bbc--2020-01-10--Iran plane crash: 'More time needed for investigation' - Ukraine

It is too soon to draw any conclusions on what brought down a Ukrainian passenger plane in Iran on Wednesday , Ukraine 's foreign minister has said .
`` We have so many different versions of what could [ have ] happened to the plane that we need some time to really understand , '' Vadym Prystaiko said .
His comments come a day after Western powers said they had strong evidence that the plane was hit by an Iranian missile - a claim rejected by Tehran .
All 176 people on board were killed .
The crash of Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came just hours after Iran carried out missile strikes on two airbases housing US forces in Iraq .
US media have speculated that the Boeing 737-800 may have been mistaken for a warplane as Iran prepared for possible American retaliation .
Footage has emerged purportedly showing a plane being hit by a projectile over the Iranian capital .
• What 's the evidence a missile shot down the Ukrainian plane ?
• What we know about downed flight PS752 • Plane crash victims 'were the best of us' • Why were so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crash included 82 Iranians , 57 Canadians and 11 Ukrainians as well as nationals from Sweden , the UK , Afghanistan and Germany .
Earlier reports had given the number of Canadian victims as 63 .
Iran has promised a full investigation .
However , TV images from the crash site on Thursday showed a mechanical digger helping to clear debris away , raising concerns that important evidence could have been removed .
Meanwhile , the so-called `` black box '' recovered from the wreckage was due to be opened on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported .
Black boxes contain the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder , and could provide vital clues about what caused the crash .
What does Ukraine say ?
At Friday 's news briefing in Ukraine 's capital Kyiv , Mr Prystaiko reiterated that at this stage Ukrainian investigators were not ruling out any possible cause of the crash .
But he called for the `` level of speculation '' to be reduced , adding that Ukraine wanted to establish an `` international coalition '' to conduct a thorough investigation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were already working in Iran , and there was `` full co-operation '' from Tehran .
`` We are analysing pieces of the body of the plane , we are analysing the bodies of the people who died in the crash .
`` We are analysing the chemical residues on the body of the plane .
We will come to our conclusion , we do n't want to come to them right now .
`` Our team has now got access to the black boxes , '' he said , stressing that Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Iran earlier said it would download the information itself , adding that the process could take up to two months .
Kyiv earlier said the US had passed on `` important data '' about the crash , without providing any further details .
Ukraine 's team in Iran includes experts who worked on the investigation into the 2014 downing by a missile of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine .
What does Iran say ?
Earlier on Friday , Iran 's Civil Aviation Organisation ( CAOI ) chief Ali Abedzadeh repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cause of the crash .
`` The thing that is clear to us and that we can say with certainty is that this plane was not hit by a missile , '' he told reporters .
• What Iranians think happened to flight PS752 • Who were the victims of the crash ?
On Thursday , government spokesman Ali Rabiei accused the US and its allies of `` lying and engaging in psychological warfare '' in their speculation over the cause of the accident .
An Iranian official told the BBC on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the plane had a mechanical issue before take-off .
It was not signed off for flying , but Ukrainian airline officials had overruled these objections , the official said , without giving further details .
What has been said about a possible missile strike ?
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had received intelligence from multiple sources indicating the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile , adding that it was possible that this was unintentional .
`` This reinforces the need for a thorough investigation , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they deserve answers . ''
But he said it was too early to apportion blame or draw any conclusions , and refused to go into detail about the evidence .
The Ukrainian flight was headed to the Canadian city of Toronto via Kyiv .
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson echoed Mr Trudeau 's words and said Britain was working closely with Canada and other international partners affected by the crash .
UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said British nationals were advised not to travel to Iran , `` given the body of information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by an Iranian surface-to-air missile , and the heightened tensions '' .
Newsweek quoted a Pentagon and senior US intelligence officials , as well as an Iraqi intelligence official , as saying they believed flight PS752 was hit by a Russian-made Tor missile .
Video obtained by the New York Times appeared to show a missile streaking across the night sky over Tehran and then exploding on contact with a plane .
About 10 seconds later , a loud explosion is heard on the ground .
What about the investigation ?
Iran initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered `` black boxes '' to Boeing , the plane 's manufacturer , or to the US .
This followed the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in a US drone attack on 3 January and the subsequent strikes against US bases in Iraq on Wednesday .
However , the US National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) later confirmed it had been invited to take part in the investigation and would send a representative .
Boeing said it would support the NTSB in the inquiry , and the Transportation Safety Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ invited to the accident site by Tehran .
France 's BEA air accident agency said on Friday it had also been invited to take part in the investigation .

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bbc--2020-01-10--Australia fires: Employee brands News Corp coverage 'irresponsible'

An employee of Australian media organisation News Corp has lashed out at the company for `` irresponsible '' coverage of the current bushfires engulfing parts of the country .
News Corp owns The Australian , Sydney 's Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun .
Emily Townsend , a commercial finance manager at the organisation , said coverage of the crisis had diverted attention away from climate change .
Bushfires have ravaged many parts of the country for weeks .
At least 27 people have died .
Ms Townsend sent the email after an all-staff message was sent from executive chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the email regarding fundraising and other support initiatives did not `` offset the impact News Corp reporting has had over the past few weeks '' .
`` News Corp 's decision to take this approach in such a devastating time for our country , communities and the environment is a step too far for any of us stakeholders to ignore and continue with our daily tasks without thinking for a minute about what we are contributing to , '' she added .
The Australian has been criticised for its coverage of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blazes were `` nothing new '' .
It did say that climate change could not be ruled out as a cause before adding : `` Climate change or no , these are some of the costs of being in one of the most fire prone regions in the world . ''
It also was supportive of Prime Minister Scott Morrison 's decision to take a holiday to Hawaii .
A commentary piece said : `` We ca n't blame him for wanting to take a well-earned break with his family , skip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surplus backtrack or escape the smoke from the bushfires surrounding Sydney . ''
Mr Miller told the Sydney Morning Herald Ms Townsend resigned in December and was due to leave shortly .
`` The dedication and professionalism of our journalists and photographers have kept the community - particularly those Australians affected directly - informed and supported , '' he added .
What is the current situation with the fires ?
On the New South Wales ( NSW ) and Victoria border , fires have merged to create a mega-blaze , covering more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 174 fires are still burning across NSW with 65 said to be uncontained .
According to NSW Rural Fire Service , more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed so far during this fire season .
In Victoria , residents of Wodonga were evacuated overnight .
There is one emergency warning in place in the state .
In South Australia , firefighters are still tackling bushfires on Kangaroo Island .
On Thursday , the island 's mayor Michael Pengilly described the situation there as `` hell on earth '' .
At least 25,000 koalas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ island .
David Bowman , a professor of pyrogeography from the University of Tasmania told the BBC that the implications of the current fires in Australia could not be underestimated .
`` We 've got fires that are still burning , transforming landscapes , wiping out wildlife - Australia 's not going to be the same after this .
The consequences of this will be around for hundreds of years , '' he said .

The Australian has been criticised for its coverage of the fires. In one article it said the blazes were "nothing new". It did say that climate change could not be ruled out as a cause before adding: "Climate change or no, these are some of the costs of being in one of the most fire prone regions in the world."


bbc--2020-01-10--Mexico school shooting: Boy, 11, kills teacher and himself in Torreón

An 11-year-old student has opened fire in a school in northern Mexico , killing a teacher and injuring at least six other people before shooting himself dead , officials say .
The incident happened at the private Colegio Cervantes school in the city of Torreón in Coahuila state .
It was not immediately clear what his motives were .
Though murders are on the rise in Mexico , school shootings are rare .
The boy - who has not been identified - was a good student who lived with his grandmother and had normal behaviour , Mayor Jorge Zermeño told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr Zermeño said .
It was not clear how the boy had obtained them .
The shooting happened at about 09:00 local time ( 15:00 GMT ) on Friday in Torreón , some 800km ( 500 miles ) from the capital , Mexico City .
The mayor said police were still trying to locate his parents .
Dozens of police and soldiers have surrounded the school .
The injured included five students and a physical education teacher .
They are in stable conditions in hospital .
Coahuila state Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the bathroom at the start of the school day .
His teacher went to look for him after 15 minutes , and the boy then emerged firing his weapons , Mr Riquelme said .
`` He was well behaved , but he told some of his classmates that 'today was the day ' , '' he said .
Mr Riquelme said the boy had worn a T-shirt bearing the name of the video game Natural Selection , partly a first-person shooter game .

"He was well behaved, but he told some of his classmates that 'today was the day'," he said.


bbc--2020-01-10--Taiwan election: Tsai bids for second term against contender Han

Millions of voters in Taiwan are going to the polls to elect a new president , in a decision that will shape the island 's relationship with China .
Tsai Ing-wen , running for a second term , favours the status quo , and does not want closer ties with Beijing .
Meanwhile her main rival , Han Kuo-yu , promises to ease tensions with China .
Two years ago , Ms Tsai 's party lost the local elections , but she is now ahead in the polls - which some observers attribute to the Hong Kong protests .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a popular stance with those who fear Taiwan being overtaken by mainland China .
Elections for Taiwan 's legislature , where Ms Tsai 's party hold a majority , are also taking place .
About 19 million people are registered to vote in Saturday 's election .
Polling stations are open from 08:00 to 16:00 ( 00:00 to 08:00 GMT ) and results are expected before the end of the day .
For practical purposes , Taiwan is an independent state - it has its own elected government , constitution and military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949 .
It says Taiwan must eventually be reunited with China , by force if necessary .
China refuses to have diplomatic relations with any country that recognises Taiwan as a sovereign nation .
All but a handful of countries have picked Beijing , but most maintain an ambiguous relationship with Taiwan through trade .
The US is also legally bound to supply Taiwan with the means to defend itself .
Where do the candidates stand on China ?
Ms Tsai wants to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to her website - meaning she does not want to compromise Taiwan 's de facto independence .
In a speech on the Hong Kong protests in June , she said `` anyone who tries to undermine Taiwan 's sovereignty and democracy , or use them as political bargaining chips , will fail '' .
She had also rejected Taiwan ever operating under the `` one country , two systems '' political system used in Hong Kong since it returned to China in 1997 - calling it `` not viable '' .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Taiwan should `` learn a lesson '' from Hong Kong : `` If we do n't insist [ on maintaining Taiwan 's independence ] , we 'll be losing everything we have now . ''
Mr Han and his party the Kuomintang ( KMT ) favour closer ties with China - which they say will bring economic growth - but do not seek unification .
The KMT once ruled China , before fleeing to Taiwan in 1949 after losing to the communist forces in the civil war .
Mr Han made a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in March , and has reportedly said a formal declaration of Taiwanese independence would be `` scarier then syphilis '' .
A third candidate , James Soong , is running for his minor People First Party .
What are the other issues ?
Although the economy has grown during Ms Tsai 's presidency , exports have fallen and wage growth is sluggish .
Saturday is also the first presidential election since Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage .
The move was rejected in a series of referendums , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to comply with an earlier court ruling .
Ms Tsai said it was `` a big step towards true equality '' .
What are the candidates ' backgrounds ?
Ms Tsai , 63 , was a law professor before entering politics .
She studied at Cornell in the US and the London School of Economics , as well as in Taiwan .
She is accused of being elitist , but her stance on same-sex marriage , language rights and other issues have won her support among younger voters .
Mr Han , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is seen as more down-to-earth , and has projected a plain-talking everyman image .
He has embraced nicknames , including `` bald guy '' , and a recent talk-show appearance saw the host apologise for poking fun at him .
`` Continue , everyone is happy , '' he replied .
`` It 's good in a society with a democratic and free atmosphere ... just one request , no jokes about my hairline ! ''

All but a handful of countries have picked Beijing, but most maintain an ambiguous relationship with Taiwan through trade. The US is also legally bound to supply Taiwan with the means to defend itself.


bbc--2020-01-10--Teenager having seizure saved by online gamer - 5,000 miles away in Texas

The parents of a teenager who suffered a seizure while chatting online have thanked his friend who called emergency services from 5,000 miles away .
Aidan Jackson , 17 , was talking to an American gamer from his bedroom in Widnes on 2 January when he had a fit .
His friend , 20-year-old Dia Lathora , from Texas , alerted police in the UK .
The first Aidan 's parents knew of the emergency was when police and an ambulance appeared at their front door , the Liverpool Echo reported .
Caroline and Steve Jackson then rushed upstairs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms Jackson , 48 , said : `` We were at home watching TV and Aidan was upstairs in his room .
The next thing we noticed was two police cars outside with flashing lights .
`` I assumed they were in the area for another reason and then they ran up to the front door .
`` They said there was an unresponsive male at the address .
We said we had n't called anyone and they said a call had come from America .
I immediately went to check on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Aidan had a seizure in May 2019 and is waiting for a new appointment following the latest incident .
`` We are extremely thankful for what Dia did and shocked that we could be downstairs and not know anything was happening , '' Ms Jackson added .
`` Dia had our address but did n't have any contact numbers , so it was amazing she managed to get help from so far away .
`` I 've spoken to her and expressed our thanks - she 's just glad she could help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hopefully everything is OK when he has his appointment at the hospital but he 's doing well . ''
Ms Lathora told the Liverpool Echo : `` I just put my headset back on and I heard what I could only describe as a seizure , so obviously I started to get worried and immediately started asking what was going on and if he was OK. '' When he did n't respond I instantly started to look up the emergency number for the EU .
When that did n't work I just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it had an option for talking to a real person ... and I ca n't tell you how quickly I clicked that button . ''

"When he didn't respond I instantly started to look up the emergency number for the EU. When that didn't work I just had to hope the non-emergency would work, it had an option for talking to a real person...and I can't tell you how quickly I clicked that button."


bbc--2020-01-10--Neil Peart: Rush drummer dies aged 67 after cancer battle

Neil Peart , drummer and lyricist for Canadian rock band Rush , has died aged 67 after suffering from brain cancer .
The musician , considered one of rock 's greatest ever drummers , died on Tuesday in Santa Monica , California .
Rush , the band he played with for 45 years , confirmed his death in a statement posted to Twitter .
The statement said Peart , their `` soul brother '' , had been suffering from glioblastoma - a type of brain cancer - for three-and-a-half years .
`` It is with broken hearts and the deepest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news that on Tuesday our friend , soul brother and band mate of over 45 years , Neil , has lost his incredibly brave three-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer , '' the statement says .
A spokesperson for the Peart family also confirmed the drummer 's death to US music magazine , Rolling Stone .
Placed at number four in Rolling Stone 's list of all-time greatest drummers , Peart was well-known for his technical proficiency and animated live performances .
He joined Rush in 1974 , drawing influences from hard rock , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that spanned four decades .
Peart retired from Rush in 2015 after the band 's final tour , saying the time had come to take himself `` out of the game '' .
The group , which also featured singer-bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson , recorded hits including The Spirit Of Radio and Tom Sawyer .
The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 .
Peart is reportedly survived by his wife , photographer Carrie Nuttall , and daughter Olivia .
Musicians have paid tribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Kiss frontman Gene Simmons , who described Peart as a `` kind soul '' .
He added : `` My prayers and condolences to the Peart family , fans and friends . ''
Actor and Tenacious D musician Jack Black tweeted : `` The master will be missed - Neil Peart RIP . ''

"It is with broken hearts and the deepest sadness that we must share the terrible news that on Tuesday our friend, soul brother and band mate of over 45 years, Neil, has lost his incredibly brave three-and-a-half-year battle with brain cancer," the statement says.


bbc--2020-01-10--Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize not Abiy Ahmed

US President Donald Trump seems to think that he was overlooked for last year 's Nobel Peace Prize .
Why , what did he say ?
`` I 'm going to tell you about the Nobel Peace Prize , I 'll tell you about that .
I made a deal , I saved a country , and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country .
I said : 'What , did I have something to do with it ? '
Yeah , but you know , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as we know , that 's all that matters ...
I saved a big war , I 've saved a couple of them . ''
A video clip of him talking to supporters at a campaign event in Toledo , Ohio , on Thursday evening was shared on Twitter : Who was he talking about ?
Although he did not name the Nobel Peace Prize winner or the country , it is clear that Mr Trump was referring to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed .
He came into office in April 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predecessor to resign .
Mr Abiy has introduced massive liberalising reforms to Ethiopia , shaking up what was a tightly controlled nation .
He freed thousands of opposition activists from jail and allowed exiled dissidents to return home .
He has also allowed the media to operate freely and appointed women to prominent positions .
And in October last year , he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize - the only head of state to win the prize since Mr Trump was elected in 2016 .
Why did he win the Nobel Peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Abiy was honoured for his `` decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea '' .
The two countries fought a bitter border war from 1998-2000 , which killed tens of thousands of people .
Although a ceasefire was signed in 2000 , the neighbours technically remained at war until July 2018 , when Mr Abiy and Eritrea 's President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace deal .
So for two decades , the long border was closed , dividing families and making trade impossible .
The Nobel Committee said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring about positive change to the citizens of Ethiopia and Eritrea .
Since the peace deal with Eritrea , Mr Abiy has also been involved in peace processes in other African countries , the committee said .
You may be interested in : Did Trump help broker peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea ?
Not really - the US 's influence in the peace talks was minimal .
The United Arab Emirates , which has a lot of influence in the Horn of Africa , was key in helping to bring the two parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ethiopia correspondent , Emmanuel Igunza .
Saudi Arabia also played a key role in helping end the dispute .
The peace deal helped bring back Eritrea from the cold after sanctions were imposed in 2009 .
The UN Security Council lifted the sanctions in November 2018 , four months after the peace deal was signed .
Why did Trump make the comments now ?
This is not clear , given that the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on 11 October last year , and Mr Abiy gave his acceptance speech in Oslo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr Trump has not officially congratulated Mr Abiy but his daughter , Ivanka Trump , who serves as his senior adviser , and the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have done so .
However , Mr Trump has publicly said he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for , among other things , his efforts to convince North Korea 's leader Kim Jong-un to give up nuclear weapons .

President Trump had a slightly bumpy relationship with Theresa May, the first British prime minister he had to deal with in his presidency.
He arrived for his first visit to the UK as president on 12 July 2018 but it was immediately overshadowed by the publication of an interview the US president gave to The Sun newspaper.
In it, he said the UK would "probably not" get a trade deal with the US if the prime minister's Brexit plan went ahead.
"If they do a deal like that, we would be dealing with the European Union instead of dealing with the UK, so it will probably kill the deal," he told the paper, adding that Mrs May's plan "will definitely affect trade with the United States, unfortunately in a negative way."
But at a joint news conference on the second day of his visit, he changed his tone and said a trade deal "will absolutely be possible" after the UK leaves the EU. He also said Brexit was an "incredible opportunity".
Mr Trump also met the Queen, although there was no open carriage ride with her through the streets of the capital as the trip was designated a "working visit" rather than an official state visit.
Asked about the protests that greeted his arrival in the UK, he insisted many people were "delighted" he was visiting, adding: "I get thousands of notifications from people in the UK that they love the president of the United States."
But when he arrived in London for a state visit the following year, he was welcomed by further protests and a giant balloon depicting him as a baby.
This time around, the president was given the honour of a state banquet at Buckingham Palace with the Queen, during which he praised the "eternal friendship" between the UK and US.
But earlier in the day, he had called London Mayor Sadiq Khan - who had said the UK should "not roll out the red carpet" for Mr Trump - a "stone cold loser".
A few weeks later, Mr Trump also laid into Mrs May and her proposed Brexit deal, tweeting: "What a mess she and her representatives have created. I told her how it should be done, but she decided to go another way."
So it was little surprise when Mr Trump appeared excited to congratulate Boris Johnson on becoming the new prime minister in July 2019, saying: "He will be great!"
When asked what advice he would give to Mr Johnson on Brexit, the president replied: "He needs no advice. He's the right man for the job. I've been saying that for a long time."
While the pair have enjoyed warm personal relations, there have been some differences on policy, most notably on China, the Iran nuclear deal and the future of Nato.
But after this year, they now have another thing in common - they both got and recovered from coronavirus. When Mr Johnson left intensive care back in April, Mr Trump said it was "great news" and after he returned to the White House to recover from the virus in October, he thanked the British PM for "his friendship and support".


bbc--2020-01-10--Is this the most elaborate marriage proposal ever?

Picture this - you 're in the cinema watching your favourite Disney movie , Sleeping Beauty , but the characters look oddly familiar to you and your boyfriend .
The Prince then proposes to the Princess , you turn to your side - and your boyfriend is down on one knee with a ring .
This fairytale moment ( literally ) was created by filmmaker Lee Loechler when he proposed to his girlfriend Sthuthi David , a cardiologist .
He rented a cinema room filled with their friends and family , played the film and popped the question - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When Lee first sent me an email saying he had a proposal idea for his girlfriend , I thought he just meant a Disney-style portrait of the two of them , '' says Australian illustrator Kayla Coombs , who worked with Lee for six months to recreate the 1959 film .
Kayla says that after months of late night Skype calls `` it was really , really satisfying to see in the video that Sthuthi picked up on a lot of the little things that we did '' .
Even details like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Lee when she 's confused were put in the cartoon .
`` This is probably the biggest personal commission that I 've ever done , it was just awesome - a pleasure to be a part of , '' says Kayla .
The video has gone viral , with more than 1.5m views on Youtube , and Twitter seems to love it .
Marriage proposals seem to be getting bigger , better and more public - with YouTube full of people finding extravagant ways to pop the question .
A man from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year by getting a `` Will you marry me ? ''
tattoo with a 'Yes ' or 'No ' tick box for her to fill in .
Luckily for him , his girlfriend said 'Yes ' and ticked the correct box .
At the 2018 Emmy awards , Glenn Weiss proposed to his girlfriend on stage whilst accepting an award - with approximately 11.5m people watching at home .
It does n't always have to have millions of viewers though - Adam King proposed to his girlfriend Lucy Rogers in 2011 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choir singing Bill Withers ' Lovely Day .
And finally , Nick Fenton from New Jersey proposed to his girlfriend Bridget Moore with a banner plane carrying the message `` Briget will you marry me ?
Love Nick '' .
Awkwardly , the banner misspelled her name - but she still said `` I do '' .
But is it too much pressure ?
We asked Bernadette Chapman , founder of The UK Alliance of Wedding Planners .
`` It definitely increases the pressure .
Personally I would hate a public proposal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really embarrassing . ''
However , she did like the idea of the Sleeping Beauty proposal .
`` It was imaginative - there 's a difference between creating a proposal that will resonate with your loved one and creating a proposal because you are egotistical .
`` People who want to propose in public need to ask themselves - are you doing it for yourself or are you doing it for the person you are proposing to ? ''
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here @

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bbc--2020-01-10--Prince Harry and Meghan: Public react to royal 'step back'

Prince Harry and Meghan have revealed they intend to `` step back '' as senior royals and work to become @ @ @ @ @ to split their time between the UK and North America , while `` continuing to @ @ @ @ @ Queen , the Commonwealth , and our patronages '' .
What do the public think @ @ @ @ @ Buckingham Palace in London .

Prince Harry and Meghan have revealed they intend to "step back" as senior royals and work to become financially independent.
They plan to split their time between the UK and North America, while "continuing to honour our duty to the Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages".
What do the public think? We asked people outside Buckingham Palace in London.


bbc--2020-01-10--What Iran crash clues point towards a missile strike?

Western countries say they have evidence that an Iranian missile shot down a Ukrainian plane close to Tehran airport on Wednesday .
Iran has denied any involvement , and say the plane was not hit by a missile .
So what 's the evidence that an Iranian missile was to blame ?
What is the video evidence ?
Video footage shared on Iranian social media accounts appears to show the moment of impact on Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 .
The images show a flash followed by a loud bang .
The plane then continues to fly , turning back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then crashing into the ground in a ball of flame .
BBC Monitoring has indentified the location from where the video was shot to Parand , a residential area west of Tehran .
It 's about 30km ( 18miles ) from Imam Khomeini International Airport , where the aircraft began its journey .
Rows of housing blocks , a construction site and a storage tank , which all appear in the video , match a Google Earth image of the location , according to BBC Monitoring .
Are there clues in the photos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the plane wreckage available on media sites .
These photos , and the subsequent detailed examination of the wreckage itself , will hold vital clues such as burn marks indicating a fire , explosive residue which could point to a bomb on board or possible shrapnel damage from a missile .
An anti-aircraft missile is generally designed to detonate at a distance from the target , sending shrapnel towards it , inflicting maximum damage .
Puncture holes pointing inwards could indicate an explosion or damage from outside the aircraft .
And detailed analysis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holes could give an indication of the type of missile used .
• What we know about downed flight PS752 • Plane crash victims 'were the best of us' At this stage , it 's difficult to verify many of the images which are being shared which - it 's claimed - show damage consistent with a missile attack .
Some show the nose of a missile from the Russian-made Tor missile system .
These photos have not been independently verified yet and we do n't know where or when they were taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
US intelligence sources say two missiles were fired , according to US media .
Questions have been raised about why the nose of the missile in these photos appears to be intact .
However , an expert we 've spoken to explains that it 's not surprising to see the nose - which contains its guidance system and does not itself impact the target - intact and at a distance from the crash site .
There are reports from inside Iran that the crash site has already been bulldozed and the wreckage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news reported that `` virtually all pieces '' of the plane had been removed by Thursday .
This makes the digital evidence gathered so far a vital element in determining what actually happened to the aircraft .
What about other evidence ?
There are two so-called `` black boxes '' .
The flight data recorder captures everything going on with the plane 's systems .
This will be crucial in revealing if there were any internal malfunctions .
The voice recorder is designed to contain two hours of audio from the cockpit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it records what the flight crew were saying at the time .
Iranian officials say it could take up to two months to download data from the black boxes .
It takes a long time to investigate because there 's a huge amount of data , says aviation expert Julian Bray .
However , he also says that skilled analysts may be able to get an initial idea from the data within a couple of weeks .
There 's a limit to what the black boxes can reveal if a bomb or missile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stop working , although the voice recorder might pick up a sound wave just beforehand .
Some investigations can last years .
A probe into the crash of an Ethiopian plane off Beirut in 2010 took two years to complete , even though the black boxes were sent to France , which has some of the world 's top investigators .
How could it have happened ?
The Iranian military would have been on very high alert just hours after the launch of Iranian missiles at US targets in Iraq , in anticipation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The area where the plane came down was not only close to the capital , Tehran , but also a military base of the Iran 's Revolutionary Guards .
There are however multiple precautions that should have been in place to prevent a civilian airliner being targeted in error .
The radar system used by the missile operators is designed to pick up identifying signals from all civilian aircraft .
`` Flight PS752 was transmitting a transponder code showing its civilian identity registration , position and altitude , '' says Justin Bronk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United Services Institute , `` and the missile radar operator should have been able to see that information . ''
If this does prove to be a missile strike on a passenger plane , it would not be unprecedented .
An Iranian aircraft was shot down in error in 1988 by a US navy warship , the USS Vincennes , killing 290 people .
In 1983 , a Soviet fighter jet took down a Korean passenger plane after it strayed into Soviet airspace .
All 269 people on board died .


bbc--2020-01-10--US wine sellers compare tariffs to Prohibition

A century ago , new restrictions on selling alcohol left US wine merchants reeling .
Now President Donald Trump 's decision to raise taxes on European wine imports to 100 % presents a similar threat , the industry says .
Wine sellers are warning that their businesses will not survive if the tariffs go ahead .
They want Washington to drop the proposal , which is in retaliation over European subsidies for Airbus .
The industry says raising the tariffs , on top of an earlier increase , will lead to job losses and price increases in the US .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell you that the proposed tariffs would be the greatest threat to the wine and spirits industry since Prohibition , in 1919 , '' says Benjamin Aneff , managing partner of Tribeca Wine Merchants .
The US imports about $ 5bn ( £3.8bn ) in wine from Europe a year .
But since October , the industry has been grappling with a 25 % tax on European wines , which the US imposed after winning approval from the World Trade Organisation to retaliate in the dispute overs subsidies to planemaker Airbus .
Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the first round of tariffs .
But they say if the US strikes again , with a 100 % tax , it will disrupt the industry , invite retaliation and place thousands of jobs at risk .
For American drinkers , the National Association of Wine Retailers estimates that prices would more than double and some bottles will simply become too expensive to import .
Thousands of people have opposed the move in written comments to the US Trade Representative , which handles the decision and is accepting submissions until 13 January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be punitive measures against European countries , but instead , they are having a calamitous impact on American small businesses , American workers , and American consumers , '' wrote the heads of Field Blend Solutions , a New York-based importer .
The Trump administration might have assumed it could target fine Burgundies without causing too many political problems , shrugging off a bit of an outcry in Francophile circles .
But Robert Tobiassen , president of the National Association of Beverage Importers , says that kind of thinking `` misses the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a question of simply raising prices .
It 's a question of what is the impact on jobs , what is the impact on the US marketplace , '' he says .
A lot of the frustration is about the `` asymmetric approach '' , he adds .
`` Why is wine having to pay for a dispute on civil aircraft ? ''
In December , the US said raising the tariff up to 100 % was necessary , because of `` lack of progress '' on resolving the subsidy fight .
Brussels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US has not been interested in negotiating .
Last month , Donald Trump said he thought the two sides would be able to `` work it out '' .
But Mr Trump , who is not a wine drinker , has also dismissed US concerns , saying Americans could substitute home-grown bottles .
( His family owns a winery in Virginia . )
But even California growers have spoken out against the tariffs , arguing that they may spark retaliation , without convincing people to buy American .
`` If they do go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Chilean wine or South African or New Zealand ? ''
Mr Tobiassen says .
Tom Wark , executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers , says the administration may back down from the full 100 % threat - but he thinks some tariffs on wine remain likely .
Indeed , champagne is facing possible tariffs in a separate fight over France 's new tax on technology firms .
`` The American wine industry appears to be the industry that people are willing to punish , '' says Mr Wark .

In December, the US said raising the tariff up to 100% was necessary, because of "lack of progress" on resolving the subsidy fight. Brussels, however, has maintained that the US has not been interested in negotiating.


bbc--2020-01-10--Qasem Soleimani: Why his killing is good news for IS jihadists

The Islamic State ( IS ) group has welcomed the death of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani , the head of the elite Quds Force .
In a statement , it described the general 's demise as an act of divine intervention that benefitted jihadists .
However , it made no mention at all of the US , which carried out the deadly drone strike against Soleimani in Baghdad on 3 January .
President Donald Trump 's decision to assassinate Gen Soleimani set off a chain of consequences - one of the first was on the unfinished war against jihadists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspended operations in Iraq .
The US and its allies announced that their main job was now defending themselves .
From a military point of view , they probably had no choice .
• What does international law say about the assassination ?
• Voices from Iran : 'Soleimani did not deserve such a fate' Iran and the militias it sponsors here in Iraq have sworn vengeance for the killings caused by the missile fired by a US drone at Soleimani 's vehicle as it left Baghdad airport on Friday .
That puts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Western allies working alongside them , squarely in the firing line .
It is also very good for IS , and will speed up its recovery from the blows it took when its `` caliphate '' was smashed .
It is also good news for the extremists that the Iraqi parliament passed a motion demanding an immediate American withdrawal from the entire country .
IS has been grimly resilient over many years .
It regenerated itself from the ruins of an earlier group , al-Qaeda in Iraq .
A big military operation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end IS control of territory straddling Iraq and Syria .
Many jihadist fighters ended up dead or in prison .
But that did not kill the organisation .
It is still active in its old stamping grounds in Iraq and Syria , mounting ambushes , extorting funds , and ending more lives .
The Iraqi state has effective elite army and police units , mainly trained by the Americans and European allies who joined the fight against IS .
Since Soleimani 's assassination , the US has suspended training as well as operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Germans are pulling military trainers out to Jordan and Kuwait .
Iraqi forces take most of the risks on the ground in operations against IS .
But as well as training , they have relied on vital logistical help from US forces , who are now hunkering down in their bases .
IS militants have something else to celebrate .
When Mr Trump decided to kill Soleimani they were gifted the spectacle of one of their enemies , the US president , assassinating another .
In 2014 , the jihadists went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq , including Mosul , the country 's second city .
The leading Shia cleric in Iraq , Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani , issued a call-to-arms to fight the Sunni extremists .
Young Shia men volunteered in their thousands - and Soleimani and his Quds Force were a big part of their transformation into armed units .
The militias were ruthless , often brutal foes of IS .
Now , the Iran-backed groups have been absorbed into the Iraqi military under an umbrella organisation called the Popular Mobilisation .
The most prominent militia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In the years after 2014 , the US and the militias faced the same enemy .
But the Shia militias now look certain to return to their roots , which lie in the fight against the US-led occupation after the 2003 invasion .
They killed many American soldiers - helped by training and better weapons supplied by Soleimani - which was one of the reasons that President Trump gave for ordering the attack last week .
Since Mr Trump unilaterally pulled out of the Iran nuclear agreement in 2018 , the Americans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the edge of war .
Before Soleimani was killed the Shia militias were already going back to targeting the Americans .
An attack in late December on a base in northern Iraq that killed a US contractor was answered by air strikes that killed at least 25 fighters from a group called Kataib Hezbollah .
Their leader , Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis , met Soleimani at Baghdad 's airport and was blown to pieces alongside him in the same car .
In an editorial of the weekly IS newspaper al-Naba , the group said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands of their `` allies '' - a reference to the US .
It said the enemies of IS were busy fighting each other , which would drain their energy and resources and ultimately benefit jihadists .
History has shown that jihadist extremists thrive most when they can take advantage of instability , chaos , and weakened , divided enemies .
That has happened before and there is a strong chance it will happen again .

Iraqi forces take most of the risks on the ground in operations against IS. But as well as training, they have relied on vital logistical help from US forces, who are now hunkering down in their bases.


bbc--2020-01-10--Plant life 'expanding over the Himalayas'

Vegetation is expanding at high altitudes in the Himalayas , including in the Everest region , new research has shown .
The researchers found plant life in areas where vegetation was not previously known to grow .
A team used satellite data from 1993 to 2018 to measure the extent of plant cover between the tree-line and the snow-line .
The results are published in the journal Global Change Biology .
The study focused on the subnival region - the area between the tree-line ( the edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing ) and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land and snow-free land ) .
Subnival plants are mainly small grasses and shrubs .
`` The strongest trend in increased vegetation cover was between 5,000 metres and 5,500 metres altitude , '' said Dr Karen Anderson , from Exeter University , lead author of the report .
`` At higher elevations , the expansion was strong on flatter areas while at lower levels that has been observed on steeper slopes . ''
Using Nasa 's Landsat satellite images , the researchers divided the heights into four `` brackets '' between 4,150m and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hindu Kush Himalayas , ranging from Myanmar in the east to Afghanistan in the west .
In the Everest region , the study found a significant increase in vegetation in all height brackets .
Other researchers and scientists working on glaciers and water systems in the Himalayas have confirmed the expansion of vegetation .
`` It ( the research ) matches the expectations of what would happen in a warmer and wetter climate , '' said Prof Walter Immerzeel , with the faculty of geosciences at Utrecht University in the Netherlands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This is a very sensitive altitudinal belt where the snowline is .
A withdrawal of the snowline to higher altitudes in this zone provides opportunity for vegetation to grow . ''
The research did not examine the causes of the change .
Other research has suggested Himalayan ecosystems are highly vulnerable to climate-induced vegetation shifts .
`` We have found the tree-line expanding in the subalpine regions of Nepal and China as the temperature rises , '' said Achyut Tiwari , assistant professor with the department of botany at Nepal 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening with trees at lower elevations , clearly the plants at higher altitudes will also be reacting to the rise in temperature . ''
Some scientists regularly visiting the Himalayas have confirmed this picture of expanding vegetation .
`` Plants are indeed colonising the areas that once were glaciated in some of these Himalayas , '' said Elizabeth Byers , a vegetation ecologist who has carried out field studies in the Nepalese Himalayas for nearly 40 years .
`` At some locations where there were clean-ice glaciers many years ago , now there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you see mosses , lichens , and even flowers . ''
Little is known about plants at these even-higher altitudes , as most scientific studies have focused on retreating glaciers and expanding glacial lakes amid rising temperatures .
The researchers said detailed field studies on vegetation in the high Himalayas were required to understand how the plants interact with soils and snow .
`` What does the change in vegetation mean for the hydrology ( the properties of water ) in the region is one of the key questions , '' said Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the melting of glaciers and ice sheets or will it accelerate the process ? ''
The Hindu Kush Himalayan region extends across all or part of eight countries , from Afghanistan in the west to Myanmar in the east .
More than 1.4 billion people depend on water from this region .

"It (the research) matches the expectations of what would happen in a warmer and wetter climate," said Prof Walter Immerzeel, with the faculty of geosciences at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, who was not involved in the study.


bbc--2020-01-10--Iran plane crash: The victims of Ukraine Flight PS752

A Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 crashed shortly after take-off in Iran on Wednesday , killing all 176 people on board .
In total , 82 Iranians and 63 Canadians were on board the Kyiv-bound Ukraine International Airlines ( UIA ) Flight PS752 , Ukraine 's Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said .
There were also 11 victims - including nine crew members - from Ukraine , four Afghans , four Britons and three Germans .
Iran 's head of emergency operations said 147 of the victims were Iranian , which suggests many of the foreign nationals held dual nationality .
A list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the BBC is awaiting confirmation from people known to the victims .
The majority of the passengers on the flight were headed for Canada , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed .
Out of the 176 victims , 138 had listed Canada as their final destination .
Of them , 63 of them carried a Canadian passport , but many others were foreign students , permanent residents or visitors .
A number of the passengers on board the plane were reportedly students and university staff from Canada returning at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national one , touching many communities across the country .
Ardalan Ebnoddin Hamidi , Niloofar Razzaghi and their teenage son Kamyar , a family of three from Vancouver were returning from Iran where they had taken a short vacation and were confirmed to have been on the flight .
The University of British Columbia said it is mourning the loss of Mehran Abtahi , a postdoctoral research fellow , and sibling alumnus Zeynab Asadi Lari and Mohammad Asadi Lari .
`` She was full of dreams , and now they 're gone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her friend Zeynab Asadi Lari , who was studying health sciences .
Her brother Mohammmad was the co-founder of STEM fellowship , a youth-run charity that helps students in maths and sciences .
Other victims from the west coast province include Delaram Dadashnejad , an international student studying nutrition at a college in Vancouver , and couple Naser Pourshaban Oshibi and Firouzeh Madani .
The University of Alberta confirmed that 10 members of the institution 's community were killed in the tragedy .
Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshmand , a married couple who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , were killed in the crash , along with their two daughters , Daria , 14 , and Dorina , 9 .
Arash Pourzarabi , 26 , and Pouneh Gourji , 25 , were graduate students in computer science at the university , and had gone to Iran for their wedding .
Other students who died included Elnaz Nabiyi , Nasim Rahmanifar , and Amir Saeedinia , as well as alumnus Mohammad Mahdi Elyasi , who studied mechanical engineering and graduated in 2017 .
Obstetrician Shekoufeh Choupannejad , her daughter Saba Saadat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Sara , who had recently graduated , were also among those on the flight The `` community is reeling from this loss , '' said university president David Turpin on Thursday .
Also from the province of Alberta was Kasra Saati , an aircraft mechanic formerly with Viking Air , the CBC confirmed .
Victims from Winnipeg included Forough Khadem , described `` as a promising scientist and a dear friend , '' by her colleague E Eftekharpour .
`` I ca n't use past tense .
I think he 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We talk again .
It 's too difficult to use past tense , too difficult .
No one can believe it , '' his friend Amir Shirzadi told CTV News .
Amirhossein Bahabadi Ghorbani , 21 , was studying science at the University of Manitoba and hoped to become a doctor , his roommate told the CBC .
CBC also confirmed that a family of three from that city - Mohammad Mahdi Sadeghi , his wife , Bahareh Hajesfandiari , and their daughter , Anisa Sadeghi , were travelling together on the flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager at Walmart , and her 11-year-old son Noojan Sadr were also killed .
Many of the victims were returning to their homes in Toronto and other nearby cities in the province of Ontario .
They included Ghanimat Azhdari - a PhD student at the University of Guelph , Ontario .
She specialised in promoting the rights of indigenous groups and her research group described her as `` cherished and loved '' .
Toronto resident Alina Tarbhai was also among the victims , her employer , the Ontario Secondary School Teacher 's Federation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her mother Afifa Tarbhai was also on board .
The University of Windsor , Ontario , confirmed five people from their school had died on the plane .
PhD student Hamid Kokab Setareh and his wife Samira Bashiri , who was also a researcher at the school , were among those killed .
Omid Arsalani told CBC that his sister Evin Arsalani , 30 , had travelled to Iran to attend a wedding with her husband , Hiva Molani , 38 , and their one-year-old daughter Kurdia .
All three were killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Toronto confirmed the loss of students Mojtaba Abbasnezhad , Mohammad Amin Beiruti , and Mohammad Amin Jebelli , and Mohammad Salehe .
Seyed Hossein Mortazavi , a childhood friend of Mohammad Salehe , said he was a bit reserved and shy but a brilliant computer programmer whose talent was widely recognised .
McMaster University in Hamilton , Ontario confirmed the loss of PhD students Iman Aghabali and Mehdi Eshaghian , as well as of former postdoctoral researcher Siavash Maghsoudlou Estarabadi .
The CBC confirmed that Mahdieh Ghassemi and her two children Arsan Niazi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flight .
Tirgan , an Iranian cultural charity , said `` it is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell '' to some volunteers with their organisation , including couple Parinaz and Iman Ghaderpanah .
The organisation said it was joining in mourning with another volunteer , Hamed Esmaeilion , who lost his wife Parisa Eghbalian , and their daughter Reera Esmaeilion .
Western University said it was mourning four international students : Ghazal Nourian , Milad Nahavandi , Hadis Hayatdavoudi , Sajedeh Saraeian .
The University of Waterloo shared the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community had lost two PhD students Marzieh ( Mari ) Foroutan and Mansour Esnaashary Esfahani .
Engineer Siavash Ghafouri-Azar was returning home with his new wife , Sara Mamani , when the plane crashed .
The couple had just bought their first home near the Canadian city of Montreal .
His uncle , Reza Ghafouri-Azar , told the BBC `` I can not come up with words for my kind , dedicated nephew . ''
`` He has been a very positive and passionate from childhood until his soul 's departure from his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side by your beloved wife , '' he said .
Mr Ghafouri-Azar is a professor of engineering in Toronto , and he introduced his nephew to Ali Dolatabadi , an engineering professor at Concordia University who would become Siavash 's thesis supervisor .
`` It is a great loss , '' Mr Dolatabadi told the BBC .
`` He was very intelligent , a gentleman .
He had a kind and a gentle soul . ''
He said his wife Sarah Mamani was `` very kind , very polite '' .
The couple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party in the New Year .
Armin Morattab was worried when his twin Arvin Morattab , called him from the airport in Tehran , amid reports that Iran had fired missiles at US targets in Iraq .
`` He said he was coming back home soon , '' Mr Morattab told the Montreal Gazette .
Arvin Morattab and his wife Aida Farzaneh were both killed .
The Gazette also confirmed that Mohammad Moeini , from Quebec , was also killed .
Global News confirmed that five of the victims have ties to Nova @ @ @ @ @ @ @ east coast .
Dalhousie University student Masoumeh Ghavi , her sister , Mandieh Ghavi , were both killed , as was local dentist Dr. Sharieh Faghihi , and two graduate students at St Mary 's University , Maryam Malek and Fatemeh Mahmoodi .
Ali Nafarieh , a professor at Dalhousie and president of the Iranian Cultural Association of Nova Scotia , employed Masoumeh Ghavi part-time at his IT company .
He says she was one of the university 's `` top students '' .
`` I remember she has always a smile on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our company in addition to skills and knowledge and experience was her energy .
She changed the atmosphere over there .
We 'll miss her a lot , '' he told CTV News .
We have no information on the 82 Iranian nationals who died .
Four British nationals were among the victims .
Three have been named as Mohammed Reza Kadkhoda Zadeh , who owned a dry cleaners in West Sussex , BP engineer Sam Zokaei from Twickenham , and and PhD student and engineer Saeed Tahmasebi , who lived in Dartford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his Iranian partner , Niloufar Ebrahim , who was also listed as a passenger on the plane .
Ten Swedish nationals died in the crash .
Many of them are believed to have also had Iranian citizenship .
Swedish media report that several children were among the victims .
Sweden 's foreign ministry confirmed that Swedes were among those killed .
It provided no further details .
Nine of the 11 Ukrainian nationals killed were staff at Ukraine International Airlines ( UIA ) .
Valeriia Ovcharuk , 28 , and Mariia Mykytiuk , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who died .
On their social media accounts , which are now being filled with tributes , they frequently shared photographs from their travels .
Valeria posted just two weeks ago from a hotel in Bangkok with the caption : `` Work , I love you . ''
Ihor Matkov , was flight PS752 's chief attendant .
The other three flight attendants were named by the airline as Kateryna Statnik , Yuliia Solohub and Denys Lykhno .
Three pilots were on board at the time of the accident : Captain Volodymyr Gaponenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oleksiy Naumkin .
All three had between 7,600 and 12,000 hours experience flying a 737 aircraft , according to the airline .
A former UIA pilot said he had flown together with each of the three pilots .
Writing on Facebook , Yuri , who wanted to be known only by his first name , described them as `` great pilots '' .


bbc--2020-01-10--Leroy Sane: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola not involved in decisions on winger's future

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he would be unable to prevent Leroy Sane 's departure should the German winger want to leave the club .
Sane has not played since suffering a serious knee injury in the Community Shield against Liverpool on 4 August .
His future , subject of much speculation last summer , remains uncertain with his current deal set to expire in 2021 .
`` It 's a question for Leroy , his agents and the club .
I 'm not involved in that , '' Guardiola said on Sane 's future .
The Spanish manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about him and his quality but each one has his own family , desires , dreams and , above that , I can not do anything else . ''
Guardiola had previously made clear his wish that Sane would remain at Etihad Stadium for `` many years '' amid contract extension talks in December 2018 .
German champions Bayern Munich were interested in taking the 23-year-old back to the Bundesliga prior to his pre-season injury .
Having recently returned to training , it is expected Sane - signed for £37m on a five-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive further attention this summer .
However , Guardiola said his only concern is the German international 's return from injury in order to bolster his squad as they continue to challenge for four trophies .
`` What I want is for him to come back fit .
His knee looks really good and after that , honestly , it 's not of my business .
It 's not in my hands , '' said Guardiola .
`` What 's important now is that he has to recover well and after that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we believe in him .
`` I was the guy who pushed the club and convinced him to come here even though he did n't play regularly for Schalke .
`` Three years ago is different to right now .
I 'm not the same guy I was when I arrived here and the players are the same .
They have their dreams and after the dreams are accomplished it needs another thing .
I do n't know . ''

Leroy Sane received the Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year award in 2017-18
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he would be unable to prevent Leroy Sane's departure should the German winger want to leave the club.
Sane has not played since suffering a serious knee injury in the Community Shield against Liverpool on 4 August.
His future, subject of much speculation last summer, remains uncertain with his current deal set to expire in 2021.
"It's a question for Leroy, his agents and the club. I'm not involved in that," Guardiola said on Sane's future.
The Spanish manager added: "I have no doubts about him and his quality but each one has his own family, desires, dreams and, above that, I cannot do anything else."
Guardiola had previously made clear his wish that Sane would remain at Etihad Stadium for "many years" amid contract extension talks in December 2018.
German champions Bayern Munich were interested in taking the 23-year-old back to the Bundesliga prior to his pre-season injury.
Having recently returned to training, it is expected Sane - signed for £37m on a five-year deal from Schalke in 2016 - will receive further attention this summer.
However, Guardiola said his only concern is the German international's return from injury in order to bolster his squad as they continue to challenge for four trophies.
"What I want is for him to come back fit. His knee looks really good and after that, honestly, it's not of my business. It's not in my hands," said Guardiola.
"What's important now is that he has to recover well and after that he knows what we think of him, that we believe in him.
"I was the guy who pushed the club and convinced him to come here even though he didn't play regularly for Schalke.
"Three years ago is different to right now. I'm not the same guy I was when I arrived here and the players are the same. They have their dreams and after the dreams are accomplished it needs another thing. I don't know."


bbc--2020-01-10--McBurnie winner sends Sheff Utd fifth after late VAR drama

Sheffield United climbed to fifth in the Premier League table on Friday with a win against West Ham , who had an injury-time equaliser ruled out by Video Assistant Referee .
John Fleck took advantage of a big mistake by substitute goalkeeper David Martin , latching on to his wayward pass to tee up Oli McBurnie to finish from close range after 53 minutes .
Substitute Robert Snodgrass thought he had levelled for the visitors , but the goal was disallowed after the ball was judged to have hit Declan Rice 's arm in the build-up .
`` VAR , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the final whistle sounded , with West Ham condemned to their eighth defeat in 11 Premier League games and their first under new manager David Moyes .
The result means the Hammers remain two points above the relegation zone and could drop into the bottom three if results go against them this weekend .
• No Premier League players want VAR used - West Ham 's Rice Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder signed a new four-and-a-half-year deal before the game and one media colleague said the photograph released by the club to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had ever seen the lifelong Blades fan wear a tie .
Wilder is clearly at ease in a tracksuit on the touchline .
He may have spent most of the night with his hands in his pockets but he was a constant presence on the edge of his technical area and when there was a point to be made - to a player , one of his coaching staff or fourth official Simon Hooper - he was firm in making it .
Moyes has over 500 more Premier League games behind him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without a win away at a top eight club prior to kick-off and until Felipe Anderson strode through just before the break , there was little to indicate his side were capable of breaking that run .
As it turned out , the Brazilian 's finish lacked composure .
Manuel Lanzini did better with a couple of second-half efforts and Fabien Balbuena 's downward header bounced off the pitch and over the bar .
But even Wilder must have thought Dean Henderson 's goal had been breached when Snodgrass ' late effort crept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the screens at Stockley Park had other ideas .
It was on the 13-minute mark when visiting keeper Lukasz Fabianski took a goal-kick and immediately signalled to the bench he had a problem .
The Poland international was only into his fourth game back after surgery to fix a torn hip muscle that had kept him out for three months .
That injury effectively cost Manuel Pellegrini his job given Fabianski 's deputy , Roberto , failed to keep a clean sheet in seven Premier League games , none of which the Hammers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as he beat the ground , then sat sadly in his penalty area , waiting for West Ham 's medical team to arrive .
The pushes and prods visible from the media seats suggested a repeat of his past problem .
Either way , his game was over .
Martin was only meant to be a training keeper after his arrival from Millwall but the son of former Hammers legend Alvin was called off the bench .
It really did not work out well .
He played a routine goal-kick straight to Fleck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ square to McBurnie for the only goal .
West Ham are aiming to sign another keeper , with Middlesbrough 's Darren Randolph lined up for a return to his former club .
But the deal is on hold as he is also injured at present .
McBurnie has only scored four Premier League goals since his club record £20m move from Swansea last summer but he has managed some important ones within that total .
The Scotland striker 's injury-time equaliser against Manchester United in November will go down in Blades folklore .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the match-winner and his latest effort broke the deadlock in one of those scruffy games the hosts need to win if they are to continue their present trajectory .
In truth , McBurnie , brought up in Leeds , did not have much to do and rolling the ball under Martin was too close to failure for comfort .
It was reward for an honest night 's work though .
With his socks rolled down and slightly lumbering running style , McBurnie is old-school in the way he plays the game - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love having him around and gave him a standing ovation when he was substituted six minutes from time .
'We 'd have been devastated if we 'd drawn' Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder speaking to BBC Sport : `` I feel for David [ Moyes ] and the players .
The same thing has happened to us a few times .
But we would 've been devastated if we 'd have drawn that game .
`` Soon as they scored , no one was looking at it but I felt for the opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groans as we 've had in the past .
`` We had to improve the performance because tonight was n't at our best .
We 've had to grind one out .
We gave the ball away cheaply .
We had two or three really good chances but did n't take them .
`` We made a poor decision late in the game but that 's what happens when you go backwards and they came on to us . ''
West Ham boss David Moyes speaking to BBC Sport : `` First of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We did n't deserve to lose .
`` It was a good goal .
Anybody who has played football or been around the game knows it was a good goal .
Declan Rice did really good to break through the middle .
`` I 'm just telling you it 's a really good goal .
From my point of view and the people who watch football , the decision is not right .
`` I would n't say I 'm a great fan [ of VAR ] but we have to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have played football know when it 's not right and tonight is one of those situations . ''
• West Ham 's defeat means London clubs have now lost their past eight Premier League games at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United , since Chelsea won 2-0 in October 2006 .
• Sheffield United have won 14 points from the last 21 available at home in the Premier League ( W4 D2 L1 ) , with their only defeat in this run coming against Newcastle at the beginning of December ( 2-0 ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ since Southampton in March 2016 to fail to score in four consecutive visits to newly-promoted clubs in the Premier League .
• Hammers boss David Moyes suffered his first defeat by Sheffield United in any competition in seven games ( W4 D2 ) , since a 3-2 loss as Preston manager in December 2000 in the second tier .
• David Martin and Roberto have made a combined three errors leading to a goal in 13 appearances for West Ham in the Premier League this season , whereas Lukasz Fabianski is yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson has kept eight clean sheets in the Premier League this season - the joint-most in the competition in 2019-20 alongside Leicester 's Kasper Schmeichel .
• West Ham full-back Pablo Zabaleta made his 300th Premier League appearance ( 230 for Man City , 70 for West Ham ) , becoming just the third South American to reach this total after Nolberto Solano ( 302 ) and Antonio Valencia ( 325 ) .
West Ham are next in action against Everton at the London Stadium on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the same time , Sheffield United play Arsenal at Emirates Stadium .

Last updated on .From the section Premier League
Oli McBurnie's goal came from the game's first shot on target
Sheffield United climbed to fifth in the Premier League table on Friday with a win against West Ham, who had an injury-time equaliser ruled out by Video Assistant Referee.
John Fleck took advantage of a big mistake by substitute goalkeeper David Martin, latching on to his wayward pass to tee up Oli McBurnie to finish from close range after 53 minutes.
Substitute Robert Snodgrass thought he had levelled for the visitors, but the goal was disallowed after the ball was judged to have hit Declan Rice's arm in the build-up.
"VAR, VAR", the home fans chanted as the final whistle sounded, with West Ham condemned to their eighth defeat in 11 Premier League games and their first under new manager David Moyes.
The result means the Hammers remain two points above the relegation zone and could drop into the bottom three if results go against them this weekend.
West Ham manager David Moyes says current and former footballers are not fans of VAR
Wilder celebrates new deal with win
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder signed a new four-and-a-half-year deal before the game and one media colleague said the photograph released by the club to announce the contract was the first time he had ever seen the lifelong Blades fan wear a tie.
Wilder is clearly at ease in a tracksuit on the touchline.
He may have spent most of the night with his hands in his pockets but he was a constant presence on the edge of his technical area and when there was a point to be made - to a player, one of his coaching staff or fourth official Simon Hooper - he was firm in making it.
Moyes has over 500 more Premier League games behind him than Wilder but he was 24 games without a win away at a top eight club prior to kick-off and until Felipe Anderson strode through just before the break, there was little to indicate his side were capable of breaking that run.
As it turned out, the Brazilian's finish lacked composure. Manuel Lanzini did better with a couple of second-half efforts and Fabien Balbuena's downward header bounced off the pitch and over the bar.
But even Wilder must have thought Dean Henderson's goal had been breached when Snodgrass' late effort crept in. The men in front of the screens at Stockley Park had other ideas.
West Ham's goalkeeping nightmare
Martin replaced Fabianski after 15 minutes
It was on the 13-minute mark when visiting keeper Lukasz Fabianski took a goal-kick and immediately signalled to the bench he had a problem.
The Poland international was only into his fourth game back after surgery to fix a torn hip muscle that had kept him out for three months.
That injury effectively cost Manuel Pellegrini his job given Fabianski's deputy, Roberto, failed to keep a clean sheet in seven Premier League games, none of which the Hammers won.
Fabianski's frustration was obvious as he beat the ground, then sat sadly in his penalty area, waiting for West Ham's medical team to arrive.
The pushes and prods visible from the media seats suggested a repeat of his past problem. Either way, his game was over.
Martin was only meant to be a training keeper after his arrival from Millwall but the son of former Hammers legend Alvin was called off the bench. It really did not work out well.
He played a routine goal-kick straight to Fleck, who ran into the box to square to McBurnie for the only goal.
West Ham are aiming to sign another keeper, with Middlesbrough's Darren Randolph lined up for a return to his former club. But the deal is on hold as he is also injured at present.
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder says he empathises with West Ham boss David Moyes
McBurnie's decisive interventions
McBurnie has only scored four Premier League goals since his club record £20m move from Swansea last summer but he has managed some important ones within that total.
The Scotland striker's injury-time equaliser against Manchester United in November will go down in Blades folklore.
His first-half effort at Brighton proved to be the match-winner and his latest effort broke the deadlock in one of those scruffy games the hosts need to win if they are to continue their present trajectory.
In truth, McBurnie, brought up in Leeds, did not have much to do and rolling the ball under Martin was too close to failure for comfort.
It was reward for an honest night's work though. With his socks rolled down and slightly lumbering running style, McBurnie is old-school in the way he plays the game - which is why Sheffield United's fans love having him around and gave him a standing ovation when he was substituted six minutes from time.
Man of the match - John Fleck (Sheffield United)
John Fleck put in an excellent performance and set up Oli McBurnie for the winner
'We'd have been devastated if we'd drawn'
Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder speaking to BBC Sport: "I feel for David [Moyes] and the players. The same thing has happened to us a few times. But we would've been devastated if we'd have drawn that game.
"Soon as they scored, no one was looking at it but I felt for the opposition - it's the same moans and groans as we've had in the past.
"We had to improve the performance because tonight wasn't at our best. We've had to grind one out. We gave the ball away cheaply. We had two or three really good chances but didn't take them.
"We made a poor decision late in the game but that's what happens when you go backwards and they came on to us."
West Ham boss David Moyes speaking to BBC Sport: "First of all I thought my players were terrific. We didn't deserve to lose.
"It was a good goal. Anybody who has played football or been around the game knows it was a good goal. Declan Rice did really good to break through the middle.
"I'm just telling you it's a really good goal. From my point of view and the people who watch football, the decision is not right.
"I wouldn't say I'm a great fan [of VAR] but we have to come to terms with it. People who have played football know when it's not right and tonight is one of those situations."
The stats - Zabaleta reaches 300 mark
West Ham's defeat means London clubs have now lost their past eight Premier League games at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United, since Chelsea won 2-0 in October 2006.
Sheffield United have won 14 points from the last 21 available at home in the Premier League (W4 D2 L1), with their only defeat in this run coming against Newcastle at the beginning of December (2-0).
West Ham are the first team since Southampton in March 2016 to fail to score in four consecutive visits to newly-promoted clubs in the Premier League.
Hammers boss David Moyes suffered his first defeat by Sheffield United in any competition in seven games (W4 D2), since a 3-2 loss as Preston manager in December 2000 in the second tier.
David Martin and Roberto have made a combined three errors leading to a goal in 13 appearances for West Ham in the Premier League this season, whereas Lukasz Fabianski is yet to do so in 10 games this campaign.
Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson has kept eight clean sheets in the Premier League this season - the joint-most in the competition in 2019-20 alongside Leicester's Kasper Schmeichel.
West Ham full-back Pablo Zabaleta made his 300th Premier League appearance (230 for Man City, 70 for West Ham), becoming just the third South American to reach this total after Nolberto Solano (302) and Antonio Valencia (325).
What next?
West Ham are next in action against Everton at the London Stadium on Saturday, 18 January (15:00 GMT). At the same time, Sheffield United play Arsenal at Emirates Stadium.


bbc--2020-01-10--Two-time London Marathon winner Kipsang charged over anti-doping breaches

Two-time London Marathon winner Wilson Kipsang has been charged for 'whereabouts failures ' and 'tampering ' by the Athletics Integrity Unit .
The 37-year-old Kenyan is now banned from competing until his hearing has taken place .
Kipsang - the London 2012 marathon bronze medallist - has also won the Berlin , New York and Tokyo marathons .
His management stressed he has not failed a drugs test and added : `` No prohibited substance was found . ''
Volare Sports added : `` The accusation regarding alleged/attempted tampering concerns an explanation that was given in the results management process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not concern tampering with a doping test itself . ''
Kipsang is the sixth fastest marathon runner in history , with a personal best of two hours three minutes and 13 seconds .
The AIU - founded by World Athletics to combat doping in 2017 - confirmed Kipsang 's suspension for `` whereabouts failures '' and `` tampering or attempted tampering '' .
Under anti-doping regulations , athletes have to inform testing authorities of their whereabouts for a one hour window of every day .
Three failures in 12 months - not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing inaccurate or incomplete information , counts as one failure - leads to an automatic ban .
On its website , the Athletics Integrity Unit says it `` will be taking a more stringent approach to whereabouts requirements in 2020 '' .

Last updated on .From the section Athletics
Wilson Kipsang is the sixth-fastest marathon runner in history
Two-time London Marathon winner Wilson Kipsang has been charged for 'whereabouts failures' and 'tampering' by the Athletics Integrity Unit.
The 37-year-old Kenyan is now banned from competing until his hearing has taken place.
Kipsang - the London 2012 marathon bronze medallist - has also won the Berlin, New York and Tokyo marathons.
His management stressed he has not failed a drugs test and added: "No prohibited substance was found."
Volare Sports added: "The accusation regarding alleged/attempted tampering concerns an explanation that was given in the results management process regarding a possible Whereabouts Failure and does not concern tampering with a doping test itself."
Kipsang is the sixth fastest marathon runner in history, with a personal best of two hours three minutes and 13 seconds.
The AIU - founded by World Athletics to combat doping in 2017 - confirmed Kipsang's suspension for "whereabouts failures" and "tampering or attempted tampering".
Under anti-doping regulations, athletes have to inform testing authorities of their whereabouts external-link for a one hour window of every day.
Three failures in 12 months - not being present at the said time, or filing inaccurate or incomplete information, counts as one failure - leads to an automatic ban.
On its website, the Athletics Integrity Unit says it "will be taking a more stringent approach to whereabouts requirements in 2020".


bbc--2020-01-10--Jurgen Klopp asks journalist to Google Jose Mourinho's playing position

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp asks a journalist to find out Jose Mourinho 's playing position during the news conference for @ @ @ @ @ .
WATCH MORE : Klopp not distracted by potential European points record Follow text commentary @ @ @ @ @ the BBC Sport website & app , Saturday 11 January from 17:30 GMT .

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp asks a journalist to find out Jose Mourinho's playing position during the news conference for Sunday's fixture against Tottenham.
WATCH MORE: Klopp not distracted by potential European points record
Follow text commentary of Tottenham v Liverpool on the BBC Sport website & app, Saturday 11 January from 17:30 GMT.


bbc--2020-01-11--Iran plane crash: Ukrainian jet was 'unintentionally' shot down

Iran has admitted `` unintentionally '' shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet , killing all 176 people on board .
An investigation found that `` missiles fired due to human error '' , President Hassan Rouhani said .
He described the crash as an `` unforgivable mistake '' .
The military said the jet turned towards a sensitive site belonging to Iran 's Revolutionary Guards and was then mistaken for a cruise missile .
Iran had previously rejected suggestions that it was to blame .
The downing of Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 on Wednesday came just hours after Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing US forces in Iraq .
The strikes were a response to the killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a US drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January .
• Plane crash victims 'were the best of us' • Why were so many Canadians on the plane ?
Iran initially denied reports that one of its missiles had brought down the Ukrainian plane near the capital , Tehran .
But pressure quickly mounted after Western intelligence officials said evidence pointed to Iranian involvement .
The Ukrainian flight , which was en @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Imam Khomeini Airport shortly after take-off .
Victims included dozens of Iranians and Canadians , as well as nationals from Ukraine , the UK , Afghanistan and Germany .
On Saturday morning , an Iranian military statement read on state TV announced that it had struck flight PS752 with a missile by mistake .
It said the plane had turned towards a `` sensitive military centre '' of the Revolutionary Guards , a force set up to defend the country 's Islamic system .
The statement said it had the `` flying posture @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Because of heightened tensions with the US , Iran 's military `` was at its highest level of readiness '' , the statement added .
`` In such a condition , because of human error and in an unintentional way , the flight was hit . ''
The military apologised for downing the plane , saying it would upgrade its systems to prevent such `` mistakes '' in the future .
It added that those responsible would be held accountable and prosecuted .
Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh , the Revolutionary Guards aerospace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full responsibility '' for the crash .
He said a request had been made for a no-fly zone in the area before the incident but - for reasons that are unclear - this was rejected .
Gen Hajizadeh also said the aircraft was shot down by a short-range missile that exploded next to it .
He said he informed the authorities about what had happened on Wednesday , days before Iran publicly admitted its involvement .
Iran 's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered the military to investigate `` the possible shortcomings or mistakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a statement , he said there was `` proof of human error '' and confirmed that he had `` requested the relevant authorities to take necessary measures to prevent '' it happening again .
Foreign Minister Javad Zarif apologised to the families of the victims but laid part of the blame on the US .
`` Human error at a time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to [ this ] disaster , '' he said .
And Iran 's ambassador to the UK , Hamid Baeidinejad , apologised for sharing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He had said Iran was `` confident '' that a missile had not been launched .
`` I conveyed the official findings ... that [ a ] missile could not be fired and hit the Ukrainian plane at that period of time , '' he said .
`` I apologise . ''
This is a major admission at a crucial moment for Iran .
Taking responsibility for such a tragic error is highly unusual , but so is the crisis that now confronts the Islamic Republic .
Iran has decided it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ triggering another war of words with the West or exacerbating further anger and anguish among its own people , who are reeling from one calamity after another .
Make no mistake , this admission was an act of de-escalation .
The repercussions at home may soon be clear .
Iran 's foreign minister has already sought to shift blame by saying it was `` a crisis caused by US adventurism '' .
But the big question now is : who took the decision to allow a civilian airliner to take off when Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tension ?
What has the reaction been ?
There were 57 Canadian nationals on board the downed flight and the country 's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described the crash as `` a national tragedy '' .
In a statement , he demanded `` transparency and justice for the families and loved ones of the victims '' .
`` We will continue working with our partners around the world to ensure a complete and thorough investigation , '' he said .
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Iran to punish those responsible .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty to the courts , '' he said .
Elsewhere , the president of Ukraine International Airlines said : `` We did n't doubt for a second that our crew and our plane could n't be the cause for this horrible crash '' .
`` These were our best guys and girls .
The best , '' Yevhenii Dykhne said of the nine crew members who were on board .
The statement marks a stark departure from the denials of recent days .
As recently as Friday , Iran was insistent that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The thing that is clear to us and that we can say with certainty is that this plane was not hit by a missile , '' Iran 's Civil Aviation Organisation ( CAOI ) chief Ali Abedzadeh said .
On Thursday , government spokesman Ali Rabiei accused the US and its allies of `` lying and engaging in psychological warfare '' by speculating about the cause of the crash .
But as evidence pointing to a missile strike built , calls for a transparent investigation grew louder .
Video obtained by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile streaking across the night sky and then exploding on contact with a plane .
On Thursday , TV images showed a mechanical digger helping to clear debris from the crash site , raising concerns that important evidence could have been removed .
In response , Iran promised a full investigation , inviting air accident agencies from Ukraine , Canada and the US to take part .
A missile strike on a passenger plane is not unprecedented .
In 1988 , an Iranian aircraft was shot down in error by a US navy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And in 2014 , a Russian-made missile hit a Malaysian civilian airliner over Ukraine , killing 298 people .


bbc--2020-01-11--Sultan Qaboos of Oman, Arab world's longest-serving ruler, dies aged 79

Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said of Oman , the Arab world 's longest-serving ruler , has died aged 79 .
The sultan deposed his father in a bloodless coup with British support in 1970 and set Oman on a path to development , using its oil wealth .
Widely regarded as popular , he was also an absolute monarch and any dissenting voices were silenced .
No cause of death has been confirmed .
His cousin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has been sworn in as his successor .
The former culture and heritage minister took the oath of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Royal Family Council , the government said .
The sultan is the paramount decision-maker in Oman .
He also holds the positions of prime minister , supreme commander of the armed forces , minister of defence , minister of finance and minister of foreign affairs .
Last month Sultan Qaboos - who had no heir or designated successor - spent a week in Belgium for medical treatment , and there were reports he was suffering from cancer .
`` With great sorrow and deep sadness ... the royal court mourns His Majesty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away on Friday , '' a court statement said earlier , announcing three days of national mourning .
Images showed a crowd of men gathered outside the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in the capital , Muscat , where the coffin had been taken and prayers were being held .
For almost five decades , Sultan Qaboos completely dominated the political life of Oman , which is home to 4.6 million people , of whom about 43 % are expatriates .
At the age of 29 he overthrew his father , Said bin Taimur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned a range of things , including listening to the radio or wearing sunglasses , and decided who could get married , be educated or leave the country .
Sultan Qaboos immediately declared that he intended to establish a modern government and use oil money to develop a country where at the time there were only 10km ( six miles ) of paved roads and three schools .
In the first few years of his rule , with the help of British special forces , he suppressed an insurgency in the southern province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marxist People 's Democratic Republic of Yemen .
Described as charismatic and visionary , he pursued a neutral path in foreign affairs and was able to facilitate secret talks between the United States and Iran in 2013 that led to a landmark nuclear deal two years later .
A degree of discontent surfaced in 2011 during the so-called Arab Spring .
There was no major upheaval in Oman , but thousands of people took to the streets across the country to demand better wages , more jobs and an end to corruption .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but later used tear gas , rubber bullets and live ammunition to disperse them .
Two people were killed and dozens of people were injured .
Hundreds were prosecuted under laws criminalising `` illegal gatherings '' and `` insulting the sultan '' .
The protests failed to produce anything in the way of major change .
But Sultan Qaboos did remove several long-serving ministers perceived as corrupt , widened the powers of the Consultative Council , and promised to create more public sector jobs .
Since then , the authorities have continued to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the government , confiscate books , and harass activists , according to Human Rights Watch .

Being the chosen successor of Qaboos will enhance his legitimacy within Oman, but a far harder task will be to take on the crucial role that Oman has played for so long as a trusted and independent mediator in many of the most intractable conflicts that have blighted the region.


bbc--2020-01-11--Why so many Canadians were on doomed Iran plane

Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was shot down `` unintentionally '' shortly after taking off from Iran 's capital on Wednesday , Iran says .
All 176 passengers and crew were killed , including 57 Canadian citizens .
The plane was bound for the Ukrainian capital , Kyiv , and many on board had a connecting flight to Toronto , Canada 's largest city and a transit hub .
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that , all told , 138 people on that flight were en route to Canada .
• What do we know about the Iran @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims of Iran plane crash ?
• 'She was full of dreams , and now they 're gone' Why were there so many Canadians on board ?
Canada is home to a large Iranian diaspora , with some 210,000 citizens of Iranian descent , according to the latest federal census .
The country is also a popular destination for Iranian graduate and postdoctoral students to study and conduct research abroad , which is why many students were on the flight , returning to university following the winter break .
There is also no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Ukraine International Airlines flight from Tehran to Kiev and then to Toronto is popular because it is one of the most affordable options for the journey .
Other victims of the crash included 82 Iranians and 11 Ukrainians , as well as nationals from Sweden , the UK , Afghanistan and Germany .
This is not the first air disaster that has touched Canada recently .
Last year , 18 Canadians were killed when an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi that crashed in March .
Who were the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families , students , professionals and academics .
Sixty-three of them were Canadian nationals , but many more called Canada their home , at least temporarily .
They lived in cities like Montreal , Toronto , Vancouver , Winnipeg , Ottawa and Edmonton , making this a truly national tragedy .
• Who are the victims of Iran plane crash ?
Many were in the 20s and 30s , but a number of young children were also on board .
At least two families died : Ardalan Ebnoddin Hamidi , Niloofar Razzaghi and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshmand , and their daughters Daria and Dorina Mousavi , from Edmonton .
There were numerous foreign students on board as well , like Ghanimat Azhdari - a PhD student at the University of Guelph , Ontario , who specialised in promoting the rights of indigenous groups .
Why were so many Canadians on doomed Iran plane ?
How are they being remembered ?
Tributes were held across the country on Wednesday night , and many more are planned in the coming days .
In Toronto , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian Congress was attended by over 100 people on Thursday .
Flags will be lowered at city hall until Monday .
• Plane crash victims 'were the best of us ’ Another vigil was hosted on Parliament Hill in the Canadian capital of Ottawa , and attended by the prime minister .
On Friday , he is meeting with family members of the victims of the plane crash .
Ukraine 's embassy in Canada has invited the public to sign book of condolences .
In Edmonton , Alberta , members of the Iranian-Canadian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the city were on flight PS752 .
A memorial for Sunday is being organised by an Iranian heritage group , an Iranian student association , and the University of Alberta , an institution that lost a number of its faculty members and students in the crash .
In fact , the deaths have cast a pall over university campuses across the country .
Many of the deceased are being remembered as accomplished teachers , students and mentors with bright futures who were studying and working at institutions of higher learning across the @ @

Iran plane crash: Why were so many Canadians on board? Published 11 January 2020
Image source, Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Image caption, Vigils were held across the country on Wednesday with more planned
Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 was shot down "unintentionally" shortly after taking off from Iran's capital on Wednesday, Iran says.
All 176 passengers and crew were killed, including 57 Canadian citizens.
The plane was bound for the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and many on board had a connecting flight to Toronto, Canada's largest city and a transit hub.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that, all told, 138 people on that flight were en route to Canada.
Why were there so many Canadians on board?
Canada is home to a large Iranian diaspora, with some 210,000 citizens of Iranian descent, according to the latest federal census.
The country is also a popular destination for Iranian graduate and postdoctoral students to study and conduct research abroad, which is why many students were on the flight, returning to university following the winter break.
There is also no direct flight between Canada and Iran, and the Ukraine International Airlines flight from Tehran to Kiev and then to Toronto is popular because it is one of the most affordable options for the journey.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, What do we know about the crash of Ukrainian Flight PS752?
Other victims of the crash included 82 Iranians and 11 Ukrainians, as well as nationals from Sweden, the UK, Afghanistan and Germany.
This is not the first air disaster that has touched Canada recently.
Last year, 18 Canadians were killed when an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi that crashed in March.
Who were the Canadian victims?
They were newlyweds, families, students, professionals and academics.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshmand with their two daughters
Sixty-three of them were Canadian nationals, but many more called Canada their home, at least temporarily.
They lived in cities like Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Edmonton, making this a truly national tragedy.
Many were in the 20s and 30s, but a number of young children were also on board.
At least two families died: Ardalan Ebnoddin Hamidi, Niloofar Razzaghi and their teenage son Kamyar, from Vancouver; and Pedram Mousavi and Mojgan Daneshmand, and their daughters Daria and Dorina Mousavi, from Edmonton.
There were numerous foreign students on board as well, like Ghanimat Azhdari - a PhD student at the University of Guelph, Ontario, who specialised in promoting the rights of indigenous groups. Why were so many Canadians on doomed Iran plane?
How are they being remembered?
Tributes were held across the country on Wednesday night, and many more are planned in the coming days.
In Toronto, a public vigil organised by the Iranian Canadian Congress was attended by over 100 people on Thursday. Flags will be lowered at city hall until Monday.
Another vigil was hosted on Parliament Hill in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, and attended by the prime minister. On Friday, he is meeting with family members of the victims of the plane crash.
Ukraine's embassy in Canada has invited the public to sign a book of condolences.
In Edmonton, Alberta, members of the Iranian-Canadian community estimate about 30 people who lived in the city were on flight PS752.
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, "She was full of dreams and now they're gone": Vigil held for Iran plane crash victims in Toronto
A memorial for Sunday is being organised by an Iranian heritage group, an Iranian student association, and the University of Alberta, an institution that lost a number of its faculty members and students in the crash.