Coronavirus: What the world can learn from Ebola fight

Summary: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who made history as Africa's first elected female president, led Liberia for 12 years including during the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak that killed nearly 5,000 people in her country. The BBC asked the Nobel Peace Laureate for her reflections on the current coronavirus crisis.

Dear fellow citizens of the world, On 19 October 2014, at the height of the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa, when 2,000 of my citizens had already perished and infections were growing exponentially, I wrote a letter to the world pleading for the mobilisation of personnel and resources. I demanded a show of global unity to avert what we feared would be a worldwide pandemic. Today, I take this opportunity to raise my voice in a message of solidarity. 2014-16 11,325people died in all 4,810people died in Liberia 3,956people died in Sierra Leone 2,544people died in Guinea Almost six years ago, I explained how Liberia's post-conflict economy, and its fragile healthcare system, made it vulnerable to the rapid spread of disease, and I contended that how the world responded to the localised crisis in West Africa, would define our collective healthcare security. I argued that an uncontrolled contagion, no matter where in the world, and no matter how localised, is a threat to all of humanity. The world responded positively. And did so boldly. A mass mobilization of resources led by the UN, the World Health Organization, and the US followed. We defeated it together. As a result, today there are effective experimental vaccines and antivirals thanks to the collaboration of the best scientific minds around the world. In the face of the coronavirus outbreak, I am making a similar plea to my fellow world citizens. I do this with an acute awareness that while African nations have so far been spared the worst, it is only a matter of time until it batters the continent which is the least prepared to fight it. We must act to slow down, break the chain of transmission, and flatten the curve. It is clear that lapses were made in the initial response to the virus, from Asia to Europe, to the Americas. Cues were missed. Time was wasted. Information was hidden, minimised, and manipulated. Trust was broken. 'I made the same mistakes' Fear drove people to run, to hide, to hoard to protect their own, when the only solution is, and remains based in the community. I know this. I made all of those missteps in 2014, and so did the world's responders. But we self-corrected, and we did it together. We are at a critical juncture as borders are closing around the world to slow the rate of transmission. Let us not take the wrong cue from this. It does not mean that we are on our own, every country for themselves. On the contrary, it is the sign of a communal response, that border closures make a difference. Watching from my home in Monrovia, what most encourages today, is the opening up of expertise and the fact that knowledge, scientific discovery, equipment, medicines and personnel are being shared. It is happening within nations, and increasingly across international borders; an indispensable, albeit delayed reaction, that every person, in every nation, needs to do their part. 'We emerged resilient' This realisation led to our turning point of disease control in West Africa. In Liberia, we emerged resilient from the Ebola epidemic, and stronger as a society, with health protocols in place that are enabling us to manage the Covid-19 disease. I fervently believe this is the path we are all on. I have full faith in the relentless spirit of the individual, a conviction that leaders emerge in times of crisis at every level of society, and that our religious and communal differences pale in comparison to our collective belief in the power of prayer, and our respective faith in God. As we all hunker down in the next few weeks, I pray for the health and well-being of our global citizens, and I ask that everyone remember that our humanity now relies on the essential truth that a life well-lived is a life in the service to others. You can hear Ellen Johnson Sirleaf read out her letter on Focus on Africa on the BBC World Service on Monday 30 March from 15:00 GMT.

अफ्रीका की पहली निर्वाचित महिला राष्ट्रपति के रूप में इतिहास रचने वाली एलेन जॉनसन सरलीफ ने 12 वर्षों तक लाइबेरिया का नेतृत्व किया, जिसमें इबोला के प्रकोप के दौरान भी शामिल था, जिसमें उनके देश में लगभग 5,000 लोग मारे गए थे। बीबीसी ने नोबेल शांति पुरस्कार विजेता से वर्तमान कोरोनावायरस संकट पर उनके विचार पूछे।


Door drops off plane on to Indian house

Summary: An Indian family received a rude shock when a plane door fell on to the roof of their house in the southern city of Hyderabad.

A man painting the roof had a lucky escape as he was away on his lunch break when the incident happened. A police official told BBC Telugu that the four-seater training aircraft was flying at a low altitude. He added that the pilot and his trainee were also safe, and an inquiry had been ordered into the incident. Police inspector Karan Kumar Singh said it was a "common sight in this area to see the training aircraft flying at low level". A pilot and his trainee narrowly escaped injuries in September when a similar aircraft crash landed in the same area.

दक्षिणी शहर हैदराबाद में एक भारतीय परिवार को उस समय झटका लगा जब एक विमान का दरवाजा उनके घर की छत पर गिर गया।


Glen Coe Munro's 'longest-lasting' snow patch melts

Summary: Snow that had survived on a Glen Coe Munro for the longest time in living memory has melted away.

The snow from last winter lay on Meall a'Bhuiridh, the location of Glencoe Mountain snowsports centre's Flypaper ski run. The resort's Andy Meldrum said it had been the latest snow had lasted on the mountain since skiing was established in the area in 1956. Older visitors to the centre believed it to be the latest in living memory. The snow patch failed to survive into a period of colder temperatures that brought snowfalls to the Cairngorms at the weekend.

ग्लेन को मुनरो पर जीवित स्मृति में सबसे लंबे समय तक जीवित रहने वाली बर्फ पिघल गई है।


Reaction to Christian bakers Ashers 'gay cake' appeal defeat

Summary: Politicians and commentators, as well as those directly involved in the case, have been reacting the Court of Appeal's decision to reject the appeal from Ashers bakery against a ruling that their refusal to make a "gay cake" was discriminatory.

Daniel McArthur, owner of Ashers Bakery "We're extremely disappointed with today's ruling. If equality law means people can be punished for politely refusing to support other people's causes, then equality law needs to change. "This ruling undermines democratic freedom. It undermines religious freedom. It undermines free speech." Gareth Lee, the customer at the centre of the case "I am relieved and grateful to the appeal court judges." Michael Wardlow, Chief Equality Commissioner "I'm pleased of the verdict today and the three judges today. "It clarifies the law and it means that anyone whether you are straight gay or bisexual can walk in to receive a service. "It once again puts at the centre, the reason why we've got the law is to protect people so that we can all receive the same treatment." Michael Kelly, Editor of the Irish Catholic "If law allows prosecution for not supporting a particular political agenda, the law needs to be changed." Jim Wells, DUP MLA "The Christian Institute has provided financial support for the Ashers cases. We must all now donate money for further appeals. The Ashers case must now be referred to the Supreme Court, and if that fails to the European Court of Human Rights." Patrick Corrigan, Amnesty International UK "No surprise in the Ashers case: unlawful discrimination." Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice "This is an assault on freedom of conscience and as such it should worry Christians and non-Christians alike. "The aggressive 'gay rights' lobby will see this as the green light to demand that everyone not only accepts but celebrates their lifestyle." Sean Lynch, Sinn Féin MLA "Today's decision from the Court of Appeal is welcome and makes sense. The original decision was the correct one and I'm glad it has been upheld. "This is the right decision and represents another step forward for equality." Stephen Farry, Alliance MLA "I hope lessons are learnt following this case. "Every person should be treated equally regarding provision of goods, facilities and services, irrespective of their background or beliefs. Today's ruling underlines that." Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation "This verdict is a defeat for freedom of expression. As well as meaning that Ashers can be legally forced to aid the promotion of same-sex marriage, it also implies that gay bakers could be forced by law to decorate cakes with homophobic slogans. "It seems that businesses cannot now lawfully refuse a customer's request to propagate a message, even if it is a sexist, xenophobic or anti-gay message and even if the business has a conscientious objection to it." Peter Lynas, Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland director "This is a sad day for the family and for freedom of conscience and religion. "Ashers have lost the case, but even more importantly we have all lost some our freedom. "Forcing someone to promote a view that they fundamentally disagree with is the antithesis of a free and fair society." Very Rev. Dr. Norman Hamilton, Presbyterian Church in Ireland "Today's judgement will have far reaching implications for all business owners by confirming that they cannot in conscience refuse to be involved in the promotion of particular causes or messages that run contrary to their beliefs - religious or otherwise. I remain deeply concerned by the apparent limiting of freedom of conscience and free expression, which are hallmarks of any democratic society. "Out of respect for the dignity and worth of every person, and in the interests of the common good, we want the law to protect everyone from discrimination whilst ensuring that freedom of conscience and expression are properly valued and respected." John O'Doherty, Rainbow Project 'We do not believe that this matter should have been brought to court. "We believe that Ashers bakery should have accepted the Equality Commission's invitation to engage in mediation, where a remedy could have been found without the expense and division surrounding this court case." David McNarry, leader of UKIP in Northern Ireland "Ordinary people need to have the judgement on the Ashers case clearly defined and the interpretations made in easy speak for the law abiding citizen. "Many people will look at this case and don't know what specifically Ashers did wrong. "The judges must precisely spell out the law in order to stop others unwittingly breaking the law."

राजनेताओं और टिप्पणीकारों के साथ-साथ मामले में सीधे तौर पर शामिल लोग, एशर्स बेकरी की अपील को अस्वीकार करने के अपील न्यायालय के फैसले पर प्रतिक्रिया दे रहे हैं, इस फैसले के खिलाफ कि "समलैंगिक केक" बनाने से उनका इनकार भेदभावपूर्ण था।


Will Edinburgh become bigger than Glasgow?

Summary: Edinburgh is Scotland's capital, and its seat of power, but Glasgow prides itself on having more heft because it is far bigger than its east coast rival. Glasgow still has a larger population but Edinburgh's council boss thinks it could soon catch up.

By Steven BrocklehurstBBC Scotland News Glasgow's growth throughout the 19th Century was phenomenal, easily passing Edinburgh by the 1820s. But its population peaked in the 1920s and 30s when more than a million people were densely packed into the city. Since then the boundaries have been redrawn and many people have been moved out to new towns and estates lying beyond the city. However, after years of decline Glasgow has been growing consistently since 2001, adding an extra 40,000 people over that time. The 2016 figures from the National Records of Scotland put the population of the Glasgow City Council at 615,070, well above City of Edinburgh's 507,170. The NRS's population projections showed Glasgow growing 4% over the decade from 2016 to 2026 and Edinburgh 7.7%. Longer term, they predicted Edinburgh would rise to 583,135 over the next 25 years, still much smaller than Glasgow, which would be 658,978 by 2041. However, City of Edinburgh Council chief executive Andrew Kerr told a Built Environment Networking event that growth would be quicker than predicted. He said Edinburgh would overtake Glasgow by 2032. According to the official NRS projections, Edinburgh will still have 85,000 fewer people by then (563,576 to Glasgow's 648,003). Mr Kerr has repeatedly predicted that Edinburgh would overtake Glasgow and said the capital needed to prepare itself for a population of "not half a million, but three-quarters of a million". The city's growth is down to net migration, people from the rest of the UK and overseas moving there. In its population projections, the NRS warns that migration is difficult to predict, especially over long periods. This will definitely be the case over the next few years, with the effects of Brexit on the overseas workforce being hard to know. Mr Kerr did not comment on Brexit, saying just that the city's growth was an indication of how vibrant it was. He said that, unlike other cities, Edinburgh's problem was not attracting people but managing the increasing pressure it put on housing, schools and transport links. Births, deaths and migration The chief executive said Edinburgh had the opportunity to grow along the shore from Granton to Prestonpans but it needed to be sustainable and maintain the quality of life enjoyed by those who live in Edinburgh. The National Records of Scotland produces its projections every two years. It said they were "trend-based", making assumptions about future levels of fertility, mortality, and migration based on the recent past. It warns that they could be subject to significant changes, especially over longer periods. Birth and death rates tend to change much more slowly than migration rates, which are the basis of all the growth in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Glasgow City Council said it would not comment on Mr Kerr's claims.

एडिनबर्ग स्कॉटलैंड की राजधानी और इसकी सत्ता का केंद्र है, लेकिन ग्लासगो को खुद पर अधिक भार होने पर गर्व है क्योंकि यह अपने पूर्वी तट प्रतिद्वंद्वी की तुलना में कहीं अधिक बड़ा है। ग्लासगो में अभी भी बड़ी आबादी है लेकिन एडिनबर्ग के परिषद के प्रमुख को लगता है कि यह जल्द ही हो सकता है।


New bigger Inverness Royal Academy planned

Summary: A replacement for the ageing Inverness Royal Academy will be able to take hundreds more pupils than the current building.

In a report to councillors, Highland Council officers said the new school should be big enough to handle a roll of 1,400. At the moment, the IRA has a roll of about 940 pupils. Officers have sought councillors' approval to seeking funding for the school. It could cost about £33m. The report said the school could have six classrooms dedicated to Gaelic medium education. Highland Council's adult and children's services committee will consider the report next week.

पुरानी हो रही इनवर्नेस रॉयल अकादमी का प्रतिस्थापन वर्तमान भवन की तुलना में सैकड़ों अधिक छात्रों को ले जाने में सक्षम होगा।


Conservatives lose control of Lancashire

Summary: The Conservative Party has lost control of Lancashire County Council.

The Labour Party made 23 gains but fell four seats short of getting overall control of the county. It now holds the majority with 39 seats. Labour Party leader Ed Miliband had targeted Lancashire as a key battlefield. Among the other results was the British National Party's (BNP) loss of its only county council seat in the country. The BNP's Paul Robinson lost the Padiham and Burnley West vote to Labour's Marcus Johnstone. Sharon Wilkinson won the seat in the 2009 county council elections but she did not stand. The party did not win any of the other five seats it was contesting nationally. Labour held power in Lancashire for 28 years until the Conservatives seized power in the last elections held in 2009. The Conservative Party lost 16 seats in the poll. The Labour Party made 23 gains and now hold the majority with a total of 39 seats, just short of 43 seats needed for overall control. Jennifer Mein, Labour's group leader, who held her Preston South East seat, said she was "delighted to more than double the number of county councillors". "We have connected with the people; we have 38% of the vote here in Lancashire that is far and away the greatest percentage," she said. "I'm very, very happy we have got some excellent county councillors that we will be working with." The Tories now hold 35 seats while Liberal Democrats made three gains, winning six seats. Independents won three seats and the Green Party won one seat in Lancaster Central. Former county council leader Geoff Driver, who won his Preston North seat, said the results were a "big disappointment". He said: "We live in a democracy though and I will abide by the people of Lancashire have said." Liberal Democrats group leader Bill Winlow also held his seat in Preston West. In Accrington North, Independent councillor Malcolm Pritchard lost his seat to his daughter Labour's Clare Pritchard. Overall turnout for the county was 31.27%. Phil Halsall, chief executive of Lancashire County Council (LCC), said: "As no party has a clear majority, the main parties will need to consider the options for the future political governance of the council. "These discussions will be taking place as a priority and an announcement will be made as soon as possible." The leader of LCC is due to be formally appointed at the next full council meeting at County Hall on 23 May. The county council provides up to 85% of all local government services in Lancashire, including social care, roads, public transport and libraries. A total of 84 seats, covering the 12 Lancashire district councils, were contested. The results can be found on the BBC election website.

कंजर्वेटिव पार्टी ने लंकाशायर काउंटी काउंसिल पर नियंत्रण खो दिया है।


Brexit: Are freight exports to the EU back to normal?

Summary: The government says the volume of freight exports from Great Britain to the European Union has returned to normal, in spite of the new post-Brexit barriers to trade with the EU, and restrictions related to the pandemic.

By Chris MorrisReality Check correspondent, BBC News "The latest available data shows that overall freight volumes are back to their normal levels," a government spokesman said. Its internal data shows that the flow of roll-on roll-off freight (which can be driven on and off a ferry or a train) going to the EU in early February was at 98% of the levels seen during the same period in 2020. But beneath the headline claim the picture is more complicated, with a much larger number of lorries returning to the EU empty in 2021. That means the value of freight exports so far this year will have fallen. In addition, comparisons with the same period last year are not ideal, because it also saw disruption of normal trade patterns, as the UK prepared to leave the EU. Dover to Calais Government data shows that the number of lorries crossing from Britain to the EU is now close to what officials would expect. But if far more of them are empty, that doesn't help very much. The government's definition of volume of trade includes lorries that are empty. The most important route for trade with Europe is between Dover and Calais (known as the Short Straits) - both the sea route and the Channel Tunnel. At the start of the year trade was down sharply, but it is improving. The Cabinet Office says the outbound flow of lorries across the Short Straits in January was 67% of 2020 levels, and in the first half of February it was 85% of 2020 levels. That's still quite a significant fall, but things are clearly getting better as many businesses adjust to the new red tape and costs for trading with Europe. Covid restrictions have played a big part in the slow start to the trading year as well. There was also significant stockpiling in December, as businesses prepared for the changes with the EU. Empty lorries The government calculates that in normal times, about 30% of lorries which have brought goods into the UK from the EU return empty. So far this year, this number has risen to about 50% - but it is now beginning to fall. When it comes to the Dover to Calais route, using the government's own estimates to make a rough calculation, the number of full lorries carrying exports to the EU in January was about half what it was a year earlier. The calculation for the first half of February is better (over 60% of last year's figures), and the government is confident the numbers will improve. But we will have to wait until March to get official trade statistics for January, which will give a precise picture of the value of exports to Europe. In the end, the value is more important than the volume. Other ports? If the number of lorries crossing the Short Straits has fallen, does that mean they are heading for alternative routes? Last year, the Department for Transport did buy space on ferry routes from eight other British ports including Harwich, Portsmouth and Tilbury, in case there was Brexit-related disruption on routes from Dover. Thankfully that disruption has not taken place, and most of the extra capacity has not been needed. Brittany Ferries, which runs a number of routes from Portsmouth to France, says it saw a sharp fall in freight trade in January. Volumes in February have improved, but they are still down significantly compared to last year. There have been suggestions that ports such as Immingham and Harwich have seen an increase in export volumes, but neither of the companies running the two ports wanted to comment. Any comparison with trade flows from Harwich last year would need to take account of the fact that in January 2020 one of the four ferries sailing out of the port was out of service, so it was only running at 75% of normal capacity. Comparing trade flows with 2020 - in the midst of a global pandemic - is challenging and several industry sources point out that last year may not be a reliable benchmark anyway. "Making comparisons with a steady state is complicated as each January of the last couple of years has seen some sort of impact related to Brexit preparations," said a spokesman for Eurotunnel. Back to normal? All in all, though, it is rather hard to say that Britain's export trade to the EU is back to normal. The government is justifiably relieved that the reasonable worst case scenario it published last year, which highlighted the possibility of queues of thousands of lorries on motorways in Kent, has not come to pass. Businesses have been better prepared than that scenario envisaged. "This has been possible thanks to the hard work put in by traders and hauliers to prepare for the end of the transition period," a government spokesperson said. But in some specific industries, particularly those involving the export of fresh food, the new post-Brexit restrictions are threatening the future of businesses which were already struggling to survive the pandemic. All these challenges are related to exports from GB to Europe. But from 1 July, imports from the EU are due to be subject to similar post-Brexit border checks and bureaucracy. And there are already calls for the government to extend the deadline, to give businesses more time before these additional checks begin. What claims do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check

सरकार का कहना है कि यूरोपीय संघ के साथ व्यापार के लिए ब्रेक्सिट के बाद की नई बाधाओं और महामारी से संबंधित प्रतिबंधों के बावजूद, ग्रेट ब्रिटेन से यूरोपीय संघ को माल निर्यात की मात्रा सामान्य हो गई है।


Arrest after woman, 50, attacked with blade in Caversham

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a woman was attacked with a bladed object .

Thames Valley Police said a 27-year-old man from Aldermaston was arrested on Thursday following the assault in Caversham, Berkshire. Officers said a 50-year-old woman was hit several times on the head before she fled from an attacker in Rhine Close at 16:30 GMT on Wednesday. Thames Valley Police said the woman was in hospital in a stable condition. The suspect remains in police custody.

एक महिला पर ब्लेड वाली वस्तु से हमला करने के बाद हत्या के प्रयास के संदेह में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Children mimic street brutality in the playgrounds of Belarus

Summary: Week after week, protesters in Belarus have taken to the streets, risking arrest, beatings and sometimes torture at the hands of security forces. Now those scenes are being played out not just on the streets but in playgrounds too.

By Margaryta MaliukovaBBC Monitoring Videos and images of copycat children's games have emerged, heightening concern about how young people have been affected by the violence. Belarus has seen unprecedented violence against protesters since they rose up in August to challenge the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko in a presidential vote widely denounced as fraudulent. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya says she won the election and was forced into exile the next day. Thousands have been detained. At least four protesters have died. Only this month, artist Roman Bondarenko died after what protesters say was a severe beating by security forces. 'We have a corpse!' Videos of children in the playground mimicking police brutality are being shared on social media in Belarus. In one widely discussed video, one child dressed in black holds a cardboard shield and swipes at another with a stick. A boy shouts in defiance the commonly used protest slogan "Long live Belarus!" Children split into two. On one side are the riot police - the Omon; on the other are the protesters. The Omon kids chase and detain the demonstrators - just like police have been doing in cities across Belarus for more than three months. "The Omon game predominates in our first-year class. The boys run after the girls with sticks," said one post on social media site Telegram. "Sometimes they even get hit." "My wife works in a kindergarten," said one man on Twitter. "The children play Lukashenko, Tikhanovskaya and the Germans." Seventy-five years after World War Two, many Belarusian children still play war games with Germans as the enemy. "Nobody wants to play on Lukashenko's side," he points out. "The child picked as Lukashenko walks around and hits others, and the kids hide from him." Another Telegram user described seeing the same kinds of game in three different playgrounds. "During the 'game' I heard someone shout 'we have a corpse!'," he said. Children would lie on the ground and the wounded were given bandages. 'We used to play war' Belarusians are divided over the brutality on the streets being mirrored in the playground. Some are alarmed but others are more relaxed, remembering that the games they used to play were no less violent. "It's like we used to play war when we were children… but it's the Omon instead of the Germans," observed one Twitter user in a discussion of similar stories. Nevertheless, some of the children appear to enjoy wielding a club. One post on Instagram describes overhearing a conversation in which a grandson tells his grandmother he wants to be a riot policeman. "The grandmother replies you should not say that, they are scary people. But he tells her again 'I will join the Omon.'" 'Games help children understand' So how much harm is this doing to a generation of children growing up with the threat of brutality on their streets? Child psychologists have suggested there is nothing to worry about, and this is simply a healthy way for children to make sense of the events unfolding around them. Olya Goma can even see benefits in children taking on the role of the baddies. "By playing a bad character, they might understand that this is socially unacceptable behaviour, so they will try to avoid such actions in real life," the psychologist told the popular Rebenok website. In a game children can control a situation that they otherwise cannot control in real life, according to Anastasia Shapel. "Games help children understand and live through events," she argues in a commentary for Belsat TV. Just as Belarusian children used to play at being Belarusians and Germans, now she thinks it's normal they role-play as riot police with their police vans and detentions. Psychologist Tatiana Sinitsa urges parents to play with the children and tweak the rules so that "good" wins over "evil". "You can be imaginative," she suggests. "If you touch the Omon with a magic wand, they become good, and start releasing people from police vans and giving them flowers". Flowers have become a powerful symbol for the protesters, who face a 16th consecutive Sunday on the streets, and a long winter ahead. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

सप्ताह दर सप्ताह, बेलारूस में प्रदर्शनकारी गिरफ्तारी, पिटाई और कभी-कभी सुरक्षा बलों के हाथों यातना का जोखिम उठाते हुए सड़कों पर उतर आए हैं। अब वे दृश्य न केवल सड़कों पर बल्कि खेल के मैदानों में भी खेले जा रहे हैं।


Royal Ascot 2020: Day two's virtual racegoers

Summary: As Royal Ascot continues without spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic fans are not letting it dampen their fun and are dressing up at home for the occasion.

Flat racing's biggest meeting is taking place behind closed doors in Berkshire for the first time, with strict safety protocols for jockeys. Virtual racegoers have been posting pictures of themselves on social media using the hashtags #StyledWithThanks and #hatsfromhome, while raising cash for front-line charities. All photographs copyrighted.

जैसा कि रॉयल एस्कॉट कोरोनावायरस महामारी के कारण दर्शकों के बिना जारी है, प्रशंसक इसे अपनी मस्ती को कम नहीं होने दे रहे हैं और इस अवसर के लिए घर पर तैयार हैं।


Who's winning the global race to offer superfast 5G?

Summary: Superfast "fifth generation" (5G) mobile internet promises download and browsing speeds 10 to 20 times faster than we have now. In the first of a new series of articles and videos, BBC News examines the international race to be first to launch and cuts through some of the hype.

By Chris BaraniukBusiness reporter It's the World Cup of telecoms. The nascent technology known as 5G is currently being promoted by companies and governments as a transformative high-speed boost for wireless connectivity. Although it is not yet fully defined as a standard, we are told that high definition (HD) films will soon download to smartphones in seconds, or that driverless vehicles will beam swathes of data to control centres and each other as they navigate smart cities. But what is the reality of 5G today? Which nation has got the most out of it so far? And is it all it's cracked up to be? The most significant showcase for 5G so far was made earlier this year in South Korea during the Winter Olympics. The Koreans used nippy wireless connections for a number of applications - including, bizarrely, the connection of deterrence devices in the countryside designed to keep wild boars away from the Games. Some of the devices were set up to play tiger roars in an effort to ward off the roaming pigs. In a use that may be more widely applicable in the future, local operator KT also used 5G to beam live video of events to giant screens on buses. All of this was roundly applauded at the time, but if you cut through the hype, you quickly stumble on honest admissions from KT that its 5G experiments had some limitations. At a summit in New York in April, a KT representative said four times as many base stations - antennae beaming the signal - are needed for 5G compared to LTE, the current generation 4G technology. The Olympics trials were hampered by poor penetration of the 5G signal to indoor spaces when broadcast from outside, he added. KT will have to invest capital to try to solve such issues. "You get the feeling that South Korea, having had this strong push, is now pausing for breath," says Prof William Webb, independent consultant and author of the book, The 5G Myth. Prof Webb points out that 5G can operate at a number of different frequencies. Higher frequencies known as "millimetre waves" may offer faster data rates of about 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) or more - but they cover much narrower ranges and are far more easily blocked by buildings, windows, and even people walking in front of them. Those ultra-fast 5G frequencies of about 28 gigahertz (GHz) and above, which South Korea used for some of its trials, are particularly difficult to implement. While an honourable mention should go to Qatar, whose telecoms provider Ooredoo says it has already launched a commercial 5G service, the global race is being dominated by the big boys. The US, for example, has been charging ahead with trials and experiments. Major network operators such as AT&T and T-Mobile have been buying up technologies and bits of the radio spectrum to allow for small-scale 5G roll-outs. But, as Prof Webb says, there's often very little detail in the many press releases as to how coverage will actually be implemented. For example, AT&T recently announced that a dozen US cities would get 5G coverage this year. But in its press release, there is no mention of frequency bands or how base stations will be arranged to provide the signal. Earlier this year, AT&T acquired a firm that had been experimenting with the millimetre wave spectrum. But Prof Webb suspects that AT&T would transmit data at those high rates across only limited parts of its network, meaning many with 5G-enabled smartphones wouldn't enjoy the highest speeds. What kind of signal coverage people will get with such roll-outs offered by operators like AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon is not yet clear. But US firms are clearly eager to get some kind of 5G off the ground by the year's end. More Connected World features Prof Rahim Tafazolli at the University of Surrey thinks the UK has a decent chance of being among the first nations to roll out successful pockets of 5G - but these may be highly localised. "We think that the cost-effective deployment will be in areas where we need ultra-high capacity - for example football stadiums connecting thousands of people," he says. In other words, signals might be stronger in certain locations to cope with a dense mass of people all carrying mobile devices. There are also efforts, led by UK government-funded test bed RuralFirst and Strathclyde University, to bring low and medium frequency coverage to more remote areas. Again, though, it's very early days and the project seems to be more about getting better coverage to those areas than ramping up download speeds. Still, Prof Tafazolli exudes confidence. "In the World Cup we are among the top four countries," he says. "In 5G we are within the top five countries in the world." China has spent lots of money investing in early 5G trials and has sped ahead of the US, according to a recent report by consultancy Deloitte. It has outspent the US by $24bn since 2015 and has built 350,000 new cell phone tower sites, compared to about 30,000 in the US. And corporations in China are planning on a large scale, apparently jostling for global domination in 5G. This involves the filing of many patents by tech firms in the country and, for example, the signing of memoranda of understanding between Huawei and many foreign telecoms operators. Some think it is all part of a Chinese strategy to be the first to roll out significant deals once 5G tech is actually finalised. If you're concerned about global competition, China is clearly a player to keep an eye on. "All major Chinese providers have committed to specific launch dates," said market research firm Analysys Mason earlier this year. "And the government has committed to at least 100MHz [megahertz] of mid-band spectrum and 2GHz of high-band spectrum for each wireless provider. Japan is also spending big. In March, some visitors to a 30,000-capacity baseball stadium in the country were able to watch live 4K video streamed to tablets that could receive millimetre wave signals. But behind all the national thrusting for 5G leadership is a more sober reality, says Brendan Gill at mobile data analytics firm OpenSignal. "A lot of people aren't on 4G networks," he says. Improving 4G coverage - which can still let users stream HD video - is perhaps a more important endeavour right now than introducing a brand new technology that has extremely specific use cases, he says. In fact, Mr Gill describes the difference between 4G and most 5G applications as "incremental". Why all this hype then? Well, there seems to be an international race on. And no country likes to be last.

सुपरफास्ट "पांचवीं पीढ़ी" (5जी) मोबाइल इंटरनेट डाउनलोड और ब्राउज़िंग की गति का वादा करता है जो अब हमारी तुलना में 10 से 20 गुना अधिक है। लेखों और वीडियो की एक नई श्रृंखला के पहले भाग में, बीबीसी न्यूज़ लॉन्च करने वाली पहली अंतरराष्ट्रीय दौड़ की जांच करता है और कुछ प्रचार में कटौती करता है।


Wasdale Mountain Rescue issues avalanche warning

Summary: Fell walkers in Cumbria have been warned to be prepared for avalanche conditions over the Easter weekend.

Wasdale Mountain Rescue Team has described conditions as unique for this time of year due to the amount of snow in recent weeks. The team said compacted snow had got more icy throughout the week, making many paths hazardous. "Perhaps the most striking risk at the moment is avalanche," the team said in a statement.

कुम्ब्रिया में पैदल चलने वालों को ईस्टर सप्ताहांत में हिमस्खलन की स्थिति के लिए तैयार रहने की चेतावनी दी गई है।


The best of Bestival's Desert Island Disco fancy dress

Summary: You have to hand it to the festival goers at Bestival.

As soon as this year's theme of Desert Island Disco was announced, you can guess that intense planning went into making some of the fancy dress outfit on show. Foals headlined day three of the Isle of Wight event, with acts like London Grammar and Sophie Ellis-Bextor also taking to the stage. On Sunday, Nile Rodgers will bring the festival to a close. But in many cases this weekend the performers took a backseat to some of the costumes. Here are some of Newsbeat's favourites. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

आपको इसे उत्सव में जाने वालों को सौंपना होगा।


1,500 take part in New Year's Day Saundersfoot swim

Summary: More than 1,500 swimmers in fancy dress have welcomed in the New Year at an annual swim in Pembrokeshire.

A mass dance warm-up took place at Saundersfoot before the swimmers braved the sea, cheered on by thousands of spectators. Pembrokeshire-born adventurer Tori James, the first Welsh woman to climb Mount Everest, was on hand to start the swim. Now in its 32rd year, the event has raised more than £500,000 for charity. Highlights among the fancy dress included a large Star Wars Millennium Falcon and Mrs Brown's Boys.

फैंसी ड्रेस में 1,500 से अधिक तैराकों ने पेम्ब्रोकेशायर में एक वार्षिक तैराकी में नए साल का स्वागत किया है।


Plans revealed for 'difficult' Stroud canal extension

Summary: Plans for a "particularly difficult" canal extension through Stroud have been revealed to the public.

The quarter-of-a-mile project will extend the Cotswolds canal, steering it through the Capel's Mill site. It will utilise an unused arch under the railway viaduct, partly cutting into the hill side at the site. It follows criticism over British Waterways' plans in 2007 which proposed to carry the canal through the site in a concrete trough.

स्ट्राउड के माध्यम से एक "विशेष रूप से कठिन" नहर विस्तार की योजनाओं का जनता के सामने खुलासा किया गया है।


Oasis Leisure Centre handed over before £65m revamp

Summary: A developer has taken control of Swindon's Oasis Leisure Centre ahead of a planned revamp which will bring an indoor ski slope to the town.

Swindon Borough Council and Moirai Capital Investment Ltd have signed a £65m deal, which will also see a water park and concert arena built. The first phase of the scheme will see the leisure centre's distinctive dome roof replaced. About 1,700 jobs will be created and the work will start in the summer. The council has granted Moirai four long-term leases covering the Oasis and the former Clare's Equipment warehouse site. If targets are not met in delivering the new facilities, the council has the right to take back the leases. The council hopes that once completed, the development will be a "major regional leisure destination" attracting an estimated four million visitors a year.

एक विकासकर्ता ने एक नियोजित सुधार से पहले स्विंडन के ओएसिस लीजर सेंटर का नियंत्रण ले लिया है जो शहर में एक इनडोर स्की ढलान लाएगा।


Jordan pilot murder: Islamic State deploys asymmetry of fear

Summary: By burning to death Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh, militant group Islamic State is leveraging its power to asymmetrically shock its enemies, argues Shiraz Maher, a Senior Fellow at the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation at King's College London.

Even by the barbaric standards of Islamic State, the murder of the captured Jordanian pilot is particularly gruesome. The 26-year-old is paraded around the site of an alleged coalition airstrike, presumably to witness its effects first-hand. He is then placed in a metal cage and set alight. The scenes are harrowing, the screams of anguish unimaginably horrific. The slow, soft focus cinematography - coupled with primitive sadism for which IS's videos have come to be known - is always designed to shock. It was quite deliberately aimed at capturing the world's attention. That it did. Within less than an hour of its release, US President Barack Obama issued a statement regarding the video's grisly contents. King Abdullah of Jordan also shortened his visit to the White House and is returning home. Questions abound over how or why IS could do this. To understand their mindset requires a brief examination of Islamic, or Sharia, law. IS believes in a principle known as "qisas" which, in its broadest terms, is the law of equal retaliation. Put another way, it is the Islamic equivalent of "lex talionis", or the doctrine of an eye for an eye. Within Islamic law qisas typically relates to cases of murder, manslaughter, or acts involving physical mutilation (such as the loss of limbs) and creates a framework for victims (or their families) to seek retributive justice. As a pilot fighting with the Western coalition, Lt Kasasbeh would have been associated with dropping incendiary bombs - so burning could be seen by them as appropriate retaliation. Even then, the issue of "punishing" with fire is deeply contested among Muslims. Many regard it as absolutely prohibited in all circumstances. Indeed, the outrage from Muslims has been so strong that IS members have been forced to respond quickly with their own justifications for the act. Regardless of the group's reasoning, this was the fate to which Lt Kasasbeh was condemned. From the moment Islamic State captured him they had made it clear that he would be killed. Indeed, they even attempted to crowd-source his murder, at times asking users on social media to suggest precisely how he should be killed. For this reason, there was never any realistic prospect of his release. It is likely that all the recent talk of a possible prisoner swap was merely a ruse. Islamic State was only ever offering to trade Japanese hostage Kenji Goto in exchange for Sajida al-Rishawi, a failed al-Qaeda suicide bomber. That was not enough for Jordanian authorities, who insisted they also wanted Lt Kasasbeh released. When officials in Amman asked for proof of life none was offered, prompting speculation that the murder may have actually taken place some weeks ago. This would make sense. Shortly after his capture, the Jordanian and American armies launched two abortive attempts to rescue Lt Kasasbeh. Fearing that another attempt might succeed, it is likely the group killed him weeks ago and then waited for an opportunity to release the video. All armies want to develop an edge over their adversaries. Typically this involves investment in better hardware to project more power and menace. IS knows this is not an area where it can compete. Instead, what it has is asymmetric power - the ability to shock and terrify with videos such as the one released on Tuesday. As always, we are the audience and the aim is clear - to shock and scare us. In that regard the video has already been a success. Jordanians are outraged, but many are also asking why the country is participating in the coalition air raids against Islamic State. The United Arab Emirates had already gone a step further after Lt Kasasbeh was captured in December. It withdrew from the coalition altogether, citing fears for the safety of its pilots. That is perhaps the most potent weapon Islamic State possess today - the carefully curated asymmetry of fear. Timeline: Jordanian pilot held hostage 24 December 2014: Jordanian Lt Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh captured by IS after his plane crashes 25 December 2014: Pilot's father urges IS to show mercy 20 January 2015: IS threatens to kill two Japanese hostages unless Japan pays $200m ransom within 72 hours 24 January: IS releases video of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto holding a picture apparently showing Haruna Yukawa's decapitated body 24 January: IS calls for release of Sajida al-Rishawi, an Iraqi militant sentenced to death in Jordan 28 January: Jordan offers to release Rishawi in exchange for Lt Kasasbeh 29 January: Deadline to kill Lt Kasasbeh and Mr Goto expires 31 January: Video released appearing to show Kenji Goto's body 3 February: Video released appearing to show Lt Kasasbeh burnt alive, with Jordanian media suggesting he was killed weeks earlier Profile: Lt Moaz al-Kasasbeh

किंग्स कॉलेज लंदन में इंटरनेशनल सेंटर फॉर द स्टडी ऑफ रेडिकलाइजेशन के एक वरिष्ठ फेलो शिराज माहेर का तर्क है कि जॉर्डन के पायलट मोआज़ अल-कसासबेह को जलाकर, आतंकवादी समूह इस्लामिक स्टेट अपने दुश्मनों को असममित रूप से चौंका देने के लिए अपनी शक्ति का लाभ उठा रहा है।


Duchess of Cambridge to visit Grimsby in March

Summary: The Duchess of Cambridge is to visit Grimsby next month for a series of solo engagements, it has been announced.

Catherine will tour a fishing heritage centre, meet fire crews from Humberside Fire and Rescue Service and officially open Havelock Academy secondary school. While at Peaks Lane fire station, she will meet unemployed young people taking part in a personal development course run by The Prince's Trust. St James's Palace said the visit would take place on 5 March. At the National Fishing Heritage Centre, the duchess will be given a guided tour by a local trawlerman and hear about the environmental sustainability of fishing in the North Sea.

यह घोषणा की गई है कि डचेस ऑफ कैम्ब्रिज अगले महीने एकल कार्यक्रमों की एक श्रृंखला के लिए ग्रिम्सबी जाने वाली हैं।


Canadian airline in 30-plane Bombardier order

Summary: A Canadian-based airline has ordered up to 30 planes from Bombardier, in a boost for its factory in east Belfast.

Wings for the C-series aircraft are made at a new facility in Queen's Island. The deal involves Porter Airlines, which operates in North America. They had previously expressed an interest in buying C-series jets, but this has now been firmed up. The first test flight of the new C-Series is scheduled in the summer.

कनाडा की एक एयरलाइन ने पूर्वी बेलफास्ट में अपने कारखाने को बढ़ावा देने के लिए बॉम्बार्डियर से 30 विमानों का ऑर्डर दिया है।


Bristol mayor to take on cabinet positions

Summary: Bristol's mayor is taking on extra work - after Labour blocked its councillors from joining the city's cabinet.

Labour's National Executive Committee said it wanted the party to be free to form a constructive opposition. Mayor George Ferguson will use voluntary advisers to help him take charge of transport, planning, education and social services. Mr Ferguson said he had wanted Labour to take the positions as a reflection of the number of votes in the election. The other positions will be taken by Gus Hoyt for the Greens, Simon Cook for the Liberal Democrats and Conservative Geoff Gollop. Mr Ferguson said he would review the situation following elections in May 2013.

ब्रिस्टल के मेयर अतिरिक्त काम कर रहे हैं-लेबर द्वारा अपने पार्षदों को शहर के मंत्रिमंडल में शामिल होने से रोकने के बाद।


Dorothée Pullinger: The pioneer who built a car for women, by women

Summary: The story of pioneering car engineer Dorothée Pullinger is being told in a new exhibition in Glasgow's Riverside Museum. She is best remembered for the development of the Galloway car, which was made by women in south west Scotland for the women of the world.

By Graham FraserBBC Scotland The Galloway is thought to be one of the first times in history a car was manufactured with women specifically in mind. Dorothée and her workers did it at a time when the world of engineering was the domain of men. Dr Nina Baker is a Glasgow councillor and engineering enthusiast. In 2012, she inducted Dorothée into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame. She said: "Although there are many women who were working in engineering before and after Dorothée Pullinger, and are often commemorated as pioneers of women getting into a man's world, she is unique. "She made a significant contribution to engineering which stands up to other male engineers of her period." Dorothée was born in France in January, 1894. Her father was the car designer Thomas Pullinger. The family moved to the UK and Dorothée was educated in Loughborough. By 1910, she was keen to follow in her father's footsteps and started work as a draughtswoman at the Paisley works of Arrol-Johnston, a car manufacturer where her father served as manager. Dorothée's children believe their mother had it tough in Edwardian Britain. "Life is a challenge and you go for it," said her 84-year-old son Lewis, speaking to BBC Scotland from his home in Guernsey in 2016. "You follow the things you believe in. In her youth, women didn't go into engineering - they were in the house doing the cooking, doing the housework. "She wanted to do the things that her father did." Dorothée's daughter, Yvette Le Couvey, said her mother spent a long time convincing Thomas Pullinger to let her work in his field. "In her day, women just didn't do those sort of things," Yvette added. In 1914, Dorothée applied to join the Institution of Automobile Engineers. She was refused, on the grounds that "the word person means a man and not a woman". World War One gave her an opportunity. Dorothée was put in charge of female munitions workers at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, producing bombs for the front line. Eventually, she was responsible for an estimated 7,000 workers. After the conflict, she was finally accepted to the automobile institution as its first female member and awarded an MBE for her war work. By the 1920s, Dorothée was back to Scotland and to cars. She became manager of the Galloway Motors, a subsidiary of Arrol-Johnston, at its factory in Tongland, near Kirkcudbright. The factory was originally built during the war to manufacture aeroplane parts, but Dorothée persuaded her father to keep it open as a car factory and provide employment to many local women. Galloway was no ordinary company. It adopted the colours of the suffragettes, had two tennis courts on its roof for employees, and Dorothée hosted an engineering college there. Apprenticeships lasted three years for women rather than the usual five for men because, it was believed, women were faster learners. Dorothée managed production of the Galloway car, with the designs influenced by her father and by the Fiat 501 model. The Galloway was described by Light Car and Cycle in 1921 as "a car built by ladies, for those of their own sex". But what was so different about it? Nina Baker says: "To understand the differences, you need to have in your mind one of the big clunky cars of the early 20th century. "They were designed with men in mind. I am about 5ft 4in - a typical height for a woman of that period - and if you sit in one of them, you could hardly reach anything. "In those days, the gear lever and the brake lever were on the outside of the car - across the doorway. If you were getting into a car with a long skirt, they were a real nuisance." The Galloway though was much lighter and smaller. On some models, gears were placed in the middle, the engine was more reliable, the seat was raised, storage space was added, the dashboard was lowered, and the steering wheel was smaller - all with the female driver in mind. The car was also one of the first automobiles to introduce a rear view mirror as standard. Dorothée liked to show off the Galloway. She took part in the Scottish Six Day Trials, an event for motorists to demonstrate their vehicles to crowds, with the Galloway winning the event in 1924. But the 1920s were tough for independent car makers. Production of the Galloway was moved to the nearby Heathhall works in 1922/23 when Tongland was closed, but within six years the cars were no longer produced. Only 4,000 of the vehicles were ever made, with a model in Glasgow's Riverside Museum thought to be the only one on public display in the United Kingdom. In 2019, a century after Dorothée became a founding member of the Woman's Engineering Society, the museum has now created an exhibition about her. For Dorothée, she left the car manufacturing business after a spell of working as a sales representative for Arrol-Johnston. According to her children, she eventually became fed up with of people telling her she was "taking a man's job". She set up the White Service Laundry company in Croydon. During World War Two, she served her country once again. She was the only woman appointed to the Industrial Panel of the Ministry of Production, addressing post-war industry problems. After the conflict, she settled in Guernsey and established another laundry business. She passed away in 1986, aged 92. Now, more than three decades after her death, you can only wonder at what Dorothée would have made of the engineering industry in modern Britain. Nina Baker believes that Dorothée legacy is "normalising" engineering as a career for women. "Young women who are not certain if they want to go into engineering, and perhaps feeling they don't want to be isolated as a women in a man's sphere, don't have to necessarily feel that they are that", she says. For Dorothée's children, she was a just a woman who tried to do the job she loved. "She realised that the things she had done in her youth helped women for their independence," said Lewis Martin. "A car for women, designed by women - women are just as capable in many things as men." "I'm very proud," added daughter Yvette, who is now 93. "She achieved things - how many other women achieved what she achieved? It is all a question about going forward."

ग्लासगो के रिवरसाइड संग्रहालय में एक नई प्रदर्शनी में अग्रणी कार इंजीनियर डोरोथी पुलिंगर की कहानी बताई जा रही है। उन्हें गैलोवे कार के विकास के लिए सबसे ज्यादा याद किया जाता है, जिसे दक्षिण पश्चिम स्कॉटलैंड में महिलाओं द्वारा दुनिया की महिलाओं के लिए बनाया गया था।


Church votes to allow gay ministers

Summary: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted to allow congregations to ordain gay ministers who are in same sex civil partnerships.

Delegates voted 309 in favour and 183 against. The vote followed a church-wide debate and consultations with all 45 presbyteries, which voted 31 to 14 in favour of change. A further vote will be held this week on whether or not to extend ordination to ministers in same sex marriages. Supporters said it was time for the church to be inclusive and recognise the "mixed economy" of modern Scotland. Opponent warned that the move was contrary to God's law, would prove divisive and lead to resignations.

चर्च ऑफ स्कॉटलैंड की महासभा ने सभाओं को समलैंगिक मंत्रियों को नियुक्त करने की अनुमति देने के लिए मतदान किया है जो समान लिंग नागरिक साझेदारी में हैं।


Pulwama: Indian soldiers' families still waiting for justice

Summary: Forty Indian soldiers died a year ago in one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir. The suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives into a convoy of 78 buses carrying Indian paramilitary police in Pulwama. A year later, the families of the soldiers are still looking for answers, BBC Hindi reports.

The attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy took place at 15:15 local time (09:45 GMT) on a motorway that connects the cities of Srinagar and Jammu. With the blame swiftly moving to militants based in neighbouring Pakistan, the attack changed the tenor around the country's general election, for which campaigning was well under way. National security became the plank on which the poll was fought, and many say the attack contributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brute majority. However, amid widespread national fury, several questions were raised after the attacks. For instance, why were civilian vehicles allowed on the highway at the same time the convoy was using it? How did intelligence agencies fail to send out any early warnings? Why were the soldiers not moved via aircraft? And why was such a large convoy part of what should have been a routine movement? The country's National Investigative Agency (NIA) is yet to file charges in the case. It says most of the suspects in the attack have been killed in gunfights with security forces. But it has not answered any of these questions, which the families of the soldiers are also continuing to ask. CRPF chief Anand Prakash Maheshwari has refused to comment on the investigation. Former CRPF inspector general VPS Panwar said the Pulwama attack was a "big mistake". But such an admission is yet to come from ministers or security officials and this has made the families of the victims angry. Ajit Kumar's family in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh say the lack of answers "hurts them". "We got compensation and that is fine. But we still can't understand why the government is not trying to find out how the attack happened. Who did it, and why? We keep wondering," Mr Kumar's brother Ranjit Azad told BBC Hindi. "Along with other families of soldiers who died, we tried for a while to put pressure on the government to give us the truth. But nothing happened and we eventually gave up." Ajit's wife, Nirja, said that since her husband died, the government gave her a job - but it requires her to travel 150km (90 miles) every day. "I somehow manage. But what hurts the most is that the government seems to have just washed its hands off this incident by giving me a job and compensation," she said. Also in Uttar Pradesh state, Geeta Devi, whose husband Ram Vakil also died in the attack, said she felt the government needed to launch a new investigation into the attack. "The government needs to tell the public how this happened despite heavy security. I don't understand why the government is quiet," she said. Maneswar Basumatary's wife, Sanmati, said she would never forget the day she received the news of her husband's death. "My world will never be the same. The government launched airstrikes inside Pakistan and that gave us some relief," she said. She was referring to India's decision to send fighter aircraft into Pakistan in what it said was an operation to destroy the bases of militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), who it blamed for the attack. India also accused the Pakistani government of not doing anything to stop the attack, an allegation the neighbouring country denied. Ms Basumatary said she would find peace only when she knew the masterminds of the attack had been punished. Some families of the soldiers have also alleged they are yet to receive the compensation they were promised. Rohitash Lamba's family, who live in the northern state of Rajasthan, say he was their only breadwinner. "Everybody came when my husband died. But now nobody comes to ask about our welfare. People have forgotten us. The government had promised that my brother-in-law would get a job but that has not happened," his wife Manju Lamba said. Pratap Singh Khachariyawas is a minister in the state government of Rajasthan and he was one of the several politicians who visited Lamba's family last year. He acknowledges that the family is struggling. "We have not been able to give a job to Lamba's brother because of some of technical problem in the procedure," he said. But Rohitash's Lamba brother Jitendra disagrees. "We have been meeting ministers and officials for more than a year. A martyr's family doesn't deserve to go through this pain," he said.

एक साल पहले भारत प्रशासित कश्मीर में सुरक्षा बलों पर हुए सबसे घातक हमलों में से एक में चालीस भारतीय सैनिकों की मौत हो गई थी। आत्मघाती हमलावर ने विस्फोटकों से भरे एक वाहन को भारतीय अर्धसैनिक पुलिस को ले जा रही 78 बसों के काफिले में घुसाया। एक साल बाद, सैनिकों के परिवार अभी भी जवाब ढूंढ रहे हैं, बीबीसी हिंदी की रिपोर्ट।


Ralph Baxter death: Police close case with no prosecution

Summary: No-one will be prosecuted in the case of a man who had an "altercation" with a fellow dog walker and later died.

Ralph Baxter, 72, suffered a fatal heart attack in Roade, Northamptonshire, on 8 April. The Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to link the two incidents and meet the "legal test for prosecution". A 28-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder has been released with no further action. Mr Baxter, a retired civil servant who received an MBE, died at his home close to the scene. Northamptonshire Police said the case was now closed but it would continue to support his family. Related Internet Links Northamptonshire Police The Crown Prosecution Service

किसी ऐसे व्यक्ति के मामले में किसी पर भी मुकदमा नहीं चलाया जाएगा, जिसकी कुत्ते पर चलने वाले एक साथी के साथ "बहस" हुई थी और बाद में उसकी मृत्यु हो गई थी।


Arts face battle to avoid funding 'abyss'

Summary: Faced with savage budget cuts, Newcastle is the first city to plan to scrap council funding to theatres and other arts venues - and more cities may follow suit. Can arts subsidies be justified when vital services are being reduced?

By Ian YoungsArts reporter, BBC News Inside a utilitarian industrial unit in Cramlington, Northumberland, a fleet of ice cream vans is hibernating for the winter. In a side room, surrounded by steel vats, two ladies - Stacey and Jade - are filling dozens of small pink and white tubs with "artisan" ice cream. The contents of these tubs will soon be devoured 10 miles away during the intervals in Newcastle Theatre Royal's pantomime. Stacey, Jade and their colleagues at the small, family-run Ciccarelli ice cream factory have been sending 2,000 tubs a week to the theatre since winning the contract several months ago. But the theatre is one of the venues that is likely to lose council funding over the next three years. The theatre says the council accounts for a relatively small proportion of its income (about 6.5%) and insists it will not close. But the council has said it is "particularly vulnerable". If the theatre was to go, Stacey and Jade would go too. They are the human face of what is known as the theatre's "economic impact" - the knock-on effect of its activities in the local economy. According to research, every £1 of public subsidy to cultural venues in Newcastle and neighbouring Gateshead brings £4-£5 back to the economy thanks to increased business at places like bars, restaurants and hotels, as well as ice cream suppliers. That is one of the key arguments for continuing to fund such venues - if funding was cut, the knock-on impact would cease and, metaphorically-speaking, the city would shoot itself in the foot. Domenico Gregorio, general manager of Ciccarelli's, says he has let his staff go at the end of the summer in previous years. "We were closing down for the winter but this opportunity came and I kept four people on and I'm looking to grow the business now," he says. "The theatre's kept our factory open. It's kept the lights on." Investment in the arts has also helped Newcastle reinvent itself as a cultural destination since the decline of heavy industry. The fear is that some of that work may now be undone - although landmark destinations such as the Baltic gallery and Sage concert hall are in Gateshead and not affected by Newcastle's planned cuts. The venues facing a 100% cut from Newcastle council include Live Theatre, Northern Stage, Tyneside Cinema, Dance City and the Seven Stories children's book centre. Council funding represents between 4% and 14% of their total turnover. Libraries, galleries and museums are also in line for heavy reductions. As well as the economic benefits and cultural wellbeing such venues bring, supporters point to their role in nurturing new talent. Live Theatre gave big breaks to writers including Billy Elliot creator Lee Hall and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy screenwriter Peter Straughan. Live's artistic director Max Roberts says: "Some people are born to stand on a stage and perform or write a play for that stage - like some people are born to run in an Olympic race or run a financial institution. "What's important is we must allow all the people from all the classes access to fulfil their creative ambition. If denied - our society will undoubtedly be poorer for it." Newcastle Council acknowledges the benefits - but it is, according to its leader, on the brink of the "abyss of austerity", after being asked to save £90m a year. Arts, museums and libraries are far from the only areas being cut. Before a council cabinet meeting on Wednesday, protestors highlighted reductions to respite care, the youth service and the numbers of looked-after children. Council leader Nick Forbes has warned that rising costs and falling income mean the council will run out of money for essential services such as social care and refuse collection by 2018 - never mind services like arts, which they have no obligation to fund. Mr Forbes, who sings in the Northern Sinfonia Choir, says he "gets the argument that investment in culture has led to economic regeneration, jobs and prosperity". But he says: "This is a time for priorities. Not even the most committed member of the cultural sector could argue that arts come before life and death services like children's social work. "We're about essential services. I know we can all argue about what constitutes essential, but for us it's quite simple. It's the things we must do otherwise people die or suffer terrible abuse that scars them for life. It's not funding a theatre or a cinema." He adds: "I love the arts, I appreciate what they can do - but I love protecting the vulnerable more." One council that is convinced of the power of the arts - for now - is Middlesbrough. The £1m of annual council funding to the five-year-old Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (Mima) has proved controversial at a time when the council has to save £14m. But Mayor Ray Mallon says the town centre is the "engine room" of Middlesbrough and the gallery has a "key role to play". He says: "The gallery is not only a beacon of the town's aspiration and ambition, helping to change perceptions of Middlesbrough, but it contributes to the economic regeneration of the town, attracting investment and people to Middlesbrough, and supporting the development and growth of the creative industries." 'Bleak' outlook Newcastle's plans, which are open to public consultation, come after Somerset Council cut 100% of its arts funding two years ago. There are now fears across the country that more will follow suit. The Local Government Association, which represents councils, predicts that the costs of social care and waste services will rise over the next eight years as council income declines - leaving little money for anything else. "Without reform, the outlook is increasingly bleak," says Cllr Flick Rea, chair of the LGA's culture, tourism and sport board. "Britain's ageing population means the cost of providing adult social care is rising out of control. Until that's addressed, funding for every other service, including arts funding, is under threat." It seems likely that Newcastle will not be the last authority to sacrifice the arts in an attempt to squeeze between a particularly big rock and a very hard place.

बजट में भारी कटौती का सामना करते हुए, न्यूकैसल पहला शहर है जिसने सिनेमाघरों और अन्य कला स्थलों के लिए परिषद के वित्त पोषण को समाप्त करने की योजना बनाई है-और अधिक शहर इसका अनुसरण कर सकते हैं। क्या कला सब्सिडी को उचित ठहराया जा सकता है जब महत्वपूर्ण सेवाओं को कम किया जा रहा है?


Inside Pakistan's drone country

Summary: Pakistan's tribal region of Waziristan, constantly watched and regularly bombarded by US military drones, has been called the most dangerous place on earth. The relentless assault exacts a huge psychological toll on the people who live there.

By Ahmed Wali Mujeeb BBC News, Waziristan The US missile-attacks destroy militant training compounds and cars but they also hit mosques, homes, religious schools and civilian vehicles. I witnessed the fear, stress and depression this causes for the tribal communities on a visit to the region in May. The drones do not suddenly appear over the horizon, carry out the attack and leave. At any given time of the day, at least four are hovering in the sky, emitting a distinctive and menacing buzzing sound. They call them "mosquitoes". "Anybody who has been listening to the buzzing all through the day usually can't sleep at night," says Abdul Waheed, a tribesman in North Waziristan. "It's like a blind man's stick - it can hit anybody at any time." People here tell me that it is not just Taliban and al-Qaeda members who are targeted, many ordinary citizens have been killed as well. In some cases, tribesmen, motivated by a clan or blood feud, have pointed out a rival as a Taliban member or al-Qaeda sympathiser, they say, in the hope he will be blown to bits. Everybody believes they could be next. "There is only one way to sleep now," says Mateen Khan, a car mechanic in the town of Miranshah. "I take sleeping pills like many other people here. It is either that or stay awake all night." As I drive into Waziristan via the Orakzai tribal region the road is littered with sites of drone attacks - some militant compounds, but most of all vehicles. Locals have left markers to remember the sites and in some places burnt-out car wrecks are lying on the roadside. The first prominent Taliban commander I meet is Wali Mohammad, brother of the now legendary Nek Mohammad. Nek Mohammad, who laid the foundation of the Taliban insurgency in Pakistan, was killed in a drone strike in 2004 - the first such attack in the region. Wali Mohammad was also seriously injured, but survived. Wali Mohammad says that most Taliban, himself included, would prefer to fight and die on the front with the enemy (Nato forces) than be killed by a drone. "I'm not afraid of the drones - but I also don't want to die in a drone attack," he says. Taliban and local tribesmen say the drones almost always depend on a local spy, who gives word when the target is there. Some say the spy leaves a chip or microchip at the site, which guides drones in for the kill. Others say special marker ink is used - rather like "X" marks the spot. For this reason, many people - especially militant commanders - now leave a guard near their vehicle when they go visiting, to keep loiterers away. Anyone coming under suspicion is unlikely to get a hearing. The Taliban kill first and decide afterwards if the suspect was involved or not. It is better to be safe than sorry, they say. Four drone strikes occurred during my 25-day stay in North Waziristan, two in the town of Mir Ali and two around Miranshah. One, on 26 May, hits a building in the main bazaar in central Miranshah, less than 500m from where I am staying. It's 04:15 in the morning when the blast wakes me. Just as someone next to me says it's the sound of a missile being fired there is an angry whizzing noise overhead and then an explosion. The gap between the missile being launched and hitting its target is just a few seconds. People run out of their homes into the street in fear. Some are rushing to the spot to see who has been hit. A room on top of a bakery in the centre of the market has been destroyed. Some local people and Taliban are clearing the rubble. They say three people have been killed. A few minutes later, the Taliban and locals are able to sift through the rubble and dig up the dead and injured. These are quickly taken away from the site of the attack and no-one is willing to say who they are. When I try to speak to people and militants later, everybody gives a different answer. It seems that no-one is sure who has been killed, but before long I hear on the radio that a senior al-Qaeda leader - Abu Hafs al-Misri - is among the dead. In the aftermath of this attack, I speak to local shopkeepers. One is very angry. He says the attacks have destroyed the lives and livelihood of the local population. While no-one - common citizen or militant - disputes the fact that al-Qaeda leaders have been killed in the strikes, they also point to the massive "collateral damage" incurred, and the many innocent lives that have been lost. The Taliban have no real answer or solution to the drones - so they spend most of their time trying to weed out the spies who supply information for the strikes. I see several people being arrested. A Taliban commander tells me most of the spies are local people recruited by Pakistan's security agencies. Like almost all other Taliban commanders, he holds the Pakistan government and security forces responsible for the drone attacks. The Taliban leaders say the drones will never cause them to give up. Yet in the middle, it is the common people in these regions who continue to suffer - undergoing mental anguish every day.

पाकिस्तान के आदिवासी क्षेत्र वजीरिस्तान, जिसे लगातार देखा जाता है और अमेरिकी सैन्य ड्रोन द्वारा नियमित रूप से बमबारी की जाती है, को पृथ्वी पर सबसे खतरनाक जगह कहा गया है। लगातार हमले से वहां रहने वाले लोगों पर भारी मनोवैज्ञानिक प्रभाव पड़ता है।


China's Tencent Music applies to list in the US

Summary: China's Tencent Music has filed a much-anticipated request to list its shares in the US, in what could be one of the biggest US initial public offerings by a Chinese company.

Tencent Music's parent firm is China's tech giant Tencent Holdings. Other shareholders include Spotify. It includes digital streaming apps QQ Music, Kugou and karaoke app WeSing. The request to list comes amid growth in the online music industry, despite some ongoing problems with piracy. More listeners, particularly those without access to a personal computer, are streaming music through smartphone apps like Spotify and Tencent Music. Tencent Music is seeking a valuation of about $25bn (£19.2bn), according to reports. It has requested to trade under the symbol TME. Luxembourg-based Spotify, which is the current market leader, listed in the US on 3 April, with its shares priced at $165.90. Its shares closed in the US on Tuesday at $178.88. Tencent Holdings, which is China's biggest social media company, also operates the Chinese social network WeChat.

चीन के टेनसेंट म्यूजिक ने अमेरिका में अपने शेयरों को सूचीबद्ध करने के लिए एक बहुप्रतीक्षित अनुरोध दायर किया है, जो एक चीनी कंपनी द्वारा सबसे बड़े अमेरिकी प्रारंभिक सार्वजनिक प्रस्तावों में से एक हो सकता है।


Turkey failed coup: How do Turks in Europe see Erdogan?

Summary: Tension between supporters and opponents of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the failed coup on 15 July has been growing in Turkish communities all over Europe. We take a look at how President Erdogan is regarded by some of the larger Turkish diasporas, and at how the political conflict in Turkey is being played out across Europe.

Germany Sunday's protest in Cologne, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, where about a third of German Turks live, had been organised as an "anti-coup" protest. But many of the demonstrators supported President Erdogan and the crackdown he has ordered since. With an estimated three million people of Turkish origin, Germany is home to the largest Turkish diaspora. Of those with Turkish nationality, 60% voted for President Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) in last November's election, a bigger share than he received in Turkey itself. Whereas German politicians and the German media are increasingly critical of Mr Erdogan's crackdown, Germany's Turkish community has largely applauded him for defending democracy. They identify with Mr Erdogan, who was brought up in an ordinary family from the provinces. They also see him as the driving motor behind Turkey's economic boom. "The people want to move forward and they see Erdogan as a strong figure. If not, the people fear a civil war similar to the situation in Iraq or Syria," Talat Kamran, of the Mannheim Institute for Integration and Inter-religious Dialogue told Deutsche Welle. But not all German Turks are Erdogan supporters. There are reports of increasing tension between his supporters and followers of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The leader of the German Greens, Cem Ozdemir, complained to German media that critics of Mr Erdogan in Germany's Turkish community were being targeted. "An atmosphere of fear must not be created," he told the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper. German fear of Erdogan's 'long arm' tests Turkey ties The Netherlands Of the estimated 400,000 ethnic Turks in the Netherlands, the majority are AKP supporters, with 67% of those with Turkish nationalities voting the AKP in November. On Sunday, many of them piled into buses to voice their support at the demonstration in Cologne. The organisers of the trip said they demonstrated for democracy, but many of the protesters held placards with images of President Erdogan. Supporters of Fethullah Gulen are relatively low in number in the Netherlands, but better education allows them to have good relations with Dutch institutions. There have been reports of attacks against a number of Gulenist cultural centres in Rotterdam, which has a large Turkish community. Rotterdam's mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb, appealed for calm in the wake of the coup. "Don't import the conflict: it's bad enough that these tensions exist in Turkey," he said. Austria Like in Germany and the Netherlands, the majority of Austria's 160,000 ethnic Turks are Erdogan supporters. In the immediate aftermath of the coup, there were protests in Vienna, attended by more than 1,200 people. There has been intimidation too. Over the past few days, Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern has been receiving death threats from Erdogan supporters, apparently posted in Turkey. The Austrian media commented on the Turkish conflict spilling over. Following the protests in Vienna, the Turkish ambassador was summoned. Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz acknowledged the right of protesters to demonstrate. But Mr Kurz told ORF: "Whoever wants to be engaged in Turkish domestic policy is free to leave our country." He appealed to ethnic Turks to be loyal towards Austria. "If you bring in conflicts, you will influence society negatively." France France hosts the second largest Turkish diaspora in the world, with more than 400,000 people of Turkish origin. There have been two demonstrations in support of President Erdogan, but there have also been reports of attacks on Gulenist institutions. Le Monde says the conflict between Gulenists and AKP supporters in Paris is becoming more acute. Insulting e-mails and incitement to hatred on social media have been reported, and Gulenist institutions received police protection in the days following the coup. Le Monde says Turks on both sides of the divide are worried about returning to Turkey, fearing instability. UK Britain has a relatively small Turkish community of only 50,000 people. On the day of the coup, the Union of European Turkish Democrats (UETD) organised a small demonstration outside BBC headquarters, and the following day in front of Downing Street, shouting slogans in support of President Erdogan and against Western media coverage of the coup. UK-based Gulenists say they have been the target of abuse by pro-Erdogan supporters. Within a few hours of President Erdogan urging people to take to the streets in protest on the day of the coup, the Mevlana Rumi mosque in Edmonton, north London, said it was targeted. "Two people entered the mosque. They started shouting out, swearing, breaking the peace," said Seval Gokce, the mosque's executive director. Here too, the political conflict in Turkey appears to be spilling over.

15 जुलाई को असफल तख्तापलट के बाद राष्ट्रपति रेसेप तैयप एर्दोगन के समर्थकों और विरोधियों के बीच तनाव पूरे यूरोप में तुर्की समुदायों में बढ़ रहा है। हम एक नज़र डालते हैं कि राष्ट्रपति एर्दोगन को कुछ बड़े तुर्की प्रवासी कैसे मानते हैं, और पूरे यूरोप में तुर्की में राजनीतिक संघर्ष कैसे खेला जा रहा है।


Man, 20, dies after Merthyr Tydfil crash

Summary: Police say a 20-year-old man has died and another man, 22, was injured when a convertible car hit a tree in Merthyr Tydfil.

The incident happened early on Friday morning at High Street, Penydarren, close to the Penydarren Club. The younger man was taken to Prince Charles Hospital, where he was declared dead. The crash, involving a blue Rover convertible car, closed the road for several hours. The 22-year-old victim is still receiving treatment for the injuries he sustained. South Wales Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident, or may have seen the MGF car being driven before the crash, to contact them. Anyone with information is asked to contact the South Wales Police Roads Policing Unit at Gwaelod y Garth on 01656 655555 extension:42331

पुलिस का कहना है कि मेरथिर टायडफिल में एक कन्वर्टिबल कार के पेड़ से टकराने से 20 वर्षीय एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई और 22 वर्षीय एक अन्य व्यक्ति घायल हो गया।


Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age?

Summary: Human civilisation developed in a cosy cradle.

By Howard Falcon-LangRoyal Holloway, University of London Over the last 11,700 years - an epoch that geologists call the Holocene - climate has remained remarkably stable. This allowed humans to plan ahead, inventing agriculture, cities, communication networks and new forms of energy. Some geologists now believe that human activity has so irrevocably altered our planet that we have entered a new geological age. This proposed new epoch - dubbed the Anthropocene - is discussed at a major conference held at the Geological Society in London on Wednesday. Yet some experts say that defining this "human age" is much more than about understanding our place in history. Instead, our whole future may depend on it. The term, the Anthropocene, was coined over a decade ago by Nobel Laureate chemist, Paul Crutzen. Professor Crutzen recalls: "I was at a conference where someone said something about the Holocene. I suddenly thought this was wrong. The world has changed too much. No, we are in the Anthropocene. I just made up the word on the spur of the moment. Everyone was shocked. But it seems to have stuck." But is Professor Crutzen correct? Has the Earth really flipped into a new geological epoch - and if so, why is this important? Back to the beginning Dr Jan Zalasiewicz of the University of Leicester is one of the leading proponents of the Anthropocene theory. He told BBC News: "Simply put, our planet no longer functions in the way that it once did. Atmosphere, climate, oceans, ecosystems… they're all now operating outside Holocene norms. This strongly suggests we've crossed an epoch boundary." Dr Zalasiewicz added: "There are three ideas about when the Anthropocene began. Some people think it kicked off thousands of years ago with the rise of agriculture, but really those first farmers didn't change the planet much. "Others put the boundary around 1800. That was the year that human population hit one billion and carbon dioxide started to significantly rise due to the burning of fossil fuels in the Industrial Revolution," he explained. "However, the really big changes didn't get going until the end of the Second World War - and that's another candidate for the boundary." To formally define a new epoch, geologists must show how it can be recognised in the layers of mud that will eventually form rocks. As it turns out, there is enormous practical advantage in fixing 1945 as the beginning of the Anthropocene. "1945 was the dawn of the nuclear age," explained Dr Zalasiewicz. "Sediments deposited worldwide that year contain a tell-tale radioactive signature from the first atom bomb tests in the States". So, thousands of years from now, geologists (if any still exist) will be able to place their finger on that very layer of mud. Extraordinary times? Nonetheless, the choice of 1945 for start of the Anthropocene is much more than just convenient. It coincides with an event that Professor Will Steffen of the Australian National University describes as the "Great Acceleration". Professor Steffen told the BBC: "A few years ago, I plotted graphs to track the growth of human society from 1800 to the present day. What I saw was quite unexpected - a remarkable speeding up after the Second World War". In that time, the human population has more than doubled to an astounding 6.9 billion. However, much more significantly, Professor Steffen believes, the global economy has increased ten-fold over the same period. "Population growth is not the big issue here. The real problem is that we're becoming wealthier and consuming exponentially more resources," he explained. This insatiable consumption has placed enormous stresses on our planet. Writing in the prestigious journal Nature, Professor Steffen and colleagues recently identified nine "life support systems" essential for human life on Earth. They warned that two of these - climate and the nitrogen cycle - are in danger of failing, while a third - biodiversity - is already in meltdown. "One of the most worrying features of the Great Acceleration is biodiversity loss," Professor Steffen said. "Species extinction is currently running 100 to 1000 times faster than background levels, and will increase further this century." "When humans look back… the Anthropocene will probably represent one of the six biggest extinctions in our planet's history." This would put it on a par with the event that wiped out the dinosaurs. But perhaps more alarming is the possibility that the pronounced global warming seen at the start of the proposed Anthropocene epoch could be irreversible. "Will climate change prove to be a short-term spike that quickly returns to normal, or are we seeing a long term move to a new stable state?" asked Professor Steffen. "That's the million dollar question." If the Anthropocene does develop into a long-lived period of much warmer climate, then there may be one very small consolation: the fossil record of modern human society is likely to be preserved in amazing detail. Dr Mike Ellis of the British Geological Survey told BBC News: "As a result of rising sea level, scientists of the future will be able to explore the relics of whole cities buried in mud". Preserved buildings In New Orleans, large areas of the city are already below sea level. The disastrous combination of rising sea level and subsidence of the Mississippi Delta on which it is built suggest that it will succumb at some point in the future. Although the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts less than a metre of sea level rise over the next 90 years, more than five metres of sea level rise is possible over the coming centuries as the Greenland and West Antarctic ice caps melt. One application for exploring the changing coastlines of the Anthropocene world is Google Flood. It allows users to raise sea level by up to 14 metres and zoom into street level to see the effects. Sea level rise of this magnitude will mean that the lower storeys of buildings will be preserved intact. Such "urban strata will be a unique, widespread and easily recognisable feature of the sedimentary deposits of the human age", Dr Ellis commented. Geologists of the future may also hunt for other, more unusual, "markers" of the Anthropocene epoch, such as the traces of plastic packaging in sediments. But geologists like Dr Mark Williams from the University of Leicester hold much more serious concerns: "One of the main reasons we developed the Anthropocene concept was to quantify present-day change and compare it with the geological record," he explained. "Only when we do so, can we critically assess the pace and degree of change that we're currently experiencing." Dr Williams added that while the Anthropocene has yet to run its course, "all the signs are that the human age will be a stand-out event in the 4.5 billion year history of the Earth".

मानव सभ्यता एक आरामदायक पालने में विकसित हुई।


Mystery of Xi Jinping's 'fan club' blogger

Summary: It's the biggest mystery on the internet in China today.

Damian GrammaticasChina correspondent Tens of thousands of people have been signing up to follow a Sina Weibo microblog account - China's equivalent of Twitter - that seems to have inside access to the new Communist Party leader Xi Jinping. But who exactly is the mysterious "fan" who seems to be at Xi's side recording his every step? Is it really a simple "fan"? Or is it all a cunning PR ploy to burnish Mr Xi's image? And where might it lead? The account goes by the name "Hao Hao Xue Xi" - a play on a Mao-era slogan and Mr Xi's name, it translates as "Study Hard", or the "Study Xi Fan Club". Here's a link, but you have to sign up for a Weibo account to be able to see it. It's remarkable for the close-up, up-to-date images it posts of China's new leader, sometimes in apparently intimate moments. On Wednesday there was a photo of an obviously poor, elderly man clutching the hand of a smiling Mr Xi in front of a mud-walled house. Mr Xi is dressed in a simple, sober outfit. He has been on a visit to a poor area of Gansu province. The moment is clearly spontaneous, but it looks like a publicity shot. The message isn't hard to decipher, Mr Xi is meant to look very much the caring leader, out and about to get in touch with ordinary people. On 4 February there's something more unusual, a photo of Xi Jinping apparently snoozing in the front seat of a minibus while touring Gansu. It's taken from outside, snapped through the window, so it looks spontaneous again. Unprecedented access Usually nobody ordinary gets this close to a Chinese leader, and not even state media publish such unguarded shots. But it has a clear purpose, Mr Xi is shown not in a fancy limousine but an ordinary bus, reinforcing the message he's been giving that officials need to eschew luxury and extravagance. The other message is that this is a leader who works hard. The caption the blogger has added to the photo is fawning. "He's been out and about for the past few days, he's very tired .. we young people are exhausted after running around for a day, not to mention someone like Xi who is almost in their sixties. Uncle Xi, please take care of your health. And when you appoint local government officials, choose capable ones so they can share your burden." The blogger keeps adding details about Xi's movements. On 5 February at 11:05 he wrote: "Xi has arrived back at his hotel." On the 4 February at 11:40 he wrote: "Xi is visiting old people in an old people's home." It's the sort of access to a national leader most journalists in China can only dream of. The movements of China's Communist hierarchy are a closely guarded secret, and only carefully screened pictures are released after most events. The "Fan Club" began posting shortly after Xi Jinping was promoted to become general secretary of the Communist Party last November. At the start of this week it had 130,000 fans. But by Thursday numbers had soared to more than 490,000. At times it has been way ahead of even the official news outlets. China's national TV news service, CCTV, posted a slightly miffed sounding comment on its own microblog asking: "What happened? The Study Xi Fan Club is quicker and closer to him than us." Some think it's the slightly unsubtle work of Xi Jinping's own PR team, an aide or an official, trying to use the internet to shape his image as he prepares to take over as president. On the 5 February the "fan", who says he's a young man from Shaanxi province, posted a message to claim: "I am just a normal internet user. I am working class. My company has given us time off for Chinese New Year, that's why I have time to follow Xi's movements. As a fan I care about him a lot. I am not a Communist. I am not a government official. I have nothing to do with his team." He went on: "Every president has their own fan site, Obama, Putin .. it's my right to be a fan of whoever I like." But most observers think it's inconceivable that this is just a random "fan" taking all these pictures. Another this week showed Xi in an ordinary canteen eating a simple meal. Coincidentally Mr Xi has recently called for Communist Party officials to give up on extravagance and there's an official campaign to clamp down on excessive banquets which waste huge quantities of food. Or this week there was also Xi Jinping, again out in a rural setting, at the back of a crowd of people, humbly not pushing himself to the front. No ordinary Chinese citizen would be able to follow Xi to so many events. Controlled image There are now more than 500 million internet users in China. The internet is still heavily censored and foreign sites like Twitter and Facebook remain blocked. Three hundred million people use China's own microblog services. If they step over the line their posts are quickly deleted by an army of censors, but there is still much freewheeling debate and criticism that gets through. So it seems likely the "Fan Club" is an attempt to give Xi Jinping a presence online. Many arms of China's government from police forces to local governments operate thousands of microblogs to ensure they have a voice. But the question now being asked is whether the effort will go further. Will Xi Jinping himself venture online, openly? Will he dare to start up his own microblog? Or at least an official one operated by his office. It's an intriguing prospect, but it would be a risky step as it would plunge China's leader into a world where many are highly critical of the Communist Party. Online people are often scathing in their opinions and highly inventive in the ways the find to pour ridicule on officials. China's leader might also find himself deluged with complaints, grievances and suggestions from ordinary people, sent directly to him but visible to all on the internet. How would he deal with that? "Petitioners" who try to send letters or bring their grievances in person to the leaders in Beijing are already treated as a nuisance by many officials and are frequently rounded up. Trying to be more open online might backfire China's Communist Party has ingrained habits of censorship and control when it comes to information, the media and the internet, changing those will be hard. Running a "Fan Club" is the easy option.

यह आज चीन में इंटरनेट पर सबसे बड़ा रहस्य है।


Police - Sakvithi link revealed

Summary: Sri Lanka's police spokesman says that he is unable to find out if any action was taken about the findings of an internal iinvestigation about strong links between senior police officers and alleged fraudster Sakvithi Ranasinghe.

Sakvithi Weerakumara Ranasinghe was arrested by the police on Friday. Police spokesman, Prishantha Jayakody told the BBC that the arrest was made after a tip off. Mr. Ranasinghe is accused of swindling over 9000 million rupees in a fraudulent investment scam through his Sakvithi Group of Companies. But questions have been raised whether the arrest itself is part of the cover up as an investigation carried out by DIG Chandana Wickramaratne has concluded that the alleged fraudster has had "close links with about 25 officers at the Mirihana police station." Cover up? The spokesman says that he is not aware of any action taken by the Police with regard to the details of illegal activities of some police officers as described in the report - dated 05 October 2008 with No. PA/DIG/APS/3062/08 - which was handed over to then IGP Jayantha Wickramaratne through senior DIG Nimal Mediwaka. IGP Wickramaratne is currently a senior official at the presidential secretariat. DIG Wickramaratne in his report says that Head of Nugegoda police division, Deshabandu Tennakoon, has on several occasions has had private talks with the suspects at his office. "The fact that during the last Sinhala New Year, Sakvithi Ranasinghe had sent 25 bottles of Johnnie Walker Black Label whiskey to the Mirihana police through one of his managers, Nalaka Thushara Ranasinghe has now been revealed," the report said. It says that at least 24 police officers have deposited money in the scam, including one Tennakoon who has deposited 1.2 million rupees, but adds that it was yet to be confirmed whether the said Tennakoon is a police officer. The report added: "It can now be seen that the Mirihana police was aware of the financial crisis faced by this institution about three to four months ago." The internal report also said that the police has initially refused to record complaints against the suspect. "Had complaints been recorded and investigated into properly, the fraud enacted by this institution and the plight of the customers would have been revealed to the country." Ironically, it is the same police station that has arrested the suspect on Friday. Police spokesman, SP Jayakody told BBC Sandedshaya that he does not know details of an investigation carried out before he assumed office. The police spokesman said that he had no way of finding out what had happened to the investigation report provided by DIG Chandana Wickramaratne.

श्रीलंका के पुलिस प्रवक्ता का कहना है कि वह यह पता लगाने में असमर्थ हैं कि वरिष्ठ पुलिस अधिकारियों और कथित धोखेबाज सकविथी रणसिंघे के बीच मजबूत संबंधों के बारे में आंतरिक जांच के निष्कर्षों के बारे में कोई कार्रवाई की गई थी या नहीं।