©ABC 2017

Questions for discussion

Budget 2017

1. As a class, discuss the BTN Budget 2017 story. What were the main points of the

discussion?

2. What is debt?

3. Nearly every country in the world is in debt, including Australia. True or false?

4. Why does the government borrow money?

5. What is a surplus?

6. What is bad debt?

7. Explain what good debt is.

8. The government says that good debt is money borrowed for things like…

9. What sorts of things does the government consider as bad debt?

10. What would you spend Australia’s money on if you were Treasurer?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

Fashion Waste

1. Discuss the Fashion Waste story with another student and record the main points of the discussion.

2. On average, how many kilograms of clothes do Australians buy each year?

3. Why do you think Australians buy a lot of clothes?

4. What is `fast fashion’?

5. Name a country where `fast fashion’ is made.

6. What are the conditions like for clothing factory workers in those countries?

7. What do you do with your unwanted clothes?

8. What impact does clothing waste have on the environment?

9. What can be done to reduce the amount of clothing waste?

10. What did you learn watching the BTN story?

Check out the Fashion Waste resource on the Teachers page

Vote in the BTN Online Poll

Donating Blood

1. How many Australians will need donated blood at some stage?

a. One in three

b. One in ten

c. One in fifty

2. About how many litres of blood are there in the human body?

3. Just half a litre can save up to ___________lives.

4. How old do you have to be to donate blood?

5. What are the different parts of your blood that you can donate?

Episode 11

9th May 2017

©ABC 2017

6. What happens to the blood once it’s been donated?

7. How many blood types are there?

8. Which blood type is universal so that anyone can receive it?

9. What sorts of things is donated blood used for?

10. Why has the Red Cross started sending text messages to donors?

Check out the Donating Blood resource on the Teachers page.

Do the quiz on the BtN website

Eagle Hunter

1. What does the BTN story explain?

2. Where is Mongolia? Locate using Google Maps.

3. How old is Akbota?

4. What is she learning to do?

5. Eagle hunting is not a skill girls usually learn. True or false?

6. Who has been training Akbota to become an eagle hunter?

7. Finish the following sentence: Akbota’s father says his daughter is…

8. Eagles are used to hunt which animals?

9. What are some of the challenges of being an eagle hunter?

10. If you could ask Akbota a question, what would it be?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

Message in a Bottle

1. Explain the BTN Message in a Bottle story to another student.

2. Sadie was in a boat travelling from ______________________ to ___________________.

3. About how far did the bottle travel in the ocean?

4. Where did the bottle wash up?

5. What did Tristan do when he found the bottle?

6. What was Greek philosopher Theophrastus trying to prove when he sent a message in a

bottle?

7. What sorts of things can affect the path of bottle in the ocean?

8. What are some environmental concerns with releasing bottles into the ocean?

9. Describe the friendship between Tristan and Sadie.

10. What was surprising about the story?

Write a message about the story and post it in the comments section on the story page.

©ABC 2017

Teacher Resource

Fashion Waste

1. Discuss the Fashion Waste story with another student and record the main points of the discussion.

2. On average, how many kilograms of clothes do Australians buy each year?

3. Why do you think Australians buy a lot of clothes?

4. What is `fast fashion’?

5. Name a country where `fast fashion’ is made.

6. What are the conditions like for clothing factory workers in those

countries?

7. What do you do with your unwanted clothes?

8. What impact does clothing waste have on the environment?

9. What can be done to reduce the amount of clothing waste?

10. What did you learn watching the BTN story?

After watching the BTN Fashion Waste story, respond to the following

questions:

Write a personal response to the Fashion Waste story. Leave a comment on

the BTN story page. Ask students to finish one or more of the following

incomplete sentences:

o Clothing waste is...

o Recycled clothing has many uses like...

o I can reduce the amount of clothing going to landfill by...

o Sending less clothing to landfill is important because...

o It’s surprising that...

• What did you SEE in this video?

• What do you THINK about what you saw in this video?

• What does this video make your WONDER?

• What did you LEARN from this story?

• How did this story make you FEEL?

• What was SURPRISING about this story?

Episode 11

9th May 2017

Students will investigate the impact

clothing waste has on the

environment. They will also explore

how clothing can be reused.

Geography Year 4 The use and management of natural resources and waste, and the different views on how to do this sustainably (ACHASSK090) HASS – Year 4

Reflect on learning to propose

actions in response to an issue or

challenge and consider possible

effects of proposed actions

(ACHASSI081)

Science Year 4 Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Science – Year 5 & 6 Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions (ACSHE083) (ACSHE100)

Design and Technologies Years 3

& 4

Evaluate design ideas, processes

and solutions based on criteria for

success developed with guidance

and including care for the

environment (ACTDEP017)

Design and Technologies Years 5

& 6

Examine how people in design and

technologies occupations address

competing considerations, including

sustainability in the design of

products, services, and environments

for current and future use

(ACTDEK019)

©ABC 2017

Fashion Waste Research

Discuss with student questions they have about clothing waste. Some possible questions could include:

• Is it ok to buy cheap fast fashion? Why or why not?

• How can we reduce clothing waste?

• How can clothing be recycled?

• How do you balance affordability, style, and ethics when it comes to buying clothing?

• What impact does clothing waste have on the environment?

The following KWLH organiser provides students with a framework to explore their knowledge on this topic

and consider what they would like to know and learn.

What do I know? What do I want to know? What have I learnt? How will I find out?

Students will develop their own question/s for inquiry, collecting and recording information from a wide

variety of sources (internet, books, newspapers, and magazines). Students decide on the best way to

present the information. Possibilities include:

• A `Did You Know’ Fact sheet

• Create an infographic using Canva

• Prezi presentation

• Oral presentation

The Fashion Waste story talked clothing made in developing countries like China, Indonesia and Bangladesh because it's cheaper. Students watch the BTN Fashion Factories story then answer the following questions:

1. A lot of the clothes that we buy in Australia are

made in developing countries. List some of these

countries.

2. Why are a lot of our clothes made in developing

countries?

3. How much money does a clothing factory worker in

Bangladesh generally earn per hour?

4. What are the conditions like for clothing factory

workers in developing countries?

5. Many say the Australian fashion industry need to

do more to protect overseas workers. True or

false?

Create an awareness raising campaign at your school about exploitative labour in clothing factories

in developing countries. Think about your campaign’s aim, your target audience, and the value of raising

awareness at your school.

©ABC 2017

Upcycling

Clarify students’ understanding of what upcycling is and what the benefits are:

• What is upcycling?

• Do you know about the three R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle)? Explain the difference.

• What do you recycle and upcycle at home and at school?

• What are the benefits of upcycling? Here are some suggestions: o reduces the amount of waste and therefore landfill o reduces the need for production using new or raw materials (therefore reduces air pollution,

water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions) o unique, one of a kind products o Save money – for example you could upcycle your clothes into new designs o use your creativity

The BTN Upcycling and Green Art stories explain the benefits of upcycling unwanted items.

Upcycled Clothing

Here are some ideas for reusing unwanted t-shirts. Students can make these no-sew bags from an

unwanted t-shirt. They make great book bags! Follow the step-by-step instructions or watch this short video.

For a class project, students can make a t-shirt rug for their classroom or another room in the school. Here

are the instructions.

The Pinterest upcycling and repurposing page has lots of ideas for reusing unwanted items. Get creative!

ABC News – Australia’s obsession with new clothes and `fast fashion’ textiles hurting the environment http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-12/australias-obsession-with-new-clothes-hurting-the-environment/8177624

BTN – Upcycling Kids http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4183196.htm

©ABC 2017

BTN – Landfill http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3953606.htm

BTN – Green Art http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3880235.htm

ABC – War on Waste http://www.abc.net.au/ourfocus/waronwaste/

Planet Ark – 25 things you can reuse at home http://www.recyclingnearyou.com.au/education/25-things-to-re-use.cfm

©ABC 2017

Teacher Resource

Donating Blood

1. How many Australians will need donated blood at some stage?

a. One in three

b. One in ten

c. One in fifty

2. About how many litres of blood are there in the human body?

3. Just half a litre can save up to ___________lives.

4. How old do you have to be to donate blood?

5. What are the different parts of your blood that you can donate?

6. What happens to the blood once it’s been donated?

7. How many blood types are there?

8. Which blood type can anyone receive?

9. What sorts of things is donated blood used for?

10. Why has the Red Cross started sending text messages to donors?

Negotiate with students how many activities they will need to complete.

Students develop a glossary of words and terms that relate to blood and blood donation. Below are some

words to get them started. Add words and meanings to your glossary as you come across unfamiliar words

throughout your research. Consider using pictures and diagrams to illustrate meanings.

Plasma Red blood cells Bone marrow

White blood cells Platelets Blood type

Episode 11

9th May 2017

Students will develop an understanding of the components of blood, different blood types and ways to encourage people to donate blood.

Science – Years 5 & 6

Scientific understandings,

discoveries and inventions are

used

to solve problems that directly

affect peoples’ lives

(ACSHE083) (ACSHE100)

Science – Year 7

Solutions to contemporary issues

that are found using science and

technology, may impact on other

areas of society and may involve

ethical considerations

(ACSHE120)

©ABC 2017

Students will practice their note-taking while watching the BTN Donating

Blood story. After watching the story, ask students to reflect and

organise the information into three categories. Students may want to

watch the story again or download a copy of the Donating Blood

transcript to assist them with this activity. What information was...?

o Positive

o Negative or

o Interesting

Research and make a fact sheet or infographic about blood donation. Include information about who can

give blood and what donated blood is used for.

Students will research one or more of the following questions to find out more about blood types:

o Human blood is grouped into four types. What are they?

o What are the most common and least common blood types in Australia? Create a graph to show percentages.

o What blood types can be given during an operation? Create a table or infographic to show the matches.

o Where do we get our blood type from?

Find out more about blood types by having a go at one of the following games:

Nobel Prize Blood Typing Game

American Red Cross Blood Type Game

©ABC 2017

Develop a persuasive text for or against the following statement: `People should be paid for their blood’.

Conduct research to help develop your argument.

The following structure will help you to complete this activity.

Create a blood quiz using Kahoot!. Quizzes can be created to

recap learning or test personal knowledge. There is also the option

to connect with classrooms around the world and play kahoot in

real time.

Create a poster that encourages people to donate blood. Their poster can be displayed in a public space in

the school, for example, the Library or Front Office.

o What is your message? (is the purpose of your poster to advertise, educate, motivate, change

behaviour or attitudes or a combination)

o Who is your target audience?

o How will your poster have the most impact? Consider font, images, and colour.

o Research information/facts.

o Make your poster.

Structure of a persuasive text Introduction

• What is the point you are trying to argue?

Construct an introductory paragraph

which states the issue or topic.

• Introduce the arguments that will be

developed in the body of the text.

Body

• Construct arguments that support your

point of view.

• Each paragraph starts with a topic

sentence which introduces each point.

• The rest of the paragraph gives more

reasons.

• Arguments can be ordered from

strongest to weakest.

Conclusion

• Restate your position on the argument.

• Construct a concluding paragraph that

provides a summary of your arguments

and a call to action.

Tips for writing persuasive texts

• Who is your audience? For example,

are you directing your argument at

kids, teachers, or politicians?

• Explore how language choices can

have a big impact on persuading your

audience.

• Which language devices give the

report credibility and authority?

• Which are designed to create an

emotional response in the listener?

• Provide facts and evidence to support

your argument.

• Write in the present tense.

• Check your spelling and punctuation.

Use this Read Write Think persuasion map to

plan your exposition text.

©ABC 2017

BTN - Blood Donation

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s4019610.htm

BTN – Blood Donors

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2594275.htm

Child and Youth Health – Blood

http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=152&id=2250

Australian Red Cross – Blood Types

http://www.donateblood.com.au/learn/about-blood

Nobel Prize – Blood Typing Game

http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/bloodtypinggame/game/index.html

Australian Red Cross Blood Service – Learn

http://www.donateblood.com.au/learn#who-your-blood-help

©ABC 2017

BtN: Episode 11 Transcript 9/05/17

Hi, I'm Nathan Bazley and this is BTN! Coming up today:

• We take a look at how our addiction to the latest fashion trends is affecting the planet.

• Nic donates blood and discovers how the Red Cross is encouraging others to do the same.

• And meet Tristan, a kid who found a message in a bottle from thousands of kays

away.

That is an incredible story so stay with us but first:

Budget 2017 Reporter: Amelia Moseley

INTRO: This week is a big one in federal politics. It's when the Government announces what it wants to do with the country's money. In the lead-up, though, the Treasurer says he'd like people to remember that not all debt is bad debt. Here's more. There's something that gets talked about a lot around budget time. LILY: Hello? It can worry some people, because it tends to hang around when it's not wanted. It's debt! Debt is when you borrow money you don't have so that you can buy something sooner but you have to pay it back. It's not just individual people who borrow money. Nearly every country in the world is in debt including Australia! That's because the government, just like people, can get loans from a bank. It does that to help pay for things like roads, education or public buildings. But debt can be a hungry creature, it charges interest, which means it can get bigger and bigger if it isn't paid back. LILY: More? Really? For a while now, the government's been saying our country shouldn't be in so much debt and it's been trying to get back to a surplus. That's when there's money left over after paying for everything in the budget, but it isn't an easy thing to do because it means cutting spending.

©ABC 2017

So now, Treasurer Scott Morrison has said Australia should start looking at debt a bit differently - as sometimes good and sometimes bad. So what's the difference? Well, generally, bad debt is seen as the kind that isn't likely to give much back. LILY: What are you buying? Give it back! Like buying loads of stuff on a credit card that's likely to lose its value and not make you any money in return. On the other hand, debt is considered to be good when your purchase is likely to grow in value or make you money in the future, like buying a house. LILY: Good debt! Good boy, good boy! SCOTT MORRISON, FEDERAL TREASURER: Australians understand that taking out a mortgage to pay for their home is a wise investment for their future. But they also know that putting your everyday expenses on the credit card is not a good idea. It never ends well. And that is basically the difference between good debt and bad debt. But when it comes to good and bad government debt, it's a bit more complicated. The government says it thinks good debt is money borrowed to build stuff, like infrastructure. That's things like roads and railways. It says they're good for the country, because they can help businesses grow and be more successful. But the government says borrowing money to spend on some other areas might be considered bad debt if they don't directly make the country any money. One example it gave is welfare; the system that helps a lot of people who are too old to work, are disabled or unemployed. SCOTT MORRISON, FEDERAL TREASURER: To rack up government debt to pay for welfare payments and other everyday expenses is not a good idea. That's got some people worried that if those areas are seen as bad debt, they might end up with less funding. But the details are all under wraps until the budget's released, so we'll have to wait 'til then to find out more about what this guy's going to get up to over the next few years.

Discussion Question

And a budget related class discussion topic for you now: What would you spend Australia's money on if you were treasurer? Have a chat about it and add your ideas to the story page on our website.

This Week in News

Over the weekend, France elected a new President, Emmanuel Macron. He won the election with around 65% of the vote.

©ABC 2017

At 39 he's the youngest president to be elected in France for 200 years. He's also not part of a major French political party which is unusual. On the policy side of things, unlike his opponent Marine Le Pen, he believes France should stay in the European Union. And his views on things like immigration are less controversial too.

The Queen's husband, Prince Phillip, has announced he will retire from his royal duties. Until now the 95-year-old has had one of the busiest schedules of any of the royals. He's associated with 780 organisations and will continue making appearances up until the end of August. After that, the duties will be passed down to some of the younger royals while he enjoys some well-deserved R and R.

And it was a big night for young stars at the MTV awards! 13-year old Millie Bobbie Brown won best actor in a TV show for her role in Stranger Things. And she got pretty emotional. MILLIE BOBBIE BROWN: I'd like to thank the cast and crew for being my second family you guys I love you. Her co-stars also got a turn on the stage when the sci-fi series was named the best in its category. FINN WOLFHARD: To Shaun Levi our director and amazing producer, he taught us so much. They treated us like true collaborators and not just little kids. Meanwhile Emma Watson was named best actor in a movie for her role as Belle in Beauty and the Beast. It was the first-time MTV had made all its categories gender neutral which meant they were open to both male and females.

©ABC 2017

Fashion Waste

Reporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: Next up today It's no surprise that each year, Australians generate a huge amount of waste. So, this month, the ABC is tackling the issue with a series called 'War on Waste'. Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be specifically looking at things kids can do to cut down on waste. This week fashion waste. Take a look.

Shopping for different outfits can be a lot of fun. But have you ever bought something that you've hardly worn since or even something you've never worn? KID 1: I would only wear a dress about three times because I like to wear something new. KID 2: I do have a lot of clothes that just sit in my drawer, that have been there for a long time. Well you might not realise it, but throwing out all of these unwanted clothes can actually have a huge impact on the environment! Back in the old days, most people only had a few different outfits and if they fell apart they'd sew them back up again and again. But a lot's changed since then! Australia is the second biggest consumer of fabric per person in the world. Each of us buys an average of 27 kilos of new clothing and other textiles every year! KID 1: I think we buy a lot of clothes mostly because we just wanna wear them and look fashionable at the time. KID 3: And if we like it and if it suits us. KID 4: I think we buy more clothes because they're cheap and not because they're more quality. The fashion industry encourages us to keep buying by making sure everyone can have the latest trend quickly and cheaply. For example, when a new design comes out it's quickly copied and made available in stores within a couple of weeks! That clothing is often made in developing countries like China and Bangladesh because it's cheaper and although it gives people in those countries a job, they're often paid very little and the conditions they work in usually aren't that great. The clothes can be low quality too which means they might not last long. But because they're cheap we buy them anyway! REPORTER: It's what we do after we're done with them though that causes all the problems. Some ends up in recycled clothing stores like this, but 85 percent ends up here in landfill. And clothing made from polyester for example can take up to 200 years to break down! Some people say we should think more about what we're buying and whether it's been made sustainably or buy fewer clothes of better quality. Others say it's unlikely we'll be able to break our addiction to the latest cheap trends. But what do you think?

©ABC 2017

KID 1: I think with old t-shirts, instead of chucking them out or handing them down, you could use it for something useful like a bag instead of paying for one. KID 2: So if we make a place, I think we could maybe like, so the clothes that haven't been damaged too badly the material could still be used. KID 3: Maybe we should think where something is made before we buy it. KID 4: I think we should be buying stuff with more quality and less of the cheaper stuff because the cheaper stuff is more likely to be thrown out and go into landfill. PRESENTER: And if you'd like to know more about Australia's waste problem check out the ABC's 'War on Waste' special starting on ABC1 next Tuesday at 8:30pm or on iView anytime afterwards.

Poll

And still on the subject of fashion waste, a poll. We'd like to know if you'd be open to buying fewer items of clothing and keeping them for longer. Meanwhile, here’s how you voted in last week’s poll.

Donating Blood

Reporter: Nic Maher

INTRO: Next up the Red Cross has come up with a new way to encourage people to donate blood more regularly. It's introducing a text message system that will let each donor know where their blood is being used. We thought we'd trial the new system with help from BTN reporter and regular donor Nic. NIC, REPORTER: The sight of blood can make some people feel a little queasy, but these guys say the more blood they see the better! JEMMA FALKENMIRE, AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE: For us, having regular blood donors and people who donate frequently really helps us secure blood stocks and make sure we have regular supplies coming in. One in three Aussies will need donated blood at some stage. There are about five litres of blood in the human body and just half a litre can save up to three lives if it's donated. NIC: To donate, you have to be at least 16 and in good health, so you don't pass anything bad on. NIC: Now I’ve heard the need can hurt a bit when you put it in, can you let me know when you’re about to put it in.

©ABC 2017

RED CROSS WORKER: It’s already in! NIC: Oh, awesome! NIC: Once you're hooked up, you can donate different parts of your blood. So plasma, platelets or the whole thing! I'm donating plasma which is this yellow looking stuff here. Basically, the machine takes it out of my arm and puts the rest of the blood back in. But once someone's donated, what happens to their blood? Well, first it's boxed up and sent to a centre like this. RED CROSS WORKER: We pick it up and bring it back to be processed to go back out to people who need the blood. Every bag is scanned and put into a system. It's tracked and sometimes it's already travelled from really far away! JEMMA FALKENMIRE, AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE: Really across Australia we have a national blood supply so you could make a donation in Townsville or Queensland and it might save a life in Perth. If it's whole blood, it spends ten minutes in a spinning machine. RED CROSS WORKER 2: It separates the whole blood into its three components - so we'll have plasma on top, buffer coat in the centre and red blood cells down the bottom. Then the donations are tested for diseases and stored by blood type. All up, there are eight blood types and donors and recipients have to match, unless they're in Group O - that one's universal and anyone can receive it. Hospitals can order blood through an online system. Then the blood's sent out to where it's needed and it's needed a lot. RED CROSS WORKER 3: Every day, over 200 orders - so on average as a person I've probably already done forty orders today. Once it's in a hospital, blood can be used for 22 different medical treatments! It mostly goes to patients with cancer or blood diseases, but also patients with other medical problems, people having surgery and who've been in road accidents. With all that demand, it's super important to keep up supplies. So, the Red Cross has started sending out text messages to donors to let them know where their blood is saving lives! KARRIE BRENNAN, DONOR: It's gone to a hospital in Brisbane which is right near where I live, it could have been someone I knew even which is crazy. It's hoped that if people know more about where their blood's helping, it'll encourage them to give it away more often!

Ask A Reporter

Have you got a question about Blood Donation? Ask Nic live on Friday during Ask a Reporter! Head to our website for all the details.

©ABC 2017

Quiz

What is the most common blood type?

• A+

• AB-

• or O+ The answer is O+

Eagle Girl

Reporter: Jack Evans

INTRO: Next we're going to meet a young girl from Mongolia who goes to school and helps out around home just like most kids. But on the weekends, she heads into the mountains to learn how to hunt with a trained eagle. Take a look.

In one of the most isolated places on earth, where temperatures can reach minus 40 degrees. This young girl is trying to keep one of her people's oldest traditions alive. 14-year-old Akbota is learning how to hunt with a golden eagle. It's something that's been passed down through her family, for generations. But it's not a skill that girls here are usually taught. KHABYL: In the history of Kazakhs, there has never been an eagle huntress. In the past women didn't go up the mountains, they got married and moved away. Being an eagle huntress is a temporary thing. But that hasn't stopped Akbota. For the past three years, her Dad has been training her to become an eagle huntress and it hasn't been easy. It took Akbota almost a year just to build up the strength needed to carry an eagle on her arm. AKBOTA: Of course, girls can do anything the boys do. We're resilient, and how do you say? If you never give up, boy or girls, you can do anything. ORKEN: My daughter is very brave, she's determined to reach her goals. Girls can do martial arts; Sambo, judo and wrestling. They're growing and learning and beating the boys. Akbota is Khazakh - a culture of people that live across parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. They've used eagles to hunt foxes, rabbits and wolves for thousands of years. Back then they needed them for food and fur. But today it's more about keeping this ancient tradition alive. Every winter hunters leave their village for months at a time, trekking on horseback for days looking for any sign of life. The eagles are blindfolded the entire time to keep them focused and calm. Then when an animal is spotted the blindfold is lifted and the hunt begins.

©ABC 2017

Eagle hunters spend 5 years training before they are sent out on a hunt and most of that training is learning how to bond with the bird, something Abkota is still mastering. Right now, she's working on her call, it's a key part of forming a strong bond between her and her eagle. But handling an eagle the same size as you can be a little tricky. Akbota still has 2 years to go before she will earn the title as Eagle Huntress and after that she hopes to be able to show the world this amazing part of their ancient culture. AKBOTA: My plan for the future is to teach coming generations about raising and training eagles to hunt. I also want to introduce our eagle culture to the world.

Did you know?

There are more than 60 species of eagle. Steller's Sea Eagle has the largest wingspan, at 2.5m. While the Bald Eagle is the fastest, diving at over 160km/h.

Sport

Sydney FC has won its third A-League title after a thrilling grand final against Melbourne Victory! Victory opened the scoring but the Sky Blues fought back with this. Extra time couldn't split the teams so it all came down to a penalty shootout. Which Sydney won 4-2! COMMENTATOR: Dreams have come true in sky blue. Sydney FC are the champions of Australia! Basketball players around the world will now be allowed to wear hijabs or turbans when they play. The International Basketball Association had banned the headwear for safety reasons. But after reviewing its policy it's decided to change the rule from October this year. MUNA MOHAMED, GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH: I believe that by FIBA lifting this ban on hijab, it's allowing a door to open, an opportunity for girls to take one step closer in pursuing their dreams in becoming athletes.

To e-sports now, the world's best gamers have shown off their skills at the Extreme Masters in Sydney. TYLER "TUCKS" REILLY, CAPTAIN OF CHIEFS CS GO TEAM: This is one of the big events in the world like this is one of the biggest events in the world, so having it come to Australia is like huge! Tens of thousands of people turned out to watch the comp.

©ABC 2017

Brazilian team SK Gaming took home gold along with 100-thousand dollars in prize money.

And this just proves there's something for everyone in the world of sport. Around 200 riders competed in Finland's annual Hobby Horse Championship. There were all the normal equestrian events like show jumping and dressage just without the real horses. TAIJA TURKKI, COACH: It's very bizarre for other people to see, for the first time especially, to see this kind of stuff. Because they think we think the horse is alive, which we do not. We understand that it's 'dead'. So, so strange to watch.

Message in a Bottle

Reporter: Natasha Thiele

INTRO: Finally today, imagine walking along a beach and finding a message in a bottle that had drifted there from thousands of kilometres away. Sounds like something out of a movie, right? Well that happened to a young Aussie kid recently. And he's now tracked down who sent it. Take a look.

MESSAGE: Hello, my name is Sadie Parsons and I threw this bottle off the Robert C Seamans school ship as a drift bottle experiment. This special letter was written on the 31st of October 2015 during a voyage from the US to New Zealand. MESSAGE: I am from Ohio Wesleyan University and I'm spending a semester at sea with a program called Sea Semester. Sadie placed it in a glass bottle and dropped it into the ocean in the hope it would be found by someone, some day. For a year and a half, it floated across the ocean travelling at least 4000 kays, before being washed up on a New South Wales beach and into the hands of Tristan. TRISTAN: I found it at Hungry Head Beach and I was walking at the sand dunes and then I kicked it and then I found it and I was really stoked. The bottle was covered in barnacles and they had to use a bottle opener to get the cork out before he could read what was inside.

©ABC 2017

MESSAGE: If you find this note, please contact me! Sadie Parsons. I'm very excited to hear from you!!! And he did! TRISTAN: I contacted Sadie as soon as we got home and I asked her about herself and is she still doing her job what she's doing now. SADIE: I almost threw my phone in the air in the email that I read, I was so excited I told everybody I knew. Soon they even got the chance to chat on the phone. SADIE: I never thought it would be found but I'm glad you found it because yeah, I made a new friend! Sadie isn't the first person to send a message in a bottle. That title is thought to have gone to Greek philosopher Theophrastus around 310 BCE who wanted to prove that the Mediterranean Sea was connected to the Atlantic Ocean. The oldest message in a bottle was found on a German beach after 108 years! It was released in the North Sea in the early 1900s as part of research into ocean currents. While some bottles can take a few months to wash up, others can take years. That's because ocean conditions are constantly changing. Things like currents, tides, winds and storms can affect a bottle’s path. But experts say you might want to think twice before releasing a bottle yourself. Some bottles will just end up as rubbish, others could break up and cause problems for marine life. Luckily though, Sadie's message found Tristan and brought together two young people from opposite ends of the world. And after their chance encounter they're now hoping to meet in person. TRISTAN: We hope that we might meet her one day and that would be really amazing. SADIE: Yes, I mean as long as you want to Tristan and if it's okay with your mom, I mean mum if you want to put it that way. So, I'm very excited if you ever want to come to Catalina you're more than welcome, you have a place to stay anything like that. We'll just have to wait and see where this tale travels next.

Closer

And that's it for today! But there is heaps more for you on our website including all of our suggested class activities for this ep. Thanks for joining me and I'll see you on Friday for #AskaReporter and then next week for more BTN.