Review: Will Gompertz on George Clooney's Suburbicon ★★☆☆☆

Summary: Matt Damon's latest film opens with an in-movie advert selling the virtues of living the American dream in a post-war new town. It promises a nice house, a nice neighbourhood, and a nice life. "The only thing missing in Suburbicon," it declares, "is you!"

By Will GompertzArts Editor It makes for a good start. And so it should. George Clooney, the film's director, knows a thing or two about advertising. The set-up, the 1950s aesthetic, and tongue-in-cheek irony are all convincing. But, like lots of adverts, it's not telling the whole truth. There is quite a lot missing from Suburbicon. For starters, it lacks a coherent narrative. This is a film with an awkward, split personality. It has two largely unrelated stories taking place concurrently in neighbouring properties, yet they barely intersect, and succeed only in undermining each other. Story one is a Coen Brothers-scripted goofball comedy-thriller structured around their go-to dramatic devices: A staged robbery, a hapless cast of characters, and plenty of cartoonish violence. Matt Damon stars as a seemingly upright fellow, with a young son and a disabled wife, played by Julianne Moore, who also plays her twin sister. It's offbeat and amusing. Bad decisions are made, things unravel. All very Coen Bros. Next door, the tone is totally different. Here, the narrative is based on a 1957 documentary called Crisis in Levittown, which tells the very unfunny, all too true story of the African-American upper middle-class Myers family who move into the all-white Levittown (just like Suburbicon), where they are subjected to horrific and terrifying racial abuse. The insertion of this narrative into the Coen Bros 1999 script was because Clooney wanted to make a film "that feels angry". He hasn't. He's made a film that feels confused. It doesn't know what it's supposed to be, a surreal satire or a hard-hitting drama. The upshot is, both targets are missed. Clooney has some form in this regard when it comes to directing. His previous outing as a helmsman was the 2014 movie Monuments Men, which was also fatally flawed by trying to be both a rat-pack type caper and a serious examination of the issue of Nazi-looted art. It's a shame, because the movie is almost there. The acting is good, the directing assured, and both stories have potential and relevance. But like any Bake Off contestant will tell you, it doesn't matter how good the ingredients are, it's what you do with them that matters. There is a fine line between a melt-in-the-mouth, light-as-a-feather Victoria Sponge and sticky mess with a soggy bottom. Suburbicon falls into the latter category. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

मैट डेमन की नवीनतम फिल्म की शुरुआत एक इन-मूवी विज्ञापन के साथ होती है जो युद्ध के बाद के नए शहर में अमेरिकी सपने को जीने के गुणों को बेचता है। यह एक अच्छा घर, एक अच्छा पड़ोस और एक अच्छा जीवन का वादा करता है। "सबर्बिकन में केवल एक चीज की कमी है", यह घोषणा करता है, "आप हैं!"


Kayaker rescued from Jersey reef

Summary: A kayaker had to be rescued after becoming trapped on a reef off Jersey's coast.

Jersey's Coastguard asked the Channel Islands Air Search aircraft, Lion's Pride, to be called out just before 21:00 BST on Tuesday. After searching the area, the kayaker was found on the reef of the Ecrehous group of rocks, to the north east of Jersey. The kayaker was brought back to shore by the St Catherine's Lifeboat.

जर्सी के तट पर एक चट्टान पर फंसने के बाद एक कायाकर को बचाना पड़ा।


MLAs call for Kincora to be part of UK-wide inquiry into child abuse

Summary: MLAs have called on Home Secretary Theresa May to include abuses against residents at the east Belfast Kincora Boys Home in the remit of a new UK-wide inquiry into child sex abuse.

The inquiry into historical abuse was announced by Ms May in July. It followed claims of an establishment "cover-up" over allegations of paedophile activity at Westminster. Three senior care staff at Kincora Boys home were jailed in 1981. The assembly approved, without a formal vote, an Alliance motion which argued that the inquiry to be led by Fiona Woolf would be the most appropriate means of achieving truth and justice for the Kincora victims. The unanimous support from MLAs was welcomed by victims campaigner Margaret McGuckin and Kincora survivor Gary Hoy who watched the debate from the public gallery.

विधायकों ने गृह सचिव थेरेसा मे से पूर्वी बेलफास्ट किनकोरा बॉयज़ होम में निवासियों के खिलाफ दुर्व्यवहार को बाल यौन शोषण की एक नई यूके-व्यापी जांच में शामिल करने का आह्वान किया है।


Jennie Formby: Labour's new general secretary

Summary: Jennie Formby has gained what the BBC understands is the overwhelming support of Labour's ruling NEC to defeat Christine Blower for the post of Labour's general secretary - the party's most senior official.

By Iain WatsonPolitical correspondent, BBC News She is firmly on the left of the party so her victory symbolises the increasing hold which those supportive of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership now have on the party machine. But her victory isn't just about symbolism. It's also about substance. So what difference will she make? She has four decades of experience in Labour politics and has held both political and organisational posts in Unite, the country's biggest union. She is personally and politically close to its leader, Len McCluskey, and was the favoured candidate of the party leadership. So she is likely to work far more closely with the leader's office than her predecessor Iain McNicol, who was appointed under Ed Miliband. These days many of the most influential backroom figures are based in what's known as LOTO - the Leader of the Opposition's office - rather than at party HQ, including the spokesman and strategist Seamus Milne, chief of staff Karie Murphy and author of the 2017 manifesto Andrew Fisher. Campaigning But a general secretary working in step with them, and trusted by them, could be influential. One senior source suggested she would "break down the silos between the leader's office and the party headquarters". She is responsible for around 400 party staff - including electoral strategists, organisers, researchers, and press officers. Some of those close to her say her biggest challenge may be making the transition from campaigner to manager - and biting her tongue in public. But she can achieve a lot in the party's backroom. There was widespread criticism on the left that the incumbent party machine didn't do enough to target Conservative seats at the last election and limited Jeremy Corbyn's success as a result. With Labour trailing even in its own private polling ahead of that election - and criticism that the party hadn't been defensive enough in 2015, ceding seats to the Conservatives - the HQ officials may well have made logical decisions. Who is Jennie Formby? But there is little doubt that the new broom at the Southside headquarters will sweep away old assumptions and embark on a more ambitious strategy. She has said that some of the campaign tools - including digital - which were used so successfully to elect and re-elect Jeremy Corbyn as party leader should be used more widely. The departure - announced yesterday - of key members of staff in the coming months will give her substantial room for manoeuvre, and some of her early weeks in the job are likely to be spent on recruitment. But her focus won't just be on the head office. Grassroots She is also committed to devoting more resources to community organising, building the party up from its grassroots. And internal critics of Jeremy Corbyn will be wary of this sentence in Jennie Formby's statement announcing her candidacy: "I will work with all parts of the movement to ensure that the party democracy review empowers the party membership, opens up policy making, and ensures democratic best practice throughout." That "democracy review" - under Jeremy Corbyn's political secretary Katy Clark - will report to the party's conference this autumn. The general secretary will be responsible for overseeing any changes. Jennie Formby's words sound innocuous - but some MPs interpret her them as a signal that she is prepared to implement a further power shift away from Parliament and towards the rank and file. It's perfectly possible that MPs' say in nominating the next party leader could be reduced. And its possible - after this year's conference - that she could be asked to look at how candidates are selected, or re-selected. There is no evidence that she would advocate changing the rules to make it easier to unseat sitting MPs, and her union's general secretary isn't keen on the fuss it could create. Discipline But it is Unite's official policy to open up selection procedures to ensure MPs aren't automatically re-adopted. Her remarks about "opening up policy-making" could potentially spell the death knell for the National Policy Forum which includes MPs, trade unionists and activists and give more power to the annual conference, where the unions have more influence. She also declared that she will be "open and tolerant" while bearing down on anyone guilty of anti-Semitism, racism or intimidation. Some on the party's far left are concerned that she won't end what they see as "witch hunts" - or expulsions - of party members because of their political views, or statements they have made, which could be regarded as bringing the party into disrepute. Meanwhile, some on the party's right believe her "tolerance" will extend too far towards those who have campaigned for left-wing parties opposed to Labour in the recent past. While the party's National Constitutional Committee would decide on disciplinary matters, the new general secretary would have a key role in deciding how much resource should be applied to investigating complaints. She is promising to handle them "fairly and speedily". A leading figure on Labour's NEC and in the left-wing group Momentum - Christine Shawcroft - briefly questioned Labour's trade union link in the run up to today's appointment. There is little doubt Jennie Formby - like her predecessor, who came from the GMB - will defend it. Momentum's founder Jon Lansman had considered contesting the general secretary post himself. He wanted to encourage a debate on whether the role should be elected by the party membership. But neither the leadership nor the big unions had much enthusiasm for the creation of a new, alternative power base. The general secretary remains an unelected official - answerable to an elected National Executive. So some continuity. But - as with Jeremy Corbyn's leadership - expect to see incremental but ultimately substantial change, too.

जेनी फॉर्मबी को वह मिला है जो बीबीसी समझता है कि लेबर की सत्तारूढ़ एन. ई. सी. ने लेबर के महासचिव पद के लिए क्रिस्टीन ब्लोअर को हराने के लिए भारी समर्थन दिया है-पार्टी का सबसे वरिष्ठ अधिकारी।


US election 2016: Meet the candidates

Summary: The field of candidates having a White House run in 2016 is a wide one, although it's narrowing by the weeks. Here is a rundown of who is, was and might be.

REPUBLICANS Donald Trump Ted Cruz John Kasich Marco Rubio - DROPPED OUT Is this man Hillary Clinton's worst nightmare? Ben Carson - DROPPED OUT Jeb Bush - DROPPED OUT Read full profile Carly Fiorina - DROPPED OUT Chris Christie - DROPPED OUT Read full profile Scott Walker - DROPPED OUT The union-busting president? Lindsey Graham - DROPPED OUT Mike Huckabee - DROPPED OUT Does Mike Huckabee want to be president? Bobby Jindal - DROPPED OUT George Pataki - DROPPED OUT Rand Paul - DROPPED OUT Listen to a BBC Radio profile The danger and promise of Rand Paul's father Rick Perry - DROPPED OUT Rick Santorum - DROPPED OUT DEMOCRATS Hillary Clinton Bernie Sanders Martin O'Malley - DROPPED OUT Lincoln Chafee - DROPPED OUT Jim Webb - DROPPED OUT Joe Biden - DECLINED TO RUN Biden rules out White House run

2016 में व्हाइट हाउस का चुनाव लड़ने वाले उम्मीदवारों का क्षेत्र व्यापक है, हालांकि यह हफ्तों तक कम होता जा रहा है। यहाँ कौन है, था और हो सकता है, इसका एक संक्षिप्त विवरण दिया गया है।


Zack Snyder to direct Superman movie

Summary: Director Zack Snyder, best known for making 300, Watchmen and Dawn Of The Dead, has been chosen to direct the new Superman movie.

Snyder told industry paper Variety that although still in its early stage, the script is "pretty awesome". He also revealed that it was "unlikely" that Superman Returns star Brandon Routh would return as the superhero and alter ego Clark Kent. Warner Bros studio is hoping the film will be ready for a 2012 release. "It's hard not to be a Superman fan with his place in pop culture and how iconographic he is," Snyder said. Christopher Nolan, who wrote and directed Inception and The Dark Knight, will produce the film. "He provides that extra bit of wisdom to a process that sometimes lacks it. It's the best situation we could be in for this character," Snyder said.

300, वॉचमेन और डॉन ऑफ द डेड बनाने के लिए जाने जाने वाले निर्देशक जैक स्नाइडर को नई सुपरमैन फिल्म का निर्देशन करने के लिए चुना गया है।


'We met our daughter at adoption party'

Summary: A trial scheme which uses adoption activity days - or adoption parties - to help match children with prospective parents is about to end in Scotland. The pilot has been viewed as a success, with nine out of 36 children finding a match, and campaigners hope further days can be held if the Scottish government gives its approval. BBC Scotland reporter Suzanne Allan met one couple who adopted a child through the scheme.

Angela and Andy Coyle and their seven-year-old son Andrew were a happy family. But they also felt strongly about wanting to adopt a child - so they decided to give an adoption party a go. The parties are where potential mums and dads come along to meet about 20 children of all ages in an informal atmosphere. They dress up and play games. The aim is to find chemistry and hopefully a potential match. "We were nervous going to the day because we carried, I think, the stress of the little kids going... We wondered how might they be prepared," said Ms Coyle. "As soon as we arrived, though, we felt immediately at ease because the team there were very professional, they had managed the event really well." Mr Coyle said the day included lots of activities for the children, with the adults encouraged to get involved as much as possible. "There was a lot of play. There was a lot of focus on the kids having fun - and about adults who were there as adopters just getting down, playing, interacting," he said. "That I think was the key thing - we did a lot of that." The event was the first time the Coyle family met two-year-old Rey, who they later adopted. "We didn't know that Rey would be our daughter when we met her," Mrs Coyle said. "We just met this child and we were very interested in getting to know her better. Our son played a lot with her and that was really lovely to see. "We knew it would be a long process even after the day when we took things further, but it was lovely to meet her." Forty would-be parents have attended adoption activity days in Scotland over the last year. Nine of the 36 children that took part have found a match. It follows on from a similar scheme in England where the success rate has been 26%. According to the Adoption Register, which runs the scheme, no other family-finding method has achieved such a high level of matches. 'Magical thinking' Adoption parties are not a new idea. Events like this used to take place in the 1970s and 80s all over the UK as a way of getting children out of the care system. But they fell out of favour and 30 years on, charities are hoping they'll help over 100 children in Scotland find a permanent, loving home. There are some concerns. Many social workers believe the adoption days are a good idea - but some worry children might feel let down if they're not chosen. Trisha Hall, manager at the Scottish Association of Social Workers, said: "It is a way to find a solution. I think the difficulty is the magical thinking - children who think 'I might be able to find my family there and everything will be wonderful immediately,' and that of course is not always the case." Ms Hall said the events needed to be organised with the priority placed on the needs of the children, who should be "really, really well-prepared". "There is the potential for people to see it as a kind of child market," she added. Robin Duncan, manager of Scotland's Adoption Register, said the events helped create connections for children that almost certainly would not be found in any other way. "Some of the children who seem very difficult on paper can really shine in these events and people can respond to them," he said. "We have adopters saying that they've met children at the events and felt really drawn to them and had a strong connection with them. "And yet they wouldn't have been children that they would have expected to have taken into their house." The third adoption activity day in the trial is due to be held on 5 November. The Adoption Register hope there will be more activity days in Scotland next year following approval from the Scottish government, in the hope children can find a home as welcoming as the Coyles.

एक परीक्षण योजना जो संभावित माता-पिता के साथ बच्चों का मिलान करने में मदद करने के लिए गोद लेने की गतिविधि के दिनों-या गोद लेने वाले दलों-का उपयोग करती है, स्कॉटलैंड में समाप्त होने वाली है। पायलट को एक सफलता के रूप में देखा गया है, जिसमें 36 में से नौ बच्चों को एक मैच मिल रहा है, और प्रचारकों को उम्मीद है कि अगर स्कॉटिश सरकार अपनी मंजूरी देती है तो आगे के दिन आयोजित किए जा सकते हैं। बीबीसी स्कॉटलैंड की रिपोर्टर सुज़ैन एलन एक जोड़े से मिलीं जिन्होंने योजना के माध्यम से एक बच्चे को गोद लिया था।


Biffy Clyro and Noel Gallagher added to Isle of Wight

Summary: Biffy Clyro, Elbow and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have been added to next year's Isle of Wight festival line-up.

The three bands join Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who will be headlining the Sunday night at Seaclose Park. Next year's festival takes place between 22-24 June. Also joining the line-up are Example, Noah and the Whale, Madness and The Vaccines. The date of next year's festival has been moved for one year from its normal slot in early June to avoid a clash with the Diamond Jubilee and half-term holidays. The new weekend is traditionally taken by the Glastonbury Festival, which is taking a year off in 2012. Last year's headliners were Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters and Kasabian.

अगले साल के आइल ऑफ वाइट उत्सव लाइन-अप में बिफी क्लाइरो, एल्बो और नोएल गैलेगर के हाई फ्लाइंग बर्ड्स को जोड़ा गया है।


Huge plumes of black smoke in Birmingham as tyres on fire

Summary: Plumes of black smoke have been spotted for miles across Birmingham as tyres are believed to have caught fire along a street lined with industrial units.

The fire was first reported at 15:22 BST along Crawford Street, Saltley Crews were sent out to tackle the blaze amid reports of gas bottles and fridges being at the scene. More than 30 people had called 999 to report the blaze, West Midlands Fire Service said. It is not yet known what started the fire. The fire is now under control, the fire service has confirmed. A total of eight firefighters, with one crew from Ladywood and a brigade response vehicle, were sent to the scene. The fire service released a video of what firefighters were dealing with and encouraged members of the public not to call in about the blaze. West Midlands Police said road closures were in place while crews tackled the fire.

बर्मिंघम में मीलों तक काले धुएँ के गुबार देखे गए हैं क्योंकि माना जाता है कि औद्योगिक इकाइयों से भरी सड़क पर टायरों में आग लग गई है।


Ballycastle: Man dies after coming off quad bike

Summary: A man has died after a quad bike accident in Ballycastle in County Antrim on Sunday afternoon.

It happened on the Ballyvennaght Road at about 16:00 GMT when the man came off the bike. He was taken to hospital, but died in hospital on Monday afternoon. Police are appealing for anyone who was on the road and saw the man on the bike before the collision, or has dash cam footage, to get in touch.

रविवार दोपहर काउंटी एंट्रिम के बालीकैसल में एक क्वाड बाइक दुर्घटना में एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है।


Coronavirus: Visits banned at Birmingham hospitals

Summary: All non-essential visits to patients are being stopped at one of the largest hospital trusts in England, because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said it had taken the "difficult decision" to best protect staff, patients and visitors. About 2.2 million patients a year are seen by the trust's four hospitals. The suspension comes into force from 20:00 GMT on Wednesday and permitted visitors are told to wash their hands. The ban affects all visits to Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Solihull Hospital, Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield and Birmingham Chest Clinic. Some exceptions to the ban include: Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.

कोरोनावायरस के प्रकोप के कारण इंग्लैंड के सबसे बड़े अस्पताल न्यासों में से एक में रोगियों की सभी गैर-आवश्यक यात्राओं को रोक दिया जा रहा है।


Getting inside the head of the man who was Frank Sidebottom

Summary: In the 1980s and '90s, Frank Sidebottom was a giant-headed, cartoon-eyed, cult comedy hero - but few knew who was behind the mask. A documentary is now telling his full story for the first time.

By Ian YoungsArts & entertainment reporter When his head was on, the man behind Frank Sidebottom would never answer to his "real" name. "If he was wearing the head, you couldn't talk to him as Chris," says older brother Martin. "Even me." "It was like method acting really," reflects BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music DJ Mark Radcliffe, who was in Sidebottom's band. With his absurd, anarchic humour and childlike innocence, Sidebottom was a hit with Saturday morning TV audiences and late-night pub crowds alike. He and the world he created were so convincing, it barely crossed the minds of most of those watching there had to be a real human being inside. But the man underneath the hot, uncomfortable fibreglass head was Chris Sievey, a musician, artist and comedian from Manchester. When Sievey died in 2010, memories of Sidebottom could have swiftly faded, only to be dredged up occasionally on nostalgic clip shows. But there is an enduring fascination with both Sidebottom and his creator. In 2014, Michael Fassbender played a character closely based on Sidebottom in the film Frank. Now the documentary Being Frank examines Sievey's brilliant, underappreciated and ultimately sad story. Before pulling on the giant head, Sievey tried to make it as a musician in his own right. He and his brother once recorded a session for Apple Records and he formed a band called The Freshies. Their biggest hit, I'm in Love with the Girl on the Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk, reached number 54. The documentary suggests it could have been massive, had a BBC technicians' strike not scuppered their hopes of an appearance on Top of the Pops. It also shows Sievey as a restless, innovative artist who pushed at the boundaries of music and technology. He proclaimed video to be the future long before the days of MTV, while in 1983 he issued a 7" single with a song on one side and an accompanying ZX81 computer game on the other. A clip of Sievey showing daytime TV host Nick Owen how to play it is in the documentary, proving he was taken seriously by some at the time. But the big break kept eluding him - until he decided to wear a papier mache head to a fancy dress party and Frank Sidebottom was born. Initially, the character was meant to be the Freshies' support act and number one fan. "But gradually people liked the support act more than they liked the band," Being Frank director Steve Sullivan says. "Over a process of years he became Frank Sidebottom, and as far as the public were concerned this guy called Chris Sievey didn't exist any more." Sidebottom's fame peaked in the early 1990s when he was a regular on Channel 4 game show Remote Control and had Frank Sidebottom's Fantastic Shed Show on ITV. His other appearances ranged from children's TV to the Reading Festival. In 1989 he warmed up for Bros at Wembley Stadium, performing his rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody for 55,000 people - although he was eventually booed off by the predominantly teenage crowd. Sullivan says: "Chris couldn't have done that for so long if he didn't love it, and he obviously enjoyed coming up with all the hilarious different versions of Frank, different outfits for Frank, different situations for Frank. "But I think over the years, Chris knew that what he wanted to do was be recognised as Chris Sievey the artist." Mark Radcliffe agrees. "There were times when Chris resented Frank, because Chris wanted to be a pop star," he says. "He was a good pop writer and a good musician, and he could make records really well. I think Chris wanted that more than anything else." Sievey often worked day and night on his all-consuming creations, whether it was making music or creating intricately designed comics, costumes or sets for Sidebottom. "He was obsessive about everything he did," says Martin Sievey. "It had to be his way. And because it was his way, he would put 110% into it." Radcliffe adds: "He was full of ideas but he would carry them all out." The DJ recalls one occasion when he remarked on the boredom of life in a tour van and said they needed some games to play. The next time Sievey picked him up, he had installed a half-size snooker table across the back seats. "There was hardly anywhere to sit, and then every time we went around a corner all the balls went over the other side of the table. So he said, 'I've got the solution to this - Velcro balls!' "That was Chris. And that was nothing to do with the gig. His approach to life was the same as his approach to being on stage. If there was a laugh to be had out of it, then why not do it?" Sievey struggled with alcohol problems before his death at the age of 54. He was virtually penniless when he died and was only spared a pauper's funeral when another former member of his band, author Jon Ronson, rallied a crowdfunding campaign. Radcliffe believes the lingering affection for Sidebottom comes down to his innocence and enthusiasm for life, and because he acted as though he didn't care what anyone thought of him. Those were traits he shared with his creator. The broadcaster says of Sidebottom: "Even though he's a fool and he's a buffoon, in a way he's an everyman. His approach to life was better than most other people's approach to life. "It was a completely uncynical way of living. It was a way of being driven by your enthusiasm. And Chris was a bit like that." Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story had its premiere at HOME in Manchester and is out in the UK on 29 March. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

1980 और 90 के दशक में, फ्रैंक साइडबॉटम एक विशाल दिमाग वाले, कार्टून-आइड, कल्ट कॉमेडी हीरो थे-लेकिन बहुत कम लोग जानते थे कि मास्क के पीछे कौन था। एक वृत्तचित्र अब पहली बार उनकी पूरी कहानी बता रहा है।


Stakeknife: Policing Board rejects PSNI chief constable committee request

Summary: The Policing Board has rejected a request from Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable for a special committee to oversee the investigation into the activities of the Army agent codenamed Stakeknife.

By Vincent KearneyBBC News NI Home Affairs Correspondent George Hamilton informed the board last week that his preferred option was for the investigation to be conducted by a team of detectives from outside Northern Ireland. He had wanted the board to take responsibility for holding the team to account for its actions. The team will re-investigate up to 50 murders. It is expected to take at least five years to complete its work, at an estimated cost of £5m per year. The chair of the Policing Board, Anne Connolly, said although the board would not oversee the investigation, members would receive progress reports on the investigation.

पुलिसिंग बोर्ड ने उत्तरी आयरलैंड की पुलिस सेवा (पीएसएनआई) के मुख्य कांस्टेबल के अनुरोध को अस्वीकार कर दिया है, जिसमें सेना के एजेंट की गतिविधियों की जांच की देखरेख के लिए एक विशेष समिति का अनुरोध किया गया था।


Security review after Aberdeen bypass crane climbing incident

Summary: Security measures are being reviewed after two people gained access to the Aberdeen bypass site and scaled a crane.

Transport Scotland said "strict security measures" that the contractor had in place had been breached. A spokesman said: "We are aware that two individuals gained access to the project site, outside of working hours." Transport Scotland said the contractor was reviewing its security measures. The spokesman added: "We strongly encourage all individuals not to enter the project site for their own safety and that of our workers."

दो लोगों के एबरडीन बाईपास स्थल तक पहुंचने और एक क्रेन पर चढ़ने के बाद सुरक्षा उपायों की समीक्षा की जा रही है।


Full steam ahead for old railway tunnels as cycle paths?

Summary: Three years after a study earmarked five disused Welsh railway tunnels for reopening as cycling and walking routes, one is now in use and work is under way to open two much larger projects by 2021. What has happened to make the dream of many move closer to reality?

By Rhiannon BeachamBBC News Tregarth tunnel in Bethesda reopened in May last year, after four months of work and at a cost of £430,000. Known locally as Tynal Tywyll - Dark Tunnel, in English - it now forms part of a north Wales coast to Snowdonia path. It's made it possible to travel on foot or by bike between the villages of Tregarth and Bethesda without following the main road, making the journey safer and easier. The journey to work from Dyffryn Ogwen to the Bangor area is also more convenient for cyclists and pedestrians, according to Gwynedd council. "After closing the railway almost 60 years ago, the tunnel and viaduct and their special construction had been closed off to the public," said deputy council leader Dafydd Meurig. "But this important project has breathed new life into an important local construction which has completed the Lon Las Ogwen route between Bangor and Bethesda." The completion appears, on the face of it, to have been fairly simple. The project was funded by the local authority and the Welsh Government. Reopening the 275m-long (900ft) tunnel was, the council says, "straightforward in engineering terms". This has not been the case, however, for the longest and most widely-publicised project - the 3,148m-long Rhondda Tunnel - as Steve Mackey has discovered. But after a sticky start, he admits the project is now "going so fast I can't keep up with it". Mr Mackey set up the Rhondda Tunnel Society in 2014 with the aim of sitting the tunnel's long-lost commemorative stone as near as possible to the Blaenycwm entrance. But the venture has snowballed - the society boasts more than 700 paying members worldwide and more than 4,000 Facebook followers - and is now not only looking at opening the Rhondda Tunnel but also the second longest (2,283m) of the five, Abernant Tunnel between Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. "We received a £250,000 grant from the Welsh Government [in August 2018] to help us along with the project which is now technically Rhondda and Abernant as well - they want us to open the tunnels together," Mr Mackey said. "We're not experts but we've been through it all with the Rhondda Tunnel so that's why they want us on board to help. "We're hoping to get them both up and running within three years." But the grant received is a long way off the total estimated cost. Mr Mackey visited the Abernant Tunnel for the first time in December but did not want to estimate the cost of reopening at this early stage, adding: "It will probably be around £7.5m for the Rhondda Tunnel alone." He added that while the projects were given the backing of the local authorities in July, "I wouldn't expect the council to pay for the whole thing". "We are in talks with the Heritage Lottery Fund and we've already had fantastic backing from Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm - £93,000 to spend on the detailed examination." The assessment carried out in May showed 95% of the Rhondda Tunnel was in as good a condition as when it first opened. But there is still work to be done and Gwyn Smith, from Sustrans, is cautiously optimistic. It was his study that earmarked the tunnels for conversion. "What's nice at the moment is Rhondda Cynon Taf council is helping to lead the project with Rhondda Tunnel Society," he said. He said Sustrans, along with Merthyr Tydfil and Neath Port Talbot councils, also had "some interest". He added that while the Rhondda Tunnel has "the community behind it", quite a lot of work has also been done on Abernant. "Surveys are being completed on that tunnel, so we've got more information about the condition of it now," he said. "The interesting reaction from a lot of the people is they were amazed what good condition it was in. It's 150 years old. but they could see how well built it was. "Abernant can be opened really easily... it's not buried like the Rhondda Tunnel." Both ends of the Rhondda Tunnel were covered over and landscaped after years of disuse. So what are the next steps? "One of the things we have to do is monitor the air quality [at Abernant] over the next 12 months. Each end is open so we can do that," Mr Smith said. "The Rhondda Tunnel is buried, so it's not possible to do that yet. One thing that needs to be looked at is how to uncover each end." Merthyr council said a business plan was being developed looking at how Abernant could be managed, how to involve the community, and what the impact could be on the area's regeneration, including tourism potential and sustainable commuting opportunities between Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. Councillor Geraint Thomas said it was one of a range of projects being considered by 10 local authorities in the region. Neath Port Talbot council sees the potential of re-opening the Rhondda Tunnel to encourage walking and cycling, and Councillor Annette Wingrave said it was "an example of how the rich industrial heritage of valleys communities can be a driver for tourism in the area". The Active Travel Act, which became law in 2013, was aimed at increasing the numbers of people walking and cycling to work, but a report in May showed it had had no effect. The report was followed by an announcement of the first significant funding from the Welsh Government towards achieving that goal. Of the two remaining projects, the Usk Tunnel now features in Monmouthshire council's Integrated Network Map (INM) to improve cycling and walking routes. But a council spokesman stressed that "nothing has been decided yet on priorities for scheme development in 2019-20". The Pennar Tunnel, between Pontllanfraith and Newbridge, had not been included in Caerphilly county borough's equivalent plan.

एक अध्ययन के तीन साल बाद साइकिल चलाने और चलने के मार्गों के रूप में फिर से खोलने के लिए पांच अप्रयुक्त वेल्श रेलवे सुरंगों को निर्धारित किया गया है, एक अब उपयोग में है और 2021 तक दो बहुत बड़ी परियोजनाओं को खोलने के लिए काम चल रहा है। कई लोगों के सपने को वास्तविकता के करीब लाने के लिए क्या हुआ है?


Is homework worth the hassle?

Summary: Homework can be a nightmare - for the parents.

By Sean CoughlanEducation correspondent You know that sinking feeling. It's late in the evening and you've caught the glint in the eye of the wine bottle in the fridge. And then you get the call. "Can you help with this homework?" Before you even start a long night of history or incomprehensible maths, there's just about time for an argument about why they didn't ask three hours earlier. It's almost impossible to resist the urge to go into parental irony mode. And that's really going to irritate them even more. How did they find time to take enough Snapchat pictures to fill the National Portrait Gallery but couldn't manage to start their homework? Then when you think it's all over, it gets even worse. Somewhere deep into the night, you hear the final stage of the homework trauma. "There's no ink in the printer." But is there any point to it all? A secondary school in Essex is scrapping the traditional approach to homework, allowing pupils to choose tasks rather than having a set amount of work to be completed. It's not the first such ditching of homework. Last month a message from a teacher in Texas in the United States calling off homework was widely shared on social media. "After much research this summer, I am trying something new," the teacher wrote to parents. "I ask that you spend your evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success. Eat dinner as a family, read together, play outside, and get your children to bed early." But was she right? Is homework an unnecessary burden? Prof Susan Hallam from the Institute of Education says there is "hard evidence" from research that homework really does improve how well pupils achieve. "There is no question about that." But she says this doesn't mean that endlessly increasing the amount of homework will keep delivering better results. At some point, the benefits of more homework stop. But the difficult part is that this homework saturation point is different for each individual. Another complication, says Prof Hallam, is that the most able pupils probably need the least homework - but in practice, teachers give pupils in the top ability groups the most homework. It would be more effective if the least able pupils were given the most homework. Prof Hallam also says the benefits of homework are more doubtful in primary school than in secondary. But she says there is no evidence that homework can be actively counter-productive to learning. A big study published by the Department for Education also found homework made a positive difference. After taking into account family background, the amount of time spent on homework was found to be a strong predictor of doing well in exams in secondary school. "The strongest effects were noted for those who reported spending two to three hours doing homework on a typical school night," said the study from researchers at the University of Oxford, Birkbeck and the Institute of Education. Pupils who did that amount of homework were almost 10 times more likely to achieve five good GCSEs than students who did not spend any time on homework. Homework has also always been something of a political football. In the US, it's claimed that the habit of piling on homework went back to the 1950s and Cold War fears that the US was losing the space race to the Soviet Union. In an attempt to catch up with the cosmonauts, US schools hit the homework to rocket-boost young learners. Even though homework seems to be such an entrenched part of the English school system, there are no official guidelines to impose it. There used to be recommendations for an hour a week for five to seven-year-olds, rising to 2.5 hours per night for pupils aged between 14 and 16. But that was scrapped four years ago - leaving schools to make their own decisions. If the late-night arguments over homework are too much, there is always the last-minute excuse. Blaming dogs for eating homework has been an excuse in circulation since at least the 1920s. But a college survey showed the current most popular excuse for homework being destroyed was milk spilled over it at breakfast. And like tears over late-night homework, there's no point crying over spilt milk.

माता-पिता के लिए गृहकार्य एक दुःस्वप्न हो सकता है।


In pictures: Chernobyl's eerie exclusion zone 30 years on

Summary: Thirty years after its fourth reactor exploded on 26 April 1986, an exclusion zone is still in place around the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine. Photographer Jerzy Wierzbicki visited the zone, accompanied by two guides - former employees of the nuclear plant.

A fire raged at the plant for 10 days after the reactor meltdown, sending huge amounts of radioactive material into the surrounding environment and over large parts of Europe, particularly Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. The area around the plant was evacuated. The exclusion zone, which extends for a radius of 30km (19 miles) around the plant, is monitored by police armed with AK-47s. In truth, the zone was never entirely vacated. Rules vary according to radiation levels. The power plant has no permanent official residents. Workers there are allowed to stay in Chernobyl city, some 15km away, and even then only for a certain number of weeks at a time. A little further from the plant, Maria and Ivan Semieniuk are having supper in their home village of Parishev. At the time of the accident, they were moved out of the village, 20km from Chernobyl. The authorities told them they would be able to return three days later. Suspecting that it would turn out to be much longer, they threw some possessions into their Zaporozhets car and drove to another village, Borodianka. There they were washed in cold water by military police, and Ivan was told he would now be employed as a construction worker. Two years later, they were finally allowed back into Parishev. They have stayed there ever since, despite being inside the exclusion zone. The village and surrounding forest have a handful of other residents but the area is largely empty. Visitors to the exclusion zone can measure changes in radiation and exposure to it with a dosimeter. At Ivan and Maria's home 30 years on, the reading is very low, in fact below what is considered the safety limit. Average readings in the zone range from 0.9 microsieverts per hour some distance from the plant to 2.5 microsieverts near by. Where a high level is recorded, like the 214.2 microsieverts per hour above, it is dangerous to stay for even a few minutes. The dosimeter recorded that reading near the town of Pripyat on highly radioactive equipment used after the 1986 meltdown. Among the detritus at the storage area outside the abandoned town of Pripyat, are most of the vehicles and other heavy equipment used in the days after Chernobyl's number four reactor exploded. The above image shows a Russian Zil truck, tangled up with other metallic scrap. Pripyat itself is a ghost town. Opened in 1970 as a modern, Soviet town for nuclear workers, it became home to 50,000 people. This is the scene at Azure swimming pool, next to the town's primary school number three. Those residents were cleared from the town in a major operation some 36 hours after the catastrophe. The roof of Chernobyl's number four reactor was blown off at 01:24 on 26 April. Pripyat lies just 4km away. Pripyat stands untouched, preserved as it was on 27 April 1986. The doctor's office, complete with full glass bottles of vaccines and medicines, lies deserted at Medical Centre number 26. At the abandoned Little Bear kindergarten in Pripyat, desks and chairs are piled on top of one another and discarded toys lie in the dust. Before the hurried evacuation of the town, residents were kept in the dark about the nuclear accident a short distance away. In all, 116,000 people were moved out of the area declared an exclusion zone. Discarded on the floor of one flat in Pripyat is a small black-and-white photo of Vladimir Lenin. It is yet another sign of a world that vanished decades ago. Pripyat was a typical Soviet town, full of uniform, concrete blocks of flats, little vegetation and poorly-constructed, potholed roads. This is the view from the 15th floor of the town's tallest block of flats. With its people gone, slowly and constantly, the nearby forest has invaded the streets and the spaces between the flats. The only residents now are wild animals, whose numbers have increased dramatically. Observers speak of the return of species that had been considered extinct in the area. Not far away from Chernobyl is a small, deserted recreation resort of dozens of wooden summer houses. Two characters from an iconic Soviet-era children's cartoon, Nu Pogodi! (Just you wait!), are still visible, painted on the timber wall of one of the houses. A large military installation was built several kilometres from the plant partly to protect Chernobyl. Towering over the military camp, deep in a forest, is the Duga-3 radar antenna. It was eventually shut down three years after the nuclear disaster. Picking up discarded items in the exclusion zone is strictly prohibited, especially the gas masks used by workers known as "liquidators" in the aftermath of the disaster. An estimated 600,000 people were drafted in as liquidators to help fight the fire and clean up the area. A World Health Organization report in 2005 estimated that 4,000 people would die of radiation exposure. Guides in the exclusion zone prefer not to talk about the effect on local health but Ukraine's government estimates that only 5% of the liquidators still alive are in good health. At the nuclear plant today, workers are not allowed to put anything on the floor. Everybody is checked regularly for radiation at special dosimeter stations. The concrete and steel sarcophagus still in place over reactor number four is now in a poor state and an international team hope to replace it in 2017. Once the €2bn giant arch is wheeled into place, work will begin on dismantling the old structure and removing the waste inside. All images by photographer Jerzy Wierzbicki. Read more: Containing the world's worst nuclear accident Wild mammals return to Chernobyl

26 अप्रैल 1986 को इसके चौथे रिएक्टर के विस्फोट के तीस साल बाद, यूक्रेन में चेरनोबिल परमाणु संयंत्र के आसपास एक बहिष्करण क्षेत्र अभी भी मौजूद है। फोटोग्राफर जर्ज़ी विएर्जबिकी ने दो गाइडों-परमाणु संयंत्र के पूर्व कर्मचारियों के साथ इस क्षेत्र का दौरा किया।


Hollande treated to drizzle, an airline hangar and a gastropub

Summary: The British pick-me-up offered to a French president with an economy in the doldrums, approval ratings in the gutter and a private life in the headlines was a draughty airline hangar, January drizzle and the Westminster political press pack.

By Chris MasonPolitical correspondent, BBC News The plan here from Downing Street was to offer a different trip from the standard. So no Heathrow, no London traffic, no smiles on the steps of Downing Street. Instead, a pub lunch in the countryside. Not at a rough and tumble, dartboard kind of gaff, but a boutique gastropub on the banks of the river Windrush in Swinbrook, Oxfordshire. The Swan Inn, which featured on Downton Abbey and belongs to the last Mitford sister. It was probably just like your last pub lunch. The talking point was European Union reform, and there was a cameraman in tow. Over Upton Smokery potted shrimps, grilled fillets of Bibury rainbow trout and bramley apple and raisin crumble - oh, and French wine - President Hollande and the prime minister agreed on the easy stuff to agree on. The European Union needs reform, the countries that use the single currency need to work better together, those not in the eurozone, like the UK, need better structures to reflect their needs. But on the stuff that matters - how change will happen and when, there's no agreement. Put simply, it stacks up to this: David Cameron will need a treaty change in Brussels to prove his renegotiation of the UK's EU membership has been sufficiently substantial to argue for a yes vote, a stay in vote, at a referendum. He needs that by 2017. But President Hollande needs that like a hole in the head: 2017 is when this currently very unpopular president has an appointment with the electorate. And the French know a thing or two about EU referenda and no votes - it happened to them on the EU constitution in 2005. So what about agreements? There was no shortage of big smiles and firm handshakes. So what justified them? In two words, defence co-operation. Joint drones, or pilotless planes. Joint mini submarines, again pilotless, to detect mines. Joint work in the Central African Republic, with the UK supporting France's efforts there. The gist of it was this: from in the air to under the water, military co-operation runs deep and is sky high. To make that point, the press conference took place in a giant aircraft hangar at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire - the air force's biggest base. Next to us all was an absolute beast of the skies, known as a Voyager, and the very symbol of Franco-British cooperation. It's an Airbus, so the engines come from Derby, the wings from north Wales, the body from Toulouse. But that is where the agreement ended. The rhetorical brickbats have been thrown with gusto over the Channel recently, with Conservatives musing openly that Francois Hollande is the personification of what they see as an economically illiterate socialist dinosaur. French diplomats have countered that the NHS is ailing, and our roads and trains are useless. Entente not very cordiale. The prime minister mused that he was a British Conservative, Monsieur Hollande was a French socialist, so what do you expect? Oh, one more thing. The elephant that would have been in the hangar if it had been petite enough to fit through the door. President Hollande's love life. The British press sees its muscular awkwardness as a virility symbol; their French cousins as pathetically barren and unenquiring. And then up stood Christopher Hope of the Daily Telegraph. "Do you think your private life has made France an international joke? Are you still having an affair with Julie Gayet and do you wish she was here?" The president declined to answer. And Julie Gayet may have been too busy anyway. She was nominated today, as best supporting actress, for the French equivalent of an Oscar. For playing a suspenders-wearing seductress.

मंदी में अर्थव्यवस्था, गटर में अनुमोदन रेटिंग और सुर्खियों में एक निजी जीवन के साथ एक फ्रांसीसी राष्ट्रपति को ब्रिटिश पिक-मी-अप की पेशकश एक सुस्त एयरलाइन हैंगर, जनवरी की बूंदा-बांदी और वेस्टमिंस्टर राजनीतिक प्रेस पैक थी।


Viewpoint: Chemical weapons ‘threat to West’

Summary: Reports of attacks using chemical weapons in Syria are occurring with alarming frequency, despite international warnings that such acts cross an intolerable red line. Here, chemical weapons expert Hamish de Bretton-Gordon argues that the world is becoming too passive on this issue, and could end up paying the price.

By Hamish de Bretton-Gordon Chemical weapons expert There have been at least six documented chemical attacks in the Ghouta region and Idlib province, allegedly by the Syrian government, in the last two weeks. These have predominantly been chlorine, dropped, witnesses say, as barrel bombs or fired in rockets - though the most recent attack on the town of Saraqeb on 4 February appears to be the deadly nerve agent, Sarin. Three children are reported to have been killed. As we approach the seventh year of the shockingly violent conflict, this war has become synonymous with two distinct and irrefutable crimes against humanity: the use of chemical weapons, and - aid agencies say - the direct targeting of hospitals and medical personnel. While the Syrian government has consistently denied using chemical weapons or targeting medical facilities, evidence I have seen contradicts this. In this seven-year period there have been over a thousand documented uses of chemical weapons, and the UN's inspectors, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), have been called to investigate some attacks. However Russia, Syria's key ally, has vetoed their activities 10 times to date. I have also investigated a number of attacks, and on 29 April 2014 published the results of our investigation into the attacks on Kafr Zita and Talemenes. This unequivocally showed that chlorine was used, and it is my conclusion that the Syrian government was responsible. With the same information the OPCW concurred six months later that chlorine had been used. This cannot be the best we can do, given the instant real-time news available across social media? The OPCW is a Nobel Peace prize winner, and a well-deserved one, but its modus operandi, though well-suited for a Cold War-type scenario, is out of kilter with the fast-moving conflicts and terror attacks we now see. An urgent review is required of its operating procedures, in order that it can produce timely results which the UN can act on to prevent further atrocities and proliferation. Notwithstanding the fact that Russia is likely to veto any change, the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, UK, France and China) must act together to ensure this review happens. President Macron stated on 13 February 2018 that France would strike Syria if there is proof of chemical usage, which his own security service appears thus far to have missed. But given an abundance of evidence already in existence, he must surely take that decision soon. At least one Western security service is sure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is still using Sarin (the OPCW concluded he had dropped Sarin on Khan Sheikhoun in April 2017), and investigation of the latest reported attack on 4 February points to Sarin, as do a number of investigations in the Eastern Ghouta region over the last two months. However, there is a worrying suggestion that some now do not see chlorine and other toxic materials as chemical weapons - perhaps the reason for French and other inactivity in the face of clear and multiple uses of chlorine? The Geneva Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) are clear that it is illegal to use any toxic substance to kill or injure people. This promise of action by world leaders, which has not hitherto been followed through - except by President Trump's strike on 6 April 2017 after the Khan Sheikhoun nerve agent attack - has ultimately lead to the 100-year taboo on the use of chemical weapons being broken, and the possibility of every despot, dictator, rogue state or terrorist using them with impunity in future. Most Nato countries, including the UK, have paid lip service to the chemical threat since the end of the Cold War, because they believed it had disappeared, and in military parlance, have taken a "capability holiday" with chemical weapon defence. Though Russia continues to deny the use of chemical weapons in Syria in the face of overwhelming evidence, and has actively prevented the UN investigating such allegations, I do not believe it is directly involved in their use in Syria - though it must be aware of it. The Syrian jets which experts say dropped the nerve agent on Khan Sheikhoun took off from Shayrat airbase, where Russia has personnel. Even the most casual observer would have noticed "be-suited" and gas-masked soldiers loading these bombs. In the new "Cold War" with Russia, Nato must be prepared for chemical weapon usage. Though Russia and the US have destroyed their chemical stocks, they still maintain the capability to produce new ones, and there is speculation that research has been done on new super chemicals many times more potent than nerve agents like Sarin and VX. All have seen how effective chemical weapons have been in Syria and Iraq, especially in fighting in built-up areas, and if there is conflict between East and West we must now assume that chemical weapons will be used. This sadly being the case, quite apart from the very real threat of terrorist use, anywhere any time, Nato needs to re-invest in its chemical defence capabilities and be prepared to fight in this "dirty" environment - or we could quickly be rolled over by a concerted attack from the East. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon is a chemical weapons expert and advisor to NGOs in Syria.

सीरिया में रासायनिक हथियारों का उपयोग करने की खबरें खतरनाक आवृत्ति के साथ हो रही हैं, अंतरराष्ट्रीय चेतावनियों के बावजूद कि इस तरह की हरकतें एक असहनीय लाल रेखा को पार करती हैं। यहाँ, रासायनिक हथियार विशेषज्ञ हामिश डी ब्रेटन-गॉर्डन का तर्क है कि दुनिया इस मुद्दे पर बहुत निष्क्रिय हो रही है, और अंत में इसकी कीमत चुकानी पड़ सकती है।


Bedfordshire woodland and scrub fire closes road

Summary: A woodland and scrub fire has caused roads to be closed close to a golf course.

The blaze at Millbrook, Bedfordshire, was spotted by police officers on patrol at about 00:30 BST. The police said by using a location app, what3words, the fire service was able to find the area more easily. The A507 was shut from the Lidlington turn at the Millbrook Roundabout for safety reasons. About 7,500 sq m (80,700 sq ft) of habitat was affected.

जंगल और झाड़ियों में लगी आग के कारण गोल्फ कोर्स के पास की सड़कें बंद हो गई हैं।


Crossrail: Bond Street Station plans submitted

Summary: Plans to redevelop Bond Street Station as part of the £15bn Crossrail project have been submitted to Westminster council.

Six floors of office space are proposed above the station's western ticket hall. Crossrail will connect 37 stations from Heathrow Airport and Maidenhead in the west, through central London and out to Abbey Wood and Shenfield in the east. It is due to be completed in 2018. Crossrail said the arrival of its services in five years would see passenger numbers at Bond Street Station rise from 155,000 to 225,000 a day. It said there would be 24 trains per hour in each direction at peak times. Work on Crossrail's 26 miles (42km) of tunnels began last March.

15 बिलियन पाउंड की क्रॉसरेल परियोजना के हिस्से के रूप में बॉन्ड स्ट्रीट स्टेशन के पुनर्विकास की योजना वेस्टमिंस्टर परिषद को प्रस्तुत की गई है।


Who is scoring at Galle?

Summary: Who will be the champion? Vajira or Muthuhettigama?

The race to secure most preferential votes in Galle district at the general election on Thursday is quite open. In the sweltering heat the town is buzzing with the crowds. The capital of southern Sri Lanka, is overwhelmed by cut-outs, posters and singing election rallies. The picturesque Indian Ocean is clearly visible from the main road through the southern coast, from Bentota to the far end of the Gallle District. Between the international cricket ground and the sea, the historic Dutch Fort of Galle is also under election fever. Main candidates A popular candidate, Muthuhettigama has turned an old building in the Fort into his election headquarters and his busy team are organising a massive election campaign. Muthuhettigama's campaign vehicles - plastered with posters - can be seen flying through every corner of the district. The young controversial politician who made news for local and foreign media has declared himself as the candidate who would collect most of the preferential votes in the district by himself. Vajira Abewardana, the leader of UNF district group is also a rising star. I entered into the famous politician’s busy election office at Sangamittha road. It is modernised with a network of computers, which has all the data on Galle district electorates. The young staff in the office were very active tapping the keyboards in front of computer desks arranging the scheduled campaign and pocket meetings. I met Vajira at a meeting, only after chasing him for more than twenty kilometres and ended up recording an interview with him in the kitchen of one of his supporter’s crowded house. The first Buddhist monk in Sri Lankan parliament history, Reverend Baddegama Samitha and the famous film star Geetha Kumarasingha also can be seen on comfortable pajoro jeeps flying around in the hope of a possible victory. With the election day looming, all former ministers and other famous candidates are intensifying the propaganda war because the political mind of the people in Galle district are still as calm as the sea off the coast of Galle. It is not easy to read the tide of political thinking of the masses here. Later I met Galle Government Agent Asoka Jayasekara and questioned him on his plans on the task of holding free and fair election on Thursday. At the end of it, the very busy GA did not forget to offer a cup of Sri Lankan tea to a BBC journalist who came to interview him from thousands of miles away.

विजेता कौन होगा? वजीरा या मुथुहेट्टिगामा?


Islamic State: The struggle to stay rich

Summary: Since its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, declared the so-called Islamic State (IS) caliphate in June 2014, the world has looked on as the group captured towns and territory, attracted fighters from across the globe and committed atrocities against anyone failing to adhere to its extreme interpretation of Islam. But over a year-and-a-half later, despite territorial losses, the group survives, thanks in no small part to its status as "the best-funded terrorist organisation" in history.

By Tom KeatingeFinance and security analyst Whilst most people decry the validity inferred from the name of IS as a "state", the group's financing is certainly more reminiscent of a state than that of organisations such as al-Qaeda that relied heavily on donations to fund their operations. IS finance comes from a number of main sources: Donations are noticeable by their absence. The areas controlled by IS contain extensive oil wells and gas supplies, including storage facilities, that the group was able to tap when it first took control. It has, since the summer of 2014, effectively exploited these supplies to provide fuel for its operations, the local people, for the cross-border smuggling routes into Turkey, and, in a marriage of convenience, the Assad regime itself. The US Treasury estimates that, prior to the start of US-led coalition's bombing campaign targeting oil installations and tankers in October 2015, the oil and gas business provided as much as $500m (£354m) annually. The Treasury also estimates that IS generates "hundreds of millions per year" from the taxation and extortion of the population living in the regions it controls, profiting from local financial and commercial activity, selling permits for antiquity excavation and charging tolls on transport crossing its territory. The group even taxes the salaries of Iraqi government employees working in IS-controlled regions, who, until August 2015, were still paid as much as $170m per month by the Iraqi Government. IS is also estimated by the United Nations to have made as much as $45m from kidnap-and-ransom in 2014. State-like aspirations Whilst establishing definitive numbers is impossible, at its financial peak in early 2015, IS reported an expected surplus of $250m after budgeting for expenditure of $2bn, including countless spending commitments such as monthly wages for the poor and disabled, orphans, widows and families of individuals killed in air strikes, as well as the provision of food and commodities in the markets. The Iraqi government itself had previously announced a budget of well-over $2bn for the governorates in Iraq that were subsequently overrun by IS. Whilst aspiring to provide the services of a proto-state, IS is also engaged in a relentless military campaign - action that is not cheap. As well as maintaining military capabilities on multiple fronts and paying and providing for fighters, assaults such as the failed months-long siege of Kobane have sapped the group's resources. Furthermore, the spare parts and expertise needed to maintain the oil infrastructure on which so much IS financing relies are, if available, a further drag on its funds. And herein lies the rationale for the relentless focus on IS funding by the international community. A group aspiring to the status of a self-supporting state has significant financial outlays that provide potential points of weakness to be exploited in the struggle to thwart its ambitions. The response of the international community thus far has included: Tide turning? So what of the group's finances today? The "one-off" successes from capturing bank vaults, oil storage facilities and grain silos as territorial gains were made, have not been repeated. Indeed, IS territorial control is down 40% and 20% in Iraq and Syria respectively since its peak, according to the US-led coalition. In an effort to restrict IS' fundraising ability: In sum, since IS was declared the best-funded terrorist group ever faced, the international community has, as never before, focused on disrupting and degrading a terrorist group's finances. A recently announced 50% salary cut for IS fighters suggests that perhaps, at last, in Syria and Iraq, the financial tide is turning. Tom Keatinge is Director of the Centre for Financial Crime & Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi). Follow him on Twitter

जब से इसके नेता, अबू बकर अल-बगदादी ने जून 2014 में तथाकथित इस्लामिक स्टेट (आईएस) खलीफा घोषित किया है, तब से दुनिया ने देखा है कि समूह ने कस्बों और क्षेत्रों पर कब्जा कर लिया है, दुनिया भर से लड़ाकों को आकर्षित किया है और इस्लाम की इसकी चरम व्याख्या का पालन करने में विफल रहने वाले किसी भी व्यक्ति के खिलाफ अत्याचार किया है। लेकिन डेढ़ साल से अधिक समय बाद, क्षेत्रीय नुकसान के बावजूद, समूह जीवित है, इतिहास में "सबसे अच्छा वित्त पोषित आतंकवादी संगठन" के रूप में अपनी स्थिति के लिए धन्यवाद।


Samsung files patent complaint against Apple in France

Summary: Samsung has filed a patent complaint against Apple in France.

It claims its US rival infringed on three mobile technology patents in the iPhone and iPad. Unlike the complaint filed by Samsung in Germany that Apple won last week, the recent case does not concern the actual design of the products. It is another legal battle between the two giants that have been filing complaints against each other in the US, Australia and Asia since April. The first hearing is due in December. Earlier this month, a court in Dusseldorf upheld a ban on the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer, ruling that it was strikingly similar to the design of Apple's iPad. The decision resulted in a nationwide injunction against the tablet. Samsung then said it planned to appeal against the ruling. Mobile technology The French case is based on "three technology patents, and not on the design of the tablets," a Samsung spokeswoman said. The two companies are also facing each other in courts in other countries. A court in the Netherlands decided to ban three Samsung smartphone models on 24 August following an Apple lawsuit. Samsung then launched a counter-claim, and the first hearing is expected on 26 September. The pair are also pursuing legal claims in Australia, North America and Asia.

सैमसंग ने फ्रांस में एप्पल के खिलाफ पेटेंट की शिकायत दर्ज कराई है।


Serena Williams and the trope of the 'angry black woman'

Summary: Mammies, jezebels, Sapphires. Black women in America have long been dogged by negative stereotypes, rooted in a history of racism and slavery. In the aftermath of Serena Williams' controversial US Open loss, it's the trope of the "angry black woman" that has once again re-emerged.

By Ritu PrasadBBC News During the US Open final, Williams received a code violation for coaching, a penalty point for breaking her racquet and a game penalty for calling the umpire a "thief". And later, a fine of $17,000 (£13,000). Her reactions to the referee's calls - which the Women's Tennis Association has since decried as "sexist" - were no different from how many top players react in the heat of a championship game. But it was the way she was punished for her anger that has sparked further outrage. "As it was unfolding I could tell this was not going to turn out well," says law professor Trina Jones. "I knew it was going to be a trainwreck." In addition to being a long-time tennis fan, Prof Jones has studied racial stereotyping and how it plays into the lives of African-American women. "Black women are not supposed to push back and when they do, they're deemed to be domineering. Aggressive. Threatening. Loud." Similar words have been levelled at Serena Williams more than once, as well as former First Lady Michelle Obama and top Democrat Maxine Waters in recent years. Williams has been docked before for her behaviour on the court - in 2009, she was fined $82,500 for an angry outburst - though she is far from the only player to face punishment for similar conduct. Prof Jones says some have compared the referee's calls to speeding tickets: many people speed and sometimes a few are caught. But that analogy, she says, misses the point that African Americans are disproportionately pulled aside. In the case of Williams, she was first dinged on a coaching violation that happens often but is rarely called out as the player's fault. "Why would a black woman in a championship match therefore be called on it?" Prof Jones says, adding that an attack on one's integrity is only natural to be angry about. "[Williams] is outraged because she knows the context." The myth of the 'angry black woman' The "angry black woman" trope has its roots in 19th Century America, when minstrel shows, which involved comic skits and variety acts, mocking African Americans became popular. Blair Kelley, associate professor of history at North Carolina State University, says black women were often played by overweight white men who painted their faces black and donned fat suits "to make them look less than human, unfeminine, ugly". "Their main way of interacting with the men around them was to scream and fight and come off angry, irrationally so, in response to the circumstances around them," she says. The 1930s programme Amos 'n Andy was one of the first modern media portrayals to cement this stereotype through the character of Mrs Sapphire Stevens. "The real problem in their everyday life was not the structural things that black people faced, but the mouth of the black woman - her tone, her irrationality and her anger," Prof Kelley says of Sapphire's role. As segregation laws known as Jim Crow laws saw black Americans assaulted, jailed and killed, popular culture pushed ideas of "sassy mammies" and "Sapphires" - an archetype depicting black women with iron-fists, yelling at everyone from children to white men. This trope of the "angry black woman" has endured, and has been pervasive in modern media even without more overtly racist portrayals, says Brandi Collins, senior campaign director at the racial justice organisation Color of Change. On screen, it is easy to push sass for laughs. But black women in America see these depictions translate differently in real life. For Ms Collins, the picture of the "hyperemotional" black woman has become more commonplace as Americans grapple with issues of polarised politics and civility. Black women, she says, are often faced with people responding to their emotions "from a place of perceived fear". "There's almost a paranoia around it. A feeling that you have to go above and beyond to make people feel comfortable around you." In a 2016 interview with Oprah Winfrey, former First Lady Michelle Obama echoed the same sentiment. "You think, that is so not me! But then you sort of think, well, this isn't about me," she said of being labelled as an "angry black woman". "This is about the person or the people who write it...We are so afraid of each other, you know?" Robin Boylorn, an intercultural communications professor at the University of Alabama told the BBC it seems impossible to be a black woman and not be angry, after "generations of oppression, discrimination and erasure". "Black women should be celebrated for not being completely consumed by anger," she says. "Men are allowed to be angry as a performance of masculinity. White women are allowed to be angry as a clarion call. So black women should be encouraged to express their anger as well, particularly in the face of injustice." For Serena Williams, Prof Boylorn says the issue is compounded by the fact that "she cannot separate her blackness from her womanhood, from her class or social status". But it's the double standard with men in particular that has come up in the ongoing debate of Williams' US Open performance. In a cartoon that went viral after the final, Williams is drawn as a petulant, mannish figure while the referee tells her opponent, "Can you just let her win?" "It's indicative of the way in which Serena has been, throughout her career, treated both by media and within US tennis as angry, unhinged, really aggressive," says Ms Collins of Color of Change. "When you see her be degraded or treated in that way, it really can lead young black girls and girls in general to question whether or not they should be the full range of what it means to be a woman." But Ms Collins notes that fixing the problem is not just about eliminating the "angry black woman" trope. "For every type of white man you can imagine, there's a movie about his story and his experience and his journey. Black women in media aren't afforded that diversity of experience," she says. Instead, understanding the diversity of a black woman's experience - and not just her anger - is key. For Williams, that's a lesson she hopes her fans will learn from her US Open upset. "I'm here to fight for women's rights and women's equality. The fact that I have to go through this is an example," she told reporters after the match. "Maybe it didn't work out for me, but it's going to work out for the next person."

मैम, जेज़बेल, नीलम. अमेरिका में अश्वेत महिलाओं को लंबे समय से नकारात्मक रूढ़िवादिता का सामना करना पड़ा है, जिसकी जड़ें नस्लवाद और गुलामी के इतिहास में निहित हैं। सेरेना विलियम्स की विवादास्पद यूएस ओपन हार के बाद, यह "एंग्री ब्लैक वुमन" की ट्रॉप है जो एक बार फिर से उभरी है।


How much are police and crime commissioners costing?

Summary: How much are the police and crime commissioners costing you?

Dominic CascianiHome affairs correspondent@BBCDomCon Twitter My colleagues in the BBC News political research unit have been trying to find out how many staff the new PCCs are employing and how much they are being paid. The figures aren't complete, because there is no central register of the information - but so far BBC News has established the PCCs have employed at least 449 staff since taking office. The research discovered wide variations in salaries and the size of each PCC team in the 41 police areas outside of London. The Metropolitan Police doesn't have a PCC because the mayor of London performs the same functions. The Home Office had said it expected the directly elected commissioners to cut costs - but it's not clear yet whether PCCs are costing more or less than the system they replaced The police and crime commissioners were elected in October 2012 by an average of less than 15% of registered voters - the lowest turnout since World War II. (Note: The Electoral Commission has separately criticised the way ministers organised the vote last year, saying in a report that too few people had sufficient information to make an informed choice of candidate.) Taken together, the commissioners are responsible for £8bn of spending on police in England and Wales. BBC News contacted each PCC in England and Wales to ask about their staff and the salaries being paid. The legislation that created the PCCs did not put a limit on how many staff each should take on, leaving it to them to decide what's best for their area. That's one of the key features of the reforms - it's up to local people to decide, through the elections, what kind of PCC they want. As expected, PCCs overseeing the biggest urban forces tend to employ more people, but there are significant anomalies. Overall, the BBC calculated the commissioners had employed at least 449 people. The true figure will be higher because three PCCs did not provide the BBC with any information about their staffing arrangements: Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Lancashire. Greater Manchester's PCC has taken on the greatest number of staff - 40. A spokesman for Tony Lloyd, the commissioner, said that the staff were transferred over from the previous police authority. As things stand he's spending 8.5% less than the authority used to with more savings to come. The PCCs for Warwickshire and Staffordshire have each employed seven people - the lowest number. Devon and Cornwall's PCC, Tony Hogg, has 19 staff, far more than larger forces such as Thames Valley, Hampshire, Kent and Essex. A spokesman for Mr Hogg, who won the election with the backing of about 5% of the area's electorate, said he had inherited staffing levels from the outgoing police authority and had added a director of communications. The spokesman stressed that Mr Hogg was also overseeing one of the largest geographic policing areas in the UK. Variation in salaries The BBC research reveals that the salaries of the majority of the PCCs are between £70,000 and £85,000, although the commissioners overseeing the three major forces of Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and West Midlands each receive £100,000. However, the salaries of deputy commissioners and other senior officials such as chief executives vary widely. The BBC figures don't include Kent's ill-fated youth police and crime commissioner, Paris Brown, who resigned after a newspaper reported a series of questionable tweets she had sent prior to taking the job. Suffolk's PCC pays his chief executive £102,000. But Durham, which has a similar-sized force, has a chief executive paid £61,000. Suffolk's chief executive's pay was set by the previous police authority. The Durham chief executive was recruited by the PCC. While many commissioners have taken on one deputy, Northamptonshire, one of the country's smaller forces, has taken on four at a cost of £65,000 each. Supporters of the introduction of the commissioners say that it gives local people democratic oversight over policing in their area, because the PCC has the power to set budgets and hire and fire chief constables. In a statement, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners said: "It is important that PCCs are able to operate efficiently and effectively on behalf of the public. "PCCs want to ensure the public are confident that all decisions made are as transparent as possible. [The] BBC figures do not recognise the greater responsibilities PCCs discharge in office compared to police authorities. "There is also no recognition of the variance in size of force areas. PCCs representing metropolitan areas will have a bigger office budget because they deal with a larger force and population." One of the big questions about the PCCs is transparency. The Home Office argued that they would be more accountable than the "invisible" police authorities that they have replaced. If the voters don't like them, they can vote them out. Ed Brown of the BBC's political research unit had the unenviable task of putting together the figures in the table below. "There were huge variations in the levels of transparency on this data from PCC to PCC," says Ed. "Some of them were helpful; but the vast majority had labyrinthine websites, many had failed to publish much of the information they were required to under statute and press officers were sometimes difficult to get hold of. "It is difficult to see how an interested member of the public would be able to get hold of this information, which is meant to be freely available."

पुलिस और अपराध आयुक्त आपको कितना खर्च कर रहे हैं?


Scotland must act fast to answer virus Budget

Summary: There are two tranches of money going to Holyrood from the Treasury, including £360m or so to tackle the health crisis. Rishi Sunak's Budget will have raised expectations that Kate Forbes will follow his lead in Scotland, on support for business and a hardship fund through councils. There are now so many holes in the business rates system that it looks ripe for major surgery, or replacement.

Douglas FraserBusiness/economy editor, Scotland Holyrood is to get a down-payment of about £360m to help Scotland through the coronavirus pandemic. That's the ballpark figure for the share of funding that will head to Holyrood in lieu of measures being introduced in England, much of that for business. It is part of £700m expected to flow to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the decisions announced in Wednesday's Budget at Westminster to help the economy through the crisis. That includes a share of the £500m hardship fund, which the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced will be distributed through English local councils. The consequent £50m or so does not have to be spent in the same way by Scottish ministers, but they will be under some pressure to follow at least that Westminster example. Some money also heads to Holyrood because small English firms are to get business support grants of £3,000. But the biggest tranche is in lieu of the one-year business rates holiday being given to smallish businesses in hospitality, retail and leisure. That's money that will no longer be raised by English councils. The Treasury compensates local authorities for that loss of income, so the Treasury reckons a share of that compensation should go to the devolved administrations at Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and Stormont. Cash lubricant Will the Scottish government do the same with business rates? The fact that English businesses in those sectors have gained such a big tax break will have raised expectations that the same should be done for Scots firms. But it's up to Kate Forbes, the new finance secretary, to propose how to use this windfall money for emergency, one-off measures. She will have to move fast. The first "community transmission" of coronavirus in Scotland has been confirmed. That starts the clock ticking on a pattern of epidemic which is thought most likely to peak two to three months later. Facing the prospect of up to a fifth of the workforce too ill to work at any one time, and the risk of cash flow drying up throughout the economy, the measures being taken by Rishi Sunak are intended to keep the cash lubricant in the economic engine. He did not, as requested, give others a break from the regular drumbeat of having to pay VAT bills. And larger firms, across several sectors, have suggested that the measures aimed at the huge number of small firms seem to forget that a small number of large firms are very big employers. Some may have easier access to capital and credit, but it's not going to be a breeze for them either. They can now make their case to get a chunk of the £5bn contingency fund. That is available to the NHS as necessary. Mr Sunak has said the government will dig deep and do whatever it takes to get through the health emergency. Tell-tale sign How else does the rest of the Budget - the non-virus bit - feed money into Scottish spending? Whitehall will want to take some credit for the roll-out of 4G mobile masts to those hard-for-the-market-to-reach bits of Britain. It is also pumping more money into city and region growth deals, with a new £25m for Argyll and Bute. In England, these growth deals are designed to leverage in the devolution of power, including a new mayoral office for West Yorkshire. In Scotland, they have the reverse intention: to challenge the dominance of the devolved authority in economic development. The Scottish government has readily signed up to matching the funds, yet that shared endeavour means that it's a method for the Treasury and the Scotland Office to plant a British flag on Scottish turf, to say: "We're doing this, not everything on this patch is Holyrood's". However, the main uplift in spending is through Holyrood - a £640m addition to the block grant, through the Barnett Formula. For this, you have to put aside the calculations for the pandemic crisis. Instead, take the £2.3bn additional funding for the NHS in England, and add a formulaic share to Holyrood. Then take a much smaller element of business rates relief aimed at cinemas in England, and likewise, there's a shareout for the devolved administrations. Impressed and bamboozled That £640m is a tell-tale sign of the bigger picture in this budget. When all the rhetoric is stripped away, it's a measure of how much is changing next financial year. Two-thirds of it is for capital spending, and one third for revenue, or day-to-day spend. If you listened to Mr Sunak, you might well be impressed and probably bamboozled by the colossal sums of money being splurged around the House of Commons. You would be convinced that austerity has ended. There were moments when he could have been a Labour Chancellor, rather than heir to the Osborne-Hammond years of screwing down deficits as a matter of fiscally Conservative orthodoxy. But Conservatives have discovered, after 10 years in government, that deploying borrowing powers at low interest rates to boost the productive capacity of the economy has set it on a course to grow faster. Who'd have thought it!? Imagine if they'd thought that 10 years ago. This Budget's bigger figures, however, were to be spread over three to five years, and capital spending dominates. There's a huge wadge of capital budget pencilled in for 2021. But for next year, it's more modest. If Scotland is getting £210m additional funding for day-to-day spending, and much of that is linked to a boost for health, it suggests a UK lift of associated departmental spending of around £2bn. That's helpful for public services, but it doesn't leave much for non-health. And even if you claim that it ends austerity, it barely begins to reverse the squeeze. Rate cut There will be plenty more to say about this unique budget as events unfold. The health crisis has left the Office for Budget Responsibility, and therefore the rest of us, very unclear what economic growth rate and revenue can be expected. As if coronavirus weren't bad enough, Brexit continues to cast a shadow over this year and well into next. Will the talks on the future relationship with the EU take place over the next few months, as countries cut back on travel and meetings? An indication of the problems it has left the economy is new data showing output in January did not rise at all. That was the month some surveys were pointing to a post-election boost in business confidence - or if not full-on confidence, at least improved Brexit clarity. But one other observation I'll offer for now. Business rates look like their days are numbered. Few will mourn their passing, as a tax on buildings and land, at a time when the economy has an increasing orientation away from bricks and mortar and towards the digital. The business rates holiday in England, perhaps to be extended into Scotland, means nearly half of business premises are going untaxed during next financial year. In Scotland, for more than a decade, billions have been committed to a business rates relief scheme for small businesses. Only now is it being assessed for its effectiveness as a direct contributor to business growth and employment. The Scottish government commissioned a review of business rates, but constrained the reviewers by requiring any changes to end up with the same amount of revenue - currently around £2.8bn per year. The upshot was underwhelming, and failed to address the unfair low tax burden on digital firms which keeps conventional shopkeepers squealing in highly-taxed pain. Modest changes have been enacted, but despite 20 years of being fully devolved, Scottish business rates have tracked English ones closely. Back at the Treasury, with half of businesses out the reach of business rates for a year, a deeper review has been launched. An alternative system is not obvious, and reform would doubtless be politically troublesome. But if business rates are reformed out of recognition in England, Scotland would be under pressure from business lobbies to revisit the issue.

कोषागार से होलीरूड को जाने वाले धन की दो किश्तें हैं, जिनमें स्वास्थ्य संकट से निपटने के लिए 360 मिलियन पाउंड या उससे अधिक शामिल हैं। ऋषि सुनक के बजट ने उम्मीद बढ़ा दी होगी कि केट फोर्ब्स स्कॉटलैंड में उनके नेतृत्व का पालन करेंगे, व्यापार के लिए समर्थन और परिषदों के माध्यम से एक कठिनाई निधि पर। अब व्यापार दर प्रणाली में इतने सारे छेद हैं कि यह बड़ी सर्जरी या प्रतिस्थापन के लिए तैयार दिखता है।


How will Modi handle India's economy?

Summary: Narendra Modi has secured a historic second election victory.

By Sameer HashmiIndia business reporter Indian stocks and the rupee rose to welcome the news: another parliamentary majority for the BJP party could grant Mr Modi the opportunity to make promised reforms a reality. But once the euphoria around his emphatic win at the polls has faded, there will remain some tough economic challenges in his in-tray. What did he do in his first term? The economic record for Mr Modi's first term in office is mixed. He initiated some bold reforms, such as a new bankruptcy law, to help tackle a rise bad debts that was putting pressure on the banking sector. His government reduced red tape, helping move India to 77th in the World Bank's 2019 Doing Business ranking, an improvement from 134th place when he first took office in 2014. India also became the world's fastest growing economy during that first term. But his biggest gamble, banning more than three quarters of the rupee notes in circulation in order to battle corruption, misfired and delivered a significant blow to economic growth. Without replacement notes ready in time, India's gigantic informal economy was temporarily crippled - leading to job losses. The rollout of a new national sales tax didn't go smoothly either. In the long run the new tax is expected to boost economic growth by streamlining a multitude of complicated taxes into a single tax. But in the short term glitches around its introduction had a severe impact on millions of small and medium-sized businesses. What should we expect in his second term? As Mr Modi gets his feet back under the desk for his second term, economists like Surjit Bhalla believe that his increased majority will give Mr Modi more freedom to take tough decisions. "Given the size of the mandate, we can expect bolder reforms during the next five years," says Mr Bhalla, who served on the prime minister's economic advisory council during Mr Modi's first term. But the scale of India's problems matches that mandate. Economic growth slowed to 6.6% in the three months to December 2018, the slowest rate for six quarters. According to a leaked government report, unemployment touched a 45-year high between 2016 and 2017. What will he do about jobs? Experts say that Mr Modi needs to spur flagging private sector investment in order to boost job creation. His flagship Make in India programme, aimed at giving manufacturing a big boost, has yielded mixed results so far. Ajit Ranade, chief economist of Mumbai-based, Aditya Birla Group, believes that focusing on overseas markets is the key to creating more employment opportunities. "Exports and manufacturing are intertwined. Unless exports grow the manufacturing sector won't expand," he says. The new government should focus on labour-intensive sectors like construction, tourism, textiles and agricultural products, he adds. Can Modi boost growth? Unlike China, India's economic growth has been driven by domestic consumption over the last fifteen years. But data released over the last few months suggests that consumer spending is slowing. Sales of cars and SUVs have slumped to a seven-year low. Tractor, motorbike and scooter sales are down. Demand for bank credit has sputtered. Hindustan Unilever has reported slower revenue growth in the most recent quarter. All of these are important benchmarks for measuring consumer appetite. Mr Modi's party promised in its manifesto that it would cut income tax to ensure more cash and greater purchasing power stayed in the hands of middle-income families. However, given the current state of government finances, that may not be possible immediately. India's 3.4% budget deficit - the gap between government expenditure and revenue - may restrict Mr Modi's options. "The widening fiscal deficit is a slow-acting poison," says Mr Ranade. He believes this will hold back medium and long-term growth. Will he help farmers? The agrarian crisis was a constant challenge for Mr Modi during his first term. Farmers across the country protested on the streets, demanding higher prices for their crops. Small-scale farmers have been promised more support, but structural changes to the way the market works might be preferable to measures that will put additional pressure on the government's already stretched budget, argues Ila Patnaik, a former economic advisor to the government of India. She would like to see the end of the system whereby farmers are required to sell their products to state-owned agencies at a fixed price. "We need to free up the farmers so that they can sell products to whoever they want. This will also encourage them to move to high value products," she says. Will Modi push privatisation? One of his headline election pledges was a promise to spend $1.44 trillion to build roads, railways and other infrastructure. But such an eye-watering sum will have to come from somewhere. Many observers expect privatisation to play a key role. Mr Modi made slow progress on his pledges to sell off government enterprises in his first term. The government did initiate the process of selling a majority stake in national carrier Air India, but with a tepid response from investors, the plan failed to take off. Mr Bhalla expects Mr Modi to pursue privatisation more aggressively in his second term. "The next two years is a good time for the government to [speed up] the process of privatisation," he argues. And he believes a willingness to embrace bolder policies could entice more foreign investors to put their money in India. "During his first term, Mr Modi has shown the appetite to take up tough reforms and he will definitely try to take even bigger risks during his second term," he says.

नरेंद्र मोदी ने दूसरी बार ऐतिहासिक जीत हासिल की है।


Why British Sikhs are calling for a 'black Diwali'

Summary: The million-strong Hindu community in the UK is combining the celebration of Diwali with the visit of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. But many British Sikhs, who also mark the festival of light, are refusing to take part, in protest against the Indian government's treatment of their religion.

By Callum MayBBC News For Sikhs, Diwali commemorates the release from prison of their sixth guru, Hargobind Sahab. But temples and schools in the UK are among those who will observe a "black Diwali", without the usual candles and fireworks, as a mark of their anger about the desecration of the religion's holy scriptures in the Indian state of Punjab. Mr Modi, a former chief minister of the state of Gujurat, is a hugely popular figure among Gujuratis in England, hundreds of whom worship at the Shree Swaminarayan temple, which towers over the neighbouring houses and flats in Willesden, north-west London. One of the members of the temple, Kavita Vekaria, is in charge of decorating the oblong brick building with lights and enormous peacock feathers and is looking forward to seeing Mr Modi speak at a huge rally at nearby Wembley Stadium. "I'm extremely, extremely happy to see him," she said. "It's an absolute honour, he's a really honourable person and I have so much respect for him." Suresh Jesani, a member of the temple's youth academy, said: "For us, it's one of our own guys coming to our own country. As a community it's massive for us." But London has also seen protests against the Indian government's stance on the events in Punjab. The police apologised for their treatment of Sikhs after violent scenes outside the Indian High Commission last month. Two of those arrested were a financial adviser from Ilford in east London and his teenage daughter. Ropinder Singh, 48, said officers jumped on him, removed his turban, and pulled out some of his long beard. He said they also removed his kanga - a wooden comb worn under the turban which is one of the five holy symbols of devoted Sikhs. "I was pulled to one side, I was kneed in the groin, and then literally had 10 police officers on top of me planting me into the ground," he said. "To me it's like I physically died that day." His daughter Charanjeet Kaur, 17, said officers had removed her kirpan, or ceremonial dagger, another symbol of faith carried by Sikhs, as police horses came near the protest. "I felt like someone took my heart away for a second," she said. "They were treating all of us like animals." Commander Mak Chishty, the Metropolitan Police's head of community engagement, issued an apology for the removal of Charanjeet's kirpan and that of another protester. A holy flag was also trampled in the chaos. Commander Chishty said officers sent to Sikh protests would in future be told about the importance of the religious symbols. Sikhs see a connection between the heavy-handed policing and the arrival of Mr Modi in the UK. Jagraj Singh, a religious campaigner and the founder of the educational charity Basics of Sikhi, said the Hindu nationalism of Mr Modi's BJP party was a major concern to Sikhs, Christians and Muslims in India. He said Mr Modi's attitude was that "other groups within India should realise who's boss". "Whereas previously the parties were more secular and appealing on economic policies or the general policies you might get here, now it's more Hindu nationalism, that's the agenda," he said. "The other minorities in India are getting a rough ride." While Mr Modi will be welcomed at Wembley Stadium, and by the Queen and David Cameron, there are likely to be further protests against him. Campaigners have already projected an anti-Modi message onto the side of the Palace of Westminster. Like in India, policing the protests in the UK has become a sensitive religious issue.

ब्रिटेन में लाखों की संख्या में हिंदू समुदाय भारतीय प्रधान मंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी की यात्रा के साथ दिवाली के उत्सव को जोड़ रहा है। लेकिन कई ब्रिटिश सिख, जो प्रकाश के त्योहार को भी चिह्नित करते हैं, भारत सरकार द्वारा अपने धर्म के साथ किए गए व्यवहार के विरोध में भाग लेने से इनकार कर रहे हैं।


Western Isles tourism aided by low ferry fares

Summary: Visitor numbers at locations throughout the Western Isles are up by between 25 and 40% on the same time last year, according to VisitScotland.

The tourism body said the Scottish government's road equivalent tariff (RET) scheme, which offers lower ferry fares, has been a factor. VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay said a decision on RET's future was imminent and urged its continuation. The scheme was launched on Western Isles routes in 2008.

विजिटस्कॉटलैंड के अनुसार, पूरे पश्चिमी द्वीपों में स्थानों पर आगंतुकों की संख्या पिछले साल की इसी अवधि में 25 से 40 प्रतिशत के बीच बढ़ी है।