bbc--2020-04-22--The humble and high altitude secret to athletic success

Growing up , running for Kipchoge was functional .
Schoolchildren in Kenya often run long distances without thinking anything about it , and he would run to school and back every day , also repeating the journey at lunch .
`` You do n't know you are running because it is a must , '' says Kipchoge .
But in 2002 at the age of 18 his life was changed forever when his now-coach Patrick Sang offered him a training plan to channel his obvious talent .
The only problem ?
He did n't have a pen .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan for 10 days down on my arm , '' Kipchoge says .
`` Then I just crammed it in my head , rushed home and got a pen and paper to write down what he had told me while it was fresh in my mind . ''
Eighteen years later , Kipchoge - now 35 and a multi-millionaire thanks to his incredible athletic success , the first person to run the marathon distance in under two hours - has unsurprisingly long since replaced the stick and arm method with a training journal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same .
The life Kipchoge lives is a simple one , as free from distractions as possible .
The setting is the remote Kenyan village of Kaptagat .
The first thing that strikes you is the quiet .
It 's taken a 24-hour journey from the UK , with three plane rides and multiple taxis , to reach Kipchoge 's camp .
We 're a long way from the hustle and bustle of city life .
The bright orange dust roads that surround the camp are bumpy and rutted .
But inside the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green and smooth .
A host of people mill around - at any given time up to 30 athletes live and train here - but the atmosphere is slow and tranquil .
If it were n't for the rows and rows of £200 Nike Vaporfly shoes on racks outside the two dormitories ( one for men , one for women ) you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a Buddhist retreat .
Kipchoge 's weekly routine is certainly monastic .
From Monday to Saturday every week , running is a religion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being only a short drive away in the family home , Kipchoge chooses to spend the week in a basic room in the dormitories here .
There is one nod to his celebrity status - he has his own room while everyone else shares .
But other than that life is spartan .
`` Our life here is simple , very simple , '' he says .
`` Get up in the morning , go for a run , come back .
If it is a day for cleaning , we do the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then go for lunch , massage , the 4 o'clock run , evening tea , relax , go to sleep .
As simple as that . ''
Kaptagat has performance benefits in terms of its altitude .
It is 8,000 feet above sea level .
But the back-to-basics attitude is its real secret weapon .
When Sang set it up in 2002 , it was expected to serve as a base for juniors and up-and-coming athletes - not become the permanent home for the greatest marathon runner of all time .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was established they would live outside , but then athletes said no , we want to stay , '' Valentijn Trouw - Kipchoge 's long-time manager and confidant - has said .
• Watch on BBC One on Saturday Kipchoge 's ability to lead by example in competition is obvious .
The official marathon world record-holder , and since then the first man ever to run the distance under two hours , has a CV that includes a complete set of Olympic medals : from Athens 2004 ( 5,000m bronze ) , Beijing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 ( marathon gold ) .
He has won 11 of his 12 marathons since he switched to the road in 2013 .
But spending time in Kaptagat - and in a rare interview with his wife Grace - you get a greater sense of who Kipchoge is away from racing .
He and Grace met through her brother Amos - one of Kipchoge 's best friends .
It was his `` silent and humble '' qualities that attracted her .
`` At home he is fun and runs around the house playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strict on time , '' says Grace , who also revealed that the family spend Sundays watching Formula 1 together .
`` The children know that .
And I also know that .
I always keep time .
It is very important , especially on Sundays around going to church .
It starts at nine .
But by 8.30 we leave the house .
It is a lot of time because it is only a five-minute drive . ''
Kenyan athletics has seen a number of stories of highly successful athletes celebrating perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried away by fame .
Kipchoge is adamant he will never have his head turned .
`` I do n't have extra money to actually make my mind go haywire , '' says Kipchoge .
`` I am a human being and I stay as a human being .
Money stays away .
I 'm not working with money ; money is in the bank .
I want to live a simple life . ''
Kipchoge 's idea of a weekend blowout is to go to his small farm where he keeps cows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit to Eldoret town , about 25km away , pet shop owner Mike Kiplagat describes his monthly visits to buy animal feed .
`` He arrives on the back of a motorbike taxi , comes in , makes his purchase and then leaves .
He is a legend but is so humble . ''
Kipchoge says : `` Animals are good for being around , especially after training - you go to animals and you feel relaxed .
You can refresh your mind . ''
His incredible cardiovascular fitness actually has its origins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to and from school , the teenage Kipchoge used to earn money by transporting milk on a bike .
He would ride a 40km round trip from his family home to a nearby town - collecting and then selling milk from farmers .
These character-building cycling trips immediately come to mind when watching Thursday 's long run - and not just because the distance covered is the same .
It is 5.30am and still nearly pitch black .
Kipchoge and the rest of the training group make their way to the camp gates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the week .
Very few words are spoken , but as we approach the gates there is a real buzz in the air .
Despite the fact that the sun is yet to rise , a crowd of at least 50 ( and rising ) is already waiting by the road .
They are not autograph-hunters but budding local athletes , eager to catch the eye by proving they can keep pace with the greatest marathon runner of all time .
Late in 2019 I had breakfast with Kipchoge on the morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Year Awards .
He assembled an incredible plate of food - fried bread , black pudding , eggs , beans , sausage… and croissants for dipping .
`` British breakfasts are the best in the world , '' he said between mouthfuls .
This morning he is about to take on his longest run of the week having eaten nothing .
Watching the session from a minivan trailing behind , coach Sang provides insight from the front seat .
`` We have had athletes come to the long runs like this who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
At our first stop to watch the athletes fly by , one runner , in his eagerness to impress , is miles ahead of the main pack .
`` Look at this madman , '' Sang laughs .
Kipchoge 's face is stern , a picture of concentration , when he passes a minute later , as it is throughout the two-hour run .
`` He has never missed a session .
Not one , '' says Sang .
It 's an incredible statement given the two have worked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistency is arguably Kipchoge 's most remarkable quality .
Marathon running is a notoriously tough sport .
Injuries are commonplace as the workload is often over 100 miles a week .
But it was actually a hamstring problem as a track athlete in 2012 that prompted Kipchoge to switch to marathon running after he failed to qualify for the London Olympics - and he has not had a major injury since .
How is that possible ?
`` Staying fit is really hard , '' says physio Peter Nduhiu .
`` But Eliud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on him .
If he feels an issue , he will come to me straight away after a run before even going back to his room and we can nip it in the bud .
This body that we have , if you treat it well it will treat you well .
If you mishandle it , then it will misbehave . ''
By the time the athletes return to the camp , the group of around 100 that started the run has been whittled down to five .
Kipchoge , predictably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afterwards .
As we walk back to the camp , our conversation again turns to bikes .
After becoming the first man in history to run under two hours in Vienna last October , Kipchoge was given a road bike by Ineos , financial backers behind the sub two-hour marathon event .
Since then he has been riding it around the countryside surrounding Eldoret at the weekends .
Typically for Kipchoge , he 's taking it quite seriously .
He tells me he has a 300km ride lined up for later in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought , that will be OK , right ? ''
he says .
Even for Kipchoge , and his catchphrase 'No human is limited ' , I suggest 100km/h on the dirt roads of Eldoret might be a stretch .
`` Maybe four then , '' he concedes .
Kipchoge 's `` moon-landing '' moment in becoming the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours is not a world record because , among other things , he used pacemakers who swapped in and out during the event .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1:59 in Vienna , Kipchoge said to Nduhiu : `` Now , the next thing .
Make it official . ''
Nduhiu has a take on Kipchoge 's ability to set , and achieve , goals .
`` I think he has left his world limitless so he can settle his mind on anything and go for it , '' he says .
`` For as long as he remains healthy and as strong-minded as he is , he will take on anything .
Anything .
It would n't be out of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a normal course .
He has everything it takes to deliver it . ''
Kipchoge has not gone public with his desire to produce a sub-two hour marathon in regular race conditions , but there were rumours he was planning to attempt it at the London Marathon , scheduled to have taken place this coming Sunday but postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Coronavirus has also put paid , for now , to the Olympic Games in Tokyo where Kipchoge was due to defend his title .
Wife Grace hinted during our conversation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swansong .
However he has said in the wake of the Olympics ' postponement that he will defend his title in Japan in 2021 instead .
He will be 36 .
A second Olympic gold would send the already world-famous Kipchoge on to another level .
But it 's unlikely to change him - or his pursuit of a low-key life at his high-altitude training base .
`` Vienna felt like a career climax for me - it was a feeling like no other , '' Nduhiu says .
`` If it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record , there would have been a carnival .
But what did Eliud do ?
He came back to camp , had a cup of tea with the team and just started again .
`` People were mad - they asked how can he do that ?
Who does that ?
But Eliud is quiet - that is it .
You will not disrupt his schedule .
He will not allow you to . ''
The 18-year-old who wrote that first training schedule down with a stick has become one of the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the goals remain simple - and humble .
`` The most important thing to me is inspiration , not fame , '' Kipchoge says .
`` It is not about becoming famous but diffusing that inspiration to every human being .
My happiness is meeting people and they say to me : 'No human is limited . '
`` That makes me so happy . ''

Kipchoge can be joined by 50 or more other athletes on weekly long runs
In the lush green gardens of Eliud Kipchoge's training retreat in the Kenyan highlands, the greatest distance runner of all time is describing the dusty beginnings to his sparkling career.
Growing up, running for Kipchoge was functional. Schoolchildren in Kenya often run long distances without thinking anything about it, and he would run to school and back every day, also repeating the journey at lunch.
"You don't know you are running because it is a must," says Kipchoge.
But in 2002 at the age of 18 his life was changed forever when his now-coach Patrick Sang offered him a training plan to channel his obvious talent. The only problem? He didn't have a pen.
"I just got a stick and wrote the plan for 10 days down on my arm," Kipchoge says. "Then I just crammed it in my head, rushed home and got a pen and paper to write down what he had told me while it was fresh in my mind."
Eighteen years later, Kipchoge - now 35 and a multi-millionaire thanks to his incredible athletic success, the first person to run the marathon distance in under two hours - has unsurprisingly long since replaced the stick and arm method with a training journal.
But many things have remained the same. The life Kipchoge lives is a simple one, as free from distractions as possible. The setting is the remote Kenyan village of Kaptagat.
The first thing that strikes you is the quiet.
It's taken a 24-hour journey from the UK, with three plane rides and multiple taxis, to reach Kipchoge's camp. We're a long way from the hustle and bustle of city life.
The bright orange dust roads that surround the camp are bumpy and rutted. But inside the gates, the grass is lush, green and smooth. A host of people mill around - at any given time up to 30 athletes live and train here - but the atmosphere is slow and tranquil.
If it weren't for the rows and rows of £200 Nike Vaporfly shoes on racks outside the two dormitories (one for men, one for women) you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a Buddhist retreat.
Kipchoge's weekly routine is certainly monastic. From Monday to Saturday every week, running is a religion. Despite his wife and three children being only a short drive away in the family home, Kipchoge chooses to spend the week in a basic room in the dormitories here. There is one nod to his celebrity status - he has his own room while everyone else shares. But other than that life is spartan.
"Our life here is simple, very simple," he says. "Get up in the morning, go for a run, come back. If it is a day for cleaning, we do the cleaning, or we just relax. Then go for lunch, massage, the 4 o'clock run, evening tea, relax, go to sleep. As simple as that."
Running trainers lie next to brooms and mops outside the front door to the main building
Kaptagat has performance benefits in terms of its altitude. It is 8,000 feet above sea level. But the back-to-basics attitude is its real secret weapon.
When Sang set it up in 2002, it was expected to serve as a base for juniors and up-and-coming athletes - not become the permanent home for the greatest marathon runner of all time.
"It was in our mind that when somebody was established they would live outside, but then athletes said no, we want to stay," Valentijn Trouw - Kipchoge's long-time manager and confidant - has said.
A week's stay at camp Kipchoge is formulaic. The training diary is set in stone - two sessions a day, the most of important of which come on Tuesdays (track), Thursdays (long run) and Saturdays (interval training). The second session of the day is the afternoon 10km run. It is known as a recovery run. It certainly didn't feel that way to me when I was invited along one afternoon.
A camp cook prepares the daily meals, which have a similarly rigid structure. Dinner, for example, is always at 7.30pm. And it always features ugali, the ubiquitous Kenyan maize flour porridge dish. The kitchen is tiny and basic, one stove with two hobs. There is meat slow-cooking in a battered pot when I put my head around the door. Adjacent is an equally basic dining room which has a bedraggled poster on the walls with the quote: "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
Watch on BBC One on Saturday - Eliud Kipchoge: My Sub-Two Hour Marathon
It feels like a low-budget hostel. But as Geoffrey Kamworor, the half-marathon world record-holder who lives and trains alongside Kipchoge, explains, its minimalism is its allure.
"I think being in the camp is something good for us," he says. "We are away from our families so that brings one focus. It is only running.
"We value running as like our office. It's something we have to take care of, work for, have passion for and respect for."
That respect extends to the camp at large. They have a president, voted for by the 30 residents, and elect subcommittees to make key community decisions. "I don't think he has actually," is coach Sang's jovial response when asked whether Kipchoge has ever served as president.
Regardless, for everybody here, Kipchoge is the undisputed "boss man", even if he winces when asked about the nickname.
"They call me it but I always discourage them," he says. "When you become a boss, you don't think straight. It's better to be a leader than a boss. That is why I do my share of the cleaning. That is how to show the way to young people. I am trusting that I am leading them in a good way."
Kipchoge has three Olympic medals to his name - but failed to qualify for London 2012
Kipchoge's ability to lead by example in competition is obvious.
The official marathon world record-holder, and since then the first man ever to run the distance under two hours, has a CV that includes a complete set of Olympic medals: from Athens 2004 (5,000m bronze), Beijing 2008 (5,000m silver) and Rio 2016 (marathon gold). He has won 11 of his 12 marathons since he switched to the road in 2013.
But spending time in Kaptagat - and in a rare interview with his wife Grace - you get a greater sense of who Kipchoge is away from racing.
He and Grace met through her brother Amos - one of Kipchoge's best friends. It was his "silent and humble" qualities that attracted her.
"At home he is fun and runs around the house playing with the children but he is always strict on time," says Grace, who also revealed that the family spend Sundays watching Formula 1 together.
"The children know that. And I also know that. I always keep time. It is very important, especially on Sundays around going to church. It starts at nine. But by 8.30 we leave the house. It is a lot of time because it is only a five-minute drive."
'I want to live a simple life,' Kipchoge says
Kenyan athletics has seen a number of stories of highly successful athletes celebrating perhaps a little too much, or getting carried away by fame. Kipchoge is adamant he will never have his head turned.
"I don't have extra money to actually make my mind go haywire," says Kipchoge. "I am a human being and I stay as a human being. Money stays away. I'm not working with money; money is in the bank. I want to live a simple life."
Kipchoge's idea of a weekend blowout is to go to his small farm where he keeps cows, sheep and chickens. On a visit to Eldoret town, about 25km away, pet shop owner Mike Kiplagat describes his monthly visits to buy animal feed. "He arrives on the back of a motorbike taxi, comes in, makes his purchase and then leaves. He is a legend but is so humble."
Kipchoge says: "Animals are good for being around, especially after training - you go to animals and you feel relaxed. You can refresh your mind."
His incredible cardiovascular fitness actually has its origins in farming. As well as running to and from school, the teenage Kipchoge used to earn money by transporting milk on a bike. He would ride a 40km round trip from his family home to a nearby town - collecting and then selling milk from farmers.
These character-building cycling trips immediately come to mind when watching Thursday's long run - and not just because the distance covered is the same.
Kipchoge and other runners gather early for their longest run of the week
It is 5.30am and still nearly pitch black. Kipchoge and the rest of the training group make their way to the camp gates to assemble for the most testing run of the week. Very few words are spoken, but as we approach the gates there is a real buzz in the air.
Despite the fact that the sun is yet to rise, a crowd of at least 50 (and rising) is already waiting by the road. They are not autograph-hunters but budding local athletes, eager to catch the eye by proving they can keep pace with the greatest marathon runner of all time.
Late in 2019 I had breakfast with Kipchoge on the morning of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards. He assembled an incredible plate of food - fried bread, black pudding, eggs, beans, sausage… and croissants for dipping.
"British breakfasts are the best in the world," he said between mouthfuls.
This morning he is about to take on his longest run of the week having eaten nothing. Watching the session from a minivan trailing behind, coach Sang provides insight from the front seat. "We have had athletes come to the long runs like this who have then been invited to the camp," he says.
At our first stop to watch the athletes fly by, one runner, in his eagerness to impress, is miles ahead of the main pack. "Look at this madman," Sang laughs.
Kipchoge's face is stern, a picture of concentration, when he passes a minute later, as it is throughout the two-hour run. "He has never missed a session. Not one," says Sang. It's an incredible statement given the two have worked together for nearly 20 years.
That consistency is arguably Kipchoge's most remarkable quality. Marathon running is a notoriously tough sport. Injuries are commonplace as the workload is often over 100 miles a week. But it was actually a hamstring problem as a track athlete in 2012 that prompted Kipchoge to switch to marathon running after he failed to qualify for the London Olympics - and he has not had a major injury since. How is that possible?
"Staying fit is really hard," says physio Peter Nduhiu. "But Eliud makes it easy for me to work on him. If he feels an issue, he will come to me straight away after a run before even going back to his room and we can nip it in the bud. This body that we have, if you treat it well it will treat you well. If you mishandle it, then it will misbehave."
By the time the athletes return to the camp, the group of around 100 that started the run has been whittled down to five.
Kipchoge, predictably, leads the handful - and the handshakes afterwards. As we walk back to the camp, our conversation again turns to bikes.
After becoming the first man in history to run under two hours in Vienna last October, Kipchoge was given a road bike by Ineos, financial backers behind the sub two-hour marathon event. Since then he has been riding it around the countryside surrounding Eldoret at the weekends.
Typically for Kipchoge, he's taking it quite seriously. He tells me he has a 300km ride lined up for later in the year. "Under three hours I thought, that will be OK, right?" he says.
Even for Kipchoge, and his catchphrase 'No human is limited', I suggest 100km/h on the dirt roads of Eldoret might be a stretch. "Maybe four then," he concedes.
Kipchoge has said he will defend his Olympic title next year
Kipchoge's "moon-landing" moment in becoming the first person to run a marathon distance in under two hours is not a world record because, among other things, he used pacemakers who swapped in and out during the event.
On the treatment table the day after running 1:59 in Vienna, Kipchoge said to Nduhiu: "Now, the next thing. Make it official."
Nduhiu has a take on Kipchoge's ability to set, and achieve, goals. "I think he has left his world limitless so he can settle his mind on anything and go for it," he says.
"For as long as he remains healthy and as strong-minded as he is, he will take on anything. Anything. It wouldn't be out of this world for him to run 1:59 on a normal course. He has everything it takes to deliver it."
Kipchoge has not gone public with his desire to produce a sub-two hour marathon in regular race conditions, but there were rumours he was planning to attempt it at the London Marathon, scheduled to have taken place this coming Sunday but postponed amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus has also put paid, for now, to the Olympic Games in Tokyo where Kipchoge was due to defend his title.
Wife Grace hinted during our conversation that 2020 might have been Kipchoge's swansong. However he has said in the wake of the Olympics' postponement that he will defend his title in Japan in 2021 instead. He will be 36.
A second Olympic gold would send the already world-famous Kipchoge on to another level. But it's unlikely to change him - or his pursuit of a low-key life at his high-altitude training base.
"Vienna felt like a career climax for me - it was a feeling like no other," Nduhiu says. "If it was any other guy to break the two-hour record, there would have been a carnival. But what did Eliud do? He came back to camp, had a cup of tea with the team and just started again.
"People were mad - they asked how can he do that? Who does that? But Eliud is quiet - that is it. You will not disrupt his schedule. He will not allow you to."
The 18-year-old who wrote that first training schedule down with a stick has become one of the most famous athletes on the planet. But the goals remain simple - and humble.
"The most important thing to me is inspiration, not fame," Kipchoge says.
"It is not about becoming famous but diffusing that inspiration to every human being. My happiness is meeting people and they say to me: 'No human is limited.'
"That makes me so happy."


bbc--2020-04-22--Rina Sawayama: Turning familial pain into pop gold

`` I had a proper identity crisis growing up , '' says singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama .
`` I started to feel like things that had happened to me , like going to university , actually did n't happen .
I doubted everything in my life . ''
To put her life back on track , she started a long , delicate process of digging through her family history and decoding her identity as a Japanese-British , bisexual woman .
`` It was tough , definitely , '' she says , `` but at the same time it was so cathartic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 's best albums to date : A wild collision of pop , opera , house music and hair metal that paints Rina 's demons into a strangely compelling self-portrait .
Over 44 minutes , the 29-year-old exposes her darkest moments - depression , racism , alienation , family trauma and internalised shame over her sexuality - but somehow makes it into something beautiful and colossally catchy .
`` I do n't want to say it helped me find peace , but this record is like my family album , '' says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I found my narrative . ''
Born in Niigata , Japan in 1990 , Rina Sawayama moved to London at the age of five with her parents .
She attended a Japanese school , learning calligraphy and dance alongside the typical curriculum subjects .
When she transitioned to a Church of England school at the age of 10 , however , she absorbed other people 's opinions of her family 's `` otherness '' , and found it difficult to integrate .
But the real bombshell came when her parents split up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affair , punctuated by arguments over money , and Rina found herself caught in the middle .
`` My parents were constantly fighting and would use their kids to talk about it , '' she explains .
`` It was the classic , 'Oh your mum 's like this ' , 'Well , your dad said this . '
`` I just did n't know what was real and what was n't because there were so many people telling me different things . ''
Complicating matters was Rina 's realisation that she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't discussed properly with her parents .
Then puberty hit .
`` I had a serious hormonal spurt when I was 13 and I was a nightmare , '' she says .
`` My mum and I were sharing a room until I was 15 , which is not a vibe .
Just too close .
We 'd have screaming arguments from 7am in the morning . ''
To cope with the drama , she poured herself into schoolwork ( `` I 'm a bit of a nerd '' ) and threw herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that landed her in trouble , though .
`` I grew up near Camden , so I 'd go to gigs all the time and not go home until 10pm on a school night , which really worried my mum . ''
On one occasion she even absconded to France after meeting a stranger at a Bravery gig .
`` She was just like , 'You should come to Paris , ' so I stayed in her Parisian home , '' says the singer .
`` It was filled with cats and she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ceiling .
It 's such a crazy story now I think about it .
I was fifteen !
`` But it was literally the time of my life .
That 's where I discovered my love of music and my love of gigs and the community around music . ''
She revisits those years in an album track called Paradisin ' - which tells the story of a night out interrupted by her mum 's furious phone calls .
`` We shared a laptop , so she would go on MSN Messenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like , 'Hi , where 's Rina ?
She has n't come home , ' '' says the singer .
`` So I 'd be kissing some guy and mum would get his number and call him - which is pretty iconic .
`` Mama Sawayama was like a sleuth .
She was really after me .
So I wanted that song to sound like a car chase . ''
Eventually , Rina did well enough at school to win a place at Cambridge , where she studied psychology , sociology , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feelings of alienation , however .
`` You 're introduced to the class you never grew up with : The future Boris Johnsons and the people who have the same surname as the library .
I just did not understand that world whatsoever . ''
The university did n't have much of a music scene either , but it did influence her songwriting .
`` I approach it like a dissertation , '' she laughs .
`` I like to have a couple of months where I 'm researching what I want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ words and reading books and watching movies and listening to podcasts . ''
On her debut album the essay is titled : `` Wo n't you break the chain with me ? ''
and each of the songs is a chapter , exploring different facets of intergenerational pain and cultural identity .
That might sound dour and worthy but , luckily , Rina 's musical education came during one of pop 's most ridiculous eras .
`` The influence was chart music , and the charts in the early 2000s were chaotic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nu-metal one week and bubble-gum pop the next , then Pharrell and Timbaland pushing R & B the following week .
`` I love all that music so I wanted to mish-mash it into the record .
It 's very pure .
I was n't trying to be cool . ''
The result is refreshingly bizarre : You do n't expect to hear Destiny 's Child melodies mixed with a Korn guitar riff ( XS ) or a Beethoven sonata mixed with the victory fanfare from Final Fantasy ( Snakeskin ) but inexplicably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was so much family drama growing up that I wanted it to sound dramatic , '' she explains .
`` It was n't like , 'Yah !
I just want to make people dance ! '
Maybe on the second album I 'll do that but on the first one , there was stuff I needed to talk about . ''
Getting the album released was n't easy , however .
The grungy , abrasive guitars marked a tonal shift from the glossy pop of her buzzworthy 2017 debut EP , Rina .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the debut single STFU !
- an aggressive , explicit response to the racist and festishistic comments she receives as a Japanese woman living in the west ( `` Have you ever thought about taping your big mouth shut ?
'Cause I have , many times , '' she sings in the chorus ) .
According to Rina , an unnamed major label pulled out of negotiations after she played them the track .
She subsequently learned one of the executives had been calling her Rina Wagamama behind her back , somewhat proving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was eventually snapped up by The 1975 's record label Dirty Hit whose owner , Jamie Oborne , had no misgivings whatsoever .
`` He was laughing hysterically ; he loved it from the get-go , '' Rina recently told Billboard magazine .
His confidence in Rina 's vision was rewarded when the album came out last week , with glowing reviews on both sides of the Atlantic .
Rolling Stone called it a `` thrilling musical adventure '' while The Independent described the newcomer as `` one of the boldest voices in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoided the reviews - `` I do n't know if it 's a good idea to read good stuff about yourself '' - but says the album has received a thumbs up from the most important critic of all : Her mum .
`` I sent it to her and she absolutely loves it , '' says Rina .
Mrs Sawayama even features on the final track , Snakeskin , reflecting on how she feels about life , in an interview Rina recorded on her 60th birthday .
`` I 've realised that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to see , do what I want to do , be who I want to be , '' she says in Japanese .
It was a conclusion Rina had also reached in the course of making the album .
Sharing the experience meant some of her residual anguish simply `` melted away '' .
`` People try to figure themselves out their whole lives by creating narratives , '' says the singer .
`` Literally at the age of 27 , when I started writing this record , I felt ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are trying to lie , you know ?
`` It 's their version of the truth and this record is my version of the truth .
There 's something super-liberating about that . ''
Sawayama is out now on Dirty Hit .
Follow us on Facebook , or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

"She was just like, 'You should come to Paris,' so I stayed in her Parisian home," says the singer. "It was filled with cats and she'd smoke and there was tar on the ceiling. It's such a crazy story now I think about it. I was fifteen!


bbc--2020-04-22--Mothers of murdered sons fight for justice in Colombia

Beatriz Méndez sifts through heaps of yellowed newspaper clippings in her small home in the Colombian capital , Bogotá .
She collected them over the last 14 years as testament to her fight for justice after her son , Weimar , and her nephew , Edward , were killed .
Ms Méndez last saw them alive on 12 June 2004 .
The next time she saw them , they were in a morgue .
They were almost unrecognisable , bruised and battered from alleged torture .
Both were just 19 years old .
For three days after their disappearance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police stations and hospitals to no avail .
Then came a call from a family member .
`` On the radio they 're saying they found the bodies of two guerrilla fighters in Ciudad Bolívar [ a poor neighbourhood of Bogotá ] , they say that one is called Edward , '' Ms Méndez recalls .
When she and her sister went to the morgue their worst nightmare came true .
But it did not end there .
After bringing home her son 's body , it was a shock to Ms Méndez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside the bag of clothes the morgue had sent her home with .
For four years , Ms Méndez was in the dark about how her son and nephew had been killed .
Then she heard a group of women talking on a radio programme about cases similar to those of Weimar and Edward .
She got in touch with them and joined their collective , the Mothers of False Positives ( Mafapo ) .
False positives is the name given to the killings of young men - mainly from poor families in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Colombian army .
The army 's aim was to pass them off as left-wing Farc rebels to boost its kill rate and give the impression it was winning the armed conflict against the group .
The victims were lured to rural parts of Colombia with promises of job opportunities , and their bodies were later found dead in mass graves .
Some had been dressed in guerrilla fatigues like those used by the Farc , others had had weapons placed in their hands .
A 2018 study by Colombian academics estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in false positives , the majority between 2002 and 2010 .
Government figures put the number much lower .
For over a decade , Mafapo has been fighting to bring those responsible for the killings to justice .
In October , they presented a report before the Special Jurisdiction for Peace ( JEP ) in Bogotá .
The conflict with Farc guerrillas saw more than 200,000 people killed , and wracked Colombia for more than 50 years until the signing of a peace deal in November 2016 .
Victims of violence carried out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can turn to a special tribunal that was created under the peace agreement with the Farc rebels .
The Special Jurisdiction for Peace ( JEP ) is a transitional court system which has been put in place for 10 years , and which was set up to try all participants in the conflict , be they Farc rebels or state actors .
Those who admit to their crimes up front will avoid jail time , but will be required to contribute in other ways to reconciliation - such as participating in programmes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construct monuments .
In recent months , the JEP has exhumed dozens of bodies from a mass grave in the Antioquia region of Colombia as part of its investigation into the false positives .
The director of the Americas division of pressure group Human Rights Watch , José Miguel Vivanco , says that `` false positive killings amount to one of the worst episodes of mass atrocity in the Western Hemisphere in recent years '' .
• 'If I keep quiet , I become an accomplice' He says that the excavation of mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of the scope and systematic nature of these crimes , while providing some relief to the relatives who have been searching for their loved ones .
`` But the real test is whether the transitional justice system will be able to hold to account top brass officers who have escaped justice for over a decade , '' Mr Vivanco argues .
Back at her home in Bogotá , Ms Méndez shows off a new tattoo : a portrait of her late son on her shoulder .
`` I wanted something to never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but not as much as the pain of losing him , '' she says .
The mothers ' collective is involved in many activities , mostly to help them deal with the grief of losing their sons .
The latest one is creating woodcuts with the images of their son 's faces .
As well as Ms Méndez , 61-year-old Blanquita Monroy is at the workshop .
`` It 's what 's helped the most with the pain over all these years .
When I start working on the wood it helps with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she says .
The last time Ms Monroy saw her son , Julián , was on 2 March 2008 , when he left their home in Soacha - an impoverished municipality outside Bogotá - to meet somebody about a job opportunity .
`` He told me he would n't be long .
But we never heard from him again , '' Ms Monroy says .
She found out six months later that 19-year-old Julián was dead .
He was found in a mass grave with around 20 other young men in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 600km ( 375 miles ) from Bogotá and one of the main hotspots for the false positive killings .
`` The hope we have as Mafapo is that they [ the army ] tell the truth , '' she says of her hopes for the mothers ' case at the transitional justice court .
`` Why did you kill them ?
Who gave the order ?
And why did they give the order ? ''
she reels off the questions she wants answered .
Although the mothers are not convinced much will come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as `` a little window to the beginning of the truth '' .
Ms Méndez says that whatever happens , the mothers in the collective will not be giving up on their quest for justice anytime soon .
`` If I die in search of the truth , my struggle wo n't have been in vain , '' she says .
`` I 'll be part of the memory and history of Colombia , for the young people of the false positive killings - especially my son and my nephew . ''

False positives is the name given to the killings of young men - mainly from poor families in Bogotá and its surroundings - carried out by the Colombian army. The army's aim was to pass them off as left-wing Farc rebels to boost its kill rate and give the impression it was winning the armed conflict against the group.


bbc--2020-04-22--Champions League and Europa League likely to be played out in August

The Champions League and Europa League look increasingly likely to be played exclusively in August after more talks about the remainder of the 2019-20 season on Wednesday .
Uefa told the 55 associations on Tuesday there was still the possibility of the competitions being played throughout June , July and August .
But BBC Sport understands the latest discussions revolved almost exclusively around a plan to complete the domestic leagues by 31 July , with European competition following after that .
Nothing definitive has been agreed but Uefa is keen to leave all options on the table for as long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Europe and in the knowledge there is no guarantee the season will be finished .
However , there is a view that travel restrictions are more likely to have eased in August , which would be necessary for a cross-border competition .
The scenario envisaged would be for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the respective European competitions to be played as two-legged ties between 11 and 22 August , although these could yet become one-off games .
In the plans now being discussed , there would be some flexibility for domestic fixtures to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July conclusion prove impossible .
The Premier League has nine rounds of fixtures remaining but in Spain and Italy , two countries that have been badly affected , there are still 11 and 12 rounds left respectively - although both have fewer cup games to fit into their schedules .
Uefa hopes the situation will become clearer in the next fortnight but completing the season in this way would cause the least disruption to its qualification competition for the 2020-21 season , which was supposed to start at the end of June but @ @ @ @ @

The Champions League final is scheduled to be played in Istanbul and the Europa League showpiece in Gdansk
The Champions League and Europa League look increasingly likely to be played exclusively in August after more talks about the remainder of the 2019-20 season on Wednesday.
Uefa told the 55 associations on Tuesday there was still the possibility of the competitions being played throughout June, July and August.
But BBC Sport understands the latest discussions revolved almost exclusively around a plan to complete the domestic leagues by 31 July, with European competition following after that.
Nothing definitive has been agreed but Uefa is keen to leave all options on the table for as long as possible given the general uncertainty across Europe and in the knowledge there is no guarantee the season will be finished.
However, there is a view that travel restrictions are more likely to have eased in August, which would be necessary for a cross-border competition.
The scenario envisaged would be for the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the respective European competitions to be played as two-legged ties between 11 and 22 August, although these could yet become one-off games.
In the plans now being discussed, there would be some flexibility for domestic fixtures to be played in August, should a July conclusion prove impossible.
The Premier League has nine rounds of fixtures remaining but in Spain and Italy, two countries that have been badly affected, there are still 11 and 12 rounds left respectively - although both have fewer cup games to fit into their schedules.
Uefa hopes the situation will become clearer in the next fortnight but completing the season in this way would cause the least disruption to its qualification competition for the 2020-21 season, which was supposed to start at the end of June but has been delayed indefinitely.


bbc--2020-04-22--NFL draft 2020: From Vegas to video calls - how will virtual draft play out?

This year 's NFL draft was supposed to be held in Las Vegas , on a stage built over water at the Bellagio hotel 's fountains .
Instead , NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be announcing each pick in his basement .
Because of the coronavirus pandemic , the second biggest event in the NFL calendar is going virtual .
More than 11 million fans will be watching as , from 23-25 April , 255 college players will realise their dream of reaching the NFL .
It may look different but it will still be life-changing - and concerns over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to what is already an unpredictable event .
So we caught up with BBC pundits Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora - remotely of course - to discuss how this virtual draft might play out .
Who will be the first draft pick ?
That , at least , seems clear .
Having had last season 's worst record , the Cincinnati Bengals go first and want a new quarterback .
And it just so happens that Joe Burrow , 23 , has had arguably the best ever season by a college QB , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and winning the Heisman Trophy ( for best college player ) .
`` He 's a proven winner , '' said Umenyiora .
`` He 's a great leader with great charisma , and a great arm with great accuracy .
I do n't think Andy Dalton was all that bad but Cincinnati need someone to reinvigorate their franchise and he 'll suit them just fine . ''
Yet the guys both feel that Chase Young , 21 , a defensive end from Ohio State , is actually the best player in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the hype so watched his tape and he 's a fantastic player , '' added Umenyiora .
`` He 's dynamic , has good burst off the line and a good motor so he 's constantly hustling , constantly trying to get to the quarterback .
`` He 's a big , physical , freaky athlete .
Over the next 10 years I think this guy 's going to be a superstar .
He 's the only one I can point at and say 'this is a can't-miss prospect ' . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ board ?
Teams can use their picks to trade up or down the order and the Miami Dolphins look most likely to move up ( from fifth ) after three straight losing seasons .
`` What if somebody like Miami , who has a lot of draft capital ( three first-round picks ) , gives Cincinnati a deal they ca n't refuse to take that first pick ? ''
asked Bell .
`` That 's the only reason Burrow would n't go to Cincinnati . ''
`` But who are Miami going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have so many needs on the team .
I think Cincinnati will go for Burrow but after that , everyone 's up for grabs . ''
The order in which wide receivers Jerry Jeudy , CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs are selected is anyone 's guess , but cornerback Jeff Okudah is expected to go early .
`` Detroit want a cornerback but they might move off that pick ( third ) for Miami or the Los Angeles Chargers to snatch the quarterback they want , '' Bell added .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see a guy you love , you go up there to get him .
What makes players fall down or move up the board ?
In a nutshell - your fitness , your skills , your character .
Players are assessed during physical tests , interviews and medicals at the NFL Combine , pro days and team visits .
But this year 's pre-draft activities have been hampered by coronavirus restrictions so fitness concerns remain over players such as Tua Tagovailoa , who was tipped to win the Heisman Trophy before suffering a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drafts now have him below fellow quarterback Justin Herbert .
`` Health is a big issue , '' said Umenyiora .
`` You want a guy who 's durable because of the rigours of the NFL .
Some people come in and may be jerks so they 'd get downgraded , but some show a sense of leadership , which teams really value .
`` It 's also down to your tape and how well you work out .
Some guys look really good players but their draft stock goes down because they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The colourful and controversial Combine questions faced by prospects • Neil O'Donoghue : From Rover to Buccaneer - an Irishman in the NFL It must be the best draft pick ever .
Seven quarterbacks had already been selected in 2000 when , deep in the sixth round , the New England Patriots chose Tom Brady with the 199th pick .
Twenty years and six Super Bowl wins later , Brady , 42 , has joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so the Pats go into the draft with Jarrett Stidham ( last year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hoyer as their only QBs .
`` From everything I 've heard , they have a lot of confidence in Stidham , '' said Umenyiora .
`` I think they 're going to sit pretty and see what happens next year . ''
`` They 're not going to move up [ from 23rd ] to get a quarterback , that 's just not what they do , '' Bell added .
`` If Jordan Love falls to them then maybe they 'll go for him but they 've got other needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye on someone we 'll never know about because the Patriots do not talk .
Their scouts know the traits that [ head coach ] Bill Belichick is looking for and can identify people that would fit their needs and their organisation .
`` That 's why the draft is so fascinating .
These are the moves that teams can make .
I remember a guy called Tom they drafted in the sixth round and he did all right ! ''
• What now for Patriots & Bill Belichick ?
Jason Bell Q @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different ?
For starters , the broadcast will be hosted by a small team in a studio in Connecticut , with draft prospects , commentators and team officials taking part remotely .
There will be no fans , no bear hugs on stage with commissioner Goodell and no war rooms , where team officials discuss their strategy throughout .
But we will see exactly what it means to the players and their families as 58 of the top prospects will have cameras in their own homes .
`` The NFL 's never seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows how it 's going to play out , '' said Umenyiora .
`` But teams know who they want to pick .
If one falls off the board , they know who they 're going to next . ''
`` They 've had time to get ready , to figure out who makes the pick if something goes wrong digitally or somebody 's internet goes out , '' Bell added .
`` One thing that always happens is Roger Goodell gets booed by the fans .
Well that 's not happening this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his basement ! ''
The BBC Sport website will run live text commentary on the 2020 NFL draft , from 23:30 BST on 23 April .
The first round begins at 01:00 BST on 24 April .

NFL draft 2020: Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell look ahead to unique occasion
This year's NFL draft was supposed to be held in Las Vegas, on a stage built over water at the Bellagio hotel's fountains.
Instead, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will be announcing each pick in his basement.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the second biggest event in the NFL calendar is going virtual.
More than 11 million fans will be watching as, from 23-25 April, 255 college players will realise their dream of reaching the NFL.
It may look different but it will still be life-changing - and concerns over hacking and WiFi connections have added intrigue to what is already an unpredictable event.
So we caught up with BBC pundits Jason Bell and Osi Umenyiora - remotely of course - to discuss how this virtual draft might play out.
Who will be the first draft pick?
That, at least, seems clear. Having had last season's worst record, the Cincinnati Bengals go first and want a new quarterback.
And it just so happens that Joe Burrow, 23, has had arguably the best ever season by a college QB, leading Louisiana State to the national championship and winning the Heisman Trophy (for best college player).
"He's a proven winner," said Umenyiora. "He's a great leader with great charisma, and a great arm with great accuracy. I don't think Andy Dalton was all that bad but Cincinnati need someone to reinvigorate their franchise and he'll suit them just fine."
Yet the guys both feel that Chase Young, 21, a defensive end from Ohio State, is actually the best player in this year's draft.
"I heard all the hype so watched his tape and he's a fantastic player," added Umenyiora. "He's dynamic, has good burst off the line and a good motor so he's constantly hustling, constantly trying to get to the quarterback.
"He's a big, physical, freaky athlete. Over the next 10 years I think this guy's going to be a superstar. He's the only one I can point at and say 'this is a can't-miss prospect'."
Which team could move up the draft board?
Teams can use their picks to trade up or down the order and the Miami Dolphins look most likely to move up (from fifth) after three straight losing seasons.
"What if somebody like Miami, who has a lot of draft capital (three first-round picks), gives Cincinnati a deal they can't refuse to take that first pick?" asked Bell. "That's the only reason Burrow wouldn't go to Cincinnati."
"But who are Miami going to pick?" said Umenyiora. "They have so many needs on the team. I think Cincinnati will go for Burrow but after that, everyone's up for grabs."
The order in which wide receivers Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb and Henry Ruggs are selected is anyone's guess, but cornerback Jeff Okudah is expected to go early.
"Detroit want a cornerback but they might move off that pick (third) for Miami or the Los Angeles Chargers to snatch the quarterback they want," Bell added. "You need those quarterbacks, and if you see a guy you love, you go up there to get him.
Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow is expected to be the number one pick
What makes players fall down or move up the board?
In a nutshell - your fitness, your skills, your character. Players are assessed during physical tests, interviews and medicals at the NFL Combine, pro days and team visits.
But this year's pre-draft activities have been hampered by coronavirus restrictions so fitness concerns remain over players such as Tua Tagovailoa, who was tipped to win the Heisman Trophy before suffering a dislocated hip in November. Many mock drafts now have him below fellow quarterback Justin Herbert.
"Health is a big issue," said Umenyiora. "You want a guy who's durable because of the rigours of the NFL. Some people come in and may be jerks so they'd get downgraded, but some show a sense of leadership, which teams really value.
"It's also down to your tape and how well you work out. Some guys look really good players but their draft stock goes down because they didn't test as well."
Will the Patriots draft a quarterback?
It must be the best draft pick ever. Seven quarterbacks had already been selected in 2000 when, deep in the sixth round, the New England Patriots chose Tom Brady with the 199th pick.
Twenty years and six Super Bowl wins later, Brady, 42, has joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers so the Pats go into the draft with Jarrett Stidham (last year's 133th pick) and veteran Brian Hoyer as their only QBs.
"From everything I've heard, they have a lot of confidence in Stidham," said Umenyiora. "I think they're going to sit pretty and see what happens next year."
"They're not going to move up [from 23rd] to get a quarterback, that's just not what they do," Bell added. "If Jordan Love falls to them then maybe they'll go for him but they've got other needs to fill.
"They might have their eye on someone we'll never know about because the Patriots do not talk. Their scouts know the traits that [head coach] Bill Belichick is looking for and can identify people that would fit their needs and their organisation.
"That's why the draft is so fascinating. These are the moves that teams can make. I remember a guy called Tom they drafted in the sixth round and he did all right!"
How will this draft be different?
For starters, the broadcast will be hosted by a small team in a studio in Connecticut, with draft prospects, commentators and team officials taking part remotely.
There will be no fans, no bear hugs on stage with commissioner Goodell and no war rooms, where team officials discuss their strategy throughout.
But we will see exactly what it means to the players and their families as 58 of the top prospects will have cameras in their own homes.
"The NFL's never seen anything like this before so nobody really knows how it's going to play out," said Umenyiora. "But teams know who they want to pick. If one falls off the board, they know who they're going to next."
"They've had time to get ready, to figure out who makes the pick if something goes wrong digitally or somebody's internet goes out," Bell added.
"One thing that always happens is Roger Goodell gets booed by the fans. Well that's not happening this year - unless somebody goes down to his basement!"
The BBC Sport website will run live text commentary on the 2020 NFL draft, from 23:30 BST on 23 April. The first round begins at 01:00 BST on 24 April.


bbc--2020-04-22--'Merge tennis' governing bodies,' says Roger Federer

Roger Federer says `` now is the time '' for the men 's and women 's governing bodies to merge while tennis is in limbo because of the coronavirus .
The 20-time Grand Slam champion floated the idea in a series of Twitter posts .
He said a merger of the Women 's Tennis Association ( WTA ) and the men 's Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) `` probably should have happened '' .
`` We can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body , '' Federer said .
Later on Wednesday ATP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea saying : `` Our sport has a big opportunity if we can come together in the spirit of collaboration and unity .
`` Recent cooperation between governing bodies has only strengthened my belief that a unified sport is the surest way to maximise our potential and to deliver an optimal experience for fans on site , on television and online .
To that end , I welcome the views of our players . ''
BBC Sport understands preliminary discussions have taken place between the two tours about greater collaboration in certain areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posts on Wednesday , Federer added : `` I am not talking about merging competition on the court but merging the two governing bodies that oversee the men 's and women 's professional tours .
`` It 's too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems , different logos , different websites , different tournament categories . ''
American tennis legend Billie Jean King , one of the prime movers behind the founding of the WTA , said a merger `` has long been my vision for tennis '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ always Plan B , '' added King .
`` I 'm glad we are on the same page .
Let 's make it happen . ''
Spanish 19-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal added : `` It would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men 's and women 's tennis in only one organisation . ''
Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep , two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova , Argentine Diego Schwartzman and two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza are among the other high-profile tennis players to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All tennis has been abandoned until at least 13 July , with Wimbledon cancelling its grass court tournament for the first time since World War Two because of the coronavirus pandemic .
It followed the postponement of the French Open , which was due to begin in May but has been rescheduled to take place in Paris from 20 September to 4 October .
The WTA have been approached for comment by BBC Sport .
With all sports facing up to an alarming financial future , one strengthened and unified governing body certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would also be marketing and scheduling advantages .
They would n't need to change the net to change the logo between matches at combined events , for example .
And maybe all televised tennis would be found in the same place , and no longer require several subscriptions to access .
Women could gain financially as most of their standalone events have lower prize funds , but how would men react to the potential dilution of their income and a brand , which for the moment , is significantly stronger ?
How likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlikely in the short term , but not impossible in the longer term - although perhaps only in certain mutually beneficial areas .
I understand preliminary discussions have taken place - which , in itself , is a sign of the sport 's new found spirit of co-operation in the age of Covid-19 .

Roger Federer has won eight Wimbledon titles
Roger Federer says "now is the time" for the men's and women's governing bodies to merge while tennis is in limbo because of the coronavirus.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion floated the idea in a series of Twitter posts.
He said a merger of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) and the men's Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) "probably should have happened".
"We can come out of this with two weakened bodies or one stronger body," Federer said.
Later on Wednesday ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi appeared to back the idea saying: "Our sport has a big opportunity if we can come together in the spirit of collaboration and unity.
"Recent cooperation between governing bodies has only strengthened my belief that a unified sport is the surest way to maximise our potential and to deliver an optimal experience for fans on site, on television and online. To that end, I welcome the views of our players."
WTA chairman and chief executive Steve Simon said the organisation had been "regular contact with the ATP" during the coronavirus pandemic, adding: "I have long stated that we are at our best as a sport when we can work together, and the recent weeks have highlighted that fact.
"We look forward to continuing discussions on how we can effectively work together to deliver the greatest value to our fans and to our many stakeholders."
BBC Sport understands preliminary discussions have taken place between the two tours about greater collaboration in certain areas.
While many high-profile tennis players have backed Federer's plan, Australia's Nick Kyrgios tweeted on Thursday to say: "We shouldn't merge."
On Wednesday, the world number 40 had posted: "Did anyone ask the majority of the ATP what they think about merging with the WTA and how it is good for us?"
In a series of social media posts external-link on Wednesday, Federer added: "I am not talking about merging competition on the court but merging the two governing bodies that oversee the men's and women's professional tours.
"It's too confusing for the fans when there are different ranking systems, different logos, different websites, different tournament categories."
American tennis legend Billie Jean King, one of the prime movers behind the founding of the WTA, said a merger external-link "has long been my vision for tennis".
"The WTA on its own was always Plan B," added King. "I'm glad we are on the same page. Let's make it happen."
Spanish 19-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal added external-link : "It would be great to get out of this world crisis with the union of men's and women's tennis in only one organisation."
Reigning Wimbledon champion Simona Halep, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, Argentine Diego Schwartzman and two-time Grand Slam champion Garbine Muguruza are among the other high-profile tennis players to voice their agreement on social media.
All tennis has been abandoned until at least 13 July, with Wimbledon cancelling its grass court tournament for the first time since World War Two because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It followed the postponement of the French Open, which was due to begin in May but has been rescheduled to take place in Paris from 20 September to 4 October.
Analysis
Russell Fuller, BBC Sport tennis correspondent
With all sports facing up to an alarming financial future, one strengthened and unified governing body certainly has a ring of appeal.
There would also be marketing and scheduling advantages.
They wouldn't need to change the net to change the logo between matches at combined events, for example. And maybe all televised tennis would be found in the same place, and no longer require several subscriptions to access.
Women could gain financially as most of their standalone events have lower prize funds, but how would men react to the potential dilution of their income and a brand, which for the moment, is significantly stronger?
How likely is a merger to happen? Very unlikely in the short term, but not impossible in the longer term - although perhaps only in certain mutually beneficial areas.
I understand preliminary discussions have taken place - which, in itself, is a sign of the sport's new found spirit of co-operation in the age of Covid-19.


bbc--2020-04-22--Man Utd quiz: Name every player from Sir Alex Ferguson's Premier League title wins

Seven years have passed and the Red Devils have not come close to adding to their 13 successes , all @ @ @ @ @ legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson .
But can you name all the players who made @ @ @ @ @ him in those title-winning campaigns ?
It 's a tough one - although we 've @ @ @ @ @ .
There are 128 to get and you 've got 20 ( TWENTY ! )
@ @

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd
22 April 2013 - the last time Manchester United clinched a Premier League title triumph.
Seven years have passed and the Red Devils have not come close to adding to their 13 successes, all of which were achieved under legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
But can you name all the players who made at least one appearance under him in those title-winning campaigns?
It's a tough one - although we've done it in alphabetical order. There are 128 to get and you've got 20 (TWENTY!) minutes...


bbc--2020-04-22--Neymar would have to take pay cut for Barca return - gossip

Brazil striker Neymar , 26 , will have to take a pay cut of around £26m if he wants to move to Barcelona from Paris St-Germain this summer .
( Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish ) Paris St-Germain have made tying down France striker Kylian Mbappe , 21 , to a new contract their number one priority this summer despite suffering a drop in income because of the coronavirus pandemic .
( ESPN ) Chelsea are set to step up their interest in Leicester 's England full-back Ben Chilwell , 23 .
( Sun ) Inter Miami owner David Beckham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibility of signing Colombia forward James Rodriguez , 28 .
( Goal ) Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius , 26 , is set to join Wolves on loan for next season .
( Fantatik - in Turkish ) Karius is close to cancelling his two-year loan contract at Besiktas and returning to Anfield early after a dispute over unpaid wages .
( Guardian ) Newcastle 's prospective new owners have made Paris St-Germain 's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani , 33 , a prime transfer target and also hope to appoint Massimiliano Allegri or Mauricio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arsenal have opened talks with Atletico Madrid over a deal to sign Ghana international Thomas Partey , 26 , according to the midfielder 's father .
( Mail ) Tottenham are interested in signing Real Betis ' Brazilian full-back Emerson , 21 , who is co-owned by Barcelona .
( Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish ) Tottenham are also set to rival Inter Milan in a bid to sign Barcelona 's Brazilian midfielder Arthur , 23 .
Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish ) Chelsea are competing with Atletico Madrid for the signing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stoke .
( Goal ) Premier League clubs are aiming to resume training on 9 May with a number of managers telling their players to prepare for a return to work .
( Sun ) DR Congo winger Yannick Bolasie , 30 , is to return to Everton after Sporting Lisbon cut his loan spell short in an attempt to cut costs .
( A Bola - in Portuguese ) A group of League One and League Two sides have told the Football League that a salary cap will need to be introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of clubs going out of business .
( Mail ) Schalke boss David Wagner says the club can not afford to sign Jonjoe Kenny , 23 , from Everton on a permanent deal but would like to extend the defender 's loan for another season .
( Sky Sports ) Leeds will still sign Portuguese winger Helder Costa , 26 , from Wolves on 1 July despite the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis .
( Football Insider )

Last updated on .From the section Football
Brazil striker Neymar, 26, will have to take a pay cut of around £26m if he wants to move to Barcelona from Paris St-Germain this summer. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish) external-link
Paris St-Germain have made tying down France striker Kylian Mbappe, 21, to a new contract their number one priority this summer despite suffering a drop in income because of the coronavirus pandemic. (ESPN) external-link
Chelsea are set to step up their interest in Leicester's England full-back Ben Chilwell, 23. (Sun) external-link
Inter Miami owner David Beckham has spoken to Real Madrid about the possibility of signing Colombia forward James Rodriguez, 28. (Goal) external-link
Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, 26, is set to join Wolves on loan for next season. (Fantatik - in Turkish) external-link
Karius is close to cancelling his two-year loan contract at Besiktas and returning to Anfield early after a dispute over unpaid wages. (Guardian) external-link
Newcastle's prospective new owners have made Paris St-Germain's Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, 33, a prime transfer target and also hope to appoint Massimiliano Allegri or Mauricio Pochettino as manager. (ESPN) external-link
Arsenal have opened talks with Atletico Madrid over a deal to sign Ghana international Thomas Partey, 26, according to the midfielder's father. (Mail) external-link
Tottenham are interested in signing Real Betis' Brazilian full-back Emerson, 21, who is co-owned by Barcelona. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish) external-link
Tottenham are after a new right-back and that may mean 27-year-old Ivory Coast international Serge Aurier's future at the club is in doubt. (Mail) external-link
Tottenham are also set to rival Inter Milan in a bid to sign Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Arthur, 23. Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish) external-link
Chelsea are competing with Atletico Madrid for the signing of 16-year-old Netherlands U21 striker Mohamed Sankoh from Stoke. (Goal) external-link
Premier League clubs are aiming to resume training on 9 May with a number of managers telling their players to prepare for a return to work. (Sun) external-link
DR Congo winger Yannick Bolasie, 30, is to return to Everton after Sporting Lisbon cut his loan spell short in an attempt to cut costs. (A Bola - in Portuguese) external-link
A group of League One and League Two sides have told the Football League that a salary cap will need to be introduced next season in order to avoid a number of clubs going out of business. (Mail) external-link
Schalke boss David Wagner says the club cannot afford to sign Jonjoe Kenny, 23, from Everton on a permanent deal but would like to extend the defender's loan for another season. (Sky Sports) external-link
Leeds will still sign Portuguese winger Helder Costa, 26, from Wolves on 1 July despite the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis. (Football Insider) external-link
West Ham boss David Moyes hopes the coronavirus pandemic might mean a "reset" of football, with transfer fees, wages and money paid to agents being looked at. (Telegraph) external-link


bbc--2020-04-21--Coughing Bolsonaro says virus won't hurt him

Brazil 's President Jair Bolsonaro has come under criticism for his response to coronavirus , most recently for attending an @ @ @ @ @ seen coughing without covering his mouth .
The BBC 's South America correspondent Katy Watson @ @ @ @ @ responded to the virus in Brazil .

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has come under criticism for his response to coronavirus, most recently for attending an anti-lockdown rally where he was seen coughing without covering his mouth.
The BBC's South America correspondent Katy Watson looks at how Bolsonaro has responded to the virus in Brazil.
Producer: Luciani Gomes


bbc--2020-04-22--Coronavirus: Ischgl resort at heart of Europe’s outbreak reopens

Austria has lifted the strict quarantine on three ski resorts in Tyrol which were coronavirus hotspots .
The three include Ischgl , known as the `` Ibiza of the Alps '' , where hundreds of tourists from across Europe are believed to have become infected .
The resorts of St Anton am Arlberg , Sölden and the Paznaun valley - which surrounds Ischgl - have been sealed off since the middle of March .
They will now be subject to the same lockdown rules as the rest of Austria .
Earlier this month , Austria 's public health agency said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's biggest cluster of coronavirus cases , infecting more than 600 Austrians and up to twice as many people abroad , particularly in Germany and Scandinavian countries .
Foreign skiers took the coronavirus home with them .
The Tyrolean provincial government said in a statement on Tuesday there had only been 10 positive cases in the last 12 days .
In general , Austria has n't fared too badly during this pandemic .
It says it has managed to flatten the curve of infections , and has reported around 500 deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a single day .
As a result , it is slowly easing restrictions .
Small shops are already open again , and there are plans to open all shops by the beginning of May , followed by restaurants in the middle of the month .
• Austria and Italy ease lockdown for some shops • Why you now have to wear a mask in Austrian shops But local politicians admit mistakes were made in the ski resorts in Tyrol .
Local authorities in Tyrol have been accused of responding too slowly after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars in February and March : • 5 March : Iceland put Ischgl on a list of coronavirus risk areas , after a group of skiers apparently picked up the infection there • 7 March : A waiter at an après-ski bar called Kitzloch tested positive for Covid-19 .
Kitzloch was ordered to close two days later • 13 March : The Paznaun valley , including Ischgl , and the resort of St Anton am Arlberg were quarantined , followed a couple of days later by Sölden • Foreign tourists were still allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Who was Patient Zero ?
At a news conference earlier this month , Franz Allerberger from the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety ( Ages ) said that it was clear that the virus was around in the ski resorts before the waiter at Kitzloch tested positive in March .
He said Patient Zero was believed to have been an Austrian waitress who started showing symptoms on 8 February .
Authorities in Tyrol dispute this , saying the first case appeared on 7 March .
They say they took radical action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government has promised an investigation into what happened in Tyrol .
Meanwhile the Austrian Consumer Protection Association , the VSV , is gathering signatures for a possible class action lawsuit , on the grounds that the ski resorts in Tyrol were kept open for commercial reasons , despite the outbreak of Covid-19 .
It says it has a sent a description of the facts to the Public Prosecutor 's Office in Vienna `` against the Tyrolean authorities '' .
Peter Kolba from the VSV says almost 5,000 people have signed up .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Germany , and the list also includes almost 400 Dutch people and over 120 Britons .
You may also be interested in : • 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

As a result, it is slowly easing restrictions. Small shops are already open again, and there are plans to open all shops by the beginning of May, followed by restaurants in the middle of the month.


bbc--2020-04-22--Developing world economies hit hard by coronavirus

The world is experiencing a sharp deterioration in economic performance , due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic .
Developing countries are certain to be hit hard by what the International Monetary Fund , and others , warn will be the worst downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s .
Almost every country on the planet is being affected .
The IMF expects 170 nations - rich and poor - to experience a decline in economic activity per person this year .
That means falling average living standards .
Developing economies are being hit in distinctive ways by the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by industry .
The shutdown of many factories around the world means there is less demand for those commodities , so their prices have fallen , sharply in some cases .
Oil is the starkest example .
The loss of demand has been especially severe , as the crisis has led to a massive reduction in demand for transport fuels , more than 90 % of which are made from crude oil .
The situation was exacerbated for a period by what was in effect a price war between the two biggest exporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been an extraordinary situation where some oil prices have been below zero .
It is not a general feature of the oil market , but it does highlight the huge imbalance between supply and demand .
Other commodities have also seen sharp price falls , although not generally on the scale of oil .
Copper , for example , is now about 18 % cheaper than it was in mid-January , and zinc 's price is more than 20 % lower .
These price falls are hitting businesses and government revenues in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries have also had to contend with international investors pulling money out .
The IMF 's chief economist Gita Gopinath says the appetite for risk among international investors has waned .
This means they are more inclined to sell investments seen as relatively risky , including bonds and shares in emerging markets , and pull money back to what they regard as safer bets , such as the US , Europe or Japan .
She says the result has been `` unprecedented reversals in capital flows '' .
In a blog published by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dombrowski and Marta Domínguez-Jiménez set out a number of financial indicators showing the strains that have built rapidly in some emerging economies .
They show how the difference between bond yields - which are a measure of borrowing costs in financial markets - in the US and in developing nations has widened in many cases .
This is often a sign that investors believe there is an increased risk of borrowers , including governments , defaulting on their debts .
Another sign of this is the increased cost of getting insurance against a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of financial instruments called credit default swaps ) .
And then there have been sharp declines in currency values for many countries .
That is another sign of investors wanting to get their money out .
That also raises another issue - foreign debt .
A decline in the value of a national currency makes it more expensive to repay , or pay interest on , debts in other currencies .
At a time when developing country government budgets are under pressure to deal with the health crisis and its economic consequences , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of scarce resources .
So there is a vigorous campaign to address developing countries ' debt problems .
The IMF and the world 's leading economies have taken some steps to ease this burden , by providing relief from the burden of debt interest and repayments over the next few months .
The IMF agreed to cover the payments due from 25 countries , mostly in Africa , over the next six months , from a trust fund financed by donations from member countries , including a recent pledge of $ 185m ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect those payments have been cancelled .
The G20 leading economic powers agreed to defer - not cancel - debt payments from May to the end of the year for a larger group of the poorest nations .
This decision covers debt payments to G20 governments from a total of 77 countries .
It means that cash can be diverted in the coming months to dealing with the crisis rather than making those payments .
But it does mean they will need to make the payments in the future .
So campaigners for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and others should go further .
The Jubilee Debt Campaign , for example , described the G20 move as a first step , but called for the payment obligations to be cancelled altogether .
They also point out that the G20 deal does not address payments to private sector lenders .
The G20 merely encouraged those creditors to offer similar payment deferral to the poorest countries .
The Jubilee Debt Campaign wants the rich countries to make changes to the law to prevent private creditors using the courts to sue poor countries that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to New York and the UK whose laws govern most developing country debt contracts .
Dealing with the health issues presents particular problems in densely populated urban areas in developing countries .
Social distancing is especially difficult in that context .
So is staying at home for people who work in what 's called the informal economy .
Many need to go out to work to feed themselves and their families .
Oksana Abbouda runs StreetNet International , an organisation that represents street vendors around the world .
She recently spoke to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the people the organisation represents are saying about their situation .
`` We have to make this horrible choice , either to put ourselves at risk [ from infection ] and continue our informal job , or put our families at risk because they will be starving , '' she says .
`` This is the reality for billions of people around the world… informal is normal in developing countries . ''
Developing countries are also likely to be affected through a decline in money that migrant workers send to their families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are known , are often sent from rich to poorer countries , and they can be a very important support to a family 's standard of living .
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • Will we ever take cruise holidays again ?
• How are food supply networks coping with coronavirus ?
A new report by the World Bank warns that they are likely to fall by as much as 20 % this year due to the pandemic .
Migrant workers , the bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to losing jobs and incomes .
It adds that remittances enable people to eat better , to spend more on education and to reduce child labour .

They show how the difference between bond yields - which are a measure of borrowing costs in financial markets - in the US and in developing nations has widened in many cases. This is often a sign that investors believe there is an increased risk of borrowers, including governments, defaulting on their debts.


bbc--2020-04-22--Coronavirus: Why some Nigerians are gloating about Covid-19

In our series of letters from African writers , Nigerian novelist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani reflects on the different attitudes of the rich and poor towards coronavirus .
Many Nigerians gloat that Covid-19 is mainly targeting the country 's elite , particularly politicians , despite warnings that the life-threatening respiratory illness could hit the poor as well .
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has recorded more than 600 cases since the end of February - most of them people who had been abroad , and those they had interacted with after their return to Africa 's most-populous state , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So far , Nigeria 's list of people who got or have died from Covid-19 includes President Muhammadu Buhari 's chief of staff , politicians , heads of government agencies , former ambassadors and their aides or relatives .
These are the kind of people who normally jet off to the UK , Germany , or the US at the slightest headache because Nigeria 's state hospitals are poorly funded , run-down , and lack adequate equipment .
The 2020 government budget allocates only about 4.5 % of spending for health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ African Union had set for governments in 2001 .
Doctors frequently embark on strikes over salaries not paid for months .
Many of them seize any opportunity to work abroad - nearly 2,000 of the doctors in the UK 's state-run National Health Service qualified in Nigeria , according to a report presented to the UK 's parliament last year .
Nigerians spent more than $ 1bn ( $ 800m ) on treatment in overseas hospitals in 2013 .
President Buhari promised to end `` medical tourism '' when he took power in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than four months in London in 2017 getting treatment for an undisclosed illness and subsequently returning to the UK capital for additional care .
But with borders closed and each country haunted by its own Covid-19 nightmare , Nigeria 's big men and women are now forced to use their country 's hospitals , prompting a stream of taunts and jokes .
`` This is your punishment for not investing in your country 's health system , '' some say .
`` I thought our hospitals were not good enough for you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be interested in : • Lagos lockdown : 'How will my children survive ? '
Some Nigerians also hoped that the `` selectiveness '' of the virus might be God 's way of bringing about changes in their government .
They latched on to rumours that Mr Buhari , 72 , had been infected by his chief of staff , and was gravely ill on a ventilator .
The less malicious folk shrouded their great hope in a prayer : `` Let God 's will be done . ''
Indignant at the expressions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said : `` Why do some people conjure nothing but evil ?
In 2017 , while President Buhari had his medical challenge , they were on an orgy of negative wishes , misinformation , and disinformation .
`` But God pulled a fast one on them .
He brought the president back , as right as rain .
Have n't they learned their lessons ? ''
The rumours finally ended after Mr Buhari - looking well - was videoed in a meeting with senior health officials .
A day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Buhari appeared on TV and ordered a 14-day lockdown of Nigeria 's commercial hub Lagos , neighbouring Ogun state , and the capital city Abuja , giving their 30 million residents just 24 hours to prepare to stay at home .
Mr Buhari subsequently extended the lockdown by two weeks , deepening fears about how the poor will survive in their overcrowded neighbourhoods , without water , electricity , and little food .
But all the gloating could come to a swift end .
Covid-19 could spread more rapidly beyond the elites , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retinue of `` servants '' - drivers , cooks , nannies and security guards , among others - who in turn could infect their families and neighbours in slums found in every major city .
'Not for the rich alone' Social-distancing and self-isolation in a typical Nigerian slum is impossible .
About 30 families often cram into a building , sharing the same bathroom and toilet .
The potential disaster is unimaginable .
As Ogun governor Dapo Abiodun said at the 30 March launch of a Covid-19 isolation centre in his state : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this virus is not for the rich or elite alone .
Everyone is at risk . ''
So while the lockdown causes much inconvenience and hardship for all Nigerians , especially the poor , it helps to maintain the vast gulf that exists in society , thus preventing those at the top from transmitting the virus to those at the bottom .
Nigeria 's gross inequality has often been criticised , and rightly so , but the spread of Covid-19 is definitely one area where the nation can not afford to have equality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kenya Follow us on Twitter @ BBCAfrica , on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has recorded more than 600 cases since the end of February - most of them people who had been abroad, and those they had interacted with after their return to Africa's most-populous state, which has a population of about 200 million.


bbc--2020-04-23--Merkel warns coronavirus crisis 'still just the beginning'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says her country must remain `` clever and cautious '' in handling the coronavirus crisis , as `` it 's not the end phase but still just the beginning '' .
`` We will be with it for a long time , '' she warned parliament , ahead of an EU video summit on the crisis .
She stressed the need for European cohesion in fighting the virus .
And she said Germany should be ready to `` make very different , meaning much higher contributions to the EU budget '' .
The extra funding should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solidarity '' and for a limited time , she said .
Italy , at the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe , has been especially vocal in urging its EU partners to jointly guarantee debt , as part of a huge rescue package .
But Germany , the Netherlands and Austria oppose any mutualisation of debt , in the form of so-called `` coronabonds '' .
Under current EU rules countries can not be made liable for each other 's debts .
On Thursday EU leaders are expected to sign off on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) emergency fund to protect European workers , businesses and countries worst affected by the coronavirus outbreak .
The details are yet to be worked out .
Italy and some others want the emergency funds to go as high as €1.5 trillion .
One plan is to expand the EU budget so that the European Commission can provide much bigger loan guarantees .
French President Emmanuel Macron has lined up with Italy and Spain on the issue , warning that this crisis threatens the very existence of the EU .
Italy , Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the highest European death tolls from Covid-19 .
Many Italians feel abandoned by the EU The old rifts from the eurozone crisis of 2009 - a supposedly frugal northern Europe versus a spendthrift south - have re-emerged with this outbreak .
The view from Rome is that a shared crisis needs a shared solution .
Facing fierce opposition mainly from Germany and the Netherlands , Italy may no longer be wedded to its idea of `` coronabonds '' - debt mutualisation - but is still pushing for a financial package that does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after all , is the spirit of the common market that Italy helped create .
Many Italians feel abandoned by an EU that has hoarded protective equipment and closed borders .
Polls show anti-EU feeling is at its highest ever here .
The leader of the hard-right Brothers of Italy party , Giorgia Meloni , told me the EU had shown its inadequacy and distance from the solidarity its members craved , peddling the idea of Italy as a beggar , wasting its money .
`` The EU exists thanks to Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's now a system that favours others . ''
Hers is the party steadily rising in the polls .
• Why fractious EU still believes together is better • Face masks to be compulsory across Germany • What can the UK learn from Germany on testing ?
On Thursday German officials said coronavirus cases nationally had risen to 148,046 , and the number of deaths linked to Covid-19 had risen by 215 to 5,094 .
Mrs Merkel said `` it 's the biggest challenge since World War Two , for the life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • 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 '' We must not waste what has been achieved already , '' she said , praising the efficiency of Germany 's healthcare system and the armed forces ' assistance in the national effort .
Her government 's decisions in this crisis `` have no historical model '' , she said .
`` The question of how we can prevent the virus from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lives of countless people , this question will for a long time be the central question for politics in Germany and Europe . ''
Mrs Merkel said Europe must strengthen its capacity to produce specialised medical kit , instead of depending on global supplies , which are now very stretched .
She also called the World Health Organization an indispensable partner in the fight against the virus .
President Donald Trump has suspended US funding of the body .
`` I know how difficult the restrictions are , it 's a challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights , '' she said , adding that democratic transparency , such as a free press , helped to make the situation tolerable .
`` It 's amazing how much understanding people have shown for each other , '' she said .
MPs frequently applauded her .

The view from Rome is that a shared crisis needs a shared solution. Facing fierce opposition mainly from Germany and the Netherlands, Italy may no longer be wedded to its idea of "coronabonds" - debt mutualisation - but is still pushing for a financial package that does not penalise any single economy. That, after all, is the spirit of the common market that Italy helped create.


bbc--2020-04-23--Li Zehua: Journalist who 'disappeared' after Wuhan chase reappears

A Chinese journalist who was chased and then detained in Wuhan - the centre of the country 's virus outbreak - has reappeared after almost two months .
Li Zehua broadcast the chase and his detention by police on 26 February , and had not been seen publicly since .
On Wednesday he published a video saying he spent two weeks in `` quarantine '' in Wuhan , followed by more quarantine in his home town .
He was told the quarantine was needed as he 'd been to `` sensitive areas '' .
Li Zehua is a citizen journalist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after another journalist , Chen Qiushi , went missing .
In his first video from Wuhan he explained why we was there .
`` Before I entered Wuhan , a friend who worked in the Chinese mainstream media told me ... all the bad news about the epidemic has been collected by the central government .
`` The local media can only report the good news about the patients ' recovery and so on .
Of course , it remains uncertain whether that 's true , because this is just what I heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included an alleged cover-up of infections , and a busy crematorium .
They were watched millions of times on Chinese platforms , YouTube , and Twitter .
In the new video , Li Zehua , who is thought to be 25 , said he was driving in Wuhan when people in another car told him to stop .
Instead of stopping , he sped up , saying he was `` confused '' and in `` fear '' .
He was chased and drove for 30km [ 19 miles ] , with part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ title `` SOS '' .
He arrived at his accommodation and began live-streaming before `` several '' people in police or security uniforms knocked on a near-by door .
• Why have two reporters in Wuhan disappeared ?
He turned off the light and sat silently while the officers knocked on other doors , and eventually his .
He ignored them but three hours later they knocked again .
He opened the door and was taken to a police station , where he had fingerprints and blood samples taken , before being taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was told he was `` suspected of disturbing public order '' , but was told there would be no penalty .
However , because he had been to `` sensitive epidemic areas '' , he would need to be quarantined .
Li Zehua was taken by the police chief to quarantine accommodation in Wuhan , where his electronic devices were taken .
He stayed there for two weeks , saying he was `` safe '' and was able to watch Chinese TV news .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 He was then driven to a quarantine centre in his home town for another two weeks , before going to stay with his family .
`` During the whole process , the police enforced law in a civilised manner , ensured my rest time and food .
They also cared about me very much , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been with my family .
Now I 'm planning for my development in this year .
`` I 'm grateful to all the people who looked after me and cared about me .
I wish all people suffering the epidemic can pull through .
God bless China .
I wish the world can unite together . ''
Chen Qiushi is still missing , according to a Twitter account run by friends .
He has been out of contact for 75 days .
Another journalist who reported from Wuhan , Fang Bin , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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bbc--2020-04-23--Apple iPhone at risk of hacking through email app

A flaw in Apple 's mobile operating system may have left millions of iPhone and iPad users vulnerable to hackers .
Research published by ZecOps , a mobile security firm , said a bug in the Mail app made devices susceptible to sophisticated attacks .
The firm said it had `` high confidence '' the bug has been used to exploited at least six high-profile victims .
An Apple spokesperson told Reuters a fix would be included in upcoming software updates .
ZecOps reported the bug to Apple in March .
The tech giant had not previously known about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hackers would send a seemingly blank message to an iPhone or iPad users Mail account - the email app on iOS devices .
When the email was opened it would crash the app forcing the user to reboot .
During the reboot , hackers would be able to access information on the device .
What makes this attack different from other hacks is users do not need to download any external software or visit a website that contains malicious software ( malware ) .
Typically hacks require some action on the part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trace the origin of the attack .
The researchers said the bug could be exploited even on recent versions of iOS .
ZecOps claimed it had found evidence that the bug was used to attack well-known targets including individuals from a Fortune 500 company in North America , an executive from a mobile carrier in Japan , employees of technology companies in Saudi Arabia and Israel , a European journalist and an individual in Germany .
The firm would not disclose the identities of the victims .
Apple products are typically considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devices .
Experts say this shows how difficult it can be to spot underlying vulnerabilities .

In a statement, Apple said: "We have thoroughly investigated the researcher's report and, based on the information provided, have concluded these issues do not pose an immediate risk to our users. The researcher identified three issues in Mail, but alone they are insufficient to bypass iPhone and iPad security protections, and we have found no evidence they were used against customers."