bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: When elderly parents want to carry on socialising

Many people have elderly parents , grandparents or neighbours who are part of the older demographic hit hardest by coronavirus .
But what if they prefer to ignore the risks and do n't want to stay in ?
As a teenager in the rural US state of Maine , Karen Swallow Prior used to sneak out at night so she could see her friends .
Now Prior , an English professor , tries to make sure that her parents , who are both in their 80s , do n't try to slip away and head into town themselves .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 55 , who lives next door to her mother and father in Amherst , Virginia .
Like many others who have elderly parents , she is doing her best to keep them safe from coronavirus - even when they seem sceptical about the dangers .
People of all ages can be infected by the virus .
But it is especially dangerous for older people .
Less than 1 % of patients under the age of 50 died with the coronavirus disease in China , according to the New York Times .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who were over the age of 80 .
Still , many older adults in the US seem somewhat blasé about the disease .
Most of those who are over 60 say that they are not worried about dying from it , according to a Harris Poll .
Prior says that her mother seemed a bit flippant about the disease , saying that she never got the flu .
So Prior had `` the talk '' , as she put it , with her mother and her father several days ago .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus and explained the recommendations from health experts and those who specialise in infectious diseases - elderly people should stay home .
• How can I look after my older relatives ?
Prior 's parents said they understood the risks and would be cautious .
Later , though , Prior 's husband told her that he had seen her parents heading into town .
`` So I was looking out the window to see if they 'd gotten home , '' Prior says .
`` The dogs were barking . ''
They were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she explained the risks again , and they promised they 'd stay put . ''
That conversation Prior had with her parents is being repeated the world over by adults doing their best to convince their older loved ones to isolate themselves and to take other precautions against the disease .
Even routine trips to the store , visits with friends or a meeting with an accountant , as Prior 's parents had done during their outing in town , increases the risk of infection .
Sarah Marshall , a 31-year-old podcast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to protect her parents as much as she can .
She was recently visiting her mother near Portland , and she reluctantly agreed to take her on a trip with her to a grocery store .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• YOUR THIRD HAND : How do you clean your smartphone ?
• BORED KIDS : Should you let your children play with others ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the US ?
As it turned out , the place was packed with panic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 71-year-old mother had not come .
`` We drove home , and I screamed at her like she used to scream at me when I was a child , '' says Marshall .
She says that she is now forging a new relationship with her parents , and she describes her current role - the disciplinarian - in bittersweet terms .
Speaking on the phone at her parent 's house , Marshall said that she was looking out the window at their back yard .
She saw her parents with their dog , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , `` appropriately social distancing '' , sitting more than six feet from each other .
`` It 's like my parents have a play date in the yard , and I 'm the parent , '' she says .
As she and others know , their parents consume the news in a different manner and may be slow to realise the extent of the pandemic and how it affects them directly .
Sometimes they are not following the news as closely .
`` The urgency has n't hit them yet , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents in Long Beach , California .
In some cases , the older parents have been downplaying the severity of the crisis .
Dianne Anderson , 34 , a writer in Minneapolis , says her father , 68 , a teacher who lives in South Dakota , was initially sceptical about the health warnings .
`` He said : 'Oh , well , I 'll be fine . '
'' Then she spoke with him on the phone : `` When I say something 's a big deal , he knows to trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Now , she says , he is taking precautions .
For the parents , too , the experience of learning from their children has been chastening .
They understand the concerns their children have , and they try to follow their advice and the public-health guidelines .
But still they chafe at the restrictions .
Dennis Horn , a 69-year-old lawyer in Chevy Chase , Maryland , says that recently he had breakfast with friends in the Georgetown neighbourhood of Washington , and then his son found out .
`` My son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` He let me have it . ''
Horn says that he sometimes feels nostalgic for the way things used to be .
`` Remember the days when kids took direction from their parents ? ''
he says , wistfully .
Still Horn says that he has been trying to hunker down .
He knows that his son is watching out for him - just as he once did for him .

Prior says that her mother seemed a bit flippant about the disease, saying that she never got the flu. So Prior had "the talk", as she put it, with her mother and her father several days ago. She told them about the danger of the virus and explained the recommendations from health experts and those who specialise in infectious diseases - elderly people should stay home.


bbc--2020-03-18--Coronavirus and how it's changed our world

What does social distancing mean ?
Social distancing is one of the pieces of advice being suggested to help limit @ @ @ @ @ but what does the phrase actually mean ?

When the coronavirus pandemic broke out it changed the way we interact with social distancing encouraged to prevent the spread of the virus.
From clearer water in Venice to emptier trains in London, how has coronavirus changed everyday life around the world?


bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: Queen urges UK to ‘work as one’ in message to nation

The Queen has issued a message to the nation on the coronavirus outbreak , saying the UK is “ entering a period of great concern and uncertainty ” .
The 93-year-old praised the work of scientists , medics and emergency staff , but added that everyone has a `` vitally important part to play '' .
Her message came just ahead of the PM 's daily briefing , in which he said the UK could `` turn the tide '' in 12 weeks .
The monarch said she and her family `` stand ready to play our part '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ official duties because of the crisis , and is now at Windsor Castle with the Duke of Edinburgh .
He was flown there by helicopter from the Sandringham estate where he had been staying .
The virus has now seen 144 people who tested positive die in the UK .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
In her statement , the Queen said : `` Our nation ’ s history has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together to work as one .
`` We are all being advised to change our normal routines and regular patterns of life for the greater good of the communities we live in and , in particular , to protect the most vulnerable within them .
`` At times such as these , I am reminded that our nation 's history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one , concentrating our combined efforts with a focus on the common goal . ''
She added : “ Many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of staying in touch with each other and making sure that loved ones are safe .
I am certain we are up to that challenge .
`` You can be assured that my family and I stand ready to play our part.
” The Queen 's message came after Buckingham Palace announced last week that changes were being made to her diary commitments `` as a sensible precaution '' .
She has cancelled her annual garden parties , along with visits to several UK towns .
The government is advising everyone in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid all non-essential contact .
The advanced age of both the Queen , who is the world 's longest reigning monarch , and Philip , who is 98 , means they are more at risk of complications if they catch the Covid-19 illness .
They are expected to remain at Windsor beyond Easter with fewer staff , as a precaution .
In his news briefing , Boris Johnson said he did not know how long the crisis would affect the UK , but said he hoped to `` get on top of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said trials of a vaccine were expected to begin within a month and warned he would `` enforce '' Londoners to be kept apart `` if necessary '' .
He also urged businesses to `` stand by their employees '' , adding that the chancellor would be making further announcements on Friday .
From Friday , all schools in the UK will close their doors to nearly all pupils , except vulnerable ones and the children of key workers .
A full list of key workers , likely to include NHS workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also expected .
Meanwhile , Prince Harry , who is due to step down as a senior royal at the end of the month , has said the Invictus Games he set up have been postponed for a year .
In a video message , he urged participants to look after fellow servicemen who may be most vulnerable during periods of social isolation .
`` Please look after yourselves , look after your families , please look out for one another '' , he said .

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bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: UK interest rates slashed to lowest level ever

The Bank of England has cut interest rates again in an emergency move as it tries to support the UK economy in the face of the coronavirus pandemic .
It is the second cut in interest rates in just over a week , bringing them down to 0.1 % from 0.25 % .
Interest rates are now at the lowest ever in the Bank 's 325-year history .
The Bank said it would also increase its holdings of UK government and corporate bonds by £200bn with an effort to lower the cost of borrowing .
It 's a dramatic move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over from Mark Carney as Bank of England governor on Monday .
Last week , the Bank announced a 0.5 % cut in rates to 0.25 % and a package of of measures to help businesses and individuals cope with the economic damage caused by the virus .
The move coincided with additional measures announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Budget .
• Coronavirus : How the Bank rate cuts affect you However , the Bank said the measures it had taken so far were not going to be enough , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was warranted '' .
`` The spread of Covid-19 and the measures being taken to contain the virus will result in an economic shock that could be sharp and large , but should be temporary , '' it added .
The move comes as international investors are trying to secure more cash , in particular dollars .
This means they 're ditching assets such as UK government gilts , which are the `` IOU '' notes the government hands over to private investors willing to lend it money .
As the gilts are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yield - the effective interest rate compared to the price - rises .
What that means is the cost of borrowing to private investors as well as to the government rises - just when the Bank of England wants it to fall and the government is about to borrow huge sums .
The Bank of England 's plan to buy £200bn more bonds is aimed at fighting that effect .
The fresh rate cut takes interest rates to the lowest they can feasibly go , said Jeremy Thomson-Cook , chief economist at payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and additional quantitative easing can keep markets satisfied and borrowing costs for both businesses and the government down but unless money is forced into the hands of small businesses soon , then it will be for nothing ; they are the ones laying off staff due to a liquidity shock , '' he added .
Karen Ward , chief European market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management , said : The support to the economy and health system will require vastly higher government borrowing .
The central bank showing willing to buy government debt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ additional issuance without undue stress . ''
The Bank of England Governor has said today 's second emergency rate cut in just over a week occurred after financial markets became `` borderline disorderly '' , with fears about coronavirus leading to a rush into the US dollar away from sterling and lending to the UK government .
`` We 've seen very sharp moves in financial markets in the last few days , which is the pace of which frankly , was increasing very rapidly .
And we were moving into conditions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bordering on disorderly let me put it that way , '' Andrew Bailey told journalists .
The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee had an emergency call this morning so that rate cuts and further `` quantitative easing '' could be agreed and announced , with the Bank needing to be `` on the offensive '' because : `` We ca n't wait for the hard economic data it will be too late by then '' , he said .
He said he had seen a range of private forecasts about the economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do n't have a precise forecast - every picture we look at has a very sharp V in it '' .
The governor also partly blamed rumours that appeared to emerge from Westminster of a shutdown to London for adding to the volatility in markets that saw sterling fall 5 % against the dollar .
Such a shutdown would be likely to impact on the functioning of the City .
He said : `` I do have to say that , you know , there were rumours going on the market this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a lockdown in London .
And I 'd observe that did cause market prices to start moving around at that point .
But I think the government has been clear , and it 's clear that that is not the intention at the moment . ''
The governor also said that he had already intervened to try to get loans to businesses to keep people in employment , and he said the Bank had its thinking cap on as regards further monetary boosts it can make .
He reiterated his lack of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of their impact on the banking system 's capacity to lend , and suggested that was the reason for limiting the cut to an unusual 0.15 % ( rather than the usual 0.25 % or 0.5 % ) to a record low of 0.1 % .
The key Monetary Policy Committee will meet again next week .

He said: "I do have to say that, you know, there were rumours going on the market this time yesterday that there was going to be a lockdown in London. And I'd observe that did cause market prices to start moving around at that point. But I think the government has been clear, and it's clear that that is not the intention at the moment."


bbc--2020-03-19--'India must prepare for a tsunami of coronavirus cases'

Dr Ramanan Laxminarayan , director of the Center for Disease Dynamics , Economics and Policy has warned that India could @ @ @ @ @ `` tsunami '' of coronavirus cases .
Speaking to the BBC 's Rajini Vaidyanthan in @ @ @ @ @ that if the same mathematical models applied in the US or UK were applied to @ @ @ @ @ be dealing with about 300 million cases , of which about four to five million @ @ @ @ @ has already implemented a series of wide-ranging measures to slow the spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ country has 149 active cases , but many public health experts worry that the country @ @ @ @ @ tests .

Dr Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy has warned that India could soon be dealing with a "tsunami" of coronavirus cases.
Speaking to the BBC's Rajini Vaidyanthan in Delhi, Dr Laxminarayan said that if the same mathematical models applied in the US or UK were applied to India, the country could be dealing with about 300 million cases, of which about four to five million could be severe. India has already implemented a series of wide-ranging measures to slow the spread of the virus.
Official figures show the country has 149 active cases, but many public health experts worry that the country has conducted far too few tests.
Video by Sanjay Ganguly


bbc--2020-03-19--WHO head tells Africa to 'wake up' to coronavirus threat

Africa must `` wake up '' to the coronavirus threat and prepare for the worst , the head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has said .
The continent should learn from how the spread of virus has sped up elsewhere , Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said .
He warned that while Africa 's confirmed cases were currently low - around 640 - there was no reason for complacency .
`` Africa should wake up , my continent should wake up , '' said the Ethiopian , the WHO 's first African head .
• BBC Africa Live : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • The Ethiopian leading the fight against the coronavirus • How a township is bracing for coronavirus Health experts warn that strained public health systems in Africa could become quickly overwhelmed if the virus takes hold , especially in overcrowded urban areas .
`` WHO 's recommendation is actually mass gatherings should be avoided and we should do all we can to cut it from the bud , expecting that the worst could happen , '' Mr Tedros told a news conference in Geneva , where the WHO is based .
In Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus : six in Egypt , six in Algeria , two in Morocco , one in Sudan and one in Burkina Faso .
In South Africa , which has 116 cases , President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a state of disaster , restricting travel , closing schools , banning mass gatherings and ordering bars to close or limit numbers to 50 .
The country has also banned all cruise ships from its ports .
This comes despite tests coming back negative for six people on board a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under quarantine .
All 1,700 people are now free to leave the ship and return home .
Anyone breaking South Africa 's coronavirus measures will be subject to a fine , or even imprisonment .
Other African nations have been imposing similar restrictions : • Lagos state , the economic hub of Nigeria , has banned gatherings of more than 50 people and schools will close from next week • Africa 's most-populous country , which has eight coronavirus cases , is also stopping flights from any country where there are more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the worst-affected countries in Africa , has closed its borders and stopped flights • The president has also banned mass gatherings , which would affect the weekly big anti-government demonstrations • Rwanda , which has 11 patients with Covid-19 , is banning passenger flights after Friday for 30 days • Kenya , a deeply religious country like most on the continent , has suspended worship in some churches and mosques • The government also says it will manufacture its own hand sanitiser and distribute it for free , in a bid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealt with a deadly Ebola outbreak several years ago and has two recorded cases of Covid-19 , has stopped issuing passports to stop people travelling and earlier this week banned entry to those from countries worst affected by the pandemic • The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius has banned entry to tourists for two weeks - and confirmed its first three cases : two cruise ships workers and a British tourist • Zambia , with two Covid-19 cases , has suspended parliament and schools and university will close after Friday • Somalia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space overnight • Uganda and Botswana , which have no cases so far , will close schools from next week • Chad , with no cases , is suspending all passenger flights and closing some land borders from midnight on Thursday .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak

"WHO's recommendation is actually mass gatherings should be avoided and we should do all we can to cut it from the bud, expecting that the worst could happen," Mr Tedros told a news conference in Geneva, where the WHO is based.


bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: EasyJet staff may no longer be given food on shifts

Budget airline EasyJet has asked pilots and cabin crew to agree to sweeping changes in their terms and conditions , as part of its response to coronavirus .
Among the proposed changes are a freeze on planned pay rises and a requirement to take three months of unpaid leave .
The airline would also no longer provide food for crew during their shifts , only water .
Unions told members they had failed to reach agreement with the airline and were working on counter-proposals .
However , there remains a willingness to make concessions in order to avoid redundancies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pilots and cabin crew are expected today .
Meanwhile , EasyJet 's chief executive Johan Lundgren has defended the payment of £170m in dividends to shareholders , at a time when the company is seeking financial help from the government .
On Wednesday , EasyJet 's recently-appointed chief operating officer Peter Bellew met delegates from the pilots ' union Balpa and Unite , which represents cabin crew .
Under discussion was a proposed `` coronavirus cooperation agreement '' setting out changes to employees ' terms and conditions .
It would be in force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2021 .
Both sides acknowledge that action is needed .
Travel restrictions across Europe have forced it to cancel many of its flights and ground more than a third of its fleet .
The airline needs to save cash , and the unions want to preserve jobs .
However , sources say the proposals themselves provoked an angry response .
The four-page document would allow the airline to cancel pay rises until 2021 , make significant changes to working patterns , and allow it to defer pay rises for newly-promoted captains for six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the plan .
According to messages seen by the BBC , negotiators agreed to reject it on the principle that there was `` no evidence that the current crisis warrants such an extensive change in terms and conditions for such a long period , particularly when so many of them are so critically linked to flight safety and fatigue '' .
Balpa has refused to comment , as the talks are ongoing .
Unite , meanwhile , has taken a softer tone .
The union denied reports it had told the airline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal on the table .
`` Unite is very much still in talks with EasyJet and it is totally untrue to suggest the union has rejected all the company 's proposals '' , it said in a statement .
However , insiders told the BBC they shared concerns that the airline might be using the current crisis as an excuse to change working practices , and erode employees ' pay and benefits in the long term .
In a statement , the company said : `` EasyJet has met with its employee representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can help the airline navigate through these unprecedented times… '' Like all airlines we are taking every action to remove cost and non-critical expenditure from the business at every level to help mitigate the impact from the Covid-19 pandemic . ''
• Airlines warn they may not survive without bailout Meanwhile , EasyJet 's chief executive has told the BBC the company is asking for government loans to help it weather the crisis .
He said the company was `` first and foremost '' trying to save cash .
But he added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long this thing will last we also think it 's appropriate that we 're also looking for financing being supported as well from the government . ''
Such support , he said , would take the form of `` loans on a commercial basis '' .
He defended a £170m dividend to shareholders , due to be made tomorrow , saying it had already been signed off - and the company was legally obliged to make the payment .
EasyJet says Mr Lundgren , Mr Bellew and Chief Financial Officer Andrew Findlay have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut in their monthly salary from April to June .

Pilots in particular seem aggrieved by the plan. According to messages seen by the BBC, negotiators agreed to reject it on the principle that there was "no evidence that the current crisis warrants such an extensive change in terms and conditions for such a long period, particularly when so many of them are so critically linked to flight safety and fatigue".


bbc--2020-03-19--Tokyo Olympics & coronavirus: Lord Coe says too early to decide on cancellation

It is too early to decide whether to cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics , but `` nobody is saying we 're going to the Games come what may , '' says World Athletics chief Lord Coe .
The International Olympic Committee has said the Games could still begin on 24 July despite the coronavirus pandemic .
Coe told BBC Sport : `` Let 's not make a precipitous decision when we do n't have to four months out .
`` If you had to ease that date , you 'd have to ease it .
Anything is possible . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radio 4 , Coe , who was chair of the London 2012 organising committee , also said : `` Events are changing by the hour but it is not a decision that has to be made at the moment .
`` We 're trying to manage the situation with the information we have but there is not a great deal of information . ''
The IOC says it held `` constructive '' talks with athlete representatives about the coronavirus crisis earlier this week .
President Thomas Bach admitted he was `` confronted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but insisted that `` everybody realised that we still have more than four months to go '' until Tokyo 2020 .
The British Athletes Commission said on Thursday that the situation was `` significantly impacting the preparation of athletes '' for the Games .
`` We encourage information to be made readily available and that timely decisions are made in the best interests of athletes , '' the BAC statement added .
On Thursday , Tokyo 2020 organisers received the Olympic flame in a scaled-down ceremony in Athens ' Panathenaic stadium , site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1896 .
The flame was then transferred into a small holder to travel to Japan on a special aircraft named 'Tokyo 2020 Go . '
In a video message Tokyo 2020 organising chief Yoshiro Mori said he hoped the flame 's arrival would help `` shake off the dark clouds hanging over the world '' .
When asked about the prospect of pushing the Olympics back a year to 2021 , Coe replied : `` It seems on the surface an easy proposition but athletics has its worlds on that date , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back a year .
`` The sporting calendar is a complicated matrix and it is not easy to move from one year to the next .
It would be ridiculous to say anything is ruled out at the moment .
The whole world wants clarity ; we 're no different from any other sector .
`` In athletics we 've postponed three Diamond League meetings but not all , because we do n't have to make that decision .
Everybody accepts this is a fast-moving environment .
I need to be careful I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ athletes any more than I need to at this moment . ''
Not 'much of a choice ' but to call them off In contrast to Coe , former Olympic champion rower Sir Matthew Pinsent said he did not see `` much of a choice '' but to postpone or cancel the Games .
`` I just think there are bigger things to worry about at this stage on a global front , '' Britain 's four-time Olympic gold medallist told BBC Radio 4 .
`` For most of the European countries as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in any meaningful way has ceased , and that 's from government advice .
I do n't see there 's any way forward for an Olympic athlete to train effectively - even as an individual , but particularly in a team environment .
`` Obviously I came from rowing , and rowing squads around Europe and the world are essentially downing tools and going into lockdown as their individual governments are mandating that they should - I just think it 's unfair .
`` It 's unfair for the Olympics to say we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the two big forces in an Olympic athlete 's life , which is the Olympics and everything else .
And those two things are pulling in different directions at this moment . ''
Asked why he felt the IOC was insisting the Games would go ahead , Pinsent added : `` I think they feel a responsibility to Tokyo .
`` We know having hosted in 2012 that seven-year build up is a crescendo of energy and concentration and effort on behalf of the city and on behalf of the nation and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in it .
`` I know that Tokyo have done exactly the same and actually the financial stakes are much higher for the host city than they are for the IOC . ''
Meanwhile British race walker Tom Bosworth has told BBC Sport that the Olympics should be put back until the autumn .
`` It would be a very tough one but in my opinion I think it should be postponed to allow everybody to qualify , to allow the build-up to be correct for what should be a really great and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` If I 'm honest I do n't think there is enough time to properly build towards a Games , whether that is build athlete profiles , build the teams , allow people to qualify who have n't qualified .
I think for all involved a slight delay is probably the best option . ''

Lord Coe (left) won gold for Britain at consecutive Olympics in the men's 1500m (1980 & 1984)
It is too early to decide whether to cancel the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, but "nobody is saying we're going to the Games come what may," says World Athletics chief Lord Coe.
The International Olympic Committee has said the Games could still begin on 24 July despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Coe told BBC Sport: "Let's not make a precipitous decision when we don't have to four months out.
"If you had to ease that date, you'd have to ease it. Anything is possible."
Speaking on the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4, Coe, who was chair of the London 2012 organising committee, also said: "Events are changing by the hour but it is not a decision that has to be made at the moment.
"We're trying to manage the situation with the information we have but there is not a great deal of information."
The IOC says it held "constructive" talks with athlete representatives about the coronavirus crisis earlier this week.
President Thomas Bach admitted he was "confronted with many questions" over qualification and restrictions but insisted that "everybody realised that we still have more than four months to go" until Tokyo 2020.
The British Athletes Commission said on Thursday that the situation was "significantly impacting the preparation of athletes" for the Games.
"We encourage information to be made readily available and that timely decisions are made in the best interests of athletes," the BAC statement added.
On Thursday, Tokyo 2020 organisers received the Olympic flame in a scaled-down ceremony in Athens' Panathenaic stadium, site of the first modern Games in Greece in 1896.
The flame was then transferred into a small holder to travel to Japan on a special aircraft named 'Tokyo 2020 Go.'
In a video message Tokyo 2020 organising chief Yoshiro Mori said he hoped the flame's arrival would help "shake off the dark clouds hanging over the world".
When asked about the prospect of pushing the Olympics back a year to 2021, Coe replied: "It seems on the surface an easy proposition but athletics has its worlds on that date, the Euros in football have been moved back a year.
"The sporting calendar is a complicated matrix and it is not easy to move from one year to the next. It would be ridiculous to say anything is ruled out at the moment. The whole world wants clarity; we're no different from any other sector.
"In athletics we've postponed three Diamond League meetings but not all, because we don't have to make that decision. Everybody accepts this is a fast-moving environment. I need to be careful I'm not removing the earning potential from athletes any more than I need to at this moment."
Not 'much of a choice' but to call them off
In contrast to Coe, former Olympic champion rower Sir Matthew Pinsent said he did not see "much of a choice" but to postpone or cancel the Games.
"I just think there are bigger things to worry about at this stage on a global front," Britain's four-time Olympic gold medallist told BBC Radio 4.
"For most of the European countries as well as Asian countries, organised sport in any meaningful way has ceased, and that's from government advice. I don't see there's any way forward for an Olympic athlete to train effectively - even as an individual, but particularly in a team environment.
"Obviously I came from rowing, and rowing squads around Europe and the world are essentially downing tools and going into lockdown as their individual governments are mandating that they should - I just think it's unfair.
"It's unfair for the Olympics to say we're going to carry on. There are the two big forces in an Olympic athlete's life, which is the Olympics and everything else. And those two things are pulling in different directions at this moment."
Asked why he felt the IOC was insisting the Games would go ahead, Pinsent added: "I think they feel a responsibility to Tokyo.
"We know having hosted in 2012 that seven-year build up is a crescendo of energy and concentration and effort on behalf of the city and on behalf of the nation and the government. Everybody takes a pride in it.
"I know that Tokyo have done exactly the same and actually the financial stakes are much higher for the host city than they are for the IOC."
Meanwhile British race walker Tom Bosworth has told BBC Sport that the Olympics should be put back until the autumn.
"It would be a very tough one but in my opinion I think it should be postponed to allow everybody to qualify, to allow the build-up to be correct for what should be a really great and really successful Olympic Games," he said.
"If I'm honest I don't think there is enough time to properly build towards a Games, whether that is build athlete profiles, build the teams, allow people to qualify who haven't qualified. I think for all involved a slight delay is probably the best option."


bbc--2020-03-19--German police raid neo-Nazi Reichsbürger movement nationwide

German police have raided premises nationwide linked to an anti-Semitic far-right movement called Reichsbürger ( Citizens of the Reich ) .
Neo-Nazi propaganda and firearms were seized in the raids , in 10 of Germany 's 16 states .
The targeted group , `` United German Peoples and Tribes '' , is part of Reichsbürger , whose members reject the German state as a legal entity .
The interior ministry said racism `` even in times of crisis '' would be combated .
The statement from ministry spokesman Steve Alter was a reference to the coronavirus pandemic , which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses and public events .
The Reichsbürger movement is estimated to have 19,000 members in Germany .
Those targeted are suspected of spreading racist threats and propaganda .
It is the first time the interior minister has banned a group associated with the Reichsbürger movement .
Last month a gunman linked by the authorities to far-right conspiracy theories murdered nine people of foreign heritage in the western town of Hanau .
• Why Germany ’ s far-right AfD is blamed over racist violence In October 2017 a Reichsbürger member was sentenced to life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a raid on his home in 2016 .
Thursday 's raids were the latest big move against far-right groups this year .
The authorities have also put part of the far-right political party Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) under systematic surveillance and banned the neo-Nazi group Combat 18 .
Reichsbürger members do not recognise the post-war German federal republic , seeing it merely as some sort of private company .
They believe in the continued existence of a German empire , or Reich , dating back to 1937 or even earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racist conspiracy theories .

Reichsbürger members do not recognise the post-war German federal republic, seeing it merely as some sort of private company. They believe in the continued existence of a German empire, or Reich, dating back to 1937 or even earlier. They are Holocaust deniers who espouse racist conspiracy theories.


bbc--2020-03-19--Gal Gadot, Natalie Portman and Amy Adams in star-studded Imagine cover

Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot took to Instagram on the sixth day of her self-imposed quarantine , for a star-studded sing-along to John Lennon 's Imagine .
Gadot enlisted fellow superheroes Natalie Portman ( Thor ) and Mark Ruffalo ( Hulk ) for the cover , with more than 20 others each singing a line of the song .
Will Ferrell , Amy Adams , Kristen Wiig , Sia and Cara Delevingne also took part .
The star said she had chosen the song for its `` powerful and pure '' message of unity during the coronavirus pandemic .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Italian man playing the song on his trumpet on his balcony to his neighbours who were self-isolating .
Gadot has previously encouraged fans to stay indoors during the outbreak , saying `` staying at home is my super power - and yours '' .
She wrote on Instagram : `` The sooner we all stay home and keep ourselves from catching this very contagious virus , the sooner we can go back to our lives without losing lives . ''
The actress recently finished filming Wonder Woman 1984 , which has a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could end up being delayed due to the outbreak .
Meanwhile , U2 's Bono released a new song on Tuesday , also inspired by videos of Italian citizens singing from their balconies while the country was on lockdown .
He posted the track , called Let Your Love Be Known , to his Instagram account with the caption : `` For the Italians who inspired it… for the Irish… for ANYONE who this St Patrick 's Day is in a tight spot and still singing .
`` For the doctors , nurses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's you we 're singing to . ''
They are not the only stars to use social media to connect with fans , and offer some impromptu entertainment , in recent days .
Miley Cyrus has started a nightly chat show on Instagram , called Bright Minded , shot on her laptop .
The latest edition saw her joined by comedian Amy Schumer , who riffed about fake health advice circulating on social media , and why everyone needed to build screen breaks into their daily routines .
`` Even watching the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right out , '' she said .
Later , the comedian turned the camera on her 10-month-old son , Gene , and laughed : `` If anyone wants their day brightened , here is a little baby . ''
Several musicians have also started live-streaming performances for fans , including Frank Turner , Christine and the Queens , and Bastille 's Dan Smith , who covered TLC 's No Scrubs in an Instagram broadcast from his living room on Wednesday .
Chris Martin and John Legend have also performed shows under the banner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Health Organization and Global Citizen to help bring people together during a period of social isolation .
One Direction star Niall Horan and rap legend Common are also due to take part in the series this week .
Meanwhile , radio stations across Europe will come together on Friday morning to play Gerry and the Pacemakers ' hit You 'll Never Walk Alone as a symbol of solidarity .
BBC Radio 1 , Radio 2 and 6 Music will all play the track at 07:45 GMT , together with more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Slovakia , Germany , Finland and Romania .
The initiative was dreamt up by Dutch radio presenter Sander Hoogendoorn , who chose the song as a message to `` to those doing an incredible job working in healthcare right now , those who are ill or those who ca n't leave their house for a while '' .
At the same time , fans streaming music at home are exhibiting a macabre streak of humour during the crisis .
Tracks like REM 's It 's The End Of The World As We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't Stand So Close To Me are seeing a surge in streams and sales , although more hopeful songs like John Legend 's All Of Me are also enjoying a resurgence .
• EASY STEPS : How to keep safe • A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
But the most bizarre musical phenomenon to emerge from the outbreak has come courtesy of New York rapper Cardi B .
Last week , the star posted a rambling video , sharing her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration 's response , to her 60 million Instagram followers .
Her speech was then sampled and set to music by a Brooklyn producer called DJ iMarkkeyz , whose song Coronavirus ( Remix ) is now the seventh most popular song on the US iTunes chart .
It has also topped the download charts in Bulgaria , Egypt and Brazil .
DJ iMarkkeyz , whose real name is Brandon Markell Davidson , said he intended to give proceeds from the sales to charity .
Cardi B agreed , writing on Twitter : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ na do ! ''
before sharing advice with Davidson about how music industry payments get made .
`` Keep in mind you do n't get your money right away , '' she wrote .
`` But even months from now there would be families with financial issues for getting laid off due to the virus .
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If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

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bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: Trump blames media for virus spread

The president criticised the media 's coverage of his decision to ban those coming to the US from China .
@ @ @ @ @ an implementation the situation would have been much worse : `` You would n't have @ @ @ @ @ we are , '' he told reporters .
The US has more than 9,300 cases @ @ @ @ @ 150 deaths so far , according to estimates .
Globally there are some 220,000 confirmed @ @ @ @ @ .

The president criticised the media's coverage of his decision to ban those coming to the US from China.
He said that without such an implementation the situation would have been much worse: "You wouldn't have even recognised it to where we are," he told reporters.
The US has more than 9,300 cases of Covid-19 and has seen 150 deaths so far, according to estimates.
Globally there are some 220,000 confirmed cases and over 8,800 deaths.


bbc--2020-03-19--Hiking and beach cleaning - in heels and drag

Pattie Gonia is on a mission to get everyone outside and caring for Mother Nature for a little bit more @ @ @ @ @ hikes and rubbish on trail pick-ups across the United States .
Pattie says `` The @ @ @ @ @ us for who we are . ''

Pattie Gonia is on a mission to get everyone outside and caring for Mother Nature for a little bit more.
She now organises group hikes and rubbish on trail pick-ups across the United States.
Pattie says "The outdoors just is and accepts us for who we are."
Video by Chloe Kim.


bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus slowdown seen from space

Coronavirus slowdown seen from space

Satellite images of normally busy locations around the world show how the coronavirus is having an impact on travel and tourism .
In Nevada , the governor is shutting down non-essential business , which is expected to hit Las Vegas ' famous gambling industry .
Disney is closing its doors until the end of the month - as can be seen by the lack of cars in the car park at Disney World , Florida .
The Disney park in California , which is also closed , has said it will donate unsold food to a food bank charity in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer tourists and less canal traffic , residents of the city of Venice are noticing other changes .
They say the water is clear for the first time in years as the drop in water traffic means sediment in the canals has been able to settle .
In Vermont , car parks are empty as skiers keep away from the resort at Killington .
Gatherings of 50 or more people have been banned in the state , bars have been shut down and restaurants restricted to take-out and delivery services only until 6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in demand at Phoenix City airport , as Maxar Technologies images show full car parks , compared with the start of the month .
There are fewer aircraft at the airport in Salt Lake City .
A huge traffic jam is spotted in the centre of the Russian capital , Moscow , where officials have closed all schools and banned gatherings of more than 50 people .
In Iran , which has seen thousands of cases of the coronavirus , the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad , has been closed because of the @ @ @ @ @ @

Disney is closing its doors until the end of the month - as can be seen by the lack of cars in the car park at Disney World, Florida. The Disney park in California, which is also closed, has said it will donate unsold food to a food bank charity in order to help local people.


bbc--2020-03-19--Does pandemic offer US and Iran chance for partial reset?

We are facing a public health crisis that , in global terms , may be the worst for just over a century .
No wonder then that the coronavirus pandemic has pushed many of the stories that make up our usual daily diet of international news to the sidelines .
Nonetheless , many commentators are already speculating about how global affairs may or may not change in the wake of this drama .
That , though , is a long way off yet .
• What 's Iran doing to contain the coronavirus ?
A more immediate question is whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the United States , in this case - as they both struggle to confront this emergency , might provide a glimmer of hope for a better relationship in the future ?
The question is posed because Iran has been hit severely by the virus .
The number of reported cases is already more than 17,000 and the death toll stands at 1,192 , although many in Iran believe the actual numbers are a lot higher .
Iran 's economy is already weakened by US sanctions and , although Washington insists that humanitarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - remain outside the sanctions net , the web of restrictions on the Central Bank of Iran and the country 's ability to trade with the outside world are only accentuating its problems .
Things have been made even more difficult by transport disruption , border closures and so on , prompted by the wider impact of the pandemic .
As a measure of Iran 's desperate need , it has taken the almost unprecedented step of requesting a $ 5bn ( £4.25bn ) emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund ( IMF @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some 60 years that Iran has sought IMF funds .
A spokesperson for the organisation told me on Tuesday that the IMF `` had discussions with the Iranian authorities to better understand their request for emergency financing '' and that `` the discussions will continue in the days and weeks ahead '' .
The US , as one of the IMF Executive Board 's most important members , will have a significant say in whether Iran gets the money .
Already there are calls from US experts for Iran not just to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also for the Trump administration to pursue a more compassionate approach to Iran 's health crisis in general .
Mark Fitzpatrick , an expert on arms control and the Iranian nuclear programme , insisted that there was a moment now when an opportunity can be seized to break the log-jam .
`` US policy toward Iran is stuck , failing to change Iran 's behaviour except for the worse , '' he tweeted on Monday .
Writing in the US journal The American Conservative on Tuesday , Iran specialist Barbara Slavin argued that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans , that the pandemic might serve to prompt the overthrow of the Iranian regime was absurd .
`` The likelihood of massive protests… seems slim given government directives to stay home and rational fears that mass gatherings will only spread the virus , '' she wrote .
The US treasury department , she noted , had taken some small steps to clarify that the humanitarian channel to Iran remained open .
But there had been no indications that the Trump administration 's `` maximum pressure '' policy was being reconsidered , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis will only push Iran deeper into the arms of China and Russia and strengthen those in the regime who reject reconciliation with the West . ''
`` The Revolutionary Guards , who are handling much of the response to the virus and building emergency medical facilities , '' she insisted , `` will grow even more powerful as Iran comes to look less and less like a theocracy with a thin republican veneer and more like a military dictatorship . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak So what then is the chance of even some modest rapprochement ?
Not much if the public statements of some of the key players are to be taken at face value .
The Trump administration has sought to score diplomatic points in this crisis .
The US Secretary of State , Mike Pompeo , said earlier this week that Iran 's leaders had `` lied about the Wuhan virus for weeks '' , and that they were `` trying to avoid responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Note there the use of the term `` Wuhan virus '' , which Mr Pompeo prefers to `` coronavirus '' .
Washington is seeking to have a jab at Beijing too , but equally some Chinese figures have been ready to brand the pandemic as some kind of conspiracy created by the US military .
But in regard to Iran , Mr Pompeo has gone further .
He bluntly stated that `` the Wuhan virus is a killer and the Iranian regime is an accomplice '' .
Nonetheless , he said the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have an open humanitarian channel ... even as our maximum pressure campaign denies terrorists money . ''
In terms of potential military confrontation - remember , just a few weeks ago the US and Iran seemed to be on the brink of war - there have been some indirect incidents .
They include rocket attacks on Iraqi military bases used by US-led coalition forces that the Americans believe were carried out by a pro-Iranian Shia militia .
One attack killed three coalition service personnel - one of them a British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air strikes .
General Frank McKenzie of CentCom , the man in charge of US forces in the Middle East , told the Senate Armed Services Committee recently that the coronavirus outbreak might make a weakened Iran `` more dangerous '' .
The US is certainly not taking any risks , unusually maintaining two aircraft carriers in the region .
Of course , the indirect culpability of Iran in such attacks is always contested - certainly by the Iranians themselves .
This is not necessarily a tap that Tehran can just turn on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its proxies have local concerns and goals .
The Shia militias in Iraq are eager to force the Americans out .
But Iran could probably do a lot to scale down the frequency or severity of incidents .
Indeed , in general the pandemic does seem to be reducing military confrontation in the wider region .
On the Iran-Israel front in Syria , things seem to be noticeably quieter .
And Gen McKenzie also noted that the US might have to `` ultimately live with a low-level of proxy attacks '' , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the situation .
The Iranian leadership too has been talking tough .
President Hassan Rouhani noted on Wednesday that Iran had responded to the US killing of the famed Revolutionary Guards General Qasem Soleimani in January , but also making clear that that this response would continue .
`` The Americans assassinated our great commander , '' he said in a televised speech .
`` We have responded to that terrorist act and will respond to it . ''
So , on the face of it , there 's not much chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US-Iran relationship .
Washington 's attitude to the IMF loan may be a pointer to how things might develop .
And indeed rhetoric should not necessarily be taken at face value .
At the end of February , the US contacted Iran via the Swiss government to say that it was `` prepared to assist the Iranian people in their response efforts '' .
Only on Tuesday , Mr Pompeo , along with his tough words to both Tehran and Beijing , spoke of his hope that Tehran might be considering releasing some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporary release of the British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is another small pointer of a shift in Tehran .
At the end of the day , Iran may well need to tacitly restrain some of the groups who have the Americans and other Western forces in their sights .
They will need to release detained foreign nationals .
And the Trump administration will need to decide whether this is an opportunity to create a small opening with Tehran along sound humanitarian grounds or , whether the mounting pressure on the regime from both sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment to double-down .
It could be a fateful decision for what comes next when the pandemic has passed .

And the Trump administration will need to decide whether this is an opportunity to create a small opening with Tehran along sound humanitarian grounds or, whether the mounting pressure on the regime from both sanctions and now the coronavirus, is a moment to double-down.


bbc--2020-03-19--Catherine Hamlin: Grief in Ethiopia as trailblazing Australian doctor dies

No-one came to meet Catherine Hamlin the day she arrived at a tiny airport in Ethiopia in 1959 .
More than 60 years later , the news of the Australian gynaecologist ’ s death at the age of 96 was met with an outpouring of grief in the country she had made her home .
That is because of the work Dr Hamlin - along with her late husband , Reginald - did transforming and , in some cases , saving the lives of tens of thousands of women who had been cast out of their communities .
Treating obstetric @ @ @ @ @ @ @ childbirth that leaves women incontinent and can lead to other infections - would become her life ’ s work .
`` These are the women most to be pitied in the world , '' Dr Hamlin told the New York Times in 2003 .
`` They 're alone in the world , ashamed of their injuries .
For lepers , or Aids victims , there are organisations that help .
But nobody knows about these women or helps them . ''
Elinor Catherine Nicholson was born in Sydney in 1924 , one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be a doctor because she wanted to help women and children .
After she completed her training , she began work at Crown Street Women ’ s Hospital , where she met a doctor from New Zealand , Reginald Hamlin .
They were married in 1950 , and had a son , Richard , two years later .
'We never came back' But the two wanted to go and work in a developing nation , and one day an advert in British medical journal The Lancet caught their eye .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Addis Ababa ' , '' Dr Hamlin told the BBC in 2016 .
It was enough to pique their interest , and the couple applied .
`` We felt we would like to do something to help people in the world , because we had had so many advantages , '' Dr Hamlin explained .
The idea was to stay for a couple of years .
`` But we never came back . ''
So they set off from Sydney , sending a cable from the middle of the Indian Ocean to let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrival .
It didn ’ t quite go according to plan .
`` The cable didn ’ t get there until three weeks after we did , so there was nobody to meet us . ''
But they soon settled in , and it wasn ’ t long before they began to notice a number of women with a condition they had never seen before : obstetric fistula .
`` We were touched and appalled by the sadness of our first fistula patient : a beautiful young woman in urine-soaked ragged clothes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the other waiting patients , '' Dr Hamlin later recalled to the Guardian .
`` We knew she was more in need than any of the others . ''
Two million women live with the condition globally , mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia .
Without help , many die .
Those who survive - like the woman in the waiting room - are left with injuries that leave them incontinent , sometimes heavily .
In Ethiopia many were left with a deep sense of shame .
They found themselves banished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandoned by their husbands .
The stigma and social isolation led some to end their lives .
But the Hamlins knew it was both fixable and preventable - as they told Ethiopia 's then ruler , Haile Selassie .
`` He said , why do my women get this terrible thing where they can ’ t control their body waste ? ''
Dr Hamlin told the BBC .
`` We said , it is nothing to do with your women , it is to do with your lack of doctors in the countryside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ section . ''
Mamitu Gashe was one of the women who Dr Hamlin and her husband treated in the early days , when they worked at Princess Teshai Hospital .
It was 1962 , and Mamitu had suffered a fistula giving birth to her first child .
It was a three-day labour , and the baby did not survive .
Like so many other women in Ethiopia , she was left incontinent .
But she had a sister in the capital , and her family took her to the city to find help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamlins ’ specialist ward .
`` As soon as I arrived there , they treated me with compassion and I started to feel much better , '' she told the BBC after she was named one of the BBC 's 100 Women 2018 .
“ They told me that I was not the only one suffering from this , that other women had this .
As soon as they said that , I felt hopeful , I felt so happy . ''
• BBC 100 Women 2018 : Who is on the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help repair the damage ; they also gave Mamitu - who has no formal education - a new career : she is now an internationally respected fistula surgeon , having been taught by the Hamlins .
`` I couldn ’ t read or write , '' she explained in 2018 .
`` Everything I knew , I knew from the Hamlins . ''
Mamitu was one of the staff members the Hamlins took to Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital when it opened in 1974 .
In 1993 , Dr Hamlin lost her beloved husband @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or leave , she decided her work was not yet done .
In the following years , the Hamlin Foundation opened five rural hospitals offering healthcare to women , as well as a facility for long-term care patients .
Then , in 2007 , Dr Hamlin saw one of her initial dreams finally fulfilled : the Hamlin College of Midwives opened .
It is thought the organisation has treated more than 60,000 women for obstetric fistulas over the decades .
But in spite of these successes , Dr Hamlin was still disappointed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We had one little girl not too long ago , who had terrible injuries , '' she told the UN ’ s World Food Programme in 2011 .
`` She had been lying curled up for nine years on the floor on a mat .
Her mother had been looking after her , thinking perhaps that the urine would dry up .
She was in a state of malnutrition , 22kg ( 48lb ) , as she was carried on the back of her poor old mother , coming into the hospital .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight for the women of Ethiopia to the end .
Last year , Ethiopia 's Nobel Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed handed her a prestigious citizenship award - one of many she was given during her lifetime .
Then , in January , she celebrated her 96th birthday .
Mamitu was by her side .
“ We called Catherine mum , because she is like our mother , ” she explained to the BBC last year .
Dr Hamlin died on 18 March at her home in Addis Ababa , the place she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her son , grandchildren and a dream she wants others to fulfil in her memory .
`` My dream is to eradicate obstetric fistula .
Forever , '' she said .
`` I won ’ t do this in my lifetime , but you can in yours . ''
• Occurs as a result of obstructed labour causing a hole in the bladder and/or bowel • In most cases where it occurs , the baby dies during childbirth • Two million women living with the condition globally , mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases globally each year • Condition is entirely preventable and treatable

"She had been lying curled up for nine years on the floor on a mat. Her mother had been looking after her, thinking perhaps that the urine would dry up. She was in a state of malnutrition, 22kg (48lb), as she was carried on the back of her poor old mother, coming into the hospital.


bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: South Africa braces for the worst

As the number of coronavirus cases in South Africa rises quickly , BBC Africa correspondent Andrew Harding visits a poor neighbourhood in the main city Johannesburg to see how it will cope with an outbreak .
In the narrow , muddy alleys , lined with makeshift homes , that lead down to a rubbish-strewn stream on the edge of Alexandra township , there is no real debate about whether this continent is likely to cope with coronavirus .
`` If the virus comes here it 's going to kill everyone , '' said electrician Nicholas Mashabele , watching a crowd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tap and an open drain .
The other men nodded in agreement , although 80 % of people who are infected only develop mild symptoms .
`` We do n't have money to buy hygiene [ products ] to protect ourselves .
We 're living in high risk , '' added Mr Mashabele .
As in many poorer communities around South Africa , and indeed across the continent , families in informal settlements in Alexandra on the outskirts of Johannesburg often live in cramped single rooms and share communal outdoor toilets with dozens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to struggle , '' said Mr Mashabele 's wife , Shebi Mapiane , as she prepared an evening meal for her three children in the tiny upstairs room they rent .
`` My neighbour is just here , '' she added , pointing to the wall .
`` If I catch it , he 'll catch it , and everyone will catch it .
So , it 's dangerous . ''
That concern is shared by many health experts in South Africa , some of whom privately describe the continent as `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ... if this spills over into poorer communities where it 's more difficult to identify patients and to contain [ the virus ] , '' said clinical biologist Dr Alison Glass .
`` That 's why containment now is so crucial . ''
Compounding those worries is uncertainty about the impact of the new virus on people already living with HIV - particularly the estimated 2.5 million in South Africa who are not taking anti-retroviral drugs .
`` In those individuals we 're likely to see more severe infections , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country 's leading Aids research centre in the coastal city of Durban .
But in the wealthier Johannesburg neighbourhood of Richmond , a very different picture of South Africa 's readiness to deal with the virus was on display .
Cars pulled over to park outside a private laboratory where groups of medics in protective gear stood ready to perform `` drive-in '' Covid-19 tests .
`` I was starting to present with a bit of a cough , and a slightly sore throat , '' said a university student who had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fellow student was confirmed to have the virus .
The South African government , its National Institute for Communicable Diseases ( NICD ) , and the health system at large have been widely praised for their initial response to the pandemic , and appear to have made good use of the extra weeks this continent has been given - as the pandemic has torn through Asia and Europe - to learn from the mistakes and successes of other nations .
`` Fortunately , our country is well prepared .
When I look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have minimum cause for concern , '' said Professor Karim .
`` If we take steps and ensure we react appropriately and take the necessary precautions I think we 'll be able to contain this infection . ''
South Africa , along with many other African governments , is moving early on its outbreak to introduce measures in line with many Asian countries - with policies on the tougher , more restrictive end of the spectrum .
South Africa has already closed down schools , and is blocking foreign visitors and banning gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities are discussing measures to prevent panic-buying , and plans are even being drawn up to allow the elderly to shop at special times .
More on Africa and the virus : • Where coronavirus prejudice spreads before the disease • The Ethiopian leading the fight against the coronavirus • Cameroon student on how he recovered '' The key is to get the basics right , '' said Dr Kerrigan McCarthy from NICD , who added that the focus needed to be on communities , rather than on hospitals .
`` We need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice of government and adhere to it in terms of isolation , quarantine , social distancing and good hand hygiene .
But should we have a community level outbreak… that will definitely swamp our health systems , '' she said .
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said : `` It 's the same problem in the UK , in Canada , in the US… It depends on how we respond .
We need to mobilise people to be ready to fight the spread and work together .
We can contain it . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the symptoms ?
• STRESS : How to protect your mental health • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak There is hope that warmer weather across much of the continent will help suppress the virus .
And there is a strong belief that the experience many countries have had , over decades , in tackling HIV , malaria , cholera , Ebola and many other diseases , means that even underfunded health systems may be better prepared than in other parts of the world to fight coronavirus , particularly at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crowded central bus station in Alexandra , many commuters did not appear too confident as they waited in line before squeezing on board cramped mini-buses for the journey home .
`` I 'm frightened .
Truly .
I do n't know who is infected and who is not , '' said one woman .
`` If I had any alternative transport I would definitely [ use it ] but unfortunately , I have no choice .
I have to work to feed my family so I ca n't afford to stay at @ @ @

There is hope that warmer weather across much of the continent will help suppress the virus. And there is a strong belief that the experience many countries have had, over decades, in tackling HIV, malaria, cholera, Ebola and many other diseases, means that even underfunded health systems may be better prepared than in other parts of the world to fight coronavirus, particularly at community level.


bbc--2020-03-19--English football suspended until at least 30 April

English football will be suspended until at least 30 April because of the continued spread of coronavirus .
All games in England 's Premier League , EFL , Women 's Super League and Women 's Championship , and all fixtures in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland , are currently postponed .
The Football Association has also agreed that the current season can be `` extended indefinitely '' .
Under current rules the season had been scheduled to end on 1 June .
A joint statement issued by the FA , Premier League and EFL expressed `` a commitment to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and completing all domestic and European matches `` as soon as it is safe and possible to do so '' .
• Q & A : What does extension mean for English football ?
• Man Utd to pay casual matchday staff even if season is cancelled Last week , West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady said the current season should be declared null and void .
FA chairman Greg Clarke also expressed his concern that it might prove impossible for the season to be concluded .
However Brighton chief executive Paul Barber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` unjust '' if runaway leaders Liverpool were denied the title , and suggested increasing the league to 22 teams for 2020-21 .
Fifa has also established a working group to tackle the issues facing football as a result of the pandemic .
The group will look at the international fixture calendar , and issues around player contracts .
Player contracts typically expire on 30 June but many leagues , if resumed , look likely to continue beyond that date .
The postponement of Euro 2020 has opened up a window for domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , the UK government has effectively banned sports events for the time being by advising against mass gatherings .
If that restriction is not lifted , some clubs are understood to be open to playing matches behind closed doors in order to get the season completed .
And , with broadcast rights-holders Sky and BT reportedly entitled to claim a total of £750m in refunds if the campaign does not resume , the Premier League is determined to do everything possible to honour its commercial contracts .
It is not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may start again or finish , and whether it has a knock-on effect on next year 's campaign .
'We could have finished our season' Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince said suspending all professional matches on 13 March was a `` mistake '' because the virus had `` barely impacted the country '' by that stage .
`` I think cancelling all games until 3 April was a mistake , '' Dale told BBC Sport .
`` I think it was an error of judgment - there were a few cases in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In that three to four week period we could have virtually finished our season playing Saturday to Tuesday .
`` Instead of shutting down I would have doubled down and said let 's play our way to the end of the season as soon as possible because the virus and the rate of infection across the county is not going to get better in two , three or four months . ''
Forest Green are 11th in League Two , nine points outside the play-offs , and Dale has welcomed the EFL 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` all good positive stuff '' .
`` My appreciation is not purely personal at all .
It is for the whole of the league , the whole of the EFL .
It is a good thing , '' he added .
`` They have done the right thing for all of us . ''
Premier League Arsenal support the decision to further postpone play until 30 April , after their manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for coronavirus .
Since the confirmation of Arteta 's illness , the club say their `` training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were closed for deep cleaning '' .
`` We have now reopened with a small workforce to maintain the facilities and training pitches , while a number of staff , including Mikel and the men 's first team squad , are currently isolating at home , `` said a club statement .
`` We 're pleased to say that Mikel is feeling much better .
He 's in good spirits , doing detailed planning with the coaches and speaking to the players regularly . ''

Last updated on .From the section Football
The last Premier League fixture to take place was on 9 March
English football will be suspended until at least 30 April because of the continued spread of coronavirus.
All games in England's Premier League, EFL, Women's Super League and Women's Championship, and all fixtures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, are currently postponed.
The Football Association has also agreed that the current season can be "extended indefinitely".
Under current rules the season had been scheduled to end on 1 June.
A joint statement issued by the FA, Premier League and EFL expressed "a commitment to finding ways of resuming the 2019-20 season" and completing all domestic and European matches "as soon as it is safe and possible to do so".
Last week, West Ham vice-chair Karren Brady said the current season should be declared null and void. external-link
FA chairman Greg Clarke also expressed his concern that it might prove impossible for the season to be concluded.
However Brighton chief executive Paul Barber told the BBC that it would be "unjust" if runaway leaders Liverpool were denied the title, and suggested increasing the league to 22 teams for 2020-21.
Fifa has also established a working group to tackle the issues facing football as a result of the pandemic. The group will look at the international fixture calendar, and issues around player contracts.
Player contracts typically expire on 30 June but many leagues, if resumed, look likely to continue beyond that date.
Analysis
BBC sports editor Dan Roan
The postponement of Euro 2020 has opened up a window for domestic league fixtures to take place in June.
However, the UK government has effectively banned sports events for the time being by advising against mass gatherings.
If that restriction is not lifted, some clubs are understood to be open to playing matches behind closed doors in order to get the season completed.
And, with broadcast rights-holders Sky and BT reportedly entitled to claim a total of £750m in refunds if the campaign does not resume, the Premier League is determined to do everything possible to honour its commercial contracts.
It is not yet clear, however, when the season may start again or finish, and whether it has a knock-on effect on next year's campaign.
'We've got to finish season' - Deeney
'We could have finished our season'
Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince said suspending all professional matches on 13 March was a "mistake" because the virus had "barely impacted the country" by that stage.
"I think cancelling all games until 3 April was a mistake," Dale told BBC Sport.
"I think it was an error of judgment - there were a few cases in the Premier League of self-isolation.
"In that three to four week period we could have virtually finished our season playing Saturday to Tuesday.
"Instead of shutting down I would have doubled down and said let's play our way to the end of the season as soon as possible because the virus and the rate of infection across the county is not going to get better in two, three or four months."
Forest Green are 11th in League Two, nine points outside the play-offs, and Dale has welcomed the EFL's financial effort to supports its clubs as "all good positive stuff".
"My appreciation is not purely personal at all. It is for the whole of the league, the whole of the EFL. It is a good thing," he added. "They have done the right thing for all of us."
Premier League Arsenal support the decision to further postpone play until 30 April, after their manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for coronavirus.
Since the confirmation of Arteta's illness, the club say their "training centres in London Colney and Hale End were closed for deep cleaning".
"We have now reopened with a small workforce to maintain the facilities and training pitches, while a number of staff, including Mikel and the men's first team squad, are currently isolating at home, " said a club statement.
"We're pleased to say that Mikel is feeling much better. He's in good spirits, doing detailed planning with the coaches and speaking to the players regularly."


bbc--2020-03-19--Coronavirus: Monaco Grand Prix cancelled, Dutch and Spanish races postponed

The Monaco Grand Prix has been cancelled and the Dutch and Spanish races have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak .
The first four races in Australia , Bahrain , Vietnam and China had already been called off due to the pandemic .
The sport 's governing body , the FIA , says it expects the 2020 season to begin `` as soon as it is safe to do so after May '' .
Monaco organisers said it was `` not possible '' to rearrange a date .
It is still hoped the other two races can be rescheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joint statement with F1 and the race promoters , it said decisions were taken `` to ensure the health and safety of travelling staff , participants and fans '' .
The decision comes at the end of a seismic week of developments in F1 .
The season-opening Australian Grand Prix last weekend had to be called off after a McLaren team member tested positive for coronavirus in Melbourne and a total of 16 members of that team had to go into quarantine .
The decision to call off the following races in Bahrain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the Chinese Grand Prix had already been postponed in February following the virus outbreak in that country .
Since then , the sport has shifted its `` summer break '' forward to March and April to free up time to fit as many races into this year as possible once the season can resume , and the teams , F1 and the FIA have agreed to delay the introduction of a major set of rule changes by a year until 2022 to keep costs down .
A year has to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count as a World Championship .
F1 chairman and chief executive officer Chase Carey said : `` There was full support for the plans to reschedule as many of the postponed races as possible as soon as it is safe to do so .
`` F1 and the FIA will now work to finalise a revised 2020 calendar and will consult with the teams , but as agreed at the meeting the revised calendar will not require their formal approval .
`` This will give us the necessary flexibility to agree revised timings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ready to start racing at the right moment .
`` Formula 1 remains fully committed to launching a 2020 season as soon as possible . ''
F1 has a working plan to try to start the season with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 7 June , but this may not be possible given the rapidly escalating coronavirus problem around the world .
Bosses are considering all possibilities - it is likely races will be run on a number of consecutive weekends , and be grouped together geographically as much as possible to facilitate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more likely than others to fall by the wayside as the calendar shifts .
The most vulnerable are the Spanish , Brazilian , Chinese and Australian Grands Prix .

Lewis Hamilton won the 2019 Monaco Grand Prix
The Monaco Grand Prix has been cancelled and the Dutch and Spanish races have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The first four races in Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam and China had already been called off due to the pandemic.
The sport's governing body, the FIA, says it expects the 2020 season to begin "as soon as it is safe to do so after May".
Monaco organisers said it was "not possible" to rearrange a date.
It is still hoped the other two races can be rescheduled later in the year.
In a joint statement with F1 and the race promoters, it said decisions were taken "to ensure the health and safety of travelling staff, participants and fans".
The decision comes at the end of a seismic week of developments in F1.
The season-opening Australian Grand Prix last weekend had to be called off after a McLaren team member tested positive for coronavirus in Melbourne and a total of 16 members of that team had to go into quarantine.
The decision to call off the following races in Bahrain and Vietnam followed within a few hours, while the Chinese Grand Prix had already been postponed in February following the virus outbreak in that country.
Since then, the sport has shifted its "summer break" forward to March and April to free up time to fit as many races into this year as possible once the season can resume, and the teams, F1 and the FIA have agreed to delay the introduction of a major set of rule changes by a year until 2022 to keep costs down.
A year has to have a minimum of eight grands prix to count as a World Championship.
F1 chairman and chief executive officer Chase Carey said: "There was full support for the plans to reschedule as many of the postponed races as possible as soon as it is safe to do so.
"F1 and the FIA will now work to finalise a revised 2020 calendar and will consult with the teams, but as agreed at the meeting the revised calendar will not require their formal approval.
"This will give us the necessary flexibility to agree revised timings with affected race promoters and to be ready to start racing at the right moment.
"Formula 1 remains fully committed to launching a 2020 season as soon as possible."
F1 has a working plan to try to start the season with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on 7 June, but this may not be possible given the rapidly escalating coronavirus problem around the world.
Bosses are considering all possibilities - it is likely races will be run on a number of consecutive weekends, and be grouped together geographically as much as possible to facilitate that approach.
And some races are more likely than others to fall by the wayside as the calendar shifts.
The most vulnerable are the Spanish, Brazilian, Chinese and Australian Grands Prix.


bbc--2020-03-19--Moving summer's England v West Indies Test series to Caribbean 'unrealistic'

Switching this summer 's Test series from England to the Caribbean is `` an unrealistic option '' , says Cricket West Indies chief Johnny Grave .
The three-Test series , set to start at The Oval on 4 June , is in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Grave is reported as saying a switch was a possibility but he told BBC Sport : `` I have not had any discussions with England over whether we can host .
`` It would be strange that England ca n't have cricket but the Caribbean can . ''
He added : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemics , if England ca n't hold cricket then it almost certainly means the rest of the world ca n't hold cricket either .
I think it is an unrealistic option . ''
Grave did say the West Indies are being as `` flexible as possible '' to get the series played .
• We might not even bowl a ball this summer - Anderson The ECB will discuss the possible rescheduling of the season at a meeting on Thursday .
England 's Test tour of Sri Lanka was called off last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a `` relief '' because players were distracted , thinking about families in the UK .
The sporting calendar has been decimated by the pandemic with football 's European Championship one of many events already called off .
The first Test in London is set to be followed by matches at Edgbaston and Lord 's starting on 12 and 25 June respectively .
`` I have been in contact with [ England and Wales Cricket board chief executive ] Tom Harrison a few times over the last week , '' Grave said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had are , in principle , having flexibility over warm-up games , when the series would start and how many rest days [ there would be ] .
`` We have given the ECB assurances that we will be as flexible as we can .
We have not had any discussion about not playing them in June .
`` We have not had any discussion about playing them later in the English summer .
We have not had any discussion about hosting the matches here . ''

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
West Indies beat England 2-1 in their Test series in 2019
Switching this summer's Test series from England to the Caribbean is "an unrealistic option", says Cricket West Indies chief Johnny Grave.
The three-Test series, set to start at The Oval on 4 June, is in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Grave is reported as saying a switch was a possibility but he told BBC Sport: "I have not had any discussions with England over whether we can host.
"It would be strange that England can't have cricket but the Caribbean can."
He added: "Realistically, without knowing anything about pandemics, if England can't hold cricket then it almost certainly means the rest of the world can't hold cricket either. I think it is an unrealistic option."
Grave did say the West Indies are being as "flexible as possible" to get the series played.
The ECB will discuss the possible rescheduling of the season at a meeting on Thursday.
England's Test tour of Sri Lanka was called off last week with captain Joe Root saying the decision was a "relief" because players were distracted, thinking about families in the UK.
The sporting calendar has been decimated by the pandemic with football's European Championship one of many events already called off.
The first Test in London is set to be followed by matches at Edgbaston and Lord's starting on 12 and 25 June respectively.
"I have been in contact with [England and Wales Cricket board chief executive] Tom Harrison a few times over the last week," Grave said.
"The only discussions we have had are, in principle, having flexibility over warm-up games, when the series would start and how many rest days [there would be].
"We have given the ECB assurances that we will be as flexible as we can. We have not had any discussion about not playing them in June.
"We have not had any discussion about playing them later in the English summer. We have not had any discussion about hosting the matches here."