Q&A: What happens now UUP has withdrawn from NI Executive?

Summary: The Ulster Unionist Party's (UUP) ruling body has unanimously decided that the party will withdraw from the Northern Ireland Executive. Party leader Mike Nesbitt's recommendation to leave the executive has been rubber-stamped , so what happens next?

The next step will centre on the resignation of the party's only executive minister, Danny Kennedy. Under the Northern Ireland Act 1998, the minister can put notice in writing to the first and deputy first ministers. UUP leader Mike Nesbitt has said Mr Kennedy will send in his letter of resignation on Tuesday. The Ulster Unionists will then be asked to nominate a replacement within seven days. If they do not nominate anyone, then under the d'Hondt system it will fall to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to nominate a replacement, with Sinn Féin next in line if the DUP choose not to nominate. The UUP said they were going into opposition - how would this happen? The Stormont House Agreement would have created a mechanism for that by March had it been implemented. The agreement sets out a range of measures to enable parties who would be entitled to ministerial positions in the executive but choose not to take them up to be recognised as an official opposition and to facilitate their work. These measures include provision for financial and research assistance and designated speaking rights, including the opportunity to ask questions and table business. But as things stand no special arrangements are in place, so the UUP will have no official recognition of their role outside the executive. The DUP have said they are prepared to move to exclude Sinn Féin from the Northern Ireland Executive - how would this happen? The legislation allows any member of the assembly to table a motion calling for the exclusion of a minister or political party on the grounds they are not committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful means. If a motion to exclude Sinn Féin comes to the floor of the assembly, it will need cross community consent to succeed. At the moment that seems certain to fail given that Sinn Féin MLAs will vote against it and the other nationalist party, the SDLP, has also ruled out backing the motion. The legislation says that in the event of such a motion not getting cross community support the Northern Ireland secretary of state can seek to exclude a party by direction. But if Theresa Villiers was to do that she would know it would almost certainly collapse the Stormont executive. Can the assembly be suspended? Prior to the introduction of the St Andrews Agreement in 2006, Stormont could be suspended and Northern Ireland returned to direct rule. This has happened four times since direct rule was first introduced in 1972. The longest period of suspension was from 2002 to 2007. In 2002 the existing team of three Northern Ireland Office ministers was augmented by two and the ministers divided the 11 ministerial departments as they were then - there was no department of justice - between them. During that time direct rule ministers launched a consultation on water charges and took the controversial decision on a single site for maternity services to be located at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. The legislation to suspend is no longer on the statute books. It would require emergency legislation at Westminster to reinstate the power. If the assembly cannot be suspended can it be dissolved? The secretary of state has the power to dissolve the assembly and call an election. Will MLAs continue to be paid if Stormont is dissolved? When the assembly was suspended from 2002 to 2007 MLAs were paid 70% of their salaries. What happens under dissolution is a different matter.

अल्स्टर यूनियनिस्ट पार्टी (यू. यू. पी.) के सत्तारूढ़ निकाय ने सर्वसम्मति से निर्णय लिया है कि पार्टी उत्तरी आयरलैंड की कार्यकारी से हट जाएगी। पार्टी के नेता माइक नेसबिट की कार्यकारी छोड़ने की सिफारिश पर मुहर लगा दी गई है, तो आगे क्या होगा?


Huddersfield grooming: How the West Yorkshire gang operated

Summary: A gang of men who abused vulnerable teenage girls in Huddersfield has been given lengthy jail sentences. How did these sex offenders from West Yorkshire, who were convicted of more than 120 offences against 15 girls, operate?

By Oliver WrightBBC News How did the abusers control their victims? The men, who are all British Asians mainly of Pakistani heritage, groomed girls by making them feel special, then plying them with alcohol, cannabis and other drugs. They then used violence and threats to control them, on one occasion threatening to bomb a girl's family home. The victims were often taken to parties where they were given drink and drugs and forced to have sex with men who were sometimes decades older than them. On other occasions they were sexually assaulted in car parks, above takeaways, at snooker clubs and in parks around West Yorkshire. Some were raped and abused as part of "truth or dare games" while others were abandoned on the moors late at night if they refused to do what they were told. One girl was raped by the gang's leader as punishment for "showing him up" after she refused to perform a sex act on another man in the back of a car. The same girl was also forced to have an abortion and told the court she had no idea whose baby it was. Another girl was abducted from the children's home she was staying in and taken and abused on the moors when she was just 12. Who were the men? A large amount of the grooming and abuse was carried out by the gang's ringleader Amere Singh Dhaliwal, a Sikh man who was known by the nickname Pretos. The now-married father-of-two was convicted of attacks on 11 of the 15 girls. His treatment of his victims was described by Judge Marson as "inhuman". The other men - aged between 27 and 54 - were equally described as "predatory and perverted". In total 20 men, from Huddersfield, Sheffield, Bradford and Dewsbury, have been convicted and sentenced for their part in the abuse. The court heard many other perpetrators have not been identified and girls spoke of being abused by men they heard being called "Mangos" - a term used for men from Pakistan who did not really speak English. Prosecutor Richard Wright QC told the court: "These men cared only for themselves and viewed these girls as objects to be used an abused at will. "These men did not only control the girls by grooming them, they were also quite capable of employing threats of violence if the need arose, on occasion using violence and threats to control them and force them into sexual activity against their will." Who did the gang target? In total 15 girls aged between 11 and 17 fell victim to the gang. Many of them were socially isolated and as such became "easy targets for abuse", the court heard. Among the victims were girls with mild learning disabilities, girls who were bullied at school; one girl's mother was completely unable to look after her because of her own drink and drug problems. As a result they often craved the attention they were given, leaving them unable to see what was being done to them until it was too late. The court heard some of the victims felt they were in genuine relationships, such was the extent to which they had been groomed. How did the victims remain in the gang's grip? Over the course of the three trials jurors listened as the gang's victims recounted how they had been groomed and exploited over many years, unable to escape. "I suppose when you're young and you get bullied at school you do sort of like the attention, and things getting bought for you and stuff, but then once you were in with them you couldn't get out of it," one girl said. "They got your trust and then stuff would start happening to you. I was constantly getting raped and beaten up." Another, when asked why she kept going back to the men said: "They just threatened me - 'I'm coming to pick you up now and if you don't come, I'm coming to get your mum'." Such was the men's hold over the girls one woman said her daughter cracked her head jumping from a first floor balcony at their home in order to get out. The girl later told police: "Every time I went out something bad happened. I risked my life every time. I was a mess." One victim, who only escaped her abusers when her family was forced to move out of the area following a house fire, said: "It was the best thing I ever did, and that's bad saying that burning your house down is the best thing you ever did." Speaking to detectives many years later one girl said: "I always bugged myself - 'why did I go back?' - and I still cannot answer that question. "For years and years I blamed myself that it was my fault I went back, [but] they're quite manipulative and when you're in that situation you're so pressured, you feel so stupid and dirty and horrible." When did the abuse come to light? Victims and their families say they repeatedly told police and the authorities what was happening at the time but that it had fallen on deaf ears. One woman said she had even written to the Prime Minister. One girl said when she tried to tell two officers who took her to hospital after she was assaulted by one of her abusers they told her "you must have wanted it". The first allegations to be taken seriously surfaced in 2011 when a victim wrote a letter to a judge outlining the abuse she had suffered, but she did not make a formal complaint. It was not until 2013 that another victim came forward to police to make formal allegations against two gang members, Nasarat Hussain and Irfan Ahmed. Over the following three years dozens of girls and men were interviewed. Then in March 2017 a total of 29 people were initially charged as part of what became known as Operation Tendersea. Why have these trials not been reported on before? Details of the convictions and lengthy jail sentences imposed can only now be reported as a blanket ban on coverage put in place in November 2017 was lifted following an application by the media. The press restrictions were put in place under the 1981 Contempt of Court Act, which allows a judge to stop reporting of a case to avoid prejudice and protect the integrity of the hearing or any future hearings. That ban on coverage, however, has attracted criticism from certain groups, including those with links to the far-right. In May, the former leader of the English Defence League Tommy Robinson was jailed for 13 months after he admitted a charge of contempt for filming outside Leeds Crown Court during the second of three trials. The footage, lasting about an hour-and-a-half, of Robinson discussing the trial was watched 250,000 times within hours of being posted as a Facebook Live. On appeal, however, Robinson's conviction was quashed because of a number of procedural errors, though he faces a fresh hearing in relation to the alleged breach later this year.

हडर्सफील्ड में कमजोर किशोर लड़कियों के साथ दुर्व्यवहार करने वाले पुरुषों के एक गिरोह को लंबी जेल की सजा दी गई है। वेस्ट यॉर्कशायर के ये यौन अपराधी, जिन्हें 15 लड़कियों के खिलाफ 120 से अधिक अपराधों के लिए दोषी ठहराया गया था, कैसे काम करते थे?


Sputnik V: How Russia's Covid vaccine is dividing Europe

Summary: It's no coincidence that Russia has christened its Covid vaccine Sputnik V. The first time the world learned the meaning of the Russian word Sputnik was in 1957 when the Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite into orbit.

By Kevin ConnollyBBC News, Brussels At the height of the Cold War this startling evidence of Moscow's scientific and technical capabilities came as a huge shock to Western powers, which had assumed they enjoyed a comfortable technological lead over the Soviets. Critics of the Putin administration were sceptical when the vaccine was given regulatory approval in Moscow as early as last August. That scepticism, though, has faded. Because once again Russian scientists have surprised the West. A Russian 'tool of soft power' An Eastern European diplomat, from a country that regards Russia as a clear and present threat, put it to me like this: "The search for vaccines in 2020 was rather similar to the race for space flight in the 1950s. Once again many outsiders have underestimated Russia. This is potentially the most powerful tool of soft power that Moscow has had in its hands for generations." That word "potentially" is important here. Sputnik V has not yet been approved by the EU's European Medicines Agency. But it's already been ordered by many different countries from Argentina and Mexico to Israel and the Philippines, and Russian officials say they have signed deals to produce it in South Korea and India. There has been the odd hiccup in the rollout. Argentinian President Alberto Fernández tested positive for Covid-19 in April after receiving two doses of Sputnik in January and February. That's a reminder that even if the Gamaleya Institute's claimed efficacy rate of 91.6% turns out to be true, a small statistical risk remains among those who've been vaccinated. In Europe, though, the Sputnik vaccine has created problems that are more political than epidemiological. The EU struggles to speak with a single, convincing voice on Russia. That's partly a matter of history and geography. Lithuania and Poland are naturally more likely to consider Russia a threat than are, say, Portugal and Malta. And there's also the perennial problem of balancing the EU's status as an importer of Russian gas with the EU's desire to punish Russia over issues like the attempted murder of leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny or the military build-up on the border of Ukraine. Adding European reliance on Russia for vaccine supplies into that mix is going to make the relationship harder than ever to balance. And yet Europe, or at least parts of Europe, are beginning to turn to Moscow out of frustration at the EU's painfully slow vaccine rollout. 'You have to think of your own interests' Hungary has already bought and distributed considerable quantities of Sputnik V. France and Germany, among many others, are at least prepared to consider it, if and when the European Medicines Agency gives its approval. Hungary has used its right as an independent member state to grant emergency authorisation. Veteran French diplomat Pierre Vimont, who's now a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, says it's perfectly rational for member states to think about buying Sputnik. "Even when you're facing an adversary," he told the BBC, "you have to think of your own interests." Mr Vimont, as you'd expect of a man who's held some of his country's most important diplomatic postings, suggests that the European Union's attitude should be one of cautious pragmatism. That means acknowledging the excellence of Russian science but waiting for EMA authorisation as well. He makes the point that countries using the jab on the basis of their own approval could face political difficulties with their own voters if things go wrong. How Sputnik row brought down a prime minister The case of Slovakia offers a salutary warning to others. Its Prime Minister, Igor Matovic, secretly arranged to import 200,000 doses of the Russian vaccine. He was forced to leave his post late last month because he'd failed to consult his coalition partners. Then Slovak scientists claimed the doses sent to Bratislava were different to samples of the vaccine sent elsewhere, prompting the Russians to denounce the claim as fake news and demand the return of the shipment. An offer from Hungary to approve the doses on Slovakia's behalf added a further layer of complexity. Russia normally has to spend huge amounts of money on computer hacking and disinformation to spread discord and uncertainty in Europe. Now the vaccine appears to be achieving something similar without any effort. Pierre Vimont of Carnegie says the Putin administration will be pleased. "I'm sure they are enjoying this," he said, "let's not be fooled. The use of vaccines by Russia and by China is a diplomatic instrument, a tool for soft power. Playing {EU} member states off against each other is naturally important to Russia." A notable victory for Russia There was a similar reaction from our Eastern European diplomat, who fears that European actions over cases like the poisoning of Alexei Navalny are generally too weak. "What the vaccines episode shows," he told me, "is that we are quite capable of tying ourselves in knots over our dealings with Moscow without any help from the Russians." There is a long way to run with all of this. Russia still has a lot to do to increase production of its vaccine even as it boldly takes orders all over the world. This week it announced it was starting production of the drug in Serbia, the first European country outside Russia and Belarus. It may also be planning to license production in Western Europe as well as India. But there's still the need for EMA authorisation: will the Russian data and the way it was collected meet EU standards? But for now there is no doubt that Russia has scored a notable scientific and political victory. The original Sputnik changed the world. Sputnik V may not represent an achievement on quite that scale but it is certainly helping to change the way Russia is perceived. More on Russia's early success in the space race

यह कोई संयोग नहीं है कि रूस ने अपने कोविड टीके स्पुतनिक वी का नामकरण किया है। दुनिया को पहली बार रूसी शब्द स्पुतनिक का अर्थ 1957 में पता चला था जब सोवियत संघ ने पहले मानव निर्मित उपग्रह को कक्षा में प्रक्षेपित किया था।


Covid shielding at Christmas: 'Our son, 9, would not survive virus'

Summary: The relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions in Wales on Christmas Day will allow many people to form a two-household bubble with loved ones. But thousands of people who have been shielding during the pandemic won't have that luxury.

By Caleb SpencerBBC News About 130,000 people in Wales deemed extremely vulnerable due to underlying health conditions have once again been told to stay home by the Welsh Government. Although government-advised shielding previously ended in August, many haven't been able to truly stop shielding since the start of the pandemic. BBC Wales has spoken to a number of people who are facing the prospect of not seeing their nearest and dearest this Christmas. 'Covid would kill our nine-year-old son' By any metric, Matthew and Lisa Williams and their sons Macsen and Ioan, from Swansea, have had a very difficult time during the pandemic. Nine-year-old Macsen has multiple neurological disorders caused by a rare genetic mutation, including quadriplegic cerebral palsy, uncontrolled epilepsy, cortical visual impairment and respiratory conditions. It means he cannot sit, stand, roll or walk unaided, can have up to 40 seizures per day, has vision "like looking through Swiss cheese" and is fed through a tube. The family have been effectively shielding since January after Macsen became so unwell with chest infections that anaesthetists had to hold his head manually for hours at a time to help him breathe. "We kind of had a preview of what he would be like if he had Covid - if he had that now, I'm not sure he would be able to fight it," says Matthew. Although Christmas Day is usually spent together without guests, Matthew said the family would normally see grandparents and friends in the days before and after - but will be unable to this year. "It's really sad for the kids - both worship their grandparents as well, so it's really sad knowing they are not going to physically see them," he explained. "The biggest thing I'm thinking of is that Macsen loves Christmas in school. He's had a whole year without school and it's his favourite place in the world." 'I was at such a low point' The demands of raising a child with needs as complex as Macsen's during a pandemic are unimaginable to most people, but both Matthew and Lisa also have health challenges of their own. Matthew has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a genetic condition which means he is losing strength in his limbs and is often physically exhausted. Lisa suffers with both chronic migraines - up to 25 a month without treatment - and endometriosis, which can cause debilitating pain and extremely heavy periods. Earlier in the pandemic, Ioan, who is 12 and in secondary school, had a cold which meant he had to isolate in his own bedroom for two weeks to avoid passing it on to Macsen. Lisa was looking after Ioan while Matthew looked after Macsen in another part of the house. Towards the end of the two weeks, Lisa caught a cold which meant Matthew had to continue looking after Macsen alone for another two weeks. "I was at such a low point at the end of the four weeks that I broke down," said Matthew. Tŷ Hafan, a charity which cares for children with life-limiting conditions, stepped in and took Macsen in to give the family respite for a week or so. "That's been our lives for nine years - when you think you are at the lowest point, something else happens," Matthew added. 'Ostracised by Covid' Rhiannon Jones, 21, has cerebral palsy and has been living in a Leonard Cheshire care home for disabled people near Newport since she left her family home in October. Because her condition can affect her breathing, she has been forced to shield as she waits to be housed with her 22-year-old sister in Bridgend. "I'm a very sociable person, so not seeing people has definitely impacted my mental health," she said. "I was diagnosed with depression and PTSD so it has not been a very good time for me, but the care staff here have been so supportive." Rhiannon said she has been shielding since the first lockdown was announced in March, and accepts "there's not much likelihood" of seeing family over Christmas. "It has felt like an eternity because I haven't been able to see my family," she said. "Covid has made everything so impersonal. I thrive off my family support. I feel like I have been ostracised by Covid." 'I'm used to my family being there' Dot Gallagher, 72, is full-time carer for her sons Gary, 47, who has learning disabilities and muscular dystrophy, and Michael, 32, who has Down's syndrome. Along with another son Martin, 53, the family have been shielding at their home in Holyhead since March. "It's difficult. I'm used to most of my family being there," said Dot, who is chairwoman of learning disability charity Mencap on Anglesey. In total, Dot has five sons and a daughter who usually spend Christmas together. "We would all normally be together, and everyone would bring something to the table on Christmas Day," she said. But the sacrifices Dot and her family have already made have only stiffened her resolve to avoid letting their guard down. "I'm not going to waste what I consider to be a year of our lives keeping them safe, just to enjoy two days at Christmas," she explained. 'The loneliness and isolation goes on' Deborah Ho, director of care at Tŷ Hafan, said: "This year, families are balancing the wish to see their families with the need to protect their child from the risks that Covid-19 presents. "Many families have made the difficult decision to see families from a distance as opposed to face to face, meaning the loneliness and isolation they have felt throughout 2020 goes on." The Leonard Cheshire charity urged people who are shielding "to adhere to guidelines and use their own personal discretion to ensure they remain safe from the virus".

क्रिसमस के दिन वेल्स में कोविड-19 प्रतिबंधों में ढील देने से कई लोग अपने प्रियजनों के साथ दो-घर का बुलबुला बना सकेंगे। लेकिन हजारों लोग जो महामारी के दौरान बचाव कर रहे हैं, उनके पास वह विलासिता नहीं होगी।


Putin's Russian image change: Action man to Mr Ordinary

Summary: As viewers watched Russian state TV coverage of Victory Day on 9 May, their eyes will have been drawn to one face in particular among the crowds carrying photographs of family members who took part in the struggle against Nazi Germany between 1941 and 1945.

By Stephen EnnisBBC Monitoring Among the massed ranks, a portrait of his late father held out in front of him, was President Vladimir Putin. This surprise appearance amid crowds in Moscow honouring ordinary people who served in World War Two seems to be part of a change of image for the Russian president - portraying him more as a down-to-Earth man of the people, rather than the all-action hero TV viewers have become used to seeing. For over 30 seconds, TV commentators made no reference to his surprise appearance. But then anchor Vladimir Solovyev supplied the meaning of what was undoubtedly a carefully choreographed media event. "There were no loud announcements and no commotion. Why?" said Mr Solovyev. "Because this is an amazing event at which politics moves into the background. It is a day when all are equal." Brand Putin still in fashion In pictures: Russian WW2 Victory Day Not everything went completely smoothly. As the president paused for a short interview surrounded by his security entourage, an old man button-holed him to ask about the benefits he was due as someone affected by the 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl. 'Masterstroke' The cameras quickly moved away. But Solovyev continued in the same lyrical vein. "Victory Day - everyone is equal. People just come up to the president of the Russian Federation and talk to him." The message of the people's president was reinforced in other parts of the media. "Putin acted like an ordinary man," proclaimed a headline on the popular news website Gazeta.ru. Commentator Aleksey Malashenko described it as a political masterstroke. "I would not be surprised if at that moment the president's rating had reached 100%. Yes, it was populism, but sincere populism," he blogged on the Ekho Moskvy radio station website. Prezident Putin as man of the people was also one of the key themes of Prezident, a 150-minute film recently shown on official channel Rossiya 1 to mark the 15th anniversary of the beginning of his rule in 2000. The film dwelt on the Russian leader's humble origins and his attachment to his late parents. "He comes from a working family in the suburbs, just like millions of others, millions of his compatriots, same as me, same as you," popular singer Nikolay Rastorguyev said over footage of Putin discussing people's problems in the street. In the film, President Putin himself stressed that he was not from an "elite background". "This connection with the people and sense of closeness to them, to ordinary people, are hugely important and a great help to me in my work," he said. Prezident also featured an episode from 2006 in which Putin visited a coffee shop in Dresden and stood in the corner with his coffee and cake, apparently unnoticed by other customers. The sequence was shown without commentary as if its only purpose was to reinforce the idea of Putin as the "ordinary man". This portrayal of Putin is in marked contrast to the image of the derring-do hero of the TV stunts for which he has become famous - the bare-chested hunting expeditions, the dive for Greek wine vats in the Black Sea and saving journalists by shooting a Siberian tiger with a tranquilizer, to name but a few. But it has been some time since Russian TV viewers were treated to Putin in full-blown action-man mode and is a far cry from the image given by a film aired three years ago to mark his 60th birthday. 'Lost touch with reality' That NTV film showed the president working late at night, alone in his office, breakfasting on health foods and swimming and exercising in his private gym, watched over by his beloved black labrador Koni. Media academic Anna Kachkayeva believes it portrayed a person who "for a long time has been living in the special dimension of power and has, of course, lost touch with reality". The wish to show President Putin as an "ordinary man" may be related to the political imperatives of Russia's current economic difficulties. But there may also be a more personal element. At the end of "Prezident", Vladimir Solovyev asks Mr Putin what he has had to give up as leader of his country. The president sighs deeply, frowns and answers: "A normal, everyday life." One journalist, Oleg Kashin, suggested the film may have been less about propaganda than psychotherapy. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

जैसा कि दर्शकों ने 9 मई को विजय दिवस के रूसी राज्य टीवी कवरेज को देखा, उनकी आँखें विशेष रूप से 1941 और 1945 के बीच नाजी जर्मनी के खिलाफ संघर्ष में भाग लेने वाले परिवार के सदस्यों की तस्वीरें ले जाने वाली भीड़ के बीच एक चेहरे की ओर खींची गई होंगी।


Royal Wedding 2018: The bridesmaids and pageboys

Summary: Six bridesmaids and four pageboys played a major supporting role as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot. Prince George and Princess Charlotte - Prince Harry's niece and nephew - were among the children, all aged between two and seven, under the spotlight of the world's media at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

Princess Charlotte was joined as a bridesmaid by Prince Harry's god-daughters - Zalie Warren, two, and three-year-old Florence van Cutsem - and Meghan's Markle's goddaughters. Sisters Remi and Rylan Litt, aged six and seven respectively, and four-year-old Ivy Mulroney are the daughters of Ms Markle's friends Benita Litt and Jessica Mulroney. As a pageboy, Prince George wore a miniature version of the Blues and Royals frockcoats worn by Prince Harry and his brother and best man Prince William. The other pageboys were seven-year-old twins John and Brian Mulroney and Jasper Dyer, six, another of Prince Harry's godsons. The Duchess of Cambridge arrived with Prince George (l), Jasper Dyer, Princess Charlotte (r) and Florence van Cutsem. The bridesmaids had to be given a helping hand as they walked up the steps of St George's Chapel. Princess Charlotte turned to give a wave. The designer of the wedding dress, Clare Waight Keller, was also behind the bridesmaids' dresses. Made of ivory silk radzimir, the high-waisted outfits with short puff sleeves and pleated skirt were hand finished with a double silk ribbon detail tied at the back in a bow. The girls also wore a flower crown chosen by Prince Harry and Meghan, which replicated the blooms used in the bridal bouquet. Pageboys John and Brian Mulroney accompanied Meghan Markle on the journey from her hotel to Windsor in a vintage Rolls-Royce. They held the train of Ms Markle's dress as she walked up the steps of St George's Chapel. Just before Ms Markle arrived, the Duchess of Cambridge helped coax the children into position. They were handed flowers, ready for their big moment. And they walked back down the aisle with the newlyweds at the end of the service. A wave goodbye from Princess Charlotte after the service as the new Duke and Duchess of Sussex boarded a horse-drawn landau for the procession in front of cheering crowds.

छह ब्राइड्समेड्स और चार पेजबॉय ने एक प्रमुख सहायक भूमिका निभाई जब प्रिंस हैरी और मेघन मार्कल शादी के बंधन में बंधे। प्रिंस जॉर्ज और प्रिंसेस शार्लोट-प्रिंस हैरी की भतीजी और भतीजे-सेंट जॉर्ज चैपल, विंडसर में दुनिया के मीडिया की सुर्खियों में दो से सात साल की उम्र के बच्चों में से थे।


Tour de France Grand Depart diary

Summary: With the world's biggest bike race starting in Leeds on 5 July, BBC Yorkshire's Tour de France correspondent Matt Slater rounds up the best of the gossip, opinion and stories, on and off the bike, and also tries to explain some of cycling's unique lingo. TOP STORIES

Legacy alert One of the most common questions I get from you, the licence-fee payer, is: "Will the Tour de France be more than just a flash of carbon fibre and wickable fabric for Yorkshire's economy?" I probably get that almost as much as: "Tour de France correspondent? Are you having a laugh?" My answer to both is "yes", but to the former I add: "Why wait until after the Grand Depart, it's happening now." And to prove that I write to you now from a family break in The Dales: the Tour effect in bed-and-breakfast form. The flipside of that, however, is that this is going to be an abridged diary. Bolton Abbey's welly walk waits for no man. This weekend's top tale came at Leeds First Direct Arena where 5,000 Tour Makers gathered for a motivational rally, as if one was needed. The Tour Makers are the Olympic-style volunteers who will point riders/spectators/visiting dignitaries in the right direction, answer questions and remain cheerful at all times over the Grand Depart weekend. Leeds boxing star Nicola Adams and Yorkshire cycling great Brian Robinson spoke at the gathering, and Alistair Griffin performed his official Tour anthem, The Road. A good gig that for Alistair - Prince had played on that very same stage the previous evening. Full story: The Yorkshire Post Lost in Leyburn If I have heard it once I have heard it a thousand times: Le Tour is going to put Yorkshire's hidden treasures and secret spaces back on the map… and not a moment too soon for the likes of Mark Cavendish, apparently. The Manx Missile was up in The Dales last week checking out the Tour route. But his sat nav went a bit wobbly on the road to Middleham, forcing him to stop at a bus shelter in Leyburn. Thankfully, youngsters in The Dales do not need GPS devices to know where they are going, and two schoolboys soon set the star sprinter on the right path. Full story: The Yorkshire Post Royal send-off There was an interesting exclusive in The Express over the weekend, as it reminded me of the "operational note" every media outlet had been sent a few days earlier. No matter, the key point is that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be at Harewood House to wave off the 22 teams as they roll past the Queen's cousin's front door. This visit has some particular significance for the royal family, apparently, but it "will be far from most competitors' thoughts as they adjust their cycle clips for the start of the 101st Tour". I think that is a safe prediction. Full story: The Express No room at the inn Looking for a hotel room in York for the Grand Depart? Don't bother, they're full. Full story: The Press CYCLING ROUND-UP Have you been watching the Giro d'Italia? Oh dear, if not, you have missed some spectacular racing. No time to give you all the details now, suffice it to say that all is still to play for with a week to go. Colombia's Rigoberto Uran still has a pretty healthy lead, but he has lost small chunks of time in recent days to the men most likely to give him the biggest challenge in the coming days, men like compatriot Nairo Quintana and Italian Fabio Aru. Elsewhere, it has been a case of new wounds and old ones. American star Taylor Phinney has broken his leg in two places after a bad crash at the US Nationals, while Chris Froome has decided to pick at the scab of his "relationship" with Sir Bradley Wiggins in a newspaper serialisation of his autobiography. With the Tour hurtling towards us, the timing of both of these events is pretty dreadful. A TO Z OF LE TOUR O is for… Off the back/front - After my struggle to find a good "N", I am still in the mid-alphabet doldrums of cycling's lexicon here. The best I can offer is a couple of staples from commentary. Riders are either "off" the back or front of the pack. Being off the back means you are being left behind. This is bad. Being off the front means you are surging ahead. This could be good because it suggests you are feeling strong and fancy your chances of a breakaway win. Or it is bad because you are bluffing/confused as to how much further there is to go. TODAY'S TOUR TRIVIA With time short and WiFi patchy, I am going to rely on Mark Cavendish's remarkable record to provide a nugget of cycling knowledge. The 2011 Sports Personality of the Year has now won 25 Tour stages during his career, which is good enough for third on the all-time list behind Bernard Hinault's 28 and Eddy Merckx's 34. Cavendish's best year was 2009 when he won six, which he followed with consecutive hauls of five in 2010 and 2011. The last two races have not been quite so productive, though, as he has lacked the full-bore support of his team and faced a lot more competition from others. How he gets on at this year's race will go a long way to answering the question of whether he will overhaul Merckx's total.

5 जुलाई को लीड्स में शुरू होने वाली दुनिया की सबसे बड़ी बाइक दौड़ के साथ, बीबीसी यॉर्कशायर के टूर डी फ्रांस संवाददाता मैट स्लेटर बाइक के अंदर और बाहर गपशप, राय और कहानियों का सबसे अच्छा दौर पेश करते हैं, और साइकिल चलाने की कुछ अनूठी भाषा को समझाने की भी कोशिश करते हैं।


Guide dogs: Coping with retirement and death

Summary: For many visually impaired people, guide dogs are a vital lifeline, bringing mobility and independence. But when a dog retires or dies the impact can be huge - as "heartbroken" politician David Blunkett revealed, following the death of his guide dog Cosby.

By Alex TaylorBBC News "It's a wrench to say goodbye," says John Welsman, who is currently guided by seven-year-old retriever Breck. "The dog becomes part of you, and also becomes a much wider part of your family." The 54-year-old's former guide dog, Dalton, retired because of old age, while another, Sorell, died suddenly after rupturing his spleen. "It's a difficult process leaving a dog behind," Mr Welsman says. "You build up a very strong bond being with it 24/7 - the dog is not only your mobility aid, it is your companion and communication aid." There are about 5,000 guide dog owners in the UK, says the charity Guide Dogs, which breeds about 1,300 puppies each year. A guide dog's average working life is six to seven years and they are normally retired at about 10 or 11 years old, depending on their health and the amount of work they need to do. The charity increases the monitoring of dogs aged eight and above, checking their health and watching for reduced willingness to carry out their guiding role. A retired guide dog can stay with its owner, as long as someone else can take responsibility, but a new home can also be nominated. Beyond this, the dog is offered to those people who had been involved in its initial training and development, before going through the charity's re-housing scheme. The owner is then put on a priority list for a new dog. Mr Welsman, from Somerset, says he has been "fortunate" to have family members and colleagues take on his retired dogs, so he can remain in contact. Steve Cook, 52, also found it comforting to have three of his retired dogs go to his parents. This for him meant the loss was not as great "because I knew where they were". But it took longer for his last dog, Shep, to be re-housed. "It was much harder because he wasn't so close by," he says. "I did miss him greatly." After Shep, Steve waited a year for his new dog. "It wasn't ideal, I had to undergo white cane training," Mr Cook says. Fortunately, he now has two-year-old Labrador Honey, who he calls his "little fast machine". 'Job for life' For every dog owner, the emotional challenge of re-housing their dog is topped only by its death. "As an owner it's always there, knowledge that you say goodbye twice - one when they retire, and again when they die," says Dave Kent, who has had guide dogs for 30 years. The 57-year-old, from London, tries to stay in contact with his re-homed dogs. The family who adopted his former dog, Ruben, allowed the dog to die in his arms after it contracted cancer. "There was an ocean of tears, but it gave me closure," Mr Kent says. He also formed an incredibly close bond with his former guide dog, Quince, and the pair starred in a national television advert together. Now retired, 12-year-old Quince was adopted by Mr Kent's former support worker Melanie Kemps, who says he does what he wants and is "very happy". For those who take on retired dogs, Guide Dogs help to cover the costs of pre-existing medical conditions, such as arthritis. Ms Kemps says re-homed guide dogs can be "perfect" for families because of their temperament. This is most evident in Quince when dealing with his guiding successor to Mr Kent, four-year-old Chad. "It's a special relationship between the pair," she says, adding that Chad looks up to Quince and learns from him. "For Quince, it's a job for life." If you are finding it difficult to cope with the death of a pet and need someone to talk to, the charity Blue Cross provides a bereavement support telephone service. It is available from 8.30am - 8.30pm every day on free phone 0800 096 6606 or email pbssmail@bluecross.org.uk

कई दृष्टिबाधित लोगों के लिए, गाइड कुत्ते एक महत्वपूर्ण जीवन रेखा हैं, जो गतिशीलता और स्वतंत्रता लाते हैं। लेकिन जब एक कुत्ता सेवानिवृत्त होता है या मर जाता है तो प्रभाव बहुत बड़ा हो सकता है-जैसा कि "दिल टूटने वाले" राजनेता डेविड ब्लंकेट ने अपने गाइड कुत्ते कॉस्बी की मृत्यु के बाद खुलासा किया था।


US remains reluctantly tied to global security role

Summary: America's military finds itself pulled in several directions - and even the $582bn (£403bn) defence budget rolled out earlier this month will not be enough to satisfy all of its needs.

Mark UrbanDiplomatic and defence editor, Newsnight New challenges - from Russia and the so-called Islamic State (IS) group - are forcing the Pentagon to change its plans, and reopening old arguments about whether its allies are doing enough. One of the headlines to come out of the new budget was a quadrupling of spending on US military preparations to defend allies in Europe. When Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, says the alliance is facing its "most challenging security environment in a generation", he is thinking principally of the challenge posed by a "newly assertive Russia". "The US is doing what they've always done - bail out Europeans unprepared to fund defence properly," says General Sir Richard Shirreff, Nato's number two soldier until two years ago, "but more than that, it's recognition that Europe is strategically vital for the US and that the withdrawal of the last of the US heavy brigades a couple of years ago went too far in the face of the very real threat posed by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin." Yet the line item in the Pentagon's budget shows an increase from $789m to $3.4bn on measures to improve readiness in Europe. It's a lot of money, but not compared to the budget overall or to what was lost when the US and other Nato countries cashed in their "peace dividend" at the end of the Cold War. So the US now plans to have about 250 armoured vehicles pre-positioned in eastern Europe in case trouble flares in the Baltic republics or Poland. But the number of tanks within that figure (50 or so) is around 1% of the number the US Army had positioned in Europe during the Cold War. In 2013-14 the number of American tanks actually went down to zero. The new deployments, and a programme of rolling Nato exercises, will bring some reassurance to Baltic leaders who fear that Russia might try to destabilise them. European spending America's reinvestment, it's only fair to say, also contrasts with many European allies who, so far at least, show little sign of living up to promises to raise their defence spending to 2% of GDP. American annoyance that the Europeans are not doing enough to defend themselves led Robert Gates, then defence secretary, to warn in 2011: "There will be dwindling appetite and patience in the US Congress, and in the American body politic writ large, to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defence." Proposed Pentagon budget for 2017: Since pledging to boost spending in 2014, several east European Nato members have announced increases. Germany, long criticised by many of its allies, has also said it will add €9bn (£7bn; $10bn) to its military budget between 2016 and 2019. Yet despite many changes of this kind the authoritative "Military Balance" annual published this month by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, reports, "while these additional funds will provide some relief to defence ministries across Europe, the significance of the announced increments should not be overstated". So despite the 2011 Gates warning, and the summit pledges, Nato's reality remains much the same. The Europeans don't want to spend (much) more and however much America may complain, it remains committed to its global security mission. Russia and China, by comparison, may spend considerably less, but their budgets are rising (rapidly), they buy a lot more (manpower is cheaper for them), and their forces focus on their immediate periphery. In the Middle East too, the Obama administration finds itself reversing its earlier drawdown in Iraq. It is spending more (for example, $1.8bn to buy 45,000 new guided bombs and missiles to replace those used recently, mostly in that part of the world) and calling on its friends to step up. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter spoke last week of the "terrific opportunity" for US allies to do more in the fight against IS. Yet the Americans find themselves being criticised by Turkey and France among others, for ceding the initiative to Russia and failing to act effectively enough over the past 18 months in Syria. While Mr Carter has spoken of the battle to retake Mosul (which fell to IS in the summer of 2014) being under way, US intelligence officials suggest they do not expect the city to be recaptured this year. The reality, then, of America's new defence budget is that the Obama years' pattern of long-term decline (of spending as a proportion of GDP) continues. And even the one strategy that the Pentagon a few years back thought it had - drawing down in Europe and the Middle East in favour of a new emphasis on China and the Pacific - has been frustrated by world events. Mark Urban is diplomatic and defence editor for BBC Newsnight. You can read more on his blog and follow him on Twitter

अमेरिकी सेना खुद को कई दिशाओं में खींचती है-और यहां तक कि इस महीने की शुरुआत में 582 अरब डॉलर (403 अरब पाउंड) का रक्षा बजट भी उसकी सभी जरूरतों को पूरा करने के लिए पर्याप्त नहीं होगा।


How do you fill in a sinkhole and can they be prevented?

Summary: Recently there has been a glut of stories about sinkholes appearing across parts of the UK, including one of the biggest ever seen in the Peak District. But once the ground opens up, how do you fill in a massive hole?

By David McKennaReporter, BBC News Online In December, following a spell of heavy rain, a hole measuring about 160ft (49m) wide and 130ft (40m) deep, appeared overnight near the Derbyshire village of Foolow. While in February, a house in Hemel Hempstead, built on the site of an old brickworks, was left teetering on the edge of a 35ft (9m) wide and 20ft (6m) deep hole, with its occupants forced to evacuate their home. In Walter's Ash, High Wycombe, a large sinkhole swallowed a family car parked on the driveway. And most recently, a sinkhole opened up in a residential road in Greater Manchester and a forklift truck collapsed into a suspected sinkhole on Mistley Quay in Essex. The common theme connecting many of the recent cases is past mining. Since Roman times, copper, lead, and other materials have been extracted from beneath the British countryside, leaving myriad tunnels and voids. The British Geological Survey said there are thousands of mine shafts sunk in the Peak Park alone, leaving the land prone to subsidence and although sinkholes open up for all kinds of reasons, by far the most common cause is a sudden influx of water. Caver Mark Noble, 58, from Eyam, said he came across the Peak District hole during a walk on Christmas Day. He said he has explored the caves at Foolow in the past where huge cavities were left in the area from an old lead mine. Paul Beetham, a lecturer in civil engineering and specialist in geotechnics at Nottingham Trent University, said: "If you go for a walk in the Peak District you will almost certainly be passing over one of many thousands of natural and man-made voids that range from the size of a golf ball to the size of a house. "Most of the time these voids pose no danger to humans, as there is usually a good depth of solid rock between them and the surface." However, he said: "While these features may remain intact for hundreds of years, very rarely the sudden collapse of the material, perhaps disturbed by extreme rainfall or a recent change in land use, may occur." Mining, leaking pipes, burst water mains, irrigation or even emptying a swimming pool can trigger a sinkhole - with some areas of the country being more susceptible than others, depending on the type of rock involved - gypsum is especially vulnerable to rapidly water erosion with the area around Ripon being particularly at risk. Dr Tony Cooper, of the British Geological Survey, said: "If you took a chunk of gypsum the size of a van and left it in a river it would be dissolved in about 18 months." Although the causes are the same, the appearance of sinkholes in more densely populated areas can be more difficult to deal with. Dr Clive Edmunds, part of a specialist team which filled the hole in Hemel Hempstead, said: "Basically, these buildings can be left sitting on fresh air." So, faced with a gaping chasm in the middle of a housing estate, or a giant hole in the countryside, what can be done to make it safe? Mr Beetham said the solution "usually depends on the risk the sinkhole poses to humans, property or business". He said: "If the area is remote then the risks are probably low and the urgency less. However, if the area is accessible to the public then priority would be for a specialist to establish how far the void could open up and ensure the area is made safe." He added: "If the sinkhole has loose sides, access by heavy machinery could also trigger a wider collapse. In built-up areas, where access is difficult, it is common to backfill by pumping grout [mix of sand and cement] from the surface. "If there is space to do so, more likely in rural areas, it may be possible to excavate down and cap off the void with reinforced concrete and then compact the overlying fill," he said. The Hemel Hempstead hole, which opened up on top of a former brickyard, took about 200 cubic metres or 17 lorry loads of cement, to fill. When it comes to identifying possible sinkhole sites, Mr Beetham said: "It may be that they are more likely in regions where properties/developments are older and less robust approaches to development were followed. "Another issue is that not all mining activities were officially recorded." He said modern methods should help to mitigate the risk. Developers conduct searches and use geological maps to look for evidence of known subsidence, or historical mining, he added. However, Peter Styles, a specialist in geophysics - and part of a team which conducts tests on land where holes have appeared, said: "We are often asked to come in too late - something becomes unstable and you get one cavity - then people say to us 'are there any others?' "It's quite clear that there are problems we need to look at in a more proactive manner - we need to take notice and start to inspect these sites before we give permission for huge housing developments or infrastructure. "That is the only way we will actually make things safe." The Coal Authority takes responsibility for dealing with old coal mines across the country, but there is no national system in place for more than 100,000 redundant non-coal mines to be inspected. So, more teetering houses, swallowed cars and shifting landscapes remain a possibility - particularly during periods of heavy rain.

हाल ही में यूके के कुछ हिस्सों में दिखाई देने वाले सिंकहोल के बारे में कहानियों की भरमार हुई है, जिसमें पीक डिस्ट्रिक्ट में अब तक देखे गए सबसे बड़े गड्ढों में से एक भी शामिल है। लेकिन एक बार जब जमीन खुल जाती है, तो आप एक बड़े गड्ढे को कैसे भरते हैं?


Prince Charles to open new bistro in Ballater

Summary: Prince Charles is to open another food establishment in Ballater.

The Duke of Rothesay will open the Ballater Station Bistro and Tearoom as part of the redevelopment of the Old Royal Station which was destroyed by fire in 2015. It follows HRH opening the Rothesay Rooms in the town in 2016. The new project is in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council as part of a programme by The Great Steward of Scotland's Dumfries House Trust. Kenneth Dunsmuir, executive director of Dumfries House Trust, said: "By playing our part in the restoration of the Old Royal Station at Ballater, we are aiming to bring the village back to its former glory, allow people to gain an insight into the significance of the building, and give tourists another reason to visit beautiful Royal Deeside."

प्रिंस चार्ल्स बैलेटर में एक और खाद्य प्रतिष्ठान खोलने वाले हैं।


Guernsey property rates may be evened out

Summary: Guernsey householders could pay less than expected in rates if a change to the budget is approved by the States.

Currently domestic property rates are due to go up by 20% and business rates by 3.5% from 1 January. Deputies Al Brouard and Scott Ogier said a rise of 6% on both rates would be a fairer way to raise the same amount of money. Treasury Minister Charles Parkinson said the current plans reflected that businesses already pay higher rates.

यदि राज्यों द्वारा बजट में परिवर्तन को मंजूरी दी जाती है तो ग्वेर्नसे के गृहस्थ अपेक्षा से कम दरों का भुगतान कर सकते हैं।


How the Assam conflict creates a threat to all India

Summary: More than 300,000 refugees are in relief camps in India's north-eastern Assam state after recent clashes between indigenous tribals and Muslim settlers. And migrants from the north-east have fled other Indian cities fearing reprisal attacks. The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder reports from Assam, where the unrest began.

In an open field next to a railway track in Basugaon, Assam, several hundred Muslims kneel in prayer to mark the end of Ramadan and the festival of Eid. This should have been a time for celebration. But many of the worshippers are visibly upset, some are crying. The cleric raises his hands and prays for peace - for Assam and for India. Some in the congregation break down completely, their eyes streaming. "What is there to celebrate?" asks Zia Ali Sheikh. "We have nothing left, nothing to give our children." Desperate conditions These Bengali-speaking Muslims were forced out of their villages after an attack by the indigenous, predominantly Hindu Bodo tribe. They are now staying in a temporary camp at the local school, in desperate conditions. "Do you think I want to live here?" asks Zubina Bibi. "There's no proper food, we get wet in the rain. But where am I supposed to go?" The refugees tell me that the authorities are asking them to go back home. But they have refused until they are assured of their safety. A short drive brings me to Naorbitta village and it's immediately clear why the refugees are so insecure. This was a thriving community, with 115 Muslim families. Now, all that remains of their homes are burnt out walls and rubble. Inside one of the houses, there's a sense of a life that was suddenly, cruelly uprooted. A child's schoolbook, a shoe, toys and burnt clothes strewn amid the debris. And just across the road, barely 50 metres away, are the homes of their Bodo neighbours, completely unscathed. Ranjit Biswamutiary lives in one of the houses and tells me that an armed group attacked the homes one night and drove the Muslims away. "It's sad because we've always lived in peace. But after all this trouble, I don't want them back." Helpless The Bodos and Muslims have always lived together but this brutal cycle of violence has caused a rift which many believe may be irreversible. And neither side is holding back. The Gambaribil relief camp is a mirror image of the one at Basugaon, except its inmates are Bodos. This too has been set up in a school, although it's visibly cleaner and better equipped. Volunteers distribute clothes and medicines and the food is much better - soya bean and bubbling pots of lentils and rice. But the stories are equally horrifying. "My home is surrounded by Muslim houses," says Ronen Brahma. "They attacked us one night with swords and knives." He was able to get away with his mother. But his elderly father was trapped. Ronen could only watch helplessly as his father was stabbed and then tossed into the burning house. The Bodos accuse the Muslims of being illegal migrants from Bangladesh, which is just south of here. But political analyst Nilim Dutta says most of Assam's Muslims have lived here for generations. "They first migrated here in the 19th century from Bengal when this was all part of colonial India. "Over time, the Bengali migrants prospered, just like immigrant communities all over the world. This created a sense of resentment among the native Assamese communities as they both competed for resources and jobs." Now the impact of this conflict is being felt right across India. Trains carrying thousands of north-east Indian migrants have been arriving in Assam. They're fleeing from some of India's biggest and riches cities amid rumours of attacks by Muslims in retaliation for the Assam violence. "I was told that there were mobile phone text messages warning us to leave," said one young man who works as a security guard in Bangalore. "My parents were so frightened after seeing all the television reports that they asked me to come back," says another. But most of them say they will go back, eventually. It's a sentiment that the Indian government hopes will be widely shared and help ease tensions. A conflict once confined to a remote part of India has spread well beyond - partly because this is an age where information is easily and rapidly available. If the violence goes unchecked, it could well threaten India's pluralism.

स्वदेशी आदिवासियों और मुस्लिम बसने वालों के बीच हाल ही में हुई झड़पों के बाद 300,000 से अधिक शरणार्थी भारत के उत्तर-पूर्वी असम राज्य में राहत शिविरों में हैं। और उत्तर-पूर्व के प्रवासी प्रतिशोध के हमलों के डर से अन्य भारतीय शहरों से भाग गए हैं। बीबीसी के संजय मजूमदार असम से रिपोर्ट करते हैं, जहां से अशांति शुरू हुई थी।


Two pedestrians killed in Ringmer crash named

Summary: Two men killed when a car struck a group of pedestrians walking in East Sussex have been named by police.

James Morden, 31, of Hilbert Road in Tunbridge Wells and Matthew Lind, 31 of Broadway Court, Wimbledon, were killed at about 20:00 BST on Sunday. A Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 struck the group as they were walking along Harvey's Lane in Ringmer. Two women, a 29-year-old from Wimbledon and a 27-year-old from Addlestone, Surrey, were injured. The other three pedestrians in the group - a 29-year-old man from Addlestone, a 24-year-old woman from Morden and a 31-year old woman from Sutton, both in south London - were unhurt.

ईस्ट ससेक्स में पैदल चलने वालों के एक समूह को एक कार ने टक्कर मार दी, जिसमें दो लोगों की मौत हो गई।


Cuba's DIY economy raises hope

Summary: The arrival in Cuba of an American president, after the restoration of diplomatic relations, has raised hopes the island could be on the verge of a new era. And a new emerging class of Cubans is ready to capitalise.

By Tom GeogheganBBC News, Havana The last time a US president visited the island, he declared Cuba to be "free and prosperous". Without the use of Air Force One, Calvin Coolidge sailed overnight from Florida, following a journey by steam train from Washington that lasted 32 hours and had no air conditioning. As President Barack Obama follows in Coolidge's footsteps 88 years later, in considerably superior comfort, he won't be able to make the same bold statement but he hopes his visit can bring that day forward. His arrival comes at a time when the country could be on the brink of changes that reshape the lives of the 11m islanders and heal one of the world's most fractious relationships. Such is the excitement among Cubans, especially the youth, he could not have picked a more apt day to arrive than Palm Sunday. There will not be people waving palms lining the streets but there will be freshly paved tarmac for the president's motorcade, and the monuments on his route have been given a fresh clean and polish. If only the two nations' differences could be patched up as easily. Economic, diplomatic and political courses are being travelled at varying speeds. The opening of embassies in Washington and Havana was easy compared to the political challenges facing this one-party state. The slogan "Patria o Muerte", meaning "Country or Die", is still writ large a few yards from the newly restored American embassy, a reminder that the spirit of the revolution is not forgotten. Perhaps the most interesting changes are taking place in the economic sphere, where a quieter revolution is taking place behind the shutters of Havana homes, on kitchen tables and on laptops put together by spare parts. This is where a new generation of Cuban entrepreneurs are launching private businesses that are the new economic success story. Six years ago, graduates Eliecer Cabrera and his friend Pablo Rodriguez sat on their sofa, armed only with an idea and a phone directory. Now they have what has been rated the island's third most popular app, called Conoce Cuba, which tells users on a map what businesses are near them, ranging from cafes to nail salons. But in a country with neither decent internet nor advertising, it is a triumph of resourcefulness. How times are changing in Havana Airbnb cashes in on Cuba tourism rush Live coverage of Obama's visit to Cuba They rely on the island's extensive network of mobile phone repair shops to spread the word about their app. Willing customers get the repair shops to download all the app's contents on to their phone for free, so it works offline. The two entrepreneurs, still in their 20s, make money from the growing number of private businesses that feature on the app. It's a flourishing but up-and-down market. "The number of small businesses is increasing by the year but some are going broke too - they are still learning about the market process," says Cabrera. He is thrilled that Mr Obama is coming to Cuba, in the hope it will hasten an end to the US embargo, which prevents him and his business partner from putting their app on to US websites. Conoce Cuba is part of a mini-boom in private enterprise. Since becoming president in 2008, Raul Castro has expanded the list of permitted businesses to more than 200 and made getting a licence easier. Economists estimate between 20-30% of the workforce is now privately employed. In a country where Fidel Castro stood on the steps of Havana University in 1968 and pledged to expel commercial enterprise, that's quite a transformation. 10 (unlikely) professions now legal in Cuba Read full list in Richard Feinberg's report (go to annex) Barber Josefina Torres was one of the first to join the ranks of the "cuentapropista", or self-employed, 25 years ago when an economic crisis forced Fidel Castro to relax restrictions. As she gives a tourist a close shave under the watchful eye of several Cuban revolutionaries hanging from the walls of her Havana shop, her face lights up with excitement at the suggestion that President Obama might wander in for a "short back and sides" during his visit. Running a business is much better now than when she started, she says, but there are problems getting supplies. The razor blades and the talcum powder can be hard to find, and friends from Europe and the US donated the red capes she drapes around customers. The so-called suitcase commerce, when business owners import what they need by hand, is a common feature of Cuba's new private sector. Niuris Higueras, who runs a restaurant called Atelier, brings spices and herbs from the US and Peru in her luggage. She creates a new menu every day depending on what she can get her hands on. "I'm working with whatever I find," she says. Since the US and Cuba made a joint announcement in December 2014 that the Cold War deadlock would be broken, her custom has increased by 50%, thanks to the stream of American tourists. But restaurant owners like Ms Higueras have to go to the same shops as households buying the family groceries, so they sometimes clear the shelves to buy in bulk. This illustrates how private enterprise in Cuba can be a force for good and bad, says Ted Henken, associate professor of Sociology and Latin America studies at City University of New York. It delivers wealth, choice, freedom and efficiency, he says. But it also widens the gap between the haves and have-nots. Which group you fall into usually depends on what connections you have to American dollars, relatives abroad or foreign tourists. The average Cuban wage is $20 a month, and ever since the fall of the Soviet Union deprived it of an influx of cash, the Cuban economy has been lagging behind the rest of Latin America. Some Cubans blame the US embargo, which will remain for now because many in Congress believe restoring relations with Cuba does nothing to address its poor human rights record. But others say the centrally planned economy - what some locals call the "internal blockade" - is as much to blame. Either way, the future of Cuba seems entwined with the superpower 90 miles from its shore. And there is no greater symbol of this link than El Capitolio, a neo-classical building in Havana that brings to mind the US Capitol in Washington. Like its nearly-identical twin, it is under repair but Raul Castro has called it a "jewel" that will house the parliament again in the coming months. A few feet from its manicured lawns, Angel Valencia, 69, is shining shoes. Born into a family of nine children living in one room nearby, he gets a state pension of the equivalent of $8 a month - not enough to buy a round of beers at a nearby cafe. Having lived in the shadow of El Capitolio for 55 years, its current symbolism is not lost on him. While proud to say he fought in the revolution, he has nothing but praise for President Obama. "Obama is the first president in 55 years who wanted to help Cuba," he says, with a sparkle in his eyes. "He has many qualities I like. And the relationship will finally heal." Not all Cubans are so positive about the visit. About 20 minutes away from the old city, rubbish and rubble lie in piles in a neighbourhood that Cubans call a solar, made up of favela-style, mazy alleys and poor housing. Following a path down an alleyway lined with laundry, there's an opening on the left into a two-room home inhabited by three generations of one family. The breadwinner Miguel, who did not want to give his real name, says he works two jobs. His income goes entirely on food for him, his three-year-old son and his mother, but it still leaves them hungry. Mr Obama's visit means nothing to him, he says. "When the changes come, I won't be alive." While some of Raul Castro's reforms are making Cubans rich, others are hurting. The state rations of chicken, rice, eggs, cooking oil and other staples still play a huge part in Cuban daily life. But it is getting smaller and Miguel's monthly ration only lasts about 10 days. He is often confronted by empty shelves. He points in his ration book to the white spaces that denote the days when there was no bread. In one month, there are 30 spaces in 31 days. "People here rely on this stuff. As it disappears, so the people are going to disappear as well." The challenge for Cuba is to ensure the changes that lie ahead benefit the many, not just the few.

राजनयिक संबंधों की बहाली के बाद एक अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति के क्यूबा में आगमन ने उम्मीद जताई है कि द्वीप एक नए युग के कगार पर हो सकता है। और क्यूबा का एक नया उभरता हुआ वर्ग इसका लाभ उठाने के लिए तैयार है।


Carmakers compete to keep you entertained

Summary: Bhavin Bhagalia from London has just bought his first electric car.

By Sooraj ShahBusiness reporter "I didn't just want something that could get me from A to B, I wanted the entire travelling experience to be better," he says. With that in mind he bought a Tesla Model 3. As well as its performance, Mr Bhagalia was attracted by its in-car entertainment. "You can play music straight from your Spotify account and when we have been charging the car on our journeys we have been watching Netflix and YouTube through the apps which come with the vehicle," he says. All these apps are available on the main screen in the Tesla. However, it is only possible to use the music app Spotify while the car is moving. Others, like YouTube, Netflix, Hulu and games won't work unless the car is parked. Ultimately, when cars become autonomous, drivers may be able to use these apps while the car is moving, but that is a long way off. More Technology of Business Apps for cars have existed for many years, but now customers like Mr Bhagalia have high expectations about what carmakers can provide. "The big car manufacturers are playing catch-up with software. They've all been caught napping to some extent as it was clear what had been going on in the mobile phone space and the level of expectation from users in-car," says Jamie Broome, head of automotive business at Imagination Technologies, a company that provides the technology building blocks in millions of cars. "It is going to take a pretty big leap and no-one has done that yet. Who is going to come along and bring it together in a way that we saw Apple do with the mobile phone?" Developing apps for cars is not cheap, nor is it easy because of the stringent safety and security measures that have to be put in place in cars. As a result, software developers need a big incentive to develop an app for a car - and the biggest incentive is a large user base. It's for this reason that the Volkswagen Group and Google have a big advantage in the market at the moment. Volkswagen sells 10 million cars a year that use the company's own software platform and operating system. It has invested heavily in its Car.Software Organization, which has brought together all of the group's software staff, including those from its Audi and Porsche brands, into one team. Meanwhile, Google works with over 50 car brands, with Android Auto on track to be in more than 100 million cars in the coming months. With around 2.5 billion people already using Google's Android software on smartphones and other devices, consumers are already familiar with the way Android looks and works. "We've taken the learnings and processes from mobile and applied them to how we approach Google Play on other devices," says Mickey Kataria, director of project management, Android for Cars. Car manufacturers have been drawn to Google as a way to catch up with the likes of Tesla. "A big dilemma that the automotive industry has been facing for some years is a big pressure to tackle the disruption in the mobility sector, and more carmakers are coming to the conclusion that the best way is to partner with a technology company, because you can achieve the results faster with less investment," says Pedro Pacheco, senior research director at analysis firm Gartner. However, Mr Broome suggests that cars that use their own operating system, rather than a technology company's, will enable a better user experience. "You can only see true alignment when you have both and that's why Tesla is the one to watch. For instance, it is a lot harder for Google to make hardware features generically because of the variety of Android devices, whereas you get a more aligned experience on Apple devices," he says. Björn Goerke, chief technology officer at Volkswagen Group's Car.Software Organization, echoes this sentiment. "The more the apps know about the specific context in which they are operating, the better the experience will be for the user," he says, referring to the car sensors and various other parts of the car which may not be accessible to Google. While carmakers are happy to co-operate with software firms, they will only go so far. They might be comfortable with voice control of the music system, temperature control and even the garage door. But handing over control of the driving systems and specific data and knowledge about how the car works might well be too much. Mr Goerke from Volkswagen also says there is an important issue surrounding car owners' data privacy. "This is something Volkswagen will continue to own. Customers need to remain in charge of the data we're collecting and it needs to be clear what is happening with their data, and that it is not going to be given away through that particular kind of channel which sits in the car," he says. Other car manufacturers like Mercedes are also building their own operating systems. Many are keen to see how Apple develops its relationship with the car industry. In 2016, it scaled back "Project Titan", a secretive effort to build what was dubbed the Apple Car, but it kept on a number of employees who had been working on the project. Mr Broome says he wouldn't be surprised if Apple is working with several carmakers behind closed doors. Eventually, Mr Pacheco believes there will be just a few operating systems on the market left to fight it out. As for Mr Bhagalia, he believes his new Tesla could eventually have apps from Amazon or Tesco on board, allowing a passenger to do some shopping, as well as apps for multiplayer online gaming. "Tesla already has a number of games but hopefully in the future, drivers can play against each other while they're charging their cars," says Mr Bhagalia.

लंदन के भाविन भागलिया ने अभी-अभी अपनी पहली इलेक्ट्रिक कार खरीदी है।


Crawley stabbing: Girl, 14, arrested on suspicion of murder

Summary: A 14-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a man found stabbed to death in the street.

Police were called to the Three Bridges area of Crawley in West Sussex at 21:00 GMT on Tuesday, where they found the 24-year-old victim. The teenage girl, from Crawley, was arrested in south London on Wednesday evening. A 21-year-old man from London was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. Emergency services had been called to Russell Way where the victim was treated by paramedics and an air ambulance doctor before being pronounced dead.

सड़क पर चाकू मारकर हत्या किए गए एक व्यक्ति की हत्या के संदेह में एक 14 वर्षीय लड़की को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Delaney Brown murder: Second arrest over cyclist death

Summary: A second person has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a 19-year-old cyclist run down by a car in Luton, police said.

Officers investigating the death of Delaney Brown arrested a 16-year-old youth on Wednesday. The teenager has since been released on bail. Mr Brown was killed when he was struck by a silver BMW 1 in Vincent Road on 5 September. An 18-year-old man arrested on 8 September was also bailed. Det Ch Insp Steve Collin from the Major Crime Unit said he still needed witnesses to come forward. "People clearly have information about who was driving the silver BMW that was used to kill Delaney, they now need to do the right thing and speak to the police," he said.

पुलिस ने कहा कि ल्यूटन में एक कार द्वारा 19 वर्षीय साइकिल चालक की हत्या के संदेह में दूसरे व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Chinese vlogger who used filter to look younger caught in live-stream glitch

Summary: Fans of a popular Chinese video blogger who called herself "Your Highness Qiao Biluo" have been left stunned after a technical glitch during one of her live-streams revealed her to be a middle-aged woman and not the young glamorous girl they thought her to be.

By Dhruti Shah & Kerry AllenBBC News & BBC Monitoring The revelation has led to discussions about standards of beauty across the country's social media platforms. The blogger, who initially boasted a follower count of more than 100,000 on Douyu, is believed to have used a filter on her face during her appearances, and had been renowned for her "sweet and healing voice". China's Global Times said she had been "worshipped" as a "cute goddess" by some members of her loyal audience with some fans even giving her more than 100,000 yuan ($14,533, £11,950). However, live-streaming platform Lychee News says the incident happened on 25 July, during a joint live-stream with another user, Qingzi on the Douyu platform. The Global Times reports that all was as normal and that her fans urged her to show her face and remove her filter but she refused, instead apparently saying: "I can't show my face until I receive gifts worth 100,000 yuan ($11,950). After all, I'm a good-looking host." Followers began to send her donations with the largest reported to be 40,000 yuan ($5,813, £4,780) during the session. However, at some point, it seems the filter being used by the vlogger stopped working and her real face became visible to her viewers. She is reported to have noticed only when people who had signed up to her VIP access room started exiting en masse. Many of her original followers - especially men - are said to have stopped following her and withdrawn their transactions after seeing her true identity. Most commentators said her followers were gullible, superficial and deserved to be "tricked" into parting with their cash gifts without first verifying her identity. Users on both Bilibili and YouTube have captured the footage . Qiao Biluo has since suspended her platform according to Weibo users, who are debating the impact of what happened. Some users are saying it's good riddance to her for conning people out of their money. But others question the IQ of the men throwing money at her. Some users are more sympathetic, asking people not to judge her by her appearance, noting that her popularity came from her voice, and that she might have to seek therapy after the backlash. And some are praising the other live-streamer, Qingzi, who showed no reaction to Qiao Biluo's face being revealed. How to stand out? The story has been incredibly popular across Chinese social networks with more than 600 million people reading posts that use a hashtag which translates to "female vlogger experiences bug showing her old lady face" and more than 50,000 using the hashtag itself. China has more than 425 million live-streamers and the use of face filters is something that is common across the myriad of social platforms. The country is extremely nervous about the growing popularity of live-streaming. Broadcast media in China is tightly controlled, and with the exception of news coverage, footage on TV needs weeks of approval before it can be aired. Live-streamers are discouraged from broadcasting in a public sphere, and are extremely restricted on what they can say. Expressing their opinions could result in a backlash from the authorities if the content is deemed to be politically sensitive or against government rhetoric. They also have to be careful that they are not seen to be "vulgar". Consequently, many live-streamers simply sing karaoke in their bedrooms, or eat snacks for hours on end. And the highly lucrative industry is saturated by young female users, who will go to extreme lengths to stand out. In another twist, the attention the story has attracted means that although Qiao Biluo stopped live-streaming after the incident, her Douyu profile page now has 650,000 followers.

एक लोकप्रिय चीनी वीडियो ब्लॉगर, जो खुद को "योर हाइनेस किआओ बिलुओ" कहती हैं, के प्रशंसक तब दंग रह गए जब उनकी एक लाइव-स्ट्रीम के दौरान एक तकनीकी गड़बड़ी से पता चला कि वह एक अधेड़ उम्र की महिला थी, न कि युवा ग्लैमरस लड़की जिसे उन्होंने सोचा था।


'WW2 bomb' at Essex industrial site an empty shell

Summary: A suspected unexploded World War Two bomb found on an industrial site in Essex was an empty shell, police said.

It was found in Oliver Close, Grays, at about 08.55 GMT and police closed the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge as a result. Essex Police said a Ministry of Defence bomb disposal team had assessed the device and confirmed it had no explosives inside. Police said it will be taken away from the site and there will be no further closures to the bridge. The force said it was not the same unexploded bomb that was found near London City Airport.

पुलिस ने कहा कि एसेक्स में एक औद्योगिक स्थल पर पाया गया द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध का एक संदिग्ध बिना फटे बम एक खाली खोल था।


Syrian refugees settle into new lives in Canada

Summary: In a small, crowded classroom in tiny Belleville, Ontario, Syria native Abdel Malek al-Jasem is learning some very important terms in English.

By Ashley GoldBBC News, Toronto Coat, gloves, toque, scarf and boots. He scribbles them in a notebook next to their Arabic translations. He will need all of that gear as he adjusts to life in Canada. Jasem arrived in October of last year after four years in Lebanon, where he and his family sought refuge after bombing in their village outside of Hama, Syria, pushed them out. He and his wife have eleven children, including two sets of twins, ranging in age from a toddler to a college-aged boy. They were anxious and scared to arrive in their new country. The transatlantic journey was also the family's first time on a plane. They touched down in Canada safely. Now, the journey for the Jasem family is learning English, going to school and finding work. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is making resettling Syrian refugees one of the priorities for his new Liberal majority government. The government set a goal of resettling 25,000 Syrian refugees by the end of February. About 26,000 arrived in Canada by the end of February, 8,567 of them privately sponsored. They had aimed to reach that goal by the end of 2015, but ended up pushing it to February. By the end of 2016, the government aims to have at least 25,000 government-assisted refugees in Canada. "This is something that we are able to do in this country because we define a Canadian not by a skin colour or a language or a religion or a background," Trudeau said at Toronto-Pearson International Airport last December, during a well-publicised event that led to images of Mr Trudeau giving coats to refugees after they emerged from a plane. "But by a shared set of values, aspirations, hopes and dreams that not just Canadians but people around the world share." Jasem and his children are learning how to live in their new country. They learned to ice skate in January. They don't like the cold and snow in Canada, they said, but like all things, it will just "take time" to get used to. "Everything back home is gone. Everything is demolished… there's nothing left to go back to," said Jamal Bsat, who was working as a translator in the classroom with Jasem. Jasem said he prefers his old wardrobe, though. In Canada, he said you have to wear "too many clothes on top of each other". How does it work in Canada? The Jasem family's first temporary home in Picton, Ontario, was paid for by a group of sponsors organised by Toronto's Ryerson University's Lifeline Syria Challenge. The university founded the programme, later joined by OCAD University, University of Toronto and York University. It's setting a precedent of sorts for successful private sponsorship of Syrian refugees in the country. The Canadian government has not yet set a cap on how many privately sponsored refugees they will accept. Connected by Ryerson's programme, groups of about 10 people per family arrange housing, English classes, doctor's appointments, shopping trips and anything else needed to navigate life in the refugees' new homes. At the end of February, the programme had 87 teams of sponsors, and 15 families from Syria - 93 refugees total. Wendy Cukier, executive director of the programme, said families who receive private sponsorship do better than those who come to Canada as government-sponsored refugees. Government-sponsored refugees are eligible for a year of financial help. For families with private sponsors, the help can extend beyond one year. They become permanent residents upon arrival, entitled to Canada's social programmes like healthcare. Once they start working, they are subject to the same rules and taxes as any Canadian resident. Within a few years, they can apply for full citizenship. To get to Canada, refugees usually must be registered as such by the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees. For Lifeline Syria, which is categorised as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder programme, this is not required, but recommended. Some refugees have relatives in Canada, which may speed their applications along. Refugees can indicate they are interested in going to Canada, but women and complete families have the best chance of getting to the country as government-sponsored refugees. Each refugee, private or government-sponsored, undergoes a security screening that includes biometrics, security and health, and some are interviewed by visa officers. In the US, the Obama administration has said it wants to resettle about 10,000 Syrian refugees before the end of 2016. Syrian refugees who end up in the US must also register as refugees with UNHCR, and a small number are recommended to resettle in the US. Having family in the US helps. After that, the State Department takes over, and the Department of Homeland Security decides whether an individual application is approved. The process for approval then takes 18-24 months, and then refugees are admitted at a 50% acceptance rate, after undergoing, as one US official put it, "the most rigorous screening of any traveller to the US". Some politicians have said they want to halt the US programme entirely. Meanwhile, the challenge for Ryerson's programme, said Cukier, is deciding when to stop. "Do we keep going or do we say, we've done our bit?" she said in January. Settling into snowy Canada Over in rural, snow-covered Picton, houses are kilometres apart, the long roads dotted by farms. The Jasem family is settling in. Their youngest boy ran around the home rambunctiously on a January afternoon, playing with a toy plane and getting dangerously close to knocking over mugs of hot chocolate. Slowly, all the other children arrived home from school on yellow school buses, bright against the white landscape. The teenage boys wrapped their arms around their younger siblings as they bounded into the house. "Good job, good job, good job," one young girl said, repeating a favourite phrase learned in school. Another practises, "Hi, how are you? I'm good." One teenage brother said he was happy to be going to school after working long hours back in Lebanon as a butcher, but he wants to get a job as soon as possible so he can contribute to the family, and as his sponsor said, get out of the house on the weekends. "My friend in Lebanon told me working at McDonald's is good," he said. One of the family's sponsors, local art gallery owner Carlyn Moulton, said she would talk to the manager of the McDonald's in town to get him a job, filling his eyes with excitement. Government data shows that immigrants to Canada in the past five years have had an easier time gaining employment in Western Canada, and that many immigrants are employed in the service sector. Most refugees are eager to start working, not wanting to be a burden on their sponsors. "You are going to do more than work at McDonald's," she said. "Maybe you could manage a McDonald's." Another son spoke to the model United Nations conference in his school recently. The topic was refugees and displaced persons. "This was the first time they'd met a person as a refugee, to practically hear someone say our house was bombed," said Moulton. "It profoundly moved the other kids." 'Everyone has the same value' Some families have been able to get most of their members over to Canada, but had to leave some loved ones behind in the process. In Mississauga, a community near Toronto with a large Muslim population, the Al Hasan family arrived in January. Before, they all lived in one room in Lebanon, where they spent four years before getting to Canada. Now, the family is desperately trying to get two more daughters over to the country, one currently in Iran and one in Turkey. On a day not even a month after arriving in Canada, they purchased so much while out shopping with their sponsor that they struggled to bring it upstairs. Bags of ground turkey and bread sagged under one child holding a new toaster. Data from the government's Internal Citizenship and Immigration Department released in 2012 suggests privately sponsored refugees who arrived in Canada between 1993 and 2007 do better than government-sponsored ones. They are less likely to be on social assistance two years after resettling in Canada and more likely to have a higher salary. Before arriving in Canada, the Al Hasan family's daily grievances and worries were quite different than how to get bags of groceries into the lift. "We just pray and hope that not another person will die in this situation, whether it's in hands of the crazed [so-called Islamic State] - in the name of Islam, it's so ridiculous to us - it's all people just dying," said Batal al-Hasan, the patriarch of the family, speaking through a translator. "We're hoping it will stop like right now, and not a single more person will suffer and the country will return and rebuild. I hope with God's will it will stop and change. If not for our generation, for future generations." One of his daughters said of Canada, "There's so much freedom, I'm very, very happy." "She couldn't go out, she just stayed at home [in Jordan]...you feel like you're choking, no freedom whatsoever," said Mariela Barazi, one of the family's sponsors also serving as a translator. Public opinion on refugees is mixed, despite the common image of a warm, welcoming Canada. In January, a man bicycling by the Muslim Association of Canada Centre in Vancouver pepper-sprayed a group of Syrian refugees standing outside. Mr Trudeau condemned the attack. A poll released in late February of 1,507 Canadians by the Angus Reid Institute found that 52% support the government's refugee plan, and 44% oppose it. Forty-two percent say Canada should stop taking in Syrian refugees immediately. Asked if the family would return to Syria should things resolve, Hasan said their new home is Canada. "We want to establish ourselves here," he said. "We would love to be able to go visit our Syria and visit Syria in the future, but for the future for our kids, we want to establish somewhere where we can build a life." "Here, everyone has the same value." Progress, almost two months later By early March, the Jasem family moved into a new home in Picton. They are renting it from their sponsors, who purchased it. The home has a backyard and a fireplace, and the children can walk to school. Eventually, the Jasem family will purchase it from their sponsors. Ahmed, the son who wanted to work at McDonald's, has been hired at a local restaurant in Picton for the summer and is working part-time, along with some of his brothers, at a local canoe and kayak company. Abel Malek al-Jasem is starting to look for work. Moulton said he would really love to work on a farm. Some of their relatives have also arrived in Canada and have moved in across the street. "Lots of progress has been made," said Moulton. "None of this would have happened if they were government-sponsored." The younger children are doing very well in school, picking up English quickly, the school principal recently said. Jasem now has a car and will soon no longer rely on the sponsors for transportation. The family are a world away from the old reality - running from their home due to bombings, fleeing and then struggling to get by in Lebanon. When the family arrived, they were "exhausted in a profound way", said Moulton. "It is almost impossible to imagine what everyone must have been through. It's not a bad thing for them to have a little recovery time. Soon enough, the daily grind will be upon them."

छोटे बेलेविल, ओंटारियो, सीरिया के मूल निवासी अब्देल मालेक अल-जसीम में एक छोटी सी, भीड़-भाड़ वाली कक्षा में अंग्रेजी में कुछ बहुत ही महत्वपूर्ण शब्द सीख रहे हैं।


Korea-watchers fear backlash from North over US drills

Summary: The US and South Korea are set to begin another round of controversial military drills near the Korean peninsula. Such large-scale exercises have been held annually since 1976 to rehearse the alliance's plans for the defence of South Korea.

By Andrea BergerRoyal United Services Institute During February and March, exercise Key Resolve will focus on practising command and control procedures, while the overlapping Foal Eagle will deploy significant forces and military hardware for simulated combat in the field. Neighbouring North Korea responds with hysteria when these exercises take place, often acting in ways which destabilise the region. In 2013, North Korea loudly threatened nuclear strikes on the United States and brought tensions on the peninsula to one of the highest points in recent memory. As is often the case when dealing with pattern-prone Pyongyang, a repeat of this belligerence remains an unfortunate possibility despite the North and South's recent co-operation in briefly reuniting dozens of families separated by the Korean War. 'Vicious outbursts' Washington and Seoul see joint military exercises like Key Resolve and Foal Eagle as performing several critical functions. The first is to prepare those countries' armed forces to defend the South in the event that a serious threat to its security arises. Wartime operational control of allied forces is slated to shift from the US to South Korea in 2015. This year's training therefore has increased importance in readying the South's forces for that transition. The second function of regular joint drills is to assure South Korea that its alliance with the US remains strong, and Washington is prepared to come to its defence, whether with conventional or nuclear weapons. Finally, the two countries see major military exercises as a means of deterring North Korean provocations through demonstrations of alliance capability and solidarity. Reflecting this thinking, impromptu joint exercises were announced after North Korea shelled Yeonpyeong Island in 2010. North Korea cries foul. It claims that large-scale joint military exercises in and around the Korean peninsula are the guise under which the US and South Korea will prepare an invasion across the 38th parallel. To demonstrate its anger, North Korea commonly draws on a toolbox of responses: In 2013 it did nearly all of the above, escalating the situation to a worrying degree. Permanently detangling this potentially destabilising web of commitments and concerns around joint military exercises seems nigh on impossible. All the while, Pyongyang's vicious outbursts continue to be met with confusion and concern from international audiences. Its apparently extreme reaction might be explained by a mixture of factors, each with varying salience depending upon the circumstance. It is possible that at least some senior North Korean officials feel genuinely threatened by the appearance of sophisticated, often nuclear-capable military hardware in their backyard. However, even the most frightening film loses its edge after watching it on repeat for four decades. 'Crucial proposal' On balance therefore, though a degree of genuine fear may appear in the background, propaganda and pretext may better explain North Korea's recent conniptions. After decades of consistently circulating propaganda decrying joint exercises as evidence of US nuclear blackmail, comparative silence would be conspicuous. Pyongyang may wish to avoid appearing suddenly unthreatened. It may also wish to use regularly scheduled US-South Korean drills as a pretext for ostensibly unconnected decisions. In August 2013, North Korea abruptly announced the cancellation of US special envoy Ambassador Robert King's visit to Pyongyang, during which he was meant to secure the release of a detained American citizen. As justification, they cited the Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill, of which there was only hours remaining, as well as a B-52 practice sortie weeks before. This belated outburst stank of pretext. Similar concerns that Pyongyang may use Key Resolve and Foal Eagle 2014 as convenient justification for pre-determined actions now exist. In mid-January North Korea's National Defence Commission issued a "crucial proposal": cancel, move, or scale back joint drills, and in exchange North Korea will refrain from slandering and will consider facilitating reunions of families separated by the Korean War. Family reunions have now fortunately moved forward. Yet so too have joint exercises. As a result, it is possible that when US military assets finally materialise in the region for Foal Eagle, North Korea could point to the overt rebuke of its goodwill, claim that it has no choice but to develop robust self-defences, and then subsequently revert to belligerence. New nuclear or missile tests are some of the measures that North Korea may label as "proportional" responses to US-South Korean drills and the military assets deployed as part of them. North Korea reserves a special form of hatred for American nuclear-capable platforms, and frames many of its recent nuclear advancements as a direct reaction to their appearance near the Korean peninsula. It may therefore be advisable for the US and South Korea to abstain from deploying such hardware as part of Foal Eagle 2014 and hope that the positive atmosphere fostered by family reunions will be sufficient to prevent a re-run of last year's tensions. Andrea Berger is a research fellow in nuclear analysis at the Royal United Services Institute. Follow her on Twitter @AndreaRBerger.

अमेरिका और दक्षिण कोरिया कोरियाई प्रायद्वीप के पास विवादास्पद सैन्य अभ्यास का एक और दौर शुरू करने के लिए तैयार हैं। दक्षिण कोरिया की रक्षा के लिए गठबंधन की योजनाओं का पूर्वाभ्यास करने के लिए 1976 से सालाना इतने बड़े पैमाने पर अभ्यास आयोजित किए जाते रहे हैं।