bbc--2020-06-16--North Korea: What's behind the liaison office demolition?

North Korea has followed through on a threat to demolish a joint liaison office with the South , causing alarm around the world .
The establishment of the office was part of a flurry of reconciliatory moves in 2018 after leaders of the Koreas , who are technically still at war , met to try to improve relations .
After US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met in 2019 , there was hope the North would give up its nuclear weapons programme .
But nothing came of those highly publicised summits .
In recent months there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus situation in the North - which claims to have no cases - and its economic situation .
Rumours have swirled around Kim Jong-un 's health and whether the public are being prepared for his sister to take over if needed .
So why did the North take this step now and what does it mean ?
We asked North Korea watchers to give us their snap analysis .
'Pyongyang could be creating a crisis ' - Ankit Panda , author of Kim Jong Un and the Bomb : Survival and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the 20th anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit , the destruction of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office is certainly an evocative reminder of the ways in which inter-Korean cooperation has gone wrong in the past and just how the progress made in 2018 is quickly fraying .
The North Korean side did telegraph this action quite explicitly , citing recent activities by South Korean civil groups as the near-term cause for its decision .
We may in the coming days see other steps by the North Koreans , which could range from provocative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shells toward South Korean territory , or steps to reverse the accomplishments of the September 2018 inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement .
As for the strategic purpose behind these provocations , much remains unclear .
Pyongyang may be seeking to create a crisis to encourage South Korean President Moon Jae-in , now with a super-majority in parliament following the April mid-term elections , to push forward with inter-Korean economic co-operation projects .
Separately , this provocation , and others yet to come , may be linked to an internal North Korean effort to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jong-un 's sister .
After all , she was the one to have announced the impending destruction of the inter-Korean Liaison Office in a statement over the weekend .
There 's been some speculation in the past week that North Korea wants to extract some concessions from the South , wants to get the United States ' attention without testing a long-range missile , or perhaps wants to create a crisis as a prelude to justifying emergency talks .
None of these strategic explanations is entirely satisfying .
So many of North Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internal politics and we can never be sure exactly what 's going on .
The fact that Kim Jong-un 's younger sister has been front-and-centre in this tension-building suggests that this could be about burnishing her credentials as someone who can be tough on the North Korea 's enemies .
She was , after all , closely associated with the North-South rapprochement of 2018 .
Now the leadership can show a domestic audience that she 's no-one to be trifled with , foreign audiences can also take that message away and if Pyongyang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader Moon Jae-in breaking with the United States to pursue inter-Korean cooperation projects , then they probably think they have very little to lose .
'North Korea feels betrayed by Trump ' - Van Jackson , author of On the Brink : Trump , Kim , and the Threat of Nuclear War The motivations for the attack likely trace to three converging issues .
One is North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 's feelings of betrayal following the failed summits with President Donald Trump .
Kim entered those summits with an expectation of securing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but received none .
Second , North Korea 's economy is under strain from the combination of restricted trade with China due to Covid-19 and the escalating US campaign of maximum sanctions pressure , increasing the imperative for sanctions relief .
Third , Kim Jong-un 's sister is undergoing a process of establishing bona fides as a person of authority and needs to show strength and competence to both elites and the militarist elder generation in North Korea .
It is unclear if she is being groomed to succeed Kim Jong-un given his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Korea is strategic - North Korea risks conflict escalation if it attacks the United States directly , so has taken aim at the South as a perceived vulnerable target less likely to trigger a war .

North Korea: What's behind the liaison office demolition? Published 16 June 2020
Image source, Chung Sung-Jun Image caption, The move came after several military threats from the North
North Korea has followed through on a threat to demolish a joint liaison office with the South, causing alarm around the world.
The establishment of the office was part of a flurry of reconciliatory moves in 2018 after leaders of the Koreas, who are technically still at war, met to try to improve relations.
After US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met in 2019, there was hope the North would give up its nuclear weapons programme. But nothing came of those highly publicised summits.
In recent months there has been intense speculation around the reality of the coronavirus situation in the North - which claims to have no cases - and its economic situation. Rumours have swirled around Kim Jong-un's health and whether the public are being prepared for his sister to take over if needed.
So why did the North take this step now and what does it mean? We asked North Korea watchers to give us their snap analysis.
'Pyongyang could be creating a crisis' - Ankit Panda, author of Kim Jong Un and the Bomb: Survival and Deterrence in North Korea
Coming so soon after the 20th anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit, the destruction of the Inter-Korean Liaison Office is certainly an evocative reminder of the ways in which inter-Korean co-operation has gone wrong in the past and just how the progress made in 2018 is quickly fraying.
The North Korean side did telegraph this action quite explicitly, citing recent activities by South Korean civil groups as the near-term cause for its decision.
We may in the coming days see other steps by the North Koreans, which could range from provocative military exercises, live firing of artillery shells toward South Korean territory, or steps to reverse the accomplishments of the September 2018 inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement.
As for the strategic purpose behind these provocations, much remains unclear. Pyongyang may be seeking to create a crisis to encourage South Korean President Moon Jae-in, now with a super-majority in parliament following the April mid-term elections, to push forward with inter-Korean economic co-operation projects.
Separately, this provocation, and others yet to come, may be linked to an internal North Korean effort to build further legitimacy for Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un's sister. After all, she was the one to have announced the impending destruction of the inter-Korean Liaison Office in a statement over the weekend.
'Kim Jong-un's sister is front and centre' - Andray Abrahamian, Professor, George Mason University Korea
Image source, Kyodo News Image caption, Is Kim Yo-jong next in line?
There's been some speculation in the past week that North Korea wants to extract some concessions from the South, wants to get the United States' attention without testing a long-range missile, or perhaps wants to create a crisis as a prelude to justifying emergency talks. None of these strategic explanations is entirely satisfying.
So many of North Korea's outward-facing choices are to do with internal politics and we can never be sure exactly what's going on.
The fact that Kim Jong-un's younger sister has been front-and-centre in this tension-building suggests that this could be about burnishing her credentials as someone who can be tough on the North Korea's enemies.
She was, after all, closely associated with the North-South rapprochement of 2018. Now the leadership can show a domestic audience that she's no-one to be trifled with, foreign audiences can also take that message away and if Pyongyang has truly given up on South Korean leader Moon Jae-in breaking with the United States to pursue inter-Korean co-operation projects, then they probably think they have very little to lose.
'North Korea feels betrayed by Trump' - Van Jackson, author of On the Brink: Trump, Kim, and the Threat of Nuclear War
Image source, Handout Image caption, Things deteriorated after this historic moment
The motivations for the attack likely trace to three converging issues. One is North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's feelings of betrayal following the failed summits with President Donald Trump. Kim entered those summits with an expectation of securing relief from a punishing economic sanctions regime but received none.
Second, North Korea's economy is under strain from the combination of restricted trade with China due to Covid-19 and the escalating US campaign of maximum sanctions pressure, increasing the imperative for sanctions relief.
Third, Kim Jong-un's sister is undergoing a process of establishing bona fides as a person of authority and needs to show strength and competence to both elites and the militarist elder generation in North Korea. It is unclear if she is being groomed to succeed Kim Jong-un given his ill health.


bbc--2020-06-16--Mary Trump: Why has president's niece penned damning memoir?

US President Donald Trump 's niece is set to publish an unflattering tell-all memoir about him .
So who is she and why has she come forward now ?
On 28 July , Mary Trump is due to release Too Much And Never Enough : How My Family Created the World 's Most Dangerous Man , Simon & Schuster announced on Monday .
The book will hit the shelves just weeks before the Republican National Convention , when her uncle will accept the party 's nomination for his re-election bid in November .
The memoir will reportedly reveal how she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documents to print a sprawling investigation into Mr Trump 's personal finances .
The Pulitzer Prize-winning exclusive alleged the president had been involved in `` fraudulent '' tax schemes and received more than $ 400m ( £316m ) in today 's money from his father 's real estate empire .
An Amazon blurb for the book says the author will set out how her uncle `` became the man who now threatens the world 's health , economic security and social fabric '' .
`` She explains how specific events and general family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occupies the Oval Office , including the strange and harmful relationship between Fred Trump and his two oldest sons , Fred Jr and Donald , '' it continues .
The blurb says the author will draw on her insights as a `` firsthand witness to countless holiday meals and family interactions '' .
The memoir will also accuse the president of having `` dismissed and derided '' his father once he began to suffer from Alzheimer 's .
Mary Trump , 55 , is the daughter of Fred Trump Jr , the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1981 at the age of 42 .
He struggled with alcoholism for much of his life and his premature death was caused by a heart attack linked to his drinking .
President Trump has cited his brother 's personal problems as spurring his administration 's push for tackling the scourge of opioid addiction .
In an interview last year with the Washington Post , Mr Trump said he regretted pressuring his older brother to join the family real estate business as he pursued dreams of becoming a pilot .
Mary Trump has largely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president , though she has been critical of him in the past .
The bad blood between them goes back at least 20 years to a lawsuit filed by her and her brother against their uncle and his siblings .
In 2000 , Mary Trump and Fred Trump III sued to dispute the money left to them by the estate of Donald Trump 's father , Fred Trump Sr .
They said the 1991 will was `` procured by fraud and undue influence '' on the part of Donald Trump and his siblings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the New York Daily News .
Mary Trump told the city tabloid that her aunt and uncles `` should be ashamed of themselves '' over the legal battle .
`` Given this family , it would be utterly naive to say it has nothing to do with money , '' she told the newspaper at the time .
Mary Trump and her brother filed another lawsuit after their medical insurance provided by the Trump company was cancelled in apparent retaliation for the first legal action .
The case was eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports say .
According to People magazine , public records show she was born Mary Lea Trump in May 1965 and lives on Long Island , New York .
Forbes magazine reports she earned a bachelor 's in English Literature from Tufts University in Massachusetts and a master 's in the same subject from Columbia University in New York .
She also did a PhD in clinical psychology at Adelphi University in New York .
According to a now-deleted LinkedIn profile , Mary Trump is a certified professional life coach .
In 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company , the Trump Coaching Group .
Its website says : `` Are you depressed and feeling low ?
Finding the true meaning of your life ?
If yes then our life coaches can bring you out from such dwindling situations . ''
According to tweets attributed to her , Mary Trump appears to have been feeling low on the day of her uncle 's 2016 election .
An account bearing her name has a post that says : `` This is one of the worst nights of my life . ''
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hillary Clinton , `` an extraordinary human being and public servant '' .
The Twitter account 's bio contains the Black Lives Matter hashtag , a gay pride flag and the pronouns she/her/hers .

They said the 1991 will was "procured by fraud and undue influence" on the part of Donald Trump and his siblings, as the family patriarch suffered dementia, according to the New York Daily News.


bbc--2020-06-16--Diego, the Galápagos tortoise with a species-saving sex drive, retires

A giant Galápagos tortoise whose legendary libido has been credited with saving his species from extinction has officially entered retirement .
Diego and 14 other male tortoises have returned to their native Española , one of Ecuador 's Galápagos islands .
The tortoises were put out to pasture on Monday after decades of breeding in captivity on Santa Cruz Island .
The breeding programme was a success , producing more than 2,000 giant tortoises since it began in the 1960s .
• Fireworks banned on the Galapagos to protect wildlife Diego , aged 100 , is thought to have fathered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 2,000 of giant tortoises alive today by some estimates .
Ecuador 's environment minister , Paulo Proaño Andrade , said the breeding programme was `` closing an important chapter '' in its history .
Diego and the other tortoises were returning home after `` saving their species from extinction '' , the minister wrote on Twitter , adding Española welcomed them `` with open arms '' .
The tortoises had to be placed in quarantine before they could return to Española , an uninhabited island considered one of the oldest parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent them from carrying seeds from plants that are not native to the island .
Around 50 years ago , there were only two males and 12 females of Diego 's species alive on Española .
To save his species , Chelonoidis hoodensis , Diego was brought in from California 's San Diego Zoo to take part in a breeding programme .
The Galápagos National Parks service ( PNG ) believes Diego was taken from his native Española in the early 20th Century by a scientific expedition .
The tortoise weighs about 80kg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 35in ) long and 1.5m ( 5ft ) tall at full stretch .
The Galápagos Islands , 906km ( 563 miles ) west of continental Ecuador , are a Unesco World Heritage site renowned worldwide for their unique array of plants and wildlife .
The indigenous species found on the Galápagos , including iguanas and tortoises , played a key role in the development of Charles Darwin 's Theory of Evolution .
Tourists across the globe travel there to see its biodiversity .

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bbc--2020-06-16--India soldiers killed in clash with Chinese forces

Three Indian soldiers have been killed in a clash with Chinese forces in Ladakh in the disputed Kashmir region .
The Indian army said senior military officials from both sides were `` meeting to defuse the situation '' , adding that both sides suffered casualties .
China did not confirm any casualties , but accused India of crossing the border in the Galwan Valley .
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman called on India not to take unilateral actions or stir up trouble .
The spokesman , Zhao Lijian , was quoted by AFP news agency as saying that India had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` provoking and attacking Chinese personnel , resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides '' .
China 's Global Times newspaper reported that `` solemn representations '' had been made with India over the incident .
An Indian army spokesman said the dead were one officer and two soldiers .
The clash comes amid rising tensions between the two nuclear powers , which have brawled along the border in recent weeks but not exchanged any gunfire .
Both sides insist no bullet has been fired in four decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday that `` no shots were fired '' .
Local media outlets reported that the Indian soldiers were `` beaten to death '' but there was no confirmation from the military .
India has accused China of sending thousands of troops into Ladakh 's Galwan valley and says China occupies 38,000sq km ( about 14,700sq miles ) of its territory .
Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes .
The deaths reported on Tuesday are believed to be the first in decades in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have fought only one war so far , in 1962 , when India suffered a humiliating defeat .
In May , dozens of Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged physical blows in a clash on the border in the north-eastern state of Sikkim .
And in 2017 , the two countries clashed in the region after China tried to extend a border road through a disputed plateau .
• Why tensions are rising between the neighbours • How a new map stirred old rivalries Their armies - two of the world 's largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points .
The two sides are separated by the poorly demarcated Line of Actual Control ( LAC ) .
Rivers , lakes and snowcaps mean the line can shift , provoking confrontation .
There are several reasons why tensions are rising now - but competing strategic goals lie at the root , and both sides blame each other .
India has built a new road in what experts say is the most remote and vulnerable area along the LAC in Ladakh .
And India 's decision to ramp up infrastructure seems to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Delhi 's capability to move men and material rapidly in case of a conflict .
India also disputes part of Kashmir - an ethnically diverse Himalayan region covering about 140,000sq km - with Pakistan .
• Kashmir : Why India and Pakistan fight over it Over the past week , Indian media have been reporting that troops from both sides had been gradually moving back from their stand-off positions , and that efforts were under way to de-escalate the tensions along the border .
So it will come as a surprise to many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which three Indian soldiers were killed .
The last time the two sides exchanged any gunfire along the border was 1975 , when four Indian soldiers were killed in a remote pass in north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh .
The details of the latest skirmish , and the emergency measures being taken to defuse it , are still unclear .
Whatever the result , the latest incident is likely to trigger a fresh wave of anti-China sentiments in India .
It will also present daunting foreign policy and security challenges to Indian Prime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is struggling to contain a surge of Covid-19 infections and revive an economy which looks headed for recession .

India-China clash: 20 Indian troops killed in Ladakh fighting Published 16 June 2020
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, India and China have been locked in a border dispute for decades
At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese forces in a disputed Himalayan border area, Indian officials say.
The incident follows rising tensions, and is the first deadly clash in the border area in at least 45 years.
The Indian army initially said three of its soldiers had been killed, adding that both sides suffered casualties.
But later on Tuesday, officials said a number of critically injured soldiers had died of their wounds.
India's external affairs ministry accused China of breaking an agreement struck the previous week to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley.
BBC diplomatic correspondent James Robbins says violence between two armies high up in the Himalayas is very serious, and pressure will grow on the two nuclear powers not to allow a slide into full-scale conflict.
What have both sides said about the incident?
Early on Tuesday the Indian army said three of its soldiers, including an officer, had died in a clash in Ladakh, in the disputed Kashmir region.
Later in the day, it released a statement saying the two sides had disengaged.
It added that "17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty" and died from their injuries, taking the "total that were killed in action to 20".
China did not confirm any casualties, but accused India in turn of crossing the border onto the Chinese side.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said India had crossed the border twice on Monday, "provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides", AFP news agency reported.
Both sides insist no bullet has been fired in four decades, and the Indian army said on Tuesday that "no shots were fired" in this latest skirmish.
How a clash that did not involve an exchange of fire could prove so lethal is unclear. There are reports that it was fought with rocks and clubs
Local media outlets reported that the Indian soldiers had been "beaten to death".
How tense is the area?
The LAC is poorly demarcated. The presence of rivers, lakes and snowcaps means the line can shift. The soldiers either side - representing two of the world's largest armies - come face to face at many points.
But there have been tense confrontations along the border in recent weeks.
India has accused China of sending thousands of troops into Ladakh's Galwan valley and says China occupies 38,000sq km (14,700sq miles) of its territory. Several rounds of talks in the last three decades have failed to resolve the boundary disputes.
The two countries have fought only one war so far, in 1962, when India suffered a humiliating defeat.
In May, dozens of Indian and Chinese soldiers exchanged physical blows on the border in the north-eastern state of Sikkim. And in 2017, the two countries clashed in the region after China tried to extend a border road through a disputed plateau.
Image source, Press Information Bureau Image caption, Tensions have risen over a road built by India in Ladakh
There are several reasons why tensions are rising now - but competing strategic goals lie at the root, and both sides blame each other.
India has built a new road in what experts say is the most remote and vulnerable area along the LAC in Ladakh. And India's decision to ramp up infrastructure seems to have infuriated Beijing.
The road could boost Delhi's capability to move men and materiel rapidly in case of a conflict.
India also disputes part of Kashmir - an ethnically diverse Himalayan region covering about 140,000sq km - with Pakistan.
The two nuclear armed neighbours have a chequered history of face-offs and overlapping territorial claims along the more than 3,440km (2,100 mile), poorly drawn Line of Actual Control separating the two sides.
Border patrols have often bumped into each other, resulting in occasional scuffles. But no bullets have been fired in four decades.
That is why Sunday's night's clash following months of roiling tension has taken many by surprise.
Whatever the result, the latest incident is likely to trigger a fresh wave of anti-China sentiments in India.


bbc--2020-06-16--Robert Fuller: US to review black hanging deaths after outcry

US federal authorities will review investigations into the deaths of two African-Americans who were found hanged from trees in California .
Local police had said there was no foul play in the deaths of Robert Fuller and Malcolm Harsch , who died in separate towns within two weeks of each other .
But people have raised fears the deaths may not have been suicides .
A petition for a thorough investigation into Mr Fuller 's death has thousands of signatures .
His body was found hanging from a tree on 10 June in the town of Palmdale .
Officials said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 24-year-old had taken his own life .
However his family claim he was not suicidal .
`` Everything that they 've been telling us has not been right .
My brother was not suicidal , '' Diamond Alexander , Mr Fuller 's sister told a rally on Saturday .
• Three facts that help explain anger in the US Malcolm Harsch was found hanged from a tree at a homeless encampment in Victorville on 31 May .
Officials there had said that the 37-year-old 's death was likely to be a suicide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet been given .
In a television interview his sister Harmonie Harsch said : `` We are really just trying to get more answers as to what happened .
My brother was so loving , not only to his family but even strangers .
It is not like him . ''
In a statement to AP news agency , the FBI , US attorney 's office in the Central District of California and the US Department of Justice 's Civil Rights Division said that they were monitoring the investigations by the Los @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both Sherriff 's departments in Los Angeles County and San Bernadino said they would cooperate with investigators .
The men 's deaths come as protests take place across the US calling for an end to racial inequality , racism and police brutality .
If you or someone you know needs support for issues about emotional distress , these organisations may be able to help .

In a television interview his sister Harmonie Harsch said: "We are really just trying to get more answers as to what happened. My brother was so loving, not only to his family but even strangers. It is not like him."


bbc--2020-06-16--George Floyd protests: Man shot in clash over Albuquerque statue

A man has been shot and wounded in the US state of New Mexico after violence erupted over a statue of a 16th-Century Spanish colonist .
It happened when a second man opened fire after being turned upon by protesters outside Albuquerque Museum , local reports say .
The protesters had been confronted by a group of armed men as they tried to pull the statue down .
It comes amid heightened sensitivities over monuments linked to colonialism .
A number have been pulled down in the US and other countries in the wake of the death in police custody @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The stories behind the statues targeted in protests • Why US protests are so powerful this time Mr Floyd 's killing by a white police officer who knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes has spurred global protests led by the Black Lives Matter movement .
According to the Albuquerque Journal , clashes broke out when protesters took a pick-axe to the statue of Juan de Oñate - part of a monument depicting Oñate leading settlers into what was then a province of New Spain - after a peaceful demonstration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a man was pushed to the ground and started shooting when protesters moved towards him , `` some threatening him '' .
It says the person who was shot appeared to have been one of those attempting to get to the man .
The shooting sent people running for cover .
Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said officers at the scene fired tear gas and stun grenades as they detained a number of people .
The wounded man was taken to hospital but his condition was not immediately known , Mr Gallegos said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Confederate leaders - those from a group of southern states that fought to keep black people as slaves in the American Civil War of 1861-65 - and the explorer Christopher Columbus have been torn down in the US , as pressure grows on authorities to remove controversial monuments .
Oñate led a group of Spanish settlers - historically known as conquistadors - in 1598 .
He became the local governor and is known for the massacre of a pueblo - or Native American - tribe .
• WATCH : 'This is why we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?

In recent days, statues of Confederate leaders - from the slaveholding southern states that fought in the American Civil War of 1861-65 - and the explorer Christopher Columbus have been torn down in the US, as pressure grows on authorities to remove controversial monuments.


bbc--2020-06-16--Colin Kaepernick: Roger Goodell encourages NFL teams to sign quarterback

Last updated on .From the section American Football NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he would `` encourage '' a team to sign former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick .
The National Football League banned players from protesting in such a way but now says it was `` wrong '' to do so .
Goodell said he will `` support '' a club wishing to sign Kaepernick .
`` If he wants to resume his career in the NFL , then obviously it 's going take a team to make that decision , '' he told ESPN .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that decision , and encourage them to do that . ''
• None How the NFL made its U-turn on protests Goodell added on Monday : `` If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space , we welcome him to that table and to help us , guide us , help us make better . ''
Kaepernick 's peaceful protest has gained renewed support in the wake of the death of unarmed African American George Floyd , who died on 25 May while being restrained by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which sparked protests across the US and worldwide .
Current NFL stars including Patrick Mahomes and Odell Beckham Jr had called on the league to `` condemn racism and the systemic oppression of black people '' .
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees also posted a statement asking for forgiveness after he was criticised for saying kneeling protests would be `` disrespecting the flag '' .
The NFL has since pledged $ 250m ( £198m ) over a 10-year period to help combat systemic racism in the United States and says the fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans '' .
However , President Donald Trump has maintained his opposition and says he will not watch the NFL or the US Soccer sides if players do not stand for the national anthem .
Kaepernick became a free agent after the 2016 season and remains unsigned .
He filed a grievance against NFL owners in October 2017 , believing they were conspiring not to hire him because of his kneeling protests .
It was resolved in February under a confidentiality agreement .

Last updated on .From the section American Football
Kaepernick kneeled for the first time in September 2016
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he would "encourage" a team to sign former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick, 32, began kneeling during the US national anthem in 2016 in a protest against racial injustice and has been a free agent since 2017.
The National Football League banned players from protesting in such a way but now says it was "wrong" to do so.
Goodell said he will "support" a club wishing to sign Kaepernick.
"If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it's going take a team to make that decision," he told ESPN. external-link
"I welcome that, support a club making that decision, and encourage them to do that."
Goodell added on Monday: "If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better."
Kaepernick's peaceful protest has gained renewed support in the wake of the death of unarmed African American George Floyd, who died on 25 May while being restrained by a white police officer in Minneapolis, which sparked protests across the US and worldwide.
Current NFL stars including Patrick Mahomes and Odell Beckham Jr had called on the league to "condemn racism and the systemic oppression of black people".
The fashion stylist supporting Colin Kaepernick in his fight against racial injustice
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees also posted a statement asking for forgiveness after he was criticised for saying kneeling protests would be "disrespecting the flag".
The NFL has since pledged $250m (£198m) over a 10-year period to help combat systemic racism in the United States and says the fund will "support the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans".
However, President Donald Trump has maintained his opposition and says he will not watch the NFL or the US Soccer sides if players do not stand for the national anthem.
Kaepernick became a free agent after the 2016 season and remains unsigned. He filed a grievance against NFL owners in October 2017, believing they were conspiring not to hire him because of his kneeling protests. It was resolved in February under a confidentiality agreement.


bbc--2020-06-16--Trump confirms plan to cut troops in Germany

US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to withdraw 9,500 American troops from bases in Germany .
He accused Germany of being `` delinquent '' in its payments to Nato , and said he would stick with the plan unless Berlin changed its course .
Mr Trump has long complained that European members of Nato should spend more on their own defence .
Germany 's ambassador to the US said US troops were not there to defend Germany but defend transatlantic security .
Emily Haber added that Berlin had been informed of the plan .
• What does the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were reported earlier this month by US media , amid rising tensions with its allies in the Europe 's North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ( Nato ) under Mr Trump .
During a cabinet meeting , Mr Trump said : `` So we 're protecting Germany and they 're delinquent .
That does n't make sense .
So I said , we 're going to bring down the count to 25,000 soldiers . ''
He has said that Nato members should no longer be relying so heavily on the US to shoulder the costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the allies focuses around the target agreed by all alliance members that defence spending should reach 2 % of GDP ( gross domestic product , the total value of goods produced and services provided ) by 2024 .
Germany , along with many other countries , has yet to meet this target .
In formally acknowledging plans for a sizeable US troop cut-back in Germany - a proposal that first leaked to the press earlier this month - President Trump has taken a step that will deeply concern the German government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other Nato allies .
The conventional view up to now , voiced by Germany 's ambassador to the US , Emily Harber , is that US troops were in Europe not so much to defend Germany , as to defend trans-Atlantic security .
Analysts also point out that the sizeable US presence in Germany also affords the US an important transit and jumping off point for operations in the Middle East , Africa and elsewhere .
Strategic experts see this as a step that can only benefit Russia and weaken Nato as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will be closely watched by Washington 's allies way beyond Europe , many of whom already see the Trump Administration as an unpredictable and increasingly unreliable partner at a time of growing great power competition .
Speaking to reporters on Monday , he also accused Germany of treating the US `` very badly on trade '' .
`` We 're negotiating with them on that , but right now I 'm not satisfied with the deal they want to make .
`` They 've cost the United States hundreds of billions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we get hurt on trade and we get hurt on Nato , '' he said .
He also claimed that Germany was profiting from having the troops there because soldiers spent their money in the country .
The US military presence in Germany is a legacy of the post-World War Two Allied occupation of the country .
Germany currently hosts by far the largest number of US forces in Europe , followed by Italy , the UK and Spain .
Some US personnel based in Europe support non-Nato operations and US military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and out of Europe .

Strategic experts see this as a step that can only benefit Russia and weaken Nato as a whole. And it's a move that will be closely watched by Washington's allies way beyond Europe, many of whom already see the Trump Administration as an unpredictable and increasingly unreliable partner at a time of growing great power competition.


bbc--2020-06-16--Walter Lübcke: Far-right suspects in court over politician's murder

Two men have appeared in court over the murder of pro-migrant German politician Walter Lübcke .
The 65-year-old was shot in the head at close range in his garden in June last year .
Stephan Ernst is accused of murdering Lübcke , while another suspect identified as Markus H is accused of assisting him .
If proven , it would reportedly be the first far-right political assassination in Germany since World War Two .
• Has Germany done enough to tackle far-right violence ?
Lübcke was the head of the regional council in the central German city of Kassel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's call to take in refugees in 2015 .
Prosecutors say the suspect was motivated by `` racism and xenophobia '' when he drove to Lübcke 's home .
Ernst initially admitted to the murder but now denies the killing .
German news agency dpa reports 200 journalists have been accredited to attend the trial in Frankfurt , although space is limited due to measures brought in to control the coronavirus outbreak .
A statement issued by Lübcke 's wife and two sons - who are also attending the hearing - said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in our society .
`` All of us who stand for a free democracy must not fall silent , but take a clear position . ''
Lübcke was a member of Mrs Merkel 's centre-right Christian Democrats party ( CDU ) .
In 2015 , he became a leading advocate for migrants ' rights in his local area after Germany took in a million asylum seekers .
At a rowdy town hall meeting in October that year , he told audience members they had to stand up for Christian values .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave this country any time , if he does n't agree .
This is the freedom of every German , '' he said .
He received death threats and was given personal protection soon after .
On 2 June 2019 , Lübcke 's body was found on the terrace of his home in the village of Istha .
Police later announced he was shot in the head at close range .
Who are the suspects ?
It is thought that both Stephan Ernst and Markus H attended the controversial town hall meeting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the speech , Ernst `` increasingly projected his hatred of foreigners '' onto the politician .
He allegedly began tracking Lübcke , and prosecutors say that between 2016 and 2018 he received weapons training from Markus H. Ernst initially admitted to the murder but then retracted the confession , and said Markus H carried out the killing .
However , while Markus H attended right-wing demonstrations with Ernst , prosecutors do not believe he knew of any solid plans to attack Lübcke and do not think he was present at the scene of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ernst with attempted murder over the stabbing of an Iraqi asylum seeker in 2016 .
• Why Germany ’ s far-right AfD is blamed over racist violence Lübcke 's murder shocked Germany , which has grappled with a rising tide of support for far-right politics in recent years .
If a political motive of far-right extremism is proven , it would be the first such killing of a politician in modern Germany .
In October 2019 a gunman killed two people in the city of Halle after trying to enter a synagogue , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-right extremist killed nine people in attacks on shisha bars in Hanau .

Ernst initially admitted to the murder but then retracted the confession, and said Markus H carried out the killing. However, while Markus H attended right-wing demonstrations with Ernst, prosecutors do not believe he knew of any solid plans to attack Lübcke and do not think he was present at the scene of the crime.


bbc--2020-06-15--Instagram 'will overtake Twitter as a news source'

Photo-sharing app Instagram is set to overtake Twitter as a news source , research suggests .
The 2020 Reuters Institute Digital News report found the use of Instagram for news had doubled since 2018 .
The trend is strongest among young people .
It said nearly a quarter of UK 18-24-year-olds used Instagram as a source of news about coronavirus .
But social media platforms were also among the least-trusted sources .
Just 26 % of people said they trusted social media as a source of information about the virus .
A similar percentage said they trusted news that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp .
National governments and news organisations , by contrast , were both trusted by about 59 % of respondents .
Instagram is now used by more than a third of all people who answered the survey , and two-thirds of under-25s .
And 11 % use it for news , putting it just one point behind Twitter .
`` Instagram 's become very popular with younger people '' , said Nic Newman , lead author of the report .
`` They really respond well to stories that are told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Stand-out visual stories in recent months have helped - climate change , the Black Lives Matter movement , and the coronavirus have all seen massive engagement on the platform .
`` It 's not that one necessarily replaces the other , '' Mr Newman said .
`` They might use Facebook and Instagram , or might use Twitter and Instagram . ''
Instagram is owned by Facebook , which now reaches 85 % of people each week .
The company 's dominance in how stories are being told `` remains incredibly important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also owns WhatsApp .
The coronavirus pandemic also seems to have offered a temporary reprieve to a downward trend in how much news organisations are trusted .
Only 38 % of people said they trusted the news most of the time .
Less than half - 46 % - said they trusted their favoured news source .
In total , 40 countries were surveyed .
Only in six of them did a majority say they could trust `` most of the news most of the time '' .
The case was particularly poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % of respondents backed the statement .
That figure was 12 percentage points lower than the nation 's response in the 2019 report .
• Trump to take 'big action ' against social media That plummet in confidence was only matched by Chile and Hong Kong , which have both seen violent street protests - and still rank more highly than the UK , on 30 % each .
But things changed substantially once the coronavirus crisis hit .
A slightly differently worded question in April - about the level of trust in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organisations surge to a 59 % trust rating , on a par with national governments .
The report 's authors speculate the identical levels of trust as a result of news organisations amplifying public health advice .
But that sudden high has already started to fall .
Trust is a precious commodity for journalists which , like all social goods , is easily destroyed , but not easily created .
Maintaining trust in the era of social media gets harder every day , as conspiracy theories go viral , accuracy is too often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the very idea of truth is so contested .
This report shows a curious paradox in relation to trust .
It is true that trust in what is sometimes disparagingly referred to as mainstream journalism is falling ; yet the huge audiences for those outlets at the start of the pandemic are nothing if not a verdict on the public appetite for reliable , trustworthy news .
In Britain , with its regulated broadcasting , there is still a lot of it about .
The deeper question is whether a young audience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remarkable growth of Instagram as a news source , which makes Facebook 's purchase of it look ever more like one of the greatest bargains in history .
If , as the authors predict , Instagram overtakes Twitter next year , that might be the moment for journalists to finally realise that the latter , though their favoured platform , resembles public opinion less and less .
`` What we 're seeing is relatively high levels of trust - at the time of the lockdowns - in the media and national governments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which shows that trust in the media fell 11 percentage points between April and May , '' Mr Newman said .
While not officially part of the report , that recent polling suggests that the `` moment of national unity '' may have passed .
Amid all this analysis of trust issues , most people - what the report calls the `` silent majority '' - prefer what they consider `` objective '' news .
The authors of the report had not asked this question since 2013 , since when the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting has grown .
In nine countries where this was explored , all said they preferred news from sources with `` no point of view '' .
The strongest preference was in Germany , Japan , the UK and Denmark .
These are `` all countries with strong and independent public broadcasters '' , the report noted .
In contrast , the US - `` where both politics and the media have become increasingly partisan over the years '' - many more people said they prefer news which shares their point of view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use of social media BBC News , which contributed data to the study , remained the most trusted news brand in the UK , with 64 % trust .
`` Despite the fact that the BBC has come under a lot of criticism , what we find consistently is the BBC remains , with most people , highly trusted , '' Mr Newman said .
`` [ It ] , along with broadcasters like ITV , tends to be the most trusted .
`` But obviously , we have seen that eroding - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both left and right , that in the last few years have trusted the BBC less . ''
The decline is particularly marked in those on the political left .
Since the 2019 election , the left saw their confidence in the news dive to just 15 % , the report found .

This report shows a curious paradox in relation to trust. It is true that trust in what is sometimes disparagingly referred to as mainstream journalism is falling; yet the huge audiences for those outlets at the start of the pandemic are nothing if not a verdict on the public appetite for reliable, trustworthy news. In Britain, with its regulated broadcasting, there is still a lot of it about.


bbc--2020-06-16--New Zealand's first Covid cases in 24 days came from UK

New Zealand has confirmed two new cases of coronavirus , ending a 24-day streak of no new infections in the country .
The cases relate to two women from the same family , both of whom had travelled from the UK and were given special permission to visit a grieving parent .
Last week New Zealand lifted all domestic restrictions , declaring that the country was virus-free .
However , strict border restrictions remained in place - with only citizens and essential workers allowed in .
But exemptions can be granted and Dr Ashley Bloomfield , New Zealand 's director-general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` agreed plan in place as part of the approval process [ including ] the travel arrangements '' .
It 's not known if the patients are citizens of the UK , New Zealand , or elsewhere .
• How NZ 's 'team of five million ' took on Covid-19 • How NZ beat the virus and got its coffee back The women - one in their 30s and one in their 40s - arrived in New Zealand from the UK on the 7 June , via Doha and Brisbane , and entered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isolation hotel in Auckland and on 12 June applied for an exemption to visit their dying parent - who died later that night .
They were granted permission to travel to Wellington on 13 June .
One of the women had `` mild symptoms '' , but put this down to a pre-existing condition .
They travelled to Wellington in a private vehicle and did not use any public facilities during this journey , Dr Ashley Bloomfield , director-general of health , said on Tuesday , They stayed with a single family member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now been placed in self-isolation .
The women were tested on Monday and the results were confirmed on Tuesday .
Dr Bloomfield added that going forward , he asked for `` anyone being released for compassionate exemption [ to be ] tested and [ have ] a negative result '' before they are released .
Since 8 June , all arrivals in New Zealand are tested for Covid-19 and have to go through a 14-day period of isolation or quarantine .
Late last Monday , New Zealand moved into the lowest tier of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the few countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic normality .
Under this , social distancing is not required and there are no limits on public gatherings .
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern celebrated the move but warned the country would `` certainly see cases again '' , adding that `` elimination is not a point in time , it is a sustained effort '' .
New Zealand has been lauded at a success story for its handling of the virus - it was quick to close its borders and implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases bring New Zealand 's total number of cases since the outbreak began to 1,506 .
The death toll remains unchanged at 22 .

Announcing that he was suspending exemptions to the quarantine rules, he said: "Compassionate exemptions should be rare and rigorous and it appears that this case did not include the checks that we expected to be happening. That's not acceptable."


bbc--2020-06-16--Coronavirus: Peru economy sinks 40% in April amid lockdown

Peru 's economy sank by more than 40 % year-on-year in April , its worst-ever percentage drop in output , amid a lockdown imposed to curb Covid-19 .
Mining dropped sharply in the country - one of the world 's largest producers of copper , gold and silver .
President Martín Vizcarra called it the `` most serious crisis in our history '' .
Despite sweeping measures , Peru has reported nearly 233,000 cases and more than 6,500 deaths , the second-highest numbers in South America after Brazil .
Peru was one of the first in the region to impose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus , and the police and the army were deployed to enforce it .
But experts say this and other measures have not worked properly because large numbers of people disrespect them .
Earlier this month , thousands of street vendors were evicted in the capital , Lima , while reports said social-distancing rules had been largely ignored in rural areas .
Overall , economic activity fell 40.49 % in April compared to the same time last year , according to the government 's statistics agency Inei ( in Spanish ) .
Mining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exports , and production was drastically scaled back because of the Covid-19 restrictions .
Full operation was allowed to resume in May , and economists believe some recovery is expected in the next few months .
Since January , the Peruvian economy - one of the strongest in Latin America over the last decade - has shrunk by 13.1 % on a year-to-year basis , Inei says .
Between March and May , more than 2.3 million people lost their jobs in the Lima metropolitan area - almost half of the region 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , President Vizcarra said the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the economy `` was only comparable with what we had during the Pacific War [ with Chile ] more than 100 years ago '' .
His centrist government had already announced an aid package to millions of families across the country .
On Monday , he unveiled a series of measures to restart the economy , including large infrastructure projects such as hospitals , schools and roads .
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifted ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • STRESS : How to look after your mental health On Sunday , the Archbishop of Lima , Carlos Castillo , warned that people faced starving to death as a result of the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic .
The cathedral was filled with more than 5,000 photographs of people who died with Covid-19 .
Some of them did not receive appropriate medical care as the health system has struggled to cope with the demand , local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment is coming , '' he was quoted as saying in a message broadcast during Sunday 's Mass , according to AP news agency .
`` It would be terrible if in the times to come we have thousands of these photos - but [ instead of people dead with Covid-19 ] , dead of hunger . ''
Restrictions in the country of 32 million people are being gradually lifted , but the lockdown imposed on 16 March has been extended until 30 June , making Peru 's lockdown one of the longest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan , emergencies programme head at the World Health Organization , said Latin America remained a cause for concern .
Brazil has become the country with the world 's second-highest number of infections - more than 888,000 - and deaths , at nearly 44,000 .
Experts say the true figures are likely to be higher because of insufficient testing , and the outbreak is still weeks away from its peak .
Chile has extended a state of catastrophe by 90 days amid a surge in cases - in total , more than 180,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .

Peru was one of the first in the region to impose a lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, and the police and the army were deployed to enforce it. But experts say this and other measures have not worked properly because large numbers of people disrespect them.


bbc--2020-06-16--Yemen war: UN takes Saudi-led coalition off child rights blacklist

Human rights groups have criticised the UN for removing the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen from a blacklist of those whose actions harm children .
The UN found 222 children were killed or injured last year by the coalition , which is backing Yemen 's government in its war with the rebel Houthi movement .
Secretary General António Guterres said that represented a `` sustained and significant decrease '' in casualties .
Human Rights Watch accused him of ignoring evidence of grave violations .
Five years of conflict have devastated Yemen , reportedly killed more than 100,000 people , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Yemen crisis : Why is there a war ?
The UN secretary general 's report to the security council on children and armed conflict said 4,042 grave violations against 2,159 children in Yemen were verified last year .
In total , at least 395 children were killed and 1,447 children were maimed .
It attributed 313 children killed or injured to the Houthis , 222 to the Saudi-led coalition , 96 to the coalition-backed Yemeni armed forces , 51 to militias opposed to the Houthis , five to al-Qaeda in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Islamic State group .
Parties were also responsible for the recruitment of children , detentions , abductions , sexual violence , and attacks on schools and hospitals , the report said .
Despite the alleged violations , Mr Guterres said the Saudi-led coalition would be removed from its global list of state and non-state parties that had failed to put in place measures to protect children .
He cited `` a sustained , significant decrease in killing and maiming due to air strikes '' and the implementation of a memorandum of understanding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strengthen prevention and protection measures .
But Mr Guterres added the programme would be monitored for 12 months and that `` any failure in this regard would result in relisting for the same violation '' .
Human rights groups said the decision left children vulnerable to further attacks .
`` The secretary-general is adding a new level of shame to his 'list of shame ' by removing the Saudi-led coalition and ignoring the UN 's own evidence of continued grave violations against children , '' said Jo Becker , children 's rights advocacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lapar , director of Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict , said the delisting `` sends the message that powerful actors can get away with killing children '' and called for `` an independent , objective , transparent assessment of the process leading to the decision '' .
When asked if Saudi Arabia had exerted pressure on the UN , Mr Guterres ' envoy for children and armed conflict , Virginia Gamba , said : `` Absolutely not . ''
The coalition had been on the blacklist for three years .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following protests from Saudi Arabia .
Then Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accused the kingdom of exerting `` unacceptable '' pressure on the UN , with allied countries allegedly threatening to cut off vital funding for aid programmes .

It attributed 313 children killed or injured to the Houthis, 222 to the Saudi-led coalition, 96 to the coalition-backed Yemeni armed forces, 51 to militias opposed to the Houthis, five to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and two to the Islamic State group.


bbc--2020-06-16--Covid-19: The woman who has become India's 'corona voice'

For millions of Indians , Jasleen Bhalla 's is a familiar voice .
When you dial a phone number in India you do n't always hear a ringing as you wait for the other person to answer , but sometimes a piece of music or a message , known locally as a `` caller tune '' .
And for the past two-and-a-half months , her warm and soothing tones are the first thing people hear when they make a telephone call .
The voiceover artist , with her message instructing Indians how to behave during the pandemic , has come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corona voice '' .
A voice actor for a decade , she is also the voice of a private airline , one of India 's biggest telecom companies and the Delhi Metro 's airport service - it 's her voice that tells you what the next station is and whether the doors will open on the right or the left .
But , it 's the coronavirus campaign that has brought her into the limelight .
In the past week , since it became known that the Covid-19 awareness message is spoken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrity of sorts .
The Indian press has picked up her story , on social media her voice has been described as `` superb '' and `` spiffing '' , and memes and TikTok videos have been made around her audio clip .
`` I was just doing my job [ until a week ago ] and no-one knew me and then one TV interview went viral and my life 's changed , '' she told the BBC .
Like so many voice artists , Ms Bhalla was not known `` because a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
But the pandemic , she says , is `` making me stand out because the nation is unified in fear , and they are also unified in the knowledge that here 's this voice I hear every day and so does everyone else '' .
`` I 'm obviously loving the popularity , the attention , '' she says , `` but then who wants the tag of corona voice ? ''
It began with a call she received from a studio in early March saying there was a message from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be recorded urgently .
`` My producer said it had to be 30 seconds , you have to sound warm and friendly , but also concerned and responsible and , at the same time , instructive , '' she told me over the phone from her home in Delhi .
It was the early days of the pandemic in India and not everyone knew the protocols they had to follow to stay safe .
The message she was asked to record began with `` Namaskar !
Coronavirus ya Covid-19 se aaj poora desh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire country is fighting against coronavirus… ] '' .
It went on to advise people to `` stay home , stay safe '' - not to leave home unless absolutely necessary , wear a face mask when going out , wash hands frequently with soap and maintain social distancing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
• Is social distancing an oxymoron in India ?
`` I was asked to record it in English and Hindi .
I did four or five takes of each , sent it over and forgot about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until a couple of days later when my family and friends started telling me : do you know you 're everywhere when we call ? ''
Ms Bhalla says when she recorded the campaign , she had no idea where it was going to be used or that it would have such a wide reach .
But telecom firms , instructed by the government to replace caller tunes with the public health message , played and replayed the 30-second audio clip , making Ms Bhalla 's voice among the most recognised in India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she has recorded two more updates as the situation has evolved and the guidelines changed .
`` The second message was recorded when doctors and nurses and other frontline staff were being shunned by people and I was asked to remind them that 'we are fighting the ailment , not the ailing ' .
`` It was very emotional , I had goosebumps as I read out those lines .
They were beautiful and conveyed my emotion too , '' she says .
The third message was recorded when social distancing rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to maintain a distance of two metres and not one , as earlier instructed .
Some people , though , have complained that they find the message `` irritating '' because they are being made to hear it repeatedly .
Some even put out advisories on how to bypass it .
Ms Bhalla says she understands that some people find the message too repetitive and might want to give it a miss - after all , she also has to listen to it when she makes a call .
`` I know it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seconds , and it 's my voice telling me to wash your hands and wear your mask and use your hand sanitiser , '' she says .
`` But we are in a grave situation , are n't we ?
`` For caution to become the new normal for all of us , I think this bitter-sweet pill is much needed .
It 's a logical and effective tool to spread the message far and wide . ''
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• FACE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
• WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE BODY ?
Doctors on the front line explain

"I was asked to record it in English and Hindi. I did four or five takes of each, sent it over and forgot about it," she says, "until a couple of days later when my family and friends started telling me: do you know you're everywhere when we call?"


bbc--2020-06-16--A Bee C: Scientists translate honeybee queen duets

Scientists using highly sensitive vibration detectors have decoded honeybee queens ' `` tooting and quacking '' duets in the hive .
Worker bees make new queens by sealing eggs inside special cells with wax and feeding them royal jelly .
The queens quack when ready to emerge - but if two are free at the same time , they will fight to the death .
So when one hatches , its quacks turn to toots , telling the workers to keep the others - still quacking - captive .
The findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports .
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr Martin Bencsik , from Nottingham Trent University , who led this study , described the tooting and quacking of these `` wonderful animals '' as `` extraordinary '' .
`` You can hear the queens responding to each other , '' he said .
`` It has been assumed that the queens were talking to other queens - possibly sizing one another up vocally to see who is strongest .
`` But we now have proof for the alternative explanation . ''
Tooting , the researchers found , is a queen moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the workers .
The quacking is from queens that are ready to come out but are still captive inside their cells .
The queens are not talking to each other , explained Dr Bencsik , `` it 's communication between the queen and the worker bees - an entire society of tens of thousands of bees trying to release one queen at a time .
`` Quacking queens are purposefully kept captive by the worker bees - they will not release the quacking queens because they can hear the tooting .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the queen would have swarmed [ split the colony and set out to find a new nest ] and this triggers the colony to release a new queen . ''
Dr Bencsik said bee society was `` absolutely splendid '' to observe .
`` All decisions are group decisions , '' he said .
`` It 's the worker bees that decide if they want a new queen or not . ''
With honeybees under threat of extinction , beekeepers and the hives they provide are crucial for their survival .
The researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid interfering with this delicate collective decision-making and to predict when their own colonies might be about to swarm .

The queens are not talking to each other, explained Dr Bencsik, "it's communication between the queen and the worker bees - an entire society of tens of thousands of bees trying to release one queen at a time.


bbc--2020-06-16--Chronixx: Our generation needs a new type of protest

Reggae giant Chronixx says the world needs a new type of protest for meaningful change to happen .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ the British system now it 's still going to be prejudiced against people like myself @ @ @ @ @ speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat about his new song Same Prayer , which he says @ @ @ @ @ the younger generation '' .
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - @ @ @ @ @

Reggae giant Chronixx says the world needs a new type of protest for meaningful change to happen.
"If you change 100 things about the British system now it's still going to be prejudiced against people like myself."
The 27-year-old was speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat about his new song Same Prayer, which he says is a "prayer for the younger generation".
Video journalist: Kameron Virk
Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.


bbc--2020-06-15--Coronavirus: The first thing I bought when the shops reopened

As stores across England selling non-essential goods opened their doors for the first time since the lockdown began , shoppers arrived early to centre : mk in Milton Keynes .
Some were picking up goods they had been waiting months to buy , such as baby clothes and home furnishings .
Others were here for the sales .
These shoppers told us what they bought - and why .
`` We bought lots of handbags for my wife , because she loves to buy bags from TK Maxx , '' says Paul Sabato , 56 .
`` We came today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After three months being closed - we knew there would be good sales and there are . ''
And Mr Sabato and his wife Jennifer Sabato , 44 , have plans to return .
`` We also bought some shoes and sunglasses .
We spent £570 but this would be worth more than £1,000 normally .
We 're going to drop these bags at home then come back and see what sales there are at Zara . ''
`` We came to buy my daughter some new clothes for work because she starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H & M warehouse , '' says Arlene Dela Pena , 53 , out shopping with Jessica , 20 .
`` I 'm not worried about the virus because I work in a hospital and as long as I have my mask and sanitise my hands and keep distant , then I think it will be safe . ''
`` We 're here to buy clothes .
There are some great bargains , '' says Sophie Quantick , 27 .
`` I got this dress for £20 .
We were here at 9.30 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zara there was a queue .
It 's like a theme park , you have to have a strategy . ''
`` We wanted to put on makeup and be normal and have a normal shopping experience , even though we have been buying online during the lockdown , '' says Bryony Martin , 29 .
`` We have a rollercoaster mindset - what 's the best shop ?
Go there first . ''
`` We wanted to buy home stuff like these cushions , '' says Ahmed Khan , 33 , accompanied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baby Mirha .
`` We moved into our new home in January , then we went to Pakistan for my brother 's wedding and when we came back in April all the shops were shut .
`` We came today because it 's the first day the shops are open .
We were expecting sales and there have been .
We could have bought online but it 's not the same experience . ''
`` We came to buy summer clothes for the children .
We went to Primark first but the queue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ H & M , '' says Erika Stara , 41 , standing alongside her children Rebecca and Marco .
`` I wanted to come today and get out and see people , and have some retail therapy . ''
`` The queue and the social distancing mean it feels different here , '' adds Rebecca , 12 .
`` I bought nightwear and baby clothes because Primark was open .
I 'm pregnant and I 've been waiting to get some baby stuff , '' says Shantel Brown , 35 .
`` Everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanitiser at the entrance .
As long as we 've got our masks on , we 're fine . ''
`` I bought tops , shorts and summer clothes .
I came because mum forced me , '' adds her daughter Tee , 16 .
`` I came to pick up a new watch strap , '' says Greg Dulson , 68 .
`` The strap on my favourite watch broke and I brought it in to the watchmaker 's the day before lockdown .
They said come back tomorrow but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sulking .
But now my favourite watch is back .
I 've had it 10 years . ''
`` I bought a jumpsuit because Primark was open and the weather 's getting better again , '' says Katie Kirby , 18 .
`` I did go just to get some essentials like pants and socks , but I when I saw the jumpsuit I had to treat myself because the shops have n't been open for so long . ''
`` We do keep our distance in the store .
We thought it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once we were in there it was just the same . ''
Zac Hopkins , 21 , adds : `` I bought a skipping rope so I can do some exercise at home .
You ca n't go to the gym and they 're sold out in lots of shops . ''
`` I came to Hugo Boss because I wanted to buy some tracksuits for my two brothers and the shops have been closed for three months , '' says Tom Hunjan , 34 .
`` I bought myself one too .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wearing , but in white .
The shop did n't have them in though so they 're ordering them for me and I 'll come back in a few days .
Why do I like Hugo Boss so much ?
It 's probably just marketing .
`` I also needed some new boxer shorts because yesterday I noticed an inconveniently placed hole . ''
All photographs by Phil Coomes with reporting by Vivienne Nunis .

As stores across England selling non-essential goods opened their doors for the first time since the lockdown began, shoppers arrived early to centre:mk in Milton Keynes. Some were picking up goods they had been waiting months to buy, such as baby clothes and home furnishings. Others were here for the sales. These shoppers told us what they bought - and why.


bbc--2020-06-16--Men's T20 World Cup 'unlikely' to take place this year

The men 's T20 World Cup in Australia is `` unlikely '' to take place this year because of coronavirus , says Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings .
The tournament is due to run from 18 October to 15 November at seven venues .
`` Trying to get 16 countries into Australia , when most countries are still going through Covid spiking , is unrealistic , or will be very , very difficult , '' said Eddings .
No international cricket has been played since 13 March .
Australia beat New Zealand in a behind-closed-doors men 's one-day international in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , shortly after the country had hosted the Women 's T20 World Cup .
England are set to host a delayed three-Test series against West Indies starting on 8 July .
The International Cricket Council ( ICC ) said in April that planning for the men 's T20 World Cup and the Women 's 2021 World Cup - due to take place in Australia in February and March - was `` ongoing '' .
`` The ICC are having meetings as we speak .
It 's a bit of a moving feast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 've put forward a number of different options to the ICC that we 're working through . ''

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
West Indies beat England in the 2016 World T20 final
The men's T20 World Cup in Australia is "unlikely" to take place this year because of coronavirus, says Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings.
The tournament is due to run from 18 October to 15 November at seven venues.
"Trying to get 16 countries into Australia, when most countries are still going through Covid spiking, is unrealistic, or will be very, very difficult," said Eddings.
No international cricket has been played since 13 March.
Australia beat New Zealand in a behind-closed-doors men's one-day international in Sydney in the last fixture to take place, shortly after the country had hosted the Women's T20 World Cup.
England are set to host a delayed three-Test series against West Indies starting on 8 July.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) said in April that planning for the men's T20 World Cup and the Women's 2021 World Cup - due to take place in Australia in February and March - was "ongoing".
"The ICC are having meetings as we speak. It's a bit of a moving feast at the moment," said Eddings.
"We've put forward a number of different options to the ICC that we're working through."


bbc--2020-06-16--'I'll get my hazmat suit ready' - Kyrgios criticises 'selfish' US Open

Last updated on .From the section Tennis Nick Kyrgios says the United States Tennis Association is being `` selfish '' by intending to stage the US Open from 31 August .
Novak Djokovic , Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep have all voiced concerns over the plans with New York still recording hundreds of coronavirus cases per day .
Kyrgios said he will get his `` hazmat suit ready '' for when he travels .
• None Williams would 'love to play ' US Open '' People that live in the US of course are pushing the Open to go ahead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number 40 posted on Twitter .
`` I 'll get my hazmat suit ready for when I travel from Australia and then have to quarantine for two weeks on my return . ''
Current rules in Australia state that anyone arriving in the country from overseas would be quarantined for 14 days .
The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases and the highest death toll in the world with New York its hardest-hit state with more than 30,000 deaths .
Queens , the New York borough where the US Open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the second-highest death toll of any county in the US .
Wimbledon has been cancelled this summer while organisers hope the French Open will be held in the autumn .
There are expected to be restrictions in place if the US Open does go ahead as planned , including players only being permitted to have one person to accompany them throughout the tournament .
Djokovic called the limits `` extreme '' while Nadal said he has little desire to defend his men 's singles title .
Nadal said the sport should return when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe circumstances .
However , Britain 's Dan Evans has said the restrictions on support staff are `` not such a big deal '' while American Danielle Collins , the world number 51 , criticised Djokovic 's stance .
`` It 's easy when someone 's made $ 150m throughout their career to try and tell people what to do with their money , and then turn down playing in the US Open , '' she said .
WTA and ATP Tour events are suspended until the end of July at the earliest @

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
No professional tournaments have been held since the start of March
Nick Kyrgios says the United States Tennis Association is being "selfish" by staging the US Open from 31 August.
On Tuesday, organisers confirmed that the Grand Slam would go ahead behind closed doors, after clearance from New York's governor Andrew Cuomo.
Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Simona Halep have all voiced concerns over the plans with New York still recording hundreds of coronavirus cases per day.
Kyrgios said he will get his "hazmat suit ready" for when he travels.
"People that live in the US of course are pushing the Open to go ahead - selfish," the Australian world number 40 posted on Twitter. external-link
"I'll get my hazmat suit ready for when I travel from Australia and then have to quarantine for two weeks on my return."
Current rules in Australia state that anyone arriving in the country from overseas would be quarantined for 14 days.
The United States has the highest number of coronavirus cases and the highest death toll in the world with New York its hardest-hit state with more than 30,000 deaths.
Queens, the New York borough where the US Open is held at Flushing Meadows, has the second-highest death toll of any county in the US.
Wimbledon has been cancelled this summer while organisers hope the French Open will be held in the autumn.
There are expected to be restrictions in place in New York, including players only being permitted to have one person to accompany them throughout the tournament.
Djokovic called the limits "extreme" while Nadal said he has little desire to defend his men's singles title.
Nadal said the sport should return when all players are able to travel under safe circumstances.
However, Britain's Dan Evans has said the restrictions on support staff are "not such a big deal" while American Danielle Collins, the world number 51, criticised Djokovic's stance.
"It's easy when someone's made $150m throughout their career to try and tell people what to do with their money, and then turn down playing in the US Open," she said.
WTA and ATP Tour events are suspended until the end of July at the earliest.


bbc--2020-06-16--Cricket Australia: Chief executive Kevin Roberts resigns

Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts has resigned after months of criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis .
@ @ @ @ @ his cost-cutting measures , including asking 80 % of staff to take a pay cut @ @ @ @ @ October 2018 following James Sutherland 's 17-year tenure .
Englishman Nick Hockley , the chief @ @ @ @ @ Cup , has replaced Roberts on an interim basis .
Cricket Australia said a wider @ @ @ @ @ the governing body will be announced this week .
Roberts is the third CEO of @ @ @ @ @ depart in the past two months after the National Rugby League 's Todd Greenberg and @ @ @ @ @ stood down in April .
• Men 's T20 World Cup 'unlikely ' this year @ @ @ @

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Roberts had 18 months remaining on his contract
Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts has resigned after months of criticism over his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
The 47-year-old was criticised for his cost-cutting measures, external-link including asking 80% of staff to take a pay cut.
He was appointed in October 2018 following James Sutherland's 17-year tenure.
Englishman Nick Hockley, the chief executive of the T20 World Cup, has replaced Roberts on an interim basis.
Cricket Australia said a wider "operational reset" at the governing body will be announced this week.
Roberts is the third CEO of a major Australian sport to depart in the past two months after the National Rugby League's Todd Greenberg and Rugby Australia's Raelene Castle stood down in April.


bbc--2020-06-16--'New' season, same old Arsenal? Lawro's Premier League predictions are back

The Premier League is back , and so is Lawro .
BBC Sport 's football expert Mark Lawrenson is making predictions for the remaining 92 top-flight games , starting with Aston Villa versus Sheffield United and Manchester City against Arsenal on Wednesday .
`` It 's fantastic that football is resuming , '' he said .
`` There are going to be record TV audiences , and it gives a lot of people something to look forward to .
`` There are so many different factors that will make it fascinating to watch .
`` Some teams might take longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stride so there might be some strange results in the first few games , but I think there will be more surprises from the teams at the bottom than the top .
`` It wo n't feel like the same season for most people - any kind of form , good or bad , that they were in mid-March will go out of the window .
`` And playing behind closed doors is going to be very strange .
Even without spectators , home teams will still have the same routine , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so there is an advantage there - but it is not as big as if you have got 50,000 people roaring you on .
`` It will be very interesting to see if that affects referees too .
Normally if they make a big decision against the home team , they face howls of derision .
`` And , if you are away from home , on a booking and you make another heavy tackle , then everyone in the stands is usually trying to get you another yellow and sent off .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that . ''
A correct result ( picking a win , draw or defeat ) is worth 10 points .
The exact score earns 40 points .
It is obvious where Villa need to improve if they are going to climb out of the bottom three because , defensively , they have been a nightmare .
They have made a lot of individual mistakes and have conceded an average of two goals a game in the Premier League this season , which means they usually need to score at least three to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you are not going to get very far .
This is a chance for them to put that behind them , though .
They were on a run of four straight league defeats when the season stopped , but it wo n't feel like that because it is so long ago that they last played - 100 days , exactly , since they lost 4-0 at Leicester on 9 March .
They will not have turned into world-beaters overnight but I have heard Jack Grealish talking about how they are raring to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is a fresh start for them , and a chance to cut those errors out .
In normal circumstances , Sheffield United would be the favourites here because of the season they have had , but both teams will feel like guinea pigs because no-one knows quite what to expect .
You can guarantee every other Premier League team will be watching both of Wednesday 's games , seeing if they can learn anything that they can use themselves .
City 's last game was a derby defeat at Old Trafford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
That performance is long gone now , though - I am sure most of their players can not remember last week , let alone their last game .
Neither they nor Arsenal are going to have changed too much since we last saw them - you just know City will have trained loads with the ball and they will play good , attacking , football .
I do n't think Arsenal will have found a steely resolve in midfield or defence , because they have just not got it .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regardless of the fact they are playing in an empty stadium , they have got better players than Arsenal .
City 's potential European ban is hanging over them a little bit - the decision on their appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport is due in July .
But even if their suspension is upheld , I can not see Arsenal making fifth spot and qualifying for the Champions League that way .
Yes , they won three league games in a row before the season was stopped but they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beat - West Ham , Everton and Newcastle .
It was not a sign that anything had changed with the Gunners .
It might feel like a new season , but they are the same old Arsenal .

The Premier League is back, and so is Lawro.
BBC Sport's football expert Mark Lawrenson will make predictions for the remaining 92 top-flight games and started with Aston Villa versus Sheffield United and Manchester City against Arsenal on Wednesday.
"It's fantastic that football is resuming," he said. "There are going to be record TV audiences, and it gives a lot of people something to look forward to.
"There are so many different factors that will make it fascinating to watch.
"Some teams might take longer than others to get back into their stride so there might be some strange results in the first few games, but I think there will be more surprises from the teams at the bottom than the top.
"It won't feel like the same season for most people - any kind of form, good or bad, that they were in mid-March will go out of the window.
"And playing behind closed doors is going to be very strange. Even without spectators, home teams will still have the same routine, and still be used to their own pitch so there is an advantage there - but it is not as big as if you have got 50,000 people roaring you on.
"It will be very interesting to see if that affects referees too. Normally if they make a big decision against the home team, they face howls of derision.
"And, if you are away from home, on a booking and you make another heavy tackle, then everyone in the stands is usually trying to get you another yellow and sent off. We are not going to see any of that."
Premier League predictions Result Lawro WEDNESDAY Aston Villa v Sheff Utd 0-0 1-1 Man City v Arsenal 3-0 2-0
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
LAWRO'S PREDICTIONS
WEDNESDAY
Aston Villa 0-0 Sheffield United
Lawro's prediction: 1-1
Match report
Man City 3-0 Arsenal
Lawro's prediction: 2-0
Match report
+/- DENOTE POSITION DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAWRO'S TABLE AND ACTUAL POSITION TEAM P W D L PTS +/- 1 Liverpool 29 26 3 0 81 0 2 Man City 28 26 1 1 79 0 3 Chelsea 29 21 4 4 67 +1 4 Tottenham 29 18 6 5 60 +4 =5 Arsenal 28 13 8 7 47 +4 =5 Leicester 29 14 5 10 47 -2 7 Man Utd 29 12 8 9 44 -2 8 Burnley 29 12 5 12 41 +2 9 Wolves 29 12 4 40 40 -3 10 West Ham 29 11 5 13 38 +6 11 Everton 29 10 7 12 37 +1 12 Watford 29 10 5 14 35 +5 13 Aston Villa 28 10 4 15 34 +6 14 Bournemouth 29 10 2 17 32 +4 15 Newcastle 29 9 3 17 30 -2 16 Sheff Utd 28 7 4 17 25 -9 =17 Crystal Palace 29 6 6 17 24 -6 =17 Southampton 29 7 3 19 24 -3 19 Brighton 29 7 2 20 23 -4 20 Norwich 29 2 7 20 13 0
GUEST LEADERBOARD 2019-20
Score Guest leaderboard 160 Gabriel Luna 140 Arnold Schwarzenegger 110 Daisy May and Charlie Cooper 100 Adam Peaty 90 Avelino, Helen Housby, Jo Harten, Bobby Seagull, Geraint Thomas 80 Tom Davis, Andy Murray, Stephen Graham 74 Lawro (average after 29 weeks) 70 David Baddiel, Richard Hawley, Kojo, Michael Johnson, Craig Mitch, Alex Scott 60 Sonny Bill Williams, Georgia, Katie Ormerod, Serge from Kasabian, Stefan Ratchford 50 Chelcee Grimes, Reece Parkinson, Sam Warburton 40 Stephen Fry, Hugh Grant, Tom Grennan, Neil Jones, Tommy O'Dell, Steve Queralt 30 Matthew McConaughey, Seth Rollins 20 Sam Bird
Total scores after week 29 Lawro 2,160 Guests 1,940


bbc--2020-06-16--Coronavirus: Dexamethasone proves first life-saving drug

A cheap and widely available drug can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with coronavirus .
The low-dose steroid treatment dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus , UK experts say .
The drug is part of the world 's biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus .
It cut the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators .
For those on oxygen , it cut deaths by a fifth .
Had the drug had been used to treat patients in the UK from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 5,000 lives could have been saved , researchers say .
And it could be of huge benefit in poorer countries with high numbers of Covid-19 patients .
The UK government has 200,000 courses of the drug in its stockpile and says the NHS will make dexamethasone available to patients .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there was a genuine case to celebrate `` a remarkable British scientific achievement '' , adding : `` We have taken steps to ensure we have enough supplies , even in the event of a second peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Chris Whitty said it would save lives around the world .
• The drug combination that may help us beat Covid-19 About 19 out of 20 patients with coronavirus recover without being admitted to hospital .
Of those who are admitted , most also recover but some may need oxygen or mechanical ventilation .
And these are the high-risk patients dexamethasone appears to help .
The drug is already used to reduce inflammation in a range of other conditions , including arthritis , asthma and some skin conditions .
And it appears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that can happen when the body 's immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight off coronavirus .
This over-reaction , a cytokine storm , can be deadly .
In the trial , led by a team from Oxford University , about 2,000 hospital patients were given dexamethasone and compared with more than 4,000 who were not .
For patients on ventilators , it cut the risk of death from 40 % to 28 % .
For patients needing oxygen , it cut the risk of death from 25 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Horby said : `` This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality - and it reduces it significantly .
It 's a major breakthrough . ''
Lead researcher Prof Martin Landray said the findings suggested one life could be saved for : • every eight patients on a ventilator '' There is a clear , clear benefit , '' he said .
`` The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it costs about £5 per patient .
`` So essentially it costs £35 to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a drug that is globally available . ''
When appropriate , hospital patients should now be given it without delay , Prof Landray said .
But people should not go out and buy it to take at home .
Dexamethasone does not appear to help people with milder symptoms of coronavirus who do not need help with their breathing .
The Recovery Trial , running since March , also looked at the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine , which has subsequently been ditched amid concerns it increases fatalities and heart problems .
The antiviral drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shorten recovery time for people with coronavirus , is already being made available on the NHS .
The first drug proven to cut deaths from Covid-19 is not some new , expensive medicine but an old , cheap-as-chips steroid .
That is something to celebrate because it means patients across the world could benefit immediately .
And that is why the top-line results of this trial have been rushed out - because the implications are so huge globally .
Dexamethasone has been used since the early 1960s to treat a wide range of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asthma .
Half of all Covid patients who require a ventilator do not survive , so cutting that risk by a third would have a huge impact .
The drug is given intravenously in intensive care and in tablet form for less seriously ill patients .
So far , the only other drug proven to benefit Covid patients is remdesivir , which has been used for Ebola .
That has been shown to reduce the duration of coronavirus symptoms from 15 days to 11 .
But the evidence was not strong enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dexamethasone , remdesivir is a new drug with limited supplies and a price has yet to be announced .
• SYMPTOMS : What are they and how to guard against them ?
• EUROPE LOCKDOWN : How is it being lifted ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

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bbc--2020-06-17--US police reform: Trump signs executive order on 'best practice'

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order introducing several police reforms while rejecting calls to defund or dismantle the police .
His order offers federal grants to improve practices , including creating a database to trace abuses by officers .
It comes amid anger over the police killings of African Americans , but Mr Trump did not comment about the ongoing US racism debate .
Several US cities have proposed more radical reforms .
Speaking at the White House on Tuesday , Mr Trump began by saying he had met a number of African-American families who had lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Antwon Rose , Botham Jean and Ahmaud Arbery - the black jogger killed in Georgia earlier this year .
No representatives of the families were present with Mr Trump , who spoke while flanked by law enforcement officers .
What did Trump say ?
In his address , the president again defended police while condemning looters and `` anarchy '' .
`` We have to find common ground , '' Mr Trump said .
`` But I strongly oppose the radical and dangerous efforts to defund , dismantle and dissolve our police departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police , there 's chaos '' .
`` Americans believe we must support the brave men and women in blue who police our streets and keep us safe , '' Mr Trump said .
`` Americans also believe we must improve accountability , increase transparency and invest more resources in police training , recruiting and community engagement . ''
The latest drive for reform began after the death in police custody of George Floyd last month .
Mr Floyd died after a white police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck for almost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests led by the Black Lives Matter movement .
There was fresh outrage after the death of another black man , Rayshard Brooks , who was shot during an attempted arrest in Atlanta last Friday .
• The struggle that cost Rayshard Brooks his life • Why US protests are so powerful this time What does the Trump order include ?
The Trump announcement comes as Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress are developing reforms of their own .
The president 's executive order aims to provide incentives for police departments to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` best practices '' .
It will create a federal database of complaints against officers .
It will also encourage the deployment of social workers alongside officers to deal with non-violent cases involving drug addiction and homelessness .
The White House has stressed the idea is to bring the police closer to communities .
The order will also prioritise federal grants to departments that obtain certifications of high standards regarding de-escalation training and use of force .
`` As part of this new credentialing process , chokeholds will be banned except if an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mr Trump said .
`` Everybody said it 's time , we have to do it . ''
The president said the government was looking into new `` less lethal weapons to prevent deadly interactions '' .
Mr Trump has described the Atlanta incident as `` very disturbing '' , and said his initiative was `` about safety '' .
The president has also condemned George Floyd 's death , but rejected suggestions of ingrained racism in police forces .
What do critics say ?
Critics say the measures fall short of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Following the announcement , Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on lawmakers to pass bolder legislation .
`` Unfortunately , this executive order will not deliver the comprehensive meaningful change and accountability in our nation 's police departments that Americans are demanding , '' he said .
Top House Democrat Nancy Pelosi said the order `` falls sadly and seriously short of what is required to combat the epidemic of racial injustice and police brutality that is murdering hundreds of Black Americans '' .
`` During this moment of national anguish , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not meekly surrender to the bare minimum , '' she continued .
The president 's order also does not affect qualified immunity - a doctrine that protects government officials from being liable unless they violate `` clearly established '' constitutional rights .
Supporters of reform say the doctrine means police are not held accountable , but the White House has called the issue a nonstarter , and the Supreme Court on Monday also declined to review it .
Kristina Roth , a senior criminal justice programme officer at Amnesty International USA , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Band-Aid for a bullet wound '' .
With the signing of the executive order , Trump caved - a bit .
He has called himself a law-and-order president and taken a hard-line approach on the protestors .
But on Tuesday , he spoke of changes within the police force .
He used dramatic language , saying he was concerned about justice .
He also described the executive order , saying some officers would , for example , now be accompanied by social workers when they go out to help drug addicts or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardly the sweeping reform that activists have called for , however .
The president spoke with even more passion about the economy , and the White House was filled with staffers who were not wearing masks .
They - like the president - were trying to convey the message that the nation and its economy are now returning to its once-healthy self .
What other reforms have been proposed ?
In Minneapolis , some council members have announced plans to defund and dismantle the police department .
In Atlanta , following Rayshard Brooks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demanded a series of changes concerning the use of lethal force by police .
These include a `` duty to intervene '' if a police officer sees misconduct by a colleague .
San Francisco , Los Angeles , New York and Chicago are among the cities that have said they will reform their policies on the use of force , and root out racist officers .
In New York , Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation on Tuesday requiring state police troopers to wear body cameras and creating a new office to investigate police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Democrats have introduced their own legislation into the House of Representatives .
It calls for a ban on the chokeholds method of restraining suspects , and a ban on no-knock warrants - which allow police to enter a property without notifying residents .
• WATCH : 'This is why we are protesting' • BACKGROUND : Five pieces of context to understand the protests • CRIME AND JUSTICE : How are African Americans treated ?

He used dramatic language, saying he was concerned about justice. He also described the executive order, saying some officers would, for example, now be accompanied by social workers when they go out to help drug addicts or homeless people.