Analysis: An inquiry doomed to fail?

Summary: Who would be the chair of a formal inquiry? The catastrophic double-failed launch of the historical abuse inquiry raises serious questions for the Home Secretary over how she and her officials have managed this process to date - but it also demonstrates how difficult it can be to find someone capable of doing one of the toughest jobs in public life.

Dominic CascianiHome affairs correspondent@BBCDomCon Twitter Right from the get-go, an inquiry chair is under massive scrutiny. They would be naive in the extreme not to realise that they run the risk of being accused of failing to get to the bottom of things or, worse, penning an official whitewash. And that's why Fiona Woolf has quit: She realised that without the confidence of victims and survivors of abuse, the inquiry she had hoped to lead would not command the support of the very people she wanted to help. There are a number of key criteria for selecting an inquiry chair. They need some serious intellectual and analytical skills because they may have to wade through thousands of pieces of evidence and hundreds of statements from witnesses. While they must have the practical and intellectual abilities to manage a vast amount of information, they must also have tact, sensitivity and the ability to demonstrate absolute independence from those they are investigating. And that's why, generally speaking, the most thorough inquiries around the world tend to be led by judges. But the reality is that it is very difficult to find enough judges to do this work because, quite simply, there is not a ready supply of them sitting around doing nothing, waiting for the next inquiry to come along. At present, there are four inquiries in the UK which are headed by serving or retired judges. Their colleagues are tied up doing what they are normally paid to do: sitting in court, administering justice. That immediately narrows the pool of available talent - and, time and again, officials charged with launching inquiries can face a struggle to find the right person with the right skills who is willing to dedicate months - if not years - to a single task. Lord Justice Leveson spent two years on the inquiry into press ethics, despite having an enormously important day job as a top judge. And if you think that's bad, don't forget the Bloody Sunday inquiry: 12 years and £200m. Fiona Woolf's position as the second chair of the historical abuse inquiry was compromised on two grounds. Firstly, survivors and groups representing them said that while she may have had a lawyer's analytical brain, she had no expertise in the field of investigating abuse. Secondly, she struggled to shake off the perception, that she was too much part of the establishment that the inquiry may need ultimately to probe. Her personal association with the former home secretary Lord Brittan was fatal - a man whom survivors want to question over how he handled allegations of abuse while in office in the 1980s. Campaigners argue that all of the problems that have beset the historical abuse inquiry could have been avoided if they had been part of the process from day one. They point to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse which has organised itself completely differently. In that case, there was a public consultation of abuse survivors long before terms of reference and panel members were announced. Campaigners in the UK want a British public inquiry to be organised in a similar way, with respect, redress and a transparent search for the truth at its core. Australian inquiry's terms of reference And this is where their most important complaint comes into the mix. Alison Miller, solicitor for many survivors of abuse, says that there is so much at stake in this inquiry that it must be backed up by full legal powers under the Inquiries Act 2005. "The unanimous view from the representatives of all the groups is that there needs to be a statutory inquiry with full compulsory powers to seize documents and compel witnesses to give evidence," she says. "If the inquiry was not headed by a high court judge then it would not be practically possible to take criminal proceedings for contempt if truthful evidence was withheld." So who replaces Fiona Woolf? That's ultimately a question for Home Secretary Theresa May - and the BBC has learned that she has had talks with the Lord Chief Justice's office. In her statement accepting Mrs Woolf's resignation, Mrs May said she will be meeting survivors' groups and will also consult "relevant parliamentarians". Any nomination will go before a Parliamentary Home Affairs Committee confirmation hearing. Who does the outgoing chair think should get the job? "I think the media has picked up how hard it is to find someone with no connections," she says in her resignation interview. "A hermit? It needs leadership - inclusive leadership - which I can't command. The victims don't have confidence in me. You need someone with confidence from everyone."

औपचारिक जाँच की अध्यक्षता कौन करेगा? ऐतिहासिक दुर्व्यवहार जाँच की विनाशकारी दोहरी विफलता गृह सचिव के लिए गंभीर सवाल उठाती है कि उन्होंने और उनके अधिकारियों ने आज तक इस प्रक्रिया को कैसे प्रबंधित किया है-लेकिन यह यह भी दर्शाता है कि सार्वजनिक जीवन में सबसे कठिन कार्यों में से एक को करने में सक्षम किसी व्यक्ति को ढूंढना कितना मुश्किल हो सकता है।


Brexit: BBC correspondents on the draft deal

Summary: The UK government has published its long-awaited withdrawal agreement and supporting papers for leaving the EU.

The draft Brexit Withdrawal Agreement agreed by the Cabinet sets out the terms of the UK's "divorce" from the EU, over 585 pages. In addition, the EU and the UK published a joint political declaration on their future relationship, which sets out broad areas of future co-operation. BBC editors and correspondents unpick the detail in the newly-published documents, and the reaction to it. If you cannot view this article in full, click to launch the interactive content.

ब्रिटेन सरकार ने यूरोपीय संघ छोड़ने के लिए अपने लंबे समय से प्रतीक्षित वापसी समझौते और समर्थन कागजात प्रकाशित किए हैं।


Warning as 70mph gusts forecast for parts of Wales

Summary: Strong winds of up to 70mph have been forecast across parts of Wales with a warning issued about possible disruption.

The Met Office said coastal areas would be affected by the gusty weather from Wednesday evening. While winds may temporarily ease on Thursday morning, a band of heavy rain could move in later bringing with it some "locally squally winds". A warning is in place from 20:00 BST on Wednesday until 23:59 on Thursday.

वेल्स के कुछ हिस्सों में 70 मील प्रति घंटे की रफ्तार से तेज हवाओं का पूर्वानुमान लगाया गया है और संभावित व्यवधान के बारे में चेतावनी जारी की गई है।


Missing Bogdan Nawrocki: Man, 28, bailed by police

Summary: A 28-year-old man arrested in connection with the murder of a missing Nottingham man has been bailed.

Polish-born Bogdan Nawrocki, 22, has been missing since 5 January. He was last seen in Radford in Nottingham. Searches have taken place in the Nottingham area over the past few months to find his body, including a search of a factory in Radford. Robert Marcinkiewicz-Szukowski, 27, of Sneinton, was charged with Mr Nawrocki's murder in April. Three men remain on bail pending further enquiries.

नॉटिंघम के एक लापता व्यक्ति की हत्या के मामले में गिरफ्तार एक 28 वर्षीय व्यक्ति को जमानत मिल गई है।


Boat set to survey Aberdeen's Rubislaw Quarry

Summary: A boat is to be lowered into one of Europe's largest man-made holes - Aberdeen's Rubislaw Quarry - to carry out survey work later this month.

The quarry closed in 1971 and now needs work to lower water levels. The quarry - credited with giving Aberdeen its Granite City name - was sold to Sandy Whyte and Hugh Black in 2010. They are still deciding what to do with it but know they need to tackle the water levels. The 10-tonne, 30ft boat will need two or three days in the quarry, but once the findings are analysed it is thought pumping could begin early next month.

इस महीने के अंत में सर्वेक्षण कार्य करने के लिए यूरोप के सबसे बड़े मानव निर्मित गड्ढों में से एक-एबरडीन के रुबिस्लॉ क्वारी में एक नाव को उतारा जाना है।


Memorial for oil industry-related Shetland air deaths

Summary: Work on a memorial dedicated to 79 people who lost their lives in four oil industry-related air accidents around Shetland has started at Sumburgh Airport.

The worst loss of life was the 45 killed in the 1986 Chinook crash. Seventeen lost their lives in a failed Dan Air take-off in 1979, and two helicopter crashes in 1990 and 1992 claimed six and 11 lives respectively. The memorial will consist of a stone horseshoe-shaped structure. It will have two teak benches and the names of all those who were killed will be listed. Dave Elllis, search and rescue helicopter chief crewman at Sumburgh, who was involved in two of the incidents, said: "I think it's very important, especially for the relatives." Thousands of pounds has been raised to allow the memorial, which is due to be unveiled in May.

शेटलैंड के आसपास तेल उद्योग से संबंधित चार हवाई दुर्घटनाओं में जान गंवाने वाले 79 लोगों को समर्पित एक स्मारक पर काम सुंबर्ग हवाई अड्डे पर शुरू हो गया है।


Coronavirus: Credit where it’s due

Summary: It has fared relatively well, but the banking and business services sector is still showing worrying signs of stress. Investment and employment have all turned negative, and although some are thriving, in general, business confidence is poor. Offices have been emptied, and an entire industry is now home-based. What will have changed when it returns to the morning commute into city centres - if it returns?

Douglas FraserBusiness/economy editor, Scotland Compared with those who face financial and employment catastrophe as a result of Covid-19 - tourism, hospitality, aviation - the finance and business services sector has been quietly taking care of business and without much fuss. Across the UK, it has shifted hundreds of thousands of people from offices to home working. While others are allowed to return to factories and construction sites, it could be a long time until non-essential offices reopen. True, customers may take longer to have their calls answered. Many staff were shifted onto handling applications for the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. It has proved to involve a slow process of judging creditworthiness of bank customers for the 20% of loans not covered by the government. Of 104,000 applications, only half had been approved by the end of June. Along came the Bounce Back Loan, 100% guaranteed by the Treasury, and the banks have seen them flying… if not out the door, then down the fibre-optic cable. Nearly £30bn has been loaned to 967,000 firms. To achieve that shift of location and business focus, finance industry insiders suggest that it adapted to about five years' worth of change within a few weeks. Contrast that with the last recession, when the finance sector was the problem: if there's one aspect of this downturn that's turned out ok, so far, it's in the availability of credit and the functioning of the financial system. Investment down This week, though, we got some deeper insight into what's been going on. The Scottish Chambers of Commerce quarterly survey of members showed how badly things have looked for tourism and retail. Of the sectors it covers, finance and business services fared least badly. But by the standards of any other time, it looks worrying. This is a very large sector when you put finance beside business services, such as accountancy and office supply. In a total sample size of 500 companies across Scotland, this part of it is meant to be representative, as identified by the Fraser of Allander Institute, but there is a margin for error. That said, asked about business optimism, 18% were upbeat, 63% were not. With a net balance between these two figures of -45%, that's a long way from the +28% this time last year. It's generally positive in its outlook. Sales revenue was down for 70% of the firms responding. Sales to Scottish customers were down by the same amount, 50% of firms said UK sales were down, and 34% said that of exports. That should not be a surprise. The companies to which they sell their services are in parts of the economy that stopped, or slowed considerably. You might hope, however, that this sector might keep investing through the downturn, to build for the upturn, and particularly when credit is so cheap. Not so. Half of firms said total investment was down, and nearly a third said it stayed the same: 48% said capital investment was down and 44% said that of training. Demand for credit While other sectors are shedding staff by the thousands, the employment trends over the past quarter for finance and business services have also, on balance, been negative. Some 7% were boosting recruitment, and 23% lowering it. For the third quarter - July to September - there are less negative prospects. On balance, more companies expect to grow investment than expect to see it fall. On sales revenue, 21% expect to see a rise, and 26% expect it to fall. On employment, it's a more negative outlook still: 10% of firms say it'll be up, but 22% say it will fall. None of these figures tell you by how much figures may shift up or down. They are a rawer, binary barometer of change - up or down. But even for finance and business services, the indications are for a stormy time ahead. There is still a strong demand for what the finance sector has to offer. The broader Chamber of Commerce survey, after 30 years of collecting data, found that credit has never been so much in demand, even though confidence has never been lower. If you're in the insolvency end of accountancy, it's getting hectic. One marketing firm boss told me this week that he's never been busier, as locked-down firms turn to him for help on re-engaging with customers. Cashless Coming out the other side, one question for all such firms is how much they need to adapt to a permanent shift in home-working, which knocks on to the office rental market. Yet the feedback I'm hearing is that while staff want the flexibility to work at home, they look forward to an end to it as a requirement. When investment picks up, the recovery will also coincide with some big shifts to automation in back office roles. With that in sight, job losses in HSBC, for instance, are eye-watering. The other battle, to be rejoined, is over branch closures. The decline of conventional retail is being accelerated, and the hospitality industry was forced to stop. So banks will want to adapt further to the continued decline in footfall. And they are already bracing for the inevitable row about the falling number of cash machines. The use of them has plummeted. Card payments have picked up, and are increasingly required in shops. A trial is being run across several towns where the decline of a bank presence has become a problem - in Scotland, that includes Cambuslang and Denny, trying to innovate with ways to handle the shift to an all-but-cashless economy.

इसने अपेक्षाकृत अच्छा प्रदर्शन किया है, लेकिन बैंकिंग और व्यावसायिक सेवा क्षेत्र अभी भी तनाव के चिंताजनक संकेत दिखा रहा है। निवेश और रोजगार सभी नकारात्मक हो गए हैं, और हालांकि कुछ फल-फूल रहे हैं, सामान्य रूप से, व्यावसायिक विश्वास खराब है। कार्यालय खाली हो गए हैं, और एक पूरा उद्योग अब घर-आधारित है। क्या बदल गया होगा जब यह सुबह शहर के केंद्रों में आने-जाने के लिए लौटता है-अगर यह वापस आता है?


Christmas shopping: Why bots will beat you to in-demand gifts

Summary: Black Friday is over, and the Christmas shopping rush is here. But any great deals on a new games console or hot-ticket piece of electronics will probably be snapped up by an army of bots working for those looking to make a profit.

By David MolloyTechnology reporter Bots are constantly-running software programs that have hit online retail for years. But the pandemic means higher demand for lots of items, and many more people shopping online. What's the bot problem? Retail bots scan the pages of websites around the world for the exact second an item goes on sale - and alert their owners so they can beat the crowd. Some automatically buy it, faster than any human can. That's how the out-of-stock PlayStation 5 is available on eBay for hundreds of pounds more than its asking price, and why the Xbox Series X cropped up online for £5,000. And that's just "the tip of the iceberg", says Thomas Platt, from the bot management firm Netacea. Everything from cuddly toys to film collectibles are seeing bots snap up the stock, he reports. If there's a "niche audience" or high-profile launch, "those industries are being targeted", he adds. How bad is it? The pandemic caused supply chain issues earlier this year, physical stores are shut, everything is online - it's a "melting pot of factors", Mr Platt says. "On top of that... the bots are really becoming readily available, easy to use." The launch of Nvidia's PC gaming graphics card, the 3080, was "probably the most extreme case of what bots can do", says one of the moderators from r/BuildaPCSalesUK - a group of bargain hunters who help each other find PC parts. "Less than a second after launch, all stock sold out," they explain. "Users on retail websites didn't see a 'buy now' button, but rather a 'sold out' button, as all the stock had immediately been sniped by bots, with a sprinkling of the odd lucky person in there." Rob Burke, former director of international e-commerce for major international retailer GameStop, says bots have always been a problem. "At times, more than 60% of our traffic - across hundreds of millions of visitors a day - was bots or scrapers. Especially in the run-up to big launches." And that creates a bit of an ethical dilemma for the shops. "On the one hand, you just want to shift the product so who cares if it's a bot or a 'real' customer?" he says. "On the flip side, if none - or very few - of your real customers can get the product with you, they will naturally go elsewhere." How do they work? So-called "sniping" bots issue alerts to users when an item comes back in stock - letting its owner buy it before anyone else. But the most advanced bots are all-in-one solutions that spot the deal and automatically check-out. They often come from an unusual place: the limited-edition training shoes market. Trainers (or sneakers) have been a hotbed for limited, high-demand releases for years, with people queuing outside shops to buy them - or trying to nab them online. That has led to the development of advanced bots - ones that are now being turned to other purposes. So-called "cook groups" live in private chat channels on apps such as Discord, swapping tips on who will be stocking what, rumoured release times, and trying to find the store pages before they're officially on sale. Bot owners use this info to tune their attacks. Mr Platt says he knows of one extreme example where a group rented a server located physically closer to the target website's server - giving them a split-second advantage on the time it takes for web traffic to flow. Why? Because the scalpers are in competition with each other as much as regular buyers. Membership of those elite groups can cost from tens to hundreds of dollars. "There's definitely an element of exclusivity at the more sophisticated end of the market," Mr Platt says. "There are bots on sale that can cost thousands... some of the bots have become so expensive, and so limited, that you rent them now." That means that some people who are genuinely after an item are renting a bot to make sure they get it, or just "employing" a botter to buy it for them. It's becoming big business. The trainers resale market alone is valued at about $2bn and growing by 20% a year, according to US consultancy Cowen. What does it mean for Christmas shopping? All of this means that in-demand items are harder than ever to source - especially if there's a good deal. And then there's arbitrage: buying items low and selling high, exploiting the price difference between markets. Bots help that happen on an automated, commercial scale. "You can take all those items, if you know in two weeks' time [when] the sales are gone you can sell them at double the price," Mr Platt explains. There is a silver lining to the proliferation of bots around major sales days such as Black Friday: they can lead to lower prices in some cases. That's because scraper bots - the type that check prices but don't buy anything - are actually used by the retailers themselves. Many of the biggest retailers scan each others' websites, making sure they're not beaten on the best deal in the sales. What can be done about it? Many retailers declined to discuss their defences, while bot-sellers ignored requests for interviews. Technically, there's nothing illegal about the practice. The UK banned the use of such bots for ticket sales, but in other retail sectors it's not explicitly against the law. However, retailers are coming up with smart workarounds. Currys PC World confused many of its customers when the PS5 and Xbox Series X went on sale - they listed it at £2,000 more than they should have been. Real customers with pre-orders were sent a discount code for £2005, which had to be manually entered, bringing it back down to real levels (minus the £5 pre-order deposit). Some retailers are charging people's bank cards the full price of the item for a place in the queue. Others are combing through order lists and cancelling suspicious ones - for example, if one address is getting a dozen of the same item.

ब्लैक फ्राइडे खत्म हो गया है, और क्रिसमस की खरीदारी की भीड़ यहाँ है। लेकिन एक नए गेम कंसोल या इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स के हॉट-टिकट टुकड़े पर कोई भी अच्छा सौदा शायद उन लोगों के लिए काम करने वाले बॉट की सेना द्वारा खरीदा जाएगा जो लाभ कमाना चाहते हैं।


Electric cars are coming: but where will you recharge?

Summary: They've got the only electric car in the village. Tiffany Snowden and her husband bought their second-hand Nissan Leaf a few weeks ago and love it. It's smooth to drive and, she says, "It's got quite a lot of power to it". But there's a problem. It's a pain to charge up.

By Chris BaraniukTechnology of Business reporter That's because, in the North Yorkshire hamlet where they live, it's a race home every night to get a parking space outside their house. If they succeed, they can plug the car in to mains electricity overnight. If they fail, the options are limited. "The closest charging point to us is about 10 miles away," says Mrs Snowden. This is a dilemma that could face an increasing number of drivers. The government says that in just 15 years the only new cars on the market will be fully electric vehicles (EVs) or hydrogen-powered alternatives. While the number of charging points around the UK has increased by about 50% in the last 12 months, according to statistics from EV charging site Zap-Map.com, there are noticeable gaps in provision around the country. A recent report from Capital Economics suggested that fleshing out the UK's charging network will cost £45.9bn between now and 2050. There are even fears that the electricity grid won't be able to cope as thousands more EVs get plugged in by their new owners. Is the UK ready for the electric vehicle revolution, then, or is the whole movement doomed to stall? The Snowdens are hoping that their local charging problem will have a local solution. The government has allocated £5 million in funding for councils to spend on residential charging points. However, when Mrs Snowden asked her council about this, a representative told her there was little space in the village for charging bays. Plus, they added that the expense of upgrading infrastructure for such facilities was significant. Improving cabling and substations alone could cost "upwards of £75,000", they said. The representative advised Mrs Snowden to ask whether the local pub could install a charging point instead - because it has parking space available and, potentially, spare electricity. In the meantime, the Snowdens intend to upgrade their home charging point and will have to carefully plan where they charge up and how they use the roughly 80 miles of range they get with their 2014 Nissan Leaf. "I think we've kind of gone about it perhaps a bit backwards in getting the car first," she jokes. "We kind of jumped a bit into it but I think we just have to face it now, really." More Technology of Business For anyone else wondering where they might charge up a new EV, there are an increasing options, says Ben Lane, co-founder at Zap-Map.com. "At current rates, we're essentially doubling the number of charge points in the UK over a two year period," he says. Around 10,000 individual charging connectors were installed in the last 12 months in the UK. However, Dr Lane adds that there are places where gaps in the network are apparent. "Wales is the country in the United Kingdom that probably needs to do the biggest catch-up," he says. And while England has by far the most chargers, there are places where coverage is "fragmented". Certainly, some EV users have not faced the same challenges as the Snowdens in North Yorkshire. Richard Jackson and his wife bought their first EV, a BMW i3, as an experiment back in 2016. "We ended up using the BMW for everything," he says. "It very quickly became our main family car." Mr Jackson, who used to work in the petrol sector, commutes into London from his home near Hatfield and says that one of his main motivations for buying an electric car was to play a part in reducing ambient pollution in the capital. "I really could tell, 'Wow, the air is not as good as it is out in the sticks'. I wanted to see… could I make a difference?" he explains. He's since bought a second electric car, an MG ZS EV, and hasn't looked back. Planning when and where to charge on journeys is important, Mr Jackson says, but he's taken his car to France on family holidays without problems. Since he began driving an electric vehicle, he has come close to running out of electricity on only one occasion, he says. However, he does add that while he saves money on petrol, charging the car when out and about does incur other costs: "My goodness me, you buy a lot of coffees when you go into charge points." Most of the charging bays being installed at the moment are being paid for by private businesses - including electricity companies, car makers and firms, like BP for instance, that also run petrol stations. Chargers might be located at service stations or hotels, leisure centres and shopping complexes, for example. In some cases, these facilities are free to use but most charge a fee or a monthly subscription. There are also important differences to watch out for - charging times will vary widely depending on whether you plug in to a slow, fast or rapid charger. More than £1.5bn will need to be spent on public charging infrastructure by 2030, according to accountancy firm Deloitte. There are huge costs in terms of supplying cabling and substations as well as the charging points themselves, say Deloitte's Jamie Hamilton and Michael Woodward. Dr Lane at Zap-Map.com estimates that the UK's chargers will need to be used on average around five times as often as they are today before the system is financially sustainable. Investing in the network now, though, is essential. As Mr Hamilton says, "Lack of charging infrastructure is the number one barrier to people in terms of buying EVs at the moment." That's become the top concern, having overtaken price and range, according to Deloitte's market research. Some new cars on sale today, including the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Audi e-tron, have more than 200 miles in range. Even if the number of charging points around the UK does boom, some question whether the electricity grid will be able to cope with thousands of new vehicles thirsty for power. A National Grid spokeswoman told the BBC that the anticipated increase of in electricity demand of 10% that is expected from EVs is "entirely manageable" because peak demand has fallen by 16% in the UK since 2002, due to efficiency gains. However, she adds that the system will still need to ensure everyone isn't plugging in their electric car at once. This means connecting up charging points to a computer system that determines when they can be used. Currently, private individuals' car-charging habits are difficult to monitor and control. The government has plans to bring in a new law that would ensure every new home built in the UK has an EV charging point. Some housing developments are already ploughing ahead with this idea. Pedro Pacheco at market analysts Gartner praises this approach and says that, ultimately, drivers will have to be able to easily charge their cars at home or at work - with minimal change to their daily routines. "In the end, this is absolutely essential for the acceptance of EVs," he says.

गाँव में उनके पास एकमात्र इलेक्ट्रिक कार है। टिफ़नी स्नोडेन और उनके पति ने कुछ हफ्ते पहले अपनी पुरानी निसान लीफ़ खरीदी थी और उन्हें यह पसंद है। इसे चलाना आसान है और, वह कहती है, "इसमें काफी शक्ति है।" लेकिन एक समस्या है। इसे चार्ज करने में दर्द होता है।


Trump's America: Are voters impressed?

Summary: Ever since he glided down a golden escalator to announce his candidacy , I've been talking to voters about Donald Trump.

By Rajini VaidyanathanBBC News Around dinner tables in Arkansas and Alabama, at rallies in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and on plane journeys to New Hampshire and Nevada, I've been gauging views in more than 20 states. So how do people rate the Trump presidency so far? We contacted 100 people who had spoken to the BBC during the primaries, campaign and beyond. Our #Trump100 focus group consisted of 50 who had voted for Mr Trump, and 50 who didn't. Judging by the responses, there is still a huge divide in the way Americans view issues like immigration, abortion and the role of government - and those views remain deeply entrenched. The strike on Syria was one of the few areas which didn't elicit a partisan response, with some Trump voters disagreeing with it and some Clinton voters supporting the action. Healthcare and tax reform were two policy areas mentioned the most frequently. Both issues are priorities for President Trump and are among the most challenging in his in-tray. Overall, those who voted for Mr Trump think he's doing a fantastic job. For those who didn't, the needle has barely changed - some even want him impeached. Here is what some of them told us about his first 100 days. Jan Berry, 58, Arkansas When I met Jan Berry at her home in Arkansas back in October, she had nothing good to say about Donald Trump. A lifelong Republican and a committed Christian, she felt her party's nominee was boorish and brash. But despite her reservations, she cast a ballot for Mr Trump. "I did a lot of soul searching, and the thing that helped me make the decision had to do with Hillary Clinton's views on abortion," she says. "I haven't really regretted my vote, even though there are lots of things Mr Trump has done that are ridiculous and embarrassing," she says. His decision to nominate conservative justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court is a reason Berry, along with many other reluctant Trump voters we spoke to, still backs him. Highs: Appointing Gorsuch and picking non-politicians for his cabinet. "At first I wasn't sure about Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, as he was from Exxon, but I've been so impressed with him," she says. Lows: His refusal to shake Angela Merkel's hand in the Oval Office. "I thought that was about the lowest thing he's done, in front of the whole world. It just embarrassed me." What voters told us when we followed up with them in 2017 Voters talk to the BBC: Ally Bross, 18, Florida A first-time voter and student at Florida International University, Ally Bross was one of the youngest supporters of Mr Trump I met, and one of the most emphatic. As a native of Orlando, Ally saw the Pulse nightclub shooting harden her political views. "When Trump said we're going to fix terrorism, we are going to put an end to Isis, I was all for it," she says. But the elation she felt in November evaporated after the president's strike against a Syrian airbase. "I feel like he's putting us in the middle of a war," she says. She is concerned that there will be more action to come against North Korea. Ally broadly supported the travel ban, but is unhappy with the way it was rolled out. As a student at a diverse university, she saw friends struggle to get back into the country with their green cards. "It shouldn't have been so strict. You can't just block everybody out," she says. "I don't want America to become that". Highs: "I love that he helped Flint, Michigan after they had a crisis with their water," she said, referring to a $10m grant for Flint awarded by Trump's Environmental Protection Agency, which had been approved by President Obama. Lows: Aside from the Syria strike, Ally is disappointed that the president failed to repeal and replace Obamacare. "I think the government needs to get their butts out of our health care". Lori Hack, 45, Arizona Lori Hack couldn't bring herself to vote for Donald Trump, even though she is an active member of the Republican party. "My issue back then was that [Trump] had no record to back up what he was saying," she says. Lori initially expressed concerns about the president's lack of experience in governing, but is coming around. "Being a president is different to running a company," she says. "I think he's realised this is not a joke." Lori is also impressed by his "phenomenal" choice of Neil Gorsuch and his unrelenting stance on immigration. "He talked about sending people back across the border if they were here illegally, and he's doing that too". Highs: President Trump's action on immigration. "It's about securing the border," Lori, who supports the border wall, says. "If you want to come in you'll have to go through the front door, the back door needs to be sealed." Lows: "I'm disappointed he's got his daughter and son-in-law in the White House - they're Democrats and their positions are more liberal." More from the BBC: Sean Kehren, 22, Minnesota Sean Kehren's tears for Bernie Sanders during the 2016 Democratic convention made him an instant social media star as the Crying Peter Pan Man. When I met Sean then, he was sad to see Mr Sanders miss out on becoming the Democratic nominee, but ready to shift his support to Hillary Clinton. "I didn't think we had the most charismatic candidate but her policies were things I cared about," he says. Sean accepts that Donald Trump won the electoral college, but wonders whether it was with the help of "outside forces," namely Russia. Sean is now working full time as a political organiser, and has his eyes on the 2018 mid-term elections. "Democrats need to keep up the pressure at town halls and have our voices heard." Highs: Sean struggles to list any accomplishments, but does feel that son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka are "steadier hands" in the White House, even if they lack experience. Lows: Hiring right-wing advisers like Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller and Sebastian Gorka. "They've all studied how, when populations get into a reactionary mood, how you can really change a country." James Montfort III, 60, Virginia I met James while he was volunteering for the Trump campaign in Virginia. Despite pollsters saying otherwise, he never doubted Mr Trump would win. "I have never been so elated in my entire life," he says. "I thank God, the saviour." James, a former banker, is pleased with President Trump's first few months in the White House. He believes his meetings with everyone from the President of China to the Congressional Black Caucus show a willingness to be open and transparent. James is less concerned about how transparent the president's taxes are. "The IRS already scrutinised his tax returns. If there was anything bad in them they would have caught them," he says. Highs: James supports the president's regular trips to Florida. "I think Mar-A-Lago is a beautiful and wonderful place to bring foreign dignitaries." Lows: The roll out of the travel ban - a common complaint from Trump supporters. "It had hiccups," he says. "I blame his advisers." Beth Howard, 54, Iowa Beth Howard lives in rural Iowa, and bakes pies so delicious, she's made them her living. I got to sample her pastry prowess in January 2016, ahead of the Iowa caucus. She hosted a discussion around her kitchen table with both Republicans and Democrats. Beth was a passionate Hillary Clinton supporter, and like many Democrats in our #Trump100 panel, she struggles to find any positives in the Trump presidency. "I'm a lot more pessimistic than I was before." Along with tens of thousands of other women, Beth travelled to Washington DC to take part in the Women's March in January. It was the first time she participated in a political protest. Since the election she has also started baking what she describes as "protest pies" and volunteering with refugee and immigration assistance groups in Iowa, to help those she believes have been adversely affected by the president's policies. Those who support Mr Trump's agenda so far "care more about money than people," she says. Beth was also unhappy that the president has brought his family members to work in the White House, "These people aren't qualified to run our country," she says. Highs: She was unable to think of anything. Lows: She feels Mr Trump has destroyed America's reputation in the world. "It's just this American cowboy mentality and arrogance that upsets me the most." Marco Gutierrez, 43, California As the founder of Latinos for Trump, Marco Gutierrez faced criticism from friends and family, but he remains a firm supporter of Donald Trump. While many #Trump100 voters we've spoken to have concerns about the president's Tweets, Marco believes some of his more controversial online tirades, like unfounded accusations President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower, were borne out of vigilance. "I think he was seeing all these leaks being reported, and wanted to see how far it went," he says. "He was testing the market, like a businessman," Marco supports the president's immigration policies, but believes there is room for improvement when it comes to the way deportations are handled. "You have innocent people who are caught in the crossfire - [Mr Trump] needs to be compassionate because I think eventually some supporters will break." Marco says he will stay loyal to the president, but is concerned by a small hardcore element of the president's supporters he describes as "borderline racist". Highs: "The way they launched the missiles while he was having dinner with the Chinese president, is something I admire a lot," Marco says. "He is showing fortitude." Lows: "I'm not very happy with his son-in-law, I think that there it is not an arms-length relationship, and that could be a conflict of interest." Jim Mather, 57, Alabama Jim Mather is a pastor who works with international students at the University of Southern Alabama. It was around Jim's kitchen table in March 2016 that I discussed immigration policy with Mohammed, a Syrian refugee, and Steve Weller, a Trump supporter. A Republican, Jim felt let down by a party "overtaken by populism and nationalism," and voted instead for independent candidate Evan McMullin. Jim says the president's policies on refugees are "belligerent and backwards". Many foreign students are living in fear, he says, noting that there's been a drop in overseas enrolments to the university. "Mr Trump seems to be making decisions that aren't based on reality. The international population and diversity in our country is a great source of wealth and culture to the United States. Jim supported the air strike against Syria, but remains concerned that without a wider strategy, the action could be seen as a stunt. "It's more of a revelation of the character of Donald Trump," he says. "One week Assad should stay in power, and the next week he bombs him." Highs: The Gorsuch nomination. For many evangelical Christians this was the singular reason they voted for Mr Trump. Lows: Mr Trump's tone and demeanour to the rest of the world: "Here's a man who is 70 years old, tweeting personal vendetta and snide remark ad nauseam. It's less than presidential." I'll be tweeting more observations from our #Trump100 focus group throughout the week. You can follow me - and let me know what you think - at @BBCRajiniv. Additional research and reporting by Katie Shepherd

जब से वह अपनी उम्मीदवारी की घोषणा करने के लिए एक सुनहरे एस्केलेटर से नीचे उतरे हैं, मैं मतदाताओं से डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प के बारे में बात कर रहा हूं।


Southern rail: What's making commuters sick at heart?

Summary: Customers of the UK's biggest rail operator have endured weeks of disruption, with managers blaming high levels of staff sickness. Operators of Southern rail services have now introduced a new timetable, cutting 341 daily journeys. What's going on?

By Justin ParkinsonBBC News It's one of the worst things a commuter can hear as they're about to begin their train journey. An announcement comes over the station loudspeaker that the service has been cancelled because of "unusually high levels of staff sickness" - or words to that effect. Customers, paying several thousand pounds for an annual pass, wait to board the next available train, eventually cramming themselves into carriages in the hope that this one will get to their destination. That scenario has occurred a lot recently on services run by the UK's largest operator - Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which has the franchise for Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern. The level of sickness among Southern's conductors has doubled, according to GTR, which says that it's up 40% among drivers. This comes as conductors on Southern who are in the RMT union hold a series of strikes over planned changes to their working role. Thameslink and Gatwick Express services do not have conductors, but GTR says there's a "knock-on effect" on their trains. Annual season ticket costs to London Victoria from... Hastings - £4,584 Eastbourne - £4,504 Worthing - £4,504 Chichester - £4,450 Brighton - £4,108 Haywards Heath - £3,844 East Croydon - £1,512 Source: National Rail Enquiries Unhappy commuters have already held demonstrations at Brighton station and another demonstration was planned at London's Victoria station for later on Monday. GTR's chief executive Charles Horton has been quoted in the Sunday Times saying the extra sick leave appears to be an "unofficial" addition to the official strike action. He added that this could not be proved, but the evidence looked "pretty compelling". However, the RMT denies this, arguing that the low level of staffing by GTR means there's no slack in the system when there are naturally occurring unusually high levels of staff sickness. In fact, it has alleged that civil servants at the Department for Transport are "authorising train cancellations on GTR". The union says this "confirms suspicions that the chaos on the GTR franchise is being deliberately orchestrated as part of a policy to blame the staff and bulldoze through cuts to jobs and safety". But the department says this is "nonsense". "Due to unjustified industrial action on the network, the operator has to consider timetable changes so as many services as possible can run," a spokesman says. "When this happens, operators are contractually obliged to inform us in advance, but these decisions are taken only when there is no other solution, and this does not amount to the government ordering cancellations." With such contradictory views, commuters are left with a simple question: Who to believe? "The meaning of short spells of sickness absence is very hard to establish because in most organisations they will not require certification," says John Kelly, professor of industrial relations at Birkbeck, University of London. "Statistical peaks might suggest coordination by the union, officially or unofficially, but it is also possible that such sickness patterns could indicate high levels of stress linked to the proposed changes in working patterns and/or linked to the industrial action itself." Staff absences are a delicate subject for legal reasons in England and Wales. If a union was found to have organised unofficial co-ordinated sick leave, this would be illegal. If an individual or group did it, this could result in dismissal. On the opposite side, employers might be open to being sued for libel if they accuse individuals or small groups of doing this but can't prove it. Mr Horton has not named any individuals - and has not even said co-ordinated sick leave is definitely happening. And there has been no public statement by any RMT member. "I'd be fairly certain that if there are abnormal levels of sickness/absence, it would not be co-ordinated by the RMT itself," says Gregor Gall, professor of industrial relations at Bradford University, "for this would constitute unballoted and, thus, unlawful action." The RMT, he adds, "has no history" of such behaviour, saying: "It is far more likely that RMT members are deciding off their own backs to respond to the company's intransigence by taking their own action." This would either be "to put more pressure on the company to settle the dispute" or to show their general annoyance "as a result of the longstanding nature of this dispute". Even before the recent strikes, GTR had problems with crew shortages. During the period from April 2013 to December last year, such absences accounted for 13.59% of its delays and cancellations - the highest rate in Britain. The RMT is in dispute with GTR over the introduction of driver-only operation on Southern trains - meaning guards would no longer open and close doors but would still be on trains. RMT general secretary Mick Cash has accused GTR's management of carrying out a "disgraceful campaign of misinformation", choosing to "declare war on its passengers and staff alike", and "trying to lump the blame" on to staff. "Southern services continue to be affected by train crew availability," says a company spokesman. Sickness and a "reluctance by drivers at some locations to work overtime on top of their standard four-day working week is leaving us with a shortfall of train crew which is seriously compromising our ability to run a robust train service on a day-to-day-basis", it adds. The company and the union held talks earlier this month, but the dispute goes on. "Our services remain available," says a spokeswoman for Acas, the organisation which oversees discussions between opposing sides in industrial disputes. Whoever is responsible for the disruption - the company, the union or both - commuters whose quality of life is being affected simply want one thing - for it all to stop.

ब्रिटेन के सबसे बड़े रेल ऑपरेटर के ग्राहकों ने हफ्तों तक व्यवधान का सामना किया है, प्रबंधकों ने उच्च स्तर के कर्मचारियों की बीमारी को दोषी ठहराया है। दक्षिणी रेल सेवाओं के ऑपरेटरों ने अब 341 दैनिक यात्राओं में कटौती करते हुए एक नई समय सारिणी पेश की है। क्या हो रहा है?


Birmingham van crash: Girl 'seriously' injured

Summary: A 12-year-old girl was seriously injured when she was hit by a van, police say.

The crash took place on Brandwood Park Road in Kings Heath in Birmingham on Saturday, West Midlands Police said. The girl remains in hospital in a "serious but stable condition", the force added. The driver stopped at the scene and is assisting police with enquiries. Officers have asked anyone with information to come forward. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

पुलिस का कहना है कि एक वैन की चपेट में आने से एक 12 वर्षीय लड़की गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गई।


What happens to uncollected ashes?

Summary: With more people being cremated rather than buried after death, ash-scattering ceremonies are gaining in popularity. But what happens when it doesn't go according to plan - or if no-one collects the remains?

By Caleb ParkinProducer, Feed Me To The Wind There is a moment in the film The Big Lebowski where the Dude (Jeff Bridges) and Walter (John Goodman) take their late friend Donny's ashes to a cliff top. Walter insists on saying "a few words", then scatters Donny's mortal remains from a coffee tin. But prevailing winds mean that Donny, instead of ending up in the "Pacific Ocean, which he loved so well", ends up all over the Dude. For a meaningful, solemn occasion to be unexpectedly blown off course is a real and increasing phenomenon. We want to say the right words, in the right place, at the right moment and with all the right people in attendance. But it doesn't always go according to plan. Adam Heath, a funeral director from Sheffield, has noticed a shift in how the bereaved treat ashes during his 30-year career. "It used to be that everyone was scattered at the garden of remembrance [at] the crematorium," he says. Now, as fictional depictions of ash-scattering are more common, they prefer to take the ashes to a location with personal significance for the deceased. "They would like to be able to do their own thing, too." Although some 70% of Britons will be cremated, few specify what they would like done with their remains. Those left behind have to make an educated guess. "One minute he's your dad, then the next you've got this urn - plastic and disappointing," says Sally, of Bristol. "You want to do it poetically, like in the movies, but there's always more of it. And, in the end, you're like 'Oh, just tip him out.'" Kevin Browne, bereavement services manager for Broxtowe Borough Council, says it is part of our national psyche to be surprised by ashes. "We're so British, we don't talk about death, do we? People aren't aware of the options they'll have - they haven't given it any thought at all. "On TV you just see a token gesture [amount] being scattered - a couple of eggcupfuls. The quantity and weight seem to catch people off guard." And that's if the ashes are even collected. Funeral directors up and down the country have a room of unclaimed ashes. These can range from tens to hundreds of ashes, some of which date from the late 19th Century. Uncertainty about what to do with these remains is certainly a factor. Ashes do not belong to anyone, in the same way as a person cannot belong to another under British law. Ashes will be returned to whoever made the funeral arrangements, not necessarily the next of kin. Nor do funeral directors press the issue with the recently bereaved, says Heath. "It's important, to arrange someone's funeral, to get some insight into their psyche, to get what's right for them at the time. But what they want to do with the ashes, collecting them or not, I don't want to take sides or pick a fight." Until recently, there was scant advice for funeral directors on what to do with unclaimed ashes. In December, the National Association of Funeral Directors published guidelines stating that unclaimed ashes must be stored for at least five years, with efforts being made to locate the rightful recipient, before a funeral company could dispose of them. This includes scattering them in a garden of remembrance or at a beauty spot - with the landowner's permission - or interring them. Douglas Davies, of the Centre for Death and Life Studies at Durham University, says even Britons who are not religious want to mark a loved one's passing in a way that reflects that person's values and preferences. "In the Christian idea, people thought you would gain a new identity in heaven. But with a decrease in this idea, this 'looking back' [at a person's past] came on - and there were the cremated remains as a symbol." But death and human remains can have shock value, as the comedian Sacha Baron Cohen showed at last month's Oscars ceremony. Carrying an urn emblazoned with the image of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, he began scattering the ashes on the red carpet, claiming this to be the dying wish of the leader - who, incidentally, had portrayed himself as a film buff. Security did not take kindly to the gesture. But fulfilling one's identity through their ashes is what many hope to do. Famously, journalist Hunter S Thompson's ashes were fired into the sky - as per his wishes - in a giant firework, paid for by his friend Johnny Depp. Others want their ashes turned into vases or records - voice track optional - or perhaps scattered from a specially designed plane. So the choice is yours. Or at least, it should be. BBC Radio 4'sFeed Me To The Windis broadcast on Monday 12 March 2012 at 1100 GMT. Or listen again afterwards onBBC iPlayer.

मौत के बाद दफनाए जाने के बजाय अधिक लोगों का अंतिम संस्कार किए जाने से, राख बिखेरने के समारोह लोकप्रिय हो रहे हैं। लेकिन क्या होता है जब यह योजना के अनुसार नहीं चलता है-या अगर कोई अवशेष एकत्र नहीं करता है?


Gay Ugandans regret fleeing to Kenya

Summary: Hundreds of people in Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community have fled the country to escape homophobia and persecution. But many are now stuck in Kenya where the situation is not much better.

By Emmanuel IgunzaBBC Africa, Nairobi Tyrone, not his real name, has had a tough time since arriving in Kenya in December 2014. Just days after arriving in the country he was beaten up by a mob in the capital, Nairobi. It was Christmas Day. Since then the 19-year-old has been arrested and beaten up by police three times. He told me on one occasion three policemen called him over and asked him why he was "walking like a girl". "When I couldn't answer them, they beat me up and when they saw on one of my documents that I was a Ugandan refugee, they abused me saying I was one of the people Museveni [Uganda's president] had kicked out of the country for being gay." He has moved house several times after being attacked by neighbours. Tyrone is one of more than 500 Ugandans who have escaped to Kenya, to apply for asylum and be resettled abroad on the basis of their sexual orientation. His country made international headlines in recent years when it tried to introduce a tough new anti-homosexuality law, which allowed life imprisonment for "aggravated homosexuality". Although the courts struck it down, the environment has proved too dangerous for a growing number of Ugandans. But in Kenya they face constant attacks, kidnappings, extortion and police harassment. Recently, almost a dozen LGBT people were taken by the United Nation's refugee agency (UNHCR) to a safe house in Nairobi, after they were attacked on a night out. Even that agency - the very group tasked with protected LGBT people - has admitted its own staff are hostile. The deputy head of protection for UNHCR told me that staff have said that as Christians they could not work with, or talk to, a gay man. "It's difficult for people to go beyond all the prejudices they have. And this is what we faced with our own colleagues," Catherine Hamon explained. Some of the Ugandans I spoke to also told me this discrimination from UNHCR staff has led to delays in determining their refugee status, making them live with uncertainty about their future. The situation is no different for those who choose to live in refugee camps. Standing out Kakuma camp in the remote north-west is home to nearly 200,000 people - mainly from conflict-ridden places such as South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and the Great Lakes region. So the Ugandans - whose country is considered peaceful - stand out. They live in three compounds, tucked away in a corner of the camp. One of the group leaders, a tall, deep voiced middle-aged man, says living together offers them protection in numbers. But it has also made them easy targets for other refugees. "In Uganda we were unsafe and here it's the same," said Blessed, not his real name. He was a church pastor in Uganda and fled to Kakuma 18 months ago after his name was published in a local newspaper, which said he was gay. He received death threats and had to leave his family behind. "I don't know if I will ever see them again," he said. "First I have to survive being here and then maybe one day I can entertain that thought." The Ugandans have to sleep in shifts - taking it in turns to guard their compounds at night, after an attempt this year to burn it down. And that is not the only threat they have received. A few weeks back, hate leaflets were circulated around the camp asking people not to mix with the LGBT community there. Despite reporting the incident to the police station - situated about 300m (328 yards) from their compound - we still managed to find one such leaflet stuck to a pole near one of the camps. "It is such incidents that just show we are not wanted here," said Helen, who teaches at one of the dozens of schools in the camp. Like many of the Ugandan refugees in Kakuma, Helen is well educated and had a well-paying job as an events manager in Ugandan. Now she barely gets by. "What kills me most is the uncertainty of this place. "I don't have any hope here - any hope of going back home or seeing my partner, and any hope of getting my refugee status resolved." Waiting game The UNHCR says it faces a backlog of more than 20,000 cases of all refugees in the country, just waiting for their status to be determined. "Back in February, traffickers took advantage of what was happening in Uganda and we started seeing huge numbers of people coming in, claiming to be gay or lesbians," explained Ms Hamon. While they are still offering people from the LGBT community a fast track in registration, she admits it is not as fast as before. The initial group of refugees who came to Kenya from Uganda were resettled abroad within six months - a record time of because of the unique security challenges they faced. The US, Canada, the UK and Scandinavian countries were the most receptive to the Ugandans. Now it will take around two years to go through the whole process, according to Ms Hamon. So people just have to wait. And for people who are still in Uganda, Tyrone has a stark message. "If there is a way they can keep themselves underground there [in Uganda] they can make it because Kenya is a far worse place for gays than Uganda."

युगांडा के समलैंगिक, समलैंगिक, उभयलिंगी और ट्रांसजेंडर (एल. जी. बी. टी.) समुदाय के सैकड़ों लोग होमोफोबिया और उत्पीड़न से बचने के लिए देश छोड़कर भाग गए हैं। लेकिन कई लोग अब केन्या में फंसे हुए हैं जहां स्थिति बहुत बेहतर नहीं है।


Drugs courier Sean McEllin caught in Aberdeen due to police dog Rebus jailed

Summary: A drugs courier caught carrying heroin worth almost £100,000 in Aberdeen thanks to a sniffer dog named after the detective Rebus has been jailed.

Sean McEllin, 38, of Liverpool, was stopped by the handler of Rebus at Aberdeen rail station last September. McEllin had acted suspiciously when he saw the sniffer dog. First offender and father-of-two McEllin admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and was jailed for 40 months at the High Court in Edinburgh. The dog is named after John Rebus, a character created by novelist Ian Rankin.

एबरडीन में जासूस रेबस के नाम पर एक स्निफर कुत्ते की बदौलत लगभग 100,000 पाउंड की हेरोइन ले जाते हुए पकड़े गए एक ड्रग कूरियर को जेल भेज दिया गया है।


Will Cape Town be the first city to run out of water?

Summary: Cape Town, home to Table Mountain, African penguins, sunshine and sea, is a world-renowned tourist destination. But it could also become famous for being the first major city in the world to run out of water.

By Gabriella MulliganTechnology of Business reporter Most recent projections suggest that its water could run out as early as March. The crisis has been caused by three years of very low rainfall, coupled with increasing consumption by a growing population. The local government is racing to address the situation, with desalination plants to make sea water drinkable, groundwater collection projects, and water recycling programmes. Meanwhile Cape Town's four million residents are being urged to conserve water and use no more than 87 litres (19 gallons) a day. Car washing and filling up swimming pools has been banned. And the visiting Indian cricket team were told to limit their post-match showers to two minutes. Such water-related problems are not confined to Cape Town, of course. Nearly 850 million people globally lack access to safe drinking water, says the World Health Organization, and droughts are increasing. So it seems incredible that we still waste so much of this essential natural resource. In developing and emerging countries, up to 80% of water is lost through leakages, according to German environmental consultancy GIZ. Even in some areas of the US, up to 50% of water trickles away due to ageing infrastructure. A growing number of technology companies are focusing their work on water management - applying "smart" solutions to water challenges. More Technology of Business For example, French company CityTaps is on a mission to streamline water access in urban homes with its smart water meters linked to an internet-based management system. The company is first targeting poor homes in urban areas and its system, CTSuite, is currently being trialled in Niger. Users buy "water credits" via their mobile phones and a smart meter dispenses only as much water as has been paid for. Users receive alerts when their credit balance gets low, and if they don't top up the account, the meter automatically switches off the flow. The utility can track water usage remotely in near real-time via the internet. A sudden spike in water outflow and a change in pressure, measured by "internet of things" sensors, can then help identify leaks across the network. Water companies are also using drones and satellites to help spot leaks, and in some circumstances even divining rods - despite scientific doubts, some firms say they do work. "The internet of things offers new avenues for technological innovation in the water field, mostly by providing real-time data that - we hope - can be used to help utilities become ever more efficient and high-performing," says Gregoire Landel, chief executive of CityTaps. Better water management also helps save on the electricity and chemicals required to produce drinkable water. Meanwhile, other companies are using technology to harvest water from new sources. US-based WaterSeer, for example, is developing a device capable of collecting water from the air. An internal fan draws air into an underground collection chamber where the vapour condenses, making use of the earth's cooler temperatures. Solar or electricity grid-powered coolers also help the condensation process. The company says water can be produced with "less than a 100 watts" of electricity - the power requirement of an old-fashioned light bulb. "Individuals and businesses will pave the way for innovative solutions, as they will be able to move and adopt a series of them quicker than large utilities that are sometimes mired in regulatory constraints and rigid decision-making cultures," says Nancy Curtis, a founding partner of WaterSeer. "However, utilities offer the opportunity to make large-scale impacts on replenishing depleting water supplies." A number of water-restricted municipalities in the US are exploring how WaterSeer devices could be used to improve water security, the company says. But the device is still being tested in the field, so these are early days. "A community of 500 would save 40 million US gallons (150m litres; 33m gallons) of water or more each year, reducing stress on traditional surface and underground sources," argues Ms Curtis. Technology may have its place in helping us use water more efficiently, but it is unlikely to have much impact on those without any access to water in the first place, says Alexandros Makarigakis of Unesco's international hydrological programme (IHP). "Smart water systems cannot be expected to have much impact regarding provision of access for the unconnected. [They] are more effective in the urban context," he says. This is echoed by Vincent Casey, senior manager at the charity WaterAid. "The technology to connect people to a water supply has been around since ancient Egypt. It's not a technical problem," he says. More important is how water supplies are organised, he argues, which is an issue primarily for governments, with support from the private sector. "The priority is mobilising resources and paying sufficient attention to the management arrangement to keep people connected," says Mr Casey. That's not to say WaterAid eschews tech completely. It has successfully used mobile app mWater to monitor water access and existing networks. For those with no direct-to-home supply, services like Grundfos' "water ATM", which enables people to access water from a local dispenser using a pre-paid card, are also proving useful. But there is a sense that much of this technology is merely tinkering at the edges. The overarching issue is the potentially devastating effect of global warming on water availability and how we, collectively, endeavour to tackle it.

केप टाउन, टेबल माउंटेन, अफ्रीकी पेंगुइन, धूप और समुद्र का घर, एक विश्व प्रसिद्ध पर्यटन स्थल है। लेकिन यह पानी की कमी के लिए दुनिया का पहला प्रमुख शहर होने के लिए भी प्रसिद्ध हो सकता है।


Larne FC supermarket plan blocked

Summary: Environment Minister Edwin Poots has told MLAs he intends to block a supermarket development in Larne which the local football club had said was key to its survival.

GML Estates, a Guernsey-based developer, wants to develop the old bleach works adjoining Inver Park. Part of the Inver Park ground was needed for the plan and GML would improve the stadium as part of a deal. However, the minister has said he intends to block the plan. The future of Inver Park has been uncertain because the council, which owns it, wants to sell it to Tesco for £5m. The retail giant wants to develop a supermarket on the site. However Larne FC, which holds Inver Park on a long lease, backed the rival GML plan. The minister has recently approved for the expansion of the Co-op store in the town though councillors are opposing the move.

पर्यावरण मंत्री एडविन पूट्स ने विधायकों से कहा है कि वह लार्ने में एक सुपरमार्केट विकास को अवरुद्ध करने का इरादा रखते हैं, जिसे स्थानीय फुटबॉल क्लब ने कहा था कि इसके अस्तित्व के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है।


Keanu Williams: Can Birmingham's children ever be safe?

Summary: The serious case review into the death of Keanu Williams is the 23rd to be published in Birmingham since the Local Safeguarding Board's inception in 2006. But given the second city's size, demographic and financial pressures, does the council have an impossible task protecting children?

By David LumbBBC News, West Midlands Not impossible, but "very difficult" according to professor Wyn Grant, a local government expert at the University of Warwick. "The council faces a very challenging situation at a time when resources have become more and more constrained," he said. "I think people don't appreciate how difficult it is. "Councils are always under pressure from two sides. On one hand they are accused of not intervening enough and, on the other, they are accused by families of intervening too much. It's a difficult balance to strike." 'No magic wand' With a population of 1.1m to deal with, Birmingham City Council is the largest local authority in Europe. More than a third of the city's residents are of minority ethnic origin, according to Visit Birmingham. The council has made more than 5,000 people redundant in recent years in a bid to balance its books and owes more than £1bn to workers through equal pay claims. In 2010, Birmingham was ranked 13th in a government list of the most deprived parts of the country, behind authorities including Hackney and Tower Hamlets, both in London. Regular criticisms featured in previous serious case reviews concern a lack of communication between different agencies and missed opportunities. But Mr Grant said Birmingham had a harder task than many other authorities because of its diverse population and the resulting problems regarding language barriers and the importance of staying sensitive to tensions in communities. He added: "It's characteristic of bureaucracy that people tend to operate in their own silos. "Whether it's police, social services, schools, they do not work well across boundaries. Even if liaison officers are appointed, it's very difficult because groups have different priorities." He also said there was "no magic wand" and people had to be realistic about what could be achieved. But Labour MP for Perry Barr Khalid Mahmood has a less sympathetic view. He pointed to "systemic failures" in the management structure of the council's children's department, which has had four different strategic directors - Tony Howell, Eleanor Brazil, Peter Duxbury and Peter Hay - since 2005 and been in special measures since 2011. He also said it was not true the council did not have adequate resources to improve children's services, pointing out it had received more than £40m funding from government to turn around the service after the case of Khyra Ishaq. Khyra, seven, died in 2008 after being starved at her home in the Handsworth area of the city. "It's true that it's a big authority but that does not mean it can absolve itself of responsibility," said Mr Mahmood. "The issue is the council has continually failed to listen to the recommendations. It has failed to tackle issues like sickness. I have had workers come to me complaining about workload issues and feeling they have no choice but to go off sick. "There is no integration, no communication, no responsibility." Mr Mahmood and Mr Grant agreed breaking up Birmingham City Council into a number of smaller authorities, like in London, would not resolve the issue. "It's a huge size but you still need to have central policy," said Mr Mahmood. "I don't think it would work." 'Hard call' Bob Badham, who resigned as children's services boss at neighbouring Sandwell Council after Ofsted rated the department inadequate, said nothing could be done to guarantee children's safety. "It's the duty of every local authority to make sure we make children's lives as safe as possible but I don't think you will ever get a 100% success rate," he said. "The people who commit these crimes are good at covering their tracks. "There are always going to be cases that slip through the net." He added: "Social workers can be hesitant to report things because they are worried about the consequences. React too quickly and they can find themselves in the papers for taking a child away too quickly. It's a very hard call. "It's a difficult area to manage and come up with plans to make things safer for children but you have to try." Birmingham City Council declined to comment ahead of the publication of Thursday's serious case review.

2006 में स्थानीय सुरक्षा बोर्ड की स्थापना के बाद से कीनू विलियम्स की मृत्यु की गंभीर मामले की समीक्षा बर्मिंघम में प्रकाशित होने वाली 23वीं है। लेकिन दूसरे शहर के आकार, जनसांख्यिकीय और वित्तीय दबावों को देखते हुए, क्या परिषद के पास बच्चों की रक्षा करने का एक असंभव कार्य है?


US withdrawal from Syria leaves Kurds backed into a corner

Summary: Donald Trump's decision to put an end to the US military operation against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria has left many observers wondering what might happen to Washington's main partners on the ground, the Kurds, and whether their enemy Turkey offered the president anything in return.

By Guney YildizBBC News Mr Trump's announcement on Wednesday that the 2,000 US troops deployed largely in north-eastern Syria would begin withdrawing immediately was a gift to Turkey, and also to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. By supporting the alliance of Kurdish and Arab militias known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Washington gained indirect control of half of Syria's strategic resources - including many oil fields and dams, and much of its most fertile agricultural land - and leverage in discussions with Mr Assad and his allies Russia and Iran on the country's future. Now the SDF is backed into a corner and the Kurdish militia that dominates the alliance, the People's Protection Units (YPG), faces two probable scenarios. Ankara says the YPG is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey and has fought for Kurdish autonomy there since 1984, and considers it a terrorist organisation. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared last week that the Turkish military was gearing up for a ground incursion into SDF-controlled territory east of the River Euphrates. The Pentagon responded by warning that such unilateral action would be "unacceptable". But on Monday Mr Erdogan said he had discussed his plan with Mr Trump by telephone and that he had given a "positive response". When the Turkish military and allied Syrian rebel fighters launched a ground offensive to capture the majority Kurdish Afrin region almost a year ago, the YPG fought for two months before deciding to withdraw to the safety of areas where US troops were based. This time the Syrian Kurds have nowhere else to go. The SDF controls 30% of Syria and has more than 60,000 fighters under its command, but without the threat of the US intervening Mr Erdogan would be confident that Turkish troops could drive them back away from the border. The Turkish military's air power would give it a huge advantage in any battle with the Kurds, as was seen in Afrin. It would also have at its disposal at least 15,000 Syrian rebels stationed west of the Euphrates in Afrin and other border towns. Mr Erdogan might also believe that Arab militias in the SDF could be persuaded not to get involved in a Turkish-Kurdish conflict and to abandon the alliance. The second scenario would see the SDF try to cut a deal with the Syrian government. Mr Assad, whose forces lack the military power to capture the SDF's territory by themselves, might in the end decide that the Kurdish-led alliance poses less of a threat than a long-term Turkish presence in northern Syria. The SDF has always been open to negotiating with the Syrian government. Representatives met officials in Damascus at least twice earlier this year, although the talks did not lead to any significant openings. A change in the government's attitude is only likely to happen amid a breakdown in relations between Russia, Iran and Turkey, who have been working together to stabilise Syria and find a political solution to the country's civil war. The US withdrawal from Syria might weaken Russian and Iranian willingness to go along with Turkey's plans. Moscow's anti-Kurdish and pro-Turkish stance largely stems from the attempts to deprive the US of local allies and to drive a wedge between the Nato powers. US support for the SDF made the Kurds and their allies into one of the major forces in Syria. However, it also left them with powerful enemies. It was the Washington's announcement in December 2017 that it would help the SDF develop a 30,000-strong "border force" in eastern Syria that led to Russia allowing the Turkish military to attack Afrin. More recently, repeated statements from the Trump administration that the US had decided to stay in Syria until Iranian forces left prompted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to level accusations of separatism against the Kurds and their allies. If the US is out of the picture, Moscow might no longer feel that it needs to hold back on efforts to curb Kurdish influence in eastern Syria. The question of whether Turkey might have offered something in return for the US withdrawal would be relevant to Russia's future position as well. The state department's decision to approve selling the Patriot missile defence system to Turkey, which came on the same day as the withdrawal announcement, suggests that there might have been some co-ordination between Washington and Ankara. However, it is unlikely that Mr Erdogan would cut off all relations with Russia and also come on board with Mr Trump's anti-Iran policies any time soon.

सीरिया में इस्लामिक स्टेट (आईएस) समूह के खिलाफ अमेरिकी सैन्य अभियान को समाप्त करने के डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प के फैसले ने कई पर्यवेक्षकों को आश्चर्यचकित कर दिया है कि जमीन पर वाशिंगटन के मुख्य भागीदारों, कुर्दों का क्या हो सकता है और क्या उनके दुश्मन तुर्की ने राष्ट्रपति को बदले में कुछ भी देने की पेशकश की है।


Alberto Fujimori profile: Deeply divisive Peruvian leader

Summary: To his supporters, Alberto Fujimori was the president who saved Peru from the twin evils of terrorism and economic collapse. To his opponents, he was an authoritarian strongman who rode roughshod over the country's democratic institutions in order to preserve his hold on power.

The son of Japanese immigrants, Mr Fujimori's decade in power from 1990 to 2000 in which he ruled with an iron fist was marked by a series of dramatic twists and turns. His authoritarian government's crackdown on two violent insurgencies during his tenure resulted in the deaths of an estimated 69,000 people. Several years after his presidency ended, Mr Fujimori was found guilty of bribery and abuse of power and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for human rights abuses during his time in office - including authorising a number of killings carried out by death squads. Health issues lead to pardon Sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2009 at the age of 70, most Peruvians assumed the former leader would spend the rest of his life in jail. But in December 2017, the 79-year-old was taken from prison to a hospital in the capital, Lima, because of health concerns; he was suffering from low blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythm. That same month, Mr Fujimori was granted a pardon by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski after doctors said his illness was incurable, adding that prison represented a "grave risk to his life". In response, Mr Fujimori said he was "deeply grateful" and that while his leadership was well received by some, he recognised that he had "let down others", adding: "Those I ask for forgiveness from the bottom of my heart." He also called for the country to unite against crime and violence. "We'll be in a country in which security is regained and violence eliminated," he tweeted. The news of his pardon was both celebrated and demonstrated against with thousands taking to the streets of Lima. The minister of culture and the defence minister resigned over the pardon. Within days Mr Fujimori was released from hospital a free man, waving at media from his wheelchair accompanied by his son, Kenji Fujimori. President's iron fist One of the key moments of his presidency was the hostage siege by Marxist rebels belonging to the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA), which occurred at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima in 1996-97. After a four-month stand-off, commandos were sent in to take the building. All 14 rebels were killed and nearly all the 72 hostages were rescued in an operation that at the time cemented Mr Fujimori's talking and acting tough. Bribery scandal The president's reputation was later tarnished by a bribery scandal involving former intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos, which led to him fleeing to his parents' native Japan in November 2000, where he lived for five years in self-imposed exile. In an effort to resurrect his political career and launch a new bid for the presidency, he flew to Chile in November 2005, only to be arrested at the request of the Peruvian authorities. Mr Fujimori then spent two years fighting to block his extradition to face a series of charges, a battle he lost in September 2007. He was convicted and sentenced to six years in jail in December 2007 on charges of abuse of power, over the removal of sensitive video and audio tapes from Mr Montesinos's home. In April 2009, judges found him guilty of authorising death-squad killings in two incidents known as La Cantuta and Barrios Altos, and the kidnapping of a journalist and a businessman. Mr Fujimori repeatedly denied the charges, saying they were politically motivated. Alberto Fujimori: Key dates A country in ruins Mr Fujimori's 15-month trial and the divisions in public opinion it generated echoed the controversy that accompanied him throughout his political career. When he won the presidential elections in 1990, few Peruvians knew what to expect. An agricultural engineer born of Japanese parents, Mr Fujimori was a political unknown until weeks before the vote. He inherited a country on the verge of economic collapse and racked by political violence. He implemented a radical programme of free-market reforms, removing subsidies, privatising state-owned companies and reducing the role of the state in almost all spheres of the economy. Though this shock therapy brought great hardship for ordinary Peruvians, it ended rampant hyperinflation and paved the way for sustained economic growth in the second half of the 1990s. Mr Fujimori also tackled the left-wing rebels whose 10-year insurgency had caused thousands of deaths. But he says he never approved a dirty war against the rebels. In 1992, with the support of the military, the president dissolved the Peruvian congress and courts and seized dictatorial powers. He justified the measure by arguing that the legislative and judiciary had been hindering the security forces in their fight against the rebels. Opposition politicians said he was really seeking to escape any democratic checks on his power. But he was soon vindicated in the eyes of most Peruvians by the capture of the leader of the main rebel group, the Shining Path. Spying scandal In 1995, Mr Fujimori stood for re-election and won an overwhelming victory. Most voters cited his victories over left-wing insurgents and hyperinflation as the reason for giving him their support. But a growing number of Peruvians began to voice concern that the methods used against the insurgency were also being employed against the president's democratic opponents. His critics accused him of using the intelligence service led by Mr Montesinos to intimidate and spy on rivals. They said he exerted unfair control on the media and the judiciary, and used government resources to support his own campaigns. This criticism increased when he announced he was to stand for an unprecedented third successive term. Although he won the May 2000 elections, amid further allegations of vote-rigging, the prized third term began the start of his downfall. After the Montesinos scandal broke, the opposition gained control of Congress for the first time in eight years and dismissed Mr Fujimori on grounds of "moral incapacity".

अपने समर्थकों के लिए, अल्बर्टो फुजीमोरी राष्ट्रपति थे जिन्होंने पेरू को आतंकवाद और आर्थिक पतन की दोहरी बुराइयों से बचाया। अपने विरोधियों के लिए, वह एक सत्तावादी शक्तिशाली व्यक्ति थे जिन्होंने सत्ता पर अपनी पकड़ बनाए रखने के लिए देश की लोकतांत्रिक संस्थाओं पर कठोरता से हमला किया।


Wolf of Wall Street show: Step into Jordan Belfort's world

Summary: Six years ago the film The Wolf of Wall Street was a box-office hit for Martin Scorsese. But it started with a book by Jordan Belfort describing his rise as a young New York stockbroker - and how everything then came tumbling down. Now the book's been adapted as a live immersive experience in London.

By Vincent DowdArts correspondent, BBC News Name recognition for The Wolf of Wall Street probably comes mainly from the 2013 film with Leonardo DiCaprio. But the man who now has to make the story work with live actors points out the show he's written and directed has nothing to do with the movie. Alexander Wright says he believed the story would make great immersive drama. "This isn't a show where you sit in a seat for two hours. When you walk in you're treated as a new employee on Day One at the stockbrokers Stratton Oakmont. There's going to be immediate interaction with actors cast as other employees. "And you soon realise you've turned up on a big day: the firm's handling the massive IPO (Initial Public Offering) for [fashion designer] Steve Madden shoes. That's where the story starts." In real life the brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont, run by Belfort, took Madden public in 1993. Belfort was later indicted for securities fraud and given a four-year sentence. Wright's cast of 20 has recreated a multi-layered slice of New York life in a terrace of houses behind Liverpool Street Station. The space is due to become a boutique hotel next year. The location is close to major City of London employers such as Deutsche Bank and UBS; Wright knew he wanted a location in the financial district rather than an established theatre. After an initial briefing, audience members face the kind of options common to many immersive shows. At certain points they choose which storyline to follow as Stratton Oakmont first booms and then crumbles. You can remain a devoted Strattonite or take an interest in how FBI agents build their case against the firm. And if you prefer, you can focus on the tense home life of Belfort (played by Oliver Tilney), his wife Nadine (played by Rhiannon Harper-Rafferty) and young daughter Chandler. Harper-Rafferty is appearing in her first immersive show. "What I really like is the access you get to the audience. Physically they're very close so you see what is affecting them. But they can also morph what's happening in the action - it's two-way. "There are moments when, if I feel it's going to work, I ask the audience for advice about the strains in the family. The reply is often that I should leave Jordan - though a couple of days ago someone asked why doesn't he just take his money and retire? "There's a scene at home celebrating Chandler's seventh birthday. It's like the audience becomes part of our group and you can feel them trying to protect the Chandler character. An audience member may stand in the wrong place or maybe make an unexpected comment out loud. But if that comes from an emotional place it can actually help." Tilney also took the central role in Wright's immersive version of The Great Gatsby. "This is still a relatively new form and we're learning all the time how it works. Sometimes immersive theatre can be free form, where the audience goes wherever it wants. Or there's a promenade experience where you might go fairly strictly from A to B to C. "I would say The Wolf of Wall Street sits somewhere in between: audience members have a choice of where to go but we talk about 'tracks' which pretty much guide the audience through the narrative. "More inquisitive people can peel off and follow a different strand of the story - and sometimes it's useful for us if we invite them to do so. That can work if an audience member is in some way interesting or is asking particular questions. They may end up learning something which others don't or having a particular experience. We call those Easter eggs." The play retains the original 1990s setting. Wright says today's City workers, with so many nearby, may find parallels with recent events in the world of finance. "It'll be really interesting to sit with them in the bar after the show and talk about what resonates today and what's more from 90s business culture. But if it starts as a story about stocks and banks and money and excess it becomes a story about people. The last thing we want to be is preachy." Audience members need to accept a certain amount of shepherding from one space to the next. Attentive production staff wrangle them with a firm touch. There are quite a lot of stairs and swear words. Wright says structuring Gatsby gave him valuable experience to help make the new show work. "The immersive industry attracts a varied audience which has grown but also the character has developed. Wolf is getting people in who wouldn't dream normally of going to the theatre - in some cases theatre would be their nightmare evening out. So that's a whole new audience. "But also we've definitely seen people come over from traditional theatre to give immersive a try. They might be people who would go to the National Theatre or to the West End. We're now seeing families and tourists turn up and I don't think immersive is seen as purely a fringe thing any more. "There are parts of the show which are very funny. But there are elements of tragedy too - Jordan flies high but he crashes to earth. It's like a great classic King Lear: it all comes down to ambition and relationships and people making mistakes and having to decide what matters to them and the damage they do along the way to everyone around them - even to people they love. "We have an incredibly complex but rigid show plan about what needs to happen when. We have worked out exactly how the audience will journey through the action. But hopefully the audience isn't aware of that at all. What matters are the characters and how they interact - it's ultimately what keeps people watching." The Wolf of Wall Street is playing at Stratton Oakmont Inc. on Sun Street in London.

छह साल पहले फिल्म द वुल्फ ऑफ वॉल स्ट्रीट मार्टिन स्कोर्सेसे के लिए बॉक्स-ऑफिस पर सफल रही थी। लेकिन इसकी शुरुआत जॉर्डन बेल्फोर्ट की एक पुस्तक से हुई थी जिसमें उन्होंने न्यूयॉर्क के एक युवा स्टॉक ब्रोकर के रूप में अपने उदय का वर्णन किया था-और फिर सब कुछ कैसे नीचे गिर गया। अब इस पुस्तक को लंदन में एक जीवंत इमर्सिव अनुभव के रूप में रूपांतरित किया गया है।


The unwanted holiday homes owners can't give away

Summary: Thousands of people desperate to get out of their timeshare contracts are currently unable to because it is far too complex and costly, the Victoria Derbyshire programme has been told. For some, it is like a "disease" they cannot get rid of.

By Anna CollinsonReporter, Victoria Derbyshire programme "I thought it would be a suitable place for my disabled grandson to visit, because it was a bungalow that could sleep up to six," says Wendy Barker, describing the countryside holiday home in which she holds a timeshare. A timeshare usually involves paying a one-off lump sum, plus annual maintenance fees, in return for being able to use the property for an agreed number of weeks each year, every year for life. Wendy bought her timeshare with her partner Anne Jackson Blanchard in 2005. For many years the couple enjoyed holidays at the lodge with their family, but Wendy says it has since turned into a burden - financially and emotionally. "I tried to sell it, tried to give it away, but nobody wanted it. It's like a disease hanging over me." Predominantly in the 1980s and 1990s, timeshares were marketed as holidays without the hassle, and many investors were told their timeshares would increase in value and be easy to get out of, whenever they wanted. But for many, like Wendy, this did not materialise. Instead she has been left to pay the maintenance charges that come with the property, which have now increased to £900 per year. "It was just constant," she says, "[them] wanting money, wanting money. "I was like, 'I can't afford it, we are pensioners'." As time passed the couple separated. Wendy retired and Anne's health deteriorated, meaning they were not able to use the home despite paying the charges. Some companies allow timeshare owners to terminate agreements on request. Others only allow it if a person is sick, elderly or bankrupt. But Wendy's partner Anne was told she was not sick enough. In October, she died. Wendy says worries over the timeshare "certainly didn't help" Anne's health. Industry representatives say up to 600,000 people own timeshares in the UK - and for many, it is a positive experience. But Stephen McGlade from Sarah Waddington Solicitors says that when owners do want to terminate agreements, some timeshare companies are reluctant. "Timeshares have a bad reputation," he explains, "so it's in the timeshare company's interest to keep them in their timeshare." In some cases annual maintenance fees have increased by 400%. Citizens Advice says last year it dealt with nearly 800 cases, including unfair selling techniques and confusing contracts. Trading Standards says if a person wants to exit a timeshare they should contact the company they bought from directly - and in most cases, they will let a consumer leave. However, if they do not - or there is a possibility you have been missold or want compensation - you can get legal advice, though that can cost money. Retiree Andrew McNaught bought a timeshare in Gran Canaria for nearly £8,000 in the 1990s. His family rarely use it now because of his wife's poor health, but every year they still pay out 420 euros (£370). You might also be interested in: "We looked at ways of coming out of [the timeshare]," he says. "[But] I spoke to a person last time we were there and he said there was a waiting list of over 600 people [wanting to do the same]. "[Then] I saw an advert in a daily newspaper and it said, 'We can get you compensation for your timeshare'. I told my wife, 'we have nothing to lose'." Andrew met with the company, which promised to help him out of his current timeshare. But using an intensive selling technique known as "hot room" they managed to persuade him to invest into a second. Mr McGlade claims he knows their tactics well. "The salesman will try and sell them the product. If they decline, a more senior salesman will take their place," he explains. "Most of the time they are given alcohol. "Invariably after six to nine hours of this gruelling breakdown, [the person] will sign the contract." Aggressive sales practices are illegal. "These salesmen could sell snow to Eskimos," says Mr McGlade. "We have people from all walks of life, professionals right down to a lollypop lady, [on the end of it]." 'How prisoners must feel' The Resort Development Organisation, the European trade association for timeshares, said all its members were "required to sign up to a code of conduct and independent mediation and arbitration scheme, providing timeshare buyers with levels of protection over and above those required by law. "RDO has invested significant amounts of money to investigate unethical companies that target timeshare owners," it added. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said it was "aware of issues around some timeshare contracts, which is why we tightened the law to ensure sellers provide detailed information to consumers upfront about the terms of their contract". The law firms the Victoria Derbyshire programme has spoken to say new rules and regulations are needed to make the system more transparent, and that people with timeshares should be able to give reasonable notice to get out of a timeshare contract. Wendy says she was "foolish" for not looking "deep enough into" timeshares at the time. A prison officer, she says it makes her understand "how prisoners must feel". "It's like every door is shutting on me, like I can't get free. "It affects my health, it's never going to go away." Watch the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel.

विक्टोरिया डर्बीशायर कार्यक्रम को बताया गया है कि अपने टाइमशेयर अनुबंधों से बाहर निकलने के लिए बेताब हजारों लोग वर्तमान में असमर्थ हैं क्योंकि यह बहुत जटिल और महंगा है। कुछ लोगों के लिए, यह एक "बीमारी" की तरह है जिससे वे छुटकारा नहीं पा सकते हैं।