bbc--2020-07-02--Coronavirus: Texas governor mandates wearing of face masks

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered face coverings to be worn in public as coronavirus cases rocket in the state .
The directive applies to counties with 20 or more Covid-19 cases , which covers most of Texas ' 254 counties .
Texas has seen a surge of hospital admissions in recent days , hitting a record high of more than 8,000 virus cases in a single day on Wednesday .
`` Wearing a face covering will help us to keep Texas open for business , '' Mr Abbott said , announcing the order .
After an initial warning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to $ 250 .
Texas was at the forefront of states loosening lockdown measures that were meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus .
Mr Abbott allowed his initial stay home order to lapse on 30 April , with almost all businesses operating to at least 50 % capacity by early June .
But as the virus surged , Mr Abbott began to walk back his state 's reopening last week , ordering all bars shut and cutting restaurant capacity from 75-50 % .
`` Covid-19 is not going away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said on Thursday .
`` In fact it 's getting worse . ''
• Why this 4 July will be unlike any other Warning that some hospital intensive care units were almost full , he added : `` We are now at a point where the virus is spreading so fast there is little margin for error .
`` If we want to avoid lockdowns , if we want to protect those we care about , we need all Texans to join this effort . ''
The order includes a series of `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are 10 years old or younger , those who have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask , people who are eating or drinking and those who are exercising outdoors .
Mr Abbott had initially resisted a state-wide order on masks , going so far as to ban local governments from requiring facial coverings .
`` Let me be clear : no-one can ever be put in jail for violating this safe practice , '' the governor said of the order .
He added : `` Today Covid is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it does n't know and it does n't even care what your age , race , sex , political affiliation or geographical affiliation is .
`` It will attack anyone anywhere . ''
When we reopened , my friends all went to the Houston bars , and they have all tested positive now .
I 'm a Republican , but I do n't think Trump should be enforcing rules if he is n't following them .
I do n't agree with how he acts .
I think that if he led by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wear masks .
But I think Governor Abbott and his team have done everything they can do .
Some bar owners here in Austin are vocally going against what we need to do - criticising the data and suing the government for shutting them down .
If we continue to do this , we are going to be shut down for the rest of the year .
For me that 's completely narcissistic .
How certain bar owners are acting is ludicrous .
The reopening should have been done less quickly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and state government , who closed down everything quickly , was made out of fear instead of data .
Read more about life inside the US outbreaks .
The use of masks has become a political flashpoint in the US .
Last week , Texas ' state capital of Austin saw a demonstration led by radio show host and prominent conspiracy theorist Alex Jones protesting against the city 's mask requirements .
President Donald Trump said yesterday he was `` all for masks '' , a shift in tone to his reluctance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ though he maintained mandatory mask rules were unnecessary .
But the move by Mr Abbott was described as `` far too little , far too late '' by Texas Democratic Party Communications Director Ahbhi Rahman .
`` Texans are still getting sick .
Families are still suffering… All of this could have been prevented if Governor Abbott had listened to experts and medical professionals in the first place . ''
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) said last month that masks should be worn in public where social distancing is not possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The global body , which previously argued there was not enough evidence to say that healthy people should wear masks , said later that new information showed they could provide `` a barrier for potentially infectious droplets '' .

The order includes a series of "common sense" exemptions, including children who are 10 years old or younger, those who have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask, people who are eating or drinking and those who are exercising outdoors.


bbc--2020-07-02--Fourth of July: Why this Independence Day will be unlike any other

For millions of Americans , celebrating 4 July comes with certain rituals and traditions .
Parades , public fireworks displays and large family reunions are some of the most popular ways Americans mark the nation 's independence from Britain in 1776 .
But this year is set to look a little different .
Here 's why .
Sadly , it looks like the floats will have to stay in the garage this year .
Cities around the US have cancelled their annual parades as cases of coronavirus continue to rise .
The National Independence Day Parade in Washington DC is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels will not be abated to the degree that it would be safe , '' its organisers said in a rather downcast statement .
But others have approached things with a more creative touch .
In the small town of Montgomery , Ohio , there 's set to be a `` reverse parade '' where motorists will drive past a stationary show featuring the usual marching band , stilt walkers and floats .
Either way , we 're unlikely to see the kind of showpiece events that we 're used to .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Fireworks displays are synonymous with Independence Day and - while a raft of events have been cancelled - it 's not all bad news .
Some organisers have come up with ingenious ways to ensure they can still go ahead without crowds gathering to watch .
In New York , the Macy 's Fireworks Show is being held over a series of nights at unspecified locations and times .
Each show will last for just five minutes to avoid crowds being able to gather .
Other cities , such as Boston and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fireworks from home on TV or online .
Which brings us nicely onto ...
It 's fair to say this pandemic has pushed a lot of people to do more online , and that appears to include celebrating Independence Day .
A huge number of events will be streamed online so they can be enjoyed safely at home .
• What 's behind alarming new US outbreaks ?
• Is the pandemic getting worse in the US ?
The Capitol Fourth concert in Washington DC is one of the most well-known .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` iconic locations across the country '' and will be shown both online and on TV .
And in Los Angeles , an arts centre is set to host an `` online block party '' with music and other performances being shown live on Facebook .
Plenty of other cities are planning to livestream concerts of their own .
Oh , and one of the quirkier Independence Day traditions - Nathan 's Hot Dog Eating Contest - is still going ahead with various Covid-19 precautions in place .
The century-old competition will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attracted almost two million viewers .
Some traditions are sacred , after all .
While some events organisers are finding innovative ways to keep things on track , there 's no getting around the fact that a lot of public spaces will be closed this weekend .
Bars and restaurants will be shut in many states , as officials continue to pull back on plans to reopen after the recent spike in coronavirus cases .
And beaches in states such as Florida and California , which would normally be packed with holidaymakers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there 's some consolation if you had planned a trip to see a major attraction .
A fair few offer some form of online tour , including the USS Constitution which is one of the world 's oldest warships .
It 's set to stream virtual tours as well as a live 21-gun salute to mark Independence Day on Saturday .
Beyond the pandemic , the US has also been rocked by another major news event this year .
The death of African American George Floyd in police custody in May triggered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an end to institutional racism .
Many of these protests targeted statues of controversial historical figures .
Now , some officials are concerned that Independence Day could see further clashes at monuments and sites .
President Donald Trump 's administration has put `` rapid deployment teams '' in place to guard federal monuments around the country ahead of the long weekend .
`` While the department respects every American 's right to protest peacefully , violence and civil unrest will not be tolerated , '' Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are also plans for Black Lives Matter protests on 4 July in a swathe of cities including Orlando , Newark and Washington DC .
While the majority of this year 's events will take place on 4th , the celebrations will actually kick-off on 3rd .
That 's when President Trump will travel to the Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota for the first firework display there in more than a decade .
It 's proved to be a controversial plan for a few reasons .
Firstly , there are environmental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set off wildfires in the surrounding forest .
And Native American groups are planning to protest against Mr Trump 's visit as the monument to former US presidents was built on land sacred to the Sioux tribe .
The event has also attracted criticism because social distancing will not be enforced and masks will not be mandatory .
`` We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home , '' the Republican governor said .
Mr Trump has promised a `` special evening '' back in Washington DC , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off as part of the `` Salute to America '' event which is still going ahead .
But the city 's Mayor Muriel Bowser has expressed concern and urged people to stay at home .
`` Ask yourself , do you need to be there ? ''
she said .
`` Do you know if you 'll be able to social distance ? ''
Their disagreement points to the fraught political backdrop that is likely to make this year 's Independence Day - in more ways than one - unlike any other .

In New York, the Macy's Fireworks Show is being held over a series of nights at unspecified locations and times. Each show will last for just five minutes to avoid crowds being able to gather.


bbc--2020-07-02--Zuckerberg: Advertisers will be back to Facebook 'soon enough'

As the ads boycott grows , Mark Zuckerberg shows no sign of backing down .
`` My guess is that all these advertisers will be back on the platform soon enough '' the Facebook chief executive has said .
Campaigners accuse the tech firm of being too slow and reluctant to remove some hateful content .
But Zuckerberg added : `` We 're not going to change our policies or approach on anything because of a threat to a small percent of our revenue . ''
The comments were made to Facebook staff at a private meeting last Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news site .
The social network has confirmed they are accurate and also announced a fresh development : its chief executive is to meet the organisers of the boycott - Stop Hate for Profit .
It illustrates the concurrent ways Facebook is dealing with the matter .
The first is to be publicly conciliatory : offer smaller changes and hit home its message that hate has no place on the platform .
The second is to privately play down the impact of the boycott : reassure advertisers and resist any fundamental changes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm 's global affairs chief , Sir Nick Clegg , published an open letter to the ad world .
He attempted to assuage fears the company had n't done enough to combat hate .
Not surprisingly , he did n't echo his boss and add : `` You 'll be back . ''
Now , of course companies have different internal- and external-facing messages .
But this one in particular underlines the delicate tightrope that Facebook is trying to tread .
The company is undoubtedly rattled by this boycott .
According to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 600 brands are now involved .
This week Facebook sent an email to companies and ad agencies assuring them it was doing all it could to remove hate speech .
`` This work is never finished , and we 're proud of how our apps can help people come together , learn , and organize against hate and show their solidarity '' an email to one ad agency said .
But the boycott is n't hurting Facebook as much as you might think .
In fact , Zuckerberg , in that same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` reputational and a partner issue '' rather than a financial one .
And he has a point .
The vast majority of companies are still advertising with Facebook .
Take the UK for example .
Last year , the analytics company Pathmatics carried out a study into which companies were spending the most on Facebook ads seen in the country .
With the exception of Microsoft , all of the top-10 spenders identified still appear to be advertising on Facebook .
And thousands upon thousands of small-to-medium-sized businesses are doing likewise .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ text yesterday , dismissing the idea its clients would stop advertising on Facebook .
It 's that kind of message that gives Zuckerberg reason to be bullish .
Areeq Chowdhury , from WebRoots Democracy , also believes the companies that have joined the boycott will come back .
`` The advertising being offered by these internet giants is unparalleled . ''
he says .
`` The level of targeting they can achieve is not matched anywhere else , so I find it hard to believe that a lot of them will stop advertising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to be what the market thinks , too .
After a dip in Facebook 's share price , it 's back to pretty much where it was last week .
So , Facebook 's strategy so far seems to be working .
The far greater worry is contagion - for example , if users started to leave Facebook and Instagram in large numbers in response to the boycott .
But once again , there 's little evidence of that happening .
On Wednesday , it was confirmed that Zuckerberg - along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tim Cook and Amazon 's Jeff Bezos - would testify before Congress in an antitrust hearing later this month .
If the boycott continues to gather force , it could be an uncomfortable encounter , however secure Facebook may feel .

"This work is never finished, and we're proud of how our apps can help people come together, learn, and organize against hate and show their solidarity" an email to one ad agency said.


bbc--2020-07-02--Coronavirus: Protest, rally or eating out - Where is riskier?

Many states have started the process of reopening , which means larger numbers of people are venturing out to attend @ @ @ @ @ dine at a restaurant .
Cases of the virus are spiking across the country and @ @ @ @ @ Dr Anthony Fauci has warned that there could be 100,000 cases a day if the @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr Georges Benjamin , the Executive Director at the American Public Health Association , @ @ @ @ @

Many states have started the process of reopening, which means larger numbers of people are venturing out to attend protests, rallies, or dine at a restaurant.
Cases of the virus are spiking across the country and the US top disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has warned that there could be 100,000 cases a day if the appropriate actions aren't taken.
Dr Georges Benjamin, the Executive Director at the American Public Health Association, breaks down the risks.
Video journalist: Cody Melissa Godwin. Senior producer: Phoebe Frieze.


bbc--2020-07-02--Mexican drug rehab centre stormed by gunmen

At least seven others were injured including three seriously in the attack on Wednesday , according to police .
It is the second attack at a rehab facility in Irapuato , Guanajuato , within a month , and one of the mostly deadly massacres this year .
The motive is unknown but gangs often target clinics where they believe members of rival factions are hiding .
The latest rehab centre to be hit was not officially registered , according to authorities .
The state has hundreds of unofficial treatment centres .
The prior attack - at a nearby centre called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
Police told local media that , in the latest ambush , several gunmen jumped out of a truck and rushed into the building , where they forced those present to drop to the floor before shooting them .
Witnesses said relatives rushed to the scene and some women - believed to have sons being treated inside - collapsed as the news broke .
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said it was a `` very serious situation '' .
He called on the Guanajuato government , which is controlled by the opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be partly down to a `` conspiracy '' between local officials and criminal gangs .
A turf war has erupted in Guanajuato , where the local Santa Rosa de Lima gang vies with the brutal Jalisco New Generation Cartel , which has become one of the country 's most dominant organised crime groups .
It is not yet known if either of the groups was involved in most recent attack .
`` We have no information on those responsible .
There is no data regarding the vehicles or the people , '' police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , State Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo said gangs appeared to have been involved .
`` I deeply regret and condemn the events in Irapuato this afternoon , '' he wrote on Twitter .
`` The violence generated by organised crime not only takes the lives of the young , but it takes the peace from families in Guanajuato . ''
The state now has the highest number of homicides in the country , according to the National Public Security System ( SNSP ) .
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2018 , vowed to crack down on the gang violence .
However , the national murder rate reached an all-time high in 2019 and this year has brought some high-profile attacks .
Last week , an assassination attempt was made on a Mexico City police chief .
Omar García Harfuch survived after his car was ambushed , but three others - two bodyguards and one passer-by - died in the gunfire .
A federal judge , Uriel Villegas Ortiz , and his wife , Verónica Barajas , were murdered in June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel , but this has not been confirmed as investigations are ongoing .

"I deeply regret and condemn the events in Irapuato this afternoon," he wrote on Twitter. "The violence generated by organised crime not only takes the lives of the young, but it takes the peace from families in Guanajuato."


bbc--2020-07-02--UN staff in Israel sex-act video suspended without pay

The United Nations has placed two of its workers on unpaid leave over allegations of sexual misconduct in an official car in Israel .
The men were filmed in a UN-marked vehicle on a main street by Tel Aviv 's seafront .
In the video , a woman in a red dress is seen straddling a man in the back seat of the car .
The UN launched an investigation into the 18-second video after it was shared widely on social media last month .
Stéphane Dujarric , the spokesman for the UN 's secretary general , said he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the footage .
Now the UN says the men in the video have been identified as staff members of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization ( UNTSO ) , UN military observers based in Israel .
The two staff members have been suspended without pay until the investigation into the incident has concluded .
Mr Dujarric told the BBC on Thursday their suspension was appropriate `` given the seriousness of the allegations of failing to observe the standards of conduct expected of international civil servants '' .
`` UNTSO has re-engaged in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their obligations to the UN Code of Conduct , '' Mr Dujarric said .
The UN has strict policies against sexual misconduct by its staff members .
Staff may be disciplined if they are found to be in breach of conduct rules .
They may be repatriated or banned from UN peacekeeping operations , but it is the responsibility of their home nation to take further disciplinary or legal action .
The UN has long been under scrutiny over allegations of sexual misconduct by its peacekeepers and other staff .
There have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2019 , there were 175 allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse against UN staff members , a report said .
Of those allegations , 16 were substantiated , 15 were unsubstantiated and all others were still being investigated .
Secretary General António Guterres has pledged to take a `` zero-tolerance '' approach to sexual misconduct within the UN 's ranks .

Staff may be disciplined if they are found to be in breach of conduct rules. They may be repatriated or banned from UN peacekeeping operations, but it is the responsibility of their home nation to take further disciplinary or legal action.


bbc--2020-07-02--Coronavirus: How 'immunity passports' could create an antibody elite

Governments around the world are testing citizens for coronavirus antibodies , to work out whether people have had the deadly Covid-19 disease .
Some countries are setting up so-called `` immunity passports '' and others may follow suit .
The idea is that a passport would certify that you have had coronavirus and will not carry or contract the disease again , opening up a way out of lockdown restrictions for the holder .
But is this theory correct ?
And will it create a group of antibody-carrying elite who can date , travel and work as they wish , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ precautions ? '
I know I 'm clear , we should meet ! '
Pam Evans , from Aberdeen , has just had a rude awakening to the new reality of internet dating .
She says that a man who was interested in meeting her took a novel approach .
`` I had one guy at the weekend : ' I 've just been tested last week for Covid so I know I 'm clear , we should meet up ' And I said : 'Oh no , absolutely not ' ... he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Pam 's hopeful date was trying to take advantage of his apparent negative coronavirus test result as a reason to break lockdown rules to visit her .
Is this a sign of how those who get a certificate stating they 've already had coronavirus might use their privileged position in society ?
In New York , people are using antibody tests - showing that they have been exposed to the virus and have recovered - as a way of suggesting they are safe to date .
They are photographing positive test results @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Covid-immunity passport '' .
If you have antibodies , the theory goes , you will not get the disease again .
Dating aside , what if we could decide who is safe to return to work or get on an aircraft ?
For those people .
the Covid-19 lockdown could be over .
The idea behind immunity passports , is that of a certificate confirming that you have had Covid-19 .
It could be used to enter places that those people without one are barred from .
To get one , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ created after exposure to the virus .
Estonia is building an `` immunity passport '' system , and Chile is also planning what it calls a `` release certificate '' , following such principles .
Tavvet Hinrikus , co-founder of the money exchange firm TransferWise , helped in the development of Estonia 's phone app-based system .
`` There are areas where I think it 's a no-brainer we should use this , like… who takes care of our elders ; can I go and see my parents ?
`` If immunity as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who have immunity should be cleared to work with elders , or the same for frontline workers , '' he says .
Other apps are being developed to display antibody - and potentially immunity - status .
One example is Onfido .
Its co-founder , Husayn Kasai , says some US hotel chains are now accepting immunity passports via an app .
`` It 's predominately for guests who want to access some of the services , be it the spa or the gym , where social distancing is n't an option @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sinister aspect : the potential for a supposedly Covid-immune elite to develop ?
Robert West , professor of health , psychology and behavioural science at University College London ( UCL ) , fears a `` divisive society '' .
`` You can imagine a situation where if you can get hold of some sort of certification , it will open up doors for you that would n't be open to people who ca n't have that certification .
`` It could create a multi-tier society and increase levels of discrimination and inequity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire premise of immunity might be on shaky ground .
`` It would n't be based on solid scientific foundation .
It would be based on a probability that you may or may not be susceptible [ to coronavirus ] yourself or may or may not be in a position to pass the virus onto other people .
`` It would be to the detriment of sectors of society , really being driven by commercial pressures . ''
Prof West envisages a point where people with recent antibody certificates would be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or that firms might use their workers ' immunity passports as a way of competing with other companies .
But he believes there 's not enough evidence to show that having antibodies is a reliable way to tell how likely you are to catch or pass on the virus .
'She 's OK , she has antibodies' The air travel sector has been hit particularly hit hard by the pandemic and John Holland-Kaye , chief executive of Europe 's busiest airport , London Heathrow , wants all countries to recognise antibody certificates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is to know that ] your health passport ... is going to be accepted in the country you are going to , and you 'll be allowed to return home safely without having any kind of quarantine . ''
Carmel Shachar , of the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy , Biotechnology , and Bioethics at Harvard Law School in the US , fears that people may actually try to catch Covid-19 .
A scenario she worries about is : `` If you want to go back to work , you 're going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , one that we do n't actually want you to have , from a public health point of view or from an individual point of view . ''
She also worries about privacy .
`` If my employer can demand medical information about me , have I had Covid , do I have antibodies - are they allowed to do so ?
If they have that information , are they allowed to share it ? ''
The commercial benefits of publicising this information for certain industries are obvious , Ms Shachar believes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , can my employer tell every customer who walks in the door : 'Oh do n't worry , she 's OK because she has antibodies ' ? ''
Ms Shachar thinks known immunity could be of significant benefit .
`` You might say , for healthcare workers working with Covid patients , or nursing facility workers ... we do want to see immunity . ''
She says that people really want to get back to how things were before the pandemic , or a `` new normal '' that is close to it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Getting to that `` new normal '' as quickly as possible is the target for governments around the globe , Many find antibody-testing the entire population a tantalising idea where infection rates are high .
In Germany , the country 's disease control and prevention agency , the Robert Koch Institute , is conducting large-scale random antibody testing .
But questions remain about the accuracy of some of these tests .
Research published in May by the US-based Covid-19 Testing Project found that 12 antibody tests were accurate between 81-100 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Diseases Control and Prevention ( CDC ) has warned that some antibody tests could incorrectly state you had antibodies - up to half the time .
Meaning those who 'd never had Covid-19 could mistakenly think they had immunity , and might then act riskily because of this false sense of security .
And even if the test correctly identifies that you have antibodies , does that mean you are actually immune ?
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has expressed its doubts .
In the UK , for example , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a letter published in the British Medical Journal at the end of June , saying that antibody tests for UK healthcare staff were being rolled out without `` adequate assessment '' .
Back in Aberdeen , Pam is similarly unconvinced by the antibody testing argument .
`` We do n't know how long this immunity could last for .
We do n't know if it is 100 % right if you 've had those symptoms .
There 's no harm in meeting somebody and sitting and having a coffee in a park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm not someone who 'll kiss on the first date anyway .
So to me , having that two metres apart means that a guy ca n't lunge on you for once ! ''
This article featured interviews broadcast on Business Daily , on the BBC World Service .
Can 'immunity passports ' help us get back to normal ?

"We don't know how long this immunity could last for. We don't know if it is 100% right if you've had those symptoms. There's no harm in meeting somebody and sitting and having a coffee in a park," she says.


bbc--2020-07-02--Xinjiang: US seizes 'forced labour' Chinese hair imports

The US has seized a shipment of human hair products from China , that it says was made by forced labour from children or prisoners .
The products came from Xinjiang in the far west of China - where it 's thought a million Muslims have been detained in `` re-education '' camps .
`` Production of these goods constitutes a very serious human rights violation , '' said US customs official Brenda Smith .
China said the `` forced labour '' accusation was false and malicious .
The US did not say whether the hair itself came from children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were made by them .
The products were detained by the US Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York and New Jersey .
The goods came from a company in Xinjiang , which , the agency said , indicated `` potential human right abuses of forced child labour and imprisonment '' .
The products were part of 13-ton shipment of hair products worth more than $ 800,000 dollars .
Last month , the agency issued a `` detention order '' for all products from the Lop County Meixin Hair Product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law bans the importation of any products made by `` convict labour '' overseas .
`` The detention order is intended to send a clear and direct message ... that illicit and inhumane practices will not be tolerated in US supply chains , '' said Ms Smith .
The US embassy in China told Reuters : `` The lawful labour rights and interests of the Chinese citizens of all ethnic groups , including those in Xinjiang , are protected by law . ''
What else is the US doing about Xinjiang ?
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visa restrictions on Chinese officials `` believed to be responsible for , or complicit in , the detention or abuse of ... Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang '' .
The Department of Commerce has warned Americans against doing business with 37 companies in Xinjiang , that it suspects of `` forced labour and other human rights abuses '' .
And last month , President Trump signed the `` Uyghur Human Rights Act '' into law , which allows for sanctions and increases US agencies ' reporting on Xinjiang .
But Mr Trump recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because `` we were in the middle of a major trade deal '' with China .
`` When you 're in the middle of a negotiation and then all of a sudden you start throwing additional sanctions on ... we 've done a lot , '' Mr Trump told Axios .
What is the situation in Xinjiang ?
China says the detention camps are to counter extremism - but the US , and others , believe more than a million people , almost all Muslims , have been detained without trial .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that showed 15,000 people from southern Xinjiang were sent to the camps in one week alone .
The same documents showed inmates can be released only when they `` understand deeply the illegal , criminal and dangerous nature of their past activity '' .
Ben Emmerson QC , a human rights lawyer and adviser to the World Uighur Congress , said the camps were `` a mass brainwashing scheme '' .
`` It 's a total transformation that is designed specifically to wipe the Muslim Uighurs of Xinjiang as a separate cultural group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
A year ago , the BBC found that China was separating Muslim children from their families , faith and language .
In one township alone , more than 400 children lost both parents to internment - either the `` re-education '' camps or prison .
And earlier this week , a report by a scholar of China said women were being sterilised or fitted with contraceptive devices to limit the Muslim population .
More about the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang :

Xinjiang: US seizes 'forced labour' Chinese hair imports Published 2 July 2020
Image source, US Customs and Border Protection Image caption, One of the products seized in the US
The US has seized a shipment of human hair products from China, that it says was made by forced labour from children or prisoners.
The products came from Xinjiang in the far west of China - where it's thought a million Muslims have been detained in "re-education" camps.
"Production of these goods constitutes a very serious human rights violation," said US customs official Brenda Smith.
China said the "forced labour" accusation was false and malicious.
The US did not say whether the hair itself came from children or prisoners - merely that the products were made by them.
What was seized?
The products were detained by the US Customs and Border Protection at the Port of New York and New Jersey.
The goods came from a company in Xinjiang, which, the agency said, indicated "potential human right abuses of forced child labour and imprisonment".
The products were part of 13-ton shipment of hair products worth more than $800,000 dollars.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, The BBC visits the camps where China’s Muslims have their "thoughts transformed"
Last month, the agency issued a "detention order" for all products from the Lop County Meixin Hair Product Company in Xinjiang.
A long-standing US law bans the importation of any products made by "convict labour" overseas.
"The detention order is intended to send a clear and direct message...that illicit and inhumane practices will not be tolerated in US supply chains," said Ms Smith.
The Chinese embassy in the US told Reuters: "The lawful labour rights and interests of the Chinese citizens of all ethnic groups, including those in Xinjiang, are protected by law."
What else is the US doing about Xinjiang?
In October last year, the US imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials "believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, the detention or abuse of...Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang".
The Department of Commerce has warned Americans against doing business with 37 companies in Xinjiang, that it suspects of "forced labour and other human rights abuses".
And last month, President Trump signed the "Uyghur Human Rights Act" into law, which allows for sanctions and increases US agencies' reporting on Xinjiang.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, The BBC has found new evidence of the increasing control and suppression of Islam in China
But Mr Trump recently said he held off on stronger sanctions because "we were in the middle of a major trade deal" with China.
"When you're in the middle of a negotiation and then all of a sudden you start throwing additional sanctions on... we've done a lot," Mr Trump told Axios.
What is the situation in Xinjiang?
China says the detention camps are to counter extremism - but the US, and others, believe more than a million people, almost all Muslims, have been detained without trial.
Last year, the BBC saw leaked documents that showed 15,000 people from southern Xinjiang were sent to the camps in one week alone.
The same documents showed inmates can be released only when they "understand deeply the illegal, criminal and dangerous nature of their past activity".
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, "An electric baton to the back of the head" - a former inmate described conditions at a secret camp to the BBC
Ben Emmerson QC, a human rights lawyer and adviser to the World Uighur Congress, said the camps were "a mass brainwashing scheme".
"It's a total transformation that is designed specifically to wipe the Muslim Uighurs of Xinjiang as a separate cultural group off the face of the Earth," he said.
A year ago, the BBC found that China was separating Muslim children from their families, faith and language.
In one township alone, more than 400 children lost both parents to internment - either the "re-education" camps or prison.
And earlier this week, a report by a scholar of China said women were being sterilised or fitted with contraceptive devices to limit the Muslim population.
More about the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang:


bbc--2020-07-02--Nathan Law: Prominent democracy activist flees Hong Kong

One of Hong Kong 's most prominent young democracy activists has fled the territory after China imposed a sweeping , controversial security law .
Nathan Law , a one-time student leader and local legislator who spent time in prison after 2014 's `` Umbrella Protests '' , said he would continue his advocacy work from abroad .
He announced he had left two days after China brought in its new security law .
Activists say it erodes freedoms but Beijing has dismissed the criticism .
Hong Kong 's sovereignty was handed back to China by Britain in 1997 and certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least 50 years under the `` one country , two systems '' agreement .
• Why people are scared of Hong Kong 's new law But opponents of the new law , which targets secession , subversion and terrorism with punishments up to life in prison , say it effectively ends freedom of speech .
Within moments of it being announced on Tuesday , Mr Law said he was stepping down from Demosito Party , which he co-founded with well-known activist Joshua Wong .
At the time , he said the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cultural revolution '' .
On Wednesday , Mr Law spoke via videolink to a US Congressional hearing on Hong Kong .
He told American politicians he was worried about returning to the territory , for fear of being imprisoned by Beijing .
Then , on Thursday , he released a statement to the media saying he had already left Hong Kong but would `` continue the advocacy work on the international level '' .
He did not say where he had gone , adding : `` Based on risk assessment , I shall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whereabouts and situation now . ''
Mr Law was , in 2016 , the region 's youngest legislator .
At the time , he argued that the former British colony must be allowed a referendum on its future .
He has said he does not want Hong Kong to become `` just another Chinese city '' .
He was later disqualified after he was found to have improperly taken his swearing-in oath .
What is the law ?
The law - which China has said is necessary to stop the type of pro-democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2019 - is wide-ranging , making inciting hatred of China 's central government and Hong Kong 's regional government offences .
It also allows for closed-door trials , wire-tapping of suspects and the potential for suspects to be tried on the Chinese mainland .
Acts including damaging public transport facilities - which often happened during the 2019 protests - can be considered terrorism .
And since it was introduced on Tuesday , the local government has announced that the slogan `` Liberate Hong Kong , Revolution of our Times '' is illegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Congressional hearing on Wednesday .
Ten people have already been arrested under the law during protests which took place on 1 July .
• THE TEXT : What it is and why Hong Kong is worried • WHAT COULD HAPPEN : Life sentences for breaking the law and more • RESIDENTS REACT : 'End of one country , two systems' What has the reaction been ?
Many countries have been critical .
US lawmakers have unanimously approved new Hong Kong-related sanctions , with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying the law amounted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the people of Hong Kong , intended to destroy the freedoms they were promised '' .
The Hong Kong Autonomy Act , which has been sent to US President Donald Trump to sign , imposes sanctions on banks that do business with Chinese officials who are involved in cracking down on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong .
Meanwhile , UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the passing of the law was a `` clear and serious breach '' of the 1985 Sino-British joint declaration .
The UK has offered residency , and possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hong Kongers in the wake of the law 's implementation .
Numerous others have also expressed strong concerns .
Australia revealed that , like the UK , it was considering offering safe haven to Hong Kongers .
China has responded by saying Hong Kong 's affairs are `` none of your business '' .
However , Cuba - on behalf of 53 countries - welcomed the law .
Speaking at the 44th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council , it said : `` Non-interference in internal affairs of sovereign states is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the United Nations . ''

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bbc--2020-07-02--Outrage as Indian judge calls alleged rape victim 'unbecoming'

An Indian judge is under pressure to delete comments from a court order that questioned the behaviour of a woman who alleged she was raped .
Granting bail to the rape accused last week , Justice Krishna S Dixit of the Karnataka High Court said he found the woman 's statement `` a bit difficult to believe '' .
Justice Dixit went on to ask why the woman had gone `` to her office at night - at 11pm '' ; why had she `` not objected to consuming drinks with him '' ; and why she had allowed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` The explanation offered by her that after the perpetration of the act she was tired and fell asleep is unbecoming of an Indian woman , '' the judge said , adding that it was `` not the way our women react when they are ravished '' .
His remarks set off a storm of protest .
Outraged Indians asked if there was a `` rulebook '' or a `` guide '' to being a rape victim .
An illustration was widely shared online which , drawing on several recent court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judge 's guide to being the ideal rape survivor '' .
Aparna Bhat , a senior Delhi-based lawyer , wrote an open letter to the chief justice of India and the three female judges of the Supreme Court in response to the ruling .
`` Is there a protocol for rape victims to follow post the incident which is written in the law that I am not aware of ? ''
she wrote .
`` Are 'Indian women ' an exclusive class who have unmatched standards post being violated ? ''
Appealing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Bhat said the judge 's remarks showed `` misogyny at its worst '' , adding that not condemning them would `` amount to condoning '' .
Madhu Bhushan , a women 's rights activist in Bangalore , where the Karnataka high court is located , described the language used by the judge as `` shocking '' and `` absolutely uncalled for '' .
`` His comments are objectionable at several levels , '' she told the BBC .
`` What does he mean by 'our women ' ?
And 'ravished ' ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it takes away from the seriousness of the issue , which is violence against women . ''
Ms Bhushan said she was not questioning the order itself , but asked `` why did he have to pass these comments on her conduct ? ''
`` It 's preposterous to say women do n't behave like this .
It has nothing to do with law , it 's judging her behaviour , '' she said .
• What do Delhi rape hangings mean for India 's women ?
• Why Indians are celebrating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dozens of civil liberties activists , writers , actors , singers and journalists who wrote an open letter to Justice Dixit saying his ruling had `` deeply disturbed and disappointed '' activists and demanding that he expunge the comments .
`` Women who make decisions to live independently and make choices regarding their own lives , including their intimate/ sexual lives are still viewed as women with loose morals and character , '' the letter said .
Ms Bhushan said the language in the court order normalised sexual violence and enforced the idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If it proves that the allegation of rape is false , so be it , but why pre-judge it ?
Why put the woman on trial ?
It is not expected of a high court judge , '' she said .
Rape and sexual crimes have been in the spotlight in India since December 2012 , when the brutal gang rape - and the subsequent death - of a young woman on a bus in Delhi sparked days of protests and made global headlines .
According to government data , thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and the numbers have been rising over the years .
Latest figures from the National Crime Records Bureau show police registered 33,977 cases of rape in 2018 - an average of a rape every 15 minutes .
And campaigners say the actual number is much higher , because cases of sexual violence are grossly under reported .
Ms Bhat , who has worked on hundreds of cases of sexual assault over the years , said research showed that survivors of sexual assault generally do not seek justice , `` primarily to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal trial .
`` Sexual violence is associated with stigma , and when a woman goes to testify , there 's the feeling that most people in the room will not believe her , '' she said .
And she said the remarks made by Justice Dixit could further deter women from coming forward .
This is not the first time the Indian judiciary has been criticised for court orders seen as patriarchal and misogynistic .
In a a 2017 ruling , judges castigated a gang-rape victim for drinking beer , smoking , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room , and called her `` promiscuous '' .
Speaking to the BBC at the time , Supreme Court lawyer Karuna Nundy said the ruling implied the woman `` had no right not to be raped '' .
And in a 2016 order , a woman who had alleged abduction and gang-rape was questioned about her `` noticeably unusual conduct and movements post the assault '' .
`` Instead of hurrying back home in a distressed , humiliated and a devastated state , she stayed back in and around the place of occurrence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the fact that `` she was accustomed to sexual intercourse… before the incident also has its own implication '' .
They are just two examples from a long list of cases in which the judiciary has shamed the victims of rape and sexual assault .
`` A judge is not supposed to make such remarks , no matter what the provocation , '' Professor Upendra Baxi , emeritus professor of law at University of Warwick and Delhi , told the BBC .
`` As a judge , you ought to think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold those views but you should not articulate them . ''
The judges remarks in the Karnataka high court judge reflected a bias against women and stereotyped them , Prof Baxi said .
`` Women are equal citizens and you can not do anything to undermine her dignity .
Doing your job as a judge does n't include passing remarks on a large group of people , stigmatising them , '' he said .
Decades ago , Prof Baxi and three of his lawyer colleagues fought a similar battle to ensure personal biases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into court orders .
In 1979 , they wrote an open letter to the then-chief justice of India , after the Supreme Court overturned the conviction of two policemen who were found guilty of raping Mathura , a `` 14-16-year-old '' tribal girl , in a police station .
In his ruling , the Surpreme Court judge said that Mathura was used to sex because she was in a relationship , and that her medical report showed she had no injuries and she had `` invented '' the story of rape .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw patriarchal tendencies in the Supreme Court and we pushed for it to change , '' Prof Baxi said .
In the wake of the Mathura case , violence against women became a matter of national debate and new rape laws were passed in India .
In 1983 , the parliament amended the rape law - shifting the burden of proof from the victim to the accused and stating that the past sexual history of the victim should not be a factor .
But 40 years later , the comments of Justice Dixit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behaviour of victims show that the past sexual history of a woman is still a factor in many courts adjudicating rape cases .
`` The judicial process needs to exorcise itself of these beliefs .
These prejudices have to be dismantled from the outside or cleaned out from within , '' said Ms Bhushan .
`` We have asked Justice Dixit to expunge his remarks .
If he does that , it will be a great service to egalitarian gender-just jurisprudence , '' she said .
• The women eating with their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband by name for the first time • The Indian women saying no to forced tattoos

"A judge is not supposed to make such remarks, no matter what the provocation," Professor Upendra Baxi, emeritus professor of law at University of Warwick and Delhi, told the BBC. "As a judge, you ought to think about it before you speak. You might hold those views but you should not articulate them."


bbc--2020-07-02--Hundreds arrested as crime chat network cracked

A top-secret communications system used by criminals to trade drugs and guns has been `` successfully penetrated '' , says the National Crime Agency .
The NCA worked with forces across Europe on the UK 's `` biggest and most significant '' law enforcement operation .
Major crime figures were among over 800 Europe-wide arrests after messages on EncroChat were intercepted and decoded .
More than two tonnes of drugs , several dozen guns and £54m in suspect cash have been seized , says the NCA .
While the NCA was part of the investigation , it was initiated and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and also involved Europol - the EU agency for law enforcement cooperation .
Wil van Gemert , deputy executive director of Europol , told a press conference in the Hague that the hacking of the network had allowed the `` disruption of criminal activities including violent attacks , corruption , attempted murders and large-scale drug transports '' .
The NCA says the Europe-wide operation , which lasted over three months and involved police forces across the UK , has had the biggest impact on organised crime gangs it has ever seen , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement officers .
The Metropolitan Police Commissioner , Dame Cressida Dick , whose force made 171 arrests and seized £13.3m in cash , described it as a `` game changer '' .
She said : `` This is just the beginning .
We will be disrupting organised criminal networks as a result of these operations for weeks and months and possibly years to come . ''
Nikki Holland , NCA director of investigations , said the operational team had described it `` as akin to cracking the enigma code '' .
`` They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of getting that inside information , effectively having a person inside an organised crime group telling us what they 're up to , '' she said .
An estimated 60,000 people , among them up to 10,000 in Britain , subscribed to France-based EncroChat , which has now been taken down .
The system operated on customised Android phones and , according to its website , provided `` worry-free secure communications '' .
Customers had access to features such as self-destructing messages that deleted from the recipient 's device after a certain length @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wipe , where all the data on the device could be deleted by entering a four-digit code from the lock-screen .
The NCA says the messaging system has been used as a `` criminal marketplace '' to co-ordinate the supply of Class A drugs across the world , and import weapons including assault rifles , sub-machine guns , shotguns , pistols and hand grenades .
Law enforcement agencies began getting data from the site on 1 April after the encryption code is believed to have been cracked in March .
Gangs are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to plot attacks on rival groups , plan ways of enforcing drug debts and arrange for money to be laundered .
Threats to life detailed on the site included acid attacks and threats to chop off limbs .
Dozens of organised crime groups have been dismantled , says the NCA , with the bulk of arrests in London and north-west England .
Lockdown `` worked in our favour '' , says the agency , in that many more suspects were at home when they were raided .
Many of those arrested are said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of crime gangs while some are described as the `` Mr and Mrs Bigs '' of the underworld .
EncroChat sold encrypted phones with a guarantee of anonymity , with a range of special features to remove identifying information .
The phones themselves cost roughly £900 ( €1,000 ) each , with a subscription costing £1,350 ( €1,500 ) for six months .
Europol said that French police had discovered some of EncroChat 's servers were located in the country , and that it was possible to put a `` technical device '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In June , rumours began to swirl about EncroChat being compromised by law enforcement .
The Netherlands ' National Police said that users began to throw away their phones once the company became aware that messages were being intercepted - `` but it was too late '' .
Police had already intercepted millions of messages , some of which have been acted on already - and others that may be used in the future .
In London , those targeted in the Met operation , codenamed `` Eternal '' , are alleged to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime networks with longstanding links to violent crime and drug dealing .
Dame Cressida said : `` These people are in business to make enormous amounts of money .
Many of them lead a very respectable lifestyle - and definitely a high-end lifestyle in fancy houses with big cars going to ... clubs and restaurants , splashing the cash sometimes , but sometimes being very discreet about it . ''
The Met said that in June , its detectives identified a plot by an international drugs and firearms gang to shoot dead a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the force , it managed to prevent the shooting by arresting an individual for conspiracy to murder and seizing a loaded pistol , which was believed to be the planned murder weapon .

Dame Cressida said: "These people are in business to make enormous amounts of money. Many of them lead a very respectable lifestyle - and definitely a high-end lifestyle in fancy houses with big cars going to... clubs and restaurants, splashing the cash sometimes, but sometimes being very discreet about it."


bbc--2020-07-02--US firms create record 4.8 million jobs in June

The US economy created jobs at a record pace in June as firms took on more staff after the coronavirus downturn .
Payrolls surged 4.8 million , the most since the Labor Department began keeping records in 1939 , helped by the reopening of factories and restaurants .
It follows May 's jobs rebound , when 2.5 million joined the labour market , and comes after consumer spending data saw a jump in activity .
But a recent spike in Covid-19 cases has raised fears for continued growth .
June 's rise is far higher than the three million jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last month .
However , separate Labor Department data also showed that in the week ending 27 June , initial claims for unemployment fell only slightly , to 1.43 million , on the previous week .
Companies , including in populous states such as California , Florida and Texas , plan to scale back or delay reopening because of the fresh coronavirus outbreaks , which would hold back hiring .
This week , Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell acknowledged the rebound in activity , saying the economy had `` entered an important new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing growth would depend on `` our success in containing the virus '' .
And despite two months in a row of jobs growth , employment is still about 15 million below its pre-pandemic level , with the jobless rate just above 11 % .
The US Labor Department said the leisure and hospitality sector added more than two million jobs , while retail added 740,000 .
The resumption of routine medical appointments also helped , with healthcare employment rising 568,000 .
The reopening of factories meant manufacturing employment continued to rebound , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 195,000 gain in the car industry .
The surge in job creation in the past two months has been spurred by the government 's Paycheck Protection Program , which gives businesses loans that can be partially forgiven if used for wages .
But those funds are drying up .
Michael Pearce , senior US economist at Capital Economics , said he expects `` the recovery from here will be a lot bumpier and job gains far slower on average '' .
According to a report by the Reuters news agency , analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US states accounting for half the population have paused or partially reversed their reopening plans , with limits reimposed most often on bars , restaurants and the size of gatherings .
Moody 's Analytics economist Sophia Koropeckyj said the June jobs surge was `` bittersweet '' , as the rise in the number of cases was `` diminishing the likelihood of a continued V-shaped recovery '' .
She `` expects that the rebound in employment will fizzle and payrolls will flatten out until a vaccine is widely available '' .
Despite the caution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the open , with the tech-heavy Nasdaq index jumping more than 1 % to a record 10,268.7 points .
US President Donald Trump called the job numbers `` spectacular '' and said they proved the economy was `` roaring back '' .
`` These are historic numbers in a time when a lot of people would have wilted , but we did n't wilt , '' Mr Trump said .
However , Mike Bell , global market strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management in London , said the resurgence of coronavirus cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon to say for certain that this recovery in employment sounds the all-clear for investors '' .

The surge in job creation in the past two months has been spurred by the government's Paycheck Protection Program, which gives businesses loans that can be partially forgiven if used for wages. But those funds are drying up.


bbc--2020-07-02--Botswana: Lab tests to solve mystery of hundreds of dead elephants

Botswana is investigating `` completely unprecedented '' deaths of hundreds of elephants since May .
The government said three laboratories in Canada , South Africa and Zimbabwe would be asked to `` process the samples taken from the dead elephants '' .
More than 350 elephant carcasses have been spotted in Botswana 's Okavango Delta in the past two months .
No-one knows why the animals are dying in Botswana - home to a third of Africa 's declining elephant population .
Warning : Some people may find the following images upsetting In a report prepared for the government , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) said its aerial surveys showed that elephants of all ages appeared to be dying , according to Reuters .
Dr Niall McCann , of the UK-based charity National Park Rescue , earlier this week told the BBC that local conservationists first alerted the government in early May , after they undertook a flight over the delta .
`` They spotted 169 in a three-hour flight , '' he said .
`` To be able to see and count that many in a three-hour flight was extraordinary .
`` A month later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bringing the total to over 350 . ''
`` This is totally unprecedented in terms of numbers of elephants dying in a single event unrelated to drought , '' he added .
Back in May , Botswana 's government ruled out poaching as a reason - noting the tusks had not been removed , according to Phys.org .
There are other things which point to something other than poaching .
• Why elephants are seeking refuge in Botswana • The country that brought its elephants back from the brink '' It is only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Dr McCann said .
`` If it was cyanide used by poachers , you would expect to see other deaths . ''
Dr McCann has also tentatively ruled out natural anthrax poisoning , which killed at least 100 elephants in Botswana last year .
But they have been unable to rule out either poisoning or disease .
The way the animals appear to be dying - many dropping on their faces - and sightings of other elephants walking in circles points to something potentially attacking their neurological systems , Dr McCann @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source , it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil .
Dr McCann points to the Covid-19 pandemic , which is believed to have started in animals .
`` Yes , it is a conservation disaster - but it also has the potential to be a public health crisis , '' he said .

Either way, without knowing the source, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil. Dr McCann points to the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have started in animals.


bbc--2020-07-02--Coronavirus: Testing sewage an 'easy win'

A sewage-based coronavirus test could be an `` easy win '' that would pick up infection spikes up to 10 days earlier than with existing medical-based tests .
Scientists led by UK 's Centre for Ecology and Hydrology are working on a standardised test to `` count '' the amount of coronavirus in a wastewater sample .
`` The earlier you find [ a signal ] , the earlier an intervention can happen , '' says lead researcher Dr Andrew Singer .
`` That means lives will be made much more liveable in the current crisis . ''
• Coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Virus already in Italy in December , study finds A network of scientists from universities including Newcastle , Bangor and Edinburgh have already teamed up with local water companies to collect samples of untreated sewage from treatment plants ; the first stage in mapping the outbreak through the sewers .
Early in the Covid-19 pandemic , research revealed that people infected with the virus `` shed '' viral material in their faeces .
That insight prompted an interest in `` sewage epidemiology '' .
`` By sampling wastewater at different parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrow an outbreak down to smaller geographical areas , enabling public-health officials to quickly target interventions in those areas at greatest risk of spreading the infection , '' said Dr Singer .
`` Our network already has six labs that are capable of doing that work , so a national surveillance system could happen tomorrow . ''
So while the researchers say they already have a reliable test that can show the presence or absence of the coronavirus , they are now working on a way to measure levels of infection regularly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It 's easy to say whether something 's there or not with genetic fingerprinting , '' explained Newcastle University 's Prof David Graham , who is involved in the development of that test .
`` But for the sake of epidemiology - which has life-and-death impacts - we wanted to be more exact . ''
Prof Graham and his colleagues have now developed a way to quantify the genetic material from the coronavirus .
`` We can count how much virus is in a sample , '' he explained .
And , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that serves a specific community , we can also tell you an approximate number of humans from which it came . ''
He pointed out that it currently took seven-to-10 days to establish whether a person had the disease , but he said : `` We can collect a sample of sewage and give you an exact number per person within the next day - and that 's for the community .
`` We can tell you whether someone in the community has it at least a week earlier . ''
The researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before it can be rolled out as part of a Covid-19 alert system .
While many countries , including Spain , have started monitoring their wastewater , there have been some early problems - one result that suggested the coronavirus was present in Barcelona in March 2019 may have been the result of laboratory contamination .
There are problems to be solved in order to maximise the accuracy and value of a sewage-based surveillance system : the propensity of the virus to break up when it is in water , the effect on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many sampling points need to be included in a UK-wide network in order to build up a useful picture of the outbreak .
`` It seems obvious that we should be doing this , '' said Dr Singer .
`` But it 's an approach that 's never been considered for an active outbreak . ''

There are problems to be solved in order to maximise the accuracy and value of a sewage-based surveillance system: the propensity of the virus to break up when it is in water, the effect on the result of other contaminants and how many sampling points need to be included in a UK-wide network in order to build up a useful picture of the outbreak.


bbc--2020-07-02--Carlos Ghosn: Japan ask US to extradite ex-Green Beret and son over Japan escape

Japan has asked the US to extradite a former special forces soldier and his son for allegedly helping ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn flee Japan last year .
Ex-Green Beret Michael Taylor and his son Peter were held in Massachusetts in May , several months after Japan had issued warrants for their arrest .
The US authorities confirmed a formal extradition request was submitted .
Mr Ghosn , who was detained in Japan on financial misconduct charges in 2018 , made a dramatic escape last year .
The former Nissan boss denies the charges against him .
Despite being under house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on 29 December he managed to fly to the Lebanese capital Beirut via Turkey .
• How did Carlos Ghosn escape from Japan ?
• The fall of the god of cars • Ghosn : Decision to flee was hardest of my life Details of the Taylors ' alleged involvement in the escape are unclear .
But Japanese prosecutors have said the two were in Japan at the time and helped Mr Ghosn evade security checks as he left .
In May , prosecutors in Turkey charged seven people over the escape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two flight attendants , and an airline executive - are also accused of helping Mr Ghosn flee .
They go on trial in Istanbul on Friday , with Turkish prosecutors seeking up to eight years in jail for the four pilots and the airline executive .
Full details of the escape have never been fully explained .
Mr Ghosn , who holds Brazilian , French and Lebanese nationalities , ran Renault and Nissan as part of a three-way car alliance .
He is accused of misreporting his compensation package , but has insisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Japan .
Since his arrival in Lebanon , he has told reporters he was a `` hostage '' in Japan , where he was left with a choice between dying there or running .

Details of the Taylors' alleged involvement in the escape are unclear. But Japanese prosecutors have said the two were in Japan at the time and helped Mr Ghosn evade security checks as he left.


bbc--2020-07-02--Hachalu Hundessa: Ethiopia singer buried amid ethnic unrest

The funeral has been held for Ethiopian singer Hachalu Hundessa as unrest over his death has spread from the Oromia region where he was seen as a hero .
Troops have been deployed in the capital , Addis Ababa , where armed gangs were roaming to target ethnic Oromos .
At least 81 people have been killed in protests in Oromia since Hachalu was shot dead on Monday night .
The motive for his killing remains unclear , but the 34-year-old had said he had received death threats .
His songs focused on the rights of the country 's Oromo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group , and became anthems in a wave of protests that led to the downfall of the previous prime minister in 2018 .
In Addis Ababa , eight people were killed in violence that included multiple bomb blasts , says BBC Ethiopia reporter Kalkidan Yibeltal .
Our reporter says ethnic and religious tensions have intensified in the aftermath of the killing .
• Ambo , the city cutting long hair and the internet What happened at the funeral ?
`` Hachalu is not dead .
He will remain in my heart and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the Reuters news agency quotes his widow Santu Demisew Diro as saying at the funeral .
The ceremony took place at a stadium in Hachalu 's home town of Ambo , west of the capital , and was broadcast live on Oromo Broadcasting Network television .
`` I request a monument erected in his memory in Addis where his blood was spilt , '' Ms Santu said .
Our reporter says the stadium was not full as many residents in Ambo stayed at home amidst heavy security after days of violence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to delay the funeral until the release of influential Oromo politician Jawar Mohammed .
Who has been arrested ?
Dozens of people have been detained , including Mr Jawar , who was arrested after protesters tried to block Hachalu 's body from leaving the capital on Tuesday .
On Thursday , the media mogul , who has led calls for more rights for the Oromo who feel they been politically marginalised by previous governments , appeared in court in Addis Ababa .
His case was adjourned for two weeks .
He supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Oromo , when he came to power in April 2018 but has since become an ardent critic .
More arrests have been made in the capital , including that of prominent journalist and activist Eskinder Nega .
What has the prime minister said ?
On Wednesday , Mr Abiy warned that those behind Hachalu 's death wanted to derail his reform programme .
`` This week , a very heinous crime was committed on artist Hachalu Hundessa .
Those who planned the crime are those who are not happy with the current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have two choices as a people .
To fall into the trap being set up by detractors or to deviate from their trap and stay on the course of reforms .
Choosing the first is to willingly aid them in our demise , '' the prime minister said .
Since his youth , Hachalu Hundessa was a thorn in the flesh of successive governments .
As a student in Ambo , a city at the forefront of the campaign by Oromos for self-rule , Hachalu joined student groups calling for freedom .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imprisoned for five years for his political activities .
He became increasingly politicised in prison , as he increased his knowledge about Ethiopia 's history , including its rule by emperors and autocrats - and also developed his music skills .
`` I did not know how to write lyrics and melodies until I was put behind bars .
It is there that I learned , '' he said in 2017 .
He released his first album Sanyii Mootii ( Race of the King ) in 2009 , a year after walking free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music star , and a political symbol of the Oromo people 's aspirations .
However , he played down his political role , saying : `` I am not a politician , I am an artist .
Singing about what my people are going through does n't make me a politician . ''
• Read more : The singer whose murder sparked Ethiopia protests Why have Oromos been protesting ?
The Oromo , Ethiopia 's largest ethnic group , have long complained of being sidelined .
Demonstrations erupted in 2016 and pressure built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a series of reforms , which have transformed what was considered a very oppressive state .
However , long-standing ethnic tensions have boiled over into violence .
Mr Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 primarily for making peace with long-time foe Eritrea , but his efforts in transforming Ethiopia were also recognised .

"We have two choices as a people. To fall into the trap being set up by detractors or to deviate from their trap and stay on the course of reforms. Choosing the first is to willingly aid them in our demise," the prime minister said.


bbc--2020-07-02--Iran nuclear: 'Incident' at Natanz uranium enrichment facility

A fire has reportedly damaged a building at a nuclear facility in Iran .
Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran ( AEOI ) spokesman Behruz Kamalvandi said there was an incident in `` one of the industrial sheds under construction '' at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant .
There were no fatalities or concerns about contamination , he added .
The AEOI later published a photo showing a partly burned building , which US-based analysts identified as a new centrifuge assembly workshop .
Centrifuges are needed to produce enriched uranium , which can be used to make reactor fuel but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement sent to BBC Persian journalists before the AEOI 's announcement , an unknown group calling itself `` Cheetahs of the Homeland '' claimed it had attacked the building .
The group said its members were part of `` underground opposition with Iran 's security apparatus '' .
The claim could not immediately be verified by the BBC .
The International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ) , which monitors Iran 's compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal struck with world powers , said it was aware of the reports from Natanz and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activities .
The incident comes six days after an explosion near the Parchin military complex .
The Iranian authorities said the blast was caused by `` leaking gas tanks '' at the site , but analysts said satellite photographs showed it happened at a nearby missile production facility .
Parchin is where Western powers suspect Iran carried out tests related to nuclear warhead detonations more than a decade ago .
Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies that it sought to develop nuclear weapons .
Natanz , which is about 250km @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capital Tehran , is Iran 's largest uranium enrichment facility .
Mr Kamalvandi told Iranian media that Thursday morning 's incident `` took place in one of the industrial sheds being built in the open-air part of the Natanz site '' .
`` There were no fatalities and no damage was done to the ongoing activities at the complex , '' he said .
`` As the complex is not active , there is no concern about [ radioactive ] contamination .
A team of experts of the AEOI are at the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he added .
• Why do the limits on Iran 's uranium enrichment matter ?
• Iranians on Trump and the nuclear deal The governor of Natanz city , Ramazanali Ferdowsi , was later quoted by Tasnim news agency as describing the incident as a fire .
Fire fighters and rescue teams were deployed to the site , he added .
The Natanz enrichment facility has three large underground halls capable of holding tens of thousands of centrifuges operating in cascades .
Uranium hexafluoride gas is fed into them to separate out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 2015 nuclear deal saw Iran agree only to produce low-enriched uranium , which has a 3-4 % concentration of U-235 and can be used to produce fuel for nuclear power plants .
Weapons-grade uranium is 90 % enriched or more .
Iran also agreed to install no more than 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges at Natanz until 2026 , and not to carry out any enrichment at its other underground facility , Fordo , until 2031 .
Last year , Iran began rolling back these commitments in retaliation for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandon the nuclear accord and reinstate crippling economic sanctions lifted by his predecessor Barack Obama .
In November , Iran said it had doubled the number of advanced centrifuges being operated at Natanz and begun injecting uranium hexafluoride gas into centrifuges at Fordo .


bbc--2020-07-02--Zuckerberg hits back at Facebook boycott

As an advertising boycott of Facebook continues to grow Mark Zuckerberg shows no sign of backing down .
The campaign @ @ @ @ @ world 's biggest companies , calls on Facebook to do more about hate speech and @ @ @ @ @ Zuckerberg says he thinks the brands will be back “ soon enough ” and that @ @ @ @ @ change .
It 's a story that cuts to the heart of how the internet @ @ @ @ @ of speech , business and how we define truth and hate .
In the latest @ @ @ @ @ this is Ros Atkins on Facebook and the boycott .

As an advertising boycott of Facebook continues to grow, Mark Zuckerberg shows no sign of backing down.
The campaign, involving some of the world's biggest companies, calls on Facebook to do more about hate speech and misinformation.
Facebook boss Mr Zuckerberg says he thinks the brands will be back “soon enough” and that Facebook's policies won't change. It's a story that cuts to the heart of how the internet interacts with democracy, freedom of speech, business and how we define truth and hate.
In the latest of his weekly reports, this is Ros Atkins on Facebook and the boycott.


bbc--2020-07-01--Vladimir Putin: How he has changed Russia forever

Russians are voting on a series of sweeping changes to the constitution that would mean President Vladimir Putin could stay @ @ @ @ @ making him the longest serving Russian leader .
The reforms would reset Mr Putin 's @ @ @ @ @ 2024 , allowing him to serve two more six-year terms .
There is no independent @ @ @ @ @ , and copies of the new constitution appeared in bookshops during the week .

Russians are voting on a series of sweeping changes to the constitution that would mean President Vladimir Putin could stay in office until 2036, making him the longest serving Russian leader.
The reforms would reset Mr Putin's term limits to zero in 2024, allowing him to serve two more six-year terms.
There is no independent scrutiny of the seven-day vote, and copies of the new constitution appeared in bookshops during the week.
Video by Yanita Georgieva


bbc--2020-07-02--Top tips for making sure what you're seeing online is legitimate

Members of the BBC 's anti-disinformation team offer insider tips on how to verify photos and videos online - so @ @ @ @ @ that what you 're seeing is reliable .
Follow BBC Trending on Twitter @ BBCtrending @ @ @ @

Members of the BBC's anti-disinformation team offer insider tips on how to verify photos and videos online - so that you can be sure that what you're seeing is reliable.
Video journalist: Paul Brown
Presenters: Shayan Sardarizadeh, Reha Kansara and Benjamin Strick
Follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending or on Facebook.


bbc--2020-07-02--Quiz of the week: Which city had a coronavirus 'farewell' party?

It 's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what 's been going on @ @ @ @ @ past seven days ?
If you can not see the quiz , follow this link @ @ @ @ @ quiz via this link .

It's the weekly news quiz - how closely have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world during the past seven days?


bbc--2020-07-02--Africa's week in pictures: 26 June - 2 July 2020

This statue of the nation 's first prime minister , Patrice Lumumba , is seen on the same day in @ @ @ @ @ on from his assassination in 1961 , Belgian prosecutors say they are investigating whether they @ @ @ @ @ taking part .

Image caption,
This statue of DR Congo's first prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, is seen in the capital on Tuesday - on the 60th anniversary of independence. Decades on from his assassination in 1961, Belgian prosecutors say they are investigating whether they can prosecute individuals suspected of taking part.


bbc--2020-07-02--France to rename streets after African WW2 heroes

France 's armed forces ministry has provided local authorities with a guide to 100 Africans who fought for France in World War Two , so that streets and squares may be named after them .
France 's reappraisal of its colonial past is fuelled by the global anti-racism protests and Black Lives Matter .
There are many Senegalese and North African soldiers on the list , but none from what was French Indo-China .
Africans played a big role in the liberation of France in 1944 .
French Junior Defence Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq , presenting the 210-page booklet , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these African heroes must become part of our lives as free citizens , because without them we would not be free '' .
Last month a statue of Jean-Baptiste Colbert , who drew up rules for French colonies in the 17th Century , was vandalised .
Many statues identified with slavery and colonialism have been knocked down or vandalised in Europe and the US .
`` Rather than knocking down , I ask you to build , '' Ms Darrieussecq told mayors .
`` Rather than erasing , I ask you to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to teach . ''
She said that `` today very few of our streets are named after these African combatants , so the aim is to build '' .
She said plaques should explain the role of an African war hero commemorated with a statue or street name .
In January , in the southern town of Bandol , a central square was named after five African soldiers who took part in the town 's liberation .
`` Freedom Square '' was renamed `` African Liberators Square '' .
More than 400,000 Africans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Allies ' landings in the south of France in August 1944 , codenamed Operation Dragoon .
They were involved in heavy fighting to liberate Toulon and Marseille .
The landings were crucial to oust Nazi German forces from the south , while the Allies in northern France were pushing south , having landed in Normandy in June .
After the Nazi invasion of France in 1940 many Africans in French colonies volunteered for Gen Charles de Gaulle 's Free French Forces , though many were also drafted into service .
About @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tunisia , and more than 70,000 from Senegal and other sub-Saharan colonies .
At a ceremony last August commemorating Operation Dragoon , President Emmanuel Macron praised the Africans who made up more than 80 % of the French landing forces .
`` Yet who among us today remembers their names , their faces ? ''
he asked .
Sira Sylla , an MP campaigning to get due recognition of Africans ' contributions to modern France , welcomed the government initiative .
`` Like it or not , their forefathers took part in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our country and history of Africa are linked and it is urgent to spread that knowledge , '' she said .
Among the many African soldiers who fought in WW2 are : Addi Ba .
Born in Guinea in 1923 , he lived in Langeais in the Loire region and fought with the Senegalese Infantry but was captured by the Germans in June 1940 .
He escaped with some fellow Africans from Neufchâteau in the Vosges and in 1943 helped to set up the Vosges mountains `` maquis '' - part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group and caught Addi Ba , who was jailed in Épinal and tortured but refused to give them information .
The Germans shot him in December 1943 .
A street in Langeais was named after him in 1991 .
Paul Koudoussaragne .
Born in the Central African Republic ( CAR ) around 1920 , he joined the Free French Forces in August 1940 and was sent to fight in the Middle East in 1941 .
He fought first in Syria , then in the Egypt and Cyrenaica campaigns from December 1941 to July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he managed to bring munitions to an artillery spotter post under fire , despite a bullet wound .
Gen De Gaulle awarded him the Liberation Cross in Beirut later in 1942 .
In 1945 he returned to action and was wounded in combat near Royan on the French Atlantic coast .
He retired after the war to Bimbo in CAR , where he was a farmer until his death in 1973 .

"Like it or not, their forefathers took part in the liberation of France. The history of our country and history of Africa are linked and it is urgent to spread that knowledge," she said.


bbc--2020-07-02--Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: The rise and fall of the five stages of grief

Denial .
Anger .
Bargaining .
Depression .
Acceptance .
Everyone knows the theory that when we grieve we go through a number of stages - it turns up everywhere from palliative care units to boardrooms .
A viral article told us we 'd experience them during the coronavirus pandemic .
But do we all grieve in the same way ?
When Swiss psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross moved to the US in 1958 she was shocked by the way the hospitals she worked in dealt with dying patients .
`` Everything was huge and very depersonalised , very technical , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview .
`` Patients who were terminally ill were literally left alone , nobody talked to them . ''
So she started running a seminar for medical students at the University of Colorado where she 'd interview people who were dying about how they felt about death .
Although she met with stiff resistance from her colleagues , there was soon standing room only .
These interviews led in 1969 to a book called On Death and Dying .
In it , she began by describing how patients talk about dying , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be improved .
The part of it that stuck in the public imagination was the idea that when a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness they go through a series of emotional stages .
Kübler-Ross described five of them in detail : • denial - `` No , not me , it can not be true '' • depression - when reacting to their illness , and preparing for their death • acceptance - `` The final rest before the long journey '' She described them as `` defence mechanisms… coping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
There were never just five stages , though .
While each of these gets a chapter heading , a graphic in the book describes as many 10 or 13 stages , including shock , preparatory grief - and hope .
And her son , Ken Ross , says she was n't wedded to the idea that you have to go through them in order .
`` The five stages are meant to be a loose framework - they 're not some sort of recipe or a ladder for conquering grief .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or different models , she did n't care .
She just wanted to begin the conversation . ''
On Death and Dying became a bestseller , and Elisabeth Kübler-Ross was soon deluged with letters from patients and doctors all over the world .
`` The phone started ringing non-stop , '' remembers Ken Ross .
`` The mailman started coming twice a day . ''
The five stages took on a life of their own .
They were used to train doctors and therapists , passed on to patients and their families .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Star Trek to Sesame Street .
They 've been parodied in cartoons , and they 've also inspired hundreds of musicians and artists .
Thousands of academic papers have been written applying the stages to a huge range of emotional experiences , from athletes dealing with career-ending injuries to Apple consumers responding to the iPhone 5 .
They 're also used as a management tool : the Kübler-Ross Change Curve is used by big companies from Boeing to IBM - including the BBC - to help shepherd their employees through periods of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of us during the coronavirus pandemic , says grief expert David Kessler .
He worked with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and co-authored her last book , On Grief and Grieving , and an interview he gave to the Harvard Business Review at the start of the pandemic went viral , as people sought to understand their emotional responses to the crisis .
`` There 's denial , which we saw a lot of early on : This virus wo n't affect us .
There 's anger : You 're making me stay home and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bargaining : Okay , if I social distance for two weeks everything will be better , right ?
There 's sadness : I do n't know when this will end .
And finally there 's acceptance .
This is happening ; I have to figure out how to proceed .
`` Acceptance , as you might imagine , is where the power lies .
We find control in acceptance .
I can wash my hands .
I can keep a safe distance .
I can learn how to work virtually . ''
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stages of Grief , from BBC Witness History , on BBC Sounds '' It 's a roadmap , '' says George Bonanno , professor of clinical psychology and head of the Loss , Trauma and Emotion lab at Columbia University .
`` When people are hurting , they want to know , 'How long is this going to last ?
What will happen to me ? '
They want something to hold on to .
And the stages model gives them that . ''
`` They 're seductive , '' agrees Charles A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Death and Dying , Life and Living .
`` They offer you an easy way to categorise people who are in those situations , and they happen to fit with five fingers in a hand so you can tick them off . ''
But George Bonanno says they can do more harm than good .
`` People who do n't go through these stages - and as far as I can tell that 's most people - can be led to believe that they are grieving incorrectly , '' he argues .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the years of people `` who were assuming they should feel a certain way , or their friends and relatives were assuming they should feel a certain way , and they were n't , and people were suggesting maybe they should see a therapist '' .
And there 's very little concrete evidence for the existence of five stages of grief .
The most extensive longitudinal study on the stages was published in 2007 , based on a series of interviews with recently bereaved people .
It concluded that although Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most prevalent emotion reported at all stages was acceptance .
Denial ( or disbelief , as the study termed it ) was very low , and the second strongest emotion reported was `` yearning '' , which was not one of the original five stages .
The study has been criticised , though , for selective sampling and overstating its findings .
But does it matter if the stages are n't backed by empirical research ?
David Kessler says that while academics debate , the grieving people he meets in his work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I see people who say , ' I do n't know what 's wrong with me , I think I 'm crazy - one moment I 'm angry , the next moment I 'm sad . '
And I say , 'There 's a name for a lot of those feelings , those are called the stages of grief , ' and they go : 'Oh , there 's a stage called anger ?
Oh I 'm in that a lot ! '
I think it actually makes people feel more normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if she had never used the word 'stage ' and said that there were five of them , maybe we would have been better off , '' says Charles Corr .
`` But people might not have paid as much attention to her . ''
He says that the idea that there are five fixed stages like a list of medical symptoms distracts from the real lessons to be learnt from Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 's work She wanted to talk more widely about death and dying : helping terminally ill people come to terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family members listen to them and support them while dealing with their own emotions , and encouraging everybody to live their life as fully as possible in the knowledge that their time on Earth is finite .
`` Terminally ill people can teach us everything - not just about dying , but about living , '' she said in 1983 .
Through the 1970s and 1980s , Elisabeth Kübler-Ross travelled the world giving lectures and workshops to thousands of people about death and dying .
She was a passionate advocate of the hospice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She set up hospices all over the world , including the first in the Netherlands .
In 1999 , Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most important thinkers of the 20th Century .
Her professional reputation began to decline when she expanded her work on end-of-life care into theories about what happens after death , and started researching near-death experiences and spirit mediums .
She became involved with a so-called psychic called Jay Barham , but there was a scandal in 1979 when it was revealed that he had molested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be an `` afterlife entity '' .
In the 1980s she started to set up a hospice in rural Virginia for children dying of Aids , in the face of strong local opposition .
In 1995 her farmhouse burnt down in suspicious circumstances and the following day Elisabeth Kübler-Ross had the first of a series of strokes .
She moved to be near her son , Ken , in Arizona , where she spent the last nine years of her life .
In her final broadcast interview with Oprah Winfrey she described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` just angry , angry , angry '' .
`` Unfortunately the public did n't want her to go through her own stages , '' says Ken .
`` They thought the great doctor of death and dying should just be some angelic person who arrives at acceptance from the get-go - but we all have to deal with grief and loss in different ways . ''
The Five Stages of Grief are no longer widely taught in medical settings - although the Kübler-Ross Change Curve lives on in executive training and change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some really great memes .
A variety of other theories on how best to process grief have now come to the fore .
David Kessler believes that the key to grief is meaning - a sixth stage which he added to Elisabeth 's list , with the permission of the Kübler-Ross family .
`` There 's a million different ways to find meaning .
It could be that maybe I 'm a better person because of my loved one 's death .
It could be that they died in a way they should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the world a safer place so no-one has to die in that way . ''
Charles Corr recommends a theory called the `` dual process model '' by Dutch researchers Margaret Stroebe and Henk Schut , which suggests that when people grieve they oscillate between processing their loss and preparing for new challenges in life .
George Bonanno , meanwhile , has identified four common trajectories for grief .
Many people are relatively resilient and will experience little or no depression , he says , while some will experience chronic grief that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience the return of pre-existing depression , and some people may even find their moods lift following the loss of their loved one .
Most people , he says , will feel better eventually .
But he admits that his approach does n't provide the same clarity as the theory of stages .
`` I can tell someone , 'You 're probably going to be OK ' - but 'You 're probably going to be OK ' is n't nearly as appealing , right ? ''
Grief is hard to control and distressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a roadmap is soothing , even if it 's an illusion .
In Elisabeth Kübler-Ross 's last book , On Grief and Grieving , she wrote that her theory of stages was `` never meant to help tuck messy emotions into neat packages '' .
Grief is different for everyone , even if there are occasionally some similarities .
Everyone has to make their own way through .
You may also be interested in : Few people openly admit to holding racist beliefs but many psychologists claim most of us are nonetheless unintentionally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called `` implicit biases '' .
So what is implicit bias , how is it measured and what , if anything , can be done about it ?
Or you may be interested in : Iain Cunningham always believed that his birth had something to do with his mother 's death , but whatever it was seemed to be a family secret that could n't be discussed .
It was n't until Iain was an adult with a family of his own that he uncovered who his mother really was and why she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no-one talked about her for 15 years '

And there's very little concrete evidence for the existence of five stages of grief. The most extensive longitudinal study on the stages was published in 2007, based on a series of interviews with recently bereaved people. It concluded that although Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's stages were present in different combinations, the most prevalent emotion reported at all stages was acceptance. Denial (or disbelief, as the study termed it) was very low, and the second strongest emotion reported was "yearning", which was not one of the original five stages. The study has been criticised, though, for selective sampling and overstating its findings.