Leaving our mark: Fossils of the future

Summary: From our cities, to our farms, to our rubbish, humans have firmly stamped their mark across the planet. In part two of a two-part feature, Andrew Luck-Baker, from the BBC's Radio Science Unit, explores the legacy our civilisation will leave in the rocks of the future. You can read part one here .

Humanity's impact on the globe is so great and varied that we have launched a new geological time period in the Earth's history. Its name is the Anthropocene - the human epoch. Fossil fuel emissions, climate change, agriculture, accelerated species extinction, chemical pollution and megacities will all express themselves in various ways in sediments in the seas, lakes and rivers in our times, scientists say. Millions of years from now, those layers of sediment will have been compacted into rock such as sandstones, mudstones and limestones. But what traces of human civilisation would future scientists find in the strata of the Anthropocene epoch? One feature of the fossil record we are creating for the basal Anthropocene strata is unlike any past geological transition. Millions of years from now, palaeontologists will likely excavate a disproportionately large number of bones belong to large to medium-sized mammals. Weirdly, they may think, the fossils are almost entirely of just a small handful of species. And their bones are on every continent apart from Antarctica. Their discoveries will be a sample of our cows, sheep, goats and pigs which we have selected, transported and reared in their billions to feed the seven billion of us. Consider animal demographics in an intensive agricultural world, says Jan Zalasiewicz: "Instead of having a natural terrestrial ecosystem consisting of two or three hundred vertebrate species all coexisting and all being moderately common, we and the creatures we keep have suddenly exploded as populations." About 60% of the weight of all the back-boned animals on the Earth's surface today is our livestock. The mass of all the people takes up another 30%. The remaining nine or so percent is all of the wild creatures. Any individual land animal's chances of being fossilised are extremely poor. Most fossils originate at sea where burials are quick. But because there are so many domesticated creatures, their odds of geological posterity are better than most. It is true we try to keep them out of harm's way until it is time to eat them. And when we are finished with them, most of the disarticulated leftovers are thrown away or processed, says agricultural ecologist Earle Ellis of the University of Maryland Baltimore County. However, other researchers speculate that enough livestock die on the range or get swept away in floods for them to take more than their fair share of the coming palaeontological limelight in the Anthropocene boundary layers. The farm animal take-over and the extinction of wild species are not unconnected phenomena. Over the centuries, we have turned vast tracts of natural habitat such as forests into grazing land or fields in which we grow crops for animal feed or fodder. Then there is all the farmland on which we grow food crops for ourselves. About 40% of the planet's ice-free land surface is now used for agriculture. There is a whole branch of palaeontology devoted to fossil pollen - palynology. In one million years, its practitioners might be excused their drooping eyelids as they peer down their microscopes at Anthropocene sediment samples. Again and again, chances are they will see an awful lot of maize, wheat, soya and oil seed rape pollen grains in comparison to other plant species. Bone beds? Given the numerical success of our species, some of us are also bound to end up as fossils. They will not be in quantities reflecting the current human population of seven billion - and the many more it took to get to that number. The remains of most people are cremated to ash or buried in airy holes in soil where our bones crumble to dust. However, rich Homo sapiens fossil hunting grounds of the future could be in the nascent strata forming in places such as the coastal English Channel and the Mekong Delta. In addition to cow bones and maize pollen, modern agriculture will leave another kind of pervasive trace in Anthropocene sediments. It is a chemical one which will stand-out to any far future geochemists as strikingly as the so-called iridium spike which today's Earth scientists use to demarcate the end of the age of dinosaurs. Iridium is a metal which is rare in our planet's crust but more abundant in many asteroids and meteorites. Its detection at unearthly levels in rocks 65 million years old was the first evidence in the case for an asteroid causing the mass extinction and global environmental mayhem that ended the Cretaceous period and began the Tertiary period. The Anthropocene's equivalent of iridium is nitrogen - although there will be other candidates (such as heavy metals, and carbon isotope ratios characteristic of fossil fuel emissions) for geochemists of the far future to identify as the chemical signature of the new epoch's dawn. All over the world, since the mid-20th Century, sediments have become measurably enriched in 'reactive' nitrogen - nitrogen oxides and ammonium compounds. The causes are man made and have come to dominate Nature's global nitrogen cycle. According to Alex Wolfe, an Earth scientist at the University of Alberta, Edmonton: "We went from a planet where nitrogen was in short supply to a planet that's literally awash with nitrogen - and this (has happened), in a period of only a few decades." Synthetic fertiliser production and fossil fuel burning are responsible for this. Lake clue Nitrogen is by far the most abundant element in the Earth's atmosphere but most of it stays aloof in a form which living things can't use. Until the 20th Century, the nutrient element only came to Earth in a reactive form that is usable by plants and animals, thanks to certain microbes in soil and water (and to a smaller extent in lightning strikes). Bacteria evolved the necessary chemistry to "fix" nitrogen from the air, about two billion years ago. Then in the early 20th Century, German chemist Fritz Haber invented a high temperature-high pressure technique to convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia. The subsequent industrial production of billions of tonnes of synthetic nitrogen fertilisers - particular after the 1950s - have flooded terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems with reactive nitrogen, and supported the century's human population explosion. A similar amount of reactive nitrogen has been created as a by-product of the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas in air inside the world's power stations and motor vehicles. Fossil fuel burning and fertiliser manufacture now take more nitrogen from the atmosphere than all of the planet's nitrogen-fixing microbes - and there are a lot of those bugs out there. Even the remotest places are touched by all this liberated nitrogen. Alex Wolfe and colleagues have sampled and chemically analysed the layers of sediments at the bottom of lakes in high alpine zones and the Arctic. The top one or two centimetres of lake deposits are enriched in nitrogen compounds. This nitrogen also bears the isotopic fingerprint of nitrogen derived through the inorganic processes of fertiliser manufacture and fossil fuel burning, and not of the way microbes do it. "I firmly believe that should future generations of geologists come back, they will identify these features as pervasive in the geological sense," says Professor Wolfe. "This is one of the primary reasons that my colleagues and I are very much in favour of erecting a new geological boundary that would separate the Holocene (which is the period of relative climate stability of the last 10 000 or so years and which has permitted the development of societies) with this post-Holocene period that we call the Anthropocene, which has demonstrable evidence of the human strong-hold at the planetary scale." Discovery: The Age We Made is a four part series on the BBC World Service. It is broadcast on Mondays at 1932 and 0432 GMT, Tuesdays at 1132 GMT and Sundays at 0132 GMT. Each episode is available as a download after airing at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002w557 The series is presented by Gaia Vince and produced by Andrew Luck-Baker.

हमारे शहरों से लेकर हमारे खेतों तक, हमारे कचरे तक, मनुष्यों ने दुनिया भर में अपनी छाप छोड़ी है। दो भागों वाले फीचर के भाग दो में, बीबीसी की रेडियो विज्ञान इकाई के एंड्रयू लक-बेकर, उस विरासत की खोज करते हैं जो हमारी सभ्यता भविष्य की चट्टानों में छोड़ेगी। आप यहां भाग एक पढ़ सकते हैं।


Sepsis: 'I feel like they killed our son'

Summary: "I do feel like they killed our son."

These are Kirsty Link's devastating words as she speaks about the worst thing that can happen to a parent - the death of a child. But what makes it even harder for Kirsty and her partner Aidan Crawford is the thought that their happy, smiling son - their first child together - may have lived if he had received treatment sooner after he was taken to hospital with a temperature last year. When three-month-old Lewys arrived at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff just after 20:00 on 21 March 2019, a nurse at the paediatric A&E suspected the baby boy might have sepsis and assessed him as needing to see a doctor within 10 minutes. He was put on a "pathway" used by the NHS to diagnose and treat sepsis, but despite this, a doctor initially diagnosed him with a viral illness. On Friday, an inquest jury found Lewys died as a result of "natural causes contributed to by neglect" at the hospital and there were "gross failures" in his care. They found that doctors' failure to give him antibiotics for about seven hours after he was admitted, "significantly contributed" to his death and there were "multiple missed opportunities" to save him. The health board has apologised for its "failings" in Lewys' treatment and care and said improvements were already being made at the hospital to spot and treat sepsis. Aidan said when they arrived at hospital, neither of them thought there was anything "majorly wrong". "It wasn't until far later in the night that we realised the severity of it, mostly I think because we weren't really told much," he said. After some delays, Lewys was eventually admitted to Island ward at the Noah's Ark Children's Hospital at UHW where the couple were told doctors wanted to do a lumbar puncture on Lewys. "When they said that, we both knew why. We knew they were doing that to test for meningitis. Even at that point, I remember saying if they catch it early, he'll be perfectly fine," said Aidan. "It was definitely a worry [but] I certainly thought 'we've got a chance here'. If they catch it early, have antibiotics and treatment, he'll be fine. That wasn't the case." The lumbar puncture was delayed for about two hours to give Lewys a rest after repeated attempts to put a cannula [needle attached to tubes used to deliver fluids and medicine] in had failed. "At that point he did look unwell," said Kirsty. "You could see the difference in him from when we first took him in." After the lumbar puncture at about 03:00, a purple rash appeared on Lewys's body and doctors said they were going to call the crash team. About "20 or 30" doctors and nurses "stormed in the room" and Lewys was transferred to paediatric intensive care. "It starts to sink in a bit more then that your son or your child is seriously ill," said Kirsty. It wasn't until about an hour later, after the team had worked to stabilise Lewys's condition, that the couple were first told he had sepsis. Kirsty said: "I thought the main thing would be meningitis, but the minute you hear sepsis - I can't describe how I felt, to be honest." Aidan added: "They were giving him all sorts of medications, antibiotics, fluids, blood. He was given blood transfusions, platelets, plasma I think." Despite the efforts of the intensive care team, who both parents were quick to praise, Lewys's condition deteriorated and he died at about 23:00 on 22 March. "It was just so quick. It didn't make sense at first. Everything was so fast, so shocking," said Aidan. "One minute you're taking him in, just over 27 hours later you lose him. There's no words that can describe it," Kirsty added. Aidan described the staff in the critical care ward as "amazing", staying several hours past the end of their shifts to care for him in some cases. "When he was up there he was being given every bit of treatment possible. He was being given all the help possible from those staff at that time," he said. "But the fact that the signs were missed in our opinion beforehand is what we don't understand. "We also have concerns with the amount of time it takes for the blood cultures to come back. When you've got a possible meningitis or sepsis blood tests should be back in an hour, I think. His blood tests didn't come back … for at least 12 hours plus." Kirsty said: "I do feel angry. In my personal opinion, I do feel like they killed our son." Aidan said the couple had been "robbed of a life with our son". "My other son has been robbed of his chance to be a big brother and to do all those things you dreamed of doing with Lewys and wanted to do." Jennifer Evans, a consultant paediatrician who investigated Lewys's death, said the hospital "missed a series of opportunities" and apologised to his parents. Following the inquest in Pontypridd, Ruth Walker, executive nurse director at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, apologised for the "failings in the treatment and care we provided to Lewys". Ms Walker said action was already being taken to address some of the improvements identified in an internal investigation carried out following Lewys's death. His parents hope these improvements will stop anything like this happening again - and that will be Lewys's lasting legacy. Kirsty said the couple, from Llanederyn in Cardiff, talk about Lewys "all the time, if people ask we will talk about it because we'll never forget him and we want people to remember him". "We'll never be the same couple again, but what else can we do?" Aidan replied: "We've just got to carry on, as best as we can."

"मुझे ऐसा लगता है कि उन्होंने हमारे बेटे को मार डाला।"


India's Hyderabad gets a makeover for Ivanka Trump

Summary: "There are two types of roads in Hyderabad - Ivanka Trump road and normal road,'' a local politician tweeted on Monday, as the southern Indian city of Hyderabad gets spruced up for a global business summit.

By TS SudhirHyderabad Residents seem convinced that the speed at which road repairs have been done is driven by the need to impress one attendee - Ivanka Trump, daughter and adviser to US President Donald Trump. Ms Trump is leading her country's delegation to the annual conference, which will run from 28 to 30 November. In the week leading up to Ms Trump's arrival, Hyderabad city administration has transformed the roads her motorcade will be passing through. They have repaired potholes, cleaned up pavements, and coated road dividers and curbsides with fresh paint. Zebra crossings that were fading are now nearly glowing. In some parts, tree trunks have been painted green, pink or blue. Earlier, police in the city had removed beggars from outside places of worship, and bus and railway stations and moved them to shelters as part of an initiative to declare the city "beggar free". Critics said the move was due to Ms Trump's visit, but officials denied this. The newly tarred, pothole-free roads, all of them on Ms Trump's expected route, are in sharp contrast to many other roads in the city, so much so that people are inviting her to visit their neighbourhoods too. One resident suggested building Trump Towers in Hyderabad to ensure regular visits by Ms Trump and, therefore, better roads. Even the crowded, older part of the city, has been touched up, earning Ms Trump an invitation to return every year. Rajasekhar Mamidanna, a Hyderabad-based stand-up comic, made a video explaining how lucky he is to live in a part of the city that has benefited from a makeover, thanks to Ms Trump's visit. Comparing the speed at which the repairs have occurred to an exaggerated scene from an Indian movie, Mr Mamidanna says, "The only other time I have seen a road being laid so fast was in a movie when the path on which the hero walks is transformed into a road as he passes through." With 10,000 police officers deployed across the city over the next three days, Hyderabad will likely resemble a fortress. The Telangana state government has said it is spending 80m rupees ($1.24m; £931,734) on the summit, but it is not clear how much the road repairs have cost. "Everyone is thinking we are laying roads for Ivanka Trump but that's not true," senior state government minister KT Rama Rao said. "It was part of the usual repairs we start after the monsoon every year." But, whatever the motive may be, not everyone is impressed. "Only the main roads which will be used by [President] Trump's daughter have been repaired," said Devender Reddy, a taxi driver. "Go into any of the lanes and you will drive straight into potholes.''

"हैदराबाद में दो प्रकार की सड़कें हैं-इवांका ट्रम्प रोड और सामान्य रोड", एक स्थानीय राजनेता ने सोमवार को ट्वीट किया, जब दक्षिणी भारतीय शहर हैदराबाद एक वैश्विक व्यापार शिखर सम्मेलन के लिए सजाया जा रहा है।


National TV Awards list of winners

Summary: This year's National Television Awards, voted for by viewers from a longlist drawn up in each category by the awards organisers, have taken place at the O2 Arena in London. Here are the winners and nominees:

Factual Winner: Gogglebox Also nominated: Entertainment Programme Winner: I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here Also nominated: Newcomer Winner: Maddy Hill (EastEnders) Also nominated: Skills Challenge Show Winner: Great British Bake Off Also nominated: Chatshow Host Winner: Alan Carr Also nominated: Multichannel Winner: Celebrity Juice Also nominated: TV Judge Winner: David Walliams Also nominated: Drama Performance Winner: Sheridan Smith Also nominated: Daytime Winner: This Morning Also nominated: Comedy Winner: Mrs Brown's Boys Also nominated: Serial Drama Performance Winner: Danny Dyer Also nominated: Entertainment Presenter Winner: Ant & Dec Also nominated: Drama Winner: Downton Abbey Also nominated: Serial Drama Winner: EastEnders Also nominated: Special Recognition Award David Tennant Talent Show Winner: The X Factor Also nominated: Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube

इस वर्ष के राष्ट्रीय टेलीविजन पुरस्कार, पुरस्कार आयोजकों द्वारा प्रत्येक श्रेणी में तैयार की गई एक लंबी सूची से दर्शकों द्वारा वोट किए गए, लंदन के ओ2 एरिना में आयोजित किए गए हैं। यहाँ विजेता और नामांकित व्यक्ति हैंः


Rice fell off lorry closing 'slippery' M4 near Swindon

Summary: Rice fell off a lorry and closed a motorway after grains stuck in the tarmac made lanes "dangerously slippery".

Five pallets fell on to the westbound carriageway of the M4 near junction 16 Swindon west and 17 Chippenham at about 02:00 BST. The motorway was closed until 05:15 and lanes one and two were resurfaced before it was "safe enough" for traffic, Highways England said. The road reopened shortly after 13:00. On Twitter, officers from Wiltshire Police specialist operations team, said the rice "smells nice".

चावल एक लॉरी से गिर गया और एक मोटरवे को बंद कर दिया क्योंकि टरमैक में अनाज फंसने से गलियाँ "खतरनाक रूप से फिसलन भरी" हो गईं।


Tom Steyer: What is the symbol he draws on his hand?

Summary: In between the frontrunners during the Democratic debate on Tuesday stood Tom Steyer. You might have spotted him: he was the candidate caught in the middle as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren clashed off-mic at the end .

By Roland HughesBBC News It was the most intriguing moment of the debate, but if you looked closer, you might have been intrigued even further. On Mr Steyer's left hand was a symbol, crudely drawn in pen: one large cross with a smaller cross in each quadrant. It was not the first time the billionaire hedge-fund manager has been seen with it in public - he's drawn it every day for at least two years - but this debate introduced the symbol to a new audience once again. What is the symbol? A symbol with five crosses like this is known as a Jerusalem Cross, and it was employed as the symbol of the Kingdom of Jerusalem from the 13th Century. The kingdom was established by crusading European Christians who invaded and conquered Muslim lands. There is not one agreed meaning to the five crosses - various theories suggest they could represent Christ and the four gospels, five wounds suffered by Christ on the cross, or the four points of the compass. The original symbol is likely to pre-date even the Kingdom of Jerusalem and was used in feudal states in what is now the country of Georgia, which since 2004 has used the five crosses on its national flag. Why does Tom Steyer use it? In an interview with BuzzFeed last year, before he announced he would run for president, Mr Steyer was asked about the significance of the cross on his hand. "It means to tell the truth no matter what the cost is," he said. "For a while now, I have drawn it on my hand every day to remind myself to always tell the truth. I later discovered that it has traditionally been known as a Jerusalem cross." He appears to have started drawing the symbol in the winter of 2017, and in May 2018, he told Politico it was a reminder to always tell the truth, even if you are put on the cross for it. He also said it was the international sign of humility, although this is not established as a thing. Mr Steyer - a long-term Democratic donor - is Christian, and this month told a podcast that he was 30 when he found God. But he has not drawn a link between his faith and the symbol on his hand. Instead, his drive to "tell the truth" is tied to a political group he launched in October 2017, named Need to Impeach, that focused on removing President Donald Trump from office. It's a message the 62-year-old has repeated since entering the race for the presidency last July. He has also condemned corporate interests that affect government policy, and vowed to declare a state of climate emergency on day one of his presidency, were he to be elected. Who else uses it? In recent years, images and terms associated with the Crusades in the Middle East have been appropriated by white supremacists. When a white supremacist shot dead 50 people in mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand in March last year, his so-called manifesto was reported to include references to the Crusades. Banners depicting the Jerusalem Cross, along with the term "Deus vult" (God wills it) that was associated with the Crusaders, were deployed by the far-right during a violent rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. As yet, however, the Jerusalem Cross has not been listed as a hate symbol by the influential Anti-Defamation League. Last week, the US president's son, Donald Trump Jr, defended posting a photo of himself holding a rifle (known as a "Crusader") that featured a Jerusalem Cross - as well as an image of Hillary Clinton in jail. The photo - posted days after the US assassinated Iranian general Qasem Soleimani - was consistent with a tradition among gun owners of "depicting various historical warriors", Mr Trump Jr's spokesman told the Washington Post. The company that produced the rifle said it was "objectively silly" to suggest the cross was a hate symbol. "As with all symbols, context is everything," said Dan Jones, a historian and author of Crusaders: The Epic History of the Wars for the Holy Lands. Jones himself has a tattoo of the Jerusalem Cross on his wrist. He received it a few years ago in Jerusalem, copying a technique used by pilgrims hundreds of years ago. "In the context of a Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem, this would have been a symbol of peaceful worship," Jones said. "But in the context of Donald Trump Jr with a Jerusalem Cross on the side of an AR-15 rifle, the context is very clearly one of violence - anti-Muslim violence - and of a civilisational clash going back to the Middle Ages." The fact the cross has different meanings, like the swastika before it, means any presidential candidate should be more cautious about using it, Jones said, as appropriation of such symbols could play into the hands of those who consider the US to be aggressors. "[Tom Steyer] clearly has his own reasons for scribbling it on his hand," Jones said. "But he has to be aware of the other context. Were he to be elected president, then Isis propaganda would be calling him the Crusader-in-chief." Such a development is unlikely, however. As the Democrats enter primary season, the polls put Mr Steyer far down the list of favourites for the Democratic nomination. Who will take on Trump in 2020?

मंगलवार को डेमोक्रेटिक बहस के दौरान सबसे आगे रहने वालों के बीच टॉम स्टेयर खड़े थे। आपने उन्हें देखा होगाः वह बीच में पकड़े गए उम्मीदवार थे जब बर्नी सैंडर्स और एलिजाबेथ वारेन अंत में ऑफ-माइक भिड़ गए।


What now for Hinkley Point?

Summary: The deal to build a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset was on the verge of being signed when the UK government announced it wanted to review the details. So where does this delay leave the project?

By Ben ThompsonBusiness correspondent, BBC News Channel Why the delay? With a new Prime Minister and new cabinet, the Government may have wanted to re-assess the £18bn cost. At that price, it would be the most expensive nuclear power plant ever built. Some say the cost could ultimately be much higher. It may also want to reassess the price it's agreed to pay to EDF for the electricity the power station would produce. It's currently guaranteed a price of £92.50 per megawatt hour. That's about double the current price and could mean higher energy bills for consumers. But wholesale prices are volatile and will fluctuate. So it's an educated guess as to where prices could be by the time the new power station opens. If they are higher, we'll be getting a bargain, but if they're lower we'll have to make up the difference through higher bills and pay more than we would otherwise. Is China the issue? The Chinese have a 30.5% stake in the project and there may be questions for the new government about their involvement in Britain's energy future. What is the UK government doing now? The contracts were due to be signed today but the government says it "will carefully consider" the plan before backing it and there'll be a decision in "early autumn". At Hinkley Point today they're quietly dismantling the VIP facilities that were set up to welcome EDF's bosses and members of the Chinese consortium that was financing a third of the cost. They will now return home. Where does this leave EDF? EDF is still committed to building Hinkley Point C. The diggers and other heavy machinery on the site at Hinkley are still operating as normal, preparing the ground and foundations. EDF also has the backing of the French government which holds a significant stake in it. But questions over the company's financial stability remain and two senior executives have now resigned from EDF over the escalating cost that some fear could bankrupt it if there were to be complications or delays. What happens to all the workers who were due to start? It's thought the project would provide work for up to 25,000 people both in the construction and operation of the power station and also in the surrounding area and supply chain. I spoke to one B&B owner who had hoped the project would mean a big influx of visitors to the area for the next ten years. He's now struggling to make ends meet after a series of delays and setbacks. That's a familiar tale right around this area. Where does it leave the UK's energy strategy? Hinkley Point C would have provided 7% of the UK's electricity by 2025 replacing the existing Hinkley Point B reactor that will be decommissioned in 2023. If the government decides not to go proceed with the plans it will need to look at alternative sources of energy to secure the UK's energy supply in future. Critics of nuclear power say the falling cost of renewable technology such as wind and solar makes them much better solutions to our energy needs.

समरसेट में हिंकले पॉइंट पर एक नए परमाणु ऊर्जा संयंत्र के निर्माण का सौदा हस्ताक्षरित होने के कगार पर था जब यूके सरकार ने घोषणा की कि वह विवरण की समीक्षा करना चाहती है। तो यह देरी परियोजना को कहाँ छोड़ती है?


Boko Haram: Can regional force beat Nigeria's militant Islamists?

Summary: At last, Nigeria and its neighbours - Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Benin - have a plan for their Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to fight Boko Haram's Islamist militants.

By Thomas FessyBBC News The plan has now been approved by the African Union. But what are the chances that this 8,700-strong regional force will root out an insurgency responsible for the death of tens of thousands in recent years? The area that the MNJTF will be covering draws the force's first limit. Military and diplomatic sources have confirmed that MNJTF soldiers will only operate between the outskirts of Niger's Diffa border town, and the towns of Baga and Ngala in Nigeria. In other words, the regional force's main task will be to secure the Nigerian side of Lake Chad, which represents "only 10 to 15% of the entire area where Boko Haram operates", according to a diplomat based in the region, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "This plan won't solve the problem, it will remain up to Nigeria to do most of the job," the source added. As a matter of fact, Nigeria remains extremely reluctant to have an international force on its territory. Africa's giant would rather show that it can lead regional operations or at least be part of them - Chad in the 1980s, Sierra Leone and Liberia in the 1990s; Darfur later - than host foreign armies to solve trouble at home. Nigeria has always remained very protective of its territorial sovereignty since the Biafra war. Boko Haram at a glance Is the army failing? Who are Boko Haram? Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau But Nigeria also has a history of border disputes with the neighbours who are now pressing for a regional solution. Whether over islands on Lake Chad that belong to Niger or Chad, or the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula that once led Cameroon and Nigeria to the brink of war. These tensions went live on Twitter two weeks ago when the spokesperson of Nigeria's army, General Chris Olukolade, furiously responded to comments apparently coming from the defence ministry in Niger suggesting that Nigerian soldiers were running away from Boko Haram fighters. "Nobody will disrespect my Mother[land]!" he wrote. "We don't cross our boundaries. It is unacceptable for any foreign government to say our soldiers run." In this context of distrust, it is still unclear whether Nigeria will agree to have Niger and Cameroon conduct cross-border operations, as Chad has already been doing. Zones of deployment will have to be assigned once the plan agreed in N'djamena is approved by the African Union (AU). Nevertheless, diplomats concede that the level of co-operation between military planners last week had been "surprisingly impressive". Diplomatic sources have told the BBC that Nigeria and Chad will provide most of the troops; respectively 3,250 and 3,000 men, including a Chadian special forces unit. There will be 950 men from Cameroon, 750 from Niger and the remaining 750 from Benin. All of them will be under the command of a Nigerian general. These figures include infantry troops and artillery but also gendarmes and police squads as well as engineering, logistical and civilian units. 'End of the food chain' No timeline has so far been attached to the current plan; what will be achieved on the ground may drive any future decision to review this deployment. On the map, the Cameroonian border area seems left out of the plan, which may force Chad to keep its current scenario going with some of its troops deployed south of its capital to fight alongside the Cameroonian forces. As for the United Nations, "it comes a bit at the end of the food chain", a source at the Security Council said. Western powers - perhaps with the exception of France - do not seem inclined to give this force more than a political endorsement to keep it a regional initiative. Still, Nigeria is "dragging its feet at the Security Council", as another diplomatic source at the UN put it. "Nigeria remains passive on the issue and it makes sure that things don't move forward when it should be the pen-holder [submitting statements and texts]." It is election time in Nigeria and there is a sense that mounting a plan against Boko Haram now puts the incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan, in an uncomfortable position. After six years of escalating violence in Nigeria's north-eastern states, the Nigerian authorities have postponed the general election to allow time for a last-minute offensive against the insurgents. But although Nigerian troops have recaptured a number of towns from Boko Haram's hands - at times with Chadian help - over the past two weeks, there is little chance that the insurgency can be crushed before the end of the month, when the election is now due. Mr Jonathan, who is seen as having barely dealt with the crisis, is now squeezed between his electoral campaign and a military offensive, hoping that both will turn in his favour. In the meantime, Chad has clearly taken the lead. At the UN Security Council, where it is said to be "pushy", and on the ground, with Chadian troops deployed in Nigeria but also in Cameroon and in Niger. Chad has been impatient to act in order to protect its supply routes, crucial to its economy. Goods come through Cameroon's Far North while it exports oil through a pipeline running through Nigeria's Adamawa state. There is scepticism that Nigeria will even bring a resolution before the Security Council following the AU vote, in which case Chad would probably seek UN backing for the region. Boko Haram regional growth? Funds for the MNJTF will not directly come from the United Nations but from donor countries led by France, the US and the UK, which will all stress human rights issues, given the track records of the armies involved. In a paper published last month, Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos, researcher at Chatham House, suggested that a multi-national response to Boko Haram's threat might just help the Nigerian Islamist insurgency take on a more regional dimension. After all, Boko Haram launched its first attacks on Chad and Niger after the authorities of both countries said that they were joining the fight. On the contrary but with tempered optimism, Western diplomats reckon that this current plan will at best stop a Boko Haram spill-over in the region and weaken the insurgency in Nigeria. But it will not be enough to flush it out of the north-eastern states. "Nigeria isn't really part of the game so far, but Abuja is obviously key to solving the crisis," wrote Mr Perouse de Montclos. Diplomats agree. The MNJTF may well get the institutional framework it will need to operate, but the co-operation efforts made by Nigeria's francophone neighbours will not achieve much without a real Nigerian strategy - both military and political - against Boko Haram. A source at the UN Security Council bluntly summed it up: "All we see is the failure coming from six years of non-action. "Nigeria needs to get a lot more involved."

अंत में, नाइजीरिया और उसके पड़ोसियों-चाड, नाइजर, कैमरून और बेनिन-के पास बोको हराम के इस्लामी आतंकवादियों से लड़ने के लिए अपने बहु-राष्ट्रीय संयुक्त कार्य बल (एम. एन. जे. टी. एफ.) की योजना है।


Pfizer: What will the government do?

Summary: As a test of industrial strategy, Pfizer's possible bid for AstraZeneca has all the hallmarks of Kraft-Cadbury take two. In that instance, Kraft put in a low-ball offer and Cadbury rejected it, before settling for a £11.6bn bid in 2010.

Kamal AhmedBusiness editor@bbckamalon Twitter This is of a whole different order. The bid from US-based Pfizer could be as high as £65bn. If the merger goes ahead it would create the biggest pharmaceutical business, and one of the biggest overall firms, in the world. At the time of the Kraft deal, there was much discussion about whether there should be more protection for British businesses in the event of a foreign takeover. Unlike countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States, the UK has relatively few powers to intervene. It can "call-in" - ie possibly block - bids in the defence, water and media sectors. But beyond that there is no national interest defence. Those who argue against any special protection say that keeping British businesses wholly open to possible takeovers improves performance for two main reasons. First, managers are aware of the possibility of a bid and act accordingly. And second, government protection leads to more sterile management and can actually be an excuse for under-performance. It is also pointed out that British firms gain a significant advantage from their ability to launch takeovers of overseas businesses. Change the rules in the UK, the argument runs, and expect new trade barriers to be thrown up against Britain. At the time of the Kraft-Cadbury deal, the research firm Dealogic looked at the numbers. They revealed that since 2000 there had been five years in which the UK had enjoyed a positive trade balance in the value of cross-border mergers and acquisitions. In 2007, for example, the value of assets UK companies bought overseas outstripped UK assets sold to foreign interests by £113.3bn. Even at the time of the Cadbury deal the UK was running a surplus of £1.9bn. Sir Roger Carr, then the chairman of Cadbury, said he didn't want a bid defence "wrapped in a Union flag". For those who argue that the government needs more powers, the key point is that all sorts of promises can be made about future investment and protection of vital research, but those can fall by the wayside once the deal is done. The Takeover Panel criticised Kraft for failing to honour announcements made during the negotiations for Cadbury that the UK would be a "net beneficiary in terms of jobs". Further, sectors such as drugs research are essential to the UK economy and therefore the government must be able to intervene. Pfizer is not a simple black-and-white foreign takeover story. For tax reasons, Pfizer wants to place the new business's headquarters in the UK, thereby shielding its non-US profits from American corporation tax. Ian Read, Pfizer's chairman and chief executive, has suggested that means money will flow towards Britain. "Investment tends to follow [government] incentives," Mr Read said on Monday morning, pointing out that AstraZeneca was already in the process of cutting jobs in the UK. He said the US business had already "reached out" to the UK Government, and I am told contact could even have gone as high as the Prime Minister. Under UK takeover rules Pfizer now has 28 days to put in a bid or take its approach off the table. AstraZeneca's share price immediately rose on the news, suggesting the market is bullish on a deal being done. One major investor I spoke to certainly thought it would be, at about £50 a share (as at 2.40pm, AstraZeneca's share price was £46.96). In AstraZeneca's defence, under the newish chief executive, Pascal Soriot, shareholders appear more comfortable with the strategy - focusing on new cancer treatments - and the share price has been rising. As ever, the question will be whether there is enough jam today from Pfizer, or whether it is worth waiting for more jam tomorrow from AstraZeneca as an independent business.

औद्योगिक रणनीति के परीक्षण के रूप में, एस्ट्राजेनेका के लिए फाइजर की संभावित बोली में क्राफ्ट-कैडबरी की दो विशेषताएँ हैं। उस उदाहरण में, क्राफ्ट ने लो-बॉल प्रस्ताव रखा और कैडबरी ने 2010 में £ 11.6bn बोली के लिए समझौता करने से पहले इसे अस्वीकार कर दिया।


Hong Kong's rebellious lawmaker Yau Wai-ching

Summary: Yau Wai-ching is the youngest woman to be elected to Hong Kong's parliament - and she has been called many things, including: "radical", "goddess", "spy", "pretty" and "cancer cell".

By Helier CheungBBC News, Hong Kong In the space of two months, the 25-year-old has become one of the most controversial politicians in Hong Kong - and is now pitted in a court battle against the Hong Kong and Chinese governments - even though she has admitted it could bankrupt her. Ms Yau and fellow party member Sixtus Leung won elections in September, gaining more than 55,000 votes between them. Ms Yau, a daughter of two civil servants, had little previous political experience, and made headlines for edging out a veteran politician to win a seat. The Chinese Studies graduate had been involved in the 2014 pro-democracy protests, when tens of thousands of people, including large numbers of students, took to the streets demanding fully democratic elections in Hong Kong. She describes the protests as an important part of her political awakening. After the movement failed to win any concessions from Beijing, Ms Yau and Mr Leung became involved in a new political party - Youngspiration - that campaigns against mainland China's influence on Hong Kong, and advocates a "Hong Kong first" approach. The party struck a nerve with many young Hong Kongers unhappy with China and disillusioned with traditional pro-democracy parties, who they argue have failed to achieve any reform. But, after their election victory, things quickly spiralled out of control. Ms Yau and Mr Leung sparked a furore when they were being sworn in last month. Instead of pledging allegiance to the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China", the duo swore allegiance to the "Hong Kong nation", used a term considered derogatory towards China, and displayed a banner that read "Hong Kong is not China". Their oaths were invalidated, and thousands of people protested against their actions, demanding they be removed from parliament. A top Chinese official even likened the duo to "two cancer cells - if you don't care about it, it will continue to hurt your body". The Hong Kong government launched a court case to disqualify them. And the Chinese government also decided to intervene - issuing a controversial interpretation of Hong Kong's law on oath taking, to say that any oath that is not "sincere" should be automatically disqualified. After losing the court case, Ms Yau and Mr Leung were disqualified as legislators - and are now also bombarded with angry comments on social media, where people accuse them of being useless, politically naïve, or insulting their country. But for all the controversy surrounding her, Ms Yau comes across as mild-mannered and determined in person - and less slick or media trained than many other politicians. "We know that appealing the court decision will cost a lot," she says. "We may face bankruptcy, but we have no choice." She is concerned that if the case is not challenged, it may set a legal precedent for other pro-independence legislators to be disqualified, which would allow the government to "negate the results of a democratic vote". She says she believes in independence for Hong Kong because the "One Country, Two Systems" model under which it is governed, after it was handed back to China from the British in 1997, is "a failed experiment". Despite the model, which promises Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy, "in these few years we have seen the PRC [People's Republic of China] government having direct interventions into the internal affairs of Hong Kong". "We have to find another way to solve this problem," she says. "One solution may be independence - or maybe we can find another kind of solution, but right now I can't think of any other solutions." It is true that there has been growing anger in Hong Kong at perceived Chinese involvement in its affairs. In particular, the disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers who published books critical of mainland China in late 2015 sparked concerns over Hong Kong's future. But a majority of people in Hong Kong do not support independence - or think that calls for independence are part of the problem, not the solution. Hong Kong relies on China for much of its food and water supplies - as well as much of its trade - and the Chinese government has shown that it has zero tolerance for moves towards independence from any of its territories. The last British governor of Hong Kong, Chris Patten, supported democratic reform in Hong Kong - but recently said that independence for Hong Kong is "something which is not going to happen". He has argued that the campaign for independence "dilutes support for democracy and makes a mockery of a serious political argument", and that it would be "a tragedy" if the "moral high ground" of those seeking democracy was lost. Veteran democracy activist Martin Lee has even said he felt suspicious of Ms Yau and Mr Leung's actions, saying that they are "giving [Beijing] the excuse" to destroy Hong Kong's judicial independence. Some have even accused Ms Yau and Mr Leung of secretly working with Beijing to undermine Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Ms Yau flatly denies this, and says her party has faced such accusations ever since it was founded. "There are no external forces telling us what to do, to make long term plans, or betray Hong Kong." Looking amused, she adds: "If we really were undercover agents, surely we'd still be in the legislative council - we wouldn't have let ourselves get kicked out, would we?" Ms Yau is known for being outspoken. She supported gay marriage in her election campaign - despite receiving criticism for it - and also raised eyebrows when she said that Hong Kong's housing shortage meant that young people had "no room to bang". But a lot of the comments about Ms Yau have focused on her gender and appearance, rather than her policies. One newspaper wrote articles about what she wore to rallies, highlighting what they called her "protest look", while others nicknamed her "goddess" in reference to her appearance. And the sexism appears to have stepped up a notch since the oath-taking controversy. At one pro-Beijing protest, demonstrators stuck a photo of Ms Yau on a sex doll - and internet commentators have shared photos of Ms Yau's dress being hiked up during a scuffle in parliament. Ms Yau says she believes the sexist attacks are "not because of my gender - it's because my ideology is different from theirs". However, experts have argued that the remarks are indicative of gender stereotyping in Hong Kong media - and worry that they could put off other women from entering politics. As for Ms Yau, she says she will continue to work to fulfil her campaign pledges - even if she loses her appeal and her seat in parliament. "The fact is that many Hong Kongers take [independence] as an aim for the future of Hong Kong," and the government can't ignore those voices, she says. "I hope in the future, Hong Kong people have the power to choose their destiny and the future they want - whatever it is they decide to choose." Additional reporting by BBC Chinese's Martin Yip

याउ वाई-चिंग हांगकांग की संसद के लिए चुनी जाने वाली सबसे कम उम्र की महिला हैं-और उन्हें कई चीजें कहा गया है, जिनमें शामिल हैंः "कट्टरपंथी", "देवी", "जासूस", "सुंदर" और "कैंसर कोशिका"।


Fire rips through Eastbourne Pier destroying roof

Summary: A devastating fire has torn through Eastbourne Pier.

The main roof of the pier, built in the East Sussex seaside town in the 1870s, has been completely destroyed, leaving only a metal skeleton. The pier was evacuated. No-one was injured in the fire and police said it was not thought to be suspicious. The fire service said late on Wednesday the incident was being scaled down and 30 firefighters were expected to stay at the scene overnight. Eastbourne Borough Council leader David Tutt said he was hopeful the pier could be repaired and understood the fire had been started by an electrical fault. "The emergency services have done a fantastic job," he said. "The fact that as far as we're aware that nobody's hurt - we're not aware of anybody unaccounted for - they evacuated the site very quickly and they've managed to contain it to that front dome so there's hope of getting the pier restored. "The building which has been affected is the largest dome on the pier, and it has been badly damaged - but further down it looks as it's always looked. "My understanding... [is] it looks as if there was a problem with electrics in the wall of the dome between the two layers of the wall there and that seems to be where it started." The blaze broke out behind some wood panelling in the arcade building and billowing smoke filled the air. Sian Ellis, a hotel manager in the town, said it was an "absolute red, molten, mess of flame and smoke". "We've just had another explosion there and it's very, very frightening and hugely saddening for the whole of the town," she said. Fire minister Penny Mordaunt said she would be visiting Eastbourne "as a priority" to speak to local people and thank firefighters for their efforts. "It is heart-breaking to see such a wonderful Victorian pier so damaged. Thankfully no-one appears to have been hurt," she said. 'Under control' About 80 firefighters had tackled the blaze in the privately-owned pier, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said. A fire service spokesman said at one stage: "Firefighters are using lifeboats to help tackle the fire from the sea and an aerial platform is being used as a water tower to prevent the fire from spreading on the shore side." He said crews had gone onto the pier from the seaward end to stop the fire spreading further along the structure. Mark Sawyer, coxswain of Eastbourne Lifeboat, said: "The main structure is gone now and it's a metal shell." Pier fires Councillor Philip Ede, from Eastbourne Borough Council, who witnessed the fire, said: "It looks pretty drastic from where I'm standing. "There's a lot of smoke and flames engulfing the first section of the pier. We pray the fire brigade can save as much of the building as possible." Des Pritchard, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, said: "Our firefighters have saved a huge amount of the pier - there's a great deal that's still there. "It is very sad but pier fires are very difficult to fight and many result in the complete loss of the pier." A police spokeswoman added: "It has been confirmed that the pier was safely and quickly evacuated and there was no-one trapped by the fire when it broke out. "The fire is not believed to be suspicious at this time." Ant Miller, who was on the beach when the fire broke out, said it quickly spread throughout the building. "There's quite a warm breeze here in Eastbourne today so it took pretty quickly," he said. "Within 20 minutes or so, lots of flames, lots of smoke. When we noticed it, it looked like the pier was evacuated pretty much immediately." Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd said it looked like the pier had been saved from being completely destroyed. "The good news is that we don't have a Brighton or Hastings scenario where the whole pier is destroyed," he said. Airbourne, one of Eastbourne's biggest events, is due to take place on the seafront between 14 and 17 August. The pier was built in the 1870s and, according to the Piers Society, previously had a theatre and a "camera obscura" built on it. Today, a number of cafes, bars and a nightclub are situated along the pier. It has featured in films and television programmes including the Michael Caine movie Last Orders and Brit flick Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. Hastings Pier was almost entirely destroyed by fire in 2010 and West Pier in Brighton burned down in 2003. The BBC's Sarah Bell: My Eastbourne As someone raised on the sunshine coast, seeing the pier in flames has left me feeling deeply sad and unsettled. The symbol of the town, its Victorian structure was the constant backdrop to my childhood of chilly dips in the sea. It even played a part in the social structure of teenage years - with the beaches either side reserved for the coolest kids. Later it was where we would drink local cider and snog boys, in the years before nights out involved tottering up to the nightclub at the end. Within an hour of the news my Facebook feed was filled with local friends expressing sadness and shock that a key part part of the town's history could be so easily destroyed. I just hope that it can be restored and not suffer the fate of the structures in neighbouring towns.

ईस्टबोर्न पियर में एक विनाशकारी आग फैल गई है।


Sze-Ming Cheung: Man arrested over cyclist's 2018 death

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of killing a cyclist in a crash more than two years ago.

Triathlete Sze-Ming Cheung, 44, died when his bike collided with a van in Swannington, Norfolk, on 7 June 2018. After Norfolk Police reviewed the case, a 35-year-old from the Coltishall area was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The original investigation concluded in June 2019, but was reopened under the Victims' Right to Review scheme. Following his death, friends of Mr Cheung cycled behind his funeral cortege to honour him.

दो साल से अधिक समय पहले एक दुर्घटना में एक साइकिल चालक की हत्या के संदेह में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Breastfeeding: Was there ever a golden age?

Summary: Before she went on maternity leave, a British politician called for a detente in the culture wars surrounding breastfeeding. Breast is best, as the saying goes, but it has never been the only option - terracotta pots, donkey's milk and soaked bread have played their part in a varied history.

By Kate DaileyBBC News Magazine "There is, I think, far too much guilt generally in society around parenthood, about whether or not you breastfeed or whether or not you bottle feed," says the UK's Liberal Democrat equalities minister Jo Swinson, calling for people to be respectful of other choices. It's a choice with a long history. As long as there have been babies, there have been breastfeeding mothers, providing infants with basic, essential nutrition. But for a surprisingly long time, there have also been baby bottles, used to feed infants when mothers couldn't. "We talk about the golden age where everybody breastfed, and that age never happened," says Suzanne Barston, author of Bottled Up: How the Way We Feed Babies has Come to Define Motherhood, and Why it Shouldn't. When a mother died in childbirth or was unable to breastfeed, infants throughout the centuries have been fed by wet nurses. But others relied on dry-nursing, or feeding a baby without the breast. "There's archaeological evidence right down to the ancients of bottles of various kinds and alternative feeding methods," says Ellie Lee, director of the centre for parenting cultural studies at the University of Kent. Then, as now, breastfeeding was not always an option. "If a woman had a hard delivery, if she was sick after, if the milk didn't come in or there was a nasty abscess, any health-related reasons might prevent them from being able to breastfeed," says Nora Doyle, a visiting lecturer of history at the University of North Carolina. Moreover, says Dr Lee, "There have always been working mothers." This includes the wet nurses themselves, who often left their children at home so they could feed the babies of more privileged women. In the 1950s, the London physician Ian G Wickes published a multi-part compendium of feeding practices throughout history, including the changing technology that allowed families to dry feed, a practice also often called hand-feeding. In ancient history, infants were fed with terracotta pots with long spouts, which were sometimes included in infant graves. Europeans around the time of the Renaissance outfitted cows' horns with leather nipples, while small vessels with elaborate china patterns or crafted in pewter or silver were used in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Rags were often used to help facilitate feeding and distract the baby. "There can be little doubt that breast milk was by no means the only food commonly given to young infants," writes Wickes in his collection of the earliest evidence of non-breastfed infants. But what those infants drank could vary depending on time and culture. Infants in ancient Greece were fed wine and honey, while Indian children in the second Century AD were given "diluted wine, soups and eggs" at six months of age. In the US, donkey's milk was often seen as a suitable alternative to breast milk. The practice of suckling an animal - as the twins Romulus and Remus did in Roman mythology - was also employed. As documented in the book Milk: A Local and Global History, 15th-Century French women relied on goats to feed their infants when wet nurses were cast out of favour following a syphilis outbreak. The most common breast milk substitution was pap or panada, watery mixtures with questionable nutritive value. "To be honest, they were feeding infants weird stuff," says Dr Doyle, "milk, flour, melted butter or a meat-based broth. It was a peculiar mixture of things that are liquid, and sometimes had a bit of bread soaked in as well." Hand-feeding came at a price. "Babies that were hand-fed tended to die," says Doyle. For most of history, "they didn't know about germs, so they were not sterilising" the tools used to feed babies, or keeping fresh the liquids used in place of breast milk. It was the relative instability of these hand-feeding methods, along with an explosion of infant deaths accompanying the immigration and employment booms of the industrial revolution, that led physicians to seek a safer way. "When more women were joining the workforce, whether they wanted to or not, a lot of babies were being left without someone to nurse them," says Barston. These children were hand-fed using unsanitary pap boats or hard-to-clean bottles, and often being fed cows' milk gone bad. Paediatricians, an emerging class of doctors looking to make their mark, pushed for a medically sound method to feed these children. Formula was manufactured as a result. "It used to be that if you couldn't breastfeed, your child did not have great prospects. Formula was a godsend," says Barston. In the beginning half of the 20th Century, condensed milk was also a popular choice for western women who did not breastfeed. The advent of sterile bottles in the 1950s, combined with a cultural preference for the new and scientific, led to an increase in formula use. That produced a major sea change in the health of non-breastfed babies. "There are now no safety issues associated with bottle feeding," says Dr Lee of Kent University. "What babies were being fed made them sick. Now nobody's getting ill." That's a change that would have been welcomed by women in the 18th and 19th Centuries, says Dr Lee. "The women I see [in history] are very practical. They expect and want to breastfeed, but they are very upfront about when it hurts, when it goes wrong, and when they need to give up and find a wet nurse," she says. "They may not be happy about it, but if you have a baby you want to keep it alive." That means feeding by any means necessary. The debate over formula use still simmers despite the calls for peace from people like Swinson. But it's clear that for everything that formula may not be - best for babies, nutritionally equal to breast milk, inexpensive - it is, above all, a safe way to feed growing infants. Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on Facebook

प्रसूति अवकाश पर जाने से पहले, एक ब्रिटिश राजनेता ने स्तनपान के आसपास के सांस्कृतिक युद्धों को रोकने का आह्वान किया। जैसा कि कहा जाता है, स्तन सबसे अच्छा है, लेकिन यह कभी भी एकमात्र विकल्प नहीं रहा है-टेराकोटा के बर्तन, गधे का दूध और भिगी हुई रोटी ने एक विविध इतिहास में अपनी भूमिका निभाई है।


Letter from Africa: Turning Nigerian herders into ranchers

Summary: In our series of letters from African journalists, the editor-in-chief of Nigeria's Daily Trust newspaper, Mannir Dan Ali, considers whether ranches could solve the deadly conflicts between herders and farmers.

No issue is generating more heat in Nigeria at the moment than the violent clashes between farmers and herders - that are usually over access to land and grazing rights. Just last week 200 people were killed in central Plateau state after three days of violence, adding to hundreds of lives lost this year alone. Security services are already stretched by the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east, and are struggling to provide protection and to deter revenge attacks. My personal experience of this decades-long conflict was about 50 years ago when herders armed with machetes attacked my village in Katsina, north-western Nigeria, leaving many injured. But these attacks are more deadly and sophisticated than ever before, as the herders are now armed with guns. This situation is sowing discord and threatening community relations in different parts of the country and putting pressure on the government to act. The authorities are now proposing to set up ranches. The plan is to confine the itinerant herders into controlled grazing areas to dissuade them from encroaching onto private farms to look for water and pasture as the seasons change. Grazing in parliament A huge population boom in Nigeria - Africa's most populous country - has meant that people have begun to occupy land with established grazing routes. A good example is Abuja, which in the last four decades has grown from a small village to become the country's capital city. But it lies on one of the oldest grazing routes, and herders still pass through - cars and cattle are often compete for the right of way on the city's sleek highways. Herders were recently pictured with their animals passing through the grounds of the parliament. Nearly a year since the idea of ranches, or cattle colonies, was first mooted, the vice-president has met state governors and agreed to the plan of setting up 94 of them in 10 of Nigeria's 36 states. These would be extensive areas of land dedicated to grazing livestock like cows and sheep. It would also mean schools and other facilities would have to be built for the new communities. Planners estimate that it would take 10 years to put the ranches in place, at a cost of 197bn naira ($500m; £380m). Mannir Dan Ali: "The Fulanis are a proud people and their animals are their prized possessions" The plan however faces several challenges, including deep suspicions among ethnic communities, which is mostly perpetuated by Nigerian elites. Some politicians have framed the conflict as a religious one, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari, a Fulani Muslim, of looking the other way as his kinsmen go on the rampage. This emotive narrative is partly fuelled by the fact that the herders are mainly Fulani Muslims and the farmers in the more lush grazing fields of central and southern Nigeria are largely Christian. More like this: The politicians say the government should not spend state resources to set up ranches as they would be supporting a private enterprise. Some states have also kicked against it as they do not want to provide the land. The Afenifere, a Yoruba interest group, is opposed to the idea, saying ranches would not be welcomed anywhere in Yorubaland in south-western Nigeria because they suspect the herders would want to annex their land. But for all the criticism and hyperbole, no alternatives have been provided. Nigeria's media is also guilty of portraying the herders as "bloodthirsty" and propagating other stereotypes that has often framed them as the aggressors and never as victims, even when that has been the case. Local media reporting also tends to leave out the complexity of the conflict. The Fulanis are a proud people and their animals are their prized possessions - they and their families walk for hundreds of kilometres from the extreme north to central Nigeria and beyond at least twice a year to find the best grazing land for their cattle. The ranching policy has probably not considered that it could lead to more expensive meat for Nigerians as the cost of feeding the animals will escalate. Presently open grazing has little cost in terms of the grass that the animals forage on. Low cattle-human ratio The Fulanis are also suspicious of the ranches as there has not been an effort to educate them about it and how it would benefit them in the long term. Their lifestyle currently provides other Nigerians with beef, milk and other dairy products. Ranching is not exactly new in Nigeria. Some were set up during the colonial period and continued up to the 1980s, when most of the government and even the big privately-owned ranches closed. It is not clear if the government has studied the reasons why they failed - but mismanagement may be a likely answer. A cursory search shows that Nigeria has a relatively low human-to-cattle ratio, unlike countries like Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil where ranches proliferate and there are more cattle than human beings. Nigeria has around 20 million head of cattle compared to its estimated nearly 200 million citizens. Perhaps more sober research and commitment is needed to convince those opposed to the ranching proposal. The country needs to be shown the economic benefits of such a model - pertinent for a government seeking to diversify from its dependency on oil revenues. The herders themselves - often uneducated and suspicious of authority - need to be convinced too, as do the farmers worried about losing their land. Critically, law and order needs to be strengthened, along with the criminal justice system, so that there is a swift response to incidents of cattle rustling and attacks on communities. This is the only way to prevent the cycle of revenge attacks which has made this conflict so deadly. More from Mannir Dan Ali: Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, on Instagram at bbcafrica or email africalive@bbc.co.uk

अफ्रीकी पत्रकारों के पत्रों की हमारी श्रृंखला में, नाइजीरिया के डेली ट्रस्ट समाचार पत्र के प्रधान संपादक, मन्नीर डैन अली, विचार करते हैं कि क्या खेत चरवाहों और किसानों के बीच घातक संघर्षों को हल कर सकते हैं।


Alan Turing: Is he really the father of computing?

Summary: A series of celebratory events is taking place this week to mark the centenary of computer pioneer Alan Turing's birth. To mark the occasion the BBC has commissioned seven articles to explore his achievements. This third essay questions how influential his pioneering work on early computers proved to be in their later development.

By Prof Simon LavingtonComputer historian When Alan Turing arrived to start work at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) at Teddington, south-west London, he was 33 years old. It was October 1945 and he was placed in a section by himself, with instructions to design a new type of calculating machine. A few months before, a team of mathematicians and engineers at the University of Pennsylvania had produced an extraordinary report for the US Army, outlining the design of Edvac: the Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer. Edvac was novel. It was what we would now recognise as a universal, stored-program computer and it opened up the possibility of applying high-speed automatic digital computations to a wide range of problems. Technical detail The great and the good of the scientific world on both sides of the Atlantic quickly saw the strategic possibilities of building such a universal computer, which is why the NPL recruited Alan Turing to design a British version. Turing needed no prompting. He had developed his own ideas on the theory of universal computation, in a complicated paper entitled On Computable Numbers, published in 1936. While this addressed a philosophical problem in pure mathematics, Turing had certainly realised that there could be practical applications. His Proposed Electronic Calculator, a document describing what the NPL management were soon calling Ace - the Automatic Computing Engine - contained more technical detail than the Americans' Edvac Report. 'Giant brain' While the Ace used the same notation as Edvac, Turing's report went much further in dealing with software issues and in predicting future non-numeric applications of computers. Throughout 1946 and 1947, the NPL management made unsuccessful efforts to set up an electronics group to build Turing's paper design for Ace. The popular press got wind of the plans for a giant brain, putting more pressure on the management. In the spring of 1947 the American Harry Huskey, on a year's visit to NPL, came close to starting the construction of a Pilot model of the Ace design but Turing disagreed with the scheme. In the autumn of 1947 a disillusioned Turing took himself off to Cambridge University for a sabbatical year. Production version It was not until the spring of 1948 that, in Turing's absence, construction of the Pilot Ace computer began in earnest. It eventually ran its first program in May 1950. The English Electric Company then took the design and marketed a production version known as the Deuce computer from 1955 onwards. Meanwhile, at least five other teams in the UK, and many more in America, had also started to design stored-program universal computers along the general lines of the Edvac Report. The first of these to work was a small computer that came to life in the electrical engineering department at Manchester University in June 1948, to be followed by a larger machine at Cambridge University in May 1949 Although these projects bore little relationship to the details in Turing's Ace proposal, he was sufficiently interested in work at Manchester University to take up a post in its mathematics department in October 1948. Here he contributed to the design of the machine's input/output systems and suggested enhancements to the instruction set. With government support, the developments were taken up by local engineering firm Ferranti, which, in February 1951, delivered the Ferranti Mark I - believed to have been the world's first commercially available computer. Limited influence Until his death in June 1954, Turing used the Ferranti Mark I at Manchester for developing mathematical models of embryonic growth, an exciting new field of research known as morphogenesis or "the development of shape and form in living things". Like many other brilliant minds, Turing's significance was widely appreciated only after his death. He is often called the "father of computing", but was this really the case at the time of conception? Turing's former Cambridge tutor and leader of the wartime Colossus development at Bletchley Park, Prof Max Newman, described him as "one of the most profound and original mathematical minds of his generation". And yet, when asked what influence Turing's On Computable Numbers paper had in the early days of computer design, Newman replied: "I should say practically none at all." Complex software It was not until the late 1960s, at a time when computer scientists had started to consider whether programs could be proved correct, that On Computable Numbers came to be widely regarded as the seminal paper in the theory of computation. As for Turing's Pilot Ace, it was in many ways groundbreaking, faster than other contemporary British computers by about a factor of five, while employing about one-third of the electronic equipment. Ironically, Harry Huskey returned from NPL to lead a computer design group at the US National Bureau of Standards, where his Standard's Western Automatic Computer (Swac), first working in August 1950, was faster than Pilot Ace while being much easier to program. Indeed, the complexity of writing programs for the Pilot Ace and Deuce was one of the reasons why Turing's design did not have more influence. Alan Turing is rightly regarded as a national treasure - even an international treasure. But his codebreaking work at Bletchley Park, and indeed Turing's Ace design, exerted little influence on commercially viable computers as markets began to open up in the late 1950s. Nevertheless, Alan Turing's ideas remain to this day embedded in the theories of both codebreaking and computing. Simon Lavington is the author of Alan Turing and his Contemporaries: Building the World's First Computers and a former professor of computer science at the University of Essex.

कंप्यूटर अग्रणी एलन ट्यूरिंग के जन्म की शताब्दी को चिह्नित करने के लिए इस सप्ताह उत्सव कार्यक्रमों की एक श्रृंखला आयोजित की जा रही है। इस अवसर को चिह्नित करने के लिए बी. बी. सी. ने उनकी उपलब्धियों का पता लगाने के लिए सात लेखों को कमीशन किया है। यह तीसरा निबंध सवाल करता है कि प्रारंभिक कंप्यूटरों पर उनका अग्रणी काम उनके बाद के विकास में कितना प्रभावशाली साबित हुआ।


Cheadle woman accused of her mother's murder

Summary: A woman whose stabbed body was found at a house has been named by police as the mother of the 24-year-old accused of her murder.

Rocky Sargeant, 53, was discovered in Sun Street in Cheadle, Staffordshire, on Friday, police said. A post-mortem examination showed she died of multiple stab wounds. Daughter Charlene Sargeant, of Sun Street, appeared in court earlier charged with murder. She was remanded in custody at North Staffordshire Combined Court to appear at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday. Related Internet Links HM Courts & Tribunals Service

एक महिला जिसका चाकू से क्षत-विक्षत शव एक घर में मिला था, उसे पुलिस ने उसकी हत्या के 24 वर्षीय आरोपी की मां के रूप में नामित किया है।


Irish Senator Jimmy Harte found with head injuries

Summary: An Irish senator is in a critical condition in a Dublin hospital after being found with head injuries.

Labour Party Senator Jimmy Harte, 55, was found at Newmarket Square in the Irish capital at about 03:00 GMT on Saturday. He was taken to the Beaumont Hospital and an investigation has been launched. Earlier, he had been at the Ireland v Latvia football international at the Aviva Stadium. Senator Harte is from Letterkenny in County Donegal. He was elected to Seanad Eireann (Irish Senate) in 2011.

एक आयरिश सीनेटर सिर में चोट लगने के बाद डबलिन अस्पताल में गंभीर हालत में है।


Tandragee: Man dies after two-vehicle crash

Summary: A man has died after a crash between a motorcycle he was driving and another vehicle in Tandragee, County Armagh.

Police said the crash happened shortly before 16:35 GMT in the Market Street area of the town on Sunday. The man was taken to hospital but later died. Market Street remains closed and motorists are advised to find alternative routes. The police have appealed for anyone who witnessed the crash or may have dashcam footage to come forward.

अरमाघ काउंटी के तांडरेजी में एक मोटरसाइकिल और एक अन्य वाहन के बीच दुर्घटना में एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है।


Top Gear gives Matt LeBlanc a job without looking at Joey's car experience

Summary: Joey Tribbiani finally passed an audition.

It's been announced Friends actor Matt LeBlanc will be one of the new presenters of Top Gear. It is the first time Top Gear will have a non-British host and he says he's "honoured and excited to be a part of this iconic show's new chapter. What a thrill!" The show's producers clearly didn't take Joey's motoring experience into account when offering him the job. His agent Estelle's obviously been looking down on him. How YOU driving? The one with the Porsche or por-sha. Matt has previous for showing off in flash cars that he doesn't own. Definitely nothing to do with the girls who liked the por-sha. The one with the road trip. Top Gear is famous for its endurance road trips around the world. It might not be one for Matt though. Not even renditions of Smelly Cat could keep him awake. The one with the car backfiring. No sudden engine noises for Matt please. Although we'd all enjoy watching him trying to save his sandwich/ The Stig. The one with Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E. Joey wasn't very good working with technology on television. He didn't get on with his co-presenter C.H.E.E.S.E. Just remember Mr Evans, Joey doesn't share food. The one where they leave a baby on a bus. Clearly a prime candidate to lock the keys in the car. Joey couldn't even remember he'd left a tiny person on public transport. And finally there was the one with Top Gear. It is possible that Joey and Matt aren't exactly the same when it comes to motoring. Matt LeBlanc set - and still holds - the fastest-ever Star in a Reasonably Priced Car. He famously recorded an as-yet unbeaten lap time of 1m 42.1s in the Kia cee'd. So that's that. Top Gear will be back in May. Oh and Radio 1 presenter Greg James had this to say. Greg James tweeted: PLEASE LET THE STIG BE ROSS. PLEASE. That's not a bad idea. For more stories like this one you can now download the BBC Newsbeat app straight to your device. For iOS go here. For Android go here.

जॉय ट्रिबियानी ने आखिरकार एक ऑडिशन पास किया।


Will the Church ever accept same-sex marriage?

Summary: The first Church of England vicar to marry his same-sex partner is taking a bishop to an employment tribunal after a job offer as a chaplain to the NHS was withdrawn when the bishop refused him the necessary licence.

Caroline WyattReligious affairs correspondent@CarolineWyatton Twitter The vicar, Canon Jeremy Pemberton, will argue that the bishop unlawfully discriminated against him in refusing the licence, without which he could not take up the job. So what does the case say about the Church of England's position on same-sex marriage? When Parliament made same-sex marriage legal in England and Wales with effect from March 2014, it created a headache for the Church of England and other organised religions whose teachings, tradition and doctrine hold that marriage can be only between a man and a woman. While organised religions have specific legal opt-outs from the Equality Act 2010 and the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, the case being brought by Canon Pemberton at an employment tribunal in Nottingham is the first significant legal test of the Church's position and will be closely watched by all sides in the debate. The Church of England maintains that its doctrine is clear, and that while it supports vicars in same-sex civil partnerships, marriage is between a man and a woman. The facts of the case are these: after Jeremy Pemberton became the first Church of England vicar to marry his same-sex partner, Laurence Cunnington, last year, the acting Bishop for Southwell and Nottingham, Richard Inwood, revoked Mr Pemberton's permission to officiate as a priest in that diocese and wrote to the NHS trust in Nottinghamshire saying he would not give Mr Pemberton the licence he needed for the new job. The NHS then withdrew its job offer, as its chaplains must show that they are "in good standing" with their own religious organisation before taking up a post. However, Mr Pemberton has continued to work as a chaplain in his old job in another NHS Trust in a different diocese, in Lincolnshire. Divided opinions At the tribunal, the Bishop will argue that the Church's doctrine and pastoral guidance make clear that those in holy orders cannot enter into a same-sex marriage, as the clergy must "model the Church's teaching" in their own lives. Mr Pemberton will argue that the bishop unlawfully discriminated against him, and will also question whether the Church's view on same-sex marriage is a matter of doctrine. The question of same-sex marriage is one that has already divided opinion within the Church of England and the worldwide Anglican communion, and will continue to do so in the future, perhaps even more seriously than the issue of ordaining women priests and bishops. The Church has tried to take the heat out of the question by carrying out internal consultations for two years on same-sex marriage, called shared or facilitated conversations, in which those of opposing views have the chance to share them with one another in a "safe space". However, given the strength of feeling among supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage, it seems unlikely that there will be the same room for the kind of compromise that was eventually reached over women priests. The most recent guidance from the House of Bishops in February 2014 on same-sex marriage said the bishops were in agreement that "the Christian understanding and doctrine of marriage as a lifelong union between one man and one woman remains unchanged", as set out in Canon Law as Canon B30 and in the Book of Common Prayer. Canon Law: Holy Matrimony: "The Church of England affirms, according to our Lord's teaching, that marriage is in its nature a union permanent and lifelong, for better for worse, till death them do part, of one man with one woman, to the exclusion of all others on either side, for the procreation and nurture of children, for the hallowing and right direction of the natural instincts and affections, and for the mutual society, help and comfort which the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity." The Church acknowledged that its teachings now diverged for the first time from the general understanding and definition of marriage by Parliament. Theological debate However, the Church of England says that it nonetheless values theological debate, and allows clergy to argue for a change in its teaching on marriage and human sexuality, while making clear that they should not marry someone of the same sex. At the same time, it has no wish to be seen as homophobic, and has also issued guidance to say that the Church welcomes gay and lesbian clergy and laity and considers homophobia unacceptable. But can it hold those two positions at the same time for much longer, especially as social mores around the Church continue to change rapidly, with younger generations in the UK far more likely than their elders to accept same-sex marriage as a given? The Church may well see its position in this case as clear: that those who serve as clergy must live up to all the teachings of the Church, whether they agree with them or not. However, campaigners for change in its current position on same-sex marriage will argue with equal vigour that the Church's doctrine has adapted in the past to accommodate changing social mores, and - if it wanted to - the Church of England could do so again.

अपने समलैंगिक साथी से शादी करने वाला पहला चर्च ऑफ इंग्लैंड पादरी एक बिशप को एक रोजगार न्यायाधिकरण में ले जा रहा है, जब एन. एच. एस. को एक पादरी के रूप में नौकरी का प्रस्ताव वापस ले लिया गया था, जब बिशप ने उसे आवश्यक लाइसेंस देने से इनकार कर दिया था।


Covid lockdown eases: Corby reopening 'couldn't have gone better'

Summary: Over the past two months, Corby in Northamptonshire has consistently had one of the highest Covid-19 case rates in England. At the weekend, mass testing was carried out on residents in an attempt to stop transmission and spot asymptomatic cases. So how do pubs, shops and their customers feel about lockdown easing?

'I feel quietly confident' Marie O'Connor runs an Irish bar and restaurant in Corby town centre and says the reopening "has gone really well". "I couldn't have wished for any better," she adds. She had planned to open in March last year but because of the pandemic she opened in December, but then had to close again before Christmas. "It's been catastrophic for our whole plans," she says. "We're in a good position but I fear more for businesses who aren't in a good position". She says the outside heated seating area is fully booked until May, but the Italian restaurant she also runs in Corby is open only for takeaway as it does not have an outside space. With Corby's high Covid-19 rate, the restaurant began takeaways only two weeks ago. "In January and February and until the end of March we felt the numbers were too high [to open] - we wanted to keep our staff and customers safe. "While you look at Corby being the top, we do lots of tests and I do think there is a correlation. "The vaccine rollout is making me feel better, [as] our vaccinations are way ahead. I'm 46 and I've had a vaccination. "You come to Corby, you see how well it's being managed and I feel quietly confident." 'I'm so happy' Sisters Beth Badiu and Angeline Abbot have been able to meet up with their friend Gemma Burns, in a bar's outside seating area. "It's the first time we've seen each other since lockdown started," Ms Abbot says. "When [Gemma] walked in it was so emotional and not behind a mask and to see someone smile was great." Ms Badiu says being able to meet up with friends was "refreshing", adding: "I'm so happy". "I can just sit here with friends, have a coffee, and do nothing else," she adds. For Ms Badiu, there is one other reopening she is looking forward to. "I'll be taking my two year old swimming, hopefully sometime this week," she says. "She's at that age where she's asking 'can we go to the beach?'. But that's a bit far, so we'll go to the pool." 'We've got to learn to live with Covid' Belinda Wood runs Bella Knit in Corby town centre and says she "couldn't wait" to reopen. "I've been looking forward to it, getting some normality back to life and looking forward to seeing all my customers." She says she has been "quite busy" since reopening at 10:00 BST, as customers have been buying items to "finish off their projects" started during lockdown. "Everything has gone as it should do, and the town centre is quite busy," she says. During lockdown the shop has been running a "call and collect" service and doing local deliveries - measures which mean the shop has "kind of just got by". She says: "I'm missing all my customers. They enjoy coming out and talking to you. "There is a good social thing about it, I have a lot of loyal regular customers and a lot don't use online." Ms Wood says with a shop such as hers, which sells wool and craft items, there is "a big advantage to seeing, looking, and feeling properly". She says she is not worried about Corby's high case rate, although admits some customers might be "nervous" about returning the town centre. "We've got things in place, we have to take precautions but we've got to learn to start living with it," she adds. 'I had pre-drink nerves walking to the bar' Friends Brandon Wall, Bradley McKay and Jai Sawyer booked the day off work so they could meet up. Mr McKay admitted to "pre-drink nerves walking to the bar" because he hadn't been to a pub since before Christmas. The three 20-year-olds say they have most been looking forward to pubs and the gym reopening. What about the shops? "No, we've seen the queues," says Mr Wall. By contrast, Corby's high Covid-19 rate does not seem to worry them, however. For Mr Sawyer, that is because he has already had coronavirus, while the vaccine rollout gives the others a sense of security. "Our parents have now had the vaccine as well, so we are not are worried if we get it now," says Mr Wall. "But we don't really want it," adds Mr McKay. 'Safety measures for the foreseeable future' Gyms have been able to reopen in England and Jordan Cuff, manager of PureGym in Corby, says he is "extremely excited". He says: "We were absolutely delighted to see everyone's smiling faces this morning." Staff have been at the gym to make sure almost 400 users they have seen today "feel safe and comfortable", he says. Although gyms can reopen, under the current relaxing of restrictions people will only be able to exercise individually or with their household, and there will be no classes. Mr Cuff says the safety measures introduced last year "have been proven to ensure very low levels of Covid-19 cases in gyms". "We will keep these measures in place for the foreseeable future to make sure that this remains the case," he adds. Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk Related Internet Links North Northamptonshire Council

पिछले दो महीनों में, नॉर्थम्पटनशायर में कोर्बी में लगातार इंग्लैंड में सबसे अधिक कोविड-19 मामले दर्ज किए गए हैं। सप्ताहांत में, संक्रमण को रोकने और बिना लक्षण वाले मामलों का पता लगाने के प्रयास में निवासियों पर बड़े पैमाने पर परीक्षण किया गया था। तो पब, दुकानें और उनके ग्राहक लॉकडाउन में ढील के बारे में कैसा महसूस करते हैं?


'Hell on Earth': Inside Quetta's Hazara community

Summary: For years Quetta in Pakistan has rarely been visited by foreign media organisations, as it is considered too dangerous. Now a World Service investigation has uncovered the reality of life for the city's persecuted Hazara Shia community in what some describe as "hell on earth".

By Mobeen AzharBBC World Service On 10 January 2013, a suicide bomber walked into a packed snooker hall in Quetta and detonated an explosive device, marking the beginning of what would become the bloodiest day in Pakistan's recent history. Eight people died in the initial blast and the area soon became flooded with people trying to help. A second bomb planted on an ambulance was then detonated. The attacks killed more than 120 people, most of them from the Hazara Shia community, in a campaign strategically planned to inflict maximum carnage. Quetta's Hazara community is on the front line of Pakistan's battle with violent extremism. Ruqsana Bibi lost three of her four sons on that day. The walls of her modest home are filled with family pictures. She sits on the floor holding three frames. Each contains a picture of one of the children she lost. "I ran to the mosque barefoot and I saw the bodies of my three sons. I kissed their faces. I carried them to the cemetery myself. The eldest was Khadim Husain. I said to him: 'You must take care of your brothers in the grave.' I don't know what happened to me then. People took me home." Mrs Bibi says her grandsons, aged nine and five, are afraid that they too will be "martyred" one day. "They say: 'Who are these people killing us?' Who are these people that are stirring up trouble between Sunnis and Shias? It didn't used to be like this." Mrs Bibi's family, like almost all of the victims of the Quetta attacks, are Hazara. Hazaras are ethnically Mongolian, with oriental features and light skin, different from much of Pakistan's population. The vast majority of Hazaras are Shia Muslim and are therefore declared "heretics" by militant Sunni Islamist groups like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Quetta is home to more than half a million Hazara Shias, making them an easy target for Sunni extremists who want to punish their "heresy" with violence. Five weeks after the attack on the snooker hall, another bomb was detonated in a crowded market place in Quetta, killing almost 90 people. It happened as people, mainly women, were shopping for groceries and schoolchildren were coming out of their classes. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for both attacks. The group released a statement declaring that they planned to turn Quetta into "a graveyard for Shias". Fighting for survival The extreme violence in Quetta means many Hazaras feel pessimistic about their future in Pakistan. Nargis Ali, 19, was planning on going to Balochistan University, in Quetta. But faced with the security risks, her parents have asked her to give up on academia. "I got brilliant results but even the university staff say they cannot guarantee my safety. My parents really wanted me to study but they are just so scared of what will happen," she told the BBC. "Education is the most important thing to me - but what choice do we have?" Many young Hazaras have fled Quetta, in the hope of claiming asylum in Australia and Europe. It is estimated that 90% of those fleeing the violence do so illegally. Quetta is now home to a booming human trafficking industry. The journey to Australia via Christmas Island in the South Pacific is fraught with danger. Mohammed Changezi is a social worker, who runs workshops on migration at a Hazara community centre. His uncle, aunt and their children all drowned en route to Australia. "It's dangerous," he says. "Agents lie to get a few hundred dollars. There are so many people migrating because of the law and order situation." Mohammed Ibrahim, who is 28, is now back in Quetta after spending a year in an Indonesian detention centre. He paid a local agent to get him to Australia, and was put on a boat from Jakarta to Christmas Island. The boat began to leak and the captain deserted his passengers, leaving them to be picked up by the coastguard. "My brother also paid a trafficker to get him to Australia. We know that the boat sunk in December 2011 but my parents will not accept that he is dead. "Most families won't accept that their loved ones are gone. People say that there is a prison in the ocean and everyone will be released soon. Everyone keeps hoping that they will hear some news, but the news never comes. "The only reason we are leaving is for our survival. Our lives are threatened here - they have no value. What do you expect us to do?" Government impotence Quetta is close to the Afghan border and is rife with Taliban activity. But the city is also being affected by an insurgency by Baloch rebels who are demanding complete autonomy and a greater share of resources from the mineral-rich region. The Pakistani government has faced widespread criticism for its inability to stop the violence. Paul Bhatti, the former minister in charge of "national harmony", blames Pakistan's long history of military dictatorship. "We have had many years of military rule and so the civilian government has not had enough time to make effective policy. We are doing our best but it will take time." Many believe the government is unwilling to tackle hard-line Sunni militant groups for fear of being deemed "un-Islamic". Arab influenced Salafi Islam, which takes a literal approach to the faith, is gaining ground in Pakistani politics. The nation's "Islamisation" is now one of the election's most contentious issues. Salafi-inspired groups such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and its sister organisation Sipah-e-Sahaba have terrorised Pakistan's Shia community for years. These groups have been banned by the Pakistani government but the organisation has re-branded itself as Ahle Sunnah Wal Jamaat. The party is now fielding candidates in general elections due this month on a specifically anti-Shia platform. Senior party member and National Assembly candidate Mohamed Fayyaz denies that the organisation is involved in attacks on Hazara Shias. "Just because someone said they are from Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, what proof is there that it was someone from our group? We don't want to murder Shias. We want them to be declared non-Muslim in the National Assembly. That is what we're working towards." Pakistan's forthcoming election inspires little hope among Quetta's Hazara community. Every day, Ruqsana Bibi visits the Quetta cemetery. After reciting a graveside prayer for her sons, she explained: "We don't know who these people are that are killing us and we don't know why the government won't stop them. "We just want them to remember that Hazaras are Pakistani too. We want someone to make this madness stop." Hear the full report on Assignment on the BBC World Service and on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can listen via the Radio 4 website or via the Crossing Continents podcast.

वर्षों से पाकिस्तान में क्वेटा का दौरा शायद ही कभी विदेशी मीडिया संगठनों द्वारा किया गया है, क्योंकि इसे बहुत खतरनाक माना जाता है। अब विश्व सेवा की एक जांच ने शहर के उत्पीड़ित हजारा शिया समुदाय के जीवन की वास्तविकता को उजागर कर दिया है जिसे कुछ लोग "पृथ्वी पर नरक" के रूप में वर्णित करते हैं।