Lampedusa disaster: Why men flee Eritrea

Summary: The latest tragedy in the Mediterranean has, not before time, human rights groups say, put the spotlight on the situations which drive people to make the perilous boat journey to Europe, and the many dangers they face along the way.

By Imogen FoulkesBBC News, Geneva It is believed most of the dead came from Eritrea and Somalia, so all must have taken not only the risky sea crossing, but a long and hazardous journey across the Sahara desert as well. "I still can't believe it when I think about the Sahara," said Samson Kidane, an Eritrean who is now a refugee in Switzerland. "It was so difficult to cross. We were more than 30 people in a small automobile, and later we were in a container, more than 120 people for 24 hours." Asylum trek Mr Kidane, like many young Eritreans, fled his country's forced, indefinite military conscription, a system which requires all citizens to serve in the army for an unlimited amount of time. Human rights groups have condemned the practice as akin to slavery, claiming that a lack of freedom of press and expression, and widespread arbitrary detention and torture, mean that the only real way to avoid conscription is to flee the country. Until June of this year, Switzerland accepted avoidance of Eritrea's military service as a valid reason for claiming asylum, and the country now has one of Europe's biggest communities of Eritrean refugees. But Switzerland, like many European countries, no longer allows applications for asylum to be made at its embassies abroad, meaning that anyone wanting to make a claim must make their way, somehow, to Switzerland. Human rights groups suggest Europe's asylum policies are a contributory factor to the regular boat tragedies in the Mediterranean. Daniela Enzler, an asylum adviser with Amnesty International and the Swiss charity Caritas, said she was not surprised by this week's loss of life. "Almost every week boats sink in the Mediterranean," she said. "It's a tragedy that people can't apply for asylum in embassies anymore. If they could, they would not have to risk this journey… Lives could be saved." Two out of five When Mr Kidane was finally granted refugee status by the Swiss, it was the end of a journey which could easily have cost him his life. After crossing the Sahara, which cost each man more than $1,000 (£621; 735 euros), he and his friends had to find what he calls a "businessman" to get them across the Mediterranean. "If you pay the money for the journey, the businessman sometimes disappears with the money," he said. In the end his trafficker took another $1,200 from each member of the group, and organised five small boats, each carrying around 30 people. After 53 hours at sea, Mr Kidane arrived in Italy. But only two boats arrived. Three had sunk, one of them carrying his best friend. Both human rights groups like Amnesty International and the UN refugee agency have expressed concern that national coastguards and Europe's joint border patrol Frontex are more interested in pushing migrants and asylum seekers back than they are in rescuing those in distress. "Nearly every asylum seeker I have met who made the Mediterranean crossing told me they had seen boats pass by, even helicopters flying overhead," said Daniela Enzler, "but distress calls were ignored." That allegation is borne out by the experience of Bemnet Aron, who fled Eritrea aged just 17. An exhausting journey across the Sahara was followed by three months working in Libya, while he tried to earn the money for the sea crossing. Eventually he got a place in a boat, with around 80 other people. "The boat was overloaded, too heavy," he remembered, "and after three days we ran out of fuel." As time went on food and then water ran out too. "We started to drink our own urine," he said, "but some people couldn't bring themselves to do that." One by one, people began to die. "We saw other boats going by, one very close, and we all jumped up and waved and shouted, but it just kept on going." Mr Aron drifted in the Mediterranean for days. When he and his colleagues were finally rescued, just five were left alive - 75 had died, of thirst, hunger, and exposure. Now 21, he is also a refugee in Switzerland, but his traumatic experiences continue to affect his ability to lead a normal life. Election issue The UN's High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has said he hopes the latest tragedy in the Mediterranean will serve as a "wake-up call". "There is something fundamentally wrong in a world where people in need of protection have to resort to these perilous journeys," he said. And the refugee agency's Director of Protection, Volker Turk, believes Europe must now engage in a political debate and find solutions to prevent further deaths. "What happened should go high up on the political agenda of governments, not just in the Mediterranean, but in all parts of the world where lives are lost every day in the most cruel circumstances because people flee out of despair, and try to cross the sea in rickety boats," he said. But with unemployment high in many countries, and opinion polls consistently suggesting that immigration and asylum worry voters, Europe is unlikely to relax its polices. And as conflict, poverty and repression continue to affect parts of Africa and the Middle East, people like Mr Kidane and Mr Aron will go on risking their lives in the hope of a better future.

मानवाधिकार समूहों का कहना है कि भूमध्य सागर में नवीनतम त्रासदी ने, समय से पहले नहीं, उन स्थितियों पर प्रकाश डाला है जो लोगों को यूरोप की खतरनाक नाव यात्रा करने के लिए प्रेरित करती हैं, और रास्ते में उन्हें कई खतरों का सामना करना पड़ता है।


Jaden Moodie murder: Teenager appears in court

Summary: A teenager has appeared in court charged with the murder of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie.

Jaden was stabbed in Leyton, east London, on 8 January after he was knocked off a moped by a Mercedes. Ayoub Majdouline, 18, of Lily Gardens in Wembley, north-west London, appeared at Thames Magistrates' Court earlier. Mr Majdouline, who is also charged with possession of a bladed article, was remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

14 वर्षीय जेडन मूडी की हत्या के आरोप में एक किशोर अदालत में पेश हुआ है।


Dave Grohl stopped for talking on phone while driving

Summary: Foo Fighters lead singer Dave Grohl has been pulled over for speeding and talking on a mobile phone.

The US rocker was on his way to film an appearance on the Conan O'Brien talk show when he was stopped by Los Angeles police. Grohl decided to phone producers of the show as he was running late for the recording of the interview. He later admitted that the police were understanding of the situation. "He let me off with a warning for the speeding but gave me the thing-a-ding (ticket) for talking on the phone." It is against the law to drive in California while holding and using a mobile phone.

फू फाइटर्स के प्रमुख गायक डेव ग्रोहल को तेज गति से गाड़ी चलाने और मोबाइल फोन पर बात करने के लिए खींचा गया है।


Bolivia: All with Evo Morales?

Summary: Opinion polls suggest that after almost nine years in power, Bolivia's left-wing leader Evo Morales remains immensely popular. He is seeking re-election on 12 October and with a lead of more than 40 percentage points in the latest polls, his closest rival is facing an uphill struggle.

Why is Evo Morales so popular? Bolivia is enjoying a period of sustained growth. Thanks to the high price of its main export, natural gas, and fiscal prudence, the country's gross domestic product has tripled to over $30bn (£18.6bn) in 2013 since Mr Morales took office in 2006, according to World Bank figures. Many Bolivians have personally benefitted from the nation's growing economy. Social programmes have reduced poverty from 60% in 2006 to 45% in 2011. A significant increase in the income of the poorest segment of the population has reduced inequality. As a result of the education campaign that the president launched, UNESCO has declared Bolivia free of illiteracy. Mr Morales also enjoys a wide base of support among Bolivia's indigenous people, which makes up almost two thirds of the population. Many say that the president, himself of indigenous origins, gives them the feeling that their voices are being heard even though they have over recent years clashed with him on such issues as plans for the construction of a major highway through the Amazon region. Could anyone unseat the president? The latest survey by polling company Tal Cual suggests that the incumbent is enjoying strong support with more than 57% of those asked saying they would vote for him. Mr Morales has won over many former adversaries over the years, having negotiated political and economic pacts with leading business and agricultural leaders. Fierce opposition to his government in the wealthy eastern region of the country, which pushed for autonomy in 2008, appears to have fizzled out. The opinion poll shows the challengers trailing far behind the president. Industrialist Samuel Doria Medina has had limited success in uniting the opposition in the Democratic Unity Coalition and only about 18% of those polled said they would cast their ballot for him. The opposition vote is furthermore split between him and Jorge Quiroga Ramirez of the Christian Democratic Party, who scored 10.7% in the Tal Cual poll. The remaining two candidates have little support, according to that same poll. What are his rivals saying? An inefficient judicial system, endemic violence against women and a plan to build a highway across an indigenous territory have provoked broad criticism of the government. The presidential contenders have accused the incumbent of authoritarianism and have sought to discredit his economic achievements. They argue that economic growth is a result of foreign investments made in the 1990s. Instead of further development, the government has wasted money on dubious projects, they say, warning that Bolivia's growing prosperity can come to an abrupt end should the price of its raw materials drop. The opposition is also critical of the president's enthusiastic support for coca gowing, which they argue makes it hard to distinguish between legal crops used for medicinal and religious purposes and illegal crops for cocaine production. As for tackling income inequality, the opponents say the incumbent has merely expanded the social programmes of previous governments, pointing out that poverty is still widespread. Moreover, they accuse Evo Morales of persecuting political rivals, many of whom they say have ended up exiled or in jail. Several opposition presidential candidates have faced charges, which they say are politically motivated. Why is the president shying away from debate? Evo Morales has repeatedly declined invitations to a presidential debate, saying he has nothing to discuss with those whom he calls pro-imperialist opponents. The opposition says he is shying away from debate because he would be unable to defend his record in office, but some analysts believe he is uncomfortable in live televised debates and therefore tries to avoid them. The analysts argue that with such a wide lead in the polls, the president has more to lose than to gain from a confrontation with rivals who may be more refined speakers. Critics say the lack of debate is a sign that Bolivia has not yet reached its full democratic maturity but the government maintains it has been more inclusive than any of those which preceded it. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. More reports from BBC Monitoring can be seen here. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

जनमत सर्वेक्षणों से पता चलता है कि लगभग नौ साल सत्ता में रहने के बाद, बोलीविया के वामपंथी नेता इवो मोरालेस बेहद लोकप्रिय बने हुए हैं। वह 12 अक्टूबर को फिर से चुनाव की मांग कर रहे हैं और नवीनतम चुनावों में 40 प्रतिशत से अधिक अंकों की बढ़त के साथ, उनके निकटतम प्रतिद्वंद्वी को एक कठिन संघर्ष का सामना करना पड़ रहा है।


Pulwama attack: What are Modi's options?

Summary: A suicide bomber killed more than 40 paramilitary police in Indian-administered Kashmir last week in what was the deadliest attack on Indian forces in the region for decades. Pakistan denies any role in the attack by militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which is based on its soil. With Indian general elections around the corner, the government is under pressure to respond, or at least demonstrate that such actions are not without consequences. Dhruva Jaishankar weighs in with the options before India - diplomatic, economic and military.

What are the diplomatic options? Political relations between India and Pakistan have been frozen for almost three years. In his first two years in office after coming to power in 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif to his inauguration, resumed talks between national security advisers, made an unscheduled visit to Lahore, and approved a much-criticised effort at collaborative counter-terrorism investigations. Pakistan responded to these efforts with firing across the Line of Control separating the two sides, insisting on meeting with Kashmiri separatists in India, and arresting and sentencing to death an alleged Indian spy. Days after Mr Modi and Mr Sharif met in Lahore to launch a peace initiative, six soldiers were killed in an attack on an Indian air force base in Pathankot. Indian officials blamed the attack on the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a militant group close to Pakistani intelligence. By July 2016, Delhi's patience dried up and its position on a number of issues hardened. Despite a new government in Pakistan under Imran Khan, a meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers at last year's UN General Assembly was cancelled. Normal diplomatic channels have, however, continued. After the attack in Pulwama on Thursday, India has renewed its diplomatic efforts to make the case against what it says is Pakistan's state support for terrorism. This builds upon many years of India condemning Pakistan in diplomatic pronouncements made with friendly countries. In India's joint statements with the US and others, they now name specific Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba and D-Company, a criminal syndicate led by the Pakistan-based Indian fugitive Dawood Ibrahim. India has also linked Pakistan to the primary security challenges of its partners: for example, Japan's concerns about North Korea. Such moves have sensitised others to India's concerns about Pakistan, facilitated intelligence cooperation on Pakistan-based terrorist groups and encouraged crackdowns on their financing in many countries. Delhi's continued efforts also increase acceptability for any economic or military costs that India might impose at a later date. The challenge facing India is that other countries, however sympathetic, will continue to see value in retaining their ties with Pakistan. Although the US has become increasingly frustrated with Pakistan "tolerating and encouraging groups which use violence against Pakistan's neighbours", China remains Pakistan's closest ally, as it has for decades. It has provided Pakistan with nuclear and missile technology and equipment, conventional arms and - under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor - billions of dollars of investment in strategic projects. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates too have continuing economic and security ties with Pakistan, although both have also been warming their relations with India over the past few years. The US and European Union continue to offer Pakistan preferential trading benefits, in some cases resulting in lower tariffs on imports compared to India. Some EU officials have privately blamed the United Kingdom for Brussels' accommodative approach towards Pakistan - and have suggested that they may take sterner measures after Brexit. Can India hurt Pakistan economically? The day after the Pulwama attack, India revoked Pakistan's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) trading status, raised customs duties to 200% and vowed to isolate it in the international community. The absence of MFN will significantly raise customs duties on Pakistani exports to India, effectively resulting in unilateral Indian sanctions. Given that direct trade between the two countries is negligible, this move is largely symbolic. In some ways, India has been implementing punitive measures against Pakistan for years. For instance, India has not played Pakistan in a bilateral Test cricket series since late 2007, in part because such a series would result in a financial windfall for the Pakistan Cricket Board. Other, more severe, measures such as abrogating the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty have been suggested. Such a step would have significant costs, including eroding India's relations with other countries - China, Nepal, and Bangladesh - with which it has water-sharing arrangements. India will also likely continue to apply diplomatic pressure to raise the costs of economic ties with Pakistan. It is expected to advocate adding Pakistan to the black list (which includes Iran and North Korea) of the Financial Action Task Force, an intergovernmental body that combats money laundering. This would raise scrutiny on financial transactions involving Pakistan and effect its currency inflows, credit rating, stock market and banking sector. However, China will likely resist such a move - it only dropped its opposition to Pakistan's "grey listing" last year in exchange for India's support for Beijing's vice presidency of the task force. Other multilateral efforts may extend to leveraging India's position at various export control groups in which it recently acquired membership. What are India's military options? The biggest challenge for India is that Pakistan possesses a nuclear deterrent - including possibly one of the fastest growing nuclear arsenals - and a potent military. For all the sabre-rattling in the Indian press and public, these are realities that the Indian leadership must keep in mind. However, both Pakistan and India have explored options below the nuclear threshold. In 1999, Pakistani forces made an incursion onto India's side of the de facto border (also know as the Line of Control) resulting in the limited Kargil conflict. On several occasions after that, India retaliated to Pakistani provocations with coordinated small-scale raids across the Line of Control. The 2016 attacks, in response to the Uri base attack, became widely known as "surgical strikes". Other military options would be long-term in nature. Indian efforts against cross-border infiltration from Pakistan have already benefited from new security technologies as well as intelligence partnerships with other countries. Improvement in this area - such as buying unmanned aircraft and enhancing technical intelligence cooperation - would count as a major investment in countering cross-border terrorism from Pakistan. Of course, these are only some of the many ways in which India might choose to respond. If recent history is any guide, we may witness something entirely unprecedented and unexpected. Dhruva Jaishankar is Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies at Brookings India in Delhi and a Non-Resident Fellow with the Lowy Institute in Australia.

एक आत्मघाती हमलावर ने पिछले सप्ताह भारत प्रशासित कश्मीर में 40 से अधिक अर्धसैनिक पुलिस को मार डाला, जो इस क्षेत्र में दशकों से भारतीय बलों पर सबसे घातक हमला था। पाकिस्तान आतंकवादी समूह जैश-ए-मोहम्मद के हमले में किसी भी भूमिका से इनकार करता है, जो उसकी धरती पर आधारित है। भारतीय आम चुनावों के करीब आने के साथ, सरकार पर जवाब देने का दबाव है, या कम से कम यह प्रदर्शित करने के लिए कि इस तरह की कार्रवाइयों के कोई परिणाम नहीं हैं। ध्रुव जयशंकर भारत के सामने राजनयिक, आर्थिक और सैन्य विकल्पों पर जोर देते हैं।


Covid vaccines: Can Australia blame its woes on Europe?

Summary: Australia has been widely praised for its handling of the coronavirus.

But when it comes to vaccinations, it has fallen far behind other nations and failed to meet its own targets. Last week it fell 85% short of its first big deadline of delivering four million doses by March. Under fire, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has blamed the delay on the EU blocking some AstraZeneca vaccine shipments. "[It] has been a supply problem. It is pure and simple," he said at a press conference on Tuesday. "There were over three million doses from overseas that never came." The EU, however, says that only one shipment has been stopped so far and that AstraZeneca production and supply is a "global issue". So why has Australia's vaccination programme has fallen so far behind? What's the background? Australia's initial efforts in securing vaccines for its population of 25 million appeared promising. It was among the first to announce an order with AstraZeneca, and also trumpeted its local manufacturing capacity with medical firm CSL. Australia is using a mix of vaccines, including the Pfizer and potential Novavax products, but is most reliant on the AstraZeneca vaccine. Last year it placed an order for 54 million doses, due to be delivered by February - 3.8 million of which were to be made overseas. However in January, as European countries faced third waves, the EU issued an export ban on some vaccine orders. AstraZeneca warned Australia that it would only be able to supply about a third of the initial 3.8 million order. Australia then applied for the release of a much smaller batch in February. But in March, the European Commission blocked the shipment of 250,000 doses to Australia. It argued Australia had very low local infection rates and Europe's need was greater. At the time, Health Minister Greg Hunt said "one shipment" wouldn't affect Australia's rollout plans. The 250,000 doses had not even been factored into the first phase, he added. Mr Hunt also highlighted Australia's local capacity. CSL would soon be producing about one million doses a week, he claimed. Domestic production began in late March but that target has not yet been met. How has Australia's rollout progressed? Australia is up to stage two of its four-phase rollout. Doses are currently being offered to people over 70, those in aged care homes, frontline health workers, emergency services workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 55, and people with underlying health conditions. Still, fewer than one million people have so far received a vaccine. Falling so short of the March target has escalated public concerns. Facing criticism, Mr Morrison has come out swinging, blaming European authorities. Mr Morrison said Australia had only received 700,000 doses of its original AstraZeneca order and was missing 3.1 million doses. In response, the European Commission on Tuesday denied holding up any further applications from Australia, adding that it had not blocked any further shipments apart from the 250,000 doses. But the numbers are contradictory. The EU says one figure. Australia says another. At a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Morrison claimed the situation was "straightforward maths". "3.1 million out of 3.8 million doses did not come to Australia. That obviously had a very significant impact on the early rollout of the vaccination programme," he said. He added that Australia would again request the full amount of doses from the EU. He also stressed that Australia on 17 March had applied for one million doses to be released to be donated to Papua New Guinea as part of a humanitarian effort. The neighbouring nation, historically reliant on Australian aid, has been battling a rampant virus outbreak. However, a spokesman for the European Commission denied that the problem was unique to Europe: "We're not the only region in the world producing AstraZeneca vaccines, and therefore this is a global issue. "It is definitely not simply a bilateral issue between one country and the European Union." So, who is to blame? It isn't clear. Australia's contradictory statements on the impact of the EU block on AstraZeneca supplies have left many confused. Questions have also been raised over why the government failed to make contingency plans when it was warned about supply issues in January. Experts say it has also been hard to assess Australia's vaccine progress given the lack of public information on the number of doses in the country or local production, though the government says it will look at providing better public data. Still, critics note that the government had previously dismissed or failed to respond to concerns from frontline health workers. Doctors administering the vaccine at clinics have spoken out about shortages, while the nation's GP union had also raised concerns. Two state governments - New South Wales and Queensland - have accused the federal government of failing to provide certainty over how many vaccines would be delivered. This, in turn, slowed down scheduling appointments. "We are so far behind every single commitment Scott Morrison and Greg Hunt has given to the Australian people," Labor opposition health minister Mark Butler said on Wednesday. "Surely, they must admit this is not going well." Mr Morrison has said that once the vaccine is offered to the wider population around mid-year, the pace will accelerate. But the targets now have been adjusted too. Instead of having all Australians fully vaccinated by October, the government is now aiming for everyone to just have had their first shot.

कोरोना वायरस से निपटने के लिए ऑस्ट्रेलिया की व्यापक रूप से प्रशंसा की गई है।


University 'dual nationality' plan for Brexit

Summary: A top UK university is planning a "unique" post-Brexit arrangement with a German university in which staff will be appointed jointly by both institutions, with the aim of keeping access to EU research funding for UK academics.

By Sean CoughlanBBC News education and family correspondent Imperial College London, ranked as one of the top 10 universities in the world, has signed a partnership with the Technical University of Munich. The agreement will create academic posts jointly recruited and shared by the UK and German universities, with these staff having a form of academic dual nationality. Both universities specialise in science and technology and the shared research will be in areas such as computer science, medical science, bioengineering, physics and aerospace. The intention is for these "shared" academics - whether German or from the UK, and whether based in London or Munich - to continue to be eligible for EU research projects, through the Technical University of Munich's access to EU funding. 'Dangers of barriers' The German university says it will "send a strong signal against the dangers of new barriers in the European scientific area". University leaders in the UK have been worried about losing access to research networks which are often organised and funded on an international basis. Imperial College and the Technical University of Munich have previously worked together on 21 European-funded research projects. The top four biggest individual recipients of EU research cash are all from the UK - Oxford, Cambridge, University College London and Imperial College. In the current EU research funding round, Imperial has received 161m euros (£141m). But UK universities are concerned that after Brexit they will not be able to join the next even bigger research round, worth about 100 billion euro (£88bn). Most EU staff Apart from the funding, they say it is important to stay part of the latest developments in research, in areas such as transport, robotics, neuroscience and artificial intelligence. The greatest concentrations of EU staff are also to be found in these leading research universities - with Oxford, Cambridge, University College London, Imperial and King's College London having the highest proportions. A quarter of Imperial's academic staff are from other EU countries and about a fifth of its students. Professor Alice Gast has said: "Imperial is and will remain a European university." "We should do everything we can to preserve the historic achievement of unlimited European cooperation," said Professor Wolfgang Herrmann, president of the Technical University of Munich. The German university also expects the partnership with Imperial to help its chances in bidding for a share of research projects. French in London The idea of "unique joint mechanisms" for appointing staff across both universities is the latest stage in Imperial's preparations for Brexit. Earlier this year the university announced a deal with France's National Centre for Scientific Research to co-fund a maths laboratory in London, which will allow its UK mathematicians to have the same access to EU funding as French staff. In the Brexit plans so far, the UK government has committed to underwriting any cash promised to UK universities from the current EU research funding, which runs up to 2020. For EU research post-Brexit, the UK government has suggested paying to have an associate member status. But the terms of participation - and whether UK universities could remain as net beneficiaries - will still have to be negotiated. Ludovic Highman, senior research associate at the Centre for Global Higher Education, says that leading UK research universities have been building a range of strategic partnerships with European universities. He says they are worried about keeping access to EU staff and research expertise, as well as finding ways to protect eligibility for funding. But he warns, with so much still to be decided, "the rules of the game could be changed at any moment". More from Global education The editor of Global education is sean.coughlan@bbc.co.uk

ब्रिटेन का एक शीर्ष विश्वविद्यालय एक जर्मन विश्वविद्यालय के साथ ब्रेक्सिट के बाद एक "अनूठी" व्यवस्था की योजना बना रहा है जिसमें दोनों संस्थानों द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से कर्मचारियों की नियुक्ति की जाएगी, जिसका उद्देश्य ब्रिटेन के शिक्षाविदों के लिए यूरोपीय संघ के शोध वित्त पोषण तक पहुंच बनाए रखना है।


Will concerts come back in 2021? And other music stories to look out for

Summary: If 2020 had one saving grace, it was the music. Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga spirited us out of lockdown to an alternate universe where sweat-glistened club nights weren't terrifying vectors of disease; while Drake and Phoebe Bridgers helped us process our feelings.

By Mark SavageBBC music reporter UK rap had (another) banner year, thanks to Headie One and AJ Tracey; and even Fiona Apple came out of semi-retirement with the most disorientating, courageous and inventive album of her career. Sure, there wasn't a gig in sight, and Glastonbury missed its 50th anniversary party. On the upside, lockdown propelled some artists into a frenzy of creativity. Charli XCX made an album in six weeks and received a Mercury Prize nomination in return; Paul McCartney finished a trilogy of records he started 50 years ago; and Taylor Swift released two new albums in the space of five months. So what does 2021 hold? Predictions are a fool's game in the middle of a pandemic - but here are a few suggestions. 1) Virtual gigs will become more ambitious The early days of lockdown were a voyeur's wish come true, as the world's biggest pop stars invited you into their living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms to play some tunes (highlight: The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts playing drums on his armchair). By the end of the year, the productions had become a little more ambitious. In November, Dua Lipa's Studio 2054 set a new bar for livestreams, with two dozen dancers, gigantic Day-Glo hula hoops, even more gigantic glitter balls, a roller disco and a generous helping of special guests - from Kylie and Miley to Sir Elton John, harrumphing his way through Rocket Man. The concert cost $1.5m (£1.1m) and took five months to put together - but it more than made that sum back, with 284,000 ticket sales and streaming deals in India and China. In the end, the concert was seen by more than five million people worldwide. "We'll definitely do it again," Dua's manager Ben Mawson told Rolling Stone. "Certainly for the rest of our artists, we'll do more." The payday is certainly a factor. US rapper Travis Scott reportedly earned $20m for a single, nine-minute concert inside the video game Fortnite last April. By comparison, his 58-date Astro World tour in 2018-19 grossed $53.5m. But virtual gigs don't just make financial sense: Fans who can't afford to travel to big cities like London and New York can suddenly attend an exclusive show - and, because the audience is huge, tickets are more affordable (Dua's prices started at £7.50). We can expect to see them become part of the regular tapestry of the music industry, even when concerts resume. Speaking of which... 2) Concerts will come back... but not as we know them Depending on who you ask, live music will be back by Easter, or maybe the summer, but it could be the end of the year. And even with a vaccine, it will be a while before tours can go back to normal. While bands like Steps and Little Mix have announced arena shows for November, others, like Nick Cave, have already cancelled their 2021 tour plans. Initially, at least, social distancing will be enforced at indoor venues, with enforced one-way systems to the bar and toilets. Rapid turnaround Covid-19 tests at festival gates is another prospect, although the idea isn't foolproof. Other proposals include thermo scanners, spraying fans with a disinfectant "fog" as they enter a venue, and interactive wristbands that vibrate to indicate a lack of social distancing. Ticketmaster has also been looking at whether it is possible to link digital tickets to your vaccine status or a negative Covid test through a smartphone app. However, the company stressed it could not enforce such measures - which would be enacted at the discretion of the event organiser. 3) Taylor Swift will share dozens of new old songs Pop's greatest diarist Taylor Swift took a U-turn this year, recording a two-album set of escapist folk tales - and earning herself an album of the year nomination from the Grammys in the process. Her next project is either her most ambitious or most foolhardy: re-recording every single song from her first six albums. Why is she doing this? To regain artistic and financial control of her material, after her former record label sold her master tapes for a reported $300m. Swift will retain control of the new recordings, meaning that when a film or TV show wants to use her music, she will get the royalties - not the hedge fund who bought the originals. The first snippet from the sessions - an near-identical copy of 2008's Love Story - was revealed in November, so hopefully we'll get more chances to play spot the difference in 2021. 4) Adele and Rihanna won't release albums Like teenagers with a piece of coursework, Adele and Rihanna have been saying, "I'll finish it later, mum," for the last three years. After once releasing seven albums in seven years, Rihanna's turned her attention to other things - fashion, make-up, donating millions to Covid-19 relief, dancing awkwardly on Instagram - while work on her ninth album progresses at the speed of a sloth wading through treacle. In the meantime, she's taken to trolling her fans about it. Last December, she joked on Instagram the record was ready, but she was "refusing to release it". When a fan inquired about the album's whereabouts in May, Rihanna replied: "I lost it." Adele's fourth album appears to be missing in action too. In June, her manager Jonathan Dickins told Music Week the record was indefinitely delayed and would be "ready when it's ready". Adele later scolded a fan who asked if the album was coming this year: "Of course it's not. Corona ain't over," she wrote. "Wear a mask and be patient." So, after three years of predicting new music from RiRi and Adele, I'm officially giving up - in the hope they'll put something out just to prove me wrong (they're definitely reading this, I'm sure of it). 5) But Drake will... After a relatively quiet year, Drake is back in January with a new album, Certified Lover Boy (I think we would all like to see photographic evidence of said certificate). It's his first studio record since 2018's Scorpion, and the star says it could divide opinion - much like his 2016 album Views. "They hated on Views just like they will CLB," he said during an Instagram live in November. "But it's music to evolve to." Other hotly-anticipated albums for 2021 include: Also in the studio are: Cardi B, Lorde, Billie Eilish, Twenty One Pilots, St Vincent, Noel Gallagher, Sinead O'Connor, Zayn Malik, Arctic Monkeys, Robert Plant, Machine Gun Kelly, Chvrches and The Cure. 6) Musicals will be big business on screen A chorus line of movie musicals is waiting in the wings for 2021, with Everybody's Talking About Jamie, In The Heights, West Side Story all destined for a cinema/streaming service near you. And, thanks to the success of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, the floodgates have opened on musical biopics, with up to a dozen completed or in production. Jennifer Hudson plays Aretha Franklin in Respect - a role she was hand-picked for by The Queen Of Soul herself, more than a decade ago. "We met in New York, and one of the first things she said to me was: 'You're gonna win another Oscar for playing me, right?'," the Dreamgirls star told EW last year. "Imagine Aretha Franklin looking you in the face and saying that! I was like: 'Eh, uh, eh… I can try.'" Baz Luhrman's Elvis sees Austin Butler filling Presley's blue suede shoes and Tom Hanks as the star's combative manager, Colonel Tom Parker; while Lucy Boynton, who co-starred in Bohemian Rhapsody, will play The Rolling Stones' muse Marianne Faithfull in Ian Bonhôte's Faithfull. The United States vs Billie Holliday, due out in March, explores how the blues singer was targeted by the FBI over political messages in her music. Directed by Lee Daniels (Precious, Empire), the film marks the big screen debut of singer Andra Day in the title role. We can also expect to see David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Teddy Pendergrass and Leonard Bernstein depicted on the silver screen, while Madonna is busy writing the story of her life for a film she will also direct. 7) Gracey and Holly Humberstone are ones to watch Around this time every year, the music industry gets together and predicts the artists they think will break through to the mainstream in the next 12 months. And if you look at lists like the BBC's Sound Of 2021, MTV's Push awards, and Amazon's Ones To Watch, a few names will keep cropping up. So keep an eye out for DIY pop singer Holly Humberstone, whose Falling Asleep At The Wheel EP was called a "staggering debut" by the NME, and Bree Runway, whose bold and boisterous songs literally burst out of your speakers. South African newcomer Baby Queen raised the bar for pop lyrics this year with smart, satirical songs like Buzzkill, Medicine and Pretty Girl Lie. The singer's sugar-coated melodies are a Trojan horse for discussing topics like mental health, social media and body dysmorphia - including the killer line: "I get more likes when I don't look like me." Fans of Sampha and James Blake will fall in love with Berwyn - a London-based singer, whose triumph over abandonment and homelessness fuels his sensitive, soulful music. And keep your eyes on Brighton-born pop alchemist Gracey, whose single Alone In My Room (Gone) became a lockdown anthem in the first half of 2020. Her recent EP, The Art Of Closure, is an all-killer, no-filler sign of great things to come. Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

अगर 2020 में एक बचत की कृपा थी, तो यह संगीत था। दुआ लीपा और लेडी गागा ने हमें लॉकडाउन से बाहर एक वैकल्पिक ब्रह्मांड में प्रेरित किया जहां पसीने से चमकती क्लब रातें बीमारी के भयानक वाहक नहीं थीं; जबकि ड्रेक और फोबे ब्रिजर्स ने हमारी भावनाओं को संसाधित करने में हमारी मदद की।


Probe after man dies and another hurt at Newton Aycliffe recycling plant

Summary: One man has died and another has been seriously hurt at a recycling centre in County Durham, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called to an incident at John Wade's Quarry, Newton Aycliffe, at 12:00 GMT on Saturday. A spokeswoman for Durham Police said officers from the Health and and Safety Executive (HSE) were later called to the scene and a joint investigation was launched. She said the dead man's family had been informed. No further details were released. Related Internet Links Durham Police HSE

पुलिस ने पुष्टि की है कि काउंटी डरहम में एक पुनर्चक्रण केंद्र में एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है और दूसरा गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गया है।


Can Afghan military turn the tide in Taliban fight?

Summary: US Defence Secretary James Mattis was filmed beside an open cargo door as he flew in to Kabul on Monday. It was a glamorous image, but he could scarcely have flown into the country on a less auspicious day.

Justin RowlattSouth Asia correspondent In the morning both Defence Minister Abudullah Habibi and the Army Chief of Staff Qadam Shah Shahim had handed in their resignations in the wake of the Taliban attack on an army base outside Mazar-e Sharif on Friday. It was the deadliest single attack on a military installation in the entire 16-year history of the Afghan conflict. When I was shown around the base the message was that although mistakes were made, the Taliban subterfuge had been particularly thorough. The Taliban fighters arrived in Ford Ranger trucks painted in a perfect facsimile of Afghan army vehicles. They had full uniforms and plausible paperwork; one of the team was disguised as a casualty complete with a bloodied bandage around his head and an IV drip in his arm. But even this elaborate ruse should not have resulted in the carnage that ensued. The 10 Taliban attackers are believed to have killed around 170 Afghan soldiers. It was a major blow to morale in the military, but also in the country at large. Fighting season No surprise then that the two top-level resignations were just the beginning of a unprecedented shake-up of the military hierarchy. Four corps commanders - including Major Katawazai who was in charge of the base that was attacked - were suspended. Meanwhile a further eight military personnel are being investigated, allegedly on suspicion that the Taliban attackers had help from inside the base. It leaves the Afghan military rudderless at a particularly dangerous time. The Taliban now control more than a third of the country and traditionally there is an upsurge in violence as Afghanistan's bitter winter comes to an end: the so-called "fighting season". Officially the spring offensive has not started yet this year. Nevertheless last month the Taliban retook the key district of Sangin in the southern Afghan province of Helmand; a significant strategic advance. Public statements about the US mission have increasingly focused on the effort to tackle IS and other international terrorist organisations in Afghanistan. But the truth is the US recognises that the main threat to the Afghan government comes from the Taliban, and so the overwhelming focus of American involvement here remains anti-Taliban. Taliban successes in the almost two and a half years since the Nato combat mission in Afghanistan officially ended have led senior Afghan officials and American top brass here to argue that the US needs to boost its training and assistance mission. The suggestion is a few thousand more troops are needed. That will certainly have been on the agenda of Defence Secretary Mattis as he met the Afghan president and other senior figures to discuss the Trump administration's evolving strategy here. But many military analysts doubt that this will be enough to turn the tide. Last year a record number of Afghan forces were killed - 6,800 in total. That is three times the losses of American forces during the entire 16 years of this conflict. And many thousands more Afghan military personnel were either invalided out of service or simply deserted. It emphasises once again the key problems the Afghan forces face: inadequate training and a lack of commitment from recruits, exacerbated by terrible conditions, corruption in the officer class and poor air support. Today the office of the chief executive of Afghanistan, Abdullah Abudullah, announced a new defence minister had been appointed. He was named as Tariq Shah Bahrani. Whether his appointment will be endorsed by parliament is another matter. The National Unity government rarely lives up to its name. During the almost three years it has held power it has been marked by deep divisions and open disagreements. With the army in turmoil, unity at the top levels of government is needed if a successful push back against Taliban advances is to be achieved. Whether the current administration will be able to deliver that is another matter.

अमेरिकी रक्षा मंत्री जेम्स मैटिस को सोमवार को काबुल के लिए उड़ान भरते समय एक खुले मालवाहक दरवाजे के बगल में फिल्माया गया था। यह एक आकर्षक छवि थी, लेकिन वह कम शुभ दिन पर शायद ही देश में उड़ान भर सकते थे।


Malala Yousafzai's mother: Out of the shadows

Summary: Over the past five years, Malala Yousafzai has become one of the world's most famous young women - the schoolgirl shot in Pakistan who built a new life in Birmingham after surgery, then campaigned for education for all girls, won the Nobel Peace Prize and inspired the world with her life story. Now her mother, Toor Pekai Yousafzai, has spoken to the BBC for the first time to explain how her own life has changed in the past five years.

By Siobhann TigheBBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour "It was very hard when I left everyone behind," says Toor Pekai. "We didn't expect to live in a foreign country. "When other people leave their country they accept everything that comes their way and they're ready for it, but we couldn't prepare. "We had to suddenly leave Pakistan. The attack changed everything. We had to focus on Malala's life." A higher profile Very few readers will recognise Toor Pekai from her picture. Whenever Malala attends a high-profile function to promote her cause, she is invariably accompanied by her father Ziauddin, who has often been interviewed about his daughter's many successes. Meanwhile, Malala's mother has played her own low-profile, but important, role at home with the rest of the family in Birmingham. Toor Pekai explains: "When Malala was being treated in hospital we were very busy looking after her. Then she wrote a book and we were busy with that too, so that's why I wasn't in the public eye. "But now I'm trying to help other people get an education, so from now on I want to be more involved in these kinds of things. But if these interviews were in my own language it would be easier!" Sign-up to get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning And it is clear that Toor Pekai has her own compelling story to tell about the events that brought Malala across the world. She still gets visibly upset as she remembers watching Malala fighting for her life in hospital. Her hands twist together and she cries but her smile comes back quickly when she thinks about her daughter's life now, the success she has already had and what the future holds. Every year of Malala's life is a bonus for Toor Pekai. "Last year I wrote in her birthday card 'you are my four year old daughter' because I now keep count of the years since the attack. It's like she is reborn from that point." Toor Pekai's life is now rooted here in the UK, looking after Malala and her two sons. Despite Malala winning a Nobel Peace Prize and mixing with world leaders she still has to tell her to clean her room and look after herself. In fact, when she describes her day-to-day relationship with her daughter, it sounds like just any other mother dealing with a millennial teenager. "She doesn't eat very well and doesn't drink enough water. She doesn't go to sleep on time and studies until midnight. We tell her to eat fruit and do her prayers, and she tells her brothers, but she doesn't." Although Toor Pekai did not get an education herself in Pakistan, she now attends English classes in Birmingham and has built a network of friends through that. "Some of them are from Swat and I knew them from back there already. Recently another friend of mine came from Peshawar. "There aren't any people from Pakistan in my English class but there are people from Iraq, Iran and one from Afghanistan. We have parties and I cook rice, chicken and fish, and they like my food." Flying the nest Learning English in the UK has given the 45-year-old some independence. "At first I struggled to understand when people spoke to me in English, and I even had difficulty with words like 'yes' and 'no' but I'm improving and want to keep going. It makes life easier with travelling and going to the doctors." Malala, who is now 19, is due to go to university in the autumn to study politics, philosophy and economics. There is a solid offer on the table. "We're very happy for her. On the day she got her offer we cried but every moment of her life makes us happy," she said. But tears come again at the prospect of her baby flying the nest. "I'm worried about what she'll eat and how she'll cook for herself. It's difficult but I have to accept it. I'll miss her a lot and home will be empty without her. Malala is not just my daughter but my friend as well." You can hear the full interview on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour from 10:00 BST on Tuesday

पिछले पाँच वर्षों में, मलाला यूसुफजई दुनिया की सबसे प्रसिद्ध युवा महिलाओं में से एक बन गई है-पाकिस्तान में गोली मारने वाली स्कूली छात्रा जिसने सर्जरी के बाद बर्मिंघम में एक नया जीवन बनाया, फिर सभी लड़कियों के लिए शिक्षा के लिए अभियान चलाया, नोबेल शांति पुरस्कार जीता और दुनिया को अपनी जीवन कहानी से प्रेरित किया। अब उसकी माँ, तूर पेकाई यूसुफजई ने पहली बार बीबीसी से बात की है कि पिछले पाँच वर्षों में उसका अपना जीवन कैसे बदल गया है।


What could the new Wales rail franchise mean?

Summary: Wales' rail service will be jointly run by two European firms over the next 15 years - France's Keolis and Spanish-owned Amey The operators said while the changes would not happen overnight Wales' railway "would be unrecognisable" in five years time. KeolisAmey will also drive forward the south Wales Metro in Cardiff and the valleys.

Prof Mark Barry, who drew up the first proposals for the south Wales Metro project, has been an adviser to the Welsh Government and to transport companies. He is professor of practice in connectivity at Cardiff University's school of geography and planning. How do you think the rail franchise process has been handled? Ultimately we should stand back and congratulate Welsh Government and Transport for Wales (TfW) for running probably the most complex procurement in rail industry history - and certainly the biggest in Wales - to try to determine who their best partner is for developing the network for the next 15 years. They ended up with two very credible bidders, with two very good solutions I'm sure. And that follows four years earlier work that I was involved with in setting up the principles and the original concepts. When you consider that projects like this can take a long time. Take Crossrail - it was announced in 1987; that will open this year. We still haven't got a Heathrow runway. This is a remarkably quick turnaround for such a large scale project. What are the challenges now - how do we improve the rail service but also deliver the completely new South Wales Metro? It's huge, it's complicated, it's challenging but with Keolis you have a global organisation with a track record in delivering major urban transit systems. They run the Docklands Light Railway, they're now running the Manchester Metrolink, they have systems all over North America, France, Australia. They can do this. It's a three to five year design and implementation programme. We've gone through the original concept stage and two years of procurement, and now it's about designing and building the thing and then more after that. We've come a long way but I'm hugely excited we're going to do it at last. When will passengers see a difference? We will have to wait for details. But I'm sure any bidder would be looking at what they can do quickly, such as in terms of rolling stock. But in terms of the core Valley lines and the transformation we're talking about, there's a major infrastructure change that is required and that will take time. I guess they'll look to delivering that in the most time-efficient way possible, with the least disruption, to deliver the maximum benefits - and as soon as possible. Will this deliver the South Wales Metro which you envisaged? I do [think so]. The original features which were laid down - faster, more frequent services, more capacity, an extendable network, doing things which unlock new development opportunities for new stations and new lines - I think they will all be in there. In terms of what it will look like, you look at what Keolis do - a bit of light railway, underground, Metrolink - we'll see the detail in two weeks. But ultimately with an organisation of that scale and capacity, we'll see something pretty fantastic I think. Prof Barry was talking to Brian Meechan, BBC Wales business correspondent

वेल्स की रेल सेवा अगले 15 वर्षों में दो यूरोपीय फर्मों द्वारा संयुक्त रूप से चलाई जाएगी-फ्रांस की केवलिस और स्पेनिश स्वामित्व वाली अमेय ऑपरेटरों ने कहा कि परिवर्तन रातोंरात नहीं होंगे, जबकि वेल्स की रेलवे पांच साल के समय में "अपरिचित" होगी। केवलिस अमेय कार्डिफ और घाटियों में साउथ वेल्स मेट्रो को भी आगे बढ़ाएगा।


Tamil Tiger 'floating platform sunk'

Summary: Sri Lanka's navy says it has sunk a ship being used by the rebel Tamil Tigers, killing at least twelve people who were believed to have been on board.

A spokesman for the Sri Lankan navy, D.P.K. Dassanayake, said it was the last sea-worthy vessel the Tigers had because seven other ships had been destroyed at sea earlier this year. He said the vessels were used by the Tamil Tigers as floating platforms to store weapons and smuggle them. But Mr Dassanayake also warned that with their elaborate overseas fundraising network, the Tamil Tigers could simply purchase more craft. No independent confirmation of the navy's claim was available; there was no immediate comment from the Tamil Tigers. Elsewhere in Sri Lanka, military officials say that eight Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier have been killed in the latest fighting. Correspondents say the conflict in the north has escalated in recent weeks.

श्रीलंका की नौसेना का कहना है कि उसने विद्रोही तमिल टाइगर्स द्वारा उपयोग किए जा रहे एक जहाज को डुबो दिया है, जिसमें कम से कम बारह लोग मारे गए हैं, जिनके बारे में माना जा रहा था कि वे उसमें सवार थे।


Two in court charged with murder after Aldridge stabbing

Summary: A man and a teenager have appeared in court charged with murder after a man was stabbed to death.

James Brindley, 26, died on Aldridge High Street in the West Midlands on 23 June after an evening out with friends. Aaron Kahrod, 20, from Walsall Road, Aldridge, and a 17-year-old boy appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court. The pair were remanded in custody to appear at the city's crown court on Monday. Read more news from Birmingham and the Black Country

एक व्यक्ति की चाकू मारकर हत्या करने के आरोप में एक व्यक्ति और एक किशोर अदालत में पेश हुए हैं।


The 'second life' of Gill Hicks, Australian survivor of London bombings

Summary: Gill Hicks lost both legs and was close to death after she was caught in an explosion in the London underground in 2005. But her own determination and a strong empathy for the plight of others has helped her create a "second life".

By Saffron HowdenSydney, Australia Being a double amputee and victim of a terrorist attack is not without its unique brand of ghoulish humour. This is perhaps why Ms Hicks is considering bungee jumping, walking across hot coals, abseiling, and swimming with sharks as ways to mark the decade since the 2005 London bombings. Ms Hicks, who has been named South Australian of the Year and is a contender for the Australian of the Year award for 2015 to be announced on Sunday, resettled in her home town of Adelaide three years ago after more than 20 years in the UK. She has decided to set herself 10 extreme physical challenges this year that will force her to face her fears. The first, in March, will be diving with sharks. In July, she plans to abseil down one of London's taller iconic buildings. For security reasons, she will not yet say which one. She also hopes to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. "What's the worst that can happen?" Ms Hicks asks. "I'm frustrated all the time, especially being the mother of a young toddler. I want to go and paddle at the water's edge like I used to, and walk on the hot sand." Ms Hicks has taken the inevitable anger and frustration she feels at having both legs severed below the knee at the age of 37 and learned to channel it in a way she hopes will make the world a better place. "I've managed to create a constructive anger," she says. "I'm so fortunate to have this second chance. I don't want to spend a second of that time in bitterness." 'A different connection' Now 46, Ms Hicks was riding on a train in London's underground rail network on her way to work at 08:50 on 7 July 2005, when one of a group of four suicide bombers plunged her carriage into chaos and darkness. She was among more than 700 people injured that morning in London. A series of coordinated suicide attacks in the city's centre targeting people on public transport during the morning rush hour killed 52 people, as well as the bombers. "That day I changed trains and made a different connection that I maybe took three times a year," Ms Hicks recalls. It is a memory that does not fade. "There's not a moment throughout any day where I can turn off from being a double amputee," she says, and she still feels discomfort and pain every day at the point where her legs now end. "I've had to readjust my thinking to not expect recovery because my legs aren't going to grow back," she says. "I just have to learn how to adapt otherwise I'll be stuck in a bitter mess." Sadness and empathy Early this year, in the wake of a siege at a Sydney cafe in which two people were killed, Ms Hicks helped establish #BeTheBridge to bring together people of different faiths to advocate for a peaceful response to violent extremism. The initiative - more a concept than a group - made its first public statement earlier this month, when people stood hand-to-hand on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in the shape of a bridge. Ms Hicks has also campaigned for global peace as a motivational speaker, and she founded the charity Making a Difference (Mad) for Peace in 2007, a not-for-profit organisation based in London which has concentrated on ending violent extremism. "We can't ever control random acts of violence but you can control how you react and respond," says Ms Hicks. She felt a great sadness, and then empathy, when she watched the Sydney siege, the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris, and the deaths of many hundreds of people in Nigeria at the hands of Boko Haram unfold. Violent extremism, she says, is a parasitic cancer that seeks out a host. "And what we're looking at right now is that [that] host is Islam." Since her "second life" began nearly 10 years ago, Hicks has been married, divorced, fallen in love, moved countries, written a book, obtained an honorary doctorate, and given birth to a baby girl. As part of her nomination for Australian of the Year, she has submitted the briefcase she was carrying when the bomb exploded to Australia's National Museum. It includes a print-out of her diary for the upcoming week, splattered with ink, a diary that belongs to a different Gill Hicks. "The presumption [was] that I'm going to be doing all this stuff the following week," she says. "At 08:50, everything as I knew it ended."

गिल हिक्स ने 2005 में लंदन के भूमिगत क्षेत्र में एक विस्फोट में पकड़े जाने के बाद दोनों पैर खो दिए थे और मृत्यु के करीब थी। लेकिन उनके अपने दृढ़ संकल्प और दूसरों की दुर्दशा के लिए एक मजबूत सहानुभूति ने उन्हें "दूसरा जीवन" बनाने में मदद की है।


Man shot through window of property in Gravesend

Summary: A man has been shot through the window of a property and seriously hurt, prompting an attempted murder investigation.

The victim, in his 40s, was shot in Shorne Ifield Road, Shorne, Gravesend, on Sunday at about 21:20 GMT. The offender is believed to have shot the victim from outside the property through a window, Kent Police said. The force is trying to establish if the man, who is in hospital in London, was the intended target. No arrests have been made and anyone with information is urged to come forward. Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk.

एक व्यक्ति को एक संपत्ति की खिड़की से गोली मार दी गई है और वह गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गया है, जिससे हत्या के प्रयास की जांच शुरू हो गई है।


Mr Peabody & Sherman 'respectful' to original series

Summary: Travel back in time 55 years to 1959 and the first series of the American animated show Rocky and his Friends, later to be called The Rocky & Bullwinkle show, and it included a short segment called Peabody's Improbable History, starring a super-intelligent dog and his pet boy Sherman travelling through time.

By Kev GeogheganEntertainment reporter, BBC News Fast forward again to 2014 and the characters have been revived for the big screen by DreamWorks in Mr Peabody and Sherman. This time, in the hands of The Lion King director Rob Minkoff. Modern Family star Ty Burrell provides the voice of Peabody - a talking dog, business titan, inventor, scientist, Nobel laureate, gourmand, and two-time Olympic medallist. The cast also included the voices of Burrell's on-screen Modern Family daughter Ariel Winter, Stanley Tucci and comedy stars Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann and Mel Brooks. "It was important to us from the beginning to be as authentic as possible to capture the spirit of the original but for a new audience," says director Minkoff. It was originally created by US television-animation legend Jay Ward, who also came up with characters like George of the Jungle and Dudley Do-Right. Each short segment saw Peabody and Sherman use his WABAC (or Wayback) machine to travel through time to visit historical figures such as Napoleon, Lord Nelson and Leonardo Da Vinci. "I think Rob and DreamWorks have done a very good job in being very respectful to the original series," says Burrell. "We've been working with Jay Ward's estate and his daughter Tiffany and they gave us the thumbs up after seeing it which was a big relief." Burrell, 46, is best known to TV audiences as the well meaning but clumsy "cool, dad" Phil Dunphy in the hit US series Modern Family - a role for which he has won one Emmy and been nominated for three more. "I had done some TV voice work and I've done some commercial voice work but this is my first feature film and I tried to enter into it with my ears and eyes opening in terms of learning," he explains. "I wanted to be respectful of Bill Scott who was the original voice and pay homage to him but also it's important that I create my own voice. "The first voice was essentially me imitating Bill which is completely unsustainable because he is in such a higher register than me, I have a very deep voice, so that was ill-advised and then slowly it worked back down, still erudite but maybe less glib." Burrell was not the first choice for Peabody, he took over from Robert Downey Jr - who was announced back in 2011. But Minkoff has nothing but praise for his new leading man. "It was the balance of his intellect and rationality but we also wanted to show his heart and warmth, even though it's central to his character that he has trouble expressing his emotions," he says. At the core of the story is the relationship between a father and his adopted son, albeit in this case a role reversal of the relationship between a boy and his dog. A key scene shows Sherman, upon being told that, as the son of a dog he must himself be a canine, reacting by biting one of his school classmates. Burrell says the story has resonance personally as the father to two adopted daughters. "I have two young girls, I have an adoptive relationship which was another meaningful part of taking this job," he says. "Their love for each other as father and son becomes the most important thing to both of them. Peabody wants to be a good dad and Sherman ultimately loves his dad and wants to be a good son." 3D technology For his part, Mr Peabody and Sherman is Minkoff's first full-length animated feature since 1994's The Lion King - still the second biggest grossing animated movie of all time, with takings of more than $422m. The huge box office success of recent animations like Despicable Me 2 and Frozen, agrees Minkoff, is why we are in a "golden age" of animation. "I think because the technology has raced ahead and made so many things possible," he explains. "But for audiences, animation is going through this era of being accepted. People are enjoying animated films in numbers that are unprecedented. "As long as the audiences are there, more will be made," he adds. In 2011, The Lion King was retro-fitted in 3D and re-released in cinemas. Mr Peabody and Sherman will be available to audiences in both 2D and 3D. With recent evidence suggesting that 3D audiences in Britain are dropping off, Minkoff insists that animation in particular is almost always improved by the new technology. "I really enjoy 3D, which is to say that it is a wonderful medium and certain films are fantastic to watch in 3D. "I don't necessarily think all films should be watched in 3D but I do think that it can be a fun more experiential kind of thing. "I think the animation works well because it's fantasy, it's abstract. We look at it and we know it's not the real world but we want to be a part of it and 3D puts you in that world." The film, which opens in the UK on 7 February, marks the beginning of a busy year for Burrell. Modern Family Soon to be seen opposite the Muppets in their new film Muppets Most Wanted, and in Finding Dory, the sequel to Finding Nemo, Burrell also returns to the Modern Family fold, now in its fifth season. Since it began in 2009, the show has made household names of Burrell and his co-stars. But despite their boosted profiles and star salaries, he insists that no-one is looking to jump ship to chase that big Hollywood payday. "Every year, you come back and everybody is still hungry, I think that's the main thing and it's such a pleasant surprise. Not a surprise but a great feeling to come back to work and still have people so excited to be there." Prior to Modern Family, Burrell was himself a jobbing actor, whose biggest roles were opposite Nicole Kidman in Fur and Zack Snyder's 2004 remake of zombie classic Dawn of the Dead. He says most of the cast, barring Ed O'Neill who starred in the US TV classic Married... With Children, were in the same boat. "Everybody was working but we hadn't experienced anything like Modern Family so we don't have anybody on the show who is chomping at the bit to get on to something else, because we'd all been around for a long time and we know what it's like out there. "If you're the cast of Friends and you have a level of success then there must be a part of you that would be like, 'Is this holding me back?' But there's none of that on this show, everybody is just lucky enough to do projects in our off-season, films and stuff but we would do this show for 20 years if they let us." Mr Peabody & Sherman opens in cinemas in the UK on 7 February.

55 साल के समय से 1959 तक की यात्रा करें और अमेरिकी एनिमेटेड शो रॉकी एंड हिज़ फ्रेंड्स की पहली श्रृंखला, जिसे बाद में द रॉकी एंड बुलविंकल शो कहा गया, और इसमें पीबॉडीज़ इम्प्रोबेबल हिस्ट्री नामक एक छोटा खंड शामिल था, जिसमें एक सुपर-बुद्धिमान कुत्ता और उसका पालतू लड़का शेरमेन समय के साथ यात्रा कर रहे थे।


First Bath peregrine falcon chick hatches

Summary: The first peregrine falcon chick of 2012 has hatched at a nesting platform on a church tower in Bath.

The birds of prey began nesting on the spire of St John the Evangelist Church in 2004 and return every year. The Hawk and Owl Trust confirmed that the first egg successfully hatched on Tuesday "when one chick was observed as the female left for a brief break". Peregrines are protected birds in the UK and the RSPB said their numbers were still low. Mike Rogers, from the trust, said the pair laid four eggs "but one disappeared". The peregrines are being monitored by conservationists via a video camera at the nest platform.

2012 का पहला पेरेग्रीन बाज़ चूजा बाथ में एक चर्च टावर पर एक घोंसले के मंच पर पैदा हुआ है।


Alum Rock bridal shop fight: Four arrested

Summary: Four people have been arrested after police were called to a fight in a Birmingham bridal shop.

Police were called to Seher Boutique, in Alum Rock Road, Saltley, on Saturday after a reports a number of people had been "fighting with weapons". One man was taken to hospital with a fractured eye socket while two women, aged 22 and 46, and another man, aged 24, suffered minor injuries. Officers are continuing to search the shop and examine CCTV footage.

बर्मिंघम की एक दुल्हन की दुकान में पुलिस को लड़ाई के लिए बुलाए जाने के बाद चार लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


'Our new-build home has 354 defects'

Summary: Two years after buying their £325,000 house from developers Bovis, Craig Wakeman and partner Tracey Bickford are still waiting to move in after discovering their dream home was riddled with 354 defects, many of them structural.

By Mick TuckerBBC Radio 5 Live Investigates The couple told BBC Radio 5 Live Investigates buying the house was "one of the worst decisions we've ever made". Nine out of 10 new home buyers surveyed by the New Homes Review found defects in their houses. Bovis apologised that the family's "customer journey with us has been so disappointing over the last two years," and said it was "completely focused on putting right what has gone wrong". Craig and Tracey bought their brand new three-bedroom detached house in Worcester in November 2016 for themselves and their two young daughters. After delays in the building of the house, they finally moved in October 2017. But they soon discovered a host of issues. In November 2017, the family hired independent inspection company HomeSnag to do a report - and they identified nearly 150 problems. Shortly afterwards, problems with some of Bovis's homes prompted a profit warning from the company. But the HomeSnag report was just the beginning of the family's problems. "That's when the nightmare really began... the list of issues just started to grow and grow and grow," Craig said. In February 2018, Bovis themselves inspected the property, and identified 156 issues with the build - many of them structural. 'Ridiculous' The family agreed with Bovis they needed to move out of the property so that repairs could be carried out. They moved out in July, and have since been accommodated by Bovis in a neighbouring property. "We were having to move, yet again, to temporary accommodation, so that Bovis could put this right," Craig said. "It's just ridiculous." He said yet more snags have been discovered, taking the total to 354. "There is no kitchen, no heating, it all had to be ripped out. It's ridden with faults, it should never have been signed off." Craig's partner Tracey said: "I feel sorry for the neighbours that have to live next to this. It's probably one of the worst decisions we've ever made, and in hindsight we wouldn't have done it." Craig added: "It's just not acceptable. It consumes your life. You spend every waking hour worrying about the house and then when you're at home at night you're having to deal with the continual problems that seem to be identified. "There just seems to be no end to it." The 5 Live Investigates programme has had exclusive access to the New Homes Review, an independent survey of 687 people who've bought new homes within the past 12 months, which shows nine out of 10 new buyers said there were defects when they moved in. A quarter say issues weren't dealt with promptly, while more than a third of homebuyers reported delays which meant their house wasn't built on time. Last month, the government announced plans to introduce a New Homes Ombudsman, to help buyers having problems with their newly built property. Housing Minister Heather Wheeler told 5 Live Investigates: "Where people have problems with their new-build home, builders and warranty providers have a legal and moral obligation to put it right. "While we develop these plans, we expect the industry to continue to improve the current redress arrangements and ensure properties are consistently of a good standard." Meanwhile, Craig said it could be May next year before the family get to move into their home. "We're in a position where we own a house that we can't live in, that we can't sell, that's got that many faults in it you're always going to question whether or not the house is going to be right." "We've asked Bovis Homes to take the keys back and take the home off us but they've refused to do that." Bovis told 5 Live Investigates: "We are committed to getting this right and are in regular communication with Mr Wakeman as the remedial work progresses." BBC Radio 5 Live Investigates is on from 11:00 on Sunday 25 November on BBC Radio 5 Live.

डेवलपर्स बोविस से अपना 325,000 पाउंड का घर खरीदने के दो साल बाद, क्रेग वेकमैन और साथी ट्रेसी बिकफोर्ड अभी भी यह पता लगाने के बाद कि उनके सपनों का घर 354 दोषों से भरा हुआ था, उनमें से कई संरचनात्मक थे, वहाँ जाने की प्रतीक्षा कर रहे हैं।


Italian crime looks into dark heart of society

Summary: European crime fiction, particularly Scandinavian noir, is enjoying a huge boom with novels such as Stieg Larsson's The Millennium Trilogy and Henning Mankell's Wallander. But Italian noir is emerging as a force inspired by the dark side of Italian society.

By Francis WelchProducer, Italian Noir Faced with the grim reality that many murders go unsolved, Italian writers are drawn to stories that offer no simple resolutions or happy endings. "We write more noir in Italy than traditional thriller. This is because we are more pessimistic about human nature," says Giancarlo De Cataldo, who became a crime fiction writer after serving as a judge. His experience of meeting members of the infamous Rome gang, the Banda Della Magliana, has inspired his novel Romanzo Criminale. Corruption and unsolved murders The story reflects the activities of the gang, which was one of the most powerful Italian criminal organisations during the 1970s and 1980s, controlling drug and gambling networks in Rome, as well as being associated with kidnappings and murders. "There is a grey zone between the normal citizen, the power, the legal economy and the underworld," says de Cataldo. "Romanzo Criminale is more than a thriller, it's a historical and political crime novel." And it is this theme that has come to encapsulate Italian noir novels today. Through their novels, authors are drawing on their experience of another side of contemporary Italy, of organised crime, political corruption and unsolved murders. "In truth there are few cases that are resolved with definite certainty, and in Italy there is no longer even the certainty of punishment," says Sicilian writer Andrea Camilleri, whose Inspector Montalbano Mysteries explore the mafia. "Fiction can tend to give the mafia a noble character," he says. "In the Godfather, for instance, Marlon Brando's incredible performance makes us forget that here is a man ordering killings by the dozen. "This is the risk that you run that in some way the mafia is glamorised and I refuse to do that." But the examination of Italy's society and the deep-rooted problems it faces has moral implications which noir writers battle with. "The poor crime fiction writer begins to ask himself some questions," says Camilleri. "He says, do I really have to be the one to sew the torn fabric of society?" Criticising reality Many Italian crime writers believe they are filling a void by highlighting what they perceive as the corruption and distress at the heart of society. "Anglo-American novelists have remained novelists. For us it has been necessary to become something more," says author Massimo Carlotto, whose own story could come from the pages of a noir novel. As a left-wing student protestor during Italy's troublesome Years of Lead from the late 1960s to the early 1980s - an era of bombings and social discontent - Carlotto was wrongly convicted of a murder and spent five years on the run in Central America. "I was arrested on the basis of a prejudice, and I was quickly declared guilty," he says. "I had already decided at the trial to get away from this madness by fleeing abroad." His best-selling novel, The Fugitive, recounts his experience. "The noir genre allows us to describe and criticise reality," says Carlotto. He was eventually pardoned in 1991, and today his novels focus on the issues facing Italy's north-east, where he lives. "No-one does investigative journalism with respect to changes in criminal phenomena in Italy any more. No-one writes about major crimes any more, especially organised crime." Italy's contradictions Italy's society today has emerged from its fascist past, and the roots of many Italian noir stories lie in the same period. Using the experience of a real-life former policeman who served under Italy's fascist regime, Carlo Lucarelli's novel Carte Blanche portrays what he describes as Italy's "contradictions". After World World II, Commissioner de Luca, the policeman he created continues in his career, but he now works for a force in a new democratic Italy. "Commissioner de Luca... is on one hand a good person, a policeman, a detective - the man who in the crime novel will lead us to the truth," says Lucarelli. "Yet at the same time he is also the instrument of dictatorships, and so he is a man full of contradictions who can live through Italian history and tell us about the contradictions of each period." Lucarelli says that authors have a shared commitment to write more than simple crime strories. "Our detectives are all characters who see what is happening in society and suffer. "They understand that there is nothing that they can do about it and this brings a state of despair." Italian Noir: The Story of Italian Crime Fiction will be broadcast at 2130GMT on Monday 27th December, 2010, on BBC Four, or catch up afterwards on BBC iPlayer

यूरोपीय अपराध कथा, विशेष रूप से स्कैंडिनेवियाई नोयर, स्टीग लार्सन की द मिलेनियम ट्रिलॉजी और हेनिंग मैनकेल की वालेंडर जैसे उपन्यासों के साथ एक बड़ी उछाल का आनंद ले रहा है। लेकिन इतालवी नोयर इतालवी समाज के काले पक्ष से प्रेरित एक शक्ति के रूप में उभर रहा है।


How Australia deals with 'boat people'

Summary: An overview of the number of asylum seekers who have arrived in Australia by boat in 2010 and the system to process their applications for refugee status. ( Figures as of 7 November 2010 ).

Under current Australian government policy, most of those who arrive by boat without valid documents are taken into immigration detention on Christmas Island while their reasons for being in Australia are verified. This process can take 90 days or more. Almost all detainees are asylum seekers - mostly from Afghanistan or Sri Lanka. Facilities on Christmas Island include a high security detention centre used for adult males, and a low security area to house families and unaccompanied minors. On the mainland, there is Immigration Residential Housing (IRH), which is designed to allow people to live in family-style accommodation while being detained. There is also Immigration Transit Accommodation (ITA), which provides hostel-style accommodation for those deemed to be "a low security risk".

2010 में नाव से ऑस्ट्रेलिया पहुंचने वाले शरण चाहने वालों की संख्या और शरणार्थी स्थिति के लिए उनके आवेदनों को संसाधित करने की प्रणाली का अवलोकन। (7 नवंबर 2010 तक के आंकड़े)।


Paying for care: Wales & the Barnett consequentials

Summary: Even by Nick Clegg's standards, it seemed a bold pledge. "We will make sure," wrote the deputy prime minister, "no-one is forced to sell their home to pay for care in their lifetime and no-one sees their life savings disappear just because they developed the wrong kind of illness."

David CornockParliamentary correspondent, Wales The phrase "in their lifetime" might make you want to check the smallprint but Mr Clegg's article gave the impression that future generations will not have to follow the 30,000 to 40,000 people a year who have sold their home to pay for care fees. Instead, the most anyone would have to pay would be £75,000 for the costs of social care, although they would still have to meet the "bed and board" costs of residential care, which could set them back up to £10,000 a year. An increase in the means-test threshold means that people with assets worth less than £123,000 (including their home) won't have to pay the full cost. That does suggest you could still end up with a pretty hefty bill that would either have to be paid for by selling your home or using your life savings. The big idea, apparently, is to create demand for a new insurance industry product to allow those of us in work to insure ourselves against future costs. Ministers believe people would take out insurance in the same way they contribute to pensions (except too few of us save enough for our retirement). Details emerged as the UK government gave its response to the report of the Dilnot commission on the funding of care and support, chaired by economist and Olchfa Comprehensive old boy, Andrew Dilnot. Now you may have noticed that the above policy applies only to England, but Wales isn't an island and what happens in England will have an impact west of Offa's Dyke. The English scheme will be funded by revenues from a freeze on inheritance tax (cue outrage in the Daily Mail) and the abolition of the state second pension. It will cost around £1bn a year and Welsh MPs have already got their calculators out to try to work out what the Welsh government can expect as a result. Under what's known as the Barnett formula, the Welsh government gets a consequential population-linked share of extra spending in comparable areas in England that are devolved in Wales. (Jargon alert: the next few sentences include too many references to "Barnett consequentials") At Westminster, Labour MP Chris Bryant asked Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt yesterday: "What discussions have you had with the Welsh assembly, because I presume that there will be a Barnett consequential - money going to Wales as a result of today's announcement? How much will that be?" Jeremy Hunt: "All the Barnett consequential issues are decided by the Treasury, and we will of course comply with them." Montgomeryshire Tory Glyn Davies had done the calculations himself: "The Barnett consequentials should mean an extra £10 million for Wales if the proposal costs about £1 bn. What discussions has he had with the Welsh government to encourage them at least to invest the Barnett consequentials in social care, given that it is as big a problem in Wales as it is in England?" Mr Hunt said he hadn't yet established what those "Barnett consequentials" would be. The Welsh government could choose to spend any Barnett consequentials" more of less as it chooses, but what are its plans for social care? A Welsh government spokesperson said: "We recognise the current arrangements for paying for social care are outdated and need reform. While Andrew Dilnot's report relates to England, this is an issue of vital importance for people in Wales and the rest of the UK. "We would need to see the sums in England before doing our own analysis and deciding what the best policy on paying for care in Wales should look like." The Welsh government has been consulting with "key stakeholders" to find out what kind of system would command "broad public support" and will issue a report on the outcome of that consultation within the next few weeks. UPDATE: Anthony Hilton, city editor of the London Evening Standard is unimpressed, warning that "anyone thinking from the hype of this morning's headlines that they no longer need to worry should think again."

निक क्लेग के मानकों से भी, यह एक साहसिक प्रतिज्ञा प्रतीत होती थी। "हम यह सुनिश्चित करेंगे", उप प्रधान मंत्री ने लिखा, "किसी को भी अपने जीवनकाल में देखभाल के लिए अपना घर बेचने के लिए मजबूर नहीं किया जाता है और कोई भी अपनी जीवन बचत को गायब होते हुए नहीं देखता है क्योंकि उन्होंने गलत तरह की बीमारी विकसित की है।"


Covid lockdown diaries: 'I'm not achieving anything'

Summary: Single mother-of-four Vicky Price lives in Henleaze, Bristol and has been juggling running her own business with home-schooling and somehow maintaining a home life for the past three lockdowns. Now she says she has "totally had enough" and feels like she is "not achieving anything" any more. This is lockdown in her own words.

"I've had lots of 'not-so-good' days. "I've been up since five working because I'm just so behind, and the house is a mess because I'm so behind. "I was in a meeting with two clients and the children went [berserk] and interrupted me and I had to stop the meeting a few times to go and deal with them. "Luckily my clients have been really, really understanding, but it takes my mind away from the job and what are you supposed to do? I just have to pick up and carry on. "I really want the schools to open now. "I've totally had enough. 'It's impossible' "I'm not achieving anything, I'm not achieving any home-schooling." Her six-year-old has had her school hours reduced from five days at school to three days, which means life has become "a bit trickier", in terms of juggling childcare and work. To make matters worse, Ms Price has also given up her bedroom to prevent her children fighting. "I have no bedroom, even though I was using my bed as a workspace a lot of the time. "My girls shared a room and they have been on top of each other for best part of a year and they're starting to argue and get a bit stressed, so I'll do anything for a quiet life right now. "It's my 13-year-old's birthday today and we put some balloons up but there wasn't much we could get really because all of the shops around here are closed which was a bit annoying but, we have got a few deliveries coming and a couple of surprises. "With home-schooling the girls are getting on with some things but with my nine year old I only get to sit with him from 3pm because I'm on work meetings all morning. I just can't. It's impossible. "There are no solutions here but I'm lucky in a way that I work for myself because it's up to me, you know?"

चार बच्चों की एकल माँ विक्की प्राइस हेनलीज़, ब्रिस्टल में रहती है और पिछले तीन लॉकडाउन से होम-स्कूलिंग और किसी तरह घरेलू जीवन को बनाए रखते हुए अपना खुद का व्यवसाय चला रही है। अब वह कहती है कि उसके पास "पूरी तरह से पर्याप्त था" और महसूस करती है कि वह अब "कुछ भी हासिल नहीं कर रही है"। यह उसके अपने शब्दों में लॉकडाउन है।


Storm Callum: Amber weather alert issued for Wales

Summary: Disruption is expected on Friday as Storm Callum hits Wales.

An amber warning for heavy rain has been issued for most of south Wales bringing an increased likelihood of travel delays, power cuts and potential risks to life and property. It comes on top of a yellow Met Office warning for high winds and heavy rain across most of the country. Arriva Trains Wales is amending services and ferry crossings have been cancelled because of the storm threat. The Met Office warnings run from the early hours of Friday into Saturday and a number of flood alerts have been issued across south and west Wales. The worst of the rain will be on south and south-facing hills, with 120mm to 160mm (4.7in to 6.3in) predicted, according to the forecaster. High winds with gusts of 50mph to 60mph around exposed coasts and hills are also forecast. Amber warnings can mean: Natural Resources Wales (NRW) warned that weather conditions at sea could also cause flooding with large waves, strong winds and a tidal surge. Those adverse conditions saw Irish Ferries cancel six crossings between Holyhead and Dublin while Stena Lines cancelled services between Fishguard and Rosslare. Due to the threat of coastal flooding, Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail have amended services on the Swansea to Carmarthen line from 07:00 BST to 11:00 and after 19:00. Arriva said only very limited replacement buses will be available and advised people to check the latest advice before travelling. No trains will operate between Machynlleth and Newtown after 10:00 on Friday until Monday morning. Arriva has also cancelled services between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog on both Friday and Saturday. On Thursday, Rhondda Cynon Taf council had teams of workers filling 2,500 sandbags and asked residents to clear drains and gullies to help prevent flooding. Meanwhile Carmarthenshire council urged drivers to take extra care along the coast. NRW said its emergency response teams were checking flood defences, clearing gullies and ditches and installing temporary defences. With the storm set to move north during Friday and Saturday, electricity distributor SP Energy Networks issued advice in case of power cuts in North Wales. Director Stephen Stewart said: "Even though power cuts are rare, during times of heavy rain and flooding they become more likely. "Preparations are well underway to ensure we have engineers and equipment and customer care teams on hand to respond to faults should they come in." The yellow warning runs from 05:00 BST on Friday until midnight on Saturday and the amber warning from 06:00 on Friday until 18:00 on Saturday.

शुक्रवार को तूफान कैलम के वेल्स से टकराने के कारण व्यवधान की उम्मीद है।


In pictures: Looking back on the hottest July day

Summary: As England sizzled in record-breaking temperatures, BBC Online gathered some of the more unusual images from across the country.

From knights in shining (and no doubt sweaty) armour, to Wimbledon spectators donning newspapers as sun-hats, Wednesday saw a number of novel ways to beat the 36.7C (98F) heat. Not all areas were kissed by the sun, and thunderstorms like those seen in the north east are expected to be more widespread on Thursday. If you have a photo you'd like to share, email us at england@bbc.co.uk, post it on Facebook or tweet it to @BBCEngland.

जैसे-जैसे इंग्लैंड में रिकॉर्ड तोड़ तापमान बढ़ रहा था, बीबीसी ऑनलाइन ने देश भर से कुछ और असामान्य छवियां एकत्र कीं।


How hard is the maths GCSE?

Summary: This week, there's been a lot of chatter about a tough question in a GCSE exam issued by Edexcel . The algebra of Hannah's orange and yellow sweets flummoxed a decent portion of the country's 16-year-olds. This question opens up a hoary old argument that is guaranteed to annoy teenagers: just how hard is the current GCSE? This is a surprisingly tough question to answer for a number of reasons. But we can certainly say that it is harder than its caricature in the popular press has it.

Chris CookPolicy editor, Newsnight To answer it, it's worth a look at a fascinating new piece of work by Ofqual, the qualifications regulator, which got a group of mathematicians to grade GCSE maths questions on how easy they were from a mathematical perspective: 35 judges compared pairs of exam questions thousands of times to build a nuanced picture of which qualifications were more complex. It was commissioned because England is changing how it runs its GCSEs, so was designed to benchmark new exams and the old ones against one another and against foreign comparator exams for similarly aged young people. This rather busy diagram shows the results: In brief: each bar represents one maths exam. The higher up the black line in the middle is, the harder the median question. The top edge of the box shows where the hardest quarter of questions starts and the bottom edge shows where the easiest quarter ends. So a bigger box means that the exam covers a wide range of aptitude and a higher line means the middle question is harder. The green bars are for foreign exams. The dark blue bars are current "higher" GCSE maths papers, which contain the questions designed to tell higher aptitude children apart. The light blue bars are the current "foundation" papers, which have questions designed to tell apart students at the lower-aptitude end. The red and orange bars show the same for the proposed post-reform GCSE papers. To take a worked example, the right hand bar is green, meaning it is foreign (in that case, New Zealand). It has the hardest median question of all, since the black line in that column is highest of all. But since it is a squat column that does not spread far up or down, the exam does not cover much of the ability range. What sort of exam is the maths GCSE? This diagram clearly shows up the GCSE's strength as an exam: it distinguishes the ability of children at the very bottom of the attainment spectrum and children at the top. Just look at how wide a range of aptitude they cover. To do that, you have to look at two bars together - say, the Pearson Foundation paper which is the furthest to the left, and the Pearson Higher paper, which is about halfway up. You can also see that the GCSE is particularly good at something that is important, but often gets little credit: distinguishing achievement at the bottom end. Indeed, Ofqual found that the testing found that GCSE maths contained the easiest questions of any test for 15-16 year-olds from a range of countries. These are questions like this one: These sorts of questions often get cited in attacks on the GCSE as dumbing down. But these are questions that are telling apart students on course for a G from students who might get an F. In lots of other countries, these pupils would be doing another qualification - or none. This matters: the Korean paper examined by Ofqual is tougher than ours, but is taken by only around 1% of students. The Japanese paper by about 30% of pupils. That makes it like the old English O-level, which surprisingly few students took. You can also see that the New Zealand exams, which are taken by everyone, only measure a narrow range of ability. But having a framework that includes and measures most students well is a good thing, since schools have an incentive to pay attention to help everyone to make some progress. And remember that the GCSE papers do also contains tougher questions, like the notorious one from yesterday, which are designed to help us tell apart students competing for the higher grades. Here it is: The algebra here isn't too tough. The difficulty comes in seeing how to connect the probability to the rest of the problem. If it is any consolation to students who struggled with it, this requires a similar conceptual jump to a question that Ofqual's panel of mathematicians thought was among the hardest - also set by Edexcel. Again, it's a question that merges probability together with another concept. Still, the Ofqual research does make an important criticism of the GCSE. The current GCSE is weaker than some other countries' exams at stretching our high-attaining students. Looking back to the diagram at the top, you can also see that the new GCSEs (in red and orange) will be a bit more demanding - but they will still not match the pure mathematical complexity of questions elsewhere. So we can say from this that there is less room to test differences in conceptual grip among top-end students in the core GCSE, but is the exam easier? Not so fast. First, it is worth noting that the toughest questions on this measure from around the world are not conceptually a lot harder than the top English questions. This, for example, was the toughest set of questions in the whole set. The maths involved in the second part of the Hannah's sweets question would be enough to solve the first, supposedly the hardest of them all. The margins are fine. (The first two are from New Zealand. The third is from the Netherlands.) Second, just because a paper has more complex questions, it does not mean it is harder. On Ofqual's scoring system, a paper that covered very few topics but did so in great depth would score very highly. Having a wider range of content in the paper is not recognised. So the true picture is more nuanced. The new GCSE is bulking up on content, so Ofqual's measure may understate the scale of the change that is coming. Third, remember that variation in a paper's contents from year to year make it harder. When I was an undergraduate studying history, I always did history of art questions because no-one else ever did them and so the exam questions never changed. And an objectively complex question becomes easy if it's asked every year. (The old O-level had that problem in a big way.) So what can we say about the maths GCSE from all this? It is a bit less complex at the top end than some other exams - probably a consequence of its great strength at the bottom end. But there's a lot more to whether an exam is hard than complexity. And there's a lot more to how good an exam is than how hard it is.

इस सप्ताह, एडेक्सेल द्वारा जारी जी. सी. एस. ई. परीक्षा में एक कठिन प्रश्न के बारे में बहुत सारी बातें हुईं। हन्ना की नारंगी और पीली मिठाइयों के बीजगणित ने देश के 16 साल के बच्चों के एक अच्छे हिस्से को झकझोर दिया। यह प्रश्न एक पुरानी पुरानी दलील खोलता है जो किशोरों को परेशान करने की गारंटी देता हैः वर्तमान जी. सी. एस. ई. कितना कठिन है? यह कई कारणों से जवाब देने के लिए एक आश्चर्यजनक रूप से कठिन प्रश्न है। लेकिन हम निश्चित रूप से कह सकते हैं कि यह लोकप्रिय प्रेस में इसके कैरिकेचर की तुलना में कठिन है।


Pontefract death prompts murder inquiry

Summary: The death of a man who was found injured at a property in West Yorkshire is being treated as murder.

The 45-year-old man was found in South Baileygate, Pontefract, in the early hours of Thursday. He was taken to hospital where he died a short time later, West Yorkshire Police said. A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the man's death and is currently in police custody, the force added. More from Yorkshire

वेस्ट यॉर्कशायर में एक संपत्ति में घायल पाए गए एक व्यक्ति की मौत को हत्या माना जा रहा है।