bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus and chloroquine: Is there evidence it works?

Drugs developed to treat malaria have been touted by President Trump as treatment for Covid-19 , despite scientists saying there 's no definitive evidence they work .
Studies are underway to examine the efficacy of chloroquine and its derivatives , but the World Health Organisation says it 's concerned by reports of individuals self-medicating and causing themselves serious harm .
These safety concerns have been echoed by a former top US health official .
Dr Rick Bright , who was removed from his post in April leading the government 's vaccine development efforts , says President Trump 's focus on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to dozens of federal scientists '' .
As a result of the publicity given to these drugs as a possible treatment , there has been a global surge in demand for them .
What do we know about these drugs ?
President Trump has frequently referred to the potential of hydroxychloroquine in White House briefings .
At one press conference , he said : `` What do you have to lose ?
Take it . ''
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed in a video that `` hydroxychloroquine is working in all places '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook for breaching its misinformation guidelines .
• 'Ousted ' vaccine expert says US is facing its 'darkest winter' Following Mr Trump 's reference to the drugs in late March , there was a sharp increase reported in prescriptions in the US for both chloroquine and hydrochloroquine , although demand has since declined .
Tablets containing chloroquine have long been used in the treatment of malaria to reduce fever and inflammation , and the hope is that they can also inhibit the virus that causes Covid-19 .
There is insufficient evidence at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effective use in treatment of patients with Covid-19 .
There are also risks of serious side effects , including renal and liver damage .
`` We need larger , high-quality randomised clinical trials in order to better evaluate their effectiveness , '' says University of Oxford 's Kome Gbinigie , author of a report on anti-malarial testing for Covid-19 .
Over 20 trials are being carried out , including in the US , UK , Spain and China .
In the US , various trials are under way for a combination of drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called azithromycin , for treating Covid-19 patients .
Which countries have authorised their use ?
In late March , the US Food and Drugs Administration ( FDA ) has granted `` emergency use '' authorisation for these drugs in the treatment of Covid-19 for a limited number of hospitalised cases .
That does not mean the FDA is saying they definitely work .
But it does mean that in specific circumstances , hospitals can request and use the medicines from government stockpiles for use in Covid-19 treatment .
But on 24 April , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US , also issued a warning about the dangers of using the substances because of reports of heart rhythm problems in patients .
The US government has said that 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine have been donated to the national stockpile by a German-based pharmaceutical company .
Other countries are also deploying these anti-malarial drugs to varying degrees .
France has authorised doctors to prescribe them for patients with Covid-19 , but the country 's medical watchdog has warned of side effects .
India 's health ministry has recommended the use of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers , as well as households in contact with confirmed cases if they have a prescription from a doctor .
However , India 's government research body has warned against the unrestricted usage of the anti-malarial drug and said it was `` experimental '' and only for emergency situations .
Several Middle Eastern countries have authorised its use or are conducting trials .
This includes Bahrain ( which claims it was one of the first countries to use hydroxychloroquine on coronavirus patients ) , Morocco , Algeria and Tunisia .
• EASY STEPS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice you should ignore • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Is there enough chloroquine available ?
As interest in these drugs has grown as a potential treatment for Covid-19 , many countries have seen high demand and shortages .
Chloroquine and its derivatives have long been widely available in pharmacies , particularly in developing countries , for the treatment of malaria .
This is despite their declining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has become increasingly resistant .
Jordan has banned the sale of hydroxychloroquine in pharmacies to prevent stockpiling .
Similarly , the Kuwaiti Health Ministry decided to withdraw all medicines containing the drugs from private pharmacies and limit them to hospitals and health centres .
Kenya has banned over-the-counter sales of chloroquine , so it is now only available on prescription .
India is a major producer of these anti-malarial drugs , and at one point imposed a ban on exports .
But it lifted the ban after President Trump made a personal plea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Modi .
Unregulated use can be unsafe In Nigeria , households still regularly use tablets containing chloroquine for treating malaria , even though it was banned in 2005 for first-line use because of its declining effectiveness .
News of a February study in China about the use of chloroquine for the coronavirus had already sparked lively debate in Lagos , so people began stocking up .
Following Mr Trump 's reference to it as a coronavirus treatment , this ramped up , and shops and chemists sold out of the drug very quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control told people to stop taking it .
`` The WHO has NOT approved the use of chloroquine for # COVID19 management . ''
Bala Mohammed , governor of Bauchi state , recommended people use chloroquine and Zithromax , after taking it himself .
Officials in Lagos state said there have been a number of people poisoned from overdoses of chloroquine .

There's been some hope that hydroxychloroquine could be effective if used early on when a person gets the virus, before there's a need for them to be hospitalised.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus leaves Gulf migrant workers stranded

Pradeep Kumar and his wife Premlatha , who is 32 weeks pregnant , spent two nights last week sleeping in the basement car park .
They had been told to leave their home in the same building in Dubai by the landlord after they ran out of money to pay the rent .
Eventually , a local charity came to their aid .
For Mr Kumar , the nightmare started in February , when he was laid off by the hotel where he worked .
The hotel cut down its operation after the coronavirus pandemic dealt a huge blow to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay Mr Kumar for the last month that he worked .
Since then , he and Premlatha , whose pregnancy has been complicated by diabetes , have been trying desperately to return to their hometown of Madurai in India .
`` I have no money to pay for my wife 's delivery , nor do I have the funds to buy a flight ticket , '' Mr Kumar told the BBC .
`` The doctors say that if she travels after she enters her 33rd week of pregnancy then that will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health .
I just want to save my child . ''
Mr Kumar is one of the tens of thousands of migrant workers to have lost their jobs across the Gulf as a result of the economic downtown caused by the pandemic .
Those worst hit are the low-income labourers who came to the region looking for work to support their families back home financially .
For decades , migrant workers have played a key role in building the economies of Gulf Arab states , providing the manpower for the key construction , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Just how deep are Saudi Arabia 's troubles ?
The six Gulf Co-operation Council ( GCC ) member countries - Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) , Qatar , Bahrain , Kuwait and Oman - host the majority of the 23 million migrant workers living in Arab states , according to the International Labour Organization .
Most are from Asia .
Having lost their jobs , many of those migrant workers want to return home .
But commercial flights have all but stopped .
In response to pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pakistan have started organising special flights to repatriate citizens from the region .
However , that is proving a huge challenge .
In the UAE alone , more than 200,000 Indian nationals have registered to be repatriated .
Last week , almost 2,000 were flown back to India .
The Indian government says it will operate more flights in the coming weeks , but it is prioritising people with short-term visas , those with medical emergencies , pregnant women and the elderly .
And due to the limited number of seats , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it difficult to get on the flights .
Some Indians are also struggling to find the money to pay for both their flights and their 14-day stay at a quarantine facility in India .
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
Mohammad Anas shares a room with nine other Indian workers .
All of them used to work for a travel firm , but they were laid off in February .
Mr Anas is owed two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoping get a booking on one of the flights that flew to India last week , but I did n't get a call back from the Indian consulate .
I wrote to them that I have no job and no money , '' he said .
The Indian government plans to evacuate 200,000 Indians from across the globe over the next three to four weeks .
It has announced about 35 repatriation flights for the Gulf region between 16 and 23 May .
Pakistan has flown home close to 9,000 citizens from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to the Pakistani embassy , more than 60,000 Pakistani nationals have registered for repatriation .
But many Pakistani nationals like Babar Hanif want the government to operate more flights because they are finding it difficult to survive without a job .
Mr Hanif has been working in Dubai for more than 15 years .
But in February his company put him on indefinite unpaid leave .
He has been trying to book seats on a repatriation flight for several weeks .
`` I can not afford the expenses here .
I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I got no answer from them , '' he told the BBC .
Charities say they have been approached by thousands of South Asian workers for help .
They are providing them food with the help of local authorities .
`` A lot of these workers were earning very low salaries .
And the numbers in that segment are huge , '' said Joginder Singh Salaria , founder of the Dubai-based charity PCT Humanity .
At the same time , Gulf countries have been battling to prevent the coronavirus from spreading in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers .
Most rooms in the camps are shared by six to 12 people and following hygiene guidelines and adhering to social distancing measures is all but impossible , according to Amnesty International .
`` No-one should ever be living in these conditions , but the spread of Covid-19 has highlighted the severity of the situation and the need to urgently rectify it , '' the human rights group warned .
Local authorities have locked down the camps and stepped up testing for infections .
Some have also taken steps to reduce overcrowding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 infections has continued to rise .
As of Wednesday , the UAE had reported more than 20,000 confirmed cases and 206 deaths , while Saudi Arabia had reported 44,000 cases and 273 deaths .
The UAE government acknowledges that the crisis has had a significant impact on low-income migrant workers , but insists that it is helping them .
`` We implemented a number of measures to protect and support them , including automatic extensions of visas , the provision of accommodation and food , and guaranteed access to free-of-charge healthcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC .
`` Workers also benefit from the [ Covid-19 ] testing programme , which has ensured the availability and efficiency of testing near worker accommodation . ''
The UAE and Saudi governments have also relaxed restrictions on commercial activities in recent weeks , and announced stimulus measures to boost their economies .
But with the pandemic not yet under control , businesses are going to find it difficult to resume normal operations anytime soon .
Many migrants like Mr Anas feel finding a new job in such an environment will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fulfil my dreams , but now I just want to go back to my family , '' he says .
`` I do n't care if that means that I end up earning less money . ''

"I have no money to pay for my wife's delivery, nor do I have the funds to buy a flight ticket," Mr Kumar told the BBC. "The doctors say that if she travels after she enters her 33rd week of pregnancy then that will be a huge risk for the baby and her health. I just want to save my child."


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Why “shark attacks” won’t go down as Covid deaths

Online videos and social media posts with fake and misleading information about the coronavirus pandemic are often watched by hundreds of thousands of people around the world .
We 've been fact-checking some of those most widely shared this week .
First up , a video featuring the right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones calling America 's coronavirus data `` fake '' .
It 's being used , he suggests , to keep the country in lockdown and to scupper President Trump 's bid for re-election .
He argues that the Covid-19 death figures are wrong , but in doing so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Jones says anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 at the time of their death - be it due to `` cancer '' , `` sky-diving accidents '' or `` shark attacks '' - is being recorded as a death due to coronavirus .
Covid-19 is only listed on the death certificate in the United States if the disease played a role in that person dying , so deaths by misadventure such as shark attacks and sky-diving falls would certainly not be included .
Experts say that , if anything , Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lack of testing in the community , and deaths at home which are n't counted .
Calculating death rates is certainly not an exact science and is open to interpretation .
We 've written extensively about how these figures are worked out in the UK : • Coronavirus : How to understand the death toll • Why the UK death count is an inexact science Mr Jones also claims that anyone who has ever had any coronavirus infection , or the common cold , will produce a positive test .
The tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and elsewhere are to find out whether you are infected with the novel coronavirus responsible for the pandemic .
`` The diagnostic tests for Covid-19 are specific for the SARS-CoV-2 virus ( which causes it ) , '' says Dr Jeremy Rossman , Honorary Senior Lecturer in Virology at the University of Kent .
`` They do not detect other coronaviruses nor do they detect the common cold virus ( rhinovirus ) or the flu virus . ''
These tests do not identify previous infections from which you have recovered - although scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliable test for this too .
The video has been shared many thousands of times but was not posted on Alex Jones ' main account or his Infowars Facebook page , because both of them have been banned by Facebook .
A viral video claiming an elderly woman with coronavirus was put in a body bag while still alive has been exposed as misleading .
The video originated in Brazil and went viral on WhatsApp and Facebook .
Various versions have been shared hundreds of thousands of times , including in large English-language @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elderly patient on top of plastic sheeting struggling to breathe .
The caption claims the woman 's family was told she was dead .
The truth is less dramatic .
The director of the Abelardo Santos Hospital in northern Brazil told BBC News Brasil that the protective sheeting she is lying on is indeed a body bag , but it was used to transfer her to another bed .
`` It 's a common practice in hospitals , '' he said , `` especially during a pandemic or an epidemic , which force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are looking into who leaked the video and who is responsible for the spread of fake news related to it .
Since the footage was recorded , the woman has sadly died .
Some of the posts in Portuguese on Facebook feature a warning message that they are misleading .
However , we 've spotted some in English which have not been flagged by Facebook .
No , this scientist did not say US and China created coronavirus A fake quote attributed to a prominent French scientist went viral this week .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a specialist in infectious diseases ) said Covid-19 was created by the United States and China to kill millions of Africans .
We spoke to the hospital in Marseille where Prof Raoult works and they confirmed it 's not genuine .
Prof Raoult has become well-known for promoting an anti-Malarial drug to treat coronavirus .
The original post , which can be traced back to an account in the Democratic Republic of Congo , has been shared more than 150,000 times in a number of African countries , including Madagascar and Cameroon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this story .
Another fake story we reported on linked to the same Instagram account .
That one contained a fake message attributed to Jeff Bezos - claiming Bill Gates had a plan to destabilise Africa .
Anger at how African countries are being treated during the pandemic has repeatedly surfaced online .
Two French doctors have been accused of racism after suggesting vaccine trials in Africa .
Forced quarantine is not coming to America Lastly , we 've taken a look at a video which contains false information about powers being introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infected individuals from their home and into quarantine .
In the video , Dr Rashid Buttar , know for holding anti-vaccination views , says a new bill being introduced in the US Congress will give authorities these powers .
However , this is false - the bill does no such thing .
It is a request for funds to help contain the spread of the virus and boost testing , particularly in areas with poorer health services .
As part of this process , some of the funds would be used for contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who might have come into contact with someone with coronavirus .
Dr Buttar suggests that under the bill authorities would be allowed into your house if you show coronavirus symptoms .
This clip has had more than three million views on Facebook .
The bill does mention that where necessary people could be tested in their homes , but makes it clear that existing federal privacy or confidentiality laws would not be superseded .
Despite various claims by Dr Buttar about relatives being taken away , there is nothing in the proposal about @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus: Why 'shark attacks' won’t go down as Covid deaths Published 16 May 2020
Online videos and social media posts with fake and misleading information about the coronavirus pandemic are often watched by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
We've been fact-checking some of those most widely shared this week.
"Fake" death figures?
First up, a video featuring the right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones calling America's coronavirus data "fake". It's being used, he suggests, to keep the country in lockdown and to scupper President Trump's bid for re-election.
He argues that the Covid-19 death figures are wrong, but in doing so he misinterprets how the information is recorded.
Mr Jones says anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 at the time of their death - be it due to "cancer", "sky-diving accidents" or "shark attacks" - is being recorded as a death due to coronavirus.
Covid-19 is only listed on the death certificate in the United States if the disease played a role in that person dying, so deaths by misadventure such as shark attacks and sky-diving falls would certainly not be included.
Experts say that, if anything, Covid-19 deaths have been under-reported, because of a lack of testing in the community, and deaths at home which aren't counted.
Calculating death rates is certainly not an exact science and is open to interpretation. We've written extensively about how these figures are worked out in the UK:
Mr Jones also claims that anyone who has ever had any coronavirus infection, or the common cold, will produce a positive test.
The tests currently being widely used across the US and elsewhere are to find out whether you are infected with the novel coronavirus responsible for the pandemic.
"The diagnostic tests for Covid-19 are specific for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (which causes it)," says Dr Jeremy Rossman, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Virology at the University of Kent. "They do not detect other coronaviruses nor do they detect the common cold virus (rhinovirus) or the flu virus."
These tests do not identify previous infections from which you have recovered - although scientists are working hard to roll out a reliable test for this too.
The video has been shared many thousands of times but was not posted on Alex Jones' main account or his Infowars Facebook page, because both of them have been banned by Facebook.
The sad story behind a body bag video
A viral video claiming an elderly woman with coronavirus was put in a body bag while still alive has been exposed as misleading.
The video originated in Brazil and went viral on WhatsApp and Facebook. Various versions have been shared hundreds of thousands of times, including in large English-language conspiracy groups.
The video shows an elderly patient on top of plastic sheeting struggling to breathe. The caption claims the woman's family was told she was dead.
The truth is less dramatic. The director of the Abelardo Santos Hospital in northern Brazil told BBC News Brasil that the protective sheeting she is lying on is indeed a body bag, but it was used to transfer her to another bed.
"It's a common practice in hospitals," he said, "especially during a pandemic or an epidemic, which force us to adapt".
The police are looking into who leaked the video and who is responsible for the spread of fake news related to it.
Since the footage was recorded, the woman has sadly died.
Some of the posts in Portuguese on Facebook feature a warning message that they are misleading. However, we've spotted some in English which have not been flagged by Facebook.
No, this scientist did not say US and China created coronavirus
A fake quote attributed to a prominent French scientist went viral this week.
The Facebook post claims Professor Didier Raoult (a specialist in infectious diseases) said Covid-19 was created by the United States and China to kill millions of Africans.
We spoke to the hospital in Marseille where Prof Raoult works and they confirmed it's not genuine.
Prof Raoult has become well-known for promoting an anti-Malarial drug to treat coronavirus.
The original post, which can be traced back to an account in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been shared more than 150,000 times in a number of African countries, including Madagascar and Cameroon.
And there's an intriguing twist to this story. Another fake story we reported on linked to the same Instagram account.
Anger at how African countries are being treated during the pandemic has repeatedly surfaced online. Two French doctors have been accused of racism after suggesting vaccine trials in Africa.
Forced quarantine is not coming to America
Lastly, we've taken a look at a video which contains false information about powers being introduced in the United States to forcibly remove infected individuals from their home and into quarantine.
In the video, Dr Rashid Buttar, know for holding anti-vaccination views, says a new bill being introduced in the US Congress will give authorities these powers.
However, this is false - the bill does no such thing. It is a request for funds to help contain the spread of the virus and boost testing, particularly in areas with poorer health services.
As part of this process, some of the funds would be used for contact tracing, which means tracking people down who might have come into contact with someone with coronavirus.
Dr Buttar suggests that under the bill authorities would be allowed into your house if you show coronavirus symptoms. This clip has had more than three million views on Facebook.
The bill does mention that where necessary people could be tested in their homes, but makes it clear that existing federal privacy or confidentiality laws would not be superseded.
Despite various claims by Dr Buttar about relatives being taken away, there is nothing in the proposal about people being removed from their homes.


bbc--2020-05-15--Koyambedu: India's coronavirus cluster at a vegetable market

On 5 May , Bharath Gupta , a district collector in southern India , learnt that the sprawling Koyambedu market in Chennai city was being temporarily closed .
The reason : several vendors and labourers at the market had tested positive for coronavirus , and were being linked to a spate of cases in Chennai and surrounding areas .
Mr Gupta knew of the market because every day , farmers from his district - Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh state - send trucks packed with tomatoes to Koyambedu , which is in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu .
But what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driven by locals , often accompanied by a helper or cleaner who loads and unloads the cargo , and sometimes a cashier , who collects money from the sale on behalf of farmers .
They leave every night around 19:00 , and return to Chittoor the following afternoon .
On 6 May , officials in Chittoor began testing all of those who had been to the market since 20 April .
Other districts in Andhra Pradesh , which also supplied to Koyambedu , followed suit .
As of Wednesday , Chittoor had reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to Koyambedu .
Meanwhile , across Tamil Nadu as a whole , more than 2,000 new infections - a little over a third of the state 's active cases - have been linked to the market .
India , which has nearly 50,000 active cases , is nearing two months of a countrywide lockdown .
But in all that time , grocery stores and food markets have been allowed to stay open , classed as essential services .
But now one of those markets is the source of India 's biggest active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is as tangled as the country 's food supply chain .
Unsurprisingly , it has sparked a public row over who is to blame , but it has also revealed the challenge of regulating India 's bustling , crowded food markets , where space is a luxury and social distancing a fantasy .
Spread over 65 acres in the heart of Chennai , the Koyambedu market is one of the largest in Asia .
Wholesale and retail shops selling grains , fruits , vegetables and flowers draw tens of thousands of buyers every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owners , truck drivers and daily-wage labourers and it amounts to around a hundred thousand people , on average .
`` We have taken enough precautions , but when a pandemic spreads , it 's bound to spread everywhere in the city , '' says D Karthikeyan , a senior official in the Chennai city corporation .
The evidence of their efforts , he adds , is in the fact that the first Covid-19 case from the market was detected on 24 April , one month after the lockdown began .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pulianthope , a densely-populated neighbourhood that has emerged as a hotspot in Chennai .
Mr Karthikeyan says it 's unclear if she contracted the virus from the market or passed it on to people there .
`` It 's like a chicken and egg story .
Which came first ? ''
He says she led them to 45 positive cases , four of whom worked in the market .
And then a barber who ran a shop outside the market tested positive : `` That fellow had cut hair for more than 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are daily-wage workers in the market . ''
So began another round of contact-tracing and testing .
It led to truck drivers , daily-wage earners who load and unload the cargo , fruit , vegetable and flower vendors from across Chennai and Tamil Nadu , who travel to the market to buy produce that they take back and sell , and often the people they travel with in auto rickshaws or buses .
And they , in turn , led officials to their families and others they came in contact with back home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first infection linked to Koyambedu was detected , the cases have begun to add up .
In that time , Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur , two districts which border Chennai , added hundreds of new cases , taking each of their tallies from less than 60 to more than 400 .
In Cuddalore district , more than 200km away , 114 people who worked at the Koyambedu market tested positive on a single day .
Eighty percent of the 348 positive cases in another district , Ariyalur , have been traced to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Andhra Pradesh , 28 people across seven districts who had visited the market tested positive on Friday .
On 8 May , Tamil Nadu officials said 1,589 positive cases in the state could be traced to the market .
The next day that number had jumped to 1,867 , but there has been no update since then .
But with 9,674 positive cases so far , Tamil Nadu is now among the worst-hit states in the country , second only to Maharashtra with 27,524 .
The question that seems to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't they close the market ?
Who is to blame ?
Closing the market , Mr Kartikeyan explains , would have affected the livelihoods of so many farmers .
`` It 's the sole [ food ] supply link to Chennai and its suburbs - 5,000 tonnes of fruits and vegetables are traded daily and 400 trucks of vegetables alone arrive every day , '' says Mr Kartikeyan .
So despite the obvious risks , it stayed open .
He says they also made several attempts to limit crowding , even offering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other parts of the city , but the traders refused .
During that time , Tamil Nadu announced a complete , more stringent lockdown for three days at the end of April , and people were seen thronging markets to stock up .
Vendors at Koyambedu told BBC Tamil that thousands came to the market on 25 April and that `` there was no space to move '' .
• How police won hearts with cakes , songs and sacrifice On 28 April , the government shut down retail shops , and moved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city .
Only wholesale shops were allowed to operate , but again , on 30 April , at the end of the three day lockdown , the market saw a huge crowd .
As the cases continued to go up , Mr Kartikeyan says , they decided to close the market `` forcefully '' even though traders were unhappy with the decision .
They have since been allotted shops at another market but they have been demanding that the Koyambedu market be reopened since the new market can only accommodate a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistake to let the market function during the last 40 days of lockdown , '' says GD Rajasekar , head of the Koyambedu vegetable sellers ' associations , told the BBC .
He said they had made several suggestions , but officials had refused to listen to them .
The state 's chief minister has , however , blamed the traders , accusing them of not following the rules to curb the spread of the virus .
But traders say these large , semi-formal markets in cities where land is scarce and costly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Social distancing can not be adopted in these markets , '' says Raj Kumar Bhatia , secretary of the merchants association for the Azadpur market in India 's capital , Delhi .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?
It 's Asia 's largest fruit and vegetable market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh produce daily , but it 's quickly becoming a source of worry - 31 people from the market have tested positive so far .
And news reports have begun to link a rise in cases in neighbouring Haryana state to the market .
Azadpur also hosts auctions every day , from six in the morning to noon to set the price of produce - all of which is a risk with Covid-19 .
`` We need people to bid and we need them to gather , '' says Mr Bhatia .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is already keeping many traders and suppliers away - although there are 28,000 shops , goods are arriving for only 1,000 of them .
With supplies already dropping , shutting the market in Azadpur would be as unpopular a decision as shutting the one in Koyambedu .
But can Delhi afford to keep the market open ?

In that time, Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur, two districts which border Chennai, added hundreds of new cases, taking each of their tallies from less than 60 to more than 400. In Cuddalore district, more than 200km away, 114 people who worked at the Koyambedu market tested positive on a single day. Eighty percent of the 348 positive cases in another district, Ariyalur, have been traced to the market - many of them daily-wage workers. In Andhra Pradesh, 28 people across seven districts who had visited the market tested positive on Friday.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus in Nigeria: The child beggars at the heart of the outbreak

Powerful politicians in northern Nigeria are pushing for the scrapping of controversial Koranic schools after some pupils found themselves at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak , write the BBC 's Nduka Orjinmo and Mansur Abubakar .
Tens of thousands of Koranic school children were recently crammed into open vans and sent back home from cities and towns across northern Nigeria in a controversial move by state governments to prevent the spread of coronavirus within their territories .
There was a ban on travel , but the vans , with children sitting shoulder-to-shoulder , were allowed to criss-cross the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their homes in villages , often thousands of miles away .
All of Nigeria 's 19 northern states had two-way movement - some children were leaving for home while others were returning home .
It was probably one of the biggest ever state organised mass movements of minors in Africa 's most-populous state , whose population of around 200 million is divided roughly equally between Muslims and Christians .
No-one knows how many of the children - known in the local Hausa language as almajirai ( singular almajiri ) , which is derived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emigrant - were sent home but Kaduna state alone said it had repatriated 30,000 .
What no-one knew was that hundreds of the children already had coronavirus , so officials had inadvertently contributed to spreading the virus rather than containing it .
As the children arrived in their home states , some of them were quarantined and tested .
The results caused widespread consternation - of the 169 tested in Kaduna , 65 were positive , as were 91 of the 168 tested in Jigawa .
In Gombe , eight of the 48 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the number was seven out of 38 .
Hundreds of test results are still being awaited , while many thousands more have not been tested - Nigeria has faced criticism for its low testing rate .
The head of Nigeria 's presidential task force on Covid-19 , Boss Mustapha , had warned that the repatriations could cause a `` time bomb '' , but northern state governors ignored him .
They saw the pandemic as an opportunity to scrap the almajirai-based Koranic schools that have long been part of the Islamic education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 've been looking for ways and means to end this system because it has not worked for the children .
It has not worked for northern Nigeria and it has not worked for Nigeria .
So , it has to end and this is the time , '' said Kaduna state governor Nasir el-Rufai .
He added it was better to give the almajirai `` some kind of modern education than to allow them to waste their lives away , roaming about the streets begging for what to eat '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is dead , '' Mr el-Rufai said .
The almajirai are mostly children from poor homes who go to live for five to 10 years in a boarding-house style setting to memorise the Koran under a teacher , known as a mallam .
About 10.5 million Nigerian children aged between five and 14 years are not in school , according to the UN children 's agency , Unicef .
Unicef does not consider the almajirai as being in school so they make up a large part - if not the majority - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beg on streets The almajirai-based schools admit children as young as five , and they are expected to give their teachers the token sum of 100 naira ( $ 0.30 ; £0.25 ) every Wednesday , which is the end of the week for the pupils with Thursday and Friday - a religious day for Muslims - being their weekend .
The mallams say the money is for the maintenance of the schools , and they do not pocket it .
Most almajirai have no means of paying and resort to begging on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sometimes they carry out menial jobs for families , in exchange for food or clothes .
They often live in squalid conditions with poor hygiene , and can go without a bath for weeks , despite the fact that Islam puts huge emphasis on cleanliness .
The mallams themselves are mostly poor , untrained , and unregulated .
They tend to teach , and do subsistence farming .
Some children help out on the farms , without getting anything in return .
• Wash hands before and after eating • Wash hands after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , face and feet before each of the five daily prayers • Wash a person after death ; some clerics say it is fine if this can not be done in current circumstances The schools were shut when state governments announced the closure of places of learning in late March , but with nowhere to go , thousands of almajirai continued begging on the streets .
It was at this point that state governors - fearing that the children could be infected , and could spread it to the hundreds of people they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to send them home .
But it was too late .
No-one knows how the children became infected with the virus but Imrana Mohammed , a former almajiri , said they most likely `` got it through meeting strangers while begging for alms '' .
Mr Mohammed , who now runs a small business selling petroleum products , said that as an almajiri 14 years ago , he did domestic work for about $ 6 a month , and also got food to eat .
You may also like : • What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Helping those struggling to eat amid the lockdowns There have been discussions in the past about ending the system but in a region where religion is an extremely sensitive issue , defenders of the schools accused those who wanted them reformed of attempting to stop Islamic education .
Former President Goodluck Jonathan , a Christian from Nigeria 's south , invested billions of naira in building almajiri schools in the north that incorporated Islamic and secular education .
But his successor , Muhammadu Buhari , a northern Muslim who is popular in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the almajiri system , handed over the schools to state governments and Islamic scholars for management .
Most of the schools are now abandoned and the pupils back on the streets .
Some parents , like Shafiu Yau , do not want the system scrapped `` because it is the way to heaven '' .
He told the BBC that his 15-year-old son is currently an almajiri in Kano state , seen as Nigeria 's Islamic heartland .
Not all the students have been sent home , especially in Kano .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amajiri and hopefully after five years he will come back with vast knowledge of the Koran and his religion , '' Mr Yau said .
But that view is not shared by all .
Sheikh Abdullahi Garangamawa , the chief imam of the Jafar Adam Mosque in northern Nigeria 's main city Kano , told the BBC that the almajiri system was being abused .
`` The almajiri system , as it is today , is nothing but slavery and governments should stop their dragging feet and act fast on it .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer seek Islamic knowledge - many of them become criminals and thugs for politicians , '' he said .
This is a harsh view of an ancient system of Islamic education in northern Nigeria , and it is unlikely to end until the government tackles poverty and offers the children - and their parents - a better alternative .
• 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

"We've been looking for ways and means to end this system because it has not worked for the children. It has not worked for northern Nigeria and it has not worked for Nigeria. So, it has to end and this is the time," said Kaduna state governor Nasir el-Rufai.


bbc--2020-05-15--'It's just not the way a leader should act' - McIlroy criticises US President Trump

Rory McIlroy has criticised US President Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus crisis .
The Northern Ireland golfer said the president was trying to `` politicise '' the pandemic , which has led to more than 86,000 deaths in America .
McIlroy was criticised for playing golf with Trump at his International Golf Club in Florida in 2017 .
`` We 're in the midst of something that 's pretty serious right now , '' McIlroy told the McKellar Golf Podcast .
`` He 's trying to politicise it and make it a campaign rally , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests in the world like it 's a contest .
`` It 's just not the way a leader should act and there is a bit of diplomacy that you need to show , and I just do n't think he 's shown that , especially in these times . ''
While admitting he enjoyed his 18 holes with the President three years ago , the world number one said it was not something he would do again .
`` I do n't know if he 'd want to play with me again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he continued .
`` I know it 's very self-serving of me to say 'no ' and , if I do n't , then it means then I 'm not putting myself in position to be put under scrutiny and that I 'm avoiding that .
But I probably would n't , no .
`` The day that I did spend with him and others was very enjoyable .
He is very charismatic and was nice to everyone .
He obviously has something , or he would n't be in the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agree with everything - or , in fact , anything - that he says . ''
McIlroy will lead golf 's return after a two-month hiatus in a televised charity match in Florida on Sunday , when he will play with Dustin Johnson against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Woolfe in a $ 4m skins game in aid of Covid-19 charities .
With the backing of the PGA Tour , this will be seen as a first tentative step since the coronavirus lockdown , with no professional golf having been played since the Players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 March .
`` For us to go out and play a golf match , it 's awesome that we can do that , bring some entertainment to quite a few people but also to help in some way , '' McIlroy told the PGA Tour website .
`` What we 're doing is a great thing , it 's a very small piece of all this but I 'm just happy to be able to help in some way and bring some joy to people , I guess , when they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to for a couple of months . ''
McIlroy also said he would play in all three PGA Tour events in June when the season resumes .
Competition is set to return behind closed doors at the Charles Schwab Colonial event in Texas on 11 June .

McIlroy returned to the world number one position for the first time in five years in February
Rory McIlroy has criticised US president Donald Trump for his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
The Northern Ireland golfer said the president was trying to "politicise" the pandemic, which has led to more than 86,000 deaths in America.
McIlroy was criticised for playing golf with Trump at his International Golf Club in Florida in 2017.
"We're in the midst of something that's pretty serious right now," McIlroy told the McKellar Golf Podcast external-link .
"He's trying to politicise it and make it a campaign rally, saying that [the US] administers the most tests in the world like it's a contest.
"It's just not the way a leader should act and there is a bit of diplomacy that you need to show, and I just don't think he's shown that, especially in these times."
While admitting he enjoyed his 18 holes with the President three years ago, the world number one said it was not something he would do again.
Donald Trump became President in 2017
"I don't know if he'd want to play with me again after what I just said," he continued.
"I know it's very self-serving of me to say 'no' and, if I don't, then it means then I'm not putting myself in position to be put under scrutiny and that I'm avoiding that. But I probably wouldn't, no.
"The day that I did spend with him and others was very enjoyable. He is very charismatic and was nice to everyone. He obviously has something, or he wouldn't be in the White House.
"That doesn't mean I agree with everything - or, in fact, anything - that he says."
McIlroy will lead golf's return after a two-month hiatus in a televised charity match in Florida on Sunday, when he will play with Dustin Johnson against Rickie Fowler and Matthew Woolfe in a $4m skins game in aid of Covid-19 charities.
With the backing of the PGA Tour, this will be seen as a first tentative step since the coronavirus lockdown, with no professional golf having been played since the Players Championship was abandoned after one round on 12 March.
"For us to go out and play a golf match, it's awesome that we can do that, bring some entertainment to quite a few people but also to help in some way," McIlroy told the PGA Tour website.
"What we're doing is a great thing, it's a very small piece of all this but I'm just happy to be able to help in some way and bring some joy to people, I guess, when they haven't had anything to really look forward to for a couple of months."
McIlroy also said he would play in all three PGA Tour events in June when the season resumes.
Competition is set to return behind closed doors at the Charles Schwab Colonial event in Texas on 11 June.


bbc--2020-05-15--Criticism of players was unfair - Kane

Criticism of players was unfair - Kane

Premier League players have come under `` unfair criticism '' during the coronavirus pandemic , says England captain Harry Kane .
Last month health secretary Matt Hancock said players should `` take a pay cut and play their part '' .
`` We 've shown we 're doing everything we can to help support the NHS , charities and everyone who is struggling during this pandemic , '' Kane told BBC 5 Live .
`` We came under a bit of scrutiny and probably unfair criticism at times . ''
In an interview for BBC Radio 5 Live 's The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , Spurs striker Kane paid tribute to front-line workers during lockdown .
`` From delivery drivers to care workers and doctors to shop workers , they have been amazing , '' Kane added .
`` Everyone is doing so much work behind the scenes that not everyone sees . ''
Last month Premier League players launched a `` collective initiative '' to help generate funds for the National Health Service and distribute them `` where they are needed most '' .
On 31 March , Tottenham announced that all 550 non-playing staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , initially for two months .
The club reversed the decision to use the current job retention scheme for some non-playing staff on 13 April following strong criticism from supporters .
Only the board , including chairman Daniel Levy , who earned £7m last year , is taking salary reductions .
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has been volunteering in Enfield to help the elderly vulnerable during the pandemic .
League Two Leyton Orient announced on Thursday that Kane , who played for the club on loan from Spurs at the start of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shirts next season - and donate the space to three good causes .
The club 's home strip will carry a message of thanks to front-line workers tackling the coronavirus pandemic .
Kane was recovering from a hamstring injury which had kept him out since 1 January when the Premier League was suspended indefinitely .
He believes he could have been struggling to be fully fit had Euro 2020 - which has been postponed until the summer of 2021 - taken place next month .
`` I would n't have had as many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much training as I would have liked to really get to my highest level , '' he said .
`` I 'm trying to take the positives .
This period has given me a chance to recover a bit more .
`` Before lockdown I was at the stage where I was pretty much doing everything except training with the team .
`` The last week or so I have been able to do one-on-one training with one coach on the pitch .
It 's a case of getting that feeling back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and finishing . ''
Kane said he had been in touch with team-mate Dele Alli , who was held at knifepoint during a burglary in the early hours of Wednesday morning .
`` He was a little bit in shock and angry at the situation , '' he said .
`` It 's definitely scary and hits home a bit more when it 's one of your friends . ''

Last updated on .From the section Tottenham
Harry Kane has scored 11 Premier League goals during the 2019-20 season
Premier League players have come under "unfair criticism" during the coronavirus pandemic, says England captain Harry Kane.
Last month health secretary Matt Hancock said players should "take a pay cut and play their part".
"We've shown we're doing everything we can to help support the NHS, charities and everyone who is struggling during this pandemic," Kane told BBC 5 Live.
"We came under a bit of scrutiny and probably unfair criticism at times."
In an interview for BBC Radio 5 Live's The Friday Football Social from 19:00 BST on Friday, Spurs striker Kane paid tribute to front-line workers during lockdown.
"From delivery drivers to care workers and doctors to shop workers, they have been amazing," Kane added. "Everyone is doing so much work behind the scenes that not everyone sees."
Last month Premier League players launched a "collective initiative" to help generate funds for the National Health Service and distribute them "where they are needed most".
On 31 March, Tottenham announced that all 550 non-playing staff were taking a 20% pay cut, initially for two months.
The club reversed the decision to use the current job retention scheme for some non-playing staff on 13 April following strong criticism from supporters.
Only the board, including chairman Daniel Levy, who earned £7m last year, is taking salary reductions.
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has been volunteering in Enfield to help the elderly vulnerable during the pandemic.
League Two Leyton Orient announced on Thursday that Kane, who played for the club on loan from Spurs at the start of his career, had agreed to sponsor their shirts next season - and donate the space to three good causes.
The club's home strip will carry a message of thanks to front-line workers tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
'I'm taking positives from lockdown'
Kane was recovering from a hamstring injury which had kept him out since 1 January when the Premier League was suspended indefinitely.
He believes he could have been struggling to be fully fit had Euro 2020 - which has been postponed until the summer of 2021 - taken place next month.
"I wouldn't have had as many games as I would have liked or as much training as I would have liked to really get to my highest level," he said.
Kane has not played since suffering a torn hamstring in a 1-0 defeat at Southampton on 1 January
"I'm trying to take the positives. This period has given me a chance to recover a bit more.
"Before lockdown I was at the stage where I was pretty much doing everything except training with the team.
"The last week or so I have been able to do one-on-one training with one coach on the pitch. It's a case of getting that feeling back and doing a lot of individual training and finishing."
'Shocked and angry'
Kane said he had been in touch with team-mate Dele Alli, who was held at knifepoint during a burglary in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
"He was a little bit in shock and angry at the situation," he said.
"It's definitely scary and hits home a bit more when it's one of your friends."


bbc--2020-05-15--Chris Froome returns to outdoor training amid Ineos departure rumours

Last updated on .From the section Cycling Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has returned to outdoor training following reports he could leave his Ineos team this season .
Recent reports suggest Froome has been offered moves away from Ineos during this season .
Team Ineos have been contacted for comment .
Froome 's current contract runs out at the end of this calendar year , and he has previously said he has yet to decide who he will ride for in 2021 .
But Cycling News reported on Thursday the Briton is in discussion with two teams for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cycling .
Ineos have a plethora a talented riders who could be backed as the 'leader ' to win the Tour this year , including last year 's champion Egan Bernal , 21 .
Moving to another team could give Froome guaranteed backing as lead rider for the Tour , rather than having to battle other riders for supremacy in the same team .
Bernal recently said : `` I 'm not going to throw away an opportunity to win another Tour de France , that 's for sure .
I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that . ''
Cycling 's biggest race was won by Froome in 2013 , 2015 , 2016 and 2017 - but he lost out to team-mate Geraint Thomas in 2018 .
Froome has said previously he wants to focus on winning more editions of the Tour before the end of his career but missed out last year following a support-race crash in which he broke his neck , femur , elbow , hip and ribs .
Froome recently told the French newspaper L'Equipe : `` My dream , when I retire , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France than anyone else . ''

Last updated on .From the section Cycling
Four-time Tour winner Chris Froome has also won the Vuelta a Espana twice and the Giro d'Italia
Four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome has returned to outdoor training following reports he could leave his Ineos team this season.
The 34-year-old tweeted on Thursday he was training again external-link on roads around his home in Monaco, where coronavirus lockdown restrictions have been eased.
Recent reports suggest Froome has been offered moves away from Ineos during this season.
Team Ineos have been contacted for comment.
Froome's current contract runs out at the end of this calendar year, and he has previously said he has yet to decide who he will ride for in 2021.
But Cycling News reported on Thursday the Briton is in discussion with two teams external-link for a possible mid-season transfer - a rarity in cycling.
Ineos have a plethora a talented riders who could be backed as the 'leader' to win the Tour this year, including last year's champion Egan Bernal, 23.
Moving to another team could give Froome guaranteed backing as lead rider for the Tour, rather than having to battle other riders for supremacy in the same team.
Bernal recently said: "I'm not going to throw away an opportunity to win another Tour de France, that's for sure. I don't think I'm going to do that."
Cycling's biggest race was won by Froome in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 - but he lost out to team-mate Geraint Thomas in 2018.
Froome has said previously he wants to focus on winning more editions of the Tour before the end of his career but missed out last year following a support-race crash in which he broke his neck, femur, elbow, hip and ribs.
Froome recently told the French newspaper L'Equipe: "My dream, when I retire, would be to have won more Tours de France than anyone else."


bbc--2020-05-15--Club Bruges declared Belgian champions as season cut short

Club Bruges have been declared Belgian champions after the country 's Pro League confirmed last month 's decision to bring @ @ @ @ @ halt because of coronavirus .
They had an unassailable 15-point lead over Gent with one @ @ @ @ @ was suspended .
It is a 17th title for Club Bruges and their third in @ @ @ @ @ It means they will have an automatic spot in next season 's Champions League group @ @ @ @ @ first country in Europe to cancel its league , but the decision still had to @ @ @ @ @ at Friday 's general assembly .
The meeting also confirmed that Waasland-Beveren would be relegated @ @ @ @ @ season 's Champions League , with Charleroi , Royal Antwerp and Standard Liege in the @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section Belgian First Division A
Krepin Diatta is congratulated after scoring a goal in his side's final match before lockdown
Club Bruges have been declared Belgian champions after the country's Pro League confirmed last month's decision to bring the season to a premature halt because of coronavirus.
They had an unassailable 15-point lead over Gent with one match left when the season was suspended.
It is a 17th title for Club Bruges and their third in the past five seasons.
It means they will have an automatic spot in next season's Champions League group phase.
Belgium was the first country in Europe to cancel its league, but the decision still had to be ratified by the clubs at Friday's general assembly.
The meeting also confirmed that Waasland-Beveren would be relegated while Gent would enter next season's Champions League, with Charleroi, Royal Antwerp and Standard Liege in the Europa League.


bbc--2020-05-15--Tennis extends coronavirus suspension: ATP and WTA Tours on further hold

Professional tennis on the ATP and WTA tours has been suspended further because of the coronavirus pandemic .
All ATP tournaments in July have been suspended , including the Hamburg Open - a third-tier 500 level event .
WTA events in Bastad , Bucharest , Lausanne and Jurmala have been called off , with similar events in Palermo and Karlsruhe set to follow .
The US Open , which takes place in New York at the end of August , remains pencilled in for that date .
No professional tournaments have been played since the start of March , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events called off .
`` Just like tennis fans , players and tournament hosts all over the world , we share in the disappointment the tour continues to be affected in this way , '' said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi .
`` We continue to assess all of our options in an effort to resume the tour as soon as it is safe to do so , including the feasibility of rescheduling events later in the season . ''
Wimbledon , which was due to start on 29 June , was cancelled for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
French Open organisers announced their intention to play the clay-court Grand Slam , which should have started on 24 May , in late September and early October instead .
In theory , it would take place after the North American hard-court season , which culminates with the US Open at Flushing Meadows .
The hard-court events in the United States and Canada remain in place for now .
The latest suspension is likely to run up to the WTA event in San Jose and the ATP event in Washington on 3 August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be made next month .
These tournaments are followed by the Rogers Cup - which is split across Montreal and Toronto - and the Cincinnati Open , events which are both categorised among the biggest outside of Grand Slams .
With European governments still focusing all their efforts on Covid-19 , and with bans on large public gatherings in place in so many cities , these tournaments have been on borrowed time for a while .
But the future is potentially a little brighter .
Both the US Open , and the rearranged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are talking more positively about going ahead behind closed doors .
The USTA also continues to explore possible venues outside New York for the tournament for later in the year .
And the tours are continuing to draw up provisional plans for an autumn return , in which the best case scenario may allow for some paying fans - albeit in much reduced numbers .

The US Open, which hosts the biggest matches on Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, is the traditionally the fourth and final Grand Slam of the season
Professional tennis on the ATP and WTA tours has been suspended further because of the coronavirus pandemic.
All ATP tournaments in July have been suspended, including the Hamburg Open - a third-tier 500 level event.
WTA events in Bastad, Bucharest, Lausanne and Jurmala have been called off, with similar events in Palermo and Karlsruhe set to follow.
The US Open, which takes place in New York at the end of August, remains pencilled in for that date.
No professional tournaments have been played since the start of March, with the French Open and Wimbledon among the events called off.
"Just like tennis fans, players and tournament hosts all over the world, we share in the disappointment the tour continues to be affected in this way," said ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi.
"We continue to assess all of our options in an effort to resume the tour as soon as it is safe to do so, including the feasibility of rescheduling events later in the season."
Wimbledon, which was due to start on 29 June, was cancelled for the first time since World War Two.
French Open organisers announced their intention to play the clay-court Grand Slam, which should have started on 24 May, in late September and early October instead.
In theory, it would take place after the North American hard-court season, which culminates with the US Open at Flushing Meadows.
The hard-court events in the United States and Canada remain in place for now. The latest suspension is likely to run up to the WTA event in San Jose and the ATP event in Washington on 3 August, with a further decision set to be made next month.
These tournaments are followed by the Rogers Cup - which is split across Montreal and Toronto - and the Cincinnati Open, events which are both categorised among the biggest outside of Grand Slams.
'The future is potentially brighter' - analysis
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
With European governments still focusing all their efforts on Covid-19, and with bans on large public gatherings in place in so many cities, these tournaments have been on borrowed time for a while.
But the future is potentially a little brighter.
Both the US Open, and the rearranged French Open at the end of September, are talking more positively about going ahead behind closed doors. The USTA also continues to explore possible venues outside New York for the tournament for later in the year.
And the tours are continuing to draw up provisional plans for an autumn return, in which the best case scenario may allow for some paying fans - albeit in much reduced numbers.


bbc--2020-05-15--Saturday's gossip: Man City set to give striker Jesus new deal

Manchester City are set to give Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus a new deal worth £120,000-per-week in the face of interest for the 23-year-old from Juventus .
( Sun ) But City are prepared to sell attacking midfielder Leroy Sane this summer , despite their tough stance with Bayern Munich over the 24-year-old German .
Sane 's contract enters its final 12 months at the end of the season .
( Evening Standard ) Germany midfielder Toni Kroos , 30 , has ruled out a possible reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and says he expects to finish his career @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tottenham Hotspur target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has no plans to force a move away from Lazio this summer and the 25-year-old Serbia play maker could be rewarded for his loyalty with a new £3.5m-a-year contract .
( Corriere dello Sport via HITC ) Wolfsburg 's Dutch striker Wout Weghorst has revealed he has ambitions to play in England with the 27-year-old saying Liverpool are a club he finds `` very special '' .
( Goal ) Liverpool are ready to make a move for 17-year-old Brazilian striker Talles Magno .
The teenager , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is already a first-team regular at Brazilian side Vasco da Gama .
( Mirror ) Newcastle are in talks over a £21.25m deal for Inter Milan star Valentino Lazaro after the Austria winger impressed during a loan spell at the club this season .
( Sun ) Wolves are not expected to break the bank on individual players this summer despite reports linking them with a £53m swoop for Benfica 's Brazilian striker Carlos Vinicius , 25 .
( Express and Star ) Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira 's agent has claimed that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stadium and return to Italy .
( Tuttomercatoweb via Metro ) Former Gunners boss Unai Emery has claimed he was forced to sign winger Nicolas Pepe , 25 , for Arsenal - and revealed he would have preferred forward Wilfried Zaha , 27 , after holding talks with the Crystal Palace star .
( Mail ) Real Madrid remain keen to sign Erling Braut Haaland and will watch the 19-year-old striker on Saturday when Borussia Dortmund return to Bundesliga action .
( Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish ) Chelsea are ready to offload @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer rebuild but are expected to resist any offers for midfield duo N'Golo Kante , 29 , and Jorginho , 28 .
( ESPN ) Leicester City will resist any offers for Wilfred Ndidi in the transfer window amid speculation linking the 23-year-old Nigerian midfielder with French champions Paris St-Germain and Manchester United .
( All-Nigeria Soccer ) Barcelona are looking again at Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz .
The 20-year-old has been linked with Liverpool but Barca remain keen .
( Sport1 - in German ) Birmingham City teenager Jude Bellingham , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a move to Manchester United , could be joined there by younger brother Jobe , 15 .
( Mail ) Lionel Messi 's cousin has voiced security concerns over a potential return to Newell 's Old Boys for the 32-year-old Barcelona superstar who wants to end his playing career in Argentina .
( Star )

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Manchester City are set to give Brazil striker Gabriel Jesus a new deal worth £120,000-per-week in the face of interest for the 23-year-old from Juventus. (Sun) external-link
But ManchesterCity are prepared to sell attacking midfielder Leroy Sane this summer, despite their tough stance with Bayern Munich over the 24-year-old German. Sane's contract enters its final 12 months at the end of the season. (Evening Standard) external-link
Germany midfielder Toni Kroos, 30, has ruled out a possible reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and says he expects to finish his career with Real Madrid. (Eurosport) external-link
Tottenham Hotspur target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic has no plans to force a move away from Lazio this summer and the 25-year-old Serbia playmaker could be rewarded for his loyalty with a new £3.5m-a-year contract. (Corriere dello Sport via HITC) external-link
Wolfsburg's Dutch striker Wout Weghorst has revealed he has ambitions to play in England with the 27-year-old saying Liverpool are a club he finds "very special". (Goal) external-link
Liverpool are ready to make a move for 17-year-old Brazilian striker Talles Magno. The teenager, who has been compared to compatriot Neymar, is already a first-team regular at Brazilian side Vasco da Gama. (Mirror) external-link
RB Leipzig and Germany striker Timo Werner, 24, will either sign for Liverpool or stay put this summer. (Athletic - subscription required) external-link
Manchester United are monitoring Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo and could turn to the 19-year-old Wales international if a move for Borussia Dortmund's England winger Jadon Sancho, 20, falls through. (Mirror) external-link
Newcastle are in talks over a £21.25m deal for Inter Milan star Valentino Lazaro, 24, after the Austria winger impressed during a loan spell at the club this season. (Sun) external-link
Wolves are not expected to break the bank on individual players this summer despite reports linking them with a £53m swoop for Benfica's Brazilian striker Carlos Vinicius, 25. (Express and Star) external-link
Benfica have told Manchester United and Wolves what it will cost to sign Carlos Vinicius. (Mirror) external-link
Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira's agent has claimed that the 24-year-old Uruguayan is keen to leave Emirates Stadium and return to Italy. (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian) external-link
Former Gunners boss Unai Emery has claimed he was forced to sign Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe, 24, for Arsenal - and revealed he would have preferred his international team-mate, Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, 27. (Mail) external-link
Real Madrid remain keen to sign Erling Braut Haaland and will watch the 19-year-old striker on Saturday when Borussia Dortmund return to Bundesliga action. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish) external-link
Chelsea are ready to offload several first-team players to help fund a summer rebuild but are expected to resist any offers for France midfielder N'Golo Kante, 29, and Italy midfielder Jorginho, 28. (ESPN) external-link
Leicester City will resist any offers for Wilfred Ndidi in the transfer window amid speculation linking the 23-year-old Nigeria midfielder with French champions Paris St-Germain and Manchester United. (All-Nigeria Soccer) external-link
Barcelona are looking again at Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz. The 20-year-old German has been linked with Liverpool but Barca remain keen. (Sport1 - in German) external-link
Birmingham City midfielder Jude Bellingham, 16, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United, could be joined there by younger brother Jobe, 15. (90min) external-link
Lionel Messi's cousin has voiced security concerns over a potential return to Newell's Old Boys for the 32-year-old Barcelona superstar who wants to end his playing career in Argentina. (Star) external-link


bbc--2020-05-15--Tracking the outbreak in maps and charts

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than four million confirmed cases in 188 countries .
More than 300,000 people have lost their lives .
This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year .
How many cases and deaths have there been ?
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan , China , in late 2019 .
Note : The map and table in this page use a different source for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johns Hopkins University , which results in a slightly lower overall total .
The US has by far the largest number of cases , according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
With more than 85,000 fatalities , it also has the world 's highest death toll .
France , Italy , Spain and the UK - the worst-hit European countries - have all recorded more than 25,000 deaths .
In China , the official death toll is some 4,600 from about 84,000 confirmed cases , although critics have questioned whether the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
The true number of cases is thought to be much higher than the reported figures , as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
Globally , more than 4.5 billion people - half the world 's population - have been living under social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news agency 's estimates .
Those restrictions have had a big impact on the global economy , with the International Monetary Fund warning the world faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The United Nations World Food Programme has also warned that the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger .
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • COMPARING COUNTRIES : The pitfalls of doing so • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
Where are coronavirus cases still rising ?
While some countries are starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall , following the introduction of strict lockdown restrictions , others are only now seeing them rise .
Lesotho confirmed its first cases on 13 May , which means coronavirus is now present in all countries in Africa , mainly in urban populations .
Worst-hit on the continent are South Africa , Egypt and Algeria .
Russia 's latest official data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of infections worldwide and has been reporting around 10,000 new cases a day for over a week .
Brazil and Mexico announced their highest daily death tolls in recent days .
These charts show four countries where deaths are on an upward trajectory - as shown by the red lines .
Ecuador saw its health system collapse in April - thousands have died from the virus and other conditions that could not be treated because of the crisis .
The country 's official number of coronavirus deaths is around 2,300 but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher .
The sharp rise in cases in Latin America has led the WHO to say the Americas are the currently at the centre of the coronavirus pandemic .
In March , the WHO had labelled Europe the `` epicentre of the pandemic `` but the region is now slowly beginning to ease restrictions brought in to slow the spread of the virus .
In Europe , the UK became the first country to record more than 30,000 coronavirus deaths last week .
Italy , which was the first European country to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that marker .
Differences in population size and how countries report their figures , with some including deaths in care homes , or deaths of those suspected but not confirmed of having the virus , means international comparisons are complicated .
However , the UK , Italy , Spain , France and many other European countries appear to have passed through the peak of the virus and the number of new reported cases and deaths is falling .
Germany and Belgium have also recorded a relatively high number of daily deaths and are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries have varied in their plans to ease lockdowns , but the WHO has urged all nations to adopt a `` slow , steady '' approach .
You can read more about how lockdowns are being eased across Europe here .
• What are the new lockdown rules in the UK ?
New York the worst-hit in US outbreak With more than 1.4 million cases , the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world .
It has also recorded more than 85,000 deaths .
The state of New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 27,000 deaths , but the number of new cases there has been on a downward trend in recent weeks .
At one point , more than 90 % of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders , but many states have now begun to loosen their stay-at-home restrictions and allowed some businesses to reopen - a move health officials fear could further spread the virus .
• Are US states reopening too soon ?
The top US infectious diseases doctor Anthony Fauci has cautioned against opening up public life too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spikes '' which would become outbreaks .
President Trump , who disagrees with Dr Fauci 's advice , has made it clear he is keen to reopen the US economy and said last week it would be the new focus for his government 's coronavirus task force .
The latest figures show more than 36 million people have lost their jobs since the outbreak hit the US .
That 's nearly a quarter of the American workforce .
The rise means the jobless rate is now worse than at any time since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data used on this page comes from a variety of sources .
It includes figures collated by Johns Hopkins University , data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , national governments and health agencies , as well as UN data on populations .
When comparing figures from different countries it is important to bear in mind that not all governments are recording coronavirus cases and deaths in the same way .
This makes like for like comparisons between countries difficult .
Other factors to consider include : different population sizes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's elderly population or whether a particular country has a large amount of its people living in densely populated areas .
In addition , countries may be in different stages of the pandemic .

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


bbc--2020-05-16--Coronavirus: A third of hospital patients develop dangerous blood clots

Up to 30 % of patients who are seriously ill with coronavirus are developing dangerous blood clots , according to medical experts .
They say the clots , also known as thrombosis , could be contributing to the number of people dying .
Severe inflammation in the lungs - a natural response of the body to the virus - is behind their formation .
Patients worldwide are being affected by many medical complications of the virus , some of which can be fatal .
Back in March , as coronavirus was spreading across the globe , doctors started seeing far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hospital than they would normally expect .
And there have been other surprises , including the discovery of hundreds of micro-clots in the lungs of some patients .
The virus has also increased cases of deep vein thrombosis - blood clots usually found in the leg - which can be life-threatening when fragments break off and move up the body into the lungs , blocking blood vessels .
Artist Brian McClure was rushed to hospital last month suffering from the pneumonia brought on by coronavirus .
But soon after he arrived , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a bigger fight for his life .
`` I went for a lung screening and that showed blood clots in the lungs .
I was told that was very dangerous , '' he said .
`` That was when I really started to get worried .
I got the picture that if I did n't improve then I would be in serious trouble . ''
He is now continuing his recovery at home .
`` With a huge outpouring of data over the past few weeks I think it has become apparent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Roopen Arya , professor of thrombosis and haemostasis at King 's College Hospital , London .
`` Particularly in severely affected Covid patients in critical care , where some of the more recent studies show that nearly half the patients have pulmonary embolism or blood clot on the lungs . ''
He believes the number of critically ill coronavirus patients developing blood clots could be significantly higher than the published data in Europe of up to 30 % .
The professor 's blood sciences team in the hospital has been analysing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing their blood making it much more sticky .
And sticky blood can lead to blood clots .
This change in the blood is the result of severe inflammation in the lungs , a natural response of the body to the virus .
`` In severely affected patients we are seeing an outpouring of chemicals in the blood and this has a knock-on effect of activating the blood clotting , '' says Prof Arya .
And all this ultimately causes a patient 's condition to deteriorate .
According to thrombosis expert Prof Beverley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repercussions than just blood clots - it 's also leading to higher rates of strokes and heart attacks .
`` And yes sticky blood is contributing to high mortality rates , '' she says .
To add to all these medical challenges , there are studies showing that the blood thinners currently being used to treat the blood clots are not always working .
And ramping up doses to much higher levels risks patients suffering major bleeding which can be fatal .
The balance between treating the thrombosis and causing bleeds is `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Arya .
But there is now a big push to get medical teams from around the world to co-operate in finding the safest and most effective way of tackling the blood clot problem thrown up by the virus .
Trials are under way to find a standard dosage of blood thinners to be used in all countries .
However , some experts believe there could be another solution : finding a way to reduce the acute inflammation in the lungs which leads to the creation of sticky blood , the source of @ @ @

To add to all these medical challenges, there are studies showing that the blood thinners currently being used to treat the blood clots are not always working. And ramping up doses to much higher levels risks patients suffering major bleeding which can be fatal.


bbc--2020-05-16--Coronavirus: Trump says US reopening, 'vaccine or no vaccine'

President Donald Trump says the US will reopen , `` vaccine or no vaccine '' , as he announced an objective to deliver a coronavirus jab by year end .
He likened the vaccine project , dubbed `` Operation Warp Speed '' , to the World War Two effort to produce the world 's first nuclear weapons .
But Mr Trump made clear that even without a vaccine , Americans must begin to return to their lives as normal .
Many experts doubt that a coronavirus jab can be developed within a year .
Speaking at a White House Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said the project would begin with studies on 14 promising vaccine candidates for accelerated research and approval .
`` That means big and it means fast , '' he said of Operation Warp Speed .
`` A massive scientific , industrial and logistical endeavour unlike anything our country has seen since the Manhattan Project . ''
Mr Trump named an Army general and a former healthcare executive to lead the operation , a partnership between the government and private sector to find and distribute a vaccine .
Moncef Slaoui , who previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GlaxoSmithKline , will lead the mission , while Gen Gustave Perna , who oversees distribution for the US Army , is to serve as chief operating officer .
Speaking after Mr Trump , Mr Slaoui said he was `` confident '' that a `` few hundred million doses of vaccine '' will be delivered by the end of 2020 .
He acknowledged in an earlier interview with the New York Times that the timeline was ambitious , but said he `` would not have committed unless I thought it was achievable '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ only thing that will give Americans confidence in fully reopening the economy in the absence of widespread testing .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
What else did President Trump say ?
`` I do n't want people to think this is all dependent on a vaccine , '' he said .
`` Vaccine or no vaccine , we 're back .
And we 're starting the process . ''
`` In many cases they do n't have vaccines and a virus or a flu comes and you fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Other things have never had a vaccine and they go away . ''
`` I think the schools should be back in the fall , '' Mr Trump continued .
Earlier this week Dr Anthony Fauci , who serves on the coronavirus taskforce and appeared wearing a mask at the Rose Garden conference , testified to the Senate that it would be a `` bridge too far '' for schools to reopen in the autumn .
As Mr Trump spoke on Friday , lorry drivers who have parked around the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest against low wages , neither for nor against the president .
`` Those are friendly truckers .
They 're on our side , '' Mr Trump said .
`` It 's almost a celebration in a way . ''
At one point , the president - who wore no mask - instructed a reporter to remove hers so she could be better heard over the noise of honking as she addressed him .
Dr Fauci and other experts have strongly suggested that a jab will take at least a year to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014-16 , it was not until December 2019 that the US Food and Drug Administration approved its first vaccine .
Some health experts have remained sceptical about the rapid timeline for development and distribution proposed by the White House .
`` I do n't understand how that happens , '' said Dr Peter Hotez , co-director of the Medicine Coronavirus Vaccine Team at Baylor College , on CNN after Mr Trump 's announcement .
`` I do n't see a path by which any vaccine is licensed for emergency use or otherwise till @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
Dr Rick Bright , an ousted US vaccines director who has accused the White House of exerting political pressure around coronavirus treatments , testified to Congress on Thursday that such jabs often take up to a decade to develop .
• Things the US has got right - and got wrong What other US coronavirus efforts are there ?
'Warp Speed ' is the latest of several Covid response projects Washington has undertaken .
In March , the White House launched a testing initiative , enlisting major pharmacy retailers like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up drive-through testing sites throughout the country .
Such partnerships have stalled , however , and the US has faced continued criticism for its lags in testing .
In recent weeks , the White House announced further efforts and has helped ramp up testing to nearly 10 million as of 15 May , according to the Our World in Data database .
Besides the new White House jab initiative , the Food and Drug Administration is also evaluating vaccine candidates for possible human trials .
On Friday night , the Democratic-controlled US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 208-199 a bill to spend more than $ 3tn ( £2.5tn ) on coronavirus relief , including stimulus funds to local governments and direct payments to Americans .
But the package , which even some Democrats objected to , is rated as having no chance of passage in the Republican-controlled Senate .
• EUROPE 'S EASING : How lockdown is being lifted • THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What @ @ @ @

"In many cases they don't have vaccines and a virus or a flu comes and you fight through it," he added. "Other things have never had a vaccine and they go away."


bbc--2020-05-16--Coronavirus: Italy to lift travel restrictions as lockdown eases

Italy 's government has signed a decree that will allow travel to and from the country from 3 June , as it moves to ease its coronavirus lockdown measures .
It will also allow travel between the regions - which has so far been tightly restricted - from the same day .
The move marks a major step in the country 's efforts to reopen its economy after more than two months of lockdown .
Italy has one of the highest death tolls in the world , but its infection rate has fallen sharply in recent days .
More than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country , the third highest figure behind the US and UK .
• How is lockdown being lifted across Europe ?
• Fast on coronavirus , now they need to save summer It was the first country in Europe to impose nationwide restrictions when coronavirus cases began to surface in northern regions in February .
But it began to relax those measures earlier this month , when it allowed factories and parks to reopen on 4 May .
The latest decree was signed by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte and published early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called for a swifter easing of restrictions , but Prime Minister Conte said they would be relaxed gradually to avoid a second wave of cases .
Shops and restaurants are also due to reopen from 18 May providing social distancing is enforced .
Catholic churches are preparing for the resumption of Mass on the same day , but there will be strict social distancing and worshippers must wear face masks .
Other faiths will also be allowed to hold religious services .
All travel restrictions will then be lifted from 3 June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , which was once the global epicentre of the pandemic , reported a further decline in its daily death toll .
It reported more than 900 deaths on 27 March , but the authorities said there were 262 on Friday .
Earlier this week , the government approved a €55bn ( £48bn ; $ 59bn ) stimulus package designed to offset the economic impact of the pandemic on businesses and families .
• Countries across Europe have continued to report decreasing daily death tolls , as lockdowns begin to ease .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the countries to have relaxed their measures • Germany 's economy - the largest in Europe - has fallen into a recession after reporting a 2.2 % decline during the first three months of this year , spurred by the pandemic • Nelson Teich has become the second Brazilian health minister to quit in a month , following disagreements with President Jair Bolsonaro over the government 's response to the outbreak • President Donald Trump has promised the US will reopen `` vaccine or no vaccine '' .
He announced an objective to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The UK 's infection rate has crept up and is now closer to the point where the virus starts spreading rapidly , the government says • More than 4.5 million cases of coronavirus have now been reported globally , according to Johns Hopkins University - around a third of these have recovered • THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?

Catholic churches are preparing for the resumption of Mass on the same day, but there will be strict social distancing and worshippers must wear face masks. Other faiths will also be allowed to hold religious services.


bbc--2020-05-16--Félicien Kabuga: Rwanda genocide suspect arrested in France

Félicien Kabuga , one of the most wanted suspects in the Rwandan genocide , has been arrested near Paris , the French justice ministry has announced .
Mr Kabuga was detained by gendarmes in Asnières-Sur-Seine , where he had been living under a false identity .
The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has charged the 84-year-old with genocide and crimes against humanity .
He is alleged to have been the main financier of the ethnic Hutu extremists who slaughtered 800,000 people in 1994 .
They were targeting members of the minority Tutsi community , as well as their political opponents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reward of $ 5m ( £4.1m ) for information leading to Mr Kabuga 's arrest .
The chief prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals ( IRMCT ) at The Hague - which is handling outstanding war crimes cases for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia - said French police arrested Mr Kabuga on Saturday `` in a sophisticated , co-ordinated operation with simultaneous searches across a number of locations '' that was the result of a joint investigation .
`` The arrest of Félicien Kabuga today is a reminder that those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account , even 26 years after their crimes , '' Serge Brammertz said in a statement .
`` For international justice , Kabuga 's arrest demonstrates that we can succeed when we have the international community 's support , '' he added .
Mr Brammertz expressed his appreciation to France , but said essential contributions had also been made by Rwanda , Belgium , the UK , Germany , the Netherlands , Austria , Luxembourg , Switzerland , the US , Europol and Interpol .
Following completion of appropriate procedures under French law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transferred to the custody of the IRMCT , where he will stand trial .
Mr Kabuga was indicted in 1997 on seven counts of genocide , complicity in genocide , direct and public incitement to commit genocide , attempt to commit genocide , conspiracy to commit genocide , persecution and extermination .
The US has said Mr Kabuga was co-founder and chairman of the Fonds de Défense Nationale ( FDN ) , through which he is alleged to have provided funds to the interim Rwandan government for the purposes of executing the 1994 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have given logistical support to militiamen who carried out the slaughter by issuing them weapons and uniforms and by providing them transport .

He was arrested at 05:30 (03:30 GMT) on Saturday in what the chief prosecutor of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) at The Hague - which is handling outstanding war crimes cases for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia - called "a sophisticated, co-ordinated operation with simultaneous searches across a number of locations".


bbc--2020-05-16--India coronavirus lockdown: Road accident kills 24 migrant workers

At least 24 migrant workers trying to return home during a nationwide lockdown have been killed in a crash between two lorries in northern India .
The accident happened in the Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh state early on Saturday , when one of the lorries hit another parked at a roadside cafe .
Most of the workers were reportedly from the western states of Jharkhand and West Bengal .
The government imposed a lockdown on 24 March to contain the new coronavirus .
The move has caused economic disruption across the country and left millions of migrant workers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no money .
Many desperate to return to their home states from big cities have been walking hundreds of kilometres or hitching rides on goods lorries , rather than waiting for spaces on the special bus and train services organised by the government .
Dozens have been killed in road and rail accidents .
Earlier this week , six died when they were run over by a bus on a highway in the Muzafarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh .
And on 8 May , a freight train killed 16 who had stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the town of Aurangabad in Maharashtra state .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of those killed on Saturday , and wished the 36 others who were injured a speedy recovery .
`` The accident in Auraiya ... is very tragic , '' he wrote on Twitter .
`` The government is carrying out relief work in full swing . ''
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered officials to ensure the injured were provided with medical care and to ascertain the cause of the accident .
The leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yadav , accused the government of negligence in its handling of the situation for migrant workers .
`` Such accidents are not deaths , but murders , '' he tweeted .

Many desperate to return to their home states from big cities have been walking hundreds of kilometres or hitching rides on goods lorries, rather than waiting for spaces on the special bus and train services organised by the government.


bbc--2020-05-16--Psychiatrists fear 'tsunami' of mental illness after lockdown

Psychiatrists are warning of a `` tsunami '' of mental illness from problems stored up during lockdown .
They are particularly concerned that children and older adults are not getting the support they need because of school closures , self-isolation and fear of hospitals .
In a survey , psychiatrists reported rises in emergency cases and a drop in routine appointments .
They emphasised that mental-health services were still open for business .
`` We are already seeing the devastating impact of Covid-19 on mental health , with more people in crisis , '' said Prof Wendy Burn , president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But we are just as worried about the people who need help now but are n't getting it .
Our fear is that the lockdown is storing up problems which could then lead to a tsunami of referrals . ''
A survey of 1,300 mental-health doctors from across the UK found that 43 % had seen a rise in urgent cases while 45 % reported a reduction in routine appointments .
One psychiatrist said : `` In old-age psychiatry our patients appear to have evaporated , I think people are too fearful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Many of our patients have developed mental disorders as a direct result of the coronavirus disruption - eg social isolation , increased stress , running out of meds . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• ENDGAME : How do we get out of this mess ?
Dr Bernadka Dubicka , who chairs the faculty of child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` We are worried that children and young people with mental illness who may be struggling are not getting the support that they need .
`` We need to get the message out that services are still open for business . ''
Dr Amanda Thompsell , an expert in old-age psychiatry , said using technology to call a doctor during lockdown was difficult for some older people .
They were often `` reluctant '' to seek help , and their need for mental-health support was likely to be greater than ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mental Illness said the concerns raised were supported by evidence from people living with mental illness .
In a survey of 1,000 people , many said their mental health had got worse since the pandemic had started , due to the disruption to routines that keep them safe and well .
`` The NHS is doing an incredible job in the most difficult of circumstances , but mental health must be a clear priority , with investment to ensure services can cope with this anticipated surge in demand , '' said the charity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could take years for some people to recover from the setbacks .

"But we are just as worried about the people who need help now but aren't getting it. Our fear is that the lockdown is storing up problems which could then lead to a tsunami of referrals."


bbc--2020-05-16--Fariba Adelkhah: French academic 'jailed for six years' in Iran

A French-Iranian academic has been jailed for six years by a court in Iran , according to her Tehran lawyer .
Fariba Adelkhah was sentenced to five years for conspiring against national security and one year for propaganda against the state , Saeid Dehghan said .
But he added that he expected her to only have to serve the longer term .
The 61-year-old anthropologist and researcher at Sciences Po university in Paris was detained in June along with her French colleague Roland Marchal .
Mr Marchal was released in March this year as part of a prisoner swap .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Iranian engineer who was being held over accusations that he violated US sanctions against Iran .
In recent years , Iran has arrested dozens of foreign and dual nationals on national security charges .
Some , including British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe , are on temporary release because of the coronavirus pandemic .
There was no immediate confirmation of Ms Adelkhah 's sentence from the Iranian judiciary or the French foreign ministry .
French officials have said her detention is unacceptable and that they are determined to secure her release .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dual nationality for Iranian citizens and they have not granted French diplomats consular access rights .
Ms Adelkhah has protested her innocence and on 24 December she began a hunger strike at Tehran 's Evin prison along with the Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert , according to Science Po .
Ms Adelkhah ended the hunger strike on 12 February , after fears were expressed about her health .
Eleven days later , she was admitted to the prison 's hospital for treatment for severe kidney damage .
The Sciences Po researcher is a specialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of post-revolutionary Iran , and has written a number of books , including Revolution under the Veil : Islamic Women of Iran .
At the time of her arrest , she was examining the movement of Shia clerics between Afghanistan , Iran , and Iraq , and had spent time in the holy city of Qom .

At the time of her arrest, she was examining the movement of Shia clerics between Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq, and had spent time in the holy city of Qom.