bbc--2020-01-16--Why are opioids still given for chronic pain?

We all know what it is to feel pain .
Acute pain , that is , such as slamming your finger in the door or grazing your knee .
Chronic pain is different .
It might be triggered by arthritis , an injury to your back or by an operation you never completely recover from .
According to the British Pain Society , chronic pain affects more than two-fifths of the adult population in the UK , meaning about 28 million adults are living with pain that has lasted for three months or longer .
And each year , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about five million are prescribed opioids - painkillers that can be as powerful as Class A drugs .
In fact , the latest data suggests patients are being prescribed more than twice the amount of opioids they were 20 years ago .
There 's no doubt opioids have a vital role to play in cancer pain relief , end-of-life care or to alleviate pain after an operation .
But that does n't begin to explain the surge in prescribing we 've seen in recent years .
However - if you are taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without talking to your doctor .
So what are opioids ?
Originally , they came from the sap of the poppy plant - which has been used for thousands of years both recreationally and to treat pain .
Morphine and heroin are opioids .
They act on the opioid receptors in the brain , blocking pain signals from the rest of the body .
In fact , they 're probably the greatest tool doctors have for numbing acute pain , such as a broken bone or an infected tooth .
The downside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at increased risk of constipation , memory loss , addiction - and even accidental death by overdose .
One reason for the massive rise in opioid prescribing is of a mistaken belief people in pain are very unlikely to become addicted .
This is certainly what I was taught at medical school in the 1980s .
But according to Dr Jane Quinlan , consultant in pain management at Oxford University Hospitals Trust , this widespread belief was based on fallacies that took hold in the 80s .
`` Two things happened , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was that evidence came from palliative care , looking at patients at end-of-life and who had pain , to say that giving patients like that high-dose opioids was safe because they did n't get addicted .
`` Around the same time , a letter was published in the New England Journal of Medicine claiming that patients who were in hospital and given opioids for a short time rarely got addicted . ''
This 100-word letter was n't peer-reviewed research - it was simply an observation .
But its tentative conclusions were inflated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use as a safe and effective way to treat all manner of pain .
Unfortunately , many patients soon discovered that is n't true .
Karen , who in 2014 slipped a disc in her spine bending over to pick up a book , was one of them .
`` It was like having a red-hot poker , put between your vertebrae , '' she says .
`` Painful , very painful . ''
Over the next five years , Karen was put on increasingly powerful opioids - starting with tramadol and ending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sort out the pain .
What they actually did , according to Karen 's husband , Ray , was turn `` my beautiful , lovely , active wife into a zombie '' .
Karen 's case is not unusual .
GPs were encouraged , by national guidelines , to keep upping the dose until the patient was pain-free .
The trouble is , when it comes to chronic pain , opioids are often not that effective .
In fact , another leading pain expert , Dr Cathy Stannard , estimates fewer than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term pain will benefit from them .
They are also `` dangerous and often expensive '' , according to Dr Stannard , who recently reviewed the evidence on the benefits of long-term opioid use .
`` They should be started only with caution and with upper dosing limits and continued only with demonstrably reduced pain - ideally to mild or no pain , '' she says .
`` If the opioid is n't working after a decent trial - six weeks should be enough - it should be stopped .
`` People already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are working or not but they are certainly still in a lot of pain .
`` They should be encouraged to slowly and safely reduce the dose to get a better idea of how helpful the drug is for their pain .
`` If I give you a drug for blood pressure and your blood pressure stays high , nobody would argue that it 's not working .
`` But if I give you a painkiller and you come back saying , ' I 'm still in pain , ' what do we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You come back and say , ' I 'm still in pain , ' and we double it again .
`` If you give it and it does n't work , stop it .
That 's what you 'd do with any other drug , so why do n't we do that with opioids ? ''
The good news is GPs are increasingly aware of the dangers and there is now a big push to help patients on high-dose opioids reduce or even come off their medication .
That 's beginning to bear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth , opioid prescribing has levelled off nationally .
And since 2017 , in most places it 's actually begun to fall , though there remain big regional differences in levels of prescribing .
And there are alternatives for managing chronic pain .
For Karen , group therapy sessions and support from her family has enabled her to come off opioids .
Now , she takes nothing stronger than paracetamol .
Horizon : Addicted to Painkillers ?
Britain 's Opioid Crisis is on BBC Two on Thursday , 16 January , at 21:00 @ @ @ @ @ @ @

"Two things happened," she says. "One of them was that evidence came from palliative care, looking at patients at end-of-life and who had pain, to say that giving patients like that high-dose opioids was safe because they didn't get addicted.


bbc--2020-01-16--Why is kosher food soaring in popularity?

It could have been any gourmet food fair , with lots of delicious things to eat .
The main hall at the Meadowlands Exposition Center , in New Jersey , was bustling with more than 6,000 attendees taking a look at 360 food and drink exhibitors from around the world .
The hundreds of products on show included everything from pizza bases made from cauliflower , to salsas , ice cream sandwiches , cider , beef empanadas ( a Mexican pastry ) , Italian sorbets , gins , charcuterie , tequila , and even a range of biscuits infused with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordinary food and drink exhibition .
For while there was a vast range on display , everything had one major thing in common - they were all certified kosher .
Everything present conformed to kashrut , the Jewish dietary laws .
The event at the end of last year was the 31st annual `` Kosherfest '' , a two-day gathering that touts itself as `` the world 's largest and most attended kosher-certified products trade show '' .
While Jewish-owned companies were proudly in attendance , many of the firms who were present @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but had still chosen to go kosher .
These included businesses from Pakistan , South Korea , Sri Lanka and Italy .
With the number of people attending up 800 from the year before , and 300 new products on display , Menachem Lubinsky , chief executive of event organiser Lubicom , said that demand for kosher food was growing strongly among non-Jewish shoppers .
`` Kosher food appeals to a more health-conscious consumer , '' he says .
`` It 's like a new generation of kosher .
It 's different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many years , the basic kosher staples . ''
The centre of the world 's kosher food sector is the US .
For while only 2 % of Americans are Jewish , some 7.5 million people , a study by the Quartz business news website found that 41 % of all packaged food in the US is certified kosher .
Explanations for this include a perception that kosher food is cleaner or healthier , or people 's desire for assurance than a product does not include potential allergens such as shellfish .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as in the example of Oreo cookies , which prior to their switch to kosher in the late 1990s contained lard ( pork fat ) .
More from the BBC 's series taking an international perspective on trade : • As the ice melts , Greenland considers its future Led by growing demand in the US , the global kosher food market is predicted to increase to almost $ 60bn ( £40bn ) of annual sales in 2025 , up from $ 24bn in 2017 .
Given those vast figures , it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food businesses around the globe are seeking kosher accreditation .
`` I think firms are coming from the basis that you ca n't produce an ingredient anywhere in the world , and hope to sell it in the US , without being kosher , '' says Mr Lubinsky .
`` There 's a significant market , and firms want a piece of it . ''
But what exactly is kosher food ?
While most people understand that pork and shellfish are non-kosher , kosher animals such as cows and lambs need to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile , food products can not contain both meat and dairy .
And not all parts of the cow can be consumed .
All kosher rulings have to be carried out by trained rabbis from a kosher certification agency .
Richard Rabkin , managing director of COR , the largest such organisation in Canada , explains that the process is taken very seriously .
`` Some people have this mistaken impression that we go there and bless the food , and that 's all it takes , '' he says .
`` No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We have an initial conversation with a company and get an impression of what they 're doing in the food , and take a look at all the ingredients , and find out whether it 's kosher or not .
Once we have a picture of that , then we inspect the facility itself ... We are guarding against cross contamination .
`` Once we ensure all of that , there 's an inspection to make sure everything is followed according to kosher standards , and then certification 's granted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ just time to time , it 's an ongoing basis . ''
Back at Kosherfest in New Jersey , Dakshin Thilina was representing Sri Lankan food group Nexpo Conversion , and its kosher dried coconut milk powder and coconut oil .
He explains that unlike some of his company 's rivals it does n't use any sodium caseinate , a milk-derived food stabiliser .
`` Without that component our products are lactose-free , '' he says .
`` And because they are non-dairy , kosher Jews can use them any time , alongside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendance was Dewan Sugar Mills from Pakistan , which makes ethanol for mouthwashes .
`` We wanted to tell people that there 's nothing not kosher that ever comes into contact with what we make , '' says general manager Adnan Pirzada .
And there from Dubai was South African expat Elli Kriel who runs a kosher catering company - Elli 's Kosher Kitchen .
`` I was producing kosher food for our family , and people started reaching out to me , '' she says .
`` Travellers in particular , moving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I used to invite them to eat in our house , but I realised , when more and more people began reaching out , that I was in a good position to offer kosher catering . ''
Mr Lubinsky says he is pleased to see kosher food branch out from the Jewish classics and `` go upscale '' .
`` It 's not your chopped liver and stuffed cabbage any more , '' he adds .

"We have an initial conversation with a company and get an impression of what they're doing in the food, and take a look at all the ingredients, and find out whether it's kosher or not. Once we have a picture of that, then we inspect the facility itself... We are guarding against cross contamination.


bbc--2020-01-15--Playing Rashford backfired - Solskjaer on Man Utd striker's injury

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his decision to play Marcus Rashford `` backfired '' after the striker went off with a back injury .
Rashford , 22 , was replaced in the 80th minute after he had been on the pitch for 16 minutes as United beat Wolves 1-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay .
The England international has scored 22 goals for club and country this season .
Solskjaer , whose side play away at Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday , said Rashford `` could n't run '' .
`` He 'll be tested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see for Sunday , '' added the Norwegian .
`` I did n't want to play him .
I think he got a knock , a knee or something , in his back , but he 's been struggling for a little while .
`` That 's why we 've kept him away [ from starting against Wolves ] , but we needed the win . ''
Asked if the decision to play Rashford backfired , Solskjaer replied : `` He was involved in the goal , so that was a positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's a quick healer and he 'll play through some pain , definitely , if he 's capable and it 's not a bad , bad injury , but we 've seen that he 's struggled lately .
`` But that 's been more when he 's been tired .
He was n't on long enough to be tired so it might be something that just happened there and then .
`` He 's been absolutely top this season so we 'll do anything and everything we can to get him fit for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then we 'll play without him . ''
Rashford has featured in 13 matches - starting 11 of them - since the beginning of December , scoring nine goals in that period .
United will now play either Watford or League One side Tranmere away from home in the fourth round of the FA Cup on 26 January .
Solskjaer 's side are also fifth in the Premier League , in the last 32 of the Europa League and trail Manchester City 3-1 after the opening leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an injury to Rashford would be a concern because of how vital he is to the team .
`` The fact he has played 200 games already at such a young age , he is so important , '' Fletcher said on BBC Radio 5 live .
`` They are largely becoming reliant on him .
Marcus Rashford carries a load in terms of driving team up the pitch , getting shots getting goals , getting assists .
`` He has almost been like a one-man team . ''
The Times chief football @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be careful `` not to flog '' the players too much by playing them in too many games .
`` It is interesting listening to ex-professionals saying he is not quite running as freely as they would expect and is holding something back , '' Winter said .
`` I understand why Manchester United have to play him and I understand his mentality ; he loves this club , plays for the shirt .
`` He is is Manchester United 's most important player but at some stage we have to take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not flog these players too much .
`` It is not an England thing , this is about making sure he is ready for Manchester United over the next few years and not burning him out too often . ''

Last updated on .From the section Man Utd
Marcus Rashford came on as a 64th-minute substitute for Daniel James, but then went off in the 80th minute, with Jesse Lingard coming on
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his decision to play Marcus Rashford "backfired" after the striker went off with a back injury.
Rashford, 22, was replaced in the 80th minute after he had been on the pitch for 16 minutes as United beat Wolves 1-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay.
The England international has scored 22 goals for club and country this season.
Solskjaer, whose side play away at Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday, said Rashford "couldn't run".
"He'll be tested in the next few days - we have to see for Sunday," added the Norwegian.
"I didn't want to play him. I think he got a knock, a knee or something, in his back, but he's been struggling for a little while.
"That's why we've kept him away [from starting against Wolves], but we needed the win."
Asked if the decision to play Rashford backfired, Solskjaer replied: "He was involved in the goal, so that was a positive, but it backfired.
"He's a quick healer and he'll play through some pain, definitely, if he's capable and it's not a bad, bad injury, but we've seen that he's struggled lately.
"But that's been more when he's been tired. He wasn't on long enough to be tired so it might be something that just happened there and then.
"He's been absolutely top this season so we'll do anything and everything we can to get him fit for Sunday. If he's not, then we'll play without him."
Rashford has featured in 13 matches - starting 11 of them - since the beginning of December, scoring nine goals in that period.
United will now play either Watford or League One side Tranmere away from home in the fourth round of the FA Cup on 26 January.
Solskjaer's side are also fifth in the Premier League, in the last 32 of the Europa League and trail Manchester City 3-1 after the opening leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
'He's been like a one-man team'
Former Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher suggested an injury to Rashford would be a concern because of how vital he is to the team.
"The fact he has played 200 games already at such a young age, he is so important," Fletcher said on BBC Radio 5 live.
"They are largely becoming reliant on him. Marcus Rashford carries a load in terms of driving team up the pitch, getting shots getting goals, getting assists.
"He has almost been like a one-man team."
The Times chief football writer Henry Winter says clubs need to be careful "not to flog" the players too much by playing them in too many games.
"It is interesting listening to ex-professionals saying he is not quite running as freely as they would expect and is holding something back," Winter said.
"I understand why Manchester United have to play him and I understand his mentality; he loves this club, plays for the shirt.
"He is is Manchester United's most important player but at some stage we have to take a step back and say: Let's not flog these players too much.
"It is not an England thing, this is about making sure he is ready for Manchester United over the next few years and not burning him out too often."


bbc--2020-01-16--'I'll remind you how I made this game' - McGregor on return to UFC

Conor McGregor vowed to `` remind everyone '' how he `` made this game '' when he faces Donald Cerrone in his first fight in 15 months on Saturday .
At a news conference for his UFC 246 bout , McGregor also said he hoped to one day return to the boxing ring .
He has not fought in mixed martial arts since losing to Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 , and was convicted of assault in November last year .
`` I 'm in a good spot , I 'm ready to fight , '' McGregor , 31 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go to certain places in our life to realise what we need to do , '' the former two-weight UFC world champion added .
`` I have turned over a new leaf .
I feel the same young man but I feel re-energised and refreshed .
`` I 'm still a passionate young man , still reaching for the stars and aspiring to do things that have never been done before .
`` There is no one who can touch me .
I made this game what it is , so I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone . ''
Where was the chaos ?
Since defeat by Nurmagomedov - a bout that ended in a mass brawl in the octagon - the Irishman has faced an assault charge and allegations of smashing a fan 's phone .
His volatile behaviour , coupled with the colourful news conferences he has featured in previously , meant MMA fans were keen to see him conduct media duties opposite Cerrone in Las Vegas .
But the pair drew laughs rather than controversy , with McGregor complimenting the 36-year-old American 's python-skin jacket .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there will be blood spilled on 18 January , it will not be bad blood , '' McGregor said .
`` And for the 'Mystic Mac ' prediction , it will be a KO . ''
McGregor insisted he could read his rival `` like a children 's book '' .
Cerrone , asked if he had any surprises in store for the Irishman in the octagon , simply replied : `` He can read me so we 'll see . ''
McGregor , who earned an estimated $ 100m when he briefly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world champion Floyd Mayweather in 2017 , said he was interested in another foray into the sport .
`` I 'd love that Floyd rematch , '' McGregor said .
`` I thought I did very well , I think with some slight adjustments I 'd have done even better .
`` For me now , an aspiration of mine is to win a world boxing title .
I think that would be a phenomenal feather in the cap . ''
Fans found Cerrone 's outfit and the shadow cast over his face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what was said , with one tweeting : `` Donald Cerrone looks like a Mortal Kombat character you have n't unlocked yet . ''
One fan described the news conference as the `` most boring '' in UFC history , while others described McGregor 's respectful manner as `` kind of strange '' .
Former UFC fighter Dan Hardy on BBC Radio 5 Live : `` McGregor was disappointing last time he was in the octagon .
Since then people 's opinions of him have changed and there 's a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impressive win .
The humble way he is acting will add to that if it comes with a victory . ''
MMA journalist Nick Peet on BBC Radio 5 Live : `` I like the fact they were both respectful as it shows a new maturity to McGregor .
I 'd like to think he 's matured and that the last 15 months or so have forced him to look in the mirror .
He 's a father now , he has all the money you 'll ever need and his legacy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only be back for one reason , to chase greatness .
So I expected respect today . ''

'Blood will be spilled, make no mistake' - McGregor faces media before UFC return
UFC 246: McGregor v Cerrone Date: Sunday 19 January (UK time) Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Coverage: Approximately 03:00 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, then switching to BBC Radio 5 Live from 04:30. Also live text commentary on BBC Sport website.
Conor McGregor vowed to "remind everyone" how he "made this game" when he faces Donald Cerrone in his first fight in 15 months on Saturday.
At a news conference for his UFC 246 bout, McGregor also said he hoped to one day return to the boxing ring.
He has not fought in mixed martial arts since losing to Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018, and was convicted of assault in November last year.
"I'm in a good spot, I'm ready to fight," McGregor, 31, said.
"Sometimes we have to go to certain places in our life to realise what we need to do," the former two-weight UFC world champion added.
"I have turned over a new leaf. I feel the same young man but I feel re-energised and refreshed.
"I'm still a passionate young man, still reaching for the stars and aspiring to do things that have never been done before.
"There is no one who can touch me. I made this game what it is, so I am going to go in there and remind everyone."
Where was the chaos?
The shadow over Cerrone's face throughout the news conference sparked comment on Twitter
Since defeat by Nurmagomedov - a bout that ended in a mass brawl in the octagon - the Irishman has faced an assault charge and allegations of smashing a fan's phone.
His volatile behaviour, coupled with the colourful news conferences he has featured in previously, meant MMA fans were keen to see him conduct media duties opposite Cerrone in Las Vegas.
But the pair drew laughs rather than controversy, with McGregor complimenting the 36-year-old American's python-skin jacket.
"He has my respect and although there will be blood spilled on 18 January, it will not be bad blood," McGregor said. "And for the 'Mystic Mac' prediction, it will be a KO."
McGregor insisted he could read his rival "like a children's book". Cerrone, asked if he had any surprises in store for the Irishman in the octagon, simply replied: "He can read me so we'll see."
McGregor, who earned an estimated $100m when he briefly moved into boxing and lost to multi-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather in 2017, said he was interested in another foray into the sport.
"I'd love that Floyd rematch," McGregor said. "I thought I did very well, I think with some slight adjustments I'd have done even better.
"For me now, an aspiration of mine is to win a world boxing title. I think that would be a phenomenal feather in the cap."
Handshakes, hats but no hostility
Fans found Cerrone's outfit and the shadow cast over his face by his hat more entertaining than much of what was said, with one tweeting: "Donald Cerrone looks like a Mortal Kombat character you haven't unlocked yet."
One fan described the news conference as the "most boring" in UFC history, while others described McGregor's respectful manner as "kind of strange".
Former UFC fighter Dan Hardy on BBC Radio 5 Live: "McGregor was disappointing last time he was in the octagon. Since then people's opinions of him have changed and there's a lot of things to gain from a big, impressive win. The humble way he is acting will add to that if it comes with a victory."
MMA journalist Nick Peet on BBC Radio 5 Live: "I like the fact they were both respectful as it shows a new maturity to McGregor. I'd like to think he's matured and that the last 15 months or so have forced him to look in the mirror. He's a father now, he has all the money you'll ever need and his legacy is kind of assured anyway. He can only be back for one reason, to chase greatness. So I expected respect today."


bbc--2020-01-16--David Beckham, LeBron James & Justin Bieber - Meet 'the GOAT' of hat making

Alberto Hernandez has designed hats for LeBron James , David Beckham and Miley Cyrus .
Now the LA artist has @ @ @ @ @ in store for his wildest client - Carolina Panthers ’ quarterback Cam Newton .
WATCH @ @ @ @ @ LeBron , Rihanna , Hamilton and Henry

Alberto Hernandez has designed hats for LeBron James, David Beckham and Miley Cyrus. Now the LA artist has an "extreme" hat in store for his wildest client - New England Patriots quarterback and former Carolina Panthers star, Cam Newton.
Player Makers USA is a six-part series of amazing stories from people who work in the background for some of the biggest names in American and global sport.
WATCH MORE: 'I design shoes for Ronaldo, the Beckhams and Timberlake'
WATCH MORE: Styling Messi, Kaepernick & Jay Z: Meet the fashion fairy godmother


bbc--2020-01-16--Gauff, 15, to face Venus Williams again as draw made for Australian Open

American teenager Coco Gauff will again face Venus Williams in the first round of a Grand Slam after the pair were drawn together at the Australian Open .
Gauff , 15 , announced her arrival on the biggest stage by beating 39-year-old Williams , a seven-time Grand Slam singles winner , at Wimbledon in July .
In the men 's draw , British 30th seed Dan Evans meets American Mackenzie McDonald in Melbourne .
Evans , 29 , is playing in his first Slam as Britain 's leading male player and could face Serbia 's defending champion Novak Djokovic in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is aiming for a record-extending eighth title , does not have the easiest opener after being drawn against Germany 's world number 37 Jan-Lennard Struff .
The first Grand Slam of the year begins on Monday with the top half of the women 's draw and the bottom half of the men 's draw in action .
Gauff 's match against Venus Williams seems certain to feature in the first night session on Rod Laver Arena with Djokovic , Roger Federer , Serena Williams , 2019 women 's champion Naomi Osaka , Konta @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day one .
• 'The tournament will happen ' - Australian Open to go ahead , says Tiley • 'It boils my blood ' : GB 's Broady furious about air quality email • How to follow the Australian Open on BBC TV , radio & online Swiss great Federer has been drawn in the same half as second seed Djokovic , meaning the pair could meet in the semi-finals .
Federer , 38 , starts against American Steve Johnson and has a favourable-looking draw , although Bulgaria 's Grigor Dimitrov - who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Open quarter-finals in September - and Canada 's exciting talent Denis Shapovolov are potential opponents before the quarter-finals .
Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal plays against Bolivia 's Hugo Dellien in the first round , with the possibility of a blockbuster fourth-round match against Australia 's Nick Kyrgios .
The pair have not always seen eye-to-eye and met in a dramatic second-round match at Wimbledon last year , where Kyrgios tried to rattle Nadal with constant complaints about the Spaniard 's slow play .
British number two Cameron Norrie plays Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edmund - who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne two years ago but has dropped to 69th in the world - has a tough opener against Serbia 's 24th seed Dusan Lajovic .
Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev , looking to win his first Grand Slam after reaching the 2019 US Open final , has been pitched against dangerous American floater Frances Tiafoe , who reached the quarter-finals last year .
Australia 's world number 21 Alex de Minaur pulled out on Thursday with an abdominal injury aggravated at last week 's ATP Cup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last 16 With Gauff playing Venus Williams again , eyes were immediately focused on that section of the draw - an exciting quarter which also features Serena Williams among a host of stand-out names .
The 38-year-old takes on Russian 18-year-old Anastasia Potapova first as she aims for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title , and could face Gauff or her older sister in the quarter-finals .
Osaka is also in the same quarter , the Japanese third seed starting against Czech Marie Bouzkova .
Briton Konta , who reached the semi-finals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pitched into this loaded part of the women 's draw .
Serena Williams is a possible opponent in the last 16 for the British number one , who could also face 2018 champion and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the third round .
The 29-year-old Dane , who enrolled at Harvard Business School in September and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2018 , is retiring after the tournament , saying she has realised `` there is more to life '' .
Britain 's Katie Boulter aims to put a season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her protected ranking of 85 to enter the year 's first major , but must take on Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina in her opening match .
British number two Heather Watson , ranked 101st , will play Czech world number 62 Kristyna Pliskova , twin sister of second seed Karolina .
Karolina Pliskova , who is aiming for a first Grand Slam title , has a tricky opener against France 's former world number 10 Kristina Mladenovic .
• Alerts : Get tennis news sent to your phone Six months on from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One , Coco Gauff is still just 15 years of age .
Venus Williams , 39 , missed her first two tournaments of the year through injury .
Gauff seems to be able to play without pressure , and takes the view 'the bigger they are , the harder they fall ' .
What a start to the championships that will be .
Johanna Konta 's path through the draw is a very challenging one .
She might run into both Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams before the fourth round is out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ September , Konta will only be focused on her first round with the artistic Tunisian Ons Jabeur , who beat her in Eastbourne in June .
Katie Boulter only returned to the tour in November after six months out with a stress fracture .
She has been playing lower level events to regain fitness , so Elina Svitolina is a brutal first-round draw .

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Johanna Konta's best result at the Australian Open was reaching the semi-finals in 2016
2020 Australian Open Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 20 January to 2 February Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and online; Live text on selected matches on the BBC Sport website and app.
American teenager Coco Gauff will again face Venus Williams in the first round of a Grand Slam after the pair were drawn together at the Australian Open.
Gauff, 15, announced her arrival on the biggest stage by beating 39-year-old Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles winner, at Wimbledon in July.
Britain's Johanna Konta, seeded 12th, will play Tunisia's Ons Jabeur.
In the men's draw, British 30th seed Dan Evans meets American Mackenzie McDonald in Melbourne.
Evans, 29, is playing in his first Slam as Britain's leading male player and could face Serbia's defending champion Novak Djokovic in the third round.
Djokovic, who is aiming for a record-extending eighth title, does not have the easiest opener after being drawn against Germany's world number 37 Jan-Lennard Struff.
The first Grand Slam of the year begins on Monday with the top half of the women's draw and the bottom half of the men's draw in action.
Gauff's match against Venus Williams seems certain to feature in the first night session on Rod Laver Arena with Djokovic, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, 2019 women's champion Naomi Osaka, Konta and Evans among those also playing on day one.
Swiss great Federer has been drawn in the same half as second seed Djokovic, meaning the pair could meet in the semi-finals.
Federer, 38, starts against American Steve Johnson and has a favourable-looking draw, although Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov - who memorably beat the Swiss in the US Open quarter-finals in September - and Canada's exciting talent Denis Shapovolov are potential opponents before the quarter-finals.
Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal plays against Bolivia's Hugo Dellien in the first round, with the possibility of a blockbuster fourth-round match against Australia's Nick Kyrgios.
The pair have not always seen eye-to-eye and met in a dramatic second-round match at Wimbledon last year, where Kyrgios tried to rattle Nadal with constant complaints about the Spaniard's slow play.
British number two Cameron Norrie plays Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert in his opening match, while Kyle Edmund - who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne two years ago but has dropped to 69th in the world - has a tough opener against Serbia's 24th seed Dusan Lajovic.
Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, looking to win his first Grand Slam after reaching the 2019 US Open final, has been pitched against dangerous American floater Frances Tiafoe, who reached the quarter-finals last year.
Australia's world number 21 Alex de Minaur pulled out on Thursday with an abdominal injury aggravated at last week's ATP Cup.
Konta could face Serena Williams in last 16
With Gauff playing Venus Williams again, eyes were immediately focused on that section of the draw - an exciting quarter which also features Serena Williams among a host of stand-out names.
The 38-year-old takes on Russian 18-year-old Anastasia Potapova first as she aims for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, and could face Gauff or her older sister in the quarter-finals.
Osaka is also in the same quarter, the Japanese third seed starting against Czech Marie Bouzkova.
Briton Konta, who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2016, is another pitched into this loaded part of the women's draw.
Serena Williams is a possible opponent in the last 16 for the British number one, who could also face 2018 champion and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the third round.
The 29-year-old Dane, who enrolled at Harvard Business School in September and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2018, is retiring after the tournament, saying she has realised "there is more to life".
Britain's Katie Boulter aims to put a season wrecked by injury behind her after using her protected ranking of 85 to enter the year's first major, but must take on Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina in her opening match.
British number two Heather Watson, ranked 101st, will play Czech world number 62 Kristyna Pliskova, twin sister of second seed Karolina.
Karolina Pliskova, who is aiming for a first Grand Slam title, has a tricky opener against France's former world number 10 Kristina Mladenovic.
Top seed and home favourite Ashleigh Barty opens against Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko.
Analysis
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller at Melbourne Park
Six months on from her famous victory on Wimbledon's Court One, Coco Gauff is still just 15 years of age. Venus Williams, 39, missed her first two tournaments of the year through injury.
Gauff seems to be able to play without pressure, and takes the view 'the bigger they are, the harder they fall'. What a start to the championships that will be.
Johanna Konta's path through the draw is a very challenging one. She might run into both Caroline Wozniacki and Serena Williams before the fourth round is out.
But having played just one match since September, Konta will only be focused on her first round with the artistic Tunisian Ons Jabeur, who beat her in Eastbourne in June.
Katie Boulter only returned to the tour in November after six months out with a stress fracture. She has been playing lower level events to regain fitness, so Elina Svitolina is a brutal first-round draw.


bbc--2020-01-16--Heather Watson reaches Hobart International semi-finals after rain-delayed win

British number two Heather Watson made it through to the semi-finals of the Hobart International with a 6-7 ( 5-7 @ @ @ @ @ Elise Mertens .
Following a rain delay at 4-4 in the second set , Watson @ @ @ @ @ serve to level the match .
There were seven breaks of serve in the third @ @ @ @ @ one coming when Watson went 6-5 up .
The 27-year-old held serve for victory in @ @ @ @ @ progress in an event she won in 2015 .
During the match , the draw @ @ @ @ @ which will take place between 20 January and 2 February , took place and Watson @ @ @ @ @ world , will play Czech world number 62 Kristyna Pliskova - twin sister of second @ @ @ @ @ first round .
• Australian Open 2020 : Coco Gauff to play Venus Williams in @ @ @ @ @ my blood ' - GB 's Liam Broady on air quality email • Alerts : @ @ @ @ @ your phone

Last updated on .From the section Tennis
Watson will play Czech world number 62 Kristyna Pliskova in the first round of the Australian Open
2020 Australian Open Venue: Melbourne Park Dates: 20 January to 2 February Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and online; Live text on selected matches on the BBC Sport website and app.
British number two Heather Watson made it through to the semi-finals of the Hobart International with a 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-5 win over Elise Mertens.
Following a rain delay at 4-4 in the second set, Watson broke the Belgian and held serve to level the match.
There were seven breaks of serve in the third set, with the decisive one coming when Watson went 6-5 up.
The 27-year-old held serve for victory in three hours 33 minutes to progress in an event she won in 2015.
During the match, the draw for the Australian Open, which will take place between 20 January and 2 February, took place and Watson, ranked 101st in the world, will play Czech world number 62 Kristyna Pliskova - twin sister of second seed Karolina - in the first round.


bbc--2020-01-16--JS Saint-Pierroise: Indian Ocean island team Reunion causing a stir in French Cup

If you are going to travel 6,000 miles for every game you might as well ensure you make history in the process .
That 's exactly what amateur side JS Saint-Pierroise - from the volcanic Indian Ocean island of Reunion - have done by reaching the last 32 of the French Cup .
Reunion is a French overseas territory and , as such , its teams are eligible for the competition .
On Saturday they will face SAS Epinal , becoming only the second overseas team to reach this stage after Guiana side ASC Le Geldar .
Saint-Pierre have won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seasons but this achievement easily surpasses that .
To get this far the island amateurs had to defeat Ligue 2 side Niort 2-1 away from home in the last round .
Overcoming a second-tier side is no easy task , especially when it takes an 11-hour flight just to get there .
In the Saint-Pierre side at Niort was former Blackpool midfielder Elliot Grandin , who joined at the start of the season , having decided he wanted to try something different .
The Frenchman has ended up being part of one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the season .
`` It was crazy - all the people in the media spoke about the victory , '' Grandin explains .
`` It 's never happened before so it 's been a very big thing .
People are happy because it 's a rare story .
It 's very good because people do not know much about Reunion football , so it 's a great opportunity for the players over there to show their talent , and this is what we did .
Now people take us seriously . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disguise , forcing the squad to make the journey a week in advance to avoid jet lag and prepare for the fixtures on the mainland .
`` We stay in the hotel together , we prepare for a week before the game but it 's not easy as it 's quite far , '' Grandin adds .
`` It 's not easy to come every two weeks to play but we appreciate the time we spend in France . ''
Surprisingly , given the logistical challenges , the club 's following across land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were pyrotechnics and deafening chants once Niort were dispatched , with hundreds having travelled all the way from the middle of the Indian Ocean to the west of France .
`` People are crazy about football over there .
The stadium in Niort was full of Reunion people and I was like 'wow , I know this guy - he comes to the stadium in Reunion every time .
I know this guy and this guy ' .
They were singing , dancing and every time we play away in France the stadium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is crazy .
I do n't know how they do it with the travel but they keep coming back . ''
Niort immediately sacked their manager after losing to this supposed bunch of amateurs but there is far more to the Saint-Pierre squad than meets the eye .
Grandin has played in Ligue 1 and the Premier League , having also represented France Under-21s .
Last season ex-Liverpool striker Florent Sinama Pongolle - who is from Reunion - was on their books .
Saint-Pierre-born Dimitri Payet , the France midfielder who spent 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them as a youth player .
`` We were confident before the game because we have a good team with good players , '' says Grandin .
`` We have some players who have played in professional leagues in France or England and we have some young talents , experienced players and very fast players . ''
Next up are fourth-tier SAS Epinal , meaning the experienced Saint-Pierre side will be hoping they can repeat the trick to add another chapter to their story .
`` For the island it is already history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will do everything to carry on to the next one , '' says Grandin .
`` We have to spend the week preparing well , we have to be confident , we have to not forget to keep working and I hope we get to the next round . ''
The club have made headlines around the world , which is appropriate as they have to travel around half of it for each match .
Ian Holloway , the manager who brought Grandin to the Premier League , has been in touch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his latest success .
A win at the weekend would send them into the last 16 and offer another chance of drawing one of France 's biggest clubs .
But even if they lose in Epinal , the Reunionese will still have plenty to be proud about .

Elliot Grandin first joined Blackpool in 2010 after the club were promoted to the Premier League - he spent three years there before he returned for a short spell in 2014
If you are going to travel 6,000 miles for every game you might as well ensure you make history in the process.
That's exactly what amateur side JS Saint-Pierroise - from the volcanic Indian Ocean island of Reunion - have done by reaching the last 32 of the French Cup.
Reunion is a French overseas territory and, as such, its teams are eligible for the competition. On Saturday they will face SAS Epinal, becoming only the second overseas team to reach this stage after Guiana side ASC Le Geldar.
Saint-Pierre have won the Reunion Premier League for five consecutive seasons but this achievement easily surpasses that.
To get this far the island amateurs had to defeat Ligue 2 side Niort 2-1 away from home in the last round. Overcoming a second-tier side is no easy task, especially when it takes an 11-hour flight just to get there.
In the Saint-Pierre side at Niort was former Blackpool midfielder Elliot Grandin, who joined at the start of the season, having decided he wanted to try something different. The Frenchman has ended up being part of one of his country's biggest football stories of the season.
"It was crazy - all the people in the media spoke about the victory," Grandin explains. "It's never happened before so it's been a very big thing. People are happy because it's a rare story. It's very good because people do not know much about Reunion football, so it's a great opportunity for the players over there to show their talent, and this is what we did. Now people take us seriously."
The distances involved has been a blessing in disguise, forcing the squad to make the journey a week in advance to avoid jet lag and prepare for the fixtures on the mainland.
"We stay in the hotel together, we prepare for a week before the game but it's not easy as it's quite far," Grandin adds. "It's not easy to come every two weeks to play but we appreciate the time we spend in France."
The total journey time between Reunion and France is more than one day, according to Google Maps
Surprisingly, given the logistical challenges, the club's following across land and sea is incredibly dedicated. There were pyrotechnics and deafening chants once Niort were dispatched, with hundreds having travelled all the way from the middle of the Indian Ocean to the west of France.
"People are crazy about football over there. The stadium in Niort was full of Reunion people and I was like 'wow, I know this guy - he comes to the stadium in Reunion every time. I know this guy and this guy'. They were singing, dancing and every time we play away in France the stadium is full of Reunion people - it is crazy. I don't know how they do it with the travel but they keep coming back."
Niort immediately sacked their manager after losing to this supposed bunch of amateurs but there is far more to the Saint-Pierre squad than meets the eye.
Grandin has played in Ligue 1 and the Premier League, having also represented France Under-21s. Last season ex-Liverpool striker Florent Sinama Pongolle - who is from Reunion - was on their books. Saint-Pierre-born Dimitri Payet, the France midfielder who spent 18 months at West Ham, was with them as a youth player.
"We were confident before the game because we have a good team with good players," says Grandin. "We have some players who have played in professional leagues in France or England and we have some young talents, experienced players and very fast players."
Dimitri Payet was a youth player for three clubs on Reunion Island
Next up are fourth-tier SAS Epinal, meaning the experienced Saint-Pierre side will be hoping they can repeat the trick to add another chapter to their story.
"For the island it is already history to make it to this round but we will do everything to carry on to the next one," says Grandin.
"We have to spend the week preparing well, we have to be confident, we have to not forget to keep working and I hope we get to the next round."
The club have made headlines around the world, which is appropriate as they have to travel around half of it for each match. Ian Holloway, the manager who brought Grandin to the Premier League, has been in touch with the midfielder to congratulate him on his latest success.
A win at the weekend would send them into the last 16 and offer another chance of drawing one of France's biggest clubs. But even if they lose in Epinal, the Reunionese will still have plenty to be proud about.


bbc--2020-01-16--BBC launches new climate coverage

BBC launches new climate coverage

The BBC has announced plans for a year-long series of special programming and coverage on climate change .
A raft of news services and shows are planned as part of the Our Planet Matters project .
These include a new monthly Climate Check video feature from BBC Weather , and coverage of debates and events around the globe .
Digital , TV and radio outlets will all take part .
• The massive CO2 emitter you may not know about Sir David Attenborough also plans a new hour-long documentary for the Our Planet Matters programmes .
Extinction : The Facts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ natural world .
`` We have to realise that this is not playing games , '' Sir David told the BBC .
`` This is an urgent problem that has to be solved and , what 's more , we know how to do it . ''
Online , the BBC will produce new explainers , interactive tools and guides to help sort through the jargon and analyse what 's happening in the UK and across our changing planet .
You can check back on everything that has been published so far here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking at how people around the world are confronting the problems created by climate change .
In a new series for BBC Two , Ade Adepitan travels to countries on the frontline of climate change to find out what humanity is doing to face up to possibly the greatest challenge in our history in a three part series , Ade on the Frontline of Climate Change .
Radio 4 's PM programme will air The Environment in 10 Objects .
Each episode will look at the environmental impact of one household item , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate crisis at home .
A new weekly podcast on the World Service will examine climate change from scientific , business and policy perspectives with the help of journalists from around the world .
BBC Weather meanwhile plans to bring in a monthly Climate Check service , to help audiences see trends behind the daily weather .
Adam Bullimore , head of BBC Weather , says it will be a chance to `` share something more with audiences than just the typical weather forecast '' , and will focus on the impact of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ice measurements on our planet .
The BBC will also cover the build up to the COP 26 climate summit in Glasgow this November .
On Friday , BBC Breakfast and the News Channel will be live from Glasgow 's Science Centre talking about plans to make Scotland 's biggest city carbon neutral by 2030 , and how this will affect its people .
In the summer , the BBC will host a climate debate .
Experts and people from around the UK will be brought together at the audience event .
Our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the effects of climate change on the environment and communities from all corners of the globe .
That even includes Antarctica .
Chief environment correspondent Justin Rowlatt will be reporting from the remote Thwaites Glacier , where researchers are trying to find out the stability of the colossal ice mass .
All through 2020 the BBC will report on which countries , people and technologies are leading the way in tackling climate change .
Scientific work will also be a key focus .
There will be coverage of how researchers are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and its effects on the natural world .
How is the BBC doing on its own climate targets ?
According to the BBC press office , the corporation reduced its carbon footprint by 78 % last year by purchasing renewable electricity to match that used at major sites and is on track to remove all single-use plastics from BBC sites by the end of 2020 .
The corporation now aims to go carbon neutral and has launched a project to identify what action is needed and how quickly it can be achieved .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies including only travelling when necessary , using technology such as videoconferencing , improving the fuel efficiency of our vehicle fleet and introducing electric vehicles , '' a statement reads .
`` Currently one of our contractors offsets CO2 emissions on our flights with them and we are exploring whether there 's scope to do more . ''
BBC Director of News , Fran Unsworth , said : `` We are very aware of our own impact on the environment and our responsible travel policy means we only fly when necessary . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Broadcasting strategy here .
• How much warmer is your city ?
• What is your diet 's carbon footprint ?
• Where we are in seven charts What questions do you have about changes in our climate and about the Our Planet Matters series ?
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Your contact details will never be published .
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@ @ @ @ @ @ @ :

"We're committed to responsible travel policies including only travelling when necessary, using technology such as videoconferencing, improving the fuel efficiency of our vehicle fleet and introducing electric vehicles," a statement reads. "Currently one of our contractors offsets CO2 emissions on our flights with them and we are exploring whether there's scope to do more."


bbc--2020-01-16--What is climate change? A really simple guide

Scientists say global warming could have a catastrophic effect on the planet .
Human activities have increased carbon-dioxide emissions , driving up temperatures .
Extreme weather and melting polar ice are among the possible effects .
So , what do we know about the Earth 's changing climate ?
The Earth 's average temperature is about 15C but has been much higher and lower in the past .
There are natural fluctuations in the climate but scientists say temperatures are now rising faster than at many other times .
This is linked to the greenhouse effect , which describes how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Sun 's energy .
Solar energy radiating back to space from the Earth 's surface is absorbed by greenhouse gases and re-emitted in all directions .
This heats both the lower atmosphere and the surface of the planet .
Without this effect , the Earth would be about 30C colder and hostile to life .
Scientists believe we are adding to the natural greenhouse effect , with gases released from industry and agriculture trapping more energy and increasing the temperature .
This is known as climate change or global warming .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warming is water vapour .
But it remains in the atmosphere for only a few days .
Carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) , however , persists for much longer .
It would take hundreds of years for a return to pre-industrial levels and only so much can be soaked up by natural reservoirs such as the oceans .
Most man-made emissions of CO2 come from burning fossil fuels .
When carbon-absorbing forests are cut down and left to rot , or burned , that stored carbon is released , contributing to global warming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in seven charts • Five things the 1.5C report taught us Since the industrial revolution began in about 1750 , CO2 levels have risen more than 30 % .
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is higher than at any time in at least 800,000 years .
Other greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide are also released through human activities but they are less abundant than carbon dioxide .
What is the evidence for warming ?
The world is about one degree Celsius warmer than before widespread industrialisation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
The 20 warmest years on record all occurred in the past 22 years , with 2015-18 making up the top four .
Across the globe , the average sea level increased by 3.6mm per year between 2005 and 2015 .
Most of this change was because water increases in volume as it heats up .
However , melting ice is now thought to be the main reason for rising sea levels .
Most glaciers in temperate regions of the world are retreating .
And satellite records show a dramatic decline in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ice Sheet has experienced record melting in recent years .
Satellite data also shows the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing mass .
A recent study indicated East Antarctica may also have started to lose mass .
The effects of a changing climate can also be seen in vegetation and land animals .
These include earlier flowering and fruiting times for plants and changes in the territories of animals .
How much will temperatures rise in future ?
The change in the global surface temperature between 1850 and the end of the 21st @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most simulations suggest .
The WMO says that if the current warming trend continues , temperatures could rise 3-5C by the end of this century .
Temperature rises of 2C had long been regarded as the gateway to dangerous warming .
More recently , scientists and policymakers have argued that limiting temperature rises to 1.5C is safer .
An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ) report in 2018 suggested that keeping to the 1.5C target would require `` rapid , far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stabilise greenhouse-gas emissions .
China emits more CO2 than any other country .
It is followed by the US and the European Union member states , although emissions per person are much greater there .
But even if we now cut greenhouse-gas emissions dramatically , scientists say the effects will continue .
Large bodies of water and ice can take hundreds of years to respond to changes in temperature .
And it takes CO2 decades to be removed from the atmosphere .
How will climate change affect us ?
There is uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changing climate will be .
It could cause freshwater shortages , dramatically alter our ability to produce food , and increase the number of deaths from floods , storms and heatwaves .
This is because climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events - though linking any single event to global warming is complicated .
As the world warms , more water evaporates , leading to more moisture in the air .
This means many areas will experience more intense rainfall - and in some places snowfall .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during hot summers will increase .
More flooding is expected from storms and rising sea levels .
But there are likely to be very strong regional variations in these patterns .
• Vietnam 's children and the fear of climate change • Would you give up beef to help the planet ?
Poorer countries , which are least equipped to deal with rapid change , could suffer the most .
Plant and animal extinctions are predicted as habitats change faster than species can adapt .
And the World Health Organization ( WHO ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be threatened by increases in malaria , water-borne disease and malnutrition .
As more CO2 is released into the atmosphere , uptake of the gas by the oceans increases , causing the water to become more acidic .
This could pose major problems for coral reefs .
Global warming will cause further changes that are likely to create further heating .
This includes the release of large quantities of methane as permafrost - frozen soil found mainly at high latitudes - melts .
Responding to climate change will be one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • How much warmer is your city ?
• What is your diet 's carbon footprint ?
• Where we are in seven charts What questions do you have about changes in our climate ?
In some cases your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

What is climate change? A really simple guide Published 29 June
Image source, Getty Images
Global temperatures are rising as a result of human activity.
People around the world are already experiencing the consequences, from more intense heatwaves to rising sea levels.
Things are likely to worsen in the coming decades, but scientists argue that urgent action can still avoid the most dangerous effects of climate change.
What is climate change?
Climate is the average weather in a place over many years. Climate change is a shift in those average conditions.
The climate has fluctuated naturally throughout the world's history.
But scientists say that there is no doubt that the particularly rapid climate change seen over the past century is caused by humans.
In particular they say it is due to the widespread use of fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas - in homes, factories and transport.
When fossil fuels burn, they release greenhouse gases - mostly carbon dioxide (CO2). These gases trap the Sun's heat in the atmosphere, causing the planet's temperature to rise.
Since the start of the Industrial Revolution - when humans started burning large amounts of these fuels - the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere has risen by over 50%, and is still growing.
As a result of the increase in CO2 and other greenhouse gases like methane, the world is now about 1.1C warmer than it was in the late 19th century.
What are the effects of climate change so far?
A global average temperature increase of 1.1C might not sound much, but it has already had a huge effect on the environment. Impacts so far include:
People's lives are already changing as a result. For example, the ongoing East African drought has put more than 20 million people at risk of severe hunger. The 2022 European heatwaves led to an abnormal increase in deaths.
Extreme weather events have caused trillions of dollars of economic damage in recent decades, but the death toll has actually fallen as early warning systems have improved, according to the World Meteorological Organisation.
How will future climate change affect the world?
Scientists say limiting temperature rise to 1.5C is crucial to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change - although these increase with every extra increment of warming.
The 1.5C warming limit was partly designed to avoid crossing so-called "tipping points".
These are thresholds beyond which changes could accelerate and become irreversible in different parts of the Earth's climate system, such as the collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
But it's not clear precisely where these thresholds sit. Some may have already been crossed; some may be further away than first thought.
The science is not completely certain, but the impacts of 2C global warming versus 1.5C could include:
extreme hot days would be on average 4C warmer at mid-latitudes (regions outside the poles and tropics), versus 3C at 1.5C
would be on average 4C warmer at mid-latitudes (regions outside the poles and tropics), versus 3C at 1.5C sea-level rise would be 0.1m higher than at 1.5C, exposing up to 10 million more people
would be 0.1m higher than at 1.5C, exposing up to 10 million more people more than 99% of coral reefs would be lost, compared with 70-90% at 1.5C
would be lost, compared with 70-90% at 1.5C several hundred million more people may be exposed to climate-related risks and susceptible to poverty by 2050 than at 1.5C.
About 3.3 to 3.6 billion people are classed as being highly vulnerable to climate change, according to the UN's climate body, the IPCC.
People living in developing countries are expected to suffer the most as they have fewer resources to adapt.
This has led to questions about fairness, because these places have typically contributed only a small percentage of the greenhouse gases which caused climate change in the first place.
However, impacts in one place can have knock-on effects for all regions. For instance, people being displaced from one area could lead to mass migrations, and crop failures linked to extreme weather could raise global food prices.
What are governments doing about climate change?
In a landmark agreement signed in Paris in 2015, almost 200 countries pledged to try to keep global warming to 1.5C.
To achieve this, scientists said that countries should achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. Net zero means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, and removing any remaining emissions from the atmosphere.
Most countries have, or are considering, net zero targets, but many of these are dated after 2050.
Real-world action has been slow, and the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are still rising.
As a result, UN scientists believe the world is "likely" to warm beyond 1.5C based on current government targets.
World leaders meet every year to discuss their climate commitments. The next summit (COP28) will be held in the UAE in November and December 2023.
What can individuals do?
Major changes need to come from governments and businesses, but scientists say small changes from individuals can also make a difference:


bbc--2020-01-14--Climate change: Where we are in seven charts and what you can do to help

Climate change is set to cause major changes across the world : sea levels will rise , food production could fall and species may be driven to extinction .
The UN has warned that the world needs to limit climate change to below 1.5C above pre-industrial levels .
But scientists say that keeping to the 1.5C target will require `` rapid , far-reaching and unprecedented changes '' in all aspects of society .
So how warm has the world got and what can we do about it ?
1 .
The world has been getting hotter The world is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before widespread industrialisation , according to the World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) .
The global average temperature for the first 10 months of 2018 was 0.98C above the levels of 1850-1900 , according to five independently maintained global data sets .
The 20 warmest years on record have been in the past 22 years , with 2015-2018 making up the top four , the WMO says .
If this trend continues , temperatures may rise by 3-5C by 2100 .
One degree may not sound like much , but , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ act , the world will face catastrophic change - sea levels will rise , ocean temperatures and acidity will increase and our ability to grow crops , such as rice , maize and wheat , would be in danger .
• What is in the Paris climate agreement ?
2 .
The year 2019 set all sorts of records Almost 400 all-time high temperatures were set in the northern hemisphere during the summer of 2019 .
Records were broken in 29 countries for the period between 1 May and 30 August .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Germany , followed by France and the Netherlands .
These European records were set amid heatwaves across the continent that sent temperatures soaring in June and July .
Over the period shown on the map below ( May to August 2019 ) , the yellow dots show where a heat record was broken on a given date , pink indicates places that were the hottest they had ever been in the month shown , and dark red represents a place that was the hottest since records began .
More than 30 all-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Berkeley Earth data .
In Japan , where 11 people died as a result of the summer heatwave , 10 all-time temperature highs were set .
3 .
We are not on track to meet climate change targets If we add up all the promises to cut emissions made by countries that are party to the Paris climate agreement , the world would still warm by more than 3C by the end of this century .
Over the past few years , climate scientists have shifted the definition of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit of climate change .
For decades , researchers argued the global temperature rise must be kept below 2C by the end of this century to avoid the worst impacts .
Countries signing up to the Paris agreement pledged to keep temperatures `` well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5C '' .
But scientists now agree that we actually need to keep temperature rises to below 1.5C .
4 .
The biggest emitters are China and the US The countries emitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long way are China and the US .
Together they account for more than 40 % of the global total , according to 2017 data from the European Commission 's Joint Research Centre and PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency .
US environmental policy has shifted under the Trump administration , which has pursued a pro-fossil fuels agenda .
President Donald Trump has begun the process of withdrawing the US from the Paris climate change agreement .
Mr Trump said the deal struck in 2015 would disadvantage US businesses and workers .
5 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all ( 95 % ) of cities facing extreme climate risks are in Africa or Asia , a report by risk analysts Verisk Maplecroft has found .
And it 's the faster-growing cities that are most at risk , including megacities like Lagos in Nigeria and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo .
Some 84 of the world 's 100 fastest-growing cities face `` extreme '' risks from rising temperatures and extreme weather brought on by climate change .
6 .
Arctic sea ice is also in danger The extent of Arctic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It reached its lowest point on record in 2012 .
Sea ice has been reducing for decades , with melting accelerating since the early 2000s , according to the UK Parliament 's Environmental Audit Committee .
The Arctic Ocean may be ice-free in the summer as soon as the 2050s , unless emissions are reduced , the committee has said .
The extent of Arctic sea ice in 2019 was tied with 2007 and 2016 as the second lowest on record .
The maximum extent , reached in March 2019 , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 40-year satellite record .
7 .
We can all do more to help While governments need to make big changes - individuals can play a role too .
Scientists say we all have to make major changes to our lifestyles , in order to avoid severely damaging climate change .
The IPCC says we need to : buy less meat , milk , cheese and butter ; eat more locally sourced seasonal food - and throw less of it away ; drive electric cars but walk or cycle short distances ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; use videoconferencing instead of business travel ; use a washing line instead of a tumble dryer ; insulate homes ; demand low carbon in every consumer product .
The single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet is to modify your diet to include less meat - according to recent studies .
Scientists say we ought to eat less meat because of the carbon emissions the meat industry produces , as well as other negative environmental impacts .
A recent study published in the journal Science highlighted a massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same food .
For example , beef cattle raised on deforested land produces 12 times more greenhouse gas emissions than those reared on natural pastures .
Crucially , the analysis shows that meat with the lowest environmental impact still creates more greenhouse gas emissions than growing vegetables and cereal crops in the least environmentally-friendly way .
But as well as altering our diets , research suggests that farming practices need to change significantly to benefit the environment .
• How much warmer is your city ?
• What is your diet 's @ @ @

Correction 24 February 2020: A previous version of this story said that "the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet is to modify your diet to include less meat". This has been amended to now refer to "one of the biggest," taking account of different individual lifestyles and circumstances. We have also replaced the in-line link with a research article on 'The global impacts of food production'.


bbc--2020-01-17--Clinton prosecutor Ken Starr to defend Trump in impeachment

US President Donald Trump 's defence team in his Senate trial will include special prosecutors from President Bill Clinton 's impeachment .
He will be represented by Ken Starr and Robert Ray , who investigated Mr Clinton , and Alan Dershowitz , whose past clients include OJ Simpson .
White House counsel Pat Cipollone and Mr Trump 's personal lawyer Jay Sekulow will lead the team .
Opening statements in the Senate trial are expected next week .
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has also been asked to join the team .
Mr Dershowitz told CBS News , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had spoken with the president on Wednesday about the case .
`` I agreed to do it as an independent constitutional scholar , '' Mr Dershowitz , a retired Harvard University law professor , said .
`` I take no position on the politics - just on the constitution . ''
• The case for and against impeaching Trump • Trump impeachment trial : All you need to know He added he was `` very , very concerned '' about the precedent this impeachment could establish .
`` It could weaken the presidency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' he said .
Mr Dershowitz said in a statement that though he voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election , he was opposed to Mr Clinton 's impeachment .
The president sought Mr Dershowitz 's advice , too , during the 2017-19 special counsel investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election .
Mr Dershowitz and Mr Starr both represented disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during his 2008 abuse trial .
Axios reported that some White House officials opposed Mr Dershowitz joining the team , given his ties to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US Department of Justice independent counsel who investigated the Whitewater affair , a scandal-plagued mid-1980s land venture in Arkansas involving Bill and Hillary Clinton .
The inquiry ultimately uncovered unrelated evidence that Mr Clinton had been having an affair with a White House intern , Monica Lewinsky .
The investigation culminated in the Democratic president 's impeachment by the US House of Representatives in 1998 .
Mr Clinton was acquitted by the Senate .
Ms Lewinsky tweeted on Friday shortly after Mr Trump 's team was announced : `` This is definitely an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day '' , though she inserted an expletive .
Mr Trump was impeached by the US House of Representatives last month on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
Democrats have accused him of withholding military aid to Ukraine to pressure the country into investigating his political rival , former US Vice-President Joe Biden .
Mr Trump denies the claims , and calls the impeachment proceedings a partisan `` hoax '' .

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bbc--2020-01-17--Iran plane crash: Khamenei defends armed forces in rare address

Iran 's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has defended the country 's armed forces after it admitted shooting down a passenger plane by mistake .
He said the Revolutionary Guard - the elite unit responsible for the disaster - `` maintained the security '' of Iran .
Widespread protests and criticism from abroad have put growing pressure on Iran over its handling of the incident .
But the ayatollah tried to rally support as he led Friday prayers in Tehran for the first time since 2012 .
The Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 was travelling to Kyiv from Tehran on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take-off .
All 176 passengers on board , including nationals from Iran , Canada , Sweden and the UK , were killed .
The ayatollah called for `` national unity '' and said Iran 's `` enemies '' - a reference to Washington and its allies - had used the shooting down of the plane to overshadow the killing of senior Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike .
`` Our enemies were as happy about the plane crash as we were sad , '' he said .
`` [ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something to question the Guard and the armed forces . ''
• Plane crash victims 'were the best of us' • What we know about flight PS752 The Iranian authorities initially denied responsibility but , after international pressure mounted , the Revolutionary Guard admitted that the plane had been mistaken for a `` cruise missile '' during heightened tensions with the US .
Hours before it was shot down , and in response to the killing of Soleimani , Iranian missiles targeted two airbases in Iraq that housed US forces .
Washington initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it later reported that 11 people had been treated for concussion after they showed symptoms days after the missile strikes .
What else did the ayatollah say ?
Ayatollah Khamenei , 80 , addressed the nation from the Mosalla mosque in the capital .
The last time he did so was in 2012 on the 33rd anniversary of the country 's Islamic Revolution .
Leading Friday prayers in the capital is a symbolically significant act usually reserved for times when Iran 's highest authority wishes to deliver an important message , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Near East Policy .
Historically , Iranian leaders have left this task to loyal clerics with strong oratorical skills , he adds .
As well as defending the military , the ayatollah : • Criticised the `` evil '' administration of US President Donald Trump , whom he called a `` clown '' • Accused Washington of `` lying '' when it expressed support for the Iranian people , and said the US would `` stab them with their poison dagger '' • Said the Iranian missile strikes in Iraq were a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US • Described Iran 's elite Quds Force - which the US has designated a terrorist organisation - as a `` humanitarian organisation with human values '' • Called Soleimani 's funeral and the Iranian military response a `` turning point in history '' • Lambasted the `` evil '' British government , along with Germany and France , for triggering the formal dispute mechanism over the 2015 nuclear deal In response , the US government 's Special Representative for Iran , Brian Hook , said Iran would remain isolated `` as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
Defending his rule and his government This sermon was an effort from Iran 's supreme leader - who has come under heavy criticism in recent days - to defend his rule .
He delivered part of his address in Arabic , calling on the Arab and Islamic world to drive the US out of the region .
`` The biggest punishment for the United States is its expulsion , '' he said .
But his more immediate aim was to shore up his government after the Ukrainian passenger plane was shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Khamenei 's position at home .
There have been protests up and down the country , with demonstrators shouting slogans and calling on him to step down .
Today , the ayatollah accused the protesters of being influenced by foreign-based media .
He also praised the Revolutionary Guard for bringing security to the country .
But , ultimately , he seemed to have little new to say .
As a result , he is unlikely to have won much support for the policies he has been pursuing .
Many in Iran had hoped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past mistakes .
That was far from the case .
What about the plane investigation ?
Canadian Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne will meet his Iranian counterpart , Javad Zarif , in Muscat , Oman , on Friday to discuss the investigation .
It comes a day after Mr Champagne held talks in London with ministers of four other nations that lost citizens in the crash .
Speaking on behalf of the group , he said on Thursday : `` We are here to pursue closure , accountability , transparency and justice for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , British , Canadian as well as Iranian , through a full , complete and transparent international investigation . ''
Mr Champagne said all those responsible must be brought to justice .

But his more immediate aim was to shore up his government after the Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down. The episode has weakened Ayatollah Khamenei's position at home. There have been protests up and down the country, with demonstrators shouting slogans and calling on him to step down.


bbc--2020-01-17--Andrew Yang's wife says gynaecologist sexually assaulted her

The wife of Democratic presidential hopeful Andrew Yang has said she was sexually assaulted by her gynaecologist while she was pregnant with their first child .
Evelyn Yang has accused Robert Hadden of assaulting her at his New York practice in 2012 .
Speaking to CNN , Ms Yang said she did n't tell her husband at first .
Ms Yang is one of 32 women suing Hadden and the university where he practised .
Hadden has denied the allegations in a court document .
He was convicted of sexual assault in 2016 and surrendered his medical licence , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepting a plea deal .
Ms Yang , 38 , said she was encouraged to speak out by the warm reception she and her husband had received when talking to voters about their son 's autism .
`` Something about being on the trail and meeting people and seeing the difference that we 've been making already has moved me to share my own story about it , about sexual assault , '' Ms Yang revealed to CNN .
She said `` everyone has their own Me Too story '' , referencing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added `` not everyone has the audience or platform to tell their story '' .
• The 'Asian math guy ' trying to be next US president • Andrew Yang celebrates opening of new campaign office Ms Yang 's husband Andrew , a tech entrepreneur who is vying for the Democratic presidential nomination , said he was `` extraordinary proud '' of his wife .
`` When victims of abuse come forward , they deserve our belief , support , and protection , '' Mr Yang said in a statement on Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives strength to those who have suffered and sends a clear message that our institutions must do more to protect and respond to women . ''
Ms Yang has accused Hadden of assaulting her in his examination room when she was seven months pregnant with her first child .
`` I was dressed and ready to go , '' she told CNN .
`` Then , at the last minute , he kind of made up an excuse .
He said something about ' I think you might need a C-section ' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him and undress me and examine me internally , ungloved . ''
• What has # MeToo actually changed ?
During the alleged assault , Ms Yang said she `` froze like a deer in headlights '' and tried to avoid his gaze , `` just waiting for it to be over '' .
What else has Hadden been accused of ?
Ms Yang said she told her husband about the alleged assault after the birth of their child , Christopher .
Ms Yang said she was prompted to do so after reading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of sexual assault .
Other women came forward and a case against Hadden was opened by the Manhattan District Attorney 's Office .
Ms Yang helped prosecutors to build their case and testified before a grand jury , which indicted Hadden on multiple sex crime charges in 2014 .
In 2016 , Hadden accepted a plea deal after admitting one count of forcible touching and one count of third-degree sexual assault .
As part of the deal , Hadden was stripped of his medical licence but did not go to prison .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suing Columbia University , which runs the medical practice where Hadden worked .
The lawsuit argues that the university and its affiliates `` actively concealed , conspired , and enabled '' Hadden 's sexual exploitation .
Columbia University and the hospital system are fighting the lawsuit on procedural grounds , according to CNN .
A university spokeswoman said the allegations against Hadden were `` abhorrent '' and they `` deeply apologise to those whose trust was violated '' .

"I was dressed and ready to go," she told CNN. "Then, at the last minute, he kind of made up an excuse. He said something about 'I think you might need a C-section' and he proceeded to grab me over to him and undress me and examine me internally, ungloved."


bbc--2020-01-17--Harry Harris: South Koreans bristle at US envoy's moustache

As relations between the US and South Korea fray , the American ambassador to the country has brushed off criticism of an increasingly hairy matter : his moustache .
Harry Harris , a retired navy admiral , has ruffled feathers in South Korea since becoming US ambassador in 2018 .
But recently , it 's his facial hair that has left South Koreans bristling .
To some South Koreans , it evokes memories of Japanese colonial rule over the country from 1910 until 1945 .
Those who feel affronted say his facial hair is reminiscent of the moustaches worn by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Harris , the son of a US Navy officer and a Japanese mother , has previously raised tensions by demanding that South Korea pay more for hosting US troops .
But speaking to reporters on Thursday , he suggested the criticism stemmed from his heritage .
`` My moustache , for some reason , has become a point of some fascination here , '' Mr Harris said .
`` I have been criticised in the media here , especially in social media , because of my ethnic background , because I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over a moustache ?
Mr Harris , 63 , has been US ambassador at a time of heightened tensions between South Korea and Japan .
Those tensions were inflamed in November 2018 , when South Korean court rulings ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to Koreans over forced labour during World War Two .
Then , in August 2019 , Japan announced it was going to remove South Korea 's favoured trade partner status , deepening the acrimony .
In the context of these disputes , Mr Harris 's moustache - and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In an interview with a local radio station , a ruling party lawmaker compared him with a governor-general of the Japanese government during the colonial period .
That sentiment was echoed by the Korea Times , which last month said Mr Harris 's moustache `` has become associated with the latest US image of being disrespectful and even coercive toward Korea '' .
`` Harris often has been ridiculed for not being an ambassador , but a governor-general , '' the paper added .
World War Two-era Japanese military leaders such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hata all sported Mr Harris 's type of moustache .
But so too did other regional leaders , including Chiang Kai-shek , leader of China 's nationalist government between 1928 and 1949 .
`` In fact , it was a common style worn by a number of regional leaders at the time , '' Professor Niki Alsford , co-director of the International Institute of Korean Studies at the University of Central Lancashire , told the BBC .
Therefore , it seems this sentiment `` is largely down to his [ Mr Harris 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Mr Harris , who was clean-shaven for most of his 40-year naval career , told the Korea Times he had decided to grow the moustache to mark his `` new life as a diplomat '' .
The moustache , he told the paper , would remain unless someone convinced him it was `` viewed in a way that hurts our relationship '' .
On Thursday , he said he recognised the historical animosity between Japan and South Korea , but added it would be a mistake to `` take that history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of accident of birth '' .
Why are there tensions between the US and South Korea ?
In large part , the tensions derive from US President Donald Trump 's demand for South Korea to pay more towards hosting American troops on its soil .
The US stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as part of a security alliance to deter aggression from North Korea , which invaded the country in 1950 .
Mr Trump said he wanted South Korea to increase its contribution from about $ 900m ( £689m ) to about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ negotiations concluded without agreement in Washington on Wednesday .
Mr Harris said US negotiators had `` adjusted our position , our top line number '' and were `` now waiting for the Korean side to do the same '' .
There has also been consternation over South Korea 's diplomatic engagements with North Korea .
Mr Harris was rebuked by South Korea 's government on Thursday for suggesting that Seoul should consult Washington about the possibility of reopening tourism in North Korea .
Mr Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held face-to-face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at denuclearising the Korean Peninsula .
But discussions have stalled as the US refuses to lift sanctions until North Korea fully abandons its nuclear programme .

"My moustache, for some reason, has become a point of some fascination here," Mr Harris said. "I have been criticised in the media here, especially in social media, because of my ethnic background, because I am a Japanese-American."


bbc--2020-01-17--Ayanna Pressley: US congresswoman reveals alopecia diagnosis

US congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has revealed she is completely bald because of the hair-loss condition alopecia .
The Massachusetts Democrat told The Root that she started noticing her hair was falling out last autumn .
She eventually went totally bald in December , the night before Congress voted to impeach Donald Trump .
Sharing the video on social media , Ms Pressley later said : `` As a Black woman , the personal is political .
My hair story is no exception . ''
Ms Pressley , 45 , is a member of the so-called `` Squad '' of four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interview with The Root website , Ms Pressley said she first got her signature hairstyle - Senegalese twist - four years ago .
`` I was very aware this hairstyle could be - would be - filtered and interpreted by some as a political statement that was militant , '' she said in the video .
`` People said : 'People will think you 're angry ' , and I said : 'Well they already think that . '
'' Over the years , she said , it became a symbol of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms Pressley added : `` My twists had become such a synonymous and conflated part of not only my personal identity and how I show up in the world , but my political brand .
`` That 's why I think it 's important that I 'm transparent about this new normal , and living with alopecia . ''
• Could your hairstyle be causing hair loss ?
Later in the video , she took off her wig - revealing her baldness for the first time in public .
After the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues tweeted their support of Ms Pressley - including her fellow `` Squad '' congresswomen , Ilhan Omar , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib .
Alopecia affects about a third of women of African descent , according to a study published in the medical journal Clinical , Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology .
Another study , published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology last year , found that African-Americans were more likely to experience alopecia than other ethnic group in the US .
The most common form of the condition affecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is caused by hair being stressed at the roots .
Other forms of the condition include alopecia areata , which causes patches of baldness ; alopecia totalis , which causes total baldness on the head ; and alopecia universalis , which leads to complete hair loss all over a person 's body .
About 6.8 million people in the US are believed to have alopecia , according to the US-based National Alopecia Areata Foundation .

"I was very aware this hairstyle could be - would be - filtered and interpreted by some as a political statement that was militant," she said in the video. "People said: 'People will think you're angry', and I said: 'Well they already think that.'"


bbc--2020-01-17--Grammys chief removed 10 days before ceremony over misconduct allegation

The chief executive of the Recording Academy , which organises the Grammy Awards , has been removed from her position just 10 days before this year 's ceremony in Los Angeles .
Deborah Dugan was placed on administrative leave following an allegation of misconduct , the Academy said in a statement .
Dugan had replaced former chief executive Neil Portnow , who caused controversy in 2018 when he suggested female artists should `` step up '' if they wanted to be recognised at the Grammys .
She was the Academy 's first female president and , in an interview published @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best job on the planet '' .
In a statement , the Recording Academy said : `` In light of concerns raised to the Recording Academy board of trustees , including a formal allegation of misconduct by a senior female member of the Recording Academy team , the board has placed Recording Academy president and CEO Deborah Dugan on administrative leave , effective immediately .
`` The board has also retained two independent third-party investigators to conduct independent investigations of the allegations . ''
It continued : `` The board determined this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restore the confidence of the Recording Academy 's membership , repair Recording Academy employee morale , and allow the Recording Academy to focus on its mission of serving all music creators . ''
Board chairman Harvey Mason Jr will step into Dugan 's role until the investigation reaches a conclusion .
He sent an email to members of the Academy on Thursday , assuring them that `` the Grammy Awards and all related activities will go forward as planned '' .
Dugan is a former lawyer and record executive who previously ran Bono @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combat Aids and other diseases in Africa .
According to Variety magazine , the 61-year-old had met with resistance in her attempts to modernise the Recording Academy , with one unnamed source calling her removal a `` coup '' .
The 62nd Grammy Awards are due to take place at Los Angeles ' Staples Center on Sunday 26 January , hosted by Alicia Keys .
Performers on the night will include Billie Eilish , Camila Cabello , Bonnie Raitt , the Jonas Brothers , Demi Lovato and Rosalía .
Follow us on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .

It continued: "The board determined this action to be necessary in order to restore the confidence of the Recording Academy's membership, repair Recording Academy employee morale, and allow the Recording Academy to focus on its mission of serving all music creators."


bbc--2020-01-17--‘Submitting to my husband like it's 1959': Why I became a #TradWife

# TradWives is a growing movement of women who promote ultra-traditional gender roles .
Search the hashtag ‘ # tradwife @ @ @ @ @ you ’ ll see images of cooked dinners and freshly-baked cakes with captions like , @ @ @ @ @ place is in the home ” or “ Trying to be a man is a @ @ @ @ @ .
The term ‘ tradwife ’ is particularly controversial because of its associations with the @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
But many self-described tradwives reject that association .
Alena , who @ @ @ @ @ says it ’ s about “ submitting to and spoiling her husband like it ’ @ @ @ @ @ well as supporting a return to “ traditional English manners , lifestyle and values .
@

#TradWives is a growing movement of women who promote ultra-traditional gender roles.
Search the hashtag ‘#tradwife’ on social media and you’ll see images of cooked dinners and freshly-baked cakes with captions like, “A woman’s place is in the home” or “Trying to be a man is a waste of a woman”.
The term ‘tradwife’ is particularly controversial because of its associations with the far right, especially in the United States. But many self-described tradwives reject that association.
Alena, who lives in the UK, says it’s about “submitting to and spoiling her husband like it’s 1959” - as well as supporting a return to “traditional English manners, lifestyle and values.”


bbc--2020-01-17--What's behind the fight for Libya?

What's behind the fight for Libya?

'Her dying wish was to get the kids to Europe' The BBC 's Orla Guerin meets a family waiting to @ @ @ @ @ with orphaned children whose mother died on the way .

UN-sponsored talks on the Libyan conflict are set to be held on Sunday in the German capital, Berlin.
The oil-rich North African country has been beset by a civil war for nearly a decade, since Nato-backed forces overthrew Libya’s long-serving ruler Muammar Gaddafi.
BBC Arabic's Hanan Razek explains how complicated the situation is.
Produced by: Dina Demrdash, Efrem Gebreab. Graphics: Joe Payne


bbc--2020-01-16--'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome' - what is it and is it racist?

Ajinomoto , a Japanese company , is not a household name in the West - but a product it makes , monosodium glutamate , is notorious .
Commonly referred to as MSG , the flavouring agent conjures up images of greasy meals followed by headaches .
Now Ajinomoto has launched a campaign to recover MSG 's reputation by taking on an unlikely target - Merriam-Webster 's Dictionary .
The publisher is being pressed to change `` Chinese Restaurant Syndrome '' .
The dictionary entry is racist and unscientific , says Ajinomoto , and unfairly vilifies MSG .
A campaign video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is delicious '' and urging an edit has helped prompt the publisher to say it will reconsider .
Tucked between `` Chinese red '' and `` Chinese rose '' , the disputed entry in Merriam-Webster 's is defined as : '' A group of symptoms ( such as numbness of the neck , arms , and back with headache , dizziness , and palpitations ) that is held to affect susceptible persons eating food and especially Chinese food heavily seasoned with monosodium glutamate . ''
It first appeared in the reference book in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier .
The etymology is traced to a 1968 letter that appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine claiming that Chinese food brought forth ailments .
The letter was uncovered to be a hoax , but the myth remains .
The US Food and Drug Administration has long approved MSG for consumption , and studies have failed to show that the chemical causes the alleged `` syndrome '' .
The flavour enhancer works when molecules of MSG bind to receptors on the tongue that naturally sense the key flavour chemical it contains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ naturally found in foods from breast milk to parmesan cheese .
MSG was patented in 1909 by the Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda , who gave his invention the name `` the essence of taste '' and described its ineffable flavour as `` umami '' , now recognised as one of the five basic flavours .
Although anecdotal claims that MSG has adverse effects have proliferated since the mid-20th Century , no studies have established any accepted mechanism for harm .
A 2019 review of scientific literature in the journal Food Science and Food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an assortment of ailments were unsubstantiated .
The comedian and chef Eddie Huang and the TV host Jeannie Mai were recruited to bolster the MSG 's cause .
`` You know what gives me a headache ?
Racism , '' says Ms Mai .
The campaign theme fits within a larger movement to elevate ethnic foods , which chefs like Mr Huang have argued are unfairly seen as inferior to European fare .
Merriam-Webster 's has said that it will consider revising `` Chinese restaurant syndrome '' .