bbc--2020-01-13--Australia fires: What's being done to fight the flames?

Large parts of Australia have been devastated by the worst wildfires the country has seen in decades , with huge blazes tearing through bush , woodland and national parks .
Record-breaking temperatures and months of drought have helped the fires burn an estimated 10 million hectares ( 100,000 sq km ) of land since 1 July .
What are the Australian authorities doing to stop the fires and could anything have been done to prevent them ?
Bushfire conditions eased over the weekend , giving fire crews a period of temporary respite .
But authorities say the huge fires will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More hot weather is expected next week and the risk was far from over , they said .
Thousands of firefighters are still battling blazes across large swathes of Australia - ranging in size from small fires to infernos burning across hectares of land .
Entire towns have been engulfed and residents across several states have lost their homes .
At least 28 people have died .
State and federal authorities have been working together to try to stem the spread .
While they have managed to contain some within a matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burning for months .
• A very simple guide to the Australia fires Many people are involved in the battle At least 3,700 firefighters are on the ground at any one time across the country during the worst periods , according to the country 's state fire services .
Most are in the worst-hit states of New South Wales ( NSW ) and Victoria .
When fires have been at their worst , about 2,700 firefighters have been battling the blazes at any one time in NSW alone .
Ben Shepherd , of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his colleagues had dealt with 4.2m hectares of burning land this season , compared with the typical 300,000 hectares .
`` It 's been an incredibly long campaign , '' he said .
Fire crews across the country have been joined by 3,000 army , navy and air force reservists who are assisting with search and rescue and clean-up efforts .
Further support coming from the US , Canada , and New Zealand , who have sent additional teams and equipment to help .
Fire crews are using a combination of aircraft and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NSW Rural Fire Service says it has about 100 aircraft in the skies every day when the fires are bad , while Victoria Country Fire Authority says it has more than 60 .
They include helicopters , fixed-wing aircraft and larger air-tankers , most of which can be used to `` firebomb '' water onto fires or drop retardant from the sky above .
Overall , more than 500 aircraft are available for firefighting across Australia , according to the National Aerial Firefighting Centre , which has its own fleet of about 130 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's response when required .
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also committed $ 14m to leasing firefighting aircraft from overseas .
The dangers facing crews were highlighted on Thursday , when a waterbombing helicopter crashed into a reservoir in the Bega Valley Shire region as it was refilling .
The pilot , contracted by the Rural Fire Service , survived .
On the ground , teams are also using firefighting trucks and `` heavy plant '' equipment , such as bulldozers and excavators , in order to move earth , clear areas of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaps in vegetation that help slow the advance of flames .
NSW Rural Fire Service says it has more than 750 vehicles on the ground on a given day .
Military aircraft and navy cruisers are also being used alongside Australian fire service kit .
The army said it had sent supplies , personnel , and vehicles to the devastated Kangaroo Island , near the city of Adelaide in South Australia .
The army also sent out reconnaissance and assistance missions in NSW and Victoria .
But the government has faced criticism for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keen supporter of the country 's coal industry - has faced fierce criticism over his apparent failure to anticipate the crisis , his slow response to the disaster and his reluctance to accept a link between the bushfires and climate change .
Mr Morrison was forced to apologise for going on a family holiday to Hawaii last month as the crisis escalated and he has been heckled by locals in NSW and Victoria .
In response , the Australian leader has expressed regret over his handling of the crisis and said he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of public inquiry - into the country 's response .
He has also promised A $ 2bn ( $ 1.4bn ; £1.1bn ) in aid to help the country recover But the prime minister is being urged to do more to cut Australia 's carbon emissions and tackle climate change , which is seeing the country 's average temperatures rise .
Tens of thousands of people across Australia took part in climate change protests last week .
The latest figures from Australia 's Bureau of Meteorology show 2019 was the country 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The conditions were caused by a climate phenomenon called a positive Indian Ocean Dipole ( IOD ) , which was unusually strong , a rare Sudden Stratospheric Warming event , which pushed weather systems northward , as well as climate change , the bureau said .
Last year 's annual mean temperature was 1.52 degrees Celsius above the 1961-1990 average of 21.8C - higher than the previous record of 1.33 degrees Celsius in 2013 .
Australia 's state of the climate report , published last year , warned that warming temperatures meant there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extreme fire weather '' as well as an extension in the `` length of the fire season '' .
But there have been warnings of Australia 's increased levels of fire risk since 1988 - and a 2007 report by Australia 's federal science agency predicted more intense fires would be seen by 2020 , says Dr Tim Curran , senior lecturer in ecology at Lincoln University in New Zealand .
The scale and intensity of this year 's fires and the fact they are now more likely to become a common phenomenon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take further steps to prepare in future years .
Professor Dale Dominey-Howes , director of the Asia-Pacific Natural Hazards and Disaster Risk Research Group at the University of Sydney , argues the current bushfire crisis - and the fact it is affecting multiple states and territories simultaneously - represented a `` new normal '' and the government needed to act .
`` We need new approaches to disaster management - a professional paid workforce , capable of round the clock , round the year and around the country deployment , capable of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .

The scale and intensity of this year's fires and the fact they are now more likely to become a common phenomenon means the Australian authorities may well have to take further steps to prepare in future years.


bbc--2020-01-13--Oldest material on Earth discovered

Oldest material on Earth discovered

Scientists analysing a meteorite have discovered the oldest material known to exist on Earth .
They found dust grains within the space rock - which fell to Earth in the 1960s - that are as much as 7.5 billion years old .
The oldest of the dust grains were formed in stars that roared to life long before our Solar System was born .
A team of researchers has described the result in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences .
When stars die , particles formed within them are flung out into space .
These `` pre-solar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stars , planets , moons and meteorites .
`` They 're solid samples of stars , real stardust , '' said lead author Philipp Heck , a curator at Chicago 's Field Museum and associate professor at the University of Chicago .
A team of researchers from the US and Switzerland analysed 40 pre-solar grains contained in a portion of the Murchison meteorite , that fell in Australia in 1969 .
`` It starts with crushing fragments of the meteorite down into a powder , '' said co-author Jennika Greer , from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Once all the pieces are segregated , it 's a kind of paste , and it has a pungent characteristic - it smells like rotten peanut butter . ''
This whiffy paste was then dissolved in acid , leaving only the stardust .
`` It 's like burning down the haystack to find the needle , '' said Philipp Heck .
To work out how old the grains were , the researchers measured how long they had been exposed to cosmic rays in space .
These rays are high-energy particles that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter .
Some of these rays interact with the matter they encounter and form new elements .
The longer they are exposed , the more of these elements form .
The researchers used a particular form ( isotope ) of the element neon - Ne-21 - to date the grains .
`` I compare this with putting out a bucket in a rainstorm .
Assuming the rainfall is constant , the amount of water that accumulates in the bucket tells you how long it was exposed , '' said Dr Heck .
Measuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present tells scientists how long the grain was exposed to cosmic rays .
This in turn informs them how old it is .
Some of the pre-solar grains turned out to be the oldest ever discovered .
Based on how many cosmic rays had interacted with the grains , most had to be 4.6-4.9 billion years old .
For comparison , the Sun is 4.6 billion years old and the Earth is 4.5 billion .
However , the oldest yielded a date of around 7.5 billion years old .
More to be found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only 10 % of the grains are older than 5.5 billion years , 60 % of the grains are `` young '' ( at ) 4.6 to 4.9 billion years old , and the rest are in between the oldest and youngest ones .
`` I am sure there are older pre-solar minerals in Murchison and other meteorites , we just have n't found them yet . ''
Previously , the oldest pre-solar grain dated with neon isotopes was around 5.5 billion years old .
The findings shed light on a debate over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a steady rate , or whether there are highs and lows in the number of new stars over time .
`` Thanks to these grains , we now have direct evidence for a period of enhanced star formation in our galaxy seven billion years ago with samples from meteorites .
This is one of the key findings of our study , '' said Dr Heck .
The researchers also learned that pre-solar grains often float through space stuck together in large clusters , like granola .
`` No one thought this was possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained .

Some of these rays interact with the matter they encounter and form new elements. The longer they are exposed, the more of these elements form. The researchers used a particular form (isotope) of the element neon - Ne-21 - to date the grains.


bbc--2020-01-14--The Nigerian blind mechanic using touch to make repairs

Emeka Abugu is a 37-year-old mechanic who became blind due to untreated measles as a child .
He says he @ @ @ @ @ in his community in Enugu Ezike , south-eastern Nigeria .
Emeka Abugu told the BBC @ @ @ @ @ despite losing his sight .

Emeka Abugu is a 37-year-old mechanic who became blind due to untreated measles as a child.
He says he's the most reliable mechanic in his community in Enugu Ezike, south-eastern Nigeria.
Emeka Abugu told the BBC how he learnt the trade despite losing his sight.
Video journalists: Nnamdi Agbanelo and Chioma Obianinwa for BBC Igbo


bbc--2020-01-13--Blackhall Colliery: Cash in street 'left by Good Samaritans'

Bundles of cash found on the streets of a former pit village were left by two Good Samaritans , police have said .
Since 2014 there have been at least 12 instances of money being found in Blackhall Colliery , County Durham , usually amounting to £2,000 in £20 notes .
The money was always left in plain sight and often on pavements .
The benefactors told police they had received unexpected windfalls and wanted to give something back .
One of the Good Samaritans - who both wish to remain anonymous - said she felt an `` emotional connection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being helped by a resident and wanted to `` repay the kindness she received '' .
Over the past six years £26,000 has been handed in by village residents .
Durham Police said all the previous bundles had been returned to the finder .
The benefactors would deliberately leave the money where it would be found by people in need , including pensioners , and they would then often wait to make sure it was picked up .
Det Con John Forster , of Durham Police , said he was `` really pleased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He added : `` I am glad we can now definitively rule out the money being linked to any crime or a vulnerable person .
`` I would like to thank the Good Samaritans for getting in touch and also to the honest residents of Blackhall who have continued to hand the money in . ''
It is unknown whether the pair will continue to leave bundles of money but any that are found and handed in to police will continue to be returned to the finder .
You may also be interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run towards their purpose' Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria @ bbc.co.uk .

One of the Good Samaritans - who both wish to remain anonymous - said she felt an "emotional connection" to the former pit village after being helped by a resident and wanted to "repay the kindness she received".


bbc--2020-01-14--The 'sorcerer' keeping Mali's marionette tradition alive

The people behind Mali 's marionette tradition , which has been used to pass on the folklore and culture of a community , are struggling to survive as the recent insecurity has stopped the vital income that came from visitors , as Clair MacDougall reports from Bamako .
If you head toward the edge of a rocky outcrop that wraps around the capital , Bamako , and sail along the bumpy road in a beaten-up taxi , you will find the mystical cavern that is Broulaye Camara 's marionette workshop .
Camara is diminutive and expressive , much like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ calls himself the Sorcerer of Dougoudouma , which is the part of Bamako where he was born and learned his craft as a marionettist .
His work draws on traditional tales that often carry a moral message .
Camara insists on a prayer and slaughtering a white rooster before he will tell me anything about his mystical creations and the magic they possess .
But this magic , which once drew crowds in Mali and sent Camara to Europe and across Africa to perform and run workshops , mainly rests within the walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been hit hard by insecurity in the region that followed a separatist and Islamist militant insurgency in 2012 .
`` I have five or six plays [ but ] we have n't performed them because we do n't have money to make the marionettes , '' he told me .
`` Before the crisis I did not complain at all , no .
I was n't thinking about money before the crisis . ''
But now there are no longer any tourists or visitors to teach or perform for .
`` They stopped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` We are stuck . ''
As Mali 's security crisis continues , marionettists like Camara are finding it hard to support themselves and draw in students who will carry on the tradition .
Marionettes offer a form of entertainment , but they also play an important role in the cultural rituals and festivals of the Bozo and Bambara ethnic groups .
When children are trained in the art form , they begin with masked dances , before moving to marionettes , both in human and animal form , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage a trainee marionettist must go through an initiation .
Camara did not divulge any details but said that the initiates must be able to guard the secrets of the art form .
A great number of rituals are performed before a marionette is brought into being .
They are seen to possess the spirits of ancestors and must be kept in a safe place and guarded over by men like Camara .
In Bambara and Bozo culture , marionettes sit alongside Islamic traditions , which in other places prohibit or frown upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wraps up , Camara tells me he remains concerned about the future of the tradition .
`` Because I am broke and have nothing , they will look at me and think : 'Why should I do this job if the man who has been doing it for a long time ca n't get anything out of it ? '
'' he said sadly .
`` Some may leave because they expect to get something out of it , but for those who really love it , they will stay , '' he @ @

The people behind Mali's marionette tradition, which has been used to pass on the folklore and culture of a community, are struggling to survive as the recent insecurity has stopped the vital income that came from visitors, as Clair MacDougall reports from Bamako.


bbc--2020-01-13--Oscars 2020: The nominees in full

Oscars 2020: The nominees in full

The nominations for this year 's Academy Awards have been announced in Los Angeles .
Here 's the list in @ @ @ @ @ a Time ... in Hollywood • Leonardo DiCaprio - Once Upon a Time ... in @ @ @ @ @ surprises in the Oscar nominations • Oscars 2020 : How diverse are the nominees ?
@ @ @ @ @ ... in Hollywood - Quentin Tarantino • Brad Pitt - Once Upon a Time ... @ @ @ @ @ a Time ... in Hollywood • How to Train Your Dragon : The Hidden World @ @ @ @ @ ... in Hollywood • Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood • I Ca n't @ @ @ @ @ - Toy Story 4 • Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood • Once Upon @ @ @ @ @ • Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood • Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone @ @ @ @ @ Girl ) Follow us on Facebook , on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have @ @ @ @ @ @ bbc.co.uk .

This year's Academy Awards have taken place in Los Angeles. Here's the full list of winners and nominees.


bbc--2020-01-13--Storms devastate US South and Midwest

Storms devastate US South and Midwest

At least 12 people died and thousands were left homeless or without power after tornadoes swept through Texas , Alabama @ @ @

At least 12 people died and thousands were left homeless or without power after tornadoes swept through Texas, Alabama and Louisiana.


bbc--2020-01-14--Taal: The 'very small but dangerous volcano'

Taal is one of the Philippines ' most active volcanoes .
Over the past few days , it 's begun spewing lava , triggering earthquakes and emitting huge plumes of ash that have spread across the island of Luzon and beyond .
Taal is tiny , as volcanoes go , but it has been deadly before .
And according to Renato Solidum , the head of the Philippines ' Institute of Volcanology and Seismology ( Philvolcs ) , it is `` very small but a dangerous volcano '' .
So what is it about Taal that has got people so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` complex volcano '' - it does n't have just one main vent or cone but several eruption points that have changed over time .
`` Taal volcano is a baby volcano sitting within a much bigger caldera volcano , '' said Ben Kennedy , associate professor of physical volcanology at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand .
These new eruptions are taking place on Volcano Island , which sits inside Lake Taal , a 234 sq km lake formed in the caldera of an earlier massive eruption .
Volcano Island alone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volcanic craters that form when hot magma comes into contact with shallow ground water , producing a violent steam explosion .
Other vents and eruption points are underneath Lake Taal .
The entire Volcano Island has been marked as a permanent danger zone by Phivolcs .
At least 35 eruptions have been reported within the last few hundred years - the most recent was in 1977 .
A `` very violent '' eruption in 1911 from the main crater caused rock particles and fragments to shoot out of the volcano , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 1,300 people .
US-based volcanologist Jess Phoenix says Taal has `` a history of multiple eruption styles '' , so it creates threats on the ground in the form of lava and in the air through ash .
There 's also the risk of a `` volcanic tsunami '' , she adds , which can be trigged by falling debris after an eruption generating waves in the lake .
`` Any of these types of threats would be a major hazard for people nearby , '' says Ms Phoenix .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as water could interact with the magma , making it `` more explosive '' , said Mr Kennedy .
`` If water gets to the exploding lava surface it flashes to steam and rapidly solidifies the lava it interacts with , making a very fine ash that explodes higher into the atmosphere and can travel further , '' he told the BBC .
It 's close to lots of people One of the main reasons people are worried is Taal 's proximity to millions of people .
`` Metro Manila is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population of over 10 million , and there are multiple cities within 30km that have more than 100,000 people in each , not counting the smaller towns in between , '' James White , head of geology at the University of Otago , told the BBC .
The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA ) says that more than 450,000 people are estimated to live within the newly designated 14km danger zone .
Thousands have already been evacuated but many remain behind .
Despite the danger posed by volcanoes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due for various reasons - one of them being the fertile volcanic soil that can be found in these parts .
What 's the situation like now ?
On Tuesday , Phivolcs said Taal had generated `` 500 metre tall lava fountains , topped by dark gray steam-laden plumes reaching approximately 2km tall that dispersed ash '' .
`` The plume being 2km tall is actually small .
A 500m tall lava fountain is substantial , but it may not be super vigorous or strong , '' Ms Phoenix told BBC News .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500m tall fountain as a `` very strong fountain '' , adding that there would be `` a lot of magma being erupted '' .
Heavy ash also continues to fall on nearby municipalities and a total of 212 volcanic earthquakes have taken place so far .
`` The seismic activity seems to indicate that there is more magma under the volcano and the eruption may continue , '' said Mr Kennedy .
`` However volcanoes can just as easily quiet down as become more explosive . ''
Earthquakes and volcanic activity are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lies along the Ring of Fire - a zone of major seismic activity , which has one of the world 's most active fault lines .

"Metro Manila is a few tens of kilometres away with a population of over 10 million, and there are multiple cities within 30km that have more than 100,000 people in each, not counting the smaller towns in between," James White, head of geology at the University of Otago, told the BBC.


bbc--2020-01-13--Europe royals: The family members holding down jobs

The UK monarchy is not the first in Europe to face questions over the private careers of senior royals .
The Queen led `` crisis talks '' on Monday over the `` new progressive role '' that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan want to take , which includes earning their own money while continuing to support the monarch .
European royal family ties go back centuries .
Among the UK monarchy 's closest neighbours , some senior royals have successfully transitioned into modern working lives , while others have been forced to give up their titles , or faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How might Harry and Meghan make money ?
The rules on royal titles and duties vary across Europe .
It is also significant that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have a global celebrity status not shared by their European counterparts .
The Netherlands has been described as a successful example of senior members of the royal family holding down jobs .
The king 's brother , Prince Constantijn , and his wife , Princess Laurentien , both work .
`` They previously agreed ... with first taking a life away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you be available when the crown needs you , you might need to put everything aside .
And when you do a job , please get in touch with government , with the king , with the monarch to say what your plan is , '' Dutch royal reporter Rick Evers said .
The couple work for a global policy think tank and part time for the Dutch ministry of foreign affairs .
Prince Constantijn , known as Tijn , rarely attends public events as a member of the Dutch Royal House .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friso , also worked .
After earning a degree in aeronautical engineering , he was employed by a uranium enrichment company .
He died in 2012 after being buried under an avalanche during a skiing holiday in the Austrian Alps .
Royals with paid private jobs in the Netherlands do not receive constitutional allowances .
King Willem-Alexander , meanwhile , still serves as a commercial pilot , flying planes with KLM - something he describes as a serious hobby rather than a job .
BBC correspondent Anna Holligan says a media code was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the royal house performing royal duties are always permitted , and on occasions like holidays the government arranges official photo opportunities , on the condition that royals are allowed privacy for the rest of the year .
It 's a working model which seems to satisfy both the royals - and public interest in their ( relatively normal ) lives , she adds .
In Norway , Princess Martha Louise - the eldest child of Norwegian King Harald V - gave up her royal highness status after getting married in 2002 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her private career .
However , she has faced accusations of exploiting her title for profit .
Alongside her boyfriend , a shaman called Durek Verrett , she organised seminars last year called `` The Princess and the Shaman '' .
They promised to take participants on a journey of `` self discovery into wisdoms to reveal to you your divine self activated '' .
Amid criticism over the move , she later apologised and said she would drop her royal title in future work endeavours .
`` The fact that I used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I have said before that I am very sorry , and I still stand by that .
It was a mistake and I understand that it provokes when the princess title is used this way , '' she wrote on Instagram .
`` The discussions are something I have taken seriously , and in collaboration with my family we have found that it is best that we make some changes . ''
As part of the move , she created a new Instagram account for work-related projects , which does not include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martha Louise .
Let 's explore life and go on adventures together , '' she wrote in her first post .
Despite the controversy and losing her royal highness status , royal watcher James Taylor said she continues to appear with her family at certain public events .
`` She 's had quite a degree of criticism but at the same time she 's ... still in the family circle , '' he said .
The husband of Princess Madeleine , the youngest child of Sweden 's king , opted not to accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he could continue with his professional life .
`` When they got married in 2013 , the king allowed him a royal title but he declined that because he wanted to be independent and make sure he could make his own money , '' Swedish royal expert Roger Lundgren said .
Christopher O'Neill , a British-American national , continues to work as a financier , while his wife performs royal duties and works with non-profit foundations .
He appears alongside the royal family at major occasions .
Mr Lundgren said Mr O'Neill did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work because he had not accepted a title .
He said if Mr O'Neill had taken a royal title while continuing to work as a financier `` there would have been a lot of problems '' .
The children of Princess Madeleine and Mr O'Neill will also be expected to work for a living in future after the Swedish king last year removed five of his grandchildren from the royal house .
The move to slim down the monarchy saw the children stripped of the title of royal highness , meaning they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Analysts , however , noted that the children - who remained princes and princesses - still retained a `` theoretical claim to the throne '' and would likely continue to appear at social gatherings through their titles .
The decision did not affect the king 's two grandchildren who are in direct line to the throne .
The Spanish duchess who lost her title Spain 's Princess Cristina is thought to be the first member of the Spanish royal family to hold a salaried job .
Her father gave her the title @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her marriage in 1997 to former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin .
But her brother , Spain 's King Felipe VI , stripped her of the title of duchess in 2015 as she prepared to stand trial over an embezzlement scam involving her husband .
Princess Cristina was cleared of involvement but Urdangarin was convicted in 2017 of using his not-for-profit Nóos Institute sports foundation to siphon off millions of euros for private use , becoming the first member of a Spanish monarch 's family to go to jail .
The princess , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been reported in recent years to be working for the charitable foundation run by La Caixa bank and the Aga Khan Foundation .
She does not perform royal duties and never appears at public events with the royal family , Mr Lundgren said .

"They previously agreed... with first taking a life away from the throne but with the condition that you be available when the crown needs you, you might need to put everything aside. And when you do a job, please get in touch with government, with the king, with the monarch to say what your plan is," Dutch royal reporter Rick Evers said.


bbc--2020-01-14--Plug-in and sail: Meet the electric ferry pioneers

`` Have a pleasant journey , '' blurts the tannoy , as the engines ramp up and we pull away from the harbour in Fynshav , southern Denmark .
I 'm aboard Ellen , an electric-powered ferry , sailing to the island of Ærø , in the west Baltic Sea .
On the ship 's bridge , Captain Thomas Larsen stands behind a panel with controls and electronic charts .
`` What I can see on these two screens is a power management system , '' he points out .
`` It shows me all my batteries .
And how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` The main difference is that I do n't have a full fuel tank .
I need to think a lot about how I 'm using my power . ''
As we talk an alarm starts beeping .
`` Oh this tells me I do not have power for a new return trip without recharging , '' Captain Larsen says calmly .
Powered entirely by batteries , Ellen is something of a Tesla among ferries .
Fully charged , the 60m vessel can sail 22 nautical miles with up to 200 passengers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a roughly 40km ( 25-mile ) round-trip , and seven times further than other electric ferries .
Ellen replaces an older diesel-powered vessel , and in the onboard cafe passengers welcome the change .
`` It does n't make so much noise .
And no smoke from the diesel - it 's good , '' one traveller tells me .
`` It 's very quiet .
You do n't feel anything .
It 's a great idea also for the environment , '' says another .
`` Ferry shipping in general is very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , an information officer from Ærø EnergyLab , as he shows me around .
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Ships usually use marine diesel or heavy fuel oil , `` which is just about the bottom of the food chain when it comes to product from refineries , '' says Mr Abrahamsen .
The only oil onboard Ellen is for the gearbox and in the kitchen for making French fries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 2,000 tonnes a year .
It 's part of an EU-backed project to develop green ferries for longer routes .
Beyond a set of heavy metal doors , lies the engine and two battery rooms , where 840 lithium-ion batteries supplied by Swiss firm Leclanché , are stacked from floor to ceiling .
Totalling 4.3MWh this is the largest battery capacity at sea and equivalent to the average amount of electricity a UK household consumes each year .
`` It is the biggest electric ferry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world at the moment , '' says Kimmo Rauma , vice-president of Danfoss Editron , the Finland-based company behind the electrical propulsion and charging technology .
After a 70 minute voyage , Ellen arrives at the harbour in Søby and moors alongside the charging station .
A mechanical arm plugs in and recharges the batteries in less than 25 minutes with clean energy supplied by local wind turbines .
Ellen is not fully operational just yet , and it has n't all been smooth sailing .
Building a boat with so many batteries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battery cells have been replaced .
`` They 're getting lighter and more energy dense , but they 're still heavy , '' Trine Heinemann , the E-Ferry project coordinator explains , as we stand on the dockside .
`` The more energy you need , the more batteries you need , the more weight you add .
You then have to start thinking about how do we take other weight away from the ship ?
How do you build the most energy-efficient ship ? ''
A lower resistance design and more lightweight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's low running costs .
`` We are paying maybe 25 % of what you would pay for running a similar diesel vessel . ''
says Ms Heinemann .
`` So that 's the significant saving . ''
Maintenance costs are much lower too .
A diesel engine has about 30,000 moving parts , in an electric motor it 's just the bearings that need maintenance , Dr Rauma says .
The ferry has cost €21.3m ( US $ 23.6m ; £18.3m ) , with the EU 's Horizon 2020 programme funding €15m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more expensive than a conventional diesel vessel , '' Ms Heinemann says .
`` Then you still have the transformer and the electrical infrastructure .
So in terms of establishing an electrical vessel , we are looking at a significantly higher cost . ''
So while battery power is certainly greener , is it commercially viable ?
The team believes so .
`` Some say within 14 months you break even and then it 's saving from then on .
We 're being a little bit more conservative and saying maybe four or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At Søby Shipyard , where Ellen was built , chief executive Roar Falkenberg thinks costs will come down .
`` Ellen was a prototype .
I think when we build the next Ellen , it will be only cost a bit more than a normal ferry .
And if you look three to five years ahead , I think the price will be the same . ''
Batteries are getting more cost-competitive says Dr Tristan Smith , a shipping and energy expert from University College London , thanks largely to better technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have strong air quality regulation then you are n't able to burn the worst quality marine fuels , '' he says , `` which then makes the battery more competitive , because it 's now competing against the more expensive fossil fuel . ''
The shipping industry is responsible for around 3 % of global CO2 and greenhouse gas emissions .
In April 2018 , the International Maritime Organisation set new targets to reduce these emissions by `` at least 50 % by 2050 compared to 2008 '' levels .
That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures including alternatives fuels like LNG , biofuel , also hydrogen and ammonia which Dr Smith thinks show most promise .
Since the first fully-electric ferry was launched in Norway four years ago using Siemens technology , Nordic countries have led a shift towards hybrid and electric power .
Operator Norled now plans to build the world 's first hydrogen-electric ferry .
`` The technology is ready , '' says Danfoss Editron 's Kimmo Rauma .
`` The question is that the maritime industry is not the fastest to change . ''
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , icebreakers , and fish farming service boats .
It also developed Asia 's first e-ferry in Taiwan .
He says retrofitting older diesel vessels with electric engines , particularly in city harbour areas , is a `` big opportunity '' to reduce pollution .
However experts say that scaling up battery power for large ships has significant limitations .
`` The common denominator for successful battery use is that the vessels operate close to shore , '' says Maria Skipper Schwenn , a director at industry body , Danish Shipping .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the capacity of the battery itself .
It 's simply not possible today when you are sailing more than 10 or 20 days at sea .
In addition to that you need an enormous charging capacity in the port . ''
`` With the technology we have right now… it does n't seem like a viable solution for the deep-sea shipping .
But for ferries , supply ships and tugboats , it 's an excellent solution . ''
Back at Søby Shipyard , Roar Falkenberg agrees .
`` The key is how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battery .
If you have to sail from England to the United States , you need a lot !
And then you ca n't have any cargo , you can only have batteries .
Maybe in 10 years , 15 years , there will be other ways for longer ship routes . ''

Back at Søby Shipyard, Roar Falkenberg agrees. "The key is how much energy can you store in the battery. If you have to sail from England to the United States, you need a lot! And then you can't have any cargo, you can only have batteries. Maybe in 10 years, 15 years, there will be other ways for longer ship routes."


bbc--2020-01-13--Taal volcano: Your questions answered

Taal volcano: Your questions answered

Lava has started to emerge from the Taal volcano in the Philippines , as the nation prepares for a `` hazardous eruption '' .
Local authorities have also declared a `` state of calamity '' .
Meanwhile , the volcano has cast a lightning storm into the air , and the surrounding area has been blanketed with ash .
But how dangerous is the ash , why is there lightning in the clouds thrown up by Taal , and could this have an impact on the bushfires in Australia ?
Dave Rothery , professor of planetary geosciences at the Open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What causes the lightning in the ash cloud ?
- Tim Donaldson Lightning is a common phenomenon in volcanic eruption clouds , but we have certainly become more familiar with it thanks to the number of cameras capturing eruption pictures these days .
In an explosive eruption , rock is fragmented into tiny pieces , referred to as `` ash '' - though not a product of combustion like the ash from a fire .
Those particles can carry electrical charges , while frictional collisions between grains can also build up charge .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the negatively-charged particles in sufficient quantity , and the two oppositely charged regions become temporarily linked , this is a lightning bolt .
A similar process occurs in thunderclouds .
It is thought in volcanic lightning the charges could be carried by ions - charged individual atoms - rather than specks of ash .
Is the ash a hazard to one 's health ?
- Robert Aguiniga It is a nasal and respiratory irritant , and so people need to avoid inhaling it - which means if you are below an ash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask .
Going outdoors after ashfall , avoid kicking it up which would reactivate the original hazard .
You would n't want it in your eyes either , as the particles are sharp .
Ash can carry poisons such as fluorine , and sheep in Iceland have died from eating grass tainted by ash from local eruptions , but this does not affect people directly .
Other problems that ashfall can cause include : stripping leaves from vegetation , building up on roofs until they collapse , and turning into devastating mudflows , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rainfall occurs .
So far in the current Taal eruption , the eruption column has not exceeded more than about 1km ( 3,281ft ) high , so the ash has not travelled very far .
Will the ash and gas from Taal reach the stratosphere ?
- Mike Rhode To reach the stratosphere , an eruption column from Taal volcano would need to reach about 15km or more in height , which is the approximate base of the stratosphere at Taal 's latitude , only 14 degrees north of the equator .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1965 eruptions , so it could happen again .
What are the chances of full eruption ?
- Daniel Reaney I guess by `` full eruption '' you mean something like the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo , which lies about as far to the north-west of Manila as Taal is to the south .
That measured six on the Volcano Explosivity Index ( VEI ) scale when the eruption column reached a height of 24km .
The last time Taal had an eruption on that sort of scale was about 5,500 years ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1716 , 1749 , 1754 and 1965 .
So far , Taal 's current eruption is much smaller .
The authorities have wisely declared a 15km radius evacuation zone , and Manila airport has been closed at times for fear of airborne ash affecting jet engines .
Taal could ramp up to something really big , but it is more likely to continue as it is for a while before quietening down again .
• Volcano tourism in the spotlight after New Zealand Can eruption of one volcano lead to the eruption of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - Harish Kumar There is no known mechanism for an eruption at one volcano to set off an eruption at another volcano .
Their magma plumbing systems are not directly connected , despite adjacent volcanoes being fed from the same source .
The same really powerful earthquake might trigger two very close volcanoes , but that is about it .
Taal volcano , like the other volcanoes in the Philippines , Japan and Indonesia , are a consequence of plate tectonics .
An oceanic plate is being pushed ( subducted ) below an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depth of about 70km , and the magma , which is the molten rock below the earth 's crust , rises up to feed volcanoes .
This is a slow process , with magma taking thousands of years ( or longer ) to migrate to the surface .
A particular volcano will not erupt until there is enough magma and associated gas collected in its shallow magma chamber .
Sometimes an earthquake can prematurely set off an eruption that might not have happened for a few more years .
Will the eruption , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires in Australia ?
- Katherine Gonzalez If Taal was to have a really big eruption producing a large ash cloud , I do not think it would have any impact on the fires in Australia .
An ash cloud from Taal would be unlikely to spread far into the southern hemisphere , even if high-altitude winds were to spread it right round the globe .
That is a shame in this case , because fine ash in the air can lead to extra rainfall , which presumably would be welcome in south-eastern @ @ @ @ @ @

There is no known mechanism for an eruption at one volcano to set off an eruption at another volcano. Their magma plumbing systems are not directly connected, despite adjacent volcanoes being fed from the same source. The same really powerful earthquake might trigger two very close volcanoes, but that is about it.


bbc--2020-01-14--Oksana Masters: Paralympic champion on Chernobyl, Tokyo 2020 and upbringing in Ukraine

Standing on a podium by Russia 's Black Sea coast , Oksana Masters felt a surge of pride as the anthems played .
It was n't her first Paralympic medal , but this one was extra special .
She had just won cross country skiing silver at the Sochi Winter Games of 2014 .
As she held her prize , the flag of neighbouring Ukraine was raised for the winner , Lyudmila Pavlenko .
Masters was herself born in Ukraine in 1989 , three years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster .
She was born with severe physical defects caused by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was competing for the USA , the country where she grew up , an adopted child raised by a single mother .
Returning to somewhere so close to the country of her birth had been a big motivation for qualifying to compete in Russia .
`` It was kind of coming full circle , '' she says .
`` It was n't my gold-medal moment , but it sure felt like it . ''
Oksana 's moment would come .
Four years later , two of the five medals she won at Pyeongchang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she will be competing on the Paralympic stage for a fifth time - at the summer Games of Tokyo 2020 .
It will be another chapter in the remarkable life story Oksana shared with BBC World Service .
A story that begins in the Ukrainian orphanage that was her home until the age of seven .
I have good and bad memories .
I remember fields of sunflowers .
I do n't know if it was because I was tiny but they seemed massive .
There was also a plum tree and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so we would steal plums and pick seeds off the sunflowers .
Whenever I see sunflowers now , it 's a good memory because what you read about eastern European orphanages is pretty accurate .
I definitely remember the really , really sharp pain in your stomach from being hungry all the time .
Right from birth I was put up for adoption .
I was born with six toes , I was missing the main weight-bearing bones in my legs , my knees were floating - they were n't supported by anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was born with five fingers , without thumbs .
I do n't have a right bicep , I 'm missing some organs .
I have one kidney and do n't have any enamel on my teeth .
When I came to America I found out that the only thing that can strip enamel before birth is radiation .
They linked it to Chernobyl because I was really not that far from there , and the fact that radiation levels continued to rise years after the explosion .
It definitely lingered on years later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was also a power plant in the village of the orphanage that would go off frequently .
Whenever the radiation was high there was this one cop who would drive round and tell us to board up the windows and doors , not to go out .
I 've just finished watching the TV series Chernobyl .
I knew parts of it .
I knew that things went on behind the scenes to cover up the magnitude of it .
It 's sad that it took away so many lives and homes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the same .
I do n't want to say I was a product of it but , out of something horrific , it 's about how you can see the potential and possibilities - like becoming an athlete - instead of dwelling on it .
When I was five I was called into the director 's office and they said : `` We have a picture to show you - this is going to be your new mum . ''
When I saw her face , she had the warmest eyes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
She made her adoption choice on a picture of me .
Every day until she came to the orphanage I would ask the director : `` Can I look at my mum ? ''
Sometimes , if I was n't good - because I was a troublemaker - then the director would use it against me and be like : `` You ca n't look at the picture today .
You 're a bad girl .
This is why she 's not coming , because you do n't listen . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to believe that .
But her picture kept me going .
She fought for me for two years , and then she came and saw the situation I was living in .
When she walked in the hallway there were people chipping away at the ice on the floor because the radiators had frozen .
Masters ' adoptive mother , a professor at the University at Buffalo in New York state , knew that her daughter 's left leg would have to be amputated .
She had the operation at the age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US .
In 2001 , Masters ' mother moved the family after taking a new position at the University of Louisville , Kentucky .
A year later Masters became a double amputee .
I did n't know I was different until I came to America .
It was only then I realised that everything I had experienced was not normal .
I was diagnosed with 'failure to thrive ' - basically starving to death .
When I turned eight , I was 34 inches tall and weighed 36 pounds - that 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
I had to wear toddler-sized clothes for my first couple of years .
Now that we 're older and we can talk about her experience , I respect how hard it was for my mum .
It was nearly impossible for a single parent to adopt .
She had to do multiple psychiatric tests , with people asking 'why are you single ?
What 's wrong with you ?
Where 's your husband ? '
I did n't realise all the struggles that go into adoption .
I ca n't imagine how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and met me for the first time .
It shows her strength and her pure heart .
Any parent who adopts kids is a pure gift but my mum doing it on her own is on a whole new level .
She knew my left leg had to go - it was six or seven inches shorter - so it was amputated when I was nine .
That was hard but it was harder when I was 13 and the doctors told me they could n't save my right leg .
For the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because I knew what I was missing after the first amputation .
I knew how limited things became for me .
But the pain in my right leg had become unbearable and I said 'OK , I 'm ready , under one condition - I can keep my knee ' .
A lot of people do n't realise that amputees are n't all the same .
Your leg has an ankle and knee - two joints - so I did n't want to be missing four joints .
They said that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the operating table they said 'we 're going to amputate above the knee ' .
I was so sedated I did n't know what was going on , but I will never forget that feeling of waking up in hospital .
I tried to get up but did n't have that leverage from my legs anymore and fell backwards .
That was really hard .
Honestly , I still have a bit of frustration and anger about that .
In the end , it was to avoid having more surgeries down the line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't get a chance to say goodbye to that leg because I did n't know I 'd be missing all of it .
Oksana also had multiple surgeries to both hands and began adaptive rowing in 2002 .
She would go on to win Paralympic bronze in 2012 - her first medal - partnering Rob Jones in the mixed double sculls .
For Sochi 2014 , she switched to cross country skiing .
The first person that mentioned the Paralympics and racing internationally was Randy Mills [ Louisville adaptive rowing club 's programme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I hate to lose , and he saw that .
All I needed was that fitness guidance to get to the next level .
I looked up the Paralympics in 2008 and I was like : 'Oh my gosh , this is so cool ! '
I did n't have a visual of someone that is like me , missing both legs , but racing for the USA at a high level .
It took until London 2012 for me to realise : ' I belong here . '
Then I dedicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Masters posed nude for ESPN 's Body Issue .
I struggled a lot with my self-confidence as a girl .
It 's the end of the world if you 're having a bad hair day or you have a pimple on your face for school picture day , let alone if you have prosthetic legs and hands that are hard to cover up .
Then society has put this label on you , even though you do n't see yourself as 'disabled ' .
That 's something that 's put on you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generation of young girls and kids to grow up not having that person to look up to and want to aspire to .
Every kid had a picture of Michael Jordan on their wall .
Why ca n't it be a normal thing for that to be someone who has had an accident or was born with a disability ?
I do n't want to say that because it 's not a 'disability ' .
That 's just a term society as a whole has put over everybody that looks different .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more times you see the Paralympics or a Para-athlete , the more normal it 's going to become to the person that does n't know what it is .
It 's really cool to watch that growth .
Masters won a bronze and silver medal at Sochi 2014 - both in cross country skiing .
Four years later at Pyeongchang 2018 she won her first gold .
At those Games , she and her partner Aaron Pike became four-time Paralympians .
Now , Masters has reverted to cycling for Tokyo 2020 , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rio 2016 .
Aaron 's such a patient person .
I do n't know how anyone can deal with my chaos .
We started skiing together at the same time and spend the whole winter together so we push each other in training .
He 'll get me on the downhills but I 'm like 'haha , see ya ' on the uphills because I climb faster than him .
We ca n't switch off the competitive switch .
If we play Monopoly and you 're winning , it 's not going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But having someone like Aaron there is great on the training days when you 're finding every excuse to not want to be there .
You look over and it 's your best friend , your partner , your team-mate .
He 's not just a great boyfriend .
He has the same amount of genuine want for other people to do well and shares it with the team .
At Tokyo , the main goal is to win both of my events in the road race and time trial .
In Rio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because I was still spending my season nordic skiing and I transitioned within a few months .
I definitely have unfinished business going into Tokyo .

Masters was born three years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster
Standing on a podium by Russia's Black Sea coast, Oksana Masters felt a surge of pride as the anthems played. It wasn't her first Paralympic medal, but this one was extra special.
She had just won cross country skiing silver at the Sochi Winter Games of 2014. As she held her prize, the flag of neighbouring Ukraine was raised for the winner, Lyudmila Pavlenko. Masters was herself born in Ukraine in 1989, three years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. She was born with severe physical defects caused by exposure to radiation.
In Sochi she was competing for the USA, the country where she grew up, an adopted child raised by a single mother. Returning to somewhere so close to the country of her birth had been a big motivation for qualifying to compete in Russia.
"It was kind of coming full circle," she says. "It wasn't my gold-medal moment, but it sure felt like it."
Oksana's moment would come. Four years later, two of the five medals she won at Pyeongchang 2018 were gold. And this year she will be competing on the Paralympic stage for a fifth time - at the summer Games of Tokyo 2020.
It will be another chapter in the remarkable life story Oksana shared with BBC World Service. A story that begins in the Ukrainian orphanage that was her home until the age of seven.
Masters says she and her mother "faced many unknowns together"
I have good and bad memories. I remember fields of sunflowers. I don't know if it was because I was tiny but they seemed massive. There was also a plum tree and we didn't get a lot of food so we would steal plums and pick seeds off the sunflowers.
Whenever I see sunflowers now, it's a good memory because what you read about eastern European orphanages is pretty accurate. I definitely remember the really, really sharp pain in your stomach from being hungry all the time.
Right from birth I was put up for adoption. I was born with six toes, I was missing the main weight-bearing bones in my legs, my knees were floating - they weren't supported by anything. My hands were webbed; I was born with five fingers, without thumbs. I don't have a right bicep, I'm missing some organs. I have one kidney and don't have any enamel on my teeth. When I came to America I found out that the only thing that can strip enamel before birth is radiation.
They linked it to Chernobyl because I was really not that far from there, and the fact that radiation levels continued to rise years after the explosion. It definitely lingered on years later to when I was born. There was also a power plant in the village of the orphanage that would go off frequently. Whenever the radiation was high there was this one cop who would drive round and tell us to board up the windows and doors, not to go out.
I've just finished watching the TV series Chernobyl. I knew parts of it. I knew that things went on behind the scenes to cover up the magnitude of it. It's sad that it took away so many lives and homes. That part of the country will never be the same.
I don't want to say I was a product of it but, out of something horrific, it's about how you can see the potential and possibilities - like becoming an athlete - instead of dwelling on it.
Masters has grown up to compete at four Paralympics - with Tokyo 2020 set to be her fifth
When I was five I was called into the director's office and they said: "We have a picture to show you - this is going to be your new mum." When I saw her face, she had the warmest eyes and warmest smile.
She'd never met me. She made her adoption choice on a picture of me. Every day until she came to the orphanage I would ask the director: "Can I look at my mum?"
Sometimes, if I wasn't good - because I was a troublemaker - then the director would use it against me and be like: "You can't look at the picture today. You're a bad girl. This is why she's not coming, because you don't listen." Because the process took two years I started to believe that. But her picture kept me going.
She fought for me for two years, and then she came and saw the situation I was living in. When she walked in the hallway there were people chipping away at the ice on the floor because the radiators had frozen.
Masters' adoptive mother, a professor at the University at Buffalo in New York state, knew that her daughter's left leg would have to be amputated. She had the operation at the age of nine, after moving to the US. In 2001, Masters' mother moved the family after taking a new position at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. A year later Masters became a double amputee.
In an Instagram caption to this picture, Masters wrote: "Mom, no words will ever come close to describe how much I love you and how amazing you are. I cherish this picture of us so much and your smile is all I need to feel complete and loved."
I didn't know I was different until I came to America. It was only then I realised that everything I had experienced was not normal.
I was diagnosed with 'failure to thrive' - basically starving to death. When I turned eight, I was 34 inches tall and weighed 36 pounds - that's a pretty healthy three-year-old here in the US! I had to wear toddler-sized clothes for my first couple of years.
Now that we're older and we can talk about her experience, I respect how hard it was for my mum. It was nearly impossible for a single parent to adopt. She had to do multiple psychiatric tests, with people asking 'why are you single? What's wrong with you? Where's your husband?'
I didn't realise all the struggles that go into adoption. I can't imagine how she faced that before she came across and met me for the first time. It shows her strength and her pure heart. Any parent who adopts kids is a pure gift but my mum doing it on her own is on a whole new level.
She knew my left leg had to go - it was six or seven inches shorter - so it was amputated when I was nine. That was hard but it was harder when I was 13 and the doctors told me they couldn't save my right leg.
For the longest time, I wasn't ready, because I knew what I was missing after the first amputation. I knew how limited things became for me. But the pain in my right leg had become unbearable and I said 'OK, I'm ready, under one condition - I can keep my knee'.
A lot of people don't realise that amputees aren't all the same. Your leg has an ankle and knee - two joints - so I didn't want to be missing four joints.
They said that was OK but right before I went on the operating table they said 'we're going to amputate above the knee'. I was so sedated I didn't know what was going on, but I will never forget that feeling of waking up in hospital. I tried to get up but didn't have that leverage from my legs anymore and fell backwards. That was really hard. Honestly, I still have a bit of frustration and anger about that.
In the end, it was to avoid having more surgeries down the line but it was weird because I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to that leg because I didn't know I'd be missing all of it.
Oksana also had multiple surgeries to both hands and began adaptive rowing in 2002. She would go on to win Paralympic bronze in 2012 - her first medal - partnering Rob Jones in the mixed double sculls. For Sochi 2014, she switched to cross country skiing.
Masters celebrates her first Paraylmpic gold medal at the 2018 Winter Games - she won both the 1.5km sprint classic sitting and 5km sitting events in cross country skiing
The first person that mentioned the Paralympics and racing internationally was Randy Mills [Louisville adaptive rowing club's programme director]. I'm so competitive, I hate to lose, and he saw that. All I needed was that fitness guidance to get to the next level.
I looked up the Paralympics in 2008 and I was like: 'Oh my gosh, this is so cool!' I didn't have a visual of someone that is like me, missing both legs, but racing for the USA at a high level. It took until London 2012 for me to realise: 'I belong here.' Then I dedicated everything to it.
Before those Games, Masters posed nude for ESPN's Body Issue.
I struggled a lot with my self-confidence as a girl. It's the end of the world if you're having a bad hair day or you have a pimple on your face for school picture day, let alone if you have prosthetic legs and hands that are hard to cover up.
Masters will be completing in the cycling events at the Tokyo Paralympics this summer
Then society has put this label on you, even though you don't see yourself as 'disabled'. That's something that's put on you.
I don't want the next generation of young girls and kids to grow up not having that person to look up to and want to aspire to. Every kid had a picture of Michael Jordan on their wall. Why can't it be a normal thing for that to be someone who has had an accident or was born with a disability? I don't want to say that because it's not a 'disability'. That's just a term society as a whole has put over everybody that looks different.
I believe that seeing is believing and the more times you see the Paralympics or a Para-athlete, the more normal it's going to become to the person that doesn't know what it is. It's really cool to watch that growth.
Masters won a bronze and silver medal at Sochi 2014 - both in cross country skiing. Four years later at Pyeongchang 2018 she won her first gold. At those Games, she and her partner Aaron Pike became four-time Paralympians. Now, Masters has reverted to cycling for Tokyo 2020, having just missed out on a medal at Rio 2016.
Aaron's such a patient person. I don't know how anyone can deal with my chaos. We started skiing together at the same time and spend the whole winter together so we push each other in training.
He'll get me on the downhills but I'm like 'haha, see ya' on the uphills because I climb faster than him. We can't switch off the competitive switch. If we play Monopoly and you're winning, it's not going to be a good experience for you!
But having someone like Aaron there is great on the training days when you're finding every excuse to not want to be there. You look over and it's your best friend, your partner, your team-mate. He's not just a great boyfriend. He has the same amount of genuine want for other people to do well and shares it with the team.
At Tokyo, the main goal is to win both of my events in the road race and time trial. In Rio I had limited time to really prepare because I was still spending my season nordic skiing and I transitioned within a few months.
I definitely have unfinished business going into Tokyo.


bbc--2020-01-14--Why people use bots to buy limited edition trainers

Getting your hands on the latest pair of trainers can be hard , and some people are now turning to technology in an attempt to jump the queue .
Mention the word `` bot '' to sneakerheads and you 'll probably be met with a quiet anger .
That 's because automated programs are increasingly being used to help people get hold of the latest limited edition kicks .
Popular brands , such as Nike and Adidas , regularly release trainers with celebrity or designer collaborations , often in relatively small numbers and to widespread anticipation .
Buying the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also be lucrative .
The right design can be sold for huge mark-ups on secondary sale sites .
That 's because getting hold of them is often no easy task .
A few years ago , thousands of people used to descend on a high street shop on big release days , often resulting in scuffles and trouble .
But these days sneakerheads have to sign up to apps , be on mailing lists and scour the internet for titbits of information to discover when their desired shoe will hit the market .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ entered into a raffle by retailers , via social media .
In some cases buyers have to prove their fandom with pictures in their favourite pairs .
And only then will the winners be allowed into the actual shop .
Once there , you 'd better hope your size has n't sold out before you get to the counter .
To bypass all this , some have turned to computer software to buy trainers online .
The right bot can be bought off the internet for as little as £20 .
They can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , address and bank details , so that as soon as that much-anticipated drop is announced , fans can hit go and the program will head to the retailers ' systems , often bypassing their security , and buy those sought after trainers .
Without an app you could be stuck in a queue on the website , hitting refresh over and over again .
`` Mark '' , not his real name , says using bots is a `` dirty shoe secret '' .
He admitted using one to get his hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after failing to get hold them in the shop .
The 31-year-old from Manchester - who does not want to be named for fear of being blacklisted - said he had signed up for updates about the trainer 's release .
`` On the Thursday night everyone got an email to say the trainers were going to be dropping in store on the Friday .
As soon as I got that email , it was straight online , booked my Megabus ticket down to London . ''
Through the night , more and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ atmosphere changed .
He said things started to get aggressive when people began queue jumping .
`` In the end I thought there 's no point .
So I rang a friend who has a pretty decent bot .
I offered him an extra £50-£100 to see whether he could get me a pair .
On the day , the retail was , I think , £135 or £150 .
The person that I knew bought 20 pairs and flipped them all for £600 each . ''
He 's not alone .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trainers was dubbed the `` trainer of the season '' by some .
Fans could buy a pair in the shops for around £140 .
However , the BBC found some for sale at the trainer convention , Crepe City , in London , with a price tag of £1,400 .
You can find them online for upwards of £2,500 .
And getting a bot is n't difficult .
The internet is littered with ones specifically designed to help people get the trainers they want .
At one point , you could buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Apple 's app store for just £20 .
`` It is a big problem , '' says Franklin Boateng , known as `` the King of Trainers '' because of his collection .
He has been collecting trainers for around 20 years but says the big brands have now cottoned on to the practice .
He says there is a big market for resale in Asia .
`` They have n't got as many of the actual retailers .
Some people will buy some women 's sizes here .
It could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of people in Asia will pay a lot of money for it - probably double or triple the amount they would pay in the UK . ''
George Sullivan runs The Sole Supplier , a website dedicated to discussing all things trainers .
`` Generally , resellers will get banned from retailers , if they 're known , because the brands just do n't like it , '' he says .
`` They want people to be able to wear their shoes .
It 's just like people reselling tickets for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' He says teenagers as young as 13 with coding knowledge are the ones behind some of the most sophisticated bots on the market .
One sophisticated bot was recently being sold for about £1,500 because it was so good at buying shoes .
He added that the buzz around the release of the bot reminded him of the release of a rare pair of shoes .
`` There was a limited release of it and people were reselling the bot because it was so successful . ''
Reebok says it is trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give fans a fair chance of getting their hands on their trainers .
The firm said it was an `` ever-changing landscape '' and resellers were `` constantly finding new methods of beating the system '' .
It said it had a `` dedicated team tasked with ensuring our technology is as bulletproof as possible '' .
Meanwhile , Adidas said : `` We will often limit purchases to one pair per consumer to allow each fan an equal and fair chance to get hold of limited edition designs . ''
Nike did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , while Asics said it does not have an official comment at this stage .
However , Mark says the resale side has kicked up a notch .
He says he knows more than a dozen 18-year-olds who are using bots to buy and resell trainers .
Most do it to bump up their spending money .
`` If they know there 's a hype behind the shoe , it does n't matter how ugly it is or how rare it is , as long as there is a hype , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could also be a jacket , or a watch , it could be jumpers and hoodies .
As long as there 's a market for it , and they know there 's going to be a profit in it , they 'll go after it . ''

Even then, trainer fans are sometimes entered into a raffle by retailers, via social media. In some cases buyers have to prove their fandom with pictures in their favourite pairs. And only then will the winners be allowed into the actual shop. Once there, you'd better hope your size hasn't sold out before you get to the counter.


bbc--2020-01-14--The Barcelona job – why Valverde went, why Xavi said no, why Setien is next

After weeks of whispers , clandestine meetings with club legends , rumours of dressing-room discontent and general tittle-tattle , Ernesto Valverde became only the second manager in Barcelona 's history to be sacked mid-season when the club announced he was to be replaced by Quique Setien .
Valverde had just witnessed Barcelona 's best performance of the season against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup ( 75 minutes of excellent football that ended up in defeat ) , had the club top of La Liga , unbeaten in the league since 2 November and in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having finished top of a group that included Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan .
On the face of it , it might seem a bizarrely-timed decision .
But this is Barcelona we are talking about .
Why this came as a surprise to no-one - Valverde included For some time now , the 55-year-old Valverde has been spoken to by the movers and shakers at the club over matters that have been concerning them regarding the team 's form .
Many feel the side is going backwards , there are doubts being expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the substitutions during games , rumours of a charged atmosphere in the dressing room are rife and there seems to be a lethargy , complacency and general malaise about the place .
That is how it is explained from the club , who keep pointing to the painful Champions League surrenders of the past two seasons - against Roma and Liverpool - as proof Valverde could not take the team to the next level .
There is of course another side to the story .
Valverde had to start his time at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Neymar .
`` The Brazilian is about to leave , '' star player Lionel Messi told him during his first pre-season , the first news he had heard of what was going to be confirmed weeks later .
That season he ended up with a league and cup double .
There was a second league title but Valverde could only work with the cards he had been dealt .
He inherited a changing room whose main characters are over 30 , which is used to doing things its own way , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had signings that did not work ( Philippe Coutinho because of his personality , Ousmane Dembele because of his physique , Arthur because of his lack of focus ) and a chairman who kept sacking directors of football without a clear idea of where to go .
The surprise perhaps is not that it has happened , but that is has taken so long to come to fruition .
• 'Yesterday I was walking with cows all around me and today I 'm managing the best players in the world' So who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed a contract extension until 2021 in February , apparently to quash rumours about his impending departure .
There was enough evidence in place even after the club 's 3-0 victory over Liverpool - never mind the capitulation at Anfield that followed soon after - to suggest there was a worrying lack of dynamism , defensive structure , discipline and basic energy required to go toe to toe with a side like Jurgen Klopp 's .
Despite the defeat in the cup final against Valencia and the desire of many within the club @ @ @ @ @ @ @ both parties decided to go on one more season .
But as far back as the beginning of November , just after they had lost 3-1 to Levante , the club approached former player Thierry Henry , only to be informed he had already signed a deal to join Montreal Impact .
The Frenchman was told Valverde 's days were numbered .
When they went to meet club legend Xavi last Friday in Qatar , where he is manager of Al Sadd , they announced they were going to watch Dembele , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injury in the country .
But the meeting took place the day after the Spanish Super Cup defeat by Atletico and , despite the doubts for months about Valverde , there was a look of political improvisation about the encounter between Xavi and the club ( chief executive Oscar Grau and sporting director Eric Abidal ) .
It brought to mind what took place when the club tried to make the right noises and look as interested as they could in re-signing Neymar from PSG without actually doing so .
Or wanting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision because the club he loves approached him but he was not convinced himself of exactly what they wanted .
Two things eventually led to him turning down the offer : the unstable situation at the club with presidential elections in 2021 and the arrival into the scenario of a presidential candidate called Victor Font , who has already declared that if he wins he would make Xavi the new club coach .
Many believe it is actually the other way around , with Xavi deciding that new blood like Font and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boardroom at the Nou Camp .
Also Xavi needed time to think .
He believed next summer could have been his moment if Barcelona had given him total control over football matters , and he was planning to bring in top people he trusts .
Not any more it seems ; for now that ship has sailed , with the announcement from the club that Setien has signed until 2022 .
Any suspicions that 'negotiations ' with the former Barcelona legend had been nothing more than political expediency now seem likelier than ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Before Setien 's signing another former Barca player , the ex-Everton manager Ronald Koeman , also turned down their offer to take the job until the end of the season .
And they also approached Mauricio Pochettino , recently sacked by Tottenham .
Ramon Planes - who used to work at Pochettino 's former club Espanyol and now is part of Barcelona 's technical department - and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu are both close friends of Pochettino and in constant contact .
For them to approach the available Argentine coach , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half a chance of him saying yes .
Unfortunately , probably because of his long history with Espanyol , Pochettino has an entire back catalogue of statements he has made proclaiming why he would never take the Barcelona job and the likelihood of him doing so will always be remote .
That said , being seen as a suitable candidate for such a prestigious appointment certainly is n't going to do him any harm in his quest to eventually take charge at one of Europe 's top clubs , something he will undoubtedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future .
What will Setien bring to the Barcelona table ?
Where Setien is a perfect fit is in his unquestioned zeal alongside coaches like Pep Guardiola and Oscar Garcia , currently at Celta Vigo , for the Johan Cruyff possession game , much loved and oft-perfected in the past by Barcelona .
On taking the Betis job , Setien revealed in an interview with El Periodico that despite his love for football he did n't really understand it `` until I saw the football of Johan Cruyff '' .
`` It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get it , '' he continued .
`` When to touch the ball , to pass , the spaces ... this is what I try to communicate to the players , to keep the ball and to run as little as possible after it . ''
He added he would have had his little finger cut off to be given the chance to play for one of Cruyff 's sides , `` not because I wanted to be a Barcelona footballer , but rather because of the way they played because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were enjoying themselves '' .
His teams in the lower leagues were often referred to as the Barcelona of those divisions .
It takes a while to convince the players and even more the fans , and he never completely managed the audience at Betis where , in truth , he never really had the depth of talent that he could trust in to carry out his plans to maximum effect .
On the minus side he is already 61 years old and lacks extensive top-flight experience with Betis being , until now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job he has held .
But he is not after a career , he just wants to see if he can get his approach , so familiar to the club , to work .
But it is n't in the passing aspect of the game where he could potentially be let down but rather in the work rate of the players without the ball , which is precisely where Valverde was hung out to dry by some of his team .
This side has the look and feel of the dressing room at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when I remember the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta telling me they were losing their love for the game .
Drastic measures had to be taken by Pep Guardiola in order to go on to achieve what he later did .
Will Setien have the same passion and desire and be able to do what Valverde decided not to do , namely change the culture and dynamic of the dressing room ?
Will he be able to do what Guardiola did ?
It will be easier said than done .
Guillem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season and also appearing every Thursday on BBC Radio 5 Live 's Football Daily podcast , when the focus will be on European football .
You can download the latest Football Daily podcast here .

After weeks of whispers, clandestine meetings with club legends, rumours of dressing-room discontent and general tittle-tattle, Ernesto Valverde became only the second manager in Barcelona's history to be sacked mid-season when the club announced he was to be replaced by Quique Setien.
Valverde had just witnessed Barcelona's best performance of the season against Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals of the Spanish Super Cup (75 minutes of excellent football that ended up in defeat), had the club top of La Liga, unbeaten in the league since 2 November and in the last 16 of the Champions League, having finished top of a group that included Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan.
On the face of it, it might seem a bizarrely-timed decision. But this is Barcelona we are talking about.
Why this came as a surprise to no-one - Valverde included
For some time now, the 55-year-old Valverde has been spoken to by the movers and shakers at the club over matters that have been concerning them regarding the team's form.
Many feel the side is going backwards, there are doubts being expressed about the physical preparation of the players and the substitutions during games, rumours of a charged atmosphere in the dressing room are rife and there seems to be a lethargy, complacency and general malaise about the place.
That is how it is explained from the club, who keep pointing to the painful Champions League surrenders of the past two seasons - against Roma and Liverpool - as proof Valverde could not take the team to the next level.
There is of course another side to the story. Valverde had to start his time at the Nou Camp by managing the departure of Neymar.
"The Brazilian is about to leave," star player Lionel Messi told him during his first pre-season, the first news he had heard of what was going to be confirmed weeks later.
That season he ended up with a league and cup double. There was a second league title but Valverde could only work with the cards he had been dealt.
He inherited a changing room whose main characters are over 30, which is used to doing things its own way, that does not like to be challenged, had signings that did not work (Philippe Coutinho because of his personality, Ousmane Dembele because of his physique, Arthur because of his lack of focus) and a chairman who kept sacking directors of football without a clear idea of where to go.
The surprise perhaps is not that it has happened, but that is has taken so long to come to fruition.
So who was in contention for the job?
Valverde signed a contract extension until 2021 in February, apparently to quash rumours about his impending departure.
There was enough evidence in place even after the club's 3-0 victory over Liverpool - never mind the capitulation at Anfield that followed soon after - to suggest there was a worrying lack of dynamism, defensive structure, discipline and basic energy required to go toe to toe with a side like Jurgen Klopp's.
Despite the defeat in the cup final against Valencia and the desire of many within the club to part company with the manager, both parties decided to go on one more season.
But as far back as the beginning of November, just after they had lost 3-1 to Levante, the club approached former player Thierry Henry, only to be informed he had already signed a deal to join Montreal Impact. The Frenchman was told Valverde's days were numbered.
When they went to meet club legend Xavi last Friday in Qatar, where he is manager of Al Sadd, they announced they were going to watch Dembele, who also just happened to be recovering from injury in the country.
Xavi has been in charge of Qatari side Al Sadd since May
But the meeting took place the day after the Spanish Super Cup defeat by Atletico and, despite the doubts for months about Valverde, there was a look of political improvisation about the encounter between Xavi and the club (chief executive Oscar Grau and sporting director Eric Abidal).
It brought to mind what took place when the club tried to make the right noises and look as interested as they could in re-signing Neymar from PSG without actually doing so. Or wanting to do so.
Xavi struggled with his decision because the club he loves approached him but he was not convinced himself of exactly what they wanted.
Two things eventually led to him turning down the offer: the unstable situation at the club with presidential elections in 2021 and the arrival into the scenario of a presidential candidate called Victor Font, who has already declared that if he wins he would make Xavi the new club coach.
Many believe it is actually the other way around, with Xavi deciding that new blood like Font and a new regime might be needed in the boardroom at the Nou Camp.
Also Xavi needed time to think. He believed next summer could have been his moment if Barcelona had given him total control over football matters, and he was planning to bring in top people he trusts.
Not any more it seems; for now that ship has sailed, with the announcement from the club that Setien has signed until 2022. Any suspicions that 'negotiations' with the former Barcelona legend had been nothing more than political expediency now seem likelier than ever to have some truth to them.
Before Setien's signing another former Barca player, the ex-Everton manager Ronald Koeman, also turned down their offer to take the job until the end of the season. And they also approached Mauricio Pochettino, recently sacked by Tottenham.
Ramon Planes - who used to work at Pochettino's former club Espanyol and now is part of Barcelona's technical department - and club president Josep Maria Bartomeu are both close friends of Pochettino and in constant contact.
For them to approach the available Argentine coach, it was probably because they thought they had half a chance of him saying yes.
Unfortunately, probably because of his long history with Espanyol, Pochettino has an entire back catalogue of statements he has made proclaiming why he would never take the Barcelona job and the likelihood of him doing so will always be remote.
That said, being seen as a suitable candidate for such a prestigious appointment certainly isn't going to do him any harm in his quest to eventually take charge at one of Europe's top clubs, something he will undoubtedly do at some time in the near future.
What will Setien bring to the Barcelona table?
Setien (right) had been Betis manager since 2017 and led them to sixth and 10th-place finishes in La Liga
Where Setien is a perfect fit is in his unquestioned zeal alongside coaches like Pep Guardiola and Oscar Garcia, currently at Celta Vigo, for the Johan Cruyff possession game, much loved and oft-perfected in the past by Barcelona.
On taking the Betis job, Setien revealed in an interview with El Periodico that despite his love for football he didn't really understand it "until I saw the football of Johan Cruyff".
"It was with coaches like him when I began to get it," he continued. "When to touch the ball, to pass, the spaces... this is what I try to communicate to the players, to keep the ball and to run as little as possible after it."
He added he would have had his little finger cut off to be given the chance to play for one of Cruyff's sides, "not because I wanted to be a Barcelona footballer, but rather because of the way they played because I could see just how much the footballers were enjoying themselves".
His teams in the lower leagues were often referred to as the Barcelona of those divisions. It takes a while to convince the players and even more the fans, and he never completely managed the audience at Betis where, in truth, he never really had the depth of talent that he could trust in to carry out his plans to maximum effect.
Barcelona should prove an easier sell.
On the minus side he is already 61 years old and lacks extensive top-flight experience with Betis being, until now, by some distance the biggest managerial job he has held. But he is not after a career, he just wants to see if he can get his approach, so familiar to the club, to work.
But it isn't in the passing aspect of the game where he could potentially be let down but rather in the work rate of the players without the ball, which is precisely where Valverde was hung out to dry by some of his team.
This side has the look and feel of the dressing room at the end of the Frank Rijkaard era, when I remember the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta telling me they were losing their love for the game. Drastic measures had to be taken by Pep Guardiola in order to go on to achieve what he later did.
Will Setien have the same passion and desire and be able to do what Valverde decided not to do, namely change the culture and dynamic of the dressing room? Will he be able to do what Guardiola did? It will be easier said than done.
Guillem Balague is writing a regular column throughout the season and also appearing every Thursday on BBC Radio 5 Live's Football Daily podcast, when the focus will be on European football.
You can download the latest Football Daily podcast here.


bbc--2020-01-14--Warner & Finch hit hundreds as Australia thrash India by 10 wickets in ODI

David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck unbeaten centuries as Australia hammered India by 10 wickets in the first one-day international in Mumbai .
Warner 's unbeaten 128 and 110 not out from captain Finch took the tourists to their target of 256 with 78 balls to spare .
India had earlier been bowled out for 255 , with Mitchell Starc claiming 3-56 .
Australia lead the three-match series 1-0 , with the second game in Rajkot on Friday .
It is the first time Australia have beaten India by 10 wickets in an ODI and the first time India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a defeat since 2005 .
The home side were taken to 134-1 by a second-wicket stand of 121 between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan , only for Rahul to become the first to fall in a collapse of four wickets for 30 runs .
In addition , Rishabh Pant was struck on the head by a delivery from Pat Cummins and was subsequently unable to keep wicket .
In putting on an unbroken 258 for the first wicket , Warner and Finch compiled the highest partnership by any pair in an ODI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a part in the three highest Australia partnerships in ODIs , having added 284 with Travis Head against Pakistan in 2017 and 260 with Steve Smith against Afghanistan in 2015 .

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
David Warner and Aaron Finch shared the largest ever partnership against India in ODIs
First one-day international, Mumbai: India 255 (49.1 overs): Dhawan 74; Starc 3-56 Australia 258-0 (37.4 overs): Warner 128*, Finch 110* Australia won by 10 wickets, lead three-match series 1-0 Scorecard
David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck unbeaten centuries as Australia hammered India by 10 wickets in the first one-day international in Mumbai.
Warner's unbeaten 128 and 110 not out from captain Finch took the tourists to their target of 256 with 78 balls to spare.
India had earlier been bowled out for 255, with Mitchell Starc claiming 3-56.
Australia lead the three-match series 1-0, with the second game in Rajkot on Friday.
It is the first time Australia have beaten India by 10 wickets in an ODI and the first time India have been on the receiving end of such a defeat since 2005.
The home side were taken to 134-1 by a second-wicket stand of 121 between KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan, only for Rahul to become the first to fall in a collapse of four wickets for 30 runs.
In addition, Rishabh Pant was struck on the head by a delivery from Pat Cummins and was subsequently unable to keep wicket.
In putting on an unbroken 258 for the first wicket, Warner and Finch compiled the highest partnership by any pair in an ODI against India.
Warner now has had a part in the three highest Australia partnerships in ODIs, having added 284 with Travis Head against Pakistan in 2017 and 260 with Steve Smith against Afghanistan in 2015.


bbc--2020-01-14--Jakupovic 'really scared' as air quality forces her to retire from Aussie Open qualifying

Dalila Jakupovic says she was `` really scared '' as she retired from her Australian Open qualifying match because of the `` unhealthy '' air quality from ongoing bushfires in the country .
The Slovenian world number 180 had to be helped off court after she retired at 6-5 5-6 against Swiss Stefanie Vogele in the first round in Melbourne .
`` It was really bad .
I never experienced something like this , '' Jakupovic said .
`` I was really scared I would collapse because I could n't walk any more . ''
Qualifying was delayed by an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended because of the air quality .
Organisers said the conditions were expected to improve and would be `` monitored constantly '' .
• What is being done to fight the bushfires ?
• We had to wear masks indoors - Swan on bushfires Asked about the decision to continue with qualifying , Jakupovic said : `` I think it was not fair because it 's not healthy for us .
`` I was surprised .
I thought we would not be playing today but we really do n't have much choice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay indoors and keep pets inside on Tuesday .
At least 28 people have died and an estimated 10 million hectares ( 100,000 sq km ) of land has burned since 1 July .
Jakupovic added : `` I 'm angry and sad .
I 'm more sad because I had the win [ in my grasp ] and I just could n't finish it .
`` I do n't have asthma even and I do n't have breathing problems from the heat .
I was scared . ''
Australian Open organisers said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Further decisions will be made based on onsite data , and in close consultation with our medical team , the Bureau of Meteorology and scientists from EPA Victoria .
`` As always the health and safety of our players , our staff and our fans is our priority . ''
Eugenie Bouchard also left the court during her qualifying match against You Xiaodi , complaining of a sore chest .
The Canadian returned after a medical timeout and won 4-6 7-6 6-1 .
Meanwhile , Maria Sharapova 's exhibition match in Kooyong , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , was called off after both players complained about the air quality .
The Russian was trailing Germany 's Laura Siegemund 7-6 5-5 when the match was ended .
`` I started feeling a cough coming toward the end of the second set but I 've been sick for a few weeks so I thought that had something to do with it , '' Sharapova told broadcasters after the match .
`` But then I heard Laura speak to the umpire and she said she was struggling with it as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two hours , so from a health standpoint it 's the right call from officials . ''
Players rarely have any cause for complaint when they arrive at Melbourne Park each year , but this seems a clear unforced error by the Australian Open .
Victoria 's Environment Protection Authority was warning Melburnians to stay indoors , and keep windows and door shut .
It rated the air quality `` very poor '' - which is a sign `` everyone could be experiencing symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath '' .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more surprising given Tennis Australia issued a statement on Tuesday morning stressing that the health and safety of players , staff and fans is always their priority .
And there should have been no great urgency .
The wind is due to change direction on Wednesday , and even though some rain is forecast , there is ample time to complete three rounds of qualifying before the main draw begins on Monday .

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Dalila Jakupovic says she was "really scared" as she retired from her Australian Open qualifying match because of the "unhealthy" air quality from ongoing bushfires in the country.
The Slovenian world number 180 had to be helped off court after she retired at 6-5 5-6 against Swiss Stefanie Vogele in the first round in Melbourne.
"It was really bad. I never experienced something like this," Jakupovic said.
"I was really scared I would collapse because I couldn't walk any more."
Qualifying was delayed by an hour on Tuesday and practice was temporarily suspended because of the air quality.
Organisers said the conditions were expected to improve and would be "monitored constantly".
Asked about the decision to continue with qualifying, Jakupovic said: "I think it was not fair because it's not healthy for us.
"I was surprised. I thought we would not be playing today but we really don't have much choice."
People in Melbourne were advised to stay indoors external-link and keep pets inside on Tuesday.
At least 28 people have died and an estimated 10 million hectares (100,000 sq km) of land has burned since 1 July.
Jakupovic added: "I'm angry and sad. I'm more sad because I had the win [in my grasp] and I just couldn't finish it.
"I don't have asthma even and I don't have breathing problems from the heat. I was scared."
Australian Open organisers said prior to Jakupovic's retirement: "Further decisions will be made based on onsite data, and in close consultation with our medical team, the Bureau of Meteorology and scientists from EPA Victoria.
"As always the health and safety of our players, our staff and our fans is our priority."
Eugenie Bouchard also left the court during her qualifying match against You Xiaodi, complaining of a sore chest. The Canadian returned after a medical timeout and won 4-6 7-6 6-1.
Australia weather forecast: air quality should improve
Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova's exhibition match in Kooyong, which is in the east of the city, was called off after both players complained about the air quality.
The Russian was trailing Germany's Laura Siegemund 7-6 5-5 when the match was ended.
"I started feeling a cough coming toward the end of the second set but I've been sick for a few weeks so I thought that had something to do with it," Sharapova told broadcasters after the match.
"But then I heard Laura speak to the umpire and she said she was struggling with it as well.
"We were out there for over two hours, so from a health standpoint it's the right call from officials."
Maria Sharapova's exhibition match was ended early because of the air quality
Analysis
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller
Players rarely have any cause for complaint when they arrive at Melbourne Park each year, but this seems a clear unforced error by the Australian Open.
Victoria's Environment Protection Authority was warning Melburnians to stay indoors, and keep windows and door shut.
It rated the air quality "very poor" - which is a sign "everyone could be experiencing symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath".
The decision to continue playing appears all the more surprising given Tennis Australia issued a statement on Tuesday morning stressing that the health and safety of players, staff and fans is always their priority.
And there should have been no great urgency. The wind is due to change direction on Wednesday, and even though some rain is forecast, there is ample time to complete three rounds of qualifying before the main draw begins on Monday.
Australia's Bernard Tomic had his breathing checked by a trainer during his qualifying defeat
Melbourne residents were advised to stay indoors on Tuesday
Smoke from the bushfires could be seen over the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Rod Laver Arena
Spectators wore masks to protect themselves in Melbourne