05/09/2016 Newsround

Morning, all, Ricky here, kicking off a brand new week

The lights go out to help stargazers.

And the Para-athlete going for medals on both types of track.

Let's start this morning with some great nature news.

Giant pandas are officially no longer an endangered species.

After decades of work by conservationists,

their numbers have gone up 17% in the ten years up to 2014.

They now fall into the "vulnerable" category - so protection

The increase in numbers is being put down to special breeding programmes

Stunning starry scenes like this can be hard to come by if you live

Well, today, 17 new "dark sky" spots in the UK have been announced -

to help give more people the chance to go stargazing.

When the sun sets across the towns and cities in the UK, night falls,

what can you see when you look up? The thing most people will see the

cloud illuminated by high-pressure sodium. Nobody gets a chance to see

the true beauty of the night sky. Unless that is you come to a place

like this in Northumberland. It is Europe's biggest dark sky park, a

place protected from city light pollution, so you can clearly see

the night skies. It is incredible because when you look at the sky,

you don't imagine how many stars and planets are out there, it is

incredible. 17 new dark Sky Sports across the UK have been announced,

so more of you guys can get closer to the stars -- dark sky spots. The

fact more and more places in the UK are starting to switch on and think

about preserving the darkness, that's got to be great, it's got to

be good for the future of astronomy and education.

The Paralympic Games get underway this Wednesday and Britain

is sending more than 260 athletes to Rio to compete.

One of Paralympics GB's brightest stars is Kadeena Cox.

She's not only aiming to win medals on the athletics track

The BBC's Disability Correspondent Nikki Fox has been to meet her.

Kadeena Cox is aiming to do something very few have achieved,

win four gold medals across to sports, cycling and athletics, in

one Paralympic games. Why did you choose to do to sports? It is

exciting. I was doing well in both and when it came to making a

decision, I couldn't do it. I might not be in this decision in four

years' time so I took the opportunity. But she hasn't always

competed in disability sport. Back in 2012, just four years ago, her

dream was to compete in Rio as an Olympian. Here she is racing in the

100 metres at the British University Championships, the first event held

at the Olympic Stadium in London. But in 2014, everything changed. I

was diagnosed with a stroke at May 2014 and MS in September. My body

didn't quite do what I wanted it to do, it still doesn't. It was worse

then. I struggled going from being an 11 second runner to being a 14

second runner. She dealt with it, becoming world champion in both

sports. What is the difference between the athlete and you at home?

The athlete is cool and look supercool, whereas Kadeena Cox at

home falls over a lot. Multiple sclerosis fluctuates, so Kadeena Cox

has to be checked Wrigley, which means it will be checked which sport

she competes in -- regularly. She will be up against Buster athlete at

Rio, but this is not something which will faze her, who in just two years

can cross the line from Olympic hopeful to multiple Paralympic

champion. And you can keep up to date with all

the action on Newsround online. Head there now to read our quick

guide to every Paralympic sport and check out Britain's top ten

gold medal hopes, too. That's all from me, Newsround's back

right here in about half an hour.