bbc--2020-03-12--Coronavirus: What measures are countries taking to stop it?

Countries around the world are taking different measures to try to stop the spread of coronavirus .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has called for `` urgent and aggressive action '' to bring the outbreak under control .
We 've been looking at what different countries are doing .
Who is restricting travel and movement ?
The US has announced restrictions on 26 European countries , preventing anyone ( except US citizens ) from entering the country if they 've been in Europe 's border-free travel zone in the past 14 days .
India says it 's suspending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starting this Friday , with a few exemptions such as for diplomats , official or employment purposes .
Kuwait has also stopped issuing visas to foreign visitors .
And various countries around the world have now stopped or restricted entry to travellers from the countries worst affected by the virus , like China , Italy , Iran and South Korea .
Italy is now in a major lockdown , with special permission needed for travel within the country , and some countries have advised their nationals against non-essential travel there .
When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there restricted travel nationwide and told people to stay at home , only relaxing this recently .
The Iranian authorities have also tried to restrict travel between cities , but they did not seal off the holy city of Qom , where there were large numbers of cases .
The WHO advice is not to apply travel restrictions , except for a temporary period .
`` In general , evidence shows that restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies is ineffective in most situations , '' it said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries - if they are not barring entry - are screening arrivals at airports and other transport hubs .
This can involve questioning travellers about their recent movements , their health and carrying out temperature checks .
However , there are doubts about how effective this is because symptoms can take days to appear .
Recent academic research ran simulations that suggested temperature checks at airports would catch just over half of coronavirus-infected passengers .
Airports in Italy have been running temperature checks on passengers since early February , and there are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a common sight at airports throughout Asia .
And the US - as part of the travel restrictions announced on Europe - has said its citizens will be screened at designated airports .
How many tests are being carried out ?
There is considerable variation in how many people are being tested for coronavirus around the world .
South Korea has been carrying out more tests per head of population than anyone else , with nearly 20,000 people tested every day .
Compare that with an average of about 1,000 a day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ramp this up to 10.000 daily .
The US has so far carried out even fewer tests , with reports of shortages at some health centres .
How severe the outbreak has been is another factor , with countries which see a spike in cases generally starting to increase the numbers they test .
Who has closed schools and colleges ?
The UN 's educational , scientific and cultural body Unesco says that as of 11 March , 39 countries have announced or implemented school or university closures .
School closures can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and governments will be weighing up the pros and cons .
Ireland has announced it 's closing its schools and colleges until 29 March , and there 've been school closures at national or local level in other European countries .
In the UK and Germany , a relatively small number of schools have been closed temporarily to allow for deep cleaning after staff or pupils tested positive or returned from high-risk areas .
China closed schools in many areas , and Japan has asked all schools to close until the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late March .
Italy has closed all its schools until April as part of the nationwide lockdown .
There have also been nationwide school closures in Iran , Iraq and Saudi Arabia .
A range of sporting events have been cancelled or played in empty stadiums .
Some countries have also banned gatherings in wedding halls , restaurants , theatres , cinemas and other public venues - in some cases stopping any indoor gathering of more than 100 people .
Rugby Union 's Six Nations matches which were due to be played on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ France and Ireland have been postponed .
The Indian Wells tennis tournament in California was cancelled after a public health emergency was declared for the Coachella Valley .
• What are the rules on ticket refunds ?
In Greece , the government has announced that all professional sports events for the next two weeks will be played without spectators .
The Barcelona Marathon has been moved from 15 March to 25 October .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HEALTH MYTHS : The fake advice you should ignore • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak The Italian Football League has suspended all games until 3 April , the Swiss Football League has been shut down until 23 March and a host of other football matches , especially ones between teams from different countries , have been played behind closed doors .
Meanwhile , Japan 's Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto has said everything is being done to allow the Games to go ahead on 24 July , but said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
Are museums and tourist attractions still open ?
Some of the world 's most famous visitor attractions have closed , restricted entry or told visitors to minimise close contact with each other .
The huge Disney resort in Shanghai only partially reopened on Monday after being shut for more than a month .
But Hong Kong 's Disneyland remains closed as do Disney theme parks in Japan .
There have also been temporary closures of tourist sites across Italy , and restrictions or new measures introduced for visitors to other attractions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entry of pilgrims wanting to visit the holy sites , and Iraq introduced restrictions on access to religious sites .

Japan, which earlier banned entry to visitors from certain areas of China and South Korea, has now extended this to 21 European countries and Iran, and is telling arrivals from the US to go into quarantine for 14 days.


bbc--2020-03-12--Does being 'TikTok famous' actually make you money?

When I meet up with Jake Sweet ( aka Surfaceldn on TikTok ) , he 's buzzing .
He 's about to be flown out to the MTV Video Music Awards in Spain as a special guest .
Dinner will be laid on , he explains , and there will be aftershow parties where he will rub shoulders with music 's biggest stars - but best of all , says the 21-year-old , he will hang out with other social media influencers he admires .
He got his invite because he has just over three million followers on the TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as many as pop star Dua Lipa ) .
His presence at the event will boost its profile , as well as his own .
But once the party 's over , it will be back to Earth with a bump .
He will return to lectures at the University of Nottingham .
When not working towards his degree , Jake makes fun , craft-based videos on TikTok , with a sideline in pranking .
For instance , he once surprised his brother by filling his duvet with popcorn .
But he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his tricks with orbeez , colourful pellets that change size in water .
He started on TikTok just to have fun with his friends back in November 2018 .
His videos achieved tens of thousands of views almost immediately , so he threw himself into it .
Now meet Felicity Harfin ( aka @ refelicity ) and her boys .
Felicity lives in Edinburgh and works in marketing - or at least she used to .
She discovered TikTok last year and decided to make some fun videos .
Things really took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Over summer she did a `` prank-a-day '' marathon called `` Taking revenge on my kids '' .
This included pretending to trap her hand in a car door and tricking them into smearing baked beans on their faces .
Half-way through the series , her videos were consistently getting two million views , and one achieved 13 million .
She now has 1.8 million followers and TikToking has practically become her full-time job .
TikTok is a Chinese-owned social media app that allows you to share short videos .
The international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one billion users .
In 2019 it was the second-most downloaded app globally , after WhatsApp .
The platform is owned by ByteDance and morphed out of the lip-syncing app Musical.ly .
Music remains an important part of the experience - posts can be set to snippets of the latest commercial releases .
What sets TikTok apart from other social media platforms is the way it finds videos for you .
As well as seeing videos posted by friends , users are recommended videos by the company 's software algorithm .
Unlike Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends ' activity , TikTok delves deep into users ' behaviour on the app to figure out their tastes .
Make the right kind of content and you can potentially reach millions of eyeballs .
And this explains a big reason for TikTok 's appeal .
In theory anyone can become `` TikTok famous '' - you do n't have be a reality-TV star , or celebrity sportsperson to make viral videos .
Add to the equation the app 's hashtag challenges and the experience becomes like a talent show .
On established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have made millions through advertising revenue and paid promotions .
So can everyday influencers who crack the TikTok code make money , considering its vast reach ?
Jake earns a small but steady income from TikTok which helps him at university - it 's enough for things like groceries .
But most of the money he makes gets spent on props for his next videos , he says .
Doing several videos a day is time-consuming - even his 15-second videos can take up to an hour to record .
He has to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure his university studies do n't suffer .
But he gets lifestyle perks like party invites , and the experience of being a social media celebrity .
`` I do get some money through promotions , '' he explains .
`` I 've done work with people like Amazon Music , rappers Trippie Redd and Juice Wrld . ''
`` They say we need you to promote this song , by doing a video along these lines , and then I put my own creative interpretation into it . ''
Jake @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called Fanbytes , one of the digital agencies which have sprung up to service influencers .
Well-known early agencies of this kind include OP Talent , set up in 2012 , which signed gaming star KSI , and Gleam Futures , which snapped up YouTuber Zoe Sugg .
Timothy Armoo founded Fanbytes in 2017 with fellow computer scientists he met at university .
The company is busy signing up Snapchat and TikTok users , with a focus on `` Gen Z '' and the 18-21 market .
It uses in-house algorithms to predict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Its software also measures who can persuade their followers to click on links - this is known as `` conversion ability '' .
After that , some old-fashioned human decision making comes into play .
`` We want people who can deliver what we call 'advertainment ' '' , explains Armoo .
This is a seamless mixture of fun and paid-for content , while maintaining what he describes as a `` boy- or girl-next-door quality '' .
Armoo has hooked influencers up with brands like Deliveroo , but also the government , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word about the national minimum wage to a BAME audience .
Influencers can generate an annual income close to £20-25,000 ( $ 26- $ 32,000 ) if they build a following of more than two million on TikTok , Armoo reckons , from paid content , appearances and merchandising .
Shauni gets recognised by young teenagers in the street all the time thanks to her work on TikTok , where she has 3.2 million followers .
She joined the app 's predecessor , Musical.ly in 2016 .
Within five days her videos were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the potential , she says .
You can see why her videos appeal to a young audience .
Many are like playground games and include fun pranks , tricks to impress friends , dances , or skits about love and relationships .
TikTok now provides her with enough money to live on , plus the ability to indulge her habit of clothes shopping - but less than you might think , given the size of her fanbase .
Sara McCorquodale , who runs an influencer intelligence platform called CORQ which tracks TikTok trends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial proposition .
While she predicts that brands will be spending more money on it this year , the model for rewarding influencers will have to be different to YouTube or Instagram , because `` short-term trends dominate what is popular as much as individual personalities '' .
`` It 's like the internet before Facebook , it 's fast-moving and unpredictable . ''
TikTok is busy moving into the mainstream with an advertising campaign , and expanding its community management operation in London .
It will have to manage its influencers ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more attention .
`` If you make sponsored content you have to do it explicitly and if the brand or influencer does n't , they can get sanctioned by the Advertising Standards Authority ( ASA ) , '' says Ms McCorquodale .
`` Even if you are wearing a piece of clothing that is a gift , that has to be made clear . ''
Not all influencers on TikTok are following these rules at the moment , and Instagram influencers have recently been banned for being irresponsible and for not being up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that `` every video posted as an advertisement is reviewed by us to ensure it is compliant with the ASA guidelines '' .
It also says it regularly shares the ASA guidelines with creators , and that if an influencer indicates a video is sponsored , it will automatically be posted with `` # ad '' displayed .
TikTok has fallen foul of influencer behaviour before .
Last year it was forced to apologise for the way some stars exploited young fans for financial gain through `` digital gifts '' , with influencers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ app .
TikTok 's growing prominence has also seen it face closer scrutiny over issues that affect all social media platforms like user privacy and personal safety .
It was fined in the United States for holding data on children under 13 and more recently faced criticism for the meme known as the skull-breaker challenge .
Charities have also called for it to do more to prevent the grooming of young children .
Jake plans to complete his degree and then pursue a full-time career as a social media influencer , focusing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be an occupation for me , '' he says .
Meanwhile , he is simply enjoying the interesting opportunities it brings .
The student 's next engagement is a party to celebrate the launch of a new shoe , which he will of course be TikToking about .

He's about to be flown out to the MTV Video Music Awards in Spain as a special guest. Dinner will be laid on, he explains, and there will be aftershow parties where he will rub shoulders with music's biggest stars - but best of all, says the 21-year-old, he will hang out with other social media influencers he admires.


bbc--2020-03-13--Trump declares national emergency over coronavirus

US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to help handle the growing outbreak of coronavirus .
The declaration - `` two very big words '' , according to Mr Trump - allows the federal government to tap up to $ 50bn ( £40bn ) in emergency relief funds .
The move loosens regulations on the provision of healthcare and could speed up testing - the slow pace of which has been criticised widely .
There are 1,701 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US , and 40 deaths .
Several US states have taken measures to stem the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sporting events and closing schools .
The virus originated in China last December , but Europe is now the `` epicentre '' of the global pandemic , the head of the World Health Organization said on Friday , as several European countries reported steep rises in infections and deaths .
Italy has recorded its highest daily toll yet - 250 over the past 24 hours , taking the total to 1,266 , with 17,660 infections overall .
• Why US could be more at risk from coronavirus Mr Trump 's administration has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to provide Americans with widespread coronavirus testing .
The decision on the state of emergency was announced by Mr Trump in a live address from the White House Rose Garden .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How worried should the US be ?
• TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?
The `` next eight weeks are critical , '' Mr Trump said .
Amongst the measures envisaged as part of the emergency response are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Azar and health officials can waive certain laws and license requirements , giving more flexibility to healthcare providers • Hospitals have been asked to activate their emergency preparedness plans • Up to 500,000 additional coronavirus tests will be available by early next week , though authorities are not recommending tests without clear need ; private labs and vaccine developers will be able to provide five million coronavirus tests within the month , though authorities are not recommending tests for those without symptoms • Interest on all student loans is to be waived until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the burden for students as universities and colleges across the country shut their doors Democrats in Congress and heavily-affected states had been urging Mr Trump to issue the order , which will also allow more people to qualify for government health insurance .
Later on Friday , US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced she had reached a deal with the White House on a package to assist people affected by the outbreak .
It includes two weeks of paid sick leave and up to three months of paid family and medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without insurance and food aid .
Urged again to explain why he has n't taken a coronavirus test following reports that he has been in the company of people who have tested positive recently , Mr Trump said he had no symptoms and there was no need for a test .
But he added that he was likely to have one `` fairly soon '' , anyway .
In Canada , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a 14-day self-isolation period on Friday after his wife tested positive .
Brazil 's President Jair Bolsanaro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his top aides falling sick recently .
Both men had recently met US officials including President Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence .
President Trump 's travel ban on 26 European countries , which was met with anger and confusion .
this week , will go into effect on Friday at midnight EDT ( 04:00 GMT on Saturday ) .
The 1988 Stafford Act gives the president alone the ability to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency ( Fema ) to co-ordinate a national response to `` natural catastrophes '' within the US .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were two very big words , but the declaration sounds more dramatic than it is , says the BBC 's Anthony Zurcher .
There are currently more than 30 national emergencies in effect .
Mr Trump has declared several national emergencies in his presidency , including one last year to redirect military funds to build a southern border wall to prevent illegal immigration .
He has also issued the order to deal with wildfires in California and flooding in the Midwest .
It marks the first use of the order to fight a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fight the swine flu virus .
President Bill Clinton issued a national emergency to pay for efforts to stop the spread of West Nile virus in the US Northeast .
Are you in the US ?
Have you tried to get tested ?
Or self-isolated ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Urged again to explain why he hasn't taken a coronavirus test following reports that he has been in the company of people who have tested positive recently, Mr Trump said he had no symptoms and there was no need for a test. But he added that he was likely to have one "fairly soon", anyway.


bbc--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: Europe now epicentre of the pandemic, says WHO

Europe is now the `` epicentre '' of the global coronavirus pandemic , the head of the World Health Organization says .
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries to use aggressive measures , community mobilisation and social distancing to save lives .
`` Do not just let this fire burn , '' he said .
His comments came as several European countries reported steep rises in infections and deaths .
Italy has recorded its highest daily toll yet .
There were 250 deaths recorded over the past 24 hours , taking the total to 1,266 , with 17,660 infections overall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Italy , reported a 50 % jump in fatalities to 120 on Friday .
Infections increased to 4,231 .
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says a state of alert will come into effect there on Saturday for two weeks .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
• TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?
Controls are also being introduced at an increasing number of borders in Europe , in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Why is Europe the 'epicentre ' ?
More than 132,500 people have been diagnosed with Covid-19 in 123 countries around the world , according to the WHO .
The total number of deaths has reached about 5,000 - a figure Dr Tedros described as `` a tragic milestone '' .
`` Europe has now become the epicentre of the pandemic , with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined , apart from China , '' he said .
`` More cases are now being reported every day than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of its epidemic . ''
As well as the increases in Spain and Italy , France has now confirmed 2,876 cases and 79 deaths , up from a total of 61 deaths on Thursday .
Germany has seen 3,062 cases and five deaths .
There have been 798 confirmed infections in the UK and 11 deaths .
What are European countries doing about it ?
Announcing the state of alert in Spain , Mr Sanchez said the government would `` mobilise all the resources of state to better protect the health of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to limit movement , order evacuations , prohibit access to certain places and intervene in industry for up to 15 days .
`` Victory depends on every single one of us , '' Mr Sanchez said .
`` Heroism is also about washing your hands and staying at home . ''
All but `` essential travel '' to parts of Spain should be avoided , says the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office .
Meanwhile , at least 10 other countries in Europe are enforcing border closures , including : • Czech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , except those with residence permits .
Bans most of its own nationals from leaving • Slovakia : Closes borders to all foreigners except those with a residence permit .
• Austria : Closes three land border crossings with Italy to all foreigners , except those with a medical certificate issued within four days .
No restriction on Austrian nationals • Ukraine : Closes border crossings to foreigners ( except diplomats ) for two weeks • Poland : From Sunday will close borders to foreign visitors Belgium , France , Switzerland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest countries to close schools .
There are also widespread curbs on large gatherings and measures to close theatres , restaurants and bars .
Germany 's Bundesliga , the only one of the big five European football leagues still being played , is to suspend games in the top two divisions from Tuesday .
Paris 's Louvre - the largest art museum in the world - announced it would close from Friday , as will the Eiffel Tower .
Why Europe could be worse off than China The number of cases of coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China at its peak .
But Europe is in a worse position .
The overwhelming majority of China 's cases were in one place , Hubei province and those were largely concentrated in one city , Wuhan .
It was dealt with by an authoritarian government that imposed the biggest quarantine in human history .
While there are hotspots in Europe , this is an outbreak across a continent and different countries are adopting very different strategies for dealing with coronavirus .
All these figures are based on cases that have been detected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large outbreaks going on unnoticed in countries that do n't have the tools to spot them .
What are the developments elsewhere ?
US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency , which allows the federal government to access up to $ 50bn ( £40bn ) in funds .
As the president spoke , the three main US indexes jumped more than 9 % .
Later on Friday , President Trump said he did not need to self-isolate , despite meeting at least one person who had the coronavirus .
His travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was met with anger and confusion this week , will go into effect at midnight EDT ( 0400 GMT ) .
• I do n't need to self-isolate , says Trump Pakistan is shutting all of its land borders and limiting international flights for 15 days , its foreign minister says .
In Canada , MPs have voted to suspend parliament and health officials have advised against non-essential foreign travel .
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began a 14-day self-isolation period on Friday after his wife tested positive .
Also on Friday , Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to hospital after testing positive .
He recently travelled to Washington and met President Trump 's daughter , Ivanka Meanwhile , Iran announced another 85 deaths , the country 's highest toll in a 24-hour period , bringing the number of dead there to 514 .
The true figure is feared to be much higher .
The first cases were recorded in East Africa , in Kenya , Ethiopia and Sudan , which has had the region 's first death .

All these figures are based on cases that have been detected, but scientists fear there could be large outbreaks going on unnoticed in countries that don't have the tools to spot them.


bbc--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: I don't need to self-isolate, says Trump

President Donald Trump has not self-isolated despite meeting at least one person who has the coronavirus .
Fabio Wajngarten , an aide to the Brazilian president , was confirmed with the disease after a Mar-a-Lago visit .
`` No , we have no symptoms whatsoever , '' Mr Trump told reporters on Friday when asked why he has not been tested or why he has not self-isolated .
After a barrage of further questions at a White House news conference , the president said he would get tested .
Official US advice is that people who have contact with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 days .
Mr Wajngarten has posted a photograph of himself standing shoulder to shoulder with Mr Trump .
When asked if individuals should be tested after standing next to someone with the virus , said Dr Anthony Fauci , who is leading the US response , said yes .
There are 1,701 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the US , and 40 deaths .
Globally , there were 250 deaths recorded over the past 24 hours , taking the total to 1,266 , with 17,660 infections overall .
• Can the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US states have taken measures to stem transmission rates including banning large gatherings , sporting events and closing schools .
On Friday , Mr Trump declared a national state of emergency to release $ 40bn to fight the spread of the virus .
What is the risk to President Trump ?
Mr Wajngarten , a press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro , met Mr Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence on a recent visit to the president 's Florida resort , Mar-a-Lago .
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez - who also met Mr Wajngarten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday that he had tested positive for the virus .
The Brazilian delegation also met Mr Trump 's daughter Ivanka Trump , his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani .
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham , also present at Mar-a-Lago , announced on Thursday that he would self-quarantine `` in an abundance of caution '' , joining a growing number of lawmakers to do so .
The president attended the Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) in Washington , DC last month , where someone who later tested positive mingled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of Congress - including Florida congressman Matt Gaetz , Georgia congressman Doug Collins , Arizona congressman Paul Gosar and Texas Senator Ted Cruz - all announced they would self-quarantine as a precautionary measure after coming into contact with the infected person .
Mr Collins and Mr Gaetz - who has since tested negative - came into close contact with Mr Trump shortly after the conference .
What has the White House said ?
The White House has continuously played down the president 's exposure to the virus and has dismissed the need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-isolate .
Asked if Mr Trump would follow the lead taken by his fellow Republicans after the confirmed case at CPAC his spokeswoman said there was `` no '' concern about the president 's exposure .
Mr Trump `` had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested , '' said spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham .
`` There is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms , and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine . ''
What did Justin Trudeau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would enter 14-day self-quarantine after his wife , Sophie Grégoire Trudeau , tested positive for the virus .
There are no plans for Mr Trudeau to be tested .
Speaking to press on Friday , the prime minister said he was taking advice from doctors and `` it was explained to me that as long as I show no symptoms at all there is no value in being tested '' .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your rights ?

When asked if individuals should be tested after standing next to someone with the virus, said Dr Anthony Fauci, who is leading the US response, said yes.


bbc--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: Why systemic problems leave the US at risk

As the coronavirus spreads across the US , tens of millions of Americans may not seek medical help either because they are uninsured or undocumented .
That puts everyone in society at greater risk .
Sebastian shows me his hands .
His skin is dry and cracked through over washing .
`` I 've always been obsessed with washing my hands because growing up I knew if I got sick I would n't be able to see a doctor , '' he tells me .
Sebastian has lived in the US since he was three years old , after having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents .
He is one of the estimated 11 million people in the country who are `` undocumented '' .
No US citizenship means no US healthcare .
Even the language of Barack Obama 's Affordable Care Act makes it very clear that undocumented immigrants are excluded .
`` I never went to a doctor , if I got sick my mom would always try to treat it at home , but I remember getting very sick sometimes and missing a lot of school , '' says Sebastian .
The day we meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been confirmed in his area , but Sebastian says that while his family have seen all the news about the virus , their reality remains the same .
`` Being undocumented it 's hard to get medical attention .
There 's the aspect of presenting yourself to the legal system at medical facilities and that runs the risk of deportation , '' he says .
`` My family may not be criminals , but they sure are undocumented and seeing a doctor scares them . ''
For everyone in the US , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is also the huge expense involved in even just seeing a doctor .
More than 27 million people in America have no medical insurance at all , a number that has been growing dramatically during the Trump presidency .
• I do n't need to self-isolate , says Trump • Can the US catch up on coronavirus testing ?
A consultation with a doctor for someone without insurance costs hundreds of dollars .
But there are tens of millions more who are classed as being `` underinsured '' - having basic insurance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cost of any check ups or treatment .
`` During the flu season we are getting sick a lot , but taking my children to see their paediatrician costs $ 100 each visit just for a check , '' says Lisa Rubio , 28 , who has basic health insurance through her employer .
`` I started with a cough and a sore throat a week ago , but if the doctor tells me they ca n't prescribe anything , that it 's just a virus , I have to decide whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money from my bills and my children 's other needs . ''
Last year , being underinsured contributed to a devastating episode for Lisa .
`` I got sick .
I felt pain coming in my chest .
But for me to go see a doctor even though I am insured , I could n't afford it so I tried to ignore the pain . ''
`` Two weeks later , in the middle of the night , my lung just collapsed completely .
They had to do intensive care but said if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have been better , '' she says .
Lisa suffers these problems even though she herself is an administrator in a hospital in Tucson .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?
And while public health workers are one of the groups with the highest risk of infection , they also fall foul of another systemic issue in the US under the spotlight during this crisis ; the fact that there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid sick leave .
`` I 'm really worried for my patients that ca n't take time off work to come and get care and who will go to work even when they are sick because they have no other way to pay for their food and utilities .
Coronavirus does not change that , '' says Dr Ravi Gravois Shah .
Dr Shah is the director of a mobile health clinic that is run on charitable donations .
Driving around Tucson , the clinic treats around fifty patients a week who can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But Dr Shah admits that that is only a drop in the vast ocean of need in the community .
`` All the time we come across patients who are going through pregnancy without seeking care , or people who for months and years ca n't get care , diagnosis and treatment for their pain or chronic disease , '' he says .
Dr Shah says that even before the coronavirus , the huge number of patients going undiagnosed with HIV or other sexually transmitted infections was just one example of the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have no access to healthcare .
`` I have not seen any evidence that anything is going to be different with the coronavirus , '' he says , unconvinced by the promises from Washington .
`` For decades , we 've been okay as a society knowing that there are so many in our community who are uninsured , underinsured , undocumented and unable to take sick leave , '' he says .
`` These individuals without access to care are going to get sicker , are going to spread the disease more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or isolating , or getting diagnosed and treated .
And we are going to pay the public health price because of what our society is okay with . ''
As it sweeps across nations , the coronavirus is exposing systemic flaws .
In China , it was freedom of information ; here in the US it is the massive disparities in the way people are treated depending on their economic circumstances and their immigration status .
The coronavirus of course does not discriminate on those grounds and having large sections of society being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in focus as not just being bad for the individuals themselves , but for the country a whole .

"I'm really worried for my patients that can't take time off work to come and get care and who will go to work even when they are sick because they have no other way to pay for their food and utilities. Coronavirus does not change that," says Dr Ravi Grivois-Shah.


bbc--2020-03-13--Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft board to focus on philanthropy

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is stepping down from the company 's board to spend more time on philanthropic activities .
He says he wants to focus on global health and development , education and tackling climate change .
One of the world 's richest men , Mr Gates , 65 , has also left the board of Warren Buffett 's massive holding company , Berkshire Hathaway .
Mr Gates stepped down from his day-to-day role running Microsoft in 2008 .
Announcing his latest move , Mr Gates said the company would `` always be an important part of my life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be engaged with its leadership .
But he said : `` I am looking forward to this next phase as an opportunity to maintain the friendships and partnerships that have meant the most to me , continue to contribute to two companies of which I am incredibly proud , and effectively prioritise my commitment to addressing some of the world 's toughest challenges . ''
Mr Gates is listed by Forbes as the world 's second richest man after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , and is worth $ 103.6bn ( £84.4bn ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the personal computer .
As a young man , he dropped out of college and moved to Albuquerque , in New Mexico , where he set up Microsoft with his childhood friend , Paul Allen , who died in 2018 .
Their big break came in 1980 when Microsoft signed an agreement with IBM to build the operating system that became known as MS-DOS .
Microsoft went public in 1986 and within a year Bill Gates , at 31 , had become the youngest self-made billionaire .
Mr Gates has served on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much of his time to the charitable organisation he set up with his wife , the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation .
The couple were named the most generous philanthropists in the US in 2018 by the The Chronicle of Philanthropy , after giving $ 4.8bn to their foundation the previous year .

But he said: "I am looking forward to this next phase as an opportunity to maintain the friendships and partnerships that have meant the most to me, continue to contribute to two companies of which I am incredibly proud, and effectively prioritise my commitment to addressing some of the world's toughest challenges."


bbc--2020-03-13--US Soccer appoints first female president

US Soccer has appointed Cindy Parlow Cone as interim president to replace Carlos Cordeiro , who has resigned .
Cordeiro , 64 , quit after taking responsibility for `` offensive '' language used in court papers submitted in an equal pay case .
The papers said the US women 's team were `` less skilled '' and `` had fewer responsibilities than their male colleagues '' .
It prompted player protests during the USA 's SheBelieves Cup win over Japan .
`` My one and only mission has always been to do what is best for our Federation , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language contained in this week 's legal filing caused great offence and pain , especially to our extraordinary women 's national team players who deserve better .
`` It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the president of US Soccer . ''
Former player Parlow Cone , 41 , who made 153 appearances for the US , steps up from vice-president and will take charge until February 2021 , when a new president to see out Cordeiro 's original tenure until 2022 will be chosen .
Cordeiro , who was appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not have the opportunity '' to review the filing `` in its entirety '' before it was submitted and `` takes responsibility '' for not doing so .
`` I would have objected to the language that did not reflect my personal admiration for our women 's players or our values as an organisation , '' he added in a statement .
Lawyers for the football governing body in the US submitted the claims in legal papers as part of a gender equality lawsuit over equal pay filed by 28 women 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to start on 5 May .
Women 's national team co-captain Megan Rapinoe described the language used as `` painful '' and `` unacceptable '' following her side 's 3-1 victory over Japan which secured the SheBelieves Cup in Dallas .
The men 's national team has never won a significant international trophy , while the women 's side are four-time world champions and have won five Olympic gold medals .
American women footballers also generated more income from ticket sales than the men 's side between 2016 and 2018 .

Last updated on .From the section Women's Football
US Soccer has appointed Cindy Parlow Cone as interim president to replace Carlos Cordeiro, who has resigned.
Cordeiro, 64, quit after taking responsibility for "offensive" language used in court papers submitted in an equal pay case.
The papers said the US women's team were "less skilled" and "had fewer responsibilities than their male colleagues".
It prompted player protests during the USA's SheBelieves Cup win over Japan.
"My one and only mission has always been to do what is best for our Federation," said Cordeiro.
"The arguments and language contained in this week's legal filing caused great offence and pain, especially to our extraordinary women's national team players who deserve better.
"It has been an incredible privilege to serve as the president of US Soccer."
Former player Parlow Cone, 41, who made 153 appearances for the US, steps up from vice-president and will take charge until February 2021, when a new president to see out Cordeiro's original tenure until 2022 will be chosen.
Cordeiro, who was appointed in February 2018, says he "did not have the opportunity" to review the filing "in its entirety" before it was submitted and "takes responsibility" for not doing so.
"I would have objected to the language that did not reflect my personal admiration for our women's players or our values as an organisation," he added in a statement. external-link
Lawyers for the football governing body in the US submitted the claims in legal papers as part of a gender equality lawsuit over equal pay filed by 28 women's national team players. The court case is expected to start on 5 May.
Women's national team co-captain Megan Rapinoe described the language used as "painful" and "unacceptable" following her side's 3-1 victory over Japan which secured the SheBelieves Cup in Dallas.
The men's national team has never won a significant international trophy, while the women's side are four-time world champions and have won five Olympic gold medals.
American women footballers also generated more income from ticket sales than the men's side between 2016 and 2018.


bbc--2020-03-13--US-Mexico border: Pregnant woman from Guatemala dies after fall from wall

A 19-year-old pregnant woman from Guatemala died from injuries suffered after falling from the US-Mexico border wall , US and Guatemalan officials say .
Miriam Stephany Girón Luna fell as she tried to climb the steel mesh barrier near El Paso , Texas on Saturday .
She was taken to hospital where doctors tried to deliver the baby by emergency C-section without success .
Officials say the case indicates a change in how migrants are trying to reach the US amid new restrictions .
President Donald Trump has made the fight against illegal migration to the US a major policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entry across the border from Mexico , including plans for a border wall .
Large sections of the border near El Paso already have some form of barrier .
• Step into the shoes of a migrant • The US border in seven charts Girón Luna was travelling with a 26-year-old man believed to be her partner and the baby 's father , and fell more than 6m ( 19ft ) , Guatemala 's foreign ministry said on Thursday ( in Spanish ) .
The man eventually found US border patrol agents , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her .
According to the statement , Girón Luna was taken to a hospital in El Paso with a cerebral haemorrhage , liver and kidney lacerations and a pelvis fracture .
She underwent multiple surgeries but died from her injuries on Tuesday .
The Guatemalan statement said she was seven months pregnant while US Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) said she was eight months .
Gloria Chavez , CBP 's El Paso sector chief , blamed the death on `` human smugglers '' who had `` encouraged her and helped her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will engage our law enforcement partners in Mexico to find those responsible for placing these lives in danger , '' she said in a statement .
Media reports said Girón Luna was a social worker and beauty pageant winner and wanted to reach the US to help her family financially .
Tens of thousands of people from Guatemala and neighbouring El Salvador and Honduras have tried to enter the US in recent years with many saying they are facing violence and poverty .
The number of Guatemalans trying to climb the US-Mexico border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrender to US border patrol , Tekandi Paniagua Flores , the Guatemalan consul in Del Rio , Texas , told the Associated Press news agency .
That is because changes implemented by the US government , including the Remain in Mexico policy that forces asylum seekers from Central America to wait in Mexico until a decision on their cases is reached , have made it more difficult for many people to remain in the US once they are caught .
The man who was travelling with Girón Luna is under US custody .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ started the process to repatriate Girón Luna 's body .
More on US immigration

That is because changes implemented by the US government, including the Remain in Mexico policy that forces asylum seekers from Central America to wait in Mexico until a decision on their cases is reached, have made it more difficult for many people to remain in the US once they are caught.


bbc--2020-03-13--Wall Street rallies after Trump declaration

Wall Street shares rallied on Friday after US President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus outbreak a national emergency , freeing up money to fight the spread of the disease .
As the president spoke , the three main US indexes jumped more than 9 % .
Earlier , London 's FTSE 100 closed up 2.5 % , retreating from an early surge , while other European indexes made similar moves .
The rally comes a day after Wall Street suffered its biggest losses since 1987 .
Investors fear economies could slide into recession as a result of the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancelled and schools in many countries close in an effort to contain the spread of the virus .
Many indexes around the world have now fallen more than 20 % from their recent highs - a red flag for recession .
On Friday , the European Union said it will put in place a package of measures , including a €37bn euro ( £33bn ) investment initiative .
And German finance minister Olaf Scholz said his country could part-nationalise firms to tackle the crisis .
'Whatever we need' In the US , House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said her members would pass a bill that provides paid sick leave , among other aid .
But Republicans and the White House have not said they will support it .
US Secretary Steven Mnuchin pledged the US would use `` whatever tools we need '' .
The national emergency declaration helps speed some kinds of funding to local governments .
In an interview with US broadcaster CNBC , he said he believed the coronavirus slowdown would be short-term and said the situation in 1987 , when markets dropped some 20 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is nothing compared to that , '' he said .
Stock markets have been in turmoil in recent weeks with investors deeply concerned about the economic effects of coronavirus .
On Thursday , benchmark indexes on Wall Street and in the City of London saw their steepest daily falls since so-called Black Monday in 1987 , falling 10 % .
In France and Germany , indexes lost more than 12 % .
Those declines came despite actions by the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank to support the market .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as virus spreads On Friday , the UK 's Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA ) prohibited short selling of a raft of shares in Italian and Spanish firms , after a request from authorities in those countries for the action , which is designed to protect that list of companies .
The prohibition on short selling came after major falls in Italian and Spanish indexes on Thursday .
Short selling is speculation that the price of a stock will go down , and if there are more short sellers than buyers , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including football clubs Lazio and Juventus were on the list , as well as luxury car manufacturer Ferrari .
The New York branch of the Federal Reserve also said it would speed up its planned purchases of US government debt , in response to ongoing strains in the US bond market .
In risky times , investors often look to buy Treasuries , driving prices up and yields lower .
But in recent days , yields on many US notes have remained unexpectedly high .
Why should I care if stock markets fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` the markets '' is that they are not directly affected , because they do not invest money .
Yet there are millions of people with a pension - either private or through work - who will see their savings ( in what is known as a defined contribution pension ) invested by pension schemes .
The value of their savings pot is influenced by the performance of these investments .
So big rises or falls can affect your pension , but the advice is to remember that pension savings , like any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What are your experiences relating to the coronavirus outbreak ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Yet there are millions of people with a pension - either private or through work - who will see their savings (in what is known as a defined contribution pension) invested by pension schemes. The value of their savings pot is influenced by the performance of these investments.


bbc--2020-03-13--France: Former surgeon goes on trial on child rape and assault charges

A retired French surgeon has gone on trial accused of raping and sexually assaulting children .
Joël Le Scouarnec , @ @ @ @ @ abusing his two nieces , a neighbour 's daughter and a patient .
But prosecutors @ @ @ @ @ as many as 349 children between 1989 and 2017 .
He has admitted assault but @ @ @ @ @ The trial in the south-western town of Saintes is the start of what could be @ @ @ @ @ .
If found guilty , Mr Le Scouarnec faces up to 20 years in prison @ @ @ @ @ held behind closed doors , following a plaintiff 's request .
Mr Le Scouarnec was @ @ @ @ @ neighbour 's daughter had told her family about the alleged assault .
Investigators said they @ @ @ @ @ finding images of child abuse and a notebook detailing his sexual assaults .

Joël Le Scouarnec, 69, is charged with abusing his two nieces, a neighbour's daughter and a patient. But prosecutors suspect he may have abused as many as 349 children between 1989 and 2017.


bbc--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: Mass gatherings could be banned in UK from next week

Mass gatherings could be banned in the UK from as early as next weekend amid the outbreak of coronavirus .
A government source said ministers are drawing up plans for the move - to ease pressure on emergency services .
Scores of major sporting and cultural events have already been cancelled across the country in response to the pandemic .
In total , 11 people have died with the virus in the UK , while the number of confirmed cases rose to 798 on Friday .
It is understood that ministers are working with the government 's chief scientific adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop various types of public events .
The source said : `` There are many complex considerations to make all these measures as effective as possible .
`` We will make the right decisions at the right time based on the best scientific evidence . ''
Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had earlier questioned the government 's decision to hold off cancelling large gatherings , describing the decision as `` concerning '' .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'delay ' phase ?
• TRAVEL PLANS : What are your rights ?
The government 's action plan - published last week - did raise the possibility of reducing the number of large-scale gatherings .
However , the most recent tactics announced on Thursday advised people to self-isolate for seven days if they have a cough or fever .
The UK 's chief medical adviser Sir Patrick Vallance previously said that shutting down mass events would not have a `` big effect '' on transmission rates , but he did not rule out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sources said the government 's approach has not changed but there are concerns about the burden that large events might put on health services and the police .
It is thought a ban could start to take effect as early as next weekend , although exact timescales are not clear .
Emergency legislation - including compensation for organisations affected by a temporary ban on big events - is due to be published next week .
Many sports bodies did not wait for a government directive and have already suspended competitions amid the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspension of top-flight matches until early April , while Saturday 's Wales v Scotland Six Nations rugby match was suspended and England 's cricket tour of Sri Lanka was called off .
Meanwhile , the Scottish government has already advised that gatherings of more than 500 people should be cancelled from next week .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Friday that local and mayoral elections in May were being postponed for a year until May 2021 .
And new restrictions are being imposed on visitor access to Parliament , while overseas travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discouraged .
• US President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to handle the coronavirus outbreak , and said the UK could be added to the list of European countries including in a US travel ban • The London Marathon was rescheduled for 4 October , from 26 April • The Queen postponed her public engagements next week , and Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall postponed their tour of Bosnia and Herzegovina , Cyprus and Jordan • The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to some areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will continue as normal

"If that means publishing the scientific modelling so that all the experts can analyse it and peer review it and stress test it, if that maintains public confidence, that's an important step," the Labour MP told Newsnight.


bbc--2020-03-13--Coronavirus: Premier League and EFL suspended in England - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland halt

Coronavirus: Premier League and EFL suspended in England - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland halt games

Elite football in Britain has been suspended until at least 3 April as a result of the spread of coronavirus .
All games in England 's Premier League , EFL , Women 's Super League and Women 's Championship , plus in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland , are postponed .
The Premier League said play will start on 4 April subject to `` conditions at the time '' .
But BBC sports editor Dan Roan says resuming on the date is privately deemed `` almost impossible '' .
FA chairman Greg Clarke is known to have expressed his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season may have to be abandoned .
England 's international friendly matches against Italy on 27 March and Denmark four days later are off .
The EFL , which hopes to resume play a day earlier than the Premier League on 3 April , said clubs were also advised to suspend `` non-essential activities '' such as `` player appearances , training ground visits and fan meetings '' .
The Euro 2020 play-offs have also moved closer to being postponed after Fifa recommended that all impending internationals should be called off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are all scheduled to play their semi-finals on 26 March , with the finals five days later .
The suspension comes on a day of widespread sporting postponements worldwide .
• The London Marathon has been moved from 26 April to 4 October , with the Manchester and Brighton Marathons also postponed .
• Uefa has postponed next week 's Champions League and Europa League fixtures .
• In rugby union , Saturday 's Six Nations match between Wales and Scotland has been postponed , as has Sunday 's Premiership Cup final between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giro d'Italia , scheduled to start in Hungary in May , has been called off .
• England 's Test cricket series in Sri Lanka has been cancelled .
• Golf 's opening major of the year , the Masters , has been postponed .
• Formula 1 has called off the Vietnam Grand Prix on 5 April .
• Formula E is suspended for two months , affecting races in Paris , Seoul and Jakarta .
• Will I get a refund if my event is cancelled ?
Late on Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tested positive for the virus , and early on Friday Chelsea striker Callum Hudson-Odoi revealed he had been affected , while Everton say a first-team player has shown symptoms .
Earlier this week , several clubs - including Arsenal , Chelsea , Leicester City , Bournemouth , Manchester City , Juventus and Real Madrid - revealed they have either all or some of their playing staff in self-isolation .
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said : `` In this unprecedented situation , we are working closely with our clubs , government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reassure everyone the health and welfare of players , staff and supporters are our priority . ''
The Premier League said its `` aim is to reschedule the displaced fixtures '' , while the Football Association said `` all parties are committed at this time to trying to complete this season 's domestic fixture programme '' .
On Thursday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said suspending major public events such as sporting fixtures was being considered by the government but would be a measure primarily to protect public services , rather than delay the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This decision has not been taken lightly , but the EFL must prioritise the health and well-being of players , staff and supporters while also acknowledging the government 's national efforts in tackling this outbreak . ''
Football has also been suspended in Italy , Spain , France , the Netherlands , Portugal and the USA .
These are deeply worrying times for football - and for world sport - which is having to face up to a period of disruption and dislocation unprecedented in peacetime .
Privately , senior football figures admit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early April - when the initial suspension will be reviewed - will be almost impossible .
Their hope is that next week a decision is taken by Uefa to postpone Euro 2020 for a year , thereby freeing up space in the calendar to reschedule outstanding matches , and complete domestic league seasons across the continent at some stage .
The problem is that the outbreak is expected to be at its peak in May and June , so some within the game fear that if the suspension keeps on being extended , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and declared void .
This would obviously be a nightmare scenario for the fans of Liverpool and Leeds United , who both stand on the brink of long-awaited glory .
But it would also have severe financial ramifications for clubs , players , staff and broadcasters , along with the wider sporting industry .
Amid the threat of legal action and demands for refunds from season ticket holders , clubs will now be scrambling to check insurance policies and commercial contracts .
This a crisis no one saw coming .
And one that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's cultural fabric at a tense and troubling time , when many people could do with the welcome distraction that football brings to so many .

Last updated on .From the section Football
Some fans have been seen wearing protective masks at Premier League fixtures
Elite football in Britain has been suspended until at least 3 April as a result of the spread of coronavirus.
All games in England's Premier League, EFL, Women's Super League and Women's Championship, plus in Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland, are postponed.
The Premier League said play will start on 4 April subject to "conditions at the time".
But BBC sports editor Dan Roan says resuming on the date is privately deemed "almost impossible".
FA chairman Greg Clarke is known to have expressed his fear at Friday's emergency meeting that the season may have to be abandoned.
England's international friendly matches against Italy on 27 March and Denmark four days later are off.
The EFL, which hopes to resume play a day earlier than the Premier League on 3 April, said clubs were also advised to suspend "non-essential activities" such as "player appearances, training ground visits and fan meetings".
The Euro 2020 play-offs have also moved closer to being postponed after Fifa recommended that all impending internationals should be called off.
Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic are all scheduled to play their semi-finals on 26 March, with the finals five days later.
The suspension comes on a day of widespread sporting postponements worldwide.
Late on Thursday, it was announced Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta had tested positive for the virus, and early on Friday Chelsea striker Callum Hudson-Odoi revealed he had been affected, while Everton say a first-team player has shown symptoms.
Earlier this week, several clubs - including Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City, Bournemouth, Manchester City, Juventus and Real Madrid - revealed they have either all or some of their playing staff in self-isolation.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: "In this unprecedented situation, we are working closely with our clubs, government, the FA and EFL and can reassure everyone the health and welfare of players, staff and supporters are our priority."
The Premier League said its "aim is to reschedule the displaced fixtures", while the Football Association said "all parties are committed at this time to trying to complete this season's domestic fixture programme".
On Thursday Prime Minister Boris Johnson said suspending major public events such as sporting fixtures was being considered by the government but would be a measure primarily to protect public services, rather than delay the spread.
The EFL said: "This decision has not been taken lightly, but the EFL must prioritise the health and well-being of players, staff and supporters while also acknowledging the government's national efforts in tackling this outbreak."
Football has also been suspended in Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Portugal and the USA.
'Early April an impossible return' - analysis
Football suspension 'very worrying' for clubs - Rochdale CEO
Dan Roan, BBC sports editor
These are deeply worrying times for football - and for world sport - which is having to face up to a period of disruption and dislocation unprecedented in peacetime.
Privately, senior football figures admit that resuming the English league season in early April - when the initial suspension will be reviewed - will be almost impossible.
Their hope is that next week a decision is taken by Uefa to postpone Euro 2020 for a year, thereby freeing up space in the calendar to reschedule outstanding matches, and complete domestic league seasons across the continent at some stage.
The problem is that the outbreak is expected to be at its peak in May and June, so some within the game fear that if the suspension keeps on being extended, the season will have to be abandoned and declared void.
This would obviously be a nightmare scenario for the fans of Liverpool and Leeds United, who both stand on the brink of long-awaited glory. But it would also have severe financial ramifications for clubs, players, staff and broadcasters, along with the wider sporting industry.
Amid the threat of legal action and demands for refunds from season ticket holders, clubs will now be scrambling to check insurance policies and commercial contracts.
This a crisis no one saw coming.
And one that leaves a gaping hole in the country's cultural fabric at a tense and troubling time, when many people could do with the welcome distraction that football brings to so many.


bbc--2020-03-13--Sala crash pilot was not licensed for flight

The pilot of the plane that crashed killing footballer Emiliano Sala was not licensed to fly the aircraft , a report has found .
Sala , 28 , and pilot David Ibbotson died in the crash in the English Channel , two days after the Argentine signed for Cardiff City in January 2019 .
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch published its findings on Friday .
It said Sala would have been `` deeply unconscious '' from carbon monoxide poisoning at the time .
Chief Inspector of Air Accidents Crispin Orr said it had been a `` long and complex '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( CAA ) was probing whether there had been breaches of the Air Navigation Order .
The Sala family said they were `` grateful '' the report had been published but said it left `` many questions '' to be answered at the upcoming inquest .
`` It is crucial that the information held by the police and which went into compiling this report now be made available to the coroner and in turn to the family , '' they added in a statement .
They said they `` remain distraught by their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find the full truth of how and why he died '' .
Cardiff City FC said the club was `` encouraged to read that the CAA is determined to tackle illegal activities by pursuing those involved '' .
• No further action over Sala manslaughter arrest Sala was travelling from Nantes , in France , to Cardiff on 21 January 2019 , when the single-engine Piper Malibu N264DB aircraft in which he was travelling lost contact with air traffic control north of Guernsey .
Mr Ibbotson lost control of the plane while descending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also affected by carbon monoxide , the Air Accidents Investigation Branch ( AAIB ) concluded .
The plane began to break up in mid-air as the pilot tried to regain control , investigators found .
His efforts to pull up from its final dive caused the tail fin and then the outer edges of both wings to shear off before it hit the sea near Guernsey at an estimated 270mph ( 434kph ) .
The AAIB report found Mr Ibbotson , 59 , of Crowle in North Lincolnshire , was not qualified to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using the plane 's instruments , rather than flying by sight .
His rating for that type of aircraft had expired in November 2018 , invalidating his licence for flying that plane .
`` Significant evidence '' was found that Mr Ibbotson had been expecting to be paid for the flight , despite not being licensed to carry passengers .
The investigation concluded that `` neither the plane nor the pilot had the required licences or permissions to operate commercially '' .
The plane 's autopilot had been diagnosed as having an intermittent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inoperative '' .
Sala was heading to his first training session with Cardiff City since signing for them in a £15m deal .
A voice message to close friends in Argentina , in which he says , `` I 'm in a plane that seems to be falling apart , '' and ending , `` I 'm scared , '' was sent while the plane was taxiing on the runway .
The plane took off from Nantes Atlantique Airport at 19:15 GMT on 21 January .
It disappeared from radar 22 nautical miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sala 's body was found in the plane wreckage on the seabed in early February .
A post-mortem examination found he died from head and trunk injuries .
Mr Ibbotson 's body has never been found .
Dave Edwards , chief executive of the Air Charter Association , said of the findings : `` This flight was clearly an illegal charter , something we 've said for a long time needs to stop .
`` I think what 's most sad is that there were probably about seven opportunities throughout the sequence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and in a commercial environment it would have stopped , but in this case it just carried on through those levels until the ultimate moment of impact .
`` Everything that could go wrong sadly did go wrong . ''
Radar and simulator evidence , photographs and video footage of the wreckage enabled investigators to piece together its trajectory in the four-and-a-half minutes between the pilot 's final contact with air traffic control and the moment when it crashed .
They believe carbon monoxide ( CO ) was leaking into the cabin through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhaust .
Toxicology tests on Sala 's blood found sufficient levels to cause a seizure , heart attack or unconsciousness .
`` The pathologist considered he would almost certainly have been deeply unconscious at impact , '' the report states .
But it is thought Mr Ibbotson was still conscious and flying the plane in the final moments of the flight .
The AAIB 's report includes a number of recommendations for aviation regulatory bodies , including a call for audible CO detectors to be fitted in all planes .
A pre-inquest review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coroner 's Court on Monday .
After the revelation last summer about fatal levels of CO in Emiliano Sala 's blood , one of the lingering questions about this crash has been what about the pilot ?
Surely David Ibbotson would have been subjected to similar levels of CO , making it impossible for him to fly the plane ?
No , says the AAIB .
While the pilot 's body has never been found , investigators say previous plane crashes show the poisonous gas affects people differently , adding that the evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the lower end of the spectrum .
The AAIB wants all single-engine piston planes to be fitted with CO detectors , but regulators have been reticent , saying plane design and regular inspections mitigate for CO poisoning .
The plane had a visual inspection of its exhaust 11 flying hours before the crash , on the basis of it being used privately .
Had it been licensed to take paying passengers , as it did on this flight , it would have needed a more rigorous pressure test of its exhaust to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still might not have revealed a potential problem , but a cheap CO detector would have alerted the pilot to the presence of the deadly gas in his cabin at the first instance .

"I think what's most sad is that there were probably about seven opportunities throughout the sequence where this flight could have stopped, and in a commercial environment it would have stopped, but in this case it just carried on through those levels until the ultimate moment of impact.


bbc--2020-03-13--Why a media mogul was arrested in Pakistan

The authorities in Pakistan have arrested one of the country 's leading media magnates on charges he illegally obtained government land more than 30 years ago .
Mir Shakilur Rahman is the editor-in-chief of the Jang group which owns some of Pakistan 's most widely circulated newspapers , as well as the popular Geo television network .
The arrest is being seen by journalists and human rights activists as more evidence that free media and political dissent are being silenced in Pakistan .
Mr Rahman , who denies the accusations against him , appeared in court on Friday and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been formally charged .
What was Mr Rahman detained for ?
The charges against him relating to the purchase of several plots of land in Lahore go back to 1986 .
Pakistan 's anti-corruption agency , the National Accountability Bureau ( NAB ) , has alleged that in that year , when future PM Nawaz Sharif was chief minister of Punjab province , he let Mr Rahman illegally acquire more government-owned-land than he was allowed by law .
Dawn newspaper quoted a NAB official as saying Mr Rahman was entitled to four acres @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's `` land exemption policy '' , but he acquired more than 13 acres .
NAB says this was illegal and amounted to a political bribe .
Mr Rahman says he bought the land from a private party and paid all the necessary taxes and duties , for which he has documents .
He also says the purchase is a civil matter and therefore beyond the writ of an anti-crime agency like NAB .
Is that what it 's really about ?
Irrespective of the merits of the case , many doubt NAB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It often takes action against those who question government policies .
The arrest has triggered widespread criticism from journalists ' bodies , rights groups and the political opposition .
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan ( HRCP ) has expressed `` deep concern '' over the arrest .
`` There remains a strong suspicion that such actions by NAB are selective , arbitrary and politically motivated , '' HRCP tweeted .
`` The journalist community sees this as yet another attempt to gag a beleaguered independent press . ''
The Pakistan Broadcasters ' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` arresting the editor-in-chief of a media house while the case is still under inquiry… appears to be an attempt at harassment '' .
Mr Rahman 's daughter , Anamta , called the arrest `` illegal , even by NAB 's rules '' .
`` This is a fight for freedom of media , '' she told the BBC .
`` Today it 's the editor-in-chief of Jang - tomorrow it can be anyone . ''
Jang Group is Pakistan 's largest media house , with more on-the-ground reporters across the country than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edge in Pakistan 's increasingly competitive media environment .
In recent months , top anchors of its Geo television network have given government officials a hard time in interviews on a number of occasions .
Requesting anonymity , a veteran journalist in Lahore told the BBC that while there may be some truth in NAB 's allegations , `` there 's no doubt it 's a selective move because evidence of illegal financial activities by owners of the so-called 'friendly ' media have also been cropping up from time to time but NAB @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
How free is the press in Pakistan ?
Not very - the country comes way down press freedom indexes .
The media has come under increased censorship since 2018 when the military was accused of rigging national elections to bring Prime Minister Imran Khan 's PTI party to power .
But backdoor moves to quell media voices had begun much earlier .
In 2014 , a top Geo talk show host Hamid Mir was shot and badly wounded .
No-one was ever brought to justice for the attack , and many suspected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage of missing persons in Balochistan province , where the army has fought an armed separatist insurgency for more than a decade .
Most disappearances are blamed on the military .
Pakistan 's media have stopped covering the issue .
In 2017 , a number of social media bloggers critical of religious groups and Pakistan 's powerful military went missing for several weeks .
They were released afterwards , and most went abroad .
The following year , a well-known journalist and social media activist , Taha Siddiqui , who had been warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times , was attacked on an Islamabad road in broad daylight .
He was able to escape from the scene but has since left the country and is living in France .
Since 2018 , the media has come under a more comprehensive censorship .
This includes threats to individual journalists , and briefly or completely shutting TV channels or influencing cable operators to demote them in the channels list so fewer viewers find them .
How successful has NAB been in fighting corruption ?
The bureau was founded in 2000 by Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go after corrupt politicians , bureaucrats and businessmen .
But it was largely seen as an attempt by the military government to clip the wings of the two largest political parties at the time - the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ( PML-N ) of Nawaz Sharif , which Pervez Musharraf had overthrown in an army coup a year earlier , and the Pakistan People 's Party ( PPP ) .
During the mid-2000s , NAB found ways to drop corruption charges against all those politicians who quit these two parties and joined the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Since the controversial election of 2018 that brought Imran Khan to power , the agency has arrested opposition politicians and kept them in custody for prolonged periods .
Government opponents say evidence has yet to be produced that would stand the test of law in a court .
More from Ilyas on Pakistan • Maya , the woman who almost broke free • Shock over raid on 'island of freedom '

Why a media mogul was arrested in Pakistan Published 13 March 2020
Image source, Geo Image caption, Shakilur Rahman has been arrested and remanded in custody for 12 days
The authorities in Pakistan have arrested one of the country's leading media magnates on charges he illegally obtained government land more than 30 years ago.
Mir Shakilur Rahman is the editor-in-chief of the Jang group which owns some of Pakistan's most widely circulated newspapers, as well as the popular Geo television network.
The arrest is being seen by journalists and human rights activists as more evidence that free media and political dissent are being silenced in Pakistan.
Mr Rahman, who denies the accusations against him, appeared in court on Friday and was remanded in custody. He has not been formally charged.
What was Mr Rahman detained for?
The charges against him relating to the purchase of several plots of land in Lahore go back to 1986.
Image source, Jang Image caption, Shakilur Rahman owns one of Pakistan's largest media groups
Pakistan's anti-corruption agency, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), has alleged that in that year, when future PM Nawaz Sharif was chief minister of Punjab province, he let Mr Rahman illegally acquire more government-owned-land than he was allowed by law.
Dawn newspaper quoted a NAB official as saying Mr Rahman was entitled to four acres of land under the Lahore Development Authority's "land exemption policy", but he acquired more than 13 acres.
NAB says this was illegal and amounted to a political bribe.
Mr Rahman says he bought the land from a private party and paid all the necessary taxes and duties, for which he has documents. He also says the purchase is a civil matter and therefore beyond the writ of an anti-crime agency like NAB.
Is that what it's really about?
Irrespective of the merits of the case, many doubt NAB is carrying out its duties honestly. It often takes action against those who question government policies.
The arrest has triggered widespread criticism from journalists' bodies, rights groups and the political opposition.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed "deep concern" over the arrest.
Image source, AAMIR QURESHI/AFP Image caption, Jang has more on-the-ground reporters across the country than any other media group
"There remains a strong suspicion that such actions by NAB are selective, arbitrary and politically motivated," HRCP tweeted. "The journalist community sees this as yet another attempt to gag a beleaguered independent press."
The Pakistan Broadcasters' Association (PBA) pointed out that "arresting the editor-in-chief of a media house while the case is still under inquiry… appears to be an attempt at harassment".
Mr Rahman's daughter, Anamta, called the arrest "illegal, even by NAB's rules".
"This is a fight for freedom of media," she told the BBC. "Today it's the editor-in-chief of Jang - tomorrow it can be anyone."
Jang Group is Pakistan's largest media house, with more on-the-ground reporters across the country than anyone else, giving it a clear edge in Pakistan's increasingly competitive media environment.
In recent months, top anchors of its Geo television network have given government officials a hard time in interviews on a number of occasions.
Requesting anonymity, a veteran journalist in Lahore told the BBC that while there may be some truth in NAB's allegations, "there's no doubt it's a selective move because evidence of illegal financial activities by owners of the so-called 'friendly' media have also been cropping up from time to time but NAB doesn't seem to be bothered".
How free is the press in Pakistan?
Not very - the country comes way down press freedom indexes. The media has come under increased censorship since 2018 when the military was accused of rigging national elections to bring Prime Minister Imran Khan's PTI party to power.
But backdoor moves to quell media voices had begun much earlier.
In 2014, a top Geo talk show host Hamid Mir was shot and badly wounded.
Image caption, Hamid Mir said the ISI spy agency was behind the 2014 attack on him
No-one was ever brought to justice for the attack, and many suspected he was being punished for his vigorous coverage of missing persons in Balochistan province, where the army has fought an armed separatist insurgency for more than a decade.
Most disappearances are blamed on the military. Pakistan's media have stopped covering the issue.
In 2017, a number of social media bloggers critical of religious groups and Pakistan's powerful military went missing for several weeks. They were released afterwards, and most went abroad.
The following year, a well-known journalist and social media activist, Taha Siddiqui, who had been warned by the military authorities a number of times, was attacked on an Islamabad road in broad daylight.
He was able to escape from the scene but has since left the country and is living in France.
Since 2018, the media has come under a more comprehensive censorship.
This includes threats to individual journalists, and briefly or completely shutting TV channels or influencing cable operators to demote them in the channels list so fewer viewers find them.
How successful has NAB been in fighting corruption?
The bureau was founded in 2000 by Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to go after corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen.
But it was largely seen as an attempt by the military government to clip the wings of the two largest political parties at the time - the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of Nawaz Sharif, which Pervez Musharraf had overthrown in an army coup a year earlier, and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, The power and influence of the Pakistani army
During the mid-2000s, NAB found ways to drop corruption charges against all those politicians who quit these two parties and joined the one led by Gen Musharraf or allied with it.
Since the controversial election of 2018 that brought Imran Khan to power, the agency has arrested opposition politicians and kept them in custody for prolonged periods.
Government opponents say evidence has yet to be produced that would stand the test of law in a court.


bbc--2020-03-13--Thailand protest: Opposition takes to streets in rare protest

Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in Thailand have marched on the country 's parliament in protest against the government of retired @ @ @ @ @ Prayuth led a military coup six years ago and was elected as a civilian prime @ @ @ @ @ disputed vote .
Some protesters , many of them students , wore black to commemorate @ @ @ @ @ death of democracy .
The protesters ' anger has been fuelled by the banning last @ @ @ @ @ party Future Forward .

Hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in Thailand have marched on the country's parliament in protest against the government of retired General Prayuth Chan-ocha,
Mr Prayuth led a military coup six years ago and was elected as a civilian prime minister last year after a disputed vote.
Some protesters, many of them students, wore black to commemorate what they describe as the death of democracy.
The protesters' anger has been fuelled by the banning last month of the popular opposition party Future Forward.


bbc--2020-03-13--Dr Anthony Fauci explains failure of testing in the US

Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health , who is leading the US response to coronavirus , told @ @ @ @ @ getting widespread testing were now being `` corrected '' .
`` What we really need @ @ @ @ @ available in venues that people could easily access .
That has not been the case @ @ @ @ @ likely we will have that within the next week or so . ''

Dr Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health, who is leading the US response to coronavirus, told CBS that early failings in getting widespread testing were now being "corrected".
"What we really need is to get the test available in venues that people could easily access. That has not been the case, but it is very likely we will have that within the next week or so."


bbc--2020-03-13--Trump will 'most likely' have coronavirus test

President Donald Trump has declared a state of national emergency as the latest step in his plan to deal with @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus strand , Covid-19 .
The president also said that he was considering adding the @ @ @ @ @ countries that are banned from flying to the US , and told reporters that he @ @ @ @ @ be tested for coronavirus .

President Donald Trump has declared a state of national emergency as the latest step in his plan to deal with the global outbreak of the coronavirus strand, Covid-19.
The president also said that he was considering adding the UK to the list of countries that are banned from flying to the US, and told reporters that he would "most likely" be tested for coronavirus.


bbc--2020-03-13--Backpackers document Vietnam hospital isolation

A group of girls from London being quarantined in an abandoned Vietnamese hospital are keeping sane by documenting their isolation @ @ @ @ @ and Alice Parker , 22 and 25 , and their friend Hanna Ahlberg , 23 @ @ @ @ @ Ha Long Bay hostel by authorities days after Lucy disembarked a plane where a passenger @ @ @ @ @ To make a bad situation better , the girls , who are graphic designers , @ @ @ @ @ by drawing cartoons for `` corona merchandise '' .

A group of girls from London being quarantined in an abandoned Vietnamese hospital are keeping sane by documenting their isolation on Instagram.
Sisters Lucy and Alice Parker, 22 and 25, and their friend Hanna Ahlberg, 23, were traced to their Ha Long Bay hostel by authorities days after Lucy disembarked a plane where a passenger tested positive for coronavirus.
To make a bad situation better, the girls, who are graphic designers, say they are keeping positive by drawing cartoons for "corona merchandise".
Video produced by Sarah Lee and Jamie Moreland.


bbc--2020-03-13--Minecraft ‘loophole’ library of banned journalism

It started out as a project in an online forum and turned into the best-selling video game of all time , but now Minecraft is being used for something even its creator would not have dreamt of .
The iconic game based around placing Lego-like blocks with more than 145 million players each month has been turned into a hub of free speech .
A virtual library has been meticulously created to host articles written by journalists which were censored online .
Work by Jamal Khashoggi , the journalist killed by Saudi agents in 2018 , can be read among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The project was created by non-profit organisation Reporters Without Borders , which seeks to defend the freedom of information worldwide , and the Minecraft library itself was built by design studio Blockworks .
Christian Mihr , executive director of Reporters Without Borders Germany , told the BBC that Minecraft was good for the project as he believes it is not seen as a threat by governments which censor their media .
`` We chose Minecraft because of its reach , '' he said .
`` It is available in every country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ other games which are under suspicion of being political .
`` There are big communities in each featured country , that 's why the idea came up - it is a loophole for censorship . ''
He said the authors were chosen to represent the countries where press was censored , so that people from those communities would be able to access their work .
But he clarified that permissions were sought before republishing in the library .
`` We did n't put any content in the library without the approval of respective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In the case of Jamal Khashoggi we spoke to family members - in respect of people who have been killed , and the safety of their families . ''
Nick Feamster , Neubauer Professor of Computer Science at the University of Chicago , told the BBC that the library could be effective at beating the censors , but he was concerned about how governments may respond .
`` It 's an interesting idea , '' he said , `` But I think there are still some issues .
Governments will know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the internet .
It 's not going to be foolproof against a determined adversary .
He said that the strength of the library came from its use of entanglement - mixing up the censored material with the video game in the eyes of the censors .
`` By entangling these two things you force them to share content , '' he said .
`` You ca n't censor this one without the other . ''
Meanwhile Helmi Noman , a Research Affiliate of the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet & Society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to have a limited audience .
`` The censored content is dynamic , diverse and distributed , '' he said , adding that in his research `` the users prefer approaches that do n't pre-select and compartmentalise content in certain spaces online .
`` Any approach that does n't create a seamless and secure browsing experience of the entire web , social media and direct messaging apps will likely have limited success . ''
The server , which holds a maximum of 100 players at once , was regularly inaccessible due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on at once .
Despite this cap on simultaneous users , it has been visited by 3,889 players from 75 different countries and has been downloaded over 7,000 times .
After two hours of trying , the BBC managed to visit the virtual library and asked its patrons what they thought about it .
SoulfulGenie said they thought `` it needs more books and a new section on North Korea '' and another user called it `` ingenious in many ways '' , adding that , as the library may be downloaded and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is easy to replicate and therefore hard to kill '' .
Meanwhile , other players focused on the appearance of the library , with ReduxPL saying it `` looks incredible indeed '' .
The design of the library by Blockworks was no small feat , taking a team of 24 people from 16 different countries around 250 hours to construct .
James Delaney , Managing Director of the design company , told the BBC that the aim was to create a classical design which was `` on the border of fantasy '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a real building , '' he said , `` but is pushing the limits of what is possible .
`` We went for a design in the neoclassical style .
It 's similar to things like the British Museum and public libraries in New York . ''
Outside of these influences , he said Minecraft was improvisational at its core , so the builders were not restricted to set designs .
`` With many people working on the same project , '' he said , `` people see each others ' work and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So it is a very reactive way of working , and that changes the look .
`` The style is chosen to represent power and authority - we wanted to turn that on its head .
`` Instead of representing the power of the government or the regime , it 's representing the free press . ''

The server, which holds a maximum of 100 players at once, was regularly inaccessible due to how many players were trying to log on at once. Despite this cap on simultaneous users, it has been visited by 3,889 players from 75 different countries and has been downloaded over 7,000 times.


bbc--2020-03-13--Coronavirus wipes out most of world's major sports events on an unprecedented day

The coronavirus pandemic wiped out most of the world 's major sporting events in an unprecedented 24 hours .
As Friday began , the Premier League was one of the last football competitions standing - albeit with fans awaiting the outcome of an emergency meeting .
During the wait , at 10:20 GMT , England 's men 's cricket Test tour or Sri Lanka was cancelled .
Then at about 11:00 GMT the Premier League and EFL announced : no football until April .
In fact , there will be no elite football in the whole of Britain for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BBC Sport 's Dan Roan reporting that a Premier League and EFL re-start on 3-4 April is privately deemed `` almost impossible '' .
The only Six Nations fixture still scheduled for this weekend , Wales v Scotland , was definitely on at 09:30 GMT , but called off by 14:00 .
More followed .
The Masters was also postponed at 14:00 , and it was announced at 17:05 that April 's London Marathon will be moved to October .
There was still some live sport happening .
A crowd of 68,859 watched @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cheltenham Gold Cup .
• Coronavirus information - what should I do ?
• Will I get a refund if my event is cancelled ?
If you struggled to keep up with Friday 's continuous stream of cancellations , here is what is off and what is still going ahead this weekend .
Which sports events have been cancelled because of coronavirus ?
On a day of widespread sporting postponements worldwide , here is a round-up : • All elite British football has been suspended until 3 April .
• Uefa has postponed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ League fixtures .
• France and Germany 's top two divisions were postponed , joining the Dutch , Portuguese , Spanish and USA leagues in taking action .
• The London Marathon has been moved from 26 April to 4 October , with the Manchester and Brighton Marathons also postponed .
• In rugby union , Saturday 's Six Nations match between Wales and Scotland has been postponed , as has Sunday 's Premiership Cup final between Sale and Harlequins .
• England 's Test cricket series in Sri Lanka has been cancelled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hours after the Players Championship was called off .
• Cycling 's Giro d'Italia , scheduled to start in Hungary in May , has been called off .
• Formula 1 has called off the Vietnam Grand Prix on 5 April .
• Formula E is suspended for two months , affecting races in Paris , Seoul and Jakarta .
Which sports events are still going ahead ?
But there is still live sport this weekend , here 's what remains at the time of publication : • Rugby league fixtures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rhinos , are on this weekend .
• Australia v New Zealand 's second one-day cricket international in Sydney on Sunday , which will take place behind closed doors .
What could be next ?
BBC News reports that the UK Government could ban mass gatherings from as early as next week in a shift in policy to ease pressure on emergency services .
Currently , the Grand National is still due to go ahead on 4 April .
Attention will now turn to the summer .
Uefa has called an emergency meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postponing Euro 2020 by one year will be an option discussed .
And what about the world 's biggest sporting event - the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games ?
Japan 's Olympics minister has conceded that the Games could be postponed until later in the year if the coronavirus outbreak makes their scheduled start on 24 July unfeasible .
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Last updated on .From the section Sport
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he was "feeling better" after testing positive for coronavirus
The coronavirus pandemic wiped out most of the world's major sporting events in an unprecedented 24 hours.
As Friday began, the Premier League was one of the last football competitions standing - albeit with fans awaiting the outcome of an emergency meeting.
During the wait, at 10:20 GMT, England's men's cricket Test tour or Sri Lanka was cancelled. Then at about 11:00 GMT the Premier League and EFL announced: no football until April.
In fact, there will be no elite football in the whole of Britain for the next three weeks at least - with BBC Sport's Dan Roan reporting that a Premier League and EFL re-start on 3-4 April is privately deemed "almost impossible".
The only Six Nations fixture still scheduled for this weekend, Wales v Scotland, was definitely on at 09:30 GMT, but called off by 14:00.
More followed. The Masters was also postponed at 14:00, and it was announced at 17:05 that April's London Marathon will be moved to October.
There was still some live sport happening. A crowd of 68,859 watched Al Boum Photo win a second successive Cheltenham Gold Cup.
If you struggled to keep up with Friday's continuous stream of cancellations, here is what is off and what is still going ahead this weekend.
Which sports events have been cancelled because of coronavirus?
On a day of widespread sporting postponements worldwide, here is a round-up:
Which sports events are still going ahead?
But there is still live sport this weekend, here's what remains at the time of publication:
What could be next?
BBC News reports that the UK Government could ban mass gatherings from as early as next week in a shift in policy to ease pressure on emergency services.
As it stands, the Grand National is still going ahead on 4 April.
Attention will now turn to the summer. European football's governing body Uefa has called an emergency meeting on Tuesday at which the possibility of postponing Euro 2020 by one year will be an option discussed.
Premier League clubs will hold a second emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the outcome of the Uefa decision on Euro 2020 and how it might impact the rest of the domestic season.
And what about the world's biggest sporting event - the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games?
Japan's Olympics minister has conceded the Games could be postponed until later in the year if the coronavirus outbreak makes their scheduled start on 24 July unfeasible.
More about coronavirus