Interest rates on hold - for now

Summary: So, the interest rate cut is off, for now.

Kamal AhmedEconomics editor@bbckamalon Twitter The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided - significantly by a 8-1 majority rather than unanimously - that a little bit of patience is necessary to see how the economy performs over the next few weeks. The markets' judgement that Mark Carney had clearly signalled a July rate cut two weeks ago when he said "some monetary policy easing will likely be required over the summer" has proved erroneous. Some might mutter about the governor showing flashes of the "unreliable boyfriend" he has been accused of before when he has guided the market. However, the governor's words do not contradict today's decision. "Over the summer" is not one month. And monetary easing can mean more than just a cut in interest rates. The MPC is dealing with two competing forces. First, a slowdown in economic growth following the referendum vote which many economists believe could tip the economy into recession. Second, a possible increase in inflation sparked by the fall in the value of sterling. At the moment the data on the former is limited. The MPC did point to some "preliminary signs" that household and business confidence has been affected by the referendum result. It said there have been some "sharp falls" in sentiment measures. "Taken together, these indicators suggest economic activity is likely to weaken in the near term," the minutes say. But, against that, the financial markets have continued to function which has "dampened rather than amplified" the effects of the 23 June vote. And economic activity is described as "solid" in the run-up to the referendum. The Bank also made it clear that "most" members of the MPC "expect monetary policy to be loosened in August" when the Inflation Report is published. That does not necessarily mean an interest rate cut at that point. It could mean more stimulus via the purchasing of government bonds, or quantitative easing. Or more action to boost lending via direct support to banks. On inflation, any upward pressure is still slight. Inflation is at 0.3%, well below the 2% target. The "sharp" fall in sterling is likely to be inflationary as import prices rise. But, so far, there is little evidence of that. Short-term market expectations of an increase in inflation have risen slightly. But over the longer term, expectations are still muted. The deflationary pressures of low commodity prices and a slow devaluation of the renminbi - making Chinese exports cheaper - are acting across the globe to depress prices. To be clear, interest rates may not fall further this year. Whether they do will depend on the MPC's judgement on the best way to balance the two competing forces in the economy. And how the economy performs over the next few weeks and months - rather more a function of government policy on tax, spending and negotiations with the European Union, than it is of monetary policy. As Mr Carney has always made clear - the levers the Bank has at its disposal can only do so much. He has also been wary of cutting rates too deeply - and has signalled that he is not a big fan of negative rates - because of the damage that can do to retail bank profitability and the ability to lend. Sentiment is certainly moving towards more stimulus - the form that stimulus will take, and when, is still unclear.

इसलिए, ब्याज दर में कटौती अभी के लिए बंद है।


Free Reading buses for elderly set to start earlier

Summary: Elderly bus passengers in Reading will be allowed to travel for free on local services half an hour earlier, after councillors approved changes.

On Monday Reading Borough Council's cabinet agreed to introduce free services from 09:00 on weekdays. Currently free bus travel for people of pensionable age starts from 09:30 on weekdays. The changes would be funded from income collected from bus lane fines and are due to start in the autumn. The extra half an hour's free travel is expected to cost between £29,000 and £46,000 per year but would bring Reading into line with neighbouring Wokingham and West Berkshire councils. Reading Borough Council will write to all residents to advise them of the change and proposed start date.

पार्षदों द्वारा परिवर्तनों को मंजूरी देने के बाद रीडिंग में बुजुर्ग बस यात्रियों को आधे घंटे पहले स्थानीय सेवाओं पर मुफ्त यात्रा करने की अनुमति दी जाएगी।


Life in a gang: 'You don't know who's gonna die next'

Summary: "If you don't prove yourself you're gonna get stepped on. You can't be a wasteman."

By Tracy OllerenshawNewsbeat reporter Yusuf's been in a gang since he was 15. He wears a stab vest when he leaves the flat he shares with his mum and carries a knife in his boxers because he fears he'll be killed if he can't defend himself. "I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by six," he says, borrowing a Roddy Ricch lyric to make his point. Homelessness and domestic abuse feature heavily in Yusuf's past and he reckons there's an "80/20 chance" his future will involve prison. The 17-year-old - one of London's most notorious gang members - is speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat in a London youth hub. Sitting on a white plastic chair beside his youth worker, Yusuf reels off some of the crimes he's been accused of - carrying acid, attempted murder, arming himself with a knife. It's the first of a number of chats we had with the teenager, as we spent six months last year inside an east London unit set up to tackle gang crime. As we knocked on doors with case workers and walked around Hackney estates with police who are on first name terms with gang members, we started to uncover what life is like for these young people. They told us about stabbings, fights over "inherited beef" and the meticulous planning that goes into journeys to avoid running into rivals. "One minute I'm going to the shop with my mate, the next minute I hear he's been stabbed," one 15-year-old says. Like Yusuf, he regularly wears a stab vest underneath his clothes. He tells us he's rarely in bed before 03:00 and struggles to get up in the morning. "Every other day police knock at the door," an 18-year-old says. He's recently been arrested over a murder, but he's been released. He speaks plainly about being knifed in the leg. "It was like a stab. Knife, blood. Couple of stitches." As we chat he constantly answers texts and calls on two phones. We later hear he's been jailed for county lines drug dealing. He tells us he'd like to rewind. "I'd go back in time. I know how everything is gonna end up. I'm here in my yard, it's safe. It's not safe out there." So how did these young men get here? Yusuf says most of the boys he started secondary school with are now in gangs. 'I gave up' He once dreamed of being a footballer, but says he was let down by school and a government that "only cares about itself". "They're not talking to the people in the council estates, they're talking to people in Chelsea," he says. He didn't have to look far for a different path. "I gave up on myself. In the borough like, this is the life. You don't need to look for it, it's there." What is the gangs unit? The idea behind the Hackney Integrated Gangs Unit- set up 10 years ago - was to bring all the people involved in working with gang crime together. Information is shared between police, probation officers, youth offending workers and mentors, who are often ex-gang members and they all sit in the same office. There also someone from the Department for Work and Pensions, to help with jobs and benefits. Staff at the unit offer all kinds of support for young people in the community, from "holding their hand" at a doctor's appointment to booking taxis to take them to school. PC Jamie Preston says the teenagers who end up in gangs are often - not always - from poor backgrounds. "They've usually not got much family, no money and they're living in London where you're surrounded by wealth. Rich people, flashy cars and all these kids want that," says PC Preston. "You've got young males from estates who've probably got a single-parent income, living in horrible conditions, no money. They see these older males with thousands of pounds in their pocket and they ask them to do something and give them money for it. "It's a no brainer, of course they're going to do it and this is how they get exploited." Yusuf's mentor - part of the team at the unit - fills us in on some of his background. He's been run over by a rival gang, caught with a sword and found in a house where drugs were being sold in Devon. He's been arrested a number of times. Youth worker Damion Roberts says: "He's put himself in that limelight - he wants everyone to know he's a very aggressive young man. He's putting fear in other people's minds. He's becoming very aggressive in this culture." 'I feel like Superman' Yusuf tells us he doesn't want to hurt people but wouldn't hesitate to stab someone if he felt he needed to. "No-one carries it for fashion - it's not for show. For me it's for my defence, if the time came I'd 100% be prepared to use it. It's either me or them." "I'd rather be in jail than dead, that's the reality." Carrying a weapon makes him feel powerful, he admits. "Like Superman - until it's time to run." Yusuf's gang is his family and he'd do anything to protect them. "I'm not saying I've stabbed someone. [But] in the future or whatever, I've got their back." London's gangs matrix When we met Yusuf he was on the Met Police's list of gang members and was number one on the Hackney unit's list. The gangs violence matrix was set up after the riots in 2011 and is used by officers to identify people likely to be involved in gang crime in London. Once on the list, names are assigned a red, amber or green rating. But it has been controversial - 374 people were removed from the matrix this year when the UK's data watchdog found it breached data protection laws. Close bonds are a common feature of the gang mentality, PC Preston says. "At the same time as being a gang, it's like a family to them. If you've got no family, you've been in care, no-one's ever bothered about you and you've got a group of males who look after you, fight for you, give you money - it is like a family. "That's what they actually crave, someone to look after them. And obviously they can make a lot of money at the same time." Damion says similar. "It's a sense of love and friendship that's supposed to be in the home but it's outside the home." 'People are dying' Yusuf describes clashes with rival gangs as "war" and says he tries to get into that mindset. "People get shot at, stabbed, people are dying. Just gotta think of it like this, 'I'm a soldier, soldiers do it [kill], if a soldier can do it I can do it.'" He says he only feels safe at home or at the youth hub. His days are filled with "hyper vigilance" and "paranoia". "You don't know what you're gonna hear. Who's gonna die next." He sees threats everywhere. "I don't like normal cars, speeding cars, cars going the wrong way up a one-way, tints, black cars, old cars, loud cars. I don't like dodgy licence plates." He wants out. "You want to leave. It's a sad life. There's nothing to be glamorised, people die, people die you know. Everybody wants to leave it. It's just about timing." For Michael, that time came after 12 years in and out of custody for drugs offences and robbery. He was first sent to a youth offender institution at just 13 years old. "I felt like it just reminded me of a youth centre with people I didn't know that I got to know. Besides that, that was it, you just had a bedtime and you couldn't leave and I didn't even think that bothered me. "Six months later, I got out." Now 26, he says crime was "just a way of life" and when asked if he ever felt bad or remorseful, he says: "Nah, I need to eat - that's what you're thinking." When we meet him he's working a 9-5 job and he's been out of prison for eight months. "Dealing drugs - running from the feds. I can't be doing this. I can't be running." He says he can't quite believe how much spare time he now has. Being in a gang is 24-7. "I feel more at ease now." Michael has changed his life but he knows it's not easy getting others to do the same. He tells us the kind of things designed to steer young gang members away from the streets - like mentors, day trips and restaurant outings - didn't stop him dealing drugs. PC Preston puts it simply. "As long as there is drugs and poverty, we'll always have a gang problem." At the gangs unit, analyst Mani says helping people to get out of the gangs lifestyle is "a long hard slog" and can take years. "It's a difficult lifestyle to get out of once you're fully entrenched. And actually, what we need to do is say to that young person, 'We're not going to leave you'." That's what happened for Michael, who says he owes a lot to his probation officer at the unit. "Things are going well and I still got her... still by my side. She's like family... I can't even argue with her, man." Michael now wants to go into prisons to talk to young people like him. He's even speaking to his MP about it. And what about Yusuf? Our final chat with him is ahead of his sentencing for carrying a knife and taking acid into a council building. He tells us his mindset has shifted. "The way I think is different. If I carry [a weapon] now and get stopped they know my face. Before, carrying is carrying. There's other ways to feel safe - planning what times I go out and what route. My decision making is different, I'm just gonna be more smart. "I can't be getting caught with a sword and stuff, that's done" Six days before Christmas, he stands before magistrates in a suit bought for him on a day out with his case worker, hoping if he's jailed he'll be out before his 18th birthday. He's told his mum not to come - he doesn't want her to see him in the dock - but she calls incessantly. Magistrates give him a 12-month referral order - which means he will stay under the supervision of a youth offending team - and he calls a friend. "Come get me - I didn't go down." A year on and PC Preston says Yusuf's not been arrested or come to police notice since. He's still on the gangs matrix and will stay there until his criminal behaviour order ends next December. PC Preston says officers will visit him once a month to check in and "ask him how he's getting on." "He's enrolled in college - I believe he's attending regularly and doing well," he tells us. "He seems to be turning his life around." Some names in this article have been changed to protect the identity of contributors.

"अगर आप खुद को साबित नहीं करते हैं तो आप आगे बढ़ेंगे। आप बर्बाद करने वाले नहीं हो सकते।"


Toronto van attack: Eyewitness accounts

Summary: A rented van has been driven into pedestrians on a busy street in the Canadian city of Toronto, leaving 10 people dead and 15 injured. Here, eyewitnesses describe seeing the vehicle mount the pavement in busy Yonge Street and travel at speed for nearly 2km (1.24 mile), mowing down pedestrians. The suspected driver was arrested and is being questioned.

'I saw people dying right in front of me' "I heard screaming, yelling. I turned back and saw this truck," Rocco Cignielli, 42, told AFP news agency. "He was going in and out, back and forth, zigzagging. He just kept on going. "I saw there were people lying on the ground. I saw they were doing heart compression, and I saw two people dying right here in front of me." 'The truck continued going and going' Taxi driver Nana Agyeman Badu said the van had been heading south towards the city centre and then suddenly swerved on to the pavement. "I thought maybe he was making a delivery. But I was thinking, 'Why would he drive in the pedestrian walkway like that?' Very fast. Then I saw he had already run over some people. "A lady was walking towards the car close to a bus shelter. The truck pinged the lady through the bus shelter and she fell back and all the broken glass fell on to her. I stopped and ran out to help her. The truck continued going and going and going." 'My friend was gone' Michele Kelman, who works on Yonge Street, said she was returning to her office with a friend after lunch when they heard screams. She told the Globe and Mail that she turned and saw bodies flying through the air. The front of the white van was heading straight towards her. She said she tried to shield herself and the van shot past without touching her. But when she turned back her friend had gone. "I couldn't find her body for a while. There were a few around. And there were people trying to bring her back," she recalled. Ms Kelman declined to name her friend because her family had not yet been notified of her death. 'There are so many people lying on the streets' Alex Shaker told CTV television that the driver was travelling "really fast". "All I could see was just people one by one getting knocked out, knocked out, one by one," he said. "There are so many people lying down on the streets." 'It was awful... brutal' Phil Zullo said he saw victims "strewn all over the road". He told told Canadian Press: "I must have seen about five, six people being resuscitated by bystanders and by ambulance drivers. It was awful... brutal."

कनाडा के टोरंटो शहर में एक व्यस्त सड़क पर एक किराए की वैन पैदल चलने वालों पर चढ़ गई, जिसमें 10 लोगों की मौत हो गई और 15 घायल हो गए। यहाँ, प्रत्यक्षदर्शी बताते हैं कि वाहन को व्यस्त योंग स्ट्रीट में फुटपाथ पर चढ़ते हुए और पैदल चलने वालों को कुचलते हुए लगभग 2 किमी (1.24 मील) की गति से यात्रा करते हुए देखा गया। संदिग्ध चालक को गिरफ्तार कर लिया गया और उससे पूछताछ की जा रही है।


Scottish vote: Experts debate potential economic impact

Summary: As the polls narrow in the Scottish independence debate, banks, investors and economists have been ramping up their warnings about the potential investment and economic impact a break-up of the United Kingdom could have.

By Matthew WallBusiness reporter, BBC News But some commentators believe that, while all the uncertainty surrounding the details of separation may have negative economic consequences in the short term, an independent Scotland could be financially viable in the longer term. Here is a representative selection of recent comments. Alan Greenspan, former chairman, US Federal Reserve The former Fed head has warned that independence would be "surprisingly negative for Scotland, more so than the Nationalist party is in any way communicating", according to the Financial Times. He said their economic forecasts were "so implausible they really should be dismissed out of hand", making reference to falling North Sea oil production. He also maintained that the Bank of England would be extremely unlikely to act as "lender of last resort" to a newly independent Scotland. Professor Mike Danson, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Heriot-Watt's professor of enterprise policy believes the doom-mongers are wrong. "The concerns are overdone," he told the BBC. "Supermarkets have said prices could go up, but they could also go down." An independent Scotland would be freer to make choices about where and how to spend its money, he argues. "We could incentivise companies and universities to invest in research and development, for example. "We're not going to see an economic revolution overnight, but its about building on Scotland's strengths in life sciences, food and drink, tourism and financial services. We have a long history of good practice and a skilled workforce." Peter Dixon and Dr Jorg Kramer, Commerzbank The German bank's economists argue that while the Scottish government's assumptions on energy reserves are credible, "more than half of the figure relies on potential resources or those yet to be found. On current technology only around 40% of projected reserves are likely to be extracted." The bank also warns about the consequences for the remainder of the UK, arguing that it "would have a diminished presence on the global stage." But overall, it concludes that "it is likely that an independent Scotland will fare better than the Westminster government expects but considerably worse than the nationalists believe." Dame Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer The former high priestess of punk fashion said an independent Scotland could be "the turning point towards a better world. They could lead by example." She backed Scottish independence as she kicked off her London Fashion Week showcase, sending her models down the catwalk sporting Yes campaign badges. Dame Vivienne, who was born in Tintwistle, Derbyshire, is just one of hundreds of business people who have given their support to the Yes campaign. For example, in August 200 firms signed Business for Scotland's open letter supporting the case for independence. Robert Zoellick, former president, World Bank The former World Bank president said "a break-up of the UK would be a diminution of Britain and a tragedy for the west just at a moment when the US needs strong partners. I strongly suspect it would not work out well for the Scots either." Goldman Sachs The global investment bank thinks the short-term effects of a "Yes" vote in the Scottish referendum could have "severe consequences" for both countries' economies. "In the event of a surprise 'Yes' vote, the near-term consequences for the Scottish economy, and for the UK more broadly, could be severely negative," it wrote in a research note last week, but longer term the bank said it could prosper. Protracted negotiations over the division of UK national debt, the currency, and Scottish membership of the European Union would lead to "a prolonged period of uncertainty," the bank said. "This, in itself, is likely to have adverse economic consequences for Scotland and the UK." "Even if the sterling monetary union does not break up in the event of a 'Yes' vote, the threat of a break-up would provide investors with a strong incentive to sell Scottish-based assets, and households with a strong incentive to withdraw deposits from Scottish-based banks," the bank argued. However longer term, it believes there is "little reason why an independent Scotland could not prosper: there is no evidence to suggest that smaller countries are richer or poorer, on average." Martin Gilbert, chief executive, Aberdeen Asset Management Aberdeen Asset Management, Scotland's largest fund management company, is officially neutral in the independence debate. However its boss, Martin Gilbert, has said an "independent Scotland would be a big success", although he declined to say which he had voted in his postal vote. In Aberdeen's Press and Journal, Mr Gilbert said Scotland was among the 20 wealthiest countries in the world, adding: "Most sensible people now accept that Scotland would be prosperous with either outcome in the current constitutional debate." He also said sterlingisation - in which an independent Scotland kept the pound without a formal deal - would be a "pretty good option". "Low or no debt would be the position if an independent Scotland were denied access to Bank of England financial assets, and that would leave the newly-independent country in both budget and balance of payments surplus. Not a bad start," he added. Paul Krugman, economist Writing in his New York Times column, Mr Krugman had a stark message for Scotland: "Be afraid, be very afraid. The risks of going it alone are huge. You may think that Scotland can become another Canada, but it's all too likely that it would end up becoming Spain without the sunshine." On the prospects of keeping sterling as the country's currency, Mr Krugman said: "The combination of political independence with a shared currency is a recipe for disaster." He would find it "mind-boggling" if Scotland decided to do this. Oliver Harvey, Deutsche Bank Echoing Paul Krugman, Deutsche Bank's foreign exchange strategist Oliver Harvey, wrote: "Scotland: be afraid, be very afraid" in a note to investors on Monday. "The implications of a yes vote would be huge....", he said. "On the currency side, it could at worse lead to a destabilising crisis in the whole British banking system and at best leave the the rest of the UK with an unstable currency union in which the Bank of England is forced to continue to provide liquidity to Scottish banks while Westminster thrashes out a fiscal and monetary arrangement with a new Scottish sovereign government holding all the cards. "A 'yes' vote could easily derail the UK economic recovery. Scotland represents the rest of the UK's second largest trading partner after the EU and many corporate investment plans are likely to be put on hold until clarity over currency, regulatory and tax questions is achieved." Ben Chu, The Independent A Scottish state is "perfectly viable", argues the Indy's economics editor, Ben Chu. "Some of the wilder prophecies of ruin are unconvincing." "Scotland's North Sea oil money will eventually run out but the country still has a well-educated population. Its future productivity growth and prosperity rests on those foundations of human capital." In the short-term, however, he says that: "Corporate investment, which has been disappointingly weak for a decade, could flatline amidst the uncertainty thrown up by a Yes vote. That wouldn't help either Scotland or the rest of the UK recover from the biggest slump since the 1930s." A lot depends on whether Scotland retains the pound, he argues, thereby accepting a degree of Westminster oversight that many Scots who voted for independence would find unpalatable.

जैसे-जैसे स्कॉटिश स्वतंत्रता की बहस में चुनाव संकीर्ण हो रहे हैं, बैंक, निवेशक और अर्थशास्त्री यूनाइटेड किंगडम के टूटने से संभावित निवेश और आर्थिक प्रभाव के बारे में अपनी चेतावनी दे रहे हैं।


'They're my mum and dad, not terrorists'

Summary: Since moving in with Pakistani Muslim foster parents, Rebecca Brown - who is white British - has had school friends ask if she lives with terrorists, because of their religion. She wants people to know they are just like any other family.

By Ashley John-BaptisteBBC Victoria Derbyshire programme "I am a part of the family," Rebecca explains over a family dinner with Shanaz and Muhammad Arshad, her foster parents. Rebecca, who is an atheist, has lived with the Muslim family since the age of 12. Now 18, she has chosen to continue living with them. She is keen to make her voice heard only weeks after a case involving a five-year-old Christian girl, who was reportedly left distressed after being placed with Muslim foster carers, hit the headlines. A family court judge later ruled there were no concerns about the girl's welfare. Rebecca tells the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme without Shanaz and Muhammad she "wouldn't have anyone else to call family". She has referred to them as "mum and dad" since the third month of living together. She has learned basic Urdu to become closer to them, and has travelled with the family to Pakistan - something that stirred opinions among school friends. One told her she was "living with terrorists", she says. Others have talked about her family having "explosives". Rebecca remembers being perplexed. "I live in a family as anyone else would." Shanaz says she has also been hurt by comments. "People think the girl will lose her identity. People question, 'Is she going to become one of you? Is she going to have an arranged marriage?' "We are trying to give this child the best care in the world." The family is also fostering an Afghan boy and Kenyan girl - and Shanaz is keen to explain that Rebecca has been able to maintain "her own identity". "Rebecca is going to be Rebecca," she says. "Fostering isn't about imposing religion. Foster carers are not there to remould them." She says she has spoken about Islam with Rebecca but "never imposed it" on her. "We celebrate every culture and religion in this household. We celebrate Christmas because it's a holiday and festival time." 'Inspired by Christianity' The government says it does not have statistics on how many interracial placements there are. But it is estimated that 3,000 Muslim children are placed into foster care each year. Krish Kandiah, a Christian theologian, has fostered children from a broad range of religious and cultural backgrounds. "Reading the Bible, it has so much to say about vulnerable kids in our society," he says, explaining his choice to foster. He dismisses the idea that having Christianity as a key motivator for becoming a foster parent is in conflict with the role, which requires children's religious choices to be respected. "When Muslim kids have come into my care I have asked how we can help, how we should honour that. "We've had Halal meat, made a Koran available. If my kid was in care, I'd want their faith to be respected." He says that there have been instances where people are "very critical" of foster carers. But, he adds, "I'd tell critics to step up and foster themselves". Not all placements are a success. Jerome Harvey, who's 26, said his identity was overlooked by a Muslim family he lived with at the age of four. "The first family I lived with were Indian Muslim, and it was just a massive culture shock," he says. "The first thing that stood out to me was the food. We didn't recognise it, [but] they forced us to eat it. "They lost us," he adds. "A carer's job is to find you, but they lost us because they weren't interested in who we were before we got there. "We didn't celebrate Christmas." He says the family did not introduce him to their culture either. "If anything they damaged us further. They excluded us from who they were. "We'd watch them pray but not really understand why they were doing it, or what it is, and just copy." Cultural needs Kevin Williams, chief executive of the charity Fostering Network, says over the last 20 years there has been much greater understanding of the need to support a foster child's "culture and beliefs". Foster parents are trained to ensure they are prepared to look after children of all backgrounds, he adds, with social workers acting as a safeguard. Mr Williams is clear that foster parents should "not be forcing a religion onto a child", but that - if they are religious - they can talk to the child about this, as it is important for them to be made aware of "different experiences". The charity estimates that there is currently a shortage of 8,000 foster carers across the UK. "We want children to be matched as closely as possible with a family - including religious and cultural needs - but this is not always possible," Mr Williams explains. He hopes more Muslim families will want to foster in future so that they can care for children of all beliefs. Rebecca asks people not to take a negative view of Muslim foster parents. "Don't judge a book by its cover. You can't believe everything that's on the news, or what's been said about Islam," she says. Watch the Victoria Derbyshire programme on weekdays between 09:00 and 11:00 on BBC Two and the BBC News Channel.

पाकिस्तानी मुस्लिम पालक माता-पिता के साथ रहने के बाद से, रेबेका ब्राउन-जो श्वेत ब्रिटिश है-ने स्कूल के दोस्तों से पूछा है कि क्या वह आतंकवादियों के साथ रहती है, उनके धर्म के कारण। वह चाहती है कि लोगों को पता चले कि वे किसी भी अन्य परिवार की तरह हैं।


Allison and Stephen Muncaster deaths caused by shotgun

Summary: Shotgun wounds caused the death of a married couple found dead at their home, a post-mortem examination has confirmed.

The body of Stephen Muncaster, 47, was found shortly after midnight on Tuesday in the front garden of a property in Magdalen, near King's Lynn. His wife Allison, 48, was found inside the house. Shots had been heard and a gun was found at the scene. Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Get the latest on this and other stories for Norfolk Police said they will produce a file for the coroner in due course. Mr Muncaster was the uncle of Michael Carroll, who made headlines in 2002 by winning £9.7m in the National Lottery.

शॉटगन के घावों के कारण एक विवाहित जोड़े की मौत उनके घर पर मृत पाई गई, एक पोस्टमॉर्टम परीक्षा ने पुष्टि की है।


Will the UK and EU reach a Brexit deal on fishing?

Summary: The EU 27 are concerned that "taking back control" of the UK's waters might mean fewer fishing opportunities for their fleets. A diplomatic note - seen by the BBC - raised concerns about access and environmental commitments.

By Kevin KeaneBBC Scotland's environment correspondent The prospect might be a surprise to them, focused on 585 pages of draft agreements, but it's been the backbone of the economic argument for the UK's most pro-Brexit industry. Many have said it would be the litmus-test of the whole process. The waters around all the EU's member states, up to a limit of 200 miles, are effectively "pooled" when it comes to fishing. It means boats from one country can fish in another's seas. When the UK leaves the EU, barring any new agreements, those waters will exclusively become the UK's again, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. There's also a further separate international agreement, called the London Fisheries Convention, covering the 12 miles closest to the shore. It's being terminated, meaning no foreign vessel will be allowed to fish in UK waters without the UK's permission. A long-running fear among skippers has been that their fishing rights would be "traded away" in deals done for the benefit of more economically valuable sectors. The draft withdrawal agreement seems to rule that out but it doesn't mean foreign boats will be immediately chased away by British vessels. None of the industry bodies has advocated allowing only UK boats to fish in our exclusive economic zone - the sea up to 200 miles from UK shores. What they want is for the UK - or the nations of the UK - to decide who is and isn't allowed in. When Greenland left the EU, in 1982, it allowed limited access to its waters in exchange for infrastructure funding. Greenland initially held all the quotas for its exclusive seas but effectively sold off some. A similar negotiation is proposed between the UK and EU but there is no commitment to reaching a deal. The document simply says the two parties will "use their best endeavours" to do so. There will have to be flexibility as British boats don't just fish in British waters. The recent scallop skirmishes in the Baie de Seine, which resulted in tussles at sea between French and British fishermen in a row over access to fishing grounds, illustrated the need for cross-border cooperation. The fishing industry in towns such as Fraserburgh, Peterhead and Grimsby will see Brexit as a success only if their harbours are filled with more local boats in the years ahead. Important too is the link being made between fishing opportunities for EU vessels and the sale of fish and seafood by the UK into the EU. It's unlikely the prominence of fishing will crumble in the wider noise of securing a trade deal, mainly because most of the industry is in Scotland. The block of 13 Scottish Conservative MPs, including the Scottish Secretary, David Mundell, have repeatedly taken a tough collective stance with the prime minister over the issue, only last week restating that it would be a "betrayal" if the EU retained any control over fishing rights. Those 13 Tories have a stronger voting power than the 10 DUP members keeping Theresa May in office. And looming over all this is the threat of a second referendum on Scottish independence. It would be of great political benefit to the SNP if it was able to claim the fleet had been "let down by Westminster" on fishing. Of course, a general election could change the dynamic entirely but short of that its difficult to see any radical shift. As for the environmental concerns, annually the quotas for fishing catches are based on scientific advice. That is, scientists prescribe how much of each stock - cod, haddock et cetera - can be caught sustainably. It then becomes a political negotiation over how to divide up the stock between countries. It's difficult to argue with the scientists - although many often do. But if the UK decides to conduct its own scientific research - and that contradicts the European Commission's - the negotiations could become sticky. Until not so long ago, Iceland had a long running dispute with the EU over its rights to fish for mackerel when its own scientists detected changes in their migration patterns. But because it was an independent coastal state, it held many of the cards and eventually secured a much larger share of the catch. It had muscle and used it. So, should the EU 27 feel concerned about future fishing opportunities being restricted? We don't know the answer yet. A lot is at stake - from fishing rights to market access - and so, the negotiations will be complex.

ई. यू. 27 चिंतित है कि यू. के. के जल पर "नियंत्रण वापस लेने" का मतलब उनके बेड़े के लिए मछली पकड़ने के कम अवसर हो सकते हैं। एक राजनयिक नोट-जिसे बी. बी. सी. ने देखा-ने पहुंच और पर्यावरणीय प्रतिबद्धताओं के बारे में चिंता जताई।


The book's not finished yet

Summary: How is the digital revolution affecting the book trade?

Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent@BBCRoryCJon Twitter If you travel on trains packed with commuters staring at tiny mobile phone screens rather than books, or wander along high streets now devoid of bookshops, you might think it was in a sorry state. But the Publishers' Association annual statistical digest, published today, seems to paint a different picture. The industry had a record year for sales, up 4% to £3.3bn. 2012 was the year when the digital revolution really took hold, with sales up 66% to £411m and fiction e-reading growing even faster, up 149%. As for the physical book, long thought to be under threat from all those Kindles, Kobos and Nooks, reports of its demise may be premature. Sales fell just 1% to £2.9bn, and in some genres, notably children's books, sales actually rose. The figures also show that the pace at we're switching from physical to digital books varies according to the type of title. Apparently, 26% of fiction sales are digital, whereas for non-fiction books the figure is just 5%, and for children's titles, 3%. Why? Well perhaps for fiction it is only the words that matter, and they can be rendered as well or better in digital form, whereas for something like a glossy cookery book or an illustrated children's book, the physical object still delivers a much better experience. What does this mean then for the pace of publishing's digital revolution and its impact on readers and authors? A few weeks ago Michael Serbinis of the e-reader maker Kobo told me he reckoned that 90% of reading would eventually be on digital devices. You won't be surprised to hear that Richard Mollet of the Publishers' Association is betting on a lower figure - somewhere between 30% and 50%. But however rapid the shift to e-readers, publishing seems to be weathering digital climate change better than some other media industries. But what about authors? I was surprised to hear from JoJo Moyes - a bestselling writer of women's fiction - that nearly half of the sales of her latest book were in a digital format. And each digital sale earns her a few pennies more than the royalty she gets from a physical book sale purchase. Mind you, not all authors are happy - they point to the much lower costs of producing digital books and wonder how publishers still justify taking such a large cut. The publishers' response is that they have to spend large sums defending authors from the threat of piracy. JoJo Moyes has some sympathy with that argument: "I've got a Google alert set up and every day it tells me about a new torrenting site offering free copies of my book. I pass them on to my publisher to deal with. " Still, neither publishers nor authors seem to have seen their incomes damaged significantly by either piracy or the wider digital revolution. Readers, meanwhile, have a wider choice, and perhaps the prospect of lower prices - although many will grumble that e-books should be a whole lot cheaper. For bookshops the news is not so good. Independent book stores continue to close, as readers turn to online giants like Amazon for both physical and digital books. That is making our high streets just a little less interesting, so it's a vicious circle where going out and browsing for books or anything else becomes less attractive than sitting at home and shopping online.. But overall, 2012 seemed to show that the British public still loves books in all their variety, and is prepared to pay to enjoy them. We hear plenty of doom and gloom from the old media industries about the ravages of the digital revolution - but publishing seems determined to look on the bright side.

डिजिटल क्रांति पुस्तक व्यापार को कैसे प्रभावित कर रही है?


Far-right youth movement seeks 'Europe of Fatherlands'

Summary: Are relations between far-right Eurosceptic parties improving?

By Bethany BellBBC News, Vienna Traditionally such parties have been fragmented in Europe, as they tend to campaign on national issues, rejecting EU integration and the weakening of national sovereignty. But now, with support for the far-right rising, four parties - France's National Front (FN), Austria's Freedom Party (FPOe), Belgium's Vlaams Belang and the Sweden Democrats - have joined up to form a European youth movement. It is called Young European Alliance for Hope, or YEAH. It follows a decision last year by National Front leader Marine Le Pen and the Eurosceptic Dutch politician Geert Wilders to form a loose alliance for the European elections, which they are hoping could evolve into an official group in the European Parliament - if other like-minded parties join them. 'Europe of Fatherlands' However, Mr Wilders' Freedom Party (PVV) is not represented in YEAH. When asked why the PVV or Italy's Northern League or Britain's UKIP had not signed up to the alliance, Udo Landbauer from Austria's FPOe said trust takes time to develop. He is running as a candidate for the European Parliament. At the launch in Vienna, the talk was of uniting to create a Europe of Fatherlands, rather than a United States of Europe. But the launch was overshadowed by controversial comments by the FPOe's top candidate for MEP, Andreas Moelzer, in which he compared EU bureaucracy unfavourably with Hitler's Third Reich and was also quoted as saying the EU was in danger of turning into a "conglomerate of Negroes". Mr Moelzer, who admits to the first comment but can't remember saying the second, has issued an apology. But a member of the Sweden Democrats, Kent Ekeroth, said in a newspaper interview that such statements were intolerable and put into question a future EU parliamentary group with the Freedom Party.

क्या दूर-दराज़ यूरोसेप्टिक दलों के बीच संबंधों में सुधार हो रहा है?


Car or computer? How transport is becoming more connected

Summary: While few would blink any more at the sight of a Mini Cooper alongside their own vehicle, some may have noticed a few of their models out and about at the moment that are strangely quiet.

By Kabir ChibberTechnology of business reporter, BBC News And their silence masks some heavy-duty engineering under the bonnet. They are among the 612 Mini E cars being trialled in the US, UK and Germany since 2009. These plug-in electric models are leased to customers, and BMW - the owner of the Mini - is monitoring every aspect of the cars' use, in almost every scenario, as they are put through their paces. The amount of data that can now be collected about how drivers use their cars is unprecedented. And the impact of so much information is potentially huge. Imagine having your car post MoT reminders to your social networks, or share your location with friends, or prove that you were not responsible for an accident. Behaviour changing A British company, Riversimple, has designed a range of tiny hydrogen-powered cars, which it will roll out in Leicester in 2012. They will collect every minute detail about how the cars are used. If the pilot goes well, they are already discussing ways of connecting the cars to social media, and sharing data about how the cars are used. "Drivers could play games to see who is driving the most efficiently," says Rosie Reeves, Riversimple's sustainability officer. Italian carmaker Fiat has been compiling data from the Blue&Me navigation systems installed on many of its cars over a six-month period. It may be the largest such data harvest done by a major carmaker. "We can extract a number of data - on how the pedals are used, petrol consumption, braking," says Candido Peterlini, vice-president for product development at Fiat. It developed eco:Drive from the data collected from 420,000 car journeys of 5,700 drivers in five countries. Cars with this function allow the driver to download data about their journeys to a USB stick, which they can plug into their home computer. It will tell them how to improve their driving - for example, by changing gears less. Mr Peterlini says the plan is to make this response instant soon, via the on-board computer - so that a driver gets told how to improve their driving while they are cruising through town - and then integrate it into live traffic maps. "The plan is to tell you the most eco way to drive, by changing your behaviour, taking in traffic conditions and the structure of the road" such as how steep it is, Mr Peterlini says. It is not hard to see a future where the on-board computers get ever more sophisticated - such as personal profiles for a car, so the car's settings are individualised for each family member. The computer would adjust the seats, music, the suspension between sports and comfort mode, depending on which family member was using the car. All while telling each one how to be a better - and more fuel-efficient - driver. Fiat's data found that the British, for example, use the least fuel when driving and the Spanish use the most in Europe, whilst Spaniards also have the least efficient traffic system. Electric models Increased data collection also tells us a lot about different drivers and how they use the cars. With the introduction of the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf to car lots, the electric car is poised to go mainstream very soon. BMW's tests of the Mini E have found most people think they use their cars far more than they do. According to the people behind the Mini E tests, the average daily car journey in the UK is 22.8 miles. Drivers of the Mini E used theirs for 26.7 miles, fractionally less than conventional petrol Mini Cooper drivers. People also think they will have to charge the car every day, when in reality they charge them every two or three days. "It's a misnomer that we're going to have to adapt our driving to electric vehicles," says Suzanne Gray, Mini E's UK project manager. Soon, many of the Mini Es will be reallocated to new trials in France, China and Japan. Carmakers are preparing for a world where not only are cars collecting data about you, but they are sharing it with each other. "We are aware of this constantly increasing computing power in cars," Ms Gray says. "The degree of connectivity and the degree that we will be able to share information - it will jump to a whole new level." Other uses And this is not just for cars. All forms of transport are become increasingly interconnected. For example, a group of students at MIT recently caught the attention of British inventor James Dyson with the Copenhagen Wheel. It is a sleek red disc that attaches to the back wheel of a bike, which captures energy lost during braking and turns into an electric motor for steep climbs. It also includes location-based software to log information about the bike ride, plan routes and even connect with other cyclists. An Italian firm, Octo Telematics, installs boxes on-board cars that allow insurers to price the costs of journeys, as well as perform diagnostics on the cars. It now has a million total subscribers, and illustrates the potential for real-time insurance on car journeys to be integrated into the build of cars. Tube planner Public transport is also being revolutionised. One of Boris Johnson's priorities when he was elected London mayor was to open up the city's data to developers. The result, the London Datastore, contains information on all sorts of factors of city life - fires, crime rates, school truancy, recycling rates and so on. As a result, there have been many new smartphone apps, especially around the popular "Boris bike" cycle hire scheme. Most show available bikes near to you on a map. "There are apps which feed to the traffic camera data so you can see if the road is clear before you set out on your journey and check along the way, there are interactive maps showing carbon emissions in London," says Anthony Browne, the mayor's adviser for economic development. Other apps show live boards for the London Underground, live road cams and other features that make public transport more convenient. Like Riversimple, Mr Browne anticipates greater social use of the data as developers use it in ever more sophisticated ways. "We anticipate a growth in the integration of data into gaming, particularly looking at transport," he says. "In particular for use in commuting games, or games that encourage people to use public transport more, or indeed walk or cycle more."

जबकि कुछ लोग अपने वाहन के साथ एक मिनी कूपर को देखकर पलक झपकाते हैं, कुछ ने इस समय अपने कुछ मॉडलों को देखा होगा जो अजीब तरह से शांत हैं।


Hundreds turn out for Coventry Pride

Summary: Hundreds of people have turned out for this year's Coventry Pride.

Visitors to the two-day event enjoyed live music, community stalls and information about health and wellbeing. This year's theme is Be You, which aims to encourage people to be themselves and celebrate the city's diverse community. Pride is taking place in University Square, Priory Street, next to Coventry Cathedral, with additional events in Broadgate.

इस साल के कोवेंट्री प्राइड के लिए सैकड़ों लोग बाहर निकले हैं।


Firefighters leave scene of blaze at AmeyCespa in Waterbeach

Summary: A recycling plant blaze that was tackled by 60 firefighters in Cambridgeshire is finally out.

Flames destroyed about 15,000 tonnes of organic waste material at the AmeyCespa plant on Ely Road, Waterbeach, on Friday morning. Firefighters left the scene on Friday evening following a handover to on-site management. Early investigations have concluded the fire started accidentally. Group Commander Chris Parker, officer in charge of the incident, said crews working with staff at Amey were able to put the fire out much sooner than anticipated.

कैम्ब्रिजशायर में 60 अग्निशामकों द्वारा नियंत्रित एक पुनर्चक्रण संयंत्र की आग आखिरकार बाहर आ गई है।


Coronavirus: Big choices for EU leaders on recovery billions

Summary: When the leaders of the EU27 gather in Brussels on Friday be prepared for the shock of the familiar. After five months of stilted diplomacy by video conference, presidents and prime ministers will once again gather face to face.

By Kevin ConnollyBBC News, Brussels Although of course that doesn't mean they'll see eye to eye. Expect plenty of face masks and plenty of displays of social distancing to go along with the rather obvious political distancing which has emerged in the long months of lockdown. And it's not just the sight of the EU's leaders gathering in person which will seem familiar, it's the problems they confront. What must they decide? On the face of it the summit is about money: they need to set an EU budget of around €1 trillion for the period ending in 2027 and at the same time to agree an ambitious €750bn (£670bn) Recovery Fund. For the big Brussels institutions, the European Commission and the EU Council there is a lot at stake in all of that - not least their own centrality in European political life. As the coronavirus pandemic began to hit Europe earlier in the year, member states responded not as a unified entity under the direction of Brussels but nation by nation with each government putting the interests of its own people first. Borders were closed with little or no consultation, emergency economic measures were introduced without central co-ordination and when Italy requested emergency medical help the response was underwhelming. Things improved - German hospitals treated French patients for example - but Brussels is determined that just as it lost control as Europe slipped into crisis, its own centrality will be restored as the continent re-emerges. That will take money - and lots of it. Who are the 'frugals'? One of the eternal truths of political life in Brussels is that expensive spending programmes are more popular with the countries that expect to get money out of them than they are with the countries expected to put it in. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is often presented as the chief spokesman of the so-called Frugal Four, in which his country is allied with Austria, Sweden and Denmark. Throw in Finland and you have a Frugal Five determined to limit the size - and therefore the ambition - of any budgetary increases. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin says her government wants to see "a lower overall level (for the budget) and a better balance between loans and grants (in the recovery fund)". Compare that with the view of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who puts the opposite view with admirable clarity: "If we want to be very ambitious we will need more resources." The EU faced plenty of challenges before Covid-19 came along of course - Brexit, climate change and the continuing challenge of migration from the South come to mind. But this row over money feels different - it's about the scope and scale of the EU's ambitions stretching far into this decade and perhaps setting a tone for years beyond that. Who should get the money? "What's at stake," a retired diplomat told me, "is the ability of the EU institutions to get a grip and to turn crisis into opportunity." It may not be helpful in all of this that the institutions are in relatively inexperienced hands - the former German defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen, at the Commission and a recent prime minister of Belgium Charles Michel at the Council. But it's only fair to note that the challenges around these budget talks would have taxed even the most experienced of teams. That's because this is not a problem that can be solved by holding the multi-year budget a shade below €1.1tn than a shade above, or by knocking a couple of billion off the recovery fund. Should the money simply be shovelled out to the needy or should there be some sort of scrutiny of applications for help and oversight as to where the money goes? Southern and Eastern member states will resent any implication that richer and somehow more "grown-up" economies to the North and West are telling them how to manage their affairs. And even more controversially should the handing out of funds be linked to political values? Many in Brussels think countries like Poland and Hungary should only get money if they abandon policies on judicial reform seen by their critics as assaults on the rule of law. Hungary's leader, Viktor Orban, has now secured the backing of his parliament to veto the whole budget if there's any linkage between money and morality. In the age of Brexit there's no voice for the UK in all of this of course - its absence might weaken the fiscal conservatives but might also streamline the whole argument. Don't expect quick decisions or short discussions - there is scope in the institutional diary for another summit before the end of the month. The EU's leaders had to wait five months for this summit - it's a fair bet they won't have to wait so long for the next one.

ई. यू. 27 के नेता जब शुक्रवार को ब्रसेल्स में इकट्ठा होंगे तो परिचित लोगों के सदमे के लिए तैयार रहें। वीडियो कॉन्फ्रेंस द्वारा पांच महीने की गंदी कूटनीति के बाद, राष्ट्रपति और प्रधान मंत्री एक बार फिर आमने-सामने होंगे।


Man whose body was found on Isle of Man beach drowned

Summary: A man whose body was found on a beach in the north of the Isle of Man had drowned, an inquest has been told.

Lee Peel's body was found in the water on South Beach in Ramsey at about 10:30 GMT on 5 December. The 50-year-old labourer was from Onchan in the east of the island. Coroner Jayne Hughes said investigations into Mr Peel's death were still ongoing. Manx police previously described his death as "unexplained". Adjourning the inquest, she passed her condolences to his family, who did not attend the hearing at Douglas Courthouse. Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and Twitter? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk

एक व्यक्ति जिसका शव आइल ऑफ मैन के उत्तर में एक समुद्र तट पर मिला था, डूब गया था, एक जांच में बताया गया है।


Birmingham and Doncaster arrests in terror inquiry

Summary: Two men have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences.

A 36-year-old from Birmingham and 35-year-old from Doncaster are being held on suspicion of conspiracy to distribute terrorist publications. West Midlands Police said the men were being questioned by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit at a police station in the region. Searches of addresses in both Birmingham and Doncaster are continuing, said police. The force said the planned, intelligence-led arrests were made by the counter terrorism unit, with support from South Yorkshire Police. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone. Related Internet Links West Midlands Police South Yorkshire Police

आतंकवाद के अपराधों के संदेह में दो लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Retail space in Leale's Yard needs to be cut

Summary: The plans for the Leale's Yard development in St Sampson need to be cut back, according to Guernsey's Environment Department.

It has considered the latest proposals for a retail and residential development on the Bridge. The Co-op and developers Leale's Yard Limited are behind the project and first submitted plans last April. The department agreed with concerns over the amount of retail space and suggested it could be cut by about 20%. It also raised questions about the height of the development and said it hoped by reducing the number of shops, the overall size of the development could be reduced.

ग्वेर्नसे के पर्यावरण विभाग के अनुसार, सेंट सैम्पसन में लील्स यार्ड के विकास की योजनाओं में कटौती की आवश्यकता है।


Guernsey's Bathing Pools undergo repairs after storms

Summary: Repair work has started on Guernsey's Victorian Bathing Pools after storms forced them to be shut "indefinitely".

"Extensive damage" to the three outdoor pools had left them in "a very dangerous condition", according to the culture and leisure department. The broken steps and handrail at the Ladies Pool will be fixed first. The Children's, Gents and Horseshoe Pools will remain closed while further investigative work is carried out and the cost calculated. The pools are used all year round by swimmers and were built after the loss of beachfront due to the extensive development of St Peter Port Harbour.

तूफान के कारण "अनिश्चित काल के लिए" बंद करने के लिए मजबूर होने के बाद ग्वेर्नसे के विक्टोरियन स्नान पूल की मरम्मत का काम शुरू हो गया है।


Argentina shares fall on debt repayment doubts

Summary: Argentina's stock market closed 4.9% lower on Thursday after the country's cabinet chief said there would be no delegation to the US to negotiate with bondholders over a $1.3bn (£766m) debt.

Earlier this week, a US Supreme Court ruling sided with bondholders demanding Argentina pay them the amount in full. Argentina defaulted on debts in 2001 following a severe economic crisis. It has been in a legal battle with a number of US hedge funds which lent money to the country. Many hedge funds have agreed to accept a partial repayment, but others, led by NML and Aurelius Capital Management, are demanding payment in full. 'No mission' Earlier this week, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner went on national television to say her country could not afford to honour the Supreme Court's ruling, but said her government was willing to discuss the issue further. However, Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers Jorge Capitanich said on Thursday there were no plans to negotiate with the hedge funds directly in New York. "There's no Argentine mission or committee going to New York," he said. Argentina argues that the hedge funds bought most of the debt at a big discount after the 2001 default, and have since tried to impede the country's efforts to restructure. Investors holding more than 92% of the defaulted debt agreed in 2005 and 2010 to write off two-thirds of their pre-crisis value, providing Argentina with time to re-build its economy. But the hedge funds owning the remaining 8% held out against the restructuring.

अर्जेंटीना का शेयर बाजार गुरुवार को 4.9% नीचे बंद हुआ जब देश के कैबिनेट प्रमुख ने कहा कि $1.3bn (£766 मिलियन) ऋण पर बांडधारकों के साथ बातचीत करने के लिए अमेरिका में कोई प्रतिनिधिमंडल नहीं होगा।


China Uighurs: Detained for beards, veils and internet browsing

Summary: A document that appears to give the most powerful insight yet into how China determined the fate of hundreds of thousands of Muslims held in a network of internment camps has been seen by the BBC.

Listing the personal details of more than 3,000 individuals from the far western region of Xinjiang, it sets out in intricate detail the most intimate aspects of their daily lives. The painstaking records - made up of 137 pages of columns and rows - include how often people pray, how they dress, whom they contact and how their family members behave. China denies any wrongdoing, saying it is combating terrorism and religious extremism. The document is said to have come, at considerable personal risk, from the same source inside Xinjiang that leaked a batch of highly sensitive material published last year. One of the world's leading experts on China's policies in Xinjiang, Dr Adrian Zenz, a senior fellow at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in Washington, believes the latest leak is genuine. "This remarkable document presents the strongest evidence I've seen to date that Beijing is actively persecuting and punishing normal practices of traditional religious beliefs," he says. One of the camps mentioned in it, the "Number Four Training Centre" has been identified by Dr Zenz as among those visited by the BBC as part of a tour organised by the Chinese authorities in May last year. Much of the evidence uncovered by the BBC team appears to be corroborated by the new document, redacted for publication to protect the privacy of those included in it. It contains details of the investigations into 311 main individuals, listing their backgrounds, religious habits, and relationships with many hundreds of relatives, neighbours and friends. Verdicts written in a final column decide whether those already in internment should remain or be released, and whether some of those previously released need to return. It is evidence that appears to directly contradict China's claim that the camps are merely schools. In an article analysing and verifying the document, Dr Zenz argues that it also offers a far deeper understanding of the real purpose of the system. It allows a glimpse inside the minds of those making the decisions, he says, laying bare the "ideological and administrative micromechanics" of the camps. Row 598 contains the case of a 38-year-old woman with the first name Helchem, sent to a re-education camp for one main reason: she was known to have worn a veil some years ago. It is just one of a number of cases of arbitrary, retrospective punishment. Others were interned simply for applying for a passport - proof that even the intention to travel abroad is now seen as a sign of radicalisation in Xinjiang. In row 66, a 34-year-old man with the first name Memettohti was interned for precisely this reason, despite being described as posing "no practical risk". And then there's the 28-year-old man Nurmemet in row 239, put into re-education for "clicking on a web-link and unintentionally landing on a foreign website". Again, his case notes describe no other issues with his behaviour. The 311 main individuals listed are all from Karakax County, close to the city of Hotan in southern Xinjiang, an area where more than 90% of the population is Uighur. Predominantly Muslim, the Uighurs are closer in appearance, language and culture to the peoples of Central Asia than to China's majority ethnicity, the Han Chinese. In recent decades the influx of millions of Han settlers into Xinjiang has led to rising ethnic tensions and a growing sense of economic exclusion among Uighurs. Those grievances have sometimes found expression in sporadic outbreaks of violence, fuelling a cycle of increasingly harsh security responses from Beijing. It is for this reason that the Uighurs have become the target - along with Xinjiang's other Muslim minorities, like the Kazakhs and Kyrgyz - of the campaign of internment. The "Karakax List", as Dr Zenz calls the document, encapsulates the way the Chinese state now views almost any expression of religious belief as a signal of disloyalty. To root out that perceived disloyalty, he says, the state has had to find ways to penetrate deep into Uighur homes and hearts. In early 2017, when the internment campaign began in earnest, groups of loyal Communist Party workers, known as "village-based work teams", began to rake through Uighur society with a massive dragnet. With each member assigned a number of households, they visited, befriended and took detailed notes about the "religious atmosphere" in the homes; for example, how many Korans they had or whether religious rites were observed. The Karakax List appears to be the most substantial evidence of the way this detailed information gathering has been used to sweep people into the camps. It reveals, for example, how China has used the concept of "guilt by association" to incriminate and detain whole extended family networks in Xinjiang. For every main individual, the 11th column of the spreadsheet is used to record their family relationships and their social circle. China's hidden camps Alongside each relative or friend listed is a note of their own background; how often they pray, whether they've been interned, whether they've been abroad. In fact, the title of the document makes clear that the main individuals listed all have a relative currently living overseas - a category long seen as a key indicator of potential disloyalty, leading to almost certain internment. Rows 179, 315 and 345 contain a series of assessments for a 65-year-old man, Yusup. His record shows two daughters who "wore veils and burkas in 2014 and 2015", a son with Islamic political leanings and a family that displays "obvious anti-Han sentiment". His verdict is "continued training" - one of a number of examples of someone interned not just for their own actions and beliefs, but for those of their family. The information collected by the village teams is also fed into Xinjiang's big data system, called the Integrated Joint Operations Platform (IJOP). The IJOP contains the region's surveillance and policing records, culled from a vast network of cameras and the intrusive mobile spyware every citizen is forced to download. The IJOP, Dr Zenz suggests, can in turn use its AI brain to cross-reference these layers of data and send "push notifications" to the village teams to investigate a particular individual. The man found "unintentionally landing on a foreign website" may well have been interned thanks to the IJOP. In many cases though, there is little need for advanced technology, with the vast and vague catch-all term "untrustworthy" appearing multiple times in the document. It is listed as the sole reason for the internment of a total of 88 individuals. The concept, Dr Zenz argues, is proof that the system is designed not for those who have committed a crime, but for an entire demographic viewed as potentially suspicious. China says Xinjiang has policies that "respect and ensure people's freedom of religious belief". It also insists that what it calls a "vocational training programme in Xinjiang" is "for the purposes of combating terrorism and religious extremism", adding only people who have been convicted of crimes involving terrorism or religious extremism are being "educated" in these centres. However, many of the cases in the Karakax List give multiple reasons for internment; various combinations of religion, passport, family, contacts overseas or simply being untrustworthy. The most frequently listed is for violating China's strict family planning laws. In the eyes of the Chinese authorities it seems, having too many children is the clearest sign that Uighurs put their loyalty to culture and tradition above obedience to the secular state. China has long defended its actions in Xinjiang as part of an urgent response to the threat of extremism and terrorism. The Karakax List does contain some references to those kinds of crimes, with at least six entries for preparing, practicing or instigating terrorism and two cases of watching illegal videos. But the broader focus of those compiling the document appears to be faith itself, with more than 100 entries describing the "religious atmosphere" at home. The Karakax List has no stamps or other authenticating marks so, at face value, it is difficult to verify. It is thought to have been passed out of Xinjiang sometime before late June last year, along with a number of other sensitive papers. They ended up in the hands of an anonymous Uighur exile who passed all of them on, except for this one document. Only after the first batch was published last year was the Karakax List then forwarded to his conduit, another Uighur living in Amsterdam, Asiye Abdulaheb. She told the BBC that she is certain it is genuine. "Regardless of whether there are official stamps on the document or not, this is information about real, live people," she says. "It is private information about people that wouldn't be made public. So there is no way for the Chinese government to claim it is fake." Like all Uighurs living overseas, Ms Abdulaheb lost contact with her family in Xinjiang when the internment campaign began, and she's been unable to contact them since. But she says she had no choice but to release the document, passing it to a group of international media organisations, including the BBC. "Of course I am worried about the safety of my relatives and friends," she says. "But if everyone keeps silent because they want to protect themselves and their families, then we will never prevent these crimes being committed." At the end of last year China announced that everyone in its "vocational training centres" had now "graduated". However, it also suggested some may stay open for new students on the basis of their "free will". Almost 90% of the 311 main individuals in the Karakax List are shown as having already been released or as being due for release on completion of a full year in the camps. But Dr Zenz points out that the re-education camps are just one part of a bigger system of internment, much of which remains hidden from the outside world. More than two dozen individuals are listed as "recommended" for release into "industrial park employment" - career "advice" that they may have little choice but to obey. There are well documented concerns that China is now building a system of coerced labour as the next phase of its plan to align Uighur life with its own vision of a modern society. In two cases, the re-education ends in the detainees being sent to "strike hard detention", a reminder that the formal prison system has been cranked into overdrive in recent years. Many of the family relationships listed in the document show long prison terms for parents or siblings, sometimes for entirely normal religious observances and practices. One man's father is shown to have been sentenced to five years for "having a double-coloured thick beard and organising a religious studies group". A neighbour is reported to have been given 15 years for "online contact with people overseas", and another man's younger brother given 10 years for "storing treasonable pictures on his phone". Whether or not China has closed its re-education camps in Xinjiang, Dr Zenz says the Karakax List tells us something important about the psychology of a system that prevails. "It reveals the witch-hunt-like mindset that has been and continues to dominate social life in the region," he said.

एक दस्तावेज़ जो अब तक की सबसे शक्तिशाली अंतर्दृष्टि देता प्रतीत होता है कि कैसे चीन ने नजरबंदी शिविरों के एक नेटवर्क में रखे गए लाखों मुसलमानों के भाग्य का निर्धारण किया, बीबीसी द्वारा देखा गया है।


Gaza-style inquiry needed - UN

Summary: The office of the United Nations human rights chief says an inquiry is needed to find out whether war crimes were committed in the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka.

A spokesman for the Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, told the BBC the allegations were so serious that the fighting in Sri Lanka required an inquiry similar to that recently carried out into the Gaza conflict. Earlier this week, a report prepared by the US state department documented incidents in the final months of the war which it said might constitute crimes against humanity. It detailed allegations of military shelling of Tamils as well as charges of Tamil Tigers using civilians as human shields. But Sri Lanka has rejected the report saying the accusations were unsubstantiated.

संयुक्त राष्ट्र मानवाधिकार प्रमुख के कार्यालय का कहना है कि यह पता लगाने के लिए एक जांच की आवश्यकता है कि क्या श्रीलंका में संघर्ष के अंतिम चरण में युद्ध अपराध किए गए थे।


Stay still or search? Finding a lost friend in a crowd

Summary: This is the season to lose friends in a crowd.

David Gregory-KumarScience, Environment & Rural Affairs Correspondent Be it the Boxing Day sales or a new year's party then the chances are you'll turn your back for a second and people just wander off. So what's the optimum strategy for finding your friends or family in as short a time as possible? Should you stay put and wait for them to find you or head off and hope to track them down yourself? Fortunately statistician Nathan Cunningham, from the University of Warwick, has been crunching the numbers. He's run thousands of simulations to see which is the best option. Stand still or set off on a search? Simulation For Nathan this was borne out of a desire to work out the best way of finding his friends at a music festival. He set up a computer simulation and left it to run. Little virtual friends tried to find each other 100,000 times. The end result? If both of you set out to find the other, you will usually achieve your goal faster than if one of you stays put and waits to be found. And of course if both of you stay put, then you're not going to have any luck at all. Sometimes you could wait 50% longer to find a friend if you chose to stay put rather than if you both start searching. Try it yourself Chatting with Nathan about all this, he said after he'd published all this it turned out that, apparently, this sort of problem is a well studied area of statistics. Fortunately, his simulations matched up with the current theory. So if you get separated from your friends in a crowd don't stand around and wait for them, set off to find them and hope they do the same as well. Not convinced? Well try it yourself in the real world or read Nathan's paper and try his simulations for yourself here. Or you can even can tinker with Nathan's code here.

यह भीड़ में दोस्तों को खोने का मौसम है।


Xenophobia in South Africa: 'We Nigerians are not all criminals'

Summary: Nigerian Emmeka Uhanna, 47, is a shop-owner in South Africa's economic hub Johannesburg. He tells the BBC's Pumza Fihlani that he is worried following the recent xenophobic attacks in parts of the city and wants the government to intervene for the sake of all Africans.

I've been living in South Africa since 1997, my wife is South African and we have two children, aged 14 and 16. My wife is worried about what future our children will have if the xenophobic attacks become the norm. We don't know how to explain the hatred against Nigerians to our families, to our children. This is the third round of attacks against foreigners; one was in 2008 where people were killed, again in 2015. I now get calls from home, my family members want to know if we're safe, they see the stories in the news. I do feel safe, I feel safe because I live in the suburbs away from where the unrest and violence has been happening but I don't know if I could say that if I was living in a poorer area. There are parts of this city that are no-man's land, where the police have no control over what happens, where there are no consequences for wrong-doing, that is unfortunately where the xenophobia has thrived. There is just lawlessness from all sides, by all nationalities and that sort of environment is a ticking time-bomb. Life is different in the suburbs but I do worry about my fellow Africans who become victims in these incidents, while they have nothing to do with crime. I love this country, I consider it my home and it breaks my heart to see what is happening. The government needs to seriously address the concerns people are raising - both South Africans and foreigners. Fighting stereotypes People here are saying that Nigerians are bringing drugs and prostitution but can I tell you something, while I don't condone crime, Nigerians are not the only ones involved in crime here. It's all too easy to profile one group and that is not right, it's also dangerous and puts people's lives in danger. It's important for South Africans to know that not all of us are criminals, the same way not all South Africans are engaged in crime. They need to understand that you cannot paint people with one brush. I am a hard-working man and there are many law-abiding foreigners who are helping to building the country. I own a restaurant in Randburg, we make Nigerian food and South African dishes. I also own a liquor store which has been in business since 2007. All I want to do is provide for my family and help people make a living too - some of my employees are South African. It has been a long road to get to this point. Leaving your home with nothing is not easy. There was a time when I had nothing: No money, no food, no-one. I didn't have a place to sleep and would sleep in police stations and in the streets. I moved here to study but when I came into the country, life was more difficult than I imagined it would be. It was not easy for me to register because of financial constraints but I stayed because South Africa is one of the best countries in Africa - in terms of facilities. There are better opportunities. Everyone wants a better life for themselves and their family and South Africa is seen as the best place for that but it's not easy. After years of working part-time jobs I raised enough to finally take myself to school, I completed a business management course in 2010 and that has helped me with running my businesses. Home away from home South Africa is my home now, everything I own is here - that's why I am also unhappy about the crime and the high unemployment here. These things make life difficult. I understand where the anger is coming from - obviously if you are poor and see your neighbour, who is not even from here, succeeding it will create tensions. Nigerians love being in the lime-light and have a basket-mouth [trash-talker] and are showy. When we have money, even if it's a little, we want people to know - this makes us more noticeable than other nationalities. I think the Nigerians living here need to be aware of that and be sensitive to the issues that may cause. As for the crime, I know that sometimes people do bad things to earn a living but imagine if that was your own child that was addicted to drugs or being used as a prostitute. I'm a parent and I worry about that, that's why I don't support crime at all. Other nationalities need to respect the laws of the country, we are visitors here and need to remember that. We came to South Africa for different reasons, some of us can never return to our countries, what happens then if you ruin your chances here? We don't want to live in fear, I'm pleading with the government to address the problems that have come with migration, for the sake of our children.

नाइजीरियाई एम्मेका उहाना, 47, दक्षिण अफ्रीका के आर्थिक केंद्र जोहान्सबर्ग में एक दुकान की मालिक है। वह बीबीसी के पमज़ा फिहलानी को बताता है कि वह शहर के कुछ हिस्सों में हाल के विदेशी हमलों के बाद चिंतित है और चाहता है कि सरकार सभी अफ्रीकियों की खातिर हस्तक्षेप करे।


Kem Sokha: Jailed for standing up to Cambodia's strongman

Summary: The Cambodian ruling party's landslide win in recent elections came as little surprise - the widespread jailing of rivals meant there was almost no political opposition left. The most prominent of them remains in prison, with no immediate prospect of release, as George Wright reports.

In the early hours of Sunday 3 September last year, Kem Monovithya, a politician and daughter of opposition leader Kem Sokha, received a call from her parents - armed police were attempting to break into their family home in the capital Phnom Penh. "My mum said there's more than 100 people trying to break into our house," Monovithya said in an interview last month. They had no warrant, but with their guards being held at gunpoint, her father decided it would be safer to open the door. "He told me he had to get off the phone because 'they are going to handcuff me'," she recalls. Then the phone went dead. Kem Sokha was jailed and a year on, has never gone on trial. He remains in solitary confinement in a remote prison near the Vietnamese border. Cynical move? In the 2013 elections, Sokha and Sam Rainsy had brought their Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to within just seven seats of victory, despite accusations of vote-rigging and intimidation. Rainsy, a long-time foe of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has been living in Paris since 2015 to avoid jail over convictions widely branded as politically motivated. So as the next election approached, Sokha was the only viable threat to the prime minister's 33-year iron-fisted rule. Sokha was accused of plotting to wage a US-backed revolution. This was based upon a 2013 video where Sokha was seen telling an audience in Australia that he had been receiving political support and advice from the US. However, many saw it as a cynical move, aimed at securing victory for the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP). The CNRP was outlawed in November, allowing the CPP to win all 125 National Assembly seats on 29 July, making Cambodia a de facto one-party state. Sokha's arrest marked an alarming escalation in an already deteriorating political climate that had seen rights advocates, opposition supporters and critics jailed. On the day of his arrest, the Cambodia Daily published its last ever newspaper as it was shut down in a crackdown on independent media. It ran a front page headline "Descent Into Outright Dictatorship" above a photo of a startled Sokha in handcuffs. 'Completely traumatised' For the past year, the only people who have been allowed to visit Sokha are his wife, Te Chanmono, and lawyers. The government has rejected repeated requests for visits from international observers, UN officials, foreign diplomats and human rights officers. Sokha spends most of his days alone and prison guards generally do not converse with him, Monovithya says. Chanmono was only recently allowed to bring him books, mostly relating to Buddhist meditation, but he is still banned from using pens and pencils, she adds. One of Sokha's lawyers, Heng Pheng, who visits his client every few weeks, says he attempts to stay active and is allowed to grow vegetables but his moods are up and down, often due to his serious health problems. He currently is suffering from high blood pressure, severe pain in his shoulder and diabetes but is being denied surgery and other medical treatment. Monovithya says the family home in Phnom Penh is also under regular surveillance and her mother is "completely traumatised". "I think it's more difficult on her psychologically than any of us." Hun Sen has been known to ramp up oppression during politically tense periods before relieving the pressure valve once he has stamped his authority once more. So with the election done and dusted, some observers were expecting Sokha to be released on bail. Almost all the other detained CNRP members were recently free but, last week, Phnom Penh Municipal Court extended Sokha's pre-trial detention for a further six months. This came a day after Hun Sen told around 10,000 garment workers that he would keep the opposition leader locked up, which appeared to once again contradict his claims that the country's judiciary is independent. Astrid Noren-Nilsson, an associate senior lecturer at Sweden's Lund University specialising in Cambodian politics, says the decision to keep Sokha locked up illustrates that the ruling party will not be relaxing its heavy-handed approach to the CNRP. "The election marks a transition to a new, one-party order, and the government needs to establish the 'new normal'," she argues. She says the international community could press for Sokha's release by making credible threats to Cambodia's economy. Cambodia generated more than $7bn (£5.4bn) from exporting garment and footwear products last year. The main importer is the EU, which allows Cambodia duty-free access under the Everything But Arms agreement, on the condition that democratic and human rights standards are met. The EU has said it could consider taking action against Cambodia if the political situation does not improve. While there was never much hope that the CNRP could contest the election, she says, "the release of Kem Sokha could be a minor enough concession". 'Not a decent person' Government spokesman Phay Siphan denied any suggestion that Kem Sokha was being held as a political prisoner, insisting he was guilty of treason. He dismissed claims the government could be pressured into releasing Sokha by threats of sanctions or the potential removal of its preferential trade access for garment exports. "EBA is completely different and cannot interfere with the court's decision," he said. "Let the court do their own process." Monovithya says that she believes her father would not turn his back on politics or go into exile if released, like Sam Rainsy and most senior opposition figures. Until then, she says, she has no hope of him being released on humanitarian grounds. "I don't think [Hun Sen] would release him just because he's in power and the election is done, because obviously this is not a decent person." She believes the only chance of her father being released is if his detention becomes a genuine burden to Cambodia's long-serving strongman: "If there's no cost of keeping him he will continue to keep him." George Wright is a freelance reporter based in Phnom Penh

हाल के चुनावों में कंबोडिया की सत्तारूढ़ पार्टी की भारी जीत कम आश्चर्य की बात थी-प्रतिद्वंद्वियों को व्यापक रूप से जेल में डालने का मतलब था कि लगभग कोई राजनीतिक विरोध नहीं बचा था। जॉर्ज राइट की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, उनमें से सबसे प्रमुख जेल में हैं, जिनकी रिहाई की कोई तत्काल संभावना नहीं है।


How Al Pacino came to my rescue

Summary: Life with a disability can sometimes give rise to unspoken questions and sensitivities, but amid the awkwardness there can be humour. The following is an edited version of a sketch performed by Frank Burton, who has non-epileptic attack disorder, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

I'd like to tell you about the time I was sitting in the corner of a pub blurting out the titles of Al Pacino movies, while patting my head and rubbing my stomach. I'd probably better put this in context. I have Non-Epileptic Attack Syndrome, a condition which causes me to have partial seizures, leaving me unable to walk and half-conscious, although I can still respond up to a point. It's a bit like being struck by lightning. Not necessarily in terms of the physical impact but the randomness, as they can hit whenever and wherever I am. If you watch out for the warning signs, such as dizziness, you can prevent yourself from having an attack by engaging the left and right side of the brain to stop it from shutting down and helping you to stay conscious. Something like patting your head and rubbing your stomach is perfect. It can be quite a tricky manoeuvre for novices, but I'm an absolute legend at it now. It also helps if you think about your immediate surroundings and focus on all five senses to remind yourself what's happening around you. What do I see? Avocado salad. What do I hear? A colleague announcement: "Can Frederick please assist with a sparkling wine spillage?" What do I smell? Organic Turkish Delight. What do I feel? Out of my depth. Where am I? Waitrose. Relax. Pretend to be middle class. Singing helps, too, if you focus on the memorised words. It's funny how your musical tastes change over the years, particularly after becoming a parent. The teenage raver inside me was mortified when I successfully averted a seizure for the first time by banging on the kitchen cupboards and singing "B.I.N.G.O. And Bingo was his name-o!" Up until last year, it was assumed I had epilepsy, so I was given lots of drugs, which didn't work. It got to a point where I had several attacks a day and my wife and I moved in with my parents temporarily so they could help look after the kids. I was eventually referred to a neuropsychiatrist and diagnosed with "non-epileptic seizures", and things got back to normal. Shortly afterwards, my dad drove me and my son home from Lancashire to Hampshire. We stopped at a pub for lunch. I was still off my face on medication, so orange juice was all I could handle, and my dad took my little boy off for a walk. I was sat alone in the corner of the pub when dizziness kicked in - a lightening strike was imminent. I started to pat my head and rub my stomach and the dizziness subsided a little, but not enough, so I went through my check-list. What do I see? Red and white carpet with mysterious dark-brown blotches. What do I hear? Lionel Richie's Dancing on the Ceiling. What do I smell? Heineken and crisps. What do I feel? Slightly nauseous. Where am I? A pub. Relax. Pretend to be working class. This wasn't quite doing the trick, so I tried another approved technique - recalling facts. "Serpico," I said out loud. "The Godfather. The Godfather Part Two. Dog Day Afternoon." I had my eyes closed, so I almost didn't notice the man from the opposite table asking what I was up to. "I'm naming Al Pacino films," I replied. This wasn't the time or place to elaborate and he was clearly too polite to ask why I was patting my head and rubbing my stomach at the same time, so I just said: "It helps me concentrate." "Scent of a Woman," he said. "What?" "Scent of a Woman, Al Pacino." "Hang on," I said. "I'm starting at the 70s and working my way up - that one's 1992." "So it was," he said. "Oi, Mick!" He called across the bar. "Mick's on the quiz team," he explained, "He'll help." Sure enough, Mick was a human encyclopaedia and started to reel films off at breakneck speed: "Scarface, 1983. Revolution, 1985," all the way up to Misconduct, 2016. "By the way, what's all of this business?" Mick said, imitating me by patting his head and rubbing his stomach. "It's a long story," I replied. I'd come to my senses sufficiently by now to offer an explanation, but sometimes that simple phrase is enough and Mick was completely satisfied. "You've really helped me out there, guys," I said to them. I was now fully conscious, another crisis averted and on the verge of conquering this major illness, in the most unlikely way. My new friend Mick came over all serious, like he'd realised there was more to this exchange than some Hollywood nostalgia. "Listen," he said. "I'm off to the bar. I'll get you another orange juice. And when I get back let's start on Robert De Niro!" Storytelling Live: Tales of the Misunderstood Frank was one of seven people with a disability or mental health problem to perform a story about awkward moments as part of BBC Ouch's storytelling event at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. You can also read: Look out for a special TV programme which brings all the tales together. For more Disability News, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to the weekly podcast. For more Disability News, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to the weekly podcast.

विकलांग जीवन कभी-कभी अनकहे प्रश्नों और संवेदनशीलताओं को जन्म दे सकता है, लेकिन अजीबता के बीच हास्य हो सकता है। निम्नलिखित फ्रैंक बर्टन द्वारा प्रस्तुत एक स्केच का एक संपादित संस्करण है, जिसे एडिनबर्ग फ्रिंज फेस्टिवल में गैर-मिर्गी हमले विकार है।


Nasa's giant SLS rocket: a guide

Summary: Nasa has been developing a huge rocket called the Space Launch System (SLS) to launch astronauts to the Moon - and eventually Mars. Set to make its debut in November 2021, the SLS is the most powerful launch vehicle built since the 1960s.

By Paul RinconScience editor, BBC News website Nasa has plans to send a man and woman to the lunar surface by 2024, in the first landing with humans since Apollo 17 in 1972. In the last 20 years, astronauts have been making routine trips to and from the International Space Station (ISS). But the Moon is nearly 1,000 times further than the ISS; getting astronauts there requires a monster rocket. The SLS is the modern equivalent of the Saturn V, the huge launcher built during the Apollo era. Like the Saturn, it is split into segments, or stages, stacked on top of each other. But the rocket also incorporates technology from the space shuttle. The first version of the SLS will be called Block 1. It will undergo a series of upgrades in coming years so that it can launch heavier payloads to destinations beyond low-Earth orbit. The Block 1 SLS will tower 23 storeys above the launch pad - making it taller than the Statue of Liberty. "It is truly an immense rocket. It is just jaw-droppingly big," said John Shannon, vice president and program manager for the SLS at Boeing, the rocket's prime contractor. He told BBC News in 2019: "When you see the SLS put together, you just haven't seen anything like it since the Saturn V." The rocket will launch astronauts in Nasa's next-generation crew vehicle - Orion, boosting it to the speeds necessary to break out of low-Earth orbit and travel onwards to the Moon. How the rocket works The SLS consists of a giant core stage flanked by two solid rocket boosters (SRBs). The core houses two large storage tanks: one for liquid hydrogen, the fuel, and another for liquid oxygen, an "oxidiser", which makes the fuel burn. Together, these are known as propellants. At the base of the core stage are four RS-25 engines, the same ones that powered the spaceplane-like shuttle orbiter, retired in 2011. When liquid hydrogen and oxygen are fed into the engine chambers and ignited with a spark, the chemical reaction produces vast amounts of energy and steam. The steam exits engine nozzles at speeds of 16,000 km/h (10,000 mph) to generate thrust - the force that propels a rocket through the air. The SRBs give the rocket extra power to escape gravity's clutches. These twin boosters stand more than 17 storeys tall and burn six tonnes of solid propellant each second. They provide 75% of total thrust during the first two minutes of flight. The most powerful rocket ever? If we use thrust as a measure, the SLS will be the most powerful rocket ever when it flies to space in 2021. The Block 1 SLS will generate 8.8 million pounds (39.1 Meganewtons) of thrust at launch, 15% more than the Saturn V. In the 1960s, the Soviet Union built a rocket called the N1, in a bid to reach the Moon. Its first stage could produce 10.2 million pounds (45.4 Meganewtons) of thrust. But all four test flights ended in failure. A future version of the SLS - called Block 2 cargo - should approach the N1's thrust levels. But a vehicle called Starship, being developed by Elon Musk's company SpaceX, should exceed both - producing as much as 15 million pounds (66.7 Meganewtons) of thrust. Starship is currently under development, although there is no firm date for its first flight. The SLS in numbers How shuttle technology was re-used The SLS core stage is based on the space shuttle's foam-covered external tank. This tank fed propellant to three RS-25 engines at the rear of the shuttle orbiter. The solid rocket boosters play much the same role in both vehicles. But the SLS is a very different beast. A number of components and structures derived from the shuttle underwent significant design changes because of the different levels of stress placed on them by the SLS. As an example of these different stresses, in the space shuttle, the RS-25 engines were canted up and away from the solid rocket boosters. Moving them next to the SRBs exposes them to more shaking. As a result, every system in the complex SLS engine section had to be rigorously tested to ensure it could withstand the vibrations. Why the SLS was built In February 2010, the Obama administration cancelled Constellation - George W Bush's troubled plan to return to the Moon by 2020. The news came as a devastating blow to workers in five southern states - Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas - where Nasa's human spaceflight programme funded tens of thousands of jobs. Some Capitol Hill legislators were furious. At the time, Richard Shelby, a republican senator from Alabama, said Congress would not "sit back and watch the reckless abandonment of sound principles, a proven track record, a steady path to success, and the destruction of our human spaceflight programme". As a compromise, lawmakers from affected states insisted on a single super heavy-lift rocket to replace the Constellation launchers cancelled by the White House. The SLS design, which was based on Nasa technical studies, was unveiled in 2011. After work started, delays and cost overruns gave ammunition to critics, who thought Nasa should rely on rockets operated by commercial providers. But without significant modifications, no existing boosters have sufficient power to send Orion, astronauts and large cargo to the Moon in one flight - as the SLS would have. A recent oversight report says Nasa will have spent more than $17bn on the SLS by the end of the 2020 fiscal year. But with the rocket's development phase now over, success in a series of eight "Green Run" tests being carried out on the core stage should clear the way for launch in 2021. John Shannon, who has been in charge of the SLS at Boeing since 2015, explained: "I suspect that once SLS is in the national capability there won't be a need for another heavy-lift vehicle like it for many years. So this is really a once-in-a-generation opportunity." Follow Paul on Twitter.

नासा चंद्रमा और अंततः मंगल ग्रह पर अंतरिक्ष यात्रियों को भेजने के लिए अंतरिक्ष प्रक्षेपण प्रणाली (एस. एल. एस.) नामक एक विशाल रॉकेट विकसित कर रहा है। नवंबर 2021 में अपनी शुरुआत करने के लिए तैयार, एस. एल. एस. 1960 के दशक के बाद से निर्मित सबसे शक्तिशाली प्रक्षेपण वाहन है।