bbc--2020-05-21--Amphan: Kolkata devastated as cyclone kills scores in India and Bangladesh

The eastern Indian city of Kolkata has been devastated by a powerful cyclone which has killed at least 84 people across India and Bangladesh .
Amphan made landfall on Wednesday , lashing coastal areas with ferocious wind and rain .
The storm is weakening as it moves north into Bhutan .
Thousands of trees were uprooted in the gales , electricity and telephone lines brought down and houses flattened .
Many of Kolkata 's roads are flooded and its 14 million people without power .
The storm is the first super cyclone to form in the Bay of Bengal since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the time it struck , it was still classified as a very severe cyclone .
Coronavirus restrictions have been hindering emergency and relief efforts .
Covid-19 and social-distancing measures made mass evacuations more difficult , with shelters unable to be used to full capacity .
What 's the latest on the cyclone ?
Amphan began hitting the Sundarbans , a mangrove area around the India-Bangladesh border home to four million people on Wednesday afternoon , before carving north and north-eastwards towards Kolkata , a historic city that was the capital of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Parts of West Bengal and Orissa ( also known as Odisha ) states in India , and areas in south-west Bangladesh , bore the brunt , with winds gusting up to 185km/h ( 115mph ) .
At least 72 people have died in India 's West Bengal state , and 12 deaths have been confirmed in Bangladesh .
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the devastation in Kolkata , the state capital , was `` a bigger disaster than Covid-19 '' .
`` Area after area has been ruined , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Press Trust of India news agency .
`` I have experienced a war-like situation today . ''
• How cyclones get their names Three districts in West Bengal - South and North 24 Parganas and East Midnapore - were very badly hit .
In Bangladesh , there are reports of tens of thousands of homes damaged or destroyed and many villages submerged by storm surges in low-lying coastal areas like Khulna and Satkhira .
The authorities evacuated nearly 2.5 million people ahead of the cyclone .
Initial assessments of the damage are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in all these areas .
On one of Kolkata 's oldest streets , Rabindra Sarani , special prayers are being offered at the Kumartuli Sai Baba temple .
Nobody died yesterday , a local says .
A giant banyan tree has fallen , bringing down a small Shiva temple with it .
While human casualties in have been low , the uprooted tree and temple are a reminder that gods or prayers could n't halt the riotous run of the fierce Cyclone Amphan .
The conjunction of the two disasters - Covid-19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort facing administrators is highlighted by a narrow lane at a crossing point in the city .
Its entrance is blocked as it 's a Covid hotspot and containment zone but it is also immersed in flood waters which came with the cyclone .
Near the gates of the esteemed Presidency College , I spy the unique sight of a small catfish being preyed upon by a street dog .
The catfish must have come with the floods but could n't make it back home when the waters receded .
The fish still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manages to keep the dog curious and a little intimidated too .
Images shared on social media showed electricity transformers exploding in busy neighbourhoods as the storm swept the city .
`` Thank God , we are safe , '' said one resident , who shared footage of tiled roofs being peeled off by the force of the wind and blown away .
Local news networks showed uprooted traffic lights in flooded streets , as well as river jetties torn apart and vehicles crushed under fallen trees .
Kajal Basu , who lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building in the city , wrote on Facebook after the storm began : `` It is like the vault of hell outside . ''
The apartment building seemed to be `` swaying from side to side , mimicking an earthquake '' , he said .
Most people were at home when the storm struck .
Kolkata and the rest of India is in lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Officials in Bangladesh feared Amphan would be the deadliest storm since Cyclone Sidr which killed about 3,500 people in 2007 .
Most died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in .
India 's weather department had predicted storm surges as high as 10-16 feet ( 3-5 metres ) from Amphan .
The rising of sea levels in this way can send deadly walls of water barrelling far inland , devastating communities .
The total level of devastation in Bangladesh remains to be assessed but it 's clear that there has been widespread destruction in areas that were in the path of the storm .
In the city of Khulna , north of the Sundarbans , at least 83,000 homes were either destroyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fewer people appear to have been killed than in India but the government fears about $ 1.5bn worth of damages , the newspaper says .

Near the gates of the esteemed Presidency College, I spy the unique sight of a small catfish being preyed upon by a street dog. The catfish must have come with the floods but couldn't make it back home when the waters receded. The fish still has life and its sharp flailing about manages to keep the dog curious and a little intimidated too.


bbc--2020-05-21--Germany: Ex-SS guard tells Stutthof murder trial 'I want to forget'

A 93-year-old former Nazi SS guard has told a German court that he `` wants to forget '' his time at Stutthof death camp and has denied guilt for the crimes committed there .
`` I want to forget and not go over that again , '' Bruno Dey said when asked if he had told his grandchildren about it .
He is charged with assisting in the murder of 5,230 people at the camp near Gdansk ( Danzig ) in occupied Poland .
He allegedly assisted the `` deceitful , cruel murder '' of Jews in the Holocaust .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ took place between August 1944 and April 1945 .
`` I did n't contribute anything to it , other than standing guard .
But I was forced to do it , it was an order , '' he told the Hamburg court on Wednesday .
He is being tried in a juvenile court because he was aged about 17 at the time .
At the trial in January a historian testified that Mr Dey was sent to the camp initially as a Wehrmacht soldier and did not join the SS until September 1944 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could have asked for a transfer to another unit before becoming part of the SS mass murder machine .
It is expected to be one of the last trials of alleged Nazi war criminals , as both survivors and perpetrators are now very old , and in some cases their memories are failing .
• How Auschwitz became centre of Nazi Holocaust • The hidden graves of the Holocaust A defence lawyer for Bruno Dey , Stefan Waterkamp , has requested that a psychiatrist examine the defendant 's mental recall .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bruno Dey and those present in court wore face masks .
Mr Dey , who went on trial in October , gave the court details of his SS service .
He said that shortly before the war ended he helped to guard Stutthof prisoners taken on a boat across the Baltic to Neustadt in Holstein , DPA news agency reports .
As British troops closed in , the SS herded the surviving prisoners into the harbour area and Mr Dey later fled the scene .
Last year he acknowledged knowing of the Stutthof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures , people who had suffered '' .
In December a 91-year-old survivor , Abraham Koryski , testified from Israel .
He was aged 16 when sent to Stutthof in 1944 .
He said `` we were constantly beaten , while at work too '' and repeatedly , he said , the SS staged sadistic `` shows '' in front of the inmates .
On one occasion , a son was forced to beat his father to death .
Several war crimes investigations were reopened by the German authorities after a landmark 2011 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Demjanjuk , who was given a jail term as an accessory to mass murder but died pending an appeal .
Previously , courts had required evidence of former SS guards ' direct involvement in atrocities .
In 2016 investigators found SS clothing with Mr Dey 's name , along with his signature in the Stutthof archives .
In that year Oskar Gröning , known as the bookkeeper of Auschwitz , was given a four-year prison sentence for being accessory to the murder of 300,000 Jews , without evidence of involvement in a specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his conviction was being appealed .
Stutthof was officially designated a concentration camp in 1942 .
It was the first such camp built outside German borders in the war and the last to be liberated , by the Soviet army on 9 May 1945 .
More than 65,000 people are thought to have died in the camp .
Guards began using gas chambers there in June 1944 .

At the trial in January a historian testified that Mr Dey was sent to the camp initially as a Wehrmacht soldier and did not join the SS until September 1944. So, it is argued, he could have asked for a transfer to another unit before becoming part of the SS mass murder machine.


bbc--2020-05-21--Lana Del Rey: 'I'm not glamorising abuse'

Lana Del Rey has defended herself against accusations that her lyrics are anti-feminist .
Writing on Instagram , the star criticised `` female writers '' who have attacked her for `` glamorising abuse '' .
She said her lyrics often talked about `` the realities '' of emotionally abusive relationships , and argued there should be a place for those topics in music .
`` I 've been honest about the challenging relationships I 've had , '' she said .
`` That 's just how it is for many women . ''
`` I think it 's pathetic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submissive or passive roles in my relationships has often made people say I 've set women back hundreds of years .
`` There has to be a place in feminism for women who look and act like me , '' she continued .
`` The kind of woman who says no but men hear yes ; the kind of women who are slated mercilessly for being their authentic , delicate selves ; the kind of women who get their own stories and voices taken away from them by stronger women or by men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also called out double standards , noting that stars like Ariana Grande , Cardi B and Beyonce could sing about `` being sexy , wearing no clothes [ and ] cheating '' without facing criticism .
Del Rey 's lyrics have frequently addressed unhealthy relationships , and being seduced by controlling or foreboding characters .
Her break-out hit and signature song , Video Games , described a lover who was distant and dismissive , but for whom she professed undying love .
Later songs followed a similar theme .
`` My old man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sang on Off To The Races ; while her boyfriend on Ultraviolence `` used to call me DN - that stood for deadly nightshade , because I was filled with poison '' .
In recent years , the singer has distanced herself from some of her earlier lyrics , and even removed a song called Cola from her live show because of its references to a Harvey Weinstein-like figure .
Speaking to Pitchfork in 2017 , she recoiled at the mention of the line `` he hit me and it felt like a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ultraviolence .
`` I do n't like it .
I do n't sing that line any more , '' she said .
`` Having someone be aggressive in a relationship was the only relationship I knew .
I 'm not going to say that that [ lyric ] was 100 % true , but I do feel comfortable saying what I was used to was a difficult , tumultuous relationship , and it was n't because of me .
It did n't come from my end . ''
• Lana Del Rey interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real world' • The best albums and songs of 2019 revealed • Lana Del Rey wins song of the decade at Q Awards Nonetheless , accusations of glamorising abuse have continued to haunt the singer .
A typical criticism came from journalist Isbella Castillo , who wrote an essay saying Del Rey 's music was `` full of outdated , anti-feminist ideas '' .
`` Whether it was her intention or not , romanticising domestic abuse is dangerous territory when you have an audience of young , impressionable listeners , or any listeners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she wrote .
Others took a more sympathetic view - with music critic Lindsay Zoladz arguing Del Rey 's portrayal of a woman who stumbled , fell and picked herself up again was a more realistic alternative to `` empowerment as the default aspiration of the pop star '' .
In her Instagram essay , Del Rey picked up this theme , insisting she was writing `` about the realities of what we are all now seeing are very prevalent emotionally abusive relationships all over the world '' .
She added that her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to sing about being happy , '' and to just be able to say whatever the hell they wanted to in their music - unlike my experience where , if I even expressed a note of sadness in my first two records , I was deemed literally hysterical as though it was literally the 1920s '' .
Closing her statement , the star said she 'd be exploring these themes further in two forthcoming books of poetry ; and announced a new album , due on 5 September .
That record will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ Expletive ] Rockwell , which was nominated for album of the year at the Grammys , and topped the BBC 's `` poll of polls '' for the best-reviewed record of 2019 .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

She added that her success had given other women the freedom not to sing about being happy," and to just be able to say whatever the hell they wanted to in their music - unlike my experience where, if I even expressed a note of sadness in my first two records, I was deemed literally hysterical as though it was literally the 1920s".


bbc--2020-05-21--WWE's Shad Gaspard dies saving his son

WWE's Shad Gaspard dies saving his son

The body of former WWE star Shad Gaspard has been found on Venice Beach in Los Angeles after he went missing while swimming with his son .
The 39-year-old got caught in a rip tide with 10-year-old Aryeh on May 17 .
His son was rescued but lifeguards could n't save Shad .
`` Shad drowned in the ocean , '' posted Dwayne `` The Rock '' Johnson , `` but not before instructing lifeguards to save his son first .
That 's the love of a father . ''
He goes on to say Shad was a `` great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condolences and love to his wife , son and family '' .
`` This one hurts , '' he adds .
Shad 's wife Siliana had thanked the authorities for rescuing her son as the search continued for her husband .
`` Shad is a fighter , a warrior and a magical soul .
We are hoping and praying for his safe return . ''
But at 2.19am on Wednesday , lifeguards responded to reports of a body along the Venice beach shoreline in LA .
Later coroners confirmed it was Shad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we remember Shad Gaspard as a beloved performer and a caring father , '' tweeted WWE icon Triple H. The 6ft 7in wrestler , originally known as Da Beast featured in Tag team Cryme Tyme with partner JTG .
`` Not the ending we wanted to hear , '' posted fellow wrestler Tyrus .
`` We can now mourn and celebrate his life as the hero the father the `` beast '' .
`` You are the definition of what it 's meant to be a father , you gave your life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' After leaving WWE ten years ago , Shad Gaspard pursued an acting career in TV and films and had small roles in various movies including 2015 's Get Hard with Kevin Hart and Will Ferrell .
WWE legend Dave Bautista cried as his paid tribute : `` He liked to walk into a room and cause a ruckus - he was that dude , he was bigger than life . ''
He 'd last seen him on the red carpet of the MTV awards : `` I feel like he was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now he 's gone and he wo n't ever have the chance to live out his dreams .
`` You should be inspired by his journey and inspired by his final sacrifice . ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here .

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bbc--2020-05-21--Calls to US poison control centres jump during pandemic

More than 3,600 cases of disinfectant exposure were reported in April to the US poison control centres compared to 1,676 @ @ @ @ @ against using cleaning products beyond their intended use , such as wiping down groceries .
@ @ @ @ @ National Capital Poison Center said there was no medical reason to be `` drinking or @ @ @ @ @ In April , President Trump seemed to suggest injecting bleach as way of `` cleaning @ @ @ @ @ but appeared to recant the following day , telling journalists : `` I was asking @ @ @ @ @ like you just to see what would happen . ''

More than 3,600 cases of disinfectant exposure were reported in April to the US poison control centres compared to 1,676 in February.
Experts warn against using cleaning products beyond their intended use, such as wiping down groceries.
Dr Kelly Johnson-Arbor from the National Capital Poison Center said there was no medical reason to be "drinking or bathing in disinfectants".
In April, President Trump seemed to suggest injecting bleach as way of "cleaning" Covid-19 from the inside but appeared to recant the following day, telling journalists: "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen."


bbc--2020-05-21--National People's Congress: China's parliament meets for post-virus show of strength

China 's National People 's Congress is a key date in Beijing 's choreography of politics and power .
It takes place this year as the country emerges from the virus crisis - and seeks to bolster its authority both on the domestic and the global stage .
It also follows months of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong that have angered China 's leaders .
The congress has proposed a new national security law that looks set to limit freedoms in the territory .
The annual meeting is usually scheduled for early March but was postponed because of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delay highlighted the severity of the crisis , its rescheduling is a show of strength and confidence - a sign , Beijing hopes , that things are under control .
China is where the pandemic started but it 's also the country that brought a large outbreak under control - with lockdown measures emulated by many other countries hit by the virus .
The economic fallout , though , remains dramatic - in the first quarter , China 's GDP contracted for the first time in decades .
Added to those domestic challenges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism from abroad over what it did - and did n't do - when the virus emerged .
What is the National People 's Congress ?
The NPC is China 's parliament , the top legislative body , and it usually meets once a year in early March .
Although in theory the country 's most powerful institution , it is seen as largely a rubber-stamp assembly in Beijing 's theatrics of democracy .
It usually approves whatever has been decided beforehand by the top echelon of the Communist Party .
Why is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the NPC is about unveiling the country 's key economic targets , approving budgets , and passing legislation .
This year will also see the discussion of a proposal for a new security law in Hong Kong that could ban sedition , secession and treason .
The proposal is highly controversial - when the Hong Kong government tried to pass similar legislation in 2003 , about 500,000 people took part in street protests against it , and the legislation was eventually shelved .
A spokesman for the NPC said on Thursday that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and would `` safeguard national security in Hong Kong '' .
However , pro-democracy activists believe that Beijing is slowly eroding Hong Kong 's judicial independence and other freedoms not enjoyed in mainland China .
The proposal is also controversial because it is expected to circumvent Hong Kong 's own law-making processes - leading to criticism that Beijing is undermining Hong Kong 's autonomy .
The draft motion is seen as response to months of pro-democracy street protests , that often ended in violent clashes , in Hong Kong .
What else is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , topping the agenda will also be : epidemic control , economic growth targets , poverty alleviation , employment policy , and drafting China 's first civil code .
Premier Li Keqiang - the number two in Chinese politics - is scheduled to speak on Friday , with his address possibly including the economic target for the year as well as fresh measures to stimulate the economy .
But after the depressing data from the first quarter , there 's doubt over whether there will a clear-cut growth target for 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ large affair .
Nearly 3,000 delegates from around the country will gather in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for 10 days .
They represent China 's provinces , autonomous regions , centrally-administered municipalities , the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau , as well as the armed forces .
There will also be a meeting of the Chinese People 's Political Consultative Conference ( CPPCC ) , the most powerful political advisory body in the country - which does not have any legislative power .
While the NPC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already kicked off on Thursday .
The importance of projecting power and strength Failure to handle the economic fallout from the pandemic could undermine Beijing 's domestic legitimacy - a real problem for a regime that promises growing prosperity in exchange for authoritarian rule .
At least as important as the actual policy , will therefore be the desire to project power and control .
State media have already touted the event as being of `` historic significance '' and an `` opportunity to gather national strength '' .
To the outside world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a transparent and responsible power - a model for the rest of the world .
Despite being accused of suppressing early warnings , China insists it alerted the world of the severity of the virus in time .
Beijing says other countries simply neglected to heed those warnings .
What is the virus situation in China ?
The novel coronavirus broke out in late 2019 in Wuhan in China 's Hubei province .
The country was the epicentre of the virus before it spread around the world .
But wide-ranging lockdown and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new infections to a single-digit trickle .
Out of about 84,000 confirmed infections , almost 80,000 have recovered while more than 4,500 have died .
There are currently only a handful of active cases .
• So what DID China do when outbreak emerged ?
• Can we trust China claims of virus success ?
Concern over a second wave though remains .
New clusters near the Russian border have brought home the dangers of re-importing the virus .
Overall though , the lockdowns are being lifted , schools are gradually reopening and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic fallout ?
The coronavirus pandemic is expected to have a profound impact on economies around the globe .
For China , we already have a shocking data point : in the first three months of the year , the economy contracted by 6.8 % , the first contraction in decades .
In the last two decades , China has seen average economic growth of around 9 % a year - although experts have regularly questioned the accuracy of its economic data .
But when the virus struck and Beijing introduced large-scale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy in many parts of China ground to a halt .
Although factory work is resuming , the economic and social consequences of a slowing economy will continue .
China has already unveiled a range of support measures to cushion the impact - though not on the same scale of some other major economies .
The NPC might give us more clues as to how Beijing plans to put its economy back on track .
But with an export-dependant economy , much of the recovery will depend not just on China - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world recovers .

The annual meeting is usually scheduled for early March but was postponed due to the virus. It now takes place as the country emerges from the crisis - and seeks to bolster its authority both on the domestic and the global stage.


bbc--2020-05-21--How will we pay for the coronavirus damage?

Coronavirus has cost the UK government hundreds of billions of pounds .
How will we pay for it ?
The @ @ @ @ @ , and possibly our grandchildren 's lives too .
The BBC 's Dharshini David reports @ @ @ @ @ day of coverage across the BBC looking at the debts piling up around the world @ @ @ @

Coronavirus has cost the government hundreds of billions of pounds. How will we pay for it?
The answer will affect our lives, and possibly our grandchildren's lives too.
The BBC's Dharshini David reports, as part of a day of coverage across the BBC looking at the debts piling up around the world during the pandemic.
Filmed by Neil Drake, edited by Ben King.


bbc--2020-05-21--How bumble bees trick plants into flowering early

Scientists have observed for the first time bumble bees tricking plants into flowering early .
The practice is used by @ @ @ @ @ scarce .

Scientists have observed for the first time bumble bees tricking plants into flowering early.
The practice is used by the bees when pollen is scarce.


bbc--2020-05-21--French healthcare workers fined at Paris hospital protest

At least 50 healthcare workers were fined and three people arrested for a protest outside a hospital in Paris .
More than 400 doctors , nurses and ancillary staff wore scrubs and banged trays and pans to demand better funding for the hospital , which French media report is in financial difficulty .
The demonstrators were breaking social distancing rules , police have said .
Officers demanded that the protesters disperse , and gave those who refused a €135 ( $ 150 ; £120 ) on-the-spot fine .
Protesters called for pay rises , and demanded reforms for better working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on social media shows large crowds banging on the doors of the hospital , while waving banners of support .
Robert Debré Hospital , in the north of the city , was already having financial problems before the coronavirus outbreak , local news outlet France Info reports .
However , the epidemic has further exposed the hospital 's funding issues .
In speeches delivered at the protest , healthcare workers described being overworked , while describing their fear of catching and transmitting the virus themselves , another outlet France Bleu reports .
France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with shops and primary schools reopening .
However Paris remains under tight controls , with the city split into `` red '' and `` green '' zones .
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?

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bbc--2020-05-21--Grandmother ordered to delete Facebook photos under GDPR

A woman must delete photographs of her grandchildren that she posted on Facebook and Pinterest without their parents ' permission , a court in the Netherlands has ruled .
It ended up in court after a falling-out between the woman and her daughter .
The judge ruled the matter was within the scope of the EU 's General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) .
One expert said the ruling reflected the `` position that the European Court has taken over many years '' .
The case went to court after the woman refused to delete photographs of her grandchildren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The mother of the children had asked several times for the pictures to be deleted .
The GDPR does not apply to the `` purely personal '' or `` household '' processing of data .
However , that exemption did not apply because posting photographs on social media made them available to a wider audience , the ruling said .
`` With Facebook , it can not be ruled out that placed photos may be distributed and may end up in the hands of third parties , '' it said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fine of €50 ( £45 ) for every day that she fails to comply with the order , up to a maximum fine of €1,000 .
If she posts more images of the children in the future , she will be fined an extra €50 a day .
`` I think the ruling will surprise a lot of people who probably do n't think too much before they tweet or post photos , '' said Neil Brown , a technology lawyer at Decoded Legal .
`` Irrespective of the legal position , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who 've posted those photos to think , 'Well , he or she does n't want them out there anymore ' ? ''
`` Actually , the reasonable thing - the human thing to do - is to go and take them down . ''

"With Facebook, it cannot be ruled out that placed photos may be distributed and may end up in the hands of third parties," it said.


bbc--2020-05-21--Coronavirus: Chechnya's Ramzan Kadyrov 'flown to Moscow hospital'

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has been taken to hospital with suspected coronavirus , Russian media report .
He was flown to Moscow on Wednesday for treatment after developing flu-like symptoms , said Interfax news agency quoting a source .
`` He 's in hospital in Moscow , '' another source told the Ria Novosti agency .
The authoritarian leader - who previously fought against Moscow as a Chechen nationalist - is now a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin .
He is considered one of the most feared men in Russia , BBC Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg reports .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ imposing his own interpretation of Islamic law in the region , as well as for his poor human rights record .
Unconfirmed reports suggested a plane belonging to the 43-year-old leader was tracked flying from near the Chechen capital , Grozny , to Vnukovo airport in Moscow on Thursday afternoon .
His condition is unknown , although initial reports suggested his doctor had recommended he travel to the Russian capital .
A close ally of the Chechen leader , Grozny TV chief Akhmed Dudayev , was quoted by Tass news agency as saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the situation , he is taking all necessary measures .
The work of his headquarters is under his personal control '' .
If the virus is confirmed , Mr Kadyrov would be the latest high-profile Russian official to contract the illness .
• Is Putin rushing Russia out of lockdown ?
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin only returned to work in the last few days after being treated in hospital for Covid-19 .
President Vladimir Putin 's press secretary Dmitry Peskov also tested positive , as did culture minister Olga Lyubimova and construction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Yakushev 's deputy , Dmitry Volkov .
The Chechen leader controls the southern republic as if it were a personal fiefdom .
His father , Akhmad Kadyrov , won a disputed presidential vote and was killed in a bomb attack not long afterwards in 2004 .
He is now the subject of a personality cult .
Under Ramzan Kadyrov 's rule there have been repeated allegations of abuse at the hands of his security forces , with claims of extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions .
In 2017 , the BBC spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights abuses they had suffered .
Critics have linked him to assassinations , all denied .
Five members of his security forces were jailed for the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov in 2015 .
The Chechen leader has been strongly critical of medics in the republic who have complained of a lack of protective equipment .
`` Provocateurs should be sacked .
We have enough of everything - equipment , suits , masks , oxygen , medication , '' he told a meeting last Friday .
He has also called for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown restrictions to work as cleaners in hospitals or police stations .
The southern republic has tightened its lockdown measures this weekend , banning all travel for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr .
On Thursday Russia 's reported death toll rose by 127 in the previous 24 hours to 3,099 , with confirmed cases jumping to 317,554 .
It is the second highest number of recorded infections worldwide .
Critics believe the death toll is far higher than officially stated .
According to Chechen data , 1,026 people have been diagnosed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In neighbouring Dagestan dozens of medics are reported to have died and doctors speak of hospitals full of patients , but the number of confirmed cases is low .
The government in Moscow says the outbreak nationally is stabilising .
The daily rise in new cases has dropped in recent days .
On Wednesday , the number of people discharged from hospital after recovery for the first time exceeded the number of new infections over the previous 24 hours .

A close ally of the Chechen leader, Grozny TV chief Akhmed Dudayev, was quoted by Tass news agency as saying Ramzan Kadyrov "is personally in control of the situation, he is taking all necessary measures. The work of his headquarters is under his personal control".


bbc--2020-05-21--Pollution: Birds 'ingesting hundreds of bits of plastic a day'

Birds living on river banks are ingesting plastic at the rate of hundreds of tiny fragments a day , according to a new study .
Scientists say this is the first clear evidence that plastic pollutants in rivers are finding their way into wildlife and moving up the food chain .
Pieces of plastic 5mm or smaller ( microplastics ) , including polyester , polypropylene and nylon , are known to pollute rivers .
The impacts on wildlife are unclear .
Researchers at Cardiff University looked at plastic pollutants found in a bird known as a dipper , which wades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underwater insects .
`` These iconic birds , the dippers , are ingesting hundreds of pieces of plastic every day , '' said Prof Steve Ormerod of Cardiff University 's Water Research Institute .
`` They 're also feeding this material to their chicks . ''
Previous research has shown that half of the insects in the rivers of south Wales contain microplastic fragments .
`` The fact that so many river insects are contaminated makes it inevitable that fish , birds and other predators will pick up these polluted prey - but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of transfer through food webs has been shown clearly in free-living river animals , '' said co-researcher Dr Joseph D'Souza .
The research team examined droppings and regurgitated pellets from dippers living near rivers running from the Brecon Beacons down to the Severn Estuary .
They found microplastic fragments in roughly half of 166 samples taken from adults and nestlings , at 14 of 15 sites studied , with the greatest concentrations in urban locations .
Most were fibres from textiles or building materials .
Calculations suggest dippers are ingesting around 200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the insects they consume .
Previous studies have shown that microplastics are present even in the depths of the ocean and are ending up in the bodies of living organisms , from seals to crabs to seabirds .
Rivers are a major route between land and sea for microplastics such as synthetic clothing fibres , tyre dust and other fragmenting plastic waste .
The research , published in the journal Global Change Biology , was carried out in collaboration with the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at the University of Exeter .

"The fact that so many river insects are contaminated makes it inevitable that fish, birds and other predators will pick up these polluted prey - but this is the first time that this type of transfer through food webs has been shown clearly in free-living river animals," said co-researcher Dr Joseph D'Souza.


bbc--2020-05-21--Coronavirus travel: Airport tests and hotel quarantine for Greece arrivals

Greece 's tourist season begins in June , with international charter flights to popular locations resuming in July , according @ @ @ @ @ minster .
The tourism industry is vital to the country 's economy .
Greece has @ @ @ @ @ of the pandemic , recording 166 coronavirus-related deaths and 2,850 confirmed cases .
But how @ @ @ @ @ tourists to enter Greece for their holidays ?
The BBC 's Quentin Sommerville arrived in @ @ @ @ @ things are working at the moment .

Greece's tourist season begins in June, with international charter flights to popular locations resuming in July, according to the country's prime minster.
The tourism industry is vital to the country's economy.
Greece has been praised for its handling of the pandemic, recording 166 coronavirus-related deaths and 2,850 confirmed cases.
But how easy will it be for tourists to enter Greece for their holidays? The BBC's Quentin Sommerville arrived in Athens airport to see how things are working at the moment.


bbc--2020-05-21--Coronavirus: Could there be a second wave?

As countries around the world consider when and how to ease restrictions , attention is being focussed on the best @ @ @ @ @ even third waves of Covid-19 infections .

As countries around the world consider when and how to ease restrictions, attention is being focussed on the best ways to avoid second or even third waves of Covid-19 infections.
Motion graphics by Jacqueline Galvin.
Produced by Sarah Glatte.


bbc--2020-05-21--'Sharks everywhere': Angler films feeding frenzy in Australia

An Australian man was returning from a fishing trip off Queensland 's Moreton Island when he came across a large @ @ @ @ @ attack by about 40 sharks .
Grant Bruinsma , an experienced angler , filmed the @ @ @ @ @ BBC he 'd never seen anything like it .

An Australian man was returning from a fishing trip off Queensland's Moreton Island when he came across a large school of bait fish under attack by about 40 sharks.
Grant Bruinsma, an experienced angler, filmed the spectacle - later telling the BBC he'd never seen anything like it.
Video by Isabelle Rodd


bbc--2020-05-21--Africa's week in pictures: 15 - 21 May 2020

Pre-pandemic , this Ethiopian Airlines plane would normally be full of people but instead its seats are stripped on Friday @ @ @ @ @ .

Image caption,
Pre-pandemic, this Ethiopian Airlines plane would normally be full of people but instead its seats are stripped on Friday to make way for cargo.


bbc--2020-05-21--Quiz of the Week: How did the Queen fare on the rich list?

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

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


bbc--2020-05-21--Keith Urban on his lockdown drive-in concert

Could drive-in concerts be the way forward for musicians wanting to play to live audiences ?
One star who 's @ @ @ @ @ Keith Urban .
He performed a secret show to around 200 front-line healthcare workers last @ @ @ @

Could drive-in concerts be the way forward for musicians wanting to play to live audiences?
One star who's tried it is country musician Keith Urban. He performed a secret show to around 200 front-line healthcare workers last week in Tennessee.


bbc--2020-05-21--Tiger seized in Mexico after man tried to lasso it

Mexico 's Office for Environmental Protection has seized two Bengal tigers from a house in Jalisco state .
The animals were discovered after a video was shared on social media of one of the tigers roaming the streets of the city of Tlaquepaque , with a man attempting to lasso it .
When questioned by officials , the owner could provide proof that the animals were legally in Mexico .
But he failed to show that he was complying with safety regulations .
Locals were surprised to see a number of men chasing the tiger through the streets and posted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tigers - one male and one female - are aged 10 months and 2 years and 9 months respectively and found to be in a good state of health , with no signs of mistreatment .
Officials said they would be returned to their owner if he could show he can provide adequate safety measures to protect the general public .
This is not the first time reports have emerged of Bengal tigers roaming the streets of Mexico .
In 2017 , a Californian man said he bought a cub for $ 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walking an adult tiger in Tijuana .
He was arrested after he tried to smuggle the cub across the US border .


bbc--2020-05-21--Harry Potter first edition found in skip sells for £33,000

A hardback first edition Harry Potter book which was found in a skip has sold for £33,000 at auction .
The rare copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone was discovered by a teacher 12 years ago along with two paperback first editions .
The anonymous seller found the books outside a school while tidying its library before an Ofsted inspection .
After the paperbacks went for £3,400 and £3,000 , the seller said : `` To say I 'm pleased is an understatement . ''
They were sold during an online auction at Bishton Hall in Staffordshire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the East Midlands Only 500 hardback first editions of Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone were printed in 1997 , most of which were sent to schools and libraries .
Prior to the auction the hardback had an estimate of £8,000-£12,000 due to some damage to its binding .
It was bought by a private UK buyer after `` a tense auction battle '' , Hansons Auctioneers said .
It is the third copy of a hardback first edition found by the Derbyshire-based company in the last 12 months , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` the Holy Grail '' for collectors .
`` It was marvellous to see the Harry Potter books do so well and spark such intense bidding , '' he added .
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Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews @ bbc.co.uk .

It is the third copy of a hardback first edition found by the Derbyshire-based company in the last 12 months, and its book expert Jim Spencer described them as "the Holy Grail" for collectors.


bbc--2020-05-22--Coronavirus: The Bolivian orchestra stranded in a German castle

The sound of panpipes , flutes and snare drums fills the rehearsal space of the Orquesta Experimental de Instrumentos Nativos .
`` The breathing techniques required to play these instruments for a few hours put you in a kind of trance , '' says Miguel Cordoba , who plays the siku flute .
But as soon as the rehearsal finishes they are all too aware of how their life has changed .
Because they are not rehearsing back home in La Paz , Bolivia , but in the shadow of a German castle where they have been stranded for 73 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whom have never left Bolivia before , were expecting to spend just over a fortnight this spring touring east Germany 's concert halls .
Instead they are holed up in the buildings and grounds of the sprawling estate of Rheinsberg Palace , a moated castle which has been home to generations of German royalty and aristocracy , an hour and a half 's drive northwest of Berlin .
As the musicians , some of whom are as young as 17 , touched down in Germany on 10 March for their tour , news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German region to impose a ban on gatherings of 1,000 people or more in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
`` Our bus broke down on the motorway .
I remember joking that this was bad luck and perhaps our concerts would be cancelled , '' recollects Carlos , `` but never did I think it would actually happen . ''
Their three planned performances were cancelled in the days that followed , and as Bolivia 's government announced it would close its borders , the orchestra scrambled to get home but failed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was swiftly followed by a full lockdown , meaning the musicians are only allowed to roam as far as the forest that lines the perimeter of the estate .
So their free time is spent rehearsing in the nearly 600-year-old palace grounds and exploring the surrounding woodland , home to 23 packs of wolves .
Only on Monday did they get the chance to step inside the castle for the first time as tours for the public reopened .
`` It 's very different to my home , it 's very beautiful , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are worse places to be trapped .
When I wake up , I watch the sun rise over the forest and the lake .
Back home , I only hear the sound of traffic . ''
But despite the picturesque natural surroundings , the musicians are worried they have been forgotten .
`` We feel abandoned , '' says Carlos , who 's spent several thankless hours on the phone to the Bolivian embassy trying to find a way to get home .
The group had only been in Germany for a week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's border was set to close within days , and all international flights had been suspended .
Arrangements were swiftly made by the German foreign office and Bolivian embassy to reserve seats on one of the last flights out of Germany to South America , landing in Lima , Peru .
`` When we were on the way to the airport , we were all in good spirits , laughing and chatting , '' says Carmed Martela , 20 .
But then Carlos received a call to say the flight had been cancelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land in Peru .
`` The mood suddenly became sombre - everyone on the bus went quiet , '' he says .
From that moment , the 6,000 miles ( 9,656km ) between Germany and Bolivia seemed further than ever .
Tracy Prado , who only joined the orchestra in December , remembers thinking about her daughter 's 11th birthday which was coming up a few weeks later .
`` I had got my hopes up and it was devastating to think I would miss this important day , '' she says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cope was to put together a strict practice schedule - three hours before lunch , three hours after , experimenting with a fusion of traditional Andean music and more contemporary genres .
`` Indigenous music is all about the principle of community - everybody can take something from what they are and offer it to the group , '' says Carlos .
`` You feel the same as your ancestors felt when playing these traditional instruments , which is a beautiful thing , '' adds Miguel , whose roots stretch back to Bolivia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healing ceremonies .
Some members of the orchestra speak to their families in Bolivia .
For others , communication is near impossible as internet and telephone signals are patchy outside Bolivia 's main cities .
Many of the musicians play a major role in providing for their families financially , and being unable to do this at the moment is exacerbating their anxiety .
In an interview with Bolivia 's flagship station Radio Panamericana , foreign minister Karen Longaric was asked for her response to the orchestra 's case after a distraught mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Longaric suggested the orchestra left knowing the borders were set to soon close , although Bolivia had not recorded a single coronavirus case on the day they left .
She also said the government 's priorities were elsewhere - repatriating `` the most vulnerable - women , children , sick people and the elderly '' .
Carlos says there seems to be little sympathy for the orchestra back in Bolivia .
`` People back home think we 're in a fairytale land , '' he says , rolling his eyes .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to stop complaining , and that I 'm living like a princess in a German castle . ''
Carmed is disappointed they have not been able to perform as planned .
`` We 'd been preparing since January so I became quite depressed as I watched everything we 'd prepared for get taken away like this .
`` The orchestra helped me get back on track after the death of my dad .
My family were so proud of me when they heard I was flying to Europe to perform my country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just over 8,000 people , also called Rheinsberg , has largely been welcoming towards the Bolivian visitors , if a little bemused by their presence .
`` When I leave the hostel alone , I do feel a little self-conscious , '' Carmed says .
`` Sometimes I get strange looks and people stop and stare . ''
Some go further than a raised eyebrow , perhaps confused by the fact that the musicians appear to be flouting Germany 's social distancing rules , as it may not be immediately obvious that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a family unit .
He says on one of the occasions the Bolivians played a game of football on the meadow directly in front of the castle .
They soon found themselves surrounded by six police officers `` in full riot gear , just short of a helmet '' , says Timo Kreuser , one of three German musicians who helped facilitate the tour and are staying with them .
`` They came from from left and right and started to encircle us and things got a little tense , '' recalls Miguel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just told us that we could n't congregate in such a large group , but it was n't too serious . ''
`` The police are used to it now , so they just phone me and it 's always resolved , '' says Timo .
Timo has been keen to help the musicians , partly to repay the favour of their own hospitality when he was with them in La Paz in October .
Violent protests led to the resignation of the president and Carlos and the orchestra helped Timo evacuate to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been in plentiful supply from most people , however .
The kitchen staff at the guest house the musicians are living in come in to work wearing masks and maintain a distance from their Bolivian guests .
`` We are so grateful for the food and the roofs over our heads , '' says Tracy , who speculates she 's one of only a few in the group who enjoy the local delicacies .
And , of course , they have the woodland to explore .
Tracy says she spotted three wolves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fear but they were just play fighting and moved on . ''
It is not just wolves they look out for .
One of the palace 's former inhabitants was Frederick the Great , who was given ownership of the estate by his father in 1736 before he ascended to the throne , and described his time at Rheinsberg as his `` happiest years '' .
A close friend of Frederick , reflecting on his impressions of Rheinsberg , wrote `` the evenings are dedicated to music .
The prince has concerts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted unless called '' .
One of those who performed was reportedly JC Bach .
`` We all joke that Frederick 's ghost is following us and trying to trip us up , '' says Carmed .
`` I do n't usually believe in such things but it does feel as if there are ghosts on the grounds . ''
As the seasons shifted from early spring to summer , the musicians ' heavy clothes packed in anticipation of colder weather were too warm for their long walks around the estate .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped out on this front .
`` She collected mountains of clothes and sent them to us .
We have seven big boxes so far - perhaps too many , we may need to return some or pass them onto someone else in need , '' says Carlos .
But despite the generosity and good will , the orchestra worries that its stay can not be bankrolled forever .
`` Accommodation costs are mounting to more than €35,000 ( $ 38,400 ) a month alone , '' says Silvia Fehrmann , the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the German Academic Exchange Service , one of several public institutions which has supported the orchestra 's longer than expected residency .
Germany is allowing international flights again but Bolivia 's borders remain shut for the foreseeable future .
The Bolivian embassy told the BBC it is trying to get the orchestra on a flight to Bolivia in early June out of Madrid .
But Carlos is worried about how things will be once they return too .
`` Covid is getting very political back home , '' says Carlos .
The Bolivian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due in March and later tried and failed to force through a decree limiting freedom of expression and criticisms over the handling of the coronavirus crisis .
`` I 'm dreaming of the day I will be at my bed in Bolivia and say , 'OK , this is over ' but I also know that on that day I will start missing what is happening here , '' admits Carlos .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for coronavirus ?

"She collected mountains of clothes and sent them to us. We have seven big boxes so far - perhaps too many, we may need to return some or pass them onto someone else in need," says Carlos.


bbc--2020-05-22--Coronavirus: Is Latin America the next epicentre of the pandemic?

Coronavirus cases have been rising sharply in many Latin American countries , causing increasing concern to regional health authorities .
Brazil has more than 250,000 confirmed cases - the third highest in the world .
Other countries in the region , including Mexico , Chile and Peru , are also struggling to contain major outbreaks .
With new confirmed cases in the US plateauing and many European countries reporting declining numbers , is Latin America on course to become the new epicentre of the pandemic ?
The first confirmed case in Latin America was identified in Brazil on 26 February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indications that there were cases there as early as January .
Coronavirus has since spread to every country in the region .
More than 500,000 cases have been recorded , and more than 30,000 people have died , according to the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention .
This is far fewer cases and deaths than in Europe and the US , but testing is nowhere near as widespread and deaths may be under-reported .
Latin America 's two most populous nations , Mexico and Brazil , have seen the highest number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 18,000 respectively .
And researchers say both could be significantly under-reporting deaths , with many cases going undiagnosed .
Peru has reported the 12th highest number of cases in the world with almost 100,000 confirmed - more than China .
And Chile is reporting thousands of new coronavirus cases each day , with more than 500 people dead .
Ecuador has seen the most deaths per capita in the region - with around 17 per 100,000 people .
Daily cases in Ecuador have been dropping , but this is not the trend in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Unlike in the US and most countries in Europe , many countries in Latin America are seeing their daily cases and deaths increase .
Looking at Brazil , Mexico and Peru compared to the worst hit countries in Europe in terms of deaths - the UK , Italy and France - you can see daily deaths are growing in Latin American nations as they drop elsewhere .
The number of deaths in Brazil , Mexico and Peru is doubling roughly every two weeks , as opposed to about every two months in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and five months in Italy .
Deaths in the US are doubling about every two months .
And experts say the peak of the epidemic in some Latin American countries is still some weeks away .
About 80 % of intensive-care beds in Peru 's capital , Lima , are occupied .
In Chile 's capital , Santiago , it 's about 90 % .
As daily cases continue to rise , there are concerns that healthcare systems could be overwhelmed , as has already been the case in Ecuador .
Pilar Mazzetti @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government 's coronavirus response , said : `` We 're in bad shape .
This is war . ''
What is being done to stop the spread ?
Mexico and Brazil have continued to take less severe lockdown measures than other Latin American countries .
Both have given guidelines but have not imposed national restrictions .
Marcia Castro , a global health professor at Harvard University , says `` the response in Brazil is far from ideal , and currently there is a lack of a uniform message coming the leadership at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Argentina have imposed compulsory lockdowns .
And Prof Castro says it is , along with Uruguay , among the countries in the region for now able to manage the spread .
Peru has had one of the first and strictest national lockdowns in the region , but continues to see cases and deaths rise .
As cases rapidly rise in Chile , the government has announced a mandatory lockdown in the capital Santiago .
Chile has one of Latin America 's highest rates of testing - 21 tests per 1,000 people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ below other parts of the world .
Mexico has carried out 1.2 per tests 1,000 people , compared with almost 36 per 1,000 in the US .
Brazil also has a low testing rate , and a study by the University of São Paulo Medical School estimates the number of infections could be about 15 times higher than the official figure in the country .
President Bolsonaro wants to begin reopening Brazil 's borders despite increasing infections , but other Latin American governments have expressed worries that the worsening situation there could have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

Mexico has tested just over 11 people for every 1,000 as of 14 September, and Brazil had tested just over 27 in every 1,000 as of 12 September (the latest data available) - compared with more than 311 per 1,000 in the US (as of 17 September).


bbc--2020-05-22--'We'd be taken more seriously if we were aggressive'

It 's five weeks into lockdown , and the youngest member of LA rock trio Haim is pining for the rest of her family .
`` I 've always loved being alone - but what I 'm taking out of this whole experience is that I miss physical contact , '' she says .
`` The first thing I 'm going to do when quarantine is over is literally jump into my parents ' arms .
I just want to hug my mom and my dad .
That 's all I want to do . ''
`` I just want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elder sister Este , joining our Zoom call from a separate part of LA .
`` That 's all .
Go to a dance party and just go wild , let loose . ''
`` You can do that , '' Alana goads , `` but I 'm going to go and be with mom and dad and I 'll be the favourite daughter . ''
`` Well , you 've got some catching up to do , '' replies Este , `` because I 'm mom and dad 's favourite '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foundation of Haim 's success .
Their mother , Donna , a teacher-turned-estate agent , taught them guitar ; while their father , Mordechai , a former professional footballer in his native Israel , started them on drums .
Together with middle sister Danielle , the girls spent their childhood in a family cover band , Rockinhaim , performing at delis , street fairs and charity gigs around California 's San Fernando Valley .
`` We played a lot of dorky songs , '' says Alana .
`` A lot of Santana @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents to `` go solo '' in 2006 , the sisters continued to write and rehearse in the family living room , fitting early gigs around Este 's degree in ethnomusicology and Danielle 's side-hustle as a guitarist for Jenny Lewis and Julian Casablancas .
It took the band several years to find their own sound ( four early EPs will `` never be heard '' by the public , says Alana ) but , eventually , they worked out how to fuse their sisterly harmonies with the warmth of 70s soft rock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spice Girls .
In 2013 , months after releasing their debut single , Forever , the band topped the BBC 's Sound of 2013 list , and went on to top the charts with their first album , Days Are Gone .
Fast forward to 2020 and they 're Grammy-nominated festival headliners , poised to release their third album - Women In Music , Pt III .
The title came to Danielle in a dream .
`` It made me crack up , so I told my sisters , '' she recalls .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a minute , that spells WIMPIII .
That 's even better ! '
'' laughs Este .
`` That solidified it . ''
But there 's a serious undertone to the title : Throughout their career , Haim have been dogged by the hackneyed question `` What 's it like to be women in music ? ''
Shutting that down was `` our evil plan , '' says Danielle .
`` We thought the title was a pretty big wink to the journalists to say , you know , we do n't want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far , it 's worked . ''
It 's a hard-won attitude from a band who 've seen the inequalities of the music industry first-hand .
`` Every time we walk into the studio , the engineer is a man , '' Danielle told the BBC at the 2018 Brits .
`` There 's no equal opportunity . ''
`` We 'll go to alternative radio stations in the States and there wo n't even be a girls ' restroom , '' Este added .
Worse still , they 've seen their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact they could play most bands off the stage .
`` I feel like because we do n't take ourselves too seriously , and we do choreography in our music videos , sometimes the rock community does n't take us seriously , '' says Danielle .
`` I feel like they want us to be more ...
I do n't know ... '' Yeah , to be more aggressive .
It 's something we think about a lot : Maybe if we just strictly played our instruments in music videos , not dancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community take us more seriously as a band ?
`` And I think unfortunately it does have to do with us being an all-female band .
I do n't know .
Maybe I 'm not saying this right , but I ca n't wrap my head around it . ''
The situation was thrust into the spotlight in 2017 , when Haim discovered they were being paid 10 times less than a male artist playing on the same festival bill , and promptly sacked their booking agent .
`` That was messed up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It was like a kick in the stomach . ''
`` You feel like these people should be looking out for you - especially when they know what everyone 's getting paid , '' adds Danielle .
`` And yeah , it sucked , but that 's the idea with this album : We 've gone through a lot of stuff in the last couple of years but now we 're like 'Whatever , we 'll just do our own thing ' We just do n't care anymore , you know ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the release of the album 's first single , Summer Girl , last July .
With its elastic bassline and `` doot-doot '' backing vocals , the track owed such a huge debt to Lou Reed 's Walk On The Wild Side that a previous incarnation of the band would have abandoned it .
Instead , they doubled down - adding vintage strings to make the connection even more explicit , giving Reed a writing credit , and rushing the song out in just two weeks .
`` After that , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recalls Danielle .
`` We were like , 'Let 's just record all the songs that we 've banked , put it out as soon as we can , keep everything super fresh and not harp on anything for too long ' '' .
Sure enough , when you fire up the album , you 'll hear a looseness and spontaneity that was sometimes absent on their earlier records .
The campfire singalong Leaning On You features a guitar line Danielle recorded directly into her laptop , without effects or editing ; while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hook-ups , complete with squelchy bass burps and `` hey girl '' voicemails from aspiring Casanovas .
Going back to their roots , The Steps has a galloping drum pattern that sounds like it was recorded in their childhood living room .
`` We were trying to break down the barrier of sounding like we were in the studio , '' explains Danielle .
`` Before now we 've gone for a tighter drum sound - but on this one we wanted it to feel like you 're just standing next to us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new songs capture the band 's infectious energy better than ever .
But the buoyancy of the music also hides much darker emotions .
Three tracks in particular - I Know Alone , I 've Been Down and Now I 'm In It - were inspired by a `` not leaving the house type of depression '' that struck Danielle after the band wrapped up their last tour .
`` It was just a dark time for me in general , '' says the singer .
`` I was kind of dealing with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first line I wrote was , ' I know alone like no-one else does . '
As ever , the 31-year-old could rely on her sisters for support .
`` They were like , 'Hey , this is not your normal behaviour .
You should get some help , ' '' she recalls .
`` It really kicked me in the ass - and I found a therapist , which has been really , really helpful to me . ''
The strength of the sisters ' bond eventually inspired the album 's most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has Type 1 diabetes , says she started writing the lyrics after a difficult hospital appointment .
`` I came home from the doctor super upset and frustrated and the only two people I felt comfortable enough to talk about it with were Danielle and Alana , '' she wrote on Twitter when the song was released .
`` Sometimes it feels like they 're the only two people that truly understand me and support me when I feel like giving up . ''
The loss of that connection has made quarantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longest the three of us have been separate , '' confirms Este .
`` I even bought a back-scratcher because I did n't have anyone to scratch me .
`` I felt like Baloo in The Jungle Book , rubbing my back against the posts in my house . ''
Since this interview took place at the start of May , Este has managed to escape her apartment - not just for a back rub , but to coach fans in a series of Zoom-based dance classes with her sisters ( an extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But she says the extended period in self-isolation prompted a change in her priorities .
`` I 'm not going to say 'no ' to anything ever again , '' she declares .
`` If someone is like , ' I want to go and climb Mount Wilson , ' I 'm going to be like , 'You know what , it might take me a couple of days , but let 's climb Mount Wilson . '
'' `` You know what ?
I might even finally learn how to roller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That might be my first thing out of quarantine .
After hugging mom and dad , I 'm going to the roller rink . ''
`` Wow , strong idea , '' Este approves .
`` It 'll be just like my bat mitzvah - just me and my besties roller-skating to The Spice Girls . ''
Women In Music , Pt .
III is out on 26 June .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"After that, it was like 'Anything goes,'" recalls Danielle. "We were like, 'Let's just record all the songs that we've banked, put it out as soon as we can, keep everything super fresh and not harp on anything for too long'".


bbc--2020-05-22--Coronavirus sparks a sanitary pad crisis in India

Schoolgirls in India are facing a massive shortage of sanitary napkins because schools - a critical part of the supply chain - are closed during the coronavirus lockdown .
This has left millions of teenagers across the country anxious , writes the BBC 's Geeta Pandey in Delhi .
For the past several years , Priya has been receiving a pack of 10 sanitary napkins every month from her school .
The 14-year-old , who lives in Badli , a slum in northwest Delhi , attends a state-run school where pads are distributed to all female students in middle and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promote menstrual hygiene .
It 's an important campaign in a country where only 36 % of its 355 million menstruating females use napkins ( the remaining use old cloth , rags , husk or ash to manage the flow ) and nearly 23 million girls drop out of school annually after they start their periods .
But , with schools shut because of the lockdown , the supply of pads too has stopped .
`` I got my last pack in February , '' says Priya .
`` Since then , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local chemist .
I have to pay 30 rupees ( $ 0.40 ; £0.30 ) for a pack of seven napkins . ''
Priya considers herself lucky that her parents can still pay for her to buy pads .
Many of her neighbours have lost their jobs in the lockdown and ca n't even afford food .
Girls in those families have had to start using rags .
Just a few miles from Priya 's home in Badli is Bhalaswa Dairy , a slum that 's home to around 1,900 families .
Madhu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and works in the area , has also flagged the shortage of sanitary napkins for schoolgirls .
`` Periods do n't stop during a pandemic .
Pads are essential for women , like food .
Why does the government ignore our requirement , '' she asks ?
Most girls in the slum , including her 14-year-old daughter , are dependent on the supply from their school because they ca n't afford to buy sanitary napkins , she says .
`` The girls are worried , how will they deal with their periods now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloth anymore because they have become used to disposable napkins .
The government should supply it with the monthly ration . ''
After Ms Rawat sent out an SOS , Womenite , a charity that works on menstrual hygiene , distributed 150 packs of sanitary napkins in Badli and Bhalaswa Dairy in April .
• Stripped for standing up to 'period-phobic ' college Harshit Gupta , founder of Womenite , says they have raised funds to distribute 100,000 more packs in Delhi and some surrounding districts in May to coincide with international menstrual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We 'll start distributions in the next few days , '' he told the BBC .
There have been other similar initiatives across India .
One sanitary napkin manufacturer distributed 80,000 pads in Delhi and Punjab .
And police in cities like Bangalore , Hyderabad , Jaipur , Chandigarh , Bhubaneshwar and Kolkata have been roped in to hand them out to residents of slums as well as stranded migrants in relief camps .
On Monday , India 's governing Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) announced it would be giving 600,000 packs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and women in Delhi slums .
But it 's not just the cities .
The shortage of pads is being felt across the country and the problem is much more acute in semi-urban and rural areas , says Shailja Mehta , who works on issues of adolescents at Dasra , a philanthropic organisation .
`` During our conversations with our partners in several states , we heard that only 15 % girls had access to sanitary napkins during the lockdown .
`` With schools shut , the girls are getting pads only through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over whatever little supplies they have . ''
• Why are menstruating women removing their wombs ?
The problem started when India first imposed a country-wide lockdown on 25 March , and sanitary napkins were not in the list of essential items which were exempt from restrictions .
It was only on 29 March , after reports that chemists , grocery stores and online sites were running out of pads , that the government added sanitary napkins to the list of essentials .
The delay caused nearly 10 days of production loss .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ operate , it took us another three to four days to restart the factories because we had to get all the required permissions and passes for our workers , '' Rajesh Shah , president of Feminine and Infant Hygiene Association of India , told the BBC .
Mr Shah says production is still partially resumed because there 's an acute shortage of workers who have fled the cities for their villages .
`` Only 60 % of the factories are operational and not one is operating at full capacity .
There is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zones ' are not allowed to open , and there are massive disruptions in the supply and distribution chain . ''
There 's a massive shortage of sanitary napkins , he says and warns that the situation will get worse before it gets better .
The impact is already being felt in the nooks and crannies of India .
Tanya Mahajan of the Menstrual Health Alliance of India ( MHAI ) , a network of NGOs , manufacturers and experts that works to create awareness about periods , says their partners from across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in supplies , especially in remote rural areas .
`` The first to suffer is always the last mile , '' she says .
`` In remote villages , where pads are not available in the local store , people have to go to the nearest town or district centre which could be 10-40kms away .
Also at present , there is limited mobility because of social distancing and a lack of public transport . ''
And most girls may not be comfortable asking men in the family to procure pads for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not openly talked about in Indian families .
As a result , Ms Mahajan says , many adolescent girls who were dependent on getting supplies from their schools , have started using cloth pads .
Considering that India uses a billion pads a month and the plastic in the disposable pads means they are not biodegradable , campaigners say reusable products such as menstrual cups and cloth pads are a much more sustainable alternative .
Irrespective of what is used , says Arundati Muralidharan of WaterAid charity , it is essential to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be cotton , they must be washed properly and dried in the sun before being reused .
It may sound simple , but is not so easy to achieve .
In slums , when all the men are at home because of the lockdown , girls and women may find it difficult to use toilet facilities as frequently as they like and in villages , getting additional water to wash pads and put them out in the sun to dry could be difficult .
`` Many of our partner organisations say women and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Covid-19 crisis and it 's important to address that , '' Ms Muralidharan says .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

"After the government allowed us to operate, it took us another three to four days to restart the factories because we had to get all the required permissions and passes for our workers," Rajesh Shah, president of Feminine and Infant Hygiene Association of India, told the BBC.


bbc--2020-05-21--Get ready for the 'holy grail' of computer graphics

Ray tracing has always been the `` holy grail '' of computer graphics , says Jason Ronald , head of program management for the gaming console Xbox .
The technique simulates a three-dimensional image by calculating each ray of light and promises stunning lighting effects with realistic reflections and shadows .
The method finds where it bounces , collects information about what those objects are , then uses it to lay down a pixel and compose a scene .
While the techniques have been around for a long time , `` we just have n't had processing power to deliver @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr Ronald says .
In Hollywood , special effects have used ray tracing for a decade .
For an important sequence , computers could churn overnight for a single frame .
To do this for games in real time , you need to condense that to 1/60th of a second .
Processing speed has now caught up to the task .
Tech company Nvidia announced last year their latest graphics processing units ( GPUs ) will handle real-time ray tracing .
Microsoft and Sony have announced their upcoming consoles , the Xbox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have ray tracing capabilities .
Both of these systems are built on Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) hardware .
And now the tech is being incorporated into some of the world 's most popular games .
Minecraft , which first appeared in 2009 , allows players to construct vast intricate structures .
Developed by Swedish game studio Mojang , it currently is the best-selling video game in history .
Minecraft 's makers released an early ray-tracing version of their game on 16 April .
A general release will follow near the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looks very different from the traditional rendering mode , and it looks better , '' says Jarred Walton , hardware editor at PC Gamer .
The big problem , he says , will be price barriers for now .
`` The only way you can play it is with a PC that has a graphics card that costs at least $ 300 ( £240 ) , '' he says .
Until now , developers used another technique called rasterisation .
It first appeared in the mid-1990s , is extremely quick , and represents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The one nearest the viewer determines the pixel .
Then , programmers have to employ tricks to simulate what lighting looks like .
That includes lightmaps , which calculate the brightness of surfaces ahead of time , says Mr Ronald .
But these hacks have limitations .
They 're static , so fall apart when you move around .
For example you might zoom in on a mirror and find that your reflection has disappeared .
• The robot assistant that can guess what you want • The stealthy drones that fly like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They did a much better job at 3D lighting tasks but required much more computational power .
`` If we put all that into one game , the most amazing processor in the world would 've gone just no , it 's too much , '' says Ben Archard , senior rendering programmer at Malta-based 4A Games , developers behind a 2019 post-apocalyptic game called Metro Exodus .
There were ways around that .
If a programmer wanted to simulate the hazy light coming through fog , instead of working out all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sample of them .
( These are called stochastic , statistical , or Monte Carlo approaches . )
But with these workarounds , `` pretty quickly you lose that realism in a scene , '' observes Kasia Swica , Minecraft 's senior program manager , based in Seattle .
Ray tracing does better with realistic , real-time shadows , or reflections lurking in water or glass .
`` My favourite thing to do with ray tracing is to go underwater , '' says Miss Swica .
`` You get really realistic reflections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ light coming through as well , '' she says .
With lockdowns around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic , the need for people to feel close while isolated `` is going to accelerate '' progress in technology , says Rev Lebaredian , vice president for simulation technology at Nvidia , in San Francisco .
`` With virtual and augmented reality , we 're starting to feel like we 're in the same place together , '' he says .
So coronavirus will drive demand and progress , agrees Frank Azor , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One `` fiendish problem '' for ray tracing has involved how shaders can call on other shaders if two rays interact , says Andrew Goossen , a technical fellow at Microsoft who works on the Xbox Series X. GPUs work on problems like rays in parallel : making parallel processes talk to each other is complex .
Working out technical problems for improving ray tracing will be the main tasks `` in the next five to seven years of computer graphics , at least , '' says Mr Ronald .
In the meantime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make games look slicker .
Earlier this month Epic Games , the makers of Fortnite , released its latest game architecture , the Unreal Engine 5 .
It uses a combination of techniques , including a library of objects that can be imported into games as hundreds of millions of polygons , and a hierarchy of details treating large and small objects differently to save on its demands on processor resources .
For most game makers such `` hacks and tricks '' will be good enough , says Mr Walton .

The big problem, he says, will be price barriers for now. "The only way you can play it is with a PC that has a graphics card that costs at least $300 (£240)," he says.


bbc--2020-05-21--Tony Hadley, a radio quiz, one syllable - and a $10,000 riddle

When a Singaporean quizzer lost a huge cash prize - because a radio station said he mispronounced singer Tony Hadley 's name - he asked an unlikely source for help ...
Ten thousand dollars would n't change Muhammad Shalehan 's life , but it would make things much easier .
Muhammad , 32 , works on Singapore 's underground railway , and lives in public housing in the north of the island .
He is married with three children - aged 12 , three and two - and has another one , a boy , due in August .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to repay .
So when a Singapore radio station offered a $ 10,000 prize ( £5,760 ; US $ 7,060 ) , he listened carefully .
`` 10k is a lot to a normal person like me , '' he tells the BBC .
`` That is why I put in enormous effort . ''
The Celebrity Name Drop on Gold 905 is hard , and it 's supposed to be .
The `` name drop '' is 14 celebrities , each saying one word of this phrase : `` Gold 9-0-5 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes you feel good . ''
To identify all 14 , first time round , is impossible .
You would need a terrifying knowledge of celebrity voices to get even three or four .
But if you 're an avid Gold 905 listener - and clearly , the station wants you to be - it 's possible , over many weeks , to piece the puzzle together .
By listening to other people 's answers , and noting their score , you can work out the sequence .
Essentially , it is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The latest Name Drop began on 16 March , and Muhammad 's father-in-law encouraged him and his wife to follow it .
Before long , Muhammad was hooked , listening from 7am until 6pm on some days .
He would even tune in at work , when possible .
At certain points in the day , the station took an answer on air .
No-one got it right , but with every wrong answer , Muhammad got closer to the magic 14 .
He called the station hundreds of times - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each time ( there were only local charges if the call connected ) .
By 21 April , he knew every answer , except number 11 .
`` My wife was so adamant it was Stevie Wonder , we decided to give it a try , '' he says .
`` It was a leap of faith , but I was confident .
As the saying goes , the wife is always correct . ''
So Muhammad called again , and , against the odds , was put on air .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this time round , '' he told Chris Ho , the DJ .
After hearing the clip a final time - as if he needed to - Muhammad read out his answer .
And then he waited .
`` Let 's check with the judge now , '' said DJ Chris , as Muhammad 's heart beat faster .
`` Hey Shalehan , you got 13 correct names .
Not bad .
Keep working on it . ''
`` Thank you so much , '' said Muhammad , and he put the phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong , he thought .
It ca n't have been Stevie Wonder .
In the next two weeks , number 11 remained elusive .
If it was n't Stevie Wonder , then who was it ?
The contestants , says Muhammad , were `` going around headlessly , guessing any name '' .
And then , on 6 May - after heavy clues from the DJs - a man called Jerome Tan gave his answer .
`` Congratulations ! ''
said the DJ .
Finally - after almost two months - someone had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won .
Or had he ?
On Facebook , listeners pointed out that Muhammad gave the same answer on 21 April .
`` The rules of the game requires callers to pronounce the celebrities ' name accurately , '' the station replied .
`` In the case of Shalehan , he mispronounced Tony Hadley .
We hope this clarifies ! ''
Muhammad was astonished .
Mispronounced ?
His `` Hadley '' was - possibly - more like `` Hedley '' ( see clip below ) .
But he has an accent .
Does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so he emailed the station .
Two days later , they replied .
`` We have reviewed the relevant audio clip of your call and our decision remains final , '' they said .
`` The name 'Tony Hadley ' had been mispronounced by you . ''
Muhammad was sure they were wrong and so - prompted by his wife - he decided to ask the only man who really knew .
The email - actually to Matt Glover , Hadley 's manager , who Muhammad found on Google - was entitled : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your dear help Mr Tony Hadley '' .
`` I was n't expecting at all for him to reply , '' says Muhammad .
`` I would have thought Tony Hadley had better things to do than reply to me . ''
But then , on the evening of 10 May , he checked his email .
To Muhammad 's amazement , Hadley had not only replied , he had sent a video .
`` Hi Muhammad , '' said Hadley .
`` I 've listened back to the tape , and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pronounced my name absolutely correctly .
`` You might have had a slight accent , but as far as I 'm concerned , you said my name correctly , so you should be entitled to whatever the prize was . ''
Tony Hadley has spent the lockdown at his home in Buckinghamshire , England .
He still tours , but the virus means his summer diary is empty .
When he got Muhammad 's email , he tells the BBC , he thought it might be a hoax .
But then he listened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listen to it several times , just to be really , really sure , '' he says .
`` And I thought - hold on , this guy is really genuine , it 's a lot of money , he 's done incredibly well to get to that point . ''
After deciding Muhammad had won `` fair and square '' , he decided to send the video .
`` To penalise him on a ... well it was n't even a mispronunciation .
So that 's why I said in my video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guy . ''
You may also be interested in • The sound that is disappearing from airports Gold 905 is not some small , start-up station .
It is part of Mediacorp - Singapore 's mighty media empire - and is heard across the country .
After Jerome won the prize , the controversy was covered by local site Hype and Stuff .
When Hadley got involved , other Singaporean media picked it up .
But the station did not budge .
On 13 May , after seeing the Hadley video , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your disappointment , '' they said .
`` But please be assured that all entries are reviewed fairly and objectively . ''
On the day the BBC contacted Mediacorp , their position shifted - slightly .
They were adamant that Muhammad 's pronunciation was wrong , but they offered a `` goodwill gesture '' .
`` We have reached out to Mr Shalehan with a token of appreciation for his exceptional commitment to the contest and loyal support for Gold 905 , '' they said .
Neither side has confirmed the amount publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 5,000 .
When Mediacorp announced the `` goodwill gesture '' on Facebook , they included a video of Muhammad 's pronunciation , alongside Jerome 's , and Tony Hadley 's ( see above ) .
Most commenters were not persuaded .
`` Give me a break , '' said one .
`` It is clear that both people who called into the contest said the same name , but with different accents . ''
For now , Muhammad is unsure whether to accept Mediacorp 's offer .
He needs the money - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bigger issues at stake .
`` I do n't want myself to be 'oh he gets a bit of money , he shuts up ' .
I do n't want that .
I 'm not after the money .
I 'm after the fairness , the equality , the justice of the game .
`` You are not going to fool a Singaporean man .
We are all human .
We all play the game fairly . ''

"I don't want myself to be 'oh he gets a bit of money, he shuts up'. I don't want that. I'm not after the money. I'm after the fairness, the equality, the justice of the game.


bbc--2020-05-21--Man Utd reveal £28m cost of coronavirus - and expect figure to rise

Manchester United say the coronavirus pandemic has cost them an initial £28m - and expect the final figure to be far higher .
United revealed their third-quarter results to 31 March on Thursday .
Chief financial officer Cliff Baty said they are set to hand back £20m in TV revenue to broadcasters even if the Premier League season is completed .
United lost an additional £8m over the final three weeks of March , when they had three matches postponed .
A total of 11 United matches have been postponed because of the pandemic .
Speaking in a conference call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Baty explained that Premier League television broadcasters would get £20m back from the club because of changes in dates and kick-off times resulting from the pandemic .
With games called off - including matches in the Europa League and FA Cup - Baty said that sponsorship revenues had `` contracted '' , and that retail sales had been `` impacted '' with the club store at Old Trafford still closed .
He added that matchday revenues were `` significantly impacted '' , with an acceptance games will be played behind closed doors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refused to put a figure on what the anticipated overall financial cost of the pandemic will be ultimately - but executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said the major burden would fall in the current quarter , which runs to 30 June .
`` Our third-quarter results reflect a partial impact that the pandemic has had on the club but the greater impact will be in the current quarter and likely beyond , '' said Woodward .
Revenues for the quarter fell by 18.7 % to £123.7m .
The club 's debt rose by £124.4m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Premier League trip to Tottenham on 15 March cost United £4m alone .
`` These are unprecedented times and we must recognise that this crisis will not disappear overnight , '' said Woodward .
`` However , our club is built on a solid foundation .
We remain firmly optimistic about the long-term prospects for the club once we have worked our way through what is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary and testing periods in the 142-year history of Manchester United . ''

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd
Manchester United were fifth in the Premier League when play was halted because of the coronavirus pandemic
Manchester United say the coronavirus pandemic has cost them an initial £28m - and expect the final figure to be far higher.
United revealed their third-quarter results to 31 March on Thursday.
Chief financial officer Cliff Baty said they are set to hand back £20m in TV revenue to broadcasters even if the Premier League season is completed.
United lost an additional £8m over the final three weeks of March, when they had three matches postponed.
A total of 11 United matches have been postponed because of the pandemic.
Speaking in a conference call after the latest financial results were released, Baty explained that Premier League television broadcasters would get £20m back from the club because of changes in dates and kick-off times resulting from the pandemic.
With games called off - including matches in the Europa League and FA Cup - Baty said that sponsorship revenues had "contracted", and that retail sales had been "impacted" with the club store at Old Trafford still closed.
He added that matchday revenues were "significantly impacted", with an acceptance games will be played behind closed doors for the foreseeable future.
Postponement of Tottenham game 'cost £4m'
United have refused to put a figure on what the anticipated overall financial cost of the pandemic will be ultimately - but executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said the major burden would fall in the current quarter, which runs to 30 June.
"Our third-quarter results reflect a partial impact that the pandemic has had on the club but the greater impact will be in the current quarter and likely beyond," said Woodward.
Revenues for the quarter fell by 18.7% to £123.7m. The club's debt rose by £124.4m to £429.1m.
Baty said the postponement of the Premier League trip to Tottenham on 15 March cost United £4m alone.
"These are unprecedented times and we must recognise that this crisis will not disappear overnight," said Woodward.
"However, our club is built on a solid foundation. We remain firmly optimistic about the long-term prospects for the club once we have worked our way through what is undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary and testing periods in the 142-year history of Manchester United."


bbc--2020-05-21--EFL to keep promotion and relegation if season ended early

Clubs will still be promoted and relegated from the three divisions of the English Football League if seasons are ended amid the coronavirus crisis .
Play-offs will also be played , but with no more than four teams .
The EFL has confirmed that 51 % of Championship , League One and League Two clubs need to agree for the campaign in each division to be curtailed .
This could pave the way for the League One season to be cancelled , with teams currently split over a resolution .
Talks last week stalled after at least six clubs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Portsmouth and Ipswich Town , said they wanted to continue the season .
And BBC Radio Solent understands that Portsmouth will back continuing the season when clubs are asked to vote on the issue .
With only 23 teams now in that division , following Bury 's expulsion by the EFL , any vote is certain to be decisive either way .
If the season is brought to an early conclusion , using the unweighted points-per-game system proposed by the EFL eighth-placed Wycombe Wanderers would move into the play-offs at the expense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determined to carry on playing .
The new regulations still have to be voted on by all 71 EFL clubs before they can be implemented .
While League One could follow League Two in being curtailed , the Championship is hoping to resume in June alongside the Premier League .
Players are set to return to training on Monday but with strict protocols .
What 's the impact on League Two ?
Clubs voted to end the League Two campaign immediately on 15 May , also proposing that no team should be relegated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the EFL including relegation in its framework for curtailing a season early , Stevenage would go down from League Two as it stands .
Swindon , Crewe and Plymouth would be automatically promoted to League One .
• How did every club in League Two react to the season being cancelled ?
• Experts predict how 'final ' table would have looked '' In the event a divisional decision is made to curtail the 2019-20 season , the EFL board is recommending that the League adopts the original framework with the amendments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong desire to remain as faithful as possible to the regulations and ensure there is consistency in the approach adopted across the EFL in all divisions , '' EFL chairman Rick Parry said .
`` The board has always acknowledged that a single solution to satisfy all clubs would always be hard to find , but we are at the point now where strong , definitive action is need for the good of the League and its members . ''

Last updated on .From the section Football
Luton were promoted as League One champions last season
Clubs will still be promoted and relegated from the three divisions of the English Football League if seasons are ended amid the coronavirus crisis.
Play-offs will also be played, but with no more than four teams.
The EFL has confirmed that 51% of Championship, League One and League Two clubs need to agree for the campaign in each division to be curtailed.
This could pave the way for the League One season to be cancelled, with teams currently split over a resolution.
Talks last week stalled after at least six clubs in the third tier, including Sunderland, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town, said they wanted to continue the season.
And BBC Radio Solent understands that Portsmouth will back continuing the season when clubs are asked to vote on the issue.
With only 23 teams now in that division, following Bury's expulsion by the EFL, any vote is certain to be decisive either way.
If the season is brought to an early conclusion, using the unweighted points-per-game system proposed by the EFL eighth-placed Wycombe Wanderers would move into the play-offs at the expense of Peterborough United - another of the sides determined to carry on playing.
The new regulations still have to be voted on by all 71 EFL clubs before they can be implemented.
While League One could follow League Two in being curtailed, the Championship is hoping to resume in June alongside the Premier League.
Players are set to return to training on Monday but with strict protocols.
How the League One table will look if the season is cancelled and an unweighted points-per-game system is used
What's the impact on League Two?
Clubs voted to end the League Two campaign immediately on 15 May, also proposing that no team should be relegated to the National League.
However, with the EFL including relegation in its framework for curtailing a season early, Stevenage would go down from League Two as it stands.
Swindon, Crewe and Plymouth would be automatically promoted to League One.
"In the event a divisional decision is made to curtail the 2019-20 season, the EFL board is recommending that the League adopts the original framework with the amendments as identified, as there is a strong desire to remain as faithful as possible to the regulations and ensure there is consistency in the approach adopted across the EFL in all divisions," EFL chairman Rick Parry said.
"The board has always acknowledged that a single solution to satisfy all clubs would always be hard to find, but we are at the point now where strong, definitive action is need for the good of the League and its members."