Crossing Divides: Meet the British Army veteran turned pro-mosque campaigner

Summary: It's hard to miss Ian Durrant's house in Lincoln.

By Nalini Sivathasan BBC Asian Network in Lincoln, UK A Union flag and the cross of St George flutter 20ft (6.1m) high in his front garden. Ian says they're there "because I'm a veteran and I'm proud to be English". But he admits the flags sometimes give off the wrong impression. "Someone came to talk to me, and he said, 'Congratulations on flying the flag, what are you going to do about those bloody Muslims?' I said, 'Are you National Front?' 'Yes I am, brother,' he said. So I advised him - using army language - to get out of my garden." A decade of waiting With its towering facade, jade green dome and glistening gold crescent, Lincoln's first purpose-built mosque is already settling into the city's skyline. In a few weeks the £2m ($2.9m) building will officially open - more than a decade after its first planning application was submitted to the council. Ian was one of the mosque's most vociferous opponents. The former soldier - who served for 25 years in the army - set up a group trying to stop the application. But he says his reservations were about traffic. "There was no parking, there would have been nearly 90 cars, and the building only provided 12 parking spaces." 'We'll burn the mosque' However, things then got nasty. The site where the mosque was planned to be built burned down in unexplained circumstances. On three separate occasions, groups including the English Defence League (EDL) and East Anglian Patriots marched through the city centre. Participants shouted chants like "Burn the poppy, and we'll burn the mosque". Worried that his campaign against the mosque was being hijacked by anti-Islamic groups, Ian felt compelled to act. "We had a letter campaign in the press against the EDL, asking people, 'If you see them, turn your back on them and walk away.' And they did," he says. Rumours flying Lincoln's Muslim population is small compared with cities such as Leicester or Birmingham, but it's long outgrown its current mosque. On Friday - the most important day of the week in Islam - it has to rent a larger community hall to accommodate about 250 worshippers. After the mosque's initial planning bid failed, a subsequent application at a former dairy site was approved. This placated people like Ian who had been unhappy about the original location, but others were still sceptical about the mosque's intentions. Tanweer Ahmed, chairman of the Lincoln Islamic Association, says there were rumours flying around that the new mosque would have "loudspeakers doing the call to prayer five times a day - and some thought we would try and get rid of the local war memorial". In reality, he says, local Muslims simply wanted "to feel comfortable". So he decided to act - by knocking on every door in the area. Safety worries "A lot of people welcomed us - but a few people were not happy. We were giving them leaflets, and they were throwing them straightaway into the bin," Tanweer says. Even Muslim people questioned his moves. "My wife was saying, 'Why are you doing that?', and my children were worried that someone could harm me. Some of my colleagues were also worried about safety. And there were some that just didn't want to do it." Tanweer also needed to show locals that the presence of Islam in their area wouldn't threaten their way of life. So he reached out to Ian. "I knew nothing about Islam, and someone sent me an email saying, 'We're running a series of talks - would you like to come?' So I did. I sat in the front on my own and it was fascinating," Ian says. He's attended so many events - including Eid celebrations and mosque open days - that many worshippers recognise him on the street. But he's raised eyebrows within his own community. "I took pride in being friends with, and talking to, Muslim people. Other people would say, 'Why the hell are you doing that?' And I said, 'They're people.'" Joining Remembrance Day "If I look out of the window to the left, I can see the cathedral in its glory," says Ian, as he draws a net curtain. "If I look right I see the mosque. East has met West in Lincoln." Lincoln is best known for its beautiful 1,000-year-old cathedral. But it also has links with the armed forces - it was the birthplace of the military tank, and produced the renowned Royal Lincolnshire Regiment. So Remembrance Day is a big deal for local residents. Ian and other veterans parade at their local war memorial, just 100 metres from the new mosque. In 2012, he got a pleasant surprise when Tanweer and other Muslims turned up, carrying wreaths and wearing poppies. "People who I knew have said, 'It's good to see them joining in the community.' I said, 'Tanweer Ahmed is here - not out of invite, but by right!'" Shared history Tanweer says some Muslims were sceptical about attending the memorial. "People were saying, 'Why are you going there? Why do we need to go there?' I said to them, 'We live in this country, and these people have given their lives to save this country.'" He also wanted to highlight both the English and Muslim communities' shared history. In World War One, 400,000 Indian Muslim soldiers fought for Britain, and in World War Two, 600,000 soldiers took part. Tanweer says it was important for him and Ian to step into each other's sacred spaces and embrace each other's cultures, without sacrificing their own identities. "Locals feel much more comfortable if we go to their space, they can ask us questions - but if they come to mosques, they might not feel comfortable asking questions," says Tanweer. "So it's important that we visit them. But at the same time, they're coming to us". Focusing on the future Tanweer will be relieved once the mosque opens. But he knows his job isn't over. Last year's terrorist attacks have created a sense of unease among Muslims in the city. Tanweer himself has been verbally abused, and the old mosque has been pelted with stones. He thinks the Muslim community needs to continue engaging with locals to prevent any more trouble. He hopes the new mosque can help by offering space within the building for non-Muslims to run activities, such as children's clubs or exercise classes. "A lot of people don't know what happens in the mosque, so if they're using the mosque on a regular basis, they will feel much more comfortable building a relationship with us," Tanweer says. Ian's excited about the mosque's opening ceremony, and hopes to bring his friends along. He admits that their opinions about Islam have changed over the years - largely thanks to him. "My guys - apart from one - don't mention Muslims any more to me. I'd like to think they're accepting my way of thinking. I don't like prejudice. "I served in Kuwait with Muslims. I served in Borneo with Muslims. It makes me feel very proud that I have been accepted." Crossing Divides Crossing Divides: a week of stories about people creating connections in a polarised world.

लिंकन में इयान ड्यूरेंट के घर को याद करना मुश्किल है।


All IDP's will settle by 31st January - Basil

Summary: The Government will resettle the remaining internally displaced people by 31st of January says Senior Advisor to the President and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa.

Speaking to journalists he said that there are about hundred and ten thousand IDPs and each and every one of them has voting rights.. The presidential election is scheduled for January 2010 and Basil Rajapaksa said “They (IDP’s) are going to vote.” “Sri Lanka will stand with India for their (IDP’s) security” he added. Basil Rajapaksa said that the government will take necessary actions to find a political solution. “Immediately after presidential election we will see all the constitution amendment needed for political solution will be done” he added. Senior advisor to the president Basil Rajapksa refused to comment on Kachchathiv issue and said that he is aware of the fishermen’s incident with the coast guards.

राष्ट्रपति के वरिष्ठ सलाहकार और सांसद बासिल राजपक्षे ने कहा कि सरकार 31 जनवरी तक शेष आंतरिक रूप से विस्थापित लोगों को फिर से बसायेगी।


The true cost of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth

Summary: The Queen smashed a bottle of single malt whisky against the nation's new aircraft carrier as she officially named it HMS Queen Elizabeth. It was a key moment in the project to build two new carriers that has attracted criticism over its £6.2bn cost and its level of ambition.

By Caroline WyattDefence correspondent, BBC News, in Rosyth Size of ship Aircraft Modular build Power Control towers Size of ship The Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers will be the largest warships ever constructed for the UK. With a displacement of 65,000 tonnes, they are three times the size of HMS Illustrious, the Navy’s remaining carrier. They are 280m long, about 70m wide, twice the width, and carry some 1,600 personnel, including air crew. Flight deck The carriers will be equipped with F-35B, short take-off and vertical landing joint-strike fighters. The coalition government announced in 2010 that it would buy the F-35C jets instead, because they had a longer range and had a bigger weapons payload, but the cost of fitting the carriers with the “cats and traps” launch and landing system proved prohibitively expensive and the government was forced to reverse its decision in 2012. Modular build The ships are built in blocks or modules, with pieces being constructed around the country and sent to Rosyth in Fife. The LB04, pictured, is part of the ship’s hull. It was constructed in the Govan shipyard by BAE Systems and taken by barge to Rosyth. The construction of the second carrier, Prince of Wales, is also under way, but its future is uncertain. Power The carriers are fitted with two propellers, with a diameter of seven metres. Each will output about 80MW of power, enough to run 1,000 family cars or 50 high speed trains. Two Rolls Royce MT30 gas turbines will provide about two-thirds of the ship’s power and the rest will come from four diesel engines. The MT30 is based on the engine which powers the Boeing 777 aircraft, and around 80% of the parts are the same. Control towers The carriers are designed with two 'island' control towers, instead of a traditional single one The forward or front island will house the ship’s bridge, with flight control based in the aft or rear island. Nine decks extend below the main flight deck. The hangar deck is big enough to accommodate up to 20 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. Even on a windy summer's day in Rosyth dockyard in Fife, HMS Queen Elizabeth is unmistakeable. The 65,000-tonne aircraft carrier - the UK's biggest ever warship - looms over the shipyard where it was assembled and fitted out, dwarfing its predecessor HMS Illustrious, berthed alongside her for comparison. The new carrier and its sister ship are a £6.2bn project first conceived in the 1998 defence review at a third of the cost. The estimate by the time the contract was signed in 2007 was just over £3bn. Along the way, there have been U-turns and doubters galore. But at the naming ceremony, five years after the first metal was cut, the focus will be not on the cost but what the ship means for the UK, and the nation's place in the world. During the build, more than 10,000 people at shipyards and suppliers across the UK have been employed, and the pride felt by the workforce is tangible. David Wassell is a painter, paint-sprayer and blaster from Newcastle, who has worked on many other ships, but never anything on this scale. "It's amazing - it's something to be proud of," he said. "It's the Queen Elizabeth, after all, and the build has all been amalgamated with the other yards and everyone's been working together. I think it's fantastic." Although the carrier, with a flight deck, and another nine decks below, is much bigger than the Invincible class it replaces, the crew won't be - just 679 in total, similar to its predecessor. They will have a GPS system to help them find their way around. "The ship is really impressive, and also very capable. Her highly mechanised weapon handling system is unique, and it allows us to operate the ship with a lean crew," Lieutenant Commander Harvie Montgomery said. "It's a real privilege to be part of the first ship's company - I'll always be the ship's first training officer, and I'm really looking forward to the rest of my stint here." 'Strategic to tactical' The glossy videos about the carrier that will be played at her naming ceremony also feature its sister ship the Prince of Wales, although it is not yet clear whether the government - in the next defence review - will find the money to run both carriers. The head of the Royal Navy, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, has been a strong advocate for both, not least because running only one would leave the UK with lengthy gaps thanks to refits. "HMS Elizabeth produces - and with luck, her sister ship will produce - a whole range of choices, which starts with the slightly ethereal business of offering governments a choice of how they play things on the world stage, alongside major partners in alliance, right down to producing force from her decks, or humanitarian support and it offers us a huge range of options from the strategic to the tactical," he said. "It is also a sign to our strategic partners, from America to France and to Europe, that shows them that we are taking our responsibilities seriously, and that's a sign of our strategic leadership. And with leadership, we have responsibility - and the Royal Navy takes that very seriously indeed." However, critics of the project have long criticised it for its cost and the scale of its ambition. Not only are these the UK's biggest ever warships, but the stealth aircraft due to go on board - the Lightning II - is turning out to be the most expensive warplane ever developed by America and its partners, and is still suffering technical difficulties as it is developed. 'Frustrations' The chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Andy Pulford, agrees it is a "very ambitious" aircraft. The RAF is taking the lead on bringing it into service, although each squadron of F-35B Lightning IIs will be joint with the Fleet Air Arm, with the first flight trials on board HMS Queen Elizabeth due in 2018. "It's a hi-tech, latest generation aircraft, and any of these large programmes come with frustrations and challenges along the way. But I'm confident that we're on track to make those timelines. "The important thing now for the Royal Air Force is that we're looking forward, and I see that we are growing in the future," he said. "The arrival of Lightning II will take the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm into a whole new area of capability." 'Eggs in one basket' But what of the criticism that has often surrounded this project, both within and outside the Ministry of Defence - including within the navy itself? Professor Michael Clarke, the director general of the Royal United Service Institute, explained: "The fact is, the carrier is going to be a first class carrier. "It will be a strike carrier that will project power around the world. "However, it will require most of the Royal Navy to support it and protect it, so it means we will in a sense design the navy around one carrier battle-group. That is pretty powerful, but it means putting a lot of eggs in one basket." There are fears among some in defence that other crucial areas such as manpower - not least within the UK's already shrinking Army - may suffer as a result of the proportion of the defence budget devoted to big-ticket equipment projects such as the carriers and the fighter jets over the coming years, along with the cost of replacing the UK's nuclear deterrent. The previous Chief of the Defence Staff General Sir David Richards recently expressed his worry over the declining size of Britain's forces, even as the UK builds what he called its "huge" carriers. However, Rear Admiral Chris Parry, author of Superhighway: Sea Power in the 21st Century, insists the UK is right to focus on the maritime. "The 'great game' has always been and will always be at sea, because in a connected world, with 70% of the world covered by the sea, it is the great connector for trade, warfare and many other ways of doing business together. "It's also a route for criminality terrorism, refugees and things like that. "So unless a country has a navy that's prepared to be out there, doing business on a daily basis, it will lose traction with regard to globalisation, and it will find that other countries will fill the gap left by them." So the nation's future flagship being named in Fife today bears much more than its 65,000 tonne weight - it also carries Britain's hopes of remaining globally relevant on the world stage of the future. And, for the next 50 years, it may well embody the UK's wish to project power across the world's oceans, for a nation that has perhaps not yet lost its appetite for making its voice heard far across the seas. Explore the zoomable image below to see how a QE Class aircraft carrier (left) would compare in dry dock alongside HMS Illustrious. You need JavaScript to use this deep image zoom application.

रानी ने देश के नए विमान वाहक के खिलाफ एकल माल्ट व्हिस्की की एक बोतल को तोड़ दिया क्योंकि उन्होंने आधिकारिक तौर पर इसे एचएमएस क्वीन एलिजाबेथ नाम दिया था। यह दो नए वाहक बनाने की परियोजना में एक महत्वपूर्ण क्षण था जिसने इसकी £ 6.2bn लागत और इसकी महत्वाकांक्षा के स्तर पर आलोचना को आकर्षित किया है।


Porthcawl marina regeneration secures £1.5m EU funding

Summary: A plan to develop Porthcawl into an "iconic waterfront location" has moved a step closer after £1.5m of funding was secured for the project.

The project was approved in August 2017, and includes a water sports facility at Rest Bay, a refurbishment of the harbour and a new cycle path. The EU funding is part of a Wales-wide plan to create 13 must-see destinations across the country. Bridgend council said it would help turn the town into a "thriving" resort. Porthcawl Civic Trust Society objected to the two-storey building when it was approved, saying it was "out of accord" with the area's character.

परियोजना के लिए 15 लाख पाउंड की धनराशि सुरक्षित होने के बाद पोर्थकॉल को एक "प्रतिष्ठित तटवर्ती स्थान" के रूप में विकसित करने की योजना एक कदम और आगे बढ़ गई है।


Guernsey minimum wage increases proposed

Summary: Minimum wages in Guernsey could rise if recommendations from the Commerce and Employment Department are accepted.

The department is proposing a 2.5% increase in rates. It would mean an extra 15 pence on the hourly adult wage, bringing it up to £6.15; and 10 pence on the young person's rate, seeing it rise to £4.35. However, the department said it was ruling out equalising two the rates at the present time.

यदि वाणिज्य और रोजगार विभाग की सिफारिशों को स्वीकार कर लिया जाता है तो ग्वेर्नसे में न्यूनतम मजदूरी बढ़ सकती है।


Covid in Scotland: Highlands abattoir reopens after shutdown

Summary: A Highlands abattoir has reopened three weeks after closing due to a Covid-19 outbreak.

The operators of Millers of Speyside in Grantown on Spey took the decision to temporarily shut the factory on 2 September, initially for 14 days. Positive cases of Covid-19 in the Grantown area rose to about 40 over the last three weeks, the majority of them linked to the abattoir. On social media, the owners said they were pleased to be able to reopen.

कोविड-19 के प्रकोप के कारण बंद होने के तीन सप्ताह बाद एक हाइलैंड्स बूचड़खाना फिर से खुल गया है।


Wellesbourne police station closure angers residents

Summary: A police station in south Warwickshire has been closed.

Wellesbourne police station on Kineton Road has been axed as part of Warwickshire Police's attempts to save more than £20m. The Safer Neighbourhood Team is relocating to Stratford-upon-Avon while the building is to be sold off to developers. In January the force said it would sell its Leek Wootton HQ. Henley police station was closed last month. Buildings removed A statement from Warwickshire Police said: "Buildings that are no longer fit for purpose, in the wrong place or which do not support policing in the future will be removed." Residents in Wellesbourne have already expressed their disappointment at the decision. One villager, Rosalind Bolton, said: "It will be the first time for 170 years or so that there hasn't been a police station in Wellesbourne. "It is a large place with 6,000 inhabitants and a visible police presence is so important and once it's gone it will be gone. We shall never have a police station again." The nearest police enquiry desk will now be in Stratford town centre on Rother Street.

दक्षिण वारविकशायर में एक पुलिस स्टेशन को बंद कर दिया गया है।


Viewpoint: Trump's biggest legal headache might not be Mueller

Summary: President Donald Trump's former lawyer has made a series of allegations about his former boss. Politically embarrassing, yes. But how much legal jeopardy? Jonathan Turley, professor of constitutional law at George Washington University, gives his view.

"Let me... introduce myself." Those words by Michael Cohen may have been the least needed portion of his testimony. He is truly a man who needs no introduction. What he needs is a reputation. Well, a good reputation anyway. Trump's fixer was appearing less than 24 hours after being disbarred as a lawyer and a few weeks before he goes to jail for three years. So, let's look at the messenger While Cohen tried to portray himself as the redemptive sinner, few who knew Cohen bought the act. Cohen is a serial liar and thug-for-hire whose lack of legal skill was only surpassed by his lack of legal ethics. His testimony seemed to flail madly in every direction. He called Trump "a racist", "a conman," and "a cheat". He was eager to recount how Trump lied about bone spurs to get out of Vietnam. He then reminded everyone that Trump attacked a real war hero, John McCain, for getting captured. He worked in how Trump got him to lie to the First Lady about his affairs. It was riveting but largely irrelevant to the criminal allegations. The Republicans and the White House worked hard to establish the obvious - that Cohen is a convicted perjurer and con man. The evidence Cohen is no daisy but he can still be a danger. He brought documents, including cheques signed by Trump, to bolster his claims of a pattern of criminal and dishonest practices. Virtually all of these allegations were far removed from the collusion allegations that led to the special counsel investigation and concerned Trump's businesses. Most of the examples that Cohen gave of Trump lying about his affairs or wealth or dealings were gratuitous and immaterial to criminal charges. It is not a crime to lie to the public or the media. If it were, most of the members of the committee would be serving time next to Trump. The WikiLeaks connection One disclosure described as a "bombshell" was Cohen recounting that he heard Trump confidante Roger Stone tell Trump over the phone that he had spoken to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and that WikiLeaks was about to dump a massive number of hacked emails related to Hillary Clinton and her campaign. Stone and WikiLeaks deny this account. However, the real problem is the date. Cohen said that this occurred just before the Democratic National Convention. That would put the call from mid- to late July 2016. However, WikiLeaks was already known to have the emails and was publicly teasing their release at least a month before. Moreover, there is nothing criminal in Stone or Trump wanting to see the emails or relishing their release. Cohen's account of Trump's delight at the news is hardly surprising - he publicly called on the Russians to release any hacked emails. Moreover, Trump was not the only one seeking dirt from foreign sources. While the campaign falsely denied funding the controversial "Steele dossier", Clinton's campaign later admitted that it paid a former British spy to gather information on Trump from foreign sources, including Russian intelligence. Indeed, Cohen expressly said that he had no evidence of collusion with the Russians. The hush money Cohen also repeated his allegation that Trump encouraged him to arrange for the payment of hush money to a Playboy model and a porn star to bury news of his affairs. Cohen showed up bearing cheques with Trump's signature - signed when he was president and still denying prior knowledge of the payments. This could amount to a campaign finance violation, but such violations are rarely charged as criminal matters and have had mixed success in prosecutions. The inflated assets Where Cohen may have caused new problems for Trump was his accounting of dishonest business practices from using his charity to pay portraits of himself for his own benefit or misrepresenting assets in communications with insurance companies and banks. This included a curious series of asset reports that Cohen said were given to Deutsche Bank in a move to acquire the Buffalo Bills NFL team. Trump's stated value seemed to jump from $4.56bn in 2012 to $8.66bn in 2013. It is not clear what that asset increase was based on and whether the figures were put into any formal loan documents. However, any misrepresentation of wealth and liabilities can form the basis of bank fraud allegations. What is clear is that Trump is looking at a growing threat not from the special counsel's investigation into Russian collusion, but the investigation into his business practices by the US Attorney in the Southern District of New York. And attacking Cohen's lack of credibility will not change bank records. From Cohn to Cohen Trump has been quoted about his respect for Roy Cohn, who was the right-hand man to Joe McCarthy during the "Red Scare" period. He was widely viewed as an unethical and vile human being. He was also Trump's lawyer. In March 2016, Trump reportedly asked in frustration: "Where's my Roy Cohn?" That man would prove to be Michael Cohen who had the same sense of freedom from rules of ethics or law. Like Cohn, Cohen was known to threaten and bully people into submission. Like Cohn, Cohen would be disbarred for his unethical acts. Many believe that Cohn was the person who taught Trump to never admit fault and always counterpunch. Cohn once said: "I bring out the worst in my enemies and that's how I get them to defeat themselves." In the end, Cohn died a disbarred lawyer being pursued by the IRS for millions. Cohen is now a disbarred lawyer who is going to prison for, among other things, five counts of tax evasion. Of course, Trump has no need to ask "where's my Michael Cohen" in the coming months. He will be in the federal penitentiary. And the I-word After the hearing in the House Oversight Committee, Democratic Chairman Elijah Cummings stated that he now believes that Trump not only committed crimes but "it appears that [Trump] did" commit crimes in office. If true, Trump may be not only looking at a political push for impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives. But criminal charges after he leaves office. Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University and served as the last lead defence counsel in an impeachment in the US Senate

राष्ट्रपति डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प के पूर्व वकील ने अपने पूर्व बॉस के बारे में कई आरोप लगाए हैं। राजनीतिक रूप से शर्मनाक, हाँ। लेकिन कितना कानूनी खतरा? जॉर्ज वाशिंगटन विश्वविद्यालय में संवैधानिक कानून के प्रोफेसर जोनाथन टर्ली अपना विचार देते हैं।


Man charged with 2009 Walthamstow rape and murder

Summary: A man has been charged with murdering a woman in London 10 years ago after being extradited from India.

Aman Vyas, 35, arrived at Heathrow on Friday and was charged with the rape and murder of Michelle Samaraweera in Walthamstow in May 2009. He is also accused of offences against three other women, including attempted murder, seven counts of rape, five counts of assault and a sexual assault. Mr Vyas is due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Scotland Yard said he had also been charged with possession of a knife in public and possession of an offensive weapon.

एक व्यक्ति पर भारत से प्रत्यर्पित होने के बाद 10 साल पहले लंदन में एक महिला की हत्या का आरोप लगाया गया है।


Armed officers search Broughton Retail Park after robbery

Summary: Armed police descended on a retail park as they searched for a man wanted in connection with a robbery.

Officers from Cheshire Police and North Wales Police attended Broughton Retail Park in Flintshire at about 15:15 BST, after a robbery in Cheshire. Cheshire Police said officers had carried out a "thorough search of the area" around Tesco but were unable to locate the man. However, they have seized a vehicle in connection to the robbery.

डकैती के सिलसिले में वांछित एक व्यक्ति की तलाश में सशस्त्र पुलिस एक खुदरा पार्क में उतरी।


Dukinfield stab death: Woman charged with murder

Summary: A woman has been charged with the murder of a man who was found stabbed to death at a block of flats.

Clare McMahon, 34, of Pennine Terrace, Dukinfield, appeared at Manchester Magistrates' Court earlier, accused of killing John Robinson. Mr Robinson, 37, was found dead in a property on the same street at about 00:15 BST on 23 May. In a tribute, his family said Mr Robinson had a "heart of gold" and they were "heartbroken and devastated". Ms McMahon was remanded in custody and ordered to appear at Manchester Crown Court on Wednesday. Related Internet Links HM Courts & Tribunals Service

एक महिला पर फ्लैटों के एक ब्लॉक में चाकू मारकर हत्या करने का आरोप लगाया गया है।


Why can't we let go of our old tech?

Summary: Looking at some of the latest tech news, it's tempting to wonder whether we've all jumped out of the same DeLorean famously driven by time travellers Doc Brown and Marty McFly in the 1985 film Back to the Future.

By Zoe KleinmanTechnology reporter, BBC News In January 2015, the ZX Spectrum games console - originally launched by Clive Sinclair in 1982 - went back into production in the UK and will be sold pre-loaded with 1,000 classic games. The same month, Sony brought a 21st Century twist to its classic personal stereo the Walkman, a brand it launched in 1979 and retired in 2010, in the form of a high-end digital music player. Ion Audio also unveiled a new record player - the Air LP, a turntable equipped with bluetooth for music streaming. It also has USB connectivity so it can be plugged in to a computer. And in the gaming zone at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, nestling between the Xboxes, Playstations, 4K graphics and virtual reality headsets, was a machine with origins dating back at least 250 years. That device was the humble pinball machine - the earliest recorded being the bagatelles of 18th Century France. So why can't we let go of our old tech? 'Design v tech' "As is the case in fashion or furniture, retro is quite attractive," said analyst Carolina Milanesi from analysts Kantar. "With tech, however, it gets tricky as you need to deliver value. In some cases, vendors deliver new tech in a retro package while in others the technology, while improved in specs, remains pretty close to the initial offering." While using a brand like the Walkman is a good sales tactic, ultimately it is a long way from the original in terms of what it offers - and its price tag (£949) is steep, she added. "Personally, I believe, that design versus tech would work better as a retro offering - but even so the appeal would be limited." Arcade appeal In America, old arcade games are enjoying a revival thanks in part to the success of drinking establishments like the chain Barcade, where drinkers can quaff locally produced beers while indulging in some classic arcade entertainment. "Our most popular games are the classics like Ms Pac Man and Donkey Kong and also the multiplayer games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Simpsons, NBA Jam and X-Men," said Barcade CEO Paul Kermizian. "We only feature classic video games." Some traditional games have had to adapt to survive however. Pin power Chicago-based manufacturer Stern Pinball, founded in 1986, treads the line between offering a nostalgic product but with a contemporary hook - the firm has just released three new pinball tables based around cult franchises WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), Star Trek and the Walking Dead. "We think we're part of the future," said founder Gary Stern. "It's not just a ball bouncing round - it's a game, there is a sport to this." While the majority of Stern's individual customers are "50 plus, used to play pinball in their 20s", the 25-30-year-old crowd is also becoming a target market. "We realised we had to make different games for different people - one size doesn't fit all," said owner Gary Stern. "We're trying to interest new players while keeping our core customers. "But it's still basically a bat/ball mechanical action machine," he added. "When you hit the door of the prison in the Walking Dead it opens and you see a zombie - it's not a programmed game." The mechanics underneath the bonnet certainly look more complex than they would have done even 20 years ago. Semi-smart node boards have enabled each game to have more features, and LED lights rather than fluorescent tubes are now the norm. As part of the design process, all of Stern's staff help out with the user testing. "Staff have to play for 15 minutes every day. If you don't want to play pinball, don't work for a pinball company," said Mr Stern. "I'm 69 - I'm old and slow. I represent the player in the pub who's had a bucket-and-a-half of beer." With the machines, retailing at between $5,000-$6,000, it is not a cheap hobby. Mr Stern says his biggest customers are arcade owners, cinemas, collectors - and record buyers. Record buyers are fast becoming a hot target market for other tech retailers too. 'Beautiful physical artefacts' Martin Talbot, managing director of the UK Official Charts Company, predicts that vinyl sales alone are set to soar from £3m five years ago to being a £20m business in 2015. Last year, more than one million vinyl record sales were made in the UK for the first time in 18 years. "In an era when we're all talking about digital music, the fact that these beautiful physical artefacts are still as popular as they are is fantastic," Mr Talbot told BBC Radio 5 live recently. "It's really remarkable." The Official Chart Company is now planning to relaunch a separate chart for record sales in the UK - and firms making and selling turntables are also feeling the love. "To be honest, we've always stocked and sold turntables at a fairly steady rate, but the past year has seen a 70% jump in the number of units we've sold," said Lol Lecanu, spokesperson for hi-fi specialists Richer Sounds. Celebrity endorsement always helps of course - rockstar Dave Grohl, whose bands include the Foo Fighters and Nirvana, has spoken about his love of records. In a podcast with comedian Marc Maron he described getting a turntable for his then six-year-old daughter and giving her some Beatles records. "I walked out of the room, an hour later she had all the records out on the floor, she had listened to them all," he said. "She was looking at the liner notes, she was dancing, it was unbelievable." Grohl added that he did not feel he was doing his daughter a disservice by introducing her to the Fab Four accompanied by the legendary scratch and hiss of the humble turntable. "This is what it sounded like when I was a kid," he said. "I'm not going to give her the audio file version."

कुछ नवीनतम तकनीकी समाचारों को देखते हुए, यह आश्चर्य करने के लिए लुभावना है कि क्या हम सभी 1985 की फिल्म बैक टू द फ्यूचर में प्रसिद्ध समय यात्रियों डॉक ब्राउन और मार्टी मैकफ्लाई द्वारा संचालित उसी डेलोरियन से बाहर निकल गए हैं।


Boris Johnson: What's his track record?

Summary: Boris Johnson, the UK's new prime minister, was already one of the UK's most recognisable politicians.

His high profile - built up as an MP, London mayor and foreign secretary - has often seen his achievements accompanied by controversy. Becoming an MP As editor of the Spectator magazine and a Have I Got News For You contestant, Boris Johnson was already well known for his shambolic persona. In 2001, he became an MP, replacing Michael Heseltine in the safe Conservative seat of Henley-on-Thames. Gay rights He was considered more liberal than many Tories. As a journalist, he had questioned the repeal of laws banning the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities. But as an MP, he changed tack and said the state should not interfere in people's lives. He also voted in favour of civil partnerships. Mr Johnson continued to attract controversy. In October 2004, then Conservative leader Michael Howard ordered him to visit Liverpool to apologise for a Spectator article accusing its residents of wallowing in "disproportionate" grief after Ken Bigley - an engineer from the city - was kidnapped and killed in Iraq. And the following month, he was sacked as shadow arts minister, amid claims he had misled Mr Howard about reports of an affair with Spectator columnist Petronella Wyatt. Political career 7 years MP for Henley (2001-2008) 8 yearsMayor of London (2008-2016) 4 yearsMP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (2015- 2 yearsForeign Secretary (2016-2018) Nevertheless, a year later, he was on the rise again - resigning from his Spectator post when new Tory leader David Cameron made him shadow higher education minister. However, he continued to write for the Telegraph and had to make another apology - to a whole country - after he linked Papua New Guinea to "cannibalism and chief-killing" in a column. By 2007, the Henley MP had his sights set on one of the biggest jobs in UK politics. Mayor of London Taking over from Labour's Ken Livingstone in 2008, Boris Johnson remained London mayor until 2016. It is the longest continuous period of public office that he has held. He's often spoken of what he considers to be his biggest achievements during that period: on crime, housing and transport. Crime The homicide rate in London - which includes murder and manslaughter - fell from 22 per million to 12 per million people during his time as mayor. However, it was also falling during his predecessor's second term. And in the first few years after Mr Johnson took over, knife crime rose by over 15% - although from 2012-13 onwards it started to fall. Mr Johnson had backed the police use of stop-and-search powers to tackle violent crime. And he said he would ensure police numbers would go up despite central government cuts. Home Office figures show police numbers in London rose slightly, from 31,460 to 32,125, between March 2008 and March 2016. Across England and Wales in that period the number of officers fell by 17,603. Housing There was an increase in the number of affordable homes built - 101,525 by the end of March 2016, of which the Greater London Authority contributed to 94,001. This was a rise compared with the two terms of Mr Livingstone, although the definition of affordable housing had changed in 2011 so the figures are not directly comparable. Transport He scrapped the so-called bendy buses - which he said were too big for narrow streets and encouraged fare-dodgers. In their place, he introduced a new version of the popular Routemaster London bus - a move that was criticised as a vanity project. There were complaints about non-opening windows and problems with the hybrid engines. They also cost considerably more than a normal bus. One of his most famous transport initiatives was the so-called "Boris Bike" cycle scheme, introduced in July 2010. Mr Johnson regularly promoted the hire bikes by riding them himself and the number of rentals reached more than 10.3 million during his last year as mayor. However, critics pointed to the £11m-a-year cost of keeping the bikes on the road. Others pointed out that plans for a bike hire scheme had been announced while Mr Livingstone had been mayor. Olympics As mayor, Mr Johnson became involved in overseeing arrangements for the 2012 Olympics, planning for which started after they were awarded to London in 2005. One of the most memorable moments was when he got stuck on a zip wire, while celebrating the UK's first gold medal win. The Olympics were widely seen as a success and there were claims that they had provided a major economic boost. But there were also questions raised about the Olympics' legacy, including criticism of the conversion of the Olympic Stadium into a football ground. In 2017, an independent review said the conversion had cost £323m - far more than the original estimate of £190m. Garden Bridge The latter part of his time as mayor saw a plan to build a garden bridge over the River Thames as a memorial to Princess Diana. The pedestrian-only bridge, with trees and plants, which was first suggested by the actress Joanna Lumley in 1998, was to be funded by private and public money. But it was cancelled in 2017, after a review recommended the project be scrapped - £53m had already been spent on the project; £43m of which came from the public purse. Jeremy Hunt: The other leadership contender What's Jeremy Hunt's track record? Foreign secretary Mr Johnson decided he wanted to return to Parliament before his term as mayor ended, in 2016. He won the seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in 2015. After resuming life as an MP, he declared his opposition to expanding nearby Heathrow airport, saying he would lie in front of the bulldozers. As London mayor, he had promoted an alternative scheme, for an island airport in the Thames estuary, an idea rejected on cost and environmental grounds. But Mr Johnson was noticeably absent when MPs subsequently voted on Heathrow expansion in June 2018, as he was on an official trip to Afghanistan. Mr Johnson had been appointed foreign secretary by the new prime minister, Theresa May, in 2016. He had also run in the Tory leadership campaign that year but dramatically pulled out after Michael Gove's surprise decision to enter the race. The job as foreign secretary was seen as an acknowledgement of his role as a leading figure in the campaign to leave the EU. However, there was also some surprise at the choice, with Lib Dem leader Tim Farron saying he would "spend more time apologising to nations he's offended" than working as foreign secretary. And there were the disparaging comments about other countries and their leaders - some of which were made before he got the job. They included a Limerick - which won a £1,000 award in 2016 - about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a goat. And he said the Libyan city of Sirte could be the new Dubai if "they... clear the dead bodies away". Russian expulsions As foreign secretary, Mr Johnson supported a tough line against Russia, with the expulsion of its diplomats after the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal. Twenty-nine countries, including the US, Canada, Australia and EU states, joined the UK, expelling more than 140 Russian diplomats in a co-ordinated move. Iran But in the case of British Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, jailed in Iran, Mr Johnson had to apologise in Parliament. He had said she had been teaching journalists in Iran when she had been detained, contradicting her statement that she had been on holiday at the time. He later clarified that she had in fact been on holiday but has also said he does not believe his remarks made a difference to her plight - a claim rejected by her family. A few days after Mr Johnson made his remarks, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was summoned before an Iranian judge, to face charges of engaging in propaganda against the regime. Saudi Arabia As foreign secretary, he also earned a rebuke from Downing Street, after comments emerged in which he had criticised close ally Saudi Arabia for engaging in proxy wars in the Middle East. Nevertheless, he continued to allow sales of UK arms to Saudi Arabia, which is involved in a controversial military campaign in Yemen. In 2018, Mr Johnson also faced criticism after writing in the Daily Telegraph that Muslim women wearing the burka "looked like letterboxes". By this stage, though, he had left the government, resigning in protest at Theresa May's Brexit plan. Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson was a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign during the 2016 EU referendum. He became well known for his attacks on the EU and for advocating the benefits of Brexit. He declared that he was "pro-having cake and pro-eating it". But it hadn't always been clear which side he would support. In fact, while mayor of London, he'd spoken of the benefits of being in the single market. And in an article for the Daily Telegraph in 2013, weighing up the pros and cons of being in the EU, he had said that leaving would not solve the UK's problems. However, he also made clear he supported plans to ask the British people to decide about EU membership. During the Brexit campaign, he came under sustained criticism from those in favour of Remain, for his claims about the benefits of leaving and what he called "taking back control". £350m claim Most controversial was a claim about how much money the UK sent to the EU. The £350m-a-week figure, which appeared on the side of a bus during the campaign, recently led to an unsuccessful attempt to prosecute him. Critics pointed out at the time that the figure was wrong as it did not take into account the UK's rebate, or indeed money subsequently spent in the UK. For his part, Mr Johnson dismissed warnings that leaving the EU could spark a recession, describing one such study as propaganda. And he has continued to advocate a harder form of Brexit, sharply criticising both the deal that Mrs May agreed and her whole approach to the negotiations with the EU. He described it as leading the UK into the "status of a colony", in his resignation letter, in July 2018. Mr Johnson has continued to insist that the UK can and should leave the EU by 31 October, with or without a deal. More on Boris Johnson

ब्रिटेन के नए प्रधानमंत्री बोरिस जॉनसन पहले से ही ब्रिटेन के सबसे पहचानने योग्य राजनेताओं में से एक थे।


Piecing together China's Maoming plant protest

Summary: State media carry limited details of the protest that erupted in Guangdong province over a planned chemical plant, but the BBC's Beijing bureau has been piecing together what happened using eyewitness accounts and reports from netizens.

By China blog staffBBC News In the last few days, a document has been circulating on social media. It asks middle school students to agree to support a paraxylene plant soon to be built near their homes in Maoming City in southern China's Guangdong Province. Paraxylene is a chemical used in fibres and plastic bottles, but in recent years many Chinese residents have expressed concern over its impact on people's health and the environment. The Maoming government seemed eager to prioritise the city's development, however. "To make Maoming a world-class chemical industrial base, the paraxylene projects should be actively and steadfastly promoted, so as to help develop our city and preserve our social stability," the document - which the BBC cannot verify - reads. By signing the document, people agree to "never participate in any activities that go against or hinder the construction of the project". Perhaps the Maoming government saw this coming. On Sunday, crowds of protesters turned up in front of the government office with banners calling for a halt to the chemical plant, and violence soon erupted between police and the protesters. State media have played down the protest but accounts from eyewitnesses, plus images and video circulating on social media paint a different picture. 'Clubs and tear gas' "Maoming people are very unhappy," said Mr Dong, a local resident who participated in the protest and called the BBC. "Maoming has always been a chemical industrial city. Sometimes walking on the streets, you can't even escape from the awful smell discharged from the chemical plants." Mr Dong said that on Sunday morning, protesters started throwing mineral water bottles at the gate of the government building. A few hours later, clashes began and people were beaten by riot police with clubs. After sunset, furious crowds gathered again in front of the government building and burned what they said was the mayor's car. People also set fire to a police car and the security stand near the gate of the government building. Mr Dong said police dispersed protesters with tear gas and pepper spray. He said one man fell off his motorbike and died while being chased by police, and an entire floor of Maoming People's Hospital was taken up by people injured in the protests. Photos and videos Mr Dong gave to the BBC showed police, carrying long clubs and what look like tear gas guns, running after protesters. A video shared by another woman who contacted the BBC showed a woman crying near a man being beaten to the ground with riot police stepping on him. These cannot be verified - both contacts were unable to identify the specific time and place where the footage was shot, saying they received them from friends caught up in the violence. In the past few days, however, several more people have called the BBC from Maoming city, telling us that the Meihua area, where protests first took place, has been closed off by police. In some locations, mobile phone services have been suspended, they say. One man who wouldn't give his name said police had been checking people's phones randomly on the streets in an attempt to delete all videos and pictures from the protests.

राज्य मीडिया एक नियोजित रासायनिक संयंत्र को लेकर ग्वांगडोंग प्रांत में हुए विरोध का सीमित विवरण देता है, लेकिन बीबीसी का बीजिंग ब्यूरो प्रत्यक्षदर्शी खातों और नेटिज़न्स की रिपोर्ट का उपयोग करके जो हुआ उसे जोड़ रहा है।


New Welsh medium primary school planned for Wrexham

Summary: A new 210-pupil Welsh medium primary school could be opened in Wrexham.

Wrexham council is consulting on plans to open the new school at the former Hafod y Wern Infant School site at Queensway. If agreed, pupils could start there in September 2019 before the school moves to a more permanent site at Borras Park Infants School. Campaign group RhAG has criticised the council for not providing enough Welsh medium school places in the county.

रेक्सहैम में एक नया 210-छात्र वाला वेल्श माध्यम का प्राथमिक विद्यालय खोला जा सकता है।


Doncaster attempted murder arrest woman bailed

Summary: A woman arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a man was found with serious head injuries in a flat has been bailed.

The 25-year-old man was discovered in Nether Hall Road, Doncaster, at about 19:30 BST on Saturday, South Yorkshire Police said. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition but is now described as "serious but stable". The 37-year-old woman has been bailed while inquiries continue.

एक फ्लैट में सिर पर गंभीर चोटों के साथ एक व्यक्ति के पाए जाने के बाद हत्या के प्रयास के संदेह में गिरफ्तार एक महिला को जमानत दे दी गई है।


Vaccinations offered after hepatitis A outbreak in Rhyl

Summary: About 40 people linked to a day nursery in Rhyl have been offered a hepatitis A vaccination following an outbreak amongst a family.

Public Health Wales (PHW) said there were four confirmed cases of the infection with one child attending the Fun Days nursery. A vaccination session will take place for staff and children on Thursday. There is no link with an outbreak of hepatitis A in the area earlier this year. Dr Christopher Johnson, consultant in health protection at PHW, said: "Hepatitis A is a viral infection, usually short lived that has unpleasant symptoms but is rarely serious. "Children often only have a very mild illness or do not have symptoms at all." Hepatitis A facts Source: Public Health Wales

राइल में एक दिन की नर्सरी से जुड़े लगभग 40 लोगों को एक परिवार के बीच प्रकोप के बाद हेपेटाइटिस ए टीकाकरण की पेशकश की गई है।


Theresa May awaits result of Tory MPs' confidence vote

Summary: Theresa May is awaiting the result of a vote by Conservative MPs on whether they want to keep her as their leader.

The UK prime minister made a last-minute appeal for support at an emotional meeting of backbench MPs. She told them she will not lead the party into the next scheduled election in 2022 - but wants to stay on to deliver her Brexit deal, MPs said. She faces a vote of confidence in her leadership after 48 Conservative MPs called for one to be held. The majority of Conservative MPs have publicly said they will support the PM but it is a secret ballot and there were signs of nerves among party managers ahead of the vote in Committee Room 14 at the Palace of Westminster. Voting finished at 20:00 with the result expected within the next hour. The prime minister was greeted with applause, and the traditional banging of desks, as she went in to the committee room to address her MPs. Some of them were reported to be in tears. She is understood to have promised not to call a "snap general election" and told MPs that in her heart she would have liked to have led them into the next scheduled election, partly because of what had happened at last year's election, when she lost her majority. But, she added: "I realise that the party would like a different leader to take them into that election." Cabinet minister Amber Rudd said "she was very clear that she wont be taking the general election in 2022". But Jacob Rees-Mogg, a key figure in the campaign to oust Mrs May, said she had received a "half-hearted" reception from MPs. She had said it was not her "intention" to fight the next election, added Mr Rees-Mogg, which he said was a "politician's word". Marcus Fysh, who also submitted a no confidence letter, said Mrs May "didn't really have anything new to say" about Brexit. She vowed to involve more people in developing policy, the MP told BBC News, but he did not think that would happen. And he predicted that the prime minister would face a no-confidence vote of all MPs - not just Conservative ones - when she tried to get her Brexit deal through the Commons. "Whatever happens tonight I don't think she will be able to command the confidence of the House for the type of Brexit she is trying to pursue." Minister Margot James said she was "proud" to have voted for the PM, tweeting a picture of her ballot paper. Conservative Party rules say that if she wins tonight she can stay on as leader, undisturbed, for another 12 months. That takes one uncertainty off the table. But she would be weaker - lonelier - and with less authority to drive her Brexit compromise through. Already, cabinet ministers are speculating about which way she can tack. The parliamentary sums don't change on her current planned agreement with the EU. The cabinet, let alone the rest of the Commons, won't give their backing. Read Laura's blog Can she survive the confidence vote? Immediate statements of loyalty for the prime minister were issued by every member of her cabinet, including several who have been touted as possible successors. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Mrs May was "the best person to make sure we actually leave the EU on March 29", while Chancellor Philip Hammond suggested the vote would "flush out the extremists" in his party whose Brexit agenda was "not in the interests of the British people". So far, 174 Tory MPs have publicly said they will vote for her, with 34 publicly against, according to BBC research. She needs to secure the votes of 159 MPs to survive. If Mrs May wins the confidence vote she cannot be challenged as Conservative leader for at least another year. If she does not win the vote there would then be a Conservative leadership contest in which she could not stand. If Mrs May won - but not overwhelmingly - she may decide to stand down as party leader and trigger a leadership contest in which she could not stand. What has Theresa May said? In her statement delivered early on Wednesday morning, Mrs May said: "A leadership election would not change the fundamentals of the negotiation or the Parliamentary arithmetic. "Weeks spent tearing ourselves apart will only create more division just as we should be standing together to serve our country. None of that would be in the national interest." She said she was making progress in her talks with EU leaders and vowed to "deliver on the referendum vote and seize the opportunities that lie ahead". The Conservatives had to build a "country that works for everyone" and deliver "the Brexit people voted for". "I have devoted myself unsparingly to these tasks ever since I became prime minister and I stand ready to finish the job." Will there be a new prime minister if she loses the vote? Not immediately. She would be expected to stay on as a caretaker prime minister until a new Conservative leader is selected by the party, a process that could take up to six weeks. If there are multiple candidates, Conservative MPs hold a series of votes to choose two to go forward to a vote of party members. As leader of the largest party in the Commons, the new Conservative leader would then be expected to be asked to form a government and become prime minister, without a general election. It's Wednesday, so... Prime Minister's Questions Mrs May faced repeated calls from Labour MPs for her to quit - or hold another EU referendum - at a rowdy Prime Minister's Questions. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The time for dithering and delay is over. The prime minister has negotiated her deal. She has told us it is the best and only deal available. "There can be no more excuses, no more running away. Put it before Parliament and let's have the vote." Mrs May said the vote will take place, and as Labour MPs shouted "when?" at her she said: "We've had a meaningful vote, we had it in in the referendum in 2016." The PM added: "And if he wants a meaningful date I'll give him one; 29 March 2019 when we leave the European Union." Veteran pro-European MP Ken Clarke called the prospect of a leadership contest "unhelpful, irrelevant and irresponsible", prompting loud cheers from the Tory benches. But the SNP's leader at Westminster Ian Blackford called on Mrs May to stand down, saying her government was "an embarrassment". Who is trying to oust Mrs May? The challenge has been brought by Conservative MPs who think Mrs May has watered down the Brexit voters were promised in the 2016 referendum. The PM thought she had seen off an attempt by this group of Brexiteers to get rid of her last month. But her decision to cancel Tuesday's Parliamentary vote on her deal at the last minute proved to be the final straw for many who had previously given her the benefit of the doubt. There needed to be 48 MPs calling for her to go - out of 317 Conservative MPs - to trigger a confidence vote and this threshold was reached on Tuesday. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has led backbench calls for her to go, said: "Theresa May's plan would bring down the government if carried forward. But our party will rightly not tolerate it. "Conservatives must now answer whether they wish to draw ever closer to an election under Mrs May's leadership. In the national interest, she must go." And Bernard Jenkin said the survival of the Conservative government depended on the support of the Democratic Unionists, who he said had lost faith in Mrs May. Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, who is campaigning for a further referendum, told BBC Radio 2 she hoped Mr Rees-Mogg's group would "get a kicking" in the vote and that their "pompous gesturing" will be exposed. Why are they trying to get rid of her? They don't like the deal she has struck with the EU, which they say will keep the UK tied to the EU indefinitely with no say over its rules and unable to strike trade deals around the world. Anger has focused on the so-called "backstop" to prevent the return of a physical border in Northern Ireland. Mrs May has said she is seeking guarantees that this clause will be "temporary" but the Democratic Unionist Party, which she relies on to win key votes, wants the backstop to be ditched altogether. And her Conservative critics think she will not be able to get anything more than cosmetic changes to her withdrawal deal because EU leaders say it can not be renegotiated. Who are the frontrunners to lead the party if she loses? There are many names being floated, with Home Secretary Sajid Javid, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Environment Secretary Michael Gove and Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd among cabinet ministers rated by the bookmakers. Former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, ex-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and ex-Brexit Secretary David Davis are the ex-cabinet ministers also judged to be in the running. But, as BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says, the field of hopefuls could be much larger and, initially at least, resemble the start of a Grand National. What does it mean for Brexit? Whatever the outcome of the vote, Mrs May is still likely to represent the UK at Thursday's summit of EU leaders, although that might change if she loses the Tory leadership. She has been invited to update her 27 counterparts on the state of Brexit before they meet to "adopt relevant conclusions". European Council President Donald Tusk has said the "seriousness" of the situation in the UK means the EU must accelerate its no-deal planning. Mrs May met Germany's Angela Merkel and top EU officials on Tuesday as part of efforts to get changes to her EU deal to get it through the UK Parliament. But she was forced to call off talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar, among others, on Wednesday to fight for her leadership. Mrs May says any new Conservative leader would have to delay Brexit to renegotiate a deal with the EU while she has also suggested a leadership contest will effectively hand control of the Brexit process to MPs - many of whom either back leaving without a deal or having another referendum. Many of those calling for her to go say they would be happy for the UK to leave the EU on World Trade Organization terms, without a deal. They say warnings of economic doom are exaggerated.

थेरेसा मे कंजर्वेटिव सांसदों द्वारा वोट के परिणाम का इंतजार कर रही हैं कि क्या वे उन्हें अपने नेता के रूप में रखना चाहते हैं।


Could more district heating schemes help tackle climate change?

Summary: The Scottish government is due to publish its climate and energy plans in the next week. Ahead of that, BBC Scotland has been looking at two radical schemes proposed by environmental groups. The second is a district heating scheme used in Norway.

By Kevin KeaneBBC Scotland's environment correspondent For most of us, heat is something generated within the confines of the homes we occupy; coal fires, gas-powered boilers, oil, electric storage units. But in the town of Drammen in Norway it is a shared commodity, created off-site and piped into homes. District heating is considered to be much more efficient - and therefore more environmentally friendly - than all of the above. And if you can create that heat with less reliance on fossil fuels, the carbon footprint is reduced even further. In Scotland, heat accounts for more than half our energy use and so decarbonising it will have to become a priority if climate change targets are to be met. The irony is that while district heating is not in widespread use here, the system in Drammen was installed by a Scottish firm. Glasgow-based Star Renewable Energy installed the heat pumps in 2010/11. In simple terms, they work like a refrigerator in reverse, taking river water and cooling it down by about 4 degrees. The heat extracted is enough to turn a sealed network of ammonia from a liquid to a gas which, through pressure, can heat water to 90 degrees. That water is then piped into people's homes to heat their radiators. So why is such a simple idea not being used more widely? Dave Pearson, from Star Renewable Energy, said: "I think it is a slightly abstract concept that we can harvest a river for heat. Rivers are quite chilly already. "But really it's down to bringing a combination of technology which we're producing in our factory in Glasgow but also the imagination and the desire of the communities, the cities, the government to see better solutions." Heat-pump technology is not carbon-free as it still needs to draw electricity from the national grid. That electricity is made from a combination of fossil fuels and renewable technologies. If huge numbers of people shift from gas or oil-fired heating, it is going to place greater demands on the grid which is decarbonising. In part, decarbonisation in electricity is caused by a reduction in consumption. Relatively large-scale district heating systems do exist in some parts of Scotland but gas is the dominant fuel. In Aberdeen, a combined heat and power network is used to heat 2,500 council-owned flats and public buildings while also selling electricity to the grid. Generators create the power while the warm exhaust from the engines is used to create the heat. Although there are no plans at present, ultimately it could be converted from gas to heat pumps using water from the sea. Ian Booth, from Aberdeen Heat and Power, said: "Once the infrastructure is built you could actually bolt on at the front end other technologies as they improve. "We're replacing electric heating systems with a combined heat and power fuelled system. The impact on the environment is about a 40% reduction on carbon." In Norway, heat pumps rely on water from rivers and fjords which, around the surface, is about 8 degrees Celsius. But Prof Janette Webb, from the University of Edinburgh, says Scotland has a source of much warmer water which could be exploited. She said: "Right across central Scotland, not only have we got a lot of surface water we've also got underground mines, which are flooded now, which have water, in the deeper mines anyway, at about 30 degrees. "We could extract heat from that water and use that to heat our buildings." The details of how Scotland will meet its climate change targets will be published on Thursday afternoon.

स्कॉटिश सरकार अगले सप्ताह में अपनी जलवायु और ऊर्जा योजनाओं को प्रकाशित करने वाली है। इससे पहले, बीबीसी स्कॉटलैंड पर्यावरण समूहों द्वारा प्रस्तावित दो कट्टरपंथी योजनाओं पर विचार कर रहा है। दूसरा नॉर्वे में उपयोग की जाने वाली एक जिला ताप योजना है।


The elite soldiers protecting the Amazon rainforest

Summary: French Guiana, a small French overseas territory on the north-eastern coast of South America, is one of the most forested nations on the planet, but its precious ecosystem is under threat from illegal gold mining.

By Claire PressBBC World Service, French Guiana Sergeant Vadim raises his left hand bringing his squad to a halt. His right hand remains firmly clasped around his rifle. "Here you can see clearly the path of gold miners," he says, whilst pointing towards a faint track covered in leaves. "They were here three or four days ago carrying heavy goods." Sgt Vadim is part of the French Foreign Legion - an elite infantry unit of the French army made up of mostly international recruits tasked with patrolling the dense rainforest. After further surveying the jungle, Sgt Vadim gives a short sharp whistle. Seconds later, a reply emanates from somewhere deep in the undergrowth. A second unit of men is close by. Manoeuvring in a pincer movement, the two units hope to flush out anyone attempting to plunder the forest for its riches. "Every country must defend its borders and stop illegal trafficking," says Capt Vianney, head of the operation and Sgt Vadim's commanding officer. "But here in French Guiana we have a unique treasure, the jungle. Our mission is to protect it." Beneath the Amazon rainforest lies treasure: gold deposits can be found just 15m (50ft) below the forest floor. For centuries, prospectors have been lured into these forests in the hope of finding a fortune. But just over a decade ago, when the economic crash of 2008 caused the price of gold to skyrocket, a gold rush began all over the Amazon jungle. Since then, the price of gold has continued to soar and rampant illegal gold mining has destroyed swathes of jungle from Ecuador across Peru, Colombia and Venezuela to Brazil. In French Guiana, which has a population of less than 300,000 people, there are an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 illegal miners. As Dominick Plouvier, conservation expert and director of Amazon Conservation Team explains, the problem lies in the use of one high volatile chemical. "Mercury, used in the extraction process is the big problem. It pollutes the rivers, which then poisons the fish, which then in turn poisons the people who eat the fish." Mercury is a highly toxic and indestructible substance which is poisonous to humans. After excavating large amounts of earth, prospectors add mercury to separate out the tiny flecks of gold from the soil. Within minutes it binds with the gold, allowing miners to simply wash away the dirt. The mercury can then be simply burnt off leaving the gold behind. For every gram of gold extracted, at least one gram of mercury is also required. Left to wash away, discarded mercury enters the huge Amazon river network. Accumulating in fish, it then enters the food chain. "Mercury acts very quickly," explains Mr Plouvier. "Attacking the nervous system, it damages your lungs, your kidneys and your brain. We have seen its effects on local children brought into hospital." Scientists estimate one third of all the mercury produced by human activity on the planet comes from small-scale gold mining. On the French Guiana-Brazil border, gold mining is mainly carried out by "garimpeiros", the Portuguese word used to described small-scale miners who extract the metal illegally. "Most of the time, the garimpeiros are poor lads from Brazil looking for easy money. They live in the forest for months and months," says Capt Vianney. "Back home they would earn 800 reais a month ($200; £150) for doing small labouring jobs. But in the forest, they can earn that in a few days." It is the French Foreign Legion's job to find the garimpeiros and to destroy their camps. Sgt Vadim signals to his team to move off. They tread carefully, scouring the forest for clues. With no mobile phone signal due to the thick forest canopy, the garimpeiros leave messages for each other hidden in the forest. Elusive machete marks in the trunk of a tree, or hidden amongst the undergrowth, the red arrow on Marlboro cigarette packets are placed so as to point the way to their hidden camps. Operating here requires perseverance as it much as it does a machete. Lying in wait, in this inhospitable labyrinth is a menagerie of poisonous insects, frogs, spiders and snakes. Mosquitoes carry malaria, dengue, yellow fever as well as zika, while in the rivers, caiman compete for space with piranhas. "In the river there is also an electric eel with enough volts to kill a horse," says Sgt Vadim with a wry smile. Covering up to 40km (25 miles) a day, the infantry may follow a single track for weeks in the hope of finding a hidden site. During these missions, they are dependent on a helicopter to deliver food and fresh water every few days. In the evenings, after a wash in the river, they spend the night in hammocks before rising early again the next day. But despite all their armoury, helicopter support, gasoline boats, and GPS tracking systems, they rarely catch anyone. Often by the time they arrive, the gold diggers have already been tipped off and fled. "We are watched all day long," says Capt Vianney. "They know about us before we even land". Operating across an area the size of Ireland, this regiment of 400 men simply cannot be everywhere at once. But for conservation expert Dominick Plouvier, both the garimpeiros and the army acting on behalf of the French government are chasing short-term solutions. "As soon as the army leaves, the garimpeiros return," he explains. "Gold mining is such an important livelihood in this area, you can't just say 'don't do it'." "Many local people as well as Brazilians depend on this economy. If you want to stop the destruction of the forest, you need to offer legal and sustainable alternatives".

फ्रेंच गुयाना, दक्षिण अमेरिका के उत्तर-पूर्वी तट पर एक छोटा सा फ्रांसीसी विदेशी क्षेत्र, ग्रह पर सबसे अधिक वन वाले देशों में से एक है, लेकिन इसका कीमती पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र अवैध सोने के खनन से खतरे में है।


Road and path warnings in Devon and Cornwall after floods

Summary: People who use smaller roads, beaches and coastal paths in Devon and Cornwall are being urged to take care over the weekend because of damage caused by floods.

Damage included fallen trees, unstable banks and cliff edges, and landslips on roads and coastal footpaths in a number of areas, Cornwall Council said. Rain had also increased river levels, leaving them fast-flowing. Agencies have been working to address the issues, the spokesman said. Health warning Beach users in Cornwall have also been warned about bathing water quality following the recent heavy rain. Surface run-off from agricultural land and overflow from drainage could reduce the quality of many streams across the county, the council said. The authority's public health team said people should particularly avoid two streams crossing Perranporth beach. Anyone who came into contact with that stream water should avoid hand-to-mouth contact and wash their hands after.

डेवोन और कॉर्नवाल में छोटी सड़कों, समुद्र तटों और तटीय रास्तों का उपयोग करने वाले लोगों से बाढ़ से हुए नुकसान के कारण सप्ताहांत में सावधानी बरतने का आग्रह किया जा रहा है।


The crisis forcing mothers to give away their babies

Summary: "Dumping babies is forbidden," the sign created by Eric Mejicano reads. The Venezuelan artist posted the signs on walls across Venezuela after a newborn was found in the rubbish near his apartment block in the capital, Caracas.

By Guillermo D OlmoBBC News Mundo, Caracas Mejicano says that he launched the campaign to alert people to the fact that in Venezuela "something is becoming common which should never be considered normal". The country's economy is in freefall and one in three Venezuelans is struggling to put enough food on the table to meet minimum nutrition requirements, according to a study by the UN World Food Programme. With contraceptives hard to come by and beyond the financial means of many, unwanted pregnancies are common. Strict abortion laws which only allow for terminations in cases when the mother's life is in danger further limit women's choices. Amid the economic crisis, one charity said in 2018 that it had seen the number of babies abandoned in the streets or left at the entrances of public buildings increase by 70%. The Venezuelan government has not released any official figures in recent years and neither the communications ministry nor the government body dealing with the rights of children answered requests for comment. But social services and health workers consulted by the BBC confirmed there had been an increase in the number of abandoned babies as well as a spike in those handed over for informal adoption. 'Shortcuts' Nelson Villasmill is a member of a child protection council in one of Caracas' poorest areas. He explains that, faced with a poorly funded adoption system that is in total disarray, desperate parents sometimes resort to shortcuts. The story of Baby Tomás (not his real name) is one such case. He was born to a mother living in poverty in Caracas who felt she was in no position to raise him. The gynaecologist who was present at Tomás' birth agreed to help. He says it was not the first time he came across a mother who felt she could not bring up her baby. "They almost always change their minds the first time they breastfeed the baby," he explains. "But sometimes that is not the case, and then you have to find a solution." He contacted one of his patients. In her forties and dreaming of having a baby, Tania (not her real name) had not been able to get pregnant. She wanted to help Tomás and his mother, but after some thought decided against taking him in. Instead, she contacted a couple with whom she is friends who agreed to raise Tomás as their own child in their home in rural Venezuela. They had to get the baby registered quickly in order not to arouse suspicion, so Tania paid a $250 (£195) bribe for an official to turn a blind eye and put down her friend's name as Tomás' birth mother. Tomás is now being raised by her friends in the countryside and his new family has just celebrated Tomás taking his first steps. Tania says she does not regret what she did and insists that she bypassed the official adoption channels for Tomás' benefit. "I never thought of doing anything like this but legal adoption doesn't work in Venezuela and that baby would have suffered a lot of hardships in a public orphanage," she explains. Trapped Tomás was given away with his mother's consent but there is no shortage of people exploiting the desperation of Venezuelan women. While she was pregnant with her second child, Isabel's husband died, making Isabel (not her real name) consider giving up the child she was expecting. "I was alone and feared that I wouldn't be able to feed my baby," she says. Following the advice of an acquaintance, she flew to the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean to meet a couple she was told were interested in adopting her baby. She was told she would have the final say in any decision but soon came under pressure from the Colombian woman making the arrangements. "I was told it was going to be all legal and never committed to give my baby away," she recalls. But once in Trinidad, "I realised I had been trapped in a net of human traffickers". "I was always being watched," she recalls. Isabel says that she was not allowed to leave the house where she was staying and that the return ticket for the flight she had been promised would take her back to Venezuela never materialised. Separated Weeks later she gave birth prematurely in a Trinidadian hospital. She decided to keep the baby but immediately was pressured by the Colombian woman and a man who claimed to be a lawyer. "They told me that the new parents were waiting in the parking lot and that I had to sign some documents in English that I didn't understand and to hand over my baby." Isabel refused at first but over the following weeks, her captors increased the pressure, taking away her food, medicine and nappies. "In the end, I had to hand over my son to save his life and for me to return to Venezuela to get help," she says crying. With the help of a non-governmental organisation, Isabel has now set off on a legal battle to recover her son who is under the guardianship of the authorities in Trinidad. At present, she is only allowed to see him once a week. She says she will not give up until she is reunited with him.

"बच्चों को फेंकना मना है", एरिक मेजिकानो द्वारा बनाए गए साइनबोर्ड पर लिखा है। वेनेज़ुएला के कलाकार ने राजधानी काराकास में अपने अपार्टमेंट ब्लॉक के पास कचरे में एक नवजात शिशु के पाए जाने के बाद वेनेज़ुएला की दीवारों पर संकेत लगाए।


Miss Jamaica crowned Miss World 2019

Summary: Toni-Ann Singh has won the 69th Miss World beauty pageant.

It's the first time in history that black women hold the titles for Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss America, Miss Universe and Miss World. The 23-year-old student was born in St Thomas, Jamaica, and plans to study medicine and become a doctor. She tweeted on Saturday: "Please know that you are worthy and capable of achieving your dreams... you have a PURPOSE." Toni-Ann impressed judges at the event in ExCel London after singing Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing, and answering a variety of questions. She said: "This feels like a dream, I'm so grateful." "Whatever it is you see in me, thank you. I'm ready to get to work." She beat 111 other contestants representing different countries, to be the fourth Jamaican winner of the title since the competition began. When asked by judge Piers Morgan if she would consider a singing career, she said: "If the door is open I'll walk through it." The runners up included Ophély Mézino from France and Suman Rao from India. One moment that caught people's attention online was Miss Nigeria's reaction to Toni-Ann's win. Nyekachi Douglas, who placed fifth, jumped and screamed with Joy when the winner was announced. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.

टोनी-एन सिंह ने 69वीं मिस वर्ल्ड सौंदर्य प्रतियोगिता जीती है।


Driver, 85, killed as Mini hits white van near Hay-on-Wye

Summary: An 85-year-old woman has been killed after the car she was driving hit a white van that had stopped following another crash.

The victim was driving a silver Mini between Clyro and Hay-on-Wye in Powys on the B4351 on Wednesday at 20:00 GMT when she hit the back of the van. Dyfed-Powys Police said the driver of the van had "initially stopped to assist with another collision". Emergency services attended but the woman died later in hospital. Police are appealing for witnesses to contact the force.

एक 85 वर्षीय महिला की उस समय मौत हो गई जब वह जिस कार को चला रही थी, वह एक सफेद वैन से टकरा गई जो एक अन्य दुर्घटना के बाद रुकी थी।


South East Coast Ambulance service warns of delays due to demand

Summary: South East Coast Ambulance Service says it is seeing "unprecedented levels of demand" and is warning of longer than usual response times.

The ambulance trust, which covers Kent, Sussex, Surrey and north east Hampshire, said it was "extremely busy", especially in Kent. The public are asked to consider "all other options" before calling 999. Members of the public who have called 999 are being urged not to call back unless the patient's condition changes. A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "Our staff are doing a fantastic job but we are taking much longer to get to many calls than we would like." Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links South East Coast Ambulance Service

साउथ ईस्ट कोस्ट एम्बुलेंस सर्विस का कहना है कि यह "अभूतपूर्व स्तर की मांग" देख रही है और सामान्य प्रतिक्रिया समय से अधिक समय की चेतावनी दे रही है।


Inquiry likely on A9 Berriedale Braes hairpin plans

Summary: A public local inquiry is likely to be held into plans to improve a hairpin bend on the A9 in Caithness.

The trunk road drops from 150m (492ft) to 20m (65ft) as it enters a valley at the Berriedale Braes. Transport Minister Derek Mackay has confirmed that a number of objections have been received to the initial proposals for the improvements. Last month, Caithness Chamber of Commerce said it was taking too long to agree a plan of action. Transport Scotland said it was continuing to progress the design work. The A9 provides a link to the far north mainland coast and the ferry services at Scrabster, Gills Bay and John O'Groats to Orkney.

कैथनेस में ए9 पर हेयरपिन मोड़ में सुधार की योजनाओं की एक सार्वजनिक स्थानीय जांच होने की संभावना है।


The papers: 'Ten days to save the UK'

Summary: One topic absolutely dominates Monday's newspapers - the run-up to Scotland's independence referendum, after a weekend poll put the "Yes" to independence campaign two percentage points ahead of their Better Together adversaries.

By Andy SullyBBC News Unsurprisingly, the news has the London-based national press worried, with the Independent's "Ten days to save the United Kingdom" setting the tone for a crop of Fleet Street headlines. North of the border, meanwhile, the Scottish papers are focusing on what they see as the "panic" engendered by the poll inside the Better Together campaign. The YouGov poll result gave the "Yes" camp so narrow a lead that, the paper explains, the outcome falls within the normal "polling error", which means in practice the real outcome could go either way and "Scotland appears to be heading for a knife-edge result on 18 September". The paper quotes the former Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy, a prominent "No" to independence campaigner, as saying the poll and others like it should "shake the complacency" out of the Better Together campaign. "It is clear now that every vote is going to count. This isn't a protest vote, it's a permanent choice about our country's future." The Financial Times - while headlining that the pro-union camp is "in chaos" - says it is too early to write an obituary for the UK. "The growing prospect of a break-up of the Union should galvanise supporters," the paper says. The Guardian says it has been told the package of measures promising Scotland more devolution should it stay within the UK - the so-called Devo Max option - has long been planned. It notes a similar approach in Canada turned support for Quebec independence, to a narrow vote to stay with majority English-speaking provinces, in the 1995 referendum there. The Daily Telegraph says the SNP's private polling - as tweeted about by Rupert Murdoch - suggests the "Yes" camp holding an eight percentage point lead. The paper's Scotland editor Alan Cochrane says "scare stories" about an increasing privatisation of the NHS are one of the principal reasons for the "Yes" campiagn's success. Cochrane says this notion is a "monstrous calumny" peddled by Alex Salmond, as health policy lies within the remit of his devolved administration. The Times analyses the reasons for the swing towards independence, noting that Labour voters aged under 50 are the key voters who have switched allegiances. "The focus on Labour leaves Mr Cameron reliant on Mr Miliband to appeal to the party's heartland supporters," the paper notes. 'Milk and honey' The economic implications of separation are examined in depth. The Daily Mail says the pro-independence polls could "rock" the stock markets, with uncertainty already pushing sterling 0.5% lower against the dollar - to a five-month low. The paper notes a number of firms with a large presence in Scotland could also suffer stock market falls, including Diageo, Standard Life, GlaxoSmithKline and BP. Larry Elliott in the Guardian argues that a post-independence Scotland would not face collapse. "Countries much poorer than Scotland have thrived after independence," he says, "but it would not be a land flowing with milk and honey either." Elliott argues that the currency union with the remaining UK wanted by the SNP is an "independence lite" option, meaning continued austerity and the Bank of England control over interest rates. He quotes Gordon Brown who has written: "It has now become clear that the one power that the nationalists have always demanded - full control over the economy - is now one the Scottish government says it doesn't want." The Independent's comment column agrees with this assessment. It says that an independent Scotland still in currency union with London would replicate the flaws of the eurozone. "Salmond is inviting Scots to put themselves in the same beggarly relationship with England as Greece and Portugal are to Germany," it says. The paper says Mr Salmond is "plausible" when he argues that "no one will run the affairs [of Scotland] better than the people who live in Scotland". However, it says this claim could be made for the other regions of the UK and the independence debate should mark a "historic crossroads" where the constitution of the UK is examined and the Act of Union is replaced by "a declaration of federalism". Two tables in the Times highlight the differing claims between the "Yes" camp and the UK government. They show the "Yes" campaigners saying there are £1.5tn worth of reserves of North Sea oil, compared with the Office of National Statistics figure of £0.12tn. The "Yes" campaign say it will cost £250m to set up an independent state, but the Treasury says this will be nearer £1.5bn. Traditional holiday One person whose opinions on Scottish independence are explored in most papers is the Queen. The Daily Mirror's striking front shows the monarch under the banner headlines "don't let me be last Queen of Scotland". While there is no evidence that those are the Queen's thoughts, the paper quotes a "palace insider" who says: "The Queen is a unionist - there is now a great deal of concern." "If there is a 'Yes' vote that puts us in uncharted territory constitutionally. Nothing is certain and her being Queen of Scotland is not a given." Palace aides have publically emphasised that the Queen is "strictly neutral" on the issue, the paper adds. The Sun says the Queen is "horrified" at the prospect of the Union dissolving, and she is receiving daily updates on events "because she is so troubled". The Daily Mail notes that there are calls within the SNP for a post-independence referendum on whether to become a republic after the Queen steps down or dies. The party's official line is that the monarch will remain head of state of Scotland. The Mail notes that the Queen will continue with her traditional holiday at Balmoral, which this year is set to begin on 18 September - the day of the referendum. 'Dog-eared white paper' As might be expected, there are not many national newspaper pundits arguing for independence, but a plethora advancing the Better Together argument. Boris Johnson, writing in the Daily Telegraph, says "the Scots are on the verge of an act of self-mutilation that will trash our global identity". He compares the loss of Scotland to the Union to the loss of America in 1776, but says "it is far worse than that". "Scotland isn't a colony... it's part of our being, of what makes us 'us'. "This vote isn't just about saying 'yes' to Scotland... under any circumstances, Scotland will exist and be prosperous... people will wave blue and white Scottish flags and take pride in their nation and its success. "Alex Salmond and his crew aren't really asking people to say 'yes' to Scotland's success; they are asking them to say 'no' to one of the oldest and most successful political unions in history." Melanie Phillips in the Times says she has "some sympathy for the Yes camp". "Whatever you think of Alex Salmond and his cynical, even xenophobic, opportunism in promising benefits he cannot possibly deliver, what he stands for is a story defined by a specific history, literature, language and outlook on life. "Better Together by contrast, is trying to persuade [Scots] to remain in a project that is in steady process of willed disintegration." However she says "a sense of common purpose will not be enough to make an independent Scotland thrive and prosper." Former defence secretary George Robertson, writing in the Financial Times, says those supporting separatism "dare to imagine" that the dissolving of the Union will be "an amicable divorce". Mr Robertson posits: "What if Scotland , whoever does the negotiations, does not win the deal the nationalists have promised - a currency union, easy entry into the EU and Nato, oil funds, an amicable share of UK assets, a warm welcome on the world stage? Then what?" "No further referendum is planned. No more tests of the Scottish people's 'sovereign will'. "Just a dog-eared white paper, Scotland's Future, whose 670 pages made no mention of the risks or downsides; a divided and disillusioned people; and an embittered close neighbour." Making people click Star: Charles Bronson threatened by Islamic extremists Guardian: Estonian official "captured by Russia" Mail: Is this Britain's smallest house Telegraph: Yazidi girl tells of horror as sex slave

एक विषय सोमवार के समाचार पत्रों पर पूरी तरह से हावी है-स्कॉटलैंड के स्वतंत्रता जनमत संग्रह के लिए दौड़, एक सप्ताहांत के मतदान के बाद स्वतंत्रता अभियान के लिए "हाँ" उनके बेहतर एक साथ विरोधियों से दो प्रतिशत अंक आगे है।


Why is China's leader visiting Seoul?

Summary: Chinese President Xi Jinping is beginning a two-day visit to South Korea. It is the first time a Chinese leader has landed in Seoul before visiting North Korea, and the presidential summit is expected to focus on tackling Pyongyang's nuclear programme. But the regional perspectives from Seoul and Beijing are still very different.

By Lucy WilliamsonBBC News, Seoul Chinese presidents are, according to Mao Zedong, supposed to be as close as "lips and teeth" with their North Korean counterparts. Seen in those terms, today's picture looks a little skewed. Mr Xi's arrival in Seoul marks his first trip to the Korean peninsula as Chinese president - something of a snub to his ally in Pyongyang, or at least a rather pointed change in political tone. China is playing down the significance of this timing. Mr Xi did visit Pyongyang as vice-president in 2008, before North Korea's current leader took office, and there are good reasons why North Korea's young and inexperienced ruler Kim Jong-un may not have wanted to leave his capital and pay homage in Beijing. But there is little doubt that relations between Beijing and Pyongyang have seemed cooler in recent years. Since coming to power in 2011, Kim Jong-un has ignored the advice, gentle chiding and growing irritation of his economic and political benefactor, and pressed on with a long-range rocket launch and a nuclear test. 'Complex impact' In contrast Mr Xi seems to have discovered a personal spark with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye. The two leaders have met four times already, and Ms Park was received with great personal warmth during a state visit to Beijing last year. In return, she addressed a university audience in Chinese and has spoken about her admiration of ancient Chinese culture. The two countries have also been growing much closer in economic terms: China is now South Korea's largest trading partner and both sides have been working towards a free trade agreement. Quite a rapid rise for countries that only established full diplomatic relations in 1992. Public opinion has shifted markedly too. A recent poll carried out by the Asian Institute in Seoul suggested that almost two-thirds of the South Korean public now see China as a cooperative partner, with less than a third viewing it as a rival - and the number of people who said they thought China would take North Korea's side in another conflict has also dropped sharply, by more than half. But beneath the surface, the picture is murkier. That same opinion poll found that a majority of South Koreans saw China's military rise as dangerous, either to their own nation or the region at large, and 71% thought China's growing economic power was a threat. Professor John Delury, a Sinologist at Seoul's Yonsei University, says that China's approach to South Korea is strikingly different to its image elsewhere in the region. "The narrative that China's being assertive and antagonising all its neighbours really doesn't work up here in North East Asia," he said. "China's getting along quite well with South Korea and South Korea's much happier with Mr Xi in Beijing than Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. So it shows that China's rise is having a much more complex impact on the region than if you just look at the dispute with Vietnam and the Philippines." 'Grand scheme' Despite that new warmth and strategic interest, though, the two leaders' discussions today are likely to expose the old intractable differences at the heart of their political visions. Both Mr Xi and Ms Park may agree that North Korea's nuclear programme is undesirable but they differ on how to stop it. South Korea would like Beijing to do more to pressure Pyongyang, but for decades China has made the strategic calculation that stability in North Korea comes first - in its eyes, avoiding implosion of the regime is more important than avoiding nuclear tests. Instead, Beijing has encouraged all parties to return to talks without pre-conditions. Seoul and Washington say that amounts to "buying the same horse twice". The discussions here will be watched for any small shifts in tone by Beijing, but the basic parameters of China's strategic interest are unlikely to change. And there are those who say that China's interest is moving away from the North Korean issue anyway. Hwang Byung-tae, a former South Korean ambassador to China, believes that the two leaders might have very different ideas about what is important right now. "South Korea is strategically important [to Beijing] because of China's relationships on its eastern boundary," he said. "First there was America's pivot to Asia, then Japan's new nationalism, there's old rancour with Vietnam and territorial issues with the Philippines. South Korea lies in an important position geographically and friendly relations with it are part of China's grand scheme."

चीनी राष्ट्रपति शी जिनपिंग दक्षिण कोरिया की दो दिवसीय यात्रा शुरू कर रहे हैं। यह पहली बार है जब कोई चीनी नेता उत्तर कोरिया की यात्रा से पहले सियोल में उतरा है, और राष्ट्रपति शिखर सम्मेलन में प्योंगयांग के परमाणु कार्यक्रम से निपटने पर ध्यान केंद्रित करने की उम्मीद है। लेकिन सियोल और बीजिंग के क्षेत्रीय दृष्टिकोण अभी भी बहुत अलग हैं।