bbc--2020-04-15--Coronavirus: Australia's economy faces unprecedented setbacks

For many in Australia , the bushfire catastrophe now seems a distant memory as the coronavirus pandemic takes this country deeper into the unknown .
The `` miracle economy '' that avoided recession during the 2007-2008 financial crisis , avoided the worst of the 1997 Asian financial crisis as well as the lancing of the dot.com bubble is in deep trouble .
The Black Summer fires were adding to an escalating economic malaise but the coronavirus has inflicted a jolting collapse .
In one week about one million Australians became unemployed .
Within days the centre-right government had unveiled Australia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 130bn ( $ 80bn ) is to be spent on keeping six million people , or around half the workforce , in jobs .
So far , direct government aid to businesses in response to the virus is approaching A $ 200bn , or about 10 % of the nation 's income , or GDP .
This has never happened before .
Tim Harcourt , from the University of New South Wales Business School , says the JobKeeper allowance is a throwback to more collaborative times .
`` The wage subsidy idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've got this tradition of the trade unions and the employers working cooperatively with the government .
They 've been working on this almost as a tripartite approach , which brings us back to the Australia of the '1980s and '1990s , '' he told the BBC .
The conservative government is abandoning its economic dogma .
Its past preoccupations with budget surpluses are rusted or no more .
`` It is probably an approach where Australia has dropped its ideology and sought to do whatever it takes to get Australia through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia will soon head into winter .
The government 's mega job saving scheme is an attempt to put the economy into hibernation .
It sleeps while the country battles the Covid-19 health crisis and , when the fight is eventually over , companies and their staff can , in theory , spring back into action .
`` This is similar to the scheme announced in the UK , and is supposed to keep the lines of communication between employers and employees open , allowing for a relatively rapid restoration of activity if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes some pressure off the welfare system , '' explained Dr Andrew Grant from the University of Sydney 's Discipline of Finance .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after your mental health In recent times large-scale unemployment has not been an Australian affliction , but it is now .
The jobless rate is set to double to 10 % by mid-year , says the government .
There have been long queues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centrelink .
In the Sydney suburb of Brookvale , they have stretched around the block .
`` This is my very first visit to a Centrelink office .
It is horrible , '' said Chris Dawson .
`` I am almost 60 and I have never been unemployed in my life . ''
`` I am devastated .
We have four adults in our family and three of us are unemployed as of this week , '' she added .
Few sectors will be spared , but the fortunate few will flourish .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cope with demand , and alcohol sales are up .
A friend wryly observed that `` the curve of daytime drinking seems to be rising exponentially '' !
It 's almost certain that the economy once dubbed the `` wonder down under '' is rapidly slipping into reverse .
`` It is the recession we have deliberately created due to the measures we 've had to take to flatten the curve , which makes it very different to past recessions that were unexpected and policy-makers were quite shocked at the depth and length @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Australia knows what 's coming .
The International Monetary Fund has forecast a 6.7 % contraction to the economy .
Number crunching by UBS Asset Management has forecast a budget deficit here next year of A $ 300bn , or 16 % of national income .
The UK , Germany and the US are bigger , wealthier countries and are spending more to prop up their economies , but Australia 's Covid-19 rescue packages are its greatest ever financial gamble .
Dr Andrew Grant predicts the post-virus recovery could take up 18 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knows .
Australia could suffer more than others because of the unfolding of two of its key exports : tourism and education .
`` It 's the end of globalisation as we know it , '' said Tim Harcourt .
`` All major economies have been hit almost at once by impact of the coronavirus and it 's done damage to global supply chains in manufacturing and even more to people- based industries like education and tourism . ''
• Will we ever take cruise holidays again ?
For now , this nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a war with an enemy that ca n't be seen or tamed , yet .
`` For many young and old , 2020 will be the toughest year of our lives , '' warned Prime Minister Scott Morrison .

"This is similar to the scheme announced in the UK, and is supposed to keep the lines of communication between employers and employees open, allowing for a relatively rapid restoration of activity if and when normal service resumes. This takes some pressure off the welfare system," explained Dr Andrew Grant from the University of Sydney's Discipline of Finance.


bbc--2020-01-07--Qasem Soleimani: Stampede kills 40 mourners at burial in Iran

Forty people have been killed in a stampede as Iranians flocked to the burial of a top commander killed in a US drone strike , officials say .
The deaths in Qasem Soleimani 's hometown of Kerman led to the postponement of his interment .
A new time will be announced later .
Millions are already estimated to have packed the streets for a series of funeral processions in Iran .
Soleimani 's killing has raised fears of a conflict between the US and Iran .
The head of the Quds force was tasked with defending and projecting Iranian interests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hero in his home country .
To the US he was a terrorist , and in explaining why he ordered the strike President Trump said he was acting on an `` imminent '' threat .
• How did US-Iranian ties get here ?
A basic guide • Does this mean WW3 ?
Your questions answered and more • Trump under fire for threat to Iran cultural sites • Voices from Iran : 'Soleimani did not deserve such a fate' It is unclear what caused the stampede in Kerman , south-eastern Iran , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the streets on Tuesday morning ahead of the planned burial .
Pirhossein Koolivand , head of the country 's emergency services , told Iranian media that `` 213 people have been injured and 40 lost their lives because of overcrowding at the funeral procession '' .
• In Iraq , thousands took to the streets in the southern city of Basra for the funeral procession of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , head of the Kataib Hezbollah militia group who was killed alongside Soleimani .
Muhandis was the Iranian 's top adviser and ally in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq 's Shia militias • In an interview , Iran 's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called Soleimani 's killing an `` act of war '' and said Iran 's response would be against `` legitimate targets '' • The US reportedly denied a visa for Mr Zarif to visit the UN in New York this week , a move that appears to breach an agreement guaranteeing foreign officials access to the UN headquarters • The US has denied it is pulling out of Iraq , after a letter from a US general suggested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliamentarians have approved a motion designating the US Army and the Pentagon as terrorist organisations , and allocated extra funds for the force once headed by Soleimani Top Iranian officials have renewed their threats of revenge for the killing .
`` The martyr Qassem Soleimani is more powerful ... now that he is dead , '' the Revolutionary Guards ' top general , Maj Gen Hossein Salami , told crowds in Kerman .
The Guards were set up to defend Iran 's Islamic system and are a major political and military force .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ America '' and `` death to Trump '' , reporters there said .
At one stage the theme music to the 1970 US film Love Story was played , something BBC Monitoring say may be more for its sentimentality rather than the film being widely known in Iran .
On Monday , Iran 's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers at Soleimani 's funeral in Tehran , at one point weeping over his coffin .
Unconfirmed estimates from Iranian state television put the number who took to the streets of Iran 's capital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowds were large enough to be seen in satellite images .
Only seven weeks ago , Iran witnessed the biggest and most violent anti-government demonstrations in decades .
Security forces killed anywhere between 330 and 1,500 protesters in more than 100 cities across the country .
Thousands more were injured and arrested .
So why have so many people come out to pay homage to Soleimani , in spite of widespread discontent ?
There is no doubt that feelings are running high .
Arguably the most important man in the country 's armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , which for many is the arch-enemy of Iran .
But it is also clear that the government launched a massive effort to mobilise as many people as possible .
A huge turnout would send a strong signal to Donald Trump that the government enjoys widespread support .
It would send the message that a war with Iran would rally Iranians behind their leaders in the event of foreign aggression , and that any war could well be long and costly .
What has happened since Soleimani 's death ?
AOn Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abide by any of the restrictions imposed by the 2015 nuclear deal .
The deal limited Iranian nuclear capacities in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions .
In his comments , Mr Zarif said President Trump had been `` misled '' by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo .
`` He [ Pompeo ] believes people were dancing in the streets of Tehran and Baghdad ... Now I think that he has seen the sea of humanity in Iraq and Iran yesterday .
Does n't he want to admit that he 's been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zarif said .
• Is the Iran nuclear deal dead and buried ?
Following warnings from Iran , Mr Trump said that the US would respond in the event of retaliation for Soleimani 's death , `` perhaps in a disproportionate manner '' .
Trump administration officials though have contradicted the US president on his controversial threat to target Iranian cultural sites .
Such acts could be considered war crimes .
Secretary of Defence Mark Esper said `` we will follow the laws of armed conflict '' .

There is no doubt that feelings are running high. Arguably the most important man in the country's armed forces has been assassinated by the US, which for many is the arch-enemy of Iran.


bbc--2020-01-07--UK teen gets suspended sentence over rape claim

A British teenager has been given a four-month suspended sentence after being found guilty of lying about gang-rape in Cyprus .
The 19-year-old hugged her family and left court weeping after she was sentenced for public mischief .
Her sentence was suspended for three years , and she has been ordered to pay €148 ( £125 ) in legal fees .
The teenager now plans to return to the UK .
Women 's rights groups protested outside court ahead of the sentencing .
BBC correspondent Anna Holligan said the puffy-eyed teenager embraced her mother as chants of `` we believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' filtered into the courtroom from the protest outside .
Supporters from Cyprus and a group of 50 women who travelled from Israel gathered outside the Famagusta District Court on Tuesday holding placards .
The teenager 's mother shouted `` she 's coming home '' to the group following sentencing , and told reporters she felt `` relieved '' .
Addressing the crowd outside court , the teenager 's mother said : `` I just want to thank each and every one of you for turning up today , having belief , having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
In court , Judge Michalis Papathanasiou told her he was giving her a `` second chance '' .
The 19-year-old was convicted following a trial after recanting a claim that she was raped in a hotel room in July .
The woman has said Cypriot police made her falsely confess to lying about the incident at a hotel - something police have denied .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was `` pleased '' that she can now return to the UK , his spokesman said .
A statement from Downing Street said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries to ensure that such a case could not happen again .
It added that the UK government had highlighted its `` concerns about the judicial process in this case and the woman 's right to a fair trial '' to the Cypriot authorities .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told reporters at RAF Northolt that he would be following up `` some of the issues '' in relation to the case .
The woman 's lawyer , Lewis Power QC , said she would be returning to the UK on Tuesday .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case was `` not finished by any means '' and that he would be appealing the conviction .
He said : `` We will be seeking an expedited appeal to the Supreme Court of Cyprus and we will also be considering going to the European Court of Human Rights .
`` We do not feel we have had justice in terms of how the trial progressed , the manner in which it was conducted , the initial police investigation and the fact that we feel she did not receive a fair trial .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was `` troubled '' about the case .
`` All the evidence shows that she had lied and prevented the police from doing other serious jobs , '' he said .
`` Twelve people were arrested and seven of them were there for at least 10 days .
That was also a serious offence .
`` Her psychological state , her youth , that she has been away from her family , her friends and academic studies this year .
`` This has led me to decide to give her a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years . ''
Israeli lawyer Nir Islovich , who represented four of the 12 men in the case , welcomed the decision .
`` What was important to us was that she would be convicted of the charges brought against her , '' he said .
`` That happened with full adoption of the facts as presented by my clients . ''
When Cyprus gained its independence from the UK in 1960 it inherited the English Common Law system , so there are great similarities between its system and our own before then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there has been major reform of the criminal justice process here , which does not apply in Cyprus .
In the 1970 's a series of miscarriages of justice cases , including the Guildford Four and Birmingham Six , highlighted shortcomings in the treatment of those detained by the police .
Since 1984 new legislation in the UK introduced codes of practice governing the rights of suspects in detention .
In enshrined , for instance , tape recorded interviews , the right to a solicitor , and the supervision and oversight of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigation .
The new legislation does not apply in Cyprus , where interviews are still hand-written .
In that sense the Cypriot criminal justice system provides less protection to suspects than the UK system does .
However , it is a fair trial system and criticisms that can be levelled at it , could be equally levelled at other countries who are signed up to the European Convention on Human Rights .
Once the appeal system in Cyprus has been exhausted , there could be an appeal to the European Court of Human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the system in Cyprus has breached the right to a fair trial .
Protesters outside court insisted that the woman should never have been convicted .
Orit Sulitzeanu , head of the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel , told BBC News the conviction was `` unbelievable '' and that she and others had travelled to Cyprus from Israel to lend their support to the teenager .
`` She is not to blame at all , '' Ms Sulitzeanu said .
`` This sentence reflects backward thinking and not understanding the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must learn what happens to the victim of sexual abuse . ''
She added : `` This is a young lady , she will go to university , she will go to have a job and she has a criminal offence .
It will influence her life .
This four-months suspended sentence is bad from the beginning . ''
Susana Pavlou , director at the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies in Cyprus , said the case had sparked a `` culture of protest '' in the country .
`` This year it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system is - broadly in terms of police and social services response to violence against women , and the lack of specialist services .
`` It 's heartening to see how this has ignited women 's rights campaigners and a women 's rights movement focusing on this issue .
`` This is not going to go away , we will not be silenced . ''
The teenager had contacted police hours after claiming to have been raped on 17 July at the Pambos Napa Rocks Hotel .
Twelve men were arrested in connection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and returned home , after the woman retracted her claims .
She was later charged and spent about a month in prison before being granted bail in August .
The women then appeared in court facing charges of public mischief by falsely accusing the group of raping her , to which she pleaded not guilty .
The trial began at the start of October - with the verdict delayed until December .

"We do not feel we have had justice in terms of how the trial progressed, the manner in which it was conducted, the initial police investigation and the fact that we feel she did not receive a fair trial."


bbc--2020-01-07--Japan issues arrest warrant for Carlos Ghosn's wife

Tokyo prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for the wife of fugitive ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn .
Carole Ghosn is suspected of making false statements to a Tokyo court in April , investigators said .
Mr Ghosn skipped bail in December , joining his wife in Beirut .
A spokeswoman for the Ghosn family said the arrest warrant for Mrs Ghosn was `` pathetic '' , and was linked to a news conference due to be given by Mr Ghosn on Wednesday .
Japan is seeking Mr Ghosn 's extradition from Lebanon , although the country does not have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Ghosn told Reuters : `` Last time Carlos Ghosn announced a press conference and got re-arrested .
This time , the day before he is announced to speak out freely for the first time , they issued an arrest warrant for his wife Carole Ghosn . ''
`` The issuance of this warrant is pathetic , '' she added .
Mr Ghosn ran car giant Nissan until he was arrested in Japan on charges of financial misconduct - which he denies - in November 2018 .
He was banned from seeing his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the final days of 2019 , he skipped bail to board a private jet that took him to Turkey before he travelled on to Lebanon , where he is a citizen , and where his wife was waiting .
Mr Ghosn insisted he had organised his escape `` alone '' , and denied reports his wife had helped .
The arrest warrant accuses Carole Ghosn of falsely claiming not to know , or to have met , people connected to a company that received payments from Nissan , part of which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Ghosn .
Mr Ghosn has denied charges of financial wrongdoing in Japan , instead claiming the country 's justice system is `` rigged '' .
The news conference scheduled for Wednesday will be Mr Ghosn 's first since his arrest in November 2018 .
Mr Ghosn told Fox Business that he has `` actual evidence '' that proves there was a coup to stop him merging Nissan with French carmaker Renault .
He also said he would identify people at the news conference that he believed were behind his arrest over financial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statements released by his lawyers in Japan , Mr Ghosn has accused Nissan executives of colluding with Japanese prosecutors and officials from the Ministry of Economy , Trade and Industry .
Mr Ghosn 's legal team in Japan also said prosecutors withheld evidence , citing concerns voiced by Nissan that it included sensitive information about operations and employees .
Nissan said Mr Ghosn 's flight from Japan would not affect its policy of holding him responsible for `` serious misconduct '' .
`` The company will continue to take appropriate legal action to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the harm that his misconduct has caused to Nissan , '' the carmaker said .

He was banned from seeing his wife while on bail. But, in the final days of 2019, he skipped bail to board a private jet that took him to Turkey before he travelled on to Lebanon, where he is a citizen, and where his wife was waiting.


bbc--2020-01-07--Ikea to pay family $46m after child killed by falling drawers

The Swedish furniture giant Ikea has agreed to pay $ 46m ( £35m ) to the parents of a child who was killed when a chest of drawers fell on him .
Jozef Dudek , 2 , suffocated in May 2017 when the company 's Malm drawers toppled over at the family 's California home .
The item , which weighs 70lbs ( 32kg ) , had been recalled a year earlier over safety concerns after three other children were killed .
It is the largest child wrongful death settlement in US history , lawyers say .
`` While no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brought us here , for the sake of the family and all involved , we 're grateful that this litigation has reached a resolution , '' a spokeswoman for Ikea said .
`` We remain committed to working ... to address this very important home safety issue , '' she added .
In a statement , the child 's parents , Joleen and Craig Dudek , said they were `` devastated '' by the loss of their son .
`` We never thought that a two-year-old could cause a dresser just 30 inches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and suffocate him , '' they said .
`` It was only later that we learned that [ it ] was unstable by design . ''
`` We are telling our story because we do not want this to happen to another family , '' the couple added .
They urged anyone who still has a recalled Ikea dresser to return it .
The family also said they would donate $ 1m of the settlement to groups working to protect children from dangerous products .
In 2016 , Ikea recalled millions of Malm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety concerns .
It was the largest recall in the company 's history .
Initially , the company warned customers to use wall mounts with them , but the death of a third child prompted the action .
Camden Ellis , 2 , Curren Collas , 2 , and 23-month-old Ted McGee were all crushed by the product .
In December of that year , the company agreed to pay $ 50m ( £40m ) in a combined settlement to the families of the three toddlers .
Under that settlement , Ikea agreed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that meet or exceed the national voluntary safety standard for clothing storage units .
The deaths prompted the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to launch an education campaign about the risk of falling chests of drawers .
In 2017 , the company re-launched the recall in the US and Canada .
It said items in its Malm range and other chests and dressers pose a `` serious tip-over and entrapment hazard '' if not secured to a wall .
• In December 2019 , the family of a 15-year-old boy who died after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taser gun settle their wrongful death case for $ 12m • That same month , Sacramento County agrees to pay at least $ 25m following a 2017 crash involving a sheriff 's car that left a 10-year-old girl with permanent brain damage • In November 2019 , a jury orders tobacco companies RJ Reynolds and Philip Morris to pay more than $ 157m to a Florida man over the cancer death of his husband • In May 2019 , a jury in California awards more than $ 2bn to a couple who said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancer .
The company was planning an appeal • In 2017 , Johnson & Johnson is ordered to pay $ 417m to a woman who says she developed ovarian cancer after using products such as baby powder ( also subject to appeal )

"We never thought that a two-year-old could cause a dresser just 30 inches (76cm) high to topple over and suffocate him," they said. "It was only later that we learned that [it] was unstable by design."


bbc--2020-01-06--New York Governor Cuomo rescues man from car crash

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo leapt into action after a car crash on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway .
The governor reportedly @ @ @ @ @ a man trapped in a wrecked car and helped him clamber from the vehicle .
@ @ @ @ @ scene shortly after , and reported no injuries .

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo leapt into action after a car crash on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. The governor reportedly cut the seat belt of a man trapped in a wrecked car and helped him clamber from the vehicle. The NYPD arrived at the scene shortly after, and reported no injuries.


bbc--2020-01-07--Male rape survivor: 'I just wanted to die'

Sam Thompson was raped by two men after getting separated from his girlfriend during a night out in Manchester in @ @ @ @ @ his story , following the conviction of Reynhard Sinaga , who was jailed for life @ @ @ @ @ - who was not assaulted by Sinaga - hopes to challenge the stigma around male @ @ @ @ @ to BBC Breakfast .
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this @ @ @ @ @ can be found at BBC Action Line .
Greater Manchester Police said anyone who believes @ @ @ @ @ by Sinaga can report information online or call its police line on 0800 092 0410 @ @ @ @ @ or 0207 158 0124 from abroad .

Sam Thompson was raped by two men after getting separated from his girlfriend during a night out in Manchester in 2016.
He's retelling his story, following the conviction of Reynhard Sinaga, who was jailed for life for 136 rapes.
Sam - who was not assaulted by Sinaga - hopes to challenge the stigma around male rape.
He was talking to BBC Breakfast.
If you have been affected by the issues raised in this video, help and support can be found at BBC Action Line.
Greater Manchester Police said anyone who believes they might have been attacked by Sinaga can report information online or call its police line on 0800 092 0410 from inside the UK, or 0207 158 0124 from abroad.


bbc--2020-01-07--Running marathon cuts years off 'artery age'

Training for and completing a marathon improves the health of a new runner 's arteries , cutting about four years off their `` vascular age '' , a study suggests .
Researchers from Barts and University College London tested 138 novice runners attempting the London Marathon .
Over six months of training , their arteries regained some youthful elasticity , which should reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes .
And their blood pressure fell as much as if they had been prescribed pills .
Those who were the least fit beforehand appeared to benefit the most .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have a similar effect , according to the British Heart Foundation ( BHF ) , which funded the study , in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology .
How fast did they run ?
It took them between four and a half and five and a half hours , on average , to run the 26.2 miles .
Runners with a pre-existing but undiagnosed heart condition have died attempting marathons - but this is very rare .
Lead researcher Dr Charlotte Manisty said : `` People with known heart disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their doctor first .
`` But for most people , the benefits of taking up exercise far outweigh any risk . ''
• Is marathon running bad for you ?
• Ipswich runner 'died for three minutes ' after finishing race What is the best way to train ?
Start months before a marathon , begin each session with a warm-up and gradually increase the distance run .
Having rest days between runs allows joints and muscles to recover and strengthen .
Ask a doctor about any health concerns .
How much exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Over the course of every week , adults should do a minimum of either : • 150 minutes moderate-intensity exercise , such as brisk walking , doubles tennis or cycling • 75 minutes vigorous exercise , such as running , football or rugby People should also do strengthening activities - such as push-ups , sit-ups or lifting and carrying - at least two times a week to give muscles a good workout .
• Get running with couch to 5k BHF 's Prof Metin Avkiran said : `` The benefits of exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your risk of having a heart attack or stroke and cuts your chances of an early death .
`` As the old mantra goes , 'If exercise were a pill , it would be hailed as a wonder drug . '
''

Running marathon cuts years off 'artery age' Published 7 January 2020
comments Comments
Image source, Getty Images
Training for and completing a marathon improves the health of a new runner's arteries, cutting about four years off their "vascular age", a study suggests.
Researchers from Barts and University College London tested 138 novice runners attempting the London Marathon.
Over six months of training, their arteries regained some youthful elasticity, which should reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
And their blood pressure fell as much as if they had been prescribed pills.
Those who were the least fit beforehand appeared to benefit the most.
And smaller amounts of aerobic exercise are likely to have a similar effect, according to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which funded the study, in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
How fast did they run?
It took them between four and a half and five and a half hours, on average, to run the 26.2 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Runners with a pre-existing but undiagnosed heart condition have died attempting marathons - but this is very rare.
Image source, Getty Images
Lead researcher Dr Charlotte Manisty said: "People with known heart disease or other medical conditions should speak to their doctor first.
"But for most people, the benefits of taking up exercise far outweigh any risk."
What is the best way to train?
Start months before a marathon, begin each session with a warm-up and gradually increase the distance run.
Having rest days between runs allows joints and muscles to recover and strengthen.
Ask a doctor about any health concerns.
How much exercise is needed to keep fit and healthy?
Over the course of every week, adults should do a minimum of either:
150 minutes moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, doubles tennis or cycling
75 minutes vigorous exercise, such as running, football or rugby
People should also do strengthening activities - such as push-ups, sit-ups or lifting and carrying - at least two times a week to give muscles a good workout.
BHF's Prof Metin Avkiran said: "The benefits of exercise are undeniable.
"Keeping active reduces your risk of having a heart attack or stroke and cuts your chances of an early death.
"As the old mantra goes, 'If exercise were a pill, it would be hailed as a wonder drug.'"


bbc--2020-01-07--Facebook to ban 'deepfakes'

Facebook to ban 'deepfakes'

Facebook has announced it will remove videos modified by artificial intelligence , known as deepfakes , from its platform .
Deepfakes are computer-generated clips that are designed to look real .
The social media company said in a blog that these videos distort reality and present a `` significant challenge '' for the technology industry .
While deepfakes are still relatively uncommon on the internet , they are becoming more prevalent .
AI software creates deepfakes of people - often politicians or celebrities - by merging , replacing , or superimposing content on to a video in a way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would remove videos if it realised they had been edited in ways that were n't obvious to an average person , or if they misled a viewer into thinking that a person in a video said words they did not actually say .
`` There are people who engage in media manipulation in order to mislead , '' wrote Monika Bickert , vice president of global policy management at Facebook in the blog .
Facebook staff and independent fact-checkers will be used to judge a video 's authenticity .
The new policy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos .
Last September , Facebook announced it was contributing $ 10m ( £7.6m ) to a fund to improve deepfake detection technologies .
Mark Zuckerberg , Facebook 's chief executive , has himself featured in a deepfake video .
The clip featured a computer-generated version of Zuckerberg crediting a secretive organisation for the success of the social network .
William Tunstall-Pedoe , a computer scientist who sold his AI company to Amazon , told BBC News that Facebook deserved credit for trying to tackle the `` difficult area '' .
`` The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be misleading is the key thing for me , '' he said .
`` Whether sophisticated AI techniques are used or less sophisticated techniques is n't relevant . ''
Other companies like Google and Microsoft are also trying to combat deepfakes .
Facebook said it plans to work with academia , government , and businesses to expose the people behind deepfakes .
The Californian tech giant added that it would continue to remove all videos that include nudity , graphic violence , voter suppression and hate speech .
Facebook has been criticised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi that went viral last summer .
The video is edited to make it look like she was slurring her words .
However , Facebook told Reuters it would not be taking the video down under the new policy .
`` The doctored video of Speaker Pelosi does not meet the standards of this policy and would not be removed , '' the company reportedly said .
`` Only videos generated by artificial intelligence to depict people saying fictional things will be taken down . ''

Facebook said it would remove videos if it realised they had been edited in ways that weren't obvious to an average person, or if they misled a viewer into thinking that a person in a video said words they did not actually say.


bbc--2020-01-07--Gravitational waves: Cosmic vibrations sensed from unusual star merger

Scientists have observed gravitational waves emanating from the collision of two dense , dead stars .
It 's the second time the international Ligo-Virgo collaboration of laser labs has picked up such a signal .
What makes this one different , though , is the combined mass of the two merging neutron stars - at three and a half times that of our Sun .
A coalescing system this big has never been seen before in our galaxy and challenges researchers ' expectations .
All the previously known so-called binary neutron stars detected by radio telescopes have been no larger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun .
`` So , if you 're trying to explain how these systems are formed , you have to also explain why such a thing that we now know exists has never been seen in the galaxy ( before ) .
Or is there some reason radio surveys are blind to it ? ''
said Katerina Chatziioannou from the Flatiron Institute , New York .
The union of the two neutron stars almost certainly produced a black hole .
• Gravitational waves : So many new toys Gravitational waves - Ripples in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are a prediction of the Theory of General Relativity • It took decades to develop the technology to directly detect them • They are ripples in the fabric of space-time generated by violent events • Accelerating masses will produce waves that propagate at the speed of light • Ligo/Virgo fire lasers into long , L-shaped tunnels ; the waves disturb the light • Detecting the waves opens up the Universe to completely new investigations Dr Chatziioannou was speaking at the 235th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Honolulu , Hawaii .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to detect the ripples in space-time that result when massive bodies accelerate .
The project uses three laser interferometers - in Washington State and Louisiana in the US , and near Pisa in Italy .
These facilities now routinely `` listen '' to the cosmos for the telltale vibrations that come from cataclysmic cosmic events .
Virtually all of the collaboration 's earlier detections have been the consequence of black hole collisions .
The one exception was the neutron star merger sensed in August 2017 .
That gravitational waves event was accompanied by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wavelengths , and analysed by multiple telescopes .
In contrast , the new detection , made on 25 April last year , was void of a detectable signal in the electromagnetic spectrum .
This may just have been bad luck , however .
The detection was made in the first instance in only one of the three labs - which makes it much harder to pinpoint on the sky where an event has occurred .
Normally , the collaboration likes to see a signal sensed across all its laser instruments , but such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' performance that scientists will always sit up and take notice when their algorithms post an alert from even just one lab .
`` There 's clear separation between the noise we 've seen the detectors producing and what signals look like , '' Dr Chatziioannou told reporters .
`` This is what makes us confident that this is a real signal of astrophysical origin . ''
Although on the day only the Ligo-Louisiana laser instrument flagged GW190425 , as it has now been designated , subsequent reanalysis of the data showed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made by the Italian Virgo facility .
The gravitational waves event is calculated to have occurred about 500 million light-years from Earth - about four times further away than the 2017 neutron star merger ( GW170817 ) .
Scientists are already producing ideas for why the total mass of the new system is higher than previously observed .
Most of these suggestions relate to very special formation circumstances , but researchers concede the possibility that one or both objects could also be light-weight black holes .
This requires a whole new level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is how spectacularly well the laser interferometers are performing .
It is easy to forget that before the first historic detection of gravitational waves in September 2015 , there were many who doubted the technical feasibility of sensing what are incredibly weak signals .
In the first two observing runs , which ran through periods in 2015-2017 - a total of 11 gravitational wave events were picked up .
In the current campaign , which began in April last year and ends in April this year - more than 40 `` candidate '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About one a week .
These events still need further review before they can be confirmed , but the number speaks to the remarkable sensitivity and stability being achieved by the laser instruments .
Again , nearly all of the candidates are considered to be collisions of black holes .
• A laser is fed into the machine and its beam is split along two paths • The separate paths bounce back and forth between damped mirrors • Eventually , the two light parts are recombined and sent to a detector • Gravitational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the set-up • Theory holds they should very subtly stretch and squeeze its space • This ought to show itself as a change in the lengths of the light arms • The photodetector captures this signal in the recombined beam Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET @ bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter : @ BBCAmos

"So, if you're trying to explain how these systems are formed, you have to also explain why such a thing that we now know exists has never been seen in [our] galaxy. Or is there some reason radio surveys are blind to it?" said Katerina Chatziioannou from the Flatiron Institute, New York.


bbc--2020-01-06--John Bolton ready to testify in Trump impeachment trial

Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton says he is willing to testify at President Donald Trump 's impeachment trial in the Senate .
`` I have concluded that , if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony , I am prepared to testify , '' Mr Bolton said in a statement .
He has previously complied with the White House directive not to co-operate with the Democratic-led inquiry .
Mr Bolton would be the most senior former Trump adviser to testify .
Mr Trump , a Republican , was impeached by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president ever to incur such a congressional sanction .
Mr Bolton wrote on his website on Monday : `` During the present impeachment controversy , I have tried to meet my obligations both as a citizen and as former National Security Adviser .
`` Since my testimony is once again at issue , I have had to resolve the serious competing issues as best I could , based on careful consideration and study . ''
The hawkish former national security adviser was fired by President Trump in September after 16 months on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is hawk fired by Trump ?
John Bolton is a potentially important witness in the abuse-of-power case against Donald Trump .
If he testifies in a Senate trial of the president , it could be a blockbuster moment .
It 's hard not to see Mr Bolton 's latest announcement , however , in the context of his previous hints , pirouettes and provocative tweets on testifying .
While he threatened a protracted legal battle to prevent appearing before House impeachment investigators , for instance , his lawyer hinted that there were many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which Mr Bolton had knowledge .
It may be a good strategy for staying in the public eye - and , perhaps , boosting upcoming book sales - but Democrats will find it infuriating .
It 's also far from guaranteed that Mr Bolton will ever be subpoenaed by the Senate .
His announcement might marginally increase the pressure on moderate Senate Republicans to join with Democrats and form a majority to call for witnesses in the presidential trial .
Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell has proven skilled at keeping his party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pressure when it comes to pursuing the course of action he views as most politically beneficial .
It will take more than a Bolton statement to make him fold .
Why might Bolton 's testimony be important ?
His potential firsthand knowledge of key events surrounding the Democratic-led investigation would make him a prize witness .
Mr Trump is accused of abusing the power of his office by withholding US military aid in order to pressure Ukraine into smearing his political rival , former US Vice-President Joe Biden .
Mr Bolton likened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a `` drug deal '' , according to witness testimony during the House impeachment investigation .
His aides testified that he was deeply concerned by Mr Trump 's actions related to Ukraine .
Mr Bolton has kept a relatively low profile since leaving the White House , though he inked a book deal in November with publishing giant Simon & Schuster , reportedly worth $ 2m ( £1.5m ) .
When is the Senate trial ?
Amid a political row , House Democrats have held off formally sending the two articles of impeachment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a trial in that chamber .
It is so far unclear when they might do so .
The Republican-controlled Senate has been resisting Democratic demands for witnesses to be called in the trial .
Mr Bolton 's announcement may put pressure on the chamber 's Republican leader , Mitch McConnell , to allow such testimony .
Speaking from the chamber floor on Monday , Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer compared Mr McConnell 's handling of the impeachment proceedings to `` Alice in Wonderland - first the trial and then the evidence '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to leader McConnell 's proposal , the Senate would act as little more than a nationally televised meeting of a mock trial club , '' said the New York Democrat .
The Senate is controlled by the president 's fellow Republicans and therefore it is highly unlikely they will vote for Mr Trump to be removed from office .

Amid a political row, House Democrats have held off formally sending the two articles of impeachment to the Senate, which would trigger a trial in that chamber. It is so far unclear when they might do so.


bbc--2020-01-07--Spain's Sánchez narrowly wins vote to govern in coalition

Spain 's caretaker socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has narrowly won a confidence vote in parliament , enabling him to govern in coalition with far-left Podemos .
The dramatic open vote , by a simple majority of MPs , went 167 to 165 in his favour .
Abstentions by Catalan and Basque MPs played a critical role .
He will now form a minority government .
It will be Spain 's first coalition government since democracy was restored in 1978 , after the Franco dictatorship .
Mr Sánchez plans to hold his inaugural cabinet meeting on Friday .
The fragmented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult , as his Socialist Party ( PSOE ) has 120 seats and Podemos 35 - short of a majority .
The vote - or abstention - of each MP in turn was read out in the chamber and broadcast live on TV .
It was extremely close , and right up to the end the `` no '' votes were ahead .
Addressing MPs before the vote , Mr Sánchez said such a coalition was `` the only option '' for Spain , after five elections in recent years .
`` Either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Spain , '' he warned them .
The new coalition plans to raise income taxes for those who earn more than €130,000 ( £111,000 ; $ 145,000 ) annually .
They also plan to reverse some labour market reforms passed by the previous conservative government , which made it easier and less expensive to fire workers .
On Sunday Mr Sánchez lost a first confidence vote , when he failed to get an absolute majority in parliament to form a coalition government .
The extraordinary nature of this vote is underlined by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Podemos MP who is in severe pain with cancer and had to miss Sunday 's vote .
She turned up for Tuesday 's crucial vote , despite her illness .
After the vote MPs presented Ms Vidal with a big bunch of flowers and applauded her , shouting `` yes we can '' - echoing Barack Obama 's catch-phrase .
`` Podemos '' in Spanish also means `` we can '' .
She said MP Tomás Guitarte of the small Teruel Existe party had suffered so much pressure that he concealed his whereabouts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had received more than 8,000 emails urging him to vote `` no '' instead of `` yes '' .
Spain 's politics was unstable last year , with two inconclusive elections in April and November .
The PSOE won again in November , but were weakened , taking 120 seats - three fewer than in April .
The new far-right Vox party surged to third place , deepening Spain 's political fragmentation .
Vox leader Santiago Abascal accused the PSOE on Tuesday of covering up gang rapes by illegal immigrants .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sánchez .
Before the vote , opposition centre-right Popular Party ( PP ) leader Pablo Casado accused Mr Sánchez of acting as an `` extremist '' - not a moderate - by allying himself with the far left and the Basque and Catalan nationalists , without explaining that to the Spanish people .
`` You lied and this stigma accompanies the government at its birth , '' he said .
The PSOE struck a deal which secured the narrow win for Mr Sánchez : the 13 MPs from Catalonia 's largest separatist party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as did the five from a Basque party , Bildu .
The ERC decision came after Mr Sánchez agreed to open a formal dialogue on the future of Catalonia , if confirmed as prime minister , and to then submit the dialogue 's conclusions to Catalan voters .
The Catalan separatists ' drive for independence overshadows Spanish politics , with the conservative and far-right opposition parties bitterly opposed to it .
Mr Sánchez said he wanted to free Spanish politics of its `` toxic atmosphere '' .
He said dialogue was necessary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always in line with the constitution '' .
The PSOE opposes granting Catalans a legal independence referendum , while recognising that both Catalonia and the Basque Country are nations within Spain , and not just regions .
The Catalans and Basques already have a large degree of autonomy .

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bbc--2020-01-07--Australia fires: Almost 2,000 homes destroyed in marathon crisis

Almost 2,000 houses have been destroyed in Australia 's months-long bushfire crisis , officials say , as crews prepare frantically for worsening conditions .
After ferocious conditions last week , firefighters are using milder weather to boost containment lines around fires engulfing south-eastern Australia .
Temperatures are likely to soar again on Friday , prompting fears that two fires could form a new `` mega blaze '' .
At least 25 people and millions of animals have died since September .
Australia is fighting an unprecedented bushfire season , fuelled by record temperatures and widespread drought .
On Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said fires there had claimed 1,588 homes and damaged 653 more .
About 200 homes have been destroyed in neighbouring Victoria , adding to more than 100 lost in other states .
The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the damage bill had reached A $ 700m ( £370m ; $ 485m ) , but said it expected the cost to rise significantly .
'It was hard to see where we were winning' Blue smoke still lingers over the town of Wingello , even after cooler weather and a little rain .
The trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scorched .
On the corner of Forest Road , May King 's house has gone ; only a steel chair frame still recognisable in the ashes .
But the people of Wingello are talking about a miracle here .
Only 12 houses were destroyed ; dozens more were saved .
At the fire station Fire Captain Mark Wilson is still stunned and emotional over what his teams managed to do .
The fire roared in on Saturday night , turning the sky purple , then a hellish red .
`` We were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every fire that came up '' , says Mark .
`` It was really hard to see where we were winning . ''
Fire crews from other towns came to help defend Wingello , a return favour for the help the Wingello crew gave in earlier fires last month .
Today some of the 400 residents were back clearing up , looking around , just amazed , they say , that the town is still there .
Rain has fallen in NSW and Victoria and temperatures have dropped - but officials have warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
They fear large blazes in both states could merge , creating unpredictable fire fronts .
In Western Australia , the season 's first tropical cyclone has brought strong winds since Monday night - and also heavy rain crucial in helping to fight the bush fires .
The cyclone was also welcomed on the other side of the country .
`` Hopefully ( it is ) a signal that we may see monsoon activity which will disrupt the dominant hot air mass , '' said NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfires ?
• How bad is bushfire smoke for health ?
• Have you been affected by the fires ?
Email .
The NSW Rural Fire Service said it had more than 2,600 people deployed on Tuesday to bolster containment lines between fires and populated areas .
Victoria Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has warned people to expect `` a changing , dynamic situation '' later in the week .
Tuesday also saw the funeral of a firefighter who died on 19 December in an accident on the way to a major blaze @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside his colleague Harvey Keaton when their fire truck hit a fallen tree .
Dozens of fellow firefighters formed a guard of honour outside a church in the New South Wales capital .
Mr O'Dwyer was posthumously given the Commissioner 's Commendation for extraordinary service and bravery , the highest award that can be given to NSW firefighters .
Is the government doing enough ?
On Monday , after warning the crisis might go on for months , Prime Minister Scott Morrison said A $ 2bn ( $ 1.4bn ; £1.1bn ) would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two years .
He announced the creation of a recovery agency to help those who have lost homes and businesses in the fires .
The government has also pledged some compensation for volunteers who take leave to fight fires , and more money for waterbombing aircraft .
But the Australian prime minister has faced fierce criticism for his response - including for taking a holiday to Hawaii during the crisis .
Critics have also accused him of underplaying the role of climate change .
• Is climate change to blame for Australia 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fundraiser launched by comedian Celeste Barber for fire services in NSW raised more than A $ 35m in just 48 hours .
A number of celebrities have also donated money to support firefighting efforts in recent days - among them Australian actor Chris Hemsworth , who on Tuesday said he donated $ 1m , .
Singer Elton John closed a concert in Sydney on Tuesday by announcing he too would donate $ 1m for the recovery efforts .
Other celebrities who donated money include US singer Pink , and Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday , pop star Kylie Minogue tweeted her family had `` donated $ 500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required '' .
Do you have any questions about the Australia fires ?
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 the terms and conditions .
Use this form to ask your question :

Australia fires: Almost 2,000 homes destroyed in marathon crisis Published 7 January 2020
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Australia fires: "Nothing left" for animals that survive
Almost 2,000 houses have been destroyed in Australia's months-long bushfire crisis, officials say, as crews prepare frantically for worsening conditions.
After ferocious conditions last week, firefighters are using milder weather to boost containment lines around fires engulfing south-eastern Australia.
Temperatures are likely to soar again on Friday, prompting fears that two fires could form a new "mega blaze".
At least 25 people and millions of animals have died since September.
Australia is fighting an unprecedented bushfire season, fuelled by record temperatures and widespread drought.
On Tuesday, New South Wales (NSW) officials said fires there had claimed 1,588 homes and damaged 653 more.
About 200 homes have been destroyed in neighbouring Victoria, adding to more than 100 lost in other states.
The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the damage bill had reached A$700m (£370m; $485m), but said it expected the cost to rise significantly.
'It was hard to see where we were winning'
Jonathan Head, BBC News, Wingello in New South Wales
Image caption, 'The trees are blackened and scorched'
Blue smoke still lingers over the town of Wingello, even after cooler weather and a little rain.
The trees and ground along the road are blackened and scorched. On the corner of Forest Road, May King's house has gone; only a steel chair frame still recognisable in the ashes.
But the people of Wingello are talking about a miracle here. Only 12 houses were destroyed; dozens more were saved.
At the fire station Fire Captain Mark Wilson is still stunned and emotional over what his teams managed to do.
The fire roared in on Saturday night, turning the sky purple, then a hellish red.
"We were just frantically going around trying to hit every fire that came up", says Mark. "It was really hard to see where we were winning."
Fire crews from other towns came to help defend Wingello, a return favour for the help the Wingello crew gave in earlier fires last month.
Today some of the 400 residents were back clearing up, looking around, just amazed, they say, that the town is still there.
What's the current fire threat?
Rain has fallen in NSW and Victoria and temperatures have dropped - but officials have warned that blazes will "take off" again.
They fear large blazes in both states could merge, creating unpredictable fire fronts.
In Western Australia, the season's first tropical cyclone has brought strong winds since Monday night - and also heavy rain crucial in helping to fight the bush fires.
The cyclone was also welcomed on the other side of the country.
"Hopefully (it is) a signal that we may see monsoon activity which will disrupt the dominant hot air mass," said NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, BBC Weather's Sue Powell
The NSW Rural Fire Service said it had more than 2,600 people deployed on Tuesday to bolster containment lines between fires and populated areas.
Victoria Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp has warned people to expect "a changing, dynamic situation" later in the week.
An emotional funeral
Tuesday also saw the funeral of a firefighter who died on 19 December in an accident on the way to a major blaze near Sydney.
Andrew O'Dwyer was killed alongside his colleague Harvey Keaton when their fire truck hit a fallen tree.
Dozens of fellow firefighters formed a guard of honour outside a church in the New South Wales capital.
Mr O'Dwyer was posthumously given the Commissioner's Commendation for extraordinary service and bravery, the highest award that can be given to NSW firefighters.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Mr O'Dwyer's daughter was wearing her father's helmet during the ceremony
Is the government doing enough?
On Monday, after warning the crisis might go on for months, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said A$2bn ($1.4bn; £1.1bn) would be committed to recovery over the next two years.
He announced the creation of a recovery agency to help those who have lost homes and businesses in the fires.
The government has also pledged some compensation for volunteers who take leave to fight fires, and more money for waterbombing aircraft.
But the Australian prime minister has faced fierce criticism for his response - including for taking a holiday to Hawaii during the crisis. Critics have also accused him of underplaying the role of climate change.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Australia's capital Canberra is engulfed in smoke
How are celebrities helping?
At the weekend, a fundraiser launched by comedian Celeste Barber for fire services in NSW raised more than A$35m in just 48 hours.
A number of celebrities have also donated money to support firefighting efforts in recent days - among them Australian actor Chris Hemsworth, who on Tuesday said he donated $1m,.
Singer Elton John closed a concert in Sydney on Tuesday by announcing he too would donate $1m for the recovery efforts.
Other celebrities who donated money include US singer Pink, and Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman, who pledged $500,000 each.
On Monday, pop star Kylie Minogue tweeted her family had "donated $500,000 towards the immediate firefighting efforts and the ongoing support which will be required".
Image source, BBC
Do you have any questions about the Australia fires?
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 the terms and conditions.
Use this form to ask your question:


bbc--2020-01-07--When masked men attacked our university campus

More than 100 masked men wielding sticks and rods attacked students and teachers of Delhi 's prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University @ @ @ @ @ the violence quickly spread via WhatsApp and were then broadcast on television , sparking shock @ @ @ @ @ Police say they have identified some of the assailants .
However , many protesters accused @ @ @ @ @ respond to the brutal attack .
The BBC 's Vikas Pandey finds out how Sunday @ @ @ @

More than 100 masked men wielding sticks and rods attacked students and teachers of Delhi's prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday.
Videos of the violence quickly spread via WhatsApp and were then broadcast on television, sparking shock and outrage across India.
Police say they have identified some of the assailants. However, many protesters accused police of being slow to respond to the brutal attack.
The BBC's Vikas Pandey finds out how Sunday's events unfolded.
Shot and edited by Anshul Verma.


bbc--2020-01-07--Delhi bus rape: Indian court issues death warrants

An Indian court has set an execution date for four men convicted of the 2012 gang-rape and murder of a student in the capital , Delhi .
Akshay Thakur , Vinay Sharma , Pawan Gupta and Mukesh Singh were sentenced to death by a fast-track court in 2013 .
Their 23-year-old victim died from her injuries 13 days after she was raped and assaulted on a moving bus .
Lawyers for the men , who are due to be hanged on 22 January , plan to launch last-ditch legal challenges .
The men can not be executed until the Supreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Indian president also rejects their mercy petitions .
They are yet to file either .
At Tuesday 's hearing , the public prosecutor urged the court to go ahead and issue a death warrant - he argued that not filing the appeals was a delaying tactic .
• Why is India passing more death sentences ?
The victim 's mother - who has previously questioned why the process has taken so long - welcomed the news on Tuesday .
`` I am very happy that the court has issued death warrants for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she told the BBC .
`` We have fought the legal battle with a lot of patience for the last more than seven years .
The incident - which happened on the night of 16 December 2012 - sparked massive protests , global outrage and led to India passing new anti-rape laws .
The victim was dubbed Nirbhaya - the fearless one - by the press , as she could not be named under Indian law .
Six men were arrested for the attack .
One suspect , Ram Singh , was found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having apparently taken his own life .
Another , who was aged 17 at the time , was released in 2015 after serving three years in a reform facility - the maximum term possible for a juvenile in India .
India rarely carries out death sentences - only four other people have been executed since 2004 .
The last man to be executed was Yakub Memon , who was convicted of financing the deadly 1993 Mumbai bombings .
He was hanged in 2015 .

"I am very happy that the court has issued death warrants for all the four convicts today," she told the BBC. "We have fought the legal battle with a lot of patience for the last more than seven years.


bbc--2020-01-07--Venezuela crisis: Photographer Jesús Medina freed from jail after 16 months

A Venezuelan photojournalist who was kept in a military prison without a trial for 16 months has been released , activists say .
Jesús Medina , 37 , was part of a team investigating the country 's healthcare crisis when he was detained in Caracas .
He faced charges including inciting hate , illegal enrichment and criminal association , but a hearing on his case was postponed 10 times .
Officials have not explained why he has been freed .
Seven other people were also released .
According to Foro Penal , a local human rights group , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has suffered from years of economic and political crisis under President Nicolás Maduro .
• All you need to know about the crisis in nine charts Mr Medina , who contributed to several outlets including opposition publications , was detained by agents of the National Bolivarian Intelligence Agency ( Sebin ) on 29 August 2018 .
He was later sent to the maximum security Ramo Verde prison on the outskirts of the capital .
The criminal file did not include any legal or factual analysis to substantiate the charges , according to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Committee to Protect Journalists in a report last year .
Activists said his health had deteriorated because of the prison conditions .
José Miguel Vivanco , Americas director at Human Rights Watch , said last May that Mr Medina 's detention was `` consistent with a pattern of arbitrary arrests and harassment of opponents , critics , and those who dare expose the truth about what is happening in Venezuela '' .
Mr Medina was previously detained in October 2017 while reporting at a prison in northern Venezuela with two international journalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report was published , he went missing and was found two days later on a highway outside the capital .
According to Foro Penal , the other people released included Manuel Chacín , Jorman Linares and Michael Vargas .
Local media reports said they had been detained in October 2017 .
The releases happen a day after chaotic scenes at the country 's National Assembly after security officers prevented opposition leader Juan Guaidó from taking part in the election of a new Speaker .
As a result , dissident opposition lawmaker Luis Parra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backing Mr Guaidó said the move amounted to a parliamentary coup , and held a rival vote outside the chamber re-electing him as Speaker .
The legislature starts a new session on Tuesday .


bbc--2020-01-07--Russian baby left on balcony freezes to death

Russian investigators have opened a criminal inquiry after a baby was placed on a balcony by his parents and froze to death , officials say .
The seven-month-old boy , who was in a buggy at the time , was exposed to temperatures of -7C for five hours in the far-eastern Khabarovsk region .
He was placed on the balcony to sleep in the fresh air , local media report .
The region 's health ministry later advised people not to leave young children outside unattended .
`` Always know where and with whom [ your child ] is , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post .
`` Do not pass by if another child is in danger - in winter a child who is lost or injured on the street can very quickly become a victim of low temperatures , '' it added .
It also stated that children in Khabarovsk were increasingly becoming victims of parental `` ignorance '' and negligence of what it described as basic safety measures .
According to Russian news site Lenta , a preliminary report into the child 's death in the town of Nikolayevsk-on-Amur suggested that it was the result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body 's core temperature is lowered due to exposure to cold , and can happen even with mild temperatures if exposure is prolonged .
The elderly and babies under one year old are most at risk among people with no other health issues .
Taking young children outdoors to sleep is not uncommon in countries with colder climates .
The theory behind outdoor napping is that exposing children to fresh air , even during the winter , can help avoid coughs and colds .
Parents in Nordic countries such as Finland and Norway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for longer in the open .
More on the theories of outdoor sleeping • The babies who nap in sub-zero temperatures • Napping in a hutch and other tales of outdoor snoozing

"Do not pass by if another child is in danger - in winter a child who is lost or injured on the street can very quickly become a victim of low temperatures," it added.


bbc--2020-01-06--Puerto Rico earthquake: Punta Ventana collapses as powerful tremor hits

A popular tourist rock formation in Puerto Rico has collapsed after a strong earthquake shook the island , damaging homes and causing power cuts .
The stone arch , known as Punta Ventana , was destroyed on Monday , when the earthquake hit .
The 5.8-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 6km ( 3.7 miles ) , off the Caribbean island 's southern coast .
No tsunami alerts were issued and no casualties have been reported .
There were , however , reports of severe damage to buildings , landslides and widespread power cuts after the earthquake , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GMT ) .
Pictures of the aftermath , showing homes upended from their foundations and cars crushed under buildings , were posted to social media .
Among them was a picture of Punta Ventana after it had collapsed into the ocean , near the southern town of Guayanilla .
A local told the Miami Herald that Punta Ventana was `` one of the biggest tourism draws of Guayanilla '' .
`` Playa Ventana has collapsed .
Today our icon rests in everyone 's memory , '' Glidden López , a press officer for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post .
In an earlier post , Mr López said the rock formation had been damaged by previous tremors in recent days .
Puerto Rico , a US territory of around 3.2 million people , has been rattled by a series of earthquakes since 28 December .
Monday 's earthquake was the strongest yet , the US Geological Survey said .
Several aftershocks , including a 5.1-magnitude quake more than four hours later , shook parts of the island .
Puerto Rico , situated between the North America and Caribbean tectonic plates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused significant damage in the past .
• The island struggling to secure its future The island is still recovering from Hurricane Maria , a Category 5 storm that devastated parts of the Caribbean in September 2017 .
In Puerto Rico alone , the hurricane is estimated to have killed 2,975 people and caused $ 100bn ( £75bn ) of damage .

The island is still recovering from Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm that devastated parts of the Caribbean in September 2017. In Puerto Rico alone, the hurricane is estimated to have killed 2,975 people and caused $100bn (£75bn) of damage.


bbc--2020-01-07--Alpacas dine out on donated Christmas tree feast

A herd of alpacas has given a new meaning to finishing Christmas leftovers after it was found they enjoy eating @ @ @ @ @ Paula Smith , from Ashbourne , have 19 alpacas which regard the trees as a @ @ @ @ @ social media appeal has seen more than 50 trees donated and the animals can nibble @ @ @ @ @ rather bellies - are content .
The stripped trunks are then tied to fences where @ @ @ @ @ scratching posts .

A herd of alpacas has given a new meaning to finishing Christmas leftovers after it was found they enjoy eating festive trees.
Greg and Paula Smith, from Ashbourne, have 19 alpacas which regard the trees as a tasty snack.
Now a social media appeal has seen more than 50 trees donated and the animals can nibble until their hearts - or rather bellies - are content.
The stripped trunks are then tied to fences where the alpacas use them as scratching posts.


bbc--2020-01-07--The autistic Russian teenager amazing the art world

When Markus was diagnosed with epilepsy and autism as a baby , his mother refused to put him into a @ @ @ @ @ from doctors .
Inspired by her love , Markus started painting - astonishing his mum @ @ @ @ @ Now the 13-year-old 's artwork is exhibited around the world , and sells for thousands @ @ @ @ @ mother Natalya spoke to the BBC Russian Service about his talent .

When Markus was diagnosed with epilepsy and autism as a baby, his mother refused to put him into a care home, despite pressure from doctors.
Inspired by her love, Markus started painting - astonishing his mum with his artistic talent.
Now the 13-year-old's artwork is exhibited around the world, and sells for thousands of dollars.
Markus's mother Natalya spoke to the BBC Russian Service about his talent.
Produced by Yulia James and Elizaveta Vereykina


bbc--2020-01-07--Australia fires: 'Nothing left' for animals that survive

As bushfires rip across parts of Australia , experts are warning of an immense loss in biodiversity and threat to @ @ @ @ @ animals .
One estimate is that in the state of New South Wales alone , @ @ @ @ @ have been affected by the fires .
John Marsh works at the Potoroo Palace nature @ @ @ @ @ , New South Wales .
He explains how even after the fires pass , surviving @ @ @ @ @ future .

As bushfires rip across parts of Australia, experts are warning of an immense loss in biodiversity and threat to the lives of millions of animals.
One estimate is that in the state of New South Wales alone, nearly half a billion animals have been affected by the fires.
John Marsh works at the Potoroo Palace nature sanctuary in the fire-hit Merimbula, New South Wales. He explains how even after the fires pass, surviving animals will face an uncertain future.


bbc--2020-01-07--Teaching school kids to be entrepreneurs

Children are learning how to run their own businesses while they are still at school in Uganda .
It 's @ @ @ @ @ these skills while they are young , they 'll be more successful when they graduate @ @ @ @ @ to the People Fixing the World podcast

Children are learning how to run their own businesses while they are still at school in Uganda. It's hoped that if they get these skills while they are young, they'll be more successful when they graduate.
A video by Anne Okumu
For more, listen to the People Fixing the World podcast


bbc--2020-01-06--Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2020

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival 2020

Here are some of the best bits from this year 's festival , in China 's Heilongjiang north-east province .
@ @ @ @ @ slides , ice sculptures and even a snow-themed mass wedding .

Here are some of the best bits from this year's festival, in China's Heilongjiang north-east province. The annual event features ice slides, ice sculptures and even a snow-themed mass wedding.


bbc--2020-01-05--How a Jewish girl hid from Nazis in an Alpine ski resort

A Jewish teenager avoided death in occupied France thanks to the kindness and bravery of a doctor in a small Alpine resort .
But it 's a story local people seem reluctant to remember , Rosie Whitehouse discovers .
As the first snow began to fall in December 1943 , Huguette Müller and her sister Marion quietly left the French city of Lyon and travelled up into the Alps , to one of the highest ski resorts in Europe .
The city was no longer safe , as Klaus Barbie - the SS leader who became known as the Butcher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his search for Jews .
The two young women pinned their hopes of survival on the village of Val d'Isère , just a few kilometres from the Italian border .
Huguette had already had to flee from Nice , which had been a haven for Jews while it remained under Italian control .
But in September 1943 , when Italy dropped out of the war , the Nazis swooped along the Riviera making thousands of arrests .
One of them was Huguette 's and Marion 's mother , Edith , seized as she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Huguette .
She was deported in late October and gassed on arrival in Auschwitz - a fact the sisters would only learn after the war .
Aged 15 , Huguette had made her way to Lyon , to live with 23-year-old Marion .
And now they were both on the move again .
In the winter of 1943 , though , the mountains were also a risky place to hide .
German soldiers recently relocated from the Russian front were based in Val d'Isère 's Hotel des Glaciers .
They pillaged hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground if they found someone who 'd been drafted to work in a German factory and failed to go .
Locals still refer to the occupation as la terreur .
The SS was also on the lookout for suspicious strangers .
So why the sisters went to Val d'Isère puzzles Huguette , now 92 .
One possibility is that Marion had been advised to go there by her future husband , Pierre Haymann , a member of the French resistance .
But they found themselves in serious danger when , not long before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leg .
The village doctor said the break was so bad the teenager needed to be moved to the hospital in Bourg St Maurice , down in the valley .
Scared that questions would be asked and their cover blown , Marion panicked and punched him in the face .
On a foggy morning in San Francisco , Huguette takes a sharp intake of breath , and continues telling the story of how she survived the Holocaust , under the doctor 's care .
`` I think I was there for six months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all I knew was that it was safe , '' she says .
Neither Huguette nor Marion ever spoke about their time in the Alps .
Marion waved her hand dismissively whenever asked about it .
Only one photograph of that period remains .
Marion died in in 2010 , and as her daughter-in-law it fell to me to empty out her house .
In an old suitcase , alongside her wartime papers , there was a picture of her standing next to a mountain chalet in the snow .
It 's only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huguette has decided that she wants her story to be told .
Both sisters were born in Berlin in the 1920s and fled to France from Germany with their parents in 1933 , soon after Hitler came to power .
While Marion had false papers , Huguette did not .
Their parents had been careful to get her baptised , so there was no telltale J for Juif on her carte d'identité but it did say she had been born in Berlin .
That would have been enough for her to be arrested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the hospital in Bourg St Maurice .
Huguette says the doctor explained that without the right medical care she would end up with one leg shorter than the other .
`` I replied it was better to limp than be dead , '' she says .
So , remarkably , he offered to care for her , for six months , in his own house .
Why a total stranger was prepared to risk his life for a teenage girl he had met moments before is a mystery .
If he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been imprisoned or shot .
It 's a mystery to Huguette too .
`` When I returned to Val d'Isère in the 1970s to find him and thank him , it was too late , '' she says .
`` His widow answered the door and said he was dead .
That was that .
And now I ca n't quite remember his full name . ''
A quick Google search reboots her memory .
It reveals his name in seconds .
The main roundabout in Val d'Isère is Rond-Point Dr Pétri @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Dr Frédéric Pétri , who lived in a large chalet with his mother and sister .
`` He was very nice , '' she says .
`` He carried me into the garden when the weather got better . ''
A genealogy website reveals that Pétri went on to become mayor of Val d'Isère , welcoming royals and celebrities to the slopes , among them Princess Anne and the Empress of Iran .
But he never mentioned to anyone that he had hidden and nursed a Jewish girl during the war .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised by the revelation .
`` He was driven by a passion , not for plastering broken legs , but for caring for people , '' she says .
`` He was profoundly generous and all his life he did everything he could for others . ''
Today , Val d'Isère stretches for three miles along a narrow mountain plateau , but in the 1940s it was a tiny place with fewer than 150 residents .
`` My father 's house was on the main street , '' she says .
`` To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous thing to do . ''
Christel is also surprised that the sisters chose to hide in such a small place .
The answer she thinks lies in why her father came to Val d'Isère in the first place .
In 1938 , passionate about winter sports , the young doctor decided to join his friends , among them world-class ski champions , who had founded the resort a few years earlier .
Like many of the young men who ran the hotels and ski schools , he was born in Alsace , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World War One had been occupied by the Germans .
Christel believes this instilled a dislike of Germany that was only reinforced by the two years he spent in a prisoner of war camp near Stuttgart , from 1940 to 1942 .
When the Germans arrived in the Alps in September 1943 , the young men and women of Val d'Isère turned the best weapons they had against them - their skis .
Adept at crisscrossing the mountain passes they set up a resistance network .
One of the group was Germain Mattis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrested by the Germans in June 1944 and died in a concentration camp at the age of 27 .
This may well be the reason that Marion selected Val d'Isère as a place to hide .
Her future husband Pierre Haymann was not only a member of the resistance but his family was from Alsace .
He may have had connections in the resort .
Trusting the doctor , Marion left her sister in Val d'Isère to recover and went to join Pierre in Toulouse .
The break would take six months to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June 1944 that she returned .
Now pregnant , she narrowly avoided being raped and murdered by the SS on the way .
Hoping to learn more about resistance activities in Val d'Isère , I sent a number of emails and left posts on the resort 's Facebook page .
I got only one reply , from a member of a famous Paris hairdresssing dynasty - Roby Joffo - whose uncle , Joseph Joffo , wrote one of France 's best-known Holocaust memoirs , A Bag of Marbles .
Roby 's father , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joseph Joffo 's elder brothers ) were also lying low in Val d'Isère during the winter of 1943-44 , though they felt secure enough to work in a hair salon on the main street , opposite the Pétris ' chalet .
The Pétri and Joffo families have remained close ever since .
Roby is adamant that there were other Jews hiding in the valley .
He makes a number of calls to Val d'Isère , but nobody seems to know anything about it .
About 75,000 Jews were deported from France to concentration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1944 .
Only in 1995 did French President Jacques Chirac acknowledge French responsibility .
`` These dark hours forever sully our history and are an insult to our past and our traditions , '' he said .
`` Yes , the criminal folly of the occupiers was seconded by the French , by the French state . ''
Only two French officials were convicted for crimes against humanity .
One was Paul Touvier a local intelligence chief who served under Lyon Gestapo boss Klaus Barbie ; he was convicted in 1994 for having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years earlier .
The other was Maurice Papon , jailed in 1998 for his role in the deportation of 1,690 Jews from Bordeaux .
( Papon had gone on to serve as Paris 's police chief and as a government minister . )
Barbie himself , a German , was extradited from Bolivia to France in 1983 and convicted on 41 counts of crimes against humanity in July 1987 .
Christel is not surprised by the eerie silence .
She says no-one ever spoke about what happened during the war , and as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live in Val d'Isère today have no idea that members of the French resistance operated in their town .
The war divided communities , explains Jane Metter , who researches the period at Queen Mary University of London .
For those who collaborated and those who resisted `` the only way to carry on living with your neighbours after the war was to forget what had happened . ''
For Frédéric Pétri to have hidden Huguette was , she says , `` a 100 % dangerous thing to do '' and an act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the liberation either , as `` the region was a highly Catholic , conservative , right-wing society '' .
The archives in Annecy , not far from Val d'Isère , are full of letters written to the authorities during the war , often anonymously , denouncing people for acts of resistance .
Two months after the sisters left , Val d'Isère was liberated .
But the local resistance carried on the fight , supporting the partisans in Italy , which was still occupied by the Germans .
Once again Petri would place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total stranger .
On a winter 's evening in November 1944 , he set off to rescue a group of British soldiers who had been led over mountain passes by the partisans .
Trapped in a snowdrift without adequate clothing , they were freezing to death .
When Pétri finally found them only one of the soldiers , Alfred Southon , was still alive .
He was barely breathing but Pétri refused to give him up for dead .
He carried him back to his chalet , and with the help of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was well enough to leave .
This was also a potentially unpopular move as many people resented what they saw as Britain 's abandonment of France at Dunkirk and the bombing raids on French cities .
Just as Dr Pétri had said nothing about hiding Huguette , he did not mention this adventure to his family either , until Southon became a celebrity in the UK when his story was told in a 1953 BBC radio documentary .
Marion married Pierre and after the war they settled in Paris with Huguette and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The marriage did not last and Marion then began what she called her `` second life '' in London with husband Joe Judah , and their son Tim ( my husband ) .
In 1947 Huguette went to San Francisco to join her father who had survived the war under cover in Paris .
There she fell in love with James Carleton and had a son , Norman .
She has lived there ever since .
A silver coffee set that once belonged to her mother sits in pride of place on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huguette now wants Pétri 's bravery and kindness recognised and so I agree to write to Yad Vashem , the Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem , to ask if it will consider recognising Pétri as one of the Righteous Among Nations - a list of non-Jewish individuals who risked their lives to help Jews during the Holocaust .
Yad Vashem advises me it could take years for a decision to be made .
I also try to arrange an interview with the mayor of Val d'Isère , Marc Bauer , to ask him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When I get nowhere by email I telephone the town hall , where a member of staff tells me it will not be possible , as this is a `` delicate matter '' .
The history of World War Two still haunts France .
Huguette 's decision to revisit the darkest period of her life has offered Val d'Isère a chance to address its past , but it appears it is n't one the resort is ready to take .
You may also be interested in : A British lawyer is accusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's constitution by refusing to restore the citizenship of thousands of people descended from victims of the Nazis .
He argues that the law began to be misapplied under the lingering influence of former Nazis in the 1950s and 60s , and that it 's still being misapplied today .
The fight to get citizenship for descendants of German Jews

In 1938, passionate about winter sports, the young doctor decided to join his friends, among them world-class ski champions, who had founded the resort a few years earlier. Like many of the young men who ran the hotels and ski schools, he was born in Alsace, a region of eastern France that before World War One had been occupied by the Germans. Christel believes this instilled a dislike of Germany that was only reinforced by the two years he spent in a prisoner of war camp near Stuttgart, from 1940 to 1942.


bbc--2020-01-07--How to travel by train - and ditch the plane

A string of horrifying climate-related disasters has brought a distinctly environmental theme to many people 's New Year resolutions .
Many have chosen to reduce their carbon footprint by flying less , or cutting out planes completely .
Flygskam - the Swedish word for `` flight-shame '' - has become commonplace .
In August , Swedish climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg set an example by crossing the Atlantic in a zero-emissions yacht .
If she had made the return journey from the UK to New York by air , she would have emitted 11 % of the average annual emissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total caused by someone living in Ghana for a year .
The aviation industry contributes about 2 % of the world 's carbon emissions , according to the International Air Transport Association ( IATA ) , and this is predicted to rise , with air passenger numbers expected to double by 2037 .
More than 22,500 people have pledged to go flight-free in 2020 , but in Europe , where cheap air travel reigns supreme , it 's not an easy decision to make .
Some governments are getting on board with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel .
Last week , Germany announced it would cut long distance rail fares by 10 % - the first price decrease in 17 years .
Austria 's new green/conservative coalition has promised to expand its rail network and increase the tax on flights - a step towards meeting its target to be carbon-neutral by 2040 .
Many of Europe 's night train services have gradually been phased out , but Sweden plans to reintroduce a sleeper service to the European mainland .
And this summer , Luxembourg will be the first country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a bid to reduce traffic congestion in cities .
Why take a long train journey when you can fly ?
Train travel may take longer , but converts say it is a far more enriching experience than flying .
When Elias Bohun , who lives in Vienna , Austria , finished school , he was desperate to travel around South-East Asia .
However , his environmental conscience stopped him booking a flight .
Instead , the 19-year-old and his girlfriend travelled to Vietnam overland .
`` It was the most exciting experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , says Elias .
The couple travelled from Vienna to Poland , Russia , Kazakhstan and China before arriving in Hanoi .
They slept on night trains , then in the mornings left their luggage at the station and spent the day wandering around whatever city they found themselves in , before returning to board another sleeper .
Elias said he met more local people during that 16-day journey than the whole four-and-a-half months he spent travelling around South-East Asia .
`` In trains , people have time , they really want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
`` In hostels , you are always around tourists . ''
It 's a romantic vision of a holiday , but surely only when you are young , with no commitments ?
Not necessarily .
Mary Penman , who is British but lives in Austria , makes the train journey back to the UK at least once a year with her husband and two small children .
She stopped flying several years ago as a result of flygskam .
From Vienna , the family gets the night train to Cologne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change onto the Eurostar to London .
Mary says it takes two days and costs about €117 ( £100 , $ 130 ) one way if booked in advance - €200 at shorter notice .
She concedes that a long train journey with two toddlers in tow is `` complicated , but with children , even going to the shops is complicated '' .
She prefers it to the claustrophobic stress of an airport .
And in many countries , children aged under six travel for free .
Last year , the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her older son spent the journey playing with children from other families on board .
`` It 's like a travelling village , '' says Mary .
`` There 's a real camaraderie among the families on board . ''
Although many would prefer to travel by rail , the cost is often prohibitive .
A Eurostar train from London to Paris emits up to 90 % less carbon than flying , but a ticket generally costs twice as much .
Customers are also put off by planning a rail journey between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to put time into planning their holidays , '' says Elias .
`` It 's difficult and expensive to organise train journeys within Europe . ''
This was why he and his father , Mathias , set up Traivelling , a travel agency which provides holidays purely on trains .
Traivelling offers a return train journey from London to Lisbon that costs €350 , but a quick look online brings up budget flights at €86 .
A single train ticket from Copenhagen to Rome would cost €110 , but some flights are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Elias agree that it is difficult for trains to compete with flying in terms of price and frequency .
Although there has been an increase in high-speed trains , these are extremely expensive compared with the hundreds of cheap flights between major airports every day .
`` The offer is too good compared to trains , '' says Matthias .
While cost and time are huge factors , it seems replacing planes with trains requires a shift in mindset .
Rather than chunking together leave in a two-week holiday , the rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rise in shorter , more frequent breaks .
Some companies have encouraged their employees to use more carbon-friendly modes of travel that take more time , by introducing `` climate perks '' .
WeiberWirtschaft , a women 's co-operative in Berlin that supports female entrepreneurs , has told its workers they can have three days ' additional leave if they abstain from flying for a year .
Elias 's father Mathias remembers a time when it was normal to spend a few weeks travelling by train to Greece or France .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
`` We are now thinking that the only way to have a good experience is by taking a plane and going somewhere far and fast . ''
`` If you take the train to Vietnam , you start to understand the world is huge , '' he says .
Mary says while trains take longer , `` the journey becomes part of the holiday , rather than just being a way of getting you somewhere '' .

If she had made the return journey from the UK to New York by air, she would have emitted 11% of the average annual emissions for someone in the UK, or the total caused by someone living in Ghana for a year.


bbc--2020-01-07--A chatbot pulled me out of a 'really dark place'

Alexa Jett has suffered some heavy blows in recent years .
Now 28 , she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2016 .
Although she was given the all-clear , in August 2019 another crisis hit when her best friend and former boyfriend died of cancer at the age of 33 .
`` I completely shut down .
I started wondering whether I was next , '' Ms Jett says .
She was unable to get out of bed and household chores piled up leaving the house in a mess .
In desperation , she sought help online and from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Hey , why do n't we make a goal ? ''
the chatbot texted her on 10 September .
She only had to paint her toenails for a start , but this simple task combined with the chatbot 's `` funny and friendly personality '' and 24/7 presence , encouraged Ms Jett progressively to get more tasks accomplished .
`` She pulled me out of that really dark place and I started functioning again , '' says Ms Jett .
• Are charity apps making us more generous ?
• Bug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vivibot is offered through GRYT , an app-based social community for people affected by cancer .
Dozens of similar services are available , which chat with their users on matters of mental health .
They offer mood reports and tips on how to improve their mental and emotional state .
`` These chatbots are a great first step for people who may be experiencing sad or depressed mood or anxiety to reclaim their mental health , '' says Danielle Ramo , director of research at Hopelab , which designed Vivibot .
She is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treat clinical depression or clinical anxiety , and are not designed to replace a human interaction of any sort .
However , clinical psychologist Noel Hunter says that some chatbots are not marketed that way and instead present themselves as a solution for mental health problems .
`` They 're very careful to not explicitly say that because then they get sued .
But people do get that message , '' says Dr Hunter .
For Dr Hunter , chatbots reinforce the idea that we are at fault for our own suffering .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you just look on your phone and do a couple of self-help kind of things , that 's going to take the place of the healing nature of a healthy relationship , '' she says .
Bots of course ca n't pick up on non-verbal communication that can indicate a lot about the way we feel .
`` A big chunk of this non-verbal communication , imperative to our overall well-being and to our being fulfilled , is missed out in non human-to-human settings , '' Dr Hunter says .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tech to improve the world 's mental health .
The World Health Organisation says one in four of us suffers some kind of mental health problem and other research suggests that people are more honest with robots than with fellow humans .
Even social media giants like Facebook are entering the arena of digital mental health .
In October 2019 , Facebook and Messenger launched the Let 's Talk Stories filter and a series of Let 's Talk Messenger stickers - tools prompting people to begin conversations leading to support .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier to talk about emotional or serious subjects .
In fact , 80 % of people who use messaging apps feel they can be completely honest when messaging versus in person , '' says Antigone Davis , head of global safety at Facebook .
Looking ahead , there could come a time when artificial intelligence ( AI ) might be advanced enough to have a deep understanding of human mental health .
`` We might have human-level AI in 2029 , '' says Peter Diamandis , physician , engineer , and founder and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are only in the nascent days of AI particularly in the medical arena , he says .
`` The amount of data that 's now collected by medical exams , whether it 's looking at a brain MRI or your genome and the results from various tests , all these things are way beyond the ability of a single human , '' Mr Diamandis says .
`` It will actually be malpractice not to use AI in diagnosis in the next 20 years , possibly 10 years , '' he continues .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fast .
And the question remains , will humans relate to AI in the same way as they do to a human therapist ?
Ms Jett certainly thinks so .
She points out that her generation has grown up with digital technology - to her it is an extension of her existence .
But Dr Hunter only sees a techno-bubble that , once it bursts , will get people to turn to more traditional ways of healing , either in the form of human-to-human therapy or spirituality .
`` Belonging to certain kinds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationships , '' she says .
Mr Diamandis sees a balance , tilted towards a heavy involvement of AI in our lives .
`` I would imagine that a human therapist using AI is going to be much more powerful than a human therapist on their own , '' he says , adding that in almost every single area where an AI and a human coexist to evaluate and treat patients , success rates are better .
Mr Diamandis urges us to think of the Iron Man movie to understand how AI will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movie , genius superhero Tony Stark ( Iron Man ) has a digital helper Jarvis , who arranges his meetings , answers the door , and even organises his playlists .
`` I think we 're all going to have a version of Jarvis in the next decade , '' Mr Diamandis says .
`` A Jarvis who will do our administrative tasks , such as read our emails or answer our phone calls ; a Jarvis that will sense a depressed mood in our house and reverse it by playing our favourite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ uplifts our spirits ; a Jarvis that will study us 24/7 and learn us in many ways we do n't even know ourselves . ''

"I would imagine that a human therapist using AI is going to be much more powerful than a human therapist on their own," he says, adding that in almost every single area where an AI and a human coexist to evaluate and treat patients, success rates are better.