Julius Malema - South Africa's radical agenda setter

Summary: Juilus Malema may never be able to shake off the "firebrand" label, but the 38-year-old leader of South Africa's second largest opposition party can no longer be seen as simply a hot-headed politician.

The "son of the soil", as he has been styled by his Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has spent the last six years turning the party he founded into a disciplined force that has set the agenda in some policy areas. Expelled from the governing African National Congress (ANC) in 2012, Mr Malema, or "Juju" as he is sometimes called, has positioned the EFF as the true inheritor of the ANC's radical agenda and has exposed the governing party's left flank. The relentless focus by the EFF's commander-in-chief on the inequality in South Africa, and the failure of the ANC to redistribute land from the white minority to the black majority, has cost support for his former party, which led the fight against apartheid. The EFF took just more than 6% of the vote in 2014 in its first run in a general election, but its influence seems to outweigh that figure. The 25 MPs dressed in red boiler suits and hard hats in parliament along with their staged walkouts and Mr Malema's willingness to come out with quotable lines has meant he and his party have grabbed the attention. Hate speech Ever since the start of his public life he has not shied away from controversy, offending a wide range of people from women's rights groups, to white farmers, to his own political bosses. He has twice been found guilty of using hate speech - in 2010 and 2011 - first for comments he made about the woman that accused former President Jacob Zuma of rape and then for singing the song "Shoot the Boer (Afrikaner)". But age does not appear to have mellowed him and neither has studying for an honours degree in philosophy, which he completed in 2017. 'Cry babies' When talking to supporters about the land issue in 2016 he warned: "The land will be taken by any means necessary. "We are not calling for the slaughtering of white people. At least for now. What we are calling for is the peaceful occupation of land and we don't owe anyone an apology for that." In a 2018 interview with Turkish broadcaster TRT World he defended the comments and described anyone who thought that this might sound genocidal as "cry babies". You may also interested in: But his supporters enjoy the combative rhetoric, and Mr Malema remains an inspirational orator whose aggressive focus on the rights of poor black South Africans has earned him their love. As a result, the EFF's popularity has been growing. In the 2016 municipal elections the party won more than 8% of the national vote. Born in 1981, Mr Malema was raised by his mother Flora, a domestic worker, in Seshego township in the northern Limpopo province. He says he joined the ANC's young pioneer movement at the age of nine, where he was trained in armed resistance, and it took him just five years to become the regional head of the ANC Youth League. Seven things about Julius Malema He then gained a foothold in the student movement, before eventually becoming national leader of the Congress of South African Students in 2001. But it was his election as ANC Youth League leader in 2008 that made him a key player in national politics. His earliest actions as leader were to noisily campaign for Mr Zuma to take over - first as ANC leader and later as president - telling a crowd of supporters that he would "kill for Zuma". The land issue But Mr Malema's relationship with Mr Zuma soured soon after the latter became president in 2009. Mr Malema accused his former ally of ignoring the poor voters who had propelled him to power. And the idea that the ANC has distanced itself from its support base and core values has remained his theme. In an emotional tribute last year at the funeral for Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the anti-apartheid fighter and Nelson Mandela's ex-wife, he addressed her request that he return to the ANC. Talking to the thousands of mourners in front of President Cyril Ramaphosa and the rest of the ANC leadership he said: "Mama you said to us we must come back to the ANC, we heard you. But which ANC do we go to? Of the same people who sold you out?" When it comes to the key issue of land ownership the EFF has set the agenda. Julius Malema's rivals: In February last year, Mr Malema launched a debate in parliament on land reform saying: "The time for reconciliation is over; now is the time for justice". The ANC then backed the EFF's motion that sought to change the constitution to allow for expropriation of land without compensation. President Ramaphosa has said the issue will be tackled and the ANC admits in its own manifesto that "the land question has not been fully addressed". But Mr Malema has also been accused of being a hypocrite. In 2013, South Africa's revenue authority said he owed more than $1m (£865,000) in unpaid taxes. There were question marks over where that money came from. In order to pay the tax arrears, the radical politician had to sell an unfinished mansion in Johannesburg's upmarket Sandton suburb, which included a cinema room and a cigar lounge. Mr Malema has also had to face fraud and corruption charges which, after three years, were thrown out of court in 2015 because of lengthy delays in bringing him to trial, a judge ruled. The accusation related to a government contract but he always denied the charges and said they were politically motivated. What ever has been thrown at the radical opposition leader over the last decade - and there has been a lot - it has not dented his appeal. Polls suggest that it could gain at least 10% of the vote, ensuring that Mr Malema's voice will continue to be heard for some time to come.

जुइलस मालेमा भले ही कभी भी "फायरब्रांड" लेबल को हटाने में सक्षम न हों, लेकिन दक्षिण अफ्रीका की दूसरी सबसे बड़ी विपक्षी पार्टी के 38 वर्षीय नेता को अब केवल एक गर्म दिमाग वाले राजनेता के रूप में नहीं देखा जा सकता है।


Abortion: Is it time to revisit the UK's laws?

Summary: The BBC's Victoria Derbyshire asks if a law passed in 1967 allowing abortions in England, Scotland and Wales need updating? And she asks if Northern Ireland's laws reflect today's attitudes? In the UK each year about 200,000 abortions are carried out.

Women in their teens, 20s, 30s and 40s choose to end unwanted pregnancies. They are a mixtures of single women, those living with partners, married and some are mothers already. Opponents of abortion say the 1967 legislation that applies in England, Scotland and Wales was never intended to sanction so many procedures and the law is being abused. In 98% of procedures carried out each year, mental health concerns are cited as the reason. The law states that a woman must face a greater risk to her mental or physical health by continuing with an unwanted pregnancy than if she had an abortion. Two doctors need to sign a document to that effect. 'Immoral and illegal' Yet critics point to a study from the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 2011 which reviewed the mental health risks of abortion. It concluded that for women with unwanted pregnancies, rates of mental health problems were the same whether they had a termination or gave birth. Dr Peter Saunders, chief executive of the Christian Medical Fellowship, said: "When a doctor knowingly and willingly puts his or her signature to a statutory document saying something for which there is not actually any medical evidence base, then I believe that is not only immoral, it is also illegal." But Dr Clare Gerada, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said the current interpretation is realistic as there is no way to predict the impact of continuing a pregnancy on a woman's mental health. "What we have is what the woman tells us. It is not for me to judge her or be moralistic, it is for me to explore potential other options, but to take her at face value." At the end of last year I met a woman we will call by the pseudonym of Maria. She is 39 and has had five abortions. Her first was at 15, her second at 16, and her third when she was still only 17. "I was a child. I was a child in my head, in my thinking, so the idea of having a child was just ridiculous," she told me plaintively. She knew it was easy for people to judge her, but asked that they did not, adding that unless they had walked in her shoes they could not comprehend her abusive and chaotic upbringing. As an adolescent she ended up in relationships with older men, knowing nothing about contraception. Her most recent terminations were when she was married to her husband with whom she has children. Indifferent attitude Maria is from Croydon, one of the largest boroughs in London - and where some teenagers have had two abortions in a year. It has one of the highest repeat abortion rates in the UK. Although the overall numbers there are coming down, among 13 to 19-year-olds, 50% of repeat abortions took place within 12 months. The question is why? Croydon's demographics play a role - the area has a large population of young people and therefore the teenage pregnancy rate is correspondingly high. At a community centre in Croydon, I met a group of under 25s. One girl suggested that because the abortion clinic was in the neighbouring borough any follow-up appointments to discuss contraception tended not to be kept because it was too far to travel and opening hours were not flexible. Another teenager said some of her contemporaries felt they "had" to sleep with a new boyfriend to hang on to him and to suggest contraception might put him off. Croydon health bosses and community organisations say they are working to try to address those issues. 'Utterly undignified' It is very different for women in another part of the UK. In Northern Ireland, women cannot get an abortion, even in cases of rape. The legislation dates from 1861, and a woman only has access to abortion services if her life is at risk. For women with an unwanted pregnancy, it means they either have to travel to England for a private procedure or break the law by taking abortion pills - knowing that if they are caught they could be charged with murder. In Belfast I met a woman we will call Sarah, in her late 30s and happily married with children. Sarah discovered she was pregnant despite being on the contraceptive pill. She and her husband decided they simply could not bring another child into their lives because they could not afford it and the time just was not right. She bought abortion pills over the internet from a reputable website, knowing that she was risking a prison sentence: "I got to 37 without ever breaking the law and it makes you feel utterly undignified, to have to worry about every step of the way, to worry about whether the postman knew. It is not something I would ever want to go through again." There is little political will at Stormont to extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland and a recent opening of a private abortion clinic in Belfast has stirred up emotions on both sides of the debate. Nor is there political will at Westminster to revisit the way the 1967 legislation operates in England, Scotland and Wales. What we are left with are two laws governing abortion in the UK. Is it time for a debate about consistency? Panorama: The Great Abortion Divide, BBC One, Monday, 4 February at 20:30 GMT and then available in the UK on the BBC iPlayer.

बीबीसी की विक्टोरिया डर्बीशायर पूछती है कि क्या 1967 में इंग्लैंड, स्कॉटलैंड और वेल्स में गर्भपात की अनुमति देने वाले कानून को अद्यतन करने की आवश्यकता है? और वह पूछती है कि क्या उत्तरी आयरलैंड के कानून आज के दृष्टिकोण को दर्शाते हैं? यूके में हर साल लगभग 200,000 गर्भपात किए जाते हैं।


Carlisle bodybuilding shop fire: Man remanded

Summary: A man accused of setting a 50-year-old on fire inside a shop has been charged with attempted murder.

The victim suffered burns to his legs at bodybuilding shop PB Sports on Wigton Road, Carlisle. Frank Robertson, 60, of Stainton, near Penrith, is also charged with possession of an offensive weapon. He was remanded in custody having appeared at Carlisle Magistrates' Court. The case will next be heard at the city's crown court on 5 March. The attack happened shortly before 11:00 GMT on Tuesday. The victim used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames on his body, a witness told the BBC.

एक दुकान के अंदर 50 वर्षीय व्यक्ति को आग लगाने के आरोपी व्यक्ति पर हत्या के प्रयास का आरोप लगाया गया है।


UK-EU deal: What the rest of Europe thinks

Summary: European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has described the draft EU reform deal as "fair for the UK and fair for the other 27 member states", while British Prime Minister David Cameron says the UK could get "best of both worlds" if the right package is agreed.

But what do the other EU countries think? The German government says the draft is an "ambitious package" of proposals, and it is now "looking at the package in all its details". It says it will try to play a constructive role in the negotiations that follow. However, France says there need to be some limits on the proposals. According to government spokesman Stephane Le Foll, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told colleagues: "We must stay within the current treaties and there can be no interference from non-eurozone countries in the eurozone. Poland's President Andrzej Dudahas previously indicated that he would not agree to any final deal unless the proposals to let the UK suspend social payments to migrants were acceptable to him. However on Wednesday, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said parts of the draft deal seemed "beneficial" because they "would not affect people who have already migrated to Britain - they will not lose any social benefits". The Czech Foreign Minister, Tomas Prouza, has told the BBC he thinks "the UK does have a case of many people coming in and needing to change its social system." "But what is also important for us in this deal is that it's not changing the rules for those already working in the UK, where they have been contributing to the system." Finland's Prime Minister Juha Sipila said that his country "can live" with the package proposed by Mr Juncker, while Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said the draft "paves the way for an agreement in the European Council". 'A charade': The response from MEPs There have also been lively responses from the European Parliament, which debated the draft measures on Wednesday. Belgian MEP and former Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said Britain would be "a dwarf" without Europe. "We Belgians, we know that we are dwarfs, but maybe they're going to know it also." However, he added that the EU needed the UK as well: "Europe without Great Britain doesn't count; is not a counterweight against China, against Russia, against the United States." "Putin wins in this game if Britain leaves. He likes the idea of a divided Europe." German MEP Rebecca Harms from the Greens/European Free Alliance group urged members to think about what the EU had achieved. "We came from war, we achieved peace," she said. Italian MEP Gianni Pittella, of the centre-left S&D group, argued: "The UK outside the EU is weaker. We need to be able to speak clearly about the advantages that UK citizens get, because of the continued membership in the European Union." German MEP Gabriele Zimmer from the left-wing GUE/NGL criticised the draft proposals, describing any opt-out for the free movement of EU workers as "the idea of the social union being buried". "There is added value for UK citizens if they stay. Not just interests of financial markets should be taken into account." Meanwhile, Polish MEP Zdzislaw Krasnodebskim, from the right-wing ECR group, told the BBC that EU workers should be treated fairly. "According to all statistics the Poles are very successful in Great Britain, so I do not see why they shouldn't be paid the same benefits as a British worker." France's Marine Le Pen from the eurosceptic ENF group dismissed all the negotiations as "merely theatre". "The Brits have had enough of the EU. Finally the EU will be seen for the charade it is and people will get sovereignty back," she said. The press European commentators have been expressing reluctant acceptance of the EU reform deal tentatively agreed with the UK. The negotiations are being widely depicted as a largely sham process designed to help David Cameron to convince sceptical Britons that he wrung painful concessions from the EU. "The show can begin," Arnaud Leparmentier writes in France's Le Monde of the negotiations, which he says are about "nothing of substance". In Poland, which has been vocally opposed to restrictions on benefits for EU migrants, the Gazeta Wyborcza daily says keeping Britain in the EU should be seen as Poland's overriding concern, even at the expense of Poles working in the UK. "No matter how brutal but effective this is, it is worth sacrificing part of their benefit rights in Britain in order to save the EU from Brexit." EU press resigned to UK deal 'show'

यूरोपीय आयोग के अध्यक्ष जीन-क्लाउड जंकर ने यूरोपीय संघ के सुधार समझौते के मसौदे को "ब्रिटेन के लिए निष्पक्ष और अन्य 27 सदस्य राज्यों के लिए निष्पक्ष" बताया है, जबकि ब्रिटिश प्रधान मंत्री डेविड कैमरन का कहना है कि अगर सही पैकेज पर सहमति हो जाती है तो ब्रिटेन को "दोनों दुनिया का सर्वश्रेष्ठ" मिल सकता है।


Girl takes knives into Southampton school over online hoax

Summary: An 11-year-old took two knives into school after hearing about an online hoax which threatened sexual violence against females, police have said.

The girl told officers in Southampton she armed herself in response to the supposed threats. Police said they provided advice to the girl, who was not arrested, and recovered the knives on Thursday. Parents have been told by the force to reassure their children any online messages about the issue were false. In a statement, a Hampshire police sergeant said: "Had the knives not been recovered this could have had dire consequences had this child lashed out in fear for any reason. "Not only is this hoax disgusting, making light of one of the most serious, most traumatic offences a human can commit against another, it is also causing many children to be very afraid." Related Internet Links Hampshire Constabulary

पुलिस ने कहा है कि महिलाओं के खिलाफ यौन हिंसा की धमकी देने वाली एक ऑनलाइन अफवाह के बारे में सुनने के बाद एक 11 वर्षीय बच्चा दो चाकू लेकर स्कूल गया।


Dave Prowse: The man behind Darth Vader's mask

Summary: This week a Darth Vader costume dating from the era of Star Wars sequel The Empire Strikes Back (1980) is to be sold at auction at Christie's in London. We talk to actor Dave Prowse about his time as the man behind the mask.

By Tim MastersEntertainment correspondent, BBC News "We were filming during the hot summer of 1976," says Dave Prowse, the man who was Darth Vader. "The suit was made from quilted leather. I wore a t-shirt and a pair of swimming trunks underneath - and the heat would rise into the mask and mist up the eye-piece, so you couldn't see where you were going!" Darth Vader - for those who don't know - lived a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. For many he is the movie villain par excellence. Prowse played the bodily form of Darth Vader in the first three Star Wars films. But the character was voiced by American stage and screen actor James Earl Jones. (Prowse confirms the two men have never actually met, although they have spoken by phone.) "I'm a great adorer of what he did - he enhanced the part greatly with his beautiful tonal voice." Green Cross Man The Darth Vader costume in the Christie's auction is expected to fetch up to £230,000 ($368,000). Prowse has seen the costume, but has not verified it as the one he wore on screen. The original Star Wars costume is in the Lucasfilm archive in the US. The last time he wore it was in the 1990s. "They sent it over to me - with a guard - to do a Star Wars video game called Rebel Assault II. My name tag is still in the suit." A former weightlifter and bodybuilder, Prowse played a variety of monsters on film and TV in the 60s and early 70s. When he was cast as Darth Vader he was already well known as road safety superhero the Green Cross Code Man. As Prowse recalls, when he tried on the helmet at Elstree Studios for the first time he found he was able to move his head freely around inside it. "I said, 'It's miles too big! We'll have to get another one done.' But they said it looked perfect - and padded it out with foam rubber. It had a Velcro fitting at the base, so when the wind machines were on the thing was still wobbling around." What was it like being on the Star Wars set? Did Prowse have any inkling of how successful the film would become? "I thought I was doing a load of rubbish, I really did," he laughs. "You were wandering round looking at all these funny creatures and fantastic sets, but you had no idea what it would look like at the finish." On The Empire Strikes Back, such was the level of secrecy that Prowse wasn't shown a complete script. His lines for the next day were sent by courier each evening. For the big showdown between Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Darth Vader, Prowse wasn't even given the real lines. He had no idea of the big revelation until he saw the film at its premiere. He recalls: "Suddenly there's me saying to Luke 'I am your father' - and I thought 'this is new!' I was sat behind Mark - who knew the real dialogue - and he thought I was going to jump over three rows of seats and smash him for not telling me." For many years Prowse has travelled all over the world attending Star Wars conventions. His relationship with Lucasfilm, however, is not a happy one. "We were about to start on Jedi and I got accused of giving information on what was going on in the movie. I didn't have a copy of the script, but somehow I got called a blabbermouth." He denies any wrongdoing, but the rift has gone on for years. "I'm still part of the Lucasfilm family, although I appear to be a very distant relative." Darth auction The Darth Vader costume up for auction is being sold by American private collector who acquired it in 2003. The auction notes say: "The costume is being sold on behalf of a gentleman recorded as having one of the most extreme cases of the debilitating condition Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) ever diagnosed. "The costume came into the gentleman's possession after much tenacity in his quest to possess an original Darth Vader suit from The Empire Strikes Back, as an aid to battle the condition." The owner bought two suits from a UK company that had been authorised to create "second generation Vader suits for promotional purposes". After examining differences in the second suit, the collector came to the conclusion "that he was now the owner of production-made helmet, mask, shoulder armour, and shin-guard components". Christie's notes: "To say it is screen-used is difficult as there would be several production-made helmets, masks and shoulder guards, just to cope with the sheer intensity and requirements of filming." Three masks and helmets have already been sold via Christie's in the 1990s. The seller is donating a percentage of the proceeds of the sale to Cancer Research UK in memory of his mother. Jedi knight Dave Prowse, meanwhile, is still acting in low-budget independent films. This year he appeared in The Kindness of Strangers - a film by first-time director Deborah Hadfield - which screened at Cannes. He will be working with her again next year in romantic thriller Sweetest Love. As the interview ends, Prowse offers up an anecdote that not only sheds light on his first meeting with Sir Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi), but also his thespian credentials. "When Alec died, a biography came out and I got a copy and wondered if I got a mention. So I looked up myself in the index and there was a diary entry that said: 'Had lunch today with Dave Prowse - who is going to play Darth Vader'. "And then there was a dash and the words - 'I fear he is not an actor'." The Darth Vader costume will be auctioned as part of a Popular Culture: Film and Entertainment sale on 25 November, at Christie's, South Kensington.

इस सप्ताह स्टार वार्स के सीक्वल द एम्पायर स्ट्राइक्स बैक (1980) के युग की एक डार्थ वाडर पोशाक लंदन में क्रिस्टीज में नीलामी में बेची जानी है। हम अभिनेता डेव प्रोव से उनके समय के बारे में बात करते हैं जब वे मास्क के पीछे के व्यक्ति थे।


Cardiff shops still 'unsure' of bag levy in Wales

Summary: Some shops are still confused about how the single-use carrier bag charge will work when it is introduced on 1 October. BBC News Online reporter Gemma Ryall took a stroll down one Cardiff high street to see if stores there were ready for the changes.

The convenience store Bobby Singh, manager of Lifestyle Express, Llandaff North I've just heard about it from customers. They're telling me about it but I'm not sure when it's starting. Not really, I don't think so. I've heard I have to charge 5p for a bag, but someone also told me 10p. I know what they [the Welsh Government] are trying to do and that makes sense. But I want to know how does it work? I have heard there may be secret shoppers. And I'm also wondering if I can bring in a promotion rather than getting my customers to pay - like spend a certain amount of money and I'll give a free bag. No, I'm not ready. I don't know who I'm supposed to give the money to. I have noticed more people bringing in bags. I understand why this needs to be done. I already try to encourage people not to use a bag unless they need to. Some kids came in for chocolate and then asked for a bag so I tried to point out that they didn't need one. I just want to know more about how this will all work. Sam Cain, manager of Roosters, Llandaff North Yes, I found out in Asda. I haven't received a leaflet though. Everybody has to charge for carrier bags. I'm going to try but I know my customers are going to mind. They're having a meal and then you charge them 5p. If I don't give a bag they will ask how they are supposed to carry it? It's very difficult and confusing for us. No way am I! It's the credit crunch and now I have to do this. I think we need more help and support. No. Not a single person. Who's going to come to a takeaway with their own carrier bag? It's madness. Gurpreet Randhawa, owner of Bargain Booze, Llandaff North Yes, we had a leaflet sent from the Welsh Government four to five months ago. Yes. Before we were told we needed to keep a record but now we don't need to because we employ less than 10 people. We have been told that by the Bargain Booze chain. Yes. We have been charging 5p for a bag for a year now. For the first two to three weeks there was a bit of banter from customers about it. But since then they have brought their own bags. About 70-80% now bring their own bags here, otherwise they just don't ask for a bag. Only 2-3% ask for a bag now, I'd say. So we know it can work. I think it's a good thing. Paula Watkins, manager at Absolutely Fabulous, Llandaff North I do know about it - but mainly from shopping in Asda and seeing all the signs up. I've also heard a bit in the media. But I don't think we've received any information from the government. The owner of the shop is away at the moment, so perhaps she's received something - but as far as I'm aware we haven't. No I don't. What will happen to the charges? How will they regulate it? As we haven't had the information, no. But we will be. I'm going to go on the website now to find out about it. We don't really deal with many bags, to be honest. People only really need them for things like tiaras and shoes, which some shoppers just put in another bag. People are more conscious about the environment and we don't want to give bags out all the time. The card and party store Leon Deane, worker at Party Central, Llandaff North. Yes. Not really. This is my mother's shop and we received a little leaflet, but that's about it I think. All I know is we're supposed to charge for a bag and donate the money to charity. Yes, I think we're ready. I think we're going to charge the bare minimum as it's bad having to charge people for a bag. Our shop isn't like a supermarket. People take bags to supermarkets because they know they're going there to shop. But our shop has more impulse buyers - people see something in the window and just pop in. I have noticed more people, definitely. People have all those 'bags for life'.

कुछ दुकानें अभी भी इस बारे में उलझन में हैं कि 1 अक्टूबर को पेश किए जाने पर एकल-उपयोग वाहक बैग शुल्क कैसे काम करेगा। बीबीसी समाचार ऑनलाइन रिपोर्टर जेम्मा रियाल ने कार्डिफ की एक ऊँची सड़क पर टहलते हुए देखा कि क्या वहाँ की दुकानें परिवर्तन के लिए तैयार हैं।


Canadian professor says food banks are 'sticking plaster on gaping wounds'

Summary: Professor Elaine Power, of Queen's University in Ontario, provoked a storm of protest after writing a deliberately controversial article suggesting food banks should be shut down. She said they were a sticking plaster solution for poverty in Canada. Here she explains why.

Food banks emerged in Canada in the early 1980s as a stopgap, temporary measure to alleviate hunger during an economic downturn. The good-hearted founders of food banks, who could not fathom that anyone would go hungry in a country as wealthy as Canada, expected that food banks would close their doors once the economy recovered. Instead, 30 years on, they have become an institutionalised component of our social safety net. In 2011, approximately 850,000 Canadians (2.5% of the population), received food from about 450 food banks. Food drives Thirty-eight percent of food bank recipients were children. Many Canadians participate regularly in activities to support food banks. Food bank collection bins are ubiquitous in grocery stores and places of worship, such as churches and synagogues. Special events, from music concerts to football games, feature donations to the food bank as an entrance fee. Communities around the country hold food drives, with boy scouts, service clubs, and countless volunteers knocking on citizens' doors asking for donations to stock the food bank shelves. Politicians exhort voters to donate to their local food banks and social workers regularly refer clients to supplement their social assistance benefits. I doubt that well-intentioned food bank founders had any idea of what would result from their concern to feed hungry Canadians. Yet, despite all this activity, approximately 8% of Canadian households were classified as having been hungry in 2007-08. Only about 1 in 4 hungry Canadians ever even gets to the food bank. There are likely to be a variety of reasons for this, including lack of a food bank close by, inability to choose the food one receives, and the humiliation of having to go to a food bank. Some hungry Canadians decide to leave the food for others who they believe need it more than they do. And even those who do go to the food bank are still hungry. That is because food banks run on donations and can only provide to their clients the food they have on hand, perhaps supplemented with purchased food (such as eggs and milk). Food bank hampers usually consist primarily of non-perishable foods; research has found that food banks are seldom able to provide food that meet nutritional recommendations. Rising demand Most food banks have restrictions on how often households can use the food bank (usually once a month) and how much food they provide (usually enough for 2-5 days). Food Banks Canada, the national association representing and supporting food banks across the country, reports that in 2010, 35% of food banks ran out of food and 50% cut back on quantities because of rising demand and inadequate supply. Food banks have become our primary response to hunger in Canada and Canadians seem to assume that food banks are looking after the problem. But the problem is too big for food banks — community-based, volunteer-run, donation-driven organisations — to fix. The existence of food banks, and all the activity we undertake to support them, seems to have squeezed out any space in the public imagination to consider other solutions or the bigger underlying problem of poverty, which causes hunger in the first place. Food banks are a sticking plaster on the gaping wound of poverty. And inadvertently, they let our government off the hook from their obligation to ensure that all Canadians have a standard of living that is sufficient for health and well-being. Elaine Power is associate professor at the School of Kinesiology & Health Studies at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. BBC Scotland Investigates: Breadline Scotland transmits on Sunday 29 April at 16:32 on BBC Radio Scotland

ओंटारियो में क्वीन्स विश्वविद्यालय की प्रोफेसर एलेन पावर ने जानबूझकर एक विवादास्पद लेख लिखने के बाद विरोध का तूफान खड़ा कर दिया जिसमें सुझाव दिया गया था कि खाद्य बैंकों को बंद कर दिया जाना चाहिए। उन्होंने कहा कि वे कनाडा में गरीबी के लिए एक चिपचिपा प्लास्टर समाधान थे। यहाँ वह बताती हैं कि क्यों।


Snowdonia walkers had 'no map or compass'

Summary: A man and a woman from Chester have been led to safety by mountain rescue team members after they became crag-fast on Tryfan in Snowdonia.

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team said they were inadequately equipped and had no map or compass. They had scrambled up part of the north ridge and were unable to find the footpath when they turned back. A rescue team spokesman said they were discovered sitting 10 feet (3m) from the path. Tryfan, one of the best known mountains in the Ogwen Valley, appears on the map at 3,002 ft, or 915m. Last year it was re-measured and came in at 3,010 ft (917.51m) - 8 ft (2.43m) taller than its official measurement. The project's result was verified by a member of the Ordnance Survey (OS).

चेस्टर के एक पुरुष और एक महिला को स्नोडोनिया में ट्राइफन पर क्रैग-फास्ट होने के बाद पर्वत बचाव दल के सदस्यों द्वारा सुरक्षित स्थान पर ले जाया गया है।


Heady days for ocean surface mappers

Summary: This is an unprecedented time for the study of the oceans.

Jonathan AmosScience correspondent@BBCAmoson Twitter Space agencies are now flying six satellite altimeters, returning large volumes of data on the height and shape of the sea surface - and in rapid time. The information is fed into all manner of applications, from forecasting the weather to understanding the migratory habits of marine creatures. The main image at the top of this page gives a snapshot of the six missions in action as they monitor the North Atlantic. Each is seen to fly over the Gulf Stream - the current of warm water that rides up the East Coast of the US and then crosses to Europe. The background map is a model - based on some of the sextet's data - of what the ocean was doing on the day the satellites tracked through the scene. It should be evident immediately that the spacecraft all see the same features. The constellation comprises the satellites known as Jason 1 and 2, which are a joint effort between the US and Europe; Sentinel-3a and Cryosat, which are solely European ventures; Saral/Altika - a French-Indian project; and HY-2A from China. Their equipment may differ slightly, but their principle of operation is the same: they emit radar pulses towards the sea-surface and catch the "echo". The nature of the returning energy gives information on the state of that surface, providing indications of wind speed and wave height. Meteorological agencies feed this into the numerical models that produce our weather forecasts. But the time to the arrival of the echo is also a measure of the elevation of the surface - and is useful in a couple of ways, says Remko Scharroo, an altimetry expert with Eumetsat, the organisation charged with gathering the satellite information for Europe's forecasters. "First of all, you can look at the slope of the sea surface and that tells you something about the currents. And secondly - the total height also depends on the total energy in the ocean. "You can imagine that if you heat up the ocean, it slightly expands. And that's very important for example in hurricane forecasting because this type of information will tell you how much energy a hurricane can absorb from the ocean. If the sea surface is warm but the underlying water is not, the hurricane will not be intensified as much." And it all goes wider than just the met offices, of course. Shipping companies take the current information to work out the most efficient routes, saving time and diesel. Drill rigs and cable-laying vessels will monitor strong currents and surface eddies to plan sensitive operations. Marine biologists are interested in the surface conditions and currents because these hint at how water is being moved and mixed. This influences the distribution of nutrients in the ocean and the production of plankton. All higher life - from the smallest fish to the biggest whales - depends on such processes. Even geologists have reason to thank the work of the satellite altimeters. This is because the mean topography of the sea surface reflects the shape of what lies below. Because water follows gravity, it is pulled into highs above the mass of tall seamounts, and slumps into depressions over deep trenches. Most of our knowledge of what the ocean floor looks like relies on these altimetric interpretations. The two newest missions, Jason-3 and Sentinel-3a, are currently going through a period of commissioning before being accepted into full operation. They were launched in January and February, respectively. In the Gulf Stream map, Jason-3 is seen to track very close to its predecessor Jason-2 so that their instruments can be cross-calibrated. Eumetsat has a key role in the management of the data coming from both the Jason and Sentinel missions. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

यह महासागरों के अध्ययन के लिए एक अभूतपूर्व समय है।


Murder arrest after man's body found in Rochester

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after the body of a man was discovered at a property in Kent.

The discovery was made as police were called to reports of a burglary in Delce Road, Rochester, at 10:00 GMT. A man was arrested on suspicion of murder and possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply. A second man was arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences. Both men remain in custody. Detectives from Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate are expected to remain at the address "for a number of days" while the scene is examined, Kent Police said.

केंट में एक संपत्ति में एक व्यक्ति का शव मिलने के बाद हत्या के संदेह में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Profile: Beppe Grillo

Summary: Voice of protest for some, populist demagogue for others, comedian Beppe Grillo has become a serious political player after taking a quarter of the vote in Italy's election, with his anti-establishment Five Star Movement.

Once effectively banished from TV after sending up politicians, he has created a brand of politics all of his own, one that has propelled Five Star to third place in both houses of parliament. Dissatisfaction with the traditional political class, both right and left, drives a party which has made the internet its medium of choice, and has sought out relative unknowns for its candidates. At 64, the bushy-haired comic leading this new third force can still work a crowd in a piazza and inspires a wide following on social media, tickling the Italian funny bone with his jokes. He called former Prime Minister Mario Monti, for example, "Rigor Montis" for his deadly serious manner. However, his ability to engage ultimately in the business of government in one of the eurozone's biggest economies is less clear. For one thing, Italian TV anchors have been famously unable to grill Mr Grillo on his programme, as he shuns the television studios beloved of politicians like centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi. Time 'hero' Born 21 July 1948 in the coastal city of Genoa, he trained as an accountant before taking up comedy. The divorcee and his current wife care for six children from their current and previous marriages between them. By the late 1970s, he was a regular on public TV, appearing in variety shows. Despite a road accident in 1980, when he was convicted of manslaughter over the deaths of three people, he was soon fronting his own shows. He became known for daring jokes about politicians such as Bettino Craxi, the Socialist prime minister eventually convicted of corruption. His raw humour appears to have earned him enemies. According to a biography on his blog, he "fled" TV for the theatre in 1990. As a touring act, he turned his attention to big issues like consumerism and the environment and in 2005 started his blog, one of the most popular in Italy. Time magazine chose him as a "European Hero" that year, saying he used "over-the-top humour to probe the serious social issues that leaders don't want to touch". In 2007 he organised "V-Day" - the V stands for a well-known Italian obscenity - when a petition demanding clean politics in Italy gathered 300,000 signatures in the space of a few hours. 'Lifestyle choice' Two years later, the wealthy performer set up Five Star, which was soon polling well in local elections. The party's logo promotes Mr Grillo's blog, making clear that it is very much the vehicle of the ageing comedian, who cannot stand for parliament himself because of his manslaughter conviction. Mr Grillo, the BBC's Alan Johnston reported in December 2012, does not seem to have a great deal of patience for dissenting voices within the movement. The Five Star leader is often accused of being a populist, constantly criticising the status quo but having little in the way of detailed, viable proposals for a better way forward, our Rome correspondent noted. This lack of clarity about the party's policies has alarmed leaders in the wider eurozone, wrote the BBC's Europe editor, Gavin Hewitt. If anything, Five Star's leader sounded even more radical at news of his party's spectacular gains. "We've started a war of generations," he said in an audio statement on his website, which taunted the leaders of the mainstream parties. "They are all losers, they've been there for 25 to 30 years and they've led this country to catastrophe." Mr Grillo's followers are known as grillini or "little crickets" - his name means "cricket" in Italian - and their collective chirp can no longer be safely ignored by Italy's established parties. "Grillo will play a decisive role," Roberto D'Alimonte, a politics professor at Rome's LUISS university, told AFP news agency. "He has to decide whether to strike a limited agreement with the left or whether to go for fresh elections. All the cards are in his hands." Electoral reform - he would like to halve the number of MPs and strip parties of public funding - is likely to top the list of his demands, but much is still vague. Speaking before the election, the comedian described his party as a "lifestyle choice". "You have to participate actively in politics, change your habits: eat, travel, shop in a certain way," he was quoted as saying by AFP. Many must now be wondering what that "certain way" represents.

कुछ के लिए विरोध की आवाज, दूसरों के लिए लोकलुभावन जनवादी, कॉमेडियन बेप्पे ग्रिलो इटली के चुनाव में एक चौथाई वोट लेने के बाद एक गंभीर राजनीतिक खिलाड़ी बन गए हैं।


Coffee addiction: Do people consume too much caffeine?

Summary: US officials are investigating the safety of caffeine in snacks and energy drinks, worried about the "cumulative impact" of the stimulant - which is added to a growing number of products. Is our tea and coffee-fuelled society too dependent on the world's favourite drug?

By Jon KellyBBC News Magazine, Washington DC The bubbling kettle, the aroma from the mug, the first bitter mouthful of the morning. It's a ritual without which the working day would be, for millions of people, frankly horrifying. Caffeine is, according to New Scientist, the planet's most popular "psychoactive drug". In the United States alone, more than 90% of adults are estimated to use it every day. But now even the US - home of Coca-Cola, Starbucks and the 5-Hour Energy shot - is questioning the wisdom of adding it to everyday foodstuffs like waffles, sunflower seeds, trail mix and jelly beans. In a statement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highlighted the "unfortunate example" of Wrigley chewing gum producing packs of eight sticks which each contained as much caffeine as half a cup of coffee. Subsequently, Wrigley said it would "pause" production of the product. The agency is also looking at highly-caffeinated energy drinks, and said it was concerned about the "cumulative impact" of adding stimulants to products. According to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the number of people seeking emergency treatment after ingesting energy drinks doubled to more than 20,000 in 2011. However, the energy drink industry says its products are safe and insists there is no proof of a link with any harmful reactions. There have been documented cases of fatal overdoses caused by "caffeine toxicity", though these are very rare. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University, studying its addictive properties, found that withdrawal symptoms included tiredness, headaches, difficulty concentrating, muscle pain and nausea. But there is far from any kind of scientific consensus that caffeine use is harmful. A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health suggested that "coffee drinking doesn't have any serious detrimental health effects" and that drinking up to six cups a day was "not associated with increased risk of death from any cause". In moderation, caffeine may have some positive effects. Research suggests it could be associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer and breast cancer. A recent study linked drinking coffee and tea with a lower risk of type two diabetes. As a result, the FDA has pledged to "determine what is a safe level" of caffeine use. The agency's move has been welcomed by those who fear caffeine is already encroaching too much into our daily lives - often in products where it may not be expected. "Many people just aren't aware of how much caffeine they are taking," says Lynn Goldman, dean of the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. As a result, she says, they could unwittingly create problems for themselves with insomnia, indigestion, or their blood pressure. It's especially worrying for parents, who can find it hard to regulate their children's intake. But challenging the hegemony of caffeine may be a difficult task on a planet that consumes 120,000 tonnes of the substance per annum. In Finland, the world's most caffeinated country, the average adult consumes 400mg of the drug every day - equivalent to four or five cups of coffee a day, and equal to the maximum daily limit recommended by the UK Food Standards Agency. "We think that, when used in moderation, caffeine doesn't pose a risk," says Sanna Kiuru, a senior officer at Evira, the Finnish food safety authority. "It's mainly adults who drink coffee, not children. For us the levels are quite moderate." Even buzz-loving Finns have been troubled by the rise of stealth stimulants, however. "We have been concerned about the rise in caffeine in different foods," says Kiuru. Highly-caffeinated energy drinks in Finland are obliged to carry warning labels - a practice that will be extended across the EU from 2014. For most caffeine consumers, its chief benefit is that, by stimulating alertness, it helps you get more done. This is a trait that makes it unusual among recreational substances, says Stephen Braun, author of Buzz: The Science and Lore of Alcohol and Caffeine. "Its appeal is that it helps us earn more money," he adds. "What makes it different from other drugs is that it's used as a productivity tool - not for pleasure, like cannabis, or as a relaxant, like alcohol." Perhaps the closest analogy is with coca leaves, chewed by labourers to give them extra energy in countries like Peru and Bolivia. It's no coincidence, Braun believes, that caffeine's popularity boomed in Europe at the dawn of the industrial revolution, when the race for ever-increased productivity accelerated. Many of history's creative minds have also been associated with some truly epic feats of caffeine consumption. According to one biographer, the French novelist and playwright Balzac drank as many as 50 cups of coffee a day. "Were it not for coffee one could not write, which is to say one could not live," he once insisted. For seven years, the film-maker David Lynch ate at the same Los Angeles diner every day, drinking up to seven sweetened cups of coffee "with lots of sugar" in one sitting, which he said would guarantee that "lots of ideas" arrived. Ludwig van Beethoven was said to have painstakingly counted out exactly 60 coffee beans per cup when he brewed coffee. Perhaps the most well-publicised recent tales of caffeine excess featured the somewhat less critically revered singer Robbie Williams, who reportedly consumed 36 double espressos and 20 cans of Red Bull a day. It is the routine task itself, as much as the stimulant properties of caffeine, that makes the process so significant, Mason Currey, author of Daily Rituals: How Artists Work. "A lot of artists use the process of making the coffee as a gateway to the creative process," he adds. "You need to get into the right mindset to do that sort of work, and the preparation ritual provides a focus." But attempts to clamp down on the spread of the substance have historically proved futile. In 1911, the US government sued the Coca-Cola Company, on the basis that the caffeine in its drink was "injurious to health", but Coca-Cola prevailed in the courts. One problem with attempting to regulate the substance, says Braun, is that it affects everyone in differently - people's varying physiologies and metabolisms making it impossible to prescribe a "safe" limit that works for everyone. "Ultimately, you have to become your own scientist - there isn't an alternative to careful self-experimentation," he says. Most people are likely to have ascertained by adulthood how much, or little, tea or coffee they can tolerate at a time. But critics say this doesn't apply to energy drinks and caffeinated foodstuffs, whose effects are arguably more difficult to judge. However profitable these products may prove for their manufacturers though, Currey suspects they well never acquire the mystique of coffee and tea. "There's something that's not quite as special and evocative about them," he says. "Buying an 5-Hour Energy drink from the 7-Eleven [convenience store] doesn't have the ambience of brewing a cup of coffee. I can't imagine future biographers of great artists and writers describing this stuff in the same way." Additional reporting by Mark Bosworth in Helsinki You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook

अमेरिकी अधिकारी नाश्ते और ऊर्जा पेय में कैफीन की सुरक्षा की जांच कर रहे हैं, उत्तेजक के "संचयी प्रभाव" के बारे में चिंतित हैं-जो उत्पादों की बढ़ती संख्या में जोड़ा जाता है। क्या हमारा चाय और कॉफी से चलने वाला समाज भी दुनिया की पसंदीदा दवा पर निर्भर है?


Troops converge at RAF St Athan for Nato training exercise

Summary: Around 1,500 troops have converged on the Vale of Glamorgan in what is believed to be one of the largest military exercises held in Wales.

Helicopters involved in Nato's Joint Warrior exercise have landed at RAF St Athan. Parachute regiment 2 Para Battle Group will practice assaults at training areas in Caerwent, Monmouthshire and Pembrey, Carmarthenshire. In total, around 13,000 NATO personnel from 14 countries are taking part.

वेल्स में आयोजित सबसे बड़े सैन्य अभ्यासों में से एक माने जाने वाले ग्लैमरगन की घाटी में लगभग 1,500 सैनिक एकत्र हुए हैं।


VE Day: How will you celebrate?

Summary: Friday 8 May marks 70 years since the end of World War II in Europe. How will you celebrate Victory in Europe Day?

VE Day will be commemorated with events across the UK including a service of remembrance at The Cenotaph, a star-studded concert in central London and street parties around the country. In the evening a chain of over 100 beacons will be lit across the UK. Do you have stories or photographs of the celebrations in Britain in 1945? Thank you for your comments, stories and pictures. Read a selection of your memories.

शुक्रवार 8 मई को यूरोप में द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध की समाप्ति के 70 साल पूरे हो रहे हैं। आप यूरोप में विजय दिवस कैसे मनाएंगे?


May sets out her stall

Summary: At the moment (although we know Theresa May is very capable of changing her mind) there won't be head to head TV clashes between the PM and Jeremy Corbyn - or the PM and Nicola Sturgeon, or the PM with anyone else for that matter.

Laura KuenssbergPolitical editor@bbclaurakon Twitter One, the Tory leader is no fan of the glitz of the TV studio. That's one reason why Number 10 is adamant that she will not take part in TV debates. But two - it's not just down to her very different style, but also, as David Cameron learnt very quickly, front runners in any campaign have everything to lose in those debates, and the underdogs have everything to gain. Downing Street knows they will take a certain amount of flak for the decision not to play ball, and the opposition parties are of course relishing every opportunity to say that the PM is too frightened to defend her record. But right now Mrs May's allies are willing to wear it, rather than broker the risk of taking part, even if the broadcasters go ahead with the programmes without her. What will you hear a lot of from the Tory leader? Well if her very first campaign visit is anything to go by, David Cameron and George Osborne's "long-term economic plan" mantra will be replaced by the phrase "strong and stable". On the stump you'd be forgiven for losing count of the number of times she used the phrase. One totting-up puts it at 13 mentions. Brexit has undoubtedly set the backdrop for this election, and provided the catalyst for its timing. But the Conservatives plan to win to deliver their version of Brexit by again and again comparing what they claim is the "strong and stable" leadership provided by the sitting prime minister, and the alternative put forward by Jeremy Corbyn. Tomorrow he'll make his first big election speech, his first big chance to recast that argument.

इस समय (हालाँकि हम जानते हैं कि थेरेसा मे अपना मन बदलने में बहुत सक्षम हैं) प्रधान मंत्री और जेरेमी कॉर्बिन-या प्रधान मंत्री और निकोला स्टर्जन, या प्रधान मंत्री के बीच उस मामले के लिए किसी और के साथ आमने-सामने की टीवी झड़पें नहीं होंगी।


West Africa's eco: What difference would a single currency make?

Summary: Fifteen countries in West Africa have agreed to adopt a single currency next year called the eco. Experts are divided on the impact it would have on the region's economy, especially in the eight member states which use CFA franc - which is backed by France.

By Louise DewastBBC Africa, Dakar Negotiations for the joint currency have been in the works for 30 years. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), the region's political and economic union, said the rollout will be gradual with countries meeting the laid-out criteria joining first. Why does West Africa want a single currency? Eight countries already use the CFA franc, which is pegged to the euro, and is guaranteed by France. The other seven have their own currencies, none of them freely convertible. Proponents of the eco say the single currency will facilitate trade, lower transaction costs and facilitate payments amongst Ecowas' 385 million people. However, critics worry that Nigeria, the region's biggest economy, will dominate monetary policy and stall the projected benefits. For economists Ferdinand Backoup and Daniel Ndoye, a single currency would prove a valuable instrument in the international monetary system: "West African countries - like most other developing countries - are not immune to monetary shocks caused by policies implemented in the rest of the world," the pair wrote in a briefing note for the African Development Bank. A single currency can offer a chance, they say, to put up a "collective and effective front" against these disruptions. About the ECO Will it really happen next year? It looks extremely unlikely that all 15 countries will meet this target. The single currency was first planned to be introduced in 2003 but the launch has been postponed several times; in 2005, 2010 and 2014. It is possible, although ambitious, that some countries will meet the current criteria for the 2020 deadline - the primary four being: These criteria, along with two other secondary ones, are due to be assessed by Ecowas by the end of 2019. One of the problems is inconsistency: countries could, for example, meet the criteria next year, and then fall behind the following year. In 2016, only one country, Liberia, met all the six conditions, and no single criterion was met by all the countries. Economist Martial Belinga, author of Liberate Africa From Monetary Slavery, says 2020 is a symbolic goal. "It's more about the process," he said. "Having a deadline pushes states to reach the criteria." Mr Belinga says Ecowas might want to consider revising the entrance criteria, as long as they remain credible. Ecowas has said adoption would be gradual though, so the countries that do meet the criteria can join, and the others can follow later. Will it work? If the goal is to boost trade, some analysts are sceptical that a single currency is key. "We struggle in Nigeria alone to get produce from the north to Lagos, and to other southern parts where it can be consumed," said Sanyade Okoli, head of Alpha African Advisory. "If goods can't move freely, how can we even talk about a single currency? she asked. "We need to address poor infrastructure, bureaucracy - the lower-hanging fruits first". For Mr Belinga, the real impediment to trade in the region is not the lack of a single currency but that countries don't have much to trade. "West African countries must transform their economies, with diversification and added value industries," he says. "That's the real solution to face external shocks and volatility." Currently, most countries rely on commodities whose prices are regulated on international markets. For the economist, the single currency isn't "an end in itself". What about sovereignty? Although talk of a political federation has not dominated the latest discussions, critics point at pitfalls of running a joint currency without a political union. Economists Ferdinand Bakoup and Daniel Ndoye say the commitment of regional leaders should allay such fears. "The creation of a presidential task force to monitor the single currency creation process, headed by the heads of state of Ghana, Nigeria and Ivory Coast and the Committee of Central Bank governors, is a glaring illustration," they said. "What now remains is to transform this commitment by accelerating the implementation of reforms to help achieve this objective". You may also be interested in: But despite their will to move forward, many also fear losing part of their sovereignty. "As Africa's largest economy and most populous country, we cannot afford to rush into such agreements without full and proper consultation with all stakeholders," said Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari. The next Ecowas meeting in December is likely to whip up some of these concerns. Won't it just be dominated by Nigeria? Nigeria, whose oil-dependent economy accounts for two-thirds of the region's GDP, would dominate a future monetary union. Some economists have compared Nigeria to Germany's weight in the eurozone although Nigeria would be far more dominant in the eco. For Ms Okoli, that could be problematic. "We should have an honest conversation about how we feel about that," she says. "Germany had a measure of restraint coming out of World War II, but we don't have that in Nigeria," she said. It is, however, less of problem and more of an opportunity, Mr Belinga argues. "There's always a leader in a union and I think we should hope Nigeria will play that role positively. When you look at what they've done for their economy, I see that as a positive signal of good leadership". "At the same time," he says, "Nigeria must see that this is an opportunity for them to access a massive market". What about countries that use CFA franc? Although some describe the CFA franc as a colonial relic, some analysts say that what's been driving growth in francophone countries like Ivory Coast has been high investment because of low interest rates which come from a stable currency guaranteed by France. The Francophone countries might be hesitant to joining a union with countries that have much higher levels of inflation and interest rates. But the appeal to cut colonial links and embrace the eco as an African project is strong. "Even if it creates instability, that's normal," says Mr Belinga, "countries must disconnect from the franc", he adds.

पश्चिम अफ्रीका के पंद्रह देशों ने अगले साल इको नामक एकल मुद्रा को अपनाने पर सहमति व्यक्त की है। विशेषज्ञ इस क्षेत्र की अर्थव्यवस्था पर पड़ने वाले प्रभाव पर विभाजित हैं, विशेष रूप से आठ सदस्य राज्यों में जो सी. एफ. ए. फ्रैंक का उपयोग करते हैं-जो फ्रांस द्वारा समर्थित है।


Man in court over 1976 schoolgirl Janet Commins murder

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with the rape, sexual assault and murder of a 15-year-old Flintshire schoolgirl 40 years ago.

Stephen Anthony Hough, 57, spoke only to confirm his name at a brief hearing at Llandudno Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Janet Commins's body was found on a school playing field in Flint in 11 January 1976. She disappeared after visiting a local leisure centre. Mr Hough has also been charged with separate offences of rape and sexual touching, which are alleged to have happened in February this year. He was remanded in custody and due to appear at Mold Crown Court on Thursday.

40 साल पहले 15 वर्षीय फ्लिंटशायर स्कूली छात्रा के बलात्कार, यौन उत्पीड़न और हत्या के आरोप में एक व्यक्ति अदालत में पेश हुआ है।


Russian journalists in shock as FSB hunts enemy within

Summary: As Ivan Safronov was led into court, hands cuffed and head pushed down by two masked guards, he managed just one sentence. "I'm not guilty," he told a crowd of supporters packed into the corridor.

By Sarah RainsfordBBC News, Moscow The arrest of the former military correspondent has shocked fellow Russian journalists, who describe the claim by the FSB security service that he handed state secrets to Czech Intelligence as "absurd". The Kremlin has praised the '"high quality" work of Russian counter-intelligence but none of the evidence of Ivan Safronov's "betrayal" has been made public. So some fear his arrest is a show of force by the FSB amid a surge in detentions for treason and espionage so great it's prompted talk of "spy mania". 'Putin doesn't care what anyone thinks' "My first thought was that I'd gone back two decades in a time machine," says Grigory Pasko, recalling his own prosecution in 1997 - the last time a Russian journalist was charged with treason. Mr Pasko was also a military correspondent and he'd written extensively about environmental violations by the Russian navy. Initially cleared of passing classified information to Japan, he was sentenced to four years at a 2001 retrial. The affair sparked a public outcry both at home and abroad and he was eventually released on parole. "I think they were afraid to touch journalists after that," Mr Pasko told the BBC this week. "Back then, Russia had an international reputation. It was included in international structures and cared about the world's opinion," he argues. "Now Vladimir Putin's been in power for 20 years and he doesn't care what anyone thinks," he says, pointing out that Russia's president just amended the constitution to give himself two more terms in the Kremlin. "There are no brakes now; no restraints. They can do what they want, how they want and to whomever they want," he believes. Despite official insistence that Mr Safronov's case is not linked to his journalism, Grigory Pasko suspects he's been arrested - like him - for touching on one too many sensitive topics. "It's like a warning to journalists not to poke their noses in." What next for Putin after 20 years? How Russia has stepped up its hunt for enemies Prosecutions for spying and treason have increased significantly since 2014, when relations with the West became openly hostile following Russia's annexation of Crimea. From four people tried for treason in 2013, the number leapt to 15 the following year, according to statistics from the Supreme Court. There have been at least 36 additional prosecutions since then and 14 foreigners convicted of espionage. Each year, President Vladimir Putin publicly congratulates intelligence officers with unmasking hundreds of spies and foreign agents, though it's unclear what happens to them all. "The statistics show that the activity of foreign intelligence agencies in our country is not diminishing," the former FSB boss stressed in February, instructing officers to protect "information on the latest weapons systems…military technology and innovations". Was anyone really a spy? "Since 2014, we've been in a permanent state of war, with 'enemies' all around and society has become very militaristic," argues Ivan Pavlov, defence lawyer for Ivan Safronov. In years working on such cases, including defending Grigory Pasko, he told the BBC he hadn't met "a single real spy". "Catching enemies is the work of the FSB and if they can't find any real ones, they need to invent them so they go for the low-hanging fruit," the lawyer believes. Mr Pavlov argues that the easiest targets are those with access to information and contact with foreigners. "Scientists were already at risk; now journalists have fallen into that group, too." What's secret? The risk increased in 2012 when the law on treason - Article 275 - was amended. Now, giving "financial, material, consulting or other assistance" to a foreign state or organisation can be prosecuted if it's judged damaging to Russia's security. "It meant they could go after everyone," says journalist and human rights activist Zoya Svetova. "It's only the second time in 20 years they've tried a journalist for treason but the spy mania never stopped," she says, and lists a housewife, air traffic controller and multiple scientists among those who've faced charges in recent years. "Lefortovo [FSB prison] is full of 'spies' and 'traitors'." The Kremlin denies Russia is in the grip of any "mania". "Foreign intelligence services are not dozing in Russia: they work day and night against Russian civil servants and intelligence agents," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the BBC on Friday. "Our counter-intelligence agents are not dozing either, to counteract their activity." He's called protests against the arrest of Ivan Safronov "emotional". But the veil of secrecy thrown over such cases makes them notoriously hard to evaluate. Those involved are barred from disclosing details and trials are held behind closed doors, formally because of the classified data involved. Even the journalist's defence team don't know yet what the charge is based upon. "When you catch a real spy, you show evidence to the whole world: usually money, maybe a flash drive. It's good FSB propaganda, to show their use to society and their power," believes Gennady Gudkov, a former Soviet counter-intelligence officer turned opposition politician. "In Safronov's case we see nothing of that kind. It's very strange and suspicious." Sending a message? Ivan Pavlov says a lot has changed since the days when public pressure helped Grigory Pasko - even against the powerful FSB. "It will be harder for us now," he says, with a court system that acquits in fewer than 1% of cases. When journalists protested in support of Ivan Safronov outside the FSB headquarters, more than two dozen were detained. State media, which once came out in support of Mr Pasko, have since reported extensively and enthusiastically on Russia's "enemies". "Those arguments are to convince Putin's electorate that they were right to choose him for life," Grigory Pasko himself believes, referring to this month's constitutional reform. "The message is: only Putin can save us from eternal enemies and spies - including journalists."

जैसे ही इवान सैफ्रोनोव को अदालत में ले जाया गया, दो नकाबपोश गार्डों द्वारा हाथ बांधकर और सिर को नीचे धकेल दिया गया, वह सिर्फ एक वाक्य में कामयाब रहे। उन्होंने गलियारे में भरे समर्थकों की भीड़ से कहा, "मैं दोषी नहीं हूं।"


Woman thrown from Blackpool pier waltzer ride

Summary: A woman was injured after being thrown from a fairground ride in Blackpool.

Police said she suffered head and neck injuries after falling from a waltzer on the seaside town's south pier on Tuesday evening. The woman, aged in her 20s, was taken to hospital where her injuries were "not thought to be life-threatening", Lancashire Police said. The incident is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive, the force added.

ब्लैकपूल में मेले के मैदान की सवारी से फेंके जाने के बाद एक महिला घायल हो गई।


Pop acts for new beachside festival

Summary: Calvin Harris, Scouting For Girls and Noisettes are set to play a new festival taking place at the Butlins Holiday resort in Skegness.

Playaway, organised by the people behind the Reading and Leeds and Latitude festivals, takes place between 16-18 April next year. Chase N Status, Sub Focus and I Blame Coco are also scheduled to appear at the three day event where music fans stay in onsite accommodation. Tickets are priced £140 and go on sale at 9am Friday 11 December.

केल्विन हैरिस, स्काउटिंग फॉर गर्ल्स एंड नॉइसेट्स, स्केगनेस के बटलिंस हॉलिडे रिसॉर्ट में होने वाले एक नए उत्सव में भाग लेने के लिए तैयार हैं।


Budget 2021: The challenge facing Rishi Sunak

Summary: Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Budget will be one of the most-closely watched in years, as the government grapples with the enormous economic costs of the Covid-19 pandemic, and as he charts a financial roadmap for the country.

By Daniele Palumbo & Tim BowlerBBC News In his 3 March statement, the chancellor will outline the state of the UK economy and its outlook for the future - and give details of the government's plans for raising or lowering taxes. So how is the UK economy faring under the twin impacts of coronavirus and Brexit? In the following charts, we take a snapshot of the nation's economic health - highlighting some of the economic challenges facing the chancellor. The UK's national debt has reached its highest level since 1963 - reflecting the huge cost of pandemic support measures such as the furlough scheme. National debt here means the total amount the government owes to its lenders - it is the accumulation of borrowing over many years. So far this year, the annual total for government borrowing - the amount the government borrows to make up for the gap between what it spends and what it raises in taxes - has reached £270.6bn, which is £222bn more than a year ago, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates that this figure could reach £393.5bn by the end of the financial year in March. This would be the highest amount in any year since the Second World War. But it is also worth pointing out that this figure has been above 100% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or annual national income in 131 of the last 320 years. The 21st Century so far has been one of rising levels of public sector net borrowing (how much both central and local government have borrowed to carry out their spending programmes). Last month's figure was £8.8bn, the highest January borrowing amount since monthly records began in 1993. As a result of the pandemic, public sector net debt has risen by £316.4bn over the 10 months since last April to an all-time high of £2.1 trillion. Unemployment is currently 5.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest figure for five years, and shows the effects of lockdowns on the economy due to the pandemic, with many workplaces forced to close their doors. So far, this hasn't resulted in a rapid rise in unemployment, as the furlough support scheme has helped to protect jobs, but this could change if the scheme ends as planned in April. Most economists expect the unemployment rate to continue rising in 2021. However, the roll-out of Covid vaccines is happening quickly and this may help to keep unemployment down if it allows a staged re-start of the UK economy. Young people have been hit particularly hard by the labour market fallout from coronavirus, with workers aged under 24 accounting for nearly half of the total fall in employment during the economic slump, according to research by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES). At the same time, more people are chasing fewer jobs, so young people are struggling to enter the employment market. Significantly, young people account for 46% of the overall fall in employment during the pandemic - even though they only account for just one in nine of the workforce. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hinted that furlough support for workers will continue beyond April, as he pledged not to "pull the rug out" from under the UK economy when he unveiled plans to ease the national lockdown in four steps. If the government does not extend the job support schemes, then the latest forecast from the Bank of England suggests that UK unemployment will reach 7.75% during the summer. Full-time work has risen during the pandemic, despite the impact of Covid on the labour market. However, the numbers of those in part-time jobs or self-employed have dropped, as freelancers and those in precarious work bear the brunt of the crisis. Campaign groups are calling on the chancellor to plug gaps in schemes such as the self-employed income support scheme (SEISS) to support millions of self-employed people and other workers excluded from furlough. The Resolution Foundation think tank says that 2.3 million workers are missing out on help because they are not covered by SEISS. UK house prices climbed 8.5% last year - that's the highest annual growth rate since October 2014 - with the average UK house price reaching a record high of £252,000 in December 2020. The North West had the highest growth of 11.2%, while London rose just 3.5%. One of the factors behind the rise has been the stamp duty holiday in England that was introduced last July. However, if the tax break ends on 31 March as planned, sales and house price rises are likely to slow afterwards.

चांसलर ऋषि सुनक का बजट वर्षों में सबसे करीब से देखे जाने वाले बजटों में से एक होगा, क्योंकि सरकार कोविड-19 महामारी की भारी आर्थिक लागतों से जूझ रही है, और जब वे देश के लिए एक वित्तीय रोडमैप तैयार कर रहे हैं।


London Bridge attack: Did Boris Johnson vote against early prisoner release?

Summary: The London Bridge attacker Usman Khan had been released from prison after serving half of a 16-year sentence. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said this was "because of changes to the law that were brought in by the Labour Party that I voted against". So did he?

Khan served a sentence for a plot to set up a terrorist training camp. He was then released automatically after eight years with no review by the Parole Board. Mr Johnson tweeted that this was because of Labour's Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. In another tweet he said: "Although four senior judges considered that Khan was dangerous, he was to be automatically released halfway through because of Labour's 2008 law." Khan was originally given an indeterminate sentence in 2012, meaning one with no fixed end date. But during an appeal the next year, this was downgraded by judges to an "extended sentence" of 16 years in prison with automatic release on licence after eight. He was released in December 2018 after the time he'd spent on remand was taken into account. The prime minister told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: "His release was necessary under the law because of the automatic early release scheme under which he was sentenced and that was brought in by Labour with the support of Jeremy Corbyn and the rest of the Labour Party. I opposed it both in 2003 and in 2008." Mr Johnson did vote against the Criminal Justice Act 2003. That law meant most offenders would be automatically released halfway through their sentences, but "dangerous" offenders on extended sentences were only to be released with the Parole Board's consent. It was the 2008 law that changed these extended sentences so there would be automatic early release with no Parole Board review. A Conservative Party spokesperson said Mr Johnson had "voted against this Bill on two key votes on the Bill's passage through Parliament along with almost all Conservative MPs and the Conservative front bench raised specific concerns about automatic release during debates on it". What's the evidence? We looked through Hansard - the record of what goes on in Parliament - to find out what happened. The law was first proposed in 2007 - when Labour was in government and the Conservatives in opposition. Mr Johnson did vote against both the "programme motion"- which sets the timetable for passing the bill - and the motion to carry the bill over into the next Parliamentary session. But at that stage it did not contain the measure that affected Khan's later case. The key clause relating to automatic release on licence for prisoners on extended sentences was added during the report stage - a chance for MPs to review and change the law - in January 2008. MPs voted on this measure as part of a group of amendments on 9 January 2008. The Conservatives voted against but Hansard has no record of Boris Johnson being present for that vote. The bill then had its third reading the same day and was passed without a division - a formal vote. The Conservative opposition could have forced a division but did not. The then Labour Justice Secretary Jack Straw said he did not recall Mr Johnson expressing any opposition at the time. Edward Garnier, the shadow prisons minister at the time, could not recall whether Mr Johnson opposed the bill, while Nick Herbert, then shadow justice secretary, declined to comment. Several then Conservative MPs including Mr Herbert, as well as then Labour backbenchers Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell, criticised the lack of time to debate the bill. The Times, on the day after the bill was passed, carried just a couple of paragraphs - the focus was almost entirely on a part of bill that stopped prison officers from striking. What claims do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter

लंदन ब्रिज पर हमला करने वाले उस्मान खान को 16 साल की सजा का आधा हिस्सा काटने के बाद जेल से रिहा कर दिया गया था। प्रधान मंत्री बोरिस जॉनसन ने कहा कि यह "लेबर पार्टी द्वारा लाए गए कानून में बदलाव के कारण था जिसके खिलाफ मैंने मतदान किया था।" तो उसने किया?


'I was in agony but couldn't get a breast reduction on the NHS'

Summary: Women have told the BBC they are being refused breast reductions on the NHS despite living with chronic, agonising symptoms for years. The NHS does not record how many patients are turned away but surgeons say more needs to be done.

By Mary McCoolBBC Scotland news Nicole Poole pleaded with health service doctors to reduce the size of her breasts for nine years before she finally gave up. At the age of 18 she began experiencing soreness in her back, which over time led to severe shooting pains down her side. She also suffered migraines which gave her blurred vision, flashes and sickness. Nicole was convinced it was caused by her chest size - a 32GG despite her clothes being a size 12. The condition earned her the nickname "sick note" at work because she had so many absences. "I was getting migraines twice a week," she said. "I was off work constantly with it. It was a really terrible time. I was depressed, I hated my body and everything about myself. I didn't go out anywhere." By 21, Nicole's cup size had reached an H and she decided to speak to her GP but was told she was too young for a reduction. She was also advised to consider whether she wanted children before seeking the procedure. A few years later her GP finally referred her to hospital but she received a letter saying surgery "wasn't necessary". Nicole, from Cambuslang, South Lanarkshire, said she then attempted to manage her condition with painkillers and developed a serious codeine addiction. A second referral in her late 20s again led to rejection because her BMI (Body Mass Index) was above the criteria threshold. Women being 'dismissed' Dr Judy Evans, honorary secretary at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, said far too often women seeking reductions were dismissed because it was seen as a "women's issue" in medicine and that patient's reasons were "cosmetic" rather than practical. She said: "Breast reduction is an operation which can free people from neck pain, from back pain. It can enable them to do more in terms of good, healthy activities like sport and swimming. "It can enable them to look after their children better, it takes them off anti-depressants. It's the most wonderful operation in terms of what it does for the person, but also I believe in the long term it saves a lot of money for the NHS." However Dr Alex Munnoch, an NHS consultant plastic surgeon, said that Scotland had a "very clear" policy on managing breast reductions and that more women were refused surgery because of the "increase in referrals for cosmetic procedures". He added: "Another concern is that reduction surgery doesn't relieve symptoms. There was a study from a unit in Manchester which showed that for most patients, being fitted with the correct bra could negate a lot of symptoms." 'My breasts were bleeding' Now 31, Nicole was shocked to hear how other women not only shared her condition but had also been unable to get help via the NHS. Grace Watt, from Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, was 16 and a size 8 when she started experiencing back pain and migraines - her bra size was a 30GG. She also experienced painful rashes and said that stretch-marks on her breasts were so irritated, they would often bleed. After being told she was "too young" for surgery at 16, Grace tried again after her 18th birthday but despite fitting all the NHS criteria, she was rejected and told she "wasn't a special case". "I was sobbing," she said. "I was in so much pain and couldn't get anything to fit me. At that point I had a breakdown, my mental health was a mess, I quit my job and on top of the pain I was self conscious. "I wouldn't show any skin on holiday, I wore T-shirts in the swimming pool and I would hardly go out at home." 'I'll do it myself' In the past two years, both Grace and Nicole decided to seek reductions through private surgeons - a process that can cost patients about £6,500. Nicole took out a loan while Grace was helped by her parents but both fear there are more women suffering in silence because they cannot afford to pay for the surgery themselves. Since her surgery, Nicole has been promoted and works as an opticians manager. "I was back at work within 10 days and I was fine on paracetamol," she said. "Now I've no back pain and I've had two migraines since getting the operation done. "I still have anxiety but my depression has lifted. I lost myself for so long I didn't know what I was like." Grace, an administrator for a charity, said: "When I see pictures of myself I sometimes think 'how did I feel like that?' I was so uncomfortable with myself and I didn't look happy. "I haven't had migraine since or if I have it's to do with my teeth. I feel more like myself." Why are women being turned away? Many women, including Nicole, have been refused a breast reduction because their BMI was too high. The NHS says it must be 20-27 - the Scottish average in 2018 was 27.7. NHS Scotland calls this set of criteria their 'exceptional referral protocol' which was updated in April this year. But there has been debate in recent years over whether BMI is the most reliable way to indicate overall health, particularly when bodies are notably disproportionate. Nicole also pointed out that when she first sought the surgery, her BMI was "healthy", yet she was still rejected. She also went to great lengths to lose weight on her second attempt but injured her back while exercising. Dr Evans said: "It's really difficult to have set criteria because this sort of thing should be decided individually, so it shouldn't be based on size or BMI. "It should be based on the symptoms. And if someone has severe symptoms for any other diagnosis they will get the operations so why should this be any different?" Are there any other reasons? Figures obtained by the BBC show that between 2014 and 2018 the total number of annual reductions was on average 362. Over a third are women who require the procedure because of cancers, while others receive it to treat conditions like abnormal growths or inflammatory disorders. The number of surgeries completed for hypertrophy - large cell tissue - was on average 42, and the number decreases each year. It is impossible to measure the number of rejections because the NHS does not record this figure - only successful surgeries. The surgeries themselves are costly, particularly for cash-strapped health boards - a reduction in NHS Tayside costs £1,800, for example. And NHS surgeons say surgical resources are already pushed to their limit and they must prioritise patients who have life-threatening conditions, such as cancer. NHS plastic surgeon Dr Andy Malyon, who also owns a private practice, said target times "which are set politically" were "enormous". He said: "What we need to have is some way of defining something that's deliverable. "The NHS does what it can, I think its [latest] set of criteria is fair and there are a lot of things that should help make clearer that we expect a level playing field across country." So what can be done? According to Dr Evans, there should be no debate about the potential benefits breast reductions can give to patients. She said: "This is something that should not be rationed if it's clinically indicated it can improve the life of the patient, and through them, through all their families." Having seen BBC Scotland's findings, Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who convenes the cross party group on women's health, said she would ask the Scottish government to address access to breast reduction surgery in its forthcoming women's health plan. She said: "Private surgery is not an affordable option for the majority of women in this situation. "Women who experience chronic pain and discomfort related to the size of their breasts need to be taken seriously."

महिलाओं ने बी. बी. सी. को बताया है कि वर्षों से पुराने, दर्दनाक लक्षणों के साथ रहने के बावजूद उन्हें एन. एच. एस. पर स्तन घटाने से इनकार किया जा रहा है। एन. एच. एस. यह दर्ज नहीं करता है कि कितने रोगियों को वापस कर दिया गया है लेकिन सर्जनों का कहना है कि और अधिक करने की आवश्यकता है।


Coronavirus: Why healthcare workers are at risk of moral injury

Summary: It is widely known that veterans can return from war with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Far less appreciated is moral injury - a trauma wrapped up in guilt that we are now learning more about thanks to US-based research, writes James Jeffrey.

Moral injury most often occurs when a person commits, fails to prevent or witnesses an act that is anathema to their moral beliefs. The Department of Veterans Affairs website likens it to psychological trauma involving "extreme and unprecedented life experience", that can lead to "haunting states of inner conflict and turmoil". US-based research into moral injury is now illuminating how such injuries can impact people in all walks of life, but especially first responders and healthcare workers facing the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak. Amid reports of New York City's emergency services getting overwhelmed and states struggling to provide enough ventilators, first responders and healthcare workers potentially face having to decide who gets a ventilator and who gets saved - something one nurse has described as "her biggest fear". Already thousands are dying in their care - and medical workers say they are facing scenarios they had never anticipated. One doctor told the BBC the stress was intense. "Seeing people die is not the issue. We're trained to deal with death… The issue is giving up on people we wouldn't normally give up on." Arthur Markman, a professor in the department of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, says: "Few people in healthcare have had real-life experience with triage in which a significant number of life-and-death decisions had to be made because of equipment shortages. That increases the chances that they may experience moral injury as a result of their jobs." The risk is compounded, he says, by workers at the front-lines of the epidemic - in places like New York, Italy and Spain - working long shifts with little break and sleep before they get back on the job. This leaves little if any time to process an incident that, if left unattended, may prove a moral injury in the making. "A person doesn't just take the gloves off afterwards without that loss affecting their moral fibre, their soul," says Nöel Lipana, who was left with a moral injury from his 2008 Afghanistan tour. He now works as a social worker while promoting better understanding of moral injuries both in the military and beyond, which includes staging art performances and a forthcoming documentary film, Quiet Summons. "They came into this profession to help people, so what do you do when there is that sense of helplessness: you are a great physician, a great surgeon, you have some of the best medical equipment in the world, but you still can't save someone." Mr Lipana notes how veterans are often the focal point of a trauma discussion that needs be much wider. Veterans Affairs treats about 500,000 veterans a year with PTSD symptoms while the National Institute of Mental Health estimates about 7.9 million civilians suffer from some form of PTSD. "The range of human experiences that are potentially damaging, socially, psychologically, biologically and spiritually because they cause a crisis of conscience are in no way limited to the military serving in warzones," says Brett Litz from the Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiological Research and Information Center, who is also a professor of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University. A recent paper co-authored by moral injury experts Rita Brock and HC Palmer states that "the fight against the coronavirus is strikingly similar to battlefield medicine: desperate and unrelenting encounters with patients, an environment of high personal risk, an unseen lethal enemy, extreme physical and mental fatigue, inadequate resources and unending accumulations of the dead." Mr Lipana deployed to Afghanistan as an Air Force major acting as his unit's counter improvised explosive device (IED) officer. He oversaw and trained US troops in how to detect and disable IEDs planted by insurgents. Two army soldiers he worked alongside died in separate explosions during his deployment. "They were killed by the thing I was meant to protect them from," says Mr Lipana, who was also involved in an operation during which four Afghan children were killed in a blast. "You play over what you could have done, should have done differently." Guilt has been identified as the crucial factor that distinguishes a moral injury, even as other symptoms - anxiety and despair, flashbacks, social isolation and suicidal thoughts - overlap with PTSD. "Traditional trauma treatment is about what's going on between your ears - it says you are just thinking about the incident wrong," Mr Lipana says. "That has zero to do with the connection I have with my battle buddies, those kids, with our fundamental spiritual soul connection in this universe." The breach of a person's personal ethical code at the heart of a moral injury can inflict lasting behavioural, emotional and psychological damage, distorting a person's self-identity and provoking reflexive distrust of others. "In the military, we have it better in a way, as we get this break between deployments," Mr Lipana says. "Firefighters and cops have to reset themselves every 12 hours and go back out on their next shift." Research in America has identified how for many veterans the pride in once wearing their uniform collides with a feeling of futility about what their service achieved and a belief that military leaders failed or deceived them and their fallen comrades. The resulting sense of violation from this can further fuel a lingering crisis of the conscience and spirit - deepening the moral injury. While healthcare workers know they are doing the right thing by helping people with Covid-19, they may still be affected by responses of leaders, from the hospital hierarchy up to the national level. "One of the most toxic forms of moral injury is betrayal," says Ms Brock, who is also co-author of Soul Repair: Recovering from Moral Injury After War, and the director of the Shay Moral Injury Center. "Our healthcare workers are working to save people, but they have been betrayed by the government's inadequate response." Healthcare workers' self-knowledge that they are involved in an entirely virtuous endeavour - as opposed to how veterans view the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - can "actually make it even worse," Ms Brock says. "You know you are on a life-saving mission, and so you can't understand how the president doesn't seem to get it in the same way." An estimated 11-20% of the 2.7 million men and women who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan have received a diagnosis of PTSD linked to their service. The percentage of former service members coping with moral injury appears comparable, though experts warn that the prevailing emphasis on PTSD means moral injury can often go unrecognised and ignored. Between 2005 and 2017, 78,875 veterans took their own lives, according to the most recent data from Veterans Affairs. Currently, about 17 veterans are estimated to kill themselves each day. The period following the acute phase of the coronavirus epidemic will likely be hardest for medical professionals in terms of psychological impact. "Once the rest of society has said thank you and moved on to getting back to normal and thinking about the economy, that's when these people will sit down and think, 'What the hell happened back there?'" Ms Brock says. Her paper with HC Palmer states that some medical personnel may take their lives because of moral injury, having been "crushed by decisions they had to make, swamped by unrelenting grief, consumed by fury and humiliation at the authorities who failed them". Ms Brock explains that, as in the military, often these emotions and reflections don't sink in for months due to the initial response's all-consuming pace. Prof Markman stresses that "moral injuries are not inevitable" - and that medical professions will need time to reflect, and support from their managers. "Leaders of hospitals need to communicate with the people working for them that they are using their training to make the best possible decisions under horrible circumstances. Everyone in the profession needs to recognise that they are trying to do the least harm possible in a situation in which it is impossible to provide the highest-quality care to every patient in need." Meanwhile, experts say that individuals in society have an important role to play too. "The rest of us can offer compassion to those who must, because of safety, keep us separated from those we love who are dying," Brock and Palmer write. "Essential, too, is support for the families of medical professionals who are our friends or neighbours. And every time we interact with a medical professional, we should thank them."

यह व्यापक रूप से ज्ञात है कि पूर्व सैनिक पोस्ट-ट्रॉमेटिक स्ट्रेस डिसऑर्डर (पीटीएसडी) के साथ युद्ध से लौट सकते हैं। नैतिक चोट की बहुत कम सराहना की जाती है-एक आघात जो अपराधबोध में लिपटा हुआ है जिसके बारे में अब हम यूएस-आधारित शोध के कारण अधिक सीख रहे हैं, जेम्स जेफरी लिखते हैं।


Armagh Sainsbury's king prawn theft - woman on trial

Summary: A 54-year-old woman has gone on trial at Newry Crown Court accused of stealing a packet of prawns from Sainsbury's in Armagh.

Arija Kehere of Main Street in Keady, County Armagh, has denied the charge. A store detective told the jury that he saw the accused place the £6.99 prawns in a navy bag, pay for other items and then leave the shop. He said he arrested her outside. The court heard the detective had been head-hunted because of his efficiency. He had made 107 arrests in one year and was described as Sainsbury's guardian angel.

एक 54 वर्षीय महिला पर न्यूरी क्राउन कोर्ट में मुकदमा चलाया गया है, जिस पर अरमाघ में सेंसबरी से झींगे का एक पैकेट चुराने का आरोप है।


Hoarded items delay Newton Aycliffe fire rescue

Summary: The victim of a house fire had hoarded so many items inside her County Durham home that rescuers had difficulty getting inside, an inquest heard.

Anne Bradshaw, 66, died in hospital after the fire in Honister Place, Newton Aycliffe, in May 2012. Items piled against the front door delayed access by fire crews, who rescued her son through a window. County Durham and Darlington coroner Andrew Tweddle ruled that Ms Bradshaw's death was accidental. He told the inquest that the amount of stuff in the house was "staggering".

एक घर में आग लगने की पीड़ित ने अपने काउंटी डरहम घर के अंदर इतनी सारी वस्तुओं को जमा कर दिया था कि बचाव दल को अंदर जाने में कठिनाई हो रही थी।