OMG: The creator of the abbreviation 'would have loved emojis'

Summary: OMG is a staple of text messages and social media posts across the world. It was first used by a World War One admiral whose extraordinary life and way with words are firing the imagination of his filmmaker great-great granddaughter.

By Laurence CawleyBBC News In a quiet graveyard, a short walk across the lawns of a country house in Norfolk, lie the remains of John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, who twice held the role of First Sea Lord. Fisher, known as "Jacky", is credited by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) with first using the abbreviation "OMG", when, in a letter to Winston Churchill in 1917, he wrote: "I hear that a new order of Knighthood is on the tapis—O.M.G. (Oh! My God!)—Shower it on the Admiralty!!" According to the OED, it means "causing or characterized by a reaction of astonishment, excitement, etc.; that might cause one to exclaim 'oh my God!'" Now his great-great granddaughter Penelope, who owns production company Trident Films, is trying to make a film about his life, under the working title Sea Lord. She first learned of her ancestor's role in OMG in her early 20s. For her, it was merely yet another interesting detail of a life that had long been a source of fascination. Born in 1841 in Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, Lord Fisher joined HMS Victory at Portsmouth in 1854. He ascended rapidly through the ranks, achieving the highest-ever Royal Navy score for navigation in his lieutenant's exams. He was, by all accounts, a man who demanded to be heard, and one "who didn't suffer fools lightly", according to his descendants. "I remember learning about him when I was doing a project at school when I was about 13," says Penelope. "It lit up my imagination. I was enthralled with who my ancestor was. "I found him to be a remarkable character. He was well known for his use of abbreviations and his clever use of words. And I found his relationship with Churchill really interesting - they seemed to have had quite a unique relationship. "From my research, I realised they both clearly knew and understood the power of words and how they were going to be remembered in history." For Penelope, Jacky's dextrous and agile use of words has added piquancy because she is dyslexic. "I've struggled with reading and writing," she says. "In that sense we are very different, and in that sense I find him all the more remarkable. "But I also find him inspirational in that he rose from nothing, really, as a 13-year-old in the Royal Navy to become the First Sea Lord. "He showed overcoming things was possible. He worked his socks off to get where he did. He inspired me to try and try. "I don't think people understand what it is like to really struggle with reading and writing." She wonders whether Jacky, who frequently used abbreviations, might also have had some form of dyslexia. "Dyslexia is definitely hereditary and he definitely could have been dyslexic. One thing I've learned is that no one dyslexic person is exactly the same as others. "I believe a lot of his abbreviations came from his brain moving too fast." Asked what Jacky would have made of OMG being a staple in the lexicon of text, she says: "I think he would have loved it. He loved all forms of communication and was a big fan of wireless communication. "He would have absolutely loved emojis. He would have loved Twitter. He might have been a bit Trumpesque with his use - not necessarily in what he said but in how he said it, using the format to get what he wanted to say out there." You might also like: Might his place as the creator of OMG ever be called into question? Unlikely, unless some evidence of prior use emerges. Fiona McPherson, a senior editor at the OED, says: "We never close the door on any entries, but in order to turn our attention to other words we do have to take a reactive approach to such updates. "This will always be led by any new evidence emerging. "Online publication has given us the freedom to update as and when needed, which means some entries will be revisited and updated repeatedly, as new evidence presents itself or cultural shifts effect changes in meaning and usage." Given the widespread use of OMG in both speech and text, does Penelope ever feel the need to share her family's role in its origins when she overhears it? "Er, no," she says. "I don't think many people realise OMG came through the Admiralty. "But it does give me a little chuckle when I hear it. I don't tend to hear it much in my every day life but it sometimes comes up when we're watching television." Acronyms and abbreviations with unexpected histories And what might Jacky have made of the success of his phrase? "He would have loved it. He would have loved to have seen how it is used," says Penelope. Her reaction on learning her ancestor gave the world OMG? "No, I didn't respond with an OMG, though I do use it quite a lot," she says. "I wish he had trademarked it - I could easily fund all the films I want to make if he had." The piece you have read thus far might well have ended here, but for that stroll over to Jacky's gravestone, accompanied by the current Lord Fisher, Patrick. He is not a keen exponent of the phrase "OMG" and points out his great-grandfather's favourite term was actually "Buggins's turn". The phrase, according to the OED, means "the principle or practice of awarding a promotion, job, etc., to a person because it is considered to be his or her turn, rather than on the basis of merit." And its first known use? Yes, once again, it seems it was by Jacky Fisher, who in 1901 wrote: "Favouritism was the secret of our efficiency in the old days... Going by seniority saves so much trouble. 'Buggins's turn' has been our ruin and will be disastrous hereafter!" The inscription on Jacky's gravestone is obscured by a frosting of lichen. But there, on the fifth line, are his post-nominal initials: G.C.B (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath), O.M. (Order of Merit), G.C.V.O (Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order). "You see, he did have OMG on his headstone," says the 4th Baron Fisher. "Of course," he adds wryly, "it is not quite the same OMG." Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk

ओ. एम. जी. दुनिया भर में पाठ संदेशों और सोशल मीडिया पोस्ट का एक प्रमुख हिस्सा है। इसका उपयोग पहली बार प्रथम विश्व युद्ध के एक एडमिरल द्वारा किया गया था, जिसका असाधारण जीवन और शब्दों के साथ उनका तरीका उनकी फिल्म निर्माता महान पोती की कल्पना को प्रेरित कर रहा है।


Send us your pictures of Scotland

Summary: We're looking for your photographs from around Scotland.

You send them to us and we'll include a selection on the weekly picture gallery published every Friday on the BBC Scotland news website. They don't have to be related to a news story - they could be a local landmark, a gathering of friends - anything really that depicts life in Scotland. BBC Scotland weather presenters are also looking for your pictures of weather scenes from around Scotland to use on television. However, the photo must have been taken by you (or a family member, who has given permission for it to be sent in). And if you send in photographs of children, we must have written permission from a parent or guardian of every child featured (a grandparent, auntie or friend will not suffice). Email your pictures to scotlandpictures@bbc.co.uk Please give us your name, where you live and brief details about the photographs. If you want to send your picture from your mobile phone, email them to the same address as above. You can send them from any network or phone. If you would like your image to be included in the weekly picture gallery, please make sure it is a minimum size of 976x549 pixels. You can also tell us what you think of the week's pictures on the BBC Scotland News Facebook page. Terms and conditions If you submit an image, you do so in accordance with the BBC's terms and conditions. In contributing to BBC News you agree to grant us a royalty-free, non-exclusive licence to publish and otherwise use the material in any way that we want, and in any media worldwide. This may include the transmission of the material by our overseas partners; these are all reputable foreign news broadcasters who are prohibited from altering the material in any way or making it available to other UK broadcasters or to the print media. (See the terms and conditions for the full terms of our rights.) It's important to note, however, that you still own the copyright to everything you contribute to BBC News and that if your image is accepted, we will endeavour to publish your name alongside it on the BBC News website. The BBC cannot guarantee that all pictures will be used and we reserve the right to edit your comments. At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.

हम स्कॉटलैंड के आसपास से आपकी तस्वीरों की तलाश कर रहे हैं।


Covid: The 'working poor' are hardest hit, Sheffield study finds

Summary: The fact Covid infection rates have been higher in poorer communities has been well documented. But analysis from one major UK city reveals it is not the most deprived who have borne the greatest burden - rather the so-called working poor.

By Deborah Cohen & Jake MorrisBBC Newsnight A study by Sheffield council shows people in low-paid jobs, with insecure contracts, who couldn't afford to isolate have been hardest hit by the disease in the city. The council split its population into 10 income brackets, from the wealthiest to the most deprived, and looked at Covid case rates in each group. While the rates were generally greater among the less well-off, they were highest of all in the third income group, rather than the poorest or second poorest. "The impact is really on the working poor," said Sheffield's director of public health, Greg Fell. This group is "most likely to be low paid", on insecure contracts and unable to afford to isolate. "Transmission in that group of people is much higher," said Mr Fell. Patrick Meleady recognises the impact first-hand, from his work with a food bank in east Sheffield. "People here work in factories, are care workers, bus drivers and taxi drivers," said Mr Meleady. "So they're on the front line having an interaction," he said. "If you're in another area and you're more affluent and you've got a different career path, you're going to remove yourself from that [risk of Covid]." The findings are supported by further research carried out by Sheffield City Council, which mapped Covid case rates as they spread across the urban population in the first wave. The mapping, in the animated video below, shows that at the start, cases appeared among people living in the wealthier west of the city, driven perhaps by those returning from half-term ski trips. It then spread and remained stubbornly embedded in the poorer east. By the end of June, as national case numbers plummeted and England emerged from its first lockdown, the majority of new positive cases were confined to the most deprived area of the city. These poorer areas have continued to experience high rates of Covid in the second wave too. The fact the disease has affected poorer areas more than wealthy ones in the UK has been well recorded. Work by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods are more than twice as likely to die from Covid as those in the least deprived. But Greg Fell is "surprised by the starkness" of what the council found in Sheffield. "It was always going to be something that was only unevenly or unequally split," he said. It's not just jobs that play a role in Covid risks. Poor housing has been known as a factor for some time. A recent study of housing conditions looked at how the number of people living in a house, and the number of rooms, affected Covid risk. The research, run by University College London's Virus Watch team, found a clear link. Overcrowded households "had twice the risk of coronavirus infection compared to people living in un-crowded households," said Prof Rob Aldridge who runs the study. The high verses low income split in Covid cases is consistent with existing differences in health in Sheffield. The difference in life expectancy can be as much as 20 years, says Dr Jennie Joyce, a GP working in the city. And existing illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, may mean people getting sicker from Covid. She's not surprised by the impact. "I think we did know that on the ground. It just wasn't coming down from the top," she said. A report prepared by Sheffield's Citizens Advice Bureau shows those who were already struggling pre-Covid are in a worse position now. It cites factors including not being able to travel to cheaper food shops and higher heating and lighting costs from being at home, and it warns the poor have got into greater debt. Gulnaz Hussain, who works at Firvale Community Hub, says money is always tight for people in the nearby area. And when work is always uncertain for many in the city, Covid can feel like one more thing "We have community and community resilience, and being able to know how to cope in difficult situations," says Ms Husain. "This is just another one of those risks." Watch Deborah Cohen's report for Newsnight on BBC iPlayer (UK only).

यह तथ्य कि गरीब समुदायों में कोविड संक्रमण दर अधिक रही है, अच्छी तरह से प्रलेखित किया गया है। लेकिन ब्रिटेन के एक प्रमुख शहर के विश्लेषण से पता चलता है कि यह सबसे अधिक वंचित नहीं हैं जिन्होंने सबसे अधिक बोझ उठाया है-बल्कि तथाकथित कामकाजी गरीबों ने।


The riddle of walk-in centres

Summary: NHS walk-in centres sound like a good idea.

Nick TriggleHealth correspondent Open until late into the evening - or sometimes round-the-clock - they can provide a wide range of non-emergency care. In fact, they became a key policy initiative under Labour. Known as Darzi centres - after the then health minister and leading surgeon Professor Lord Darzi - 150 were opened after 2008. It now means there are more than 350 in total. Some are called walk-in centres, while others are known as urgent care centres. In theory, they should be playing an invaluable role, as A&E units threaten to buckle under the pressure being placed on them. But it is not quite that simple. As demands have started to grow on A&E, reports have begun to emerge of walk-in centres closing. Concerns have grown so much that the regulator Monitor has launched a review into why this is happening and how it is affecting patients. The obvious answer is that with money short, clinical commissioning groups, which now hold the purse strings for local services, have decided to make savings. But it has also been clear for some time that all has not been well with the walk-in centre service. One of the problems is that what is offered varies greatly from place to place. Some are staffed by doctors, others are not, which can cause difficulties for patients needing prescriptions. Some have x-ray facilities, others do not. There is very little consistency. Unsurprisingly, this has caused a great deal of confusion among patients and perhaps explains why some centres have proved popular (mostly in urban areas) and others have not.

एन. एच. एस. वॉक-इन केंद्र एक अच्छा विचार लगता है।


Britain First deputy leader Jayda Fransen charged

Summary: The deputy leader of the far-right group Britain First has been charged over speeches made in Belfast.

Jayda Fransen, 31, was arrested in London by Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detectives on Saturday. She has been charged with using "threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour". The charge relates to a speech made at a "Northern Ireland Against Terrorism" rally at Belfast City Hall in August. Ms Fransen will appear at Belfast Magistrates' Court on Thursday 14 December.

सुदूर दक्षिणपंथी समूह ब्रिटेन फर्स्ट के उप नेता पर बेलफास्ट में दिए गए भाषणों के लिए आरोप लगाया गया है।


Malvern man sentenced for child cruelty to boy

Summary: A man has been given a suspended prison sentence for child cruelty towards a boy.

Alexander James Johnson, 47, of West Malvern Road, Malvern, had originally been charged with attempted murder. Worcester Crown Court later heard that there was insufficient evidence to pursue that charge, and a new charge of child cruelty was brought. On Tuesday he admitted the lesser charge and was sentenced to nine months in jail, suspended for two years.

एक लड़के के प्रति बाल क्रूरता के लिए एक व्यक्ति को निलंबित जेल की सजा दी गई है।


Denmark passes ban on niqabs and burkas

Summary: Denmark has passed a ban on full-face veils.

It becomes the latest in a number of EU countries to pass such a ban, which mainly affects Muslim women wearing a niqab or burka. The law was passed by 75 votes to 30 in parliament on Thursday and will come into force on 1 August. Those violating the ban will be forced to pay 1,000 kroner (£118; $157), with fines ten times higher for repeat offenders. The wording of the new legislation does not specifically mention Muslim women but says that "anyone who wears a garment that hides the face in public will be punished with a fine". Speaking about the law, Denmark's Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen said: "In terms of value, I see a discussion of what kind of society we should have with the roots and culture we have, that we don't cover our face and eyes, we must be able to see each other and we must also be able to see each other's facial expressions, it's a value in Denmark." Amnesty International has described the Danish vote as a "discriminatory violation of women's rights". But the European Court of Human Rights last year upheld a Belgian ban on full-face veils, saying that communal harmony trumped the individual's right to religious expression. Where else in Europe has similar laws? France was the first European country to ban the full-face veil in public places in April 2011, seven years after it introduced a law prohibiting conspicuous religious symbols in state schools. It was followed a few months later by Belgium, which outlawed any clothing that obscures a person's identity in a public place. Full or partial bans have since been passed in Austria, Bulgaria and the southern German state of Bavaria, with the Dutch parliament agreeing a ban in late 2016, pending approval from the country's higher chamber.

डेनमार्क ने पूरे चेहरे के घूंघट पर प्रतिबंध लगा दिया है।


Meeting the Houthis - and their enemies

Summary: Last September, thousands of fighters from northern Yemen seized control of the country's capital, Sanaa. The government was weak, its army fractured, and the rebels - called the Houthis - took the city in only four days.

By Safa AlAhmadYemen The secretive Houthi movement was always a mystery to me. I went to Yemen to follow them, to understand where they came from and what they want since they have suddenly become the most powerful people in Yemen. I discovered a divided country. The Houthis who belong to the Zaidi sect- an offshoot of Shia Islam, still control the capital, but face a determined alliance of al-Qaeda and other Sunni militants further south. Mass protests against the Houthis have been reported in some of Yemen's largest cities. I encountered a very different mood - and a sense of the country fragmenting - as I crossed front lines and travelled the country speaking to the Houthis and their enemies. SANAA During my first week in Sanaa, al-Qaeda bombs the main square, as the Houthis, in power for only a few weeks, are staging a rally. "The power of the explosion threw people in the air," a witness tells me when I arrive on the scene soon afterwards. "There were many dead children and old men. So many people." A suicide bomber is blamed for the carnage. The Houthi slogan is posted on walls across Sanaa. It's an Iranian-inspired political chant from the days of that country's 1979 revolution and reads: "God is great. Death to America. Death to Israel. God curse the Jews. Victory for Islam." They have established a so-called Revolutionary Committee, now the de facto government, which claims to be clamping down on corruption. While in Sanaa, I stay with the family of my close friend Radiya, a human rights activist, and her father Dr Mohamed Al Mutawakil, a politician. "Honestly, I think this is the worst phase Yemen has ever gone through," Radiya tells me. When I return to the city a few weeks later, the mood has changed. Houthi slogans are crossed out everywhere. There are rumours that the Houthis are targeting Sunni mosques in the capital and changing their imams. At one mosque I see many signs saying "the Houthis are not the people" and more crossed-out slogans. The call to prayer has been changed from the Sunni to the Zaidi. According to human rights groups, Houthis are assassinating and torturing their opponents across the city. Then I hear news of an assassination very close to home. Dr Mohamed Al Mutawakil, whose house I have been staying at while I've been in Sanaa, has been shot and killed. It's a shock to everyone. He was one of the few men in Yemen who most would agree was a great and honest politician. I am grief-stricken along with the rest of his family and friends. We suspect al-Qaeda killed him, but no-one claims responsibility. SAADA The Yemeni government launched six wars against the Houthis in the last decade - it is a movement born of war. For years I had tried to go to Saada, but the government rarely allowed journalists in, adding to the region's sense of isolation. In 2004, the Houthis' leader and namesake, Hussein Badr al-Din al-Houthi ended up hiding from the Yemeni army with his men in caves in the mountains of Marran. Al-Houthi's followers say the attackers poured petrol into the cave and set it on fire, after which he was allegedly captured and killed. But the violence continued. By 2009, Saudi Arabia had joined the Yemeni army in attacking Saada - the Houthis' stronghold - just across its southern border. The old city of Saada, not far from the mountains, still bears the scars of this sixth and last war. Buildings have gaping holes - some are just piles of rubble. One of the few women who stayed during the conflict, Um Zayd, tells me she and her family lived under attack for seven or eight months. "No-one demanded the siege to be lifted. No-one helped us. All this injustice that fell on Saada, we had no fault in it." Her back yard is now a cemetery - the resting place of three children who were killed by artillery fire. "When we came to them, they were in shreds," Zayd recalls. "Their mother arrived and had to pick up the pieces." The violence the Houthis endured foreshadowed the treatment they would mete out to their opponents. RADAA Al Bayda province used to be the heartland of al-Qaeda in Yemen, but the Houthis now have a presence. There are numerous Houthi checkpoints. Three weeks before I arrived in the city of Radaa there was an intense battle. Many died on both sides, but the Houthis managed to drive al-Qaeda's soldiers out. Walid, a Houthi soldier, shows me around. "In this place here, the people of the town met with the members of al-Qaeda," he tells me, pointing to an open area near a mosque. "We broke bread together in this place, and the next day, they opened fire on our homes with heavy weapons and snipers." I hear about an al-Qaeda suicide bomber who reached the outskirts of the city, and tried to sneak past a Houthi checkpoint with a small child in the front seat. The car was stopped. It exploded. The driver and children were killed. Now only rubble remains. The Houthis have destroyed parts of the city too. Walid shows me a pile of semi-pulverised bricks and stone - the home of an extremist he claims. "He used to kidnap people from Radaa and bring them to this house and torture them," Walid says. "He terrorised the whole town." The Houthis destroyed his home to make an example of him, Walid says. Then he ushers me on. "OK we are done. One is enough. Otherwise, they will say we destroyed all the houses in Radaa." BEYOND RADAA A group of soldiers clad in camouflage and toting guns meets the BBC team as they cross into al-Qaeda territory. Many of the Sunni tribes here are allied with al-Qaeda but not all. They're united in their fight against the Houthis though. Thousands of Sunni fighters across Bayda province are now united behind a tribal leader, Ziyad Al Majdali. "They blow up mosques and schools and then scream 'Death to America. Death to Israel,'" he says. Do those mosques belong to America or Israel, he asks. "If I and an al-Qaeda fighter are fighting in the same trenches against the Houthis, he becomes my brother, my brother in arms," he adds. In other parts of Bayda, some people say al-Qaeda isn't tough enough. Ahmad Khamis, a prominent local jihadist, says he loves Islamic State. "IS is a reality and they control land. They will take over districts and will engage in direct battle. They won't retreat from battle, just like in Iraq" he says. "This is our hope to be ruled by Islam and freed from Shia occupation." ADEN I head to the largest city in southern Yemen, Aden, to see how other areas outside Houthi control are reacting. For decades here they have been calling for separation from the north. The Yemeni government has consistently used violence against the secessionist movement in its attempt to crush it. There is strong anti-Houthi sentiment here. "Death to the Houthis" graffiti dots the city. An enormous crowd gathers for a secession rally. They wave the national flag and cluster around a stage. "Do you want unity with the north?" a man on stage yells into a microphone. "No!" the crowd shouts in response. "We are sick and tired of this," a protester tells me. "The South demands its freedom." The crowd begins chanting: "Lift your head up high. You are an independent Southerner!" The rally turns to a march and the people flow into the city's streets - pulsing with passionate anger. Watching this, I can almost feel Yemen collapsing. I ride through the streets on the back of a pick-up truck, with Abdulrahman, a Houthi journalist. "There is a revolution in the north and a revolution in the south," he says. "The Yemeni people are strangers in their own country." Suddenly, the sound of gunshots rings out. Security forces are shooting tear gas and live bullets at the protesters. In all the years I have been coming to Aden, I have witnessed the government's violent crackdown on the protests. This time was no different. But the rise of the Houthis has polarised the country even more and pushed its people further into deadly conflict. Since my visit, the South and the East of the country have rejected Houthi control. The president of Yemen, Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, has fled Sanaa and called for a new government based in Aden. The Houthis' revolutionary committee has become the de facto government of north Yemen. Listen to Safa AlAhmad in conversation with Lyse Doucet for this week's Assignment on the BBC World Service, on Thursday 19 March, andafterwards on the BBC iPlayer. Subscribe to the BBC News Magazine's email newsletter to get articles sent to your inbox.

पिछले सितंबर में, उत्तरी यमन के हजारों लड़ाकों ने देश की राजधानी सना पर कब्जा कर लिया। सरकार कमजोर थी, उसकी सेना टूट गई, और विद्रोहियों-जिन्हें हौती कहा जाता था-ने केवल चार दिनों में शहर पर कब्जा कर लिया।


'Yolocaust': How should you behave at a Holocaust memorial?

Summary: Warning: This article contains images that readers might find disturbing. At first glance, the selfies are perfectly ordinary. They have hashtags; they have emojis (star, smiley face, loveheart); they feature a variety of athletic poses.

By Joel GunterBBC News One man is juggling six pink balls. A woman strikes a yoga pose, another stands on one leg, two men leap from one pillar to another. But Shahak Shapira, an Israeli-German writer, took issue with the setting: the Berlin Holocaust memorial. Mr Shapira copied 12 selfies taken at the memorial from social media and published them on a website on Thursday. And Mr Shapira's trick was to design the website so that hovering over the images strips away the background of the memorial and replaces it with scenes from concentration camps, leaving the unwitting young selfie-takers suddenly surrounded by emaciated bodies and corpses. The website is called "Yolocaust", a combination of the popular social media hashtag Yolo - "you only live once" - and Holocaust. It was a hit online and was picked up by a handful of news outlets that praised the idea as "powerful" and "stinging", and called the people in the images "foolish", "disrespectful", and "dumb-ass selfie-takers". Mr Shapira had been thinking about the idea for about a year before he started work on Wednesday, he said. "It's a phenomenon I had begun to notice in Berlin and then I started seeing those pictures everywhere. I felt like people needed to know what they were actually doing, or how others might interpret what they were doing." So he scanned through thousands of selfies on Facebook, Instagram, Tinder, and Grindr and settled on a dozen of the most extreme. The images were all on public social media accounts and he didn't seek permission from any of the account holders. At the bottom of the site is an email address - "undouche.me@yolocaust.de" - to request that an image be removed. "I guess that's my compromise," Mr Shapira said. The thing that makes the project provocative is "the people and the way they present themselves," rather than the shocking death scenes he has superimposed, he said. "If I had used normal selfies, with people standing there doing nothing, I don't think it would have been provocative," he said. "The controversy comes from the actions of the people. I'm just changing the scenery." 'Not sacred ground' In 2014, Breanna Mitchell, an American teenager, posted a selfie on Twitter. "Selfie in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp," she wrote, adding a blushing smiley face emoji. A month later someone spotted her tweet and retweeted it, and within hours it had generated a backlash which spread from Twitter to traffic-hungry news sites to her mobile phone, which lit up with abuse and even death threats from people who had obtained her number, she said. Ms Mitchell joined a growing number of people who had made arguably ill-judged social media posts and were dealt an online public shaming in return. Her picture generated a debate about appropriate behaviour at memorial sites. Karen Pollock is the chief executive of the London-based Holocaust Education Trust, which works with teachers and young people to prepare them for visits to Auschwitz and other Holocaust memorials. "We talk with young people about the right way to be and act at a site of mass murder - how to behave, what to do with a camera," she said. She called the Yolocaust images "powerful" and said she welcomed a debate about the issue, "but we would not want to chastise younger visitors for experiencing things in a different way to people of an earlier generation", she added. "The generation of today is one that experiences a great deal through the lens of a phone, and it's not about chastising, exposing, or humiliating them. We try to have challenging conversations about what they want from a picture in that setting. "When I looked at the pictures I didn't think gosh aren't these people terrible, I thought these are young people who have different experiences to previous generations." And the man who designed the memorial agreed. Peter Eisenman, a New York architect, saw the Yolocaust site soon after it was published on Thursday. "To be honest with you I thought it was terrible," he said. "People have been jumping around on those pillars forever. They've been sunbathing, they've been having lunch there and I think that's fine. "It's like a catholic church, it's a meeting place, children run around, they sell trinkets. A memorial is an everyday occurrence, it is not sacred ground." Mr Eisenman drew a clear distinction between the Berlin memorial and burial sites such as Auschwitz, which he said was "a different environment, absolutely". "But there are no dead people under my memorial. My idea was to allow as many people of different generations, in their own ways, to deal or not to deal with being in that place. And if they want to lark around I think that's fine. "But putting those bodies there, in the pictures, that's a little much if you ask me. It isn't a burial ground, there are no people under there." 'Monument of shame' On Wednesday, as Mr Shapira was preparing to hit publish on his website, German far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke addressed a beer hall full of supporters in Dresden. Referring to the Berlin memorial, he accused Germans of being "the only people in the world to plant a monument of shame in the heart of its capital" and called for a "180 degree turn" in Holocaust remembrance. The timing was a coincidence, according to Mr Shapira, but he said his project was motivated in part by concern over a trend in European and US politics which he saw as a threat to the lessons of the Holocaust. "I hear a lot of young people saying that they don't feel guilty and they don't want to feel guilty, and they shouldn't, it's not their fault and it's not their responsibility, but what is their responsibility is what's going on right now in Germany. "I am worried that younger people fail to understand the importance of these memorials. They're not there for me - for Jews - or for the victims, they are there for the people of today, for their moral compass. So they know not to elect the guys with the Hitler haircuts, because we could end up right where we were 80 years ago." So far one person has emailed to request that his picture be taken down, and Mr Shapira said the young man expressed regret over his pose. But the rest of the images will remain on the site and Mr Shapira may expand his project. "Lets see what happens, let's see how many stupid, inappropriate pictures I have to see on the internet," he said. "And if you're asking me is this right or wrong, then that's a good thing. It doesn't have to be one or the other, just having the debate is good."

चेतावनीः इस लेख में ऐसी छवियां हैं जो पाठकों को परेशान कर सकती हैं। पहली नज़र में, सेल्फी पूरी तरह से सामान्य हैं। उनके पास हैशटैग हैं; उनके पास इमोजी (स्टार, स्माइली फेस, लवहार्ट) हैं; उनमें विभिन्न प्रकार के एथलेटिक पोज़ हैं।


Outkast named as the first headliners of Bestival 2014

Summary: Outkast have been named as the first headliners of Bestival 2014.

Andre 3000 and Big Boi will be one of four acts topping the bill at the event on the Isle of Wight. Bestival takes place from 4-7 September at Robin Hill Country Park. Organiser Rob da Bank said: "Hey ya! By the power invested in me as chief Bestival booker, I'm pretty darn excited to announce that Outkast are headlining Bestival this year!" "We've fought hard to get the recently reunited legendary hip-hop duo onto the ferry... and it's no ordinary ferry this year as Bestival goes Desert Island Disco for 2014… Palm trees, grass skirts and mirrorballs are the order of the day. It truly is gonna be the Bestival yet!" This year will see Outkast reuniting for 40 live shows, having been on hiatus since 2007. They have already announced they will headline the two weekends of Coachella in America alongside Arcade Fire and Muse on 11 and 18 April. They will also play at New York's Governors Ball in June as well as Florida's Big Guava Festival and Hangout in Alabama in May. Last week Big Boi confirmed he plans to release his fourth solo album. Speaking on Revolt, a US music TV network owned by rapper Sean Diddy Combs, he said: "Look out for that new Big Boi solo record coming, Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors and the next one, 'surprise!'". Big Boi added that the upcoming reunion tour was "for the fans". 2013's Bestival was headlined by Elton John, Snoop Dogg and Fatboy Slim. Tickets for this year's event are available from the Bestival website. Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter

आउटकास्ट को फेस्टिवल 2014 के पहले हेडलाइनर के रूप में नामित किया गया है।


Viewpoint: Why Trump may win his legal fight over border wall

Summary: The latest chapter of Washington dysfunction has culminated in drastic action by the president in order to deliver his key campaign promise. But as his opponents shake their heads and counter-punch through the courts, the historical lessons do not bode well for them, writes Jonathan Turley, professor of constitutional law at George Washington University.

President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency to build his long-promised border wall was met with a torrent of condemnations and threats from Democratic critics, including preparation for another heated court fight. American politics have not been so bitter and divided since Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were forced to share the same bed in 1776. There is a fundamental incompatibility - if not mutual revulsion - that divides our politics and its focus has fittingly become a debate over a wall. Does the reality at the border matter? After securing only part of the funding that he sought, President Trump declared a national emergency along the southern border to allow him to start construction with over $8bn (£6.2bn) of shifted funds to complete his signature campaign promise. For their part, the Democrats are promising immediate court challenges. There is little evidence of a true national security emergency on the US border with Mexico. Most illegal immigrants overstay their visas or pass through ports of entry. Moreover, the number of apprehensions are down from 1.6 million in 2000 to roughly 400,000 in each year of Trump's term. That does not mean that border protection and enhanced enforcement is not warranted. Crossings do remain a serious problem, but few would call this a national emergency. Yet, President Trump is calling this a national emergency and that may be enough. The reason is not the data but the definition behind a declared emergency. What is a national emergency? There is no real definition. Under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, Congress simply allowed a president to declare an emergency and to assume extraordinary powers to combat it. That is the reason why emergencies are so easy to declare and so difficult to end. While Congress reserved the right to rescind a declaration, it has never done so. Even if the Democrats secure enough votes in both houses to negate the declaration by a majority vote, it can be vetoed by the president. It would then require a super-majority of two-thirds of both houses to override the veto. The challenge for the Democrats is getting a federal court to supply the result that they could not secure in their own branch of government. If they are unable to secure a majority of the 535 members which make up both houses of Congress, they are unlikely to change the result with the single vote of an unelected federal judge. 'Haze of Democratic hypocrisy' There is also a problem for the Democrats in getting a judge to listen to arguments through a thick haze of hypocrisy. President Trump's assertions of executive authority remain well short of the extremes reached by Barack Obama who openly and repeatedly circumvented Congress. In one State of the Union address, Mr Obama chastised both houses for refusing to give him changes in immigration laws and other changes. He then declared his intention to get the same results by unilateral executive action. That shocking pledge was met with a roar of approval from the Democrats - including Speaker Nancy Pelosi - who celebrated the notion of their own institutional irrelevancy. In 2011, I represented Democratic and Republican members who challenged the right of President Obama (and then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) to launch the Libyan war without a declaration from Congress. Mr Obama then proceeded (like Mr Trump) to use loose funds in the executive branch to fund the entire war without an appropriation. Ms Pelosi and the Democratic leadership enthusiastically supported Obama's circumvention of Congress on both the lack of a declaration and the lack of an appropriation. Will court ignore precedent? The greatest hypocrisy is the authority that the Democrats intend to use in this challenge. In 2016, I represented the House of Representatives in challenging one of Mr Obama's unilateral actions, after he demanded funds to pay insurance companies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Every year, presidents must ask for appropriations of money to run the government - a critical check on executive authority held by the legislative branch. Congress refused so Mr Obama simply ordered the Treasury would pay the companies as a permanent appropriation - even though Congress never approved an annual, let alone a permanent, appropriation. Mr Obama did not declare an emergency, he just took the money. Nevertheless, Ms Pelosi and the Democratic leadership opposed the lawsuit and declared it a meritless attack on presidential authority. We won the lawsuit. In addition to ruling that Mr Obama violated the Constitution, the federal district court in Washington, DC, ruled that a house of Congress does have standing to bring such a lawsuit - a precedent that Congress had sought to establish. Now Democrats are going to use the precedent that they opposed under Mr Obama. However, they could end up not only losing the challenge but frittering away this historic precedent. Where will the $8bn come from? Courts often turn to standing to avoid tough decisions. Since the Democrats are likely to try to litigate this question in the Ninth Circuit which covers California and some other western states, the judge will not be bound by the DC ruling and could rule against the right of Congress to bring such actions. Moreover, the litigation to the Supreme Court could easily take two years. Once there, the challengers will face a newly minted conservative majority with two Trump appointees. That would mean that the Democrats could hand Trump a major victory on his signature campaign issue just before voters go to the polls in 2020. A different age That brings us back to the night Franklin and Adams had to share a bed. The two founding fathers were going to meet Admiral Richard Howe of the British Royal Navy in Staten Island to discuss the possibility of ending the Revolutionary War. They found themselves in New Brunswick, New Jersey, at the Indian Queen Tavern. However, it was full and only one room with one small bed was available. Two of the most irascible framers of the US Constitution crawled into the small bed and immediately began to quarrel. Franklin had opened up a window but Adams held the common view of the time that you could get ill from night vapours. Franklin insisted that cool fresh air was, in fact, a health benefit and added: "I believe you are not acquainted with my theory of colds." They argued all night until Adams fell asleep. Adams simply wrote later: "I soon fell asleep, and left him and his philosophy together." It is perhaps a lesson for our times. While the debate over open windows as opposed to open borders differs by a certain magnitude, there was a time when entirely incompatible politicians could reach an agreement. Sure, it was by exhaustion rather than persuasion, but the dialogue continued to a conclusion without enlisting a federal court. If the Democrats lose this case shortly before the 2020 election, they may wish they had tried the one-who-can-stay-up-the-latest approach to conflict resolution. Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University in Washington, DC.

जॉर्ज वाशिंगटन विश्वविद्यालय में संवैधानिक कानून के प्रोफेसर जोनाथन टर्ली लिखते हैं, "वाशिंगटन निष्क्रियता के नवीनतम अध्याय की परिणति राष्ट्रपति द्वारा अपने प्रमुख अभियान वादे को पूरा करने के लिए कठोर कार्रवाई में हुई है। लेकिन जब उनके विरोधी अपना सिर हिलाते हैं और अदालतों में जवाबी हमला करते हैं, तो ऐतिहासिक सबक उनके लिए अच्छे संकेत नहीं देते हैं।"


India coronavirus: Why celebrating Covid-19 'success models' is dangerous

Summary: As India continues to fight the spread of coronavirus, a few 'successful' efforts at containing the infection have been touted as 'models', celebrated and mimicked across the country. But experts say such premature euphoria can be dangerous. The BBC's Vikas Pandey reports.

The northern Indian city of Agra, home to the iconic Taj Mahal, was one of the first Indian cities to report a positive case of coronavirus back in early March. It continued to report cases throughout the month but managed to slow down the spread - and that is how the "Agra model" was born. It trended as a hashtag on social media, the federal government was full of praise and Uttar Pradesh state chief minister Yogi Adityanath was credited for its success. But things changed within days. As the month of April started, the number of cases started doubling quickly and the early success started to unravel. The model had relied heavily on strictly containing affected areas and isolating suspected cases. But as the virus spread to newer areas, authorities had to look for other options, like aggressive testing. The city now has more than 600 cases - more than any other city in the state and the much-feted Agra model disappeared from the news cycle. It just goes to prove such early celebrations involve "great risks", says prominent virologist Dr Shahid Jameel. "Such euphoria makes people let their guard down and that can be dangerous," he says. Several experts, including Dr Jameel, point out that there is so little known about the novel coronavirus, the existence of which was only discovered late last year, meaning scientists haven't had enough time to study it properly. "That makes Covid-19 so dangerous," he adds. Take, for example, the discovery that "the virus can be found in the sputum" of those affected for up to 30 days. "So you can't feel victorious even after you have successfully treated all your patients. Being vigilant is the only option." In Agra, authorities were quick to define containment zones and they went for aggressive contact tracing. "But it didn't call for a celebration because it ran the risk of undoing all the good work authorities had done," Dr Jameel adds. Another problem of celebrating such models is that other states and districts rush to replicate it. Epidemiologist Lalit Kant warns against such practice. "Such models are area specific and cannot be replicated. One size doesn't fit all. We can of course learn from different models," he adds. Take the example of Kerala: the state has been investing heavily in its healthcare network for years. When coronavirus hit the state, it was well prepared. Officials were quick to identify, isolate and treat patients. It also used technology in contact tracing and also in finding suspected hotspots quickly to halt the spread. But does that make Kerala a success model? Dr A Fathahudeen, who is the nodal officer for COVID-19 treatment in Ernakulam district, is against the idea of calling any place a success model yet. "We have seen resurgence of cases in some areas of Kerala. There are some cases where we haven't been able to find the source of the infection," he says. He argues that things change "so fast with this virus" that nobody can afford to relax. "If you celebrate such models, then you will have dead bodies to answer for." Dr Fathahudeen says such models should be studied by scientists but they haven't had enough time to do that. The problem starts, he adds, when "politicians start declaring successes without any scientific approval". "They (politicians) often don't realise that what worked in Kerala will not work in a densely populated slum like Dharawi in Mumbai," he said. Indeed, Dr Kant believes that most of these models rely on "containing people from going out", but we are still "far away from containing the virus". "So that distinction has to be made," he says. "Behaviour of individuals, population density, travel history and health infrastructure - all these factors come into play. So, models can be adapted, but not adopted." Public health expert Anant Bhan agrees. He believes that each state, and possibly each district, needs to evaluate its own response. "There can't be a uniform model in such a diverse country like India," he adds. Mr Bhan says that euphoria over such success models can also put frontline workers at risk. "The possibility of complacency become real when people, including frontline workers, get false hope of a success," he adds. And that is why you need to acknowledge and learn from the positives when any place does well, but "definitely not celebrate it as an end". The state of Rajasthan is an example that shows why one model cannot be applied in two places. While the state government has been able to contain the spread in the town of Bhilwara, it has struggled to do the same in the capital Jaipur, which has been ravaged by the virus. And then there are global models that have also been celebrated, and Singapore is one of them. Headlines across the world congratulated Singapore for containing the spread. But the country saw a second wave and had to announce a lockdown. Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious diseases expert at Singapore's Mount Elizabeth Novena hospital, says Singapore did well with measures like social distancing. "But this virus is sneaky, the risk was always there and it made a comeback," he adds. He adds that "shortcuts or celebrations" can quickly come back to haunt you. "All it takes is a super-spreader to reverse your success and no country in the world can afford to do that."

जैसा कि भारत कोरोनावायरस के प्रसार से लड़ना जारी रखता है, संक्रमण को रोकने के कुछ 'सफल' प्रयासों को 'मॉडल' के रूप में देखा गया है, जिसे पूरे देश में मनाया और नकल किया गया है। लेकिन विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि इस तरह का समय से पहले उत्साह खतरनाक हो सकता है। बीबीसी के विकास पांडे की रिपोर्ट।


Sunderland bodies: Woman's death treated as murder

Summary: Police investigating after two bodies were found at a house in Sunderland say one of the deaths is being treated as a suspected murder.

A 44-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found dead at the property in Satley Gardens shortly after 10:00 GMT on Wednesday. Northumbria Police said the two people were known to each other and believed the woman was murdered. No further details of their relationship have been released. Det Ch Insp Jane Fairlamb described it as a "tragic case" and said no-one else was believed to have been involved.

सुंदरलैंड में एक घर में दो शव मिलने के बाद जांच कर रही पुलिस का कहना है कि मौतों में से एक को संदिग्ध हत्या के रूप में माना जा रहा है।


'Triumphant' season for Manx mountain railway

Summary: The number of people travelling to the peak of the Isle of Man's highest mountain has increased by 15%, the government has said.

More than 41,000 passengers used the historic Snaefell Mountain Railway during 2010. Tourism officials have hailed it as a "triumphant season". Refurbishment work has started on the Summit cafe after festivals, 'Pie in the Sky' and 'Snaefell Sunset Diners' proved to be successful this year. The Snaefell Mountain Railway, which was built in 1895, joins the town of Laxey with the summit at 2,036 ft (620.6 m) above sea level - the highest point on the island.

सरकार ने कहा है कि आइल ऑफ मैन के सबसे ऊंचे पर्वत की चोटी की यात्रा करने वाले लोगों की संख्या में 15 प्रतिशत की वृद्धि हुई है।


Life Sciences Bridging Fund offers antibiotic 'lifeline'

Summary: A world where bacteria become resistant to antibiotics sounds like the plot to a sci-fi film. Yet there is genuine concern these drugs are now so widely used we could soon enter a post-antibiotic world. To tackle this, ground-breaking research into potential new drugs to combat resistance is being carried out at universities. In Wales, these studies are being given a lifeline thanks to a Welsh life sciences fund.

By Brian MeechanBBC News In the past, many ideas have not progressed because the stage they were at was too early for companies to develop the research. Experts call this "the valley of death" for potentially significant initial academic findings. The Life Sciences Bridging Fund, which has been operating for almost a year, has been aimed at getting the best Welsh research through that vital stage. It might then be able to put the work onto a commercial footing, creating businesses and highly-skilled jobs, as well as providing improvements to patient care. The initiative has been operated by the Life Sciences Hub, with £3m funding from the Welsh government. As it develops, the Welsh government could retain some intellectual property rights and a share of any business, meaning it would benefit from successful products. The fund has supported drug discovery, medical devices and vaccines - along with the research of Dr Sharon Huws from Aberystwyth University. She hopes her work on cows' stomachs could help tackle resistance in future and has already seen the benefits of the financing. "Without this funding, certainly a lot of this would fall by the wayside and you would tend to publish [research] but it wouldn't go any further," she said. "There has been quite a big push to get the government to step in and play a part in this. It's about protecting the public after all. "We are all at threat because we can't treat these microbes anymore. "The Welsh government have really pushed this [research] forward. They have provided so many funds through the life sciences network for drugs discovery which has been absolutely pivotal." Economic viability The development of replacement antibiotics is a major concern in global health. It has been estimated that by 2050, 10 million people every year will die across the world due to resistance. Common infections could kill and many cancer therapies and surgeries which requires antibiotic treatment could be threatened. At the World Economic Forum in Davos last month, leading pharmaceutical companies called for governments to do more to make it economically viable to develop new antibiotics. Dr Huws said it would be "naive" to think researchers could find the ultimate antibiotic that would never generate resistance. "These bacteria are clever," she said. "But we certainly need some which have reduced incidents of resistance."

एक ऐसी दुनिया जहां बैक्टीरिया एंटीबायोटिक दवाओं के प्रति प्रतिरोधी हो जाते हैं, एक विज्ञान-कथा फिल्म की साजिश की तरह लगता है। फिर भी इस बात की वास्तविक चिंता है कि इन दवाओं का अब इतना व्यापक रूप से उपयोग किया जा रहा है कि हम जल्द ही एंटीबायोटिक के बाद की दुनिया में प्रवेश कर सकते हैं। इससे निपटने के लिए, विश्वविद्यालयों में प्रतिरोध का मुकाबला करने के लिए संभावित नई दवाओं के बारे में अभूतपूर्व शोध किया जा रहा है। वेल्स में, इन अध्ययनों को वेल्श जीवन विज्ञान कोष की बदौलत एक जीवन रेखा दी जा रही है।


Smita Mistry death: Leicester man due in court charged with murder

Summary: A man is due to appear before magistrates after being charged with the murder of a 32-year-old woman in Leicester.

Leicestershire Police said officers found the body of Smita Mistry in a property on Gedge Way at about 20:10 GMT on Tuesday. Frank Farrell was arrested by officers during the week. The 36-year-old, of St Peter's Way in Leicester, will appear at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk. Related Internet Links HM Courts & Tribunals Service

लीसेस्टर में एक 32 वर्षीय महिला की हत्या के आरोप में एक व्यक्ति मजिस्ट्रेट के सामने पेश होने वाला है।


Islamic State message shows desire for US boots on the ground

Summary: The chief spokesman for the self-named "Islamic State" (IS), also known as Isis, has given the clearest indication yet that his fighters would actually welcome a ground war in Iraq and Syria against US troops.

By Frank GardnerBBC security correspondent In a 42-minute audio message uploaded to the internet the group's Syrian-born spokesman, who has taken the adopted name of Shaykh Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, mocks recent US air strikes and the moves to build an international coalition against Islamic State. Addressing President Obama, the spokesman says: "Is this all you are capable of doing in this campaign of yours? Are America and all its allies... unable to come down to the ground?" No military response? Two things emerge clearly from the various references to the US-led campaign to confront IS in the Middle East. The US and French air strikes in Iraq are causing IS real damage - it has no effective military response to them - and for a number of reasons it really wants the US to commit ground troops to the battlefield. "They are aching for a conflict with the West," commented Dr Peter Neuman, Director of the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation, in London. "The execution videos [of Western hostages] were bait to provoke an over-reaction. As soon as there are Western boots on the ground it then becomes the old narrative of the West versus Islam and they can claim they are fighting the occupation. They are trying to suck us in." After a lightning advance across northern and western Iraq in June, IS took control of town after town, capturing Iraq's second city of Mosul, the strategic Mosul Dam and threatening to overrun the Kurdish capital of Irbil. But since then, US air strikes in support of Iraqi and Kurdish ground troops have halted the IS advance in many places and driven their forces off the Mosul Dam and out of several towns. 'War booty' Last week the French air force joined in, launching from a base in the UAE. Australia is sending a squadron of Super Hornet attack jets, while Britain is still debating whether to expand its air operations from reconnaissance and humanitarian aid to an active combat role. A number of countries, including Britain, have been supplying arms and ammunition to the forces confronting IS. But IS's spokesman poured scorn on this in his speech, reminding the US that it had already captured much of the modern American weaponry supplied to Iraq's army which fled before their advance. "Send arms and equipment to your agents and dogs... send them very much, for it will end up as war booty in our hands. Look at your armoured vehicles, machinery, weapons and equipment. It is in our hands. Allah granted it to us. We fight you with it." Since the weak and demoralised Iraqi army is considered incapable of taking on IS itself, there has been speculation that US combat troops may have to return to Iraq to help it, having withdrawn in 2011. President Obama, David Cameron and other Western leaders have publicly asserted there will be no "boots on the ground", although close to 1,000 US military personnel are already in Iraq. A number of military and political commentators, including the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, have said it will be impossible to eradicate IS without a ground offensive. The IS spokesman seemed certain of it, saying: "You will pay the price when your sons are sent to wage war against us and they return to you as disabled amputees, or inside coffins, or mentally ill." For Islamic State, the prospective benefits of Western troops engaging them on the ground are obvious. They would at last have a chance to fight soldiers at close quarters, with all the propaganda impact that would have on people in the West. But above all, it would turn a regional conflict that is predominantly pitting Muslim against Muslim into a global jihad against "Crusaders", which could see IS's recruitment soar exponentially.

स्व-नामित "इस्लामिक स्टेट" (आईएस) के मुख्य प्रवक्ता, जिन्हें आईएसआईएस के नाम से भी जाना जाता है, ने अभी तक स्पष्ट संकेत दिया है कि उनके लड़ाके वास्तव में अमेरिकी सैनिकों के खिलाफ इराक और सीरिया में जमीनी युद्ध का स्वागत करेंगे।


Seventh person charged as Newport disorder 'condemned'

Summary: A seventh person has been charged following a night of disorder in Newport which has been "condemned" by police and the city's council.

A 16-year-old is the fifth male to be charged with violent disorder in the Pill area of Newport on Thursday. Another man and a teenage girl have been charged with breaching a dispersal order and are on bail after being held on suspicion of violent disorder. Council leaders and Gwent Police met on Monday in a bid to tackle the disorder. "We condemn the unacceptable scenes we experienced on the streets of Pill during a night of disturbance and disorder last week," said a joint statement from Gwent police and crime commissioner Jeff Cuthbert and Newport council leader Debbie Wilcox. "This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and there will be consequences for those involved."

न्यूपोर्ट में एक रात की अव्यवस्था के बाद सातवें व्यक्ति पर आरोप लगाया गया है जिसकी पुलिस और शहर की परिषद द्वारा "निंदा" की गई है।


Why is 'chav' still controversial?

Summary: A new book claims the word "chav" is helping to reignite class war. The journalist Polly Toynbee calls it "the vile word at the heart of fractured Britain". Recently a peer caused a kerfuffle when she tweeted about being stuck in "chav-land". So almost a decade after its emergence, is chav really the most divisive word in Britain, asks Tom de Castella.

For some it has been a satisfying label to pin on Burberry check-wearing louts. But for others, it's a nasty, coded attack on the working class. And for some commentators the word chav is now at the heart of Britain's obsession with class. There has been much discussion over the origin of the term. The Romany word chavi - meaning child - was recorded in the 19th Century. Others argue it's from "Chatham average", a disparaging reference to the inhabitants of the Kent town. There have always been regional labels equivalent to chav - skangers, spides, charvers, scallies and neds, respectively in Ireland, Northern Ireland, North East England, North West England and Scotland. But chav has somehow scaled regional barriers to become a national term of abuse. Driven by websites like Chavscum and Chavtowns, and soon picked up by the mainstream media, the word has also mutated into "chavtastic", "chavsters", "chavette", "chavdom". There are plenty of people for whom the word is harmless. Daily Telegraph blogger James Delingpole argues it's merely an updating of "oik". But more left-leaning commentators have seen it as shorthand for bashing the poor. In 2008 the Fabian Society urged the BBC to put it on their list of offensive terms. "This is middle class hatred of the white working class, pure and simple," wrote Tom Hampsen, the society's editorial director. He also called on the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to take this kind of class discrimination seriously. But last week a Lib Dem peer on that very commission caused controversy by using the term on twitter: "Help. Trapped in a queue in chav-land! Woman behind me explaining latest Eastenders plot to mate, while eating largest bun I've ever seen," Baroness Hussein-Ece tweeted. Her comment appalled the Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee who compared it to two of the most serious racial insults, noting that chav is seen as "acceptable class abuse by people asserting superiority over those they despise". Now a new book - Chavs: the Demonization of the Working Class - argues the word is a coded attack on the poor. "As inequality has widened it's a way of people saying that the people at the bottom deserve to be there," says Owen Jones, the book's author. The situation is complicated by the decline in the number of people identifying themselves as working class. A survey in March this year by research firm Britainthinks, suggested 71% of people define themselves as middle class. "I saw the 'working class' tag used as a slur, equated with other class-based insults such as 'chav'," wrote researcher Deborah Mattinson. A belief has grown that the aspirational "decent" working class has become middle class, Jones argues. According to this narrative, what is left behind is a "feckless rump" housed on estates, living off benefits or working in low status jobs at supermarkets, hairdressers or fast food outlets. That view has been reinforced by "grotesque" sketches about chavs written by public school educated comedians like David Walliams and Matt Lucas, Jones says. A 2006 survey by YouGov suggested 70% of TV industry professionals believed that Vicky Pollard was an accurate reflection of white working class youth. But Delingpole rejects Jones's analysis. "The left loves this constituency of the deserving poor, honest people who would dearly love to get a job if the system would only allow them to." Chav for Delingpole is both a term of abuse for an "underclass" who won't work and also a wider term similar to how "yob" was used in the '70s. "It's a young person in their teens or 20s. It covers a multitude of characteristics. It's not even exclusively used about white people." For the tabloids, the word is associated with loud or aggressive behaviour. Lottery winner Michael Carroll, the footballer Wayne Rooney, ex-glamour model Jordan, and Cheryl Cole have all been celebrated as "chav royalty". In 2005 Cole told Marie Claire: "I'm proud to be a chav if by that you mean working class made good." Everyone's missing the point, argues Labour MP Stephen Pound. The term chav just shows how jealous middle Britain is about working class people having fun. "Chav is an utterly misunderstood term. It is used in envy by the lily livered, privileged, pale, besuited bank clerk who sees people dressed up to the nines and going to the West End." It's no different, he argues to the Teddy Boys or Mods, youth style movements about asserting individual identity and confidence. Mocking chavs' perceived bad taste and excess has become a popular sport. In 2006 the Sun reported that Prince William and his fellow officers at Sandhurst dressed in chav fancy dress to celebrate finishing their first term. According to the paper, the future king "donned a loose-fitting top and bling jewellery then added an angled baseball cap and glare to complete his menacing lookalike of Lotto lout Michael Carroll". Whatever the complicated arguments over class, there is always a suspicion for some that the word represents contempt for the "other". "What makes Britain so hard to love is this term 'good taste'. When what they mean is 'my taste'," notes Pound. Delingpole says chav is an acceptable word in polite society. "Of course you shouldn't worry about using it. All that happens when you put a word on the prohibited list is that another equally offensive one comes in to fill the gap." Jones cannot even accept the word as a demarcator of taste. "If you mean bling then say bling," he says. The word chav "is deeply offensive" and should no longer be permitted as a smokescreen for class hatred. Jones disapproves of the word "toff", but asserts it is far less wounding as it mocks the powerful rather than the poor. It's common practice these days to try to reclaim offensive terms, "queer" and "slut" being notable examples. But this is not the way to deal with the word chav, Jones says. Ten years after it started filtering into the national consciousness, this term continues to be seen through the prism of Britain's complex class attitudes.

एक नई किताब में दावा किया गया है कि "चाव" शब्द वर्ग युद्ध को फिर से शुरू करने में मदद कर रहा है। पत्रकार पॉली टॉयनबी इसे "टूटे हुए ब्रिटेन के दिल में नीच शब्द" कहते हैं। हाल ही में एक सहकर्मी ने "चाव-लैंड" में फंसने के बारे में ट्वीट किया। तो इसके उद्भव के लगभग एक दशक बाद, टॉम डी कैस्टेला पूछते हैं कि चाव वास्तव में ब्रिटेन में सबसे विभाजनकारी शब्द है।


Inside Pakistan's first retirement home for third-gender people

Summary: Pakistan's "third-gender" people, or khawaja sehras as they call themselves, are often rejected by their families and have no-one to look after them in old age. But at last a member of the community has opened a retirement home, reports the BBC's Mobeen Azhar, providing dignity for residents in their final years.

In the shadow of the grand Bahadshai Mosque in Lahore is the Diamond Market district. You can't buy diamonds there, but you can pay for sex and you can watch khawaja sehras dance. For a fee of course. The area has long been home to Pakistan's social misfits: sex workers and the third gender. Here, youth is currency. Older sex workers and third-gender people charge less for their services, and in old age many of them find it hard to make a living. Twenty-five years ago, Ashee Butt, or Guru Ashee as she is affectionately known, was a fixture on the Lahore party scene. She had many lovers and could be seen dancing and singing at weddings and private parties across the city. She even starred in a Lollywood film, as Lahore's movie industry is known. But things changed as she got older. Today, she shares a bed with her cat, Chanda (Moon), and talks affectionately about the past. "In those days there was a party every night. I would get paid as much money as I asked for, just for dancing. But the scene has changed," she says. "I can still make good money but I need to take my younger dance students with me. They perform, because I get tired." Ashee is getting older and Pakistan has also changed. Since the 1990s the nation has moved towards a more conservative reading of Islam, meaning fewer parties and fewer places for Ashee to perform. While gay and transgender identities are relatively new in Pakistan, khawaja-sehra or third-gender people - who often identify as neither male nor female - have always had a unique and specific status. During the Mughal era, before Pakistan's creation, they were advisers to the royal court. Today, many people still believe khawaja sehras have the power to bless a new marriage or the birth of a child. Their presence is thought to bring good luck. Discrimination is widespread, though. The majority of khawaja sehras make a living by begging or dancing, and from sex work. Find out more Most of Pakistan's estimated half a million khawaja sehras accept that they will be rejected by their families. But this can have dire consequences in the long run, because in Pakistan children are expected to look after their parents in old age. So with no children and no family support, older third-gender people may be left without care. Instead, the community has developed what is known as the "guru-chelah" system. The "guru" - an older third-gender person - informally adopts a "chelah", a younger third-gender person. But in many instances the system breaks down, and older members of the community are left without anyone to rely on. There was a specific moment when Ashee Butt became sharply aware of the problem. "Years ago, a man ran up to me and said: 'One of your people has died and has been lying in the mortuary for a week. There's been no funeral because no one wants the body. There is no family.' It was so painful, I couldn't bear it," she says. "I ended up arranging the funeral. That's how I got the idea for the retirement home." Ashee's retirement home has been eight years in the making. It opened in February this year and provides accommodation, medication, food, entertainment and a running machine for 40 older third-gender people. It's part of a bigger project that Ashee hopes will eventually incorporate a medical centre and additional housing. To begin with, Ashee paid for it using money she had saved during her career as a dancer. More recently, the retirement home has attained formal charitable status and receives donations from around the world. Ashee has appeared on national television to raise awareness of discrimination and champion older third-gender people. The home also provides respite care. Madhu is in her 50s and has been a sex worker for most of her life. She travels to the retirement home a few times a week for a night off from her job. At the home, she'll play Ludo, eat and talk to other members of the community. As she gets older, she is struggling to make ends meet. "I used to charge from 500 to a 1,000 rupees ($3 - $7) a time," she says. "Now I just get the punters with 100 rupees. They know I'm past it and will do anything. I get three or four clients a day. That's barely enough money to pay the rent. When you're over 50, all you can really do is beg in the name of Allah." Madhu was beaten by her brothers when she first came out as third-gender and has faced ridicule from her family. She has some contact with her mother, but has never explained how she makes a living. "Mum thinks I dance at functions," she says. "I haven't told her about the other work. I'm ashamed. I could never tell her." Khuram is a third-gender person who has been presenting as a man, complete with prayer cap and beard for the last five years. Before that he used the name Saima, and wore women's clothes, but had to give up his third-gender identity to gain his family's acceptance. He has even destroyed his personal archive of photographs for fear that someone might "send a picture of Saima to my family on WhatsApp". He now splits his time between relaxing at the retirement home and making clothes for other third-gender people - clothes that he no longer allows himself to wear. "I miss having long hair and walking around like a lady," Khuram says. "I still have the eyebrows and pierced ears but unfortunately I can't live like that any more. You've got to understand that we don't have that kind of freedom here. In Pakistan there are a lot of restrictions about how you live." Khuram's decision to conform came in 2013, when he found out he was HIV-positive. Third-gender people are 50 times more likely to be living with HIV than someone from the general population in Pakistan - it's believed almost 5% of the community are HIV-positive. This brings with it additional stigma. "I couldn't go to the hospital in ladies' clothes. I would have been even more ashamed," Khuram says. He is resigned to the idea that his HIV status is the result of following the "wrong path", an idea propagated by conservative sections of Pakistani society. "Whatever I did back then, I hope Allah will forgive. You can't live a good life if you upset your parents," he says. "The desire for love is always there. Saima still comes out of me from time to time, in a look or my attitude. But I want to make my family happy so I have suppressed my desires. Today I am Khuram." Ashee's retirement home allows Khuram, Madhu and others like them to spend time together in a private space where they are accepted. Food and shelter are the starting point but the fact that older third-gender people can be themselves and feel valued is truly revolutionary. @Mobeen_Azhar You may also be interested in: Pakistan is not the kind of place that most people would associate with gay liberation. But some say the country is a great place to be gay - even describing the port city of Karachi as "a gay man's paradise". Gay in Pakistan: Where sex is available and relationships are difficult (2013)

पाकिस्तान के "थर्ड-जेंडर" लोग, या ख्वाजा सेहरा, जैसा कि वे खुद को कहते हैं, अक्सर उनके परिवारों द्वारा अस्वीकार कर दिए जाते हैं और बुढ़ापे में उनकी देखभाल करने वाला कोई नहीं होता है। लेकिन अंत में समुदाय के एक सदस्य ने एक सेवानिवृत्ति घर खोला है, बीबीसी के मोबीन अज़हर की रिपोर्ट के अनुसार, निवासियों को उनके अंतिम वर्षों में गरिमा प्रदान करते हैं।


Natural Retreats proposes CairnGorm ski centre revamp

Summary: The operator of the CairnGorm Mountain snowsports centre, near Aviemore, plans to revamp the site and add new features including an artificial ski slope.

Natural Retreats also wants to make improvements to the restaurant, offer conference space and increase its facilities for making snow. The company has started a consultation on its plans. The ski centre in the Cairngorms National Park is owned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). Highland Council has been informed of the proposals. Natural Retreats owns holiday accommodation at a number of locations in the UK and elsewhere. It has a 25-year lease for the running of CairnGorm Mountain. The company said last year that it would invest more than £6m in the resort over five years.

एविमोर के पास केयर्नगोर्म माउंटेन स्नोस्पोर्ट्स सेंटर के संचालक ने साइट को नया रूप देने और एक कृत्रिम स्की ढलान सहित नई सुविधाओं को जोड़ने की योजना बनाई है।


Greece votes 'No' and gambles its future

Summary: Greek voters have delivered a defiant response to Europe. Political leaders and heads of government had lined up to warn the Greeks that a "No" vote would be a vote to leave the euro. It did not deter them. Indeed many voters seemed to revel in their resistance.

Gavin HewittChief correspondent@BBCGavinHewitton Twitter The European Project is now facing its gravest crisis. The size of the "No" vote surprised the Greek government. In the end the voters agreed with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras that the country's creditors were trying to "asphyxiate" the Greek economy. They bought his argument that a "no" vote would only strengthen his hand in negotiations. Despite the closed ATMs, the banks on the verge of running out of money and a collapsing economy, Greeks have once again rejected the policy of austerity authored in Berlin and Brussels. Critical days It leaves German Chancellor Angela Merkel facing the deepest challenge of her nearly 10 years in power. Over the next 48 hours she must make a series of choices; choices that will determine whether she can keep the eurozone together. Mr Tsipras also faces critical days ahead that will require political sensitivity and skill that he has not shown so far. On Tuesday evening Angela Merkel will fly to Paris for dinner with French President Francois Hollande. Despite the parade of unity there have been differences in emphasis between the French and German leaders. President Hollande said before the referendum "we need to be clear, the time for a deal is now." Angela Merkel said "a good European is not somebody who looks for agreement at any price." Inside the French cabinet there are those who believe they need to re-open talks with Mr Tsipras. Mr Hollande has already spoken to the Greek leader. The Italians are pushing for talks to be resumed. Angela Merkel's position is more difficult. If she enters negotiations on a new bailout deal with the Greek government then she would have to seek parliamentary approval in the Bundestag. Almost certainly she would get it but it would expose growing resentment towards Greece inside Germany and it is clear a significant number of politicians, officials and economists believe Greece should leave the euro. Hans Michelbach, a senior MP from the Conservative CSU, has already said "now one has to question whether Greece would not be better off outside the eurozone." Deputy Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said that not only were "new negotiations difficult to imagine" but that Mr Tsipras had "torn down the last bridges on which Greece and Europe could move towards a compromise." Inside Germany trust in the Greek leader has evaporated; many MPs simply do not believe his commitments to implement reforms. Many in the German political establishment had been hoping for a "Yes" vote with Mr Tsipras being replaced by a technocratic government. Now once again they will have to deal with a man they mistrust. New deal? After the meeting in Paris there will be an emergency summit of eurozone leaders in Brussels on Tuesday. There is little optimism. The leader of the eurogroup of finance ministers Jeroem Dijsselbloem described the result of the vote as "very regrettable for the future of Greece. For the recovery of the Greek economy, difficult measures and reforms are inevitable." So negotiations are likely to resume but it is unclear what precisely they will be talking about. The EU/IMF deal is no longer on the table. The Greek side are hinting that they may be willing to compromise on some of the cuts demanded but only if there is an agreement to discuss debt re-structuring. Mr Tsipras believes his hand has been strengthened after an IMF report signalled that Greek debt was unsustainable. But the eurogroup will insist that Greece commit to verifiable budget and structural reforms. At least one European leader has decided that Greece should leave the eurozone. There may be others. The mood against the Tsipras government has hardened. That having been said there is still a willingness to talk and find a compromise. Imagination required Angela Merkel does not want to preside over a Greek exit which would severely damage the reputation of the eurozone and tarnish her period as German chancellor. Even though there are advisers who believe it is best for Greece to exit the eurozone, other officials have warned her that a Greek exit would be far from cost free. There are no good options and there is little time. The Greek economy is in free fall and the banks - without further liquidity assistance from the ECB - will collapse. Indeed the economic situation has deteriorated so sharply that any bailout deal will have to be toughened. On 20 July Greece has to pay over 3bn euros to the ECB. If it defaults the Central Bank will withdraw all funding of Greek banks. The truth that has not been shared with German voters is that Greece will need a third bailout if it is ever to recover. How much will be needed? Perhaps 50bn over the next three years. As it stands Greece's debt is not sustainable and no deal will survive unless it is addressed. In the next few days Europe's leaders will have to show imagination and boldness to save Greece and to save the reputation of the European Project.

यूनानी मतदाताओं ने यूरोप को एक अवज्ञापूर्ण प्रतिक्रिया दी है। राजनीतिक नेता और सरकार के प्रमुख यूनानियों को चेतावनी देने के लिए कतार में खड़े थे कि "नहीं" वोट यूरो को छोड़ने के लिए एक वोट होगा। यह उन्हें रोक नहीं पाया। वास्तव में कई मतदाताओं ने अपने प्रतिरोध में आनंद लिया।


Glasgow Airport drop-off charge comes into force

Summary: A new drop-off charge at Glasgow Airport has come into force.

Drivers dropping passengers off at the airport will now have to pay £2 for a stay of up to 10 minutes. A new pick-up and drop-off point opposite the main terminal building has been opened with the old area at Caledonian Way West closing. The airport said the new facility was the final stage of a wider scheme of works to reduce congestion around the airport's road network. A Glasgow Airport spokesman said there had been a minor problem a few hours after it opened at 03:00. "The facility has been working well, although we did experience a minor problem with a set of traffic lights just before 6am which caused a build-up of traffic on approach to the airport. "This lasted around 20 minutes and the issue with the traffic lights has now been resolved. "We have additional staff on hand providing support and guidance, and would encourage customers to check our website for details on the new arrangements." Shuttle bus A pick-up fee has been in place at the airport since 2010. Blue badge holders will be exempt from the new drop-off charges. Drivers who use the drop-off area for longer than 10 minutes will have to pay more, with a £30 charge for a 60-minute wait. The airport said the high charges were to discourage drivers from using the area for extended periods. A free pick-up and drop-off area located in the long stay car park, with a shuttle bus to and from the main terminal, will still be available. A petition against the new charges has been signed by more than 7,500 people.

ग्लासगो हवाई अड्डे पर एक नया ड्रॉप-ऑफ शुल्क लागू हो गया है।


Reality Check: Four claims in Tony Blair's speech

Summary: Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has launched a campaign to try to persuade the British people to change their minds about leaving the European Union. It comes just weeks before the government intends to trigger the departure mechanism. In a speech in London, he said that he respected the will of the people, but voters hadn't been given details about the terms on which Britain would exit the EU.

1. "The people voted without knowledge of the true terms of Brexit." Mr Blair argued that what he called the "cost" of Brexit was only now becoming clear. The referendum vote, he said, was based on "imperfect knowledge" which would now become "informed knowledge". It's true that we don't yet know the details of the UK's future relationship with the rest of the EU - that will depend on the deal that is negotiated - but lots was said during the referendum campaign about what Brexit would mean in more general terms. In particular, leading figures in both campaigns said leaving the EU would entail leaving the single market. 2. "The practical impact of Brexit on immigration is, on analysis, less than 12% of the immigration total." Mr Blair suggested that immigration was the main issue that propelled Leave to victory in the referendum campaign. But, he argued, the effect of quitting would probably have only a modest impact on overall immigration levels. He pointed out that just over half of migration into the UK comes from outside the EU. That's confirmed by official statistics from the ONS. In the year to June 2016 net migration - the difference between the number of people who arrived and the number of people who left - was 196,000 from outside the EU, compared with 189,000 from inside the EU. The same is true for the gross migration statistics - ie just looking at how many citizens from different parts of the world arrived in the UK. Again, there were slightly more from outside the EU (289,000) than from inside (284,000) along with a smaller number of British citizens returning to live in the UK (77,000). And only an estimated 82,000 or 12.6% of the 650,000 total were EU citizens who arrived looking for work. Theresa May has ruled out introducing a points-based migration system but the government hasn't published details of what it does want to implement. If the new system continues to allow in EU migrants with job offers, as well as students and people coming to join spouses, then Mr Blair's 12% would be, broadly speaking, correct. There could be a bigger impact if the government opts for a capped number of work permits. But about half of total migration will be unaffected no matter what arrangements are made with the EU. 3. "Seven months ago, after the referendum result, the chancellor was telling us that leaving the single market would be - and I quote - catastrophic." This isn't really a fair quotation. It's a reference to an interview given by Philip Hammond on ITV's Peston on Sunday on 26 June. Mr Hammond said: "I believe it's essential that we protect our access to the single European market. Whether we like it or not, our economy, over 40 years, has become shaped by that access, and to lose that access now would be catastrophic." But note that he was talking about access to the single market. That's not the same as membership. You don't have to be a member of the single market to have access to it, although the level of access that Britain would have after leaving the single market would depend on what trade relationship was negotiated. 4. "Our currency is down around 12% against the euro and 20% against the dollar, which is the international financial market's assessment of our future prosperity ie we are going to be poorer. The price of imported goods in the supermarkets is up and thus the cost of living." It's true that the pound has fallen against the dollar and the euro since the referendum, although not by quite as much as Mr Blair said. It has recovered from its lowest point. Against the dollar, the pound is currently down about 16% compared with its pre-referendum level. Against the euro, it's about 10.5% down. It's also worth noting that the pound/euro exchange rate was at a similar level to now between 2009 and the middle of 2011, so it's hardly unprecedented. Against the dollar, though, the pound has hit multi-decade lows in recent months.

पूर्व प्रधान मंत्री टोनी ब्लेयर ने ब्रिटिश लोगों को यूरोपीय संघ छोड़ने के बारे में अपना मन बदलने के लिए मनाने की कोशिश करने के लिए एक अभियान शुरू किया है। यह सरकार के प्रस्थान तंत्र को शुरू करने से कुछ हफ्ते पहले आता है। लंदन में एक भाषण में, उन्होंने कहा कि वह लोगों की इच्छा का सम्मान करते हैं, लेकिन मतदाताओं को उन शर्तों के बारे में विवरण नहीं दिया गया था जिन पर ब्रिटेन यूरोपीय संघ से बाहर निकलेगा।


Flood diehards: Riverside residents refusing to budge

Summary: Many of the victims of the Thames floods have been taken completely by surprise. But some of the stranded communities are riverbank dwellers who know this comes with the territory. On the Towpath in Shepperton, Surrey, BBC correspondent Sam Wilson found most residents cut off and flood-bound but fiercely determined to hold out.

The Towpath runs along the riverbank for nearly a mile between Shepperton and Chertsey. Some of the houses here are grand, but many are quite modest bungalows, which started out as wooden huts but have been rebuilt over the years, and in many cases raised on stilts to allow for flooding. Most are therefore not wet inside. But this is the worst today's residents have seen - 5in (13cm) higher than the previous high-water mark in 2003, says one, Sally Pemberton. Many are staying though some - especially those with young children - have moved out in the past few days. Sally and Julian Pemberton, the Towpath The Pembertons moved in 31 years ago. They have been flooded downstairs so live mostly upstairs. Her advice for living in a flooded house: "You have to be conscious of everything you do. "Don't drop anything, and remember where you've moved things to. "You must move very slowly - like T'ai Chi - so as not to make waves, as if they get in the fridge electrics you've had it." She is 60, a beekeeper and former film-set artist. Mr Pemberton is 81 and used to make props for films and TV. Many of them adorn the garden, including a giant head of Napoleon, made for a dog-food advert. The Pembertons moved to the river to be closer to nature. "I wanted to buy a boat," he says. "But we bought a house instead. But now it's much like living in a boat, anyway!" She swims in the river every day of the year. But this week she has been able to swim in the back garden. In their 31 years, they have been flooded four times - all in the past 13 years. The weather is changing, they say - but humans have exacerbated its effects. "There's been building on the floodplain, of course. "And at the back of our house there's 80 acres of what used to be flood meadow but had the gravel extracted, so where all that water would have gone is now a non-porous surface, which has been landfilled. "So it's [largely down to] everybody making use of motorways, which we all do, and requiring gravel for concrete." Read Sally Pemberton's flood blog here Alison Spooner, the Towpath Thought to be the oldest resident along The Towpath at 96, Mrs Spooner may also be its most cheerful. She is a widow but very self-reliant, doing her own cooking and many chores. She has lifted some items of furniture but does not expect to be breached. "I'm tough," she chuckles, in her lilac fleece. Is she staying put? "Oh yes!" Her biggest issues are "keeping warm and keeping clean" as she does not want to run the bath. "I've laid in plenty of medication for at least another month - I realised it wasn't going to be fun." "There's tremendous local support. The local borough sent people round on Monday to ask if I needed anything. I said, 'I'm fine thanks very much.' "I'm lacking the exercise in my poor old bones but other than that I'm content." She moved in 36 years ago. "I like the water," she says. The holidays she takes - the most recent in September - are on narrowboat trips along Britain's canals. Is the riverside a haven of middle-class wealth? "We bought in the 70s. We weren't rich then and I'm not rich now. Houses then were wooden, poor quality and cheap." But she admits she has wealthy neighbours. "There's a bit of both." The local community Some river dwellers like the peace and isolation it brings, but the flooding has brought people together more than usual. "We're not in each other's pockets, but just cry for help and it comes from all quarters," Alison Spooner says. Councillor Vivienne Leighton, who lives opposite the Towpath on Hamhaugh Island, has been invaluable in gathering and distributing information, and making sure vulnerable residents are looked after. The Towpath is cut off from Shepperton by deep flooding in Ferry Lane. Nauticalia - normally a marine memorabilia shop and river ferry operator - is now running a regular free shuttle running people from their homes to dry land. Diane White, Ferry Lane Mrs White moved in with her family in 2007. Unlike many of the families along the river, her children, Cameron, 12, and Thomas, eight, have not moved out, though they are at school when I visit. The family are clearly very self-reliant, and she shows remarkably little concern at the flood waters lapping at her doorstep. "We're perfectly fine," she says. "We've got another 7in to go. We've got a 4x4, we bought waders yesterday. We're getting by. This is the new normal." They have a generator in their garage, which they can turn on remotely if their power goes, though they have not tested it yet. They have not raised furniture and are not even considering moving out. One of the main reasons is their animals - including rabbits, a new puppy, cats, chickens, goats and a lizard. Roger White has raised the chickens' ark above the 2ft-deep water in the back yard. They huddle under the shelter from the lashing rain. Mrs White's biggest concern is keeping the boys occupied. "They're going stir crazy - Monopoly and TV only last so long." But the floods have brought new adventures. "They've been kayaking in the new lake out the back."

थेम्स बाढ़ के कई पीड़ित पूरी तरह से आश्चर्यचकित हो गए हैं। लेकिन कुछ फंसे हुए समुदाय नदी के किनारे रहने वाले हैं जो जानते हैं कि यह क्षेत्र के साथ आता है। सरे के शेपरटन में टोवपाथ पर, बीबीसी संवाददाता सैम विल्सन ने पाया कि अधिकांश निवासी कट गए हैं और बाढ़ की चपेट में हैं, लेकिन वे रुकने के लिए दृढ़ थे।


Highland council houses could be built on NTS land

Summary: A local authority has proposed building council houses on land it would buy from the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and housing associations.

The move could lead to 29 new properties being built in Inverness, Lochalsh and Wester Ross. The potential sites are in Inverness, Dornie, Gairloch and a former diary at Balmacara owned by NTS. Highland councillors have been asked to approve the purchase the land at a total cost of £370,000.

एक स्थानीय प्राधिकरण ने भूमि पर परिषद के घरों के निर्माण का प्रस्ताव दिया है जो वह नेशनल ट्रस्ट फॉर स्कॉटलैंड (एन. टी. एस.) और आवास संघों से खरीदेगा।


What makes Jerusalem so holy?

Summary: There are increasing tensions between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem, the fate of which is one of the most contentious issues in the Israel-Arab conflict. The BBC's Erica Chernofsky takes a closer look at why this city is so important to Christianity, Islam and Judaism, the three religions which trace their shared origins back to the biblical figure of Abraham.

Jerusalem - its name resonates in the hearts of Christians, Jews and Muslims alike and echoes through centuries of shared and disputed history. Known in Hebrew as Yerushalayim and in Arabic as al-Quds, it is one of the oldest cities in the world. It has been conquered, destroyed and rebuilt time and again, and every layer of its earth reveals a different piece of the past. While it has often been the focus of stories of division and conflict among people of different religions, they are united in their reverence for this holy ground. At its core is the Old City, a maze of narrow alleyways and historic architecture that characterises its four quarters - Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian. It is surrounded by a fortress-like stone wall and home to some of the holiest sites in the world. Each quarter represents its own population. The Christians have two, because Armenians are also Christians, and their quarter, the smallest of the four, is one of the oldest Armenian centres in the world. It is unique in that their community has preserved its own particular culture and civilisation inside the St James Church and monastery, which comprises most of their section. The church Inside the Christian Quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a significant focus for Christians all over the world. It is located on a site which is central to the story of Jesus, his death, crucifixion and resurrection. According to most Christian traditions, Jesus was crucified there, on Golgotha, or the hill of Calvary, his tomb is located inside the sepulchre and this was also the site of his resurrection. The church is managed jointly by representatives of different Christian denominations, mainly the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Franciscan friars from the Roman Catholic Church and the Armenian Patriarchate, but also by the Ethiopians, Coptics and Syrian Orthodox Church. It is one of the main pilgrimage destinations for millions of Christians worldwide who visit the empty tomb of Jesus and seek solace and redemption in prayer at the site. The mosque The Muslim Quarter is the largest of the four and contains the shrine of the Dome of Rock and the al-Aqsa Mosque on a plateau known to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary. The mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is under the administration of an Islamic trust called the Waqf. Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad travelled here from Mecca during his night journey and prayed with the souls of all the prophets. A few steps away, the shrine of the Dome of the Rock holds the foundation stone, where Muslims believe Muhammad then ascended to heaven. Muslims visit the holy site all year round, but every Friday during the holy month of Ramadan, hundreds of thousands of Muslims come to pray at the mosque. The wall The Jewish Quarter is home to the Kotel, or the Western Wall, a remnant of the retaining wall of the mount on which the Holy Temple once stood. Inside the temple was the Holy of Holies, the most sacred site in Judaism. Jews believe that this was the location of the foundation stone from which the world was created, and where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Many Jews believe the Dome of the Rock is the site of the Holy of Holies. Today, the Western Wall is the closest place Jews can pray to the Holy of Holies. It is managed by the Rabbi of the Western Wall and every year hosts millions of visitors. Jewish people from all over the world visit this place to pray and connect to their heritage, especially during the High Holidays. Video and production by Avi Halfon and Alon Farago

जेरूसलम में इजरायलियों और फिलिस्तीनियों के बीच तनाव बढ़ रहा है, जिसका भाग्य इजरायल-अरब संघर्ष में सबसे विवादास्पद मुद्दों में से एक है। बीबीसी की एरिका चेरनोफ्स्की इस बात पर करीब से नज़र डालती है कि यह शहर ईसाई धर्म, इस्लाम और यहूदी धर्म के लिए इतना महत्वपूर्ण क्यों है, ये तीन धर्म जो अपनी साझा उत्पत्ति को अब्राहम के बाइबिल के चरित्र से जोड़ते हैं।