bbc--2020-08-05--Hiroshima: The day Michiko nearly missed her train

On the morning of 6 August 1945 , Michiko overslept .
`` I remember thinking , ' I can make it to work on time if I get the later train , but I still might catch my usual train if I run to the station ' , '' she wrote , years later , in an account of the day .
`` I ran to Yokogawa station , and I jumped on my usual train in the nick of time . ''
Michiko 's sprint saved her life .
It meant she was safely inside her workplace when her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first nuclear bomb ever used in war .
`` If I had missed my usual train , I would have died somewhere between Yokogawa station and Hiroshima station , '' she wrote .
Michiko Yoshitsuka , 14 , was a student at a girls ' school in the heart of Hiroshima .
But when the city enlisted school children for the war effort , she 'd started working at the Toyo Kogyo factory , 8km ( 5 miles ) east of the city centre , making weapons for the Imperial Japanese Army @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was through exhaustion rather than laziness .
She spent long hours at the factory .
The war had led to widespread food shortages , so she was plagued by hunger , and the previous night - like many nights before it - US B-29 bombers had flown over Hiroshima , triggering air raid sirens .
The all-clear siren had sounded at around 7am .
But no-one outside the Manhattan Project - the US government research group that developed the atomic bombs - could have predicted the devastation that was to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US base on Tinian , in the Mariana Islands , to Hiroshima a few hours earlier .
At 8.15am it dropped the bomb the Americans affectionately called Little Boy , obliterating the city .
An estimated 140,000 people died in Hiroshima , either immediately or in the months to come .
Michiko survived , thanks to Hijiyama , the high hill between her factory and the city centre , which shielded it from the force of the blast .
She watched the plumage of smoke rising above Hijiyama .
In the chaos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mountain path leading to her relatives ' house in Gion ; on the path she crossed thousands of people leaving the devastated city .
`` There were wounded people everywhere .
I saw scores of people whose bodies lay burnt and festering , whose eyeballs had popped out from the wind pressure produced by the explosion , or whose internal organs protruded from their bodies and mouths , '' she wrote .
`` As I walked along , someone suddenly grabbed my ankle and begged , 'Young lady , could you give me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hand… and said , ' I 'm sorry , I 'm sorry ! '
I was filled with fear and walked on to escape . ''
At Gion , Michiko was relieved to find her mother alive .
But there was no time to recover .
`` For 10 days , my mother and I walked around Hiroshima , asking after my older brother , who was a soldier .
We later discovered… he had died near the epicentre… My brother 's remains were never found . ''
She may have survived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her symptoms were becoming familiar to the doctors still alive .
`` I began to display the symptoms of radiation sickness… I was bleeding from my gums and my nose , I had severe diarrhoea , my hair was falling out , and purple spots were appearing all over my body , '' she wrote later .
`` I was put into isolation in a family friend 's shed , and I moved between life and death .
Everyone around me thought I would die , but , miraculously , I survived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nagasaki the following day did not end the war by themselves .
The US naval blockade , the imminent Russian invasion and the reworded Potsdam Declaration - the terms for Japan 's surrender - to enable continued Imperial rule were also decisive .
On 15 August , Emperor Hirohito 's surrender was broadcast to the nation .
When he announced that Japan must `` bear the unbearable '' , many Hiroshima citizens were aghast : had they not already borne it ?
In the days , weeks and months that followed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of the bombing , trains , trams and buses were running again .
Within two months , schools reopened in half-destroyed buildings and open-air classrooms .
And with all but one of the city 's banks destroyed , the Bank of Japan - the sole survivor - invited its competitors into its branch to re-open for business .
Hiroshima rose from its ashes .
Michiko was rebuilding her life too .
`` In 1948 , at the age of 18 , I got married .
In April 1949 , I gave birth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died two weeks later .
I believe my baby 's death was caused by the after-effects of the atomic bomb . ''
• Women survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs • The day when time stood still She gave birth to two healthy children , but soon had other problems .
Her husband would often disappear to spend time with his mistress , taking Michiko 's earnings with him .
Exhausted by a tiredness she attributed to her radiation sickness , frustrated by her husband 's affair and craving freedom from her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the care of her relatives .
When they returned , she would take her frustrations out on her daughter , Sanae .
`` In 1964 , my mother died of cancer .
In my family , I was left alone .
My mother had been receiving a war bereavement allowance .
The Japanese government withdrew this following my mother 's death . ''
When Michiko finally confronted her husband , he admitted to having an affair and left her for his mistress .
With no financial support from her husband or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found work as a hostess in a traditional Japanese restaurant ; each evening , she put on her kimono and served customers late into the night .
Every year , on August 6th , Hiroshima held its Peace Memorial Ceremony , attended by luminaries like Mother Theresa , Fidel Castro and Mikhail Gorbachev .
But Michiko could n't reconcile the glib peace speeches with her images of that day and never attended the morning ceremony .
She would arrive in the evening to watch the floating lanterns , representing the souls of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When Sanae had children - a girl and a boy - her broken relationship with her daughter gradually healed .
During Obon , the August holiday when families honour the spirits of their ancestors , she would visit Sanae 's family .
Together they would watch a TV drama about the atomic bombing .
Michiko found it unconvincing .
`` Anna mono janai ! ''
- `` It was n't like that ! ''
- her family remember her saying .
For most of her life , Michiko spoke little about her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 50th anniversary of the bombing approached , in 1995 , Michiko 's doctor suggested she write her own account of events , to help her find some closure .
At first Michiko was reluctant , but she finally agreed ; she feared that if she did n't , her memories might be lost forever .
By that point , Hiroshima was a thriving modern city with wide boulevards , luxury department stores and few remains of its tragic past .
Michiko had been living in a council flat near the centre when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburb .
Her new flat was near Nakayamatoge , the mountain path she had crossed on the day of the bombing .
The figure that had grabbed her ankle returned to haunt her .
`` I will never be able to erase from my memory the sound of that voice , '' she wrote .
When I first moved to Hiroshima , I knew little about its history .
But I met a woman called Kaori , who told me the story of her Michiko , her grandmother .
Years later , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's account - moved by her sad story and determination to survive .
My wife recalls Michiko falling into depression in her later years .
As a strong-minded woman in a society that valued tatemae ( flattery ) over honne ( honesty ) , she had always struggled to make friends .
But now she felt truly isolated .
Later , suffering from dementia , she moved into a home for the elderly .
Michiko died in January 2012 .
Her written account has now been placed in the Peace Memorial Hall in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day that changed history and altered the course of her own life forever .
Her final entry hints at the human ability to overcome adversity and build a life again .
`` Now , on the 50th anniversary of the atomic bomb , I sense afresh the preciousness of life . ''

By that point, Hiroshima was a thriving modern city with wide boulevards, luxury department stores and few remains of its tragic past. Michiko had been living in a council flat near the centre when she was relocated to Hesaka, an eastern suburb. Her new flat was near Nakayamatoge, the mountain path she had crossed on the day of the bombing.


bbc--2020-08-06--Zarka's husband sliced off her nose. A surgeon offered to restore it for free

This story contains graphic images and descriptions of violent abuse After more than 10 weeks of agony , Zarka saw a ray of hope .
In a small hand-held mirror , she could see her new nose .
It was covered with stitches and blood clots , but instantly she felt good .
Two months had passed since her husband had taken a pocket knife to her face .
`` I am happy I got my nose back , '' she told the doctors , as they replaced her dressing .
`` It is good , '' she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards women is common in Afghanistan .
One national survey cited by the UN Population Fund found that 87 % of Afghan women had experienced at least one form of physical , sexual or psychological violence in their lifetime .
In the worst cases , women are attacked with acid or with knives .
Often , the perpetrator is their husband or another relative .
Zarka , who is 28 , had been married for ten years , with a six-year-old son , when her husband took a knife to her face .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but she did not expect it would go this far .
`` He was telling me that I was an immoral person , '' she said .
`` I told him this is not true . ''
Zarka allowed the BBC to follow her recovery , and she described in interviews the domestic abuse which preceded the brutal knife attack .
Zarka was awake during her three-hour operation , under local anaesthesia .
`` When I saw myself today in the mirror , the nose has recovered a lot , '' she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time .
`` Before the operation it was not looking good , '' she said .
Dr Zalmai Khan Ahmadzai , one of very few surgeons in Afghanistan capable of performing the facial reconstruction , said he was impressed with the progress Zarka was making '' Her operation went very well .
There was no infection - a little bit of inflammation but it was not a problem , '' he said .
Zarka was not his first such patient .
Over the past decade or so , Dr Zalmai has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their husbands , fathers and brothers .
Zarka comes from a very poor family in Khairkot district , 250km ( 155 miles ) south of Kabul near the Pakistan border .
She can not read or write .
Her marriage was arranged by her uncle when she was a child .
`` I was very young at the time , I did not know anything about life or marriage , '' she said .
Zarka does not recall how old she was at the time of the engagement , and she can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was 18 when she was married .
Years later , she discovered she had been bartered by her uncle , who could not afford the bride price to marry one of her husband 's four sisters , so Zarka was offered instead .
She also discovered that her husband would beat his sisters .
Zarka husband 's was about her age , and earned a living tending to other people 's cattle .
He was very violent from the beginning of their married life , she said .
They had a son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May this year her husband 's violence became intolerable and Zarka fled to her parents ' home .
But she did not ask for her husband 's permission before leaving home , and he came to find her .
Her father initially refused to send her back , but he relented after her husband provided guarantors who made assurances about Zarka 's safety .
As soon as she returned to the marital home though , the situation worsened .
`` When I came back from my parents ' house , he beat me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a knife , '' she said .
`` I fled to a neighbour 's house because he threatened to cut off my nose . ''
The neighbours intervened but it was a temporary reprieve .
Zarka 's husband lured her back with the promise of sending her to her parent 's home .
Instead he took her to another house .
`` He grabbed me by catching hold of my clothes , saying , 'Where are you are fleeing ? ''
Zarak recalled .
`` There was a small garden , and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cut off my nose . ''
Her husband left her in a pool of blood , where her screams drew help from neighbours .
One managed to find the sliced off remnants of her nose .
Zarka was bleeding profusely and struggling to breathe .
She was taken to a local doctor , who told her that it would n't be possible to reattach her severed nose .
Zarka 's village is effectively under the control of the Taliban .
After her attack , delicate negotiations between local politicians and the militants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During that time , Dr Zalmai caught the coronavirus and lost his wife to the disease .
The 49-year-old doctor buried his wife in the town of Jalalabad and was back at work when Zarka arrived in Kabul .
`` When she came to me her condition was very bad .
Her nose was badly infected , '' he said .
He gave Zarka anti-septic and anti-inflammatory pills and after about five weeks later she came back to Kabul and had her surgery on 21 July .
Zarka began the process of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heartbroken and ugly , she said .
The police caught her husband and jailed him , but Zarka was becoming desperate for treatment to restore her face .
`` I only wanted a nose , '' she said .
`` Nothing else . ''
There was some measure of good fortune in store for Zarka .
Photographs of her with a blood-drenched face were widely shared online and the images caught the attention of Dr Zalmai .
He posted on social media an offer to treat her for free , and with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Kabul for the operation .
`` We first worked on the middle part of her nose which was cut by the knife , '' Dr Zalmai said .
`` We took tissue from nasolabial folds ( skin around the nose ) and did the reconstruction surgery . ''
Dr Zalmai told Zarka that she would recover and have her nose back .
It was all she had hoped to hear in the two months since her attack .
`` The blood flow is normal .
Nerves will also be functioning , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would ordinarily have charged about $ 2,000 for the procedure .
In addition , he provided about $ 500 worth drugs necessary for recovery .
The operation is a step forward .
But Zarka may need further surgery and a silicone implant to bring her nose closer to its original shape - treatment she can not afford .
She also can not afford psychological counselling for the trauma of her assault and surgery - a part of the recovery process all too often overlooked .
Zarka now mostly worries about her young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband 's family .
She wonders where he is , and if she will ever be with him again .
`` I miss him a lot , whenever I eat anything he comes to my mind , '' she said .
Her father and uncle are reluctant to fight for custody of the boy .
They fear Zarka 's husband would come after his son when he is released from prison and harm her again .
They advised Zarka not to pursue custody .
`` They are saying leave the boy , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not . ''

They had a son together, but at some point in May this year her husband's violence became intolerable and Zarka fled to her parents' home. But she did not ask for her husband's permission before leaving home, and he came to find her.


bbc--2020-08-05--Coronavirus: How an aged care crisis seized 'ill-prepared' Australia

`` I grew up in a war ; I 'm not dying in a pandemic . ''
Margaret Alcock sheltered from bombs during the Blitz , crossed an ocean to live in Australia , and was evacuated to safety during last season 's bushfires .
The 89-year-old - who is my nanna - used stoicism and black humour to cope during those times .
It 's the same now with Covid-19 .
`` I do sometimes wonder how on Earth I 've ended up here with coronavirus around me , '' she tells me over the phone from New South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 've seen worse things happen , and I do n't worry about it . ''
When the coronavirus reached Australia in January , my family assumed that my grandparents - both of whom live in aged care homes - were in the safest place possible .
Five months on , the sector has seen scores of outbreaks and 156 of Australia 's 247 virus deaths .
This includes 12 of the 15 announced on Wednesday - Australia 's deadliest day yet .
In a deepening crisis , some providers have been accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable members .
State and federal governments are also facing questions .
More than 180,000 people live in Australia 's residential aged care homes , which are managed by not-for-profit groups , private companies and government organisations .
Many of these facilities were quick to impose their own lockdowns .
Some went beyond the government 's official advice by banning visitors , halting activities and confining people to their rooms .
Margaret has been relatively lucky .
Though visitors were forbidden for a while , residents at her home in regional NSW can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandma - aged 87 and also named Margaret - has not left her care home in Melbourne , Victoria , since March .
And in the past month , Melbourne has seen infections surge .
Grandma is confined to her room with the exception of short walks down the corridor .
She sits in her armchair and eats meals alone .
Despite this , she has only praise for staff at her home who are working under extraordinary pressure .
Grandma has upped her word search game and plays `` hallway bingo '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a staff member walks up and down shouting numbers .
`` The lockdown is hard but I 've accepted that it 's for my own welfare , '' she says .
`` I do n't go to bed worrying about it .
It 's hard not being able to see my family but just because they 're not here does n't mean they do n't love me . ''
The company that runs her home says it has a comprehensive infection plan , a full stock of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two states , many families have been left heartbroken because lockdowns in other facilities have failed to prevent the virus spreading .
It 's not hard to understand why aged care homes are so vulnerable to this virus .
They have elderly populations with underlying conditions , limited medical facilities and a pool of employees who sometimes work across multiple sites , increasing the risk of spread .
In February , harrowing stories began to emerge about the `` silent massacre '' of Europe 's care home residents .
It should have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a similar situation , according to Professor Joe Ibrahim , who is head of health law and ageing research unit at Monash University .
`` Australia 's response was inadequate , underprepared and none of it should have been a surprise , '' he said .
• Why has the virus re-emerged ?
• What we know about the lockdown 's impact '' People use the word 'inevitable ' but that 's not right because it gives the impression there was nothing we could do .
We did n't acknowledge the real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aged care and we did n't pay attention to what was happening overseas . ''
On 3 March , an employee of the Dorothy Henderson Lodge in Sydney tested positive for Covid-19 .
By the time that outbreak was declared over in May , 21 residents and staff had been infected and six had died .
Another Sydney facility - Newmarch House - decided to quarantine infected people in their rooms rather than send them to hospital , despite struggling with staff shortages and a lack of PPE .
Nineteen residents died and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised many questions but so far there are few answers .
Now it 's happening again .
The state of Victoria is experiencing a new outbreak in both the wider community and care homes .
Currently close to 1,200 active cases are linked to 97 separate aged care outbreaks there .
Prof Ibrahim says lockdowns alone were never enough to keep the virus out .
`` We did n't have clear policies or a command structure in place [ for when a case did occur ] , '' he said .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the public health authorities in each state are responsible for outbreaks , so there was confusion about who steps in and when .
There was also confusion about whether to provide care [ for Covid-19 patients ] in the homes or in hospitals . ''
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has also called for wide-ranging scrutiny , saying this week : `` Why were n't the lessons learned from Newmarch , which occurred months ago in New South Wales ? ''
A new control centre has been set up in Melbourne with both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manage the crisis in Victoria .
Prof Ibrahim would like to see a national centre set up to assess every care home in Australia .
`` That way we 'd be clear about which places are at risk and where to aim resources , '' he said .
`` The response must be swift and definitive - there can be no equivocation . ''
A government inquiry has been set up to investigate the sector 's response .
It has heard accounts of staff shortages , lack of training and personal protective equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities .
But the Australian Medical Association has called for the greater scrutiny of a royal commission - the top form of public inquiry .
Its Victorian president , Julian Rait , told Nine newspapers the crisis was a `` foreseeable tragedy '' .
For now , it 's inevitable more elderly Victorians will die , according to Australia 's Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy .
My loved ones are lucky - their care homes remain free of coronavirus .
While Margaret Martin remains in strict lockdown , Margaret Alcock is being allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday to put rollers in her hair .
They laughed , they hugged , they bickered , and , just for a moment , they forgot about Covid-19 .
Nanna thinks getting the virus would probably be the end of her , but she 's not going down easily .
`` I was chased by a lot of geese when I was younger so I doubt coronavirus is going to get me . ''

"The federal government is responsible for aged care but the public health authorities in each state are responsible for outbreaks, so there was confusion about who steps in and when. There was also confusion about whether to provide care [for Covid-19 patients] in the homes or in hospitals."


bbc--2020-08-06--Coronavirus: The viral rumours that were completely wrong

Remember those panicky viral messages you were forwarded on WhatsApp at the start of the pandemic ?
They may have come as a text , voice note or blurry picture forwarded by a `` friend of a friend '' - and most of them were scarcely credible .
Here 's the truth behind a few of the most heart-stopping coronavirus rumours that we debunked at the time .
1 .
Tanks never arrived on the streets What did the message say ?
In the middle of March , grainy pictures of military vehicles on highways began cropping up in WhatsApp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ captions like `` On the M25 ! ''
and `` Tanks expected in Newcastle tomorrow '' .
They were shared with warnings about mass civil unrest that would , ostensibly , prompt a military crackdown .
How viral was it ?
The biggest platform for these rumours was WhatsApp .
Because it 's private and encrypted , it 's impossible to know exactly how many people saw such messages - but we can conservatively estimate they were received by tens of thousands .
Weeks later , people who run local Facebook groups told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mentions of alleged military plans for tanks on the streets .
How did we debunk it ?
This was initially difficult to tackle .
We knew there were no tanks rolling along high streets .
But we also knew the army might be deployed .
And it 's not uncommon to see military vehicles on public roads near army bases .
However , some of the most popular photos circulating were clearly not showing scenes from the UK .
The convoys were on the wrong side of the road , or the vehicles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used reverse image searches - that 's where you plug a photo into a search engine to find other copies of it online .
This revealed that many of the photos had been taken long before the pandemic .
In the end , the British Army did deploy during the lockdown - but to provide logistical support to the NHS , not patrol the streets in armed vehicles amid scenes of mass unrest .
2 .
Bodies of coronavirus victims did not pile up in ice rinks What did the message say ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ grim .
Hundreds of healthy children would die every day .
Ambulances would n't be dispatched even to severe Covid-19 cases .
Bodies would be sent to `` every ice-skating rink '' as mortuaries filled up .
The woman speaking claimed to work for the South East Coast Ambulance Service .
The service was quick to dismiss the voice note as incorrect - however , it 's never said whether or not the woman actually was an employee .
How viral was it ?
Viral enough to really scare people .
Hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking about the voice note .
Many were distressed by its contents .
One woman told us the message had her daughter in a total frenzy - and that neither of them knew whether it was true .
It spread so widely that Public Health England made a statement calling it `` fake news '' .
How did we debunk it ?
There 's a lot we still do n't know about Covid-19 , but even given the limited information available in the spring , the claims in the message were clearly preposterous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young people could also fall seriously ill with the virus - but the voice note suggested that a huge proportion of people dying from coronavirus would be children with no underlying conditions .
Temporary mortuaries were planned - but no body was ever stored at an ice rink .
The claims in the note were just not backed up by science .
• How to talk about conspiracy theories without having an argument 3 .
Helicopters did n't spray disinfectant in the dead of night What did the message say ?
It would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - a secret operation to deliver disinfectant from the air .
The person behind the viral message which spread in March on Facebook and WhatsApp never explained how aerial bombardment would eliminate the virus where it spreads most of all - indoors .
But still the warning came : stay inside , and close all doors and windows .
How viral was it ?
This one was n't just shared in the UK .
It spread on social media to hundreds of thousands of people in countries across the world : Colombia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more .
Yet the time of night and number of helicopters usually stayed the same .
How did we debunk it ?
This one was easy .
Not only was the alleged plan rather useless , no formation of spraying helicopters emerged that night or any other night .
In fact , this was the latest version of a persistent genre of conspiracy theories .
For years , people have claimed that secret government programmes are delivering deadly chemicals from above .
4 .
A random doctor on a remote island did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did the message say ?
Spain 's Gran Canaria island was the somewhat unlikely starting point of a WhatsApp voice note that claimed to contain insider information .
The woman speaking ( in English ) said she picked up the tips by talking to `` a colleague who has a friend '' working at a hospital .
She gave a very specific story about how the disease progresses , and urged people to `` take a sip of warm water every twenty minutes because this… washes any of the virus that 's entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gastric juices will neutralise it . ''
How viral was it ?
The voice note circulated around the world on apps like Whatsapp and Instagram .
Dozens of readers and listeners sent it to us , asking if it was true .
How did we debunk it ?
This one required breaking down the specific claims and comparing them to what scientists knew at the time .
For one thing , coronavirus symptoms and severity are highly variable , and there did not seem to be one exact progression pattern .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressed , as different people have been affected in vastly different ways .
There 's no scientific evidence that water kills the virus - and while it certainly wo n't hurt , there 's no success story of someone curing or preventing coronavirus by sipping liquids .
5 .
There was never a giant lasagne in Wembley Stadium What did the message say ?
One popular voice note that parodied other viral messages suggested the government was using Wembley Stadium as a gigantic oven .
Billy McLean , a 29-year-old Londoner , laid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he joked about hearing of the lasagne plan from his `` sister 's boyfriend 's brother '' who `` works for the Ministry of Defence '' .
A few people may have been taken in .
But more to the point , the prank was a sign of just how much the `` friend of a friend with dodgy information '' viral voice note had become a panicky part of pandemic culture .
How viral was it ?
This one went so viral that it sparked copycat voice notes making similar jokes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Channel Tunnel to a salad being tossed in Rome 's Coliseum .
How did we debunk it ?
Mostly by laughing along with everyone else .
Is there a story we should be investigating ?
Email us Follow us on Twitter @ BBCtrending or on Facebook .

How did we debunk it? There's a lot we still don't know about Covid-19, but even given the limited information available in the spring, the claims in the message were clearly preposterous. There were concerns that healthy, young people could also fall seriously ill with the virus - but the voice note suggested that a huge proportion of people dying from coronavirus would be children with no underlying conditions. Temporary mortuaries were planned, and one ice rink in Widnes, Cheshire, was briefly used to store a small number of bodies. But facilities were not overwhelmed, and the claims in the note were just not backed up by science.


bbc--2020-08-05--The islands that want tourists as well as fish

Hundreds of miles from its nearest neighbour , the remote Faroe Islands are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean .
Fishing has always been a way of life , and fish accounts for 90 % of all exported goods .
But coronavirus is hitting efforts to increase tourism .
The drive to the village of Glyvrar is nothing less than dramatic .
The road from the airport winds past mountains and fjords , and passes through tunnels cut into hillsides and burrowed under the sea .
Glyvrar is home to the Faroe Islands ' largest firm , Bakkafrost - which farms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60,000 tonnes of salmon is processed annually .
The operation is highly mechanised , with conveyor belts carrying the fish through a series of machines until the finished product is packaged .
Then robotic arms sort boxes ready for shipping .
From hatcheries breeding juvenile salmon to a facility making fish feed , Bakkafrost has a foot in almost every tier of the industry .
Even the company 's branded Styrofoam boxes are manufactured on site , characteristic of the Faroe islanders ' self-sufficiency .
`` We were one of the first operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says chief executive , Regin Jacobsen .
`` We saw that being in the middle of North Atlantic , the supplies and logistics to get our products to market were quite difficult . ''
But there was also opportunity , he says .
`` [ We can ] differentiate ourselves… and create high values . ''
Globally , farming of Atlantic salmon has soared from 1.4m to 2.6m tonnes in a decade .
Norway and Chile are the biggest producers by far , but Faroese salmon commands a premium price .
The Faroe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 320km ) north of Scotland , and are an autonomous territory of Denmark .
There are 18 main islands , and the population is just 52,000 .
Its salmon typically sells for 10 % more than average market price because of a number of factors .
These include the use of quality fishmeal , high farming standards , sustainability and avoidance of antibiotics .
Mr Jacobsen says 15 years ago most of the country 's salmon exports went to the European Union , but today it 's sold around the world .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In 2014 Russia banned food imports from the EU , in retaliation to sanctions against it over Ukraine .
However , the Faroe Islands is not in the EU , unlike Denmark , and saw its exports to Russia grow .
Mr Jacobsen adds that sales have been boosted in recent years by the growing popularity of salmon sushi , and wider healthy eating trends .
But as the coronavirus pandemic has sent shockwaves around the world they have been felt in the Faroe Islands .
Total Faroese exports fell 7 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with sales to China falling a whopping 65 % as Beijing temporarily froze many food imports .
`` The Chinese market has been becoming a more and more important market , '' says Mr Jacobsen .
`` For Bakkafrost it 's even more important .
Around 20 % of our sales are in China in recent years . ''
Conversely though , lockdown restrictions elsewhere have actually boosted business .
`` We have very good growth both in the US and the European markets , '' says Mr Jacobsen .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal , because people are eating more at home . ''
To protect its population and economy from coronavirus , the Faroe Islands has one of the highest testing rates worldwide , with a strong track and trace and quarantine strategy .
And every person is tested on arrival in the country .
This preparedness was partly thanks to its fisheries .
A veterinary laboratory established years ago to monitor disease , was adapted early in January , ready to help test human samples .
This has no doubt contributed to the fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single death from Covid-19 .
And it has seen only 227 confirmed cases in total .
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • Is rum about to become the new gin ?
With the Faroe Islands ' economy in good shape , it 's well-placed to weather any coronavirus headwinds , thinks Heri Rogvi , chairman of the Faroe Islands ' Economic Council .
`` Corona has upset the economy a bit , '' says Mr Rogvi .
`` But at the present time , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is extremely low .
I think we 're probably the economy in Europe that 's doing the best . ''
Led by its fish sector , which accounts for 20 % of economic output , the Faroese economy has prospered .
The most recent statistics show that its gross domestic product per capita ( a country 's economic output per person ) totalled $ 58,950 ( £45,102 ) in 2017 .
That is almost as high as the US ( $ 59,958 ) , and more than both the UK ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 40,109 ) .
The territory also receives an annual subsidy from Denmark of about $ 100m .
Keen to diversify their economy the Faroese have been targeting tourists in recent years , but visitor numbers are down sharply this year due to Covid-19 .
`` This is the only tour we do today .
There 's 14 people on the boat , '' says Gunnar Skuvadal , as he steers his motorboat , Froyur , towards the seabird cliffs near the town of Vestamanna .
He usually runs tours from April , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mid-June this year .
`` On a normal day in June , we would have probably done three tours with fairly full boats , meaning about 40 people on each . ''
Germans , Danes and `` staycationing '' locals are among the passengers on-board snapping pictures of sea-caves and nesting puffins .
`` If I can get through the summer without doing a minus [ making a loss ] , I think we should be satisfied , '' says Mr Skuvadal .
In recent years tourism has thrived , attracting record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sheepview , and 2019 's `` Closed for maintenance '' campaign have put the Faroes on the tourist map .
Last year the country saw 130,000 visitors .
New air routes from New York and London were set to launch this year .
`` We will probably only have 20-30 % of the annual visitors we were supposed to have in 2020 , '' says Gudrid Hoejgaard , director of Visit Faroe Islands .
So it will really be a horrible year .
But I 'm quite positive for 2021 . ''
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small industry here [ 2 % of the economy ] .
But it 's broadening the labour market .
It 's created jobs in the service sector and creative area . ''
The hope is that this economic diversification will encourage young islanders to stay rather than move abroad .
A deep recession in the early 1990s saw thousands of people leave .
Then in the early 2000s , unemployment rose sharply again when disease rocked the salmon industry .
Of the dozens of salmon companies at the time , most went out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still ] quite vulnerable , but compared to where we were 15-20 years ago , it 's much , much stronger at this time , '' says Mr Rogvi .
`` There has been an ongoing struggle for , I think , at least 50 years to get the younger people to stay here . ''
Many go to university abroad , and often do n't return .
But with improved job and education prospects that 's begun to turnaround .
Meanwhile , rising immigration , coupled with Europe 's highest fertility rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the already mentioned 52,000 .
`` For us that 's an enormously high number , '' says Mr Rogvi .

Led by its fish sector, which accounts for 20% of economic output, the Faroese economy has prospered. The most recent statistics show that its gross domestic product per capita (a country's economic output per person) totalled $58,950 (£45,102) in 2017. That is almost as high as the US ($59,958), and more than both the UK ($40,361) and France ($40,109).


bbc--2020-08-06--Banned protesters send #ZimbabweanLivesMatter viral

Could a social media hashtag - tapping into the energy and anger of the global # BlackLivesMatter phenomenon - help achieve in Zimbabwe what years of street protests , strikes and political campaigns have so clearly failed to do ?
Over the last few days , in response to a particularly brutal , public , widespread , and on-going clampdown by security forces , the hashtag # ZimbabweanLivesMatter has gone viral , globally .
Celebrities like rappers Ice Cube , AKA and Lecrae and actresses Thandie Newton and Pearl Thusi have expressed support for - or at least interest in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grassroots campaign against the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa , the man who took over from former leader Robert Mugabe .
`` It captured the imagination of the population .
Citizens coming together .
I think this is what the whole world felt , '' said the novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga of the hashtag and the non-political movement behind it .
She was arrested by troops last Friday , and later charged and released , after taking part in a planned street protest which the government described as an attempted `` insurrection '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the holding cells with two men who had been tortured .
One has severe kidney damage , '' said Ms Dangarembga , who was recently longlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize .
`` I am just grateful the world has taken the [ # ZimbabweanLivesMatter ] message seriously .
Things seem to be coming to such a head now that it is impossible to look away . ''
In hiding : ' I 'm in my bunker' Zimbabwe has gone through years of profound economic hardship , hyperinflation , a coup , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hunger , the recent arrival of Covid-19 , and repeated , violent security crackdowns .
Much of the growing global social media focus has , it seems certain , been fuelled - as elsewhere - by the spread of mobile phone technology which has enabled activists and citizens to film and broadcast footage of assaults , injuries and other abuses almost in real time .
`` The ferocity and broad appeal of the # ZimbabweanLivesMatter campaign has unnerved the regime , '' said the prominent journalist Mduduzi Mathathu , during a phone interview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I 'm in my bunker , '' he commented dryly .
Last Thursday he fled from his home , fearing for his life , after being alerted about an imminent police raid .
Mathathu 's nephew was later abducted - allegedly by security agents - and then dumped , badly injured , on the roadside three days later .
A doctor 's report , seen by the BBC , confirmed the 22-year-old `` had extensive bruising , huge subcutaneous tissue damage… acute kidney injuries , and post-traumatic stress disorder '' .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised by so many Zimbabweans , President Mnangagwa has… discarded the last veneer of a reformist , '' Mathathu said .
`` His shock troops have their marching orders and we should brace for a brutal campaign against those demanding change , '' he warned .
Indeed , in a televised address on Tuesday , President Mnangagwa made it clear that his security forces would continue to crush dissent .
Portraying the anti-corruption movement as the work of `` a few rogue Zimbabweans acting in league with foreign detractors '' , he vowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of attack '' , and warned of `` dark forces '' and `` machinations by destructive terrorist opposition groupings '' .
• Seven babies die in one night at Zimbabwe hospital • Is Zimbabwe once more on the brink of collapse ?
A senior figure in the ruling Zanu-PF party also took to Twitter to push back against the # ZimbabweanLivesMatter hashtag .
`` Hashtags come and go , but Zanu-PF endures beyond the 'trending ' , '' wrote the former cabinet minister Obert Mpofu .
`` It 's hard to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceded Doug Coltart , a human rights lawyer who is representing two men allegedly tortured by police over the weekend .
`` The fact that it is doctors , lawyers , students , journalists who are being persecuted and attacked by this regime in some ways makes it an easier cause to get behind , perhaps , than when it 's political activists .
`` But we need to see grassroots organising on a more sophisticated level for a real mass movement to emerge , '' Mr Coltart said , citing the relatively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , perhaps , the new hashtag has attracted vigorous support from opposition parties in neighbouring South Africa , with the Democratic Alliance 's Msumi Maimane and Economic Freedom Fighters ' Julius Malema tweeting their backing : This is in sharp contrast with the governing African National Congress ( ANC ) which - like many former liberation movements on the continent - has remained reluctant to criticise Zanu-PF .
So where now for Zimbabwe ?
`` We 're on a precipice , a tipping point .
We are [ in ] the place we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left .
The people are angry .
Leadership is needed , '' warned Trevor Ncube , a prominent publisher who sits on the President 's Advisory Council set up last year .
'Hashtags do come and go' The military , who led the coup that ousted Mugabe in November 2017 , seem likely to play an ever more prominent role in government - as indicated by Tuesday 's appointment of a former army chief to the post of health minister .
`` Mnangagwa can not be safe .
It would be insane for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There 's no doubt he has lost the confidence and support of the military , '' said Jonathan Moyo , an exiled former minister in Mugabe 's government .
`` This is now a clueless , corrupt , incompetent government .
The economic meltdown is deepening .
There 's no coherent approach .
People are on their own , '' he said .
`` Mugabe had his own problems , but people never felt there was no government .
With Mugabe gone , we now see in action the real forces behind his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the machinery of violence , the military , '' said Mr Moyo , arguing Mugabe was a `` restraining '' force , and that the current government had quickly squandered all international goodwill .
In the midst of all this , the # ZimbabweanLivesMatter could yet prove to be a powerful rallying point , a force for change , harnessing popular frustrations .
Or it could be a minor distraction - a spasm of popular anger that is quickly supressed by a brutally authoritarian government seemingly preoccupied by looting public resources during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal feuds .
`` Hashtags do come and go .
The clampdown still exists .
But now it 's up to us to find ways forward… to sustain this momentum , '' said Dangarembga .
`` This is a launching pad , a platform from which to begin . ''

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bbc--2020-08-06--Kashmir: 'I could land up in jail if I express myself freely'

On 5 August last year India revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir , split it into two federally-run territories and imposed an unprecedented lockdown .
Jehangir Ali reports from Srinagar on why the move has come as a blow to freedom of expression in the valley .
Months after Narendra Modi 's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) stripped the region of its autonomy , a homemaker in the Muslim-dominated valley told a friend of her son to be careful .
`` Swear on me , son , '' Shameena Bano told Ishfaq Kawa , `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The fears of the 58-year-old wife of an apple farmer were not unfounded .
Her son Ashiq Hussain Dar had gone out on work from his home in the restive Shopian region in 2014 .
The 27-year-old never returned home .
Ashiq was among the thousands who have disappeared in the past 20 years amid an insurgency against Indian rule in Kashmir .
Ms Bano believes that security forces picked up her son .
The Indian army has always denied such charges .
For Ms Bano the crackdown in August was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Muslim dominated valley , home to eight million people .
In the immediate aftermath of the decision , the valley was strangled by a communications blockade .
Thousands of political leaders , businesspeople and activists were detained .
Protests were outlawed .
Security forces were accused of carrying out beatings and torture .
India consistently called the allegations `` baseless and unsubstantiated '' .
He had lost his job as a marketing executive at an automobile firm .
So he hunkered down and began writing poetry .
He dug into his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the money he bought equipment and turned his room into a makeshift recording studio .
He wanted to turn his poems into songs .
One of Mr Kawa 's songs went : Someday you will look for me all over/You will weep for a visit from the sympathiser/ But keep your heart turned to me/I will come back as a dream '' I tried to capture the pain of separation .
It could be an expression of a mother 's longing for her son , or of lovers or friends who were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mr Kawa .
He recorded another song called Nund Bani ( Beloved ) , a painful dirge of a mother longing for her disappeared son .
The video of the song was viewed more than 1.5 million times and drew over 8,000 comments on YouTube .
Many like Mr Kawa have resumed their work quietly during the lockdown , now exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic in the state .
Jammu and Kashmir has reported more than 7,500 infections and over 400 deaths from the disease so far .
A few months before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Naqshbandi , a Srinagar-based cartoonist , quit his job after the newspaper he worked for began to refuse publishing his work .
As the lockdown was imposed , Mr Naqshbandi could n't draw .
He had to deal with the anxieties of his seven-year-old son who kept asking questions about not being able to go to school or play with his friends .
He resumed work only months later .
One of his recent artworks shows a cluster of houses in Srinagar on fire .
A plume of smoke rises with the words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nehru that Delhi will uphold the right to self-determination of the people of Kashmir .
His work was widely shared on social media .
Another shows a Kashmiri man , gagged and tied to a tree in a garden with a `` Stay Home Stay Safe '' notice , turning his head to look at an Indian photographer who is taking pictures of tourists in traditional Kashmiri dresses .
`` It helps me externalise the pain of being a Kashmiri , of being a victim of oppression , '' said Mr Naqshbandi .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail if I express freely .
But then if I do n't express myself , it will affect me more . ''
Most artists and journalists say their freedoms have been curtailed since last August .
In April the police filed a complaint against and called in Peerzada Ashiq , a journalist belonging to the influential The Hindu newspaper , for reporting that the government had allowed two families to exhume the bodies of their militant sons from a graveyard after `` police denied them permission '' .
In February , Outlook magazine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for reporting on a statement by an outlawed separatist group .
When a young journalist wrote about the alleged assaults on civilians by government forces during combing operations , a police officer called her in .
`` At this time , being a mature person , '' the officer told her , `` you should be writing positive stories about Kashmir . ''
One recent morning in July , a relative of the journalist was roughed up at a police checkpoint .
The journalist posted about the incident on Twitter .
Soon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking her to report there within an hour .
At the police station , the cops asked to file a complaint , which the journalist denied .
`` It was pointless to file a complaint .
Our colleagues have been targeted for years .
So many of them have filed complaints but has the government acted ? ''
The officer then dictated a tweet and asked the journalist to post the `` clarification '' on Twitter which she did .
When the journalist left the police station , the officer told her that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the papers .
`` The episode took a huge mental toll and I had to visit a psychiatrist , '' the journalist , who prefers to remain unnamed , said .
Rights group Amnesty International has documented at least 10 instances where journalists were pulled up for their reports .
`` Harassment and intimidation of journalists through draconian laws threatens the efforts to address the Covid-19 pandemic and creates an atmosphere of fear and reprisal in Kashmir , '' Amnesty says .
Dr Sheikh Showkat , who teaches law at the Central University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` illusion of normalcy , but there is an undeclared censorship in place '' .
Kashmiris are no strangers to lockdowns .
According to a recent report by Kashmir Chambers of Commerce and Industry , the valley has shut down for more than 3,000 days since 1989 when an armed insurgency against Indian rule erupted in the region .
But the lockdown since last August has been more crippling than those in the past .
The ban on high speed mobile internet has grounded businesses .
Students have struggled during online classes due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Choudhary says `` 365 days of no to slow Internet in 'Digital India ' is an unjustified government interference with basic rights of a population '' .
Some 80 % of the jobs in the once-thriving tourism industry have been lost in the past year , a report by The Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir said .
`` The mood [ in Kashmir ] ca n't be described as one of hope or optimism , '' Dr Aijaz Ashraf Wani , who teaches political science at the University of Kashmir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distrust which has become the immediate cause of youth picking up the gun to fight Indian rule .
I am not sure how this is going to be addressed or if there is actually any concern about this in Delhi . ''
Jehangir Ali is an independent journalist based in Srinagar

As the lockdown was imposed, Mr Naqshbandi couldn't draw. He had to deal with the anxieties of his seven-year-old son who kept asking questions about not being able to go to school or play with his friends. He resumed work only months later.


bbc--2020-08-05--Man Utd complete emphatic aggregate win over LASK to reach Europa League last eight

Manchester United came from behind to beat Austrian side LASK at Old Trafford , advancing to the quarter-finals of the Europa League 7-1 on aggregate .
Anthony Martial came off the bench to score the winner four minutes from time , collecting Juan Mata 's precise through ball before finishing off his 23rd goal of the season from 10 yards .
Earlier , Mata also provided the assist for Jesse Lingard to score for the second consecutive game .
Having broken his Premier League duck for the season in the very last minute of the final match - at Leicester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successive games for the first time since he did so December 2018 .
That was in the matches against Liverpool and Cardiff that bookended the final game of Jose Mourinho 's time in charge at Old Trafford and the first of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 's .
It was tough luck on the Austrians , who were the better side in the first half , despite trailing 5-0 from their home game in March .
When skipper Philipp Wiesinger curled an excellent shot into the top corner after 55 minutes , it looked like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But Lingard replied two minutes later and Solskjaer could even give 18-year-old defender Teden Mengi his debut as the clock ticked down to the final whistle .
Having already secured a place in next season 's Champions League , United will now play Danish side FC Copenhagen in Cologne in the quarter-finals of the 'Final 8 ' tournament on 10 August .
The 'Final 8 ' is taking place in Germany , with the final itself being held in Cologne on 21 August .
The draw for the remainder of the competition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential semi-final opponents , so there can not be an all-English final .
However , Inter Milan , with three former United players - Romelu Lukaku , Ashley Young and Alexis Sanchez - are potential final opponents .
• Reaction from Man Utd v LASK , plus updates from the rest of Wednesday 's Europa League action • How does it stand in Europa League ?
• 26 matches , 19 days - all you need to know about the return of European football Who is at risk if Jadon Sancho arrives ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by news of Jadon Sancho 's likely arrival and Sanchez 's imminent exit .
If the Sancho deal eventually happens , the England wide-man will be competing with Anthony Martial , Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood for the forward spots .
And it would mean fewer opportunities for the pair who started in the wide positions against LASK , both of whom scored in the first leg .
Juan Mata cost United a then club record £37.1m when David Moyes signed him from Chelsea in January 2014 .
Mata 's arrival in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moments of success .
However , at 32 , it is hard to see him making much of an impact on Solskjaer 's side given the pace they play with .
Mata has scored three times this season but has made just two 10-minute substitute appearances since the resumption , which says a lot .
Mata 's ability has never revolved around pace .
He prefers to play with his brain and , going about his business largely unnoticed , he ended the evening with two excellent assists , which showed his passing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ straight pass to send Lingard through .
The one he found Martial with was shorter - but equally precise .
United sources have admitted they took a punt on Daniel James , who signed last summer for £15m from Swansea after a recommendation from Ryan Giggs .
The 22-year-old has age as well as time on his side .
But the Welshman looks a shadow of the player who made such a blistering start to his United career , scoring three goals in his first four appearances .
Had he shown more conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach Brandon Williams ' low second-half cross .
Instead , it evaded him and the rest of the game passed without a significant contribution .
A total 54 minutes in five substitute appearances since starting the first game since lockdown at Tottenham on 19 June does not hint at James playing an integral role when United head to Germany looking to win their first trophy in three seasons .
While it would be tempting to think United do not have to take this competition quite so seriously now their Champions League place no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be to ignore the club 's recent history .
Not since the 1980s have the club failed to win a trophy in three consecutive seasons , which is the fate that awaits them if they miss out in this tournament .
They will be encountering a familiar face in the last eight following FC Copenhagen 's 3-0 win over Istanbul Basaksehir .
Uruguayan defender Guillermo Varela made a total of 11 appearances in four seasons on the books at United , although he only actually played for them in the 2015-16 campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Europa League , against Liverpool in March 2016 .
'It 's job done ' - what they said Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer speaking to BT Sport : `` Some of these lads have n't played for a while and it showed .
We won , we gave a debut to a young lad , it 's been a good night .
For me it was a good exercise , it 's job done , minutes under the belt and on to Copenhagen . ''
On debutant Teden Mengi : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre-back , someone we believe in , he 's strong , quick , good on the ball and I think we 've got a decent player there . ''
On the availability of Victor Lindelof for the quarter-final : `` Victor should be OK to travel .
It 's great to get Eric [ Bailly ] through a game again , he 's had his ups and downs with injuries . ''
• Manchester United remain unbeaten in their 10 meetings with Austrian opponents in all European competition .
It 's the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country without defeat .
• Manchester United have netted 23 goals in the Europa League this season , at least four more than any other side in the competition .
• Manchester United have used 38 players in the Europa League this season - the most different players a team has used in a single campaign in Uefa Cup/Europa League history .
• Anthony Martial is now Manchester United 's top scorer in all competitions this season with 23 goals .
The Frenchman had scored just 23 goals in his last two campaigns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jesse Lingard has scored in back-to-back matches for Manchester United for the first time since December 2018 .
• Philipp Wiesinger 's opener for LASK was the first goal Manchester United have conceded at home in the Europa League this season .
• No player has provided more assists in the Europa League this season than Man Utd 's Juan Mata ( 5 ) , with the Spaniard setting up both of the Red Devils ' goals .
• Louis Theroux : Eight things we learned when he spoke to Joe Wicks • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Six calls to track down the football legend

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Jesse Lingard has scored in back-to-back matches for Manchester United for the first time since December 2018
Manchester United came from behind to beat Austrian side LASK at Old Trafford, advancing to the quarter-finals of the Europa League 7-1 on aggregate.
Anthony Martial came off the bench to score the winner four minutes from time, collecting Juan Mata's precise through ball before finishing off his 23rd goal of the season from 10 yards.
Earlier, Mata also provided the assist for Jesse Lingard to score for the second consecutive game.
Having broken his Premier League duck for the season in the very last minute of the final match - at Leicester - it meant Lingard was scoring in successive games for the first time since he did so December 2018.
That was in the matches against Liverpool and Cardiff that bookended the final game of Jose Mourinho's time in charge at Old Trafford and the first of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's.
It was tough luck on the Austrians, who were the better side in the first half, despite trailing 5-0 from their home game in March.
When skipper Philipp Wiesinger curled an excellent shot into the top corner after 55 minutes, it looked like they were heading for a famous victory.
But Lingard replied two minutes later and Solskjaer could even give 18-year-old defender Teden Mengi his debut as the clock ticked down to the final whistle.
Having already secured a place in next season's Champions League, United will now play Danish side FC Copenhagen in Cologne in the quarter-finals of the 'Final 8' tournament on 10 August.
The 'Final 8' is taking place in Germany, with the final itself being held in Cologne on 21 August.
The draw for the remainder of the competition has already taken place. Wolves are potential semi-final opponents, so there cannot be an all-English final.
However, Inter Milan, with three former United players - Romelu Lukaku, Ashley Young and Alexis Sanchez - are potential final opponents.
Who is at risk if Jadon Sancho arrives?
The build-up to this game was dominated by news of Jadon Sancho's likely arrival and Sanchez's imminent exit.
If the Sancho deal eventually happens, the England wide-man will be competing with Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood for the forward spots.
And it would mean fewer opportunities for the pair who started in the wide positions against LASK, both of whom scored in the first leg.
Juan Mata cost United a then club record £37.1m when David Moyes signed him from Chelsea in January 2014. Mata's arrival in a helicopter was memorable and he has enjoyed moments of success.
However, at 32, it is hard to see him making much of an impact on Solskjaer's side given the pace they play with. Mata has scored three times this season but has made just two 10-minute substitute appearances since the resumption, which says a lot.
Mata's ability has never revolved around pace. He prefers to play with his brain and, going about his business largely unnoticed, he ended the evening with two excellent assists, which showed his passing range.
It took a long, straight pass to send Lingard through. The one he found Martial with was shorter - but equally precise.
United sources have admitted they took a punt on Daniel James, who signed last summer for £15m from Swansea after a recommendation from Ryan Giggs.
The 22-year-old has age as well as time on his side. But the Welshman looks a shadow of the player who made such a blistering start to his United career, scoring three goals in his first four appearances.
Had he shown more conviction, James might have been able to reach Brandon Williams' low second-half cross. Instead, it evaded him and the rest of the game passed without a significant contribution.
A total 54 minutes in five substitute appearances since starting the first game since lockdown at Tottenham on 19 June does not hint at James playing an integral role when United head to Germany looking to win their first trophy in three seasons.
United look to end three-year trophy wait
While it would be tempting to think United do not have to take this competition quite so seriously now their Champions League place no longer rests on winning it, that would be to ignore the club's recent history.
Not since the 1980s have the club failed to win a trophy in three consecutive seasons, which is the fate that awaits them if they miss out in this tournament.
They will be encountering a familiar face in the last eight following FC Copenhagen's 3-0 win over Istanbul Basaksehir.
Uruguayan defender Guillermo Varela made a total of 11 appearances in four seasons on the books at United, although he only actually played for them in the 2015-16 campaign.
Coincidentally, his last appearance came in the Europa League, against Liverpool in March 2016.
Man of the match - Juan Mata (Manchester United)
Juan Mata turned back the clock to provide the creative spark needed to break down the LASK defence
'It's job done' - what they said
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer speaking to BT Sport: "Some of these lads haven't played for a while and it showed. We won, we gave a debut to a young lad, it's been a good night. For me it was a good exercise, it's job done, minutes under the belt and on to Copenhagen."
On debutant Teden Mengi: "He is a leader, a centre-back, someone we believe in, he's strong, quick, good on the ball and I think we've got a decent player there."
On the availability of Victor Lindelof for the quarter-final: "Victor should be OK to travel. It's great to get Eric [Bailly] through a game again, he's had his ups and downs with injuries."
Mata's magic touch - the stats
Manchester United remain unbeaten in their 10 meetings with Austrian opponents in all European competition. It's the most they've met sides from a specific country without defeat.
Manchester United have netted 23 goals in the Europa League this season, at least four more than any other side in the competition.
Manchester United have used 38 players in the Europa League this season - the most different players a team has used in a single campaign in Uefa Cup/Europa League history.
Anthony Martial is now Manchester United's top scorer in all competitions this season with 23 goals. The Frenchman had scored just 23 goals in his last two campaigns combined for the Red Devils.
Jesse Lingard has scored in back-to-back matches for Manchester United for the first time since December 2018.
Philipp Wiesinger's opener for LASK was the first goal Manchester United have conceded at home in the Europa League this season.
No player has provided more assists in the Europa League this season than Man Utd's Juan Mata (5), with the Spaniard setting up both of the Red Devils' goals.


bbc--2020-08-05--Jakobsen in coma after Tour of Poland crash

Last updated on .From the section Cycling Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen is in a coma in hospital after a high-speed crash on stage one of the Tour of Poland .
Deceuninck-QuickStep 's Jakobsen , 23 , hit the barriers before striking an official stood by the line .
`` His condition is very severe .
There is a danger to his life , '' said race doctor Barbara Jerschina .
`` Unfortunately , it is quite a serious injury to the head and brain .
He has lost a lot of blood .
He is very strong .
I hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jakobsen 's situation is serious but at the moment he is stable , '' read a team statement .
`` Because of the gravity of his multiple injuries he is still kept in a comatose condition and has to remain closely monitored in the following days . ''
Jumbo-Visma sprinter Groenewegen , who was named as the stage winner before being disqualified , and several other riders also fell after crossing the line .
Jerschina said the race official suffered head and spinal injuries but was speaking when he was taken to hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it `` strongly condemns the dangerous behaviour of Groenewegen '' .
A statement read : `` The UCI , which considers the behaviour unacceptable , immediately referred the matter to the disciplinary commission to request the imposition of sanctions commensurate with the seriousness of the facts . ''
Jumbo-Visma said : `` Our thoughts go out to Fabio Jakobsen and other people involved in today 's terrible crash in the Tour of Poland - crashes like these should not happen .
`` We offer our sincere apologies and we will discuss internally what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further statement . ''
The podium ceremony was cancelled and the results of the 195.8km stage from Stadion Slaski have not been released .

Last updated on .From the section Cycling
Dutch sprinters Fabio Jakobsen (far left) and Dylan Groenewegen (second left, in yellow) collided just before the line
Dutch rider Fabio Jakobsen has had facial surgery and doctors will try to wake him from a coma later on Thursday, says his Deceuninck-QuickStep team.
Jakobsen remains stable, having been taken to hospital on Wednesday following a high-speed crash on stage one of the Tour of Poland.
Dylan Groenewegen drifted across the road before he and compatriot Jakobsen collided close to the finish line.
Jakobsen, 23, hit the barriers before striking an official stood by the line.
"His condition is very severe. There is a danger to his life," said race doctor Barbara Jerschina on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, it is quite a serious injury to the head and brain. He has lost a lot of blood. He is very strong. I hope he will survive."
Deceuninck-QuickStep said on Wednesday that initial tests "didn't reveal brain or spinal injury".
"Fabio Jakobsen's situation is serious but at the moment he is stable," read a team statement.
"Because of the gravity of his multiple injuries, he is still kept in a comatose condition and has to remain closely monitored in the following days."
Jumbo-Visma sprinter Groenewegen, who was named as the stage winner before being disqualified, and several other riders also fell after crossing the line.
Jerschina said the race official struck in the incident suffered head and spinal injuries but was speaking when he was taken to hospital.
Cycling's governing body UCI said it "strongly condemns the dangerous behaviour of Groenewegen".
A statement read: external-link "The UCI, which considers the behaviour unacceptable, immediately referred the matter to the disciplinary commission to request the imposition of sanctions commensurate with the seriousness of the facts."
Jumbo-Visma said: "Our thoughts go out to Fabio Jakobsen and other people involved in today's terrible crash in the Tour of Poland - crashes like these should not happen.
"We offer our sincere apologies and we will discuss internally what has happened before we may make any further statement."
The podium ceremony was cancelled and the results of the 195.8km stage from Stadion Slaski have not been released.


bbc--2020-08-05--Babar shines in the gloom as England frustrated on shortened day one against Pakistan

England endured a difficult start to the first Test against Pakistan on a frustrating opening day at Emirates Old Trafford .
The visitors moved to 139-2 in between 41 overs being lost to rain and bad light .
They had been 43-2 before Babar Azam stroked a classy unbeaten 69 in a partnership of 96 with opener Shan Masood , who is 46 not out .
They scored increasingly freely against an England side who lost their way with the ball after lunch , while wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dropped an edge off Masood and missed a straightforward chance to stump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dom Bess either side of a three-hour break for rain .
Following an inspection at 17:00 BST , there was the farcical sight of no play taking place in bright sunshine until the players returned at 17:45 .
When they did , the light then deteriorated to such an extent England could only bowl spin for the majority of the time until the players left for the final time at 18:11 .
Better weather is forecast for the next three days , with Pakistan having built a good platform after choosing to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ideal for batting .
If they can post an imposing first-innings total , it would allow their pair of leg-spinners , Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan , more leeway on a pitch that seems likely to turn .
With Ben Stokes not yet fit to bowl , England are unchanged from last week 's final Test against West Indies .
• Training to bowl at 100mph , sledging Flintoff & injuring Yuvraj - Shoaib in his own words Pakistan have drawn their last two series in England and are likely to pose a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bowling is at least as threatening as the men from the Caribbean , but their batting is stronger and in Babar they boast arguably the most complete three-format batsman in the world today .
Though the surface is dry , batting first under the floodlights carried an element of risk for Pakistan , and the door was ajar for England when Abid Ali and Azhar Ali were removed in the space of three overs .
Babar was circumspect at first , his footwork tentative and his outside edge regularly beaten as he felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before lunch .
He was transformed after the break with drives through mid-on and punches through the covers off the back foot .
The right-hander was particularly dismissive of off-spinner Bess , scoring 48 from his next 44 deliveries to move to a 70-ball half-century .
Left-hander Masood , a former student at Durham University , has previously struggled against England - James Anderson had dismissed him six times for 15 runs before this Test .
Bar the reprieves off Bess , he showed sound judgement and a calm temperament , pinching singles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Around 13 hours after an entirely different team was beaten in the third one-day international against Ireland , England were beginning their fourth behind-closed-doors Test in as many weeks .
The match sharpness gained through the series against West Indies should mean England are better prepared than Pakistan , and even though captain Joe Root said he would have batted first , the morning conditions gave the hosts the opportunity for early inroads .
They beat the bat on a number of occasions but , if anything , were collectively too short against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When England went full , they got the rewards .
Archer bowled Abid through the gate with a beautiful inswinger , while Woakes trapped tangled captain Azhar in front .
Woakes , the pick of the bowlers , also troubled Babar , but strangely was not seen after lunch as Pakistan took advantage of a number of loose deliveries .
If the nick Buttler put down was not immediately obvious , the stumping was glaring , with Masood running past an off-break he was aiming to hit down the ground .
Babar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ late gloom and it was perhaps a relief to the hosts when the umpires decided it was too dark to continue .
`` No one means to miss them , '' said England head coach Chris Silverwood of Buttler 's keeping .
`` Tomorrow he 'll come back and be capable of doing something very special for us .
`` He 's been tidy behind there more often than not , so we 'll keep giving him the support he needs to make sure he 's got the confidence . ''
'When is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - what they said Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Test Match Special : `` There 's no point us even talking about the lights and them going off .
We talk about it all the time .
It seems the conditions have to be perfect for them to stay on the field .
`` I ca n't get my head round the fact TV companies are paying a huge amount of money , fans are watching the only Test cricket going on in the world from home , yet we 've lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were two off-spinners bowling and we went off for bad light .
It just does n't make sense .
When is Test cricket going to learn ? ''
Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood on Test Match Special : `` It was a great day for Pakistan .
At lunch the game was evenly poised but after that these two guys played so well .
`` Especially Babar Azam with his cover drive on the front foot .
I thought Shan Masood played well too but he was lucky with the missed chances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy with this score . ''

First Test, Emirates Old Trafford (day one of five) Pakistan 139-2 (49 overs): Babar 69*, Masood 46*, Woakes 1-14 England: Yet to bat Scorecard
England endured a difficult start to the first Test against Pakistan on a frustrating opening day at Emirates Old Trafford.
The visitors moved to 139-2 in between 41 overs being lost to rain and bad light.
They had been 43-2 before Babar Azam stroked a classy unbeaten 69 in a partnership of 96 with opener Shan Masood, who is 46 not out.
They scored increasingly freely against an England side who lost their way with the ball after lunch, while wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dropped an edge off Masood and missed a straightforward chance to stump the same man from the bowling of Dom Bess either side of a three-hour break for rain.
Following an inspection at 17:00 BST, there was the farcical sight of no play taking place in bright sunshine until the players returned at 17:45.
When they did, the light then deteriorated to such an extent England could only bowl spin for the majority of the time until the players left for the final time at 18:11.
Better weather is forecast for the next three days, with Pakistan having built a good platform after choosing to make first use of a surface that looks ideal for batting.
If they can post an imposing first-innings total, it would allow their pair of leg-spinners, Yasir Shah and Shadab Khan, more leeway on a pitch that seems likely to turn.
With Ben Stokes not yet fit to bowl, England are unchanged from last week's final Test against West Indies.
Babar serves notice of his class
Pakistan have drawn their last two series in England and are likely to pose a bigger threat than West Indies.
Their bowling is at least as threatening as the men from the Caribbean, but their batting is stronger and in Babar they boast arguably the most complete three-format batsman in the world today.
Though the surface is dry, batting first under the floodlights carried an element of risk for Pakistan, and the door was ajar for England when Abid Ali and Azhar Ali were removed in the space of three overs.
Babar was circumspect at first, his footwork tentative and his outside edge regularly beaten as he felt his way to two from 26 balls before lunch.
He was transformed after the break with drives through mid-on and punches through the covers off the back foot. The right-hander was particularly dismissive of off-spinner Bess, scoring 48 from his next 44 deliveries to move to a 70-ball half-century.
Left-hander Masood, a former student at Durham University, has previously struggled against England - James Anderson had dismissed him six times for 15 runs before this Test.
Bar the reprieves off Bess, he showed sound judgement and a calm temperament, pinching singles as the perfect foil for Babar.
England's frustrating day
Around 13 hours after an entirely different team was beaten in the third one-day international against Ireland, England were beginning their fourth behind-closed-doors Test in as many weeks.
The match sharpness gained through the series against West Indies should mean England are better prepared than Pakistan, and even though captain Joe Root said he would have batted first, the morning conditions gave the hosts the opportunity for early inroads.
They beat the bat on a number of occasions but, if anything, were collectively too short against the determined and organised Pakistan opening pair.
When England went full, they got the rewards. Archer bowled Abid through the gate with a beautiful inswinger, while Woakes trapped tangled captain Azhar in front.
Woakes, the pick of the bowlers, also troubled Babar, but strangely was not seen after lunch as Pakistan took advantage of a number of loose deliveries.
If the nick Buttler put down was not immediately obvious, the stumping was glaring, with Masood running past an off-break he was aiming to hit down the ground.
Babar continued to find the boundary in the late gloom and it was perhaps a relief to the hosts when the umpires decided it was too dark to continue.
"No one means to miss them," said England head coach Chris Silverwood of Buttler's keeping.
"Tomorrow he'll come back and be capable of doing something very special for us.
"He's been tidy behind there more often than not, so we'll keep giving him the support he needs to make sure he's got the confidence."
'When is Test cricket going to learn?' - what they said
Former England captain Michael Vaughan on Test Match Special: "There's no point us even talking about the lights and them going off. We talk about it all the time. It seems the conditions have to be perfect for them to stay on the field.
"I can't get my head round the fact TV companies are paying a huge amount of money, fans are watching the only Test cricket going on in the world from home, yet we've lost out on so much cricket.
"There were two off-spinners bowling and we went off for bad light. It just doesn't make sense. When is Test cricket going to learn?"
Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood on Test Match Special: "It was a great day for Pakistan. At lunch the game was evenly poised but after that these two guys played so well.
"Especially Babar Azam with his cover drive on the front foot. I thought Shan Masood played well too but he was lucky with the missed chances from Buttler.
"Pakistan will be happy with this score."


bbc--2020-08-05--Arsenal in 'advanced' talks for Coutinho - Thursday's gossip

Barcelona winger Philippe Coutinho 's possible move to Arsenal is at an `` advanced '' stage .
The 28-year-old Brazil international spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich .
( Sport ) Arsenal have made a three-year contract offer to Chelsea and Brazil winger Willian , 31 .
( Sky Sports ) Chelsea are in advanced talks with Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon , 23 , who spent last season on loan at Sevilla .
( ESPN ) Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to sign a new five-year deal at the Spanish club .
That will disappoint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany international 's contract situation .
( Mundo Deportivo via Sun ) Real Madrid outcast James Rodriguez , 29 , is lining up a £13.5m move to city rivals Atletico Madrid .
( El Golazo de Gol via Sun ) Tottenham are ready to sell £35m-rated right-back Serge Aurier , with AC Milan and Monaco both interested in the 27-year-old Ivory Coast international .
( Mirror ) Werder Bremen want to take Manchester United 's 20-year-old Dutch winger Tahith Chong on loan .
( Bild - in German ) Fulham will offer manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Championship play-off final .
( Express ) Aston Villa will provide competition to Crystal Palace for Brentford striker Ollie Watkins , 24 , who can leave the Bees for £18m after they failed to win promotion to the Premier League .
( Express and Star ) Tottenham are eyeing a move for Brentford and Algeria winger Said Benrahma , 24 .
( Mirror ) Crystal Palace have offered a contract to Scotland winger Ryan Fraser .
The 26-year-old is a free agent after leaving Bournemouth .
( Guardian ) Fulham will try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker-Peters , 23 , who was on loan at St Mary 's last season .
( Evening Standard ) Caretaker boss Jason Tindall , 42 , is the leading contender to replace Eddie Howe as Bournemouth manager .
( Telegraph ) Norwich are holding firm on a £20m price tag for 22-year-old Northern Ireland left-back Jamal Lewis , who is reportedly a target for Liverpool .
( The Athletic - subscription required ) Tottenham are willing to sell United States centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers , 22 , for about £2.5m .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Eight things we learned when he spoke to Joe Wicks • 6 Degrees from ... Thierry Henry : Six calls to track down the football legend

Last updated on .From the section Gossip
Manchester City want to sign four more players this summer. Napoli's Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, 29, and Inter Milan's Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez, 22 are among those on their list of targets.(Sky Sports) external-link
City have also made an approach for Atletico Madrid's Portuguese playmaker Joao Felix, 20. (Athletic - subscription required) external-link
Barcelona winger Philippe Coutinho's possible move to Arsenal is at an "advanced" stage. The 28-year-old Brazil international spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich. (Sport) external-link
Arsenal have made a three-year contract offer to Chelsea and Brazil winger Willian, 31. (Sky Sports) external-link
Arsenal are leading the race to sign Lille and Brazil defender Gabriel Magalhaes, 22, ahead of Manchester United, Everton and Napoli.(La Voix du Nord via Daily Star) external-link
Chelsea have prioritised the signing of £60m-rated Uruguay defender Jose Gimenez, 25, from Atletico Madrid after being priced out of a move from West Ham's England midfielder and centre-back Declan Rice. (Daily Star) external-link
Chelsea are in advanced talks with Real Madrid's Spanish left-back Sergio Reguilon, 23, who spent last season on loan at Sevilla. (ESPN) external-link
Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen is set to sign a new five-year deal at the Spanish club. That will disappoint Chelsea, who were monitoring the 28-year-old Germany international's contract situation. (Mundo Deportivo via Sun) external-link
Real Madrid's Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez, 29, is lining up a £13.5m move to city rivals Atletico Madrid. (El Golazo de Gol via Sun) external-link
Tottenham are ready to sell £35m-rated right-back Serge Aurier, with AC Milan and Monaco both interested in the 27-year-old Ivory Coast international. (Mirror) external-link
Werder Bremen want to take Manchester United's 20-year-old Dutch winger Tahith Chong on loan. (Bild - in German) external-link
Crystal Palace have offered a contract to Scotland winger Ryan Fraser. The 26-year-old is a free agent after leaving Bournemouth. (Guardian) external-link
Fulham have joined Crystal Palace in pursuing Fraser. (Sky Sports) external-link
Caretaker boss Jason Tindall, 42, is the leading contender to replace Eddie Howe as Bournemouth manager. (Telegraph) external-link
'This club needed some stability and a clear direction' How Parker transformed Fulham's fortunes
Fulham will offer manager Scott Parker a new contract after winning the Championship play-off final. (Express) external-link
Fulham are ready to make their own offer to wreck Southampton's £12m move for Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker-Peters, 23, who was on loan at St Mary's last season. (Evening Standard) external-link
Everton and Wolves have been linked with a move for Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Rafinha, 27, with the Catalan club holding out for a price matching his release clause of £14.5m. (Sport, via Sport Witness) external-link
Aston Villa will provide competition to Crystal Palace for Brentford's English striker Ollie Watkins, 24. (Express and Star) external-link
Tottenham are considering a move for Brentford and Algeria winger Said Benrahma, 24. (Mirror) external-link
Norwich are holding firm on a £20m price tag for 22-year-old Northern Ireland left-back Jamal Lewis. (Athletic - subscription required) external-link
Tottenham are willing to sell United States centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers, 22, for about £2.5m. (Football Insider) external-link