The other Balochistan: Six stories of life in a conflict zone

Summary: Pakistan's poorest province, Balochistan, is often in the news because of targeted killings, suicide attacks and abductions. The BBC's Shumaila Jaffery met people in the capital Quetta trying to lead normal lives.

The secret life of a bank manager Yasir is lead singer of underground rock band Malhaar. Bank manager by day but rocker by night, he must keep his passion for music hidden as he lives in a conservative Muslim society where it's taboo to sing and dance. He and his friends gather in the evening in a basement room and play rock tunes to warm up but then get going with Bollywood songs. They're mostly students who use their spare cash to buy musical instruments and equipment. "My customers at the bank wouldn't like it," says Yasir between takes. "I try not to share my music on my own social media accounts because I fear losing business." As he strums his guitar to the tune of an Atif Aslam song, Yasir talks about his love of music. "Our society is deeply wounded by the violence," he says. "Our purpose for playing music is to entertain people." There's no public space for Malhaar to perform. They've been invited by universities in the past but their performances have been picketed by right-wing groups and have ended in scuffles. "The environment is particularly tense for young people. They even have to be careful about how they dress," says Yasir. Wearing "Western" clothes and not having a long beard can spell trouble. Yasir knows there are no openings for musicians here but lives out his dreams in his basement rehearsal room. "We just want to make people happy." Life and death in her hands Dr Shehla Sami Kakar was the first doctor who rushed towards the scene when a suicide bomber struck outside Quetta's civil hospital in August 2016. Seventy people, mostly lawyers, were killed that day. "There was a big pool of blood," she says. "Dozens of men in black coats and white shirts were lying on the floor." The gynaecologist says she didn't know what to do. She now works in Quetta's Bolan Medical complex but suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the attack. Dr Shehla says her religious faith helped her come through it. "We have to live in this society," she says. "We survive with the hope every day that it's going to be a normal routine day." She says all big cities in Pakistan have experienced violence, not just Quetta. "When you look from the outside, it seems that we are leading very difficult lives," she says. "But I don't agree. It's the tribal mindset and lack of discipline in the city that bothers me the most." She says women lack education and freedom in Balochistan. "I am fully aware of the restrictions that male family members place on women, even for their medical treatment," she says. "The women don't have a complete say." But even with all these restrictions and complications, it's Balochistan's multi-ethnic makeup that challenges her the most. "We have Hazara, Baloch, Pashtun, Punjabi, Urdu and Persian-speaking communities in Quetta," says Dr Shehla. "All of them have different values and traditions so I have to consider their cultural sensitivities while treating them." The journalist who faces being shot Khalil Ahmed is president of the Balochistan Union of Journalists. His office in the Quetta press club is surrounded by barbed wire and there are armed guards on duty. He is matter of fact about the risks. "Abduction is not a tradition here," he says. "You will be targeted, shot and silenced forever." Thirty-eight journalists have been killed in Balochistan over the past decade. They are targeted by the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Baloch separatists and sectarian organisations. There are also allegations of extra-judicial killings of reporters by the military and the state government, which officials deny. As Khalil stands in the courtyard, students are holding a protest outside. "You can only use a few limited words and cannot share your thoughts freely," he says. Reflecting the viewpoint of Baloch separatists who oppose the Pakistani state also lands you in trouble. Eighteen journalists in the province are on trial under anti-terrorism laws for publishing such opinions. Despite repeated promises by the government, these cases have not been thrown out yet. "Separatists and militants tell us they have got all the information about our children and they can harm them at any time," says Khalil. He's been a journalist for 18 years and refuses to give up. "It's our job," he says. "The night we are destined to be in a grave cannot be changed, so why worry about it?" Under the shadow of death Naseem Javed is forced to live in a ghetto. As a Hazara and a Shia, he is in a minority. Hundreds of his people have lost their lives in targeted killings and suicide attacks over the past decade. They have taken refuge in the Marriabad settlement overlooking Quetta. There is one entry point and it's manned by security personnel around the clock. But even this has not stopped the Hazara bloodshed. "Cinema halls are destroyed, markets are closed, art galleries and theatres are in the ruins," says Naseem. "It's difficult to even breathe in this environment." Men gather close to Qabristan-e-Shuhda, or the "martyrs' graveyard", on top of a small hill in the evening. They play a traditional game called "sang girag", or throw the stone. As the men play, others sit in the fading sunlight and listen to recitations of religious poetry written in Persian. Naseem Javed is young for the gathering but still visits. "We are living under the shadow of death," he says. "Those who can leave the country have already migrated. Youngsters feel that the future is bleak and have only one dream - to run away from this place." He says their hopes are constantly raised when there is a lull in the violence, then dashed. "People think that they might be able to lead normal lives but with another targeted killing they return to absolute despair," says Naseem, adding that they can only pray that things get better. A student who hopes... Journalism student Sehneela Manzoor, 23, is articulate, forthright and confident - and has no time to waste. "Things are improving," she says. "If I am sitting here and many of my friends and fellows are entering higher education and getting jobs, it shows that change is happening." Of course, Sehneela, who studies at Balochistan University, is aware of the dangers - but she says she refuses to let them knock her off course. "If something happens over and over again, people learn to live with it," she says. But living where she does puts her at a disadvantage in her career, she admits. "When we compare ourselves with students from other provinces, they are at a level where it's very hard to compete with them for job opportunities." Sehneela believes the conservative tribal mindset is the biggest barrier to women's development. But she's still hopeful, despite the fact young people are leaving Balochistan because they think their talent will be wasted. "The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is here, new businesses are being set up, a lot of construction activity is going on and a new education system is being introduced." She hopes to profit from it and help others stay and rebuild rather than move away. The cobbler who may leave Asmatullah Khan runs a shoe shop in Quetta's old town. His family has owned the shop since 1982 and he took it over after the death of his father. "Customers are rare and business is bad," says Asmatullah, polishing a brown ladies sandal. "Shopkeepers and customers used to be fearless without a care in the world." Hashmi market was a favourite shopping destination for tourists from Punjab and Sindh provinces, as well as the families of military officers posted in Quetta. But due to the rise in violence over the past decade, tourist numbers have collapsed and military families remain confined to barracks. "We use to make about 90,000 Pakistani rupees [about $780; £580] a day, but now we earn about 10,000 rupees." Asmatullah says that there are fewer attacks now but people's confidence is gone. "Every morning when I leave home, my mother recites verses from the Koran so I come back safely," he says. And the future is bleak. "I cannot even meet basic needs of my children," says Asmatullah. "The quality of life has gone down drastically. "If things don't improve, I will quit and go to Dubai as I don't have any other option."

पाकिस्तान का सबसे गरीब प्रांत, बलूचिस्तान, अक्सर लक्षित हत्याओं, आत्मघाती हमलों और अपहरणों के कारण चर्चा में रहता है। बीबीसी की शुमैला जाफरी ने राजधानी क्वेटा में सामान्य जीवन जीने की कोशिश कर रहे लोगों से मुलाकात की।


Design for Bournemouth Imax cinema site

Summary: Bournemouth Borough Council has released designs for a new seafront entertainment space on the site of the former Imax cinema.

The cinema is set to be demolished in the autumn to make way for a new public area hosting music concerts, markets and open-air performances. Public consultation on the proposal closes on Wednesday and, if approved, could be completed by next summer. The Imax cinema closed in 2005 after only three years in business. The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Pavilion Dance have both already expressed an interest in staging performances at the waterfront site. Council leader John Beesley said: "A public consultation we carried out in 2010 showed an entertainment and events space was amongst the top preferred uses for the site."

बोर्नेमाउथ बरो काउंसिल ने पूर्व आईमैक्स सिनेमा की साइट पर एक नए सीफ्रंट मनोरंजन स्थान के लिए डिज़ाइन जारी किए हैं।


Ceremony in Invergordon recalls Battle of Jutland

Summary: A ceremony has taken place in Invergordon to remember the Battle of Jutland, the biggest naval engagement of World War One.

The battle fought near the coast of Denmark during 31 May and 1 June 1916, involved about 250 ships. The Royal Navy's Grand Fleet, based at Scapa Flow in Orkney, clashed with the German High Seas Fleet. Many of the Royal Navy's casualties were taken to Invergordon in Easter Ross. Tuesday's commemoration coincided with a visit to the town on the Cromarty Firth by HMS Sutherland, a Type 23 frigate. Youth organisations, including the Sea Cadets, joined the ship's crew in a march through the town.

प्रथम विश्व युद्ध के सबसे बड़े नौसैनिक युद्ध जटलैंड की लड़ाई को याद करने के लिए इनवरगॉर्डन में एक समारोह आयोजित किया गया है।


On-the-run killer Ryan Hill detained after leaving prison

Summary: A convicted killer and burglar has been found and detained after he absconded from a prison in South Yorkshire.

Ryan Hill, 41, left Hatfield Open Prison on Christmas Eve and did not return. He was jailed for manslaughter in 2008 and was recalled to prison for burglary in 2019. South Yorkshire Police said Hill was found by Thames Valley officers on Thursday. Hill is being held in custody, the force added. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk or send video here. Related Internet Links Home - SYP

दक्षिण यॉर्कशायर की एक जेल से फरार होने के बाद एक दोषी हत्यारे और चोर को पाया गया है और हिरासत में लिया गया है।


Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food legacy in Rotherham

Summary: Jamie Oliver has a chequered past in Rotherham.

By Stephanie BarnardBBC News In 2006, in what was seen as a backlash against his healthy school dinners campaign, parents started taking lunchtime fast food orders to pupils at Rawmarsh Community School. Pictures of chips being pushed through school railings were shown around the world. Undaunted, the TV chef set up the Ministry of Food in the town - the aim being to show people how to cook tasty, healthy meals. He received a mixed reception, from those eager to learn to those unhappy at being portrayed on TV as convenience food-eating northerners who could not cook. Beyond shepherds pie A shop on All Saints Square was turned into a social enterprise kitchen where two full-time staff run 10-week courses. Since the project opened in July 2008 it claims to have shown more than 10,000 people how to cook. Patrick Tune signed up to the course to expand his cooking repertoire beyond shepherds pie. The 70-year-old from Wickersley confesses he "doesn't always get it right", but does enjoy cooking. On week four of the course he and four women from Brinsworth were creating a Keema curry using fresh produce. "I've told all my mates but they think it's hilarious," said Mr Tune. "They are out of touch. There's old-age people who are 70 and then there's 70. There's blokes who are ready for dominoes but I'm not." Encouraged by his newly-acquired skills, Mr Tune said he was working his way through a book of 400 soup recipes. 'Happy students' Since the dark days of "chip-runs" at Rawmarsh, the school said it had seen the number of students eating dinners increase. The menu includes oriental beef stir fry and mushroom stroganoff - with not a chip in sight until Friday's offering of breaded fish and chips. Assistant head teacher Rob Haines said: "We put our catering provision out to tender, obviously with healthy eating high on the criteria. "Mellors are now our caters. They have pledged to prepare meals from scratch with fresh produce. Students seem much happier with that." Despite the negative press the school received almost six years ago, Mr Haines said the long-term effect had proven positive. "It was good that people were enabled to focus on healthy eating, nutrition and expanding horizons. Jamie Oliver, we have to admit, was a catalyst in that. "Nutritious food does actually help performance, in terms of lessons in the afternoon. If people are eating well, research shows they are more likely to study well." A year after Oliver's visit to the town, Rotherham Institute for Obesity opened. It claims to have helped more than 3,500 people lose weight. The centre focuses on encouraging people to lose weight, rather than preaching, and provides a counselling service and a cook-and-eat class. And since the Rotherham experiment four more Ministry of Food kitchens have opened, in Leeds, Bradford, Newcastle and Stratford in east London. The scheme now plans to go international with plans for a kitchen in Australia being announced last week. Rotherham, meanwhile, has moved a long way from chips through railings.

जेमी ओलिवर का रोथरहैम में एक उतार-चढ़ाव वाला अतीत रहा है।


Power restored in Wiltshire to 'all but one home'

Summary: Scottish and Southern Energy said power has now been restored to all but one property in Wiltshire following storms on Friday night.

At one stage more than 10,000 homes in the county were without electricity. A spokesman said the company drafted in 1,000 staff over the weekend and provided hot meals for those affected. He said conditions were "challenging" for engineers, and flooding and fallen trees had hampered efforts to carry out the repairs.

स्कॉटिश और दक्षिणी ऊर्जा ने कहा कि शुक्रवार की रात को तूफान के बाद विल्टशायर में एक संपत्ति को छोड़कर सभी में बिजली बहाल कर दी गई है।


Bohemian Rhapsody: First Oscars night for sound editor

Summary: Dressing up in a grand gown, walking down the red carpet and enjoying lavish Los Angeles parties are experiences most commonly associated with A-listers. But what is it like for relatively unknown technical staff who are nominated for an Oscar?

By Toby WadeyBBC News On 22 January, sound editor Nina Hartstone stared pensively at her computer in her living room in Berkshire, watching a live-stream on Twitter of the nominations being announced. The 47-year-old had every reason to be hopeful. Bohemian Rhapsody - about Queen's Freddie Mercury - has been a box office hit and on the receiving end of critical plaudits. She sat silently in disbelief as the good news was confirmed, then sent a text message to her co-nominee John Warhurst. "We really didn't expect it - it's usually films with heavy special effects and action movies that get nominated in the [sound editing] category. "Then I walked into the front room where my dad and my son were - and just said 'I've just been nominated for an Oscar'." Nina started out in sound engineering as a "tea girl" at Pinewood Studios in south Buckinghamshire more than 25 years ago. She later moved to the cutting room, learning about post-production before spending time mastering her digital skills. This led to her taking on increasingly senior sound-editing roles on films including Interview with the Vampire, Gosford Park and Gravity. But her involvement with Bohemian Rhapsody is her most significant professional achievement to date - so much so she and her team won a Bafta earlier this month; the ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall giving her a flavour of the Hollywood glamour to come. You might also be interested in: What I learned when I stopped shaving Landing a Specials gig from a viral photo 'I was married and divorced in my 20s' While the media mostly focused on the success of The Favourite star Olivia Colman, Nina walked away somewhat quietly with the gong for best sound - although not before awards host Joanna Lumley "photo-bombed" their team selfie. "Joanna was great - she went all Ab Fab. She was in big heels so was much taller than me - but she was really sweet and kept pushing me to the front of the photo." Her favourite moment of the night however was US actor Melissa McCarthy congratulating her at the after-party. "It was like, 'how does she know who I am?'" The mother-of-three, who will fly to Los Angeles this week, said going to Hollywood feels different from the Baftas and is like "venturing into the unknown". She said she was being flown business class before staying at a luxury hotel, courtesy of filmmakers 20th Century Fox. A week packed full of pre-Oscar parties and events has been arranged too. The ceremony is famed for photographers calling out "what are you wearing?" to the showbiz glitterati walking down the red carpet and Nina said she was eager to look her best. She asked some of her Pinewood colleagues - mostly men - who have attended the event before, but they weren't a great deal of help. "They usually have one suit and just keep recycling it," she joked. "So it's not much good asking advice from them in this situation. "To be honest I've hit an age where it's mostly about comfort. The main thing is I don't like being cold. I look at clothes and think 'how does it fit me?' I'm not concerned about the label it's got." Nina says she has been overwhelmed by the experience so far, but is keen to soak it up. The week away will be a welcome break, she says, after not going on holiday for the past two years. "It's going to be a bit of a contrast to clearing up cat sick and looking after the kids."

भव्य गाउन पहनना, लाल कालीन पर चलना और लॉस एंजिल्स की शानदार पार्टियों का आनंद लेना आम तौर पर ए-लिस्टर्स के साथ जुड़े अनुभव हैं। लेकिन ऑस्कर के लिए नामांकित अपेक्षाकृत अज्ञात तकनीकी कर्मचारियों के लिए यह कैसा है?


Moray Firth's bottlenose dolphin population 'stable'

Summary: The Moray Firth's population of bottlenose dolphins remains "stable", according to a new report published by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

An estimated 102 individual dolphins used a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) in the firth during the summer of 2011, 112 in 2012 and 94 in 2013. The firth and North Sea provide habitat for the world's most northerly resident population of bottlenose dolphins. The species is protected by European Union rules.

स्कॉटिश नेचुरल हेरिटेज (एस. एन. एच.) द्वारा प्रकाशित एक नई रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, मोरे फर्थ में बॉटलनोज़ डॉल्फ़िन की आबादी "स्थिर" बनी हुई है।


Courtenay and Rampling hurdle the age barrier in 45 Years

Summary: A film starring two British "national treasures" set against a quintessentially English backdrop sounds like it might struggle to sell overseas. But 45 Years has been winning praise and awards - and raising eyebrows.

By Keily SmithEntertainment reporter Charlotte Rampling and Sir Tom Courtenay take the lead roles in 45 Years as Kate and Geoff, a married couple looking forward to their 45th wedding anniversary. But when a letter arrives about an old flame who died years earlier, it threatens to unravel their steady existence. Despite the film's very English tone and setting, Rampling and Sir Tom shared a best acting award when 45 Years debuted at Berlin Film Festival earlier this year, and the film was snapped up by buyers from across the world. But one of the biggest talking points has been the sex scene between Rampling, 69, and Sir Tom, 78. It only seems a shocking idea because the love lives of older people are so rarely portrayed on screen. The scene was shot in 10 minutes. "I loved it!" Sir Tom says. "It was no bother whatsoever. It was so ungratuitous and it came so naturally and it was so true to life. I was much more worried about the dancing than the sex scene." Rampling was not quite so keen. "I never liked them personally," she says. "Tom loved it because he hasn't done many sex scenes in his career. "I don't like it is because in that level of intimacy I feel very shy, but that's just me. "Every other part of acting I'll give it my all and I'm not shy, but with this I feel you shouldn't have people watching, having to do it again or to be told where to put your hand... or bring your bum up a bit. I don't like that. "But you do it with minimum people in the room - just three people. It's not a gang bang!" There are no big fireworks - the film is more subtle than that. The letter the couple receive reveals that the body of Geoff's former fiancee Katya has been discovered in the Swiss Alps, having befallen a terrible accident while they were mountain climbing together decades earlier. Although this happened before he and Kate met, the news brings up haunting memories for him, and makes Kate wonder what could have happened if Katya had not died. There are no action shots from the Alps or screaming rows - only reminisces at the kitchen table, photos uncovered in the attic and languishing shots of the Norfolk Broads. The film was written and directed by Andrew Haigh, whose previous film Weekend won accolades and festival awards for its heartwarming depiction of a gay romance. The cast and director believe they know why the film resonates internationally. "I put it down to Andrew bringing the human out in people, and humans are universal," says Rampling. "Race, religion and all that certainly go away when you have a story which is about relationships, and we are haunted by regrets. That's a very fundamental human condition to be in." The actress adds: "It's not a film about old people. Hugely young audiences are coming to it and being impressed with it, and being moved by it." Haigh himself realises that it could have been a hard film to market, but believes its themes have a universal appeal. "For me, it is an English story and there is an English repression, but in the end it is still about the struggle that everyone has to understand not only their relationship but understand themselves and understand the choices we've made," he says. "We've all had regrets looking back, wondering what could have been. That's such a universal thing. There's no person in the world at any age that hasn't thought 'what would have happened if I'd done that.'" The screenplay is based on a short story by David Constantine, but changes the ages of the central characters from late 80s to the more sprightly 70s. "I can't believe there's going to be any 15-year-old kids who usually see Transformers suddenly popping to their local cinema to see 45 Years," says Haigh. "But, you know, I'm 42 and it speaks to me. "I haven't based the characters on anyone, it's more how would I react. "There's this belief that you're fundamentally different when you're 70. I think that's based on our own understanding of our grandparents - but our grandparents as our grandparents, not as actual human beings. "I don't think I'm fundamentally different than when I was 20 years ago. I have the same anxieties and fears and hopes so I feel that in another 20 years, I'll hopefully be a bit wiser, but I'll feel the same things. "I love the observational way of film-making. I like the idea that people might reassess their parents' relationships, or their grandparents'." 'It spoke to me' Sir Tom is a veteran of British cinema, having made his name in "kitchen sink" classics such as The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner and Billy Liar. The promotional duties are getting to him. He confesses he has lost his hearing aid and jokes that "this is the third day of interviews, another tomorrow, and I'll be dead". But the Hull-born actor is enthusiastic about this story. "I read it on my iPhone in an hour and I thought, this is it, the truth," he says. "A man looking back at what happened all that time ago in a very vivid way. "It spoke to me in a way that doesn't happen much - almost never." 45 Years is released in the UK on Friday.

अंग्रेजी पृष्ठभूमि पर आधारित दो ब्रिटिश "राष्ट्रीय खजाने" वाली एक फिल्म ऐसा लगता है कि इसे विदेशों में बेचने के लिए संघर्ष करना पड़ सकता है। लेकिन 45 इयर्स प्रशंसा और पुरस्कार जीत रहा है-और भौहें उठा रहा है।


M1 crash deaths: Driver 'did not smell of alcohol'

Summary: A lorry driver accused of being twice the drink-drive limit when he was involved in a crash which killed eight people on the M1 appeared "normal" when he started his shift, a court heard.

Ryszard Masierak, 32, stopped on the carriageway near Newport Pagnell at about 03:00 on 26 August. A minibus was waiting to go around Mr Masierak's lorry when David Wagstaff, 54, ploughed into the back of the van. Mr Masierak's boss said he did not smell of alcohol when he started work. AIM Logistics supervisor Mariusz Mazurek told Reading Crown Court the lorry driver seemed fine and did not smell of alcohol when he signed in for his shift. The driver of the minibus and seven passengers died in the crash. They were travelling from Nottingham to London to catch a coach to Disneyland Paris at the time of the crash. Lorry driver Matthew Norwood told the court he saw Mr Masierak's vehicle in the inside lane as he was driving back to his base in Milton Keynes. "I looked over in disbelief," he said. "There was no movement in the cab. I would expect someone to be on the cab, talking to someone on the phone if they had broken down." Another driver, Jared Peel, told the jury he pressed his horn as he went around Mr Masierak's lorry "to try and get his attention and to warn him that what he was doing was dangerous". Dash cam footage of Mr Peel going around the lorry to avoid a crash was shown in court. Mr Masierak, of Barnards Close in Evesham, Worcestershire, and Mr Wagstaff, of Derwent Street in Stoke-on-Trent both face eight charges of causing death by dangerous driving. The two men are also charged with four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and Mr Masierak faces an additional charge of drinking and driving. They both deny all charges against them. The trial continues.

एक अदालत ने सुना कि एक लॉरी चालक पर शराब पीकर गाड़ी चलाने की सीमा से दोगुना होने का आरोप लगाया गया था, जब वह एक दुर्घटना में शामिल था, जिसमें एम1 पर आठ लोगों की मौत हो गई थी, जब उसने अपनी पारी शुरू की, तो वह "सामान्य" दिखाई दिया।


The Indian schoolchildren who are bullied for being Muslim

Summary: Schools and playgrounds can be dangerous places where children are isolated or bullied. Children often use differences in appearance, skin colour, food habits, misogyny, homophobia and casteism to inflict pain on their peers.

By Geeta PandeyBBC News, Delhi And now, according to a new book out in India, Muslim children are increasingly being targeted in posh schools for their religious identity because of the growing Islamophobia in India and across the world. Writer Nazia Erum, who spoke to 145 families in 12 cities and 100 children studying in 25 elite Delhi schools while researching her book Mothering a Muslim, says that children as young as five are being targeted. "What I found during my research was shocking, I didn't think it was happening in these elite schools," Ms Erum told the BBC. "When five and six year olds say they were called a Pakistani or a terrorist, how do you respond to that? And how do you complain to the school?" she asks. "A lot of it is said in jest, it's meant to be funny, to evoke a laugh. It's subtle and it can seem like harmless banter, but it's not. It's actually bullying and tormenting." The children she interviewed for her book told her about some of the questions and comments that are regularly hurled at them: Since its launch, the book has started a conversation around religious hate and prejudice in schools and last weekend, #MotheringAMuslim trended high on Twitter, with many taking to social media to share their own experiences. Nearly 80% of India's population of 1.3 billion is Hindu, while Muslims make up 14.2%. For the most part, the two communities have lived peacefully, but religious resentment has always simmered below the surface since 1947 when India and Pakistan were carved out of a single nation. The parting was bloody - between half a million and a million people were killed in religious violence. Ms Erum says while anti-Muslim slurs have been used since the 1990s, after the demolition of the Babri mosque by Hindu hardline groups and the Hindu-Muslim riots that followed, in recent years their tone and intensity have changed. She became acutely aware of it in 2014, after she gave birth to her first child. "As I held my little daughter Myra in my arms, for the first time I was afraid," Ms Erum said, adding that she was worried about even giving the baby a name that could be easily identified as Muslim. It was a time of sharp religious divisions in India. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party was running a hugely polarising election campaign, which helped sweep Prime Minister Narendra Modi to power. There was a rise in Hindu nationalist sentiment and some television channels were presenting a distorted narrative that painted Muslims as "invaders, anti-national and a threat to national security". "Since 2014, my identity as a Muslim was in my face, and all my other identities had become secondary to that. There was a sense of palpable fear among the entire community," Ms Erum says. And since then, the fault lines have only widened. The polarising arguments and debates on television have entrenched biases, which are now being passed around from the adults to children. "So in playgrounds, schools, classrooms and school buses, a Muslim child is singled out, pushed into a corner, called a Pakistani, IS, Bagdadi and terrorist," says Ms Erum. The stories of children she cites in the book make for grim reading: Being bullied on account of one's religion in schools is not limited to India, it's happening across the world. In the US, it's been described as the "Trump Effect" after reports that his presidential campaign had produced an alarming level of fear and anxiety among children of colour and inflamed racial and ethnic tensions in the classroom. So can the increased bullying of Muslim children in Indian schools be described as the "Modi Effect"? "All politicians are using a similar tone, including those from Islamic parties," Ms Erum says. She adds that schools have refused to accept that religious bullying took place on their premises. That, she says, could also be since most cases go unreported - children don't want to be seen as tattletales and most parents dismiss them as random incidents. But what is worrying is that a form of self-censorship has crept into their lives and many Muslim parents have begun telling their children to be on their best behaviour at all times - don't argue, don't be good at computer games that involve bombs or guns, don't crack a joke at the airport, don't wear traditional outfits when you go out. Ms Erum says these are warning signs and parents and schools must do everything possible to counter communal bullying. "The first step is to accept that there's a problem, and then have a conversation about it. Whataboutery is not going to help," she says. "If this issue is not addressed, it's not going to be restricted to 9pm debates in television studios or newspaper headlines, because hate swallows all, it impacts both the tormentor and the tormented equally."

स्कूल और खेल के मैदान खतरनाक स्थान हो सकते हैं जहाँ बच्चों को अलग-थलग किया जाता है या धमकाया जाता है। बच्चे अक्सर अपने साथियों को दर्द देने के लिए रूप, त्वचा के रंग, भोजन की आदतों, स्त्री-द्वेष, होमोफोबिया और जातिवाद में अंतर का उपयोग करते हैं।


Big storms compared: 1987 and 2013

Summary: The storm that battered parts of the UK on Sunday night and the early hours of Monday was one of the most powerful to hit Britain in recent years, with a maximum gust of nearly 100mph recorded in the Isle of Wight.

Four people were killed and about 600,000 suffered power cuts as the storm tore its way across the country. But how did it compare with the infamous Great Storm of 16 October 1987? The 2013 storm developed to the south west of the UK on Sunday before tracking into the Bristol Channel in the early hours of Monday 28 October. Driven by a powerful jet stream, the storm passed across the Midlands and into the North Sea as the morning progressed. The 1987 storm began as a small disturbance along a cold front in the Bay of Biscay, just north of Spain, which quickly deepened into an area of very low pressure. As in 2013, a particularly strong jet stream contributed towards its rapid progression. The 1987 storm is one the most severe the UK has suffered in recent decades. The last storm of a similar magnitude occurred in 1703, and wind speeds in locations such as Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, were the highest ever recorded. The loss of trees and woodland in southern England was particularly acute, with an estimated 15 million trees destroyed. There were some positives, however, as the storm cleared many old and decaying trees. A massive tree-planting programme was begun to replace the lost woodland, with the destruction of managed coniferous forest allowing some areas to be replanted with traditional native species. In another unforeseen consequence, a number of wild boar also escaped captivity during the storm and went on to successfully breed in the wild, helping to re-introduce the species to the UK after a gap of 400 years. Famous forecast BBC weatherman Michael Fish famously failed to predict the severity of the 1987 storm, but other factors, including the lack of a weather ship in the Bay of Biscay, were identified by risk analysts Risk Management Solutions as contributing to the UK being caught by surprise. In contrast, the BBC's Nick Miller on 25 October warned this year's storm would "pack quite a punch".

रविवार की रात और सोमवार के शुरुआती घंटों में ब्रिटेन के कुछ हिस्सों में आया तूफान हाल के वर्षों में ब्रिटेन से टकराने वाले सबसे शक्तिशाली तूफानों में से एक था, जिसमें आइल ऑफ वाइट में लगभग 100 मील प्रति घंटे की अधिकतम रफ्तार दर्ज की गई थी।


Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani sued by Dominion voting machine firm

Summary: A firm which provided voting machinery in last year's US presidential election is filing a defamation suit against Donald Trump's lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, seeking $1.3bn (£950m) in damages.

Dominion Voting Systems accuses Mr Giuliani of using Twitter and media appearances to promote a false narrative that the election was stolen. Mr Trump has refused to concede that Joe Biden won the 2020 election fairly. Mr Giuliani said the case would give him a chance to prove his allegations. Following the election Mr Giuliani repeated claims that Dominion was a Venezuelan enterprise and its machines switched votes from Mr Trump, a Republican, to Mr Biden, a Democrat. But the accusations have been rejected by courts in a number of states. Also, Mr Trump's Attorney General William Barr said in December that his department had found no evidence to back up Mr Trump's claims of fraud. The US Congress verified Mr Biden's victory on 6 January. 'Enormous harm' In court documents, Dominion alleges that Mr Giuliani "and his allies manufactured and disseminated the 'Big Lie,' which foreseeably went viral and deceived millions of people into believing that Dominion had stolen their votes and fixed the election". It said he repeated the "lie" even after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building in Washington DC on 6 January. The riots came as Mr Trump and Mr Giuliani continued to deny that Mr Biden had won the election and claim widespread voter fraud. The lawsuit also states that the company had to spend more than $500,000 on private security to protect employees from harassment and death threats. Mr Giuliani's statements provoked outrage and caused the company "enormous harm", it added. The firm filed the lawsuit to "stand up for itself, its employees and the electoral process", the lawsuit says. Dominion is already seeking $1.3bn from another former Trump lawyer, Sidney Powell, who made similar accusations. It says it has demanded that both lawyers, as well as more than 150 individuals and companies, retract their statements - but both have persisted in making false claims. US defamation laws differs from counterparts in Europe and elsewhere, in that the burden of proof rests with the claimant rather than with the defendant. In other words, Dominion will have to prove that false and defamatory statements were made against it, and that it was damaged by them.

पिछले साल के अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति चुनाव में मतदान तंत्र प्रदान करने वाली एक फर्म डोनाल्ड ट्रम्प के वकील रुडोल्फ गिउलिआनी के खिलाफ मानहानि का मुकदमा दायर कर रही है, जिसमें हर्जाने में $1.3bn (£950m) की मांग की गई है।


Operation Oak fells Aberdeen festive period crime

Summary: Police have hailed a crackdown on crime over the festive period in Aberdeen as a major success.

Grampian Police said Operation Oak had seen no assault and robberies recorded, and serious assaults falling by more than half on last year. Anti-social offences throughout the Christmas and New Year period were said to be down by 66.5%. Chief Supt Adrian Watson said: "It is extremely encouraging to see these results."

पुलिस ने एबरडीन में उत्सव की अवधि में अपराध पर कार्रवाई को एक बड़ी सफलता के रूप में सराहा है।


UK's most polluted towns and cities revealed

Summary: Update 4 May 2018: This story, first published on 2 May, has been revised after the WHO issued corrected figures, including those that had originally put Port Talbot at the top of its list. More than 40 towns and cities in the UK are at or have exceeded air pollution limits set by the World Health Organization, its new report has found.

The WHO estimates that 30 areas have fine-particle air pollution levels above 10 micrograms per cubic metre, with another 17 at that limit. Areas that exceeded the level included London, Manchester and Swansea. Dirty air can cause debilitating diseases and hasten death. The figures on air pollution are contained in the WHO's report, which estimates that globally nine out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. Most of the UK figures were collected between 2013 and 2015 and in some places estimates of fine-particle air pollution were made based on measurements of larger particles of pollution. In the UK, Scunthorpe had the highest estimated level of fine-particle air pollution at 15 micrograms per cubic metre, though this was from 2013. Fine-particle air pollution is particularly bad for us, penetrating deep into the lungs and cardiovascular system, causing diseases including stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory infections, the WHO says. It estimates that, globally, seven million people die each year from exposure to such pollution, with most of these deaths being in low and middle-income countries, mainly in Asia and Africa. The world's most polluted city in 2015, according to the WHO, was Muzaffarpur in India, with a figure of 197 micrograms per cubic metre - although that figure is under revision. Pasakha in Bhutan, Delhi in India and greater Cairo, Egypt, also had very high levels. However, while many UK towns had air pollution recorded at or above the WHO's recommended limit, in a number of places the levels are falling. In London, for example, levels fell from 17 to 11 micrograms from 2013 to 2015, while in the same period there was a fall from 17 micrograms to 12 in Sheffield. Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the British Heart Foundation, said the UK still had "a long way to go in the fight against air pollution". "The UK government needs to show leadership by adopting WHO air quality guidelines into national legislation and in doing so, help to protect the nation's heart and circulatory health." A spokesman for the government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "While air quality in the UK has improved significantly since 2010, this report from the WHO clearly shows the impact air pollution is having on the health of men, women and children in the UK and across the world. "Tackling this important issue is a priority for this government which is why we have a £3.5bn plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions and will set out further actions through a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy later this year." The 30 UK places (and Gibraltar) that exceeded the limit of 10 micrograms per cubic metre: Scunthorpe: 15 (estimate) Gibraltar: 14 Manchester: 13 Swansea: 13 Gillingham: 13 (estimate) Carlisle: 12 (estimate) Chepstow: 12 (estimate) Leeds: 12 Leicester: 12 Liverpool: 12 Grays: 12 (estimate) Eccles: 12 (estimate) Nottingham: 12 (estimate) Plymouth: 12 (estimate) York: 12 Prestonpans: 12 Royal Leamington Spa: 12 Sandy: 12 Sheffield: 12 (estimate) Stoke-On-Trent: 12 London:11 Coventry: 11 Hull: 11 (estimate) Londonderry: 11 (estimate) Middlesbrough: 11 Norwich: 11 (estimate) Southend-On-Sea: 11 Stockton-On-Tees: 11 Storrington: 11 Wigan: 11 The 17 areas that are at the limit: Armagh:10 (estimate) Birmingham: 10 Brighton: 10 Bristol: 10 Cardiff: 10 Eastbourne: 10 Harlington: 10 Newcastle: 10 (estimate) Newport: 10 Oxford: 10 Portsmouth: 10 Preston: 10 Salford: 10 (estimate) Saltash: 10 Southampton: 10 Stanford-Le-Hope: 10 Port Talbot: 10

अद्यतन 4 मई 2018: यह कहानी, जो पहली बार 2 मई को प्रकाशित हुई थी, को डब्ल्यू. एच. ओ. द्वारा सही आंकड़े जारी करने के बाद संशोधित किया गया है, जिसमें वे भी शामिल हैं जिन्होंने मूल रूप से पोर्ट टैलबोट को अपनी सूची में सबसे ऊपर रखा था। इसकी नई रिपोर्ट में पाया गया है कि यू. के. के 40 से अधिक कस्बों और शहरों ने विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन द्वारा निर्धारित वायु प्रदूषण सीमा को पार कर लिया है या पार कर लिया है।


Q&A: Draft school curriculum for Wales

Summary: Why is the school curriculum being changed?

As a draft of the new school curriculum for Wales is unveiled, we take a look at what the biggest reform to Welsh schools in decades actually means. The main basis for the current curriculum dates from 1988. Technological developments have led to major changes in society and that means young people need different skills. Over 30 years, extra elements were bolted on to the curriculum so some argue it has become too unwieldy. The new curriculum aims to set out a more coherent and relevant blueprint of what pupils should be getting out of their time at school. The reforms also came out of concerns about standards and poor results in international Pisa tests and ministers will hope it will pay dividends in better results too. How will it be different? The curriculum does not set out a detailed plan for exactly what schools should be teaching. It sets the overall "framework", setting out "what matters" to each of the Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs). Individual schools will design their own ways of making sure their pupils develop the right skills. It is meant to give teachers more flexibility to be creative in how they interpret the curriculum. The biggest changes are likely to be seen in secondary schools because narrow subjects will be ditched in favour of six AOLEs. Different topics will be weaved together with literacy, numeracy and digital skills featuring in every lesson. How will we know how pupils are doing under the new system? At the moment school is divided up into Foundation Phase (ages three to seven) and then "key stages". That will change to "progression steps" at ages five, eight, 11, 14 and 16, which will set out broad expectations for young people at those different stages. There will still be annual national reading and numeracy tests for seven to 14 year olds - although the author of the original report on the new curriculum, Prof Graham Donaldson, suggested ultimately there should be less testing. GCSEs will be reviewed so they reflect the new curriculum but there are major questions about how exams at 16 will work in the context of the broader sort of education the new curriculum is meant to introduce. And beyond the school gates? The discussion so far has mainly been limited to the schools involved and the education experts, but publishing the draft is seen as a chance to widen the discussion. What do employers and universities make of it? And will it inspire the confidence of parents in an education system which has had plenty of bad press in recent years?

स्कूली पाठ्यक्रम में बदलाव क्यों किया जा रहा है?


When good news is bad news

Summary: The all-important US jobs figures for August are released on 4 September. All-important as they may yet be the deciding factor in whether or not the US Federal Reserve raises interest rates this month , an event which would have profound consequences for the global and as well as the US economy.

Duncan WeldonNewsnight economics correspondent@Duncanweldonon Twitter For both financial markets and the wider global economy - good news for the US might turn out to be bad news for them. That dysfunctional state of affairs goes a long way towards explaining the weak pace of the global recovery from recession. Financial analysts at Vanda Securities reckon that jobs growth of 180,000 in the month would equate to rising US and emerging market stocks, as the prospect of a rate rise receded, but a rise of 250,000 would see asset prices fall. In other news, for the markets at least, "bad news would be good news." Taking assets prices first, on a simple view, rising employment should be good news for US equities - it heralds more consumer spending and hence stronger demand. Indeed, one could argue that a rise in US interest rates would be a sign that policymakers are optimistic about the US recovery and should even be a sign that corporate profits will continue to rise, boosting stocks. That's an argument I've heard before from central bankers but one that is rarely popular with market participants. To understand why higher interest rates are being equated with weaker stock prices, one has to understand that Western stock markets have been as reliant on cheap money for growth as they have on improving corporate performances. Low interest rates not only make stocks look attractive on a relative basis (the relative returns from stocks appear high when interest rates are low - why keep money in the bank or sick it into bonds when the returns look so low?). In the US there has been an additional - and powerful - link between low borrowing costs and higher equities. Cheap borrowing has allowed companies to take on debt in order to buy back their own stocks pushing up their price. Such buy-backs have been a big driver of the large Wall Street rally since 2009. The economic recovery in the US - and the UK - has not just been accompanied by a big rise in asset prices but even, to an extent, led by that rise. But an asset price-led recovery underpinned by low interest rates is far from ideal. The fact that good news for the real economy may prove to be bad news for assets gives some clues as to the topsy-turvy world we are living in. Then there is the global picture. While a rise in interest rates might be appropriate for the US, it almost certainly isn't for much of the rest of the world where its impact will be felt just as much. Hence the IMF today calling on Western policymakers to hold their fire on rate rises. Economic performance has diverged across the globe - the US and UK recoveries look robust, Europe's growth is moderate but the big emerging economies look to be in trouble. As economies have diverged so too has monetary policy - with rate cuts across the developing world this year and further quantitative easing (electronically creating money) likely from both the Bank of Japan and the European Central Bank in the months ahead. All at a time when the US Fed (and possibly the Bank of England) look set to start tightening policy. That monetary divergence is playing out in the currency markets, where the story of 2015 has been a strengthening US dollar. Historically periods of rising US interest rates and a strengthening dollar have heralded a tough time for the emerging world. While the Fed takes into account conditions abroad when setting policy, it does so in a second order manner - the question it asks isn't "what will a hike do to emerging market economies?" but "how would a slowdown in emerging markets affect the US?" Given the Fed is the United States' central bank and not the world's (even if its policy has a major global impact] this is fair enough question. But it goes to the heart of one of the factors that led to the crisis of 2008 - the lack of global policy co-ordination. The monetary, fiscal, trade and exchange rate policies of each country can have a major impact on its neighbours. But with each country setting policy in its own (often short-term) interest, the bigger picture can be, to say the least, sub-optimal. The global economy suffers from a lack of co-ordination and co-operation. The mechanisms to make it work simply don't exist. Even in the eurozone - an example of a dozen-and-a-half countries choosing to pool their economic sovereignty - the toolkit is bare. Debtor states - such as Greece or Spain - that run into trouble can be forced, through strict conditionality on loans, to make changes to their policy, but the creditor states (such as Germany) are subject to just an attempt at moral persuasion. Even though it takes both a debtor and creditor to make a debt problem happen. A 0.25% rise in US interest rates is highly unlikely to derail the world recovery. But when good news is bad news, you know there is a bigger problem.

अगस्त के लिए सभी महत्वपूर्ण अमेरिकी नौकरियों के आंकड़े 4 सितंबर को जारी किए गए हैं। सभी महत्वपूर्ण क्योंकि वे अभी भी इस बात का निर्णायक कारक हो सकते हैं कि अमेरिकी फेडरल रिजर्व इस महीने ब्याज दरों में वृद्धि करता है या नहीं, एक ऐसी घटना जिसका वैश्विक और साथ ही अमेरिकी अर्थव्यवस्था के लिए गहरा परिणाम होगा।


Pensioner killed in Aberdeenshire crash named by police

Summary: A man who died in a two-car crash on the A950 in Aberdeenshire has been named by police as 83-year-old Stanley Morrison.

Mr Morrison, from Macduff, and another man were involved in the collision on the Mintlaw to New Pitsligo road at about 17:50 on Friday. The second man was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary with serious injuries. The road was closed for several hours to allow for a police accident investigation at the scene. Inquiries are ongoing and police have urged anyone with information surrounding the crash to get in touch via the Police Scotland non-emergency line. Sgt Scott Deans added: "Our thoughts remain with the family of the man who has tragically died." Related Internet Links Contact Police Scotland - Police Scotland

एबरडीनशायर में ए950 पर दो कार दुर्घटना में मारे गए एक व्यक्ति का नाम पुलिस ने 83 वर्षीय स्टेनली मॉरिसन के रूप में लिया है।


Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese: The forgotten faces in Canadian 'fugitives' story

Summary: For nearly three weeks this summer, a nationwide manhunt for two young fugitives suspected of three murders in northern British Columbia gripped both Canada and the rest of the world. But far less was written about the victims, whose families are still searching for answers.

By Jessica MurphyBBC News, Toronto On the evening of 13 July, Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese pull into a petrol station in Fort Nelson, British Columbia. They are driving the 1986 blue Chevrolet van that Fowler had patiently fixed up for their road trip in the western Canadian province. A security camera captures the couple sharing a quick, loving embrace before they pay and pull away. Thirty-six hours later, their bodies are found on the roadside of the Alaska Highway about 20 km south of Liard Hot Springs - a popular stop for travellers in northern British Columbia. Fowler, a 23-year-old Australian and Deese, 24, his American girlfriend, had been shot. The murder of the young, carefree couple proved to be just the tragic beginning to a series of events watched around the world. Lucas Fowler was the fourth child in the Fowler family and grew up loving adventure and the outdoors, riding dirt bikes and camping. He also developed a passion for travel, one that took him on a two-year backpacking trip around the world and to Croatia, where he met Chynna Deese. The North Carolinian was also the youngest of a large family and shared Fowler's love of adventure, his kindness and contagious smile. "They were full of happiness and joy, just being together," said Fowler's father, Stephen, at his funeral earlier this month. The couple spent Christmas together in the US before Fowler left to work on a ranch in a remote part of British Columbia. At the ranch, he would often be found spending hours on the phone with Deese on his downtime, and she later joined him there for a week before they left to explore the country in their blue van. Stephen Fowler, a senior detective with the New South Wales police force, said the family was happy the two had found each other and spent their time together "just milking every last drop of fun out of life". Fowler and Deese are believed to have been killed on 14 or 15 July. Their death shocked Canadians and their home communities in Australia and the US. Fowler's distraught parents flew to Canada to bring their son home. The New South Wales police offered two detectives as a liaison with their Canadian counterparts. Stephen Fowler told journalists that despite his years as a police officer, nothing could have prepared him or his family for the weight of this tragedy. In Australia, the media followed all the sudden twists and turns of the unfolding case, immersed in the mysterious death of a native son and his American girlfriend a world away. Their murders also resonated south of the Canadian border, where another family was left heartbroken and in shock. "You had big beautiful life plans, and they were cut short," one of Deese's sisters said on Facebook. "Instead of watching you enjoy your thriving life I can only carry your legacy in mine, and encourage others to do the same." As the Fowler and Deese family were grappling with the distressing news, another family, this time in Canada, was about to face what was, in their words, "unthinkable grief" at the loss of a husband and father. On 19 July, an abandoned, burning pick-up truck found near Dease Lake, British Columbia, led police to an unidentified body nearby - a third life cut short on the side of a remote Canadian highway. That led to a public plea by police to be on the lookout for the drivers of the burning vehicle - two teenagers from Port Alberni, a town on Vancouver Island, believed missing and in danger from a mysterious killer. And then on 23 July a bombshell announcement by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) - those two teenagers, Kam McLeod, 19, and Bryer Schmegelsky, 18, were not missing but the suspected killers and now on the run. The next day police said they had identified the third victim as Leonard Dyck, 64, and were charging the two with second-degree murder in his death. But the two young men had left the province, driving Dyck's grey Toyota Rav 4 some 3,000km (1,864 miles) east across Canada - approximately the distance from London to Moscow - before leaving it burned and abandoned in northern Manitoba. Dyck, a botany professor, had a "somewhat gruff exterior" but could win over students with his dry wit, curiosity about the natural world and "passion for learning about bizarre and beautiful organisms that few people ever get to see". The photo police released of Dyck shows a man with a bushy white beard, kind eyes and a slight mischievous smile. "I will miss Len's laugh, which often followed some wry comment," said his University of British Columbia colleague, Patrick Martone. Police have revealed little about Dyck's death, hence little is known about how he was killed and how he came into contact with McLeod and Schmegelsky. The nationwide manhunt for McLeod and Schmegelsky ended earlier this month, when police announced they had found the bodies of the two young men in the northern Manitoba wilderness. A post-mortem found they had died by apparent suicide. RCMP in British Columbia say they will wrap up the three murder investigations, although the two were their lone suspects. "It's going to be extremely difficult for us to ascertain definitively what the motive was," said RCMP Assistant Commissioner Kevin Hackett. They have brought in behavioural experts who can help analyse the crime and build personality profiles of the offenders. Police have promised to update them but the families may never have all the answers. "It is just hard to accept that such good people can be killed for whatever reason," Deese's brother Stetson told Australia's Nine Network. "We do not know why and more and more may be discovered - but I don't think we will ever truly know why."

इस गर्मी में लगभग तीन सप्ताह तक, उत्तरी ब्रिटिश कोलंबिया में तीन हत्याओं के संदिग्ध दो युवा भगोड़ों की राष्ट्रव्यापी खोज ने कनाडा और बाकी दुनिया दोनों को जकड़ लिया। लेकिन पीड़ितों के बारे में बहुत कम लिखा गया, जिनके परिवार अभी भी जवाब ढूंढ रहे हैं।


Kim Jong-nam: Main players in mysterious killing

Summary: The killing of the North Korean leader's half brother, Kim Jong-nam, in Kuala Lumpur airport spawned a massive police investigation and a diplomatic row involving a large cast of characters. The BBC takes a look at the main players in the web of intrigue surrounding his death.

The Victim The man at the centre of the mystery, Kim Jong-nam, 46, was an outspoken critic who lived a peripatetic life in exile. Once tipped to be the next leader of North Korea, he fell out of favour in the early 2000s and soon left the country. His half-brother Kim Jong-un became leader after their father, Kim Jong-il, died in 2011. Kim Jong-nam was mostly based in Macau, where he was heading when he was killed on 13 February. Read more: Kim Jong-nam, North Korea's critic in exile The Suspects Malaysian authorities had initially named at least 10 people in connection to the case, but so far have only prosecuted two of them. On trial Read more: The women accused of killing Kim Jong-nam Released by police Still at large Malaysian authorities have said these four men fled the country on the same day of the killing. In court, as the trial opened, prosecutors have merely listed four people, besides the women, on the charge sheet, and they were not named. The Ambassador The murder sparked a diplomatic rift between Pyongyang and Kuala Lumpur, who previously had good relations. Pyongyang's ambassador to Malaysia, Kang Chol, angrily rejected widespread speculation that his country was involved, and accused the Malaysian government of colluding with "hostile forces". In response Malaysia's foreign ministry said the diplomat's allegations were "deeply insulting" and based on "delusions, lies and half-truths". Kang Chol was later expelled from Malaysia, while North Korea also expelled Malaysia's ambassador in Pyongyang. The two countries also briefly refused to let each other's citizens leave. The stand-off ended when Malaysia released three North Koreans and Mr Kim's body to Pyongyang, while North Korea allowed nine Malaysian diplomats and their families to go home. Read more: Malaysia and North Korea's friendship on ice The Son Kim Jong-nam's eldest son, Kim Han-sol, appeared in a video on 8 March confirming his father's death. Born in Pyongyang in 1995 but raised in Macau, Kim Han-sol has studied in Bosnia and France, and is said to take after his father in terms of holding open-minded views about the world. He has publicly expressed hope for reunification of the two Koreas, and has referred to his uncle Kim Jong-un as "a dictator". His current whereabouts are unknown but he said in the video that he was with his mother and sister. Read more: The open-minded son of Kim Jong-nam

कुआलालंपुर हवाई अड्डे पर उत्तर कोरियाई नेता के सौतेले भाई किम जोंग-नाम की हत्या ने एक बड़े पैमाने पर पुलिस जांच और पात्रों की एक बड़ी कास्ट को शामिल करते हुए एक राजनयिक विवाद को जन्म दिया। बीबीसी उनकी मौत के आसपास की साजिश के जाल में मुख्य खिलाड़ियों पर एक नज़र डालता है।


Loony Dookers make a bold and cold start to 2020

Summary: Hundreds of hardy New Year revellers have defied the chills of the Firth of Forth to take part in the annual Loony Dook in South Queensferry.

Some people took to the water in fancy dress while other brave souls opted for swimwear. Charities including the RNLI benefit from the parade and plunge, which is part of Edinburgh's Hogmanay. Similar new year swims took place across Scotland, including at Castle Douglas, Portobello and Loch Ness. Images subject to copyright

दक्षिण क्वींसफेरी में वार्षिक लूनी डूक में भाग लेने के लिए सैकड़ों कठोर नव वर्ष के प्रशंसकों ने फर्थ ऑफ फोर्थ की ठंड को दरकिनार किया है।


Lincolnshire shop front revamp scheme unveiled

Summary: Shopkeepers in two Lincolnshire towns are being offered a share of £150,000 to renovate their properties.

South Kesteven District Council has invited businesses in Grantham and Bourne to apply for shares of £50,000 and £80,000 respectively. Officials said projects could vary from basic repairs to the entire replacement of a shop front. Owners have been asked to apply before 22 June, with work to be finished by the end of the year. The scheme can fund up to 75% of costs with a maximum single grant of £20,000.

दो लिंकनशायर शहरों में दुकानदारों को अपनी संपत्तियों के नवीनीकरण के लिए 150,000 पाउंड के हिस्से की पेशकश की जा रही है।


Weather hits trains through Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk

Summary: Rail services have been hit by weather-related cancellations, delays, changes in train sizes and equipment failures.

National Express East Anglia services on the London line through Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex were disrupted by points problems at Witham in Essex. This will affect services already hit by earlier failures to several trains. Services are expected to return to normal during the day as repairs are made to faulty equipment but there may be more cancellations.

मौसम संबंधी रद्द होने, देरी, ट्रेनों के आकार में बदलाव और उपकरणों की विफलताओं के कारण रेल सेवाएं प्रभावित हुई हैं।


Offshore workers return to BP platform after power is restored

Summary: Offshore workers are returning to BP's Clair platform west of Shetland after power was restored.

More than 105 non-essential personnel were moved off the platform as a precaution following a power cut at 05:45 on Saturday. A BP spokesman said: "BP can confirm that power is being restored to the Clair platform following an outage yesterday morning and personnel are beginning to be returned to the platform." The company said 144 people had been on board at the time of the power cut, but that the platform was not producing.

बिजली बहाल होने के बाद अपतटीय श्रमिक शेटलैंड के पश्चिम में बी. पी. के क्लेयर प्लेटफॉर्म पर लौट रहे हैं।


Abdul Haji: I went in to rescue my brother in Westgate

Summary: Businessman Abdul Haji and a small group of plain-clothes policemen helped to rescue dozens of people from the Westgate mall. He had gone in search of his brother, armed only with a pistol that his father - a former Kenyan defence minister - had taught him to hunt with as a child. He tells the BBC of his experiences:

I was on the other side of town when I received an SMS from my brother. The message was vague: "I'm stuck at the Westgate. Seems like a terrorist attack. Pray for me." It looked like a goodbye message so I immediately made my way there. I found people congregated in front of the mall and there was shooting going on. The only thing going through my mind was to get my brother. I remember saying to my friend: "I hope you carried enough ammo. Just remember to give me some more." At this point, the Kenya Red Cross arrived. We realised if there were any shooters they would have shot at us by now, so we thought: "Let's get in." We could see survivors in the cars that had stalled in the entrance. Some were dead, some were injured. We decided to go up through the ramp to the upper parking floor. This is where we saw a lot of dead bodies - young children, elderly people, women - it was horrific. I've seen dead people before in roads accidents and at funerals, but never seen so many people just lying down bleeding. There was nothing to do for the dead. We urged the Red Cross to come up with their stretchers. Things were moving fast and we started to gain courage. We found ourselves in front of the Java restaurant - we could get into the mall from there. One by one we went in, giving each other cover. We couldn't see any gunmen on the top floor. We saw that there were people hiding in the shops. We got closer and identified ourselves - we did this at every shop. We would say it in Swahili and in English. Some of them were lying down as if they were dead. They would hear us calling out to help them, but they wouldn't move. I think they were so petrified they couldn't get up - we had to urge people to open the doors to the shops. We could hear shooting from the ground floor so we went down the staircase and secured the first floor and tried to rescue as many as possible. We had left some armed people on the top floor to cover us, and we did the same on the first floor. When we got to the ground, there were just five of us - three plain-clothes police and a gentleman who I established was a civilian. But immediately the terrorists opened fire - they were waiting for us. That's where they shot one of my colleagues. He was shot right in front of me, in the stomach. We took him out through the ArtCaffe - it has a balcony where we could call in more help. In there were two other police officers with tear gas and protective gear, and at this point we thought we needed to re-strategise. We tried our level best to get as many people out as possible, but I can't give you a specific number. We got a message from the Red Cross man, saying people were stuck in a room at the Westgate office management and that they were running out of air. So we went to get them - there was a small room which probably held 40 people. In front of the Nakumatt supermarket there was a lady hiding underneath a promotional table. We knew we couldn't engage the terrorists - the people were right in front of the crossfire - and it was a table, nothing concrete. So we had to hold it. We divided the tear gas up between us and went back on the blind side of the terrorists. We crossed in front of the pharmacy and the Kodak shop - we got people out of there. And then we came to a Samsung shop - got people out of there [too]. We got closer to the lady under the table. We told her she needed to run towards us. She said: "I have three kids hear with me. I cannot carry them." So I told her: "Tell the eldest child to run towards us the moment we throw the tear gas." She shook her head in agreement. We hurled the gas towards the entrance of Nakumatt and this gave us some cover. The girl started to run towards us. She was so brave, she didn't cry. An Asian lady carried another baby and I think the mother of the little girl carried another baby. We handed them to other people who got them out of the mall. At this point, I asked my friend on the top floor about my brother. He said he was in the toilets on the ground floor, next to Nakumatt. I told my colleagues: "I have to go back round," but I didn't tell them why. I said: "As soon as you see me get to the other side of the mall, hurl another tear gas grenade towards Nakumatt." They did this, and I made my way through to the toilets. I was shouting my brother's name. I checked inside. There was nobody there. I went into the ladies' toilet and I found some people in there, I told them to get out. Unable to find his brother, Mr Haji checked his phone. He found a message telling him that his brother had escaped. Tear gas was getting into my eyes, I was having trouble breathing. I was desperately looking for water to wash my eyes. Then I remembered - I do a lot of my shopping at Westgate, I know the mall very well - that there is a burger restaurant right in front of the entrance and I would be able to find water. But what I saw in there were more dead people. I found a gentleman who'd been shot in the shoulder. He said he couldn't get up, I said: "Stay there, I will get help for you." I threw some water into my face and at this point, the police starting coming. I was outside the mall, and I said: "Come in, I have injured people you need to help." We found more survivors in the burger restaurant. Abdul Haji was speaking to the BBC's Will Ross.

व्यवसायी अब्दुल हाजी और सादे कपड़ों वाले पुलिसकर्मियों के एक छोटे समूह ने वेस्टगेट मॉल से दर्जनों लोगों को बचाने में मदद की। वह अपने भाई की तलाश में गया था, केवल एक पिस्तौल के साथ जो उसके पिता-केन्या के एक पूर्व रक्षा मंत्री-ने उसे बचपन में शिकार करना सिखाया था। वह अपने अनुभवों के बारे में बीबीसी को बताता हैः


Croatian women show the middle finger to abortion remarks

Summary: Croatian politicians were left in no doubt about the strength of feeling on the subject of abortion in the country, after remarks in pre-election debates prompted a backlash visualised by perhaps the most defiant gestures of all - the middle finger.

By News from Elsewhere......as found by BBC Monitoring Miroslav Skoro of the Homeland Movement and Goran Jandrokovic of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, both right-of-centre political forces, agreed on the issue in a TV programme ahead of the parliamentary election in July. "In my opinion life begins at conception and should be protected", Mr Jandrokovic said, arguing that "we should work on education to reduce abortions to the smallest possible number". Mr Skoro, a well-known singer who positioned himself as a "people's person" in the presidential election in 2019, added: "We are not a primitive society, no ban is needed, but we need to do everything we can to preserve life. If a woman gets pregnant after rape, she must discuss with her family what to do." In another TV debate, independent candidate Nino Raspudic went further in his pro-life arguments, suggesting that testimonies of children conceived through wartime rape in Bosnia and Herzegovina "showed that they managed to find realisation as happy persons". Digital salute The reaction was swift and took the form of a body-language salute by many prominent women, supported by men, to convey the offence caused. Among the first to post an image of herself and her middle finger was the deputy mayor of the Croatian town of Osijek, Zana Gamos. "My dear, here is a lady's response to the gentlemanly thinking of geniuses who have advice about what a raped woman should do. Go get some advice!", she posted on Facebook along with #mistressofmyownbody. You may also be interested in: 'He was a butcher': The women fighting abuse in childbirth Croatia country profile Former President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic also used the gesture to express her feelings: "I am joining all the women who are showing their stance with this 'impolite' gesture and raising their voice against those trying to take us back centuries. The times when a woman sat in the corner and waited for what the 'guy' would say are well and truly gone." Ms Grabar-Kitarovic explained that she has always been pro-life, as long as there is a choice "without pressure, stigma and conditions, especially in the most sensitive life situations such as rape". Actress Bojana Gregoric Vejzovic made her point by using a photo from 2000 of her showing the middle finger along with this sarcastic comment: "#2000 Same attitude! Women, let us take part in the elections while we still can!" Hitting back at comments on this "un-ladylike behaviour", she said: "The photo is 20 years old and the context is political. Read between the lines. Soon they will maybe tell us what we can and cannot do or wear, where we must not be… you get the picture." Law on abortion still debated Abortion is legal in Croatia but there are fears it is becoming less available under pressure from the Catholic Church and activists. After the Constitutional Court gave the government a two-year deadline in 2017 to draft a bill outlining new regulations on the right to abortion, as the current law drawn up in former Yugoslavia has been in force since 1978, the bill is still being debated in parliament. Recommendations by a working group which looked at the legal framework in other EU countries include safeguarding a woman's right to abortion, possibly increasing the deadline for termination from the current 10 weeks to 12 weeks, and enshrining the conscientious objection in law. The abortion rate in Croatia has fallen considerably, from over 25,000 in 1993 to 2,558 in 2018, something that has prompted concerns about the erosion of women's rights. Reporting by Vesna Stancic Next story: Chechnya's ruler gives bride money to hard-up grooms

क्रोएशियाई राजनेताओं को देश में गर्भपात के विषय पर भावना की ताकत के बारे में कोई संदेह नहीं था, चुनाव पूर्व बहसों में टिप्पणियों ने शायद सभी के सबसे अपमानजनक इशारों-बीच की उंगली द्वारा कल्पना की गई प्रतिक्रिया को प्रेरित किया।


Wikileaks: Julian Assange v Sweden's broad sexual laws

Summary: Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, is fighting against extradition from Britain to Sweden where he faces allegations of rape and coercing women into having sex - accusations which his defenders say are part of a conspiracy to silence him. Stephen Evans reports from Stockholm on how Swedish law may prove difficult for the Wikileaks founder.

Everybody you talk to in Sweden involved in the Julian Assange affair asserts - often with some irritation - that: "There Is No Conspiracy." The Swedish authorities are not acting at the behest of the CIA or the American embassy in Stockholm when they make life difficult for the founder of Wikileaks. Tough laws The lawyer for the two women who have accused Mr Assange of coercing them sexually told the BBC it was not part of some wider, global plot. "Absolutely not," said Claes Borgstrom. "I represent two women who have experienced something that many thousands of women both in Sweden and in other countries have experienced." Sweden has one of the toughest laws on sexual crime in the world - lawyers sometimes joke that men need written permission first. As Mr Borgstrom put it: "It is not necessary to have a lot of violence. That is what people usually think, but in practice if you force someone to have sex with you against their consent you don't have to use much violence at all. Or you can take advantage of a difficult situation for the woman in question." He says Mr Assange knows that this case is simply a matter of what happened with the two women rather than a bigger conspiracy. "I'm very much critical of Julian Assange himself because he knows that that is not the case. He should say it has nothing to do with his engagement with Wikileaks," said Mr Borgstrom. Three categories Under Swedish law, there are legal gradations of the definition of rape. There is the most serious kind, involving major violence. But below that there is the concept of 'regular rape', still involving violence but not violence of the utmost horror. And below that there is the idea of 'unlawful coercion'. Talking generally, and not about the Assange case, this might involve putting emotional pressure on someone. The three categories involve prison sentences of 10, six and four years respectively. The lawyer for the two women who have complained against Mr Assange will not spell out the details because he says that would give too much away to the accused man. But he does indicate that it is a four-year sentence that Mr Assange could expect, indicating that he is suspected of this third, less serious category. Questions to answer The case may turn on if or when consensual sex turned into non-consensual sex - is a male decision not to use a condom a case of that, for example? Under Swedish law, Mr Assange has not been formally charged. He has merely been accused and told he has questions to answer. The process is for the prosecutor to question him to see if a formal criminal accusation should then be laid before a court. There would then be a hearing in front of some lay people to see if that formal charge should go to a formal trial. The attitude towards rape in Sweden - informed by a strong sense of women's rights - means that it is more likely to be reported to police. Some 53 rape offences are reported per 100,000 people, the highest rate in Europe. The figures may reflect a higher number of actual rapes committed but it seems more likely that tough attitudes and a broader definition of the crime are more significant factors.

विकिलीक्स के संस्थापक जूलियन असांजे, ब्रिटेन से स्वीडन प्रत्यर्पण के खिलाफ लड़ रहे हैं, जहां उन्हें बलात्कार और महिलाओं को यौन संबंध बनाने के लिए मजबूर करने के आरोपों का सामना करना पड़ रहा है-जो आरोप उनके बचावकर्ताओं का कहना है कि उन्हें चुप कराने की साजिश का हिस्सा हैं। स्टीफन इवांस स्टॉकहोम से रिपोर्ट करते हैं कि कैसे स्वीडिश कानून विकिलीक्स के संस्थापक के लिए मुश्किल साबित हो सकता है।


Insurance firm Admiral sees customer rise but turnover fall

Summary: Cardiff-based insurance company Admiral has seen a drop in turnover despite a rise in customers.

The company's third quarter results for 2014 saw the group increase its customer numbers by 10% from 3.67m in 2013 to 4.03m. Group turnover dropped by 3% - £15m - from £528m to £513m in the same time. Chief executive Henry Engelhardt said the company anticipates that future earnings will be hit by the decline in insurance premiums in recent years. The company's headquarters is in Cardiff and it also has offices in Swansea and Newport.

कार्डिफ स्थित बीमा कंपनी एडमिरल ने ग्राहकों में वृद्धि के बावजूद कारोबार में गिरावट देखी है।


River Severn death inquest adjourned

Summary: An inquest has been opened into the death of a Shropshire man whose body was recovered from the River Severn.

The body of Mark Hodnett, aged 27, of Grange Road, Shrewsbury, was found by Kingsland Bridge in the town on 18 August. Mr Hodnett went missing after leaving the C21 nightclub in Abbey Foregate at about 01:00 BST on 13 August. Coroner Mr John Ellery heard evidence of identification before adjourning the hearing to a later date.

श्रॉपशायर के एक व्यक्ति की मौत की जांच शुरू की गई है जिसका शव सेवर्न नदी से बरामद किया गया था।


Leicester and Derby: A tale of two velodromes

Summary: In places, the gaps between the wooden tracks were as wide as bicycle wheels - and between races a man sometimes needed to nail down the loose boards - but Saffron Lane Velodrome is sorely missed.

By Neil HeathBBC News, Nottingham In its heyday, the Leicester venue was at the centre of British cycling and the scene of Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman's first world record. Unfortunately, the English weather and a lack of investment took their toll on the 3,100-seat outdoor track. It closed in 1999, and some are still bitter that such a magnet for cycling enthusiasts was allowed to slip out of the Midlands' grasp. But work has now begun on an ambitious new velodrome in nearby Derby, raising hopes that the region could once again become a hub for the sport. So can the new multi-million project recapture the glory of the past without repeating its mistakes? 'Too expensive to maintain' In many ways, Saffron Lane was a success story which will be hard to follow. For 20 years it was the national velodrome and twice hosted the UCI World Championships - in 1970 and 1982. So what went wrong? The beginning of the end for Saffron Lane came in 1994 when the country's first indoor velodrome was built in Manchester, and the national championships moved to the North West. Bryan Steel, who was part of Team GB's Olympic sprint team at Athens in 2004 raced at Saffron Lane for about 10 years. "Leicester was really important to me," he said. "[But] the big downfall for Saffron Lane was that it didn't have a roof and when it rains you can't ride a wooden track, it was as simple as that." With the stadium open to the elements, the track expanded and contracted, causing gaps to appear on the surface. It proved too costly to maintain, was abandoned in 1999, and controversially demolished in 2008. Cycling historian Roger Lovell said the loss of the 1968-built stadium was a "crying shame" and believes the council could have used it as a community facility with a bit of investment. "Cyclists from all over the world loved the atmosphere of Leicester, they loved competing here. It was the UK's cycling capital," he said. "I share the anger and disappointment [that the stadium has gone], and with some imagination it could have remained here. It would have been a great central venue for all things cycling in Leicester." Leicester City Council razed the derelict velodrome to make way for development rather than making the track useable again. The authority said the cost of a new, covered track was beyond its finances and because the site had fallen victim to vandalism, graffiti, drug taking and arson, it was safer to knock it down. Chris Boardman, who won gold at the Barcelona games in 1992, said he spent many happy hours at Saffron Lane but admits he can see both sides of the argument. "It's not always easy to balance everything your community wants from you," he said. "But from a purely cyclist's point of view it's a real shame that we lost it." The former Tour de France rider said the stadium "missed the window" when it came to cycling's popularity post-London 2012. "If it had managed to hang on for another decade it would have possibly been celebrated as an historic structure," he said. In December, four years since the track's demolition, Leicester City Council announced the sale of the land. Work on a social housing development will begin in January. 'Rush of enthusiasm' Perhaps understandably, the focus in neighbouring Derby is very much on creating a velodrome with broad appeal and longevity. Due to be completed by the end of 2014, the UK's sixth indoor cycling track was recently given the green light - though supporters of the project had an early scare. When the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition lost control of Derby City Council in May, Labour ordered a report into the benefits of the 5,000-seat sports centre. In response, cyclists - alarmed that the scheme might have been close to collapse - rallied in Derby's market place. City councillor Martin Repton, head of leisure and culture, argued the project was too expensive to commit to without further checking. "It was important in these economic times that we made sure it was the right thing for Derby, and it was what people wanted," he said. "There had been a rush of enthusiasm, which we shared, but it needed to be matched by proper due diligence. There were still unresolved issues." Negotiations had to take place with Pride Park stadium, the nearby home of Derby County, as well as the National Grid and the Environment Agency - as the location was a former landfill site. Work has now begun but Mr Repton is keen to stress that the stadium will not be used just for cycling. A space for basketball, badminton and netball will also be included - and the arena will be used for music concerts too. "We could keep spending money patching up 40-year-old leisure centres," said the councillor. "We thought it would be better to build a brand new sports centre that's inclusive for everyone." Despite Derby's place at the heart of the Midlands, can the UK sustain another with indoor cycling centres in Wales, Scotland, and in the north and south of England? "It's an interesting question," said British Cycling's education director John Mills. "We've had phenomenal success at the Olympic games based on one velodrome [in Manchester] but imagine what we can do with five?" Chris Boardman is more cautious about the prospect. "[Cycling at a velodrome] is a specific thing and we'll have to see as we go along. Are people going to stop going to one to start going to the other? "We don't know where it's going to go but it's not a bad thing for cycling."

जगह-जगह, लकड़ी की पटरियों के बीच का अंतराल साइकिल के पहियों जितना चौड़ा था-और दौड़ के बीच एक आदमी को कभी-कभी ढीले बोर्डों को नीचे करने की आवश्यकता होती थी-लेकिन केसर लेन वेलोड्रोम बहुत याद किया जाता है।


Helicopter rescues climber stuck on Skye sea cliff

Summary: A climber has been rescued after getting stuck during a climb on a sea cliff on the Isle of Skye.

Rescue teams were alerted to the man, who was cragfast at Neist Point in the north west of the island, just after 12:00. Portree, Dunvegan and Stornoway coastguard rescue teams along with RNLI Portree lifeboat were sent to the scene. Stornoway Coastguard helicopter winched the climber from the cliff. He was dropped off at the Neist Point Lighthouse path. Last week, Stornoway Coastguard helicopter crew completed its 1,000th tasking - job - since 2013, the year when Bristow was awarded a 10-year contract to operate search and rescue helicopters.

आइल ऑफ स्काई पर एक समुद्री चट्टान पर चढ़ाई के दौरान फंसने के बाद एक पर्वतारोही को बचा लिया गया है।


Man dies in Jersey single-vehicle crash

Summary: A man in his early 30s has died in a single-vehicle crash in Jersey.

Police were called to La Grande Route de St Ouen, near to St Ouen's Manor, at about 16:50 GMT on Thursday. The driver of the red Nissan died at the scene of the crash. Police said further details would not be released while the investigation was ongoing. The States of Jersey Police is appealing for any witnesses to come forward. Related Internet Links States of Jersey Police

जर्सी में एक ही वाहन की दुर्घटना में 30 साल के एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है।


Are we really facing cyberwar?

Summary: A few weeks ago I was standing by a railway track in the small town of Gaithersburg in Maryland as a CSX freight train blasted through the level crossing; its horn blaring and bells sounding out a warning.

By Jonathan MarcusBBC Diplomatic Correspondent Passengers may have largely deserted America's rails but freight trains remain vital to America's economic well-being. Like most other pieces of modern infrastructure the railways are controlled by complex digital systems. And there are growing fears that these computers could fall prey to cyber-attack, as could all the other electronic support systems on which modern society now depends. Last year the then US defence secretary Leon Panetta spoke of the possibility of a possible "digital Pearl Harbor"; a massive attack that might target US transport infrastructure and utilities. Just a few weeks ago in his State of the Union address President Barack Obama added his own warning. "We know hackers steal people's identities and infiltrate private emails," he said. "We know foreign countries and companies swipe our corporate secrets," he went on, "now our enemies are also seeking the ability to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems." Key services Hundreds of private companies are springing up to respond to the possibility of a digital doomsday. The stakes are high as Shawn Henry told me. "Other than a weapon of mass destruction going off in a major city," he says, "the cyber-threat is one of the most significant challenges that we face." Mr Henry is a former executive assistant director of the FBI - he was responsible for its cyber-investigations worldwide. He is now president of Crowdstrike, a company which helps firms protect against hackers. "Everything we do day-to-day relies on cyber-communications," he said. "All of our data that's being pushed to the network or financial services sector, our critical infrastructure, our electric power grid, our water systems. "We know with certainty that there are groups that are actively seeking to target and harm the western world through attacks on the cyber-network. "If that happens I think we are going to suffer some significant consequences." Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showed how quickly a sophisticated society can start to break down once key services are destroyed. The Secretary of Homeland Security at the time of the hurricane, Michael Chertoff, told me that the threat from cyber-attack is very real. He said: "Even now as we speak there are millions of attacks every day on infrastructure, simply stealing information or stealing intellectual property. "Now, the same capability that allows somebody to do that is a capability that allows someone to be destructive. So yes it is a distinct possibility that systems that are connected to the internet, if they control operations, could be damaged or destroyed." Cyber City In the US State of New Jersey, Ed Skoudis is preparing for the possibility of just such a catastrophe. His office is filled with extravagant curios - it's Jules Verne meets Steam-Punk - there's a turn of the century phonograph, reproductions of early light bulbs, and in the basement, a model train set. But this model railway is no toy. Along with a battery of supporting computers it's used by government agencies and private companies to simulate what could happen if hackers tried to take control of a town's digital infrastructure. "We built Cyber City," Skoudis told me, "so that there's actually 15,000 inhabitants… and the inhabitants aren't like physical little people, but instead they're actually data - they have hospital records, they have family relationships, so you can see that this person is related to that person. "They have bank records, they have accounts on our social networking site… and cyber-warriors will look at these different relationships and try to discern things that they can use in their defence and attack against the city," It's a miniaturised visualisation of a digital training range and it is getting a good deal of use. Real dangers? The language of the cyber-warriors is certainly apocalyptic. But amid shrinking defence budgets some believe the cyber-threat has been exaggerated. Thomas Rid, a reader in War Studies at King's College London, is blunt about how he views the true extent of the threat. The title of his new book is - Cyber War Will Not Happen. "I think the scenario of a cyber Pearl Harbor or sometimes even a cyber 9/11 is an overstatement," he told me. "In fact if you talk to Pentagon officials on background. They may actually admit that such statements are overstated because it's useful for political reasons, to put pressure on Congress to pass cybersecurity legislation." Ed Skoudis acknowledges that there is a lot of "cyber-hype" around. But he insists that there are still real dangers out there. "There is something real behind all this," he said. "We are seeing successful attacks where bad guys gain control of elements within the power grid, or other critical infrastructures, and they could use that to take serious action. There is hype," he adds, "but there's a core nugget to this where you can take action via cyber-means to have military effects." This fear of a destructive cyber-threat is pushing the United States to bolster its defences - the Pentagon is recruiting 4000 new cyber-warriors. A new presidential order has been signed to better protect America's critical infrastructure from hackers. Protecting against the risk of digital attack is a rapidly expanding industry - one in which the military and private companies are aggressively competing to claim their share.

कुछ हफ्ते पहले मैं मैरीलैंड के छोटे से शहर गैथर्सबर्ग में एक रेलवे ट्रैक के पास खड़ा था जब एक सी. एस. एक्स. मालगाड़ी लेवल क्रॉसिंग के माध्यम से विस्फोट कर रही थी; इसके हॉर्न बज रहे थे और घंटी चेतावनी दे रही थी।


Six die in Venezuela prison riot

Summary: Six people have died and another 15 have been injured during a riot in a Venezuelan prison, officials say.

The violence broke out at Los Teques prison, near the capital Caracas, on Sunday, during visiting hours for relatives. It was not immediately known what sparked the incident. Violence is common in Venezuela's prisons, where rival groups sometimes fight for control of cell blocks or the sale of drugs. Prison official Consuelo Serrada said that eight of the injured inmates at Los Teques were taken to hospital, while the rest were treated at the jail, according to Venezuela's state media. The official added that the authorities had the situation under control.

अधिकारियों का कहना है कि वेनेजुएला की एक जेल में दंगे के दौरान छह लोगों की मौत हो गई है और 15 अन्य घायल हो गए हैं।