selling smoked fish on a tray said in Pidgin , as she nipped between two yellow buses .
`` If I stay home , I will die of hunger , if I come out to hustle you say I will die of coronavirus .
`` There is nothing we have not seen and we are still here , we shall survive this one , '' she said , smacking her lips .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

Her husband works at an oil rig in the southern city of Warri and is due to come home in a month. But several states - including Rivers, Delta, Kano and Bayelsa - have closed their borders, prohibiting inter-state movement. So if the lockdown is extended, it could be a while before she is reunited with her husband.


bbc--2020-03-31--BBC Sport's five things to do today

BBC Sport's five things to do today

He 's the second-fastest man in British history and he 's targeting a place at next year 's rearranged Tokyo Olympics , but you may not even have heard of him .
Meet James Dasaolu , the part-time personal trainer and part-time professional athlete who has overcome injury and crowdfunded his way back on to the 100m stage .
No , this is n't a dance routine from a children 's nursery rhyme , it 's just the method by which former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch scored his first senior hat-trick .
Relive the moment when Crouch 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on this day in 2007 .
It 's Tuesday , the evenings are lighter and it 's starting to get warmer outside , so what better way to enjoy it than with a Workout Wednesday from a star of the winter sports stage ?
Team GB ski cross star Emily Sarsfield guides you through her easy-to-follow balance workout , which you can do at home without any equipment .
Ashes winner , record breaker , MBE and as controversial off the pitch as he was on it .
Kevin Pietersen speaks to fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealing BBC interview from 2013 .
Missing the Premier League ?
Of course you are .
Take this quiz .
Can you name these players based on their past clubs ?
You 've got 10 minutes to name 20 players ... go !
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Last updated on .From the section Sport
Read this...
He's the second-fastest man in British history and he's targeting a place at next year's rearranged Tokyo Olympics, but you may not even have heard of him.
Meet James Dasaolu, the part-time personal trainer and part-time professional athlete who has overcome injury and crowdfunded his way back on to the 100m stage.
Watch this...
Left foot, right foot, head.
No, this isn't a dance routine from a children's nursery rhyme, it's just the method by which former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch scored his first senior hat-trick.
Relive the moment when Crouch's three goals helped the Reds beat Arsenal on this day in 2007.
Try this...
It's Tuesday, the evenings are lighter and it's starting to get warmer outside, so what better way to enjoy it than with a Workout Wednesday from a star of the winter sports stage?
Team GB ski cross star Emily Sarsfield guides you through her easy-to-follow balance workout, which you can do at home without any equipment.
Emily Sarsfield's easy-to-follow balance workout
Listen to this...
Ashes winner, record breaker, MBE and as controversial off the pitch as he was on it. Kevin Pietersen speaks to fellow former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff in a revealing BBC interview from 2013.
Take this...
Missing the Premier League? Of course you are. Take this quiz.
Can you name these players based on their past clubs? You've got 10 minutes to name 20 players... go!
Sign up for BBC Sport notifications sent straight to your device


bbc--2020-03-31--Super League clubs discussing no relegation - Toronto chief

Some Super League clubs think there should be no relegation in 2020 because of disruption caused by coronavirus , says Toronto chairman Bob Hunter .
The Canadian side were promoted last season , but are bottom of the table after losing their first six games .
Super League has been suspended since 16 March and the situation will be discussed in a video call on Tuesday .
`` It has nothing to do with our zero and six record , and I know we 're not alone in expressing that , '' Hunter said .
`` We , amongst other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we do n't think that this is a good year to do it [ relegation ] but that 's a Rugby Football League decision .
`` The year has been so disruptive , I just do n't think it 's fair to any team . ''
Wolfpack signed two-time rugby union World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams in November , making him the highest paid player in the history of either code .
But the coronavirus pandemic has led to the club laying off office staff in Toronto , while Hunter says they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of their remaining games this season .
`` There 's lots of draft fixtures floating around - they 're looking at extending the season by a couple of months and trying to bring in midweek matches which are going to be tough on the players , '' he added .
`` It could end up that we have to play more games in the UK than we had planned but , if that is the only hardship , then we stand by what the league wants to do . ''

Toronto's Sonny Bill Williams has the most offloads in Super League this season with 23
Some Super League clubs think there should be no relegation in 2020 because of disruption caused by coronavirus, says Toronto chairman Bob Hunter.
The Canadian side were promoted last season, but are bottom of the table after losing their first six games.
Super League has been suspended since 16 March and the situation will be discussed in a video call on Tuesday.
"It has nothing to do with our zero and six record, and I know we're not alone in expressing that," Hunter said.
"We, amongst other clubs, have voiced our opinion that we don't think that this is a good year to do it [relegation] but that's a Rugby Football League decision.
"The year has been so disruptive, I just don't think it's fair to any team."
Wolfpack signed two-time rugby union World Cup winner Sonny Bill Williams in November, making him the highest paid player in the history of either code.
But the coronavirus pandemic has led to the club laying off office staff in Toronto, while Hunter says they may have to forego home advantage for some of their remaining games this season.
"There's lots of draft fixtures floating around - they're looking at extending the season by a couple of months and trying to bring in midweek matches which are going to be tough on the players," he added.
"It could end up that we have to play more games in the UK than we had planned but, if that is the only hardship, then we stand by what the league wants to do."


bbc--2020-03-24--Coronavirus update: Why does staying at home help?

Governments around the world are encouraging people to stay at home to protect health services and save lives .
Among @ @ @ @ @ the UK , people can only leave their homes to buy food , medicine and @ @ @ @ @ allowed to travel , but only to and from work if they can not do @ @ @ @ @ Staying at home to keep people safe can be a difficult concept to grasp , @ @ @ @ @ fit and healthy yourself .
BBC Health Correspondent Laura Foster looks at the statistics which @ @ @ @ @ a difference it can make when it comes to taking pressure off health services and @ @ @

Governments around the world are encouraging people to stay at home to protect health services and save lives.
Among the new measures brought in the UK, people can only leave their homes to buy food, medicine and to exercise.
They're allowed to travel, but only to and from work if they cannot do their jobs from home.
Staying at home to keep people safe can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when you are feeling fit and healthy yourself.
BBC Health Correspondent Laura Foster looks at the statistics which show just how much of a difference it can make when it comes to taking pressure off health services and saving lives.
Video by: Laura Foster, Tobias Chapple and Terry Saunders.


bbc--2020-03-31--Donald Trump Covid-19 update

Donald Trump Covid-19 update

Live BBC News coverage of the coronavirus pandemic , and the latest advice .
If you have a question about @ @ @ @ @ yourquestions @ bbc.co.uk • EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE @ @ @ @ @ ?

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bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: US Navy captain pleads for help over outbreak

The captain of a US aircraft carrier carrying more than 4,000 crew has called for urgent help to halt a coronavirus outbreak on his ship .
Scores of people on board the Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for the infection .
The carrier is currently docked in Guam .
`` We are not at war .
Sailors do not need to die , '' Captain Brett Crozier wrote in a letter to the Pentagon .
In the letter Captain Crozier said that with large numbers of sailors living in confined spaces on the carrier isolating sick individuals was impossible .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing and accelerating '' , he warned , in the letter dated 30 March .
`` Decisive action is needed , '' he said .
`` Removing the majority of personnel from a deployed US nuclear aircraft carrier and isolating them for two weeks may seem like an extraordinary measure .
This is a necessary risk . ''
It is not clear how many crew members on the Theodore Roosevelt have the coronavirus .
The San Francisco Chronicle , which first reported on the letter , said at least 100 sailors were infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a US Navy spokesman said the service was `` moving quickly to take all necessary measures to ensure the health and safety of the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt '' .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health What 's the situation in the US ?
On Tuesday the coronavirus death toll in the US passed the figure reported in China , where the outbreak began .
At least 3,400 have died .
The number of recorded cases stands at over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University .
New York state has seen the largest number of infections and its governor , Andrew Cuomo , warned the peak was still to come .
`` We 're still going up the mountain .
the main battle is on the top of the mountain , '' he said .
Field hospitals are being built in Central Park and other New York landmarks to help ease the pressure on the city 's health system .

It is not clear how many crew members on the Theodore Roosevelt have the coronavirus. The San Francisco Chronicle, which first reported on the letter, said at least 100 sailors were infected.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: When 76 strangers sang happy birthday to a neighbour

A woman surprised her fiancé by organising a mass sing-along for his birthday in their apartment building .
Hannah Chung @ @ @ @ @ the block in Los Angeles just weeks before social distancing came into effect .
They @ @ @ @ @ years but say they stay still like to `` keep the excitement alive '' while @ @ @ @ @ as coronavirus measures are in place .

A woman surprised her fiancé by organising a mass sing-along for his birthday in their apartment building.
Hannah Chung and Jason Shields moved into the block in Los Angeles just weeks before social distancing came into effect.
They have been together for five years but say they stay still like to "keep the excitement alive" while being stuck in their home as coronavirus measures are in place.


bbc--2020-03-31--US offers Venezuela sanctions relief for power-sharing agreement

The US has offered to lift crippling sanctions against Venezuela if its leaders agree to a power-sharing deal .
Under the US plan , Venezuela 's left-wing President Nicolás Maduro would `` step aside '' and a transitional council would govern until fresh elections .
The US imposed its latest round of sweeping sanctions against Venezuela last year in an attempt to force Mr Maduro to step down .
However , Mr Maduro has so far resisted all attempts to remove him from power .
He is backed by Venezuela 's military as well as Russia , China and Cuba @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US took a tougher line with President Maduro , charging him and other senior officials with `` narco-terrorism '' .
Venezuela has been mired in a political and economic crisis for years .
Inflation hit 800,000 % last year and 4.8 million people have fled the country .
Its problems have been exacerbated by a recent drop in world oil prices as well as the coronavirus pandemic .
Analysts say Washington now appears to have shifted its stance in a fresh effort to end the political impasse .
What is the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , echoes a statement issued over the weekend by Juan Guaidó , the country 's main opposition leader who is recognised as interim Venezuelan president by the US and about 60 other countries .
Mr Guaidó argues that a transitional government is urgently needed , especially given that the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) turned down a $ 5bn ( £4bn ) loan request two weeks ago .
The IMF pointed to the fact that Mr Maduro 's legitimacy has not been recognised by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both Mr Guaidó and Mr Maduro from sitting on the transitional council .
Under the plan , elections would be held within a year .
Mr Pompeo said a `` Democratic Transition Framework '' for Venezuela would for the first time offer a `` sequenced exit path '' from US sanctions , including those hitting Venezuela 's vital oil sector .
It is unlikely .
On Monday , Mr Maduro delivered a televised address where he threatened that `` justice will reach everyone '' , including `` all the plotters '' .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dire state of its economy .
Moreover , the US wants all foreign military - including from Russia and Cuba - to leave Venezuela .
Last August , a fresh round of US sanctions ramped up pressure on President Maduro by not only targeting his government 's assets in the US but also the individuals , companies and countries doing business with his government .
State-run entities such as oil company PDVSA , Venezuela 's central bank and its development bank have all faced tough measures .
In a phone conversation with Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump said : `` We all have an interest in seeing a democratic transition to end the ongoing crisis . ''
Last week the US accused Mr Maduro and his aides of `` narco-terrorism '' , saying his country had flooded the US with cocaine to undermine the health of Americans .
A $ 15m ( £12.5m ) reward is being offered by the US for information leading to Mr Maduro 's arrest .

Last August, a fresh round of US sanctions ramped up pressure on President Maduro by not only targeting his government's assets in the US but also the individuals, companies and countries doing business with his government.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: LA county gun shops to reopen as 'essential' business

Los Angeles County is reopening gun shops to the public after a federal memo listed them as `` essential '' businesses .
Sheriff Alex Villanueva closed shops last week , but reversed course on Monday , following the guidance .
The LA county closures had prompted a lawsuit from gun rights groups .
The change comes amid a national dispute over whether gun access is critical amid the Covid-19 pandemic .
The federal guidance issued on 28 March classified munitions makers and sellers as `` essential critical infrastructure workers '' .
Mr Villanueva said that though the memo was non-binding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would therefore open shops closed last week .
Previously , Mr Villanueva had told gun shops to close in the nation 's most populous county , as long queues due to panic-buying posed health risks .
California 's Governor Gavin Newsom , who issued a state-wide stay at home order to combat the spread of Covid-19 earlier this month , has said each of the state 's counties may determine whether firearm stores , like groceries and pharmacies , were essential businesses permitted to remain open .
The state has seen over 130 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The US currently has over 164,000 confirmed cases .
An order was issued closing gun stop to the public , but dealers could continue to do business with police , security companies and some residents who had not yet collected their previously purchased firearms .
• The lengths Americans will go to protect gun rights • What the Covid-19 crisis reveals about US - and its president The National Rifle Association - one of the most powerful gun lobby groups in the US - and other pro-gun groups filed a federal lawsuit against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mandatory closures violated the US Constitution 's Second Amendment right to bear arms , the suit said .
Gun control groups have argued keeping these shops open is not safe in a pandemic .
Across the nation , Covid-19 has caused a rise in firearm sales , including from many first-time buyers , local media report .
States have taken different approaches to gun access amid the Covid-19 crisis .
The Texas attorney general has deemed gun shops essential businesses protected by the Second Amendment , but New Jersey has restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Pennsylvania residents may also continue to buy firearms as long as they abide by social distancing guidelines .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LESSONS FROM ASIA : Six things the US can learn • EXPLAINER-IN-CHIEF : The face of America 's fight against Covid-19

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bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: 'Greatest test since World War Two', says UN chief

The current coronavirus outbreak is the biggest challenge for the world since World War Two , UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned .
He said it could bring a recession `` that probably has no parallel in the recent past '' .
Mr Guterres was speaking at the launch of a UN report on the potential socioeconomic impact of the outbreak .
The number of confirmed cases around the world is now nearing 850,000 , with more than 41,000 deaths .
The death toll in the US is now more than 3,600 - higher than that in China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More than 181,000 people in America have been infected , according to the data compiled by Johns Hopkins university .
• Trump extends US virus guidelines to end of April • Trump backs away from New York 'quarantine' About three out of four Americans are now , or about to be , under some form of lockdown , as more US states tighten measures to fight the coronavirus , which causes the Covid-19 disease .
Meanwhile , Spain , one of the worst hit countries , recorded 849 deaths in the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities in a single day .
In the UK , a total of 1,789 people have died on 30 March - a rise of 381 , officials say .
Among the victims was a 13-year-old boy , King 's College Hospital Trust in London said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak What did Mr Guterres say ?
Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York City , Mr Guterres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is attacking societies at their core , claiming lives and people 's livelihoods .
`` Covid-19 is the greatest test that we have faced together since the formation of the United Nations . ''
The UN chief called for `` an immediate co-ordinated health response to suppress transmission and end the pandemic '' .
Mr Guterres urged the industrialised nations to help those less developed , or potentially `` face the nightmare of the disease spreading like wildfire '' .
The UN report estimates that up to 25 million jobs could be lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak .
It also projects an up to 40 % `` downward pressure '' on global foreign direct investment flows .
What are the latest developments around the world ?
• Italy remains the worst affected country in the world .
Tuesday 's figures show the official death toll rose by 837 deaths to 12,428 , more than the 812 recorded on Monday .
Moreover , the number of new infections was 2,107 , which is greater than the 1,648 the day before ( but down from the equivalent numbers last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital deaths in the last 24 hours , bringing the total to 3,523 .
This is the highest daily rise in such deaths in France since the outbreak began • A 12-year-old girl has died in Belgium .
She is thought to be the youngest Covid-19 victim in Europe .
In total Belgium has lost 705 people in the outbreak • In Russia , lawmakers have passed an `` anti-virus '' package of laws including up to seven years in prison for serious violations of quarantine rules • In India , the authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended a religious event in the capital that has set off several Covid-19 clusters • In the Middle East , there are warnings that the outbreak is a ticking time-bomb for the unstable region

New York will be the first to feel the brunt of that. It's focused on preparing enough beds and getting enough medical equipment for when the number of cases reaches its peak - in about two weeks' time.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Russia includes jail terms to enforce crackdown

The Russian parliament has approved an “ anti-virus ” package of laws including up to seven years in prison for serious violations of quarantine rules .
The tough laws and amendments were rushed through in record time , as regions across Russia followed Moscow ’ s lead in imposing strict lockdowns , to slow the spread of coronavirus .
Russia has recorded its highest-yet rise in confirmed cases .
The official tally remains relatively low at 2,337 and 17 deaths .
That has led President Vladimir Putin to argue that Russia has valuable time to tackle the outbreak .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head of the main Moscow hospital treating patients with Covid-19 has tested positive .
Denis Protsenko gave Mr Putin a tour of the Kommunarka hospital a week ago , but the president 's spokesman says there is no need to worry as he tested regularly .
The starkest amendment in the package of laws , with a seven-year prison sentence , will apply if someone with coronavirus breaks the quarantine and others die as a result .
There are also hefty fines for healthy people who simply violate the order to stay at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of up to five years for spreading dangerous , fake news about the epidemic .
The government has been given the authority to declare an emergency situation and implement further new rules and restrictions as it sees fit .
There was no apparent debate of these measures in parliament , where the speaker announced that they had the support of all factions , as they were intended to “ help and protect ” Russian citizens .
Read more from Sarah Rainsford : Russia sees no epidemic but starts shutdown “ These amendments are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures , ” Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said .
“ The health and lives of our nearest and dearest depend on how responsibly we all behave.
” Since February , Russia has taken multiple steps to tackle Covid-19 , including closing its long border with China and isolating early suspected cases .
But for a long time the official messaging remained that coronavirus was primarily a “ foreign ” problem whilst Russia had the situation under tight control .
So when President Putin called for this to be a “ non-working week ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people heading for the southern coast instead of into self-isolation .
In Moscow on Saturday , the streets were quieter .
But cafes and restaurants on the embankment were even building summer terraces , imagining that life would return to normal after one nationwide week off work .
So on Sunday night , Moscow ’ s mayor announced a lockdown with immediate effect .
Residents are only allowed out for essential work , to the nearest pharmacy , food shop or for a 100m ( 300ft ) walk with their pet .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as a wide and sophisticated network of surveillance cameras to implement the quarantine and hold any rule-breakers to account .
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • UK LATEST : What 's the UK 's plan and what could happen next ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

However, it emerged on Tuesday that the head of the main Moscow hospital treating patients with Covid-19 has tested positive. Denis Protsenko gave Mr Putin a tour of the Kommunarka hospital a week ago, but the president's spokesman says there is no need to worry as he tested regularly.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Thai elephants face starvation as tourism collapses

More than 1,000 elephants face starvation in Thailand because the coronavirus crisis has slashed revenue from tourism , conservationists say .
An almost total absence of visitors means that many caretakers are struggling to afford food for Thailand 's 4,000 captive elephants .
The animals can eat up to 200kg ( 440lb ) of food a day .
Thailand reported 127 new confirmed cases of the virus on Monday , bringing the country 's recorded total to 1,651 .
Lek Chailert , founder of the Save Elephant Foundation , told the BBC : `` If there is no support forthcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some of whom are pregnant , will either starve to death or may be put on to the streets to beg . ''
Alternatively , some elephants may be sold to zoos or they may be returned to the illicit logging business , which officially banned the use of elephants in 1989 .
`` It 's a very bleak outlook unless some financial help is received immediately , '' Lek Chailert adds .
• Do elephants risk their lives to save each other ?
It 's a challenge to keep the animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times but now it 's the dry season , which makes the situation even more extreme .
Kerri McCrae , who manages the Kindred Spirit Elephant Sanctuary in Mae Chaem , in northern Thailand , said the villagers who live near her had brought approximately seven elephants back to her area because they were not receiving any money from tourism anymore .
`` Feeding elephants is a priority but the issue is that there 's not enough forest left to feed them , '' she explains .
Ms McCrae , who originally comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-founder of the sanctuary , has to drive up to three hours a day to find enough grasses and corn stalks to feed the five elephants in her care .
She says local elephant caretakers are forced to do the same .
The country , which normally relies on tourism for a large portion of its economic growth , has been forced to close its borders to all tourists and much of the country is in lockdown .
Happy elephants , Kerri McCrae says , are usually swinging their tails or flapping their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep cool .
But elephants get depressed when they 're hungry , and none of that happy behaviour would be on display .
`` The worst case scenario is that owners will have to chose between themselves and their elephants , '' Ms McCrae says .
`` The people here do n't have much , but they 're doing what it takes to keep the elephants alive for now . ''

Lek Chailert, founder of the Save Elephant Foundation, told the BBC: "If there is no support forthcoming to keep them safe, these elephants, some of whom are pregnant, will either starve to death or may be put on to the streets to beg."


bbc--2020-03-31--Apple buys weather app Dark Sky

Apple buys weather app Dark Sky

Apple has purchased the weather predicting app Dark Sky and plans to shut down the Android and Wear OS versions .
Dark Sky is known for its hyper-local weather predictions and ability to forecast minute by minute .
The app 's creator Adam Grossman said the partnership would allow Dark Sky to reach `` far more people '' .
Owners of Android phones or wearable devices not made by Apple will have access to the services until 1 July .
On social media , many users complained about Apple 's decision to remove Dark Sky from Android .
Apple has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating systems in the past .
When Apple purchased the music identifying app Shazam it kept the Android version .
It also released a version of its internet messaging app iMessanger for Android users last year .
For Apple users , the company said there will be no changes `` at this time '' .
The Dark Sky app cost $ 3.99 in the US and £3.99 in the UK .
Android users who still have an active subscription of Dark Sky when it stops operating in July will receive a refund .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that transmits information between the app and its users - will be available to customers until 2021 .
But the company said it will no longer sign up new subscribers .
Dark Sky 's API is used by other weather apps including Weather Line and Hello Weather .

Dark Sky's API - the software that transmits information between the app and its users - will be available to customers until 2021. But the company said it will no longer sign up new subscribers.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Amazon workers strike over virus protection

Amazon has fired a New York warehouse worker who organised a protest over the safety precautions taken by the firm to deal with the coronavirus pandemic .
The fight comes as pressure builds on Amazon , and other delivery firms , to improve protection for workers worried about getting infected with the virus .
The firing of the worker prompted a rebuke by the state 's attorney general , who called for an investigation into whether it violated worker rights .
It said the worker , Christian Smalls , had received a warning about social distancing rules and was supposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an infected colleague .
`` Despite that instruction to stay home with pay , he came onsite ... further putting the teams at risk , '' a spokesperson said , adding that just 15 of the more than 5,000 people who work at the New York facility participated in the protest .
New York state 's attorney general , Letitia James , said her office was considering `` all legal options '' regarding Mr Smalls ' firing .
`` It is disgraceful that Amazon would terminate an employee who bravely stood up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
`` At a time when so many New Yorkers are struggling and are deeply concerned about their safety , this action was also immoral and inhumane . ''
Amazon 's practices are under scrutiny , as the number of reported coronavirus cases at its facilities increases , while demand for its services booms due to lockdowns across the world .
A group of workers at the Whole Foods supermarket chain , which is owned by Amazon , planned to walk out on Tuesday .
Amazon also faced earlier strikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been hit by legal complaints over safety concerns in Spain , according to a global alliance of unions coordinated by UNI Global Union .
US lawmakers have also written to Amazon boss Jeff Bezos to express concerns over shortages of protective and cleaning supplies , as well as its sick leave policies , Amazon has said it is taking extra precautions , including increased cleaning of its facilities and introducing staggered shift and break times to reduce staff contact .
The company , which is looking to hire 100,000 more warehouse workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surge in orders , has also said it would boost pay for warehouse staff around the world , including by $ 2 per hour in the US and by £2 per hour in the UK , where staff have been told to work overtime .
In Italy , the company said it had reduced deliveries since 22 March .
However , union leaders say workers need access to better protection .
`` Several employees working at the site use face masks for days instead of having new ones each day , '' one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , Mr Bezos - who is one of the world 's richest people with an estimated $ 115.6bn fortune - addressed the worries in an open letter to staff , thanking them for their work .
However , the company has a reputation for pushing back against workers who try to unionise and taking a hard line against workers who speak out publicly .
Last year , the company also faced criticism for cutting healthcare benefits for 1,900 part-time employees .
Amazon is not the only delivery firm facing unrest .
US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profiting by putting people making its deliveries `` directly in harm 's way '' by the Instacart Shoppers and Gig Workers Collective , which called for a strike on Monday .
The organisation said the firm should provide protective gear , offer hazard pay and extend the pay for those unable to work because of the virus , whether due to a required quarantine or pre-existing condition .
Instacart on Monday said it had seen `` absolutely no impact '' on operations , with more people picking and delivering groceries for its platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respected the right of shoppers to provide feedback and pointed to earlier changes it had announced aimed at improving working conditions .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do i protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

The company, which is looking to hire 100,000 more warehouse workers in the US to help address the surge in orders, has also said it would boost pay for warehouse staff around the world, including by $2 per hour in the US and by £2 per hour in the UK, where staff have been told to work overtime.


bbc--2020-03-31--Coronavirus: Search for hundreds of people after Delhi prayer meeting

Officials across India are searching for hundreds of people who attended a religious event in the capital that has set off several Covid-19 clusters .
At least six regions have reported cases that can be directly traced to the days-long congregation at a mosque .
Delhi officials are now clearing the building , where more than 1,000 people have been stranded since the government imposed a lockdown last week .
At least 24 have tested positive so far , the state health minister said .
They are among some 300 people who showed symptoms and have been moved to various @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the media .
Another 700 have been shifted into quarantine centres , he added .
It is believed that the infections were caused by preachers who attended the event from Indonesia .
State officials have called for action to be taken against mosque officials , but they have denied any wrongdoing .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Local media reports say that Nizamuddin - the locality where the mosque @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and more than 35 buses carrying people to hospitals or quarantine centres .
The congregation - part of a 20th Century Islamic movement called Tablighi Jamaat - began at the end of February , but some of the main events were held in early March .
It 's unclear if the event was ticketed or even if the organisers maintained a roster of visitors as people attended the event throughout , with some staying on and others leaving .
Even overseas visitors , some of them preachers , travelled to other parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mosques and met people .
So officials have no easy way of finding out how many people attended the event or where they went .
But they have already begun to trace and test .
The southern state of Telangana reported on Sunday night that six people who had attended the event died from the virus .
The state 's medical officer told the BBC that more than 40 of Telangana 's 71 cases were either directly or indirectly linked to the event .
Indian-administered Kashmir reported its first death from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in Delhi for the congregation .
Officials told BBC Urdu that more than 40 of the region 's 48 cases could be traced back to that one patient .
A cluster has even appeared in the distant Andaman and Nicobar Islands , where six of the nine who have tested positive , had returned from the Delhi event .
The southern states of Tami Nadu , Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have said more than 3,000 people from their states had attended the event , and Tamil Nadu has traced 16 positive patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is India testing so little ?
States have also asked other people who attended to come forward for testing .
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has asked for a police complaint to be registered against the head of the mosque .
However , the event 's organisers have issued a statement , saying they had suspended the event and asked everyone to leave as soon as Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that there would be a day-long national curfew on 22 March .
While many were able to leave , they say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seal their borders the following day , and two days later , India imposed a 21-day lockdown , suspending buses and trains .
The mosque 's premises include dormitories that can house hundreds of people .
The organisers say they informed the local police about all of this and continued to cooperate with medical officers who came to inspect the premises .
The mosque , the statement says , `` never violated any provision of law , and always tried to act with compassion and reason towards the visitors who came to Delhi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let them violate the medical guidelines by thronging ISBTs ( bus stops ) or roaming on streets . ''
This is not the first time religious congregations have been blamed for the spread of coronavirus .
Tablighi Jamaat events have also been blamed for spreading cases in Indonesia and Malaysia .
And in South Korea , many positive cases were linked to the Schincheonji church , a secretive religious sect , that has since apologised for its role in the outbreak .

It's unclear if the event was ticketed or even if the organisers maintained a roster of visitors as people attended the event throughout, with some staying on and others leaving. Even overseas visitors, some of them preachers, travelled to other parts of the country where they stayed in local mosques and met people.