Historic Dinorben Arms pub to reopen in Bodfari

Summary: A historic country pub is to reopen eight years after it closed when the owners went into administration.

The 17th Century Dinorben Arms in Bodfari, near Denbigh, Denbighshire, has been acquired by the Brunning and Price group. Its other pubs in north Wales include the Glasfryn, Mold, Llangollen's Corn Mill and Pant yr Ochain, Gresford. The Dinorben was put on the market for £175,000 when it shut in 2007 after a period of decline in trade.

एक ऐतिहासिक कंट्री पब बंद होने के आठ साल बाद फिर से खुलने वाला है जब मालिक प्रशासन में गए थे।


Snow falls over Scotland's mountains

Summary: Snow has been falling over upland areas of Scotland.

Glencoe Mountain and Nevis Range snowsports centres have been among places to report having coverings of snow. A picture by Mark Trigg for his Facebook page Back Corries shows a thick covering on Aonach Mor. The picture has been shared on Twitter by Iain Cameron, who studies and writes about snow, and Lomond Mountain Rescue Team. In a message below the photograph, Mr Cameron said: "This is 1pm on Tuesday the 2nd of June on Aonach Mor and this is just ridiculous. Unprecedented, perhaps." The rescue team has also asked if anyone can remember a longer winter season. BBC Weather has been reporting how 40 years ago there were snow falls across the UK. Forecasts suggest temperatures should rise later this week.

स्कॉटलैंड के ऊपरी इलाकों में बर्फबारी हो रही है।


Japan's latest stimulus: What it means and will it work?

Summary: When the economic history of Japan is written years down the road, Haruhiko Kuroda's first monetary policy meeting as the governor of the country's central bank is most likely to get a prominent mention.

By Puneet Pal SinghBusiness Reporter, BBC News In his first meeting as governor, Mr Kuroda has put the Bank of Japan on a path that many before him had not dared, or chosen, to take. On Thursday, the Japanese central bank announced a massive expansion to the country's money supply, on a scale that has caught everyone by surprise. But while the intent of triggering inflation and spurring economic growth is all good, like with everything else, there is a flip side attached to it. If all goes according to plan, many may recall this meeting as the moment Japan was put back on a growth track. However, if things unravel in the opposite way, the history books may not be that kind to Mr Kuroda.

जब जापान का आर्थिक इतिहास वर्षों बाद लिखा जाता है, तो देश के केंद्रीय बैंक के गवर्नर के रूप में हारुहिको कुरोडा की पहली मौद्रिक नीति बैठक का एक प्रमुख उल्लेख होने की संभावना है।


St Albans stabbing: Boy, 16, injured in fight

Summary: A 16-year-old boy was stabbed in the abdomen during a fight between two groups in a park, police have said.

The teenager was injured in the attack at about 19:00 BST on Friday in Verulamium Park, St Albans. He was taken to hospital by air ambulance, where he remains in a stable condition. Hertfordshire Police said inquiries were ongoing into the stabbing, which is believed to be an "isolated incident". Ch Insp Stuart Orton said it was understood to have involved "young people who are known to each other".

पुलिस ने कहा है कि एक पार्क में दो समूहों के बीच लड़ाई के दौरान एक 16 वर्षीय लड़के के पेट में चाकू से वार किया गया।


Hong Kong national security law: Activists say arrests confirm worst fears

Summary: When news of the first arrests began trickling through, Joey Siu got straight onto the phone to her friends in Hong Kong. As they stopped responding, one by one, she realised the crackdown was growing - and fast.

By Preeti JhaBBC News, Singapore The 21-year-old student activist, who fled to the US two months ago, watched the detentions mount on her screen: a social worker, an academic, a former journalist, an American lawyer. "I panicked," said Ms Siu, as the scale of the operation became apparent, partly "because of the fact that I can't go back and help." Less than 18 months ago, she was one of the young protesters whose huge rallies shook Hong Kong and, like several dozen of those activists in recent months, she made the difficult decision to leave in fear of the widening clampdown and a feeling she could do more from overseas. On Wednesday, 53 people were arrested in Hong Kong, the biggest swoop on pro-democracy activists so far under a draconian security law imposed by Beijing just six months ago. It confirmed the worst fears of many - including Ms Siu's - that the legislation would be used to target peaceful activism and stamp out what was left of democracy in the Chinese-ruled city. Unprecedented mass arrests The raids began early on Wednesday morning in an operation involving some 1,000 national security officers - a new special branch of Hong Kong police formed to enforce the national security law. It wasn't the first application of the controversial legislation, which has already targeted prominent figures such as media mogul Jimmy Lai, but it was the largest. A record number were arrested over unofficial primaries last year organised by pro-democracy camps ahead of a local election, which was ultimately postponed by the government. More than 600,000 Hong Kongers had turned out to vote and decide on candidates, a move that incensed Beijing and drew a warning from Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam that the act could amount to subversion. It wasn't therefore a complete shock when the formal accusations materialised on Wednesday, but the wide spectrum of those detained marked a new shift in the policing of dissent. "It's not illegal for people to organise and plan together for a winning strategy," said Victoria Hui, a politics professor at Notre Dame University, saying she was left speechless by the arrests. But what would be viewed as routine opposition activities elsewhere has been deemed as subversion in Hong Kong, she added. The city "is rapidly becoming like the rest of China where any kind of organised dissent is not tolerated. Anyone, however minor, even a social worker, is vulnerable," Dr Hui told the BBC. "People don't know when police are going to knock on their door." Several detainees have stood out in this latest wave of arrests. Among those was John Clancey, the first US national detained under the new security law. Footage of the veteran lawyer, who has been practising in Hong Kong since 1997, was widely shared on social media. In it, Mr Clancey can be seen walking with a crutch as he is slowly led away by police. When a reporter asks if he has anything to say to Hong Kong people he replies, unfazed: "Continue to work for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong." Another notable detainee is the city's first registered ethnic minority social worker. Jeffrey Andrews, a 33-year-old Hong Konger of Indian descent, was one of the few people to speak out against racial injustice in the territory and took part in last year's primary. "Arresting peaceful, reasonable and moderate members of the community shows that the national security law has nothing to do with security - instead the government can't cope with democratic aspirations," said Mark Daly, a lawyer who has lived in Hong Kong for 25 years and has worked with Mr Clancey on human rights issues. What next for the democracy movement? The impact of the new security law is palpable throughout Hong Kong. The months-long protests that took over swathes of the city in 2019 - and at times turned violent - began to peter out early last year, due to the pandemic. But the legislation introduced in June has had the effect of ending virtually all public campaigning since. Several people approached for this article - many of whom had been willing to march through the streets openly in 2019 - worried about the consequences of sharing their views. And few think the crackdown will end here. Some analysts are pointing to the judiciary as a potential next target for authorities. "I think they'll continue to search out people," said Antony Dapiran, a lawyer and writer based in Hong Kong. "What you'll have is a city that may be docile on the surface but with a great deal of tension under the surface," he told the BBC, adding that the democracy movement could even, after some years of relative silence, "bubble up again". A strategy to 'exhaust' civil society For Winston Ho - a Hong Konger in his 20s who asked the BBC not to use his real name - the arrests are "a strategy to exhaust the energy and resources" of Hong Kong's civil society. Like many of the city's democracy supporters, he voted in the primaries and was left "infuriated" that democratic demands were being interpreted as a subversion of state power. "This shows that democratic ballots are bullets in the CCP's [Chinese Communist Party's] eyes," he said. There is a growing sense of an emboldened Beijing willing to do whatever it takes to stifle any opposition. "The Chinese leadership has decided that there are very few repercussions for them when they act on Hong Kong," said Professor Ian Chong from the National University of Singapore. Whereas earlier there may have been concerns about foreign investors in China that might affect trade in Hong Kong, he explained, perhaps now they "believe they can weather those kind of pressures". In this new climate, Mr Ho has watched his friends leave the city and knows several others who are making plans to follow suit. "It's sadly a professional hazard" for many, he told the BBC, particularly those like him who work on human rights issues. For now though, Mr Ho is hoping he doesn't have to make that choice.

जब पहली गिरफ्तारी की खबर आने लगी, जॉय सिउ ने सीधे फोन पर हांगकांग में अपने दोस्तों से बात की। जैसे ही उन्होंने जवाब देना बंद किया, एक-एक करके, उन्हें एहसास हुआ कि कार्रवाई बढ़ रही थी-और तेजी से।


Why wildfires are breaking out in the 'wrong' countries

Summary: At least 80 people have been killed in wildfires in Greece, with blazes also reported as far apart as the US, Sweden, Canada and the UK. It's a summer that has seen an unusually high number of fires in some countries.

By Prof Stefan H. Doerr & Dr Cristina Santín Swansea University Worldwide, an area equivalent to about 20 times the size of Great Britain is burnt by wildfires in a typical year. Most are in remote areas such as the savannah grasslands of Africa and South America, or the boreal forests which stretch from western Alaska to eastern Siberia. But we rarely hear about wildfires in such isolated places. It tends to be those which threaten lives, infrastructure, or natural resources that hit the headlines. Indeed, in Europe, the number of fires so far this year is well above average - but not in the countries which are usually worst affected. There were 427 blazes between 1 January and 24 July, compared with an average of 298 for the same period in the past decade. But, very importantly, the area they burned is only about half what is usually seen - 55,700 hectares, compared with 112,000 hectares. In the US, the number of fires this year is slightly below average. However, there has been a small increase in the area burned, from just over 1.4m hectares to almost 1.6m hectares. The most important change is not how many fires there have been, but where they are burning. The north-west of Europe is experiencing a rare heatwave. This has brought unusually dry conditions which have allowed large fires in regions which usually see very few. In the UK the area burned so far - 13,888 hectares - is more than four times the average of the past decade. The fires have included an area of peatland near Manchester and grassland in London. In Sweden, the figure, 18,500 hectares, is an astounding 41 times the 10-year average. Dozens of fires have burned from the Arctic Circle down to the Baltic Sea. Other northern European countries including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany and Latvia have seen between 20 and 200 times the normal area burned. In contrast, Mediterranean Europe - which usually sees a large number of fires - has had a relatively cool and wet spring and early summer. In Italy and Croatia the area burned is well below average. Spain and Portugal, which normally have fire damage over a greater area than any other European countries, have suffered relatively few fires - with only 12% and 5% of the average area burned, respectively. However, fire season is not over and there is a danger that strong vegetation growth in parts of the Mediterranean may fuel fires later in the coming months. While no single factor explains hot weather around the world, experts say climate change is bringing greater and more frequent weather extremes. It is not that the 2018 fires in the UK and Sweden will be the "new normal", but they may be more common. Higher temperatures worldwide increase the risk of wildfires in many regions, but other factors are also important. To explain fire, scientists and firefighters use something called the "fire triangle": an ignition source, plus fuel such as dry vegetation and oxygen to keep going. Wildland firefighters also use the "30-30-30 rule" under which extreme fire conditions are expected when temperatures are above 30C, relative humidity is below 30% and winds are greater than 30km per hour (18.6 mph). Drought-stricken vegetation, such as the Swedish forests and the British moorlands, catches and carries fire more easily than it would in a wetter year. In other words, there is more "fuel" available when the vegetation is dry. Oxygen is readily available in the air - particularly when wind fans the fires. And sources of ignition are plentiful where there are people, whether that is a campfire, a spark from a power line, or arson. Natural ignition by lightning is common in some regions, such as the North America boreal forest, but in Europe the vast majority of fires are human-caused. The deadly fires in Greece are a prime example of weather being only one important factor. Until a few days ago, Greece had experienced fewer fires than is typical. But, in a densely-populated region near Athens, the presence of villages and towns amid highly-flammable pine forests and shrubland has had tragic consequences. Increase of "megafires" Sadly, such events have happened before. More than 100 people were killed by wildfires in Portugal only last year and 173 people died in the Black Saturday Fires in Australia in 2009. In recent decades, there has been an increase of "megafires". These are too big and fierce to be stopped, irrespective of the efforts and resources thrown at them. More like this While climate change may have made more fuel available for such fires, human behaviour has also played a role. In many rural areas of Europe land has been abandoned - leading to the growth of more vegetation close to and among homes. People often enjoy living or holidaying in forest areas, which also increases the risk of being directly affected by fire. Fortunately, it is possible to reduce the risks this poses - by clearing "fuel" close to buildings and building fire shelters in areas where the population might need them. Educating people about the risks and having evacuation plans in place can also reduce the threat to human lives and the economy. We need to adapt and learn how to coexist with fire. Fire has been transforming the Earth's landscapes and vegetation for millions of years. It is not going to go away. About this piece This analysis piece was commissioned by the BBC from experts working for an outside organisation. Prof Stefan H. Doerr is a geography professor at Swansea University and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Wildland Fire. Dr Cristina Santín is senior lecturer and research fellow in the biosciences department at Swansea University. Edited by Duncan Walker

ग्रीस में जंगल की आग में कम से कम 80 लोग मारे गए हैं, अमेरिका, स्वीडन, कनाडा और ब्रिटेन में भी आग लगने की सूचना है। यह एक ऐसी गर्मी है जिसमें कुछ देशों में असामान्य रूप से बड़ी संख्या में आग देखी गई है।


Emoji straw bales on Isle of Man made 'to make people smile'

Summary: Straw bales with emojis on them have appeared on the Isle of Man in an effort "to cheer people up at the end of summer".

Neil Taggart, of Billown Farm near Ballasalla, said the purple creations were put there to "make people smile". Emojis are images used to express ideas or emotions in digital communications. In 2014, Mr Taggart raised more than £3,000 for Noble's Hospital by turning his bales into a Minions, characters from the Despicable Me films. Mr Taggart said he had not decided if this year's creations would be used to raise money. He added that he had created statues from his bales for six years "and now every year, we get asked if we are doing it again, so here they are and there will be more going up".

इमोजी के साथ पुआल की गांठें आइल ऑफ मैन पर "गर्मियों के अंत में लोगों को खुश करने" के प्रयास में दिखाई दी हैं।


Storm Dennis: Why do drivers keep misjudging flooded fords?

Summary: Another rainy season brings another deluge of pictures flooding social media showing drivers getting into deep water. According to the Environment Agency, 74% of us would risk driving through floodwater, despite this being the leading cause of death during floods. Why are we so casual about the risk?

By Jennifer HarbyBBC News For people living near the aptly named Watery Gate Lane, in Leicestershire, and Rufford Lane, in Nottinghamshire, the sight of stranded cars is a regular spectacle - the two locations are the worst flood rescue hotspots in the country. "For much of the year, the ford is just a couple of inches deep so it presents no problem whatsoever," says Andrew Cox, general manager of Rufford Mill, a wedding venue near Rufford's ford. "But there's a lot of run-off from the surrounding countryside so the ford can go as deep as five feet and becomes impassable. Highways England put up signs warning people the road is closed but sometimes people choose to ignore them." Although avoiding the ford only involves a four-mile detour, drivers occasionally decide to chance it, Mr Cox says. "It can be very distressing for those inside the vehicles, who end up in wet clothes and very frightened. "Possibly drivers feel complacent. Because it is a ford, there's always water on the road. Sometimes people need to take responsibility for their actions, harsh though that may sound." "It is concerning so many drivers are willing to risk their own life and the lives of others by driving through floodwater," says Caroline Douglass, the Environment Agency's director for incident management. "The key thing is people don't understand the risks they face. They are inside what they think to be a pretty safe vehicle. "They don't realise 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car - that's just the height of a school ruler. Nor do they understand how fast that water can flow. "Once your car is floating, there's nothing you can do to control it. It's very frightening. "It's better to be safe than stranded - and there is a very obvious risk to life. The water is very cold, it can contain unseen debris and people can get swept away." Gates costing £65,000 are set to installed at Watery Gate, in a bid to stop reckless motorists getting stranded. "At Watery Gate there are already more than 10 signs stating, 'Deep ford' and 'Check depth gauge' and in floods the ford looks like a brown fishing lake," says maintenance engineer Jason Gulliver. Mr Gulliver, from Ibstock in Leicestershire, believes drivers need to be more aware of their vehicles' limitations. While he has driven through Watery Gate "many times" to rescue stranded vehicles from the ford, he says his 4x4 has been modified to allow this. You might also like: "Sometimes I'll head to Watery Gate to wash the car off," he says. "The locals don't seem to mind and I have had a few even taking photographs as I've crossed." He says the onus is on drivers to know their vehicle's capabilities and to turn back if the depth gauge suggests the ford is dangerous. "You wouldn't try to drive across the Channel just because it's the shortest route, unless you're amphibious." It is easy to be critical of those at the wheel - and many on social media are unsparing in their scorn for the drivers of sunken Citroens and floating Fords. "I find it so funny when people try it," wrote Cliff Baker. "I mean, seriously, where are the brain cells in some people's heads?" "I really don't understand why drivers attempt it... the fact the water is FAR too high! #stupid," wrote Rachel Parker. Even the emergency services have been known to join in. When two men and a dog had to be helped from a vehicle after it became stuck while trying to cross a ford in North Yorkshire, Andy Creasey, from the fire service, tweeted: "I had one question only... why did you attempt this? The response was 'my sat-nav said this way'. "Unbelievable stupidity." "Driving can give us a false sense of control," says Dr William Van Gordon, associate professor of contemplative psychology at the University of Derby. "Because we are in control of the car, we also think we are in control of the road and that just isn't the case. "Around 80-90% of drivers think they are of above-average driving ability. That combines with habitual patterns - if people are in the habit of using the road without difficulty, they tend to believe they will never experience problems." A study conducted in the journal Safety Science in 2016 found people who are "easily influenced by social expectations" were more likely to give it a go, Dr Van Gordon says - for example, somebody with a friend in the car who wants to get home. "People who consider themselves to have a high driving ability are more likely to try than others who aren't so confident. It also comes down to a general lack of awareness that flooded roads pose a risk." "In general, we are poor at assessing risk when it comes to driving." Dr Elliot Ludvig, a researcher in the University of Warwick's department of psychology, agrees. "If certain risks happen quite rarely, people tend to undervalue them," he says. Dr Ludvig, who grew up in Canada, now lives near the ford at Sarehole Mill, in Birmingham. "The first time I saw it, it was crazy," he says. "I had never seen water on the road. It's just not a thing where I grew up. "When a sat-nav sent me down there, I didn't realise I was actually supposed to put my car into the water to get across. The second time, I had my kids in the car and they loved it, so we had to do it because it was fun. "I have run by it and seen stranded cars under the bridge. I do cross it, but not when it's rained." He wonders whether social media could prove useful in terms of raising awareness of the risks of flooding to drivers. "There's often a social media pile-on when a car gets stranded," he says. "You would think the fact you can see pictures of people doing this might give you the idea it could possibly happen." Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

एक और बरसात का मौसम सोशल मीडिया पर तस्वीरों की बाढ़ लाता है जिसमें ड्राइवरों को गहरे पानी में उतरते हुए दिखाया गया है। पर्यावरण एजेंसी के अनुसार, हम में से 74 प्रतिशत बाढ़ के पानी के माध्यम से गाड़ी चलाने का जोखिम उठाएंगे, इसके बावजूद कि यह बाढ़ के दौरान मौत का प्रमुख कारण है। हम जोखिम के बारे में इतने लापरवाह क्यों हैं?


Harborne stabbing: Woman charged with murder

Summary: A woman has appeared in court charged with the murder of a man who was found stabbed in a Birmingham flat.

Police found Gary Cunningham, 29, at Frensham Way in Harborne, just after 11:00 GMT on Saturday. Mr Cunningham had suffered several stab injuries was pronounced dead at the scene. Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow, 26 of Frensham Way, Harborne, was remanded into custody by city magistrates to appear at crown court on Wednesday. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.

बर्मिंघम के एक फ्लैट में चाकू से हमला किए गए एक व्यक्ति की हत्या के आरोप में एक महिला अदालत में पेश हुई है।


Storey Arms crash: Tribute to 'beautiful son'

Summary: The family of a teenager killed in a crash has paid tribute to a "beautiful son".

Jordan Ingram, 19, was pronounced dead on a stretch of road on the A470 known locally as RAC Bends, at Storey Arms, on 5 December. No other vehicles were involved in the crash. A statement from his mum Nikki Ingram said "may Jordan rest in peace" and added that Dyfed-Powys Police had been "wonderful". The force has asked for anyone with information to contact them. Related Internet Links Dyfed-Powys Police

एक दुर्घटना में मारे गए किशोर के परिवार ने एक "सुंदर बेटे" को श्रद्धांजलि दी है।


AstraZeneca: A product of successful mergers?

Summary: Although AstraZeneca is often referred to as a UK company, the pharmaceutical giant operates in more than 100 countries, and manufactures drugs in 16 places around the globe. The 15-year-old firm employs almost 52,000 people - 6,700 in the UK - and made a pre-tax profit of $3.3bn (£2bn) in 2013.

The company invests heavily in science research and development in the UK and has sites across the country - leading to fears that a takeover by US drugs giant Pfizer would negatively impact the UK economy. But, somewhat ironically, AstraZeneca's history is a labyrinthine list of mergers, dating back to the late 19th Century. 1800s: AstraZeneca's earliest roots can be traced to several companies founded in the late 1800s. Nobel Industries was founded in 1870 by Swedish chemist and industrialist Alfred Nobel for the production of the new explosive dynamite. It later diversified into the production of blasting gelatin and ballistite, which was a precursor of cordite, an explosive used in weaponry. Chemical manufacturing firm Brunner Mond was formed in Cheshire as a partnership in 1873 (becoming a limited company in 1881) by John Brunner and Ludwig Mond. United Alkali was formed in 1890 when 48 chemical companies from the Tyne, Scotland, Ireland and Lancashire merged. 1910s: Meanwhile, in 1913 Astra AB was founded in Sodertalje, Sweden, as an international pharmaceutical group engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceutical products. 1926: In 1926 Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) was formed by the merger of British Dyestuffs Corporation, United Alkali, Brunner Mond and Nobel Industries. The plan for the new company was agreed on board the Cunard vessel Aquitania on a voyage from New York to Southampton. The architects of the merger were Sir Harry McGowan, chief executive of Nobel Industries and Sir Alfred Mond, later Lord Melchett, chairman of Brunner, Mond & Company, who became the first ICI chairman. 1990s: In 1993 ICI hived off its chemical and pharmaceutical business as part of a planned demerger, calling it Zeneca. In 1999 Zeneca merged with Swedish pharmaceuticals firm Astra.

हालांकि एस्ट्राजेनेका को अक्सर एक यूके कंपनी के रूप में संदर्भित किया जाता है, दवा की दिग्गज कंपनी 100 से अधिक देशों में काम करती है, और दुनिया भर में 16 स्थानों पर दवाओं का निर्माण करती है। 15 साल पुरानी फर्म लगभग 52,000 लोगों को रोजगार देती है-यूके में 6,700-और 2013 में $3.3bn (£2bn) का कर-पूर्व लाभ कमाया।


A guide to life in a marginal constituency

Summary: How do you know you are living in a marginal constituency?

By Brian WheelerPolitical reporter, BBC News One clue is when you get a surprise visit from a top politician. And it's no good pretending to be out - because the phone calls are about to start too. And the leaflets. Over the next 16 months you are going to be bombarded with glossy pamphlets and newspapers packed with pictures of grinning election candidates. Interactive: The seats which could decide the next election If you manage to get your front door open, you might start to wish you had moved house, but you are, in fact, one of the lucky ones. You are part of a select band of people who will decide the outcome of the next general election. Marginal constituencies are those where the local MP won his or her seat by a relatively narrow margin. About 5,000 votes or less, although there is no hard and fast definition. There is no real logic behind where they are located either. Targeting There have always been a lot of marginal seats in the Midlands - where traditional Labour Party heartlands bump up against true blue Conservative country. But in other areas it might come down to local factors - how popular the sitting MP is or how the constituency boundaries have been drawn. In non-marginal areas, where the local MP has a healthy majority, you will barely notice an election is happening at all until a few weeks before polling day in May 2015. It is not that the parties don't want your vote exactly, it is just that they have to concentrate their limited resources on seats where they stand a realistic chance of winning. It's called targeting, and all the parties do it. They have software that seeks out the people likely to be most susceptible to their message. At the 2010 general election, the Conservatives used Merlin, based on the Mosaic database sold by credit reference agency Experian. It divides voters into 65 consumer "tribes" such as "café bar professionals" or "overstretched young aspirers". The parties can then target their leaflets and phone calls at the right people. Biggest complaint They know where you live. And they will print up leaflets for every conceivable type of voter - from party loyalists who might need a bit of a push to get off their sofa "(don't let Labour/The Tories back in!") to those who have always supported the other side but might, at a pinch, be persuaded to change. Campaign teams are making more use of social media but leaflets are still seen as the most effective way of communicating with voters - apart from a visit from the candidate, that is. The personal touch counts for a lot - the biggest complaint campaigners hear on the doorstep is that they have not had not seen anything of the man or woman who wants their vote. Sometimes the party leader, or another leading light, will descend on a marginal constituency to knock on some doors, or join volunteers at the phone bank to put some calls into startled householders. Every vote counts in a marginal - as Tory MP and spy novelist Rupert Allason discovered to his cost in 1997. According to newspaper reports, Mr Allason lost ultra-marginal Torbay because he failed to tip a pub waitress a week before polling day. Fourteen Tory-voting waiters switched to the Lib Dems in protest. And Mr Allason lost his seat by 12 votes. There are plenty of other stories of candidates who missed out by the tiniest of margins. Hard to predict But the biggest headache for campaign managers is the three or four-way marginal. In the 1950s, the high water mark of the two-party system, more than 90% of voters cast their ballot for Labour or the Conservatives. But as old tribal loyalties have melted away, and new, smaller parties have sprung up, things have become much more complicated and hard to predict. In 2010, the constituency that saw the most money spent on campaigning was Luton South, in Bedfordshire, according to research by The Electoral Reform Society. This was not at the top of anyone's target list but it was a three-way marginal, with Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems all believing they were in with a shout. It was further complicated by the fact that the sitting Labour MP, Margaret Moran, had been convicted of expenses fraud and TV celebrity Esther Rantzen was running a well-funded campaign (she outspent the Lib Dem candidate). In the end, the 12 candidates spent a total of £129,687 - which worked out at £3.07 per vote. Labour retained the seat. Tight shortlist At the other end of the scale, in ultra-safe Labour seat Bootle, on Merseyside, the parties spent 14p per vote. The Conservative Party spent nothing at all. The Electoral Reform Society believes that this proves the fundamental unfairness of a system in which only a few thousand people have any real say in the outcome. Others argue that the British electoral system is far more diverse and unpredictable than that. Research by the Centre for Policy Studies, ahead of the 2011 referendum on changing the voting system, suggested 85% of constituencies representing about 39 million voters are either marginal or give voters a reasonable chance of changing their MP. Whatever the case, the parties will still be focusing all of their efforts on a tight shortlist of the most winnable seats. The 2015 election is expected to be the closest in decades and they simply cannot afford to take any chances.

आप कैसे जानते हैं कि आप एक सीमांत निर्वाचन क्षेत्र में रह रहे हैं?


Thousands at Massive Attack homecoming gig in Bristol

Summary: Thousands of people braved torrential rain to watch Massive Attack play their first Bristol gig in 12 years.

The group were joined on stage by their musical collaborators Tricky and Young Fathers at their homecoming concert on the Clifton Downs. Some 27,000 tickets for Saturday's show were sold when they went on sale in May. Despite initial concerns about traffic disruption most festival goers said they experienced no hold-ups.

मैसिव अटैक को 12 वर्षों में अपना पहला ब्रिस्टल कार्यक्रम खेलते हुए देखने के लिए हजारों लोगों ने मूसलाधार बारिश का सामना किया।


Back to school: Four virus claims that parents should ignore

Summary: Children are returning to classrooms, many for the first time in six months. As they do so, parents are having to wade through masses of guidance and advice about what to expect in a Covid-safe school. But not everything can be believed.

By Anthony ReubenBBC Reality Check There has been a range of misleading claims about what could happen to pupils on their return, which have been circulating on social media. We've looked at some of them. 1. Claim: Schoolchildren can be tested and detained - without parents' permission Teachers cannot take children to a coronavirus testing centre without the permission of a parent. And it is misleading to suggest they could be held without parental access if they tested positive. But more than 500 Facebook and WhatsApp posts in the past month - one of which has been shared 10,000 times on Facebook - claim otherwise. Aimed at "all caring parents out there", many of the posts quote a letter from the children's commissioner to top officials in the departments of health and education. The commissioner asks for assurances about the use of emergency powers under the Coronavirus Act to detain or screen children without parental consent. In August, the commissioner updated her post online, saying: "We have had confirmation from the DfE and DHSC that a parent, carer or legal guardian has to be present for a screening to take place under these powers." In the event of a positive test, the most likely result would be self-isolation at home, the commissioner adds. While powers of detention do exist, they would be used only in extreme cases, where there is a clear risk to other people, shadow public health minister Alex Norris says. Guidance to public health officials on these powers is available on the UK government website. 2. Claim: All schoolchildren will be weighed in September There are no plans to do this. Many followers of the BBC's Instagram pages told us they had seen posts suggesting all schoolchildren would be weighed in September. This appears to have started when Tam Fry, who chairs the National Obesity Forum, suggested pupils' weight should be taken at the start and end of the school year. The idea was to see if they had lost any weight they had put on during lockdown. The suggestion was discussed on Channel 5's Jeremy Vine programme, on Monday 10 August, and in various newspaper articles. But the only weighing of children will be due to the planned resumption of the National Childhood Measurement Programme, overseen by Public Health England. It weighs children in Reception and Year 6 as part of the government's childhood obesity strategy. How can you spot misleading claims in your parents' group chat? How can you spot misleading claims or conspiracy theories being shared in your parents' WhatsApp or local Facebook group - and stop them spreading? Read more ways to stop bad information going viral here. 3. Claim: There are no cases of teachers infected by children It isn't true to say no teacher has been recorded as catching Covid from children. Public Health England investigated all the outbreaks in schools in June, when schools were below 5% capacity. Most were due to staff passing on the virus to each other or pupils. But in six of the 30 outbreaks, pupil-to-staff transmission was found to be the likely source. Experts say such incidents have been rare. It is correct to say children's risk of being admitted to hospital with coronavirus or dying from it is low. The rules around face coverings for pupils differ around the UK - in Scotland and Northern Ireland, older school pupils will have to wear them between lessons. In England, they are compulsory in areas under lockdown. But the issue has led to a range of claims about masks recirculating - we've looked into them in recent months. There is no evidence, for example, properly worn masks cause hypoxia (oxygen deprivation), carbon dioxide poisoning or damage to the immune system. 4. Claim: Masks could end up helping child abductors We can't find any evidence of people trying to use the tactics in the post below to abduct children. Likewise, there's no evidence that wearing masks somehow increases the risks. This image has appeared in more than 150 posts on Facebook in the past month, mainly in the US but also Canada, the Netherlands and the UK. And it has been shared more than 26,000 times. What should be setting off alarm bells about this post is the use of the hashtag #saveourchildren, which is used by the QAnon conspiracy-theory group. Its followers believe US President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against elite Satan-worshipping paedophiles in government, business and the media. Some child-protection charities, such as the KidSafe foundation in Florida, have warned QAnon's social-media activity "threatens to diminish our identities, tarnish our reputations and harm our good works". Other charities have said the posts have led to their helplines being overrun, preventing them doing their work. And Save the Children in the US tweeted objecting to the group's use of #SavetheChildren. Additional reporting by Olga Robinson and Alistair Coleman What claims do you want BBC Reality Check to investigate? Get in touch Read more from Reality Check Follow us on Twitter

बच्चे कक्षाओं में लौट रहे हैं, कई छह महीने में पहली बार। जब वे ऐसा करते हैं, तो माता-पिता को कोविड-सुरक्षित स्कूल में क्या उम्मीद की जाए, इसके बारे में जनता के मार्गदर्शन और सलाह से गुजरना पड़ता है। लेकिन हर चीज पर विश्वास नहीं किया जा सकता है।


Sittingbourne funeral death: Man charged over motorcycle crash death

Summary: A man has been charged over the death of a teenager injured in a motorcycle crash at a funeral.

The 17-year-old boy was one of about 150 people attending a funeral in Sittingbourne, Kent, on 16 April. Robert Varrier, 29, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and will appear at Maidstone Crown Court on 18 May. The teenager, who was on foot in Tonge Road, suffered head injuries and later died in hospital. Mr Varrier, of Sittingbourne, is charged with causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to stop following a road traffic accident.

एक व्यक्ति पर अंतिम संस्कार के दौरान मोटरसाइकिल दुर्घटना में घायल एक किशोर की मौत का आरोप लगाया गया है।


Apple to discontinue iPod nano and shuffle

Summary: Apple has announced plans to kill off the iPod nano and shuffle.

They were the company's last two music players without the ability to run streaming service Apple Music and hadn't been upgraded for ages. The move is part what's been described as a "simplification" of the iPod range to leave just the Touch model. That product, which is like a slimmed down iPhone but without the ability to be used as a phone, has been updated. Nanos and shuffles have already been removed from Apple's online store and will soon be made unavailable for purchase from physical stores as well. The two discontinued models could only play songs downloaded from iTunes or from physical singles or albums. When it was released in 2005, the shuffle was controversially innovative by dropping the screen, leaving users blind to which of the potential 500 songs stored on the 2 gigabyte handset would play next. Arriving in the same year, the Nano was a replacement for the iPod Mini and kept the screen. At its peak, arguably when the 7th generation model was released in 2015, it could store up to 4,000 songs across 16gb on a range of six colours. That said, "Product Red" did involve committing to having a U2 album pre-loaded on your device. They're also direct descendants of the original iPod introduced by then-CEO Steve Jobs in 2001. Apple stopped making the original model in 2014, saying it could no longer source the necessary parts. Find us on Instagram at BBCNewsbeat and follow us on snapchat, search for bbc_newsbeat

एप्पल ने आईपॉड नैनो को बंद करने और फेरबदल करने की योजना की घोषणा की है।


China's Tianwen-1 Mars rover rockets away from Earth

Summary: China has launched its first rover mission to Mars.

By Jonathan AmosBBC Science Correspondent The six-wheeled robot, encapsulated in a protective probe, was lifted off Earth by a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang spaceport on Hainan Island at 12:40 local time (04:40 GMT). It should arrive in orbit around the Red Planet in February. Called Tianwen-1, or "Questions to Heaven", the rover won't actually try to land on the surface for a further two to three months. This wait-and-see strategy was used successfully by the American Viking landers in the 1970s. It will allow engineers to assess the atmospheric conditions on Mars before attempting what will be a hazardous descent. Tianwen-1 is one of three missions setting off to Mars in the space of 11 days. On Monday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched its Hope satellite towards the Red Planet. And in a week from now, the US space agency (Nasa) aims to despatch its next-generation rover, Perseverance. Tianwen-1's Long March rocket made a picture perfect getaway in brilliant sunshine. Zhang Xueyu, the Hainan base commander, told jubilant mission technicians that the launch had proceeded entirely according to plan. "According to the aerospace control centre, the Long March 5 Y-4 rocket is in normal flight, and the probe to Mars has accurately entered the preset orbit. I now declare the launch of China's first Mars exploration mission a complete success," he said. The targeted touchdown location for the Chinese mission will be a flat plain within the Utopia impact basin just north of Mars' equator. The rover will study the region's geology - at, and just below, the surface. Tianwen-1 looks a lot like Nasa's Spirit and Opportunity rovers from the 2000s. It weighs some 240kg and is powered by fold-out solar panels. A tall mast carries cameras to take pictures and aid navigation; five additional instruments will help assess the mineralogy of local rocks and look for any water-ice. This surface investigation is really only half the mission, however, because the cruise ship that is shepherding the rover to Mars will also study the planet from orbit, using a suite of seven remote-sensing instruments. The historic statistics for the exploration of the Red Planet are well known: about a half of all ventures have failed. Indeed, China's first effort to send a satellite, Yinghuo-1, to the dusty world stalled in Earth orbit when its Russian carrier stage failed and fell back towards the Pacific Ocean. So far, only the Americans have managed to run long-lived operations on Mars (the Soviets' Mars-3 and Europe's Beagle-2 missions got down but failed shortly after). China, however, can take confidence from the successes of its two recent Chang'e Yutu lunar rovers, the second of which made the first ever soft landing on the far side of the Moon last year. The country's engineers will believe they are now ready to tackle the infamous "seven minutes of terror" - the time it takes for a spacecraft to make the perilous trip from the top of Mars' atmosphere to the ground. "Entering, deceleration and landing (EDL) is a very difficult (process). We believe China's EDL process can still be successful, and the spacecraft can land safely," mission spokesperson Liu Tongjie was quoted as saying ahead of launch by the Reuters news agency. Tianwen-1 will use a combination of a capsule, parachute and a retro-rocket to burn off entry speed and slow itself to a stop right at the surface. If all goes well, the landing mechanism will then deploy a ramp to enable the rover to begin its traverse across the Martian plain. Chinese scientists would like to get at least 90 Martian days of service out of the robot. A day, or Sol, on Mars lasts 24 hours and 39 minutes. Dr Rain Irshad is autonomous systems leader at RAL Space in the UK and is involved in Nasa's Insight lander on Mars. "It's incredibly exciting to see what China is doing," she commented. "Their space agency was only formed in 1993, and yet here they are, less than 30 years later, sending an orbiter, a lander and a rover to Mars. "But they put themselves through a training programme with their Chang'e missions at the Moon. It's been very impressive the way they've been banging out the lunar missions one after the other," she told BBC News. Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos

चीन ने मंगल ग्रह पर अपना पहला रोवर मिशन शुरू किया है।


Bournemouth murder arrest after fatal stabbing

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a 46-year-old stabbed to death in a suspected family row.

The male victim was among four people - including the suspect - injured at a property in Eldon Place, Bournemouth. He was pronounced dead at the scene after police were called at about 02:20 BST. Three others - the arrested man, aged 31. a woman in her 40s and a teenage boy - were treated for injuries believed to be non life-threatening. Insp Jon Wasey said inquiries indicated those involved were "part of a wider family group". Dorset Police officers cordoned off the property and urged anyone with information to contact them.

संदिग्ध पारिवारिक विवाद में 46 वर्षीय व्यक्ति की चाकू मारकर हत्या करने के संदेह में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Basingstoke attempted child abduction accused in court

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with the attempted abduction of a two-year-old girl near a park.

The incident happened close to Eastrop Park in Basingstoke, Hampshire, at about 16:00 GMT on Thursday. A 51-year-old Basingstoke man appeared at the town's magistrates' court charged with attempted child abduction. The man was remanded in custody and his case was adjourned to Winchester Crown Court. His next court appearance has been scheduled for 10 March. Related Internet Links HM Courts & Tribunals Service - GOV.UK

एक आदमी एक पार्क के पास दो साल की लड़की के अपहरण के प्रयास के आरोप में अदालत में पेश हुआ है।


Longleat CEO, David Bradley, suspended from post

Summary: The chief executive of Wiltshire tourist attraction, Longleat Estate, has been suspended.

A spokesman for the estate, near Warminster, confirmed that David Bradley had been suspended temporarily while a review is carried out. Neither the nature of the review, or the reason for Mr Bradley's suspension, have been disclosed. The visitor experience remains unaffected, the spokesman added. Mr Bradley declined to comment. Mr Bradley is the former managing director of Legoland, and has been in his post at Longleat since June 2010.

विल्टशायर पर्यटक आकर्षण लॉन्गलीट एस्टेट के मुख्य कार्यकारी को निलंबित कर दिया गया है।


Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft shuts for essential repair

Summary: Essential maintenance work is starting on a bridge on the A12 linking two sides of a port town in Suffolk.

The Bascule Bridge in Lowestoft will close for 12 hours from 1800 GMT. It is undergoing repair for a fault in the lifting mechanism, the Highways Agency said. The bridge will be closed until at least 0600 GMT on Monday and then between 2000 and 0600 GMT for the next five weekday nights. The work is expected to be completed by Sunday 27 March.

सफ़ोक में एक बंदरगाह शहर के दोनों किनारों को जोड़ने वाले ए12 पर एक पुल पर आवश्यक रखरखाव का काम शुरू हो रहा है।


Coronation Street actor Andrew Hall dies aged 65

Summary: Coronation Street actor Andrew Hall has died at the age of 65.

The actor, also known for the BBC series Butterflies, died on Monday after a short illness. A tweet from his management group InterTalent Rights said: "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our client and friend Andrew Hall." Hall was best known for his role as Russell Parkinson in Butterflies between 1978 and 1983. On the show, he played the son of Wendy Craig and Geoffrey Palmer and the brother of Only Fools and Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst. Hall later went on to play Marc Selby, the cross-dressing love interest for Audrey Roberts in Coronation Street in 2011 and also appeared in many other television programmes including Hollyoaks, Holby City and Two Point Four Children. His son Josh Hall said: "Andrew began his acting career playing the character of Russell in the BBC series Butterflies. "He then worked extensively as an actor on both stage and screen including a period at the RSC and a run as Bill in the West End production of Mamma Mia! "Later, he worked as a director and producer, enjoying successes with productions including Edward Albee's Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at the Trafalgar, and Kindertransport, which toured the UK." He added: "Most recently he appeared as The Gentleman in the SyFy series Blood Drive. "He is survived by his wife Abigail, his mother Mabel, his children Kate and Josh, and his grandchildren Jasper and Maggie." Hall's agent Alex Segal paid tribute to the star, saying of his role in Blood Drive: "His character name was The Gentleman. That couldn't be more apt. It's the perfect way to describe Andrew. "The nicest of men and an extremely talented actor. "We are so sad to hear of his passing." Blood Drive's creator called Hall "the real deal" "Sitting here crying trying to make sense of it. Rest in Peace, friend," he added. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.

कोरोनेशन स्ट्रीट के अभिनेता एंड्रयू हॉल का 65 वर्ष की आयु में निधन हो गया है।


Full statement from James Bulger killer Jon Venables

Summary: Jon Venables, one of the killers of James Bulger, has been jailed for two years after admitting downloading and distributing indecent images of children. His solicitor, John Gibson, issued this statement on his behalf.

"By pleading guilty to the charges today Jon Venables has accepted and acknowledged the wrong he has done and the harm he had caused. "He is extremely remorseful and knows that he has badly let down those who have tried to help him since his release from custody. "It is to his credit that Jon co-operated fully with the police investigation and admitted from the outset that he was responsible for downloading indecent images of children from well-known file-sharing sites. "The investigation into the 2008 charges did not establish evidence of a connection between Jon Venables and the sending of images to another person until well into June 2010, and the decision to charge him was not made until 12th July. "As soon as he was aware of the prosecution's intention to charge him with these offences, he made it known he would plead guilty. 'Crass and unthinking' "Both sets of offences were committed in his home, alone, with his own computer, to which no-one else had access. The 2008 offences took the form of a hoax online conversation exchanging images obtained from file-sharing sites, which were then deleted. "Jon Venables acknowledges that conduct, which came at a time when he was drinking to excess because of the pressures he was under, was crass and unthinking. "It was not repeated: the very careful analysis of the computer he owned during 2009 and 2010 shows that, whilst he continued to obtain and view indecent images of children, he took no steps to show them to anyone else. "He puts forward no excuse for his conduct. "He is genuinely ashamed, but he has and continues to express remorse, and has come to an understanding of how children are harmed by those who have even a passing interest in such material, let alone by those who pass it on. "Jon Venables began independent living in March 2002, at the age of 19, having spent almost half of his life in custody. The decision to release him was based on his acceptance of responsibility for, and understanding of what he had done, and that it would be with him for the rest of his life. "He has said that every day since what took place in 1993 he has thought about how different life might have been for all those affected, who he appreciates have also had their own reasons for reflection. 'Puzzled and perplexed' "His release involved a challenge, and one that has impacted upon him daily ever since. In the words of the pre-sentence report he had 'a legacy life' - a complete change of identity - 'He was trained by the police in counter-surveillance and has had to live and hold a lie for the rest of his life. There was little doubt that if his identity became compromised his life would be at risk'. A casual search of Facebook and the internet shows the very real risk to his life. "It is to his credit that from leaving secure accommodation until his recall in February this year, Jon Venables has been continuously in work - being paid at around the minimum wage, and working unsocial hours throughout - and became part of a firm friendship group. "He kept in contact with his family. But, throughout this time, as the pre-sentence report observes: 'One of the major impacts in his life has been the inability to share his huge secret... he feared he would always be alone'. "He extends his apologies to those friends he has made over the last eight years, who at best will be puzzled and perplexed, and most likely hurt and angry at the realisation that their friend was not who he said he was, he hopes they can understand why he could not tell them the truth. "He also wishes to apologise to his family, who despite their obvious and justified disappointment in him, he knows will support him in carrying on with the rest of his life. "It is no excuse at all, but Jon Venables does say now, on reflection, that not knowing quite what the world he was released into was like, or how it worked, he perhaps didn't fully appreciate the extent to which the passage of time, by itself, would not blunt his frustrations and unhappiness. "He says that he appreciates there was no blueprint available to him - or those offering him support - he felt like a canary down a mine. "The return to prison was something of a relief when it came. He intends to learn lessons to help him face this challenge again. "Jon Venables knows that there are real victims of these crimes. Insofar as he extends his sincere apologies to those children who have been exploited and abused. He accepts that only a prison sentence is justified, and that once his time is served his release is not, and cannot be, a formality or matter of routine. "He is determined now, once and for all, to become the person he wishes to be so that when he is eventually released from prison, he will never go back."

जेम्स बल्गर के हत्यारों में से एक, जॉन वेनेबल्स को बच्चों की अश्लील छवियों को डाउनलोड करने और वितरित करने की बात स्वीकार करने के बाद दो साल की जेल हुई है। उनके वकील, जॉन गिब्सन ने उनकी ओर से यह बयान जारी किया।


A Point of View: Making sense of six decades on the throne

Summary: Few monarchs make it to their diamond jubilee - and in the past century or so, many of the world's royal dynasties have fallen by the wayside. So the festivities can carry a hint of relief and thankfulness, says historian David Cannadine.

It may not yet have fully impinged upon the collective public consciousness, but we are well into the season of celebrating the Diamond Jubilee. The Queen has received addresses from both houses of parliament at a ceremony in Westminster Hall; she's already driven through the streets of London to widespread popular acclaim; and other members of the royal family have begun their visits, on her behalf, to the countries of the Commonwealth. The climax of these celebrations will be the thanksgiving service, to be held at St Paul's Cathedral on 5 June, in conscious replication of that held for Queen Victoria when she celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in the summer of 1897. It's undeniably true that in some ways such royal jubilees are a relatively recent invention, but their historic origins do go back to the very distant past. In ancient Egypt, pharaohs who reigned for 30 years celebrated jubilees, in the hope that the accompanying festivities would help regenerate their strength and restore their stamina. And according to the Old Testament, there should be jubilees after seven cycles of seven sabbatical years, as explained in the Book of Leviticus: "Consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof." Despite these early precedents, it's certainly true that diamond jubilees, marking 60 years on the throne, are very much an invention of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, both in terms of the grandiose ceremonials accompanying them, and also in terms of the narratives that have invariably been constructed to make some sort of sense of the six decades that are being commemorated. Beyond any doubt, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee was the grandest pageant of her reign. At once her own personal apotheosis, a celebration of 60 years of unprecedented national prosperity, progress and stability, and an incomparable imperial spectacle as princes and potentates and regiments of colonial troops came to London from all corners of the world to pay homage to the gas-lit gloriana, the queen empress, who reigned over the greatest empire the world had ever seen. "No one ever, I believe," Victoria later recorded, "has met with such an ovation as was given to me, passing through those six miles of streets… the crowds were quite indescribable, and their enthusiasm truly marvellous and deeply touching." That was indeed the general mood, but it wasn't the whole truth of things. In Ireland, there were many nationalists who had not forgotten the potato famine of the 1840s, and who resented Britain's more recent failure to grant a measure of Home Rule . And Rudyard Kipling's poem, Recessional, written especially for the occasion, avoided bombast and boasting, and dwelt instead on the ephemerality of imperial dominion and the transience of worldly power. Nevertheless, the general tone of Victoria's Diamond Jubilee was festive and upbeat, but this hasn't been true of the limited number of such celebrations that have taken place since. The Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria-Hungary completed 60 years on the throne in 1908, and when he died in 1916, he was only two years away from what would have been an unprecedented Platinum Jubilee. This would have marked an astonishing 70-year reign, something no modern monarch has yet achieved. At his Diamond Jubilee, there was appropriate praise for the sovereign who had weathered the European revolutions of 1848, who had brought peace and prosperity in the later decades of his reign, and who had presided over the extraordinarily vibrant cultural life of fin de siecle Vienna. But there was also a widespread feeling that it was only the emperor himself who was holding together his diverse, disputatious and increasingly disaffected realms, and that with his death the Habsburg Empire must break up - which, indeed, it did, in 1918, only two years after Francis Joseph's passing. Since the diamond jubilees of Queen Victoria and the Emperor Francis Joseph, there have been two other such celebrations, in more distant parts of the world. In 1986 the Japanese Emperor Hirohito celebrated 60 years on what is termed the Chrysanthemum Throne, and more recently, in 2006 the King of Thailand marked a similar anniversary. Since the past 100 years or so have not been a good time for monarchs, witnessing the end of the ruling houses in Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary and a host of lesser realms, one of the themes of these two more recent diamond jubilees was relief and thankfulness that these royal dynasties had survived at all. In the case of Japan, there was also a recognition that the nation itself had been lucky to survive in the light of its aggression and its defeat in World War II. And in the case of Thailand, there was a similar sense of sombre gratitude: that the nation had retained its independence under an earlier king during the last great phase of European imperial expansion at the end of the 19th Century; and that in more recent times it had avoided the war, atrocities and bloodshed that had been suffered and endured in nearby Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. What then is the equivalent story of the 60 years of Queen Elizabeth's reign? When writing of the 19th Century, to so much of which Queen Victoria had inimitably given her name, the historian GM Young observed that there were certain moments of concentrated emotion which seemed to gather up the purposes of a whole generation, and he had no doubt that the Diamond Jubilee of 1897 was just such an occasion. He probably exaggerated and over-simplified, and he certainly ignored both the dissenting voices and also those who rightly and presciently wondered whether Britain's 19th century global and economic preeminence would last. And in our own post-modern times, characterised by what is termed de-centred discourse and multiple narratives, it's even more difficult to believe that any one single account of the past 60 years would command universal assent, agreement and approval. One way of seeing the present queen's reign is that it has successfully witnessed the downsizing of the British nation and the British monarchy. The Empire has gone, Britannia no longer rules the waves, the great industries based on coal and steel have all but disappeared, the royal yacht has been decommissioned and even Buckingham Palace is now open to the public during the summer months. From this perspective, the Queen has presided over 60 recessional years of deimperialisation, deindustrialisation, and de-Victorianisation. But put more positively, this also means that during the past 60 years, and notwithstanding the current economic downturn, Britain has become a more open, a more diverse, a more liberal, a more mobile, a more tolerant and a more prosperous society. Although Queen Elizabeth herself may not have had all that much to do with these developments, this is surely cause for some form of thanksgiving in her Diamond Jubilee year. And for the Queen herself, there is another, very different, story to tell about her reign. Despite the ending of the British Empire, she remains the only monarch whose range and reach are authentically global, as head of state in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries, and also as head of the Commonwealth. The other great-power monarchies may have vanished, but Elizabeth II still commands an unrivalled worldwide allegiance. Her Diamond Jubilee will be in many ways a post-imperial anniversary, there will also be some faint echoes of those far-off celebrations of 1897. Perhaps, like Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth will confide her thoughts to her diary once the thanksgiving service at St Paul's is over. Perhaps she will resolve to reign longer than her great great grandmother's 64 years. Perhaps, indeed, she has already set her sights on the Platinum Jubilee which she may celebrate in 2022. Unless the King of Thailand gets there first, it will be an occasion utterly without precedent, and once this Diamond Jubilee is over, the people who plan such royal events at Buckingham Palace might want to start preparing for it.

इतिहासकार डेविड कैनाडाइन कहते हैं कि बहुत कम सम्राट ही अपनी हीरक जयंती में भाग लेते हैं-और पिछली शताब्दी या उससे अधिक समय में, दुनिया के कई शाही राजवंश रास्ते में गिर गए हैं। इसलिए इस उत्सव से राहत और कृतज्ञता का संकेत मिल सकता है।


State of the parties in Wales: UKIP

Summary: "My gut feeling is that we're going to get the Brexit that we fought for, and like your favourite old banger that you drove around and had wonderful picnics in and went to the seaside, it got you to where you wanted to go. But the day comes when you have to say goodbye to it and replace it, with a better model."

By David DeansBBC News Nathan Gill is not talking about a car, but about his own party. As the party embarks on its third leadership contest in a year, UKIP's MEP in Wales thinks that, unless the party can find a big issue to corral around like the Brexit negotiations, it could be curtains for its future. Paul Nuttall, the party's last leader, resigned after a dire general election performance which saw the party win no seats and, in Wales, saw UKIP lose all of its deposits in the 32 seats it contested. Its share of the vote plunged too, from 13.6% in the 2015 general election to just 2%. It didn't always look like it was going to be this way. Back in May 2016 UKIP formed a group in the assembly with seven AMs sitting in the Senedd. The assumption held by many was that their assembly presence would serve as a springboard for the party to continue to build its presence in Wales. So far, that has not happened. Since the Senedd election two of their most high-profile members - Mr Gill and Mark Reckless - have gone independent, dwindling their assembly numbers to five. UKIP also failed to take off at the Welsh council elections a month before the general election result, failing to win any seats. David Rowlands, the UKIP AM for South Wales East and a long-standing member of the party, argues that the poor performance in June was not down to UKIP but the fact that the poll was like a "presidential" election. "The reason that it looks so bad for ourselves is that we've hit such heights over the last few general elections," he says. But there had been internal disagreement over the party's general election campaign, which focused on banning the burka as a key policy. The policy aroused controversy inside and outside the party. It was criticised by Nathan Gill after the election, saying he had distanced himself from the campaign and that Muslim women should not be told by politicians what to wear. The policy prompted UKIP's foreign affairs spokesman to resign. The issue fed into the question around what UKIP's purpose is now, with its core policy - Brexit - being implemented by the UK government. Mr Gill, who remains a UKIP MEP despite being an independent AM after falling out with Senedd group leader Neil Hamilton, says the reality was that there "was the one issue that united us, and that was leaving the EU". "The only way really that UKIP can continue, I think, is if we have that big picture, that big goal of what we need to achieve," he says. The MEP claims a "half-baked" Brexit could "reignite UKIP". The new model Mr Gill refers to in his old banger analogy "may be a political movement, it may be a new party". It is important to remember that Mr Gill has had his own difficulties with UKIP in the last 12 months - having been threatened with expulsion by the ruling National Executive Committee over being both MEP and AM. Meanwhile Mr Rowlands denies there is an existential threat to UKIP and says the party represents something others do not. "What people don't understand is, if someone should leave the UK Independence Party at the moment, which party would they go to to reflect their views? "I'm dyed in the wool UKIP, but could I go somewhere else and feel comfortable that they care about this country in the way I care about the United Kingdom?" He admits that some members have thought the job was done after the referendum. "There was a feeling out there, and it was among a number of members of UKIP, that we've done the job that we came into being to do, we've got ourselves Brexit... therefore what is now the raison d'etre of the party?" Mr Rowlands, however, says "large numbers" of members who felt that way are returning to UKIP because they fear the Brexit negotiations do not reflect what the British people voted for. Unlike Mr Gill, Mr Rowlands said he had been comfortable with the burka ban policy. "I think the burka is an appalling garment... to me its a symbol of oppression of women", he says. There are now 11 hopefuls who have registered an interest in taking over the party. They face a vetting process that is currently pegged to end this Friday, with voting due in September. One of people thought to be a frontrunner is Anne Marie Waters - who has been vocal in her opposition to Islam. There is talk of UKIP MEPs resigning if she won. Mr Gill has been reluctant to say very much about the leadership campaign - he is not publicly backing a candidate. The MEP is understood to be unhappy with the prospect of Ms Waters being allowed to run, although Mr Rowlands has himself said that she was unlikely to get through the vetting process. He is backing David Kurten, a chemistry teacher and member of the London assembly. Whoever takes the helm has the task of setting out a unifying purpose for the party that has struggled to find one since the EU referendum.

"मेरा दिल यह महसूस कर रहा है कि हम उस ब्रेक्सिट को प्राप्त करने जा रहे हैं जिसके लिए हमने लड़ाई लड़ी थी, और अपने पसंदीदा पुराने बैंगर की तरह जिसे आप इधर-उधर घुमाते थे और शानदार पिकनिक करते थे और समुद्र के किनारे जाते थे, यह आपको वहाँ ले गया जहाँ आप जाना चाहते थे। लेकिन वह दिन आता है जब आपको इसे अलविदा कहना होता है और इसे एक बेहतर मॉडल के साथ बदलना होता है।"


Five apply for Devon and Cornwall chief constable post

Summary: Five people have applied to become chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, the force says.

Interviews will take place on 15 January and candidates will have to give a presentation and answer questions on their experience. The appointment will be subject to a confirmation hearing by the force's Police and Crime Panel on 8 February. Acting Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer has led the force since March 2012. The candidates, who have not been named, will be interviewed by a five-strong selection and interview panel including new Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg.

बल का कहना है कि पांच लोगों ने डेवोन और कॉर्नवाल पुलिस का मुख्य कांस्टेबल बनने के लिए आवेदन किया है।


Mosul defeat a blow to IS, but not the end

Summary: On Monday, so-called Islamic State (IS) was evicted from the last parcel of land that it controlled in the city of Mosul. A battle that began 266 days ago has finally concluded with intense house-to-house fighting and a last stand on the western bank of the River Tigris.

By Michael KnightsWashington Institute for Near East Policy In a sense, the battle ended where it started. On 6 June 2014, IS forces staged a diversionary attack in northern Mosul that was intended to draw Iraqi forces away from a prison break in a town called Badush, 16km (10 miles) north-west of the city. Just over three years later, IS made its last stand there. The reduction of the last IS pocket in Mosul was a true battle of annihilation. Unlike in prior battles, such as Tikrit and Falluja, the siege did not witness a breakout or withdrawal by IS fighters. Estimates suggest that IS fielded about 1,000 fighters in eastern Mosul and another 2,000 in western Mosul. The vast majority of them will have been killed in the intense fighting, making the battle the most costly defeat suffered by IS. Politics and reconstruction The clearance of Mosul will provide a political boost for a number of actors. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi can expect to be strengthened by the liberation, as will key commanders such as Lt-Gen Abdul Wahab al-Saadi of the Counter-Terrorism Service. Rival pro-government forces, such as the Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization units, or PMU) will seek to stress their role in peripheral operations such as the drive to the Syrian border. With an eye towards Iraq's 2018 national elections, Iranian-backed Shia PMU commanders such as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis - a US-designated global terrorist - and Hadi al-Ameri will want to share the political limelight with Prime Minister Abadi. In Mosul, there will be a major requirement for reconciliation and reconstruction. The city may not be included in forthcoming provincial elections because of the difficulty of holding polls in a post-conflict environment, but there is an urgent need for a higher co-ordination council to oversee it and other parts of Nineveh province. One option may be the appointment of a popular and trusted figure such as Gen Saadi as an interim co-ordinator. Transitional justice is a key issue, because IS fighters from Mosul and its rural outskirts may have blended back into the population and public demand for vengeance will be strong. Mosul also needs physical reconstruction, a task that has barely begun even in the parts of the city that were retaken eight months ago at the battle's outset. On 5 July, Lise Grande, the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Iraq, estimated that emergency reconstruction of the city would cost more than $1bn. Pockets of IS New military challenges loom for Iraq even as the battle ends in Mosul. Just 65km west of the city lies the smaller Tal Afar, which remains under IS control. Forces from the Mosul battle are already being dispatched to Tal Afar to begin the clearance of that city. Covering less than one-eighth the surface area of Mosul, Tal Afar is a long-term stronghold of IS and may still require weeks or months of fighting to liberate. Some 290km to the south-west of Mosul, IS also holds a string of towns in Anbar province along the Iraqi portion of the River Euphrates. Collectively known as al-Qaim, these towns are closely connected to the remaining IS strongholds in the Euphrates valley in Syria, such as Raqqa and Deir al-Zour. Unless IS suffers a catastrophic collapse of military capacity - which is possible at this culminating phase of the campaign - then the Tal Afar and al-Qaim battles could still consume much of the rest of 2017. New insurgency? There is also evidence that jihadist group has seamlessly made the transition back into an insurgent movement. A burgeoning IS insurgency has flared up in areas that were retaken from it over two years ago. They include Diyala province, where Iranian-backed militias have thrown fuel on the fire by undertaking collective punishment of the Sunni Arab community, human rights campaigners say. In Mosul itself, we can see the future of the IS presence in the way the movement has adapted its operations within recently liberated areas. Timed to coincide with the start of Eid al-Fitr celebrations, IS launched five attempted mass casualty bombing attacks in eastern Mosul on 23-24 June, and the group briefly overran a small area of western Mosul on 26 June with a large-scale raid involving more than 30 fighters. IS is likely to use these kind of tactics - and large bombings of Shia pilgrims near Baghdad during religious festivals later this year - to offset the military losses they have suffered. Iraq's battle against IS is set to shift from the open battlefield to the shadowy realm of counter-terrorism raids in the cities, deserts and borders. Dr Michael Knights is the Lafer Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He has worked in all of Iraq's provinces, and spent time embedded with the Iraqi security forces. His recent report on post-battle stabilisation of Mosul is available via the Washington Institute website. Follow him on Twitter at @mikeknightsiraq

सोमवार को तथाकथित इस्लामिक स्टेट (आईएस) को मोसुल शहर में उसके नियंत्रण वाली भूमि के अंतिम हिस्से से बेदखल कर दिया गया था। 266 दिन पहले शुरू हुई एक लड़ाई अंततः घर-घर की तीव्र लड़ाई और टाइग्रिस नदी के पश्चिमी तट पर एक अंतिम स्थिति के साथ समाप्त हुई है।


Mosul: A city still in ruins, two years after defeat of IS

Summary: It has been almost two years since the jihadist group Islamic State was defeated in Iraq's second city of Mosul following a battle that left thousands of civilians dead. Large parts of the city have yet to be rebuilt and residents are growing increasingly frustrated, as the BBC's Shaimaa Khalil reports.

The Old City on the western side of the River Tigris was the heart and soul of Mosul. Now, it lies in ruins. The streets were largely deserted apart from a handful of people and bulldozers. The crumbling buildings were riddled with bullet holes. The Old City suffered the greatest destruction during the fighting between IS militants and Iraqi government forces. It is where the historic Great Mosque of al-Nuri and its famous leaning al-Hadba minaret once stood. Children were climbing on heaps of rubble; some extracting metal to sell for scrap. People have said that, to this day, bodies and explosive devices are still buried under the debris across Mosul. Posters were displayed on walls warning people, particularly children, not to touch any suspicious objects. When Mosul was recaptured by the government in July 2017, it was hailed as a major victory against IS. But this has not led to better lives for people living there. "We have nothing," a former resident of the Old City told me. "No food. The air here is not pure. The water is not pure. No schools. No hospitals." "This is not good for the next generation," he added. Mohamed Hashimie runs Radio Alghad, a station founded in 2015 to give the people of Mosul a voice while they lived under IS rule. "People have been liberated for about two years now, but what happened on the ground really didn't meet their expectations," he said. Radio Alghad hears from people frustrated about corruption, the lack of basic services, and the slow rebuilding process, according to Mr Hashimie. "Right after the liberation people were so positive. This was a golden time. Unfortunately, now that positivity is decreasing. They realise there's no real plan." A recent ferry accident in the Tigris, which killed more than 100 people, sparked fury among residents. They took to the streets blaming local officials of corruption and negligence. The governor has since been sacked and a warrant has been issued for his arrest on corruption charges. Mr Hashimie said the accident was the last straw for some people. The University of Mosul's campus lies on the eastern side of Tigris. The hustle and bustle of the area was a stark contrast to what we witnessed in the Old City. It was also a testament to residents' determination to get on with their lives. Young women in colourful headscarves braved the muddy, potholed streets. A group of men sat on the pavement with their building tools, looking for work. Men and women made their way to cafes and restaurants on the road opposite the campus. That would have been unheard of less under IS rule. Security and corruption may be the most pressing issues in Mosul, but unemployment is also a major problem. The UN estimates more than half of Mosul's youths are without work. Asma al-Rawi, a 22-year-old student, fled Mosul with her family in 2014, when IS seized control of the city. Since returning, she has had to face the harsh realities of life in her hometown. "Something bad will happen. We might lose our home again. We might have to leave the city. We might lose our lives like many people," she said. "It's very hard to be optimistic when you live in these circumstances." Mosul has seen a number of attacks blamed on IS sleeper cells. In October 2018, a car bomb killed five people in a busy market in the south of the city. The following month, three people were killed when a car bomb exploded near a restaurant in a busy area in the west. Asma's teacher, Ali, said society was also fractured. "Mosul has always been a melting pot. It's no longer like that," he told me. "Most of the Christians are not back. It's heartbreaking when you go to western Mosul and the Christian neighbourhoods are still empty. Their churches still in ruins." Ali also warned against keeping families who supported IS in camps in the desert, saying the authorities were not dealing with them properly. "This is another way to radicalise and create a new generation of IS [militants]," he explained The UN has said that IS has already evolved into a covert network in Iraq, regrouping and organising cells in remote desert areas in provinces like Anbar and Kirkuk. US officials believe there may be between 15,000 and 20,000 armed adherents active in Iraq and neighbouring Syria. "Very few people know what [the IS militants] will do next. I can't tell you what or when their next move will be," said Mahmoud Hammady, a member of an elite Iraqi commando unit based in Mosul. "The people of Mosul are justified in that fear. [The militants] are waiting for orders for assassinations, bombings or suicide attacks." "If a political solution is found, Mosul will be alright. This tension and bickering between the politicians destabilises the city," Mr Hammady added. IS has lost its territory, but the group has not lost its influence. Poverty, corruption, unemployment and an increasingly angry population with sectarian divisions bubbling underneath the surface all contributed to the IS takeover of Mosul five years ago. And unless those root causes are tackled, IS will remain a threat.

इराक के दूसरे शहर मोसुल में एक लड़ाई के बाद जिहादी समूह इस्लामिक स्टेट को पराजित हुए लगभग दो साल हो चुके हैं, जिसमें हजारों नागरिक मारे गए थे। शहर के बड़े हिस्से का अभी तक पुनर्निर्माण नहीं किया गया है और निवासी तेजी से निराश हो रहे हैं, जैसा कि बीबीसी की शैमा खलील रिपोर्ट करती है।


Insurer confusion over drinking and driving

Summary: Should car insurers withdraw cover from people who drink and drive?

By Bob HowardReporter, Money Box Few people would disagree that anyone who is found to be over the drink-drive limit should not be able to make a claim from their insurer for damage to their vehicle or themselves. But over the past year the wording of some insurance polices has potentially excluded anyone driving "under the influence" of alcohol or drugs. There are concerns that people with a minimal level of alcohol in their blood or who have taken prescription drugs could be caught out. Unclear terms Bob from Cheshire has been insuring his car with Zurich for many years. Recently, he got his renewal quote, which came with a summary explaining recent changes to the firm's terms and conditions. One new exclusion caught Bob's eye, as having potentially very wide-ranging consequences, as he told Radio 4's Money Box: "It says there will be no cover in force if at the time of an accident the vehicle is being driven under the influence of alcohol or any other substance which would adversely affect a person's ability to drive. It's very draconian. You can still drink a pint of beer and drive within the law." It is not just people drinking moderate amounts of alcohol who Bob is afraid could get caught out: "You could be taking any kind of prescribed medication which does not render you unfit to drive in the eyes of the law, but in the eyes of Zurich could well negate your insurance." Bob phoned Zurich to try to clarify what the change meant and whether his fears were justified. But he says he was told the firm could not comment without a specific case to evaluate. He has now changed insurer after being offered a cheaper quote. But others share his concerns. Unintended consequences Graham Trudgill, from the British Insurance Brokers' Association, says his members have also noticed the changes and are worried about their possible implications: "These exclusions have been creeping into some insurers' policy wordings, to deter drink-driving. "It could have some unintended consequences. Did someone have to actually be convicted of drink-driving? Could someone be taking medication which could then invalidate their insurance?" In fact, Graham's members were so worried that his association contacted Zurich to express its concerns. Zurich decided to back down, as it explained to brokers in a letter: "Our intention behind introducing the exclusion was to deter behaviour that contributes to thousands of road deaths and injuries every year. Whilst we maintain our aspiration to be a socially responsible company, we have listened to feedback provided by brokers. We will now be removing the exclusion completely." Policy changes However, although it is no longer an exclusion for policies sold through brokers, it is still there if you buy from the firm direct, hence the new terms and conditions which were sent to Bob last week. Keith Lewis from Zurich said the firm is now re-examining the wording of its directly-sold policies: "We accept that's not the wording which should be there. What we want to make sure is if anybody is out there drinking and driving and has an accident, that any injury benefit that they're entitled to is only payable if they're law-abiding at the time." The Association of Chief Police Officers said that its interpretation of "being under the influence" means being over the legal limit. But other insurers which have tried to introduce similar clauses have backed down completely. Allianz withdrew the exclusion for all its policies just three weeks after introducing it. The firm told Money Box: "We would certainly agree that compensating someone for the damage sustained to their own vehicle if they were under the influence of drink and/or drugs is less than satisfactory from a road safety perspective. But you could make the same argument for policyholders who were speeding or committed some other road traffic offence where this clause is not invoked." The Road Traffic Act states insurers still have to pay out for third party claims, even if an insurer tried to exclude you from cover on the grounds of that you were under the influence of drink or drugs. Money Boxis broadcast on Saturdays at 12:00 GMT onBBC Radio 4and repeated on Sundays at 21:00 BST. You can listen again via theBBC iPlayeror by downloading Money Boxpodcast.

क्या कार बीमाकर्ताओं को शराब पीकर गाड़ी चलाने वाले लोगों से सुरक्षा वापस लेनी चाहिए?


Power restored to homes in Wales after strong winds

Summary: Power has been restored to almost all homes which were left without electricity during strong winds.

About 185 properties lost power in Rhondda Cynon Taff, Bridgend county and Vale of Glamorgan, but Western Power Distribution said some properties were still affected in Ceredigion. The "unsettled" weather is predicted to continue, the Met Office said. More strong winds are forecast on Tuesday night, lasting into Wednesday morning. The Met Office warned of disruption and some heavy rain.

लगभग उन सभी घरों में बिजली बहाल कर दी गई है जो तेज हवाओं के दौरान बिजली के बिना रह गए थे।


HMS Prince of Wales achieves top speed in North Sea

Summary: Britain's newest aircraft carrier hit its top speed for the first time during sea trials in the North Sea, off Scotland this week.

The Royal Navy said HMS Prince of Wales achieved 25 knots when its six engines were pushed to "full throttle". The warship, built at Rosyth at a cost of £3bn, is being tested in the North Sea and Outer Moray Firth. HMS Prince of Wales is the second of two new aircraft carriers constructed at the shipyard in Fife. The first of the ships, HMS Queen Elizabeth, conducted sea trials in the Moray Firth and North Sea in 2017.

ब्रिटेन के सबसे नए विमान वाहक ने इस सप्ताह स्कॉटलैंड से दूर उत्तरी सागर में समुद्री परीक्षणों के दौरान पहली बार अपनी शीर्ष गति हासिल की।


A Point Of View: Is China more legitimate than the West?

Summary: China and the United States are about to choose new leaders via very different methods. But is a candidate voted for by millions a more legitimate choice than one anointed by a select few, asks Martin Jacques.

This week will witness an extraordinary juxtaposition of events. On Tuesday the next American president will be elected. Two days later, the 18th congress of the Chinese Communist Party will select the new Chinese president and prime minister. The contrast could hardly be greater. Americans in their tens of millions will turn out to vote. In China the process of selection will take place behind closed doors and involve only a relative handful of people. You are probably thinking, "Ah, America at its best, China at its worst - the absence of democracy. China's Achilles heel is its governance. This will be China's downfall." I want to argue quite the contrary. You probably think that the legitimacy and authority of the state, or government, is overwhelmingly a function of democracy, Western-style. But democracy is only one factor. Nor does democracy in itself guarantee legitimacy. Think of Italy. It is always voting, but the enduring problem of Italian governance is that its state lacks legitimacy. Half the population don't really believe in it. Now let me shock you: the Chinese state enjoys greater legitimacy than any Western state. How come? In China's case the source of the state's legitimacy lies entirely outside the history or experience of Western societies. In my first talk I explained that China is not primarily a nation-state but a civilisation-state. For the Chinese, what matters is civilisation. For Westerners it is nation. The most important political value in China is the integrity and unity of the civilisation-state. Given the sheer size and diversity of the country, this is hugely problematic. Between the 1840s and 1949, China was occupied by the colonial powers, divided and fragmented. The Chinese refer to it as their century of humiliation. They see the state as the embodiment and guardian of Chinese civilisation. Its most important responsibility - bar none - is maintaining the unity of the country. A government that fails to ensure this will fall. There have been many examples in history. The legitimacy of the Chinese state lies, above all, in its relationship with Chinese civilisation. But does the Chinese state, you may well ask, really enjoy legitimacy in the eyes of its people? Take the findings of Tony Saich at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. In a series of surveys he found that between 80 and 95% of Chinese people were either relatively or extremely satisfied with central government. Or take the highly respected Pew Global Attitudes surveys which found in 2010, for example, that 91% of Chinese respondents thought that the government's handling of the economy was good (the UK figure, incidentally was 45%). Such high levels of satisfaction do not mean that China is conflict-free. On the contrary, there are countless examples of protest action, such as the wave of strikes in Guangdong province for higher wages in 2010 and 2011, and the 150,000 or more so-called mass incidents that take place every year - generally protests by farmers against what they see as the illegal seizure of their land by local authorities in cahoots with property developers. But these actions do not imply any fundamental dissatisfaction with central government. If the Chinese state enjoys such support, then why does it display such signs of paranoia? The controls on the press and the internet, the periodic arrest of dissidents, and the rest of it. Good point. Actually, all Chinese governments have displayed these same symptoms. Why? Because the country is huge and governance is extremely difficult. They are always anxious, always fearing the unforeseen. Anticipating sources of instability has long been regarded as a fundamental attribute of good governance. Not surprisingly, the Chinese have a quite different attitude towards government to that universal in the West. True, our attitude depends in part on where we stand on the political spectrum. If you are on the right, you are likely to believe in less government and more market. If you are on the left, you are likely to be more favourably disposed to the state. But both left and right share certain basic assumptions. The role of the state should be codified in law, there should be clear limits to its powers, and there are many areas in which the state should not be involved. We believe the state is necessary - but only up to a point. The Chinese idea of the state could hardly be more different. They do not view it from a narrowly utilitarian standpoint, in terms of what it can deliver, let alone as the devil incarnate in the manner of the American Tea Party. They see the state as an intimate, or, to be more precise, as a member of the family - the head of the family, in fact. The Chinese regard the family as the template for the state. What's more, they perceive the state not as external to themselves but as an extension or representation of themselves. The fact that the Chinese state enjoys such an exalted position in society lends it enormous authority, a remarkable ubiquity and great competence. Take the economy. China's economic rise - an annual growth rate of 10% for more than 30 years - has been masterminded by the Chinese state. It is the most remarkable economic transformation the world has seen since the modern era began with Britain's industrial revolution in the late 18th Century. Even though China is still a poor developing country, its state, I would argue, is the most competent in the world. Take infrastructure - the importance of which is belatedly now being recognised in the West. Here, China has no peers. Its high speed rail network is the world's largest and will soon be greater than the rest of the world's put together. And the state's ubiquity - a large majority of China's most competitive companies, to this day, are state-owned. Or consider the one-child policy, which still commands great support amongst the population. The competence of the state is little talked about or really valued in the West, especially in the Anglo-Saxon world. Indeed, since the early 80s, the debate about the state in Britain has largely been conducted in terms either of what bits should be privatised or how it can be made to mimic the market. Now, however, we are in a new ball game. With the Western economies in a profound mess and with China's startling rise, the competence of the state can no longer be ignored. Our model is in crisis. Theirs has been delivering the goods. As China's dramatic ascent continues - which it surely will - then China's strengths will become a growing subject of interest in the West. We will realise that our relationship with them can no longer consist of telling them how they should be like us. A little humility is in order. One of the most dramatic illustrations of this will be the state. We think of it as their greatest weakness but we will come to realise that it is one of their greatest strengths. Beyond a point it would be quite impossible for a Western state to be like China's. It is the product of a different history and a different relationship between state and society. You could never transplant their state into a Western country, and vice versa. But this does not mean that we cannot learn from the Chinese state, just as they have learnt much from us. China's rise will have a profound effect on Western debate. In about six years hence, the Chinese economy will overtake the US economy in size. By 2030 it will be very much larger. The world is increasingly being shaped by China, and if it has looked west for the last two centuries, in future it will look east. Welcome, then, to the new Chinese paradigm - one that combines a highly competitive, indeed often ferocious market, with a ubiquitous and competent state. For us in the West this is an entirely new phenomenon. And it will shape our future.

चीन और संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका बहुत अलग तरीकों से नए नेताओं का चयन करने वाले हैं। लेकिन मार्टिन जैक्स पूछते हैं कि क्या लाखों लोगों द्वारा वोट दिया गया उम्मीदवार कुछ चुनिंदा लोगों द्वारा अभिषिक्त उम्मीदवार की तुलना में अधिक वैध विकल्प है।