bbc--2020-04-25--Should women be eligible for US military draft?

US women may soon achieve a level of equality not everyone wants - ending 40 years of all-male precedent by becoming eligible to be conscripted in a time of war , writes James Jeffrey .
One of the starkest ways American women have achieved equality with men in the workplace has occurred in the military .
The decision five years ago by then Defense Secretary Ashton Carter to open all positions in the armed forces to women - including combat duty - was largely applauded as a necessary step that benefited the military and society .
But this levelling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a more divisive consequence - at the end of March the government 's National Commission on Military , National and Public Service declared it is now time that women become eligible for the military draft - the procedure by which individuals are chosen for conscription - just like their male counterparts between the ages of 18 and 25 .
Currently , all male US citizens in that age bracket , regardless of where they live , and male immigrants - documented and undocumented - residing within the US , must register through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pool of men who could be pressed into service if the US needs tens of thousands more troops to fight a war or if the country faces an existential crisis .
Women have also been serving the US military for generations , from sewing uniforms during the Revolutionary War to nursing the wounded in World War II .
But they have never been required to register for the draft , a stance increasingly at odds with the reality of American 's modern military .
`` The mere fact that women would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that everyone is expected to serve if needed and that everyone 's service is valued equally , '' says Kara Vuic , a war studies professor at Texas Christian University , who is writing a book called Drafting Women .
More than 224,000 women are serving in the US military , constituting about 17 % of the armed forces ' 1.2m active duty members .
More than 2,900 of those women have served in army combat positions since 2016 , according to the national commission .
It spent two years conducting dozens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ final report it recommended `` that Congress amend the Military Selective Service Act ( MSSA ) to eliminate male-only registration and expand draft eligibility to all individuals of the applicable age cohort '' .
The decision could be seen as moot .
No one has been forced into military service in more than 40 years since the Vietnam War , mainly thanks to the creation and size of America 's modern-day all-volunteer military force .
But not registering with the Selective Service has implications , including exclusion from student loans or employment for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the draft change empowers equality between men and women , the commission noted that the US population growth rate is at its lowest in more than 80 years and that seven out of 10 Americans of draft age - both male and female - are unfit for military service .
In 2009 , a group of retired US generals and admirals formed a nonprofit group `` Mission : Readiness '' to draw attention to this growing problem .
In their report Ready , Willing , and Unable to Serve , the most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ graduate high school , a criminal record and physical fitness issues , including obesity .
Richard Kohn , professor emeritus of History and Peace , War and Defense at the University of North Carolina , says the US ca n't expect to have a first-rate fighting force if half the population is excluded .
`` If you want the best human capital in your force you need to include women - there is simply not enough of the necessary calibre in the male population to get what you need . ''
Conscription in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government in five conflicts - the American Revolutionary War , the American Civil War , World War I , World War II , and the Cold War ( including the Korean and Vietnam wars ) .
The draft 's most recent incarnation came into being in September 1940 , when Congress passed the Burke-Wadsworth Act , which imposed the first peacetime draft in US history .
It ended in 1973 when the US armed forces became all-volunteer , and from 1975 to 1980 men were not required to register with the Selective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invaded Afghanistan , President Jimmy Carter reinstated it .
He also asked Congress to allow women to register .
Lawmakers rejected the idea .
A 1981 Supreme Court ruling upheld the men-only draft registration system .
But the issue kept bubbling away across the decades and recently the courts have weighed in .
In 2019 a Texas district judge ruled that while historical restrictions on women serving in combat `` may have justified past discrimination , '' the fact that men and women are now equally able to fight renders the men-only draft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a district judge is considering a case brought by a 21-year-old New Jersey woman who twice tried to register for Selective Service .
Among the general public , the majority of men and women support women serving in combat roles .
But opinion about women being drafted appears sharply divided along gender lines .
In a 2016 Rasmussen Reports poll , 61 % of men favoured extending the draft registration to both sexes while only 38 % of women supported doing so .
That said , both men and women are not keen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 29 % of all voters support it , according to the 2016 poll .
The issue even has feminists splitting either way .
Some believe registering women on the same basis as men would recognise both genders have equal rights and responsibilities in society .
Draft expansion advocates also say it could encourage more women to consider the military a suitable career .
In 2019 , Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said she supported all genders being drafted as long as a draft existed .
But there are also feminists who believe the entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ought to be dismantled .
More on women in the military • Spain in drive to get women into special forces • India 's soldiers 'not ready for women in combat' • Are these the world 's toughest female soldiers ?
• Why the Army needs more women soldiers '' War is not a feminist position , '' says Maria Santelli , executive director of the Washington-based Center on Conscience & War , a non-profit that opposes military conscription and advocates for conscientious objectors to war .
`` Feminism is life affirming .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the globe .
One 's equality should n't be based on acquiescence , submission to the military . ''
She notes people have often defended the Selective Service by saying `` it 's just registration '' - skirting the reality that it is ultimately about mobilising for war and body bags coming back .
`` You are not just putting your name on a list , '' Santelli says .
Currently you can be registered simply through ticking a box online when applying for a student loan .
But the commission has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of registration and is considering making it a more formal and less passive process .
Experts also point out that the lack of fairness in the draft system fuelled much of the fierce protests against the Vietnam War draft .
• The day that millions of Americans marched '' The younger generation today can appear blasé and apathetic on this , and it 's not the cutting edge issue it was back when I was 18 , '' says Matt Meyer , former chair of the War Resisters League who in 1980 became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York , appearing in Rolling Stone magazine alongside a photo of him burning his registration card .
`` But when I speak to young people , and those I taught as a professor , they are angry and speaking out about issues like climate change , and I think you would see the same militant response if the draft was enacted now . ''
The commission 's verdict along with increasing pressure from the courts means US lawmakers will no longer be able to avoid making a final decision , Santelli says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Selective Service Act if it were to include women .
For now , the government has far more pressing matters to consider due to the Covid-19 outbreak , whose wider societal ramifications might even come to influence Selective Service and the draft .
`` A draft of massive numbers of people would be almost inconceivable in this era , but what I can imagine is a targeted draft of people with certain skills [ such as ] cyber or medical , for example , '' Vuic , of Texas Christian University , says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to conscript medical personnel .
Imagine if we got hit with a cyberattack in the middle of this COVID-19 quarantine . ''
Whether a more focused draft would be more acceptable to the populace may depend on the type of America that emerges from the pandemic .
`` We are going to come out of this with a new understanding about the connection between government and society , that it is important but also not fully working , '' Meyers says .
`` As that connection is noted , felt and rethought , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result in more resistance to unpopular policies such as being conscripted ?
I think that will be one of them . ''

But this levelling of the military playing field has led to a more divisive consequence - at the end of March the government's National Commission on Military, National and Public Service declared it is now time that women become eligible for the military draft - the procedure by which individuals are chosen for conscription - just like their male counterparts between the ages of 18 and 25.


bbc--2020-04-25--Ultra-Orthodox and trans: 'I prayed to God to make me a girl'

When Abby Stein came out as trans , she sent shock waves through the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community .
A direct descendant of Hasidic Judaism 's founder , The Baal Shem Tov , Abby 's parents considered her their first-born son and a future rabbi - but she was adamant that she was a girl .
My dad is a rabbi , and having a son was a big deal .
He would always tell me that after five girls he had almost given up on having a boy , and how much it meant to him .
I almost felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a feeling of : `` I 'm so sorry , but I ca n't give you what you want . ''
I did n't know there were other people like me , but I knew what I felt - I just saw myself as a girl .
I sometimes wish that I 'd had a teacher who was transphobic , because that would have meant I knew trans people existed .
In the Hasidic community they simply never spoke about it .
What kept me sane during my childhood was my imagination .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ newspaper clippings about organ transplants - lung , kidney , heart and so on .
In my mind , the plan was simple : one day , I would go to a doctor , show them my impressive collection of newspaper clippings , and they would perform a full body transplant , turning me into a girl .
When I got a bit older , I realised that was n't realistic , so I came up with my next idea , which was to ask God .
I grew up in a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God could do anything .
So , aged nine , I wrote this prayer that I said every night : `` Holy creator , I 'm going to sleep now and I look like a boy .
I am begging you , when I wake up in the morning I want to be a girl .
I know that you can do anything and nothing is too hard for you ... '' If you do that , I promise that I will be a good girl .
I will dress in the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commandments girls have to keep .
`` When I get older , I will be the best wife .
I will help my husband study the Torah all day and all night .
I will cook the best foods for him and my kids .
Oh God , help me . ''
The Hasidic community is the most gender-segregated society I 've ever known or heard about - and I have researched gender-segregated communities quite a bit .
There are even some Hasidic communities in upstate New York where men and women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the streets - it 's the closest thing that exists now to a 19th Century Eastern European Jewish shtetl ( village ) .
• Listen to Abby Stein speaking to Outlook , on the BBC World Service From the second you start preschool , the sexes are totally separated .
Boys and girls are told not to play together .
Even though in Jewish law there is no prohibition against hugging or holding hands with your sister or mom , when I was growing up it was still considered something Hasidic boys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone naked .
I did not know that my sisters and I had different body parts down under .
It was never discussed .
Even so , when I was four years old I had this intense feeling of anger towards my own private parts .
They did n't feel like part of me .
It was an extremely strong feeling that I can not explain to this day .
At that time , my mom would prepare the bath and let me play with the toys in the bathtub .
She used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pins in the cabinet by the sink , so I would sneak out and take these safety pins and prick this one very specific part of my body .
It 's not something that I encourage anyone to do , but I wanted to make it feel pain , almost like punishing it .
One time my mom walked in on me as I was doing this and she freaked out .
I do n't remember what she said exactly , but it was a very clear message that : `` You are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act like one , and do n't ever say anything that might challenge that . ''
At the age of three , Hasidic boys have their first haircut , called the upsherin , which is when you get the side curls , or payos .
That 's the first kind of physical manifestation that indicates to the world - and to yourself - that you are a boy .
I did not want to have that haircut .
I was throwing a temper tantrum for hours .
`` I want to have long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long hair and I ca n't ? ''
At 13 , I had my bar mitzvah , which is when a boy becomes a man - so that was very tough .
I have some positive memories of it , like having a party and getting lots of gifts , but the concept of : `` You are now a man , '' was really challenging .
It was a celebration I felt I should n't be having .
If you want to get a sense of how isolated the Hasidic community is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the majority of people in the world were Jewish and that the majority of Jews were ultra-Orthodox - neither of which is correct .
Take any aspect of pop culture of the 90s - Britney Spears , or Seinfeld - I did n't even know it existed .
I did n't speak English until I was 20 , just Yiddish and Hebrew .
At school we just learned the ABCs and how to write our names and addresses , and that only lasted from fourth to eighth grade , for an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was split between English and maths .
Maths only went up to the level of long division , and we never touched any science or history , outside of some Jewish history .
The expectation , growing up , was that I would work as a teacher or rabbinical judge .
If you lead a synagogue or teach at a school in the Hasidic community , you 're also called a rabbi , regardless of whether you have been ordained or not - but I actually wanted to be ordained .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that I wanted to know exactly what I was rebelling against - my struggle with my identity as a woman meant I questioned everything I was being told about religion and God .
At school , they called me the `` kosher rebel '' .
At the same time , another part of me was hoping that if I really gave my entire self to it , all these feelings about who I was were just magically going to go away .
When I was 16 , I immersed myself in Jewish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I first came across a religious text that justified my existence .
In a 16th Century study of human souls called The Door of Reincarnation , I read : `` At times , a male will reincarnate in the body of a female , and a female will be in a male body . ''
It gave me hope that maybe I was n't crazy .
Even though I knew I was really a woman , I had an arranged marriage like everyone in the Hasidic community .
You 're born , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get married at age 18 .
My parents set it up .
My bride had to come from a rabbinical dynasty and adhere to the same dress codes , which in my family are extremely unusual - so much so that there were probably only 20 to 50 girls in the entire world that were acceptable matches .
Fraidy and I met for about 15 to 20 minutes , and then we were engaged .
We did n't meet again until our wedding , a year later .
At first , things went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's an amazing woman , really smart and loving .
We had great conversations , we never fought .
As far as arranged marriages go , it was perfect .
It was the first time I had lived with a woman , which felt good .
She was quite fashionable , and when we went shopping it was a way of putting myself in her shoes and thinking : `` Oh , what would I get ? ''
Hasidic men wear black and white clothes with almost no choices whatsoever .
Women get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has to be modest , and certain colours , like red and pink , are off-limits .
But when Fraidy got pregnant , I really struggled .
It was as if everything - gender , religion , my family , my son - was collapsing in on me and punching me .
It was like gender was hitting me in the face , it was just so present - what kind of clothes we were going to buy for the baby , whether we were going to do a circumcision on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to face it every second .
My son 's birth was the final , knock-out punch .
I wanted to give my child the best life possible , but how could I , if , by the age of 20 , I did n't even know what `` a good life '' was ?
I knew that there was a place called the internet where you could connect with people and find information .
There was such a strong focus on telling us how not to connect to the internet by mistake that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I borrowed a friend 's tablet and hid in a toilet cubicle at a shopping centre that had public Wi-Fi .
My first search was whether a boy could turn into a girl - in Hebrew , I did n't speak English at the time - and on the first or second page of the results , there was the Wikipedia page about transgender people .
That was the first time I learned the term and realised there were other people who felt like me .
Imagine struggling with something , whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you go to a doctor or therapist who for the first time in your life tells you : `` Oh , what you are feeling is called XYZ , and here is what you can do to feel better , to find your place in the world . ''
Another amazing discovery was that there was a community of people online who had left ultra-Orthodox and Hasidic communities and had not just survived , but thrived .
A few weeks later I stopped being religious .
I do n't think it was obvious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living a religious life outwardly , but I stopped observing - for example , I started using my phone on Shabbat ... anything that people would n't see .
My wife was the first person in the community that I spoke to about it , about six months after our son 's circumcision .
I did n't leave my marriage .
For a year , we tried to save it , but my ex was forced to leave me by her family .
They took her away , quite literally .
I lived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks , hoping that she and my son would come back .
Then , for a while , I moved back in with my parents .
When I came out to my dad as an atheist , he said , `` No matter what happens , you are still my child . ''
Once I realised that there was no way for me to live with my son full-time , I decided there was nothing left in the community for me .
Leaving is like emigrating - not just to a new country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a new century .
It 's time travel !
Suddenly , I was in a world where there were unlimited options for food and clothing .
I bought my first pair of jeans and a red-and-white checked shirt .
I always sucked at male fashion .
Language was the biggest obstacle to overcome , because when you grow up in New York , people expect you to speak English .
For three years I did n't speak to anyone in my family about my gender .
I came out to my dad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months after starting hormone therapy .
It took my dad about an hour to even grasp what I was telling him , and that was thanks to certain religious texts that I showed him - one of which was the passage about male and female souls that I had discovered when I was studying Kabbalah , Jewish mysticism .
My dad admitted that trans people exist , which was quite impressive , because a lot of fundamentalist religious communities do n't .
Then he told me : `` You need to have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to be able to tell you if you are really trans . ''
My reaction was : `` I think two therapists and a doctor are good enough . ''
But he obviously disagreed , and a few minutes after that he pretty much told me that he would never talk to me again .
At that moment , it really hurt .
But the reality was that by the time I came out , it was already three years after I had left the Hasidic community .
I had enrolled in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some extremely progressive and amazing Jewish and queer communities - so I did n't lose any friends and my life was n't upended by the rift with my family .
I still text my parents every week - my dad , my mom does n't even have text messages - and the day that they are ready to talk to me , I will talk with them .
My ex-wife was not allowed to speak to me from the second we got divorced .
My son is the love of my life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lining : instead of thinking about the 10 siblings who do n't speak to me , I focus on the two who do .
Anyway , most people I know nowadays outside the Hasidic community only have two siblings , if that .
Life is actually better than I could have ever imagined .
I used to struggle with depression almost non-stop .
Since I came out , I have n't had a day of waking up and feeling that there 's no reason for me to wake up .
Before I transitioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like that .
Being out as ourselves , being trans , being LGBTQ , is something that creates a life worthy of celebration , not just worthy of living .
It 's beautiful .
I was the first person in the Hasidic community to come out as trans , but there have been quite a few people since , and obviously , I 'm being blamed for that .
I definitely think I can take some credit for it - the Hasidic community is never going to be the same again .
Abby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : My Journey from Ultra-Orthodox Rabbi to Transgender Woman Photographs courtesy of Abby Stein and subject to copyright You may also be interested in : Chaya , not her real name , is an ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who is gay .
Here she describes her struggle to accept her sexuality , and why she has to keep it a secret from those who would make her choose between her identity and her family .

My dad is a rabbi, and having a son was a big deal. He would always tell me that after five girls he had almost given up on having a boy, and how much it meant to him. I almost felt bad for him throughout my childhood - a feeling of: "I'm so sorry, but I can't give you what you want."


bbc--2020-04-24--Trump's claims about sunlight fact-checked

President Donald Trump has questioned whether injecting people with disinfectants and exposing patients ' bodies to UV light could help treat the coronavirus .
The Reality Check team has been looking into both of these issues .
`` I see the disinfectant , where it knocks it out in one minute .
And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning , because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs . ''
Mr Trump suggested injecting patients with disinfectants might help treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viruses on surfaces , but this is crucially only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body .
Not only does consuming or injecting disinfectant risk poisoning and death , it 's not even likely to be effective .
Doctors have appealed to people not to ingest or inject disinfectant , as there are concerns people will think this is a good idea and die .
`` Injecting bleach or disinfectant at the dose required to neutralise viruses in the circulating blood would likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably a very unpleasant death , '' says Rob Chilcott , professor of toxicology at the University of Hertfordshire . ''
He adds that it would also `` not have much effect on viral particles within the cells '' .
Reckitt Benckiser , a leading manufacturer of disinfectant products including Lysol and Dettol , has issued a statement in response to the president 's comments .
It said : `` We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body ( through injection , ingestion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Trump has subsequently defended his comment claiming `` I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters . ''
`` I said supposing you brought the light inside the body , which you can do either through the skin or in some other way .
And I think you said you 're going to test that too ...
So , we 'll see , but the whole concept of the light , the way it kills it in one minute - that 's pretty powerful . ''
Mr Trump has also floated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or just very powerful light '' .
There is some evidence that , in general , viruses on surfaces die more quickly when exposed directly to sunlight .
But we do n't know how much or how long they have to be exposed for UV light to have an effect .
And again , this is only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body .
By the time the virus has taken hold inside your body , no amount of UV light on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference .
`` UV irradiation and high heat are known to kill virus particles on surfaces , '' says Dr Penny Ward , visiting professor in pharmaceutical medicine at Kings College London .
But `` neither sitting in the sun , nor heating , will kill a virus replicating in an individual patient 's internal organs '' .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the @

Coronavirus: Trump’s disinfectant and sunlight claims fact-checked Published 24 April 2020
Image source, Getty Images
President Donald Trump has questioned whether injecting people with disinfectants and exposing patients' bodies to UV light could help treat the coronavirus.
The Reality Check team has been looking into both of these issues.
Claim 1
"I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs."
Mr Trump suggested injecting patients with disinfectants might help treat coronavirus.
Using a disinfectant can kill viruses on surfaces, but this is crucially only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body.
Not only does consuming or injecting disinfectant risk poisoning and death, it's not even likely to be effective.
Doctors have appealed to people not to ingest or inject disinfectant, as there are concerns people will think this is a good idea and die.
"Injecting bleach or disinfectant at the dose required to neutralise viruses in the circulating blood would likely result in significant, irreversible harm and probably a very unpleasant death," says Rob Chilcott, professor of toxicology at the University of Hertfordshire."
He adds that it would also "not have much effect on viral particles within the cells".
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, It is highly dangerous to use disinfectants inside the human body
Reckitt Benckiser, a leading manufacturer of disinfectant products including Lysol and Dettol, has issued a statement in response to the president's comments. It said: "We must be clear that under no circumstance should our disinfectant products be administered into the human body (through injection, ingestion or any other route)."
Mr Trump has subsequently defended his comment claiming "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters."
Claim 2
"I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. And I think you said you're going to test that too... So, we'll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute - that's pretty powerful."
Mr Trump has also floated the idea of exposing patients to "ultraviolet or just very powerful light".
There is some evidence that, in general, viruses on surfaces die more quickly when exposed directly to sunlight. But we don't know how much or how long they have to be exposed for UV light to have an effect.
And again, this is only about infected objects and surfaces - not about what happens once the virus is inside your body.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, UV light won't make a difference if you're infected with the coronavirus
By the time the virus has taken hold inside your body, no amount of UV light on your skin is going to make a difference.


bbc--2020-04-25--Charli XCX on her lockdown album: 'Why didn't I do this before?'

`` Oh God , I feel so old .
I 'm so sorry , '' says Charli XCX , after two failed attempts to join our Zoom interview .
`` I 'm literally one of those old women going , 'Where 's the camera ?
Is this thing on ? '
'' The star is speaking from her home in LA where , in reality , she 's become something of a technological ninja .
In the space of just six weeks , she 's planning to write and record a new album from scratch , with only the `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create all music , all artwork , all videos… everything '' .
The 27-year-old is already one of the most respected songwriters in pop , known for hits like Boys , 1999 , Boom Clap and her Icona Pop collaboration I Love It .
But this time around , she 's making the writing process completely transparent - posting lyric ideas to Twitter , playing demos on Instagram live and sharing early drafts on her Apple Music radio show .
Not only that , but she 's screen-grabbing texts from her producers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and getting fans to create artwork , videos and remixes .
`` Part of me is like , ' I do n't know why I have n't made an album like this before ' , '' she says .
`` It 's so fun and nice to work like this . ''
Announcing the project on 6 April , Charli told fans her `` positivity goes hand-in-hand with being creative , '' but that does n't mean she 's immune to difficult days .
`` Yesterday I cried , '' she admitted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was feeling I was asking too much of everyone - pushing people to make stuff during quarantine when maybe some people just want to chill . ''
But so far , the results rank amongst the singer 's best work .
The first two singles , Forever and Claws , effortlessly combine her dual instincts for crisp pop melodies and adventurous , corrosive production .
She hopes to have the rest of the album , tentatively titled How I 'm Feeling Now , available on streaming services in just three weeks ' time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Charli flopped down on a beanbag to discuss how the record was shaping up .
Hey Charli !
How are you ?
Actually , I feel quite good right now .
I definitely have days where I 'm just like , `` Oh My God , I feel so unproductive and lost , '' but generally , I 'm quite surprised at how I 'm handling this time .
The rest of us are getting a taste of life on tour : No-one knows what day of the week it is .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'll be like , `` Oh my God , it 's Friday ! ''
and someone will go , `` Er , no , it was Friday four days ago . ''
What would you have been doing now if you were n't making this record ?
I 'd be really , really struggling .
Binge-watching TV and being actually quite sad .
How daunting has it been to share all your drafts lyrics and demo vocals ?
It 's quite exposing , definitely - but the second I started doing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any more .
And that 's not because all my ideas are great .
Some of my ideas , even the ones I 'm posting , are things that maybe wo n't come into full realisation .
But I think , for my fans , it 's really nice for them to see the process .
I mean , I 'd be interested to hear demos from some of my favourite artists , to feel their ideas as they 're forming .
I find it exciting .
On your Apple Music show , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were mostly nonsense words , as you felt your way around the melody .
But you kept going back to one line : `` I know you ca n't leave me alone '' .
Do you think that phrase will stick ?
It 's different every time .
That line you mentioned , I 'm quite confidently singing it by the end and often , with a situation like that , I would definitely consider basing the song around that phrase .
It 's not necessarily the actual words I 'm saying , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hookiness of the melody .
So I tend to try and stick to the shapes of those words .
But sometimes , the line I 'm singing in the rough does n't feel interesting lyrically .
That 's something I 've been struggling with in that demo , actually , because I do n't like those words but they 're stuck in my head .
Recording my own vocals .
I have n't done that since I was 15 and making demos in my parents ' house .
I 'm so slow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ literally want to throw something at myself .
I do n't know my way around the software yet .
And I 'm not skilled enough to comp my vocals - which is where you sing the song five times and choose the best bits from each take .
So now , instead , I 'm just singing the whole thing right through .
I probably sing each part 30 times and by the 30th one , I 'm like , `` OK , this one is perfect .
All the breaths are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are right , this is the one '' .
But it 's a very long process .
Is it possible the end result is better ?
I guess you could say there 's a solid flow of emotion in the full takes , I suppose .
But I do feel like my takes are really good when I can tell someone else how to comp them .
You 've set yourself a deadline of 15 May .
How important is that ?
I wanted to do the album in an intense period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more fun for people watching , and also because there 's more likely to be some kind of screw-up or error in a short amount of time , which is probably more interesting .
I love that you 're thinking of the social media narrative as well as the music .
Yeah , I mean , some good stuff 's got to happen .
I do n't want it to be seamless !
You typically work very fast , so how far into the project have you got ?
Claws and Forever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three other demos which are definitely going to go on the album .
After that , there 's one other song that 's a maybe .
But I do n't just want to record 10 songs and put them on the album .
I want to record multiple songs and decide which are the main 10 .
Will this change the way you work in the future ?
Definitely .
Part of me is like , `` I do n't know why I have n't made an album like this before '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ still and focusing on my music .
That 's something I never did before .
It was always one million things going on at once , and taking a day here and there to record .
So I think that will change because I love recording like this .
You 're lucky that technology means you can make music like this .
It would n't have been possible 10 or 20 years ago .
100 % .
I would just be lost if I was n't doing this .
And there are a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't work during this time - so , for me , doing this project is also a way to support some of those people , whether that be video editors , or the painters who are doing my artwork , or 3D designers , or video directors .
And I hope that not only will we be able to make some really great art together , but we 'll be able to give back .
My plan is to make three unique artworks for each song and I really want to be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ donate the money to a charity .
Aside from music , what else is keeping you going ?
I just started The Sopranos for the first time .
I 'm on episode nine .
And I 'm balancing Sopranos with Love Island , which I 've never seen before .
So I go back and forth between the two , and that is keeping me sane .
I 've also been painting rocks .
I collect them in the garden and I paint them ; and I 've been enjoying cooking .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before quarantine .
I 'm really into soups right now because I 'm really trying not to be wasteful .
I 'm throwing everything I can into them ... even that weird can at the back of the fridge that 's been there for years .
So if the music career fails , Masterchef beckons ... Actually , my manager sent me a message saying , `` Oh my God , Bon Appétit [ a mega-popular food blog ] mentioned you ! ''
And I was like , `` What ?
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ article and it said , `` Watching Charli XCX try and cook is like watching a child learn a dance routine for the first time '' .
Charli XCX 's album , How I 'm Feeling Now , is scheduled for release on 15 May .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

So now, instead, I'm just singing the whole thing right through. I probably sing each part 30 times and by the 30th one, I'm like, "OK, this one is perfect. All the breaths are in the right place, all the nuances are right, this is the one". But it's a very long process.


bbc--2020-04-25--China and US trade virus conspiracy theories

From the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak , conspiracy theories about the origin and scale of the disease were spread on online platforms .
Among these were the false claim that the virus was part of a Chinese `` covert biological weapons programme '' , and a baseless claim that a Canadian-Chinese spy team had sent coronavirus to Wuhan .
The claim that the virus was man-made has been pushed by numerous conspiracy groups on Facebook , obscure Twitter accounts and even found its way on to primetime Russian state TV .
And months into the outbreak , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but new , unverified claims have been promoted by government officials , senior politicians and media outlets in China and the US .
Zhao Lijian , a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman , has repeatedly promoted the idea - without evidence - that Covid-19 might have originated in the US .
On 12 March , he said in a tweet that it might have been the US army that brought the virus to Wuhan .
A day later , he tweeted an article by the website Global Research headlined `` Further evidence that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and urged users to read and share it .
The article has since been deleted .
Chinese daily The Global Times echoed Mr Zhao 's sentiment .
While stressing the diplomat had made the claim in a `` personal capacity '' , his remarks resonated `` with similar doubts raised by the Chinese public '' , the paper said .
Mr Zhao 's claims have also been amplified by a number of Chinese embassies and social media users in different parts of the world .
• Is there any evidence for lab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialist Kerry Allen said that while Mr Zhao is known for being an outspoken figure - particularly on social media - he has a different persona within mainland China and does not necessarily always represent the view of the leadership .
Founded in 2001 in Canada , Global Research is the website of the Center for Research on Globalization .
According to PolitiFact , a US-based independent fact-checking website , Global Research `` has advanced specious conspiracy theories on topics like 9/11 , vaccines and global warming '' .
The article Mr Zhao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Romanoff , who reiterates the conclusion from his earlier piece - now deleted - that the virus did not originate in China .
But the Chinese research and articles in the magazine Science that he quotes do not actually call into question China being the place where the outbreak started .
Instead , they only suggest that specifically the animal market in Wuhan may not have been the origin of the new coronavirus .
Mr Romanoff also claims that Japanese and Taiwanese scientists `` have determined that the new coronavirus could have originated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conclusion appears to be based on a now debunked Japanese TV report from February and claims made on Taiwanese TV by a pharmacology professor-turned-politician from a pro-Beijing party who Mr Romanoff wrongly describes as a `` top virologist '' on first mention .
Mr Romanoff also claims - without evidence - that the US military germ laboratory in Fort Detrick , Maryland , may have been the original source of the virus .
He adds that `` this would not be a surprise '' since the facility was `` totally shut down '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of safeguards to prevent pathogen leakages '' .
In fact , as the New York Times reported at the time , the facility was not shut down , but only suspended its research , and a spokeswoman said there were `` no leaks of dangerous material outside the laboratory '' .
Mr Romanoff identifies himself as a `` retired management consultant and businessman '' and a `` visiting professor at Shanghai 's Fudan University , presenting case studies in international affairs to senior EMBA classes '' .
According to The Wall Street Journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MBA programmes were unfamiliar with Mr Romanoff .
BBC News asked Fudan University to confirm whether Mr Romanoff had any affiliations to it as a visiting professor but did not get a response .
A frequent contributor to Global Research , most of his writings seem to be critical of the US and supportive of China , including an article in which he described the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests as an `` American-instigated colour revolution '' .
Among several other questionable claims , he told a podcast this month that during its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and did not infect peoples of other origins and racial backgrounds .
BBC News approached Mr Romanoff for comment but did not get any response .
Claims by elements in the Chinese government and media about the US being a possible origin of the virus prompted a response from US President Donald Trump who referred to Covid-19 as a `` Chinese virus '' .
And Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded that China stop spreading `` disinformation '' .
President Trump recently announced that he was going to halt funding for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing it of being `` very China-centric '' .
In response , Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was `` not the time '' to cut funds to the UN agency .
But a number of US politicians and commentators have also made unfounded claims about the origin of the virus .
Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson cited a study raising the possibility that the coronavirus `` accidentally escaped from a lab in Wuhan '' .
And Republican senators Tom Cotton and Ted Cruz have both raised the same prospect .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` pre-print '' , or early draft , by two Chinese researchers - Botao Xiao and Lei Xiao from Guangzhou 's South China University of Technology - and was not formally peer-reviewed .
It concluded that `` the killer coronavirus probably originated from a laboratory in Wuhan '' .
But Mr Xiao has since told the Wall Street Journal that he subsequently withdrew the study .
`` The speculation about the possible origins in the post was based on published papers and media and was not supported by direct proofs , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying .
The Washington Post reported in mid-April that two science diplomats from the US embassy paid several visits to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in 2018 and warned Washington about `` inadequate safety at the lab , which was conducting risky studies on coronaviruses from bats '' .
Jeremy Konyndyk , who led the US government 's response to the Ebola outbreak , tweeted in response to reports about an accidental lab leak : `` The science does n't preclude a lab origin but does indicate it 's quite unlikely . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

But the Chinese research and articles in the magazine Science that he quotes do not actually call into question China being the place where the outbreak started. Instead, they only suggest that specifically the animal market in Wuhan may not have been the origin of the new coronavirus.


bbc--2020-04-25--PSG offer Di Maria as part of Pogba bid - gossip

Paris St-Germain have made a bid for Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba , 27 , including 32-year-old Argentine midfielder Angel di Maria - who had a failed stint at Old Trafford in 2015 - as part of the deal .
( Mail ) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ’ s father Pierre-Francois has seemingly urged the 20-year-old Gabon striker to sign a new contract at Arsenal in an Instagram post of his son signing his first contract at the club .
( Mirror ) Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo , 35 , has pledged to stay at Juventus until 2022 amid rumours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ club Manchester United .
( Sun ) Borussia Dortmund believe they can persuade England winger Jadon Sancho , 20 , to stay at the club despite speculation that a move to Manchester United has been agreed .
( Teamtalk ) Real Madrid president Florentino Perez still dreams of signing Paris St-Germain striker Neymar , according to the 28-year-old Brazilian ’ s agent .
( Goal ) PSG would “ rather let Kylian Mbappe rot on the bench ” than sell the 21-year-old France striker to Real Madrid .
( Sun ) Tottenham manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Belgian defender Thomas Meunier , 28 , in an attempt to secure the full-back ’ s transfer this summer .
( Express ) Leicester City midfielder James Maddison , 23 , told a fan he would be staying at the club , quelling rumours of a move to Manchester United .
( Goal ) Leicester are still interested in Lille striker Victory Osimhen , 21 , but could lose out to Italian sides Juventus and Inter Milan in their pursuit of the Nigerian .
( Mail ) Arsenal will need to qualify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be able to afford Atletico Madrid and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey , 26 .
( Express ) Norwich have agreed a deal to sign 23-year-old Luxembourg forward Danel Sinani from F91 Dudelange on a three-year deal .
( Sky Sports )

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Paris St-Germain have made a bid for Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, including 32-year-old Argentine midfielder Angel di Maria - who had a failed stint at Old Trafford in 2015 - as part of the deal. (Mail on Sunday) external-link
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has phoned the father of Kylian Mbappe to discuss the 21-year-old Paris St-Germain and France striker's next career move. (Le10Sport - in French) external-link
Pari St-Germain would "rather let Kylian Mbappe rot on the bench" than sell the 21-year-old France striker to Real Madrid. (Sun on Sunday) external-link
Everton are set to bid around £12m for AZ Alkamaar's Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, 22, and could also sell Italian striker Moise Keane, 20, to Inter Milan. (Sun on Sunday) external-link
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s father Pierre-Francois has seemingly urged the 30-year-old Gabon striker to sign a new contract at Arsenal in an Instagram post of his son signing his first contract at the club. (Sunday Mirror) external-link
Tottenham have joined the race to sign Barcelona and Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic after the 32-year-old midfielder said he is considering his future at the club. (Mundo Deportivo) external-link
Borussia Dortmund are eyeing English Arsenal defender Bukayo Saka, 18. (Sunday Mirror) external-link
Borussia Dortmund believe they can persuade England winger Jadon Sancho, 20, to stay at the club despite speculation that a move to Manchester United has been agreed. (Teamtalk) external-link
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez still dreams of signing Paris St-Germain striker Neymar, according to the 28-year-old Brazilian’s agent. (Goal) external-link
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has personally called PSG’s Belgian defender Thomas Meunier, 28, in an attempt to secure the full-back’s transfer this summer. (Sunday Express) external-link
Barcelona and Manchester City are interested in Benfica's 22-year-old Portuguese defender Ruben Dias. (Record - in Portuguese) external-link
Who is the greatest British post-war manager? Phil McNulty goes through his shortlist - and you can vote for your choice
Leicester City's England midfielder James Maddison, 23, told a fan he would be staying at the club, quelling rumours of a move to Manchester United. (Goal) external-link
Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are keen on Burnley manager Sean Dyche. (Sun on Sunday) external-link
Leicester are still interested in Lille striker Victory Osimhen, 21, but could lose out to Italian sides Juventus and Inter Milan in their pursuit of the Nigerian. (Mail on Sunday) external-link
Arsenal will need to qualify for next season’s Champions League to be able to afford Atletico Madrid and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 26. (Sunday Express) external-link
Norwich have agreed a deal to sign 23-year-old Luxembourg forward Danel Sinani from F91 Dudelange on a three-year deal. (Sky Sports) external-link


bbc--2020-04-25--Coronavirus: India's circuses struggle to survive the lockdown

Circuses are already a dying art form in India , and the lockdown imposed to spread the curb of the coronavirus has left them barely hanging on for survival .
The BBC 's Chinki Sinha reports .
It is the night of 16 April .
Biju Pushkaran , 50 , is wearing his polka dot overalls , his face painted with white powder , his cheeks reddened with vermilion and lipstick .
Ready , he walks into an empty tent in Airoli , a suburb of the western city of Mumbai .
Rambo Circus , which Biju is a part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 6 March .
But that night they were taking part in a live-streamed show in honour of World Circus Day .
`` We will come in to your homes and make you laugh , '' he announced .
The entire crew performs their routines without an audience to cheer and clap .
But while the show goes on , they know the reality is that the curtain may well fall on them for good .
The performers ran out of food and money soon after India went into lockdown on 24 March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help .
In West Bengal state , Chandranath Banerjee , 61 , has closed the doors on his Olympic Circus and told all 75 members of his troupe to go home , with the promise that he would call them if they `` ever make it out of these dark times '' .
`` They cried , '' he said .
`` We need people to come and see the shows .
With isolation as the new norm , we had to stop . ''
But Jayaprakasan PV , 52 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't want to give up .
Not yet .
In a town called Manargudi in the southern state of Tamil Nadu , his tents stay put .
`` We do n't know what will happen after lockdown is lifted .
Coronavirus has made us wait in the wings for now , '' he said .
• How India ’ s railways are joining the Covid-19 fight Almost two decades ago , India had 23 active circuses , grouped in a national federation , with almost 300 smaller circuses across the country .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of wild animals and children in performances , which led to many of them going bankrupt .
Now , there are less than 10 registered circuses across India and 25 small ones and 1,500 artists including acrobatic teams from the hilly north-eastern state of Manipur .
And it has not been easy .
With many of these troupes dependant on cash transactions , a government move to make high value currency notes illegal in 2016 , hit them hard .
They have written an appeal to the Prime Minister for help , asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ themselves under a Covid-19 vaccine is developed .
They are awaiting a response .
And the situation is not very different around the globe : the world-famous Cirque du Soleil made headlines when it laid off 95 % of its staff last month .
Zsuzsanna Mata , the executive director of the World Circus Federation ( FMC ) , said over email that `` the pandemic has changed the course of history .
Without any income circuses are struggling to assure livelihood for their families , artists and animals . ''
The circus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone forever .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

Now, there are less than 10 registered circuses across India and 25 small ones and 1,500 artists including acrobatic teams from the hilly north-eastern state of Manipur. And it has not been easy. With many of these troupes dependant on cash transactions, a government move to make high value currency notes illegal in 2016, hit them hard.


bbc--2020-04-25--Coronavirus: The different approaches to lockdowns in Africa

African countries have fewer coronavirus cases than much of the world , but weaker healthcare systems do put the continent at risk .
Lockdown measures can help prevent the virus spreading , yet governments have taken very different approaches to imposing restrictions on their populations .
Some , like Ghana , are now easing these measures , concerned about their impact on the poor and because they 've taken other steps against the virus .
Ghana did place lockdown restrictions on its major cities - which it has now largely lifted .
But a ban on social events , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time being .
`` The lockdown was beginning to have a negative impact on the poor who mostly depend on their daily sales to make a living , '' says BBC Ghana correspondent Thomas Naadi .
Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo has said increased testing and improved treatment centres meant they could ease measures .
The Democratic Republic of Congo has also relaxed some restrictions in those parts of its capital city , Kinshasa , that had been badly hit by coronavirus .
And some countries did not implement severe restrictions in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case in mid-March and the government closed education centres , but public and religious gatherings were not prohibited and it only suspended international flights on 11 April .
But this may have come at a cost , according to the World Health Organization .
`` We have observed that physical distancing , including the prohibition of mass gatherings , took some time to happen , '' says Matshidiso Moeti of the WHO .
She adds that this may have been a factor leading to a rapid rise in cases there .
WHO director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they have the capacity to detect , test , isolate and care for any confirmed cases as they ease restrictions .
`` Lifting so-called lockdown restrictions is not the end of the epidemic in any country , it 's just the beginning of the next phase , '' he said .
Many African countries have had experience in combating infectious diseases , and many took tough measures even before they reported outbreaks .
Some 13 countries closed schools before documenting their first cases of Covid-19 .
The South African government has said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April , but is currently enforcing one of the harshest lockdowns anywhere in the world .
It has closed schools and universities , limited hospital and prison visits , and restricted movement to key workers .
All public gatherings apart from funerals are banned - and the army have been deployed to enforce it .
Nigeria , by far Africa 's most populous nation , closed its land borders and banned all international flights in late March .
It then shut down its major cities of Lagos and Abuja , following more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between states .
Zimbabwe did a total lockdown around the same time , although it only had a small number of infections .
Kenya has had a partial lockdown , with travel in and out of major cities banned .
It also had an overnight nationwide curfew , that has resulted in more than 400 arrests for violations .
Are lockdowns the right response in Africa ?
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention , the body that co-ordinates pandemic responses across the continent , told the BBC that lockdowns have played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Without the lockdown we would have seen a more explosive outbreak , '' says director John Nkengasong .
He adds that it 's not just the lockdown itself , but also what else you do during that period .
`` You intensify your testing , your isolation and your contact tracing so that when you unlock the system at least you have created a huge impact on the virus spread . ''
It 's important to say that coronavirus is a much greater risk to older populations , putting particular pressures on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Italy and the UK are about 45 and 40 for example , whereas the average age in sub-Saharan Africa is about 20 .
However , that 's not to say other factors do n't come into play in Africa such as sanitation and limited access to good healthcare .
Some voices have questioned the need for continuing lockdowns , for example the main opposition party in South Africa .
There are economic concerns - Western countries have put huge sums into supporting businesses and social welfare schemes .
But many African countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And overseas remittances , a big source of income , will decrease , further harming local economies .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• CONTAINMENT : What it means to self-isolate • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak There have also been human rights issues raised about the behaviour of some security forces when enforcing restrictions .
Human rights group Amnesty International reported that there 'd been abuses by security forces in South Africa , Kenya , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have expanded police and army power , and for the most part it has led to an increase in police violence and misconduct , '' says Eda Seyhan at Covid State Watch , an organisation monitoring the global abuse of powers during the pandemic .

"There is a need to increase access to testing, tracing, and isolation not only for cities but also beyond as the infection has pushed further inwards to semi-urban and rural areas in some cases," Mr Nwankwor said.


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: New York to allow tests in pharmacies

The US state of New York , the epicentre of the country 's Covid-19 outbreak , will allow pharmacies to carry out tests for the virus , the governor says .
Andrew Cuomo said some 5,000 pharmacies would be able to carry out testing , with the aim to provide 40,000 per day .
The US has more than 938,000 confirmed cases .
Almost a third of the 53,751 deaths happened in New York City alone .
Meanwhile , President Donald Trump did not hold his daily briefing , saying it was not worth his `` time or effort '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter on Saturday , he blamed the media for asking `` nothing but hostile questions '' .
He was heavily criticised after suggesting at Thursday 's White House news conference that disinfectant could potentially be used as a treatment for the virus .
His remarks have been condemned as dangerous by doctors and manufacturers , as disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested .
In New York City , calls to the hotline for exposure to certain household chemicals more than doubled in the 18 hours after Mr Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 for the same time frame last year .
The briefings with Mr Trump and the coronavirus task force could run for more than two hours .
But Thursday 's performance caused embarrassment even among some of his supporters , BBC North America correspondent Peter Bowes says .
Mr Trump 's tweet appears to confirm reports that the conferences may be coming to an end because polls suggest they have not bolstered the president 's popularity among voters , our correspondent adds .
On Friday , the president 's briefing was unusually short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he took no questions from the media .
What measures is New York introducing ?
Governor Cuomo announced on Saturday that antibody screenings would be expanded at four hospitals , beginning with frontline medical workers .
He also said independent pharmacies would be allowed to collect samples for diagnostic tests .
It is part of a drive to find out how widely the virus has spread across the state of 20 million people .
`` Twenty-one days of hell , and now we are back to where we were 21 days ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is what we are compulsively or obsessively focused on now . ''
Healthcare staff and essential workers - such as police officers , firefighters , bus drivers and shop assistants - would be able to get tests even if they did not have any symptoms of infection , he said .
This was important not just for their own safety but also to protect the public , he said .
`` Since we now have more collection sites , more testing capacity , we can open up the eligibility for those tests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the state have also begun to fall , Mr Cuomo said , in what he described as a sign the crisis was starting to subside .
However , the number of deaths announced on Friday increased slightly to 437 - the first time it had risen in four days .
Earlier this week Mr Cuomo said nearly 14 % of 3,000 people in a study had tested positive for the presence of antibodies , suggesting the virus had spread widely throughout the population .
Meanwhile New York City 's Independent Budget Office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loss of 475,000 jobs and leave the city with a budget deficit of nearly $ 10bn ( £8.1bn ) .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• LEADING THE WAY : How California kept ahead of the curve • ON FRONTLINE : The young doctors being asked to play god • REASON TO HOPE : The good that may come out of this crisis What are other states doing ?
On Friday , Georgia , Oklahoma and Alaska allowed certain businesses to reopen despite warnings from experts and President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early and spark another wave of infections .
With unemployment claims reaching 26 million people since mid-March , or around 15 % of the country 's population , many states are feeling the pressure to ease the coronavirus measures .
Meanwhile , large numbers of people headed to beaches in Florida and California on Saturday , according to Reuters news agency .
Florida 's Volusia County , home to Daytona Beach , opened some coastal areas on Saturday to handicapped visitors , part of a phased reopening that has so far limited its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surf , bike or swim .
But residents told Reuters that many people were ignoring the rules .
In California , Governor Gavin Newsom urged those who visit the beach to observe social distancing guidelines .

Hospital admissions in the state have also begun to fall, Mr Cuomo said, in what he described as a sign the crisis was starting to subside. However, the number of deaths announced on Friday increased slightly to 437 - the first time it had risen in four days.


bbc--2020-04-25--Jack Ma: The billionaire trying to stop coronavirus (and fix China's reputation)

The richest man in China opened his own Twitter account last month , in the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak .
So far , every one of his posts has been devoted to his unrivalled campaign to deliver medical supplies to almost every country around the world .
`` One world , one fight ! ''
Jack Ma enthused in one of his first messages .
`` Together , we can do this ! ''
he cheered in another .
The billionaire entrepreneur is the driving force behind a widespread operation to ship medical supplies to more than 150 countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ventilators to many places that have been elbowed out of the global brawl over life-saving equipment .
But Ma 's critics and even some of his supporters are n't sure what he 's getting himself into .
Has this bold venture into global philanthropy unveiled him as the friendly face of China 's Communist Party ?
Or is he an independent player who is being used by the Party for propaganda purposes ?
He appears to be following China 's diplomatic rules , particularly when choosing which countries should benefit from his donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him in the crosshairs of the jealous leaders at the top of China 's political pyramid .
Other tech billionaires have pledged more money to fight the effects of the virus - Twitter 's Jack Dorsey is giving $ 1bn ( £0.8bn ) to the cause .
Candid , a US-based philanthropy watchdog that tracks private charitable donations , puts Alibaba 12th on a list of private Covid-19 donors .
But that list does n't include shipments of vital supplies , which some countries might consider to be more important than money at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No one else other than the effervescent Ma is capable of dispatching supplies directly to those who need them .
Starting in March , the Jack Ma foundation and the related Alibaba foundation began airlifting supplies to Africa , Asia , Europe , Latin America and even to politically sensitive areas including Iran , Israel , Russia and the US .
Ma has also donated millions to coronavirus vaccine research and a handbook of medical expertise from doctors in his native Zhejiang province has been translated from Chinese into 16 languages .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been making headlines , setting Ma apart .
`` He has the ability and the money and the lifting power to get a Chinese supply plane out of Hangzhou to land in Addis Ababa , or wherever it needs to go , '' explains Ma 's biographer , Duncan Clark .
`` This is logistics ; this is what his company , his people and his province are all about . ''
Jack Ma is famous for being the charismatic English teacher who went on to create China 's biggest technology company .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon of the East '' .
Ma started the company inside his tiny apartment in the Chinese coastal city of Hangzhou , in the centre of China 's factory belt , back in 1999 .
Alibaba has since grown to become one of the dominant players in the world 's second largest economy , with key stakes in China 's online , banking and entertainment worlds .
Ma himself is worth more than $ 40bn .
Officially , he stepped down as Alibaba 's chairman in 2018 .
He said he was going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retained a permanent seat on Alibaba 's board .
Coupled with his wealth and fame , he remains one of the most powerful men in China .
It appears that Ma 's donations are following Party guidelines : there is no evidence that any of the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundation donations have gone to countries that have formal ties with Taiwan , China 's neighbour and diplomatic rival .
Ma announced on Twitter that he was donating to 22 countries in Latin America .
States that side with Taiwan but who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Honduras to Haiti - are among the few dozen countries that do not appear to be on the list of 150 countries .
The foundations repeatedly refused to provide a detailed list of countries that have received donations , explaining that `` at this moment in time , we are not sharing this level of detail '' .
• The Chinese doctor who tried to warn about coronavirus However , the donations that have been delivered have certainly generated a lot of goodwill .
With the exception of problematic deliveries to Cuba and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipments dispatched from China appear to have been gratefully received .
That success is giving Ma even more positive attention than usual .
China 's state media has been mentioning Ma almost as often as the country 's autocratic leader , Xi Jinping .
It 's an uncomfortable comparison .
As Ma soaks up praise , Xi faces persistent questions about how he handled the early stages of the virus and where , exactly , the outbreak began .
The Chinese government has dispatched medical teams and donations of supplies to a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and South-East Asia .
However , those efforts have sometimes fallen flat .
China 's been accused of sending faulty supplies to several countries .
In some cases , the tests it sent were being misused but in others , low-quality supplies went unused and the donations backfired .
• China and the virus that threatens everything In contrast , Jack Ma 's shipments have only boosted his reputation .
`` It 's fair to say that Ma 's donation was universally celebrated across Africa , '' says Eric Olander , managing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and podcast .
Ma pledged to visit all countries in Africa and has been a frequent visitor since his retirement .
`` What happens to the materials once they land in a country is up to the host government , so any complaints about how Nigeria 's materials were distributed are indeed a domestic Nigerian issue , '' Olander adds .
`` But with respect to the donation itself , the Rwandan leader , Paul Kagame , called it a `` shot in the arm '' and pretty much everyone saw it for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ badly-needed materials to a region of the world that nobody else is either willing or capable of helping at that scale . ''
But is Ma risking a backlash from Beijing ?
Xi Jinping is n't known as someone who likes to share the spotlight and his government has certainly targeted famous faces before .
In recent years , the country 's top actress , a celebrated news anchor and several other billionaire entrepreneurs have all `` disappeared '' for long periods .
Some , including the news anchor , end up serving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chastened and pledging their allegiance to the Party .
`` There 's a rumour that [ Jack Ma ] stepped down in 2018 from being the chairman of the Alibaba Group because he was seen as a homegrown entrepreneur whose popularity would eclipse that of the Communist Party , '' explains Ashley Feng , research associate at the Centre for New American Security in Washington DC .
Indeed , Ma surprised many when he suddenly announced his retirement in 2018 .
He has denied persistent rumours that Beijing forced him out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's biographer , is also aware of reports that Ma was nudged away from Alibaba following a key incident in January 2017 .
The Chinese billionaire met with then-President-elect Donald Trump in Trump Tower , ostensibly to discuss Sino-US trade .
The Chinese president did n't meet with Trump until months later .
`` There was a lot of speculation of time that Jack Ma had moved too fast , '' Clark says .
`` So , I think there 's lessons learned from both sides on the need to try to coordinate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of entrepreneurial soft power , '' Clark adds .
`` That also creates challenges though , because the government is quite jealous or nervous of non-Party actors taking that kind of role . ''
Technically , Ma is n't a Communist outsider : China 's wealthiest capitalist has actually been a member of the Communist Party since the 1980s , when he was a university student .
But Ma 's always had a tricky relationship with the Party , famously saying that Alibaba 's attitude towards the Party was to `` be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marry it '' .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health Even if Ma and the foundations connected to him are making decisions without Beijing 's advance blessing , the Chinese government has certainly done what it can to capitalise on Ma 's generosity .
Chinese ambassadors are frequently on hand at airport ceremonies to receive the medical supplies shipped over by Ma , from Sierra Leone to Cambodia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largesse in its critiques of the United States .
`` The State Department said Taiwan is a true friend as it donated 2 million masks , '' the Chinese Foreign Ministry tweeted in early April .
`` Wonder if @ StateDept has any comment on Jack Ma 's donation of 1 million masks and 500k testing kits as well as Chinese companies ' and provinces ' assistance ? ''
Perhaps Ma can rise above what 's happened to so many others who ran afoul of the Party .
China might just need a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ma has done what no one else can : make himself indispensable .
`` Here 's the one key takeaway from all that happened with Jack Ma and Africa : he said he would do something and it got done , '' explains Eric Olander .
`` That is an incredibly powerful optic in a place where foreigners often come , make big promises and often fail to deliver .
So , the huge Covid-19 donation that he did fit within that pattern .
He said he would do it and mere weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands of healthcare workers . ''
Duncan Clark argues that Ma already had a seat at China 's high table because of Alibaba 's economic heft .
However , his first-name familiarity with world leaders makes him even more valuable to Beijing as China tries to repair its battered image .
`` He has demonstrated the ability , with multiple IPOs under his belt , and multiple friendships overseas , to win friends and influence people .
He 's the Dale Carnegie of China and that certainly , we 've seen that that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but now it 's almost an all hands on deck situation , '' Clark says .
There 's no doubt that China 's wider reputation is benefiting from the charitable work of Ma and other wealthy Chinese entrepreneurs .
Andrew Grabois from Candid , the philanthropic watchdog that 's been measuring global donations in relation to Covid-19 , says that the private donations coming from China are impossible to ignore .
`` They 're taking a leadership role , the kind of thing that used to be done by the United States , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious past example is the response to Ebola , the Ebola outbreak in 2014 .
The US sent in doctors and everything to West Africa to help contain that virus before it left West Africa . ''
Chinese donors are taking on that role with this virus .
`` They are projecting soft power beyond their borders , going into areas , providing aid , monetary aid and expertise , '' Grabois adds .
So , it 's not the right time for Beijing to stand in Jack Ma 's way .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis for the world right now , '' Duncan Clark concludes .
`` But obviously , it 's also a crisis for China 's relationship with the rest of the world .
So they need anybody who can help dampen down some of these those pressures . ''

It appears that Ma's donations are following Party guidelines: there is no evidence that any of the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundation donations have gone to countries that have formal ties with Taiwan, China's neighbour and diplomatic rival. Ma announced on Twitter that he was donating to 22 countries in Latin America. States that side with Taiwan but who have also called for medical supplies - from Honduras to Haiti - are among the few dozen countries that do not appear to be on the list of 150 countries. The foundations repeatedly refused to provide a detailed list of countries that have received donations, explaining that "at this moment in time, we are not sharing this level of detail".


bbc--2020-04-25--Surviving deadly Everest avalanche

Surviving deadly Everest avalanche

Five years ago on 25 April , a devastating earthquake hit Nepal , which shook the whole country .
More @ @ @ @ @ , and hundreds of thousands lost their homes .
BBC journalist Aamir Peerzada was filming @ @ @ @ @ glacier of Mount Everest when the earthquake struck .
It triggered multiple avalanches at Everest @ @ @ @ @ 22 people there and injuring dozens more .
This is his story of survival .

Five years ago on 25 April, a devastating earthquake hit Nepal, which shook the whole country. More than 8,000 people were killed, and hundreds of thousands lost their homes.
BBC journalist Aamir Peerzada was filming a documentary film on Khumbu glacier of Mount Everest when the earthquake struck. It triggered multiple avalanches at Everest base camp, killing around 22 people there and injuring dozens more.
This is his story of survival.


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Naomi Campbell and African artists entertain fans online

Supermodels like Naomi Campbell , along with many musicians and artists , have taken to live streaming to entertain their @ @ @ @ @ .
With lockdowns and curfews imposed in several countries across Africa , people have been @ @ @ @ @ .
BBC Africa spoke to several high-profile personalities about their live-stream experiences and how it @ @ @ @ @ their fans .

Supermodels like Naomi Campbell, along with many musicians and artists, have taken to live streaming to entertain their fans during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With lockdowns and curfews imposed in several countries across Africa, people have been feeling the effects of isolation.
BBC Africa spoke to several high-profile personalities about their live-stream experiences and how it's helping them connect with their fans.
Video producers: Njoroge Muigai and Princess Abumere


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: 'Myth' that Sweden has not taken 'serious steps'

The deputy prime minister of Sweden , Isabella Lovin , has said it was a `` myth '' that the @ @ @ @ @ serious steps '' to address the coronavirus pandemic .
There is no official lockdown in @ @ @ @ @ the vast majority of the population have taken to voluntary social distancing .
Speaking to @ @ @ @ @ , Ms Lovin said measures that were too harsh could not be sustained over time @

The deputy prime minister of Sweden, Isabella Lovin, has said it was a "myth" that the country has not taken "serious steps" to address the coronavirus pandemic.
There is no official lockdown in Sweden, and data suggests the vast majority of the population have taken to voluntary social distancing.
Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr, Ms Lovin said measures that were too harsh could not be sustained over time.


bbc--2020-04-26--UK PM's return to work 'a boost for the country'

Boris Johnson 's return to work on Monday after more than three weeks out of action will be a `` boost for the country '' , his deputy has said .
The prime minister will resume full-time duties in Downing Street after a fortnight recovering from coronavirus .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab , who has been standing in for him during his absence , said he was `` raring to go '' .
The PM spent a week in hospital , including three nights in intensive care , after being admitted on 5 April .
During his hospitalisation , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breathing .
After he was discharged on 12 April , Mr Johnson suggested his condition `` could have gone either way '' and praised the staff at St Thomas Hospital in central London who looked after him .
He has not been doing any official government work during his convalescence at Chequers , on medical advice .
• Live : Latest from around the world • How long does it take to recover from coronavirus ?
• Raab : UK must find 'new normal ' to ease lockdown • Boris Johnson was 'just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week he spoke to the Queen and US President Donald Trump and also met senior ministers , including Mr Raab and Chancellor Rishi Sunak , to discuss the next stage of the UK 's response to the pandemic .
Mr Raab told the BBC 's Andrew Marr that it was good to have the prime minister back and his return would be a `` boost for the government and a boost for the country '' .
The foreign secretary , who as first secretary of state is the second most senior member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil servants for `` stepping up to the plate '' during the PM 's absence .
Asked whether he had enjoyed the experience of temporarily running the country , he said this `` did not do justice '' to the task he had been faced with and his thoughts throughout had been with Mr Johnson and his family , `` particularly when we knew it was touch and go '' .
On Saturday , the number of recorded UK hospital deaths of people with the virus exceeded 20,000 .
These figures do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community .
Mr Raab said it was a `` grim milestone '' but defended the government 's handling of the crisis , saying the death toll would have been higher if ministers had not followed scientific advice and made key decisions at the right time .
While the UK was `` not in the place '' it wanted to be in terms of supplies of protective kit to NHS workers , he insisted it was doing all it could and the UK was the `` international buyer of choice '' amid a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Johnson well on his return but said he urgently needs to give more detail about his approach to easing aspects of the current lockdown next month , if it is deemed safe to do so .
Labour 's Rachel Reeves said the UK should `` potentially '' be following the example of countries like Belgium , Germany and Denmark which have already signalled partial re-opening of some businesses and schools .
`` We want to work with the government in bringing forward a plan and getting it right , '' she told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sophy Ridge show , the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham suggested businesses , including shops , should only be allowed to open if they followed strict social distancing rules .
The ex-Labour minister said such a `` standards-based '' approach could be enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and would be fairer than favouring different sectors of the economy or parts of the country .

Asked whether he had enjoyed the experience of temporarily running the country, he said this "did not do justice" to the task he had been faced with and his thoughts throughout had been with Mr Johnson and his family, "particularly when we knew it was touch and go".


bbc--2020-04-26--Per Olov Enquist: Swedish author dies at the age of 85

One of Sweden 's best-known authors , Per Olov Enquist , has died aged 85 .
His career spanned more than half a century , and his work won acclaim not just in his native country but across Europe , especially France and Germany .
Enquist 's plays and novels - described as pessimistic in their outlook - often deal with questions of truth , and the blurred lines between fact and fiction .
The film Pelle the Conqueror , whose screenplay he helped write , won an Oscar for best foreign-language film .
Born in 1934 in northern Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plays and essays which have been translated into more than a dozen languages and won a number of awards at home and abroad .
The Visit of the Royal Physician - which won Sweden 's top literary honour in 1999 , the August Prize - earned him broad international acclaim .
It tells the story of a romance between the physician of the mad Danish King Christian VII and the queen , youngest sister of George III of England .
Enquist won a second August award for his autobiography A Different Life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Visit of the Royal Physician - which won Sweden's top literary honour in 1999, the August Prize - earned him broad international acclaim. It tells the story of a romance between the physician of the mad Danish King Christian VII and the queen, youngest sister of George III of England.


bbc--2020-04-26--Yemen war: Separatists declare autonomous rule in south

Separatists in southern Yemen have declared self-rule , breaking a peace deal signed in November with the internationally recognised government .
The Aden-based Southern Transitional Council ( STC ) declared a state of emergency , saying it would govern the port city and other southern provinces .
The STC is supported by the United Arab Emirates .
The Saudi-backed Yemeni government warned of `` dangerous and catastrophic consequences '' .
`` The announcement by the so-called transitional council of its intention to establish a southern administration is a resumption of its armed insurgency ... and an announcement of its rejection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Foreign Minister Mohammed Al-Hadhrami said in a statement .
The two sides signed a power-sharing deal that was described by the UN as an important step towards ending Yemen 's civil war .
• Why is there a war in Yemen ?
A Saudi-led coalition launched a military intervention in support of the Yemeni government in 2015 , after Houthi rebels seized the capital Sanaa .
The UAE is a member of the coalition but supports the southern separatists .
In August last year , the STC took over the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accusing the administration of mismanagement .
Why is there a war in Yemen ?
Yemen has been devastated by a conflict that escalated in March 2015 , when the Houthis seized control of much of the west of the country and forced President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi to flee abroad .
Alarmed by the rise of a group they believed to be backed militarily by Iran , Saudi Arabia and eight other Arab states began a campaign aimed at restoring Mr Hadi 's government .
At the start of the war , Saudi officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few weeks .
But five years of military stalemate have followed .
The UN has verified the deaths of at least 7,500 civilians , with most caused by coalition air strikes .
But a monitoring group has estimated that the fighting has killed 112,000 people , including 12,600 civilians .
The fighting and blockade have also triggered the world 's worst humanitarian crisis .
Some 24 million people - 80 % of the population - need humanitarian assistance , and almost 10 million are considered `` one step away from famine '' .

This dangerous turn again highlights competing agendas of two Arab allies. The UAE, the STC's main foreign backer, has long been suspicious of Islamist elements in the Saudi-backed Hadi government, and frustrated by its performance. But the STC has also carefully courted the Saudis, especially since last year when the UAE pulled most of its own forces out of this messy conflict.


bbc--2020-04-25--Coronavirus: The father of 13 self isolating with Covid-19

When lockdown measures were first announced , Roy and Emma Hann gave their children strict routines and organised family activities in a valiant effort to maintain order .
The Hanns from Dundee are known as one of Scotland 's largest families - and with 10 of their 13 children living at home , their household was large enough to form two basketball teams .
Despite the parents ' best efforts , all order `` went out the window '' after the novelty wore off .
Shattered nerves and bickering ensued as the family tried to cope with a less-than-peaceful new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday when they learned Roy had tested positive for Covid-19 .
`` I 'm a few days in and it 's very mild , '' said Roy , a nurse practitioner at Ninewells Hospital .
`` I was really surprised when I tested positive .
`` I 'm around so many Covid patients but I wear protective equipment and we 're very proactive with testing in Tayside - so much so we 're now listed as a hotspot .
`` But we joke in work you 're more likely to catch it from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for being off . ''
'We joke we 'll have herd immunity' The Hann household is now going through a 14-day quarantine - apart from Roy who will isolate for seven days .
While the 50-year-old has type 2 diabetes , he says he generally keeps `` very well '' - he expects to return to full health and is keen to get back on the frontline of the pandemic .
`` My life had n't really changed , I just get to see my children more , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , it makes me feel more confident about going back to work .
`` There 's so many in our house , we joke we 're going for herd immunity . ''
With Roy in the house full-time , family life has become more manageable for café owner Emma - but it 's not without its challenges .
The Hann children 's ages range from five to 28 - at one stage the family got through 50 pints of milk , 21 loaves of bread and five large boxes of cereal each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supermarkets and caps on products , buying food is more difficult than ever .
`` The fact that we 're a big family means social distancing guidelines are challenging for us , '' said Emma .
`` To go to the shop and only buy three of an item means we need to go more often which exposes us more .
To me it 's quite a daunting situation . ''
With work on hiatus , Emma 's sole focus is looking after her children - her 28 years of experience has stood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressures of lockdown life have occasionally been overwhelming .
She said : `` I went a walk the day before Roy tested positive and I started to hit a wall - I started crying .
`` I thought I 'm done and I just wanted a break because it was too hard .
`` Weirdly the next morning when I told the family about Roy , they all took a bit of a moment - the last couple of days everyone has been pulling together a bit more . ''
• Scotland 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With their sense of togetherness renewed , the Hanns continue to play basketball most nights in their garden .
It 's a simple pleasure - but one that has made all the difference .
`` We feel very privileged , '' Emma said .
`` We 're very aware we have a garden .
We 've been in a situation where we had five kids in a flat and the idea of doing that now is terrible .
`` I thought at the beginning of lockdown that structure would get me through it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't work like that .
`` My 14-year-old son is on his X-box for most of the night , while my daughter gets up at 6am to work from home - I did n't like it at first but it 's actually easier to feed people in shifts .
`` It 's better to be flexible , we just have to do what we can . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • WHAT WE DO N'T @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

"To go to the shop and only buy three of an item means we need to go more often which exposes us more. To me it's quite a daunting situation."


bbc--2020-04-26--Coronavirus: Minecraft virtual nightclub raises money for NHS

With the country in lockdown , friends Jordan Hooper , Jaymz Goodman and Elijah Woakes were missing going to their @ @ @ @ @ In order to entertain themselves at home they decided to recreate it in Minecraft .
@ @ @ @ @ creation on social media they were overwhelmed with the response .
So , they decided @ @ @ @ @ virtual night out on Minecraft , asking players to join their server for a small @ @ @ @ @ nightclub in Birmingham matched the donations and the boys raised more than £2,000 for NHS @ @ @

With the country in lockdown, friends Jordan Hooper, Jaymz Goodman and Elijah Woakes were missing going to their favourite nightclub in Birmingham.
In order to entertain themselves at home they decided to recreate it in Minecraft.
After posting pictures of their creation on social media they were overwhelmed with the response.
So, they decided to host their very own virtual night out on Minecraft, asking players to join their server for a small donation to charity.
Snobs nightclub in Birmingham matched the donations and the boys raised more than £2,000 for NHS Charities Together.
Video journalist: Yusaf Akbar


bbc--2020-04-25--Moise Kean: Everton 'appalled' at 'lockdown breach' incident

Everton said they were `` appalled '' after images emerged appearing to show striker Moise Kean at a house party .
The Daily Star Sunday reported that Italian Kean , 20 , filmed himself at the party in his apartment .
Everton said they were `` appalled to learn of an incident in which a first-team player ignored government guidance and club policy in relation to the coronavirus crisis '' .
The club has `` strongly expressed its disappointment to the player . ''
In a statement , Everton added : `` Everton has regularly stressed the importance of following @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and advice for inside and outside of the home - through a series of official communications to all staff members , including players .
`` The amazing people in the NHS deserve the utmost respect for their hard work and sacrifice .
The best way to show them respect is by doing everything we can to protect them . ''
As of Saturday evening , more than 20,000 people have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals , according to the Department of Health .
• Coronavirus : What exactly is social distancing ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ five key tests for easing lockdown ?
Kean has had a disappointing first season at Everton following a £25.1m summer move from Juventus , having scored only one Premier League goal .
The striker was dropped from the squad for a game at Southampton in November by then manager Marco Silva as a disciplinary measure after being late for a team meeting for the second time .
Kean is the latest Premier League player to breach lockdown guidelines .
Kyle Walker is waiting on any disciplinary action from Manchester City after reportedly breaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two sex workers .
Tottenham 's Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko apologised for training together despite the coronavirus restrictions .
And manager Jose Mourinho `` accepted his actions were not in line with protocol '' after being pictured holding a one-on-one training session in a park with midfielder Tanguy Ndombele .

Last updated on .From the section Everton
Moise Kean joined Everton from Italian champions Juventus for £25.1m in the summer
Everton said they were "appalled" after images emerged appearing to show striker Moise Kean at a house party.
The Daily Star Sunday reported external-link that Italian Kean, 20, filmed himself at the party in his apartment.
Everton said they were "appalled to learn of an incident in which a first-team player ignored government guidance and club policy in relation to the coronavirus crisis".
The club has "strongly expressed its disappointment to the player".
In a statement, Everton added: "Everton has regularly stressed the importance of following all the government guidelines - including rules and advice for inside and outside of the home - through a series of official communications to all staff members, including players.
"The amazing people in the NHS deserve the utmost respect for their hard work and sacrifice. The best way to show them respect is by doing everything we can to protect them."
As of Saturday evening, more than 20,000 people have died with coronavirus in UK hospitals, according to the Department of Health.
Kean has had a disappointing first season at Everton following a £25.1m summer move from Juventus, having scored only one Premier League goal.
The striker was dropped from the squad for a game at Southampton in November by then manager Marco Silva as a disciplinary measure after being late for a team meeting for the second time.
Kean is the latest Premier League player to breach lockdown guidelines.
Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish was pictured at the scene of a car accident, after going to "see a friend". He apologised and said he was "deeply embarrassed".
Kyle Walker is waiting on any disciplinary action from Manchester City after reportedly breaking lockdown rules by hosting a party involving two sex workers.
Tottenham's Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko apologised for training together despite the coronavirus restrictions. And manager Jose Mourinho "accepted his actions were not in line with protocol" after being pictured holding a one-on-one training session in a park with midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.
And Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount was pictured having a kickabout with West Ham's Declan Rice despite team-mate Callum Hudson-Odoi testing positive for coronavirus and Mount being told to self-isolate for 14 days.