Safiyya Shaikh: How undercover operation caught a drug addict jihadist

Summary: A supporter of the banned Islamic State terror group has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years after admitting a plot to blow herself up in a bomb attack on St Paul's Cathedral in London. Muslim convert Safiyya Shaikh was caught after an elaborate operation - but her case raised doubts in court about whether the drug-addicted and emotionally damaged woman would ever have gone through with the attack.

Dominic CascianiHome affairs correspondent@BBCDomCon Twitter Shortly before midday on 24 September last year at Uxbridge London Underground station, Safiyya Shaikh had finished wiping away her tears. She'd found a soulmate - a woman called Azra, who had consoled her as she poured her heart out. And then Shaikh, happy she had found someone who understood, handed over two pink bags so that her new friend could take them away and fill them with bombs to blow up St Paul's Cathedral. As they parted, Azra would probably have stopped the covert recording she had been making. She and other undercover investigators had slowly, patiently, reeled in Shaikh - saving London from an appalling attack. Shaikh was born Michelle Ramsden in 1983 and converted to Islam in 2007 after being impressed with the kindness of a neighbouring Muslim family. Her adoption of the faith came after a deeply troubled upbringing. She'd spent time in care homes and later confided to one undercover officer that her family was riven by drug and alcohol abuse. She too had become an addict. "It was the only life I really knew," she said. "Inside my heart always felt empty - I think this [is] why I used drugs to try to fill the emptiness," she wrote in one message online. In the years that followed her conversion to Islam, the Old Bailey heard she had become increasingly distanced from her own family. She initially found a new family - the small community of female converts in London who supported others on the same faith journey. But drugs soon overwhelmed her. In 2013 she was cautioned for theft and given a community order for burglary. Two years later she was arrested for heroin possession. Rajan Basra has studied Shaikh's online footprint as part of his research at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London. "It's clear that she had several underlying vulnerabilities - she created a [YouTube] list specifically about surviving drug addiction," he says. "Her Facebook content shows that she was very isolated from her family. And like many converts, she found it difficult to make that transition - and so she was reaching out to other people in a similar situation." Looking at the 90 YouTube playlists Shaikh created, a change in her mindset could be seen - particularly around 2016 - said Mr Basra. "Throughout this whole period, she was then watching a lot of extremist content - content produced by supporters and activists generally affiliated with the Islamic State," he said. "And judging by the playlist that she created, she was watching this for hours." Evidence from court shows that she was in contact with members of Al Muhajiroun, the British network headed by the jihadist preacher Anjem Choudary. One particular influence on her life was Abu Waleed, whose real name is Shahid Janjua. He sent her extremist material - and when she began to voice these opinions within the convert community, she found herself ostracised. Between August 2016 and September 2017, the national Prevent scheme - in which police, social services and others aim to stop people sliding towards violent extremism - looked three times at Shaikh. She denied having extremist views but MI5 ultimately reached a different assessment, based on its own intelligence-gathering. It made her a "subject of interest" - one of the 3,000 potential or active terrorists under investigation. And those concerns were justified. Shaikh had become an administrator of "GreenB1rds", a secret jihadist chat channel dedicated to encouraging attacks in the name of the Islamic State group. She posed as a man, using the nom-de-guerre Al Amriki, "the American", to maximise her chances of encouraging others to join up. When one Dutch follower was arrested last summer, Shaikh posted a picture threatening an attack against a church in the city of Hilversum, near Amsterdam. The picture was shared on mainstream social media - and then made it into Dutch newspapers, causing alarm in the city. In turn, there was a bomb hoax against the church - causing a major alert. Shaikh joked online: "Kuffar [disbelievers] always publish my work they don't even realise they promote for us." Another of her online contacts was a Dutch woman, Yousra Lemouesset. She had previously been banned from the UK - and had joined her British fighter husband in Syria. His fate is unclear but she returned to Europe and since Shaikh's arrest, she's been jailed in The Netherlands for assisting the IS group. On 18 August last year, Shaikh went to Luton Airport to fly to Amsterdam to meet Lemousset. But she was stopped from flying by counter-terrorism officers who questioned her about her plans. Furious, she returned home and, with her helpers, created an image of the New York skyline. In lettering mimicking blood, she added: "PIGS YOU WILL SOON PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES". And two days later, she thought she had finally met someone who could help. She began talking online to someone she called "H". He appeared to be an IS attack planner in the UK but "H" did not exist - he was a fake identity, operated by an undercover team, tracking extremists on social media. These "Online Role Players" are now key in the fight against potential lone attackers - seeking to infiltrate hidden chat groups and identifying the most dangerous suspects. "I rather die young and get Jannah [heaven], quickest way possible," she told "H". The officer asked what she wanted. After a few days of thought, she replied: "So this is really what I want... I would like to kill a lot brother. Until I'm killed." "I would like do church... But want to do a place that also means something to kuffar. Like history. They will care more about the building than people killed... U know where they do the royal weddings? Is it possible to put, like, bomb with detonator and then keep shooting until I am killed?" She meant St Paul's Cathedral. "Have you thought how you would do it?" H asked her. "No brother, I don't know.. I just want to do the most effective way possible. I don't know a lot about them things," she replied. "But you must have an idea sis, so I can help?" he said. Shaikh's plan evolved in the following days to one involving a bomb for the landmark, another for herself and possibly another for a nearby hotel. "I just want a lot to die... I had all the intentions to do this, but no other support," she told him. On 7 September, she posted a document to her chat group on how to carry out surveillance of a target. The next morning, she visited the cathedral, carrying a pink bag that she thought would be right for a bomb and later reported back. "I really thought it would not be possible. But it's easy," she wrote. "So would you want it in the bag or strapped to you like vest? Or no vest?" asked "H". "I think bag better," said Shaikh. "What u think? Or both? Won't it be a bigger explosion, if both? Sorry, I expect a lot - lol." "I agree but it's your niyyah [intention]. I need to know so I can prepare." "Is that OK then.. Both... U will teach me everything to do?" "H" told Shaikh that she would now need to meet his "wife", Azra, for the handover of the bags - and to measure her up for a body-worn suicide bomb. Shaikh agreed a time and place and replied: "Am so happy to have family." The women met on 22 September in west London. Azra was recording everything Shaikh said. "I had the really horrible path [sic]," said Shaikh. "I want forgiveness for everything in my life that I've done." She began to cry. "I'm scared of not going to Jannah [heaven]... I've had enough of this place... I want to give something back." The pair, fully veiled to hide their identities, walked back to the Tube station. And there, Shaikh handed over the two bags for bombs. Days later, she was arrested. Shaikh pleaded guilty in February to preparing the attack. But Benjamin Newton, defending, argued at the Old Bailey that all was not what it seemed. The first day of the police interviews had to be abandoned, he said, because Shaikh was in a state of heroin withdrawal. "The terrorism attack that she is guilty of preparing would have been a truly dreadful act, if carried out, and she recognises that," said Mr Newton. "The key words are 'if carried out'. Three people were involved in this plot, and two others were police officers. There was no bomb, there never would be. There were only police officers pretending to care about her, offering her words of encouragement to see how far she would go." Mr Newton said Shaikh had "cold feet". She had cancelled a second meeting with the "wife" and had asked to put back the attack from Christmas to Easter. "It is quite clear that her involvement in the organisation that she became involved in were all part of a craving to be part of a family that she never had. "She was desperate for those she engaged with to like and accept her," said Mr Newton. Alison Morgan QC, prosecuting, put it another way to the court. "Had the role player not sat in this position, she would have found an equivalent." And in a final twist to her tale - that's exactly what Safiyya Shaikh then confirmed herself. Hours after her defence mitigation finished in court, she made a call from prison, that was recorded as standard. A call she knew the authorities would have been listening to. "I'm so tired about things," she said to her confidante. "I didn't get cold feet yeah... I was ready to go through with it... I wasn't having doubts." Under the law, the officers did nothing wrong in playing a role that allowed them to gather critical evidence about Shaikh's intentions and preparations. There is no defence in the British courts of "entrapment" - and the transcripts in the case show the officers asking questions, rather than proposing specific targets. Rajan Basra at King's College London says her case shows how difficult it is to work out how to intervene successfully in the life of a potential terrorist before they go too far. "Radicalisation is not always a straight line," he says. "She could have waxed and waned in her support for the cause. And so the key thing with prevention services is you have to get there at the right time. "And then that support has to be consistent - and it has to have that long-term payoff. It's really difficult to say what more that service could have done."

प्रतिबंधित इस्लामिक स्टेट आतंकवादी समूह के एक समर्थक को लंदन में सेंट पॉल कैथेड्रल पर बम हमले में खुद को उड़ाने की साजिश स्वीकार करने के बाद कम से कम 14 साल की सजा के साथ आजीवन कारावास की सजा सुनाई गई है। धर्मांतरित मुस्लिम सफिया शेख को एक विस्तृत ऑपरेशन के बाद पकड़ा गया था-लेकिन उसके मामले ने अदालत में संदेह पैदा कर दिया कि क्या नशीली दवाओं की आदी और भावनात्मक रूप से क्षतिग्रस्त महिला कभी हमले से गुजरी होगी।


Guernsey States use mast to test wind power viability

Summary: The viability of generating electricity using wind off the coast of Guernsey is being tested by a temporary mast on the Chouet headland.

Dr Andrew Casebow, environment adviser to the States, said the wind strength, which is measured at the airport, had been recorded at six metres a second. He said the temporary mast will need to register nine metres a second winds for the technology to work in the island. The mast has been placed on a bunker built during World War II.

ग्वेर्नसे के तट पर हवा का उपयोग करके बिजली पैदा करने की व्यवहार्यता का परीक्षण चौएट हेडलैंड पर एक अस्थायी मास्ट द्वारा किया जा रहा है।


Upfest 2018: Thousands visit Bristol street art festival

Summary: One of Europe's largest street art festivals is under way.

Upfest started with just nine artists displaying their work but this year more than 300 are taking part from 70 countries around the world. Some 60,000 sq ft of surfaces, including buildings, shop fronts and shutters, are being given over to the artists who can be watched by the public while they work The event is being held in the Bedminster and Southville areas of south Bristol, and runs until Monday. Bristol, the birthplace of Banksy, has an international reputation for its street art. Gallery owner Stephen Hayles founded Upfest in 2008. Initially held indoors, the next year it spilled out on to the streets with artists painting shutters, sides and end gables of shops and other buildings. Many of the murals are painted on temporary hoardings but some remain year round and have become local landmarks. .

यूरोप के सबसे बड़े सड़क कला समारोहों में से एक चल रहा है।


The war of words between former and current Mrs Trumps

Summary: Donald Trump's first wife, Ivana, has started a war of words by saying she, not Melania, is the real First Lady and by revealing that she has a direct line to the White House but uses it less than she could to avoid jealousy.

Melania is Mr Trump's third wife, and although this is the first time she and Ivana have crossed swords in public, the first wife has certainly had harsh words for her successor, Marla, before. All three of them were at Mr Trump's inauguration as president in January. Here are the stories of the three women and their marriages to Donald Trump. Wife One Ivana Trump (maiden name: Zelnícková) Married to Donald 1977-1992 Born in 1949 in Czechoslovakia, Ivana met Donald at a bar in New York and the pair were married for 15 years. She is the mother of three of his children: Donald Jr, Ivanka, and Eric. The couple divorced after rumours surfaced that he was having an affair and he refused to tell Playboy magazine in an interview whether his marriage was monogamous. During a divorce deposition, Ivana accused Mr Trump of raping her, but she later withdrew the comment, saying her words should not be "interpreted in a literal or criminal sense" and she meant instead that she had felt a lack of tenderness. He has said the episode was completely falsified. The divorce is thought to have cost Mr Trump tens of millions of dollars. Ivana's attempts to receive more money than had been laid out in a pre-nuptial agreement were extensively reported in the New York press at the time. She even had a cameo in the 1996 film First Wives Club where she repeated the line: "Don't get mad, get everything!" She has married twice since, and has remained close enough to Mr Trump to be photographed next to him at functions (as above). He went on to marry the mistress, Marla Maples. On becoming president, Mr Trump reportedly offered Ivana the chance to be the US ambassador to the Czech Republic but she declined, preferring to be able to summer in St Tropez. "I'm known by the name Ivana. I really did not need the name Trump," she told the New York Post. The first Mrs Trump is promoting her book Raising Trump, to be released on Tuesday. In the course of it, she quipped that she is the real first lady. Melania responded with a statement including the lines: "There is clearly no substance to this statement from an ex. Unfortunately only attention seeking and self-serving noise." Wife Two Marla Maples (never changed her name) Married to Donald 1993-1999 Marla Maples was born into a Baptist family in Georgia in the US in 1963, making her 14 years younger than Ivana. The couple had one daughter, Tiffany. Their relationship began in secret, as an affair that lasted for years. Before it, she had been a beauty queen who took a bit part in a Stephen King film (Maximum Overdrive) and posed for a Delta Air Lines ad. Vanity Fair reported that Marla lived on Mr Trump's mega yacht, Trump Princess and avoided the press. But she would soon come to the world's attention, when she and the Trumps holidayed in the same town. "I'm Marla and I love your husband. Do you?" are the words she reportedly said to Ivana when confronting her in Aspen in 1990. "Stay away from him! Stay away from us!" Ivana reportedly replied. Looking back on their divorce, Ms Maples has said she wanted to change Mr Trump but realised after some years that they were not bringing out the best in each other. In 1990, Marla said: "I'm, like, of the soil, of the country, of a solid, firm belief in God. I would be happier living out on a farm away from everyone." After the divorce she moved to California. Last year when Marla competed in Dancing with the Stars she was eliminated quickly, and Ivana said she was "never happier in her life". Ivana took another swipe at her during book promotion interviews this week, by telling CBS Sunday Morning that Ms Maples was "a showgirl" who had never achieved anything - but she has not responded. Wife Three Melania Trump (nee Knavs) Married to Donald 2005 - present Born as Melanija Knavs in Slovenia in 1970, Melania is seven years younger than Marla, 21 years younger than Ivana and 24 years younger than her husband, Donald. She later changed the spelling of her first name to Melania, and moved to the US in the 1990s. She married Mr Trump in 2005 after meeting him when she was working as a model. He was reportedly intrigued when she refused to give him her number, asking for his instead. She is the mother of Barron, 11, and delayed their move to the White House so as not to interrupt his school year. She is an unusual First Lady in another way: she is the first to have posed nude for a magazine. When she found herself attacked in public by the first Mrs Trump, her scathing statement managed to take some moral high ground: "Mrs Trump has made the White House a home for [their son] Barron and The President. "She loves living in Washington, DC and is honoured by her role as First Lady of the United States. "She plans to use her title and role to help children, not sell books."

डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प की पहली पत्नी, इवाना ने यह कहकर शब्दों का युद्ध शुरू कर दिया है कि वह, मेलानिया नहीं, असली प्रथम महिला हैं और यह खुलासा करते हुए कि उनका व्हाइट हाउस से सीधा संपर्क है, लेकिन ईर्ष्या से बचने के लिए वह इसका कम उपयोग करती हैं।


Ferry fiasco: Holed and listing badly

Summary: The MSPs' report into the "catastrophic" mismanagement of CalMac ferry building is hard-hitting, but it doesn't end the Ferguson ferry fiasco. Jim McColl, who used to own and run the shipyard, is back with a forceful counter-attack on those who blamed him. He's looking for a public inquiry, and could take legal action. He continues to dispute the charge that his company was incapable of fulfilling the contract competently. The Scottish government is standing by the three agencies it controls, which all face MSPs' criticism. It will review the way it buys ferries with a "stakeholder engagement strategy".

Douglas FraserBusiness/economy editor, Scotland If it's a parliament building, a ship or an extension to your home, beware of changing the design once the work has begun - the cost will probably go up and it will be late. That was just one of the lessons from the fiasco that was the building of the Holyrood parliament. Ten years later, that had not been learned when the Scottish government's agencies set about procuring new ferries for CalMac. Holyrood was contracted on the basis that the procurer carried the risk of rising cost, and as the design kept changing, that was found to be the main reason the bill soared from £50m to more than £400m. By contrast, Ferguson shipyard agreed to a fixed cost for the two ships of £97m. Yet that was not adequate protection from risk. Fixed cost turned out to be flexible. A further £45m was added as a "loan". MSPs note the striking lack of transparency as to its purpose. Costs were rising. Then the former owner of the yard was put into administration by the Scottish government. That was followed by nationalisation. And in the process, the cost has more than doubled. Jim McColl, the industrialist hailed by ministers as saviour of the shipyard in 2014 and then ousted from it last year, also by ministers, says the cost should now be put at £255m and rising steeply. Industrial strategy The Holyrood building project fired up a palpable anger across Scotland at the incompetence involved. In the current strange Covid-19 environment, it seems that neither the ferry contract nor the loss of £52m on the collapsed BiFab yards in Fife and Lewis seem to be having that impact. On the same day MSPs on the Rural Economy and Connectivity committee publish their punchy and damning findings on the ferries contract, Scotland's finance secretary, Kate Forbes, is explaining how she is spending £8.2bn of extra funds from the Treasury which she had not expected to have when the financial year began. In that context, the Scottish government's expensive and inept efforts to support Scottish manufacturing seem relatively minor. Yet they blow a hole in anything that passes for industrial strategy. Both involved the Scottish government brokering deals to bring in private sector operators, which they presented as the saving of ailing industrial sites. Both led to corporate failure, and a falling out between ministers and entrepreneurs. In the case of the Canadians running DF Barnes, who are expected to lose control of BiFab with its administration this week, they are walking away quietly, feeling let down by the Scottish government. Accused of failing to invest, the government say that was never its role. 'Grossly misleading' However, at Ferguson's in Port Glasgow, the parliamentary inquiry seems likely to be only a lull before a renewed storm. Jim McColl and his former management team have written a forceful counterblast to MSPs, against those who blamed the former shipyard operators for the Ferguson ferry fiasco. The international engineering tycoon told me he's digesting the report, but is minded to call for an inquiry, with evidence under oath. And he's leaving open the option of legal action. I asked about the practice - which astounded MSPs - of billing for work done, when the work was not in the design or within the sequence, simply in order to keep funds flowing. Mr McColl answered that the first part of sequencing in shipbuilding should have been the propeller and stern block, but that design was not finalised, and so managers had to shift to other work. He regrets that he did not stop altogether and await the final design, but says that the shipyard and workforce would have gone without any funding if he had. The letter from former managers attacks evidence to the committee from ministers, describing it as "factually inaccurate and grossly misleading". It counters the claims made by Tim Hair, brought in by the Scottish government to salvage the shipbuilding project after nationalisation, saying his description of what he found at that stage was "ill-informed, grossly misleading and unfairly slanted". 'Highly irregular' The letter gives repeated examples of approval of the work being done under then operator Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited (FMEL), including the independent inspector put into the yard by Scottish ministers. It also draws on whistleblower information from contacts still inside the yard, claiming there is still no final design specification for the ships and, in a year, the project has only progressed by around 10% of the total. The letter claims there is no final inventory of required equipment for finishing the ships, saying that is "highly irregular". And it says staffing is a problem, because the skilled workers required in Port Glasgow have more secure work in other Clyde and Rosyth shipyards. It also goes on to list the opportunities lost when the Scottish government nationalised the yard last December. A leading research role in hydrogen-powered ships has been abandoned, along with a plan to develop an Inverclyde site to build fishing boats. Blame game And that is one of the stranger bits of Scottish government policy, having taken over the yards. The only intention is to finish the two ships which are now far behind schedule. Ferguson's does not seem to be seeking other work. Perhaps it is being readied for the next 19 ships required to bring the ageing, costly and inefficient Cal-Mac fleet into the 21st Century. But that strategy is yet to be laid out, and no tender is expected until the middle of next year. CMAL's response to the inquiry has been to refer back to its robust evidence to the committee. It puts the blame firmly on FMEL. But even if FMEL was to blame, the management of the contract from CMAL's point of view is still strongly criticised. MSPs report the evidence they heard that CMAL could be abolished and its ferry procurement role taken into CalMac. MSPs don't explicitly conclude that themselves, but they do suggest there may be too many agencies involved. Reading between the lines of this report, the MSPs pass on the main and most astounding evidence they received, while choosing not to reach a judgement on which of the contradictory claims about capability and mismanagement were correct. Their cross-party compromise was to blame everyone - except, it should be noted, the ferry operator itself, CalMac. And with that, they are calling for a further inquiry, by Audit Scotland. And soon. Its auditors should better understand public procurement contracts, and the Auditor General is not constrained by politics. Meanwhile, MSPs on the committee want a "root and branch review" of the way ferries are procured. What Scottish government says in response reads like self-parody: an intention to publish a "ferry stakeholders engagement strategy". This appears to mean that CMAL, Transport Scotland, CalMac and the Scottish government will try to communicate better. That would be nice to have. Indeed, it's something that should be taken as read. This report suggests it's only the starting point for what's needed.

कैलमैक नौका निर्माण के "विनाशकारी" कुप्रबंधन में एम. एस. पी. की रिपोर्ट कठिन है, लेकिन यह फर्ग्यूसन नौका विफलता को समाप्त नहीं करती है। जिम मैककॉल, जो शिपयार्ड का मालिक था और चलाता था, उन लोगों पर एक जोरदार जवाबी हमले के साथ वापस आ गया है जिन्होंने उसे दोषी ठहराया था। वह एक सार्वजनिक जांच की तलाश कर रहा है, और कानूनी कार्रवाई कर सकता है। वह इस आरोप पर विवाद करना जारी रखता है कि उसकी कंपनी अनुबंध को सक्षम रूप से पूरा करने में असमर्थ थी। स्कॉटिश सरकार उन तीन एजेंसियों के साथ खड़ी है जिन्हें वह नियंत्रित करती है, जो सभी एम. एस. पी. की आलोचना का सामना करते हैं। यह "हितधारक सगाई रणनीति" के साथ नौका खरीदने के तरीके की समीक्षा करेगी।


Netherlands forced to slash speed limit to reduce emissions

Summary: The daytime speed limit on Dutch roads is to be cut to 100km/h (62mph) in a bid to tackle a nitrogen oxide pollution crisis, according to cabinet sources widely quoted by Dutch media.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte said it was a "rotten measure" but necessary. The existing limit of up to 130km/h will still be permitted at night. The new limit is set to come in next year along with several other measures. Ministers have been grappling with ways of responding to the emissions problem. "No-one likes this," Mr Rutte told a news conference. "But there's really something bigger at stake. We have to stop the Netherlands from coming to a halt and jobs being lost unnecessarily." He said it was the deepest crisis he had ever dealt with in nine years in power and the refugee crisis in 2015-16 bore no comparison. Why are they acting now? The crisis is so severe that big infrastructure projects have been put on hold. A ruling in May by the top court in the Netherlands on nitrogen oxide emissions affected thousands of plans for roads, housing and airports. The Council of State said Dutch rules for granting building and farming permits breached EU law protecting nature from emissions such as ammonia and nitrous oxide. The government wants to build 75,000 homes next year, so for the past week the cabinet has tried to find a solution to cutting the pollutants. Among the options discussed by ministers was a ban on vehicles on Sunday. Drivers will be allowed to revert to the current maximum between 19:00 and 06:00. Only 8%-10% of cars are thought to travel between those times. Even with the lower 100km/h speed limit there could still be emissions problems in areas such as the congested Randstad central-west belt, home to the biggest Dutch cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Bringing the motorway speed limit down to 100km/h will make the Netherlands the lowest in Europe, on a par with Cyprus which has far fewer motorways. The most common maximum speed limit in Europe is 130km/h while in the UK it is 70mph (112 km/h). Although the Dutch measure is being seen as temporary, Mr Rutte said he would not make any promises on limiting it. While ministers want to introduce the reduced speed limit soon, it will have to be co-ordinated and road signs changed. Why farmers will be affected too Last month, farmers reacted angrily to claims that intensive farming was partly to blame for the emissions problem, after a report called for drastic measures to reduce livestock as well as action on the roads. A tractor protest caused the worst-ever morning rush hour in the country as farmers argued they were being victimised. Another of the measures announced on Wednesday is a plan to change livestock feed to include an enzyme that reduces nitrogen oxide emissions from cows. Farmers are also set to be affected by plans next month to cut emissions in protected areas of the country that are part of a European network known as Natura 2000. A project to bring the Formula 1 Grand Prix back to Zandvoort next year was criticised by some environmentalists, who raised concerns about emissions from the race as well as from work to extend the circuit.

डच मीडिया द्वारा व्यापक रूप से उद्धृत कैबिनेट सूत्रों के अनुसार, नाइट्रोजन ऑक्साइड प्रदूषण संकट से निपटने के लिए डच सड़कों पर दिन की गति सीमा को घटाकर 100 किमी/घंटा (62 मील/घंटा) किया जाना है।


Volunteers plant 500 trees in Kendal

Summary: A new woodland has been planted on a prominent hill near Kendal by a Cumbrian conservation charity.

The Friends of the Lake District were joined by volunteers to put more than 500 saplings into the ground on the East side of The Helm. The planting is on land bought by the charity in 2007 where they hope to add another 500 trees in each of the next two winters. The new trees are a mix of oak, ash, hazel, rowan, hawthorn and blackthorn. Related Internet Links Friends of the Lake District

एक कुम्ब्रियन संरक्षण दान द्वारा केंडल के पास एक प्रमुख पहाड़ी पर एक नया वुडलैंड लगाया गया है।


Horton General Hospital changes gynaecology services

Summary: A Banbury hospital has said it will expand its gynaecology services.

A dedicated surgery and diagnostic service will be provided on weekdays at Horton General Hospital. The Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust said it meant fewer women would have to travel to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for treatment. But a document handed to the BBC from staff on the gynaecology ward said the changes would lead to a reduction in jobs and pose a risk to patient safety. "Just providing all-day surgery will limit the skills and experience of surgeons and nurses and in return reduce the service that can be offered," it read. 'Less invasive' However, Professor Stephen Kennedy, clinical director for women's services at Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This will bring services at the Horton into line with those provided at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. "We expect to see more patients being treated at the Horton in Banbury as a result of these changes. "Many gynaecology procedures that used to require a patient to stay overnight, these days are done by far less invasive techniques and are therefore done as day procedures." Currently patients with other conditions regularly occupy up to 60% of the 12-bed gynaecology ward at the hospital. With fewer women expected to stay overnight under the new system the beds will be reduced from 12 to around 6 and relocated onto the general surgical ward. There will also be more specialist clinics for women with menstrual or bladder problems or issues during the early stages of pregnancy. Debbie Pearman from the Royal College of Nursing in Oxfordshire said gynaecology patients would find themselves competing with other patients. "They won't have the facilities they had in the other ward and they will lose the dedicated team of gynae nurses to look after them," she said. The document from the Horton staff calls the staff numbers involved "inadequate". "The potential for this to lead to unsafe and poor practice is high," it said. A health scrutiny meeting next week will decide whether there should be a public consultation. If not the changes are expected to be rolled out over the coming weeks.

एक बैनबरी अस्पताल ने कहा है कि वह अपनी स्त्री रोग सेवाओं का विस्तार करेगा।


Skylon: A British dream of space

Summary: I'm listening to a countdown. Not in the steamy Florida heat of Cape Canaveral. Or the desert winds of Baikonur in Kazakhstan. Instead this one is under way in a makeshift cabin under drizzly skies in a corner of Oxfordshire.

David ShukmanScience editor Some great inventions began in humble surroundings - think Bill Gates and Steve Jobs toiling in their garages - so I'm not being critical. But as the seconds tick away to the firing up of a revolutionary new British space engine, it's hard not to speculate on its chances of success. The engine is for the Skylon project, an ambitious scheme for a craft that would realise a long-cherished dream: to fly non-stop from airport to cosmos. Skylon reminds me of the optimistic days of my childhood when 60s Britain, still humming with aeronautical self-belief, built its own rockets and supersonic warplanes. Concorde was in the air and it was every schoolboy's conviction that the next inevitable step would see Union Jacks flying in space. The concept looks pleasingly retro: streamlined, black, Dan Dare sleek. Stubby wings carry two curiously curved engines. The craft is meant to speed off a runway and accelerate gracefully into orbit in a single blast, perform a task like launching a satellite and then glide back home to its hangar. A computer animation makes it look easy: no booster rockets, no waste of abandoned fuel tanks, no costly palaver at the launch pad. A genuine space plane, Skylon would do what the Space Shuttle never could: offer affordable and regular service into orbit. The key is a unique motor, the Sabre, which serves as jet engine and rocket rolled into one. Its critical component is an ingenious device that can cool the incoming air almost instantaneously. At Mach 4 or 5, the air flow would become dangerously hot but this heat exchanger - consisting of a dense and closely-guarded bundle of tiny tubes - would chill things down to a manageable temperature in milliseconds. This would allow the jet engine to operate at up to five times the speed of sound - an achievement in itself - and make use of the supply of oxygen drawn from the air. That in turn means less liquid oxygen needs to be carried to oxidize the fuel. Clever stuff - and potentially game-changing. Every space launch for the past 60 years has involved blasting off vertically and jettisoning separate stages once the fuel they carry is exhausted. Skylon would transform all that and last year it passed a key test: a lengthy study by the European Space Agency, funded by the UK government, could not find any obvious obstacles. It was not an official endorsement but, significantly, it was not a rejection. So the ambition of a runway-to-orbit craft is not wishful thinking. It is judged to be technologically plausible, and the tests we are witnessing are designed to prove it. At the end of the countdown there's a brief silence. But not for long. Within a few seconds the engine roars into life. Determined optimism A cloud of steam shoots into the air. The little cabin shakes and feels like it might lift off. We've been briefed on where to muster for safety if the device explodes: basically, get away. The experiment runs for a noisy 360 seconds. The team are optimistic their design will work. The mastermind, Alan Bond, is determined. He needs to be: he's been involved in the concept since the early 80s, when it was called Hotol, constantly struggling with funding while keeping alive a flame of belief that Skylon represents the future. Amid the din, my mind wanders to a few other great British inventions, and their fates. When the last Concorde came into land at Heathrow, I was standing in a field right below it - a high adrenaline moment - but the noise was literally breathtaking. And that was the plane's undoing. Everyone admired the beautiful lines, and for a while supersonic passenger travel was a reality, but few countries would tolerate the racket so the wonder jet died and no one has tried to replace it. Will Skylon prove more popular? On Christmas morning 2003, another feat of British technological wizardry was in action. Beagle disappointment The tiny Beagle-2 spacecraft, packed with innovative equipment to search for signs of life, was descending to the surface of Mars. Like Skylon, it had taken real chutzpah to win support. Also like Skylon, Beagle offered the chance of leapfrogging ahead of Nasa. It had a lot going for it. But in the dark of that fateful day we waited for a signal. And waited. No news was bad news: the little space-chic craft, carrying a painting by Damian Hirst and an audio test signal by Blur, vanished without trace. And in the icy wastes of northern Sweden, I witnessed the death of Britain's chances of being a space power in its own right. The last truly British rocket, a spindly machine with the delightful name of Skylark, was about to be launched from ESA's Arctic range at Kiruna. It was 2005. The Skylark was the end of a line that had begun back in headier days of the 1950s. Government funding had then dried up. A hardy band had kept the final batch going, lofting experiments for a few gravity-free minutes. But long before then the Americans, Russians and Europeans had made massive, well-funded advances and British interest dwindled. Funding issues So can Skylon rekindle that dream? To succeed, it needs to capture a healthy slice of the market for satellite launches. That's the biggest potential earner. But to do that, it must prove viable. But that is only possible with billions in funding. Will the government provide that? It likes the project but that kind of money is highly unlikely. Would the European Space Agency pay? Not if it undermines its own Ariane launcher. So will the private sector stump up? That's the hope of the project team. But would big backers emerge before they know if Skylon will actually do what it's meant to? Engineering, however ingenious, is not enough to guarantee success; finance and politics are critical ingredients too. Britain has a thriving space industry but one that focuses on satellites and sensors, not spaceflight. We step outside. The steam has cleared. Wearing a helmet and face shield, I'm allowed to stand close to the miracle engine. I think aloud as I work out what to say on camera. Alan Bond, standing close by, hears me say that Skylon 'could make space travel easier.' He intervenes. "Not 'could'," he says. "It's not 'Skylon could make space travel easier'. It's 'Skylon will make space travel easier'." I like the team and their ambition and their Britishness. And I admire their grit in the face of so many obstacles. Alan Bond may yet be proved correct. But right now we really can't tell if his dream will soar beyond Oxfordshire.

मैं एक उलटी गिनती सुन रहा हूँ। न तो केप कैनावेरल की भाप से भरी फ्लोरिडा की गर्मी में। न ही कजाकिस्तान में बैकोनूर की रेगिस्तानी हवाओं में। इसके बजाय यह ऑक्सफोर्डशायर के एक कोने में बूंदा-बांदी वाले आसमान के नीचे एक अस्थायी केबिन में चल रहा है।


The Queen and I: 63 memories for 63 years as monarch

Summary: On 9 September 2015 Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest-reigning monarch in British history, breaking the record held by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria.

As the Queen marks this milestone we asked you to share your "moments" with her from the past 63 years. Here is a snapshot of 63 of your memories, one for each year of her reign. 1. 2. I met the Queen in 2000. I handed her a bunch of sweet peas that I picked from my garden. She said thank you and Prince Phillip gave me a wink! James Townson, Preston, England 3. I met the Queen in 1999 in Portsmouth for an Easter parade. I gave her the biggest egg and she asked me if there were any jewels inside. I just shook my head not really knowing what to say! Natasha Standley, Portsmouth, England 4. 5. I was four, I still remember having to practise curtsying before giving her some flowers. Jessica Mullett, Plymouth, England 6. I was two feet away from Her Majesty and I just pointed and shouted "Oh my [expletive] god, it's the Queen!" Mark Malik, London, England 7. 8. I was 10 when the Queen came to Paris in 1957. I remember she wore a blue dress with a hat that looked like a bathing cap. Alain Roger-Ravily, Paris, France 9. I met the Queen when I was at school at RAF Marham. My mum and dad had lunch with her. Apparently she eats slowly because when she finishes, they clear away everyone's plates! Barney Durrant, East Grinstead, England 10. 11. I was three or four. I ran up and gave her some flowers. My mum told me off because I didn't curtsy, but I pointed out I was wearing dungarees so couldn't. Heather Emerton, Bournemouth, England 12. I was in Pennsylvania to see the Liberty Bell. A man in a suit with an ear phone walked up to me and requested I leave as the Queen was going to view the bell. I was shocked and preceded down to the corner of the road. At this point a limousine stopped where I was standing as the Queen was right next to me. Robert Eldridge, Florida, US 13. I had been told not to look at the Queen when she speaks to you, but I just couldn't help it because she spoke to me! Henry Tavoa, Port Villa, Vanuatu 14. 15. Jo-Ann Mandat from Ontario, Canada was dancing at a show in Toronto in the 1980s when she met the Queen. After the show she said Prince Philip offered to take her back to England in his suitcase! 16. I was invited to an afternoon tea at Margam Abbey with Her Majesty and some 400 guests. She came in looking rather tired, looked straight at me and broke into a wide grin. Megan, Cheshire, England 17. 18. I met Her Majesty during a private audience. It was an amazing experience to sit and chat with her in Buckingham Palace. She clearly had a genuine interest in and concern for my regiment - The Calgary Highlanders. Russ Meades, Victoria, Canada 19. We played "Isn't she lovely" by Stevie Wonder as she arrived at Burton Train Station in 1977. She stopped and told us our playing was lovely. Ed, originally from Barton under Needwood, England 20. We travelled out to the highway from our house on Lake Muskoka to see the Queen and Prince Philip during their 1959 tour of Canada. I remember them waving at us as they drove by. Elvina Campbell, Toronto, Canada 21. 22. Anna Powell from Manchester, England says she was almost run over by the Queen as a five-year-old, while walking with her parents in Windsor Great Park in 1985. 23. Rosie Atkins met the Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2000, when a borrowed mobile phone rang in her pocket. The Queen said: "You had better answer that, it might be someone important!" 24. I met her as a Girl Guide. She asked "How many badges have you got?" I was completely flustered and answered "Lots! I have lots more at home too!" It was the worst answer in history. Erin Jackson, Dumfries, Scotland 25. 26. On returning to the US after a trip to England, the passport officer asked if I had met the Queen. When I said yes, he was astonished. He told me he asked everyone who went through his line after a trip to the UK and I was the first to say yes. Carol Williamson, Pennsylvania, US 27. I met the Queen when I was teaching at Llanelli Boys Grammar School. I stood very close to her and was surprised that she was about my height, so not very tall! Pamela Evans, Swansea, Wales 28. We were told if Her Majesty stops to speak to you, reply "Mam" or "Your Majesty". As the Queen approached sure enough I hear: "How long have you been in the army?" Proudly I say: "Three years sir!" Kenny Owen via Facebook 29. 30. I met the Queen on a state visit to Brunei Darussalam. Upon leaving I heard her say to the sultan: "Well toodle-pip! If you are in London, do drop in." Richard Harbord, Norfolk, England 31. Jack Irwin from Dublin met the Queen when she visited Ireland in 2011. "She wished me the best of luck with my studies, while the Duke was his cheeky self getting laughs galore with his commentary." 32. 33. In the autumn of 2005 she visited the hospital where I was working and wanted to meet staff caring for patients after 7/7. She was softly spoken, very chatty and quite knowledgeable. Michaela Davies, Bromley, England 34. The smile she gave me was that of a grandma who hadn't seen her grandchild for 20 years. It lit up the room says Dr Julia Malkin from Leicester on receiving her MBE in 2011. 35. I met the Queen when I was an acting student. After the performance she asked me how long the play was going to run, I spluttered out "Two years... I mean months... weeks!" She looked at me as if I were completely deranged, smiled and passed graciously on. Hayward Morse, England and Canada 36. 37. Her Majesty visited Delhi and inaugurated a 14ft high ceramic mural I designed. I spoke to her at length. My encounter was recorded in a video, which, at the time, I could not afford to buy. Sumita Sinha, London, England 38. We all got a big smile from the Queen when she visited Maltby Comprehensive School in 1977 during the Silver Jubilee tour. Barry Porteus, Doncaster, England 39. Can you lie to a Queen? Paul Harman from St Albans faced that dilemma: "The Queen asked me if the rose I had given her came from my garden. It hadn't - someone in the crowd had given it to me to pass to her. Can I lie to the Queen and say yes? Because otherwise I'd have to admit I hadn't brought anything to give her!" 40. 41. Elisa Boccara comments on Facebook that she saw the Queen driving around in the grounds in Windsor, she added "I did not meet her as such but still it was cool". 42. I had the honour of seeing the Queen up close during the parade when she visited Bromley High Street in Kent. It was a surreal moment seeing her in reality rather than on a TV screen. Rebecca East, Bromley, England 43. Jessica Ferris's dad wrote about their meeting with the Queen. Jessica and her sister started wailing in stereo just as the Queen walked past on a visit to Portsmouth. The Queen gave a look and a sympathetic smile that only a mother can give. 44. 45. I was in the Cubs in Shetland when she came to visit. I really wanted to speak to her so we had a conversation about my friend's dad's hang-gliding accident. She was incredibly polite and listened to the story. Neil Ruddiforth, Balmedie, Scotland 46. I had no idea where England was, or who Elizabeth was. But I figured that the beautiful lady I saw for a few fleeting moments in a cavalcade in Kolkata must be the one who everybody was waiting to see. Basistha Basu, Kolkata, India 47. Roger Davey met the Queen in Adelaide, Australia said "After meeting her I wanted to explore beyond the very remote sheep ranch that had been my life up to that point." 48. 49. I welcomed the Queen to a state banquet in 1995 hosted by President Nelson Mandela at The Cape Sun Intercontinental Hotel in Cape Town where I was managing director. Harry Murray, Bath, England 50. Annette Holden said on Facebook that she had met the Royal Family on many occasions: "In the mid to late 1970s my parents ran the King's Head in Great Bircham, near Sandringham. There was a Lodge on our grounds they used for shooting parties." 51. We were out on my great aunt's front yard when the Queen and Prince Philip drove past. She waved, we waved, it was all very exciting. Sheree Adams, Austin, Texas, US 52. 53. On the anniversary of the Falklands War Her Majesty visited Pangbourne College where I was a student as it holds the memorial chapel. She came up and asked about our military uniforms. Calum Steele, Oxford, England 54. While we were waiting to meet the Queen, a plain-clothed policewoman, presumably trying to entertain me while we were waiting, showed me her gun in her bag. I was terrified. But I do remember my brother gave her some flowers and she said "thank you young man". Emma Heron, Bristol, England 55. The Queen came to our school's quarter centenary in 1984. At the time I was the editor of the "Alternative" which was the school's magazine. She asked: "Is it scandalous?" Simon Clark, near Cambridge, England 56. 57. I met the Queen during her state visit Hull in 2008. I was part of the "Royal Guard" presented by Hull Trinity House School, as a member of the school. Sam Piercy, Hull, England 58. When the Queen was introduced to me she responded "Oh we have a Commonwealth Association of Architects too?" Tony Godwin former executive director for the Commonwealth Association of Architects. 59. 60. I was chosen to be the staff representative in the Letters to the Future project, where 800 people wrote letters to be opened on the 900th anniversary, it was part of the Queen's visit to the University of Cambridge's 800th year celebrations. Rebecca Holmes, Cambridge, England 61. I remember how exciting it was to see her close up. I have had a countdown to her becoming the longest-reigning British monarch on my phone. Suzie Rishworth, Hampshire, England 62. 63. And finally... Carol Boyd hasn't met the Queen yet but she's hopeful: "I'm hoping to see her open the Borders Railway on 9th September (when she becomes the longest reigning British monarch)." Watch this space! Produced by Natalie Miller

9 सितंबर 2015 को महारानी एलिजाबेथ द्वितीय अपनी परदादी रानी विक्टोरिया के रिकॉर्ड को तोड़ते हुए ब्रिटिश इतिहास में सबसे लंबे समय तक शासन करने वाली सम्राट बन गईं।


Typhoon Haiyan: Tacloban survivors wait for aid

Summary: One week after Typhoon Haiyan ravaged the central Philippines, aid has begun to arrive in the city of Tacloban, one of the worst-affected areas. But as the BBC's Rajesh Mirchandani found out, it has yet to reach many of those most in need.

The body bags lay by the side of the main road. Fifteen of them, I counted. Two were child-sized. Somebody had clearly gone to the trouble of giving these poor wretches some shred of dignity - a shroud of dignity? Except it wasn't, really. Why bag them, move them and leave - why not take them away? It's a sign of the chaos that has engulfed the city of Tacloban, just as the wave did one week earlier. Stoical Along this particular stretch of wreckage, people casually stepped over the body bags and continued past. Many crossed the street and joined the end of a long line, maybe 1,000 long, waiting in the hope of food aid. They'd heard it was due to be distributed at the Tacloban Convention Centre - itself damaged, but still a new home for thousands. There was no sense of anger in that line of hungry faces, no simmering tension. In the Philippines they call this "bahala na", which roughly translates as "come what may" and suggests a stoical, good-natured attitude. As they sheltered under umbrellas from the brutal tropical sun, their faces displayed just tiredness and resignation - apart from the many children, who were playful and engaging. But Abigail Salis' two toddlers were not there. They were being looked after by their grandmother in the ruins of a collapsed office building across the street - their new home. The typhoon made Abigail a widow and now she was worried about how she would look after her children. They had survived on biscuits and a little water since the storm. They had eaten nothing on the day we met. Abigail told me she had not been in line for long, maybe 30 minutes. Ahead of her, the line snaked for more than 100m (110 yards). Inside the gates of the Convention Centre, the line became more of a gathering and where it ended there was nothing. Not a food distribution point, not a government or UN truck, not even a bag of rice. People at the front told me they had been waiting for four hours. One woman said she had not had any water since 7am the day before. The Dopa family, including 11-year-old Cherry Mae and Nathaniel, 9, squatted on the concrete and huddled for shade. "What are you most worried about?" I asked Mrs Dopa. "My children's education," she told me. She wore a t-shirt with the slogan "Fan of books". While we were at the Convention Centre no food arrived, let alone was given out to people. Yet parked outside, within sight of those waiting, were two flat-bed trucks laden with food supplies, donated by a private company. They told me that there was no-one to coordinate their donations, so they just waited. And the people still went hungry. Bahala na.

मध्य फिलीपींस में तूफान हैयान के तबाही मचाने के एक हफ्ते बाद, सबसे अधिक प्रभावित क्षेत्रों में से एक, टैक्लोबन शहर में सहायता पहुँचनी शुरू हो गई है। लेकिन जैसा कि बीबीसी के राजेश मीरचंदानी को पता चला है, यह अभी तक उन लोगों तक नहीं पहुँचा है जिन्हें इसकी सबसे अधिक आवश्यकता है।


Why is Labour asking MPs if they'll run again?

Summary: Labour's General Secretary Jennie Formby has written to Labour MPs asking them if they intend to stand as candidates in the next election. She wants a reply by 8 July. BBC political correspondent Iain Watson explains why.

The Labour NEC inner core - 'the officers' group' - met today to discuss parliamentary selections. The fact that the party's leading official - the General Secretary Jennie Formby - is writing to MPs to find out if they intend to re-stand as Labour candidates is evidence that the opposition are putting themselves on an election footing. This is in case a confidence vote against a new Conservative leader succeeds - or indeed if that new leader calls a general election themselves. But that's unlikely to be the only reason for the letter. Trigger happy One source told me the NEC officers discussed "trigger ballots"- i.e. the process of selection/de-selection - at their meeting. It seems they haven't changed the rules to make deselections easier - but MPs can still be ousted under existing rules. Essentially, a local party can decide to "trigger" a contest rather than automatically re-adopt the sitting MP. The incumbent -if s/he doesn't throw in the towel - then has to face a competition to become the Labour election candidate. Some on the Left wanted to see "open" selections in all cases, but that failed to get the support of big unions at last year's Labour conference. But irrespective of the formal process of selection/reselection, if a snap election is called, the sitting MP is - basically - automatically reselected. And the Left felt they were lumbered with some MPs they didn't want, but couldn't get rid of, in 2017. So the Formby letter could be the first step in the process of finding out where battles - should the Left want to fight them - would or wouldn't be necessary. I.e. if an MP they don't like says they intend to go, there would be no need for a trigger ballot and a row in that constituency. Changing the party Jeremy Corbyn has drawn his authority from Labour's wider membership, not its MPs. The recent meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) which he addressed in the wake of the European elections was particularly fractious. So by firing the starting gun on the parliamentary selection process today, local parties would have time to change candidates before an autumn poll. This could be the start of a process which reshapes the PLP a bit more in the image of the leadership - though in practice the changes may not be all that dramatic. Some MPs may be judged more on work rate, or indeed on Brexit, rather than purely on where they stand in a left/right spectrum. But by smoking out the intentions of sitting MPs, the party's factions will better know where they needs to focus their efforts if they want to change the personnel and politics of the PLP.

लेबर की महासचिव जेनी फॉर्मबी ने लेबर सांसदों को पत्र लिखकर पूछा है कि क्या वे अगले चुनाव में उम्मीदवार के रूप में खड़े होने का इरादा रखते हैं। वह 8 जुलाई तक जवाब चाहती हैं। बीबीसी के राजनीतिक संवाददाता इयान वॉटसन बताते हैं कि क्यों।


Kosovo tear gas: MPs stage protest in parliament again

Summary: Opposition MPs have let off tear gas in Kosovo's parliament - a week after a previous such protest in the chamber.

Opposition lawmakers are angry at a deal with Serbia which grants more autonomy to Serb-majority areas. MP Albin Kurti was arrested after last week's tear gas protest - his arrest triggered violent protests in the capital Pristina. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians broke away from Serbia in an armed revolt in 1999, then declared independence in 2008. Most Western countries recognise Kosovo, but Serbia and Russia do not. MPs opposed to the deal, and another with Montenegro over borders, have said they will disrupt parliament until they are rescinded.

विपक्षी सांसदों ने कोसोवो की संसद में आँसू गैस छोड़ी है-कक्ष में इस तरह के पिछले विरोध के एक सप्ताह बाद।


Nice attack: 'Such friendly faces' - city in shock after murders

Summary: Outside the doors of Notre-Dame, the bright light of a Nice morning rose on Friday on small collections of flowers and candles left by local residents overnight. The message on one bouquet reads, "Nice is still standing. Rest in peace."

By Lucy WilliamsonBBC News, Nice For the living, though, peace seems far from reach. Outside the church was the treasurer of Notre Dame, Jean-François Gourdon. He knew one of the victims well: the church warden, Vincent Loquès. He told me how he'd left Vincent in the church yesterday morning, just before the attack, and had returned to find him dead - a large wound to his throat. "I'm completely devastated," he said, describing the emptiness he felt. He went straight to tell Vincent's wife. "As soon as she saw me, she knew," he said. The couple had just bought a house in a nearby village and were making plans to move. They had been due to celebrate Vincent's birthday this week. This is the third terrorist attack France has suffered in just over a month. After a knife attack on staff at a television company in Paris, and the beheading of a history teacher in a nearby suburb, there are now three more victims, killed inside this church. President Emmanuel Macron has been increasingly insistent that this is a battle for France's fundamental values, and that the country "will never give in" to what he called Islamist terrorist attacks. Military patrols are being doubled, to provide extra protection to churches and other places of worship, and also to schools when they return from holiday next week. The government has already launched a frenzy of initiatives after the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty a fortnight ago: clamping down on radical Islamist rhetoric and associations, curbing online hate speech, and terrorist funding; and promising more support for schools. That murder of Mr Paty, for showing his class cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, triggered a surge of secular defiance in France. At the teacher's memorial, President Macron defended France's right to offend, saying the country would never give up making cartoons. This time, though, the target was religious. The message: faith offers no protection and France no place of refuge from attack. One man stopped outside Notre-Dame last night to ask us, "Which one is it?" He lived opposite the church, he told us, and had heard the gunfire. He knew all the officials at Notre-Dame. "They're such friendly faces," he said. "If it's the younger one, that's terrible." He meant Vincent. He turned to go back home, still dazed by what had happened. Other residents seemed far more resigned. This is not the first time France - or Nice - has lived through a horrific attack. Since 2015, there has been terrorist violence every year. And security is just one fear among many at the moment. "We're going to have to reconsecrate the church," Mr Gourdon told me, ruefully. "But it'll only be a few of us, because of lockdown." There's been a sharp surge in coronavirus infections across the country, and - despite real fears for the economy - France re-entered national lockdown today. The deaths of Vincent and his two parishioners have already slipped down the headlines, as France enters a strange new kind of reality, where the most human instincts will again be disrupted, and mourning will take place behind closed doors.

नोट्रे-डेम के दरवाजों के बाहर, स्थानीय निवासियों द्वारा रात भर छोड़े गए फूलों और मोमबत्तियों के छोटे संग्रह पर शुक्रवार को एक अच्छी सुबह की उज्ज्वल रोशनी उठी। एक गुलदस्ते पर संदेश लिखा है, "अच्छा अभी भी खड़ा है। शांति से आराम करें।"


Viktor Orban: The man who thinks Europe is being invaded

Summary: Viktor Orban presents himself as the defender of Hungary and Europe against Muslim migrants.

He hopes to win a third consecutive term as a prime minister who puts national sovereignty before everything else. But critics attack him as a racist and an authoritarian. What will it mean for Europe if he wins again? Tap here to read more

विक्टर ऑर्बन खुद को मुस्लिम प्रवासियों के खिलाफ हंगरी और यूरोप के रक्षक के रूप में प्रस्तुत करते हैं।


Oil price: fluid, pumped up or sticky?

Summary: There's not much point in a cartel that doesn't collude. So after an eight-year gap since it last flexed its market muscle, Opec reassured at least itself that there's life in the old stitch-up yet.

Douglas FraserBusiness/economy editor, Scotland The last two of these years have seen the 14 members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, with around 43% of world production, let their production levels fly free. It was at the 2014 winter meeting at its Vienna headquarters, when the price had already been falling for five months, that Saudi Arabia made plain that it was going to keep pumping. The price could fall, and the devil take the hindmost. The hindmost Riyadh had in mind were the US shale oil newcomers. Saudi wanted to push the price below the cost of American production, and regain its global market share. Digging deep That had some effect, but apparently because of hedged US sales contracts, it was a lot slower than Opec's leaders had anticipated. And it probably caused much more harm to the finances of Opec member states and some others outside the organisation than it did to Texas and the Dakotas. They can bounce back when the price goes up. Venezuela in particular struggled. Nigeria likewise, with the added challenge of attacks on its infrastructure. Brazil and Russia's economy were left badly exposed. There was more evidence this week that the Brazilian economy is contracting. Saudi itself had to dig deep to cover the cost to its government revenues of oil falling as low as $30 last January. And in Britain, with less than 2% of global production? Oil revenues became net tax credits, North Sea cash went negative, and the industry had to slash at costs and capital projects. The latest survey, from the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, this week reflected the depth of what has happened. It found two-thirds of companies in the sector have shed workers in the last year. Among operators, that has been 15% of UK staff, and for contractors it has been 7%. Some 43% of companies in the survey said they had cut pay. Average pay across the sector was found to be down 4.5%. The better news for north-east Scotland was that 36% thought the industry would reach the bottom of this cycle during the next 12 months, while 29% think it's already past. Rock and roil The Opec deal was trailed in September, pushing the price above $53 per barrel. But as Saudi and Iran aren't exactly the best of buddies these days, and as Iran has been pushing to return its production to pre-2010 sanctions days, expectations of a deal fell away to near certainty that it had failed. It's been a year of surprises. Taking nearly a half share of the 1.2m cut in production, it leaves Saudi output above 10m barrels per day. Iran has won its battle with Saudi to be allowed to return close to pre-sanctions production, close to 13% of Opec's market share. Continuing regional rivalry and hot wars raging around them could lead to the deal unravelling. It is Iraq that has been the producer growing output fastest. The latest market report form energy consultancy Douglas-Westwood says it has gone up from 3.4m barrels per day in 2014 to 4.8m this year. The statement after the Vienna meeting reflected a concern that subdued prices and a lack of stability provided by OPEC was undermining more than its members revenues. The industry has been rocked and roiled by the collapse in demand, and it is clear that producing countries are concerned about securing the stability also of their supply chain. With prices up nearly 9% in the day to just over $50 after expectations were confounded and the deal was announced, such a modest increase does not suggest this is yet a game-changer for global oil - the kind that could return to the investment good times pre-June 2014. Why? Well, there are thought to be very high levels of stocks in storage around the world - thought, because it is not clear how much the Chinese and Russians have set aside. It's also because traders know that a sustained rise towards the $60 range is going to bring back those shale producers. The North American industry has slashed at costs too. After its fracking rig count was cut back sharply, and onshore drilling fell in the past two years by 74%. So the Saudi tactic worked. But America is now poised to go frackers once more, getting back to work at a lower break-even price, and with a president-elect who has been keen to boost domestic energy production. The Douglas-Westwood consultancy suggests that the capital cost of US shale has been cut by 40% per barrel since the boom times before the price decline began in 2014. Deep water capital costs have fallen too, but by only half that rate. A calculation by oil analysts at SEB, the Nordic business bank, suggests that a cut of 1m barrels per day by Opec should push the price up to around $55. And it went on to forecast a consequent rise in US shale production of half a million barrels. So the Douglas-Westwood longer-term projection is for North American production returning to its 2015 levels by 2020, rising to a whopping 17m barrels per day by 2022. Taps off That's one of the better prospects for meeting supply as older reservoirs dry up. The hiatus in the industry's investment pattern from the price crash of the past two years has left newcomers with deep water prospects, such as Angola and Brazil, with few big fields in preparation. It takes a long time and a lot of capital to get them into production. If the price signals are right in the early part of next decade, as global demand rises at around 1% to 1.5% per year, they can be brought into play. That may also be true of fields in UK waters. But in the meantime, it seems short-term market changes will be met by the taps being switched on and off in the Middle East and North America, as they battle for market share. And they'll watch closely as the energy balance shifts. Gas is getting more attention, as the relatively clean means of bridging from coal and oil to renewable energy to meet climate change targets. Energy efficiency is improving rapidly in road transport, while car usage continues to soar in developing nations. There are plenty people who would like to see dependence on oil cut sharply, but harder to find forecasts that see that happening. It may represent a smaller share of total energy use, but that would be while energy use rises significantly - a smaller share of a fast-growing total.

एक गुट में बहुत अधिक बात नहीं है जो मिली-जुली नहीं है। इसलिए आठ साल के अंतराल के बाद जब से उसने आखिरी बार अपनी बाजार की मांसपेशियों को फ्लेक्स किया था, ओपेक ने कम से कम खुद को आश्वस्त किया कि पुराने सिलाई में अभी भी जीवन है।


"Stand Up, Speak Out" to fight poverty

Summary: Millions of people are taking part in an international day of action to demand that governments take urgent steps to end global poverty.People at events in ninety countries have been listening to speeches and joining in songs as part of the campaign "Stand Up, Speak Out".

The events are designed to focus attention on the United Nations millennium goal of halving the number of people living in severe poverty by 2015. The organisers say not enough progress is being made and 50,000 people are dying every day from preventable causes linked to poverty. Sri Lanka women Large number of women gathered in Colombo to commemorate the day. An event organised by the Women for Social Justice was represented by many underprivileged sections of the country. Fishermen's protest Sujeewa Fernando, a fisherwoman who took part in the event said poverty among the fishing community is growing alarmingly. She said foreign fishing vessels which arrive in the Sri Lankan territorial waters not only destroy fisheries resources but also fishing equipment of the poor fishermen. This has been aggravated by the ever increasing fuel prices which have caused enormous hardships to the fisher folk. "We are facing difficulties and this situation has made our life miserable", Sujeewa Fernando said. "We want to give our children a good education but they have to leave schools at an early age because we can't afford to pay for their food, clothing etc. But we want them to do better", she added. Plantation workers An estate worker, Govindan Yamuna from Nuwara Eliya said that the estate management is exploiting uneducated women who work in the estate sector. She said that they get Rs.135.00 a day which is hardly sufficient for a family. "The cost of living is going up and it is difficult to manage day - today expenses, children's education and welfare", she added. Padma Pushpakanthi, convener, Women for Justice said government's development programmes have not achieved anything for the poor. Most of the projects such as highways, airport and buildings are only for the rich and these are producing only development refugees.

लाखों लोग एक अंतरराष्ट्रीय कार्रवाई दिवस में भाग ले रहे हैं ताकि यह मांग की जा सके कि सरकारें नब्बे देशों में होने वाले कार्यक्रमों में वैश्विक poverty.People को समाप्त करने के लिए तत्काल कदम उठाएं और "स्टैंड अप, स्पीक आउट" अभियान के हिस्से के रूप में भाषण सुन रहे हैं और गीतों में शामिल हो रहे हैं।


US blizzard 2016: Seventeen pictures that sum up the snowstorm

Summary: People in the eastern part of the United States face a huge clear-up operation on Monday following a massive snow storm that brought many cities to a halt.

Public transport is expected to be severely restricted, roads remain dangerous and government offices and schools are all likely to remain closed or operate on reduced hours. Near record snowfall swept from the capital to New York, with at least 29 deaths reported since Friday. West Virginia New York New Jersey Washington DC Virginia Pennsylvania

संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका के पूर्वी भाग में लोगों को सोमवार को एक बड़े पैमाने पर बर्फ के तूफान के बाद एक बड़े सफाई अभियान का सामना करना पड़ा, जिसने कई शहरों को रोक दिया।


Singapore election: Does the political shake-up change anything?

Summary: Singapore may be one of the world's wealthiest and "smartest" countries, but there's one thing it has never had, until now - an official opposition party. After a recent surprising election, change is in the air, writes the BBC's Sharanjit Leyl.

On 10 July, voters wearing masks stood in socially distanced queues in Singapore to cast their ballot, with a pandemic crisis and looming recession on their minds The election - one of a handful globally during the pandemic - saw the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) return to power yet again, but to the surprise of many, with a reduced majority. The biggest opposition group, the Workers' Party, had its best result to date, winning 10 seats. Backing an opposition party in Singapore has largely been seen as a protest vote. And until now, the few opposition MPs have been a relatively powerless voice in parliament. While campaigning, the Workers Party leader Pritam Singh had in fact assured voters his party didn't even have ambitions to govern - they just wanted to be able to provide a check and balance to the PAP. But in response to the WP's unexpected success, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave Mr Singh the title of Official Leader of the Opposition - the first time any opposition leader in Singapore has been considered relevant enough to hold the post. It means Mr Singh is entitled to state funding for staff and resources, making his party a genuine opposition. In a statement to the BBC, Mr Singh points out that the party's numbers in parliament are still small and "far short of the one third required to break the ruling party's parliamentary supermajority". But it marks a major shift in politics and could be a step towards breaking the PAP's complete dominance of Singaporean politics. A one party state? Singaporeans have never experienced a time where the PAP was not in charge - they have won every election since Singapore was granted self rule by the British in 1959. The party was co-founded by Lee Kuan Yew, considered by many to be the architect of Singapore's rapid economic success. So aligned is the party with "LKY" that his death shortly before elections in 2015 saw a surge of support for the PAP. His son, Lee Hsien Loong, is the current prime minister. While credited with spearheading Singapore's success, the PAP has also been accused of implementing draconian policies such as strictly regulating public assembly and the media. A "fake news" law implemented last year - which allows government ministers to order amendments to online posts it deems false and harmful to the public interest - has heightened concerns of yet more limits to freedom of expression and increasing self-censorship. During the recent elections, a number of media organisations and sites carrying comments from an opposition candidate fell victim to the law. And while Singaporean politics mirrors the first-past-the-post Westminster model, there are key differences that make it harder for opposition parties. MPs contest for constituencies that vary in size and the larger ones are not represented by an individual MP, but by a team of up to five MPs - called Group Representative Constituencies (GRCs). The system was introduced in 1988 as a way to include more representation from Singapore's Malay, Indian and other minority groups in the predominantly Chinese city - so parties could "risk" running one or two minority candidates. But until recently, opposition parties have not had the resources to recruit enough skilled and experienced people to genuinely contest these larger constituencies. When the Workers' Party won the Aljunied GRC in 2011, it was considered a shock win and a breakthrough for opposition voices. This year, they have picked up another large GRC constituency. And, in what has been ranked the world's most expensive city, it's costly to even stand in an election. Candidates must deposit S$13,500 ($9,700: £7,700) to contest and need to win more than one-eighth of total votes to get it back. The electoral divisions of constituencies are often changed to reflect population growth - opposition parties say this is not done transparently and amounts to gerrymandering, something the government has always denied. On top of this, there are long-standing allegations that PAP-held areas tend to be allocated more funds for the improvement and maintenance of facilities than opposition constituencies, which discourages swing voters. The PAP declined a BBC interview request on these issues. All of this has meant that while oppositions parties are vocal and active, it's been almost impossible for them to gain ground. 'A freakish state of affairs' Pritam Singh campaigned on the premise that the government is more responsive to people's concerns when it loses elected seats, as they did in 2011, when the PAP suffered its worst election result and went on to change policies around immigration, a major source of consternation for many voters. His party's success has been largely attributed to young and first time voters, who make up about a third of the electorate and were keen to see Singapore develop as a democracy. What were seen to be PAP attacks against opposition candidates also put off the electorate. Eugene Tan, a regular commentator on politics, and an associate professor of law at the Singapore Management University, says the election result makes it clear that voters - especially younger one - are starting to view one-party dominance as "a freakish, even unfair, state of affairs". The PAP's "instinctive quest for political dominance" is " increasingly at odds with the electorate's growing belief that political competition and diversity… are critical ingredients of a robust system of good governance", he told the BBC. Viswa Sadasivan, a political blogger and academic, said this election was a game-changer in Singaporean politics. Like Mr Tan, he previously served as a "nominated MP" - seats handed to non-partisan individuals to provide alternate viewpoints. These nominated posts were created in 1990 at a time when there were barely any elected opposition members in parliament and the PAP would often win elections even before polling day because there were so few seats contested. The election result, he told the BBC, was "a slap-in-the-face for PM Lee Hsien Loong, who asked for a strong mandate from the people". They both contend that institutionally, the odds are still stacked against the opposition parties after many years of PAP dominance. But the ruling party will be under pressure now to review and revoke systemic political policies and practices that are unfair, according to Mr Viswa. Mr Tan says the PAP government may finally be coming to terms with the fact that "public perceptions" of "an un-level playing field is a growing source of grievance for voters". "That is hurting the ruling party ultimately," he said. According to both Mr Tan and Mr Viswa, with louder voices now in the opposing camp, politics will have to take a more collaborative tone - especially given recent dismal economic figures. Ultimately most Singaporeans agree, whichever side they voted for, that the outcome of this election is a sign their country's democracy may finally be maturing.

सिंगापुर दुनिया के सबसे धनी और "चतुर" देशों में से एक हो सकता है, लेकिन एक चीज है जो अब तक उसके पास कभी नहीं थी-एक आधिकारिक विपक्षी दल। हाल के आश्चर्यजनक चुनाव के बाद, परिवर्तन हवा में है, बीबीसी के शरणजीत लेल लिखते हैं।


The Martian: A 'love letter to science'

Summary: Matt Damon is lost in space in The Martian, a survival story with a difference that imagines what might happen if a Nasa astronaut were to get marooned on Mars. Here is what its cast, director and author of the original source novel had to say when Ridley Scott's blockbuster had its premiere at this year's Toronto Film Festival.

By Genevieve HassanEntertainment reporter When author Andy Weir first starting writing The Martian in 2009, little did he think it would not only be published but also get turned into a Hollywood motion picture. Especially since, after being turned down by publishers, Weir decided to release the book chapter-by-chapter on his website, free of charge. The Martian tells of Mark Watney, an astronaut who is believed dead by his crewmates and stranded on the Red Planet. With no way to signal Earth, he must use all his ingenuity and science background to survive on the inhospitable orb until a rescue mission can arrive. The serial was a hit with fans, a publisher came calling and, soon after, Hollywood snapped up the movie rights. Even then, though, Weir couldn't quite believe the interest was genuine. "You've got to get really suspicious when people are offering to make all your dreams come true for no readily apparent reason," he says. "For a while I was worried the print deal might be a hoax. "I kept waiting for a scam. But once they started sending me cheques, I thought: 'If they're scamming me, they're not very good at it'." The task of bringing Weir's story to the big screen fell to Drew Goddard, a writer who lists Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cloverfield and World War Z among his credits. Weir says he was relaxed about the treatment his book would receive, as Goddard kept him involved during the screenwriting process. "He called me a lot and sent me the screenplay for my feedback," he says. "I gave some feedback - and he ignored some of it - but I was calm and happy all the way through." Most films set in space are more fiction than science, But The Martian is the opposite, with Weir grounding its theories in technologies that already exist. Director Ridley Scott says the science content made the film easier to make in some ways, compared with his past space-themed films such as Alien and Prometheus. "The fantasy of space is a marvellous platform where anything goes," he says. "But you've got to make your own rule book and stick within those rules. "This was a lot easier, because you can lean heavily on the science and make a more realistic movie." In essence, the director continues, the story is identical to that of Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe, with science thrown in. "It reads as a very dense piece initially," he tells the BBC. "It's my job to un-dense it and make it watchable." To further boost the film's accuracy, Nasa and the European Space Agency were brought in as consultants. Jessica Chastain, who plays commander Melissa Lewis, visited Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and spent time with US astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson in order to understand her character better. The main appeal for the actress - who appeared with Damon in Interstellar last year, only to be kept firmly on terra firma - was being able to depict being in space. "I was really looking forward to the zero gravity stuff," she says. "When I was on set, I realised how many people are involved. "They're all on a the pulley system, controlling your movements, that makes you look like you're doing it. It's choreographed within a inch of its life." "The thing that's totally ridiculous, as grown-ups doing this, is in tighter shots it makes sense not to do wire work," says Damon. "You act while you're standing on one foot and moving slowly, but it totally works. "As big as these movies are, and with all the production value, you end up like you're a kid in your bedroom, pretending you're in space." While a manned mission to Mars and human colonisation of the planet may still be the stuff of fiction, Damon believes it is only a matter of time before it happens in reality. "We do need to get there, just so we don't have an extinction level event that ends the human species," he says. "We will have to get on other planets eventually." Until then, Damon hopes the film will inspire others as well as serving as a distraction during current economic and political troubles. "It's a really optimistic and hopeful movie - and sometimes that's our job, to put something like this out in the middle of really tough times," he says. "Drew [Goddard] described this the first time I met him as a love letter to science, and we talked about the incredible optimism and uplift of the story. "I thought that's something that would be wonderful to put out in the world, and hopefully it will catch on." Additional reporting by Neil Smith. The Martian is out in the UK on 30 September.

मैट डेमन द मार्टियन में अंतरिक्ष में खो जाता है, एक अलग उत्तरजीविता की कहानी जो कल्पना करती है कि अगर नासा के अंतरिक्ष यात्री मंगल ग्रह पर फंस जाते हैं तो क्या हो सकता है। यहाँ यह है कि इसके कलाकारों, निर्देशक और मूल स्रोत उपन्यास के लेखक को क्या कहना था जब रिडले स्कॉट की ब्लॉकबस्टर का प्रीमियर इस साल के टोरंटो फिल्म फेस्टिवल में हुआ था।


Fear the cyber enemy within or without?

Summary: What is more troubling - governments that apparently disregard the privacy of our phone calls and online activity in the interests of national security, or governments that seem to put a higher priority on hi-tech inward investment than on protecting national security?

Robert PestonEconomics editor In the past 24 hours, we have had alleged examples of both. There have been the reports in the Guardian that America's National Security Agency (NSA) has been secretly collecting customer phone records by the million from the telecoms giant Verizon and that it has direct access to the systems of Google, Microsoft, Apple, Skype, Facebook and YouTube, inter alia. (More on this from technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones.) Although many are outraged by what they see as a Big Brother impingement on citizens' right to privacy, for others it is a "dog bites man" story. We might loathe the idea, but we probably expect our security services to be eavesdropping and trampling on our civil liberties. Which is certainly not to downplay the significance of the NSA trawling through big data on all of us. There is an important question about whether fundamental freedoms are threatened (though no one seems to be suggesting that the US government is breaking the law). Perhaps the more surprising revelation on Thursday was by the UK's Intelligence and Security Committee, chaired by the former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind - because it revealed a mixture of complacency and extraordinary bungling by the British government over the purchasing of what the committee calls "critical national infrastructure" from a Chinese telecoms giant with "perceived links to the Chinese state". The infrastructure is BT's telecoms network, which was upgraded a few years ago as part of what was called the 21st Century Network Project. As part of this massive investment, BT bought transmission and access equipment, including routers, from China's Huawei, the world's second largest telecoms equipment company. As the committee says, it is the alleged links between Huawei and the Chinese state that are "concerning", as they "generate suspicion as to whether Huawei's intentions are strictly commercial or are more political". The committee also points out that "20% of detected cyber attacks against UK interests demonstrate levels of sophistication which indicate they are more likely to be state-sponsored" and "China is suspected of being one of the main perpetrators of state-sponsored attacks". Now the committee does not prove that Huawei has unhealthy links to the Chinese government. It points out that Huawei itself categorically denies direct links with China's government or military. But the committee regards these denials as surprising and can't verify them, so says that the British government should be vigilant, in case the links are real. What the committee argues is that the UK government has been anything but vigilant. Although BT first told government officials in 2003 of Huawei's interest in the network contract, it wasn't till 2006 that civil servants informed ministers - and that was a year after the contract had been signed. As the committee says, "there is no proper process of ensuring ministers are informed or consulted" which is "extraordinary given the seriousness of the issue". And, the committee adds, there is "a surprising lack of clarity as to which minister would be responsible for such decisions". In the event, the Home Secretary was eventually informed about the security implications, although the body that provided technical advice reports to the foreign secretary and the formal powers seem to rest with the culture media and sport secretary. It is a muddle. Nor is it clear whether the government has the formal power to intervene, should it choose to do so. Anyway, what's done is done. The provision of equipment by Huawei has been made. And, what's more, it seems to have been a stepping stone to a significant £1.2bn research investment by Huawei in the UK - which, in the light of Britain's economic woes, has been welcomed by the government. But the question remains whether British national security is at risk as a consequence of the Huawei contributions to BT's network. Again, the committee is not reassured or reassuring - even though one of Britain's intelligence agencies, GCHQ, said that it has confidence in BT's management of the network. The committee said: "The software that is embedded in telecommunications equipment consist of 'over a million lines of code' and GCHQ has been clear from the outset that 'it is just impossible to go through that much code and be absolutely confident you have found everything'." In 2010, the UK government raised its security concerns with Huawei, which agreed to establish a Cyber Security Evaluation Centre, called the Cell - which is supposed to verify that there are no security risks when Huawei equipment is sold to British businesses. However, the committee has a number of concerns about the Cell, namely that it has taken too long to be fully functional, that it is run by Huawei and it is staffed by Huawei people, albeit vetted by the British security services. The committee says "we remain concerned that a Huawei-run Cell is responsible for providing assurance about the security of Huawei products... A self-policing arrangement is highly unlikely to provide, or to be seen to be providing, the required levels of security assurance". There is a wider issue here for the committee, which is that there have not existed robust arrangements in government to vet procurement by private sector companies of all manner of equipment relating to critical national infrastructure projects. As the committee puts it, "where there is a privately owned company answerable to shareholders, many of whom may be based abroad, there will almost certainly be a tension with national security concerns". Or to put it another way, the imperative for a British public company will be to buy the best equipment at the lowest price. But the cheapest equipment may be the kit that is most vulnerable to cynical exploitation by a foreign government or other overseas interests with malign intentions. So the committee calls on the government to set up an effective early warning system for when there is foreign investment in critical national infrastructure and a procedure for assessing the immediate and longer term risks, As it happens, the government claims it has now developed just such a set of processes. But the committee caustically concludes that "whether these processes are sufficiently robust remains to be seen".

इससे अधिक परेशान करने वाली बात क्या है-वे सरकारें जो राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा के हित में हमारे फोन कॉल और ऑनलाइन गतिविधि की गोपनीयता की अवहेलना करती हैं, या वे सरकारें जो राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा की रक्षा करने की तुलना में उच्च तकनीक वाले आंतरिक निवेश को अधिक प्राथमिकता देती हैं?


Blackburn: A town still divided?

Summary: Blackburn was once described as one of the most segregated towns in Britain by the author of a report on riots across northern England. In 2007, Panorama found Blackburn's Muslim Asian and white communities were living worlds apart. Ten years on, has anything changed?

By Bushra SiddiqBBC Panorama In 2007 we made a programme called White Fright tracking the ethnic and religious divide between Muslim Asian and white residents in Blackburn. White residents were found to be leaving in large numbers and the two communities had separate lives. A decade on Panorama has returned to find a town that is even more divided. Some parts of Blackburn are only lived in by white residents and other areas are almost entirely Muslim Asian. 'Totally changed' Nazir Musa arrived in Blackburn as a three-year-old from East Africa in 1967. His family were some of the first Muslim Asian settlers to make the town their home. For Mr Musa, the Blackburn of his childhood is very different to the Blackburn he lives in today. "It's totally changed in my lifetime. There were probably about half a dozen Asian families here, nowadays there's probably half a dozen white families left," he says. Mr Musa is worried about what his town has become and what the future holds for Blackburn. When he first came to Blackburn it was difficult. Asian immigrants were met with racism and hostility but they still managed to integrate. He says the need to end segregation is greater than ever, but that there is "very little prospect for integration". Over the past four months Panorama has revisited many of the people featured in the White Fright programme in 2007. 'Fearing each other' Two residents we met were minicab drivers from opposite sides of town - Ian Goodliffe, who worked for a taxi firm staffed only by white drivers, and Mohammed Nawaz, whose colleagues were all Asian. Mr Goodliffe now works as a delivery driver and only visits the predominantly Asian parts of town in his job. Mr Nawaz still works as a minicab driver and only ventures into the mostly white parts of Blackburn when working. Mr Goodliffe lives in the Mill Hill area - still almost exclusively white - and speaks of how segregation is being driven by fears that have only worsened in the last decade. Although he does not himself fear the Asian Muslim community, he can understand why such a situation exists. He believes Islamist terrorism in the UK has influenced the thinking of some in the white community while Asian Muslim residents fear such incidents could make them the target of "reprisals". "It just puts more of a wedge between the two communities," he says. Mr Nawaz says he believes the Muslim community has grown in Blackburn to such an extent that "a majority of areas are Asian". "We're here to stay. We're not going to go anywhere," he said. This is a view echoed by many of Blackburn's Muslim Asian residents. Domestic terrorism perpetrated by those claiming to act in the name of Islam has made them feel like a community constantly under suspicion. For Blackburn's Muslims there has been a notable shift in the way their white neighbours see them. For Gulistan Khan, a prominent figure in Blackburn's Muslim Asian community, having to constantly speak out in the aftermath of terrorism is also causing a divide. "We're having to justify our allegiances with the country that we live in," he says. "But why is it that we have to do it every time. We're having to apologise for others and it has a huge impact on Muslims up and down the country." Government strategy But how can the issue of segregation be solved? After the 2001 riots that hit towns near Blackburn, including Burnley, Oldham and Bradford, Prof Ted Cantle was appointed by the home secretary to lead the Community Cohesion Review into the causes. He found a lack of understanding between communities in 2001 led to discontent and a couple of racist incidents that escalated into a disastrous situation. It has been 17 years since his report but Prof Cantle says very little had changed for the better. Communities, he says, are still living parallel lives and in Blackburn - where he was later asked to lead an initiative to promote integration - segregation is increasing residentially, socially and in education. Although some of the recommendations from his 2001 review were adopted, Prof Cantle believes on the issue of integration, "governments have failed to intervene" and a "completely new approach with a new vision about how we tackle some of these issues" is needed. He added the UK "should be very worried about segregation, because we have seen how that's contributed to tensions and disturbances in the past". Government strategy In 2016, the Casey Review warned of "worrying levels" of segregation that were fuelling both inequality and radicalisation. Dame Louise Casey had been asked by then Prime Minister David Cameron to examine the issue after the first Britons began to travel to Syria to fight for the so-called Islamic State group. She also examined the role that extremism can play in community segregation. Dame Louise told Panorama she believes segregation will only get worse without intervention. She added she was disappointed with the lack of response from the government following the publication of her report more than a year ago. She also believes an unwillingness to openly discuss segregation for fear of offending particular communities is still very much part of the problem. The Labour MP Chuka Umunna, the head of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration, believes the government is guilty of conflating issues of segregation with issues of radicalisation. He says this has left many young Muslims feeling marginalised and demonised. Mr Umunna told Panorama the issue of integration had been "swept under the carpet" and segregation is now a "national crisis" that has reached a tipping point. He says when different communities do not interact, the "extremes on all sides step into the vacuum" in order to "sow the seeds of mistrust and hatred". The country is, says Mr Umunna, "at that point right now and if we don't act we could end up going in a very ugly direction indeed". The government says it will be announcing its strategy to further strengthen community integration shortly. "Britain is on the whole, a well-integrated society," a government spokesperson said. "But we all must do more to make sure nobody is excluded and everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. Bringing the country even closer together is a shared responsibility." Panorama - White Fright: Divided Britain will be broadcast on BBC One on Monday 22 January, at 20:30 GMT, or watch later on BBC iPlayer.

ब्लैकबर्न को कभी उत्तरी इंग्लैंड में दंगों पर एक रिपोर्ट के लेखक द्वारा ब्रिटेन के सबसे अलग शहरों में से एक के रूप में वर्णित किया गया था। 2007 में, पैनोरमा ने पाया कि ब्लैकबर्न के मुस्लिम एशियाई और श्वेत समुदाय अलग-अलग दुनिया में रह रहे थे। दस साल बाद, क्या कुछ बदल गया है?