Bahrain Sunni-Shia split manifests itself in mistrust

Summary: Anti-government protests in Bahrain were suppressed last year with the help of Saudi Arabia, but the tensions between the Sunni leadership and the Shia majority population are never far below the surface. The BBC's Bill Law has been to a mosque in the Bahraini capital Manama to get behind the continuing sectarian split.

Waving Bahraini and Saudi flags, a crowd estimated at 3,000 gathered at the central Sunni mosque in Manama. The rally heard fiery speeches in defence of King Hamad and his government. Many of those present told the BBC that Iran was behind the ongoing disturbances in the Gulf island kingdom. Bahrain has a majority Shia Muslim population, but the ruling al-Khalifa family is Sunni. The Shia have long complained of discrimination at the hands of the Khalifa rulers. Fears of Iran People in the crowd repeatedly told the BBC that anti-government protesters were being controlled by Iran. As speakers denounced the main Shia opposition party al-Wefaq, one government supporter said, "Al-Wefaq does not represent the people of Bahrain. We are the real voice of the people. Wefaq is the voice of Iran." But Wefaq's senior leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, denied any connection between the party and Iran. When asked by the BBC if there was any truth to the charge, he flatly denied it. "We have no connection with Iran," he insisted. "We are not calling for the overthrow of the royal family. We want reform." He said Wefaq was willing to undertake "meaningful dialogue" with the government in a bid to end ongoing unrest. But the government, he said, did not want meaningful dialogue. "They talk about it. They don't mean it." He insisted that Wefaq, though it might be a predominately Shia party, was open to all who believe in freedom and forging a road to democracy. Still, many Sunni believe if not Wefaq, then either Iran or Hezbollah is behind the nightly rioting in Shia villages and the demands of the opposition. As one man at the pro-government rally told me, "The Shia are controlled by Iran. They do exactly what Iran tells them to do. 100% of the Shia are behind Iran." Symbol of defiance Human rights activists say that the Iran charge is simply a smokescreen. "This is just another way for the government to try and deny the legitimate demands of the people," argues veteran democracy campaigner Nabeel Rajab. He says he will lead a march to reclaim Pearl roundabout on 14 February, one year after it was peacefully occupied by demonstrators in the wake of the Egyptian revolution. The roundabout, which has become a symbol of defiance, was forcibly cleared on 17 February last year. Protesters took it back but were finally routed in March when Saudi and other Gulf Co-operation Council troops entered the country to help quell the uprising. Hundreds were arrested, dozens died and several thousand were sacked from their jobs. The vast majority were Shia. An attempt by the king to pacify the opposition and temper worldwide criticism with an independent commission made up of international human rights experts has done little to ease tensions. The report confirmed excessive use of force by police and the systematic torture of detainees. In its wake, King Hamad has introduced constitutional reform, ordered the reinstatement of those who lost their jobs, and vowed to rein in the police. But the opposition says that the security forces continue to act with impunity. And they say that though many have been brought back to work, the terms of re-employment are discriminatory and do not acknowledge that the dismissals were unfair and sectarian. As divisions grow ever wider in the country, and as nightly rioting continues in Shia villages outside the capital, the hope of a fair and peaceful solution seems vanishingly small.

बहरीन में सरकार विरोधी प्रदर्शनों को पिछले साल सऊदी अरब की मदद से दबा दिया गया था, लेकिन सुन्नी नेतृत्व और शिया बहुसंख्यक आबादी के बीच तनाव कभी भी सतह से बहुत नीचे नहीं है। बीबीसी का बिल लॉ बहरीन की राजधानी मनामा में एक मस्जिद में जारी सांप्रदायिक विभाजन को पीछे हटाने के लिए किया गया है।


The wedding photos that captivated China

Summary: China's relationship with its Tibetan minority has at times been troubled, so here's a moment worth noting: a Tibetan couple's wedding photos, showing scenes of both modern and traditional living, captivated millions of Chinese social media users.

BBC TrendingWhat's popular and why The photo shoot is a ritual for many newlyweds all around the world, and Gerong Phuntsok and Dawa Drolma were simply following couples across China when they took a range of photos in both modern and traditional settings. What they didn't count on is their stylish snaps ending up being seen by a huge proportion of Chinese internet users. The photos show the couple in a coffee shop, at an amusement park and driving in a sports car - along with more pastoral scenes from a Tibetan village. Classic fashions and Instagram-like filters give them a timeless quality. Xinhua, China's official state news agency, reported that the photos have been seen by 80 percent of users of messaging app WeChat - which would mean an audience of hundreds of millions. In an interview with the agency, Phuntsok, who works in advertising, speculated about what made the pictures so popular. "Maybe we represented thousands of young people from ethnic minorities, who left their hometowns to pursue a 'modern life' but chose to return to tradition after feeling a void in the heart," he said. "I think we found an echo with other web users. As we fight for our dreams, some of us get lost. So we wanted to say with the photos: stick to your beliefs." Many users on China's Twitter-like social networking platform Weibo commented on the contrasting lifestyles the pictures show, says BBC Monitoring's Jeff Li in Hong Kong. "The pictures have shown two completely different lives in the cities and in the rural. When the couple wears traditional costumes, they represent the Tibetan people and their unique lifestyles; but when they wear modern clothes, they have turned into a trendy couple," says user Yanzhi Jiangxi. "I'm so jealous of how the couple can handle living in the city and in the rural at the same time," commented Leimo Leimo. Of course, Tibet has often had a tumultuous relationship with the rest of China (you can find a timeline of the complicated history involved here). There is an ongoing crackdown on Tibetan nationalism. But BBC Chinese's Zhaung Chen says Tibet is also adored by many Chinese for its raw natural beauty and exotic customs, adding that the quality of the pictures and the photogenic bride and groom were also key to the virality of the photos. Blog by Mike Wendling Reporting by Aditi Mallya and Cassandra Cavallaro Do you have a second? Please vote for us - we've been nominated for a Webby Award. Next story: Why other Africans are declaring South Africa 'xenophobic'?' You can follow BBC Trending on Twitter @BBCtrending, and find us on Facebook.

अपने तिब्बती अल्पसंख्यकों के साथ चीन के संबंध कभी-कभी परेशान रहे हैं, इसलिए यहाँ ध्यान देने योग्य क्षण हैः एक तिब्बती जोड़े की शादी की तस्वीरें, जिसमें आधुनिक और पारंपरिक जीवन दोनों के दृश्य दिखाए गए हैं, ने लाखों चीनी सोशल मीडिया उपयोगकर्ताओं को आकर्षित किया।


Man in court over Nottingham crash fight death

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with manslaughter over the death of a driver who police say was assaulted after a crash.

Father-of-two Stephen Walsh, 37, died at his home on Blenheim Avenue in Mapperley, Nottinghamshire, on Monday. Oliver Brown, 21, of Digby Avenue in Mapperley, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on Saturday. He was bailed to an address outside of the county and will next appear at Nottingham Crown Court on 3 September. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

एक व्यक्ति एक चालक की मौत पर हत्या के आरोप में अदालत में पेश हुआ है, जिसके बारे में पुलिस का कहना है कि दुर्घटना के बाद उस पर हमला किया गया था।


Sheffield Supertram marks 20-year journey

Summary: It is exactly 20 years since trams rolled into Sheffield. A total of 15 million journeys are made on the network every year and now extensions are planned on the line. But, two decades on has it been a success?

By James VincentBBC Look North It must be the only public transport system to have an announcement to "hold tight please". The trill ring of its bell is a sound Sheffield would now seem strange without, but it has been a bumpy ride for Sheffield's Supertram. The city was actually one of the last places to stop using its original trams. The trolley buses came off the road in 1960 as car-use in South Yorkshire rocketed. Supertram was first announced in 1985 and the stretch of track connecting Sheffield city centre with the new Meadowhall Shopping Centre opened in March 1994. On the same day, a little known local band was just releasing their latest single Do You Remember the First Time. Pulp were to be more successful than the Supertram in the 90s. More than 30 years after they had left the streets, trams had returned in Sheffield, but they were not popular. For the first few years the scheme was seen as a failure. Cheaper, more regular buses were still the best way to get around the city and passengers trusted their commutes to wheels rather than rail. Labour councillor Peter Price, then deputy leader, said it was a "nightmare" time to be at the authority. "Because the roads took so long to do there were massive problems for retailers getting the shoppers in," he said. "It was a very controversial period, but hopefully people looking back think it was worthwhile." The first predictions of passenger numbers were well off the mark and there was concern the £240m it took to build the system was looking like poor value for money. People in South Yorkshire were paying for a network that looked like it was not going anywhere. Who should bear the cost became a big issue. In 1998, a deal was done with the then Labour government so that costs were reduced, but people living in South Yorkshire were paying 5p a week each for Supertram. And they will still be paying for it for another 10 years. While there were initially plans to cover more of South Yorkshire, with lines running to Barnsley and Doncaster, that has never happened and there has been considerable frustration for people outside Sheffield that they are paying for something they do not use. Fifteen million journeys are now made every year on the system and it is now profitable according to Stagecoach, which has the contract to run it until 2024. Twenty years on, with a wider network and plans for extension, Sheffield's Supertram is regarded as one of the city's success stories. Neighbouring Rotherham will soon see trams rolling into town with work expected to start this year on the government's ambitious Tram-Train project. Rails in Sheffield city centre are being replaced and new rolling stock is being ordered. The trams will run from the centre of Sheffield on tram tracks then will share the railway line to Rotherham with trains. Councillor Leigh Bramall, responsible for business, skills and development, said it will be an important link. "Rotherham and Sheffield are a single urban area - people work and live between the two areas and constantly travel between them," he said. "We've had this crazy system where because we've been different local authorities, transport links haven't been as good as they perhaps should be." The row over where Sheffield's High Speed rail station should go may mean another extension for Supertram. If the station is at Meadowhall, there are plans to put a tram line southwest of the city to Dore to help commuters. There is also an idea to create a line serving Sheffield market and Ecclesall Road but that will be dependent on investment and looks unlikely in the near future. Now apparently a part of Sheffield as Henderson's Relish, soon Supertram will be branching out to other parts of South Yorkshire. Just perhaps 20 years too late.

शेफ़ील्ड में ट्रामों के प्रवेश को ठीक 20 साल हो चुके हैं। हर साल नेटवर्क पर कुल 15 मिलियन यात्राएं की जाती हैं और अब लाइन पर विस्तार की योजना बनाई जाती है। लेकिन, दो दशक बाद क्या यह सफल रहा है?


Guernsey bus passenger fall blamed on bad weather

Summary: A fall in the number of bus passengers in April, May and June is due to poor weather, according to Guernsey's Environment Department.

Nearly 28,000 fewer passengers travelled in the past three months compared with the same period in 2011, falling from 438,804 to 410,972. A spokesman said April and June were two of the wettest for many years. He said: "This has clearly had a detrimental effect on the number of residents and visitors travelling." The spokesman said the statistics for May, which were only down by 780 passengers, show how levels would have remained largely unchanged had the weather not been so unfavourable.

ग्वेर्नसे के पर्यावरण विभाग के अनुसार, खराब मौसम के कारण अप्रैल, मई और जून में बस यात्रियों की संख्या में गिरावट आई है।


Pupils 'bypassing school internet security'

Summary: Many young people are using 'proxy servers' to get round their schools' internet security systems. The free services offer instant access to banned websites, including online games and social networking. Figures suggest the use of proxies has risen sharply in recent years. Security experts are warning that pupils who log on put themselves at risk of cyber crime.

By Iain MackenzieNewsbeat technology reporter It sounds like an obscure, techy area of computing that only geeks would know about. But when we asked pupils in one secondary school classroom who had heard of proxy servers, every hand went up. These 'secret tunnels' to the internet are a way of life for teenagers across the UK. As schools employ increasingly sophisticated software to stop them accessing 'non-educational' websites, the proxies offer a quick, easy way to bypass those restrictions. “It's just a box that says 'type in the website that is blocked'. You type it in and it brings it up,” said a senior pupil, who wanted to remain anonymous. Web-based proxy servers disguise a user's activity from school monitoring software. 'Cat-and mouse' game A student will appear to be visiting only one site, that of the proxy itself. Any internet surfing they do after that is effectively invisible. Ironically, what pupils are usually trying to work-around are other types of proxy servers, commonly used in schools to protect their machines from online threats. Schools can take action against web-based proxies, by blocking them. However because of the sheer number that exist, it becomes a game of cat-and-mouse. “When the blocked proxy server you were using got banned, you had another one ready and everyone had at least four that they knew and everyone shared them about,” said one pupil. Statistics on the use of proxy servers are hard to come-by. One useful measure is the number of them being flagged-up by proxy-blocking systems. 'Security risk' M86 Security monitors such sites. In 2006 it was tracking 7,111 proxies. By 2009 that had risen to 91,490. There are fears that the use of proxy servers amongst school pupils may be putting more than their education at risk. Some can carry viruses, malicious software, and may even be under the control of cyber criminals, according to security experts. Con Mallon from Symantec carried out a scan on a random selection of free proxies. “There is a site which is hosting what we call a trojan. It may invite you to install some software onto your machine. “Once that is installed, it allows the bad guys to come back to your machine at any time... what they would probably then do is install something called a keylogger. “It will sit there and monitor what you are typing-in. What they are really looking for is passwords and logins.” Proxy 'problem' Such information, once harvested, can be sold online. Amongst our school pupils, the news comes as a surprise: “I didn't have a clue that people could get my information if I was putting it in,” said one girl. “I kind of had an idea that it stays there. But I didn't know it was that big – that it could log everything,” added her classmate. The problem of proxies is recognised by most of the bodies responsible for providing schools with internet access. A spokesman for JANET, which carries data traffic between many local school networks, said: “I would agree that proxy servers to get around security systems is indeed a problem. “Technical solutions need to be used as one aspect of a wider approach to protecting users, including educating children, teachers, and parents in how to use the web safely.” BECTA, the government agency that looks after school ICT, said: “...currently there is no single technology or method that can address this issue fully”. However, it seems newer security systems are helping schools catch up with the proxy users. Most of the young people interviewed for this article agreed that monitoring systems had made it harder for them to find usable proxies, but said their efforts to get round school security would continue.

कई युवा अपने स्कूलों की इंटरनेट सुरक्षा प्रणालियों को घेरने के लिए 'प्रॉक्सी सर्वर' का उपयोग कर रहे हैं। मुफ्त सेवाएं ऑनलाइन गेम और सोशल नेटवर्किंग सहित प्रतिबंधित वेबसाइटों तक तुरंत पहुंच प्रदान करती हैं। आंकड़े बताते हैं कि हाल के वर्षों में प्रॉक्सी का उपयोग तेजी से बढ़ा है। सुरक्षा विशेषज्ञ चेतावनी दे रहे हैं कि जो छात्र लॉग इन करते हैं वे खुद को साइबर अपराध के जोखिम में डालते हैं।


Lido love: Are we falling back in love with outdoor pools?

Summary: They are a throw-back to simpler times, when a swim was not seen as just exercise. Instead, going to the lido was an opportunity to socialise, and show off. At one time there were more than 57 outdoor pools in Wales. Now there is just one. But why have so many of the pools been filled in, and is Wales on the verge of a resurgence in outdoor swimming?

By Lucy BallingerBBC News Surrounded by parents watching their children splashing about in the water, and teenagers preening themselves, lidos were popular across the country until the 1990s. Unheated, with basic changing rooms, many of the pools were built after World War One as a way to give returning soldiers something constructive to do. Children and adults alike splashed about, dived off boards, and shot down slides in the warm and not so warm days of summer. And they stood the test of time, with swimming contests and synchronised swimming shows put on for the community throughout the 20th Century. Gill Wright, chairman of Historic Pools of Britain, said: "Between the wars there was a big expansion of interest in outdoor pools. By the 19th Century swimming itself was getting established as a leisure activity. "After the first world war the leisure part of it became more important and learning to swim for safety reasons." There were interesting techniques for teaching people to swim, with pictures from the time showing learners with ropes tied around their waists. Mrs Wright added: "They also became part of the social scene. You would go and have fun and prance around showing off a bit in your fancy swimming costumes." Singer Tom Jones used to swim at Pontypridd lido, which was where Jenny James, the first woman to swim the English Channel in 1951, trained. Photographs from Abergavenny's Bailey Park Pool show swimming and diving competitions, as well as galas and life saving demonstrations. Simon Inglis, editor of English Heritage's Played in Britain sports history books, said: "The 1920s and 30s were the dawn of the movie age, art deco was becoming popular, so the lido became part of a fashion statement as well. "The essence of a lido is that there is somewhere to swim, a sunbathing area and a cafe. "Some put on aquatic shows, polo matches or high diving displays. There were also troupes of travelling swimmers who did displays with music and lights. So they were places of entertainment as well as places to swim. "This was also a place to go and meet your partner and get chatted up and chat up women, like a dance hall. There was a frisson about the lido." Udo Schultz visited Abergavenny's Bailey Park pool for more than 60 years on his summer holidays. "I never missed the chance to go to the pool for a paddle or swim," he said. "I remember that the water seemed to be rather cold, even on hot summer days, but that did not spoil our fun. "In summer the pool in the park was the focal point and meeting place for the people who could not travel to far-away beaches or swimming pools. "Of course, no visit went without a hot chocolate to warm up and a jam wedge." But in the 1980s funding started going to larger indoor pools, with some lidos converted while many others were left to fall into disrepair. Gradually outdoor pools in Wales started to close, and even those run by volunteers eventually had no choice because there were not enough funds to maintain them. The last lido to close was in Brynamman. In its last few years it was run by volunteers, but it was eventually closed in 2010 after getting a £20,000 repair bill. Despite the decline in the number of outdoor pools, some communities have campaigned to have theirs reopened. And five years after Brynamman pool closed the National Lido of Wales opened, in the refurbished Ynysangharad Park lido, Pontypridd. The pool was reopened by Rhondda Cynon Taf council after being closed for 24 years. Its refurbishment was partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, Heritage Lottery Fund and Cadw. The pool, which reopened in 2015, has had almost 50,000 visitors since it first opened at the end of August last year. And campaigners in Brynamman hope their local lido could also be returned to its former glory. Carmarthenshire council had originally said its ambition was to reopen it in 2011 after repairs. But six years later the pool is still empty. Campaigner Phil Broadhurst said: "People are actually wanting to get back to nature and go out and play, and are looking for interesting ways of doing this." The original art deco pool was built by unemployed miners and opened on 11 August 1934. "We have heard from a couple of families who have had three generations use the pool," Mr Broadhurst added. "There were always lots of people sitting around and chatting while a few brave ones went into the pool, because it wasn't heated. It became a lot more of a community centre than a swimming pool. "We want to get that feeling back, but have it heated too." They are looking at turning it into a natural pool to make it easier to maintain. Judi Hughes, who is also on the committee to reopen the pool, said: "The water stays in the pool and it is constantly filtered through a natural filtration system which works through plants. "It is also about five degrees warmer than a normal open air pool. We are also looking at different ways of doing this such as putting in a freestanding solar glass roof or a solar cover to bring the temperature up a bit." Campaigners in Barry, the Vale of Glamorgan, want to have the town's Cold Knap pool reopened. Built by volunteers and opened on 1 May 1926, it was the largest open-air swimming pool in Wales, and one of the largest in Britain, measuring 110m (360ft) by 18m (59ft). But in the 1980s, cheap European holidays, the introduction of heated pools and more foreign holidays saw a decline in its fortunes. The site closed in 1996 and, despite local opposition, demolition of the buildings and infilling of the pool area began in March 2004. Now a group want an outdoor pool rebuilt on the site. Barrie Evans said: "When the lido closed there was nothing to replace it. People are crying out for an outdoor pool, we have 8,000 people supporting us on our Facebook group and I think that is the tip of the iceberg. "People want an open air pool where they can go in the summer holidays. I used to come down from the Valleys to swim in the Barry lido. It would be nice to have a new pool where the original was." And Mr Inglis believes these campaigns could be the start of a new movement towards reopening lidos. "Lidos attract tremendous loyalty from their users," said Mr Inglis. "There has also been a rise in the outdoor swimming movement, particularly in people doing triathlons. "Things go in cycles, at the moment they are very fashionable and everybody is talking about them so hopefully that will result in lidos becoming popular again."

वे सरल समय के लिए एक थ्रो-बैक हैं, जब तैरना केवल व्यायाम के रूप में नहीं देखा जाता था। इसके बजाय, लिडो में जाना सामाजिक होने और प्रदर्शन करने का एक अवसर था। एक समय में वेल्स में 57 से अधिक बाहरी पूल थे। अब केवल एक है। लेकिन इतने सारे पूल क्यों भरे गए हैं, और क्या वेल्स बाहरी तैराकी में पुनरुत्थान के कगार पर है?


Cash machine raids: Leicester man arrested

Summary: A man has been arrested in connection with the theft of cash machines from supermarkets across the country involving diggers.

Several thefts happened between 1 October and 16 December. A 42-year-old man from Leicester was arrested in connection with raids, in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Humberside. Police said in each theft, a JCB had been used to remove cash machines from supermarket walls. On Thursday night, officers said the arrested man had been released on bail.

देश भर के सुपरमार्केट से नकदी मशीनों की चोरी के मामले में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Pakistan's 'fanatical' Uzbek militants

Summary: The deaths of at least eight al-Qaeda militants - some of whom were German nationals - in a September 2010 drone attack in the Pakistani region of North Waziristan has once again raised questions about the involvement of foreign militants in the area. They were apparently visiting tribal leader Sher Mullah, who is believed to have close links to Taliban and to foreign militants including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). So who are the IMU and what are they doing in Pakistan?

Most Uzbek militants in South Waziristan belong to the al-Qaeda-linked IMU. Renowned for their fanaticism, Uzbek militants initially fled their home country in the early 1990s after a government crackdown on people who advocated the introduction of Sharia law in secular Uzbekistan. Nobody knows exactly how many there are in Pakistan - estimates vary wildly from 500 to 5,000. Not all Uzbeks there are active militants - some are merely supporters of the Taliban while others are little more than "hired guns". Tahir Yuldashev, leader of the IMU, was based here along with many of his comrades for a number of years. In September 2009 the army claimed to have killed Mr Yuldashev, but this has never been confirmed. European militants are known to frequent the area around the town of Mir Ali in North Waziristan. Several foreign nationals, including those of Dutch, German and French origin, have been arrested by security forces based in the Bannu area while entering or leaving the region. British Born Rashid Rauf, of the failed transatlantic bombing plot fame, was said to have been killed in this area in November 2008. Taliban loyalty When founded in August 1998 in the north of Afghanistan, the IMU's main aim was to overthrow the government of President Islam Karimov and establish an Islamic state in Uzbekistan. In 1999 the IMU set up several military camps in northern Afghanistan from where it launched incursions into southern Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 1999 and 2000. When the US-led alliance invaded Afghanistan in 2001, the IMU announced its loyalty to the Taliban. The IMU is believed to have suffered heavy losses while fighting alongside the Taliban against US-led forces in 2001. But it successfully reorganised itself in the tribal areas of North and South Waziristan over the following years. A former IMU member told the BBC Uzbek service that there were more than 100 families in the tribal areas by the end of 2001. Most of them were children and widowed women. Among them there were several hundred IMU members. The overall picture is further confused because some Pakistani officials erroneously assume that Islamic fighters from other countries - such as Chechnya - are from Uzbekistan. Permanent fixture Although Central Asian governments continue to regard the organisation as the main threat to the region's stability, its capability as an operational force outside Pakistan and Afghanistan is questioned by analysts. The Uzbek contingent is thought to have mixed with the local population to some extent, becoming a permanent fixture of the militant scene in Pakistan's north-western border areas. Experts say that the Uzbeks were first targeted by Pakistani security forces in March 2007 when militants started attacking and killing Pakistani soldiers and paramilitary troops. After that, Tahir Yuldashev's men were accused of numerous suicide attacks and of killing hundreds of tribal elders in Pakistan over the years. His militants carried out attacks on Pakistani forces in the tribal belt and are believed to have taken part in the Red Mosque siege in 2007 in which dozens of people were killed. The military say that Uzbek militants are a formidable enemy. Pakistani security forces believe that some of the major bomb attacks in Islamabad are the work of Central Asian militants.

उत्तरी वजीरिस्तान के पाकिस्तानी क्षेत्र में सितंबर 2010 के ड्रोन हमले में कम से कम आठ अल-कायदा आतंकवादियों की मौत-जिनमें से कुछ जर्मन नागरिक थे-ने एक बार फिर क्षेत्र में विदेशी आतंकवादियों की संलिप्तता के बारे में सवाल उठाए हैं। वे स्पष्ट रूप से आदिवासी नेता शेर मुल्ला से मिलने जा रहे थे, जिनके बारे में माना जाता है कि तालिबान और इस्लामिक मूवमेंट ऑफ उज्बेकिस्तान (आई. एम. यू.) सहित विदेशी आतंकवादियों के साथ घनिष्ठ संबंध हैं। तो आई. एम. यू. कौन हैं और वे पाकिस्तान में क्या कर रहे हैं?


June Knight death: Robert Knight charged with murder

Summary: A man has been charged with the murder of a relative at a care home in Essex.

Robert Knight, 52, of The Fairway, Leigh-on-Sea, is accused of killing June Knight, 79, who died at Langley Lodge Nursing Home in Imperial Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, at 22:00 GMT on Monday. Essex Police have confirmed that the accused man is a relative of the victim. Mr Knight will appear before magistrates in Southend later. A post-mortem examination will take place later this week, Essex Police said.

एसेक्स में एक देखभाल गृह में एक व्यक्ति पर एक रिश्तेदार की हत्या का आरोप लगाया गया है।


How to get to the top of China's Communist Party

Summary: China's Communist Party is about to unveil the country's next generation of leaders. Almost all will be career politicians who have risen through the ranks. But what are the secrets of success in one of the world's most rigid authoritarian systems?

By Angus FosterBBC News, Beijing Start young Age is very important in China, and if you haven't been singled out for high office by the time you are in your mid-twenties, it's probably too late. The two men who are set to become China's new president and premier, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, both joined the Party aged 21 and have never worked outside it. Nowadays children get exposed to politics even earlier, starting from age six when they wear the distinctive red neckerchiefs of the Young Pioneers. Formal political education doesn't really start until selected children join the Communist Youth League, from 14, and promising students are eligible for full party membership from 18. To join the Party, you have to write an application letter to your local party cell, be accepted into a study group, have your thinking and background thoroughly examined, then be approved as a probationary member. There is a formal ceremony held before the Party's flag - a yellow hammer and sickle on a red background - and new members swear the Party oath. "It's quite an emotional experience," according to one female party member, who did not want to be named. "In China you don't even swear an oath at your wedding, so joining the Party was my only time." Joining is not easy. In 2011 22m people applied and only 3m were accepted. Overall membership rose slightly to 83m, making it arguably the largest private club in the world. People want to join for different reasons. Membership brings high status and significant privileges, like access to restricted information, government jobs and a chance to meet people who can help your job prospects. For others, joining is about sacrifice and wanting to contribute to China's future. "Joining showed you were one of the best students, and close to the centre of power," the female member said. "Later on, it's fear of being excluded that makes you want to join." Choose your faction The most important factor in how far you rise is your patron, or kaoshan in Chinese - meaning the mountain you can rely on. "If you have a patron who can get you into the queue for jobs when you're young, ahead of other people, you are poised for greatness," says Minxin Pei of Claremont McKenna College. For children of high-levels officials this is easy, since they have the help and protection of their parents' networks of influence. About half of China's most senior leaders now fall into this category, and are known as the "princelings" because of their privileged upbringings. The other important faction is known as "tuanpai", people like outgoing President Hu Jintao who have risen up through the Communist Youth League. Coming from more humble backgrounds, they are usually thought to be more concerned with popular issues like subsidised housing or rural incomes. For most of the past five years, the two groups have been battling over who gets the next generation of top jobs. Xi Jinping, a princeling with extensive family ties, pipped Hu Jintao's protege Li Keqiang for the top job, but some other posts are still up for grabs. "It's not just two blocks which need to be balanced against each other," according to Steve Tsang of Nottingham University. "Multiple games are being played in terms of factional politics and personal ambitions. You try to form alliances, persuade people that what you can offer is more attractive than the others," he says. China's censored media doesn't report the battles. When snippets of unverifiable rumour emerge, they suggest a ruthless political culture. Ling Jihua, a close ally of Hu Jintao, appears to have missed out on promotion after his son was killed in a car crash - allegedly driving a Ferrari, with two partially-dressed women as his passengers. Study morality Throughout China's history, its leaders have been expected to govern with a sense of moral duty. So while the Party, like the emperors before it, believes it has an unassailable right to govern, it also believes it has the duty to govern fairly. There is a long tradition of eulogising good officials, whose devotion and sacrifice is held up as a public model. Nowadays, officials need to show their superiors they are able to govern well. They are subjected to annual reviews where factors like GDP growth, tax revenues and social stability in their areas are key. At grassroots levels the Party has allowed some elections, though officially approved candidates almost always win. Some higher officials' promotions are also now approved by limited public consultation. These measures help the Party claim it has public legitimacy. But most Chinese would say its successful management of the economy is why it should stay in power. Officials also need to appear humble, and remember the Party's watchwords "Serve the people". Outgoing premier Wen Jiabao has become one of China's most popular leaders because of his ability to connect with ordinary people. After every earthquake, landslide or flood "Grandpa Wen" - as he is widely known - is quickly there, chatting sympathetically and ready to help. Even though critics say it's an act, Wen's apparent humility earns him huge respect. Don't flaunt it As China's economy has boomed, high-level corruption has become the biggest source of popular anger against the Party. Measuring its scale is impossible, but corrupt officials are thought to have smuggled $120bn out of the country since the mid 1990s. There is also resentment against perks of office like banquets, expense accounts and lavish gifts which have become an important extra source of income. The Party has responded by cracking down on the most blatant culprits. It says tens of thousands of people have been punished. But critics say the campaigns are often propaganda, and the Party knows it has to tolerate most official corruption precisely because so many people are implicated. "If you start, where do you stop? Because everyone's touched by it," says Richard McGregor, author of The Party. The result is that top officials and employees of state-owned companies are able to get rich, but must take care not to show off that wealth conspicuously. Shaanxi official Yang Dacai has learned that lesson. He was sacked this year after an internet campaign exposed how many expensive watches he owned, and asked how he could afford them on a provincial official's salary. Be male Only about a quarter of Party members are women. No woman has ever reached the Politburo's standing committee, its highest decision-making body. In the wider, 24-strong Politburo, only one woman, Liu Yandong, has a seat. Don't stand out Modern China's founders - men like Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping - were charismatic visionaries who almost single-handedly dictated the country's future. Nowadays leaders have to climb a tangled bureaucracy which demands total obedience. The party's absolute control of politics and the media means that any mistake could be your last. The most spectacular recent example came in 2012 when Bo Xilai, former party secretary of Chongqing and sometimes tipped for even higher office, was sacked and expelled from the party. His wife was jailed for murdering a British businessman and Bo himself faces charges of corruption, abuse of power and - an old party favourite - "improper sexual relations". But many Western analysts say Bo's real crime was to challenge the established way of doing politics. Populist policies and a crime crackdown were a dangerous bid for legitimacy, and a threat to those who awaited promotion via the party's usual negotiated consensus. "You want to be a tallish poppy, but not a tall poppy. If you stand out too far you may get chopped down," says Tsang. Not standing out extends to your clothes and appearance - dark suits and dark hair, with no greying allowed. Work somewhere poor For a party with no democratic mandate, it is vital top leaders appear to understand the challenges faced by ordinary people. The party's organisation department, an all-knowing bureaucracy which decides who gets every senior party and government job, therefore makes sure its future leaders have done time far from the comforts of Beijing. Outgoing President Hu Jintao spent four years in Tibet, seen by Chinese as a particularly arduous posting. One of the rising stars among China's younger leaders, 49-year-old Hu Chunhua, is serving time in Inner Mongolia. Be ruthless All political systems breed ruthlessness, but China's is especially unforgiving. "If you get pushed out of power they make sure you never come back. You don't just lose your job, they go after your family and destroy your name," says Minxin Pei. Ambitious leaders are advised to first read Houheixue, or Thick Black Theory - a classic of political dark arts published in the last century. It says the weapons needed to succeed are a thick skin, which is immune to shame or guilt, and a black heart, hardened to hurting others for your own gain.

चीन की कम्युनिस्ट पार्टी देश की अगली पीढ़ी के नेताओं का अनावरण करने वाली है। लगभग सभी करियर राजनेता होंगे जो रैंकों के माध्यम से आगे बढ़े हैं। लेकिन दुनिया की सबसे कठोर सत्तावादी प्रणालियों में से एक में सफलता के रहस्य क्या हैं?


'What my dad's dementia taught me'

Summary: When BBC presenter Rajan Datar learned that his father had dementia, it led him to discover that a combination of stigma, language barriers and cultural differences were stopping many in the UK's South Asian community from seeking help. This is his experience.

By Rajan DatarBBC Victoria Derbyshire programme My father Sudhakar is a friendly, genial man with a mischievous glint in his eye and always keen to share a joke. He turns 85 in February and says he has enjoyed a fulfilled life. He was one of the first wave of immigrants from India and Pakistan who came to the UK in the 1950s. But in the last year or so, he and my mother Hema have noticed certain changes in his behaviour. He went through a phase of feeling very apathetic and unsociable, which was unusual for him as he has always been a very active and gregarious person. There have been times when he has not known where he was in his own home. And there was also a disturbing episode where he got off the bus to go to the Post Office he has used for the last 20 years, completely forgot what he was doing and began walking in the opposite direction. "I didn't know where I was. This was the first time [it had happened]," he explains, as we film for the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme. He has now been diagnosed as being in the early stages of mixed dementia - a combination of vascular dementia, caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, and Alzheimer's. Sharing this openly is not the easiest thing to do, and I certainly wouldn't have done it without his full blessing and co-operation. To be honest, in spite of the diagnosis, it took a while for many of us to accept that he really had the condition. But the fact is both his elder sisters died in their 80s with advanced dementia, and British Asians are less likely to be diagnosed - and therefore be given the support they need - when they have the condition. Very few studies have been done in this area, but one - from 2014 - suggested that by 2051 there would be a sevenfold increase in the number of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who would be reported to have dementia. This compares with an estimated twofold rise across the UK in the same period. It is partly explained by the fact that many of those who migrated to the UK at the same time as my father are now reaching older age. South Asians are also more prone to diabetes, high blood pressure and hypertension, which means they are more likely to develop vascular dementia. But there has also been a stigma surrounding dementia within the community that has stopped people seeking diagnosis and help. Significantly, there is no word for dementia in most Indian languages - instead it translates as a "mad" person. My own dad said he didn't go to the doctor initially because he "didn't want to waste their time, they're busy enough as it is". When he did, he was asked to name 10 animals as part of a memory test - and was able to recall only two. According to one study, a third of elderly South Asians do not speak English and many prefer the sanctuary of temples or mosques to approaching care and health services. That is the case with Charan Kaur Heer, whose husband died with dementia eight years ago, and who is now in quite an advanced state of the condition. "She does get very depressed," explains her daughter Manjeet Heer, a police constable in Ealing, west London. "She has said to me that she's just waiting to be taken, and how much she misses [her husband]." Charan's grandson, Ryan Sangar, is now her principal carer. But because he does not speak Punjabi, his aunt must be used as a translator - via phone call - each time a member of the care services visits. Manjeet says the NHS must do more to take into account language barriers and cultural differences - suggesting the need for literature, assessments and a helpline in languages such as Punjabi. Dr Naaheed Mukadam, a senior research fellow at University College of London, says: "If more is not done to get people help sooner, this will lead to more crises and more hospitalisation. "This is not only associated with increased distress for everyone, but also raises costs". Sit-down yoga My parents have come to terms with my dad's condition, and are meeting it with their enduring stoicism. "You have to put up with it," my dad tells me. "Once you accept it, you can deal with it," my mum adds. But there are ways to help delay and alleviate its effects. Drop-in centres run by the Ethnic Minority Advisory Group can now be found in a few areas of the UK, providing advice, social activities and exercise classes for local people. They aim to prevent loneliness and depression, and keep the mind and body active. What became clear to me is that these centres are invaluable lifelines for people who can be in horribly vulnerable positions. Surinder Kaur, from the Whitton Day Centre in Middlesex, explained that "people come in full of tears, miserable - within weeks they are transformed". So I cannot tell you how chuffed I was when my dad agreed to go down to the centre to meet some other folk of similar age and background, and even take part in a sit-down yoga and dance class. Mind you, afterwards he told me that it is not really his thing and he wants to try out tai chi instead. Bring it on, I say. Follow the Victoria Derbyshire programme on Facebook and Twitter - and see more of our stories here.

जब बीबीसी के प्रस्तुतकर्ता राजन दातार को पता चला कि उनके पिता को डिमेंशिया है, तो उन्हें पता चला कि कलंक, भाषा बाधाओं और सांस्कृतिक मतभेदों का एक संयोजन ब्रिटेन के दक्षिण एशियाई समुदाय में कई लोगों को मदद लेने से रोक रहा है। यह उनका अनुभव है।


Water pumped from River Clyde to fight School of Art fire

Summary: Firefighters used a high-volume water pump from the River Clyde to tackle the blaze at the Glasgow School of Art.

The operation has led to a number of road closures in the city centre. The roads affected are Broomielaw, Brown Street, Argyle Street, Douglas Street and Dalhousie Street. Closures also remain in place around the Sauchiehall Street area. Police Scotland have asked motorists to avoid these areas.

अग्निशामकों ने ग्लासगो स्कूल ऑफ आर्ट में लगी आग से निपटने के लिए क्लाइड नदी से एक उच्च मात्रा वाले पानी के पंप का उपयोग किया।


Knife death families suffer PTSD, hair loss and flashbacks

Summary: National crime figures have shown that murders involving a knife have dropped 9% in the past year, from 207 in 2011-12 to 189 in 2012-13. The figures provide a dispassionate, statistical snapshot of these crimes, but do not yield the experiences of those left behind - the families. Here are some of their stories.

By Laurence CawleyBBC News The narrative of fatal knife crime is usually a simple one. A person is killed, the grieving family releases a tribute, the case goes to court and the person responsible is imprisoned. The police will then release a statement on behalf of the family in which the detectives are thanked for their help in securing justice. Some people might even use the word "closure". And that, appeals not withstanding, is that. Only it never is like that. The real impact of violent deaths on surviving families is rarely told. It does not fit the prescribed narrative with its neat beginnings, middles and endings. Mood swings, addiction, the loss of toenails and hair, suicide attempts, marital collapse, alienation from friends and difficulties with eating - the physical and social effects of bereavement are less reported. The after-effects of knife crime on the bereaved can resemble the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by post-combat soldiers, psychologists say. This is something Ann Oakes-Odger knows all too well. Her son Westley Odger, 27, was stabbed in the neck outside a cash machine in Colchester in 2005. He died of his injuries. The "reason" for the attack was that he told someone not to jump the queue. Ms Oakes-Odger, who lives in Essex and was awarded an MBE for knife crime prevention in 2011, believes the psychological and physical impact of murder on surviving family members is poorly understood. "You feel as though you are losing your mind," she says. "When a child is murdered, it is out of the normal course of events. "The shock element creates a lot of physical and mental issues for every member of the family. "One of the things which happened to me was my hair fell out in bunches and my toenails fell off. I thought that was peculiar to me, but I found out it wasn't." The loss of her hair and nails was, she says, a symptom of the stress of living in a sustained "flight or fight" state. She also suffered colour blindness. "During the early years I was not seeing things in colour. I could only see in black and white and various shades of grey. "There isn't a 'closure' with homicide." The criminal justice system itself hinders rather than helps, according to Ms Oakes-Odger. For months or years after a murder, the loved one is more "evidence" than person, and can be subjected to multiple post mortem examinations. And at the centre of proceedings sits not the victim, or their family, but the accused. Grieving while the wheels of justice roll, she says, is nigh on impossible. And by the time they do stop, the psychological damage is already done. The Ministry of Justice says it understands the "immeasurable suffering" experienced by victims' families and that it is committed to making sure more support than "ever before" is available to them. This includes the national Homicide Service, which offers such families a Victim Support caseworker and access to specialist counselling. The department is also "revamping" the Victim's Code which it says will make "major improvements for victims" and give them a clearer guide about their entitlements and sources of help. These are the type of measures Tanya (pictured above), who asked for her surname to be withheld, says she desperately needed. Her husband Gary, 59, was murdered by their son Ed who, after killing his father upstairs with a hammer and a knife, came downstairs and tried to kill her. She heard two "thuds" upstairs and believes had she not turned around to see her son before he attacked she too would have died. The killing happened a week before Christmas in 2007. The family had enjoyed a normal day and Ed had been upstairs in his room. He asked Gary to come up and help him fix his stereo. It was then that he killed him. Her son, who was 15 at the time, is serving 18 years for murder and attempted murder. He had denied the charges, claiming his state of mind was altered by the anti-depressant fluoxetine. "I lost everything that day," she says. Like Ms Oakes-Odger, Tanya's toenails fell out. Even now, six years on, she still loses her nails when she is under stress. After her husband's murder, the former nursery worker could not bring herself to use knives - even cutlery knives - or face opening her post. Looking back, Tanya says there is precious little support offered to the families of people violently killed. The attention and support, she says, goes to the perpetrators. The victims' families, Tanya says, are - with the exception of police family liaison officers - left to find their own way through the emotional and practical debris of a disaster. "There was nothing," she says. "And it takes so much for you to ask for help. And you just don't have the words. It would be much better if support was offered to you, even if you didn't take it there and then, but could take it along the way. "My two other children (who were in their late teens when their father was murdered by their brother) had no support." Also difficult has been the expectations wider society places on the families. "It has been five years but I still have days when it is hard - anniversaries. Some people are really good and know when you're not in the right place. Others say 'you're OK' and they expect you to be OK and so for those people, you are. "I still have times when I have to put the knives away and when people are doing DIY with hammers... but it is part of everyday life, and you have to get used to it." For some, deaths can trigger a personal redefinition. A shy person learns to speak out, for example. Take Holly Watson. Now aged 20, she met her half-brother Lewis when she was 14. Just two years after they met, Lewis was dead. The 23-year-old was stabbed three times in Sudbury, Suffolk. The only photograph she has of Lewis, who was a keen angler, is of him holding a fish. She never got to say goodbye as he was dead before she got to hospital. "That was hard," she says. "I had never seen a dead body before. And when the first body you see is your big brother, well that's hard to deal with. "I became a bit of a recluse. At the beginning I hated the world and everybody in it. "It was almost like a hysteria, with Lewis dying, the funeral and the waiting, like limbo land, and then the court case and then everybody said it would get easier with the closure, but it doesn't." Immediately after her brother's death, she was unable to pick up a cutlery knife. "To begin with knives made me feel sick, I couldn't use them. We felt we could not hold something that had killed Lewis." Then there was the impact on her ambitions. Holly had always wanted to be a lawyer. But as she started to explore the law, she found many of the scenarios put to students in law exams involved knife crimes. Her ambitions for the law were put on hold. Next year she will turn 21. It is not an anniversary she is looking forward to. Her brother, she says, should be there for it. And should she ever marry, then Lewis should have been there for that too. But he won't be. "I dread the day when I have children and I have to tell them that their uncle isn't here," she says. "The biggest thing in getting over something like this is in accepting that the world is not always what you want it to be." Holly says she used to be shy. She is now an anti-knife violence campaigner. So too is Caroline Shearer. Her 17-year-old son Jay Whiston was fatally stabbed in the heart outside a house party in Essex last September. Exactly what happened remains unclear and is currently subject to court proceedings. Ms Shearer describes the days since her son's death as a "living torture" peppered only by the briefest of moments each morning, in the gap between sleep and consciousness, when the anguish of loss is kept at bay. She would love to have all of the happy memories she shared with Jay at the forefront of her mind. Instead, the recurring image which haunts her is of her boy on the cusp of adulthood lying dead on a mortuary slab. "I was a mother of two children then, within three hours, I was a mother of one," she says. "He was a normal, everyday, loving, caring boy. I always say he had such a huge heart, they couldn't have missed." The grief she describes is like a sledgehammer. There are gaps in the day when she might, for example, notice the weather, or have a conversation. And then the grief hits her, again and again. It is with her throughout the day - as she washes clothes, cooks meals or sees a car of the same colour as Jay's - and last thing at night as she falls asleep. And she too had difficulties with eating. She tells how shortly after Jay's death she struggled to use kitchen knives or cutlery - because of their association with the implement used to kill her son. None of the symptoms reported by the families surprise clinical psychologist Don Macleod. Mr Macleod has worked with families across the north west of England who have suffered tragedy. Some suffer PTSD symptoms more often associated with combat veterans. But for the families, he says, the expert knowledge needed to help them is often not there. "I would be almost certain that your average GP would not actually tag what's going on with someone having that kind of reaction," says Mr Macleod. "The GP might know there had been a murder in the family, but they might not have the time or indeed the skills and knowledge to be able to pinpoint that [PTSD] is what the issue is." Part of the issue is that the initial responses to grief - anger, anxiety, flashbacks and depression - are, although extremely unpleasant for the people suffering them, "completely normal" given the circumstances. They become an issue, he said, when they "become protracted" - such as with PTSD. Can these families ever recover? Ms Oakes-Odger thinks they can, but it is a slow, painful process which results not in a return to how things used to be but in acceptance of the way they are now. "It is about finding a new 'normal'," she says, "a normal in which you can lead a purposeful life, one you can go forward with."

राष्ट्रीय अपराध के आंकड़ों से पता चलता है कि पिछले वर्ष चाकू से होने वाली हत्याओं में 9 प्रतिशत की गिरावट आई है, जो कि आईडी2 में 207 से घटकर आईडी1 में 189 हो गई है। ये आंकड़े इन अपराधों का एक निष्पक्ष, सांख्यिकीय स्नैपशॉट प्रदान करते हैं, लेकिन उन लोगों के अनुभवों को नहीं देते हैं जो पीछे रह गए हैं-परिवार। यहाँ उनकी कुछ कहानियाँ हैं।


Covid in Scotland: What's the furlough scheme row all about?

Summary: There is confusion over whether the UK government's job support "furlough" scheme could be used in Scotland after the latest English lockdown ends in December. What is the row all about, and what could the consequences be?

By Philip SimBBC Scotland News Can people in Scotland still be furloughed? Yes, the furlough scheme is currently still in full operation across the UK, having been extended through to December 2 to cover a new lockdown in England. It sees the Treasury cover 80% of a worker's wages, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month. What this row is about is whether similar funding would be available in other parts of the UK later on, should they need to go into lockdowns of their own. The Scottish and Welsh governments argue that it cannot be fair for the full support package to only be available when England is in lockdown. And First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she might even have to introduce harsher restrictions in Scotland this month, if this is the only point at which enhanced economic support will be available. Who has said what? Calls for clarity have been building on a cross-party basis, with the Scottish Conservatives and the SNP united in demanding answers. Pressed by MPs on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson repeatedly stressed that "the furlough scheme is a UK-wide scheme". He then added: "If other parts of the UK decide to go into measures that require the furlough scheme, then of course it is available to them. That has to be right. That applies not just now but of course in the future as well." The Scottish Conservatives trumpeted this as a decisive guarantee from the prime minister. However, the very next morning, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick was sent out on the morning media round - and when asked to provide a "cast iron guarantee" about the flexibility of furlough, he suggested that the decision would be one for the Chancellor. Treasury Secretary Steve Barclay faced MPs on Tuesday afternoon, and he repeatedly said that "the government will always be there to provide support to all parts of the UK". Meanwhile, the prime minister's spokesman was also quoted as saying that "direct economic support" would be available - without specifying whether that extended to the furlough system at 80% of wages. Ms Sturgeon issued yet another appeal for clarity, saying that "woolly words don't pay people's wages". What's the problem? If there is hesitancy to give guarantees on the part of the Treasury, it will be because they do not want to relinquish control over the purse strings in such uncertain circumstances. After all they would have no idea or control over how long a lockdown in Scotland or Wales might go on, but would have to fund generous job support schemes throughout these indefinite periods. We are after all talking about a hypothetical lockdown, and there is a range of unanswered questions about how it would all work. Would it have to be a Scotland-wide lockdown for full furlough support to kick in, or could it apply in areas that are placed in the top level of restrictions? Wouldn't English councils and city mayors who find themselves in the top tier of their system then demand similar treatment? Who actually makes these decisions? Just from a practical perspective, the bean counters at the Treasury will be wary about writing a blank cheque. Is there a political dimension? For some Conservatives - Scottish ones in particular - political concerns will trump the practical ones. While politicians routinely insist the pandemic should not be a party-political campaigning point, it is all but certain to feature heavily in next May's Scottish Parliament election. To start with, the pandemic and how it has been managed has undoubtedly affected public attitudes towards politicians and governments, which will inevitably filter through into how people vote. And the furlough scheme will doubtless have been central to Douglas Ross's plans to argue that the "broad shoulders of the UK" have helped Scotland through the pandemic, protecting a million jobs. Any suggestion that the scheme is actually only available when needed in England would rather severely take the shine off this as a unionist argument, which is one reason why Mr Ross has been so vocal on the issue. So this is not just an issue for right now, or indeed for December, when the English lockdown is due to end. It could ultimately echo right through to the Holyrood elections next spring - and on into the campaign for any future Scottish independence referendum.

इस बात को लेकर भ्रम है कि क्या दिसंबर में नवीनतम अंग्रेजी लॉकडाउन समाप्त होने के बाद यूके सरकार की नौकरी सहायता "फर्लो" योजना का उपयोग स्कॉटलैंड में किया जा सकता है। विवाद किस बारे में है, और इसके परिणाम क्या हो सकते हैं?


The World War One soldiers who came back from the dead

Summary: Households in World War One would await the telegraph boy's knock with a cold fear. Worlds were ripped apart with a few brief words announcing a serviceman's death, with follow-up letters from commanding officers rarely filling in enough of the blanks. But some families went through needless heartbreak. Sons, brothers and fathers were reported dead when they were very much alive.

By Jennifer MeierhansBBC News Online One of those was Pte Fred Joslin, who was 19 when he was "killed" in machine gun fire. His mother heard from the War Office and there had already been a church service in his memory when he wrote home from a hospital in Malta. How did these mix-ups happen? Sometimes comrades genuinely thought a fellow soldier was dead when in fact he was injured. This is what happened to Pte Joslin - who eventually lived to the age of 95. In his memoirs Pte Joslin, who lived in the Essex village of Terling, said: "I was hit by a burst of machine gun fire and thrown very forcibly to the ground where I lay on my stomach. The blood from my wounds in the back and shoulder ran around my ears. "It appeared to those seeing me that the blood was coming from my ears and experience had proved that wounded soldiers bleeding from the ears had little chance of survival." He was paralysed - and the next day a lost British major heard him shouting and rescued him. His mother was "shell-shocked" by receiving a letter apparently from her dead son - and since the handwriting was that of a nurse Fred had dictated his words to, rather than in his own script, even the War Office wouldn't accept Pte Joslin was alive. Good luck charms Pte Joslin's son Peter, a former chief constable of Warwickshire Police, said his father's death notification had hung over their mantelpiece for years. "The biggest problem was that it took so long before the government would accept the fact that he was alive. "His mother was wondering what on earth had happened, because he was in hospital in another country and had to ask a nurse to write for him." As soon as the injured solider had recovered he was sent back to the front line, so did not immediately return home to be reunited with his family and friends who had thought he was dead, Mr Joslin, from Kenilworth, said. There were also cases of mistaken identity, says historian David Bilton, who wrote about the subject in Reading in the Great War 1914-1916 and Vol II, 1917-1919. "Soldiers used to exchange items with their best friends when they were going over the top as good luck charms. They would wear one another's identity bracelet, or give each other their last letter home. "Survivors who recovered bodies from the battleground would look for property on the body to identify them. Alfred Holland In 1914, Pte Alfred Holland's wife received a telegram from the War Office and a letter of sympathy from Lord Kitchener. Her husband, from Reading, Berkshire, had taken out a life insurance policy which immediately paid his "widow" £25. A later telegram confirmed that he was recovering from wounds at a prisoner of war camp in Germany. The insurance company did not ask for a refund. Another confusion was when soldiers were taken prisoner of war and although the Germans were supposed to send back paperwork to say so, it often didn't happen, so a War Office letter went home saying they were missing and later presumed dead. "Some prisoners of war were kept in France and Belgium illegally as slaves close to the front line. "The Germans couldn't admit it was happening so wouldn't fill in the paperwork," Mr Bilton says. Sydney Deadman The parents of the ironically named Pte Sydney Deadman, of Woodley, Berkshire received a notice from the war office in 1918 saying he had been killed in action. A memorial service was held in Woodley Church and shortly afterwards they received a request for cigarettes from him. He had written from a prisoner of war camp in Germany where he was recovering from wounds in both legs. L/Cpl Fred Hardy was another soldier who rose from the dead. Injured, but alive, he returned home to his parents to find they'd received a handwritten note telling them of his death. "He was hit by a sniper just below the eye," Capt Maurice Turner of the 1/4th Suffolk Regiment had written to L/Cpl Hardy's father. "I am sorry to say he was conscious... but I am quite convinced he did not realise the gravity of his wound". But L/Cpl Hardy survived and appeared to regard his death notification with pride or amusement, military historian Taff Gillingham says. "He had the letter framed and hung on his wall, presumably as a reminder that reports of his death were greatly exaggerated." Laurence Marriott Laurence Marriott of the 41st Field Artillery had his name engraved on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, Belgium. He later turned up alive and well. It turned out he was in an explosion at Hellfire Corner in the Ypres Salient - but his horse took the brunt of the blast. His identity tags were lost in the confusion and were found after he'd been moved. He was therefore presumed dead. Once recovered, Marriott, from Sheffield, joined up for a second time. Wounded again, he was sent to recover in Bury, Greater Manchester where he met his wife Mary.

प्रथम विश्व युद्ध में परिवार ठंडे डर के साथ टेलीग्राफ लड़के की दस्तक का इंतजार कर रहे थे। दुनिया को एक सैनिक की मृत्यु की घोषणा करने वाले कुछ संक्षिप्त शब्दों के साथ अलग कर दिया गया था, जिसमें कमांडिंग अधिकारियों के अनुवर्ती पत्र शायद ही कभी पर्याप्त रिक्त स्थान भरते थे। लेकिन कुछ परिवारों को अनावश्यक रूप से दिल टूटने से गुजरना पड़ा। बेटे, भाई और पिता की मृत्यु की सूचना तब दी गई जब वे बहुत जीवित थे।


Spoof art triumphs once again at the 2017 Turnip Prize

Summary: Pulled Pork has been named the best entry in a spoof art award, the Turnip Prize - a not so artistic interpretation of the Turner Prize.

The toy tractor pulling a plastic pig is the work of artist Chris P Bacon. Organiser Trevor Prideaux said entries which took "the least amount of effort possible to create" were encouraged. He added the competition, run from a Somerset pub, attracted a "record number of crap entries from around the world".

पुल्ड पोर्क को एक स्पूफ आर्ट पुरस्कार, टर्निप पुरस्कार में सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रविष्टि का नाम दिया गया है-टर्नर पुरस्कार की इतनी कलात्मक व्याख्या नहीं।


Care home turns back the clock on dementia

Summary: There are estimated to be over 35 million people suffering from dementia worldwide and as people continue to live longer the problem is expected to worsen. But a care home in England's Wiltshire countryside is piloting an innovative new scheme to improve the symptoms of their residents affected by dementia, as Jerry Sullivan reports.

Coombe End Court, a residential care home in Marlborough, has recreated 1950s style rooms to allow residents to tap into memories of their youth. Pat is one of the residents of the care home. She is sparkly and chatty and remembers the past better than the present. One of the pieces from the room that provokes the most positive response from her is the working vintage radio. "I remember my mum saying that I would wear a hole in the carpet. I loved the radio and I loved dancing," she told the BBC World Service. "I'm 80 something, I don't mind, I don't feel it. I run and I dig in the garden. Life's not just for sitting down and sleeping. It's fun." Lease of life From an initial conversation with Pat, you would never guess she has severe dementia. According to care home manager, Sue Linsley, Pat was previously very quiet and withdrawn. That has now changed and she's got another lease of life. "She goes out a lot, she's got friends that take her out. She's living her life." It was Sue's idea to transform rooms in the unit into 1950s havens complete with furniture and decor from the era. She told the BBC that because of the activities involved and the calming effect of the rooms, Coombe End Court have managed to reduce the use of antipsychotic drugs by 70%. "Fifteen residents were previously on antipsychotics, there are now only three," she says. In the main 1950s living room there is an old sewing machine, ceramic flying ducks on the wall, pictures from the time and other knick knacks. There are racks filled with 1950s magazines and books reminiscent of the post war time. Sue was able to make the room authentic by searching for items in junk shops and car boot sales, and placing advertisements for 1950s items that people wanted to donate. Way forward Many residents now appear to be much calmer and happier. One resident who was not able to move can now walk with the aid of a Zimmer frame. "Patients are more alert, they are more engaging," says Dr Simon Manchip, consultant in old age psychiatry, who works with Coombe End Court. He is impressed with the results from this simple and inexpensive idea and recognises it as an alternative treatment to antipsychotic drugs for dementia patients. "These drugs do have a limited role, but if you are on them for a year you are twice as likely to be dead by the end of that year," says Dr Manchip. "Nobody really wants their relative sedated and tranquilized. If they can get that emotional response back, you are getting closer to the person underlying the illness. I think this is really the way forward for dementia care." Doll Therapy Some residents have stronger memories tied to their former professions. The 1950s office space includes typewriters, a vintage Bakelite phone and a record player. Sue Linsley explains that some former doctors sit at the desk to bring back memories of their surgery. Some ex-typists also like the room as they remember how to use the equipment. Another of the items donated for the room was a 1950s pram. The care home staff added dolls to the pram to make it more authentic. For some of the patients dolls tap into memories of when they had children back in the 50s: one resident, Betty, remembers her children when they were babies as she holds the dolls. "It doesn't work for every resident, but some really like it," says carer Grace Bowden. "They like that they are looking after somebody. Some of their roles were housewives, so they are going back to that." 1960s room Most of the patients at this care home have similar memories from the 50s; so how can these rooms be made elsewhere where people's experiences of the time may be very different? Manager Sue Linsley is convinced that the rooms can be made to suit any culture by focusing on the individual patient and what resonates with them. As more patients come to the home, there are questions of how to deal with the next generation of patients. Sue Linsley thinks that this should not be a problem. "We will have to change the rooms…I think this room will be worth while for quite some time; but obviously we will have to think about the sixties and I think that will be an interesting time to replicate."

अनुमान है कि दुनिया भर में 35 मिलियन से अधिक लोग डिमेंशिया से पीड़ित हैं और जैसे-जैसे लोग लंबे समय तक जीवित रहते हैं, समस्या के और खराब होने की उम्मीद है। लेकिन इंग्लैंड के विल्टशायर ग्रामीण इलाकों में एक देखभाल गृह डिमेंशिया से प्रभावित अपने निवासियों के लक्षणों में सुधार के लिए एक नई योजना का संचालन कर रहा है, जैसा कि जेरी सुलिवन ने बताया है।


Man dies in two-vehicle crash in Wiltshire

Summary: A man in his 40s has died after a two-vehicle crash in Wiltshire.

The man was driving a Hyundai i40, which collided with a Volkswagen Transporter van on the B390 between Shrewton and Chitterne. The man died at the scene of the crash, which happened at about 21:20 GMT on Saturday. Wiltshire Police closed the road for several hours after the crash. A spokesman has appealed for witnesses to contact the force.

विल्टशायर में दो वाहनों की दुर्घटना में 40 साल के एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है।


Cleckheaton crash: Man charged with attempted murder

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with six counts of attempted murder after a car hit six pedestrians.

The incident happened in the early hours of Sunday in Bradford Road, Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire. Five of the injured pedestrians have since been released from hospital. A sixth - a man in his 40s - remains in a critical condition. Andrew Wrigglesworth, 49, of Shirley Avenue, Birstall, was remanded in custody by magistrates in Leeds. He is due to appear at Leeds Crown Court on 20 January. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news@bbc.co.uk.

एक कार द्वारा छह पैदल चलने वालों को टक्कर मारने के बाद हत्या के प्रयास के छह मामलों के आरोप में एक व्यक्ति अदालत में पेश हुआ है।


African Dream: Uganda fashion label owners give advice

Summary: Definition Africa is a Ugandan fashion label founded by Nadia Bhegani, Olga Mugyenyi and Nahida Bhegani, which tries to source all of its raw materials on the continent. As part of the latest series of African Dream, they shared their experiences of being part of a business partnership - an experience they likened to being in a marriage.

Business partnership - How do you make it successful? • Adopt clearly defined roles: As the team grows it is increasingly important to streamline what everyone does in order to avoid duplication and confusion. When there is a lack of clarity information slips, efficiency levels are compromised. •Open communication channels: It's fine to disagree. Constructive criticism and in-house dialogue are key to the development of the business. Regular meetings keep us up to date and allow us to chip in regarding any key departmental decisions. •Mutual respect: We're friends, but - ultimately - we run a business with loyal employees, suppliers and customers. It's our job to be professional and approachable in order to enable smooth sailing. •Down time: You can't function efficiently if you work yourself to the bone. It's important to schedule time to relax and recharge. •Trust: A partnership can only work in an environment where there is a positive attitude and trust. As businesses go through their various cycles, partners will be put to the test. In circumstances where there is no trust, the future is bleak - as it would be in any relationship. •Shared Values: It's helpful if partners share similar values. For example, there needs to be agreement on what we are promising to clients and how far we are willing to go to maintain that. •Unified vision: Business partners should share the same long-term vision for the business and be willing to sacrifice bigger salaries and work longer hours in order to get there. Look for what energises and motivates each of you about your business. •Common sense and self discipline: Think about how your actions and conversations outside the business affect the public perception of your partners and your business. Always act in the best interest of your partners and your business. Treat others as you expect to be treated, respect boundaries and adhere to systems.

परिभाषा अफ्रीका युगांडा का एक फैशन लेबल है जिसकी स्थापना नादिया भेगानी, ओल्गा मुग्येनी और नाहिदा भेगानी ने की थी, जो महाद्वीप पर अपने सभी कच्चे माल का स्रोत बनने की कोशिश करता है। अफ्रीकन ड्रीम की नवीनतम श्रृंखला के हिस्से के रूप में, उन्होंने एक व्यावसायिक साझेदारी का हिस्सा होने के अपने अनुभवों को साझा किया-एक अनुभव जिसकी तुलना उन्होंने शादी में होने से की।


Beatrix Potter's hidden Scottish link

Summary: The Tale of Peter Rabbit is known throughout the world. What is less well-known is the role Scotland played in the story. Beatrix Potter was born on 28 July 1866 and spent long family holidays in Perthshire. Now, 150 years after the birth of the author, Elizabeth Quigley has been given exclusive access to the house in Dunkeld where she wrote some of her stories.

Eastwood House is a beautiful Victorian villa on the banks of the River Tay in Dunkeld and is set in nine acres of ground. This is where Beatrix Potter and her family spent some of their holidays. Today, Alex Kettles lives here with her family. It was raining the day I visited. She showed me round the house and we went into a room not far from the front door. "She probably wrote the stories outside, sitting outside on the lawns. Perhaps if it had been wet like it is today, this is the sort of room that she may very well have been in," she told me. "It was called the morning room. It would be a nice place to sit, less formal perhaps than the drawing room. So yes, I'd like to think that this was perhaps where she was when she was writing those stories." The family travelled up from London and on one holiday in 1893, two of her now world famous stories came to life. On 4 September she wrote a picture letter to Noel Moore, the son of her governess. Alex Kettles explains that they were written down at Eastwood House. "We know that because the name of the house and the date were put at the top of the letters. The letters were sent to the young son of Beatrix's governess. "He was unwell and so she sat down to write him a little note and thought, I'll write you a little story. This was the story of Peter Rabbit, which you can see in the drawings which then became part of the book a few years later. "I believe that the following day, feeling a little bit guilty that she had written a nice little story for Noel, she wrote another story for his brother, Eric, which was the tale of Jeremy Fisher." Ferns and fungi Just a short distance across the River Tay from Eastwood House is Birnam Arts. Nursery children from the Royal School of Dunkeld enjoy playing in the garden and at the exhibition there all about the author. Beatrix Potter was fascinated by the world around her and she was not only a talented artist, but her interest was also a scientific one. Over many years, she studied ferns, mosses and fungi. Dave Amos is the exhibition manager at Birnam Arts. "When she came here as a child, she was coming from London and she came to this beautiful place and was so impressed with her environment," he said. "She became very interested in fungi and animals and birds." A century and a half after she was born, her stories still captivate many across the world.

पीटर रैबिट की कहानी दुनिया भर में जानी जाती है। कहानी में स्कॉटलैंड की भूमिका कम प्रसिद्ध है। बीट्रिक्स पॉटर का जन्म 28 जुलाई 1866 को हुआ था और उन्होंने पर्थशायर में लंबी पारिवारिक छुट्टियां बिताईं। अब, लेखक के जन्म के 150 साल बाद, एलिजाबेथ क्विगली को डंकेल्ड के घर में विशेष प्रवेश दिया गया है जहाँ उन्होंने अपनी कुछ कहानियाँ लिखीं।


Pillars of world history in unknown graves

Summary: As scientists in the UK confirm that a skeleton found under a car park in the city of Leicester is that of Richard III, the BBC News website looks at other famous personalities in world history whose final resting places remain unknown.

Alexander the Great (356BC-323BC) Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of the body of the man who created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas. After his death at the age of 32, Alexander's body was said to have been laid in a golden sarcophagus, reportedly filled with honey. "It was the most renowned and respected shrine in the Roman Empire, the object of veneration by Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Octavian, Caligula, Hadrian, Severus, Caracalla and a host of other luminaries," says the alexanderstomb website. "It stood for centuries within a sacred precinct the size of a large town at the heart of the greatest Greek city in the world. Yet at the end of the 4th Century, when the Christian emperor Theodosius outlawed paganism, it disappeared without trace, creating the greatest archaeological enigma of the ancient world." In 2004, author Andrew Chugg in his book The Quest for the Tomb of Alexander the Great put forward one of many theories as to "the forgotten secrets of one of the greatest mysteries bequeathed to us by the ancient world". He argues that Alexander's body was stolen from Alexandria in AD828 and is now in Venice where it may have acquired a false identity. Genghis Khan (c1155-c1227) The final resting place of the creator of one of the largest empires in the world - stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific - has been one of archaeology's most enduring mysteries. Legend has it that anyone who even came near the remote and secret site of his funeral procession was killed. The 800 horsemen who trampled his gravesite to keep its location secret were reportedly executed, as were the 1,000 labourers who escorted his body and dug his final resting place. Folklore says that a river was diverted over his grave to make it impossible to find, while other tales state that trees were planted over the site. It has even been suggested that permafrost played its part in hiding the burial site. Traveller Marco Polo wrote that even by the late 13th Century, the Mongols did not know the location of the tomb. There is a tomb at his palace in China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, but it only contains his personal effects, not his remains. German, Japanese, American, Russians, and British tomb hunters - many using the latest ground visualisation techniques - have all have led expeditions in search of his grave, spending millions of dollars. But all have failed. In December Newsweek reported that American and Mongolian scholars said they had found "compelling evidence of the location of Khan's burial site" on a mountain range in a remote area in north-western Mongolia. Vlad the Impaler (1431-1476) The man who became the inspiration for Bram Stoker's novel Dracula is revered as a hero in Rumania and Bulgaria for his protection of the population both south and north of the Danube. But his practise of impaling his enemies has somewhat tarnished his historical reputation. While the impaler's battles against Turkish invaders has been much chronicled, little is known about the last hours of his life. One legend has it that after he was decapitated by the Turks, his body was found in the woods around Bucharest by the monks of the Snagov monastery and was taken there be buried - since both Vlad and his father had donated money to that church. But critics of this theory point out that this supposed burial place was dug up by explorers in 1931 - and all that was found were animal bones. In response, supporters of the Snagov monastery site have suggested that he may be buried elsewhere on the monastery site. They point out that remains were found after his death but have since disappeared. Others contend he is buried near the altar, but at a greater depth than was excavated. Yet others suggest he may have been interred in a different monastery altogether. Emperor Atahualpa (1497-1533) Atahualpa was the last of the native lords of the mighty Inca Empire, which spanned parts of present-day Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia. Ever since his death, mystery has surrounded the whereabouts of his tomb and its reputed treasure. In May last year there were hopes that this mystery might be close to being solved. Ecuadorean historian Tamara Estupinan said that Atahualpa's mummified body was located in lush, hilly lowlands, a six-hour drive south-west of Ecuador's capital city Quito. If the discovery is confirmed, it could shed light on a tumultuous historical period marking the beginning of the Spanish colonial era in the Americas. Archaeologists and historians have questioned whether his body remained in Cajamarca, the city in northern Peru where he died. No tomb was ever found. Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) It is not clear where the exact location of the grave of the great creative mind of the Italian Renaissance lies. Da Vinci was originally buried in a church that was destroyed in the French revolution of 1789 and his remains were then reburied in the castle's smaller chapel of Saint-Hubert in 1874. They lie beneath an inscription that describes them as "presumed" to be the master's. There is no shortage of other famous people whose burial sites have been shrouded in mystery:

जैसा कि यूके में वैज्ञानिक पुष्टि करते हैं कि लीसेस्टर शहर में एक कार पार्क के नीचे पाया गया एक कंकाल रिचर्ड III का है, बीबीसी न्यूज वेबसाइट विश्व इतिहास की अन्य प्रसिद्ध हस्तियों को देखती है जिनके अंतिम विश्राम स्थान अज्ञात हैं।


Coronavirus: Counsel General Jeremy Miles to lead Wales' recovery

Summary: The Welsh Government's counsel general, or chief legal adviser, Jeremy Miles, will take charge of Wales' recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said it represented "the biggest challenge we have faced as a devolved government". He said Mr Miles would oversee co-ordination of work inside the Welsh Government to respond to the crisis. As well as counsel general, Mr Miles is the minister dealing with Wales' transition from EU membership. Mr Drakeford added: "This vital work will impact areas of Welsh peoples' lives; it will be profoundly important for public services, for the economy and society."

वेल्श सरकार के काउंसल जनरल, या मुख्य कानूनी सलाहकार, जेरेमी माइल्स, कोविड-19 महामारी से वेल्स की बहाली का प्रभार संभालेंगे।


Russia looms large behind Flynn affair

Summary: As with any resignation there are a thousand small, but nevertheless important questions. Most are of the who-knew-what-and-when variety. But with this astonishing fall from grace there is one big overarching question. I'll save that best bit for last.

Jon SopelNorth America editor@bbcjonsopelon Twitter The small questions concern whether Donald Trump knew about the calls Mike Flynn was making to the Russian ambassador, and what the substance of their conversations were. What happened to the advice given by the acting attorney general to the White House counsel cautioning that Gen Flynn had not been entirely honest. Was the president aware of this? Were there different factions operating within the White House yesterday with different agendas on the embattled national security adviser's future? Then we can go a sub-section of those questions which revolve around management at the White House. The seemingly dull-sounding process questions: What are the lines of communication? Who reports to whom? If that all sounds rather trivial, ask this - how was it possible that within a single hour yesterday afternoon Kellyanne Conway, counsel to the president, said Mr Flynn enjoyed the full support of Mr Trump, and then shortly afterwards, Communications Director Sean Spicer said the president was evaluating Mr Flynn's position? Those just aren't reconcilable statements. Who was speaking on whose authority? This is not good communications strategy; this is what shambles looks like. And let's deal with one bit of smoke that has been thrown up since the resignation. Kellyanne Conway was across the US networks this morning with a simple and tempting argument - what sealed Flynn's fate was his misleading of the vice president over the nature of his conversations with the Russian ambassador. That resulted in Mike Pence going on TV in the middle of January and saying: "It was strictly coincidental that they had a conversation. They did not discuss anything having to do with the United States' decision to expel diplomats or impose censure against Russia." Of course, you can't lie/mislead/deceive/inadvertently misreport to (delete as appropriate) the vice president. But, if you draw yourself a little timeline of what happened then, what is striking is this - it is not the lie/misleading/deception/inadvertent misreporting that cost General Flynn his job, it is the lie/misleading/deception/inadvertent misreporting being made public by the Washington Post that cost him his job. We now know the acting attorney general went to the White House weeks before to say voice intercepts of Gen Flynn's call proved that lifting of sanctions was discussed. But no action was taken then. Only when it blew up did this become an issue. This conforms to the little discussed 11th Commandment that Moses handed down on his tablets of stone: Thou Shall Not Get Found Out. But let us move on to the really big question. What does this say about President Trump's relationship with Russia? For a man who at the drop of a hat will freely spray insults on Twitter to anyone and anything, the one person he stubbornly refuses to say a bad word about is Vladimir Putin. Not ever. In one recent interview he seemed to suggest that America as a state had no greater moral authority than Russia. It was the doctrine of American Unexceptionalism, if you like. Michael Flynn had sat with the Russian president not that long ago at a dinner honouring the pro-Moscow TV network Russia Today. Extraordinary that a former three star US general would be there. A dossier drawn up by a former MI6 officer - that was flatly denied - alleged all manner of Russian involvement in President Trump's businesses and presidential campaign. Make no mistake, the Trump base love what they've heard about the migrant ban, the eviction of illegal immigrants, the jobs pledges and a lot more besides. But what causes a lot of people to scratch their heads is why the love-in with Putin? What is driving this? Even if the most lurid things in the dossier were untrue, are there other things that are? Does Putin have some kind of leverage over the new American president? The smaller questions, like they often do, will fade away with the next news cycle. These huge ones won't.

जैसा कि किसी भी इस्तीफे के साथ एक हजार छोटे, लेकिन फिर भी महत्वपूर्ण प्रश्न होते हैं। अधिकांश कौन-नया-क्या-और-कब विविधता के होते हैं। लेकिन अनुग्रह से इस आश्चर्यजनक गिरावट के साथ एक बड़ा व्यापक प्रश्न है। मैं उस सबसे अच्छे हिस्से को आखिरी के लिए बचाऊंगा।


Has the UK got Tech Talent?

Summary: Across BBC News outlets this week, under the banner Tech Talent, we are asking whether the UK can compete in the global technology industry - and why we haven't produced a tech giant on the scale of Google or Apple. Here are my thoughts on those questions.

Rory Cellan-JonesTechnology correspondent@BBCRoryCJon Twitter In the last ten days I've met the founder of a British games company which is still independent after a quarter of a century, and about to launch one of Sony's first virtual reality titles. I've attended a celebration to mark the extraordinary success of the Raspberry Pi, a tiny computer created in Cambridge to teach children to code, which has now achieved global sales of ten million. And I've had a demo of the latest products from a fledgling company called Chirp, created by a University College London scientist to transmit data via an audio signal. All of these are examples of a thriving British technology landscape. So why, over nearly 20 years of covering the tech scene, do I keep getting asked the same thing - where is the UK's Google? When is a British Mark Zuckerberg coming along? And before that it was "where is our Apple or Microsoft?" Actually, it's not just in the UK that you hear that question. It's asked in Germany and France, and in Israel, home to a thriving tech startup scene. Heaven knows - it's even asked in New York and Boston. Everyone, everywhere, wants to be like Silicon Valley and can't quite work out how you pull it off. Entrepreneurial culture Still - that doesn't mean we shouldn't aspire to do better. Because the last 20 years have seen us make progress towards being a hi-tech nation but only in fits and starts. Two things - money and an entrepreneurial culture - are at the heart of sorting this out. During the dotcom bubble of the late 1990s it looked as though we were moving forward on both fronts. It was a time of huge - even insane - investor optimism and cash was being thrown at any young person who showed a banker a business plan on the back of an envelope with www scrawled on it. Meanwhile an entrepreneurial culture was taking root - starting a company was becoming cool - or at least cooler than joining an investment bank or the civil service. Scientists at our great universities were discovering that their research could have a lucrative life outside the lab and the lecture theatre. Boom to bust Then the bubble went pop, as did most of the young tech companies. The trouble was that in Britain, the dotcom boom came later than in the US, but burst at the same time - so only a very few firms lived on and none on the scale of the Silicon Valley giants. And while venture capital soon recovered its confidence in the US, it was much slower to do so here. The City has always had a reputation for short-termism, and maybe having seen so many far-fetched dotcom ideas go up in smoke in 2000, the financial world was right to look warily at the next young thruster coming along to promise to change the world with an app or a social network. Today, the money is flowing again - though compare the millions raised by the UK taxi app Hailo with the billions at the disposal of California's Uber to understand why Silicon Valley so often comes out on top. And, yes, a country that has seen companies like ARM and Autonomy born out of Cambridge, Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar Games emerge from Dundee, and the brilliant artificial intelligence firm Deep Mind created in London isn't doing too badly. Just one thing - all of those firms are now in foreign hands. Wouldn't it be nice if one day a giant British tech company could end up as the predator not the prey?

इस सप्ताह बी. बी. सी. न्यूज आउटलेट्स में, टेक टैलेंट के बैनर तले, हम पूछ रहे हैं कि क्या यू. के. वैश्विक प्रौद्योगिकी उद्योग में प्रतिस्पर्धा कर सकता है-और हमने गूगल या ऐपल के पैमाने पर एक तकनीकी दिग्गज का उत्पादन क्यों नहीं किया है। यहाँ उन प्रश्नों पर मेरे विचार हैं।


Week at Holyrood: Sturgeon to outline government's plans for the year

Summary: MSPs return to Holyrood on Tuesday after the summer break.

By Louise WilsonHolyrood Live One of the first key events will be First Minister Nicola Sturgeon delivering her legislative programme for the next year. It will include 14 new bills, in additional to other non-legislative announcements. The Scottish government's response to climate change is expected to be a central theme of the statement. Ms Sturgeon told BBC Good Morning Scotland on Monday that she would set out a "very ambitious package of measures". She added that a "big focus" would be on reducing emissions from transport, while consideration will also be given to areas including heating, agriculture and land use. The government is aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2045, having declared a "climate emergency" earlier this year. What else is happening at Holyrood this week? Tuesday - Ferguson Marine In addition to the statement from the first minister, there will be two further ministerial statements on Tuesday afternoon. The first will focus on Ferguson Marine, the shipyard which was nationalised by the Scottish government last month. Since then, several buyers have expressed an interest in the yard. It is currently operating under a management agreement with administrators, which will see the Scottish government buy Ferguson if no private buyer comes forward. The second statement will be on the repatriation of convergence funds for Scottish farmers. Scottish farming organisations and the Scottish government have argued that Scotland is owed about £160m of EU convergence uplift payments to the UK for the period 2014-2020. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would pass on the funding during the Tory leadership contest, but a recent letter from UK Rural Affairs Secretary Theresa Villiers said this would be a matter for the Treasury to decide. Before the programme for government, new Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart will be sworn in. The statements will be followed by Labour MSP Claudia Beamish leading a debate on Palestine. In the morning, the health committee will meet to discuss NHS Highland. While this is part of wider scrutiny of all health boards, the recent bullying claims and subsequent Sturrock report will likely be discussed. Wednesday - indyref2 framework MSPs will continue to debate and discuss the programme for government on Wednesday afternoon, following portfolio questions on the environment and rural economy. Afterwards, SNP MSP Joan McAlpine will lead a debate to celebrate late poet Hamish Henderson. In the morning, the constitution committee will take evidence on the indyref2 framework bill for the first time. A number of academics have been invited to discuss the three main elements of the Referendums (Scotland) Bill: the framework, conduct, and campaign rules. Meanwhile, the rural economy committee will be hearing from ScotRail managing director Alex Hynes. Train services faced disruption last month due to flooding, while ScotRail also came under fire for overcrowding on the last weekend of the Edinburgh festivals. Thursday - No-deal Brexit motion MSPs are expected to vote in support of a motion to oppose a no-deal Brexit on Thursday evening. The motion is expected to say: "That the Scottish Parliament agrees that the UK should in no circumstances leave the EU on a no-deal basis". It comes after Boris Johnson said the chances of a no deal Brexit were "touch and go". In March Holyrood voted for Brexit to be cancelled if the UK faces leaving the EU without a deal. The Scottish Tories voted against this motion, calling instead for parties to back Theresa May's deal. Prior to this debate, there will be a statement on tackling drug related deaths. Figures which came out during summer recess found Scotland had the highest drug death rate in the EU. A drugs death taskforce was set up shortly before the statistics were released. At noon, Ms Sturgeon will face her first FMQs of the parliamentary year, to be followed by SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson highlighting Doors Open Day.

एम. एस. पी. गर्मी की छुट्टी के बाद मंगलवार को होलीरूड लौटते हैं।