bbc--2020-04-24--Nova Scotia shooting: 'They had no idea the hell they were going to face'

Over the span of 12 hours , a gunman posing as a police officer went on a rampage across the province of Nova Scotia that became the most deadly shooting in Canadian history .
Here 's what people swept up in the tragedy recall .
Dan Jenkins had plans to see his daughter Alanna on Sunday , but a text from a friend asking him if he 'd spoken to her that morning alarmed him .
When she did n't pick up the phone , he decided to hop in his car and check on her , driving an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he got to the town , he was turned back by an RCMP ( Royal Canadian Mounted Police ) blockade .
Meanwhile , his phone was being to be bombarded by text messages and calls from Alanna 's neighbours .
There were fires , and possibly what sounded like an explosion .
He parked his car , and walked about a quarter-mile to some police vehicles , realising that something was very wrong .
`` I 'm a dad .
I 've got to know where my little girl is , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be several days before he got confirmation that his daughter and her partner Sean McLeod had been killed by 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman , a denturist who had a clinic outside Halifax .
Their bodies were found in their home , which was completely burned to the ground , and coroners had to identify their remains .
Their two Labrador retrievers also died , Mr Jenkins says .
Later , Mr Jenkins would learn they were two of 22 victims , the largest mass shooting in Canadian history .
The victims included two frontline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson , a 23-year veteran of the RCMP and mother of two .
All were adults , except for 17-year-old Emily Tuck , who was killed alongside her two parents .
The killings spanned the 12 hours it took police to chase Wortman from Glenholme all the way to Enfield , where he was shot and killed by police .
With 16 different possible crime scenes across at least seven different towns in the province , the investigation involved over 25 different units within the RCMP as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The complexities of the case meant that it took several days to identify all the victims , and several more before the police could release a timeline , and there are still large gaps where Wortman 's whereabouts are unknown .
All the while , Mr Jenkins was desperate to know what had happened to his daughter , but also afraid of what he might learn .
`` There are things we want to find out and there are [ other things ] I do n't know if I want to find out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday , before hearing the devastating news .
The carnage began on Saturday evening , in the seaside community of Portapique , about 50 km south of Glenholme .
From there , police believe Wortman went on a rampage across the province before dying in a shoot-out with police .
Located on the Bay of Fundy , Portapique has a year-round population of just about 100 people , no sidewalks , no street lights , and is a popular spot for summer homes and weekenders looking for some relaxation .
Local politician @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a typical rural community '' where people know their neighbours .
`` These people woke up Saturday to sunshine , a spring day , in a beautiful , peaceful community , '' he told the BBC .
`` They had no idea the hell they were going to face the next morning . ''
Around 10:30pm , police got a report of gunshots in the area .
But when they arrived , several bodies were found strewn across the lawns and along the road , and multiple homes were on fire .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been shot at from a passing police cruiser by a man in an RCMP uniform .
Early into the investigation , police honed in on Wortman as a suspect .
They heard that he had three replica police cruisers , both in Portapique and at his other residence in Halifax .
With Wortman 's own home on fire , they thought he may have committed suicide .
Believing it to be a limited crime scene , they cordoned off about a 2km-radius of Portapique , and told residents to stay indoors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they were able to locate all three vehicles , but were not able to find their suspect .
What they did n't know is that there was a fourth vehicle - a detail that would haunt them in the days to come , as Wortman used the cover of the law to create confusion .
Word of mouth travels fast in Nova Scotia , one of Canada 's smallest provinces with a population under one million , and news of the mayhem quickly spread .
Harry Sullivan , a reporter with the Saltwire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supposed to work that day .
But the veteran journalist got in his car and headed to Portapique on Sunday morning .
As he passed through the town of Debert , about halfway between his home and Portapique , he saw a police car driving `` at a very high rate of speed with its red and blues flashing '' in the opposite direction .
`` I thought : Why are they going that way when the action is the other way ? ''
he told the BBC .
As a journalist for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he 's `` covered some pretty nasty stuff '' , including the 1998 Swissair Flight 111 crash that killed all 229 passengers and crew .
`` I 've never encountered anything like this , '' he says .
Police are still trying to determine a motive , but they believe Wortman 's first victim was his girlfriend , who escaped after being assaulted by him sometime earlier on Saturday .
Hiding in the woods overnight , she emerged around 6am Sunday morning after calling 911 .
She told police about the fourth car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of weapons Wortman may be carrying .
Nancy Hudson , who lived near Wortman in Portapique , told the National Post that Wortman was `` very jovial '' but that `` he had another side '' .
`` He had an obsession with his girlfriend .
Just being jealous about things with her .
I think that 's where things got in the way , '' she said .
`` She was a beautiful girl . ''
Wortman also appears to have had a longstanding interest in the RCMP , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Several people have noted that Wortman told them that he liked to fix up decommissioned police vehicles , and a copy of his high school yearbook that has circulated on social media says `` Gabe 's future may include being an RCMP officer '' .
Believing to have located all of Wortman 's police replicas the night before , RCMP did not warn the public until 9:17 am Sunday that there was an active shooter impersonating a police officer .
Shortly after , RCMP began receiving calls about a shooter over 50km @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is where Wortman is suspected of killing Alanna Jenkins and her partner Sean McCleod , as well as their neighbour Tom Bagley .
Ms Jenkins and Mr McCleod were both correctional officers , and police say he knew two of those three victims .
Ms Jenkin 's father believes Mr Bagley had come over to check on the couple .
The suspect then went over to a friend 's home , dressed as a police officer and carrying a long gun .
He banged on the door , but his friends did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the police instead .
David Matthews says he was out walking with his wife near the highway in Wentworth near Glenholme around 9am when he nearly encountered Wortman himself .
`` When we got halfway through the trail , I heard this pop .
It was loud enough to be a shot .
It was n't real close but it was n't real far , '' he said .
That pop , he now believes , was his neighbour , Lillian Hyslop , being shot .
She had moved to the area just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They would often run into each other on walks , and Mr Matthews believes she was just getting her daily exercise .
`` She was out walking a day before , '' he said .
`` I said be safe… you never think that that 's the end . ''
In the hours between his killing spree in Glenholme and his final confrontation with police , Wortman was able to use the cover of his `` very convincing '' replica RCMP cruiser and authentic police uniform to cause even more destruction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more than 30 years now , and I ca n't imagine a more horrific set of circumstances than trying to search for someone who looks like you , '' says Superintendent Darren Campbell , who was tasked with updating the media on Friday .
He says a witness saw someone who appeared to be an RCMP officer pull over a car in Debert , near Wentworth , and shoot the driver , before shooting another driver who passed by .
These two victims were reportedly Heather O'Brien and Kristen Beaton , both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nurses who were out working with patients at the time of the attack .
Mrs Beaton 's husband told CTV News his wife was in the early stages of pregnancy , and they had watched reports of the shooting in Portapique on the news the night before .
`` We woke up ( Sunday ) morning and we just assumed it was over , '' Nick Beaton told CTV .
Wortman 's disguise would also lead to his tragic confrontation with Constable Heidi Stevenson and Constable Chad Morrison .
As one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that day , the two had agreed to meet up in Shubenacadie , about 50km south of Debert .
Const Morrison arrived at the meetup first , and when he saw another RCMP cruiser heading towards him , he assumed it was Const Stevenson .
Instead , it was Wortman , who began firing his weapon .
Wounded , Const .
Morrison was able to drive away and escape , while Wortman headed north on the highway .
That 's where he ran into Const Stevenson , who was driving south to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Const Stevenson head-on , before shooting her and setting both their cars ablaze .
Const Morrison has recovered from his injuries and is out of hospital .
When a bystander , reportedly Halifax resident Joey Webber , stopped to help , Wortman shot him too , and stole his silver SUV .
About an hour after the showdown in Shubenacadie , and after killing one more victim , Wortman 's reign of terror would come to an end in a police shootout at a petrol station in Enfield , about 100km south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The tragedy has hit the province hard at a time when people are already under strain from coronavirus .
Restrictions on public gatherings mean that no mass vigil can be held , and funerals will be small .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended a national online vigil on Friday evening , and locals are hoping to plan in-person memorials after the threat of the virus has passed .
Mr Sullivan , the journalist who was called to the scene Sunday morning , says that since the shootings the entire community has rallied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people have hung messages for the victims ' families reading `` Nova Scotia strong '' and `` We will get over this '' .
`` While people are obviously hurting , we are also resilient and the overall mood that I am witnessing is one of pulling together to get through all this , '' he says .
The support has not gone unnoticed by Mr Jenkins , whose daughter Alanna was killed .
Seeing everybody 's window with a candle in it `` tells you that you have a community that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing that his daughter Alanna was just one of many victims , and that his suffering is felt by `` probably hundreds '' of others is hard to bear .
`` I wish it was just us grieving , '' he says .

The killings spanned the 12 hours it took police to chase Wortman from Wentworth all the way to Enfield, where he was shot and killed by police. With 16 different possible crime scenes across at least seven different towns in the province, the investigation involved over 25 different units within the RCMP as well as support from the Canadian Armed Forces.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus stimulus: Where $1,200 payments are going - food, bidets, guns

Millions of Americans have been promised stimulus payments of up to $ 1,200 as part of the federal government 's rescue package .
We asked them what they will spend it on .
As grim economic pictures emerge alongside the steep toll of the health crisis , a $ 2tn government aid package that promises to give money to 150 million Americans has got off the ground .
Of those who qualify , many are expecting to receive $ 1,200 ( £975 ) , but how far that cash will stretch - and the difference it will make to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Readers of the BBC News website explained what they would do with it . '
I 've got to spend it now' Many said immediate spending on necessities would account for all or most of their stimulus payment .
`` [ The ] $ 1,200 will be spent on food , very carefully counting every cent because food is very expensive , '' wrote Pearl Quintal , a grandmother from Hawaii .
`` I will buy what we need , not spending it all at once .
I will save some to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will carry myself and my two grandsons that I have been taking care of . ''
Economists expect that spending on basics like food , medicine and housing will be the most common uses of the aid money .
That is the intention of the cheques - to `` plug holes in people 's balance sheets , '' says Stan Veuger of the American Enterprise Institute think tank .
But for Americans who have lost jobs and live in high-cost parts of the country , it will not be enough .
Median rental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cities like New York , San Francisco and Boston are more than double the $ 1,200 stimulus amount for an individual , who must make less than $ 75,000 to qualify for the full cheque .
• The Americans who ca n't wash their hands at home Despite a crash in demand that usually brings down prices , the cost of US consumer goods spiked in February , while cost has risen for groceries .
`` I would buy food and medicine , '' said Gerry Adams of Tampa , Florida .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my car insurance without begging for help . ''
`` Everything I need , the price has gone up , except for gasoline , '' wrote Mr Adams , 52 , who requires an oxygen tank to help him breathe .
`` This is no way to live life , '' he said .
For some Americans , a cheque from the government is not a lifeline but a bonus that can be put toward discretionary rather than essential expenses .
Paul Headley , a reader from Annandale , Virginia , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Tabor SAR rifle .
The Israeli-made firearm retails at $ 1,990 .
Mr Headley and his wife have both received their government cheques .
The nearly $ 2,000 price tag gave him pause on making the purchase before , Mr Headley said , but `` the stimulus cheque is making the out-of-pocket easier to justify '' .
Another reader said the crisis has prompted his family to reconsider their washroom habits .
After witnessing the panic-buying of toilet paper spurred by the virus , his family decided to use the stimulus money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Auburn , California .
`` Toilet paper shortages have convinced me that the Japanese and most Europeans had it right all along , '' he told the BBC .
For some Americans , a boost in discretionary spending provides a chance to express their values .
`` Yesterday I listened to Barack Obama 's message to everyone and his endorsement of Joe Biden , '' said a reader in Missouri .
`` This morning when the stimulus money was received I donated it to Mr Biden 's campaign . ''
Several readers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus response-related charities , or people they know in direct need of the assistance .
'It 's going into savings' Gloomy predictions about the US economy and fear among even those with jobs that their livelihoods are far from secure is prompting some Americans to vow to save the money from their cheques .
Alison Weaver , a grocery store employee , said she would save her $ 1,200 because she is worried that being exposed on the job might mean that `` I get ill and be unable to work '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down student loans or fix our leaking foundation , '' said Michael Jonagan of St Louis , Missouri .
But his family plan to save their cheque because `` it feels more important to keep the money set aside for a future that seems more and more uncertain '' .
`` I 'm a public educator and my partner is a municipal employee , so even in the best of times saving is a challenge , '' he said .
`` Hopefully this money lasts until it is needed . ''
The stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like pensioners on fixed incomes and people lucky enough to have kept their jobs with no loss of money coming in , plus a little extra .
Pensioners , especially , have fewer places where they can spend and so more likely to save , predicted Dr Veuger .
`` Like with so many things here , those who need assistance the least seem to get it most easily , '' reader Adam Stokes observed .
Mr Stokes and his wife live in Mundelein , Illinois , and have received $ 2,400 together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 'll each take $ 100 and use that on hobbies or entertainment - all of our critical needs are more than covered .
My graduate school is even offering a $ 1,500 voucher for a class I was already going to take , so that is effectively another $ 1,500 back for us . ''
This pandemic has done much to highlight the stark class divides in our society , he added .
`` And I know I am on the considerably more secure side of that divide . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California kept ahead of the curve • ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis

Economists expect that spending on basics like food, medicine and housing will be the most common uses of the aid money. That is the intention of the cheques - to "plug holes in people's balance sheets," says Stan Veuger of the American Enterprise Institute think tank. But for Americans who have lost jobs and live in high-cost parts of the country, it will not be enough.


bbc--2020-04-24--Australia and New Zealand mark Anzac Day in driveways

Across Australia and New Zealand , thousands of people have stood outside their homes at dawn to mark Anzac Day , after households were urged to pay tribute even amid coronavirus lockdown .
The national day of remembrance is a hugely important event for both nations and usually crowds gather for services .
However these were cancelled last month amid wider restrictions on gatherings .
Instead people were urged to hold a candle in their driveways and live stream services .
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had acknowledged the disappointment in the ceremonies being cancelled for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't mean we ca n't show our support as a collective , '' she had previously said .
`` As dawn breaks , we can stand at the end of those driveways ... together in silence and pay tribute to those we should never forget . ''
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison attended a closed dawn ceremony at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra , which began at 06:00 and was broadcast nationally .
On Friday he had told Australians : `` I look forward to the entire nation , on their driveways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our heroes and drawing inspiration from them for the task and challenge we currently face . ''
Some of the alternative , home-bound tributes reported on Saturday included musicians playing the Last Post on brass instruments in suburbs , while others shared pictures of poppy wreaths online and baked Anzac cookies at home .
Australia 's veterans group , the Returned Services League ( RSL ) also encouraged `` diggers '' - service men and women - to call each other in lieu of the normal marches and parades .
The two nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Turkey are traditionally a pilgrimage for many citizens , but these were also cancelled after travel bans were brought in .
It marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps ( Anzac ) during World War One .
On 25 April 1915 , soldiers from both countries landed at Gallipoli Cove in Turkey , part of an Allied effort to capture the peninsula from the Ottoman Empire .
Collectively termed Anzacs by a military clerk keen to fit the name @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuck .
After an eight-month campaign , the Allies retreated in defeat after heavy losses on both sides .
More than 87,000 Turks died , along with an estimated 44,000 men from the British Empire and France , including about 8,500 Australians and nearly 3,000 New Zealanders - one in four of the Kiwis sent to Gallipoli .
It was the Anzacs ' first major engagement on the world stage , fought by the grandfathers and great-grandfathers of today 's Australians and New Zealanders .
The first Anzac commemorations were held in 1916 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Australia , New Zealand and Turkey .

After an eight-month campaign, the Allies retreated in defeat after heavy losses on both sides. More than 87,000 Turks died, along with an estimated 44,000 men from the British Empire and France, including about 8,500 Australians and nearly 3,000 New Zealanders - one in four of the Kiwis sent to Gallipoli.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: Twin sisters Katy and Emma Davis die with Covid-19

Twin sisters have died within three days of each other after testing positive for coronavirus .
Identical twin Emma , herself a former nurse , died at the same hospital early on Friday .
Their sister , Zoe , said : `` They always said they had come into the world together and would go out together as well . ''
She said the `` amazing '' pair , who lived together , had other health conditions and had been unwell for some time .
`` There are no words to describe how special they were , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do was to help other people .
Ever since they were young ... they 'd pretend they were doctors and nurses caring for their dolls .
`` They gave their everything to all the patients they looked after .
They were exceptional . ''
`` It does n't feel like any of this is real . ''
Katy , who worked at Southampton Children 's Hospital , tested positive for Covid-19 on admission to hospital and died on Tuesday evening .
Paula Head , chief executive of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described by her colleagues ... as a nurse people would aspire to be like and that nursing was more than just a job to her .
`` On behalf of everyone here ... including our patients and the communities we serve , I would like to offer our sincere condolences to her family . ''
The Royal College of Nursing said : `` She 's been described as a dedicated and selfless nurse who had time for everyone sharing her skills and knowledge to ensure excellent patient care . ''
Emma Davis had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sister in the colorectal surgery unit for nine years until 2013 .
In a message to staff , chief nursing officer Gail Byrne said : `` She had the same underlying health condition as Katy and had been unwell prior to her admission when she tested positive for Covid-19 .
`` It goes without saying just how devastating and tragic this is for the family and all who knew them .
`` Emma has been described as an excellent nurse who was calm and cheerful and a good leader .
`` She was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member of the team during her time with us . ''
Hospital staff held a `` Clap for Katy '' outside the main entrance on Thursday evening , hours before Emma 's death .
A total of 50 British nursing staff have died during the pandemic , according to a list compiled by the Nursing Times .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
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Paula Head, chief executive of University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Katy has been described by her colleagues... as a nurse people would aspire to be like and that nursing was more than just a job to her.


bbc--2020-04-24--South African President Cyril Ramaphosa mocked over face mask struggles

South Africa 's president has announced an easing of some lockdown restrictions - to begin next month .
But Cyril @ @ @ @ @ should remain at home and also urged people to wear masks when outside .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ speech he struggled while demonstrating how to put on a mask , leading to widespread @ @ @ @ @ the hashtags # MaskOnChallenge and # CyrilMaskChallenge trending on Twitter .
President Ramaphosa later joked @ @ @ @ @ start a TV channel to `` teach people how to put on a mask '' @

South Africa's president has announced an easing of some lockdown restrictions - to begin next month.
But Cyril Ramaphosa warned that most people should remain at home and also urged people to wear masks when outside.
Yet at the end of his speech he struggled while demonstrating how to put on a mask, leading to widespread mockery on social media and the hashtags #MaskOnChallenge and #CyrilMaskChallenge trending on Twitter.
President Ramaphosa later joked that he was going to start a TV channel to "teach people how to put on a mask".


bbc--2020-04-24--Nova Scotia gunman's first victim was girlfriend, who survived

The gunman behind Canada 's worst mass shooting began his crime spree by assaulting his girlfriend , police report .
She hid from him in the woods overnight , and has become a key witness in the ensuing investigation .
Police believe Gabriel Wortman killed 22 people over a 12-hour time period across the province of Nova Scotia .
They say he knew several of his victims , but also targeted strangers and good Samaritans who intervened .
In an update provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ( RCMP ) on Friday , Superintendent Darren Campbell called those bystanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Wortman wore an authentic police uniform and was driving a convincing replica of a police vehicle for many hours during the crime spree , which added to the `` confusion , '' said Supt Campbell .
Police have not determined a motive , nor do they know to what degree the killings were planned .
They said they believe many of his weapons were obtained illegally in the US .
Wortman died in a shootout with police at a petrol station in Enfield at around 11:30am local time 19 April .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotia on 18 April , and police arrived around 10:30pm after receiving reports of gun shots .
They found several bodies strewn about a small neighbourhood , and multiple homes engulfed in flames .
They also encountered a driver who had been shot by someone driving a police cruiser .
They searched for the suspect overnight .
The following morning , around 6am , his girlfriend emerged from the woods and told police that he had assaulted her , and that he was armed and had several replica police vehicles .
Supt Campbell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` could very well have been a catalyst '' for the subsequent murders , although he said it is also possible they were premeditated .
Many have questioned why police did not send out an emergency alert as early as Saturday evening , when they first heard reports that there was a shooter impersonating a police officer .
Supt Campbell told media he did not have a `` crystal ball answer '' , but said that at the time , they believed they had located all three of his replica vehicles .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girlfriend that they learned there was a fourth , he said .
RCMP officials say they were preparing an emergency alert on Sunday when Wortman was shot and killed in Enfield .
Who were the victims ?
Among the dead were a teacher , a home care nurse working on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic , and an RCMP officer .
A national virtual vigil will be held this week to honour the victims of the shooting , as the province is locked-down due to the virus .
The first victim made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veteran of the force and a mother of two .
Another was Heather O'Brien , who was caring for the elderly with the non-profit Victorian Order of Nurses ( VON ) , during the provincial-wide lockdown before she was killed near her hometown of Debert , Nova Scotia .
Another VON employee , Kristen Beaton , was also killed .
Lisa McCully , a mother of two , was among the victims .
McCully had been a school teacher at Debert Elementary School , according to the school 's website .
Not all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to police - have been named .
Sean McLeod and his partner Alanna Jenkins were among those killed .
Their neighbour , Tom Bagley , also died , apparently while checking in on the couple on Sunday morning .
`` He died trying to help , which if you knew him , you knew that was just who he was all the time .
I know he meant something to so many people , '' his daughter Charlene Bagley said on Facebook .
An online fundraiser has been set up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a family of three , Jolene Oliver her husband Aaron ( Friar ) Tuck and their daughter Emily Tuck .
Married couple Jamie Blair and Greg Blair were killed on Sunday , according to a relative .
`` My family has been through so much , no one should have ever had to deal with this .
I love you both so much , & sending all my love to my family & every other families who lost someone today , '' said Jessica MacBurnie on Facebook .
One police officer - Const @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rampage but is recovering .

"He died trying to help, which if you knew him, you knew that was just who he was all the time. I know he meant something to so many people," his daughter Charlene Bagley said on Facebook.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: China rejects call for probe into origins of disease

China has rejected calls for an independent international investigation into the origin of the coronavirus .
A top diplomat in the UK , Chen Wen told the BBC the demands were politically motivated and would divert China 's attention from fighting the pandemic .
Information about the origin of Covid-19 and how it initially spread could help countries tackle the disease .
The virus is thought to have emerged at a wildlife market in the city of Wuhan late last year .
Meanwhile an EU report accuses China of spreading disinformation about the crisis .
The bloc 's External Action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lesser extent China , have `` targeted conspiracy narratives '' in the EU and neighbouring countries .
US President Donald Trump has also repeatedly attacked China for its handling of the outbreak , and the state of Missouri is suing the Chinese government , accusing it of doing little to stop the spread of the virus .
Scientists have poured cold water on speculation that the virus could have been engineered in a Wuhan laboratory .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis What is China objecting to ?
Almost from the start of the pandemic , there have been calls for international investigators to be allowed into China to find out how it all started .
On Thursday Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that he would push for an investigation at the annual meeting next month of the World Health Assembly , the decision-making body of the World Health Organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the executive board of the assembly .
The body already plans to discuss calls for a `` lessons learned '' review of health emergencies .
• A dazed city emerges from the harshest of lockdowns • China and the virus that threatens everything But Ms Chen told the BBC her country could not agree to any international investigation .
`` The independent inquiry is politically motivated , '' she said .
`` We are fighting the virus at the moment , we are concentrating all our efforts on fighting against the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
This will divert not only attention , it will divert resources .
`` This is a politically motivated initiative , I think no-one can agree on this ...
It would serve nobody any good . ''
Ms Chen said there were lots of rumours about the origins of the virus but such misinformation was dangerous , she claimed , and said it was like a political virus and as dangerous as coronavirus itself , if not even more so .
Governments in Europe have so far been wary of engaging in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
One UK official , who like others declined to speak on the record , said there was a `` nervousness '' about confronting China and that relations were `` delicate '' .
Countries are dependent on Beijing for deliveries of vital equipment in dealing with the crisis and want to keep the flow of information open to help understand what happened this time and prevent future outbreaks , and experts say the approach needs to be carefully calibrated .
`` We need to dial down the rhetoric and the confrontation because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with , '' argues Charles Parton , a former UK diplomat in China and now a senior associate fellow at the RUSI think- tank .
In the US by contrast , the issue of China is becoming highly politicised in an election year with competing calls for a tough line on Beijing and pressure to investigate the origins of the virus .
Read more from Gordon here .
What does the EU report say ?
`` Despite their potentially grave impact on public health , official and state-backed sources from various governments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lesser extent - China , have continued to widely target conspiracy narratives and disinformation both at public audiences in the EU and the wider neighbourhood , '' the report says .
It claims Chinese officials and state media have been trying to deflect blame for the outbreak , curtailing any mentions of Wuhan as the origin of the virus , with some state-controlled social media channels continuing to spread the theory that the outbreak was linked to visiting US military representatives .
The authors also say there is `` significant evidence of covert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ citing reports of networks on Twitter with ties to the Chinese government .
The report also singles out Russia for spreading disinformation , saying pro-Kremlin sources and Russian state media were continuing to run a coordinated campaign with the aim of undermining the EU and its crisis response and sowing confusion about the origins and health implications of Coronavirus .

Ms Chen said there were lots of rumours about the origins of the virus but such misinformation was dangerous, she claimed, and said it was like a political virus and as dangerous as coronavirus itself, if not even more so.


bbc--2020-04-24--Saudi Arabia to abolish flogging - supreme court

Saudi Arabia is to abolish flogging as a form of punishment , according to a legal document seen by media outlets .
The directive from the Gulf kingdom 's Supreme Court says flogging will be replaced by imprisonment or fines .
It says this is an extension of human rights reforms brought by King Salman and his son , the country 's de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman .
Saudi Arabia has been criticised over the jailing of dissidents , and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
• Reform and repression go hand in hand in Saudi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new direction ’ is changing life for women like me Campaigners say Saudi Arabia has one of the worst records for human rights in the world , with freedom of expression severely curtailed and critics of the government subject to what they say is arbitrary arrest .
The last time that flogging in Saudi Arabia hit the headlines was in 2015 when blogger Raif Badawi was subjected to the punishment in public , reportedly after being convicted of cybercrime and insulting Islam .
He had been due to receive 1,000 lashes in weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he nearly died put a stop to that part of his sentence .
BBC Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher says it was clearly bad for Saudi Arabia 's image .
Now , the practice looks like it will be done away with entirely .
But waves of arrests of every type of dissident under the king and the crown prince - including of women 's rights campaigners - undercut this claim , our reporter says .
Earlier on Friday , the most prominent Saudi human rights campaigner died in jail after a stroke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical neglect by the authorities .

Campaigners say Saudi Arabia has one of the worst records for human rights in the world, with freedom of expression severely curtailed and critics of the government subject to what they say is arbitrary arrest.


bbc--2020-04-25--Sergio Moro: Brazil's popular justice minister quits in Bolsonaro clash

Brazil 's popular justice minister has resigned from President Jair Bolsonaro 's government , accusing him of political interference .
Sergio Moro , a former judge who oversaw the country 's biggest anti-corruption probe , quit after the president fired the federal police chief .
Mr Moro said Mr Bolsonaro demanded someone who would provide him with direct intelligence .
Speaking on TV , the far-right president said the allegations were `` baseless '' .
But Brazil 's public prosecutor Augusto Aras asked the Supreme Court to allow an investigation into Mr Moro 's allegations against the president .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dismissal of federal police chief Mauricio Valeixo was announced , with no further details , in the official gazette on Friday .
On Thursday , Mr Moro had threatened to resign if Mr Valeixo - his ally - were dismissed , but then said he would stay if he were allowed to choose a replacement .
Earlier this month , the president sacked his Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta for his response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The minister had advocated social distancing , which Mr Bolsonaro has scorned .
Fighting corruption was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his 2018 presidential campaign .
But Mr Moro on Friday accused the president of meddling in federal police efforts to fight corruption .
The sound of pot-banging protests rang out in cities across Brazil after his resignation was announced .
The departure of Jair Bolsonaro 's most popular minister is a blow to his government - Sergio Moro was a star minister .
He was seen by his supporters as an anti-corruption crusader .
It is a departure that Jair Bolsonaro has clearly taken personally too , judging by his 45-minute television address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snubbed by Mr Moro at the airport a few years ago , and accused him of not caring enough after he was stabbed during the campaign in 2018 .
There is no doubt Mr Bolsonaro looks weaker now than ever - the events of Friday mark one of the most dramatic days in Brazilian politics in recent years .
Many are wondering who will be next - will the likes of Paulo Guedes , his economy minister and another star member of the cabinet , remain loyal or jump to save his reputation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more urgent crisis - the number of coronavirus cases and deaths are rising ever faster each and every day .
Seen as an anti-corruption crusader , Mr Moro was a star pick when Mr Bolsonaro asked him to join the government .
Mr Moro earlier oversaw a huge corruption probe known as Operation Car Wash , which exposed billions of dollars in bribes and ended in the jailing of many powerful businessmen and politicians , including leftist former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva .
He once said he `` would never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve in Mr Bolsonaro 's cabinet in order to fight corruption and organised crime .
He was promised full autonomy for his department , which united the justice and public security portfolios in a so-called `` super ministry '' .

It is a departure that Jair Bolsonaro has clearly taken personally too, judging by his 45-minute television address on Friday afternoon. He recounted being snubbed by Mr Moro at the airport a few years ago, and accused him of not caring enough after he was stabbed during the campaign in 2018.


bbc--2020-04-24--Hubble telescope delivers stunning 30th birthday picture

It 's 30 years ago to the day that the Hubble telescope was launched - and to celebrate its birthday , the veteran observatory has produced another astonishing image of the cosmos .
This one is of a star-forming region close to our Milky Way Galaxy , about 163,000 light-years from Earth .
The larger object is the nebula NGC 2014 ; its companion is called NGC 2020 .
But astronomers have nicknamed the scene the `` Cosmic Reef '' because it resembles an undersea world .
Famously blighted by blurred vision at the outset of its mission in 1990 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The remarkable pictures it has taken of planets , stars , and galaxies have transformed our view of the cosmos .
Indeed , there are those who think Hubble is the most important scientific tool ever built .
It 's still far from retirement .
The US space agency ( Nasa ) , which runs the observatory in partnership with the European Space Agency ( Esa ) , says operations will be funded for as long as they remain productive .
Last year , its data resulted in almost 1,000 scientific papers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stand at the forefront of discovery .
The BBC is broadcasting a special programme called : Hubble : The Wonders of Space Revealed .
It goes out at 2100 BST on BBC Two .
It contains some fascinating visualisations .
Read about how they were made here .
Engineers obviously keep a watching brief on the health of Hubble 's various systems .
Pleasingly , all four instruments onboard - the two imagers and two spectrographs - work at full tilt .
In the past , the telescope 's Achilles heel has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point the facility , maintaining a rock-steady gaze at targets on the sky .
These devices have periodically failed down the years , and during their final servicing mission in 2009 space shuttle astronauts were tasked with replacing all six .
Three have subsequently shut down again , but Nasa project scientist Dr Jennifer Wiseman says this is not yet an issue for serious concern .
`` Nominally , we need three gyroscopes , but we can operate on just one due to the ingenuity of the engineers , '' she asserted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ can keep working well into the 2020s .
Its supposed `` successor '' - the James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) - is due for launch next year , but the presence in orbit of this more modern observatory will in truth merely just extend capability ; it wo n't make Hubble redundant .
That 's because the new facility has been designed to see the cosmos at longer wavelengths of light than Hubble .
The duo will be complementary and will on occasion actually pursue targets together to get a fuller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for astronomers everywhere - but especially for those in Europe where Hubble has been such a rewarding endeavour , says Esa project scientist Dr Antonella Nota .
`` From the memorandum of understanding there was a guarantee that European astronomers would get 15 % of observing time for the duration of the mission .
If I look back at how much time European astronomers got - on average it 's 22 % .
And it is a peer-reviewed process so we never needed to put a finger on the scales .
European astronomers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're doing leading-edge science , '' she told BBC News .
What has Hubble contributed to science ?
It 's a bit of a cliche , but Hubble has truly been a `` discovery machine '' .
Before the telescope launched in 1990 , astronomers did n't know whether the Universe was 10 billion years old or 20 billion years old .
Hubble 's survey of pulsating stars narrowed the uncertainty , and we now know the age extremely well , at 13.8 billion .
The observatory played a central role in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - a Nobel Prize-winning breakthrough - and it provided the definitive evidence for the existence of super-massive black holes at the centre of galaxies .
It 's amazing to think that when Hubble launched , scientists had yet to detect the first exoplanet , the name given to a planet orbiting a star other than our Sun .
Today , Hubble is pioneering the study of these far-off worlds , examining their atmospheres to try to gauge their nature .
And although the sparkling eight-metre-class ground-based telescopes can now match - and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fields of study , the space telescope remains peerless in going super-deep .
Its so-called Deep Field observations in which it stared at a small patch of sky for days on end to identify the existence of very distant , extremely faint galaxies is one of the towering achievements in astronomy .
These studies have shown us what the Universe was like just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang .
Only JWST , with its finely-tuned infrared detectors , will go deeper still .
Kathryn Sullivan was one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released Hubble into its 612km-high orbit on 25 April , 1990 - a day she recounts in a recent book , Handprints On Hubble .
`` Hubble 's scientific impact has just been immense .
But what I had not really appreciated until I started writing my book was the extent to which Hubble - because of its gorgeous images and their mind-bending implications - has really permeated popular culture , '' she told BBC News .
`` I see Hubble on the side of U-Haul ( rental ) trailers , on tattoos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in advertisements , almost ubiquitously .
`` And I think part of that is down to Hubble coming into service just as the internet was becoming the thing we now know it to be .
`` That 's put the pictures right in front of people . ''
Hubble : The Wonders of Space Revealed is broadcast on BBC Two at 2100 BST on 24 April .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

"From the memorandum of understanding there was a guarantee that European astronomers would get 15% of observing time for the duration of the mission. If I look back at how much time European astronomers got - on average it's 22%. And it is a peer-reviewed process so we never needed to put a finger on the scales. European astronomers are creative; they're smart; they're doing leading-edge science," she told BBC News.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: Air France-KLM secures billions in government aid

Air France-KLM has secured at least €9bn ( £7.9bn ; $ 9.7bn ) in government aid , as the Franco-Dutch airline group struggles to stay afloat because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The French authorities said Air France would get €3bn in loans and another €4bn in state-guaranteed funds .
Meanwhile , the Dutch government said it was preparing between €2bn and €4bn in aid to KLM .
Major world airlines all but halted passenger traffic around the world .
But they still have to pay to park and maintain planes that have been grounded .
• BA warns of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff Earlier this year , Air France-KLM estimated the outbreak would cost the group between €150m and €200m in February-April .
Company Chief Executive Ben Smith warned on Friday that the government aid was `` not a blank cheque '' and would require tough action on costs and performance , Reuters news agency reports .
`` This financing will give us the opportunity to rebuild .
Faced with the upheaval the world is going through , we are going to have to rethink our model immediately , '' he added .
The group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Air France and KLM in 2004 .
With a fleet of 550 aircraft , it covers 312 destinations in 116 countries around the world .
In 2018 , Air France-KLM 's passenger traffic exceeded 100 million .

"This financing will give us the opportunity to rebuild. Faced with the upheaval the world is going through, we are going to have to rethink our model immediately," he added.


bbc--2020-04-24--Meghan letter published by Mail to 'satisfy curiosity'

The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline published a letter from Meghan Markle to her father to satisfy readers ' `` curiosity '' it had `` deliberately generated '' , the High Court has heard .
The duchess is suing for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement after articles reproduced parts of a letter she sent Thomas Markle .
It argues the Duchess of Sussex had no reasonable expectation of privacy and anticipated publication of the letter .
Meghan is suing Associated Newspapers after two articles in the Mail on Sunday and three on MailOnline published parts of a handwritten letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 2019 .
She has also accused them of data protection breaches .
She claims contents of the letter to her father were selectively edited in a misleading and dishonest manner .
At Friday 's virtual preliminary hearing , the publisher 's legal team asked for parts of her case to be struck out .
The publisher said Meghan 's claim that her father was `` harassed '' and `` manipulated '' should not form part of her case and was `` objectionable '' .
Antony White QC , representing Associated Newspapers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the allegations made by Meghan were irrelevant and not made with a proper legal basis .
He added that the allegations relating to her father were made without any attempt to contact him to see if he agrees with them .
`` In this context it appears that the claimant has seen fit to put these allegations on the record without having spoken to Mr Markle , verifying these allegations with him or obtaining his consent ( she admits ... that she has had no contact with him since the wedding ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared for the hearing , Mr White said the duchess alleged the publisher was `` one of the 'tabloid ' newspapers which had been deliberately seeking to dig or stir up issues between her and her father '' .
`` This is an allegation of seriously improper deliberate , i.e .
intentional , conduct to the effect that the defendant 's motive was to seek to manufacture or stoke a family dispute for the sake of having a good story or stories to publish , '' he said .
Mr White told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental state '' of the publisher were `` irrelevant to the claim for misuse of private information '' , and asked the judge to strike out that claim .
He also objected to the duchess 's allegation that the publisher `` acted dishonestly '' when deciding which parts of her letter to her father to publish .
`` It is extremely common for the media to summarise or edit documents when reporting current events , and that is not a basis for an allegation of dishonesty , '' he added .
David Sherborne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter had been reported for `` the sole and entirely gratuitous purpose of satisfying the curiosity of the defendant 's readership about the ... private life of the claimant , a curiosity deliberately generated by the defendant '' .
No attempt had been made to contact the duchess prior to publication in a `` deliberate '' move `` to secure the enormous 'scoop ' '' , he said .
Mr Sherborne argued additional articles published by Associated Newspapers about the duchess should be taken into consideration in support of her privacy action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claim .
He said : `` It is very much about the claimant 's state of mind . ''
Mr Sherborne added this was about `` the distress she feels about the realisation that the defendant has an agenda and that this is not a one-off '' and not about damage to reputation .
It is understood Harry and Meghan , who have relocated to California after stepping back as senior royals , listened to the parts of the hearing .
Associated Newspapers had asked for Friday 's hearing to be postponed due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's legal team rejected this and said she `` considered it was unreasonable to accept the offer '' .
Instead the hearing was held remotely with Mr Justice Warby sitting in his court in front of several computer screens while counsel called in from elsewhere .
Mr Justice Warby said at the end of the hearing that he would give his ruling on Associated Newspapers ' application at a later date , but hopefully within a week .
Last week Harry and Meghan announced they would no longer work with several British tabloid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the Sun , Mirror and Express , over `` distorted , false or invasive '' stories .

"In this context it appears that the claimant has seen fit to put these allegations on the record without having spoken to Mr Markle, verifying these allegations with him or obtaining his consent (she admits ... that she has had no contact with him since the wedding)," he said.


bbc--2020-04-24--Captain Tom tops the charts at the age of 99

Captain Tom Moore , the war veteran who walked laps of his garden to raise money for the NHS , has become the oldest person ever to score a number one single in the UK .
At the age of 99 , his duet with Michael Ball has knocked Canadian superstar The Weeknd from the top of the charts .
Their cover of You 'll Never Walk Alone sold 82,000 copies , with proceeds going to the NHS Charities Together fund .
`` My grandchildren ca n't believe I 'm a chart-topper , '' said Capt Tom .
He thanked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding : `` We 're in this together , and I am forever grateful for your support .
`` And this just proves 'you 'll never walk alone ' . ''
Capt Tom 's birthday is next Thursday , meaning he will still be number one when he turns 100 .
That will make him the first centenarian to top the charts , having already broken the record for the oldest person to reach number one .
Sir Tom Jones was the previous record-holder , having been 68 when his Comic Relief cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2009 .
The Welsh star was quick to congratulate his successor .
`` Capt Moore , from one Tom to another , congratulations on beating my chart record , '' he said .
`` If I was going to lose to anybody , it 's an honour to have lost to you , with all you have done raising money for the NHS . ''
The World War Two veteran 's duet partner , Michael Ball , said the achievement was `` the most extraordinary thing , one of the most proudest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's not about me , it 's about Capt Tom .
Thank you for giving him a number one on his 100th birthday .
You are the best , God bless you . ''
You 'll Never Walk Alone is n't the only charity single in this week 's Top 40 , with an all-star cover of the Foo Fighters ' Times Like These entering the chart at number five .
Featuring Dua Lipa , Hailee Steinfeld , Anne-Marie , Jess Glynne , Sean Paul , Chris Martin , Bastille and AJ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the BBC 's Night In fundraiser , and made its chart debut less than 24 hours after its release .
Capt Tom had originally aimed to raise just £1,000 by completing 100 laps of his garden , as a thank-you to the `` magnificent '' NHS staff who helped him with treatment for cancer and a broken hip .
But he smashed his target after the challenge went viral and he appeared on BBC Breakfast News .
More than 800,000 people , including the Duke of Cambridge , made donations to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now approaching £30m .
The single was recorded to celebrate him completing his 100th lap last week , and features a spoken work introduction from Capt Moore , who says : `` Hold your head up high/And do n't be afraid of the dark '' .
Released last Friday , it took an early lead in the charts , selling 36,000 copies in 48 hours .
But as the week dragged on , The Weeknd started to catch up , thanks to the popularity of his single on streaming sites .
By Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two records , with The Weeknd predicted to take pole position when the charts were compiled at midnight .
Then , in a late twist , the pop star , whose real name is Abel Tesfaye , threw his weight behind Capt Tom 's single .
`` My goodness , how gracious of you , '' replied the army veteran on Twitter , adding that his grandson had told him `` you 're rather talented and very popular '' .
The star 's show of support worked , with Capt Tom 's single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closing tally of 69,000 .
`` The sight of Capt Tom Moore and Michael Ball at the top of the Official Singles Chart this week should lift everybody 's spirits in these extraordinary times , '' said Martin Talbot , chief executive of the Official Charts Company .
`` We are absolutely delighted to see them at the pinnacle and setting new landmarks as they go . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"Capt Moore, from one Tom to another, congratulations on beating my chart record," he said. "If I was going to lose to anybody, it's an honour to have lost to you, with all you have done raising money for the NHS."


bbc--2020-04-24--Tree kangaroos: How a joey in Australia is helping save his wild cousins.

Chimbu is a rare tree kangaroo joey living in an Australian zoo .
He is helping raise awareness for a @ @ @ @ @ wild tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea , as well as help local villagers develop @ @ @

Chimbu is a rare tree kangaroo joey living in an Australian zoo.
He is helping raise awareness for a conservation programme working to save wild tree kangaroos in Papua New Guinea, as well as help local villagers develop sustainable income.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: Dancer uses bin night to perform for neighbours

Albert Garcia is a graduate professional dancer living in a small flat in Valencia , in Spain .
The country @ @ @ @ @ since March 16 to try to stop the spread of coronavirus , which has killed @ @ @ @ @ , according to government figures .
Due to the restrictions , Albert has not been @ @ @ @ @ but that changed the moment he embraced taking the rubbish out as an act of @ @ @ @ @ to his new neighbours .
Produced and edited by Blanca Munoz .
Music : “ @ @ @ @

Albert Garcia is a graduate professional dancer living in a small flat in Valencia, in Spain.
The country has been under strict lockdown since March 16 to try to stop the spread of coronavirus, which has killed at least 22,000 people there, according to government figures.
Due to the restrictions, Albert has not been able to dance freely, but that changed the moment he embraced taking the rubbish out as an act of freedom - and a gift to his new neighbours.
Watch more personal stories during the coronavirus outbreak: Your Coronavirus Stories
Produced and edited by Blanca Munoz
Music: “Orobroy” by Dorantes


Week in pictures: 18-24 April 2020

A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week as people react to the spread of the coronavirus .
Spaced eight feet apart , United States Air Force Academy cadets celebrate their graduation as a team of F-16 Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the academy in Colorado Springs , Colorado .
After senior cadets spent more than a month on lockdown the graduation , which was moved forward by six weeks , marks the first time a military academy is graduating a class early since World War Two .
An injured female great hornbill ( Buceros bicornis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her beak is nursed back to health at the Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Thailand .
The veterinarians believe she was shot by a poacher before being rescued from the rainforest with several serious injuries to her beak and left wing , leaving her unable to fly .
At least 13 of the world 's known 57 species of hornbill live in Thailand .
Maria , her partner and their dog watch the movie Loving Vincent projected on the wall of a neighbouring building , from their balcony in Berlin 's Kreuzberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic , the cultural project Window Flicks is bringing films to esidents stuck at home , by projecting movies and knocking on doors offering popcorn .
All photographs belong to the copyright holders as marked .

Image caption,
An injured female great hornbill (Buceros bicornis) who lost the lower part of her beak is nursed back to health at the Kasetsart University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Thailand. The veterinarians believe she was shot by a poacher before being rescued from the rainforest with several serious injuries to her beak and left wing, leaving her unable to fly. At least 13 of the world's known 57 species of hornbill live in Thailand.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: Library books rearranged in size order by cleaner

A well-meaning cleaner who took the opportunity to give a locked-down library a thorough clean re-shelved all of its books - in size order .
Staff at Newmarket Library , Suffolk , discovered the sloping tomes after the building underwent a deep clean .
James Powell , of Suffolk Libraries , said staff `` saw the funny side '' but it would take a `` bit of time '' to correct .
`` It looks like libraries will be closed for a while so we 'll have plenty of time to sort the books out '' , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a great job in the library .
It was an honest mistake and just one of those things so we would never want her to feel bad about it , '' he added .
A tweet by Krystal Vittles , head of service delivery at Suffolk Libraries , about the enthusiastic cleaner has been shared more than 5,000 times .
In response , one person said it had `` brought laughter '' during lockdown .
`` I think people are just pleased to be able to share any light-hearted stories at the moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Mr Powell said .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Find BBC News : East of England on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter .
If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews @ bbc.co.uk

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bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: Why going without physical touch is so hard

Although most of us can still see and speak to our loved ones , if we do n't live with them we can no longer touch them .
Milestone birthdays are being celebrated over video calls , elderly people are talking to neighbours through windows and those who live alone are going without any human touch at all , as they obey the government guidelines to stay at home and keep 2m ( 6ft ) apart from others .
But touch is `` really fundamental '' for humans , says Prof Robin Dunbar , evolutionary psychologist at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our close relationships .
`` The sort of more intimate touching - arm round the shoulder , a pat on the arm and these kind of things reserved for closer friendships and family members - are really important , '' he says .
They make us feel happier , satisfied and trusting of others .
Touch is our first sense to develop in the womb , and research has shown physical contact with others can reduce the effect of stress .
Prof Dunbar says the reason humans need physical contact is because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All primates are intensely social and most probably the most intensely social of all the animals on the planet , '' he says .
`` They build these kind of relationships and friendships with each other through social touch in the form of social grooming - which they do by leafing through the fur .
And we still do that . ''
While most of our fur has gone , humans do the same movements on exactly the same neurons when they stroke , cuddle or pat each other , he says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that act in the brain to dull pain .
Robyn Munday is one of the many millions of people around the world living alone through this lockdown period .
`` I 'm a hugger , I hug everybody , '' says Robin , 57 , from her home in Victoria , Australia .
`` I have lots and lots of friends that I hug , I hug my [ now grown-up ] kids .
It 's the one thing I think that I miss the most in all of this . ''
Asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the lack of contact has an impact on her , she replies `` I know it already has .
It makes me feel emotional just thinking about it , '' she says , fighting back tears .
`` But look , it 's what we have to do .
I know that .
`` It 's horrible , I really miss it .
I did n't think I would [ miss it ] so much .
This is probably more noticeable for me because I moved into my own place for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November I had always had a child at home .
It 's really bad timing .
I like living on my own .
I like the solitude but I always had contact with people . ''
Anita Byrne , 47 , from Norwich , describes herself as a very tactile - something she puts down to years working in the beauty industry .
`` I do n't think you really realise you are [ tactile ] until it 's taken away from you , '' she says .
She usually hugs her friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sofa and even hugs strangers to celebrate goals when supporting her local football club Norwich City .
`` I had n't realised how much I missed that type of interaction with people , '' says Anita , who now works as a patient coordinator for the NHS .
`` It 's been a real struggle .
Sometimes at work where we have had a tough day you want to put your arm around someone and you ca n't .
The other evening , I wanted someone to be there .
Sometimes that hug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's just that touch , it means so much more sometimes . ''
People who are grandparents - many of whom are in the at-risk age group and are staying indoors entirely - have also expressed sadness at not being able to hug their grandchildren .
Janine Stone says it has been `` devastating '' not being able to hold her baby granddaughter Grace , who was born in Derby during lockdown .
`` It 's lovely to see a new baby in the family , but it 's heartbreaking not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have your first photograph taken with a newborn grandchild , '' she says .
'The world seems to have got colder' One man from Chester , who wished to remain anonymous , says he comes from a `` very affectionate family '' and not being able to give family members a hug `` is something I miss greatly '' .
`` When all the madness started and shopping became scarce , I shared toilet roll with the lady next door 's care worker , '' he says .
`` This made her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say not to worry and that everything is fine and had to just wave across the fence .
The world seems to have got colder . ''
• Seven amazing things about our sense of touch • How to cope with living alone in isolation • Hacks to help you connect with loved ones you ca n't meet Although some cultures are more touchy-feely than others , touching is important to all of us , says Prof Dunbar on BBC Radio 4 's the World at One programme .
`` We did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Russia and Finland in the north via Britain to the Italians in the south plus the Japanese and everybody basically touches the same parts of the body , '' he says .
`` There are some minor sort of differences ... the Italians needless to say are all huggy and kissy and the like , and the Brits are a bit 'stand off , I 'm British do n't touch me ' - but not entirely so .
`` It 's remarkable of how much touching we do without really being I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 But we can partly replace the benefits of physical contact at a distance , says Prof Dunbar .
`` Laughing and making people laugh and indeed singing are extremely good ways of triggering the endorphin system , '' he says .
`` But in the end , for close relationships and they 're what I call the shoulders-to-cry-on friendships , those I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' As carer Daniel Cahill put it when he was filmed for BBC One 's Panorama .
visiting a socially isolated 91-year-old woman : `` I think everybody is going to have a big hug when this is over . ''

"I hadn't realised how much I missed that type of interaction with people," says Anita, who now works as a patient coordinator for the NHS. "It's been a real struggle. Sometimes at work where we have had a tough day you want to put your arm around someone and you can't. The other evening, I wanted someone to be there. Sometimes that hug says more than a thousand words. It's just that touch, it means so much more sometimes."


bbc--2020-04-24--Trump’s claims about sunlight fact-checked

President Donald Trump has questioned whether injecting people with disinfectants and exposing patients ' bodies to UV light could help treat the coronavirus .
The Reality Check team has been looking into both of these issues .
`` I see the disinfectant , where it knocks it out in one minute .
And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning , because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs . ''
Mr Trump suggested injecting patients with disinfectants might help treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viruses on surfaces , but this is crucially only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body .
Not only does consuming or injecting disinfectant risk poisoning and death , it 's not even likely to be effective .
Doctors have appealed to people not to ingest or inject disinfectant , as there are concerns people will think this is a good idea and die .
`` Injecting bleach or disinfectant at the dose required to neutralise viruses in the circulating blood would likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably a very unpleasant death , '' says Rob Chilcott , professor of toxicology at the University of Hertfordshire . ''
He adds that it would also `` not have much effect on viral particles within the cells '' .
Reckitt Benckiser , a leading manufacturer of disinfectant products including Lysol and Dettol , has issued a statement in response to the president 's comments .
It said : `` We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body ( through injection , ingestion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trump has subsequently defended his comment claiming `` I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters . ''
`` I said supposing you brought the light inside the body , which you can do either through the skin or in some other way .
And I think you said you 're going to test that too ...
So , we 'll see , but the whole concept of the light , the way it kills it in one minute - that 's pretty powerful . ''
Mr Trump has also floated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or just very powerful light '' .
There is some evidence that , in general , viruses on surfaces die more quickly when exposed directly to sunlight .
But we do n't know how much or how long they have to be exposed for UV light to have an effect .
And again , this is only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body .
By the time the virus has taken hold inside your body , no amount of UV light on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference .
`` UV irradiation and high heat are known to kill virus particles on surfaces , '' says Dr Penny Ward , visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College London .
But `` neither sitting in the sun , nor heating , will kill a virus replicating in an individual patient 's internal organs '' .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the @

Coronavirus: Trump’s disinfectant and sunlight claims fact-checked Published 24 April 2020
Image source, Getty Images
President Donald Trump has questioned whether injecting people with disinfectants and exposing patients' bodies to UV light could help treat the coronavirus.
The Reality Check team has been looking into both of these issues.
Claim 1
"I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs."
Mr Trump suggested injecting patients with disinfectants might help treat coronavirus.
Using a disinfectant can kill viruses on surfaces, but this is crucially only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body.
Not only does consuming or injecting disinfectant risk poisoning and death, it's not even likely to be effective.
Doctors have appealed to people not to ingest or inject disinfectant, as there are concerns people will think this is a good idea and die.
"Injecting bleach or disinfectant at the dose required to neutralise viruses in the circulating blood would likely result in significant, irreversible harm and probably a very unpleasant death," says Rob Chilcott, professor of toxicology at the University of Hertfordshire."
He adds that it would also "not have much effect on viral particles within the cells".
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, It is highly dangerous to use disinfectants inside the human body
Reckitt Benckiser, a leading manufacturer of disinfectant products including Lysol and Dettol, has issued a statement in response to the president's comments. It said: "We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)."
Mr Trump has subsequently defended his comment claiming "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters."
Claim 2
"I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you're going to test that too... So, we'll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute - that's pretty powerful."
Mr Trump has also floated the idea of exposing patients to "ultraviolet or just very powerful light".
There is some evidence that, in general, viruses on surfaces die more quickly when exposed directly to sunlight. But we don't know how much or how long they have to be exposed for UV light to have an effect.
And again, this is only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, UV light won't make a difference if you're infected with the coronavirus
By the time the virus has taken hold inside your body, no amount of UV light on your skin is going to make a difference.


bbc--2020-04-24--Coronavirus: The celebrity cash giveaway and other stories fact-checked

BBC teams are fact-checking some of the most popular fake and misleading coronavirus stories on social media .
Jack Goodman and Flora Carmichael bring together what 's been debunked this week by BBC Monitoring , Trending and Reality Check .
Thousands of posts have been circulating on Facebook offering huge cash prizes to `` help '' people financially affected by the coronavirus outbreak .
Although the competition is clearly fake , it is being shared in many languages .
Most examples include unrelated video footage or photos of Dwayne Johnson , an actor known as The Rock .
Participants are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a list that corresponds with the first letter of their name .
Some people have left bank details in the comments , others ask for financial help .
The most widely shared example we 've seen includes a link for people to `` collect their prize '' .
It looks like a phishing scam similar to others seen earlier in the coronavirus outbreak .
A video accompanying one of the posts shows someone handling stacks of money and has had more than four million views .
William Mitchell , who made the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' money for his YouTube channel , says it was used without his knowledge .
`` Ever since I started making prop money videos back in 2018 scammers have been re-uploading my content without my permission , '' he told the BBC .
Johnson has previously been the subject of similar scams , and in 2018 told his followers : `` Be vigilant , be smart , question it , report it… and do n't buy into these fake Facebook accounts . ''
The herbal cure given official approval by a president The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is no medicine currently available that can prevent or cure Covid-19 .
However , the president of Madagascar has unveiled what he claims to be a `` preventative remedy '' this week .
The herbal tonic sold under the name Covid-Organics is derived from artemisia - a plant which contains an ingredient used to treat malaria - along with other plants sourced within the country .
President Andry Rajoelina said tests have been carried out and claimed the remedy had cured two people in Madagascar , the island nation off the east @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no evidence and no peer-reviewed research into its effectiveness against Covid-19 .
President Rajoelina announced the partial lifting of quarantine measures on the same day as the launch of the drink .
Local media reports that more than 1,000 soldiers were been deployed to distribute the drink in the capital , Antananarivo .
Video footage shows people queuing for the brew , which is being handed out for free to the most vulnerable locals .
It 's also being sold in supermarkets .
The Max Planck Institute in Germany is currently testing artemisia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been published .
The Democratic Republic of Congo said it has initiated research into the plant .
• The big rap singalong that never happened A video recommending those infected with coronavirus use hot water , orange peel and a vapour rub containing menthol to kill bacteria and release `` all the toxins '' got over 1.6 million views on the video-sharing site TikTok before being hidden .
It had already been reposted by a popular Instagram account , where it was viewed a further one million times before it was removed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or citrus fruits can prevent or cure coronavirus .
Inhaling hot steam , also recommended in the video , can be extremely dangerous and there 's no evidence that it works .
• No , 5G does not spread the virus There have been other examples of misleading information circulating on TikTok .
A number of videos spreading conspiracy theories that falsely link 5G to coronavirus have been posted in recent weeks .
As well as supporting 5G conspiracies , some of the videos have encouraged attacks on telephone masts with the hashtag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The social media platform has since removed a number of videos of this nature which were flagged to it by BBC News .
A TikTok spokesperson told the BBC : `` We do not allow misinformation , including conspiracy theories , which could cause harm to people on TikTok or the wider public . ''
TikTok also said it was `` limiting the searchability of any emerging conspiracy theory-related hashtags '' .
Aids research is not to blame An interview with a Nobel-Prize winning scientist who has suggested the coronavirus was created @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook .
Luc Montagnier is the co-discoverer of HIV and was interviewed on French TV last week where he claimed the virus was accidentally released from a lab in Wuhan .
The virus , he said , is the result of research into an Aids vaccine .
However , despite rampant online speculation , `` there is no evidence of any kind that the Sars-CoV-2 virus ( which causes Covid-19 ) was released accidentally from a lab '' says BBC science editor Paul Rincon .
Peer-reviewed scientific analysis of the evidence suggests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video has been shared 12,000 times and has clocked up more than 700,000 views after it was posted on the Italian League party 's official Facebook page this week .
The coronavirus pandemic has been created by `` shadow global powers '' in an attempt to reduce world population , according to Vladimir Kvachkov , a Russian ex-military intelligence officer in a YouTube interview .
Mr Kvachkov says there is scientific proof the coronavirus was made artificially , but this has been widely dismissed by scientists who say genome sequencing shows that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it has had almost nine million views and is still being shared on Facebook in various languages .
It was also translated into English this week .
His appearances on other Russian YouTube channels where he talks about the pandemic have generated hundreds of thousands of views .

William Mitchell, who made the original video using fake or "prop" money for his YouTube channel, says it was used without his knowledge. "Ever since I started making prop money videos back in 2018 scammers have been re-uploading my content without my permission," he told the BBC.


bbc--2020-04-24--Hubble telescope's Universe revealed in 3D

New techniques are being used to transform images from the Hubble Space Telescope into spectacular 3D visualisations of the Universe .
Today the Hubble Space Telescope - affectionately known as `` our eye on the Universe '' - celebrates 30 years in orbit around Earth .
To mark the occasion , astronomers have released a special anniversary image of two nebulas , which lie within a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way called the Large Magellanic Cloud .
It 's the nearest Hubble gets to having to a birthday present .
But this year , there 's a second part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image is a `` 3D scientific visualisation '' - offering the incredible sensation of floating through outer space to see what Hubble saw , first-hand .
Whilst the image comes from Hubble 's main camera .
Its 3D representation is the product of weeks of work by a team of visualisation specialists at the Space Telescope Science Institute ( STScI ) in Baltimore , US .
The team led by Greg Bacon and Dr Frank Summers has transformed many of Hubble 's most awe-inspiring images into 3D visualisations - from the spectacular Orion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethereal Horsehead Nebula .
A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space .
Some nebulas come from the gas and dust thrown out when a dying star explodes .
Others are regions where new stars are beginning to form .
Much of the visualisation team 's incredible work is showcased on tonight 's Horizon programme on BBC Two which tells the story of the Hubble Space Telescope .
`` There are several important reasons why we make these visualisations : they bring the Hubble images alive , they showcase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they are visually compelling with widespread appeal well beyond the science-attentive public , '' says astronomer Dr Frank Summers .
`` Our hope is that the public will not only marvel at the splendours of the cosmos , but also intuitively develop a more scientific mental model of the Universe . ''
One of the most mind-blowing of the visualisations takes the viewer on a remarkable journey , flying across the Universe to witness almost 13 billion years of cosmic evolution .
As incredible as it seems , all the hundreds and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visualisation come from a single image taken by Hubble .
It 's called the `` Hubble Ultra Deep Field '' and was created when Hubble stared at a small patch of sky for the equivalent of more than 11 days to see some of the most distant galaxies ever observed .
To make the visualisation , the team cut-out 5,333 galaxies from Hubble 's image and then extrapolated the distance of each galaxy ( using `` redshift '' measurements ) and carefully placed them one-by-one into a virtual 3D space .
The distance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few hundred to make the fly-through feasible .
But apart from this , it 's an authentic 3D representation of Hubble 's image .
According to Dr Frank Summers : `` The vast growth of computers , along with graphics software for feature films , has helped fuel our expansion of astronomy visualisations .
We can now handle much larger images and datasets as well as render high-resolution , complex scenes that would have been impossible before .
Further , we get to ride on the coattails of expensive software investments made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appropriate parts of those packages for scientific purposes . ''
The Pillars of Creation in 3D Every Hubble visualisation brings its own unique set of challenges .
A good example is the 3D scientific visualisation of arguably Hubble 's most iconic image and one of the great celestial wonders of the Milky Way : the magnificent Pillars of Creation .
It was produced for Horizon by visualisation specialists at the European Southern Observatory ( Eso ) and takes the viewer on an exhilarating journey : flying 100 light-years into a giant hollowed-out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eagle Nebula .
Upon reaching the Pillars of Creation , the view transitions to infrared , revealing embryonic stars within the columns of gas .
Hubble most recently observed the Pillars in 2014 in visible and infrared light .
To show the surrounding nebula landscape , visualisation specialists Luís Calçada and Martin Kornmesser chose to supplement Hubble 's images with other observations - from Eso 's La Silla Observatory in Chile and the Digitized Sky Survey .
The first job in creating the visualisation was to build a 3D representation of the Eagle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team first removed the stars from the images , and then extracted the nebula 's many shapes and layers , before re-assembling these `` cut-outs '' in 3D space .
Akin to erecting scenery on a theatre stage , except this stage spans 100 light-years !
`` This is a very intuitive process - visually judging which layers of gas are foreground , which are background , how they interact with the light from the stars at its core , '' says Luís Calçada .
To add the missing stars back in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Gaia '' spacecraft - which has mapped the 3D position , brightness and colour of more than a billion stars in the Milky Way .
This allowed them to accurately recreate approximately 4,000 `` synthetic stars '' within 1,000 light-years either side of the nebula .
Having built the nebula , this left the daunting task of creating a 3D representation of the pillars .
The tallest pillar actually stands behind the two other pillars and each is at a particular angle .
The team used data from the Very Large Telescope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pillars in 3D space .
They then `` sculpted '' a 3D model of the pillars - and mapped-on Hubble 's beautiful imagery .
The end result is a visualisation based on real telescope images and data , but with intuition and extrapolation filling in the gaps where the data is lacking .
According to Luís Calçada : `` Conveying a correct sense of scale of the nebula was perhaps the hardest challenge .
Processing , importing and lining up the Gaia catalogue stars to our reconstructed 3D nebula was also quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to render an aesthetically pleasing nebula , but also one which was realistic . ''
Hubble : The Wonders of Space Revealed is broadcast on BBC TWO at 9pm on 24th April .

According to Dr Frank Summers: "The vast growth of computers, along with graphics software for feature films, has helped fuel our expansion of astronomy visualisations. We can now handle much larger images and datasets as well as render high-resolution, complex scenes that would have been impossible before. Further, we get to ride on the coattails of expensive software investments made for fiction and fantasy, then utilise the appropriate parts of those packages for scientific purposes."


bbc--2020-04-24--Ed Woodward: Man Utd chief says big-money transfer talk ignores financial reality

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward says speculation about transfers for `` hundreds of millions of pounds this summer '' is ignoring the `` realities that face the sport '' because of the coronavirus pandemic .
United were linked with a £200m move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane and potentially spending a further £130m on England and Borussia Dortmund wide-man Jadon Sancho .
`` Nobody should be under any illusions about the scale of challenge facing everyone in football and it may not be 'business as usual ' for any clubs , including ourselves , in the transfer market this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening address to a United Fans ' Forum on Friday .
`` As ever our priority is the success of team , but we need visibility of the impact across the whole industry , including timings of the transfer window , and the wider financial picture , before we can talk about a return to normality . ''
Woodward has been a key figure in many of the discussions among the Premier League and in Europe about how the game is going to deal with the financial impact of coronavirus .
Billions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if there is no resumption in the foreseeable future , with most figures within the game anticipating any resumption , when it eventually comes , will be without spectators .
United 's vast commercial operation has often been viewed with disdain , including by the club 's own supporters , in the belief it shows their owners have got their priorities wrong .
However , Woodward said it was now shielding them from the scale of difficulties being experienced by some of their top-flight rivals as they are continuing to pay their players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of significant financial gestures to fans and the local community .
Woodward said `` 30,000 items of food and drink '' had been given to local charities in addition to the £100,000 joint donation to the Trussell Trust with Manchester City `` for use by 19 food banks across Greater Manchester '' .
In addition , club staff , including former players , have made 'welfare calls ' to season-ticket holders , who are either disabled or aged 70 and over .
`` We will continue looking for more ways of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the pandemic continues , '' said Woodward .
`` Everyone is grappling with the economic realities of the pandemic and we are no different .
The longer the crisis continues the greater the impact will be for every club , including ourselves .
`` But it is important to acknowledge the part played by our successful business in allowing us to fulfil our social responsibilities .
We have always believed that our commercial model gives us greater resilience than most clubs .
`` We are eager to see the team return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advised it is safe to do so .
And while it may be that games need to be played behind closed doors in the shorter term , we all recognise that football will not be fully back to normal until supporters are once again in attendance . ''

United were linked with a £200m move for Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane
Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward says speculation about transfers for "hundreds of millions of pounds this summer" is ignoring the "realities that face the sport" because of the coronavirus pandemic.
United were linked with a £200m move for Tottenham striker Harry Kane and potentially spending a further £130m on England and Borussia Dortmund wide-man Jadon Sancho.
"Nobody should be under any illusions about the scale of challenge facing everyone in football and it may not be 'business as usual' for any clubs, including ourselves, in the transfer market this summer," Woodward said in his opening address to a United Fans' Forum on Friday.
"As ever our priority is the success of team, but we need visibility of the impact across the whole industry, including timings of the transfer window, and the wider financial picture, before we can talk about a return to normality."
Woodward has been a key figure in many of the discussions among the Premier League and in Europe about how the game is going to deal with the financial impact of coronavirus.
Billions of pounds in TV income is at stake if there is no resumption in the foreseeable future, with most figures within the game anticipating any resumption, when it eventually comes, will be without spectators.
United's commercial buffer
United's vast commercial operation has often been viewed with disdain, including by the club's own supporters, in the belief it shows their owners have got their priorities wrong.
However, Woodward said it was now shielding them from the scale of difficulties being experienced by some of their top-flight rivals as they are continuing to pay their players and staff, in addition to making a number of significant financial gestures to fans and the local community.
Woodward said "30,000 items of food and drink" had been given to local charities in addition to the £100,000 joint donation to the Trussell Trust with Manchester City "for use by 19 food banks across Greater Manchester".
In addition, club staff, including former players, have made 'welfare calls' to season-ticket holders, who are either disabled or aged 70 and over.
"We will continue looking for more ways of supporting those in need for as long as the pandemic continues," said Woodward.
"Everyone is grappling with the economic realities of the pandemic and we are no different. The longer the crisis continues the greater the impact will be for every club, including ourselves.
"But it is important to acknowledge the part played by our successful business in allowing us to fulfil our social responsibilities. We have always believed that our commercial model gives us greater resilience than most clubs.
"We are eager to see the team return to the field as soon as we are advised it is safe to do so. And while it may be that games need to be played behind closed doors in the shorter term, we all recognise that football will not be fully back to normal until supporters are once again in attendance."


bbc--2020-04-24--No title winners, no relegation - Dutch top flight abandoned for season

The Eredivisie - the top tier of football in the Netherlands - has been abandoned for the season with no title winner and no teams relegated .
The move comes after the national government banned major events until 1 September because of coronavirus .
Dutch football 's governing body the KNVB said `` it has become impossible to play out the 2019-20 season '' .
Ajax led the table from AZ Alkmaar on goal difference with nine games left but will not be named champions .
Both Ajax and AZ Alkmaar will go into the Champions League qualifying stages , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be relegated or promoted , meaning Cambuur - who topped the second tier and held an 11-point gap over the play-off positions - will not go up .
Cambuur head coach Henk de John told broadcaster NOS the decision felt `` like the biggest disgrace in the history of Dutch sport '' .
The KNVB added : `` The KNVB is aware that whatever decision had to be made , every option would hurt somewhere .
`` It will be crystal clear to everyone involved , from supporters and players to directors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes first .
`` Nevertheless , the professional football board is aware that today 's decisions will cause great disappointment in football for some . ''
More than 4,000 people have died so far from the coronavirus in the Netherlands .
The Eredivisie has never ended a season without a champion being named since it was formed in 1956 .
The KNVB added that clubs could not be promoted from the second tier without relegation from the top division , in order to ensure there was no fixture congestion next season .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved and asked them to vote for `` no relegation and no promotion '' or `` relegation and promotion '' - but the result returned `` no clear preference '' , resulting in the KNVB being left to take the decision .
`` Because many rounds still have to be played in the competitions , we believe that we can not apply promotion/relegation and that is decided , '' the KNVB added .
Third-place Feyenoord will qualify for the Europa League group stages , with fourth-placed PSV and fifth-placed Willem II entering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Uefa 's approval .
The Eredivisie Women has also been cancelled without a champion being named , with a Champions League place being awarded to league leaders PSV , while second-placed Ajax enter the qualifying stages .
Football authorities in neighbouring Belgium are expected to decide whether to ratify the cancellation of its top-flight Pro League on Friday .

Ajax were ahead of AZ Alkmaar on goal difference at the top of the Eredivisie
The head of the Dutch FA says it was a "bitter day" cancelling the Eredivisie season early and thinks it is "very doubtful" the Premier League will be able to complete the 2019-20 campaign.
The top two Dutch leagues were abandoned yesterday with no promotion or relegation and no champions.
Major events are banned until September because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Just Spee, president of KNVB, said the chances of football elsewhere in Europe behind closed doors are "slim".
In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, Spee explained a vote of clubs provided "no clear guidance" and so the decision went to the governing body's board, but they accepted there would be "winners and losers".
Ajax led the table from AZ Alkmaar on goal difference with nine games left but will not be named champions.
Both Ajax and AZ Alkmaar will go into the Champions League qualifying stages, pending ratification by Uefa.
Ajax could progress straight to the group stage, depending on the outcome of this year's competition and other domestic leagues.
No sides will be relegated or promoted, meaning Cambuur - who topped the second tier and held an 11-point gap over the play-off positions - will not go up.
But when asked what the chances are for other European leagues restarting the season, even without fans, he said: "It is slim.
"At the same time I do know that what is true for us, we are footballers we want to play, is true for all of my colleagues around the continent.
"And in the UK it is not different. So they will hold onto a sliver of hope as long as it's there. But again, we've seen how this develops. Is it realistic? In the end it probably will not be but we'll see.
"To be honest, seeing what is happening and seeing that things get postponed week by week by week, how realistic is it that within the next three or four weeks we will come to a different conclusion? Not so much I believe.
"And also the Premier League will need a number of weeks to complete their competition. Is there going to be enough time for that? Doubtful, very doubtful."
More than 4,000 people have died so far from Covid-19 in the Netherlands.
The Eredivisie has never ended a season without a champion being named since it was formed in 1956.
The KNVB added that clubs could not be promoted from the second tier without relegation from the top division, in order to ensure there was no fixture congestion next season.
The head coach of Cambuur, Henk de Jong, told broadcaster NOS external-link the decision felt "like the biggest disgrace in the history of Dutch sport".
Expanding on the decision not to have champions, Spee said they felt it was "not appropriate" given the current situation with coronavirus and because the season had not been completed.
He said: "It was a very bitter day because you want this to happen on the pitch not by two or three people behind a table having to make this decision.
"There are winners and losers and in particular for the losers it was a very very bad day so we feel sad. We feel sad that we had to come to such a decision, we sympathise a lot with those clubs and their supporters. At the same time, there was no way round it."
But he said he would "not blame" English football bosses if they came to a different conclusion, with Liverpool 25 points clear.
"We thought it was really inappropriate to just award a title for this specific time-frame, where on the one hand the competition did not conclude, so there is no formal champion in that sense," he said.
"But also, to take on board what society is going through, I mean talk about a champion in such a year?
"We did not believe that that was appropriate. For example if you were to compare that to the English situation, maybe you would come to a different conclusion, Liverpool is so way out compared to the rest, I would not blame the FA to come to that conclusion. But in our case that was simply not appropriate."
Third-place Feyenoord will qualify for the Europa League group stages, with fourth-placed PSV and fifth-placed Willem II entering the qualifying stages of the competition, subject to Uefa's approval.
The Eredivisie Women has also been cancelled without a champion being named, with a Champions League place being awarded to league leaders PSV, while second-placed Ajax enter the qualifying stages.
Football authorities in neighbouring Belgium are expected to decide whether to ratify the cancellation of its top-flight Pro League on Monday.