bbc--2020-04-15--World Health Organization: What is the WHO and what does it do?

President Donald Trump has said he is going to halt US funding to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) because it had `` failed in its basic duty '' in its response to the coronavirus outbreak .
But what is the WHO and what does it do ?
A wash of colour overhead greets anyone entering the WHO headquarters in Geneva where the 194 flags of the organisation 's member states drape from the ceiling as - on sunny days , at least - beams of light flood the large open atrium .
This is from where the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the greatest test to the world since World War Two '' - is being co-ordinated .
The UN agency was founded in 1948 , and describes itself as the `` global guardian of public health '' .
Its stated goal is to ensure `` the highest attainable level of health for all people '' .
Over the last 11 years , it has overseen the global response to six international health emergencies , including the Ebola outbreak in west Africa in 2014 , the Zika outbreak in 2016 and - right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when to sound the `` global alarm '' during outbreaks • sets up worldwide research and development plans aimed at fast-tracking new treatments and vaccines • sends experts into the epicentres of disease in order to gather data on what works and what doesn't The WHO also has responsibility for a wide range of other health issues , including • wiping out vaccine-preventable diseases , such as polio • working to reduce the number of mothers and babies who die during childbirth .
But - and it 's a big but - the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can make recommendations to countries on what to do to improve the health of its citizens and prevent the outbreak of disease , but it ca n't enforce those recommendations .
Has the WHO mishandled this pandemic ?
It depends on who you ask .
If you ask Donald Trump , the answer is a resounding yes .
But Mr Trump himself is facing withering criticism of how he has dealt with the outbreak in the US - which now has more than 600,000 cases and 26,000 deaths .
He also has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far precedes Covid-19 .
• Fact-checking Trump 's claims about the WHO • The Ethiopian at the heart of the coronavirus fight However , the US leader is certainly not the first to criticise the WHO for its effusive praise of China 's response to the outbreak which continued even while others - including medics in the country - described how their early concerns about the virus were silenced by the authorities .
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , director general of the WHO , has repeatedly said he stands by his praise of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow the spread of the virus internationally , buying other countries time to prepare for what was coming .
And he , along with many other scientists , points out that China voluntarily shared the genetic code of the virus very quickly , allowing countries to start making diagnostic tests and working on vaccines .
• 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 However , there has also been widespread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Devi Sridhar , professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh , said : `` China did n't do a great job of telling the world [ about the early stages of the outbreak ] and it 's clear there were delays .
`` They tried to downplay this in the early days . ''
Prof Sridhar investigated the WHO 's much-criticised response to the west Africa Ebola epidemic , and describes herself as one of the WHO 's `` harshest critics '' .
But she added : `` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the WHO has been trying to do , given the difficult balancing act of trying to get countries to address this epidemic and take it seriously , while also trying to keep all countries at the table . ''
A major part of the WHO 's role is diplomacy .
Because it ca n't force countries to share information about outbreaks , it relies on nations themselves coming forward .
Prof Sridhar said the organisation could have got its `` five minutes of fame '' around the world if Dr Tedros had issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , but that could have hampered the global response to Covid-19 .
`` What would that have achieved ?
He still needs to go back a week later and ask China to share data . ''
She believes the WHO did put pressure on China to be more up-front in the early days of the outbreak - but that it did so behind the scenes .
`` I think there 's a big difference in diplomacy , between doing things publicly with the media - which is often just a performance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do things privately and actually advocate and get things moving . ''
This is n't the first time the WHO has faced criticism .
The UN agency was deemed to be slow to respond to the 2014 Ebola outbreak , declaring an international emergency only five months after the virus was first identified in Guinea .
But in 2009 , it was accused of the opposite - being quick to over-react on the H1N1 swine-flu outbreak , and unnecessarily declaring a global pandemic .
Last week , when President Trump floated the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Tedros called for countries not to `` politicise this virus . ''
He also said he welcomed a review of the WHO 's response to the outbreak because `` we want to learn from our mistakes , from our strengths and move forward '' .
But he said the focus now should be on `` fighting this virus '' .
What impact could President Trump 's move have ?
The US is the biggest single donor to the WHO , which relies on a combination of members ' fees - based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Those voluntary donations make up most of the agency 's $ 2.2bn ( £1.75bn ) annual budget .
Last year the US gave more than $ 400m .
Dr Jeremy Farrar , director of the UK 's Wellcome Trust , said the WHO needs `` more resources , not less '' to tackle the pandemic .
`` We are facing the greatest challenge of our lifetime .
No other organisation can do what they do .
`` This is a time for solidarity , not division . ''
And Prof Sridhar said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nose to spite its face '' .
`` If WHO is hampered by this - its ability to respond to Covid , but also to malaria , and TB and polio is hampered , too - we 're going to see the resurgence of all kinds of diseases that we thought were in the past . ''

But she added: "It's hard to fault a lot of what the WHO has been trying to do, given the difficult balancing act of trying to get countries to address this epidemic and take it seriously, while also trying to keep all countries at the table."


bbc--2020-04-15--How Drake harnessed TikTok to slide to number one

How is Drake coping with life in lockdown ?
Fighting boredom by dropping dance moves , if the video for his new single , Toosie Slide , is anything to go by .
Beyond showing the rapper taking isolation seriously , donning a face mask and gloves while staying home like so many of us ( admittedly from his astronomically large Toronto pad ) it also introduces the track 's namesake dance routine .
`` It goes right foot up , left foot slide / Left foot up , right foot slide , '' he sings , while demonstrating the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fun - but for Maddy Raven of digital music marketing agency Burstimo , it doubles as a `` fantastic '' social media marketing ploy .
Drake 's simple , easily-copied choreography is perfect for the new wave of video-based social media platforms , in particular Tik Tok .
The Chinese-owned social media app , in which users create 15-second clips , usually set to music , was second only to WhatsApp in global downloads last year .
With a billion users of its international version , it 's increasingly established itself as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breakout hit - from Lil Nas X 's Old Town Road , to Doja Cat 's Say So and Arizona Zervas 's Roxanne - in the same way that featuring in a television advert could supercharge an artist 's sales in the pre-internet era .
`` TikTok 's an entirely new way of engaging , not only with your direct fanbase but anyone who wants to dance or show their creativity in short-form video , '' says Sammy Andrews , CEO of Deviate Digital , an advisory agency to the entertainment industry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's single , War , chastising rappers who `` spend too much time on [ Instagram ] captions , not enough time on action . ''
Shortly after he took his own advice , messaging internet-famous dancer Toosie a beat with some lyrics , and asking for help creating a routine .
Four months on , the song has topped Billboard charts .
'Do n't you want to dance with me ? '
The star is no stranger to viral dance recognition .
His awkward moves in the video for 2015 's Hotline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track In My Feelings inadvertently sparked the 'Kiki challenge ' of summer 2018 .
The Toosie slide , however , is noticeably more transparent about its ambitions .
Raven believes this is a dance partnership of self-interest , capitalising on Drake 's dance pop-culture heritage , and taking new music directly to his young fanbase .
The majority of TikTok 's users are aged between 16-24 , firmly Gen Z - an audience with fragmented consumption habits , who rank Drake as one of their generation 's most influential musicians .
Dance is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - with routines like The Get Down , Renegade and Cannibal all going viral since parent company ByteDance absorbed lip-syncing app Musical.ly , ( plus its huge database ) , in 2017 .
• Millennials , baby boomers or Gen Z : Which one are you and what does it mean ?
Add to this TikTok 's unique layout , which prioritises content discovery over subscriber clout , using an algorithm that learns from viewing preferences and therefore rewards retention rather than simply pushing popular content - and it 's a stage that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 33 , ca n't ignore .
`` This is a new frontier for music discovery and music interaction , '' says Andrews .
`` Unlike many other apps people are actively seeking music to engage with , in ways that most have not on other platforms '' .
Toosie Slide is a `` perfect example '' of writing specifically for the platform says Raven .
`` Its straightforward lyrics provide clear instructions for a potential dance trend , even if it is n't publicly stated '' .
And it 's a tactic that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days after the video 's release , views of Tik Tok entries submitted under the # toosieslide hashtag had already hit 20 million .
A fortnight later , the tag has been viewed 2.4 billion times ( including three attempts by Justin Bieber ) .
That 's a lot of eyes and ears by anyone 's standards .
`` Make no mistake every record label in the world is now actively looking for ways to utilise TikTok as part of a marketing campaign for a track , '' says Andrews .
The hungry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture , as TikTok traction can often be a springboard for further success on mainstream music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music .
Just last month The Weeknd 's Blinding Lights started trending on TikTok and is `` now chart-topping and one of his most streamed songs , '' explains Raven , helping him reach 64 million monthly listeners on Spotify for the first time in his career .
One of the most famous examples of TikTok 's potential snowball effect is Nas X 's Old Town Road .
Prior to becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cyrus , the rapper 's original version broke out on TikTok , with creators playing it in their videos as they transformed themselves into cowboys and cowgirls .
Its continued success saw Nas X go from a college dropout sleeping on his sister 's floor to instigating a major label bidding war , ultimately signing to Columbia Records .
`` I should maybe be paying TikTok , '' Nas X told Time magazine last year .
`` They really boosted the song . ''
Low-fi rapper Powfu has found similar viral success with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Coffee For Your Head ) , becoming a soundtrack to the lockdown .
It found popularity thanks to the Quarantine Cutie video series , which sees a man pull out all the stops to win over a girl he sees through the window while self-isolating , and has since spread across the internet .
After accumulating more than 100 million plays on various YouTube clips , the official video , released on 1 April , has already been viewed nine million times .
The bottom line of all this increased engagement is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music 's biggest money maker .
`` We use TikTok as a means to first get the attention on the artist and ears on the music '' explains Raven .
TikTok 's algorithm remains a closely-guarded secret , but a recent Rolling Stone investigation suggested royalties are paid per video upload containing the track - making a viral dance routine a standalone goldmine .
Further royalties then come `` when the consumer is pushed to streaming platforms or the track gets enough traction to be played on radio rotation , '' she says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some artists and labels changing the name of their tracks post-release if they 've sparked mass fan uploads and dances on TikTok under other names to make them easily identifiable on streaming services '' .
There is , however , a looming concern that this could create a tsunami of commercial content - ultimately clawing the community 's power away from organic creators and saturating the platform with big names and major corporations trying to go viral .
So where does Toosie Slide leave Drake ?
As a cultural behemoth of the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rapper adapting to new trends , or a superstar selling out his musical integrity to stay relevant ?
Potentially both suggests Thomas Hobbs , a freelance music writer for Pitchfork and NME among others .
`` Rappers ca n't ignore the boom of TikTok and I believe this single was designed to tap into that , more than quarantine .
That was just a nice coincidence , '' he says .
`` Like his idol Jay-Z , Drake knows how to tap into trends from younger artists to stay relevant . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who rushed out songs about The Twist , The Mashed Potato and The Loco-Motion to capitalise on then-contemporary dance crazes , Hobbs warns that Drake and other established stars need to be careful that they 're `` adding something vibrant to these trends and not just recycling them '' .
`` If Drake once again follows a big commercial single with a lukewarm album that does n't live up to the hype , then a lot of his fans could turn against him . ''
One such self-professed fan , Tobi Rachel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cup podcast , suggests that while Drake can `` get away with '' the Toosie slide routine amongst the TikTok generation , she was left rolling her eyes as a long-term listener `` from his mixtape days '' .
`` I did chuckle at the fact he appeared bored in self-isolation like so many of us , but I believe it 's the first and last time he should ever be so blatant because he wo n't get a pass again . ''
A clear warning that Drake 's played his Joker card @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules than during a global pandemic ?
Maybe we can let this one ( Toosie ) slide .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"I did chuckle at the fact he appeared bored in self-isolation like so many of us, but I believe it's the first and last time he should ever be so blatant because he won't get a pass again."


bbc--2020-04-14--Coronavirus in India: Migrants running away from quarantine

Thousands of Indians who fled cities to return to their villages after the government imposed a coronavirus lockdown have been running away from quarantine centres .
In government schools and village council buildings thousands of shelters have been set up in the northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar .
But many of them lack basic facilities .
In some shelters in Bihar , people have been slipping out at night but returning during the day for free food .
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are among India 's most populous states and have a combined population of more than 350 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ populated regions could result in a catastrophe .
Why did people flee to villages ?
Millions of people in these states - among India 's poorest - migrate to big cities like Delhi , Mumbai and Kolkata in search of livelihoods .
Many also go to work in the textile and diamond industries of Gujarat .
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the lockdown on 24 March to halt the spread of Covid-19 , hundreds of thousands of them - forced out of jobs and with no means of earning a living - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began their journey back home , the governments in the two states ordered a 14-day mandatory quarantine for the returnees .
Council buildings and schools were identified as places where the migrants could be housed , but most were allowed to go home after they were checked for Covid-19 symptoms .
What is happening at the centres ?
Reports say most of those who went to quarantine facilities in and around their villages either left or have been slipping in and out to visit their villages and homes .
In Uttar Pradesh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of districts , and the local journalists and residents I spoke to had similar stories .
One local journalist in Pratapgarh , Amitendra Srivastava , said five people who had returned to his village Babu Patti did not go to the quarantine centre set up in the school building .
He said no-one responded when villagers called the police and the control room , so he used his influence as a journalist and called the top administration and health officials .
`` A team of doctors visited the village 30 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were allowed to stay at home , '' he says .
Who is responsible for keeping them there ?
The village chiefs who have been given the responsibility to ensure that those put in quarantine remain there have not been able to do so because they do not have police or security personnel to stop people from leaving , BBC Hindi 's Samiratmaj Mishra in Noida told me .
Also , he says , the village council elections are due later in the year in Uttar Pradesh and no village head can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
Last week , after several reports of people running away from quarantine , Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that if anyone was found missing from a facility , top police and administration officials would be held responsible .
So , in the past few days , police have been hunting those who are running away and registering cases against them .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities say 180,000 people have returned since the lockdown began and that more than 27,000 have been kept in quarantine .
But , reports say , corona suspects have been frequently running away , raising the fear of spreading the virus in the community .
Many village heads say the migrants quietly slip away at night to join their families , but return to the centre in the daytime for free food .
Why are people running away ?
Two days ago , 16 people broke the window of their shelter in Bulandshahar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The group , which included women and toddlers , had made a video complaining that they had not been given any food .
Hours later , they were caught and re-quarantined , police said .
Many who left the centres have complained of overcrowding and poor facilities - some said they were not given any food , others said there was no soap or sanitiser , while some others complained about filthy toilets or too many mosquitoes .
In Bihar , journalist Amarnath Tewary , who spoke to several villagers for his story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that shelters in the state lacked even basics like electricity , toilets and beds and some did n't even have doors or windows .
At dusk , swarms of mosquitoes overrun these centres , making it impossible to live there , he said .
Even some village chiefs say they ca n't force people to remain in such squalid conditions , he said .
But reports of the migrants , who could be carrying the deadly coronavirus , being on the loose are causing concern to people .
`` In my village , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gujarat and Delhi .
They never went to any quarantine centre and they have been roaming around freely in the markets here , '' Manoj Kumar , who lives on the outskirts of the state capital , Patna , told me over the phone .
`` No-one maintains social distancing here , the local bank is overcrowded and at the vegetable market , it 's a mad scramble with so many people around , '' he said , adding that the authorities had failed to control the situation '' If we are alive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
We are alive because of our efforts , '' he said .
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The village chiefs who have been given the responsibility to ensure that those put in quarantine remain there have not been able to do so because they do not have police or security personnel to stop people from leaving, BBC Hindi's Samiratmaj Mishra in Noida told me.


bbc--2020-04-15--Cyclone Harold and coronavirus: Pacific Islands face battle on two fronts

After a deadly cyclone slammed through several countries in the Pacific , there is growing concern that the coronavirus pandemic could disrupt efforts to help the survivors undo early work to protect vulnerable communities from infection .
Cyclone Harold , a category five storm , lashed several island nations in the region last week , killing dozens of people , flooding towns and leaving many homeless .
Even in normal times , this would be a terrible situation .
But with the threat of the virus looming over impoverished communities , it has the potential to be catastrophic .
Supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have to move into evacuation centres where practising social distancing will be almost impossible .
`` In theory , all islands will have a pandemic plan in place , but it 's one thing to have a plan and another thing to put that into practice .
And when you have a cyclone , that compromises all the planning , '' said Dr Colin Tukuitonga , head of Pacific and International Health at the University of Auckland .
`` Both the virus and the cyclone have just really compounded a really difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Solomon Islands in early April , made landfall in Vanuatu on 6 April and then moved to Fiji and Tonga .
In Vanuatu alone , nearly 160,000 people are in need of assistance , said the country 's National Disaster Management Office .
Oxfam says at least two people have died and that on Pentecost island , one of the many islands that make up Vanuatu , 90 % of homes and other infrastructure have been damaged .
In Fiji , an estimated 10,000 people need immediate help , say local Red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and water supplies , roads , schools and schools have been affected .
In Tonga , houses , offices and even a graveyard were wrecked .
Vital roads were damaged , as well as wharves all along the coast .
In the single biggest loss of life , a ferry carrying an estimated 60 people headed out to sea in the Solomon Islands , despite strong winds and choppy waters - defying a government warning not to travel .
At least 27 people died when they were thrown overboard .
According to local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had had been leaving the capital , Honiara , after the government told people to return to their home islands ahead of a potential virus lockdown .
Most countries in the Pacific Islands have been praised for their early response to the virus .
Quick lockdowns and travel restrictions , and the nations ' relative inaccessibility means many of them have remained virus-free so far .
That 's vital , says Dr Tukuitonga , because their health systems are often not well funded and would be unable to cope with an outbreak .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ventilators and intensive care beds [ needed for Covid-19 ] and they ca n't test for the virus in many of these places , '' he told the BBC .
`` That 's why their aim to keep the virus out is important .
They went into lockdown earlier than most , closed borders , quarantined citizens .
So they 've been pretty proactive . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries hit by the cyclone , only Fiji has had any virus cases - with 16 cases so far in a population of around 880,000 people .
People in the country had been advised to follow measures like social distancing and working from home , but a cyclone has meant that these rules will need to change , not least for those who no longer have a home from which to work .
Many in the region will have no choice but to move into evacuation centres - where social distancing will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are usually a school or church hall and you have lots of people together in one place because they have no other choice , '' says Dr Tukuitonga .
`` People are in a confined space so in a sense that 's ideal conditions for the virus . ''
The Fiji Red Cross says there is a `` full focus on hygiene '' in evacuation centres .
`` It 's been a great challenge to balance our messages when one day we say that people should not meet with anyone other than those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next ] we encourage people to seek refuge in evacuation centres , '' said Carl Lorentzen , IRFC communications manager for the Pacific .
`` We have had to make some tough decisions . ''
Regional director of Oxfam in the Pacific Raijeli Nicole told the BBC the cyclone has `` presented serious logistical challenges to delivering life-saving aid , while adding to the significant economic and social toll it has already taken in the Pacific '' .
The UN 's children 's agency Unicef adds that `` even in ideal circumstances - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - travel and logistics across the vast Pacific region is expensive and complex '' .
`` Vanuatu has maintained that foreigners will not be allowed entry out of fear the virus could be introduced and all humanitarian cargo will have to undergo strict health protocols before being offloaded , '' Sheldon Yett , Unicef 's Pacific representative told the BBC .
But despite this , some aid is still making its way through .
`` Support is already coming in from Australia , New Zealand , China and the US , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Institute 's Pacific Islands Program .
And then of course - there 's the economic cost .
Fiji for example - a country reliant on its tourism sector - was already struggling well before the cyclone .
`` About 40 % of Fiji 's GDP is tourist related .
People are losing their jobs because the industry is totally shut down ... it 's a big blow to Fiji since about a million tourists vacation here every year , '' said Mr Lorentzen .
Foreign countries need to step in in such scenarios @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , says Mr Pryke .
The United Nations has released $ 2.5m ( £1.9m ) from its emergency humanitarian fund to help Vanuatu .
UN emergency relief co-ordinator Mark Lowcock said `` now more than ever '' was the time to help countries like Vanuatu in the face of climate-related disasters .
`` Not only will this help save lives , but it will help them rebuild their resilience , which is essential if they are to successfully fight the virus . ''
Mr Pryke told the BBC that `` the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic fallout of Covid-19 is the last thing these countries need '' .
`` Already stretched government resources will be stretched even further , '' he said .
However , he has faith that the region will recover .
`` The Pacific peoples are very resilient .
They will persevere through this . ''

"In theory, all islands will have a pandemic plan in place, but it's one thing to have a plan and another thing to put that into practice. And when you have a cyclone, that compromises all the planning," said Dr Colin Tukuitonga, head of Pacific and International Health at the University of Auckland.


bbc--2020-04-14--'Belsen showed me how low mankind can sink'

Ian Forsyth was one of the first soldiers to arrive at the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in World War Two and what he saw that day has haunted him for the past 75 years .
`` For the first time I realised just how low mankind can sink , '' says Mr Forsyth , who is now 96 .
Although he was still a young man when he reached the Northern Germany concentration camp in April 1945 , he had seen a lot of action .
The 21-year-old , from Hamilton in South Lanarkshire , had fought his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to D-day and through Germany as a tank operator with a reconnaissance force .
When he arrived at the gates of Belsen he says he did not know anything about what had been happening there .
`` There was a strange smell about the place , '' he says .
`` I asked a gunner what the smell was .
We had n't a clue . ''
Mr Forsyth says the soldiers were told `` do n't open the gates , do n't let anyone out and do n't feed them '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the corrugated iron fence that was around the camp there were bodies everywhere , '' he says .
`` Somebody who did not see this would not believe what it was like . ''
`` There were people looking out of the barbed wire fence wondering who we were .
`` We broke the rules and tossed over some food , which I now regret because what we gave them they could not eat and the folk at the back rushed forward to catch what they had thrown .
`` I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that these people had died of starvation , of every disease you can imagine .
`` It 's really a horrible nightmare , which you ca n't get rid of . ''
More than 50,000 prisoners from all over Europe were killed there or died later as a result of their treatment in the camp .
British troops found 60,000 prisoners , suffering from malnutrition , disease and the brutal treatment they had endured .
Thousands of corpses lay unburied on the camp grounds .
There was no running water in the camp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ typhoid and tuberculosis .
Mr Forsyth says that active soldiers , who had no medical experience , were not allowed inside the camp as those in charge feared an epidemic .
Within a couple of days , his regiment had moved on but memories of the scene haunt him to this day .
When he returned from the war , his mother stopped him from talking about his experiences .
He was not allowed to discuss it in the house .
`` Many a night I walked the streets , '' he says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house . ''
`` When it is bottled up inside of you it is worse than reality . ''
`` The one person who did understand was my wife and she suffered because of me , '' Mr Forsyth says .
But was he proud to be part of the liberating force ?
`` I 'm not proud , I 'm just glad that we got there when we did , '' he says .
`` We did save some people , there 's no question .
But when you see the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one , it rankles . ''

"When we got to first part of the corrugated iron fence that was around the camp there were bodies everywhere," he said. "Somebody who did not see this would not believe what it was like."


bbc--2020-04-13--India coronavirus: World's largest postal service turns lifesaver

India has the largest postal service in the world - and now it is stepping in to help deliver lifesaving medicines during a countrywide lockdown aimed at tackling the coronavirus pandemic .
The BBC 's Ayeshea Perera in Delhi reports .
Red postal vans are a familiar sight in India .
They make thousands of journeys every day , criss-crossing the country 's wide network of post offices in 600,000 villages .
The postal service does much more than deliver letters and packages .
It is also a bank , a pension fund and a primary savings instrument for millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be transporting medical equipment and drugs to where they are needed most , at a time when transport has come to a standstill .
When India went into total lockdown on 24 March in an attempt to stop the spread of the coronavirus , all businesses - apart from essential services - were ordered to shut and people were told to stay home .
Given that the announcement was made barely four hours ahead of the lockdown going into effect , many industries were left in the lurch - including hospitals , pharmaceutical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight against Covid-19 .
`` We were facing a lot of difficulties .
We usually rely on courier services to send out products to customers , but none of them were responding , probably because they did n't have curfew passes or delivery people , '' Ashok Kumar Madan , the executive director of the Indian Drug Manufacturer 's Association ( IDMA ) , told the BBC .
Many of these products , he added , were essential medicines such as for heart conditions or cancer .
Then , he got a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superintendent of the postal service in Uttar Pradesh , India 's most populous state .
• How India ’ s railways are joining the Covid-19 fight • Why India can not afford to lift its lockdown • Why next few weeks are critical in India virus war The postal service had already partnered with the IDMA in the western state of Gujarat to deliver medicines and equipment as a priority .
Mr Ojha was offering to do the same on a much wider scale .
`` We were definitely looking for a solution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access the country , '' Mr Madan said .
That is because India Post is among only a few industries deemed `` essential services '' and allowed to operate normally during the lockdown .
`` We thought we could help with this as we have a supply chain that is intact .
Many people I spoke to said this would help as it helps keep drugs in the market and prevents hoarding , '' Mr Ojha told the BBC .
As word spread , many people began calling and asking for help .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences in the northern city of Lucknow , told the BBC she got in touch with Mr Ojha when a batch of Covid-19 testing kits she urgently needed was stuck in the capital Delhi , 550km ( 340 miles ) away .
`` The Institute of Medical Research told us that we would have to send someone to Delhi to collect the kits because the courier company they usually used was not working , but there was no way we could do it because of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 The postal service , she said , made an exception and actually went to the institute to pick up the kits , instead of having them dropped off at a post office .
She received them a day after she made the request .
Many other institutions and companies have made similar requests .
Mr Ojha says ever since the lockdown began , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver everything from batches of lifesaving drugs to Covid-19 tests , to N95 masks and ventilators , moving medicine and equipment between major cities and states - mostly via the red postal vans .
For longer or very urgent journeys - such as a consignment of defibrillators that had to be transported from the state of Tamil Nadu in the south to Uttar Pradesh in the north - cargo planes are used .
Sometimes , the consignments must be handled with special care - one drug manufacturer who asked for help said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means they need to be frozen while transported .
And so far , every request made to the department has been fulfilled .
`` We are the best-connected service in India .
We are everywhere .
And in this case , we knew we could help , '' Mr Ojha says .
And with the lockdown set to be extended , he anticipates that the service will play a larger role in the weeks ahead .

For longer or very urgent journeys - such as a consignment of defibrillators that had to be transported from the state of Tamil Nadu in the south to Uttar Pradesh in the north - cargo planes are used. Sometimes, the consignments must be handled with special care - one drug manufacturer who asked for help said his medicines needed cold chain maintenance, which means they need to be frozen while transported. And so far, every request made to the department has been fulfilled.


bbc--2020-04-13--Coronavirus: How to cope with living alone in self-isolation

After years of living with others , Lucia was excited to finally have a place to herself .
The photographer had recently moved back to Italy from New York .
She enjoyed spending time on long , meandering walks with her camera , and going out for food with friends .
But within a couple of months Milan , where she lived , had become the epicentre of Europe 's coronavirus outbreak .
She and millions of other Italians were ordered into lockdown , told to stay home unless absolutely necessary .
The first few weeks were the hardest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her apartment took its toll .
But now more than a month on , Lucia is adjusting to being alone .
She still misses her freedom and physical contact with others , but feels fortunate that she and her loved ones are healthy , when so many across her country have died .
`` Sometimes I get worried about the future , about how life will be after this ends , '' she says .
`` I wonder if there will ever be a real life outside our homes . ''
Almost 4,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aparna sees now belong to security guards .
The 26-year-old lives alone in her mother 's old apartment in Gurgaon , near Delhi .
Twice a day she leaves to walk her dogs , Jules and Yogi , as the guards keep watch over her complex 's locked gates .
Aparna has only ventured beyond them once .
There are millions more stories like this around the world .
As governments scramble to contain the deadly Covid-19 pandemic by restricting public life , many living alone have had to accept that they might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long time .
I know because I 'm among them .
Weeks into the UK lockdown , my ordinary life in London goes on but it looks and feels different .
Trips to the office have become a rarity .
I feel lucky to have a cat for company and the ability to go outside for walks when others ca n't , but it 's hard not knowing when I 'll next see my close friends or family , who live hundreds of miles away .
• Wuhan diary : Living alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are social distancing and self-isolation rules ?
These days the same screens that host our work meetings carry the burden of our social lives too .
With the exception of conversations over the telecom or chance encounters with neighbours by the bins , all of my human contact is now online .
With so many other people across the world living by themselves through this strange experience , I decided to try to find expert advice and others self-isolating alone .
That 's how I found Lucia , Aparna and Angie : three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same .
Angie , from Maine , has lived by herself for four years .
Getting her own space became an important part of her growth and healing after a divorce .
But as the US became gripped by coronavirus and local restrictions hit , the downfalls of her living situation became apparent .
A couple of weeks ago , when Angie was laid-off from work , she was left to deal with it alone .
`` In normal circumstances , if you were to lose your job , you 'd be met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or invited over by a friend for cheering up , '' she says .
• Coronavirus : How to protect your mental health There is plenty of research to suggest our social relationships can be as important to our physical health as our mental one .
Research links pervasive loneliness to higher mortality rates and other health complications .
Professor Naomi Eisenberger is a social psychologist at UCLA known for her research on how the brain behaves when it experiences social rejection and disconnect .
She says our current situation , with billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is unprecedented .
She stresses the importance of people living alone trying to stay connected with those we care about .
`` One of the things I 've heard from people is that it 's interesting that now you start realising who you actually feel close to , because it does n't matter who lives near you or who is easy to get to , '' she says .
Her research group is also looking into whether the virtual communication we are all currently filling our schedules with is enough to feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an expert in behavioural neuroscience and psychiatry at the University of Chicago , is also full of practical tips for those living alone .
She and her late husband were known for their pioneering research that draws a distinction between being alone and feeling lonely .
She says adjusting our mindset and expectations is key to avoiding feelings of loneliness .
This means accepting events are beyond our control and knowing that being away from the people and things we love is only temporary .
`` Right now you live alone .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So you can either scream all day long or make the most of it , '' Dr Cacioppo says .
For Angie , this has meant reconnecting with her art .
She 's started posting daily illustrations - which we have used throughout this feature - as a way to share her emotions and perspective on living alone through the pandemic .
Her nameless , faceless character is seen living out quiet and relatable personal moments .
`` When I start to feel alone , I imagine other people like me , feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things in that very moment all around the world , '' she says .
`` It helps me feel grounded and connected . ''
Another practical task to try and stay grounded , Dr Cacioppo suggests , is keeping a journal of your emotions during isolation : making note of the things that make you feel happy or accomplished throughout the day .
`` People have done studies showing that self-compassion or a gratitude towards others , but also towards yourself , can really improve the well-being and happiness level , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't need to be time-consuming or expensive , she explains .
`` Everyone has their own things that are really good for self-care . ''
Both experts I spoke to stressed the importance of building routine into our days in self-isolation , explaining that regular social contact can help regulate us in all kinds of ways , down to our sleeping and eating patterns .
Dr Cacioppo advises people to plan life only in the short-term , even one or two days ahead .
`` We have all lost control of our reality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities planned , '' she says .
`` We could just see the schedule of next week and we knew exactly what we would do and now it 's a little bit different . ''
Trying to set three manageable goals per day , she suggests , can help instil a feeling of accomplishment .
`` Then you can go to bed more peaceful because you know that you have a structure and something to do - a purpose - for tomorrow , '' Dr Cacioppo says .
This importance of feeling a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes up time and time again .
In California , another woman has created an online movement achieving just that .
On 30 March writer Olivia Gatwood posted a photograph of herself on Instagram captioned : `` Self-portrait of a lady in quarantine . ''
Soon dozens , then hundreds , of other women around the world sent her their own .
Gatwood has now decided to curate an Instagram account featuring these images , Girls of Isolation , connecting women across the globe within this strange , shared but disparate reality we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those who submitted a self-portrait .
The lockdown prompted her to pick up her camera for the first time in more than a year and she has been documenting her life under the pandemic since .
When asked what advice she would give others , she had a simple message : `` Listen to yourself and be kind to yourself , you can finally take the time to do nothing/everything/anything without guilt or compromise . ''
Dr Cacioppo says one positive that may come from the unrelenting tragedy of the outbreak is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we could end up feeling more connected than ever before .
It 's a sentiment Aparna agrees with .
`` This situation reminds us how vulnerable we are and more importantly how equally vulnerable , '' she says .
`` It 's become easier than ever before to relate to other human beings across the world and that 's something both essential and beautiful to recognise , even in trying times such as these . ''
All artwork and photographs are copyright .

The first few weeks were the hardest, as the monotony of days isolated in her apartment took its toll. But now more than a month on, Lucia is adjusting to being alone. She still misses her freedom and physical contact with others, but feels fortunate that she and her loved ones are healthy, when so many across her country have died.


bbc--2020-04-13--Northern white rhinos: The audacious plan that could save a species

The future of the northern white rhino is looking bleak .
Only two are left in the world - both are female .
But scientists have an outlandish plan to save them from extinction .
When I went to meet the rhinos in Kenya , they began circling the car .
So I was alarmed when their caregiver , James Mwenda , opened the car door .
`` We can get out of the car ? ''
I asked .
But when I did , one ran towards me - it did n't seem very calm .
I hid behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Mwenda tried to reassure me that they were not scared of humans , though it did n't stop me being scared of rhinos .
The rhino , called Najin , who had approached us was tame because she had been brought up in a zoo in the Czech Republic .
She now lives in a massive fenced off area of Ol Pejeta Conservancy in central Kenya .
In 2009 she was one of four northern white rhinos , two male and two female , who were brought from the Dvůr Králové Zoo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enclosure in an attempt to get them to breed .
The thinking was that if they were taken to a rhino 's natural habitat this might change .
But it did n't work .
The four mated but the two females , Najin and her daughter Fatu , did not give birth .
Then the two males died .
First 34-year-old Suni , who died of natural causes in 2014 .
Then , four years later , 45-year-old Sudan was put down because of wounds to his skin that would not heal - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now Najin and Fatu are the only northern white rhinos left in the world - and neither can carry a pregnancy .
This has not deterred scientists from all over the world from trying to save the species - and they have come up with a rather extraordinary scheme .
It involves carefully preserved sperm - taken from Suni and Sudan and other male northern white rhinos before they died .
They had collected it with the intention of artificially inseminating the females , including southern white rhinos .
There are two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the near-extinct northern white rhino and the more prevalent southern white rhino .
So they moved on to trying to make an embryo - an egg fertilised by sperm - in the lab .
That created another challenge : getting hold of the egg .
For the veterinary expert leading the process it proved very complicated indeed to reach the ovaries - where eggs are stored - as they are at least 1.5m ( 4.9ft ) inside a female rhino .
Intestinal loops also get in the way , Dr Thomas Hildebrandt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wildlife Research ( IZW ) in Berlin , told me .
And a tube can not be put into a rhino 's vagina as can be done with humans and horses , he says .
In big cats , vets go through the abdomen to get to the ovaries , explains Dr Hildebrandt , who heads IZW 's reproduction unit .
But this involves cutting the skin , something that can not be done to rhinos as theirs is around 5cm ( 2in ) thick .
While it protects them when they get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if cut they will eventually die .
So Dr Hildebrandt created an instrument to collect the eggs .
It was a tube , which enters through the anus , and has a long delicate needle at its end with which to pierce an ovary follicle , where an egg is stored .
The needle is connected to a suction device which sucks the egg down the long tube .
`` You need to operate it precisely , '' he explains about the instrument he has patented .
`` Otherwise you can puncture a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a child 's arm '' .
That would result in internal bleeding and ultimately death so he uses a 4D ultrasound scanner , enabling him to see everything during the procedure .
If done correctly the effect on the rhino is minimal , Dr Hildebrandt says .
But the operation can be no longer than two hours as that is how long a rhino can be safely anaesthetised .
Last year , he managed to extract 19 eggs in total from both Najin and Fatu .
The next step was to fertilise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this pioneering work , they needed an in vitro fertilisation ( IVF ) expert .
Cesare Galli , based in the Avantea private lab in Italy , fitted the bill .
So as soon as the eggs were collected , they had to be rushed from Kenya to Italy .
Prof Galli had struggled to make embryos from other rhino species in the past as sperm from rhinos tends to be of a low quality as it is mixed with urine .
`` That 's because , to get the sperm , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhino to make the sperm come out , this method makes sperm and urine and other liquids come out altogether . ''
Dr Galli took years to perfect the method with Sumatran rhinos and southern white rhinos , making a breakthrough by electrocuting an egg to get it and the sperm to form an embryo .
With the rarer northern white rhino sperm and eggs he was confident he knew what would work .
He made two embryos with the first delivery of eggs in August 2019 and one more embryo with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are currently being preserved in his lab .
To grow , these embryos need a womb - but neither Fatu 's nor Najin 's are suitable .
• Should we try to halt extinction ?
Nineteen-year-old Fatu has never had a calf despite mating .
When vets gave her an ultrasound they found she had no lining on her uterus , meaning she can not carry a pregnancy to full term , said Stephen Ngulu , a vet at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy .
Fatu 's 30-year-old mother , Najin , has weak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rhinos are pregnant the hormone progesterone changes the dynamics of their legs .
`` If she falls down and you ca n't get her up and then that 's it - you lose her and you lose the baby , '' Dr Ngulu says .
They are not going to take that risk .
Instead they plan to use southern white rhino surrogates .
But Dr Galli says there is still so much they do n't know about the reproductive system of rhinos .
Attempts in the past to put embryos in southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One of the things the scientists are struggling to work out is the timing to implant the embryo .
They need to know exactly when the body is best ready for it to attach to the uterus lining .
In women , the menstrual cycle determines when to implant an embryo .
But not all animals have menstrual cycles - some animals , including cats , release their eggs when they mate .
If this is also true for rhinos then it is possible to use sexual intercourse as an indicator , Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it may be possible that the scientists increase the chances of the surrogate carrying the pregnancy through to birth if they implant the embryo after she has had sex .
This hunch has led them to set the scene for the next stage in their elaborate plan .
Four wild female southern white rhinos have been enclosed with their offspring in their natural habitat not far from the last two remaining northern white rhinos .
The next step is to put a sterilised southern white rhino in with the females - and would-be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that bull mounting , you say : 'Rhino 's ready . '
You dart that rhino , you put the embryo in .
That 's the dream , '' says Dr Ngulu .
I went to see the potential surrogates .
Unlike Najin and Fatu , they are wild so they can be hard to track down in the sprawling enclosure .
When we found them , on the second day of searching , I could n't help but think that these rhinos do not know it yet , but one of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You may also be interested in :

When we found them, on the second day of searching, I couldn't help but think that these rhinos do not know it yet, but one of them may save a species from extinction.


bbc--2020-04-15--Football return 'will be behind closed doors but impossible to say when'

Football will `` no doubt '' return behind closed doors but it is `` impossible '' to know when that will be , says the body that represents Europe 's top leagues .
Alberto Colombo , the deputy general secretary of European Leagues , said the suspension of the season because of the coronavirus pandemic was `` a huge crisis '' .
`` The vast majority '' of the association 's members , which includes the Premier League and the English Football League , are prioritising a return to action , he said .
But he admitted that `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belgium , were now considering cancelling their campaigns .
• What should happen to the Premier League season ?
• What is the state of play in Europe 's major leagues ?
Football is suspended indefinitely across most of Europe because of the continued spread of Covid-19 .
Premier League clubs are scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the situation , but there is unlikely to be a resumption any time soon to a top-flight season that still has nine rounds of fixtures to play .
Last week , hopes were raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe to return to training , albeit with precautionary measures in place , with talk of a resumption as soon as May .
But Colombo has urged caution , adding : `` The priority so far has been on focusing on creating conditions to be able to resume competition during the summer should we be able .
`` You need to resume training and develop your own protocols .
There 's no doubt it will be behind closed doors , so the competition organisers have to develop medical protocols , training protocols , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , it 's impossible to answer the question : 'When we will be back playing ? '
Nobody has these answers .
`` Ultimately , we all know the governments of the countries are the ones in charge for lifting the various restrictions that apply to sport . ''
Germany has carried out more diagnostic swab tests - to establish whether an individual is infected with coronavirus - than other major European countries .
The Italian Football Federation hopes to begin testing players for the virus at the start of May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There is no doubt that players ' health comes first , and also the health of all those involved in matches - staff of clubs , media , everyone has to be safe , '' said Colombo .
`` Doing testing is an important component part of these health measures .
But at the moment there is not a common position in every country . ''
Belgium 's Pro-League has annoyed European football 's governing body Uefa by cancelling its season over health concerns and financial issues , although ratification is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been delayed until 24 April .
`` We know there are other leagues , but really a small number , that are having these considerations , '' said Colombo .
`` The vast majority has been focusing 100 % on the resumption of their competitions .
`` One of the reasons for us to maintain [ this ] as a priority ... is to safeguard the integrity of the competitions .
`` And , of course , we have to avoid jeopardising the excellent work and co-operation we have developed with Uefa during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that while restarting competitions would be `` good '' , they would respect `` whatever decision a league may take '' .
Uefa is set to hold a video conference meeting next week to decide on the next stage in its handling of the crisis .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Paris St-Germain beat Borussia Dortmund in March in a Champions League tie held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic
Football will "no doubt" return behind closed doors but it is "impossible" to know when that will be, says the body that represents Europe's top leagues.
Alberto Colombo, the deputy general secretary of European Leagues, said the suspension of the season because of the coronavirus pandemic was "a huge crisis".
"The vast majority" of the association's members, which includes the Premier League and the English Football League, are prioritising a return to action, he said.
But he admitted that "a small number" of countries, including Belgium, were now considering cancelling their campaigns.
Football is suspended indefinitely across most of Europe because of the continued spread of Covid-19.
Premier League clubs are scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss the situation, but there is unlikely to be a resumption any time soon to a top-flight season that still has nine rounds of fixtures to play.
Last week, hopes were raised when German clubs became the first in Europe to return to training, albeit with precautionary measures in place, with talk of a resumption as soon as May.
But Colombo has urged caution, adding: "The priority so far has been on focusing on creating conditions to be able to resume competition during the summer should we be able.
"You need to resume training and develop your own protocols. There's no doubt it will be behind closed doors, so the competition organisers have to develop medical protocols, training protocols, match-operation protocols.
"But, of course, it's impossible to answer the question: 'When we will be back playing?' Nobody has these answers.
"Ultimately, we all know the governments of the countries are the ones in charge for lifting the various restrictions that apply to sport."
Alberto Colombo, of the European Leagues group, whose members include 36 leagues including the Premier League, EFL and SPFL.
Germany has carried out more diagnostic swab tests - to establish whether an individual is infected with coronavirus - than other major European countries.
The Italian Football Federation hopes to begin testing players for the virus at the start of May, in preparation for the season to resume.
"There is no doubt that players' health comes first, and also the health of all those involved in matches - staff of clubs, media, everyone has to be safe," said Colombo.
"Doing testing is an important component part of these health measures. But at the moment there is not a common position in every country."
Belgium's Pro-League has annoyed European football's governing body Uefa by cancelling its season over health concerns and financial issues, although ratification is still pending and a final decision has been delayed until 24 April.
"We know there are other leagues, but really a small number, that are having these considerations," said Colombo.
"The vast majority has been focusing 100% on the resumption of their competitions.
"One of the reasons for us to maintain [this] as a priority... is to safeguard the integrity of the competitions.
"And, of course, we have to avoid jeopardising the excellent work and co-operation we have developed with Uefa during the past weeks."
Colombo added that while restarting competitions would be "good", they would respect "whatever decision a league may take".
Uefa is set to hold a video conference meeting next week to decide on the next stage in its handling of the crisis.


bbc--2020-04-15--Newcastle takeover: Who's involved? Who's in charge? How much?

Newcastle United fans are used to false dawns when it comes to potential new owners replacing the much-maligned Mike Ashley .
But as a group of investors backed by Saudi Arabia 's sovereign wealth fund move closer to ending Ashley 's 13-year reign , even the most-sceptical supporters are starting to believe in a new future .
Documents revealed on Tuesday show that the group 's leader , financier Amanda Staveley , has laid down the legal framework with Ashley 's company for a potential £300m takeover .
Those involved in negotiations are cautious about dealing with Ashley .
Nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are the main players involved and if they do take over , what can Newcastle fans expect ?
Amanda Staveley is a powerful figure in Middle Eastern financial circles having helped broker the purchase of Manchester City by current Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour in 2008 .
Ashley 's opinion of her is not so complimentary having labelled previous talks with her in 2018 a `` waste of time '' .
That has not put her off , though , and this time her firm PCP Capital Partners has the financial backing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( PIF ) which , before the coronavirus outbreak , had targeted accruing $ 400bn ( £313.81bn ) of assets by the end of 2020 .
The 47-year-old , who is reported to be worth £115m , has an interesting past .
She dropped out of Cambridge University , previously dated Prince Andrew , and began her route to Middle Eastern influence after setting up a restaurant near Newmarket racecourse where wealthy horse owners often dropped by .
More recently , she has said she is a big Newcastle fan and has spoken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have achieved over the last decade .
Will she be in charge of Newcastle ?
What is her leadership style ?
If Newcastle is sold to Staveley 's group , she is expected to hold a 10 % stake in the club , with the PIF making up 80 % and a further 10 % coming from British property investors the Reuben brothers .
Staveley is likely to be on the club 's board with the chairman expected to be Yasir Al-Rumayyan - governor of the PIF .
Originally from Yorkshire , Staveley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to buy the club show she does not take fall-outs personally .
She told the National newspaper last year that Ashley 's `` waste of time '' comments are `` water under the bridge '' .
She also said that `` the time to be bold is when markets are volatile '' which might explain why she is still pursuing the Newcastle deal at a time of great uncertainty .
And for those who cross her , a warning : having helped raise emergency funding , including from Sheikh Mansour , to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the financial crisis , she is now in the midst of suing them for alleged deceit to the tune of a reported £1.5bn .
How much is Saudi Public Investment Fund worth ?
According to its website , Saudi Arabia 's Public Investment Fund is `` seeking to become one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world '' with reported assets of $ 320bn ( £250.86bn ) worldwide .
It is headed by the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and is aiming to `` drive the economic transformation '' of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Part of that is hosting sporting events in the country via the General Sports Authority to show the country is open for business .
The roster , which has included Anthony Joshua 's rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr , golf , tennis and wrestling events , the Spanish Super Cup and a Formula One Grand Prix set for 2023 , is impressive .
For a fund which secures billion-dollar deals and has a portfolio which has previously included Uber , Tesla and General Electric , not to mention plans to build a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country 's Red Sea coastline , a potential £240m investment in Newcastle might seem small change .
But there has already been criticism from Amnesty International about the country 's attempts to use sport to whitewash the nation 's human rights record .
Amnesty 's Felix Jakens told BBC Sport : `` The reputation of the club , the reputation of the city , can be brought into serious question if they embrace the Saudi Arabian regime and the authorities there , who recently imprisoned and tortured women human rights activists who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive . ''
And for any deal to go through , Newcastle 's new suitors must pass the Premier League 's owners ' and directors ' test , which is supposed to uphold the `` reputation and image of the game '' .
That might lead to some awkward questions .
With all the talk about the Saudi Arabian royal family 's wealth , it must be hard for Newcastle fans not to dream of the mega-star players the club could potentially buy .
More than anything , they hope the club can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid 1990s and early 2000s when they consistently challenged for Europe and even the Premier League title .
Newcastle United Supporters Trust board member Greg Tomlinson told BBC Radio 5 Live : `` You have to take stock on what comes next , it 's very strange to be talking about the money that could be coming into the club in terms of where we find ourselves in society right now , where many clubs are in danger of going out of business .
`` You have to look at sustained growth and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go out and get Mauricio Pochettino are we ?
It has to be proper growth .
`` We want the club to be the best it can be .
That does n't mean winning the Champions League , we are not deluded , it 's about supporting something that you can believe in and we have n't had that for so long . ''
Staveley , involved in the Manchester City takeover 12 years ago , has previously urged caution about lavish player spending .
What has impressed her most is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Eastlands .
She has said : `` That 's the sort of thing we would want to do elsewhere . ''
Where have Arab states invested before and how has it been viewed ?
By investing in sport and potentially a specific team , Saudi Arabia is following a well-trodden path laid down by fellow Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar .
Manchester City 's Abu Dhabi owners and Paris St-Germain 's Qatari backers have certainly brought success to their teams and no end of joy for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , therefore , wealth reserves , some have accused the teams of unfairness , with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger going so far as to label it `` financial doping '' .
European governing body Uefa has tried to curb spending by applying financial fair play rules and in some senses that has succeeded .
It is hard to see a return to 2017 when PSG paid £200m for Brazilian forward Neymar , which may be a relief for rival clubs and leagues who want to remain competitive .
Most Newcastle fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compete at the top of the Premier League rather than a volatile period of spending which might not be sustainable .
How have Newcastle fans reacted to Mike Ashley possibly leaving and the potential new owner 's background ?
For many fans , the short answer to this is cautious joy .
It says something about Newcastle fans ' resentment towards Ashley that the human rights record of Saudi Arabia barely registered when news of the potential deal first broke in January .
Tomlinson admits there are concerns but adds : `` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level and that is nothing we can bear any degree of responsibility for in terms of ownership .
`` In an ideal world from my perspective , Newcastle United would be owned by the people , by the fans of the city as a community asset .
`` We 've seen reports like this before but it seems like we are further down the line this time in terms of ending that 13-year tenure of Mike Ashley which everyone wants to see the end of . ''
For the majority , anyone but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has ruined the club with his lack of investment , although he can point to record signings in two of the last three transfer windows .
For the most part , Ashley has run the club within its means .
But it is the manner of his ownership which sticks in the throat for most fans .
They feel he does not care , rarely attends games , and uses the stadium as an advertising hoarding for his Sports Direct business .
Ashley 's stock is so low that placing non-playing staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's season tickets amid the coronavirus pandemic were merely met with a shrug .
Protests have not worked and news of an alternative , any alternative , has been met with excitement .
They are wary , though , because they have been down this path before only to end up disappointed .
How much does Mike Ashley stand to make from this deal ?
There is a consistent theme from anyone who has had dealings with billionaire Ashley : he is a tricky negotiator and trying to predict what happens next is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ club up for sale in 2017 , and has in theory been trying to find a buyer since , but it seems the terms , or more likely the price , has not been right .
Having bought the club for £134m in 2007 , he stands to gain from the £300m deal although he will argue he has spent considerably more than the difference in the intervening years .
Some sources suggest that Newcastle United has been a vehicle to promote his other businesses and that has no doubt provided value .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Staveley 's group were willing to pay £340m for Newcastle , but with clubs set to face a period of huge uncertainty because of the suspension of the season , now might be a good time for Ashley to cash in .

Mike Ashley (centre left) bought Newcastle United in 2007
Newcastle United fans are used to false dawns when it comes to potential new owners replacing the much-maligned Mike Ashley.
But as a group of investors backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund move closer to ending Ashley's 13-year reign, even the most-sceptical supporters are starting to believe in a new future.
Documents revealed on Tuesday show that the group's leader, financier Amanda Staveley, has laid down the legal framework with Ashley's company for a potential £300m takeover.
Those involved in negotiations are cautious about dealing with Ashley. Nothing appears over the line yet. But who are the main players involved and if they do take over, what can Newcastle fans expect?
Who is Amanda Staveley?
Amanda Staveley is a powerful figure in Middle Eastern financial circles having helped broker the purchase of Manchester City by current Abu Dhabi-based owner Sheikh Mansour in 2008.
Ashley's opinion of her is not so complimentary having labelled previous talks with her in 2018 a "waste of time". external-link
That has not put her off, though, and this time her firm PCP Capital Partners has the financial backing of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) which, before the coronavirus outbreak, had targeted accruing $400bn (£313.81bn) of assets by the end of 2020.
The 47-year-old, who is reported to be worth £115m, has an interesting past.
She dropped out of Cambridge University, previously dated Prince Andrew, and began her route to Middle Eastern influence after setting up a restaurant near Newmarket racecourse where wealthy horse owners often dropped by.
More recently, she has said she is a big Newcastle fan and has spoken in glowing terms about what Manchester City have achieved over the last decade.
Will she be in charge of Newcastle? What is her leadership style?
If Newcastle is sold to Staveley's group, she is expected to hold a 10% stake in the club, with the PIF making up 80% and a further 10% coming from British property investors the Reuben brothers.
Staveley is likely to be on the club's board with the chairman expected to be Yasir Al-Rumayyan - governor of the PIF.
Originally from Yorkshire, Staveley's determination to return with further offers to buy the club show she does not take fall-outs personally. She told the National newspaper external-link last year that Ashley's "waste of time" comments are "water under the bridge".
She also said that "the time to be bold is when markets are volatile" which might explain why she is still pursuing the Newcastle deal at a time of great uncertainty.
And for those who cross her, a warning: having helped raise emergency funding, including from Sheikh Mansour, to prevent Barclays Bank from a government bailout during the financial crisis, she is now in the midst of suing them external-link for alleged deceit to the tune of a reported £1.5bn.
How much is Saudi Public Investment Fund worth?
Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman heads Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund
According to its website, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is "seeking to become one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world" with reported assets of $320bn (£250.86bn) worldwide.
It is headed by the Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and is aiming to "drive the economic transformation" of the country through a project called Vision 2030.
Part of that is hosting sporting events in the country via the General Sports Authority to show the country is open for business. The roster, which has included Anthony Joshua's rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr, golf, tennis and wrestling events, the Spanish Super Cup and a Formula One Grand Prix set for 2023, is impressive.
For a fund which secures billion-dollar deals and has a portfolio which has previously included Uber, Tesla and General Electric, not to mention plans to build a $500bn (£391.93bn) city on the country's Red Sea coastline, a potential £240m investment in Newcastle might seem small change.
But there has already been criticism from Amnesty International about the country's attempts to use sport to whitewash the nation's human rights record.
Amnesty's Felix Jakens told BBC Sport: "The reputation of the club, the reputation of the city, can be brought into serious question if they embrace the Saudi Arabian regime and the authorities there, who recently imprisoned and tortured women human rights activists who were merely calling for the right to drive."
And for any deal to go through, Newcastle's new suitors must pass the Premier League's owners' and directors' test, which is supposed to uphold the "reputation and image of the game". That might lead to some awkward questions.
Could Newcastle match Manchester City's investment?
With all the talk about the Saudi Arabian royal family's wealth, it must be hard for Newcastle fans not to dream of the mega-star players the club could potentially buy.
More than anything, they hope the club can return to their glory years in the mid 1990s and early 2000s when they consistently challenged for Europe and even the Premier League title.
Newcastle United Supporters Trust board member Greg Tomlinson told BBC Radio 5 Live: "We want the club to be the best it can be. That doesn't mean winning the Champions League, we are not deluded, it's about supporting something that you can believe in and we haven't had that for so long."
Staveley, involved in the Manchester City takeover 12 years ago, has previously urged caution about lavish player spending. What has impressed her most is the way that City have invested in Manchester's Eastlands.
She has said: "That's the sort of thing we would want to do elsewhere."
Where have Arab states invested before and how has it been viewed?
By investing in sport and potentially a specific team, Saudi Arabia is following a well-trodden path laid down by fellow Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners and Paris St-Germain's Qatari backers have certainly brought success to their teams and no end of joy for their fans.
But with vast oil and, therefore, wealth reserves, some have accused the teams of unfairness, with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger going so far as to label it "financial doping".
European governing body Uefa has tried to curb spending by applying financial fair play rules and in some senses that has succeeded. It is hard to see a return to 2017 when PSG paid £200m for Brazilian forward Neymar, which may be a relief for rival clubs and leagues who want to remain competitive.
Most Newcastle fans would probably settle for a chance to compete at the top of the Premier League rather than a volatile period of spending which might not be sustainable.
How have Newcastle fans reacted to Mike Ashley possibly leaving and the potential new owner's background?
For many fans, the short answer to this is cautious joy.
It says something about Newcastle fans' resentment towards Ashley that the human rights record of Saudi Arabia barely registered when news of the potential deal first broke in January.
Tomlinson admits there are concerns but adds: "It is a billionaire's playground at that level and that is nothing we can bear any degree of responsibility for in terms of ownership.
"In an ideal world from my perspective, Newcastle United would be owned by the people, by the fans of the city as a community asset.
"We've seen reports like this before but it seems like we are further down the line this time in terms of ending that 13-year tenure of Mike Ashley which everyone wants to see the end of."
For the majority, anyone but Ashley is an improvement. Many believe he has ruined the club with his lack of investment, although he can point to record signings in two of the last three transfer windows.
For the most part, Ashley has run the club within its means. But it is the manner of his ownership which sticks in the throat for most fans. They feel he does not care, rarely attends games, and uses the stadium as an advertising hoarding for his Sports Direct business.
Ashley's stock is so low that placing non-playing staff on furlough and charging for next campaign's season tickets amid the coronavirus pandemic were merely met with a shrug. Protests have not worked and news of an alternative, any alternative, has been met with excitement.
They are wary, though, because they have been down this path before only to end up disappointed.
How much does Mike Ashley stand to make from this deal?
There is a consistent theme from anyone who has had dealings with billionaire Ashley: he is a tricky negotiator and trying to predict what happens next is almost impossible.
The Londoner put the club up for sale in 2017, and has in theory been trying to find a buyer since, but it seems the terms, or more likely the price, has not been right.
Having bought the club for £134m in 2007, he stands to gain from the £300m deal although he will argue he has spent considerably more than the difference in the intervening years. Some sources suggest that Newcastle United has been a vehicle to promote his other businesses and that has no doubt provided value.
Last January, it was understood that Staveley's group were willing to pay £340m for Newcastle, but with clubs set to face a period of huge uncertainty because of the suspension of the season, now might be a good time for Ashley to cash in.


bbc--2020-04-15--Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast - best European imports

European players are often credited with helping to revolutionise the Premier League .
But just who is the best European player to feature in the Premier League era ?
That is the subject to be discussed by Gary Lineker , Alan Shearer and Ian Wright on the latest edition of the Match of The Day : Top 10 podcast .
To hear the MOTD team 's final lists , listen to the latest Match of the Day : Top 10 podcast here or watch Match of the Day on Saturday 18 April on BBC 1 at 22:20 BST .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ podcast - Premier League 's best goalscorers • Match of the Day : Top 10 podcast - Premier League 's best managers A supremely gifted player , Dennis Bergkamp arrived at Highbury in the summer of 1995 after an underwhelming two-year spell with Inter Milan in Serie A .
And over the next 11 years he went on to more than repay a then club record fee of around £7.5m paid for him .
The Netherlands forward won two Premier League and FA Cup doubles , as well as a third league title @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two FA Cups while at Arsenal .
His goal against Newcastle in 2002 - one of many that underlined his technical brilliance - was voted the best goal in Premier League history by BBC readers in 2017 .
Wright : `` He was a massive signing for Arsenal and he 's the one that all the success was built on .
He was magnificent and is the best signing the club has ever made .
He changed the DNA of the club .
It was a real honour to play with somebody of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was a magnificent player .
He meant that goal against Newcastle all day long . ''
Eric Cantona 's surprise transfer from reigning top-flight champions Leeds to Manchester United in November 1992 proved the catalyst for the Red Devils to end their 26-year wait for the title in the Premier League 's inaugural season .
And it also kick-started a period of unprecedented success for the club .
The creator and scorer of important goals , Cantona relished the big stage with his trademark upturned collar , copied on playing fields across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ League titles in five years before retiring at the age of 30 .
However , his time at Old Trafford was not without incident , his infamous kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace supporter in January 1995 led to an eight-month ban and almost a prison sentence .
Wright : `` When you hear Sir Alex Ferguson talk about Cantona and the impression he had on all the players coming through and what they went on to achieve , you ca n't put a price on that kind of professionalism .
You are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talisman in a football team .
He had such an aura about him . ''
Shearer : `` If you are going to play with your collar up you have to be some player and he was . ''
When it comes to entertaining a crowd , few can match Eden Hazard .
A hot property who had his pick of clubs when leaving Lille in 2012 , the Belgian was mesmeric at times during his seven seasons with Chelsea .
Almost unstoppable , when facing goal with the ball at his feet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europa League twice , the FA Cup and League Cup before departing for Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 .
Wright : He could not do any more for Chelsea .
He was somebody who , when it was n't going well , could do something that would turn the game on its head for them .
Shearer : Teams used to double up on him which created space that other players could exploit .
The way he carried and travelled with the ball .
Not the sort of forward to outmuscle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But then again he really did n't need to bother .
When it came to dribbling , pace , power , movement and finishing , Thierry Henry had it all .
Henry 's brilliance was almost as disorientating for commentators as for opposition defenders , who were often left sat on the turf as he accelerated clear to score and take the acclaim of supporters .
A member of the Gunners ' 'Invincibles ' side , Henry won two Premier Leagues and two FA Cups before heading off to Barcelona and New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2011-12 .
Wright : `` From 2001 to 2006 he was unplayable .
When you watched him he was the Michael Jordan of football at the time .
When you looked at him as a footballer he was a beautiful thing to watch . ''
Shearer : `` He did n't score in his first eight games but he found the back of the net after that did n't he ?
N'Golo Kante was far from a household name when he arrived at Leicester from Caen prior to the start of the 2015-16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , his supercharged performances had grabbed the attention of the Premier League as the Foxes defied all the odds to win the title .
His reward was regular inclusion in the France squad and a £30m move to Chelsea , where he collected a second title in as many years .
Superb at shielding a back four , Kante has since played an integral role in Les Blues World Cup triumph in 2018 .
Wright : `` Kante was like two players in one ( at Leicester ) .
Not only was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see danger and stop it , he was able to get them going forward .
It 's baffling to see what Maurizio Sarri did to him at Chelsea . ''
Shearer : `` I do n't think I have seen a guy cover as much grass as Kante has .
At the end of games I have looked at him and he does n't even look like he 's sweating .
It 's staggering how he is able get up and down and the fitness he shows . ''
Roy Keane joined Manchester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a then British record transfer fee of £3.75m .
A key component of two double-winning sides , the Republic of Ireland midfielder captained United during their treble-winning season in 1998-99 .
Respected by team-mates and opponents alike for his demanding nature and range of skills , Keane is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders to have graced the Premier League .
Wright : `` For me he was the best captain in the Premier League .
When you look at what he did with the 'Class of 92 ' , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his performances , without compromising what he was about , and his morals , I have so much admiration for Roy Keane .
`` I have never seen anyone who loves football and speaks about it as much as he does . ''
Shearer : `` He was an incredible player .
Kenny [ Dalglish ] thought he had him at Blackburn in the summer of 1993 .
A deal was almost done but he changed his mind and went to Manchester United . ''
Initially a central midfielder , Belgian international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was to become the defensive rock that underpinned four title-winning sides .
A good reader of the game , Kompany 's pace and aerial ability made him a formidable opponent for many Premier League forwards .
A big player , for the big moments and an inspirational captain .
Wright : `` I 'm not sure what you can say about him other than he was an exemplary leader of that football club and one of the best centre-backs we have seen in the Premier League . ''
Shearer : `` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after time with the injuries he had and that says a lot about his character . ''
Described by some as a 'show pony ' early in his Manchester United career , it took time for Cristiano Ronaldo to find his best form at Old Trafford .
However , once he did , he was transformed into a goal-machine as he set himself on the way to becoming arguably the finest footballer of his generation .
The quick feet , blistering acceleration , aerial prowess and ability to score outstanding goals were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at United , where he won the first of five Ballon d'Or titles , as well as three Premier League crowns , an FA Cup , two League Cups and a Champions League winner 's medal .
Wright : `` When you look at Ronaldo at Manchester United you saw a prelude of what was going to happen at Real Madrid .
Those last two seasons at United are why he has to be high up the list .
Shearer : `` He was on his way to superstardom at Manchester United .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there and wear that number seven shirt when you consider the players who wore it beforehand like Cantona , [ David ] Beckham , [ George ] Best and [ Bryan ] Robson . ''
Nicknamed 'Merlin ' by Manchester City supporters , David Silva has spent the last decade terrorising Premier League defences with his intelligence , movement and ability to deliver the deftest of passes .
A talisman for many of those years , there have been few finer sights than Silva in full flow orchestrating City 's attacking play .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the club this summer , he has won the Premier League four times , the FA Cup twice and the League Cup on five occasions .
Not a bad return .
Wright : `` You ca n't question how integral he has been to Manchester City and he is a World Cup winner . ''
Shearer : `` He has given 10 years of unbelievable service to Manchester City .
What an attitude and what a player . ''
A ruthless midfield enforcer , Patrick Vieira 's talent for breaking up attacks at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scoring at the other end was critical as the Gunners claimed a Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997-98 .
A rangy physical player , few got the better of the French World Cup winner , particularly during his time with Arsenal where he became captain and led the side that went unbeaten through a 38-game Premier League season to win the title in 2003-04 .
Wright : `` We have not seen a midfielder before and since that plays like Vieira .
When he came I thought he was a centre-half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technical ability , stamina , creativity , leadership it 's no surprise someone like him went on to play in a World Cup-winning side . ''
Shearer : `` What a signing he was for about £3.5m .
He was a brilliant player and as hard as they come .
He could have a scrap with you but he could play as well .
He was horrible to play against . ''

European players are often credited with helping to revolutionise the Premier League.
But just who did you rank the best European to feature in the Premier League era?
After the subject was discussed by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright in the latest edition of the Match of The Day: Top 10 podcast, we asked you to have your say.
Here are the results, from one to 10...
1. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry finished top scorer in the Premier League on four occasions
Clubs: Arsenal
Premier League appearances: 258
Goals: 175
Premier League titles: Two
Not the sort of forward to outmuscle a defender in an aerial duel. But then again he really didn't need to bother. When it came to dribbling, pace, power, movement and finishing, Thierry Henry had it all.
Henry's brilliance was almost as disorientating for commentators as for opposition defenders, who were often left sat on the turf as he accelerated clear to score and take the acclaim of supporters.
A member of the Gunners' 'Invincibles' side, Henry won two Premier Leagues and two FA Cups before heading off to Barcelona and New York, rejoining Arsenal briefly on loan in 2011-12.
Wright: "From 2001 to 2006 he was unplayable. When you watched him he was the Michael Jordan of football at the time. When you looked at him as a footballer he was a beautiful thing to watch."
Shearer: "He didn't score in his first eight games but he found the back of the net after that didn't he?
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo was voted the world's best player in 2008 while at Manchester United
Clubs: Manchester United
Premier League appearances: 196
Goals: 84
Premier League titles: Three
Described by some as a 'show pony' early in his Manchester United career, it took time for Cristiano Ronaldo to find his best form at Old Trafford.
However, once he did, he was transformed into a goal-machine as he set himself on the way to becoming arguably the finest footballer of his generation.
The quick feet, blistering acceleration, aerial prowess and ability to score outstanding goals were all a feature of his final two seasons at United, where he won the first of five Ballon d'Or titles, as well as three Premier League crowns, an FA Cup, two League Cups and a Champions League winner's medal.
Wright: "When you look at Ronaldo at Manchester United you saw a prelude of what was going to happen at Real Madrid. Those last two seasons at United are why he has to be high up the list.
Shearer: "He was on his way to superstardom at Manchester United. He wasn't afraid to go in there and wear that number seven shirt when you consider the players who wore it beforehand like Cantona, [David] Beckham, [George] Best and [Bryan] Robson."
3. Dennis Bergkamp
Dennis Bergkamp scored 109 goals in 402 games in all competitions for Arsenal
Clubs: Arsenal
Premier League appearances: 315
Goals: 87
Premier League titles: Three
A supremely gifted player, Dennis Bergkamp arrived at Highbury in the summer of 1995 after an underwhelming two-year spell with Inter Milan in Serie A.
And over the next 11 years he went on to more than repay a then club record fee of around £7.5m paid for him.
The Netherlands forward won two Premier League and FA Cup doubles, as well as a third league title in the 'Invincibles' season and another two FA Cups while at Arsenal.
His goal against Newcastle in 2002 - one of many that underlined his technical brilliance - was voted the best goal in Premier League history by BBC readers in 2017.
Wright: "He was a massive signing for Arsenal and he's the one that all the success was built on. He was magnificent and is the best signing the club has ever made. He changed the DNA of the club. It was a real honour to play with somebody of that calibre."
Shearer: "He was a magnificent player. He meant that goal against Newcastle all day long."
4. Eric Cantona
Eric Cantona joined Manchester United for £1.2m in 1992 from Leeds United
Clubs: Leeds & Manchester United
Premier League appearances: 156
Goals: 70
Premier League titles: Four
Eric Cantona's surprise transfer from reigning top-flight champions Leeds to Manchester United in November 1992 proved the catalyst for the Red Devils to end their 26-year wait for the title in the Premier League's inaugural season. And it also kick-started a period of unprecedented success for the club.
The creator and scorer of important goals, Cantona relished the big stage with his trademark upturned collar, copied on playing fields across the country.
He won four Premier League titles in five years before retiring at the age of 30. However, his time at Old Trafford was not without incident, his infamous kung-fu kick on a Crystal Palace supporter in January 1995 led to an eight-month ban and almost a prison sentence.
Wright: "When you hear Sir Alex Ferguson talk about Cantona and the impression he had on all the players coming through and what they went on to achieve, you can't put a price on that kind of professionalism. You are talking about someone who was the ultimate talisman in a football team. He had such an aura about him."
Shearer: "If you are going to play with your collar up you have to be some player and he was."
5. Roy Keane
Roy Keane joined Manchester United from Nottingham Forest for a then British record £3.75m in 1993
Clubs: Nottingham Forest & Manchester United
Premier League appearances: 366
Goals: 39
Premier League titles: Seven
Roy Keane joined Manchester United from Nottingham Forest in 1993 for a then British record transfer fee of £3.75m.
A key component of two double-winning sides, the Republic of Ireland midfielder captained United during their treble-winning season in 1998-99.
Respected by team-mates and opponents alike for his demanding nature and range of skills, Keane is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders to have graced the Premier League.
Wright: "For me he was the best captain in the Premier League. When you look at what he did with the 'Class of 92', the great players around him, the consistency of his performances, without compromising what he was about, and his morals, I have so much admiration for Roy Keane.
"I have never seen anyone who loves football and speaks about it as much as he does."
Shearer: "He was an incredible player. Kenny [Dalglish] thought he had him at Blackburn in the summer of 1993. A deal was almost done but he changed his mind and went to Manchester United."
6. Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira captained the Arsenal squad who went unbeaten on their way to winning the Premier League title in 2004
Clubs: Arsenal & Manchester City
Premier League appearances: 307
Goals: 31
Premier League titles: Three
A ruthless midfield enforcer, Patrick Vieira's talent for breaking up attacks at one end of the pitch and then scoring at the other end was critical as the Gunners claimed a Premier League and FA Cup double in 1997-98.
A rangy physical player, few got the better of the French World Cup winner, particularly during his time with Arsenal where he became captain and led the side that went unbeaten through a 38-game Premier League season to win the title in 2003-04.
Wright: "We have not seen a midfielder before and since that plays like Vieira. When he came I thought he was a centre-half. Once he started playing, his technical ability, stamina, creativity, leadership it's no surprise someone like him went on to play in a World Cup-winning side."
Shearer: "What a signing he was for about £3.5m. He was a brilliant player and as hard as they come. He could have a scrap with you but he could play as well. He was horrible to play against."
7. David Silva
David Silva will leave Manchester City at the end of the 2019-20 season after a decade with the club
Premier League appearances: 301
Goals: 57
Premier League titles: Four
Nicknamed 'Merlin' by Manchester City supporters, David Silva has spent the last decade terrorising Premier League defences with his intelligence, movement and ability to deliver the deftest of passes.
A talisman for many of those years, there have been few finer sights than Silva in full flow orchestrating City's attacking play.
While the Spaniard is set to leave the club this summer, he has won the Premier League four times, the FA Cup twice and the League Cup on five occasions. Not a bad return.
Wright: "You can't question how integral he has been to Manchester City and he is a World Cup winner."
Shearer: "He has given 10 years of unbelievable service to Manchester City. What an attitude and what a player."
8. Vincent Kompany
Vincent Kompany captained Manchester City to four Premier League titles
Clubs: Manchester City
Premier League appearances: 265
Goals: 18
Premier League titles: Four
Initially a central midfielder, Belgian international Vincent Kompany joined Manchester City in 2008 and was to become the defensive rock that underpinned four title-winning sides.
A good reader of the game, Kompany's pace and aerial ability made him a formidable opponent for many Premier League forwards.
A big player, for the big moments and an inspirational captain.
Wright: "I'm not sure what you can say about him other than he was an exemplary leader of that football club and one of the best centre-backs we have seen in the Premier League."
Shearer: "It's really difficult to come back time after time with the injuries he had and that says a lot about his character."
9. Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard left Chelsea last summer to join Real Madrid for a fee which could exceed £150m
Clubs: Chelsea
Premier League appearances: 245
Goals: 85
Premier League titles: Two
When it comes to entertaining a crowd, few can match Eden Hazard.
A hot property who had his pick of clubs when leaving Lille in 2012, the Belgian was mesmeric at times during his seven seasons with Chelsea.
Almost unstoppable, when facing goal with the ball at his feet, Hazard won the Premier League and Europa League twice, the FA Cup and League Cup before departing for Real Madrid in the summer of 2019.
Wright: He could not do any more for Chelsea. He was somebody who, when it wasn't going well, could do something that would turn the game on its head for them.
Shearer: Teams used to double up on him which created space that other players could exploit. The way he carried and travelled with the ball.
10. N'Golo Kante
N'Golo Kante won back-to-back Premier League titles with Leicester City and Chelsea in 2015-16 and 2016-17
Clubs: Leicester City & Chelsea
Premier League appearances: 160
Goals: 10
Premier League titles: Two
N'Golo Kante was far from a household name when he arrived at Leicester from Caen prior to the start of the 2015-16 season.
But by the end of it, his supercharged performances had grabbed the attention of the Premier League as the Foxes defied all the odds to win the title. His reward was regular inclusion in the France squad and a £30m move to Chelsea, where he collected a second title in as many years.
Superb at shielding a back four, Kante has since played an integral role in Les Blues World Cup triumph in 2018.
Wright: "Kante was like two players in one (at Leicester). Not only was he able to sniff out danger, see danger and stop it, he was able to get them going forward. It's baffling to see what Maurizio Sarri did to him at Chelsea."
Shearer: "I don't think I have seen a guy cover as much grass as Kante has. At the end of games I have looked at him and he doesn't even look like he's sweating. It's staggering how he is able get up and down and the fitness he shows."
You can still rank the players here...


bbc--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: How might this recession compare with 2008?

The BBC 's Monica Miller explores how 2020 's global coronavirus-induced financial crisis compares with the 2008 recession .
The @ @ @ @ @ the world faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s and @ @ @ @ @ of work since the pandemic started , how will the economy recover ?
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ global economy would contract by 3 % this year as countries around the world shrink @ @ @ @ @ decades .

The BBC's Monica Miller explores how 2020's global coronavirus-induced financial crisis compares with the 2008 recession.
The IMF has already said that the world faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s and with millions of people out of work since the pandemic started, how will the economy recover?
On Wednesday, it added that the global economy would contract by 3% this year as countries around the world shrink at the fastest pace in decades.
Video by Aakriti Thapar