London's Shard skyscraper rises above its critics

Summary: It has been turning heads all over London.

By Andy DangerfieldBBC News, London Walking down streets, in parks, even stuck in traffic jams on the M25, people have been watching the steady ascent of a towering landmark on the capital's skyline. Its 310m (1,016ft) tapering steel structure was topped out in March, with the last few of its 11,000 shimmering window panes fitted in recent weeks. On Thursday, the Shard's inauguration will be followed by a dazzling light show, during which the skyscraper will fire laser beams at other iconic buildings, marking its new dominance of the London skyline. Its restaurants and viewing galleries, where - weather permitting - people will be able to see as far as Southend, are not expected to open until February 2013. But Italian architect Renzo Piano is already keen to convince locals the London Bridge skyscraper is not just another monolithic office tower. 'Vertical town' "For me, the most important thing is, is it going to be loved in London or not? "Skyscrapers have to give back to the city more than they get from the city." He hopes the Shard will be a building Londoners can take possession of, rather than just gazing in awe at its exterior. The EU's tallest building will have office space at its base, but higher there will be apartments, restaurants and a hotel - though it is perhaps unlikely the average Londoner will be able to afford to sleep there. A viewing gallery at the summit, however, should prove more accessible and is expected to draw more than a million people each year. Not everyone is full of praise. Local campaigners Bermondsey Village Action Group co-ordinator Russell Gray said: "It's just a great big pyramid of glass and steel. "There's nothing intrinsically endearing about it." But the veteran property developer behind the skyscraper, Irvine Sellar, believes what he calls "the first vertical town in Europe" will have a positive impact. He said: "People commuting in London Bridge are now seeing a pleasurable experience opposed to the kingdom of darkness that Renzo described was there before." Facing local critics is just one of many obstacles Mr Sellar has overcome to get the Shard built. He has also battled through gales, a world financial crisis and a public inquiry. When he bought Southwark Towers, a rather uninspiring 25-storey office block, in 1998, Mr Sellar says he "had no intention of developing the site". 'Phallic fortresses' A few months later, a government white paper emerged encouraging development of high-density buildings close to transport hubs. "That white paper was the first thing that made us change our mind," said Mr Sellar. His first challenge was to get a world-class architect involved. Mr Piano may not have been the most likely choice, given he had previously described tall buildings as "aggressive phallic fortresses". But when Mr Sellar and Mr Piano met in a Berlin restaurant in 2000, the architect flipped the menu over and began to sketch. Mr Piano said: "I do like the river. I do like the energy from the rail lines. "I see it as like a giant sail emerging from the river, and so the shape of the Shard was conceived." Mr Sellar admitted: "If it wasn't through Renzo, I don't think we would have got planning consent." Southwark Council granted planning permission in March 2002, but shortly afterwards, the building was called in for a public inquiry, with Royal Parks Foundation and English Heritage among those objecting. A key concern raised was over the view from Hampstead Heath, from where it was feared the Shard would be seen lurking over St Paul's. 'Military operation' But following six months of deliberations, the skyscraper was declared to be "of the highest architectural quality" and approved. By 2008, construction had not even started, when the banking crisis stopped the development in its tracks. "The worst financial crisis in living memory didn't exactly help with the funding," said Mr Sellar. However, Qatari investors stepped in at the last minute to buy 80% of the equity. "If it wasn't for the state of Qatar, I don't think we'd have a building like this in London," said Mr Sellar. With funding secured, the next challenge began - constructing 87 storeys on London clay next to a tidal river in a densely populated area. "The logistics were like a military operation," the developer said. "We had to deal with one of the country's busiest rail stations, busy bus routes, two Underground lines, and Guy's Hospital sitting right next door." With the Shard's shell complete, perhaps its biggest test still lies ahead - finding tenants to fill it, although Mr Sellar remains confident. "We are being selective - it's a very special building," he said.

यह पूरे लंदन में सुर्खियां बटोर रहा है।


'LTTE air attack' in Mannar

Summary: Suspected Tamil Tiger air planes dropped bombs near Mannar, officials said.

Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara told BBC Sandeshaya that the planes dropped two bombs near Thaladi. "No damages or injuries reported so far," he said. Explosions and anti aircraft firing were also heard in the capital, Colombo, residents say.

अधिकारियों ने बताया कि संदिग्ध तमिल टाइगर हवाई विमानों ने मन्नार के पास बम गिराए।


Bristol's 38th International Balloon Fiesta gets under way

Summary: The night sky was lit up as part of Bristol's annual four-day International Balloon Fiesta.

Up to 25 hot air balloons were tethered at Ashton Court on Thursday to take part in the nightglow on the opening day of the festival. The event, now in its 38th year, is Europe's largest balloon festival. More than 150 balloons are at the festival, but flights planned for Thursday night and Friday morning were cancelled due to high winds and cloud. The event is due to run through Sunday with another nightglow and fireworks display planned for Saturday night.

ब्रिस्टल के वार्षिक चार दिवसीय अंतर्राष्ट्रीय गुब्बारे उत्सव के हिस्से के रूप में रात का आसमान रोशन किया गया था।


Brexit: What did we learn from Theresa May's Florence speech?

Summary: Prime Minister Theresa May has used a speech in Florence to set out the UK's position on how to move Brexit talks forward. With further negotiations planned next week, what did her speech tell us about the sort of Brexit deal we might end up with? Reality Check correspondent Chris Morris has been scanning the speech.

Future of the EU What's the significance? It's worth noting that a lot of Brexit supporters in the UK jumped on Jean-Claude Juncker's State of the European Union speech last week - in which he set out an ambitious agenda of greater integration - as an example of why they wanted to leave in the first place. The PM picked up on this - we're getting out of your way while you move in a different direction that we've never felt entirely comfortable with. That's good for both of us she implied. It slightly ignores the fact that many EU leaders wouldn't agree with Mr Juncker's proposals - but it's a point that will go down well on the Tory backbenches. Success of Brexit What's the significance? The tone matters here. Urging EU leaders to be creative, ambitious and to share a "profound sense of responsibility to make this change work" is a bit of a departure from the language in her last major speech on Brexit at Lancaster House in London in January. It contained warnings of "an act of calamitous self-harm" for the countries of Europe if they sought to punish the UK, and the famous assertion that "no deal is better than a bad deal" for Britain. The rest of the EU will take note of this more collaborative appeal but will also be watching to see whether the tone changes again in the prime minister's speech to the Conservative party conference next month. Citizens' rights What's the significance? The prime minister is saying she wants to incorporate an agreement on EU citizens' rights into UK law, and she thinks UK courts should be able to "take into account" the judgements of the European Court of Justice. It's a real guarantee, she says: "We want you to stay." The trouble is that it's not what the EU is demanding. The chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier insisted in a speech yesterday that the Court of Justice should remain the ultimate guarantor of any agreement. The big difficulty here is that jurisdiction is a pretty black-and-white issue - there are few grey areas. As things stand, the UK view is that British courts should have the final say, and the EU sees that as unacceptable. Trade What's the significance? So the Prime Minister has ruled out a European Economic Area-style solution to a future relationship (this would be like Norway - part of the single market but not part of the EU). Mrs May says it would still be too restrictive for the UK. And she ruled out an ambitious free trade deal like the one the EU has with Canada - it would take too long and would ignore the fact that we start from a position where all our rules and regulations are the same. So she wants a unique solution - a new deep and special partnership. But in this speech she hasn't really given more details of exactly what that solution would be. Transitional period What's the significance? This is important. It means that during a transition period - the prime minister suggested two years as a possibility - all the rules will remain the same. That means payments into the EU budget, free movement of people and the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice would stay in place. That's always been the position of the rest of the EU - it now appears that the UK has accepted that there is no way round this. Mrs May confirmed that there will be no restrictions on EU citizens coming to the UK during the transition, but that after Brexit they will be registered as they arrive. That is something that the UK could already do under current EU rules, but it never has done so. 'Divorce bill' What's the significance? The prime minister is trying to reassure other member states that no net contributor will have to pay more, and no net recipient will receive less, during the current seven-year budget period, which runs until the end of 2020. That suggests that the UK will provide the sum of roughly 20bn euros (£18bn) in the two-year transition period that it has now proposed. What's not yet clear is whether the UK thinks these payments will also cover some of its outstanding debts - debts that the EU insists have to be settled as part of a withdrawal agreement. The rest of the EU will view the £18bn as payment for the UK being allowed to maintain its current role in the single market. A lot depends on what exactly Mrs May meant by this key sentence: "The UK will honour commitments made during the period of our membership." Note she didn't say "all" our commitments. Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter

प्रधान मंत्री थेरेसा मे ने फ्लोरेंस में एक भाषण का उपयोग ब्रेक्सिट वार्ता को आगे बढ़ाने के बारे में यूके की स्थिति निर्धारित करने के लिए किया है। अगले सप्ताह आगे की बातचीत की योजना के साथ, उनका भाषण हमें ब्रेक्सिट सौदे के बारे में क्या बताता है जो हम समाप्त कर सकते हैं? रियलिटी चेक संवाददाता क्रिस मॉरिस भाषण को स्कैन कर रहे हैं।


New £8m Heartlands Hospital pathology services unit opens

Summary: A new £8m specialist laboratory, which will analyse 50,000 cervical smear tests and blood samples a day, has opened at a hospital in Birmingham.

The new extension to the current pathology centre at Heartlands Hospital will carry out specialist testing for cervical cancer, Chlamydia and MRSA. It will also process Tuberculosis (TB) tests from across the UK. The hospital's 400 laboratory staff currently deal with more than 2.6m clinical samples every year. The building has been funded by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and Public Health England West Midlands. Trust chairman Lord Hunt said it would allow them "to provide an improved service including an increased amount of samples turned around every year and 24-hour service for local GPs".

बर्मिंघम के एक अस्पताल में एक नई 8 मिलियन पाउंड की विशेषज्ञ प्रयोगशाला खोली गई है, जो एक दिन में 50,000 गर्भाशय ग्रीवा स्मीयर परीक्षणों और रक्त के नमूनों का विश्लेषण करेगी।


Máirtín Ó Muilleoir becomes South Belfast assembly member

Summary: Sinn Féin's Máirtín Ó Muilleoir has been co-opted to the assembly as a South Belfast MLA.

He replaces Alex Maskey who, in turn, is replacing Sue Ramsey as a West Belfast assembly member. Mr Ó Muilleoir, a former lord mayor of Belfast, has also been selected to contest the general election in South Belfast. Speaking after a Sinn Féin selection convention, he described it as a "great honour".

सिन फेन के मैर्टिन ओ मुइलेयर को दक्षिण बेलफास्ट के विधायक के रूप में विधानसभा के लिए सह-चुना गया है।


Endometriosis: One woman's painful journey to diagnosis

Summary: "It feels like hot knives stabbing through me, like fireworks going off inside me, like something twisting and stretching and taking over me." This is Jaimee Rae McCormack's description of the pain of endometriosis. The condition, where cells like the ones in the lining of the womb are found elsewhere in the body, can cause chronic pain, painful sex and lead to depression and infertility. Here the 27-year-old from Cardiff tells of the impact it has on her life and her 13-year fight for a diagnosis.

"I've suffered with endometriosis since I was 12 but it wasn't until I was 25 that I was finally diagnosed. "The condition has had a huge impact on my life. I haven't been able to have a career because there are days I'm in too much pain to leave the house and I have hospital appointments sometimes four times a week. "If it wasn't for my supportive family I would be lost and in huge financial trouble. "It means sex is painful and and I have physiotherapy to help in that department. "I won't know how it has affected my fertility until I start trying for a baby. "I have certainly felt depressed at times which has really got me down as I love to smile." When Jaimee first became unwell she was frequently at her GP's surgery but felt she was getting nowhere: "Tests were coming back clear and I was being told there was nothing wrong with me." She was eventually prescribed a series of different contraceptive pills and then fitted with a coil which "helped massively". But it was short lived: "By the time I got to 18 things were really bad," she said. "It really affects my bowel movements so I have diarrhoea all the time. "Because of that I was constantly being told it was irritable bowel syndrome ." By the age of 21, Jaimee had graduated with a degree in contemporary textiles and was working in Sweden as an au pair. But she was very unwell: "One time I had terrible sickness and diarrhoea for 12 hours, to the point where I couldn't breathe," she said. "I flew home to Wales and saw my GP who told me I was homesick. I was told to finish my contract in Sweden and come home - which is what I did. "After returning home my quest to get to the bottom of my illness really began." She underwent allergy testing, and was tested for coeliac disease: "Everything kept coming back clear all the time and everybody thought I was wasting their time." She paid privately for an endoscopy and a colonoscopy and this led to the discovery of two chronic duodenal ulcers. "We thought we'd found what had been going on with me all these years," she said - but it turned out to be a red herring. By the age of 23 her health had hit an all-time low: "I was sick for so long and so weak as I blacked out and had to be rushed into hospital," she recalled. This time she was told she had food poisoning. Before long she was back in hospital, this time for a month of tests. She left without a diagnosis. But she was determined to get to the bottom of her illness. She started having acupuncture and it was her acupuncturist who first suggested it could be endometriosis. "I started looking into it," she said. "It took two years of pestering GPs and requesting referrals before I was finally given the diagnosis in December 2015. "It made a huge difference to know it wasn't all in my head." Since her diagnosis Jaimee has had three operations and the endometriosis has been removed from her liver, appendix, colon, rectum, fallopian tubes, uterus and bowel. "The pain lower down has got so much better," she said. "The cramps used to be so strong, almost like I was in labour. I've looked into it and for centuries it was called "suffocation of the womb" and sufferers were executed because people thought they were witches. "I can understand that, sometimes it is almost like I am possessed." She is now waiting to hear if she will be given a PET scan to see if she has endometriosis around her lungs and heart. For the past four years, Jaimee Rae McCormack says medics have frequently encouraged her to have a baby - the condition can cause infertility and some women report pregnancy helps with symptoms. Endometriosis symptoms: But this is not something she is considering: "I've lost count how many times doctors have suggested I have a baby - probably over 20 times. "It would be cruel to bring a child into the world when I'm sick so often. "For some women having a baby helps but for others it doesn't. "They've managed to get rid of the endometriosis from all of my uterus, so I'm hoping I have my fertility, but I won't know until I start trying for a baby. "It's just not the right time now. It will be in the next couple of years and I hope I haven't missed my chance." Jaimee has found an unusual way to stay positive: By writing information and painting images images on a wall of her house and sharing the images on social media to raise awareness of the condition. "I've drawn flowers with 10 petals, one black to represent the one in 10 women who have endometriosis." Her work has had a mixed response: "One person said I was being disrespectful. Someone else called the police. "But then I got a photographer in to photograph the work, and since then it has been really positive." Jaimee's condition has left her feeling depressed and low at times but the painting has helped: "Since starting the wall, on my down days all the messages with other women struggling keeps me going and inspires me to keep shouting out and raising awareness for this awful condition."

"ऐसा लगता है जैसे गर्म चाकू मुझ पर वार कर रहे हों, जैसे मेरे अंदर आतिशबाजी हो रही हो, जैसे कुछ मुड़ रहा हो और फैल रहा हो और मुझ पर हावी हो रहा हो।" यह जैमी राय मैककॉर्मैक का एंडोमेट्रियोसिस के दर्द का वर्णन है। ऐसी स्थिति, जिसमें गर्भ के अस्तर जैसी कोशिकाएं शरीर में कहीं और पाई जाती हैं, पुरानी दर्द, दर्दनाक यौन संबंध का कारण बन सकती हैं और अवसाद और बांझपन का कारण बन सकती हैं। यहाँ कार्डिफ की 27 वर्षीय लड़की अपने जीवन पर पड़ने वाले प्रभाव और निदान के लिए अपनी 13 साल की लड़ाई के बारे में बताती है।


Battersea: The site of the world's most famous power station

Summary: Battersea is famous for its power station and dogs home - but that part of south London is less noted for its history of asparagus growing, and the inspiration it gave to the Sherlock Holmes's author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

The Survey of London - described as the nearest thing there is to an official history of London's buildings - has been looking at the capital's suburbs for more than a hundred years. With help from staff at English Heritage, its latest focus has been on Battersea. Take a tour with survey historian, Colin Thom. All images subject to copyright. Map image courtesy Google Maps. Images courtesy English Heritage, Getty Images and Battersea Power Station Development Company. Music by KPM Music, The Kinks and The Who (who recorded their album Quadrophenia in Battersea). Photofilm by Paul Kerley. Related: Survey of London English Heritage You may also like: The cornucopia of comics The hidden colours inside volcanoes The place where Chelsea Pensioners live

बैटरसी अपने पावर स्टेशन और कुत्तों के घर के लिए प्रसिद्ध है-लेकिन दक्षिण लंदन का वह हिस्सा एस्पेरागस के बढ़ने के इतिहास और शर्लक होम्स के लेखक सर आर्थर कॉनन डॉयल को दी गई प्रेरणा के लिए कम जाना जाता है।


US election 2020: FBI links Iran to websites targeting poll officials

Summary: Iranian cyber actors were "almost certainly" behind a number of websites and social media accounts which contained death threats against senior officials in charge of securing and managing the 2020 election, two US security agencies have announced.

By Shayan SardarizadehBBC Monitoring In a joint statement published on 23 December, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) said they were in possession of "highly credible information" indicating Iran was responsible for the operation. The operation "demonstrates an ongoing Iranian intent to create divisions and mistrust in the United States and undermine public confidence in the US electoral process", it added. The websites and social media accounts, called "Enemies of the People" and "Enemies of the Nation", were created in early December and included the names, photos, contact details and home addresses of 38 US federal, state and local officials, as well as private citizens employed by Dominion - which sells electronic voting software and hardware. Rifle crosshairs were imposed on the images of the individuals listed on the websites. President Trump, his legal team and a number of his allies have made allegations in recent weeks about widespread electronic voting fraud in several swing states involving Dominion. But federal courts have dismissed lawsuits which referred to those claims. "The following individuals have aided and abetted the fraudulent election against Trump," read a note on the domains. "Changing votes and working against the president is treason and patriotic Americans should never forget those who helped overthrow our democracy," it added. The agencies also identified four email addresses linked to the websites which had sent "threatening emails" to the officials. The operation's social accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Parler, V-Kontakte, Pinterest and Gab spread the domains and called on President Trump's supporters to add details of more individuals who "betrayed our country and democratic ideals". FBI chief Christopher Wray, former Cisa head Chris Krebs - who was fired last month by Mr Trump for contradicting his claims of voter fraud - Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the state's voting systems implementation manager Gabriel Sterling were among the officials whose details appeared on the domains. Earlier this month, Mr Sterling rebuked his fellow Republicans, including the president, for allegations of fraud in the state after a number of election workers were subjected to intimidation and death threats. All the domains associated with the operation, and their archived versions, have now been taken down. The majority of the social media accounts have also been removed. But one account on Parler is still up, although it has been set to private. Joe Slowik, a senior security researcher at the firm DomainTools, said in a blog post that publicly available domain registration details were set up to indicate as though the operation had originated in Russia. However, emails associated with the domain registrars used the global-oriented "yandex.com" instead of the Russian language "yandex.ru". "This may be circumstantial, or it could support the theory that the activity in question attempts to look like Russian-based actions but lack of language skills prompted the use of the com site instead of the Russian-language ru," Mr Slowik added in a later update. The is the second time US officials have linked Iran to attempts to interfere in this year's elections. In October, national security officials said Iran was responsible for sending threatening emails to Democratic voters. The emails appeared to come from the Proud Boys, a far-right pro-Trump group, and were meant to "incite unrest", National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe said. Iran denied any involvement in those emails, and has not so far commented on the FBI statement. And Twitter removed nearly 130 accounts linked to Iran that attempted to "disrupt the public conversation" during the first presidential debate. Some of the accounts tweeted in favour of Mr Trump, while others were supportive of Joe Biden.

दो अमेरिकी सुरक्षा एजेंसियों ने घोषणा की है कि ईरानी साइबर अभिनेता कई वेबसाइटों और सोशल मीडिया खातों के पीछे "लगभग निश्चित रूप से" थे, जिनमें 2020 के चुनाव को सुरक्षित करने और प्रबंधित करने के प्रभारी वरिष्ठ अधिकारियों के खिलाफ मौत की धमकियां थीं।


Twitter responds to Modi's Indian cleanliness drive

Summary: On the day India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a campaign to clean up the country, #MyIdeaofSwachhBharat (Clean India Campaign) has been among the top trends in the country.

People have been sharing their suggestions in tweets for a cleaner India, both serious and humorous. Mr Modi kicked off the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the Valmiki Nagar in Delhi, the area where many of capital's street sweepers live. He posed for the cameras with a broom in hand, swept a small stretch of a street, and appealed to the entire country to help in the clean-up, saying the karamcharis (sweepers) alone could not keep India clean: Some #MyIdeaofSwachhBharat tweeters have praised Mr Modi for the campaign: Some had constructive ideas for cleaning up Indian cities: Others spoke about the general importance of cleanliness: For some, cleanliness was technical, and had to begin with their Twitter timeline: But for some like Siddhartha Varshney, the whole campaign was nothing more than show from the sarkari babus (bureaucrats): And others, just wanted to have fun:

जिस दिन भारत के प्रधान मंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने देश को स्वच्छ बनाने के लिए एक अभियान शुरू किया था, उस दिन #MyIdeaofSwachhBharat (स्वच्छ भारत अभियान) देश में शीर्ष रुझानों में से एक रहा है।


Toy firms aim to get children hooked on brand loyalty

Summary: One of the newcomers on the toy scene last year was the Robo Fish - a colourful, battery-operated plastic animal that automatically swims around the moment you drop it into a bowl of water. "Even the cat can't tell the difference", the sales patter suggests.

By Kevin PeacheyPersonal finance reporter, BBC News The initial set of a fish, a bowl, and a spare set of batteries will cost parents about £20, but that's not the end of it. The back of the box displays all eight fish in the range and encourages enthusiasts to "collect them all". If youngsters are hooked, and parents are reeled in by their children, each extra fish will cost them about £10. Of course, the Robo Fish is just one toy among thousands that encourage young consumers to be loyal to a brand. 'Healthy' for business At the British Toy and Hobby Association's Toy Fair, open in London this week, toy companies are displaying their hopes for hits during 2014, including key Christmas sales. Stroll around the stalls and visitors will see scores of collectables at pocket-money prices, but also toy collections which - with a variation on a theme - target repeat sales. That can be anything from fluffy Moshi Monsters to Bollywood stars dolls. The price range can be vast - the Barbie dolls range, for example, can cost anything from £7 to £200. These collections can be healthy for business, according to Frederique Tutt, global toy industry analyst with the NPD Group. "It is about penetration into the brand," she says. "If kids are collecting something, then they will go back." 'Pester power' That can mean pressure on parents to buy more, which can hit the finances fairly hard. They will tell you that they already feel the pinch when faced with sticker books that feature all the other albums in the set on the back cover, or buying new games for electronic consoles that rarely come cheap. Jeremy Todd, chief executive of parenting charity Family Lives, says mother and fathers need to learn how to resist these demands. "Pester power is just a fancy description of when children and young people are desperate for the new fad," he says. "Companies have realised how powerful children and young people are as consumers. Many marketing and advertising campaigns aggressively target children and young people." He says spending time with - rather than money on - children can be more productive. "Although it doesn't feel like it at times, as the parent or carer, you are the most valuable resource for your child and any creative time you spend together is worth more than anything you buy," he says. The charity's tips to counter pester power include being firm when saying no, rather than haggling with a child, but understanding the pressure children feel in keeping up with the latest fashions. Sales of "pocket-money toys", which cost less than £5, dropped by 12% in 2013, according to the NPD Group. It suggests that less impulse buying is one reason for this fall, showing that many parents were able to resist this pester power. Fewer but bigger That said, industry figures show that friends and family still said yes to youngsters on a regular basis. There were 38 toys sold per child, on average, in the UK last year - and 364 million toys sold in total over the course of the year. The toy market in 2013 was worth about £2.9bn, with about a third of sales coming at Christmas. The NPD figures show that while the number of toys sold was down 5%, the average price of a toy rose from £7.52 in 2012 to £7.92 in 2013. In other words, parents were spending their money on fewer, larger items. All of this makes the pursuit of brand loyalty even more important for toy companies. This tactic goes back decades, according to Robert Opie, founder of the Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising. He says that character merchandise can be traced back to the cartoons of the 1920s, such as Felix the Cat. Pester power was in full flow when children wanted to build up their collection of cigarette cards, he adds. And this accelerated as parents' disposable income grew over the years. More recently, successful brands such as Lego, motor-racing game Scalextric, and finger-football favourite Subbuteo were all based on a concept that more parts or teams could be bought over time to improve playability. Many exhibitors at the toy fair stress that younger age groups are easier to attract to toys and games, before technology and fashion compete for their attention. So it may become more important to establish that brand loyalty even earlier, perhaps linking to a film or television series. And yet the toy industry knows that a good idea - even if it is a one-off purchase - can be the driving force behind a successful Christmas. One toy tipped to do well this year is a doll, expected to sell for a relatively expensive £60, that can answer children's questions by looking them up on the internet. "The toy sector is fast-moving and innovative, launching thousands of new products to market every year," says Natasha Crookes, director of the British Toy and Hobby Association. "The trade remains confident that the toy market has a good growth potential over the coming years and is really keen to start afresh in 2014."

पिछले साल खिलौनों के दृश्य में नए लोगों में से एक रोबो फिश थी-एक रंगीन, बैटरी से चलने वाला प्लास्टिक जानवर जो स्वचालित रूप से तैरता है जब आप इसे पानी के कटोरे में डाल देते हैं। "यहां तक कि बिल्ली भी अंतर नहीं बता सकती", बिक्री पैटर सुझाव देता है।


A scandal over schools, land and nationalism in Japan

Summary: Prime ministers usually like to be linked to new schools, but Japan's Shinzo Abe can't get far enough from one that's mired in a scandal about nationalism, toddlers and land deals that has seen his approval ratings tumble and raised questions over his wife's role.

Where did this all begin? It begins on a piece of derelict land close to the airport, in the Toyonaka area of Osaka. In February, local media reported that a nationalist educational body called Moritomo Gakuen bought this land for a new primary school from the transport ministry at a suspiciously low price. It certainly got a very good deal, paying less than a sixth of the land's value. But the finance ministry says this was because after buying a 10-year lease with a commitment to purchase, industrial waste was found on the site and the estimated clean-up costs were deducted from the sale price. Opposition lawmakers and some media commentators allege that the government - or even elements close to the prime minister - may have pressured officials to award the school a disproportionately large discount. Mr Abe has strenuously denied this and even said he would resign if anybody could prove he had been involved. Why is the school so controversial? Many schools in Japan are government-run and some are operated by private organisations just like Moritomo Gakuen - but this one is known for its unusually patriotic educational style based on Shintoism, the animist religion of Japan. And the credentials of Moritomo Gakuen are now under scrutiny. The group already runs the Tsukamoto kindergarten in Osaka on nationalistic principles, which is a rare and controversial move in post-war Japan. Reports have surface about the way the kindergarten drills its young charges in pre-war practices long abandoned by the rest of Japan's school system. They bow to images of the emperor, stamp their feet to military songs and recite the 1890's Imperial Rescript on Education, commanding them to filial piety, brotherhood and self-sacrifice. "Should emergencies arise, offer yourselves courageously to the state," the tiny foot-soldiers of patriotism call out in school assemblies. The kindergarten is also being investigated for alleged hate-speech after sending notes to parents using an abusive term for Chinese people and accusing Korean and Chinese residents (many of them in Japan for generations) of having "wicked ideas". Japanese people with the "spirits" of foreigners were also to blame for Japan's ills, it wrote in one letter. Why is Mr Abe's name even coming up? The new school that Moritomo Gakuen was going to build on the controversial land was called the Abe Shinzo Memorial Primary School. Mr Abe's wife, Akie Abe, was listed as the "honorary principal" on the website of the school that was to be built on the land. Mr Abe says he protested when he found out that the school had been fundraising in his name. Mrs Abe says she only reluctantly accepted this role after she had been publically named without consultation. The prime minister has also denied detailed knowledge of the school's nationalist curriculum. "Of course I don't want the kids to root for me like that, and I don't think it's an appropriate thing for them to say," he said in response to questions in Japan's parliament. Either way, the school has now withdrawn its planning application and officials in Osaka say they have more questions about the deal. But there is a further link. Yasunori Kagoike, former principal of the kindergarten and head of Moritomo Gakuen, is a governing board member of the Osaka branch of Nippon Kaigi, a nationalist lobby group that extols Japanese pre-war values and opposes its pacifist constitution. Mr Abe and his cabinet also have close links to the Nippon Kaigi, which has also criticised Mr Kagoike in this matter. Lawmakers are calling for Mr Kagoike to appear in parliament for questioning. So how is this being seen in Japan? Government finance scandals not uncommon, but stories of toddlers being marched to martial music have shocked many people. There is a fierce debate in Japan over the extent to which revisionist textbooks and teaching should be part of curricula. In this instance, the bald racism of the letters to kindergarten parents combined with a murky land deal runs the risk of seriously undermining Mr Abe's reputation. Mr Abe's poll numbers continue to slide, with Kyodo news agency reporting a six-point drop to 55.7% in the last month, and almost three-quarters of respondents calling for Mr Kagoike to answer questions in parliament. Another online survey suggested support had slipped to 36.1% from 63.7% in just a week.

प्रधान मंत्री आमतौर पर नए स्कूलों से जुड़ना पसंद करते हैं, लेकिन जापान के शिंजो आबे राष्ट्रवाद, बच्चों और भूमि सौदों के बारे में एक घोटाले में फंसे हुए हैं, जिसने उनकी अनुमोदन रेटिंग को गिरते देखा है और अपनी पत्नी की भूमिका पर सवाल उठाए हैं।


Mumbai rains: Is India's weather becoming more extreme?

Summary: With unusually severe rainfall in India's financial capital Mumbai over the past few weeks, and severe drought conditions elsewhere in the country, questions are being raised about whether these extreme events are becoming more common.

By Reality Check teamBBC News Reality Check has had a look at the available data for floods and drought over time to see if any patterns are emerging. First, the rainfall India relies on the heavy rains of the annual monsoon season for most of its water needs. The rains arrive in different parts of the country at different times and, if they are early or late, with devastating consequences for farmers. If they are unusually heavy, built-up areas can face severe disruption. In recent days, Mumbai has been particularly badly affected, with at least 30 flood-related deaths, and the city's top civic official says its infrastructure has not been able to cope with the erratic rainfall patterns. But is there a longer-term pattern? Looking at the annual data from the 36 weather stations that monitor monsoon rainfall across the country, no clear pattern emerges. Yes, the rainfall levels are unpredictable and erratic, but figures since 2002 show no indication of an increase in the extremes of monsoon rainfall. A UN report has estimated that in the decade 2006 to 2015 there were 90 severe floods with the loss of almost 16,000 lives. In the previous decade there were 67 floods with the loss of around 13,600 lives. While there was an increase, this does not indicate a major change in the frequency of flooding over the two decades. What about drought conditions? While Mumbai has experienced heavy rains and flooding, much of the country has been experiencing very dry weather. The south-eastern city of Chennai has suffered from severe water shortages because of delayed rains. There has also been a recent heatwave across India, with temperatures crossing 45C in several regions in June. Overall, more than 44% of land across India is estimated to be under drought - 10% more than last year. So, are there patterns we can see from looking at the temperature data over time in India? A heatwave is declared when temperatures reach at least 4.5C above an area's normal temperature for two days. From 1980 to 1999, there were 213 heatwaves. Between 2000 and 2018, roughly the same time interval, there were 1,400. Also of note is the very noticeable jump in extremes of heat and cold for 2017 and 2018. But the outlook for extreme weather conditions in the longer term is not encouraging. A study carried out by an international team of researchers has predicted that by 2100, about 70% of India's population is likely to face threats from extreme heat and humidity driven by global warming. Can better planning alleviate flooding? Mumbai is a good example of the problems faced by urban planners in dealing with the annual monsoon rains. When, in 2005, at least 900 died in floods in Mumbai, a decision was made to build eight stations to pump out water. Two of them are yet to be built. Large parts of the city are built on land reclaimed from the sea and many blame poor planning and rapid construction for the annual rain chaos. Mumbai's centuries-old storm drains discharge rainwater through outfalls into the sea and the city's Mithi river, but these outfalls get blocked when high tides coincide with heavy rain. Their capacity is also affected by silting and dumping of solid waste. A plan to revamp the city's drains began back in 1993, but critics say not enough has been done. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter

पिछले कुछ हफ्तों में भारत की वित्तीय राजधानी मुंबई में असामान्य रूप से भारी बारिश और देश के अन्य हिस्सों में गंभीर सूखे की स्थिति के साथ, सवाल उठाए जा रहे हैं कि क्या ये चरम घटनाएं अधिक आम होती जा रही हैं।


Isle of Man TT 2015: Man entered TT course to retrieve can

Summary: A man who entered the TT course during Monday's Supersport race, narrowly missing some of the leading riders, has received "stern words" from police.

Witnesses said the man, who "was not drunk", made a "split decision" to retrieve a can which had rolled into the road shortly before riders arrived. While police said no further action would be taken against him, they warned about the dangers of entering the road. Bikers can reach speeds of up to 150mph on Bray Hill during racing.

सोमवार की सुपरस्पोर्ट दौड़ के दौरान टी. टी. पाठ्यक्रम में प्रवेश करने वाले एक व्यक्ति को पुलिस से "सख्त शब्द" मिले हैं।


Keeping cancer a secret: readers' experiences

Summary: When Victoria Wood died of cancer last week only her immediate family knew she was battling the illness. Her brother described how he and some of her closest friends had no idea, but understood why she kept it private. After we wrote about why people decide to keep quiet about cancer a number of readers got in touch to share their stories. Here are just a few of them.

By Emma Atkinson & Richard Irvine-BrownBBC News 'It was too much to hide' Bo Lutoslawski, from Suffolk, was 42 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. "At the time I told my wife, but I didn't tell my children. My sons were only three and seven at that time, and I only told my parents about it 10 years later after having a bone-marrow transplant. "I live in the UK, while they live in Poland and I thought the stress and the distance would be terrible for them. "In Poland, I told one friend I trusted. I didn't want the guys around me to think there was something wrong with me. I didn't want them to think 'this man is dying'. "They used an experimental drug to treat me, but after a year the illness came back so I had to tell some people. After trying another powerful drug my hair fell out, so I had to tell everybody. It was too much to hide. "When I did tell my colleagues about it they were incredibly kind. The warmth was extraordinary. They were far more kind than I predicted. "When I thought the truth would come out, I had to tell my parents. It was a beautiful day, I took them for a walk and explained. "I think it was the right thing to do. I left it a little too long. Looking back I wish I had told them a bit earlier." 'You go into protection mode' Adrian Plumridge, from Portsmouth, was diagnosed with male breast cancer almost six years ago, aged 59. "I struggled to tell my immediate family. I did manage to, but kept it from my work colleagues and friends because it seemed wrong and embarrassing to have breast cancer as a man. "I needed chemotherapy and became very prone to infection, needing frequent hospital and GP visits and dressing changes at home. As I worked at a training base for Royal Naval personnel I couldn't risk going to work and becoming infected with even a cold. "It therefore became clear to work colleagues that I had serious problems as I was eventually off work for eight months. "I popped in to see people and they wanted to know why my arm was in plaster and why I was covered in dressings, and why I didn't have any hair. But I didn't have the words to tell them. Your brain goes into protection mode, like an animal going into a bundle and sleeping until it's better. "Your mind goes into a whirl, you've got all these appointments and you get into a fog. I barely had time to deal with it myself, let alone unburden myself on anyone else. "With hindsight, it was a mistake not to tell people. Had I been more proactive at the outset and talked to a Macmillan advisor I may well have been more able to tell people. I regret that I didn't let people feel the tumour in my breast to make them aware of what to look for. "Subsequent to this, I've had seven operations for bladder cancer and been more open. One of my colleagues had bladder problems and I was able to go through it with him. He was nervous but we talked for ages." Maurice, 61 from Staffordshire, was diagnosed with early stage lung cancer four years ago. "My elderly parents happened to go to Italy for a week just after I had surgery and I didn't have to face them until they returned. I was aware that the C-word would become a focus for both of their very significant anxieties. "I didn't want to reflect the anxieties of others. I've heard that's common. Spreading the news seemed like spreading the misery. "I was otherwise in very good shape and recovered quickly enough to accompany my mother on a ramble around Cannock Chase less than two weeks after the loss of my top right lung lobe. "I regret allowing my 15-year-old son know about the problem as this weighed heavily enough to distract him from his GCSE exam studies. "I was told there was a 50/50 chance of survival, but that's not the thought in your mind. The problem is my responsibilities to my parents and my children. "What I learned has stopped me from informing anyone about the so far symptom-free non-Hodgkins lymphoma diagnosed a year after the surgery. You'd never know anything was wrong. I won't have treatment until it becomes symptomatic. I'll have ongoing therapy to keep it at bay. "I've mentioned it to friends who also have lymphoma and to colleagues. It's also on my CV as it would be unfair to disappear from work."

जब विक्टोरिया वुड की पिछले हफ्ते कैंसर से मृत्यु हो गई तो उनके परिवार को ही पता था कि वह इस बीमारी से जूझ रही हैं। उनके भाई ने बताया कि कैसे उन्हें और उनके कुछ करीबी दोस्तों को पता नहीं था, लेकिन वे समझ गए कि उन्होंने इसे निजी क्यों रखा। जब हमने लिखा कि लोग कैंसर के बारे में चुप रहने का फैसला क्यों करते हैं तो कई पाठकों ने अपनी कहानियों को साझा करने के लिए संपर्क किया। यहाँ उनमें से कुछ ही हैं।


Woman dies in Totton Morrison's supermarket crash

Summary: An 86-year-old woman has died and another was seriously injured after being hit by a car in supermarket car park.

Hampshire police said they were struck by a Peugeot 206 at the Totton branch of Morrison's shortly before midday. The woman, from Chandlers Ford, died later in hospital. A 22-year-old woman suffered life-changing injuries. The car driver, a 76-year-old woman, sustained minor injuries. Police have appealed for witnesses.

सुपरमार्केट कार पार्क में एक कार की चपेट में आने से एक 86 वर्षीय महिला की मौत हो गई और एक अन्य गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गई।


Airbus sells electronics arm to KKR for £850m

Summary: European aerospace giant Airbus Group is to sell its Defence Electronics business to private equity firm KKR for €1.1bn (£856m)

Airbus said the deal should be finalised in the first quarter of 2017, and that it may keep a minority stake. The firm's Bernhard Gerwert said the division business would "strongly develop" under KKR. Airbus is shedding several arms to focus its defence division on missiles, warplanes, launchers and satellites. In total it hopes to dispose of assets with combined annual revenue of some €2bn. The Defence Electronics unit, part of the group's Airbus Defence and Space arm, has a global staff of 4,000 and annual revenues of roughly €1bn. Its areas of expertise include military sensors, electronic warfare, avionics and optronics.

यूरोपीय एयरोस्पेस दिग्गज एयरबस ग्रुप अपने डिफेंस इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स व्यवसाय को निजी इक्विटी फर्म के. के. आर. को € 1.1bn (£856 मिलियन) में बेचने जा रहा है।


A lot to lose - Kenya's Somali gambit

Summary: The international hotels here are starting to empty; the restaurants and bars are bringing their tables in off the streets; and a queasy, quiet sense of dread is coiling itself round Nairobi, as the country waits to see what - beyond the two grenade attacks this week - Kenya's military offensive inside neighbouring Somalia might yet provoke by way of retaliation.

Andrew HardingAfrica correspondent@BBCAndrewHon Twitter Kenya's government is trying to sound confident. The deputy interior minister assured me that the country was "safe for tourists", and that foreigners have no reason to stay away despite clear threats from the militant Somali group al-Shabab. Let us hope he is right. Kenya's vital tourism sector has fallen victim in the past to unnecessarily shrill foreign travel advisories. But Kenya's unexpected military incursion into southern Somalia is a dramatic development for a country that has spent years carefully trying to avoid just such an entanglement. So was it a mistake? That seems to be the main question on the lips of aid workers, diplomats and a variety of officials I have been speaking to here over the past few days. Some Somali experts believe this was a long-planned operation, arranged with the covert support of the US and other western allies. The theory goes that the recent kidnappings of foreigners in Kenya were merely a convenient pretext for the invasion - that al-Shabab has been fatally weakened by its "horrific ineptitude" in the face of the famine and its dwindling foreign support, and that the next few months could see the militant group ousted from its key port of Kismayo and effectively finished off inside Somalia. A slightly more modest theory holds that Kenya has indeed been planning for a limited military intervention to build a more effective buffer zone along the border inside Somalia - where it already co-operates with various ineffective local militias opposed to al-Shabab and into which it intends to push some of the tens of thousands of Somali refugees now camped in Kenya. A senior western aid source told me that the UN secretary general has already called Kenya's prime minister to warn him against any attempt to violate international law by expelling refugees. Potential mistake Then there is the chaos theory. Kenya - enraged by the kidnappings and the damage to its tourism industry and development plans - lashed out without warning or much planning, catching everyone off guard and sending its untested army into what could well prove to be a very dangerous trap. My sense is that Kenya has been planning something for a while - but there is huge confusion about its tactics, goals and exit strategy. At this stage, if feels like a potentially huge mistake for one of Africa's most dynamic economies. Already there are concerns that Kenyan troops are getting bogged down by seasonal rains and struggling to re-supply. Al-Shabab has offered little resistance so far, but that seems likely to change amid reports that the group is rushing experienced fighters to the frontlines. If this is a trap, it could be sprung very soon. As for the strength of al-Shabab - there's no question that an already fragmented organisation has been weakened. But in recent weeks it has still managed to pull off a string of spectacular attacks in Mogadishu, culminating in the ambush and elimination of an entire Burundian peacekeeping platoon, which, despite official denials, appears to have caused the death of more than 60 soldiers. Sense of dread And what if the Kenyan offensive goes well, and Kismayo falls? Al-Shabab may retreat but the vacuum will inevitably be filled by a wasp's nest of other clan rivalries. Or does Kenya plan to stay on, perhaps looking for an international peacekeeping mandate? The Ethiopians - who also pushed into Somalia in 2006 - will be watching Kenya's fortunes closely. As for what impact all this could have on Somalia's famine - I will write about that in more detail in another blog, but the UN has already expressed concern and, with planting season at hand, it is hard to imagine how an upsurge in fighting could be anything but bad news for Somalia's vulnerable population.

यहाँ के अंतर्राष्ट्रीय होटल खाली होने लगे हैं; रेस्तरां और बार सड़कों से अपनी मेजें उतार रहे हैं; और एक अजीब, डर की शांत भावना नैरोबी के चारों ओर घूम रही है, क्योंकि देश यह देखने के लिए इंतजार कर रहा है कि क्या-इस सप्ताह दो ग्रेनेड हमलों के अलावा-पड़ोसी सोमालिया के अंदर केन्या का सैन्य हमला अभी भी जवाबी कार्रवाई के माध्यम से उकसा सकता है।


Trump's blistering letter to Pelosi: Five key quotes

Summary: Donald Trump has some words for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the congressional Democrats on the eve of his impeachment. Over six pages, on White House letterhead, the president piles adjectives like cords of wood, fires rhetorical fusillades in all directions and invokes the judgement of the American people, the nation's founding fathers and history itself.

Anthony ZurcherNorth America reporter@awzurcheron Twitter It's a presidential airing of grievances six days before Festivus (that mythical rage-fuelled holiday immortalised by the TV show Seinfeld). Here are five choice lines from a president whose capacity for the extraordinary and unprecedented is ever-expanding. "You have cheapened the importance of the very ugly word, impeachment!" Donald Trump's defenders have warned that Democrats are lowering the bar for impeachment and inviting a future in which the process is used by House majorities to bully and bedevil a president of an opposing party. That's the gist of what Trump is saying here, although suggesting one can "cheapen" an already "ugly" word is an interesting take. "Even worse than offending the Founding Fathers, you are offending Americans of faith by continually saying 'I pray for the president', when you know this statement is not true, unless it is meant in the negative sense." Nancy Pelosi's temper flared a few weeks ago when a conservative journalist suggested that she hated the president. The House speaker, a practising Catholic, has frequently referred to her faith as a guide and said that, while she is acting against the president's interests, she does so with remorse, not vindictiveness. Trump - who rarely practises and seldom talks of his religion - wants everyone to know he thinks Pelosi's assertions are bunk. "You are turning a policy disagreement between two branches of government into an impeachable offence - it is no more legitimate than the Executive Branch charging members of Congress with crimes for lawful exercise of legislative power." This sounds like a threat. Is it a threat? The process of impeachment was designed by the American founders to be a component of the checks-and-balances system that created tension between the executive and legislative branches of government. (The third branch, the judiciary, will have its own role to play, as the chief justice oversees a presidential trial in the Senate following impeachment.) The founders left the grounds for what constituted an impeachable offence relatively open and undefined. It is what a majority of the House says it is, and its legitimacy is derived from the will of that majority. "You know full well that Vice President Joe Biden used his office and $1bn of US aid money to coerce Ukraine into firing the prosecutor who was digging into the company paying his son millions of dollars." While Biden, now a Democratic candidate for president, did pressure Ukraine to fire its top prosecutor and even bragged about it in the video Trump references, the prosecutor was not actively investigating the company on whose board Biden's son served. What's more, Biden was acting at the behest of the Obama administration, other Western governments and Ukrainian government reformers, who viewed the prosecutor as corrupt. Biden has been criticised for an appearance of a conflict of interest because of his son's Ukraine ties - there has been no evidence of misconduct by the then-vice-president. "I write this letter to you for the purpose of history and to put my thoughts on a permanent and indelible record. One hundred years from now, when people look back at this affair, I want them to understand it, and learn from it, so that it can never happen to another president again." The last few pages of Trump's letters are a collection of allegations against Democrats, the FBI and the impeachment process, along with a 214-word sentence boasting of his presidential accomplishments. His concluding lines, however, reveal the reason for this most unorthodox letter. At the White House on Tuesday President Trump said that impeachment was a disgrace and a "mark on our country". With his six-page letter, he sounds more concerned that it will be a mark on his presidency. The man who regularly heralds his three years in office as the greatest, the most successful, the most extraordinary reign of any American chief executive will now have to explain why he is only the third president to face a Senate trial with his tenure in office at stake.

डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प के पास अपने महाभियोग की पूर्व संध्या पर सदन की अध्यक्ष नैन्सी पेलोसी और बाकी कांग्रेस के डेमोक्रेट के लिए कुछ शब्द हैं। व्हाइट हाउस के लेटरहेड पर छह पृष्ठों से अधिक, राष्ट्रपति लकड़ी की डोरियों जैसे विशेषणों को ढेर करते हैं, सभी दिशाओं में बयानबाजी करते हैं और अमेरिकी लोगों, देश के संस्थापकों और इतिहास के निर्णय का आह्वान करते हैं।


NHS Dumfries and Galloway's record scrutinised

Summary: The performance of health services in Dumfries and Galloway over the past 12 months has been put under the microscope.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson chaired an annual review of the local NHS authority. The meeting was open to the public and included a question and answer session. The review took place in the Easterbrook Hall on the Crichton Estate in Dumfries.

पिछले 12 महीनों में डमफ्रीज़ और गैलोवे में स्वास्थ्य सेवाओं के प्रदर्शन को सूक्ष्मदर्शी के तहत रखा गया है।


Wood burners and open fires face restrictions in new clean air plan

Summary: Wood burning stoves, open fires and farms all face new restrictions as the government sets out what it calls a "world leading" plan to tackle air pollution.

By Matt McGrathEnvironment correspondent In their Clean Air Strategy, published today, the government promises to set a "bold new goal" to reduce particulates across much of the country by 2030. But green groups say the scheme is vague and severely lacking in detail. They believe the plan proposes nothing new to tackle roadside dirty air. The new strategy, which is focused on tackling air pollution in England, has been launched just days after the family of a nine-year-old girl who died from asthma were given permission to apply for a fresh inquest into her death. The government's chief lawyer heard new evidence her death could be linked to unlawful levels of air pollution. The human cost of air pollution Catherine Bazell is a retired London librarian who suffers from asthma and a condition called bronchiectasis. It's a long-term illness where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection. "People can't always see dirty air but it's there," she told BBC News. "I find it really frustrating, it means that I feel really tired, I can get tightness in my chest, I find it hard to breathe, it just stops you from doing all things you'd like to do. "You see the alerts, that say it's a very polluted day today and you are obliged to stay in to keep away from the pollution, and that makes me quite angry because why should we have to stay in? "We need to do something about the air pollution so that people can live normal lives." What's the key aim of this new clean air strategy? While overall levels of air pollution have been declining in recent decades, there has also been a growing scientific awareness of the scale of problems that it causes. NHS England says that almost 30% of preventable deaths in England are due to non-communicable diseases specifically attributed to air pollution. A pollutant called Particulate Matter (PM) is a particular concern with the World Health Organization (WHO) identifying it as the most damaging for people. Fine particulates, known as PM2.5, are around 200 times smaller than a grain of sand. They are a major health worry as they can penetrate deep into your lungs, pass into your bloodstream and get embedded in your bodily organs and your brain. The WHO's models indicate that around 92% of the world's population live in places where air quality levels exceed their guidelines. In the UK, more than 40 cities and towns were at, or have exceeded, the WHO limit. The government has previously said it will reduce by half the number of people living in areas breaching the WHO limits by 2025. But they now say they will go beyond this and set a "world leading" goal on exposure to PM2.5. Without giving many details, or a timeline, the government says that by 2030, fine particulate concentrations will be reduced below the WHO safe level "across much of the country". The government says it will publish evidence early in 2019 on what actions will be needed to meet this new target. Ministers argue that Brexit will allow the UK to go much further on this issue than the EU and become the first major economy to adopt air quality goals based on WHO recommendations. How will the UK reach this 'bold new goal'? The most important activity that contributes to particulate pollution is the burning of fuels such as wood and coal in open fires and domestic stoves. Farming is also a major problem, as emissions of ammonia have increased in recent years. This gas reacts in the atmosphere with other chemicals to produce particulate matter that can be carried on the wind to major population centres. To deal with domestic burning, the government will ban the sale of the most polluting fuels and ensure that only the cleanest stoves are available for sale by 2022. They are also consulting on phasing out the sale of traditional house coal and on limiting the sale of wet wood, the type found on garage forecourts. The government's plan for these fuels is expected within months. For farmers, the government says it will introduce regulations to require them to use low emission farming techniques. There will be advice, training and support to help them invest in the technology to limit ammonia. What has been the reaction to this part of the strategy? The move on particulate matter has been welcomed by the WHO as an "example for the rest of the world to follow". Green campaigners also recognise the value of adopting the WHO guidelines but are worried about the lack of legally binding limits. "The government has made a welcome commitment to set an ambitious new target for cleaning up the most dangerous fine particle air pollution, based on WHO standards," said Jenny Bates from Friends of the Earth. "But while the WHO says standards should be reached by 2030, there is no date set in the government's strategy and the plan is severely lacking in detail on how such a target could be met." Scientists also say the government initiative is laudable but may not work for everyone across the UK. "The full evidence on reductions needed to attain the tougher WHO guidelines for PM2.5 is to be published later," said Prof Alastair Lewis from them National Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of York. "One would anticipate that there are likely to be some urban areas of the UK where this could be close to impossible to achieve." How will this new strategy impact me? Just a few years ago, garages across the UK reeked of oil and petrol. The smells usually came from the evaporation of fuel vapour, which released volatile organic compounds into the air. However, regulations to limit the emissions of these powerful air pollutants changed the odour of the UK's forecourts. These new government plans may have a similar impact on some current air pollution smells. If the proposed restrictions on solid fuels go ahead, the smoky whiff of winter over many cities and towns might also disappear. The government says it will also provide a "personal air quality messaging system" to inform vulnerable members of the public with clear information about the forecast and accessible health advice. As well as new information, the new plan envisages that everyone will be financially better off if the plan succeeds. Air pollution is now the fourth biggest public health threat behind cancer, obesity and heart disease. According to the government, the steps outlined in this plan will cut the costs of dirty air to the UK by £1.7bn every year from 2020, rising to £5.3bn every year from 2030. What will it mean for wood burners and open fires? Across the UK, about 1.5 million households use wood for fuel but these fires and stoves will now face restrictions because of their leading role in the production of particulate matter. Most people don't realise that a wood burning stove emits more particles per hour than a diesel truck. That's because a freshly cut log of wood contains about a pint of water, and much of the heat energy is used to dry the water out, which causes the wood to smoke and smoulder, releasing air pollutants. The key impact of the new strategy on existing stove owners will be on fuels like wet wood, and traditional house coal, which will likely be phased out. The government also plans to give local authorities more powers over existing smoke control areas, where you can only burn smokeless fuel - if you want to burn wood it must be in an approved device. The new strategy doesn't spell out what these extra powers will be, but the idea is to make regulations easier to enforce. The document also suggests that the government is looking to help local authorities "to increase the rate of upgrades for inefficient and polluting heating devices". The government will also ensure that all new stoves sold from 2022 comply with EU eco-design regulations. In fact, stoves branded eco-design compliant are already on the market. "They won't look any different," said Dennis Milligan from the UK's Stove Industry Alliance. "But the technology will allow combustion higher up in the fire chamber so that re-ignites any particles of wood that are in the smoke so the emissions that come out the chimney are reduced by 80% compared to a stove manufactured ten years ago." It's not clear what difference these new regulations will make to sales of wood burning stoves - Recent data indicate that the market has boomed, largely driven by people looking to burn wood for its aesthetic appeal. What about air pollution near roads? UK levels of pollution from nitrogen oxides, produced in the main by diesel cars, have regularly exceeded European targets. So much so that the government has been successfully sued in the courts by campaign group Client Earth, to force them to come up with a plan. In July 2017, the government introduced their detailed scheme for roads, which essentially puts the responsibility in the hands of local authorities. The cities with the worst pollution are supposed to develop plans for clean air zones that will charge drivers to enter. However, campaigners believe the government has its head in the sand on pollution from transport. As well as clean air zones, they should be taking steps to cut the number of vehicles on the roads. "They are hoping it will all go away but the reality is an awful lot more needs to be done," Jenny Bates from Friends of the Earth told BBC News. "I think they are afraid of the motoring lobby and they shouldn't be." Other forms of transport are dealt with in the new plan including rail and shipping. The government says it wants to see the removal of all diesel-only trains by 2040. Analysis - Roger Harrabin, BBC Environment Analyst There are many ways to help. Swapping your car for walking, cycling or taking public transport is a major plus. For most of us, the health benefits far outweigh the risks of roadside pollution. You can also turn off your engine when you're stuck in a jam, or buy electric when you replace your vehicle. At home, you can burn less in your fireplace or your garden; service your gas boiler; and turn down your thermostat. Insulating your house means you'll burn less fuel. You can group on-line purchases to reduce the number of deliveries. And you can buy non-toxic cleaning fluids and sprays, because ordinary products cause emissions in the home. "Air fresheners" actually pollute the air. But one irony: much of the UK's pollution originates in mainland Europe, so we really need neighbouring countries to join the effort. What other air pollution issues will the new strategy deal with? As well as trying to deal with the major sources of particulate matter, the government's plan also deals with pollution that arises from ammonia, sulphur dioxide and non-methane volatile organic compounds. Ammonia from farms is a major focus as outlined above, for the role it plays in the development of PM. However, it also poses major threats to sensitive natural habitats. "Ammonia in the air over our farmlands dissolves into our wetlands and waterways and wreaks havoc on delicate aquatic ecosystems," said Hannah Freeman from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. "The proposed measures are a step forward, but what we really want is government policy that supports farmers to be true stewards, holistically managing our air, soil and water together."

लकड़ी जलाने वाले चूल्हे, खुली आग और खेतों सभी को नए प्रतिबंधों का सामना करना पड़ता है क्योंकि सरकार वायु प्रदूषण से निपटने के लिए एक "विश्व अग्रणी" योजना निर्धारित करती है।


Can Trudeau be what Obama couldn't?

Summary: Young, charismatic and centre-left. If Justin Trudeau in 2016 reminds you a bit of Barack Obama in 2009, that's not surprising. But can Trudeau fulfil the Obama promise better than Obama himself? Canadian writer Jordan Michael Smith has doubts.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will almost surely get along better with US President Barack Obama than his father, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, did with President Richard Nixon. Nixon called Trudeau by a vulgar anatomical slur, tapes that emerged during the Watergate hearings revealed. According to his memoir, when Trudeau heard this insult, he quipped: "I've been called worse things by better people." But Justin and Barack have more in common than Pierre and Dick ever did. They are both young celebrity politicians, centre-left on the political spectrum. But those who believe the like-mindedness and obvious affection between the two leaders will usher in a new era of cross-national liberalism are likely to be disappointed. Just as many Democrats are disappointed in the limits of Obama to bring progressive change to America, anyone hoping Trudeau will realise Obama's promise, that he could do for Canada what Obama was unable to do for America, will be similarly disillusioned. At first glance, it would seem that Trudeau has better chances of being a new FDR in ways Obama couldn't. Canada's parliamentary system, based on the British model, gives a prime minister powers the likes of which an American president can only dream. That's because members of parliament are far weaker in relation to the PM than members of Congress are to the president. Obama, by contrast, has been stymied by Congress on everything from immigration reform to closing Guantanamo Bay. Though relations between presidents and Congress are particularly hostile in our hyper-polarised era, the American system has more built-in checks and balances - what political scientists call "veto points" - than the British-Canadian one. That simply makes it harder to get things done in any situation. But precisely because the Canadian political system makes it easier to pass legislation of any kind, Canada has already passed many progressive laws, implementing programmes that are non-existent in the US. America lags behind other developed countries in health care coverage, maternity and paternity leave, unemployment benefits and many other measures of equality. This isn't for a lack of liberals and Democrats trying to get such legislation passed - it's because they have been unable to. So there is simply much less to be accomplished by Canadian liberals than their American counterparts. Certainly, there are items on the Liberal Party's wish list - reforming the electoral system, investing in clean energy, normalising relations with Iran, and creating an advisory board for Senate appointments. But this is hardly the stuff of drama. When Obama took office, he had pledged to end two wars, pass healthcare reform, end the power of lobbyists and reverse the Great Recession through a massive government spending package, among many other monumental tasks. Liberals had more hopes for Obama because there was simply much more for him to do. Obama lavishes praise on Trudeau Is the US experiencing Trudeaumania? What Canadians make of the US election There is another reason Trudeau will not be a progressive Canadian saviour. Progressives in Canada have another alternative. The New Democratic Party (NDP) is more left-wing than Trudeau's Liberals. Where the NDP opposes the Keystone XL pipeline, the Liberals support it. The NDP wants mandatory cap-and-trade policies, while the Liberals call for voluntary standards (although this might be changing). The NDP wants Canada out of Iraq, while the Liberals advocate for remaining to train Iraqi soldiers. These are just some of the ways in which the NDP is more progressive than the Liberals. Those who want a more progressive Canada don't have to support Trudeau. He doesn't espouse the country's most left-wing ideas. Conversely, progressives in America's two-party system have no viable alternative to the Democrats. As Senator Bernie Sanders is showing, left-wing politicians in the United States can occasionally draw support. But they are rare, and they have little institutional or financial backing, making their sustainability all but impossible. The last remotely nationally popular left-wing party in the US, the Green Party, gained not even 3% in the 2000 presidential election. Even worse for those hoping to strengthen the American Left, many analysts credit the Green Party with attracting vital votes from the Democrats in that election, leaving the country with a Republican president named George W Bush. That doesn't mean Trudeau cannot accomplish anything. Indeed, he already has. Aside from bringing Canada international attention it has not received since Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was caught smoking crack cocaine, since coming to power in October, Trudeau increased the number of Syrian refugees it would permit into Canada, appointed the most diverse cabinet in the country's history, enacted more progressive taxation, and ended the country's support for US bombing campaigns against the so-called Islamic State groups. Those are all important initiatives, and policies progressives can cheer. They simply aren't on the world-shaking level of Bernie Sanders' call for a "political revolution". That will keep Trudeau from being a historical icon of liberalism, no matter how good he looks. Jordan Michael Smith, a Canadian writer living the United States, has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, and the Toronto Star.

युवा, करिश्माई और मध्य-वामपंथी। अगर 2016 में जस्टिन ट्रूडो आपको 2009 में बराक ओबामा की याद दिलाते हैं, तो यह आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है। लेकिन क्या ट्रूडो ओबामा के वादे को ओबामा से बेहतर तरीके से पूरा कर सकते हैं? कनाडाई लेखक जॉर्डन माइकल स्मिथ को संदेह है।


The Indian election no-one can afford to lose

Summary: As the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh begins a seven-phase election on 11 February to choose a new government, the BBC's Geeta Pandey in the state capital, Lucknow, explains why these polls matter.

Why is Uttar Pradesh important? The northern state is India's most populous, with more than 222 million people. If it were a separate country, it would be the fifth-largest by population in the world after China, India, the United States and Indonesia. Commonly called UP, the state sends the largest number of MPs - 80 - to India's parliament. It is often said that the party that wins the state rules the country. Several prime ministers, including India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru, have come from here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is from the western state of Gujarat, also chose to make his parliamentary debut from the state in the 2014 general election when he contested from Varanasi. And voters in the state can easily claim the credit for his Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) stunning sweep of the elections. Of the 282 seats they won, 71 were from Uttar Pradesh. Who are the main players? It's a three-way contest between the governing BJP, the regional Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the state's ruling Samajwadi Party (SP), which is contesting the polls in alliance with the Congress. Since the late 1990s, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party have dominated state politics, with the Congress and the BJP pushed to the sidelines. The family drama gripping Indian politics Why the bicycle could decide an election But this time, buoyed by its success in the general election, the BJP is making a serious bid for victory. The party is yet to declare a chief ministerial candidate and is banking on the popularity and charisma of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win the polls. Mr Modi has been criss-crossing the state, addressing election rallies and exhorting voters to give the BJP a chance. The Samajwadi Party is led by 43-year-old Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. He led his party to victory in the 2012 state assembly polls and is hoping for an encore when the votes are counted on 11 March. His journey, however, has been far from smooth, especially in the past few weeks when he fought a very public battle with Mulayam Singh Yadav, his father and chief of the party. As father and son fought for power in a manner likened to political drama House of Cards, the party seemed on the verge of disintegrating. But Yadav junior won the duel, and has since forged an alliance with India's main opposition Congress party. The partners have been holding joint election rallies, promising good governance, state development and free smartphones for young people. Pitted against the BJP and the SP-Congress alliance is the Bahujan Samaj Party, led by Dalit (formerly Untouchables) icon Ms Mayawati. The four-time state chief minister, who lost power in 2012, is seeking a comeback. She is hugely popular among her community, but during her earlier stints she was criticised for spending millions of dollars to build statues of herself and other Dalit icons. This time though, she has promised to not spend money on statues and says she will work to lift millions of people out of poverty. What's at stake? Because of its sheer size and numbers, UP is a key battleground. And for the parties in the fray, these elections are being seen as a do-or-die battle. The BJP hasn't done too well in state polls since winning the 2014 general elections, so a victory here is important. Also, the polls are being seen as a referendum on Mr Modi's recent move to ban 500 and 1,000 rupee notes. The timing of the move has been questioned by many and if the party loses, a blame game is likely to begin. A victory for Akhilesh Yadav is crucial as it will cement his position as the leader of his party. If he loses, the rebel faction led by his uncle Shivpal Yadav will get a boost. A win will also bring cheer to the Congress, which has had little joy with voters in the general election or in regional polls for the last few years. And a win is absolutely essential for Ms Mayawati, who has spent the past five years in the political wilderness. Analysts say if she loses this time too, she risks becoming politically irrelevant and may find it very difficult to bounce back. How do the numbers look? With 403 seats up for grabs, thousands of contestants are in the fray, fighting for a share of the pie. More than 138 million voters will be casting their votes at 147,148 polling centres, watched over by thousands of police and paramilitary troops, during the seven phases of voting spread over a month. Despite its political significance, UP remains among India's most backward states with millions living in extreme poverty, a lack of employment opportunities and rampant corruption. For some voters the only tool they have to express themselves with is their vote. And during elections they come out in large numbers to use it - often against those in power.

जैसे ही उत्तरी भारतीय राज्य उत्तर प्रदेश में नई सरकार चुनने के लिए 11 फरवरी को सात चरणों में चुनाव शुरू होता है, राज्य की राजधानी लखनऊ में बीबीसी की गीता पांडे बताती हैं कि ये चुनाव क्यों महत्वपूर्ण हैं।


Why council tax hike for care raises peanuts

Summary: Over the years there have been some pretty radical suggestions to solve the care crisis. A cap on care costs, a "death tax" and even a full merger of the free-at-the-point-of-need NHS and means-tested social care systems have all been mooted.

Nick TriggleHealth correspondent@nicktriggleon Twitter But it appears the government in England is now looking at something much less reforming - giving town halls permission to increase council tax by more than they are currently allowed to. If that is the case - and we will have to wait until Thursday for the announcement - the money raised (barring an astronomical hike in bills) will be peanuts, relatively speaking. That is because the challenge presented by the ageing population is not just about what happens in one corner of the sector - council-funded care home places and home help - it is about the whole health and care system. That incorporates the growing numbers who pay for care themselves and, of course, the NHS. Find out the cost of care in your area Home care What is home care? You stay in your own home while getting help with everyday tasks such as washing, dressing and eating. How your council helps with care EXPLAINER TITLE average amount of care provided per week, by your council average paid per hour by your council, 2014-15 average paid per hour in your region if you pay for your own care, 2016 Residential care What is residential care? You live in a care home that provides round-the-clock support with everyday tasks. How your council helps with care Average contribution per week Paying for yourself TBC pay for their own care Nursing home care What is nursing home care? You live in a care home which provides round-the-clock support for everyday tasks and nursing care. Depending on your medical needs, the NHS may contribute to your costs. How your council helps with care Average contribution per week Paying for yourself TBC pay for their own care Who gets help? How is your contribution decided? Your home Savings, investments and income are assessed, along with the value of your home - unless you or a close relative live there. Will I have anything left? Want to know more? Around the UK The future of care Useful links Walk into any A&E unit or take a stroll around the wards of hospitals up and down the country and one overwhelming image will strike you - the sheer number of old people occupying beds, trolleys and waiting rooms. At any one point it is estimated that the over 65s account for nearly two-thirds of hospital patients. During winter it is even worse - and that is why we have heard so much about the issue in recent weeks. But the evidence has been mounting for a lot longer than that. For months, if not years, academics, council leaders and those working for the NHS have been singing from the same hymn sheet. They want a major reform in the way older people are supported. Without that, they predict, the country will continue to struggle to keep older people out of hospital and to discharge them when they are medically-fit to leave. And this is just going to get harder in the future - the number of over 65s is predicted to rise by 40% over the next 20 years. But with the government seemingly ready to step in, the lukewarm response of local government and charities representing older people has been telling. As soon as the suggestion hit the headlines on Monday, Izzi Seccombe, from the Local Government Association, took to the airwaves to dismiss any notion it provided a real solution. Why? It simply wasn't enough to "plug the gap", she said, and what was more it tended to raise the least money in the poorest areas which are most in need of extra funding. Councils have already been given permission to increase council tax by 2% a year throughout this parliament, and while not every council has taken up the option, most have. This year the precept - as it is called - raised an extra £383m. That may sound a lot. But paying for the introduction of the national living wage has cost councils more. And that figure is just a fraction of the "whole" health and care market aimed at older people. If you factor in funding for the NHS that is spent on them and the money used for attendance allowance, a benefit which is given to people with care needs, the total spend is estimated to be something approaching £60bn a year. But despite these sums 1.2m older people with care needs get no help, another 1.5m rely on family and friends and an estimated 500,000 pay for their own care. And that is before you even consider that any money coming into the system has to be shared with services providing support to disabled people. Given all that, it is easy to understand why people are not jumping up and down with excitement. Read more from Nick Follow Nick on Twitter

पिछले कुछ वर्षों में देखभाल संकट को हल करने के लिए कुछ बहुत ही क्रांतिकारी सुझाव दिए गए हैं। देखभाल लागत पर एक सीमा, एक "मृत्यु कर" और यहां तक कि मुफ्त-पर-द-पॉइंट-ऑफ-नीड एन. एच. एस. और साधन-परीक्षण सामाजिक देखभाल प्रणालियों का पूर्ण विलय सभी पर विचार किया गया है।


Alexei Navalny runs Western-style campaign in Moscow poll

Summary: Opposition candidate Alexei Navalny is unlikely to win the forthcoming election for Moscow mayor, but his volunteer-based campaign may mark a watershed in Russian politics, loosening the Kremlin's stranglehold on who can challenge for the country's key posts.

By Stephen EnnisBBC Monitoring The poll on 8 September will be the first time Muscovites have elected their mayor since 2003 after the reinstatement of regional elections in 2012. Mr Navalny's main rival and hot favourite is Sergei Sobyanin, who was appointed to the post in 2010. Mr Navalny's bid for the mayoralty started in earnest after he was released on bail on 19 July pending an appeal against a five-year prison sentence for embezzlement, which most independent observers think was politically motivated. Since then, his campaign has gone from strength to strength as volunteers have flocked to his cause. Button-holing and leafleting To start with, his team numbered fewer than 20. By the end of August, several hundred and sometimes more than 1,000 volunteers were taking part in huge daily operations - delivering campaign newspapers in the metro, handing out bumper stickers to motorists and, above all, button-holing passers-by at the cubes or mobile display stands that have been springing up all over the capital. The scale of the operation has been impressive. On 29 August alone, campaign organiser Maksim Kats reported 1,100 volunteers manning 148 cubes and distributing 420,000 newspapers. The volunteers come from various walks of life - students, engineers, accountants, journalists, computer programmers and a sprinkling of successful entrepreneurs. One is Kamil Kurmakayev, co-owner of the internet store Wikimart.ru, who in an article for Forbes magazine gave a glimpse of life inside the campaign. "I have seen the most ordinary people, but with three special characteristics. They are all striking personalities in their own way. They are working for an idea in which they sincerely believe. And they are all mortally tired, because they work 14-16 hours a day, and have been doing so for weeks on end." For many, like Mr Kats, it is the hope of "changing the country legitimately and peacefully" that drives them. Mr Navalny's main campaign slogan is: "Change Russia, begin with Moscow." This kind of politics is commonplace in the West. But for Russia, a campaign staffed by young, idealistic volunteers is something unfamiliar. Mr Navalny clearly takes pride in this. "What pleases me most of all," he told independent weekly The New Times, "is that we have revived politics". Unprecedented crowdfunding Alexei Navalny himself has led by example, holding several stump meetings a day outside metro stations across the city, but also helping the team hand out newspapers in the metro and hosting campaign parties at the weekends. This marks a big change in role for a man who until recently was usually referred to as just a blogger. "I used to get criticised a lot for being a virtual figure. And now I am the most offline politician in Russia," he told The New Times. This is only partly true. The internet has played an important role in both mobilising support and fundraising. In an interview with business daily Vedomosti on 2 September, Navalny said the campaign had raised over $3m - an unprecedented sum for this kind of crowdfunding in Russia. According to analyst Fedor Krasheninnikov, the sudden revival of political volunteering has been a "turn up for everyone, especially the authorities". But, he says, it has not come out of the blue. It is partly the result of the painstaking work that Navalny has put in over several years to build up his support base, but it also taps into what Krasheninnikov calls the new "possibilities for self-organisation" in Russian society. These have manifested themselves most strikingly in the volunteer responses to recent natural disasters, such as the wildfires in 2010 and floods in southern Russia in 2012. Navalny is still hoping to force a run-off against Mr Sobyanin, but this is looking increasingly unlikely. He has climbed steadily in the polls and now stands clearly in second place on about 18-20%. Sobyanin's rating, though, is steady on about 60%. Anti-Kremlin commentator Yuliya Latynina thinks Navalny has "no chance of winning". But she is hopeful about the long-term future, believing that "Navalny's grassroots campaign has set in motion an unstoppable process". "Navalny might lose the battle for mayor, but he is an excellent position to win the war for Russia," she wrote in The Moscow Times. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. For more reports from BBC Monitoring, click here. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

विपक्षी उम्मीदवार एलेक्सी नवलनी के मास्को के महापौर के लिए आगामी चुनाव जीतने की संभावना नहीं है, लेकिन उनका स्वयंसेवी-आधारित अभियान रूसी राजनीति में एक परिवर्तन को चिह्नित कर सकता है, जिससे देश के प्रमुख पदों के लिए कौन चुनौती दे सकता है, इस पर क्रेमलिन की पकड़ ढीली हो सकती है।


Could Somali famine deal a fatal blow to al-Shabab?

Summary: Somalia's militant Islamist group al-Shabab is in crisis, as it battles to cope with the famine that is far worse in areas under its control than other parts of the country, leading to reports of splits in the leadership of the al-Qaeda-linked group.

By Farouk ChothiaBBC African Service The famine has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee the Lower Shabelle and Bakool regions in search of food. Many are escaping to the capital, Mogadishu, where over the weekend the group made what it called a tactical withdrawal of its forces from the northern suburbs that were under its control. Others are walking for days to reach camps in neighbouring Kenya and Ethiopia, arch-foes of al-Shabab. "It is not a good picture for al-Shabab," says US-based Somali journalist Abdirahman Aynte, who is writing a book on the movement. "Nearly 500,000 people have left. Al-Shabab cannot do anything about it. They have become bystanders." He says al-Shabab - formed as the youth wing of the now-defunct Union of Islamic Courts in 2006 - had genuine support when it took power in most of south and central Somalia, as people longed for an end to the lawlessness that has gripped the country since the fall of the Siad Barre regime in 1991. "Even though al-Shabab had draconian laws, they were somewhat popular because of the stability they provided," says Mr Aynte. "Government areas were not safe - even soldiers were involved in robbing and looting. In al-Shabab areas, you will have your hands amputated if you steal. It was a deterrent. " Kenya-based Somali journalist Fatuma Noor, who travelled through al-Shabab territory last year, says the famine has damaged the group's credibility. "Al-Shabab are losing support. People are saying that the drought in the region was caused by a lack of rains, but the famine was man-made. They are asking - why has it been only in al-Shabab's areas?" Ms Noor says. Taxing charities She says many Somalis are blaming al-Shabab for the severity of the crisis because of the ban it imposed on the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and some other Western agencies in 2009. "There have been warnings of a famine since last year, but there was no proper planning to prevent it," says Ms Noor. But a London-based al-Shabab observer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, argues that the UN blundered by declaring a famine. He points out that al-Shabab lifted the ban on charities last month; only to reimpose it after the UN's declaration. "Al-Shabab felt the UN was undermining it; that it wanted to move in and take over. The UN should have concentrated on building trust with al-Shabab and getting aid in to save lives. It didn't matter whether you called it a drought or a famine," he says. But Mr Aynte accuses al-Shabab of refusing to take responsibility for the crisis. "It says there is a drought, caused by Allah and people should pray for rain." He says it is difficult for charities to work with al-Shabab because it demands money from them. "Al-Shabab are suspicious of aid agencies but 10%-15% of their revenue comes from them. "Al-Shabab has a humanitarian co-ordination office, which charges a registration fee of $4,000 to $10,000 (£2,400 to £6,000). They also charge a project fee - 20% of the overall cost of digging a borehole or setting up a feeding centre," Mr Aynte says. The al-Shabab observer who preferred anonymity says the group's leadership is heavily divided over the food crisis - something the UN could have exploited to gain access to starving people. Al-Shabab's southern leaders - especially Muktar Ali Robow, who comes from famine-hit Lower Shabelle, and Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys, who is seen as the elder statesman of Somali Islamists - favour accepting Western aid. However, they were overruled by the overall leader, Ahmed Abdi Godane, who has led al-Shabab into forging close ties with al-Qaeda. "Robow's people are directly affected by this famine. So he wants aid agencies to come in. But Godane is suspicious of the UN and doesn't want them in Somalia. So he blocked it," the observer says. "Robow is now accusing Godane [who hails from the breakaway region of Somaliland] of letting people starve." Wracked by rivalry The Somali observer says the famine has worsened divisions between Mr Godane and his rivals. In June, a top Godane ally, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, who was al-Qaeda's military operations chief in East Africa, was killed at a government roadblock in Mogadishu. "Fazul was from Comoros and did not know Mogadishu well. Godane is suspicious that his enemies in al-Shabab duped him into going to the checkpoint. At first, government forces did not even know it was Fazul - until they did DNA tests with American help," the observer says. "It was a big blow to Godane and he became more paranoid. He feels he needs to keep tight control - not open up Somalia to the West." The crisis over the famine comes at a time when al-Shabab - which has between 7,000 and 9,000 fighters - has lost Mogadishu following an offensive by government forces, who are backed by about 9,000 African Union troops. "Al-Shabab is under pressure. Its moral police [who do not usually fight] are now also on the front line," Mr Aynte says. The al-Shabab observer said the group announced its retreat from Mogadishu after launching an attack on seven fronts. "It was a show of unity and force to counter reports that they are weak and divided," the observer says. He says al-Shabab was unlikely to withdraw completely from Mogadishu. Instead, it would switch to the guerrilla tactics it employed against Ethiopian forces when they invaded the country in 2006 in a failed attempt to defeat the group. "Al-Shabab never controlled territory at the time. They waged guerrilla war and drove the Ethiopians out." But the loss of Mogadishu will be a huge financial blow to al-Shabab, as it can no longer extort money out of the businesses in the main Bakara market - the city's commercial hub. "Al-Shabab was collecting taxes from about 4,000 shops - from $50 a month from the small trader to thousands of dollars from telecoms companies," Mr Aynte says. He argues that the famine - along with the military setbacks and financial losses - means that al-Shabab is at its weakest since its formation. "But it is too early to write it off. Organisationally, it is still intact," Mr Aynte says. However, UN al-Shabab investigator Matt Bryden believes the group is still financially strong. "Al-Shabab has evolved from a small, clandestine network into an authority that generates tens of millions of dollars a year," he says. He also argues that deforestation in al-Shabab-held areas has probably contributed to the famine, as some environmental experts say that cutting down trees can reduce rainfall. The trees are used to make charcoal, which is exported to Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Mr Bryden says. He points out that al-Shabab controls several port cities - including Kismayo, Somalia's second city. "Charcoal through Kismayo alone is estimated to be worth $15m a year in direct revenue for al-Shabab," Mr Bryden says. "I do not think it is an exaggeration to say that the scale at which it is taking place is almost industrial." Mr Bryden says al-Shabab is no longer dependent on foreign funding and has enough money to finance its war chest. But for many observers the key question is: Will al-Shabab rally to the aid of starving Somalis - or will they continue to flee Islamist areas in search of food? "I do not think al-Shabab really cares about the famine," says Mr Aynte. "It is more interested in fighting the government and the AU force."

सोमालिया का आतंकवादी इस्लामी समूह अल-शबाब संकट में है, क्योंकि यह देश के अन्य हिस्सों की तुलना में अपने नियंत्रण वाले क्षेत्रों में अकाल से निपटने के लिए लड़ता है, जिससे अल-कायदा से जुड़े समूह के नेतृत्व में विभाजन की खबरें आती हैं।