bbc--2020-03-21--Ex-Real Madrid president Sanz dies after contracting coronavirus

Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz died on Saturday after being hospitalised with coronavirus .
Sanz , 76 , was @ @ @ @ @ 1995-2000 , a period in which Real won the Champions League twice .
`` My @ @ @ @ @ '' wrote Sanz 's son Lorenzo Sanz Duran on Twitter .
`` He did not @ @ @ @ @ manner .
One of the best , most courageous and hard working people I have @ @ @ @ @ His family and Real Madrid were his passion . ''
Sanz signed players such as @ @ @ @ @ and Davor Suker during his time in charge of the 33-time Spanish champions , He @ @ @ @ @ to Florentino Perez , which sparked Real 's big-spending 'Galatico ' era .
Sanz 's @ @ @ @ @ played for Real Madrid from 1996-1999 before spending the final seven years of his career @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Real Madrid won the Champions League twice when Lorenzo Sanz was president
Former Real Madrid president Lorenzo Sanz died on Saturday after being taken to hospital with coronavirus.
Sanz, 76, was president at the Bernabeu from 1995-2000, a period in which Real won the Champions League twice.
"My father has just died," wrote Sanz's son Lorenzo Sanz Duran on Twitter.
"He did not deserve this end in this manner. One of the best, most courageous and hard working people I have seen in my life. His family and Real Madrid were his passion."
Sanz signed players such as Roberto Carlos, Clarence Seedorf and Davor Suker during his time in charge of the 33-time Spanish champions,
He lost the 2000 presidential election to Florentino Perez, which sparked Real's big-spending 'Galatico' era.
Sanz's son Fernando, 46, played for Real Madrid from 1996-1999 before spending the final seven years of his career at Malaga.


bbc--2020-03-21--Premier League could resume before coronavirus restrictions are lifted – Southampton chief

Southampton 's chief executive has suggested Premier League matches could be on television every day while people are still confined to their homes because of the coronavirus outbreak .
Martin Semmens says the return of the top flight - currently suspended until at least 30 April - would be `` a sign that the country is coming back to normal '' but it should not happen before it is safe .
`` We have to do what is right and safe for the general public , '' he told BBC Radio Solent .
`` When everybody is safe and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources , the government would like us to get back to playing because we are entertainment and a sign that the country is coming back to normal .
`` If people are home for another month and Premier League football is on the TV every day that can only be a good thing .
Not because we are more essential than the NHS but because we can give people entertainment and show that we 're fighting back . ''
Semmens said teams are hopeful of completing the league by the end of June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would resume .
Some players will be out of contract on 30 June , but Semmens believes players could be convinced to stay for longer should play continue beyond that point '' We hope to get the league done by the end of June , '' Semmens added .
`` As soon as you go past that date , there are legal challenges .
`` If we ended up playing until 15 July and you had to extend a player 's contract by two weeks , convincing a player to play two more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do it - I do n't believe that will be a substantial challenge .
`` The challenge is making sure we do n't have a knock-on effect to other seasons and make football compromised for years to come . ''

Martin Semmens is Southampton FC's chief executive
Southampton's chief executive has suggested Premier League matches could be on television every day while people are still confined to their homes because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Martin Semmens says the return of the top flight - currently suspended until at least 30 April - would be "a sign that the country is coming back to normal" but it should not happen before it is safe.
"We have to do what is right and safe for the general public," he told BBC Radio Solent.
"When everybody is safe and we're not using up NHS and police resources, the government would like us to get back to playing because we are entertainment and a sign that the country is coming back to normal.
"If people are home for another month and Premier League football is on the TV every day that can only be a good thing. Not because we are more essential than the NHS but because we can give people entertainment and show that we're fighting back."
Semmens said teams are hopeful of completing the league by the end of June but did not yet know when play would resume.
Some players will be out of contract on 30 June, but Semmens believes players could be convinced to stay for longer should play continue beyond that point.
"We hope to get the league done by the end of June," Semmens added. "As soon as you go past that date, there are legal challenges.
"If we ended up playing until 15 July and you had to extend a player's contract by two weeks, convincing a player to play two more weeks of football and get paid nicely to do it - I don't believe that will be a substantial challenge.
"The challenge is making sure we don't have a knock-on effect to other seasons and make football compromised for years to come."


bbc--2020-03-21--USA Track & Field calls for Olympics delay

USA Track and Field , athletics ' US governing body , has called for this summer 's Olympics in Tokyo to be delayed because of the ongoing coronavirus situation .
The federation has asked the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to advocate to the International Olympic Committee for the postponement of the Games .
It follows a request from USA Swimming for it to be delayed by 12 months .
The Olympics are scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August .
USA Track and Field chief executive Max Siegel wrote in a letter to the US Olympic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the ramifications of this request , and the realities of trying to coordinate the logistics of a postponed Olympic Games around the schedules of other athletes , sport federations , key stakeholders etc .
`` But the alternative of moving forward in light of the current global situation would not be in the best interest of our athletes ( as difficult as that decision might be ) . ''
• Tokyo 2020 date 'now has to be addressed ' - UK Athletics chair There are a growing number of calls for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
UK Athletics chairman Nic Coward recently suggested that the Olympics should be postponed , while Brazil , Norway and Slovenia 's Olympic committees have also urged the IOC to take action and put it back to next year .
'Athletes may risk their lives continuing to train' Four-time Olympic champion and BBC Sport pundit Michael Johnson fears athletes could `` risk their lives '' trying to train for the Games and called for clarity on the IOC 's decision-making process .
`` IOC should communicate the window for deciding on the '20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sprinter .
`` Athletes must keep training but for many there 's nowhere to train .
`` They may risk their lives and others trying to continue training .
Answer is n't just cancel ASAP .
But communicate the process to the athletes . ''
On Friday , International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) president Thomas Bach told the New York Times `` different scenarios '' for Tokyo 2020 are now being considered for the first time .

Last updated on .From the section Athletics
There are a growing number of calls for this summer's Games in Tokyo to be postponed
USA Track and Field, athletics' US governing body, has called for this summer's Olympics in Tokyo to be delayed because of the ongoing coronavirus situation.
The federation has asked the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee to advocate to the International Olympic Committee for the postponement of the Games.
It follows a request from USA Swimming for it to be delayed by 12 months.
The Olympics are scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August.
USA Track and Field chief executive Max Siegel wrote in a letter external-link to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee: "We certainly understand the ramifications of this request, and the realities of trying to coordinate the logistics of a postponed Olympic Games around the schedules of other athletes, sport federations, key stakeholders etc.
"But the alternative of moving forward in light of the current global situation would not be in the best interest of our athletes (as difficult as that decision might be)."
There are a growing number of calls for the Games not to take place this summer.
UK Athletics chairman Nic Coward recently suggested that the Olympics should be postponed, while Brazil, Norway and Slovenia's Olympic committees have also urged the IOC to take action and put it back to next year.
'Athletes may risk their lives continuing to train'
Four-time Olympic champion and BBC Sport pundit Michael Johnson fears athletes could "risk their lives" trying to train for the Games and called for clarity on the IOC's decision-making process.
"IOC should communicate the window for deciding on the '20 Olympics," tweeted the former US sprinter. external-link "Athletes must keep training but for many there's nowhere to train.
"They may risk their lives and others trying to continue training. Answer isn't just cancel ASAP. But communicate the process to the athletes."


bbc--2020-03-21--Maldini and Dybala test positive for coronavirus

Juventus and Argentina forward Paulo Dybala and former Italy captain Paolo Maldini have tested positive for coronavirus .
In a message on his Instagram account , Dybala said he and his girlfriend both have the virus but were in good health .
`` Both Oriana and I have tested positive , '' Dybala , 26 , said .
`` Luckily we are in perfect conditions . ''
AC Milan technical director Maldini and his son Daniel both tested positive and a club statement said they `` are well '' .
The club added that Daniel Maldini , 18 , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team and that he and his father , 51 , had spent two weeks in self-isolation at home and would remain in quarantine `` until clinically recovered '' .
Dybala is the third Juve player to be confirmed to have the virus , following centre-back Daniele Rugani and France World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi .
Dybala 's girlfriend Oriana Sabatini - an Argentine singer , actress and model - is the niece of former tennis player Gabriela Sabatini , the 1990 US Open champion .
All domestic sporting activity in Italy has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How Premier League clubs are trying to help • What does extended suspension of football in England mean ?

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Dybala scored in Juve's last game - the behind closed doors match against Inter Milan on 8 March
Juventus and Argentina forward Paulo Dybala and former Italy captain Paolo Maldini have tested positive for coronavirus.
In a message on his Instagram account external-link , Dybala said he and his girlfriend both have the virus but were in good health.
"Both Oriana and I have tested positive," Dybala, 26, said. "Luckily we are in perfect conditions."
AC Milan technical director Maldini and his son Daniel both tested positive and a club statement said they "are well".
The club added that Daniel Maldini, 18, had been training with the AC Milan first team and that he and his father, 51, had spent two weeks in self-isolation at home and would remain in quarantine "until clinically recovered".
Dybala is the third Juve player to be confirmed to have the virus, following centre-back Daniele Rugani and France World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi.
Dybala's girlfriend Oriana Sabatini - an Argentine singer, actress and model - is the niece of former tennis player Gabriela Sabatini, the 1990 US Open champion.
All domestic sporting activity in Italy has been suspended until at least 3 April.


bbc--2020-03-21--Liverpool '100% certain' to be champions - data simulations predict rest of season

It will be some time before we see another trophy lifted , promotion achieved or relegation confirmed , but that does not prevent us offering some educated predictions about the outcome of this season .
Elite football in Britain and across Europe 's major leagues has been suspended , with all football in England on hold until at least 30 April because of the coronavirus outbreak .
But with over three-quarters of 2019-20 having been completed , the numbers are there to be crunched to produce a confident simulation model for what the future may have in store .
Using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simulations , the Euro Club Index football ranking has provided BBC Sport with a scientific prediction of the remainder of the campaign , giving a final ranking and clubs ' percentage chances of finishing in certain positions .
Some of the outcomes wo n't shock you , but there are a few interesting possibilities .
• 'Fever and burning eyes ' - one of Italy 's first footballers with coronavirus As long as this season is not declared null and void , as West Ham vice-chairwoman Karren Brady recently suggested should happen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ champions .
The Reds hold a 25-point lead over second-placed Manchester City , who have just 30 points left to play for .
No surprise then to find the Euro Club Index predicting with 100 % certainty that Jurgen Klopp 's side will deliver a first title to Anfield in 30 years .
Not only that , but if their model is correct , the Reds will end the season with a record 102 points , beating the century that Manchester City racked up in 2017-18 .
In truth , it is unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in any of Europe 's top five leagues .
Current leaders Bayern Munich have an 84.37 % chance of winning the Bundesliga , Italy 's top-placed side Juventus ( 83.98 % ) are almost certain to claim a ninth successive Serie A title , Paris St-Germain ( 99.98 % ) have France 's Ligue 1 all but wrapped up , while Barcelona ( 74.22 % ) are firm favourites to beat Real Madrid to La Liga 's crown .
In Scotland , Celtic 's 13-point advantage over Rangers means they have a 98.87 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although the latter will cling to that 1.13 % until the bitter end .
The only thing seemingly standing in these leading sides ' way is , as Brady proposes , the season being written off .
However , with football authorities liaising regularly to assess the ever-developing situation , the overriding preference is for the current season to be completed .
The decision by Europe 's football governing body Uefa to postpone the European Championship until 2021 means the likes of Liverpool have more time to complete the fixtures that will surely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stellar campaigns so far .
• Q & A : What next for English football after suspension extended until 30 April ?
Man Utd make it but Blades miss out ?
Where things are a bit more interesting is in the race to claim one of the four Champions League places in the Premier League .
The situation is complicated by Manchester City 's expulsion from the competition for two seasons - a punishment for breaking financial fair play rules that the club have appealed against .
Taking City out of consideration , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liverpool at Europe 's top table next season are Leicester ( 94.81 % ) , Chelsea ( 80.37 % ) and Manchester United ( 73.75 % ) .
Wolves and Tottenham are the sides most likely to challenge this , but at just 17.34 % and 16.24 % , their respective chances of making the top four appear slim .
However , there is a silver lining for Spurs , who are predicted to finish a point and place above north London rivals Arsenal .
The model provides bad news for Sheffield United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chelsea with a game in hand .
The Blades have been flying in the face of predictions throughout their return season to the top flight , though , so maybe we should not rule them out just yet , despite them being given just a 7.59 % chance of finishing in the top four .
The Euro Club Index is predicting a worse fate for the two sides promoted alongside Sheffield United last season .
Norwich and Aston Villa are likely to be returning to the Championship according to the model , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of relegation .
Only goal difference separates West Ham , Watford and Bournemouth near the bottom of the table , but the Cherries are apparently the side most in danger of the drop .
Their 50.06 % chance of relegation is significantly worse than the others ' percentages , although they can take heart from the fact it appears to be a six-horse race .
What about the Championship sides most likely to replace the top flight 's eventual bottom three ?
Each have had their wobbles during the season , but current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perhaps breathe a little easier knowing they are predicted with more than 92 % certainty to be promoted .
Fulham look to be the only side that can challenge this , although at 10.62 % the Cottagers ' chances of automatic promotion are slim .
We could witness one almighty tussle to claim the final play-off spot , with four clubs ( Preston , Millwall , Bristol City and Cardiff ) within a bracket of 22-31 % of making it into the top six .
Swansea ( 13.15 % ) and Blackburn ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside chance of making a late dart .
It will be some time yet , though , before we get to see the remainder of the season play out in reality .
Feel free to offer your own predictions for the rest of the campaigns across Europe in the comments section at the bottom of this story .
• Who will stay up ?
Make your Premier League relegation prediction The Euro Club Index provides a proprietary ranking of all European football clubs based on competition results over a four-year period .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between Gracenote Sports and Hypercube Business Innovation .
The ranking of top-flight clubs is updated on a daily basis .
The Euro Club Index ratings are used to calculate the potential results for all remaining matches in a competition and these are then run through 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season to produce the most likely final standings and the percentage chance of finishing in different positions .
• 'Fever and burning eyes ' - one of Italy 's first footballers with coronavirus

Last updated on .From the section Football
Liverpool are chasing a 19th top-flight title
It will be some time before we see another trophy lifted, promotion achieved or relegation confirmed, but that does not prevent us offering some educated predictions about the outcome of this season.
Elite football in Britain and across Europe's major leagues has been suspended, with all football in England on hold until at least 30 April because of the coronavirus outbreak.
But with over three-quarters of 2019-20 having been completed, the numbers are there to be crunched to produce a confident simulation model for what the future may have in store.
Using the relative strengths of teams and 100,000 simulations, the Euro Club Index external-link football ranking has provided BBC Sport with a scientific prediction of the remainder of the campaign, giving a final ranking and clubs' percentage chances of finishing in certain positions.
Some of the outcomes won't shock you, but there are a few interesting possibilities.
Surprise, surprise
As long as this season is not declared null and void, as West Ham vice-chairwoman Karren Brady recently suggested should happen, external-link Liverpool are going to be Premier League champions.
The Reds hold a 25-point lead over second-placed Manchester City, who have just 30 points left to play for.
No surprise then to find the Euro Club Index predicting with 100% certainty that Jurgen Klopp's side will deliver a first title to Anfield in 30 years.
Not only that, but if their model is correct, the Reds will end the season with a record 102 points, beating the century that Manchester City racked up in 2017-18.
In truth, it is unlikely we will witness any last-gasp title drama in any of Europe's top five leagues.
Current leaders Bayern Munich have an 84.37% chance of winning the Bundesliga, Italy's top-placed side Juventus (83.98%) are almost certain to claim a ninth successive Serie A title, Paris St-Germain (99.98%) have France's Ligue 1 all but wrapped up, while Barcelona (74.22%) are firm favourites to beat Real Madrid to La Liga's crown.
In Scotland, Celtic's 13-point advantage over Rangers means they have a 98.87% chance of winning the Premiership, although the latter will cling to that 1.13% until the bitter end.
The only thing seemingly standing in these leading sides' way is, as Brady proposes, the season being written off.
However, with football authorities liaising regularly to assess the ever-developing situation, the overriding preference is for the current season to be completed.
The decision by Europe's football governing body Uefa to postpone the European Championship until 2021 means the likes of Liverpool have more time to complete the fixtures that will surely result in them being rewarded for their stellar campaigns so far.
Man Utd make it but Blades miss out?
Where things are a bit more interesting is in the race to claim one of the four Champions League places in the Premier League.
The situation is complicated by Manchester City's expulsion from the competition for two seasons - a punishment for breaking financial fair play rules that the club have appealed against.
Taking City out of consideration, the three teams most likely to join Liverpool at Europe's top table next season are Leicester (94.81%), Chelsea (80.37%) and Manchester United (73.75%).
Wolves and Tottenham are the sides most likely to challenge this, but at just 17.34% and 16.24%, their respective chances of making the top four appear slim.
However, there is a silver lining for Spurs, who are predicted to finish a point and place above north London rivals Arsenal.
The model provides bad news for Sheffield United, who are five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with a game in hand.
The Blades have been flying in the face of predictions throughout their return season to the top flight, though, so maybe we should not rule them out just yet, despite them being given just a 7.59% chance of finishing in the top four.
Ups and downs
The Euro Club Index is predicting a worse fate for the two sides promoted alongside Sheffield United last season.
Norwich and Aston Villa are likely to be returning to the Championship according to the model, with the Canaries having an 89.93% chance of relegation.
Only goal difference separates West Ham, Watford and Bournemouth near the bottom of the table, but the Cherries are apparently the side most in danger of the drop.
Their 50.06% chance of relegation is significantly worse than the others' percentages, although they can take heart from the fact it appears to be a six-horse race.
What about the Championship sides most likely to replace the top flight's eventual bottom three?
Each have had their wobbles during the season, but current top two Leeds and West Brom can perhaps breathe a little easier knowing they are predicted with more than 92% certainty to be promoted.
Fulham look to be the only side that can challenge this, although at 10.62% the Cottagers' chances of automatic promotion are slim.
We could witness one almighty tussle to claim the final play-off spot, with four clubs (Preston, Millwall, Bristol City and Cardiff) within a bracket of 22-31% of making it into the top six.
Swansea (13.15%) and Blackburn (11.81%) have been given an outside chance of making a late dart.
It will be some time yet, though, before we get to see the remainder of the season play out in reality.
Feel free to offer your own predictions for the rest of the campaigns across Europe in the comments section at the bottom of this story.
About Euro Club Index
The Euro Club Index provides a proprietary ranking of all European football clubs based on competition results over a four-year period.
The Euro Club Index ranking is a collaboration between Gracenote Sports and Hypercube Business Innovation. The ranking of top-flight clubs is updated on a daily basis. external-link
The Euro Club Index ratings are used to calculate the potential results for all remaining matches in a competition and these are then run through 100,000 simulations of the remainder of the season to produce the most likely final standings and the percentage chance of finishing in different positions.


bbc--2020-03-22--Coronavirus: Lombardy region announces stricter measures

The Italian region of Lombardy has introduced stricter measures in a bid to tackle the spread of coronavirus .
Under the new rules announced late on Saturday , sport and physical activity outside , even individually , is banned .
Using vending machines is forbidden .
The move comes as Italy reported nearly 800 coronavirus deaths on Saturday and saw its toll for the past month reach 4,825 , the highest in the world .
Lombardy is the worst-affected region in the country with 3,095 deaths .
The region 's President Attilio Fontana announced the new measures in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all operations excluding `` essential '' supply chains .
Work on building sites will be stopped apart from those working on hospitals , roads and railways .
All open-air weekly markets have been suspended .
Across Italy there have been 53,578 total cases to date , with about 6,000 people having recovered .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Lombardy has been under a lockdown since 8 March and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first .
On Saturday , Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte ordered the closure of all `` non-essential '' businesses in the country .
However he did not specify which businesses would be considered essential .
Supermarkets , pharmacies , post offices and banks will remain open and public transport will continue to run .
During a television address to the nation , he said : `` We will slow down the country 's productive engine , but we will not stop it . ''
Mr Conte described the situation as `` the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite the measures introduced so far , the number of new cases and deaths has continued to grow .
There have been about 300,000 cases of the virus worldwide with 13,000 deaths .
What is happening elsewhere ?
Spain 's health ministry has reported a 32 % spike in new deaths from Covid-19 with 1,326 confirmed deaths , the second highest in Europe after Italy .
In a news conference on Saturday night , Spain 's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez warned `` the worst is yet to come '' and that `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government has issued a lockdown for some 46 million people who are only allowed to leave their homes for essential work , food shopping , medical reasons or to walk the dog .
A number of world leaders and political figures have told citizens to stick to rules .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned the UK 's National Health Service could be `` overwhelmed '' if people do not act to slow the `` accelerating '' spread of coronavirus .
He called on people to join a `` heroic and collective national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Scotland 's Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing has called on people not to travel to the Scottish Highlands after reports of people in campervans trying to find solace from outbreaks elsewhere across the UK .
France 's Health Minister Olivier Véran hit out at those who flout directives on social distancing , describing them as `` dangerous '' and `` irresponsible '' .
More than 12,500 people have caught coronavirus in France with the death toll recorded as 562 on Saturday .
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo hit out at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignoring orders not to gather in groups .
He said that he planned to visit a park `` to see what the situation is myself '' .
`` I do n't care frankly .
This is a public health issue and you can not be endangering other peoples ' health , '' he said .
`` You should n't be endangering your own . ''
Meanwhile in Australia , Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned the country could see lockdowns after images circulated of many people ignoring social distancing advice and flocking to beaches @

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo hit out at young people who he claims have been ignoring orders not to gather in groups. He said that he planned to visit a park "to see what the situation is myself".


bbc--2020-03-22--Coronavirus: Australia to close pubs, cafes and places of worship

Australia is shutting down non-essential services as coronavirus cases rise rapidly in the country .
Pubs , clubs and places of worship will be shut from midday on Monday , while restaurants and cafes will have to switch to takeaway only .
The number of cases in Australia has risen sharply in recent days , reaching 1,315 .
New South Wales ( NSW ) , home to Sydney , is the worst-affected state with 533 confirmed cases .
Victoria , of which Melbourne is the capital , has 296 cases , while Queensland has 259 .
The new restrictions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petrol stations , pharmacies and home delivery services will continue running .
The prime minister said he wanted to keep schools open but parents will be able to keep their children at home if they want to do so .
Some states , including Victoria , have signalled that they want to close schools .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • THE FUTURE : When will the coronavirus outbreak end ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia so far from Covid-19 .
• The prime minister announced new stimulus measures to boost the economy • South Australia , Western Australia and the Northern Territory will close their borders from Tuesday .
Under the new rules , anyone arriving will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days • Tasmania , an island state , has already imposed similar travel restrictions • The Australian Football League suspended its 2020 season , with no fixtures until at least 31 May .
The women 's league has also been halted • In contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will carry on with matches as planned The new measures come after large crowds gathered on Sydney 's beaches including Bondi on Saturday , flouting social distancing advice .
Mr Morrison said the situation at Bondi Beach should be a `` wake up call to take these policies seriously '' and warned lockdowns could be imposed in areas where large outbreaks have occurred .
`` You have to keep a healthy distance between each other , '' he said .
`` If Australians ca n't do that on a broad scale , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities the most important weapon we have to save lives and to save livelihoods , and states and territories will have to take more severe responses to deal with that . ''
Just hours after the impending shutdown was announced , I walked through an inner Sydney neighbourhood .
It was a balmy Sunday evening and people were out at bars and restaurants perhaps unaware that this would be their last drink outside their homes for a while .
The measures are likely to hit Australians hard , and shock many out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing .
State restrictions had already ramped up this past week , as the case numbers doubled every few days .
However , many Australians have n't been paying attention to the statistics .
Instead , discussion has often centred around disruption to daily life - the inconvenience and tedium of working from home ; the panic buying at supermarkets .
While some - closely attuned to the crisis in the US and Europe - have been vigilantly isolating , others have been resistant to the message `` stay at home '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ summer heat on Friday drew so many out to Bondi Beach - the social isolation mantra has n't sunk in yet .
There 's been little public education campaigning , and the constantly changing messaging from the government has n't helped .
It was only 10 days ago that the prime minister blithely said he 'd still attend a rugby game , minutes after banning large gatherings outside .
He later changed his decision .
Australia had fewer than 200 cases then , it now has over 1,300 .
What was in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second stimulus package worth A $ 66bn , meaning the total financial package offered by the government and Reserve Bank now amounts to A $ 189bn ( £94bn , $ 109bn ) .
Mr Morrison said financial support would be offered to those most vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus crisis .
The measures include doubling income support for those on Jobseeker 's allowance while waiving asset tests and waiting periods .
Grants of up to A $ 100,000 will be made available for small and medium-sized businesses .
Individuals affected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access up to A $ 10,000 of their pension during 2019 and 2020 .
They will be able to take a further A $ 10,000 the following year .
Australian airlines and airports will meanwhile be provided with up to A $ 715 million in support .
Mr Morrison stressed that the measures cover the next six months .
`` This is not a quick fix , '' he said .
`` This will not be my last visit to the podium .
There will be more packages and more support . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ short-term visitors under new coronavirus measures .
Short-term visitors are also banned from transiting through Singapore .
Only work pass holders who have healthcare and transport will be allowed to enter , along with their dependents .
The city state confirmed on Saturday that two people had died from Covid-19 , the first virus related deaths in Singapore .
China reported 46 new cases , all but one brought in from other countries .
The one domestic case was linked to a previous imported case , according to local authorities .
South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The figure suggests a downward trend in new cases .
The total number of coronavirus cases in South Korea has now reached 8,897 .

Instead, discussion has often centred around disruption to daily life - the inconvenience and tedium of working from home; the panic buying at supermarkets. While some - closely attuned to the crisis in the US and Europe - have been vigilantly isolating, others have been resistant to the message "stay at home".


bbc--2020-03-22--Coronavirus: India observes 14-hour curfew

More than a billion people in India have been asked to observe a 14-hour long curfew to try to combat the coronavirus pandemic .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the curfew last week , telling citizens that it would be a test in order to assess the county 's ability to fight the virus .
Mr Modi urged citizens to stay indoors from 07:00 ( 01:30 GMT ) until 21:00 on Sunday .
India has so far recorded 315 cases .
Mr Modi told his followers on Twitter : `` Let us all be a part of this curfew , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight against Covid-19 menace .
The steps we take now will help in the times to come . ''
Transport across the country has been affected by the curfew , according to NDTV .
No long-distance or suburban trains are running ; however , those already running before the curfew will not be stopped .
Images from various cities in India show roads and towns mainly empty .
In Delhi , all shops were closed apart from those selling essentials , and pharmacies .
Religious places cancelled activities as part of the curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 17:00 on Sunday to stand at balconies or near windows and clap or ring bells to show their appreciation for medical professionals and sanitation workers .
Some parts of India have already enforced shutdowns .
Rajasthan ordered a shutdown until 31 March .
Four cities in the state of Gujarat have introduced similar measures until 25 March .
India has barred entry to everyone , including citizens , flying from certain countries , including the UK and most European nations .
It has also cancelled most entry visas for people flying in from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as the 16th Century Red Fort in Delhi - have been shut to visitors to prevent large gatherings .
The Taj Mahal , the country 's most iconic monument , closed its doors on Tuesday , along with more than 140 other monuments and museums .

Mr Modi told his followers on Twitter: "Let us all be a part of this curfew, which will add tremendous strength to the fight against Covid-19 menace. The steps we take now will help in the times to come."


bbc--2020-03-22--UK PM gives Mother's Day warning as virus 'accelerates'

Boris Johnson has warned the NHS could be `` overwhelmed '' if people do not act to slow the `` accelerating '' spread of coronavirus , as he urged the UK not to visit loved ones on Mother 's Day .
The PM called on the public to join a `` heroic and collective national effort '' and follow social distancing advice .
The number of people who have died in the UK with coronavirus rose to 233 on Saturday , as cases topped 5,000 .
It comes as NHS England plans to write to 1.5 million people most at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ letters or text messages strongly advising them not to go out for 12 weeks to protect themselves , the government said .
They include people who have received organ transplants , are living with severe respiratory conditions such as cystic fibrosis or specific cancers , such as blood or bone marrow .
• What we do n't know about coronavirus deaths In a message to the country on Saturday evening , Mr Johnson said : `` The numbers are very stark , and they are accelerating .
`` The Italians have a superb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand .
`` The Italian death toll is already in the thousands and climbing .
Unless we act together , unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread - then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed . ''
He said the UK is only `` two or three '' weeks behind Italy , adding that he recognised the government was imposing measures `` never seen before either in peace or war '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There have been 220,000 cases of the virus worldwide with more than 9,000 deaths .
Italy has seen its death toll for the past month reach 4,825 , the highest in the world .
As families prepare to celebrate Mother 's Day on Sunday , Mr Johnson said the best single present for mothers was to stay away .
It comes after the government this week told all restaurants , cafes and pubs - as well as some other public spaces like gyms and cinemas - to close .
`` This time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , video call her , Skype her , but to avoid any unnecessary physical contact or proximity , '' the PM said .
`` And why ?
Because if your mother is elderly or vulnerable , then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus , or Covid-19 .
We can not disguise or sugar-coat the threat . ''
• How can you celebrate Mother 's Day safely ?
• ' I lost my job because of coronavirus' On Friday , Mr Johnson was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would be visiting his own mother , who is 77 .
He said he would `` certainly be sending her my very best wishes and hope to get to see her '' .
A Downing Street source later said his contact with his mother on Sunday would be over Skype .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Meanwhile , the government has said members of the Armed Forces will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be delivered to people who are at-risk .
Those identified as the most vulnerable in their communities will be contacted directly as a priority .
Dr Paul Johnstone , from Public Health England , said : `` The NHS are contacting the people who are most vulnerable to developing a very serious illness as a result of Covid-19 with specific advice to stay at home for at least 12 weeks .
`` If you receive a letter it is vitally important that you act on it for your own protection , do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and do n't go out for shopping , leisure or travel . ''
Elsewhere , Mayor of London Sadiq Khan echoed the PM 's call for social distancing , and described the coronavirus pandemic as the `` biggest health , social and economic emergency we have faced since the second world war '' .
Writing in the Observer , Mr Khan said while the UK was at the beginning of attempts to halt the viruses spread , `` we will be living with the consequences for many years to come '' .
An @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented challenge for government .
Over the last few days we have seen decisions made that would have been scarcely seemed possible just a fortnight ago .
There 's another one today - 1.5 million people in England alone will be told not to leave their homes to protect themselves from the virus .
The concern in government is set out by the prime minister .
His warning that the UK could be just a fortnight behind Italy - and that the NHS could be overwhelmed - is one of the starkest we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be so ; to persuade us all to follow advice , to stay home and help save lives .
The number of people with coronavirus who have died is now 220 in England , seven in Scotland , five in Wales and one in Northern Ireland .
The most recent 53 deaths in England were people aged 41 to 94 who had underlying health conditions , the NHS said .
• In the last 48 hours , thousands of retired medics have answered the government 's call to return to work to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses and 500 doctors .
Health Secretary Matt Hancock paid tribute to the `` brilliant support '' , but said `` many more '' medical workers were needed , • The health service announced it had struck a deal with private hospitals to get hold of thousands of extra beds , ventilators and medical staff , which will see the private sector reallocate almost of all of its national hospital capacity to the NHS .
• Churches across the country will deliver Sunday services to worshippers over the internet .
The Church of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now banned mass worship , with the Roman Catholic church issuing similar advice.. • The National Trust has closed its parks and gardens amid fears crowds might flock to them on Sunday for Mother 's Day .

On Friday, Mr Johnson was asked at his daily press conference whether he would be visiting his own mother, who is 77. He said he would "certainly be sending her my very best wishes and hope to get to see her".


bbc--2020-03-22--Online festival celebrates arts affected by Covid-19

The South West show goes on Musicians due to play on the British Embassy stage at SXSW in Texas have @ @ @ @ @ a different kind .

Playwright Nick Green launched the Social Distancing Festival to shine a spotlight on lost projects.
The website (socialdistancingfestival.com) has received 400 submissions from around the world.


bbc--2020-03-21--OneWeb increases mega-constellation to 74 satellites

The London-based start-up OneWeb launched another big batch of satellites on Saturday .
A Soyuz rocket lifted off from Baikonur , Kazakhstan , carrying 34 more spacecraft into orbit to continue the build-up of the firm 's broadband internet constellation .
The mission took place despite the coronavirus pandemic , which has limited much space activity elsewhere .
It also comes amid rumours the firm may consider seeking bankruptcy protection .
A report by Bloomberg on Thursday said OneWeb was examining different options it could use to stave off the difficulties of a cash crunch .
A spokesperson would n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ News only that OneWeb was `` focused 100 % on launch '' .
The Soyuz rocket left the Kazakh spaceport right on schedule at 22:06 local time ( 17:06 GMT ) on Saturday .
Its payload took the current size of the start-up 's constellation to 74 satellites .
Forty spacecraft were lofted in two previous launches .
The completed network aims to achieve an orbital configuration of approximately 650 satellites , with internet access becoming available first for some customers at northern latitudes , before eventually being offered globally .
OneWeb is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other companies that want to provide the same kind of service .
California entrepreneur Elon Musk is developing his Starlink constellation which envisages thousands of connected satellites .
Likewise , Jeff Bezos , the boss of Amazon and the world 's wealthiest individual , has proposed a system he calls Kuiper .
What they all are trying to do is very expensive .
OneWeb has raised so far £2.6bn to fund its activities , but will need much more than this to fulfil all its plans .
It has a huge contracted launch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most of its Soyuz flights are supposed to be carried out from Baikonur , but a number are also expected to be conducted from the new Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia 's far east .
The stated OneWeb plan is to have its completed constellation in place by the end of the fourth quarter of 2021 .
How achievable that is given the disruption created by the coronavirus pandemic remains to be seen .
The aerospace industry , like much of the global economy , is having to implement contingency measures , including putting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personnel .
Arianespace , for example , has already suspended all launches from the European spaceport in Kourou , French Guiana .
After Saturday 's launch , OneWeb accentuated the positives .
In a statement issued by the start-up , CEO Adrian Steckel said : `` In these unprecedented times following the global outbreak of Covid-19 , people around the world find themselves trying to continue their lives and work online .
We see the need for OneWeb , greater now more than ever before .
`` High-quality connectivity is the lifeline to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education , stay up to date on important healthcare information and stay meaningfully connected to one another .
The crisis has demonstrated the imperative need for connectivity everywhere and has exposed urgent shortcomings in many organizations ' connectivity capabilities .
Our satellite network is poised to fill in many of these critical gaps in the global communications infrastructure . ''

"High-quality connectivity is the lifeline to enabling people to work, continue their education, stay up to date on important healthcare information and stay meaningfully connected to one another. The crisis has demonstrated the imperative need for connectivity everywhere and has exposed urgent shortcomings in many organizations' connectivity capabilities. Our satellite network is poised to fill in many of these critical gaps in the global communications infrastructure."


bbc--2020-03-21--German police arrest man over high-speed rail tampering

A man in Germany has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after allegedly loosening bolts on a high-speed railway @ @ @ @ @ track affected was just before a bridge outside Frankfurt .
A train driver noticed `` @ @ @ @ @ the bridge early on Friday .
Several trains had already passed over the section before @ @ @ @ @ Rail operator Deutsche Bahn described the incident as `` sabotage '' .
The 51-year-old man @ @ @ @ @ • Man hangs on to high-speed train for 25km In a statement , prosecutors said @ @ @ @ @ suspected of having removed bolts on 80 metres ( 260 feet ) of the rail @ @ @ @ @ and Frankfurt '' .
His motive remains unclear however police said on Friday they could @ @ @ @ @ possible attack attempt '' .
According to German news site Der Spiegel , the rails @ @ @ @ @ than usual .
This could have caused trains to derail and even send them plunging @ @ @ @ @ said it was lucky no harm had come to any trains or passengers .

According to German news site Der Spiegel, the rails were five centimetres further apart than usual. This could have caused trains to derail and even send them plunging off the bridge.


bbc--2020-03-22--Step-by-step guide: How to video call your family

If you are self-isolating at home , video-chatting can help you stay in touch with your friends and family .
This guide will show you how to make a video call using a smartphone , or receive one using your desktop computer - or help you explain how to do so to others .
How to video call with an Android phone If your phone is made by OnePlus , Google , Honor , Huawei , LG , Samsung or Sony , it is an Android phone .
Several other companies make Android phones too .
There are plenty of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video calls including Google Duo , Facebook Messenger , Skype , WhatsApp and Zoom .
This guide will show you how to make a video call using WhatsApp .
To video call a friend using WhatsApp , they will need to have installed the app too - and you will need to add their phone number to your smartphone 's address book .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPad or Mac If you have an iPhone , iPad or Mac computer , you can video call a friend using FaceTime .
The app comes pre-installed on all of these devices .
However , it only works on Apple devices , so your friend or relative must be using an iPhone , iPad or Mac too .
If your friend or relative does not use an iPhone , iPad or Mac , you can still video call them using a different app .
You can follow the instructions provided for WhatsApp at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive a video call without installing software You can receive video calls on a desktop computer without installing any software .
Some video-calling services such as Skype and Zoom will let you join a chat using your computer 's web browser .
To do this , you 'll need to be invited to a video call by a friend or relative who already has the software installed .
Ask them to follow the instructions in the video below , in order to send you an invite link by text message or email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the link if you have spoken to your friend or relative and are expecting it .
If you are not expecting an invite , ask your friend or relative to double-check .

If your friend or relative does not use an iPhone, iPad or Mac, you can still video call them using a different app. You can follow the instructions provided for WhatsApp at the top of this page.


bbc--2020-03-21--Coronavirus: British tourists stuck in Peru to be rescued next week

Rescue flights to bring back hundreds of British tourists stranded in Peru will begin next week , the Foreign Office has said .
Around 400 UK nationals are stuck in the South American country after it closed its borders and stopped all flights amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab secured permission for a UK flight to leave Peru , the Foreign Office said .
It added officials will work to arrange further flights in coming days .
The Peruvian government placed the country into lockdown last Monday , with no flights allowed to enter or leave without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also in place between 20:00 and 5:00 and all shops are closed except for pharmacies and stores selling food .
Earlier this week , some of the Britons stuck in the country said they faced serious health problems or were running out of cash .
Many said they felt the UK government was not doing enough to get them home at a time when other nations - like Germany and Israel - were funding the high costs of repatriations .
On Saturday , the Foreign Office said Mr Raab had spoken to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight to leave early next week .
Mr Raab tweeted : `` I had a good conversation this afternoon with my opposite number in Peru , Gustavo Meza-Cuadra .
`` Amidst all the challenges of tackling coronavirus , we committed to working together in the coming days to enable UK nationals in Peru and Peruvian nationals in the UK to return home . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue working closely with the Peruvian government to arrange further flights in coming days .
Earlier this week , the government said tourists must pay for their own airline tickets home once a flight becomes available .
At that time , the only commercial carrier that had offered to help was charging $ 3,000- $ 3,500 ( £2,570-£3,000 ) for a one-way ticket - almost 10 times the normal price It comes as the number of people who have died in the UK with coronavirus rose to 233 , as cases topped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Danielle Cook , 32 , and her partner Matthew Houghton , 34 , from Yorkshire are among those stuck in Peru .
Ms Cook 's father died a few days ago .
`` My family has not been able to make any funeral arrangements and I feel so guilty being here , '' she says .
The couple and nine others , including Dutch and Canadian travellers , had gone to Peru to see the mountain Machu Picchu , but they are all now holed up at an Airbnb in Cusco .
Also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who said : `` We ca n't go anywhere , we are stuck in our hotel - we are only allowed to go out to get food , money or medication .
`` I have a heart condition , so being at high altitudes it is fine for a few days but we do n't know long how we 'll be here for . ''
Read more from the tourists stuck in Peru .

Also stranded is 70-year-old Ffred Ffrancis from Wales, who said: "We can't go anywhere, we are stuck in our hotel - we are only allowed to go out to get food, money or medication.


bbc--2020-03-22--The virtual reality church that isn't shutting its doors

Many churches have been forced to suspend their physical services during the coronavirus pandemic .
But for Pastor DJ Soto @ @ @ @ @ n't been a problem - as it only exists in virtual reality .
The BBC @ @ @ @ @ Ethics journalist Sophia Smith Galer went to try it out before the virus spread to @ @ @ @ @ have already been turning to virtual over physical faith experiences .
To find out more @ @ @ @ @ using virtual reality , listen to Heart and Soul 's programme here .

Many churches have been forced to suspend their physical services during the coronavirus pandemic.
But for Pastor DJ Soto's church, that hasn't been a problem - as it only exists in virtual reality.
The BBC World Service's Faith & Ethics journalist Sophia Smith Galer went to try it out before the virus spread to find out why some people have already been turning to virtual over physical faith experiences.
To find out more about how religious groups are using virtual reality, listen to Heart and Soul's programme here.


bbc--2020-03-18--Your pictures on the theme of 'reading'

Your pictures on the theme of 'reading'

Ananda Rabindranath : `` Both my wife and I love to read - but now with our 11-week-old son with @ @ @ @ @ read is dropping .
However , we want to make sure we foster a love @ @ @ @ @ what better way to enjoy the last light of the evening than by reading together @ @ @ @ @ not remember any of this but we certainly will . ''

Image caption,
Ananda Rabindranath: "Both my wife and I love to read - but now with our 11-week-old son with us, our time to read is dropping. However, we want to make sure we foster a love of reading in him and what better way to enjoy the last light of the evening than by reading together about animals? He may not remember any of this but we certainly will."


bbc--2020-03-22--How Nigeria's kings lost their power

How Nigeria's kings lost their power

From emirs to kings , Nigeria 's traditional rulers are increasingly being humiliated by politicians - and mocked by young people who see them as representing an archaic institution .
The latest example of this was the brutal dethronement of the Emir of Kano , Muhammad Sanusi II .
The state governor invoked his constitutional powers to depose the emir after accusing him of `` insubordination '' .
No-one knows the number of monarchs in multi-ethnic Nigeria but there seems to be one ruling over every inch of land , often putting them at loggerheads with the politicians who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retain huge influence in many parts of the country but recent events have made some young people question the role of the monarchy in the 21st Century .
Mr Sanusi is the most high-profile of several cases in the last five months in which politicians have publicly brought monarchs to heel or the actions of some traditional rulers have led people to question their relevance .
Mr Sanusi was removed for `` total disrespect '' of institutions and the governor 's office , the government said .
But in truth , his removal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Kano state governor Umar Ganduje , a powerful figure within Nigeria 's governing All Progressives Congress ( APC ) party .
Those close to him say the emir expected his removal but not his banishment to neighbouring Nasarawa state which his lawyers described as an `` archaic practice '' of the colonial era .
After gaining a court order , he has regained his freedom but the manner of his removal and subsequent detention showed the real balance of power between politicians and traditional rulers .
`` There is no way you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinship with the application of a modern republican constitution , '' said Dr Jare Oladosun , an associate professor of history at Nigeria 's Obafemi Awolowo University .
He said it was an insurmountable contradiction and favours the scrapping of the monarchy .
`` You can not have both , only one , '' he said .
For many , Mr Sanusi 's removal confirmed what they have long suspected - that the country 's monarchs are only symbolic heads with no real power .
Do n't shake your head when the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ role for traditional rulers but they are nevertheless widely respected as custodians of both religion and culture .
And this can be seen as a form of power .
Olutayo Adeshina , a professor of history at the University of Lagos , said that by pledging to respect the culture `` by protecting , preserving and promoting traditional values '' , the Nigerian constitution recognises the important role of traditional leaders .
`` Traditional leaders possess some latent power which politicians are afraid of , hence the tension between the two .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians would ignore them .
But you ignore them at your own peril , '' he said .
But anyone who watched a video widely shared on social media in January would question whether politicians still have much respect for traditional leaders .
A king in the southern state of Rivers was publicly ridiculed for shaking his head while governor Nyesom Wike was speaking .
The governor ripped into the mortified king in a gathering of traditional rulers , provoking laughter from those in the room .
`` You just [ go ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ... to breach protocol . ''
The governor was mocking the monarch 's traditional robe and elaborate crown .
In the same week that emir Sanusi was removed in Kano , traditional rulers in south-west Ekiti state were embroiled in a face-off with the governor after he appointed an oba ( Yoruba king ) to head the traditional council .
A group 16 local obas were not pleased with the `` interference '' and stayed away from state functions , drawing a stern letter from the governor who accused them of insubordination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court dethroned another oba , in Oyo state , declaring the process of his ascendancy to the throne illegal .
Samuel Adebayo-Adegbola , who was the Eleruwa of Eruwa , had spent 21 years on the throne before he was forced to step down on the grounds that he was not a member of one of the town 's two ruling houses whose turn it was to produce a successor in 1994 .
But it is not always the politicians casting aspersions on the monarchy in Nigeria - the actions of some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spotlight .
In February , the Oluwo of Iwoland , Abdulrasheed Akanbi , a flamboyant and controversial oba in the south-west state of Osun engaged in a public brawl with another monarch , Dhikrulahi Akinropo , Agbowu of Ogbaagbaa .
Tempers flared at a meeting to settle a land dispute and Oba Akanbi is currently serving a six-month suspension for his part in the altercation .
But some monarchs are determined to remain relevant .
Oba Akanbi 's Instagram page is an album of very colourful pictures and in one post he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You think Kings ca n't `` Swag '' !
!
21st Century Kings like me will catch you unawares !
!
!
You got it all wrong by thinking kings are just 'old raggedy , sad looking , ca n't dance , working with voodoo , scary looking , ca n't have fun and only boring !
!
! ''
he posted .
But such `` traditional trendiness '' has not caught on among young people and many took the opportunity of the emir 's dethronement in Kano to criticise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authority , no armies , fight no wars , bear no responsibility for the development or prosperity of their domain .
`` Yet we indulge in this pitiful fantasy of them being the all powerful as Kings who did all these and more in the days of yore .
Too funny , '' this user said .
This user wants them `` dismantled '' entirely : You may also like : • In pictures : Country of kings , Nigeria 's many monarchs Nigeria 's monarchs , from the southern coastal states to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once all-powerful .
A Yoruba oba could summon any woman - young or married - and pronounce her one of his wives , while kings in eastern Nigeria had the first taste of the new yam before their subjects could eat of their own harvests .
Between the 14th and 19th Centuries , these monarchs dealt with the Portuguese and British , trading in slaves , palm oil , groundnut , and led their people to war .
But one by one these kingdoms were crushed by the British as the different nations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together to be ruled as a single territory from 1914 .
The responsibilities previously carried out by traditional leaders were passed on to native administrators appointed by the colonial government .
Some monarchs still perform useful religious functions including settling land matters , minor chieftaincy disputes and other not-too-serious matters .
They also wield considerable influence over local voters and politicians suddenly become friendly to them at election time .
`` It is actually a sign of cultural progress to leave certain things behind and drop the excess baggage of an archaic institution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mr Oladosun .
He argued that the influence of traditional leaders in the grassroots is because `` we have retained them '' .
Without any constitutional backing , Nigeria 's monarchs who wish to remain on the throne must master the art of staying out of the way of politicians who control power .
`` Native intelligence is what traditional leaders need , it would help them realise when to speak and when to keep shut and generally keep them out of trouble , '' Mr Adesina said .
Most monarchs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - an indication perhaps that the skill of survival is in being seen rather than heard .
But this was something the outspoken Mr Sanusi was never able to do .

Samuel Adebayo-Adegbola, who was the Eleruwa of Eruwa, had spent 21 years on the throne before he was forced to step down on the grounds that he was not a member of one of the town's two ruling houses whose turn it was to produce a successor in 1994.


bbc--2020-03-22--How the Pet Shop Boys accidentally made the best tour diary in pop history

Pop music , Brian Eno once said , is n't just about making music in the traditional sense of the word .
Instead , it 's about `` the creation of a new , imaginary world , which beckons the listener to join it '' .
For the last 39 years , the Pet Shop Boys have been doing exactly that , making anthemic dance music that wryly scrutinizes culture , politics , personal relationships and the nature of pop itself .
On stage , they 've created their own universe where theatre meets pop - pushing the boundaries of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And , along the way , they stumbled into one of the best biographies in pop history .
Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe met in a Chelsea electronics shop , where a chance conversation about music and synthesisers started a lifelong friendship and musical partnership .
Four years later , in 1985 , they scored their first number one - West End Girls , a walking pace disco track about the drama and excitement of late night Soho , where cultures meet and meld and clash surrounded by `` faces on posters '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violence - or both .
From the beginning , a sense of mystery surrounded the band .
They were n't showy or glamorous like normal pop stars .
Tennant was n't a natural vocalist .
On Top of the Pops , they barely moved .
No-one knew quite what to make of them , even as they built up an enviable discography of perfect pop singles .
Hovering in the air was the eternal question : Was this all an ironic prank ?
• Pet Shop Boys : 'We do n't think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ band , as journalist Chris Heath discovered when he tagged along on their first ever tour .
`` Yes , I 'm supposed to be the irony merchant , '' scoffed Tennant , who maintained , `` most of what we do is meant totally sincerely '' .
`` When we started out we got into hi-energy and hip-hop music and we liked the power and the rawness and the excitement of it .
And we 've always tried to make records that had the same delirium and excitement , or a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` he added dolefully , `` my voice can not sound 'up ' when I sing .
I literally can not do it . ''
This interview was captured in Heath 's book - Pet Shop Boys , Literally - a phenomenal piece of observational journalism , cataloguing the group 's first , tentative venture onto the stage in 1989 .
They 'd planned and cancelled two previous tours , in 1986 and 1987 , discovering that their ambitions for a theatrical live show were n't compatible with the economics of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer from a Japanese promoter that finally got them on the road but , even then , they were n't convinced of the wisdom of playing night after night to actual fans .
`` Rock shows are really embarrassing .
The audience can be embarrassing and the performers I find cringeworthy , '' Lowe postulates as they set of for Asia .
Later , at a press conference to promote their shows in Hong Kong , Lowe tells the media : `` We 're not a live band , really . ''
Heath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ band .
He 's there in hotel rooms and on tour busses , he dances with them at Japanese discos and takes a long walk with Tennant in the countryside .
There are no drugs and no sex ( except when they stumble across a couple in flagrante on a hillside ) .
Instead , it 's a frank and revealing peek behind the curtain .
Tennant and Lowe are simultaneously bristling with self-confidence and racked with insecurities , not least because the tour has n't sold out in the UK .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Adam Ant , Piers Morgan , bobble hats , their tour promoter , and even their fans - while getting giddily excited that Jason Donovan might come to one of their shows ( he does n't ) .
While they 're wary of rock cliché , Heath does n't spare them when things go a bit Spinal Tap .
Before their first concert , Lowe flies into a rage because a backdrop curtain that should be black is , in fact , brown .
When his mother comes to see them play in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't about the music but his haircut : `` I did n't know you 'd become a Buddhist '' .
Throughout the book , Tennant slowly starts to enjoy himself , finding that being a rock star sometimes is all its cracked up to be .
`` I have an obsession with teenage hysteria and just to find myself at the centre of it , I just find quite thrilling , '' he observes .
But there 's mock horror when the singer shouts `` arigato '' , the Japanese word for thank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the shows .
`` I thought 'How shameless , ' '' Lowe tells Heath .
`` I bowed my head in shame and thought , 'he 's a tart ' '' .
No wonder that , when the band first read the manuscript in 1990 , they declared themselves to be `` more or less horrified '' .
Sadly the book , and its 1993 sequel Pet Shop Boys vs America , have long been out of print ... until earlier this week , when they were republished by Penguin books .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ netherworld , '' says Heath on the phone from the US .
`` Perversely , there 's something quite nice about having these books that are unavailable and that people talk about like some mystery ...
But I 'd rather people were reading them . ''
Interestingly , the books were initially written off by reviewers who were sniffy about Heath 's decision to delve into the minutiae of touring life , feeling it was all surface and no depth .
The Face 's Dave Halsam said Literally `` is n't a book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` I 'd have preferred a book that told a few truths , or even a few lies . ''
But that misses the point , says Heath .
The author - who , like Tenant , started his writing career at Smash Hits - believed there was value in close-up reporting , without having to explicitly state a grand intellectual thesis .
`` I always thought I was going to be able to tell a much deeper story [ through ] an incredible accumulation of detail , '' he explains .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 'It 's just a load of stuff that happens , ' because they go in thinking there 's a greater purpose to all this ; that all of this stuff is being juxtaposed to do something greater than just telling us a series of events or a series of conversations .
`` Any great non-fiction book should be that - but somehow that was n't the way that people went into a book about pop music . ''
In the intervening years , though , the book 's reputation has grown ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of reportage - most notably Bill Flanagan , who spent two years on U2 's Zoo TV tour for the similarly-revelatory U2 At The End Of The World .
The question remains , though : How did Heath get this unprecedented access ?
`` There 's not an incredibly simple answer , '' he says .
`` People took photographers on tour as a standard thing in the 80s and I think they thought , 'Why do n't we take a journalist ? '
`` I was friendly with them , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I do n't think they had thought about the end result , particularly . ''
In fact , discussions about the nature of the book form a recurring part of the narrative .
`` This can never come out , '' exclaims Tennant at one juncture , but surprisingly little was expunged from the record .
`` Famously , the thing that got cut out of these books is most of when they swear - but that 's totally openly declared , '' insists Heath .
`` People imagine there 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but why would you imagine that in a book that 's already way more truthful and revealing than you 'd normally expect ? ''
Despite their horror at the original manuscript ( `` We 're horrible , are n't we ? ''
said Lowe after reading it for the first time ) the band were sufficiently happy to ask Heath back on the road for their first US tour a couple of years later .
It came at an interesting point for the duo .
Their fifth album , Behaviour , had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chart peaks of their previous work .
Their new single , a kitsch cover of U2 's Where The Streets Have No Name , was n't getting the expected radio play , meaning they were embarking on an ambitious tour , in a country that had n't been their strongest market , from an uncertain base .
It did n't help that the first night had to be cancelled due to sound problems .
Then Lowe caused a minor diplomatic incident by walking off stage during a performance on Jay Leno 's late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camera was focusing solely on Tennant and the backing singers .
The band spend large portions of the tour fretting about their future .
Heath captures one typical exchange backstage at Los Angeles ' Universal Ampitheater .
`` We 've gone off the boil with the public , '' sighs Neil .
`` It 's all down to the album not being as good , '' says Chris .
`` I think we 've lost some of the teenage audience , '' digresses Neil '' I think we 've got to write some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris .
`` Yeah , '' says Neil .
`` That 's what I think . ''
`` It was tough , '' says Heath , `` touring America with a record that was n't on fire , and with this incredibly complicated , expensive show - but I do n't remember a huge despondency .
`` My more glib memory is that , pretty much always , they 've been a mixture of a complete exuberance and [ thinking ] 'Oh it 's all over , let 's not bother . '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , theatrical stage show as a revolution in stagecraft - the San Francisco Examiner called it `` more performance art than rock concert '' while the New York Daily News compared it to a Met Opera production of Satyricon .
And , of course , Pet Shop Boys did go back and write some `` simpler , hooky music '' .
Their next album , 1993 's Very , contained the hit singles Can You Forgive Her and Go West , and remains their biggest-seller .
But while Heath 's second book has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arc , Heath says that 's just a happy accident .
`` I 've written other books where I 've had pressure from the publisher to have some sort of 'moment ' at the point where the book ends , '' he says .
`` And I 'm not shy of expressing larger themes and showing powerful arcs of things changing ; but lives do n't end just because the book ends . ''
Heath went on to write for Rolling Stone and GQ - where Paul McCartney told him he 'd envisioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on acid in the 1960s .
He also wrote two painfully honest books with Robbie Williams , based on a similarly-unprecedented level of access .
The key to obtaining such revelatory interviews , he says , is just to be interested in people .
And , occasionally , to break with social conventions .
`` I always think , '' he says , `` one of the hardest questions to ask , but one of the best questions you can ask is the one I 'm about to say ... '' That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uncomfortable doing it .
You have to deliberately force something that all your instincts are telling you , as a polite human bring , not to do .
`` But very often people have more to say , and you 've just got to give them space . ''
Pet Shop Boys , Literally and Pet Shop Boys vs America are out now .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

It came at an interesting point for the duo. Their fifth album, Behaviour, had been critically-acclaimed, but failed to scale the chart peaks of their previous work. Their new single, a kitsch cover of U2's Where The Streets Have No Name, wasn't getting the expected radio play, meaning they were embarking on an ambitious tour, in a country that hadn't been their strongest market, from an uncertain base.


bbc--2020-03-22--How Parsis shaped India's taste for soft drinks

A bottle of Pallonji 's raspberry soda comes with this helpful disclaimer : `` Contains no fruit . ''
Electric red in colour , and syrupy sweet to the taste , the raspberry soda is a beloved cultural icon of India 's fast-disappearing Parsi community - as well as the endangered Irani cafes in the western city of Mumbai .
But peer more closely into one of Pallonji 's ancient glass bottles and you can discern a story of much greater significance : how Parsis helped shape India 's taste for soft drinks .
Over the past two centuries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carbonated beverages in India , laying the foundations for what is today a $ 8bn ( £6.9bn ) industry .
Soda had become a popular beverage in London by the early 1800s .
Companies such as Schweppes sold plain carbonated water , advertising it as a health elixir .
Other firms experimented with flavoured variants such as lemon , orange , and raspberry .
Inevitably , soda found its way from the heart of the empire to India , where it was a luxury item for Britons in the subcontinent .
In 1837 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mumbai , set up what was likely western India 's first `` aerated water '' factory .
Rogers ' product was not simply a refreshing pick-me-up .
Before Mumbai completed its modern waterworks in the late 19th Century , it relied on well water , which was filthy and potentially deadly .
In the best of times , residents complained of drinking muddy liquid that was `` very foul both to sight and smell , of a yellowish brown colour '' .
In the worst of times , hundreds died from cholera outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life-saving habit .
After all , carbonic acid in soda killed bacteria and viruses .
This was even more the case after the invention of carbonated tonic water in 1858 , which contained quinine to ward off malaria .
Parsis sensed a commercial opportunity in the new fizzy drinks consumed by their colonial masters .
Many were already involved in businesses that catered to Britons , as commissaries to the army or owners of hotels and `` Europe shops '' in cities .
They added soda to their inventories .
According to community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ahmednagar - a dusty army outpost in the Deccan - arrived in town with a soda-making apparatus strapped to a mule , with which he slaked the thirst of British soldiers .
By the mid-1800s , Parsis began imbibing the strange drink themselves .
Here , they served as trendsetters for other Indians , who had looked at soda with suspicion .
In 1866 , the Gujarati social reformer Karsondas Mulji complained that an orthodox Hindu considered himself to be `` sacrificing his religion '' if he quaffed a Rogers lemonade .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Indians of all castes and creeds in Mumbai were patronising soda-water shops , many run by Iranis ( recent Zoroastrian migrants from Iran ) .
By 1913 , the city boasted more than 150 licensed soda factories .
Parsis played a commanding role in this trade , as is evidenced by the surnames they adopted : Sodawaterwala , Sodawaterbottlewala , and even Sodawaterbottleopenerwala .
Soda became particularly enmeshed in the cultural fabric of Bombay - and even in its political fabric .
In 1908 , SM Edwardes , later a city police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw roaring trade in raspberry soda during mass protests against the nationalist leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak 's conviction for sedition .
Glass soda bottles were also a weapon of choice in riots and demonstrations .
Homai Vyarawalla , the country 's first professional female photographer , recalled that the marble stoppers in soda bottles were used as deadly projectiles during anti-Parsi riots in 1921 .
Many even pre-dated western firms like Coca Cola ( incorporated in 1892 ) and Pepsi ( 1902 ) : Pallonji 's , for example , was established in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pandole founded Duke 's , which he named after the brand of cricket ball he used while touring England with a Parsi cricket team .
Duke 's raspberry soda became particularly famous , selling for a princely 12 annas per dozen bottles in 1907 ( about $ 0.01 today ) .
Even Rogers , the most established western Indian brand , was bought out by Parsi investors around 1915 .
But Parsi soda enterprises were not just limited to Mumbai .
Community members manufactured aerated water across India , from Kolkata ( formerly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set up shop well beyond the subcontinent .
From the 1920s onward , Singapore had two competing brands of Parsi soda - Framroz and Phoenix - which jostled for market dominance through advertisements in Chinese and Malay .
Most of these companies were small-scale .
Business margins were thin , and tastes and brand loyalty were hyper-localised .
P Dhunjibhoy and Sons of Ahmedabad distributed its flavoured drinks by bullock carts through the early 1970s .
In Nizamabad , near the southern city of Hyderabad , the Marolia family employed bicycles for distribution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the family firm during school holidays in the 1960s , recalled how employees would gingerly stack four crates of bottles on a single bicycle before setting off for morning distribution runs .
A major limitation was bottle supply , since glass bottles cost far more than the carbonated contents poured inside .
So the Marolia family used special round-bottom bottles which were difficult to set down on flat surfaces .
These encouraged customers to drink sodas in one gulp and quickly return the bottles for reuse .
Fierce competition pushed many Parsi soda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , although Duke 's and Rogers remained major players in the Indian market .
Noshir Langrana , a former general manager at Rogers , recalled that the company introduced new flavours to cater to evolving Indian tastes , such as `` Kick Apoo '' - which translates from Gujarati to `` give a kick '' - a pineapple blend .
Duke 's successfully marketed Mangola , which employed the divine pulp of Alphonso mangoes .
These helped stave off domestic rivals through the 1980s .
But then multinationals completely changed the game .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Coca Cola and Pepsi began taking over from homegrown drinks .
Pepsi swallowed up Duke 's in 1994 - and lost no sleep in axing its beloved raspberry soda .
More than 25 years after he helped sell Duke 's to Pepsi , Naval Pandole is still visibly torn up about that .
`` There was more than just a commercial interest in the matter , '' he says .
`` There was a sentimental attachment to the company . ''
So , is this the end of the line for raspberry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owner of Pallonji 's , is not so pessimistic .
While the traditional Parsi customer base is diminishing , he has seen a surge of interest from outside of the community .
`` A lot of newcomers consider this a retro drink , '' he claims , citing orders from a proliferation of Irani café-themed restaurants in India .
The demand for raspberry soda has , in fact , come full circle from its colonial roots : Pallonji 's is now sold in London , where it has been introduced into trendy restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales calls , but customers keep on calling , '' Mr Solanki says .
Pallonji 's raspberry - the drink that proudly advertises its lack of any fruit whatsoever - still seems to have enough vim left in its ancient glass bottle .

But Parsi soda enterprises were not just limited to Mumbai. Community members manufactured aerated water across India, from Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) to Calicut. Some even set up shop well beyond the subcontinent. From the 1920s onward, Singapore had two competing brands of Parsi soda - Framroz and Phoenix - which jostled for market dominance through advertisements in Chinese and Malay.


bbc--2020-03-22--Coronavirus: How to behave in an epidemic

The virus is exploiting our very humanity .
We are social creatures , but this disease risks turning our natural instincts into a fatal weakness .
Our old routines and habits must be replaced with new customs and practices .
We need to adjust to the etiquette of an epidemic .
So how should we behave ?
How can we be pro-social in a world where a comforting hand or a hug are considered anti-social or even reckless ?
In normal times we look to calm anxiety and stress with the human touch .
But these are not normal times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enemy .
Every object we and others come into contact with may be a vector for the virus .
The right thing to do is deny this cruel bug the chance to spread .
`` This is the time in your lifetime whereby your action will save somebody 's life , '' Prof Stephen Powis , medical director at NHS England , said on Saturday .
None of this comes naturally .
It is not easy .
We can only do what is possible and we will never know , but the simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually save one , two , 50 or 10,000 lives .
We should think of that as we sing at the sink .
• How the government hopes to stop you touching your face • Buy responsibly and think of others , shoppers told • When will the coronavirus outbreak end ?
We are having to learn to do things that feel discourteous , that once might have been thought of as rude .
But social distancing , trying to stand at least 2m apart from anyone you encounter , not shaking hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new manners of our times .
And we need to learn them fast .
The way we all behave during this epidemic will decide the fate of millions .
That is why behavioural science is at the heart of the UK government 's planning .
The encouraging news for humanity is that the experts believe most people want to do the right thing for wider society .
`` Acts of altruism will predominate , '' the Behavioural Science Sub-Group advises ministers .
`` Large-scale rioting is unlikely .
It is rarely seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does occur , of course , sometimes driven by fear but also by thoughtlessness and greed .
Panic feeds on itself as people struggle to balance their own needs with those of others when the world feels an increasingly dangerous place .
That is what is driving anti-social stockpiling , people `` selfishly shopping '' as Prof Powis described it .
The behavioural scientists are telling the government to `` promote a sense of collectivism '' .
`` All messaging should reinforce a sense of community , that we are all in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is telling , perhaps , that countries with a collectivist culture - China , Japan , South Korea - seem to be keeping the virus at bay more effectively than those Western nations with a culture of individualism .
`` I know how difficult this is , how it seems to go against the freedom-loving instincts of the British people , '' the prime minister told the nation as he closed down pubs and restaurants on Friday , urging people not to go out .
Small-state politicians like Boris Johnson are having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater central control , actions that may feel at odds with the traditions and culture of the UK .
• When will the coronavirus outbreak end ?
• Coronavirus information : What should I do ?
• Coronavirus : What are the symptoms ?
A member of the scientific committee that briefs senior government ministers told me that this virus will be a measure of `` social capital '' in every country of the world , the strength of the glue that holds communities together .
We are already seeing a wave of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media , people looking for ways to support others through the isolation , the hardship and the distress .
The country is having to think differently about what `` coming together '' means in the context of social distancing .
But most of us can look to help others by offering accurate information and advice , delivering food or other vital supplies to vulnerable individuals , befriending and supporting those who may be lonely with a phone call or a friendly text .
Many people stuck at home may have the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our stock of social capital , supporting a neighbour , helping out , doing the right thing .
`` Now more than at any time in our history , we will be judged by our capacity for compassion , '' Chancellor Rishi Sunak told the country on Friday .
`` When this is over , and it will be over , we want to look back on this moment and remember the many small acts of kindness , done by us and to us . ''
The charity Action for Happiness has produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people keep calm , stay wise and be kind .
`` Do three acts of kindness to help others , however , small , '' it suggests .
Other advice includes calling a loved one to catch up and really listen to them ; thanking three people you 're grateful to and telling them why ; finding positive stories in the news and sharing these with others .
Behavioural science recognises that trust in our leaders is the antidote to anxiety and potential social breakdown .
`` A perception that the government response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public may lead to an increase in tensions , '' the expert committee is advising ministers .
We need to find new routines and systems for once mundane tasks .
A trip to the shops requires we all take meticulous care not to become infected or pass the infection on .
For those who are required to go out to work , the same attention must be applied to everything we touch : handles , rails , keys , coins in a pocket , credit cards in a purse , tins on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a gear stick , a computer keyboard and a mouse , a mug of tea .
It is the responsibility of all of us to minimise the risks to ourselves , our family and the wider community .
The disease may be exploiting our humanity , but it is our consideration for others , our compassion and our love for each other which will defeat it .
The next few months will test the strength of our community beyond anything that we have seen in living memory .
The demands on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater than in wartime .
Future generations will judge us for how we behave .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

"Now more than at any time in our history, we will be judged by our capacity for compassion," Chancellor Rishi Sunak told the country on Friday. "When this is over, and it will be over, we want to look back on this moment and remember the many small acts of kindness, done by us and to us."