bbc--2020-05-15--German Bundesliga is back: Which team should you support?

With the Premier League suspended and the Bundesliga returning this weekend , there is one obvious question for UK football fans - 'who should I support ? '
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Whether you are more likely to be swayed by kit colour , British players , the club 's history or even more trivial matters , we 've taken a look at all the clubs to help you make your choice .
The biggest and most successful team in Germany by some way , Bayern Munich are going for their eighth title in a row .
They dominate financially and often scoop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Put it this way , you either support them or you do n't - they are nobody 's 'second team ' .
If they were an English team : Manchester United in the Sir Alex Ferguson era ( because they win nearly everything ) Why should you support Bayern ?
Glory hunting Why should n't you support Bayern ?
Come on , do n't just pick the best team Borussia Dortmund are an appealing choice .
They have some of the most vocal and exuberant fans anywhere in the world ( not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) as well as a team full of exciting young talented players like Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland .
But beware - they are far too good to be a hipster 's choice .
If they were an English team : Liverpool ( Jurgen Klopp , You 'll Never Walk Alone ) Why should you support Dortmund ?
Lots of Britons follow them already , they are excellent to watch , Sancho Why should n't you support Dortmund ?
Lots of Britons follow them already - this is not an original choice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 years ago by Red Bull and have stormed their way up through the leagues .
But they have built an excellent team without a huge budget ( by elite standards ) and have two British players - Ethan Ampadu and Ademola Lookman .
If they were an English team : MK Dons Why should you support Leipzig ?
You love Red Bull , they have two British players , they are easy on the eye Why should n't you support Leipzig ?
Everything else about them Borussia Monchengladbach were huge in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two Uefa Cups and reaching a European Cup final .
They have never done any of those things before or after the 70s .
They are also active and `` fun '' on social media and are currently allowing fans to pay €19 to have a cardboard cutout of themselves in the stands .
If they were an English team : Nottingham Forest Why should you support Gladbach ?
You like social media banter , you can go to their games ( as a cardboard cutout ) , you wish it was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gladbach ?
You hate social media banter , they have not won anything since the 1995 German Cup One of the few German teams owned by a company , Leverkusen were set up by pharmaceutical giants Bayer in 1904 .
They are the nearly men of German football - finishing second in the Bundesliga five times and losing a Champions League final without having won either of those trophies .
If they were an English team : Newcastle United ( have come close to winning things in the past 25 years without succeeding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Owners Bayer are playing a part in the fight against coronavirus , you like glorious failure , they have exciting players like Kai Havertz Why should n't you support Leverkusen ?
They are owned by a pharmaceutical company , they are likely to break your heart by missing out on the title , they have more red cards than any team in Bundesliga history ( 136 ) Schalke - managed by ex-Huddersfield boss David Wagner - have two British players - first-choice right-back Jonjoe Kenny ( on loan from Everton ) and Wales @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third-most popular team in Germany but have never won the Bundesliga since its formation in 1963 .
If they were an English team : Everton ( they play in blue , have Kenny and are rivals to Borussia Dortmund , who we compared to Liverpool earlier ) Why should you support Schalke ?
They have two British players , they have a big fanbase , you support Huddersfield Why should n't you support Schalke ?
You like goals .
Their 33 goals is one of the lowest totals in the league and only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city of Wolfsburg was only formed to house Volkswagen workers in 1938 ( initially under a different name ) .
The team were set up for Volkswagen workers in 1945 .
They are owned by Volkswagen and play at the Volkswagen Arena .
Spot a theme ?
If they were an English team : Wolves ( just look at the name ) Why should you support Wolfsburg ?
You support Wolves , you like Volkswagen cars , you think it 's brilliant they once had a manager called Wolfgang Wolf Why should n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Volkswagen cars , Wolves , wolves or Wolfgang Wolf This one is going to be a tough sell .
A bit of a yo-yo club with no real household names , but they are still in contention to reach the Europa League .
If they were an English team : Norwich ( both teams have won the second tier four times ) Why should you support Freiburg ?
They are overachievers Why should n't you support Freiburg ?
There is n't much to get excited about .
Honestly they made me wonder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoffenheim are 120 years old but were a fifth division team until being bankrolled by Dietmar Hopp , rising to the Bundesliga this millennium .
Bundesliga matches were frequently stopped as opposition fans protested against Hopp in the weeks before football was shut down .
If they were an English team : Bournemouth ( for their rise through their divisions , not their unpopularity ) Why should you support Hoffenheim ?
They consider themselves a `` friendly team who do things differently '' Why should n't you support Hoffenheim ?
Nobody else really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been made for us .
Sunderland have - for reasons I ca n't quite understand - teamed up with Cologne to make them their Bundesliga team .
Their goat mascot - Hennes IX - is not allowed at games in the coronavirus age .
If they were an English team : Sunderland Why should you support Cologne ?
You support Sunderland , you like a set-piece goal ( 11 of their goals have come from corners ) Why should n't you support Cologne ?
You have a particular dislike of goats , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known for their colourful fan base , are in their first ever season in the Bundesliga .
They probably have less on the line than anybody in the league - seven points off Europe and eight points above the relegation play-off spot .
Not ideal if you 're probably only going to support a team to the end of the season .
If they were an English team : Sheffield United ( exceeding expectations after promotion ) Why should you support Union ?
You like the underdogs , you do n't want your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why should n't you support Union ?
Because they 're not likely to do anything this season Eintracht Frankfurt have struggled this season after reaching the semi-finals of last year 's Europa League and are not entirely safe from relegation yet .
They have the same nickname as Crystal Palace , the Eagles .
If they were an English team : West Brom ( five cup wins and one league title each ) Why should you support Eintracht ?
You like Eagles/support Crystal Palace , you are a fan of old Premier League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guzman , Gelson Fernandes , Erik Durm ) Why should n't you support Eintracht ?
You support Palace 's rivals Brighton , you do n't get excited by Premier League journeymen This is unfamiliar territory for Hertha , who are not even the top Berlin team in the division at the moment .
Their former Premier League players include Salomon Kalou , Dedryck Boyata , Dodi Lukebakio ( a solitary substitute appearance for Watford ) and Marko Grujic .
If they were an English team : West Ham ( they both play at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support Hertha ?
You are a Chelsea fan who loved Kalou ( if such a person exists ) , you support a team with blue and white stripes , you have Alexander Esswein in your Fifa ultimate team Why should n't you support Hertha ?
You get annoyed at your team conceding penalties - Hertha have given away seven , more than anyone else , according to data company Gracenote Augsburg are based in Bavaria , in the shadow of Bayern Munich .
They have been in the top flight since 2011 having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lower leagues .
Reece Oxford is an Augsburg player , although he has n't featured since November .
If they were an English team : Watford ( a smaller team with bigger neighbours ) Why should you support Augsburg ?
You like quirky nicknames ( Die Fuggerstadter is their nickname after a famous family from the region ) , Reece Oxford Why should n't you support Augsburg ?
You 're not sure what you 're going to get .
Heiko Herrlich has been head coach for two months but has n't managed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't be in charge this weekend either after violating quarantine by leaving the team 's hotel Jurgen Klopp 's other team , Mainz like to play carnival music after their goals because it is a carnival city .
Have several ex-Premier League randoms , including former Sunderland forward Ji Dong-won .
If they were an English team : Brighton ( neither side have ever won a major trophy ) Why should you support Mainz ?
You like carnival music , you like Klopp ( but did n't want to support Dortmund ) Why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play carnival music after their goals ... A team for Manchester City fans of a certain age to keep an eye out for - Fortuna Dusseldorf 's manager is ex-City striker Uwe Rosler .
Plus they have City goalkeeper Zack Steffen on loan .
Dusseldorf 's season could go on a bit longer - they are currently in a promotion-relegation play-off place .
If they were an English team : Tottenham Hotspur ( struggle for clean sheets and concede too many chances ) Why should you support Dusseldorf ?
You support Manchester City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mathias Jorgensen 's nickname is Zanka ) , you are Ghanaian ( Dusseldorf have four players from Ghana ) Werder Bremen have spent more seasons in the Bundesliga ( 56 ) than anyone else but that record could be coming to an end as they sit four points adrift of the promotion-relegation play-off spot .
Claudio Pizarro is still going at the age of 41 - and has 10 games left before retirement to score a Bundesliga goal for a 22nd consecutive year .
If they were an English team : Aston Villa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ European trophy but now battling relegation ) Why should you support Bremen ?
You want a historic team to keep their top-flight position , you want to see Pizarro score 200 Bundesliga goals , Pierre Wome used to play for them ( maybe that one is just me ... ) Why should n't you support Bremen ?
With 11 defeats in their past 14 games , you might never see them actually win a game Paderborn - in only their second Bundesliga season - are bottom of the table , six points behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their past six games , they look doomed .
Do n't do it to yourself .
If they were an English team : Huddersfield ( two seasons and going down ... presumably ) Why should you support Paderborn ?
You love lost causes Why should n't you support Paderborn ?
Have n't you been through enough recently ?

Last updated on .From the section European Football
With the Premier League suspended and the Bundesliga returning this weekend, there is one obvious question for UK football fans - 'who should I support?'.
Whether you are more likely to be swayed by kit colour, British players, the club's history or even more trivial matters, we've taken a look at all the clubs to help you make your choice.
The top four places earn a Champions League spot, with fifth and sixth going into the Europa League
Bayern Munich
Arsenal fans may have enjoyed watching Bayern Munich this season with 13 goals in three matches against Tottenham and Chelsea
The biggest and most successful team in Germany by some way, Bayern Munich are going for their eighth title in a row. They dominate financially and often scoop up the best talent from rival teams. Put it this way, you either support them or you don't - they are nobody's 'second team'.
If they were an English team: Manchester United in the Sir Alex Ferguson era (because they win nearly everything)
Why should you support Bayern? Glory hunting
Why shouldn't you support Bayern? Come on, don't just pick the best team
Chances of winning title 84% - Bayern Munich 1% - Borussia Monchengladbach 8% - Borussia Dortmund Less than 1% - Bayer Leverkusen 7% - RB Leipzig 0% - everyone else Statistics from Gracenote
Borussia Dortmund
With Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland, Borussia Dortmund fans can enjoy a lot of goals in the final nine games
Borussia Dortmund are an appealing choice. They have some of the most vocal and exuberant fans anywhere in the world (not that they'll be at the games) as well as a team full of exciting young talented players like Jadon Sancho and Erling Braut Haaland. But beware - they are far too good to be a hipster's choice.
If they were an English team: Liverpool (Jurgen Klopp, You'll Never Walk Alone)
Why should you support Dortmund? Lots of Britons follow them already, they are excellent to watch, Sancho
Why shouldn't you support Dortmund? Lots of Britons follow them already - this is not an original choice
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig hammered Tottenham 4-0 in the Champions League last 16 over two legs
Hmm. RB Leipzig were only formed 11 years ago by Red Bull and have stormed their way up through the leagues. But they have built an excellent team without a huge budget (by elite standards) and have two British players - Ethan Ampadu and Ademola Lookman.
If they were an English team: MK Dons
Why should you support Leipzig? You love Red Bull, they have two British players, they are easy on the eye
Why shouldn't you support Leipzig? Everything else about them
Borussia Monchengladbach
If you're going to pick a team for their kit, you could do worse than Borussia Monchengladbach
Borussia Monchengladbach were huge in the 1970s - winning five Bundesliga titles, two Uefa Cups and reaching a European Cup final. They have never done any of those things before or after the 70s. They are also active and "fun" on social media and are currently allowing fans to pay €19 to have a cardboard cutout of themselves in the stands.
If they were an English team: Nottingham Forest
Why should you support Gladbach? You like social media banter, you can go to their games (as a cardboard cutout), you wish it was still the 1970s
Why shouldn't you support Gladbach? You hate social media banter, they have not won anything since the 1995 German Cup
Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen's last game was a 3-1 win at Rangers in the Europa League. Some food for thought for Celtic fans looking for a German team?
One of the few German teams owned by a company, Leverkusen were set up by pharmaceutical giants Bayer in 1904. They are the nearly men of German football - finishing second in the Bundesliga five times and losing a Champions League final without having won either of those trophies.
If they were an English team: Newcastle United (have come close to winning things in the past 25 years without succeeding)
Why should you support Leverkusen? Owners Bayer are playing a part in the fight against coronavirus, you like glorious failure, they have exciting players like Kai Havertz
Why shouldn't you support Leverkusen? They are owned by a pharmaceutical company, they are likely to break your heart by missing out on the title, they have more red cards than any team in Bundesliga history (136)
Schalke
David Wagner - the man who took Huddersfield to the Premier League - is Schalke's head coach
Schalke - managed by ex-Huddersfield boss David Wagner - have two British players - first-choice right-back Jonjoe Kenny (on loan from Everton) and Wales international Rabbi Matondo. They are the third-most popular team in Germany but have never won the Bundesliga since its formation in 1963.
If they were an English team: Everton (they play in blue, have Kenny and are rivals to Borussia Dortmund, who we compared to Liverpool earlier)
Why should you support Schalke? They have two British players, they have a big fanbase, you support Huddersfield
Why shouldn't you support Schalke? You like goals. Their 33 goals is one of the lowest totals in the league and only two teams have taken fewer shots
Wolfsburg
Proper Xbox vibes from this Wolfsburg jersey
The city of Wolfsburg was only formed to house Volkswagen workers in 1938 (initially under a different name). The team were set up for Volkswagen workers in 1945. They are owned by Volkswagen and play at the Volkswagen Arena. Spot a theme?
If they were an English team: Wolves (just look at the name)
Why should you support Wolfsburg? You support Wolves, you like Volkswagen cars, you think it's brilliant they once had a manager called Wolfgang Wolf
Why shouldn't you support Wolfsburg? You don't like Volkswagen cars, Wolves, wolves or Wolfgang Wolf
Freiburg
The most German-sounding sponsor ever
This one is going to be a tough sell. A bit of a yo-yo club with no real household names, but they are still in contention to reach the Europa League.
If they were an English team: Norwich (both teams have won the second tier four times)
Why should you support Freiburg? They are overachievers
Why shouldn't you support Freiburg? There isn't much to get excited about. Honestly they made me wonder why I was even writing this piece
Hoffenheim
Hoffenheim's most recent home game had a farcical ending where their players and Bayern Munich's passed the ball around for the final 13 minutes after the game was suspended because of Bayern fans chanting against Hoffenheim's owner
Hoffenheim are 120 years old but were a fifth division team until being bankrolled by Dietmar Hopp, rising to the Bundesliga this millennium. Bundesliga matches were frequently stopped as opposition fans protested against Hopp in the weeks before football was shut down.
If they were an English team: Bournemouth (for their rise through their divisions, not their unpopularity)
Why should you support Hoffenheim? They consider themselves a "friendly team who do things differently"
Why shouldn't you support Hoffenheim? Nobody else really likes them
Cologne
Are the Billy Goats the team for you?
The decision here has already been made for us. Sunderland have - for reasons I can't quite understand - teamed up with Cologne to make them their Bundesliga team. external-link Their goat mascot - Hennes IX - is not allowed at games in the coronavirus age.
If they were an English team: Sunderland
Why should you support Cologne? You support Sunderland, you like a set-piece goal (11 of their goals have come from corners)
Why shouldn't you support Cologne? You have a particular dislike of goats, you support Newcastle or Middlesbrough
Union Berlin
We could have compared Union Berlin to Swindon Town (or Barnsley) because Swindon play in red and spent one season in the top flight but the author of this piece supports Oxford so... Sheffield United it is
Union Berlin, known for their colourful fan base, are in their first ever season in the Bundesliga. They probably have less on the line than anybody in the league - seven points off Europe and eight points above the relegation play-off spot. Not ideal if you're probably only going to support a team to the end of the season.
If they were an English team: Sheffield United (exceeding expectations after promotion)
Why should you support Union? You like the underdogs, you don't want your new team to cause you any stress
Why shouldn't you support Union? Because they're not likely to do anything this season
Eintracht Frankfurt
This simplistic Eintracht Frankfurt kit catch your eye? Feel free to give the Eagles your support
Eintracht Frankfurt have struggled this season after reaching the semi-finals of last year's Europa League and are not entirely safe from relegation yet. They have the same nickname as Crystal Palace, the Eagles.
If they were an English team: West Brom (five cup wins and one league title each)
Why should you support Eintracht? You like Eagles/support Crystal Palace, you are a fan of old Premier League players you vaguely remember (Jonathan de Guzman, Gelson Fernandes, Erik Durm)
Why shouldn't you support Eintracht? You support Palace's rivals Brighton, you don't get excited by Premier League journeymen
The bottom two teams get relegated, while the team which finishes 16th play the third-placed side in Bundesliga 2 in a play-off
Hertha Berlin
Fair play, this is a nice kit/badge/sponsor combo
This is unfamiliar territory for Hertha, who are not even the top Berlin team in the division at the moment. Their former Premier League players include Salomon Kalou, Dedryck Boyata, Dodi Lukebakio (a solitary substitute appearance for Watford) and Marko Grujic.
If they were an English team: West Ham (they both play at the Olympic Stadium)
Why should you support Hertha? You are a Chelsea fan who loved Kalou (if such a person exists), you support a team with blue and white stripes, you have Alexander Esswein in your Fifa ultimate team
Why shouldn't you support Hertha? You get annoyed at your team conceding penalties - Hertha have given away seven, more than anyone else, according to data company Gracenote
Augsburg
Don't be sad mate, that's a great shirt
Augsburg are based in Bavaria, in the shadow of Bayern Munich. They have been in the top flight since 2011 having spent the rest of their history in the lower leagues. Reece Oxford is an Augsburg player, although he hasn't featured since November.
If they were an English team: Watford (a smaller team with bigger neighbours)
Why should you support Augsburg? You like quirky nicknames (Die Fuggerstadter is their nickname after a famous family from the region), Reece Oxford
Why shouldn't you support Augsburg? You're not sure what you're going to get. Heiko Herrlich has been head coach for two months but hasn't managed a game yet - and he won't be in charge this weekend either after violating quarantine by leaving the team's hotel
Mainz
The only non-home kit we are highlighting here. The design of Mainz's special carnival kit looks more like a rugby league shirt
Jurgen Klopp's other team, Mainz like to play carnival music after their goals because it is a carnival city. Have several ex-Premier League randoms, including former Sunderland forward Ji Dong-won.
If they were an English team: Brighton (neither side have ever won a major trophy)
Why should you support Mainz? You like carnival music, you like Klopp (but didn't want to support Dortmund)
Why shouldn't you support Mainz? They play carnival music after their goals...
Chances of automatic relegation (chances of being in play-offs in brackets) 97% - Paderborn (2%) 10% - Mainz (19%) 49% - Werder Bremen (26%) 2% - Augsburg (8%) 40% - Fortuna Dusseldorf (34%) 2% - Hertha Berlin (8%) Statistics from Gracenote (all other teams less than 1% chance of automatic relegation)
Fortuna Dusseldorf
Fortuna Dusseldorf could have 11 games left if they go into the play-offs
A team for Manchester City fans of a certain age to keep an eye out for - Fortuna Dusseldorf's manager is ex-City striker Uwe Rosler. Plus they have City goalkeeper Zack Steffen on loan. Dusseldorf's season could go on a bit longer - they are currently in a promotion-relegation play-off place.
If they were an English team: Tottenham Hotspur (struggle for clean sheets and concede too many chances)
Why should you support Dusseldorf? You support Manchester City, you like Cool Runnings (defender Mathias Jorgensen's nickname is Zanka), you are Ghanaian (Dusseldorf have four players from Ghana)
Why shouldn't you support Dusseldorf? Jorgensen hasn't spelt Sanka correctly
Werder Bremen
Simplistic kit from Werder Bremen. Not a patch on their old green and orange jersey
Werder Bremen have spent more seasons in the Bundesliga (56) than anyone else but that record could be coming to an end as they sit four points adrift of the promotion-relegation play-off spot. Claudio Pizarro is still going at the age of 41 - and has 10 games left before retirement to score a Bundesliga goal for a 22nd consecutive year.
If they were an English team: Aston Villa (a few league titles and a European trophy but now battling relegation)
Why should you support Bremen? You want a historic team to keep their top-flight position, you want to see Pizarro score 200 Bundesliga goals, Pierre Wome used to play for them (maybe that one is just me...)
Why shouldn't you support Bremen? With 11 defeats in their past 14 games, you might never see them actually win a game
Paderborn
You're just seeking misery if you pick Paderborn to support
Paderborn - in only their second Bundesliga season - are bottom of the table, six points behind the play-off place. With one point in their past six games, they look doomed. Don't do it to yourself.
If they were an English team: Huddersfield (two seasons and going down... presumably)
Why should you support Paderborn? You love lost causes
Why shouldn't you support Paderborn? Haven't you been through enough recently?


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Can China test all of Wuhan in only 10 days?

China is drawing up ambitious plans to test the entire population of Wuhan , the city where the Covid-19 pandemic began .
The announcement came after the emergence of six new coronavirus cases in the city - the first ones since early April .
The authorities had originally promised to test all 11 million people in 10 days .
But it now appears they might be aiming for a less ambitious timetable .
How long will the testing take ?
In late April , the Hubei provincial government reported 63,000 people were being tested in Wuhan every day .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped to just under 40,000 .
There are more than 60 testing centres across the city , according to the official Hubei Daily newspaper .
These have a maximum capacity of 100,000 tests a day at most , making it hard to see how a target of testing the entire population in just 10 days could be met .
So the authorities have indicated the tests will not all start and finish within the same 10-day period .
`` Some districts [ in the city ] will start from 12 May , others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' the Wuhan Centre for Disease Control said .
`` Each district finishes its tests within 10 days from the date it started . ''
And according to a Reuters report on 13 May , preparations for carrying out tests had begun in two out of the city 's 13 districts .
What proportion have been tested already ?
The authorities say they have now tested more than three million people in the city .
Wuhan University pathogen biology department deputy director Yang Zhanqiu told the Global Times newspaper he believed up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tested .
The population of the city - originally 11 million - has also fluctuated over time .
The authorities said up to five million people had left the city for the lunar New Year holiday before it was locked down on 23 January .
The lockdown then lasted until 8 April , but it is unclear how many of these residents have now returned .
Should everyone be tested ?
Wuhan University 's Yang Zhanqiu said there was no need to test everyone living in neighbourhoods with no reported cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with people considered most at risk - for example in the older , more densely populated areas , as well as those in key jobs such as healthcare .
Also , people who have been tested in the previous seven days will not need to be tested again .
But Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention chief epidemiologist Wu Zunyou told state TV : `` The virus could take longer to manifest itself in patients with weak immunity and these people are also prone to 'on ' and 'off ' symptoms .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Yang Zhanqiu adds : `` You 'll never know if people were infected after testing negative . ''
And US-based Council for Foreign Affairs senior fellow for global health Yanzhong Huang said : “ There would still be the possibility of isolated outbreaks in the future , which even large-scale testing will not address . ''
Additional reporting and research by Yitsing Wang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Wanyuan Song , in London .

They also said that if you include one million people tested in the seven days before the mass programme began in their area (and who didn't need retesting), that's a total of 10.9 million people tested out of the population of 11 million.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: 'We're in the experimental phase'

While lockdown broke the links via which the coronavirus was transmitted , as it is relaxed we all become participants in a vast observational experiment , scientists say .
Relaxing restrictions too quickly in this `` experimental phase '' could cause a `` sizeable , second epidemic wave '' .
And social distancing and working from home are likely to be features of our lives until a vaccine is available .
`` We need to lift only measures that we consider to be safe and then monitor them very carefully , '' Dr Mike Tildesley , who was involved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC News .
• Is there any evidence for coronavirus lab release idea ?
`` In a sense , as we go through this phase of learning , we 're guinea pigs .
`` But as that phase progresses , we 'll improve our understanding of how effective these measures are . ''
For schools in particular , this cautious , stepwise approach - and learning from every measure taken - will be `` extremely important '' , he said .
It `` needs to be gradual '' .
`` And obviously there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents and teachers . ''
In the short term , any relaxation of social distancing measures would be likely to trigger the second peak every country affected was trying to avoid , Dr Tildesley said .
The study , led by Prof Matt Keeling , revealed the short-term measures that could be considered safe : • reopening non-essential shops and businesses only where social-distancing measures can be put in place • those who can working at home for the foreseeable future • possible longer-term shielding for older people , who are known to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was any sign of the infection rate increasing , the scientists stressed that control measures would need to be reintroduced quickly .
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
• EXERCISE : What are the guidelines on getting out ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
• RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
Prof Daniela De Angelis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` With lockdown , we 've stopped interaction , so we 've stopped transmission .
`` As you lift it , you recreate some of those links in the network .
`` That 's exactly the mechanism through which infection spreads .
`` So what we need to work out is how much more connected people can get before we see the epidemic spike again . ''
Prof Azra Ghani , from Imperial College London , told BBC News : `` A 20-30 % increase in people 's contacts '' would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the long-term way out of this , '' she told BBC News .
`` And in the meantime , we need as many people as possible to adapt their behaviour . ''
If this were a real experiment , Prof Gahni said , scientists would have control .
`` But this is real life .
`` It 's about people 's lives and livelihoods .
`` There has to be a balance of the risk [ from the disease ] and of living daily life .
`` We can get there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ socially responsible way . ''

"We need to lift only measures that we consider to be safe and then monitor them very carefully," Dr Mike Tildesley, who was involved in the University of Warwick study, told BBC News.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Trump says US reopening 'vaccine or no vaccine'

President Donald Trump has promised the US will reopen `` vaccine or no vaccine '' as he announced a plan to deliver a coronavirus jab by year end .
He likened the vaccine project , dubbed `` Operation Warp Speed '' , to the World War Two effort to produce the world 's first nuclear weapons .
But Mr Trump emphasised : `` Vaccine or no vaccine , we 're back . ''
Without widespread testing , experts have said a vaccine would be needed to safely lift lockdown measures .
Speaking at a White House Rose Garden news conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project would begin with studies on 14 promising vaccine candidates for accelerated research and approval .
`` That means big and it means fast , '' he said of Operation Warp Speed .
`` A massive scientific , industrial and logistical endeavour unlike anything our country has seen since the Manhattan Project . ''
Mr Trump named an Army general and a former healthcare executive to lead the operation , a partnership between the government and private sector to find and distribute a vaccine .
Moncef Slaoui , who previously led the vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lead the mission , while Gen Gustave Perna , who oversees distribution for the US Army , is to serve as chief operating officer .
Speaking after Mr Trump , Mr Slaoui said he was `` confident '' that a `` few hundred million doses of vaccine '' will be delivered by the end of 2020 .
He acknowledged in an earlier interview with the New York Times that the timeline was ambitious , but said he `` would not have committed unless I thought it was achievable '' .
Many experts say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will give Americans the confidence to fully reopen the economy in the absence of widespread testing .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
What else did President Trump say ?
Mr Trump made clear that even without a vaccine , Americans must begin to return to their lives as normal .
`` I do n't want people to think this is all dependent on a vaccine , '' he said .
`` Vaccine or no vaccine , we 're back .
And we 're starting the process . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have vaccines and a virus or a flu comes and you fight through it , '' he added .
`` Other things have never had a vaccine and they go away . ''
`` I think the schools should be back in the fall , '' Mr Trump added .
Earlier this week Dr Anthony Fauci , who serves on the coronavirus taskforce and appeared wearing a mask at the Rose Garden conference , testified to the Senate that it would be a `` bridge too far '' for schools to reopen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday , lorry drivers who have parked around the White House for several weeks blared their horns in protest against low wages , neither for nor against the White House .
`` Those are friendly truckers .
They 're on our side , '' the president said .
`` It 's almost a celebration in a way . ''
At one point , Mr Trump - who wore no mask - instructed a reporter to remove hers so she could be better heard over the noise of honking as she addressed him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strongly suggested that a jab will take at least a year to develop .
When the Ebola outbreak struck between 2014-16 , it was not until December 2019 that the US Food and Drug Administration approved its first vaccine .
Some health experts have remained sceptical about the rapid timeline for development and distribution proposed by the White House .
`` I do n't understand how that happens , '' said Dr Peter Hotez co-director of the Medicine Coronavirus Vaccine Team at Baylor College on CNN after Mr Trump 's announcement .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which any vaccine is licensed for emergency use or otherwise till the third quarter of 2021 , '' he added .
Dr Rick Bright , an ousted US vaccines director who has accused the White House of exerting political pressure around coronavirus treatments , testified to Congress on Thursday that such jabs often take up to a decade to develop .
• Things the US has got right - and got wrong What other US coronavirus efforts are there ?
'Warp Speed ' is the latest of several Covid response projects Washington has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House launched a testing initiative , enlisting major pharmacy retailers like CVS , Walgreens and Rite Aid to set up drive-through testing sites throughout the country .
Such partnerships have stalled , however , and the US has faced continued criticism for its lags in testing .
In recent weeks , the White House announced further efforts and has helped ramp up testing to nearly 10 million as of 15 May , according to the Our World in Data database .
Besides the new White House jab initiative , the Food and Drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible human trials .
On Friday , the US House of Representatives will vote on a coronavirus rescue package worth more than $ 3tn ( £2.5 ) that allocates funds to local governments , expanded testing and another round of direct payments to Americans .
But the bill is highly unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled Senate .
• EUROPE 'S EASING : How lockdown is being lifted • THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?

"In many cases they don't have vaccines and a virus or a flu comes and you fight through it," he added. "Other things have never had a vaccine and they go away."


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Brazil's Bolsonaro sees second health minister quit

Brazil 's health minister has resigned after less than a month in the job following disagreements over the government 's handling of the country 's escalating coronavirus crisis .
Nelson Teich had criticised a decree issued by President Jair Bolsonaro allowing gyms and beauty parlours to reopen .
However , he gave no reason for his resignation at a press conference .
His predecessor was sacked after disagreeing with Mr Bolsonaro .
He has downplayed the virus as `` a little flu '' and has said the spread of Covid-19 is inevitable , attracting global criticism .
Brazil has recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its coronavirus caseload , becoming one of the world 's hotspots with more than 218,000 cases and a record 15,305 in the last 24 hours .
The latest daily figures also showed 824 new deaths recorded , bringing the official death toll to 14,817 .
Why did the minister resign ?
At his news conference , Mr Teich did not reveal why he had stepped down .
He just thanked President Bolsonaro for giving him the chance to serve as a minister and praised healthcare workers .
But he has clashed with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government has dealt with the spiralling epidemic .
He disagreed with the president 's desire to widely use chloroquine as a treatment .
The drug has gained widespread attention although the World Health Organization ( WHO ) says there 's no definitive evidence it works .
Mr Teich also butted heads with the president over plans to open up the economy , saying last week that he was not consulted ahead of an order that paved the way for gyms , beauty salons and hairdressers to reopen .
But disagreements over how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straw , the Globo newspaper reported .
He is second health minister to leave the post in under a month .
Luiz Henrique Mandetta was fired in April after President Bolsonaro publicly criticised him for urging people to observe social distancing and stay indoors .
To lose one health minister was awkward , but to lose two in less than a month is not only embarrassing for Jair Bolsonaro but deeply worrying for Brazil .
The country has become the latest coronavirus hotspot and rather than politicians trying to tackle it together , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader of the country is failing to provide direction for a population which really needs it .
Nelson Teich did n't give any reasons for his departure , merely saying `` life is full of decisions and I decided to leave '' - but he did n't see eye-to-eye with his boss on the use of chloroquine and his health ministry was excluded this week when Jair Bolsonaro decided to include beauty salons , hairdressers and gyms as essential services .
It appears the job of health minister to Jair Bolsonaro is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's a difficult job vacancy at the worst-possible time in Brazil .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• STRESS : How to look after your mental health • WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE BODY ?
Doctors on the front line explain

Nelson Teich didn't give any reasons for his departure, merely saying "life is full of decisions and I decided to leave" - but he didn't see eye-to-eye with his boss on the use of chloroquine and his health ministry was excluded this week when Jair Bolsonaro decided to include beauty salons, hairdressers and gyms as essential services.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: The last 'normal' photo on your phone

The coronavirus pandemic has changed how we live .
What was ordinary just a couple of months ago seems almost unrecognisable .
We asked you for the last `` normal '' photo you had on your phone , and hundreds of you replied .
Here are 13 pictures from before we had to come to terms with lockdowns and social distancing .
We spent two years planning our wedding in Austria .
I drove out through France and Germany in a campervan , with the world closing down around me , not knowing if we could go ahead with it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guests arrived , Austria announced they would be shutting down from Sunday .
On Saturday 14 March we married , and on the Sunday we were escorted from the resort back to the airport .
We had two or three guests who did n't make it to the wedding , but it was an absolutely amazing day .
Looking at the pictures now is totally mind-boggling .
Two of my mates were taking the campervan back .
They got as far as Germany , and then Germany locked the borders .
They left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campervan with the wedding cake inside is still in a Munich car park .
The last time I saw my boyfriend - Francesca Payne This was the last photo I took of my boyfriend before we went into lockdown separately .
We both live with our parents so we are n't together and I have n't seen him in weeks .
It was the Saturday before the lockdown was announced .
We knew what was about to happen so we had a few drinks and played air hockey together at his house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We have a tradition of playing air hockey all the time - it 's what we do on our Saturday nights .
I genuinely did n't anticipate having to be away from him for so long .
I 've never spent more than a few days without him so this is very hard , but we know it 's for ours and everyone else 's safety .
We send a picture of ourselves to each other every day as a little reminder , so we do n't forget what each other looks like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him again .
A day at the races at Cheltenham - Joe Senior It was Friday 13 March at Cheltenham Festival .
On the Thursday night I got a text from a friend saying he had a handful of spare hospitality tickets for the races after clients dropped out because of Covid-19 .
With no work the next day I jumped at the chance .
It was a lovely day .
I took this snap because it looked nice with the sun and things .
I was n't really thinking about coronavirus at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's an awful lot of people .
I was n't especially concerned about coronavirus then .
There were quite a lot of hand sanitiser dispensers , and we were doing the no handshake thing with everyone we met , but back then it felt like a bit of a novelty .
I left slightly in profit and very drunk on a nearly empty train with more staff than customers ( apparently also coronavirus related ) .
I do wonder how many cases can be traced back to Cheltenham .
I walk my kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's something I enjoy , a time to chat about their days and mine .
I took this photo on 20 March , the last day of school before it closed because of coronavirus .
I was with my daughter , my son and my daughter 's friend .
I 'd just left the playground where I said goodbye to my school mum friends , not knowing when we 'd see each other again .
On the way home , I was asking the kids how they felt about schools closing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ like breaking up for the summer holidays .
I was sad .
Since this photo , the novelty has worn off a bit for the kids .
Mummy school is n't as good as normal school - I 'm not Ofsted rated .
I can not wait until I walk them to school again .
It was a friend 's 50th birthday celebration in Ascot on Saturday 14 March .
It was a fantastic evening celebrating with special friends .
We had an Amy Winehouse impersonator and we danced until the early hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were all discussing coronavirus throughout the night , but partying still without a care in the world .
At that time , nobody really knew anyone who 'd had it and we had n't heard of anything in the area .
About five to seven days later , 17 of us from the party became bed-ridden and severely poorly with all the classic Covid-19 symptoms .
All 17 of us fell ill within days of each other and have taken six weeks to get back to good health .
Not one of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with anyone with symptoms prior to the party .
None of us has had a test to prove we had it .
I wanted to visit my dad on that day in particular because I knew it was the last day I was going to be allowed to before his care home locked down to outside visitors .
It was Sunday 22 March .
I wanted to be sure to visit him because he 's 93 , he 's got dementia and he ca n't actually walk anymore - I knew that if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chances are he 'd probably succumb .
We had a nice talk and I made sure to take some photos of him so that if worst comes to worst I 'd have a nice memory of visiting him .
We talked about coronavirus and my little grandchild who my dad absolutely loves .
I normally tell him if I 've seen any interesting birds , because he 's a bird watcher and I am too .
He 's still fine , so far .
We were celebrating my wife 's birthday at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were allowed to be surrounded by family .
I guess it was at a time when we were taking things for granted .
We were doing what we 'd normally do on someone 's birthday .
I do n't remember talking about coronavirus .
We were talking about what we 'd done that weekend and a family wedding planned for later this year .
Some of us watched the Rugby Six Nations game when Scotland beat France - the last game before the tournament got postponed .
One of the last birthday cards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barbara who , with no underlying health conditions , suddenly passed away from Covid-19 in April .
The next birthday celebrations we have as a family will now be appreciated even more .
We flew home from Disney World in Florida on 8 March - my son 's birthday .
Here he is heading to the cockpit to meet the pilot .
It was an amazing family holiday .
We were following the news quite closely whilst we were away , but it was all so uncertain .
It felt like we were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the flight back my husband was ill ( with hindsight probably Covid-19 ) and as an NHS manager , I was about to head home to a whole new world of household isolation , working from home , preschool education and plate spinning .
This photo feels like it was taken in another lifetime .
We had just rented a perfect property in Voe , Shetland , where we were going to move .
This was the last photo taken of our first visit to the house and the start of moving in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this being our new home before long .
Our next visit ( less than two weeks later ) was to remove our things and hand back the keys .
A dream , which was so close you could feel it , stopped by Covid-19 .
This is a photograph taken at Anfield before the kick off of the Champions League tie between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid on 11 March .
My friend and I travelled down from Edinburgh to go to the game .
At that point in March , the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near as advanced , and at that point we could n't have envisioned the devastation it would go on to cause .
We discussed it on the train down with no real seriousness .
After the game we went to a local pub where Liverpool fans and Atletico fans mixed and discussed the game with respect and with humour , allowing for the language barrier .
Again , no-one considered the possibility of an issue with the virus .
Being well fortified with beer I gave my scarf to an Atletico supporter from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ca n't remember his name .
I hope he still has it and with all that has happened in Madrid , I hope he is well .
My nan Mavis and I went on our usual trip to the supermarket for a coffee and a catch-up on 10 March .
Little did either of us know it would be the last time she would leave her house for months and that she was soon to become an expert at FaceTime .
We were talking a lot about my plans for the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remember speaking much about coronavirus .
I was meant to be going on holiday to a yoga retreat so I was looking for bits to wear .
That 's what the day was about .
She lives on her own .
Knowing she is alone during all of this has been the hardest thing for me but she is famous for her never-ending optimism .
She recently got stuck on her chairlift and had to have three firemen come and sort her out .
I think she was quite grateful for a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interlude to her isolation .
I ca n't wait to race her wheelchair into the supermarket again - she always loves that .
This photo was taken on 14 March at a restaurant in Norfolk , where I went out for dinner for a friend 's 21st birthday .
I 'd also secured a post-grad job a couple of days beforehand so I was keen to celebrate .
My university , UEA , had announced that on-campus teaching was being cancelled so I spent the weekend preparing to travel back to my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was likely to be my last social event for a long time , which it was .
It 's the last time I wore makeup and the last time I got dressed up .
It 's also the last time I saw that friend before we both graduate or finish our degrees , because we do n't know when we 'll have an official graduation .
I 'm glad to have enjoyed that occasion just before spending weeks inside .
It was 8 March , I 'd only moved to California a couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the gym and the LA Marathon was being run near me in Santa Monica .
I took the photo to send to my mum to show her that I was adjusting to life well here .
I did n't know it would be the last time I 'd see crowds out in public spaces .
The virus seemed like one of those things that happens to `` other people '' .
Then I lost my job in independent film production when foreign investment from China fell through .
I took to dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shut-down dried up demand .
I 'm now headed home to Hawaii - I 'll have to quarantine in place for two weeks when I get there .
If you could go back to the start of the year and give yourself some pre-lockdown advice , knowing what was about to happen , what advice would that be ?
We will use a selection of your responses in a future article .
Your name , age and location would be included unless you state otherwise but your contact details will never be published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ terms & conditions and privacy policy .

My friend and I travelled down from Edinburgh to go to the game. At that point in March, the virus was already a real issue but nowhere near as advanced, and at that point we couldn't have envisioned the devastation it would go on to cause. We discussed it on the train down with no real seriousness.


bbc--2020-05-16--Kobe Bryant helicopter crash post-mortem released

A post-mortem examination of the helicopter crash that killed basketball star Kobe Bryant has ruled blunt force trauma as the cause of death for all nine victims .
The 180-page report also found that the pilot , 50-year-old Ara Zobayan , tested negative for drugs and alcohol .
The cause of the 26 January crash , which occurred in California amid heavy fog , is still being investigated .
Bryant 's 13-year-old daughter , Gianna , was with him on board the helicopter .
The passengers - which included two of Gianna 's basketball teammates , their relatives and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tournament in Thousand Oaks where Bryant had been set to coach .
• A giant who had his controversies • Petition calls for Bryant to be on NBA logo Alyssa Altobelli , John Altobelli , Keri Altobelli , Payton Chester , Christina Mauser all died alongside the Bryant 's and pilot Ara Zobayan when the helicopter crashed into a hill north of Los Angeles .
`` On Jan. 28 , the cause of death for all nine victims was ruled as blunt trauma , '' the examination said .
`` The manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
The results of the post-mortem examination were posted on the website of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner office on Friday .
Bryant , a five-time NBA champion , played for the LA Lakers throughout his career and is considered one of the greatest players in the game 's history .
He retired in April 2016 after a 20-year career with the team .
Lawyers for his widow , Vanessa Bryant , have filed a lawsuit against the company that operated the helicopter .
It alleges that Zobayan - who died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather data before taking off .
Separately , earlier this year , the sheriff of Los Angeles County said eight deputies had admitted possessing graphic photos of the crash site .
Alex Villanueva said he was `` devastated and heartbroken '' by their conduct .
He said he had instructed the deputies to delete the images .

The passengers - which included two of Gianna's basketball teammates, their relatives and a coach - were on their way to a tournament in Thousand Oaks where Bryant had been set to coach.


bbc--2020-05-15--Astrid Kirchherr: Beatles photographer dies aged 81

Astrid Kirchherr , the German photographer whose early shots of The Beatles helped turn them into icons , has died aged 81 .
She took the first photo of the band in Hamburg in 1960 , and is credited with helping develop their visual style .
Her death was announced by Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn , who said she died in the city on Wednesday following a short illness .
`` Her gift to the Beatles was immeasurable , '' he wrote on Twitter .
Kirchherr first came across the band when she visited a nightclub in her native Hamburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was like a merry-go-round in my head , they looked absolutely astonishing , '' she later told Beatles biographer Bob Spitz .
`` My whole life changed in a couple of minutes .
All I wanted was to be with them and to know them . ''
She began dating Stuart Sutcliffe , the original bassist in the band , and even cut his hair into the famous mop top style that the group came to be associated with .
The couple were engaged shortly after , but Sutcliffe died of a brain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He was , and still is , the love of my life , '' Kirchherr told NPR in 2010 .
Kirchherr , who married twice but had no children , remained friends with the band after Sutcliffe 's death and photographed them throughout the 1960s .
In 2010 , a selection of her images went on display in Liverpool .
They were also released in a book entitled Astrid Kirchherr , A Retrospective .
The previously unseen photographs included shots of The Beatles on holiday in Tenerife as well as some from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Day 's Night in 1964 .
In her later years , Kirchherr worked as a stylist and interior designer , and also opened a photography shop in Hamburg .

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bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Two Americas in the nation's capital

Amid political pressure to reopen America from the White House , the nation 's capital city itself still is n't ready to do so - and Washington DC offers a diverse snapshot of how Americans are responding to the crisis .
It 's a gloriously sunny afternoon , and a rare opportunity to enjoy a live performance from a world-class musician .
Residents of Washington 's Capitol Hill district are still under orders to shelter at home .
But they 're taking a break from the pandemic , sitting on front steps and in socially distanced lawn chairs , listening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audience after he had to cancel a tour .
Just down the road at the Capitol building itself , lawmakers are gradually returning to work , to deal with matters less lyrical .
`` There can be no doubt that this will be one of the strangest sessions of the United States Senate in modern history , '' said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer when it opened at the beginning of the month .
Members wearing masks sit in chambers that feel more empty than occupied .
But while political pressure to open up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the city itself is n't ready yet for business .
You just need to drive 10 minutes to see it 's still on emergency footing .
In DC 's majority-black neighbourhoods like Anacostia , the virus has laid bare longstanding social and racial divides .
I caught up with local councillor Trayon White , who 's campaigning for re-election in Ward Eight , Washington 's poorest .
He 's hard to miss - wearing a florescent yellow track suit and surrounded by a team of young men in blue and white camouflage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They 're distributing bags with bleach and toilet paper while the councillor hands out masks with his name on them and takes selfies with constituents .
But behind the smiles for the camera is a disturbing reality .
The pandemic is killing black people at an alarming rate , including Mr White 's own grandmother .
Eighty percent of the city 's Covid-19 deaths are African Americans , even though they 're less than half its population .
`` We have some of the highest health disparities per capita in the country in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` From high blood pressure to diabetes , to asthma , you name it we have it .
So we 're fighting two monsters at the same time .
You are talking about the people that are already at the bottom and have been pushed down even further . ''
The city has increased testing in predominantly black and Latino neighbourhoods and recruited former First Lady Michelle Obama to record calls to spread the word .
• Why are African Americans hit so hard by virus ?
And just this week the mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field hospital in the convention centre .
It 's empty , but she called it an insurance policy .
She said the number of confirmed cases was less than initially predicted , but still climbing .
Her cautious approach to reopening , however , means she could be headed for a collision with the capitol region 's largest employer , the federal government .
Especially as its most famous resident , President Donald Trump , is pushing to get the nation back to work .
`` I hope that the President is right…that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said recently .
`` All of us want to get open , we just want to do it in a safe way .
The last thing we want is to be back here in the fall , having lost all of the gains of social distancing . ''
• Things the US has got right - and got wrong • Unemployment during Covid-19 : The psychology of job loss • Are US states reopening too soon ?
Mr Trump is eager to return to normal , but just around the corner from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a venerable Washington institution is serving its own servers , handing out meals to its laid-off employees .
The Ebbitt Grill is the oldest operating restaurant in DC , a favourite watering hole for politicians , now running a bare bones takeaway business .
It ca n't go on like that for long but it 's wary about reopening .
David Moran , one of the Grill 's senior directors , says areas of the country that `` unfortunately '' reopen quicker than recommended by guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works and what does n't work '' .
`` Just because the politicians or the government tell you that you can open does n't mean you have to open that day , '' he says .
`` I think we 're going to do what 's right by our guests , right by our employees , and right by our integrity . ''
Back on the streets of the Capitol Hill neighbourhood , musician Frederick Yonnet is still captivating the curbside crowd .
He 's a harmonica player who 's performed with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ed Sheerin .
Now his stadium is his house , and his audience is his neighbours .
`` Thanks to this we are meeting more neighbours than I 've ever met since I moved here , '' he says .
`` We 've discovered that some guy over here is an astronaut , another one works for a news network .
Music is a universal language and it needs to be spoken , especially in difficult times like this . ''
It 's a brief moment of harmony on the Hill , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen and the desire to stay safe , plays out beyond them .

"I hope that the President is right…that we will recover," Ms Bowser said recently. "All of us want to get open, we just want to do it in a safe way. The last thing we want is to be back here in the fall, having lost all of the gains of social distancing."


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Dutch singletons advised to seek ‘sex buddy’

The Dutch government has issued new guidance to single people seeking intimacy during the pandemic , advising them to find a `` sex buddy '' .
The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment ( RIVM ) says singletons should come to an arrangement with one other person .
But pairings should avoid sex if one of them suspects they have coronavirus , the advice says .
The guidance comes after critics said there was no sex advice for singles .
Social-distancing measures have been in place in the Netherlands since 23 March , when the government imposed what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` targeted '' lockdown .
The rules were far less strict than those of the country 's neighbours , permitting small gatherings of people if social distancing was observed .
• Why Dutch lockdown may be a high-risk strategy • How lockdown is being lifted across Europe But in guidance published on 14 May , the RIVM said `` it makes sense that as a single [ person ] you also want to have physical contact '' during the pandemic .
Should singletons choose to engage in sexual contact , precautions should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposure , the authority said .
`` Discuss how best to do this together , '' the RIVM guidance says .
`` For example , meet with the same person to have physical or sexual contact ( for example , a cuddle buddy or 'sex buddy ' ) , provided you are free of illness .
`` Make good arrangements with this person about how many other people you both see .
The more people you see , the greater the chance of ( spreading ) the coronavirus . ''
The RIVM has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partners suspect they have contracted the coronavirus .
`` Do n't have sex with your partner if they have been isolated because of ( suspected ) coronavirus infection , '' it says .
`` Sex with yourself or with others at a distance is possible , '' it adds , suggesting `` erotic stories '' and `` masturbating together '' as possible solutions .
On Monday , the Netherlands began the first stage of a five-phase lockdown exit plan .
As part of the first phase , libraries , hairdressers , nail bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing occupational therapy were allowed to reopen from 11 May .
The relaxation of restrictions came after Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said the country had made `` headway '' in its effort to bring the number of coronavirus infections and deaths down .
A further 200 infections and 53 deaths were recorded in the Netherlands in the past 24 hours .
In total , 43,880 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the country so far , with more than 5,500 deaths .
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close are we to finding one ?
• STRESS : How to look after your mental health

"Discuss how best to do this together," the RIVM guidance says. "For example, meet with the same person to have physical or sexual contact (for example, a cuddle buddy or 'sex buddy'), provided you are free of illness.


bbc--2020-05-15--World War Two US Navy ship discovered in Pacific Ocean

The USS Nevada was the only ship to be present at both D-Day and the attack on Pearl Harbor .
@ @ @ @ @ was commissioned in 1916 and served in both World War I and II .
The @ @ @ @ @ 4km below the surface of the Pacific Ocean , near Pearl Harbor .
She has @ @ @ @ @ years after she was sunk with no one on board during a military exercise .

The USS Nevada was the only ship to be present at both D-Day and the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Built in Massachusetts, she was commissioned in 1916 and served in both World War I and II.
The ship was found more than 4km below the surface of the Pacific Ocean, near Pearl Harbor.
She has not been seen for 70 years after she was sunk with no one on board during a military exercise.


bbc--2020-05-15--Five arrested for brazen teen abduction over drug debt

A wanted man has turned himself in after Canadian police arrested four others in connection with the March abduction of a 14-year-old boy .
Solaiman Nassimi , 29 , appeared in court on Friday after surrendering Thursday .
According to Toronto police , the boy the five men allegedly abducted was targeted because of his stepbrother 's multi-million dollar drug debt .
The brazen daylight kidnapping ended when he was found unharmed in a barn , more than 36 hours after being taken .
On Thursday , police announced they had made four arrests in connection to the kidnapping but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Nassimi turned himself in later that evening .
He , along with Scott McManus , 37 , Samir Abdelgadir , 38 , Liban Hussein , 25 , and Hamed Shahnawaz , 30 - face more than 30 charges including kidnapping for ransom , uttering threats , breaking and entering and arson .
All five remain in police custody while awaiting their bail hearings .
Mr Abdelgadi also appeared in court on Friday morning , Mr Hussein and Mr Shahnawaz will appear before court 19 May and Mr McManus 27 May .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges , but was not believed to have been involved in the abduction .
Police allege the kidnapped boy 's stepbrother had stolen C $ 4m ( $ 2.8m , £2.3m ) worth of cocaine from one of the men involved , and has since fled the Greater Toronto Area .
What do we know ?
Police believe that the alleged thief 's stepbrother , who is not named because he is a minor , was tackled and shoved into a car on his way to school around 8:30am local time on 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pushed into a Jeep Wrangler with oversized tyres , shouting `` help me '' .
The boy 's school failed to immediately report his absence to his parents , who grew concerned when he did not return home that afternoon and went to police .
Four staff members were put on `` home assignment '' for failing to report the boy 's absence , and have since returned to work .
Police sent out an amber alert for the boy shortly after midnight on 5 March .
Police allege the boy was restrained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20km ( 12 miles ) away from where he was originally taken .
He was released at some point on 5 March , and was found in a barn around 11pm .
The jeep was found burned out about 60km ( 37 miles ) north of the city .
Police have not released the name of the boy 's brother .

Police allege the boy was restrained and held in a remote location about 20km (12 miles) away from where he was originally taken. He was released at some point on 5 March, and was found in a barn around 11pm.


bbc--2020-05-15--NFL's Deandre Baker and Quinton Dunbar charged with armed robbery

Florida police are searching for two NFL players after they allegedly robbed people at a house party .
Deandre Baker of the New York Giants and Quinton Dunbar of the Seattle Seahawks are said to have robbed other guests at gunpoint .
About $ 12,000 ( £9,850 ) in cash and watches worth up to $ 25,000 were taken .
Neither man has been arrested yet .
A police spokeswoman said authorities were in touch with the NFL and a lawyer for one player .
`` Obviously , there are attempts to get them to turn themselves in , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times .
According to the police arrest warrant , the incident occurred after an argument broke out at the house party , where guests were playing cards and video games .
Baker allegedly took out a gun before he , Dunbar and another man - described as wearing a red mask - started taking valuables and cash from people .
The man in the red mask is not fully identified in the reports .
Baker allegedly asked this person to shoot one witness , but the red masked man did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off in separate vehicles - a Mercedes Benz , a Lamborghini and a BMW .
The police affidavit said one witness was `` under the impression this was planned out '' , as the three getaway vehicles `` were later pre-positioned to expedite an immediate departure from the area '' .
Baker , 22 , is facing eight charges in total , four for armed robbery and four for aggravated assault with a firearm .
Dunbar , 27 , has been charged with four counts of armed robbery .
The NFL says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not commented .
A statement issued by the New York Giants said they had been in touch with Deandre Baker and they had no further comment .
The Seattle Seahawks said they are `` aware of the situation '' and are `` still gathering information '' .
They referred questions to NFL investigators .
Both men play as cornerbacks for their respective teams .
According to a lawyer for Dunbar , five witnesses have made sworn statements saying that his client was not involved in the burglary .
Lawyer Michael Grieco told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitted to prosecutors on Friday , but they were still demanding that Dunbar turn himself in .
Mr Greico did not say whether Dunbar planned to surrender to authorities , the newspaper reports .
Hours before the arrest warrant was issued , Dunbar held his first news conference with Seattle media since being drafted to the team .
`` You just want to feel wanted at the end of the day , '' he said in the video conference call , adding : `` I just hope to repay them with the way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ''

The NFL says it is aware of the incident but has not commented. A statement issued by the New York Giants said they had been in touch with Deandre Baker and they had no further comment. The Seattle Seahawks said they are "aware of the situation" and are "still gathering information". They referred questions to NFL investigators.


bbc--2020-05-15--Afghan maternity ward attackers 'came to kill the mothers'

The cold-blooded murders of 24 women , children and babies at a hospital in the Afghan capital was horrific enough .
But as Frederic Bonnot made his way through the bullet-riddled maternity unit , he realised something more .
Warning : Readers may find details in this story upsetting The attackers had walked straight past a number of other wards , all closer to the entrance of Kabul 's Dasht-e-Barchi hospital , and made straight for the maternity unit .
To him , it meant one thing : this was no mistake .
`` What I saw in the maternity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mothers , '' Bonnot , Medicin Sans Frontiere 's ( MSF ) Head of Programmes in Afghanistan , said .
`` They went through the rooms in the maternity , shooting women in their beds .
It was methodical .
`` They came to kill the mothers . ''
Amina was just two hours old when the attack started .
The little girl was the third child for Bibi Nazia and her husband , Rafiullah .
Back at home , they already had a girl and a boy .
Nazia had gone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Amina was born at 08:00 .
It should have been a day of celebration for Rafiullah .
But at 10:00 , the attack began .
Explosions were heard by people outside the hospital complex .
Those with family and friends inside rushed to the scene - including Rafiullah .
`` He ran from side to side .
But he could n't do anything , no one allowed him to go inside , '' his cousin Hamidullah Hamidi told BBC Pashto .
Inside the walls of the hospital , three gunmen were moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been run by MSF since 2014 .
A total of 26 mothers and mothers-to-be were inside at the time .
Ten managed to flee to safe rooms ; the other 16 - including Bibi Nazia and Amina - were not so lucky .
Three of the 16 mothers were shot and killed in the delivery room , along with their unborn babies .
Bibi Nazia was among the other eight mothers killed ; little Amina was shot in the legs .
Five more were wounded .
Two young boys were also killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midwife .
One woman , named only as Khadija , told Reuters news agency how one of the gunmen had pointed his weapon at her , before turning it on two other people .
The gun battle between the militants and Afghan security forces went on for four hours as many of the maternity unit 's patients and staff took cover .
The gunmen were all killed .
One baby born was at the hospital during those hours .
A midwife , speaking on condition of anonymity , revealed to the AFP news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the safe room gave birth while trying not to make a sound .
`` We helped her with our bare hands , we had nothing else in the room except some toilet paper and our scarves , '' the midwife said .
`` When the baby was born , we cut the umbilical cord using our hands .
We used our headscarves to wrap the baby and the mother . ''
• The Afghan war : The short and long story Frederic Bonnot described how those inside the safe rooms could only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the building .
By the time they were finished , he said , they found `` walls sprayed with bullets , blood on the floors in the rooms , vehicles burnt out and windows shot through '' .
`` It 's shocking , '' said Bonnot .
`` We know this area has suffered attacks in the past , but no one could believe they would attack a maternity unit .
`` This country is sadly used to seeing horrific events , '' he added .
`` But what happened Tuesday is beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is used to seeing violence most of the rest of the world can not imagine .
A BBC investigation last year found that , on average , 74 men , women and children were killed every day throughout the month of August .
A fifth of them were civilians , the BBC found .
Within hours of the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital attack , a suicide bomber had killed at least another 32 people attending a policeman 's funeral in eastern Nangarhar province .
Meanwhile , in northern Balkh province , at least 10 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an air strike by US forces , reports said .
Residents and the Taliban claimed the victims were all civilians , but defence officials said all those killed were militants .
Two days later , at least five civilians were killed in an attack in Paktia province 's capital , Gardez .
The killings come at a time when , technically , the country should be moving towards peace talks .
The US signed a deal with the Taliban militant group in February , hoping to end an 18-year conflict which has ravaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Taliban agreed to enter talks with the Afghan government , something they had so far refused to do .
But as violence continues to shatter the country , any hope for a peace deal looks to be on delicate ground : after the hospital attack , President Ashraf Ghani ordered the resumption of offensive operations against the Taliban and other groups .
He accused the militants of ignoring repeated calls for a reduction in violence .
No group has said it carried out the maternity hospital massacre .
The Taliban claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic State ( IS ) group took responsibility for the funeral attack .
However , US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has blamed IS for the hospital attack , saying the jihadists want to undermine recent peace efforts and fan a sectarian war .
His words are of little use to those caught up in Tuesday 's attack - to the grandmother who had to pick up her fatally-injured new-born grandson from the floor , to the murdered midwife who had worked for MSF for six years , or to the survivors who listened helplessly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were moved to the Ataturk hospital in Kabul , the families who had gathered outside the maternity unit following - desperately waiting to see if their child 's name was called .
In the confusion , women appeared to offer to adopt the babies , sparking at least one angry confrontation with a grieving grandfather , according to the New York Times .
Officials hoped to reunite all the children by Friday .
Little Amina is now recovering in a different hospital .
She has already had one round of surgery , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The doctors hope they can save the leg shattered by a bullet , but they do n't know yet .
The family fear for her future if they do have to amputate - life is not likely to be easy for a disabled girl in Afghanistan .
But right now , they are just trying to understand why , as the country supposedly moves towards peace , this happened .
`` People have been shouting for 19 or 20 years not to commit atrocities , '' Hamidullah Hamidi said .
`` But they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not stop committing atrocities . ''

Within hours of the Dasht-e-Barchi hospital attack, a suicide bomber had killed at least another 32 people attending a policeman's funeral in eastern Nangarhar province. Meanwhile, in northern Balkh province, at least 10 people were killed and many others injured in an air strike by US forces, reports said. Residents and the Taliban claimed the victims were all civilians, but defence officials said all those killed were militants.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Grieving together with a yellow heart

The placing of a yellow heart in the window is allowing grieving families to celebrate the life of their loved @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .

A family who lost their grandma, Sheila, has come up with a new and poignant way of remembering those who’ve died with Covid-19 - and it’s being replicated across the UK.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus vaccine: Macaque monkey trial offers hope

A vaccine against coronavirus appears to have provided protection against the disease Covid-19 in six rhesus macaque monkeys .
It gives early hope for the vaccine , which is now undergoing human clinical trials .
There is no guarantee this result will translate to people , though .
A group of monkeys was exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus .
The six animals that were vaccinated had less of the virus in their lungs and airways .
The trial took place in the US , involving researchers from the US government 's National Institutes of Health ( NIH ) and from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared to protect the animals against developing pneumonia .
Promisingly , the animals also did n't develop `` immune-enhanced disease '' - which BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh describes as a `` theoretical risk '' .
That 's when the vaccine triggers a worse response to a disease .
• How close to developing a vaccine are we ?
This response was seen in some early animal vaccine trials against SARS - another coronavirus - and proved a stumbling block in developing a vaccine for that disease .
The study has n't yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ published , but Prof Stephen Evans at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , described it as `` high quality '' and `` very encouraging '' .
Meanwhile , trials in the UK on more than 1,000 human volunteers are currently taking place through the University of Oxford .
There are more than 100 experimental coronavirus vaccines currently being developed .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor in pharmaceutical medicine at King 's College London , said it was `` helpful '' to see that the vaccine did n't cause a worse disease response in these monkeys , and that they did n't develop pneumonia after being vaccinated .
The vaccine is based on a small part of the virus 's distinctive `` spike '' .
The idea is that by getting the body to recognise a unique part of the virus , when it is exposed to the whole thing it will know how to react , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off .
That did seem to be happening to the vaccinated macaques , which produced antibodies capable of fighting the virus .

The vaccine is based on a small part of the virus's distinctive "spike". The idea is that by getting the body to recognise a unique part of the virus, when it is exposed to the whole thing it will know how to react, and produce the right antibodies to fight it off.


bbc--2020-05-15--Relaxed Swiss borders will reunite families and lovers

Neighbours Switzerland , Germany , and Austria begin relaxing border restrictions this weekend , ahead of a full reopening including France in mid-June .
The relaxation means friends , families and lovers divided by the border closures will be able to meet again .
The four countries , all members of the Schengen open-border zone , shut their frontiers in March in a bid to control the spread of the coronavirus .
Tens of thousands of people were turned away at borders .
In Switzerland , only Swiss citizens , those with permanent work permits , and essential health workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such restrictions were unimaginable .
The 26 Schengen countries are used to seamless travel .
Getting a train from Berlin to Basel , Geneva to Paris , or Vienna to Zurich was an everyday occurrence that everyone took for granted .
Who was hit by closures ?
The restrictions have hit border communities particularly hard .
In the `` Basel Triangle '' where Germany , France , and Switzerland meet , local businesses are interdependent , thousands of people cross the borders daily , to work , to meet friends and family , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose workplaces remained open could still travel , but most residents in the border communities , used to spending their days in two or even three countries , found themselves confined to one , and often separated from close family members or partners .
Why this reopening is important At the start of May , as cases of the virus fell , Schengen governments began to discuss a reopening .
No-one wanted to be first , but neither did one country want to keep its border closed if its neighbour opened theirs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe ?
• We will have summer tourist season , promises EU The strategy was agreed : reopen the zone 's internal borders , like those between Germany , France , Switzerland and Austria , in unison , in a cautious step-by-step process .
For the border towns of Constance in Germany and Kreuzlingen in Switzerland this weekend 's relaxation is very important .
These towns have , over the years , become one .
Short streets can be Switzerland at one end , and Germany at the other .
When a fence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border closures , it caused dismay for many , and heartbreak for some .
Neighbourhoods were divided .
Couples who lived on either side of the border found themselves separated .
Different generations of the same family could no longer visit each other .
Instead they gathered at the fence , to talk and exchange news through the wire .
The fence , later doubled to stop people kissing through it , soon became decorated with flowers , notes , and pictures of broken hearts .
Kreuzlingen Mayor Thomas Niederberger told Swiss SRF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are really seen here as a joint living space , so there are very many cross-border ties '' .
`` In one blow , with these border closures , those ties were prohibited .
Of course people feel that in our city . ''
In other border regions , couples and friends travelled to the most out-of-the-way sections of the border , divided only by tape , in order to see one another .
Now after intense lobbying in Berlin and Bern by mayors in the border regions , the borders will reopen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And people with allotments across the border will finally be able to tend them again .
But for tourists , shoppers and the simply curious the frontiers stay closed .
Policing this arrangement will be tricky .
Those wishing to cross from Switzerland to Germany have to fill out a form , explaining why they want to go and who they want to visit .
Proving you have family members across the border should be fairly straightforward , but confirming you are in a long-term relationship with someone may be difficult .
Mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough nut to crack for the border guards to police and manage this relaxation correctly '' .
It 's all a long way from that time , just three months ago , when communities across Europe lived , worked and played together with no thought that borders would divide them .
Switzerland , France , Germany and Austria say they hope to reopen their borders with one another completely in mid-June .
But only if cases of the coronavirus remain low .
It 's not clear if that fence in Kreuzlingen will come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ neighbouring Italy , hard hit in the pandemic , remains closed .
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • VACCINE : How close are we to finding one ?
• STRESS : How to look after your mental health

A few people whose workplaces remained open could still travel, but most residents in the border communities, used to spending their days in two or even three countries, found themselves confined to one, and often separated from close family members or partners.


bbc--2020-05-15--EU 'to rally against Israel's West Bank annexation proposal'

The EU has indicated that it will try to stop Israel 's proposed annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank .
Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the bloc would use its diplomatic clout to prevent unilateral action .
Israel 's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the new unity government could press ahead with annexing some West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley as early as in July .
Speaking after a virtual meeting of EU foreign ministers , Mr Borrell said : `` We must work to discourage any possible initiative toward annexation . ''
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel 's new government , but added : `` Unilateral action from either side should be avoided and for sure international law should be upheld . ''
Some EU states are said to be calling for a tougher line on the issue , including possible sanctions , but others have urged caution .
`` What everybody agreed is we have to increase our efforts and our reach-out to all relevant actors in the Middle East , '' Mr Borrell said .
The application of Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` vision for peace '' between Israel and the Palestinians , which was unveiled in January .
Mr Trump 's plan also envisages a Palestinian state in about 70 % of the West Bank , all of Gaza , and with its capital on the fringes of East Jerusalem .
• What does Trump ’ s Mid-East plan say on key issues ?
• Can the Jewish settlement issue be resolved ?
• Are there alternatives to a two-state solution ?
The Palestinians - who claim all of the West Bank , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US plan , dismissing it as biased towards Israel and a denial of their rights .
Israel has occupied the territories since the 1967 Middle East war .
More than 600,000 Jews live in about 140 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem .
Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal under international law , though Israel disputes this .
PM Netanyahu secured permission to pursue his campaign pledge of annexation as part of a power-sharing deal with Benny Gantz 's Blue and White party , agreed in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said cabinet discussions would begin on 1 July , but this needs to be agreed with Washington under the agreement with Mr Gantz .
Mr Netanyahu has expressed confidence Mr Trump will give him the go-ahead , but the US president is yet to do so .
In a visit this month , US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was Israel 's decision on how to move forward .
In an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper , he noted the issue was complex and required coordination with Washington .
Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warning to Israel to proceed with caution .
Arab countries , including Jordan and Egypt , have also cautioned against Israeli annexation moves .


bbc--2020-05-15--UK backtracks on French quarantine exemption

The government has denied that travellers from France will be exempted from the planned coronavirus quarantine measures .
Under the plans announced last weekend , people arriving from abroad must isolate themselves for two weeks .
Those with nowhere to stay will be obliged to isolate in accommodation provided by the authorities .
Initially , a joint statement from the British and French governments said no quarantine measures would apply .
`` No quarantine measures would apply to travellers coming from France at this stage ; any measures on either side would be taken in a concerted and reciprocal manner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was published on the government 's website on 10 May .
`` A working group between the two governments will be set up to ensure this consultation throughout the coming weeks . ''
The policy attracted a warning from the EU not to single out one nation , while some experts suggested it would prove unworkable .
But today , the prime minister 's spokesman insisted there was no French exemption , and that the original statement referred to the need for cooperation to manage the common border between the two countries .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the policy could include freight drivers , in order to allow the flow of goods to continue , and people working on Covid-19 research , but not ordinary travellers .
The government had already indicated that people arriving from the Republic of Ireland will not be made to go into quarantine , an arrangement that will be unaffected by today 's news .
However , the measures will apply to UK holidaymakers returning from other destinations .
In his address to the nation on Sunday , the prime minister said : `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the time - with transmission significantly lower - to impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air . ''
The government later clarified that the rules would apply not just to air passengers , but also those arriving by other means of travel such as train or ferry .
Following Mr Johnson 's speech , No 10 confirmed a reciprocal deal with the government in Paris meant restrictions would not apply to passengers from France , but that was ahead of today 's apparent u-turn .

"No quarantine measures would apply to travellers coming from France at this stage; any measures on either side would be taken in a concerted and reciprocal manner," says the statement, which was published on the government's website on 10 May.


bbc--2020-05-16--Little things people are doing while socially distanced

People around the world are finding different ways to thank our healthcare workers , help one another , and make @ @ @ @ @ normal while many of us are staying inside and socially isolating .
This week , @ @ @ @ @ Blue Angels ; the Obamas reading to people online and a socially distant table for @ @ @ @

People around the world are finding different ways to thank our healthcare workers, help one another, and make things feel a bit more normal while many of us are staying inside and socially isolating.
This week, we saw flyovers by the Blue Angels; the Obamas reading to people online and a socially distant table for one in Sweden.
Video by Cody Melissa Godwin.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: 'Lockdown is opportunity of a lifetime for bike lanes'

London has announced plans to create the largest car-free zones in Europe .
It wants to encourage cycling , so @ @ @ @ @ also social distancing .
Several European cities are taking similar measures .
Gil Penalosa of @ @ @ @ @ Cities says lockdown measures during the coronavirus outbreak represent an `` opportunity of a lifetime @ @ @ @ @ bike-friendly .
But some industry groups disagree and many city residents have resisted these policies @ @ @ @ @ more on the impact of lockdown on cities here .

London has announced plans to create the largest car-free zones in Europe. It wants to encourage cycling, so that people can commute while also social distancing. Several European cities are taking similar measures.
Gil Penalosa of urban reform group 8 80 Cities says lockdown measures during the coronavirus outbreak represent an "opportunity of a lifetime" to make cities more bike-friendly.
But some industry groups disagree and many city residents have resisted these policies in the past.
Video by Dougal Shaw
Read more on the impact of lockdown on cities here.


Week in pictures: 9-15 May 2020

A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week , as people react to the spread of @ @ @ @ @ same day , in the region where the virus was first discovered , Chinese nurses @ @ @ @ @ a heart to recite an oath during a ceremony at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan , @ @ @ @ @ face masks on an underground train in London , after the UK government announced plans @ @ @ @ @ of lockdown .
Transport for London said it expected to lose £4bn this year due @ @ @ @ @ .
A titan arum , the biggest flower structure on Earth , is a feature @ @ @ @ @ in Meise , Belgium .
Famous for its bad smell , the titan arum can @ @ @ @ @ .
It can take several years for a single flower to blossom .
All photographs @ @ @ @ @ as marked .

Image caption,
A titan arum, the biggest flower structure on Earth, is a feature of the national botanic garden in Meise, Belgium. Famous for its bad smell, the titan arum can grow up to 3m tall. It can take several years for a single flower to blossom.


bbc--2020-05-15--From lockdown to gridlock: Asia’s traffic resumes after fall in pollution

As the coronavirus pandemic swept through Asia , many countries imposed strict lockdowns to stop the disease from spreading , especially in major cities .
From Beijing in China to Hanoi in Vietnam , cities suspended transport and ordered millions of people to stay at home , leaving roads unusually empty .
The reduction in traffic on the roads had an unintended consequence - scientists observed a drastic drop in air pollution levels in early 2020 over cities and industrial areas in Asia and elsewhere .
Now , as countries in Asia cautiously ease their restrictions , traffic has returned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` There were really marked reductions in air pollution across Asia , '' Paul Monks , professor of air pollution at the University of Leicester , told the BBC .
`` What we 're seeing now is a return to pre-Covid levels . ''
Satellite data from Nasa and the European Space Agency showed that , in the first three months of 2020 , levels of nitrogen dioxide were far lower than in the same period in 2019 .
Emitted by vehicles and during industrial processes , nitrogen dioxide is a noxious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as asthma .
A serious air pollutant , nitrogen dioxide is estimated to lead to the deaths of around three million people a year .
It is not a greenhouse gas but comes from the same activities that emit carbon dioxide , which contributes to global warming .
In China , where the pandemic originated , nitrogen dioxide levels were 10 % to 30 % lower than normal between January and February this year , according to Nasa .
The space agency said India , where smog-filled skies are common in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decrease by about 55 % in Delhi from March 25 through April 25 .
Two other studies , published in the Geophysical Research Letters journal , found that nitrogen dioxide dropped up to 60 % in northern China , western Europe and the US in early 2020 .
Prof Monks said the pandemic has inadvertently given the world a glimpse of what a pollutant-free economy might look like .
`` This points to what you can really achieve .
If you were to decarbonise transport , that 's what you would get , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the UK government 's science advisory committee on air quality , said .
Yet , as Asian countries reboot their economies - resuming travel in and out of cities - pollution levels have rebounded .
Data released by Greenpeace China showed that levels of toxic pollutants , including nitrogen dioxide , were higher in April compared with the same period last year .
If countries are serious about tackling air pollution and climate change , they must `` learn the lessons '' of the pandemic , Prof Monks said .
In Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reduce traffic congestion , clamping down on car use .
The Italian city of Milan , for example , announced it would transform 35km ( 21.7 miles ) of its streets into cycling-friendly spaces over the summer .
Other countries are taking a similar approach during the lockdown , installing temporary cycling lanes and closing roads off to cars .
`` There is a brighter future out there , but the climate emergency has not gone away .
It has not been replaced by the Covid emergency , '' Prof Monks said .

"This points to what you can really achieve. If you were to decarbonise transport, that's what you would get," Prof Monks, the former chair of the UK government's science advisory committee on air quality, said.


bbc--2020-05-15--Coronavirus: Moscow begins mass screening

Moscow has launched a mass screening programme for coronavirus antibodies , inviting people chosen at random from various age groups @ @ @ @ @ .
The hope is that the test results can allow the authorities to map their @ @ @ @ @ despite uncertainty over how much immunity to Covid-19 the antibodies actually provide .
Russia currently @ @ @ @ @ ’ s highest rates of coronavirus infection , with 10,598 new cases detected on Friday @ @ @ @ @ Rainsford has visited one of the testing centres .

Moscow has launched a mass screening programme for coronavirus antibodies, inviting people chosen at random from various age groups to clinics across the city.
The hope is that the test results can allow the authorities to map their way out of lockdown, despite uncertainty over how much immunity to Covid-19 the antibodies actually provide.
Russia currently has one of the world’s highest rates of coronavirus infection, with 10,598 new cases detected on Friday.
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford has visited one of the testing centres.
Video produced by Anton Chicherov and Liza Shuvalova


bbc--2020-05-15--'Big-eared' fox cub gets head stuck in vase in Basildon

A fox cub got its head stuck in a vase , probably because it had very big ears , its rescuers said .
The curious cub was found `` distressed and disorientated '' , wandering around a garden in Basildon , Essex , with the heavy pot stuck firmly on its head .
Worried the cub could not breathe , the homeowner smashed the end of the pot before calling the RSPCA .
Rescuers , who managed to `` wriggle him free '' said the curious cub 's large ears meant it could not get out .
• Coronavirus : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England '' The poor thing was exhausted as the pot was very heavy and we have no idea how long he 'd been carrying it around for , '' said Joe White , from the charity .
`` From the looks of it , he had pushed his head into the vase and could n't pull his head back out because his ears are so big . ''
The fox was taken to a wildlife hospital where he and the vase were carefully separated .
After a bath and an overnight stay , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The fox 's den is in the woman 's garden so we released him back where he was found so he could return to his mother and littermates , '' Mr White said .

"The poor thing was exhausted as the pot was very heavy and we have no idea how long he'd been carrying it around for," said Joe White, from the charity.