bbc--2020-05-28--Coronavirus deaths in US top 100,000

Coronavirus deaths in US top 100,000

The US has passed 100,000 deaths in the coronavirus outbreak , figures from Johns Hopkins University show .
It has seen more deaths than any other country , while its 1.69 million confirmed infections account for about 30 % of the worldwide total .
The first US infection was reported in Washington state on 21 January .
Globally there have been 5.6 million people recorded as infected and 353,414 deaths since the virus emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year .
With the US death toll currently at 100,271 , BBC North America editor Jon Sopel says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of American servicemen and women killed in Korea , Vietnam , Iraq and Afghanistan over 44 years of fighting .
• How the pandemic in US compares to rest of world • From 'We 've shut it down ' to 100,000 US dead What is the national picture ?
Twenty states reported a rise in new cases for the week ending on Sunday , according to a Reuters study .
The caseload remains stubbornly high in a number of metropolitan areas , including Chicago , Los Angeles and suburban Washington DC .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wisconsin and Arkansas are also seeing a steady rise in cases .
Some hard-hit states are seeing a drop in death rates , including New York , where 21,000 residents have died .
During the peak of the crisis in the city , the daily death toll was in the hundreds .
Hospitals were overwhelmed and makeshift morgues were built outside health facilities .
What has President Trump said ?
President Donald Trump has insisted that without his administration 's actions the death toll would be far higher , though critics have accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , he said the fatalities could have been 25 times higher .
Initially , the president downplayed the pandemic , comparing it to the seasonal flu .
Back in February he said the US had the virus `` under control '' and that by April it could `` miraculously go away '' .
He predicted 50,000-60,000 deaths , then 60,000-70,000 and then `` substantially under 100,000 '' .
Mr Trump also argued on 20 May it was `` a badge of honour '' that the US had the world 's highest number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our testing is much better '' .
A study from Columbia University in New York suggested about 36,000 fewer people would have died if the US had acted sooner .
• Things the US has got right - and got wrong How is the lockdown easing ?
With nearly 39 million Americans out of work during the pandemic , the US is pressing ahead state by state with reopening the coronavirus-frozen economy , even as the death toll continues to tick upwards .
All 50 states have begun to ease Covid-19 rules in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theme park , Walt Disney World in Florida , has plans to begin opening on 11 July , if the state governor allows it .
Four Las Vegas casinos owned by MGM Resorts are also scheduled to reopen on 4 July .
The company says employees will be tested for Covid-19 regularly .
Currently , there is no vaccine for Covid-19 .
There is also no confirmed treatment for the disease , but there are several being tested .
An AP-NORC poll conducted this month found just 49 % of Americans said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• POST-COVID WORLD : Will we ever shake hands again ?
• GLOBAL TAKE : Which country has the most generous bailout ?
• THE LOST SIX WEEKS : Missed chances for US to contain outbreak

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bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: How the pandemic in US compares to rest of world

Two days after the US recorded its first case of coronavirus , Donald Trump said the situation was `` totally under control '' and assured the public it was `` going to be just fine '' .
Fast forward four months and the virus has spread across all 50 states , leaving a death toll of 100,000 from more than 1.6 million confirmed cases .
We 've taken a look at how those figures compare to other countries around the world and how the situation could develop over the next few months .
How does the situation in the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US became the highest in the world in early April and has risen dramatically since then .
President Donald Trump initially said `` 50 to 60,000 '' people could die during the outbreak but in May he said he was hopeful the toll would be lower than 100,000 .
That benchmark has now been hit though and there are still about 1,000 deaths a day on average .
Rather than focus on deaths , Mr Trump has preferred to cite the mortality rate - that is the number of people that have died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as evidence that the US has dealt with the virus more effectively than some other nations .
The chart below shows the countries with the highest death tolls and , to the right , their mortality rate .
You can see that by that measure there are several countries where a greater proportion of the population has died during the coronavirus outbreak .
Belgium , with a population of 11.5 million , has seen 80 people in every 100,000 die during its coronavirus outbreak while the US , with a population of around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in every 100,000 die .
But if you look at New York - the worst-hit state in the US - the mortality rate there is close to 150 people in every 100,000 , which shows that there is a lot of variation across the US .
• From 'We 've shut it down ' to 100,000 US dead One of the problems with comparing countries is that many of them report deaths in different ways .
Belgium , for instance , includes deaths where coronavirus was suspected of being present but was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US states record deaths this way , but not all .
There have also been questions over whether official data from some countries can be trusted .
Critics of China in particular have accused it of under-reporting the scale of its outbreak .
Another issue is that countries could be at different stages of an outbreak .
In many European countries it 's clear that daily cases numbers are coming down significantly and they are past the peak .
But you ca n't say the same for the US at the moment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus success ?
• Why so many people are dying in Belgium New York over the worst , but is the US ?
Several countries in Europe had outbreaks around the same time as the US and all of them have seen the number of deaths grow quickly , peak and then fall away .
The US has not .
One of the reasons the number of daily deaths in the US has plateaued rather than fallen is the sheer size of the country - rather than one large outbreak , there have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at different times and spread at different rates .
In New York , the virus struck early , spread quickly and peaked in early April .
In the rest of the US , however , the number of daily deaths has been slow to fall .
Some other states that were badly affected early on , like Louisiana and Michigan , have also seen a substantial drop in the number of daily deaths like that in New York .
But as the situation in those states has improved , others have worsened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more deaths last week compared to the week before , with Rhode Island , Mississippi and Ohio seeing some of the largest percentage increases .
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • COMPARING COUNTRIES : The pitfalls of doing so • R0 , FURLOUGH : The language of the outbreak • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
US leads the way in testing , but only now In recent weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the number of tests being done in the US .
The most recent data says the US has carried out about 15 million so far .
That figure puts the US way ahead of other countries , but when it comes to using testing to try to control the virus , there is more to it than the total number you 've conducted .
Countries that did a lot of testing early in the pandemic , and followed it up by tracing the contacts of anyone who was infected , have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In South Korea , for example , they ramped up testing early on in the outbreak and managed to contain the virus .
Less than 300 people have died with coronavirus in the country , which has a population of about 50 million .
But as the chart above shows , it was n't until several weeks after the first death in the US that officials really stepped up testing .
The top US health official for infectious diseases , Anthony Fauci , admitted in early March that the testing system was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not able to supply tests `` easily , the way people in other countries are doing it '' .
The number of daily tests shows the US is well past those initial problems , but progress can still be made .
If the 15m figure is accurate , that would still only be 4.5 % of the population .
• The lost six weeks when US failed to contain outbreak • Things the US has got right - and got wrong So what happens next in the US ?
The death toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slower rate , and one model that has been cited by the White House predicts it could be at nearly 150,000 by August - although its projections have come in low in the past .
One of the issues with making projections is that no one is quite sure what effect the gradual reopening of the US economy will have on the spread of the virus .
At one point , more than 90 % of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders , but the majority of states have now begun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ White House has outlined a set of criteria for states to meet before they begin reopening , including seeing a downward trajectory of case numbers for two weeks .
But a group of public health experts say only a couple of states are hitting the targets .
Dr Fauci has warned states that they will see `` little spikes that might turn into outbreaks '' if they reopen before getting the virus under control .
But his advice has contradicted that of President Trump , who is keen to get the US economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The latest figures show that nearly a quarter of the American workforce have lost their jobs since the outbreak began .
Asked earlier this month whether lives would be lost to reopen the country , Mr Trump said : `` Will some people be affected badly ?
Yes .
But we have to get our country opened and we have to get it open soon . ''
Even if states continue to ease restrictions , it 's unclear whether the American public will be eager to return to shops and restaurants just yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Research Center found that 70 % of Americans were concerned that states would reopen too quickly .

Coronavirus: How the pandemic in US compares with rest of world Published 27 May 2020
Two days after the US recorded its first case of coronavirus, Donald Trump said the situation was "totally under control" and assured the public it was "going to be just fine".
Fast forward four months and the virus has spread across all 50 states, leaving a death toll of 100,000 from more than 1.6 million confirmed cases.
We've taken a look at how those figures compare to other countries around the world and how the situation could develop over the next few months.
How does the situation in the US compare?
Image source, Reuters Image caption, President Trump points at a chart showing mortality rates at a White House briefing in April
The death toll in the US became the highest in the world in early April and has risen dramatically since then.
President Donald Trump initially said "50 to 60,000" people could die during the outbreak but in May he said he was hopeful the toll would be lower than 100,000. That benchmark has now been hit though and there are still about 1,000 deaths a day on average.
Rather than focus on deaths, Mr Trump has preferred to cite the mortality rate - that is the number of people that have died relative to the country's population - as evidence that the US has dealt with the virus more effectively than some other nations.
The chart below shows the countries with the highest death tolls and, to the right, their mortality rate. You can see that by that measure there are several countries where a greater proportion of the population has died during the coronavirus outbreak.
Belgium, with a population of 11.5 million, has seen 82 people in every 100,000 die during its coronavirus outbreak while the US, with a population of around 330 million, has seen nearly 30 people in every 100,000 die.
But if you look at New York - the worst-hit state in the US - the mortality rate there is close to 150 people in every 100,000, which shows that there is a lot of variation across the US.
One of the problems with comparing countries is that many of them report deaths in different ways. Belgium, for instance, includes deaths where coronavirus was suspected of being present but was never confirmed with a test. Some US states record deaths this way, but not all.
There have also been questions over whether official data from some countries can be trusted. Critics of China in particular have accused it of under-reporting the scale of its outbreak.
Another issue is that countries could be at different stages of an outbreak. In many European countries it's clear that daily cases numbers are coming down significantly and they are past the peak. But you can't say the same for the US at the moment.
New York over the worst, but is the US?
Several countries in Europe had outbreaks around the same time as the US and all of them have seen the number of deaths grow quickly, peak and then fall away. The US has not.
One of the reasons the number of daily deaths in the US has plateaued rather than fallen is the sheer size of the country - rather than one large outbreak, there have been multiple centres of infection that developed at different times and spread at different rates.
In New York, the virus struck early, spread quickly and peaked in early April. In the rest of the US, however, the number of daily deaths has been slow to fall.
Some other states that were badly affected early on, like Louisiana and Michigan, have also seen a substantial drop in the number of daily deaths like that in New York.
But as the situation in those states has improved, others have worsened. About a third of all states saw more deaths last week compared to the week before, with Rhode Island, Mississippi and Ohio seeing some of the largest percentage increases.
US leads the way in testing, but only now
Image source, EPA Image caption, President Trump has been keen to highlight the high rate of testing in the US in recent weeks
In recent weeks, President Trump has been keen to talk about the number of tests being done in the US. The most recent data says the US has carried out about 15 million so far.
That figure puts the US way ahead of other countries, but when it comes to using testing to try to control the virus, there is more to it than the total number you've conducted.
Countries that did a lot of testing early in the pandemic, and followed it up by tracing the contacts of anyone who was infected, have been most successful in slowing the spread.
In South Korea, for example, they ramped up testing early on in the outbreak and managed to contain the virus. Less than 300 people have died with coronavirus in the country, which has a population of about 50 million.
But as the chart above shows, it wasn't until several weeks after the first death in the US that officials really stepped up testing.
The top US health official for infectious diseases, Anthony Fauci, admitted in early March that the testing system was "currently failing" and that the US was not able to supply tests "easily, the way people in other countries are doing it".
The number of daily tests shows the US is well past those initial problems, but progress can still be made. If the 15m figure is accurate, that would still only be 4.5% of the population.
So what happens next in the US?
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Several states saw protests against stay-at-home orders in early May
The death toll is still rising, albeit at a slower rate, and one model that has been cited by the White House predicts it could be at nearly 150,000 by August - although its projections have come in low in the past.
One of the issues with making projections is that no one is quite sure what effect the gradual reopening of the US economy will have on the spread of the virus.
At one point, more than 90% of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders, but the majority of states have now begun to loosen their stay-at-home restrictions.
The White House has outlined a set of criteria for states to meet before they begin reopening, including seeing a downward trajectory of case numbers for two weeks. But a group of public health experts say only a couple of states are hitting the targets.
Dr Fauci has warned states that they will see "little spikes that might turn into outbreaks" if they reopen before getting the virus under control.
But his advice has contradicted that of President Trump, who is keen to get the US economy restarted ahead of his re-election campaign. The latest figures show that nearly a quarter of the American workforce have lost their jobs since the outbreak began.
Asked earlier this month whether lives would be lost to reopen the country, Mr Trump said: "Will some people be affected badly? Yes. But we have to get our country opened and we have to get it open soon."


bbc--2020-05-27--Nasa SpaceX launch: Big day called off because of weather

Poor weather has forced SpaceX to call off the launch of Nasa astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station ( ISS ) .
The two men were due to go up from the Kennedy Space Center in what would have been the first orbital mission from the US in nine years .
But unfavourable atmospheric conditions prompted controllers to call a stop just 16 minutes before lift-off .
The next opportunity for SpaceX and Nasa will come on Saturday .
If that 's no good , there would be a third opportunity on Sunday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the designated launch time of 16:33 EDT were probably acceptable .
But this was an instantaneous launch window where the SpaceX Falcon rocket and its Dragon crew capsule had to leave on time or they would n't be able to catch the space station .
It meant everyone had to stand down , including President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump , and VP Mike Pence and his wife , Karen .
They 'd all flown in to watch the historic launch .
`` I know there 's a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' reflected Nasa Administrator Jim Bridenstine .
`` But this was a great day for Nasa and for SpaceX .
Our teams worked together in a really impressive way , making good decisions all along .
So , let 's go ; let 's go get this done .
Saturday is going to be a great day . ''
There is great interest in this mission .
Not since the retirement of the shuttles in 2011 has America been able to launch its own astronauts into space - a big gap in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Russian Soyuz vehicles .
But Hurley 's and Behnken 's mission is about more than just pride .
Nasa is giving up its past practice of owning and operating the space systems it uses in low-Earth orbit and intends in future simply to buy crew transport services from the private sector - much like a company might outsource its payroll or HR needs .
SpaceX is the first of these new service providers .
Mr Bridenstine believes the approach will save his agency money that can then be spent on missions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ envision a future where low-Earth orbit is entirely commercialised , where Nasa is one customer of many customers , where we have numerous providers that are competing on cost , on innovation and safety , '' he said .
`` We are proving out a business model that ultimately will enable us to go to the Moon , this time sustainably .
In other words , we 're going to go to the Moon to stay . ''
Wednesday 's launch attempt went ahead against the background of the coronavirus crisis .
Crowds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kennedy complex , and Nasa itself severely limited the number of guests invited on to the site .
As for the astronauts , they would ordinarily observe a quarantine before flight .
But again Nasa reduced the number of people the men could come into contact with , and those that had to get close were instructed to wear masks .
Saturday 's opportunity , if taken , will be at 15:22 EDT .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

"I know there's a lot of disappointment today. The weather got us," reflected Nasa Administrator Jim Bridenstine. "But this was a great day for Nasa and for SpaceX. Our teams worked together in a really impressive way, making good decisions all along. So, let's go; let's go get this done. Saturday is going to be a great day."


bbc--2020-05-27--Meng Wanzhou: Huawei executive suffers US extradition blow

A Canadian court has ruled that the case of senior Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou , who is fighting extradition to the United States , can go forward .
A judge found that the case meets the threshold of double criminality - meaning the charges would be crimes in both the US and Canada .
The US wants Ms Meng to stand trial on charges linked to the alleged violation of US sanctions against Iran .
Her case has created a rift between China and Canada .
Her lead defence lawyer , Richard Peck , has argued in court that Canada @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US sanctions '' .
But Associate Chief Justice Heather Holmes ruled Wednesday in British Columbia 's Supreme Court in Vancouver that the crimes she is charged with in the US would also have been crimes in Canada in 2018 .
The approach taken by Ms Meng 's lawyers , if upheld , `` would seriously limit Canada 's ability to fulfil its international obligations in the extradition context for fraud and other economic crimes , '' she added .
The US has charged Ms Meng with fraud over a Huawei-owned company 's alleged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US and China have already been strained by disputes over trade and the future of Hong Kong .
Washington has been lobbying its allies - including the UK - to not use Huawei 's 5G technology services in critical communications infrastructure , alleging it could be a security threat .
Following Wednesday 's ruling , Reid Weingarten , a US lawyer for Ms Meng , said his client should `` not be a pawn or a hostage '' in the China-US relationship .
`` Today 's ruling in Canada is only the opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are confident that ultimately justice will be done , '' he added .
Meanwhile , a spokesman for Huawei , Benjamin Howes , said the company was `` disappointed '' in the ruling .
`` We have repeatedly expressed confidence in Ms Meng 's innocence .
Huawei continues to stand with Ms Meng in her pursuit for justice and freedom . ''
China has repeatedly called for Ms Meng to be released , and on Tuesday Beijing warned the case would cause `` continuous harm to China-Canada relations '' .
Following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canada told CBC news : `` The purpose of the United States is to bring down Huawei and other Chinese high-tech companies , and Canada has been acting in the process as an accomplice of the United States .
The whole case is entirely a grave political incident . ''
China is believed to have arrested two Canadians - Michael Kovrig , a former diplomat , and Michael Spavor , a businessman - in retaliation for Ms Meng 's arrest .
Canada 's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calls their continued detention `` arbitrary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judicial system that functions without interference or override by politicians , '' Mr Trudeau said last week .
`` China does n't work quite the same way and does n't seem to understand that . ''
• Canadians held for a year by China are 'resilient' On Wednesday , Mr Kovrig 's former employer called on China to release him .
`` Ruling was not about our colleague Michael Kovrig & ought have no bearing on his case , '' tweeted Robert Malley , president and CEO of International Crisis Group .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pawn . ''
'Case gives US leverage in 5G row' This case was just the first step in Ms Meng 's fight against US extradition .
Still , it is a blow to Huawei and the Chinese government .
A ruling in Ms Meng 's favour would have helped China portray the US as a bully , and given Huawei a leg up as it pushes for a larger role in global 5G networks .
The US has not shied away from throwing its weight around to prevent the Chinese telecoms giant from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the high-speed internet networks .
Even though this case is n't directly about 5G , it does give the US leverage to paint Huawei 's chief financial officer as a bad actor .
It 's not all bad news for Ms Meng or Huawei .
Her case now moves to another round of hearings - this time about whether the Canadian police who arrested her violated her rights .
If she is successful in that case she could be sent home , perhaps a little later than hoped but with just as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Ms Meng is the chief financial officer of Huawei and the daughter of its founder Ren Zhengfei .
• What would happen if the UK ditched Huawei ?
She has been out on bail but under house arrest in Vancouver , where she owns property , since shortly after she was detained in December 2018 .
Not long after her arrest , China detained two Canadian nationals - Mr Kovrig and Mr Spavor - and has accused the pair of espionage .
The move by Beijing is widely viewed as `` hostage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on Canada to release the Huawei executive .
`` The Government of Canada 's top priority is and remains securing the release of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor , who have been arbitrarily detained for over 500 days .
We will continue to advocate for their immediate release , '' said Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne after Wednesday 's ruling .
Ms Meng 's arrest also led to a trade row between Canada and China .
What is next in the case ?
A second hearing , focusing on allegations of abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the law while arresting Ms Meng , is currently scheduled for next month .
Even if a Canadian court eventually recommends extradition , it is the federal justice minister who makes the ultimate decision .
It is highly likely the overall process could be lengthy .
Ms Meng has avenues to appeal throughout the process and some extradition cases have dragged on for years .

This case was just the first step in Ms Meng's fight against US extradition. Still, it is a blow to Huawei and the Chinese government. A ruling in Ms Meng's favour would have helped China portray the US as a bully, and given Huawei a leg up as it pushes for a larger role in global 5G networks.


bbc--2020-05-27--Trump and Biden trade barbs over wearing a mask

The president said churches should be considered essential but it will be up to governors whether they open .

President Donald Trump has not worn a mask for public engagements during the coronavirus pandemic. He mocked his likely presidential challenger, Joe Biden, for wearing a face covering on Memorial Day. The Democrat hit back.


bbc--2020-05-27--Hong Kong 'no longer autonomous from China' - Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has told Congress that Hong Kong no longer merits special treatment under US law .
The declaration could have major implications for Hong Kong 's trade hub status and is likely to anger Beijing .
`` No reasonable person can assert today that Hong Kong maintains a high degree of autonomy from China , given facts on the ground , '' he said in a statement .
It follows Beijing 's plan to impose a controversial new security law on the territory .
The security law was `` only the latest in a series @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's autonomy and freedoms , '' Mr Pompeo said .
`` It is now clear that China is modelling Hong Kong after itself , '' he added .
Hong Kong police have arrested hundreds of people amid new anti-mainland unrest .
What is the significance of Pompeo 's statement ?
Until now the US has given Hong Kong - a global financial and trading hub - special status under US law .
The provision dates from when the territory was a British colony and gives it favourable trading terms .
But since last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US secretary of state regularly certifying that Hong Kong maintains sufficient autonomy from mainland China .
If the secretary of state fails to certify this , the US Congress can revoke Hong Kong 's special trade status .
This would mean treating Hong Kong the same as mainland China for trade and other purposes .
What impact would revoking status have ?
It could jeopardise billions of dollars worth of trade between Hong Kong and the US and could dissuade people from investing there in the future .
It would also hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a kind of middleman for transactions with the rest of the world .
Mainland companies and multinational firms use the territory as an international or regional base .
Shortly after Mr Pompeo 's declaration , prominent pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong called on US , European and Asian leaders to follow his lead and reconsider Hong Kong 's special trade status if Beijing imposes the security law .
`` Once the law is implemented , Hong Kong will be assimilated into China 's authoritarian regime , on both rule of law and human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The security law would create `` massive damage to expats and investors in Hong Kong '' , he said .
Maintaining the city 's autonomy was the `` only way '' to protect business , he added .
US 'nuclear option ' on Hong Kong will infuriate Beijing Mr Pompeo 's latest declaration serves as a warning to Beijing that the special administrative region 's preferential treatment is at risk .
It has huge economic implications , but the geopolitical implications may be even greater .
The move will likely meet angry reaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US-China relations , which appear to be in free fall amid tensions over trade , the pandemic and technological rivalry .
A key question to ask is how much removing Hong Kong 's special trade status helps Hongkongers fighting for their autonomy and freedoms .
Or does it mostly punish people in Hong Kong while adding limited strategic leverage over China ?
What is Beijing 's security law about ?
Beijing has proposed imposing it in Hong Kong .
It would ban treason , secession , sedition and subversion and China says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have grown in the territory .
• The background you need on Hong Kong 's protests • Hong Kong security law : Why is it worrying people ?
The anti-mainland sentiment was fuelled last year by a proposed - and later scrapped - bill that would have allowed criminal suspects to be extradited to China .
Critics say the security law is a direct attempt to curtail the freedoms given Hong Kong in the mini-constitution that was agreed when sovereignty was handed back to China in 1997 .
Hong Kong 's Chief Executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is set to go to a vote this week and could be in force as early as the end of June , will curtail the rights of Hong Kong residents .
A group of 200 senior politicians from around the world have issued a joint statement criticising China 's plan .
On Tuesday , President Donald Trump said the US would announce a `` very powerful '' response to the proposed legislation before the end of the week .
China 's plans had already been condemned by Secretary of State Mike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` death knell '' for the city 's freedoms .
The UK , Australia and Canada have also expressed their `` deep concern '' .


bbc--2020-05-27--Larry Kramer: Playwright and Aids activist dies at 84

US playwright , author and Aids activist Larry Kramer has died at the age of 84 .
Kramer wrote the landmark 1985 play The Normal Heart , about the early years of Aids , and 1992 's The Destiny of Me .
He was a pivotal and confrontational figure during the Aids crisis in the 1980s , co-founding the first gay men 's support group and aggressively lobbying officials to take action .
He had made his name as a screenwriter , earning an Oscar nomination in 1971 for adapting DH Lawrence 's Women in Love .
He also published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1977 .
At the start of the 1980s , he put his energies into rallying support and awareness for the fight against HIV and Aids .
Kramer first became aware of the disease after friends living next door in New York died .
`` No one was saying anything , '' he later said .
`` I often make the comparison with a war reporter whose parachute drops behind enemy lines and he realises he 's faced with the greatest story he can tell .
I was not a political person before all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 80 people in his apartment in 1982 , he helped found Gay Men 's Health Crisis and began fundraising , campaigning and writing about the subject .
`` You should have seen the faces , '' he said of that meeting .
`` We all had friends who died ...
If one of us had it , we all had it . ''
He later formed Act Up , a radical protest group , and in 1989 learned he was HIV positive himself and suffering from liver damage .
He had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experimental HIV drugs by Anthony Fauci - the medical researcher now leading the fight against the coronavirus in the US .
Dr Fauci told the New York Times : `` Once you got past the rhetoric , you found that Larry Kramer made a lot of sense , and that he had a heart of gold . ''
Kramer 's friend and literary executor Will Schwalbe said the playwright 's death was not related to the Covid-19 pandemic .
Asked by the BBC World Service in 1995 whether it was possible to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kramer replied : `` Why not ?
The question that occurs to me all the time is why so few other writers are .
`` What annoys me so much about England and America is most of the writers are so removed from politics . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .


bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: Von der Leyen calls €750bn recovery fund 'Europe's moment'

A recovery fund worth €750bn ( £670bn ; $ 825bn ) has been proposed by the EU 's executive Commission to help the EU tackle an `` unprecedented crisis '' .
The package will be made up of grants and loans for every EU member state .
Economies across the 27-nation EU bloc have been ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic , but several southern states had big debts even before the crisis .
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said `` this is Europe 's moment '' .
`` Things we take for granted are being questioned .
None of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country alone , '' she told the European Parliament .
`` This is about all of us and it is way bigger than any of us . ''
The Commission has dubbed the plan Next Generation EU .
Without the backing of all 27 EU member states , it can not go ahead .
But Germany and France have backed plans for the money to be raised on the capital markets .
Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said the fund was a `` European turning point '' that would be added to instruments that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy have seen the highest number of deaths in the EU during the coronavirus crisis and , in the wake of the financial crisis , are particularly keen on grants rather than loans being added to their public debt .
Several `` frugal '' states object to taking on debt for other countries .
Austria , the Netherlands , Denmark and Sweden reject the idea of cash handouts to relatively poorer countries .
• Why Merkel may help fund Europe 's virus recovery • A PR show of EU unity to the wider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president say ?
Mrs von der Leyen said the €750bn fund would be made up of €500bn in grants and €250bn in loans .
It would be raised by lifting the EU 's resources ceiling to 2 % of EU gross national income and would be reliant on the EU 's strong credit rating .
When added to a proposed €1.1 trillion budget for 2021-27 , the €750bn recovery fund would bring to €1.85tn the amount that the Commission says will `` kick-start our economy and ensure Europe bounces forward '' .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ package , that would amount to a total of €2.4tn , said the Commission president .
The EU 's much-cherished four freedoms had to be fully restored , she added , those of freedom of people , goods , services and capital .
She said `` this is an urgent and exceptional need for an urgent and exceptional crisis '' .
The money raised on the capital markets would be paid back over 30 years between 2028 and 2058 , but not later .
The Commission says it could be paid back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery has to be based on green and digital policies as well as `` increased resilience '' and lessons learned from the Covid-19 crisis .
The budget will be `` equipped with increased firepower to be able to generate massive investment at the scale and speed needed to kick-start all our economies '' , he says .
The European Central Bank has played a key role in helping eurozone countries emerge from the debt crisis with its stimulus programme of bond-buying .
But concerns about the ECB programme 's future were raised earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled that it violated the German constitution .
The UK has left the EU so is unlikely to have any involvement in the fund as it stands .
Ursula von der Leyen 's pitch was just the start of what will take a huge effort to get all member states on side , especially as the Commission wants this agreed at the next leaders ' summit in three weeks ' time .
But I get a clear sense there 's not yet an overall majority in favour .
Southern Mediterranean countries have all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told me , if agreed , Italy may be eligible for grants of up to 5 % of the country 's GDP .
Many , including Poland , Hungary , Bulgaria and Lithuania , wo n't commit either way until they 've read the small print .
`` With these things , the devil is often in the detail , '' one Bulgarian official told me .
An Austrian diplomat was encouraged €250bn would be raised through loans but suggested €500bn in grants was a `` non-starter '' at this point .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face-to-face meeting between leaders to forge a compromise , and that 's not likely to happen until internal borders are reopened over the summer .
What do EU leaders say ?
French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of an `` essential day for Europe '' while Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said : `` Now let 's speed up the negotiation and make the resources available soon . ''
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the plan included `` many of our demands '' and was `` a starting point for negotiations '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposal '' and it was now up to member states to `` rise to the occasion '' .
There was a more cautious reaction from some of the so-called `` frugal '' states .
Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said the current budget plan was `` simply too high '' .
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte had already warned on Tuesday that a recovery fund `` should consist of loans , without any mutualisation of debts '' .
How green is the recovery fund ?
Plans for the long-heralded Green Recovery Fund have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups , even though exact details are yet to be revealed .
Campaigners have argued that it is vital for the EU to spend its post Covid-19 stimulus on projects that will also help tackle the climate crisis .
They say the package should drive investment into projects needed to meet Europe 's net zero emissions target .
That includes building renovation , renewables , clean transport , industrial innovation and better land use and food systems .
But there 's annoyance that Brussels has given way to regions by allowing them to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2022 - even if that means investing in schemes which are good for job-creation but bad for the climate .

"Things we take for granted are being questioned. None of that can be fixed by any single country alone," she told the European Parliament. "This is about all of us and it is way bigger than any of us."


bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: Cyprus to pay holiday costs of infected tourists

Cyprus has pledged to cover the holiday costs of anyone who tests positive for the virus after travelling there .
In a letter made public on Wednesday , the government said it would pay for accommodation , medicine and food for patients and their families .
Tourists `` will only need to bear the cost of their airport transfer and repatriation flight '' .
It is part of a package of measures aimed at drawing visitors back to the island , which has reported few cases .
According to Johns Hopkins University data , the country has confirmed 939 infections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 15 % of the country 's GDP last year , and so the government is straining to bring back travellers as soon as possible .
• We will have summer tourist season , promises EU • Will I be able to go on holiday this year ?
`` The hit is massive , and we are trying to do our best now and do what we can for the remainder of the season , '' deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios reportedly said .
`` We have worked extremely hard to keep the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also said a 100-bed hospital would be set aside specifically for tourists who test positive , as well as several so-called `` quarantine hotels '' for the patients ' families .
Cyprus plans to reopen its airports on 9 June to a number of countries that are seen to be low risk , including Germany , Greece , Israel and Malta .
Authorities will update the list weekly .
Mr Perdios reportedly said the UK and Russia - which together account for more than half of all holiday-goers on Cyprus - will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island in July .
European governments are discussing how best to reopen for the summer season as the outbreak comes under control across swathes of the continent .
Last week 11 member states - Austria , Bulgaria , Croatia , Cyprus , Germany , Greece , Italy , Malta , Portugal , Slovenia and Spain - agreed to a set of rules aimed at allowing cross-border travel while minimising the risk of Covid-19 infections .
Days later Greece announced that its tourism season would restart in June .
What do I need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise

"The hit is massive, and we are trying to do our best now and do what we can for the remainder of the season," deputy tourism minister Savvas Perdios reportedly said. "We have worked extremely hard to keep the virus in check here."


bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: Rugby league returns to Australia despite Covid-19 fears

On May 28 , the National Rugby League competition in Australia will resume .
The league is enforcing tough restrictions @ @ @ @ @ minimise the risks , amid fears the game is a perfect environment for coronavirus to @ @

On May 28, the National Rugby League competition in Australia will resume.
The league is enforcing tough restrictions on players and officials to minimise the risks, amid fears the game is a perfect environment for coronavirus to spread.


bbc--2020-05-27--Romina Ashrafi: Outrage in Iran after girl murdered ‘for eloping’

Police in Iran have arrested a man accused of murdering his 14-year-old daughter in a so-called honour killing that has sparked widespread outrage .
Romina Ashrafi ran away from home in Gilan province with her 35-year-old boyfriend after her father objected to their marriage , local media said .
The pair were found by police and Romina was sent home despite reportedly telling them she feared for her life .
Last Thursday night , she was allegedly attacked by her father in her bedroom .
News outlet Gilkhabar.ir reported that Romina was `` decapitated '' with a sickle , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house `` with the sickle in his hand and confessed '' .
• The women killed on one day around the world On Wednesday , a number of national newspapers highlighted Romina 's story on their front pages .
`` Insecure paternal home '' , read the headline in the pro-reform Ebtekar , which lamented the failure of existing legislation to protect women and girls .
Meanwhile , the Persian hashtag # Romina_Ashrafi has been used more than 50,000 times on Twitter , with most users condemning the killing and the patriarchal nature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Molaverdi , a former vice-president for women and family affairs and the current secretary of Iran 's Society for Protecting Women 's Rights , wrote : `` Romina is neither the first nor will she be the last victim of honour killings . ''
She added that such murders would continue `` as long as the law and dominant cultures in local and global communities are not deterring enough '' .
Iran 's Islamic penal code reduces punitive measures for fathers and other family members who are convicted of murder or physically harming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killings '' .
What is an 'honour killing ' ?
It is the killing of a member of a family who is perceived to have brought dishonour upon relatives .
Pressure group Human Rights Watch says the most common reasons are that the victim : • refused to enter into an arranged marriage • was the victim of a sexual assault or rape • had sexual relations outside marriage , even if only alleged But killings can be carried out for more trivial reasons , like dressing in a way deemed inappropriate or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man is found guilty of murdering his daughter in Iran , the punishment is between three and 10 years in prison , rather than the normal death sentence or payment of diyeh ( blood money ) for murder cases .
There are no statistics on the prevalence of `` honour killings '' in Iran , but human rights activists reported last year that they continued to occur , particularly among rural and tribal populations , according to the US state department .


bbc--2020-05-27--Félicien Kabuga: Captured fugitive denies financing Rwanda's genocide

The man accused of financing the Rwandan genocide has denied playing a role in the massacres .
`` All of this is lies .
I have not killed any Tutsis .
I was working with them , '' Félicien Kabuga told a French court during a bail hearing .
The 84-year-old businessman was arrested earlier this month in a suburb in Paris after 26 years on the run .
He is alleged to have backed and armed ethnic Hutu militias who slaughtered about 800,000 people in 1994 .
Over 100 days they targeted members of the minority Tutsi community and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ethnic origin .
• The radio show which brought children back from the dead Mr Kabuga also founded and funded the notorious Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines ( RTLM ) , a Rwandan broadcaster that actively encouraged people to search out and kill anyone who was from the Tutsi ethnic group .
In 1997 he was indicted by The International Criminal Tribunal ( ICTR ) for Rwanda on seven counts including with genocide and crimes against humanity .
The UN tribunal wound up its operations in 2015 and its duties were transferred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handles outstanding war crimes cases and is pressing for Mr Kabuga 's extradition .
His lawyers argue that Mr Kabuga , who was detained in a dawn raid on 16 May in the suburb of Asnières-sur-Seine where he had been living under a false identity , should be tried in France instead of being transferred .
• Considered the richest man in Rwanda before the 1994 genocide • Made his fortune from tea in the 1970s and ventured into many other sectors at home and elsewhere • Was close to the ruling MRND @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Juvénal Habyarimana , who died in 1994 • Accused of being the top sponsor of the genocide plan and using his business and premises to organise and fund the killing • The main owner of the private radio station RTLM that was accused of inciting ethnic Hutus to kill Tutsis • The United States had offered a reward of $ 5m ( £4.1m ) for information leading to his arrest BBC Great Lakes reporter Samba Cyuzuzo says Mr Kabuga 's denial in court , made in Kinyarwanda and translated by an interpreter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than a quarter of century .
Police say during this time he used 28 aliases to evade capture .
The court rejected a request to release Mr Kabuga on the grounds of age and ill health as prosecutors said the octogenarian was a flight risk .
It will rule on the extradition request on 3 June .
Whilst on the run Mr Kabuga is alleged to have stayed in many countries in East Africa , including Kenya , where he and his family had business interests .
The search is still on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dozens of Hutus were convicted for their role in the killings by the ICTR and hundreds of thousands more faced trial in community courts in Rwanda .

His lawyers argue that Mr Kabuga, who was detained in a dawn raid on 16 May in the suburb of Asnières-sur-Seine where he had been living under a false identity, should be tried in France instead of being transferred.


bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: Professional athletes train in lockdown

In the UK and beyond , professional and Olympic athletes have been striving to maintain their strict training regimes , @ @ @ @ @ .
Here are photos taken in May showing how some athletes have been maintaining their @ @ @

In the UK and beyond, professional and Olympic athletes have been striving to maintain their strict training regimes, whilst adhering to lockdown restrictions.


bbc--2020-05-27--The blind teen who's a favourite to win Britain's Got Talent

A blind 15-year-old girl has become one of the bookies ' favourites to win this year 's Britain 's Got @ @ @ @ @ weekend .
Sirine Jahangir , who lost her sight at the age of 10 , @ @ @ @ @ and piano-playing during audition rounds for the reality show .
The preliminary episodes of the @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus lockdown came into effect .

A blind 15-year-old girl has become one of the bookies' favourites to win this year's Britain's Got Talent.
Sirine Jahangir, who lost her sight at the age of 10, impressed judges with her singing and piano-playing during audition rounds for the reality show.
The preliminary episodes of the series were recorded before the coronavirus lockdown came into effect.
Sirine spoke to BBC Asian Network's Shabnam Mahmood.
Produced and edited by Sophie van Brugen


bbc--2020-05-27--Nasa SpaceX launch: Evolution of the spacesuit

The spacesuits that will be worn by astronauts on Wednesday 's Crew Dragon launch have been getting a lot of attention .
How do they differ from other attire worn by astronauts down the years ?
The futuristic flight suits that will be worn by Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on Wednesday look like they 're a world away from the bulky orange shuttle flight suits worn when astronauts last launched from Florida 's Kennedy Space Center .
The helmets are 3D-printed and the gloves are touchscreen-sensitive .
But their primary purpose remains the same - to protect crew members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the capsule .
They also provide ensure that astronauts have sufficient oxygen and regulate temperature .
A communications link and breathable air are provided via a single `` umbilical '' cable in the seat that `` plugs in '' to the suit .
The Starman suits , as they 've been called , are all in one piece and customised for the astronaut .
Their look was conceived by Hollywood costume designer Jose Fernandez , who has worked on Captain America : Civil War and Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for use inside the SpaceX capsule , known as the Crew Dragon .
They 're not suitable for use on spacewalks .
Aerospace giant Boeing also has a contract with Nasa to carry astronauts to the space station in its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft .
It has also developed a pressure suit to protect astronauts during the key phases of launch and re-entry .
The Boeing Blue suits are about 40 % lighter than earlier generations of spacesuits worn by American astronauts - and more flexible .
It contains a series of different internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suit also has touchscreen-sensitive gloves - so astronauts can work with tablets in the spacecraft .
The suit 's soft , hood-like helmet features a wide polycarbonate visor to give Starliner passengers better peripheral vision throughout their ride to and from space .
Zips in the torso area will make it easier for astronauts to comfortably transition from sitting to standing .
In October 2019 , Nasa shared a close-up look at two next-generation suits for the agency 's Artemis programme .
Under this effort , Nasa will seek to return astronauts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency 's Orion spacecraft .
One of the suits is called the Orion Crew Survival System , and is comparable to the suits used by SpaceX and Boeing .
It recalls the so-called Pumpkin suits used by space shuttle astronauts , but is more lightweight .
The other suit , called the Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit ( xEMU ) suit is designed to be worn on the surface of the Moon .
It is much bulkier than the pressure suits designed to be worn inside spacecraft .
This is because it needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the walls of the spacecraft , and provide some shielding against micrometeorites and other small particles of space debris .
In that respect , it is similar to suits previously used for spacewalking at the International Space Station .
There are two suits used for spacewalking at the ISS .
One is the Russian Orlan type , which was first used in December 1977 .
The Orlan is a one-piece spacesuit .
The `` backpack '' opens like a fridge door , allowing the spacewalker to climb inside .
Nasa 's Extravehicular Mobility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1981 and is the other suit used for spacewalks at the ISS .
Unlike the Orlan , the EMU comes in two separate pieces - a bottom and top half .
The semi-rigid suit provides around 8.5 hours of life support for its wearer outside in the vacuum of space .
Astronauts travelling to the ISS train with both the EMU and Orlan suits .
The suits worn by Apollo astronauts on the Moon were also called the EMU .
It was the result of years of development .
Spacesuits have come a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the late cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in March 1965 .
Leonov 's suit inflated after he stepped out into the vacuum , so that his hands came out of his gloves .
Only by bleeding air out of the suit , which put the cosmonaut at risk of the bends , was he able to get back inside the spacecraft .
The Crew Dragon spacecraft is set for launch at 16:33 EDT / 21:33 BST from Kennedy Space Center in Florida .

This is because it needs to protect the wearer from temperature extremes outside the walls of the spacecraft. It is also designed to provide some shielding against micrometeorites and other small particles of space debris. In these respects, it is similar to suits previously used for spacewalking at the International Space Station (ISS).


bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: Nightmare spreads through Russia's care homes

When Alexei Sidnev saw the horror caused by coronavirus in European care homes he knew he had to act fast .
Way back in March , before any lockdown in Russia , he began sealing off the six homes he runs near Moscow and buying-up protective clothing for staff .
`` I do n't sleep much .
It 's probably the hardest time of my life and I 've been through perestroika and all the crises , '' Mr Sidnev confides , recalling the Soviet Union 's reform and eventual collapse .
But while the businessman shares his own trials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia 's state care sector plays out old-style , largely behind closed doors .
`` I know of many care homes right now fighting the virus , it 's just not public , '' Mr Sidnev says .
'In our place no-one does autopsies' The story of a Covid-19 outbreak at the Vishenki home for the elderly in Smolensk , 400km ( 250 miles ) west of Moscow , is one hint at how that wider picture may look .
`` What 's happening here is a nightmare , '' a carer told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens from the state-run home who are now off sick after residents and staff caught coronavirus .
At the start of this month , residents and staff began catching Covid-19 at this home in Smolensk .
All those we spoke to asked to remain anonymous because they want to keep their jobs .
`` By 3 May lots of residents had a fever and they started dying , '' the nurse recalled .
`` I think about eight people died and that 's just on my floor . ''
She believes their `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cause of death , rather than Covid-19 .
`` In our place , no-one does autopsies , '' she said .
`` No-one even told us there was Covid-19 in the home ! ''
an orderly complained bitterly , in a separate call .
`` We found out when the ambulances came and they were dressed in those suits . ''
`` We sent a lot of people to hospital , '' she said , and confirmed that other residents had died .
The local governor 's office did not respond to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday Smolensk region had counted just 21 coronavirus fatalities in total .
Across Europe , frail care home residents account for up to half of all coronavirus fatalities .
The figures in Smolensk are in line with the unusually low overall mortality rate that Russia is reporting in this epidemic , at around 1 % .
The government insists that 's down to early diagnosis and treatment , though it only counts those found to have died of Covid-19 directly .
More from Sarah on Russia 's pandemic : • Is Putin rushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia some kind of exception to a shocking trend ?
The official mantra is that the country used its couple of weeks ' grace to good effect , bracing before the full force of Covid-19 hit .
The government certainly advised care homes to stop group gatherings and restrict access in early April .
On 17 April , a telegram then recommended `` full quarantine '' , with carers living in at work for a fortnight at a time to reduce exposure to the virus .
`` The statistics from the UK were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down , desperate not to let the virus in , '' explains Elizaveta Oleskina , the head of the Starost ' v Radost ( Joy in Old Age ) charity which works with many state-run homes .
'Nothing to pay us with' But the homes are funded from limited regional budgets and full quarantine is expensive as carers must self-isolate for a fortnight between shifts .
Staff at Vishenki said their home was already stretched to the limit before the epidemic , with even incontinence pads in short supply .
Managers did consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , then decided against it .
`` The director said she had nothing to pay us with , '' a nurse explained .
By then , coronavirus had already penetrated .
`` When the elderly started getting sick , we guessed what it was and said it was time to quarantine , '' a third employee recalled .
`` But the director said it was just flu , and we should n't worry . ''
The Smolensk governor 's office told the BBC its care homes had been informed of all government recommendations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Covid-19 is now spreading through Russia 's care system .
`` There are cases in places out in the Taiga , 300km from any town , and in a village care home where no Muscovite has ever been , '' Elizaveta Oleskina explains .
Her charity says at least 95 homes have reported cases so far , out of 1,280 in total .
Many are old with large , shared rooms and bathrooms .
`` If a home is big , the virus is like a forest fire - it spreads instantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repeatedly that the sector here is battling the same extraordinary challenges as the rest of the world .
But there is one very Russian factor .
A report by sociologists at Moscow 's Higher School of Economics describes what they call the `` total concealment '' of incidents in care homes , driven by a fear of prosecution for negligence .
On Tuesday , the prosecutor 's office announced it was looking into the situation at Vishenki ; the director has already been cautioned .
'We do n't really know death toll' Alexei @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone learns vital lessons in this unprecedented crisis .
But the man who runs six facilities called Senior Homes near Moscow suspects that old habits die hard .
`` We now know what happened roughly 30 years ago : we learned about it from an HBO series , '' the businessman says , referring to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and Soviet cover-up , recently dramatised on TV .
`` The true amount of the death toll and what 's happening , we do n't really know , '' he says .
`` Maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How big is the epidemic in Britain 's care homes ?

When Alexei Sidnev saw the horror caused by coronavirus in European care homes he knew he had to act fast. Way back in March, before any lockdown in Russia, he began sealing off the six homes he runs near Moscow and buying-up protective clothing for staff.


bbc--2020-05-27--Coronavirus: Inside the pro-China network targeting the US, Hong Kong and an exiled tycoon

Coronavirus : Inside the pro-China network targeting the US , Hong Kong and an exiled tycoon Hundreds of fake or hijacked social media accounts have been pushing pro-Chinese government messages about the coronavirus pandemic on Facebook , Twitter and YouTube , a BBC investigation has found .
The network of more than 1,200 accounts has been amplifying negative messages about those critical of China 's handling of the outbreak while praising Beijing 's response .
Although there is no definitive evidence that this network is linked to the Chinese government , it does display features similar to a state-backed information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter removed last year .
The accounts uncovered by the BBC also share similarities with a resurgent pro-Chinese network spotted by the social media analytics firm Graphika earlier this year .
Dubbed `` Spamouflage Dragon '' , the exposed network both pumped out political messages and targeted Chinese authorities ' critics with spam .
China and the US have been involved in a war of words over the origin of Covid-19 and their response to it .
Government officials , senior politicians and media outlets in both countries have used traditional and social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on which of the two governments is most to blame for the spread and handling of the disease .
Having increased its activity over the past few months , the network uncovered by the BBC continues to grow and add new accounts .
But despite posting content prolifically , it has been relatively low impact .
Many of the accounts failed to gain a significant following .
After BBC News reported its findings to all three social networks , the majority of the accounts , pages and channels were removed .
What messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` Joker1999 '' might look like any other account on Twitter - it has a profile photo , a short biography and it retweets messages about politics .
But upon closer inspection , it 's clear the account is fake .
Its profile image has been taken from a TikTok celebrity and , while it claims to be a blogger from Russia , the account tweets about politics mainly in Chinese .
`` Joker 1999 '' is one of hundreds of fake accounts amplifying Chinese government messages across Twitter , Facebook and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January and May this year .
The accounts criticise the US handling of the coronavirus outbreak , post negative messages about the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and specifically target Guo Wengui , an exiled Chinese property tycoon in the US who has been an outspoken critic of the Chinese government , including for its handling of Covid-19 .
Some accounts focus on only one topic while others post on a range of themes or go dormant and then switch topics .
Chinese authorities have previously accused Mr Guo of financial crimes and rape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business ties to Steve Bannon - President Donald Trump 's former chief strategist - and he 's behind a website that published unproven claims about the origin of the virus .
The BBC identified more than 1,000 Twitter accounts , 53 Facebook pages - with just under 100,000 combined followers - 61 Facebook accounts , and 187 YouTube channels with a total of around 10,000 subscribers .
While not insignificant , the follower counts were nowhere near a level that would be considered highly influential .
On Twitter the network of automated accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focused on criticising Mr Guo .
They would retweet , like and comment on posts to attempt to make them trend , using tags such as # GuoWengui and his name written in Chinese .
Similar to `` Joker1999 '' , the accounts often used stolen or hijacked profiles of Russian speakers and featured fake profile pictures .
Many of them were also created on the same day , a further clue indicating they are part of an automated network .
On Facebook , the network focused strongly on the coronavirus pandemic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US handling of the outbreak , although some accounts also promoted negative messages about Mr Guo and the Hong Kong independence movement .
Although the network largely sprung up in early 2020 , a few accounts also had a longer history , and posted criticism of anti-Chinese government protests in Hong Kong last summer .
The BBC found evidence that at least some of the Facebook pages and accounts originally belonged to users from Bangladesh before they were either hijacked or sold and repurposed to post in Chinese .
These accounts had multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users predominantly from Bangladesh among their Facebook friends and sometimes even exchanged comments in Bengali on their timelines , before abruptly changing their language and identity overnight .
A few accounts also used Russian or English names , although at times they confused genders , for instance using a male name alongside a female profile picture .
On YouTube , the network focused on videos about coronavirus fatalities in the US , and Mr Guo .
Channels uploaded the exact same videos over a short period of time , liked and commented on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playlists of their content .
The network had a core of uploaders with dozens of videos , while some channels only uploaded one or two and mostly focused on boosting the videos of channels with more subscribers .
• Seven types of people who start and spread misinformation The operation was closely coordinated , with dozens of accounts posting the same memes and videos in Chinese and English multiple times , often within minutes of each other .
Some of the pages and accounts mixed highly political messages with softer content : animal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shots of Asian models , and pictures of nature and food .
This mix was most likely an attempt to build large followings while hiding the coordinated and political nature of the main content .
Even before most of its accounts were taken down , the network struggled to gain much traction outside of its bubble .
Most engagements - shares , likes , retweets , comments , views and mentions - come from inside the network , rather than from genuine users .
`` In this case , it looks like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume of pro-Chinese government content , and then to hide it by surrounding it with spammy content , '' says Ben Nimmo , the director of investigations at Graphika .
The intention is to attract the attention of genuine users to the messaging , Mr Nimmo says , `` but it 's being done in an unsophisticated and relatively amateurish way '' .
He says the purpose of networks like this is to create the impression that a lot of social media users support a particular narrative or group ; in this case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem is that this sort of large-scale frontal assault is too crude to convince many people .
It is art imitating reality , but badly . ''
• How you can stop bad information from going viral The set of accounts uncovered by the BBC appears to be a larger part of the `` Spamouflage Dragon '' network exposed by Graphika , Mr Nimmo said .
`` If it is the same network , it went through a batch of takedowns in autumn 2019 , and there was another batch of takedowns this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The network scaled down its activity late last year and mostly posted spam content in November , December and January .
`` It kicked into higher gear once the coronavirus outbreak became a major public relations problem for China , '' Mr Nimmo said .
Despite the repeated takedowns , the network continued to create , buy or rent fake or hijacked accounts and repurpose them to post Chinese content , albeit at a lower rate than earlier in the year .
`` This is a pattern we see with the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come back , but the repetitive effect of being exposed and taken down squeezes the space they have to operate in , and forces them to try to hide instead of trying to build an audience , '' Mr Nimmo said .
A Twitter spokesperson told BBC News : `` Platform manipulation is a violation of our policies and we will take strong enforcement action on any account engaging in these behaviours , regardless of the content they Tweet .
If and when we can reliably attribute these permanently suspended accounts to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all content to our public archive - the only such example in the industry . ''
A Facebook spokesperson said : `` We are grateful to the BBC for reporting these accounts and pages , the majority of which we had already removed under our inauthentic behaviour policies .
We are investigating the remaining accounts . ''
A spokesperson for YouTube said : `` As part of our ongoing efforts to combat coordinated influence operations , over the past several weeks we removed more than a thousand channels that violated our spam policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a coordinated manner while primarily uploading spammy non-political content , although a small subset posted primarily Chinese-language political content , similar to those described in a recent Graphika report . ''
Is there a story we should be investigating ?
Email us Follow us on Twitter @ BBCtrending or on Facebook .

The BBC found evidence that at least some of the Facebook pages and accounts originally belonged to users from Bangladesh before they were either hijacked or sold and repurposed to post in Chinese. These accounts had multiple personal pictures on their timelines, listed users predominantly from Bangladesh among their Facebook friends and sometimes even exchanged comments in Bengali on their timelines, before abruptly changing their language and identity overnight.


bbc--2020-05-28--The High Note: Why Tracee Ellis Ross 'only got better with age'

Usually , when a Hollywood star has a new movie coming out , they fly to London for a publicity blitz .
They 'll often take part in a press junket , which is where the film company hires out an entire floor of an expensive hotel and invites journalists to come and interview them .
It 's efficient for the actors , because they can knock off several interviews in one day , and in one place .
There 's usually a lot of hanging around for the journalists - but if you 're lucky you get a free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're waiting .
But just like pub quizzes , office meetings and first dates , promoting a new Hollywood movie has moved online to Zoom - where sadly there are no free snacks .
At the the launch of the movie The High Note , journalists are shuffled between different virtual meeting rooms , waiting to speak with the film 's star Tracee Ellis Ross .
Thanks to lockdown , the actress is launching and promoting the movie entirely from her own living room .
`` It 's wonderful , but I miss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I do n't have shoes on , so that 's nice !
I 'm at home , that 's nice too .
But I would n't mind seeing you face-to-face and being in your energy , that always makes a difference .
But actually , it is nice to be able to do these things even though we 're in a pandemic , and to do them safely . ''
The High Note tells the story of soul singer Grace Davis ( Ross ) and her assistant Maggie ( Fifty Shades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an aspiring music producer herself .
Grace ( who is not to be confused with the 2017 X Factor runner-up Grace Davies ) is in the autumn of her career .
A pop star over 40 , she is no longer having number one hits and her manager is encouraging her to start a Vegas residency to keep the money coming in .
The character is n't based on anyone specific - but there are plenty of singers who have followed the Vegas route in real life , including Britney Spears , Celine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marks the first time Ross has ever been heard singing .
And pressure is high - her mother is Motown legend Diana Ross .
`` It was my childhood dream , I always wanted to sing , '' she says .
`` I did n't put it away , but I think the longer you wait to do certain things the more frightening they get ...
The idea of comparison because of who my mom is , or the judgement of doing it now at this age , became bigger than the dream @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was like , 'it 's time ' . ''
Ross is best known in the US for starring in TV series including Girlfriends and Black-ish .
Her performance in the latter earned her a Golden Globe Award in 2017 for best TV comedy actress .
The High Note marks her first on-screen film role since 2009 .
She says her successful TV career has been `` incredibly fulfilling '' , but adds : `` The truth is it 's left me little desire to pursue certain things , because I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it takes something I 'm really excited about and then I 'm like 'this is it ' . ''
Ross says she was drawn to the message of the story - which she characterises as being about two women , each pursuing their own dream regardless of what others want from them .
Notably , the two women are `` not against each other '' , as Ross puts it .
`` The dynamic that both of us developed was not the characteristic stereotypical schtick between diva and assistant .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection that was in there , that kind of gave it the right tone . ''
Flora Greeson 's screenplay makes much of Grace 's age .
One scene sees Grace point to how few singers over 40 still score number one hits , especially female artists .
A frustration with ageism is one thing Ross shares with her character .
`` What I know is I have only gotten better with age , '' she says .
`` I think I 'm the sexiest I 've ever been , and I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other women who are in this age bracket and beyond , and I think , 'why was there ever a message of counting us out ? '
That seems absurd .
`` You think of Jennifer Lopez , Marisa Tomei , the list goes on of extraordinary women , and there 's so much to offer at this age .
My mom on stage now at 76 is like , I think she 's better than she 's ever been ! ''
For Ross herself , being in her 40s has n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decade of her career .
`` I do n't think youth is everything , I just do n't , '' Ross says .
`` That wonderful expression 'youth is wasted on the young ' is great .
I mean there are so many good things about youth , but I do n't wan na go back , I 'll tell you that right now - I would n't go back to my 20s if you paid me . ''
Early reviews of The High Note - which is directed by Nisha Ganatra - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ glowing .
David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter said the film `` does have much to recommend it , at least during these lean times '' .
`` It 's the kind of plush , pleasurable comfort viewing that goes down as easily as a favourite artist 's hits compilation , '' he added .
The Daily Mirror 's Lewis Knight said : `` Ultimately , it 's a credit to the lead actresses of The High Note that it remains so watchable despite being rather formulaic and containing some predictable plot turns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of several which had originally been due to open in cinemas this spring .
Most of the others - including Mulan , Fast & Furious 9 and No Time To Die - postponed their release until later in the year , in the hope cinemas will be open again .
But some studios have instead decided to release their films online for movie fans to rent at home .
Trolls World Tour was the first major film out of the gate to do this , and now The High Note is skipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of excited , '' Ross says .
`` Do n't get me wrong , I wanted to see myself on the big screen as Grace Davis , but I have a pretty big TV screen !
I feel like there 's something really wonderful and intimate about being able to meet people where they are , in their homes .
`` I can only speak for myself , and right now I do n't know that I wan na go and sit in a movie theatre .
That does n't sound like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm happy to watch a movie , right here , on the couch ! ''
Audience trepidation about returning to crowded spaces after the coronavirus pandemic could spell serious financial trouble for cinemas , which are already struggling with the loss of income under lockdown .
The industry 's future is uncertain , to put it mildly .
`` I think normal is going to be reshaped for all of us , '' Ross acknowledges , `` so we can respond to the reality of what we 're living in and still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand our lives by watching these stories in a way that matches the reality of where we are . ''
The High Note is available to rent from Friday 29 May from digital retailers .

"It was my childhood dream, I always wanted to sing," she says. "I didn't put it away, but I think the longer you wait to do certain things the more frightening they get... The idea of comparison because of who my mom is, or the judgement of doing it now at this age, became bigger than the dream. So when this role came along, I was like, 'it's time'."


bbc--2020-05-28--Crossing Divides: The bomb maker turned peacemaker

`` I am an expert bomb maker .
I can make bombs in just five minutes . ''
Ali Fauzi was a key member of Jemaah Islamiyah , a militant group with links to al-Qaeda , which was responsible for Indonesia 's worst attack - the 2002 Bali bombing that killed more than 200 people .
`` My brothers carried out the Bali bombing .
It was huge bomb in the heart of the island 's tourist district . ''
The group went on to carry out a string of bombings in Indonesia .
They were deadly attacks on major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sleepy village of Tenggulun in Lamongan , East Java was the group 's base camp .
Now Ali Fauzi 's mission is very different .
He works to help former jihadis leave a life of violence and to stop new recruits from joining the next wave of militant groups in South East Asia .
`` The reality is that it is much easier to recruit people to terrorist groups , '' he says .
`` They only have to pull a trigger and lots of people will join them but the process of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be done step by step . ''
And his new mission has come at a high personal cost .
`` The threats against me are intense , it 's not just verbal attacks but death threats .
But , honestly , I am not scared because I know what I am doing is right .
I am ready and prepared to die doing this . ''
It was videos of foreign wars - in Afghanistan , Bosnia and the Palestinian Territories , watched on mobile phones from their quiet Javanese village - that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ join militant groups .
`` We saw videos of the brutal attacks on civilians .
I wanted to carry out jihad to protect the Muslim people from the bullies .
With young , hot blood I wanted to fight back . ''
While his brothers went to fight alongside the mujahideen , in Afghanistan , Ali Fauzi stayed closer to home , joining Islamic militants fighting for a Muslim homeland in the southern Philippines .
`` I really wanted to die there .
I imagined my own death all the time , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if I was killed in battle I would go straight to heaven and be met by angels there .
That 's what our mentors told us every day . ''
When his brothers returned from Afghanistan , they put into practice what they had learnt abroad .
In October 2002 , they were among a group that detonated two bombs targeting nightclubs in the Kuta area of Bali , the island popular with international tourists .
`` I saw it on TV and I was shocked , there were so many dead bodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It led the authorities right to us . ''
Two of his brothers , Ali Ghufron and Amrozi , were executed while his third , Ali Imron , is behind bars for life .
Ali Fauzi , who insists he was not involved in the Bali bombing , spent three years in jail for other terror-related offences .
That 's when his life took on a dramatically new direction .
• What would you say to the men who killed your mum ?
• 'Meeting the bomber who killed my father' '' Police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tortured me then maybe seven generations after me would be fighting the Indonesian government , '' he says .
`` I hated the police , we thought of them as Satan .
That 's what we were taught .
But the reality was completely different .
That 's when my whole perspective completely changed . ''
He also met victims of bombings his group had carried out .
`` I cried .
My heart melted , seeing the horrific effect our bombs had .
That 's what made me really want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a warrior for peace . ''
As the evening call to prayer rings out across the Tenggulun village , prayer mats are rolled out in a square at the side of the village 's main mosque .
They are just next to the office of Circle of Peace , the foundation Ali Fauzi set up in 2016 to divert people away from extremism .
The prayer event tonight is led by two bomb victims , guests of honour in this village which was once the base camp for the militant groups that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
`` I often bring victims to the community , '' Ali Fauzi says , `` as meeting them was the thing that destroyed my ego . ''
On the screen on the side of the stage a graphic video shows the aftermath of all the bombs in Indonesia .
It 's an extraordinary meeting .
In the audience are police who arrested members of this community , as well as those who have served time in jail on terrorism offences .
They are listening to the victims of the bombing talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have suffered .
In the audience is 33-year-old Zulia Mahendra .
He was a teenager when his father , Amrozi , was arrested , sentenced to death and then later executed for the Bali bombing .
Amrozi was dubbed the `` smiling assassin '' by the media because he showed no remorse during the trial , grinning throughout and defiant to his death .
A season of stories about bringing people together in a fragmented world .
• At 10 we were killers , now we fight to unite After the meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They hug and hold hands , and he repeatedly says sorry .
`` I want to say sorry , not because I am wrong .
But he was my father and these are the victims of my family 's actions .
I have a responsibility to say sorry , on behalf of my father . ''
Mahendra , too , has gone through an astonishing transformation .
`` When my father was executed , I wanted revenge .
I wanted to learn how to make bombs too , '' he admits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from my uncles - Ali Fauzi and Ali Imron - they made me realise it was the wrong thing to do .
And I joined their project to help other terrorists change . ''
`` How I became who I am today was a very , very long journey , '' says Mahendra .
`` But I came to a place where I understood that jihad is not killing people or fighting , it can mean working hard for your family . ''
One night , Mahendra says , he looked tearfully at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ father .
`` I did n't want my child to have to go through what I have .
If I continued on my father 's path , my child too would be abandoned .
I knew that the right jihad was to look after them - to protect them . ''
But he says he has friends who have joined splinter militant groups in Indonesia , loosely linked to the Islamic State ( IS ) group .
`` There are lots of reasons why a person goes in that direction - their economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ... what they are taught and who they are influenced by . ''
Ali Fauzi knocks at the door of the Lamongan jail .
This is a familiar place for him , having come here many times to meet family members serving time but also to work with new inmates to try and turn their life around .
`` My deradicalisation work is not based on theory .
It 's from life experience .
I was a fighter and a terrorist , so I come into the cells as a friend . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some as a traitor for working with the police .
`` They say that I am even more of a kafir [ unbeliever ] than the police or jail guards .
I regularly face online abuse and threatening phone calls .
But it 's okay .
I can handle it , '' he says with a smile .
`` Out of the 98 people we have worked with since 2016 , two have come out of jail and gone straight back to their militant ways . ''
`` Deradicalisation is not easy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emotions and way of thinking , you have to give them the right medicine .
And sometimes we get it wrong . ''
Sometimes they get it right .
Sumarno , he says , is one of his success stories .
He takes me to a dry field , at the side of the road outside the village .
It was here that Sumarno says he hid weapons belonging to Jemaah Islamiyah , after the Bali bombing .
After serving a three-year jail sentence , Ali Fauzi helped Sumarno set up a small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ packages to Mecca .
`` Now I want to give back to society , '' says Sumarno .
`` With this travel company , I hope that I can leave a life of violence behind me . ''
Sitting in his smart air-conditioned office in Paciran , a 20-minute drive from the village , he says he was nervous at first about telling his clients about his violent past , even careful not to say which village he was from .
But now he starts the tour with what he calls his story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am the cousin of Ali Gufron and Amrozi who were executed for carrying out the Bali bombings .
I tell them : ' I was part of their group .
But thanks be to Allah I have been healed from that rotten way of thinking .
And I am your tour guide to Mecca . '
'' In a room at the side of the village mosque , an after-school club takes place .
Children dressed in colourful clothes recite the Koran .
Some of their parents are behind bars on terrorism charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife , Lulu , and Zumrottin Nisa , who is married to Ali Imron .
`` We stress to them that not everyone believes the same thing , '' says Lulu .
`` That there are people in our community who are non-Muslim and we have to treat them with respect as long as they do n't try to interfere with our faith . ''
But she says they have n't convinced everyone .
`` There are those for and against our new mission .
Those that are still militant do n't like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , '' she says .
`` We used to be one group with the same mission but we changed after the Bali bombing killed so many innocent people , many of them Muslims .
There are others who have n't changed . ''
In May last year , a family of suicide bombers attacked three churches in East Java .
The father went after one , his teenage sons went after another , and his wife and two daughters , age 12 and nine , blew themselves up at the third .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ansharut Daulah ( JAD ) network , which is loosely linked to IS .
JAD has carried out a series of lone wolf attacks against Indonesian security forces and religious minorities .
The most recent was a knife attack , by a young couple , against the country 's top security officer , Wiranto .
In the Circle of Peace office , Lulu Fauzi says she is shocked women are taking such an active part .
`` My husband is working hard to make sure former terrorism inmates do n't go back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been able to turn around many people .
`` But many people are still radical .
We can never really wipe it out , '' she says .
As we drive through the village , Ali Fauzi 's phone is constantly ringing .
He takes a call from someone who has recently been released , having served time on terrorism charges .
The person needs help getting housing .
Another call is from a mother whose son is being questioned by the police .
`` Dozens of people from our community went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syria and Iraq , '' he says .
`` Not long ago , a member of IS was detained by the police here .
So militant groups still exist and they still threaten Indonesia . ''
Now he 's on the side of what he describes as a battle against extremism and intolerance .
`` If we work hard and involve the whole community , then I am still hopeful that we can win this war . ''

"I say I am the cousin of Ali Gufron and Amrozi who were executed for carrying out the Bali bombings. I tell them: 'I was part of their group. But thanks be to Allah I have been healed from that rotten way of thinking. And I am your tour guide to Mecca.'"


bbc--2020-05-28--Cocaine and Guinea-Bissau: How Africa's 'narco-state' is trying to kick its habit

Concern is mounting that Guinea-Bissau 's efforts to stem the flow of drugs to Europe and the US have suffered a setback after a military-backed president took office , writes journalist Ricci Shyrock .
Court documents show that the loot seized in Guinea-Bissau 's largest ever drug bust last September included more than 20 vehicles , among them a `` cinnamon coloured '' Mercedes Benz , $ 3m ( £2.5m ) stashed in bank accounts , $ 90,000 worth of wine and porridge found in a warehouse , and , of course , 1.8 tonnes of cocaine hidden in sacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the seizure culminated in 12 men - of Bissau-Guinean , Columbian , Mexican and Portuguese nationalities - being sentenced to between four and 16 years in prison last month .
Although the two ring leaders were sentenced in absentia after they managed to evade arrest , the case was hailed as a legal success for the West African state in its efforts to shed its reputation as a major transit hub for cocaine flown or shipped from Latin America to Europe and North America .
`` For us , this is the result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we look forward to making sure that the future of Guinea-Bissau might be much safer from the infiltration of drug traffickers and transnational criminal networks , '' said Antonio Mazzatelli , the regional head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC ) .
The US , along with the UN , labelled the former Portuguese colony along the Atlantic Ocean a `` narco-state '' more than 10 years ago , the first time that such a label had been given to an African state .
`` I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Guinea-Bissau , '' said Mark Shaw , co-author of a new report entitled Breaking the vicious cycle : cocaine politics in Guinea-Bissau .
`` There are networks which certainly protect drug trafficking , but they are also quite courageous elements within the judicial police and within the political system who have stood up to drug trafficking , '' he added in an interview .
But his report , published by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime , warns that the cocaine trade could increase after Umaro Cissoko Embaló became president in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although there is no suggestion that Mr Embaló a former prime minister and ex-army general , is part of the drug trafficking network , there is concern about the fact that he appears to have the backing of key military figures .
This includes former chief of staff General Antonio Indjai , who seized power in a coup in 2012 partly to `` achieve control of the rapidly growing lucrative cocaine trade '' , the report said .
Gen Indjai has previously denied any wrongdoing or involvement in trafficking .
Yet the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'cocaine coup ' of 2012 and the seizure of power in early 2020 , one that also had clear military backing , have been pointed to by several local observers . ''
The military has been influential in Guinea-Bissau since independence from Portugal in 1974 .
It has staged at least nine coups , leaving the West African state with weak state institutions .
Some say this has made the country a fertile ground for drug barons .
`` Traffickers use as their first instrument corruption , '' said Mr Mazzitelli .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits for a few , but the price of it is paid by the rest of the population , '' he added .
Former navy chief Bubo Na Tchuto is one of the the most high-profile officials to have been convicted of drug trafficking .
Involved in several failed coup attempts , he was designated a `` drug kingpin '' by the US and was arrested by its troops in a sting operation off the West African coast in 2013 .
Na Tchuto pleaded guilty the following year to conspiring to import drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to only four years in prison because of `` good behaviour '' and for co-operating with investigators .
He is back in Guinea-Bissau , but is now keeping a low public profile .
Mr Shaw 's report said Gen Indjai was the main target of the 2013 operation .
However the `` canny old general '' suspected something fishy and sent Na Tchuto out to sea to meet the drug dealers who turned out to be US agents .
• Why Guinea-Bissau had two presidents for a day • Guinea-Bissau : What you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to vital reforms being put on hold , including upgrading Guinea-Bissau 's only two prisons .
The 10 convicted men are currently being held in a poorly guarded detention centre in the capital , Bissau .
`` Even the guards , they do n't have the tools to stop someone from leaving the prison , '' said former Justice Minister Ruth Monteiro .
The trial of the men took place in the capital , Bissau , by default .
It was meant to take place in the central town of Bissorã , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no prison vehicle to take them there from the detention centre .
They have all appealed against their conviction , but the Appeal Court , which is supposed to hear the case , has never been set up in the 45 years since independence .
So the appeal will now go to the Supreme Court , which has a history of not hearing drug cases .
All this has raised fears that the case will quietly disappear , and the men will walk free .
`` We are right now a paradise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monteiro , who was the justice minister when the 10 were arrested last September .
She said it was vital to fight the drug barons as some of their activities also fund militant Islamist activity in the region .
The seizure in March 2019 of nearly 800kg of drugs hidden in the false bottom of a Senegalese-registered truck loaded with frozen fish in Safim town , some 15km ( nine miles ) from the capital , was a case in point .
`` After our investigations , we were convinced the drugs were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic Maghreb , '' Ms Monteiro said .
Experts say that drug traffickers are well-entrenched in the region , and refer to the fact that one of the ringleaders on the run - Braima Seidi Ba , who is a national of both Guinea-Bissau and Portugal - has been hopping between The Gambia , Guinea and Mali to evade capture .
The other ringleader - Ricardo Ariza Monje , who is a national of both Mexico and Colombo - is believed to have returned to Latin America .
The March consignment was widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for electioneering in the run-up to parliamentary elections in Guinea-Bissau scheduled for later that month , Mr Shaw 's report said .
`` It was said that the drugs were to have been driven over the Senegalese border , then on to Mali , Mauritania and northward up the coast , before being loaded onto boats bound for the European markets , '' the report added .
You may also be interested in : • The bizarre tactics used to smuggle cocaine Guinea-Bissau 's judicial police force , regarded as the country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight against drug cartels , with the help of investigators from the UN , the UK and Portugal .
Newly installed President Embaló replaced the agency chief , but after concern was raised about his initial nominee he gave the post to a respected former deputy attorney general , Teresa Alexandrina da Silva .
Mr Shaw said drugs were a `` pernicious injection '' into Guinea-Bissau 's politics , and it was vital to put an end to trafficking .
`` Drugs damage the politics , the development , democracy , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue are resolved , it will continue to drive conflict in the small country .
Ordinary Bissau-Guineans deserve much better . ''

"For us, this is the result of over eight years of investment, so we look forward to making sure that the future of Guinea-Bissau might be much safer from the infiltration of drug traffickers and transnational criminal networks," said Antonio Mazzatelli, the regional head of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).


bbc--2020-05-27--Rocky path ahead as EU tries to temper coronavirus shock

This unprecedented money raising effort is about a collective responsibility as President Ursula von der Leyen sees it .
She stated that it was `` high time to take the right decision because the cost of not investing in the crisis , will come back manifold in future . ''
But her pitch was just the start of what will take a huge effort by the Commission to get all member states on side , especially as the Commission wants this agreed by leaders at the next EU summit in three weeks time .
After a round robin of calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a clear sense that there 's not yet an overall majority in favour .
Southern Mediterranean countries such as Portugal , Spain , Greece and Italy have all indicated initial support .
One Italian diplomat told me that if the proposal was agreed , Italy may be eligible for grants accounting for up to 5 % of the country 's GDP , to kickstart their post pandemic economy .
• Why Merkel may help fund Europe 's virus recovery There are many countries , including Poland , Hungary , Bulgaria and Lithuania @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until they 've read the small print of the plans .
`` With these things , the devil is often in the detail , so this will take several days of legal analysis '' , one Bulgarian official told me .
There is well publicised opposition from the self proclaimed 'frugal four ' consisting of Austria , Sweden , Denmark and the Netherlands .
An Austrian diplomat told me that it was `` encouraging to hear that 250 billion euros would be raised through loans '' but suggested that the 500 billion euros @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' at this point .
Brexit appears to have brought together this 'thrifty ' alliance , which formed in 2018 .
As well as requesting that loans are handed out instead of grants , they do not want to increase the size of their budget contributions , in order to fill the gap left behind by the UK 's exit .
The feeling here in Brussels is that it will need to be a face to face meeting between leaders to forge a compromise , because video-conferencing is a poor substitute for fiscal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to happen until internal borders are reopened sometime over the summer .

There is well publicised opposition from the self proclaimed 'frugal four' consisting of Austria, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. An Austrian diplomat told me that it was "encouraging to hear that 250 billion euros would be raised through loans" but suggested that the 500 billion euros in grants were a "non starter" at this point.