Politburo boy band? An alternative take on China's new leaders

Summary: China has unveiled its new generation of leaders. With President Xi Jinping cementing his already solid grip on power, the news was not lost on politically-aware online commentators in China and elsewhere, who gave it a somewhat different spin.

Chinese users reading the tea leaves "This is as exciting as every time Apple unveils its latest iPhone. Wake me up when something actually happens," wrote Ju Wei from the capital, Beijing, in response to a post by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV News on Sina Weibo, the Chinese micro-blogging platform. "Still the same faces. No changes there." Oh well. But it was a subject of interest for other Weibo commentators. Several threads about congress proceedings sprouted up on the site, where many Weibo users aired their views (and grievances) on their president's "predictability" and the apparent lack of a successor. Mandy Zhu Lu offered some Weibo wit and insight with this prediction: "Chinese are pretty smart people. We can predict the future, especially when it comes to our politics. I'm sure we all foresaw who was going to be our next president. And I'm calling it here: Xi Jinping will be our leader for the next eternity - place your bets here if you think this will come true." So where were all the women? Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji and Han Zheng are now the seven most powerful men in China. But where were all the women? It was a subject of interest. "Women hold up half the sky, just ask Mao Zedong. So why do I not see any Communist Party women among the guys," remarked Weibo user Chan JingFei. "I think this line-up says a lot about China's view of women. Male chauvinism is sadly not out of place here," said another Weibo user. But there was one woman in the long line-up, as pointed out by the BBC's China Editor Carrie Gracie. Sun Chunlan is the only woman in China's number two decision-making body, the Politburo. 'The Politburo boyband' While the issue of women being under-represented in Chinese politics was hotly debated, so were the ages of President Xi and his comrades. All in their 60s, they donned carefully-choreographed black suits and coloured ties. In fact their ages are all-important, because none of them is quite young enough to be a future leader -leaving many to speculate that President Xi plans to stay in power for some time beyond the expected decade. That didn't stop the inevitable boy band jokes. "Here to promote their new hit album, Socialist Beats," joked one Weibo post. The sharing president? So the absence of a next generation leader inevitably triggered commentary about just how long President Xi intends to rule. "No one loves our country more than Xi Jinping. That's why he won't share," said one netizen. "Pity the United States couldn't follow Xi's example and adopt this rule to their presidents," said another. Over on Twitter, Beijing-based economist Christopher Balding posted a not-very-serious Twitter poll on Mr Xi's successor. With 268 votes (and counting), the odds may just be in favour of Mark Zuckerberg's new daughter, August. Do you need a lift? Shortly after the reveal, social media users noted the surge in shares of a very fortunately-named lift company. Huning Elevators, bearing the same name as the newly-promoted Wang Huning, immediately shot up following Wednesday's announcement. And then there was this peculiar Reddit thread. With an innovative use of facial recognition technology, Redditer everest4ever combined the faces of "1014 Chinese officials in central government and high-level local government" to create a new Chinese official, a man that represents "The Average Face of Chinese Bureaucracy". What a time to be alive.

चीन ने नेताओं की अपनी नई पीढ़ी का अनावरण किया है। राष्ट्रपति शी जिनपिंग के सत्ता पर अपनी पहले से ही ठोस पकड़ को मजबूत करने के साथ, चीन और अन्य जगहों पर राजनीतिक रूप से जागरूक ऑनलाइन टिप्पणीकारों पर खबर नहीं गई, जिन्होंने इसे कुछ अलग मोड़ दिया।


Cotswold water vole survey asks for help with sightings

Summary: Visitors to the Cotswold Water Park are being encouraged to report sightings of water voles as part of a conservation project in the area.

Drought conditions followed by the recent floods mean the voles are using ditches, ponds and lakes. Ben Welbourn, Park Trust Field Officer said: "Water vole numbers are gradually stabilising thanks to a tremendous effort from landowners and volunteers. "The next phase is to see them spreading in range." In previous years the surveys have focused on rivers but this year people are being asked to widen the search area. "Surveying for their whereabouts is key to their ongoing survival. We'd welcome any information from the public as to their whereabouts," said Mr Welbourn.

कॉट्सवोल्ड जल उद्यान के आगंतुकों को क्षेत्र में एक संरक्षण परियोजना के हिस्से के रूप में पानी के रिसाव को देखने की सूचना देने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया जा रहा है।


Regus swings to loss on UK restructuring costs

Summary: Office rental firm Regus has swung to a pre-tax loss in the first half, after being hit by restructuring costs of £15.8m in the UK.

Regus made a loss of £6.1m in the six months to June, compared with a £69m profit in the same period a year ago. But the company said that despite the "challenging" trading environment, it was continuing to open new centres. Regus, which rents out ready-to-use offices for as little as half a day, said revenues fell 7.5% to £515.5m. However, the company raised its interim divided to 0.85 pence per share from 0.8 pence per share a year earlier. Shares in Regus clawed back earlier losses and closed almost 3% higher on Friday.

ब्रिटेन में £ 15.8m की पुनर्गठन लागत से प्रभावित होने के बाद, कार्यालय किराए पर देने वाली फर्म रेगस को पहली छमाही में कर-पूर्व नुकसान हुआ है।


Food vouchers: Why government U-turns matter

Summary: Most of us change our minds all the time.

Laura KuenssbergPolitical editor@bbclaurakon Twitter Maybe this morning you had planned to go for a run, then actually when push came to shove another ten minutes in bed seemed a better idea. Maybe when you grew up you wanted to be an astronaut but then discovered that you weren't that good at physics and, developed vertigo as an adult in any case. Maybe you spent years doing one job but decided over time that it wasn't for you. This is normal life, and perfectly rational behaviour. One of the most well-known 20th Century economists, John Maynard Keynes, summed up "when the facts change, I change my mind". Although for the pedants among you (welcome along!), as with so many of the most quoted statements, it may actually have originally been said by someone else - a different august economist, Paul Samuelson - and might have been the slightly different phrase, "when my information changes, I alter my conclusions. What do you do sir?" Why then do politicians try to avoid a change of heart? It's not just to try to escape occasional headlines about a "screaming U-turn", although that is part of the equation. It's about judgement and authority too. On an individual issue, doing the right thing because of a change of heart is better than pursuing a policy that will cause harm. Beyond the subjective nature of the "right thing" there are also moments when the political momentum is pulling so strongly in one direction, it becomes inevitable. Although ministers have for many days defended the decision not to pay for free school meals in England over the summer, highlighting other chunks of money given to councils to help; the involvement of a young, well-liked, articulate and high-profile figure Marcus Rashford made that defence less sustainable by the hour. Tory MPs started telling their party handlers, the whips, in the last 24 hours they wouldn't vote for it. And some senior figures in the party had started to question what the merits were of continuing a fight that would take a relatively small government cheque to fix, where the downside of sticking to the plan had terrible optics. Not giving in made it look, one MP feared, like the Tories have a "blind spot on poverty". Another former minister said it was causing "widespread concern that Number 10 has bad political antennae". So not that long after he sat down to chat to my excellent colleague Sally Nugent for BBC Breakfast, it was Marcus Rashford 1, Boris Johnson 0, and the government had rolled over. Every now and then it can be important for governments to show they are listening. And it's pretty clear that the political froth over "U-turns" causes much less fuss among the public. But the reality too is that frequent changes of heart can be damaging over time. Each time there is a reversal, you can hear a little piece of a government's credibility being chipped away. Every time something else is unpicked, that loyal backbencher, or loyal minister, loses a little of their own willingness to provide defence for the boss. And frequent concessions can give an impression to the wider public of a government that simply keeps getting things wrong. When you put a cross in the box in the voting booth you are putting your faith in your favourite, or least worst option. Politicians have to demonstrate to the public and their parties on a perpetual basis that they are heading in the right direction and broadly taking the correct path. Too many U-turns and governments can end up going round and round in circles instead.

हम में से अधिकांश लोग हर समय अपना विचार बदलते रहते हैं।


Frightened horse rescued from ditch at Oxfordshire farm

Summary: A horse has been rescued from a muddy ditch by firefighters in Oxfordshire.

The owner said his animal was startled by something and ran into the ditch where it became trapped. Fire crews in dry suits and a specialist rescue team managed to lift the distressed horse to safety at the farm in Nether Worton at Hempton, near Banbury, on Saturday. The animal was checked over by a vet and had not suffered any serious injuries.

ऑक्सफोर्डशायर में अग्निशामकों द्वारा एक घोड़े को कीचड़ भरी खाई से बचाया गया है।


Key Cameron ally urges scrapping of universal pensioner benefits

Summary: A close ally of the prime minister is calling for the winding up of universal benefits to better off pensioners at the next election as he urges a shift to only policies which he believes will raise the productivity and competitiveness of the UK's workforce.

Allegra StrattonPolitical editor, BBC Newsnight@BBCAllegraon Twitter Conservative MP Nick Boles is also urging a significant further scaling back of tax credits and housing benefit, and a re-examination of the "lazy sentimentalism" of the Sure Start programme of children's centres. Mr Boles will appear on Newsnight on Monday to propose ways his party can best address the decline in living standards, faltering in the UK for the last decade. Previewing ideas he will set out in full with a speech on Tuesday to the independent Resolution Foundation - whose work is devoted to diagnosing the problems affecting low to middle income earners - Mr Boles proposes a philosophical shift that should guide the next round of spending cuts due for 2013 or 2014. He will say that only those tax and spending policies that can explicitly be seen to increase competitiveness of the UK workforce should be supported. The ultra-modernising MP has worked alongside the current Conservative leadership since opposition. He founded the think tank Policy Exchange - a petri dish of ideas for the Conservative leadership - and though the ideas in his speech to the Resolution Foundation are his own, he is close to many leading members of the government and suggests the next wave of Conservative ideas being contemplated as all parties consider further public spending cuts. His proposal to re-evaluate the effectiveness of Sure Start will be uncomfortable for his Liberal Democrat coalition partners. Mr Boles is the parliamentary private secretary to Schools Minister Nick Gibb, in the education department which has oversight over Sure Start. Mr Boles has devoted much energy to considering the issues affecting those on low to middle incomes as they struggle to keep their earning power up in the face of downward trends in earnings and living standards afflicting all developed economies. In his speech Mr Boles will say: "It is my contention that politicians - of all parties - have barely begun to wrestle with the implications of the stagnation in living standards or confront the agonising choices that we will be forced to make in the decades to come." He believes: "If we are going to make any difference to the future productivity of working people and the competitiveness of our economy, we must abandon this soggy approach and demand that the programmes we invest in have a substantial and measurable impact. Otherwise, we should leave the money in the hands of taxpayers, from whence it came," Mr Boles will say. "Productivity and competitiveness are my lodestars because I am convinced that the only way that we can restore sustained improvement in living standards is if most working people in Britain can command high and steadily increasing wages in the market place. "It may be true that, for some, total household income has continued to grow because a previously unemployed partner has started work or one or both partners have increased the number of hours they work. "It may also be true that increased financial transfers by government have helped many people on low pay enjoy rising incomes despite the stagnation in their wages. But it seems obvious to me that neither of these trends is sustainable - and, even if they were, we should not want them to be sustained. "What will it do for our health and happiness (let alone that of our children) if the only way to achieve a growing income is to work longer hours? And which of us really believes that any government will be able to expand every year the amount of money it gives to those whose wages have stalled?" he goes on. He will also challenge the Labour leadership to reveal which taxes they would raise to reconcile their public spending pledges with their declared commitment to deficit reduction. Mr Boles becomes the most senior of modernisers around the prime minister to endorse the scrapping of benefits for the elderly, as well as proposing a delay in bringing in social care. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said before that universal benefits for the elderly might have to go, but in a recent speech on welfare the prime minister ruled out ending them within this Parliament.

प्रधान मंत्री के एक करीबी सहयोगी अगले चुनाव में बेहतर पेंशनभोगियों के लिए सार्वभौमिक लाभों को समाप्त करने का आह्वान कर रहे हैं क्योंकि वे केवल उन नीतियों में बदलाव का आग्रह करते हैं जो उनका मानना है कि यूके के कार्यबल की उत्पादकता और प्रतिस्पर्धा को बढ़ाएंगे।


NHS Highland appoints new chief executive

Summary: NHS Highland has appointed a new chief executive.

Iain Stewart will take over the role from Elaine Mead, who was appointed the health board's chief executive in 2011 and left in December last year. Originally from Stornoway in Lewis, Mr Stewart has worked in the public sector for more than 30 years including within the NHS in England and Wales. His appointment comes amid an independent review into allegations of a "bullying culture" at NHS Highland. The health board is also dealing with a projected deficit of £19.9m for 2018-19. NHS Highland covers the Highlands and Argyll and Bute. Dr Gregor Smith, the deputy chief medical officer for Scotland, will be NHS Highland's interim chief executive until Mr Stewart's arrival later this year. 'Critical leadership role' Mr Stewart said he was looking forward to taking up his new role. He said: "I have provided senior operational and transformational leadership to various NHS organisations, managing multiple acute hospitals, mental health, community and strategic commissioning throughout England and North Wales. "It is now time for me to consolidate these experiences and, together, I believe we can continue to build a world class health and social care service for the north of Scotland." Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has welcomed Mr Stewart's appointment. She said: "He has important experience in the public sector, including the health service, and I wish him well in this critical leadership role. "The priority, as always across NHS Scotland, is patient care, and I am confident that under Iain Stewart's leadership, people across the Highlands will receive the excellent level of service they deserve." NHS Highland chairman David Alston said: "I am delighted that Iain has accepted this appointment. He brings a passion for the NHS and for improvement, and a personal commitment to the Highlands and its people."

एनएचएस हाईलैंड ने एक नया मुख्य कार्यकारी नियुक्त किया है।


House-sitters aim to avoid high rents

Summary: Imagine spending a few weeks at a chateau in France, six months at a beautiful beach house in the Caribbean, or a weekend at a townhouse in Scotland - and paying absolutely nothing.

By Maleen SaeedBusiness reporter, BBC News This could be a reality by getting a lucky draw when house-sitting. The cost of renting a home in England and Wales rose to near-record levels in June, with the average monthly rent totalling £718. Moreover, the tough economic climate means that more and more people are trying to find unique ways to save money and house-sitting is becoming an increasingly popular one. 'Budget option' Andy Peck runs Trustedhousesitters.com which matches homeowners and house-sitters all around the world. He says he has seen a 30% increase every month in the number of people using his site, from pet owners wanting to get away for a holiday to people looking for a cheap way to live. "For homeowners it is a cheaper option than sending your pet to the kennels when on you're holiday," he says. "For those wanting to travel the world on a budget it is a good option. It is quite therapeutic looking after a pet sometimes." Kristie West house-sits all over the UK. At present, she is living in a four-storey luxury home in west London. She estimates that she has saved around £12,000 a year thanks to her current lifestyle "I do not pay any rent or any bills. They can be quite crippling as you can easily spend £1,000 a month so not having that expense is brilliant and I get to stay in some beautiful places," she says. "I also have my own business and sometimes that is really busy, but sometimes it is quiet, so I get to focus on my business without worrying about stressing to pay the rent." Insurance implications Other than a yearly joining fee of £39, Mr Peck's website, and others like it, are free to use. There are also agencies available that charge homeowners up to £50 a day for reference and diligence checks. They can also arrange for homeowners to pay their house-sitters a small fee of around £10 to £20 a day. Personal finance commentator Jasmine Birtles says using an agency can have its advantages if something goes wrong. "With an agency you have a central body. If you are a homeowner, you have someone to complain to," she says. "If you are the house-sitter, you also have someone to complain to and they can adjudicate. "If you have done it through a free website, it is ultimately up to you. I would recommend that both sides sign some form of contract." She says there are also potential difficulties surrounding insurance, to cover any injury that a house-sitter might suffer in the house. "It is a good idea to take out landlord's insurance, for example, as it is a public liability insurance," he says. "It is also a good idea to mention to your insurance company that you have got someone staying in your home, but generally speaking the insurers are not too concerned about that because everybody has guests staying." House-sitting is not for everyone. Looking after animals requires a lot of work, and not everyone has the flexibility to move around. Kristie West says the unpredictable lifestyle suits her needs. But she says the only downside is saying goodbye to the pets she has been looking after.

कल्पना कीजिए कि कुछ सप्ताह फ्रांस में एक महल में, छह महीने कैरिबियन में एक सुंदर समुद्र तट घर में, या स्कॉटलैंड में एक टाउनहाउस में एक सप्ताहांत बिताएँ-और बिल्कुल कुछ भी भुगतान न करें।


Delhi gang rape: Second chance for teenage rapist?

Summary: Three years after the brutal gang rape - and subsequent death - of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a bus in the Indian capital, one of her rapists - a minor at the time of the crime - is set to be freed. But with public outrage growing over his release, he will be handed over to a charity for his protection and rehabilitation, writes the BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi.

The crime caused global outrage and the young woman's attackers are among the most hated men in India. As the victim - who can't be named under Indian laws - lay in hospital fighting for her life, the horrific details of the assault began to emerge, with some reports claiming that the juvenile had been the most brutal. There were calls to try him as an adult, with many saying his punishment should be commensurate with his crime. The teenager was convicted of rape and murder and sentenced to three years in a reform facility, the maximum term possible for a juvenile in India. Case timeline 16 December 2012: A 23-year-old physiotherapy student is gang-raped by six men on a bus in Delhi, her male friend is beaten up and the pair are thrown out after the brutal assault 17 December: Key accused Ram Singh, the bus driver, is arrested. Over the next few days, his brother Mukesh Singh, gym instructor Vinay Sharma, fruit seller Pawan Gupta, a helper on the bus Akshay Thakur, and the 17-year-old juvenile, who cannot be named, are arrested. 29 December: The victim dies in hospital in Singapore from injuries sustained during the assault; body flown back to Delhi 30 December: Cremated in Delhi under tight police security 11 March 2013: Ram Singh dies in Tihar jail; police say he hanged himself, but defence lawyers and his family allege he was murdered 31 August: The juvenile is found guilty and sentenced to three years in a reform facility 13 September: The four adult defendants are convicted and given the death penalty by the trial court 13 March 2014: The Delhi high court confirms the death sentence March - June: The convicts appeal in the Supreme Court and the death sentences are put on hold until the court takes a decision During his trial, it was never proved that the teenager was any more brutal than the others, but this fact has been ignored by most people, stunned by the brutality heaped on the victim. Now with the date for his release nearing, public resentment is running high - many people I spoke to in the past few days said they wanted to "hang him from the nearest pole" or "organise a public lynching" for him. The more lenient said they wanted to see him locked up in a jail forever and forgotten. The victim's parents have petitioned the National Human Rights Commission to stop his release and a BJP politician has appealed to the Delhi high court to ensure that he is not freed until it is proved that "he has reformed and is not a menace to society". The authorities are tight-lipped about their plans for him, but the BBC has learnt from reliable sources that arrangements have been made to hand him over to a non-governmental organisation for rehabilitation. An official at the juvenile home in Delhi's Majnu Ka Tila area, where the young man - he's now 20 - has been lodged for the past three years, told the BBC he must be given another chance. "The boy is alright. He has expressed remorse for his actions. He said he made a mistake. He was a mere child at the time of the crime. I asked him why he did what he did. He said he was staying with adults and wanted to prove to them that he could do what they could do," the official said. When he was brought to the remand home on 18 December 2012 the teenager was suffering from trauma and underwent surgery to remove his appendix at a government hospital a week later, the official said. During his stay at the home - parts of which were in solitary confinement - he was assigned tutors who taught him basic Hindi, English and Maths and the official said "he can now sign his name in English and Hindi". He was also taught to cook, how to stitch clothes and given guitar lessons. "He's a good cook, he can make really nice potato chops [patties], matar paneer [peas and cottage cheese curry] and rajma [kidney beans]. He's also developed as a tailor who can do a really good job stitching pants and shirts," the official said. "Once he's free, he can set up a tea stall or work as a tailor. I think we have succeeded a fair bit in moulding him and he should be given a chance to start over," he added. In the weeks and months after the crime, the teenager, who came from an impoverished family in rural Uttar Pradesh, told shelter officials that he worried about his family and wanted to return home once released. "But he has access to television and he has been watching the news, he is aware of the negative sentiments against him and is fearful for his life," a child rights activist who met him recently told the BBC. "The media has turned him into a monster, a demon, they said he pulled out the victim's intestines." In recent days, there have been media reports suggesting he may now be turning jihadi. Officials and activists say all this hype, the vitriolic media coverage - mostly based on unsubstantiated leaks - has created a distorted image in the minds of most people, and they fear he will not be safe outside. So a plan is being worked out to ensure his identity remains a secret. "Under the law, the identity of a juvenile offender has to be protected. An individual care plan has to be worked out for him and he has to be rehabilitated," child rights activist Bharti Ali told the BBC. "His name can never be revealed, nor can his photograph be shown. And his records have to be destroyed after a maximum of seven years," Ms Ali added. The biggest problem the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) is facing is that his identity is already partially revealed - in the weeks after the crime and again with his release becoming imminent - journalists have converged on his family home. "But the board can issue an injunction, putting a ban on the media from carrying any report which could further reveal his identity," Ms Ali said. In India, there's no precedent for "after care" for children in conflict with law - it's been used largely for children who have no families and need care. But countries around the world have used it successfully and activists say India will need to draw on their experience to deal with this case. It may not be easy - the highly competitive and rapacious Indian media will go to any length to find him. But, Ms Ali says, it must be done. "You can't tell him that he can't lead another life, that he can only be a criminal. As a society we must do every thing to rehabilitate him and give him another chance." Other notorious child killers

भारतीय राजधानी में एक बस में 23 वर्षीय फिजियोथेरेपी छात्रा के क्रूर सामूहिक बलात्कार और उसके बाद हुई मौत के तीन साल बाद, उसके बलात्कारियों में से एक-अपराध के समय एक नाबालिग-को रिहा किया जाना तय है। लेकिन उसकी रिहाई पर सार्वजनिक आक्रोश बढ़ने के साथ, उसे उसकी सुरक्षा और पुनर्वास के लिए एक दान को सौंप दिया जाएगा, दिल्ली में बीबीसी की गीता पांडे लिखती हैं।


Game on - e-sports takes off in the UK

Summary: Next weekend, the World Cup Final takes place in Seoul in front of 60,000 spectators and a huge global TV audience. No, I'm not confused and this is not football. The contest in question pits Korea's Samsung White against China's Star Horn Royal Club and what they are playing is a video game called League of Legends.

Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent@BBCRoryCJon Twitter E-sports, where game play is watched by audiences in stadiums and on TV, have been big business in the Far East for more than a decade. But now, as I found out in a report for Friday's World at One on Radio 4, the phenomenon is really taking off in Britain. If UK e-sports have an Alex Ferguson equivalent then it's Michael O'Dell - but then as the owner and manager of Team Dignitas he's also the sport's Roman Abramovich. O'Dell was once a semi-professional games player himself, then built a team of 58 professional players based around the world. "It's gone from playing in our bedrooms, earning twenty quid in a tournament - and we were happy - to now where we could be earning a million dollars in a tournament, and that's not just one a year, there are a lot of tournaments with a lot of prize money." On top of that, the team has lucrative sponsorship and merchandise deals. He still lives in a modest home in Surrey with an office in the back garden from where he keeps tabs on his players. We watched as his star player Michael Santana - a gaming celebrity who goes by the name "Imaqtpie" - talked his fans through a session of League of Legends from the Team Dignitas Los Angeles base. Streaming on Twitch TV he had attracted an audience of more than 14,000 fans just to watch him practice. Even between tournaments, that earns Imaqtpie a lot of money, upwards of ten thousand pounds a month just from the adverts that appear on his Twitch channel. It is the huge popularity of San Francisco based Twitch, recently acquired by the online retailer Amazon, that has helped fuel the growth of esports around the world. The service allows anyone, amateur or professional, to become a broadcaster, talking to their friends or a global audience as they play games. Jon "Carnage" - his streaming name on Twitch - started as just one performer on the channel and is now director of content. He says it is changing television:"For so many years TV has just been one-sided where you view a show as opposed to being a part of a show. Twitch bridges that gap between you and the host - you can talk directly to them." I caught up with Mr Carnage at London's EGX games show, where Twitch had a sizeable operation. In another corner of the Earl's Court exhibition centre I came across a rather smaller business which hopes to be Britain's biggest e-sports promoter. Gfinity had put on a more modest League of Legends contest than the one taking place in Seoul, with amateur teams and a couple of commentators trying to whip up some excitement amongst the small crowd of onlookers. But Neville Upton, who runs Gfinity, says the potential in the UK is massive: "You've got 16 million people playing games. What's interesting is that they're not just playing, they like watching as well. We had over eight million watching online during our recent tournament at the Copper Box on the Olympic Park." And for the first time teenage gamers in the UK are wondering whether they might make careers as professional gamers. The latest signing at Team Dignitas is 17-year-old James "Greensheep" Luo from Blackpool. Michael O'Dell spotted him playing a relatively new game called Hearthstone and winning a tournament in Europe. As I watch James playing on his Twitch channel (in front of a tiny crowd compared to those watching Imaqtpie) a sign pops up saying $100 (£62) has been donated. Michael O'Dell explains that well-wishers often donate money to favourite gamers just to show their appreciation of their talent. James isn't making a living from games yet - in fact he's still at school and puts in hours of practice after finishing his homework. "I just practice, practice practice, learn more about the game and try to get better," he tells me. "I think every gamer's ambition is to make this their full time job. I guess that's my dream as well." British players are yet to join the e-sports elite who can earn millions. But who knows - maybe in a few years time someone like James Luo will be competing in an e-sports World Cup final in front of a huge global audience. That may be far-fetched - then again it might be more likely than seeing our footballers make it to a final.

अगले सप्ताहांत में, विश्व कप फाइनल सियोल में 60,000 दर्शकों और एक विशाल वैश्विक टीवी दर्शकों के सामने होता है। नहीं, मैं भ्रमित नहीं हूं और यह फुटबॉल नहीं है। विचाराधीन प्रतियोगिता कोरिया के सैमसंग व्हाइट को चीन के स्टार हॉर्न रॉयल क्लब के खिलाफ खड़ा करती है और वे जो खेल रहे हैं वह एक वीडियो गेम है जिसे लीग ऑफ लीजेंड्स कहा जाता है।


Why Russians backed anti-police rage

Summary: Six young Russians became so angry about police brutality in their area that they took up arms to fight back. Lucy Ash asks what motivated the group and why so many ordinary Russians supported their extreme actions.

By Lucy AshBBC News, Vladivostok, Russia Vladimir Savchenko takes me into his son Roman's bedroom to show me his school photographs and collection of toys neatly arranged on a shelf. "He won lots of prizes in athletics," says Mr Savchenko, fingering a clutch of medals hanging on the wall. "But he liked kick-boxing best." The 17-year-old is now behind bars awaiting trial. He is the youngest of the six men who declared war against law enforcement officials this year. The group, which called itself the "Primorsky Partisans", became notorious across Russia. In a video, made while they were hiding in the forest, the young men wear army fatigues and hold guns. Stripped to the waist, Alexander Kovtun, the group's leader, directly addresses the police: "This is not some spontaneous act," he says. "No. We planned it and did it on purpose, to kill you gangsters, because you are the real criminals. You provide cover for drug-trafficking, prostitution and the theft of wood from our forests." The young men come from the remote village of Kirovsky in Russia's Primorye, or Maritime, region near the Chinese border. It is seven time zones east of Moscow. I went there to meet their families and to try to discover why the youths took the law into their own hands. Police brutality The Savchenko family live in a decrepit block of flats with rusting balconies and rubbish-choked stairways. Over coffee, Roman's father, a truck driver, complains about the large bribes he has to pay to stop officers from confiscating his driving licence. Nine years ago, his elder son Valentin died in a police station after getting involved in a street fight. Then, earlier this year, Roman was arrested and accused of stealing a lawn-mower. Mr Savchenko denies his son was involved but claims the police tried to beat him into confessing the crime. "They roughed him up so badly that he joined the group of other young guys seeking revenge on the police." One of them was Roman's school friend Andrei Sukhorada. From the age of 13, the police would arrest the boys every time there was trouble in the village, according to Andrei's sister Natasha. "They would charge them with all sorts of crimes," she says. "They tortured them by putting black plastic bags over their heads and blowing cigarette smoke into them." The breaking point came in 2008 when a fight broke out at a disco. Natasha says Andrei was hurt and taken to hospital but when he came out he was abducted by local police, driven into the forest and beaten. She says he was stripped of his clothes and left to die in sub-zero temperatures 10km (six miles) from the village. Andrei survived, but the family claims its complaint to the prosecutor was ignored. In a building made of white breeze-blocks, I meet the acting head of the police station, Major Vasily Skiba. He denies all the allegations made by the families of the group about beatings by his officers and says all complaints from the public get investigated. Then he switches on his computer, asks for my USB memory stick and transfers some video clips. They seem to show the young men driving round the town throwing snowballs and shouting abuse. They also yell "Allahu Akbar!" - Arabic for "God is great!" 'Dirty acts' But if Andrei and his friends really were nationalistic skinheads, as some suggest, why were they saluting Islamist fighters? Could it be a sign that they were angry enough about police abuse to side with anyone who opposes the Russian state? The group struck for the first time in February in the regional capital, Vladivostok, when the members killed a traffic policeman. Three months later, they stabbed another policeman to death, and attacked police cars, injuring more officers. The authorities launched a manhunt with tanks and helicopters. They tracked the groups down to a flat on the Chinese border. Andrei Sukhorada and his friend Aleksandr Sladkikh died in a shootout with police. The remaining two were captured and are facing life in prison. In the prosecutor's office in Vladivostok, spokeswoman Avrora Rimskaya condemns the group. "We cannot justify the acts of people which go against society," she says. "No matter how loud their slogans are. They say loud words but commit dirty acts." Public support But to the authorities' disgust, many ordinary Russians back the "Primorsky Partisans". Graffiti across the city reads "Glory to the Partisans" and "Partisans your courage will not be forgotten". On the seafront, a young sailor tells me the police deserved the treatment they got and added that it "was a brave thing for six guys to do". At the car market, another young man is blunter. "They did the right thing - the police are just legalised bandits," he says. In Moscow, 71% of callers to a popular radio station supported the description of the youngsters as "Robin Hoods". Two-thirds of Russians fear the police, according to the country's leading opinion pollster, the Levada Centre. Brutality is commonplace and corruption endemic. President Dmitry Medvedev has promised to clean up the force with a police reform bill now going through parliament. Critics say it is more about preventing whistle-blowing than genuine change. Mikhail Grishankov, chairman of the parliamentary security committee, sighs noisily when asked about the group. "They are bandits and my opinion is, of course, negative, but you have to ask why it happened," he says. Even this former KGB officer who is loyal to the Kremlin admits that the public distrusts the people who are supposed to protect them. "The support they got shows society has lost trust in the police." You can listen to Lucy Ash's full report inCrossing Continentson BBC Radio 4 at 1100 GMT on Thursday 25 November and 2030 GMT on Monday 29 November. You can also listen via theBBC iPlayeror download thepodcast.

छह युवा रूसी अपने क्षेत्र में पुलिस की बर्बरता से इतने नाराज हो गए कि उन्होंने वापस लड़ने के लिए हथियार उठा लिए। लुसी ऐश पूछती है कि समूह को क्या प्रेरित किया और इतने सारे आम रूसी लोगों ने उनके चरम कार्यों का समर्थन क्यों किया।


Lee Kuan Yew: Reaction in pictures and tweets

Summary: Lee Kuan Yew has died at the age of 91. Singapore's elder statesman, he is widely viewed as the man who brought the city-state into the modern era and turned it into a wealthy business hub. The BBC looks at how the news of his death unfolded.

Lee Kuan Yew was admitted to hospital in early February with pneumonia and was later placed on life support. In the early hours of Monday, a statement from the prime minister's office confirmed his death. The announcement was not unexpected. Mr Lee's condition had deteriorated in recent days. People had begun leaving tributes and messages of support outside the Singapore General Hospital, where he was being treated, and at a community centre in his local constituency. One of the first to offer his condolences was UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. In a statement, he described Mr Lee as a "legendary figure in Asia, widely respected for his strong leadership and statesmanship". Within hours, the Facebook page of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - who is Lee Kuan Yew's son - was flooded with messages of condolence. "Thank you Mr Lee Kuan Yew for the Singapore we now have," wrote one man. "Don't worry. Singapore will continue to do well, in the way you have worked hard all your life ensuring that," wrote another. At the hospital, meanwhile, Lawrence Hee, 68, said: "I'm very sad. He created Singapore." Sayeed Hussain, 59, with his wife Sharmin, 44, son Sanerm, 13, and daughter Samira, 16, came to the hospital as a family before the children went to school. "He was a great leader and role model. He did a lot for us, helped to shape a multi-racial and multi-cultural Singapore. We wanted to start our day with no regrets so we came here to pay our respects," Mr Sayeed said. In Washington, US President Barack Obama spoke of a "true giant of history who will be remembered for generations to come as the father of modern Singapore and as one the great strategists of Asian affairs". The two men met in Washington DC in 2009. Other leaders, past and present, also paid tribute, including former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. As the sun rose, flags were lowered to half mast at government buildings, including this one here at parliament. A state funeral is to be held on 29 March, the government said. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak - leader of the nation from which Singapore was expelled 50 years ago - tweeted his condolences to Mr Lee's son. British Prime Minister David Cameron also released a statement, saying: "[Former British PM] Lady [Margaret] Thatcher once said that there was no prime minister she admired more than Mr Lee for 'the strength of his convictions, the clarity of his views, the directness of his speech and his vision of the way ahead'." Phil Robertson of Human Rights Watch said Mr Lee's role in Singapore's economic development was undeniable but came with a "significant cost to human rights". In a statement on Facebook, the party Mr Lee founded - the People's Action Party - praised his "incalculable contributions to Singapore". President Tony Tan described Mr Lee as "the architect of our modern republic". And in an emotional televised address, Lee Hsien Loong - his son and the current prime minister - said: "We won't see another man like him. To many Singaporeans, and indeed others too, Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore." Ong Choo Bee, 71, a clerk, visited a tribute area at Singapore General Hospital. "I think we'll have to wait a few hundred years before Singapore can have another leader like Lee Kuan Yew. But he's left a good legacy and a strong government." Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was an ally of Lee Kuan Yew. "He was not at all a charmer - he was not a flatterer. He had developed his point of view. He would present it with great intelligence," he told the BBC. Lee Kuan Yew forged strong ties with China, including a friendship with leader Deng Xiaoping, and met successive presidents including Hu Jintao (below). A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman called him "a uniquely influential statesman in Asia and a strategist boasting oriental values and international vision". At the Istana, the prime minister's office, a steady stream of people arrived bringing bouquets and condolence cards, reported the BBC's Tessa Wong. A tented area has been set up for people to write messages and post them on boards. Some of the well-wishers were in tears, others wore grim expressions. "Dearest Mr Lee, you are our Superman. Superman never dies. Forever in your debt," read one message. Another simply says: "Thank you for your contributions to Singapore." After midday, a hearse carrying Mr Lee's body arrived at the Istana. A period of national mourning has been declared from 23-29 March and for several of those days Mr Lee's body will lie in state at parliament house so the public can pay their respects. Singapore's main opposition Workers' Party turned its Facebook cover page black. It was founded by JB Jeyaretnam, the city-state's first opposition MP who ended up financially ruined because of court cases brought by the PAP. Its leader, Low Thia Khiang, said in a condolence letter that Mr Lee's death marked the end of an era in Singapore's history. Papers and broadcast media were dominated by his death. The Straits Times, Singapore's leading daily, called Lee Kuan Yew the "man most instrumental in shaping Singapore".

ली कुआन यू का 91 वर्ष की आयु में निधन हो गया है। सिंगापुर के बड़े राजनेता, उन्हें व्यापक रूप से उस व्यक्ति के रूप में देखा जाता है जिसने शहर-राज्य को आधुनिक युग में लाया और इसे एक समृद्ध व्यापार केंद्र में बदल दिया। बीबीसी देखता है कि उनकी मृत्यु की खबर कैसे सामने आई।


The strange case of the 'time travel' murder

Summary: A woman's body is found in London. DNA turns up a hit, yet the suspect apparently died weeks before the alleged victim. Here, forensic scientist Dr Mike Silverman tells the story of one of the strangest cases of his career.

It was a real-life mystery that could have come straight from the pages of a modern-day detective novel. A woman had been brutally murdered in London and biological material had been found under her fingernails, possibly indicating that she might have scratched her attacker just before she died. A sample of the material was analysed and results compared with the National DNA database and quickly came back with a positive match. The problem was, the "hit" identified a woman who had herself been murdered - a full three weeks before the death of her alleged "victim". The killings had taken place in different areas of the capital and were being investigated by separate teams of detectives. With no sign of a connection between the two women and nothing to suggest they had ever met, the most "likely" scenario was that the samples had been mixed-up or contaminated at the one obvious place that they had come together - the forensic laboratory. A complaint was made by the senior investigating officer. It was 1997 and I was the national account manager for the Forensic Science Service at the time, so it was my responsibility to find out if a mistake had been made at the laboratory. My first thought was that perhaps the second victim's fingernail clipping had been mislabelled and had actually come from the first victim all along. As soon as I started to look at the samples, I could see this wasn't the case. The victim had painted her nails with a distinctive leopard skin pattern and the cuttings that had been taken bore the exact same pattern. There was no doubt that they were the correct ones. I then checked through the laboratory records to see if there was any way the samples could have been accidentally mixed-up. This too turned out to be a non-starter as the two sets of samples had never been out of the lab's exhibit store at the same time. In any event, several weeks had passed between the analysis of the first and second clippings and different members of staff had been involved. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, I decided to look more closely at how the clippings themselves had come to be collected and discovered that both bodies had undergone an autopsy at the same mortuary, though they had arrived there several weeks apart. Forensic autopsies - those carried out in the case of murder or suspicious death - are far more detailed and involved than standard, non-criminal autopsies. Among other examinations, blood and organ samples are collected for toxicological testing, stomach contents are collected and analysed and fingernails are scraped and clipped. It was while I was examining the mortuary records that I came across a possible answer. It transpired that the body of the first murder victim had been kept in the freezer for several weeks while the police carried out their initial investigation. It had been removed from the freezer to allow the pathologist to take additional nail clippings the day before the body of the second murder victim had arrived at the mortuary. The following day, the same pair of scissors had been used to cut the nails of the second murder victim. Although the scissors had been cleaned between uses, I couldn't help but wonder whether sufficient genetic material had survived the cleaning process to transfer onto the second victim's nails and then produce a DNA profile in the subsequent analysis. I had started my career in forensic science during the late 1970s and back then, the idea of being able to identify someone from a few tiny drops of blood seemed like something out of science fiction. In those early days, we rarely wore protective clothing at crime scenes or worried about potential contamination because there was no method to analyse any biological material that was as small as the eye could see. Today, everyone entering a crime scene has to don a new, clean paper over-suit and overshoes as well as gloves since DNA retrieval techniques are now so sensitive that simply lightly touching an object - such as a door knob or knife handle - can leave enough of a trace to carry out a successful DNA analysis. In 1997, the time of the mystery murder, DNA profiling was only a few years old and, as I was about to discover, the technology was improving so quickly that previously unforeseen problems were beginning to occur. I arranged for the nail scissors from the mortuary to be analysed and discovered not two but three separate DNA profiles were present. Further examination found DNA contamination on several other mortuary instruments but it was only ever going to present a problem when it came to fingernail scissors. The autopsy knives, for example, were found to have traces of DNA of several different people on them, but because incisions were never sampled for DNA, cross contamination was not an issue. I immediately sent out an urgent memo to all coroners, mortuaries and forensic pathologists in the country, highlighting the problem and suggesting that, in the future, all nail clippings should be taken with disposable scissors and that the scissors should then be placed in the evidence bag with the nail clippings to confirm they had only been used once. It's a system that remains in place to this day. Modern DNA analysis is now so sensitive that contamination is a major issue, with the potential to send criminal investigations spiralling off in the wrong direction. In Germany in 2007, traces of DNA belonging to an unknown female were found at the scene of the murder of a police officer. When run through the German database, identical DNA was found to have been present at the scene of five other murders in Germany and France, along with several burglaries and car thefts. In total, the woman's DNA was found at 40 separate crime scenes. The German authorities spent two years and thousands of hours searching for the culprit, only to discover that the DNA had in fact been present on the swabs the crime scene investigators had been using to collect their samples. The swabs had been accidentally contaminated by a woman working at the factory that produced them. For years DNA has been seen as the ultimate crime-fighting weapon with successful convictions arising from ever smaller traces, but in many ways DNA analysis has become a victim of its own success. Now that we have the ability to create a DNA profile from just a few human cells, traces can be found almost everywhere. But as we are all depositing DNA everywhere we go, the significance of finding and analysing these traces will become increasingly open to interpretation unless there is sufficient DNA material present to eliminate the possibility of secondary contact or cross-contamination, or additional evidence supporting direct involvement in the crime. Dr Mike Silverman is the author of Written In Blood, a history of forensic science.

लंदन में एक महिला का शव मिला है। डीएनए एक हिट साबित करता है, फिर भी संदिग्ध की कथित पीड़ित से कुछ हफ्ते पहले ही मृत्यु हो गई। यहाँ, फोरेंसिक वैज्ञानिक डॉ माइक सिल्वरमैन अपने करियर के सबसे अजीब मामलों में से एक की कहानी बताते हैं।


Airport rebranded 'Aberdeen International'

Summary: Aberdeen Airport is rebranding itself as Aberdeen International.

The change comes after the terminal's parent company dropped the name BAA and allowed its individual airports to operate more independently. It is hoped the new title will help the airport's drive to expand its roster of destinations - particularly for holidaymakers. Airport managing director Derek Provan said: "This is an exciting time for the airport and for our customers." He added: "We have been successful in recent years in introducing new international routes to Aberdeen, and will continue to strive to do so."

एबरडीन हवाई अड्डा खुद को एबरडीन इंटरनेशनल के रूप में रीब्रांड कर रहा है।


Leveson Inquiry: 10 key witnesses

Summary: From revelations of the prime minister's "LOL" text messages to Rebekah Brooks, to the disruption caused by an anti-war protester, the Leveson Inquiry has set the stage for some dramatic scenes. Here are 10 of the key moments of the media ethics inquiry.

'She's picked up her voicemail' Sally and Bob Dowler, the parents of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler, were the first people to give evidence in person. Taking to the witness stand on 21 November last year, they explained how the hacking of their daughter's phone had given them false hope that she was still alive. Mrs Dowler said they had called the 13-year-old's phone repeatedly in the weeks after she went missing in Surrey in 2002, but the voicemail had become full. However, Mrs Dowler was able to access it again after some of the messages were deleted and recalled telling friends: "She's picked up her voicemail, she's picked up her voicemail." The revelation that the News of the World (NoW) had hacked Milly's phone after she vanished led to a public outcry, the newspaper's closure and the establishment of the inquiry itself. But the Metropolitan Police later fell under the inquiry's spotlight as witnesses tried to determine whether the messages had been deleted automatically or deliberately. LOL texts from PM The appearance of Rebekah Brooks was among the inquiry's most hotly anticipated. The former News International (NI) chief executive said David Cameron had ended some text messages to her with the letters "LOL" in the belief that the acronym stood for "lots of love" not "laugh out loud". The revelation became an instant topic of discussion on micro-blogging site Twitter. Asked about the frequency of their text contacts when she was head of NI, the former Sun and NoW editor said they had exchanged messages about once a week, rising to about two a week in the run-up to the 2010 general election. It emerged that Mr Cameron had sent Mrs Brooks a "keep your head up" text message when she quit NI. Mrs Brooks also said she had had the express permission of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah to run a story in 2006 about their son Fraser being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. But he Browns later issued a statement saying that "at no stage" had their permission been sought. News Corp's 'cheerleader' The appearance of Rupert Murdoch's son James at the inquiry created shockwaves across Westminster and left a cabinet minister fighting for his career. Questioned over the phone-hacking scandal that had shut down the NoW, the News Corporation boss maintained his position that he had not been aware of earlier suggestions that phone-hacking went beyond a single reporter - the then royal editor Clive Goodman jailed for phone hacking in 2007. But it was evidence related to the News Corporation takeover bid for BSkyB, another casualty of the phone-hacking scandal, that proved most explosive. News Corp released to the inquiry a 163-page dossier of emails that appeared to show Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt's support for the bid, which he had been chosen to oversee in an impartial, quasi-judicial role. Before the day was out, Labour was calling for Mr Hunt's resignation and the culture secretary's special adviser, Adam Smith, resigned the next day over his excessive contact with News Corp. Mr Hunt insisted he had acted with "scrupulous fairness", and asked for his own appearance before the inquiry to be brought forward but his request was declined. 'A plea for journalism... it isn't always pretty' Ian Hislop, the editor of satirical magazine Private Eye, told the inquiry that new laws were not needed to govern the press. Practices such as phone hacking, paying police officers and being in contempt of court contravened existing laws, he said, and the inquiry should examine why the laws were not rigorously enforced. Mr Hislop, a panellist on BBC quiz Have I Got News For You, criticised close relationships between the press and both police and politicians. However, he defended the practice of blagging - obtaining information by deception - saying it had been "very effective" in some investigations. "I wanted to put in a plea for journalism and the concept of a free press, that it is important; it isn't always pretty… and I hope this inquiry doesn't throw out the baby with the bath water," he said. 'It would compromise a source' Former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan gave evidence to the inquiry via video link from the US. Questioned in some detail about claims made by Sir Paul McCartney's former wife Heather Mills that her voicemail had been hacked into, Mr Morgan admitted hearing a recording of a message. But he insisted: "I can't discuss where that tape was played or who made it - it would compromise a source." Ms Mills later issued a statement saying that she had never disclosed private voicemail messages to Mr Morgan. Mr Morgan said he was "not aware" of any phone hacking at the Daily Mirror while he was in charge. But he said the "Fleet Street rumour mill" had been buzzing with rumours that the practice went a lot further than Clive Goodman. 'No hidden agenda' Lord Justice Leveson decided to make a statement before proceedings on 25 June after the Mail on Sunday claimed he had threatened to quit the inquiry. Its story was said to have followed comments made by Education Secretary Michael Gove at a press lunch that the inquiry was having a "chilling" effect on freedom of speech. But Lord Justice Leveson said he had only contacted the cabinet secretary at Number 10 because he was concerned about "the perception" his inquiry into press standards was "being undermined". He told the inquiry he had no "hidden agenda" to stifle a free press. 'Mendacious smears driven by hatred' The Leveson Inquiry got a sprinkling of Hollywood on one of its first days with the appearance of Hugh Grant. The actor claimed during his evidence that he had been a victim of phone hacking by the Mail on Sunday (MoS), which had published a story about his relationship with Jemima Khan. In February, Paul Dacre, editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers had denied hacking had been the source of the story and accused Mr Grant of making "mendacious smears driven by his hatred of the media". Lord Justice Leveson decided that Mr Dacre should return for a second time to resolve the row. Mr Dacre again denied phone hacking had been the source of the 2007 story, saying that he would withdraw the "mendacious smears" comment only if Mr Grant withdrew his suggestion that Mail newspapers had been involved in phone hacking. Mr Grant later said he stood by his claim. 'I never asked a PM for anything' Media mogul Rupert Murdoch declared his session was an opportunity "to put certain myths to bed". High on his list was the idea that he used his papers and contact with politicians to further his commercial ambitions. Hitting the desk at one point, he said he did not know many politicians and had "never asked a prime minister for anything". He also claimed former Prime Minister Gordon Brown had phoned him in 2009 after the Sun had switched allegiance to the Conservatives. Mr Murdoch quoted Mr Brown as saying: "Well, your company has declared war on my government and we have no alternative but to make war on your company." But Mr Brown later denied this, saying the claim was "wholly wrong", and in June he said phone records released by the Cabinet Office cast further doubt on Mr Murdoch's claim. 'We're in this together' With Prime Minister David Cameron's appearance at the inquiry came more revelations of embarrassing text messages. The inquiry heard that Rebekah Brooks had sent a text to the then opposition leader saying "professionally we're definitely in this together", after the Sun paper had switched loyalty to his party ahead of the general election. Mrs Brooks signed off the text to Mr Cameron, on the eve of his speech to the 2009 Conservative Party conference, by writing: "Speech of your life? Yes he Cam!" Mr Cameron said the text had referred to the fact his party and Mrs Brooks's newspapers would be "pushing the same agenda". BBC political editor Nick Robinson said that when questioned about the Murdochs, Rebekah Brooks, Andy Coulson and Jeremy Hunt, the PM looked "tense, edgy, uncomfortable and again and again said he couldn't recall events". The intruder In a dramatic intervention during the Leveson Inquiry, a protester disrupted former Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair's evidence. The man, who said he was David Lawley-Wakelin from the "Alternative Iraq Enquiry", burst in and called Mr Blair a "war criminal" before being removed. Police arrested Mr Lawley Wakelin on suspicion of breach of the peace but later released him without charge. Lord Justice Leveson apologised to Mr Blair and questioned how the man had been able to enter the court. During his evidence, Mr Blair defended his friendship with Rupert Murdoch, saying it had been "a working relationship" until he had left Number 10. He said he had not changed any policies to please the newspapers owned by Mr Murdoch.

रेबेका ब्रूक्स को प्रधान मंत्री के "एलओएल" पाठ संदेशों के खुलासे से लेकर, एक युद्ध विरोधी प्रदर्शनकारी के कारण हुए व्यवधान तक, लेवेसन जांच ने कुछ नाटकीय दृश्यों के लिए मंच तैयार किया है। यहाँ मीडिया नैतिकता जांच के 10 प्रमुख क्षण हैं।


Disused public toilets in Merthyr go up for auction

Summary: Bidders are expected to spend more than just a penny as disused public toilets in Merthyr Tydfil go under the hammer on Thursday.

The former public convenience in North Street, Dowlais, owned by the council, will be auctioned with a guide price of £6,000. Auctioneers Paul Fosh said the usual building could be turned into a cafe, shop or even a new home. A second council-owned block, in Newport was withdrawn from the auction. The Victorian Grade II-listed former men's loos in the Pill area of the city had been scheduled to be auctioned with a guide price of £4,000.

बोली लगाने वालों से उम्मीद की जाती है कि वे सिर्फ एक पैसे से अधिक खर्च करेंगे क्योंकि गुरुवार को मेरथिर टायडफिल में उपयोग नहीं किए गए सार्वजनिक शौचालय दांव पर लग जाते हैं।


Heads may roll at RBS over Libor

Summary: Royal Bank of Scotland is in the last delicate phase of negotiations with regulators in the UK and US on the fines to be paid for its Libor transgressions and other necessary remediation, including a possible senior resignation.

Robert PestonEconomics editor What is clear is that UK and US fines will run to several hundred million pounds, or more than the £290m extracted from Barclays. What is as yet undecided is whether RBS will be punished on a similar scale to UBS, which was spanked to the tune of £940m. My understanding is that RBS believes its fines will be less than UBS's. RBS is braced for substantial humiliation as and when the announcement is finally made. Emails from traders cited as evidence for the Libor rigging are particularly lurid, according to sources. Also, the market manipulation continued well into 2010, or long after RBS's management was replaced at the end of 2008 following the collapse of the bank and its partial nationalisation. RBS's board did not become aware of the wrongdoing until notified about it by regulators in 2011. That said, I have learned that the bank's board does not believe the chief executive Stephen Hester needs to resign: no evidence has been found indicating that he knew about the attempt to make unfair profits by fixing the Libor rates; and he was fully occupied at the time trying to rebuild the bank's shattered finances. However I understand the FSA is looking for personal responsibility to be taken. RBS's board will not wait for an instruction from the FSA to change personnel. I have learned that it is considering asking the head of the investment bank, John Hourican, and the head of markets, Peter Nielsen, to quit. That said, there is no evidence that either of them were aware of the Libor malpractices or in any way encouraged them. But after the financial crisis they were brought in to fix RBS's investment bank, and the concern is that they did not get to grips with the market rigging that continued on their watch. "There is an issue about why the rotten culture wasn't cut out earlier", said a source. Also, the FSA is arguing that bonuses earned by executives and investment bankers in the period should be repaid or clawed back. This can only happen in relation to bonuses that were deferred. So at risk are those who were promised bonuses in 2009 and 2010, but haven't yet received all their entitlement. "The likelihood is that there will be a claw back from the 2009 and 2010 bonus pools" said a source. As for the fines and penalties, they are set according to a formula based on the magnitude of the wrongdoing in each of Libor's myriad currency categories. RBS traders tried to manipulate the Libor interest-rate benchmarks for dollars, Swiss francs and yen, inter alia, according to a source. But whether the cumulative impact of its market rigging was more or less great than UBS's is - I am told - still undetermined. As I understand it, the UK's Financial Services Authority is trying to persuade US regulatory authorities, led by the Department of Justice in Washington, to go for a big bang announcement of punishments for RBS in the week after next.

रॉयल बैंक ऑफ स्कॉटलैंड अपने लिबोर उल्लंघन और संभावित वरिष्ठ इस्तीफे सहित अन्य आवश्यक उपचार के लिए भुगतान किए जाने वाले जुर्माने पर यूके और यूएस में नियामकों के साथ बातचीत के अंतिम नाजुक चरण में है।


Reading stabbings: 'We did all we could to save the victims'

Summary: On a warm summer evening, friends and families gathered in Reading's Forbury Gardens to enjoy the easing of lockdown restrictions, unaware it would soon be the scene of a terrifying stabbing spree.

By Andre Rhoden-PaulBBC News As they relaxed in the park on 20 June 2020, Khairi Saadallah launched an attack that lasted less than 30 seconds. He has been jailed for the rest of his life for the murder of friends James Furlong, 36, David Wails, 49, and 39-year-old Joe Ritchie-Bennett, as well as the attempted murder of three others. Seven months after the town was left reeling, the BBC speaks to witnesses about their memories of the attack, and those who tried to help people affected in the aftermath. 'He could have killed me' "Initially we just thought it was one of their mates trying to play water fights, but unfortunately it wasn't the case," said Andrew Cafe. The analyst was sat down enjoying drinks with a friend in the park, before the attack he described as "a bloodbath". "He was so quick. After he managed to stab the third person, he started charging towards me and my mate. He shouted 'Allahu Akbar [God is the greatest]' - which I don't know why he shouted because I'm pretty sure Allah would not be proud of what he did." Mr Furlong, Mr Ritchie-Bennett, Mr Wails - who Mr Cafe knew as acquaintances - and their friend Stephen Young had been stabbed by the attacker. "In a split-second I decided I had to run for my life. He started chasing me, before he started chasing my mate," he said. "As I was running I shouted, but I guess nobody paid attention because it was a Saturday and people were having drinks, and enjoying their time at the park. Unfortunately there was a second group close to us and they became his next target." In that group was Nishit Nisudan and Patrick Edwards, who were stabbed by Saadallah before he fled. Reflecting on the incident, the former nurse said: "The thought in my head keeps playing that this person could have killed me - I have to live with that all my life. I may not be physically hurt, but I'm mentally scarred." He credits his "good support system", consisting of friends, family, his employer and Thames Valley Police, for helping him recover from the experience. "The last thing we want is for this person to take away our happiness," he said. "I don't want to live in fear, I don't want to live with negativity. "He's been sentenced and it's the light at the end of the tunnel, but nothing will ever bring the life back of the three people he killed." 'We did everything we could to save them' "I couldn't quite figure out what was going on at first, and then I saw some people running and could see some people lying on the ground," said James Antell, from south-west London. The 26-year-old had been enjoying a socially-distanced picnic with a friend in Forbury Gardens when he noticed a commotion about 60m (200ft) away. "There were also people shouting for help, so that's when I realised something was not quite right," he continued. "I ran over to where the people were lying on the ground, the three casualties were all in quite a bad way." Mr Ritchie-Bennett and Mr Furlong each suffered single stab wounds to the neck, while Mr Wails was stabbed once in the back. Mr Antell and other bystanders did what they could to help the victims. The parliamentary assistant used his shirt to to apply pressure and stem the bleeding of one victim, and continued resuscitation on a second victim until paramedics arrived. Despite the best efforts of paramedics and air ambulance doctors the three friends could not be saved. While Mr Young, Mr Edwards and Mr Nisudan survived the attack. "I did what I could to help," he said. "It absolutely showed the spirit of the public and the Reading community, and in the hours after the attack, cafes and churches were doing all they could to support those that had been in the park... and make sense of what had happened." He added: "I saw something that day I'm sure will stay with me for the rest of my life, but my overriding thoughts are with the victims, and their friends and families. "It's a very odd thing to go through. You read about these things on the news, but you never think its going to happen to you." 'It felt like you lost your own' "Joe was just one of these people, if you were in the room and he was in the room, you knew him - big personality," said Jamie Wake, who was friends with Mr Ritchie-Bennett, and also knew Mr Furlong and Mr Wails. The men, who were gay, were often at the Blagrave Arms pub in Reading - a mixed venue which has been adopted as a "home" for LGBT people. Mr Wake, who runs Club FOD at the pub, said: "It doesn't matter where in the world you were, because of the way the LGBT community is, it felt like people you knew... you lost your own at that point." In the days after the killings, the 43-year-old organised a minute's silence outside the venue. "You knew at that moment you were part of a community," he said. "For me it's a moment I will remember because you just had to be there to feel the emotion in the air." The LGBT campaigner added: "In the reporting we're hearing now about the perpetrator who committed this horrendous act and his sentencing, but we've got to be mindful there were three people who were very much loved in this town behind this story, and that's what we must not forget." 'The number of calls for help doubled' "We tried to make sure we could be supportive of their needs and make sure they had someone to talk to about what was going on," said Lorna McArdle of Reading-based charity SupportU, which provided counselling to those affected in the LGBT community. The charity, which specialises in helping people who need support with LGBT issues, had a 44% increase in inquiries following the attack. "It was a massive shock especially when news got round that a lot of people within our community knew those who were affected by it," Ms McArdle said. She added: "We were able to support them in making sure they knew it was a one-off event." 'Talk to people who can help support you' "We are aware that there is a risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological upsetting symptoms," said Dr Deborah Lee who heads up Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's Traumatic Stress Service. The trust works with Victims First, run by the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner's (PCC) office, to manage the official support service to help those affected by the Forbury Gardens attack. It has been reaching out to survivors, witnesses, bereaved families and emergency service workers who responded to the incident. Dr Lee is a consultant clinical psychologist and said an unexpected event like the attack can traumatise the mind and lead to people being worried about future threats. She said: "You might see people developing anxiety, fear of going out in the street, and of course this is compounded by Covid at the moment because we are not going out. "So people might not even be aware that they are going to be anxious when they re-engage in their worlds [post-Covid]. "But we would certainly see anxiety around physical danger, and we also see this very characteristic symptom, which is re-experiencing of the traumatic event. "And this is the one people find really frightening. So they go over the events in their minds. They might have flashbacks. They might have nightmares or intrusive thoughts but it feels real. And it feels like it's happening again." Deputy PCC Matthew Barber said: "If you were involved in that incident [the sentencing] brings all of those memories flooding back. "So of course the support of Victims First is there for anybody who's been affected by this or any other crime."

गर्मियों की एक गर्म शाम को, दोस्त और परिवार लॉकडाउन प्रतिबंधों में ढील का आनंद लेने के लिए रीडिंग के फोरबरी गार्डन में इकट्ठा हुए, इस बात से अनजान कि यह जल्द ही एक भयानक चाकू मारने की घटना का दृश्य होगा।


Coronavirus: Schools reopen in NI with new Covid safety measures

Summary: Schools have reopened after an extended half-term break.

They closed on 19 October as part of tighter Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Northern Ireland Executive. As coronavirus cases continue to rise, extra safety measures will be in place, including the mandatory wearing of face coverings for post-primary pupils on school transport. The education minister said on Monday he is "not envisaging exams being cancelled". "It is particularly important that we have compatibility and portability with the rest of the United Kingdom," he said during a visit to Glenlola Collegiate in Bangor, County Down. "This is not something we can go on a solo run because particularly when it comes to universities and jobs, our students are going to be competing with those from different parts of the UK and the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere." He said his department had asked CCEA to look at "contingency arrangements" and said it was likely there would be "a range of mitigations, some of which have been announced already." Exams have been scheduled for one week later than normal in 2021. Mr Weir again stressed that keeping schools open remained his key priority and urged people not to congregate at school gates when dropping off pupils. But he said parents and carers "are at the heart of fighting the virus and minimising any disruption to education". He asked parents and carers to practise social distancing, wear a mask and try to avoid going beyond the school gate unless an appointment has been made. As for pupils, he asked them to have face coverings with them at all times, practise good hand hygiene and not to eat or share food on transport. "I know from speaking to parents, carers and teachers that they want their children to be in school," the education minister said. "Face to face teaching is the best form of educational provision." Mr Weir said he understood there may be concerns over children's wellbeing during the pandemic. "Children and young people have missed so much this year already, not just in terms of learning but in socialising with their friends, taking part in sports and other activities," he said. "I know that the overwhelming desire of parents and carers is to maintain a full return to school and I thank them for all the sacrifices they are making in very difficult circumstances." Caroline McCarthy, from the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, said teachers are feeling anxious and concerned about the return to school. "Protecting children's education actually goes hand in hand with protecting the staff in schools," she told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster. "When we closed for the extended Halloween break for the children, some some schools were suffering serious staff shortages and I think the anxiety of staff within schools has to be acknowledged as well." Ms McCarthy also called for the wearing of masks to be extended to the school environment in post-primary schools. First Minister Arlene Foster said she agreed with her party colleague Peter Weir that school was "the best place for our young people to be". "We said they would be back at school by the 2nd of November and they are," she told Good Morning Ulster. "I, of course, understand the concerns that I hear from some of the teachers unions, however, it is very important for our young people that they are back at school." 2,030Positive Covid cases in schools 519Schools with at least one positive Covid case out of 1,035 total schools 302Schools with a single positive case 237Schools with a cluster of two to five cases 69Schools with a cluster of more than five cases There have been confirmed Covid-19 cases in half of Northern Ireland's schools since the start of term, according to the Public Health Agency. According to Department of Education (DE) attendance guidance issued to schools, pupils are to be marked absent using code eight if they are "advised not to attend school following advice from PHA Contact Tracing Service". Code eight can also be used if "a pupil chooses not to attend school or parent chooses not to send their child to school on the advice of a medical professional as the child is self-isolating due to a significant underlying medical condition". Using code eight is "important to identify the number of pupils choosing to self-isolate due to Covid-19", the DE guidance to schools said. Pupils self-isolating at home are still expected to complete work provided by their school or be taught remotely.

आधे समय के लंबे अवकाश के बाद स्कूल फिर से खुल गए हैं।


Bin-raiding brown bear collared in the name of research

Summary: Slovakia's bears are a rare conservation triumph, but their growing number has forced some of them to swap forest life for a more urban setting. Now a radical plan is under way to try to understand these "problem bears".

By Rebecca MorelleScience reporter, BBC News, High Tatras, Slovakia I get the call at 5am. "Wake-up! We've got a bear - you best get ready," booms the voice from the other end of the line, shaking me out of my sleepy blur. Overnight, an inquisitive bear has wandered into a cage, unable to resist the temptation to snack on some oats and fruit that have been left inside. We arrive, and inside the small enclosure is a young female, standing about 1m tall. For the last few weeks, she has been raiding the bins in a nearby village, totally unafraid of any humans living there. But today, looking a bit bewildered at her predicament and emitting the odd low groan, she is going to give conservationists the first look into the private life of one of Slovakia's so-called problem bears. Unwelcome visitors Until recently, getting a glimpse of a European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) would mean venturing deep into Slovakia's mountainous forests. But now close encounters with these animals increasingly are happening much closer to home. After these animals were hunted almost to extinction in the 1930s, the bears have made a big comeback. However, the boost in numbers has meant that some curious bears have started to take an interest in village life. Pavol Majko, director of the High Tatras National Park - a stronghold for brown bears - says: "The majority of bears in this area stay in the mountains, but a small number have lost their fear of humans. "They are coming to the villages, attracted by waste in unsecured bins." But for the people living in this area, these new visitors are not welcome. Jan Mokos, Mayor of the High Tatras village, explains: "The people are scared and they're coming here to complain almost every day. But it's not only the people who live here - it's tourists, too." He proposes drastic action. "Of course, we can do something about this problem by making sure our bins are secure, but I think some controlled shooting is also necessary." Bear necessity But conservationists say killing problem bears is not the answer. Instead they want to study them. And the animal that has been captured will provide them with that chance. They are going to fit her with a GPS collar that will track her every move. Graham Bishop is working on Project Bear, which is part-funded through an eco-tourism company and is a collaboration with scientists from the High Tatras National Park. He says: "At the moment, we have very little knowledge about these problem bears. All of the information is from physical sightings. "With the collar, we can find out what she is doing every hour of every day." First the bear is tranquilised, and then - only once she is sound asleep - the team tentatively approaches. They get to work fitting the collar; the bear, oblivious to the hubbub around her, gently snores. The conservationists have to work quickly - if the bear wakes up early, the consequences could be terrible. But soon her new accessory is fixed and activated. It works using global-positioning technology to record her position at regular intervals. Then, every few hours, it sends the team a text message containing this data. It means the researchers can monitor the bear from the comfort of their office, plotting her positions on a map to find out more about her behaviour. With a battery life of four years, the collar should provide the team with a wealth of data over this period. After this, it will automatically drop off. Mr Bishop says: "Once we can see what the bear is doing, we can start to work out what is attracting her to the villages, and also what is repelling her away. We can then look at these factors and try and replicate them." In addition to making sure villagers secure all their waste, another idea, he suggests, could be to set up strategically placed feeding stations outside villages. Speedy solution But conservationists in Slovakia stress that a solution is needed soon. With a growing bear population and increasing numbers of people coming to the country through tourism, the issue of problem bears is here to stay. For now, though, some of these answers could be found with the help of the bear, called Galina by the team. She begins to wake up from the anaesthetic - very sleepy and confused, nodding her head and licking the air, as the life begins to return to her limbs. Eventually, a little unsteady on her feet, she gets up, and slowly wanders back into the forest. She does not know it, but the data she provides could hold the key to finding a way for bears and humans to live together.

स्लोवाकिया के भालू एक दुर्लभ संरक्षण जीत हैं, लेकिन उनकी बढ़ती संख्या ने उनमें से कुछ को अधिक शहरी सेटिंग के लिए वन जीवन को बदलने के लिए मजबूर कर दिया है। अब इन "समस्या भालू" को समझने की कोशिश करने के लिए एक कट्टरपंथी योजना पर काम चल रहा है।


Ayrshire man dies nine days after crash on B729 near Dunscore

Summary: A man has died more than a week after his car crashed on the B729 in Dumfries and Galloway.

Patrick Lennon was the only person in his Nissan Navara when it crashed near Dunscore, between Dumfries and Carsphairn, on Monday 25 May. The 42-year-old, from Galston in East Ayrshire, was airlifted to hospital but died from his injuries on Wednesday. A police spokesman said inquiries to establish the full circumstances of the crash were continuing. Related Internet Links Non Emergencies - Police Scotland

डमफ्रीज और गैलोवे में बी729 पर उनकी कार के दुर्घटनाग्रस्त होने के एक सप्ताह से अधिक समय बाद एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है।


Emily Connor: Girl hit by car was 'kindest person'

Summary: The family of an eight-year-old girl who died after being hit by a car has said she was "the kindest person we ever knew".

Emily Connor, from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, was struck by a Vauxhall in Monton Road, Salford, shortly before 10:40 GMT on Saturday. Paramedics attended but she was pronounced dead at the scene. A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. He remains in custody for questioning and police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage to get in touch. In a tribute, Emily's family said she was a "beautiful girl". "To our Emily, the kindest person we ever knew. You will always be in our thoughts. "We will talk about you every day." Related Internet Links Greater Manchester Police

कार की चपेट में आने से मरने वाली आठ वर्षीय लड़की के परिवार ने कहा है कि वह "सबसे दयालु व्यक्ति थी जिसे हम कभी जानते थे।"


Scarlett Johansson, Batman, James Bond and Scots roads

Summary: A Scottish trunk road will be an unlikely feature of a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Tuesday. But Under the Skin, the movie starring the A82, is the latest on a long and winding list of Scottish movie road trips.

By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter This journey starts in Achiltibuie, near Ullapool, where scenes for one of the more unusual "trips" were shot. In the hills around the small community, filming was done for 2011's The Eagle. It sees Channing Tatum's Roman soldier trek deep into Scotland in search of his father's lost standard, guided by a slave played by Jamie Bell. Following the single track road from Achiltibuie to the A837 then south on to the A835 before taking a right on to the A832 leads to Dundonnel. Just north of Dundonnell, writer-director Scott Graham and his production team built a replica petrol station for his debut feature, Shell. While writing the script, Graham drew on memories of his childhood caravan holidays that started from his home in Fraserburgh to headed into the Highlands. The film's filling replica station was so convincing that motorists pulled and tried to buy fuel. Returning to the A835 and heading south towards Inverness leads to the A9, a road which two years ago was linked to the Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises. Newspapers reported that a section of the trunk route near Inverness would be shut to allow a Hercules C130 aircraft to land on it. Police said they had not been approached about closing the trunk road. However, while not naming the film involved, Northern Constabulary did say it had been asked to assist a crew with filming in Badenoch and Strathspey. Scottish government agency, Transport Scotland, said it had been approached by the Batman movie's production company about using roads at locations across Scotland. Journeying south on the A9 then turning off on to the A86 at Kingussie eventually leads to the A82 and Glencoe where Scarlett Johansson was filmed for scenes in Under the Skin. Transport Scotland granted permission for filming south of Loch Ba on the trunk road. The section of A82 was closed for 10 minute periods to allow queuing traffic to clear before the next closure was made. Johansson plays an alien who prowls the highway, preying on humans. The film is loosely based on a novel by Michel Faber, who used the A9 in his story. Further along the A82 is a minor road leading to the White Corries where a car chase for last year's Bond movie Skyfall starring Daniel Craig were shot. Returning along that single track road and back on to the A82 eventually leads to a turn off for the A85 and Oban Airport. Here scenes for Scottish film The Last Great Wilderness were shot. Starring Alastair Mackenzie of Monarch of the Glen fame, it features a road trip which, like the other films that have followed since, leads to trouble and strife.

ए स्कॉटिश ट्रंक रोड मंगलवार को वेनिस फिल्म फेस्टिवल में विश्व प्रीमियर की एक अप्रत्याशित विशेषता होगी। लेकिन ए82 अभिनीत फिल्म अंडर द स्किन, स्कॉटिश फिल्म रोड ट्रिप की एक लंबी और घुमावदार सूची में नवीनतम है।


Belarus president set to win fifth consecutive election

Summary: Presidential elections will be in held in Belarus this Sunday. But few doubt that the incumbent Alexander Lukashenko will be returned to power, having won every other contest in a process that was widely accused of being unfair and undemocratic.

By Paul MossThe World Tonight, Minsk When you are short of any other means of attracting attention, then you sing. That at least was the approach taken at a rally by the Belarusian opposition party "Speak the Truth." Many of its applications to hold public meetings were turned down, a spokesman told me, so when they had the chance to meet in one of the smallest squares in the city of Minsk, the Party was determined to drum up an audience. A guitar and violin duet belted out songs of protest, a warm-up man invited people to come and hear their Presidential candidate, Tatsiana Karetkevich, make a speech. But in the end, there were fewer than a dozen in the audience. As far as the party Chairman Andrey Dimitriev is concerned, the fault lies with the Belarusian authorities. They and their leader, the current President Alexander Lukashenko, stand accused of preventing opposition parties from building any public profile: "If you go to state businesses or to universities, you will find great big posters for Lukashenko," he complains, "there are no posters for other candidates." Opposition parties have also been granted far less access to the all-powerful state-owned media, Dimitriev says. That suggestion is certainly backed up by the many human rights campaigners and other international organisations that have investigated the state of Belarusian democracy. Journalists and critics of the government are regularly locked up, according to Amnesty International. And the United Nations special rapporteur on Belarus found there were "serious limits on the media, and on free association." Belarus profile Belarus, with its seven million voters, is holding its fifth presidential election in 21 years, but so far has had only one president - Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko, who has not polled less than 75% in any of the previous votes, is likely to be declared the winner again. Among the three challengers to the incumbent, two are regarded as "technical" pro-Lukashenko candidates. The only woman in the quartet, Tatsiana Karatkevich, is an opposition activist now disowned by almost all opposition parties except her own 'Tell the Truth' movement. The opposition fears that Karatkevich's bid will be used to create a semblance of plurality and to legitimize Lukashenko's re-election in the eyes of the West. The opposition has failed to agree a single candidate and is now "ignoring" the vote, which it says will be neither free nor fair. Calling a boycott would be illegal under Belarusian law. No plans for any post-election demonstrations, similar to the "Square" in December 2010, have been announced, so any large-scale protests are unlikely. Belarus country profile Last time they held a presidential contest in Belarus, in 2010, seven of the nine presidential candidates were arrested; one of them was only released this year following widespread international pressure. The candidates were accused of various offences, including the encouragement of violent protest and attempting to overthrow the state. This punishment is normal, I was told by Sergei Kizman, a professor of politics in Minsk, and a supporter of the government position. "If anyone in Great Britain declared they were the real government and attacked public buildings, they would go to prison." He told me that Belarus is only criticised because it has no oil. "Saudi Arabia has no elections at all, but their King is welcomed in London and Berlin," he complained. Even some of President Lukashenko's most staunch critics will admit the man is popular, if not as popular as voting figures might suggest. "Unemployment is low, health care is free - it's a functional country," says Alexei Pikulik, Director of a think-tank, the Belarusian Institute for Strategic Studies. Pikulik has himself suffered at the hands of Lukashenko's regime, arrested for his work and at one point driven into exile. But he believes that in the wake of Russia's intervention in Ukraine, most people in Belarus just want a quiet life, with no risk of conflict. "The main platform on which Lukashenko is standing is 'with me, Belarus will be a stable, independent country,'" he says. Belarus has been accused of faking election results, failing to allow proper scrutiny of the vote counting process. But whether or not there is ballot box skulduggery, no one believes there will be any result other than an Alexander Lukashenko victory this time. The man once dubbed "Europe's last dictator" seems determined to stick around for some time yet.

इस रविवार को बेलारूस में राष्ट्रपति चुनाव होंगे। लेकिन कुछ लोगों को संदेह है कि निवर्तमान अलेक्जेंडर लुकाशेंको सत्ता में वापस आ जाएंगे, जिन्होंने एक ऐसी प्रक्रिया में हर अन्य प्रतियोगिता जीती है जिस पर व्यापक रूप से अनुचित और अलोकतांत्रिक होने का आरोप लगाया गया था।


Viewpoint: Why mass funerals spur violence in Kashmir

Summary: Militant leader Burhan Wani's death in a gun battle with government forces in Indian-administered Kashmir has sparked a spiral of deadly violence in the Muslim-majority valley. The region has seen an armed insurgency against Indian rule since 1989. Sushil Pandit writes on the reasons behind the fresh upsurge of violence.

Kashmir Valley has erupted yet again. This time, everyone blames it on the death of militant leader Burhan Wani in a gun battle with security forces in July. Last time violence of similar scale erupted in Kashmir was in 2010, when more than 100 people died in clashes between protesters and security forces. Then the violence had begun after a Srinagar teenager, Tufail Ahmed Mattoo, was killed by a teargas shell. 'Healing touch' Between these two incidents, in 2013, Afzal Guru, was hanged for the 2001 attack on India's parliament and buried in the Delhi prison where he was executed. He had a profile several times bigger than both Wani and Mattoo put together. Yet, Guru's execution did not lead to any major violence in the valley. Living in the shadow of curfew in Kashmir Why the Kashmir killings could have been avoided Firing at stone-throwers in Indian-administered Kashmir Concern in Kashmir over police pellet guns Why Kashmiri youth supported militant Burhan Wani Kashmiri Hindus: Driven out and insignificant Kashmir territories profile In the name of providing a "healing touch" and "reaching out" to the separatists, governments led by mainstream parties in Kashmir have routinely released rebels from jails and allowed public funerals for slain militants. Wani's was only the latest, and indeed the largest, of the mobilisations for a frenzied funeral. Days before his killing, the Kashmir government freed more than 600 stone-pelters from prisons and pardoned them as a "confidence building measure" even as mobs were attacking security forces with stones during operations. Besides, for the past two years in Kashmir, bodies of even Pakistani terrorists killed in operations have been handed over to local mosques for public funerals, which have been attended by thousands. The Kashmir government alone cannot be blamed for this. Last July, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP government in Maharashtra allowed a huge public funeral of Yaqub Memon, after he was executed for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings that killed 257 people and wounded 1,400 others. Such mass funerals achieve two objectives for the separatists. Halo of martyrdom For one, they help whip up secessionist passions. Two, they create a halo of martyrdom around the dead militants, which, in turn, helps recruit several eager replacements from school dropouts looking for some glory. Kashmir's two mainstream political parties have not been helpful. Though they declare their allegiance to India and its secular democracy, their politics is something else. Between them they demand self rule, autonomy, open borders and shared sovereignty with neighbouring Pakistan, sharia-compliant banking, and reducing the role of the Supreme Court, federal auditors and the Indian election panel, among other things. To the hundreds of thousands of persecuted and exiled Kashmiri Hindus, the parties have paid only lip-service to their demands of justice. When it comes to the issues of their return to the valley and resettlement, these parties prevaricate exactly as the separatists do. Rationalising secession Jihad - as the terror groups in Kashmir and their promoters in neighbouring Pakistan call their campaign in Kashmir - has two faces. First are the rebels and their armed insurgency, aided and abetted directly by the terror groups across the border. They operate in independent cells spread out across the valley, with their command and control structures based in Pakistan. And then there is the separatist leadership - Hurriyat Conference, the political umbrella of separatist groups - who provide intellectual legitimacy to rebels by articulating their positions and rationalising secession. Perpetuating it or unwittingly helping them are the so-called "mainstream" political parties in the valley which contest elections and operate under the oath of the Indian constitution, but are seen to coordinate very closely with the separatists. Then there is a tiny elite, comprising politicians, journalists, lawyers, bureaucrats, think-tanks, and public intellectuals, who wield a disproportionately high say in how the Indian state must respond to the crisis in the region. An enormous amount of "insight" and "scholarship" has been invested in trying to placate the separatists in the hope that they will give up their demand. This includes exploring all that can be offered to resolve the dispute, including "creative" interpretation of the constitution or even amendments that sometimes amount to almost secession from India. Nothing has worked. Meanwhile, separatism in Kashmir becomes a lucrative economy and a hive of vested interests. And India continues to suffer. Sushil Pandit is a Kashmiri Hindu in exile, living in Delhi A brief history of Kashmir

भारत प्रशासित कश्मीर में सरकारी बलों के साथ बंदूक की लड़ाई में आतंकवादी नेता बुरहान वानी की मौत ने मुस्लिम बहुल घाटी में घातक हिंसा को जन्म दिया है। इस क्षेत्र में 1989 से भारतीय शासन के खिलाफ सशस्त्र विद्रोह देखा गया है। सुशील पंडित ने हिंसा के नए उभार के पीछे के कारणों पर लिखा है।