bbc--2020-01-12--Tributes pour in as Oman mourns Sultan Qaboos

World leaders and the people of Oman have paid tributes to Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said , the Arab world 's longest-serving ruler who died on Friday at 79 .
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Prince of Wales have arrived in Muscat for a condolence ceremony as the country marks three days of mourning .
Widely seen as popular , Qaboos set Oman on a path to development after coming to power in a bloodless coup in 1970 .
His cousin Haitham bin Tariq Al Said has been sworn in as successor .
Qaboos had no heir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family council had three days to choose one .
But in an apparent swift and smooth transition , they opted to open the sealed envelope in which the late sultan had secretly left his own choice .
Crowds gathered at the capital 's Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque on Saturday before Qaboos was buried in a family cemetery .
No cause of death has been confirmed but media reports suggest he was suffering from colon cancer .
The emirs of Kuwait , Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well as the king of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foreign leaders who travelled to Muscat for the ceremony at al-Alam Palace .
Japanese Prime Minister , Shinzo Abe , who is touring the region , was also expected to pay his respects .
Mr Johnson , who said Qaboos had left a `` profound legacy , not only in Oman but across the region '' , would also meet the new sultan in Muscat , according to Downing Street .
Other foreign leaders and ministers paid tributes to Qaboos , who maintained the country 's neutrality amid unrest throughout the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump , who said Qaboos was a `` true partner and friend '' to the US , whose `` unprecedented efforts to engage in dialogue and achieve peace in the region showed us the importance of listening to all viewpoints '' • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who described him as a `` great leader who worked tirelessly to promote peace and stability in our region '' • Iran 's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif , who also travelled to Muscat , called the death `` a loss for the region '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lost a `` man of spirit and culture ... deeply attached to his Omani roots and open to the world '' The European Union praised Qaboos ' `` sense of pragmatism and his unparalleled savoir-faire '' while UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was `` committed to spreading messages of peace , understanding and coexistence '' .
• For almost five decades , 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overthrew his father , Said bin Taimur , a reclusive and ultra-conservative ruler who 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 • Described as charismatic and visionary , Qaboos was also an absolute monarch and any dissenting voices were silenced • 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being sworn in , Sultan Haitham - a former culture and heritage minister who studied at Oxford - pledged to continue his predecessor 's policies of friendly relations with all nations while further developing the country .
The sultan is the paramount decision-maker in Oman , and also holds the positions of prime minister , supreme commander of the armed forces , minister of defence , minister of finance and minister of foreign affairs .

The emirs of Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates as well as the king of Bahrain and the Tunisian president were among the foreign leaders who travelled to Muscat for the ceremony at al-Alam Palace. The Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, who is touring the region, was also expected to pay his respects.


bbc--2020-01-12--Federer responds to climate change critics over Credit Suisse links

Tennis star Roger Federer has responded to climate change critics - including campaigner Greta Thunberg - by saying he takes the issue very seriously .
Activists oppose Federer 's sponsorship deal with Credit Suisse over its links to the fossil fuel industry .
Some appeared in court this week after refusing to pay a fine for playing tennis inside Credit Suisse offices in 2018 to highlight Federer 's deal .
Federer did not address the deal directly in his statement .
The activists - most of them students - appeared in court in Renens , Lausanne , on 7 January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supporters gathered outside holding banners which read : `` Credit Suisse is destroying the planet .
Roger , do you support them ? ''
• Climate change : Where we are in seven charts Greta Thunberg - the Swedish teenager who has become the public face of worldwide protests against government policies on climate change - joined the criticism against Federer and Credit Suisse when she retweeted a post from activists 350.org Europe .
The post said loans by Credit Suisse to companies investing in fossil fuels were incompatible with action on climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up '' .
In his response , the 20-time Grand Slam champion who is in Melbourne for the Australian Open , said : `` I take the impacts and threat of climate change very seriously , particularly as my family and I arrive in Australia amidst devastation from the bushfires . ''
Federer said he had `` a great deal of respect and admiration for the youth climate movement '' and was `` grateful to young climate activists for pushing us all to examine our behaviours and act on innovative solutions '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves to listen .
I appreciate reminders of my responsibility as a private individual , as an athlete and as an entrepreneur , and I 'm committed to using this privileged position to dialogue on important issues with my sponsors . ''
For its part , Credit Suisse has said it is `` seeking to align its loan portfolios with the objectives of the Paris Agreement [ to combat climate change ] and has recently announced in the context of its global climate strategy that it will no longer invest in new coal-fired @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part in a fundraising event next Wednesday in aid of relief efforts to address the Australian bushfires which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed thousands of homes since September .
More on the Australian bushfires :

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bbc--2020-01-12--Brexit: EU 'won't be rushed' on trade deal, says Simon Coveney

The EU `` will not be rushed '' on a trade deal with the UK after Brexit , according to Ireland 's deputy PM .
Boris Johnson says a deal can be agreed by the end of 2020 and has included a pledge in his Brexit bill not to extend any transition period to secure one .
But Simon Coveney says it is `` probably going to take longer than a year '' .
Security Minister Brandon Lewis defended Mr Johnson 's deadline , saying he had a `` strong record of getting things done '' .
After the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will enter an 11-month transition period , where it will largely follow EU rules but will not have any representation in the bloc 's institutions .
This period will come to an end on 31 December and Mr Johnson has ruled out extending it any further if a deal on the future relationship between the UK and EU has not been agreed .
• What is the Withdrawal Agreement Bill ?
• What is the transition period ?
The promise is included in the prime minister 's Brexit bill , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and will now head to the House of Lords before becoming law .
But opposition parties have raised concerns about the hard deadline , saying it creates another way of the UK leaving without a deal .
Speaking on the BBC 's Andrew Marr programme , Mr Coveney said he accepted the UK was leaving the EU at the end of January , and he hoped for the future deal to `` achieve the closest possible relationship '' between the two sides .
But he warned there was `` no way of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have today while outside the European Union , '' adding : `` That is the reality of Brexit , I 'm afraid . ''
Mr Coveney said Mr Johnson had `` set a very ambitious timetable '' in his bill .
`` Just because a British parliament decides that British law says something does n't mean that law applies to the other 27 countries of the European Union , '' he added .
`` The European Union will approach this on the basis of getting the best deal possible , a fair and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the EU can interact as friends in the future .
`` But the EU will not be rushed on this just because Britain passes law . ''
The deputy prime minister ( Tanaiste ) said the EU had `` constantly warned [ Mr Johnson 's ] timeframe is ambitious , if not unrealistic '' .
`` From an EU perspective , we will try to approach all of these really important and sensitive areas with a sense of partnership and friendship .
`` But at the same time , they are complex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is probably going to take longer than a year .
But we will have to wait and see . ''
Government minister Mr Lewis admitted the negotiations would be difficult , but he disagreed with Mr Coveney 's assessment of the timetable .
`` I think we can do it , '' he told Andrew Marr .
`` I think it can be done , not just because both parties… are committed to doing it , and want to do it , but we are a country that has already got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU .
`` Therefore getting a holistic agreement in the next 12 months is achievable '' .
Mr Coveney 's comments followed a speech by new European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen earlier this week , saying it would be `` impossible '' to reach a comprehensive trade deal by the end of 2020 .
She warned that without an extension to the transition period beyond 2020 `` you can not expect to agree every single aspect of our new partnership '' .
She called the deadline `` very tight '' .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ German defence minister , took over from Jean-Claude Juncker at the start of December .
She met Mr Johnson for talks in London last week .

"I think we can do it," he told Andrew Marr. "I think it can be done, not just because both parties… are committed to doing it, and want to do it, but we are a country that has already got a known pattern of work with the EU.


bbc--2020-01-12--Malta: Robert Abela elected new PM after crisis over journalist's murder

Malta 's governing party has elected a new leader and prime minister to replace Joseph Muscat , who resigned over the murder of a journalist .
Robert Abela won the Labour Party leadership contest with 57.9 % of the vote , reports say .
His predecessor Mr Muscat said he would quit last month over the scandal surrounding the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia .
She was killed by a car bomb in 2017 as she investigated corruption in Malta .
Mr Muscat 's handling of the murder inquiry caused widespread anger .
He was accused of protecting allies implicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
His replacement - the son of Malta 's former President George Abela - will be sworn in on Monday .
• Why Malta ’ s prime minister had to go Early counts suggest Mr Abela beat his closest rival Chris Fearne , a 56-year-old surgeon , by more than 2,500 votes .
Around 17,500 Labour Party members were expected to cast their ballots in the leadership contest .
In his victory speech , Mr Abela , a 42-year-old lawyer , called on his party to `` work together for unity '' , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuity candidate , Mr Abela avoided criticising Mr Muscat or his handling of the inquiry into Caruana Galizia 's death during the campaign .
Why did Muscat step down ?
Mr Muscat announced his resignation in December last year , as the scandal over the inquiry into Caruana Galizia 's murder reached fever pitch .
Fury over the scandal grew when businessman Yorgen Fenech was charged with complicity in the murder , an allegation he denies .
Mr Muscat 's chief of staff , Keith Schembri , was then arrested and questioned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Schembri was later released but is still under investigation .
Caruana Galizia , known as the `` one woman WikiLeaks '' , exposed corruption at the highest levels of government and business circles in Malta .
The journalist 's family argued that as long as Mr Muscat remained PM , a full investigation into Caruana Galizia 's death was not possible .
Three men have been charged with triggering the bomb which killed Caruana Galizia near her home in October 2017 .
They were arrested in December 2017 and pleaded not @ @ @ @ @

Mr Muscat's chief of staff, Keith Schembri, was then arrested and questioned in connection with the killing of Caruana Galizia. Mr Schembri was later released but is still under investigation.


bbc--2020-01-12--Migrant crisis: Eight children die as boat sinks off Turkey

Eight children were among the 11 migrants who drowned when their boat sank off Turkey 's western coast , state media report .
Eight other people were rescued from the waters off Cesme , a tourist resort on the Aegean coast opposite the Greek island of Chios .
Their nationalities are not yet known .
Turkey has been a key transit point for migrants trying to reach Europe , mainly via Greece .
Many are fleeing violence and persecution in their countries .
Many rely on people smugglers and face dangerous land and sea routes which often result in deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial deal with the European Union to stem the flow of migrants and refugees to Europe .
• How a teenager risked all for a life in limbo The Turkish Coast Guard said it responded to `` screaming sounds '' from the sea at around 20:30 local time ( 17:30 GMT ) on Saturday .
Cesme is just 15km ( nine miles ) from Chios , where thousands of migrants are living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions .
The number of people crossing from Turkey has risen sharply recently .
Most of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Syria .
Turkish authorities held some 60,000 people trying to cross the Mediterranean last year , while almost 9,000 suspected human traffickers were arrested , according to state-run Anadolu news agency .
Turkey is home to some four million refugees , the largest refugee population in the world , and over 3.6 million of them are from Syria .
Hours earlier , another migrant boat sank in the Ionian Sea near the south-western Greek island of Paxi , leaving at least 12 dead .
Greek officials said 21 people had been rescued and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many people were on the vessel .
The nationalities and age of the migrants have not been confirmed .

Hours earlier, another migrant boat sank in the Ionian Sea near the south-western Greek island of Paxi, leaving at least 12 dead. Greek officials said 21 people had been rescued and that they were still trying to determine how many people were on the vessel.


bbc--2020-01-12--US storms: At least 11 killed as severe weather hits south

At least 11 people have died as a result of severe storms sweeping across parts of the southern US , bringing high winds and heavy rain .
Deaths were reported in the states of Alabama , Louisiana and Texas .
Hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by power cuts as a result of the storms , while homes have been destroyed and roads flooded .
Several tornado warnings were in place on Saturday , with Alabama said to be most at risk .
The storms have also brought the threat of ice and snow to parts of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday at Chicago 's two main airports .
• Could mystery sounds help to predict storms ?
• Why tornado chasers are facing a storm over safety The Bossier Parish Sheriff 's Office in Louisiana said an elderly couple died on Friday , when a tornado destroyed their mobile home , carrying it some 200ft ( 61m ) from its foundations .
The couple 's three dogs remained unaccounted for .
Another man in the state was killed on Friday when a tree fell on his home , officials said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that three people were killed in Pickens County , Alabama .
Details were not immediately clear , but local media reported that they died as a result of an apparent tornado .
`` Please take these warnings seriously , '' the NWS in Birmingham , Alabama , said on Twitter when announcing the fatalities .
In Texas , one person died on Friday night when a car flipped into a creek in the city of Dallas .
A 44-year-old man in the state 's Nacogdoches County also died when a tree fell onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say buildings have been damaged in the extreme weather , while there were widespread reports of trees and power lines being felled .
The states of Missouri , Oklahoma and Arkansas suffered property damage on Friday but reported no injuries .
People affected by the storms were urged on Saturday to seek shelter and avoid flooded roads .
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In Texas, one person died on Friday night when a car flipped into a creek in the city of Dallas. A 44-year-old man in the state's Nacogdoches County also died when a tree fell onto his home, officials said.


bbc--2020-01-12--Motorcyclist dies in Dakar Rally

Motorcyclist dies in Dakar Rally

Portuguese motorbike rider Paulo Goncalves has died after a crash during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia .
The 40-year-old suffered the fatal accident after 276 kilometres ( 171 miles ) of the seventh stage .
A statement from organisers said he was pronounced dead in hospital having earlier been found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest .
`` The entire Dakar caravan would like to extend its sincere condolences to his friends and family , '' it said .
The event , once known as the Paris-Dakar Rally , is being held in Saudi Arabia for the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America following a switch from its original Saharan African route because of security concerns .
Scores of riders , drivers and crew - including two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso - are competing in various vehicles over 12 stages .
Goncalves , the 2013 cross-country rallies world champion , was taking part in his 13th Dakar Rally and was runner-up to Marc Coma five years ago .
Riding for Hero Motorsports Team Rally , he had been in 46th place overall going into the seventh stage from Riyadh to Wadi Al Dawasi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight minutes after organisers were alerted to the crash , but he was pronounced dead at Layla Hospital .
Last week , British motorcyclist Sam Sunderland retired injured after injuring his back and shoulder in a crash on the fifth stage .
Sunderland , 30 , became the only Briton to win any class in the 42-year history of the Dakar rally on the bike in 2017 .

Last updated on .From the section Motorsport
Goncalves had finished in the Dakar Rally top 10 four times
Portuguese motorbike rider Paulo Goncalves has died after a crash during the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
The 40-year-old suffered the fatal accident after 276 kilometres (171 miles) of the seventh stage.
A statement from organisers said he was pronounced dead in hospital having earlier been found unconscious after suffering a cardiac arrest.
"The entire Dakar caravan would like to extend its sincere condolences to his friends and family," it said.
The event, once known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, is being held in Saudi Arabia for the first time, having spent a decade in South America following a switch from its original Saharan African route because of security concerns.
Scores of riders, drivers and crew - including two-time Formula 1 world champion Fernando Alonso - are competing in various vehicles over 12 stages.
Goncalves, the 2013 cross-country rallies world champion, was taking part in his 13th Dakar Rally and was runner-up to Marc Coma five years ago.
Riding for Hero Motorsports Team Rally, he had been in 46th place overall going into the seventh stage from Riyadh to Wadi Al Dawasi.
A helicopter arrived with the rider eight minutes after organisers were alerted to the crash, but he was pronounced dead at Layla Hospital.
Goncalves is the first competitor to die in the gruelling endurance event since Polish motorcycle rider Michal Hernik in Argentina in 2015.
Last week, British motorcyclist Sam Sunderland retired injured after injuring his back and shoulder in a crash on the fifth stage.
Sunderland, 30, became the only Briton to win any class in the 42-year history of the Dakar rally on the bike in 2017.


bbc--2020-01-11--Australia fires: Plants photographed regrowing in ashes

The unprecedented bushfires sweeping parts of Australia have devastated huge areas of the country 's natural environment .
At least half a billion animals and countless trees , plants and other living things have been killed since the fires began in September .
More than 6.3 million hectares ( 63,000 sq km or 15.6 million acres ) have been burned so far - one hectare is roughly the size of a sports field .
But in some recently-burned areas , signs of life are returning , as captured by local photographer Murray Lowe , who went to investigate how fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kulnura on Central Coast , New South Wales .
• A very simple guide to the fires Walking on the grey ash , next to mobile phone masts downed by the fire that ravaged the area in late December , he found green grasses and rose-coloured leaves sprouting through burnt tree trunks .
The photos have been shared thousands of times on social media since Mr Lowe , who 's 71 , posted them on Monday , as people search for hope amid the devastation .
A keen photographer , Mr Lowe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a break from his `` normal coastal sunrise images '' .
Driving through Kulnura , he stopped at the edge of Dhurag National Park , in a small residential community which largely survived the fire .
`` The ground puffed up ash into the air from each footstep as we walked among the tree trunks in the eerie silence and stillness that only fires of this intensity can produce in aftermath , '' Mr Lowe , a retired vehicle inspector , explained .
• The 16-year-old who lost his home in the fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him hope , after witnessing what seemed like `` total destruction '' .
`` This was the sign of renewal we had been seeking .
We were witnessing the rebirth of a forest that Australia is so well-known for , '' he said .
The 14,850 hectare Dhurag National Park , which remains closed due to fire threat , is home to several species only found in south-west Australia , including the gymea lily .
Yes - these plant species have experienced frequent fires for tens of millions of years .
This has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop the ability to recover after being burnt , explained Dr Kimberley Simpson , a fire ecology expert at the University of Sheffield .
Plants have evolved two ways of doing this .
The first is resprouting , which is clearly visible in the photographs , according to Dr Simpson .
Many Australian tree species , including most Eucalyptus species , have epicormics buds , which are set deep beneath thick bark and are insulated from intense heat .
Many shrubs and grasses are also protected by fire by insulating layer of soil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The second way in which plant species recover quickly is through regeneration from heat-resistant seeds .
In fact , growth conditions are optimal after a fire for small seedlings , due to ample light and nutrients released from ash .
Dr Simpson explained that it is `` common to see a rapid greening of the ground after fire '' .
However , there is no evidence of this process in Mr Lowe 's photographs , said Dr Simpson , because these seeds need rain to germinate and there has no been no rain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this happen all over fire-hit Australia ?
Regeneration after fire occurs over years - some species resprout soon after fire , and others take longer .
However , the size and severity of this season 's fires `` raise concerns about the survival of species that are adapted to fire '' , said Dr Simpson .
She said the high temperatures the fires are reaching , combined with the unprecedented drought in many parts of Australia , are likely to cause high plant mortality .
`` We may see local extinctions in cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recover , '' she suggested .
Particularly concerning is the impact of fire in Australia 's rainforests , which do n't normally experience fire , and are poorly equipped to recover after being burned .

However, there is no evidence of this process in Mr Lowe's photographs, said Dr Simpson, because these seeds need rain to germinate and there has no been no rain in Kulnara since the fires.


bbc--2020-01-12--Saving an indigenous language from extinction

The Sami are the only officially recognised indigenous people in the EU and some of their languages are on the @ @ @ @ @ Wesslin is a journalist who successfully lobbied Finland 's education minister to provide funds for @ @ @ @ @ is one of only two journalists in the world broadcasting in the Skolt Sami language @

The Sami are the only officially recognised indigenous people in the EU and some of their languages are on the brink of extinction.
Sara Wesslin is a journalist who successfully lobbied Finland's education minister to provide funds for Sami language teaching.
She is one of only two journalists in the world broadcasting in the Skolt Sami language.
Producer: Erika Benke, Camera: Daniel Csogor, Editor: Soraya Auer


bbc--2020-01-12--LGBT armed forces ban: 'How far we've come'

Two decades have passed since the government lifted a ban on gay people serving in the British armed forces .
@ @ @ @ @ says the forces are `` now seen as some of the UK 's most inclusive @ @ @ @ @ n't the case before 12 January 2000 .
He 's been hearing from three people @ @ @ @ @ experiences of being LGBT in the military .

Two decades have passed since the government lifted a ban on gay people serving in the British armed forces.
While LGBT correspondent Ben Hunte says the forces are "now seen as some of the UK's most inclusive employers", that wasn't the case before 12 January 2000.
He's been hearing from three people who have had very different experiences of being LGBT in the military.


bbc--2020-01-09--Your pictures on the theme of 'individuality'

Simon Perry : `` I ’ ve seen this individual in Malton , North Yorkshire , many times but never @ @ @ @ @ him if I could take his photograph .
Then , one day… 'Why do you @ @ @ @ @ ? '
he asked suspiciously .
I couldn ’ t think what to reply , @ @ @ @ @ ‘ I ’ m a photographer , ’ so he agreed .
I was sad @ @ @ @ @ away in November . ''

Image caption,
Simon Perry: "I’ve seen this individual in Malton, North Yorkshire, many times but never had the courage to ask him if I could take his photograph. Then, one day… 'Why do you want to take my photograph?' he asked suspiciously. I couldn’t think what to reply, so I just said, ‘I’m a photographer,’ so he agreed. I was sad to hear that he passed away in November."


bbc--2020-01-12--Iran plane crash: Why this could be a watershed moment

After days of denial , the Iranian authorities admitted that a crash involving a Ukrainian International Airlines jetliner was caused by human error .
The crash on Wednesday came just hours after Iran had launched a series of ballistic missiles at Iraqi bases hosting US troops , in a bid to avenge the killing of senior commander Qasem Soleimani .
It was amid these high tensions , Iran says , that an air defence operator misidentified flight PS752 as a cruise missile and shot it down , killing all 176 people on board .
While Iran initially denied responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies soon uncovered evidence that one of the country 's surface-to-air missile had caused the accident .
This led to significant international pressure for Iran to openly investigate the case .
Tehran 's decision to reverse its initial statements and take full responsibility for the crash provoked a positive response from several countries , including those whose passengers were onboard - Canada , the UK , Germany , and Sweden .
The admission of guilt was ultimately read as a positive first step .
• What we know about flight PS752 • Plane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But officials from these governments also said the admission should be followed by constructive behaviour from Iran .
This would likely mean it pursuing a transparent investigation , the repatriation of the bodies and compensation for the victims , as well as taking the necessary steps to ensure similar tragedies are averted in future .
On the international front , the crash of flight PS752 is unlikely to result in further escalation and might even provide an opportunity for defusing some of the tensions which have been simmering over the past few months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this tragic accident could have much deeper repercussions .
Just days before the flight was downed , Iran displayed an unprecedented level of unity and popular support when millions of people poured on to the streets all over the country to mourn the death of Soleimani .
This seemed to indicate that , when faced with the external threat of military confrontation , Iranians from different political and economic backgrounds could come together and put aside their divisions .
But the shooting down of flight PS752 and the subsequent denials from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and become even sharper .
While the admission of guilt could assuage some of the popular criticism towards the grave mishandling of the situation , the establishment might still be perceived as having tried to hide evidence and avoid responsibility before international pressure mounted on Iran to come clean .
This is likely to revive the divisions and unrest that erupted in November when the Iranian government approved a sharp spike in fuel prices .
This move triggered large demonstrations across the country and resulted in widespread repression and the killing of at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth is an important first step , the Iranian people will likely demand accountability and the prosecution of those responsible , as well as the adoption of all the steps needed to ensure this does not happen again .
They will also pay attention to how the victims of the air crash are treated by the Iranian elite .
An important test here is whether their funerals will result in national mourning , similar to that of Soleimani , or instead be largely ignored .
All of these demands will be added to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy and the limitations on some social freedoms .
Parliamentary elections are due to take place in just over a month and internal discord over this crash could lead to further unrest .
Plus , tension with the West has abated but is far from over .
The way in which the government and the rest of the establishment handle the broader repercussions of this plane crash could be a watershed moment for Iran .
The choices it makes are likely to reverberate throughout Iranian politics and society for months , or even @ @ @ @ @

But officials from these governments also said the admission should be followed by constructive behaviour from Iran. This would likely mean it pursuing a transparent investigation, the repatriation of the bodies and compensation for the victims, as well as taking the necessary steps to ensure similar tragedies are averted in future.


bbc--2020-01-12--John Baldessari: The artist who cremated his own paintings

One day in 1970 , the Californian artist John Baldessari looked back over the paintings he had done over a period of almost two decades .
And he decided to burn them all .
Baldessari had begun his career in the 1950s by sticking to tradition .
He was in his twenties , and he was still figuring out who he was as an artist and , most importantly , who he wanted to be .
The result was an inventory of relatively traditional semi-abstract paintings .
Rather than doing what most artists do and simply storing them away , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a crematorium in nearby San Diego , and had the entire lot destroyed .
The ashes filled 10 large boxes - some of which were stored in a book-shaped urn , engraved with his name , which then lived on his bookshelf for the rest of his life .
Baldessari combined some of the other ashes with cookie dough , and the resulting cookies were exhibited at New York 's Museum of Modern Art ( MoMA ) .
`` To be creative you have to have destruction quite often too , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` It 's like the idea of a phoenix rising from the ashes . ''
In honour of the old artworks , he placed a death notice in a local newspaper .
Just a year later , he declared to the world : `` I will not make any more boring art . ''
John Baldessari died on 2 January , aged 88 , having kept that promise .
Baldessari was born on 17 June 1931 in National City , California , just a few miles from Tijuana on the Mexican border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in San Diego , and was almost immediately drawn to teaching - taking up teaching posts at a junior high school , a community college , and then University of California , San Diego .
He even spent a summer teaching art to teenagers at a camp for juvenile offenders run by the local authority .
Baldessari had already begun experimenting with new art forms before the cremation in 1970 - including paintings that were text-based , or combined text and image .
For example , he printed an intentionally bad photograph on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the word `` WRONG '' written underneath it .
In another work , Tips For Artists Who Want to Sell , he painted his deadpan advice for creating commercially appealing artwork - including tips such as , `` paintings with light colours sell more quickly than paintings with dark colours '' .
In summer 1970 , after the cremation day , he began teaching a course at CalArts on `` post-studio art '' - that is , art beyond the studio .
As well as teaching , it was there that he started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ short film of himself writing `` I will not make any more boring art '' over and over again on a ruled notebook .
But as conceptual art developed a reputation for being cerebral ( that is , code for impenetrable ) , Baldessari injected humour into his work - sometimes by riffing off other conceptual artists , such as Sol LeWitt .
`` The first thing you would say about John is that he was hilarious , '' curator Kate Fowle tells the BBC .
`` He took his job as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't take art seriously .
He did n't take the art world seriously .
He understood what it was , of course , but his joy was ... well , he used to say to people , 'just go out and look at art - it does n't matter if you do n't like it , just go and look , something will resonate in the end ' . ''
As well as being hilarious , she adds , he was tall .
Very tall .
According to artist David Salle , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 1970s , he was 6 ' 7 '' - something that , for a long time , earned him `` the distinction of being the tallest serious artist in the world '' .
In the 1980s , he began working with photo collages - in particular , old Hollywood movie stills and photographs from newspapers .
One such photograph , Ms Fowle recalls , was a film noir still .
In it , a beautiful woman reclined on the beach , calmly reading a book .
Baldessari 's text caption beneath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read . ''
He would also often obscure the people in these photographs with coloured stickers , which turned out to be old price tags .
As he told NPR years later : `` I just got so tired of looking at these faces . ''
`` John did n't make work that demanded that you know something before you could enjoy it , '' Ms Fowle says .
`` He would mix in words and images , but it was n't like , if you worked really hard you would get to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was n't trying to test people . ''
'We arrived in time for the birthing' Imparting the joy of art to others through teaching was Baldessari 's passion - as much as making his own art .
His gallerist , Marian Goodman , tells the BBC : `` He gave a great deal to his students - a great deal .
He really helped them become significant artists .
People came from all over to study with him , and were beholden to him for all that he taught . ''
Salle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ described taking Baldessari 's post-studio art class was `` legendary '' .
`` [ It ] bestowed on those of us with enough brains to notice , a feeling of unbelievable luck of being in exactly the right place at the right time for the new freedoms in art - we arrived in time for the birthing , so to speak . ''
He remained a prolific creator , too - even into his 80s .
In late 2009 , Tate Modern in London staged a retrospective of his work - often a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ autumn of their career .
Baldessari , however , spent the next two years creating an entirely new collection of work .
These were shown at an exhibition at Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow in 2013 .
Two years later , in 2015 , the man who began his career by burning his own `` boring '' paintings to a crisp was awarded the National Medal of Arts by then-US President Barack Obama .
As Salle wrote : `` Collectors who , a few decades ago , might have considered 'conceptual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have time for are now lining up for a chance to own a Baldessari .
`` Despite - or perhaps because of - John 's contrarian nature , he is firmly in the canon . ''

"He took his job as an artist very seriously - but he didn't take art seriously. He didn't take the art world seriously. He understood what it was, of course, but his joy was... well, he used to say to people, 'just go out and look at art - it doesn't matter if you don't like it, just go and look, something will resonate in the end'."


bbc--2020-01-12--Researchers: Are we on the cusp of an ‘AI winter’?

The last decade was a big one for artificial intelligence but researchers in the field believe that the industry is about to enter a new phase .
Hype surrounding AI has peaked and troughed over the years as the abilities of the technology get overestimated and then re-evaluated .
The peaks are known as AI summers , and the troughs AI winters .
The 10s were arguably the hottest AI summer on record with tech giants repeatedly touting AI 's abilities .
AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio , sometimes called one of the `` godfathers of AI '' , told the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overhyped in the 10s by certain companies with an interest in doing so .
There are signs , however , that the hype might be about to start cooling off .
`` I have the sense that AI is transitioning to a new phase , '' said Katja Hoffman , a principal researcher at Microsoft Research in Cambridge .
Given the billions being invested in AI and the fact that there are likely to be more breakthroughs ahead , some researchers believe it would be wrong to call this new phase an AI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is also a professor of AI and robotics at Sheffield University , told the BBC that he likes the term `` AI autumn '' - and several others agree .
At the start of the 2010s , one of the world leaders in AI , DeepMind , often referred to something called AGI , or `` artificial general intelligence '' being developed at some point in the future .
Machines that possess AGI - widely thought of as the holy grail in AI - would be just as smart as humans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeepMind 's lofty AGI ambitions caught the attention of Google , who paid around £400m for the London-based AI lab in 2014 when it had the following mission statement splashed across its website : `` Solve intelligence , and then use that to solve everything else . ''
Several others started to talk about AGI becoming a reality , including Elon Musk 's $ 1bn AI lab , OpenAI , and academics like MIT professor Max Tegmark .
In 2014 , Nick Bostrom , a philosopher at Oxford University , went one step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predicts a world where machines are firmly in control .
But those conversations were taken less and less seriously as the decade went on .
At the end of 2019 , the smartest computers could still only excel at a `` narrow '' selection of tasks .
Gary Marcus , an AI researcher at New York University , said : `` By the end of the decade there was a growing realisation that current techniques can only carry us so far . ''
He thinks the industry needs some `` real innovation '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a general feeling of plateau , '' said Verena Rieser , a professor in conversational AI at Edinburgh 's Herriot Watt University .
One AI researcher who wishes to remain anonymous said we 're entering a period where we are especially sceptical about AGI .
`` The public perception of AI is increasingly dark : the public believes AI is a sinister technology , '' they said .
For its part , DeepMind has a more optimistic view of AI 's potential , suggesting that as yet `` we 're only just scratching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
`` As the community solves and discovers more , further challenging problems open up , '' explained Koray Kavukcuoglu , its vice president of research .
`` This is why AI is a long-term scientific research journey .
`` We believe AI will be one of the most powerful enabling technologies ever created - a single invention that could unlock solutions to thousands of problems .
The next decade will see renewed efforts to generalise the capabilities of AI systems to help achieve that potential - both building on methods that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to build general-purpose AI that can tackle a wide range of tasks . ''
'Far to go' While AGI is n't going to be created any time soon , machines have learned how to master complex tasks like : The relevance of these advances was overhyped at times , says ex-DeepMinder Edward Grefenstette , who now works in the Facebook AI Research group as a research scientist .
`` The field has come a very long way in the past decade , but we are very much aware that we still have far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make machines truly intelligent , '' he said .
`` One of the biggest challenges is to develop methods that are much more efficient in terms of the data and compute power required to learn to solve a problem well .
In the past decade , we 've seen impressive advances made by increasing the scale of data and computation available , but that 's not appropriate or scalable for every problem .
`` If we want to scale to more complex behaviour , we need to do better with less data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Neil Lawrence , who recently left Amazon and joined the University of Cambridge as the first DeepMind-funded professor of machine learning , thinks that the AI industry is very much still in the `` wonder years '' .
So what will AI look like at the end of the 20s , and how will researchers go about developing it ?
`` In the next decade , I hope we 'll see a more measured , realistic view of AI 's capability , rather than the hype we 've seen so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ex-Amazon AI researcher .
The term `` AI '' became a real buzzword through the last decade , with companies of all shapes and sizes latching onto the term , often for marketing purposes .
`` The manifold of things which were lumped into the term `` AI '' will be recognised and discussed separately , '' said Samim Winiger , a former AI researcher at Google in Berlin .
`` What we called 'AI ' or 'machine learning ' during the past 10-20 years , will be seen as just yet another @ @ @ @ @ @

"We believe AI will be one of the most powerful enabling technologies ever created - a single invention that could unlock solutions to thousands of problems. The next decade will see renewed efforts to generalise the capabilities of AI systems to help achieve that potential - both building on methods that have already been successful and researching how to build general-purpose AI that can tackle a wide range of tasks."


bbc--2020-01-12--Maxence Melo's Jamii Forums: Tanzania’s 'accidental journalist'

Tanzania 's Maxence Melo , the winner of last year 's International Press Freedom Award , never set out to be a journalist .
Sixteen years ago , he co-founded Jamii Forums , a website that exposed corruption and helped push for political accountability - as an alternative to the mainstream news outlets .
It won him global acclaim , for representing the best of journalism .
But in the last three years , he has been to court 137 times and has been detained overnight for his work .
It has not been easy : `` It 's tiresome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's tiresome , and there are times you feel like giving up , '' he told the BBC 's Sammy Awami in December .
Trained as a civil engineer , Mr Melo calls himself an `` accidental journalist . ''
He started the citizen journalism and whistle-blowing website Jamii Forums in 2003 , where citizens engaged in free discussions on issues facing the country .
The website became popular , and its success in its mission seemed to have rankled with the government .
Mr Melo was in 2008 arrested on accusations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped .
But it did n't end there .
Seven years later , Tanzania passed the controversial Cybercrimes Act - sometimes referred to as the Jamii Forums law .
The Cybercrimes Law ( 2015 ) and the Electronic and Postal Communications Act ( 2010 ) have been used to censor and limit criticism of the government , according to the Committee to Protect Journalists ( CPJ ) .
Journalists , media outlets and other players have fallen victims of these laws .
The Tanzania Editors ' Forum noted in 2018 that at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been suspended for between three and 36 months .
Freelance journalist Erick Kabendera 's arrest in July 2019 , initially on questions over his citizenship , which later changed to money-laundering charges , drew international condemnation .
His court case has faced a series of delays and he has been in detention ever since .
Tito Magoti , 26 , spent the festive period in remand after being arrested by authorities on 20 December in the main city , Dar es Salaam .
In 2016 , Mr Melo was charged under the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obstructing an investigation when he refused to hand over the details of people who post on the website .
'We have a team of 18 lawyers' Jamii Forums was shut down for 21 days in 2018 , forced to comply with harsh new online content regulations .
Despite the brushes with the authorities , facing legal actions and intimidation , Mr Melo has remained undeterred - and has also found acclaim .
He told the BBC that since the shutdown last year , they have had to hire multiple lawyers , redo their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ check all contributions on the website before they are published .
`` We have a team of 18 lawyers .
We had to rethink , restrategise , we had to welcome the University of Stanford to review our strategies , to review our operations and advise on better ways of doing our work , '' he said .
Still , he said , people can not talk freely .
`` Initially people were free , people could talk , you could do a little kind of editing of the comments they post on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a ] call to some civil servants and even politicians and they could comment on something .
But at the moment such possibilities are no longer available , '' he told the BBC .
He says that they have to get the lawyers to speak to sources to assure them of their security or privacy when they get attacked in any way for their contributions .
He laments about the `` shrinking '' media space amid a significant drop in Tanzania 's freedom of the press ranking .
In last year 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without Borders ( RSF ) , the country dropped 25 places - to 118 in the world .
`` No other country in the world has experienced such a drastic decline in press freedom in the past four years , '' the head of RSF 's Africa desk , Arnaud Froger , noted .
`` Silence or persecution seems to be the only alternative for media outlets and journalists that want to exercise a critical role in Tanzania . ''
The government insists there is freedom of expression in the country - and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do their job unless they commit a crime .
The Jamii Forums co-founder says that in his daily operations , he now has to consider the multiple agencies that regulate the media in Tanzania and his organisation has to review what they publish more than five times .
`` We have the TCRA [ Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority ] , the police , the board for the media - you have even the regulations themselves for the online platforms like Jamii Forums , the ministry of infrastructure… '' Also as part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the middle of all these different organisations or institutions and we have to make sure that the kind of content we take to the public is fact-checked , reviewed to ensure it is in compliance with the country 's laws . ''
He is worried about what this portends for the future , especially because of the elections due this year .
He thinks 2020 might be better for press freedom in Tanzania , but also points out that it is something `` you ca n't predict much , as long as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` So it is a challenging time to us , it 's a challenging times for the sector… everyone is worried about what might happen in the upcoming elections . ''
Despite the crackdown on journalists by the government in recent times , Mr Melo believes the authorities are listening .
`` You see the government might push you hard and you have to push back and you should be strategic to understand who your true allies from the government are . ''
But he also challenges the current administration to engage the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he believes can all work together to fight the common enemy that is corruption .
He points out these are the players who have helped expose the corruption cases that President John Magufuli is currently addressing .
`` President Magufuli is a president that everyone believes is fighting corruption… I believe if [ he ] is for real in fighting corruption , then he needs to engage the media . ''

"Also as part of the Cybercrimes Act, you find yourself in the middle of all these different organisations or institutions and we have to make sure that the kind of content we take to the public is fact-checked, reviewed to ensure it is in compliance with the country's laws."


bbc--2020-01-12--'I've paid $250,000 for a ticket into space'

Ketty Maisonrouge has waited 15 years for a trip that she knows will be out of this world .
The 61-year-old business school professor signed up back in 2005 for the promise of five minutes in zero-gravity , paying $ 250,000 ( £190,500 ) to travel beyond the earth 's atmosphere .
Now the company that sold her the ticket , Virgin Galactic , says it will finally begin flights this year .
Its founder , Sir Richard Branson , will be on the first trip , and Mrs Maisonrouge wo n't be far behind .
`` Hopefully it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Mrs Maisonrouge .
If all goes to plan , Virgin Galactic will be the first private company to take tourists into space .
The company says 600 people have already purchased tickets , including celebrities like Justin Bieber and Leonardo DiCaprio .
But rival firms are close behind .
Blue Origin , started by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , has also signed up passengers for trips it hopes to start this year , while SpaceX , founded by Tesla 's Elon Musk , announced in 2019 that a Japanese billionaire would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the moon .
In 2019 , Swiss bank UBS released a report estimating space tourism could become a $ 3bn industry in the next 10 years .
For Virgin Galactic , early buyers such as Mrs Maisonrouge helped prove the demand was there for private space travel - even with ticket prices at a quarter of a million dollars .
`` To be able to put products as expensive as space on the market in the first place does include a high premium , '' explains Julia Hunter , a senior vice-president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running of the human spaceflight programme .
Mrs Maisonrouge 's love of space started early .
She can still remember vividly the moment in July 1969 when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon .
When she learned that Virgin Galactic was offering to send ordinary travellers to space , she immediately rushed to sign up .
Since buying her ticket , Mrs Maisonrouge has kept her plans mostly private , sharing them only with family , close friends and her fellow `` founders '' - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holders .
In November 2019 , a group of them got their first chance to try on the spacesuits - designed by sportswear brand Under Armour - which they will wear on their trip to space .
`` For me , it was like the realisation that this is really going to happen soon , '' says Mrs Maisonrouge .
`` When you 've been waiting for 15 years , when you 've been dreaming about it for as long as you can remember , you wonder until it happens if it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the legendary Apollo missions , who went through months of rigorous training and gruelling physical ordeals , Mrs Maisonrouge and her fellow space tourists will take just three days to train for their trip .
Virgin Galactic says it could be shorter , but they want passengers to `` understand the choreography '' and `` get the most '' out of their experience .
She and fellow founders have also been given an early chance to visit Virgin Galactic 's terminal at Spaceport America , in the desert of New Mexico .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with floor-to-ceiling windows to view the launches , a barista to make fresh coffee and an interactive walkway .
From here , Virgin Galactic 's tourists will board spaceships for a 90-minute round trip with just a few minutes in low-orbit .
It 's a far more luxurious experience from the one that government astronauts have had .
Dan Hicks , who manages Spaceport America for the state of New Mexico , says Virgin Galactic is spearheading this new type of travel and that the facility will one day be a `` full-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A quarter of a million dollars may seem like a hefty price tag for a tourist trip .
But Virgin Galactic says it expects near-term demand for space flights to far outstrip supply , which could even cause the price of tickets to rise .
Seven private citizens have already paid for multi-million dollar tickets to go into space with Russian Soyuz spaceflights going back as far as 2001 , making them the first space tourists .
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( Nasa ) has also relied on Soyuz spaceships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Space Station ( ISS ) since it ended its shuttle program in 2011 , paying approximately $ 86m per spot .
Nasa is now also turning to private enterprise .
The agency has signed deals with SpaceX and Boeing to carry US astronauts .
Those tickets do n't come cheap either - Nasa is paying SpaceX $ 55m per spot and Boeing $ 90m .
Spaceflights for government astronauts and space tourists are only part of the potential private space industry .
Point-to-point travel that leaves Earth 's orbit could become a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UBS .
By leaving the planet 's orbit , trips across the world would be much faster .
SpaceX has already released marketing material for a 40-minute flight from New York City to Shanghai , using its spaceflight technology .
That could mean far more of us get the chance to sample space travel , at least briefly .
The space travel industry has caught the eye not just of billionaire businessmen such as Sir Richard and Jeff Bezos , but also Wall Street investors .
Virgin Galactic became the first human space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stock market in October 2019 .
For the many people hoping to make money from space tourism , 2020 could be the year when stellar promises really start to take off .

"For me, it was like the realisation that this is really going to happen soon," says Mrs Maisonrouge. "When you've been waiting for 15 years, when you've been dreaming about it for as long as you can remember, you wonder until it happens if it will really happen."


bbc--2020-01-12--The deadly 'ghost gear' which haunts seas and coastlines

More than half a million tonnes of fishing gear is estimated to be lost or abandoned every year in the world 's seas and oceans .
Some of it entangles and kills wildlife at sea and on shore .
It includes fishing nets , long lines , fish traps and lobster pots left drifting at sea usually after being accidently lost from fishing grounds or boats , or discarded in an emergency such as in a storm .
`` Fishing gear is designed to trap marine organisms , and it can continue to do so long after the gear is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' says Joel Baziuk of the Global Ghost Gear Initiative ( GGGI ) .
`` When lost fishing gear keeps catching fish after its intended lifespan , it is called ghost fishing . ''
He said ghost gear was the most harmful form of debris to marine life because of the risk of entanglement or entrapment .
GGGI estimates at least 640,000 tonnes of fishing gear are lost or abandoned every year .
The hotspots include the Gulf of Carpentaria in Australia and Hawaii in the Pacific .
Joel says : `` Ghost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place , and that includes Scotland . ''
The risks this marine pollution poses to wildlife include entanglement , when animals get wrapped up in rope and other gear .
In Scotland , the Scottish Marine Animal Strandings Scheme ( Smass ) , which investigates marine animal deaths , recorded 12 entanglement cases in 2019 .
They included a pregnant whale found dead and tangled in a fishing net in Orkney in October .
The net was jammed in the animal 's baleen , the filter-feeder system inside its mouth .
In May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gear washed up dead close to Scrabster , near Thurso on the north Caithness coast .
The previous month , another humpback whale was found to have been entangled in rope for `` weeks , if not months '' before it drowned off the East Lothian coast near Tyningham .
What are the other risks ?
Entanglement is not the only threat posed to whales .
A sperm whale that died after stranding on the Isle of Harris in November had a 100kg `` litter ball '' in its stomach .
Fishing nets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and plastic cups were among the items discovered in a compacted mass during an investigation by Smass .
Seals have also been caught up in nets and ropes , though there have been successful rescues of these animals , including the saving of a five-week-old grey seal pup entangled in a plastic net on Lewis .
A hotline run by British Divers Marine Life Rescue ( BDMLR ) has received 47 reports of entangled seals this year in Britain .
Some of the animals were lucky and were rescued , or managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include animals that forage on shorelines .
In 2017 , stags on the Isle of Rum were found with fishing gear caught in their antlers .
Two of the animals died after becoming snarled up together in discarded fishing rope , while another stag was photographed with an orange buoy and rope balled up in its antlers .
Even tiny fragments of ghost gear is a risk , say conservationists .
Noel Hawkins , of the Scottish Wildlife Trust 's Living Seas project , says : `` Some of the small stuff can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seabirds swallow it thinking it is fish eggs or food .
`` They choke on it and even use it as nest material , which endangers chicks . ''
What is being done ?
Scotland is playing its part in a global effort to tackle ghost gear .
In a GGGI project , divers from the Ghost Fishing UK initiative have carried out underwater clean-ups in Orkney .
BDMLR , meanwhile , is part of the Scottish Entanglement Alliance ( Sea ) , a coalition of conservation groups , rescue teams and fishermen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best practices to avoid entanglements and the most effective responses to any incidents .
This year the alliance trained 20 people working in the fishing industry throughout Scotland in how to help disentangle animals .
And there have been success stories .
In October , BDMLR helped to free a humpback from fishing ropes in Orkney .
New technology , such as prawn creels that can be lowered into the sea and returned to the surface without the need of ropes is also being trialled .
What else is happening in Scotland ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fishing industry across Europe is `` actively engaged '' with the issue of discarded gear .
`` Very little '' fishing equipment is lost at sea by the Scottish fleet , according to the federation 's chief executive Elspeth Macdonald .
She says : `` Trawl nets are expensive , which means that skippers try to get as much use as possible out of them , and put them ashore to be mended when required .
`` The bulk of the ghost gear found in the Scottish sector is monofilament netting used by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the west coast . ''
There is also an effort to clean up ghost gear that washes up on Scotland 's shores .
In the north west Highlands , Scottish Wildlife Trust 's Living Seas project has been setting up beach clean stations in remote locations .
The stations are large pallet boxes with litter pickers and bags attached and members of the public walking along the beaches are encourage to use the stations to gather up any litter they find .
The project 's Noel Hawkins says : `` One of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canna beach has taken in over tonne of rubbish alone . ''
In July , tonnes of rubbish was removed from the Summer Isles in the north west Highlands in another of the project 's clean-ups .
Fishing ropes and nets were among the other items gathered in a clean-up But Noel says : `` It is worth remembering that some estimates think only 3 to 5 % of rubbish actually comes ashore though .
`` There is still a lot more out there . ''
All images are subject to copyright .

In 2017, stags on the Isle of Rum were found with fishing gear caught in their antlers. Two of the animals died after becoming snarled up together in discarded fishing rope, while another stag was photographed with an orange buoy and rope balled up in its antlers.


bbc--2020-01-12--1912 polar mission holds vital clues to climate change

A scientific institution founded in the wake of the fatal Scott expedition to Antarctica is `` vital '' to `` our understanding of the global climate '' .
Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his four companions died returning from the South Pole in 1912 .
Money poured in after his last written words were revealed to be `` for God 's sake look after our people '' .
Cambridge University founded the Scott Polar Research Institute 100 years ago using £6,000 of the £76,000 raised .
Captain Scott 's failed attempt to lead the first team to reach the South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Norwegian team , is well known .
But the 1910-1913 Terra Nova expedition was also the largest-ever research mission to the pole , involving 12 scientists .
Scott chose four companions to accompany him on the South Pole attempt - and several pounds of geological samples and scientific notebooks were found beside their bodies .
`` Their observations are a century-old baseline against which contemporary change can be measured , '' said institute director Prof Julian Dowdeswell The institute was the base for scientific expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it was the government 's centre for research into cold weather warfare .
After the war it became an international centre for research in a variety of fields related to the polar environment .
Institute associate Brian Roberts helped found the Antarctic Treaty in 1959 , under which the continent can be `` be used for peaceful purposes only '' .
Its scientists invented radio echo sounding in the 1960s to measure the depth of ice - an invention now used by space missions to measure ice on Mars .
Most recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ built at the institute for a project in Greenland measuring ice sheet melt .
Prof Dowdeswell said : `` The institute 's scientific work on the icy world provides a vital component of our understanding of the global climate .
`` And it continues to inspire next generations of polar researchers . ''

The institute was the base for scientific expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic in the 1930s and, during World War Two, it was the government's centre for research into cold weather warfare.


bbc--2020-01-12--Titans shock Ravens in NFL play-offs after 49ers beat Vikings

The Tennessee Titans shocked the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers also advanced in the NFL divisional play-offs .
Ryan Tannehill passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Titans beat the AFC top seeds 28-12 .
They will meet the winners of Sunday 's Kansas City Chiefs-Houston Texans game for the AFC title on 19 January .
The 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 with Tevin Coleman rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns .
San Francisco will now host the Green Bay Packers or the Seattle Seahawks for the NFC title , also on 19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 23:40 GMT on Sunday after the Chiefs play the Texans ( 20:05 GMT ) .
The winners of the AFC and NFC Championship games will advance to Super Bowl 54 in Miami on 2 February .
Running back Derrick Henry rushed for a franchise post-season-record 195 yards on 30 carries and also passed for a touchdown as the Titans brushed aside their hosts .
`` We 're just going to work and believe in each other .
That 's our mentality , to come out here and work .
That 's our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Henry .
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson , tipped to be the league 's Most Valuable Player , was intercepted twice and lost a fumble .
The 49ers never trailed , with their defence holding the Vikings to 21 yards rushing and 147 total yards .
Minnesota had only seven first downs as Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins could not get on track and was sacked six times .

Last updated on .From the section American football
The Tennessee Titans shocked the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers also advanced in the NFL divisional play-offs.
Ryan Tannehill passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Titans beat the AFC top seeds 28-12.
They will meet the winners of Sunday's Kansas City Chiefs-Houston Texans game for the AFC title on 19 January.
The 49ers beat the Minnesota Vikings 27-10 with Tevin Coleman rushing for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
San Francisco will now host the Green Bay Packers or the Seattle Seahawks for the NFC title, also on 19 January.
The Packers host the Seahawks at 23:40 GMT on Sunday after the Chiefs play the Texans (20:05 GMT).
The winners of the AFC and NFC Championship games will advance to Super Bowl 54 in Miami on 2 February.
Running back Derrick Henry rushed for a franchise post-season-record 195 yards on 30 carries and also passed for a touchdown as the Titans brushed aside their hosts.
"We're just going to work and believe in each other. That's our mentality, to come out here and work. That's our mindset, focus on business," said Henry.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, tipped to be the league's Most Valuable Player, was intercepted twice and lost a fumble.
The 49ers never trailed, with their defence holding the Vikings to 21 yards rushing and 147 total yards.
Minnesota had only seven first downs as Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins could not get on track and was sacked six times.


bbc--2020-01-11--'Why Champions League finalists Liverpool and Spurs are now worlds apart'

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur shared European football 's greatest stage on a balmy Madrid night last June - but on a cold January night in north London they looked worlds apart .
Jurgen Klopp 's side claimed the Champions League trophy at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium with a 2-0 win and from the moment Liverpool lifted the trophy for the sixth time the two clubs have been heading in opposite directions of travel .
Never has the growing chasm been more graphically , or painfully in Spurs ' case , illustrated than by a glance at the Premier League table after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium .
Liverpool 's victory , secured by Roberto Firmino 's first-half goal , gave them a mammoth 16-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand .
The gap to Spurs , in eighth , is 31 points - and they have played a game fewer .
Whereas Liverpool used that win in Madrid as the launchpad to a golden future , Spurs look like a team and a club that has simply not recovered from getting so near but yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in European club football .
Spurs , without injured striker Harry Kane , battled gamely in the second half and might have earned a point had Son Heung-Min and Giovani lo Celso not missed excellent chances , but the brutal reality is that Liverpool now operate on a different level to the club they faced in Madrid a few months ago .
Klopp is on course to write his name into Liverpool legend as the manager who ended their 30-year wait for a title .
Spurs , in contrast , have since sacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to Madrid - and now have Jose Mourinho struggling to turn the ship around .
Pochettino presided over a Spurs side that was allowed to age together while Liverpool have invested superbly under Klopp , who had none of the players who started his first game at White Hart Lane in October 2015 in his starting line-up on Saturday , although Divock Origi and Adam Lallana came on as substitutes .
Pochettino clearly saw the Champions League final as the big chance to cement Spurs ' place in the top echelons but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure once that did not materialise .
Klopp , in contrast , is taking Liverpool and their supporters on a dream ride .
Liverpool have brought in game-changers such as Alisson , Virgil van Dijk , Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane , and the manner in which Spurs have been left behind comes into sharper focus with every passing week .
Klopp was questioned when he sold Philippe Coutinho , who many regarded as his most important player , to Barcelona for £142m in January 2018 but he used the huge fee to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Van Dijk and Alisson .
Klopp has manoeuvred Liverpool into a position of strength - where they can add to their squad with opportune acquisitions such as Takumi Minamino - whereas Mourinho and Spurs now face a rebuilding job .
It may have been cheaper for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to see Pochettino off the premises rather than back ambitious transfer plans but he must find funds for Mourinho now or face the prospect of undoing much of the good work - Champions League regulars while moving into a new stadium - under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , forceful and ooze infallibility , Spurs were tentative and negative for the first hour before finally rousing themselves and almost grabbing a point .
Christian Eriksen is now a toxic presence in their line-up , a hugely talented player who is an increasing target for fans who clearly feel he is running down the clock on his time at Spurs .
Every tackle he misses is seen as a lack of commitment , every misplaced pass is viewed as a lack of interest .
It is a harsh judgement but he certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he was replaced by Lo Celso in the 69th minute .
Eriksen is the symbol of how Spurs need renewal or let the top clubs move too far ahead of them .
There is no such problem for Klopp and Liverpool .
The statistics can be rattled off as testimony to the foundations of the Anfield empire Klopp has rebuilt , an empire that would be even more firmly established if the formalities of this title are duly completed .
Some things can still be speculated upon , though .
Can Liverpool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Can they eclipse Manchester City 's record total of 100 points in 2017/18 ?
While these seem very real possibilities , other figures are already set in stone .
Liverpool have gone 38 league games without defeat since they lost at Manchester City last January .
In the same period Spurs have lost 16 matches , including three to Klopp 's team .
The champions-elect have amassed 104 points across that period , the biggest by any team in the competition 's history - and they are the first team in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their first 21 games .
So while Liverpool 's manager took the acclaim of their fans in a corner of Tottenham 's impressive stadium at the final whistle , the impression remains that Mourinho and his conservative style - historically at least - is yet to convince the Spurs support .
It is early days and Mourinho has been unlucky with injuries to important players such as Kane but there is little current comparison between these sides .
Liverpool are surely on the way to the Premier League title while Spurs look lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madrid and the Champions League final seem an age away .

Roberto Firmino scored the winner at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur shared European football's greatest stage on a balmy Madrid night last June - but on a cold January night in north London they looked worlds apart.
Jurgen Klopp's side claimed the Champions League trophy at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium with a 2-0 win and from the moment Liverpool lifted the trophy for the sixth time the two clubs have been heading in opposite directions.
Never has the growing chasm been more graphically, or painfully in Spurs' case, illustrated than by a glance at the Premier League table after Liverpool made another mark in history with a 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Liverpool's victory, secured by Roberto Firmino's first-half goal, gave them a mammoth 16-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a game in hand. The gap to Spurs, in eighth, is 31 points - and they have played a game fewer.
Whereas Liverpool used that win in Madrid as the launchpad to a golden future, Spurs look like a team and a club that has simply not recovered from getting so near yet so far from the greatest prize in European club football.
Spurs, without injured striker Harry Kane, battled gamely in the second half and might have earned a point had Son Heung-min and Giovani lo Celso not missed excellent chances, but the brutal reality is that Liverpool now operate on a different level to the club they faced in Madrid a few months ago.
Jurgen Klopp's side has collected 104 points from their last 38 Premier League matches
Klopp is on course to write his name into Liverpool legend as the manager who ended their 30-year wait for a title. Spurs, in contrast, have since sacked Mauricio Pochettino - the man who took them to Madrid - and now have Jose Mourinho struggling to turn the ship around.
Pochettino presided over a Spurs side that was allowed to age together while Liverpool have invested superbly under Klopp, who had none of the players who started his first game at White Hart Lane in October 2015 in his starting line-up on Saturday, although Divock Origi and Adam Lallana came on as substitutes.
Pochettino clearly saw the Champions League final as the big chance to cement Spurs' place in the top echelons but appeared a distant, discontented, disaffected figure once that did not materialise.
Klopp, in contrast, is taking Liverpool and their supporters on a dream ride.
Liverpool have brought in game-changers such as Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and the manner in which Spurs have been left behind comes into sharper focus with every passing week.
Klopp was questioned when he sold Philippe Coutinho, who many regarded as his most important player, to Barcelona for £142m in January 2018 but he used the huge fee to build a more rounded team by buying Van Dijk and Alisson.
Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham in November after a miserable start to the season in the league and cups
Klopp has manoeuvred Liverpool into a position of strength - where they can add to their squad with opportune acquisitions such as Takumi Minamino - whereas Mourinho and Spurs now face a rebuilding job.
It may have been cheaper for Spurs chairman Daniel Levy to see Pochettino off the premises rather than back ambitious transfer plans but he must find funds for Mourinho now or face the prospect of undoing much of the good work - Champions League regulars while moving into a new stadium - under the Argentine.
Whereas Liverpool look united, forceful and ooze infallibility, Spurs were tentative and negative for the first hour before finally rousing themselves and almost grabbing a point.
Christian Eriksen is now a toxic presence in their line-up, a hugely talented player who is an increasing target for fans who clearly feel he is running down the clock on his time at Spurs.
Every tackle he misses is seen as a lack of commitment, every misplaced pass is viewed as a lack of interest. It is a harsh judgement but he certainly felt the scorn of Spurs' fans when he was replaced by Lo Celso in the 69th minute.
Eriksen is the symbol of how Spurs need renewal or let the top clubs move too far ahead of them.
There is no such problem for Klopp and Liverpool.
The statistics can be rattled off as testimony to the foundations of the Anfield empire Klopp has rebuilt, an empire that would be even more firmly established if the formalities of this title are duly completed.
Liverpool's Champions League triumph was Jurgen Klopp's first trophy since the 2012 German double with Borussia Dortmund
Some things can still be speculated upon, though.
Can Liverpool go a whole Premier League season unbeaten? Can they eclipse Manchester City's record total of 100 points in 2017-18?
While these seem very real possibilities, other figures are already set in stone.
Liverpool have gone 38 league games without defeat since they lost at Manchester City last January. In the same period Spurs have lost 16 matches, including three to Klopp's team.
The champions-elect have amassed 104 points across that period, the biggest by any team in the competition's history - and they are the first team in Europe's top-five leagues to win 20 of their first 21 games.
So while Liverpool's manager took the acclaim of their fans in a corner of Tottenham's impressive stadium at the final whistle, the impression remains that Mourinho and his conservative style - historically at least - is yet to convince the Spurs support.
It is early days and Mourinho has been unlucky with injuries to important players such as Kane but there is little current comparison between these sides.
Madrid and the Champions League final seem an age away.


bbc--2020-01-11--Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores in first start since AC Milan return

Zlatan Ibrahimovic said scoring his first goal for AC Milan since rejoining the club made him `` feel alive '' as his side eased past Cagliari in Serie A. Rafael Leao had given the Rossoneri the lead just after half-time before Ibrahimovic , starting for the first time since his return , doubled their advantage with a left-footed strike .
The former LA Galaxy and Sweden striker had another goal ruled out for offside .
`` I 'll celebrate like a God at San Siro , not here , '' Ibrahimovic said .
`` The important thing is that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balls at the beginning of the game , but I need to play games to get back in shape . ''
Ibrahimovic , 38 , signed a six-month deal at the Serie A side in December , with the option of another season .
He scored 42 goals in 61 league games for the club between 2010 and 2012 .
His strike on Saturday was his 57th goal for Milan and 123rd in Serie A , having also played for Inter Milan and Juventus .
`` I feel good , the coach just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see if I needed a rest , but there 's no problem '' added Ibrahimovic .
`` My brain is always the same and the body has to follow . ''
It was AC Milan 's first win since early December and they move to within four points of sixth-placed Cagliari who occupy the league 's final Europa League spot .

Last updated on .From the section European Football
Ibrahimovic was a free agent after leaving LA Galaxy at the end of the Major League Soccer season
Zlatan Ibrahimovic said scoring his first goal for AC Milan since rejoining the club made him "feel alive" as his side eased past Cagliari in Serie A.
Rafael Leao had given the Rossoneri the lead just after half-time before Ibrahimovic, starting for the first time since his return, doubled their advantage with a left-footed strike.
The former LA Galaxy and Sweden striker had another goal ruled out for offside.
"I'll celebrate like a God at San Siro, not here," Ibrahimovic said.
"The important thing is that I feel good. I missed a few balls at the beginning of the game, but I need to play games to get back in shape."
Ibrahimovic, 38, signed a six-month deal at the Serie A side in December, with the option of another season.
He scored 42 goals in 61 league games for the club between 2010 and 2012. His strike on Saturday was his 57th goal for Milan and 123rd in Serie A, having also played for Inter Milan and Juventus.
"I feel good, the coach just wanted to think about my age and see if I needed a rest, but there's no problem" added Ibrahimovic.
"My brain is always the same and the body has to follow."
It was AC Milan's first win since early December and they move to within four points of sixth-placed Cagliari who occupy the league's final Europa League spot.


bbc--2020-01-11--Man Utd must 'stick together', says Solskjaer after fan protests

Manchester United must `` stick together '' following fan protests against the club 's owners and Ed Woodward at Old Trafford , says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer .
The protests occurred during United 's 4-0 win over Norwich on Saturday .
Red Devils supporters in the Stretford End loudly chanted `` we want Glazers out '' and sang profanities against executive vice-chairman Woodward .
`` I am not sure if the players got it .
I noticed it , yeah , '' said United manager Solskjaer .
The sentiment spread to other parts of the stadium during the second half and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fans exiting at full time .
`` As a club , we have got to stick together and be united , '' added Solskjaer .
`` We are a family and I can only say from my time here I have been backed by the owners and backed by Ed .
They are supporting me so we have to stick together . ''
Fans waited until going 3-0 up in the 54th minute before expressing their frustrations against the club 's hierarchy and it was not for the first time this season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , supporters marched outside the ground with a banner which read `` Glazers out , Woodward out .
£1bn stolen from MUFC , '' while a plane was flown over the ground with a banner reading : `` Ed still failing , Woodward out . ''
The thrashing of Norwich was United 's first victory in four games after being beaten by Arsenal in their last league game , a drab showing in a goalless draw at Wolves in the FA Cup and being outclassed in the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own position is constantly under question because of inconsistent performances , but the Norwegian pointed out : `` We are in all competitions , still in the Carabao Cup , the FA Cup , we are fifth in the league , have improved our position from last season , and we have the Europa League .
`` So the fans have to believe me when I say I feel we are doing loads of good things behind the scenes , we are going in the right directions .
`` You saw the attitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the core of the group that will go forward . ''

Manchester United's win over Norwich was their first victory of 2020
Manchester United must "stick together" following fan protests against the club's owners and Ed Woodward at Old Trafford, says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The protests occurred during United's 4-0 win over Norwich on Saturday.
Red Devils supporters in the Stretford End loudly chanted "we want Glazers out" and sang profanities against executive vice-chairman Woodward.
"I am not sure if the players got it. I noticed it, yeah," said United manager Solskjaer.
The sentiment spread to other parts of the stadium during the second half and some anger was directed towards Woodward by fans exiting at full time.
"As a club, we have got to stick together and be united," added Solskjaer.
"We are a family and I can only say from my time here I have been backed by the owners and backed by Ed. They are supporting me so we have to stick together."
Fans waited until going 3-0 up in the 54th minute before expressing their frustrations against the club's hierarchy and it was not for the first time this season.
Before the game against Liverpool in October, supporters marched outside the ground with a banner which read "Glazers out, Woodward out. £1bn stolen from MUFC," while a plane was flown over the ground with a banner reading: "Ed still failing, Woodward out."
Solskjaer 'delighted' by Man Utd work-rate
The thrashing of Norwich was United's first victory in four games after being beaten by Arsenal in their last league game, a drab showing in a goalless draw at Wolves in the FA Cup and being outclassed in the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg at home by rivals Manchester City.
Solskjaer's own position is constantly under question because of inconsistent performances, but the Norwegian pointed out: "We are in all competitions, still in the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup, we are fifth in the league, have improved our position from last season, and we have the Europa League.
"So the fans have to believe me when I say I feel we are doing loads of good things behind the scenes, we are going in the right directions.
"You saw the attitude, effort and work-rate, that is the core of the group that will go forward."


bbc--2020-01-12--England captain Root misses training through illness

England captain Joe Root missed practice on Sunday for the third Test against South Africa with a stomach upset .
@ @ @ @ @ at the team hotel while players trained in Port Elizabeth for the match which starts @ @ @ @ @ tour has been badly affected with 11 players suffering with illness , while Rory Burns @ @ @ @ @ ruled out with injuries .
The four-match series is 1-1 after England 's 189-run victory @ @ @ @ @ Pope , Chris Woakes and Jack Leach were ruled out of the 107-run first-Test defeat @ @ @ @ @ , Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes spent time off the field .

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Root led England to victory in Cape Town which levelled the series against South Africa with two Tests remaining
South Africa v England third Test Venue: St George's Park, Port Elizabeth Dates: 16-20 January Time: 08:00 GMT Coverage: The Cricket Social and live text commentary on the BBC Sport website.
England captain Joe Root missed practice for the third Test against South Africa with a stomach upset.
Root, 29, stayed at the team hotel while players trained on Sunday but he is expected to be fit for the match, which starts on Thursday.
England's tour has been badly affected with 11 players suffering with illness, while Rory Burns and James Anderson have been ruled out with injuries.
The four-match series is 1-1 after England's 189-run victory in Cape Town.
Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes and Jack Leach were ruled out of the 107-run first-Test defeat in Centurion, while Root, Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes spent time off the field.
All-rounder Woakes has been declared fit for the third Test at Port Elizabeth, but there are still doubts over pace bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
Archer missed the second Test with a right elbow injury, while Wood has long-standing knee and side injuries.
Both Archer and Wood bowled in Sunday's practice, with Archer doing so at a reduced pace.
Leach has recovered from illness but his Somerset team-mate Dom Bess, who took two wickets in the second Test, is expected to keep his place ahead of him.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Jos Buttler has apologised for swearing at South Africa pace bowler Vernon Philander during the last Test.
Buttler was fined 15% of his match fee after he was heard on the stump microphone using an obscenity during England's thrilling 189-run win.
"As role models we have a duty to behave in a certain way," Buttler told Test Match Special.
"It's just one of those things, the heat of the moment and a bit of red mist.
"In Test cricket there are lots of high emotions at times and things can be said that don't necessarily mean anything."


bbc--2020-01-12--Ponting & Warne to captain teams in Australia bushfire fundraiser

Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne will captain opposing teams in a charity match to raise money for the bushfire relief fund in Australia .
The match will be one of three played on 8 February , as well as Australia women 's Twenty20 game against India and the T20 Big Bash League final .
All match profits and funds from the day will go to the bushfire appeal .
The bushfire crisis has been ongoing in Australia since September and at least 27 people have died .
Others playing include Australia head coach Justin Langer , former captain Michael Clarke @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ex-Australia Women 's player Alex Blackwell .
Ten million hectares of land have been destroyed across the country and millions of animals have been killed in the fires .
Former Australia captain Ponting , 45 , scored 13,328 runs in 168 Tests while leg-spinner Warne , 50 , took 708 wickets in 145 Tests .
Warne previously auctioned off his 'baggy green ' cap which raised one million Australian dollars , while a number of cricketers have donated money for hitting sixes in the Big Bash .
A number of tennis greats will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 January , five days before the Australian Open begins , while current players are donating money for aces they serve .
`` People the world over have seen the overwhelming images of hundreds of thousands of hectares burnt , precious lives lost , hundreds of properties destroyed and the devastating loss of wildlife as a result of the fires , '' Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said .
`` These images have reinforced the need to get behind organisations that are responding to the requirements of people who have lost loved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ livelihoods . ''

Last updated on .From the section Cricket
Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne were part of Australia's most successful Test side
Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne will captain opposing teams in a charity match to raise money for the bushfire relief fund in Australia.
The match will be one of three played on 8 February, as well as Australia women's Twenty20 game against India and the T20 Big Bash League final.
All match profits and funds from the day will go to the bushfire appeal.
The bushfire crisis has been ongoing in Australia since September and at least 27 people have died.
Others playing include Australia head coach Justin Langer, former captain Michael Clarke, Brett Lee, Adam Gilchrist and ex-Australia Women's player Alex Blackwell.
Ten million hectares of land have been destroyed across the country and millions of animals have been killed in the fires.
Former Australia captain Ponting, 45, scored 13,328 runs in 168 Tests while leg-spinner Warne, 50, took 708 wickets in 145 Tests.
Warne previously auctioned off his 'baggy green' cap which raised one million Australian dollars, while a number of cricketers have donated money for hitting sixes in the Big Bash.
A number of tennis greats will also appear in an exhibition match on 15 January, five days before the Australian Open begins, while current players are donating money for aces they serve.
"People the world over have seen the overwhelming images of hundreds of thousands of hectares burnt, precious lives lost, hundreds of properties destroyed and the devastating loss of wildlife as a result of the fires," Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said.
"These images have reinforced the need to get behind organisations that are responding to the requirements of people who have lost loved ones, their homes, and their livelihoods."


bbc--2020-01-12--Iran plane downing: Second day of protests turns up heat on leaders

Iran 's leaders have faced a second day of protests following their admission the military shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane , killing all 176 people on board , many of them Iranians .
Protesters in Tehran and in several other cities chanted slogans against the leadership .
Clashes with security forces and the firing of tear gas are reported .
Iran admitted `` unintentionally '' hitting the plane after initially denying it , amid rising tensions with the US .
The plane , en route to the Ukrainian capital , Kyiv , was shot down near Tehran last Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at two airbases housing US forces in Iraq .
Those strikes were a response to the US killing of senior Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad on 3 January .
• What we know about flight PS752 Dozens of Iranians and Canadians , as well as nationals from Ukraine , the UK , Afghanistan and Sweden died on the plane .
Demonstrators attended new protests despite a large deployment of security forces .
Riot police , members of the elite Revolutionary Guard on motorbikes , and plainclothes security officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guards - what do they do ?
In one apparently symbolic act rejecting state propaganda , video showed students taking care not to walk over US and Israeli flags painted on the ground at Shahid Beheshti university in Tehran .
In some social media clips , protesters can be heard chanting anti-government slogans , including : `` They are lying that our enemy is America , our enemy is right here . ''
Many of the protesters are women .
Social media footage showed clapping and chanting protesters in Tehran 's Azadi Square @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a crackdown there by security forces , with tear gas fired .
The semi-official Fars news agency said up to 1,000 people were protesting at various points in the capital .
Protests were also reported in other cities .
Those who decide to continue demonstrating will be mindful of the violence with which the security forces have dealt with protest movements in the past , the BBC 's Arab affairs editor Sebastian Usher says .
On Saturday , students had gathered outside two universities .
They initially did so to pay respect to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later in the evening and tear gas was reportedly fired to disperse them .
A number of Iranian newspapers have covered the vigils for the plane victims alongside headlines such as `` Shame '' and `` Unforgivable '' .
But there has also been praise for what one pro-government newspaper called Iran 's `` honest '' admission of error .
There were also protests on Sunday in Tehran in support of Soleimani , and opposing the US and UK .
What has the international reaction been ?
US President Donald Trump on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-government protesters , saying , `` the World is watching .
More importantly , the USA is watching '' .
Britain , meanwhile , has condemned the arrest of the UK ambassador to Iran in Tehran as a `` flagrant violation of international law '' .
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said Rob Macaire was detained after attending a vigil where he was paying respects to victims of the crash , some of whom were British .
Mr Macaire said he left the vigil when some people started chanting and had played no part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ summoned the ambassador to complain about `` his unconventional behaviour of attending an illegal rally '' , the foreign ministry website said .
Iranian protesters set a UK flag alight in front of the UK embassy on Sunday .
In other developments on Sunday : • US Defence Secretary Mark Esper told CBS 's Face the Nation on Sunday that he `` did n't see '' specific evidence that Iran was preparing attacks against US embassies .
President Trump had said on Friday he believed four embassies were under threat .
Mr Esper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there `` probably and could 've been attacks on additional embassies '' • Eight Katyusha rockets were fired at the Balad air base , which has housed US forces north of the Iraqi capital , Baghdad .
Four Iraqis were wounded .
There have been several recent attacks on the base blamed on Iranian-backed militias • Hundreds of mourners are attending memorials in the Canadian cities of Toronto and Edmonton , At the latter , Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the crowd he would pursue justice and accountability on behalf of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably demand accountability and the prosecution of those responsible for downing the plane , as well as the adoption of all the steps needed to ensure this does not happen again .
They will also pay attention to how the victims of the air crash are treated by the Iranian elite .
An important test here is whether their funerals will result in national mourning , similar to that of Soleimani , or instead be largely ignored .
All of these demands will be added to previous grievances over the state of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ freedoms .
Parliamentary elections are due to take place in just over a month and internal discord over this crash could lead to further unrest .
How did the Iranian admission unfold ?
For three days , Iran denied reports its missiles had brought down the plane , with one spokesman accusing Western nations of `` lying and engaging in psychological warfare '' .
But on Saturday morning , a statement read on state TV accepted the plane had been shot down .
Brig-Gen Amir Ali Hajizadeh , the Revolutionary Guards ' aerospace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted independently and alone , mistaking the plane for a `` cruise missile '' .
He also said he had informed the authorities about what had happened on Wednesday , raising questions about why Iran had denied involvement for so long .
Both Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky and Justin Trudeau have demanded accountability from Iran .
• Plane crash victims 'were the best of us' • Why were so many Canadians on the plane ?
Mr Trudeau said on Saturday there must be a full investigation with `` full clarity on how such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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bbc--2020-01-12--Philippines volcano: Thousands evacuated as Taal spews ash

A volcano in the Philippines has emitted a giant plume of ash , prompting authorities to order the evacuation of some 8,000 people living nearby .
The plume coming from the Taal volcano , south of the capital Manila , stretched about 1km ( 0.6 miles ) into the sky .
Rumbling sounds and tremors were also reported around Taal - the Philippines ' second-most active volcano - on Sunday .
Authorities raised the alert level , warning that a `` hazardous eruption '' was possible within weeks .
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology also warned residents living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , while flights were suspended at Manila 's international airport because of the volcanic ash .
• The privately owned volcano that is always active Ash began falling in nearby areas on Sunday , with residents advised to wear masks .
A man in the city of Tagaytay , a popular holiday destination , told Reuters news agency he was having lunch when he heard a rumbling sound .
`` We saw the volcano erupting .
It rained and some small pebbles fell to the ground , '' Jon Patrick Yen said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see such spectacle . ''
Lucy McFadden , a Filipina based in the UK , plans tours for the company Philippine Trails .
She said eight tourists and two guides , including her brother , were on a boat returning from the volcano when it erupted .
`` About 30 minutes into their journey , the volcano erupted without warning .
My brother was so scared because he knew he had a narrow escape , '' she told the BBC .
The Philippine institute has urged people living around the volcano , located @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taal lake , and two nearby `` high-risk '' municipalities to evacuate .
Taal is one of the world 's smallest volcanoes .
It has recorded at least 34 eruptions in the past 450 years .
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Lucy McFadden, a Filipina based in the UK, plans tours for the company Philippine Trails. She said eight tourists and two guides, including her brother, were on a boat returning from the volcano when it erupted.