Triple talaq: India's Muslim women fight against instant divorce

Summary: India is one of a handful of countries where a Muslim man can divorce his wife in a matter of minutes by just uttering the word talaq (divorce) three times. But this controversial practice of "triple talaq" is now facing a stiff challenge - the Supreme Court is considering whether to declare it unconstitutional, writes the BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi.

Shayara Bano's world came crashing down in October. The 35-year-old mother of two was visiting her parents' home in the northern state of Uttarakhand for medical treatment when she received her talaqnama - a letter from her husband telling her that he was divorcing her. Her attempts to reach her husband of 15 years, who lives in the city of Allahabad, have been unsuccessful. "He's switched off his phone, I have no way of getting in touch with him," she told the BBC over phone from her home in the northern state of Uttarakhand. "I'm worried sick about my children, their lives are getting ruined." In February, a frustrated Shayara Bano filed a petition in the Supreme Court, demanding a total ban on triple talaq which, she says, allows Muslim men to treat their wives like "chattels". Muslims are India's largest minority community with a population of 155 million and their marriages and divorces are governed by the Muslim personal law, ostensibly based on the sharia. Even though it has been practised for decades now, the unilateral instant triple talaq is clearly an aberration - it finds no mention in sharia or the Koran. Islamic scholars say the Koran clearly spells out how to issue a divorce - it has to be spread over three months which allows a couple time for reflection and reconciliation. Activists say most Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have banned triple talaq, but it thrives in India. For years, Muslim women in India have also been demanding a ban on the reprehensible practice - in 2004, I wrote about a similar campaign to end triple talaq. A dozen years later, the situation appears worse. And modern technology has made it even easier for unscrupulous men to dump their wives - using text messages as well as post and the telephone to pronounce divorce. There have also been instances where men have used Skype, WhatsApp or Facebook for the purpose. In November, the Mumbai-based Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA - Indian Muslim Women's Movement) released a report chronicling nearly 100 cases of triple talaq. "Since 2007, we have come across thousands of cases of oral triple talaq, rendering women destitute with nowhere to go," says Professor Zakia Soman, social activist and BMMA founder. In a majority of the cases compiled by the BMMA, the divorced women were from poor families and most said their husbands did not honour their obligations to pay maintenance, forcing them to return to their parental homes or fend for themselves. Indian Muslims also follow Halala - where a divorced woman has to marry another man and consummate her marriage in order to go back to her former husband. "India is the only country in the world where these un-Koranic practices exist. These are barbaric and totally unacceptable. There's a need for a comprehensive review of Muslim personal laws in India," Prof Soman told the BBC. In October, the BMMA wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding "reforms in Muslim divorce and polygamy laws". They also filed a petition in the Supreme Court. Prof Soman says what makes matters worse for the women is that "this un-Islamic triple talaq is often sanctioned by the Muslim clergy - the qazis and maulvis". Perhaps that is why the Supreme Court's decision to take up Shayara Bano's petition has been opposed by several influential Muslim groups, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). Its working committee member Asma Zehra is quick to "condemn" the practice, describing it as "haraam" (forbidden), but insists that the divorce rate is still very low among Indian Muslims and that the issue is being blown out of proportion by forces inimical to Islam. "Why is everyone after us, after our religion?" she asks. Ms Zehra says Muslims are struggling to survive under the present Indian government, led by Mr Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, adding that the focus on the issue of triple talaq is "basically because they want to interfere in our religion" with the aim of introducing a uniform civil code. She says that even though triple talaq has no Koranic sanction, it is not in their power to ban it because AIMPLB is "just a moral body, we can only educate people". Ms Zehra says they are doing plenty to educate people, but activists say much more needs to be done. "Condemning it is not enough. These practices need to be declared illegal," says Prof Soman. "It's important that the Muslim family law is properly codified. Koran gave us our rights, the patriarchal forces have taken it away from women," she adds. Shayara Bano, in her village in the hills of Uttarakhand, is pinning her hopes on the Supreme Court. "I want my husband to take me back. I'm hoping to get justice from the court," she says.

भारत उन मुट्ठी भर देशों में से एक है जहाँ एक मुसलमान पुरुष केवल तीन बार तलाक (तलाक) शब्द बोलकर कुछ ही मिनटों में अपनी पत्नी को तलाक दे सकता है। लेकिन "तीन तलाक" की इस विवादास्पद प्रथा को अब एक कड़ी चुनौती का सामना करना पड़ रहा है-सुप्रीम कोर्ट इस बात पर विचार कर रहा है कि इसे असंवैधानिक घोषित किया जाए या नहीं, दिल्ली में बीबीसी की गीता पांडे लिखती हैं।


Corbyn promises Welsh-style organ donor law for England

Summary: Jeremy Corbyn has said Labour would introduce the Welsh "presumed consent" organ donation law in England.

The Labour leader told his party conference he was deeply moved by a campaign to ensure adults were regarded as having allowed organ donation after their death unless they had opted out. He said the law in Wales changed under Carwyn Jones's "excellent leadership". "A Labour government will do the same for England," he told delegates on the final day of the Brighton conference. Wales become the first nation in the UK to change to the new system, to increase the number of organ donors, in late 2015.

जेरेमी कॉर्बिन ने कहा है कि लेबर इंग्लैंड में वेल्श "अनुमानित सहमति" अंग दान कानून पेश करेगी।


Angela Wrightson: A chaotic life and brutal death

Summary: Two teenage girls have been found guilty of murdering 39-year-old Angela Wrightson in a brutal attack in her own home. If she had been killed by adults, would this tragic story have been told?

By Bethan BellBBC News In many ways Angela Wrightson fitted the stereotype of a typical victim - an alcohol-dependent female attacked in her own home by people she knew. It's a profile which often triggers criticism of agencies - she was a vulnerable woman left to struggle alone, forgotten by authorities and dismissed as an aggressive drunk who had never worked. But this was not the case. She was in regular contact with agencies in Hartlepool, and offered frequent help and support. Ms Wrightson had a social worker who would visit her often and try to make sure money was spent on food and toiletries rather than alcohol. Her rent was paid by the council direct to the landlord, so a roof was kept over her head. In court a picture emerged of what professionals often describe as a "chaotic life", one of a woman known to the police for her anti-social behaviour and to the ambulance service for making hoax calls. She had been in and out of prison, had 47 criminal convictions, been subject to an alcohol purchasing order, had a number of Asbos, and frequently got into fights. Neighbours say she usually had bruises on her face. About 48 hours before she was killed she had sustained a serious head injury, a pathologist said, although it did not contribute to her death. There was evidence of brain damage from an even earlier head trauma. Live coverage of the sentencing hearing How the media fought to report the case She was well-known in the Hartlepool area as "Alco Ange" - drinking at least nine litres of strong cider every day - and was often to be found lying in the middle of the road. Like her killers, Ms Wrightson had a difficult background. She and her eight siblings were all brought up separately in care, and she remained estranged from her family. Only after she died did her mother and aunt reappear into her world, occasionally attending the trial. A post-mortem examination found evidence of early self-harming and cirrhosis of the liver. She was covered in home-made tattoos, including a cross on her face. Carol Anne Davis, who in her book Children Who Kill profiled killers aged between 10 and 17, says many victims of child murderers resemble "a hated figure from their past". It's not a giant leap to suggest Ms Wrightson might have been a foreshadow of an equally hated figure from their own future. The girls were already heavy drinkers, in trouble with the police, hanging around the streets. In court, defence barrister Jamie Hill QC described the night as "just a terrible moment in history when these three people collided in the most appalling and tragic way". At the trial, details of a Dickensian cast of characters emerged - tens of people, including "Mad Molly", "Goofy" and "Cider Bill" would go to her home in Stephen Street at all hours of the day and night. They would not bother knocking. Groups of youths started dropping by first thing in the morning so she could buy them cigarettes. Underage drinkers congregated in her living room and on the proviso she could share their drink, she would buy them alcohol from the local shop - where three-litre bottles of 7.5% cider can be bought for about £3. Sometimes she called a neighbour "to make the kids scatter" when they ignored her pleas to leave. On the day she died, Ms Wrightson argued with her landlord, John Meggison, because he refused to buy her alcohol. She threw her keys at him a number of times. Eventually, he left with them and returned to the street the following morning to give them back. That's when he found her body. When Mr Meggison saw her there was no doubt in his mind Ms Wrightson was dead. The 39-year-old was surrounded by broken furniture, scattered blood-stained implements, and covered in shards of broken glass. She had hundreds of injuries, was naked from the waist down, and had bled out over the sofa on which she had been placed. It was a brutal end to a troubled life. Ms Wrightson had preferred prison to being "on the out". According to Donna Jenkins, who met her in jail, "Angie was a lost soul who found life easier inside. She'd become largely institutionalised". Her position as laundrywoman was "the first time she had felt valued", Ms Jenkins adds. Upon her last release from prison in 2011, Ms Wrightson, originally from Darlington, moved to Hartlepool for a fresh start. Ms Jenkins says "it was the happiest time of Angie's life". She had a boyfriend, and became friendly with some local dog owners. Then her boyfriend died from alcohol related problems, leaving her "heartbroken". From that point, her condition worsened and people began using her home, the trial heard, as a "doss house". They stole money and mobile phones from her. She stopped buying food and instead spent her benefits on alcohol - she weighed about six stone when she died and by common consensus looked a lot older than her 39 years. Ms Wrightson would begin drinking as soon as she woke up and would carry on until she crashed out, rarely using any part of the house other than her living room, sleeping on the sofa. But the darkness and confusion of Ms Wrightson's life was punctured by small pinpricks of kindness. She would buy chocolate bars when she was buying cider, and poke them through the letterbox for the young son of a neighbour. She loved animals, and looked after an acquaintance's Alsatian for three weeks, which gave her a purpose and stemmed her drinking. She was devastated when she had to give it back. She was described as house-proud, filling her home with china knick-knacks and teddy bears from the local second-hand shop. Pictures hung on her walls and her kitchen was neat and tidy, if a little bare, because she sold many of her items for drink money. It was easy to take advantage of Ms Wrightson. Her usual behaviour inspired neither friendship nor loyalty. When drunk she was out of control and unlikeable. Once, wielding a metal bar, she chased a girl down the street. She would call her landlord with fictional problems - saying windows had been broken when they had not, and then threatening to break them herself if he did not do what she wanted. Her life was knotted with seemingly trivial arguments: Who stole whose tobacco; who was badmouthing whom; whose turn was it to buy drink. Her neighbour Siobhan Quinn says Ms Wrightson would sometimes cry and claim she had no family at all. She would telephone Ms Quinn to say she had no electricity, or her microwave was broken. "Angie craved company, that's why she caused havoc sometimes. That's why she would call me and get me to the house. She was just lonely," she adds. In an attempt to assuage the loneliness, Ms Wrightson would allow a steady stream of people into her home, but of the many who wandered through her door, no-one really seemed to be concerned. At about 23:00 on the night of 8 December, her sometime drinking companions Tracey Gascoigne and Melanie Moon banged and shouted at her window, wanting to be let in to drink. At that point, Ms Wrightson was inside - and so were the two killers, hiding in the bathroom. She was unable to call for help. She was either unconscious or already dead. Ms Moon impatiently tried Ms Wrightson's front door, which was unlocked. She put her head round and saw the devastation within the living room. She shouted to Ms Gascoigne: "Someone's wrecked Angie's house - you should see the state of it." The reply came back: "I don't care." There were chances to save Angela Wrightson - many of which were sabotaged by herself. In 2009 she was banned from buying alcohol. The Safer Hartlepool Anti-Social Behaviour Unit says she "consistently refused to engage" with the support she was offered over a number of years. She also "refused to stop her drunk and disorderly behaviour". And she ignored the ban. In 2012, Ms Wrightson spent about eight months at a residential facility where she was helped to get sober. She was doing well - until she worked out a way to leave and buy drink. On several occasions she returned to the unit drunk and aggressive, and the police were called. In 2013, her care team managed to secure funding for her to go into a rehabilitation retreat near York. Her social worker drove her there and settled her in. Within 24 hours Ms Wrightson took a taxi back home because she "was desperate for a drink". There were many attempts to get her back into the retreat, but she kept leaving. Before long the opportunity was gone. Angela Wrightson's story is not unusual. The local area profiles for England indicate the levels of alcohol-related harm in Hartlepool are among the highest in the UK. The town is ranked 320th out of 326 local authority areas for the percentage of at-risk drinkers in the population. Stephen Street is a run-down road where a significant number of houses are boarded up, and more than a quarter of occupied households are categorised as "economically inactive" - meaning residents are neither in work nor seeking employment. Men and women clutching cans of strong lager and cider gather in grimy doorways and the nearby car park and graveyard. The crime rate in Hartlepool is high, especially anti-social behaviour, violent crime and criminal damage. On Stephen Street, one woman was jailed for biting a police officer, another for dealing cocaine, another for arson. The Institute of Alcohol Studies has previously outlined study findings that alcohol is involved in nearly half of all violent crimes. Situations in which people get drunk are more likely to flare into violence, and Angela Wrightson was on both the giving and receiving end of arguments that culminated in physical altercation. In 2014, the year Ms Wrightson was killed, there were 515 cases of murder or manslaughter in England and Wales. Few capture the full attention of the media. If she had not been the victim of teenage girls, the difficult truth is her tragic story may not have been told.

दो किशोर लड़कियों को 39 वर्षीय एंजेला राइटसन की उसके ही घर में एक क्रूर हमले में हत्या का दोषी पाया गया है। अगर उसे वयस्कों द्वारा मार दिया गया होता, तो क्या यह दुखद कहानी बताई जाती?


Wrexham FC: Dixie McNeil reunited with famous shirt

Summary: Former Wrexham FC striker Dixie McNeil has been reunited with a club shirt he last saw nearly 40 years ago.

McNeil, 67, had appealed for help to trace it as part of a campaign to drum up exhibits for a pop-up museum to mark the club's 150th anniversary. The number nine shirt was handed to the museum by life-long Wrexham fan Geoff Reynolds of Buckley. McNeil wore the shirt during the 1977-78 season and has now been told by Mr Reynolds he can keep it. The former player had always believed his team mate, John Lyons, who played in the final game of the season because he was injured, threw the red shirt into the crowd after the final whistle.

पूर्व रेक्सम एफसी स्ट्राइकर डिक्सी मैकनील को एक क्लब शर्ट के साथ फिर से मिलाया गया है जिसे उन्होंने आखिरी बार लगभग 40 साल पहले देखा था।


New year illegal rave at Torfaen factory site

Summary: A new year illegal rave which attracted hundreds of revellers has ended after a day and a night, Gwent Police has said.

Cars lined the roads to the event in Talywain, Torfaen, with locals reporting noise on New Year's Eve and into the morning of New Year's Day. Insp Ryan Francis told BBC Wales the event had ended by early afternoon but police were remaining in the area. He said no arrests had been made at the Grade II-listed ETM factory site near Pontypool. Insp Francis added: "A post-incident review will take place to establish if any organisers can be identified and if there is evidence to support a prosecution."

ग्वेंट पुलिस ने कहा है कि एक दिन और एक रात के बाद एक नए साल की अवैध रेव समाप्त हो गई है, जिसने सैकड़ों प्रशंसकों को आकर्षित किया।


Which countries love and hate Valentine's Day?

Summary: For the cynics among us, Valentine's Day is an annual nightmare: everything turns pink and heart-shaped, restaurants slap a premium price on a sub-par "special menu", and Hallmark shareholders are laughing all the way to the bank.

But beyond the cuddly toys and red roses, the tradition draws mixed reactions around the world. From the hardline to the downright bizarre, here are just some of the ways Valentine's Day is embraced - or spurned like an unwanted lover... Indonesia's condom raids Authorities in some parts of Indonesia have banned students from celebrating Valentine's Day, saying it encourages casual sex. In the city of Makassar, police raided shops and dismantled condom displays. The mayor told the BBC that condoms were removed from sight after customers complained, but would still be sold discreetly. Valentine's Day has its roots in a Roman fertility celebration, but later evolved into a Christian feast day - a fact that worries conservatives in some Muslim-majority countries. In Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya, pupils were told to reject the festival as it runs against cultural norms. No emoticons for Malaysia :( Next door to Indonesia, Malaysia has also seen a Valentine's backlash. A group called the National Muslim Youth Association has urged women and girls to avoid using emoticons or overdoing the perfume, in a pre-Valentine's Day message. The group's guidance included advice on how to combat the celebration of romance by making anti-Valentine posters and shunning Valentine-themed outfits. Weddings on Robben Island Robben Island will forever be associated with the infamous prison that held Nelson Mandela - but since 2000, it has hosted a mass celebration of love on 14 February. The tradition was started by South Africa's Department of Home Affairs and the Robben Island Museum, and now attracts couples from across the globe. This year, 20 pairs are planning to say "I do" in the island's little white chapel. The service is offered for a small fee, and includes a tour of the island. Organisers say 2017's couples were "chosen by the department based on their diversity and interesting romantic stories". Thailand's 'very magical vitamins' Thailand's civil servants are handing out free pre-natal pills on the streets of Bangkok on Valentine's Day, hoping to boost the country's falling birth rate. Around 1 million baht ($28,600; £22,900) has been spent on the pills, for prospective mothers aged 20 to 34. The "very magical vitamins" (to use the government's words) contain folic acid and iron. In 1970, Thai couples had an average of six children, but the figure now stands at 1.6. Pakistan's court crackdown The High Court in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, has banned public celebrations of Valentine's Day, saying it is not part of Muslim culture. The festival has gained a foothold in recent years, but local critics say it is a decadent Western invention. The court order bans the media from covering Valentine's events, and bans festivities in public places and government offices. Saudi's black market in roses Saudi Arabia's religious police are on alert at this time of year for love-themed merchandise, including flowers, cards and suspicious "red items". Florists have been known to deliver bouquets in the middle of the night to avoid detection, as determined lovers flout the countrywide ban. A black market in roses and wrapping paper helps some broadcast their feelings. But for others, it's the perfect time of year for a romantic break - to nearby Bahrain or the UAE, where celebrations are more tolerated. Japan's anti-love protesters As Japan geared up for the 14th, a group of Marxist protesters unfurled a giant "Smash Valentine's Day" banner in Tokyo. The "Kakuhido", or Revolutionary Alliance of Men that Women find Unattractive, want an end to public displays of love that "hurt their feelings". Members have been known to chant slogans including "public smooching is terrorism". "Our aim is to crush this love capitalism," said Takayuki Akimoto, the group's PR chief. "People like us who don't seek value in love are being oppressed by society," he added. "It's a conspiracy by people who think unattractive guys are inferior, or losers - like cuddling in public, it makes us feel bad. It's unforgivable!" The protests came as Japan's family planning association revealed that "sexless marriages" in the country are at a record high. Nearly 50% of married Japanese couples had not had sex for more than a month and did not expect that to change in the near future, it said.

हमारे बीच के सनकी लोगों के लिए, वेलेंटाइन डे एक वार्षिक दुःस्वप्न हैः सब कुछ गुलाबी और दिल के आकार का हो जाता है, रेस्तरां एक उप-बराबर "विशेष मेनू" पर एक प्रीमियम कीमत थप्पड़ मारते हैं, और हॉलमार्क शेयरधारक बैंक तक हंस रहे हैं।


Sahel crisis: Burkina Faso to arm civilians against militants

Summary: The authorities in Burkina Faso, struggling to grapple with a growing wave of Islamist militant attacks that is affecting the region, are planning to give weapons to civilians, as Louise Dewast reports.

The Burkinabe government is under pressure to take new measures to try and curtail the militants. In January alone, at least 60 people were killed in four separate attacks in the north of the country, with another 20 killed on Sunday. Members of parliament recently unanimously voted in favour of arming civilians in a move they said would help combat the armed groups. It is due to be signed into law. The attacks by militants linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group have significantly increased in the past year, causing more than half a million people to flee their homes. Critics have questioned whether the new measure will make people safer, but the government insists that armed volunteers are necessary to stem the spread of violence. Why get civilians involved? The law says that the army's capacity to fight the militants is limited in terms of numbers of soldiers and lack of appropriate training. "In light of the persistent threat, populations have... expressed their desire to actively engage in the defence of the homeland," it states. But this is not proof of the army's weakness, the government insisted. Speaking to the BBC, Communication Minister Remi Dandjinou likened the future volunteers to members of the French resistance during Germany's occupation of France in the World War Two. But there is a concern that the new measures could heighten ethnic conflict and fuel tensions between rival hunting and farming communities. "The Burkinabe security forces are themselves implicated in very serious abuses against suspects," Corinne Dufka from Human Rights Watch told the BBC. "That is why subcontracting any defence responsibilities to armed civilians is so potentially problematic." "It could exacerbate rising communal tensions and lead to more abuses, which would in turn push more people into the hands of the jihadists." Burkina Faso's government has previously denied claims of widespread abuse. Who will be armed? Any national aged 18 and over can be considered for recruitment and there is no maximum age. But recruits cannot be part of any political group or party. Volunteers must be patriotic and loyal and have a "spirit of sacrifice" which could include making the "ultimate sacrifice", according to the law that the MPs backed. But, after it was passed, Defence Minister Cheriff Sy insisted recruits would not be used as "cannon fodder". Recruitment will be carried out at a local level at an assembly where village leaders will be supervised by the army. But the volunteers will not be a route to legitimising self-defence groups, made up of people who are sometimes referred to as vigilantes. In Burkina Faso, as in Mali and Nigeria, civilians have armed themselves to defend their homes, and in some cases, gone on the offensive. These self-defence groups are not officially sanctioned by authorities. They are often composed on ethnic lines and have in many cases targeted rival communities. One of the concerns raised is that parts of the country - up to one-third according to some estimates - are believed to be under the control of militant groups, making it far too dangerous and impractical to hand out weapons in those areas. The north and north-eastern border areas with Mali and Niger are the most affected by attacks, but so are increasingly the southern border areas. What training will volunteers get? It is unclear when the recruitment will start and whether people are actually keen to sign up. The law states that at least 10 volunteers should be recruited per village or area of residency. Once they are recruited, the volunteers will undergo 14 days of training, which will include how to handle weapons, basic combat methods, the rules of discipline and civic and moral education. It is unclear who will be providing the training and whether it will be followed up. You may also be interested in : After their induction, the recruits will be given weapons, along with communication and observation equipment. But they will not get uniforms. While volunteers, who are expected to sign up for at least a year, will not be paid, the groups will receive financial support from the state for equipment and other mission-related expenses. They are also allowed to receive donations. They will get medical bills paid if they are injured and compensation if they are left with permanent injuries. Funerals will be paid for if those who die in action. Nationally, the ministry of defence will oversee the work of the civilian force, but locally the village chief will be responsible. What is their mission? Volunteers are expected to be available at all times in their village. They are expected to support the work of the army and police force, to help secure their village or district. This could involve conducting surveillance and providing intelligence to the army but they are forbidden from conduct policing activities. The volunteers will be expected to abide by a code of conduct, which for now has not been made public.

लुइस डेवास्ट की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, बुर्किना फासो में अधिकारी, जो इस क्षेत्र को प्रभावित करने वाले इस्लामी आतंकवादी हमलों की बढ़ती लहर से निपटने के लिए संघर्ष कर रहे हैं, नागरिकों को हथियार देने की योजना बना रहे हैं।


The tsunami debris washed from Japan to Oregon

Summary: Debris from last year's Japanese tsunami has already started landing on the West coast of the United States, and people living in Oregon are bracing themselves for more in the next few weeks, when the winter storms begin.

By Anne-Marie BullockBBC Radio 4, Oregon The early mist over Yaquina Bay in Oregon is beginning to burn off as 25 volunteers gather to clean up the beach. The wind shapes the sand into dunes and debris can often be found collected at the base of these. A dozen college students have joined pensioners, surfers and locals keen to keep the beach clear of all rubbish - but they are aware more debris from Japan is on its way. "As far as what will come - that part scares me," says Sandy Hayden, who lives in the nearby fishing town of Newport. "I've walked the beaches and see the trash that washes up anyway in the winter time so I have no idea what this winter will bring - but I just hope that there are a lot who will volunteer to clean it up." Hayden is collecting pieces of polystyrene which have blown in and broken up. She puts them in a plastic sack along with bits of fishing rope, rubber and bottles. It's hard to say where it all originated, or when. But as time goes on, an increasing proportion of the rubbish will come from Japan. It had initially been estimated the tsunami debris would hit land on the west coast of North America in 2013 but items started washing up in April this year, beaching in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. They are just starting to reach California now. Volunteer beachcombers, who work alongside State Parks officers, are given gloves to protect their hands. There has been no evidence yet of any radioactive debris, but anyone who finds flotsam on the beach can alert the rangers if they do not want to touch it themselves. In Oregon, 32 large bins have been placed along the coast as tsunami rubbish drop-off points. Hayden says the volunteers are sensitive to what the debris is. "It's a reminder of what happened, so it's not just trash. It was people's belongings and people's livelihoods and people's homes," she says. More than 15,000 people died in the tsunami. The images of whole villages being dragged into the ocean remain vivid in the minds of anyone who saw them. Thousands were drawn to Agate beach, Newport, when a 66ft (20m) concrete dock, kept buoyant by polystyrene, arrived intact in June. "They all reacted in different ways," says Chris Havel of Oregon Parks and Recreation Service. "Many of them just walked up and touched it - without saying a word they were making contact with it... and after we confirmed it was from Japan the attitudes deepened. People were making this emotional connection with this horrible tragedy." The bulk of the debris field is still currently north of Hawaii with the front edge starting reaching the West Coast, so much larger amounts are expected over the next year or so. That is a rough estimate. "We can make these predictions about ocean currents but we've really got to get our eyes out there and see what's out there," says Jack Barth, an oceanography professor at Oregon State University's College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. "If it's a bunch of wood just from houses I don't see that as a big worry, but imagine larger pieces of houses if it was able to survive all the way across. There's obviously personal effects and we want to be watching out for those because it'll provide some closure for those families back in Japan." This has already happened. A football and volleyball washed up on Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska, with names written on them, allowing beachcombers David and Yumi Baxter to trace the teenage owners and send them back. When a container with a Harley Davidson motorcycle in it washed up on a beach in British Columbia, a Japanese person saw it in the press and helped locate its owner via the registration plate. Despite the 5,000 miles of ocean between them, there is another connection that Oregonians have with Japan - a shared geology. Signs at Yaquina beach warn of the tsunami risk here too. The coast has a history of significant earthquakes that in the past have caused giant waves, but that was before there were large settlements here. The next one that strikes will leave them "susceptible to the same sort of tragedy that struck Japan", Mr Havel says. "This dock, it shook loose from the west coast of Japan, travelled 5,000 miles across the ocean and delivered a message in a bottle to the people of Oregon saying: 'This will be you - we don't know when or how big it's going to be or exactly what will happen but this will be you. Understand that, prepare for it, but really accept the fact you live on the Pacific coast and there's a cost to doing that.'"

पिछले साल की जापानी सुनामी का मलबा संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका के पश्चिमी तट पर उतरना शुरू हो गया है, और ओरेगन में रहने वाले लोग अगले कुछ हफ्तों में सर्दियों के तूफान शुरू होने पर खुद को और अधिक तैयार कर रहे हैं।


'My cousin wanted me for a passport'

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Jessie faced being forced into marriage to her 40-year-old cousin in Bangladesh. She begged the British Consulate in Dhaka for help and officials stepped in. She is just one of an estimated tens of thousands of British women at risk of being forced into marriage. Here is her story.

Alan Morrison, the British Consul in Bangladesh, says his team meet a girl like Jessie every week. Born in Britain but living in rural Bangladesh and promised in marriage to a much older man. Jessie managed to call the consulate when her father was at evening prayers. "She told them she was desperate not to marry but did not have any money and was not allowed to look after her own passport," said Mr Morrison. Jessie had been promised to her cousin at the age of 11. She was due to turn 18 next month so the consul decided to act immediately. "Her birthday is all important because normally we find a girl will be married on her birthday, so we need to get to her before that date," he explained. When the embassy receives a call about a British citizen being forced into marriage they normally only have a few hours before the girl is moved away or married off. "In these circumstances, when you've got a British girl, often she's seen as a commodity," explained Mr Morrison. "Because she's got a passport, he can get a visa, and work in the UK. We're seeing a generational strategy to emigrate to the UK." They managed to locate Jessie in Sylhet, a day's drive from the capital Dhaka. It is where the majority of British Bangladeshis emigrated from to the UK and is where most of the forced marriages take place in the country. Alan and a female consular worker, who acts as a chaperone and translator, drove straight there. They also took an armed guard, as families often resort to violence to prevent a rescue. Dangerous The element of surprise is also crucial for a rescue: arriving at the family home is the most dangerous time as they do not know how many male members of the family will be there to try and stop her leaving. But the team find luck is with them - Jessie's father and uncles were not there. Watched silently by the extended family of aunts and cousins they walked around the central courtyard and looked into the different faded, painted buildings until they located Jessie and her mother. They found that Jessie had spent such a long time in rural Bangladesh that her English was almost non-existent. Through the translator, Mr Morrison made sure she understood the consequences of leaving. Without support from her husband Jessie's mum handed over her passport. "If you want to take her I have no objections - but I must talk to her father," said her mother. Within 20 minutes of arriving they were able to leave the family compound with Jessie and her passport. Sat in the British Consulate car, Jessie held the hand of the female consular officer and smiled. "She is relieved. It's a dream for her to go back to the UK," the translator relayed to Alan. "I'm very, very happy," Jessie managed to say in English. On the way back, Alan learnt more of her story: "She's just told us that she's hardly ever left the house, she's been to Dhaka twice and the UK twice - once for one month and then for 10 months. "She hasn't been educated. For the past few months, as she argued with her father, no-one would even talk to her." Jessie was taken to a woman's shelter, the only one in Bangladesh for forced marriage victims, to spend the first night of her life alone. This, said the embassy officials, is the hardest time as Jessie has to wait four days for her flight to England so has time to think about what she has done. 'Be Strong' Women's rights campaigner, Masouda Khatun Shefali, who runs the shelter, was on hand to encourage Jessie to keep strong. "Remember they'll use love to trap you," she warned Jessie. "Now your job is to get back to Britain, anything that gets in your way push it aside." "You've got to be strong, it will be hard but you will make new friends," she reassured. But Jessie revealed her own determination. "I might be hurting but I won't give up, I'm strong and I won't change my mind. Even if I feel I'm dying I won't give up. Jessie is the youngest of seven, but is the only child who has lived in Bangladesh. Her brothers and sisters all live in the UK, but she thinks they would not welcome her as they will feel she has brought shame on their entire family by not marrying her cousin. A year later, Jessie has her own small flat in London and is going to college, studying for GCSEs. "I have to learn lots of things because I have no support from anyone, no support from my family, no one," she said. As expected her relatives in the UK have kept away from her. It has been a huge change and challenge for her but she stands by her decision. "My cousin didn't want me, he just wanted a passport. Lots of Bangladeshi girls have to do that, we have to marry our cousins bring them to this country and then get divorced because we don't know each other well." But she admits to a sadness at never seeing her parents again. "I know my mum gave me a hard time, but I miss her a lot and I love her a lot because she's my mum. "I don't know what she thinks about me but I feel sad. I want to see her again and hug her again but I can't, but one day maybe." Jessie's story is told in My Forced, Unwanted Wedding on BBC Three, Monday 19 September at 21:00 BST.

सत्रह वर्षीय जेसी को बांग्लादेश में अपने 40 वर्षीय चचेरे भाई से जबरन शादी करने के लिए मजबूर किया गया। उसने ढाका में ब्रिटिश वाणिज्य दूतावास से मदद मांगी और अधिकारियों ने हस्तक्षेप किया। वह उन अनुमानित दसियों हज़ार ब्रिटिश महिलाओं में से एक है जिन पर जबरन शादी करने का खतरा है। यहाँ उसकी कहानी है।


Huawei arrest of Meng Wanzhou: A 'hostage' in a new US-China tech war

Summary: It is hard to overstate the symbolism and significance of the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and daughter of its founder. Huawei is the crown jewel of Chinese tech and Ms Meng is effectively its princess.

Karishma VaswaniAsia business correspondent@BBCKarishmaon Twitter On December 1, the same day as President Trump and President Xi sat down at the G20 over grilled sirloin and caramel pancakes, to work on easing the trade war, Ms Meng was arrested in Canada and is now facing extradition to the US. Although it's still not clear what the charges against her are - we know that the US has been investigating Huawei for possible violations of US sanctions on Iran - this is not simply a case about the arrest of one woman, or just one company. This arrest could materially damage the relationship between the US and China at possibly one of the most sensitive times between the two countries in their long and torrid history. "It could not come at a worse time and it is probably going to put a cloud over any upcoming negotiations," Vinesh Motwani of Silk Road Research told me. "The market had already turned more sceptical over the G20 agreement in recent days. This is only going to make the market more sceptical any deal can be reached. " Rapprochement averted Tensions have been rising between Washington and Beijing, not just on trade. But at that G20 meeting in Buenos Aires, it looked like the two sides had at least decided to talk, and thrash things out over a 90-day period. Amongst those issues are technology concerns, which are front and centre of this trade war. Even if it wasn't clear how united China and the US may have been on the objectives, the very fact that discussions were taking place were seen as a semi-positive for the global economy. 'Hostage taking' But this arrest is likely to be seen by China as an attack and "hostage taking", says Elliott Zaagman, who has covered the Chinese firm for the better part of the last two decades. "China has a reputation for making agreements and not keeping them, not following through," he told me on the phone from Boston. "There's a theory that this could be a way for the US to hold Beijing to its word on the trade war." If so, it is a move the Chinese media has not taken well. "The US is trying to find a way to attack Huawei," says Hu Xijin, editor in chief of the Chinese and English editions of the Global Times - a publication often seen as a mouthpiece of the Chinese government. "It is trying to keep Huawei down. That's why it has pressured its allies not to use Huawei's products. It is trying to destroy Huawei's reputation." What Mr Hu is referring to is the recent rejection of Huawei's services by a number of US allies, including Australia, New Zealand and most recently the UK's BT which says it won't be using Huawei equipment in the heart of its 5G mobile network when it is rolled out in the UK (although it does still plan to use Huawei's mast antennas and other products). There's no evidence of Huawei having ever been engaged in any spying or handing over of data to the Chinese government. In fact, whenever I talk to Huawei executives privately they tell me how frustrated they are because of how the US government and Western media unfairly paints them as a Chinese state-owned company that does Beijing's bidding. Company sources tell me that Huawei should be seen as the modern, dynamic and law-abiding global firm that it is, and that the US's narrative is flawed and unfounded. Still, Huawei's founder, the father of Ms Meng, is Ren Zhengfei - a former military officer in the Chinese army. And the fact remains, as Mr Zaagman points out in a recent piece for The Lowy Institute, "the firm's relationship with the Chinese People's Liberation Army remains an issue of concern and opacity". Which is why the US says countries must be wary of Chinese companies like Huawei. Under China's laws, private companies and individuals may be obliged to hand over information or data to the government if they are indeed asked. It's that possibility, government sources say, that is scaring them off doing business with Huawei. Huawei has told me this is completely untrue, and other Chinese academics and business people have also rejected this notion. Mr Hu of the Global Times agrees: "The Chinese government would not do this. China would not hurt its own enterprises. If it hurts its own companies, how would it benefit the country? Even if a middling or low-level official were to ask it, Huawei will have the power to refuse any kind of government request." Many in China will see this as yet another attempt to contain the country's rise, by limiting its most global firms' access to international markets. "This could further endanger Huawei's 5G aspirations outside of emerging markets," says Tony Nash of Complete Intelligence, on the line from the US. "If Huawei is being investigated it could put both Huawei and ZTE on the back foot as other equipment makers gain a lead in North America, and potentially other developed markets." Other countries It's not just developed markets where Huawei may be losing ground. The scrutiny is building in emerging markets too. Industry sources tell me that the US has been putting pressure on Asian allies to stop them from using Huawei's equipment. The Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea were the latest recipients of this pressure, and India is thought to be next. So what does this mean? The gloves are off. You should be under no illusion what this latest move by the US means for the relationship between the world's two largest economies: things have taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

हुआवेई के मुख्य वित्तीय अधिकारी और इसके संस्थापक की बेटी मेंग वानझोउ की गिरफ्तारी के प्रतीकात्मकता और महत्व को कम करना मुश्किल है। हुआवेई चीनी तकनीक का मुकुट रत्न है और सुश्री मेंग प्रभावी रूप से इसकी राजकुमारी हैं।


Chipmunk upset by leak of Chris Brown duet

Summary: Chipmunk has said having an unfinished collaboration with US star Chris Brown leak onto the internet "felt like a bullet hit me in the heart".

The track, Champion, appeared online this week (24 November). Speaking to Newsbeat the 20-year-old rapper said: "When it leaked... I was looking at the sky asking, 'God, why? I just didn't understand.' "The amount of thought process that went into that track, the amount of battles we had for that track." Chipmunk, who has scored hits with tracks like Chip Diddy Chip and Diamond Rings in the past, has been working on his forthcoming second album Transition due out in 2011.

चिपमंक ने कहा है कि अमेरिकी स्टार क्रिस ब्राउन के साथ एक अधूरा सहयोग इंटरनेट पर लीक हुआ "ऐसा लगा जैसे एक गोली मेरे दिल में लगी हो।"


Cumbria flood PC Bill Barker honoured for his bravery

Summary: A Cumbrian police officer has been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for sacrificing his own life to save others.

PC William "Bill" Barker died on duty during the flooding in Cumbria in November 2009. He was checking for people in the water when the bridge he was standing on collapsed beneath him. The citation says "PC Barker paid the ultimate price for his selfless actions." His colleagues at Workington police have created a garden in his memory. His wife Hazel and his four children have since held fundraising events in his memory for the air ambulance.

एक कुम्ब्रियन पुलिस अधिकारी को दूसरों को बचाने के लिए अपने जीवन का बलिदान करने के लिए बहादुरी के लिए रानी की प्रशंसा से सम्मानित किया गया है।


London fire: How one Grenfell Tower resident escaped

Summary: When a fire broke out at Grenfell Tower housing block in west London early Wednesday morning, a number of occupants were able to escape. One of them was 15th floor resident Christos Fairbairn, 41, who has told his story. (Readers may find some details of his account distressing.)

I live on the 15th floor of Grenfell Tower. I moved there two years ago. At around 12.45am on Wednesday morning I was watching TV when I heard aggressive knocking at my door. I heard more activity and noise outside and shortly after I heard an alarm go off in the building. I saw smoke coming into the flat and that's when I realised there was a fire. I rang the fire service and they told me to get out. They said: "Wrap a wet towel around yourself and get out of the block." But I opened the door and the smoke was so thick I couldn't. I tried to leave the flat three times and each time the smoke was too thick. I started to panic. I began banging on the window shouting: "Help me, help me, I'm stuck!" I tried to open the window but I burnt my hand on the melted plastic. I could see police outside and people just standing there. It felt like they were just watching me. Then I realised if I don't go I would die here. I wrapped a wet jumper around myself and ran out of the door with just the clothes on my back and my phone. The smoke was black and it was so hot and I couldn't breathe but I kept going. I could feel myself tripping over in the dark. I was tripping over bodies. On one of the floors I tripped badly and fell, as I looked up I saw the face of a dead man. I can still picture him now. As I got to the third or fourth floor I was choking and couldn't breathe. I started to feel faint. I collapsed and that's when I felt a firefighter grab me. I went to hospital and was treated for smoke inhalation. I had so much poison in my lungs. I was crying and having flashbacks. Now I am left with nothing and have nowhere to live. But the council have paid for a room for me in Earl's Court in London where I am staying now. I can't believe I am alive. I will never forget what happened and how traumatising it was. I know I will never live in a tower block again. I feel lucky to be alive but I am devastated for those who were injured and lost their lives. Life is so short I know I will see my family and friends more now and appreciate the life I have. I shouldn't be here today but I am, and for that I am thankful. Produced by Rozina Sini, BBC's UGC and Social News team

जब बुधवार की सुबह पश्चिम लंदन के ग्रेनफेल टॉवर हाउसिंग ब्लॉक में आग लग गई, तो उसमें रहने वाले कई लोग भागने में सफल रहे। उनमें से एक 15वीं मंजिल के निवासी 41 वर्षीय क्रिस्टोस फेयरबेर्न थे, जिन्होंने अपनी कहानी सुनाई है। (पाठकों को उनके खाते के कुछ विवरण परेशान करने वाले लग सकते हैं।)


Enrique Iglesias denies Britney Spears joint tour claim

Summary: Enrique Iglesias won't be joining Britney Spears on her tour of Canada and America, despite her announcement that he would on US TV.

Spears told ABC's Good Morning America programme that the pair would be hitting the road together. But a statement from Enrique Iglesias denied the news hours later saying the singer was "very sorry for the confusion it might have caused". Britney Spears starts her US tour on 17 June in Sacramento, California. She released her seventh album, Femme Fatale, last week. Enrique Iglesias is currently on tour in Europe and is due to play concerts in Nottingham, Cardiff and Glasgow in June. The statement from Enrique Iglesias added that the singer, who had a number one single in the UK with Hero in 2001, respected Spears and was a fan of her work.

एनरिक इग्लेसियस कनाडा और अमेरिका के दौरे पर ब्रिटनी स्पीयर्स के साथ शामिल नहीं होंगे, उनकी घोषणा के बावजूद कि वह अमेरिकी टीवी पर होंगे।


The mystery of North Korea's virtuoso waitresses

Summary: North Korea does not have the greatest reputation abroad - death camps, dictators and nuclear-missile-testing don't make for good PR. But in some Asian cities the Pyongyang restaurant chain is seeking to change minds with good food and great service.

By Ed ButlerBBC News, Phnom Penh I've travelled the world quite a bit but I can honestly say I've never encountered restaurant staff quite as talented as this. After depositing their plates of food, waitress after waitress stepped up on to the stage to deliver a series of virtuoso numbers - Yong with her operatic arias, Ji-u on the violin, or Lin-a with her remarkable whirling dervish routine, balancing a pot on her head. All of these performances were served up to a thumping electronic beat, while rose-tinted images of the Dear Homeland flashed up on a screen behind them. I have to admit I became quite transported by it all. But perhaps this was the beer, and the enthusiastic crowd, who clapped and cheered throughout. We'd been served tasty if overpriced Korean dishes - dog-meat casserole and pine-nut gruel among them. And there was a range of exotic $50 beverages, flavoured with ginseng and sea cucumber, plus herbal pills which, the waitress told me, really could cure anything. But the question is - and I suppose the reason many foreigners like me wander into this place - what exactly are we coming to be cured of? The nights I went in the place was packed, overwhelmingly with South Korean or Chinese expats, mostly large gangs of them drunkenly flirting with the staff. The servers would dance elegantly between the tables in their colourful peasant smocks, smiling as they side-stepped the occasional groping hand of a client. It led me to ponder one circulating theory - that this was all a complex form of espionage... the talented and attractive waitresses had been placed here to seduce high-value visitors, like me perhaps, to extract valuable state secrets? To test that idea, I ventured a conversation with Yong, the waitress serving me, who did speak some English. "How are you? Where are you from?" "Pyongyang", she replied (OK, so that was a pretty stupid question). "How long are you here in Cambodia?" "Three years. I go home in one year." "You like it here? You want to stay here?" "No, I miss Pyongyang," she replied. I wasn't sure but did I detect a slight clenching of her jaw there? She was polite but a little stiff. If this was seduction, I was Kim Il Sung. I tried a more direct approach. "Where do you live?" "Upstairs." "Gosh, how many of you live up there?" "A secret. It's a secret," she smiled icily. And then, more firmly, as I moved to pull out my camera, "No, no photos allowed." So instead I turned to an elderly South Korean doctor sitting nearby. He told me he'd recently been asked to treat a couple of the young ladies when they'd got sick. They were not normally allowed out, he said. "They were all highly trained at the State Arts College," he told me. "They were the most talented girls." But here they find themselves watched night and day. The waitresses watch each other, the chef is watching the waitresses, someone is even watching the chef. I decided to do some internet searching on my phone. Reports of defections from these places are actually pretty few and far between. The staff, of course, have families back home, and experts say it could go very hard on them if anyone tried to run away - although one or two restaurant managers have been known to abscond with bags of cash. On those occasions, restaurants had been shut down entirely. The working assumption, according to most reports, is that the Pyongyang chain is primarily there to make money, to feed the North Korean leadership's desperate need for foreign currency. Some speculate that the restaurants are in fact directly under the wing of the secretive Bureau 39, an agency that allegedly launders cash for the government through ventures that include arms sales and methamphetamine production. But to be fair, there was absolutely no sign of that here. And anyway, given all the staff, pleasant decor and equipment, it occurred to me that this little place was hardly going to provide that much of a boost to the nation's struggling balance sheet. I turned back to the Korean doctor. What did he think? Could these women be spies, or was this just a money-laundering operation? He shrugged doubtfully. Maybe it wasn't about money or politics at all. Maybe the North Koreans just want to put on a show - to smile and to sing - they just want to be loved. Maybe. I am pleased to disclose that, after some persuasion, one waitress, Lin-a, did relent - she posed for a photo with me. In the picture she can be seen smiling in her peasant frock. I'm smiling, too, in my jeans. And behind us, next to an epic mural of a rising Korean sun, stands another waitress, watching us. How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 and some Thursdays at 11:00 Listen online or download the podcast. BBC World Service: Short editions Monday-Friday - see World Service programme schedule. Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook

उत्तर कोरिया की विदेशों में सबसे बड़ी प्रतिष्ठा नहीं है-मृत्यु शिविर, तानाशाह और परमाणु-मिसाइल-परीक्षण अच्छे पीआर के लिए नहीं हैं। लेकिन कुछ एशियाई शहरों में प्योंगयांग रेस्तरां श्रृंखला अच्छे भोजन और महान सेवा के साथ मन बदलने की कोशिश कर रही है।


When a lottery 'wins' sick babies life-saving drugs

Summary: Eva was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a motor neuron disease, just a few weeks after her birth in August. Her parents plan to enter her in a controversial "drug lottery" in the hopes of getting access for a promising new treatment that costs $2.1m (£1.6m) per patient.

By Jessica MurphyBBC News, Toronto Ricardo and Jessica Batista noticed something was wrong with Eva just a couple of weeks after she was born. The Toronto couple's "beautiful young girl" loved to play and smile but took a long time to eat. She would get tired. Her arms would fall back when they picked her up. There was "no head control, she was very floppy," Mrs Batista recalls. At just seven weeks, Eva was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy [SMA] a rare, deadly genetic muscle-wasting disease. Between one in 6,000 to one in 10,000 children are born with SMA. Eva is believed to be one of the youngest patients to be diagnosed with SMA Type 1, also called Werdnig-Hoffmann Disease, the most severe form of the disease the Batistas call "a nightmare". 'Not prepared for the road ahead' Babies like Eva can face many health challenges, from muscle weakness to trouble breathing and swallowing. They may need breathing assistance or a feeding tube. The disease can be fatal if untreated. "We did research on it but it still - when you research it - it tells you what it is and all that, but it doesn't prepare you for the road ahead and what to expect," said Mr Batista. The Batistas' priority was getting the best care for their newly diagnosed child. In Canada, where the couple live, they have access to Spinraza, a prescription drug taken during the patient's entire lifetime that can increase survival and motor function. It's been on the market since 2016 and is the first approved therapy to treat all types of SMA. There is also a brand new drug - Zolgensma. It's produced by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis and was recently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children under the age of two. It's a one-time prescription gene therapy touted as a potentially life-changing treatment. It's also currently the world's priciest single-dose treatment, at $2.1m per patient. Gene therapy, at the cutting edge of health science, involves introducing genetic material into cells to compensate for abnormal genes - in the case of SMA, the faulty SMN1 gene. In consultations with Eva's doctors, the Batista's have begun treatment with Spinraza - but they see gene therapy as their daughter's best hope. "We contacted a couple of families in the US that have taken this gene therapy and throughout conversations with them and through the research we did we immediately came [to the decision] that that's what we needed to get her, because that's the best option, the best solution in terms of what can help her for the best results," Mr Batista said. But for the Batistas, the multimillion dollar price tag was beyond prohibitive. Zolgensma is not approved in Canada. The couple would need special authorisation from Health Canada, the drug regulatory agency, to gain access to the drug for their daughter in that country. Without that authorisation, they would have to go a hospital in the US to get it administered, bringing the total cost to approximately C$4m ($3m; £2.3m). With fundraising, the family managed to raise some C$1.8m in about four months - a feat in itself - but "we need more help", says Mrs Batista. Patient group Cure SMA Canada says they'll be pushing for access to Zolgensma as well as another promising new experimental treatment developed by drug company Roche. Spinraza has proven safe and effective, executive director Susi Vander Wyk says, but is not ideal for all patients, so the more options the better. "We're excited for patients to access this - but it's not quite [there] yet," she says. There is third option for the Batistas - one that depends on the luck of the draw. When demand from families for Zolgensma spiked following its approval in the US last May, Novartis subsidiary AveXis announced a programme to provide the therapy free to some eligible SMA patients. Drug becomes 'coveted prize' It would give out up to 100 doses to patients who meet clinical criteria using a "blinded selection" - a lottery - every two weeks through 2020, starting on 3 February. The firm said in December that the managed access programme was "anchored in principles of fairness, clinical need and global accessibility...that doesn't favour one child or country over another". Novartis says the programme was developed with input from bioethicists - but it has been criticised by patient groups around the world. Kacper Rucinski, co-founder of the UK's TreatSMA and a board Member with SMA Europe, say they will be asking the pharmaceutical firm to remove "fully or partially" the lottery element of the programme. Mr Rucinski says they support compassionate use programmes for pharmaceutical access but "here, what you are seeing is that the company says: 'Oh yes, we received your application, we see that it is needed, so we will throw a dice to see whether we should provide it or not.' "That is basically unacceptable from the clinical point of view." SMA Europe said in a statement the programme "will make thousands of SMA babies compete with each other for a life-saving treatment, splitting tightly knit communities and turning this experimental drug into a coveted prize." Mr Batista says while the couple are happy some children will gain access to the drug "what are we going to say to the other kids whose lives are dependent on this? What do we say? 'Better luck next time?'" Mr Rucinski also thinks there is a certain amount of "hype" around Zolgensma as the newest drug on the block. "Personally we think it is a promising drug but we ask for more data," he said. He notes questions were raised around the drug in August, when the FDA said Novartis had submitted manipulated data in its approval application, though the regulatory agency said it was confident the drug should remain on the market. SMA Europe hopes to sit down in the coming weeks to discuss the programme with Novartis - which told the BBC it's open to feedback from patients groups and health professionals to "capture learnings and help guide us as we move forward". For the Batistas, the high-stakes lottery is a "long shot". They are working with Eva's neurologist to enter her into the Novartis programme but with 100 doses for the whole world "to just depend only on that is too risky", says Mrs Batista. The couple have spent much of January at Toronto's Sick Kids hospital, where the Eva is being treated for pneumonia and two other viruses. When she gets better their focus will be on raising enough money to get her treated in the US, which would need to be done before she turns two. "The stress level is through the roof," says her mother. "But we're doing everything, everything we can to help her."

ईवा को अगस्त में उसके जन्म के कुछ ही हफ्तों बाद स्पाइनल मस्कुलर एट्रोफी, एक मोटर न्यूरॉन बीमारी का पता चला था। उसके माता-पिता ने उसे एक विवादास्पद "ड्रग लॉटरी" में शामिल करने की योजना बनाई थी ताकि उसे एक आशाजनक नए उपचार तक पहुंच मिल सके जिसकी लागत प्रति रोगी $21 लाख (£16 लाख) है।


Flood warnings after 'supertides' across Wales' coast

Summary: Flood warnings and alerts remain in force across coastal parts of Wales following the highest tides in two decades.

The so-called 'supertides' have seen some roads closed and localised flooding, as the unusually high spring tides wash in. Warnings have been issued for Crofty on Gower, and for the Clarach Bay, Ceredigion, and Aberystwyth tidal area. A further eight alerts for the Welsh coast are also in place until later. The spring tides reached an 18-and-a-half year peak over the weekend. Natural Resources Wales warned of "dangerous conditions" with water rising to more than 6ft (1.8 metres) above normal levels in places.

दो दशकों में सबसे अधिक ज्वार के बाद वेल्स के तटीय हिस्सों में बाढ़ की चेतावनी और चेतावनी जारी है।


Men reported for alleged hare coursing near Ardersier

Summary: Three men have been reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with alleged hare coursing near Ardersier.

Hare coursing is an illegal pursuit which involves dogs chasing and killing hares. Police Scotland has thanked members of the public for providing information on incidents of the illegal activity in the Highlands. The alleged incident near Ardersier was reported in the past few weeks, a spokesman said.

आर्डर्सियर के पास कथित रूप से खरगोशों के घुसने के संबंध में तीन लोगों को खरीददार वित्तीय को सूचित किया गया है।


The widow who asked eight French presidents for the truth

Summary: Josette Audin spent more than 60 years asking French leaders to admit responsibility for her husband's death in Algeria. Finally, last year, Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that he had been tortured and killed in custody. At the same time, he said the archives would be opened to researchers - was this an empty promise?

By Charlotte McDonaldBBC World Service "This is the university where we were studying in Algiers," says Josette Audin, pointing at a photograph of a grand building with classical columns on a tree-lined square. The 87-year-old is telling me about her life with Maurice Audin, a fellow maths student at the University of Algiers in the 1950s. They met during a lecture, fell in love and got married. Both were of European descent - as were one in 10 of Algeria's population after 120 years of French rule - and both were communists who supported the fight for Algerian independence. "My parents were not fighting with arms," says Josette's daughter, Michèle, "My father was doing propaganda." In 1957, Maurice was teaching maths at the university and working on his doctoral dissertation, while Josette was bringing up their three young children. By this point the Battle of Algiers was raging. Pro-independence groups were carrying out violent attacks and the authorities were struggling to keep control. When it became known that the Audins had given shelter in their home to a wanted communist leader, soldiers arrived one night and took 25-year-old Maurice away. The French in Algeria 1830: France occupies Algiers 1848: After an uprising led by rebel leader Abd-el-Kader, Paris declares Algeria to be an integral part of France 1940: France falls to Germany in World War Two - allied landings in Algeria follow in 1942 1945: As WW2 ends, thousands are killed in pro-independence demonstrations in Sétif 1954-62: Algerian War - the Battle of Algiers lasts from 1956-7 1962: Algeria becomes an independent state "My mother asked them, 'When will he be back?'" says Michèle. "'If everything goes well,' they said, 'he will come back in half an hour.'" But he never returned. A close friend who was arrested the next day said he saw Maurice strapped to a table, being tortured. "After two or three weeks they told her, 'We have good news for you. Your husband has escaped,'" Michèle says. Her mother instantly knew they were lying, Michèle says, and realised why. "She knew that he was dead." But Josette wanted the truth from the authorities. "She tried to publicise the case. She made a campaign but she had no means to do anything. She was just writing letters with a pen and paper." Josette wrote to anyone she could think of who could help her cause - journalists and academics. "I couldn't do anything else. I had no choice," she says. In 1962, Algeria was granted independence. A few years later, Josette and her children moved to Paris. Over the years more evidence emerged that indicated Maurice had been tortured and killed. Books and many articles were written. One theory was that he was strangled by an interrogator, another that he was mistaken for someone else. A senior intelligence officer boasted in old age that he had given the order for Audin to be killed. But despite Josette's campaign, officially there was silence. Find out more Listen to France, Algeria and the Battle for Truth on Assignment, on the BBC World Service, from Thursday Click here for transmission times, or to listen online Every time a new president was elected, Josette would write to him. "Some answered her, some didn't even answer," says Michèle. "She was not asking for apologies but she was asking to know the truth and some recognition of the responsibility of the (French) Republic." Finally, in 2014, President François Hollande admitted Maurice died in custody. But the next president, Emmanuel Macron, surprised even the family. He contacted Josette before she had even sent him a letter. Then, last September, he issued a declaration making clear the French state's responsibility for Maurice Audin's death. A system that empowered the authorities in Algeria to stop, detain and interrogate any suspect had been a breeding ground for terrible acts, he said, including torture; Audin had been "tortured then executed, or tortured to death". On a visit to Josette's home, he asked for forgiveness. But Maurice Audin is just one case. Thousands of people disappeared during the Algerian War, on all sides of the conflict, and in many cases nothing at all is known about what happened to them. President Macron said he now wanted the national archives to be opened up, so that families could get answers. Some historians are unsure what that might mean in practice, however. It's already possible to access documents held in the national archives. Did he mean that unspecified military archives would be opened up? Historian Raphaëlle Branche argues that incidents of torture and killing are unlikely to have been recorded in the first place. "A lot of these activities are extra-judicial," she says. As they were not sanctioned, probably no record was made, she suggests. Another historian, Fabrice Riceputi, says there is also evidence that documents were deliberately purged. "At the end of the war the French army went to some effort to get rid of anything in archives that might lead to revelations about some of the crimes that were committed during the war," he says. Riceputi did, however, make an interesting find while going through newly released documents in the French national archive centre in Aix-en-Provence. It was a file kept by the Prefecture in Algiers of people reported missing by their families, containing the names of 850 individuals. "The French prefer to maintain secrecy around these documents, which means that they were particularly precious and valuable," says Fabrice. "I realised that as soon as I saw them." In the days after Macron's declaration, Riceputi uploaded these files to a website he has created with another historian, Malika Rahal, called 1,000 Autres - 1,000 Others. He asked for people who knew the missing to get in touch if they had any information about them, and got his first response in less than 24 hours. "I will remember for the rest of my life the first morning after we put the site online," Riceputi says. "I opened my computer and I had a message which - and I say it without any shame - made me cry because even I wonder sometimes if the work we do is really useful to anyone." They have now received roughly 300 witness statements about 70 individuals, many of which confirm that the missing relative never came home. One of those is Mounira Yacef in Algiers. Her father, Lahcene Yacef, was detained and she has no idea how he died or what happened to the body. "He was taken away one night and that was it," she says. "The absence of a body means the absence of a history." The co-founder of the website, Malika Rahal, says: "There is huge hope for something which we are at this stage absolutely incapable of providing - the answers to where is the body and how did the person die. "People hope we'll open up the archives and they'll contain answers to these questions, and they might not. These are questions to which you might simply never have the answers." For Mounira, just seeing her father's name in an official document means something. She says she has always felt an affinity with the Audin family, whose decades-long struggle she has followed from afar. Josette Audin's daughter, Michèle, tells me this struggle has now come to an end for them, even though there is still much that they do not know. I ask Josette if she is happy that a French president finally acknowledged the state's responsibility for her husband's death. "Better late than never," she says. You may also be interested in: Yasmine Belkacem was a 14-year-old schoolgirl with a beautiful face and long black curls when she joined the Algerian independence movement. For months she carried messages between members of the National Liberation Front, along with money and food to fighters in prison. Then one day she asked if she could plant one of the home-made bombs the Algerian fighters were exploding in French cafes and outside police stations. Read: A child bomber with 'no regrets' Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

जोसेट ऑडिन ने 60 से अधिक वर्षों तक फ्रांसीसी नेताओं से अल्जीरिया में अपने पति की मौत की जिम्मेदारी स्वीकार करने के लिए कहा। आखिरकार, पिछले साल, इमैनुएल मैक्रॉन ने स्वीकार किया कि उन्हें हिरासत में प्रताड़ित किया गया और मार दिया गया। साथ ही, उन्होंने कहा कि अभिलेखागार को शोधकर्ताओं के लिए खोल दिया जाएगा-क्या यह एक खाली वादा था?


Trial of former Fort Augustus Abbey priest adjourned

Summary: The trial of a former priest accused of assaulting eight boys while teaching at Fort Augustus Abbey School has been adjourned until next year.

Father Benedict Seed, 83, denies the charges, which include striking pupils aged between 11 and 18 with a cane and a spiked golf in the 1970s and 80s. A trial date has been fixed for 23 January for further investigations. It also allows time to arrange for one witness to give evidence via a video link from Hong Kong. Appearing at Inverness Sheriff Court under the name Thomas Seed, the former priest had his bail conditions continued.

फोर्ट ऑगस्टस एबी स्कूल में पढ़ाते समय आठ लड़कों पर हमला करने के आरोपी एक पूर्व पादरी का मुकदमा अगले साल तक के लिए स्थगित कर दिया गया है।


Defections put militant al-Shabab on the run in Somalia

Summary: The Islamist al-Shabab group that controls much of southern Somalia has recently suffered several significant defeats. The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse has been travelling with Ugandan soldiers in the African Union force that has been fighting the al-Qaeda-allied militants and reports from Afgoye, until last month one their key strongholds.

We were standing in the shade of some trees, sheltering from the vicious midday sun, when the unmistakable strains of Grieg's Peer Gynt began emanating from the pocket of a young man in camouflage fatigues. Dum di dum dum dum-dum-duuum… The young man reached for his mobile and squinted at the screen. "I don't recognise the number," he said, letting it ring. As the tune continued, my curiosity was piqued. "Perhaps it is one of your old friends?" The young man nodded. His name was Absher Ali Mohammed, nom de guerre "Abu Khalit". He was a defector from al-Shabab. The call was from Abu Khalit's former commander. The two spoke in Somali, I could not understand the conversation, but I could hear it - the discussion was lively and punctuated by bursts of laughter. "What did he say?" I asked. "He accused me of being an apostate," Abu Khalit said. Al-Shabab is being pushed out of towns and villages in southern and central Somalia by Ugandan and other African Union forces. The soldiers are by and large Christians. Abu Khalit brushed away the suggestion that he had abandoned his Muslim faith. "One day, you too will join us," he told his former commander. It was that last remark that had prompted the loudest laugh at the other end of the line. "If they catch me, they will slaughter me with their own hands, they will cut off my hands and legs," said Abu Khalit. His commander in al-Shabab was a man by the name of Sheikh Mustaf. The defector said he was one of between 200 and 300 men under his command. The sheikh had also acted as a local judge. His favoured punishment was amputation. 'Harassing people' Abu Khalit said he had little time for the foreign fighters who provide the Islamist group with its ideological backbone. "They hide their faces from us. They live in safe houses, and we are not allowed inside," he said. When African Union forces took the town of Afgoye, near the capital, Mogadishu, at the end of last month, Abu Khalit and his fellow fighters had been pushed out of the area. It was then that he decided to change sides. "I realised al-Shabab did not want to bring freedom to the people. They were just harassing people." Abu Khalit and another defector by the name of Gashan both said they had joined the Islamists out of a combination of religious and patriotic motives. "When the African Union forces invaded, we were told, 'They are Christians, so you must defend your country and your religion,'" said Gashan, whose name means shield. But some months ago, he said he noticed al-Shabab demanding tax by force. They would confiscate animals from the nomads and carry out harsh punishments. "I realised they were not about religion," he said. "They were about killing people." So here they were, in the shadow of a tree, two defectors sharing a lunch of rice, chicken and goat meat with a contingent of Ugandan soldiers. Later, we drove into town. There, another possible motive for their defection presented itself. National obsession At a crossroads on the outskirts of Afgoye, an impromptu market had sprung up; a line of tables, from which women in brightly coloured headscarves were selling small bunches of leaves. For many Somalis, chewing this stimulant, known as khat, is a national obsession, close to a way of life. Al-Shabab declared it to be "haram", forbidden, and banned it. They would not have approved of Abu Khalit's musical ringtone either. In that and many other ways, people here say al-Shabab have alienated the local population. Once they enjoyed support for bringing relative stability where there had been chaos. That support now seems to be on the wane. In the town of Baidoa, near the Ethiopian border, local residents said al-Shabab had been forcing young men and even boys to fight in a desperate attempt to bolster their numbers. The result, they say, has been a wave of defections. And the defectors have helped the African Union and their Somali interim government allies to arrest yet more fighters. For many years now, the balance of power in Somalia has shifted among a patchwork of rival clan warlords. People understand this system. They respect it. For a while, al-Shabab became the dominant force in this power struggle. But now the group is in retreat - many here sense its weakness and that may turn out to be the most fatal blow of all. One man here observed: The African Union is now the biggest warlord in town. How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: BBC Radio 4: A 30-minute programme on Saturdays, 11:30 BST. Second 30-minute programme on Thursdays, 11:00 BST (some weeks only). Listen online or download the podcast BBC World Service: Hear daily 10-minute editions Monday to Friday, repeated through the day, also available to listen online . Read more or explore the archive at the programme website .

इस्लामी अल-शबाब समूह जो दक्षिणी सोमालिया के अधिकांश हिस्से को नियंत्रित करता है, को हाल ही में कई महत्वपूर्ण हार का सामना करना पड़ा है। बीबीसी का गैब्रियल गेटहाउस अफ्रीकी संघ बल में युगांडा के सैनिकों के साथ यात्रा कर रहा है जो अल-कायदा-सहयोगी आतंकवादियों से लड़ रहा है और अफ़गोए से रिपोर्ट करता है, जो पिछले महीने तक उनके प्रमुख गढ़ों में से एक है।


Edinburgh tram in price scrapping investigation

Summary: Councillors in Edinburgh have agreed to look into the price of scrapping the city's beleaguered trams project.

A special meeting at the City Chambers was called to brief councillors on the latest issues involving Tie and contractors Bilfinger Berger. A contractual dispute has put the £545m scheme over budget and behind schedule. Both the SNP and Labour put forward a motion to calculate the cost of cancellation before making a final decision on the future of the project.

एडिनबर्ग में पार्षदों ने शहर की संकटग्रस्त ट्राम परियोजना को खत्म करने की कीमत पर गौर करने पर सहमति व्यक्त की है।


Coronation Street writer talks about 'honest' suicide storyline

Summary: Wednesday's hour-long episode of Coronation Street, which depicted the shock and grief of Weatherfield residents when they found out about Aidan Connor's suicide, will go down as one of the most powerful in the soap's recent history.

By Ian YoungsArts & entertainment reporter The ITV show has been praised for the sensitive and moving way in which it portrayed the reactions of his friends and family. Seven million people watched the episode. It was written by Jonathan Harvey, who says he felt "a responsibility to try and be as honest as possible". Harvey says the show didn't initially set out to tackle male suicide simply because it's a big issue in society - but explains that the plot was a chance to send a message about seeking help. "It never started out as 'let's do this issue,'" Harvey tells BBC News. "It was organic, about character and things like that. But it did turn into, 'This could be a very important story for us and it could help people and change people's lives.'" Harvey says he was keen to show the full range of realistic reactions to an unexpected death - especially the feeling of disbelief. "The biggest thing I drew on was that my best friend died very suddenly about two or three years ago, of a heart attack," he says. "I know that's not the same as suicide, but I'd been out with him all day the day before, and when my partner got a phone call and told me, I was so incredulous. "So I drew on a lot of what we went through then because I spent a lot of time with his family and everybody's got different reactions - anger, disbelief. "I was really able to draw on all those experiences and put that into the script." 'Being truthful' While dramatic, the episode avoided being sensationalist. Harvey explains that the show's writers are given an outline of each episode by the storyliners - and this one felt different from usual. "Usually as a soap writer your job is to make the preposterous believable - when someone gets knocked on the head and bundled into the boot of a car and tied up for the third week on the trot.... really? Your job is to make the audience believe it. "With this one, what was really nice was I believed every bit of it. So it was just a lovely episode to get because you could just be truthful. Rather than spinning a yarn, or spinning a conceit, there was a responsibility to just try and be as honest as possible." The emotional centrepiece of the episode was a monologue delivered by one of the street's veterans Gail, played by Helen Worth. She reflected on the fact you don't really know what's going on in each other's lives, as footage switched between different characters being told the news. It was originally meant to be a silent sequence. But Harvey says: "It felt like it needed the gravitas of one of our longest-running characters to pass comment on the community that, when the programme started, was close-knit, looked out for each other and knew everybody's business. That's the cliche of what soaps are. "And yet [she was saying], if you did know everybody's business then you would have seen this coming. "It was a weird one to write because I thought, this could be really dreadful and flippant. But fortunately we all pulled it off." You may also be interested in: Suicide prevention charities The Samaritans and Calm were given the script at every draft stage and made recommendations, such as not showing the body of Aidan (played by Shayne Ward) or saying anything about how he took his life. Harvey, an award-winning playwright and one of Coronation Street's longest-serving writers, also penned the episode in March in which David Platt was drugged and raped. Wednesday's instalment saw David's storyline run in parallel to Aidan's, with David going missing before deciding he didn't want to end up like his friend. "I've had lots of people getting in touch," Harvey says. "Like when we did the rape story, people start telling you their stories or their experiences. I've had lots of messages on Facebook from people who have been touched by suicide in some way." Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany, said on Twitter that Gail's speech was "the best bit of @itvcorrie I have ever seen", while Samia Longchambon (Maria) wrote that the episode was "one that will go down in #corrie history". Digital Spy declared the episode "one of the show's biggest-ever triumphs", while the Daily Mirror's TV critic Ian Hyland said it "had the feel of classic Corrie from the 1980s" at times. 'Very real' Speaking on BBC 5 live, comedian and writer Jake Mills, who founded mental health charity Chasing the Stigma, said it was "the opposite of what I would expect from a soap opera". He said: "I thought it was dignified, sensitive, respectful, and I feel like it was actually real. So often we see things dramatised and pulled to the extremes, but with this it was very real." The Samaritans' media advisor Lorna Fraser, who worked with the show, said: "One of the most important things that this storyline covers is the importance of talking if you are struggling to cope - talk to somebody, don't suffer in silence, there's always help out there. "But also this storyline covers very well the importance of talking if there's somebody that you're worried about - if somebody doesn't really seem themselves, talk to them about it. Ask them if they're OK." If you want to talk to someone, you can phone The Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org. Calm can be contacted on 0800 58 58 58 (17:00-midnight). Details of other organisations that can help are on the BBC Action Line website. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

कोरोनेशन स्ट्रीट का बुधवार का एक घंटे तक चलने वाला एपिसोड, जिसमें वेदरफील्ड के निवासियों के सदमे और दुख को दर्शाया गया है जब उन्हें एडन कॉनर की आत्महत्या के बारे में पता चला, साबुन के हाल के इतिहास में सबसे शक्तिशाली में से एक के रूप में जाना जाएगा।


Nintendo's mascot: from Donkey Kong to Super Mario lovers

Summary: Mario isn't your typical type of hero. He clearly doesn't pump iron, he wears overalls rather than a tight-fitting body suit, and is still rocking a 1980s-style thick moustache.

By Helen SoteriouTechnology reporter But the little Italian plumber from Brooklyn is set to be the highlight of his Japanese parent's press conference at the world's biggest video games trade show this week. Nintendo is expected to announce a new Super Mario game for its upcoming Wii U console, as well as provide more details about at least two titles featuring the character for its 3DS handheld games machine. The revelations at the E3 event in Los Angeles will mark the latest evolution of the company's 31-year-old mascot. Mario originally started life as Jumpman, a carpenter with a blue shirt and red overalls whose girlfriend was kidnapped in the game Donkey Kong. He was renamed Mario by his creator Shigeru Miyamoto ahead of the sequel Donkey Kong Jr's launch in the US - a rare instance in which he portrayed the villain. Legend has it he was named after Mario Segale, landlord of a US warehouse rented by the firm. Mario art He has since appeared in more than 200 games, including educational titles, sports simulations and, most famously, in a series of side-scrolling platformers alongside his brother Luigi. But Mario's influence extends far beyond his video game cartridges, making him an unlikely cultural icon. Tim Augst, a 24-year-old living in Melbourne, set up a website in 2006 to document all things Mario. Mario Mayhem currently receives about 100,000 unique visits a month, with a cross-section of individuals contacting him to pay homage. "I get a lot of younger kids sending in their Mario drawings and other kinds of art, and then I get the older kids, and even 30-year-old adults, sending in everything from videos to pictures of their tattoos," Mr Augst says. "There are probably a few more guys contacting me than girls, but not by much." Name change The Australian curator and his visitors aren't the only ones with a Mario obsession. Some take it to a deeper level. '"Except for cartoons, Mario was my only escape from the problems at home," Mario Brotha, a New York-based contemporary artist, tells the BBC. Mr Brotha says changing his name to echo Nintendo's protagonist has helped attract attention, giving him a competitive advantage when it comes to winning commissions for magazine fashion shoots and advertising campaigns. "I remember racing home from school everyday just to be Mario for a couple hours. Mario Bros was my first experience with the digital-electronic world. So I chose Mario Brotha as a name to represent how far technology has come in the last 20 years." The character also proved influential to one of the men behind another hit video game series. "Mario is a great character," says Peter Vesterbacka, the chief marketing officer - or "mighty eagle" - at Angry Birds' developer Rovio. "But it's not just about him - it's the whole world that Nintendo has built, with the other great characters and the stories told through its games. "Like Angry Birds, it's a game that both kids and parents can enjoy, and a great example of how games can connect generations." Block buster Mario's original design was the result of technological limitations. He was given a big nose and moustache because early video games' graphics were limited to blocky pixels. He has a hat as Mr Miyamoto was not a fan of drawing hair, and the colours red and blue were selected to help him stand out from the background. Since then, little details have been added, such as buttons and the logo on his cap. "As far as things go, there isn't a lot of depth to him," says Professor Jose Zagal, a game designer and academic at DePaul University, Chicago. "He's defined by a few traits and characteristics: Italian-American, a bit tubby, sports a moustache, and is cheerful and brave. That's about it really." Despite his appearance it would be foolish to underestimate Mario's power, says Ed Barton, director of digital media at Strategy Analytics. "He is the most iconic video games character - Super Mario is to games what Mickey Mouse is to cartoons," he says. "Nintendo has been very careful with the intellectual property he represents, keeping the quality of his games not just high but industry-defining. "Super Mario games are a benchmark for all platforming games." So how much is the little guy worth? "A quick back of the envelope calculation comes to around 250 million unit sales, which even with a conservative average sales price comes out at around $10bn (£6.5bn) in new games sales," says Mr Barton. "Obviously the series has generated more through second-hand games sales and licensing." Smartphone boycott Mario shouldn't need to worry that he will ever have to go back to unblocking drains. But there are some clouds over his future. Nintendo posted a net loss of 43.2bn yen ($553m, £360m) over its last financial year, and some question the firm's refusal to release Mario games on iPhones and Android handsets. "Smartphones are already the biggest device category, but gaming will be on all connected screens," says Mr Vesterbacka. Prof Zagal suggests the character's fate may depend on the success of Nintendo's hardware. "While Nintendo's 3DS sales have picked up, it got off to a rocky start and the upcoming Wii U console seems to have created more confusion than excitement," he says. "On the other hand, Nintendo's Wii was met with great derision when it first launched but ended up soundly trouncing everyone else in terms of sales numbers." But one thing the experts and fans are resolute about is that Mario should keep at his most lucrative activity. "Princess saving is what he seems to do most often and most successfully," states Prof Zagal. But Mr Augst says he wishes he could ask his hero one question: "Is Princess Peach really worth it?"

मारियो आपके विशिष्ट प्रकार का नायक नहीं है। वह स्पष्ट रूप से लोहे को पंप नहीं करता है, वह एक तंग-फिटिंग बॉडी सूट के बजाय चौग़ा पहनता है, और अभी भी 1980 के दशक की शैली की मोटी मूंछें हिला रहा है।


A890 Lochcarron to Kyle road remains closed by rockfall

Summary: A road in the Highlands is likely to remain shut until the weekend following a landslide almost a week ago, according to police.

More than 100 tonnes of rock came down on a section of the A890 Lochcarron to Kyle road on Thursday 22 December. Contractors were asked to help council staff to manage the removal of other rock loosened in the slide. Northern Constabulary said the section of road was expected to stay shut until at least Friday.

पुलिस के अनुसार, लगभग एक सप्ताह पहले भूस्खलन के बाद हाइलैंड्स में एक सड़क सप्ताहांत तक बंद रहने की संभावना है।


Coronavirus: Teen charged over 'Covid spit' at police officer

Summary: A teenager has been charged with assault after allegedly spitting at a police officer and claiming to have Covid-19.

Sonny Manville is accused of assaulting two officers while being questioned in Bull Lane in Newington, Kent, at about 11:15 BST on 4 May. It is alleged he kicked out at one officer and spat at another. The 19-year-old, of Top Dartford Road, Swanley, is due to appear at Medway Magistrates Court on 26 June.

एक किशोर पर कथित रूप से एक पुलिस अधिकारी पर थूकने और कोविड-19 होने का दावा करने के बाद हमला करने का आरोप लगाया गया है।


Man arrested over Eastbourne 'ammonia' attack after car crash

Summary: A man has been arrested after a corrosive liquid thought to be ammonia was thrown at two men after a crash.

The liquid was thrown in the faces of the men who had gone to help the driver of a car that crashed in St Anne's Road in Eastbourne at 08:50 BST on Saturday. The two members of the public suffered minor injuries, police said. A man was arrested on suspicion of throwing a corrosive fluid with intent to burn, maim or disfigure and failing to stop after a road accident.

दुर्घटना के बाद दो लोगों पर अमोनिया माना जाने वाला एक संक्षारक तरल फेंके जाने के बाद एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Plymouth dockyard workers agree Babcock Marine pay deal

Summary: Workers from three of Devonport Dockyard's four unions have agreed to accept a pay deal from the owner, defence company Babcock Marine.

The firm is offering two one-off payments to staff - £1,000 this year and £900 next year - in an attempt to mitigate a two-year pay freeze. GMB, Unite and UCATT voted to accept the payments. The Prospect union's result is not yet known. The GMB said 67% of workers agreed with the payments. Babcock Marine employs about 4,000 people at Devonport, in Plymouth. Stuart Fegan, GMB Organiser, said: "We are pleased that the members have considered and accepted the pay offer. "The team believe that it is the best deal to be had by negotiation." Prospect is expected to release its results later.

डेवोनपोर्ट डॉकयार्ड के चार संघों में से तीन के श्रमिकों ने मालिक, रक्षा कंपनी बैबकॉक मरीन से वेतन सौदा स्वीकार करने पर सहमति व्यक्त की है।


Market Harborough pub fire caused by electrical fault

Summary: A fire that caused a pub roof to collapse was started by an electrical fault, a fire service has said.

About 30 firefighters worked through the night after the blaze broke out at The Roebuck on Rockingham Road, Market Harborough, at 22:49 BST on Friday. Customers and staff got out of the building safely. Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service investigators concluded the fire was "accidental and was caused by an electrical fault". Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service

अग्निशमन सेवा ने कहा है कि बिजली की खराबी के कारण पब की छत में आग लग गई थी।


India extends ban on Tamil rebels

Summary: The Indian government has announced that it's extending its ban on the Tamil Tiger rebels of Sri Lanka for a further two years.

A statement by the Home ministry said the group was an unlawful association. India first outlawed the Tamil Tigers in 1992 following the assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which was blamed on the rebels. Some pro-Tamil rebel organisations in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu have been campaigning against the ban. The extension of the ban has come at a time when fighting between the Sri Lankan security forces and the Tamil rebels has intensified in recent months.

भारत सरकार ने घोषणा की है कि वह श्रीलंका के तमिल टाइगर विद्रोहियों पर अपने प्रतिबंध को और दो साल के लिए बढ़ा रही है।


Violence as troops deploy in Ethiopia's Somali region

Summary: Violence has broken out in an eastern city in Ethiopia after federal troops took over key positions including the local parliament.

Soldiers were deployed in Jigjiga, the capital of the Somali region, after an apparent rift between local authorities and the national government. Protesters set fire to a church and looted shops and targeted non-Somalis. The government recently accused regional officials of carrying out human rights abuses. There has also been disagreement over the distribution of the region's oil wealth. According to Reuters, soldiers arrived in the city on Friday night, where they fought regional paramilitary forces. These forces have been partly responsible for ethnic violence with the neighbouring Oromia region, which has claimed hundreds of lives.

संघीय सैनिकों द्वारा स्थानीय संसद सहित प्रमुख पदों पर कब्जा करने के बाद इथियोपिया के एक पूर्वी शहर में हिंसा भड़क गई है।


Rare Botticelli drawing to be sold

Summary: A rare Botticelli drawing is to be sold at a London auction in July - the first such drawing by the artist to be sold for a century.

Study for a Seated St Joseph is believed to be the only drawing which can be clearly linked with one of Botticelli's painted compositions. It is also thought to be the only drawing by the artist, created in the 1480s, in private hands. It is estimated to fetch up to £1.5m at the Sotheby's auction on 9 July. Aside from an album of illustrations for Dante's Divine Comedy, there are only 12 surviving drawings by Botticelli - all but Study for a Seated St Joseph are in museums. The artwork comes from the collection of philanthropist Barbara Piasecka Johnson, the wife of the late John Seward Johnson - the co-founder of the Johnson and Johnson medical and pharmaceutical firm.

जुलाई में लंदन की नीलामी में एक दुर्लभ बोटिसेली ड्राइंग बेची जानी है-कलाकार द्वारा एक सदी में बेची जाने वाली पहली ऐसी ड्राइंग।


Paloma Faith leads IOW fest additions

Summary: Paloma Faith leads a handful of new names announced for next year's Isle Of Wight Festival.

Doves, The Saturdays and Daisy Dares You will also join headliners Jay-Z and The Strokes at the event held at Seaclose Park, Newport between 11-13 June 2010. As previously announced Pink and Orbital will also play at the weekender, now in its ninth year after returning in 2002. Tickets for the festival are now on sale.

पालोमा फेथ अगले साल के आइल ऑफ वाइट महोत्सव के लिए घोषित किए गए मुट्ठी भर नए नामों का नेतृत्व करता है।