bbc--2020-03-05--Italy's Corinaldo tragedy: Pepper spray stampede suspects face judge

The stampede at the Lanterna Azzurra ( Blue Lantern ) club was a tragedy that traumatised Italy in December 2018 , leaving five teenagers and a woman dead .
Two hundred others , mainly young Italians , were injured in the panic in the crowded club in Corinaldo .
Six men were facing a judge at a court hearing in Ancona , central Italy , on Thursday on charges of manslaughter .
Prosecutors believe the panic was started deliberately to rob the crowd .
But it swiftly became a disaster , known in the Italian media as the `` Corinaldo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prayers for the victims in St Peter 's Square .
What happened at the club ?
The Lanterna Azzurra club was overflowing with young fans of popular rapper Sfera Ebbasta .
At least 1,400 people had gathered for the event in the small town near Ancona in the Marche region of central Italy .
However , the venue was big enough for fewer than 900 , police say .
Most of the victims at the club were aged between 14 and 16 , and were enjoying the 8 December public holiday on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely young crowd was waiting for Sfera Ebbasta , the stage name of 27-year-old Gionata Boschetti , when pepper spray was released at around 01:00 ( 00:00 GMT ) on 8 December .
People rushed in panic towards the emergency exits but railings gave way and people fell off a walkway .
Many of the 200 people injured suffered crushing wounds and broken limbs .
In addition to the criminal charges brought , the Marche region is seeking , as a civil party , damages for costs incurred in the emergency response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The eldest of the six who died was 39-year-old mother-of-four Eleonora Girolimini , who was at the club with her 11-year-old daughter and her husband .
Her body was found by her daughter , and her husband tried in vain to resuscitate her.
, according to Ancona Today .
The other victims were all children : • Emma Fabini , 14 , was a model student at her school who had been allowed to attend the concert as a reward for good conduct , Il Resto Del Carlino quotes her mother as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was like a `` ray of sunshine '' who `` faced every day with a smile and enthusiasm '' , her grandmother Tiziana was quoted as saying by Corriere Adriatico • Benedetta Vitali , 15 , known as Beba , was a `` bundle of joy '' , her older brother Francesco told La Repubblica , adding : `` I 'd give anything to find her here , dancing alone with her headphones ...
It 's not fair to die at 15 '' • Mattia Orlandi , 15 , had a passion for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuseppe , who was quoted by Il Resto Del Carlino as saying : `` Life is over for me and my wife '' • Daniele Pongetti , 16 , known as Dany , was a keen footballer ; in a tribute to her `` little giant '' , his mother Donatella Magagnini wrote : `` I give you my life as I always have and you continue to tell me what you are doing in my dreams '' , Centro Pagina reports Who are the suspects ?
Now in their early twenties and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emilia-Romagna region , the six men were arrested on 2 August of last year .
They are named as Ugo Di Puorto , Andrea Cavallari , Moez Akari , Raffaele Mormone , Souhaib Haddada and Badr Amouiyah .
As well as manslaughter , the suspects face charges of criminal association , causing bodily harm and theft .
A seventh man , 65-year-old Andrea Balugani , was arrested for receiving stolen goods and criminal association .
He has entered a plea bargain which involves a prison sentence of just under five years .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pepper spray at an open-air screening of the Champions League football final on Turin 's San Carlo Square , causing a stampede in which two women died and 1,672 people were injured .
Four Moroccan nationals were convicted of setting off the spray in order to steal money and were jailed in May 2019 for just over 10 years for manslaughter .
Cans of pepper spray , commonly used by women for personal protection , can be bought legally in Italy and many other European countries , but are banned , for instance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an irritant similar to tear gas but made with different components .

At least 1,400 people had gathered for the event in the small town near Ancona in the Marche region of central Italy. However, the venue was big enough for fewer than 900, police say.


bbc--2020-03-05--#RIPTwitter trends as firm tests vanishing tweets

Twitter is testing a feature that will allow some tweets to disappear after 24 hours , it announced on Wednesday .
The new feature called `` fleets '' is similar to vanishing posts on Snapchat and Instagram Stories .
The changes prompted the hashtag # RIPTwitter to trend as users complained the new feature would make the micro-blogging site too similar to other social media platforms .
So far Twitter is only testing the function in Brazil .
Kayvon Beykpour , the company 's product lead , said the new feature would allow people to post thoughts they might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ posting on Twitter can feel `` permanent and performative '' which can intimidate some users .
`` We 're hoping that Fleets can help people share the fleeting thoughts that they would have been unlikely to Tweet , '' he wrote in a seven-part post on Twitter .
The vanishing messages will appear when a user 's profile picture is clicked .
Users will not be able to reply , like , or publicly comment on any of the disappearing messages .
Mr Beykpour acknowledged that Fleets did sound a lot like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said Twitter was making a `` few intentional differences '' to its version .
The company did not say when Fleets would be rolled out globally .

The vanishing messages will appear when a user's profile picture is clicked. Users will not be able to reply, like, or publicly comment on any of the disappearing messages.


bbc--2020-03-05--Ronaldinho held in Paraguay over fake passport claims

Former Brazil forward Ronaldinho is being held by police in Paraguay for allegedly using a fake passport to enter the country , authorities say .
Police searched a hotel in the capital , Asuncion , on Wednesday , where the star had been staying with his brother .
Paraguay 's interior minister told ESPN Brazil that the pair had not been arrested but are under investigation .
Minister Euclides Acevedo also said they deny wrongdoing and are co-operating with the authorities .
In July 2019 , the player reportedly had his Brazilian and Spanish passports confiscated over unpaid taxes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the morning on Thursday at the prosecutor 's office , '' minister Euclides Acevedo told AFP , adding that customs authorities would also be investigated .
`` I respect his sporting popularity but the law must also be respected .
No matter who you are , the law still applies '' , Mr Acevedo told local media .
The 39-year-old twice World Player Of The Year had travelled to Paraguay to promote a book and a campaign for underprivileged children .
Another man who travelled with the brothers - 45-year-old Wilmondes Sousa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ronaldinho was the 2004 and 2005 World Player of the Year and enjoyed the prime of his career at Spanish giants Barcelona .
He won the World Cup in 2002 alongside fellow superstar forwards Ronaldo and Rivaldo .
Ronaldinho 's net worth is estimated at £80-100m and he is reported to charge around £150,000 for a single promoted Instagram post .

Ronaldinho was the 2004 and 2005 World Player of the Year and enjoyed the prime of his career at Spanish giants Barcelona. He won the World Cup in 2002 alongside fellow superstar forwards Ronaldo and Rivaldo.


bbc--2020-03-05--Former UN chief Javier Pérez de Cuéllar dies aged 100

Former UN chief and Peruvian Prime Minister Javier Pérez de Cuéllar has died aged 100 .
Mr Pérez de Cuéllar 's son told local radio station RPP he died at his home in Peru .
During his two terms as UN Secretary General , he brokered peace agreements in Latin America , Africa , Asia and the Middle East .
A key achievement was negotiating a ceasefire between Iran and Iraq in 1988 after eight years of conflict .
António Guterres , the current UN Secretary General , said in a statement that he was `` profoundly saddened '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accomplished statesman , a committed diplomat and a personal inspiration who left a profound impact on the United Nations and our world , '' Mr Guterres added .
In a tweet , Peru 's President Martín Vizcarra called Mr Pérez de Cuéllar `` a full-hearted democrat who dedicated his entire life to work to enlarge our country '' .
Mr Pérez de Cuéllar studied law at the Catholic University of Lima before embarking on a diplomatic career with Peru 's foreign ministry .
He served in embassies across Europe and Latin America , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first UN General Assembly in 1946 .
At the UN he presided over the influential Security Council and , as a special representative , brokered a peace deal between Greece and Turkey in 1974 , following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus .
In 1981 he was named as the UN 's fifth Secretary General - its first from Latin America - and led the international body during some of the most critical years of the Cold War between America and the Soviet Union .
Aside from the Iran-Iraq war , by the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had helped to end hostilities in Western Sahara , and civil wars in El Salvador , Cambodia and Nicaragua .
As UN chief , he also secured the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan , and mediated Namibian independence from South Africa .
He made an unsuccessful bid for Peru 's presidency in 1995 , losing to the country 's deeply divisive leader Alberto Fujimori .
After Mr Fujimori 's resigned in 2000 amid a bribery scandal , Mr Pérez de Cuéllar briefly served as Foreign Minister and Prime Minister , helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fair elections .
The country 's newly-elected President Alejandro Toledo later appointed him as ambassador to France .

In 1981 he was named as the UN's fifth secretary general - its first from Latin America - and led the international body during some of the most critical years of the Cold War between America and the Soviet Union.


bbc--2020-03-05--Robert Durst: Jury shown The Jinx finale at murder trial

The murder trial of US millionaire Robert Durst , the subject of the documentary The Jinx , has started with the jury viewing clips from the series .
Prosecutors allege that in 2000 the 76-year-old killed Susan Berman to stop police questioning her about the disappearance of his wife , Kathleen .
Mr Durst has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge .
The real estate heir was the focus of the 2015 series The Jinx , in which he allegedly confessed to the crime .
Jurors were played the show 's finale , where Mr Durst is captured on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What the hell did I do ?
Killed them all , of course . ''
Hours before this last episode aired , authorities arrested him in New Orleans for Berman 's murder .
• Can Durst 'confession ' be used in court ?
Mr Durst 's lawyer , Dick DeGuerin , objected to jurors also being shown clips from All the Good Things , a 2010 film of his marriage starring Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst .
The film was directed by The Jinx 's filmmaker Andrew Jarecki and depicts the life of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murderer .
`` This is improper , '' Mr DeGuerin said .
`` What 's on the screen is made up . ''
Mr Durst 's first wife Kathleen McCormack went missing in 1982 and is presumed dead .
Berman , 55 , was found shot in the head in her Beverly Hills home .
In his opening statement , John Lewin , deputy district attorney said : `` She let the killer into her house , she turned her back to them ... She was n't afraid of them , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head at very close range . ''
Mr Durst was acquitted of murdering his elderly neighbour Morris Black in 2001 , successfully arguing he had killed him on the grounds of self-defence before cutting up the body .

In his opening statement, John Lewin, deputy district attorney said: "She let the killer into her house, she turned her back to them... She wasn't afraid of them, and then she was executed, shot in the head at very close range."


bbc--2020-03-05--Coronavirus in Australia: Lorryload of toilet paper catches fire

A lorry carrying toilet paper had caught fire due to a mechanical fault , amidst Australia ’ s coronavirus-induced buying @ @ @ @ @ Authorities and supermarkets have stressed there is no need to stockpile , but it does @ @ @ @ @ the rush .
To help out , a Northern Territory newspaper known for it 's @ @ @ @ @ eight page `` toilet paper '' pullout section , for those who may have run @ @

A lorry carrying toilet paper had caught fire due to a mechanical fault, amidst Australia’s coronavirus-induced buying frenzy of toilet paper.
Authorities and supermarkets have stressed there is no need to stockpile, but it doesn't seem to be stopping the rush.
To help out, a Northern Territory newspaper known for its humorous headlines has printed an eight-page "toilet paper" pullout section, for those who may have run out.


bbc--2020-03-05--Collapsed Flybe tells passengers not to travel to airports

UK airline Flybe has gone into administration , putting 2,000 jobs at risk , after a bid for fresh financial support failed .
The Exeter-based carrier said the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on demand for air travel was partly to blame for its collapse .
Its website now advises customers to `` not travel to the airport '' unless they have arranged an alternative flight .
Flybe boss Mark Anderson said he was `` very sorry '' for the firm 's collapse .
In a letter to the airline 's staff , chief executive Mark Anderson said : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no alternative - having failed to find a feasible solution to allow us to keep trading . ''
In response to the collapse , the UK government said it was ready to help Flybe 's workers find new jobs and would work with other airlines to replace services : `` We are working closely with industry to minimise any disruption to routes operated by Flybe , including by looking urgently at how routes not already covered by other airlines can be re-established by the industry.
`` • Five things that went wrong for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` gutted '' about the news but added : `` We really tried to do everything we could back at the turn of the year .
`` Unfortunately , with the situation that has developed with [ coronavirus ] , an already weak company , I 'm afraid , just has n't been able to survive . ''
David Manners arrived at Exeter Airport this morning to find his Flybe flight to Paris had been cancelled .
The trip had been planned as a surprise Christmas present for his wife and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Manners , who lives in Lyme Regis , said Flybe 's collapse would also be bad for the area .
`` We use this airport quite a lot because it 's so convenient , '' he said .
`` We know some of the staff very well… I feel for them . ''
Jessica , Abby and Robyn work for a recruitment agency and were due to return to Jersey via Exeter Airport after a business trip .
They described the airport as a `` ghost town '' on arrival .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ maybe once a month , and not having it now will be such a nightmare . ''
The group said that other airlines such as EasyJet or British Airways did operate flights from Jersey , but they typically only flew into larger airports such as London Gatwick .
Ryanair has launched `` rescue '' fares for March and April on five routes following Flybe 's collapse .
They include flights between Bournemouth and Dublin , Belfast and Stansted and Belfast and Manchester .
Train operators across Britain are also providing free travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to travel over the next week , according to the Rail Delivery Group .
What are your rights as a passenger ?
Flybe customers who bought tickets directly from the company will not be protected by Atol , the travel industry insurance fund However , if you bought through a travel agent or other third party you might be covered .
Some people might be able to get their money back if they paid by credit card or with some debit cards .
What does it mean for staff ?
Thousands of jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's collapse .
Katherine Densham , a Flybe cabin crew member , had been due to fly to London City Airport from Exeter on Thursday .
She has worked for the airline for 13 years after joining the firm straight from college .
She told the BBC that staff were feeling `` really sad '' and that she was not sure what to do next .
Balpa , the pilots ' union , said that pilots , cabin crew and ground staff `` have done their jobs brilliantly '' throughout its struggle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to find new jobs in the current climate '' , although companies such as South Western Railway have already been calling out for job applications from Flybe staff on social media .
What went wrong at the airline ?
Flybe ran into difficulties last year and was bought by a consortium that includes Virgin Atlantic .
But its troubles persisted , and it narrowly avoided going bust in January this year .
The new owners said they would pump £30m into the business to keep it afloat , but appealed to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which served destinations from the Channel Islands to Aberdeen , had also been hoping for a £100m lifeline from the government and changes to Air Passenger Duty taxes .
But the news that it may benefit from government help sparked a backlash from its rivals .
British Airways-owner IAG filed a complaint to the EU arguing Flybe 's rescue breached state aid rules .
Virgin Atlantic said it was `` deeply disappointed '' that Flybe had gone bust , adding that the consortium had invested more than £135m in keeping the airline flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial problems were already apparent , a Flybe insider told the BBC the impact of the coronavirus on the travel industry had `` made a bad situation much worse '' .
Air transport expert John Strickland added that the regional market was extremely challenging for any airline , but that Flybe had made matters worse some years ago through over-ambitious expansion .
`` It 's really too big for what it 's trying to do , '' he said .
What does Flybe 's collapse mean for the regions ?
Although Flybe is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airways , Ryanair or EasyJet , the loss of the operator has been described as `` disastrous '' for UK regions .
Mr Strickland said Flybe is `` small in the scale of the UK market as a whole , but if you 're flying out of Exeter , Newquay or specifically Southampton it really is one of the only airline choices ... so a number of regional groups will risk not being served '' .
Following last December 's general election , Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to `` level up '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conservatives won seats in previous Labour strongholds .
He appeared ready to intervene to prop up the airline , considered a key transport link to many parts of the country .
• Cardiff Flybe passengers warned not to go to airport Shadow transport secretary Andy Macdonald said the airline had provided `` critical connectivity for many locations '' and its collapse would be `` disastrous news for passengers and employees alike . ''
`` The government has to answer how those vital links will be maintained following Flybe 's collapse .
Communities will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for their local economies and the Secretary of State has to come up with answers to these questions as a matter of urgency , '' he said .
Tim Jeans , chairman of Cornwall Airport , said that he `` very much hoped '' that other airlines would take up the routes .
He said discussions with other airlines would `` begin in earnest '' soon and he hoped to reinstate services `` on those routes hopefully within weeks rather than months '' .
For the past 15 years Flybe has been trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and failing .
The serious push came 10 years ago when it raised money with a stock market float , and set out a plan to become Europe 's biggest regional airline , flying mid-sized planes between secondary cities .
The model works brilliantly in America , where regional airlines , often flying as franchises of the larger network carriers , are a large and thriving business .
It did not work - or at least Flybe did not make it work - in Europe .
It retrenched , and was left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a fleet of Embraer aircraft that it could not fly .
The remaining network was still too big , and cash resources dwindled .
The airline came close to going under at the start of last year , but was bought by consortium of Virgin Atlantic , Stobart , and a financial investor Cyrus Capital .
They had conflicting objectives .
Virgin was eager to preserve feed to its long-haul flights at Heathrow , and perhaps snaffle along the way some of Flybe 's valuable Heathrow slots .
Stobart was eager to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airport .
And Cyrus thought it might make money if the business was resuscitated .
The trio were slow to act - a rebranding to Virgin Connect never happened , and losses continued to rise .
A cold shoulder from the government and a rapid drop in bookings thanks to the coronavirus sealed the airline 's fate .
For the airports most affected - Southampton , Exeter and Belfast City - this will be a worrying moment .
There is not a queue of airlines wanting to pick up UK regional routes - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plunged the entire industry into uncertainty .
Have you been affected by the collapse of Flybe ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

In response to the collapse, the UK government said it was ready to help Flybe's workers find new jobs and would work with other airlines to replace services: "We are working closely with industry to minimise any disruption to routes operated by Flybe, including by looking urgently at how routes not already covered by other airlines can be re-established by the industry. "


bbc--2020-03-05--Brawl erupts in Turkish parliament over Syria military action

Fighting broke out in Turkey 's parliament after an MP criticised President Erdogan over the country 's military intervention in @ @ @ @ @ an opposition lawmaker , accused the president of disrespecting soldiers .
He also said it @ @ @ @ @ into war without air support .
President Erdogan has been equally scathing of the opposition @ @ @ @ @ treachery '' .
Turkey is providing military support to rebels in Syria .
But more @ @ @ @ @ been killed in the last month , fueling political tensions .

Fighting broke out in Turkey's parliament after an MP criticised President Erdogan over the country's military intervention in Syria.
Engin Ozkoc, an opposition lawmaker, accused the president of disrespecting soldiers.
He also said it was irresponsible to send troops into war without air support.
President Erdogan has been equally scathing of the opposition, accusing them of "treachery".
Turkey is providing military support to rebels in Syria.
But more than 50 Turkish troops have been killed in the last month, fueling political tensions.


bbc--2020-03-05--Lebanon crisis: 'The country needs our energy'

Lebanon 's economy is collapsing - businesses are closing , unemployment is rising and the lira 's black market value @ @ @ @ @ .
The new government brought in after protests started late last year is failing to @ @ @ @ @ that their savings wo n't disappear .
The country is heavily in debt , with @ @ @ @ @ deal with the International Monetary Fund is the only way forward - and real reforms @ @ @ @ @ to happen .
Lina Sinjab spoke to one young woman who lost her job during @ @ @ @

Lebanon's economy is collapsing - businesses are closing, unemployment is rising and the lira's black market value against the dollar has plummeted.
The new government brought in after protests started late last year is failing to find solutions to reassure people that their savings won't disappear.
The country is heavily in debt, with many suggesting that a rescue deal with the International Monetary Fund is the only way forward - and real reforms would be needed for that to happen.
Lina Sinjab spoke to one young woman who lost her job during the current crisis.


bbc--2020-03-05--Nigeria housing: 'I live in a floating slum' in Lagos

As a UN report is released condemning the poor state of housing provision in Nigeria , the BBC 's Mayeni Jones visits a precarious community in the commercial capital , Lagos .
From above , the Oko-Agbon neighbourhood , in the infamous Makoko floating slum , looks almost picturesque .
Little wooden shacks on stilts sit on top of dark water .
Residents move from one to another on canoes , calling out to neighbours and friends .
Some outsiders have fancifully described it as the Venice of Africa .
However , get closer and it is a different picture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rubbish , including needles and human faeces .
There is a suffocating smell of rotten fish hanging in the air .
Hundreds of people live here in very close quarters and there is little privacy .
Yet despite these conditions , this has been a refuge for some .
Fisherman Dosu Francis moved here three years ago , after being evicted from Otodo Gbame , another waterfront community about 25km ( 16 miles ) away by road .
He has been sleeping , with his wife and one of his sons , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoking fish .
The shed belongs to one of his brothers and was only meant to be a temporary shelter , but three years on , he has not been able to find anywhere else to live .
'Sent my children away' '' Since we were evicted , it has n't been easy at all for me to live , '' says Mr Francis in a soft voice .
`` I have three children of school age , but I ca n't afford their fees and I ca n't afford to feed them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two of them away to my first daughter who 's married .
`` Only one of my sons lives here with me . ''
While showing me the shed , a modest structure made of a few planks of wood and plastic sheeting for a roof , he explains that they still smoke fish in it during the day .
At night , he clears the uneven ground as much as he can in order to sleep .
I notice holes in the roof and ask what they do during the rainy season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with plastic bags , '' he replies .
Mr Francis says he and other residents of Otodo Gbame were violently evicted in 2017 after a neighbouring community , who wanted their land , sent the police to kick them out .
`` They started moving us bit by bit .
We thought we might be able to do a deal with the police but they did n't agree , and one day they came and drove everyone out . ''
I ask if he ever got any compensation since being evicted .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he explains , `` no-one has given us any money , no-one has given us a house , nothing has been given to us , they just told us to leave . ''
Mr Francis ' story is far from unique .
Millions have been evicted from the country 's slums over the past 20 years , often with very little notice and without being given alternative housing .
According to Amnesty International , between 2000 and 2009 , Nigerian authorities forcibly evicted over two million people .
There have been several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In February 2013 , state authorities evicted at least 9,000 people from Badia East in central Lagos , to make way for a government building project .
In September 2015 , another 10,000 people were evicted from the area .
And earlier this year , an estimated 10,000 people were given an hour to pack up their things before being asked to leave the beachfront community of Tarkwa Bay , a popular weekend destination for Lagosians .
Despite some public outrage on social media , many of their houses were soon demolished @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I met some of them outside the high court in Ikoyi , where they had come to get an injunction to stop the demolition work .
They said their village was destroyed to make way for a luxury development : '' We believe that it is for the economic benefit of a few pockets , '' one former resident told me .
`` Historically , other evicted sites have been turned into private estates and properties . ''
The authorities deny this , saying they evicted the community there because some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pipelines .
But when I headed to Tarkwa Bay to find out for myself , members of the navy and armed men in military fatigues asked me to leave .
They said they had nothing to hide but that we needed to go through the proper channels and come back on a supervised visit .
It is easy to understand why residents might be suspicious .
After Mr Francis ' old neighbourhood , Otodo Gbame , was cleared three years ago , luxury apartments started springing up in the area .
But many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the majority , and tend to remain empty .
`` You 'll be surprised to know that there are some vacant buildings in Lagos , while you have thousands of people sleeping rough , with no access to adequate housing , '' says Dr Muyiwa Agunbiade , a lecturer in urban and regional planning at the University of Lagos .
`` In Nigeria we have n't gotten to the stage [ of providing social housing ] .
Most importantly I do n't think the government has the resources to take care of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution would be to formalise the ownership of land .
Without that , people who live in informal settlements , can always be moved on , he says .
`` But if the government gets it right , and you have a good land registration system , where people have titles to their land , then residents will feel secure enough to build good quality housing and you wo n't need to evict them . ''
In the meantime forced evictions continue to happen , leaving many like Mr Francis and his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the smell of smoked fish everywhere and no guarantee they will not get pushed out again .

He has been sleeping, with his wife and one of his sons, in a small shed that is used for smoking fish. The shed belongs to one of his brothers and was only meant to be a temporary shelter, but three years on, he has not been able to find anywhere else to live.


bbc--2020-03-05--Cashmere and climate change threaten nomadic life

Mongolia 's vast grasslands cover about three-quarters of the country , where nomadic herdsmen have maintained traditions stretching back centuries .
But this world is changing - fast .
About 70 % of this once verdant land has now been damaged , mostly due to overgrazing .
The main culprit is the country 's estimated 27 million cashmere goats , which are farmed for their highly-prized wool .
Unlike the country 's 31 million sheep , the goats dig out and eat the roots of the grass , making re-growth much harder .
Add climate change on top , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mongolia 's grasslands have now turned to desert .
The nation is , in fact , particularly vulnerable to rising temperatures , with a 2C increase over the past 70 years , higher than the world average .
`` When I was child , I vividly remember the grasses would grow taller , and we would receive more rain , '' says Batmunkh , a herder in the Dornod province .
He looks after 1,000 animals , 300 of which are cashmere goats .
The dilemma for Mongolia is that with global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , how can the country earn more money from selling it , at the same time as reducing the industry 's environmental impact ?
Since Mongolia 's peaceful transition from communism to democracy in 1990 , the number of goats in the country have soared .
Between 1999 and 2019 numbers increased almost fourfold from seven million to today 's 27 million .
They are looked after by 1.2 million nomadic herders , some 40 % of the country 's population .
Once a rare luxury , fashion items made from cashmere are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and online fashion retailers in the UK , US and other developed countries .
With global prices having risen more than 60 % since the 1980s , the world cashmere clothing market was valued at $ 2.5bn ( £2bn ) in 2018 , according to a UN report .
This is projected to reach $ 3.5bn by the end of 2025 .
Mongolia is the world 's second-largest producer of raw cashmere after China , accounting for approximately a fifth of global supply .
It is the country 's third-largest export after copper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ produced has risen sharply in recent years .
But while the country 's cashmere is considered by many people to be the highest quality , much of it ends up in China where it is blended with Chinese wool .
For a jumper , about four goats are needed , and last year 's average price was 130,000 Mongolian tugriks ( $ 47 ; £36 ) per kilo .
`` It is very unfortunate that our own cashmere can not be proudly sold on a global market as Mongolian cashmere , '' says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being mixed up in China with other cashmere . ''
About 90 % of Mongolian raw cashmere production is currently sold to Chinese brokers , who usually sell on to Chinese-owned processing companies in Mongolia , says Zara Morris-Trainor , an associate consultant at the Sustainable Fibre Alliance .
The organisation works with brands such as Burberry , J Crew and M & S .
These Chinese processing companies typically wash and scour the raw cashmere , before exporting it to China for further processing and production of garments .
The hope of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that overgrazing can be reduced , and prices increased , by two initiatives .
The first is by introducing a new system of traceability , and the second is by opening more plants in Ulaanbaatar that can do the entire processing work , so that the finished wool can be sold for a `` made in Mongolia '' premium .
To better ensure traceability , Batmunkh is now involved in a pilot initiative that uses blockchain technology - made famous as the tech behind the cryptocurrency bitcoin - to follow cashmere from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the capital , Ulaanbaatar .
Herders use a mobile phone app to register cashmere bales and attach a tracking tag .
The app was created by Toronto-based Convergence Tech , which is working with the UN in three provinces in north-east Mongolia .
The idea is to limit production from overgrazed areas .
Chami Akeemana , the firm 's chief executive , hopes it will provide traceability and authenticity .
`` There is very little transparency at present because of the chaos of the raw materials market , which is clouded by middlemen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • 'After the coral ban , I lost everything' • 'My job went abroad because of globalisation' • The women who make argan oil want better pay However , Dr Troy Sternberg , an expert on Mongolia at Oxford University 's School of Geography and the Environment , urges caution .
He says that the tagging does not cover the whole supply , but typically only up to the first processing facility .
Nor does he rule out people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He says it would be helpful if the big fashion brands got behind promoting more environmentally friendly cashmere .
`` It 'll be a challenge to roll out the tags over such a vast country , '' says Dr Sternberg .
`` But if brands worked harder to establish a Mongolian quality cashmere , like coffee sourcing in Colombia , that could really impact the herders and the grasslands . ''
Regarding building more cashmere processing plants in Ulaanbaatar , the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry is now working with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the two initiatives will be successful , despite the background problem of climate change .
`` I do find the climate changing , '' he says .
`` And as nomads we heavily depend on nature . ''
The current lack of grass means that he has to buy more fodder for his goats , and overall he remains fearful for the long term future of the industry in Mongolia .
The hotter weather also means that the goats produce wool of a lesser quality , as they grow fewer of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep warm during the winter months .
`` I try to send all my kids to school with the money I make from selling cashmere , '' he says , which would give them a route out of the nomadic life .
`` I am quite torn to think that our knowledge and heritage from our ancestors will die with us .
On the other hand , I do n't want to leave my children to risks and uncertainties . ''

The hope of both the Mongolian government and the UN is that overgrazing can be reduced, and prices increased, by two initiatives. The first is by introducing a new system of traceability, and the second is by opening more plants in Ulaanbaatar that can do the entire processing work, so that the finished wool can be sold for a "made in Mongolia" premium.


bbc--2020-03-05--How Malaysia’s government collapsed in two years

It was seen as a historic turning point - an election that overturned a party which had been in power for more than 60 years .
But less than two years later , the new government is out , and the old ruling party back in power .
So why did a coalition whose victory had ignited such hopes for change in Malaysia collapse so quickly ?
Malaysia has a new prime minister after a week of unprecedented political turmoil and uncertainty .
Muhyiddin Yassin is an unassuming career politician who was ejected from the then-government party Umno in 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mahathir Mohammad and Anwar Ibrahim to form a multi-party , multi-ethnic coalition called Pakatan Harapan ( PH ) .
Together they rode a wave of public anger over corruption to inflict the first-ever election defeat on the Umno-led coalition Barisan Nasional ( BN ) .
But the events of the past week - in which Mr Muhyiddin brought down the government by defecting with more than 30 MPs , and forming an alliance with his old party - have been a shattering blow to those who saw the 2018 election as a watershed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Malaysia gets new PM after week of turmoil • Anwar Ibrahim : The Malaysian leader that never was '' I am sorry for failing you .
I tried .
I really tried to stop them '' , tweeted Syed Saddiq , a telegenic young Malay politician whose stunning victory in a Johor seat in 2018 was seen as emblematic of the hunger for change .
A member of Mr Muhyiddin 's party , Syed Saddiq , is refusing to join him in working with Umno .
There have been protests against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government '' .
`` This is utter betrayal , '' said lawyer and activist Fadya Nadwa Fikri .
`` People did n't vote for this . ''
Pakatan was an eclectic coalition , bringing together the reformist Keadilan party of Anwar Ibrahim , the main ethnic Chinese party , the DAP , and two anti-Umno Malay parties , Amanah and Bersatu .
The last was led by Mahathir Mohamad , the veteran former prime minister whose backing was crucial to reassuring ethnic Malays that it was safe to abandon the ruling party .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of civil society organisations which had been campaigning for years against corruption and abuses of power .
Right up to polling day on 9 May 2018 they could not be sure they would succeed in dislodging Barisan .
But there was a tangible sense of excitement , of possibilities .
Mr Mahathir had campaigned wittily on the theme of then-prime minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah as a pair of thieves .
• Najib Razak : The fall of Malaysia 's former PM The rising cost of living , and in particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hands of the opposition .
And the Malay vote , normally reliably pro-government , was split three ways , between Pakatan , Barisan and the Islamic party PAS .
When I encountered people at polling stations showing me their Umno veterans ' cards , but telling me they were voting for the opposition , it seemed momentum was moving that way .
There was jubilation when Mr Najib conceded the next day .
He was the first prime minister from his party to lose an election .
So what went wrong for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be an uneasy coalition .
Mr Mahathir and Anwar Ibrahim had a tortuous history going back 30 years .
Mr Anwar , at one time Mr Mahathir 's protégé and designated successor , blames him for his first five-year term in prison .
The two men eventually reconciled and agreed that Mahathir Mohamad , who led the election campaign , would be prime minister if they won , but hand over to Anwar Ibrahim after two years .
But exactly how and when that would happen was left unsaid .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over how the coalition would deal with an increasingly harsh economic climate .
`` We have the same problem of dissatisfaction as we see in many countries , '' says Ibrahim Suffian , from the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research .
`` We have economic growth , but wages have not caught up with the cost of living , particularly among the Malay population , particularly among the young .
`` The economy is not generating enough jobs that pay well .
That was the challenge the coalition faced , because when they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cupboards were bare , and that they had enormous debts that they had to deal with . ''
Malaysia has been defined by ethnic politics since independence in 1957 , and the creation of a Malaysian federation in 1963 .
Ethnic Malays make up just over half the population ; so called `` bumiputera '' , which include other indigenous groups on the Malay peninsular and on Borneo , make up about 68 % .
The largest and most successful minority are the Chinese , who migrated to Malaysia during British colonial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the government that policies favouring bumiputera , and in particular Malays , were essential .
Umno defined itself as the party that looked after the Malays , who tended to be economically less successful than the Chinese .
Mahathir Mohamad 's 22-year rule in the 1980s and 90s was marked by generous pro-Malay projects , funded by impressive export-led growth .
The downside was rising cronyism and corruption .
But Malays still expect government largesse .
It was partly the fear that the Pakatan government , with a large Chinese component , would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has eroded its support among Malays .
A quick trip to a low-income neighbourhood in Gombak , just outside Kuala Lumpur , illustrated this disenchantment .
Here the futuristic highways and high-rises around the city centre give way to drab concrete apartment blocks and rows of small workshops and car-repair garages .
Mohammad Amin , who is building a small café , told me he and his neighbours felt ethnic Malays were not being taken care of as well as in the past .
Muhammad Tarmizi described poorer people in the area as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their most basic daily needs .
This government is not looking out for kampung - village - folk , for the Malays , he said .
Although Umno 's reputation was badly damaged by the revelations about huge sums of money that went missing in the 1MDB financial scandal , some of it ending up in Mr Najib 's personal bank account , the party has been quick to exploit public disappointment over the state of the economy .
So it 's little surprise that Pakatan has now lost five out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the strategic state of Johor , PH saw its vote drop by more than half .
The crisis broke over the succession .
Anwar Ibrahim and his supporters pressed Mr Mahathir for a date , suggesting the two-year anniversary of the election in May .
The prime minister refused to be drawn .
Mr Anwar 's camp backed off , leaving the decision with Dr Mahathir .
But the growing tension within the coalition persuaded Mr Muhyiddin to break away and team up with the other side .
As with every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was an overriding assumption - inside and outside Malaysia - that whatever happened , Mahathir Mohamad , the master manipulator , was pulling the strings , exploiting every twist in a bewilderingly fast-moving drama to ensure he came out on top .
When he stunned the country by tendering his resignation , many of the political factions rushed out to express their support for him to stay in the job .
Even Mr Anwar assured his supporters that , contrary to rumour , Mr Mahathir had not been behind what he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But by the end of the week it was clear that the 94 year-old maestro had miscalculated .
Malaysia 's constitutional monarch , King Abdullah , whose role it is to invite a candidate to form a new government , declared that Mr Muhyiddin had the numbers , and would be sworn in as the country 's eighth prime minister .
Mr Mahathir has challenged this and could try to bring the new government down once parliament meets again .
But incumbency , and the blessing of a revered monarch , are powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly attract waverers to his side .
`` The King can not make political decisions , '' says Mustafa Izzuddin at the National University of Singapore .
`` But he can play the role of honest broker , bringing the warring sides together .
Even then it is unprecedented for a king to do so in Malaysia .
`` But Malaysian politics are in uncharted waters , so revolutionary methods may have been necessary .
And the King may have seen Muhyiddin as the most trustworthy and steady of the candidates . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mahathir has a history of conflict with Malaysia 's sultans , something that may have been a factor in the King 's choice .
Back in 1983 and 1993 he pressed for constitutional changes that imposed limits on royal power .
`` In the earlier crisis the role of leading royal resistance to Mahathir was played by the then-Sultan of Pahang , the current king 's father , '' says Clive Kessler at the University of New South Wales .
`` Memories and resentments linger on and are not easily forgotten or set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years in opposition , Umno is back in power .
There are understandable fears that the investigations and trials of Mr Najib , who is still a significant and visible party figure , will be shelved .
Mr Anwar , the man who believed he was destined to be prime minister back in the 1990s , and believed he was promised the job this year , has once again been thwarted .
His repeated career setbacks , over more than two decades , might have come from the plot of one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass the time while he was serving his two terms in prison .
And Mr Mahathir , one of the most remarkable political survivors of modern times , appears to have run out of road .
As he absorbed the shock of finding himself outmanoeuvred , his wife of 63 years Siti Hasmah put her arms around his waist , in a fierce , protective hug , perhaps hoping that now , a little before his 95th birthday , he might finally retire .

His repeated career setbacks, over more than two decades, might have come from the plot of one of the Shakespeare tragedies that he read to pass the time while he was serving his two terms in prison.


bbc--2020-03-05--Women's T20 World Cup: Australia into final after beating South Africa

Australia defied the rain to beat South Africa by five runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method and set up a Women 's T20 World Cup final against India .
Defending champions Australia were able to post 134-5 from their 20 overs after a delayed start , with captain Meg Lanning top-scoring with 49 .
But South Africa , chasing a rain-revised 98 from 13 overs , crumbled to 24-3 and were always behind the rate in Sydney .
Laura Wolvaardt struck an unbeaten 41 from just 27 balls to keep South Africa in the chase , but they fell just short @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• England eliminated from T20 World Cup after rain washes out semi-final Australia have featured in every T20 World Cup final since 2010 , and have claimed the title four times .
India , who reached the final as Group A winners after their semi-final against England was rained off , were the only team to beat Australia during the group stages but it is the first time they have reached the T20 final .
However , Australia will take heart from a superb bowling performance at the Sydney Cricket Ground that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ van Niekerk , close to tears at the end of the match as her side once again missed out on a first global final .
At one point , Australia were nine minutes from elimination , with heavy rain falling as the cut-off time approached , knowing that if the game was abandoned without a result , South Africa would advance to the final because they were Group B winners .
However , the rain cleared and their bowlers excelled .
Megan Schutt took 2-17 from her three overs and Australia 's spinners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit them out of the ground .
With the persistent rain slowing down the outfield , and South Africa consistently finding the fielders , Australia were able to pile on the pressure .
Australia will know they have got to the final without playing their best cricket - but it is their will to win , and the way they have fought through difficult positions with the bat , that has propelled them to Sunday 's final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground .
And with Australia in the final , organisers will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest attendance at a women 's sporting event .
South Africa come agonisingly close once again South Africa had a long huddle before they took to the field but they were left in tears after once again missing out on the final .
In the 50-over World Cup three years ago they narrowly lost to eventual champions England in the last four , and they once again came close here .
They capitalised on Australia 's unusually shaky batting line-up , having Alyssa Healy caught at mid-wicket before fellow opener Beth Mooney was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was only Lanning who looked comfortable for Australia .
She was able to rotate the strike before hitting out with four fours and one six .
De Klerk , recalled in Marizanne Kapp 's absence , was superb , mixing up her pace well to take 3-19 , and her performance will be one positive on a heartbreaking night for Van Niekerk 's team .

ICC Women's T20 World Cup, semi-final, Sydney Cricket Ground Australia 134-5 (20 overs): Lanning 49*, Mooney 28, De Klerk 3-19 South Africa 92-5 (13 overs): Wolvaardt 41*, Luus 21, Schutt 2-17 Australia won by five runs (DLS method) Scorecard
Australia defied the rain to beat South Africa by five runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method and set up a Women's T20 World Cup final against India.
Defending champions Australia were able to post 134-5 from their 20 overs after a delayed start, with captain Meg Lanning top-scoring with 49.
South Africa, who were chasing a rain-revised 98 from 13 overs, crumbled to 24-3 and were always behind the rate at the Sydney Cricket Ground despite Laura Wolvaardt's unbeaten 41 from just 27 balls.
However, Australia will take heart from a superb bowling performance that left South Africa's captain, Dane van Niekerk, close to tears at the end of the match as her side once again missed out on a first global final.
Australia have featured in every T20 World Cup final since 2010, and have claimed the title four times.
India, who reached the final as Group A winners after their semi-final against England was rained off, were the only team to beat Australia during the group stages but it is the first time they have reached the T20 final.
Australia stare at exit before fighting back
Australia's Ellyse Perry, who was ruled out of the tournament with injury earlier in the week, was emotional following her country's win
At one point, Australia were nine minutes from elimination, with heavy rain falling as the cut-off time approached, knowing that if the game was abandoned without a result, South Africa would advance to the final because they were Group B winners.
However, the rain cleared and their bowlers excelled. Megan Schutt took 2-17 from her three overs and Australia's spinners cashed in as South Africa tried to hit them out of the ground.
With the persistent rain slowing down the outfield, and South Africa consistently finding the fielders, Australia were able to pile on the pressure.
Australia will know they have got to the final without playing their best cricket - but it is their will to win, and the way they have fought through difficult positions with the bat, that has propelled them to Sunday's final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
And with Australia in the final, organisers will be hopeful of breaking the record for the highest attendance at a women's sporting event.
South Africa come agonisingly close once again
South Africa had a long huddle before they took to the field but they were left in tears after once again missing out on the final.
In the 50-over World Cup three years ago they narrowly lost to eventual champions England in the last four, and they once again came close here.
They capitalised on Australia's unusually shaky batting line-up, having Alyssa Healy caught at mid-wicket before fellow opener Beth Mooney was bowled by the excellent Nadine de Klerk.
It was only Lanning who looked comfortable for Australia. She was able to rotate the strike before hitting out with four fours and one six.
De Klerk, recalled in Marizanne Kapp's absence, was superb, mixing up her pace well to take 3-19, and her performance will be one positive on a heartbreaking night for Van Niekerk's team.
'South Africa would have been licking their lips'
Australia wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy on TMS: "I thought we might get a 10-over game in, but what a clutch performance with the ball - that was very special.
"We put a half-decent total on the board, Duckworth-Lewis went in our favour but our bowlers were sensational. South Africa would have been licking their lips chasing that total, but we kept our nerve and took wickets at crucial times."
On England-India: "It sounds a bit dirty coming out of my mouth that we got on and they didn't. I'd have loved to have watched that semi-final, but I'm sure they'll be bigger and better next time.
"We're going to have to scrap hard against India, hopefully they'll put in a flat deck for us at the MCG and it'll play into our hands."
South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk: "I have to give credit to Australia, they bowled really well.
"They got off to a flier and I thought we were going to be chasing 160, but Nadine came in for Marizanne and did really well.
"It was emotional afterwards, to come short every time is difficult, but we win together and lose together as a team. Unfortunately it wasn't our year. I'm heartbroken for the team."


bbc--2020-03-05--Italy v England Six Nations games set to be postponed

England 's Six Nations games against Italy in Rome on 14 and 15 March are expected to be postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The men 's and women 's contests were initially set to take place behind closed doors in order to curb the spread of the virus .
Italy is the worst-hit European country with more than 3,000 cases .
Ireland 's Six Nations games at home to Italy on 7 and 8 March were postponed last week .
Six Nations officials will meet on Thursday after the Italian government ordered all sporting fixtures in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3 April as part of measures to contain the outbreak .
The decree , announced by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte , affects all areas of the country , including those places were the virus has not been found .
• All Italian sport to be be played behind closed doors Playing the men 's match behind closed doors would have meant the Italian Rugby Federation missing out on the ticket revenues from the 73,000-capacity Stadio Olimpico .
The women 's match was due to be played at the Stadio Plebiscito , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With their away match against Ireland this weekend already postponed , Italy 's Six Nations campaign is now effectively over until their final two fixtures can be rearranged .
Sergio Parisse , their talismanic captain and winner of 142 caps , had planned to mark his international retirement with a farewell appearance against England .
The 36-year-old 's previous plans to bow out of Test rugby in his country 's final Rugby World Cup match against the All Blacks in October were wrecked by Typhoon Hagibis , which caused that pool game @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Union
England's matches are set to be put back after Italy's away trip to Ireland was also postponed
England's Six Nations games against Italy on 14 and 15 March have been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The men's, women's and under-20s contests will be played at "a later date" say organisers.
"Six Nations fully intends to complete all 15 games in all three championships when time allows," they added.
Ireland's Six Nations games at home to Italy on 7 and 8 March were postponed last week.
Italy is the worst-hit European country with more than 3,000 cases.
Six Nations officials made the decision to reschedule the fixture on Thursday after the Italian government ordered all sporting fixtures in the country to be held behind closed doors until 3 April as part of measures to contain the outbreak.
The decree, announced by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, affects all areas of the country, including those places were the virus has not been found.
Playing the men's match behind closed doors would have meant the Italian Rugby Federation missing out on the ticket revenues from the 73,000-capacity Stadio Olimpico. The women's match was due to be played at the Stadio Plebiscito, a venue in Padua which holds about 10,000.
"We will refrain from making any rescheduling announcements while we keep assessing the situation," added organisers.
"Based on the information that is currently available, all other Six Nations matches are set to go ahead as scheduled."
Remaining Six Nations fixtures 7-8 March England v Wales Scotland v France Ireland v Italy Postponed 14 -15 March Wales v Scotland Italy v England Postponed France v Ireland
With their away match against Ireland this weekend already postponed, Italy's Six Nations campaign is now effectively over until their final two fixtures can be rearranged.
If France, who have three victories from three games so far in the championship, beat Scotland and Ireland in their final two games, they will clinch the men's title before Italy play their postponed games.
However any slip-up from the French could open the door for England and Ireland and mean the champions cannot be determined until Italy's rescheduled matches have been played.
Sergio Parisse, Italy's talismanic captain and winner of 142 caps, had planned to mark his international retirement with a farewell appearance against England.
The 36-year-old's previous plans to bow out of Test rugby in his country's final Rugby World Cup match against the All Blacks in October were wrecked by Typhoon Hagibis, which caused that pool game to be cancelled.
When could the match be replayed?
England lifted the title in 2001 but were denied a Grand Slam as Ireland won their rescheduled match 20-14 in Dublin
Space is scarce in the rugby calendar.
The first Saturday free of domestic and European action is 27 June, but playing Tests then would affect planned departures for summer tours with England heading to Japan and Italy due to play in the United States, Canada and Argentina.
When an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease caused three of Ireland's games to be postponed during the 2001 Championship, the remaining fixtures were played in September and October, almost six months after the rest of the matches were completed.
Spectators who had been planning to head to Italy for this month's fixtures have three options if they booked through England's official travel company.
Fans are being offered the choice of rescheduling their booking for the revised date, an alternative fixture in the autumn or next year's Six Nations or a full refund.


bbc--2020-03-05--Tottenham's Dier runs into stands to confront fan after being 'insulted'

Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier climbed over seats in a stand to confront a fan who `` insulted '' him after Spurs were knocked out of the FA Cup at home by Norwich , says manager Jose Mourinho .
Dier , whose brother was in the stand and `` not happy '' with the situation , was eventually held back by stewards .
Mourinho said : `` I think Eric did what we professionals can not do but probably every one of us would do . ''
The Football Association and Tottenham are investigating the incident .
Dier , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty shootout defeat by Norwich , but keeper Tim Krul saved two efforts to put the Canaries into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup .
Mourinho said : `` I repeat we professionals can not do it , but I repeat I am with the player and I understand the player .
The fans were with the team until the last penalty kick that we missed .
`` This person insulted Eric , the family was there , the younger brother was not happy with the situation . ''
On the prospect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mourinho said : `` If the club does that I will not agree , but he did wrong . ''
The incident happened in the area behind the dugouts , which is a corporate section , and Mourinho criticised it for not housing `` real Tottenham fans '' .
He added : `` The people that are in these privileged positions by the tunnel , of course some are Tottenham fans .
`` But I think a lot of corporate , a lot of invitation , a lot of people with special status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is the place of the stadium where I sometimes have doubts over if they are the real Tottenham fans , because these [ real fans ] are the ones who support the boys until the last . ''
Video on social media shows Dier running and jumping over the pitchside barriers into the stand at the end of the game .
He makes a beeline for a fan and clambers over seats until he reaches the top row of seats in front of the hospitality boxes .
Another video shows him being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shouting `` he 's my brother '' .
He is then led away by security with his arm around a fan .

Watch: Eric Dier confronts a fan who "insulted him"
Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier climbed over seats in a stand to confront a fan who "insulted" him after Spurs were knocked out of the FA Cup at home by Norwich, says manager Jose Mourinho.
Dier, whose brother was in the stand and "not happy" with the situation, was eventually held back by stewards.
Mourinho said: "I think Eric did what we professionals cannot do but probably every one of us would do."
The Football Association and Tottenham are investigating the incident.
Dier, who has 40 England caps, scored in the penalty shootout defeat by Norwich, but keeper Tim Krul saved two efforts to put the Canaries into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.
Mourinho said: "I repeat we professionals cannot do it, but I repeat I am with the player and I understand the player. The fans were with the team until the last penalty kick that we missed.
"This person insulted Eric, the family was there, the younger brother was not happy with the situation."
On the prospect of the club taking action against Dier, Mourinho said: "If the club does that I will not agree, but he did wrong."
The incident happened in the area behind the dugouts, which is a corporate section, and Mourinho criticised it for not housing "real Tottenham fans".
He added: "The people that are in these privileged positions by the tunnel, of course some are Tottenham fans.
"But I think a lot of corporate, a lot of invitation, a lot of people with special status [are in there] and probably it is the place of the stadium where I sometimes have doubts over if they are the real Tottenham fans, because these [real fans] are the ones who support the boys until the last."
What happened?
Video on social media shows Dier running and jumping over the pitchside barriers into the stand at the end of the game. He makes a beeline for a fan and clambers over seats until he reaches the top row of seats in front of the hospitality boxes.
Another video shows him being restrained by fans and security, while shouting "he's my brother". He is then led away by security with his arm around a fan.
Dier climbed over seats to get to the fan
Dier ran to the top of the stand to confront a fan


bbc--2020-03-05--England eliminated from T20 World Cup following semi-final washout

England were eliminated from the Women 's T20 World Cup without a ball being bowled as heavy rain washed out Thursday 's semi-final against India .
The downpours left huge puddles on the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch .
India progress to Sunday 's final after finishing top of Group A while England , who were second in Group B , are out .
Group B winners South Africa will reach the final if their game against Australia , set to be played at the same venue on Thursday , is also abandoned .
`` It 's really frustrating , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to finish for us , '' said England captain Heather Knight .
`` Ultimately that loss against South Africa [ in the group stage ] has cost us .
Our aim was to get to the semi-finals which we did .
It 's all very English talking about the weather but it 's frustrating not getting that chance to play for the final .
`` Cricket has n't been the finisher for us . ''
There is no reserve day for the semi-finals , despite the final not taking place until Sunday in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the playing conditions before the tournament began , and they stated that there is no reserve day for the knockout stages .
Cricket Australia approached the ICC on Wednesday about including a reserve day but they were knocked back .
Organisers have said an extra day was not feasible because it would extend the length of the tournament .
While this was , visually , not a great look for the tournament - an empty ground , heavy rain falling and two of the world 's best teams stuck in the changing rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the ICC to add on a reserve day at such short notice , largely due to the costs and logistics involved , But there will be frustration at how the tournament has played out .
March is the rainiest month in Sydney and the forecast has been poor all week .
The playing conditions for the men 's event - which begins in Australia in October - are also the same .

Last updated on .From the section Women's Cricket
England were eliminated from the Women's T20 World Cup without a ball being bowled as heavy rain washed out Thursday's semi-final against India.
The downpours left huge puddles on the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.
India progress to Sunday's final after finishing top of Group A while England, who were second in Group B, are out.
Group B winners South Africa will reach the final if their game against Australia, set to be played at the same venue on Thursday, is also abandoned.
"It's really frustrating, and not how we wanted the World Cup to finish for us," said England captain Heather Knight.
"Ultimately that loss against South Africa [in the group stage] has cost us. Our aim was to get to the semi-finals which we did. It's all very English talking about the weather but it's frustrating not getting that chance to play for the final.
"Cricket hasn't been the finisher for us."
There is no reserve day for the semi-finals, despite the final not taking place until Sunday in Melbourne.
Each team signed up to the playing conditions before the tournament began, and they stated that there is no reserve day for the knockout stages.
Cricket Australia approached the ICC on Wednesday about including a reserve day but they were knocked back.
Organisers have said an extra day was not feasible because it would extend the length of the tournament.
While this was, visually, not a great look for the tournament - an empty ground, heavy rain falling and two of the world's best teams stuck in the changing rooms, it would have been near impossible for the ICC to add on a reserve day at such short notice, largely due to the costs and logistics involved,
But there will be frustration at how the tournament has played out. March is the rainiest month in Sydney and the forecast has been poor all week.
The playing conditions for the men's event - which begins in Australia in October - are also the same.


bbc--2020-03-05--Elizabeth Warren ends presidential bid

Elizabeth Warren ends presidential bid

Senator Elizabeth Warren has ended her presidential campaign following disappointing Super Tuesday results .
A favourite of the liberal left , the Massachusetts senator , 70 , was once a front-runner in the Democratic field .
Ms Warren said she needed some time to decide whom to support .
The Democratic contest to take on President Donald Trump in November is now seen as a two-horse race between former Vice-President Joe Biden , 77 , and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders , 78 .
• Who are the Democrats vying to take on Trump ?
• Where did it go wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americast : Warren is out !
Her departure may clear the path for Mr Sanders in particular - the sole progressive candidate left in the race .
Despite early momentum for her campaign , she failed to convert enthusiasm into votes in the first primary contests of 2020 , not winning a single state .
With Ms Warren 's departure , a Democratic race that began with a record high of female candidates is now effectively left to two male front-runners , who praised her and her campaign .
`` One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren said on Thursday , `` is all those little girls who are going to have to wait four more years .
That 's going to be hard . ''
Asked how she made the decision to drop out , Ms Warren said she returned to the issues that anchored her campaign - the vast costs of student loan debt , healthcare , and childcare that plague millions of Americans .
`` I had to think about where is the best place for me to go to keep fighting those fights , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep fighting and to fight this as smartly and effectively as I can . ''
Now that she has dropped out , post-mortems on Elizabeth Warren 's campaign have begun .
Many point to her shifting message on universal government-run healthcare , a topic that was never a top priority for her .
It caused liberals to stick with Bernie Sanders and centrists to have their doubts about her .
Others suggest she was harmed by hesitant performances in the debates that mattered - before the Iowa and New Hampshire contests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Michael Bloomberg in Las Vegas , which was buried by Sanders ' win in the Nevada caucuses - and too late to influence the outcome .
Then there 's the issue of sexism .
Four years after Democrats chose Hillary Clinton to be their nominee , voters may have been reluctant to opt for another woman atop the ticket .
This reluctance was seldom explicit , instead being raised in concerns about `` likability '' or `` electability '' and what other , hypothetical , swing-state voters might think of her .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Warren 's media coverage , where her healthcare backtracking received considerably more criticism than similar pirouettes and hedging by Pete Buttigieg and other male candidates .
The US will elect its first woman president someday , but it will not be in 2020 .
What does Elizabeth Warren believe in ?
The former Harvard law professor was vaulted into the political arena more than a decade ago as she pushed for tougher regulation of the financial sector after the 2008 economic collapse .
In 2010 , she helped the Obama White House set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Wall Street watchdog agency she championed .
Two years later , she rode that momentum to a seat in the US Senate for Massachusetts .
Though her name was floated as a possible 2016 Democratic nominee , the senator demurred , saying she was not interested in the top job .
This time , Ms Warren was the first major Democratic candidate to announce her plans for a presidential bid .
Early in the race , her policy-centric approach - `` I 've got a plan for that '' was a favourite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year , she led most national polls .
• Ca n't buy me love : Where did Bloomberg 's money go ?
But by December 2019 , Ms Warren had been pushed back , hurt by a difficult debate where her rivals hammered her over key policy promises like Medicare for All .
And despite massive investments in early voting states , Iowa , New Hampshire and Nevada , Ms Warren failed to be a top-two finisher in any - in fact she came third in her home state of Massachusetts on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ won only 65 delegates to cast votes for her to become the Democratic presidential candidate at the party 's national convention in July .
A candidate needs 1,991 delegates to win the nomination to face Mr Trump .
Mr Biden is leading with 584 delegates , and Mr Sanders has 509 delegates .
Ms Warren 's exit follows closely behind ex-mayors Pete Buttigieg and Michael Bloomberg , and Senator Amy Klobuchar .
How have her rivals reacted ?
Moments after announcing her decision , the Biden and Sanders campaigns each issued tweets praising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressive movement would not be nearly as strong as it is today , '' tweeted Senator Sanders , adding : `` I know that she 'll stay in this fight and we are grateful that she will . ''
Mr Biden tweeted that she is `` the fiercest of fighters for middle class families '' .
`` We needed her voice in this race , and we need her continued work in the Senate , '' his statement continued .

Then there's the issue of sexism. Four years after Democrats chose Hillary Clinton to be their nominee, voters may have been reluctant to opt for another woman atop the ticket. This reluctance was seldom explicit, instead being raised in concerns about "likability" or "electability" and what other, hypothetical, swing-state voters might think of her.


bbc--2020-03-05--Coronavirus: White House concedes US lacks enough test kits

The White House has conceded the US does not have enough coronavirus test kits as cases of the deadly disease ticked upwards on both US coasts .
Vice-President Mike Pence said the Trump administration would not be able to meet its objective of delivering one million testing kits this week .
Congress meanwhile moved with unusual speed to approve a bumper emergency aid package to combat the outbreak .
Globally , authorities have confirmed more than 92,000 cases of the virus .
The vast majority - more than 80,000 - are in China , where the virus originated .
Worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The US death toll from the coronavirus climbed to 12 on Thursday , with all but one of the victims in the north-western US state of Washington .
There are now at least 213 cases of Covid-19 in 19 states .
Where is it spreading ?
In Washington , officials in the Seattle area announced 20 new cases of the virus , bringing the total in that state to 70 , according to its health department .
Nine of the US dead so far were from the same nursing home in suburban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by authorities to see if it followed infection-prevention guidelines .
Some major Seattle-area businesses , including Microsoft and Amazon , have shut down some operations or urged employees to work from home , San Francisco reported its first cases of the coronavirus on Thursday .
New York saw its caseload double overnight to 22 , all of them in or near the city .
The city 's mayor called on the federal government to send more test kits urgently .
About 200 people have been quarantined in the US state of Rhode Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trip to Italy that has resulted in three cases of the coronavirus .
What do I need to know about the coronavirus ?
• EASY STEPS : What can I do ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
• GETTING READY : How prepared is the UK ?
• MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak Where are the testing kits ?
At a press briefing on Monday , Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephan Hahn said close to a million tests would be ready by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pence - who is co-ordinating the US response to the outbreak - acknowledged on Thursday that that target would not be met .
`` We do n't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward , '' Mr Pence said during a visit of a factory in Minnesota .
He added : 'We 're focused very much on a cruise ship just off the California coast today . ''
It is not clear how many testing kits will be available , but Republican Senator Rick Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` way smaller than that '' .
President Donald Trump says the US has had so relatively few confirmed cases of the virus because of his administration 's decision to prohibit US entry to foreign nationals who have visited China - epicentre of the outbreak - and Iran during the previous 14 days .
Mr Trump tweeted earlier on Thursday that there were only 129 cases of the virus in the US .
But health experts fear the virus may be spreading undetected in US communities because of a lack of testing kits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an $ 8.3bn ( £6.4bn ) funding bill passed 96-1 by the US Senate on Thursday .
It is intended to help state and local governments combat the coronavirus .
What 's going on with that cruise ship ?
Officials ordered a cruise ship with about 3,500 people on board - including 142 Britons - to lay at anchor off the California coast until passengers and crew can be tested , after a previous voyager died of the virus .
On Thursday , a Coast Guard helicopter lowered test kits on to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by rope .
Princess Cruise Lines said fewer than 100 people aboard had been identified for testing .
Results are expected by Friday .
`` The ship will not come on shore until we appropriately assess the passengers , '' California Governor Gavin Newsom said .
A man who sailed on the ship last month died of the coronavirus on Wednesday .
The 71-year-old from the Sacramento area had underlying health conditions , said officials .
Two other passengers from that voyage are in hospital with the virus in Northern California , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the outbreak slammed Wall Street shares again on Thursday , sending the three main US stock indexes down more than 3 % .
Travel companies were again some of the hardest hit , with shares in Royal Caribbean Cruises sinking more than 16 % and Carnival Corp dropping 14 % .
Airlines also suffered double-digit declines , after the International Air Transport Association warned the industry could lose as much as $ 113bn this year .
How have you been affected by the spread of Covid-19 ?
Share your experiences by emailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Coronavirus: White House concedes US lacks enough test kits Published 6 March 2020
Image source, CDC Image caption, A Coronavirus laboratory test kit used by the CDC
The White House has acknowledged the nation does not have enough coronavirus test kits as cases of the disease ticked upwards on both US coasts.
Vice-President Mike Pence said the Trump administration would not be able to meet its objective of delivering one million testing kits this week.
Congress meanwhile moved with unusual speed to approve a bumper emergency aid package to combat the outbreak.
Globally, authorities have confirmed more than 92,000 cases of the virus.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Some travellers at Grand Central station in New York wore medical masks
The vast majority - 80,552 - are in China, where the virus originated. To date, 3,042 people have died in the country.
The US death toll from the coronavirus climbed to 12 on Thursday, with all but one of the victims in the north-western US state of Washington.
There are now more than 200 cases of Covid-19 in 20 states.
A cruise ship, the Grand Princess, remains off the California coast while passengers are tested for the virus.
What do I need to know about the coronavirus?
Where is it spreading?
In Washington, officials in the Seattle area announced 20 new cases of the virus, bringing the total in that state to 70, according to its health department.
Nine of the US dead so far were from the same nursing home in suburban Seattle, which is now being investigated by authorities to see if it followed infection-prevention guidelines.
Some major Seattle-area businesses, including Microsoft and Amazon, have shut down some operations or urged employees to work from home.
New York saw its caseload double overnight to 22, all of them in or near the city. The city's mayor called on the federal government to send more test kits urgently.
About 200 people have been quarantined in the US state of Rhode Island because of their links to a school trip to Italy that has resulted in three cases of the coronavirus.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Epidemic v pandemic: What's the difference?
San Francisco reported its first two cases of the coronavirus on Thursday. And the US state of Maryland confirmed its first three cases, in the Washington DC suburbs.
Where are the testing kits?
At a press briefing on Monday, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephan Hahn said close to a million tests would be ready by the end of this week.
But Vice-President Pence - who is co-ordinating the US response to the outbreak - conceded on Thursday that that target would not be met.
"We don't have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward," Mr Pence said during a visit to a factory in Minnesota.
Speaking in Washington state in the evening, Mr Pence said: "We still have a ways to go to ensure that tests are available."
But he said that by the end of next week the US government's diagnostic supplier would distribute kits across the country that would enable 1.2 million Americans to be tested for coronavirus.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Stations in Boston have been disinfected
President Donald Trump says the US has had relatively few confirmed cases of the virus because of his administration's decision to prohibit US entry to foreign nationals who have visited China - the epicentre of the outbreak - and Iran during the previous 14 days.
But health experts fear the virus may be spreading undetected in US communities because of a lack of testing kits.
The president is expected to sign an $8.3bn (£6.4bn) funding bill passed 96-1 by the US Senate on Thursday. It is intended to help state and local governments combat the coronavirus.
What's the latest on the Grand Princess cruise ship?
Officials ordered a cruise ship with about 3,500 people on board - including 142 Britons - to lie at anchor off the California coast until passengers and crew can be tested, after a previous voyager on the vessel died of the virus.
On Thursday, a Coast Guard helicopter lowered test kits on to the 951ft (290m) Grand Princess vessel by rope.
Image source, AFP Image caption, The Grand Princess, one of the world's largest cruise ships, is being held off the Californian coast
Princess Cruise Lines said fewer than 100 people aboard had been identified for testing. Results are expected by Friday.
"The ship will not come on shore until we appropriately assess the passengers," California Governor Gavin Newsom said.
A man who sailed on the Grand Princess last month died of the coronavirus on Wednesday. The 71-year-old from the Sacramento area had underlying health conditions, said officials.
Two other passengers from that voyage are in hospital with the virus in northern California, officials said.
This Twitter post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser. View original content on Twitter The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Skip twitter post by Keane Li Allow Twitter content? This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’. Accept and continue The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. End of twitter post by Keane Li
Are you on the Grand Princess? Or do you know someone who is? Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
How is Wall Street reacting?
Concerns about the economic impact of the outbreak slammed Wall Street shares again on Thursday, sending the three main US stock indexes down more than 3%.
Travel companies were again some of the hardest hit, with shares in Royal Caribbean Cruises sinking more than 16% and Carnival Corp dropping 14%.
Airlines also suffered double-digit declines, after the International Air Transport Association warned the industry could lose as much as $113bn this year.
What is happening elsewhere?
In Iran, at least 107 people have died from the virus and authorities have limited travel between major cities to curb the outbreak. Schools are also closed in the country until April
Iraq has announced its first two confirmed deaths, one of them in the capital Baghdad
Israel and the Palestinian Authority have put the city of Bethlehem under quarantine after seven people were diagnosed with the coronavirus there
Canada has announced nine new cases, eight of them in its westernmost province, British Columbia - this brings the national total to 45
The UK recorded its first death on Thursday - an older patient with underlying health conditions. The number of UK people diagnosed with the virus has reached 116, a rise of more than 30 since Wednesday
Italy reported 41 new deaths on Thursday, the highest single-day toll so far, bringing its total to 148. The country has closed all schools and universities for at least 10 days
The Paris Marathon has been postponed to a later date, French media report. About 65,000 runners were registered to take part, Le Parisien said
Have you or anyone else you know been affected by the coronavirus? You can tell us your story by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.


bbc--2020-03-05--America's next Mars rover will be called Perseverance

The American space agency has a new name for the rover it will be sending to the Red Planet this summer .
To date , the project has been known only by its code name - Mars 2020 .
From now on , it will be referred to as the Perseverance rover .
The name was picked from a shortlist of nine submitted by schoolchildren .
The Perseverance rover will begin the process of trying to bring rocks back to Earth for study .
It will trundle through an equatorial crater , looking for the best samples it can cache @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scientists think this will be the best approach to establishing whether or not life has ever existed on Mars .
• Can we finally answer the big question about Mars ?
Nasa 's naming competition for the robot attracted 28,000 entries , with all submissions accompanied by a short , 150-word essay .
It took volunteers — educators , professionals and space enthusiasts — to whittle the number down to a more manageable list of nine on which the public was asked to vote .
Nasa 's director of science , Thomas Zurbuchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The name Perseverance was suggested by Alexander Mather , a 13-year-old student from Virginia .
The competition follows in the tradition of previous Mars rover missions .
Nasa 's first wheeled robot , which landed on the planet in 1997 , was called the Microrover Flight Experiment until a 12-year-old student from Connecticut suggested the name Sojourner , in honour of abolitionist and women 's rights activist Sojourner Truth .
The 2004 rovers Spirit and Opportunity got their names from an Arizona student , and the agency 's most recent vehicle , Curiosity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kansas pupil .
Alexander Mather , who wants to be a Nasa engineer when he grows up , had referenced some of these missions in his winning essay .
He wrote : `` Curiosity , Insight , Spirit , Opportunity .
If you think about it , all of these names of past Mars rovers are qualities we possess as humans .
`` We 're always curious and seek opportunity .
We have the spirit and insight to explore the Moon , Mars and beyond .
`` But if rovers are to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we missed the most important thing : Perseverance .
`` We as humans evolved as creatures who could learn to adapt to any situation , no matter how harsh .
We are a species of explorers , and we will meet many setbacks on the way to Mars .
However , we can persevere .
We , not as a nation , but as humans will not give up .
The human race will always persevere into the future . ''
The Perseverance rover has recently arrived at Nasa 's Kennedy Space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparations for launch .
This will take place between 17 July and 5 August .
It 's a seven-month cruise to the Red Planet .
Engineers have targeted a touchdown for shortly after 20:30 GMT on Thursday , 18 February , 2021 .
Lori Glaze , director of the agency 's planetary science division , said : `` The Perseverance rover is going to be collecting samples .
It 's the first leg of the first round trip from Earth to Mars and back .
We 're hoping in the 2030s that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Earth .
That 'll be incredibly cool . ''
Three other missions are due to leave for Mars this year , including a rover from China and an orbiter from the United Arab Emirates .
Europe is also supposed to be sending a rover called Rosalind Franklin but there is currently significant uncertainty over whether it will be ready in time .
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

"We as humans evolved as creatures who could learn to adapt to any situation, no matter how harsh. We are a species of explorers, and we will meet many setbacks on the way to Mars. However, we can persevere. We, not as a nation, but as humans will not give up. The human race will always persevere into the future."


bbc--2020-03-05--Facebook removes 'deceptive' Trump census ads

Facebook has removed a series of misleading adverts from the Donald Trump campaign promoting `` the Official 2020 Congressional District Census '' .
The adverts made it appear respondents were taking part in the official 2020 US census , which begins on 12 March .
They were promoted by a fundraising group backed by Republican officials and Mr Trump 's re-election team .
`` There are policies in place to prevent confusion around the official US census , '' Facebook said .
`` This is an example of those being enforced , '' said the spokesperson .
The adverts began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clicking the link takes users to a general survey focusing on Republican talking points .
The adverts were paid for by the `` Trump Make America Great Again Committee '' , a part of Mr Trump 's official re-election fundraising efforts .
It is backed by the Trump campaign and the Republican national party .
It owns and operates the Facebook pages of both Donald Trump and Mike Pence , which ran the controversial adverts .
The adverts were `` deceptive '' and `` unacceptable '' , said Vanita Gupta , president and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Human Rights , which helped Facebook craft its policy on census interference .
`` If Trump says a fake census is 'official ' , people are going to think its official , '' she said in a series of tweets .
`` Trump 's deceptive ads will confuse people about how and when to participate in the 2020 Census , threatening their right to get counted and bring resources and political power to their communities . ''
Facebook has come under pressure to increase its role in blocking political interference in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the advert were sent to a page on the Donald Trump website where they were asked to complete a survey .
The survey begins by asking about age and political leaning , before asking questions about Trump talking points such as `` Obamacare '' , `` the Democrats ' failed Impeachment Witch Hunt '' and `` Nancy Pelosi and the Radical Left '' .
Those who fill out the Trump campaign 's `` census '' are ultimately sent to a web page calling for donations .
The BBC saw more than three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ targeting different states and demographics .
For example , one advert specifically targeted men aged over 45 in Texas , whereas another targeted women aged over 45 across the US .
Most adverts were aimed at older people , with one exclusively targeting men and women aged over 65 in Maine , Florida , Arkansas and Arizona .
It is not clear exactly how many adverts were run , or how many people would have seen them , only that most of the adverts had been seen by fewer than one thousand people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US Constitution and takes place every 10 years , counting every resident .
The census has political implications as it is used to determine the number of seats each state holds in the House of Representatives , as well as how federal funding is allocated for the next 10 years .

"If Trump says a fake census is 'official', people are going to think its official," she said in a series of tweets. "Trump's deceptive ads will confuse people about how and when to participate in the 2020 Census, threatening their right to get counted and bring resources and political power to their communities."


bbc--2020-03-05--Dubai's Sheikh Mohammed abducted daughters and threatened wife - UK court

Abduction , forced return , torture and a campaign of intimidation .
On Thursday the damning allegations made against the billionaire ruler of Dubai , Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum , by his former wife , Princess Haya Bint Al-Hussain , became established fact , published in a series of judgements by Britain 's High Court .
Following a high-profile case that began eight months ago , the court has published a Fact Finding Judgement ( FFJ ) in favour of Princess Haya who fled Dubai last year , along with her two children , telling friends she was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had tried , unsuccessfully , to keep the judgement out of the public domain but his appeal was rejected after the case was ruled to be in the public interest .
The ruler of Dubai was found to have `` not been open and honest with the court '' .
In a statement issued after the judgements were published , Sheikh Mohammed said : `` As a head of government , I was not able to participate in the court 's fact-finding process .
This has resulted in the release of a 'fact-finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of the story . ''
He insisted the case was a private matter .
`` I ask that the media respect the privacy of our children and do not intrude into their lives in the UK , '' he said .
After hearing extensive witness statements over a period of time , the court found Sheikh Mohammed to have been responsible for the abduction and forced return of two of his daughters from another marriage .
• Sheikha Shamsa fled the family 's UK estate in Surrey in 2000 but was later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sheikh and forcibly returned to Dubai where she remains in captivity .
A request by Cambridgeshire Police to visit Dubai to investigate her abduction was refused .
• Sheikha Latifa made two unsuccessful attempts to flee her father 's family , in 2002 and 2018 .
After the first she was imprisoned by her father in Dubai for over three years .
In the second attempt she was abducted at sea off the Indian coast and forcibly returned to Dubai , where she remains under house arrest .
The judge found her allegations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , made by Latifa in a public video , to be credible .
The judge found that Sheikh Mohammed `` continues to maintain a regime whereby both these two young women are deprived of their liberty '' .
Princess Haya of Jordan , 45 , a daughter of the late King Hussain and a former Olympic equestrian , married Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai , 70 , in 2004 , becoming the sixth and youngest of his wives .
They have two children , aged seven and 11 .
Initially she believed his explanations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ princesses , namely that they had been `` rescued '' and were now safe with the family .
But by early 2019 Princess Haya had become suspicious and voiced her concerns .
She had also begun an adulterous affair with her British bodyguard .
A campaign of intimidation by Sheikh Mohammed 's agents began and the court heard that a gun was twice placed on her pillow with the safety catch off .
A helicopter landed outside her house with a threat to remove her to a remote desert prison .
The judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted in a manner from the end of 2018 which has been aimed at intimidating and frightening the mother , and that he has encouraged others to do so on his behalf '' .
In April 2019 Princess Haya fled to Britain , taking her two children with her .
The court heard how veiled threats from Sheikh Mohammed had left her terrified for her own safety , as well as fears that her children could be abducted and forcibly returned to Dubai .
In May 2019 she said he told her : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be safe in England '' .
He published a poem entitled : `` You lived , you died '' .
The court heard how the Sheikh had used his media contacts to generate a series of negative articles about Princess Haya , many of which were `` wholly inaccurate '' .
These judgements , and the allegations upheld by them , are clearly a huge personal embarrassment to Sheikh Mohammed Al-Maktoum .
It is hardly surprising therefore that his legal team tried their best to keep them out of the public domain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` The appeal was made to protect the best interests and welfare of the children .
The outcome does not protect my children from media attention in the way that other children in family proceedings in the UK are protected . ''
While his former wife , Princess Haya , has a relatively low profile , Sheikh Mohammed is a global figure in the horseracing world where he is the owner and founder of Godolphin Stables .
He has often been photographed with the Queen .
He is also a renowned figure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transforming the emirate of Dubai into the massive tourism , leisure and business destination it has become .
The rulings have been welcomed by human rights campaigners .

Sheikh Mohammed had tried, unsuccessfully, to keep the judgement out of the public domain but his appeal was rejected after the case was ruled to be in the public interest. The ruler of Dubai was found to have "not been open and honest with the court".