bbc--2020-04-21--Coronavirus: Dressing up in isolation

Coronavirus: Dressing up in isolation

Photographer Julia Keil decided to turn the camera on herself , making a series of self-portraits inspired by paintings , the cinema or other photographs .
Having been in London for a couple of months , Keil arrived back in Paris just as it was going into lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus .
`` Rather than going out and reconnecting with the streets I love to roam , I found myself abruptly bound to the constraints of my sixth-floor flat , '' she says .
`` Like many , I was suddenly isolated and uncertain of tomorrow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dream , living somewhere between the real and surreal with the only guidance being news stories , hearsay and the changes I observed happening around me from day to day . ''
`` I quickly realised that with no work and no social life , I had gone from having no time to having plenty .
`` All excuses I gave myself for not pursuing my creative ideas prior were now void .
`` Each day , I decided on a portrait - I 'd immerse myself into that world .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that era or movie soundtrack and watched movies and documentaries .
`` I studied the pose and emotion which a chosen image or painting exuded and , of course , gave myself the time taking the picture and processing it after .
`` Everything which formed each image I improvised with what I already had at home with the exception of a couple wigs , which I awaited eagerly from Amazon .
`` Pursuing this ongoing project has given a structure and a playground to my days in lockdown as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others could be currently feeling or experiencing .
`` Having the world slow down , despite the tragic circumstances , on some aspects can be taken as a gift - a gift that can be filled with not just fear but with hope and an opportunity to reflect , to learn and to re-connect in ways we perhaps had pushed aside in the world that used to be . ''
With Paris due to remain on lockdown until 11 May , Keil says she will continue taking self-portraits .
You can follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her other work on her website .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

Image caption,
"This portrait was both inspired by the news that all non-essential orders from Amazon had been suspended in France but also by the Greek myth of Pandora, who gave in to her curiosity and released disease, death and misery upon the world from a mysterious box bestowed upon her by Zeus. She hastened to close the box but realised there was something left inside which felt different. As she opened the box once more, the last thing fluttered out, full of light and spirit, spreading a sense of calm over the previous panic and pain. This light was hope. And hope is a gift we humans have flowing through our collective veins, urging us to keep going while filling us with a knowing that this too shall pass."


bbc--2020-04-21--Chernobyl: When fire hits a post-nuclear wilderness

Wildfires have destroyed large parts of the forest inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone in Ukraine .
Radiation levels remain within @ @ @ @ @ the fires have had a significant impact on wildlife there .
The site of the @ @ @ @ @ has become a unique conservation area that is home to many rare animals and plants @

Wildfires have destroyed large parts of the forest inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone in Ukraine.
Radiation levels remain within the normal range, but the fires have had a significant impact on wildlife there.
The site of the world's worst nuclear accident has become a unique conservation area that is home to many rare animals and plants.
Video produced by Abdujalil Abdurasulov


bbc--2020-04-21--Earth Day: Meet the original eco warriors protecting the planet

Indigenous people account for less than 5 % of the world 's population - but they support or protect 80 % of the planet 's biodiversity .
They are often the most vulnerable to climate change , but have developed systems built on thousands of years of land management , sustainability , and climate adaption .
Dr Koko Warner from the United Nations climate change secretariat says their participation in fighting global warming is vital .
`` I am really hoping for a future scenario where by combining and blending and growing our value systems together , human beings will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive force in nature , '' she said .
But where did this ancient knowledge come from and do these practices really work ?
As the world marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day , here are five stories about climate pioneers who are digging deep into their history .
Across the Sahel in Africa , ancient farming techniques are helping to breathe life back into parts of the semi-arid region .
The traditional practice of Zai was revived in Burkina Faso in the 1980s .
Small pits are dug in the ground @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeds before the rainy season begins .
They help to trap scarce water - a necessity with unpredictable and declining rainfall due to global warming - and also improve the soil 's fertility .
The traditional practice is used across Niger , Mali , Senegal and Chad and can also ease food insecurity .
Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim , an indigenous woman from a Mbororo pastoralist community in Chad , says Zai is known locally as `` Karal '' or `` Buriye '' .
She describes how traditional techniques are also used in parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seeds are generally planted after the main rains have ended but when the earth is still moist , '' she says .
The pastoralists have developed a `` holistic '' approach to agriculture , recognising up to seven seasons , depending on the area 's history , location , and conditions .
Astronomical and meteorological observations can play a large part in timing the planting of crops such as peanuts , okra , beans , maize and more recently watermelon .
`` Our people have survived for centuries , '' says Ms Ibrahim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it works . ''
For millennia , Australia 's Aboriginal people have burned land to keep it healthy , improve biodiversity , generate food , and prevent the spread of wildfires .
The ancient land management tool is grounded in cultural and spiritual connections with the earth .
Victor Steffensen , an indigenous fire practitioner , has been teaching `` cultural burning '' for two decades .
He had predicted the country 's bushfire disaster in the middle of 2018 .
`` It was a massive wakeup call , '' he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was n't being properly managed with climate change .
Fire plays a big part in that management . ''
Thirty-four people died , one billion animals were wiped out and some 3,000 homes were either damaged or destroyed .
Indigenous burning practices vary across Australian ecosystems .
It is a delicate and calculated process .
Fire is controlled and timed when conditions are believed to be right with the environment , weather and season .
The burning is kept low in size and intensity to give animals time to flee and to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor 's litter layer and shrubs to help create natural fire breaks .
`` It 's a science that 's layered on so much information that 's been developed over thousands of years , '' he says .
Mr Steffensen also visits indigenous communities in the US and Canada to exchange knowledge of fires .
`` It 's an exciting time to reconnect with our landscapes .
We 're finding a lot of similarities between our trees , our soils and our grasses , '' he says .
• Will planting millions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia 's bushfire season , there has been greater interest from Western agencies to involve indigenous techniques .
Mr Steffensen welcomes the attention but calls for greater co-operation .
`` It needs to be a decolonising process where agencies do n't dominate and exploit indigenous communities . ''
Machu Picchu in Peru is an iconic example of a terrace farm where the Incas grew crops between stone walls dug into the cold , high earth of the Andes mountains .
The ancient technique produced food on slopes in tough conditions .
It yielded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and spices with the use of llama and alpaca dung as fertiliser .
Many terraces still exist , scattered across a million hectares in the Peruvian Andes - but are in poor condition .
`` We neglected them , '' says Wilson Ccasa , a 28-year-old farmer from the indigenous Quechua community .
Mr Ccasa comes from the southern rural area of Pallqa .
He joined a largescale effort to restore some of the abandoned terraces in his locality last year where the area available to grow corn was doubled .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land space , reduces water use , and prevents soil erosion .
The stone walls also absorb the sun 's heat during the day and release it into the soil at night when temperatures drop .
`` We 've had abrupt changes in weather like drought and hailstones .
If you come to our countryside , you 'll believe it . ''
The richness of the rainforest 's ecology is largely thanks to millennia of indigenous agriculture , according to an in-depth scientific study of the Amazon .
The diversity of indigenous people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups , is as rich as the foods they produce .
Gardens vary from region to region where many grow hundreds of edible species .
They also serve as a gene bank , protecting against pests and adapting to weather changes .
When the gardens reach maturity , they are abandoned to allow the forest to regenerate .
Bedjai Txucarramae , an indigenous leader of the Kayapo people in Brazil 's eastern Amazon , definitely has green fingers .
`` Growing your own food is much better than buying it in the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is why my health is so good and I feel so strong despite being old . ''
His community grows 56 types of sweet potatoes , 46 types of cassava , 40 types of yam and 13 types of maize .
The varieties are the result of several centuries worth of cultivation from cloning and exchanging seeds with other villages to improve their own gene bank .
The Kayapo developed these practices long before modern scientists created seed banks to guard against environmental catastrophes that could impact food security worldwide .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotter and drier in his region , as scientists predict it will , many varieties of their crops will survive and some might actually benefit .
The Arctic is particularly vulnerable to climate change with temperatures rising faster than most other parts of the planet .
As a result , the culture and livelihoods of the more than 40 indigenous groups living across the US , Canada , Russia , Finland , Norway , Sweden and Greenland are being directly affected .
`` They 've survived one of the world 's harshest regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're now seeing a new normal '' says Dr Tero Mustonen , a Finnish climate scientist .
He is the director of the non-profit organisation Snowchange which works on climate adaptation projects combining Western science with indigenous knowledge .
Snowchange recently backed an extensive restoration project led by Skolt Sami Pauliina Feodoroff in Näätämö Watershed , Finland .
For over a decade , her indigenous community has experienced warming waters that led to significant changes in fish populations .
This was n't the only problem .
Climate change , coupled with nearby industrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's pathway .
Two indigenous Sami elders were enlisted to remember and remap the Vainosjoki river in its more original size and form .
Their knowledge formed a detailed map where specific old boulders and rocks were identified and moved back .
`` Fish spawn in the same place they were born .
Old positions of rocks and boulders can recover these lost nurseries , '' says Ms Feodoroff .
The community saw the return of cold water fish such as trout and grayling as well as whole supporting ecosystems involving birds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mitigating global warming needs to be guided by the wisdom of local communities , '' says Dr Tero Mustonen .
`` We ca n't afford to ignore them anymore . ''

But where did this ancient knowledge come from and do these practices really work? As the world marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, here are five stories about climate pioneers who are digging deep into their history.


bbc--2020-04-21--Israel coalition deal a victory for Netanyahu forged in isolation

For Israel 's protector-in-chief , this was a victory forged in isolation .
Weeks on from the latest inconclusive election , Benjamin Netanyahu had to go into quarantine for some of the time he was trying to outmanoeuvre his rivals because his health minister - overseeing Israel 's coronavirus response - tested positive .
Then , in the heat of crisis , came another coronation for `` King Bibi '' ( as some admirers call him ) ; set up after Zoom video calls and signed off in his official residence with his country in near-total lockdown .
Another set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the face of corruption claims , he has shredded the political alliance that rivalled him at three elections .
He has turned his chief challenger Benny Gantz - for now - into his chief deputy .
Opponents became an image of still conformity - protesters were pictured each standing alone at a socially distanced demonstration in Tel Aviv .
And he has set a course to try to introduce a centrepiece of President Donald Trump 's so-called `` Deal of the Century '' - the annexation of parts of the occupied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Israeli nationalist right but set to inflame tensions with the Palestinians .
But despite it all , the pact he signed to govern with Mr Gantz is set to bring an end , on paper at least , to the Netanyahu era .
Israelis have been deeply divided over their longest-serving leader .
Throughout last year , Mr Gantz built an opposition movement on the basis of popular discontent with Mr Netanyahu .
In the strongholds of his Blue and White party , voters during three successive elections would tell me they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and corrupt .
Mr Gantz , a former military chief , pulled together policies mostly of the right and liberal centre , tacking from one approach - trying to upend Mr Netanyahu 's platform as the guarantor of security - to another - highlighting the corruption cases and vowing never to sit with a prime minister under criminal indictment .
Now Mr Gantz has broken that pledge , justifying his move by saying there is a pressing need for stable government to tackle the coronavirus pandemic .
Mr Netanyahu 's supporters continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` Mr Security '' - `` Only Bibi ! ''
I heard shouted repeatedly on the campaign trial .
Israel has a government , but it has not resolved its `` identity crisis '' , as one analyst describes it .
The pair 's rotation agreement will see Mr Netanyahu sworn in as prime minister for the next 18 months and Mr Gantz as `` alternative prime minister '' .
The retired general will serve initially as defence minister before taking over as prime minister late next year .
And the backdrop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Netanyahu faces a delayed trial for fraud , bribery and breach of trust - allegations he denies and sees as a witch-hunt to drive him from office .
After their meeting on Monday night , the two men said they had reached agreement to form a `` national emergency government '' .
Mr Netanyahu said the coalition deal would save `` lives and livelihoods '' .
In reality , this agreement has come late .
Officials believe they are successfully managing the first coronavirus wave in Israel , but an economic emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the workforce - more than a million people - unemployed .
The 14-page coalition document not only sets out the mechanism for the next three years of government , but also gives both men guarantees to stop the other grabbing the reins of power - effectively clauses of mutually assured destruction .
There are measures designed to stop Mr Netanyahu calling another election and to stop Mr Gantz relying on the Supreme Court to bar Mr Netanyahu from office before any conviction and appeal .
The deal amounts to a `` democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analyst Yohanan Plesner , who heads the Israel Democracy Institute think tank .
He is among those who characterise Israel 's paralysis partly as a result of perceived attempts by Mr Netanyahu and his allies to use political office to swerve legal problems .
`` Anti-democratic legislation is dead in the foreseeable future , '' he says , citing Blue and White 's control of the justice ministry and a committee controlling legislation .
So what kind of government will it be ?
For some commentators on the left , Mr Gantz 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a shift towards the centre ground , a meaningful change in Israeli politics that was characterised by religious nationalism , or `` ultra-right '' policies , according to the Haaretz journalist Chemi Shalev .
`` The disproportionate influence hitherto exerted by the ultra-Orthodox parties and the settler lobby will be diminished , '' he says .
Palestinian leaders and the Arab Israeli parties have castigated the clause in the agreement that suggests cabinet discussions could start from 1 July on applying Israeli sovereignty to Jewish settlements and other territory in the occupied West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump 's peace plan for the region , seen as heavily weighted towards Israel and rejected by the Palestinians .
Settlements are considered illegal under international law , although Israel disputes this .
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh described the coalition deal as the basis for an `` Israeli annexation government '' .
`` [ It ] means ending the two-state solution and the dismantling of the rights of the people of Palestine as established under international law and resolutions , '' he said .
According to the deal , any specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A further caveat is the `` preservation of existing agreements '' - mainly those with Egypt and Jordan , says Mr Plesner , who thinks that the deal puts the issue on the agenda but does not make clear how it will transpire .
`` Gantz can put on the brakes but not pull the handbrake altogether , '' he says .
Meanwhile , some of Mr Gantz 's former allies accuse him of betrayal .
`` It 's the worst act of fraud in the history of this country , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blue and White .
`` I did n't believe that they would steal your vote and give it to Netanyahu . ''
Another MP who backed Mr Gantz to form a government previously accused him of becoming a `` criminal 's doormat '' .
Blue and White had run out of political road - unable to form a coalition of its own because it lacked the numbers in parliament or would have had to rely on the support of groups that would never sit together .
Israelis have been unable to decide three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now he has decided for them - for the time being , at least .

Mr Gantz, a former military chief, pulled together policies mostly of the right and liberal centre, tacking from one approach - trying to upend Mr Netanyahu's platform as the guarantor of security - to another - highlighting the corruption cases and vowing never to sit with a prime minister under criminal indictment.


bbc--2020-04-21--Coronavirus: Rock bands start selling face mask merchandise

As the global pandemic continues , bands have started offering a new piece of must-have merchandise alongside their T-shirts and hoodies - face masks .
Metal acts like Megadeth , Korn and Thursday have led the way , listing masks on their online stores .
My Chemical Romance are selling a stockpile of masks they designed before the pandemic for a show in the desert .
The proceeds will go to a fund for those in live music industry who have lost their jobs because of Covid-19 .
`` We had these masks made to keep you dust-free in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , never will , '' the band said in a statement .
Perhaps , they suggested , `` we were unknowingly waiting for the right time '' to send them to fans .
Megadeth 's masks , which feature their mascot Vic Rattlehead , are being given away to anyone who places an order on their online shop , with a portion of proceeds going towards coronavirus relief .
A line of surgical masks emblazoned with the Korn logo have sold out on the band 's official website - but they promise more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US , where the Center Of Disease Control has recommended the use of face coverings to slow the spread of coronavirus , one manufacturer estimates that four to six billion masks will be produced and sold in the next 12 months .
The UK government 's scientific advisers were due to meet on Tuesday to discuss whether the public should be urged to wear masks .
• Should we all be wearing masks now ?
• Masks for public 'could put NHS supplies at risk' The music merchandise industry , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , has been quick to respond to the demand .
The landscape has shifted dramatically since Latin pop star J Balvin was accused of cashing in on the coronavirus crisis when he tried to sell branded face masks on his online store last month .
He issued a swift apology , saying the promotion `` did n't have my consent '' .
`` This is not the way I act , even less in a moment like this , '' he added , as the gear was removed from his website .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Korn being called out in the same way ?
`` I think the tide has changed , '' says Christiaan Munro , founder and co-owner of live music company Sandbag , which has created merchandise for acts including The Chemical Brothers , Radiohead , Bastille and Blink-182 .
`` When coronavirus first happened , the face mask was seen as a very negative and scary image .
Now , it 's going to be something that you wear to the shops .
`` It 's become an essential rather than a gimmick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accessory .
That will be the progression . ''
Munro says his company has been contacted by several artists interested in creating their own masks , and `` the supply chain is being worked out right now '' .
In many cases , old T-shirts will be recycled to create the masks , meaning `` each one will be unique '' .
`` Weirdly enough , we were already making a lot of masks , '' Tony Holiday , president of the Toronto-based Kt8 Merchandise Company told Billboard magazine last week .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in that scene , bandanas and face masks have been popular at festivals for years because of the dust factor .
So with the recent demand in face masks , we were already set up to deliver . ''
Kt8 is donating some of its proceeds to local hospitals and charities , while other merchandise manufacturers are donating surplus stock to be turned into masks and head caps for hospitals .
Meanwhile , a number of major fashion brands have also been making protective equipment for medical professionals , with some designers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sale .
• 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 Munro notes that masks were also popular among Asian music fans before the Covid-19 pandemic .
`` If you see pictures of people in the cities like Tokyo and Beijing , they worry about Sars or pollution - so there are a lot of face masks being worn , '' he says .
`` But they 've also been selling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LA , in the fashion district , for a long time .
It 's a utility item and then it flowed over into fashion . ''
That 's why pop acts like Ariana Grande and Little Mix had masks on their merchandise stands before the coronavirus outbreak ; while Billie Eilish wore a Gucci mask to Glastonbury and the Grammy Awards , and sells her own branded masks at Urban Outfitters .
It should be noted that masks made of fabric or cloth may only provide a small degree of protection and could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the European Centre for Disease Control .
Munro says that 's why UK acts have not so far been inclined to commission their own line of face coverings .
`` But I think we 'll follow the US , with bands promoting face masks as the general population decides to wear them , with or without instruction from government , '' he says .
And while most artists are using the merchandise to raise money for charity , Munro says some will be looking to `` supplement the income they 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sales of T-shirts and hoodies have remained steady during the lockdown , he notes , which could be a lifeline for some smaller acts .
`` Interestingly , when tours got cancelled , those artists that have put their tour merchandise [ on sale ] with the dates that never happened on the back , they 've done really well , '' he says .
`` It was surprising that people have been supporting the tours even though they did n't get to go to them . ''
Follow us on Facebook , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

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bbc--2020-04-21--Coronavirus lockdown protest: What's behind the US demonstrations?

Across the country , groups of Americans are taking to the streets in protest of lockdown orders aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19 .
Why ?
The US now has over 761,000 cases and more than 40,000 deaths , with numbers still rising , though signs have emerged that infection rates are slowing in some states .
Some states are beginning to ease restrictions , re-opening parks , beaches and some small businesses in the coming days , but most of the US remains under some form of stay-at-home order .
In over a dozen states from coast to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets , blocking roads and honking car horns .
Why are they protesting ?
Those taking to the streets say that the stringent measures restricting movement and businesses are unnecessarily hurting citizens .
Protesters say the stay-at-home measures imposed by state governments to control the spread of Covid-19 are an overreaction .
Some have also come bearing firearms as gun rights groups have been among the organisers , citing infringements on civil liberties .
Some also say keeping these restrictions in place too long will cause long-term damage to local economies .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unemployment claims in the nation reached over 22 million - overturning decades of US job growth .
Many cite President Trump 's caution that the cure can not be worse than the disease itself .
But not everyone wants to see all restrictions eased immediately : some groups have also called for quarantining just the vulnerable , more testing to get people back to work or redefining `` essential '' businesses .
Where are these protests happening ?
Demonstrations have occurred in over a dozen states : These states are led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many people are protesting ?
Protests have varied in size across the country - from a few dozen protesters in Virginia and Oregon to rallies of thousands in Michigan and Washington state .
On Sunday , Washington state saw one of the largest demonstrations , with some 2,500 protesters gathering at the capital in Olympia .
The state was the early epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak in the US .
In Colorado , hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters were met with a counter protest by a few healthcare workers , who , dressed in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hundreds in Arizona took to their cars to create a gridlock around the capitol building in Phoenix .
Idaho , Maryland , Texas and Indiana saw similar gatherings of hundreds .
• Why US could be more at risk from coronavirus • What this crisis reveals about US - and its president Who are the protesters ?
The organisers behind these protests have largely been conservative , pro-Trump and pro-gun activists .
US media have described many of these demonstrations as reminiscent of Trump campaign events , with pro-Trump banners , t-shirts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom over tyranny have also been staples of these protests .
Governors have been likened to kings or dictators .
`` Give me liberty or give me death , '' a quote harkening back to the American Revolution has also been a popular mantra .
Not all those attending are affiliated to organisations - many are simply frustrated by the lockdown strangling their ability to make a living .
But far-right groups and militias have also made their presence known at some demonstrations .
The rally outside the state capitol in Austin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fans of conspiracy theorist Alex Jones , who was seen shaking hands with protesters .
Amid chants of `` let us work '' were calls to `` fire [ Dr Anthony ] Fauci '' , the US infectious disease chief on the White House taskforce , the New York Times reported .
As John Roland , a militia leader in Illinois , told the BBC : `` Re-open my state or we will re-open it ourselves . ''
Meanwhile Christian Yingling , a former commanding officer of the Pennsylvania Light Foot militia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` I 'm gon na do what I got to do to feed my family , '' he said .
`` If it means I got to risk my health then so be it… and yes even potentially the health of others .
`` My mortgage payments are late , my truck payment is late and if I lose either of those I 'm dead in the water . ''
What has Trump said ?
President Donald Trump and his White House have expressed seemingly opposing views on the protests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 taskforce unveiled new guidance to begin re-opening state economies .
That guidance recommends three phases of slowly easing restrictions on businesses and social life , with each phase lasting at least two weeks .
The recommendations also include maintaining some social distancing , access to testing and contact tracing .
But a day after the administration 's plan was announced , the president tweeted the slogans of the `` Liberate '' protests in several Democratic-run states .
On Sunday , the president offered a conflicting message again , telling reporters `` some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and later specifically calling out Michigan and Virginia .
`` Some of the things that happened are maybe not so appropriate , '' Mr Trump said .
`` In the end , it 's not going to matter because we 're starting to open up our states .
And I think they 're going to open up very well . ''
Of the protesters , Mr Trump said : `` Their life was taken away from them . ''
`` These people love our country , they want to get back to work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the concerns of some Americans , especially those in rural parts of the country , they do not reflect the overall public opinion .
A Pew Research Center survey last week found 66 % of Americans are concerned that restrictions will be lifted too quickly , as opposed to 32 % who are worried they will not be lifted soon enough .
In addition , the survey found most of the country - regardless of party affiliation - believes the worst of the pandemic is yet to come .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health US public health experts and many state leaders have continued to stress the importance of social distancing , justifying the measures protesters have taken issue with .
On Monday , Facebook announced it would remove event listings for anti-lockdown protests in California , New Jersey and Nebraska as they violated state government orders .
State governors have also responded to the protesters and Mr Trump 's apparent support .
Washington state 's Jay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president was `` fomenting domestic rebellion '' .
Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland also weighed in , telling CNN : `` I do n't think it 's helpful to encourage demonstrations and encourage people to go against the president 's own policy . ''

"Some of the things that happened are maybe not so appropriate," Mr Trump said. "In the end, it's not going to matter because we're starting to open up our states. And I think they're going to open up very well."


bbc--2020-04-21--Eredivisie: Dutch top flight likely to be cancelled after major events ban extended

The Dutch Football Association “ intends not to continue ” the Eredivisie season after the national government extended a ban on major events until 1 September because of coronavirus .
Ajax and AZ Alkmaar are leading the Dutch top flight level on points after 26 games , with Ajax ahead on goal difference .
Dutch football ’ s governing body KNVB said in a statement it “ intends not to continue playing the 2019/20 competition ” but will consult Uefa before making a final decision .
Earlier on Tuesday , Uefa said some European leagues could be cancelled “ in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Barcelona : Sponsor to name Nou Camp for coronavirus funds “ Based on the government 's decision , the KNVB will consult with Uefa , after which the decision will be taken , ” the KNVB statement continued .
“ The KNVB has not yet definitively cancelled competitions because of financial difficulties in the football industry due to the corona crisis.
” Eredivisie clubs will meet on Friday “ to discuss the consequences ” of the decision , while training grounds will reopen “ under strict conditions ” so that players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a massive blow for all the professional clubs at the highest level , ” Dutch football journalist Marcel Van Der Kraan told BBC World Service .
“ The Eredivisie was hoping they could resume .
But we know it is impossible to organise matches with fans and the Prime Minister says it is not wise to do it without fans .
”

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Ajax are ahead of AZ Alkmaar on goal difference at the top of the Eredivisie
The Dutch Football Association “intends not to continue” the Eredivisie season after the national government extended a ban on major events until 1 September because of coronavirus.
Ajax and AZ Alkmaar are leading the Dutch top flight level on points after 26 games, with Ajax ahead on goal difference.
Dutch football’s governing body KNVB said in a statement it “intends not to continue playing the 2019-20 competition” but will consult Uefa before making a final decision.
Earlier on Tuesday, Uefa said some European leagues could be cancelled “in special cases” because of the pandemic.
“Based on the government's decision, the KNVB will consult with Uefa, after which the decision will be taken,” the KNVB statement continued.
“The KNVB has not yet definitively cancelled competitions because of financial difficulties in the football industry due to the corona crisis.”
Eredivisie clubs will meet on Friday “to discuss the consequences” of the decision, while training grounds will reopen “under strict conditions” so that players can train.
“It’s a massive blow for all the professional clubs at the highest level,” Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan told BBC World Service.
“The Eredivisie was hoping they could resume. But we know it is impossible to organise matches with fans and the prime minister says it is not wise to do it without fans.”


bbc--2020-04-21--BeIN Sport urges Premier League to 'fully interrogate' Newcastle takeover

The Premier League has been urged to `` fully interrogate '' Newcastle United 's proposed £300m takeover by one of its largest worldwide broadcast partners , beIN Sport .
The head of the Qatar-based TV giant , CEO Yousef al-Obaidly , has written to chairpersons of all top-flight clubs about the deal , which could see the Magpies bought by a Saudi-backed consortium .
In the letter , Al-Obaidly accuses the Saudi Arabian government of the `` facilitation of the near three-year theft of the Premier League 's commercial rights - and in turn your club 's commercial revenues - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pirate service '' .
`` It is no exaggeration to say that the future economic model of football is at stake , '' added Al-Obaidly , who has also written to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters .
Broadcaster beoutQ has been illegally showing matches - mainly in Saudi Arabia - despite the rights to show games in the region belonging to beIN Sports .
Last year football authorities attempted to shut the service down without success .
Saudi broadcaster Arabsat has always denied that beoutQ uses its frequencies to broadcast illegally and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defamation attempts and misleading campaigns '' .
Al-Obaidly continues : `` Given the crippling economic effect that coronavirus is having on the sports industry , this is all happening at a time when football clubs need to protect their broadcast revenue the most . ''
In his letter to Masters , al-Obaidly says : `` To the extent the reports about the acquisition of NUFC are correct , we consider it essential for the Premier League to fully investigate the potential acquirer of the club , including all directors , officers and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabian entities involved in , or otherwise providing any financing for the acquisition .
`` There appear to be several reasons why such an investigation is being called for by other parties ; our request is purely based on Saudi Arabia 's past and present theft of your and your member clubs ' intellectual property rights . ''
This comes during a time when both Saudi Arabia and Qatar are involved in a wider diplomatic row in the Middle East .
The Premier League must approve the Newcastle takeover and are understood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working through paperwork connected to the deal which could take two to three weeks .
BeIN 's intervention came as human rights campaigners Amnesty International also criticised the potential deal .
The Premier League must decide whether the group of investors backed by Saudi Arabia 's sovereign wealth fund meets its owners ' and directors ' test .
Amnesty UK director Kate Allen said in a separate letter to Masters : `` So long as these questions [ about Saudi Arabia 's human rights record ] remain unaddressed , the Premier League is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patsy of those who want to use the glamour and prestige of Premier League football to cover up actions that are deeply immoral , in breach of international law and at odds with the values of the Premier League and the global footballing community . ''
BBC Sport has contacted the Saudi wealth fund and representatives of the consortium asking for a response to Amnesty 's letter .
The Premier League was unavailable for comment and Newcastle have also been approached .
Amnesty - a non-governmental organisation which focuses on human rights - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights record , pointing to long-standing issues including women 's rights , the treatment of the LGBT community and the restriction of free speech .
Western intelligence agencies also believe the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 was ordered by the Crown Prince - something he denies .
Saudi authorities blamed a `` rogue operation '' for Khashoggi 's death .
The country has also been accused of 'sportswashing ' , a term used to describe countries that try to improve their international reputation by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sporting events .
`` The Crown Prince has been using sporting events and personalities as a means of improving the Kingdom 's reputation following the grisly murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi - widely believed to have taken place with his approval , '' the Amnesty letter continued .
`` Such positive associations with sporting events also distract attention from Saudi 's appalling human rights record , including the imprisonment and torture of women human rights defenders . ''
Accusations of sportswashing have previously been rebuffed by the man heading Saudi Arabia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal .
`` We want to get people more engaged in sport , '' he said .
`` In 2015 just 13 % of Saudis took part in sports for half an hour or more each week ; we want that to be 40 % by 2030 .
This is all part of a programme designed to get people more active . ''
Mike Ashley has owned Newcastle since 2007 and put them up for sale in 2017 .

Newcastle United sat 13th in the Premier League when the season was suspended in March
The Premier League has been urged by one of its largest overseas broadcast partners to "fully interrogate" Newcastle United's proposed £300m takeover.
The chief executive of the Qatar-based TV giant beIN Sport, Yousef al-Obaidly, has written to the chairs of top-flight clubs about the deal, which could see the Magpies bought by a Saudi-backed consortium.
In the letter, Al-Obaidly accuses the Saudi Arabian government of the "facilitation of the near three-year theft of the Premier League's commercial rights - and in turn your club's commercial revenues - through its backing of the huge-scale beoutQ pirate service".
"It is no exaggeration to say that the future economic model of football is at stake," added Al-Obaidly, who has also written to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters.
Broadcaster beoutQ has been illegally showing matches - mainly in Saudi Arabia - despite the rights to show games in the region belonging to beIN Sports, who are currently in the middle of a three-year deal with the Premier League worth £400m.
Last year football authorities attempted to shut the beoutQ service down without success.
Saudi broadcaster Arabsat has always denied that beoutQ uses its frequencies to broadcast illegally and has accused beIN of being behind "defamation attempts and misleading campaigns".
Describing the issue as "a matter of urgency", Al-Obaidly continues: "Given the crippling economic effect that coronavirus is having on the sports industry, this is all happening at a time when football clubs need to protect their broadcast revenue the most."
Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund the PIF (Public Investment Fund) is understood to be set to acquire an 80% stake in the club as part of a consortium including financier Amanda Staveley and billionaires the Reuben brothers.
Mike Ashley has owned Newcastle since 2007 and put them up for sale in 2017.
In his letter to Masters, al-Obaidly says: "To the extent the reports about the acquisition of NUFC are correct, we consider it essential for the Premier League to fully investigate the potential acquirer of the club, including all directors, officers and other representatives from the KSA PIF or other Saudi Arabian entities involved in, or otherwise providing any financing for the acquisition.
"There appear to be several reasons why such an investigation is being called for by other parties; our request is purely based on Saudi Arabia's past and present theft of your and your member clubs' intellectual property rights."
The Premier League must decide whether the group of investors backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund meets its owners' and directors' test and is understood to currently be in the process of working through paperwork connected to the deal, which could take two to three weeks.
BeIN have asked the Premier League in its owners' and directors' test to consider "the direct role of Saudi Arabia" in the beoutQ service, the challenge the Premier League faces in "taking any action to protect its own intellectual property rights in the country" and its ability to "enforce" its rules against "Saudi Arabian based persons or entities".
This comes during a time when both Saudi Arabia and Qatar are involved in a wider diplomatic row in the Middle East.
BeIN is not thought to be considering its partnership with the Premier League, though last year the group did threaten to pull its deal with Serie A over the decision to stage the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. external-link
Amnesty criticise takeover
Human rights campaigners Amnesty International have also criticised the potential deal.
Amnesty UK director Kate Allen said in a separate letter to Masters: "So long as these questions [about Saudi Arabia's human rights record] remain unaddressed, the Premier League is putting itself at risk of becoming a patsy of those who want to use the glamour and prestige of Premier League football to cover up actions that are deeply immoral, in breach of international law and at odds with the values of the Premier League and the global footballing community."
BBC Sport has contacted the Saudi wealth fund and representatives of the consortium asking for a response to Amnesty's letter.
The Premier League declined to comment on the Amnesty letter and Newcastle have also been approached by BBC Sport.
Amnesty - a non-governmental organisation which focuses on human rights - has long criticised Saudi Arabia's human rights record, pointing to long-standing issues including women's rights, the treatment of the LGBT community and the restriction of free speech.
Western intelligence agencies also believe the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018 was ordered by the Crown Prince - something he denies. Saudi authorities blamed a "rogue operation" for Khashoggi's death.
The country has also been accused of 'sportswashing', a term used to describe countries that try to improve their international reputation by investing in major teams or hosting big sporting events.
"The Crown Prince has been using sporting events and personalities as a means of improving the Kingdom's reputation following the grisly murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi - widely believed to have taken place with his approval," the Amnesty letter continued.
"Such positive associations with sporting events also distract attention from Saudi's appalling human rights record, including the imprisonment and torture of women human rights defenders."
Accusations of sportswashing have previously been rebuffed by the man heading Saudi Arabia's unprecedented investment in sports, HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal.
"We want to get people more engaged in sport," he said. "In 2015 just 13% of Saudis took part in sports for half an hour or more each week; we want that to be 40% by 2030. This is all part of a programme designed to get people more active."


bbc--2020-04-21--Gronkowski to come out of retirement and reunite with Brady at Bucs

Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is to come out of retirement to reunite with superstar quarterback Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers .
Gronkowski , 30 , retired from the NFL in March 2019 - weeks after helping the Patriots to victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53 .
Gronkowski had a year remaining on his contract when he retired so the Pats still held his rights , which they have now traded to Tampa Bay for a fourth-round draft pick , NFL.com reports .
The Patriots will also give up a seventh-round @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a player considered to be one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history .
Three-time Super Bowl winner Gronkowski has not been idle in retirement and recently performed in the WWE , winning the 24/7 title at Wrestlemania 36 earlier this month .
A five-time Pro Bowl selection , Gronkowski caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns in 115 games from 2010-18 .
He added 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 postseason contests .
His move to Tampa Bay would be a big story on its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with whom he shared so much success across nine seasons in New England - means the media focus on the Bucs next season will be intense .
Brady , 42 , joined the Buccaneers in March after 20 years with the New England Patriots .
He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time , having won the Super Bowl six times - more than any other player .

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is to come out of retirement to reunite with superstar quarterback Tom Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gronkowski, 30, retired from the NFL in March 2019 - weeks after helping the Patriots to victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 53.
Gronkowski had a year remaining on his contract when he retired so the Pats still held his rights, which they have now traded to Tampa Bay for a fourth-round draft pick, NFL.com reports. external-link
The Patriots will also give up a seventh-round pick as part of the deal.
"Rob Gronkowski is one of the best tight ends in NFL history and he plays the game with the type of passion and desire that sets him apart," said Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht.
"Rob has played his entire career alongside Tom Brady and their accomplishments speak for themselves - together they have developed the type of chemistry on and off the field that is crucial to success.
"Rob combines elite-level skills as both a receiver and blocker but what really makes him special is the fact that he's a proven winner who brings that championship mindset and work ethic."
Three-time Super Bowl winner Gronkowski has stayed fit in retirement and recently performed in the WWE, winning the 24/7 title at Wrestlemania 36 earlier this month.
A five-time Pro Bowl selection, Gronkowski caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns in 115 games from 2010-18.
He added 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 postseason contests.
His move to Tampa Bay would be a big story in its own right, but reuniting with Brady - with whom he shared so much success across nine seasons in New England - means the media focus on the Bucs next season will be intense.
Brady, 42, joined the Buccaneers in March after 20 years with the New England Patriots. He is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having won the Super Bowl six times - more than any other player.


bbc--2020-04-21--Women's European Championship: Uefa to confirm tournament moved to July 2022

Uefa is set to announce the postponed 2021 Women 's European Championship will take place from 6-31 July 2022 .
@ @ @ @ @ held in England , has been pushed back a year after the men 's European @ @ @ @ @ were both postponed until 2021 because of the global coronavirus pandemic .
The intention is @ @ @ @ @ as the original tournament .
Moving the Euros to 2022 will avoid two women 's @ @ @ @ @ .
Three European teams - England , the Netherlands and Sweden - have already qualified @ @ @ @ @ it stands , the finale of the Women 's Euros will coincide with the start @ @ @ @ @ Games .
• Coronavirus will not affect $ 1bn investment in women 's game - @

Last updated on .From the section Women's Football
Wembley Stadium will host the Women's European Championship final
Uefa is set to announce the postponed 2021 Women's European Championship will take place from 6-31 July 2022.
The tournament, to be held in England, has been pushed back a year after the men's European Championship and the Tokyo Olympics were both postponed until 2021 because of the global coronavirus pandemic.
The intention is to use the same venues as the original tournament.
Moving the Euros to 2022 will avoid two women's tournaments in the same summer.
Three European teams - England, the Netherlands and Sweden - have already qualified for the Olympics.
As it stands, the finale of the Women's Euros will coincide with the start of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.


bbc--2020-04-21--Barcelona to give sponsor Nou Camp naming rights with revenue used to fight coronavirus

Barcelona are to give a sponsor naming rights to the Nou Camp for the first time and donate all the @ @ @ @ @ Barca 's stadium - which is known as Camp Nou in Catalan - has never @ @ @ @ @ in 1957 .
The La Liga champions have given the title rights to the Barca @ @ @ @ @ a sponsor for 2020-21 .
`` Revenue will be used to fund research projects and @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , '' the club said .
`` FC Barcelona and the Barca Foundation consider @ @ @ @ @ this time of humanitarian crisis , the institution should use all its resources to fight @ @ @ @ @ its consequences . ''
Spain is one of only four countries in the world to @ @ @ @ @ deaths to date .
Barcelona did not have a shirt sponsor until 2010 when they @ @ @ @ @ Qatar Foundation , although charity Unicef had appeared on their shirts from 2006 .
• @ @ @ @ @ Hero - five things we learned

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Barcelona have played at the Nou Camp since 1957
Barcelona are to give a sponsor naming rights to the Nou Camp for the first time and donate all the revenue to fighting coronavirus.
Barca's stadium - which is known as Camp Nou in Catalan - has never had another name since opening in 1957.
The La Liga champions have given the title rights to the Barca Foundation, who will find a sponsor for 2020-21.
"Revenue will be used to fund research projects and the worldwide fight against the pandemic," the club said.
"FC Barcelona and the Barca Foundation consider it a necessity that at this time of humanitarian crisis, the institution should use all its resources to fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences."
Spain is one of only four countries in the world to have more than 20,000 coronavirus-related deaths to date.
Barcelona did not have a shirt sponsor until 2010 when they signed a deal with the Qatar Foundation, although charity Unicef had appeared on their shirts from 2006.


bbc--2020-04-21--'Sorry Tom, you need to stay safe' - Brady told to leave closed Tampa park

Tom Brady was asked to leave a park in Tampa that is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic after being found exercising alone by patrol staff .
The six-time Super Bowl winner joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March after 20 years with the New England Patriots .
Tampa mayor Jane Castor said the quarterback , 42 , was seen during a routine patrol of the park in Florida .
`` A staff member saw an individual working out in one of our downtown parks , '' said Castor .
`` She went over to tell him it was closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brady is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time , having won the Super Bowl more times than any other player - in 2002 , 2004 , 2005 , 2015 , 2017 and 2019 .
He has made a total of nine Super Bowl appearances and been named the championship game 's most valuable player ( MVP ) four times - both NFL records .
The City of Tampa messaged Brady on Twitter after Castor revealed the news during her daily coronavirus update on Monday .
`` Sorry Tom Brady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't wait to welcome you and our entire community back with even bigger smiles , '' it said .
`` Until then , stay safe and stay home as much as you can to help flatten the curve . ''

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Tom Brady was asked to leave a park in Tampa that is closed because of the coronavirus pandemic after being found exercising alone by patrol staff.
The six-time Super Bowl winner joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March after 20 years with the New England Patriots.
Tampa mayor Jane Castor said the quarterback, 42, was seen during a routine patrol of the park in Florida.
"A staff member saw an individual working out in one of our downtown parks," said Castor.
"She went over to tell him it was closed and it was Tom Brady."
Brady is regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, having won the Super Bowl more times than any other player - in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
He has made a total of nine Super Bowl appearances and been named the championship game's most valuable player (MVP) four times - both NFL records.
The City of Tampa messaged Brady on Twitter after Castor revealed the news during her daily coronavirus update on Monday.
"Sorry Tom Brady - our Tampa parks and recreation team can't wait to welcome you and our entire community back with even bigger smiles," it said.
"Until then, stay safe and stay home as much as you can to help flatten the curve."


bbc--2020-04-21--'I touched death': A survivor's story

'I touched death': A survivor's story

Elizabeth , 49 , knows she is lucky to be alive .
After falling seriously ill with Covid-19 , she was admitted to hospital earlier this month .
This is her story , which she chose to tell partly to thank the hospital staff who treated her .
The first hint I had that something was n't right was on a Friday .
I felt more tired than normal and by the time I went to bed I was exhausted .
That was a particularly tough weekend .
On the Monday , I started getting pains in my legs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a trapped nerve and took some paracetamol but the doctors later told me the virus had gone directly into my muscles .
I had a cough but it was n't persistent , which people think is always the sign .
I was bed-bound for over a week but then once I did get out - to the local petrol station to get some provisions - that was when it hit me .
I got back home feeling freezing cold and shivering .
At one point I had four hot water bottles on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just could not get warm .
Then the fever set in .
It felt like my body was on fire , and I was getting splitting headaches .
I could n't eat anything , I was vomiting and absolutely wringing wet with sweat , and then my breathing started to get more difficult .
I 'm asthmatic and that really worried me , but I still thought I could ride this out at home .
Within a few more days I was slipping in and out of consciousness and I have vague recollections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd called 111 [ the NHS non-emergency helpline ] for me .
The paramedics arrived and I remember hearing the ambulance driver outside saying : `` She 's very poorly , we need to bring her in . ''
He put an oxygen mask on me and carried me out to the vehicle .
One of my kids had called my mother , June , and she was there watching .
That was one of the hardest things : seeing the look of helplessness on her face .
But she could n't come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is at high risk of catching the virus .
When we arrived at hospital , we were in a queue of ambulances just waiting to off-load patients at A & E .
I was lying there for about three hours until it was our turn .
They put me in a wheelchair and I remember them saying they had no cubicles , they were full to capacity .
I sat there with my eyes closed listening to everything - people rushing around , phones ringing , general commotion .
The nurse said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Covid-19 . ''
He stuck the swab stick so far down the back of my throat that I was retching , and then just as I was recovering , he said : `` Now I have to do it up your nostrils . ''
That was followed by a raft of blood tests and a chest X-Ray .
I felt pummelled .
All I could think was `` What the hell 's going on ? ''
I felt like passing out .
I remember another nurse coming over and telling me : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your X-Ray results have come back - you 've got pneumonia in the lungs and you 'll have to be on oxygen 24/7 . ''
At one point , I felt the most almighty pain in my chest , like I was being compressed with slabs of concrete .
They told me it was the pneumonia attacking my lungs and they gave me a shot of morphine .
That was followed by terrible stabbing pains in my stomach , as bad as labour contractions , and I cried out : `` I ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't carry on ! ''
By the time the pains subsided , I was almost delirious .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health There were only four beds in my bay , and everyone in there had tested positive for Covid-19 and had an underlying health issue .
Two other women already in there were diabetic , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me after a couple of days .
I do n't remember much of the first few days , just nurses coming in and out all the time , and cleaners coming in to disinfect everything .
Most of the noise was from me ringing the bell and gasping for drinks of water .
I was so weak it 's all I could manage to say , that and `` commode '' .
I was watching the nurses - they were all working a minimum of 12-hour shifts .
You could just see they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I saw a man in what was meant to be our all-female ward .
I rang the bell and the nurse came and explained he was the son of the woman in the bed opposite me and that she was an `` end-of-life '' patient .
I felt dreadfully sad for them but at the same time was thinking : `` So I 've got somebody who 's about six feet from me who 's basically waiting to die and I 'm going to hear it . ''
They had the curtains pulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a modicum of privacy .
That was when I started hallucinating .
I was getting flashbacks of conversations I 'd had in my life and people I 'd met .
At one point I thought : `` Am I alive or dead ?
Do these flashbacks mean I 'm transitioning to death ?
Is this what people mean when they talk about your life passing before you when you die ? ''
And then I 'm saying : `` No , I do n't think actually I am dead , because there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nobody calling me . ''
Then all of a sudden - it was the early hours - I heard a male nurse outside the door say : `` She 's gone . ''
The poor woman opposite me had died .
I waited for them to come in and remove her body , but nothing happened .
That lady 's body was there for what seemed like hours before they eventually came in .
They were cleaning it and then they 're wrapping it in plastic , like packaging .
Then I heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , zip it up and say : `` On the count of three… one… two… three . ''
The noise of that body coming into contact with a metal trolley - that 's a sound you do n't forget .
Someone started cleaning where the woman had been and sprayed lemon scent to try to freshen up the smell .
By daytime I was just looking at an empty bed .
The day before , I 'd been looking at somebody and now the bed was empty .
That thought really affected me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bed diagonally opposite me .
She slipped into a coma , and I watched her daughter come and say desperately : `` Mum , it 's me !
Mum , it 's me !
`` , and it was pitiful because the woman was already `` gone '' .
It sounds awful but I was waiting for her for two nights to actually die , which was very distressing .
The woman next to me was getting better and she commented that we were in a bay where 50 % had died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were on the lucky side of the room .
I had fought to stay alive .
After being almost ready to give up at the start , I had told myself : `` No , I 've got to carry on , I 'm not going yet .
I 'm 49 , I 'm not ready to die , not just for me but for my kids and my family and friends . ''
My sister , Lorraine , and my brother , Richard , had texted me constantly with love and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will to fight it .
It was 8 April and I remember seeing the full moon and thinking to myself that this was the start of a new lunar cycle and I 'm going to take this as a sign I 'm on the road to recovery .
Unfortunately the comatose woman died after two days and again I heard the same process .
The plastic , the zipping , the trolley and the cleaning .
What saved my life perhaps was one male nurse who said to me : `` If the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go home - go !
Do n't make the mistake of staying in hospital because you feel a bit weak .
Believe me , I 've seen it on this ward - every patient who 's been told by doctors 'you can go home ' and have argued saying they do n't feel 100 % and just want one more night in hospital - every one of them has contracted a secondary illness , because this is a high-risk Covid ward and they 've all died . ''
That same day , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I scraped by .
The doctor said : `` You 've just made it .
I 'm happy to discharge you '' .
I was so excited - I was going home .
It was freezing outside .
I only had a hospital gown and flip flops on , but I could feel the air on my face and I was elated .
I do n't know the name of the female ambulance driver but she was an angel - she had started her shift at 06:00 , and she was picking me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an 18-hour day .
This is what these people are doing .
It 's not just the nurses and doctors .
It 's the people who are driving the ambulances .
It 's the paramedic crews .
It 's the woman at the desk doing the admin .
It 's the man coming in cleaning up after a dead body .
It 's the porter taking it down to the morgue .
Every single person is playing their part .
I have written to the ambulance service and the hospital to thank them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm bed-bound for the next few weeks and the doctors said it could take three to six months to get over the pneumonia .
Since leaving hospital , my mother has been my lifeline , leaving me food parcels on my doorstep .
I touched death and I 'm very lucky to be alive .
What I 'm now looking forward to is appreciating nature .
You realise material things do n't matter .
When I get outside I want to breathe the air , look at birds and enjoy the natural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been given a second chance .

I started watching the woman in the bed diagonal to me. She slipped into a coma, and I watched her daughter come and say desperately: "Mum, it's me! Mum, it's me!", and it was pitiful because the woman was already "gone". It sounds awful but I was waiting for her for two nights to actually die, which was very distressing. The woman next to me was getting better and she commented that we were in a bay where 50% had died and 50% had lived and that we were on the lucky side of the room.


bbc--2020-04-21--India migrants ask: When can I go home?

India migrants ask: When can I go home?

Last week , hours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended a nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus , thousands of migrant workers gathered near a railway station in Mumbai city .
There had been rumours of train services restarting , and the workers had gathered defying rules of social distancing , putting themselves and others at risk .
They demanded that authorities arrange transport to send them back to their hometowns and villages so they could be with their families .
The police , instead , used sticks to disperse them .
Around the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hundreds of textile workers protested in Surat city , demanding passage home .
And a day later , there was outrage in the capital , Delhi , when several hundred migrants were discovered living under a bridge along the Yamuna river .
The river here resembles a sewer and the bank is strewn with rubbish .
The men were unwashed and said they had not eaten in three days , since the government shelter they lived in was burned down .
They have now been moved to new shelters .
The incidents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millions of poor Indians who migrate from villages to cities in search of livelihood - and how the lockdown has left them stranded far away from home , with no jobs or money .
The problem of migrant workers may not be entirely unique to India , but the sheer scale - there are more than 40 million migrant labourers across the country - makes it difficult to provide relief to everyone .
Most move from villages to work in the cities as domestic helpers , drivers and gardeners , or as daily-wagers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flyovers and homes , or as street vendors .
One critic said the mismanagement of the migrant crisis and the treatment of its poorest citizens during the pandemic could be India 's shame .
Whether living in shelters , sleeping on footpaths or under flyovers , the migrants are restless and are waiting for restrictions to be eased so they can go home .
A few days back , I visited one shelter in east Delhi , located in a school building , run by the city government .
It 's home to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of men and women there and the one question they all want answered is : `` When can I go home ? ''
Among them is Manoj Ahirwal , who 's been at the shelter with his relatives since 29 March .
`` The police told us they 'll help us reach home , but they brought us here instead .
They tricked us , '' he says , dejectedly .
The 25-year-old had arrived in Delhi from Simariya , his village 650km ( 400 miles ) away , last month .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but there was still a month to go before harvesting .
So , he came to Delhi and joined his mother Kalibai Ahirwal and 21 other relatives on a construction site .
He had worked for just three days when India first announced the initial 21-day lockdown on 25 March .
With their livelihood grinding to a halt and meagre savings running out fast , they decided to return to their village .
But with train and bus services halted and state borders sealed , that was n't really an option .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was arranging buses to transport those stranded on the state border and set off for the Anand Vihar bus station .
But by then , the buses had left and there were thousands like them still stranded .
In desperation , they decided to walk home .
`` We bought 10kg ( 22lbs ) wheat flour , some potatoes and tomatoes .
We thought we 'd stop by the roadside every night and cook , '' Kalibai Ahirwal told me when I met her at the shelter .
At this three-storey school , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and benches in classrooms and the authorities are providing three cooked meals every day .
There 's milk for children and occasional fruit for pregnant women .
The Ahirwals say they are grateful for the facilities , but are desperate to leave .
The wheat crop in their village is ready to be harvested and Manoj Ahirwal says his father and elder brother , who are back home , ca n't manage on their own .
`` This is the time we grow food for the whole year .
The government will feed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will happen after that ? ''
asks Kalibai Ahirwal .
Mr Modi announced the lockdown with barely four hours ' notice .
The decision unleashed chaos that India is still struggling to deal with .
Within hours of his announcement , millions of migrants began fleeing the cities , the key highways filled with men , women and children , carrying their belongings , trying to walk home , sometimes hundreds of miles away .
Several people died in the process .
The authorities say the lockdown is key to saving lives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country 's poorest and most vulnerable citizens hard .
In the absence of work , many migrant workers are now dependent on food handouts from governments or charities for survival- some reduced to begging .
And as I write this story , reports are coming in about a 12-year-old girl who died after walking 150km from the southern state of Telangana to Chhattisgarh state in central India .
She had walked for three days when she died , 14km from home .
`` This lockdown is totally inhuman , '' lawyer-activist Prashant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Supreme Court asking for migrants to be allowed to return home , told the BBC .
`` Those who test negative for Covid-19 must not be forcibly kept in shelters or away from their homes and families against their wishes .
The government should allow for their safe travel to their hometowns and villages and provide necessary transportation for the same , '' the petition says .
If it goes through , it would help the Ahirwals and all the others being held at the Delhi government shelter .
`` Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , all the 380 people have been checked every morning by health staff for fever and there has n't been even one positive case , '' health official Neelam Chaudhary told me .
• 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 Authorities say they are looking after 600,000 migrants in shelters while food is being provided to 2.2 million more .
But millions are yet to receive any help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stranded , the visible and the invisible , '' Anindita Adhikari , of the Stranded Workers Action Network ( Swan ) , says .
`` Those who are in shelters are visible .
But there are a large number of people who are not in shelters .
They live under the flyovers and sleep on footpaths , or stuck in workplaces , labour camps or slums . ''
Mr Bhushan says the condition of the shelters are also uneven .
`` In some feeding centres , people have complained of 2km-long food queues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running out . ''
The desperation of the migrants is borne out by the fact that many continue to attempt fleeing the cities .
Earlier this month , police recovered 61 people from a truck meant to be transporting daily needs in Mumbai .
Last week , a similar incident was reported from the north-eastern state of Assam involving 51 migrant workers .
And a few days back , 11 migrants were caught in Gurgaon , a Delhi suburb , trying to flee in two ambulances .
Over the past three weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls from stranded workers and revealed its findings in a report .
`` Most said they had ration for one or two days , many said they were eating one meal a day to conserve food .
We found that 89 % had not been paid their wages and most had just about 200 rupees ( $ 3 ; £2 ) left , '' Ms Adhikari says .
`` With neither food nor cash , migrant workers have been pushed to the brink of starvation , alarming levels of vulnerability and extreme indignity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution to the problem is through cash transfers to the poor by the government .
`` The government says employers should not stop wages of labourers .
But how can small shops or businesses pay their workers when their own survival is at stake ?
And what about those who are self-employed , like street vendors ? ''
Lockdown , Mr Bhushan says , is not the solution , and imposing Section 144 of the Indian Penal Code , which prohibits gathering of more than four people , is a better idea .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says , will be lots of starvation deaths , destitution and penury .
`` All the poor and lower middle classes will be in long-term misery .
The economy is devastated .
`` By shutting everything down , you may be able to save 100,000 lives , but if the lockdown continues , you 'll kill one million from hunger and starvation . ''

"Those who test negative for Covid-19 must not be forcibly kept in shelters or away from their homes and families against their wishes. The government should allow for their safe travel to their hometowns and villages and provide necessary transportation for the same," the petition says.


bbc--2020-04-21--Crisis tests Putin's grip on power

Crisis tests Putin's grip on power

They 're still baking at the Factory of Happiness .
Staff in face masks sprinkle nuts and berries onto buns and pipe chocolate into pastries , but only a handful are left working the production line and their creations are for takeaway only now .
The coronavirus lockdown has forced the firm to close its chain of family-friendly cafes , leaving the business struggling to stay afloat .
But its owner says the state is n't holding out any lifelines .
So when Anastasia Tatulova came face-to-face with Russia 's president , she did n't hold back .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without crying , but this really is a tragedy , '' she told Vladimir Putin last month , informing him that `` half-measures '' of support would not work .
As Covid-19 restrictions began kicking in and companies shed staff , Ms Tatulova found herself in the front row at a meeting between entrepreneurs and the president .
Her passionate 12-minute takedown was shown live on state television .
`` At that moment , I just needed him to hear me , '' the businesswoman explained recently , saying she was barely sleeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to survive .
`` I thought he understood .
But there 've been no results , and the government 's measures are not enough .
We just have to manage , ourselves . ''
With the International Monetary Fund predicting the worst global recession since the 1930s Great Depression , Russia 's economy is clearly not immune .
Neither are its politicians , including President Putin .
He has crafted an image for himself over his long rule as the leader who lifted Russia out of the post-Soviet chaos to bring order and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play on that trademark `` stability '' this week by winning a nationwide vote to alter the constitution and clear his way to stay in power for another two terms .
But the ballot was reluctantly postponed , judged too dangerous at the height of a pandemic .
Now , some sniff problems ahead for the president .
`` The paternalistic Russian state… ca n't implement their promises .
They ca n't help people , ca n't help business , '' argued Andrei Kolesnikov of the Moscow Carnegie Centre think-tank .
• Is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe ?
• What Putin 's plans mean for Russia The bulk of state help and handouts is being directed at big business : more employees , more critical for Russia 's economy - and less critical of its president .
It has left others feeling abandoned .
`` I ca n't predict a catastrophe for this regime [ but ] it 's a serious challenge to Putin , '' Mr Kolesnikov suggested , pointing out that the Kremlin has no obvious new rallying cry to distract people from their difficulties .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the political opposition and protesters . ''
There are already some signs of that frustration spreading to Russia 's regions , like the virus itself .
On Monday , hundreds of people in the southern city of Vladikavkaz came out to rally against the lockdown .
The regional government is offering just 3,000 roubles ( £32 ; $ 40 ) additional payment to those who lose their jobs .
There has also been a scattering of virtual protests using online map applications , where people clustering outside government buildings post messages `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feels like a big failure of government right now , '' Nastya Mikhailova told the BBC from Novosibirsk in Siberia .
The 29-year-old just lost her job in events management and only has savings for a couple of weeks .
It is thought coronavirus will wipe out some eight million jobs in Russia , before it 's done .
`` I do n't feel they are really thinking how to make people happy ; we are only worried , '' Nastya said .
President Putin has ordered an increase in the unemployment benefit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As for wage support for companies , Russia is offering to cover some 12,000 roubles a month - a far smaller share than many governments in Europe .
It only applies if a firm retains 90 % of its staff , which for many smaller companies is impossible .
Struggling to pay his own team , the owner of a chain of fitness clubs in Yekaterinburg vented his annoyance , in an online letter to staff .
Alexei Romanov accused Vladimir Putin of being `` fixated '' on his constitutional reform project rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia 's political class as `` totally lost '' .
`` The government measures are nowhere near enough , they wo n't save us , '' the businessman told the BBC .
`` I think they 're showing incompetence ... We can only rely on ourselves . ''
• 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 Kremlin 's spokesman shrugged off a question about the potential political impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very concept .
Vladimir Putin , he stressed , was `` working every day to take measures to minimise the negative impact '' of the pandemic .
How long that might last is unclear .
At one of Anastasia Tatulova 's cafes , the tables are still set with salt and pepper and there are giant stuffed bears propped up in some of the seats .
But the doors are firmly shut , with a peak to the epidemic still not in sight .
Whatever happens , Ms Tatulova will have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was removed from a government advisory group following her unscripted exchange with the president .
`` They probably worried what I 'd say next , '' she told us , smiling .
`` I do n't think I said anything offensive , though .
It 's only what everyone there wanted to tell him . ''

Mr Putin had planned to play on that trademark "stability" this week by winning a nationwide vote to alter the constitution and clear his way to stay in power for another two terms. But the ballot was reluctantly postponed, judged too dangerous at the height of a pandemic.


bbc--2020-04-21--South Africa alcohol ban: Is it working?

The ban on the sale and transportation of alcohol during the coronavirus lockdown in South Africa has emptied hospital beds , ruined businesses , provoked violence and political disputes , and has led to a surge of interest in pineapples , writes the BBC 's Andrew Harding from Johannesburg .
Ban all booze , and you 'll prevent drunken fights , reduce domestic violence , stop drunk driving , and eliminate the weekend binge-drinking so prevalent across South Africa .
Police , medics and analysts estimate - conservatively - that alcohol is involved in , or responsible for , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admissions .
In normal times some 34,000 trauma cases arrive at emergency departments in South Africa every week .
But since the nationwide lockdown came into force last month to prevent the spread of coronavirus , that figure has plummeted , dramatically , by roughly two thirds , to about 12,000 admissions .
`` It 's a significant impact , '' said Professor Charles Parry , with some understatement .
He has been modelling the extent to which the alcohol ban has been responsible for the decline in those numbers for South Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we end the prohibition on alcohol sales , we 're going to see about 5,000 alcohol admissions in trauma units coming back into the system [ each week ] , '' he predicted .
The fact that those 5,000 extra hospital beds now stand empty could soon prove invaluable if the pandemic - which has been held , impressively , in check here for several weeks - begins to spread again exponentially , as government advisors predict it may .
But medical experts , while urging the government to keep the alcohol ban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heavy drinking weakens the immune system and may have a particular effect on respiratory conditions .
`` Covid-19 is going to have a more severe impact on heavy drinkers… and in South Africa many people live in crowded conditions .
`` So , alcohol sales… may increase community transmission [ as people often drink socially ] … and we 're likely to see an increase in gender-based violence and harm towards children , '' warned Professor Parry .
But how to enforce such a draconian and unprecedented clampdown for five weeks , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , due to end on 30 April , is extended once again ?
The man responsible for policing the new prohibition has provoked anger in some quarters by appearing to encourage the security forces to take heavy-handed , and potentially illegal , action against those caught breaking the rules .
There have already been numerous worrying examples , including the alleged beating to death of a man caught drinking in his own yard .
You may also be interested in : • Why lockdowns may not be the answer in Africa • The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine centre Police Minister Bheki Cele , well-known for his abrasive language and his swaggering enthusiasm for the alcohol ban , recently warned that his forces would `` destroy the infrastructure where the liquor is sold '' .
`` It 's deeply concerning when you have senior political leaders encouraging police officers to use violence or force , or to break the law .
It seems as if the police minister has gone rogue , '' said Gareth Newham , a crime expert at South Africa 's Institute for Security Studies .
South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge the ban in court , arguing that it was unconstitutional and introduced without consultation .
It has since backed down .
But while many in the industry acknowledge the importance of supporting national efforts to fight the virus , there is frustration about a `` one size fits all '' approach that is causing significant damage to many businesses .
`` It 's not looking good at all , '' said Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela , the country 's first black female brewery owner and chair of South Africa 's Beer Association , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the ban continues for much longer .
`` The arguments against lifting the ban do make sense .
A lot of people are unemployed and use alcohol as a get-away drug , '' she acknowledged , but she said a more sophisticated approach - perhaps allowing limited alcohol sales - could save her industry from collapse .
`` It could be game over for us , '' agreed Nick Smith , an American who owns a craft brewery outside Cape Town .
`` This one-size-fits-all rule is having a major impact on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Smith .
That argument is echoed by South Africa 's official opposition party , the Democratic Alliance ( DA ) , which is in favour of a `` smart lockdown model '' that would allow people to buy alcohol for a few hours each day .
But another party , the radical Economic Freedom Fighters ( EFF ) , has called the DA 's proposal `` murderous '' and `` racist '' since the current ban appears to be having the most positive impact on health in poorer , largely black , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Many people have compared South Africa 's prohibition to the US 's famous , decade-long crackdown which began in 1920 in response to campaigning by religious and moral groups , and was immortalised by Hollywood in films like Some Like It Hot and The Untouchables .
As with Chicago 's notorious gangster , Al Capone , there are concerns that the alcohol ban could push the sector here into the hands of criminals who already control a lucrative chunk of South Africa 's cigarette industry .
`` The longer the lockdown goes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to entrench their ability to sell and distribute alcohol , '' confirmed Gareth Newham , warning that the government was already losing a fortune in taxation because of the ban .
The ban has certainly tapped into deep undercurrents here in South Africa - a country with a history of apartheid where black citizens were once banned from drinking in public , and some workers were even paid in alcohol , causing huge social problems .
`` We , South Africans , do n't have a good relationship with alcohol .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has to a certain extent got out of control , '' said Ms Nxusani-Mawela .
But as things stand , one aspect of the ban does appear to be uniting people from different walks of life .
It has created a new enthusiasm for home-brewing , which has always been a firm fixture in rural communities .
Videos and recipes for pineapple beer and the more traditional corn and sorghum known as `` umqombothi '' , are now being widely touted on social media , alongside warnings that such drinks , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • 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

"It's deeply concerning when you have senior political leaders encouraging police officers to use violence or force, or to break the law. It seems as if the police minister has gone rogue," said Gareth Newham, a crime expert at South Africa's Institute for Security Studies.


bbc--2020-04-21--Coronavirus cure: When will we have a drug to treat it?

More than 150,000 people have died with Covid-19 , but there are still no drugs proven to help doctors treat the disease .
So how far are we from these life-saving medicines ?
What work is being done to find treatments ?
More than 150 different drugs are being researched around the world .
Most are existing drugs that are being trialled against the virus .
• The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has launched the Solidarity trial aimed at assessing the most promising treatments • The UK says its Recovery trial is the the world 's biggest , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part • And multiple research centres around the world are attempting to use survivors ' blood as a treatment What types of drugs might work ?
There are three broad approaches being investigated : • Antiviral drugs that directly affect the coronavirus 's ability to thrive inside the body • Drugs that can calm the immune system - patients become seriously ill when their immune system overreacts and starts causing collateral damage to the body • Antibodies , either from survivors ' blood or made in a lab , that can attack the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug ?
Dr Bruce Aylward , from the World Health Organization , said remdesivir was the only drug that showed any signs of effectiveness , after he visited China .
The antiviral drug was originally designed to treat Ebola , but other options proved more effective .
It has since been shown to be effective at treating other deadly coronaviruses ( Middle East respiratory syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome ) in animal studies , leading to hopes it will also be effective against the Covid-19 coronavirus .
Leaked results from trials led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drug was effective .
It is one of the four drugs in the WHO Solidarity trial and its manufacturer , Gilead , is also organising trials .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• ENDGAME : When will life get back to normal ?
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak There has been much talk , but little evidence , that a pair of HIV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be effective at treating coronavirus .
There has been some evidence they can work in the laboratory , but studies in people have been disappointing .
The combination did not improve recovery , reduce deaths or lower levels of the virus in patients with serious Covid-19 .
However , as the trial was conducted with extremely sick patients ( nearly a quarter died ) it may have been too late in the infection for the drugs to work .
Malaria drugs are part of both the Solidarity and Recovery trials .
Chloroquine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may have antiviral and immune-calming properties .
The drugs have been thrust into the spotlight as potential coronavirus therapies , largely due to claims made by President Trump , but there is still scant evidence on their effectiveness .
Hydroxychloroquine is also used as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis , because it can help regulate the immune system .
Laboratory tests have shown it can inhibit the coronavirus , and there is some anecdotal evidence from doctors saying it appears to help patients .
However , the WHO says there is no definitive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immune system overreacts to the virus then it can cause inflammation throughout the body .
This is helpful for rallying the immune system to fight the infection , but too much can cause collateral damage throughout body and can be fatal .
• Coronavirus : What it does to the body The Solidarity trial is investigating interferon beta , which is used to treat multiple sclerosis , and lowers inflammation .
Interferons are a group of chemicals released by the body when under attack by a virus .
The UK 's Recovery Trial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steroid used to reduce inflammation .
People who survive an infection should have antibodies in their blood that can attack the virus .
The idea is you take the blood plasma ( the part which contains the antibodies ) and give that to a sick patient as a therapy .
The US has already treated 500 patients with what 's known as `` convalescent plasma '' , and other countries are getting involved too .
How long until we have a cure ?
It is too soon to know when we might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , we should start to get the results of trials in the next few months .
This is much earlier than we will know if a vaccine ( which protects against infection rather than treat it ) is effective .
This is because doctors are testing drugs that have already been developed and are known to be safe enough to use , whereas vaccines researchers are starting from scratch .
Some completely new , experimental , coronavirus drugs are also being tested in the laboratory but are not yet ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a treatment ?
The most obvious reason for wanting a treatment is it will save lives , but it could also allow some lockdown measures to be lifted .
Having an effective treatment would , in essence , make coronavirus a milder disease .
If it stopped people who were admitted to hospital from needing ventilation , then there would be less risk of intensive care units being overwhelmed , so controls on people 's lives may not need to be as strict .
So how are doctors treating patients now ?
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for most people it would be mild and can be treated at home with bed-rest , paracetamol and plenty of fluids .
But some people need more intensive hospital treatment , which involves oxygen support such as ventilation .

Anti-virals are expected to hold up against the variants seen so far. None of the mutations seen in Omicron should affect the ability of the drugs to work. However, if the drugs are used widely then there is the potential for drug resistance to emerge.


bbc--2020-04-21--Coronavirus: Latin American crime gangs adapt to pandemic

He told criminal gangs to stop donating food packages during the coronavirus crisis and instead focus on ending the violence which had left more than 100 people dead the previous day .
Mexican cartels are not the only ones who are continuing to operate - organised crime across Latin America , from Colombian gangs to Brazilian urban `` militias '' , have continued to display their might throughout the Covid-19 pandemic , as BBC Monitoring 's Latin America specialist Luis Fajardo reports .
On the afternoon of 7 April , as Colombia experienced its 14th consecutive day under a nationwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , a large funeral procession made its way through the working-class suburb of Bello in the city of Medellín .
Hundreds joined the funeral cortège , held in blatant violation of social isolation rules , to honour Edgar Pérez Hernández .
The man who was also known as `` El Oso '' ( The Bear ) was the alleged head of Medellín 's powerful Niquía-Camacol criminal gang .
He had died the day before of a heart attack while in jail .
`` Members of the crowd applauded , and fired their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local newspaper described the scene .
Analysts have pointed out that , just like any other business in this unprecedented global health crisis , Latin American crime syndicates face an existential threat owing to the massive disruption to their international supply chains .
Mexican columnnist Héctor de Mauleón has pointed out some of the difficulties faced by the drug cartels .
He says that not only have sales of illegal drugs fallen in the United States - the main market for Mexican cartels - but some of the precursor chemicals needed to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China .
• Ending the cycle of gang violence in El Salvador At the same time , with the US-Mexico border closed to everything but non-essential travel , drug smuggling has become more difficult .
`` This cocktail heralds a jump in numbers of violent incidents between rival groups : the 'narcos ' will be fighting over the scarce criminal opportunities available , '' Mr de Mauleón writes .
Figures gathered by Mexican daily Milenio seem to back Mr de Mauleón 's fears .
According to Milenio , March saw the highest monthly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 13 years .
In border cities historically beset by cartel violence , that trend is being felt , too .
In Ciudad Juárez , 153 people were killed in March , more than any month since August 2018 , El Diario reported .
Despite the disruption to their business , Latin American criminal organisations are still attempting to send large volumes of illicit drugs across borders .
So far this year , Colombian security forces have been involved in operations leading to the seizure of 112 tonnes of cocaine , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , the Colombian navy intercepted a narco-submarine off Colombia 's Pacific coast carrying a tonne of cocaine towards the United States .
It was the twelfth such vessel to be seized this year .
Brazilian authorities have recognised the power of gangs in many urban areas Gangs try to win hearts and minds Drug cartels have also responded to the current crisis by trying to win over the local population .
They have set up informal welfare schemes in communities which face economic ruin from the pandemic and which have received little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Among the Mexican syndicates reported to have handed out food parcels `` courtesy '' of their bosses are the Jalisco New Generation Cartel , the Gulf Cartel and `` Los Viagras '' .
The extent to which criminal organisations have replaced state functions in Brazil in poor neighbourhoods was brought home when then-health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta told local officials earlier this month to talk with drug lords and gang leaders about how to stop the spread of coronavirus .
Mr Mandetta said that the authorities had to be realistic about who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have to understand that these are areas where the state is often absent and the ones in charge are drug traffickers , '' he said .
Some commentators have suggested that , despite their attempts at adaptation , the cartels have become vulnerable .
`` It is possible that in the next few weeks or months , a period of enormous weakness for organised crime will be reached , right at the moment when , as a result of the emergency , the state will broaden its faculties , '' wrote Mexican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily El Universal .
`` As life in the country returns to normal , the old patterns of illegal trafficking and criminal activity will return , '' he added .
`` But it may be possible to make the most of this state of exception to create state presence where it has never existed , to dismantle the main gangs of organised crime , to subvert their legitimacy , and modify the relationship between citizenship and the security and justice apparatus , '' Mr Hope argued .
Regardless of the long-term impact on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , their efforts to weather the Covid-19 crisis will likely bring continued violence and a persistent challenge to state authorities already struggling with the health emergency across Latin America .

Mr Mandetta said that the authorities had to be realistic about who was in power in poor neighbourhoods. "We have to understand that these are areas where the state is often absent and the ones in charge are drug traffickers," he said.