bbc--2020-04-01--Wimbledon cancelled due to coronavirus - where does that leave tennis in 2020?

Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War Two because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The tournament was due to be played between 29 June and 12 July .
The entire grass-court season has been abandoned , and there will be no professional tennis anywhere in the world until at least 13 July .
Wimbledon is the latest major summer sporting event to be called off , with Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics postponed for 12 months .
It follows the postponement of the French Open , which was due to begin in May but has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` This is a decision that we have not taken lightly , and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen , '' said Ian Hewitt , All England Lawn Tennis Club chairman .
`` It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of the Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars but , following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios , we believe it is ultimately the right decision to cancel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon 's resources to help those in our local communities and beyond .
`` Our thoughts are with all those who have been and continue to be affected by these unprecedented times . ''
The All England Club did not need to make a decision before the end of April , but the writing has been on the wall for some time .
That is when on-site preparations would have had to begin in earnest : a forlorn hope given the current restrictions in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the thought that by the end of June , 40,000 people would be able to take their seats in packed stands , and jostle for the best vantage point in the narrow walkways bordering the outside courts .
The government 's advice that large gatherings should not take place is aimed , in no small part , at relieving the pressure on the emergency services , which would otherwise be in attendance .
It is undeniably optimistic to assume the demands on the health service will have returned to normal levels by mid-summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losses that Wimbledon , and the LTA 's series of grass-court events , might incur - but there is also the issue of perception .
The All England Club would not want to be seen to be pushing ahead with a sporting event as the death toll continues to rise and the country remains in the grip of the pandemic .
Sticking resolutely to a place on the calendar , only to cancel abruptly , or postponing by a few weeks before having to concede defeat , is messy .
It is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , instead , to face facts and plan to return with a flourish in 2021 .
What about refunds and impact on finances ?
The All England Club had the foresight to take out insurance policies which will shield them from eye-watering losses .
They will therefore be able to refund ticket holders , broadcast partners and sponsors - a bill which , even according to conservative estimates , will top £200m .
The Lawn Tennis Association will also receive its 'annual surplus ' of profits .
The payment , which effectively funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ahead , was more than £40m in 2018 .
It is likely to fall , but should not leave an irreparable hole at the heart of the LTA 's finances , especially as they have tens of millions of pounds in reserve .
But the LTA has lost over £12m in the past two years , and will also be hit by the loss of all of the summer grass-court events .
Of those , only the Fever Tree Championships at Queen 's Club actually returns a profit , but as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year 's losses will inevitably be greater .
But the biggest blow for British tennis is the loss of the best shop window of the year .
No Queen 's , Eastbourne or Wimbledon means no BBC TV exposure for the sport , and even if we are allowed to return to the courts , there is very unlikely to be the dramatic spike in participation usually seen in the months of June and July .
Will there be any tennis at all in 2020 ?
No-one is holding their breath for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bastad , Bucharest and Lausanne on 13 July .
The Olympic tournament is already on hold ; the prestigious events in Toronto and Montreal in the middle of August are said to be under threat ; and the USTA has publicly floated the possibility of pushing back the US Open start date of 31 August .
There has even been talk behind the scenes of staging the US Open in Indian Wells , California , in December .
But if you take the US Open out of New York and push it back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Open .
If professional tennis is able to resume , then the WTA in particular seems keen to make up for lost time and continue beyond the WTA Championships scheduled for the first week in November .
But the global nature of the sport , which requires players to cross continents with so much regularity , may yet make this debate an academic one as far as 2020 is concerned .
As the 2006 Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo said on Twitter earlier this week : `` I think we are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 tennis season .
`` An international circuit = players of all nationalities , as well as coaches , spectators and those coming from all four corners of the world to bring these events to life .

Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep were the 2019 singles champions
Wimbledon has been cancelled for the first time since World War Two because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tournament was due to be played between 29 June and 12 July.
The entire grass-court season has been abandoned, and there will be no professional tennis anywhere in the world until at least 13 July.
Wimbledon is the latest major summer sporting event to be called off, with Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics postponed for 12 months.
It follows the postponement of the French Open, which was due to begin in May but has been rescheduled to 20 September-4 October.
"This is a decision that we have not taken lightly, and we have done so with the highest regard for public health and the wellbeing of all those who come together to make Wimbledon happen," said Ian Hewitt, All England Lawn Tennis Club chairman.
"It has weighed heavily on our minds that the staging of the Championships has only been interrupted previously by World Wars but, following thorough and extensive consideration of all scenarios, we believe it is ultimately the right decision to cancel this year's Championships, and instead concentrate on how we can use the breadth of Wimbledon's resources to help those in our local communities and beyond.
"Our thoughts are with all those who have been and continue to be affected by these unprecedented times."
Why decide now?
The All England Club did not need to make a decision before the end of April, but the writing has been on the wall for some time.
That is when on-site preparations would have had to begin in earnest: a forlorn hope given the current restrictions in place in the UK.
As was the thought that by the end of June, 40,000 people would be able to take their seats in packed stands, and jostle for the best vantage point in the narrow walkways bordering the outside courts.
The government's advice that large gatherings should not take place is aimed, in no small part, at relieving the pressure on the emergency services, which would otherwise be in attendance. It is undeniably optimistic to assume the demands on the health service will have returned to normal levels by mid-summer.
Swift cancellation should help reduce any losses that Wimbledon, and the LTA's series of grass-court events, might incur - but there is also the issue of perception.
The All England Club would not want to be seen to be pushing ahead with a sporting event as the death toll continues to rise and the country remains in the grip of the pandemic.
Sticking resolutely to a place on the calendar, only to cancel abruptly, or postponing by a few weeks before having to concede defeat, is messy. It is not the way Wimbledon does things. Better, instead, to face facts and plan to return with a flourish in 2021.
What about refunds and impact on finances?
The All England Club had the foresight to take out insurance policies which will shield them from eye-watering losses. They will therefore be able to refund ticket holders, broadcast partners and sponsors - a bill which, even according to conservative estimates, will top £200m.
The Lawn Tennis Association will also receive its 'annual surplus' of profits. The payment, which effectively funds British tennis' governing body for the year ahead, was more than £40m in 2018.
It is likely to fall, but should not leave an irreparable hole at the heart of the LTA's finances, especially as they have tens of millions of pounds in reserve.
But the LTA has lost over £12m in the past two years, and will also be hit by the loss of all of the summer grass-court events. Of those, only the Fever Tree Championships at Queen's Club actually returns a profit, but as they are not insured against cancellation, this year's losses will inevitably be greater.
But the biggest blow for British tennis is the loss of the best shop window of the year. No Queen's, Eastbourne or Wimbledon means no BBC TV exposure for the sport, and even if we are allowed to return to the courts, there is very unlikely to be the dramatic spike in participation usually seen in the months of June and July.
Will there be any tennis at all in 2020?
No-one is holding their breath for a resumption of the tour in Hamburg, Bastad, Bucharest and Lausanne on 13 July.
The Olympic tournament is already on hold; the prestigious events in Toronto and Montreal in the middle of August are said to be under threat; and the USTA has publicly floated the possibility of pushing back the US Open start date of 31 August.
There has even been talk behind the scenes of staging the US Open in Indian Wells, California, in December. But if you take the US Open out of New York and push it back three months, it won't be the US Open.
If professional tennis is able to resume, then the WTA in particular seems keen to make up for lost time and continue beyond the WTA Championships scheduled for the first week in November.
But the global nature of the sport, which requires players to cross continents with so much regularity, may yet make this debate an academic one as far as 2020 is concerned.
As the 2006 Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo said on Twitter earlier this week: "I think we are going to have to draw a line under the 2020 tennis season.
"An international circuit = players of all nationalities, as well as coaches, spectators and those coming from all four corners of the world to bring these events to life.
"No vaccine = no tennis."


bbc--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: Iran's official death toll passes 3,000

Iran 's official death toll from the coronavirus disease has passed 3,000 .
Health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpour reported 138 fatalities in the past 24 hours , bringing the total to 3,036 .
The number of confirmed cases also rose by 2,987 to 47,593 , he added .
There are concerns that the actual figures are much higher .
Mr Jahanpour also said Iranians had mostly heeded a request not to leave their homes for a traditional picnic on the last day of the Nowruz holiday .
The authorities closed all parks and public gardens on Wednesday and deployed police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reduce the spread of Covid-19 .
• What 's Iran doing to contain the coronavirus ?
• Is Iran covering up its outbreak ?
`` People have co-operated with us and those who have violated laws and regulations will be penalised and we are happy that people have stayed at home , '' Mr Jahanpour told reporters .
Iran 's leaders have resisted imposing lockdowns despite it being one of the world 's worst-hit countries .
They have insisted all necessary measures are being taken .
What has the Iranian president been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting on Wednesday that Iranians had done `` great work '' and that the outbreak appeared to be receding in all provinces .
He also asserted that Iran had been `` much more successful than many other countries in the fight against this disease '' despite facing US sanctions .
Mr Rouhani said Americans had nevertheless missed a `` historic opportunity '' to show goodwill by lifting the sanctions at the start of the outbreak in Iran .
`` It is a good time now for them to apologise for their wrongdoing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebuke them and ask why they retreated . ''
`` This was the best historic opportunity for the Americans to turn away from their wrong path and for once to say to the Iranian nation that they are not an anti-Iranian people , '' he added .
• 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 • STRESS : How to look after your mental health The US has insisted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its sanctions , which were imposed after President Donald Trump abandoned a nuclear deal in 2018 .
But restrictions on Iran 's banking system and an embargo on its oil exports have limited Iran 's ability to purchase items .
When asked on Tuesday about whether the US might consider giving Iran and others countries sanctions relief , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference : `` We re-evaluate all of our policy , including our sanctions policy , constantly .
If we conclude that it 's in the best interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those policies , we 'll certainly do that . ''
But he added : `` The United States , the American people , are working diligently in each of these countries that you 're thinking of as sanctioned nations to try and assist getting humanitarian assistance into those countries . ''
On Tuesday , France , Germany and the UK said they had sent medical supplies to Iran in the first transaction conducted under the Instex financial mechanism set up last year to get around the US sanctions .
What are the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of confirmed cases around the world is now over 870,000 , with more than 43,000 deaths , according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US .
• Spain has once more seen its worst day yet in the pandemic , with 864 patients dying .
More than 9,000 people have now died since its outbreak began - almost three times the number registered in China .
• The UK has also reported 563 new deaths related to Covid-19 - its worst day-on-day rise yet .
That has brought the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock markets have fallen again , after President Trump warned of a `` very , very painful two weeks '' ahead for the US .
The number of deaths there has now passed 4,000 .

When asked on Tuesday about whether the US might consider giving Iran and others countries sanctions relief, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told a news conference: "We re-evaluate all of our policy, including our sanctions policy, constantly. If we conclude that it's in the best interests of American people to alter any of those policies, we'll certainly do that."


bbc--2020-04-01--Aung San Suu Kyi opens Facebook account

Aung San Suu Kyi opens Facebook account

In her first message posted on Wednesday , the leader said she had joined in order to `` communicate faster and more efficiently '' about the coronavirus pandemic .
Facebook has admitted that its platform was used to incite deadly violence that killed thousands of Rohingya Muslims in 2017 .
Hundreds of thousands more were forced to flee into neighbouring Bangladesh .
• The country where Facebook posts whipped up hate • What you need to know about the Rohingya crisis Ms Suu Kyi noted in her message that she had previously been reluctant to join the social media site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around 310,000 likes .
Her account has since gained more than 700,000 followers and been verified by Facebook .
Ms Suu Kyi 's first post came as rights group Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) warned that an estimated 350,000 people across Myanmar were `` sitting in the path of a public health catastrophe '' amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Waves of communal violence in Myanmar have displaced tens of thousands of people , including many from the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority .
Once seen as a human rights icon , Ms Suu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her defence of the military over allegations of genocide against the Rohingya .
In January , the International Court of Justice ( ICJ ) ordered the country to take measures to prevent the genocide of Rohingya Muslims , although the verdict was rejected by Myanmar and can not be enforced .
Myanmar , a predominantly Buddhist state , has always insisted that its military campaign was waged to tackle an extremist threat in Rakhine state .

In January, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordered the country to take measures to prevent the genocide of Rohingya Muslims, although the verdict was rejected by Myanmar and cannot be enforced.


bbc--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: Artania cruise ship stand-off continues in Australia

A German cruise ship is defying orders to leave a port in Western Australia following a coronavirus outbreak onboard , local media report .
The Australian Border Force ordered the Artania to depart Fremantle after most of the ship 's passengers were evacuated and flown home .
But around 450 people remain on board , most of them crew .
They are reportedly asking to remain docked for another two weeks to ensure there are no further cases .
Dozens of people travelling on the ship were found to have contracted coronavirus and are being treated in Australian hospitals , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Follow our latest updates on the coronavirus crisis Only 12 passengers who were too unwell to fly are still on the ship , Australian media report .
The case has become highly controversial , with many locals saying people from the ship who are being treated in hospital are taking up capacity that should be reserved for Australians falling ill with Covid-19 .
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has called on the federal government to force the ship to leave Australian waters .
“ If the ship needs to be cleaned , well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on its way , ” he said .
However , Attorney General Christian Porter told 6PR radio that while the ship was the subject of an order to leave the port authorities still had a “ 'humanitarian obligation ” towards the remaining passengers .
There have been 4,862 cases of COVID-19 in Australia with at least 20 deaths , according to figures from Johns Hopkins University .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide @ @ @

The case has become highly controversial, with many locals saying people from the ship who are being treated in hospital are taking up capacity that should be reserved for Australians falling ill with Covid-19.


bbc--2020-04-01--Eddie Jones: England boss set to sign new deal through to 2023 World Cup

Eddie Jones is set to agree a new deal to continue coaching England through to the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023 .
The 60-year-old Australian 's current contract expires in August 2021 , but he has been in talks over an extension after guiding England to the World Cup final last year .
Rugby Football Union boss Bill Sweeney said in December `` conversations were ongoing '' over a new contract .
The RFU could make an announcement as early as Thursday .
Jones was appointed in December 2015 , replacing Stuart Lancaster after a disappointing home World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a record-equalling unbeaten run , which included a Grand Slam in 2016 and a Six Nations title the year after .
The team 's form slumped in 2018 , but Jones arrested the slide before the World Cup in Japan .
There , superb victories over Australia in the quarter-finals and New Zealand in the semi-finals established Jones ' men as favourites to beat South Africa in the final , but an inspired Springboks performance condemned an under-par England to a 32-12 defeat .
Concerns over the impact of that loss were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Paris in their 2020 Six Nations opener , but they rallied with victories against Scotland , Ireland and Wales to seal the Triple Crown before the Championship was curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic .
If Jones does lead England through to France in 2023 , he will eclipse World Cup winner Sir Clive Woodward as the country 's longest-serving boss .
Jones ' win record puts him alongside Woodward as one of England 's greatest ever coaches , but successive RFU chiefs have had to reprimand him over his conduct .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ start of March , the RFU apologised on Jones ' behalf after he suggested referee Ben O'Keefe was biased in his decision-making .
But Sweeney is clearly comfortable that the occasional controversy that surrounds Jones is a fair exchange for re-establishing England as a leading force in the global game .
England are third in the World Rugby rankings , behind South Africa and New Zealand .
Last month , Jones joined members of the RFU executive board in taking a pay reduction in excess of 25 % , predominantly in the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the financial impact of Covid-19 .

Eddies Jones signs new England contract: 'Project not finished yet'
Eddie Jones has agreed a contract extension to coach England through to the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023.
The 60-year-old's current contract was due to expire in August 2021, but he had been set for a new deal since leading England to the World Cup final last year.
Jones has a 78% win ratio since taking the role at the end of 2015.
"We have a great team and I am excited about raising the standards again," Jones said.
The timing of the announcement comes in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, with many at the RFU and in the wider rugby community fearing for their futures.
"My thoughts and those of all of us at the RFU are with everyone impacted by Covid-19, both across the country at large but also within our own rugby union community. In exceptionally difficult times, we are pleased to be sharing some good news," said RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney.
Jones added: "The extension is a great honour for me, but in the current environment, it is only right to acknowledge what a difficult time the world is facing. We are all looking forward to a time when we can get back to playing rugby and use the sport as a force for good in bringing people back together."
Jones was appointed in December 2015, replacing Stuart Lancaster after a disappointing home World Cup that autumn.
He led England to a record-equalling unbeaten run, which included a Grand Slam in 2016 and a Six Nations title the year after.
The team's form slumped in 2018, but Jones arrested the slide before the World Cup in Japan.
There, superb victories over Australia in the quarter-finals and New Zealand in the semi-finals established Jones' men as favourites to beat South Africa in the final, but an inspired Springboks performance condemned an under-par England to a 32-12 defeat.
Concerns over the impact of that loss in the final were exacerbated when England were beaten by France in Paris in their 2020 Six Nations opener, but they rallied with victories against Scotland, Ireland and Wales to seal the Triple Crown before the Championship was curtailed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"We set out four years ago to be the best team in the world and unfortunately we missed that by 80 minutes," Jones said on Thursday.
"Now we want to be the team that is remembered as being the greatest team the game has ever seen. It's a big ambition but I believe we are capable of doing it."
If Jones does lead England through to France in 2023, he will eclipse World Cup winner Sir Clive Woodward as the country's longest-serving boss.
Jones' win record puts him alongside Woodward as one of England's greatest ever coaches, but successive RFU chiefs have had to reprimand him over his conduct.
Following the win over Wales at the start of March, the RFU apologised on Jones' behalf after he suggested referee Ben O'Keefe was biased in his decision-making.
But Sweeney is clearly comfortable that the occasional controversy that surrounds Jones is a fair exchange for re-establishing England as a leading force in the global game.
"We reached an understanding soon after returning from Japan but there were some things that we wanted to make sure worked for both sides," Sweeney added.
"We have announced Eddie's contract extension a few weeks later than planned as our focus was diverted to support the English rugby community during this difficult time. We are now turning our attention to developing plans to support the rebooting of rugby and a winning England team will provide a vital role in that."
England are third in the World Rugby rankings, behind South Africa and New Zealand.
Last month, Jones joined members of the RFU executive board in taking a pay reduction in excess of 25%, predominantly in the form of forgone bonuses, as a response to the financial impact of Covid-19.


bbc--2020-04-01--Champions League suspended 'until further notice'

All Champions League and Europa League matches have been suspended `` until further notice '' by Uefa because of the global coronavirus pandemic .
All national team games in June have also been postponed , including play-off matches for Euro 2020 - already postponed to 2021 - and qualifying matches for the Women 's Euro 2021 .
The Premier League is suspended until at least 30 April .
The Euro 2020 play-offs are set to feature Northern Ireland , the Republic of Ireland and Scotland .
Premier League clubs Manchester City and Chelsea are both still in the Champions League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scottish Premiership side Rangers are all in the Europa League .
The finals of the Champions League , Europa League and Women 's Champions League , all of which were scheduled for May , had already been postponed .
While most leagues in Europe hope to finish their domestic seasons once restrictions on movement and social contact are lifted , Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said last week the season could be lost if play does not start by the end of June .
`` If we do n't succeed in restarting , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Slovenian said .
He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica : `` There is a plan A , B and C. '' The three options are to start again in mid-May , in June or at the end of June .
`` There is also the possibility of starting again at the beginning of the next [ season ] , starting the following one later .
We will see the best solution for leagues and clubs . ''
Ceferin says that playing remaining games behind closed doors would have to be an option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me to imagine all the matches behind closed doors , but we still do n't know whether we 'll resume , with or without spectators , '' he said .
`` If there was no alternative , it would be better to finish the championships . ''
A mini-tournament to decide the Champions League and Europa League is expected to be one option put forward to ease fixture congestion caused by the coronavirus crisis .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Paris St-Germain fans gathered outside the Parc des Princes in March, despite the club playing their Champions League last 16 tie with Borussia Dortmund behind closed doors
All Champions League and Europa League matches have been suspended "until further notice" by Uefa because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
All national team games in June have also been postponed, including play-off matches for Euro 2020 - already postponed to 2021 - and qualifying matches for the Women's Euro 2021.
The European governing body's 55 member associations met on Wednesday.
The Premier League is suspended until at least 30 April.
The Euro 2020 play-offs are set to feature Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland.
Premier League clubs Manchester City and Chelsea are both still in the Champions League, while Manchester United, Wolves and Scottish Premiership side Rangers are all in the Europa League.
The finals of the Champions League, Europa League and Women's Champions League, all of which were scheduled for May, had already been postponed.
While most leagues in Europe hope to finish their domestic seasons once restrictions on movement and social contact are lifted, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said last week the season could be lost if play does not start by the end of June.
"If we don't succeed in restarting, the season will probably be lost," the Slovenian said.
He told Italian newspaper La Repubblica: "There is a plan A, B and C.
"The three options are to start again in mid-May, in June or at the end of June.
"There is also the possibility of starting again at the beginning of the next [season], starting the following one later. We will see the best solution for leagues and clubs."
Ceferin says that playing remaining games behind closed doors would have to be an option across Europe.
"It's hard for me to imagine all the matches behind closed doors, but we still don't know whether we'll resume, with or without spectators," he said.
"If there was no alternative, it would be better to finish the championships."
A mini-tournament to decide the Champions League and Europa League is expected to be one option put forward to ease fixture congestion caused by the coronavirus crisis.


bbc--2020-04-01--McLaren drivers take pay cut as some staff handed enforced leave

McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz are to take a pay cut as the team put some staff on furlough during the coronavirus crisis .
McLaren are the first team to ask some of their workforce to take an enforced absence .
Those employees who remain at work will have their salary reduced .
The drivers volunteered to take the same rate of reduction as other staff when they were informed .
McLaren said the measures were `` focused on protecting jobs in the short term '' .
In a statement , the team said the plan was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work as the economy recovers '' and said the steps were `` part of wider cost-cutting measures due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its business '' .
The team would not reveal how many staff had been furloughed or what percentage of salary the remaining employees would lose .
The McLaren employees on furlough will be off work for an initial period of three months .
The UK government has introduced a retention scheme that allows companies to claim a grant covering 80 % of the wages of a furloughed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month .
McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown informed other teams of the decision at a meeting on Tuesday as senior figures discussed steps to protect the sport in the face of its biggest crisis since the 2008 global financial crash .
No other UK-based team has decided whether to take the same action , but others are discussing whether to follow suit as bosses wait to see when and if the season can be restarted later this year .
One said they had made `` no decision yet '' but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks - we are trying to minimise the impact on everyone '' .
F1 and its teams face a major reduction in revenue as a result of the cancellation of races caused by the coronavirus crisis .
The sport 's three main revenue streams are all under threat - race-hosting fees , broadcast rights and sponsorship income .
The teams are paid prize money out of the sport 's total revenue .
They also have independent sponsorship deals to complete their budgets .
The first eight grands prix have all been called off @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as countries struggle to contain the global spread of coronavirus .
F1 chief executive Chase Carey has said he hopes to begin a season of 15-18 races at some point in the summer and has warned every grand prix on the original 2020 calendar could have its date shifted .
But the F1 season can not start again until restrictions on global travel are eased , and there is no sign at this stage of when that could be .
The sport has taken a series of measures to try to reduce costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period with races .
A major set of regulation changes has already been delayed from 2021 to 2022 and is likely to be pushed back a further year .
Teams will race with their 2020 cars throughout 2021 , and development will be severely restricted .
And F1 has been given permission by the teams to extend the 2020 season into January 2021 if necessary to ensure sufficient races can be held .
F1 rules dictate that a season has to have at least eight races to be classified as a World Championship @

McLaren celebrated a first podium since 2014 at the Brazilian Grand Prix last year
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz are to take a pay cut as the team put some staff on furlough during the coronavirus crisis.
McLaren are the first team to ask some of their workforce to take an enforced absence. Those employees who remain at work will have their salary reduced.
The drivers volunteered to take the same rate of reduction as other staff when they were informed.
McLaren said the measures were "focused on protecting jobs in the short term".
In a statement, the team said the plan was "to ensure our employees return to full-time work as the economy recovers" and said the steps were "part of wider cost-cutting measures due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its business".
The team would not reveal how many staff had been furloughed or what percentage of salary the remaining employees would lose.
The McLaren employees on furlough will be off work for an initial period of two months, while the wage reduction runs for three. Staff working on the F1 project to boost the supply of ventilators for the NHS fighting coronavirus will not be on furlough but will take the pay cut.
The UK government has introduced a retention scheme that allows companies to claim a grant covering 80% of the wages of a furloughed worker up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.
McLaren Racing chief executive Zak Brown informed other teams of the decision at a meeting on Tuesday as senior figures discussed steps to protect the sport in the face of its biggest crisis since the 2008 global financial crash.
No other UK-based team has decided whether to take the same action, but others are discussing whether to follow suit as bosses wait to see when and if the season can be restarted later this year.
One said they had made "no decision yet" but it was "most likely in the coming weeks - we are trying to minimise the impact on everyone".
McLaren, based in Woking, employs nearly 4,000 people
F1 and its teams face a major reduction in revenue as a result of the cancellation of races caused by the coronavirus crisis.
The sport's three main revenue streams are all under threat - race-hosting fees, broadcast rights and sponsorship income.
The teams are paid prize money out of the sport's total revenue. They also have independent sponsorship deals to complete their budgets.
The first eight grands prix have all been called off, and others are expected to follow as countries struggle to contain the global spread of coronavirus.
F1 chief executive Chase Carey has said he hopes to begin a season of 15-18 races at some point in the summer and has warned every grand prix on the original 2020 calendar could have its date shifted.
But the F1 season cannot start again until restrictions on global travel are eased, and there is no sign at this stage of when that could be.
The sport has taken a series of measures to try to reduce costs as teams face up to a long period with races.
A major set of regulation changes has already been delayed from 2021 to 2022 and is likely to be pushed back a further year.
Teams will race with their 2020 cars throughout 2021, and development will be severely restricted.
And F1 has been given permission by the teams to extend the 2020 season into January 2021 if necessary to ensure sufficient races can be held.
F1 rules dictate that a season has to have at least eight races to be classified as a World Championship.


bbc--2020-04-01--Women's European Championship: Tournament to be moved back a year

The Women 's European Championship - set to be held in England in 2021 - will be moved to the summer of 2022 .
The tournament was expected to be shifted after the men 's European Championship and the Tokyo Olympics were both postponed until 2021 because of the global coronavirus pandemic .
Three European teams - England , the Netherlands and Sweden - have already qualified for the Olympics .
Moving the Euros to 2022 will avoid two women 's tournaments in the same summer .
Qualification for the tournament is still ongoing .
Scotland are second in Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ C , which also contains Northern Ireland in fourth place , and Republic of Ireland are top of Group I. England women 's manager Phil Neville was set to lead what will be a Great British Olympics squad in Tokyo , with the team supplemented by players from the other Home Nations .
However , his contract , which would have covered the Olympics and Euros had they taken place as scheduled , will now run out before next year 's events take place .
The Football Association is yet to say whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer .
European football 's governing body Uefa announced a series of decisions about its competitions on Wednesday following a meeting of its 55 member associations , but it is yet to confirm that Euro 2021 will become Euro 2022 .
The Danish FA did , however , say on its website that the postponement had been announced during the video conference .
There are still decisions to be made about when the tournament will take place , largely because of the Commonwealth Games , which are set to take place in Birmingham @ @ @ @ @ @ @

European Championship hosts England have suffered seven defeats in their last 11 games
The Women's European Championship - set to be held in England in 2021 - will be moved to the summer of 2022.
The tournament was expected to be shifted after the men's European Championship and the Tokyo Olympics were both postponed until 2021 because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
Three European teams - England, the Netherlands and Sweden - have already qualified for the Olympics.
Moving the Euros to 2022 will avoid two women's tournaments in the same summer.
Uefa has said while no "formal decision has been made", a postponement to 2022 is a "likely option."
Qualification for the tournament is still ongoing. Scotland are second in Group E, Wales are second in Group C, which also contains Northern Ireland in fourth place, and Republic of Ireland are top of Group I.
England women's manager Phil Neville was set to lead what will be a Great British Olympics squad in Tokyo, with the team supplemented by players from the other Home Nations.
However, his contract, which would have covered the Olympics and Euros had they taken place as scheduled, will now run out before next year's events take place.
The Football Association is yet to say whether Neville will extend his contract beyond next summer.
European football's governing body Uefa announced a series of decisions about its competitions on Wednesday following a meeting of its 55 member associations, but it is yet to confirm that Euro 2021 will become Euro 2022.
The Danish FA did, however, say on its website that the postponement had been announced during the video conference.
There are still decisions to be made about when the tournament will take place, largely because of the Commonwealth Games, which are set to take place in Birmingham from 27 July to 7 August.
"No formal decision has been made with regards to the potential postponements of the Women's Euro 2021 and the Under-21 2021," Uefa said in a statement.
"The summer of 2022 is indeed a likely option but Uefa will be looking to maximise the benefits to the development and profile of women's football and of the Under-21 when making decisions on the timings for these competitions."


bbc--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: How can you stop the spread of misinformation?

Misleading coronavirus advice is going viral on social media feeds .
Zeinab Badawi explains how we can all slow the @ @ @ @ @ .
More tips : Seven ways to stop bad information

Misleading coronavirus advice is going viral on social media feeds. Zeinab Badawi explains how we can all slow the spread of harmful falsehoods online.
Produced by BBC My World
More tips: Seven ways to stop bad information


bbc--2020-04-01--A visual guide to the pandemic

A visual guide to the pandemic

There are now more than 900,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in 180 countries and at least 45,000 people have died .
The United States now has more confirmed cases than any other single country , including China where the disease emerged in December 2019 .
Europe has also recorded hundreds of thousands of infections , with Italy and Spain worst affected .
This series of maps and charts will help you understand what 's going on .
How many deaths and recoveries have there been ?
The virus is spreading rapidly in many countries and the death toll is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are recovering from the infection .
The country with the highest number of cases is the US , according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
It is fast approaching 200,000 confirmed cases , which is more than double the official number in China .
Around 3,300 people have died in China - but the US , Italy , Spain and France now have higher death tolls .
The outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person in many parts of the world at the same time .
The WHO said it took more than three months to reach the first 100,000 confirmed cases worldwide , but the number has increased by more than 100,000 just in the past two days .
The true figure for the number of people with coronavirus is thought to be much higher as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
China says it has now all but stopped the spread of the disease and the authorities have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the city in Hubei province where the outbreak began .
South Korea , where a major outbreak began in February , has also seen its number of cases fall in the last couple of weeks .
But badly affected countries like Italy , Spain and the US are still ramping up measures to try to slow down the spread of the virus .
Governments across the world have halted flights , locked down towns and cities and urged people to stay at home .
India and Saudi Arabia have begun strict lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people have been put into place across Europe .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health European countries have seen steep rises in infections and deaths .
Italy has the highest toll of any single country in the world , with more than 13,000 deaths .
Spain has reported more than 9,000 deaths and there are now 102,000 confirmed cases there .
The Spanish government , which declared a state of emergency on 14 March , has further tightened its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home for two weeks .
In Italy , there are cautious hopes that the country may have started to turn a corner , with data in recent days suggesting that the infection rate is slowing .
The majority of deaths have occurred in the northern Lombardy region , which contains the city of Milan .
Hospitals there are reportedly at breaking point and retired doctors and nurses have been asked to return to work .
In Germany , where there have been nearly 76,000 cases and 850 deaths , a leading health scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be given to people who have recovered .
In the UK , there have been nearly 30,000 confirmed cases and more than 2,300 deaths .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a clampdown on 23 March , urging people to stay at home to avoid unnecessary transmission of the disease .
Mr Johnson is self-isolating after testing positive for the virus on 27 March .
• UK outbreak in graphics : How many cases are in your area ?
In Spain and the UK , deaths grew rapidly at first , doubling faster than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase has now slowed to doubling between every second and third day .
Italy 's death rate has also slowed , while that of the US is continuing in roughly a straight line , doubling about every three days at present .
Cases rising quickly in the US With 199,000 cases - nearly 84,000 in New York state alone - the US has more confirmed infections than any other country .
At 4,361 , the US death toll is more than 1,000 higher than China 's official figure of 3,309 .
Around three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under some form of lockdown as states increase efforts to curb the outbreak .
President Donald Trump has said federal coronavirus guidelines , such as social distancing , will be extended across the country until at least 30 April .
He had previously said they could be relaxed in mid-April .
Nationwide measures mean people must continue to avoid non-essential travel , going to work , and eating at restaurants or bars .
Gatherings are limited to groups of under 10 people .
Stricter restrictions apply to millions in some of the worst-hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major economic impact , with figures showing the number of people without jobs surging to a record high of nearly 3.3 million as of 28 March .
The previous record was set in 1982 , when unemployment claims hit 695,000 .
American Airlines , one of the world 's richest carriers , has said it will apply for $ 12bn ( £9.7bn ) in government aid .
• A visual guide to the economic impact of coronavirus India is one of the latest countries to enforce a lockdown , meaning its 1.3 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes for a few weeks at least .
That means at least a quarter of the 7.8 billion people in the world are now living under some form of restrictions on their movement and social contact due to the coronavirus .
People in major cities like London , Barcelona and New York are now moving around far less than they were a few weeks ago , according to data from the travel app Citymapper .
The data also shows that while Milan in northern Italy has been locked down for several weeks now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restricting movement in recent days .
While movement is also down in the South Korean capital Seoul , the city has n't ground to a halt like European capitals despite facing huge numbers of coronavirus cases - a sign of the country 's decision to focus on widespread testing and contact tracing rather than social distancing .
In Russia , the Kremlin had insisted that there was `` de facto no epidemic '' in the country but earlier this week President Putin urged people to stay at home , which explains the significant @ @ @ @ @ @

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Show more
This information is regularly updated but may not reflect the latest totals for each country.
** The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average. Due to revisions in the number of cases, an average cannot be calculated for this date.
Source: Johns Hopkins University and national public health agencies


bbc--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: US death toll exceeds 5,000

The death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in the US has gone above 5,000 , while confirmed cases worldwide are close to reaching one million .
There were 884 deaths in the US in 24 hours , a new record , according to Johns Hopkins University , which has tracked virus figures globally .
The latest victims include a six-week-old baby .
More than 216,000 are now infected , the world 's highest figure .
Reserves of protective equipment and medical supplies are almost exhausted .
This has left the federal government and individual US states competing for safety gear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to profiteering , officials in the Department for Homeland Security were quoted by the Washington Post as saying .
The Trump administration says it can acquire adequate supplies , and has $ 16bn ( £13bn ) available to do so .
State and local officials have complained about insufficient protective equipment such as masks and gowns as well as ventilators , needed to help keep patients breathing .
Meanwhile , US Vice-President Mike Pence warned the US appeared to be on a similar trajectory as Italy where the death toll has exceeded 13,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number of confirmed infections across the US rose by more than 25,000 in one day .
The worst-hit place is New York City , where nearly 47,500 people have tested positive and more than 1,300 have died .
Officials say as many as 240,000 people could die in the US from Covid-19 - the disease caused by the virus - even with the mitigation measures in place .
In Connecticut , a six-week-old baby has died from coronavirus , believed to be America 's youngest victim of the virus so far .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the symptoms ?
• US v ITALY v CHINA : How do death rates compare ?
• LEADING THE WAY : The US governor who saw it coming early • ON FRONTLINE : 'Nurses prepare for the worst but not this' • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis What is happening in New York ?
Queens , New York City 's second-most populous borough , has the highest number of confirmed cases and deaths .
The area is home to a large population of low-income workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in close proximity , and social-distancing guidelines are hard to enforce .
`` While we are practising as a city , social distancing , you may have multiple families living in a very small apartment .
And so it 's easy to understand why there 's a lot of transmission of Covid occurring , '' said Dr Mitchell Katz , head of New York City Health + Hospitals .
The city needed 2.1 million surgical masks , 100,000 surgical gowns and 400 ventilators , among other items , by Sunday , said Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that April would be worse than March as the outbreak gathered pace .
He said the goal was to triple the number of hospital beds , to 65,000 .
`` This will be an epic process through the month of April .
It 's herculean , but I believe it can be reached , '' he said on Twitter .
Sobering pictures from the city have shown bodies being loaded onto refrigerated mortuary lorries outside hospitals .
What is happening elsewhere in the US ?
Other clusters are flaring up in places like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marsalis Jr , a jazz pianist , teacher and father of musicians Branford and Wynton Marsalis , became the latest high-profile figure to die from complications caused by Covid-19 .
He was 85 .
Marsalis spent most of his career in his native New Orleans , and released more than 15 albums .
`` Ellis Marsalis was a legend .
He was the prototype of what we mean when we talk about New Orleans jazz , '' said Mayor LaToya Cantrell .
Florida , Georgia and Mississippi have become the latest US states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 75 % of the country 's population are now under orders to stay at home .
In Florida , Governor Ron DeSantis softened his stance banning two cruise ships hit with coronavirus from docking in the state .
He had been adamant that the ships should not land passengers at Fort Lauderdale , but now said the decision was up to the local authorities .
A staunch ally of President Trump , the governor faced pressure from the president on Wednesday to relent .
He said he had understood the passengers were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and did not realise that US citizens were also aboard .
What is happening elsewhere ?
• In the UK , the Wimbledon tennis tournament has been cancelled for the first time since World War Two • British government officials vowed to ramp up testing within weeks , as the number of deaths in the UK saw its big daily increase - 563 • Canada 's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised the largest economic programme in the country 's history • The official death toll in Iran has passed 3,000 while in @ @ @ @ @ @

Officials say as many as 240,000 people could die in the US from Covid-19 - the disease caused by the virus - even with the mitigation measures in place. In Connecticut, a six-week-old baby has died from coronavirus, believed to be America's youngest victim of the virus so far.


bbc--2020-04-02--Why Anne Tyler won't be writing about the coronavirus

While many of us may be struggling to adapt to staying at home and avoiding social contact , Anne Tyler prefers it that way .
`` I need to be alone , '' one of America 's greatest living writers told the BBC .
`` I feel worn out if I 'm in a group for a long time . ''
Solitude has been central to her writing career , which spans more than half a century .
`` You could almost say I live a quarantined life anyway . ''
The author , 78 , has sold more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jane Austen .
Nick Hornby , meanwhile , has said she is his favourite writer .
Yet all of this has been achieved with remarkably little fuss and fanfare .
She keeps a low profile and rarely gives interviews or appears at literary festivals .
She says she did not think her life in the American city of Baltimore would be changed much by the coronavirus pandemic , but admits `` it is different '' now .
`` It 's very sad to walk through the woods every morning , which is where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see not a single child .
`` We 're supposed to not mingle in any way , '' she adds .
`` I always have these two friends come over for 'wine therapy ' , as we call it , and I just cancelled them . ''
But do not expect the virus - or its impact - to make an appearance in her next novel , or even the one after that .
The outside world does not tend to intrude in her books .
`` It would derail the small private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she explains .
`` I think it 'd be really wrongheaded of me to suddenly start talking about the coronavirus at this stage in one of my books . ''
`` I 'm very much a believer in letting things get old before we write about them at all .
In other words , I 've never written about the World Trade Center , you know , and I have n't read any good books about it , frankly .
But I think that in 20 years , they might have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tyler has written 23 novels .
Nearly all of them are set in Baltimore , where she has lived since 1967 .
The Accidental Tourist was turned into a Hollywood movie in 1988 starring William Hurt , Geena Davis and Kathleen Turner .
She won the Pulitzer Prize the following year for Breathing Lessons ; and A Spool of Blue Thread was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2015 .
Her great theme is family and in all her books she focuses on ordinary people living unremarkable lives .
Her latest novel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is no different .
It tells the tale of a middle-aged handyman , `` a man of habits '' who is stuck in a rut .
She says she feels `` comfortable '' writing from a male perspective .
`` I think it 's because I had such a good father and three brothers and two grandfathers all of whom I love dearly , and I feel just very comfortable figuring out what a man might think about something . ''
Which raises the question of whether there should ever be limits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Dirt , a novel by a white American author , Jeanine Cummins , written from the viewpoint of a Mexican migrant , set off a debate about cultural appropriation in literature .
Cummins ' publisher cancelled her book tour , fearing violence , because feelings were running so high .
Anne Tyler insists that Cummins - and other writers - `` have a right to try '' .
`` The whole point of writing for me has been to live other lives .
So of course , I would be wanting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have n't lived . ''
But when asked if there was anything she would n't write about , Tyler surprisingly says `` yes '' .
`` I think I would be very presumptuous to write from the viewpoint of , let 's say , an inner-city , African American , because I think there 's so much that I would get wrong .
`` I think I 'd be entitled to do it if I wanted but I think I 'd be laughed out of the literary world by anybody who was black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ messed up there ' , you know ? ''
Tyler likes to stick to what she knows best .
It has been said that she essentially writes the same book , exploring the lives of middle class Americans , over and over again .
`` It 's fair , '' she laughs .
`` I always say when I 'm starting a book , 'This one 's gon na be different ' .
`` About halfway through , I say , 'Oh , darn , it 's the same book over again .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in things that seem humdrum sometimes and how there are things underneath them that mean more .
`` I mean , it 's almost a challenge to have somebody washing dishes and figure out something to say about it that would mean more than just washing dishes . ''
She says she can not envisage stopping writing even though `` the world does not need another one of my books '' , explaining : `` I do n't have any hobbies .
And it really makes me happy to write .
So that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' She even has an idea ready for her next novel .
`` Surprise , surprise .
It 's about a family in Baltimore , '' she laughs .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"I'm very much a believer in letting things get old before we write about them at all. In other words, I've never written about the World Trade Center, you know, and I haven't read any good books about it, frankly. But I think that in 20 years, they might have a good one."


bbc--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: Spain sees record rise in unemployment amid lockdown

Spain has cut almost 900,000 jobs since it imposed strict measures to fight the coronavirus , another sign of the economic impact of the outbreak in Europe 's second worst-hit country .
March 's figure is the highest monthly rise in unemployment ever recorded in the country , which already had one of the eurozone 's highest jobless rates .
Spain banned all but essential outings and shut most businesses in mid-March .
It has marked another grim milestone as the number of dead passed 10,000 .
Around the world , the number of confirmed infections is nearing one million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Johns Hopkins University , which tracks virus figures globally .
Some 195,000 people have recovered .
What is the latest from Spain ?
The data shows 898,822 people have lost their jobs since the start of the lockdown , including about 550,000 temporary workers .
Spain 's official unemployment figure rose to 3.5 million , the highest level since April 2017 .
`` This is an absolutely unprecedented situation , '' Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz told a news conference .
The tourism and construction sectors were the hardest hit .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible economic impact of the measures imposed to fight the virus .
A UN report estimated that up to 25 million jobs could be lost around the world .
Meanwhile , 10,003 people in Spain have died from Covid-19 - the disease caused by the coronavirus - as 950 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours , another daily record , the health ministry said .
The number of confirmed cases rose from 102,136 on Wednesday to 110,238 , an 8 % rise .
The day-to-day increases have been slowing down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world 's biggest death toll - 13,155 - and more than 110,000 confirmed cases .
The country was the first in the West to impose stringent measures to curb the virus , and the government has warned of a `` severe '' recession .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• US v ITALY v CHINA : How do death rates compare ?
• LEADING THE WAY : The US governor who saw it coming early • ON FRONTLINE : 'Nurses prepare for the worst but not this' • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may come out of this crisis What is happening elsewhere ?
In the US , more than 5,000 people have died , including a six-week-old baby in Connecticut , believed to be America 's youngest victim of the virus so far .
Officials warned as many as 240,000 people could die in the country even with the mitigation measures in place .
Confirmed infections across the US rose by more than 25,000 in one day .
The worst-hit place is New York City , where nearly 47,500 people have tested positive and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clusters are flaring up in places like Detroit and New Orleans .
Florida , Georgia and Mississippi have become the latest US states to issue lockdown orders .
More than 75 % of the country 's population have been ordered to stay at home .
In other developments around the world : • In Iran more than 3,100 deaths have been officially confirmed • UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government needed to `` massively ramp up '' testing amid growing criticism over the government 's response • Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they caused trouble over restrictions , saying the police and the military had the authority to shoot if their lives were in danger • In China , the city of Shenzhen has banned the eating of cats and dogs following the outbreak • Dharavi , a huge slum in India 's financial capital , Mumbai , has reported its first death linked to the coronavirus .
More than a million people live in extremely overcrowded conditions in Dharavi , believed to be the biggest slum in Asia • Canada 's Prime Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programme in the country 's history

Confirmed infections across the US rose by more than 25,000 in one day. The worst-hit place is New York City, where nearly 47,500 people have tested positive and more than 1,300 have died, but new clusters are flaring up in places like Detroit and New Orleans.


bbc--2020-04-02--British Airways expected to suspend 36,000 staff

British Airways is expected to announce it will suspend around 36,000 staff .
The airline , which grounded much of its fleet due to the coronavirus crisis , has been negotiating with the Unite union for more than a week .
The two sides have reached a broad deal but are yet to sign on some details .
The agreement means that up to 80 % of BA cabin crew , ground staff , engineers and those working at head office will have their jobs suspended but no staff are expected to be made redundant .
The decision will affect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airport after the airline suspended its operations at both locations until the crisis is over .
Those affected are expected to receive some of their wages through the government 's coronavirus job retention scheme , which covers 80 % of someone 's salary capped at a maximum of £2,500 a month .
No one who works at British Airways will be surprised at today 's expected announcement .
When the planes are sitting on the ground - and nearly all of BA 's fleet is doing just that , dispersed to regional airports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need for the army of workers who fly the aircraft , maintain them , load and unload the bags , and serve the passengers .
Staff typically make up about 40 % of an airline 's costs , and BA should be able to reclaim 80 % of wages from the government employment support scheme set up to help companies affected by the virus .
BA has not , so far , asked the government for any other specific financial assistance .
Nor has EasyJet , where senior sources say the general assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - should be sufficient .
Virgin Atlantic , however , continues to press , and has written to MPs pointing out that it provides the only British-flagged competition to British Airways on many key routes from Heathrow .
So far the Chancellor , Rishi Sunak , has taken a hard line , saying airlines should exhaust all financial revenues before turning to the taxpayer .
If Virgin does make a formal application for more aid , it will have to be able to show it has met the chancellor 's test .
John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` tough negotiations '' between BA and the Unite union meant it had taken a while to reach an agreement .
`` The pilots ' deal for half pay was concluded rather earlier , I guess there was a recognition as to just how serious that issue was , '' he said .
It is thought that the Unite union has been pushing for staff to be paid more than that .
BA has already reached a separate deal with its pilots who will take a 50 % pay cut over two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airlines Group ( IAG ) , is in a better financial position than some of its competitors .
The group has made healthy profits in recent years .
But the airline 's expected decision to suspend such a large number of workers gives a sense of how hard UK aviation has been hit by travel restrictions , designed to stem the spread of the pandemic .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancelled for the foreseeable future , airlines have been haemorrhaging cash .
Over the next three months , the International Air Transport Association expects airlines to rack up losses of almost $ 40bn ( £32.3bn ) .
It said carriers were burning through their cash reserves fast , mainly because of the multi-billion-pound cost of refunding tickets for cancelled flights .
Many staff at Virgin Atlantic have had their jobs suspended for two months and crews at Easyjet are out of work for three months .
This week , British Airways has run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British nationals home from Peru , after the country went into lockdown .
It is one of several UK-based airlines that has agreed to run further repatriation flights in the coming weeks as hundreds of thousands of people are still stuck in other parts of the world .
Are you a BA employee ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our @ @ @ @ @ @

No one who works at British Airways will be surprised at today's announcement. When the planes are sitting on the ground - and nearly all of BA's fleet is doing just that, dispersed to regional airports around the country - there is no need for the army of workers who fly the aircraft, maintain them, load and unload the bags, and serve the passengers.


bbc--2020-04-02--Daniel Pearl: Pakistan overturns convicted man's death sentence

Pakistan has overturned the death sentence of the man convicted of killing US journalist Daniel Pearl , defence lawyers have told reporters .
British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh , imprisoned since 2002 , has had his sentence reduced to seven years for kidnapping , said lawyer Khawaja Naveed .
Three other men given life sentences over the killing have been acquitted by the Sindh High Court and released .
The Sindh chief prosecutor says he will lodge an appeal in the Sheikh case .
The province 's prosecutor general Fiaz Shah told the BBC he expected Sheikh to remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be heard by the Supreme Court .
A group of US journalists , including former colleagues of Pearl , said in 2011 that they believed Sheikh had not carried out the beheading .
The Pearl Project alleged the killer was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed , who is being held in Guantanamo Bay , accused of being behind the 9/11 attacks .
Mr Naveed said he expected his client to be released `` in a few days '' .
Pearl , who worked for the Wall Street Journal , went missing in January 2002 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ militant activity in Karachi and Richard Reid , who tried to blow up a passenger plane using bombs hidden in his shoes .
According to prosecutors , Omar Saeed Sheikh lured him to a meeting with an Islamic cleric .
The two had built a relationship discussing concerns about their wives , who were both pregnant at the time .
Almost a month later , a video showing the 38-year-old 's beheading was sent to the US consulate in Karachi .
Pearl 's son , Adam , was born in May 2002 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July 2002 by an anti-terrorism court , and has been on death row since .
Sheikh was born in London in 1973 , where he attended public school before going on to study at the London School of Economics .
He did not graduate , failing to return after driving aid to Bosnia after his first year .
He was arrested for being involved in the kidnapping of four tourists - three British and one American - in Delhi in 1994 .
He was released from prison as part of demands by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to news agency Reuters , police in India later accused him of transferring money to one of the militants who flew a plane into the World Trade Center on 9/11 .
The main argument of the defence lawyers was that the prosecution had failed to prove their case beyond doubt .
They may have a point .
There have been questions over whether the four had any direct role in Daniel Pearl 's murder , though there was some evidence to show Sheikh 's involvement in his kidnapping .
Sheikh was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's top intelligence service , the ISI , as well as al-Qaeda , and had a role in forming the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group that carried out attacks in Indian Kashmir during the 1990s .
His arrest and conviction in 2002 came in quick succession , at a time when Pakistan was under severe pressure from the United States to eliminate terror networks operating on its soil .
But the Pakistani judiciary has sat on his appeal for nearly two decades , and some observers believe the present ruling has come at a time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the world has changed and nobody seems to be worried about the terrorists of the past .

But the Pakistani judiciary has sat on his appeal for nearly two decades, and some observers believe the present ruling has come at a time when the mood in the US and the rest of the world has changed and nobody seems to be worried about the terrorists of the past.


bbc--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: Expert panel to assess face mask use by public

Should more of us wear face masks to help slow the spread of coronavirus ?
This question is to be assessed by a panel of advisers to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) .
The group will weigh up research on whether the virus can be projected further than previously thought ; a study in the US suggests coughs can reach 6m and sneezes up to 8m .
The panel 's chair , Prof David Heymann , told BBC News that the new research may lead to a shift in advice about masks .
The former director at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening up its discussion again looking at the new evidence to see whether or not there should be a change in the way it 's recommending masks should be used . ''
What is the current advice ?
The WHO recommends keeping a distance of at least 1m from anyone coughing or sneezing to avoid the risk of infection .
It says people who are sick and show symptoms should wear masks .
• Who should be wearing masks ?
But it advises that healthy people only need to wear them if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected or if they themselves are coughing or sneezing .
It emphasises that masks are only effective if combined with frequent hand-washing and used and disposed of properly .
The UK , along with other countries including the US , advises that social distancing should mean staying at least 2m apart .
This advice is based on evidence showing that viruses can only be transmitted while carried within drops of liquid .
The understanding is that most of those drops will either evaporate or fall to the ground near to the person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new research say ?
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) in Cambridge , US , used high-speed cameras and other sensors to assess precisely what happens after a cough or sneeze .
They found that an exhalation generates a small fast-moving cloud of gas that can contain droplets of liquid of varying sizes - and that the smallest of these can be carried in the cloud over long distances .
The study - conducted in laboratory conditions - found that coughs can project liquid up to 6m away and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speeds , can reach up to 8m away .
• 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 What are the implications ?
The scientist who led the study , Prof Lydia Bourouiba of MIT , told me that she is concerned about the current concept of `` safe distances '' .
`` What we exhale , cough or sneeze is a gas cloud that has high momentum that can go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sizes in it and carries them through the room , '' she said .
`` So having this false idea of safety at one to two metres , that somehow drops will just fall to the ground at that distance is not based on what we have quantified , measured and visualised directly . ''
Does this change the advice about masks ?
Prof Bourouiba 's view is that in certain situations , especially indoors in poorly ventilated rooms , wearing masks would reduce the risks .
For example , when facing someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divert the flow of their breath and its load of virus away from your mouth .
`` Flimsy masks are not going to protect from inhaling the smallest particulates in the air because they do not provide filtration , '' Prof Bourouiba said .
`` But they would potentially divert the cloud that is being emitted with high momentum to the side instead of forward . ''
What do the WHO advisers think ?
According to Prof Heymann , the new research from MIT and other institutions will be evaluated because it suggests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be projected further than originally thought .
He said that if the evidence is supported , then `` it might be that wearing a mask is equally as effective or more effective than distancing . ''
But he adds a warning that masks need to be worn properly , with a seal over the nose .
If they become moist , Prof Heymann explained , then particles can pass through .
People must remove them carefully to avoid their hands becoming contaminated .
He adds that masks need to be worn consistently .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mask and then decide to take it off to smoke a cigarette or eat a meal - it must be worn full time , '' he said .
The panel , known as the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards , is due to hold its next virtual meeting in the next few days .
A spokesperson for Public Health England said there was little evidence of widespread benefit from wearing masks outside clinical settings .
`` Facemasks must be worn correctly , changed frequently , removed properly , disposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good universal hygiene behaviour in order for them to be effective .
`` Research also shows that compliance with these recommended behaviours reduces over time when wearing facemasks for prolonged periods . ''
Are n't countries changing their advice on masks anyway ?
Long popular in many countries in Asia , masks are now being assessed for public use by the US Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) .
In Austria , the police now wear them and anyone dealing with the police will have to wear one too .
Supermarkets there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A once-rare sight in Europe is becoming more common , and new advice from the WHO would accelerate that change .

Coronavirus: Expert panel to assess face mask use by public Published 2 April 2020
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Image source, Reuters
Should more of us wear face masks to help slow the spread of coronavirus?
This question is to be assessed by a panel of advisers to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The group will weigh up research on whether the virus can be projected further than previously thought; a study in the US suggests coughs can reach 6m and sneezes up to 8m.
The panel's chair, Prof David Heymann, told BBC News that the new research may lead to a shift in advice about masks.
The former director at the WHO explained: "The WHO is opening up its discussion again looking at the new evidence to see whether or not there should be a change in the way it's recommending masks should be used."
What is the current advice?
The WHO recommends keeping a distance of at least 1m from anyone coughing or sneezing to avoid the risk of infection.
It says people who are sick and show symptoms should wear masks.
But it advises that healthy people only need to wear them if they are caring for others suspected of being infected or if they themselves are coughing or sneezing.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, The new research suggests coughs and sneezes might project liquid further than previously thought
It emphasises that masks are only effective if combined with frequent hand-washing and used and disposed of properly.
The UK, along with other countries including the US, advises that social distancing should mean staying at least 2m apart.
This advice is based on evidence showing that viruses can only be transmitted while carried within drops of liquid.
The understanding is that most of those drops will either evaporate or fall to the ground near to the person who released them.
So what does the new research say?
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, US, used high-speed cameras and other sensors to assess precisely what happens after a cough or sneeze.
They found that an exhalation generates a small fast-moving cloud of gas that can contain droplets of liquid of varying sizes - and that the smallest of these can be carried in the cloud over long distances.
The study - conducted in laboratory conditions - found that coughs can project liquid up to 6m away and that sneezes, which involve much higher speeds, can reach up to 8m away.
What are the implications?
The scientist who led the study, Prof Lydia Bourouiba of MIT, told me that she is concerned about the current concept of "safe distances".
"What we exhale, cough or sneeze is a gas cloud that has high momentum that can go far, traps the drops of all sizes in it and carries them through the room," she said.
"So having this false idea of safety at one to two metres, that somehow drops will just fall to the ground at that distance is not based on what we have quantified, measured and visualised directly."
Does this change the advice about masks?
Prof Bourouiba's view is that in certain situations, especially indoors in poorly ventilated rooms, wearing masks would reduce the risks.
For example, when facing someone who's infected, masks could help divert the flow of their breath and its load of virus away from your mouth.
"Flimsy masks are not going to protect from inhaling the smallest particulates in the air because they do not provide filtration," Prof Bourouiba said.
"But they would potentially divert the cloud that is being emitted with high momentum to the side instead of forward."
What do the WHO advisers think?
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Prof Heymann said that masks needed to be worn consistently
According to Prof Heymann, the new research from MIT and other institutions will be evaluated because it suggests that droplets from coughs and sneezes could be projected further than originally thought.
He said that if the evidence is supported, then "it might be that wearing a mask is equally as effective or more effective than distancing."
But he adds a warning that masks need to be worn properly, with a seal over the nose. If they become moist, Prof Heymann explained, then particles can pass through. People must remove them carefully to avoid their hands becoming contaminated.
He adds that masks need to be worn consistently.
"It's not on to wear a mask and then decide to take it off to smoke a cigarette or eat a meal - it must be worn full time," he said.
The panel, known as the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards, is due to hold its next virtual meeting in the next few days.
A spokesperson for Public Health England said there was little evidence of widespread benefit from wearing masks outside clinical settings.
"Facemasks must be worn correctly, changed frequently, removed properly, disposed of safely and used in combination with good universal hygiene behaviour in order for them to be effective.
"Research also shows that compliance with these recommended behaviours reduces over time when wearing facemasks for prolonged periods."
Aren't countries changing their advice on masks anyway?
Image source, EPA Image caption, Masks have long been in use across Asia
Long popular in many countries in Asia, masks are now being assessed for public use by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
In Austria, the police now wear them and anyone dealing with the police will have to wear one too. Supermarkets there will insist that customers do too.
A once-rare sight in Europe is becoming more common, and new advice from the WHO would accelerate that change.


bbc--2020-04-01--Coronavirus: More health myths to ignore

Coronavirus : Treehouse isolation for some in India Many thousands of people in India have left cities and returned to @ @ @ @ @ lockdown order which has caused confusion and anger .

Lemon juice, mosquito bites and blood donations? Reality Check's Chris Morris tackles more myths about coronavirus that are being shared online.
Motion graphics by Jacqueline Galvin.


bbc--2020-04-02--Coronavirus: Oil prices rise on hopes of a price war truce

Global oil prices have risen after Donald Trump said he expected Saudi Arabia and Russia to reach a deal soon to end their price war .
The cost of crude had fallen to 18-year lows as the two countries slashed prices and ramped up production .
At the same time demand has been hit hard by shutdowns around the world to slow the spread of the coronavirus .
US oil has just seen its worst quarter on record , falling by two thirds in the first three months of the year .
Speaking about the dispute at a White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It 's very bad for Russia , it 's very bad for Saudi Arabia .
I mean , it 's very bad for both .
I think they 're going to make a deal '' .
He added that he expected them to `` work it out over the next few days '' after he spoke to both countries ' leaders .
Brent crude oil rose by more than 10 % to over $ 27 a barrel , while US oil was some 9 % higher .
Traders have suggested that prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that American shale oil producers , which have relatively high production costs , are coming under pressure to cut production .
`` High debt levels could see some of those producers wiped out , '' Michael McCarthy , chief market strategist at CMC Markets said .
• A fifth of smaller firms 'will run out of cash' The American oil industry , which Mr Trump described as having been `` ravaged '' , has just seen the first stock market-traded casualty of the collapse in oil prices .
Shale producer Whiting Petroleum , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US state of North Dakota , filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday .
The company said it had worked to cut costs and would continue to operate under a restructuring plan .
It came as global demand for crude oil was predicted to be almost 23 % lower this month than it was a year ago , according to research firm Rystad Energy .
Meanwhile , Mr Trump will reportedly meet the bosses of major energy companies , including Exxon Mobil and Chevron , at the White House on Friday .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may include possible tariffs on oil imports from Saudi Arabia , according to the Wall Street Journal .

Analysts said the US oil industry might also have to make cuts - either voluntarily to help stabilise prices or due to financial pressures because of the broader demand drop. Global demand for crude oil is predicted to be almost 23% lower this month than it was a year ago, according to research firm Rystad Energy.


bbc--2020-04-02--Shenzhen becomes first Chinese city to ban eating cat and dogs

Shenzhen has become the first Chinese city to ban the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat .
It comes after the coronavirus outbreak was linked to wildlife meat , prompting Chinese authorities to ban the trade and consumption of wild animals .
Shenzhen went a step further , extending the ban to dogs and cats .
The new law will come into force on 1 May .
Thirty million dogs a year are killed across Asia for meat , says Humane Society International ( HSI ) .
However , the practice of eating dog meat in China is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese people have never done so and say do n't want to .
`` Dogs and cats as pets have established a much closer relationship with humans than all other animals , and banning the consumption of dogs and cats and other pets is a common practice in developed countries and in Hong Kong and Taiwan , '' the Shenzhen city government said , according to a Reuters report .
`` This ban also responds to the demand and spirit of human civilization . ''
• The race to find the source of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a watershed moment in efforts to end this brutal trade that kills an estimated 10 million dogs and 4 million cats in China every year , '' said Dr Peter Li , China policy specialist for HSI .
However , at the same time as this ruling , China approved the use of bear bile to treat coronavirus patients .
Bear bile - a digestive fluid drained from living captive bears - has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine .
The active ingredient , ursodeoxycholic acid , is used to dissolve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no proof that it is effective against the coronavirus and the process is painful and distressing for the animals Brian Daly , a spokesman for the Animals Asia Foundation , told AFP : `` We should n't be relying on wildlife products like bear bile as the solution to combat a deadly virus that appears to have originated from wildlife . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned the trade and consumption of wild animals .
The move came after it emerged that a market in Wuhan selling wild animals and wildlife meat could have been the starting point for the outbreak of the new coronavirus , providing the means for the virus to travel from animals to humans .
News of this led the Chinese government to crack down strongly on the trade and on the markets that sold such products .
There are now close to one million confirmed cases of the virus worldwide , and more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hopkins University tally .
In China alone , there are 81,589 confirmed cases and 3,318 deaths , said the National Health Commission .
Scientists and researchers are still no closer to finding out what the source of the virus is and how it could have spread to humans .

"Dogs and cats as pets have established a much closer relationship with humans than all other animals, and banning the consumption of dogs and cats and other pets is a common practice in developed countries and in Hong Kong and Taiwan," the Shenzhen city government said, according to a Reuters report.


bbc--2020-04-02--Dua Lipa interview: How I released an album from lockdown

Four weeks ago , Dua Lipa flew back to London after playing Sydney 's Mardi Gras to discover her flat had flooded .
The singer-songwriter rented an Airbnb while the repairs were carried out .
Now , she and her boyfriend are stuck there for the duration of the lockdown .
`` I 'm really enjoying it , '' she tells the BBC over the phone .
`` I 'm doing stuff that I do n't normally get the chance to do , just sleeping in and reading a book and catching up on TV shows . ''
Sleeping in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this month .
Dua 's second album , Future Nostalgia , was primed for release at the start of April , and her diary for the rest of 2020 was packed - with a world tour , a Glastonbury slot and an appearance on Saturday Night Live all scheduled for the coming weeks .
But while artists like Lady Gaga , Sam Smith and Haim have delayed their albums due to the coronavirus , Dua chose to bring hers forward , giving it to fans a week earlier than planned .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in tears as she announced the news in a YouTube livestream , not least because the album had leaked online ( a situation she later described as `` a pain in the arse '' ) .
Ultimately , she thinks it was better to set the record free instead of worrying about the `` perfect '' release strategy .
`` I made this album to get away from any pressures and anxieties and opinions from the outside world , '' she says .
`` Yes , it was made to be listened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - but at the same time , I wanted to give people some happiness during this time , where they do n't have to think about what 's going on and just shut off and dance .
`` Maybe it had to just come out now , rather than later . ''
• Has Dua Lipa just released the album of the year ?
• Why pop music is going back to the 80s ... again Future Nostalgia is currently heading to number one in the UK and the top five in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest-rated albums of 2020 so far , with an average score of 88 on Metacritic .
As the title suggests , it sounds like a throwback record from the year 2050 - its laser-gun pop melodies fused with squelchy funk basslines and disco grooves .
Dua dreamt up the concept in late 2018 as she walked around the strip in Las Vegas .
`` I 'd already started working on the record and I knew I wanted it to reflect my childhood influences , but I had n't quite figured out what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she recalls .
`` I had my headphones in and was out walking to clear my head , when I was like , 'Oh , I know , Future Nostalgia could work . '
`` At first I worried it was too on the nose , too literal , but by the time I 'd gone back to my hotel , I 'd solidified it in my head .
`` I messaged my manager and said , ' I 've got my album title , I 'm going to start working backwards from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to capture the essence of that idea was Levitating , a euphoric roller-skating jam that clocks in at 103bpm , the same sweet spot as the Bee Gees ' Night Fever .
`` It was the song that helped shape the record , '' says Dua , who got `` so excited '' in the studio that the recording session became an impromptu party .
`` We ate so many doughnuts that we were literally levitating because we were so high on sugar , '' she told fans in a Q & A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as manufactured' Unlike her self-titled debut album , she has a writing credit on every song .
As a result , you get a clearer picture of the star 's personality - smart , strong-willed , passionate and really , really committed to dancing .
`` With my first record , I was lucky to get songs like New Rules and Be The One that I did n't write , but which were also massive parts of my career , '' she says .
`` But I also felt like I had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For a pop artist , people can see you as manufactured , and that you just get a writing credit for turning up .
But , for the songs I did write , I was in those sessions and they are my personal experiences .
And that 's something I wanted to get across in every interview I did . ''
This time , Dua says she did n't go in with an attitude that she 'd reject other people 's songs .
It just turned out that she was `` very inspired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say '' .
That 's clearest on the two songs that bookend the album .
Both look at different aspects of feminism , with the agenda-setting title track declaring : `` I know you ai n't used to a female alpha . ''
`` I 'm not suggesting that 's what I am , '' she says .
`` But when you sing that song , you want to feel stronger and more empowered . ''
Closing the album is the more reflective Boys Will Be Boys , which voices the everyday fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about - from being ignored and treated as inferior to the threat of violence .
One striking line about `` putting your keys between your knuckles '' was borne of real-life experience .
`` I remember walking home , especially in the winter time , when I was getting off my bus and just trying to get to my flat , which was a three minute walk from the bus stop , and just being petrified of boys on bikes cat-calling around the estate , '' recalls the singer .
She included @ @ @ @ @ @ @ female fans `` so they feel seen and feel heard and know that we all go through the same things '' .
The song is the fulfilment of everything Dua has been saying about feminism since New Rules catapulted her to global fame three years ago .
She 's spoken out about abortion rights , criticised the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia , and presented a `` five-point plan for the music industry to evolve '' at the Cambridge Union .
Even at the Grammys , where she won best new artist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the podium to criticise former Recording Academy president Neil Portnow , who said women needed to `` step up '' if they wanted fairer representation at award shows .
`` I get a lot of backlash for speaking out , but these are things I 'm passionate about - and that 's that , '' she says .
A lot of other pop stars would bite their tongue or shy away from such confrontation .
Tenacity , however , is in her blood .
Born in London , her Kosovan-Albanian parents took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 13 - but she lasted just two years before returning to the UK , alone , to pursue her dream of becoming a singer .
`` I did n't feel like there was enough opportunity for me to be able to do this from Kosovo .
`` So when I moved back to London at the age of 15 , I was still going to school , but I thought , I 'm going to use social media to my advantage and I 'm going to put some covers online .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justin Bieber effect where someone would find me on YouTube ! ''
To earn money for music sessions , she worked in restaurants and nightclubs , eventually scoring a record contract at the age of 18 .
Her debut album was delayed three times as she struggled to gain traction on the charts - but by February 2017 , she had three singles in the top 15 simultaneously .
That summer , New Rules sent her career into the stratosphere .
The pastel-coloured message of female camaraderie in its video - girls leaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other and supporting each other - crystallised everything that made Dua Lipa unique .
The experience also helped her define who she wanted to be as an artist .
`` I feel like I 'm very much more in touch with who I am now , '' she says .
`` I have a very clear idea of what I 'm doing and what I want to say .
Things I 'm not afraid of . ''
That confidence set the tone for Future Nostalgia .
She put the record on ice after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the visuals ( the album cover literally puts her in the driving seat ) and work on her choreography .
`` On my first record , I was learning everything as it went , '' she says .
`` I felt like the first three shows of every tour were my rehearsal days , figuring out what my set list was going to be and how I was going to perform and how I was going to talk to an audience and all that stuff .
'The best I could be' '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to finish my record and then I really wanted to get into the performance side of it , make sure I had enough time for rehearsal , make sure I made every performance unique . ''
`` I knew what I had to do to be the very best I could be , so I made sure I had a significant amount of time to be able to do that . ''
The change was apparent when Dua performed her comeback single Do n't Start Now at the MTV Europe Music Awards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made fun of her stage presence were won over by the dance moves and staging .
It was , she concedes , `` the first time I came off stage and felt really proud of myself '' .
From that moment , everything about Dua 's second album went to plan - until coronavirus struck .
So she must be gutted that her plans for the rest of the summer have been obliterated ?
`` Oh , I was really upset , but it 's a small price to pay , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ album was always to make songs that would live for a long time .
So once all this blows over , I 'm really hoping to pick up where I left off and be able to go out and do festivals and perform these songs and do some club shows just for the hell of it . ''
And if Dua Lipa wants something to happen , you can almost guarantee it will .
Future Nostalgia is out now .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bbc.co.uk .

"My aim for this album was always to make songs that would live for a long time. So once all this blows over, I'm really hoping to pick up where I left off and be able to go out and do festivals and perform these songs and do some club shows just for the hell of it."