bbc--2020-03-02--Kohli behaviour questioned after India lose to New Zealand

India captain Virat Kohli criticised his team and skirted around questions about his own on-pitch behaviour as New Zealand completed a 2-0 Test series win in Christchurch .
The Kiwis coasted to a seven-wicket victory after bowling out India for just 124 in their second innings .
`` We were completely outplayed in this series , '' said Kohli , who had a top score of 19 in four innings .
`` We were not positive enough , we were not brave enough . ''
India , who lead the World Test Championship ( WTC ) table , also lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kohli was animated at times during the second Test and when questioned by a journalist about accusations he swore at his opposite number Kane Williamson and at the crowd , replied : `` What do you think ?
`` You need to find out exactly what happened and then come with a better question .
You ca n't come here with half questions and half details of what happened .
`` And also , if you want to create controversy , this is not the right place to be .
I had spoken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no issues with what happened . ''
Victory moves New Zealand up to third in the WTC table , one place above England and a spot behind Australia .
The top two teams meet in the final at Lord 's in June 2021 .

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
New Zealand have moved to third in the ICC Test World Championship following their 2-0 series win
Second Test, Christchurch (day three of five): India 242 (Vihari 55, Jamieson 5-45) & 124 (Pujara 24, Boult 4-28) New Zealand 235 (Latham 52, Shami 4-81) & 132-3 (Blundell 55, Latham 52) New Zealand won by seven wickets; win series 2-0 Scorecard
India captain Virat Kohli criticised his team and skirted around questions about his own on-pitch behaviour as New Zealand completed a 2-0 Test series win in Christchurch.
The Kiwis coasted to a seven-wicket victory after bowling out India for just 124 in their second innings.
"We were completely outplayed in this series," said Kohli, who had a top score of 19 in four innings.
"We were not positive enough, we were not brave enough."
India, who lead the World Test Championship (WTC) table, external-link also lost the first Test by 10 wickets.
Kohli was animated at times during the second Test and when questioned by a journalist about accusations he swore at his opposite number Kane Williamson and at the crowd, replied: "What do you think?
"You need to find out exactly what happened and then come with a better question. You can't come here with half questions and half details of what happened.
"And also, if you want to create controversy, this is not the right place to be. I had spoken to the match referee and he had no issues with what happened."
Victory moves New Zealand up to third in the WTC table, one place above England and a spot behind Australia. The top two teams meet in the final at Lord's in June 2021.


bbc--2020-03-01--Ancelotti says he 'didn't disrespect referee' after getting first red card

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti says he `` did not disrespect '' the referee despite being sent off following a disallowed goal at the end of his team 's 1-1 draw with Manchester United .
Ancelotti went onto the pitch at full-time to confront Chris Kavanagh after Dominic Calvert-Lewin 's injury-time strike was ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee .
Gylfi Sigurdsson was lying offside in front of United goalkeeper David de Gea when the goal was scored , leading VAR to rule it out .
Ancelotti said he thought the midfielder `` did n't affect the vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he would be `` disappointed '' if the dismissal resulted in being banned for the trip to his former team Chelsea next Sunday .
The Everton boss is the first Premier League manager to be a shown a red card since the rule was introduced last year .
Ancelotti said : `` There was no explanation [ from the referee ] .
I asked for one .
After the game there was a misunderstanding on the pitch , he sent me off , after that I spoke with him calmly .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , now he 's doing a report to the Football Association and we will see .
`` For sure I did n't disrespect him , but I can understand also at the end of the game , there is a lot of pressure and excitement , a lot of important decisions but I did n't disrespect him . ''
The incident was a controversial end to a feisty game , in which both sides benefited from goalkeeper errors - by De Gea and Jordan Pickford - and both teams hit the woodwork , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were shown .
But the biggest drama came in injury time when De Gea saved Sigurdsson 's shot , with Calvert-Lewin tapping in via a deflection from a United player as the Icelandic midfielder lay on the floor in front of the goalkeeper .
The offside laws state that a player can be offside if he or she is `` clearly obstructing the goalkeeper 's line of vision '' .
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he thought that was the case , adding : `` David told me he gets distracted because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ancelotti said : `` I honesty think it was a difficult decision .
They checked the position of Gylfi , who was offside , but in our opinion it did n't affect the vision of the goalkeeper . ''
Everton defender Michael Keane described it as a `` ridiculous '' decision .
`` How has that goal been disallowed for us ? ''
he asked on BBC Radio 5 Live .
`` De Gea has gone the other way because he can see the ball and it was going towards that corner .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ think it was Maguire anyway - and it 's gone right in the corner .
`` There 's not a chance he 's getting back to save it .
VAR screwed us again . ''
Ancelotti , who has won three Champions League titles as manager of AC Milan and Real Madrid , also entered the pitch during the game when he helped break up a player scuffle following a foul on Luke Shaw .
Despite his emotions running high , the Everton manager returned to his normal calm self afterwards , joking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been sent off before , he said : `` It 's not the first time , it will not be the last .
But I never disrespect .
`` It can happen of course , at the end of game I was a little nervous , maybe the referee also , we spoke in a friendly manner after the game .
No problem .
`` If I 'm banned I will be disappointed .
But the stand at Stamford Bridge is really close to the pitch so I will be there !
@

Ancelotti said "there was a misunderstanding on the pitch" with the referee
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti says he "did not disrespect" the referee despite being sent off following a disallowed goal at the end of his team's 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Ancelotti went onto the pitch at full-time to confront Chris Kavanagh after Dominic Calvert-Lewin's injury-time strike was ruled out for offside by the video assistant referee.
Gylfi Sigurdsson was lying offside in front of United goalkeeper David de Gea when the goal was scored, leading VAR to rule it out.
Ancelotti said he thought the midfielder "didn't affect the vision of the goalkeeper".
And he said he would be "disappointed" if the dismissal resulted in being banned for the trip to his former team Chelsea next Sunday.
The Everton boss is the first Premier League manager to be a shown a red card since the rule was introduced last year.
Ancelotti said: "There was no explanation [from the referee]. I asked for one. After the game there was a misunderstanding on the pitch, he sent me off, after that I spoke with him calmly.
"I want to keep this conversation private, now he's doing a report to the Football Association and we will see.
"For sure I didn't disrespect him, but I can understand also at the end of the game, there is a lot of pressure and excitement, a lot of important decisions but I didn't disrespect him."
What happened?
Sigurdsson was on the ground in front of De Gea when Calvert-Lewin scored
The incident was a controversial end to a feisty game, in which both sides benefited from goalkeeper errors - by De Gea and Jordan Pickford - and both teams hit the woodwork, while a total of seven yellow cards were shown.
But the biggest drama came in injury time when De Gea saved Sigurdsson's shot, with Calvert-Lewin tapping in via a deflection from a United player as the Icelandic midfielder lay on the floor in front of the goalkeeper.
The offside laws state that a player can be offside if he or she is "clearly obstructing the goalkeeper's line of vision".
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said he thought that was the case, adding: "David told me he gets distracted because Gylfi Sigurdsson is there."
But Ancelotti said: "I honesty think it was a difficult decision. They checked the position of Gylfi, who was offside, but in our opinion it didn't affect the vision of the goalkeeper."
Everton defender Michael Keane described it as a "ridiculous" decision.
"How has that goal been disallowed for us?" he asked on BBC Radio 5 Live. "De Gea has gone the other way because he can see the ball and it was going towards that corner. Then it hit Harry Maguire - I think it was Maguire anyway - and it's gone right in the corner.
"There's not a chance he's getting back to save it. VAR screwed us again."
I was a little nervous - Ancelotti
Ancelotti, who has won three Champions League titles as manager of AC Milan and Real Madrid, also entered the pitch during the game when he helped break up a player scuffle following a foul on Luke Shaw.
Despite his emotions running high, the Everton manager returned to his normal calm self afterwards, joking about previous misdemeanours.
Asked whether he had been sent off before, he said: "It's not the first time, it will not be the last. But I never disrespect.
"It can happen of course, at the end of game I was a little nervous, maybe the referee also, we spoke in a friendly manner after the game. No problem.
"If I'm banned I will be disappointed. But the stand at Stamford Bridge is really close to the pitch so I will be there!"


bbc--2020-03-02--Australia reach World Cup semis and knock out NZ

Defending champions Australia avoided an early exit at the T20 World Cup with a four-run victory over New Zealand in Melbourne putting them into the semi-finals .
Beth Mooney ( 60 ) and Georgia Wareham ( 3-17 ) starred for tournament hosts Australia , who join England , India and South Africa in the final four .
However , they could be without star player Ellyse Perry in Thursday 's semi-final after the all-rounder went off injured with an apparent hamstring injury sustained while fielding .
Perry was visibly emotional as she was helped off the field and captain Meg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good '' in an interview at the end of the match .
Australia will learn their semi-final opponents on Tuesday .
If South Africa beat West Indies in Sydney , they will leapfrog England in Group B and face Australia .
If the Windies win , it will be England against Lanning 's side .
Hosts hitting form at the right time Australia 's margin of victory was closer than it appeared on the field as New Zealand managed to take the game deep despite always being behind the run-rate and losing regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor with the ball as she dismissed three of New Zealand 's top four .
First she successfully reviewed an lbw decision against Suzie Bates before deceiving both Sophie Devine ( 31 ) and Maddy Green ( 28 ) and having them expertly stumped by the peerless Alyssa Healy .
Megan Schutt made up for dropping a sitter by taking three wickets of her own in an Australia display which continues their improvement since a shock 17-run defeat by India in the tournament 's opening game .
`` It was a crunch game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Australia captain Lanning .
`` For Georgia to come in and bowl so well is a credit to her .
`` The Bangladesh game ( last time out ) was a turning point for us .
We played a lot more like how we play .
We are looking forward to our next challenge .
`` We were calm when under the pump and did the basics well .
It gives us a lot of confidence going into the semi-final . ''
Desperate to assert themselves in what was effectively a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Healy ( 9 ) and Lanning ( 21 ) early on to aggressive shots .
However , Mooney ( 60 ) played a classy and stabilising knock which laid the platform for a winning total .
From there , Perry ( 21 off 15 balls ) and Rachael Haynes ( 19 not out off 8 ) delivered punchy cameos which took the total beyond 150 and heaped the pressure on the White Ferns .
What was particularly impressive about Australia 's batting effort - and was perhaps the difference in a tight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wickets and ability to cut down on the opposition 's ability to bowl dot balls .
`` You can always go back over the 120 balls and find something you could do better , '' said New Zealand captain Sophie Devine .
`` Credit to Australia , they 're a great team and I wish them well going forward .
`` The beauty of this tournament now is that it 's hard to pick a winner from the four teams left . ''

Last updated on .From the section Women's Cricket
ICC Women's T20 World Cup, Group A, Junction Oval, Melbourne: Australia 155-5 (20 overs): Mooney 60, Peterson 2-31 New Zealand 151-7 (20 overs): Martin 37*, Wareham 3-17 Australia won by four runs Scorecard and tables
Defending champions Australia avoided an early exit at the T20 World Cup with a four-run victory over New Zealand in Melbourne putting them into the semi-finals.
Beth Mooney (60) and Georgia Wareham (3-17) starred for tournament hosts Australia, who join England, India and South Africa in the final four.
However, they could be without star player Ellyse Perry in Thursday's semi-final after the all-rounder went off injured with an apparent hamstring injury sustained while fielding.
Perry was visibly emotional as she was helped off the field and captain Meg Lanning admitted "it didn't look good" in an interview at the end of the match.
Australia will learn their semi-final opponents on Tuesday. If South Africa beat West Indies in Sydney, they will leapfrog England in Group B and face Australia. If the Windies win, it will be England against Lanning's side.
Hosts hitting form at the right time
Australia's margin of victory was closer than it appeared on the field as New Zealand managed to take the game deep despite always being behind the run-rate and losing regular wickets.
Leg-spinner Wareham was the decisive factor with the ball as she dismissed three of New Zealand's top four.
First she successfully reviewed an lbw decision against Suzie Bates before deceiving both Sophie Devine (31) and Maddy Green (28) and having them expertly stumped by the peerless Alyssa Healy.
Megan Schutt made up for dropping a sitter by taking three wickets of her own in an Australia display which continues their improvement since a shock 17-run defeat by India in the tournament's opening game.
"It was a crunch game and we handled it very well," said Australia captain Lanning. "For Georgia to come in and bowl so well is a credit to her.
"The Bangladesh game (last time out) was a turning point for us. We played a lot more like how we play. We are looking forward to our next challenge.
"We were calm when under the pump and did the basics well. It gives us a lot of confidence going into the semi-final."
Mooney's runs anchor Australia
Desperate to assert themselves in what was effectively a quarter-final, Australia lost the key wickets of Healy (9) and Lanning (21) early on to aggressive shots.
However, Mooney (60) played a classy and stabilising knock which laid the platform for a winning total.
From there, Perry (21 off 15 balls) and Rachael Haynes (19 not out off 8) delivered punchy cameos which took the total beyond 150 and heaped the pressure on the White Ferns.
What was particularly impressive about Australia's batting effort - and was perhaps the difference in a tight contest - was their running between the wickets and ability to cut down on the opposition's ability to bowl dot balls.
"You can always go back over the 120 balls and find something you could do better," said New Zealand captain Sophie Devine.
"Credit to Australia, they're a great team and I wish them well going forward.
"The beauty of this tournament now is that it's hard to pick a winner from the four teams left."


bbc--2020-03-02--What is coronavirus and what are the symptoms?

A virus causing severe lung disease that started in China has spread to more than 60 countries , including the UK .
The coronavirus had infected 79,929 people in China as of 2 March , with 2,872 of them dying .
What are the symptoms ?
It seems to start with a fever , followed by a dry cough .
After a week , it leads to shortness of breath and some patients require hospital treatment .
The incubation period - between infection and showing any symptoms - lasts up to 14 days , according to the World Health Organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it may be as long as 24 days .
And Chinese scientists say some people may be infectious even before their symptoms appear .
How deadly is the coronavirus ?
Based on data from 44,000 patients with this coronavirus , the WHO says : The proportion dying from the disease , which has been named Covid-19 , appears low ( between 1 % and 2 % ) - but the figures are unreliable .
Thousands are still being treated but may go on to die - so the death rate could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many mild cases remain unreported - so the death rate could also be lower .
To put this into context , about one billion people catch influenza every year , with between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths .
The severity of flu changes every year .
• How is the UK planning for an outbreak ?
Can coronavirus be treated or cured ?
Right now , treatment relies on the basics - keeping the patient 's body going , including breathing support , until their immune system can fight off the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine is under way and it is hoped there will be human trials before the end of the year .
Hospitals are also testing anti-viral drugs to see if they have an impact .
How can I protect myself ?
See more advice from the WHO here .
What is the advice in the UK ?
Anyone experiencing symptoms , even if mild , after travelling from mainland China , Thailand , Japan , Republic of Korea , Hong Kong , Taiwan , Singapore , Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call the NHS 111 phone service .
If you have returned from the following specific areas since February 19 , you should call NHS 111 and stay indoors and avoid contact with other people even if you do not have symptoms : If you have returned from the following areas since February 19 and develop symptoms - even mild ones - stay indoors , avoid contact with others and call NHS 111 : • Northern Italy ( above but not including Pisa , Florence and Rimini ) The Foreign Office now advises against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto in Italy , which have been isolated by the country 's authorities How fast is it spreading ?
Thousands of new cases are being reported each day .
However , analysts believe the true scale could be 10 times larger than official figures .
Outbreaks have now occurred in South Korea , Italy and Iran , raising fears that it could become a pandemic .
A pandemic is declared when an infectious disease threatens different parts of the world simultaneously .
The WHO has said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no clear link to China or other confirmed cases .
It has said the window of opportunity to contain the virus was `` narrowing '' .
With colds and flu tending to spread fastest in the winter , there is hope the turning of the seasons may help stem the outbreak .
However , a different strain of coronavirus - Middle East respiratory syndrome - emerged in the summer , in Saudi Arabia , so there 's no guarantee warmer weather will halt the outbreak .
• How a virus reveals the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's race to contain the coronavirus • China and the virus that threatens everything • What should I do if I travel to Italy ?
and other questions answered How did it start ?
This virus is not really `` new '' - it is just new to humans , having jumped from one species to another .
Many of the early cases were linked to the South China Seafood Wholesale Market , in Wuhan .
In China , a lot of people come into close contact with animals harbouring viruses - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease can be easily spread .
Severe acute respiratory syndrome ( Sars ) , which is also caused by a coronavirus , started off in bats and then infected the civet cat , which in turn passed it on to humans .
The Sars outbreak , which started in China in 2002 , killed 774 of the 8,098 people infected .
The current virus - one of seven types of coronavirus - does not seem to be mutating so far .
But while it appears stable , this is something scientists will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be regularly updated to reflect the audience 's questions about coronavirus .
Details of how to get in touch are below .
What questions do you have about the coronavirus ?
In some cases your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure), are more likely to become severely ill. Men are at slightly higher risk of dying from the virus than women.


bbc--2020-03-02--Coronavirus: World in 'uncharted territory'

The world is in `` uncharted territory '' on the coronavirus outbreak , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has said .
Its chief , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , said the virus was `` unique '' but could be contained with the right measures .
Deaths globally have passed 3,000 .
Most are in China but over the past day there were nine times more new infections outside China than inside .
Dr Tedros insisted : `` We can push this virus back '' .
He also said stigma was more dangerous than the disease itself .
The WHO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease globally was not a `` one-way street '' and could be combated if countries acted quickly and effectively - starting with containment measures .
`` There is no choice but to act now , '' he said .
One of the countries worst affected outside China - Italy - on Monday saw a jump in its death toll from 34 to 52 .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS ?
A simple guide • WAYS TO PREVENT CATCHING IT : How to wash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A VACCINE ?
Progress so far • A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE OUTBREAK : Virus maps and charts What else did the WHO say ?
Dr Tedros 's main advice was that each country had to look at their own situation as there was no one-way-fits-all means of tackling the outbreak .
`` Each country must have its own approach but it must start with containment , '' he said .
This was a `` unique virus with unique features '' and the WHO would have expected wide contagion by now , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the doctor said .
Of the 62 countries reporting cases of infection , 38 of them had 10 or fewer , he added .
`` Around eight countries have not reported new cases for two weeks and have been able to contain the outbreak , '' he said .
China had also shown containment was possible even in countries with a large number of cases .
The WHO would continue to monitor whether the outbreak should be called a global pandemic , Dr Tedros said .
South Korea , Italy , Iran and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO staff member has tested positive in Iran , although the symptoms are mild , Dr Tedros said .
He also added : `` Stigma , to be honest , is more dangerous than the virus itself .
Let 's really underline that .
Stigma is the most dangerous enemy . ''
What is the situation globally ?
There are now almost 90,000 cases worldwide in about 70 countries , although the vast majority - just under 90 % - remain in China , and most of those are in Hubei province , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Of the nearly 8,800 cases outside China , 81 % are in four countries - Iran , South Korea , Italy and Japan .
Italy raised its death toll by 18 on Monday , with 1,835 confirmed cases , most of them in the Lombardy and Veneto areas of the north .
Iran reported another 12 deaths , taking the total there to 66 .
They included Mohammad Mirmohammadi , a high-ranking adviser to the country 's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei , Iranian media reported .
Health officials in the US state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people had died , bringing the total there to six .
They are the only deaths in the US so far .
President Donald Trump said he had told pharmaceutical companies to accelerate work on a vaccine , while New York 's governor , Andrew Cuomo , warned it was `` inevitable '' more people would test positive in the city .
In the UK , where there are 39 confirmed cases , Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the virus was `` likely to become more significant in the days and weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the emergency Cobra committee .
• How is the UK planning for an outbreak ?
• Kuenssberg : Now it 's serious for No 10 Portugal , Iceland , Jordan , Tunisia , Armenia , Latvia , Senegal and Andorra also reported their first confirmed cases on Monday .
• The European Centre for Disease Control confirmed the risk level in the EU had increased from `` moderate '' to `` moderate to high '' • The global economy could grow at its slowest rate since 2009 this year due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Development warned .
Markets had a rollercoaster ride in Europe that was initially mirrored in New York , although the Dow Jones later ended a significant 5.1 % higher .
Concerns about the outbreak last week wiped more than $ 5tn ( £3.9tn ) from global stocks • France confirmed another 61 more cases on Monday - 191 overall .
One more death brought the nation 's total to three • Qatar , Ecuador , Luxembourg , the Czech Republic and Ireland were among countries that confirmed their first cases over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more deaths , taking the total to 28 .
About 60 % of the country 's more than 4,000 confirmed cases are members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus religious sect .
Members are believed to have infected one another and then travelled around the country , apparently undetected The sect 's leader , Lee Man-hee , got on his knees and bowed at a news conference to apologise .
`` Although it was not intentional , many people have been infected , '' said the 88-year-old leader .
`` We put our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent it all . ''
Prosecutors in South Korea have been asked to investigate Mr Lee on possible charges of gross negligence .
China reported 42 more deaths , all in Hubei .
The province has registered more than 90 % of the global fatalities .
• How deadly is the coronavirus ?
Only eight of the newly reported cases of infection were outside Hubei , suggesting containment was working .
The 206 new cases reported nationwide on Sunday represented the lowest number of daily cases since 22 January .
A spokesman from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next stop would be to `` focus on the risks brought by the resumption of work '' .
The WHO says the virus appears to particularly affect those over 60 , and people already ill .
In the first large analysis of more than 44,000 cases from China , the death rate was 10 times higher in the very elderly compared to the middle-aged .
But most patients have only mild symptoms and the death rate appears to be between 2 % and 5 % , the WHO said .
By comparison , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of about 0.1 % , but is highly infectious - with up to 400,000 people dying from it each year .
Other strains of coronavirus , such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ( Sars ) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome ( Mers ) , have much higher death rates than Covid-19 .
How have you been affected by the spread of Covid-19 ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Coronavirus: World in 'uncharted territory' Published 2 March 2020
Image source, AFP Image caption, The WHO insists containment measures can still "push this virus back"
The world is in "uncharted territory" on the coronavirus outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
Its chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the virus was "unique" but could be contained with the right measures.
Deaths globally have passed 3,000. Most are in China but over the past day there were nine times more new infections outside China than inside.
Dr Tedros insisted: "We can push this virus back". He also said stigma was more dangerous than the disease itself.
The WHO chief said the development of the Covid-19 disease globally was not a "one-way street" and could be combated if countries acted quickly and effectively - starting with containment measures.
"There is no choice but to act now," he said.
One of the countries worst affected outside China - Italy - on Monday saw a jump in its death toll from 34 to 52.
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
What else did the WHO say?
Dr Tedros's main advice was that each country had to look at their own situation as there was no one-way-fits-all means of tackling the outbreak.
"Each country must have its own approach but it must start with containment," he said.
This was a "unique virus with unique features" and the WHO would have expected wide contagion by now, but containment measures had appeared to work, the doctor said.
Of the 62 countries reporting cases of infection, 38 of them had 10 or fewer, he added.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Israel set up a dedicated polling station where people under quarantine could vote in Monday's general election
"Around eight countries have not reported new cases for two weeks and have been able to contain the outbreak," he said. China had also shown containment was possible even in countries with a large number of cases.
The WHO would continue to monitor whether the outbreak should be called a global pandemic, Dr Tedros said.
South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan remain the greatest concern. A WHO staff member has tested positive in Iran, although the symptoms are mild, Dr Tedros said.
He also added: "Stigma, to be honest, is more dangerous than the virus itself. Let's really underline that. Stigma is the most dangerous enemy."
What is the situation globally?
There are now almost 90,000 cases worldwide in about 70 countries, although the vast majority - just under 90% - remain in China, and most of those are in Hubei province, where the virus originated late last year.
Of the nearly 8,800 cases outside China, 81% are in four countries - Iran, South Korea, Italy and Japan.
Italy raised its death toll by 18 on Monday, with 1,835 confirmed cases, most of them in the Lombardy and Veneto areas of the north.
Iran reported another 12 deaths, taking the total there to 66. They included Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a high-ranking adviser to the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Iranian media reported.
Health officials in the US state of Washington said on Monday that four more people had died, bringing the total there to six. They are the only deaths in the US so far.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Empty shelves as coronavirus "panic-buying" hits Australia
President Donald Trump said he had told pharmaceutical companies to accelerate work on a vaccine, while New York's governor, Andrew Cuomo, warned it was "inevitable" more people would test positive in the city.
In the UK, where there are 39 confirmed cases, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the virus was "likely to become more significant in the days and weeks ahead", after holding a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee.
Portugal, Iceland, Jordan, Tunisia, Armenia, Latvia, Senegal and Andorra also reported their first confirmed cases on Monday.
In other developments:
The European Centre for Disease Control confirmed the risk level in the EU had increased from "moderate" to "moderate to high"
The global economy could grow at its slowest rate since 2009 this year due to the outbreak, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development warned. Markets had a rollercoaster ride in Europe that was initially mirrored in New York, although the Dow Jones later ended a significant 5.1% higher. Concerns about the outbreak last week wiped more than $5tn (£3.9tn) from global stocks
France confirmed another 61 more cases on Monday - 191 overall. One more death brought the nation's total to three
Qatar, Ecuador, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Ireland were among countries that confirmed their first cases over the weekend
What's happening in South Korea?
The nation on Monday reported two more deaths, taking the total to 28.
About 60% of the country's more than 4,000 confirmed cases are members of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus religious sect. Members are believed to have infected one another and then travelled around the country, apparently undetected
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, The leader of Shincheonji Church apologised for its role in the spread of coronavirus
The sect's leader, Lee Man-hee, got on his knees and bowed at a news conference to apologise.
"Although it was not intentional, many people have been infected," said the 88-year-old leader. "We put our utmost efforts, but were unable to prevent it all."
Prosecutors in South Korea have been asked to investigate Mr Lee on possible charges of gross negligence.
What's the situation in China?
China reported 42 more deaths, all in Hubei. The province has registered more than 90% of the global fatalities.
Only eight of the newly reported cases of infection were outside Hubei, suggesting containment was working.
The 206 new cases reported nationwide on Sunday represented the lowest number of daily cases since 22 January.
A spokesman from China's National Health Commission said the next stop would be to "focus on the risks brought by the resumption of work".
How deadly is Covid-19?
The WHO says the virus appears to particularly affect those over 60, and people already ill.
In the first large analysis of more than 44,000 cases from China, the death rate was 10 times higher in the very elderly compared to the middle-aged.
But most patients have only mild symptoms and the death rate appears to be between 2% and 5%, the WHO said.
By comparison, seasonal flu has an average mortality rate of about 0.1%, but is highly infectious - with up to 400,000 people dying from it each year.
Other strains of coronavirus, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers), have much higher death rates than Covid-19.
How have you been affected by the spread of Covid-19? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.


bbc--2020-03-02--Coronavirus: Four more deaths in Washington state

Four more people have died in a coronavirus outbreak in Washington state , bringing the total fatalities there to six .
These are the first deaths due to Covid-19 on US soil .
Washington declared a state of emergency over the weekend .
Five of the deaths occurred in King County , whose main city is Seattle .
There are now 18 confirmed cases in the region , and there are growing fears it may spread further .
Researchers who studied the first two Washington deaths had said the virus may have been spreading there for weeks , and suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been infected .
Kathy Lofy , Washington state 's health officer , said cases were confined to two counties - King and Snohomish - and the virus was `` actively '' spreading there .
She added it was possible the virus was spreading elsewhere .
Eight of the 14 cases in King County , and four of the deaths , are linked to one care facility .
Most of those who died were elderly or had underlying health conditions .
• How worried should the US be ?
King County is to buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing number of patients in the region .
More schools in the Seattle area closed on Monday .
Dr Jeff Duchin , the chief health officer for the Seattle and King County Public Health agency , said there would be no wider school closures at this stage , nor would major events be cancelled .
But , he said , the number of cases is expected to increase .
`` We are taking this situation extremely seriously , '' he said .
What 's happening elsewhere in the US ?
The weekend brought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , raising concerns .
There are now 91 confirmed cases across the country and while some patients are believed to have travelled to high-risk countries , others are thought to have contracted the virus within the US .
Officials on the US West Coast - in Washington , California and Oregon - have expressed concerns about infections appearing in patients who had not visited an area where there was an outbreak or been in contact with anyone who had .
The federal government has admitted to problems with its diagnostic testing amid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal scientist has raised concerns about a possible contamination in an Atlanta , Georgia , lab where the government had made test kits for the virus , Axios reports .
Elsewhere in the US on Monday : • New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state 's first case was a 39-year-old female healthcare worker who had been in Iran before returning to the US last week • The woman did not take public transportation and is not believed to have been contagious either on the plane or in the car returning home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worker , is being tested • Officials in Florida said a man in his 60s and a woman in her 20s who had returned from northern Italy had tested positive • President Trump met pharmaceutical companies in the White House to discuss possible vaccines • Vide-President Mike Pence said federal officials plan to meet executives from the airline and cruise industries to discuss safeguards What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS ?
A simple guide • WAYS TO PREVENT CATCHING IT : How to wash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A VACCINE ?
Progress so far • A VISUAL GUIDE TO THE OUTBREAK : Virus maps and charts The world is in `` uncharted territory '' on the coronavirus outbreak , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has said .
Deaths globally have passed 3,000 .
Most are in China but there are now far more new infections outside China than inside .
One of the countries worst affected outside China - Italy - saw a big jump in its death toll from 34 to 52 on Monday .

The weekend brought a sharp rise in the number of cases, raising concerns. There are now 91 confirmed cases across the country and while some patients are believed to have travelled to high-risk countries, others are thought to have contracted the virus within the US.


bbc--2020-03-02--What is Super Tuesday and how does it work?

Voters across America are preparing to take part in the biggest day of the 2020 election so far .
More than a year after the first Democratic candidates joined the race to take on Donald Trump , we 've now reached Super Tuesday .
Fourteen states will vote on which Democrat they want to run in November 's election .
Bernie Sanders is in the lead after the early contests .
By Wednesday , we could have a clearer picture of who the nominee will be .
Democrats across the US have been taking part in a series of caucuses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote publicly at the end ) or primaries ( secret ballots ) to pick their preferred candidate .
Bernie Sanders 's success has come as a bit of a surprise .
The Vermont senator lost out to Hillary Clinton in the 2016 race , but he is n't a typical Democrat by any means ( in fact , he sits as an Independent in the Senate ) .
He 's a staunch left-winger , so may struggle to convince the party 's moderates if he becomes the candidate .
He 's also 78 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the autumn .
But he 's proven extremely popular in the primaries so far across many age groups and ethnicities , and all the momentum is on his side .
The handful of moderate Democrats running have split the vote , so it 's made it hard for any of them to break out ( and this has helped Sanders build up a lead ) .
One of them , former vice-president and early favourite Joe Biden , underwhelmed before winning convincingly in South Carolina on Saturday .
Pete Buttigieg , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't build on his early momentum before dropping out on Sunday .
His voters may now turn to Biden , whose chances of becoming the nominee appear to have improved hugely in recent days .
Sanders does not have the left lane to himself either - Elizabeth Warren , the experienced Massachusetts senator , shares several of his policy objectives but has not lived up to expectations .
So might any of these candidates win the election in November ?
Honestly , it 's too close to call , and there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all about the delegates .
Let 's say Candidate A gets the most support in one state .
Candidate B does OK , but not as well .
Candidate A is then awarded the most delegates , and Candidate B fewer .
The number of delegates available differs in each state .
Later in the summer , those delegates will then vote for their candidate to become the Democratic nominee .
The target for any candidate is to reach an unbeatable majority of 1,990 delegates .
This is where Super Tuesday comes in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delegates have been awarded in four states .
On Super Tuesday , a massive 1,357 delegates will be distributed , and 14 states are voting .
The two most populous , California and Texas , will take part - the former for the first time on Super Tuesday .
Here 's what is at stake in each state - the smallest to the largest - with some bonus nuggets of trivia thrown in .
Who will do best ?
A no-brainer : Bernie Sanders .
He is one of the state 's senators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well ?
Honestly ?
There 's a chance no-one except Sanders will cross the 15 % threshold of votes and get any delegates .
He is extremely popular in his home state and won the 2016 primary here with 86 % of the vote ( though he eventually lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton ) .
We could see the first results from here at about 19:00 local time ( midnight GMT ) .
One piece of context In a poll by Vermont Public Radio in February , almost a third of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of living were among the main issues on their minds - although Vermont has the joint-lowest unemployment rate in the country , at 2.3 % .
Who will do best ?
We 're going to start sounding repetitive , but polls point to Bernie Sanders .
In 2016 , he won more than double the number of delegates claimed by Hillary Clinton here .
Who could do well ?
There are more contenders than in 2016 which means Sanders ' lead wo n't be as large .
But billionaire Michael Bloomberg and Joe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece of context This is n't the only thing on the ballot on Super Tuesday in Maine .
There 's also a referendum on whether to reject a law that would block religious and philosophical objections to vaccinations .
Who will do best ?
Clue : his name is an anagram of Desire Banners .
Sanders won here convincingly in 2016. Who could do well ?
It 's unlikely anyone will challenge Sanders .
The most recent poll put Bloomberg in a distant second and former Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg in third , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win votes that might have gone to Buttigieg , and tighten the gap on Sanders ?
One piece of context No candidate who has won Utah has then gone on to become the Democratic nominee since since Lyndon B Johnson in 1964 , so if Sanders was to win and become the nominee , he might help make history .
• A simple guide to US primaries and caucuses • Five charts that explain the Democratic race Who will do best ?
A recent poll by Hendrix College in Arkansas suggested Bloomberg 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could pay off here .
Who could do well ?
Biden and Sanders possibly , although it 's a close-run thing .
Forecasting site FiveThirtyEight gives Biden a stronger chance - the vote could be split fairly evenly .
One piece of context It might not matter who Democrats pick : Arkansas has opted for a Democrat in a presidential election only twice in 40 years ( and even then , it was local boy Bill Clinton , twice ) .
Who will do best ?
It 's tough to say .
Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well ?
Bloomberg and Sanders , according to Oklahoma polling group Sooner last week .
One piece of context Fracking is a big issue here , and Sanders and Warren ( who was born in Oklahoma City ) have both proposed measures to ban it .
The underground disposal of waste water used in fracking has led to a rise in earthquakes in this part of the US .
Who will do best ?
We 're in safe Biden territory .
He has the support of plenty of senior Democrats in Alabama , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there .
Who could do well ?
Biden 's lead in the polls looks fairly comfortable , but Bloomberg and Sanders appear most likely to challenge him .
One piece of context Republicans are also deciding who will run in November 's Senate race , where they are very hopeful of ousting Democrat Doug Jones ( and making it harder for Democrats to win the Senate later this year ) .
The favourite right now is Jeff Sessions , Donald Trump 's former attorney general .
• Which celebrity has endorsed whom ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ close .
FiveThirtyEight suggests Biden 's chances here have improved a lot over the past few days .
Who could do well ?
There has been very little polling here , but it could well be Sanders , who was a distant second to Hillary Clinton here in 2016 .
One piece of context In Tennessee , who votes may be a bigger issue than who wins - it has one of the worst voter turnout rates in the US .
In the last presidential election , just over half of registered voters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national average .
Who will do best ?
FiveThirtyEight gives Sanders a seven in eight chance of winning most votes here .
You may notice that a picture is starting to form .
Who could do well ?
The site puts Biden in a distant second , with Elizabeth Warren just behind him .
One piece of context Once a Republican stronghold , out-of-state migration and population growth has turned Colorado increasingly `` blue '' - a Democratic tilt that extends down the ballot .
In its latest predictions , election forecaster Sabato @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state 's US Senate race from `` toss up '' to `` leans Democratic '' .
• How Bernie Sanders always beats the odds Who will do best ?
It was all set to be Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar until she withdrew on Monday .
She has now endorsed Biden , so ... maybe Biden ?
Who could do well ?
Sanders had been close behind Klobuchar in second , and is likely to pick up a decent amount of delegates here .
One piece of context This part of the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trade war with China - advocacy group Tariffs Hurt The Heartland said businesses in Minnesota had to pay $ 797m ( £604m ) more in tariffs as a result .
Will that translate into more support for Democrats in this election ?
Who will do best ?
Sanders , maybe .
But it will be close .
Who could do well ?
Elizabeth Warren , but it might be embarrassing if she does n't win , given she is the senior senator for the state .
Buttigieg 's withdrawal may help her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of the candidates left in the race ( two people ) live in Massachusetts - as well as Warren , the other is Michael Bloomberg , who lives in Medford .
Despite actor Michael Douglas campaigning for him there , he is not expected to do especially well here .
Who will do best ?
This will be a really interesting one to follow .
The vote could be split fairly evenly between Sanders , Bloomberg and Biden .
Who could do well ?
See above .
One piece of context Watch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This suburban vote will be crucial across the country in November 's election ( as it was in the 2018 mid-terms ) .
How will the nationwide favourite , Bernie Sanders , perform there ?
Will moderates in the suburbs warm to him ?
Who will do best ?
It 's quite a similar picture to neighbouring Virginia , and will also be worth following - it 's close between Sanders and Biden .
Who could do well ?
Bloomberg was polling well here at one point , but is drifting behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of context This will also be a battleground state in November .
As with Virginia , watch the crucially important suburbs of cities like Charlotte and Raleigh .
But watch who they vote for , and whether that person ends up becoming the nominee .
The way the votes go here in November might help decide the election .
Who will do best ?
We 're into the big league now .
It 's very close between Sanders and Biden here .
Either way , it looks likely Sanders will claim a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the results come in from Texas , his lead could be big .
Who could do well ?
It is likely to be a good night for Biden here too .
Elizabeth Warren is third or fourth in most polls .
One piece of context There 's reason to think that the so-called sleeping giant of the Texas Hispanic vote - now almost two million voters - is about to wake up .
In the 2018 midterms , 46.9 % of registered Hispanic voters turned out , a leap from 24.4 % in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanders really does have an eight in nine chance of winning most votes here , as FiveThirtyEight predicts , you might as well call him the nominee .
This is where Sanders ' appeal to his `` multiracial coalition '' pays off - he looks like he could do well with African Americans , Latinos and Asian Americans here .
Who could do well ?
Right now , Biden looks like being a distant second .
One piece of context This will be a Super Tuesday debut for California .
Lawmakers moved the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its traditional spot in June in an effort to increase California 's impact .
The shift could matter : the country 's most populous state will award 30 % of the delegates on Super Tuesday .
*American Samoa ( six delegates ) and Democrats Abroad ( 13 ) are also voting on Super Tuesday

Who will do best? If Sanders really does have an eight in nine chance of winning most votes here, as FiveThirtyEight predicts, you might as well call him the nominee. This is where Sanders' appeal to his "multiracial coalition" pays off - he looks like he could do well with African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans here.


bbc--2020-03-02--Amy Klobuchar ends bid to challenge Trump

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will abandon her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination .
Senator Klobuchar came in a distant sixth place in Saturday 's South Carolina primary .
Ms Klobuchar , 59 , will join Joe Biden at his Dallas , Texas rally tonight to endorse the former vice-president , US media report .
The news comes on the heels of fellow moderate Pete Buttigieg suspending his campaign on Sunday .
Despite some strong debate performances and a surprise surge in the early primary voting state of New Hampshire , Ms Klobuchar failed to gain broader traction .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ • What are primaries and how do they work ?
• Five charts that explain the Democratic race On the campaign trail , the Minnesota senator sold herself to moderate voters as the candidate who could win swing states back for the Democrats .
However , her profile was largely eclipsed by centrist rivals Mr Biden , 77 , and Mr Buttigieg , 38 .
The former South Bend , Indiana , mayor Mr Buttigieg will also endorse Mr Biden for the nomination in an apparent effort to consolidate moderate voters and block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leads the field .
Former Obama National Security Adviser Susan Rice endorsed Mr Biden on Monday , as did other Democrats , including two US senators , Mark Udall and Tammy Duckworth , and former Senate leader Harry Reid .
Ms Klobuchar 's withdrawal comes on the eve of the so-called Super Tuesday primaries .
On Tuesday , 14 US states will cast their votes to determine the Democratic presidential nominee .
With Ms Klobuchar 's exit , five Democrats are left in the race to take on Republican President Donald Trump - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren , Michael Bloomberg and Tulsi Gabbard .
With the exception of Ms Gabbard , a Hawaii congresswoman , all are septuagenarians .
Seven delegates - representatives who will cast nominating votes for a candidate at the Democratic national convention in July - Ms Klobuchar had won from previous primaries are now free to vote for someone else .
A candidate must pick up 1,990 delegates , gathered up from primary contests throughout the country , to secure the nomination .
Mr Sanders , the leftwing Vermont senator , currently leads the delegate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Biden with 54 .
• Choose your candidate and filter by category • Could it be third time lucky for Joe Biden ?
Seats on Joe Biden 's campaign train are starting to fill up .
Former presidential rivals Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg are heading to Dallas to share a stage with the former vice-president on Monday night , where they will reportedly announce their endorsements .
The faceoff between Mr Biden , the `` establishment '' candidate , and Mr Sanders , the outsider , is taking shape - a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats a clear choice between two directions to take the party .
It 's not quite that simple , of course , as Elizabeth Warren seems set to stick around as a progressive-left alternative , while Michael Bloomberg continues to money-bomb his way into Super Tuesday .
Still , this represents a remarkable run of good fortune for Mr Biden , who has been landing endorsements from Democratic politicians across the US the past few days .
Meanwhile , it may turn out that Mr Sanders ' big win in Nevada just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vermont senator much of a boost .
Instead , it woke up moderates and other voters not sold on his calls for a progressive revolution , prompting a rapid consolidation around an alternative .
After more than a year of campaigning , the race for the Democratic nomination is now shifting by the hour .
Announcing her candidacy in the middle of a blizzard last February , Ms Klobuchar , a former prosecutor , pitched herself as a pragmatist who could appeal to voters in America 's geographic and ideological middle .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ universal healthcare schemes touted by her leftwing rivals , Mr Sanders and Ms Warren , making the case for what she called more `` practical '' healthcare reform .
`` I always tell people , '' Ms Klobuchar would say on the campaign trail .
`` If you are tired of the nonsense and the noise in our politics , and you are tired of the extremes in our politics and you are looking for something different , then you have a home with me '' .
Despite winning some support from moderate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to attract support from the black and Hispanic voters who are key Democratic blocs .

"I always tell people," Ms Klobuchar would say on the campaign trail. "If you are tired of the nonsense and the noise in our politics, and you are tired of the extremes in our politics and you are looking for something different, then you have a home with me".


bbc--2020-03-02--Greek coast guards fire into sea near migrant boat

Footage has emerged of Greek coast guards firing into the sea near a migrant dingy , and shoving it around @ @ @ @ @ force it back towards Turkey .
Migrants on another dinghy were met with shouts of @ @ @ @ @ angry residents of the island of Lesbos .
• Read more : Turkey says millions @ @ @ @ @ EU

Footage has emerged of Greek coast guards firing into the sea near a migrant dingy, and shoving it around, as they attempted to force it back towards Turkey.
Migrants on another dinghy were met with shouts of "go away" by angry residents of the island of Lesbos.


bbc--2020-03-02--Afghan conflict: Taliban to resume attacking local forces after deal with US

The Taliban are to resume attacks against government forces , just days after signing a deal with the US aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan .
The hard-line Islamist group had observed a `` reduction in violence '' in the week leading up to the agreement .
The deal included a commitment to hold peace talks with the Afghan government .
But the group 's spokesman said on Monday the talks would not go ahead if 5,000 Taliban prisoners held by the government were not released .
• What will Taliban do after signing US deal ?
• The Afghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The release formed part of the agreement signed on Saturday in Qatar with the US .
But on Sunday , Afghanistan 's President Ashraf Ghani told reporters his government had agreed to no such release .
`` There is no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners , '' Mr Ghani said .
`` This is the right and the self-will of the people of Afghanistan .
It could be included in the agenda of the intra-Afghan talks , but can not be a prerequisite for talks . ''
The Taliban have previously refused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday 's deal was just with the US , which invaded Afghanistan weeks after the September 2001 attacks in New York by al-Qaeda , then based in Afghanistan .
The Taliban were ousted from power but became an insurgent force that by 2018 was active in more than two-thirds of the country .
What have the Taliban said ?
The Taliban said they would resume fighting Afghan forces , but would not target international troops .
This contradicted Mr Ghani 's comments on Sunday .
He had said the partial truce was set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach a full ceasefire '' .
Meanwhile , Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told news agency Reuters they would not take part in talks with the government unless the release went ahead .
`` We are fully ready for the intra-Afghan talks , but we are waiting for the release of our 5,000 prisoners , '' he said .
`` If our 5,000 prisoners - 100 or 200 more or less does not matter - do not get released there will be no intra-Afghan talks . ''
An estimated 10,000 captured Taliban are being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secunder Kermani says it 's not yet clear if the Taliban will now resume fighting - or if this is an attempt to pressurise the government into releasing the detainees .
How has the US reacted ?
General Scott Miller , the US forces commander in Afghanistan , said the reduction in violence `` was a confidence builder '' , adding : `` We 're very serious about our obligations and we expect the Taliban will be serious about their obligations .
`` The United States has been very clear about our expectations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Saturday 's agreement included the withdrawal of US troops and its Nato allies from Afghanistan within 14 months - if the militants hold up the deal .
About 12,000 US troops are still stationed in the country .
US President Donald Trump , who had promised to end the Afghan conflict , said on Saturday that it was `` time to bring our people back home '' .
Mr Trump said 5,000 US troops would leave Afghanistan by May and he would meet Taliban leaders in the near future .
• What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the Taliban ?
• The Afghan women determined not to lose out He added that US troops had been killing militants in Afghanistan `` by the thousands '' and now it was `` time for someone else to do that work and it will be the Taliban and it could be surrounding countries '' .
On Sunday , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CBS news that he hoped negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban would begin in the coming days .

"We are fully ready for the intra-Afghan talks, but we are waiting for the release of our 5,000 prisoners," he said. "If our 5,000 prisoners - 100 or 200 more or less does not matter - do not get released there will be no intra-Afghan talks."


bbc--2020-03-02--US places new restrictions on Chinese journalists

The US is placing new restrictions on Chinese news outlets , forcing them to cut nearly half their US-based staff .
The move to limit the number of reporters is being seen as a retaliation for Beijing 's expulsion of two US journalists last month .
Five Chinese state outlets will be forced to reduce their US staff by 40 % .
US officials accused China of a crackdown on free speech not seen since the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War .
The US state department said it was hearing of increasing harassment and surveillance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that five media outlets , including China 's official news agency Xinhua , would be required to reduce their total number of staff to 100 from 160 .
The rule change also applies to China Global Television Network , China Daily , China Radio International and the People 's Daily .
People 's Daily will not have to shrink its US staff , because none of its workers are Chinese nationals .
Although the journalists will not be forced to immediately leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their employment , making it very likely that they must go once they are axed .
This is an unprecedented move by the US government , which is currently not placing caps on US-based journalists from any other countries .
The five affected Chinese state media are the crown jewels of China 's propaganda media operation .
Xinhua and People 's Daily have hundreds of millions of readers in China , with numerous smaller state media agencies reprinting their news reports .
China Daily , China Global Television Network and China Radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainly target the foreign audience .
China has implemented unofficial visa caps for foreign reporters for years .
The US ' latest move aims to establish what Mr Pompeo called a `` long-overdue level playing field '' , but it is likely to fuel the increasingly acrimonious diplomatic tit for tat between Beijing and Washington , with journalists caught in the crossfire .
Beijing will likely accuse the US of damaging freedom of the press .
When the Chinese government faced criticism regarding the expulsion of three Wall Street Journal reporters last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chunying returned fire on Twitter : `` Freedom of press ?
Do not forget how the White House treated CNN . ''
Mr Pompeo said the decision did not place any restrictions on what those media outlets could report on in the US .
`` It is our hope that this action will spur Beijing to adopt a more fair and reciprocal approach to US and other foreign press in China , '' said Mr Pompeo .
`` We urge the Chinese government to immediately uphold its international commitments to respect freedom of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press . ''
A US official who spoke on condition of anonymity told reporters the US was making the move in an effort to seek `` reciprocity '' and a `` level playing field '' .
The companies have until 13 March to downsize their staffs .
US officials noted that only about 75 US journalists are believed to be currently working in China .
What is the background ?
Last month , the US said it would require Chinese journalists working for the five companies to register as `` foreign agents '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Chinese government .
The next day , China expelled three reporters from the US-based Wall Street Journal over a coronavirus editorial that China called `` racist '' .
The journalists , two of whom were American , had no role in writing the editorial , headlined `` China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia '' .
It comes as the US condemns China for its treatment of their Muslim Uighur population and warns of the risks of adopting 5G internet equipment from the Huawei technology firm .
On Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( FCCC ) warned that Beijing was using visas as `` weapons against the foreign press like never before '' .
In a report , the FCCC said that 82 % of journalists in the country had experienced interference , violence or harassment while working .
`` As China reaches new heights of economic influence , it has shown a growing willingness to use its considerable state power to suppress factual reporting that does not fit with the global image it seeks to present , '' the organisation said in a report titled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• In 2019 Reporters Without Borders ranked China 177 of 180 countries for press freedom , after measuring media independence , respect for safety and freedom of journalists , and pluralism • The BBC is blocked in China and in 2019 it launched an international news website on the dark web via Tor , in an attempt to thwart censorship attempts by governments including China • Nine journalists have been either expelled or effectively expelled through non-renewal of visas since 2013 , according to the Foreign Correspondents ' Club of China

Although the journalists will not be forced to immediately leave the US, their visas are tied to their employment, making it very likely that they must go once they are axed.


bbc--2020-03-03--Israel election: Netanyahu claims victory after exit polls show narrow lead

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in Israel 's general election , after exit polls put him ahead of his main rival Benny Gantz .
Three projections gave Mr Netanyahu 's right-wing Likud party 36 or 37 seats , and Mr Gantz 's centrist Blue and White alliance between 32 and 34 .
However , the polls suggested Likud and its right-wing allies might fall just short of a majority in parliament .
Monday 's election was Israel 's third in less than a year .
Neither of the two main party leaders was able to command a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two rounds .
• The ex-military chief trying to unseat Netanyahu • What does Trump ’ s Middle East plan say on key issues ?
Mr Netanyahu , 70 , is Israel 's longest-serving leader .
He is seeking a record fifth term , having been in office from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 .
The election took place two weeks before the prime minister is due in court to face corruption charges , which he denies .
What do the exit polls suggest ?
Pre-election opinion polls suggested Likud and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tied , with neither Mr Netanyahu nor Mr Gantz sure of a clear path to victory .
But the exit polls published by Israel 's three main broadcasters indicated Likud was on course to win between three to five more seats than Blue and White .
The Joint List alliance of Arab parties was projected to get 14 or 15 seats ; the ultra-Orthodox parties Shas and United Torah Judaism 16 or 17 between them ; the nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party six or seven ; the right-wing Yamina alliance six or seven ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven .
If the exit polls are accurate , it would mean that Likud and its right-wing allies end up with 59 or 60 seats - one or two seats shy of a majority in parliament .
The initial results are expected on Tuesday , and exit polls have displayed inaccuracies in the past .
The exit polls put Mr Netanyahu within touching distance of forming a coalition government .
They are n't the real results ; we 'll have to wait many more hours for those .
And have one caveat in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a government with 60 seats for the right-wing bloc last April , leading to a year of political paralysis .
But he 's already declaring victory : an important psychological part of fending off continuing calls to step aside over his corruption trial due to start later this month .
At his party 's election night HQ in Tel Aviv the spotlights swirled over a nearly empty hall floor .
I could find only two party activists to talk to , who suggested the game was n't over yet .
Wait for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the party leaders responded ?
After the exit polls were published , Mr Netanyahu posted on Twitter a photo of him celebrating `` a great victory for Israel '' .
Later , he wrote : `` We won thanks to our belief in our path and thanks to the people of Israel . ''
Likud said in a statement that Mr Netanyahu had spoken with the heads of other right-wing parties and `` agreed to form a strong national government in Israel soon '' .
`` Thank you to the thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chose Blue and White , '' he tweeted .
`` I will continue to fight for the right path , for you . ''
Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman , who was in the position of kingmaker after the last two elections , said it would keep its campaign promise not to join a coalition with religious parties .
`` We are party with an orderly worldview , with principles , '' he said .
In the coming days , President Reuven Rivlin will ask the various party leaders who they believe has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What could this mean for Palestinians ?
The secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation ( PLO ) , Saeb Erekat , tweeted after the exit polls were published that it was `` obvious that settlement , occupation and apartheid have won the Israeli elections '' .
During the campaign , Mr Netanyahu vowed to swiftly annex Jewish settlements and the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank if he won a fifth term .
Such a move was made more possible after US President Donald Trump released his Middle East peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US would `` recognise Israeli sovereignty over the territory that my vision provides to be part of the State of Israel '' , including parts of the West Bank - a departure from past US positions .
The Palestinians , who have rejected Mr Trump 's plan as one-sided , insist that all the settlements must be removed if there is to be final peace deal .
More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements built since Israel 's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem .
The settlements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though Israel disputes this .
The US has also declared it no longer sees the settlements as illegal .
A wily political operator , Mr Netanyahu is known to his supporters as `` the magician '' for his ability to defy sceptics .
He fought this election under the cloud of criminal proceedings , as he is due in court on 17 March to face charges of bribery , fraud and breach of trust in connection with three separate cases .
He is alleged to have accepted gifts from wealthy businessmen and dispensed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ press coverage .
Mr Netanyahu has strongly denied any wrongdoing , saying he is the victim of a politically motivated `` witch hunt '' .
Even if convicted , Mr Netanyahu would not be required to step down as prime minister until the appeals process was exhausted .

"We are committed to the State of Israel and the society in Israel, and we certainly respect the voters' decision. We will follow the developments regarding the actual results, and will see where we take it from there."


bbc--2020-03-02--Jack Welch: Legendary General Electric boss dies at 84

Jack Welch , a titan of American business who transformed General Electric ( GE ) into America 's most valuable company , has died aged 84 .
He ran the US conglomerate from 1981 until 2001 , and was once named `` manager of the century '' for his achievements .
Nicknamed `` Neutron Jack '' for his cost-cutting , he became a best selling author and confidante of US presidents .
President Donald Trump Tweeted that Mr Welch was a business legend and friend .
Born in 1935 to Irish-Catholic parents in Massachusetts , Mr Welch spent his entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a chemical engineer in its plastics division at Pittsfield , Massachusetts .
Made the company 's youngest vice-president in 1972 , he became vice-chairman in 1979 .
By the end of 1980 , it was announced that he was to become chairman and CEO of the firm , a position he held for 20 years before retiring in 2001 .
While at the helm in the 1980s and 1990s , he bought and sold scores of businesses , expanding GE into financial services and consulting .
He was also known for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bureaucracy .
He would regularly cull the lowest-performing 10 % of staff each year .
`` The underperformers generally had to go , '' he wrote in one of his books .
`` In grade school you 're graded , in college you make the team or you do n't , you graduate or you do n't .
People are graded all along why at age 22 when you quit school should you stop being evaluated , it 's nonsense , '' he told the BBC in 2001 .
This ruthless approach was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market value from $ 12bn to $ 410bn ( £321bn ) .
In 1999 , Fortune magazine named him the `` Manager of the Century '' , crediting him with keeping GE nimble and showing the way to a generation of business leaders facing the shift to a more globalised , less manufacturing-based economy .
`` Today is a sad day for the entire GE family , '' GE 's current chief , H. Lawrence Culp Jr. , said in a statement .
`` Jack was larger than life and the heart of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reshaped the face of our company and the business world . ''
A guru to thousands of management hopefuls , his books `` Winning '' and `` Jack : Straight from the Gut '' were bestsellers during his retirement .
More recently , a turn for the worse in GE 's fortunes has also prompted a second look at Mr Welch 's business accomplishments .
During the 2008 global financial crisis , losses at the firm 's financial services arm delivered a blow to the firm , which subsequently scaled back its operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses .
Mr Welch 's generous retirement package also drew controversy as an example of excessive executive compensation after details of it aired during his divorce from his second wife .
In his retirement , Mr Welch founded a business degree programme , wrote columns with his third wife , Suzy , and spoke frequently , preserving his reputation for delivering unvarnished opinions .
In 2012 , he suggested in a Tweet that the government under Barack Obama was fudging economic data - a claim , he later acknowledged as `` somewhat incendiary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the workplace , in which he emphasised performance and warned that making choices to put family first would have a career cost , was also criticised as out of date .

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bbc--2020-03-02--Turkey says millions of migrants may head to EU

The Turkish president has warned that `` millions '' of migrants and refugees will soon head towards Europe .
Recep Tayyip Erdogan was speaking after announcing Turkey could no longer enforce a 2016 deal with the EU to prevent migrants entering Europe .
Mr Erdogan said Turkey could not cope with a new wave of refugees after an escalation of the Syrian conflict .
A young boy died when a boat capsized off the Greek island of Lesbos on Monday , Greek police said .
It was the first reported fatality since Turkey opened its border last week .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities of killing a Syrian man who was trying to breach the border on Monday .
Athens denied the allegation .
An unverified video showed a man on the ground with blood on his neck .
Nearly a million Syrians have fled to the Syrian-Turkish border since December , amid heavy fighting in the Idlib region between Turkish-backed rebels and Syrian government forces .
Turkey is already hosting 3.7 million Syrian refugees , as well as migrants from other countries such as Afghanistan - but previously stopped them from leaving for Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the EU had provided no help for resettling Syrian refugees in `` safe zones '' inside Syria .
After Turkey opened its doors for migrants to leave its territory for Europe last week , he said , `` hundreds of thousands have crossed , soon it will reach millions '' .
The Turkish leader gave no evidence for his figures , while Greece said about 1,000 migrants had reached its eastern Aegean islands from Turkey since Sunday morning .
In addition , Greece said it had stopped almost 10,000 migrants from crossing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some migrants tossed stones and metal bars when stopped , and Greek border guards fired tear gas .
What is the 2016 EU-Turkey deal ?
• It was proposed as a solution to the migrant crisis in which almost one million refugees and migrants arrived in the EU in 2015 and thousands died in mass drownings • On 20 March 2016 the EU and Turkey made a deal that saw Syrian refugees who arrived on Greek islands sent back to Turkey .
In return Turkey received €6bn ( £5.2bn ; $ 6.7bn ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • For every Syrian person removed from Greece to Turkey , another would be resettled from Turkey to the EU • The EU agreed to work towards lifting requirements for Turkish citizens by the end of June 2016 • After the deal was agreed , the number of migrants arriving in Greece declined sharply Besides Syrians , there are Afghans and West Africans among the migrants at the border .
Europe 's top human rights watchdog , the Council of Europe , condemned Greece and Turkey 's actions , calling the situation an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Everything must be done to de-escalate violence in the border region , including by ensuring that law enforcement authorities refrain from using excessive force , '' it said .
• Why does the battle for Idlib matter ?
EU Council President Charles Michel and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will go to the border with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday .
`` Either we bring these people to a dignified life in their own land , or everyone will get their share of this burden .
Now the unilateral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erdogan said .
In a statement on Monday , the Greek government said , `` Turkey , instead of curbing the traffickers ' channels of migrants and refugees , has itself turned into a trafficker . ''
Greece has blocked any new asylum applications for the next month , because of what it calls the `` coordinated and massive nature '' of illegal migration from Turkey .
`` This relocation of people has nothing to do with international law regarding the right of asylum , which concerns only individual cases , '' the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rights Council said that Greece had no legal justification for suspending asylum procedures .
Frontex says it is examining how best to help Greece with a rapid deployment of EU border guards .
Frontex already has nearly 400 personnel in and around the Greek islands , 60 officers in Bulgaria and a smaller contingent in the Evros region , at the Greek-Turkish border .

"Either we bring these people to a dignified life in their own land, or everyone will get their share of this burden. Now the unilateral sacrifice period is over," Mr Erdogan said.


bbc--2020-03-02--Jefferson's hometown snubs founding father to honour slaves

A Virginia city that became the site of a deadly white nationalist rally in 2017 is preparing to celebrate a new holiday marking the end of slavery .
On Tuesday , Charlottesville will mark the first `` Liberation and Freedom Day '' to commemorate the freeing of the city 's slaves in 1865 .
The holiday will replace an annual birthday celebration of US Founding Father Thomas Jefferson , a slave-owner .
The city voted last year to scrap the April Jefferson holiday .
The third US president , who wrote the Declaration of Independence and founded the nearby University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate over Charlottesville 's legacy of racial discrimination .
His estate , Monticello , once enslaved hundreds of African Americans .
• Should Washington and Jefferson monuments come down ?
When Union troops marched into the city at the end of the US Civil War , there were 14,000 black people living in the Charlottesville area , representing a majority .
The city council said the new local holiday , which will see many city offices and official buildings close , has `` shifted the focus from a slave-owner 's birthday '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciate about Jefferson 's contributions to the United States and our community , today the city is being much more intentional about telling a more complete history of our community , '' city council said in July , when the body voted to axe the Jefferson holiday .
The Founding Father 's birthday on 13 April had been celebrated every year since 1945 .
Charlottesville has long grappled with its history of race and discrimination , a debate that was intensified by the nationalist rally in August 2017 .
A previous city council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Robert E Lee was the flashpoint for fervid white nationalist protests , culminating in the deadly rally .
`` The events of August 2017 have challenged Charlottesville to confront its history and to acknowledge that this community has not always embraced all of our citizens as equals , '' the council said when they enacted the new holiday .
In May , a Virginia judge ruled that Charlottesville 's Confederate statues are war memorials protected by state law and can not be removed .
Hundreds of statues of Lee , General Thomas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures of the Confederacy - the southern states that revolted against the federal government - exist all throughout the US .
Some see the memorials , as well as Confederate flags , as markers of US history and southern culture .
Others view them as an offensive reminder of the country 's history of slavery and racial oppression .
The decision to jettison celebrating Jefferson 's birthday in favour of an emancipation holiday has also divided the city .
Supporters say that black history should be made more visible , but opponents argue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

"While there are many things we appreciate about Jefferson's contributions to the United States and our community, today the city is being much more intentional about telling a more complete history of our community," city council said in July, when the body voted to axe the Jefferson holiday.


bbc--2020-03-02--Libya conflict: 'Stressed' Ghassan Salame resigns as UN envoy

The UN 's special envoy for Libya has resigned saying his efforts to bring peace in the North African country had led to stress .
Ghassan Salame said on Twitter he could not `` take this much stress '' .
Talks between the UN-backed government based in the capital , Tripoli , and fighters loyal to renegade Gen Khalifa Haftar have floundered .
Libya has been torn by conflict since the 2011 uprising which ousted long-time strongman Muammar Gaddafi .
Last week Mr Salame brought representatives of the Government of National Accord ( GNA ) and the Haftar-led Libyan National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warring sides , to Geneva for peace talks , but the representatives suspended their involvement .
• How Africa has been frozen out of Libya peace efforts Mr Salame tweeted on Monday that he had `` sought for two and a half years to unite Libyans , prevent foreign intervention , and preserve the unity of the country '' .
`` I can no longer continue with this level of stress and therefore I have asked the [ UN ] secretary general to relieve me of my duties , '' he added .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ UN office in Geneva were not immediately available for comment , news agency Reuters reports .
The conflict in the oil-rich nation has been complicated by the involvement of foreign states .
Turkey passed a controversial law in January to deploy troops to help GNA forces , in Tripoli .
Qatar also backs the GNA , which is led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj , The capital has been under an 11-month-long siege by forces loyal to renegade Gen Haftar .
According to the UN , the campaign has killed hundreds of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Why is Libya so lawless ?
• Libya : What you need to know The LNA , which controls much of eastern Libya , is backed by Egypt , Russia , Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) .
UN chief António Guterres , in an interview with the BBC last month , termed the conflict a `` proxy war '' , adding that it was `` unacceptable '' .
Last month , EU foreign ministers agreed to a new naval and air mission to prevent further weapons @ @ @

The capital has been under an 11-month-long siege by forces loyal to renegade Gen Haftar. According to the UN, the campaign has killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands more from their homes.


bbc--2020-03-02--Vatican opens archives of Holocaust-era Pope Pius XII

The Vatican has opened its archives on the wartime papacy of Pius XII , kept secret for decades amid accusations that he turned a blind eye to the Holocaust .
Critics say Pius XII , sometimes labelled `` Hitler 's Pope '' , knew Nazi Germany was murdering Jews but failed to act .
He reigned from 1939 to 1958 .
But the Vatican says Pius XII worked behind the scenes to save Jews .
Dozens of scholars are preparing to pore over the many documents .
Pope Francis took the decision a year ago to open up the archives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's most controversial figures .
`` The Church is not afraid of history , '' the Pope told Vatican researchers .
Pope Francis said the Pius XII papacy was marked by `` moments of grave difficulties , tormented decisions of human and Christian prudence , that to some could appear as reticence '' .
The official Vatican News website says there is a vast quantity of material , and much is now in digital form .
Bishop Sergio Pagano , prefect of the Vatican 's Apostolic Archives , said the World War Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divided into 121 sections according to topic .
All the space in the consulting area has been booked for the rest of the year , said Bishop Pagano , quoted by Reuters news agency .
The scholars include some from the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC and award-winning German historian Hubert Wolf , a specialist on the Pius XII pontificate .
• How Auschwitz became centre of Nazi Holocaust • Podcast : The Ratline - Secrets in the Castle The BBC 's Mark Lowen in Rome reports that the controversy over this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elevation to sainthood .
`` There is no doubt that the Pope was aware of the murder of Jews , '' said Wolf , quoted by AFP news agency .
Interventions by the Catholic Church saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust - a fact acknowledged by the Yad Vashem research centre in Israel .
Those efforts were risky and lacked co-ordination .
They were dwarfed by the scale of Nazi crimes , including the murder of about six million Jews .
In the 1920s the then Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli had witnessed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Germany before returning to the Vatican and becoming Pope .
There are Jesuit documents sent to the Pope which informed him about Nazi concentration camps but historians have not yet seen any of his replies .
Wolf says he is also keen to see any letters the Pope received from his ambassadors during the war .
The immediate post-war period also fascinates scholars because Western governments saw the Vatican as a key ally against communist influence , with the onset of the Cold War .
Historians still have many questions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ route facilitated by some Catholic clergy who helped Nazi war criminals flee to South America after the war .
Vatican News says Pius XII met `` many people including war criminals , farmers , miners , sportsmen , journalists and sports psychologists , doctors , artists and astronomers '' , and the archives `` will tell about those encounters '' .

All the space in the consulting area has been booked for the rest of the year, said Bishop Pagano, quoted by Reuters news agency. The scholars include some from the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC and award-winning German historian Hubert Wolf, a specialist on the Pius XII pontificate.


bbc--2020-03-02--Mulan: Disney drop character following #MeToo movement

A Disney producer says the character Li Shang is missing from the live-action remake of Mulan , as his storyline is not `` appropriate '' in the # MeToo era .
The film tells of a woman who disguises herself as a man to fight in place of her father in China 's imperial army .
In the 1998 animated original , based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan , General Li Shang developed a bond with Mulan 's male warrior alter-ego Ping .
After her true identity was revealed , she and Li Shang have dinner together .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , producer Jason Reed confirmed they were uncomfortable with the power dynamics in their relationship .
`` I think particularly in the time of the # MeToo movement , having a commanding officer that is also the sexual love interest was very uncomfortable and we did n't think it was appropriate , '' Reed told Collider .
`` We split Li Shang into two characters [ for the remake ] .
One became Commander Tung , who serves as her surrogate father and mentor in the course of the movie .
The other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] equal in the squad . ''
Last week , movie mogul Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of two counts in his sexual assault trial , more than two years after the first allegations against him emerged , sparking the # MeToo movement .
Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei plays the legendary warrior in Niki Caro 's live-action film , which recently faced calls for a boycott after she voiced support for Hong Kong 's police force after violent pro-democracy protests .
It also stars Jason Scott Lee and Jet Li , though Eddie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be making a reappearance either .
Li Shang was voiced by BD Wong in the original , with Donny Osmond providing his singing voice and Jackie Chan doing his parts in the Chinese-dubbed version .
Some fans of the original film have questioned the need for the character 's removal , suggesting there was nothing untoward about the relationship between Mulan/Ping and Li Shang in the first place .
• Disney wants to win over China with its new Mulan Kala Elizabeth tweeted : `` Li Shang 's entire arc is about realising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 's a woman , he learns and grows because of her .
`` It 's almost like men could learn from this exact story ? ''
Another user , Sam the Great described Li Shang as a `` bisexual legend '' and one that `` would never use his position as her commanding officer to pressure her into a relationship '' , noting that it `` is n't until after Mulan leaves the Chinese army that Shang pursued her '' .
Both tweets have each been liked more than 200,000 times on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most expensive live-action remake to date is due out in UK cinemas on 27 March .
But its release in China has been postponed for now due to the outbreak of coronavirus .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"We split Li Shang into two characters [for the remake]. One became Commander Tung, who serves as her surrogate father and mentor in the course of the movie. The other is Honghui who is [Mulan's] equal in the squad."


bbc--2020-03-03--How to find stricken kangaroos in Australian wildfires

Aerial cinematographer Douglas Thron , who is based in California , is using his infrared-equipped drone to find animals in @ @ @ @ @ wildfires .
He has partnered with various organisations to rescue animals - such as kangaroos @ @ @ @ @ been burned or to provide food since many of the natural food sources were destroyed @

Aerial cinematographer Douglas Thron, who is based in California, is using his infrared-equipped drone to find animals in the aftermath of the Australian wildfires.
He has partnered with various organisations to rescue animals - such as kangaroos or koalas - that have been burned or to provide food since many of the natural food sources were destroyed.
Video by Cody Melissa Godwin