bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus outbreak: Reporter's gift of shoes to migrant goes viral

Tens of thousands of Indian migrant workers have been flocking from the big cities to their home villages , after @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus pandemic .
BBC Hindi 's Salman Ravi caught up with one man walking barefoot @ @ @ @ @ happened next went viral .

Tens of thousands of Indian migrant workers have been flocking from the big cities to their home villages, after being made unemployed by the coronavirus pandemic.
BBC Hindi's Salman Ravi caught up with one man walking barefoot with his family. What happened next went viral.
Produced by Pooja Chhabria
Read more: India migrants: 'We will die - we are poor people'


bbc--2020-05-20--Michigan floods: Evacuations after Edenville and Sanford dams breached

About 10,000 residents have been evacuated in the US state of Michigan after two dams breached following days of heavy rain , officials say .
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for areas near the Tittabawassee River after the Edenville and Sanford dams failed .
Parts of Midland , a city some 140 miles ( 209 km ) of Detroit , could be under 9ft ( 2.7m ) of water , authorities said .
Dow chemical company , which is based in the city , has set up emergency steps .
The Edenville dam collapsed on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanford dam remains intact , but floodwaters have been flowing over it .
Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Midland County in mid-Michigan on Tuesday , and said the city of Midland - of population of more than 40,000 - could see a `` historic high water level '' .
`` This is unlike anything we 've seen in Midland County , '' Ms Whitmer said at a news conference .
`` To go through this in the midst of a global pandemic is almost unthinkable . ''
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents were told to evacuate because of rising waters .
They have been advised to wear a face covering and observe social distancing while evacuating to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
The Michigan National Guard has been assisting in the response , the governor said .
The evacuation orders included parts of Midland , Edenville and Sanford .
The National Weather Service ( NWS ) said this was an `` extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation '' , with the Tittabawassee River expected to crest at a record of 38ft by Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the NWS said the river had broken its previous Midland record water level of 33.8ft .
The river floods when water is above 24ft , and it is currently over 34ft .
Local media report floodwaters several feet high have inundated streets in the area .
In a statement , Dow said it had activated its flood preparedness plan which includes the safe shutdown of operating units .
Only essential staff needed to monitor the situation and manage any issues remained on site , which sits on Midland 's riverbank , the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edenville Dam was rated in unsatisfactory condition by the state in 2018 while the Sanford Dam , which was built in 1925 , was given a fair condition rating , the Associated Press news agency reports .
It said both dams were in the process of being sold .
President Donald Trump is expected to visit Michigan on Thursday , to tour a Ford plant that is manufacturing ventilators to help in the response to the coronavirus .
Ms Whitmer , who has not been invited to attend the event , has criticised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis .
The visit is , technically , a violation of the restrictions imposed by the governor to curb the spread of the virus in Michigan , which has been hit hard with more than 50,000 confirmed cases and 5,000 deaths .
But a spokesman for the governor said she would not try to block the visit .
The Democratic governor is seen as a possible running mate for former Vice-President Joe Biden , the party 's presumptive nominee to run against President Trump in November .

The visit is, technically, a violation of the restrictions imposed by the governor to curb the spread of the virus in Michigan, which has been hit hard with more than 50,000 confirmed cases and 5,000 deaths. But a spokesman for the governor said she would not try to block the visit.


bbc--2020-05-20--Why Joe Rogan's exclusive Spotify deal matters

Joe Rogan has signed an exclusive deal with Spotify , which will see his podcast , The Joe Rogan Experience , disappear from all other platforms .
The multi-year deal is believed to be worth $ 100m ( £82 million ) , according to the Wall Street Journal .
Rogan 's podcast , which is one of the most popular in the world , will arrive on the streaming giant on 1 September .
It will then be housed there exclusively by the end of the year , and removed from all other platforms .
`` It will remain free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same show , '' said Rogan .
`` It 's just a licensing deal , so Spotify wo n't have any creative control over the show .
`` They want me to just continue doing it the way I 'm doing it right now .
`` I 'm excited to have the support of the largest audio platform in the world and I hope you folks are there when we make the switch ! ''
Joe Rogan is a US stand-up comedian and TV host-turned-provocateur , who launched his podcast in 2009 - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He invites a wide range of guests , including actors , musicians , comedians , politicians and conspiracy theorists on to the show , which has garnered a huge audience .
Last year the podcast was downloaded 190 million times per month .
Rogan has previously advocated for `` long-form media '' - and his own podcast episodes regularly run to two or three hours .
The controversial entertainer also has 8.42 million subscribers to his YouTube channel , which has up until now shown the interviews in video form ( this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kicks in ) .
But he has also attracted criticism - Rogan has been accused of making sexist , racist and transphobic comments in his podcasts .
`` The Joe Rogan Experience has become one of the internet 's foremost vectors for anti-wokeness , '' wrote Justin Peters in Slate .
In 2018 , Rogan 's show hit the headlines when the host shared a cannabis joint with Tesla boss Elon Musk , after which the company 's stocks fell by 9 % .
Rogan has been credited as being an `` unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times , due to his reach .
In January , he informed his legions of followers that he would `` probably vote for Bernie '' , referring to the then Democratic Party candidate Bernie Sanders , who received increased press coverage as a result .
However , since Joe Biden became the party 's presumptive nominee , Rogan has said he is more likely to vote for President Trump .
Why is this deal significant ?
The kind of figures involved in the deal are incredibly rare in the podcast world - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than most musicians on Spotify .
`` Joe Rogan just got paid the equivalent value of over 26 billion streams for a podcast licence , '' wrote Tom Gray , director of the royalties , music copyright and licensing society , PRS for Music .
`` A musician would need to generate 23 billion streams on Spotify to earn what they 're paying Joe Rogan for his podcast rights . ''
added music writer Ted Gioia .
Gioia suggested this means `` Spotify values Rogan more than any musician in the history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broadcaster Scott Bryan predicted the deal could `` lead the way to others '' , but noted that the exclusivity clause would leave many fans locked out .
`` It might do what Sky did for a lot of shows , '' he tweeted .
`` Lift them up , but put them behind a wall that the culture mostly then ignores . ''
Although Rogan has said the podcast will still be free to access , Spotify will be hoping the increased traffic to its service will lead to a significant increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult to make large amounts of money in the crowded world of podcasts .
As most podcasts are free to download , many presenters and producers attempt to make money from endorsements and advertising .
A platform-exclusive deal such as this is very rare .
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

The controversial entertainer also has 8.42 million subscribers to his YouTube channel, which has up until now shown the interviews in video form (this will stop when the new Spotify deal kicks in).


bbc--2020-05-20--Gilgamesh tablet: Bid to confiscate artefact from Museum of the Bible

US prosecutors are seeking to confiscate a rare ancient tablet from a Christian museum co-founded by the president of retailer Hobby Lobby .
The 3,500-year-old artefact , from what is now Iraq , bears text from the Epic of Gilgamesh , one of the world 's oldest works of literature .
Prosecutors allege that an auction house deliberately withheld information about its origins .
Hobby Lobby said it was co-operating with government investigations .
It bought the tablet from the auction house in a private sale in 2014 for $ 1.67m ( £1.36m ) for display at the Museum of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the US attorney for the Eastern District of New York says the tablet was illegally imported into the US .
Prosecutors did not name the auction house in their public statement , but on Tuesday Lobby House filed a lawsuit against Christie 's in relation to the tablet .
In a statement , Christie 's said the lawsuit was linked to alleged illegal conduct `` predating Christie 's involvement '' with the artefact .
`` Any suggestion that Christie 's had knowledge of the original fraud or illegal importation is unsubstantiated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilgamesh Dream Tablet , the artefact features sections of a Sumerian poem - parts of the epic mirror stories from the Old Testament , such as the Garden of Eden .
According to a civil suit filed by US prosecutors on Monday , the tablet was originally purchased by an antiques dealer in 2003 in London .
In 2007 , the dealer sold it to another buyer for $ 50,000 and allegedly included a fake document claiming it had been obtained at an auction in the US in 1981 .
It was then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Three years later , when the museum 's curator asked for clarity about the tablet 's origins , the auction house allegedly withheld information about its origins , including the fake letter which it knew `` would not withstand scrutiny '' , the prosecutors said .
It is unclear if the case was flagged to authorities by the museum .
The tablet was seized from the museum in September last year ; Monday 's legal move was a formal attempt to take possession .
Iraq 's ministry of antiquities told US broadcaster NPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if the tablet was one of thousands of items stolen from its museum in 1991 .
At least nine of the country 's 13 regional museums were looted that year when Saddam Hussein 's regime lost control of certain areas of the country , soon after his invasion of Kuwait .
The civil suit comes after Hobby Lobby was fined $ 3m and forced to hand over thousands of smuggled ancient artefacts from Iraq which it had bought for the Bible museum .
In March , the museum 's board chairman , Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discovered another 5,000 papyrus fragments and 6,500 clay objects in its collection with insufficient provenance .
He said the artefacts would be returned to Egypt and Iraq .

Three years later, when the museum's curator asked for clarity about the tablet's origins, the auction house allegedly withheld information about its origins, including the fake letter which it knew "would not withstand scrutiny", the prosecutors said.


bbc--2020-05-20--Michael Cohen: Prison release for ex-Trump lawyer over virus

President Donald Trump 's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen is to be released from prison on Thursday to home confinement due to Covid-19 concerns .
Cohen , 53 , is serving a three-year sentence for lying to Congress and campaign finance fraud .
His early release was first reported in April , but it was delayed .
New York is the epicentre of the US pandemic and the minimum-security prison where Cohen is detained has had a number of confirmed cases .
According to the federal Bureau of Prisons , 2,265 inmates and 188 staff have tested positive for Covid-19 nationwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the virus .
Earlier this month , another former Trump aide , ex-campaign chairman Paul Manafort , was released from prison to serve the remainder of his custodial term at home due to Covid-19 fears .
Manafort , who was convicted of conspiracy and fraud charges , had served a little over a year of his seven-and-a-half year sentence .
Cohen - who was originally due to walk free in November 2021 - was expected to remain in quarantine for two weeks before early release .
The former fixer , who once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trump , was the first member of his inner circle to be jailed during a justice department-led inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election .
He admitted to lying to Congress about a Trump Tower project in Moscow , and campaign finance violations for his role in making hush money payments to women alleging affairs with Mr Trump and other tax and bank fraud charges unrelated to the president .

"There is so much I want to say and intend to say. But now is not the right time. Soon. Thank you to all my friends and supporters."


bbc--2020-05-21--Coronavirus: World sees highest daily increase in virus cases - WHO

The head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) warned Wednesday that the coronavirus pandemic is a long way from being over amid the largest daily rise in global cases .
The WHO said 106,000 new cases had been reported to them in the last 24 hours .
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed particular concern about rising infections in low and middle-income nations .
The warning comes as the total number of cases approach five million .
The grim milestone looks set to be reached less than two weeks after the world hit the four million mark .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is likely to be far higher , with low testing rates in many countries skewing the data .
More than 326,000 people are known to have died with coronavirus around the world , according to Johns Hopkins University tracking .
The US remains the worst-hit country , with more than 1.5m cases and 92,000 deaths so far .
What did the WHO say ?
`` In the last 24 hours , there have been 106,000 cases reported to WHO - the most in a single day since the outbreak began , '' Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Almost two-thirds of these cases were reported in just four countries , '' he added .
• All 50 US states move toward reopening Dr Tedros later warned the world still had `` a long way to go in this pandemic '' .
His warning came as a number of countries , including the US , begin to loosen lockdown restrictions .
Dr Mike Ryan , the WHO 's emergencies director , also spoke out at the latest briefing against the use of malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in relation to Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump said he had been taking the medication in an attempt to ward off the virus , despite his own public health officials warning about its use .
• Hydroxychloroquine : What do we know ?
`` At this stage , ( neither ) hydroxychloroquine nor chloroquine have been as yet found to be effective in the treatment of Covid-19 , nor in the prophylaxis against coming down with the disease , '' Dr Ryan said .
`` In fact , the opposite , in that warnings have been issued by many authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug . ''
Despite these concerns , the Brazilian health ministry issued new guidelines on Wednesday approving wider use of the two drugs in mild coronavirus cases .
Brazil is currently onto its third health minister in weeks , after the last two clashed with President Jair Bolsonaro over his handling of the virus outbreak .
The nation now has more than 270,000 confirmed Covid-19 infections , the third highest in the world , with almost 20,000 added to their tally on Wednesday alone .
With experts warning the country is still weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular concern about the rapid spread of the virus in poor areas and indigenous communities .
• Bolivia 's health minister has been detained on suspicion of corruption over the purchase of overpriced ventilators for coronavirus patients • A super cyclone has made violent landfall in eastern India and Bangladesh , but coronavirus restrictions are making evacuations and relief efforts difficult • Sweden has announced a national review of care homes over fears some have not provided sufficient oxygen to patients • Greek officials say they hope to start their tourism season next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rule change in Spain means it will be compulsory to wear a mask where social distancing is not possible from Thursday What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

"At this stage, (neither) hydroxychloroquine nor chloroquine have been as yet found to be effective in the treatment of Covid-19, nor in the prophylaxis against coming down with the disease," Dr Ryan said.


bbc--2020-05-20--Amphan: Cyclone lashes India and Bangladesh

Parts of India and Bangladesh have been battered by Cyclone Amphan .
Nearly three million people were evacuated - most @ @ @ @ @ before the severe storm hit .
Covid-19 and social-distancing measures have made mass evacuations more @ @ @ @ @ shelters unable to be used to full capacity .
Read more : Cyclone wreaks deadly @ @ @ @ @

Parts of India and Bangladesh have been battered by Cyclone Amphan. Nearly three million people were evacuated - most of them in Bangladesh - before the severe storm hit. Covid-19 and social-distancing measures have made mass evacuations more difficult for authorities, with shelters unable to be used to full capacity.
Read more: Cyclone wreaks deadly havoc in India and Bangladesh


bbc--2020-05-20--S Africa deaths 'to soar' in coming months

At least 40,000 people could die with coronavirus in South Africa by the end of the year , scientists have warned .
The projections were made by a group of academics and health experts advising the government .
They assume tough lockdown restrictions will be eased from June , as President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced .
The curbs - which were introduced in March and include a ban on tobacco and alcohol sales - have been credited with slowing the spread of the virus .
The country of 57 million people has recorded just 17,200 cases of Covid-19 and 312 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Spain , by comparison , has reported about 278,000 cases and almost 28,000 deaths for a population of only 47 million .
• Exercising the freedom to jog in South Africa But the projections by the South African Covid-19 Modelling Consortium - set up to help government planning over the outbreak - says the country could experience a sharp rise in cases and deaths over the coming months .
The report was released during a meeting with Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize following criticism of the government 's perceived lack of transparency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as more data becomes available , and assume the current restrictions will be relaxed from 1 June .
Under an `` optimistic scenario '' , by late August the number of active cases could reach almost 100,000 , before declining .
The cumulative number of deaths by November would be 40,000 .
Under a `` pessimistic scenario '' the number of active cases could peak around at 120,000 in August , and a total of 45,000 would die by November .
The report also suggests there could be 1.2 million Covid-19 cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be overwhelmed within weeks .
The politics of Covid-19 and scientific rivalry have intensified in South Africa .
The opposition Democratic Alliance is taking the government to court , arguing that the stringent lockdown regulations are unwarranted and the ban on alcohol and tobacco sales should be lifted .
The government itself is not speaking with one voice .
This month President Cyril Ramaphosa said lockdown regulations would be eased from `` level 4 '' to `` level 3 '' to allow schools to reopen and more people to return to work from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mkhize seems reluctant , and has said that according to the World Health Organization , South Africa is not yet ready for level 3 because infections continue to rise every day .
It 's a balancing act for the government , which has to take the issues of food security , job losses and the economy into consideration .
Some scientists have called on the government to fast-track lockdown restrictions to level 2 , claiming the current ones have little or no effect on the spread of coronavirus .
In March , President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures of any country .
Most workers were ordered to stay at home .
In addition to the tobacco and alcohol bans , jogging , cycling and dog-walking were also prohibited .
On 1 May , the curbs were eased from `` level 5 '' to `` level 4 '' , allowing people to exercise between 06:00 and 09:00 .
People are still urged to wear face masks in public and observe social distancing rules .

It's a balancing act for the government, which has to take the issues of food security, job losses and the economy into consideration. Some scientists have called on the government to fast-track lockdown restrictions to level 2, claiming the current ones have little or no effect on the spread of coronavirus.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Greece to reopen tourism season in June, PM says

The Greek tourist season will kick off next month , with international charter flights to popular locations resuming in July , the prime minster says .
`` The tourism period begins on 15 June , when seasonal hotels can reopen , '' Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in a televised address on Wednesday .
`` Let us make this summer the epilogue of the [ Covid-19 ] crisis , '' he added .
The coronavirus pandemic threatens to ruin Greece 's tourism industry , which is vital to the country 's economy .
The Greek announcement came as EU tourism ministers agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the quick and full recovery of European tourism '' .
As restrictions aimed at minimising the spread of the virus are gradually eased across Europe , Mr Mitsotakis said that Greece had shown by its handling of the crisis that it was a `` passport of safety , credibility and health '' .
`` It 's a great reputation , '' the prime minster said , adding that the country had provided a `` hygienic shield in every location of hospitality ... our passion that is always inspired by Xenios Zeus '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ xenia or hospitality , among many other things .
• Greece and Croatia acted fast , now need to save summer • When will I be able to go on holiday ?
Greece has been praised for its handling of the pandemic , recording 166 coronavirus-related deaths and 2,850 confirmed cases .
`` We will win the economy war just as we won the health battle , '' Mr Mitsotakis said .
To encourage tourism , Greece is also making travel cheaper by temporarily reducing value added tax ( VAT ) on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rail travel - to 13 % from 24 % , Mr Mitsotakis said .
The popular Mediterranean destination will also offer sample coronavirus tests to incoming tourists , although it is not clear if these will be made available to all .
Greece has been talking to a number of European countries about the pending tourist season .
On Tuesday , Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said his country would no longer require asymptomatic citizens arriving from Greece and Serbia on business and family trips to be quarantined from 1 June .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to all tourists from the three countries from 15 June , Bulgaria 's foreign ministry said .
Italy said on Wednesday that all airports could reopen on 3 June for national and international flights .
A further 161 deaths and 665 infections were reported by officials , but the number in intensive care units has fallen to 676 .
Meanwhile , Slovenia has said it plans to offer €200 ( £180 ; $ 220 ) vouchers to its citizens to urge them to holiday in their home country rather than abroad .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministers broadly backed plans spelt out by the EU 's executive Commission that the bloc 's internal borders should come down in phases : • Seasonal workers should be allowed across • Restrictions should be lifted between countries with a similar level of control of the virus • Eventually all internal borders would be lifted • Hygiene , social distancing and non-discrimination are a key part of the EU 's plan .
They also called on the Commission to set up a website providing the public with real-time information about restrictions and measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 11 member states - Austria , Bulgaria , Croatia , Cyprus , Germany , Greece , Italy , Malta , Portugal , Slovenia and Spain - agreed to a set of rules aimed at allowing cross-border travel while minimising the risk of Covid-19 infections .
• We will have summer tourist season , promises EU Any tourists visiting foreign member states would not be placed under quarantine and could safely return home , they agreed .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

"It's a great reputation," the prime minster said, adding that the country had provided a "hygienic shield in every location of hospitality... our passion that is always inspired by Xenios Zeus". The Greek god Zeus was god of xenia or hospitality, among many other things.


bbc--2020-05-20--Woman wins Picasso painting worth €1m in raffle

An Italian woman has won a painting by Pablo Picasso , worth about €1m ( £900,000 ; $ 1.1m ) , in a raffle after being given the ticket as a gift .
The winning ticket was pulled out during a live draw at Christie 's auction house in Paris .
The event , which was fundraising for Care charity , had been postponed twice - first to sell more tickets , and then because of coronavirus restrictions .
The prize painting , Nature Morte , is a still life from 1921 .
It is a relatively small artwork - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 46cm ) - which shows a glass of absinthe and a newspaper on a table .
In total €5.1m was raised for the charity by selling 51,000 raffle tickets at €100 each .
About 29 % of the tickets were sold in France , followed by the US and Switzerland .
• Billionaire guilty of trying to smuggle a Picasso Organisers said that €4.2m of proceeds will go towards clean water projects in schools and villages in Madagascar , Morocco and Cameroon .
David Nahmad , the billionaire collector from Monaco who supplied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ €900,000 .
He also donated €100,000 to Care , organisers said .
`` Picasso would have loved an operation like this , because he was someone with a lot of interest in humanitarian and social causes , '' sale organiser Peri Cochin told Reuters news agency .
`` This coronavirus crisis has made it clear how important it is to wash your hands , and that can only be done with clear water . ''

In total €5.1m was raised for the charity by selling 51,000 raffle tickets at €100 each. About 29% of the tickets were sold in France, followed by the US and Switzerland.


bbc--2020-05-20--VW pulls Instagram ads after racism row

VW pulls Instagram ads after racism row

German car giant Volkswagen has withdrawn a series of social media adverts and apologised after a racism row .
A controversial advert showed a dark-skinned man being manoeuvred around by a pair of white women 's hands before being flicked away from a yellow VW Golf to a jaunty soundtrack .
Volkswagen apologised , saying the advert was `` wrong and distasteful '' .
VW said it would investigate how the advert had been published .
The advert was one in a series which was supposed to depict a love story between a dark-skinned man and a white woman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ showed the woman placing an envelope on the windscreen of the car to try to fool the man that he had a parking ticket , when in fact it was a letter from her .
The series , which was set in Buenos Aires , was to promote the VW Golf 8 .
It was put up on Instagram and Facebook .
The advert which caused the controversy showed the man , dressed in a suit , being manipulated by a very large pair of white hands over a soundtrack of a woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comedic sound effects .
It was supposed to mimic videos put up on social media where one person appears to be controlling another like a puppet .
The man is manoeuvred away from the yellow VW Golf and flicked into a café called `` Petit Colon '' .
The cafe is an actual location in Buenos Aires near the Teatro Colon , a theatre named after Christopher Columbus .
However , the name `` Petit Colon '' translates both from French to English and from French to German as `` Little Settler '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users also pointed out that when the German slogan `` Der Neue Golf '' ( which means `` The New Golf '' ) fades in , the letters which fade in first spell out a word in German , `` neger '' , which can be used as the German equivalent of the n-word .
`` Neger '' can be highly pejorative in German and is used as a racial slur .
Initially VW responded to criticism on Instagram by saying that the origin of the people depicted was not relevant , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that our Instagram story could be so misunderstood '' .
However , it later backtracked , saying in a statement : `` We fully understand the disgust and anger in response to the video .
It is quite clear that this video is wrong and distasteful .
We firmly distance ourselves from the video and apologise sincerely . ''
It said that given its own history - the firm was set up by the Nazis prior to World War Two - `` Volkswagen has positioned itself as a company that does not tolerate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discrimination . ''
The firm has a number of internal schemes designed to promote diversity and unprejudiced cooperation , it said , so it is `` all the more frustrating that we have made this mistake . ''
It added that it would `` investigate how this could have happened - and draw the necessary consequences '' , which could include more checks and balances on its marketing .
This is not the first time that Volkswagen has misjudged its messaging .
In 2013 there was controversy in the US after the firm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a white man from Minnesota , speaking with a Jamaican accent , exhorting colleagues to be more relaxed in their approach to life .
In March 2019 Volkswagen chairman of the board Herbert Diess apologised after evoking a Nazi slogan to describe the importance of boosting the group 's profits .
And in August 2019 a VW advert , which showed men being adventurous as a woman sat by a pram , was banned under UK gender stereotyping rules .

For example, one of the adverts showed the woman placing an envelope on the windscreen of the car to try to fool the man that he had a parking ticket, when in fact it was a letter from her.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Spain tightens mask rules for all older than five

Wearing masks is being made compulsory in Spain both indoors and out in public if social distancing is not possible .
Only children under six and people with health issues are exempt from the law , which comes into force on Thursday .
Many European countries have now made wearing masks a requirement on public transport but the Spanish decree goes further .
Spain has seen one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks in Europe but is now easing the lockdown gradually .
It already requires the wearing of masks on public transport and is now strengthening the rules across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths and 232,000 infections since March but the rate of infection has declined .
Spain had imposed some of the toughest measures on the continent , including keeping children indoors for six weeks .
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez addressed parliament on Wednesday ahead of a vote on extending the state of alert for two more weeks .
What does the law say ?
The decree states : `` Using masks will be compulsory on the street , in open spaces and any closed place of public use , when it is not possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least two metres ( 6.5ft ) . ''
While children under six are not required to wear masks , all between the ages of three and five are recommended to wear them .
According to El País , that means 45 million people will now have to wear a mask and another 1.3 million will be urged to .
The law underlines that it is following World Health Organization recommendations to minimise infection in closed and public places where there is a large concentration of people .
It says wearing masks is justified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ droplets in areas where safe distances can not be guaranteed .
You are exempt if you have a respiratory illness or another health issue or disability that makes wearing a mask impossible .
In other words , people with asthma , allergies or forms of anxiety will not be liable .
No penalties for breaking the law are mentioned and there is no specific type of mask detailed other than that it should cover both nose and mouth .
Face masks or coverings are most useful to stop the person wearing them spreading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any symptoms but also if they do n't .
That 's why many countries are now recommending people wear them on public transport and in shops , for example , where they ca n't stay 2m away from other people .
But they are by no means fool-proof - if you touch them , if you wear them wrongly and if they are loose around the edges they can become contaminated .
And they are not a replacement for washing hands frequently and social distancing .
They are also not thought to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The World Health Organization says only two groups of people should wear masks - those who are unwell with symptoms and those caring for people suspected to have the virus .
It also says medical masks - which are usually much tighter and better made - should be kept for healthcare workers , who are most in need .
• How face masks are becoming fashionable • Why some countries wear face masks and others don't • Children run free at last from Spanish lockdown What do other countries say ?
There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : • Most parts of Germany , Austria , Slovakia and the Czech Republic say masks should be worn in shops and on public transport • Slovakia and the Czech Republic are extending that rule to include offices too • Italy says masks should be worn in shops and on transport but in public too where it is hard to maintain a safe distance • The UK , Switzerland and Belgium recommend the wearing of masks : face coverings are being advised for people in Scotland and England in certain enclosed spaces • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shops , on transport , in enclosed spaces and by tour guides • Why you now have to wear a mask in Austrian shops What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

The World Health Organization says only two groups of people should wear masks - those who are unwell with symptoms and those caring for people suspected to have the virus. It also says medical masks - which are usually much tighter and better made - should be kept for healthcare workers, who are most in need.


bbc--2020-05-20--Sir Richard Branson: Virgin Orbit hopes for rocket flight this weekend

British businessman Sir Richard Branson is looking to this weekend to debut one of his new space systems .
Virgin Orbit , based in California , will put satellites above the Earth , using a rocket that 's launched from under the wing of a jumbo jet .
The maiden mission , to be conducted out over the Pacific Ocean , could take place as early as Saturday .
Assuming this demonstration is successful , Virgin Orbit hopes to move swiftly into commercial operations .
It already has a rocket built at its Long Beach factory for a second mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small , lower-cost satellites , whose developers are seeking more flexible and affordable ways of getting their assets into space .
Virgin Orbit is one of a number of companies now racing to meet this demand .
Other contenders include the Rocket Lab outfit , which sends up its vehicles from a ground launch pad in New Zealand ; but there are tens of other small rocket start-ups at various stages of development .
Sir Richard had originally planned to run his satellite-launch business as part of his tourist spaceplane venture , known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to split the projects into separate entities .
The businessman will not be in California at the weekend to witness the demonstration .
He 'll be following events remotely .
Virgin Orbit engineers will only proceed with the test mission if the weather over the Pacific launch zone is favourable .
If it is , the former Virgin Atlantic jumbo , now named Cosmic Girl , will carry the rocket , dubbed LauncherOne , to an altitude of about 35,000ft ( 10km ) , where it will drop the liquid-fuelled booster into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall , as Cosmic Girl banks hard to the right , LauncherOne will ignite its Newton Three engine to begin the climb to orbit .
The dummy payload atop the rocket 's upper-stage will be released after 32 minutes .
The company is trying to dampen too much expectation .
Maiden flights of rockets quite often discover unforeseen technical shortcomings and fail .
`` That 's what the history of rockets tells us and we 're ready for that , but we 'll see how far we get , '' Will Pomerantz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Orbit , said .
`` As soon as that Newton engine ignites , we 'll be learning , '' he told BBC News .
The company had hoped to run this campaign earlier in the year but like all businesses has had to contend with coronavirus complications .
Indeed , part of the Long Beach factory has been turned over to making ventilators for use in hospitals .
Currently , flight operations are being run out of the Mojave Air and Space Port to the north of Los Angeles .
But Virgin Orbit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to customers in different locations around the world .
Sir Richard and the British government have spoken of using Newquay in southwest England as a potential base .

"That's what the history of rockets tells us and we're ready for that, but we'll see how far we get," Will Pomerantz, Vice President of Special Projects at Virgin Orbit, said. "As soon as that Newton engine ignites, we'll be learning," he told BBC News.


bbc--2020-05-20--South Sudan: Fresh intercommunal violence flares in Jonglei

A fresh wave of intercommunal fighting in South Sudan has killed and displaced `` many people '' , a UN mission has said .
Dozens of homes in Jonglei state were destroyed , warehouses belonging to aid groups were raided , and women and cattle were abducted .
A humanitarian worker from Médecins Sans Frontières was among those killed .
A treaty aimed at ending the country 's six-year civil war was signed in February , but intercommunal violence has erupted a number of times since .
The latest outbreak of violence between pastoralists , who rely on livestock , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the north-eastern town of Pieri , forcing thousands of people to flee to the bush , the BBC 's Emmanuel Igunza reports .
Peacekeepers were interviewing survivors in the town when fighting broke out , the UN mission said in a statement .
`` The team is investigating reports that many people were killed , injured and lost their homes , '' it said .
`` However , it is difficult to verify the number of casualties given conflicting reports and claims . ''
David Shearer , the UN 's special representative for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the two groups must stop .
`` While politically motivated conflict has reduced in South Sudan , intercommunal fighting has increased , causing massive suffering for families who are trying to rebuild their lives after the devastation caused by years of civil war , '' he said .
• Five of the countries most at risk from famine in 2020 A peace agreement was reached by rivals President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar , who formed a government of national unity .
About 380,000 people were killed in South Sudan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inter-ethnic fighting have continued , threatening the fragile treaty .
Security agencies have said they 've recovered hundreds of illegal firearms - including rifles , rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades - from the warring communities .

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its ability to respond to the crisis had been affected by the coronavirus pandemic because it had to limit bed numbers and restrict travel for both health workers and the injured.


bbc--2020-05-20--K-League: FC Seoul fined 100 million won for sex dolls in stands

A South Korean club has been fined 100 million won ( £66,500 ) by the K-League for filling empty seats @ @ @ @ @ their recent home match .
FC Seoul put 30 `` premium mannequins '' in the @ @ @ @ @ to attend because of coronavirus restrictions .
The club said they did not know the @ @ @ @ @ apologised on Monday .
`` The incident has greatly insulted and hurt female and family @ @ @ @ @ statement said .
Some of the dolls were holding signs advertising x-rated websites , despite @ @ @ @ @ Korea .
The K-League added that the club had made `` a serious mistake '' @ @ @ @ @ before the match .

Last updated on .From the section Football
FC Seoul said they did not know the mannequins were adult products
A South Korean club has been fined 100 million won (£66,500) by the K-League for filling empty seats with 'sex dolls' at their recent home match.
FC Seoul put 30 "premium mannequins" in the stands, with fans unable to attend because of coronavirus restrictions.
The club said they did not know the dolls were adult products and apologised on Monday.
"The incident has greatly insulted and hurt female and family fans," a K-League statement said.
Some of the dolls were holding signs advertising x-rated websites, despite pornography being banned in South Korea.
The K-League added that the club had made "a serious mistake" by not removing the dolls before the match.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Virus outbreaks push Germany to clean up abattoirs

Germany has agreed a proposal to ban the use of temporary workers at slaughterhouses following a spate of coronavirus infections .
Hundreds of people working at abattoirs across Germany and France have tested positive for Covid-19 in recent weeks .
Many workers have arrived from Romania on flights chartered by farmers .
Health experts are looking at possible reasons for the outbreaks , including overcrowded accommodation and cold conditions at processing facilities .
On Wednesday , German Chancellor Angela Merkel 's cabinet agreed a draft proposal preventing subcontractors - largely migrant workers - from processing meat at plants from January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules by abattoir owners could result in a fine of up to €30,000 ( £26,800 ; $ 32,900 ) , the proposal states .
Countries across Europe started closing their borders to non-essential travel and reinstating checkpoints in March , to try to limit the spread of coronavirus .
However , European farm workers - largely from Romania - are among the few permitted to travel .
As many as 30,000 Romanians have been flown to Germany to work in the food industry .
The issue of poor working conditions in German meat-packing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections were recorded at a slaughterhouse in the western German city of Münster over the weekend .
At another slaughterhouse in Coesfeld , North Rhine-Westphalia , more than 260 workers - many living in shared accommodation - tested positive for the virus .
Cases are also increasing in western France , where more than 100 infections were recently reported at two separate slaughterhouses .
`` The circumstances we are going through reveal a number of systemic problems that we have n't addressed properly , '' Romania 's labour minister , Violeta Alexandru @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting with her German counterpart Hubertus Heil .
She travelled 18 hours by car from Bucharest to see the conditions for herself , telling Deutsche Welle that any Romanian who encountered health or hygiene issues should turn to the police if necessary .
Romania 's ambassador , Emil Hurezeanu , said the minister had heard from seasonal workers who had gone to the consulate in Bonn to protest about working and living conditions .
Mr Heil said that the `` mass infection of Romanian workers in the meat industry '' was not acceptable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it makes me ashamed . ''
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise On Monday , Mr Heil called for stricter oversight of the food industry , including the issue of overcrowded accommodation for foreign workers .
`` During the coronavirus crisis they have become a dangerous health risk for employees and the entire population , '' he said .
Wednesday 's proposal , which will need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the implementation of a digital system to register hours worked by staff to ensure that people do not exceed the limit of a 10-hour shift .
`` The meat industry is important in our country , '' Mr Heil said .
`` But there can be no tolerance for a business model that willingly accepts exploitation and the spread of pandemics . ''

She travelled 18 hours by car from Bucharest to see the conditions for herself, telling Deutsche Welle that any Romanian who encountered health or hygiene issues should turn to the police if necessary.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: What does it mean for natural disaster response?

Wildfires and hurricanes are coming this summer .
Are emergency services and response agencies ready to tackle those catastrophes amid a pandemic ?
Earlier this month , ice jams caused flood waters to rise in Fort McMurray , forcing some 13,000 people from their homes .
The northeast Alberta city is no stranger to natural disasters .
Four years ago a massive wildfire , nicknamed `` The Beast '' , nearly destroyed the town .
This time though , city officials and emergency services had something else to be concerned about : the global coronavirus pandemic .
`` We 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are about the floods , '' Mayor Don Scott told journalists .
Keeping residents safe from the rising waters and from the outbreaks was `` two tracks we 're trying to maintain '' .
That meant drive-thru - not in-person - registration for evacuees and getting protective gear for all frontline workers .
Fort McMurray 's mayor is n't alone in having to handle the response to a natural disaster while trying to avoid any contagion .
Officials at federal , provincial , state and municipal levels across North America are grappling with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , severe heat waves and other extreme weather events alongside the pandemic .
The considerations necessary are wide-ranging , from managing already strained resources to sourcing extra protective equipment and figuring out the logistics of safely evacuating at-risk populations - even how to cajole evacuees , who might be fearful of catching the virus , from their homes .
This week , 10,000 residents were evacuated in Michigan after two dams collapsed following days of heavy rain .
Governor Gretchen Whitmer , noting the city of Midland in the US state could see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` To go through this in the midst of a global pandemic is almost unthinkable . ''
Responding to any major natural disaster is already a complicated operation and `` this is just adding another layer of complexity '' , says Rick Swan , director of wildland fire fighting with the International Association of Fire Fighters ( IAFF ) .
But `` coronavirus has not stopped the fire season and it wo n't stop the hurricanes from happening '' .
That means considering `` everything you can think of and stuff you just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chief of Glendale Fire Department in LA County .
• How do you fight extreme wildfires ?
Like many organisations , Mr Lanzas ' is focusing on preparation and an early `` aggressive prevention action '' strategy .
His crews are working hard to ensure brush fires do n't grow into the major wildfires California has seen in recent years .
They are also appealing to property owners to take steps protect their homes from wildfire , like properly maintaining their landscaping .
Organisations like the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urging those living in wildfire and storm prone regions to think in advance about how the pandemic could change their current evacuation plans .
One of Mr Lanzas ' preoccupations is the potential strain a major fire in the region could place on personnel .
He recently had a firefighter diagnosed with Covid-19 , which in the end meant 16 firefighters were quarantined for two weeks .
`` What do we do if we have a third of our workforce off , or worse ? ''
he says .
That type of scenario @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when emergency responders lend assistance across jurisdictions - at risk if other regions are n't able to send staff to assist with major disasters .
Another aspect of fighting wildfires that is getting a major overhaul is fire camps .
Well over 1,000 firefighters can congregate in those camps , often for weeks at a time when battling a major blaze .
Fire crews and support staff usually eat , sleep and work in cramped quarters , which will now have to be expanded to include extra hygiene measures and space for social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggests this may the deadliest tornado season in the US in years , says Trevor Riggen , senior vice president of Disaster Cycle Services for the American Red Cross .
So far , the Red Cross has been finding hotel rooms for evacuees instead of opening shelters but `` we know we 're going to open a shelter eventually '' , he says .
Extreme weather has become more common in recent years with this year 's weather predictions suggesting another tough season .
National agencies in the US and Canada are predicting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California , Oregon , most of the US southwest , and western Canada and the prairies moving into June .
Last year , California wildfires led to mandatory evacuation orders for some 180,000 people .
The Atlantic hurricane season begins on 1 June and runs until 30 November with researchers predicting an `` above-average '' season .
When Hurricane Dorian headed towards the US east coast last September , at least one million people were ordered to evacuate across three US states in its path .
In the US , Fema has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Response Coordination Center to help manage disasters in addition to Covid-19 .
`` That means when it comes to mass evacuations , it means considerations like evacuating a nursing home or extended care facility '' , Fema administrator Pete Gaynor told The Weather Channel in early May .
`` Have you done all the legwork to make sure you can move a possible Covid-19 patient somewhere else ? ''
Both the Red Cross and Fema say shelters will have new protocols in place like isolation facilities and multiple daily symptoms health checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas that have already seen natural disasters this spring have suspended measures that may have prevented people from gathering in shelters .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• POST-COVID WORLD : Will we ever shake hands again ?
• GLOBAL TAKE : Which country has the most generous bailout ?
• THE LOST SIX WEEKS : Missed chances for US to contain outbreak And the American Meteorological Society issued guidelines prior to a wave of deadly tornadoes in the US , urging people to `` not let the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tornado '' .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also put out a guide for evacuees , which includes a suggestion to bring hand sanitisers or soap , as well as face masks , to any public shelter .
'As prepared as we can be' Fire Chief Brian Fennessy , with the Orange County Fire Authority , says if the pandemic had gotten started in July or August instead of late winter `` we would not have been nearly as prepared as we are going into this fire season '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time to consider , it 's given us the time to prepare '' , he says .
`` We 're about as prepared as we can be for something unknown to us . ''
But he says : `` We 'll get pretty good at this pretty quick . ''
Mr Fennessy has started working with a wildland fire industry consulting firm that has set up a database that allows fire departments to share lessons learned during the Covid-19 response .
The pandemic has already changed how fire fighters respond to emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a two- or three-day response .
Mr Fennessy says his fire engines are now equipped with kits that hold about 48 hours worth of personal protective gear .
Still , no matter how much preparation is done `` there are going to be some miscues out the door , '' says the IAFF 's Mr Swan .
`` This is going to be a learn on the fly type of event . ''

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bbc--2020-05-20--Ruby Rose leaves Batwoman - and other stars who exited major roles

The Australian actress Ruby Rose is to leave her role as comic book superhero Batwoman after just one series .
Rose said it had been a `` very difficult decision '' not to return to the show , which is shown in the UK on E4 .
Batwoman , which began on the CW network last year , is the first superhero show to have an openly gay lead character .
Its producers said they were `` firmly committed '' to the show 's `` long-term '' future and would re-cast the role with another member of the LGBTQ community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said she was `` truly grateful ... to everyone who made season one a success '' .
The 34-year-old said she had `` the utmost respect '' for everyone involved and that the decision to leave had not been `` made lightly '' .
Rose faced a backlash on social media when she was cast as Batwoman , with some saying the role should have gone to a lesbian actress .
The actress , who has called herself `` gender-fluid '' in interviews , later deleted her Twitter profile , though she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rose revealed she had suffered an injury while filming the series that had required her to undergo emergency surgery .
The actress said she had `` herniated two discs doing stunts '' - but Deadline reported the injury was not the reason for her departure .
Born in Melbourne in 1986 , Rose played Stella Carlin in Orange is the New Black and has appeared in such films as Pitch Perfect 3 and The Meg .
Yet she is far from the first actor to leave or be replaced in a major film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walked away from the role of James Bond after making just one appearance in the popular spy film series .
The model turned actor later admitted he had been persuaded by his then-manager - the late Ronan O'Rahilly - to seek other opportunities .
`` I thought he knew what he was talking about so I listened to him , '' the Australian told an audience at the National Film Theatre last year .
Lazenby 's single outing as Bond , On Her Majesty 's Secret Service , was released in 1969 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christopher Eccleston was cast as The Doctor when Doctor Who was relaunched in 2005 - but he departed after a single series .
The actor , who was replaced by David Tennant , later said he `` did n't enjoy the environment and the culture '' of the show .
• All the Doctors , from Hartnell to Whittaker '' My relationship with my three immediate superiors ... broke down irreparably during the first block of filming and it never recovered , '' he elaborated in 2018 .
The actor , currently to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC One , also said he had been `` out of his comfort zone '' playing the sci-fi drama 's time-travelling hero .
Edward Norton was cast as Bruce Banner in 2008 's The Incredible Hulk but did not reprise the role in Marvel Studios ' subsequent comic-book blockbusters .
Its president Kevin Feige later said the role had been recast out of a `` need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members '' .
Speaking last year , Norton called Feige 's 2010 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exit had been the result of differing views on how to depict the character .
`` Ultimately they were n't going for long , dark and serious , '' said Norton , who was replaced by Mark Ruffalo when The Hulk returned in 2012 's Avengers Assemble .
Terrence Howard , who played James `` Rhodey '' Rhodes in 2008 's Iron Man , is another actor to be replaced in Marvel 's superhero film series .
He later claimed he was offered less money than he had been promised to reprise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2010 's Iron Man 2 .
Sharon Gless played Christine Cagney in Cagney and Lacey for seven years , winning two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe for her pains .
Yet she was not the first actress to play the part in the popular US TV series about two female police detectives solving crimes in New York City .
Loretta Swit played Cagney in the original TV movie but was not able to continue in the role when the CBS show went to series .
Meg Foster was then cast , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because CBS allegedly wanted someone `` more feminine '' in the role .
Speaking in 2012 , Gless praised her co-star Tyne Daly for `` welcoming me as if she had not had anybody before me '' .
`` I know her heart was hurting because she loved her last Cagney , '' she revealed .
When Men Behaving Badly first began in 1992 , the two flatmates were played by Martin Clunes and Harry Enfield .
According to Clunes , though , the show that ITV produced did not match Enfield 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vision was for it not to be like a usual sitcom , '' Clunes told The Guardian in 2013 .
`` Then we made the pilot and it shocked him .
`` You could see Harry wanted out , '' he continued .
`` He was under contract , though , so had to do one series . ''
Neil Morrissey was subsequently cast as Clunes ' flatmate in the show , which continued on ITV for another series before being picked up by the BBC .
Jodie Foster earned her second best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Silence of the Lambs - one of five Academy Awards Jonathan Demme 's film won in 1992 .
When the offer came to reprise her role in Hannibal , though , she turned it down - opening the door for Julianne Moore to appear with Anthony Hopkins in Ridley Scott 's 2001 follow-up .
`` I stand to make more money doing that sequel than I 've ever made in my life , '' Foster was quoted as saying in 1999 .
`` But who cares , if it betrays Clarice ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't do Hannibal is I was doing another movie , '' she elaborated in 2005 .
`` So I get to say , in a nice , dignified way , that I was n't available when that movie was being shot . ''
Amusingly , however , Foster was enticed to reprise her FBI agent character in 2017 for a satirical sketch on Stephen Colbert 's late-night US talk show .
You may also like : • Burt Reynolds turned down Bond ( and other stars who passed on big roles ) • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could n't get along • The actors who ca n't escape their on-screen characters Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"The official reason I didn't do Hannibal is I was doing another movie," she elaborated in 2005. "So I get to say, in a nice, dignified way, that I wasn't available when that movie was being shot."


bbc--2020-05-19--Losing a ‘beacon of light’ of the UK’s ultra-Orthodox community to coronavirus

While attention has understandably been focused on the overall growing death rate from Covid-19 , away from the headlines some @ @ @ @ @ been hit disproportionately hard .
Britain ’ s Jewish community , which comprises around 0.5 @ @ @ @ @ - just 264,000 people - has suffered a high death toll .
Figures from the @ @ @ @ @ Jews say that 458 Jews have lost their lives to the virus since the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ reasons for that are demographic – many Jews are older , and they usually live @ @ @ @ @ both factors which increase the risk of serious infection .
But has the often social @ @ @ @ @ a role ?
BBC correspondent John McManus has been to the heart of the Jewish @ @ @ @ @ those affected by Covid-19 .

While attention has understandably been focused on the overall growing death rate from Covid-19, away from the headlines some groups in the UK have been hit disproportionately hard.
Britain’s Jewish community, which comprises around 0.5 per cent of the population - just 264,000 people - has suffered a high death toll. Figures from the Board of Deputies of British Jews say that 458 Jews have lost their lives to the virus since the pandemic began.
Some of the reasons for that are demographic – many Jews are older, and they usually live in large urban areas – both factors which increase the risk of serious infection. But has the often social nature of Judaism also played a role?
BBC correspondent John McManus has been to the heart of the Jewish community to meet some of those affected by Covid-19.
Camera and editing: Sean Clare


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: How world leaders adapted to the pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people around the world live and work .
From lockdowns to social distancing , most countries have enforced some form of restriction to help prevent the spread of the virus .
So it 's perhaps not surprising that some people are taking a while to adapt - even our leaders .
As the scale of the health crisis emerged earlier this year , experts warned that close contact with other people could help spread the virus .
One of the first noticeable changes was the end of the humble handshake , with some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump to Prince Charles , adopting the namaste greeting instead .
But others had more difficulty getting used to the change .
In March , Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told people they should use alternative greetings to help combat the spread of the virus , before shaking the hand of the official next to him .
`` Oh sorry , we ca n't do that anymore ! ''
he exclaimed as he realised his mistake , and proceeded to bump elbows instead .
One of the major changes for most people has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift to working from home .
New Zealand 's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pointed out the difference the new arrangements had made when she hosted a question and answer session on Facebook Live from home in late March .
`` Excuse the casual attire - it can be a messy business putting toddlers to bed , so I 'm not in my work clothes , '' she said .
Leaders have n't been immune to some of the more extreme aspects of lockdown life , with Scotland 's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elsewhere , some leaders have faced criticism for failing to adhere to the rules they themselves introduced .
Last week , South Africa 's President Cyril Ramaphosa found himself in trouble after breaking social distancing measures .
In a video posted online , he can be heard joking with two women who approached him in the street before taking a photo with them .
The failure of others to comply was less surprising : Brazil 's President Jair Bolsonaro has been vocal in his opposition to lockdown measures since the outbreak began .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ month after he was seen coughing without covering his mouth at an anti-lockdown rally .
Just a few months ago , the sight of a group of people drinking coffee together would n't have raised an eyebrow .
But after many hospitality and entertainment venues were forced to close across Europe , the sight of Portugal 's Prime Minister Antonio Costa holding a meeting outside a cafe in the capital Lisbon on Monday morning hinted towards a return to some kind of normality .
Signs of how the world has changed since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however , with the cafe 's staff wearing face masks , visors and gloves , and tables spaced out to ensure distance between customers .
• 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


bbc--2020-05-20--Miami riots 1980: My friend was killed by my colleagues

After four white policemen were acquitted of killing a black man there were riots in Miami .
The unrest lasted @ @ @ @ @ 1980 .
Eighteen people died , hundreds were injured and more than 600 arrests were @ @ @ @ @ a childhood friend of the dead man , Arthur McDuffie , but also a spokesman @ @ @ @ @ .
Witness History : The stories of our times told by the people who were @ @

After four white policemen were acquitted of killing a black man there were riots in Miami.
The unrest lasted for three days in May 1980.
Eighteen people died, hundreds were injured and more than 600 arrests were made.
Lonnie Lawrence was a childhood friend of the dead man, Arthur McDuffie, but also a spokesman for the police force involved.
Witness History: The stories of our times told by the people who were there.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: 'Fires were tough, but closing Mogo Zoo again was even harder'

Last New Year 's Eve , bushfires tore through Mogo in New South Wales , Australia .
The town 's @ @ @ @ @ months after the blazes destroyed fences and made the site unsafe , though fortunately no @ @ @ @ @ only weeks after it re-opened , coronavirus restrictions meant it had to shut its gates @ @ @ @ @ of international tourists being allowed into Australia anytime soon , it will rely on domestic @ @ @ @ @ business – once travel and tourism is allowed .

Last New Year's Eve, bushfires tore through Mogo in New South Wales, Australia.
The town's zoo was closed for two months after the blazes destroyed fences and made the site unsafe, though fortunately no animals were hurt.
But only weeks after it re-opened, coronavirus restrictions meant it had to shut its gates again.
With no prospect of international tourists being allowed into Australia anytime soon, it will rely on domestic visitors to keep it in business – once travel and tourism is allowed.
Video filmed, edited & produced by Simon Atkinson.


bbc--2020-05-20--Lockdown: South African actors create a hit online soap opera

With many parts of the world either still in lockdown or only just emerging , one area that could take @ @ @ @ @ is TV production – like soap operas .
But in South Africa , one group @ @ @ @ @ of the country 's stringent lockdown to start a new , online 'soapie ' that @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's now already into its third season and proving popular .

With many parts of the world either still in lockdown or only just emerging, one area that could take a while to fully recover is TV production – like soap operas.
But in South Africa, one group of actors took the opportunity of the country's stringent lockdown to start a new, online 'soapie' that they shot themselves at home.
It's now already into its third season and proving popular.
Produced by Christian Parkinson


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Afghan girls make ventilators out of car parts

Afghanistan 's all-girl robotics team has turned its focus on coronavirus patients - by making affordable ventilators out of car parts .
The teenagers made headlines in 2017 when they won a special award at an international competition in the US .
Now they are racing against time to deliver ventilators by the end of May , at a fraction of the market price .
Afghanistan , reeling from years of war , has a maximum of just 400 ventilators for a population of 38.9 million .
So far , more than 7,650 coronavirus cases and 178 deaths have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation could get worse and overwhelm an already fragile healthcare system .
`` It 's important even if we can save one life with our effort , '' team member Nahid Rahimi , 17 , told the BBC .
Known as the `` Afghan Dreamers '' , the girls come from the western province of Herat , where Afghanistan 's first case of Covid-19 was reported .
It 's the nation 's hotspot for the pandemic because of its close proximity to Iran , the region 's epicentre of the outbreak .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have built a prototype using a motor from a used Toyota Corolla and a chain drive from a Honda motorcycle .
They say their ventilators will give temporary relief to patients with respiratory difficulty in an emergency when standard ventilators are not available .
`` I feel so proud to be part of a team that is trying to do something meaningful to support our doctors and nurses - they are our heroes at this time , '' says team captain , Somaya Faruqi .
• The porous borders where the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ventilators is a problem and their hefty price of $ 30,000 ( £24,000 ) to $ 50,000 ( £40,700 ) on the global market means many poorer countries ca n't afford them .
But the teenagers say they are building the much-needed device for less than $ 600 each .
With shops closed and the city of Herat under lockdown , the challenge that the girls are facing is travelling outside the province to source parts .
But the founder of the group , Roya Mahboob , an entrepreneur who has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People in the World , says her team is still hoping to deliver the ventilators by the end of May .
`` They 're about 70 % finished .
The only thing we 're lacking is the air sensor , which we 're trying to source rather than build from scratch as it takes time .
`` The first phase is complete and it was tested in a hospital two days ago .
The team are working on phase two , which once completed can be introduced to the market . ''
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate in the country , the teenagers hope their project will inspire others and change the perception of women in the engineering industry .
`` It [ being able to make ventilators ] shows the importance of teaching girls at a young age and the role of women as active citizens in our society , '' says another team member , Elham Mansori , 16 .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• POST-COVID WORLD : Will we ever shake hands again ?
• GLOBAL TAKE : Which country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ THE LOST SIX WEEKS : Missed chances for US to contain outbreak The initiative has been welcomed by the Afghan government .
`` I 'm glad President Ashraf Ghani has personally ordered the authorities to look into our project and to help us in any way possible '' says Ms Mahboob .
The Afghan health ministry is supporting the girls .
`` We appreciate their initiative but like any other scientific research , there are phases for it , like discovery and development , pre-clinical research and when it 's offered in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Waheed Mayar , spokesperson for the health ministry , told the BBC .
`` Patient safety is our priority so we have to make sure the device is tested on animals in laboratories first before being tried on coronavirus patients . ''
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"We appreciate their initiative but like any other scientific research, there are phases for it, like discovery and development, pre-clinical research and when it's offered in the market it's analysed and approved," Waheed Mayar, spokesperson for the health ministry, told the BBC.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Sleepless nights for doctors in a war zone

Dr Yousef was the first in his family to get tested for Covid-19 - and the first to die .
`` He came home and said , ' I 'm not feeling well and I think I have the virus ' , '' Behtarin Paktiawal tells me , recalling what was a fateful day for his family .
They would end up losing three loved ones to the virus , which is stalking Afghanistan at a speed and scale still perilously uncertain .
For an embattled nation already fighting on multiple fronts , the world 's health crisis is yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health system , and exhaust people weary of endless war .
And with each week that passes , both violence and the virus spread .
Paktiawal 's brother , Dr Yousef Khan Ariubi , had tested positive for Covid-19 - but he was n't sent his test results .
He was expecting them from the Afghan-Japan government hospital in Kabul , which is playing a central role in Afghanistan 's fight against the coronavirus .
`` I said to them , 'why did n't you call us ? '
'' Paktiawal recounts as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a photograph of his brother tucked in its plastic cover .
`` They told me they made a mistake . ''
Then the hospital tested the entire family .
A month and half on , he says their results are still missing - but as they wait , his brother Fazel and sister Gul Khumar have also died .
`` They are absolutely right when they say people have died because there 's no testing equipment , '' admits Afghan Vice-President Amrullah Saleh .
`` My response to them is this test equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'd had a billion dollars in spare money to buy them , they were not available anywhere . ''
A global rush for resources has pushed poorer nations like his own to the back of the queue .
`` This caught us by surprise - a nation in the midst of violence and fighting , and coping with so much internal displacement , '' Mr Saleh insists .
`` Our health infrastructure was not designed to cope with a hyper-event like a coronavirus pandemic . ''
Afghans are dying every week from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Islamic State , and many more could be killed by hunger if there is a strict shutdown , like those prescribed the world over to stem the spread of the highly contagious virus .
Afghan leaders have also been distracted , and resources drained , by a bitter months-long battle for power between President Ashraf Ghani and his challenger Dr Abdullah Abdullah , which has only just been resolved .
`` First , this issue was n't taken seriously enough and then they were overly ambitious with announcements of plans and targets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in mobilising resources tells me .
`` But now they are going in the right direction . ''
When Paktiawal stood outside the Afghan-Japan hospital , wearing a face mask to record a furious Facebook cry for help , he finally got the attention of senior health officials .
`` I think the service is better now , '' he comments , while still declaring that rich and poor must be treated equally - an echo of complaints that the powerful are again vaulting ahead when it comes to keeping well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A few weeks ago , all testing at all labs abruptly stopped when the country ran out of reagents , a crucial substance used in the testing for Covid-19 , because global supplies ran short .
`` I had some sleepless nights , '' recalls Dr Rik Peeperkorn , who heads the World Health Organization ( WHO ) in Afghanistan .
`` We managed to get a small quantity and resume testing within two days . ''
Two months ago , Afghanistan had no functional labs for Covid-19 testing .
Now nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of WHO , are up and running across the country , with plans to expand more .
`` We certainly need more tests to give us a better grip on how this virus is spreading , '' emphasises Dr Peeperkorn , who has spent seven years working on healthcare in Afghanistan .
`` Resources are in short supply and so is global solidarity . ''
Afghanistan 's relatively low number of cases is both positive and a puzzle .
As of 19 March , there were a little more than 7,600 confirmed cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's in stark contrast to neighbouring Iran , with more than 122,000 cases and 7,000 confirmed dead - and with strong suspicions the real toll is far higher .
A nervous question mark still hovers over the massive influx of more than 200,000 Afghans who surged across the border once the virus struck .
UN officials say they believe the disease may only reach its peak in Afghanistan in a month or so - but there are also worries it may be spreading undetected , as the anxious and ill fear hospital stays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new disease .
And a recent random sample of 500 Kabul residents sent more alarm bells ringing , when nearly 30 % tested positive .
'Social distancing is difficult in our culture' Like countries the world over , Afghan media are now flooded with messaging about `` social distancing '' and `` washing your hands '' .
In the eastern province of Nangarhar , Governor Shah Mahmood Miakhel , who gave up own his own salary to establish a special Corona Fund account , tries to lead by example .
`` I stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says when I reach him by telephone in the provincial capital Jalalabad .
When old friends and notables showed up for the funeral of a prominent police chief who came from his district , he did n't buckle under enormous social pressure .
`` It was very difficult for people to accept , '' he reflects .
`` I am happy with my decision , but social distancing in our culture is extremely difficult . ''
You may also be interested in : • The woman nursing the babies of murdered mothers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month of Ramadan approaches , with all its special rituals of shopping for the Eid celebration , lockdowns in some major cities have been eased .
But Afghan officials are stepping up their warnings as the number of cases climbs higher .
Weeks ago , bazaars across the country lost some of their bustle as shopkeepers dutifully shuttered shops .
But there are still children working on the streets , some clutching stacks of face masks to sell so their families can eat .
Zabiullah , one of millions of day labourers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rusting wheelbarrow .
It 's all he has to make the difference between hope and hunger .
He tried to stay at home , but says a government programme to distribute bread to the poorest through bakeries passed him by .
`` No-one came to help me even with one [ piece of ] bread , '' he laments .
`` I fear hunger .
Coronavirus wo n't kill us , but definitely we will die from hunger . ''
'People had dared to hope for peace' '' 12.4 million people could face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a third one step away from famine , '' warns Toby Lanzer who heads the UN 's Development Programme in Kabul .
`` We need to scale up in a significant way now to keep people alive . ''
Lockdowns in wealthier nations , which can afford to unfurl vast safety nets , are about protecting health systems under strain .
Afghan doctors who 've seen almost everything - but not this - say they feel exposed .
They do n't want their names to be known , but want their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost three good doctors this week of Covid , '' a Kabul doctor tells me on a telephone call in the din of a busy hospital ward .
It 's his first day back at work after recovering from Covid-19 .
`` They were in contact with suspected Covid patients , they did n't have good enough PPE and sadly they 're not with us anymore . ''
From Faryab province in northern Afghanistan , another doctor explains that `` a lot of older doctors have closed their clinics because they 're at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
In Herat , the worst-affected province bordering Iran , doctors speak of shortages of critical equipment like ventilators and protective clothing in intensive care units , and the twice-daily risks of `` all of us travelling on one minibus with no distance between us '' .
And in the south , close to Taliban front lines , doctors at the emergency hospital in Lashkar Gah are disinfecting and distancing .
But in their operating theatres they 're treating victims of violence , not the virus .
In nearby villages , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid agencies to fight Covid-19 , but are shunning repeated calls for a humanitarian ceasefire .
`` The Taliban is the greater corona and the other corona is the little one , '' says Vice-President Saleh .
Both violence and the virus now threaten people who dared to hope this would be the year of peace talks , but who are instead fighting on multiple fronts .

"My response to them is this test equipment is so rare that even if we'd had a billion dollars in spare money to buy them, they were not available anywhere." A global rush for resources has pushed poorer nations like his own to the back of the queue.


bbc--2020-05-21--Colombia: How armed gangs are using lockdown to target activists

On the first day of Colombia 's quarantine , Carlota Isabel Salinas was shot dead outside her home .
Ms Salinas played a leading role in a women 's organisation in Bolívar province in northern Colombia .
The region had already seen an increase in violence carried out by right-wing paramilitaries in the months before the coronavirus pandemic .
Since the start of the lockdown in late March , 28 activists and human rights defenders across Colombia have been murdered .
The killings are not a new phenomenon : more than 800 activists have been murdered in Colombia since 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But community activists from different parts of Colombia have told the BBC that restrictions on movement imposed to curb the spread of virus mean that they have become even easier targets .
Stuck at home for most of the day and only venturing out to address emerging humanitarian needs in their community has turned them into sitting ducks .
Dolores ( whose real name has been withheld for her safety ) is one of the leaders of a group of hundreds of mothers who promote women 's economic empowerment in Catatumbo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - along Colombia 's border with Venezuela - which has borne witness to years of extreme violence .
Since the Colombian government signed a peace deal with the left-wing rebel group Farc in 2016 , activists like Dolores have been under heightened threats across the country .
• Why has Colombia seen a rise in activist murders ?
While the majority of the Farc rebels laid down their arms , other guerrilla groups , Farc dissidents and paramilitaries continue to clash in zones like Catatumbo .
Now , those groups are exploiting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may also be interested in : • Mothers of murdered sons fight for justice in Colombia • How crime gangs are adapting to pandemic In this rural part of Colombia , rival armed groups clash for control of lucrative coca crops and drug transit routes while systematically eliminating activists who challenge their authority .
`` I am scared that they might kill my compañeros ( comrades ) , I 'm scared for my family , '' Dolores says .
She and activists like her have received an increasing number of threats from armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not always stop at threats , either .
Last week , one of her activist friends was killed by unidentified armed men in Catatumbo .
'We are the only support they have' During the quarantine , rights defenders like Dolores have had more work than ever .
The women in her community - many of whom are heads of household - have not been able to go out to work and are struggling to feed their families .
Rates of domestic violence have increased and the absence of state institutions in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt .
`` We know the risks that we run , but right now with this pandemic , [ people 's needs ] have increased , '' Dolores explains .
`` For many of them , we are the only support they have left . ''
She has written letters and posted videos on social media asking the Colombian government for aid for those families but says her pleas have been met with silence and inaction .
On the other side of the country , in the mountainous Cauca region , Clemencia Carabalí @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being killed here almost weekly , and Cauca - where Ms Carabalí campaigns for the rights of women and Afro-Colombians - has been the heart of the killings committed during the lockdown .
Ten activists have been murdered here since it began .
`` They fight for this territory , it 's a bloodbath , and we - as communities and women - are stuck in the middle of it all , '' Ms Carabalí says .
`` We 're trapped in the middle but during this quarantine , we have to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Carabalí has received nine death threats since 2016 .
Dolores , too , has been under constant threat for her work and survived an assassination attempt late last year .
`` It 's very intimidating , and all we want to do is work as human rights defenders , '' Ms Carabalí says .
`` We 're at home , and they can follow us much more easily . ''
Irina Cuesta , a researcher at the Ideas for Peace Foundation ( Fundación Ideas para la Paz ) says the pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activists , who now have `` triple or quadruple the work '' as they struggle to protect not only themselves but also their families and communities .
Their activities expose them to violence at the hands of armed groups who impose their rule in regions where the activists are already `` seen as women who should n't be participating in the public space '' .
While overall the number of male activists being killed in Colombia is greater than that of women activists , Ms Cuesta argues that `` when you lose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire process of political empowerment that was able to break stereotypes to get her to that role '' .
`` It 's much more difficult for women to get to these positions of leadership . ''
Ms Carabalí worries that if people like her stand down , it would be a major setback for their fight for basic rights .
Despite the fear of deadly consequences for her and her family , she says her work is more crucial now than ever before .
`` Someone has to do it , '' she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their voice . ''

During the quarantine, rights defenders like Dolores have had more work than ever. The women in her community - many of whom are heads of household - have not been able to go out to work and are struggling to feed their families.


bbc--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Universities fear fall in lucrative overseas students

Which sector of the economy do you think is being hardest hit by the coronavirus - construction , retail , transport or catering ?
Well , you are all wrong , and need to do some more homework .
The answer is - education .
Many people probably do n't even think of education as part of the economy .
The groves of academe are surely above such sordid considerations as money and finance ?
Not a bit of it .
Money is the lifeblood of education - endowments from wealthy alumni , catering and accommodation fees , conference facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - attracting lots of fee-paying students every year .
The trouble for the education sector is that it is uniquely vulnerable to the coronavirus pandemic .
For hundreds of years its business model has been to bring thousands of people together from across the country , and around the world , to sit together in rooms for three years and talk to each other .
As a result , nearly all its income streams are under attack at the same time .
Current students have been sent home , and many courses have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world continue , new students are going to be hard to find in the autumn , and even harder to get on campus .
Plus , conferences are not happening , and all those wealthy alumni are nowhere near as wealthy as they thought they were .
This hits Western English-speaking universities particularly hard .
They tend to charge even domestic students large tuition fees , and make money out of on-site catering and accommodation on top of that .
They also tend to charge foreign students a lot more , making them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universities .
In the UK , for example , undergraduate students from outside the UK and the EU can be charged annual tuition fees as high as £58,600 instead of the standard £9,000 .
So , while globalisation for many means importing cheaper manufactured goods from around the world , for developed economies one of their greatest recent economic successes has been attracting students from overseas .
The rise of the middle classes around the world has been a godsend for Western universities , says Simon Marginson , professor of higher education at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global middle classes have grown by leaps and bounds in recent decades , and anyone in that group can send their children abroad for education , '' he says .
They have been doing just that , not least because many developing countries do n't have the same quality of tertiary education as developed ones .
This means that students who study abroad emerge with a prestigious degree , a second language , and lots of contacts and friends .
It has proved a price worth paying for millions .
The big winners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the UK and Australia .
All with excellent education systems that teach in English , they can attract fee paying students from around the world .
In the US , 360,000 Chinese students started the last academic year .
The influx of foreign students is estimated to be worth as much as $ 45bn ( £37bn ) a year to the American economy .
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • How can the car industry hope to recover ?
• Seed sales soar as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How will airlines get flying again ?
In Australia , foreign students are said to bring in more than 30bn Australian dollars a year ( $ 20bn ; £16bn ) , and it is a market that Australian universities have been targeting for years .
Andrew Norton , professor of the practice of higher education policy at Australian National University in Canberra , says the country has been trying to attract foreign students from Asia since the 1980s .
Australia has some distinct advantages for these students , he says .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the climate is attractive , and there is the possibility of migrating here . ''
But the government in Canberra has not helped the sector very much , if at all , during this crisis .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison even went as far as saying that foreign students should consider going back to their home countries if they could not support themselves during the lockdown .
That message is hardly likely to encourage new students to feel welcome in future , and that matters , says Prof Norton , because `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If students do n't start a degree course this year , then they are not here for three years , '' he says , meaning universities are going to be feeling the pressure of lost income for years to come , and not only in Australia .
In the US the university sector is a massive business .
Some of the oldest and most famous colleges have billions in reserve , massive endowments , and a reputation that means they can charge students top dollar .
But even they are suffering being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US are demanding rebates for lost lessons , and American universities make a small fortune from having students on site .
Catering and accommodation are huge earners .
Students in the UK have also been calling for refunds .
Vijay Govindarajan , Coxe distinguished professor at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College , says : `` I do n't see how we can reopen and have campus classes this fall [ autumn ] '' .
Professor Marginson says that while universities have rushed to move courses online , at least temporarily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not as attractive .
`` Students , if given the choice , pick face-to-face teaching , '' he says .
`` Online does not have the same prestige , and not just with employers , but with society as well . ''
In the UK , Cambridge University has announced that all its lectures will be online-only during the next academic year .
However , it said it would review the situation if government guidance changed .
Iram Ghufran , from Delhi in India , is a post graduate film student at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agrees that online classes will not be popular with most overseas students .
`` If a student from , say , Beijing spends a lot of money to study in London , they want to be there , to have the experience , and not do online things .
`` If I was due to be starting at a university in the West this autumn , and spend so much money , I would be thinking of postponing until the following year .
It is going to hit universities . ''
Colleges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards online and remote teaching now , because they have to .
When much of the world is in lockdown and social distancing is the norm , they have no choice , and it is the only way of keeping at least some money coming in .
But it is not clear how many universities will survive the collapse of their income , and whether the move online will become permanent .
Teaching people together on one site has proved to be a very long-lasting and successful business model , and it still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking part .

But the government in Canberra has not helped the sector very much, if at all, during this crisis. Prime Minister Scott Morrison even went as far as saying that foreign students should consider going back to their home countries if they could not support themselves during the lockdown.


bbc--2020-05-21--Coronavirus: The Russian republic enduring a 'catastrophe'

Dr Ibragim Yevtemirov still coughs every so often as he talks .
A paediatric trauma surgeon in Dagestan , in the Caucasus region of southern Russia , his ward had been full of Covid-19 cases for a couple of weeks when he got infected himself .
He says seven colleagues in his town have now died , including nurses , orderlies and laboratory staff , according to a count kept by local medics themselves .
`` All three doctors on my team got sick .
We were replaced by dentists until we recovered , '' Dr Yevtemirov told the BBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's now back at work in the central hospital .
`` At the peak , there were 10 , 11 patients dying a day here , '' he says .
The doctor 's account of dire shortages and deadly chaos is just one , stark snapshot of a Covid-19 crisis in Dagestan so serious that the republic 's chief mufti this week described it to President Vladimir Putin as a `` catastrophe '' .
As the holy month of Ramadan ends this weekend , Akhmad Afandi has been urging people in the mainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eid with friends and extended family - as it may cause a further dangerous spike in cases .
But it was a startling interview with the local health minister that first exposed Dagestan 's struggle with this epidemic .
The minister told a blogger that 40 medics had died in the republic : more than the total , official number of Covid-19 fatalities .
`` At the start , the kit we were given was very primitive , '' Dr Yevtemirov explains , from his personal experience .
`` It 's not that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this epidemic hit there was no alternative .
It 's like we had to rush straight into battle , '' he says .
The health minister 's interview also revealed that hundreds of people had died of `` community-acquired pneumonia '' in Dagestan - with all the same symptoms as Covid-19 - casting further doubt on Russia 's low official mortality rate from coronavirus .
`` Our hospital is full of Covid cases , but only a tiny handful of patients have a confirmed diagnosis , '' Dr Yevtemirov clarifies , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off for analysis are recorded as pneumonia .
Like other countries , Russia only adds cases with a positive test result to its daily death toll .
`` Perhaps there 's a problem here with the tests , or something .
Some think there 's been an order from above not to diagnose Covid , but I can only guess , '' the doctor says .
Data on how deeply the infection has penetrated Dagestan is also hard to be sure of .
Until recently , the republic was conducting fewer than 1,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equipment and laboratory capacity for more .
`` The hospitals only dealt with the seriously sick , no-one was testing anyone else , '' explains Ziyautdin Uvaisov of advocacy group Patient Monitor .
Like many , Mr Uvaisov believes the spread of the virus was helped by mixed messaging from Moscow , coupled with deep-rooted mistrust of officials .
`` People on TV kept saying it 's no worse than normal flu , '' he points out , adding that official orders to stay at home were then widely ignored .
Dagestan was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many local men are long-distance truck drivers , criss-crossing Russia to travel to Iran and beyond .
There are also close links with Moscow and when the Russian capital declared a lockdown at the end of March many Dagestanis flowed back to their villages , unchecked .
The village of Gurbuki was better served than others to cope .
A brand new hospital was opened in December to great fanfare .
But when in April suspected Covid-19 cases began filling up beds , a staggering 50 % of medical personnel fell ill. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take action .
Volunteers , mainly young men , began helping out on the wards ; others stepped in to set up checkpoints at the village entrance to try to control the infection 's spread .
And when the hospital began running dangerously low on oxygen , it was volunteers who travelled the 120km ( 75-mile ) round trip to the Dagestani capital , Makhachkala , to refill all the gas canisters they 'd begged and borrowed off villagers .
`` At the peak they were travelling three times a day , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' village head Magomedkhabib Mamatgereev told the BBC .
`` The canisters are really heavy and it 's a lot of work , but they did it all for free .
They 're our heroes ! ''
Despite their efforts , at least 10 people have died in the local hospital and some 30 in the village itself .
`` Of course we expected more from the Dagestani government , but I do n't want to criticise anyone , '' the village head reflects .
`` At the start we had nothing : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoped the virus would n't affect our village , '' he admits .
`` But we coped .
And now things are getting better . ''
• Is Putin rushing Russia out of lockdown ?
The sudden focus on Dagestan has brought belated promises of urgent , extra resources from Moscow - though Vladimir Putin appeared to blame local people for the `` complications '' , suggesting too many had tried to treat themselves at home .
An inspection team confirmed the republic 's poor testing capacity for Covid-19 , a lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But there are signs that the immediate crisis is beginning to ebb .
`` Fewer people are being brought in and fewer are dying , '' Dr Yevtemirov confirmed , adding that staff at his hospital in Khasavyurt do now have protective clothing .
But he 's concerned that Eid celebrations could shake the new , tentative stabilisation .
People have been crowding local markets , he says , despite imams sending WhatsApp warnings not to lay on food to share with neighbours .
`` I think they 'll gather together less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the doctor worries , ahead of another shift on the Covid ward .
`` People are a little bit undisciplined . ''
• The lion herding the sheep in Dagestan

"Of course we expected more from the Dagestani government, but I don't want to criticise anyone," the village head reflects. "At the start we had nothing: no PPE, no medicine. We hoped the virus wouldn't affect our village," he admits.