EXCLUSIVE BY ANDREW WARSHAW: World football's top medical expert slammed Europe's major leagues for targeting a mid-May resumption of fixtures.

The ongoing pandemic has heavily disrupted the football calendar, with countless domestic competitions postponed and Euro 2020 having been pushed back until next year.

FIFA and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have teamed up by launching a new awareness campaign where world stars call on people around the globe to follow five key steps to combat the virus.

MIKE KEEGAN: The global game's governing body has recognised the current coronavirus crisis as a 'force majeure' - an unforeseen circumstance that prevents a contract from being fulfilled.

The fund needs to be signed off but should it be ratified as expected, it would help a series of authorities across the planet who are already struggling thanks to a lack of revenue and cashflow.

Despite most domestic leagues having been indefinitely suspended due to the escalating pandemic, discussions over re-introducing football around the world are ongoing.

With football in England nearing a return with clubs slowly returning to training, Michel D'Hooghe has warned that footballers will have to change their mannerisms on the pitch for health reasons.

Germany's Bundesliga has plans in place, subject to approval from the federal government and state health authorities, to get going again on May 9 while other leagues are keen to follow suit.

Rizzoli, the Italian official who took charge of the 2014 World Cup final and is now a referee designator for Serie A, said one change could be five subs instead of the usual three.

WARNING: Graphic footage has emerged of the horrifying moment a man was shot dead by police after he allegedly doused himself in fuel in a McDonald's car park south of Brisbane.

Going in to today, Boris Johnson had a narrowing lead in the polls and is hoping to secure a swathe of northern Labour seats. But Labour sources claim its vote is holding up amid a seemingly huge turnout.

Now the famously laconic presenter and self-confessed football fanatic Adrian Chiles has revealed he has developed a very different obsession - the Catholic faith he calls 'a refuge'.

The 25-year-old reality star and pro partner Alan Bersten, 25, were crowned the winners Monday of season 28 of Dancing With The Stars.

THE NUMBERS GAME: Man City gave Guardiola time – and money – and are now reaping the rewards. Sadly for Sarri, he is unlikely to be afforded the same luxury at hire-and-fire Chelsea.

THE NUMBERS GAME - KIERAN GILL: Signed from Napoli for £57m, Jorginho became the poster boy for 'Sarri-ball'. But what happens to the midfielder now his mentor has left Chelsea?

Jerry Emmett, 102, was given the honor of reading out Arizona's votes for Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

The former president showed he could still enjoy the simpler things in life as he batted and kicked balloons that had fallen from the roof of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

JANE FRYER: Almost every week for the past 18 months - until lockdown - the Duchess of Cornwall has hosted an exclusive Clarence House gathering.

EXCLUSIVE: A first Test match between England and Afghanistan, planned to take place in 2021, has become a doubt, with the domestic summer set to be dominated by white-ball cricket.

The two men were filmed attacking the creature on a building site although it is not yet clear where the footage was taken. Animal charity PETA are now calling for the men to be tracked down.

Arne Van Der Linden, 14, was enjoying a kickabout with a friend on a pitch in Kontich, Antwerp, last week when he unintentionally pulled off the wonder-strike.

Viewers took to Twitter in droves to declare she'd 'done the National Health Service proud' after Beth wowed with her emotional ballad about saving lives in Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The 99-year-old war veteran, who has raised £27million for the NHS during the coronavirus crisis is thought to be 'in talks' with show bosses for a special live performance when this series wraps up.

In a video conference call, the Premier League told of the potential losses to clubs, as they look to convince players to take a 30 per cent mix of cuts and deferrals on their wages.

EXCLUSIVE: FIFA will today announce that they have approved plans aimed at rescuing the football season which will see player contracts extended and transfer windows put back.

The seasons of France's Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 are over after league bosses accepted that it would be impossible to complete the season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

La Liga president Javier Tebas responded with bemusement to news the French season will end with 10 rounds of matches still to be played.

England defender Kieran Trippier is facing a lengthy ban and a fine after being charged by the Football Association with breaching betting rules.

The Spaniard is currently on loan at the Gunners from the LaLiga giants with his short-term deal set to expire this summer. The Premier League club, as well as Juventus, have been linked with a move.

From Hernan Crespo to Mauro Icardi, Inter Milan have always had a soft spot for Argentine centre-forwards - and in current No 10 Lautaro Martinez, they might just have found the best of the lot.

DEREK LAWRENSON - WORLD OF GOLF: It was the hardest piece that I've ever had to write - and the lively aftermath was far, far worse. Seve Ballesteros tore into me in front of my peers.

MARTIN KEOWN: I watched every minute of it, from the build-up, to the players walking out in front of 100,000 at Wembley, to Keegan scoring twice for Liverpool in a very one-sided 3-0 win.

Sydney bar, The Big Easy, have teamed up with Fireball Whisky to create a delicious boozy bucket of chicken and from Friday, April 17th, the meal can be ordered on Menulog.

Armed with two balloons full of helium, Alan called the host out for doing impressions of his distinctive voice after he last appeared on the show two years ago.

Tara Brown and her TV producer husband John McAvoy avoided eye contact and conversation as they walked through Ballina Airport with their two children on Thursday.

Newcastle United has a tradition where players and staff greet one another with a handshake every morning but manager Steve Bruce admitted: 'We've stopped on the advice of the doctor'.

JANE FRYER: Certainly it will be beautiful and awesome and, for those with binoculars and telescopes, there will be an awful lot to see.

CHARLES SALE - THE SPORTS AGENDA: A crucial meeting is scheduled for Friday to try and resolve the £150m impasse threatening to derail the Wembley sale.

1800 Tequila and hip-hop icon Future launched the new 1800 Cristalino during the Brooklyn Nets game on Monday at the Barclays Center. The artist dressed courtside cool in sporty chic attire.

The game’s greatest love affair is on the rocks. Prime-time Brazilian news bulletins on Monday pored over the results a survey which showed that public approval of hosting the World Cup has plummeted to a record low in football’s heartland.

The Daily Mail's Inspector called in at the Football Hotel in Manchester, where double rooms start from £85.

The Frenchman, who has been embroiled in a sexism storm over the incident during the qualifying match, said John Blom told him the girl was 'not his slave'.

It's been a busy year for 5 Seconds of Summer, with their single Youngblood spending an impressive 46 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Perry made a grand entrance out of a giant red Christmas tree ornament. She was accompanied onstage by backup dancers dressed as purple gift boxes wrapped in red patent leather bows.

Proving just how far they've come, Australian punk-rock band 5 Seconds Of Summer were one of the headline acts at this year's KISS 108's iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in Boston on Sunday.

The Prime Minister has been informed of the proposals for matches to be played behind closed doors. And Mr Johnson sees the resumption of live sport as key to boosting the moral of the nation.

For four years we have been treated to something special. It was as though their football was from another planet. But I sat in the Nou Camp and watched Bayern Munich complete a staggering 7-0 aggregate victory over Barcelona.

When I went to Paris last week to interview David Beckham as he announced his retirement from football, there was much to talk about and memories such as that one. But what resonated with me was that when I asked him how he would like to be remembered, he replied: ‘As a hard-working footballer.’

Pep Guardiola has no shame or embarrassment that he wanted his team to be hard working, to sprint to the ball to hunt in packs. But if an English coach was seen pumping his fists, waving his arms and screaming: ‘Squeeze them in!’ he would be in danger of being portrayed as a dinosaur.

UEFA are considering stripping Turkey of this season's Champions League final. It comes in the wake of the country's military operation against the Kurds across the Syrian border.