bbc--2020-05-05--New Zealand PM: No open borders for 'a long time'

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the country will not have open borders with the rest of the world for `` a long time to come '' .
Ms Ardern was speaking after attending part of Australia 's cabinet meeting via video link .
The meeting discussed a possible `` trans-Tasman bubble '' , where people could go between Australia and New Zealand freely , and without quarantine .
But she said visitors from further afield were not possible any time soon .
Both Australia and New Zealand have closed their borders to almost all foreigners as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ardern say ?
Ms Ardern said New Zealand and Australia were discussing a `` bubble of sorts between us , a safe zone of travel '' .
She stressed there was `` a lot of work to be done before we can progress ... but it 's obviously been floated because of the benefits it would bring '' .
But , in response to a question about the country 's tourism sector , Ms Ardern said : `` We will not have open borders for the rest of the world for a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NZ beat the virus and got its coffee back • Coronavirus 'currently eliminated ' in New Zealand Tourism is one of New Zealand 's biggest industries , directly employing almost 10 % of the country 's workforce , and contributing almost 6 % of GDP .
Most visitors are from Australia , followed by China , the US , and the UK .
What is the virus situation in Australia and New Zealand ?
Ms Ardern said any `` trans-Tasman bubble '' was only possible because of `` the world leading actions '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand reported no new cases for the second day in a row .
It has had fewer than 1,500 confirmed cases in total , and only 20 deaths .
Last week it eased its lockdown from Level 4 to Level 3 .
Australia - which has a population of around 25 million , five times that of New Zealand - has had almost 7,000 cases and 96 deaths .
But it , too , has `` flattened the curve '' of infections , and various states and territories have also eased their @ @

She stressed there was "a lot of work to be done before we can progress...but it's obviously been floated because of the benefits it would bring".


bbc--2020-05-05--Bois Locker Room: Indian teens' lewd Instagram group causes outrage

Indian police have taken a 15-year-old boy into custody for participating in an Instagram group chat that shared images of underage girls and made lewd comments about them .
The group , `` Bois Locker Room '' , is believed to comprise young schoolboys in the capital , Delhi .
Screenshots of chats on the group have been shared widely on social media .
The incident has caused outrage in Delhi , which is already seen as one of India 's most unsafe cities for women .
The 2012 rape and murder of a medical student in the city led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more stringent laws against rape and sexual assault .
However , there has been little indication that the situation has improved since then .
How did the group become public ?
Several Instagram users who had been made aware of its existence began posting about the group and calling out members for their behaviour .
It turned out that members were sharing images of their classmates and other underage girls without their knowledge or consent along with crude comments ranging from body shaming to jokes on sexual assault and rape .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media ?
The screenshots began to be widely shared on WhatsApp as well as Twitter and other social media platforms .
But Shubham Singh , a cyber expert who works closely with law enforcement and was one of the first people to begin investigating the group , has cautioned that many of these screenshots look edited .
He added that there appeared to be a mix of images from this group and some similar groups that exist on other social media platforms like Snapchat .
He said he started looking into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch with him and sent him screenshots .
`` I tried to investigate it properly but no-one was coming forward to file a complaint .
So we tried to find out who was behind the group .
They had deleted their Instagram accounts but through the screenshots and some tools , I was able to trace them , '' he said .
Mr Singh then passed on the information to the police , which has now led to one teenager being taken into custody .
What else has happened ?
The Delhi Women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an investigation into the group .
It issued a directive to the Delhi police to file a case against the perpetrators and submit a report detailing exactly what action had been taken so far .
Police say they started their investigations after being made aware of the matter , but have told local media that a school had also filed a criminal complaint over the same case .
They are likely to bring more members of the group into custody soon , they added .
Meanwhile the DCW has also issued a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details and IP addresses of all the members of the group , and asking the social media site to detail exactly what action it has taken to deal with the situation .
Instagram has not commented on the issue so far .
But Pawan Duggal , chairman of the International Commission of Cyber Security Law , says that the social media company is liable .
`` Instagram can not say they do n't know this was happening .
They have to cull out such content voluntarily .
The police can go after them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC , adding that this group was the result of India being `` too soft '' towards intermediaries like social media networks .
What causes such behaviour ?
Mr Duggal , says his organisation has noticed a `` massive increase '' in the number of children visiting pornography and other `` dark web '' sites during the lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus .
`` In the last 40 days of the lockdown , there have been massive sociological and psychological changes in society with children being indoors and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
He added that while they do n't have scientific data , the commission had observed a rise in this trend - visits to pornography sites and sexual fantasy groups - during the lockdown .
However , senior psychologist Dr Roma Kumar , said such groups existed even before the lockdown , but said the unusual situation could make them more prevalent .
Mr Duggal said authorities had to send a strong message , and that the law had to `` come up with a very strong hand '' against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such behaviour from recurring .
There has been a lot of outrage and abuse directed at the members of the group already , with many people publicly calling for them to be arrested .
The names and Instagram handles of the members have also been made public on social media platforms .
However , Dr Kumar told the BBC that going after the members of the group in public on the internet was counterproductive and would not solve the issue in the long term .
`` The aim is not to damage them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of this kind of behaviour , '' she said , adding that these chats were typical of the kind of high-risk behaviour that children of this age indulged in .
`` The problem also is that with the internet , children are much more exposed to this kind of content , and they think that this is desirable behaviour .
The only thing that can help is prolonged counselling so that they can see what they did was wrong , '' she said .
`` Going after them will only make them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not solve the issue .
We want these boys to reform and become better members of society . ''

"I tried to investigate it properly but no-one was coming forward to file a complaint. So we tried to find out who was behind the group. They had deleted their Instagram accounts but through the screenshots and some tools, I was able to trace them," he said.


bbc--2020-05-05--Coronavirus: Chinese state media take aim at US 'lab theory'

Chinese state media has accused US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo of lying , after he said there was `` enormous evidence '' the coronavirus emanated from a laboratory in Wuhan .
Mr Pompeo made the claim on Sunday , without going into specifics .
In an editorial on Tuesday , the hawkish Global Times newspaper said Mr Pompeo was `` degenerate '' .
The World Health Organization says the US claims are `` speculative '' , and that it has seen no `` specific evidence '' .
What did Chinese media say ?
Editorials in Chinese state media often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government thinking , but there has been no official response to Mr Pompeo 's comments as yet .
On Monday , the Global Times accused Mr Pompeo of `` absurd theories and twisted facts '' , and on Tuesday the attack continued .
`` Pompeo aims to kill two birds with one stone by spewing falsehoods , '' it said .
`` First , he hopes to help Trump win re-election this November ... second , Pompeo hates socialist China and , in particular , can not accept China 's rise . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ problems '' in China 's response to the outbreak , but claimed `` the overall performance is bright enough to outweigh the flaws '' .
It also said it was `` conceivable that the virus first contacted humans in other places [ than Wuhan ] '' .
The Global Times is not the only Chinese outlet to take aim at Mr Pompeo and the US .
The People 's Daily said Mr Pompeo had `` no evidence '' , while a piece on the CCTV site accused US politicians of `` nefarious plotting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
In an interview with ABC on Sunday , Mr Pompeo said there was `` enormous evidence '' that the virus had emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology .
`` Remember , China has a history of infecting the world , and they have a history of running sub-standard laboratories , '' he said .
Mr Pompeo - a former director of the Central Intelligence Agency ( CIA ) - said he did not think the virus was man-made or genetically modified .
The Wuhan laboratory is known to study coronaviruses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was asked whether `` lax safety protocols '' allowed such a virus to escape via an intern and her boyfriend .
Mr Trump did not confirm the theory , but said : `` More and more we 're hearing the story . ''
Last week , he was asked if he had seen evidence that gave him a `` high degree of confidence '' that the virus emerged in the Wuhan laboratory .
`` Yes I have , '' he replied - but said he could not go into specifics .
Last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials visited the laboratory in January 2018 , and reported back their safety concerns .
What do the experts say ?
On Monday , World Health Organization emergencies director Michael Ryan said it had received `` no data or specific evidence '' from the US about the virus origins .
`` So from our perspective , this remains speculative , '' he said .
Last week , the US intelligence community said it `` concurred '' that the virus `` was not man-made or genetically modified '' .
• Is there any evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Can we trust China claims of virus success ?
But it said it would `` continue to examine '' whether the outbreak began via `` contract with infected animals , or if it was the result of an an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan '' .
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday that the most likely source of the virus was a wildlife market .
However he said he would not rule out the theory that it originated in a lab .
`` What 's really important is that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ review which looks into the sources of these things in a transparent way so we can learn the lessons , '' he told reporters .
Meanwhile , Western `` intelligence sources '' have told several news outlets there is `` no evidence '' to suggest the virus leaked from a laboratory .

Editorials in Chinese state media often given an insight into the direction of government thinking, but there has been no official response to Mr Pompeo's comments as yet.


bbc--2020-05-05--Colson Whitehead: Author wins Pulitzer Prize for a second time

US author Colson Whitehead has become only the fourth writer ever to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction twice .
The African-American author was honoured for The Nickel Boys , which chronicles the abuse of black boys at a juvenile reform school in Florida .
Whitehead , a 50-year-old New Yorker , won the 2017 prize in the same category for his book The Underground Railroad .
Before him , only Booth Tarkington , William Faulkner and John Updike had won the Pulitzer for fiction twice .
The 2020 awards , postponed for several weeks due to the coronavirus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living room of Pulitzer administrator Dana Canedy .
She noted that the first Pulitzers were awarded in 1917 , less than a year before the outbreak of the Spanish Flu .
They are among the highest honours for US-based journalists and authors .
Whitehead has previously said he grew up wanting to be the black version of horror writer Stephen King .
His Nickel Boys was inspired by the real-life horror story of the Dozier School for Boys in the Florida panhandle , where children convicted of minor offences were subjected to violent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was praised by the Pulitzer committee for its `` spare and devastating exploration of abuse at a reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida that is ultimately a powerful tale of human perseverance , dignity and redemption '' .
The New York Times newspaper topped the list of publications for journalism honours with three awards , including the prestigious investigative reporting prize for Brian Rosenthal 's expose of New York City 's taxi industry , showing how predatory lenders exploited vulnerable drivers .
In collaboration with ProPublica , the Anchorage Daily News won what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pulitzer , for public service journalism , in recognition of its work on the lack of police coverage in many small towns in Alaska .
The honour for breaking news photography went to staff at Reuters news agency for their images of last year 's Hong Kong protests .
And , for the first time in its history , the Pulitzer committee bestowed a prize in audio reporting , which was awarded to This American Life for its episode The Out Crowd , which examined US President Donald Trump 's policy requiring thousands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while their claims are adjudicated .
The episode was a collaboration with Molly O'Toole of the Los Angeles Times and Emily Green of Vice News , who will also share the prize .
A posthumous special citation was awarded to African-American civil rights activist and early champion of investigative journalism Ida B Wells , who died in 1931 , for her `` outstanding and courageous reporting '' on lynching .
The citation comes with a donation of at least $ 50,000 ( £40,100 ) in support of Ms Wells ' mission , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goes without saying that today we announce the Pulitzer winners in deeply challenging times , '' Ms Canedy said on Monday .
She added that journalism was as valuable as ever , with the arts continuing to `` sustain , unite and inspire '' .
• Breaking news photography - Reuters for coverage of the Hong Kong protests • National reporting - T Christian Miller , Megan Rose and Robert Faturechi of ProPublica , Dominic Gates , Steve Miletich , Mike Baker and Lewis Kamb of The Seattle Times • International reporting - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Audio reporting - Staff of This American Life 's episode The Out Crowd • History - Sweet Taste of Liberty : A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America by W Caleb McDaniel • Biography -Sontag : Her Life and Work by Benjamin Moser • General non-fiction - The End of the Myth : From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America by Greg Grandin ; and The Undying : Pain , Vulnerability , Mortality , Medicine , Art , Time , Dreams , Data , Exhaustion , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Music - The Central Park Five by Anthony Davis

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bbc--2020-05-05--German court criticises European Central Bank crisis bond-buying

Germany 's top court has ruled that the European Central Bank 's mass bond-buying to stabilise the eurozone partly violates the German constitution .
The ruling relates to government debt worth €2.1 trillion ( £2tn ; $ 2.3tn ) bought by the ECB since 2015 , but not purchases in the coronavirus crisis .
The Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe says there is not enough German political oversight in the purchases .
Germany 's Bundesbank carries the most weight in the ECB 's decisions .
In three months ' time the Bundesbank could pull out of the bond purchases - that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set for the ECB to give a valid explanation .
Italy is among the countries most reliant now on ECB bond purchases because of the severe economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
What is the impact of this ruling ?
The court decision was being closely watched by the markets .
After the announcement , the euro fell to $ 1.0889 and eurozone debt ratings fell too , Reuters news agency reports .
Market analysts quoted by Reuters say the ruling raises fresh doubts about the ECB 's massive bond-buying programme , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It may also put pressure on the ECB 's current €750bn bond-buying scheme aimed at helping the eurozone through the coronavirus crisis .
• Why fractious EU still believes together is better Why did the ruling come about ?
The ECB 's mass bond-buying was launched after the eurozone 's 2010 crisis as support for the euro besides the EU 's national bailouts for Greece and some other countries .
The scheme challenged in court is called the Public Sector Purchase Programme ( PSPP ) , launched in March 2015 , under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bonds by November 2019 .
Separately , the ECB bought bonds worth another €0.5tn .
The plaintiffs are a group of German academics , including a former leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) , Bernd Lucke .
They argue that the purchases violate the EU ban on one eurozone member subsidising the debts of another .
The bigger issue is the continuing heated debate about imbalances in the eurozone and widespread fears that richer members could end up subsidising weaker ones directly .
In order to avoid breaking EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in secondary markets , not directly from the issuing countries .
In the current crisis the spotlight is on Italy , because of its enormous external debt pile and the damage done by the lockdown .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
• WHAT WE DO N'T KNOW How to understand the death toll What else did the judges say ?
The court ruled that the German government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ECB 's purchases were `` proportionate '' .
But the court did not find that the ECB 's actions had violated the EU ban on direct budgetary support .
That was in line with the European Court of Justice , which ruled in December 2018 that PSPP purchases did not go beyond the ECB 's mandate .
The Karlsruhe court also said Tuesday 's ruling `` does not concern the current EU or ECB financial aid provided in the coronavirus crisis '' .
It is now up to the ECB to explain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportionate '' .
The Bundesbank could pull out if it is not satisfied , in three months ' time - which would be a big blow to the eurozone .
The judges also instructed the ECB to sell the bonds accumulated under the PSPP .

It is now up to the ECB to explain how its mass bond-buying programme is "proportionate". The Bundesbank could pull out if it is not satisfied, in three months' time - which would be a big blow to the eurozone.


bbc--2020-05-05--First workers to trial UK virus tracing app

An NHS app that aims to track the spread of coronavirus is being rolled out for the first time , as part of a trial on the Isle of Wight .
Council and healthcare workers will be the first to try the contact-tracing app , with the rest of the island able to download it from Thursday .
If the trial is successful , it could be available nationwide within weeks .
Concerns have been raised over privacy , though ministers say the app has been designed with this `` front of mind '' .
The app aims to quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for the virus .
It is part of the government 's strategy for coming out of lockdown , which aims to have widespread testing and contact tracing in place to monitor and reduce any future outbreaks .
If the trial is successful , the app will be rolled out nationwide by the middle of May , Health Secretary Matt Hancock said .
Meanwhile , Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for a `` national consensus '' on tackling the virus when the UK begins to move out of lockdown .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in the UK reached 28,734 , an increase of 288 .
The daily increase in deaths is lower than at any point since the end of March , but the figures reported at the weekend tend to be lower and are expected to rise , Mr Hancock said .
How does the app work ?
The new app - published on Apple and Google 's app stores - works by using a Bluetooth connection .
It records when two people who have the app are within a certain distance of each other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
If one of those people later reports having symptoms , all the other app users they came into significant contact with over recent days will be alerted and , if judged necessary , told to self-isolate .
`` The exact advice on what you should do will depend on the evolving context and approach , '' the NHS has said .
Mr Hancock urged everyone on the Isle of Wight to download the app when it was available to them .
Social distancing rules would still be in place during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ downloading the app , you are protecting your own health , you are protecting the health of your loved ones and the health of your community , '' he said .
`` Where the Isle of Wight goes , Britain follows . ''
The island was chosen for the trial because it has a lower number of new infections , is covered by a single NHS trust and because travel to and from the island is quite restricted .
Mr Hancock told BBC Breakfast the app would be an `` incredibly important part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the more people who downloaded it , the more lockdown restrictions could be eased .
Sir Keir said he hoped the app would be successful but questioned whether take-up would be high enough .
`` I am a bit concerned that a similar app in Singapore only had , I think , something like a 20 % take-up rate in the public , '' he told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme .
The Labour leader added that traditional methods of tracing , for example phoning people , would have to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • PUBLIC TRANSPORT : Is it safe to travel ?
• TESTING : What is the UK 's track and trace strategy ?
The `` centralised '' model of the app - meaning there is a central computer server which works out which phones have matched - has raised some privacy concerns .
This is different to the `` decentralised '' model used by Apple and Google , where the matches take place on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` centralised '' approach gives the app advantages , for example by making it easier to spot hotspots where the disease is spreading .
But others say a central system increases the risk from potential hackers .
• How many confirmed cases are there in your area ?
Law professor Orla Lynskey said the option on the app for users to opt in and share their location data `` poses a big risk '' .
But NHSX - the part of the health service that developed the app - said the app @ @ @ @ @ @ @ personal data stored by the app at the start would be the first part of the user 's postcode .
Additional location data will only be recorded if users agree to a further opt-in request , NHSX added .
Mr Hancock said the software was `` designed with privacy and security front of mind '' .
He said the data was stored on the phone and only sent to the NHS when someone needs a test .
The UK 's `` test , track and trace '' strategy has seen testing be scaled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Hancock 's pledge to reach 100,000 tests by the end of April .
The UK passed the target , providing more than 122,000 tests on the last day of April .
Latest figures show there were 85,186 tests on Sunday .
Meanwhile , the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies ( Sage ) , which has been advising the government on the pandemic , has published some of the evidence which informed its guidance .
The documents cover the group 's meetings up to 14 April .
Among the papers published by Sage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April , which suggests lockdown restrictions should be eased `` very gradually '' to avoid measures needing to be reintroduced , which could undermine public trust .
• Trade unions have warned draft government guidelines for getting people back to work could compromise employees ' safety • Mr Hancock said the issue of maintaining social distancing on flights was a `` really difficult question '' and safety `` has got to come first '' .
His comments came after photos of an Aer Lingus flight showed passengers sitting close together , with most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MPs are calling for restrictions around funerals to be eased , to allow small-scale ceremonies in churches rather than just at the graveside or crematorium • The government is now paying the wages for nearly a quarter of UK jobs , under the furlough scheme that helps people put on leave due to the pandemic • Doctors working for Premier League football clubs have raised concerns over plans to resume the football season • Thousands of nurseries and childminders could shut permanently due to the pandemic , research suggests .
How have you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking part in the trial of the contact tracing app ?
You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

The UK's "test, track and trace" strategy has seen testing be scaled up over the last month, following Mr Hancock's pledge to reach 100,000 tests by the end of April. The UK passed the target, providing more than 122,000 tests on the last day of April. Latest figures show there were 85,186 tests on Sunday.


bbc--2020-05-05--PewDiePie signs exclusive live-streaming deal with YouTube

Gaming star PewDiePie has signed an exclusive deal to live-stream on YouTube , after switching to a rival platform in 2019 .
PewDiePie , whose real name is Felix Kjellberg , is YouTube 's biggest independent video-maker with more than 104 million subscribers .
But he signed an exclusive deal with rival platform Dlive in 2019 .
Mr Kjellberg said returning to YouTube was a `` natural fit '' as he looked for new ways to connect with fans .
The 30-year-old Swedish video-maker began posting videos on YouTube in 2010 .
He found success playing and commenting on video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
But in 2019 , he announced he would no longer be live-streaming on YouTube and would instead move to Dlive , which promised better financial returns for its content creators .
He gained 822,000 followers on the new platform .
In January 2020 , PewDiePie took a short break from making YouTube videos because he was `` feeling very tired '' , but he continued posting his regular videos on YouTube after his break .
The big video-streaming giants have been battling to secure exclusive deals with popular video-makers .
Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Muselk and LazarBeam to its platform .
In a statement , PewDiePie said new features played a part in his decision to return to live-streaming on YouTube .
`` Live-streaming is something I 'm focusing a lot on in 2020 and beyond , so to be able to partner with YouTube and be at the forefront of new product features is special and exciting for the future , '' he said .
PewDiePie 's rise to stardom has not been without its controversial moments .
In 2017 , Disney cut ties with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The decision came after several videos he had released were found to contain Nazi references or anti-Semitic imagery .
Mr Kjellberg accepted the material was offensive , but said he did not support `` any kind of hateful attitudes '' .
He stressed that the material was included as a joke , which should have been clear from the context .
`` Though this was not my intention , I understand that these jokes were ultimately offensive , '' he said .
A second series of Mr Kjellberg 's show Scare PewDiePie was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's subscription video platform .
Later that year , he used a racial slur during a live-stream .
PewDiePie apologised for the incident .
Commenting on his return to live-streaming on YouTube , the company said PewDiePie 's previous comments were `` not in line with our values '' .
`` Were he to violate our policies today , we 'd take action accordingly just as we would with any other creator , '' a company spokesperson said .

"Live-streaming is something I'm focusing a lot on in 2020 and beyond, so to be able to partner with YouTube and be at the forefront of new product features is special and exciting for the future," he said.


bbc--2020-05-04--Premier League doctors raise concerns over restart

A number of Premier League club doctors have raised a range of concerns with league bosses over plans to resume the season , BBC Sport has learned .
One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the virus .
The Premier League has also been asked to provide some clarity over medical protocols , testing and player welfare .
The Premier League is hopeful of a potential 8 June resumption .
The 20 club doctors have been holding their own discussions about Project Restart - the label given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a view to feeding their thoughts into the Premier League 's leadership .
A Premier League source told the BBC that they viewed the move by the medics as a natural part of the process with clubs , and a means of reaching `` the best possible set of protocols '' .
They also confirmed that the league was in talks with insurance companies over the issue of club and doctor liability , and that this would be brought up with government representatives this week .
• 'Hard to see fans returning to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no fans at Premier League games next season , which club would suffer most ?
The Premier League is represented on a cross-sport working group of medical experts and public health officials which will meet for the second time in a week on Wednesday .
The panel is devising the health and hygiene measures that players , managers and club staff will be asked to agree to before full training and then competition can resume , but only if the government deems it safe to do so .
The government is set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the Premier League meeting to vote on the plans next Monday .
A number of players and sports medics have already voiced their concerns about whether it is safe to return to action .
Eamonn Salmon , the chief executive of the Football Medicine and Performance Association ( FMPA ) , has told BBC Sport that opinion among doctors and physios at English football clubs regarding resumption plans was varied .
Speaking last week , he said : `` I guess the views of our members will be a kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are those who think it can be done , there are those that are doubtful and there are those that probably suggest it is an impossible task .
`` We have to wait , this is a waiting game all the time , it is such a changing landscape and fluctuating on a day to day basis .
`` This is just the start in some respects , whatever proposals are put there it is then open to debate and for comment and opinion to feed into that . ''
If training is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 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 .
• 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
In Germany , where the Bundesliga is set to become the first major football league in Europe to return to competition , 10 positive results have been returned from 1,724 coronavirus tests from clubs in the top two divisions .
Cubs have been training in groups and the tests are being taken before a planned return to training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation of the affected person '' have been taken , said the DFL .
Top-flight side Cologne have had no further Covid-19 infections after three people tested positive last week .
Bundesliga officials suggested resuming on 9 May but the government delayed the decision and a restart may now be on 16 or 23 May .

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Liverpool lead the table by 25 points but have not played a Premier League game since 7 March
A number of Premier League club doctors have raised a range of concerns with league bosses over plans to resume the season, BBC Sport has learned.
One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the virus.
The Premier League has also been asked to provide some clarity over medical protocols, testing and player welfare.
The Premier League is hopeful of a potential 8 June resumption.
The 20 club doctors have been holding their own discussions about Project Restart - the label given to plans to resume action - with a view to feeding their thoughts into the Premier League's leadership.
A Premier League source told the BBC that they viewed the move by the medics as a natural part of the process with clubs, and a means of reaching "the best possible set of protocols".
They also confirmed that the league was in talks with insurance companies over the issue of club and doctor liability, and that this would be brought up with government representatives this week.
The Premier League is represented on a cross-sport working group of medical experts and public health officials which will meet for the second time in a week on Wednesday.
The panel is devising the health and hygiene measures that players, managers and club staff will be asked to agree to before full training and then competition can resume, but only if the government deems it safe to do so.
The government is set to review its lockdown measures later this week, with the Premier League meeting to vote on the plans next Monday. A number of players and sports medics have already voiced their concerns about whether it is safe to return to action.
Eamonn Salmon, the chief executive of the Football Medicine and Performance Association (FMPA), has told BBC Sport that opinion among doctors and physios at English football clubs regarding resumption plans was varied.
Speaking last week, he said: "I guess the views of our members will be a kind of snapshot of society really.
"There are those who think it can be done, there are those that are doubtful and there are those that probably suggest it is an impossible task.
"We have to wait, this is a waiting game all the time, it is such a changing landscape and fluctuating on a day to day basis.
"This is just the start in some respects, whatever proposals are put there it is then open to debate and for comment and opinion to feed into that."
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.
In Germany, where the Bundesliga is set to become the first major football league in Europe to return to competition, 10 positive results have been returned from 1,724 coronavirus tests from clubs in the top two divisions.
Cubs have been training in groups and the tests are being taken before a planned return to training as teams.
Measures including "the isolation of the affected person" have been taken, said the DFL.
Top-flight side Cologne have had no further Covid-19 infections after three people tested positive last week.
Bundesliga officials suggested resuming on 9 May but the government delayed the decision and a restart may now be on 16 or 23 May.


bbc--2020-05-04--'Murder hornets' land in US for first time

Even as the US remains under attack from the coronavirus outbreak , a new terror has arrived : `` murder hornets '' .
The 2-inch ( 5cm ) long Asian giant hornets , Vespa mandarinia , have been found in Washington state .
Multiple stings are deadly to humans and in their `` slaughter phase '' the hornets destroy honeybees , whose bodies they feed to their young .
Scientists are now on a hunt for the hornets , hoping to eradicate the species before they wipe out US bees .
• Asian hornet queen is UK 's first of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Asia , `` murder hornet '' stings are thought to cause as many as 50 human fatalities a year , according to the New York Times .
The hornets made their first North American appearance in August 2019 , in British Columbia , Canada .
Months later , in December 2019 , the flying insects were reported south of the border in Washington state .
Washington State University ( WSU ) are unsure how or when the hornet first arrived in North America , but beekeepers in the region have reported gruesome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are bracing for further emergence of the species , which begins its life cycle in spring .
The hornets are `` shockingly large '' , said Todd Murray , a WSU scientist and invasive species specialist .
`` It 's a health hazard , and more importantly , a significant predator of honeybees . ''
The insects , roughly the size of a matchbox , have large yellow-orange heads , prominent black eyes , and a black and yellow striped abdomen .
`` They 're like something out of a monster cartoon with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Susan Cobey , a bee breeder with WSU entomology department in a press release .
The Asian giant hornet 's life cycle begins in April , when queens come out of hibernation , and begin to feed and seek out subterranean dens to build their nests .
Once their habitats are built in the summer and autumn months , worker hornets are sent to find food .
With their sharp , spiked mandibles , the hornets decapitate honeybees , using the bodies to feed their young .
The hornets can destroy a honeybee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Though beehives are their primary target , when threatened the hornets can attack people .
Multiple stings can kill humans , even those who are not allergic .
In Japan , where they are most common , murder hornets kill roughly 30 to 40 people each year .
`` It was like having red-hot thumbtacks being driven into my flesh , '' Vancouver Island beekeeper Conrad Bérubé told the New York Times .
He was stung through a bee suit and sweatpants underneath .
The WSU scientists will begin trapping queen murder hornets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eradicate the species .
Populations of honeybees and other pollinators in the US were already under pressure .
Between 1947 and 2017 , number of honeybee colonies in the US plummeted from 6 million to 2.5 million .
And last year , researchers from the University of Maryland reported that 40 % of the country 's honeybee colonies died in a single winter , between October 2018 and April 2019 - the largest loss of its kind .
Pollinators , most often honeybees , are responsible for one of every three bites of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase the country 's nation crop values every year by more than $ 15bn ( £12bn ) , according to the US Department of Agriculture .

Populations of honeybees and other pollinators in the US were already under pressure. Between 1947 and 2017, number of honeybee colonies in the US plummeted from 6 million to 2.5 million. And last year, researchers from the University of Maryland reported that 40% of the country's honeybee colonies died in a single winter, between October 2018 and April 2019 - the largest loss of its kind.


bbc--2020-05-04--The groundbreaking way to search lungs for signs of Covid-19

When Covid-19 was at its height in China , doctors in the city of Wuhan were able to use artificial intelligence ( AI ) algorithms to scan the lungs of thousands of patients .
The algorithm in question , developed by Axial AI , analyses CT imagery in seconds .
It declares , for example , whether a patient has a high risk of viral pneumonia from coronavirus or not .
A consortium of firms developed the AI in response to the coronavirus outbreak .
They say it can show whether a patient 's lungs have improved or worsened over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done for comparison .
A hospital in Malaysia is now trialling the system and Axial AI has also offered to donate it to the NHS .
Around the world , artificial intelligence ( AI ) technologies are being rapidly deployed as part of efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic .
Some question whether these tools are reliable enough , though - after all , people 's lives are at stake .
The BBC has asked the Department of Health and Social Care ( DHSC ) to confirm whether Axial AI 's system will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far not received a response .
A stumbling block for the tool may simply be that the NHS is not commonly using CT scanners to make images of Covid-19 patients ' lungs .
Chest X-rays are much more often used instead .
They are less detailed than CT scans but are quicker to do and radiologists can still identify , for example , pneumonia in the images .
However , thanks to the pandemic , a few British hospitals are now rolling out AI tools to help medical staff interpret chest X-rays @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Royal Bolton Hospital , are using AI that has been trained on more than 2.5 million chest X-rays , including around 500 confirmed Covid-19 cases .
It has been running automatically on every chest X-ray the hospital has carried out for about a week , says Rizwan Malik , a radiology consultant at the hospital .
This means more than 100 patients will have had X-rays analysed by the system to date , he estimates .
In this case , the algorithm is designed to look for possible signs of Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lungs .
`` It basically gives clinicians another tool to help them make decisions - for example , which patients they 'll admit , which they 'll send home , '' says Dr Malik , who notes that patient data is processed entirely within the hospital 's own network .
The software itself was developed by Mumbai-based Qure.ai .
Dr Malik adds that he has provided consultancy services to Qure.ai in the past but stresses that the system went through standard checks and procurement processes before being rolled out at his hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHS hospitals are currently using a different tool , which detects abnormalities in lung X-rays .
A spokeswoman for Behold.ai , which developed the system , did not name the hospitals involved .
However , she said the software has so far analysed the scans of 147 patients with suspected Covid-19 .
It correctly classified the scans as `` normal '' or `` abnormal '' in more than 90 % of cases .
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Treating patients with severe lung problems caused by Covid-19 can be distressing , says Dr Thomas Daniels , a respiratory specialist at University Hospital Southampton .
He and his colleagues have not yet used an AI algorithm to analyse chest X-rays in Covid-19 patients .
However , he says a system that automatically interprets scans so that doctors can digest the information quickly could be useful .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even days to get to that particular chest X-ray and write a report on it , '' he says .
`` There may be some role for an algorithm to generate a likelihood-of-Covid score .
That would obviously be so much quicker to generate than waiting for a radiologist report . ''
However , he cautions that in his view such tools should be properly assessed via randomised trials - for example , where some patient X-rays are analysed by the algorithm alongside others that are not .
Data from such experiments can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material difference to how patients fared in hospital .
Elsewhere in the world , similar algorithms are chewing over chest scans in clinical settings .
Dr Christopher Longhurst says that his hospital , University of California San Diego ( UCSD ) Health , is trialling software designed to spot pneumonia in chest X-rays .
• The stealthy drones that fly like insects • 'The phone slipped into the bath ' : Conference call tales '' It 's really important that we rigorously analyse the outcomes and data , '' he says , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not randomised - it is currently being applied to every chest X-ray at the hospital .
An algorithm that interprets X-ray imagery could be used by doctors in a variety of different ways .
It might have a strong effect on their decisions about what to do with a patient or it might be a very small , even tangential part of that process .
It is worth noting that the American College of Radiology has recommended against relying on chest scans to diagnose Covid-19 .
But algorithms may yet have some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At UCSD Health , the tool referred to by Dr Longhurst flagged up an early case of pneumonia in a patient who was having a chest X-ray for other reasons .
The patient was then tested for Covid-19 and the result came back positive .
Luke Oaken-Rayner , a radiologist and PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide , says that there are sticky issues with using AI to help make decisions about treating Covid-19 patients .
For one thing , he explains , there is n't yet a universally accepted plan for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might give a doctor an overview of a patient 's current condition but as of today that does n't necessarily help them decide what to do next .
Moreover , there 's a chance that a newly adopted AI system could make the occasional mistake when interpreting images of people 's lungs .
What if an inexperienced doctor changes their treatment plan for a patient due to that erroneous information , potentially causing harm ?
`` It 's a really serious potential risk , '' says Dr Oaken-Rayner .
He adds that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try out new technologies , he would be wary of relying on any new system before it is properly vetted .
Relaxing regulatory rules to allow new technologies to be trialled quickly in hospital settings is acceptable given the urgency of the current crisis , he argues .
However , he adds that what is really needed is the results of randomised trials like those suggested by Dr Daniels - proof , in other words , that AI tools really make a difference for doctors treating Covid-19 patients .
`` It would n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this stage and so far no-one 's presented it , '' says Dr Oakden-Rayner .

It has been running automatically on every chest X-ray the hospital has carried out for about a week, says Rizwan Malik, a radiology consultant at the hospital. This means more than 100 patients will have had X-rays analysed by the system to date, he estimates. In this case, the algorithm is designed to look for possible signs of Covid-19, such as patterns of opacity in the lungs.


bbc--2020-05-05--CEOs cutting salaries is mostly a 'publicity stunt'

Many high-profile chief executives who have announced salary cuts during the coronavirus downturn may not lose out .
Salaries are typically only a fraction of an executive 's overall pay package , with bonuses and shares making up the bulk .
Critics say such announcements are often publicity stunts to earn goodwill among the public .
They also argue chief executives benefit directly if the share price rises as a result of the gesture .
Among the most high-profile to announce a cutback is Disney chairman Bob Iger who earned $ 3m ( £2.4m ) in basic salary last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only a fraction of his $ 47.5m total package .
The remainder was made up of a $ 21.8m bonus , stocks and other benefits .
Mr Iger , who is worth more than $ 690m according to Forbes , said he will give up all his salary while the crisis lasts .
• Four out of five jobs affected by virus globally '' When wealthy CEOs take cuts to their salaries , I want to believe that they 're sincere about doing their part .
Unfortunately , the more I look into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public relations show , '' said Jack Kelly , founder and chief executive of a New York-based recruitment firm .
Others who have said they will take salary cuts include Arne Sorenson , chief executive of the world 's biggest hotel chain , Marriott .
Mr Sorenson 's basic salary was $ 1.3m last year , but his overall compensation was $ 13.4m .
United Airlines ' chief executive Oscar Munoz announced he will waive 100 % of his base salary until at least the end of June .
For 2019 , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was only 10 % of his total remuneration package .
Both airlines and hotels have been hit hard by the coronavirus downturn and hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk .
Chief executives are typically given free shares in the company as part of their remuneration package .
When the company 's share price goes up , their personal wealth also goes up .
`` Announcing you will take a salary cut will buy you a lot of goodwill and hopefully raise the company 's stock price .
Because the CEO 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price as well , they will not lose money by giving up some of their salary . ''
said Sumit Agarwal , an economics professor at the National University of Singapore ( NUS ) .
This goodwill boost can also extend to employees when it comes to layoffs .
`` When they cutback staff they can say they are making sacrifices personally too , '' added Mr Argawal .
`` It 's all a bit of a publicity stunt . ''
Other business experts look more favourably on the salary sacrifices .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of workers that needs to be furloughed , '' said Alex Edmans at the London Business School .
Xavier Baeten , Professor in Reward and Sustainability at the Vlerick Business School in Belgium , said such gestures `` also shows solidarity with the employees , who also suffer from pay cuts '' but added that `` it should be a genuine expression of the company 's social responsiveness . ''
HR consultant Emily Draycott-Jones advised : `` There 's a lot of respect for leaders doing this quietly and discretely and an awful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicity stunt . ''

"Announcing you will take a salary cut will buy you a lot of goodwill and hopefully raise the company's stock price. Because the CEO's bonus is often linked to the share price as well, they will not lose money by giving up some of their salary." said Sumit Agarwal, an economics professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS).


bbc--2020-05-05--Short halves in football an option - PFA chief executive Taylor

Professional Footballers ' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has suggested halves of less than 45 minutes could be considered when football resumes .
Discussions about the Premier League 's return are ongoing but Taylor says players are `` concerned '' about safety .
`` They are not stupid , '' he told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme .
`` They would have to be satisfied that it is safe . ''
The Premier League said the idea is `` not on the table '' .
Football League chairman Rick Parry said `` there have n't been any discussions about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Digital , Culture , Media and Sport committee hearing : `` I do n't think we should be ruling out any creative ideas . ''
The Premier League is hopeful of a potential 8 June resumption .
No set date has been given for the EFL , but Parry said the current season must be concluded by July 31 .
• Hard to see fans returning to football soon - FA Chairman • Who would suffer the most without any fans ?
What did Taylor say ?
Taylor was talking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many games expected to be played in a short period .
He told the BBC : `` We do n't know the future but we do know what propositions have been put , what ideas have been put - the possibility of having more substitutes , games possibly not being the full 45 minutes each way , talks of neutral stadiums .
`` Ideally , you want to keep the integrity of the competition , and of course , that was about playing home and away and having the same squad of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The very fact that you are in professional sport , you need to be very resilient .
You need to be able to bounce back because you 'll get more setbacks than you will good times , and I would like to think that 's how my members are .
`` So it remains in process and we shall just have to wait and see , and look at it on a day by day basis and see if it 's achievable .
But if we do n't try , then it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There 's lots of points to be made , but above all , can the seasons be completed and can they be completed safely ? ''
What else has been said on player welfare ?
Taylor 's comments come after Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero said he was `` scared '' about the prospect of returning to action , while a number of Premier League club doctors have raised a range of concerns with league bosses over plans to resume the season .
Speaking to Argentine TV station El Chiringuito , Aguero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 . ''
One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the virus .
The Premier League has also been asked to provide some clarity over medical protocols , testing and player welfare .
The government is set to review its lockdown measures later this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chiefs are appearing at a committee hearing with the DCMS on Tuesday to talk about the impact of coronavirus on their sports .
The Premier League are meeting to discuss the plans next Monday .
What are we up to with 'Project Restart ' ?
The Premier League has been suspended since 13 March because of the coronavirus pandemic but all clubs are committed to playing the 92 remaining fixtures of the 2019-20 season if and when safe to do so .
Plans to resume the league have been labelled 'Project Restart ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential 8 June restart and finishing at the end of July to fit in with Uefa 's European competition plans .
This would require full training to begin by 18 May .
The league would also need up to 40,000 tests for players and staff if plans to play the outstanding games behind closed doors are pursued .
On Friday , after their most recent meeting by video conference , Premier League clubs reiterated a commitment to resuming the season `` when safe and appropriate to do so '' .
What about players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clubs reopened their training grounds for individual training last week .
If full 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 .
In addition , players must arrive at training grounds in kit and wear masks at all times .

Leicester City's 4-0 win over Aston Villa was the last game played in the Premier League on 9 March before it was suspended
Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has suggested halves of less than 45 minutes could be considered when football resumes.
Discussions about the Premier League's return are ongoing but Taylor says players are "concerned" about safety.
"They are not stupid," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "They would have to be satisfied that it is safe."
The Premier League said the idea is "not on the table".
Football League chairman Rick Parry said "there haven't been any discussions about it", but did tell a Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee hearing: "I don't think we should be ruling out any creative ideas."
The Premier League is hopeful of a potential 8 June resumption. No set date has been given for the EFL, but Parry said the current season must be concluded by July 31.
What did Taylor say?
Taylor was talking about how to combat player fatigue, with so many games expected to be played in a short period.
He told the BBC: "We don't know the future but we do know what propositions have been put, what ideas have been put - the possibility of having more substitutes, games possibly not being the full 45 minutes each way, talks of neutral stadiums.
"Ideally, you want to keep the integrity of the competition, and of course, that was about playing home and away and having the same squad of players as before it was suspended.
"The very fact that you are in professional sport, you need to be very resilient. You need to be able to bounce back because you'll get more setbacks than you will good times, and I would like to think that's how my members are.
"So it remains in process and we shall just have to wait and see, and look at it on a day by day basis and see if it's achievable. But if we don't try, then it's never going to be achievable.
"There's lots of points to be made, but above all, can the seasons be completed and can they be completed safely?"
What else has been said on player welfare?
Taylor's comments come after Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero said he was "scared" about the prospect of returning to action, while a number of Premier League club doctors have raised a range of concerns with league bosses over plans to resume the season.
Speaking to Argentine TV station El Chiringuito, 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."
One issue that the senior medics have sought assurances over includes their own liability and insurance cover if players contract the virus.
The Premier League has also been asked to provide some clarity over medical protocols, testing and player welfare.
The government is set to review its lockdown measures later this week, while football, rugby and cricket chiefs are appearing at a committee hearing with the DCMS on Tuesday to talk about the impact of coronavirus on their sports.
The Premier League are meeting to discuss the plans next Monday.
What are we up to with 'Project Restart'?
The Premier League has been suspended since 13 March because of the coronavirus pandemic but all clubs are committed to playing the 92 remaining fixtures of the 2019-20 season if and when safe to do so.
Plans to resume the league have been labelled 'Project Restart'. The league is hopeful of a potential 8 June restart and finishing at the end of July to fit in with Uefa's European competition plans. This would require full training to begin by 18 May.
The league would also need up to 40,000 tests for players and staff if plans to play the outstanding games behind closed doors are pursued.
On Friday, after their most recent meeting by video conference, Premier League clubs reiterated a commitment to resuming the season "when safe and appropriate to do so".
What about players returning to training?
A number of clubs reopened their training grounds for individual training last week.
If full 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.
In addition, players must arrive at training grounds in kit and wear masks at all times.


bbc--2020-05-05--EFL clubs 'face £200m hole' by September

English Football League chairman Rick Parry has said the current season needs to be concluded before 31 July and that clubs face a `` £200m hole '' by September .
The former Liverpool chief executive admitted the EFL needed a `` proper reset post-Covid '' , with clubs currently `` stacking up creditors '' .
Parry said it was `` difficult to answer '' how many might go out of business .
He was giving evidence to the Digital , Culture , Media and Sport committee about the impact of coronavirus .
• what should happen with promotion and relegation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July because of the situation with contracts , '' said Parry .
`` We ca n't go beyond July .
`` Players and staff have been furloughed and to expect clubs to bring them back in now , to forgo the furlough , only to then find in a month they ca n't play would be a complete mess .
`` We need within days to be taking decisions . ''
He added : `` We have a great deal of uncertainty around next season and the undetermined matter of when we 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which for the EFL is absolutely critical .
We 're much more dependent upon the revenue and atmosphere generated by crowds than the Premier League . ''
Parry , who was giving evidence alongside England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison and Rugby Football Union CEO Bill Sweeney , said he still expected three clubs to be promoted from the Championship to Premier League .
He added that it could get `` very messy '' if the threat of relegation from the top flight was removed - as has been reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our position on that , '' he stated , going on to suggest `` lawyers are going to get wealthy '' if the Premier League opted not to relegate three teams .
`` There would be a degree of outrage from a number of clubs in the Championship and it would be a breach of the tripartite agreement , '' Parry continued .
Finishing the season behind closed doors would primarily be about `` sporting integrity '' rather than generating revenue for clubs , said Parry .
`` If we were starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balanced economically , '' he explained .
`` It 's almost neutral but for many clubs it would actually cost them to play .
`` We stand to lose an element of broadcast revenue if we 're unable to complete the season , but given the broadcast contract is nowhere near that of the Premier League it 's a relatively small contribution . ''
Parry said he supported the Professional Footballers ' Association 's appointment of financial services firm Deloitte to look at club accounts and assesses if there was a genuine need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our approach really is to say we 're all part of the problem and so we all need to be part of the solution ; the clubs , the players and the owners , '' he said .
`` We all need to share the pain .
`` We 're having an open-book policy .
We 're absolutely on board with the Deloitte process . ''
Explaining the situation around player contracts , Parry said the `` landscape going forwards has got to change '' .
`` We have 1,400 players coming out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
`` That is a train coming down the tunnel very quickly .
`` They are going to be extremely concerned about their futures . ''
Parry said he `` completely agreed '' that a rescue package would now be needed to help support EFL clubs .
`` The Premier League has said if they 're allowed to play then they will be in a position to talk to us about support for the lower leagues , '' he added .
`` We await that day - discussions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say , have been limited . ''
Parry also said they could not just rely on going from `` one bailout to another bailout '' , suggesting a `` complete reset '' was now needed in terms of the redistribution of revenue within the game .
`` Parachute payments are an evil that needs to be eradicated , '' he said .
`` We have six clubs in the Championship receiving parachute payments giving them an average of £40m per club .
The other 18 clubs get £4.5m each , so they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added : `` We need to know where we 're heading in two and three years .
We need hope , we need a plan and we need some clarity on the longer-term future . ''

Rick Parry gave evidence by video because of the coronavirus pandemic
English Football League chairman Rick Parry has said the current season needs to be concluded before 31 July and that clubs face a "£200m hole" by September.
The former Liverpool chief executive admitted the EFL needed a "proper reset post-Covid", with clubs currently "stacking up creditors".
Parry said it was "difficult to answer" how many might go out of business.
He was giving evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee about the impact of coronavirus.
Parry covered a wide range of subjects, including:
what should happen with promotion and relegation
his view on wage deferrals
the future of "evil" parachute payments
Setting an end date
Elite football has been suspended since 13 March and, while the Premier League and EFL has said it intends to complete the 2019-20 season, it remains uncertain how or when.
"Our end date realistically is 31 July because of the situation with contracts," said Parry. "We can't go beyond July.
"Players and staff have been furloughed and to expect clubs to bring them back in now, to forgo the furlough, only to then find in a month they can't play would be a complete mess.
"We need within days to be taking decisions."
He added: "We have a great deal of uncertainty around next season and the undetermined matter of when we'll be able to return with crowds, which for the EFL is absolutely critical. We're much more dependent upon the revenue and atmosphere generated by crowds than the Premier League."
Promotion & relegation
Parry, who was giving evidence alongside England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison and Rugby Football Union CEO Bill Sweeney, said he still expected three clubs to be promoted from the Championship to Premier League.
He added that it could get "very messy" if the threat of relegation from the top flight was removed - as has been reported.
"The Premier League is aware of our position on that," he stated, going on to suggest "lawyers are going to get wealthy" if the Premier League opted not to relegate three teams.
"There would be a degree of outrage from a number of clubs in the Championship and it would be a breach of the tripartite agreement," Parry continued.
Playing behind closed doors
We've got bills to pay like everybody else - Accrington captain Conneely on life as a furloughed League One player
Finishing the season behind closed doors would primarily be about "sporting integrity" rather than generating revenue for clubs, said Parry.
"If we were starting behind closed doors it would be finely balanced economically," he explained. "It's almost neutral but for many clubs it would actually cost them to play.
"We stand to lose an element of broadcast revenue if we're unable to complete the season, but given the broadcast contract is nowhere near that of the Premier League it's a relatively small contribution."
Wage deferrals & cuts
Blackburn Rovers last week became the latest Championship club to announce wage deferrals
Parry said he supported the Professional Footballers' Association's appointment of financial services firm Deloitte to look at club accounts and assesses if there was a genuine need for wages to be deferred.
"Our approach really is to say we're all part of the problem and so we all need to be part of the solution; the clubs, the players and the owners," he said. "We all need to share the pain.
"We're having an open-book policy. We're absolutely on board with the Deloitte process."
Player contracts in the EFL
Explaining the situation around player contracts, Parry said the "landscape going forwards has got to change".
"We have 1,400 players coming out of contract at the end of June," he said. "That is a train coming down the tunnel very quickly.
"They are going to be extremely concerned about their futures."
Rescue package for EFL clubs
Parry said he "completely agreed" that a rescue package would now be needed to help support EFL clubs.
"The Premier League has said if they're allowed to play then they will be in a position to talk to us about support for the lower leagues," he added.
"We await that day - discussions to date, I think it's fair to say, have been limited."
Revenue redistribution & the future
Parry also said they could not just rely on going from "one bailout to another bailout", suggesting a "complete reset" was now needed in terms of the redistribution of revenue within the game.
"Parachute payments are an evil that needs to be eradicated," he said.
"We have six clubs in the Championship receiving parachute payments giving them an average of £40m per club. The other 18 clubs get £4.5m each, so they're then struggling to keep up.
He added: "We need to know where we're heading in two and three years. We need hope, we need a plan and we need some clarity on the longer-term future."
In a statement the Premier League defended parachute payments.
"Parachute payments are a vital mechanism to give relegated clubs financial support while adjusting to significantly lower revenues and having a higher cost base related to their playing squads," the statement said.
"We see no evidence that parachute payments distort performance at that level and are an essential part of this highly competitive environment."


bbc--2020-05-05--All Blacks: Flanker Sam Cane named New Zealand captain

Flanker Sam Cane has been appointed the new captain of the All Blacks , following Kieran Read ’ s retirement @ @ @ @ @ Cup .
The 28-year-old , who made his Test debut in 2012 , has 68 @ @ @ @ @ the World Cup-winning team in 2015 .
`` There 's massive respect for Sam amongst @ @ @ @ @ ” said new head coach Ian Foster .
Foster replaced Steve Hansen as head coach @ @ @ @ @ 2019 World Cup .
“ He 's perfectly placed to lead the All Blacks into @ @ @ @ @ who captains the Chiefs in Super Rugby , suffered a serious neck injury in 2018 @ @ @ @ @ the World Cup in Japan , where New Zealand lost to England in the semi-finals @ @ @ @ @ his new role : “ It ’ s a pretty exciting challenge really and as @ @ @ @ @ in the All Blacks and grown as a player , I 've become a lot @ @ @ @ @ in the team .
”

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
Sam Cane (right) has won 68 caps for New Zealand
Flanker Sam Cane has been appointed the new captain of the All Blacks, following Kieran Read’s retirement after the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
The 28-year-old, who made his Test debut in 2012, has 68 caps and was part of the World Cup-winning team in 2015.
"There's massive respect for Sam amongst the players and management,” said new head coach Ian Foster.
Foster replaced Steve Hansen as head coach of New Zealand after the 2019 World Cup.
“He's perfectly placed to lead the All Blacks into the future.”
Cane, who captains the Chiefs in Super Rugby, suffered a serious neck injury in 2018 but recovered in time for the World Cup in Japan, where New Zealand lost to England in the semi-finals.
The forward said of his new role: “It’s a pretty exciting challenge really and as I've spent more time in the All Blacks and grown as a player, I've become a lot more comfortable being a leader in the team.”


bbc--2020-05-05--China's three-time Olympic champion Sun appeals against eight-year ban

Last updated on .From the section Swimming Three-time Olympic champion Sun Yang has lodged an appeal with Switzerland 's highest @ @ @ @ @ for missing a doping test .
But the World Anti-Doping Agency ( Wada ) appealed @ @ @ @ @ for Sport ( Cas ) and the decision was overturned .
An eight-year ban was @ @ @ @ @ was his second offence .
He had served a three-month suspension in 2014 for taking @ @ @ @ @ can take his appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal because Cas is an arbitration organisation @ @ @ @ @ the court can only rule on procedural aspects , such as whether it was the @ @ @ @ @ application of law was fair .

Last updated on .From the section Swimming
Sun Yang was a double Olympic gold medallist at London 2012 and won the men's 200m freestyle title in 2016
Three-time Olympic champion Sun Yang has lodged an appeal with Switzerland's highest court against his eight-year ban for missing a doping test.
The Chinese swimmer, 28, was initially cleared of wrongdoing by Fina, external-link the world swimming federation.
But the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) and the decision was overturned.
An eight-year ban was imposed on Sun because this was his second offence.
He had served a three-month suspension in 2014 for taking prohibited stimulant Trimetazidine.
Sun can take his appeal to the Swiss Federal Tribunal because Cas is an arbitration organisation based in Switzerland, but the court can only rule on procedural aspects, such as whether it was the right jurisdiction and if the application of law was fair.


bbc--2020-05-04--Your revealing photos of lockdown at home

We asked our readers to send in their pictures of life at home during lockdown due to the spread of the coronavirus .
Here are some of the pictures sent to us from across the UK .
Gillian Deveney : `` Flowers I ca n't kill in my garden and [ which ] will have to do .
Normally , I would be visiting the local garden centre to add colour and bedding plants .
I showed my friend the picture and he called my stone flowers 'pebbleanthiums ' . ''
Daniel Yiu : `` A junior doctor redeployed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask at home .
The masks have to be moulded to the face in order to create an airtight seal . ''
Douglas Fry : `` School science projects need to continue during lockdown , so Clementine is upgrading the school robot entry into this year 's competition at Southampton University , which would have taken place today .
Working solidly on it over an extended period stuck at home , the robot , she hopes will perhaps become sentient . ''
Yvonne Ayoub : `` I 'm an artist , six weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in central London .
I decided , on a whim , to paint a mural 'en grisaille ' , in my hallway and up the stairs .
It 's turning into an all-consuming , mammoth task but passes the time perfectly . ''
Anthea Benyon : `` Lockdown has meant spending more time with my daughter and I have been very glad of our little garden , at home , in Devizes . ''
Verna Evans : `` Day 34 of self-isolation .
I ca n't go out to take photographs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I took before being confined to the house . ''
Penny Phillips : `` Why are you at home ?
Monty is bemused that his home is full of people every day and has taken to having a cheeky lie-in himself . ''
Angela Reid : `` We 're supporting the NHS and key workers .
Many windows in our street have rainbows and teddies .
We did n't have a teddy , so we had the idea for our dog Talla to kindly donate her Miss Piggy as a stand-in .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at home , ' to remind people to stay at home . ''
Hannah Semore : `` My children delight in being at home and even relish re-enacting everyday life in an even more shrunken world .
This miniature world of controllable predictability was made by my grandmother , who lived through a very different era of extraordinary home life . ''
Charlotte Gurney-Read : `` Making the most of having lots of free time at home , by learning the ancient art of levitation . ''
Kelly Jennings : `` Awaiting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our time at home during the Covid-19 pandemic .
As spring emerges and flowers come to life , we are spending as much time as we can in the garden . ''
Dave Cook : `` This was taken at home in our backyard tree and shows the second white squirrel born to that family in 12 years .
He 's pretty friendly , too . ''
Chandralekha Sumar : `` Being at home with kids is tough .
Always coming up with ideas to keep each other busy , be it lawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or solving a 1,000-piece puzzle where the pieces look the same . ''
Tim Jones : `` As we are all staying at home this weekend , I 'm planning an expedition to the bottom of the garden . ''
Richard Hughes : `` I have got into photography over the last year and been taking pictures daily on my new Instagram page .
This day me and my wife had fun creating these pictures . ''
The next theme is `` working at home '' .
Now many of us are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see your pictures of your workspace , be it a desk or something less permanent , and the deadline for entries is 12 May 2020 .
Send pictures to yourpics @ bbc.co.uk or follow the link to `` Upload your pictures here '' below .
Further details and terms can be found by following the link to `` We set the theme , you take the pictures , '' at the bottom of the page .

Image caption,
Angela Reid: "We're supporting the NHS and key workers. Many windows in our street have rainbows and teddies. We didn't have a teddy, so we had the idea for our dog Talla to kindly donate her Miss Piggy as a stand-in. Our message is: 'This little piggy stayed at home,' to remind people to stay at home."


bbc--2020-05-05--Coronavirus: 'Travel bubble' plan to help kick-start flights

Australia and New Zealand are planning a `` travel bubble '' , or corridor , that will allow the quarantine-free flow of people between the two neighbours .
Both countries have severely restricted international travel to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
However , if successful , the `` bubble '' could grow to include more countries that have a low number of cases .
A wider scheme is planned with Canada and other Asian economies to help supply chains and business travel .
The governments of Australia and New Zealand revealed their plans on Tuesday to set up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no timeframe was given .
This quarantine-free travel zone could provide huge advantages to both nations , who have shown strong records for containing the virus .
Currently , they impose a 14-day quarantine on international arrivals .
• New Zealand PM : No open borders for ' a long time' • How NZ beat the virus and got its coffee back '' The broader reality is the global travel market is in a very bad way .
In our part of the world and around the trans-Tasman route it makes clear sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our neck of the woods , '' said Simon Westaway , executive director at the Australian Tourism Industry Council .
Qantas , Australia 's biggest airline , wants to start using the travel bubble once domestic flights across Australia are resumed .
`` It 's a positive we were n't expecting up till now and hopefully it can be established as a model to open part by part the international network when various countries have a control on Covid-19 , '' said the airline 's chief executive , Alan Joyce .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second-largest source of tourists heading into Australia , while Australia is the largest source of tourists for New Zealand .
He said it would give people in Australia a destination `` that they 're comfortable flying to '' , and vice versa .
Mr Joyce hopes the travel bubble can be extended to more countries if successful .
`` If the New Zealand bubble idea gets traction and that we 're comfortable with that and that seems like it 's working well , then a similar approach could be done with markets where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Roberts , chief executive of New Zealand 's tourist board Tourism Industry Aotearoa , said it needed the correct health safeguards and the best use of technology to work .
`` If New Zealand and Australia can show this can work , then it is likely to be adopted elsewhere .
It could be 12-18 months before we return to open borders . ''
Mr Roberts hopes the travel bubble will include its Pacific Island neighbours as they are heavily dependent on tourism .
After that `` New Zealand would likely look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , China and South Korea which are doing well in the fight against Covid-19 as the next places to re-establish links with '' .
Australia and New Zealand are also involved in a larger `` trade bubble '' looking to agree guidelines for essential business travel .
The wider group includes Canada , South Korea and Singapore .
The group 's aim is to resume the flow of goods , services and key people .
The plan includes `` guidelines to allow , on an exceptional basis , essential cross-border travel for purposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including essential business travel , '' according to a joint statement .
The countries also want a fast-tracking customs procedure on essential items such as food and medical supplies , and to restart logistics networks across air , sea and land freight .

Mr Roberts hopes the travel bubble will include its Pacific Island neighbours as they are heavily dependent on tourism. After that "New Zealand would likely look to places like Taiwan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea which are doing well in the fight against Covid-19 as the next places to re-establish links with".


bbc--2020-05-05--Coronavirus pandemic: Tracking the global outbreak

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than three and a half million confirmed cases in 187 countries .
More than 250,000 people have lost their lives .
The United States alone has more than one million confirmed cases - five times as many as any other country .
This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year .
How many cases and deaths have there been ?
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late 2019 .
It is spreading rapidly in many countries and the number of deaths is still climbing .
Note : The map and table in this page uses a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University which results in a slightly lower overall total .
The US has by far the largest number of cases , with more than one million confirmed infections , according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
With more than 68,000 fatalities , it also has the world 's highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain and the UK - the worst-hit European countries - have all recorded more than 20,000 deaths .
In China , the official death toll is some 4,600 from about 84,000 confirmed cases .
Numbers for deaths jumped on 17 April after what officials called `` a statistical review '' and critics have questioned whether the country 's official numbers can be trusted .
Note : The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average .
Due to revisions in the number of cases for Spain , a three-day rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April .
The outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
More than three million people are known to have been infected worldwide , but the true figure is thought to be much higher as many of those with milder symptoms have not been tested and counted .
Globally , more than 4.5 billion people - half the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing measures , according to the AFP news agency 's estimates .
Those restrictions have had a big impact on the global economy , with the International Monetary Fund saying the world faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The UN World Food Programme has also warned that the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ N'T KNOW : How to understand UK death toll Where are coronavirus cases still rising ?
While some regions are now starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall following the introduction of strict lockdown restrictions , others are only now seeing them rise .
Russia saw more than 10,000 new infections in 24 hours on Sunday , the highest daily rise since its outbreak began .
Monday 's increase was also above 10,000 cases , taking the total to more than 155,000 confirmed cases .
The number of people dying is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The number of deaths in Brazil is much higher , but the death tolls in Russia , Mexico and Peru have been on a similar upward trajectory - although figures for the past few days have been below the peak in each country .
Across Latin America , where many economies are already struggling and millions live on what they can earn day-to-day , there are concerns about the strain coronavirus could put on health care systems .
Ecuador has already seen its health system collapse - thousands have died from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treated because of the crisis .
The country 's official death toll is around 1,500 , but the government said 6,700 people died in Guayas province in the first two weeks of April - far more than the usual 1,000 deaths there in the same period .
For this reason , the virus death toll is thought to be much higher than official figures suggest .
The growing threat in South America and elsewhere comes as other regions are beginning to ease measures brought in to slow the spread of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Zealand and Australia , among others , have started to relax some of their strict lockdown restrictions .
Some US states are doing so despite still seeing new confirmed cases and deaths increasing .
New Zealand says it has effectively eliminated the threat posed by the virus after fewer than 1,500 confirmed cases and just 20 deaths .
Its authorities had brought in some of the toughest restrictions on travel and activity early in the pandemic .
Australia is also planning to review its lockdown earlier than expected , after health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' curbed the spread of the virus .
• Three continents , four lives , one day • 'We 'll starve to death if this continues' The four worst-hit countries in Europe are Italy , the UK , Spain and France - all of which have recorded at least 20,000 deaths .
However , all four countries appear to have passed through the peak of the virus and the number of reported cases and deaths is falling .
Germany and Belgium have also recorded a relatively high number of deaths and are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belgium has a far smaller population than Germany the number of deaths per capita there has been higher .
How countries across Europe are planning to move out of lockdown varies , with the EU saying there is `` no one-size-fits-all approach '' to lifting containment measures .
Spain has announced a four-phase plan to lift its lockdown and return to a `` new normality '' by the end of June .
In Italy , some shops and factories have now reopened and bars and cafes are being allowed to offer takeaway services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ markets are to open again from 11 May , but not bars and restaurants .
Schools will also be reopened gradually .
In the UK , lockdown measures are still in full effect .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promised to reveal a `` comprehensive plan '' next Sunday for how the country will get moving again .
Other European countries easing restrictions include Austria , Denmark , Switzerland , the Czech Republic and Germany .
The European Commission launched a global effort to fund vaccine research on Monday , as part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philanthropists aimed at raising €7.5bn ( £6.6bn ; $ 8.3bn ) .
The UN says a return to normal life will only be possible with a vaccine - and dozens of research projects to find one are currently under way across the world .
New York remains the epicentre of the US outbreak With more than one million cases , the US has the highest number of confirmed infections in the world .
The country has also recorded more than 68,000 deaths - and on Monday President Trump warned that the death toll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York has been particularly badly affected , with almost 25,000 deaths in New York City alone .
At one point , more than 90 % of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders , but Georgia , Texas , Maine and other states have now loosened their stay-at-home restrictions and allowed some businesses to reopen .
Official unemployment figures show that more than 30 million Americans have lost their jobs since mid-March .
But public health authorities have warned that increasing human interaction and economic activity could spark a fresh surge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new cases is beginning to ease off .

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This information is regularly updated but may not reflect the latest totals for each country.
** The past data for new cases is a three day rolling average. Due to revisions in the number of cases, an average cannot be calculated for this date.
Source: Johns Hopkins University and national public health agencies


bbc--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: White House plans to disband virus task force

US President Donald Trump has confirmed the White House coronavirus task force will be winding down , with Vice-President Mike Pence suggesting it could be closed within weeks .
`` We are bringing our country back , '' Mr Trump said during a visit to a mask-manufacturing factory in Arizona .
New confirmed infections per day in the US currently top 20,000 , and daily deaths exceed 1,000 .
US health officials warn the virus may spread as businesses begin to reopen .
The US currently has 1.2 million confirmed coronavirus infections and more than 70,000 related deaths , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump say ?
During a visit to the plant in Phoenix after weeks holed up at the White House , Mr Trump told journalists : `` Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job , but we 're now looking at a little bit of a different form , and that form is safety and opening .
And we 'll have a different group probably set up for that . ''
The president - who wore safety goggles but no face mask during a tour of the facility - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accomplished '' , and he said : `` No , not at all .
The mission accomplished is when it 's over . ''
He told reporters : `` I 'm not saying anything is perfect , and yes , will some people be affected ?
Yes .
`` Will some people be affected badly ?
Yes .
But we have to get our country open and we have to get it open soon . ''
Critics have accused the president of sacrificing Americans ' public health by rushing to reopen the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November .
The president was also asked if White House task force experts Dr Deborah Birx and Dr Anthony Fauci would still be involved in efforts to address the coronavirus .
`` They will be and so will other doctors and so will other experts in the field , '' the president answered .
What did the vice-president say ?
Mr Pence earlier on Tuesday told reporters in a briefing that the task force could soon be disbanded .
He said the Trump administration was `` starting to look at the Memorial Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when we could begin to transition back to having our agencies begin to manage , begin to manage our national response in a more traditional manner '' .
He said it was `` a reflection of the tremendous progress we 've made as a country '' .
Mr Pence has led the task force , which reports to the president and co-ordinates with medical institutes , political staff and state governors .
The task force consulted with medical experts to formulate national recommendations on social distancing .
White House press secretary Kayleigh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue his data-driven approach towards safely re-opening '' .
The White House 's shift in focus from the public health aspect of the coronavirus pandemic to its economic impact continues .
For more than a month , the task force had been the public face of the administration 's response to the crisis , even though President Trump sometimes veered far from the topic at hand during its press briefings .
When the president was n't talking , however , government public health officials led the conversation .
Now , it appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ones more concerned with jobs , businesses and the fiscal health of the nation - even though the number of cases of the virus throughout the US continues to increase .
There is growing frustration among the president 's core supporters , however , with government shelter-in-place orders .
Several states , encouraged by the president , have already begun to ease restrictions , even though they have not met White House guidelines for when to do so .
Those guidelines were set by the current coronavirus task force , of course @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a `` different form '' that replaces it , as the president describes , may have other ideas .
• On , off , on again ... are Trump daily briefings over ?
Does the US have the pandemic under control ?
Not yet .
Besides New York , which is still the US epicentre despite an ongoing drop in new cases , the level of infection continues to climb across much of the US .
Many states that have allowed some business to resume - including Texas , Iowa , Minnesota @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indiana - are seeing more new cases reported daily .
While some cities such as New York , New Orleans and Detroit have shown improvement , Los Angeles , Washington DC and Chicago are seeing the caseload rise everyday .
According to a report from the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( Fema ) , more than 3,000 people may be killed by the virus each day by next month .
The White House has dismissed the report as inaccurate , with Mr Trump saying it describes a scenario in which Americans make no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
On Sunday , the president increased his forecast for the number of US pandemic deaths to 100,000 , after saying two weeks earlier that it would be fewer than 60,000 .
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington , a public forecast model that has been frequently cited by the White House , now estimates that Covid-19 will account for 135,000 American deaths by 4 August .
This more than doubles its 17 April forecast .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York paramedic 's diary • HOW YOU CAN HELP : Write a diary , donate blood , read books to kids

During a visit to the plant in Phoenix after weeks holed up at the White House, Mr Trump told journalists: "Mike Pence and the task force have done a great job, but we're now looking at a little bit of a different form, and that form is safety and opening. And we'll have a different group probably set up for that."


bbc--2020-05-05--How an Iranian airline helped coronavirus spread

An investigation by BBC News Arabic has analysed flight tracking data and open source footage which shows how Iran 's @ @ @ @ @ - continued to fly while government flight bans were in place , and contributed to @ @ @ @ @ the Middle East .
Mahan Air ran hundreds of flights to and from Iran , @ @ @ @ @ Emirates and Syria between late January and the end of March .
All these countries @ @ @ @ @ land .
And they did so while their own bans on routine flights from Iran @ @ @ @ @ within the airline told the BBC that dozens of Mahan Air ’ s cabin crew @ @ @ @ @ and that when staff tried to raise concerns about the airline ’ s management of @ @ @ @ @ safety equipment , they were silenced .
Mahan Air is sanctioned by the US for @ @ @ @ @ Iranian Revolutionary Guard .

An investigation by BBC News Arabic has analysed flight tracking data and open source footage which shows how Iran's largest airline - Mahan Air - continued to fly while government flight bans were in place, and contributed to the spread of Covid-19 in the Middle East.
Mahan Air ran hundreds of flights to and from Iran, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Syria between late January and the end of March. All these countries gave Mahan Air permission to land. And they did so while their own bans on routine flights from Iran were in place.
Sources within the airline told the BBC that dozens of Mahan Air's cabin crew were showing symptoms of Covid-19 and that when staff tried to raise concerns about the airline's management of the crisis and provision of safety equipment, they were silenced.
Mahan Air is sanctioned by the US for its links to the powerful Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Video produced by: Nader Ibrahim, Owen Pinnell and Manisha Ganguly
Graphics by Jasmine Bonshor
Edited by Bettina Waked