bbc--2020-05-19--Tracking the outbreak in maps and charts

Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world , with more than 4.8 million confirmed cases in 188 countries .
More than 300,000 people have lost their lives .
This series of maps and charts tracks the global outbreak of the virus since it emerged in China in December last year .
How many cases and deaths have there been ?
The virus , which causes the respiratory infection Covid-19 , was first detected in the city of Wuhan , China , in late 2019 .
It then spread quickly across the globe in the first months of 2020 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this page use a different source for figures for France from that used by Johns Hopkins University , which results in a slightly lower overall total .
The US has by far the largest number of cases , around five times as many as any other country according to figures collated by Johns Hopkins University .
With more than 90,000 fatalities , it also has the world 's highest death toll .
France , Italy , Spain and the UK - the worst-hit European countries - have all recorded more than 27,000 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll is some 4,600 from about 84,000 confirmed cases , although critics have questioned whether the country 's official numbers can be trusted .
The outbreak was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) on 11 March .
This is when an infectious disease is passing easily from person to person in many parts of the world at the same time .
The true number of cases is thought to be much higher than the reported figures , as many of those with milder symptoms have not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 4.5 billion people - half the world 's population - have been living under social distancing measures , according to the AFP news agency 's estimates .
Those restrictions have had a big impact on the global economy , with the International Monetary Fund warning the world faces the worst recession since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The United Nations World Food Programme has also warned that the pandemic could almost double the number of people suffering acute hunger .
• RISK AT WORK : How exposed is your job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it means and why it matters • COMPARING COUNTRIES : The pitfalls of doing so • R0 , FURLOUGH : The language of the outbreak • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
Where are coronavirus cases still rising ?
While some countries are starting to see confirmed cases and deaths fall following the introduction of strict lockdown restrictions , others are only now seeing them rise .
A sharp increase in cases in Latin America has led the WHO to say the Americas are currently at the centre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four countries where deaths are on an upward trajectory - as shown by the red lines .
Brazil now has the third highest number of infections in the world - overtaking the UK , Spain and Italy .
However , the country 's health experts have warned that the real number of confirmed infections could be far higher , due to a lack of testing .
Bruno Covas , mayor of Brazil 's largest city , São Paulo , which is home to 12 million people , has warned its health system could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency beds .
Mexico has also seen a spike in new infections , while Ecuador saw its health system collapse in April .
Outside South America , Russia has seen infections rise rapidly and now has the second highest number worldwide , according to official data .
It has been reporting around 10,000 new cases a day for over a week .
In Africa , Lesotho confirmed its first cases on 13 May , which means coronavirus is now present in all countries on the continent , mainly in urban populations .
Worst-hit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Europe continues to see cases and deaths fall After being labelled the `` epicentre of the pandemic `` by the WHO in March , Europe is now slowly beginning to ease restrictions brought in to slow the spread of the virus .
The UK , Italy , Spain and France , along with others , now appear to have passed the peak , with the number of new confirmed cases and deaths falling .
The UK and Italy have seen more than 30,000 deaths , while France and Spain have recorded 28,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in population size and how countries report their figures , with some including deaths in care homes , or deaths of those suspected but not confirmed of having the virus , means international comparisons are complicated .
European countries have varied in their plans to ease lockdowns , but the WHO has urged all nations to adopt a `` slow , steady '' approach .
• What are the new lockdown rules in the UK ?
New York the worst-hit in US outbreak With more than 1.4 million cases , the US has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world .
It has also recorded more than 90,000 deaths .
The state of New York has been particularly badly affected , with more than 28,000 deaths , but the number of new cases there has been on a downward trend in recent weeks .
At one point , more than 90 % of the US population was under mandatory lockdown orders , but many states have now begun to loosen their stay-at-home restrictions and allowed some businesses to reopen - a move health officials fear could further spread the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal recommended guidelines for reopening - which suggest a decline in new cases daily for two weeks - according to a study by Reuters .
• Are US states reopening too soon ?
The top US infectious diseases doctor Anthony Fauci has cautioned against opening up public life too soon , warning of further `` little spikes '' which would become outbreaks .
President Trump , who disagrees with Dr Fauci 's advice , has made it clear he is keen to reopen the US economy `` vaccine or no vaccine '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ million people have lost their jobs since the outbreak hit the US .
That 's nearly a quarter of the American workforce .
The rise means the jobless rate is now worse than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
The chairman of the Federal Reserve , Jerome Powel , has warned the US economy could `` easily '' contract by 20-30 % amid the pandemic and the downturn might last until late 2021 .
The data used on this page comes from a variety of sources .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control , national governments and health agencies , as well as UN data on populations .
When comparing figures from different countries it is important to bear in mind that not all governments are recording coronavirus cases and deaths in the same way .
This makes like for like comparisons between countries difficult .
Other factors to consider include : different population sizes , the size of the a country 's elderly population or whether a particular country has a large amount of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition , countries may be in different stages of the pandemic .

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


bbc--2020-05-19--Trump says US topping world virus cases is 'badge of honour'

US President Donald Trump has argued it is `` a badge of honour '' that the US has the world 's highest number of confirmed Covid-19 infections .
`` I look at that as , in a certain respect , as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better , '' he said at the White House .
The US has 1.5 million coronavirus cases and nearly 92,000 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins University .
In second place is Russia , with nearly 300,000 confirmed cases .
What did Trump say ?
On Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting since the US outbreak began .
`` By the way , you know when you say that we lead in cases , that 's because we have more testing than anybody else , '' he told reporters .
`` So when we have a lot of cases , '' he continued , `` I do n't look at that as a bad thing , I look at that as , in a certain respect , as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better . ''
He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a badge of honour .
Really , it 's a badge of honour .
`` It 's a great tribute to the testing and all of the work that a lot of professionals have done . ''
According to the Centers for Disease Control , a federal agency , the US had conducted 12.6m coronavirus tests by Tuesday .
• Things the US has got right - and got wrong Is the president right ?
While the US has conducted more tests by volume than any other country , it is not first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ basis , according to Our World in Data , a scientific publication based at Oxford University .
Its chart ranks the US as 16th globally in terms of tests per 1,000 people , ahead of South Korea , but less than the likes of Iceland , New Zealand , Russia and Canada .
Over the past week , the US has been conducting between 300,000 and 400,000 tests daily , according to the Covid Tracking Project , a volunteer-led effort .
But the Harvard Global Health Institute argues the US needs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests per day to reopen the economy and stay open .
The US has also reported the most coronavirus deaths in the world , but on a per capita basis it ranks eighth behind the likes of Belgium , Canada and the United Kingdom , according to Johns Hopkins University .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• POST-COVID WORLD : Will we ever shake hands again ?
• GLOBAL TAKE : Which country has the most generous bailout ?
• THE LOST SIX WEEKS : Missed chances for @ @ @ @

"So when we have a lot of cases," he continued, "I don't look at that as a bad thing, I look at that as, in a certain respect, as being a good thing because it means our testing is much better."


bbc--2020-05-19--Climate change: Scientists fear car surge will see CO2 rebound

Daily global emissions of CO2 fell by 17 % at the peak of the shutdown because of measures taken by governments in response to Covid-19 , say scientists .
The most comprehensive account yet published says that almost half the record decrease was due to fewer car journeys .
But the authors are worried that , as people return to work , car use will soar again .
They fear CO2 emissions could soon be higher than before the crisis .
They are urging politicians to grasp the moment and make real , durable changes on transport and personal mobility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest carbon crash In the UK , Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has pledged £250m for improvements to cycling and walking infrastructure .
Other countries are also looking at similar plans .
The lockdowns that most governments have implemented in response to Covid-19 have had a significant impact on the carbon-producing activities that are embedded in almost everything we do .
Road transport has declined hugely , as has aviation .
However , now that the UK is beginning to return to work , Mr Shapps said people should drive to work rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or cycling not be an option .
`` If you ca n't walk or cycle but you do have access to a car , please use it rather than travelling by bus , train or tram , '' he said .
Industry has temporarily closed down and demand for energy all over the world has crashed .
Now in detailed analysis , researchers have shown how those changes have impacted our emissions of CO2 .
They 've calculated the fall off in carbon based on the lockdown policies implemented in 69 countries that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global emissions .
During the peak of the crisis in early April , daily emissions dropped by 17 % compared to the previous year , meaning around 17 million tonnes less CO2 were emitted every day .
The key to the fall has been cars .
Surface transport emissions have declined by 43 % , the same amount as the drop from industry and power generation combined .
• How much warmer is your city ?
• What is your diet 's carbon footprint ?
• Where we are in seven charts While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economic impact , it only accounts for 10 % of the decrease during the pandemic .
China has been responsible for the biggest drop , followed by the US , Europe and India .
If some restrictions on economic activity stay in place worldwide until the end of the year , then global emissions will likely drop by 7 % .
If pre-pandemic levels of transport and economic activity return by mid-June , the annual fall would be around 4 % .
But the research team that carried out this work is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the roads , could see a carbon surge .
Lockdown has raised questions about other pollutants , too .
One of the UK 's leading experts , Prof Frank Kelly , from King 's College London , said he knew diesel cars were emitting far more pollution than advertised - fully two years before US authorities exposed the scandal .
He told Radio 4 's The Life Scientific programme that his team discovered a huge mismatch between emissions declared by the car firms and real readings on the road .
Prof Kelly said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Environment , Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra ) , but they did n't publish his findings .
He said work undertaken subsequently in the US led to legal action against car makers that had installed `` defeat devices '' to fool regulators .
The government did n't deny the account .
A spokesperson said : `` We are taking urgent action to improve air quality and our Clean Air Strategy has been commended by the World Health Organization as an 'example for the rest of the world to follow ' '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said levels of the pollutant NO2 had fallen by up to 60 % in London since the fall in traffic under lockdown .
Levels of another pollutant , sooty particles , remained at harmful concentrations .
`` A big worry that people will naturally want to go back to their cars to go to work , and that could rebound the emissions to the same level or even higher than before , once everybody goes back , '' said Prof Corinne Le Quéré from the University of East Anglia , who led @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundamental , systemic change is needed if the emissions curve is to be flattened in a way that would limit the very worst impacts of climate change .
When it comes to transportation , there are huge opportunities , according to Prof Le Quéré .
She says that after the global financial crisis in 2008 , some governments like China , US and Germany made significant investments in wind and solar energy and this drove down the prices of these renewables .
`` Here now in 2020 we 're very close to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she told BBC News .
`` Battery prices have come down , we have lots of models and governments are going to try to boost their economies . ''
`` So if these two things can align , then it could make a huge difference to the transportation of tomorrow . ''
• Government to urge us all to walk and cycle more Grabbing the opportunity that the virus has presented is also at the forefront of corporate thinking on climate change .
A letter signed by 155 major companies , representing $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market capitalisation , calls for a net-zero emissions response to the covid crisis .
Corporations including Carlsberg , Iberdrola , EDF and Coca Cola Europe say they want governments to `` prioritise a faster and fairer transition from a grey to a green economy '' .
The authors of the latest analysis on carbon emissions agree that now is the moment for action .
They point to the fact that while emissions of CO2 may be temporarily reduced , all the while CO2 concentrations are lingering in the atmosphere , warming the planet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift to change that .
`` I think very much that we are at a crossroads .
And at this point , like the UK prime minister Boris Johnson said , it could go either way . ''
`` He was talking about his own health , but here we 're talking about the health of the planet . ''
`` It could go either way . ''
The study has been published in the journal Nature Climate Change .

"A big worry that people will naturally want to go back to their cars to go to work, and that could rebound the emissions to the same level or even higher than before, once everybody goes back," said Prof Corinne Le Quéré from the University of East Anglia, who led the analysis.


bbc--2020-05-19--Hungary outlaws changing birth gender on documents

Hungary 's parliament has approved a law that bans transsexuals from changing the gender they were assigned at birth on official documents .
The law , proposed by the governing right-wing Fidesz party , passed by 133 votes to 57 .
Rights groups fear it will worsen discrimination against LGBTQ citizens ; an opposition MP said it was `` evil '' .
But the government , led by PM Victor Orban , says it will end legal uncertainty .
The administration insists it will not prevent anyone expressing their identity .
The decision `` to register children 's biological sex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men 's and women 's right to freely experience and exercise their identities as they wish , '' the government 's communications office said .
The law is part of a wide-ranging package of legislation , presented by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen .
A backlog of applications going back three years will now be rejected .
• The man who thinks Europe has been invaded Trans people and human rights groups say it is the latest blow in a war declared by the conservative-nationalist government against anyone who does not fit into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC 's Nick Thorpe in Budapest .
Tina Korlos Orban , vice president of advocacy group Transvanilla Transgender Association , told the Thomson Reuters Foundation : `` We have no words to describe what we feel .
`` People who have n't had suicidal thoughts for decades now are having them .
People are in panic , people want to escape from Hungary to somewhere else where they can get their gender recognised . ''
Trans people fear that discrimination and worse will occur when they need to present official documents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ader , also a member of Fidesz , to be signed into law .
Rights activists say they will try to persuade him not to .
Most European Union countries allow official documents to be changed to match gender identity , according to campaign group Transgender Europe .

"People who haven't had suicidal thoughts for decades now are having them. People are in panic, people want to escape from Hungary to somewhere else where they can get their gender recognised."


bbc--2020-05-19--Teenage boy charged in Canada's first 'incel' terror case

A Toronto teenager has become the first Canadian ever charged with carrying out an `` incel '' inspired terror attack .
The 17-year-old boy is accused of fatally stabbing a woman in February .
Incel is short for `` involuntarily celibate '' and describes a view held by men , mostly in online groups , who blame women for their sexual frustrations .
A 2018 attack in Toronto that killed 10 was also allegedly inspired by the ideology , but the attacker was not charged with terrorism .
On Tuesday , Toronto Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcing the terrorism charges .
The suspect , who can not be named because he is a minor , had already been charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder shortly after the incident , which took place at an erotic massage parlour .
Police allege he fatally stabbed Ashley Noelle Arzaga , 24 , who was discovered inside the building around 13:00 local time on 24 February .
Two other people , a man and a woman , were found outside the premises with stab wounds .
Ms Arzaga is remembered as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Toronto Star reported .
When Toronto police learned the crime may have been motivated by an extremist ideology , they contacted Canada 's federal RCMP , which ultimately decided to press terrorism charges .
`` Terrorism comes in many forms and it 's important to note that it is not restricted to any particular group , religion or ideology , '' said the RCMP .
A first-degree murder conviction for an adult carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years-to-life , but as the suspect was 17 at the time of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He appeared by video before court on Tuesday morning to hear his new charges , and remains in police custody .
`` Incel '' is short for `` involuntarily celibate '' and generally refers to online groups of men who feel that they are unable to enter into sexual relationships .
They blame women for their grievances , which they discuss in internet forums .
The attitudes of men who visit the online message boards vary widely , but they frequently vent anger against sexually prolific men ( `` Chads '' ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More generally , incel forums often include rants aimed at feminism and women .
In 2018 , Alek Minassian allegedly drove a van into a busy Toronto commercial street killing 10 people and wounding 16 .
He later told police the attack was retribution for years of rejection by women , and identified as a member of the incel movement .
He was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder , but he was not charged with terrorism .
His case is currently before the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rodger , who killed six people in a stabbing and shooting spree in Isla Vista , California , in May 2014 .
• Toronto van attack : What is an 'incel ' ?
Before turning the gun on himself , he emailed a lengthy document to several people he knew , detailing how he planned his murderous rampage as retribution for being spurned by women .
The document has since been published online , and has become a manifesto of sorts for some in the incel movement .

He later told police the attack was retribution for years of rejection by women, and that he identified as a member of the incel movement. He was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder, but he was not charged with terrorism.


bbc--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: Anger grows for stranded crew on forgotten cruises

When Caio Saldanha and his fiancée Jessica Furlan arrived in the US in early March , they were looking forward to a new life working on board a lavish cruise ship .
Working on Celebrity Cruise 's Celebrity Infinity was supposed to be a fresh start , the next chapter in their lives together .
On 13 March , the date of the cruise 's departure , the ship became their home .
Little did they know then , it would prove to be their prison .
A day after the couple , from São Paulo , Brazil , boarded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Prevention ( CDC ) issued a no-sail order for all cruise ships .
On the same day , Royal Caribbean cancelled all its operations around the world , including for its sister cruise line Celebrity Cruises .
In just 24 hours , the coronavirus pandemic had upended their lives .
`` This was the first day , '' Mr Saldanha , a 31-year-old DJ , told the BBC .
`` It was a shocking surprise .
This was not the plan .
It was a nightmare . ''
• Will we ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months later , Mr Saldanha and his 29-year-old fiancée remain stranded at sea , albeit on a different cruise ship .
They desperately want to go home but to their frustration , they , like tens of thousands of other cruise-crew members , have been unable to do so .
While cruise passengers were gradually repatriated through March and April , many crew members stayed behind .
Cruise operations were initially paused for 30 days - ample time , it seemed , for the pandemic to blow over .
The pandemic did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in limbo as 30 days turned into 40 , 50 , 60 and more .
The CDC extended its no-sail order and countries , concerned about the spread of the coronavirus , shut down their ports to cruise ships .
With no end to the pandemic in sight , there are now an estimated 54,200 crew members on board 85 cruise ships in US waters , the US Coast Guard told the BBC .
Many more are stranded at sea elsewhere .
In an article on 17 May , the Miami Herald newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world .
Royal Caribbean , a US-based company , says it has arranged for British crew members to be flown home from Miami .
A chartered plane carrying Royal Caribbean staff landed at Heathrow Airport on Tuesday afternoon .
• The 'last cruise ship on Earth ' finally comes home But given the numbers , bringing everyone home has proved logistically challenging for cruise firms .
US operators must abide by strict CDC health requirements for repatriating crew on special charter flights .
Their ability to uphold that responsibility has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
The recent deaths of several crew members has deepened the sense of unease .
Last month , a crew member went overboard from Royal Caribbean 's Jewel of the Seas ship .
The company told the BBC it was `` assisting authorities with their investigation '' , but did not confirm the person had died .
More recently another firm , Princess Cruises , said a Ukrainian crew member had died after apparently jumping from the Regal Princess near the Netherlands .
One Canadian crew member says the deaths have heightened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Seas , where protests erupted last week .
The 36-year-old , who does not wish to be named , says `` the atmosphere was very tense '' .
`` I personally did n't go out much .
I did n't want to be involved with it because people were quite angry , '' the Canadian crew member told the BBC .
Hundreds of protesters gathered on the deck , where they hung banners bearing aggrieved messages .
One , draped over the entrance to the swimming pool , read : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ? ''
No suicides have been confirmed by Royal Caribbean or any other cruise-ship operators .
Royal Caribbean says a confidential mental health helpline is available for crew to call 24 hours a day .
The spark for the protests , according to the Canadian crew member , was the postponement of a plan to repatriate staff .
He says for some employees , repatriation arrangements had been delayed or changed several times , causing confusion and anger .
On one ship , Romanian crew members held a hunger strike in protest .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is assisting crew , says the cruise operator has `` calmed everyone down '' , but adds that many were `` still in the dark '' .
`` Legally , the repatriation of people is one of the most fundamental , long-standing maritime rights there are .
You ca n't keep people hostages on a ship .
You ca n't abandon them at sea , '' Mr Walker told the BBC .
On Monday night , Denise Gruby , the mother of a British crew member , said her son had all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
She said her son , 37-year-old entertainer Christopher Gruby , had opted to stay on board the Majesty of the Seas , which is due to depart from Miami to Southampton on Tuesday .
`` They 've just been abandoned .
It must be an awful position to be in , '' Ms Gruby told the BBC .
Other crew members have been more fortunate .
A Romanian employee , who wished to remain anonymous , says Royal Caribbean paid for him to fly home on 22 February .
He expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who also worked for the company , a few months later .
But the agonising wait goes on .
`` My boyfriend is trapped on board the Majesty of the Seas .
I can see that he 's not in the best mood , but I 'm trying to cheer him up , '' he says .
Royal Caribbean insists repatriation plans are now in motion .
`` So far , we have successfully repatriated over 16,000 crew members , and we are working with governments and health authorities around the world on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' patience and understanding in this ever-changing global situation , '' the company says .
But as crew await repatriation , some are not being paid .
Those on Royal Caribbean ships are receiving a goodwill payment , amounting to $ 13 ( £10.60 ) a day , employees say .
For Mr Saldanha , though , it is not enough .
`` After the 25 April , we stopped getting paid in full , '' Mr Saldanha says .
`` We are consuming food and drink on the ship .
So we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earning its money back .
Perhaps even making a profit . ''
On top of the financial burden , the desperation of being cooped up on an empty cruise ship has taken its toll on Mr Saldanha and his fiancée .
For 21 days , they were kept in quarantine on the Celebrity Infinity ship , confined to a small cabin .
`` We had a window , but we did n't have access to the fresh air .
We stayed there for 21 days , against our will .
We tried desperately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last week , the couple were transferred to the Celebrity Reflection , where they feel more comfortable .
Yet , they are still unsure when Royal Caribbean will repatriate them .
Mr Saldanha says there are plans to fly Brazilian crew home from Barbados in May - but he 's not keen on the idea because similar attempts have been cancelled in the past .
`` They 've already done this five times , '' he notes .
Instead , Mr Saldanha wants the Brazilian government to make arrangements to bring them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our will .
My fiancée and I are hostages .
We need to be rescued , '' he says .
• RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?

With no end to the pandemic in sight, there are now an estimated 54,200 crew members on board 85 cruise ships in US waters, the US Coast Guard told the BBC. Many more are stranded at sea elsewhere. In an article on 17 May, the Miami Herald newspaper put the number at more than 100,000 around the world.


bbc--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: Remote controlled mask invented to allow eating

A face mask with a remote controlled mouth has been invented in Israel , allowing diners to eat food without @ @ @ @ @ mask can be opened mechanically by a hand remote or automatically when the fork reaches @ @ @

A face mask with a remote controlled mouth has been invented in Israel, allowing diners to eat food without taking it off.
The mask can be opened mechanically by a hand remote or automatically when the fork reaches the mask.


bbc--2020-05-19--Twilight actor Gregory Tyree Boyce and girlfriend Natalie Adepoju found dead

Gregory Tyree Boyce , who appeared in the first Twilight film in 2008 , has been found dead alongside his girlfriend in Las Vegas .
Boyce was 30 and his girlfriend , Natalie Adepoju , was 27 .
Police said it was not a criminal incident , and the coroner said they were waiting for toxicology results .
Boyce , 30 , played Tyler in Twilight , the character who almost crashed his van into Bella before Edward stopped it with his bare hands .
Boyce 's brother Chris Wayne wrote on Facebook : `` I wish you were still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ awesome person . ''
His mother Lisa Wayne wrote : `` I 'm sick without you .
I 'm torn , I 'm lost .
I 'm in pain .
`` I 'd text you or call you when I was broken or worried about something , and you 'd tell me , Ma , I got you , we 'll get thru this together .
Boy .
Why did you leave me ? ''
She added : `` Never another hug , kiss or to hear those words , I love you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love you Greggy , my Hunny . ''
She said Boyce and Adepoju were in the process of starting a chicken wings business with flavours named after west coast rappers .
'So much life to live' Boyce leaves behind a 10-year-old daughter , while Adepoju had a young son .
A GoFundMe page for Adepoju 's funeral said : `` Natalie had so much life to live we are saddened that her life was cut short . ''
The Clark County Coroner 's Office , which covers Las Vegas , confirmed the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA Today the causes of death were pending toxicology results .
Police spokesman Larry Hadfield told the Las Vegas Review-Journal : `` The incident was not criminal . ''
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"I'd text you or call you when I was broken or worried about something, and you'd tell me, Ma, I got you, we'll get thru this together. Boy. Why did you leave me?"


bbc--2020-05-19--Canada Facebook fines $6.5m over 'false' privacy claims

Facebook will pay a multi-million dollar penalty for making `` false '' privacy claims in Canada .
The C $ 9m ( $ 6.5m ; £5.3m ) fine is part of a settlement over the company 's handling of users ' personal information between August 2012 and June 2018 .
Canada 's independent Competition Bureau said the tech firm improperly shared data with third-party developers .
Facebook says it `` did not agree '' with the finding but wants to resolve the matter .
On Tuesday , Canada 's Competition Bureau announced the tech giant will pay the penalty after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misleading claims about the privacy of Canadians ' personal information on Facebook and [ messaging app ] Messenger '' .
The competition watchdog said it found that Facebook 's privacy claims were not consistent with the way it shared personal dataof users with some third-party developers .
A Facebook spokesperson told Reuters that `` although we do not agree with the Commissioner 's conclusions , we are resolving this matter by entering into a consent agreement and not contesting the conclusions for the purposes of this agreement '' .
The social media giant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false or misleading representations about the disclosure of personal information as part of the settlement .
The tech firm has faced criticism in recent years over its handling of fake news during 2016 elections , as well as the improper sharing of user data in the Cambridge Analytica scandal .
Facebook was found to have allowed Cambridge Analytica , a British political consulting firm , to access to the data of millions of users .
The data was acquired via a quiz hosted on the social media platform , which invited users to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was common with apps and games at that time , it was designed to harvest not only the user data of the person taking part in the quiz , but also the data of their friends .
The data of an estimated 87 million Facebook users was shared worldwide .
About 620,000 of those were in Canada .
In January , US regulators announced a record $ 5bn fine against Facebook to settle privacy concerns .
In October 2018 , Facebook was fined £500,000 by the UK Information Commissioner 's Office ( ICO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` serious breach '' of the law .
And in March , Australia 's privacy regulator said it was taking Facebook to court over the Cambridge Analytica matter .
• Facebook adds more ad-tracking controls in the UK In December , Facebook said its social network site counted an average of 1.7 billion active users each day during that month .
It has an estimated 24 million monthly active users in Canada .

As was common with apps and games at that time, it was designed to harvest not only the user data of the person taking part in the quiz, but also the data of their friends.


bbc--2020-05-19--Megaraptor: Fossils of 10m-long dinosaur found in Argentina

Palaeontologists have found the fossils of a new megaraptor in Patagonia , in the south of Argentina .
Megaraptors were large carnivorous dinosaurs with long arms and claws measuring up to 35cm ( 14in ) in length .
They also had powerful legs and long tails which made them more agile than the Tyrannosaurus rex and allowed them to catch smaller herbivorous dinosaurs .
The new megaraptor is one of the last of its group , before dinosaurs became extinct , the scientific team says .
What did the scientists find ?
The team led by Fernando Novas from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many fossils during its month-long field work in Estancia La Anita , in southern Santa Cruz province .
You may also be interested in : • The day the dinosaurs ' world fell apart The most unusual ones were the remains of a large carnivorous dinosaur belonging to the Megaraptoridae family .
The scientists uncovered vertebrae , ribs and part of what would have been the dinosaur 's chest and shoulder girdle .
The fossils they found belonged to a specimen measuring approximately 10m ( 33ft ) in length , one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a statement [ in Spanish ] , the team said that the remains date back 70 million years - towards the end of `` the age of the dinosaurs '' .
Fernando Novas told Reuters news agency that `` this new megaraptor that we now have to study would be one of the last representatives of this group '' before the dinosaurs became extinct .
What did it look like ?
The megaraptor had long , muscular arms with sickle-like claws and a long tail which provided it with balance .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rex it is thought to have used its arms and claws rather than its jaw as its main weapon when hunting its prey .
`` It had powerful and elongated legs which allowed it to take big steps , '' palaeontologist Aranciaga Rolando said .
The scientists from the Natural Sciences Museum believe it would have used its speed to hunt ornithopods , plant-eating dinosaurs which walked on two legs .
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Fernando Novas told Reuters news agency that "this new megaraptor that we now have to study would be one of the last representatives of this group" before the dinosaurs became extinct.


bbc--2020-05-19--Sudan 'must pay' US East African embassy attack victims

Sudan is required to pay punitive damages to some of the victims of the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania carried out by al-Qaeda , the US Supreme Court has ruled .
More than 200 people died and thousands were injured in the attacks .
Sudan was accused of giving al-Qaeda and its leader Osama Bin Laden technical and financial support .
The Supreme Court ruling applies to US nationals , embassy employees and contractors .
• Africa Live : Updates on news from the continent The ruling comes at a time when Sudan 's new government is pushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ list of state sponsors of terrorism .
The unanimous decision by the Supreme Court means that about $ 800m ( £650m ) out of the more than $ 4bn that was awarded in punitive damages in 2011 has been reinstated , Christopher Curran , who was representing Sudan , is quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying .
Nine years ago , the judge in the Federal District Court in Washington said that Sudan should pay roughly $ 6bn in compensation as well as the $ 4bn in punitive damages , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sudan successfully challenged the ruling on the punitive damages arguing that they were awarded under a 2008 amendment to a law that could not be applied to something that happened 20 years earlier .
The Supreme Court decided on Monday that Congress had said it was possible for it to be used retrospectively .
`` As always , Sudan expresses sympathy for the victims of the acts of terrorism at issue , but reaffirms that it was not involved in any wrongdoing in connection with those acts , '' Mr Curran said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenyans and other nationals who were not directly employed by the embassies , as well as non-US relatives of any of those injured or killed in the attacks , was referred back to a lower court .
In from the cold Matthew McGill , who was representing the victims , said : `` We are hopeful that this soon will lead Sudan to reach a just and equitable resolution with its victims . ''
The $ 6bn compensation was not in dispute in this case and in February it was reported that Sudan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be paid .
At that time , Sudan had agreed to compensate the families of 17 US sailors who died when their ship , the USS Cole , was bombed by al-Qaeda at a port in Yemen in 2000 .
This was a key condition set by the US for Sudan to be removed from its blacklist , which would allow sanctions to be lifted .
The new government in Sudan in power following the 2019 overthrow of long-serving President Omar al-Bashir is keen to repair relations with the US , which should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is now in detention after being sentenced for corruption , was in power when the embassy and ship attacks happened .
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The unanimous decision by the Supreme Court means that about $800m (£650m) out of the more than $4bn that was awarded in punitive damages in 2011 has been reinstated, Christopher Curran, who was representing Sudan, is quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying.


bbc--2020-05-19--Coronavirus lockdown: The Indian migrants dying to get home

Tens of thousands of daily-wage migrant workers suddenly found themselves without jobs or a source of income when India announced a lockdown on 24 March .
Overnight , the cities they had helped build and run seemed to have turned their backs on them , the trains and buses which should have carried them home suspended .
So with the looming fear of hunger , men , women and children were forced to begin arduous journeys back to their villages - cycling or hitching rides on tuk-tuks , lorries , water tankers and milk vans .
For many , walking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a few hundred kilometres , while others covered more than a thousand to go home .
They were n't always alone - some had young children and others had pregnant wives , and the life they had built for themselves packed into their ragtag bags .
Many never made it .
Here , the BBC tells the story of just a handful of the hundreds who have lost their lives on the road home .
Sanju Yadav and her husband , Rajan , and their two children - Nitin and Nandini - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mumbai , a decade ago with their meagre belongings and dreams of a brighter future .
Her children , she hoped , would thrive growing up in the city .
`` It was not like she did n't like the village life , '' Rajan explained .
`` She just knew that Mumbai offered better opportunities for all of us . ''
Indeed , it was Sanju that encouraged Rajan to push himself .
`` I used to do an eight-hour shift in a factory .
Sanju motivated me do something more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started selling snacks from 16:00 to 22:00 .
`` She pushed me to think big , she used to say that having our business was way better than a job .
Job had a fixed salary , but business allowed us to grow . ''
Two years ago , all the hard work seemed to be paying off .
Rajan used his savings and a bank loan to buy a tuk-tuk .
The vehicle-for-hire brought more money for Sanju and her family .
But then came coronavirus .
The couple first heard Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on TV on 19 March .
A full , three-week lockdown was announced less than a week later .
They used up most of their savings to pay rent , repay the loan and buy groceries in March and April .
They were hoping that the city would reopen in May , but then the lockdown was extended again .
Out of money and options , they decided to go back to their village in Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh state .
They applied for tickets on the special trains that were being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ luck for a week .
Desperate and exhausted , they decided to undertake the 1,500-km long journey in their tuk-tuk .
The family-of-four left Mumbai on 9 May .
Rajan would drive from 05:00 to 11:00 .
He would then rest during the day , and at 18:00 the family would be back on the road until 23:00 .
`` We ate whatever dry food we had packed and slept on pavements .
The prospect of being in the safety of our village kept us going , '' he says .
But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just 200km from their village - a truck rammed into the tuk-tuk from behind .
Sanju and Nandini died on the spot .
Rajan and Nitin escaped with minor injuries .
`` It all ended so quickly , '' Rajan says .
`` We were so close to our village .
We were so excited .
But I have nothing left now - just a big void . ''
He says he ca n't help but keep thinking about the train tickets that never came .
`` I wish I had gotten the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started the journey… I wish I was not poor . ''
Lallu Ram Yadav used to meet his cousin Ajay Kumar every Sunday to reminisce about the village he had left for Mumbai a decade earlier , in search of a better life for his wife and six children .
For 10 years , the 55-year-old had worked as a security guard , 12 hours a day , six days a week .
But his hard work amounted to little once the lockdown began , and the cousins both found their savings quickly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family to say they were coming home - at least , he would now get to spend time with his children , he said .
And so Lallu Ram and Ajay Kumar joined the desperate scramble to find a way home to the village in Uttar Pradesh 's Allahabad district , some 1,400km away .
But the price demanded by lorry drivers proved too much .
Instead , inspired by the migrants walking home they saw on the television , they packed small bags and began the journey on foot with four friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first 48 hours - hitchhiking in lorries along the way .
But the journey was more difficult than they had imagined .
`` It was really hot and we would get tired quickly , '' Ajay Kumar said .
`` The leather shoes we were wearing were extremely uncomfortable . ''
They all had blisters on their feet after walking for a day , but giving up was not an option .
One evening , Lallu Ram started complaining about breathing difficulties .
They had just entered Madhya Pradesh state - they still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they decided to rest for a while before starting again .
Lallu Ram never woke up .
When they took him to a nearby hospital , they were told he had died of a cardiac arrest , triggered by exhaustion and fatigue .
They did n't know what to do with the body .
An ambulance was going to take five to eight hours to reach them .
The group had around 15,000 rupees ( $ 199 ; £163 ) between them - half the amount needed to hire a lorry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the payment later .
And that 's how they took the body back home .
Lallu Ram could n't fulfil the promise of spending more time with his children .
`` The family 's only breadwinner is gone , '' says Ajay Kumar .
`` Nobody helped us .
My cousin did n't have to die - but it was a choice between hunger and the long journey .
`` We poor people often have to pick the best from several bad choices .
It did n't work out for my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out for poor people like him . ''
Sagheer and Sahib Ansari were good tailors .
They never struggled to find work in Delhi 's booming garment factories - until the lockdown .
Within days , they lost their jobs .
The brothers thought things would go back to normal in a few weeks and stayed put in their tiny one-room house .
When their money ran out , they asked family members in the village for help .
When the lockdown was further extended in May , their patience ran out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ family for more money .
We were supposed to help them , not take money from them , '' Sahib says .
They would wait in queues for food being distributed by the government .
But , Sahib says , it was never enough and they always felt hungry .
So the brothers discussed the idea of going back to their village in Motihari district in Bihar state , some 1,200km from Delhi .
They and their friends decided to buy used bicycles , but could only afford six for eight people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ take turns to ride pillion .
They left Delhi in the early hours of 5 May .
It was a hot day and the group felt tired after every 10km .
`` Our knees would hurt , but we kept pedalling .
We hardly got a proper meal and that made it more difficult to pedal , '' Sahib says .
After riding for five days , the group reached Lucknow - the capital of Uttar Pradesh .
It had been two days since they had had a proper meal and they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All of us were very hungry .
We sat on a road divider to eat because there was hardly any traffic , '' he says .
But then a car came out of nowhere , hitting the barrier and striking Sagheer .
He died in a hospital a few hours later .
`` My world came crashing down , '' Sahib says .
`` I had no idea what I was going to tell his two children and his wife .
`` He used to love home-cooked food and was looking forward to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper meal for days . ''
Sahib eventually reached home with his brother 's body , brought by an ambulance .
But he could n't mourn with his family for long , as he was put into a quarantine centre right after the burial .
`` I do n't know who to blame for his death - coronavirus , hunger or poverty .
I have understood one thing : I will never leave my village .
I will make less money but at least I will stay alive . ''
Jaikrishna Kumar , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come home after the lockdown started .
Balram was from a village in Bihar 's Khagadia district , but was working in Gujarat - one of the states worst-hit by the coronavirus - when much of India closed down in March .
He and his friend Naresh Singh , a maintenance worker for mobile phone towers , were both working hard so their sons back in Bihar could have better futures .
Balram wanted Jaikrishna to go to college , Nikram wanted his sons to become government officers .
They started their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into it , policemen helped them and others to hitch a ride in a lorry .
The `` ride '' involved them all being precariously perched on top of cargo - a common sight on Indian highways .
But this time , the driver lost control in Dausa town in Rajasthan state , ramming the lorry into a tree .
Both Naresh and Balram died in the accident .
Now Jaikrishna Kumar says he will probably have to quit studying and find a job to support the family .
`` The accident took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting an education .
I wish there was another way .
I do n't like the idea of going to a city to work , but what other option do I have ?
`` My father wanted me to break the cycle of poverty .
I do n't know how to do it without him . ''
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Rajan would drive from 05:00 to 11:00. He would then rest during the day, and at 18:00 the family would be back on the road until 23:00. "We ate whatever dry food we had packed and slept on pavements. The prospect of being in the safety of our village kept us going," he says.


bbc--2020-05-19--University of Cambridge lectures to be online-only

There will be no face-to-face lectures at the University of Cambridge over the course of the next academic year due to coronavirus , it has been announced .
However , lectures will be available to students online and `` it may be possible to host smaller teaching groups in person '' if they meet social distancing requirements , the university said .
University campuses have been closed this term by the Covid-19 outbreak .
Cambridge will review the decision if advice on social distancing changes .
A statement from it read : `` The university is constantly adapting to changing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Given that it is likely that social distancing will continue to be required , the university has decided there will be no face-to-face lectures during the next academic year .
`` Lectures will continue to be made available online and it may be possible to host smaller teaching groups in person , as long as this conforms to social distancing requirements .
`` This decision has been taken now to facilitate planning , but as ever , will be reviewed should there be changes to official advice on coronavirus . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ online in March , while exams are being carried out virtually .
• Students 'must be warned if courses taught online' • Students 'being ignored ' over fee-refund claim It follows a similar move by the University of Manchester , which said its lectures would be online-only for the next term .
Earlier this week , the university watchdog said students applying for university places in England must be told with `` absolute clarity '' how courses will be taught - before they make choices for the autumn .
Universities can charge full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Nicola Dandridge of the Office for Students warned against misleading promises about a `` campus experience '' if courses are to be taught online .

"Given that it is likely that social distancing will continue to be required, the university has decided there will be no face-to-face lectures during the next academic year.


bbc--2020-05-19--Afghan maternity ward attack: The newborn baby who survived two gunshots

Amina was one of the youngest survivors of an attack on an Afghan hospital .
Twenty-four people , including 16 @ @ @ @ @ gunmen opened fire on a maternity ward in Kabul last week .
Amina 's mother @ @ @ @ @ Her father spoke to the BBC of his loss and his daughter 's survival .
@ @ @ @ @ the aftermath of the attack and contains upsetting footage .

Amina was one of the youngest survivors of an attack on an Afghan hospital.
Twenty-four people, including 16 mothers, were killed when gunmen opened fire on a maternity ward in Kabul last week.
Amina's mother died in the attack. Her father spoke to the BBC of his loss and his daughter's survival.
WARNING: This report shows the aftermath of the attack and contains upsetting footage.


bbc--2020-05-20--Venezuelan bank files legal claim with Bank of England over gold

The Central Bank of Venezuela has launched a legal claim to try and force the Bank of England to release €930m ( $ 1bn ; £820m ) worth of gold it holds .
Venezuela , already suffering under US sanctions , says it wants to use the gold 's value to tackle coronavirus .
The proceedings follow a request , made weeks ago , asking for the value to be transferred to the United Nations .
Legal documents say the bank wants the transfer made `` as a matter of urgency '' to buy supplies like food and medicine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases and 10 deaths .
Venezuela 's economy has collapsed under the leadership of President Nicholas Maduro , whose leadership is not recognised by dozens of nations including the UK and the US .
Millions of people have fled the country in recent years and shortages of essentials have become widespread .
• Why coronavirus could be catastrophic for Venezuela Selling off gold reserves has become an economic lifeline for Mr Maduro 's government , which is under strict international sanctions .
The legal claim was filed in a London court on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Venezuela says it wants the funds transferred to the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ) to administer the purchase of supplies like medical equipment .
`` With lives on the line , now is not the time to attempt to score political points , '' Sarosh Zaiwalla , a London-based lawyer representing the central bank , said in a statement .
The UN told the BBC in an emailed statement only that it had been approached by the Venezuelan bank to explore such mechanisms .
The Bank of England , which acts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of developing nations , declined to comment when asked about the case by the Reuters news agency .
The legal wrangling comes amid fears about ability of Venezuela 's aged healthcare system to handle a severe coronavirus outbreak .
The country has been under quarantine measures since March , when Mr Maduro declared a state of emergency .

The British minister of state for the Americas at the time, Alan Duncan, said the decision was a matter for the Bank of England and its governor, but added that "no doubt when they do so they will take into account there are now a large number of countries across the world questioning the legitimacy of Nicolás Maduro and recognising that of Juan Guaidó".


bbc--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: World Health Organization members agree response probe

World Health Organization ( WHO ) member states have agreed to set up an independent inquiry into the global response to the coronavirus pandemic .
The resolution , approved without objection by the WHO 's 194-member annual assembly meeting virtually in Geneva , also allows for the inquiry to look into the health body 's own role .
The United States in particular has been highly critical of its response .
The EU presented the resolution on behalf of 100 nations .
• Why Taiwan wo n't have a seat at meeting What is in the resolution ?
It calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehensive evaluation '' of the international response .
This will also focus on the WHO 's `` timelines pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic '' .
The body has faced criticism that it was late to declare a health emergency .
The resolution also calls for the world to ensure `` transparent , equitable and timely access '' to any treatments or vaccines , and pushes for the WHO to investigate the `` source of the virus and the route of introduction to the human population '' .
`` As I see no requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there is no objection and the resolution is therefore adopted , '' declared the assembly 's president , Keva Bain , the Bahamas ambassador .
Why is the WHO under pressure ?
President Donald Trump has labelled the organisation a `` puppet '' of China and suspended funding for the WHO .
The US is the largest donor .
He has also accused China of trying to cover up the outbreak - something it strongly rejects - and said the WHO had failed to hold Beijing to account .
The president on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus outlining specific issues the US has .
US Health Secretary Alex Azar was scathing in his address to the assembly on Monday .
`` We must be frank about one of the primary reasons this outbreak spun out of control : there was a failure by this organisation to obtain the information that the world needed , and that failure cost many lives , '' he said .
President Trump faces re-election this year and opponents see his criticism as an attempt to deflect blame for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which has the highest number of cases , and deaths , which passed 90,000 on Monday .
However , the European Union , along with countries including the UK , Australia and New Zealand , had also been pushing for an inquiry into how the pandemic was handled .
EU spokeswoman Virginie Battu-Henriksson said that several key questions needed to be answered as part of any review .
`` How did this pandemic spread ?
What is the epidemiology behind it ?
All this is absolutely crucial for us going forward to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
But she added that now was not the time for `` any sort of blame game '' .
What has the WHO said ?
Dr Tedros had already agreed to a review of the agency 's handling of the pandemic , while dismissing suggestions it needed a far-reaching overhaul .
He said an independent evaluation , which would look at what lessons could be learned and put forward any recommendations , would take place `` at the earliest opportunity '' .
He called for the WHO , among other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first coronavirus cases emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan last December .
The virus was widely reported to have sprung from a food market after crossing the species barrier from animals to humans .
China was accused of trying to cover up the infections in the early weeks .
Some senior US politicians have suggested that the source was a laboratory in Wuhan that had been carrying out research on bat coronaviruses .
China has dismissed the idea , and Western experts have cast doubt too .
China says it has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in China , publishing the genetic code of the virus in January and being quick to share information with the WHO .
President Xi Jinping told the assembly on Monday that his country had acted `` with openness and transparency '' and insisted that any investigation should happen after the pandemic was brought under control .
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday that the US was trying to smear China in order to avoid its own responsibilities .
More than 4.5 million people have been infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the virus first emerged .
• RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
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bbc--2020-05-19--France's Macron loses majority as defectors form new party

The party of French President Emmanuel Macron has lost its outright majority in parliament , after a group of MPs broke away to form a new party .
Ecology , Democracy , Solidarity will be largely formed of seven MPs from La République en Marche ( On the Move ) and other ex-supporters of the president .
The defecting MPs want to focus on green issues and social inequality .
But their decision leaves Mr Macron 's party with 288 seats , one short of a majority in the 577-seat lower house .
French commentators said La République en Marche @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of two other political allies , the centrist MoDem as well as Agir from the centre-right , which together make up another 56 seats in the National Assembly .
There is even a chance that the party could regain its absolute majority if another defector who leaves the assembly is replaced by a pro-Macron MP .
The Macron camp has been plagued by a series of defections in recent months , and French media said the seven latest departing MPs had come under intense pressure to stay .
Two MPs who had originally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last minute , Le Figaro reported .
• A PR show of EU unity to the wider , doubting world The new party is not a major blow to Mr Macron electorally , and allies dismissed the moves as part of the `` tribulations of parliamentary life '' .
But it is further evidence of dissatisfaction among the president 's MPs , who were swept into the National Assembly in June 2017 , weeks after his whirlwind presidential victory .
Why they abandoned the party There has been a steady trickle over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranks of the LREM .
Until now they 've sat as independents .
From Tuesday , with a handful of new defections , they are sitting as an official group in the National Assembly , entitling them to parliamentary privileges and status .
The main beef of these MPs is that President Macron 's party has failed in its promise to be inclusive and to transcend the old political divisions .
In spirit , they were all on the left or ecological wings of the LREM .
And they feel that since 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the right , but not many to the left .
The analysis may well be correct .
Polls show that more voters on the right than on the left generally approve of the Macron presidency .
He has shifted rightwards .
But the timing of the bloc 's initiative raises questions .
Everyone knows that after the Covid-19 crisis things will be different .
There is no way on Earth that Mr Macron will be carrying on as before .
Indeed most likely the new priorities will be themes such as ecology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health workers - all of which the breakaway MPs would presumably regard as their own .
President Macron 's ratings have dipped during France 's coronavirus outbreak , however those of Prime Minister Édouard Philippe have increased .
Members of the new Ecology , Democracy , Solidarity ( EDS ) group said they had failed to change LREM from the inside and would now take an independent stance , neither allied to the government nor the opposition .
One of the new party 's best-known figures , Paris mayoral candidate Cédric Villani , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that the new party went forward .
`` There 's been talk of treason and rebels , but this ninth political group is made of free men and women who want to devote their souls and conscience to defending ecology , democracy and solidarity , '' he told France Inter radio .

But the timing of the bloc's initiative raises questions. Everyone knows that after the Covid-19 crisis things will be different. There is no way on Earth that Mr Macron will be carrying on as before. Indeed most likely the new priorities will be themes such as ecology, industrial protection and higher wages for health workers - all of which the breakaway MPs would presumably regard as their own.


bbc--2020-05-19--EasyJet admits data of nine million hacked

EasyJet has admitted that a `` highly sophisticated cyber-attack '' has affected approximately nine million customers .
It said email addresses and travel details had been stolen and that 2,208 customers had also had their credit card details `` accessed '' .
The firm has informed the UK 's Information Commissioner 's Office while it investigates the breach .
EasyJet first became aware of the attack in January .
It told the BBC that it was only able to notify customers whose credit card details were stolen in early April .
`` This was a highly sophisticated attacker .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the attack and to identify who had been impacted , '' the airline told the BBC .
`` We could only inform people once the investigation had progressed enough that we were able to identify whether any individuals have been affected , then who had been impacted and what information had been accessed . ''
Stolen credit card data included the three digital security code - known as the CVV number - on the back of the card itself .
EasyJet added that it had gone public now in order to warn the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been stolen to be wary of phishing attacks .
It said that it would notify everyone affected by 26 May .
It did not provide details about the nature of the attack or the motives , but said its investigation suggested hackers were targeting `` company intellectual property '' rather than information that could be used in identity theft .
`` There is no evidence that any personal information of any nature has been misused , however , on the recommendation of the ICO , we are communicating with the approximately nine million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advise them of protective steps to minimise any risk of potential phishing .
`` We are advising customers to be cautious of any communications purporting to come from EasyJet or EasyJet Holidays . ''
In response to the breach , the ICO said that it was investigating .
`` People have a right to expect that organisations will handle their personal information securely and responsibly .
When that does n't happen , we will investigate and take robust action where necessary . ''
It also warned people to be on the lookout for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice on its website on how to spot such scams .
Phishing attempts - which see criminals sending emails with links to fake web pages that steal personal data - have risen exponentially during the coronavirus crisis .
Google is blocking more than 100 million phishing emails every day to Gmail users .
It is likely that hackers will take advantage of the fact people are cancelling flights because of the uncertainty related to the spread of Covid-19 , said Ray Walsh , a digital privacy expert at ProPrivacy .
`` Anybody who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advised to be extremely wary when opening emails from now on , '' he said .
`` Phishing emails that leverage data stolen during the attack could be used as an attack vector at any point in the future .
`` As a result , it is important for customers to be vigilant whenever they receive unsolicited emails or emails that appear to be from EasyJet , as these could be fake emails which link to cloned websites designed to steal your data . ''
The coronavirus pandemic has meant an end to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financially .
`` These are already turbulent times for all companies within the aviation industry but the situation has just got significantly worse for EasyJet , '' said Mike Fenton , chief executive of threat detection firm Redscan .
`` To add to the company 's woes , it is now has to explain how the personal records of nine million customers were able to be accessed .
`` When it comes to cyber security , the airline industry does n't have a great record .
The British Airways breach in 2018 should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confidence is likely to be at an all-time low after this . ''
British Airways announced that the personal details of more than half a million of its customers had been harvested by hackers in September 2018 .
Initially it said that only 380,000 transactions were affected and that the data did not include travel or passport details .
The ICO later issued a record £183m fine over the breach .
Compensation pay-outs to customers could see that reach £3bn .
Under GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation ) , if EasyJet is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could face fines of up to 4 % of its annual worldwide turnover .
`` It is impossible to determine yet whether or not there has been negligence but , if so , consumers could be eligible to claim compensation , raising the financial penalty imposed on the airline significantly , '' said lawyer Aman Johal .
Millions of EasyJet customers ' details of some sort or another have been accessed by hackers - but even more people now need to be vigilant .
Generally , personal details can be used by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounts and take out loans in the innocent victims ' names , make fraudulent purchases , or sell on to other criminals .
The risks to those whose card details have been compromised are clear .
Their provider should already have stopped the card , a new one will be issued , and they will need to sort out any regular payments coming from that card .
Following a similar data breach at British Airways in 2018 , some found this a frustrating and time-consuming task .
Millions of people whose email addresses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to change passwords , and be wary of any unexpected transactions .
Everyone else , particularly EasyJet customers whose details have not been affected , must be alert to other unsolicited emails and messages .
Fraudsters will no doubt pose as EasyJet , banks , or the authorities and claim to be dealing with this latest breach .
They are simply trying to steal personal details themselves .
Are you an EasyJet customer ?
Have you been a victim of the cyber-attack ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

"There is no evidence that any personal information of any nature has been misused, however, on the recommendation of the ICO, we are communicating with the approximately nine million customers whose travel details were accessed to advise them of protective steps to minimise any risk of potential phishing.


bbc--2020-05-19--Pakistan: Man who kissed murdered girls in video arrested

A man who filmed himself kissing two girls who were later murdered in a so-called `` honour killing '' has been arrested , police in Pakistan have said .
Umar Ayaz , 28 , is charged with making the video , according to a police statement seen by the BBC .
The father of one of the girls and another three of their relatives were arrested for failing to report the killings and concealing evidence .
The man believed to have carried out the murders remains at large .
Police say they are looking for Mohammad Aslam , and have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the footage was shot and who has been charged with sharing the video .
The teenage girls , cousins aged 16 and 18 , are said to have been shot dead by the suspected killer last week in the village of Shaam Plain Garyom on the border of North and South Waziristan tribal districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province .
Local district police officer Shafiullah Gandapur told the Thomson Reuters Foundation they initially heard reports of the killings through social media .
The officers who travelled to the village `` found traces of blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Why do families kill their daughters ?
• Tracing the life of a woman 'killed for honour' The girls ' killing appears to be related to the video which was shared on social media .
The video , seen by the BBC , shows a young man recording himself with three teenage girls in a secluded area outdoors .
It appeared the video was shot nearly a year ago but went viral a few weeks ago .
According to police , the third girl - who is not kissed by Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wife of the alleged killer , and is believed to be in hiding .
Police say they are looking for her as her life may still be at risk .
Human Rights Watch says that violence against women and girls remains a serious problem in Pakistan .
Activists believe about 1,000 such `` honour killing '' murders are carried out across the country every year .
Many such murders go unreported .
The 2016 murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch , whose life and death caused a sensation in socially-conservative Pakistan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What is an 'honour killing ' ?
It is the killing of a member of a family who is perceived to have brought dishonour upon relatives .
Pressure group Human Rights Watch says the most common reasons are that the victim : • refused to enter into an arranged marriage • was the victim of a sexual assault or rape • had sexual relations outside marriage , even if only alleged But killings can be carried out for more trivial reasons , like dressing in a way deemed inappropriate or displaying behaviour @ @ @ @

According to police, the third girl - who is not kissed by Mr Ayaz in the footage - is the wife of the alleged killer, and is believed to be in hiding. Police say they are looking for her as her life may still be at risk.


bbc--2020-05-19--Letter-writing: Connection in disconnected times

That 's how the writer Lionel Shriver described communicating with friends and family during lockdown , summarising many of our frustrations .
While the coronavirus pandemic has presented challenges in all areas of our lives , the lack of human contact is one of the hardest .
But for some , it has been a time to get creative about how we keep in touch and has prompted a return to a more traditional medium : letters .
As the lockdown was introduced in the Republic of Ireland in late March , the country 's postal service , An Post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and postcards to encourage people to write to each other .
It has since reported an increase in non-business , person-to-person mail .
Riona Nolan , a 17-year-old student from County Carlow , used the opportunity to cut back on social media and instead put pen to paper .
`` You have to really think about what you 're going to write instead of just shooting a text with a few words in it , '' she says .
Riona regularly exchanges letters with her friend , who lives just around the corner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Riona says it is a far more personal , authentic form of communication .
It 's also a welcome change from the bills and taxes that people usually receive through the letterbox .
But what does she write about when we are all stuck inside ?
`` I told her about how I was baking - I asked for any recipes she might have , '' says Riona .
`` I was talking about how much the weather has improved since lockdown .
`` I said how much I miss her and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things I ca n't wait to do when I see her again . ''
Letters are not only a form of communication .
They can act as a museum piece for the future , as I discovered while seeing out lockdown at my parents ' house .
On one rainy day I dug up a case of letters belonging to my grandmother , who died six years ago .
The scrawled handwriting described historical events such as VE Day and the Queen 's coronation but , most importantly , captured my granny at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged me to write my own letters to friends .
I wrote to a friend from school who said she recognised my handwriting as soon as the envelope landed on the doormat , despite not having seen it in more than 15 years .
Alison LaGarry and Lucia Mock , lecturers in education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill , asked their students to write letters to their future selves as a way of documenting these strange times .
The letters are then posted online so fellow students can read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short swoop , jam-packed streets transformed into ghost towns , '' writes one student in their letter .
`` The world began to mirror much of your life : directionless . ''
The letters expose these students ' innermost fears and anxieties in a way social media might not .
Lucia says this is because there is always an element of performance in our on-screen lives .
`` Letters encourage us to be vulnerable , '' Alison says .
`` But it 's also a format in which we feel comfortable saying more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show what the students have learned from the crisis in order to build a more positive and grateful future .
`` From a person who is living in limbo , learn to not wait for moments to come to you , '' says another letter .
`` Do n't wait for your graduation or prom to make memories with your best friends [ ... ] Dance in the rain and hug your friends every chance you get . ''
`` I wanted to say thank you '' Before the lockdown kicked in in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had what her dad Hugh called `` a serious letter writing habit '' .
She exchanges letters regularly with about a dozen of her friends , decorating the envelopes as if they are a piece of art .
`` I write about my brother Finn and I share a joke at the end , '' she says .
`` I always include something I 've been doing , or a piece of art and a bit of personal stuff .
Something I saw that I liked .
A little bit about my love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , Emerson decided to use letters as a way to thank key workers - including the postman , Doug .
The United States Postal Service ( USPS ) has come under fire during the pandemic after US President Donald Trump called it a `` joke '' , insisting he would not help to bail out the struggling organisation unless it dramatically increased the price of sending packages .
But Emerson 's story shows that the service is still highly valued by the people who use it .
`` You may know me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ writes a lot of letters & decorated the envelopes , '' she said in her letter to Doug .
`` Well , I wanted to thank you for taking my letters and delivering them .
You are very important to me .
I make people happy with my letters , but you do too . ''
She was sure it would end there , but Doug showed the letter to his supervisor , who wrote to Emerson thanking her .
She also shared the story in a regional newsletter for the USPS .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emerson 's doorstep with two boxes of letters addressed to her from mail workers all around the country .
`` They were very personal , '' says Emerson .
`` They included a joke or two , like I do .
They told me about their families and where they work and what their job was in the postal service . ''
One maintenance manager from Minnesota even sent rare vintage stamps to encourage Emerson to start a collection .
Hugh says this was more than people just wanting to write to Emerson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allowing them to share snapshots of their lives .
`` My kids all live far away ... '' '' Not a lot of people think about how hard we work… '' Emerson is half way through responding to the hundreds of letters she received , and since Hugh posted about her story on Twitter , she 's been receiving even more .
Last week , she got an extra special one .
When she opened the packaging , a tag read : `` To Em .
From Tay . ''
Inside , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter from none other than her favourite singer , Taylor Swift , who said she had seen in Emerson 's story `` an innate sense of empathy , a curiosity about the feelings of strangers , and the drive to try to brighten someone 's day '' .
Swift also sent Emerson some special wax seals to help her secure her envelopes .
Emerson encourages everyone to write a letter to someone they care about or someone they 're thankful for .
`` It 's the simple things , '' agrees Hugh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Connection . ''

Letters are not only a form of communication. They can act as a museum piece for the future, as I discovered while seeing out lockdown at my parents' house. On one rainy day I dug up a case of letters belonging to my grandmother, who died six years ago. The scrawled handwriting described historical events such as VE Day and the Queen's coronation but, most importantly, captured my granny at her most alive.


bbc--2020-05-19--Trump offers no commitment to wear mask at Ford factory

In a cabinet meeting , President Donald Trump was asked if he would wear a mask when visiting the Ford @ @ @ @ @ .
The mask-averse president said he `` has n't even thought of it '' , @ @ @ @ @ 's appropriate I would do it certainly '' .
Ford officials said earlier on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ wear a mask during his visit to the plant in Ypsilanti , Michigan .
Later @ @ @ @ @ company spokeswoman said Ford would defer to the White House on the matter .

In a cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump was asked if he would wear a mask when visiting the Ford Motor Company factory on Thursday.
The mask-averse president said he "hasn't even thought of it", adding that "where it's appropriate I would do it certainly".
Ford officials said earlier on Tuesday they would insist the president wear a mask during his visit to the plant in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Later in the day, a company spokeswoman said Ford would defer to the White House on the matter.


bbc--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: Mixed reality headsets help medics treat Covid-19 patients

Hand gestures allow doctors using the Microsoft devices to look at x-rays , scans and test results , and communicate @ @ @ @ @ , virus-free room .
The technology has cut down the demand for PPE .

Mixed reality headsets are helping medics treat people infected with coronavirus.
Hand gestures allow doctors using the Microsoft devices to look at x-rays, scans and test results, and communicate with colleagues in a different, virus-free room.
The technology has cut down the demand for PPE.


bbc--2020-05-19--Australian man fined for rescuing whale from sea nets

An Australian man who acted on his own to free a whale caught in sea nets says he 's been fined by authorities for performing the rescue .
The trapped whale was spotted in waters off the Gold Coast on Tuesday , prompting calls to officials .
However , as hours passed without a response , the man launched his own rescue - driving his boat out , swimming over to the whale and untangling it .
Upon his return to shore , he was fined by officials he told Australian media .
It 's unclear what exactly the fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalties for tampering with council property , as well as moving too close to whales .
The man , who only wanted to be known as 'Django ' , said when he saw the whale , `` adrenaline just sort of kicked in '' .
`` Basically I just tried to untangle him , '' he told the ABC .
He had a knife , but managed to unwrap the whale 's fin from the nets .
Other Australian news outlets reported a crowd of spectators watched the rescue from the shore .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bulletin newspaper they had initially waited for hours for authorities to turn up .
`` Luckily a good Samaritan came up and did fisheries ' [ officials ] jobs for them , '' he said .
The use of shark nets around Australian beaches is controversial due to their impact on other wildlife .
Last year , there were at least five whales found caught in the state 's nets , prompting calls for other shark deterrents to be used instead .

It's unclear what exactly the fine was for, but Queensland state has penalties for tampering with council property, as well as moving too close to whales.


bbc--2020-05-19--Teranga, a Naples nightclub helping migrants overcome trauma

Yankuba is a young Gambian man who fled repression and made a perilous , life-threatening journey , across land and @ @ @ @ @ Once in Naples , he discovered a pernicious climate of racism and a slow and @ @ @ @ @ only escape is a small underground club in the heart of the city called Teranga @ @ @ @ @ safe space for migrants to dance and sing away the trauma of their journey to @ @ @ @ @ face in Italy .

Yankuba is a young Gambian man who fled repression and made a perilous, life-threatening journey, across land and sea, to Europe.
Once in Naples, he discovered a pernicious climate of racism and a slow and unhelpful immigration system. His only escape is a small underground club in the heart of the city called Teranga.
It provides a rare safe space for migrants to dance and sing away the trauma of their journey to Europe and the discrimination they face in Italy.


bbc--2020-05-19--Rami Makhlouf: The rift at the heart of Syria's ruling family

In his most recent video , shared on Sunday , Rami Makhlouf stares at the lens , speaking quietly , almost whispering some sentences .
His beard is whiter than in the photographs of his pomp , when he radiated wealth and power , counting his billions as the money man not just of the regime , but of his family , which is about the same thing .
Makhlouf has not lost the sheen of wealth .
He is a man who will never be poor , rare in Syria where the UN says 80 % of the population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not have enough to eat and half have lost their homes because of the war .
• Why is there a war in Syria ?
He lives in a valley beloved of Syria 's super-rich on the road out of Damascus heading towards Beirut .
In the videos Makhlouf 's jacket looks expensive and Italian , as he sits in a corner of his home in front of an artfully stacked pile of olivewood ready for next winter .
But if what he says in the videos is correct - and this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - the power has gone .
He was reputed to take a commission on every serious business deal in Syria , the reason why some called him Mr Five Percent .
Rami Makhlouf is a first cousin , on the maternal side , of President Bashar al-Assad .
They 're about the same age , in their early 50s , and were childhood friends .
Makhlouf was seen as a staunch supporter of the regime who rarely spoke in public about family , or politics , or his business .
In an interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when the war was gathering pace , he said that Syria 's ruling elite - the Assads , the Makhloufs and a few close associates - would fight until the end : `` They should know when we suffer , we will not suffer alone . ''
All that turned out to be true , but his other promise was that they would stay united .
His videos show that has not happened .
On social media he has posted a prayer asking God to end the injustice he is suffering , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain criticisms of the regime .
Such posts would land most Syrians in jail .
On 3 May , he said : `` Mr President , security apparatuses have started to infringe on people 's freedom .
Those are your people , your supporters . ''
Makhlouf is involved in oil and construction , but his main money-spinner is his control of Syria 's biggest mobile networks .
His companies are accused of owing $ 180m ( £147m ; 165m euros ) in back taxes .
For a man of his means , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even his son Mohammad , who is based in Dubai , is described as a billionaire in gushing online profiles .
As his sons took down photos from Instagram that celebrated their lavish lifestyles , Makhlouf shared on Facebook a correspondence that claimed to be an offer to pay what was owed .
But it is increasingly clear that his estranged cousin , Bashar , is after much more of the multi-billion dollar Makhlouf business empire than a relatively trifling sum in back taxes .
Syria 's coffers are bare after almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of the country .
In his most recent video , posted on Sunday , Makhlouf apologised to his staff .
At least 28 of his employees were arrested by Syria 's security agencies in the last week or so .
He said : `` Most of the legal matters are still pending without any progress , especially with regard to those arrested by mysterious people '' .
They are not , in truth , mysterious to Rami Makhlouf .
His brother Hafez used to head the General Intelligence Directorate , the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regime .
He knows exactly what Syria 's intelligence and security men can do .
A number of theories are circulating about Makhlouf 's fall .
Some say he had become too big and too rich for his boots .
The first signs of pressure emerged last summer , when he was forced to shut down his charitable network , Bustan , which had spawned a militia of about 20,000 men .
The theory focuses on the president 's wife , Asma al Assad , who grew up in London and is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regime , running her own large charitable organisation .
Another theory centres on relations with the Kremlin .
Corruption in Syria has been criticised in Russian media outlets associated with President Vladimir Putin , who is Assad 's most important ally and protector .
His decision to intervene in Syria in 2015 has all but won the war for the Assad regime .
The theory goes that Assad does not want to lose Putin 's protection , and Rami Makhlouf is an obvious sacrifice because for many Syrians he is a symbol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ branch through the country .
Russian businessmen close to Putin must also have their eyes on contracts that Makhlouf might have regarded as his own .
The fact is , no-one outside the ruling family really knows exactly what has happened behind the regime 's closed doors .
Bashar 's father Hafez , the first President Assad , made Syria into a family business after he took sole power in 1970 .
His wife , Anisa Makhlouf , came from a wealthier background than Hafez , who rose from poverty via the air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was intensely suspicious , and determined to be the only ambitious Syrian officer to seize the presidency .
He surrounded himself with men from his own Alawite sect , but his own family were at the heart of the system he built .
The family has a history of spectacular rifts .
Hafez 's brother Rifaat was his right-hand man , given the biggest jobs , like crushing an uprising by supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in Hama in 1982 , killing thousands .
But a year later , when Hafez was ill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from his paramilitary force onto the streets of Damascus in a bid to grab power .
The attempt failed .
Rifaat 's fate was not jail or death , but exile , along with millions of dollars .
That might now be Rami Makhlouf 's best option .
It has been a big fall .
Rami Makhlouf has been under severe pressure from a regime in which he was once a kingpin .
He went public , posting videos and documents on Facebook to fight back in what is looking more and more @ @ @ @ @

Makhlouf has not lost the sheen of wealth. He is a man who will never be poor, rare in Syria where the UN says 80% of the population live in poverty, almost 10 million do not have enough to eat and half have lost their homes because of the war.


bbc--2020-05-19--Coronavirus and hydroxychloroquine: Is there evidence it works?

US President Donald Trump has said he 's taking the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against Covid-19 , although scientists have warned about side effects .
Studies are underway to examine if hydroxychloroquine ( and a similar drug chloroquine ) are effective against the coronavirus .
We 've looked at what we know so far about these drugs .
Who 's raised concerns about using them ?
The World Health Organization has said it 's concerned by reports of individuals self-medicating and causing themselves serious harm .
These safety concerns have been echoed by a former top US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was removed from his post in April leading the government 's vaccine development efforts , says President Trump 's focus on these drugs has been `` extremely distracting to dozens of federal scientists '' .
And the US Food and Drugs Administration , which granted emergency approval for using them in certain settings only , has also warned about possible side effects .
Is there evidence they might treat Covid-19 ?
President Trump has previously referred to the potential of hydroxychloroquine in White House briefings .
At a press conference in April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have to lose ?
Take it . ''
And Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro claimed in a video that `` hydroxychloroquine is working in all places '' , although that was subsequently removed by Facebook for breaching its misinformation guidelines .
The publicity given to these drugs led to a global surge in demand for them .
• 'Ousted ' vaccine expert says US is facing its 'darkest winter' Following Mr Trump 's comments in late March , there was a sharp increase reported in prescriptions in the US for both chloroquine and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used in the treatment of malaria to reduce fever and inflammation , and the hope is that they can also work against the virus that causes Covid-19 .
There are ongoing trials in various countries on using the drugs to prevent the illness .
As part of these studies , frontline workers who are highly exposed to the virus are taking it as a prophylactic .
Other studies are looking into whether it can help patients who already have Covid-19 .
In the US , various trials are under way for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an antibiotic called azithromycin , for treating Covid-19 patients .
But so far , there is insufficient evidence from these trials as to their effective use in either prevention or in treatment .
`` We need larger , high-quality randomised clinical trials in order to better evaluate their effectiveness , '' says University of Oxford 's Kome Gbinigie , author of a report on anti-malarial testing for Covid-19 .
There are also risks of serious side effects , including renal and liver damage .
Which countries authorised their use ?
In late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Administration ( FDA ) has granted `` emergency use '' authorisation for these drugs in the treatment of Covid-19 for a limited number of hospitalised cases .
The FDA is not saying they definitely work .
But it does mean that in specific circumstances , hospitals can request and use the medicines from government stockpiles for use in Covid-19 treatment .
But on 24 April , the FDA also issued a warning about the dangers of using the substances because of reports of heart rhythm problems in patients .
Other countries are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
France has authorised doctors to prescribe them for patients with Covid-19 , but the country 's medical watchdog has also warned of side effects .
India 's health ministry recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine as a preventative treatment for healthcare workers , as well as households in contact with confirmed cases if they have a prescription from a doctor .
However , India 's government research body has warned against the unrestricted usage of the anti-malarial drug and said it was `` experimental '' and only for emergency situations .
Several Middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are conducting trials .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice you should ignore • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Is there enough chloroquine available ?
As interest in these drugs has grown as a potential treatment for Covid-19 , many countries have seen high demand and shortages .
Chloroquine and its derivatives have long been widely available in pharmacies , particularly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ malaria .
This is despite their declining efficacy against malaria , as the disease has become increasingly resistant .
A number of countries restricted sales so that chloroquine was only available on prescription or in hospitals .
India - a major producer of these anti-malarial drugs - at one point stopped exports .
But it lifted the ban after President Trump made a personal plea to India 's Prime Minister , Narendra Modi .
In Nigeria , households still regularly use tablets containing chloroquine for treating malaria , even though it was banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its declining effectiveness .
But news of its possible use against Covid-19 led to growing demand , and the Nigerian Centres for Disease Control told people to stop taking it .

There's been some hope that hydroxychloroquine could be effective if used early on when a person gets the virus, before there's a need for them to be hospitalised.


bbc--2020-05-19--Facebook Shops: Online stores open on Facebook and Instagram

Nearly a million businesses in the UK and around the world can now set up a single online store to sell products , with no fee , on Facebook and Instagram .
The initial stage of the Facebook Shops rollout has been brought forward and extended because of Covid-19 .
The stores will appear on business pages , Instagram profiles and through targeted ads .
The company has already used a no-fees approach in its Facebook Marketplace for personal classifieds .
`` It 's bigger than usual just because we want to make sure we 're moving quickly to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many businesses wherever they are , big or small , to help them survive during this time , '' Facebook 's Layla Amjadi said .
And product manager George Lee said it had been in the pipeline for at least half a year .
`` Obviously , given the current situation , we have accelerated a lot of our efforts , '' he said .
`` We 're in a unique position to be able to contribute to the survival of a bunch of these businesses . ''
• Facebook to pay $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature will also eventually appear on WhatsApp and the company 's other messaging apps and integrate with live streams .
For the average Facebook user , `` this will be a really seamless experience , '' Ms Amjadi said .
`` You can go much deeper now without having to leave the app . ''
Once a buyer decides they want to spend money , they will usually be directed to the company 's website to complete the transaction .
And if problems arise or a buyer wants to ask questions , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WhatsApp , or Instagram Direct messages , some of which are already used by companies for that purpose .
The rollout is part of a wider range of changes planned for shopping across Facebook 's products , including : • a loyalty scheme that will link things such as points from local coffee shops to Facebook • a Shop button , where products and brands will be showcased , on Instagram 's main navigation bar Anthony Ha , a senior writer at technology news site TechCrunch , said the pandemic lockdown may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After all , if your favourite store has changed their hours , or switched to online delivery or kerb-side pickup , they 've almost certainly posted about it on Facebook or Instagram , '' he said .
`` So it makes sense for Facebook to make the purchase process as easy as possible from those profiles .
`` From a business perspective , the obvious goal is to drive more advertising .
`` But it 's also worth remembering that the pandemic 's economic fallout will likely kill off many small business - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Facebook .
`` So the company has a stake in helping those businesses survive in any way it can . ''

"It's bigger than usual just because we want to make sure we're moving quickly to get these tools in the hands of as many businesses wherever they are, big or small, to help them survive during this time," Facebook's Layla Amjadi said.