bbc--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: Kenyans moved by widow cooking stones for children

Kenyans have rallied to the aid of a widow filmed cooking stones for her eight children to make them believe she was preparing food for them .
Peninah Bahati Kitsao , who lives in Mombasa , hoped they would fall asleep while they waited for their meal .
She used to wash laundry locally but such work is hard to come by now as people have restricted their interactions because of coronavirus .
A shocked neighbour , Prisca Momanyi , alerted the media to her plight .
• What African governments are doing to help people eat amid the lockdowns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as coronavirus' After being interviewed by Kenya 's NTV , the widow has received money via mobile phone and through a bank account that was opened for her by Ms Momanyi , as the mother of eight does not know how to read and write .
Ms Kitsao , who lives in a two-bedroomed house without running water or electricity , has described the generosity as a `` miracle '' .
`` I did n't believe that Kenyans can be so loving after I received phone calls from all over the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she told Tuko news website .
She had told NTV that her hungry children had not been deceived for long by her delaying stone-cooking tactics .
`` They started telling me that they knew I was lying to them , but I could do nothing because I had nothing . ''
Her neighbour had come around to see if the family was OK after hearing the children crying , NTV reports .
As part of measures to cushion the most vulnerable from the coronavirus crisis , the government has launched a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reach Ms Kitsao , who was widowed last year when her husband was killed by a gang .
Her neighbour has also thanked the county authorities and the Kenya Red Cross , who have also come to help Ms Kitsao .
Many more households in that neighbourhood of the coastal city are now going to benefit from the relief food scheme too , the authorities say .
You may also be interested in : • Weddings , births and deaths in the age of Covid-19 Like many low-income Kenyans , Ms Kitsao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last month since the government put in place measures to limit the spread of coronavirus , including a ban on travel in and out of major cities , reports the BBC 's Basillioh Mutahi from the capital , Nairobi .
Many companies have reduced their operations or have suspended them altogether , meaning that workers who depend on short contracts or menial jobs have no alternative means to earn their livelihoods .
Those who run small businesses have also been affected by the nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew .
Ms Kitsao 's story of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health ministry has spent huge sums of money , donated by the World Bank to respond to the pandemic , on tea , snacks and mobile phone airtime for its staff .
Details about how many people were provided for are unclear , nonetheless there has been outrage on social media that the government is spending such amounts at a time many Kenyans continue to suffer , our reporter says .
The East African nation has recorded 395 cases of Covid-19 and 17 deaths .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Should I be wearing one ?

After being interviewed by Kenya's NTV, the widow has received money via mobile phone and through a bank account that was opened for her by Ms Momanyi, as the mother of eight does not know how to read and write.


bbc--2020-04-30--High microplastic concentration found on ocean floor

Scientists have identified the highest levels of microplastics ever recorded on the seafloor .
The contamination was found in sediments pulled from the bottom of the Mediterranean , near Italy .
The analysis , led by the University of Manchester , found up to 1.9 million plastic pieces per square metre .
These items likely included fibres from clothing and other synthetic textiles , and tiny fragments from larger objects that had broken down over time .
The researchers ' investigations lead them to believe that microplastics ( smaller than 1mm ) are being concentrated in specific locations on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` These currents build what are called drift deposits ; think of underwater sand dunes , '' explained Dr Ian Kane , who fronted the international team .
`` They can be tens of kilometres long and hundreds of metres high .
They are among the largest sediment accumulations on Earth .
They 're made predominantly of very fine silt , so it 's intuitive to expect microplastics will be found within them , '' he told BBC News .
• Seven charts that explain the plastic pollution problem It 's been calculated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 12 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the oceans every year , mostly through rivers .
Media headlines have focussed on the great aggregations of debris that float in gyres or wash up with the tides on coastlines .
But this visible trash is thought to represent just 1 % of the marine plastic budget .
The exact whereabouts of the other 99 % is unknown .
Some of it has almost certainly been consumed by sea creatures , but perhaps the much larger proportion has fragmented and simply sunk .
Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deep-sea trenches and ocean canyons can have high concentrations of microplastics in their sediments .
Indeed , water tank simulations run by the group have demonstrated just how efficiently flows of mud , sand and silt of the type occurring in canyons will entrain and move fibres to even greater depths .
`` A single one of these underwater avalanches ( 'turbidity currents ' ) can transport tremendous volumes of sediment for 100s of kilometres across the ocean floor , '' said Dr Florian Pohl from Durham University .
`` We 're just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how these flows transport and bury microplastics . ''
There is nothing atypical about the study area in the Tyrrhenian basin between Italy , Corsica and Sardinia .
Many other parts of the globe have strong deep-water currents that are driven by temperature and salinity contrasts .
The issue of concern will be that these currents also supply oxygen and nutrients to deep-sea creatures .
And so by following the same route , the microplastics could be settling into biodiversity hotspots , increasing the chance of ingestion by marine life .
Prof Elda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany , is a co-author on the Science journal paper describing the Mediterranean discovery .
She says the same effort shown in the battle against coronavirus must now take on the scourge of ocean plastic pollution .
`` We 're all making an effort to improve our safety and we are all staying at home and changing our lives - changing our work life , or even stopping work , '' she told BBC News .
`` We 're doing all this so that people are not affected by this sickness .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when we protect our oceans . ''
Roland Geyer is professor of industrial ecology at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management , University of California at Santa Barbara .
He has been at the forefront of investigating and describing the waste streams through which plastic gets into the oceans .
He commented : `` We still have a very poor understanding of how much total plastic has accumulated in the oceans .
There seems to be one emerging scientific consensus , which is that most of that plastic is not floating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists now think that most of the plastic is likely to be on the ocean floor , but the water column and the beaches are also likely to contain major quantities .
`` We really should all be completely focused on stopping plastic from entering the oceans in the first place . ''
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : .

"We're all making an effort to improve our safety and we are all staying at home and changing our lives - changing our work life, or even stopping work," she told BBC News. "We're doing all this so that people are not affected by this sickness. We have to think in the same way when we protect our oceans."


bbc--2020-04-30--Amazon investors told to 'take a seat' as demand jumps

Amazon sales surged in the first three months of the year , as the coronavirus lockdown boosted demand for the firm 's groceries , online marketplace and cloud computing services .
Sales in the quarter jumped 26 % year-on-year and the firm said they could rise another 28 % in the next .
But the demand has strained the internet giant .
It said it would spend roughly $ 4bn ( £3.2bn ) on coronavirus measures through June .
Those costs reflect increased worker pay , purchases of masks and other protective gear , expenses related to cleaning and less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing measures .
`` The current crisis is demonstrating the adaptability and durability of Amazon 's business as never before , but it 's also the hardest time we 've ever faced , '' said Amazon boss Jeff Bezos .
`` If you 're a shareowner in Amazon , you may want to take a seat because we 're not thinking small , '' he said .
`` I 'm confident that our long term-oriented shareowners will understand and embrace our approach . ''
Amazon , with its dominance in e-commerce , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plus its acquisition of the Whole Foods supermarket chain , is well poised to benefit from the changes to consumer habits forced by the pandemic .
The online giant reported gains across the company .
The e-commerce business rose 24 % , while sales at its cloud computing division , Amazon Web Services - a significant profit driver - jumped 33 % .
Even its advertising unit fared well .
And at Whole Foods , which Amazon purchased in 2017 , sales climbed about 8 % .
That performance presents a sharp contrast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reeling amid forced closures and plunging consumer spending as economists forecast the world 's sharpest slowdown since the 1930s .
`` It should n't come as a shock to anyone , '' said Forrester Research retail analyst Sucharita Kodali .
`` A lot of physical stores around the world were closed and that drives a lot of people online and they are a huge beneficiary of online . ''
From a customer perspective , Ms Kodali said Amazon 's performance has been somewhat lacking , with slower shipping times and many items out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken a beating , as workers around the world complain of inadequate safety precautions .
Despite those issues , Ms Kodali said she expected the firm to maintain its advantage over the long term , as rivals suffering losses due to closures are prevented from making investments that would help them compete .
`` All signs point toward Amazon continuing to win - not because of anything that Amazon has done , but because of what the others ca n't do , '' she said .
Amazon has scrambled to adjust its operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The company has hired 175,000 people in its fulfilment and delivery network and nearly doubled the Whole Foods stores that offer pick-up services .
On Thursday , the firm said it had purchased 100 million face masks and 31,000 thermometers , which it is using for daily temperature checks .
But the firm 's expenses have shot up , with shipping costs alone surging 49 % to nearly $ 11bn .
This weighed on the firm 's profits , which fell 29 % from a year earlier to $ 2.5bn , lower than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have surged more than 30 % this year , slumped in after-hours trade .
But the firm will be able to benefit long term from shifts happening now , like increased online grocery shopping , said Andrew Lipsman , principal analyst at eMarketer , '' It would be very short-term thinking to just look at what happens in this quarter alone , '' he said .
Despite economic weakness , Amazon 's sales are relatively `` immunised '' from declines for now , he added .
`` If we come out of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get back to normal in terms of bricks and mortar buying , then that 's when Amazon like everyone else , will take a hit , '' he said .
• Find out how Bezos built his data machine

"If we come out of this in a deep recession and people can get back to normal in terms of bricks and mortar buying, then that's when Amazon like everyone else, will take a hit," he said.


bbc--2020-04-30--Michigan protesters decry Covid-19 state of emergency

'We are not happy with China ' - Trump The US president says he is not happy with China and @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus outbreak .

Protesters rallied at the state's capitol as legislators voted on extending the state of emergency.
Michigan has seen more than 41,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and over 3,700 deaths.


bbc--2020-04-30--Eastbourne man builds railway in his garden

Adrian Backshall has used the lockdown to finish a remarkable project .
The retired British Rail worker has built a @ @ @ @ @ garden in Eastbourne , complete with hand-cranked wagon .
He is now in negotiations with @ @ @ @ @ a bid to extend the line by 45ft to the end of the garden .

Adrian Backshall has used the lockdown to finish a remarkable project.
The retired British Rail worker has built a 30ft railway in his back garden in Eastbourne, complete with hand-cranked wagon.
He is now in negotiations with his wife Ruth, in a bid to extend the line by 45ft to the end of the garden.


bbc--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: What it's like to be shielding in your twenties

‘ This virus took me and threw me to the floor' Primary school teacher Brian Mepham says it 's `` @ @ @ @ @ people you love '' after recovering from coronavirus .

Grace is a buzzcut-donning, tattoo-wearing 26-year-old with an invisible illness.
She can’t see her boyfriend or her family and she’s been told she cannot leave her flat for 12 weeks.
Here’s how she’s coping as she shields from coronavirus.
Produced by Megan Fisher
Watch more personal stories during the coronavirus outbreak: Your Coronavirus Stories


bbc--2020-04-30--Coronavirus doctor: 'I see staff crying when their patient passes away'

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to affect all parts of the UK , frontline health workers have been keeping video @ @ @ @ @ Dr Harmandeep Singh is a consultant at Ealing Hospital in west London .
He and @ @ @ @ @ last month , and even trained their three-year-old daughter to call 999 in case they @ @ @ @

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to affect all parts of the UK, frontline health workers have been keeping video diaries for the BBC.
Dr Harmandeep Singh is a consultant at Ealing Hospital in west London. He and his wife both had Covid-19 last month, and even trained their three-year-old daughter to call 999 in case they needed emergency help.


bbc--2020-04-30--Quiz of the Week: On UFOs, lockdown loosening and more

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--2020-04-30--Nordic Islands seen in their 'surreal light'

Stefan Forster has made more than 80 trips to Greenland , Iceland , Norway and the Faroe Islands , capturing some of the beauty of the Nordic landscapes .
The Swiss photographer has walked hundreds of kilometres and has seen a range of wildlife , including young polar foxes , musk ox families , sea eagles and puffins .
After earning enough money from his first published photo of rare ball lightning , Forster bought his first professional camera .
At the age of 18 , he then hiked alone in Iceland , covering 189km ( 118 miles ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ photography .
`` Most people 's brains—mine included—are not set up to retain a beautiful experience or a fascinating landscape , no matter how impressive , in the form of a palpable memory , '' says Forster .
`` My first camera changed this for me .
Its images let me transport myself back to moments I want to be able to recall for as long as I live . ''
Greenland : `` Many factors have to come together for this photo to be possible .
First , you need clear skies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the northern lights are visible .
Second , the water must be at low tide so that the icebergs rest on the bottom of the sea and can not move around .
Finally , the air must be completely still without the slightest wind so that the reflection is sharp .
After four years of visiting this spot , all three of these conditions were met , allowing this shot to become a reality . ''
Now 32 , Forster has shot more than 600,000 images in recent years , and- together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tours in the Nordic Islands and beyond .
In his new book Nordic Islands , Forster presents 160 of his best shots .
`` The true heroine of all the images in this book is nature itself , not the photographer , '' Forster says .
`` My task is merely to demonstrate , to any observer , how beautiful our planet is and what it is that needs protection . ''
Forster does n't use image manipulation techniques on his photos .
`` Though I process my photographs , I decidedly reject @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , blending , composing etc. )
.
`` Unfortunately , this is a statement that repeatedly gets me into hot water with some readers .
And yet I stand by it .
My profession is about finding the light .
`` The world such as it is already treats us to surreal light and colours . ''
Nordic Islands by Stefan Forster is published by teNeues .

Image caption,
Greenland: "Many factors have to come together for this photo to be possible. First, you need clear skies and a lot of solar activity so that the northern lights are visible. Second, the water must be at low tide so that the icebergs rest on the bottom of the sea and cannot move around. Finally, the air must be completely still without the slightest wind so that the reflection is sharp. After four years of visiting this spot, all three of these conditions were met, allowing this shot to become a reality."


bbc--2020-04-30--Africa's week in pictures: 24 - 30 April 2020

On Wednesday in Kenya , eight-year-old Stacy Ayuma has her hair threaded .
Though the style is not new , @ @ @ @ @ it `` coronavirus '' because they say it resembles the virus ' prickly shape as @ @ @ @ @

Image caption,
On Wednesday in Kenya, eight-year-old Stacy Ayuma has her hair threaded. Though the style is not new, some are now playfully calling it "coronavirus" because they say it resembles the virus' prickly shape as seen under a microscope.


bbc--2020-04-30--How The Assistant exposes Hollywood's abuse silence

A young woman is a junior assistant at an entertainment mogul 's American office .
She starts early and works late , she fetches lunches , looks after his children , and cleans the office in a way that 's not expected of her equally junior male colleagues .
Most worryingly for Jane , it appears that her boss is also a sexual predator .
The Assistant , by Australian film-maker Kitty Green , is n't the story of Harvey Weinstein .
But the movie - starring Ozark actress Julia Garner as the new recruit Jane and Matthew Macfadyen as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roots in the exposure of power and abuse in the film industry as a result of the # MeToo and # TimesUp movements .
The film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February - the same week as former film producer Weinstein was found guilty of rape .
`` It 's reductive to say that the film 's just about Weinstein though , '' explains Green .
`` It 's a disservice to do that , because now he 's in prison , people could say , 'Oh the problem 's fixed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' `` But it 's a bigger problem than that and that 's always what the film was trying to explore .
It 's about systems and structures that essentially keep women out of power .
`` I was looking specifically at what work environments support a predator - how many women are in positions of power , how staff are treated , how toxic the workplaces are . ''
Green , who conducted anonymous interviews within the industry for her research , says that her own desire to make the film started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a festival .
`` I found I was n't taken seriously by some people there , they 'd ask me which of my male producers were in charge .
I wondered whether I 'd get credit no matter how hard I worked , and I started exploring power structures and women getting shut out of them . ''
The director adds that she experienced things that were quite awful at film festivals , adding : `` Some of my friends had worse experiences , that were really quite horrific .
`` In this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
If we let people get away with toxic working environments and sexual misconduct , what 's to say they wo n't keep pushing ? ''
The Assistant is n't the only film made by women that has origins in the spirit of the # MeToo movement .
Philippa Lowthorpe 's Misbehaviour , released last month , explores the protests and the sexist stereotypes at the 1970 Miss World contest in London .
A Promising Young Woman , starring Carey Mulligan , turns the spotlight on sexual assault on college campuses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Always follows the fictional journey of a teenager from rural Pennsylvania to New York for an abortion , as the service is n't available in her area .
Her pregnancy appears to be the result of sexual abuse .
`` It still was n't an easy movie to go and get financing for despite the recent support for female-led stories within the industry , '' says Never Rarely producer Sara Murphy .
`` But it feels like it 's the right moment to target audiences .
`` I think this film is important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of women who 've had this experience , but it will reach a broader , a more conservative audience outside of the political debate about abortion . ''
Co-producer Adele Romanski believes the film chimes with a `` scary moment '' in the US as some states have shut down reproductive services due to Covid-19 .
`` Some state Governors have declared abortion a non-essential service , '' she says .
`` Never Rarely depicts a woman of certain socio-economic means who needs to travel for an abortion .
`` Now add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel right now , and think how this will affect women who previously had access to abortion services and now ca n't travel out of their state . ''
Larushka Ivan-Zadeh , chief film critic at the Metro newspaper , believes these films are the fruits of the # MeToo movement .
`` These kinds of films got the go-ahead in a way they would n't have done three years ago , '' she says .
`` Something like The Assistant would never have been made before the # MeToo movement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will relate to it , but before , if you can imagine the production meetings about financing it , there would be cries of , 'Who 's going to watch that ? '
Something has shifted . ''
Nor does Ivan-Zadeh think viewers will have much trouble accessing the films at home .
`` In some ways it 's more of an advantage for them to be seen at home when viewers have so much time on their hands , '' she points out .
`` It 's kind of great what 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when people are thinking about what 's important to them and how they 're going to make a change .
`` These films give you a chance to pause and think about what you 're going to put up with when you go back to 'normal ' life . ''
The Assistant is streaming across digital platforms from 1 May .
Never Rarely Sometimes Always is streaming across digital platforms from 13 May and on VOD from 27 May .

A young woman is a junior assistant at an entertainment mogul's American office. She starts early and works late, she fetches lunches, looks after his children, and cleans the office in a way that's not expected of her equally junior male colleagues. Most worryingly for Jane, it appears that her boss is also a sexual predator.


bbc--2020-04-30--The worldwide race to make solar power more efficient

One of the few parts of the UK economy to have a good April was solar power , The Met Office says it has probably been the sunniest April on record and the solar power industry reported its highest ever production of electricity ( 9.68GW ) in the UK at 12:30 on Monday 20 April .
With 16 solar panels on his roof Brian McCallion , from Northern Ireland , has been one of those benefitting from the good weather .
`` We have had them for about five years , and we save about £1,000 per year , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Strabane , just by the border .
`` If they were more efficient we could save more , '' he says , `` and maybe invest in batteries to store it . ''
That efficiency might be coming .
There is a worldwide race , from San Francisco to Shenzhen , to make a more efficient solar cell .
Today 's average commercial solar panel converts 17-19 % of the light energy hitting it to electricity .
This is up from 12 % just 10 years ago .
But what if we could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efficient solar cells mean we could get much more than today 's 2.4 % of global electricity supply from the sun .
Solar is already the world 's fastest growing energy technology .
Ten years ago , there were only 20 gigawatts of installed solar capacity globally - one gigawatt being roughly the output of a single large power station .
For context , New York City , with 8.4 million people uses about 12 gigawatt-hours of electricity a day .
By the end of last year , the world 's installed solar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even with the disruption caused by Covid-19 , we will probably add 105 gigawatts of solar capacity worldwide this year , forecasts London-based research company , IHS Markit .
Most solar cells are made from wafer-thin slices of silicon crystals , 70 % of which are made in China and Taiwan .
• The stealthy drones that fly like insects • Coronavirus threatens the next generation of smartphones • 'The phone slipped into the bath ' : Conference call tales But wafer-based crystalline silicon is bumping pretty close to its theoretical maximum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maximum efficiency for a solar cell made from just one material , and for silicon this is about 32 % .
However , combining six different materials into what is called a multi-junction cell can push efficiency as high as 47 % .
Another way to break through this limit , is to use lenses to magnify the sunlight falling on the solar cell , an approach called concentrated solar .
But this is an expensive way to produce electricity , and is mainly useful on satellites .
`` Not anything you would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next decade , '' laughs Dr Nancy Haegel , director of materials science at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Boulder , Colorado .
The fastest improving solar technology is called perovskites - named after Count Lev Alekseevich von Perovski , a 19th Century Russian mineralogist .
These have a particular crystal structure that is good for solar absorption .
Thin films , around 300 nanometres ( much thinner than a human hair ) can be made inexpensively from solutions - allowing them to be easily applied as a coating to buildings , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work better than silicon at lower lighting intensities , on cloudy days or for indoors .
You can print them using an inkjet printer , says Dr Konrad Wojciechowski , scientific director at Saule Technologies , based in Oxford and Warsaw .
`` Paint on a substrate , and you have a photovoltaic device , '' he says .
With such a cheap , flexible , and efficient material , you could apply it to street furniture to power free smartphone charging , public wifi , and air quality sensors , he explains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Swedish construction firm Skanska to apply perovskite layers in building panels .
According to Max Hoerantner , co-founder of Swift Solar , a San Francisco start-up , there are only about 10 start-up firms in the world working on perovskite technology .
Oxford PV , a university spin-off , says it reached 28 % efficiency with a commercial perovskite-based solar cell in late 2018 , and will have an annual 250-megawatt production line running this year .
Both Oxford PV and Swift Solar make tandem solar cells - these are silicon panels which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since they 're made from two materials , they get to break through the Shockley-Queisser limit .
The silicon absorbs the red band of the visible light spectrum , and the perovskite the blue bit , giving the tandem bigger efficiency than either material alone .
One challenge is when `` you work with a material that 's only been around since 2012 , it 's very hard to show it will last for 25 years , '' says Dr Hoerantner .
Insolight , a Swiss startup , has taken a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lenses in a solar panel 's protective glass , thus concentrating light 200 times .
To follow the sun 's motion , the cell array shifts horizontally by a few millimetres throughout the day .
It is a bid to make concentrated solar cheap .
`` The architecture of these conventional concentrated photovoltaics is very costly .
What we 've done is miniaturise the sun tracking mechanism and integrate it within the module , '' says Insolight 's chief business officer David Schuppisser .
`` We 've done it in a cheaper way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can deploy a conventional solar panel , '' he says .
The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid 's solar energy institute measured Insolight 's current model as having an efficiency of 29 % .
It is now working on a module that is hoped to reach 32 % efficiency .
Current silicon technology is not quite dead , though , and there are approaches to make tiny , quick wins in efficiency .
One is to add an extra layer to a cell 's back to reflect unabsorbed light back through it a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1-2 % .
Another is to add an outside layer , which lessens losses that occur where silicon touches the metal contacts .
It 's only a `` small tweak '' , says Xiaojing Sun , a solar analyst Wood Mackenzie research - adding 0.5-1 % in efficiency - but she says these changes mean manufacturers only need to make small alterations to their production lines .
From such small gains - to the use of concentrated solar and perovskites - solar tech is in a race to raise efficiency and push down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 % , this is where the solar cell industry could really make a very big difference , '' says Swift Solar 's Max Hoerantner .

These have a particular crystal structure that is good for solar absorption. Thin films, around 300 nanometres (much thinner than a human hair) can be made inexpensively from solutions - allowing them to be easily applied as a coating to buildings, cars or even clothing.


bbc--2020-04-29--AI in Africa: Teaching a bot to read my mum's texts

Bonaventure Dossou has been thinking a lot about how to improve phone conversations with his mother .
She often sends him voice messages in Fon , a Beninese language , as he is away studying in Russia .
He , however , does not understand some of the phrases she uses .
`` My mum can not write Fon and I do n't speak the language very well but I 'm fluent in French , '' Mr Dossou told the BBC .
`` I frequently ask my sister to help me understand some of the phrases mum uses , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study is out of the question because like hundreds of other African languages , it is mostly spoken and rarely documented , so there are few , if any , books to teach the grammar and syntax .
Driven by curiosity and powered by data scraped from a Fon to French Jehovah Witness Bible , Mr Dossou and Chris Emezue , a Nigerian friend , developed an Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) language translation model , similar to Google Translate , which they have named FFR .
It is still a work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several AI researchers using African languages in Natural Language Processing ( NLP ) , a branch of AI used to teach and help computers understand human languages .
Had the world not ground to a halt following the Covid-19 pandemic , Mr Dossou and Mr Emezue would have presented their creation to hundreds of participants at one of the world 's biggest AI conferences , ICLR , in Ethiopia 's capital , Addis Ababa , this week .
It would have been the first time the event was held in Africa .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold it virtually .
You may also be interested in : • How decoding African DNA could help fight disease • ' I make my money from Bitcoin and tasty roast meat' AI innovations have been singled out as the driver of the so-called fourth industrial revolution which will bring radical changes to almost every aspect of our lives including how we work .
Some analysts have called big data , which power AI systems , the new oil .
At the moment , Africa is seen as losing out in playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because the majority of the continent 's estimated 2,000 languages are categorised as `` low-resourced '' meaning there 's a dearth of data about them and/or what is available has not been indexed and stored in formats that can be useful .
African languages are not considered when building NLP applications like voice assistants , image recognition software , traffic alerts systems and others .
But African researchers are working to eliminate this handicap .
`` We are focused on placing Africa on the NLP and AI research map , '' Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lancaster , told the BBC .
`` Unless you have your language resources publicly available , free and open , researchers will not have the data for creative solutions on the fly .
We will always have to depend on , say , Google to determine the direction of research , '' Dr Ezeani said .
The conference in Ethiopia was set to be a big deal for African researchers who , among the other challenges they face , have been denied visas to attend past ICLR conferences held in the US and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AI conversations .
`` Not having the conference in Addis was a huge blow , it would have provided a massive shift in the diversity of the conference , '' Jade Abbott , founder of Masakhane , a research movement for machine translation for African languages , told the BBC .
Masakhane , which means `` We Build Together '' in isiZulu , has 150 members in 20 African countries .
Its membership is open to anyone who is interested in language translation .
`` We are building a community of people who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build translation models , 30 % of the world 's languages are African , so why do n't we have 30 % of NLP publications ? ''
Ms Abbott asked .
The network focusses on promoting language translation for Africans by Africans and is encouraging open sharing of resources and collaboration to help researchers build upon each other 's work .
However , most of the time it means starting from scratch .
A Masakhane affiliated researcher , for example , is currently collecting data from speakers of the Damara , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sound - in Namibia , Ms Abbott said .
So far Masakhane members have done 35 translations of 25 African languages , she added .
Apart from Masakhane there are other initiatives building and strengthening the networks of AI researchers on the continent : • Deep Learning Indaba , which promotes AI in Africa and holds an annual conference • BlackinAI , an initiative that promotes inclusion of black people in the field of Artificial Intelligence Dr Ezeani calls them `` silent struggles '' of Africans working in the AI field .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the continent 's capacity both in terms of building AI infrastructure and the skills of researchers and developers .
`` This is essential not just for recognition but for actually addressing our local challenges for example in health , agriculture , education and governance with home-grown and targeted solutions , '' he said .
`` Maybe we can also take ownership and control the narrative at some point , '' he added .
Dr Ezeani is currently working on a machine translation of Nigeria 's Igbo language to English .
`` In five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll be able to interact with Alexa in Igbo or indeed any minority language which will be a huge and fulfilling achievement , '' Dr Ezeani said .
Currently , none of Amazon 's Alexa , Apple 's Siri and Google Home , the main players in the global voice assistants market , support a single native African language .
Google Translate is enabled for 13 African languages , including Igbo , however it is far from perfect .
Dr Ezeani said that the work that he and others are doing might tempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their devices .
He however cautions that African researchers working in the AI field should be driven by original ideas `` that are actually useful to the people '' and not pursue vanity projects .
`` We can check whether , for example to see if , Igbo-to-Yoruba and vice-versa translation is actually more useful than Igbo-to-English ; or whether speech or visual-to-text systems are more required than text-to-text , '' he said .
As for Mr Dossou and his co-creator , Mr Emezue , they have big ambitions for FFR if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Bantu language spoken by more than two million people in Benin , and also parts of Nigeria and Togo , as helping them expand their work in other markets .
Fon is part of the Niger-Congo family of languages , meaning it shares a common ancestral lineage , with languages spoken in parts of West , Central , East and Southern Africa .
But for now their focus is to continue to train FFR to get better at translating daily conversation .
`` Maybe in the next one year or so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Fon would be translated into text in French , '' Mr Dossou said .

At the moment, Africa is seen as losing out in playing a role in shaping the AI future, because the majority of the continent's estimated 2,000 languages are categorised as "low-resourced" meaning there's a dearth of data about them and/or what is available has not been indexed and stored in formats that can be useful.


bbc--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: The leopard on India's streets and other claims fact checked

Misleading information has been spreading in India as the authorities attempt to control the coronavirus with strict restrictions on movement throughout the country .
We 've been looking at some of the more widely shared examples .
Some people thought so , judging by the number of times a social media post showing a leopard on the streets in Punjab state has been shared recently .
In the video from Jalandhar district , the animal can be seen jumping across walls and open areas and chasing people as panic spreads in the streets nearby .
Some posts are tagged # @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say the leopard is breaking the lockdown .
One post on Facebook had been viewed more than 5,500 times .
• How to stop bad information going viral But , as some of the comments under these posts note , this video is over a year old , which you can confirm by doing a keyword search for `` leopard attack in Jalandhar . ''
The video of the leopard on the rampage went viral when it emerged in early 2019 and was picked up by the Indian and foreign media .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current coronavirus lockdown .
With India under extended lockdown , images have appeared on social media of proper social distancing said to be from a marketplace in the north-eastern state of Mizoram .
Users have posted comments on what a good example it sets to the rest of the country , given widespread concerns about the lack of social distancing in some parts of India .
• Can you do social distancing in India ?
But these images are misleading because they 're not from India - they 're from neighbouring Myanmar .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ images were used this month by Philippines-based ABS-CBN News and other media outlets in South East Asia , saying they are from Myanmar .
The images have also been shared by some Burmese Facebook users , who say they show a market in Myanmar .
And by zooming in on some of these pictures , it 's just possible to make out a couple of shop signs and an advertising hoarding written in Burmese script .
3 .
Was a peak in the Alps lit up to thank India ?
This claim refers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the highest mountains in the Alps , straddling the border between Switzerland and Italy , lit up with an image of the Indian flag .
A widely shared tweet by a senior official of the ruling party in India suggests the lightshow was in recognition of India 's leading role in combatting the coronavirus .
According to BJP National General Secretary B L Santosh this was because India 's Prime Minister , Narendra Modi , had supplied the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine .
The drug has attracted attention as a potential treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completed clinical trials or evidence of its efficacy .
India is one of the largest manufacturers of this drug and has so far agreed to supply hydroxychloroquine to at least 55 countries , although Switzerland is not one of them .
But sending supplies of this drug to other countries is not the reason the Swiss authorities lit up the mountainside with the Indian flag .
The local tourism authority has been illuminating the Matterhorn every day since late March with the flags of many different countries hit by coronavirus `` as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult times '' .
You can follow these daily projections here .
4 .
Is a Muslim man spitting linked to the virus spread ?
A video showing a Muslim man spitting is doing the rounds on social media , as concerns mount about growing Islamophobia against the Muslim minority in India .
The video shows the man in a vehicle with police officers , one of whom he spits on .
The original text ( in Bengali ) roughly translates as : `` For those who want proof , here 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spitting on policemen . ''
This refers to a large Muslim religious gathering in March by a group known as the Tablighi Jamaat , in the Nizamuddin area of the Indian capital , Delhi .
This gathering was later blamed for helping to spread the virus , with several thousand positive cases linked back to it , according to official figures .
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak The video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared several thousand times - but it 's misleading .
A reverse image search shows it has nothing to do with the religious gathering in Delhi .
It 's from a report in February by the Mumbai Mirror , a local newspaper in western India , about a 26-year-old man who was under arrest and got into an argument with police officers about the food he was being given .
The video was shot in Thane , a city on the outskirts of Mumbai , in the Indian state of Maharashtra , and @ @ @ @

India is one of the largest manufacturers of this drug and has so far agreed to supply hydroxychloroquine to at least 55 countries, although Switzerland is not one of them.


bbc--2020-04-30--Majority of players scared about returning - Aguero

Players are `` scared '' about the prospect of returning to action amid the coronavirus pandemic , says Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero .
The Premier League is hoping to resume the season on 8 June , which would require players to be be back in full training by 18 May .
Top-flight clubs will meet on Friday to discuss options for the restart .
`` The majority of players are scared because they have children and families , '' said 31-year-old Aguero .
Speaking to Argentine TV station El Chiringuito , the Argentina international Aguero added : `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my girlfriend here and I 'm not going to be in contact with other people .
I 'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend .
`` They 're saying that there are people that have it and do n't have any symptoms but still infect you .
That 's why I am here at home .
Maybe I have the illness and I do n't even know . ''
The Premier League has been suspended since 13 March because of coronavirus but all clubs remain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remaining fixtures .
All games are expected to be held behind closed doors and the league is considering making some available on free-to-air TV .
Aguero said he and his team-mates , will be `` quite nervous and extra careful '' when they return to work .
`` When one person is ill we will think 'oh what 's happening here ? '
'' he added .
`` I hope a vaccine will be found soon so that this all ends . ''
If training is resumed before social distancing rules are relaxed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested for coronavirus twice a week and would be screened for symptoms every day .
All tests would be carried out by health professionals at a drive-through NHS testing facility that each club would have access to .
Training grounds will be optimised for social distancing and high hygiene levels .
In addition : • Players must arrive at training grounds in kit and wear masks at all times .
• They must not shower or eat on the premises .
If clubs want to provide players with food , it must be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cars .
• Only essential medical treatment would be allowed , with all medical staff in full PPE .
• All meetings and reviews must take place virtually and off-site .
Brighton striker Glenn Murray says some proposed protocols around the Premier League 's return to action , such as wearing face masks , are `` farcical '' .
`` Face masks is going to be off-putting ; it is not going to be natural .
People will be ripping them off in games , '' the 36-year-old said .
`` It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are desperate to get football on .
It has to be done in a sensible way and in the right time and in a way that is going to keep everyone safe .
`` There will be ambulances at training and games .
Is it fair to take those from the NHS ?
I don ’ t know .
`` It is not just two squads , there is a lot more involved and it puts more people at risk . ''
Arsenal , Brighton and West Ham have opened their training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I understand the public is desperate to get football back , '' said Murray .
`` But it is us that are going to be going out there and competing against other teams .
`` We are not talking about guys in one community .
We are talking about guys from all over the world who could be possibly carrying the disease .
There are so many caveats .
`` Everyone is in different situations .
I have children at home .
I wouldn ’ t want to jeopardise them .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more susceptible to getting the disease .
`` Some are living with elderly parents .
It is a really difficult situation to agree on . ''

Last updated on .From the section Man City
Aguero last played in the Premier League in the Manchester derby on 8 March
Players are "scared" about the prospect of returning to action amid the coronavirus pandemic, says Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero.
The Premier League is hoping to resume the season on 8 June, which would require players to be be back in full training by 18 May.
Top-flight clubs will meet on Friday to discuss options for the restart.
"The majority of players are scared because they have children and families," said 31-year-old Aguero.
Speaking to Argentine TV station El Chiringuito, the Argentina international Aguero added: "I'm scared, but I'm with my girlfriend here and I'm not going to be in contact with other people. I'm locked in my house and the only person I could infect is my girlfriend.
"They're saying that there are people that have it and don't have any symptoms but still infect you. That's why I am here at home. Maybe I have the illness and I don't even know."
The Premier League has been suspended since 13 March because of coronavirus but all clubs remain committed to playing this season's 92 remaining fixtures.
All games are expected to be held behind closed doors and the league is considering making some available on free-to-air TV.
Senior medical directors of the FA and Premier League will join a video conference on Friday with medical experts from rugby union, cricket and racing, along with the Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden and deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam to discuss the medical and safety aspects of a return to sporting action.
Aguero said he and his team-mates, will be "quite nervous and extra careful" when they return to work.
"When one person is ill we will think 'oh what's happening here?'" he added. "I hope a vaccine will be found soon so that this all ends."
If training is resumed before social distancing rules are relaxed, BBC Sport understands players will be tested for coronavirus twice a week and would be screened for symptoms every day.
All tests would be carried out by health professionals at a drive-through NHS testing facility that each club would have access to.
Training grounds will be optimised for social distancing and high hygiene levels. In addition:
Players must arrive at training grounds in kit and wear masks at all times.
They must not shower or eat on the premises. If clubs want to provide players with food, it must be delivered as a takeaway to players' cars.
Only essential medical treatment would be allowed, with all medical staff in full PPE.
All meetings and reviews must take place virtually and off-site.
'Farcical' face mask proposals
Brighton striker Glenn Murray says some proposed protocols around the Premier League's return to action, such as wearing face masks, are "farcical".
"Face masks is going to be off-putting; it is not going to be natural. People will be ripping them off in games," the 36-year-old said. "It is quite farcical.
"I understand why people are desperate to get football on. It has to be done in a sensible way and in the right time and in a way that is going to keep everyone safe.
"There will be ambulances at training and games. Is it fair to take those from the NHS? I don’t know.
"It is not just two squads, there is a lot more involved and it puts more people at risk."
Arsenal, Brighton and West Ham have opened their training grounds to players for individual work.
"I understand the public is desperate to get football back," said Murray. "But it is us that are going to be going out there and competing against other teams.
"We are not talking about guys in one community. We are talking about guys from all over the world who could be possibly carrying the disease. There are so many caveats.
"Everyone is in different situations. I have children at home. I wouldn’t want to jeopardise them. Some footballers have newly born children who might be more susceptible to getting the disease.
"Some are living with elderly parents. It is a really difficult situation to agree on."


bbc--2020-04-30--PSG awarded French title after season ends early

Paris St-Germain have been awarded the Ligue 1 title after it was announced the season would not resume because of the coronavirus pandemic .
PSG were 12 points clear at the top of the table , with a game in hand , when French football was suspended indefinitely on 13 March .
Earlier this week the French government cancelled the 2019-20 sporting season .
The club said they wished to dedicate the title `` to healthcare staff and all the everyday heroes on the front line '' .
PSG chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi added that French essential workers ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have earned our deepest admiration '' .
He continued : `` We understand , respect and support the decisions taken by the French Government to end the championship .
Health , as the government has always said , must be everyone 's priority .
`` In these difficult times , I hope that this trophy will bring a little happiness and hope to all our supporters , and I am grateful to them for their unwavering support which helps drive Paris St-Germain forward . ''
Before the government 's intervention , French football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resume the season on 17 June .
PSG have been awarded the title on a points-per-game basis , while Lorient have been crowned Ligue 2 champions on the same principle .
They were just one point above Lens when the season was suspended and both teams will be promoted .
Amiens and Toulouse will be relegated from Ligue 1 .
Lyon - who were fifth a week before the last match day , but finished seventh - said they might appeal against the verdict .
Now set to miss out on a place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they also `` reserve the right to claim damages '' , which the club say amount to `` several tens of millions of euros '' .
• When might Europe 's top leagues return from coronavirus suspension ?
`` There might be appeals but our decisions are solid , '' said Didier Quillot , the chief executive of the French League ( LFP ) .
Quillot added the LFP had until 25 May to tell Uefa which clubs will be qualified for European competitions .
That is the same day by which European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governing body whether they want to complete or cancel their seasons .
The Dutch top flight was abandoned on Friday with no promotion or relegation and no champions , while on Monday Belgian clubs postponed a vote on confirming the cancellation of their top flight until next week .
The French football authorities had three main options when it came to deciding the final league positions .
They did not go for freezing the table after 27 games or freezing the table when everyone had played each other once , and instead they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The big losers from that decision are Lyon , who were in the Europa League places after match day 27 , but under these rules finish in seventh place .
It means their only hope of getting into Europe next season is either winning the League Cup final , which could still be played later in the year but will probably be cancelled , or winning the Champions League , which is unlikely even if Uefa manage to somehow complete the matches .
Meanwhile , PSG 's dominance made the decision to crown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was in the Netherlands , where Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were level on points at the top and the KNVB decided there would be no title winners .
So a reason to celebrate for PSG but of course their main aim this season was to win the Champions League and remember , as unlikely as it would seem , they are still hoping they can complete that mission , saying that they would be prepared to play their matches abroad in August if it is not possible to play in France .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost of losing crucial TV revenue in this shortened season and there will be some difficult decisions to be made for many of them .

PSG have now won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles
Paris St-Germain have been awarded the Ligue 1 title after it was announced the season would not resume because of the coronavirus pandemic.
PSG were 12 points clear at the top of the table, with a game in hand, when French football was suspended indefinitely on 13 March.
Earlier this week the French government cancelled the 2019-20 sporting season.
The club said they wished to dedicate the title "to healthcare staff and all the everyday heroes on the front line".
PSG chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi added that French essential workers' "commitment and self-sacrifice over many weeks have earned our deepest admiration".
He continued: "We understand, respect and support the decisions taken by the French Government to end the championship. Health, as the government has always said, must be everyone's priority.
"In these difficult times, I hope that this trophy will bring a little happiness and hope to all our supporters, and I am grateful to them for their unwavering support which helps drive Paris St-Germain forward."
Before the government's intervention, French football's governing body had been hoping to resume the season on 17 June.
PSG have been awarded the title on a points-per-game basis, while Lorient have been crowned Ligue 2 champions on the same principle.
They were just one point above Lens when the season was suspended and both teams will be promoted.
Amiens and Toulouse will be relegated from Ligue 1.
Lyon - who were fifth a week before the last match day, but finished seventh - said they might appeal against the verdict.
Now set to miss out on a place in Europe next season, Lyon say they also "reserve the right to claim damages", which the club say amount to "several tens of millions of euros".
"There might be appeals but our decisions are solid," said Didier Quillot, the chief executive of the French League (LFP).
Quillot added the LFP had until 25 May to tell Uefa which clubs will be qualified for European competitions.
That is the same day by which European leagues have to tell European football's governing body whether they want to complete or cancel their seasons.
The Dutch top flight was abandoned on Friday with no promotion or relegation and no champions, while on Monday Belgian clubs postponed a vote on confirming the cancellation of their top flight until next week.
Analysis
BBC World Service reporter John Bennett
The French football authorities had three main options when it came to deciding the final league positions. They did not go for freezing the table after 27 games or freezing the table when everyone had played each other once, and instead they chose the points per game system.
The big losers from that decision are Lyon, who were in the Europa League places after match day 27, but under these rules finish in seventh place.
It means their only hope of getting into Europe next season is either winning the League Cup final, which could still be played later in the year but will probably be cancelled, or winning the Champions League, which is unlikely even if Uefa manage to somehow complete the matches.
Meanwhile, PSG's dominance made the decision to crown champions a lot easier in France than it was in the Netherlands, where Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were level on points at the top and the KNVB decided there would be no title winners.
So a reason to celebrate for PSG but of course their main aim this season was to win the Champions League and remember, as unlikely as it would seem, they are still hoping they can complete that mission, saying that they would be prepared to play their matches abroad in August if it is not possible to play in France.
French clubs now have to count the cost of losing crucial TV revenue in this shortened season and there will be some difficult decisions to be made for many of them.


bbc--2020-04-30--Premier League resumption a 'non-starter', says Liverpool mayor

Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson says resuming the Premier League is a `` non-starter '' , and he fears a `` farcical '' situation with fans congregating outside Anfield - even if Liverpool clinch the title at a neutral venue .
The Premier League has told its clubs only `` approved venues '' will be used , raising the possibility of matches being played at neutral grounds .
Liverpool , chasing their first title for 30 years , lead the table by 25 points with nine games remaining , while the league hopes to restart on 8 June .
The league @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season resuming behind closed doors because of social distancing measures in place to battle the coronavirus pandemic .
Liverpool say they are `` disappointed '' with Anderson 's comments .
• How realistic is Premier League plan to resume season ?
The national lead for football policing said on Wednesday that playing all remaining Premier League and EFL fixtures at their original venues would `` present challenges '' to the emergency services .
Deputy chief constable Mark Roberts said `` options '' need to be looked at .
Anderson , Liverpool 's first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Even if it was behind closed doors , there 'd be many thousands of people who would turn up outside Anfield .
`` There 's not many people who would respect what we were saying and stay away from the ground , a lot of people would come to celebrate so I think it 's a non-starter . ''
Asked about whether playing at a neutral venue would help , he said : `` Even then , I guess that a lot of people would turn up outside Anfield to celebrate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around that , so there 's a real difficulty here for us .
`` I think it would be really difficult for the police to keep people apart and maintain social distancing if they were going to celebrate outside Anfield .
It would be farcical .
`` It 's difficult for us to try to stop people gathering in parks when the weather has been good , especially young people .
And I fear people would just ignore it .
`` The police are right to be concerned about that as we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials are also concerned about that , so we 'd ask the Premier League and government to take into account all of these concerns that we have . ''
In a statement , Liverpool said : `` As well as a lack of evidence to support such claims , we would also point to recent discussions with mayor Anderson relating to the possibility of any behind-closed-doors football , which concluded that it is important that key stakeholders across the city continue to engage and work collaboratively .
`` In recent weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have informed us of their determination to respect social distancing measures and , in the event of a resumption of football being announced , we would continue to work with them and other key stakeholders in keeping with our collective desire to achieve this crucial objective .
`` As part of our ongoing operations , we are in regular contact with the mayor and his office and we hope these conversations can continue . ''
'Liverpool should be champions - but end the season' Anderson added : `` I think the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season .
`` It is n't just about Liverpool - they 've clearly won the league - they deserve it , they should be crowned league champions .
`` The bottom line is , though , this is about health and safety and people 's lives and I think football should have to come second in regards to making a choice here . ''
More than 300 people have died from coronavirus in Liverpool hospitals .
The Premier League will hold a meeting on Friday morning when Project Restart will be discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the FA , Premier League , Rugby Football Union , England and Wales Cricket Board and the British Horse Racing Authority will also hold talks on Friday in the first of a series of meetings to discuss the feasibility of a return to play .
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden , England 's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam , UK Sport CEO Sally Munday and a representative of the Sports Ground Safety Authority will also be on the call .
BBC Sport has learned that sports leaders will be asked to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Digital , Culture , Media & Sport select committee hearing on Tuesday on the impact of the crisis on sport .

Liverpool are 25 points clear in the Premier League
Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson says resuming the Premier League is a "non-starter", and he fears a "farcical" situation with fans congregating outside Anfield - even if Liverpool clinch the title at a neutral venue.
The Premier League has told its clubs only "approved venues" will be used, raising the possibility of matches being played at neutral grounds.
Liverpool, chasing their first title for 30 years, lead the table by 25 points with nine games remaining, while the league hopes to restart on 8 June.
The league's "Project Restart" envisages the season resuming behind closed doors because of social distancing measures in place to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Liverpool say they are "disappointed" with Anderson's comments.
The national lead for football policing said on Wednesday that playing all remaining Premier League and EFL fixtures at their original venues would "present challenges" to the emergency services.
Deputy chief constable Mark Roberts said "options" need to be looked at.
Anderson, Liverpool's first directly elected mayor, told BBC Sport: "Even if it was behind closed doors, there'd be many thousands of people who would turn up outside Anfield.
"There's not many people who would respect what we were saying and stay away from the ground, a lot of people would come to celebrate so I think it's a non-starter."
Asked about whether playing at a neutral venue would help, he said: "Even then, I guess that a lot of people would turn up outside Anfield to celebrate and I understand the police's concerns around that, so there's a real difficulty here for us.
"I think it would be really difficult for the police to keep people apart and maintain social distancing if they were going to celebrate outside Anfield. It would be farcical.
"It's difficult for us to try to stop people gathering in parks when the weather has been good, especially young people. And I fear people would just ignore it.
"The police are right to be concerned about that as we are here in the city, and public health officials are also concerned about that, so we'd ask the Premier League and government to take into account all of these concerns that we have."
In a statement, Liverpool said: "As well as a lack of evidence to support such claims, we would also point to recent discussions with mayor Anderson relating to the possibility of any behind-closed-doors football, which concluded that it is important that key stakeholders across the city continue to engage and work collaboratively.
"In recent weeks, we have engaged with supporters' groups who have informed us of their determination to respect social distancing measures and, in the event of a resumption of football being announced, we would continue to work with them and other key stakeholders in keeping with our collective desire to achieve this crucial objective.
"As part of our ongoing operations, we are in regular contact with the mayor and his office and we hope these conversations can continue."
'Liverpool should be champions - but end the season'
Anderson added: "I think the best thing to do is to actually end the season.
"It isn't just about Liverpool - they've clearly won the league - they deserve it, they should be crowned league champions.
"The bottom line is, though, this is about health and safety and people's lives and I think football should have to come second in regards to making a choice here."
More than 300 people have died from coronavirus in Liverpool hospitals.
The Premier League will hold a meeting on Friday morning when Project Restart will be discussed.
Meanwhile, the senior medical directors of the FA, Premier League, Rugby Football Union, England and Wales Cricket Board and the British Horse Racing Authority will also hold talks on Friday in the first of a series of meetings to discuss the feasibility of a return to play.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, England's deputy chief medical officer Jonathan Van-Tam, UK Sport CEO Sally Munday and a representative of the Sports Ground Safety Authority will also be on the call.
BBC Sport has learned that sports leaders will be asked to give evidence to MPs at a Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport select committee hearing on Tuesday on the impact of the crisis on sport.


bbc--2020-04-30--Virtual Madrid Open: Andy Murray & Kiki Bertens clinch titles

Andy Murray won the Madrid Open for a third time on Thursday without even leaving the comfort of his sofa .
With tennis suspended until at least mid-July , the Scot emerged triumphant in a contest of 16 leading ATP players who had all swapped their racquets for PlayStation 4 controllers .
David Goffin was Murray 's victim in the final , with the world number 121 edging out the Belgian 7-6 ( 5 ) on the Tennis World Tour video game .
• Murray among stars going for virtual title Murray , who reached the final by walkover after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , twice served to stay in the contest and trailed 5-4 in the tie-break before winning the last three points .
The Scot , who has not played since November because of complications arising from his hip operation , had previously won in Madrid on a hard court in 2008 , then on clay five years ago .
He claimed the biggest share of a 150,000 euros ( £131,210 ) prize pot , part of which will be donated to lower-ranked players whose incomes have dried up during the coronavirus pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ winnings to the NHS .
Kiki Bertens , who should have been defending her WTA title in Madrid next week , claimed the women 's title .
The Dutch world number seven beat Fiona Ferro of France after overcoming Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals .

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Andy Murray won the Madrid Open for a third time on Thursday without even leaving the comfort of his sofa.
With tennis suspended until at least mid-July, the Scot emerged triumphant in a contest of 16 leading ATP players who had all swapped their racquets for PlayStation 4 controllers.
David Goffin was Murray's victim in the final, with the world number 121 edging out the Belgian 7-6 (5) on the Tennis World Tour video game.
Murray, who reached the final by walkover after Diego Schwartzmann had a "connection issue", twice served to stay in the contest and trailed 5-4 in the tie-break before winning the last three points.
The Scot, who has not played since November because of complications arising from his hip operation, had previously won in Madrid on a hard court in 2008, then on clay five years ago.
He claimed the biggest share of a 150,000 euros (£131,210) prize pot, part of which will be donated to lower-ranked players whose incomes have dried up during the coronavirus pandemic.
Murray chose to donate half of his winnings to the NHS.
Kiki Bertens, who should have been defending her WTA title in Madrid next week, claimed the women's title.
The Dutch world number seven beat Fiona Ferro of France after overcoming Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals.


bbc--2020-04-30--Man Utd favour Grealish move over Maddison - football gossip

Manchester United favour a move for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish , 24 , over his England team-mate and Leicester midfielder James Maddison , 23 .
( Manchester Evening News ) Real Madrid and Barcelona have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho .
Manchester United are also keen on the 20-year-old .
( Bild - in German ) Arsenal face competition from AC Milan to sign Real Betis and France midfielder Nabil Fekir , 26 .
( Marca - in Spanish ) Bayern Munich are only willing to pay £60m for Manchester City and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Sky Sports ) Barcelona will not sell Brazil winger Philippe Coutinho for less than 100m euros ( £87m ) .
Chelsea have been linked with the 27-year-old .
( Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish ) Inter Milan are keen to make Victor Moses ' loan deal permanent but want Chelsea to drop their 12m euros ( £10m ) asking price for the 29-year Nigeria winger .
( Calciomercato ) Manchester City have started negotiations with Barcelona over a deal for Portugal right-back Nelson Semedo , 26 .
The deal would involve fellow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving in the opposite direction .
( Sport ) Brazil midfielder Fernandinho , 34 , wants to sign a new deal at Manchester City .
( Sky Sports ) Bournemouth and Scotland winger Ryan Fraser , 26 , wants to join Tottenham when his contract expires this summer .
( Football Insider ) Arsenal 's head of football Raul Sanllehi has told club staff that transfers are not a priority this summer .
( Standard ) Manchester United will reject any bids for English goalkeeper Dean Henderson during the next transfer window .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheffield United .
( ESPN ) Aston Villa 's Spanish striker Borja Baston will return to former club Real Zaragoza when his contract expires in the summer .
The 27-year-old joined Villa in January .
( Sport Aragon - in Spanish ) Burnley and former England goalkeeper Joe Hart , 33 , is keen on a move to Leeds United , and would be willing to take a pay cut .
( Football Insider )

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Manchester United favour a move for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, 24, over his England team-mate and Leicester midfielder James Maddison, 23. (Manchester Evening News) external-link
Real Madrid and Barcelona have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho. Manchester United are also keen on the 20-year-old. (Bild - in German) external-link
Arsenal face competition from AC Milan to sign Real Betis and France midfielder Nabil Fekir, 26. (Marca - in Spanish) external-link
Bayern Munich are only willing to pay £60m for Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 24. (Sky Sports) external-link
Barcelona will not sell Brazil winger Philippe Coutinho for less than 100m euros (£87m). Chelsea have been linked with the 27-year-old. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish) external-link
Inter Milan are keen to make Victor Moses' loan deal permanent but want Chelsea to drop their 12m euros (£10m) asking price for the 29-year Nigeria winger. (Calciomercato) external-link
Manchester City have started negotiations with Barcelona over a deal for Portugal right-back Nelson Semedo, 26. The deal would involve fellow Portugal right-back Joao Cancelo, 25, moving in the opposite direction. (Sport) external-link
'It is mentally breaking' What is it like being in lockdown thousands of miles from home?
Brazil midfielder Fernandinho, 34, wants to sign a new deal at Manchester City. (Sky Sports) external-link
Bournemouth and Scotland winger Ryan Fraser, 26, wants to join Tottenham when his contract expires this summer. (Football Insider) external-link
Arsenal's head of football Raul Sanllehi has told club staff that transfers are not a priority this summer. (Standard) external-link
Manchester United will reject any bids for English goalkeeper Dean Henderson during the next transfer window. The 23-year-old is currently on loan at Sheffield United. (ESPN) external-link
Aston Villa's Spanish striker Borja Baston will return to former club Real Zaragoza when his contract expires in the summer. The 27-year-old joined Villa in January. (Sport Aragon - in Spanish) external-link
Burnley and former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, 33, is keen on a move to Leeds United, and would be willing to take a pay cut. (Football Insider) external-link


bbc--2020-04-30--Jesse Lingard: Can you keep up with his 40-minute workout?

Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard ’ s 40-minute workout consists of three rounds of four sets of exercises , including @ @ @ @ @ strength , with a bonus round if you can hack it !
WATCH MORE : @ @ @ @ @ with gymnast Ohashi

Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard’s 40-minute workout consists of three rounds of four sets of exercises, including cardio, core and overall strength, with a bonus round if you can hack it!
WATCH MORE: How to do a handstand with gymnast Ohashi


bbc--2020-04-30--Is R0 the crucial number for ending lockdown?

There is a simple , but crucial number at the heart of understanding the threat posed by the coronavirus .
It is guiding governments around the world on the actions needed to save lives , and it gives us clues to the extent that lockdown can be lifted .
It is called the reproduction number or simply the R value .
The reproduction number is a way of rating a disease 's ability to spread .
It 's the number of people that one infected person will pass the virus on to , on average Measles has one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of 15 in populations without immunity .
It can cause explosive outbreaks .
The new coronavirus , known officially as Sars-CoV-2 , has a reproduction number of about three , but estimates vary .
Why is a number above one dangerous ?
If the reproduction number is higher than one , then the number of cases increases exponentially - it snowballs like debt on an unpaid credit card .
But if the number is lower , the disease will eventually peter out as not enough new people are being infected to sustain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force the reproduction number down from about three to below one .
This is the reason you 've not seen family , have had to work from home and the children have been off school .
Stopping people coming into contact with each other to cut the virus 's ability to spread .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• IMPACT : What the virus does to the body • RECOVERY : How long does it take ?
• LOCKDOWN : How can we lift restrictions ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this mess ?
What is the R number in the UK ?
The reproduction number is not fixed .
Instead , it changes as our behaviour changes or as immunity develops .
Mathematical modellers at Imperial College London are attempting to track how the number has changed as isolation , social distancing and the full lockdown were introduced .
Before any measures came in , the number was well above one and the conditions were ripe for a large outbreak .
Successive restrictions brought it down , but it was not until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one .
It 's a bit technical but by this point scientists refer to the Rt , rather than R , as the number is changing over time .
The figure now seems to be about 0.7 .
There is always some uncertainty in this type of work , but there is a high degree of confidence from the government 's scientific advisers that the figure is below one overall .
The situation is different in some hospitals and care homes where the virus is spreading .
So how does this inform lifting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lift lockdown , the aim will be to keep the reproduction number below one .
Dr Adam Kucharski , from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , told the BBC : `` It 's a big challenge making sure you 're not loosening too much and increasing transmission . ''
However it has taken a monumental effort , one that has caused damage to people 's lives , to get the number from three to 0.7 .
`` It does n't give you a lot of room to play with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] '' , Dr Kucharski added .
Earlier in April , Germany 's reproduction number fell to about 0.7 , the same as the UK 's now .
But the Robert Koch Institute said that number had increased in recent days to one , before dropping back to 0.75 .
`` The number should stay below one , that is the big goal , '' said Prof Lothar Wieler , head of the institute .
Which measures could be lifted ?
Unfortunately there is no confirmation how much each intervention affects the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Opening schools versus workplaces versus other gatherings - understanding how much they increase the reproduction number is going to be the challenge , '' said Dr Kucharski .
Another issue is that people 's behaviour changes over time , so the number can creep up even if lockdown policies remain unchanged .
• Coronavirus lockdown : How can we lift restrictions ?
• Why millions will soon be using coronavirus apps • Coronavirus immunity : Can you catch it twice ?
What is likely to be needed are new ways of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extensive testing and tracing or location-tracking apps .
These can suppress the reproduction number in a more targeted way , allowing some of the other measures to be lifted .
Is it the most important number ?
The reproduction number is one of the big three .
Another is severity - if you have a very mild disease that does not cause many problems then you can relax a bit .
Coronavirus , and the disease it causes , Covid-19 , is severe and deadly , unfortunately .
The last is the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deciding when to act .
If you have a high number , but ease restrictions so the reproduction number is about one then you will continue to have a high number of cases .
Having a vaccine is another way to bring down the reproduction number .
A coronavirus patient would naturally infect three others on average , but if a vaccine could protect two of them from infection then the reproduction number would fall from three to one .

Before any measures came in, the R number was well above one and the conditions were ripe for a large outbreak. Successive restrictions brought it down, but it was not until full lockdown that it was driven below one.


bbc--2020-04-30--Coronavirus: Gulshan Ewing's death adds to care home tragedy

A pioneering Indian journalist who mingled with some of the world 's most famous celebrities has died with Covid-19 at a home for the elderly in London .
Gulshan Ewing was 92 when she died in residential care in Richmond , her daughter Anjali Ewing told the BBC .
`` I was right by her side when she stopped breathing . ''
Despite her age , her mother had no pre-existing conditions , she says .
Ewing , who edited two of India 's most popular publications - women 's magazine Eve 's Weekly and film magazine Star & Style @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrated editor , and a celebrity in her own right .
In his book India : A million mutinies now , Nobel laureate VS Naipaul describes her as `` India 's most famous female editor '' .
She also holds the record for the longest-ever interview that Indira Gandhi , India 's first and only female prime minister , gave to any journalist .
As the editor of Eve 's Weekly , she mentored young female journalists and , as the feminist movement began to grow in India in the 1970s and 80s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As the editor of Star and Style , she rubbed shoulders with the best of Hollywood and Bollywood , interviewing some of the biggest stars , writing about them and even partying with them .
In the past week , news websites have published her photographs interviewing Hollywood legends Gregory Peck , Cary Grant and Roger Moore ; she 's seen dining with Alfred Hitchcock , chatting with Prince Charles , posing for photographs with Ava Gardner and teaching Danny Kay how to drape a sari .
In Bollywood , says her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she dropped in on the sets of superstar Rajesh Khanna , partied with legends like Dilip Kumar , Shammi Kapoor , Dev Anand , Sunil Dutt and Nargis , and even danced with `` biggest showman '' Raj Kapoor .
Born to Parsi parents in Mumbai ( then Bombay ) in 1928 , Ewing was among the first of a few women to join journalism in independent India .
She worked for a number of publications before she was appointed editor of the two magazines .
In 1990 , she moved to London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British journalist she married in 1955 .
Her death comes amid growing concerns over how Britain is handling Covid-19 infections in care homes .
The virus has killed thousands of elderly and vulnerable people .
Ewing had been ill for a week and died peacefully on 18 April .
Her test result , confirming the coronavirus infection , came a day later .
`` I spent several hours sitting with her .
I held her hand , I chatted , I spoke about the family , I told her how much I loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was semi-conscious , she did n't speak .
I played her favourite music , a couple of old Bollywood songs and Blue Danube . ''
As news of her death came in , some of India 's best-known female journalists who had worked with her 35 or 40 years ago , began fondly remembering an editor who gave them their first break , held their hands in their first jobs , was always kind and never condescending .
`` She was my editor on my very first job , hiring me after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1980s , '' Charu Shahane , who 's now a BBC World Service colleague in London , told me recently .
`` In those days , I was very shy and tongue-tied .
She was a known figure so when I got called for an interview , I was very nervous .
But she immediately put me at ease . ''
She remembers Ewing as `` an amazing , larger than life '' editor , `` a gorgeous and elegant figure , always impeccably dressed , with a touch of glamour , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a cigarette dangling between her fingers '' .
Ammu Joseph , who was an assistant editor in Eve 's Weekly for four years , says Gulshan Ewing did n't walk into the office , she used to `` swish into the office '' .
`` We had a crammed space , it was a tiny office and she had a small cabin , but it looked spectacular because of who she was and her manner of speaking .
She was elegant , soft-spoken , so sophisticated . ''
When Ms Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women 's movement was just beginning to pick up in India and the campaign against dowry deaths - young brides being killed for bringing in insufficient dowry - was building up .
`` I was 24 and I was all fired up with feminist ideas , '' she says .
Most of her colleagues were of a similar age and disposition .
But Eve 's Weekly was a traditional women 's magazine with the `` usual ingredients '' like recipes , fashion and beauty tips , and knitting patterns .
The cover always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actresses .
`` But to her credit , Mrs Ewing was open to the idea of making it more contemporary , more feminist .
She enabled it . ''
So , the young journalists wrote about domestic violence and child abuse , the magazine had a special issue on rape , including marital and custodial rape , and a provocative article on misogyny in Hindu religion - all pretty revolutionary stuff considering the stigma that still surrounds these subjects in India .
`` We pushed for change .
We were in our 20s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She did n't have to listen to us , but she did . ''
Pamela Philipose , who also worked as an assistant editor at Eve 's Weekly in the 1980s , says Ewing `` was almost intuitively able to grasp that the changing times required a feminist sensibility '' .
But , Ewing herself , she says , never wrote on topics like gender equality and violence against women `` and enjoyed socialising with the beautiful people '' .
She did socialise with the beautiful people , but it was not something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a tribute to Gulshan Ewing , her former colleague Sherna Gandhy says the photographs published in the past few days of her with Hollywood stars and British royalty `` have come as a surprise to many of us who worked with her since she never boasted of her celebrity status '' .
Anjali , her daughter , who is also a journalist , says she knew she had `` a famous mother , but for me she was mum ; she was devoted to her family and paid a lot of attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While growing up , she remembers her mother always brought home lots of work .
`` For over 20 years , she was planning and commissioning for two magazines and it was a lot of work .
`` She had film stars call her at 2am to complain about something that was written about them in the magazine and she would be on the phone for an hour , trying to placate them . ''
After she retired to London in 1990 , Ewing took a complete break from writing and journalism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a book , but she did n't seem too keen on it .
`` That was her life then , and this was her life now .
She divided work as hers , and family as ours .
`` I think mum was a very lucky woman , she had an amazing career , and she was loved and adored by her husband .
It sounds funny to say it , but she had it all . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STRESS : How to look after your mental health

Born to Parsi parents in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1928, Ewing was among the first of a few women to join journalism in independent India. She worked for a number of publications before she was appointed editor of the two magazines. In 1990, she moved to London with her husband Guy Ewing, a British journalist she married in 1955. The couple have two children - daughter Anjali and son Roy.


bbc--2020-04-30--Coronavirus in Ghana: Online funerals, face masks and elections without rallies

In our series of letters from African writers , journalist and former Ghana government minister Elizabeth Ohene writes about the new normal - from how to hold a socially distant election to attending online funerals .
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 , we have come to accept that our lives have been turned upside down .
We have been learning to cope with things nobody had ever dreamt about - like not hugging or shaking hands .
Social distancing , self-isolation and quarantine have all become terms of everyday use .
Schools have been closed , and parents are discovering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eat .
There are things we studiously avoid talking about ; the mortuaries are full , not from coronavirus deaths ( so far in Ghana , there have been 16 from the disease ) but the ban on public gatherings , which means we can not have normal funerals .
Private burials are allowed but with no more than 25 people and that really is an unbearable experience for most Ghanaians .
So , we are keeping the bodies in the morgues in the hope that this dreadful nightmare will soon be over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ghanaian burials .
Funeral services are going hi-tech to abide by the new restrictions .
The service has the prescribed 25 or less people and the proceedings are streamed online .
Many people now sit at home by their laptops and log on to join the service .
If this trend continues , it will totally subvert our funeral culture .
I joined an online funeral last week dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt .
Nobody attends a funeral dressed like that .
• Why Ghanaians are so slow to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone through seven Sundays , including Easter Sunday , without church services , it is dawning on all of us that coronavirus is rather dramatic .
We are into the holy month of Ramadan .
Muslims have started their fasting , without the congregational prayers in the mosque that mark the breaking of the fast .
More and more of us now accept that we are in unsettling times .
The capital Accra and its environs , and the second city Kumasi , were put under lockdown for three weeks and we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the movement of people now lifted .
At the centre of the entire Covid-19 experience has been President Nana Akufo-Addo .
He addressed the nation on the evening of 12 March to tell us of the first two cases of coronavirus in the country .
He announced the ban on social gatherings , the closure of borders , the lockdown in the two metropolitan areas , and he enumerates the tally of confirmed cases of infections .
There is an unstated but awkward fact that runs underneath all the frantic coronavirus activities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on 7 December .
Elections are keenly contested here and campaigns are usually loud , chaotic and , of course , crowd-centred .
Preparations were on a tight schedule and did not leave much room for anything to go wrong .
Then the virus struck and the first casualty was the National Identification Authority .
It has not yet been able to finish giving identity cards to everybody above the age of 16 .
Without it , people can not register to vote .
The electoral commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the opposition National Democratic Congress ( NDC ) is having none of that and has sworn loudly that it will do everything it can to make sure it does not happen .
The commission had , in fact , planned to start the registration process more than a week ago , but since all gatherings are banned , it seems to be stuck .
Furthermore , the two main parties are gauging each other as the nature of politicking has changed with the advent of coronavirus .
No-one knows if the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based mostly on how the parties and their candidates fare during this crisis .
The candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party ( NPP ) , President Nana Akufo-Addo , and the NDC candidate , former President John Mahama , know each other pretty well .
This is going to be the third time they will be facing each other .
The NPP should have conducted primaries in about 150 constituencies in which it has sitting MPs last December but postponed them to April - only for them to be derailed by lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least not in the manner we know .
Party officials are in a bind , will they be able to hold primaries and how will they manage the tensions that come with internal elections if there is no time to heal wounds ?
The NDC has most of its parliamentary candidates but its presidential candidate would have wanted to announce his choice of running mate at a big rowdy event - not at an event dominated by social distancing .
And how do you campaign when a malignant virus loose in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be any appetite for partisan arguments ?
The president has addressed the country eight times since the outbreak and the whole nation listens to him .
He makes a speech and part of it goes viral : `` We know how to bring the economy back to life .
What we do not know is how to bring people back to life . ''
The president says the virus does not have a political colour , this is not the time for politicking , and right now we must defeat our common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?
• VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• LOCKDOWNS : The different approaches in Africa The NDC started its Covid-19 politicking on a dodgy note when its general secretary , Asiedu Nketia , expressed doubts about the existence of the virus in the country .
When Mr Nketia announced the first two cases of Covid-19 and placed a ban on social gatherings and political activities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoax , and part of a grand design by the president to rig the elections .
But the NDC soon regained its poise and the party set up its own Covid-19 committee and Mr Mahama started issuing his own daily bulletins on the progress of the virus .
He had a digital conversation the other day , which sounded suspiciously like an address to the nation .
One week into the lockdown , tempers began to fray , small businesses were feeling the pinch , the daily wage earners were in distress and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
An NDC MP accused government officials of asking the vulnerable for NPP party membership cards before being given food .
A video was released of Mr Mahama distributing food parcels in a poor suburb .
He was appropriately clad in his face mask and told the recipients he knew they were suffering and could feel their pain .
The president announced a raft of interventions to ease the economic difficulties brought on by the pandemic ; the government would pick up 50 % of everybody 's electricity bill for the next three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that period , and health workers would not pay taxes .
Last Sunday , Mr Akufo-Addo announced the government was about to start a huge hospital building programme .
He said the pandemic had exposed just how badly underserved we were with hospitals and he would build and equip 94 new ones within the next year .
We had not seen the president as a Father Christmas before but there he was dishing out goodies .
For the NDC , it is difficult when it wants to defeat him in elections .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get rid of this virus and there are no provisions in the constitution to postpone presidential elections , we are having to work around the possibility of holding the polls with Covid-19 around us .
South Korea did it and we might have to do it as well , socially distanced and with our masks .
• Why some Nigerians are gloating about Covid-19 Follow us on Twitter @ BBCAfrica , on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

Since nobody has any idea when we will get rid of this virus and there are no provisions in the constitution to postpone presidential elections, we are having to work around the possibility of holding the polls with Covid-19 around us.