The island that switches countries every six months

Summary: Next week, France will hand over 6,820 sq m of its territory to Spain without a single shot being fired. But in six months' time Spain will voluntarily hand back the land to France. As Chris Bockman reports, it's been that way for more than 350 years.

The French Basque beach resort of Hendaye is the last town before the border with Spain. Out of season, its beautiful curved sandy bay seems to be occupied by hundreds of seals. But look more closely and they are, in fact, defiant winter surfers in wetsuits. Just beyond a long breakwater is the historic Spanish town of Hondarribia and its sprawling, built-up neighbour Irun. The natural border is the river Bidassoa, which flows into an estuary dividing the two countries. As you go upstream from the river mouth, the view changes. Imposing and colourful Basque buildings give way to industrial warehouses on the French side, and unappealing residential tower blocks on the Spanish. But what I have come to see is Pheasant Island (in French Ile des Faisans, in Spanish Isla de los Faisanes). It's not easy to find. When I ask for directions, nobody understands why I want to go there. They tell me there is nothing to see and warn me you can't visit it - no-one lives there, it's not a tourist destination like Mont St Michel. But there it is - a peaceful, inaccessible island in the middle of the river, with tree cover and neatly trimmed grass, and an old monument which pays tribute to a remarkable historical event that happened here in 1659. For three months, the Spanish and French negotiated the end to their long war on the island, as it was considered neutral territory. Wooden bridges were extended from both sides. The armies stood ready as the negotiations began. A peace agreement was signed - the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Territory was swapped and the border demarcated. And the deal was sealed with a royal wedding, as the French King Louis XIV married the daughter of the Spanish King Philip IV. Find out more One other detail was that the island itself was to be shared between the two countries, with control rotating from one to the other. For six months of the year, from February 1 to 31 July, it's under Spanish rule - and for the following six months it's French. This sort of joint sovereignty is called a condominium, and Faisans Island is one of the oldest in existence. The naval commander in the Spanish town of San Sebastian and his French counterpart in Bayonne act as governors or viceroys of the island. In reality they have bigger fish to deal with, so it's up to the Mayors of Irun and Hendaye to take turns looking after the island. Benoit Ugartemendia runs the parks division for the local council in Hendaye. He told me he sends a small team once a year by boat to the island to cut the grass, trim the tree branches and that's about it. The river is tidal - you can sometimes reach the island by foot from Spain - so as well as cutting the grass, the Spanish police chase off illegal campers. The island is tiny - just over 200m long and 40m wide. Very occasionally, the public is invited to visit on heritage open days, but Benoit says it only interests older people and younger people know nothing of its historical importance. These days, crossing from France to Spain by land is a seamless experience except for the gridlocked traffic - but under the Franco dictatorship, the border was heavily policed. The Mayor of Hendaye, Kotte Ecenarro, told me there used to be sentry points every 100m along the river facing the island to prevent opponents getting in or out. These days, the mayors of Irun and Hendaye meet about a dozen times a year to discuss issues like water quality and fishing rights. In the past, Spanish fishermen have complained about the shape of French boats and lately have been upset with French holiday makers in canoes disrupting their business. The island itself is a low priority. It's being eroded - it has lost nearly half of its size over the centuries, as snow melt rushes down from the Pyrenees and into the river. But neither country wants to spend money building up the island's defences. This year, there will be no ceremony marking the handover. There was an idea to fly the flag of whichever country was currently in - but Mr Ecenarro the mayor told me that until recently, that would only have encouraged the Basque Separatists to take it down or replace it with their own. So in a few days' time - perhaps the world's most undisputed border island will change ownership again. And in August Spain will hand it back once more. Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

अगले सप्ताह, फ्रांस बिना एक भी गोली चलाए अपने 6,820 वर्ग मीटर क्षेत्र को स्पेन को सौंप देगा। लेकिन छह महीने के समय में स्पेन स्वेच्छा से फ्रांस को भूमि वापस सौंप देगा। जैसा कि क्रिस बॉकमैन ने बताया है, 350 से अधिक वर्षों से ऐसा ही हो रहा है।


Inverness West Link: Artefacts unearthed by road works

Summary: A prehistoric arrowhead, pieces of pottery and the remains of an ancient roundhouse have been uncovered during road works in Inverness.

Archaeologists have been closely monitoring the construction of the city's new West Link Road for artefacts. The arrowhead has been sent to a laboratory for analysis. Stone tools, flints, clay pipe stems and evidence of ancient iron manufacturing have also been found. The West Link is being constructed on the south east side of Inverness. Highland Council hopes that, once completed, the road will ease congestion in the city centre.

इनवर्नेस में सड़क निर्माण के दौरान एक प्रागैतिहासिक तीर का सिर, मिट्टी के बर्तनों के टुकड़े और एक प्राचीन गोलघर के अवशेष मिले हैं।


Party conferences: What's at stake for the leaders?

Summary: Party conferences can seem a contradiction in terms.

By James LandaleDeputy political editor Not much conferring appears to go on. And the parties tend to be rubbish. But that does not mean they do not matter. The annual tour of Britain's cities allows our politicians a brief moment front of stage where they gain publicity and scrutiny. And while corporate lobbying and media confection have long since replaced any genuinely democratic gathering of grassroots members, today's conferences still focus parties' minds and quicken pulses. This year these furrowed brows and racing hearts are driven by one word: doubt. All three leaders of the largest parties want to use their conferences to dispel doubt about them, their parties and their policies. The field of battle will be the economy and living standards. And this will matter because these conferences are the penultimate before the general election, ones that will shape the terms of the campaigns ahead, the manifestos soon to be written and the opinions of an electorate whose fickle intentions few politicians dare to predict. Liberal Democrats (14 - 19 September, Glasgow) Nick Clegg perhaps could have wished for fewer distractions ahead of his conference: Sarah Teather's anguished retirement; Chris Huhne's attempted self-absolution and Lord Oakeshott's traditional demand for the Lib Dem leader's head. Mr Clegg could also probably have done without the elliptical utterances of some of his colleagues such as Tim Farron: "The electoral system is a fruit machine" and Steve Webb: "God is a liberal but not a Liberal Democrat." But in fact Mr Clegg comes to Glasgow in better shape than some had expected. There is no serious threat to his leadership. None of his MPs has abandoned the party in frustration over the coalition's direction (although Miss Teather has decided to quit Parliament) and the Eastleigh by-election victory earlier this year showed the party can still hold seats against the tide. Cause for concern comes from opinion polls that suggest the party is scraping its way into double figures behind UKIP. Nick Clegg's task at his conference is to dispel the doubts that his party can recover in time for 2015. His pitch will be that the Lib Dems must gain credit for the emerging economic recovery and drive home the idea that they are a competent party of government. And that means not breaking from the Tories before the election and, in the words of Lord Ashdown, "governing up to polling day". Expect much talk of the need for the Lib Dems to hold their nerve. This strategy also means the party will campaign explicitly as a future coalition partner, one that can moderate the excesses of the larger parties. This approach will be challenged from the liberal left. They will argue that the party needs to detach itself from the coalition sooner rather than later and establish a policy agenda that distinguishes them from the Conservatives and makes them more appealing to left-wing voters. So there will be demands for a 50p top rate of tax, a super mansion tax, a cut in tuition fees and a softening of austerity. What makes this debate matter is not just that the Lib Dems could be part of a coalition after the next election and the policies discussed in Glasgow could form part of future coalition agreement. What makes this debate crucial is that it could determine what kind of coalition is formed in the future. If the arithmetical result of the election allows for a coalition with either Labour or the Conservatives, then the debate between left-inclined social democrats and fiscally-conservative liberals could decide whether or not David Cameron or Ed Miliband is prime minister. Food for thought. Labour (22 - 25 September, Brighton) Ed Miliband comes to Brighton narrowly ahead in the opinion polls, fresh from a victory of sorts over the crisis in Syria when his decisions ensured British forces would not take part in any military action. He has spent the year developing his One Nation theme and slowly outlining at least some policies, the most important of which was the party's broad acceptance of the government's spending plans. But his task, too, is to dispel doubts in the minds of his party and the wider electorate about the strength of Labour's poll lead, about its economic policy now that a recovery of sorts is under way and about the direction of his own leadership. His aim will be to try to reassure voters that Labour has something to say about the economy apart from insisting that the growth we are seeing is weak, unfair and potentially unsustainable. And that something will be living standards. Mr Miliband's whole focus, we are told, will be on what he calls the cost of living crisis, namely that real wages are falling while youth unemployment is rising. And the policy announcements to expect will focus in this area, such as promises to help with child care, energy bills and low wages such as through the living wage, perhaps by offering tax breaks to companies that pay it. He will not distract himself from this theme, I am told by Labour sources, by announcing a new policy on a European referendum as has been speculated. What will provide some distraction will be Mr Miliband's continuing attempt to change his party's relationship with the trade unions. Lord Collins will publish his interim report setting out Labour's broad intentions. There will be no firm details but there will be enough to divert the news cycle for a day and wind up some union leaders. And yet underlying all this will be the continuing debate within the party about Mr Miliband himself. There appears no threat to his leadership but equally there appears little confidence, certainly among some MPs frustrated by what they see as a wasted summer when the party seemed to walk off the political pitch. There is a nervousness among some in Labour that voters still do not quite know what an Ed Miliband premiership might look like. So his challenge - in his interviews and speeches - is to address those concerns and paint a picture of a future Labour government. The patience of some in his party is growing thin. Conservatives (29 September - 2 October, Manchester) Despite everything, David Cameron could be forgiven for arriving in Manchester with a modest spring in his step. He has spent much of this year at odds with his party over a European referendum and gay marriage. He has suffered electorally at the hands of UKIP. He has been defeated in the House of Commons over taking the country to war. And yet the arrival of a modest economic recovery has put some hope into Conservative hearts, allowing them to dream once again of the possibility of winning a majority at the next election. "The economics is changing the politics," one Tory minister told me. Tory MPs do not feel under pressure from Labour. They think they have a strong message too on crime, welfare and immigration. And yet the doubt remains. Can Mr Cameron really win a majority over Ed Miliband when he failed to do so against Gordon Brown? That is the question that will be hanging over the Conservative conference. The prime minister's answer, in part, will be to accept that the promise of economic recovery will not be enough. The Conservatives will also have to show they are on the side of people who are suffering from falling living standards. Hence the conference theme and slogan: "For hardworking people." There will be lots of talk of how the government has cut income tax and created more jobs and there will be announcements designed to help people with the cost of living. Oh and the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, I am told, will be on best behaviour so there will be no distractions. We shall see. UKIP (20 - 21 September, London) Nigel Farage goes to his conference after an astonishing year when UKIP has exploited growing voter dissatisfaction with the mainstream parties. At the local elections, UKIP won 23% of the projected national share of the vote, seeing the party's tally of councillors rise from seven to 140. The focus at UKIP's conference will switch to next year's European elections where some are already predicting that the party could top the poll. And yet, like the other parties, there are doubts. After May's victories, UKIP has struggled to stay in the public eye. It has suffered the odd resignation and defection. And it has lost some council by-elections. A natural lull, say some. Proof, say others, that the fourth party breakthrough is still a work-in-progress.

पार्टी सम्मेलनों के संदर्भ में एक विरोधाभास प्रतीत हो सकता है।


Dates for return of Nuart street art festival in Aberdeen revealed

Summary: Dates for the return of a major street art festival which saw paintings appear on buildings across Aberdeen have been revealed.

Nuart - which has taken place in Stavanger, Norway, since 2001 - was successfully introduced to Aberdeen in April. Nuart will take place from Thursday 12 April to Sunday 15 April next year. Efforts were launched in October to find businesses and property owners willing to offer wall space next year.

एबरडीन में इमारतों पर चित्रों को देखने वाले एक प्रमुख सड़क कला उत्सव की वापसी की तारीखों का खुलासा किया गया है।


First Ebola boy likely infected by playing in bat tree

Summary: The Ebola victim who is believed to have triggered the current outbreak - a two-year-old boy called Emile Ouamouno from Guinea - may have been infected by playing in a hollow tree housing a colony of bats, say scientists.

By Michelle RobertsHealth editor, BBC News online They made the connection on an expedition to the boy's village, Meliandou. They took samples and chatted to locals to find out more about Ebola's source. The team's findings are published in EMBO Molecular Medicine. Ebola trail Meliandou is a small village of 31 houses. It sits deep within the Guinean forest region, surrounded by towering reeds and oil palm cultivations - these are believed to have attracted the fruit bats carrying the virus passed on to Emile. During their four-week field trip in April 2014, Dr Fabian Leendertz and colleagues found a large tree stump situated about 50m from Emile's home. Villagers reported that children used to play frequently in the hollow tree. Emile - who died of Ebola in December 2013 - used to play there, according to his friends. The villagers said that the tree burned on March 24, 2014 and that once the tree caught fire, there issued a "rain of bats". A large number of these insectivorous free-tailed bats - Mops condylurus in Latin - were collected by the villagers for food, but disposed of the next day after a government-led ban on bushmeat consumption was announced. While bushmeat is thought to be a possible source of Ebola, the scientists believe it didn't trigger the outbreak. Instead, it was Emile's exposure to the bats and their droppings as he played with his friends in the hollowed tree. Pest control The scientists took and tested ash samples from the tree and found DNA traces that were a match for the animals. While they were unable to test any of the bushmeat that the villagers had disposed of, they captured and tested any living bats they could find in and around Meliandou. No Ebola could be detected in any of these hundred or so animals, however. But previous tests show this species of bat can carry Ebola. Dr Leendertz, from the Robert Koch Institute in Germany, and his colleagues say this must be a pretty rare occurrence though. Dr Leendertz said: "That is also obvious when you think about how many tonnes of bat meat is consumed every year. "If more bats carried the virus, we would see outbreaks all the time." He says it is vital to find out more about the bats. "They have moved into human settlements. They do not just live in the trees but also under the roofs of houses in the villages. "The Ebola virus must jump through colonies from bat to bat, so we need to know more." But culling the animals is not the answer. "We need to find ways to live together with the wildlife. These bats catch insects and pests, such as mosquitoes. They can eat about a quarter of their body weight in insects a day. "Killing them would not be a solution. You would have more malaria."

वैज्ञानिकों का कहना है कि इबोला पीड़ित, जिसके बारे में माना जाता है कि उसने वर्तमान प्रकोप को जन्म दिया है-गिनी का एमिल ओउमौनो नामक एक दो साल का लड़का-चमगादड़ों की एक कॉलोनी वाले खोखले पेड़ में खेलने से संक्रमित हो सकता है।


The social housing tenants miles from home

Summary: Councils, particularly those in London, are choosing to tackle a shortage of affordable social housing by investing in accommodation in other parts of the country. But what is life like for the tenants who are forced to live miles from home?

By Peter WhittleseaBBC Victoria Derbyshire programme "I didn't have a choice in the matter - I had to move here, or be homeless," Lavonn Grant explains to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, distraught at her present situation. In June, she says, Redbridge Council in London left her with little option but to move 60 miles away to Canterbury in Kent, with her one-year-old daughter, in order to retain social housing. She had been living in a studio flat in Redbridge Foyer in Ilford, a building used by the council to house homeless young people under the age of 22, but was given an eviction notice, along with its other residents - in April. She says she asked to be housed in a local hostel or bed and breakfast, but was told none was available, leaving a move to Kent the only viable option. Her property there is located in a former army barracks, with homes for 147 families, which Redbridge Council has recently begun to lease. The main advantage for the local authority is that the cost of the accommodation is far lower than property in the capital - lessening its need to dip into funds to support housing benefit tenants. But Lavonn says the move has left her without a vital support network - her family. "It's been really hard in Kent on my own, without my family. I feel so far from them and it's really hard bringing up my daughter without any support, emotionally or financially." Before moving, she was able to work, but says her current situation does not allow for this. "I'm currently unemployed as I don't have anyone to look after my daughter - so I can't go out to work." Roger Harding, director of policy and campaigns at the charity Shelter, says Lavonn's situation is one his organisation hears "all too often", with families "forced to wave goodbye not only to their home, but to schools, jobs, friends and family. We know the devastating impact this has on their lives". "Tearing a family from their local area should always be the last resort," he adds, "but overstretched council resources and a lack of affordable homes sometimes means it's the only option." In a statement, Redbridge Council said: "The chronic shortage of affordable housing is a London-wide issue and due to the pressure in the housing market, it has become increasingly difficult for us to secure enough local supply. "The housing at Howe Barracks in Canterbury can provide homes to 147 families who had previously been living in temporary accommodation." Find out more The Victoria Derbyshire programme is broadcast on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News channel. Watch Peter Whittlesea's full film here. Lavonn has also encountered another issue. To lease the barracks, Redbridge Council outbid the local Canterbury City Council, which has caused animosity from the local public. "Since arriving here, I've faced a backlash from people on the waiting list for properties in Canterbury. I feel bad for those people too - I didn't know we were taking their properties." Local resident James McCrossan has set up a petition against Redbridge Council's leasing of the former barracks. He says he does not hold a grudge against the individuals who have been moved from London, but the system that allowed the properties to be sold "commercially". The leasing, he says, "aids and helps residents of London, but it doesn't help the housing crisis in Canterbury. "The [growing] population in Canterbury is becoming more and more of a problem, and bringing more people in means schools, hospitals and local amenities can't cope." Redbridge Council, however, is far from alone in seeking accommodation further afield - especially among London councils that are struggling against the capital's housing market. A Freedom of Information request in September 2015 showed 26 of 33 London councils moved homeless households to other parts of the South East of England. Eight councils moved people into temporary accommodation in the Midlands and the north of England, the figures showed. Not everyone, however, is unhappy with this development. 'It's beautiful' Gayle Oschman, who has a progressive form of multiple sclerosis (MS), had been living in a one-room bed and breakfast in Redbridge with her son for four months before she was given the opportunity to move to Canterbury. "I was traumatised [by the conditions of the old accommodation]. Here, you can breathe," she explains. "It's beautiful, all I see is greenery," she says, looking towards her garden. The property comes with its own bathroom and kitchen - a luxury not afforded to her in the bed and breakfast. Her move caused a personal dilemma, as she had to leave behind her mother in London, who has cancer. But, she says, Redbridge Council told her another such opportunity might not arise for five years - leaving her with the overwhelming feeling that she "had to jump" and make the move. She says she hasn't regretted it since. Lavonn, however, is desperate to return to London. "I'm thinking of saving up and renting privately in London, even though I know I probably can't afford it - but what other option do I have?"

परिषदें, विशेष रूप से लंदन में, देश के अन्य हिस्सों में आवास में निवेश करके किफायती सामाजिक आवास की कमी से निपटने का विकल्प चुन रही हैं। लेकिन उन किरायेदारों के लिए जीवन कैसा है जो घर से मीलों दूर रहने के लिए मजबूर हैं?


Coronavirus briefing: PM in intensive care as China reports no Covid-19 deaths

Summary: If you want to get this briefing by email, sign up here

By Victoria KingBBC News PM's condition deteriorates The prime minister is now in intensive care after his coronavirus symptoms worsened. Boris Johnson, 55, has been receiving oxygen, but as of Monday night, had not been put on a ventilator. Downing Street says he is receiving "excellent care", while messages of support have come from across the UK and the world. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has been asked to deputise for the PM when needed - read more about how the chain of command works in this highly unusual situation. BBC News online's health editor Michelle Roberts explains what happens in intensive care, while correspondent Fergus Walsh goes inside one such unit dealing with coronavirus patients. This piece, meanwhile, explains exactly what the disease does to the body. On Monday, 439 coronavirus deaths were recorded in the UK - down from 621 on Sunday and 708 on Saturday. Experts are warning against over-interpreting daily figures - this is why. Elsewhere, the BBC has spoken to thousands of people who have been missed off the government's high risk list for Covid-19 despite meeting the criteria. Many are worried it will affect their ability to access food and medical supplies. And scientists at University College London say countries like the UK that have shut schools to help stop the spread of coronavirus should ask hard questions about whether those closures should continue. Global latest The news of a country's leader in intensive care is making headlines around the world, and one of those to send his thoughts to Mr Johnson was President Donald Trump, speaking at his daily press conference. The US has so far recorded almost 11,000 coronavirus deaths, but stark statistics from Chicago demonstrate the heavy and unequal toll it is taking. Black Chicagoans account for half of all cases in the city and more than 70% of deaths, despite making up only 30% of the population. In Europe, France reported its highest daily death toll since the outbreak began. The country is launching a mass screening programme in care homes which are especially hard hit. In Spain though, the world's second worst-hit country, the daily number of deaths has continued to fall, boosting hopes that the peak has passed. Elsewhere, China - where the pandemic began - has reported no coronavirus deaths for the first time since January. New Zealand's health minister has called himself an "idiot" after breaking the country's lockdown by driving his family to the beach. And more than 100 global organisations are calling for debt payments of poorer countries to be dropped. Follow all the latest developments via our live page. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning Life in lockdown The approaches to dealing with coronavirus across the world have been varied to say the least. Our visual journalism team has put together a guide. The impact of those lockdowns has been wide-ranging too. Some have found themselves struggling to get essential items, and the BBC has spent time with one mother going from house to house delivering nappies to families in need. Others are feeling the economic effects, including sex workers, some of whom are attempting to shift online. However, not all businesses are suffering - in the US gun sales appear to be at a record high. Here we look at why. Find all our analysis and explanation of the crisis on the dedicated coronavirus page. Why has this country reported no virus cases? By Abdujalil Abdurasulov , BBC News While the world battles coronavirus and more and more countries lock down their populations, Turkmenistan is holding a mass cycling rally to mark World Health Day on Tuesday. The Central Asian country claims it still has zero coronavirus cases. But can we trust the figures provided by a government renowned for censorship? "Official health statistics from Turkmenistan are notoriously unreliable," said Prof Martin McKee from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Read the full article One thing not to miss today Coronavirus doctor's diary: The oxygen supply problem Listen up The team discuss the prime minister's condition in the latest Coronavirus Newscast. And for a little light relief, BBC Radio 5 Live's Elis James and John Robins bring you some much-needed laughs in The Isolation Tapes. What the papers say The main story across all of the papers is Boris Johnson's move to intensive care. He now faces a "fight for life" say the Sun and Daily Star. In the words of the Daily Mail, the "stricken" prime minister was struggling to breathe. The Times quotes one minister as saying the announcement of the PM's worsening condition was a "truly shocking" moment. The Guardian has also been told of "frustration" among ministers over Mr Johnson's decision to remain in charge for so long, rather than rest. Elsewhere, the Financial Times says the government is trying to work out how and when to relax the UK's lockdown. It argues that countries which have rightly decided to close down their economies have only "a very few months" before the costs and social unrest become "unbearable". According to the Daily Telegraph, ministers are scrambling to formulate a new exit strategy following warnings from experts that mass testing cannot be introduced for at least a month. From elsewhere Here's why you might be feeling tired while on lockdown (The Conversation) Why the coronavirus crisis will force the UK to adopt a transformed economic model (New Statesman) How Germany has managed to perform so many Covid-19 tests (Spectator) No, you don't need to use isolation to write a novel (Refinery 29) Sign up for a morning briefing direct to your phone Need something different? Rwanda's president believes drones could become lifesavers for his nation and others in Africa, as well as offering economic opportunity to previously isolated communities. Our BBC Business colleagues examine those ambitions. Elsewhere, read about the three-part series set to tell the story of the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? "coughing major" scandal. And finally, learn why the way you parent could determine whether your children turn out to be the leaders of tomorrow.

यदि आप ईमेल द्वारा यह जानकारी प्राप्त करना चाहते हैं, तो यहां साइन अप करें


Span Arts centre mural to stay

Summary: A bright mural showing a woman walking on a tightrope in high heels has been allowed to stay on Span Arts centre in Narberth, Pembrokeshire.

The mural wall caused a stir earlier this year when Pembrokeshire council said it needed special permission as it showed phone numbers. The council have since granted consent. Arts centre staff said 200 people signed a petition for it to stay and they wanted to create a "landmark" with a "wow factor". Span Arts centre was decorated in September as part of its new look. The mural by professional graffiti artists Peaceful Progress was inspired by Bianco, a contemporary circus show which Span Arts helped produce in 2013.

एक चमकीले भित्ति चित्र में एक महिला को ऊँची एड़ी में एक तंग रस्सी पर चलते हुए दिखाया गया है, जिसे नार्बर्थ, पेम्ब्रोकेशायर में स्पैन आर्ट्स सेंटर में रहने की अनुमति दी गई है।


Hatherleigh cattle market fire prompts asbestos fears

Summary: Firefighters have tackled a large blaze at one of Devon's main cattle markets.

The fire broke out at Hatherleigh Cattle Market just after 03:30 BST and destroyed the roof of the main sheep auction building. About 30 firefighters were sent to the scene and a cordon was put in place around the market following fears of asbestos contamination. Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service are investigating the cause. A sheep auction is normally held every Monday at the market.

दमकलकर्मियों ने डेवोन के मुख्य पशु बाजारों में से एक में लगी आग पर काबू पा लिया है।


Leicester house fire murders suspect charged

Summary: A 22-year-old man has been charged with the murders of a woman and three children in a house fire in Leicester.

The man is accused of killing Shehnila Taufiq, 47, her daughter Zainab, 19, and two sons, Bilal, 17, and 15-year-old Jamal. He is one of eight people charged with murder in connection with their deaths. The four died after their home in the Wood Hill area of the city was set alight on 13 September. The 22-year-old is due at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Friday.

लीसेस्टर में एक घर में लगी आग में एक 22 वर्षीय व्यक्ति पर एक महिला और तीन बच्चों की हत्या का आरोप लगाया गया है।


Carrie Fisher: The fans' princess

Summary: Carrie Fisher was idolised across the globe. She won a legion of adoring fans thanks to the role she became most famous for, Princess Leia in Star Wars. Some have been sharing their stories of the moments they met the actress.

Merry Christmas, Carrie Fisher Catherine Saffran in Edmonton, Canada, recalls the time when she met the actress. "There was an expo in Edmonton in September and she appeared. I was so excited, I grew up watching Star Wars with my dad, so for me it was a dream come true. "She was one of my dad's favourite actresses, so I figured I would get her to sign something for Christmas. It was a unique piece that said "Love to Dean, Merry Christmas, Carrie Fisher. "I had a lovely conversation with her when I got her to sign this item for my dad. She was genuinely interested in her fans, and had a wonderful sense of humour. "When I heard this morning about her death, it hit close to home. I was glad I was able to meet her and have a chance to express my gratitude for everything she has done." An inspiration to mental health sufferers John Moore, London, UK, worked at a book store when he met the actress. He remembers their conversation about mental health which she openly admitted to suffering from. "I had the great fortune of meeting Carrie at a book signing in London. As a staff member at the store I got to spend time chatting to her and helping her. She was a beautiful and shining light of a lady. "She was sweet, thoughtful, and amazing with her fans. We talked about my height. She compared me to her friend who played Chewbacca and how he was incredibly tall. "She then complimented my hair and finished by saying I hit the genetic jackpot. To have that said by her is amazing. She signed a copy of her new book for me as Carrie Fisher, Mrs Han Solo. "She will be missed and I aspire to have her strength. I called her an inspiration for mental health sufferers like myself. Although I don't speak about it often, I suffer from anxiety and panic. "She has inspired me by teaching me that just because you're a little broken or a little different you can still be an inspiration and shine like she did. She was honest about her health issues and was just herself. "She taught me to not feel embarrassed or a lesser person just because you sometimes struggle to get through the day. Her death has hit me hard but it also makes me feel so proud to have been like her, different." Love Letter to Carrie Simon Humble, in Basingstoke, England was one of many teenage boys who had a crush on the actress. He even wrote her a letter. "As a huge Star Wars fan I saw Return of the Jedi seven times and then sent an airmail letter to her. I addressed it as only a naive lovestruck youngster could, Carrie Fisher, star of Star Wars, Hollywood, USA. "Needless to say the letter was returned to me, complete with a postal stamp informing the sender to address it properly. I still have it after all these years, I've never opened it, and I'm 48 now. "God only knows what I wrote back then, no doubt asking her to marry me or something similar. I've been too embarrassed to open the letter but I think I will now in memory of her. "What a great shame she is no longer with us, a very sad day indeed." You're the before and I'm the after It wasn't just the millions of young men who fell in love with the actress. Young girls around the world dressed up like Princess Leia complete with the iconic plaited hairstyle. Holly Redfox, in London, was one of them. "I met Carrie at London Film and Comic Con two years ago and she was hilarious. I've been a fan for over 30 years. "I was dressed as her in Empire Strikes Back. I made the outfit. She looked at me and said, 'Hey, it's like a before and after shot. You're before and I'm after'. "Everyone fell about laughing. Carrie was a true legend and I'm devastated that she's gone." She spoke to my son Dan Combes met Carrie Fisher in Belgium. He says he has fond memories of their meeting. "This is a photo of my son and I meeting Carrie Fisher two years ago at a comic book convention in Belgium. "Look how I subtly try to push him out of the way to get closer to her. She just said hello and spoke to my son about his belly. "I am a massive Star Wars fan so it's very upsetting. She was very nice to us when we met her." By Rozina Sini, UGC and Social News team

कैरी फिशर को दुनिया भर में आदर्श माना जाता था। उन्होंने स्टार वार्स में राजकुमारी लीया की भूमिका के लिए सबसे अधिक प्रसिद्ध होने के कारण प्रशंसकों की एक सेना जीती। कुछ लोग अभिनेत्री से मिलने के क्षणों की अपनी कहानियों को साझा कर रहे हैं।


Qasem Soleimani killed: Does Trump have a strategy?

Summary: US President Donald Trump's decision to authorise a drone strike that killed Iran's most powerful military commander has seen tensions between the two nations escalate. What's the strategy here, and what might happen next?

Mr Trump has long promised to take American troops out of the Middle East. But under his presidency, US relations with Iran have become more tense as he has ramped up sanctions and pulled out of a nuclear deal he viewed as flawed. Here's what US foreign policy experts believe may be behind the decision to kill Qasem Soleimani and what it means for US-Iran relations. 'Trump is not a grand strategist' PJ Crowley is a former US Assistant Secretary of State and author of Red Line: American Foreign Policy in a Time of Fractured Politics and Failing States. Why now? We had the attack by the Iranian-backed militia and the response against its compounds in Iraq and Syria. The Trump administration was surprised by the magnitude of the attack on the embassy in Baghdad, viewed it as an escalation and believed that Soleimani was behind it. Presented with a target of opportunity, the president authorised the strike. What's Trump's strategy? Donald Trump is not a grand strategist. He lives in the moment and acts by instinct. I would be surprised if he thought through the after-effects. He was presented with the opportunity to take out a "bad hombre" that Obama hadn't. That was probably all he needed to hear. What next? Iran has promised to respond and has lots of proxies that will look for targets of opportunity across the region. They understand enough about American politics to know that the key to Trump's re-election campaign is the US economy. If they can disrupt it, they will. In theory, the Trump endgame is forcing Iran back to the bargaining table for a "better deal" that takes into account not just Iran's nuclear ambitions, but its missile program and regional behaviour as well. It's implausible to see how this moves us closer to negotiations. Secretary of State Pompeo is dreaming when he says we are going to be widely applauded across the region. In Jerusalem and Riyadh yes, but the rest of the region is holding its breath. What about his promises to leave the Middle East? The president has never resolved the inherent contradiction within his Iran policy. He wants to exert maximum pressure while attempting to extract the United States from the region. While the president has consistently criticised Middle East wars with nothing to show for them, he has taken an action that at least in the short-term increases the risk that the existing political and economic conflict between Iran and the United States will escalate into a shooting war. 'The stick and the carrot' William Tobey is a senior fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, and the former Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Non-proliferation at the National Nuclear Security Administration. Why now? The timing is probably reflective of the fact that the maximum pressure campaign has been surprisingly effective. Tehran has chosen to escalate from the economic dimension to the military dimension, first with strikes against oil tankers and facilities and later against contractors. One could see this as an attempt to close off that channel for escalation, to tell Tehran: "Look, that's not going to work for you." What's Trump's strategy? He's pursuing a tricky policy - to apply so much pressure that Iran feels that it has literally no choice but to return to the negotiating table and have a better deal, but not so much pressure that Iran thinks that there's no chance that the US will actually either adhere to a deal or even strike a deal that would be tolerable to them. In some ways, you see the stick - with the attack on the Soleimani convoy - but a carrot by the president saying: "Look I don't want to have war with Iran." He's trying to hold open the possibility that he doesn't see unlimited conflict as a constructive path. What next? Iran has seen staggering inflation rates and devaluation of their currency. Having fought a losing battle on the economic sanctions front, they decided to open a new front - Military strikes. I have a belief that nation states that feel like they're either aggrieved or attacked become more risk-tolerant. We've certainly seen a high risk-tolerance by the government in Tehran...I suspect their willingness to take further risks will increase. So the question is, which will end first - the maximum pressure campaign or Tehran's ability to resist it? 'Trump was painted into a corner' Luke Coffey is the Director of the Allison Center for Foreign Policy at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank based in Washington DC, a US Army veteran and a former special adviser at the UK Ministry of Defence. Why now? I think every person has a limit. When you look at everything that Iran has been doing over the past year... I think it's clear that Iran was trying to provoke some sort of response from the US. Trump, because he's not very military interventionist, was trying to avoid this situation. I suspect that he's been presented this option in the past and has rejected it, and then this week he decided enough is enough. He's continued to say he wants to have a negotiated settlement with Iran with no conditions for talks. Trump reached a point where he had to push back. What's Trump's strategy? The maximum pressure campaign is the strategy - the administration has been very consistent on this. Trump's shown he's trying to get the Iranians back to the negotiating table and I think he's trying to do so with the least amount of military kinetic action. I think Trump does see himself as this great negotiator and wanted to be the one to cut the deal, but was painted into this corner because Iran kept ratcheting their side of the pressure. You don't just wake up one morning and decide to kill Qasem Soleimani. There had to have been interagency planning in terms of tracking his whereabouts, finding windows of opportunity. We should not forget that Qasem Soleimani [was] a combatant inside a combat zone. No doubt that if the Iranians had the opportunity to take out someone similar in the US, they'd do so. This is part of the drumbeat of conflict that we're stuck with in the Middle East. I don't think this is going to spiral over to become World War Three. What next? Iran's definitely not going to come to the table now. That wasn't a reason not to do the strike - frankly, Soleimani had it coming to him and he got it. He has the blood of American soldiers on his hands and has terrorised huge chunks of the Middle East for more than a decade. Just because Trump wanted to have talks with Iran doesn't mean he shouldn't have taken out Soleimani. I don't think he did it with politics in mind, I think he wanted to avoid this situation or he would've done it earlier. But politically speaking for him this makes him look like a strong leader among his supporters. What about his promises to leave the Middle East? Trump barely likes US troops in Germany, so the idea that he's going to put US troops in Iran in an election year is, I think, inconceivable. But he has to also show the US is only going to be pushed around so much.

अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प के ईरान के सबसे शक्तिशाली सैन्य कमांडर को मारने वाले ड्रोन हमले को अधिकृत करने के फैसले से दोनों देशों के बीच तनाव बढ़ गया है। यहाँ क्या रणनीति है, और आगे क्या हो सकता है?


Welfare reform and not paying the rent

Summary: Government plans to change the way social housing tenants pay their rent, could have serious consequences for some of the poorest people in Britain - and their landlords. So why are they being kept secret from the public?

Mark EastonHome editor@BBCMarkEastonon Twitter Government ministers talk a lot about the importance of transparency and openness in the way the state operates. So it is surprising and disappointing that on an issue that affects the lives of hundreds of thousands of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Britain they are being so secretive. I am talking about the plans to force social housing tenants to pay their own rent rather than housing benefit going straight to landlords - a key part of the government's flagship welfare reforms. The changes are due to come in next year, with all benefits rolled into one universal credit (UC) paid directly to the recipient. The government wants claimants to take responsibility for their budgets. But the proposals are proving far from easy to introduce. Since July, the Department of Work and Pensions has been testing the changes in six areas. These pilots (described as "demonstration projects" by the DWP) are shrouded in secrecy. Participants have had to promise not to reveal any of the results without express departmental approval. A website which aims to identify potential "issues" with the reforms - the Housing Benefit Direct Payments Network - is only accessible to people vetted by Whitehall. Journalists are not welcome. However, I have managed to gain access to the secret site and it seems clear that the government has seriously underestimated the challenge of getting claimants to start paying their monthly rent. Even people deemed at low risk of failing to pay their rent on time are "not managing as expected", the site reveals. Many social tenants have little or no experience of monthly budgets. They get their benefit in cash each week, and while they are often highly adept at managing to operate on a low income over seven days, they may not have a bank account or access to the internet. I was given an insight to the challenge recently when a landlord explained how a single mum in a social-rented block was asked if she would like to give up the coin-in-the-slot electricity meter and pay for her power monthly through the housing association. She explained that she wouldn't because, when things got really tight, she knew she could do one less wash a week and cut down on the heating to save the pound coins going into the meter. It was her way of keeping control of her budget. The department is now committed to reviewing the support available to tenants. A slide show by the DWP manager of the demonstration projects, Vince Hughes, says "there have been surprises" in the way housing benefit claimants have coped with paying rent themselves. "We need to review the support assessment matrix," he says. The key question for landlords is whether they will be able to collect the rent. Many housing providers have borrowed money against a promise that they'll get 98% or more of what they are owed each month. Business plans are reliant on arrears of less than 2%. When I asked the DWP what sort of rent collection figures the pilots had identified I was told the projects were "not about arrears but learning lessons". Well, if the rumours are right, the lesson to be learned is that about 20-30% of tenants may well struggle to pay the rent on time when UC comes in. Such an outcome is a massive headache, not just for the housing providers and social landlords, but for the whole welfare reform project. The DWP recognises that a minority of housing benefit recipients may never be able to manage their finances and there is a system for some tenants to have their housing benefit extracted from UC and paid directly to the landlord in the traditional way. But the government doesn't want this to be more than about 10% of the total - very much the exception rather than the rule. There will obviously be additional cost and complexity in such a measure and the whole welfare reform package is built upon simplicity and cost-saving. The DWP is to introduce a system called "switchback" where tenants whose arrears reach a certain level will have their housing benefit paid directly to the landlord while they receive support for organising their finances. As soon as the arrears are paid off, they supposedly go back on the UC scheme. The trouble is that this idea poses as many questions as answers. How many weeks of arrears would be the trigger for switchback? Too few and it will capture large numbers of tenants; too many and the debts will be much harder to pay off. How will the IT system cope with people moving on and off the main UC system? There are already concerns that the IT database is not going to be able to cope with the complexity required. How will landlords survive if their income stream is disrupted by the welfare changes? I understand some housing providers are already reining back on home improvement and maintenance programmes to create a financial cushion. Others may go under. It is for these reasons that the DWP select committee is warning ministers not to rush into the programme. "We believe that time needs to be allowed for a proper evaluation of the pilots which the Government is running on direct payments to tenants, followed by a phased implementation of direct payments, after appropriate safety net arrangements for vulnerable people have been developed and tested." The committee says it is necessary to establish a robust process for identifying claimants who are struggling so they can be helped before they fall into arrears and face eviction. The question of how some of Britain's poorest people are going to cope with welfare reform is an important one. It is critical there is informed public debate about the challenges and risks. Rather than refusing to publish details of the publicly-funded pilots, there must be merit in talking about this now. The first tenants will be receiving their housing benefit in UC payments within a few months. It will be to nobody's advantage if we see very vulnerable people fall into extreme debt, being evicted and left homeless. Update 10:12 GMT on 24 November Since posting this story, a spokesman for the DWP has called to say that the non-collection rates on the pilots are not as high as suggested. While not giving me the actual figures, the department says one of the demonstration projects had a rate "in the teens" rather than 20-30%. As soon as I have official data, I will publish it here.

सरकार सामाजिक आवास किरायेदारों के किराए का भुगतान करने के तरीके को बदलने की योजना बना रही है, जिसके ब्रिटेन के कुछ सबसे गरीब लोगों और उनके मकान मालिकों के लिए गंभीर परिणाम हो सकते हैं। तो फिर उन्हें जनता से गुप्त क्यों रखा जा रहा है?


GSK hails Ebola vaccine breakthrough

Summary: The devastation of the Ebola outbreak in parts of West Africa has been one of the most shocking and distressing stories of the year.

Tonight there is a glimmer of hope - the first evidence a vaccine could be available for health workers and others battling to control the virus. Ultimately, it could mean a vaccine for everyone in areas at risk. Sir Andrew Witty, the head of GSK, told the BBC a viable vaccine could be available later next year.

पश्चिम अफ्रीका के कुछ हिस्सों में इबोला के प्रकोप की तबाही साल की सबसे चौंकाने वाली और परेशान करने वाली कहानियों में से एक रही है।


Star Wars and shaving foam set to be Christmas toy hits

Summary: The Christmas tree's up, the base is piled high with a mountain of presents and fairy lights wind their way up through the branches. A children's choir sings carols in perfect harmony, while a pyramid of mince pies stands temptingly in the corner.

By Elizabeth HotsonBusiness reporter, BBC News This isn't a picture-perfect scene from a festive greetings card however. The venue is St Mary's Church in central London, a magnificent backdrop to one of the most important events in the toy industry's calendar. It is where the hallowed list of the top 12 "dream toys" is revealed by The Toy Retailers Association. Decided on by a panel of selectors, it includes the toys that the association believes will be this year's must-haves. Despite the festive themed, child-friendly setting, it's a serious event and the attendees are suited, booted and keen to promote their products. The UK's toy market is worth over £3bn with an average of £300 spent annually on toys for each child up to the age of 11, and globally in 2015 sales are expected to reach £58bn - so a lot is at stake. Messy winner This time around, one toy in particular is already looking like a sure-fire success. Hasbro's Pie Face game is built round a simple concept: put whipped cream, shaving foam or a wet sponge on the end of the lever, poke your head through the hole and turn the handles. It could go off at any time, creating an explosive mixture of suspense and mess. It's a cross between Russian roulette and clowning school and has been hugely popular. "It's sold out in quite a few shops already," says Gary Grant, who chaired this year's panel of selectors. "I think a lot of that was down to a YouTube video. It was posted by one of the customers using the toy and it went viral." The film, which features a grandfather and son playing the game, has had around one million hits. Film action In recent years, films have given a huge boost to the toy market. This year's December release of Star Wars VII, The Force Awakens, is expected to induce a fan-driven buying frenzy. Lego has two toys in the top 12 list, one of which is the Star Wars Kylo Ren Command Shuttle. Rebecca Snell, head of the company's UK marketing, says the movie is key for the firm. "Star Wars has always been one of our biggest sellers and this year we have seven sets which go with the film." The star product doesn't come cheap. The Kylo Ren set sells for £99.99 and is aimed at older children and adults. Rebecca says it's one of the more complex sets. "There are 1,005 pieces and it comes with six mini figures, which is always a big draw; you get Kylo Ren, General Hucks, a stormtrooper and some of the first order officers." Top 12 toys - Christmas 2015 Source: Toy Retailers Association The Star Wars phenomenon is a big hit around the world according to Frederique Tutt, toys industry analyst at the NPD Group. "Its appeal is global, we expect it to be the winning licence of the year. In 2014 Star Wars was the number one licensed product tie-in and that was even without a film release." Other movies have also proved lucrative merchandise generators. "China is the second biggest toy market globally and the Transformers film achieved its best box office showing there. It's resulted in big sales for the toys because naturally kids will then want the toys that go with the film," says Mr Tutt. And China's recent scrapping of its one child policy could give a huge fillip to toy retailers and manufacturers: "There are over 200 million children in China and we're expecting that to grow by more than 56 million in the next few years." Expensive failure Mind you, some sure-fire winners turn out to be expensive duds. Remember the Battlefield Earth action figures? If you don't, you didn't miss much. They were a tie-in with the John Travolta film, Battlefield Earth, which spectacularly failed at the box office in 2000. The hoped-for blockbuster was based on a book by the Church of Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard, but it recouped only a third of the money it cost to make. The US toy firm Trendmasters had banked on it being a huge hit and had produced action figures based on the characters. Its investment in Battlefield Earth products reportedly hastened its own end - it closed down in 2002. Trendmasters' fate is a reminder that producers need to estimate accurately just how much they will sell. Make too few of a product and they lose out on potential sales; make too many, and they leave themselves with lots of stock that nobody may want in the new year. Interactive toys For his part, Gary Grant is confident that his committee's picks will represent this year's must-have gifts. "We're retailers, we ought to know our products. Out of our top 12, we've historically got nine or 10 right most years. "We aim for a good selection to suit different age groups and there's also a big range in prices, although generally the items represent a child's main present." And as well as movie tie-ins, interactive toys are also expected to do well this year. Flashing lights, distinctive sounds and the occasional tweet from a parakeet mark out the toys tipped for success. Of the big players, Vivid's Thunderbirds Interactive Tracey Island Playset has been attracting a lot of attention while Little Live Pets Clever Keet from Character Options and Vtech's Toot Toot Friends Busy Sounds Discovery House also make the top 12 list. It looks like being a noisy and rather messy Christmas this year.

क्रिसमस ट्री ऊपर है, आधार उपहारों के पहाड़ के साथ ऊंचा ढेर है और परियों की रोशनी शाखाओं के माध्यम से अपना रास्ता बनाती है। एक बच्चों का गाना बजाने वाला समूह पूर्ण सामंजस्य में कैरोल गाता है, जबकि कोने में छोटे टुकड़ों का एक पिरामिड आकर्षक रूप से खड़ा होता है।


Inquest into girl, 8, killed by falling branch in Bobbing

Summary: An eight-year-old girl killed by a falling tree branch suffered a severe head trauma, an inquest has heard.

Maisy Mayne died during strong winds on 21 August in Parsonage Lane, Bobbing, Kent. Opening the inquest, Assistant Coroner Sonia Hayes said Maisy, of Clarendon Close in Sittingbourne, "sustained a traumatic head injury". Forecasters warned on 21 August winds were predicted to reach up to 50 mph (80km/h) across much of England. The hearing has been adjourned until November.

एक जांच में पता चला है कि पेड़ की शाखा गिरने से एक आठ वर्षीय लड़की की मौत हो गई, जिसके सिर पर गंभीर चोट लगी।


Irish Language issue still has (crocodile) teeth

Summary: If labelling Sinn Féin as "crocodiles" was the Arlene Foster phrase that stuck at the start of the spring assembly election campaign, then the DUP leader was determined not to make the same mistake again at the outset of the Westminster battle.

Mark DevenportPolitical editor, Northern Ireland@markdevenporton Twitter The ad lib "crocodile" comment emerged during answers to the press, so the DUP's Gavin Robinson was only half joking when he advised party activists that the longer they cheered the better, as it would cut down the time for those pesky enquiries from reporters. Mrs Foster originally made her "crocodile" quip after vowing there would not be an Irish Language Act under her watch. On Inside Politics last week, I questioned her several times about whether this remained her position - she did not repeat the formula, instead insisting that few people other than political activists had told her they wanted such an Act. Questioned by the Newsletter's Sam McBride, the DUP leader clarified she had ruled out an Irish Language Act "in the context of nothing else happening in terms of culture and language". She emphasised the need to respect all cultures in Northern Ireland, including "the Ulster Scots, the Orange and British cultural identity". She added that any moves forward had to be within this overall context. This change of tone on the Irish language appears to imply greater flexibility in the negotiations on restoring devolution due to recommence after the Westminster election. A senior DUP figure told me: "There's a deal there to be done, provided Sinn Féin want to do it." Previously the DUP suggested a "Public Duties Act," which would have incorporated both the Irish and Ulster Scots languages and the implementation of the Military Covenant. That was rejected by both Sinn Féin and the SDLP, on the grounds there should be a stand alone Irish Language Act. The latest Arlene Foster comments may point to a compromise, which would see an Irish Language Act introduced alongside separate legislation dealing with the Ulster Scots, Orange and British identity issues the DUP leader highlights. However, movement on the language issue is not going to take place without Sinn Féin dropping its refusal to share power with Mrs Foster until she's cleared of responsibility for the Renewable Heating Scandal. It's now clear that Sir Patrick Coghlin's inquiry into the Renewable Heating Incentive Scheme (RHI) will take at least a year if not longer. It's unimaginable the DUP leader would contemplate sitting on the sidelines for such a lengthy period. Will Sinn Féin moderate their position on the RHI in the same way that Mrs Foster has changed her tone on Irish? Or will they add to their "red lines" perhaps by elevating the importance they attach to other matters, like EU Special Status for Northern Ireland after Brexit or the introduction of same-sex marriage? What the candidates and party leaders say during this campaign should provide us with plenty of clues about whether the next round of talks is for real or just another exercise in going through the motions.

यदि सिन फेन को "मगरमच्छ" के रूप में लेबल करना आर्लेन फोस्टर वाक्यांश था जो वसंत विधानसभा चुनाव अभियान की शुरुआत में अटक गया था, तो डीयूपी नेता वेस्टमिंस्टर लड़ाई की शुरुआत में फिर से वही गलती नहीं करने के लिए दृढ़ थे।


Summary: For many years Scotland just did not do gay. Homosexuality was dangerous and taboo, and it was actually against the law right up to the 1980s. So how did a country that seemed to take pride in its prejudices end up with the best gay rights in Europe ?

By Steven BrocklehurstBBC Scotland news website Post-war Scotland was a deeply conservative place. In fact, half the country voted Tory in 1950 and most people attended the Kirk on a Sunday. Sex was rarely, if ever, mentioned. If talking about the birds and bees in the 1950s was taboo then mention of the possibility of bees getting together with each other was totally forbidden. Dr Jeff Meek, the author of Queer Voices in Post-War Scotland, says: "There was almost a bar on talking about same-sex desire." He says homosexuality was something families, religious institutions, the medical profession and society at large all chose to ignore. "Growing up queer in post-war Scotland is essentially occupying a social and sexual wilderness," Dr Meek says. Acts of male homosexuality had been outlawed for centuries and were made stricter in the late 19th Century but same-sex contact between women had never been targeted in law and was not illegal. Scottish society just chose to believe lassies did not do that kind of thing. Author Val McDermid says: "When I was growing up the word lesbian was in our vocabulary but it was a kind of fabled beast like unicorns. "You heard about them but you never met one. It was always someone's cousin knew a lassie that knew one." Gay men were known to exist but they did not fit the Scottish image of robust masculinity. Homosexual men were forced underground to public toilets or illicit parties. Dr Meek says: "The consequences of being caught were significant. "You knew being caught meant being excluded from your family. You could be sacked for a hint of homosexuality, never mind a prosecution." People went to prison for sometimes two years or were locked up in psychiatric institutions. In 1957, after a succession of well-known men were convicted of homosexual offences, the Wolfenden report recommended that "homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offence". However, the Scottish representative on the Wolfenden Panel was James Adair. Dr Meek says: "Adair disagreed with almost all the recommendations the main committee had come up with. "He saw homosexuality as the first step into moral turpitude. "The Scotland he loved would be lost. This upstanding, moral, conservative, religious society would descend into decay and would be destroyed." It took a decade for the recommendations of the Wolfenden report to be become law in England and Wales, decriminalising homosexuality for men over 21. But because of James Adair, homosexuality in Scotland remained illegal, classified as criminally-depraved behaviour. Many gay Scots had to resign themselves to a life in the closet. In 1969, a brave group of gay Scots decided they could not change their sexuality so they set out to change Scotland. The SMG (Scottish Minorities Group) arranged discos and get-togethers for gay men and for lesbian women. They were very respectable events, usually held in a pub on a Monday or Tuesday night when there was little other business. They had rules about public displays of affection in order to keep within the law. Although small at first, word spread and the numbers grew. The SMG started to make money and leased property in Broughton Street in Edinburgh where it set up the Gay Information Centre and operated a telephone helpline. Writer, historian and gay activist Bob Cant says: "I think the Scottish Minorities Group deserves an enormous amount of credit. Their achievement in changing public consciousness was enormous." Thirteen years after the law was reformed in England, Labour MP Robin Cook lodged an amendment in the Scottish Criminal Justice Bill and homosexuality was finally decriminalised in Scotland in 1980. That decade saw an explosion of gay culture into the mainstream. In Scotland, the newly legalised gay men had a fantastic time. In Glasgow, the gay mecca was Bennets. Social commentator Damian Barr tells a BBC Scotland documentary: "I could not have imagined a place like this existed. I'd not even seen a gay club on film or on television. It felt like Xanadu. "To walk into a room and see all these men dancing together and kissing, I actually thought something bad was going to happen. I thought these people can't be allowed to have this much fun." But along with fun came a new threat in the form of HIV/Aids. If Scotland was ignorant about Aids it was rudely awoken in 1985, when 60% of injecting drug addicts tested at an Edinburgh hospital were found to be HIV positive. As a result, the Scottish capital was labelled the HIV capital of Europe. David Taylor, who was at Lothian health board in the 80s, says: "It certainly stuck as a label but it was blatantly untrue." Despite the study relating to drug addicts and the figures being debatable, homosexual sex was once again portrayed as something to fear. In 1987 Margaret Thatcher's government went to war with the gay community. The prime minister told the Tory conference: "Children who need to be taught the traditional moral values are being taught that they have an inalienable right to be gay." Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 prohibited "the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship". Historian Dr Amy Tooth Murray says: "Section 28 basically says 'you can not talk about non-heterosexual relationships at school'." There was outrage and protests across the country at this rolling back of the rights of gay people but the law stayed in place until the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. One of its first acts was to repeal Section 28 but it had a battle on its hands. Billionaire businessman and born-again Christian Brian Souter did not support the move and used his money to back a strong Keep the Clause campaign, which had the backing of Scotland's best-selling newspaper The Daily Record and the Roman Catholic Church. The Scottish Executive stood firm and abolished the clause. Westminster followed suit three years later. Journalist David Torrance says that despite being very unpleasant at the time it was a "cathartic" experience that got Scotland talking about gay rights issues and finally swept away the old attitudes. Since the Millennium, Scots attitudes to homosexuality have changed dramatically. Surveys suggest that more than two thirds of Scots actively approve of gay marriage and it is now homophobia that is taboo. In 2005, civil partnerships were made legal for gay couples and the following year same-sex couples were able to adopt. Last year, as the Commonwealth Games was being shown around the world, Scotland declared its new openness with a kilted gay kiss as part of the opening ceremony. The year ended with gay marriage becoming legal in Scotland and the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, a lesbian, passionately supporting the move. Earlier this year, Scotland was rated the best country in Europe in terms of legal equality for LGBT people. A remarkable transformation in just a generation. A queer tale indeed. Coming Oot: The fabulous history of gay Scotland is on BBC One Scotland on Monday 30 November at 22:35.

कई वर्षों तक स्कॉटलैंड ने समलैंगिकता नहीं की। समलैंगिकता खतरनाक और वर्जित थी, और यह वास्तव में 1980 के दशक तक कानून के खिलाफ थी। तो एक देश जो अपने पूर्वाग्रहों पर गर्व करता था, उसे यूरोप में सर्वश्रेष्ठ समलैंगिक अधिकारों का अंत कैसे हुआ?


RNLI rescues down 'due to bad weather'

Summary: Lifeboat crews in the north of England were most likely called out on fewer occasions in 2012 because poor weather put tourists off, the RNLI says.

The region's lifeboats were used in more than 900 rescues, with the RNLI's Sunderland station proving the busiest, the spokesman said. Overall, the figures show a 19% decrease compared to 2011. The charity's flood team had its busiest year on record and was deployed 11 times. Volunteers in Sunderland rescued 100 people with stations in Blackpool and Tynemouth the next busiest. The RNLI said the decrease in callouts was probably due to fewer people visiting the coast because of the wet summer.

आर. एन. एल. आई. का कहना है कि इंग्लैंड के उत्तर में लाइफबोट चालक दल को 2012 में कम अवसरों पर बुलाया गया था क्योंकि खराब मौसम ने पर्यटकों को रोक दिया था।


Harun Jama stabbing: Man held on suspicion of murder

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 16-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed on a towpath.

Harun Jama was found bleeding in Friars Wharf, Oxford, in January last year. He later died in hospital. Thames Valley Police said a 34-year-old man had been arrested in Liverpool on Friday. He has been released on bail until 2 October. Harun, from Birmingham, was attacked at Friar's Wharf between Folly Bridge and the old gasworks bridge.

एक 16 वर्षीय लड़के की हत्या के संदेह में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है, जिसे टोवपाथ पर चाकू मारकर मार दिया गया था।


Responsibility for Wales Book of the Year awards transferred

Summary: Responsibility for the Book of the Year awards will be transferred to the Welsh Books Council as part of a shake-up of culture funding, Economy Minister Ken Skates has announced.

The awards are currently run by Literature Wales, on behalf of the Welsh Arts Council. Literature Wales and the Arts Council will retain some functions such as running the Ty Newydd writing centre. Mr Skates said the changes were not a reflection on this wider work. "I realise some people may be surprised at the extent of these changes," he said. "I should stress these are in response to specific needs in a specific area of activity. "They are not a reflection on the wider work of the Arts Council, and my appreciation of the great work that Literature Wales is delivering in some areas." The Book of the Year award is given annually to works of poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction in Welsh and English. The change is part of a Welsh Government-commissioned publishing and literature review, chaired by University of Wales, Trinity Saint David Vice-Chancellor Prof Medwin Hughes.

अर्थव्यवस्था मंत्री केन स्केट्स ने घोषणा की है कि संस्कृति वित्त पोषण में बदलाव के हिस्से के रूप में बुक ऑफ द ईयर पुरस्कारों की जिम्मेदारी वेल्श बुक्स काउंसिल को हस्तांतरित की जाएगी।


Tata steel in Hartlepool wins £100m pipe contract

Summary: Tata steel in Teesside has been awarded a £100m contract to supply pipe for a project in the Gulf of Mexico.

The steelworks in Hartlepool won the contract to supply Discovery Producer Services LLC with pipe for a gas pipeline in Keathley Canyon. The 214 miles (345km) of pipe will be manufactured in Hartlepool and will weigh more than 110,000 metric tonnes. It is the second contract secured by the company in the Gulf of Mexico, with delivery scheduled for later this year. Tata Steel has three pipe and tube mills at its Hartlepool site, where it employs more than 700 people. Across the Teesside region the company has around 1,500 employees making and developing steel products for customers around the world.

टीसाइड में टाटा स्टील को मैक्सिको की खाड़ी में एक परियोजना के लिए पाइप की आपूर्ति के लिए 100 मिलियन पाउंड का अनुबंध दिया गया है।


Flaming spirit - sights and sounds of the Olympic torch relay from across the UK

Summary: The Olympic flame arrived from Greece on the 18 May, and since then has been welcomed and celebrated by communities in 1,000 cities, towns and villages across the UK.

By the opening ceremony, it will have been carried by 8,000 torchbearers. Take a look here at the flame's winding journey from Land's End to London. Images courtesy Getty Images and Press Association. Music by Amy MacDonald, Doobie Brothers, London Symphony Orchestra, Pet Shop Boys and The Cars. Slideshow production by Paul Kerley. Publication date 25 July 2012. Related: BBC - London 2012 BBC - Torch relay live Britain's Olympic Torch Story - 19:30 BST, BBC One. More audio slideshows: 100 years of Olympic sponsorship A 23-year, 500,000-mile drive The Queen - 60 years of memories

ओलंपिक मशाल 18 मई को ग्रीस से आई और तब से पूरे ब्रिटेन के 1,000 शहरों, कस्बों और गांवों में समुदायों द्वारा इसका स्वागत और जश्न मनाया जा रहा है।


UN statement unsubstantiated - govt.

Summary: Minister of Human Rights Mahinda Samarasinghe says certain statements made by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay have been based on pro LTTE website 'Tamil Net'.

"We are disappointed and dismayed over the unprofessional statement," said the minister talking to media on Saturday. Commissioner Pillay's statement on Friday said more than 2,800 civilians may have been killed and 7,000 wounded in the fighting over the last two months. Minister Samarasinghe said that these figures correspond to the figures appeared on pro-LTTE website 'Tamilnet' , and the UN report is ,therefore, unsubstantiated. The minister also denied that government forces were firing into a safe zone. He said that UN could have consulted the Sri Lankan authorities, the UN resident representative based in Sri Lanka and himself, as the minister of human rights before making such statements about the war situation in Sri Lanka.

मानवाधिकार मंत्री महिंदा समरासिंघे का कहना है कि संयुक्त राष्ट्र मानवाधिकार उच्चायुक्त नवी पिल्लै द्वारा दिए गए कुछ बयान एलटीटीई समर्थक वेबसाइट 'तमिल नेट' पर आधारित हैं।


Solutions that can stop fake news spreading

Summary: There may be actual solutions to the spread of fake news.

By Mike WendlingBBC World Hacks Fake news - from false celebrity gossip to the fabricated story of Pope Francis endorsing Donald Trump - became a huge issue during the US election campaign. Those who peddled falsehoods were motivated sometimes by profit and sometimes by politics. British parliamentarians are launching a committee to look at the problem. But globally, there are various methods being offered to fix it. The team behind BBC World Hacks - our news solutions-focussed journalism unit - has been looking into some of the most promising potential solutions. Humans check the most suspect stories Facebook, which came under heavy criticism for allowing fake news to be circulated during the election period, have taken steps to offer combat the issue. One of those steps is the enlisting of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN), a branch of the Florida-based journalism think tank Poynter. Facebook users in the US and Germany can now flag articles they think are deliberately false, these will then go to third-party fact checkers signed up with the IFCN. Those fact checkers come from media organisations like the Washington Post and websites such as the urban legend debunking site Snopes.com. The third-party fact checkers, says IFCN director Alexios Mantzarlis "look at the stories that users have flagged as fake and if they fact check them and tag them as false, these stories then get a disputed tag that stays with them across the social network." Another warning appears if users try to share the story, although Facebook doesn't prevent such sharing or delete the fake news story. The "fake" tag will however negatively impact the story's score in Facebook's algorithm, meaning that fewer people will see it pop up in their news feeds. Mantzarlis says there is as of yet no firm evidence that this actually stops fake news spreading on a large scale, and there are questions over how sustainable the programme might be. Facebook is not paying the IFCN members to provide fact-checking services. There's also nothing stopping the fake news from being posted and spread in the first place - and perhaps quite widely before being tagged. "There is a lag, so until and unless a story is flagged as false that story does continue to spread on the social network," says Mantzarlis. Humans flag whole sites as fakes In 2009, Le Monde, one of the biggest French newspapers, set up a fact-checking unit called Les Decodeurs (The Decoders). Increasingly the unit is turning its attention to fake news, and they've devised a web extension called Decodex. "You just put it on your browser and then when you come to a fake news site you get a pop up appearing saying 'warning this is a fake news site'," says Samuel Laurent, editor of Les Decodeurs. "If you click on the tool you will have access to a little paper describing the website and saying why we think it's not trustworthy." The extension is linked to a database that Les Decodeurs has compiled which ranks sites as "fake", "real" or "satire". But there are several hurdles which likely prevent a relatively simple piece of software from being the silver bullet for fake news. Users firstly have to be aware of the problem of false stories. They have to know about the extension and be concerned enough to download it. And they have to trust Le Monde journalists and the paper's centre-left perspective. "We know that we won't convince everyone and we know that fake news readers already think we are the fake news," Laurent says. "Our goal is to just provide this tool for people who are really sceptical or who just don't know who to trust. "People who have already fallen into the fake news vortex, it's too late for them." Use algorithms to fight algorithms Algorithms are part of what spreads fake news - because juicy yet false stories which become popular can be pushed out to new eyeballs by the software that runs social networks. But some programmers think computer code could also be part of the solution. "From an algorithmic perspective it's possible for social media sites to recognise that website was only created two weeks ago, therefore it's probably likely that this is a less trustworthy site," says Claire Wardle of journalism non-profit First Draft News. First Draft is working with Google and Facebook to explore whether they could incorporate code to stop the spread of fake news. Wardle is adamant that tweaking algorithms is not like censorship. "I'm talking about a bit like a spam folder in your email, those emails still sit there, but you have to go to your spam folder to look for it," she says. But human language and news stories are complicated in ways that computers have difficulty dealing with, and any automated method of fact checking risks reflecting the biases of the programmers who created it. "There are some very smart people looking at automated solutions now, around automated fact checking, which can get up to about 80% accurate," Wardle says. "I would argue we are always going to need human eyes at the very end to say 'hang on, have we got entirely duped'… we want a combination of algorithms and human experience." More on this story Hear the full story on World Hacks, from the BBC World Service. Don't miss BBC Trending's story The rise and rise of fake news 'Pizzagate': The fake story that shows how conspiracy theories spread Facebook, news and the meaning of truth 'Why I write fake news stories' Teach people how to spot fake news themselves The previous solutions are technical fixes, but Bill Dodd has taken a different tack. His proposal would incorporate digital literacy into school curriculums. "We already have a curriculum right now that teaches critical thinking skills but it hasn't kept up with the digital age," says Dodd, a Democratic lawmakers who has introduced a bill in the California state senate. Senator Dodd admits not all the detail has yet been worked out, and it it would be the job of the California Board of Education to update the curriculum, but he has some of what might be included, including "trying to discern what the reputation of different sources are. "If you are dealing with the BBC or the New York Times, chances are you don't have to go any further, but if you are dealing with some unnamed source, you are going to have to go in a little deeper to determine whether or not that's fact or fiction," he says. And of course, his solution would take years to implement, and would apply to just one state in one country. "There's so much news coming at kids, and many adults have this as well, but you got to start somewhere," Dodd says. More from BBC Trending Visit the Trending Facebook page Stop the creation of fake news in the first place During the US election, many fake news stories were written not by politically motivated Donald Trump supporters, but by people looking to make some quick cash. And so one way to stop such output would be to eliminate the financial incentives that make fake news profitable. "To make any decent money, and a lot of the fake news sites do make decent money, you need to start serving millions of ads," says Cliff Lampe, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, "which is why the viral content market has been so important over the last few years." In November, Google and Facebook announced moves to restrict advertisements on fake news stories. But fake news producers, like others making content designed to go viral, are quick to adapt to platform rule changes. "I think this will work for the moment, but I believe that people are going to be able to come up with a workaround and be able to manipulate that attention market in the future," Lampe says. In addition to removing the carrot, there's some big sticks being considered. In Germany, for instance, lawmakers are even proposing criminalising people who post fake news. Reporting by Harriet Noble and Charlotte Prichard Blog by Mike Wendling You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, and find us on Facebook. All our stories are at bbc.com/trending.

फेक न्यूज के प्रसार का वास्तविक समाधान हो सकता है।


'Vote mobs' hope to engage Canadian youth

Summary: A call to action by a comedian popular with young Canadians has sparked a wave of "vote mobs" - upbeat gatherings filmed and uploaded on to YouTube and aimed at encouraging young Canadians to vote in the 2 May election. The BBC's Sian Griffiths attended a recent vote mob at Carleton University in Ottawa.

Chanting "vote mob!" and "vote! vote!" students dressed in brightly-coloured clothing rushed into the university courtyard where speakers blared Snap's I've got the Power. A student camerawoman filmed the non-partisan event, which organisers hope will push young people to vote - for anyone, regardless of political party. The camerawoman directed her peers - who waved neon pink, green and orange placards displaying pro-voting messages - to dance, jump, run and cheer feverishly. As if to illustrate the scale of the challenge faced by Canadian election organisers hoping to increase youth turnout, only 50 out of the 450 students who had confirmed attendance at the vote mob turned up on Monday. While disappointed with the turnout, organiser Meera Chander hoped the enthusiasm displayed by vote mobs like this would translate into a stronger showing at the ballot box by Canadian youth. "You go to these events and you see so many students here participating, you kind of feel like you need to vote," she said, explaining that she hoped gentle peer pressure would boost the youth vote. Youth 'goldmine' Turnout statistics show Ms Chander has her work cut out for her. Just a third of Canada's 18-24 year olds bothered to vote in 2008, according to Elections Canada, the latest figures in a downward trend that began in the early 1970s. About three million Canadians in that age group are eligible to cast a ballot, a potential goldmine for political parties able to harness their support. The decrease in the youth vote reflects a general decline in turnout across the Canadian electorate. In the 1980s, 75% of eligible Canadian voters routinely cast ballots. But in 2008, 58% of Canadians voted, the lowest voter turnout in a century. Analysts disagree on the causes of the growing Canadian voter apathy. Some blame election fatigue. When Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper defends his minority government in the polls next month, it will be the country's fourth general election in seven years. In addition, others say voters are increasingly disillusioned with the parties. A cash scandal saw the Liberals voted out of office in 2006, and the Conservative Harper government fell in March after a confidence vote sparked by a finding that it was in contempt of Parliament. Rallying support online At the same time, the number of internet outlets that enable people to engage politically has increased. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have become popular ways in which people can express their views and rally support for issues, rather than just through the ballot box. Ms Chander, a law student who says she finds politicians "cool", says the buzz around the web vote videos will have an impact. "We'd like to change that 30% and make it a lot higher," she said. Comedian Rick Mercer is credited with inspiring the vote mobs. The 42-year-old award-winning television personality and political satirist is the popular star of a weekly CBC programme, The Rick Mercer Report. The show features spoofs, a mock news report and humorous escapades across Canada (most recently he took part in a spring moose census). His weekly "rant", a monologue on the state of the nation filmed in a graffiti-filled alleyway, is also a highlight of the show. At the end of March, he challenged young Canadians to reverse the decline in the youth vote. "Do the unexpected," he said. "Take 20 minutes out of your day, do what young people all over the world are dying to do: vote." Guelph University in southwestern Ontario was the first to respond, holding perhaps the world's first vote mob at the end of March. Thirty-five events have now been planned at campuses across Canada, according to leadnow.ca, a youth democratic participation website. But the election campaign falls during a pivotal time for students - the end of the academic year, when many sit end-of-year exams and have to find a new place to live or a job. Students Nathan Ince and David Mayer, both 19, joined the Carleton University mob carrying a Canadian flag. Mr Ince, a political science student who described Rick Mercer as a "cultural figure who unites the country", said he was frustrated by Canadian apathy. "The people who care have to go overboard to get the message out," he said. David Mayer, an international business student, deemed it "a bit ridiculous" that Canadians complain but do not vote. 'Open government' After the Carleton University event, organisers invited political candidates to a "post-vote mob meet-and-greet" at Oliver's, the university pub. Paul Dewar, an MP for the New Democratic Party (NDP) seeking re-election in Ottawa Centre, said many voters simply felt their vote did not count. In 2008, he explained, the Greens received nearly a million votes but failed to win a single seat in the House of Commons. However, the Bloc Quebecois, which campaigns only in Quebec, received just over a million votes and won 49 seats. "Something's wrong there," Mr Dewar said. "We think there should be more fairness, more proportionality in the system," he added, offering democratic reform as a potential remedy. Scott Bradley, the Liberal candidate, hoped his party's ideas on "open government" would engage more people. He said his party was looking at how the internet could enable people to express their views in Parliamentary committees, for example. And Jen Hunter of the Greens hoped to engage voters with "the smart economy." "We need to get better at creating the next economy," she said, explaining that, in her view, the industrial economy was finished. Damian Konstantinakos, the Conservative Party candidate, did not attend the meet-and-greet. His staff said he was unaware of the event, although student organisers insist he had been invited. Mr Konstantinakos cites election fatigue and "politicians not committed to running the economy" as reasons why Canadians may choose not to vote. "We all own the problem" of apathy, he said. He said it was important to "drag" everyone out to vote and "not just people we agree with". Meanwhile, an empowered Meera Chander hopes that the vote mob phenomenon makes a "huge difference" in the youth voter turnout - and captures the attention of the country's leaders. "They're going to realise that they need to engage youth," she said.

युवा कनाडाई लोगों के बीच लोकप्रिय एक कॉमेडियन द्वारा कार्रवाई के आह्वान ने "वोट मॉब" की एक लहर को जन्म दिया है-उत्साहित सभाओं को फिल्माया गया और यूट्यूब पर अपलोड किया गया और इसका उद्देश्य युवा कनाडाई लोगों को 2 मई के चुनाव में मतदान करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करना था। बीबीसी के सियान ग्रिफिथ्स ने ओटावा में कार्लटन विश्वविद्यालय में हाल ही में वोट भीड़ में भाग लिया।


Forced to undergo genital exams in colonial India

Summary: In 1868, police in the British-ruled Indian city of Calcutta (now Kolkata) sent a woman called Sukhimonee Raur to prison for evading a genital examination which had been made compulsory for "registered" sex workers.

Soutik BiswasIndia correspondent Under the colonial Contagious Diseases Act, designed to contain the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, sex workers had to "register themselves at police stations, get medically examined and surveilled". Raur fought back - she petitioned the court, demanding her release. "I did not attend for examination twice a month as I have not been a prostitute," she said. She said the police had mistakenly registered her and that she had never been a sex worker. In March 1869, the high court in Calcutta ruled in her favour. The judges said that Raur was not a "registered public prostitute" and, moreover, such registration of women would have to be voluntary. In other words, women could not be forced to register. Trawling the colonial archives, Durba Mitra, a professor of women, gender and sexuality at Harvard University, found that thousands of women were arrested by the colonial police for failing to abide by the rules of registration for genital examination mandated under the law. Prof Mitra's new work Indian Sex Life, published by Princeton University Press, is a remarkable study of how British authorities and Indian intellectuals "developed ideas about deviant female sexuality to control and organise modern society in India". One way to regulate sexuality was by classifying, registering and medically examining women seen as prostitutes, she told me. In July 1869, some prostitutes of Calcutta petitioned the colonial authorities, accusing them of "violating their womanhood" by forcing them to register and undergo genital examination. The women protested against the "process of hateful examination which is, in other words, gross exposure". They wrote that those caught by the police were "forced to expose themselves to the doctor and his subordinates… The sense of female honour is not wholly blotted from our hearts". Authorities quickly rejected the petition. Powerful city officials said the "clandestine prostitutes" who evaded registration were a threat to the new law. Regulating the prostitutes in Bengal was an almost impossible task, argued Dr Robert Payne, the chief of a key hospital in Calcutta. He said women should be registered without consent. Between 1870 and 1888, says Prof Mitra, 12 women were arrested every day for breaching the law in Calcutta alone. Authorities noted that many women, discovering that they were under supervision, were fleeing the city. The federal government debated whether the police in Bengal could legally carry out genital examination on women "who were accused of undergoing abortion and infanticide". One magistrate felt that "false cases of rape and procuring abortion will largely increase without compulsory genital examinations of women". Another argued that securing consent from women for the examination could cripple the "administration of justice". In a letter to the secretary of Bengal, the city's police commissioner, Stuart Hogg, suggested women continued to infect men with venereal diseases because of the limitations of the law. But with the growing opposition to the law in India and Britain, the offending Contagious Diseases Act was repealed in 1888. Jessica Hinchy, a historian and author of Governing Gender and Sexuality in Colonial India, said it was not suspected prostitutes alone who were subjected to genital examinations in colonial India. She told me that people whom the British "classified with the pejorative colonial term 'eunuch', especially transgender Hijras" were subjected to genital examinations under a controversial 1871 law which targeted caste groups considered to be hereditary criminals. "The aim of this law was to cause the 'gradual extinction' of Hijras - both physically and culturally - through police registration, prohibitions on performance and dressing in feminine clothes, forced removal of children from Hijra households and interference with Hijra discipleship and succession practices," Dr Hinchy said. The Contagious Diseases Act is considered a shameful chapter in the history of colonial India. Officials distributed questionnaires to magistrates, policemen and doctors on how to define a prostitute. Colonial authorities, writes Prof Mitra, replied that all Indian women were potential prostitutes. A top police official, AH Giles, argued that all women who were not upper caste and married could be classified as a prostitute. Twenty volumes of a statistical account of Bengal between 1875 and 1879 repeatedly used the category of prostitutes. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, then a mid-level bureaucrat in Bengal who would eventually become a celebrated novelist and author of India's national song, detailed "a diverse array of women who practiced clandestine prostitution". In colonial India, according to Prof Mitra, virtually all women outside of monogamous Hindu upper-caste marriages were considered prostitutes. They would include so-called dancing girls, widows, both Hindu and Muslim polygamous women, beggars, vagrants, women factory workers and domestic servants. The 1881 colonial census of Bengal considered all unmarried women over the age of 15 as prostitutes. The first census of the city of Calcutta and its neighbourhood counted 12,228 known prostitutes out of a population of 145,000 women. By 1891, the number rose to more than 20,000 women. "The introduction of the act led to an epistemic shift, a pivotal change where Indian sexual practices became a primary object of knowledge for the British colonial state," says Prof Mitra. But sexual practices of men remained almost entirely outside the formal purview of the state. Prof Mitra says the "control and erasure of women's sexuality became critical to how the British colonial state intervened in every day life". Also, in places like Bengal, where she based her study, Indian men "also took up the control of women's sexuality in their own vision of Indian society that reorganised society along high-caste visions of Hindu monogamy, to the exclusion of Muslims and lower caste people". At the root of all this was the notion that "deviant" womanhood was a problem that could not be easily solved. In the process, says Prof Mitra, women were "described, put on trial, scrutinised in public view, forcibly indentured, imprisoned, examined against their will". And so much of this history, she says, resonates with what is still happening with women.

1868 में, ब्रिटिश शासित भारतीय शहर कलकत्ता (अब कोलकाता) में पुलिस ने सुखिमोनी रौर नामक एक महिला को जननांग परीक्षण से बचने के लिए जेल भेज दिया, जिसे "पंजीकृत" यौनकर्मियों के लिए अनिवार्य कर दिया गया था।