Torrey Canyon oil spill: The day the sea turned black

Summary: Fifty years ago, the supertanker SS Torrey Canyon hit rocks off the coast of Cornwall, spilling more than 100,000 tonnes of crude oil into the English Channel. Beaches were left knee-deep in sludge and thousands of sea birds were killed in what remains the UK's worst environmental accident.

By Bethan Bell & Mario Cacciottolo BBC News It was the first major oil spill in British and European waters, causing enormous damage to marine life and the livelihoods of local people. It also led to changes in the way people viewed the environment. Brittany, in northern France, bore the brunt of the thickest part of the slick, and it became known there as the marée noire, or "black tide". More than 15,000 sea birds were killed. Clogged up with thick viscous oil, they were washed up both dead and alive on the shores. Future populations of some species took decades to recover. You might also like to read: Heathrow's death sentence for villages Street art: Crime, grime or sublime? Why do people holiday in Scarborough? This destruction of the birds had a direct impact on sanitation. Many were scavengers, eating rubbish which washed up on shore. That rubbish was instead left to rot on the beaches. The deaths of birds and marine mammals in the first days after the spill were only a fraction of the final toll. The effects went on for years, working on organisms from the bottom of the food chain - the plankton and small invertebrates that live in sediments, through mussels and clams on up to fish, birds and mammals. And the British clean-up effort, which involved the excessive and indiscriminate use of powerful chemicals, made a bad situation much worse. At the time, the Ministry for Agriculture and Fisheries determined that the holiday industry - and clean beaches - were more important than the "very small" amount of damage it anticipated to wildlife. So more than two million gallons of a chemical called BP 1002 was sprayed on to the affected waters. Hoses were squirted over beaches, volunteers used watering cans, fishermen pumped the chemical into the sea from their boats. The Army even punctured holes into barrels of it and rolled them off cliffs. The plan was for the chemical to break down the oil and allow it to disperse and be removed by natural bacteria. But instead it killed any kind of marine life it came into contact with, from seaweed to limpets to fish. It pooled on beaches for hours before being washed away by the tide, making the poisonous effects even worse. A Marine Biological Association (MBA) report in 1968 said the UK's use of detergents resulted "in the death of a large number of shore organisms of many kinds". It took 13-15 years for the treated areas to recover, about five times longer than those areas where the oil was dispersed naturally by wind and waves. Professor Martin Attrill, director of the Marine Institute in Plymouth, said the British response to the crisis illustrates how different attitudes to the environment were then. "At the time the Torrey Canyon went down we were still considering the sea as the main place to put all our waste," he said. "We've had a change in mindset. At the time it was 'the environment can deal with this' and the main concern was for the ship and whether it could be salvaged. "Then people started to wake up - not just to the environment, but to the fact it reduced tourism. People didn't want to visit areas where there'd been an oil spill, there was an inability to sell goods, the brand was tarnished. Now we know about the benefits of clean seas." On the affected section of the Breton coast, breeding pairs had returned from their migration to nest when the disaster happened. The Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux calculated that there were 450 pairs of razorbills before the spill but only 50 after. For guillemots the number of pairs fell from 270 to 50. About 85% of puffins on the French coast were also killed, the RSPB estimated. Because of their low reproductive rate, it took several decades for the population to recover. Julian May was an 11-year-old boy on holiday in Cornwall when the disaster struck. He remembers the surf being like "brown, frothy coffee". "On the beach itself there were thick clags of oil, great lumps of it," he said. "It was spreading all over the place. "More than anything, I remember the smell - the strange smell - of this oil." Dr Gerald Boalch was a senior scientist aboard an MBA ship which took samples shortly after the spill. "On British beaches where the detergents were used, many animals and plants were killed," he said. "Spraying the detergents was definitely the wrong thing to do. "It broke up the oil, which helped the tourism industry for the affected places, but the oil sank from the top of the waves to the bottom, breaking into smaller parts and being ingested by marine life." In Cornwall, former biology teacher Richard Pearce from Treburrick has studied Porth Mear beach three times a year since the Torrey Canyon's murky load came ashore. He said it took about five years for the environment to even "stabilise". Before that, he said, the beach was "barren". So how had this disaster happened? The Torrey Canyon had been en route from Kuwait to Milford Haven, in Pembrokeshire, on the morning of 18 March 1967 when its captain took a shortcut and hit Pollard's Rock - a reef between Land's End and the Isles of Scilly. Every drop of the crude oil borne by the ship seeped into the Atlantic. By evening an eight-mile slick had seeped from her ripped hull. The following day it was 20 miles long. It eventually bled into a 270 sq m (700 km2) foul-smelling smear. After failed attempts to shift the tanker off the rocks, the crew were rescued by lifeboats. Then the British government ordered the marooned tanker be bombed, both to burn off the remaining oil and to scuttle the vessel. Over two days, 62,000 lbs of explosives were dropped on the stricken craft and surrounding waters, along with 5,200 gallons of petrol, 11 high-powered rockets and napalm. Of the 42 bombs aimed at the target, about a quarter missed. Others did not explode. And while some of the oil burned, waves kept extinguishing the flames. John Eatwell, who took part in the bombing missions, said his abiding memory was of the "overpowering smell of oil, which penetrated the cockpit even at several thousand feet above the slick". "The column of smoke from the burning oil went up to about 20,000 ft. To continue bombing we had to dive into smoke and flame," he said. The Torrey Canyon broke in two and finally sank 12 days after it ran aground. The approach in France was perhaps less scientific, but much kinder to nature. The French let the oil come ashore and then scooped it up. On their rocky beaches, the oil that remained gradually weathered and the marine life was not as badly affected. Meanwhile on Guernsey, the oil hit the shore seven days after the Torrey Canyon finally sank. The island was heavily dependent on tourism and officials were keen to clear the beaches as quickly as possible. The chosen solution was to suck the oil into sewage tankers, transport it to a disused quarry and dump it there. Years later, micro-organisms were introduced in the hope they would convert the oil over time into water and carbon dioxide. However, this had limited success. "I don't think they'd have ever imagined that 50 years later the oil would still be there," said Rob Roussel, who oversees the quarry for the Guernsey government. "At the time there was no awareness about how to deal with it, and the over-riding concern was the economy, so it was all about clearing the beaches as quickly as possible. "We would have expected that the oil would have all been released by now but it continues to appear." The Torrey Canyon disaster did have some positive consequences, including the creation of maritime regulations on pollution. A young David Bellamy, at the time an environmental consultant, was asked to comment on the disaster - and his unique style led to a career in television. Speaking 50 years later, he said: "The Torrey Canyon Disaster was a milestone in the environmental world. "It was a tragedy that [it] had to happen before the public became focussed on potential loss of natural life, in this case marine. "The media images of pollution and the attendant wildlife disasters made people begin to become involved in this new ethical conservation. "It also became apparent that life is more resilient than anybody thought. In general if an oil spill is contained, the marine flora and flora will eventually return." The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) was set up in direct response to the Torrey Canyon disaster. It now provides emergency responses to spills across the world. Single hull oil tankers - where one hole could lead to a catastrophic leak - were phased out and replaced with double hulls, which offered more protection. The American owners of the Torrey Canyon eventually paid £3m compensation to the British government. The accident remains the worst - and most expensive - in UK waters. As for the Torrey Canyon herself, she still rests at the bottom of the ocean. The tanker which destroyed so much is now - somewhat ironically - a haven for marine life. Additional reporting by Chris Quevatre

पचास साल पहले, सुपरटैंकर एस. एस. टोरी कैन्यन कॉर्नवाल के तट पर चट्टानों से टकराया, जिससे 100,000 टन से अधिक कच्चा तेल इंग्लिश चैनल में फैल गया। समुद्र तट कीचड़ में घुटनों तक डूबे हुए थे और हजारों समुद्री पक्षी मारे गए थे जो यूके की सबसे खराब पर्यावरणीय दुर्घटना बनी हुई है।


The reinvention of Captain Britain

Summary: When rumours of a planned TV series featuring the cult comic book superhero Captain Britain were recently confirmed, fans of the Lycra-clad righter of wrongs were thrilled. But how should a character whose first battles were in the pages of Marvel's comics in the 1970s be rebooted for a 21st Century audience?

Nic RigbyBBC News After a motorcycle accident as he fled an armed raid at the Darkmoor nuclear research facility in northern England, the mild-mannered scientist Brian Braddock was revived by the mystical Merlyn and imbued with superhuman powers. Captain Britain was born. The Captain's earliest adventures in a decade of punk rock, wide lapels and the Three Day Week were very much a product of those turbulent times. Perhaps his most celebrated feat was to rescue the prime minister of the day, James Callaghan, who had been kidnapped by the Red Skull gang. Captain Britain, created by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, first appeared in Marvel's comics in 1976, as a European response to Captain America. (Comic book legend Alan Moore, creator of Watchmen and V for Vendetta, would take charge of the title in the early 1980s and give the character a grittier edge.) Rumours of the Captain's 21st Century reinvention for the small screen emerged via a tweeted sketch of his new look and were soon confirmed by US-based television producer Chris Lark. Prolific US author Matt Forbeck, who is behind the Marvel Encyclopedia among many other works, sees the successful reboot of Captain America as providing a template for the new Captain Britain. "He went from being a cheesy superhero type to a much more nuanced character, more suited for the modern age," said Forbeck. "I loved him [Captain Britain] in the 1980s, he was such a colourful character, and it would be fun to see him redefined for the new millennium." Captain Britain Chris Claremont, who co-created Captain Britain for Marvel on the instruction of Stan Lee almost 40 years ago, said the character was an interesting prospect for TV as he always "tries to represent the ideal of Britain and its island heritage, like Robin Hood, but he must never lose sight of his humanity". "He wants to do the right thing." He sees the Captain as "not just defending Britain but defending the world from pan-dimensional surprises", in a way similar to the example of the latest reboot of Doctor Who, which has played around with time and parallel universes. "You can go in any direction with that," added Claremont. "If they do it well, it could be a lot of fun." Claremont, who also created a host of X-Men characters, said if he had been considering actors to play the Captain in the 1970s or 1980s he might have looked at someone like Harrison Ford, but now he thinks Tom Hiddleston - tipped to be the next James Bond - "would be someone who could bring something subtle to the part". He said Hiddleston could offer a physicality to the part yet pull off the human side of the role. "I was looking at Britain from the perspective of someone growing up in the 50s," Claremont added. "Now it is 2016 and Britain has seen extraordinary changes. "Who is to say Captain Britain would have to be white? We could have Idris Elba as Captain Britain." Television producers Chris Lark and Eleni Larchanidou said it was too early to predict who might land the role. "We have a small list of possible actors, but we are in the very early stages. We are working on a script and working on a budget, and looking to put the idea to Marvel early in 2017," said Lark. He added that with the recent success of superhero-based TV series such as Daredevil and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., there is an appetite for more of the same. Lark is a long-standing Captain Britain enthusiast and has a genuine passion for the character he is trying to help redefine for television. "I was first a fan of a fan of the X-Men comics and I read Excalibur magazine that all my friends were reading and it featured Captain Britain," he said. "And I wanted to find out more and more about Captain Britain and bought his solo series of comics. "He was not just a traditional hero like Captain America who runs around with his shield, he's much more interesting. "I think he is a fascinating character that would be a really good focus for a series," Lark added. "He was a scientist that had these magical powers that he could not explain as a scientist. "Like a lot of Marvel heroes, he is not all sunshine and happiness."

जब कल्ट कॉमिक बुक सुपरहीरो कैप्टन ब्रिटेन की विशेषता वाली एक नियोजित टीवी श्रृंखला की अफवाहों की हाल ही में पुष्टि हुई, तो लाइक्रा के प्रशंसक रोमांचित हो गए। लेकिन एक चरित्र जिसकी पहली लड़ाई 1970 के दशक में मार्वल की कॉमिक्स के पृष्ठों में थी, उसे 21वीं सदी के दर्शकों के लिए कैसे रिबूट किया जाना चाहिए?


Sarah Henshaw death: Kileo Mbega jailed for murder

Summary: A man has been jailed for a minimum term of 15 years for murdering a woman in Leeds.

Sarah Henshaw, 40, was found dead at her flat in the Redcourt apartments building in Athlone Grove, Armley, on 11 February. Kileo Mbega, 32, of Athlone Grove, admitted murder, when he appeared before Leeds Crown Court. A fraud charge, which he denied, will remain on file. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.

लीड्स में एक महिला की हत्या के लिए एक व्यक्ति को कम से कम 15 साल की जेल की सजा सुनाई गई है।


Why border lines drawn with a ruler in WW1 still rock the Middle East

Summary: A map marked with crude chinagraph-pencil in the second decade of the 20th Century shows the ambition - and folly - of the 100-year old British-French plan that helped create the modern-day Middle East.

By Tarek Osman (@TarekmOsman)Presenter: The Making of the Modern Arab World Straight lines make uncomplicated borders. Most probably that was the reason why most of the lines that Mark Sykes, representing the British government, and Francois Georges-Picot, from the French government, agreed upon in 1916 were straight ones. Sykes and Picot were quintessential "empire men". Both were aristocrats, seasoned in colonial administration, and crucially believers in the notion that the people of the region would be better off under the European empires. Both men also had intimate knowledge of the Middle East. The key tenets of the agreement they had negotiated in relative haste amidst the turmoil of the World War One continue to influence the region to this day. But while Sykes-Picot's straight lines had proved significantly helpful to Britain and France in the first half of the twentieth century, their impact on the region's peoples was quite different. The map that the two men drew divided the land that had been under Ottoman rule since the early 16th Century into new countries - and relegated these political entities to two spheres of influence: The two men were not mandated to redraw the borders of the Arab countries in North Africa, but the division of influence existed there as well, with Egypt under British rule, and France controlling the Maghreb. A secret deal But there were three problems with the geo-political order that emerged from the Sykes-Picot agreement. First, it was secret without any Arabic knowledge, and it negated the main promise that Britain had made to the Arabs in the 1910s - that if they rebelled against the Ottomans, the fall of that empire would bring them independence. When that independence did not materialise after World War One, and as these colonial powers, in the 1920s, 30s and 40s, continued to exert immense influence over the Arab world, the thrust of Arab politics - in North Africa and in the eastern Mediterranean - gradually but decisively shifted from building liberal constitutional governance systems (as Egypt, Syria, and Iraq had witnessed in the early decades of the 20th Century) to assertive nationalism whose main objective was getting rid of the colonialists and the ruling systems that worked with them. This was a key factor behind the rise of the militarist regimes that had come to dominate many Arab countries from the 1950s until the 2011 Arab uprisings. Tribal lines The second problem lay in the tendency to draw straight lines. Sykes-Picot intended to divide the Levant on a sectarian basis: Geography helped. For the period from the end of the Crusades up until the arrival of the European powers in the 19th Century, and despite the region's vibrant trading culture, the different sects effectively lived separately from each other. But the thinking behind Sykes-Picot did not translate into practice. That meant the newly created borders did not correspond to the actual sectarian, tribal, or ethnic distinctions on the ground. These differences were buried, first under the Arabs' struggle to eject the European powers, and later by the sweeping wave of Arab nationalism. Brutality In the period from the late 1950s to the late 1970s, and especially during the heydays of Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser (from the Suez Crisis in 1956 to the end of the 1960s) Arab nationalism gave immense momentum to the idea that a united Arab world would dilute the socio-demographic differences between its populations. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Arab world's strong men - for example, Hafez Assad and Saddam Hussein in the Levant and Col Muammar Gaddafi in North Africa - suppressed the differences, often using immense brutality. But the tensions and aspirations that these differences gave rise to neither disappeared nor were diluted. When cracks started to appear in these countries - first by the gradual disappearance of these strong men, later by several Arab republics gradually becoming hereditary fiefdoms controlled by small groups of economic interests, and most recently after the 2011 uprisings - the old frictions, frustrations, and hopes that had been concealed for decades, came to the fore. Identity struggle The third problem was that the state system that was created after the World War One has exacerbated the Arabs' failure to address the crucial dilemma they have faced over the past century and half - the identity struggle between, on one hand nationalism and secularism, and on the other, Islamism (and in some cases Christianism). The founders of the Arab liberal age - from the late 19th Century to the 1940s - created state institutions (for example a secular constitution in Tunisia in 1861 and the beginnings of a liberal democracy in Egypt in the inter-war period), and put forward a narrative that many social groups (especially in the middle classes) supported - but failed to weave the piousness, conservatism, and religious frame of reference of their societies into the ambitious social modernisation they had led. And despite major advancements in industrialisation, the dramatic inequity between the upper middle classes and the vast majority of the populations continued. The strong men of Arab nationalism championed - with immense popular support - a different (socialist, and at times militarist) narrative, but at the expense of civil and political freedoms. And for the past four decades, the Arab world has lacked any national project or serious attempt at confronting the contradictions in its social fabric. The new generation That state structure was poised for explosion, and the changing demographics proved to be the trigger. Over the past four decades, the Arab world has doubled its population, to over 330 million people, two-thirds of them are under 35 years old. This is a generation that has inherited acute socio-economic and political problems that it did not contribute to, and yet has been living its consequences - from education quality, job availability, economic prospects, to the perception of the future. At core, the wave of Arab uprisings that commenced in 2011 is this generation's attempt at changing the consequences of the state order that began in the aftermath of World War One. This currently unfolding transformation entails the promise of a new generation searching for a better future, and the peril of a wave of chaos that could engulf the region for several years. The Making of the Arab World, presented by Tarek Osman, can be found on the BBC Radio 4 website The writer is the author of Egypt on the Brink.

20वीं शताब्दी के दूसरे दशक में कच्चे चिनग्राफ-पेंसिल से चिह्नित एक मानचित्र 100 साल पुरानी ब्रिटिश-फ्रांसीसी योजना की महत्वाकांक्षा और मूर्खता को दर्शाता है जिसने आधुनिक मध्य पूर्व के निर्माण में मदद की।


The profoundly deaf girl who found her voice after brain surgery

Summary: Seven-year-old Leia Armitage lived in total silence for the first two years of her life, but thanks to pioneering brain surgery and years of therapy she has found her voice and can finally tell her parents she loves them.

"We were told you could put a bomb behind her and she wouldn't hear it at all if it went off," said Leia's father, Bob, as he recalled finding out their baby daughter had a rare form of profound deafness. Leia, from Dagenham in east London, had no inner ear or hearing nerve, meaning that even standard hearing aids or cochlear implants wouldn't help her. As a result, she was never expected to speak - but despite the risks, her parents fought for her to be one of the first children in the UK to be given an auditory brainstem implant, requiring complex brain surgery when she was two years old. NHS England calls the surgery "truly life-changing" and has said it will fund the implant for other deaf children in a similar position. It is estimated that about 15 children a year will be assessed for the procedure and nine will go on to have surgery. Hear cars beeping Bob says opting for this type of brain surgery was a huge decision for them, but "we wanted to give Leia the best opportunity in life". He and his wife Alison hoped that after the surgery at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust she would be able to hear things like cars beeping their horns as she crossed the road - to make her safer in the world. However, in the five years since the surgery, her progress has been much greater than they ever expected. It started slowly, with Leia turning her head at the sound of train doors closing shortly after the operation. Gradually, she started to understand the concept of sound while her parents continually repeated words, asking her to mimic the sound. Now, after lots of regular speech and language therapy, she can put full sentences together, attempt to sing along to music and hear voices on the phone. "We can call her upstairs when we're downstairs and she will hear us," Bob explains. 'I love you' But it's at mainstream school, in a classroom with hearing children, where Leia is really flying, thanks to assistants using sign language and giving her plenty of one-to-one time. "She is picking up more and more and she's not far behind others of her age in most things," Bob says. At home, using her voice is what pleases her parents most. "'I love you Daddy' is probably the best thing I've heard her say," Bob says. "When I'm putting her to bed she now says 'good night Mummy', which is something I never expected to hear," Alison says. The cutting-edge surgery involves inserting a device directly into the brain to stimulate the hearing pathways in children born with no cochlea or auditory nerves. A microphone and sound processor unit worn on the side of the head then transmits sound to the implant. This electrical stimulation can provide auditory sensations, but it cannot promise to restore normal hearing. However, Prof Dan Jiang, consultant otologist and clinical director of the Hearing Implant Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, said some children can develop a degree of speech. "The outcomes are variable. Some will do better than others," he said. "They have to adapt to it and younger children do better so we like to insert the implant early if possible." Children under five are best placed to learn new concepts of sound and respond to intensive therapy, he said. Susan Daniels, chief executive of the National Deaf Children's Society, said: "Every deaf child is different and for some, technology like auditory brainstem implants can be the right option and can make a huge difference to their lives. "With the right support, deaf children can achieve just as well as their hearing peers and this investment is another important step towards a society where no deaf child is left behind."

सात वर्षीय लीया आर्मिटेज अपने जीवन के पहले दो वर्षों तक पूरी तरह से मौन रही, लेकिन अग्रणी मस्तिष्क सर्जरी और वर्षों की चिकित्सा के कारण उसे अपनी आवाज मिल गई है और आखिरकार वह अपने माता-पिता को बता सकती है कि वह उनसे प्यार करती है।


Thailand PM Prayuth Chan-ocha unveils military-heavy cabinet

Summary: Thai military leader and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has named a cabinet featuring serving or former generals in more than one-third of positions.

The military veterans will run key ministries including defence, justice, foreign affairs and commerce. On Monday Gen Prayuth was officially appointed prime minister following endorsement by the king. Gen Prayuth led a coup against an elected government in May, saying it was necessary to preserve stability. He was nominated for the post of prime minister earlier this month by a legislature hand-picked by the junta. He was the only candidate. He is meant to be an interim prime minister as the military plans to hold a general election in late 2015. But concerns have mounted that the military is seeking to strengthen its hold on the country. Prayuth Chan-ocha Prayuth Chan-ocha: Full profile

थाई सैन्य नेता और प्रधान मंत्री प्रयुथ चान-ओचा ने एक कैबिनेट का नाम रखा है जिसमें सेवारत या पूर्व जनरलों को एक तिहाई से अधिक पदों पर रखा गया है।


Man arrested after stolen ambulance pursuit

Summary: A man has been arrested after an ambulance was stolen in Aberdeenshire before being stopped more than 30 miles (48km) away.

Police said the Scottish Ambulance Service vehicle had been on a call at Kemnay when it was stolen at about 06:20. Following a pursuit, it was stopped near Dufftown, in Moray. Police Scotland said a 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident. The Scottish Ambulance Service said stealing an ambulance was a "deplorable act". The patient in Aberdeenshire was transferred to hospital by another ambulance.

एबरडीनशायर में 30 मील (48 किमी) से अधिक दूर रोके जाने से पहले एक एम्बुलेंस चोरी होने के बाद एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


How to conduct your staff

Summary: Quite often management books look to the symphony orchestra for examples of leadership in action: the conductor on the podium, conjuring wonderful music from a group of performers who would be rudderless without the man or woman with the stick.

Peter DayGlobal business correspondent I've always been suspicious of this sort of metaphor, which is compelling mainly because it is so grandiose... it makes bosses feel good about themselves, and puffs them up with the idea that leadership is an art you can master with the right input. But the other evening at the Barbican Concert Hall in the City of London, I had a chance to review my instinctive feelings, during an extraordinary performance by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra from Amsterdam. They were playing music I don't know and (to be frank) don't really want to know: the huge, long, Symphony Number Seven by Anton Bruckner. But the performance was amazing. We were sitting in expensive seats set to the side, because we bought too late to put us in the middle of the hall. So instead of the traditional back view of the conductor, Mariss Jansons, we could see one side of his face, all the time. And it was utterly compelling. Man among equals Mr Jansons is 72, and born in Latvia. He has been Concertgebouw chief conductor for 10 years, and there is a deep regard for him among the musicians. Seeing him (and them) in action, I am not surprised. With restrained gestures and the subtlest of facial expressions, he drew from the orchestra the most glorious performance. This was not a leader in charge of a production; it was a man among equals, enabling the ensemble to flower, joining their efforts to his to evoke the spirit of the music. It was one of three Bruckner symphonies performed on successive nights in London. They had had no full scale run-through of this huge work beforehand, no dress rehearsal. Some of the performers were new to Bruckner altogether. The rehearsals concentrated on the difficult bits, in particular the transitions of mood or speed. Mr Jansons knew he could trust the musicianship of his superb players. What he had to do was to realise the possibilities of the ensemble. No wonder the impact of it was so tremendous. Watching him sideways, I realised that what was happening was that effectively we were in on the creation of the music, so listening was almost as if it were being invented in front of our ears. There was a revealing moment in the pause after the first movement. The conductor gave the tiniest of acknowledgements of satisfaction - so far - to the different orchestra sections; not a wink, but little movement of hands and eyes to indicate that what was supposed to be created was happening. And it was so fresh, so of the moment, that we in the audience were part of the performance as well. Listening again later to the Radio 3 live transmission was not the same experience, even if my speakers had been up to the vast sonorities of Bruckner. This was musical leadership of a very high order indeed, huge music conducted with abundant humanity. And in Mr Jansons' enabling rather than autocratic style of leadership there were some real lessons for business people who look to conducting to show them how to run an organisation. Tough application process Afterwards, talking to a member of the orchestra, I got a few insights into the democratic structure of the orchestra, which may explain the balance of power between conductor and players. The 120 players are members of the orchestra association, which has three seats on the orchestra's board. Becoming a tenured Concertgebouw member is difficult. Prized vacancies on the band may attract as many as 250 applications from all over the world. These are whittled down, and then a nerve-wracking selection process takes place. Applicants audition behind a curtain, listened to be a committee of the players with whom a successful musician will eventually play: about 16 members of the orchestra, including all the players of the section for which the applicant will eventually join. Peer group judgment. This elimination round happens twice... and then there's a play-off with the curtain raised, so the selectors at last see who is playing for them. But even after the choice is decided, there is still uncertainty: successful entrants to the orchestra face a probationary year, and their services may be dispensed with during that time. Not just a possibility: this happens. No wonder the orchestra's standard is so high. No wonder a public performance can be realised on the spot in that miraculous way I heard (and saw) in London the other month. A huge mutual trust between players and conductor, all working on top form to create an experience for themselves and the listener, realised by the musicianship of a very great conductor indeed, and the band's respect for him. How much the bosses and managers of other organisations and companies could learn from that community of purpose. 'Natural process' On the Royal Concertgebouw website there's confirmation of what orchestra members have told me about the experience of working with Mariss Jansons. The site itself asks: What is Mariss Jansons' secret? How does he consistently manage to take his orchestras to a higher level and garner international recognition? In answer it quotes from an interview in the Gramophone the conductor gave six years ago. "It's my job," he told the magazine, "to find out the orchestra's special qualities and preserve them. Then, if through a natural process, my own individuality adds something - and theirs to me - then it will be fine." A superbly modest summing up of what leadership can be. A natural process. It has to be said that this sort of relationship is not a given, even at the Royal Concertgebouw. One famous previous chief conductor (for 25 years), Bernard Haitink, is embroiled in a continuing row with the orchestra over what he says is his lack of involvement in its 125th anniversary celebrations last year. Mr Haitink has vowed he will never again conduct the band. The feeling may well be mutual, though I haven't asked. Sadly, however, the wonderful relationship between the orchestra and Mariss Jansons will soon be coming to an end. His health has been problematic for some years, and he has just announced that he will be giving up his chief conductorship next year. So there is not much time left to hear a consummate musician utterly in tune with consummate players. And to witness a remarkable example of leadership in action, with the result of it blooming before your very ears. Peter Day will be playing and talking about music that has influenced him (not Bruckner) on Saturday Classics on BBC Radio 3 on Saturday June 7 at 14:00.

अक्सर प्रबंधन की किताबें कार्रवाई में नेतृत्व के उदाहरणों के लिए सिम्फनी ऑर्केस्ट्रा की ओर देखती हैंः मंच पर संचालक, कलाकारों के एक समूह से अद्भुत संगीत को जोड़ता है जो छड़ी के साथ पुरुष या महिला के बिना पतवारहीन होते हैं।


Latest Morriston Hospital revamp plans unveiled

Summary: Work on the latest stage of the redevelopment of a Swansea hospital is expected to start this summer at a cost of almost £19m.

A planning application for the four-storey building at Morriston Hospital has been submitted. It will house the diabetes centre and occupational health department, as well as clinical support staff. Some 500 staff will transfer from what has been described as outdated and cramped accommodation. Contractors are also close to finishing a separate £60m complex that will provide a new hospital main entrance and a variety of patient services. It is expected that the new entrance will be open in the autumn, with the building fully in use by the end of January.

स्वानसी अस्पताल के पुनर्विकास के नवीनतम चरण पर काम इस गर्मी में लगभग 19 मिलियन पाउंड की लागत से शुरू होने की उम्मीद है।


Children 'missing out on research benefits'

Summary: Are children getting the treatments they need? In this week's Scrubbing Up, Professor Neena Modi, vice president for science and research, at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health argues that not carrying out more research on children is hampering treatment options.

VIEWPOINTBy Professor Neena Modi, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health Children and young people are being denied the right to benefit from clinical research. There is a mistaken and outdated notion that they need to be protected from clinical research, but the reality is that children are being harmed by not being included. The importance of children taking part in clinical research cannot be underestimated. Children are not small adults; the medicines and treatments children receive need to be trialled and shown to be effective in them, and not simply assumed to be from the results of research in adults. Better treatments needed Without properly conducted studies many children will continue to be given inferior treatments. There are many instances where an established treatment has been shown to be ineffective or harmful when subjected to rigorous and objective evaluation. For example, it was only after many years of painstaking research that the routine use of oxygen to resuscitate babies at birth was found to be harmful. Understandably parents may be concerned about involving their sick child in research and want to protect them from 'rogue' researchers. But protection should not mean prevention. Children need high quality research, not "no research". Parents who have the process of clinical research explained to them usually want their children to have the opportunity to participate, but unfortunately this does not always happen. Attitudes to children's research, even among regulatory bodies can be illogical and therefore confusing to parents. A clinical trial aims to demonstrate that one treatment is superior to another, therefore there will be a group that benefits and one that will not. This is not unethical because if the research was not conducted, many patients would continue to receive the inferior treatment. For example, babies would still be receiving the formerly accepted 'best' treatment of routine oxygen for resuscitation at birth and many would die or suffer as a result. An honest dialogue should explain clinical uncertainty and that, although the possibility of risk cannot be totally eliminated, it is minimised through research regulation. This means that there are extensive measures in place to ensure that studies are well designed, that any possible risk is minimised, and that there are processes to identify harm. Children deserve the right to participate in research designed to improve outcomes and reduce uncertainty about treatments. Promoting research Health professionals and government need to do more to promote research to benefit children. The number of doctors who are educated in research methods has shrunk as the way in which universities are funded and doctors are trained has changed. There are over 3,000 paediatric consultants in the UK but only 165 are research leaders. Not all doctors need to be research leaders but all health professionals should be trained in research methods. Less than one in 10 NHS paediatric consultants has identified time for research, in contrast to one in four adult physicians. What needs to change? Parents must insist on the right of their children to participate in clinical research. Patient demand was instrumental in improving outcomes for adults with HIV and breast cancer. New generations of doctors and nurses must be equipped with research skills. Health services managers and regulators must ensure a supportive NHS research environment. Research must be portrayed honestly and responsibly by the media and they must be well informed in order to reliably educate the public. The responsibility to enable more children to benefit from research rests with all of us - parents, health professionals, managers and the media.

रॉयल कॉलेज ऑफ पीडियाट्रिक्स एंड चाइल्ड हेल्थ में विज्ञान और अनुसंधान की उपाध्यक्ष प्रोफेसर नीना मोदी का तर्क है कि बच्चों पर अधिक शोध नहीं करने से उपचार के विकल्पों में बाधा आ रही है।


Eton College: Nigerian author recalls racist abuse

Summary: In our series of Letters from Africa, journalist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani speaks to one of the first African students at the UK's prestige Eton college about his experience of racism in the 1960s and 70s, and about his views on the current debate about apologising for slavery and colonial-era statues. Warning: This article contains racial slurs

Three years after obtaining his school-leaving certificate from Eton College in the UK in 1969, Dillibe Onyeama received an official letter informing him that he was banned from visiting the prestigious school. He had written a book which caused a furore in the UK and offence to the school that has educated generations of British royalty and statesmen. Published in 1972 when he was 21, the book detailed Onyeama's experiences of racism during his four years at the boarding school for boys. "As far as the school saw it, I was indicting them as a racist institution," Onyeama told me. "People come to Africa and write all sorts of indicting and shaming experiences and publish it in books and nobody says anything," he added. Onyeama was taunted on a daily basis at Eton by fellow students: "Why are you black?" "How many maggots are there in your hair?" "Does your mother wear a bone in her nose?" He usually responded with his fist and once broke his hand punching another boy's jaw. "I gained a reputation for violence," he said. When Onyeama performed poorly in academics or excelled in sports, the students attributed it to his race. When he obtained seven O-level passes, the entire school was confounded. "'Tell me Onyeama, how did you do it?' I am asked time and time again," he wrote in the book. "'You cheated, didn't you?'" Contacted by the BBC for comment, Eton headmaster Simon Henderson said: "I am appalled by the racism Mr Onyeama experienced at Eton. Racism has no place in civilised society, then or now." He added that he would be "inviting Mr Onyeama to meet so as to apologise to him in person, on behalf of the school, and to make clear that he will always be welcome at Eton". A long journey to Eton Onyeama was registered to attend Eton on the day he was born in January 1951. His father, Charles Dadi Umeha Onyeama, studied at Oxford University, worked as a magistrate in British-ruled Nigeria, and mixed well with the top of British society, eventually becoming a judge at the International Court of Justice at The Hague. With the man's connections, his second son was at birth the first black boy to be registered in the elite school. But when the time came, Onyeama failed the entrance exams. Another Nigerian boy, Tokunbo Akintola, thus became the first black student in Eton, attracting global media attention. Onyeama eventually enrolled two terms after Akintola. But the 14-year-olds, who came from different ethnic groups, did not get along. "The very person who should have been my best friend, given my predicament, turns out to be more of an enemy," Onyeama wrote. Akintola left Eton after about two years and so Onyeama became the first black person to complete his education at the prestigious school. Only one other African was enrolled while he was there - Ethiopian Prince Zera Yacob, who arrived in Onyeama's final year. King Henry VI founded it in 1440 to provide free education to 70 poor boys Now charges annual fee of more than £40,000 ($50,000) Enrolmentstands at 1,320 Aidoffered to some; 90 paid no fees at all in 2018/19 Black pupilstotal about 7%, Asians 8% and those of mixed ethnicity 5% Alumniinclude royals, celebrities and politicians Onyeama began writing about his experiences at Eton while he was still a student. "I watched a movie in those days called Tom Brown's School Days, where the hero was ragged very badly and roasted over a fire," he said. "That was the motivation to sort of put pen to paper and start recording some of my own experiences when I was about 17 years old." Onyeama's book is still in print in Nigeria. He would retain the original title, Nigger at Eton, if it were republished in the UK, he insists. "It is symbolic. I am a black author. I am using it," he said. "This was a word flung at me." Eton 'means nothing' in Nigeria After Eton, Onyeama got a diploma from the Premier School of Journalism. He returned to Nigeria In 1981 to set up his own publishing company, Delta Publications. "In England, I got jobs because of Eton," he said. "It was a passport to any employment at all. But not here in Nigeria. It means nothing at all. Whatever benefits you accrued, like English refinement and etiquette and decorum, it isn't very important here." Onyeama last visited the UK in the 1990s, and felt that the racial situation had got "much, much better" since his schooling days in Eton. "They've applied good sense. They've said: 'Look, if you want to have peace, for God's sake, make a more conducive atmosphere for all races and offer them a sense of belonging', and to a large extent that has been happening in Britain," he added. What about slavery and statues? He has written 28 books, including The Story of an African God, a biography of his late grandfather, Onyeama the Okuru Oha of Agbaja, a powerful and influential slave trader who became an ally of the British colonialists. "The slave trade was terrible but it is a historical reality," Onyeama said. He sees no need for his family to apologise for the actions of his grandfather, who became an "apprentice" slave trader after his mother died when he was still a child. "My grandfather had no rudiments of any form of education at all and he knew nothing beyond the 'kill or be killed' way of life in those days," Onyeama said. "It wasn't done as a means of oppression. It was a means of livelihood and a demonstration of power and might. It was the way of life in the old Africa before the white man brought civilisation, so to speak," he added. He describes as both unfortunate and good the call by protesters in the UK to pull down monuments of those who are regarded as racists or white supremacists. "It is unfortunate because those monuments represent history - reminding people, educating people," he said. But he believes that the British should have known better about the slave trade, while Africans who collaborated with them were merely ignorant. "You can't compare people who were not learned and people who were educated," he said. "The British claimed to have been the most exposed in the world so they have no excuse for ignorance. They can't eulogise people who did terrible things to others just because they happened to be black," he added. Onyeama's ban from Eton was finally lifted about 10 years ago, after he received an invitation to a reunion. He was too busy to attend. He is in touch with some of his former schoolmates on Facebook but they do not talk about the racial abuse he experienced. "That's all in the past," Onyeama said. More Letters from Africa: Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica

अफ्रीका से पत्रों की हमारी श्रृंखला में, पत्रकार अडाओबी ट्रिसिया नौबानी ने यू. के. के प्रतिष्ठित ईटन कॉलेज में पहले अफ्रीकी छात्रों में से एक से 1960 और 70 के दशक में नस्लवाद के अपने अनुभव के बारे में बात की, और गुलामी और औपनिवेशिक युग की मूर्तियों के लिए माफी मांगने के बारे में वर्तमान बहस पर अपने विचारों के बारे में बात की। चेतावनीः इस लेख में नस्लीय गालियाँ हैं।


Remembrance poppy: Controversies and how to wear it

Summary: The red poppy many of us pin to our coats in November was originally created to help us remember those who have fought in war.

What it means, however, some of us still fight over. From minor squabbles about how and when to wear it, to more serious discussions about how it affects our thinking about war, the red remembrance poppy is much more than a flower. Here's our short guide to poppies. The red poppy What it means: We wear a red poppy over any other flower because it grows wild in many fields in northern France and Belgium. This is where some of the deadliest battles of World War One took place and many men died. Poppies are tough flowers, and can grow anywhere, but are also delicate. It is thought they are a fitting emblem to remember those who died. The Royal British Legion is one of the main charities associated with Remembrance Sunday. It explains that the red poppy is an emblem of remembrance and hope. It stresses it is not "blood" red or a sign of support for war and death. Neither should it be seen as a symbol of religion or politics, the charity states on its website. When to wear it: Poppy etiquette prompts complaints every year. Some say you should wear your poppy from 31 October. Others say you should wear it in the 11 days leading up to Remembrance Day. Some believe you shouldn't wear one until after bonfire night. The Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal was launched on Thursday 23 October this year. How to wear it: Many say on the left, symbolising that you keep those who died close to your heart. It's also where military medals are worn. Others say men should wear it on the left and women on the right, like you would a badge or brooch. The Queen however wears hers on the left. There are also many people who say that the leaf should point to 11 o'clock. The Royal British Legion told Newsbeat: "There is no right or wrong way to wear a poppy. It is a matter of personal choice whether an individual chooses to wear a poppy and also how they choose to wear it. The best way to wear a poppy is to wear it with pride." Controversy: Some people feel that the red poppy has become political, and that MPs use the compassion of those wearing a poppy to justify war. News presenter Jon Snow famously refused to wear a poppy on air, saying viewer demands for him to wear a poppy were a kind of "poppy fascism". He said he would wear a poppy "not on the telly... but on Remembrance Sunday in concert with others". RAF veteran and activist Harry Leslie Smith is 91. He tweeted earlier this week that he wouldn't be wearing a poppy. You might have seen his face before because he spoke about the NHS at the Labour party conference. Harry says he doesn't now wear a poppy. Barbara Windsor swore live on Sky News as she described how she felt about people who didn't wear the poppy earlier this month. She later apologised for her outburst. The Scottish poppy What it means: While still a symbol of remembrance that helps raise money for veterans, poppies sold in Scotland have four petals and no leaf. Why? They are produced by different organisations. While the Royal British Legion produces poppies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Poppyscotland produces poppies for Scotland. All poppies in Scotland are made by veterans with disabilities in a factory in Edinburgh. Historically these two organisations have always been independent. When poppies were first produced in London, they were so popular that there were not many left for the Scottish population. The wife of General Haig, the British commander on the Western Front for most of World War One, set up a poppy factory exclusively for Scottish people. Poppyscotland merged with The Royal British Legion group of charities in 2011, but operates independently. On the lack of leaf: Poppyscotland says on its website: "Apart from being botanically incorrect it would cost £15,000 to make leaves for all poppies - money we feel is better spent on veterans. We might be slightly biased but we think the Scottish poppy looks nicer too!" "For historical reasons, there are two poppy appeals north and south of the border and the Scottish poppy and the poppy distributed in the rest of the UK are different," the Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland told Newsbeat. The poppy in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland Irish soldiers fought and died in the world wars. The Royal British Legion holds a Poppy Appeal both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. However recent history means the Poppy is a lot more controversial in these countries. A period known as The Troubles began in the late 1960s and lasted for nearly 30 years. It involved fighting between those who wanted to break away from the UK and those who wanted to stay loyal to the Queen. During The Troubles more than 3000 people died. British troops deployed to Northern Ireland soon became involved in running street battles and fierce fighting with anti-British paramilitary groups. People on both sides were killed by bombs and bullets. One of the blackest days in the Troubles saw the pro-Irish militant group, the IRA, bombing a Remembrance Day ceremony in Enniskillen, when 11 people were killed and more than 60 injured. What it means: The Poppy is a symbol of remembrance for those who have died in conflict. However all funds from selling poppies go to The Royal British Legion, which helps members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, Reservists, veterans and their families. It's been associated with Britishness in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This association is divisive. The Royal British Legion told Newsbeat: "The red poppy is a universal symbol of Remembrance and hope, including hope for a positive future and peaceful world, it is inclusive of all who wish to wear it, is non-political and does not depict support for war. "We take the view that the poppy represents sacrifices made in the defence of freedom; and so the decision to wear it must be a matter of personal choice and we would never insist upon it." Controversy: Footballer James McClean, who is from Derry in Northern Ireland, said he will not wear a poppy on his West Brom shirt to commemorate Remembrance Day. He's received death threats for refusing to wear it in the past. In an interview with the official West Brom match day programme, he said: "If the poppy was simply about World War One and Two victims alone, I'd wear it without a problem. "I would wear it every day of the year if that was the thing but it doesn't, it stands for all the conflicts that Britain has been involved in. Because of the history where I come from in Derry, I cannot wear something that represents that." Meanwhile, MMA fighter Conor McGregor, from Dublin in the Republic of Ireland, came under fire for wearing a poppy pin. He wrote on Facebook: "I know where my allegiance lies and what I do for my country. I don't need a stupid little flower with a 100 different meanings to tell me if I do or do not represent my country. Check the facts of its original meaning. ALL soldiers. ALL wars." The red poppy hijab What it means: Student Tabinda-Kauser Ishaq, 24, designed the poppy hijab to appeal to the many British Muslims who mark Remembrance Sunday. She also wanted to raise awareness of the 400,000 Muslim soldiers and 1.2 million Indian soldiers who fought alongside British troops in World War One. Sughra Ahmed, president of the Islamic Society of Britain. said that the poppy hijab was a way "for ordinary Muslim citizens to take some attention away from extremists who seem to grab the headlines." How to wear it: Models were pictured wearing these styles in pictures promoting the poppy hijab. The Islamic Society of Britain and integration think tank British Future, are selling the scarf for £22 with all proceeds to the Poppy Appeal. Controversy: It's been accused of perpetuating Islamophobia, suggesting Muslim women need to "prove" their allegiance to Britain. However Sughra Ahmed, president of the Islamic Society of Britain, said: "I think one principle should be clear: everybody should make their own choice. There are no loyalty tests here. But I do find it a shame that many people are surprised to hear that many British Muslims take part in Remembrance today." The white poppy What it means: Like the red poppy, it is designed to help remember those who have died in conflict, while emphasising a lasting commitment to peace. It was first introduced by the Women's Co-operative Guild in 1933 and is now sold by the Peace Pledge Union. Their motto is: "War is a crime against humanity. I renounce war, and am therefore determined not to support any kind of war. I am also determined to work for the removal of all causes of war." Jenny Jones: Am wearing both poppies. Remember the dead, but don't repeat the mistakes that killed them. How to wear it: Either on its own or alongside a red poppy. Jenny Jones, the former deputy mayor of London, tweeted a picture of her wearing a red and white poppy. She is currently a London Assembly member. Controversy: In the 1930s, some women lost their jobs for wearing a white poppy, on the basis that their campaign undermined those who had died in service. Controversy over the white poppy began again in the 1980s after Margaret Thatcher criticised it. However, the Royal British Legion says on its website: "We have no objection to white poppies, or any group expressing their views. We see no conflict in wearing the red poppy alongside the white poppy. We do ask that the items are not offered alongside each other however as this would confuse the public. " The purple poppy What it means: This poppy was created in 2006 to remember the animal victims of war. All donations go to the charity Animal Aid, who say of their appeal: "During human conflicts, animals have been used as messengers, for detection, scouting and rescue, as beasts of burden and on the frontline. "Please wear a purple poppy and help us to raise awareness of these forgotten victims." A spokesperson for Animal Aid told Newsbeat: "Animals are not heroes, they are victims. They do not give their lives, they are taken." How to wear it: Alongside your purple, white and/or red poppy. The controversy: This is a relatively new poppy, first conceived in 2006. The Royal British Legion says of the purple poppy: "While organisations use Remembrance to draw attention to their causes through poppies of many colours, the Legion is the only organisation which acts as the national custodian of Remembrance. We are also the welfare and campaigning organisation representing all men and women who are in service, who have served, and their families. "We see no conflict in wearing the red poppy next to the purple or white poppy. Many animal rights supporters also support our work. We do ask that the items are not offered alongside each other however as this would confuse the public." For more stories like this one you can now download the BBC Newsbeat app straight to your device. For iOS go here. For Android go here.

हम में से कई लोग नवंबर में अपने कोट पर लाल खसखस पिन करते हैं जो मूल रूप से युद्ध में लड़ने वालों को याद रखने में हमारी मदद करने के लिए बनाया गया था।


Isle of Man teenagers in alcohol and drugs survey

Summary: The Isle of Man is to take part in an international survey to establish the levels of drinking and drug taking in Manx teenagers.

The project, which is called European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD), is led by Sweden. It aims to identify teenage drinking patterns, levels of alcohol-related problems and illicit drug use. In 2009 it was found that 61% of island teenagers were drinking to excess, one of the highest figures in Europe. The survey takes information from many European cities including Austria, France, Germany, Greece and Switzerland. Home Affairs Department Member Bill Malarkey said: "Pupils should be encouraged to participate and to give honest answers as it is important we get accurate statistics."

आइल ऑफ मैन को मैनक्स किशोरों में शराब पीने और नशीली दवाओं के सेवन के स्तर को स्थापित करने के लिए एक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय सर्वेक्षण में भाग लेना है।


What's a fair price for a drug?

Summary: Agreeing a price for any drug is a tricky business. In the UK, the NHS is the main buyer and prices are set through a voluntary scheme between manufacturers and the government, trying to strike the right balance of serving patients and generating money to keep the drug pipeline going. Profits are capped to stop prices creeping too high.

By Michelle RobertsHealth editor, BBC News online In the US, the buyers are private insurance companies as well as the government through the Medicare and Medicaid system. It's a market and prices can go up and down, depending on what people are willing to pay. In recent years, pharmaceutical research and development has slowed and companies have to think carefully about what they invest in. Blockbusters such as Viagra pull in money, but drugs for rare diseases can be less attractive. Not many patients use them, and so turning a profit may be difficult. Turing Pharmaceuticals says that is why it has hiked the price of Daraprim - a drug used for treating a rare but sometimes deadly infection called toxoplasmosis. Greater good? Turing's controversial founder and chief executive, former hedge-fund manager Martin Shkreli, who was fired from his last biotech venture, says he isn't doing this out of greed, but for justifiable business reasons. He says he has put systems in place to give the drug away free to those who really can't afford it and that some of the profit made will be ploughed into the research and development of new and better drugs. He hopes that by creating a market, other drug companies will join in on this innovation to find new treatments for rarer diseases. For those who must buy it, the price tag is reported to be $750 (£485) a tablet, compared with $13.50 before the increase. It's thought to cost about $1 to produce, but Mr Shkreli says that does not include other costs such as distribution. In the UK, the same drug is currently sold by GSK at a cost of £13 for 30 tablets. Critics say the decision to allow such a massive price jump in the US is outrageous and is more about lining pockets than driving innovation. The scrutiny of US drug prices is increasing. In the past few weeks, there was a similar outcry over a recent price increase of a drug for tuberculosis in the US. That company, Rodelis Therapeutics, quickly agreed to return the drug to its former owner, a non-profit organisation affiliated with a university. On Wall Street, biotech shares fell sharply on Monday after Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused Turing Pharmaceuticals of "price gouging" and pledged to take action against companies hiking prices for specialty drugs. If money talks, hurting the profits of pharmaceutical companies would send a clear and loud message, but at what cost? Hopefully not drug innovation.

किसी भी दवा की कीमत के लिए सहमत होना एक मुश्किल व्यवसाय है। यू. के. में, एन. एच. एस. मुख्य खरीदार है और कीमतें निर्माताओं और सरकार के बीच एक स्वैच्छिक योजना के माध्यम से निर्धारित की जाती हैं, जो रोगियों की सेवा करने और दवा पाइपलाइन को चालू रखने के लिए धन उत्पन्न करने का सही संतुलन बनाने की कोशिश करती है। लाभ को कीमतों को बहुत अधिक बढ़ने से रोकने के लिए सीमित किया जाता है।


Swansea Boys' Club: Firefighters tackle blaze at Mayhill building

Summary: Firefighters are tackling a blaze at the former Swansea Boys' Club overlooking the city.

Mid and West Wales fire service said it was called to the site, in the Mayhill area, at 20:15 GMT. Smoke could be seen pouring from the derelict building as flames lit the night. About 19 firefighters were on the scene with three fire engines and a water bowser. It is not yet known how the fire started. Developers had proposed to transform the empty building into 23 new modern residential flats that would have given panoramic views across the city.

दमकलकर्मी शहर के पूर्व स्वानसी बॉयज़ क्लब में लगी आग पर काबू पा रहे हैं।


Katie Price on Harvey's 'terrifying' move to a specialist college

Summary: When faced with having to move their disabled child to a different school or college, families face difficult decisions. Now, reality TV star and ex-model, Katie Price, is on that journey with her eldest son, Harvey, who is about to make that transition.

By Beth RoseBBC Ouch It was a quiet 18th birthday for Harvey. There were balloons in the garden and presents were opened, including a frog lunchbox and an iPad. For a treat, Katie took him to one of his favourite places - the local train station. "This is the best train ever. I love it," Harvey says, taking photographs. His birthday marks another milestone. It is time to leave school and find a college, a process the family has filmed for BBC One documentary, Katie Price: Harvey and Me. "It's pretty predictable to know what will happen with the other kids," Katie says, who has four other children. "But with Harvey it's not predictable because he's got complex needs." She says searching for a specialist college has been a "new journey" for her. "It's not easy and it's terrifying." Harvey was born in 2002. He was diagnosed with Septo-optic Dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder affecting his eyesight, as well as autism and Prader-Willi syndrome which can cause learning difficulties and behavioural problems. He is unable to control his weight and requires 24-hour care. "It's not straightforward, where you can just choose a college," Katie says. "They have to have the right nursing team and know how to deal with his challenging behaviour." In the UK, children with long-term health conditions are cared for by child health and social care services until they turn 18 and transfer to adult services. It can be a precarious moment and often involves a lot of upheaval including meeting new teams and specialists. Like many families, the Prices have been warned the most suitable college may be a long way from their Essex home, because there are few of them and they are widely dispersed. For Harvey, the most appropriate include those in Camden, Wales, Sunderland and Somerset. The distance, and Harvey's age, means he will become a full-time residential student, including weekends. To make sure they find the perfect home, Katie and Harvey have visited as many as possible. It was a process made difficult by Covid-19 and Katie having broken the bones in both her heels in a water park accident. 'Crisis point' "He needs to have his independence and I think he'll enjoy it - make friends," Katie says. "I want him to be in a room with his mates while he plays the keyboard and sings his songs." At Harvey's current school he is a weekly boarder. Making the decision for him to board was difficult and prompted by the distress he felt at the daily travel from home to school, and the impact on the family. "I was at crisis point," Katie says. "It was affecting the other kids, it was the danger-zone for him, smashing the house up. "I hated him going to residential. I cried. But I saw he was happy there." As the documentary reveals, there are holes in the walls of the Price house where Harvey has punched them. His autism can lead to meltdowns when he becomes overwhelmed or distressed by a situation. For Harvey, loud noises like slamming doors can trigger this and lead him to hit his head or punch a wall - common coping mechanisms. It is a situation Katie had to consider when they looked at colleges - would Harvey be safe? Could the staff handle him? During a visit to The Orpheus Centre, a college in Surrey which provides therapy to disabled young adults through the performing arts, a loud and unexpected noise distressed Harvey and he threw his head repeatedly against a door. Katie told him to count to 10 to control the stress but another noise sounded and he kicked out. The staff encouraged him outside where it was quieter, but it signalled the end of the visit. Katie will often touch Harvey or speak with him to maintain his calmness. The duo banter constantly and have scripted phrases they say to each other - when Harvey says "Hip, hip," Katie replies, "Hooray". The scripting is sometimes considered similar to stimming (self-stimulatory behaviours) that many autistic people like to use to relieve anxiety or show happiness. When they visited National Star college in Cheltenham, Harvey was distressed and worried he would have to stay overnight. He didn't want to get out of the car and whimpered. Again, Katie reassured him and encouraged him to wear his ear defenders. Because this isn't a regular day for Harvey, the teacher, Alice, showed him a "social story" with pictures of what he could expect from the hours ahead. She decided to begin at the end with "goodbye" - so Harvey knew he would go home. It was a difficult start, but when he visited the flats the students live in - with their own bathrooms and kitchens - and got to watch frogs and trains on a big screen in a sensory room, he was won over. He described the college as "wicked" and excitedly said "yes Mum" when asked if he would be happy there. Katie says: "The reason I want him to go full-time residential is because some weekends they might have disco nights or bowling and he might want to go and do that and not just come home to me. It gives him a choice." But it is far from a done deal. It relies on much administration and the local authority agreeing to finance it. Lynette Barrett, chief operations officer at the college, tells Katie: "We would put in a funding application to your local authority and that application would detail everything that we are going to provide for Harvey. "For someone that is a part-time day student that may be £15,000 to £20,000 a year. For a student that is full time, all-year round residential with really high health care needs, that could be up to £300,000 to £350,000 a year." It will be the Prices' local authority which makes the decision on whether to fund it or it may decide somewhere local is suitable. The approval depends on Harvey's needs. Katie must ensure his Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) - a legally binding document in England detailing the support he must receive - is up to date. "Everything about Harvey is in that plan," she says. "It's so time-consuming and you feel like you're alone, but you've just got to get on with it." Katie must detail Harvey's education attainments, health problems and the medication he requires, as well as the tasks he can complete - whether he can cook for himself, dress, make the bed and wash. The thought of Harvey leaving home is daunting for Katie, but a move she wants to pursue. "As much as you smother your kids and you want them with you all the time, sometimes you have to let them go, just give them that bit of space to go and explore." This year has been challenging for the family. Harvey is classed as extremely clinically vulnerable and has been shielding during the pandemic. He also spent some time in intensive care and his health is a constant concern. "With Harvey the future is unpredictable, but I'll make sure that he's in a place where he thrives on happiness, excitement, joy and he looks forward to waking up." Katie and Harvey have applied to National Star. They will find out in March if they have been successful. UK viewers can watch Katie Price: Harvey and Me on Monday 25 January at at 20.30 GMT on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. For more disability news, follow BBC Ouch on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe to the weekly podcast on BBC Sounds. Around the BBC Katie Price: Harvey and Me Related Internet Links National Star

जब अपने विकलांग बच्चे को किसी अलग स्कूल या कॉलेज में स्थानांतरित करने का सामना करना पड़ता है, तो परिवारों को कठिन निर्णयों का सामना करना पड़ता है। अब, रियलिटी टीवी स्टार और पूर्व मॉडल, केटी प्राइस, अपने सबसे बड़े बेटे, हार्वे के साथ उस यात्रा पर हैं, जो उस परिवर्तन को करने वाला है।


Farmers turn to gorse for animal bedding after heatwave

Summary: Farmers in Pembrokeshire are being offered gorse and heather as a form of animal bedding after the price of straw soared following the heatwave.

It is being cut back in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to control the fire risk on heathland. And it is now being made available to farmers who can collect it for free. Reduced gorse on the heathland is also expected to improve biodiversity, according to the park's farm conservation officer, Geraint Jones. It is the first time the national park has offered the material to local farmers, although similar schemes have been used on the Llyn Peninsula and Anglesey. The National Trust also uses gorse and heather on its farms. Mr Jones said: "Feedback from users has been very, very positive. "There are multiple benefits - an alternative to straw which is very expensive, decreasing the fuel load of these heathlands, and, structurally, we're improving the heathland."

गर्मी की लहर के बाद पुआल की कीमत बढ़ने के बाद पेम्ब्रोकेशायर में किसानों को पशु बिस्तर के रूप में गोर्स और हीदर की पेशकश की जा रही है।


Crash car ends up in Hatfield petrol station shop

Summary: A driver crashed her car through the doors and into a petrol station's shop.

The Renault Clio ended up among the goods on sale at the Yarl service station on Bishops Rise, Hatfield, at lunchtime on Friday. Hertfordshire Police said the driver was not believed to be injured and no petrol pump was involved. BCH Road Policing said on Twitter: "These drive-thru petrol stations will never take off..." The garage has been closed for structural damage assessment.

एक चालक ने उसकी कार को दरवाजों के माध्यम से और एक पेट्रोल स्टेशन की दुकान में टक्कर मार दी।


Pope Francis visit: Turkey's Christians face tense times

Summary: It tells of a city where empires, cultures and religions collided. A building that bears mosaics of Jesus and the Virgin Mary beside calligraphy reading "Allah" and "the Prophet Mohamed". There is no greater symbol of the clash of civilisations here than Hagia Sophia.

By Mark LowenBBC News, Istanbul For almost 1,000 years it stood as the most important Orthodox cathedral in the world, the religious heart of the largely Christian Byzantine empire whose capital was then called Constantinople. But in 1453 the city fell to the Ottomans, Hagia Sophia became a mosque and Christianity began its slow demise here. As Turkey grew out of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, that decline accelerated. When Pope Francis arrives here this week, he will visit a country whose population has fallen from 20% Christian 100 years ago to around 0.2% today. 'Huge brain drain' "No country in the region - including Iran - is as homogenous in terms of Islam as Turkey," says writer Cengiz Aktar. "It's a mono-colour country - it's a Muslim country." After the Turkish Republic was born in 1923, it carried out a "population exchange" with Greece to create more ethnic and religious consistency. More than a million Greeks were forced out of Turkey to Greece while around 300,000 Muslims from Greece were relocated here. The Greeks of Istanbul were initially saved but after a crippling wealth tax, anti-Greek pogroms in 1955 and mass expulsions in 1964, the Greek community was left in tatters. And so was the Orthodox Christianity they practised. "The ethnic cleansing of these non-Muslim minorities was a huge brain drain," says Mr Aktar, who has created a new exhibition on the loss of the Greeks here. "It also meant the disappearance of the bourgeoisie because not only were they wealthy but they were artisans. Istanbul lost its entire Christian and Jewish heritage." Hidden crosses It was not just the exodus of the Greeks that hit Christianity here. Armenians were the other large Christian community. Hundreds of thousands were deported in 1915. They were either killed or died from starvation and disease. The label "genocide" is rejected by the Turkish state. From a population of two million Armenians, around 50,000 remain today. Robert Koptas shows me around the office of his Armenian weekly newspaper, Agos. In 2007, the editor, Hrant Dink, was murdered outside by Turkish nationalists. Seven years on, Mr Koptas says the small Armenian community feels intimidated. "Armenians fear expressing their religious identity here," he says. "Most of the believers hide their cross inside their shirt. They can't open it and walk freely on the street because they could prompt a reaction. I don't want to say all the Turkish population is against Christianity but nationalism is so high that people are afraid to express themselves." That is now the worry among the Christian minority here: that Turkish Muslim nationalism has grown under the Islamist-rooted government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister for 11 years before being elected president last August. Dead missionaries Mr Erdogan has made moves to support the Christians, such as passing a law to return confiscated state property to them and allowing Christian religious classes in schools. But he constantly stresses his Islamic identity, his support base is conservative Muslim and he whips up the nationalists here, the mood hardening against Christians. Catholics, the smallest Christian minority in Turkey, have felt the impact. A spate of murders of Catholic missionaries and priests a few years ago left the community in shock. At the Catholic basilica in Istanbul, there is Mass for the few. "To be a Turk now means you have to be Muslim," says Father Iulian Pista, who serves here. "In the past, being a pious Muslim was looked down upon. Now Friday prayers are encouraged. Society here is becoming Islamised. Recently, I've seen youngsters defecate and urinate in my church. They shout 'Allahu akbar' [English: God is great]. I also believe God is great but the way they say it is threatening." Islam was sidelined from the constitutionally secular Turkish republic founded in 1923. But as a nation state was formed here, the religion became part of Turkish national identity, something that has sharply accelerated under Mr Erdogan's leadership. Old fears New mosques are flourishing, while the world-famous Halki Orthodox theological school near Istanbul has remained closed since 1971 under Turkish nationalist pressure. One of the remaining Greeks of Turkey, Fotis Benlisoy, says the community feels squeezed: "The threatening feeling for non-Muslim minorities here is coming again. "There are many reasons: language and policies of the government, the president and prime minister using more conservative references to Sunni identity, pejorative words for non-Muslim communities coming from members of the cabinet, so much circulating about Turkey's relations with Isis [the Islamic State militant group based in Syria and Iraq] - all of this is making us think we might need an escape strategy." At the magnificent Panaghia Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul, the morning liturgy is led by Bartholomew I, "ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople", a position still based here. It is a reminder of this country's heritage - and of a Christian faithful that is small but defiant. As modern Turkey builds its identity, the question still remains: can it embrace true religious freedom - or will nationalism stand in the way?

यह एक ऐसे शहर के बारे में बताता है जहाँ साम्राज्यों, संस्कृतियों और धर्मों का टकराव हुआ था। एक इमारत जिस पर "अल्लाह" और "पैगंबर मोहम्मद" पढ़ने वाले सुलेख के बगल में जीसस और वर्जिन मैरी की चित्रकारी है। यहाँ सभ्यताओं के टकराव का हागिया सोफिया से बड़ा कोई प्रतीक नहीं है।


My Kashmir newspaper has been shut down, and I’m not surprised

Summary: Authorities have shut down newspapers in Indian-administered Kashmir seeking to end violent protests sparked by the killing of a prominent separatist militant. Shujaat Bukhari, editor of the Rising Kashmir, writes on why the news blackout does not surprise him.

A friend called me on Saturday morning and was anxious to know whether all was well with our newspaper. "Has your printing press also been raided?" he asked. I told him I would have to check. He said other newspapers were updating their websites saying their presses had been raided. I thought hard about whether we had published anything "inflammatory" after the protests began, but could think of nothing. Not shocking But when I called the office, one of our employees confirmed that that our printing press had been raided, staff held and printed copies of the newspaper seized. I was not surprised. Authorities had forced us to suspend publication during the protests against Indian rule in 2008 and 2010 as well. When Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri separatist convicted over the 2001 Indian parliament attack was hanged in 2013, copies of newspapers were seized from the press and the stands. I remember my newspaper ceased publication for four days. During the 2010 agitation, we were forced to stop publishing for 10 days. This time more than 40 people have already been killed in violence after the killing of a prominent militant, Burhan Wani. More than 1,800 others have been injured. A curfew remains in place - along with curbs on mobile and internet access. Imposing an information blockade had been part of the state "strategy" in 2010 as well and the scene is rewinding this time. Mobile phone services - including data - except that of a government owned service provider have been barred, cable TV is the off the air and some 70 newspapers - in English, Urdu and Kashmiri languages - have officially been asked to stop publication for a few days. Only a handful of broadband connections are helping us keep in touch with the rest of the world. Not new For us these restrictions are not new. Since the outbreak of armed rebellion in Kashmir in early 1990, media in the region has had to work on a razor's edge in what is effectively the world's most heavily militarised zone. Thirteen journalists have been killed during the conflict since 1990. Threats to life, intimidation, assault, arrest and censorship have been part of the life of a typical local journalist. Journalists have been targeted by security forces and militants alike. Publications have been denied federal government adverts -a key source of revenue for smaller newspapers. If a local journalist reports an atrocity by the security forces, he risks being dubbed "anti-national". Highlighting any wrong doing by the militants or separatists could easily mean that he is "anti-tehreek" (anti-movement) or a "collaborator". Kashmir's Education Minister Naeem Akhtar has said the media ban was "reluctant decision". "It is a temporary measure to address an extraordinary situation… In our opinion, there is an emotional lot, very young, out in the field, who get surcharged due to certain projections in the media, which results in multiplication of tragedies," he told The Indian Express newspaper. By banning newspapers, a government that is desperately grappling to normalise the situation, has opened up space for rumour mills to flourish that could aggravate the already surcharged atmosphere. Media should not be seen as an enemy in a democratic set up. Stifling the media does not help to strengthen the democracy that has been under threat in Kashmir for such a long time.

अधिकारियों ने एक प्रमुख अलगाववादी आतंकवादी की हत्या से भड़के हिंसक विरोध प्रदर्शनों को समाप्त करने के लिए भारत प्रशासित कश्मीर में समाचार पत्रों को बंद कर दिया है। राइजिंग कश्मीर के संपादक शुजात बुखारी लिखते हैं कि समाचार ब्लैकआउट उन्हें आश्चर्यचकित क्यों नहीं करता है।


The Brexit lambs posing pricing problems

Summary: I've been to see some Brexit lambs in Redditch this week. Born in March they will be ready for slaughter at the end of October, almost exactly when we are due to leave the European Union. And how we leave, with or without a deal, will have a drastic impact on the price the farmer gets for them. Or indeed if they will at all.

David Gregory-KumarScience, Environment & Rural Affairs Correspondent About a third of our lambs go for export and they usually go to European countries. But in parts of the Midlands, some farmers have flocks that are entirely for export and we also have companies like Farmers Fresh in Kenilworth that have built up a strong business by supplying meat for the export trade. Brexit is already having a big impact on sheep farmers. Across the UK the number of breeding ewes has dropped by about 20% as farmers scale back production, unsure exactly what is going to happen at the end of October. And what really worries them is a no-deal Brexit. Frightening Sheep farmer Sam Jones voted leave but he told me a no-deal Brexit would be "frightening" for his business. If we leave without a deal then automatically all our exports are covered by World Trade Organisation rules. These introduce tariffs, or taxes, on lots of things we export. There's a lot of complex history behind the levels of the various tariffs and what they apply to, but farmers in particular get it in the neck. For sheep going for export, the tariff is technically 12% of the value of the lamb plus a fixed number of Euros, but in reality it works out at about 40% of the price of the carcass. And that's why sheep farmers like Sam are so worried. If we leave with no deal then on 31 October, a French customer can buy his lamb for £100, and 24 hours later, on 1 November, it will cost them £140. The tariff is collected by the EU and paid by the customers buying the lamb from our farmers. But an increase of £40 instantly makes our lamb uncompetitive. Consequences Sam's profit margin on a lamb is just under a pound, same for Farmers Fresh, so they can't hope to swallow up the price difference. Any lambs they sell will sell at a loss so instead exporters will try to sell at home and that will lead to a glut of lamb here in the UK. That will likely mean a price crash so even farmers who only supply the UK lamb market will be affected. Despite the drastic impact no deal would have on his business, Sam Jones says he only really became aware of the issue a few weeks ago. It may be a political bargaining tactic but when politicians talk of "walking away without a deal", it's an idea that will have very real consequences for farmers across the Midlands.

मैं इस सप्ताह रेडिच में कुछ ब्रेक्सिट भेड़ के बच्चों को देखने गया हूं। मार्च में जन्मे वे अक्टूबर के अंत में वध के लिए तैयार हो जाएंगे, लगभग ठीक उसी समय जब हम यूरोपीय संघ छोड़ने वाले हैं। और हम कैसे छोड़ते हैं, सौदे के साथ या बिना, किसान को मिलने वाली कीमत पर भारी प्रभाव पड़ेगा। या वास्तव में अगर वे बिल्कुल भी करेंगे।


Lyra McKee: What's next for Northern Ireland?

Summary: "Where now? What are we going to do after today?"

By Jayne McCormackBBC News NI Political Reporter That's the question many have been asking since the funeral of journalist Lyra McKee was held. Anyone watching the service will have heard the words of Father Martin Magill, as he addressed those gathered in St Anne's Cathedral. He asked: "Why in God's name does it take the death of a 29-year-old woman, with her whole life in front of her, to get to this point?" He knew exactly where he was directing his criticism - right at the Stormont politicians sitting in front of him, who have been at odds over how to restore power-sharing in Northern Ireland. He welcomed the symbolism of the DUP and Sinn Féin leaders standing together in the Creggan last week - but pointed out how rare it is to see in these strained political times. There are some who now feel Lyra McKee's death could be the turning point, a wake-up call for the political parties to resolve their differences. Many hope it will be. But sometimes optimism needs to be supported with a dose of realism. The Reverend Harold Good, who played a key role in the peace process, knows this better than most. He told the Stephen Nolan Show there had been other moments - including the aftermath of the Omagh bombing in 1998 - where "our hopes were that this would bring some kind of a turning of the tide". He said Fr Magill's comments were a "moment of opportunity to challenge" the political leaders. But have they taken on board what he was saying? Already, DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said he's not convinced that Ms McKee's murder is the beginning of real change. His party leader Arlene Foster insists the DUP is ready to go back into government immediately - and wants the issues holding things up to be addressed alongside a return to power-sharing in a parallel talks process. But that isn't a new idea and Sinn Féin rejected it when the DUP first suggested it in 2017. Their view is that a deal was firmly on the table in February 2018, which the DUP walked away from. The DUP has always said it was merely a draft proposal, and that they were not close to signing anything on the dotted line. And so we return to much of what has already been heard over the past two years, with neither party budging on its respective positions. Mrs Foster summed up the DUP view on Good Morning Ulster. "It's not a balanced discussion if Sinn Féin get everything they want and my community is left with nothing, it can't be a five-nil situation," she said. Sinn Féin negotiator Conor Murphy followed that by saying that restoration of the assembly could not be a "quick fix" and that "certain conditions" must be met first before his party will go back into government with the DUP. The other parties at Stormont have been making their own attempts to push for all-party talks. But ultimately every party, and the British and Irish governments, need to buy back into the process. Rebuilding trust The problems at Stormont are not merely about resolving matters of culture and language. It is also about two parties rebuilding the trust that's needed to share power. That point was raised by victims' campaigner Alan McBride on BBC radio on Thursday morning. He said that, having listened to the politicians' latest remarks, he believes "the whole concept of being a good neighbour in this society is gone". The parties will be aware that public opinion could swiftly turn against them if they do not take some kind of action. But, for the moment, there are elections to fight in Northern Ireland - and in fierce campaign battles, there are not too many moments of compromise. Politicians have been told to stop blaming each other and sort it out now. But with the assembly now down for two years and counting, that challenge may be easier said than done.

"अब कहाँ? आज के बाद हम क्या करने जा रहे हैं?"


Andamans: US man's death puts spotlight on 'tribal tourism'

Summary: The killing of an American national by members of an endangered tribe in the Andaman islands off India's east coast has renewed concerns over the surreptitious practice of "tribal tourism" in the archipelago, Omkar Khandekar writes.

The indigenous islanders of North Sentinel, among the last of the "uncontacted" tribes in the world, killed 27-year-old John Allen Chau with arrows when he went to their island last week. Police said that Chau had paid 25,000 rupees ($354; £275) to six local fishermen to take him to North Sentinel. Media reports suggested he wanted to introduce the islanders to Christianity. Andaman is home to five "particularly vulnerable" tribes. They are the Jarawas, North Sentinelese, Great Andamanese, Onge and Shompen. The Jarawas and the North Sentinelese haven't integrated with the mainstream population yet. This makes them a source of intrigue for many of the 500,000 tourists who visit the islands every year. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs passed a notification exempting foreign nationals from having to acquire restricted area permits (RAP) to visit 29 islands in the archipelago. The list includes nine islands in Nicobar and two in Andaman, occupied by tribal and indigenous communities considered "particularly vulnerable". Among them was also North Sentinel island. But authorities insist tourists will still have to obtain permission from the district authority and the forest department to do so. The Jarawas live in a 1,028km forest reserve between the south and middle Andamans. To see them, many tourists take a two-hour bus ride from Andaman's capital Port Blair to Baratang which is home to limestone caves and mud volcanoes. To do so, they travel on the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) which cuts through the Jarawa reserves. In 2013, the Supreme Court banned tourists from taking the ATR after a video shot by a journalist showed policemen forcing six Jarawa women to dance for tourists. The court reversed the decision after the state administration submitted a notification promising that no tourist or commercial establishment in the area would be permitted. "The administration has long prioritised the livelihood of the locals," says Manish Chandi from the Andaman Nicobar Environment Team, who has been studying the islands for the past 18 years. "After the court's ruling, it set up a ferry to Baratang island from Port Blair. It was a clever move. If questioned, they could always say it has made an alternative to the road available and the choice now rests on the tourists. But invariably, tourists 'choose' the road." There is no direct connection to the North Sentinel islands, which are located 50km west of the capital Port Blair. There is also frequent patrolling by the coastguard to keep intrepid travellers at bay. And yet, says Mr Chandi, people keep attempting to see the North Sentinelese - often by bribing local fishermen. "In 2013-14, a Mumbai-based businessman on a sports fishing boat was caught by the coastguard looking at the North Sentinelese," says Mr Chandi. "Often, yachts carrying foreign tourists pass by the islands. But most are deterred by the coastguard patrol and make sure they don't lurk around." Officials from the Department of Forest and Wildlife didn't respond to phone calls by the BBC. But Govind Ram, director of the Department of Tribal Welfare in the islands, indicates he is aware of the instances of tribal tourism. "It's true that people have a fascination to see the tribal community," he says. "We have made all arrangements to restrict this from happening. There's regular patrolling by the police and officials from the tribal welfare department." But given the size of the areas meant to be patrolled, he adds, "there is a chance that miscreants can enter". And despite official insistence that foreigners will still need to obtain permission from the district authority and the forest department to visit Jarawa reserves and North Sentinel, conservationists say the scrapping of restricted area permits for these islands sends a signal that they will eventually be opened for tourism. "The decision was taken unilaterally, without any consultation with local stakeholders," said Denis Giles, editor of the local newspaper Andaman Chronicles. "Instead of taking measures that might lead to tribal tourism, the government needs to continue with the 'hands off, eyes on' policy it has practised so far." Earlier this month, the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes said the relaxation needed to be "reconsidered". Despite its widespread practice and extensive documentation by groups like Survival International, which works for tribal peoples' rights, two major tour operators the BBC spoke to denied any instance of tribal tourism in the islands. "I have never had anyone inquire about tribal tourism," said M Vinod, the president of the Andaman Association of Tour Operators, which represents 102 of 176 registered tourism firms in the islands. "Police security is high and movements are strictly regulated while passing through tribal reserves." The killing of the US national, he adds, was only a case of a "security lapse". "The relaxation of RAPs is a good move for tourism," he says. And his stand on including islands like North Sentinel? "It's up to the government to decide which islands it wants to promote."

ओमकार खांडेकर लिखते हैं कि भारत के पूर्वी तट से दूर अंडमान द्वीप समूह में एक लुप्तप्राय जनजाति के सदस्यों द्वारा एक अमेरिकी नागरिक की हत्या ने द्वीपसमूह में "आदिवासी पर्यटन" की गुप्त प्रथा पर चिंता को फिर से बढ़ा दिया है।


Saudi woman to be lashed for defying driving ban

Summary: A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a woman to 10 lashes for breaking the country's ban on female drivers.

The woman, identified only as Shema, was found guilty of driving in Jeddah in July. Women2drive, which campaigns for women to be allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, says she has already lodged an appeal. In recent months, scores of women have driven vehicles in Saudi cities in an effort to put pressure on the monarchy to change the law. The sentence comes two days after the Saudi leader King Abdullah announced women would be allowed to vote for the first time in 2015. Two other women are due to appear in court later this year on similar charges, correspondents say.

सऊदी अरब की एक अदालत ने महिला चालकों पर देश के प्रतिबंध को तोड़ने के लिए एक महिला को 10 कोड़ों की सजा सुनाई है।


Bus fire in Crimond tackled by emergency services

Summary: Emergency services have been dealing with a serious double-decker bus fire in Aberdeenshire.

The alarm was raised in Crimond, near Peterhead, at about 14:25. Stagecoach Bluebird said it involved the number 69 service. The company said in a statement: "We are currently assisting the emergency services. Our driver is safe and well, as are the few passengers who were on board. We will carry out our own investigation into the cause."

आपातकालीन सेवाएँ एबरडीनशायर में एक गंभीर डबल-डेकर बस आग से निपट रही हैं।