bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: Victoria ticket worker dies after being spat at

A railway ticket office worker has died with coronavirus after being spat at by a man who claimed he had Covid-19 .
Belly Mujinga , 47 , who had underlying respiratory problems , was working at Victoria station in London in March when she was assaulted , along with a female colleague .
Within days of the incident , both women fell ill with the virus .
British Transport Police said an inquiry had been launched to trace the man who spat at the pair .
Mrs Mujinga was on the concourse of Victoria station on 22 March when she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ husband Lusamba Gode Katalay said the man had asked his wife what she was doing and why she was there .
`` She told him she was working and the man said he had the virus and spat on her , '' he added .
Mrs Mujinga was admitted to Barnet Hospital on 2 April and was put on a ventilator .
But she died three days later , the Transport Salaried Staffs Association ( TSSA ) , said .
The Prime Minister 's official spokesman described the attack on the key worker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he called his wife on a video app when she was in hospital , but did n't hear from her again .
`` I thought she might be asleep , but the doctor phoned me to tell me she had died , '' he said .
`` She was a good person , a good mother , and a good wife .
She was a caring person and would take care of everybody . ''
Her cousin Agnes Ntumba told the BBC that Mrs Mujinga believed she was safe in her usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` They should not have made her work on the concourse , '' she said .
`` She should n't have died in this condition .
We could have prevented it - if she had more PPE or if they kept her inside instead of being on the concourse . ''
TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said : `` We are shocked and devastated at Belly 's death .
She is one of far too many front-line workers who have lost their lives to coronavirus . ''
The union added that there were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` As a vulnerable person in the 'at-risk ' category , and her condition known to her employer , there are questions about why she was n't stood down from frontline duties early on in this pandemic , '' Mr Cortes said .
Ms Mujinga 's employer , Govia Thameslink Railway ( GTR ) , said it `` took any allegations extremely seriously '' and that it was investigating all claims .
Angie Doll , of GTR , said : `` The safety of our customers and staff , who are key @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mind at all times and we follow the latest government advice . ''
Latest figures show 42 Transport for London ( TfL ) workers have died with Covid-19 , in addition to 10 Network Rail staff .
• SCHOOLS : When will children be returning ?
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• RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the symptoms ?

"She shouldn't have died in this condition. We could have prevented it - if she had more PPE or if they kept her inside instead of being on the concourse."


bbc--2020-05-12--US Supreme Court hears arguments over Trump's tax returns

The US Supreme Court has heard arguments on whether President Donald Trump should be allowed to keep his financial records secret , in a major showdown over presidential powers .
Mr Trump has refused to share documents that could shed light on his fortune and the work of his family company .
Two congressional committees and New York prosecutors demand the release of his tax returns and other information .
Mr Trump 's private lawyers argue he enjoys total immunity while in office .
A ruling is expected within weeks .
Unlike other recent presidents , Mr Trump has refused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision against him could result in his personal financial information becoming public in the campaign season .
Experts say the ruling will have far-reaching implications for the ability of Congress to scrutinise the activities of sitting presidents and of prosecutors to investigate them .
The judges heard the cases remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic .
The Supreme Court has a 5-4 conservative majority and includes two Trump appointees - Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh .
What are the cases about ?
In the three cases , Mr Trump 's lawyers tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over evidence .
Lower courts in Washington and New York ruled against the president in all cases , but those decisions have been put on hold pending a final court ruling .
Two committees at the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives demanded financial records from two banks that did deals with Mr Trump - Deutsche Bank and Capital One - as well as from Mazars , the president 's accountants .
Deutsche Bank was one of the few banks willing to lend to Mr Trump after a series of corporate bankruptcies in the 1990s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records related to the president , the Trump Organization and his family .
Mr Trump 's lawyers argued that Congress had no authority to issue the subpoenas , and no valid justification to seek the records .
Mazars is also the recipient of a subpoena from Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr , a Democrat .
The investigation concerns alleged hush money payments made by Mr Trump 's former lawyer Michael Cohen to two women - adult film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal - who both say they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denies the affairs took place .
Mr Trump 's lawyers said his records could not be handed over because his position gave him immunity from any criminal proceeding while in office .
The banks and the accounting firm said they would release the information if ordered .
The question for the Supreme Court justices was whether Mr Trump 's accountants and bankers will hand over financial records from his past .
But the bigger issue , the one that loomed over the justices ' teleconference , concerned the balance of power between Congress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the call was amiable enough , with one of the lawyers referring to the others as his `` friends '' .
But below the banter , the debate was fierce : conservative justices asked questions that showed their concerns about the harassment of the president and the erosion of the power of the executive branch .
In turn , liberal justices asked questions that showed their worries about Mr Trump 's time in office and about the presidency itself .
The liberal justices clearly want to rein him in and restrict the power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court teleconference sounded much like debates taking place across the US , a deeply divided nation in which people are fighting over fundamental beliefs and principles - with Mr Trump , as always , at the red-hot centre .
What was said ?
The congressional cases were heard together , and the justices seemed divided based on their inclinations .
The liberals appeared more sympathetic toward the House position although they raised questions about the potential lack of limits on Congress ' power to subpoena the president 's personal records .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the House , to explain why the subpoenas were not simply harassment of the president , and whether Congress should be limited in issuing them .
Mr Letter pointed out that the measures , in these cases , were directed at third parties and had been upheld by lower courts .
But Jeffrey Wall , a Justice Department lawyer who argued in favour of Mr Trump , said the subpoenas had a `` profound potential '' to `` harass and undermine the president '' .
`` It 's not much to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president 's personal life it explains in some meaningful way what laws it is considering and why it needs the president 's documents in particular .
The subpoenas here do n't even come close . ''
Conservative Chief Justice John Roberts was sceptical that Congress had no authority to issue a subpoena , as suggested by the Trump defence team , but also raised questions that congressional power was limitless .
Justice Roberts also seemed to disagree with Mr Letter , who argued that lawmakers had broad authority to seek information about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Your test is not much of a test .
It 's not a limitation , '' the chief justice said .
Liberal Justice Elena Kagan told Jay Sekulow , a lawyer for Mr Trump , that a `` fundamental precept of our constitutional order is that the president is not above the law '' .
But Mr Gorsuch expressed concern that members of Congress were abusing the process to hunt for illegal activity , saying : `` Normally we use law enforcement tools like subpoenas to investigate known crimes and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Later , in the case involving the Manhattan district attorney 's subpoena , the justices indicated doubt over Mr Sekulow 's argument that a president can not be investigated while in office .
What is the background ?
The cases being heard resemble earlier disputes over the powers of a sitting president .
In 1974 , the court unanimously decided that President Richard Nixon must comply with a court 's subpoena for tape recordings in the Watergate scandal .
And in another unanimous decision , in 1997 , it allowed a sexual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill Clinton .
Justices appointed by Mr Nixon and Mr Clinton voted against them in the cases .

"It's not much to ask that before the House delves into the president's personal life it explains in some meaningful way what laws it is considering and why it needs the president's documents in particular. The subpoenas here don't even come close."


bbc--2020-05-12--Afghan attack: Babies killed as gunmen storm Kabul maternity ward

Two babies and 12 mothers and nurses were killed in a militant attack on a hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday morning .
Another 15 people , including a number of children , were injured in the attack by several gunmen , officials said .
Meanwhile , in the east , a bombing at a funeral killed at least 24 people .
In the wake of the attacks , President Ashraf Ghani said he was ordering the resumption of offensive operations against the Taliban and other groups .
He accused the militants of ignoring repeated calls for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( IS ) group said it was behind the attack on a police commander 's funeral in Nangarhar , in the east of the country .
It is still not clear who carried out the attack on the hospital , and the Taliban have denied any involvement .
A maternity ward in the hospital is run by the international medical charity Médecins sans Frontières ( MSF ) and some of those working there are foreigners .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the attack on the hospital `` sheer evil '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement he urged the Afghan government and the Taliban to co-operate to `` bring the perpetrators to justice '' .
What happened at the hospital ?
The attack began at about 10:00 ( 05:30 GMT ) , and locals described hearing two blasts then gunfire .
One doctor who fled during the assault told the BBC about 140 people were in the hospital when the gunmen attacked .
Another doctor told AFP news agency that `` total panic '' took hold as the assault unfolded .
Ramazan Ali , a vendor who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news agency : `` The attackers were shooting at anyone in this hospital without any reason ...
It 's a government hospital , and a lot of people bring in their women and children for treatment . ''
Afghan special forces rescued 100 women and children , including three foreigners , an official told the BBC .
The attackers , who reportedly had gained access dressed as police officers , were all killed by security personnel after a battle lasting hours .
Images from the scene showed soldiers carrying one newborn baby to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The Afghan war : The short and long story Many foreign staff live in a guesthouse behind the Dasht-e-Barchi Hospital and a doctor who fled the building told the BBC he saw an explosion there too .
In the past , similar attacks in this mostly Shia area of the capital have been attributed to IS .
The group 's leader in South Asia and the Far East was arrested in Kabul on Tuesday , with two other high profile members , Afghan intelligence said .
In 2017 , IS gunmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main military hospital , prompting widespread shock and anger and raising questions about security .
The authorities later confirmed about 50 people had been killed .
But the Taliban also attack hospitals .
Last September , 20 people died after a truck packed with explosives was detonated by militants from the group outside a hospital in southern Zabul province .
On TV , Mr Ghani said : `` In order to provide security for public places and to thwart attacks and threats from the Taliban and other terrorist groups , I 'm ordering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ active defence mode to an offensive one and to resume their operations against the enemies . ''
Even in a country which has seen the worst of the worst , this savage attack on newborn babies and their mothers has shocked , and shaken fragile hope this would be the year Afghanistan would finally start to turn towards peace .
Images of special forces in bulky body armour , carrying infants to safety , will remain long in the memory of those who have repeatedly called for a ceasefire - especially when Afghans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Despite Taliban denials that this ghastly attack was their work , President Ghani 's denunciation reflects the anger and frustration of many .
Some worry that groups like Islamic State , trying to drive an even greater wedge between Taliban and the government , have also killed for now what were slow uncertain steps toward peace talks .
And for those who have never trusted the Taliban 's commitment , this latest attack solidifies their resolve to keep fighting .
What happened at the funeral ?
According to survivors , thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commander 's funeral , and the bomb detonated about half-way through .
Ataullah Khogyani , a spokesman for the governor , said 68 people were injured .
A member of the provincial council was among the at least 24 killed .
Tuesday 's attacks were widely condemned by countries around the world and human rights groups , with Amnesty International saying : `` The unconscionable war crimes in Afghanistan today ... must awaken the world to the horrors civilians continue to face . ''
On Twitter , UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appalling terrorist attacks in Afghanistan today - including on a maternity hospital .
Targeting mothers , their newborns and medical staff is despicable . ''
Meanwhile , in northern Balkh province , at least 10 people were killed and many others injured in an air strike by US forces , reports said .
Residents and the Taliban claimed the victims were all civilians , but the Afghan Defence Ministry said all those killed were militants .
What 's going on with Afghan peace talks ?
Since a February troop withdrawal agreement signed between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between the Afghan government and the Taliban have broken down over a prisoner swap and violence has continued unabated .
The agreement was aimed at ending more than 18 years of war since US-led forces ousted the Taliban from power following the 9/11 attacks on the US , whose mastermind Osama Bin Laden had been given sanctuary by the hardline Islamist group .
Tens of thousands of people , most of them civilians , have been killed in the conflict .
Many more have been injured or displaced from their homes .

The Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attack on a police commander's funeral in Nangarhar, in the east of the country. It is still not clear who carried out the attack on the hospital, and the Taliban have denied any involvement.


bbc--2020-05-12--Man denies racial abuse of BBC reporter Sima Kotecha

A man has denied racially abusing a BBC reporter as she prepared a broadcast .
Sima Kotecha said she and @ @ @ @ @ and abusive behaviour '' as they set up for live interviews in Leicester city centre @ @ @ @ @ Leicester Magistrates ' Court by videolink , Russell Rawlingson pleaded not guilty to causing racially @ @ @ @ @ The 50-year-old , of Glenfield Road in Leicester was bailed to appear at Leicester Crown @ @ @ @ @ Ms Kotecha was due to interview people on Sunday evening following the prime minister 's @ @ @ @ @ restrictions .
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Send @ @ @ @ @ @ bbc.co.uk • LOCKDOWN HEROES : Stacey Dooley is on the hunt • HOSPITAL SPECIAL @ @ @ @ @ the headlines

Sima Kotecha said she and her team faced "racist and abusive behaviour" as they set up for live interviews in Leicester city centre on Sunday.


bbc--2020-05-12--Bryan Adams apologises for coronavirus tirade on Instagram

Rock star Bryan Adams has apologised after posting an expletive-laden coronavirus rant on social media .
On Monday , he wrote : `` Thanks to some bat eating , wet market animal selling , virus making greedy [ expletives ] , the whole world is now on hold . ''
Many interpreted the star 's comments as anti-Asian or anti-Chinese , but he was praised by some animal rights groups .
`` Apologies to any and all that took offence to my posting yesterday , '' Adams said in a new post on Tuesday .
`` No excuse , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the horrible animal cruelty in these wet markets being the possible source of the virus , and promote veganism . ''
He added : `` I have love for all people and my thoughts are with everyone dealing with this pandemic around the world . ''
The singer was due to be performing in London this week , before lockdown measures came into force .
After his original comments were published , the Canadian singer was criticised by Amy Go , president of the Chinese Canadian National Council for Social Justice .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so , so , so racist , '' she told CBC News .
`` People look up to public figures .
He is seen as an idol by many . ''
Go suggested Adams ' comments would intensify `` racist hatred against Chinese '' .
Many people believe wet markets in Wuhan , China , were the the original source of coronavirus .
Wet markets have become a familiar sight in many countries in Southeast Asia , particularly mainland China .
They sell live fish , chickens and wildlife , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday , the World Health Organisation said one such market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan played a role in the outbreak either as the source or possibly as an `` amplifying setting '' , while stressing more research on the link was necessary .
'Damage has been done' Adams ' original comments came on the night he was supposed to start a three-night residency at London 's Albert Hall .
`` Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of a tenancy of gigs ... but thanks to some [ expletive ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ expletives ] , the whole world is now on hold , not to mention the thousands that have suffered or died from this virus , '' he wrote .
`` My message to them other than 'thanks a [ expletive ] lot ' is go vegan . ''
A link to the post has since been deleted from his Twitter account , but Adams ' original statement remains on his Instagram page .
By Tuesday morning , his name was trending on social media .
`` Wow .
What racist garbage coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Instagram user @ globalcanuck .
`` Bryan Adams ' racist xenophobic tirade has been up for 10 hours now .
Damage has been done , '' added Dr Wing Kar Li on Twitter .
`` This is why its crucial for everyone to go vegan now to prevent the next pandemic , '' it wrote in a reply to the star 's Instagram post .
`` It 's up to us to create a kinder , healthier future for all species . ''
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"Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of a tenancy of gigs... but thanks to some [expletive] bat-eating, wet-market animal-selling, virus-making greedy [expletives], the whole world is now on hold, not to mention the thousands that have suffered or died from this virus," he wrote.


bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: Venezuelans struggling with fuel shortage

Venezuela , a country already in crisis , is preparing for the looming coronavirus pandemic .
The price of food @ @ @ @ @ since lockdown and fuel is being rationed .
It 's unheard of in a country @ @ @ @ @ 's largest oil reserves .
The United Nations calls it one of the most vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ with high malnutrition , 1 in 5 hospitals have no water , and over 70 @ @ @ @ @ .
Official Covid-19 cases in the country are low but there is a fear among @ @ @ @ @ spread , it would be catastrophic .

Venezuela, a country already in crisis, is preparing for the looming coronavirus pandemic.
The price of food has increased by 80% since lockdown and fuel is being rationed. It's unheard of in a country that sits on the world's largest oil reserves.
The United Nations calls it one of the most vulnerable countries in the world – with high malnutrition, 1 in 5 hospitals have no water, and over 70% of doctors have emigrated.
Official Covid-19 cases in the country are low but there is a fear among doctors that should the virus spread, it would be catastrophic.
Reporter - Guillermo Olmo
Producer - Vanessa Silva
Filmed by Manu Zambrano
Senior Producer - Paul Ivan Harris
Watch more personal stories during the coronavirus outbreak: Your Coronavirus Stories


bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: Russia now has second highest virus case total

Russia has confirmed 232,000 cases of coronavirus - the second highest toll in the world after the US .
In the last 24 hours the country has reported 10,899 infections , the tenth consecutive day that number has been above 10,000 .
Among the infected is President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov , local media report .
He is the latest high profile official to test positive , after Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin caught the illness .
The news comes the day after President Putin eased the country 's lockdown .
Factory and construction workers returned to work on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedom to set restrictions depending on local circumstances .
Despite the high number of confirmed cases , Russia 's death toll is only 2,116 .
Government officials say the country 's mass testing programme is responsible for that low mortality rate , but many believe the number is in fact far higher .
Meanwhile , authorities in St Petersburg have put out a fire in an intensive care unit , which killed five coronavirus patients and forced the evacuation of about 150 people .
Local media reported on Tuesday that Mr Peskov - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive for the virus and was now in hospital .
`` Yes , I am sick .
I am receiving treatment , '' news agencies quoted him as saying .
Prime Minister Mishustin tested positive for coronavirus two weeks ago .
Since then , culture minister Olga Lyubimova has also been diagnosed with the virus , as has construction minister Vladimir Yakushev and one of his deputies .
Mr Peskov told TASS news agency that he last met President Putin in person more than a month ago .
Mr Putin is working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the Kremlin says his health is well protected .
The president announced the end of six weeks of `` non-working days '' in a televised address on Monday .
Russians began returning to work on Tuesday morning .
The outbreak is far from over , the president warned , saying that `` danger remains '' .
But all sectors of the economy should begin to restart , he said - though local authorities could bring in tougher restrictions if needed to contain the spread of the virus .
Moscow is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more than half the country 's cases and more than half its total death toll .
Last week Mayor Sergei Sobyanin extended the capital 's lockdown until 31 May .
Though construction and industrial workers must now return to work in the city , everyone must wear face masks and gloves in shops and on public transport .
Residents still can not leave home unless to shop , work or walk the dog , and must have a digital permit to travel .
Mr Sobyanin has previously estimated that the capital may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three times its current confirmed tally .
What 's the latest around the globe ?
The US now has more than 1.3 million confirmed cases according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker - almost six times as many as any other country .
The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the US has now surpassed 81,000 .
The UK has the highest number of such deaths in Europe with more than 32,000 but excess deaths - which include those indirectly caused by virus - top 50,000 .
• France 's death toll has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the US , UK and Italy .
A total of 348 new deaths takes its overall count to almost 27,000 • Lebanon has imposed a `` total '' shutdown after experiencing a resurgence in reported cases after its lockdown was eased • In Germany , the virus reproduction rate - the R rate - has been above one for three straight days , but experts say they are not concerned • The Chinese city of Wuhan , where the virus first emerged , is drawing up plans to test its entire population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cluster of new cases was detected • In South Korea , a total of 101 people have now tested positive for the virus after an outbreak linked to a nightclub district in the capital , Seoul .
It comes after the government began relaxing social-distancing rules • EUROPE 'S EASING : How lockdown is being lifted • THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?

The outbreak is far from over, the president warned, saying that "danger remains". But all sectors of the economy should begin to restart, he said - though local authorities could bring in tougher restrictions if needed to contain the spread of the virus.


bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: First Brazil death 'earlier than thought'

The first recorded coronavirus-related death in Brazil happened almost two months earlier than previously thought , researchers say .
Scientists at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation examined cases of patients taken to hospital with respiratory problems .
They say molecular tests suggest one patient who died in Rio de Janeiro between 19 and 25 January had Covid-19 .
The first previously known death in Brazil was that of a man on 16 March .
The scientists also say their research suggests the virus was being spread from person to person in Brazil in early February - weeks before the country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to Johns Hopkins University , which is tracking the disease globally , Brazil now has more than 170,000 cases of coronavirus , second only to the US in the Western Hemisphere .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) says the Americas are the currently at the centre of the pandemic .
`` Around the world we have seen that the warnings we put out right from the start , very , very early on , were not seen as warnings about a very serious , lethal disease , '' WHO spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of cases in Brazil and the US .
When Brazil was preparing for carnival , coronavirus had already spread to more than 20 countries .
But the sense was that this part of the world was not affected - so why call off Brazil 's biggest party and its main tourism draw ?
So the arrangements for nationwide street parties and samba parades carried on regardless .
Authorities had discussed some contingency plans but beyond that , it was not felt a big enough risk to do anything more drastic .
The idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is so much part of Brazil 's soul .
Fast forward a few months and those decisions feel like they have been overtaken by events .
Crowds of tens of thousands of people , dancing in close proximity are unthinkable in the current climate - even in a country whose president thinks the concern over Covid-19 is all overblown .
But with testing so low in this country , understanding the impact of such an event on the spread of the virus is almost impossible .
Many scientists believe the true numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than official statistics reveal .
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?
In Brazil , far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has repeatedly downplayed the threat of coronavirus and criticised governors and mayors for adopting strict restrictions to curb the spread of the virus .
The country 's health ministry has confirmed at least 11,519 deaths related to the virus .
Health Minister Nelson Teich said he needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the research carried out by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation , which has been published online but not yet been peer-reviewed .
If confirmed , the cases would considerably change the timeline of how the virus spread in Brazil .
The first confirmed case had until now been on 26 February when a 61-year-old São Paulo resident who had visited Italy tested positive for coronavirus .
Brazil is not the only country where subsequent testing has pointed to earlier cases .
Last week , a doctor in France said swabs taken from a patient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive for coronavirus - which would mean that the virus was present in France almost a month earlier than previously thought .
Two weeks ago , a post-mortem examination carried out in California revealed that the first coronavirus-related death in the US was almost a month earlier .
The WHO says it is possible more early cases will come to light and has urged countries to check records for similar cases in order to gain a clearer picture of the outbreak .
Knowing who was the first case is key to understanding how @ @ @ @

The idea of cancelling it would be unthinkable, it is so much part of Brazil's soul. Fast forward a few months and those decisions feel like they have been overtaken by events. Crowds of tens of thousands of people, dancing in close proximity are unthinkable in the current climate - even in a country whose president thinks the concern over Covid-19 is all overblown.


bbc--2020-05-12--Maria Branyas: 'Oldest woman in Spain' beats coronavirus at 113

A 113-year-old woman - believed to be the oldest woman in Spain - has recovered from the coronavirus , officials have said .
Maria Branyas was diagnosed with Covid-19 after the country went into lockdown in March .
But after weeks in isolation , Ms Branyas recovered , having suffered only mild symptoms .
It means she has lived through the flu pandemic of 1918-19 , the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War and the coronavirus .
`` Now that she is well , she is wonderful , she wants to speak , to explain , to make her reflections , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted .
Born in Mexico in 1907 , she moved north to San Francisco two years later and arrived in the Catalan province of Girona during World War One with her Spanish journalist father .
She raised three children - one of whom recently turned 86 - has 11 grandchildren - the oldest of whom is 60 - and 13 great-grandchildren .
She has lived for two decades at a care home in the city of Olot .
Speaking to La Vanguardia last year , she said : `` I have done nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be interested in :

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bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: Germany not alarmed by infection rate rise

The scientific body advising the German government on coronavirus says it is not concerned that the virus reproduction rate - the R rate - has been above one for three straight days .
Above R1.0 means that , statistically , one infected person is passing the virus to more than one other person .
But Lars Schaade of the Robert Koch Institute ( RKI ) said only if the R value rose above 1.2 or 1.3 for several days would he be worried .
The data is also subject to delays .
Mr Schaade said `` individual days are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the fewer the overall number of infections , the greater the impact of an outbreak - like those recently reported in slaughterhouses - on the R value .
Hundreds of workers in German slaughterhouses - many from Eastern Europe - have tested positive and now thousands more tests are being done in that sector .
One slaughterhouse alone - in Coesfeld , North Rhine-Westphalia - has seen 260 cases .
`` If the second decimal digit were above 1 that would not yet be critical .
But the higher it goes above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a longer period of time , it would create a situation where we would pay very close attention and think about measures how to countersteer that , '' Mr Schaade said .
RKI said on Tuesday the total of deaths in Germany from Covid-19 had reached 7,533 .
The daily average of deaths in the past week was 100 to 200 .
The death tolls in some other European countries - notably Italy , the UK and Spain - are much higher .
Why Germany is not alarmed by R rate Judging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends on understanding the rate at which it 's spreading - what 's known as ' R ' .
If that rate goes above 1 , the outbreak can escalate because anyone infected can pass the virus to more than one other person .
But that is not the whole story .
What also matters is the actual scale of infection - the numbers of people catching the virus .
So in Germany , while the R is now slightly above 1 , and may go higher , the authorities are concerned but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's estimated that fewer than 1,000 Germans are becoming infected every day .
So even if the rate of spread accelerates , the problem can be handled with careful surveillance and mass testing , because the numbers involved are manageable .
By contrast , it 's thought that in the UK something like 20,000 people are becoming infected every day - far fewer than at the height of the outbreak , but still a serious number .
And at that scale of infection , even a small rise in the R rate could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health service with a second peak in the crisis .
Prof Tobias Welte of Hanover University is on the German Covid-19 task force .
He told the BBC World Service that `` we are in a stable phase , so we are somewhere between 600 and 1,000 new infections a day and these now for about a week are very stable numbers '' .
`` One change in Germany which could be recognised : we now have some hotspots of infections , for example meat production , some kinds of industry , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany the numbers are going down . ''
RKI reports that 170,508 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Germany and in the past 24 hours there were 933 new infections .
The Germany infection figure according to Johns Hopkins University is slightly higher - 172,626 .
• EUROPE 'S EASING : How lockdown is being lifted • THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • RECOVERY : How long does it take to get better ?
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : What are the symptoms ?

"If the second decimal digit were above 1 that would not yet be critical. But the higher it goes above 1, like 1.2 or 1.3 and over a longer period of time, it would create a situation where we would pay very close attention and think about measures how to countersteer that," Mr Schaade said.


bbc--2020-05-13--Rapper 6ix9ine has $200k charity donation rejected

Rapper 6ix9ine has had a $ 200,000 ( £163,000 ) donation to a children 's charity rejected .
The No Kid Hungry campaign said it has a policy of rejecting funding from donors who do not fit with its values .
The rapper , who was recently in prison for crimes he carried out as part of a violent gang before making a successful comeback , called the decision `` cruel '' .
The Brooklyn rapper had evaded jail time on previous charges , including child sex offences in 2015 .
In a now-deleted Instagram post , 6ix9ine , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was donating $ 200,000 to the campaign , which seeks to solve problems of hunger and poverty in the US .
But Share Our Strength , the non-profit organisation that runs the campaign , told the BBC it had declined the controversial rapper 's offer .
`` We are grateful for Mr Hernandez 's generous offer to donate to No Kid Hungry but we have informed his representatives that we have declined this donation , '' it said .
`` As a child-focused campaign , it is our policy to decline funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with our mission and values . ''
The rapper responded on Instagram that he had `` never seen something so cruel '' .
He has since deleted the post .
6ix9ine has been making headlines in the last week for an explosive return to the spotlight after being released from prison early as part of a nationwide effort to stem the coronavirus outbreak in US jails .
He broke the all-time record for an Instagram live stream , with more than two million people tuning in at one point .
His new track @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on YouTube in just four days .
Last year , the 24-year-old pleaded guilty to a series of gang robberies and shootings .
At his 2019 trial , the rapper initially denied the charges against him but entered a plea bargain , giving evidence against other gang members in order to get a reduced sentence after potentially facing a maximum of life in prison .
He testified against former members of Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods .
The offences 6ix9ine was charged with include racketeering , carrying a firearm , assault with a dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2015 he pleaded guilty to an incident involving a `` sexual performance '' with a 13-year-old girl and was ordered to serve a four-year-probation sentence following legal problems that followed the case .

He broke the all-time record for an Instagram live stream, with more than two million people tuning in at one point. His new track Gooba has racked up 120 million views on YouTube in just four days.


bbc--2020-05-12--Nature crisis: Moths have 'secret role' as crucial pollinators

Long seen as annoying creatures that can leave holes in your clothes , moths have been badly misjudged , say scientists .
New research suggests they play a vital role as overnight pollinators of a wide range of flowers and plants .
The study says that the moths ' transport networks are larger and more complex than those of daytime pollinators like bees .
The authors believe there is an urgent need to stem declines in moth numbers .
• Reality Check : Are clothes moths on the rise ?
Over the past decade , public anxiety about the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bees .
The fall-off in their numbers , linked to changes in land and widespread use of pesticides , has helped raise environmental awareness of the critical role these creatures play in the food chain .
Moths , though , have not evoked similar sympathies .
`` There 's this big misconception that all moths come and eat my clothes .
That 's not what happens at all , '' said Dr Richard Walton , from University College London ( UCL ) , the lead author of the new study .
`` Some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can be an important part of the pollination process . ''
To find out how vital a part the moths play , Dr Walton and colleagues monitored moth activity around ponds in agricultural areas of Norfolk .
They found that 45 % of the moths they tested were transporting pollen , which originated from 47 different plant species , including several that were rarely visited by bees , hoverflies and butterflies .
The scientists found that while bumblebees and honeybees are critically important , they tended to target the most prolific nectar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moths .
`` From what we see from our work , moths tend to be generalists , meaning they 're not specifically visiting a narrow group of flowers , '' said Dr Walton .
`` They 're kind of visiting any type of flower that they can access .
These tend to be the open cup-shaped flowers like bramble , they can access things from the legume family , the clover family was also very important . ''
Previous studies on moths have tended to focus on their ability to transport pollen via @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work looked at the pollen collected on the moths ' distinctly hairy bodies when they sit on flowers while feeding .
The researchers believe their study shows that moths complement the work of daytime pollinators and help keep plant populations diverse and abundant .
They serve as a form of back-up for biodiversity , which in turn supports crop yields .
The vital role played by the moths has come under increasing threat as they have suffered steep declines in numbers since the 1970s .
This is largely due to changes in land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This has a knock-on effect for birds that feed on moths , such as the cuckoo .
Its decline is kind of tied to moth declines , '' said Dr Walton .
`` Bats will feed on moths as well , so there 's ties to other creatures having declines in their own populations , because their food supply , the moths , are going down as well .
You can see this kind of linkage play out . ''
Helping the moths will require the use of less pesticide and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the landscape .
But perhaps more importantly , the public perception of moths needs to change .
`` Something that 's out of sight , is often out of mind , '' said Dr Walton .
`` We just see bees in the daytime and we see them visiting the flower so they 've got the better shift when when it comes to work , in terms of being visible . ''
`` But moths are by no means less important .
I think it 's vital to raise the profile of moths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the important part they play in our ecology . ''
The study has been published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters .

"Bats will feed on moths as well, so there's ties to other creatures having declines in their own populations, because their food supply, the moths, are going down as well. You can see this kind of linkage play out."


bbc--2020-05-12--India coronavirus: PM Narendra Modi outlines economic rescue package

Indian PM Narendra Modi has announced an economic package of more than $ 260bn to help the country cope with @ @ @ @ @ In a TV address , he said the funds , around 10 % of India @ @ @ @ @ farmers and small businesses .
He said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman would announce further details @ @ @ @ @ .
On Tuesday , some passenger rail services resumed , an important symbol of the @ @ @ @ @ India has confirmed about 70,000 cases of coronavirus and about 2,300 deaths , although some @ @ @ @ @ may mean many cases are missed .
The very strict lockdown , which started on @ @ @ @ @ caused huge economic distress , with tens of millions of poorer Indians and migrant workers @ @ @

"India's response has so far been tepid compared to other key nations and thus the catch-up is welcome and is also the need of the hour," said economist Madhavi Arora at Edelweiss FX and Rates.


bbc--2020-05-12--Joe Biden assault claim: What does 'believe women' mean now?

The debate over what it means to `` believe women '' - the rallying cry of the # MeToo movement - has escalated in recent weeks over a sexual assault allegation lodged against Joe Biden .
The accusation by a former staff assistant , Tara Reade , raises uncomfortable questions for Democratic voters who previously said women 's complaints should be listened to and treated as credible .
It also means that both presidential candidates have been accused of - and denied - sexual assault .
The following three quotes explore some of these complicated questions .
The expression `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phrase : `` believe survivors '' - rose to prominence in tandem with the # MeToo movement , beginning in the autumn of 2017 when famed producer Harvey Weinstein was accused by dozens of women of sexual harassment , abuse or rape .
Advocates say it is a reaction to a historical assumption that women are prone to deceit .
Critics see it as a dangerous overreach , a licence to ignore evidence .
`` The reason that became a mantra was because interwoven so deeply in our culture was the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Fatima Goss Graves , president of the National Women 's Law Center .
Their concerns were deemed `` so inherently suspect they were not worthy of being treated seriously '' .
Less than a year later the phrase gained momentum when , in the midst of his confirmation to the US Supreme Court , Justice Brett Kavanaugh was accused of sexual assault by Christine Blasey Ford when the two were in high school .
MeToo movement founder Tarana Burke led a national walkout in solidarity of Blasey Ford three days before her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ # BelieveSurvivors .
`` We believe Dr Blasey Ford .
We believe survivors , '' Burke wrote on Twitter .
It became a refrain among high-profile supporters of Blasey Ford and a number of high-profile Democrats pushing for further investigation of her claims , including Joe Biden .
The former vice-president told reporters then that when a woman comes forward with claims of sexual violence `` at least the essence '' of what she is saying should be presumed true , saying months later in an interview for PBS , that `` women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing allegations of his own , Biden has been heavily criticised for an apparent about-face .
`` Believing women means taking the woman 's claim seriously when she steps forward , '' Biden said in a recent interview .
`` Then you have to look at the circumstances and facts . ''
`` The huntress war cry - 'believe all women ' - has felt like a bracing corrective to a historic injustice , '' wrote New York Times columnist Bari Weiss in 2017 .
But it could `` rapidly be transmogrified into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Goss Graves , the `` cut off their heads '' approach is a distortion of the phrase 's meaning .
`` 'Believe survivors ' never meant that was the beginning and the end of the inquiry , '' Goss Graves said .
`` What it means is that you take it seriously . ''
To some , the definition of `` believe women '' has expanded and contracted to suit the political needs of the moment .
Reade 's claims invited a rush of appraisals of high-profile Democrats - especially women - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comments directed at Brett Kavanaugh .
`` It 's difficult for survivors to see that a woman who has more corroborating sources than most survivors have in similar situations is being tossed aside and actively being weaponised by cynical political actors , '' said Shaunna Thomas , a founder of women 's rights advocacy group UltraViolet , of Reade to the New York Times .
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer , Senator Amy Klobuchar and Stacey Abrams - all high-profile Democrats , all reportedly short-listed as Biden 's running mate - were asked if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I believe women , and I believe survivors of violence always deserve to be supported and have their voices heard , '' Abrams wrote in September 2018 , after Blasey Ford 's testimony .
`` I believe that women deserve to be heard , '' Abrams said again last month , when asked about Biden , before citing an extensive investigation into Reade 's claims by the New York Times .
• What has # MeToo actually changed ?
• Could written sexual consent stand up in court ?
• 'Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm safe' '' They found that the accusation was not credible , '' she said .
`` I believe Joe Biden . ''
Abrams , like the other Democratic women asked to speak up for Biden , was charged with a political two-step : appearing to champion Blasey Ford while abandoning Reade .
`` Why are many people still refusing to believe Reade ? ''
wrote Kate Manne in The Nation .
`` Among the primary reasons ... sheer political inconvenience . ''
For anyone who wants Trump out of office in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reade 's claims at this moment is painful and inconvenient indeed '' , Manne said .
But while the allegations against Biden may be unwelcome , advocates reject the notion of a political calculation as well as the outsized pressure on female Democrats .
`` You 're searching for some sort of hypocrisy , '' Goss Graves said , `` Rather than a solution . ''
`` To focus only on women leaders as if women are to blame is a real problem , '' she added .
`` When I think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're doling out blame , I 'm not pointing first at leaders of the feminist movement . ''
Still , the burden of defending Biden will surely fall to his vice-presidential pick , who he has pledged will be a woman - adding a stumbling block to the coveted job offer .
It 's so far unclear how , if at all , Reade 's allegations will hurt Biden 's electoral chances as the presumed Democratic nominee .
President Trump has been accused by some two dozen women of sexual assault , claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November , American voters will be handed ballots in which both major party candidates have been accused of sexual misconduct .
`` How can you support this person who 's going against the standards you set for somebody else ?
At the end of the day , this is what voters are left with , '' said Amy Walter , national editor of the Cook Political Report on NBC News .
`` How they battle this cognitive dissonance .
And usually partisanship is what breaks the tie . ''
And for some , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they believe Reade , they will still vote for Biden as president .
`` The behaviour he is alleged to have done is inexcusable , '' said Democrat Stephanie Sims , board member of She Votes Illinois , which facilitates female political representation .
`` It does n't change the way I 'm going to vote . ''
`` I have to look at the bigger picture as a voter .
I have to look at what a Biden administration will do for this country , '' she said .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when 25 women have alleged sexual assault versus one . ''
Even Lucy Flores , the former Nevada Assembly member who led the wave of women to accuse Biden of inappropriate touching last spring , told the New York Times that despite the `` position of impossibility for so many women '' , many would do the `` right thing '' and support Biden .
It 's an uncomfortable calculation for Democrats , for whom support for Biden is not so much an endorsement of their candidate and as it is a guard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not have Trump in office a day longer than his current term , '' said Clara Masters , a political organiser in upstate New York who supported progressives Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primaries .
`` My only option is to vote for Biden . ''
`` I feel like a hypocrite now , but too much is at stake . ''

"How can you support this person who's going against the standards you set for somebody else? At the end of the day, this is what voters are left with," said Amy Walter, national editor of the Cook Political Report on NBC News. "How they battle this cognitive dissonance. And usually partisanship is what breaks the tie."


bbc--2020-05-12--The faded beauty of abandoned cars

The faded beauty of abandoned cars

Dieter Klein has travelled to remote corners of Europe and the US to find and photograph abandoned cars .
The German freelance photographer finds his subject matter in shabby backyards , dusty barns , deserted fields and thick forests .
On his travels , Klein has shot images of a dented Porsche , a faded Cadillac , a battered VW Beetle and a whole fleet of abandoned military Jeeps , among others .
The 160 images reveal the bygone glamour of the automobiles and classic cars - and the might of nature as it claims them .
Klein began his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by accident , while on a bicycle tour through France , near the city of Cognac .
`` I felt the picture was like the illustration of a fairy tale , '' he says .
`` I was immediately moved and thrilled .
And then a long search began .
`` I view these scenes like a museum - I approach with respect .
`` I might open or closed a door but usually I do n't even touch the cars . ''
The oldest was a 1907 Ford Model T , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former mining town in Nevada .
`` It was a beautiful scene , '' Klein says .
`` And since the weather changed , I got a lot of light situations and different camera angles .
`` I have about 12 different views and moods of this car . ''
But his favourite was a 1960 pink Dodge , in north-east Montana .
`` The owner , himself about 70 years old , told me the story , '' Klein says .
`` His father had parked the car outside his house two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He has not used the property , the house and the car since 1977 and leaves this scene , as a memory , just as it is . ''
`` I spent many hours there , taking pictures from different angles .
`` After sunset , I got the reward - soft light that made the clouds a little pink .
`` [ It created ] an almost surreal scene - strange , peaceful , calm and contradictory , a fairy tale . ''
All photographs courtesy Dieter Klein / teNeues .
Lost @ @ @ @ @ @

"He has not used the property, the house and the car since 1977 and leaves this scene, as a memory, just as it is."


bbc--2020-05-12--Abba’s Björn Ulvaeus fears for future of West End theatres

Björn Ulvaeus is one of the singer/songwriters for the Swedish pop group Abba and co-wrote the songs for the hit @ @ @ @ @ 's been playing in London 's West End for two decades .
But Björn predicts @ @ @ @ @ and theatre , saying it will be a long time before people will want to @ @ @ @ @

Björn Ulvaeus is one of the singer/songwriters for the Swedish pop group Abba and co-wrote the songs for the hit musical Mamma Mia! It's been playing in London's West End for two decades.
But Björn predicts a slow recovery for musicals and theatre, saying it will be a long time before people will want to sit in packed auditoriums.
Video: Jeremy Howell


bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: What does a 'Covid-secure' office look like?

Boris Johnson has encouraged people who ca n't work from home to return to work , revealing a list of @ @ @ @ @ , to ensure a `` Covid-secure '' workplace .
In the short term , there @ @ @ @ @ so that workers can socially distance from each other .
Longer term , the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ of architecture , office design and communal workplaces .

Boris Johnson has encouraged people who can't work from home to return to work, revealing a list of guidelines for companies to follow, to ensure a "Covid-secure" workplace.
In the short term, there will be many immediate changes so that workers can socially distance from each other. Longer term, the coronavirus pandemic will reshape the future of architecture, office design and communal workplaces.
Video by Emily Wolstencroft


bbc--2020-05-12--Fighting for the pill in Japan

Fighting for the pill in Japan

After decades of campaigning in Japan , the pill was finally legalised in 1999 .
In contrast , the male @ @ @ @ @ for use in just six months , and legalised before the contraceptive pill for women @ @ @ @ @ Witness History how she pushed hard for the right to take the pill , and @ @ @ @ @ in Parliament is why it took so long .
Witness History : The stories of @ @ @ @ @ people who were there .

After decades of campaigning in Japan, the pill was finally legalised in 1999.
In contrast, the male impotency drug Viagra was approved for use in just six months, and legalised before the contraceptive pill for women.
Politician Yoriko Madoka tells Witness History how she pushed hard for the right to take the pill, and says sexism and male dominance in Parliament is why it took so long.
Witness History: The stories of our times told by the people who were there.


bbc--2020-05-12--Saudi Arabia: Just how deep are its troubles?

Once famous for being tax-free , Saudi Arabia has announced it is trebling its Value Added Tax ( VAT ) from 5 % to 15 % and cancelling the monthly living subsidy from next month .
The moves come as global oil prices have crashed down to less than half what they were a year ago , slashing government revenues by 22 % and putting major projects on hold .
Saudi Aramco , the state oil company , has already seen its net profit fall by 25 % in the first quarter of this year , mainly due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These measures reflect a drastic need to rein in spending and to try to stabilise weak oil prices , '' says Gulf analyst Michael Stephens .
`` The Kingdom 's economy is in a terrible state and it will take some time to recover any sense of normality . ''
Covid-19 is currently wreaking havoc with an economy that depends in large part on millions of unskilled expatriate workers from Asia , many of whom live in crowded , unsanitary conditions .
Meanwhile the crown prince , while still largely popular at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the West due to lingering suspicions over his alleged role in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
International investment confidence has never fully recovered from his grisly murder and dismemberment by government agents inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in 2018 .
Then the war in neighbouring Yemen has bled Saudi coffers for more than five years now with no tangible gains , and a spat with Qatar has wrecked the surface unity of the six-nation Gulf Arab Cooperation Council ( GCC ) .
So , is Saudi Arabia in serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The coronavirus pandemic has wrecked economies all over the world and Saudi Arabia is no exception .
It does have a sovereign wealth fund , the Public Investment Fund , to fall back on , with an estimated value of $ 320bn ( £260bn ; 295bn euros ) .
• Saudi royal arrests : Why top princes have been silenced It also has Saudi Aramco , the majority state-owned oil company , valued last year at $ 1.7 trillion - equivalent to the combined worth of Google and Amazon at the time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ - 1.5 % - Saudi Arabia raised more than $ 25bn in the biggest share listing in history .
`` Saudi Arabia has quite a lot of resilience built in , '' says Sir William Patey , former British Ambassador to Riyadh between 2007-10 .
`` They have a lot of reserves to keep them going and they could still come out of this oil price slump with their market share intact or even improved . ''
The strategic threat to the country from Iran appears , at least for now , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack on its oil refineries and then the later US assassination of Iran 's Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani in January .
This month the Pentagon has withdrawn Patriot missile batteries sent as an emergency defensive measure .
The latent domestic terrorist threat from jihadists linked to the Islamic State group ( IS ) and al-Qaeda , while not completely vanquished , has been largely reduced .
Yet Saudi Arabia still faces some serious and mounting challenges as follows : This week 's austerity announcements will have come as unwelcome news to many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a brighter future under grandiose plans to diversify the economy away from oil income .
Even the finance minister himself referred to them as `` painful measures '' .
They are intended to save $ 26bn but the combined damage caused by the Covid-19 virus and the oil price drop has already reportedly cost the Saudi central bank a similar figure in just the month of March alone .
In the first quarter of this year there is a budget deficit of $ 9bn .
This is not the first time Saudi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ button .
In May 1998 I attended the GCC summit in Abu Dhabi when then Crown Prince Abdullah gave a stern warning to his fellow Gulf Arab rulers .
`` Oil is at $ 9 a barrel , '' he told them .
`` The good times are over - they 're not coming back .
It is time for all of us to tighten our belts . ''
In fact , the oil price later rose to more than $ 100 a barrel , but not before the government had introduced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction projects .
This time it may be more serious .
Coronavirus and oil price collapse have torpedoed projects all across the kingdom , calling into question whether the crown prince 's much-vaunted Vision 2030 programme can still be achieved .
The programme , which aims to wean the country off its historic dependence on both oil revenue and expatriate labour , has at its heart a massive $ 500bn futuristic city in the desert called NEOM .
Officials say this is still going ahead but most analysts believe cutbacks and delays are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in particular will be hardest hit '' by the austerity measures , says Michael Stephens .
`` The kingdom 's emergency measures are harming the job creators , which will make it even more difficult to recover in the long term . ''
Saudi Arabia 's global reputation was critically damaged by the Khashoggi murder and the initial botched cover-up .
Even the Saudi ambassador to London called it `` a stain on our reputation '' .
The subsequent trial and convictions , which allowed some of the leading suspects to walk free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights groups and the UN special rapporteur into extrajudicial killings .
But Saudi Arabia is simply too large and too important an economy for the world to ignore .
Recently it has been looking to acquire strategic stakes in high-profile investments such as its current bid to acquire 80 % of Newcastle United Football Club , a move strongly opposed by Khashoggi 's widow , Hatice Cengiz , on ethical grounds .
The Yemen War , prosecuted in part from the air by Saudi warplanes supplied by the US and Britain , has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides .
But the civilian death toll caused by those air strikes has led to mounting criticism in Washington and elsewhere .
The war has achieved very little , while wrecking what was already the poorest country in the Arab world .
Support for Riyadh on Capitol Hill has been declining .
The two big allies that Saudi crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed Bin Salman ( known as MBS ) has been able to count on were Presidents Trump and Putin .
But this year , by opening up the oil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has managed to annoy both leaders by inflicting damage on their domestic economies .
Relations with Iran remain in a state of Cold War and they are little better with neighbouring Qatar .
At home the crown prince has been moving with extraordinary speed to push forward a programme of social liberalisation , lifting the ban on women driving and allowing previously unheard-of freedoms like cinemas , mixed-sex concerts and car rallies .
Saudi Arabia today is , on the surface , a far less austere place than it used to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has accelerated , with anyone daring to even question his policies risking arrest and imprisonment on charges of `` threatening national security '' .
Judicial beheadings continue apace and the country is still one of the most heavily criticised by human rights groups .
All of this means that while Saudi Arabia remains a huge player in the international economy - it is due to host the next G20 summit in November - its allies see it as an awkward and sometimes embarrassing partner .
At 34 years of age , Crown Prince @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He has the backing of his 84-year old father , King Salman , and he has systematically removed any potential rivals to the throne .
His once-powerful cousin Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef , whom he replaced as crown prince in a palace coup in 2017 , is just one of many senior figures to have been detained and disempowered .
There are grumblings amongst older , conservative Saudis that MBS 's maverick and unconventional policies are leading the country down a dangerous path .
Yet there is also talk of `` a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to speak out and risk arrest .
In contrast to MBS 's reputation abroad , his standing at home remains largely popular , especially amongst the youth .
`` They are the ones to have benefitted the most from his liberalisation , '' says Sir William Patey .
`` MBS has a big constituency there . ''
Part of that popularity rests on a newfound Saudi nationalism , embodied in the youthful crown prince himself .
But a large part of it also rests on a widespread optimism that he can deliver them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dreams fall flat and five years from now those jobs never materialise , then the absolute power of the Saudi monarchy may start to look a little less secure .

"Saudi Arabia has quite a lot of resilience built in," says Sir William Patey, former British Ambassador to Riyadh between 2007-10. "They have a lot of reserves to keep them going and they could still come out of this oil price slump with their market share intact or even improved."


bbc--2020-05-12--What do we know about the Ahmaud Arbery case?

Ahmaud Arbery was jogging in February when he was confronted by Gregory and Travis McMichael .
Mr Arbery was fatally shot during the encounter .
Now , over two months later , the pair have been arrested .
Here 's what we know about the case .
What 's the status of the investigation ?
Gregory , 64 , and Travis McMichael , 34 , are in the custody of the Glynn County Sheriff 's Department .
They were detained by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation ( GBI ) on 7 May .
The GBI has said the investigation is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A neighbour who filmed a video of the confrontation , William Bryan , is also under investigation .
Tom Durden , the Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney in charge of the case , has called for a grand jury , but they can not convene until Covid-19 restrictions ease in June .
In the afternoon on 23 February , Mr Arbery was out for a jog in the coastal city of Brunswick .
At one point , he entered the Satilla Shores neighbourhood .
A neighbourhood resident , Gregory McMichael , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspect in a series of local break-ins .
Police have said no reports were filed regarding these alleged break-ins .
Gregory McMichael and his son , Travis , armed themselves with a pistol and a shotgun and pursued Mr Arbery in a pickup truck through the neighbourhood .
According to the elder Mr McMichael , he and his son had said `` stop , stop , we want to talk to you '' .
He said Mr Arbery then attacked his son .
Lawyers for Mr Arbery 's family have said the 25-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mr Arbery fell down on the street .
An autopsy report showed Mr Arbery had two gunshot wounds in his chest , and a gunshot graze wound on the inside of one of his wrists .
He did not have drugs or alcohol in his system .
Why did the arrest take so long ?
The delay is in part tied to prosecutor turnover : the case is currently on its third , Tom Durden .
Two local district attorneys recused themselves due to professional connections to the elder Mr McMichael .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there were orders to not arrest the pair .
Brunswick District Attorney Jackie Johnson - whose office initially handled the case - has been accused by two county commissioners of not allowing police to arrest the McMichaels immediately after the shooting .
Mr McMichael had been previously employed by her office .
But Ms Johnson has denied the claim , and said no prosecutors in her office told law enforcement not to arrest them .
She blamed local police for not deciding what to do .
The second district attorney involved , Waycross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told police he believed the father and son had used citizen 's arrest rights in confronting the jogger , and that as a result there were no grounds for arrest .
Mr Barnhill recused himself , citing concerns raised by the victim 's mother over his ties to Mr McMichael .
Mr Arbery 's family have criticised prosecutors ' handling of the case as a `` cover-up '' .
Atlanta Attorney General Chris Carr has now formally requested the GBI to look into the conduct of the district attorneys who first handled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former star high school football player , his father said he often exercised in the area .
His family has described him as a good , generous young man with a big heart .
He would have turned 26 this month .
When Mr Arbery was in high school , he received five years probation for a first-time weapons charge and in 2018 , was convicted of probation violation for shop lifting according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper .
Mr McMichael was reportedly involved in that 2018 case .
What are McMichael 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also worked as an investigator for the local district attorney for years and had retired in 2019 .
What are the two videos in the case ?
The first video surfaced publicly on 5 May .
The 36-second clip was filmed from a vehicle following Mr Arbery .
It shows Mr Arbery jogging , and approaching a stationary pickup truck which is ahead of him on the road .
He tries to bypass the truck and then is seen struggling with a man carrying a shotgun .
There is muffled shouting and three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is standing in the bed of the pickup .
The second man is then shown with a pistol standing alongside the other armed man with the jogger no longer in view .
On 10 May another video emerged , showing a man believed to Mr Arbery at a home construction site shortly before the shooting .
In the footage from a surveillance camera , a black man in a white T-shirt walks onto the site and is seen looking around for a few minutes before leaving and jogging down the street .
Lee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's family , said in a statement that it was Mr Arbery in the clip , and that it confirms the young man was out for a jog and did nothing illegal .
Police are investigating William Bryan , who filmed the first video .
Mr Bryan , along with the two McMichael 's , appeared to have been following Mr Arbery `` in hot pursuit '' , according to a memo by Mr Barnhill .
In an interview with CNN , Mr Bryan said he was `` very sorry to [ Arbery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not answer questions on how he came to be filming at the scene .
What do we know about the burglary claims ?
Around the time of the incident , a number of emergency calls were made , CBS News has reported .
In one , a neighbour said a black man was seen at a home under construction .
When asked if the man was breaking in , the caller replied `` No , it 's all open , it 's under construction . ''
The caller then said that the man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The dispatcher says `` I just need to know what he was doing wrong .
Was he just on the premises and not supposed to be ? ''
and the caller replies : `` He 's been caught on the camera a bunch before at night .
It 's kind of an ongoing thing out here . ''
The owner of the home that was under construction told CNN his CCTV captured four short clips of a man that appeared to be Mr Arbery `` trespassing '' on his properly on 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previously captured someone at his property at night , although he could not identify them and did not notify the police , he added .
Police records show only one burglary report in the neighbourhood between 1 January and 23 February , US media report .
That incident involved a gun being reported stolen from a pickup truck outside the home of Travis McMichael on 1 January .
What do the McMichaels say ?
The McMichaels have not issued a statement to US media .
It remains unclear if they are represented by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their account to police , Mr McMichael alleges the jogger attacked his son in the road after they tried to stop him , and that they acted out of self-defence .
What does Arbery 's family say ?
His parents said the arrest of the McMichaels was a relief , but they have expressed a distrust of local law enforcement .
His mother , Wanda Cooper Jones , told PBS News : `` I honestly think that if we did n't get national attention to it , my son 's death would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Benjamin Crump , a lawyer for the family , has asked for the same justice for Mr Arbery if the situations were reversed and two black men had attacked an unarmed white man .
`` We know beyond a shadow of a doubt they would 've been arrested on day one , '' Mr Crump said .
Under the citizen 's arrest law , an individual can detain someone they have seen committing a serious crime and if the suspect is trying to escape .
Local media note that the law does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an arrest - that 's limited to self-defense or times where it is absolutely necessary to prevent certain serious crimes .
Will the federal government get involved ?
While Georgia is one of four states that has no hate crime statutes , the federal government can file those charges .
The Department of Justice ( DOJ ) on Monday said its civil rights division , the FBI , and the US Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia have been supporting the state investigation .
`` We are assessing all of the evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are appropriate , '' spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said .
Georgia 's Attorney General Chris Carr has also asked the department to investigate the handling of the case .
The DOJ said on Monday it has requested Mr Carr send any information he has to federal authorities .
The case has also prompted members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus to renew calls for a state hate crime law .

Police bodycam footage showed the encounter with officers, who said he was in a car in an area known for drug use. He said he was on his day off from work. The taser malfunctioned and he was allowed to leave on foot.


bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: China’s new army of tough-talking diplomats

Once upon a time Chinese statecraft was discreet and enigmatic .
Henry Kissinger , the former US secretary of state , wrote in his seminal study Diplomacy that `` Beijing 's diplomacy was so subtle and indirect that it largely went over our heads in Washington '' .
Governments in the West employed sinologists to interpret the opaque signals emanating from China 's politburo .
Under its former leader , Deng Xiaoping , the country 's declared strategy was to `` hide its ability and bide its time '' .
Well , not any more .
China has dispatched an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world of social media to take on all comers with , at times , an eye-blinking frankness .
Their aim is to defend China 's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and challenge those who question Beijing 's version of events .
So they launch salvos of persistent tweets and posts from their embassies around the world .
And they hold little back , deploying sarcasm and aggression in equal measure .
Such is the novelty of their techniques that they have been dubbed `` wolf warrior '' diplomats after the eponymous action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at US 'virus lab ' theory • What 's behind Trump 's new strategy on China ?
Wolf Warrior and Wolf Warrior 2 are hugely popular movies in which elite Chinese special forces take on American-led mercenaries and other ne'er-do-wells .
They are violent and extremely nationalistic in tone .
One critic dubbed them `` Rambo with Chinese characteristics '' .
A promotional poster showed a picture of the central character raising his middle finger with the slogan : `` Anyone who offends China , no matter how remote , must be exterminated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese Communist Party newspaper , Global Times , declared the people were `` no longer satisfied with a flaccid diplomatic tone '' and said the West feels challenged by China 's new `` Wolf Warrior '' diplomacy .
Perhaps the quintessential `` wolf warrior '' is Lijian Zhao , China 's young foreign affairs spokesman .
He is the official who made the unsubstantiated suggestion that the United States might have brought coronavirus to Wuhan .
He has more than 600,000 followers on Twitter and he exploits that audience almost by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liking anything that promotes and defends China .
This is of course what diplomats anywhere in the world must do : it is their job to promote their country 's national interest .
But few diplomats use language that is , well , so undiplomatic .
Take the Chinese embassy in India which described calls for China to pay compensation for spreading the virus as `` ridiculous and eyeball-catching nonsense '' .
China 's ambassador in the Netherlands accused President Donald Trump of being `` full of racism '' .
In response to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best ways of tackling the virus , the chief spokesman for the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing tweeted : `` Mr President is right .
Some people do need to be injected with # disinfectant , or at least gargle with it .
That way they wo n't spread the virus , lies and hatred when talking . ''
In London , China 's `` wolf warrior '' is Ma Hui , number 3 at the embassy .
His Twitter username includes the words `` warhors '' and he is as prolific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` Some US leaders have stooped so low to lie , misinform , blame , stigmatise .
That is very despicable , but we should not lower our standard , race to the bottom .
They do n't care a lot about morality , integrity but we do .
We can also fight back [ against ] their stupidity . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• FACE MASKS : Should I be wearing one ?
• STRESS : How to look after your mental health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the familiar knockabout you get on social media .
But for China , it is a huge departure .
Research by the German Marshall Fund think-tank suggests there has been a 300 % increase in official Chinese state Twitter accounts over the last year , with a fourfold increase in posts .
Kristine Berzina , a senior fellow at the GMF , said : `` This is very unusual from what we have come to expect from China .
`` In the past , China 's public face has been to show a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been an encouragement of friendship .
Cute panda videos would be much more common than harsh take-downs of various government policies .
So this is a really big departure . ''
And it is clearly a policy choice by China 's authorities .
They could have chosen to focus their information campaign entirely on what has been dubbed their `` mask diplomacy '' , namely the donation and sale of protective medical kit around the world .
This promoted China 's soft power as other countries struggled to cope .
But such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health silk road '' appears to have been dissipated by the aggression of the `` wolf warriors '' .
China 's ambassador in Australia , Cheng Jingye , has been engaged in a furious row with his hosts .
When the government backed an independent international investigation into the origins of the virus , Mr Cheng hinted China might boycott Australian goods .
`` Maybe also the ordinary people will say , 'Why should we drink Australian wine or eat Australian beef ? '
'' he told the Australian Financial Review .
Ministers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Officials at the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade called the ambassador to ask him to explain himself .
He responded by publishing an account of the conversation on the embassy website , in which he urged Australia to stop playing `` political games '' .
China this week imposed import bans on some Australian beef processors and threatened tariffs on Australian barley .
In Paris , China 's ambassador Lu Shaye was summoned by the foreign ministry to explain comments on his embassy website suggesting that France had abandoned its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes .
The pushback against Chinese diplomats has perhaps been strongest in Africa where a number of ambassadors - from Nigeria , Kenya , Uganda , Ghana and the African Union - were summoned by their hosts in recent weeks to explain racist and discriminatory treatment of Africans in China .
The Speaker of Nigeria 's House of Representatives , Femi Gbajabiamila , published footage of him remonstrating with China 's ambassador .
In an article for Foreign Affairs magazine , Kevin Rudd , the former Australian prime minister , argues that China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strategy : `` Whatever China 's new generation of 'wolf-warrior ' diplomats may report back to Beijing , the reality is that China 's standing has taken a huge hit ( the irony is that these wolf-warriors are adding to this damage , not ameliorating it ) .
`` Anti-Chinese reaction over the spread of the virus , often racially charged , has been seen in countries as disparate as India , Indonesia , and Iran .
Chinese soft power runs the risk of being shredded . ''
The risk is that China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the West , with countries becoming more distrustful and less willing to engage with Beijing .
In the United States , China has already become an issue in the presidential election , with both candidates competing to be tougher than the other .
In the UK , Conservative MPs are organising to impose greater scrutiny on Chinese policy .
The question is whether these diplomatic tensions will deepen into a more serious confrontation between China and the West .
This matters not just because of the general risks of escalation but also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world needs to co-operate .
In the short term , the research , testing , development and distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine will require international co-operation including China .
In the longer term , most analysts expect some kind of global collective action to repair the world economy .
But the chances of that are looking slim .
Bonnie Glaser , director of the China Power Project at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington , said : `` If the US and China did not set aside their differences in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global pandemic , it is hard to believe they are going to find a way to work together to bolster their economies . ''
Some strategists argue that while the West will have to increase its strategic independence from China after the pandemic , it will also have to find a new framework for co-operation .
China 's `` wolf warrior '' diplomacy may not be making that any easier .

Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said: "If the US and China did not set aside their differences in order to work together to fight a global pandemic, it is hard to believe they are going to find a way to work together to bolster their economies."


bbc--2020-05-12--Coronavirus: The Colombian jail with 859 cases

The director of a prison in the Colombian city of Villavicencio says overcrowding is to blame for one of the country 's worst coronavirus outbreaks .
More than 850 inmates and members of staff have been infected .
`` How can I ensure there is isolation if there are people sleeping under the beds and in the bathrooms ? ''
asked prison director Miguel Ángel Rodríguez .
He said that when the outbreak started , there were 1,835 inmates at the jail , more than double its capacity .
Mr Rodríguez was answering questions about the outbreak at Villavicencio prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assembly in Meta province .
He alleged that the Colombian state had `` abandoned '' the jail .
`` There are working groups and security councils where a lot of ideas are thrown around and lots of papers are signed , but there are no results .
Red tape is paralysing us , and inside the prison we 're doing what we can . ''
Two weeks ago , police foiled an escape attempt by a group of inmates who had started building a tunnel .
You may also be interested in : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't deserve to die in jail The prison director said 1,750 inmates were currently being held at the jail and that the overcrowding made it impossible to slow the spread of the virus .
`` The areas we use to isolate [ inmates ] are not ideal , '' he said , adding that prison authorities were moving prisoners into one of the carpentry workshops to create more space .
To make matters worse , there is also a shortages of doctors at the prison .
Last week , Colombia 's director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that doctors working at Villavicencio jail had quit because they had not been given the necessary protective equipment .
`` It 's not because they just felt like it or even because they were afraid , they just ca n't go unprotected into what is like a war [ against the virus ] , '' Ms Cervantes said .
Nationwide , Colombia has more than 11,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 479 people have died , according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The rules on self-isolation and exercise • MAPS AND CHARTS : Visual guide to the outbreak • STRESS : How to look after your mental health

He alleged that the Colombian state had "abandoned" the jail. "There are working groups and security councils where a lot of ideas are thrown around and lots of papers are signed, but there are no results. Red tape is paralysing us, and inside the prison we're doing what we can."


bbc--2020-05-12--Europe's press calls UK lockdown roadmap 'confusing'

European media have widely described the British prime minister 's `` conditional plan '' to reopen society as a `` mixed message '' driven by `` extreme caution '' .
Germany 's Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote that `` all clarity has been eliminated '' after Boris Johnson presented his plan for easing the lockdown .
`` Prime Minister Johnson has presented a 'roadmap ' for exiting the coronavirus crisis - and confused the British .
Discontent is also growing in the cabinet and in parliament : the government has not discussed the plan in advance , '' the paper wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had understood the message at all .
`` What on earth does it mean to be alert ? ''
wrote Spanish El Confidencial , pointing out that it was the most common question on social media .
Italian newspapers observed that the UK had `` once again '' changed its strategy - with a `` new slogan '' .
Liberal La Repubblica wrote that the opposition and devolved governments were worried that `` this change of tack will be the latest false move by the government that first downplayed the virus , suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back ... and is now putting forward an unclear , difficult-to-understand message . ''
Commentaries across Europe have also noted the `` extreme caution '' in the latest UK government advice .
`` For a man who likes walking briskly , it is with small steps that Boris Johnson approaches the end of lockdown , '' France 's Le Figaro newspaper wrote .
`` The health situation in the country and , undoubtedly , the challenge he went through , have incited the prime minister to caution . ''
French business daily Les @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the other side of the Channel , writing `` if Boris Johnson is showing such caution , it 's because he knows that his room for manoeuvre is extremely limited '' .
Other newspapers in France and Italy pointed out that Johnson still enjoyed popularity despite his country having the worst mortality rate in Europe .
`` Trust in Johnson 's government will also depend on its ability to deploy an effective strategy for testing and tracing the virus .
Johnson barely mentioned it on Sunday .
And for a reason : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monde wrote .
In an article headlined `` End of Johnson 's arrogance '' a journalist from Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung warned that Johnson was yet to face the toughest challenges of the coronavirus crisis .
`` Johnson is not over the hump .
The harsh criticism of his exit schedule shows that the most difficult phase is still ahead of him - not least because , with new Labour leader Keir Starmer , he has a more capable opposition leader breathing down his neck than before , '' Jochen Buchsteiner concluded .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the British public over the summer , Le Monde offered a suggestion from a Sunday Times article from 10 May : `` The British , big fans of sunny vacations in France Spain and Italy , will have to rediscover Blackpool ... with its zoo , its pier and its fake Eiffel tower . ''
BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV , radio , web and print media around the world .
You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook .

Other newspapers in France and Italy pointed out that Johnson still enjoyed popularity despite his country having the worst mortality rate in Europe. "Trust in Johnson's government will also depend on its ability to deploy an effective strategy for testing and tracing the virus. Johnson barely mentioned it on Sunday. And for a reason: it is not ready," Le Monde wrote.


bbc--2020-05-12--No tackling and disinfected pitches - Premier League training protocols sent to clubs

Tackling will be banned , pitches disinfected and players restricted to groups of five when the Premier League starts a first phase of team training .
Official protocols sent to players and managers on Tuesday and obtained by the BBC reveal that social distancing must be `` strictly observed '' .
Corner-flags , balls , cones , goalposts and even playing surfaces will be disinfected after each session .
League bosses hope training can begin on Monday , restricted to 75 minutes .
Ongoing surveillance measures included in further guidance include twice-weekly testing , and a daily pre-training questionnaire and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'health screening ' , players are also told a central register of Covid-19 test results ( subject to their consent and Professional Footballers ' Association agreement ) will need to be maintained .
Recommended `` control measures '' include `` meticulous personal hygiene and use of PPE [ personal protective equipment ] , no congregation in communal areas , including but not limited to medical rooms and gym areas '' .
Under further stringent rules , players are told they can not share transport with anyone to and from the training ground , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Team vehicles and public transport should not be used .
Players are being consulted on proposed medical protocols for a return to training by the PFA .
They have been given a condensed version of a 40-page document for them to digest .
The BBC understands the PFA has heard from a number of players , especially those who have underlying health conditions like asthma or who are from black and minority ethnic ( Bame ) backgrounds , that they have real concerns about returning to playing .
Black men and women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with coronavirus as white people in England and Wales , according to the Office for National Statistics .
The draft protocols refer to `` additional risk assessment and precautions required for players at increased risk ( co-morbidity ) '' .
On Wednesday , there will be a meeting between players , the Premier League , medical staff and the PFA .
Government approval will need to be granted before teams can continue to the next stage of training , when contact would be permitted .
Troy Townsend , from equality and inclusion organisation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palace and England winger Andros Townsend , says he understands players ' concerns over the risk a return to action in the near future could represent to not only themselves but also their families .
Townsend told BBC Sport : `` I love watching my son play football , I love watching his team play and I love every aspect of what football brings , but these are uncertain times and ultimately I do n't want to be watching him with worry right across my face .
`` I do n't think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we do go back anytime soon because you are worried about what he is walking away from and what he may be opening his family up to too .
`` If I am concerned about that it has to be a worry for any parent or any person connected to a player that may have to put themselves in that situation , which is a situation of worry . ''
Townsend is also concerned by the increased risk the virus appears to pose to people who are from Bame backgrounds , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season if player safety can not be assured .
He added : `` Unfortunately we have seen some stats come out where it seems more people from the black and minority ethnic communities have been affected by the virus , which puts another worry mark on the lines on my head .
`` I just can not visualise watching players out on a football pitch and particularly my own son while this uncertainty continues , I can not see it .
`` If that means we have to shut up shop - null @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather that than put people at risk or lose lives unnecessarily . ''
What happens next ?
• Thursday , 14 May : Meetings between Premier League and PFA/LMA about medical protocols • Thursday , 14 May : Meeting between Culture Secretary and football authorities • Monday , 18 May : Premier League players may return to initial group training under socially distancing protocols • 25 May : Uefa deadline for leagues to have finalised plan for restarting seasons • 1 June : Government date for possible return of elite sport behind closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Premier League aiming to return with first fixture

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Premier League bosses hope that training can begin on Monday
Tackling will be banned, pitches disinfected and players restricted to groups of five when the Premier League starts a first phase of team training.
Official protocols sent to players and managers on Tuesday and obtained by the BBC reveal that social distancing must be "strictly observed".
Corner-flags, balls, cones, goalposts and even playing surfaces will be disinfected after each session.
League bosses hope training can begin on Monday, restricted to 75 minutes.
Ongoing surveillance measures included in further guidance include twice-weekly testing, and a daily pre-training questionnaire and temperature check.
Under a section titled 'health screening', players are also told a central register of Covid-19 test results (subject to their consent and Professional Footballers' Association agreement) will need to be maintained.
They are also informed that "although Covid-19 will lead to minor illness in the majority, there are additional aspects of this infection that must be considered prior to players resuming high-intensity or high-volume exercise".
Specific assessments that may be considered for players who contract the disease include tests for any heart or lung complications.
Recommended "control measures" include "meticulous personal hygiene and use of PPE [personal protective equipment], no congregation in communal areas, including but not limited to medical rooms and gym areas".
Under further stringent rules, players are told they cannot share transport with anyone to and from the training ground, and vehicle interiors should be cleaned regularly. Team vehicles and public transport should not be used.
Players are being consulted on proposed medical protocols for a return to training by the PFA. They have been given a condensed version of a 40-page document for them to digest.
The BBC understands the PFA has heard from a number of players, especially those who have underlying health conditions like asthma or who are from black and minority ethnic (Bame) backgrounds, that they have real concerns about returning to playing.
Black men and women are nearly twice as likely to die with coronavirus as white people in England and Wales, according to the Office for National Statistics.
The draft protocols refer to "additional risk assessment and precautions required for players at increased risk (co-morbidity)".
On Wednesday, there will be a meeting between players, the Premier League, medical staff and the PFA.
Government approval will need to be granted before teams can continue to the next stage of training, when contact would be permitted.
'I wouldn't feel comfortable watching football with current risk'
'I can't visualise watching my son play during this uncertainty' - Kick It Out's Troy Townsend
Troy Townsend, from equality and inclusion organisation Kick It Out and father of Crystal Palace and England winger Andros Townsend, says he understands players' concerns over the risk a return to action in the near future could represent to not only themselves but also their families.
Townsend told BBC Sport: "I love watching my son play football, I love watching his team play and I love every aspect of what football brings, but these are uncertain times and ultimately I don't want to be watching him with worry right across my face.
"I don't think I could watch the game comfortably any more if we do go back anytime soon because you are worried about what he is walking away from and what he may be opening his family up to too.
"If I am concerned about that it has to be a worry for any parent or any person connected to a player that may have to put themselves in that situation, which is a situation of worry."
Townsend is also concerned by the increased risk the virus appears to pose to people who are from Bame backgrounds, and says he would reluctantly accept cancelling the season if player safety cannot be assured.
He added: "Unfortunately we have seen some stats come out where it seems more people from the black and minority ethnic communities have been affected by the virus, which puts another worry mark on the lines on my head.
"I just cannot visualise watching players out on a football pitch and particularly my own son while this uncertainty continues, I cannot see it.
"If that means we have to shut up shop - null and void - then unfortunately I would rather that than put people at risk or lose lives unnecessarily."
What happens next?