'No solid evidence' for IVF add-on success

Summary: Nearly all costly add-on treatments offered by UK fertility clinics to increase the chance of a birth through IVF are not supported by high-quality evidence proving that they work, a study has revealed.

By Deborah CohenBBC Panorama The findings are the result of research commissioned by BBC Panorama and conducted by Oxford University's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, world experts in assessing medical studies. On average, only one in four cycles of IVF (in vitro fertilisation) across all age groups results in a live birth. Many clinics offer add-ons, treatments on top of standard IVF, in an attempt to boost the chances of having a baby. 'Shocked' The Oxford team spent a year searching for every claim made about each treatment available at UK clinics and researched more than 70 websites - identifying 27 treatments that are considered to be add-ons. However, its research found that 26 of them were not backed up by good scientific evidence of success. The treatments include genetic screening tests, additional drugs, blood tests to measure the immune system and special devices to house an embryo. They can cost from £100 up to £3,500 each on top of the costs of IVF. Prof Carl Heneghan, director of the centre and who led the team, was shocked and told Panorama: "It was one of the worst examples I've ever seen in healthcare. "The first thing you would expect to happen is that anything that makes a claim for an intervention would be backed up by some evidence. "Some of these treatments are of no benefit to you whatsoever and some of them are harmful." Only one treatment, called an endometrial scratch, was supported by moderate quality evidence it would help. It involves a procedure to scratch the womb lining to help an embryo successfully implant, although the evidence for this treatment was not itself beyond doubt. The conclusions of the study are published in the medical journal The BMJ. Patients the BBC spoke to had tried many of these add-ons in their desperation to have a baby, spending tens of thousands of pounds in the process. Jessica Hepburn spent over £70,000 on eleven cycles of IVF and had many different "add-ons". She never had a baby. She now campaigns for patients to receive better information about fertility issues. "These are doctors. We believe what doctors tell us and this is a doctor that holds my happiness in his hands," she said. Long-standing industry critic and fertility pioneer Professor Robert Winston told Panorama that he thinks most add-ons are unnecessary. "So many of them are not justified," he said. "They think they're giving the patient hope and in my view that's completely the wrong way to do this, you need to give the patient a treatment which is reliable." At the heart of the debate is whether patients should be charged large sums of money for treatments that have not been demonstrated to improve their chances of having a baby. Adam Balen, chairman of the British Fertility Society, told Panorama: "Provided we're not causing harm, I don't think that there's any problem with giving patients information... discussing that we don't know yet but there is an evidence base developing." In Birmingham, one fertility clinic Panorama spoke to doesn't offer many add-ons to their NHS or private patients because of the lack of evidence behind them. Dr Sue Avery, director of the Birmingham Women's Hospital, told us: "I think for many patients the feeling is, well, whatever I can have as long as it's not going to be harmful, I want to have it. "Our feeling here is that if you feel that that's absolutely essential for you then unfortunately you will need to go elsewhere. It's going to be a cost to you and we can't honestly say you should have this because there's no evidence to support it." Panorama found evidence that, when marketing one add-on, not all clinics were telling patients everything they needed to know. The add-on is called preimplantation genetic screening, which screens embryos for abnormalities that might stop them developing further. A trial in 2007 discovered that an earlier version of this test could actually reduce the chances of having a baby. Many clinics now offer more accurate versions of the screening. But as yet there is no high quality evidence from robust trials that these new versions improve the odds of becoming pregnant. Randomised trials are currently under way. But a number of UK clinics already sell it for up to £3,500 and Panorama found not all were up front with us about the lack of evidence in their marketing pitches. We approached a range of staff from 18 British and foreign clinics at random at a fertility fair, saying we had not had IVF before but were interested to know whether PGS would be a good add-on treatment. Five clinics we spoke to were positive about the treatment. Eight told us they would only offer it to women over the age of 40 or those who had experienced repeated IVF failures, despite the lack of strong evidence to prove it increases their chances of having a baby. Five clinics told us they would not recommend PGS, because of the lack of good enough evidence. Sebastiaan Mastenbroek is a clinical embryologist from the University of Amsterdam, whose trial on the first version of PGS showed it could lower birth rates. He told us he was surprised PGS was being offered in routine practice again before the completion of randomised trials which are still under way. So are patients being adequately protected? The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the UK's fertility clinic regulator. A spokesman for the HFEA told Panorama that it was "concerned about the recent step change in the use of treatment add-ons". But, he added, the regulator had "limited powers to stop clinics offering them, or to control pricing". He said the HFEA published information directly for patients so they could have the facts before they went to a clinic. The authority said it planned to launch a new website next year with more information about a wider range of add-ons. Panorama found many patients are still willing to pay for unproven treatments, even when their clinics tell them there is no high quality evidence behind them. One patient told the programme: "I think if someone said if you cut off your hand you'll have a baby, I think I would have done it." Panorama: Inside Britain's Fertility Business is broadcast on BBC One at 20:30 on Monday November 28 (except Wales) and will be available on the BBC iPlayer afterwards. What is IVF? In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help couples with fertility problems have a baby. During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman's womb to grow and develop. It can be carried out using a woman's eggs and a man's sperm, or eggs and/or sperm from donors.

एक अध्ययन से पता चला है कि आईवीएफ के माध्यम से जन्म की संभावना बढ़ाने के लिए यूके प्रजनन क्लीनिकों द्वारा पेश किए जाने वाले लगभग सभी महंगे अतिरिक्त उपचार उच्च गुणवत्ता वाले साक्ष्य द्वारा समर्थित नहीं हैं जो साबित करते हैं कि वे काम करते हैं।


Despair over ban in India's surrogacy hub

Summary: India recently announced a ban on surrogate services for foreign couples and notices have been sent to fertility clinics to not accept any more overseas clients. Yogita Limaye travels to the surrogacy hub of Anand in the western state of Gujarat to speak to those who have been affected by the ban.

"Is it a boy or girl?" someone asks outside the operating theatre. "Girl," says a nurse as she brings out the newborn baby, tightly wrapped in a blue blanket, to the woman who gave birth to her. She gives a tired smile, pats the baby, and the nurse takes the infant away. It's probably the last time Meena Macwan will see the baby - she is a surrogate mother and, as she rests, her relatives tell me she decided to carry someone else's child so that she could earn money to build a home. India was among only a small number of countries that allowed commercial surrogacy - paying a woman to bear someone else's child - and so it has become a major hub as thousands of couples flock to the country in the hope of having a baby. A majority of the women at a surrogacy home in Anand are carrying babies for foreign couples, which the government now wants to stop. Devi Parmar is 27 and she's pregnant with the baby of an English couple. She worked on a farm and as a domestic help, before she opted to be a surrogate. 'There's nothing wrong in doing this. I barely got by on the money I made without surrogacy, so I could never think of building my own home. It will change my life' she says. Anand's most popular fertility clinic is still buzzing with people. But that number could soon drop drastically. In one corner of the waiting room, an American couple of Indian origin are looking distraught. "Shocked and disappointed," is all they manage to say before they leave. The woman looks like she's been crying. She says she doesn't know what they'll do next. In the UK, Rekha Patel, a resident of Epping who had a baby in Anand, has started an online petition against the ban. Her daughter Gabriella is now two years old. "There might be a general opinion among people who don't really know what's involved that rich westerners go over and drag poor Indian women off the street to carry their child for nine months," she says. "And that's just not the case at all. This was our last chance to have a family of our own and we took it and there are thousands of families like ours. But if it's taken away it would be a real tragedy because we were really desperate when we went, really desperate." India was becoming a major hub for surrogacy because it's easy to find women here who are willing to be surrogates, there's good medical technology and it's cheap. It had grown into an industry worth $2.3bn and according to official estimates, 5,000 surrogate babies were being born here every year. But India's government believes that poor, illiterate women are being exploited. "It's a sad thing that people are so desperate that they're willing to rent out their bodies for something like this," says Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Director General of the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). "I mean, given a choice if they could make a decent livelihood, I'm sure they wouldn't want this to be the option by which they earn money. The clinics are earning much more from the couples than the women." Dr Nayna Patel, who runs Akanksha fertility clinic in Anand, says the women are well looked after. "Couples have to pay around $25,000 (£16,366). Of this $10,000 goes directly to the surrogate mother. The remaining amount is used to care for her for nine months, for medical check ups and for the delivery." All the surrogates I met in Anand verified that they were getting around $10,000 if they were carrying foreign babies. Some of them said they got less money if they were carrying a child for an Indian couple, and that perhaps explains why overseas clients are preferred. India doesn't have a surrogacy law. For now the industry was following guidelines issued by the ICMR. Its rules state that a woman cannot be a surrogate unless she has a living child of her own, and she can only do it once. The draft of a new law, called the "Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill", is ready but not been passed in the parliament yet. The government's recent notice to fertility clinics was triggered by a petition filed against surrogacy in India's Supreme Court. It's not entirely clear yet whether or not Indian couples will be allowed to pay someone to have their baby but the government has made up its mind when it comes to foreign couples. "It's difficult to predict right now what the bill will say but the majority of stakeholders who've given their opinion have felt that surrogacy services should be restricted to married Indian infertile couples and it should be their last resort," says Dr Swaminathan. The "stakeholders" include government ministries, doctors and women's rights groups. It's not clear if they asked surrogate mothers for their opinion. If they had asked surrogate mother Devi Parmar, this is what she would have said: ''What the government is doing is wrong. Are they going to come to our homes to ask us about our problems and feed us if we're starving?"

भारत ने हाल ही में विदेशी जोड़ों के लिए सरोगेट सेवाओं पर प्रतिबंध की घोषणा की है और प्रजनन क्लीनिकों को नोटिस भेजे गए हैं कि वे और अधिक विदेशी ग्राहकों को स्वीकार न करें। योगिता लिमये प्रतिबंध से प्रभावित लोगों से बात करने के लिए पश्चिमी राज्य गुजरात में आनंद के सरोगेसी केंद्र की यात्रा करती हैं।


Q&A: Simulated Mars mission

Summary: Six men have volunteered to be locked in a series of sealed containers in Moscow for 18 months in order to simulate a crewed mission to the Red Planet. The experiment is designed to be as realistic as possible - though some elements, such as weightlessness - cannot be recreated on Earth. What is the purpose of the study?

The Mars500 experiment is designed to help scientists understand how humans would cope on a long-haul space journey. To this end, the six candidates - three Russians, two Europeans and one Chinese - will be sealed in a series of interconnected steel canisters for 520 days. The experiment is based in Russia, at Moscow's Institute of Biomedical Problems (IMBP). The European Space Agency (Esa) says future astronauts need to be prepared mentally and physically for the demands of a long-duration space voyage. Officials say a better understanding is needed of how crews will be affected by the boredom and isolation of a long space journey as well as by their interactions with other astronauts. What will the "cosmonauts" do during the mission? The "cosmonauts" will simulate all the steps of a real mission to the Red Planet: travelling to their target, orbiting Mars, landing on the surface and returning to Earth. Once sealed into the chamber, the candidates will have only personal contact with each other plus voice contact with a simulated control centre as well as family and friends - just as would happen in a real mission. The volunteers are required to be self-reliant, organising many of their own daily tasks. They are responsible for monitoring their own health and psychological states, as well as those of their colleagues. They are also required to monitor and maintain life-support systems as well as controlling their consumption of limited resources. During "surface operations" on Mars, the crew is divided up into two groups of three. One group will go to a separate container where they will step through a hatch on to the Martian surface (actually a room with a floor covered with sand and rocks), while the other group remains in the main "spaceship". The participants act as subjects in scientific investigations to assess the effect that isolation has on various aspects of their physiology and psychology. These include stress, hormone regulation and immunity, sleep quality, mood and the effectiveness of dietary supplements. How closely can they recreate a space mission on Earth? Clearly, there are some aspects of a mission to deep space which cannot be recreated on our planet. These include the effects of weightlessness on astronauts. But scientists have tried to make the experience as realistic as they possibly can. For instance, they have built in a 20-minute delay into communications with their control centre - to mirror the real lag in sending messages over the vast distance between Mars and Earth. In addition, all the consumables available for use by the crew are already on board - there will be no re-supply. They will eat a diet that is very similar to that given to astronauts on the International Space Station. They will, however, have a greenhouse where the can grow some food. Scientists will simulate different emergency scenarios such as illnesses among the crew and the failures of on-board systems. The scientists will be watching the crew's psychological response during their confinement, in order to watch for conflicts. How were the final six candidates chosen? The volunteers comprise three Russian nationals - mission commander Alexey Sitev (38), Sukhrob Kamolov (32) and Alexander Smoleevskiy (33). Kamolov and Smoleevskiy both have medical backgrounds. The two Europeans in the group - Colombian-Italian Diego Urbina (27) and Frenchman Romain Charles (31) - are engineers by training. The Chinese citizen, Yue Wang, has a "day job" training Chinese astronauts. There were two parallel tracks of candidate selection for the study, one organised by Europe, the other by Russia. But all applicants for both selection tracks had to comply with certain requirements regarding their age, height, weight, education, skills and proficiency in English and Russian. Shortlisted candidates were subjected to a battery of medical and psychological tests, as well as face-to-face interviews to determine their suitability for the experiment. The selection panels not only considered the applicants' individual personalities but also how different personalities and talents would work when combined as a group. Women were not excluded from the project. It was felt however that if females were to be included, at least two should go into the spaceship; but only one women made it through to the final interview stage.

छह लोगों ने लाल ग्रह के लिए एक चालक दल के मिशन का अनुकरण करने के लिए 18 महीनों के लिए मास्को में सीलबंद पात्रों की एक श्रृंखला में बंद होने के लिए स्वेच्छा से काम किया है। प्रयोग को यथासंभव यथार्थवादी होने के लिए डिज़ाइन किया गया है-हालांकि कुछ तत्व, जैसे कि भारहीनता-को पृथ्वी पर फिर से नहीं बनाया जा सकता है। अध्ययन का उद्देश्य क्या है?


How reliant is Australia on China?

Summary: Australia's relationship with China is not a happy one at the moment. Canberra's push for answers on the pandemic's origins has angered Beijing. In the past month it has put in place some bruising sanctions and travel warnings. Many have urged Australia to reduce its economic reliance on China, but is this really an option?

By Frances MaoBBC News, Sydney "I love the Chinese," says Chris Kelly, an Australian who's sown barley on his family farm for decades. "Love them. Every barley grower in Australia loves the Chinese because they've made us wealthy." Last year Australia produced over 8 million tonnes of the golden grain used in beer and pig feed. China bought more than half - at a premium price. But last month, China imposed an 80% tariff on Australian barley. It came after Canberra, echoing the US, called for an investigation into Covid-19's origins - a move that Beijing labelled "politically motivated". China has since suspended some major Australian beef imports, and warned students and tourists against travelling to the "racist" country. This week, in a secretive process, it sentenced an Australian man to death for drug smuggling. It's fuelled frenzied discussion in Australia: Is China retaliating against accusations it mishandled the coronavirus? Could this be the start of a trade war like that seen between the US and China? Australia's dependence on China Like other liberal democracies, Australia is increasingly challenged by the need to balance its economic dependence on China and its own values and interests. In recent times, Canberra has raised concerns about human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, banned Chinese firm Huawei from building Australia's 5G network, and debated allegations of Beijing interfering in domestic affairs. This friction isn't unique to Australia. Canada, Japan and South Korea - among others - have seen economic pushback from China, allegedly for political reasons. But Australia's economic dependence on China is greater than many nations. For the past decade, China has been Australia's largest trading partner and now accounts for 32.6% of its exports. Australia's mines have delivered iron ore, coal and gas to fuel China's growth - preferred to rivals in Brazil for their quality and geographic proximity. It's a deal that benefits both nations. Other sectors - education, tourism, agriculture, wine - have also flourished in the Chinese market. But like barley, they are not as exclusive to Australia and so more vulnerable to political tension, economists say. Push to explore other options This has all intensified debate over whether Australia has become too reliant on China and should look to other trading partners. It needs to drastically strengthen relations with its Asian neighbours, says Dr Lai-Ha Chan, a political scientist at the University of Technology, Sydney. It has made efforts, she says, noting Prime Minister Scott Morrison had scheduled a trip to India this year and made repeated entreaties to PM Narendra Modi. His visit to Vietnam last year - the first by an Australian leader in 25 years - was recognition of its rising star as a market economy, she adds. Australia's ecotourism and university sectors have been actively courting both nations. Dr Chan suggests Australia could rely on a combination of those countries - plus Indonesia, Japan and South Korea - to lessen reliance on China. Not all are among Australia's top 10 trading partners currently; in many cases, there is no existing free trade agreement. But economists dispute the idea that the Chinese market can easily be replaced. India is often cited for its potential. Australia has set a goal to send A$45bn (£25bn; $31bn) in annual exports to India by 2035. But last year, it sold more than A$160bn to China alone. "There are no other options that come anywhere near to making up China's numbers," says Prof Jane Golley, a China economy specialist at the Australian National University. Government attempts at intervention (a practice seen in Japan), would just be a waste of money, economists say. "It's a bit strange for the government to tell companies you can't sell to the Chinese or you have to sell more to other countries when other countries simply aren't trying to buy," Dr Shiro Armstrong, an East Asia specialist, told the BBC. Australian companies are already working hard to reduce reliance on China, adds Dirk van der Kley, from policy research group China Matters, citing universities in particular. "Sure, they've made a little difference on the edges. But it's the market which matters here." Even more opportunities with China? Prof Golley says she finds calls by some security analysts to turn away from China - covered heavily by the media - "depressing". "I wonder if the man on the street who reads the headline and thinks we need to diversify from China - I always wonder if they think through what that could mean and how it might lead to them or their children not having jobs in the future." Australia would be better served looking at the bigger picture, she and others argue. It is far less reliant on exports (20% of GDP) than many nations. But those proceeds flow directly into jobs and welfare, making China a significant driver of Australian prosperity. Richard Maude, a former foreign policy head in the Australian government, says it is vital that Australia can co-operate with China on food security, energy and climate change. Mr Van Der Kley predicts others markets will also emerge for Australia as China's middle class ages, particularly in sectors such as health care and nursing. The significant Chinese diaspora in Australia should not be overlooked, others say. Australia is home to more than 1.2 million people of Chinese ancestry, many of whom only migrated in the last decade - ensuring deep community links. Chinese consumers continue to favour Australia for education and tourism, partly for this reason. But on the political level, there's a consensus that Canberra-Beijing relations have sunk to their lowest ebb in decades. It has been three years since a bilateral meeting of leaders, despite Australia's repeated requests. Prof Golley says the government should work hard to help Australian businesses engage with Chinese counterparts, but fears this is being damaged by the "deteriorating" political relationship. Others say Australia needs to be more strategic in its diplomacy - for example it could criticise China from within a group of like-minded nations rather than striking out on its own. They also suggest hawks within the government should be reined in by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Ultimately, though, slick diplomacy is just "packaging", says Mr Maude, the former diplomat: "China will still often object to what's inside, no matter how well wrapped." Mr Morrison has said: "We're just being Australians. We have done nothing nor sought to do anything that is inconsistent with our values, or have sought to be in any way hostile to our partnership with China." Australia hasn't changed but China fundamentally has, says Mr Maude. He argues that Beijing has become more assertive and authoritarian. Canberra - like other democracies - can no longer overlook political reality for economic gains. "The risk of economic retaliation will be a permanent feature of the 'new normal' in the relationship," he says. "We can't have our cake and eat it too." But for Mr Kelly on his barley farm, he feels like the proverbial canary down a gold mine. "We've been feeling anxious for years - this has been going on for a while," he says. "It just feels like the worst-case scenario has arrived."

चीन के साथ ऑस्ट्रेलिया के संबंध इस समय सुखद नहीं हैं। महामारी की उत्पत्ति पर जवाब के लिए कैनबरा के दबाव ने बीजिंग को नाराज कर दिया है। पिछले महीने में इसने कुछ कठोर प्रतिबंध और यात्रा चेतावनी दी है। कई लोगों ने ऑस्ट्रेलिया से चीन पर अपनी आर्थिक निर्भरता को कम करने का आग्रह किया है, लेकिन क्या यह वास्तव में एक विकल्प है?


The Maze Escape: the biggest jailbreak in UK history

Summary: Thirty-four years ago, a team of IRA inmates escaped from what was supposed to be the most secure prison in Europe. It was, and remains, the biggest jailbreak in UK history.

By Gordon AdairBBC News NI Despite being on the wrong side of 60, Brendan Mead is still a physically intimidating man. Shaven headed, lean and muscular, he has the air of someone who has known violence up close and personally. He was chosen as the "tip of the spear" for one of the most dramatic operations in Northern Ireland's decades of violence. He struck the first blow to start the 1983 breakout from the Maze Prison. Thirty-eight hardened paramilitaries used smuggled guns and knives to take over their block before escaping across the crop-filled fields surrounding the jail, some 12 miles from Belfast. Republicans, with a sense of pride, hold it up as their Great Escape; Unionists recall how one prison officer was killed and others were so seriously injured or traumatised that their lives were effectively ruined. With its warders backed up by armed soldiers and its distinctively-shaped 'H' blocks, purpose built to house Northern Ireland's feared paramilitaries, HMP Maze became an instantly recognisable feature on the violent landscape of the Troubles. It stood as another reminder of how things in Northern Ireland were not the same as in the rest of the UK. Prison officer James Ferris died of a heart attack after being stabbed while attempting to stop the breakout. Sixteen escapees were later acquitted of his murder after the trial failed to prove the heart attack was caused by the stabbing. Brendan Mead is now a born-again Christian. A key organiser of the biggest prison breakout in UK history, he has spoken for the first time about what remains one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the Northern Ireland Troubles. Mead reveals: Mead was chosen to be the first prisoner to overpower a guard. This was because he was regarded by his fellow inmates as "the fittest man in H7". This is the first time in 34 years that Mead has spoken on the record about his role in the events. He revealed that the getaway vehicle used in the Maze breakout, a food delivery lorry, was delayed because IRA "intelligence officers" were rifling through drawers and boxes of papers after taking control of the wing. "The IRA volunteers, particularly the IOs [information officers] preferred to find out who had been an informer or who was working for the prison staff, or who was working for whomever. "They needed to get that documentation, but they became more focused on that, going through the information trying to find out if there were informers in the ranks." Mead says that five-minute delay caused problems for the escapees as their vehicle was still in the yard when prison officers began arriving for the next shift. He revealed, for the first time, details of a 'sister' escape plan which targeted the Crumlin Road jail. It was to have been put into operation after any Maze escape prisoners, who had been recaptured, had been sent there ahead of a trial. Brendan Mead said: "It was already set up. This is the escape trial we're talking about. Everything we needed was packed into the mortar tubes and they were to be shot over at an exact time when we were in 'A' wing yard. "We were to open the mortar tubes, take out the equipment, and then breach the Crumlin Road as well. "But that didn't happen because, the people who were on the mortar tubes, they were caught inside a garage at the back of the prison from where they were going to shoot them over. " Mead accepts that "people's lives were destroyed by what happened" on the day of the Maze escape. People like John Adams, the prison officer shot in the head during the jailbreak. BBC News NI has obtained documents from the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) relating to the subsequent trial of two leading escapees, Brendan 'Bic' McFarlane and Gerry Kelly. They offer a fascinating insight into what went on in the Maze that day. Among those documents, John Adams' account of what happened. In his statement Mr Adams claims Gerry Kelly shot him in the control room. It reads: "At 2:20 PM prisoner 58, Kelly, appeared at the grille with a gun pointed at me. He told me not to touch any of the controls or warnings. "He then told me to open the gate which I did do. He said, "I have nothing to lose; you know what I'm in for." "He then told me to lie down on the ground, put my hands behind my head. This was inside the control room. "Kelly was distracted by something and turned away from me. I jumped up and slammed the door and tried to lock it, but it was forced open. "Kelly then came back into the control room and fired two shots. The first one missed me and the second hit me above the left eye, entering my head. I collapsed to the floor." In a conversation with BBC News NI in 2013, Mr Adams repeated the version of events outlined in his original statement, once again naming the Sinn Féin man as his attacker. Gerry Kelly has never admitted shooting Mr Adams and was found not guilty after his trial in 1987. In his own book about the escape, Kelly refers to the person who shot John Adams only as 'the prisoner.' Some years after the shooting, John Adams was convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl. Mr Adams died on August 16 last year. He was buried on August 31, the arrangements having been made by the hospital in which he died. His grave is as yet unmarked. Brendan Mead maintains that, while he was nearby, he didn't see the actual shooting incident. Addressing any allegations that still exist, is, he insists, something that only Gerry Kelly can do. "John Adams said it was Gerry Kelly who shot him. If that's where Gerry was, then that's his thing. He's to address that, not me. "Apparently Gerry was at the control room and, whatever happened between him and John, the shots then went off." Other documents in the bundle released by PRONI include a handwritten note which was to be read to IRA members who were chosen to take part in the escape. It suggests that the IRA leadership feared the rank and file members would not go along with the plan. It makes it clear that any prisoners told to join the escape would have no option but to go along with it. It reads as follows: "To all POWs (Prisoners of War) chosen by camp staff to go on escape. "Very few of you are aware of what is now taking place. This is due to security and the possible refusal of some of you to go on this escape. Since it is the duty of all POWs to escape I now instruct you to go to this yard to board the feed lorry. Regardless of your feelings we are taking you with us, we have no time for arguments. Just do as instructed. Any refusals will be met with force." Another note was apparently intended for prison staff taken hostage: "To all prison staff who have been arrested by Republican POWs on Sunday, September 25. "What has taken place here today was a carefully planned exercise to secure the release of a substantial number of POWs. The block is now under our control. "If anyone has been assaulted or injured, this has been a result of his refusal to cooperate with us. It is not our intention to settle old scores, ill-treat nor degrade any of you regardless of your past. Though should anyone try to underestimate or wish to challenge our position, he or they will be dealt with severely. "Anyone who refuses to comply with our instructions now or in the future will feel the wrath of the Republican movement. Should any members of the prison administration ill-treat, victimise or commit any acts of perjury against Republican POWs in any follow-up enquiries, judicial or otherwise, they will forfeit their lives for what we will see as a further act of repression against the nationalist people. "To conclude, we give you our word as Republicans that none of you will come to any harm providing you cooperate fully with us. "Anyone who refuses to do so will suffer the ultimate consequence - death! "Let common sense prevail, do not be used as cannon fodder by the prison administration nor the faceless bureaucrats at Stormont and Whitehall." A film about the escape, entitled simply Maze, goes on general release today. As with all interpretation of our past, whether through drama or documentary, controversy seems inevitable. Asked if it was too soon for a movie about the escape, Mead said he worried that the film makers would glorify it to some extent, but that for him it was just history. "What do I think about the escape? I don't really think anything of the escape," he said. Will he go and see the film? "It would be hard to match the reality," he said. "I don't even know if I would watch it, it's not something that drives me. That's not my life anymore. "It's part of my past. It's something that I participated in. I don't try to glorify that past; it's a reality and I have to acknowledge that I was a full, consenting, participant in it all. "It's not like I'm saying: 'Oh look at me, look at what we done'. I could have played for Manchester United. That's part of my history that didn't happen. "I believed in my mindset at that time that it was a necessary thing to do. There was only one negative thing about it and that's that some people were badly injured and their lives were destroyed by it." Lives were destroyed by the events of that day; that is not in dispute. Thirty-four years may have passed but it's clear that many of the officers taken hostage, hooded and terrorised, are still struggling to come to terms with what they experienced. BBC News NI approached several officers who were working in the Maze at, or around, the time of the breakout. Only one agreed to an interview. As the time to meet neared, though, the now-retired officer pulled out. The enforced reflection had been just too much for him. "The trauma is incredible," he explained. None of his colleagues felt willing or able to contribute to this article.

चौंतीस साल पहले, आई. आर. ए. कैदियों की एक टीम यूरोप की सबसे सुरक्षित जेल से भाग गई थी। यह ब्रिटेन के इतिहास में सबसे बड़ी जेल तोड़ थी और बनी हुई है।


Man 'tried to throw bag of vomit' over officer in Scarborough

Summary: A man has been arrested after a half-naked man appeared to try to throw a bag of vomit over an off-duty police officer.

Police said a man, who was bare-chested and wearing tracksuit bottoms, confronted the officer in Scarborough. A man was restrained by the officer in Victoria Road at about 06:40 BST on Friday. A second off-duty officer "noticed the disturbance" and came to the aid of his colleague, North Yorkshire Police said. Uniformed officers arrived and the suspect was put into a police van. North Yorkshire Police said a 26-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links North Yorkshire Police

एक अर्ध-नग्न व्यक्ति द्वारा एक ऑफ-ड्यूटी पुलिस अधिकारी पर उल्टी का थैला फेंकने की कोशिश के बाद एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


'Stolen friend': Rapa Nui seek return of moai statue

Summary: Prominent among the eclectic hoard of treasures in London's British Museum is the imposing figure of Hoa Hakananai'a, a four-tonne basalt statue from the Chilean Pacific territory of Rapa Nui - named Easter Island by European explorers.

By John BartlettLondon The statues, known as moai, were carved by the island's indigenous Rapa Nui people to embody the spirit of a prominent ancestor, with each considered to be the person's living incarnation. "The British taking the moai from our island is like me going into your house and taking your grandfather to display in my living room," says Anakena Manutomatoma, who is a native of the island and serves on Rapa Nui's development commission. "For us, the repatriation of Hoa Hakananai'a is an absolute priority." Long way from home The statue, along with a second, smaller moai known as Hava, were given as gifts to Queen Victoria in 1869 by the captain of HMS Topaze, Commodore Richard Powell. You may also be interested in: His crew excavated Hoa Hakananai'a from a cliff top near the Rano Kau crater in November 1868, and the Queen donated the two statues to the British Museum. It has been on display 8,500 miles (13,700km) from its spiritual home ever since. Alongside its clear cultural and spiritual importance, Hoa Hakananai'a is a particularly fine example of the statues that see thousands of tourists visit Rapa Nui each year. "In some ways the statue is unique because it is made from a very hard basalt lava rock, unlike the majority of statues on Rapa Nui. As such, it is unusually well-preserved and its features are pristine," says archaeologist Mike Pitts, who spent several nights at the museum in 2012 conducting a detailed scan of Hoa Hakananai'a. "It also has a unique collection of petroglyphs on its back that almost certainly were not part of the original statue, so you have a second layer of history embodied in the stone." Calls for repatriation There has been a recent awakening on the island with regard to repatriating the moai, which under Chilean law are considered to be part of the land. Sculptor Benedicto Tuki, a Rapa Nui native who has dedicated his life to promoting and preserving the island's indigenous culture, attributes the newfound interest in bringing the moai home to a generational shift. "Perhaps in the past we did not attach so much importance to Hoa Hakananai'a and his brothers, but nowadays people on the island are starting to realise just how much of our heritage there is around the world and starting to ask why our ancestors are in foreign museums." In order to facilitate the return of the Hoa Hakananai'a, a name often translated as "lost" or "stolen friend", Tuki has offered to make an exact replica to take the statue's place in the British Museum, free of charge. "Perhaps it won't possess the same ancestral spirit, but it will look identical," the sculptor says. "My only wish is for him to return home; for me this is worth far more than any amount of money. As long as I live, I will fight to see our ancestors returned to the island." Asking to be heard Tuki made the offer after the mayor of Rapa Nui, Pedro Edmunds, sent a letter to the British Museum in August requesting the return of the two statues. In response, the museum invited a delegation from Rapa Nui to visit the moai and discuss the request. A group including Ms Manutomatoma will arrive in London on 19 November to propose to the museum's directorate to have Hoa Hakananai'a returned to the island in exchange for Tuki's replica. Chile's Minister for National Property Felipe Ward, who is leading the delegation, says he is optimistic. "The strong understanding and mutual respect between Chile and the UK can help in this instance." "We are not demanding anything as yet, just asking to be heard. We believe that when this happens, the museum and its authorities will understand the importance of the moai as the soul of the island," he says. For Tuki, bringing Hoa Hakananai'a back to Rapa Nui is just a first step. Eventually, he would like to see all moai which were removed from the island returned, starting with those that are currently on the Chilean mainland. "In order for Chile to show that it is serious about supporting our cause, we need to have the moai on the Chilean mainland returned to the island," he says. Talks are currently under way to return a moai from the Chilean city of La Serena but there are also moai in Viña del Mar and also as far afield as the US, New Zealand, France and Belgium. Anakena Manutomatoma says that while she, too, dreams of bringing all of her ancestors home to Rapa Nui, her gaze is firmly on Hoa Hakananai'a. "We have mourned him for too long. It is time to stop crying and take action to bring him home."

लंदन के ब्रिटिश संग्रहालय में खजाने के सारग्राही भंडार में प्रमुख रूप से यूरोपीय खोजकर्ताओं द्वारा ईस्टर द्वीप नाम दिए गए चिली के प्रशांत क्षेत्र रापा नुई की चार टन की बेसाल्ट प्रतिमा, होआ हाकाननाई की भव्य आकृति है।


General Motors recalls 717,949 more vehicles

Summary: General Motors (GM) is recalling an additional 717,949 vehicles due to a range of issues, including loose bolts and potentially incomplete welding on some seat hooks.

The carmaker has recalled nearly 29 million vehicles this year, most due to faulty ignition switches. The recall-related repairs are expected to cost GM $1.2bn (£700m). GM was criticised for reacting too late to the switch issue, but said it was "enhancing" its approach to safety. "We are bringing greater rigor and discipline to our analysis and decision making," Jeff Boyer, vice president global vehicle safety at GM, said in a statement. "If we identify an issue - large or small - that might affect the safety of our customers, we will act decisively." The latest recalls include: The complete list of the models affected by the the various recalls, including their manufacture year, can be found on GM's website.

जनरल मोटर्स (जी. एम.) कई मुद्दों के कारण अतिरिक्त 717,949 वाहनों को वापस बुला रहा है, जिसमें ढीले बोल्ट और कुछ सीट हुक पर संभावित रूप से अपूर्ण वेल्डिंग शामिल है।


Tech 2013: BBC News Online's most read technology stories

Summary: It's been a busy year in technology. From Edward Snowden's NSA/GCHQ leaks to a severe decline in PC sales; from the launch of the PlayStation 4 to the aborted sale of Blackberry; from Microsoft buying Nokia's handset business and preparing to part ways with Steve Ballmer to the releases of Samsung's bestselling Galaxy S4 handset and Android KitKat.

By Leo KelionTechnology reporter Google Glass caused a privacy storm even though the photo-taking eyewear has yet to be released; Candy Crush Saga became a gaming sensation for its British developer King; self-deleting photo app Snapchat reportedly turned down a $3bn (£1.8bn) offer from Facebook; and what seemed like hundreds of 3D printers, smartwatches and tablets flooded onto the market - many bankrolled by crowdsourced cash. None of the above made our most-read list - based on which tech story attracted the most clicks and finger flicks - for each month of the year. But here is what did pique your interest: January: The tablet that turns lumpy "Why settle for flat?" asked California-based Tactus Technology. The firm's innovation - the ability to raise transparent buttons out of a touchscreen's surface - has still to make it to market. But if interest in a demonstration unit on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is anything to go by, then much of the public is unconvinced by current tap-to-type flatscreen keyboards. February: Facebook sued over 'likes' button The thumbs-up logo may be Facebook's iconic icon, but it was alleged that the idea for the social network's "like" button was in fact the invention of a dead Dutch programmer. Rembrandt Social Media - a Philadelphia-based firm which possesses Joannes Jozef Everardus van der Meer's patents - said the approval technique had been developed for an earlier failed network called Surfbook. Mark Zuckerberg's legal team failed to convince a judge to dismiss Rembrandt's claims at a hearing earlier this month after he ruled there were still questions to be answered, according to a report by the Law360 news site. However, the judge did throw out the specific allegation of "wilful infringement" because he said there was no evidence Facebook had been aware of Mr van der Meer's work. March: Super-sized internet attack A report that the internet had been slowed by what was described as the biggest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack in history proved to be the BBC tech team's most read story of the year. The assault on the Spamhaus Project's websites, mailservers and nameservers was said to have peaked at 300 gigabit per second's worth of data. A London-based teenager and a 35-year-old Dutchman were later arrested in connection with the incident. However, Kaspersky Lab's claim that other users would have suffered slow downloads as a consequence has become a matter of controversy with some claiming any delays were more likely to have been caused by an unrelated damaged data cable. April: Virgin bill goes viral A broadband bill that stated Virgin Media had failed to receive a monthly charge because the subscriber had died and imposed a late payment fee as a consequence spread like wildfire after the man's son-in-law posted a photo of it on Facebook. At the time our report was published the post had been shared just over 53,000 times. That number later grew to 98,250. Jim Boyden said he had only resorted to posting the details on the social network after Virgin Media's call centre failed to resolve the matter. The firm later apologised and blamed the error on an automated system. May: Xbox One unveiled Microsoft beat Sony to show off the look of its next-generation console - the Xbox One - half a year before it went on sale. The launch plans later ran into trouble when planned restrictions on second-hand games sparked a backlash that its rival Sony exploited at the E3 games show, prompting a U-turn. The row doesn't seem to have affected sales. Microsoft recently said more than two million Xbox Ones had been sold, putting it roughly level-pegging with the PlayStation 4. But the former Xbox chief Don Mattrick is no longer about to enjoy the glory - he has jumped ship to try and turn around online games developer Zynga. June: Google Street View delete order Google's illegal collection of personal data gathered from wi-fi networks detected by its Street View mapping cars bounced back into the headlines when the UK's Information Commissioner's Office ordered the firm to delete the information within 35 days. The firm had previously said it would wipe the data, but subsequently admitted it had "accidentally" retained discs containing the records. This wasn't the only time Street View got Google in trouble this year. In November Brazil threatened a $450,000 fine over allegations that its citizens' private data had also been collected by the vehicles - something the firm denied. July: Heart implant hacker's unexpected death New Zealand-born Barnaby Jack was a week away from giving a high-profile presentation about the vulnerability of pacemakers and other medical devices to hacks when he died in July. The security researcher was only 35-years-old when his body was found at his San Francisco apartment. The cause of his death has never been reported. The BBC was unable to reach a spokesman from San Francisco's Medical Examiner's office. Update: A coroner's report, made public in January, said Mr Jack had overdosed on a mix of heroin, cocaine and other drugs. August: Catching out cold callers Cold calls from marketing companies are the bane of many a phone-owner. But one Leeds-based businessman has turned the phenomenon to his advantage by setting up a premium-charge 0871 line as his contact number. At the time of the report he had made £300 from the idea, and says that has now risen to £450. He describes it as "free money", but cautions anyone thinking of doing likewise to carefully read the related rules to avoid being fined. September: Apple unveils new smartphones Apple's latest iPhone range was our second most read story of the year, showing there is still huge interest in anything the US tech firm does. Those wanting a bigger screen may have to wait until the next generation, but this time round the 5S gained from a fingerprint sensor offering an alternative to typed-in passwords. That has helped the handset prove more popular than its cheaper 5C sibling that lacks the facility, at least with "early adopters". In the UK the 5S outsold the 5C three-to-one during their first six weeks on sale, according to a report by market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. October: F-16 takes off with empty cockpit A test flight of a Lockheed Martin F-16 jet with an empty cockpit proved popular after Boeing released a video of the event. The firm said the remote-controlled flight over the Gulf of Mexico attained 7Gs of acceleration but was capable of carrying out manoeuvres at 9Gs - something that might cause physical problems for a pilot. As unusual as it might seem, the United States Air Force has in fact converted ageing jets into unmanned aircraft as far back as the 1970s, allowing them to be used as training drones for its pilots to practise against. November: Google removes images of dead teen Last month Google agreed to remove a satellite image from its Maps service after a father alerted the firm to the fact it appeared to show the body of his son who had been shot dead in 2009. The company said that it was the first time it had agreed to a bring forward an update to one of the satellite photos it used. December: Amazon delivery drones Many doubt Amazon will ever operate drone-based deliveries, but that didn't prevent the firm generating a huge amount of publicity with a video showing how the service might work. It later emerged that the film had been shot outside the US because it would have been illegal to operate such a commercial drone in the country. Cynics noted that the footage's release coincided with Cyber Monday - a day US online retailers offer bargains following the Thanksgiving weekend. But it soon emerged that two of the world's other biggest parcel delivery services, DHL and UPS, are also testing out their own unmanned aerial vehicles.

यह प्रौद्योगिकी में एक व्यस्त वर्ष रहा है। एडवर्ड स्नोडेन के एनएसए/जीसीएचक्यू लीक से लेकर पीसी की बिक्री में भारी गिरावट तक; प्लेस्टेशन 4 के लॉन्च से लेकर ब्लैकबेरी की निरस्त बिक्री तक; माइक्रोसॉफ्ट द्वारा नोकिया के हैंडसेट व्यवसाय को खरीदने और स्टीव बाल्मर के साथ अलग होने की तैयारी से लेकर सैमसंग के सबसे अधिक बिकने वाले गैलेक्सी एस 4 हैंडसेट और एंड्रॉइड किटकैट के रिलीज तक।


A guide to transgender terms

Summary: Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as 1970s Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner, has announced she is transgender, appearing on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. It's fair to say many people don't know how to speak to or about transgender people. So what do the terms involved mean and what's considered polite? Transgender

This is an umbrella term for people whose gender is different from their "assigned" sex at birth - that written on their birth certificate. Gender can refer to one's own, internal sense of being a man or woman, or another type that doesn't fit either category. Gender can also be expressed externally - through clothing, behaviour, body characteristics and so on. Transgender can be shortened to "trans". In 2010, the Gender Identity Research and Education Society estimated the number of trans people in the UK to be between 300,000 and 500,000. Gender is different from sexual orientation. Transgender people can be of any sexuality. Transsexual This is a term used by some people who permanently change their bodies, usually, but not always, using hormones or surgery. But some people who go through this process - known as the "transition" - prefer to be known simply as transgender, rather than transsexual. It's best to ask which people prefer. Non-binary Non-binary people are those who don't feel male or female. They may feel like both or like something in between. They may have a gender that changes over time or they may not relate to gender at all. Cisgender This describes someone who is not transgender. For instance, someone who is named a boy at birth and continues to live as a man would be cisgender. This covers the majority of the population. "He" or "she"? Using the appropriate pronouns when talking to someone who is transgender works on the basis of respect for the individual. Generally the name the person chooses to use indicates their gender preference. So, a transgender person called Steve would be referred to as "he", while another called Rachel would be "she". But if you are unsure, it's best to ask the person politely how they wish to be known. This is especially so if you suspect someone identifies as non-binary, in which case a neutral term like "they" may be more appropriate. Transgender man/transgender woman People assigned female at birth but living as a man may describe themselves as a "transgender man", while those assigned male at birth but living as a woman may call themselves a "transgender woman". These terms can be shortened to "trans man" or "trans woman". Some may also use the acronyms FtM (female-to-male) and MtF (male-to-female). Many prefer simply to be identified simply as a "man" or a "woman". Cross-dresser This describes a person who wears the clothes usually associated with the "opposite "sex. This is seen as a form of gender expression. The word "transvestite" is not used much these days. And the expression "drag queen" is different, meaning a man who dresses "as a woman" for purposes of entertainment. 'Ask. Listen. Respect' Journalist and campaigner Jane Fae suggests it doesn't have to be complicated dealing with transgender terms. "People are individuals," she says. "Ask politely, listen to what individuals have to say and respect what they tell you. "It's a principle and an approach to life that will take you a long way - and not just with the transgender community." More complexity The terms discussed here apply widely in the UK. They may not cover all situations. As transgender activists acknowledge, it is a complex area, which can be difficult for those less than fully versed in a vast range of terms to negotiate. For extra information BBC Radio One has compiled more detail on pronouns, while the US pressure group GLAAD has created a fuller glossary. Trans Media Watch has also compiled a guide to non-binary. Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

कैटलिन जेनर, जिन्हें पहले 1970 के दशक के ओलंपिक एथलीट ब्रूस जेनर के नाम से जाना जाता था, ने घोषणा की है कि वह ट्रांसजेंडर हैं, जो वैनिटी फेयर पत्रिका के कवर पर दिखाई देती हैं। यह कहना उचित है कि कई लोग ट्रांसजेंडर लोगों से बात करना या उनके बारे में बात करना नहीं जानते हैं। तो इसमें शामिल शब्दों का क्या अर्थ है और विनम्र क्या माना जाता है? ट्रांसजेंडर


School uniforms: A history of 'rebellion and conformity'

Summary: As the nation's children head back to school, proud parents have been excitedly photographing their offspring's posing in new uniforms. But they are far from the first to take pride in the school dress code. BBC News Online looks back at the history of the outfits kids up and down the land learn to love - or loathe.

By Jenny ScottBBC News Online Picture school uniforms from the past and the top hats and tails of Tom Brown's Schooldays or the cheeky cap-throwing of Just William may come to mind. But in fact, according to historians, school uniforms began life not amid the traditions of the English public school but among charity schools Schools such as Christ's Hospital, in Horsham, West Sussex, founded in 1552 in London, took up "fatherless children and other poor children" from the parish and educated them. London citizens provided the children with clothes - notably a long blue coat - which led to the famous nickname for such institutions - "Bluecoat schools". Today the uniform continues to be worn by Christ's Hospital pupils - the school claims it is the oldest uniform still in existence. And indeed, many older schools retain their traditional uniforms - from the straw hats of Harrow to the "Polly Bells" of Dame Allan's, a private school in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which was founded as a charitable foundation in 1705. Both are variants on the schools' original uniforms. While the Polly Bells are dusted off only for special occasions, Harrow tries to maintain its traditions around public-facing places of its site, such as its chapel. "We relax the rules if the uniform becomes impractical - for example, on windy days, we don't want to see boys chasing their hats down the high street," said Jenny Simmons, the school's communications manager. The records of The Ragged School Museum, in London, contain photographs of children wearing very individual uniforms at Hamlet of Radcliff School, a charity school founded in 1910. "The boys are wearing Tam O' Shanters with pom poms, whereas the girls have starched aprons with gloves," said Erica Davies, the museum's director. "I can't imagine anybody walking around Tower Hamlets wearing that - even in the 19th Century. You would learn to be tough, I suspect." Today the school is known as Stepney Greencoat Primary School, a state school, and it says its pupils wear a modern uniform. Most schools have similarly evolved their styles, via the flat caps of the 1950s and the blazers and ties of the '80s and '90s, to the comfortable, practical style many adopt today. A uniform list for Scorton Grammar School, in Preston, dating from the 1960s, now held by the British Schools Museum, has a list of requirements for pupils that include a cap, blazer and tie, a "reindeer green belted mackintosh" and dark grey flannel trousers - or shorts "until he has reached at least his 15th birthday". It states: "At weekends and during holidays, it is left to the discretion of parents whether the uniform be worn or not, but it is particularly insisted the uniform should be worn in its entirety or not at all." "Uniforms give schools a sense of identity and cohesion," said author and historian Alexander Davidson. "When some aspects of society have become much less certain, uniforms suggest schools are there to provide certainty and order." However, school uniforms can be as much about rebellion as conformity, according to Mr Davidson. "If children want to rebel, they can do it in the way they wear their school uniform," he said. "It's an expression of identity." He believes there is "less" uniform in most schools than ever before - and with that, the opportunities for children to transgress the dress code have diminished. "Little boys no longer have caps they can throw on the top of passing milk floats," he said. In 2010, former Education Secretary Michael Gove tried to reverse this trend by backing schools who wanted to reinstate a blazer-and-tie uniform. But some schools now aim to create a uniform children - and parents - are happy with - a policy ministers say they want to encourage. "There is an economic aspect to many schools' decision to adopt a uniform," said Andy Gibbs, curator and manager of the British Schools Museum. "It brings equality to the clothes children wear in school, regardless of how wealthy their parents are. The widespread use of polo shirts as part of uniforms, for example, is a way of making them more affordable." However, polo shirts are not for all pupils. Cottingham High School, in East Yorkshire, has worked with fashion designer Lara Jensen to create a uniform that had pupil-appeal. Jonathan Rogers, assistant head teacher, said pupils had felt a bit "embarrassed" by its previous uniform, which consisted of polo shirts and trainers and could look scruffy. "When we consulted with our pupils, we found some of our fashion-conscious teenagers actually want to make a statement to the community," he said. "In the end, we went for slim-fitting, stylish jackets and jumpers in a contemporary cut. I would describe it as quite professional work wear." And whether the school attire is a fashion statement or a more relaxed affair, wearing a uniform seems surprisingly important to many pupils. In 2011, Christ's Hospital surveyed its pupils to find out if it should keep its distinctive 16th Century style blue coats and yellow stockings. About 95% said they should. "It is important to stick to our historic traditions, not only to be unique and special, but it makes a sort of unity between us," said one. "I personally feel proud walking around in my uniform, despite what people might say."

जैसे-जैसे देश के बच्चे स्कूल वापस जा रहे हैं, गर्वित माता-पिता उत्साह से अपनी संतानों की नई वर्दी में तस्वीर ले रहे हैं। लेकिन वे स्कूल के ड्रेस कोड पर गर्व करने वाले पहले व्यक्ति नहीं हैं। बीबीसी न्यूज ऑनलाइन उन कपड़ों के इतिहास पर नज़र डालता है जो देश के ऊपर और नीचे के बच्चे प्यार करना या नफरत करना सीखते हैं।


Tour de France's English highlights

Summary: From the bleak moors of the Yorkshire Dales to the genteel streets of Cambridge, the Tour de France's return to England in 2014 will take in some of the country's most spectacular landscapes and historic towns and cities.

By Mike Chilvers and Samantha HainesBBC News, Yorkshire BBC News looks at some of the highlights along the way and gauges reaction from people along the route. The first stage on 5 July departs from Leeds Town Hall, a suitably imposing symbol of Victorian civic confidence to send the cyclists on their way. Keith Wakefield, leader of Leeds City Council, said: "I've never had so many people contact me to say how unbelievable this is for them in their lifetime being able to see one of the biggest sporting events in the world." From there the cyclists make their way a few miles north to Harewood House, a grand 18th Century country house whose grounds, designed by landscape architect Capability Brown, are now more widely known as the location for ITV's long-running soap Emmerdale. Tour de France officials were entertained at Harewood during Yorkshire's bid to host the event. Mike Schafer, chief executive of the Harewood House Trust, said: "We will work hard to help showcase the beautiful county of Yorkshire to the world - this is an opportunity for us all and we look forward to July 2014." The route then takes in the market town of Ilkley, whose cycling club has more than 1,000 members and claims to be the fastest growing in the UK. Katherine Church, a member of Ilkley Cycling Club, said the town was an "obvious choice". "It's just beautiful. The roads are amazing, the climbs are incredible, the scenery is spectacular, there's lots of different challenges. It's just going to be brilliant." Keighley and Ilkley MP Kris Hopkins said: "I have no doubt that it will also encourage people of all ages to dust off their bikes, pull on their helmets and get pedalling." Moving into the Yorkshire Dales National Park, the Tour will pass through the villages of Rylstone, home to the Calendar Girls, Kilnsey with its spectacular limestone crag and Aysgarth, close to the stunning Aysgarth Falls. Councillor John Weighell from North Yorkshire County Council said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to see the Tour take in some of the most stunning scenery in the Yorkshire Dales. "Just to have the Tour for almost a full day is wonderful news for the economy and for tourism in North Yorkshire." The first day ends at the spa town of Harrogate where the weary competitors may be tempted to revive their spirits at the refurbished Turkish Baths or with a cuppa at the famous Betty's tea rooms. Betty's spokeswoman Paula Kaye said: "We are extremely excited about the news that the sprint finale of the first day of Le Grand Depart will be in Harrogate." Day two of the 101st Tour gets under starters orders at York racecourse. Clerk of the course William Derby said: "In our history we have hosted the Queen, the Pope, Royal Ascot, The St Leger, the Olympic Torch and now the Tour is coming to the city, it's exciting news. "We know that a season at York Races generates £58m for the local economy so can understand how an event like the Tour could well generate double that amount for the region over the weekend alone." On its way south the route then wends its way through the Pennines, taking in Haworth, known worldwide as the home of the Bronte sisters, and Holmfirth, the filming location for BBC sitcom Last Of The Summer Wine. The Pennine leg includes the challenging ascent of Holme Moss, a moor rising to 524m (1,719ft) just within the Peak District national park. Matthew Dixon, a member of nearby Bradfield Parish Council, said: "Bradfield and the surrounding areas has stunning countryside that will provide a breathtaking backdrop to the Tour de France. Village folk are already very excited at the prospect." Stage two will end in Sheffield where Marco Mori, from La Squadra cycling club, said: "It's fantastic news, especially for those who've been involved in cycling all their lives. "There's a lot to look forward to, and even beforehand the teams will be over here checking out the route - we'll be seeing team riders, team cars." From Yorkshire the Tour moves to the east of England with the third stage beginning in Cambridge on Monday 7 July. The city, famous for its university, is also a hub of science and technology and is often referred to as the cycling capital of the UK. Councillor Martin Curtis, Cambridgeshire's "cycling champion", said: "For me, this news cements Cambridgeshire's reputation as a place which has cycling in its DNA, with thousands of people getting on their bikes every day." Colin Bedford, who runs March Veteran and Vintage Cycle Club in the city, said: "Our club has been involved in three Tours de Britain and fingers crossed we might be asked to put on a display to entertain the crowd for the Tour de France, which honestly would be the bee's knees." It is then on to the relative tranquillity of Epping Forest, where Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, said riders could enjoy "many historic gems" before heading to the capital. "I would love for them to come to my home town of Epping obviously, but there's the forest, of course and Waltham Abbey," he said. In London, the route takes in the Olympic Park and a final sprint to The Mall.

यॉर्कशायर डेल्स के धुंधले मूर्स से लेकर कैम्ब्रिज की सौम्य सड़कों तक, 2014 में टूर डी फ्रांस की इंग्लैंड वापसी देश के कुछ सबसे शानदार परिदृश्यों और ऐतिहासिक कस्बों और शहरों में होगी।


Should anyone ever talk to IS?

Summary: The so-called Islamic State (IS, also known as Isis and Isil) now controls vast swathes of Iraq and Syria and has affiliates which have claimed to have carried out attacks in countries including Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Nigeria.

IS today is more brutal, more sophisticated, and more powerful than many predicted. And military action so far has had only limited success in pushing it back. So some have suggested a different approach: negotiation. Some find the idea of talks abhorrent - others say it's time to at least consider it. Four experts spoke to BBC World Service's The Inquiry about their views on the question: should anyone ever talk to IS? Jonathan Powell: Time to talk? Jonathan Powell was chief negotiator on Northern Ireland for the British government under Tony Blair. "If you want to destroy the Islamic State, you're not going to be able to do it from the air. And no one in the West seems prepared to put boots on the ground. So there is no military strategy for destroying Isis. There needs to be a political strategy. In my view, that would involve talking to them. "All terrorists are barbaric. That's why they're terrorists, because the only thing they have in common is that they use the tool of terror. "[Isis] use their violence for a very obvious purpose. They use it to frighten their opponents so they run away. They know that if they kill one Western aid worker, one Western journalist, in a horrific way, they will get a huge amount of publicity. Yes, of course the violence they use is abhorrent, but that doesn't mean to say the lessons we've learnt from dealing with previous terrorist groups all fall away. "We talked to the IRA, not because they had guns but because they had a third of the Catholic vote. If you were dealing with a group that has almost no political support, such as Baader-Meinhof... you're not going to need to negotiate because there isn't a political question at the heart of the matter. And it seems to me likely that there is a political question at the heart here in Syria and Iraq. "If the conflicts I've looked at over the last... 30 years are anything to go by, and if Isis have political support, then we will end up speaking to them. Maybe they'll fade like snow in the spring, but there is very little historical precedent for that happening in this sort of circumstance. "It's my hypothesis that there is such political support. And the idea of extreme Islamists, whether Al Qaeda or Isil, seems to have enough robustness in it that there is a problem we're going to have to address politically at some stage, not simply by force of arms." But, Powell says, there are two caveats: you don't stop fighting, and you don't begin those talks now. You prepare the ground, by establishing a basic conversation. Qais Qasim: A view from Baghdad Qais Qasim is a journalist living in Baghdad. Over the past year, he's been following the story of IS, talking to those who've fled from the towns and villages they control. "They are not a political group, they are a criminal group. They use suicide attacks and explosives instead of words. They have no political demands. "Isis is not a Sunni movement any more. They get in fights against Sunni tribes. The fight against Isis is not a part of the conflict between Sunnis and Shias. Isis is not based on sectarian philosophy but it's based on a certain way [of looking at] human life and they think they have the ultimate right to decide who live[s] and who die[s]. "I cannot find anybody here in Baghdad who is willing to talk to Isis. Nobody [is] willing to give Isis the legitimacy. And if it happens, they will consider it a sign of weakness from the Iraqi security forces. "People here in Baghdad are very optimistic about the Iraqi forces and the rebuilding of the Iraqi forces." "It's not the time, and it won't be any time, to talk to Isis today and tomorrow and even after five years because they are criminals. You cannot negotiate with savages like Isis fighters. You cannot let a criminal get away with his crime." Mina al-Oraibi: Divide and talk Mina al-Oraibi is assistant editor-in-chief at Asharq Alawsat, a London-based Arabic newspaper. "I come from Iraq, my father's home town is Mosul. So of course I care about it from a personal point of view. I also care about it because I think what will happen in the fight against Isis inside of Iraq will determine much of what will happen in the Middle East and the Arab world. "I don't believe that it's time to speak to those that are within the top echelons of Isis because there's not much to talk about there, they've made that very clear. "There are different groups that have come under the fold of Isis in different countries, whether it's in Iraq or in Syria or otherwise that are there for either political gain or because they felt that they were pushed into a corner where they had no other military option. Those are the people that are worth speaking to. "We've fallen into the trap of treating it almost like it is one strong group. And that's actually been a propaganda win for Isis that many of us who would say that we are against them have enabled. And I think it's very, very important to look at those divisions and inferences and be able to pull people back. "There are still army generals from Saddam's army who are sitting either in Amman or in the Kurdish region of Iraq or in Turkey, not even [in] parts of Isis but they're just sitting around given no role. You know some of these army members have connections and would be able to say 'These are the people I can count on, bring them in.' "Some Iraqis refer to those that are from the provinces controlled by Isis as terrorists. So it's very important to build that trust and so to tell Sunnis that 'we realise that you are victims of this'. Michael Semple: The long game Michael Semple worked in Afghanistan for 18 years, as an aid worker, for the EU and the UN. He was one of only a few who were involved in talks with senior Taliban members. "I think somebody who proposed political talks now would be considered foolish from both sides. I don't think IS would buy it, I don't think that the countries of the region or the United States would buy it. "And yet there are very important humanitarian needs and I think it is time... to see who in Islamic State... is prepared to engage on humanitarian issues and make things a little bit better for now. "[IS is] big enough, robust enough that it looks as if it's going to be around for quite some time to come, therefore it has structures which I think would be capable of engaging in dialogue... making undertakings which they could subsequently adhere to. But also, because it looks like it's going to be around for quite some time, the price of ignoring them goes up all the time. "It comes down to the question of whether a humanitarian dialogue... does legitimise the parties involved in that dialogue and, through legitimising them, essentially strengthen[s] them. Now many people... have concluded that it is possible to conduct a humanitarian dialogue without legitimising the parties involved. "There are regionally-based intermediaries, people who've got some reason to have dealings in areas where IS has a presence. Now quite often it has been religious leaders, sometimes it's business people, traders. I think these are the kind of figures we'd expect to see, long before diplomats. "I think that the dialogue would have to be worthwhile in its own terms... not with respect to the hope for some eventual political progress. Relationships and confidences which have been built up during that humanitarian dialogue. Later on they might be put to work when the time is right for some kind of political engagement." The Inquiry is broadcast on the BBC World Service on Tuesdays at 12:05 GMT/13:05 BST. Listen online or download the podcast.

तथाकथित इस्लामिक स्टेट (आईएस, जिसे आईएसआईएस और आईएसआईएल के नाम से भी जाना जाता है) अब इराक और सीरिया के बड़े हिस्से को नियंत्रित करता है और इसके सहयोगी हैं जिन्होंने ट्यूनीशिया, मिस्र, लीबिया और नाइजीरिया सहित देशों में हमले करने का दावा किया है।


Boris Nemtsov: A charismatic figure and fierce critic of Putin

Summary: Boris Nemtsov, who has been shot dead in Moscow at the age of 55, was a charismatic figure within Russian politics, a liberal reformer who rose to prominence under Boris Yeltsin and became a fierce critic of Vladimir Putin.

By Joel GunterBBC News He was also a nuclear scientist, environmentalist, and father of four. Nemtsov founded a number of opposition movements after leaving the Russian parliament in 2003 and he had served as the co-chair of the opposition Republican Party of Russia - People's Freedom Party since 2012. He was a prominent and vocal critic of Mr Putin, denouncing him for Russia's part in the Ukraine crisis, its worsening economic situation, and the alleged corruption surrounding preparations for the Sochi Olympic Games in 2014. Nemtsov was also a leading member of liberal movement Solidarnost. Along with fellow opposition figures Alexei Navalny and Garry Kasparov, a former chess grandmaster, Nemtsov played a prominent part in the large-scale opposition marches in Moscow that followed Russia's controversial 2011 election. He was arrested for taking part in the protests and was detained in late 2011 for 15 days. Despite being a prominent opposition member, he did not always see eye-to-eye with Russia's fractured liberal opposition. In 2011, recordings emerged of him calling opposition supporters "hamsters" and "scared penguins" - but his minor transgressions did not cause major rifts. Possible president Nemtsov first ran for office in 1989, unsuccessfully, before eventually being elected to Russia's parliament in 1990. He stood by Boris Yeltsin when attacks came on his presidency in 1991 and Yeltsin rewarded his loyalty with the post of regional governor of Nizhny Novgorod. He was young and eloquent, fluent in English, and media-savvy, and Nizhny Novgorod, bristling with military industries, became a showcase for foreign investment in Russia. Nemtsov quickly became one of Russia's most prominent politicians, and observers speculated that Yeltsin was grooming the young regional governor as his successor. In 1997, Yeltsin made him deputy prime minister in charge of economic reform. But Nemtsov came to regret the move, which heralded the beginning of his political decline. Any presidential ambitions came to an end with the August 1998 economic crisis, which also cost him his job in government. Political decline In 1999, Nemtsov founded the Union of Right Forces (SPS), along with fellow liberals Anatoly Chubais and Yegor Gaidar. Initially the party seemed moderately successful, gaining about 10% in the election that December and forming an influential faction in the Russian parliament. But in the next few years the SPS attitude to Russia's new President, Vladimir Putin, evolved from conditional support to open opposition - and the party lost supporters. In the 2003 election, the SPS failed to reach the 5% threshold needed to enter parliament. Nemtsov resigned as SPS leader and pursued a business career, while making futile attempts to reunite Russian liberals, left in total disarray by the election catastrophe. He became a prominent face of the opposition once again in 2011, but he had fallen out of the limelight over the past few years. Still, although he was no longer considered part of mainstream politics in Russia, his killing has shocked many across the country. An opposition rally planned for Sunday is still set to go ahead, but Nemtsov's death will undoubtedly be seen as a warning to Mr Putin's critics. Mr Kasparov said bloodshed was inevitable in President Putin's "atmosphere of hatred and violence". The message is clear, he added: "Oppose Putin and your life is worth little."

बोरिस नेमत्सोव, जिनकी 55 वर्ष की आयु में मास्को में गोली मारकर हत्या कर दी गई थी, रूसी राजनीति के भीतर एक करिश्माई व्यक्ति थे, एक उदार सुधारक जो बोरिस येल्तसिन के तहत प्रमुखता से उभरे और व्लादिमीर पुतिन के कट्टर आलोचक बन गए।


Big year ahead for James Webb telescope

Summary: "Up to this point, for as long as we've been working on Webb, you've only ever really seen a cartoon of the telescope. Towards the end of this year, you will actually be able to see the James Webb Space Telescope realised in hardware."

Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmoson Twitter It's been a long time coming but we are now at the business end of building Hubble's successor. The spectacular new observatory that has been designed to find the "first light" to shine in the Universe is getting real. And Eric Smith, the programme director and programme scientist on this $10bn venture, is understandably quite excited by what is about to unfold in the next few months. Whereas in the past, the talk has all been about the development and manufacture of individual components, such as Webb's instruments or its beryllium and gold mirrors - these have all now been produced (bar one or two items). The time has come to put everything together in preparation for the big launch into orbit on an Ariane rocket in 2018. The US aerospace giant Northrop Grumman is the industrial prime contractor and it has just completed the main telescope structure at its facility in Los Angeles. This includes the "backplane" - the part of Webb that will hold the 18 mirror segments in its primary reflecting surface. Shortly, the telescope structure will ship to Nasa's Goddard centre outside Washington DC for this integration task to begin. It will be an iconic milestone because, as Eric Smith says, it's the moment when everyone will go: "So, this is JWST!" At last, we will have something that starts to resemble all those artist impressions. And while this is happening, the telescope's instruments reach a critical juncture of their own at Goddard. Slowly but surely James Webb has four sophisticated tools to study the sky - the American NIRCam, NIRSpec and Miri from Europe, and the Canadian FGS/NIRISS. This quartet has now been mounted inside a composite support frame, known as the Integrated Scientific Instrument Module or ISIM. In the next few weeks, this entire edifice will be checked for any electronic interference issues, and also shaken and blasted with sound to simulate the thunderous environment of flying on an Ariane. The ISIM structure will then go inside a vast chamber at Goddard for three months to experience the deep cold and vacuum of space. "Because James Webb is such a large and complex observatory, and also because it's a cryogenic one - you can't just put everything together at once and then test it," explains project scientist Mark Clampin, as we stand next to the big cryo-vac facility. "As you put stuff together, it gets sealed in thermally isolated packages. So you have to start by testing the smallest piece first, adding it to the next item and then testing them, and so on. "And as you get to the largest items, it's then very difficult to go back if you have a problem with, say, a detector. As a consequence James Webb has been a long and deliberate process." This autumn's cryo campaign will be the third and final one for ISIM and its passengers at Goddard. When the instruments are inside, they will be exposed to a light source - a fake star, if you will. It will give the instrument teams an opportunity to gather the calibration data they will need to fine-tune Webb when it goes into orbit. Replacing components "We have another complex piece called the Optical Telescope Simulator, and it takes the place of the telescope, producing a light that simulates a star for each of the instruments," explains Begoña Vila, an engineer with particular responsibility for the Fine Guidance Sensor. "We can then all check things related to that star, like its brightness or the dispersion the instruments get with either a slit or a prism. It confirms that everything works as if there is a real star." Europe will be heavily involved in the cryo campaign, confirms Marco Sirianni from the European Space Agency. "We are putting together a large team that will come to Goddard and work 24/7 to support the test. "We already have seven people here, but more are coming from the NIRSpec and Miri groups. And this test is very important because it will be a final verification of the modifications that were made at the component level." Those modifications refer to the underperforming parts of NIRSpec and Miri that were present in the European instruments when they were delivered to Goddard from Germany and the UK. These included degraded detectors and electronics, and, in the case of NIRSpec, a troublesome micro-shutter array intended to tease apart the colours of stars. Some of its shutters had the annoying habit of sticking open or closed. All this suspect componentry has now been exchanged. When ISIM and the instruments emerge from the cryo-vac, they will be joined to the finished telescope structure complete with mirrors. Months in reserve By then, there really will be no mistaking James Webb. But yes, you've guessed it, these joined items then have to be tested again as a single unit. And for that task, they will be shipped in 2016 to Nasa's Johnson centre. It has a giant vacuum chamber that was built originally to run the rule over the Apollo spaceships before they launched. Of course, the fear is always that some big problem emerges - that perhaps something breaks or simply does not meet the specifications demanded of it. Recently, the part of James Webb that has been in the "dog house" is the so-called cryo-cooler for Miri. The instrument will work at just a few degrees above absolute zero and must be actively chilled even in space to get down to the right temperature. The cooler unit is late but it has now been delivered from the American manufacturer to begin its testing programme. Assuming the cryo-cooler passes, Webb stays on track. Eric Smith told me: "Right now, we are carrying nine months of funded, scheduled reserve. So, we have nine months of slack in our schedule that can be consumed, or used, before we would think of changing the launch date. "This nine months is about what we had planned five years ago when we re-structured the programme." BBC Click will have a special report on the James Webb Space Telescope. Find out more at BBC.com/Click and @BBCClick

"अब तक, जब तक हम वेब पर काम कर रहे हैं, आपने वास्तव में केवल दूरबीन का एक कार्टून देखा है। इस साल के अंत तक, आप वास्तव में जेम्स वेब स्पेस टेलीस्कोप को हार्डवेयर में साकार होते हुए देख पाएंगे।"


Condor Liberation fails to dock in St Helier

Summary: The Condor Liberation had to turn back from Jersey after high winds prevented it from docking in St Helier Harbour, according to the operator.

It was due to take passengers from Guernsey to Jersey and on to Poole. The Condor Rapide, already in St Helier, took 170 passengers from Jersey to Guernsey and will take those in Guernsey back to Jersey. The Liberation will still operate between Guernsey and Poole as weather conditions are not as bad there. Condor said passengers travelling to Poole should only experience a slight delay. Whereas those travelling back from Guernsey to Jersey on the Rapide are facing a three-hour delay due to the issues with the Liberation.

ऑपरेटर के अनुसार, तेज हवाओं के कारण कोंडोर लिबरेशन को सेंट हेलियर हार्बर में डॉकिंग से रोकना पड़ा, जिसके बाद उसे जर्सी से वापस लौटना पड़ा।


Robyn Mercer death: Three bailed over antiques dealer murder

Summary: Three people arrested in connection with the murder of an antiques specialist who was bludgeoned to death outside her home have been bailed.

Robyn Mercer, 50, was found dead in Walton Road, West Molesey, Surrey, on 14 March. Two women, aged 20 and 44, were held on Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. A man, 26, was arrested on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to burgle. All three were bailed until 28 June. Related Internet Links Surrey Police

एक प्राचीन वस्तु विशेषज्ञ की हत्या के मामले में गिरफ्तार किए गए तीन लोगों को जमानत दे दी गई है, जिन्हें उसके घर के बाहर पीट-पीटकर मार दिया गया था।


New report into Sark looking at renewable energy

Summary: The future of renewable energy in Sark is to be examined in detail in a consultation document which is due to be published next month.

The Regional Environmental Assessment is due to be submitted to the island's government, the Chief Pleas, on 7 July. Studies of the island's biological, physical and human marine environments are summarised in the document. It also includes information about tidal resources and other areas that might need closer examination.

सार्क में अक्षय ऊर्जा के भविष्य की एक परामर्श दस्तावेज में विस्तार से जांच की जानी है जो अगले महीने प्रकाशित होने वाला है।


Cottingley Fairies: How Sherlock Holmes's creator was fooled by hoax

Summary: In December 1920 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle unwittingly gave credence to one of the greatest hoaxes of the 20th Century when he published the now world-famous Cottingley Fairies photos. But how was the mind that created super-sleuth Sherlock Holmes taken in by two young girls armed with nothing but paper cut-outs and hatpins?

One summer's day in July 1917 nine-year-old Frances Griffiths came traipsing back into the house she shared with her cousin Elsie Wright, 16, and their two families. Her shoes were soaked through from playing in the stream at the bottom of the garden and when her mother demanded to know why she said: "I go to see the fairies". Determined to support her cousin, Elsie convinced her father to lend her his camera, saying she would bring back proof of Frances's claim. When the girls returned and the picture was developed showing Frances surrounded by four prancing sprites, they were adamant the image was real. To bolster their claim several weeks later they took a second photo showing Elsie with a dancing gnome. Dr Merrick Burrow, guest curator of a forthcoming exhibition on the Cottingley Fairies, said the girls made a pact never to confess how they had taken the photos but with their parents stumped for the next three years the pictures were nothing more than a puzzling family anecdote. "I do not think anybody really believed it," he said. "But they couldn't explain how it had been done either." Then in 1919 Elsie's mother took prints of the photographs to a talk about fairies by the Theosophical Society in Bradford. The pictures then came to the attention of the society's president Edward Gardner, who gave a series of lectures on the photos in London in 1920. From there word passed to Conan Doyle, who at the time was researching an article about fairy life as he sought to prove the case for his long-standing interest in spiritualism. Dr Burrow, Head of English and Creative Writing at the University of Huddersfield, said the author was initially suspicious the pictures might be a hoax and feared he was being set up by those keen to prove him "gullible" and to debunk his beliefs. He said from Conan Doyle's point of view, however, "if these photos proved the existence of fairies, and that you could photograph the supernatural, then they were a staging post in the argument for spiritualism". He said Conan Doyle had several experts look over the photographs before publishing them in The Strand magazine in December 1920. In the accompanying article Conan Doyle said the images, if proven to be real, would "mark an epoch in human thought" and argued that "after carefully going into every possible source of error, a strong prima facie case has been built up" for their veracity. He wrote: "The recognition of their existence will jolt the material twentieth-century mind out of its heavy ruts in the mud, and will make it admit that there is a glamour and a mystery to life. "Having discovered this, the world will not find it so difficult to accept that spiritual message supported by physical facts which has already been so convincingly put before it." Following its publication in Britain the article went on to be published in Australia and the US and the images achieved world-wide notoriety and sparked fierce debate. Dr Burrow said despite attracting "widespread scepticism" Conan Doyle bought cameras for the two girls and asked them to take further photos. He said Conan Doyle's support for the images left the girls feeling "painted in to a corner" and unable to say no and, in 1921, a second set of images was published. "I think he believed it," said Dr Burrow, "but he was also being strategic. "I do not think he was that interested in fairies per se but he was enormously invested in the idea that there was more to the world than what we consider normal reality." The author went on to write a book about the Cottingley Fairies and even discussed with Gardner a film on the subject. He died in 1930 but the debate about the photos he had brought to the attention of the world raged on for decades until in 1983 Frances and Elsie confessed the photographs had been faked. Dr Burrow said he viewed the story of how the photos came to prominence as an "accidental conspiracy" but that without Conan Doyle's involvement there would have been no story. "When the girls took the photos there were a few prints made at the time by the family but that would have been it," he said. "[Without him] I imagine they would have been lost in a drawer somewhere, just a quirky family story." Speaking to the BBC in 1983, Frances Griffiths said: "I never even thought of it being a fraud. It was just Elsie and I having a bit of fun. "I can't understand to this day why people were taken in. They wanted to be taken in. "People often say to me 'Don't you feel ashamed that you have made all these poor people look like fools? They believed in you.' But I do not, because they wanted to believe." Dr Burrow will be giving a free online talk about the Cottingley Fairies collection on 10 December. An exhibition, "The Cottingley Fairies: A Study in Deception", will be on display in the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery in 2021. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk or send video here.

दिसंबर 1920 में सर आर्थर कॉनन डॉयल ने अनजाने में 20वीं सदी की सबसे बड़ी अफवाहों में से एक को विश्वास दिलाया जब उन्होंने अब विश्व प्रसिद्ध कोटिंगले फेयरीज़ की तस्वीरें प्रकाशित कीं। लेकिन सुपर-स्लीथ शर्लक होम्स बनाने वाले दिमाग को दो युवा लड़कियों ने कैसे लिया, जिनके पास कागज के कट-आउट और हैटपिन के अलावा कुछ भी नहीं था?


Preparations for Inverness Scottish independence rally

Summary: What is expected to be one of the largest rallies to be held in Inverness is due to take place later this month.

Thousands of Scottish independence supporters are to take part in the All Under One Banner event, one of a series being held across Scotland. Tens of thousands of people marched through Glasgow in May. Highland Council has released information on temporary road and street closures in Inverness during the rally through the city on 28 July. The closures, which include of Ardross Terrance and Culduthel Road, will run from between 13:00 and 14:45.

इनवर्नेस में होने वाली सबसे बड़ी रैलियों में से एक इस महीने के अंत में होने की उम्मीद है।


Tony Benn 1925-2014

Summary: The patriarch of the Labour left is dead.

Mark D'ArcyParliamentary correspondent Tony Benn had a long, distinguished political career - like Margaret Thatcher, he was a polarising figure, adored by his followers but feared (and loathed) by his opponents. And his role in the poisonous Labour faction-fights of the '70s and '80s suggests that beneath the surface affability lurked a tough political gladiator. Certainly some of his political contemporaries could never forgive his dalliance with what they regarded as dark forces, in the late '70s and early '80s. Like most Westminster hacks of a certain age, I interviewed him a couple of times, but my most poignant memory is of him ringing me to cancel an appearance on Radio 4's Westminster Hour, when I was a producer there. He explained he was very sorry to let us down, but he thought his wife might die that night. I can't think of many people, in such terrible circumstances, who would even have remembered to make such a call - but it illustrates the sense of duty and obligation which, I think, drove him. Westminster family Benn was a third-generation MP - his grandfather John had served in the Commons and his father William entered Parliament as a Liberal, served under Asquith as a Treasury minister and then switched to labour when the old Liberal party imploded, becoming Ramsay MacDonald's Secretary of State for India. Benn's diaries mention that his father always regretted not standing up to Ramsay, who ultimately ditched the Labour Party and formed a National Government with the Conservatives. Those diaries are one of his most important legacies - one of the very best insider's accounts of government and political life. Actually they're transcriptions from tape recordings he made every night - and a marvellous Radio 4 series, The Benn Tapes, brought them to a wider audience - and revealed a bit of light toning-down had taken place in the published versions. The account in the tapes of Benn's demotion from industry Secretary to Energy Secretary by Harold Wilson in 1975 has him snarling that "Wilson has betrayed the Labour Party." The printed account is rather less vehement. (I do hope Radio 4 rebroadcast the series soon…) The many volumes of those diaries chronicle decades of political battles: Benn entered parliament in a by election in 1950, succeeding Attlee's Chancellor, Sir Stafford Cripps; he cut his parliamentary teeth in the tumultuous Commons debates on the 1956 Suez Crisis, and when his father died, fought a long battle to avoid compulsory elevation to the House of Lords, eventually making it possible for Peers to renounce their peerages. It was a change which helped shape the politics of the '60s because it ultimately allowed Quintin Hogg and Alec Douglas-Home to return to the Commons - Douglas-Home could not have become Prime Minister from the Lords, so Benn, unwittingly, made his premiership possible. Varied career He entered government with Harold Wilson in 1964 as Postmaster-General, where his duties included writing a weekly column for the staff newspaper, a kind of direct ministerial involvement with a public service that seems unimaginable now. He became Minister of Technology in a short-lived super department created by Harold Wilson, then Industry Secretary, then Energy Secretary - and by the 80s he was the demon king of the left - caricatured in the press with wide staring eyes with hammers and sickles in their pupils. After nearly 40 years of free-market government little of his ministerial legacy survives - no co-ops, no planning agreements between unions and bosses and government; but he can claim vindication on his support for gay rights, Nelson Mandela and freedom of information. His bid, not for the party leadership, but for the deputy leadership, failed by a hairs-breadth, and - aided by his defeat in the 1983 election - his star slowly faded. When he returned to the Commons as MP for Chesterfield, he was increasingly absorbed by the battles over Britain's evolving relationship with the EU, where he often found himself allied to Tory eurosceptics. In that cause he contributed a series of thunderous speeches about democracy and parliamentary sovereignty - and his farewell address to the House in 2001 (watched by his son Hilary, by then a Labour MP and the fourth generation of Benns in Parliament - a fifth may be on the way…) revisited those themes with a powerful warning that voter apathy "threatens democracy." The real danger to democracy, he said was not that someone would burn down Buckingham Palace, but that people won't vote - and if they don't vote "they destroy by neglect the legitimacy of the governments that are elected."

लेबर लेफ्ट के कुलपति की मृत्यु हो गई है।