South Africa coronavirus lockdown: Is the alcohol ban working?

Summary: The ban on the sale and transportation of alcohol during the coronavirus lockdown in South Africa has emptied hospital beds, ruined businesses, provoked violence and political disputes, and has led to a surge of interest in pineapples, writes the BBC's Andrew Harding from Johannesburg.

The idea was simple. Ban all booze, and you'll prevent drunken fights, reduce domestic violence, stop drunk driving, and eliminate the weekend binge-drinking so prevalent across South Africa. Police, medics and analysts estimate - conservatively - that alcohol is involved in, or responsible for, at least 40% of all emergency hospital admissions. In normal times some 34,000 trauma cases arrive at emergency departments in South Africa every week. But since the nationwide lockdown came into force last month to prevent the spread of coronavirus, that figure has plummeted, dramatically, by roughly two thirds, to about 12,000 admissions. "It's a significant impact," said Professor Charles Parry, with some understatement. He has been modelling the extent to which the alcohol ban has been responsible for the decline in those numbers for South Africa's Medical Research Council. "If we end the prohibition on alcohol sales, we're going to see about 5,000 alcohol admissions in trauma units coming back into the system [each week]," he predicted. Police minister 'gone rogue' The fact that those 5,000 extra hospital beds now stand empty could soon prove invaluable if the pandemic - which has been held, impressively, in check here for several weeks - begins to spread again exponentially, as government advisors predict it may. But medical experts, while urging the government to keep the alcohol ban in place, also point out that heavy drinking weakens the immune system and may have a particular effect on respiratory conditions. "Covid-19 is going to have a more severe impact on heavy drinkers… and in South Africa many people live in crowded conditions. "So, alcohol sales… may increase community transmission [as people often drink socially]… and we're likely to see an increase in gender-based violence and harm towards children," warned Professor Parry. World Health Organization's advice Avoid alcohol altogether Ifyou drink keep it to a minimum Immunesystem weakened by alcohol, especially if you drink heavily Reducesability to cope with infectious diseases Can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome Drinkingalso increases risk of domestic violence But how to enforce such a draconian and unprecedented clampdown for five weeks, or possibly more if South Africa's lockdown, due to end on 30 April, is extended once again? The man responsible for policing the new prohibition has provoked anger in some quarters by appearing to encourage the security forces to take heavy-handed, and potentially illegal, action against those caught breaking the rules. There have already been numerous worrying examples, including the alleged beating to death of a man caught drinking in his own yard. You may also be interested in: Police Minister Bheki Cele, well-known for his abrasive language and his swaggering enthusiasm for the alcohol ban, recently warned that his forces would "destroy the infrastructure where the liquor is sold". "It's deeply concerning when you have senior political leaders encouraging police officers to use violence or force, or to break the law. It seems as if the police minister has gone rogue," said Gareth Newham, a crime expert at South Africa's Institute for Security Studies. South Africa's alcohol industry initially sought to challenge the ban in court, arguing that it was unconstitutional and introduced without consultation. It has since backed down. But while many in the industry acknowledge the importance of supporting national efforts to fight the virus, there is frustration about a "one-size-fits-all" approach that is causing significant damage to many businesses. 'It could be game over' "It's not looking good at all," said Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, the country's first black female brewery owner and chair of South Africa's Beer Association, who fears her small business may go under if the ban continues for much longer. "The arguments against lifting the ban do make sense. A lot of people are unemployed and use alcohol as a get-away drug," she acknowledged, but she said a more sophisticated approach - perhaps allowing limited alcohol sales - could save her industry from collapse. "It could be game over for us," agreed Nick Smith, an American who owns a craft brewery outside Cape Town. "This one-size-fits-all rule is having a major impact on smaller businesses like ours," added Mr Smith. Rise in home brewing That argument is echoed by South Africa's official opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), which is in favour of a "smart lockdown model" that would allow people to buy alcohol for a few hours each day. But another party, the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has called the DA's proposal "murderous" and "racist" since the current ban appears to be having the most positive impact on health in poorer, largely black, communities. You may want to watch: Many people have compared South Africa's prohibition to the US's famous, decade-long crackdown which began in 1920 in response to campaigning by religious and moral groups, and was immortalised by Hollywood in films like Some Like It Hot and The Untouchables. As with Chicago's notorious gangster, Al Capone, there are concerns that the alcohol ban could push the sector here into the hands of criminals who already control a lucrative chunk of South Africa's cigarette industry. "The longer the lockdown goes on, the more criminal networks will be able to entrench their ability to sell and distribute alcohol," confirmed Gareth Newham, warning that the government was already losing a fortune in taxation because of the ban. 31% of people aged 15 and above drink 59%of them are heavy or binge drinkers 26% of alcohol is homemade or illegally produced Up to 60,000of sale and distribution outlets are licensed About 120,000are not The ban has certainly tapped into deep undercurrents here in South Africa - a country with a history of apartheid where black citizens were once banned from drinking in public, and some workers were even paid in alcohol, causing huge social problems. "We, South Africans, don't have a good relationship with alcohol. Over the years, it's something that has to a certain extent got out of control," said Ms Nxusani-Mawela. But as things stand, one aspect of the ban does appear to be uniting people from different walks of life. It has created a new enthusiasm for home brewing, which has always been a firm fixture in rural communities. Videos and recipes for pineapple beer and the more traditional corn and sorghum known as "umqombothi", are now being widely touted on social media, alongside warnings that such drinks, if wrongly prepared, could prove dangerous.

जोहान्सबर्ग से बीबीसी के एंड्रयू हार्डिंग लिखते हैं कि दक्षिण अफ्रीका में कोरोनावायरस लॉकडाउन के दौरान शराब की बिक्री और परिवहन पर प्रतिबंध ने अस्पताल के बिस्तर खाली कर दिए हैं, व्यवसायों को बर्बाद कर दिया है, हिंसा और राजनीतिक विवादों को उकसाया है, और अनानास में रुचि में वृद्धि हुई है।


South East Coast Ambulance Service sees festive calls rise

Summary: More than 50,000 emergency calls were received by ambulance control staff in the south-east of England during the last two weeks of the year.

The South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) said on average about 3,000 calls were made every day. More than 2,700 calls - a rise of about 500 on 2013 - were received over a 24 hour period on New Year's Eve, with more than three a minute at its height. Chief executive Paul Sutton said the period was always very challenging. The trust said ambulance crews out on the road across Kent, Sussex and Surrey "worked flat out to reach and treat those in most need as quickly as possible".

वर्ष के अंतिम दो हफ्तों के दौरान इंग्लैंड के दक्षिण-पूर्व में एम्बुलेंस नियंत्रण कर्मचारियों द्वारा 50,000 से अधिक आपातकालीन कॉल प्राप्त किए गए थे।


Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in Oslo to give Nobel speech

Summary: More than 20 years after being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has arrived in Norway's capital, Oslo, ahead of a ceremony to mark the honour.

Ms Aung San Suu Kyi is on her first visit to Europe since 1988. She arrived in Switzerland late on Wednesday night. On Thursday, she had to cancel a dinner with Swiss officials after falling ill at a news conference in Bern. She is due to deliver her Nobel lecture on Saturday. Ms Aung San Suu Kyi spent much of the past 24 years under house arrest in Burma. She was freed in late 2010. She won a seat in Burma's parliament in a by-election two months ago. 'Aid and investment' Ms Aung San Suu Kyi chose to go first to the International Labour Organisation in Geneva because of its long campaign against forced labour in Burma. But she complained of exhaustion after her speech to the ILO, where she warned against economic development that ignored the rights of workers. In her speech, she also welcomed steps by the international community to reach out to her long-isolated country. "The international community is trying very hard... and it's up to our country to respond the right way," Ms Aung San Suu Kyi said. "I would like to call for aid and investment that will strengthen the democratisation process by promoting social and economic progress that is beneficial to political reform." The two-week-long trip - seen as another milestone for Burma's political progress - will see her visit the UK, Switzerland, Ireland, France and Norway. It is her second recent overseas trip, after visiting Thailand in May. Her decision to travel is seen as a sign of confidence in the government of President Thein Sein, who has pursued a course of reform since coming to power last year, in Burma's first elections in 20 years. Ms Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Burmese independence leader Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947. She became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement when, after living abroad for many years, she returned to Burma in 1988, initially to look after her sick mother. She did not leave the country, fearing its military rulers would not allow her to return. That decision meant she was unable to receive in person her Nobel Peace Prize, or be with her British husband, Michael Aris, when he died in 1999.

नोबेल शांति पुरस्कार से सम्मानित होने के 20 साल से अधिक समय बाद, बर्मा की लोकतंत्र समर्थक नेता आंग सान सू की सम्मान को चिह्नित करने के लिए एक समारोह से पहले नॉर्वे की राजधानी ओस्लो पहुंच गई हैं।


Who are the World War One soldiers in Phillipstown photo?

Summary: Whistling a tune he had heard his German captors sing, the Welsh soldier boldly strolled out of the gates of the prisoner of war camp he had been held in for 15 months during the shift change of the guards.

World War One soldier Robert Phillips had been watching the shift pattern of the guards for months before he made his daring move. As he walked out, the soldier of the First Battalion of the Welsh Regiment had no idea of the journey that lay ahead of him as he tried to get home. But after four months on a lonely expedition fraught with danger over enemy lines, the ex-miner finally returned to his home, landing in Cardiff on Christmas Day. Now more than a 100 years after his audacious adventure, his granddaughter is appealing for help to identify the names of Pte Phillips' comrades from his home town. A picture of the the 21-strong regiment was taken in Phillipstown, New Tredegar, Caerphilly county, in 1914, before the men went to war. Pte Phillips' granddaughter, Lynda Osborne, 67, from Hengoed, is now trying to find out more about the others in the picture. She said: "This photo has recently been unearthed by the Phillipstown Memories Association, a community group which collects old memorabilia from the area. "On the back, someone has written 'the unknown soldiers of Phillipstown', but it shouldn't be like that, they should be known." "I'm hoping local people will look through old photos of their WWI veterans and help put names to these faces. "My grandfather's story was so amazing. Hopefully, we can find out more about these men and the sacrifices they made." The story of Ms Osborne's grandfather's escape from a prisoner of war camp after 15 months of brutal treatment is one of daring and bravery. A miner by trade, Pte Phillips, from Blaina, Blaenau Gwent, was working in a winding house in New Tredegar when war broke out. After signing up to the First Battalion of the Welsh Regiment in 1914, he was sent to war, fighting in the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915. Strategically important on Belgium's frontline, the town saw the first mass use of poison gas by the Germans on the Western Front. Incredibly, Pte Phillips managed to survive by holding a wet handkerchief to his face - but some 59,000 of his comrades died. But a few months later, fighting in Vermelles in northern France, he was taken prisoner by the Germans and sent to a camp in Homburg in West Germany. He was held there for 15 months, alongside hundreds of other men who had been captured. In letters unearthed by his granddaughter, he described the hellish conditions, including being "regularly beaten" by guards and forced to work gruelling shifts. He wrote: "We had the worst treatment from wounded German soldiers who were unfit for military service. "About a dozen of them would get onto one man, take him to a disused part of the pit and knock him about with their picks and kick him. "On the whole I had a miserable time. No justice, one long weary record of brutal ill-treatment for 15 months." Not wanting to cut coal for the Germans, Pte Phillips told guards he was a musician, but was overheard talking about mining and forced to work. Food was scarce, often shared by 10 men and eventually, he decided to escape. After spending months closely watching the routines of the guards, he made his move during a shift change, walking past the sentries while whistling German tunes he had learnt. Relying on the simple survival skills taught to him by the Army, he travelled by night, navigating northward by the stars and staying off the roads in the hope he could get to Holland where he might get help from families who hated the Germans. In an account recorded in the South Wales Daily News, he said: "I travelled as far as I could and I got into difficulties once by taking the wrong direction. I found I was walking up a private drive and I hurriedly retraced my footsteps, passing several Germans on the way." Pte Phillips continued his 200-mile journey and eventually found himself approaching the frontier. He wrote: "Ahead of me I could see a German soldier patrolling and, with my heart in my mouth, I crawled on my stomach within 10 yards of the soldier and over the border." Ms Osborne believes Pte Phillips was helped by a family in Holland who took him in and either returned him to British forces or arranged for passage back to England smuggled aboard a ship. After four months of travelling, covered with fleas and suffering from trench foot, Pte Phillips landed in Cardiff on Christmas Day 1916, describing it as the happiest day of his life. Once back in New Tredegar, he found his landlady had sold his motorbike and clothes, but 1,000 people turned out to see him at a ceremony. He was presented with a gold watch by local dignitaries with an inscription that read: "Presented to Private Robert Phillips by the inhabitants of New Tredegar & district to commemorate his wonderful daring and resource in escaping from Germany." After spending time in hospital for shell shock - what is now known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - and damage to his lungs from poison gas, he was discharged from the Army. He then married and had one son, Glyndwr, and returned to the mine, but in a tragic end was killed in Bedwas Pit, age 40, when the roof collapsed. A colleague apparently tried to warn him, but he had a stammer and could not get the words out in time. Ms Osborne said: "This is the amazing story of just one man, here's hoping that more stories about the other men now come forward." Anyone with information about the men in the photo is asked to contact the Phillipstown Memories Association.

एक धुन की सीटी बजाते हुए उसने अपने जर्मन अपहरणकर्ताओं को गाते हुए सुना था, वेल्श सैनिक साहसपूर्वक युद्ध शिविर के कैदी के द्वार से बाहर निकल गया, जिसे वह गार्डों की शिफ्ट परिवर्तन के दौरान 15 महीने तक रखा गया था।


Profile: Al-Qaeda in North Africa

Summary: Al-Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), to give its full name in English, has its roots in the bitter Algerian civil war of the early 1990s, but has since evolved to take on a more international Islamist agenda.

Its reach has also expanded across the Sahel region south of the Sahara Desert, attracting members from Mauritania, Morocco, Niger and Senegal as well as from within Mali where, in alliance with other Islamists, it is fighting French troops on the ground. During the Mali crisis, its fighters have dramatically increased their profile, allowing them to further their aim of spreading Islamic law and jihad across West Africa. AQIM's influence over other nascent Islamist cells comes from its wealth: it is one of the region's best-armed groups thanks to the money it makes from kidnapping Westerners and drug and cigarette trafficking across the Sahara. It emerged in early 2007, after a feared militant group, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), aligned itself with Osama Bin Laden's international network. Back in the 1990s, against a background of Islamist political groups testing their strength across North Africa, the military-backed authorities in Algeria at first permitted the Islamists to play a full part in the nation's political life. But then, when the Islamic Salvation Front was poised to sweep the board in a 1992 general election, they annulled the whole process and took power back. The political ferment immediately moved into violence. Armed Islamists mounted attacks across Algeria, the security forces fought back; and sometimes it was hard to tell which group had carried out which atrocity. Other states in the region - Tunisia and Morocco, Mauritania to the west and Libya to the east - also battled against Islamists. Most feared But the conflict in Algeria was particularly brutal, killing perhaps 150,000 people. It peaked in the 1990s, until an amnesty offer to Islamists in 1999 led to gradual improvements. Violence fell and the country's economy recovered during the early years of the 21st Century. However, the most feared of the militant organisations, the Armed Islamic Group or GIA, rejected the promised amnesty and continued a violent campaign to establish an Islamic state. By then it had split, with the most extreme faction calling itself the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat - a name which echoed an Islamist group in Morocco. The Arabic word "Salafist" means fundamentalist, in the sense of going back to the original texts of Islam. In September 2006 the GSPC said it had joined forces with al-Qaeda, and in January 2007 it announced that it had changed its name to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to reflect its new allegiance. At the time there had been much debate in intelligence circles about the significance of the move. Some officials dismissed it as an act of desperation by a group on its last legs, seeking to attract new recruits by aligning itself with Osama Bin Laden. Others, who saw it as far more worrying development, proved correct, as al-Qaeda has succeeded in persuading North Africa's Islamist extremists to take a more global view. In fact, the head of the US Africa Command said he believed that in 2012 AQIM, Nigeria's Boko Haram and the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab were co-ordinating their efforts. The merger announcement delighted al-Qaeda's then deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who described it at the time as "a source of chagrin, frustration and sadness" for Algeria's authorities. Wave of attacks Shortly afterwards, seven bombs exploded in Algeria's eastern Kabylia region, killing six people, and in April 2007 at least 30 people were killed in bomb attacks on official buildings in Algiers. AQIM said it had planted the bombs. More attacks followed: on buses carrying foreign oil workers; on American diplomats; on soldiers; and in September 2007, a suicide bomb attack in Batna, aimed at the motorcade of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The president was not injured, but 20 people were killed. Two days later, a car bomb killed more than 30 people at a coastguard barracks in the town of Dellys. In December, twin car bombs claimed by AQIM killed at least 37 people in Algiers, including 17 UN staff. The death toll continued to mount in 2008. Back-to-back attacks on 19 and 20 August killed dozens of people. The first was a suicide car bombing at a police college in Issers, east of Algiers, killing 48 people. A day later, two more car bombings struck in quick succession in Bouira, south-east of Algiers. The second explosion in Bouira killed 12 Algerian employees of the Canadian engineering firm SNC-Lavalin. The attacks continued into 2009, when suspected al-Qaeda militants in February killed nine security guards who were working for the state-owned gas and electricity distributor Sonelgaz at a camp near Jijel, east of Algiers. Algerian Islamists represent the largest national grouping in al-Qaeda, according to Jill Carroll's 2007 briefing paper How Did Al-Qaeda Emerge in North Africa? 'Years of hardship' Abdelaziz Belkhadem, Algeria's prime minister in 2007, warned that the bombers wanted to take the North African country back to "the years of hardship". But other incidents across the Maghreb pointed to the group's regional ambitions. In January that year, 12 people were shot dead by the security forces in Tunisia near the small town of Solimane, south of the capital, Tunis. The authorities initially described their adversaries as criminals but later admitted that the men were Islamist militants with connections to the GSPC. Meanwhile, Morocco's security forces clamped down on several militant cells - arresting, trying and jailing their leaders - after four incidents blamed on al-Qaeda-inspired groups in 2007. The security forces were said to be on the lookout for militants who were believed to be crossing into Morocco from Algeria. And of course the Madrid train bombs, which killed almost 200 people in 2004, were the work of a Moroccan gang. In December 2008, AQIM militants abducted the United Nations special envoy, Robert Fowler, and his assistant, Louis Guay, near Niger's capital, Niamey. They were released in April 2009. The group also seized four European tourists who disappeared in January 2009 along the Mali-Niger border. Two were freed in April. The group threatened to kill one of the remaining pair - a Briton - unless a radical Islamic cleric convicted of terrorism in Jordan, Abu Qatada, was released from jail in the UK. And in June 2009 the British government said it believed AQIM's claims on an Islamist website that the death threat had been carried out against the British captive, Edwin Dyer. In July 2010 AQIM said it had killed French hostage Michel Germaneau - kidnapped in northern Niger three months earlier and transferred to Mali - in revenge for the killing of seven comrades in a failed rescue raid. In November 2011 a German was killed and three other foreigners kidnapped by AQIM in the ancient tourist city of Timbuktu in northern Mali. 'One-eyed' The group is thought to have between 600 and 800 fighters spread throughout Algeria and Europe - and according to the independent think-tank the Council on Foreign Relations, most of its major commanders trained in Afghanistan. Since 2004, the leader of the militants is thought to be Abou Mossab Abdelwadoud, a former university science student and infamous bomb-maker. In 2005, deputy GSPC leader Amari Saifi was sentenced to life in prison by an Algiers court for kidnapping 32 European tourists in 2003. The former paratrooper was captured by Chadian rebels in mysterious circumstances and passed on to Libya before standing trial in Algeria. Another leading member was Mokhtar Belmokhtar, known as "The One-Eyed", a former soldier and infamous cigarette smuggler at the centre of the 2013 hostage drama in Algeria. He left AQIM in late 2012 after falling out with some leaders and has been involved in operations in Mali. He organised the importation of arms for the underground network from Niger and Mali. He is wanted in Algeria on terrorism charges.

अल-कायदा इन द लैंड ऑफ द इस्लामिक मघरेब (एक्यूआईएम), अंग्रेजी में अपना पूरा नाम देने के लिए, इसकी जड़ें 1990 के दशक की शुरुआत में अल्जीरियाई गृह युद्ध में हैं, लेकिन तब से यह एक अधिक अंतरराष्ट्रीय इस्लामी एजेंडा लेने के लिए विकसित हुआ है।


SNP conference: What's behind the currency debate?

Summary: A debate over currency is set to dominate the first day of the SNP's conference in Edinburgh, as the party's economic plans for independence come under scrutiny. What is being proposed, and what are the arguments within the party over it?

By Philip SimBBC Scotland political reporter What's the plan? Coming days after Nicola Sturgeon's call for "indyref2" to take place before 2021, debates over independence are set to take an even more prominent role than usual at the SNP's spring conference. The economy was a major issue in the 2014 referendum campaign, and currency in particular came to the fore after then-Chancellor George Osborne said the rest of the UK would refuse to share the pound with a newly-independent Scotland. Looking back on that, the SNP want to take the economic bull by the horns ahead of any second referendum. They began this process by tasking former MSP Andrew Wilson with drawing up a fiscal prospectus for independence, the "sustainable growth commission". His comprehensive report, published in May 2018, covered a range of topics - but it was his currency proposals which sparked the greatest debate among SNP members. As in 2014, the party insists that Scotland could continue to use the pound - Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs in March that "the pound is Scotland's currency, just as it is the currency of anywhere else in the UK". But their plan for the next referendum would be to eventually transition to a new currency, a Scottish pound, once a series of stringent economic tests have been met. Nicola Sturgeon said it was partly the attitude of the unionist parties in 2014 which had persuaded her of the case for shifting to a new currency - but only via a "careful, managed and responsible transition". The six tests in the growth commission are: How long would it take to fulfil these six tests? Mr Wilson reckoned the first one, of a manageable budget deficit, would take up to a decade. What's the issue? Under the growth commission plan, Scotland would have to accept the monetary policy (things like interest rates) laid down by the Bank of England as long as it used the pound. This is not popular with some independence activists, who want to get out from under what they see as the shadow of UK institutions much more quickly. Some also criticise the plans for aiming to hold down public spending in the early years of a new state, part of Mr Wilson's plan to cut the deficit before shifting to a new currency. Former SNP MP George Kerevan calls the growth commission "conservative" - which even with a small 'c' qualifies as a fairly damning assessment of an SNP project under the current leadership. He says the tests set out in the document "could leave Scotland using the pound indefinitely" and "allow the City of London financial institutions to dictate and independent Scotland's decisions" - in short, the plan would "effectively negate the very point of seeking independence". Some go even further - another campaigner and economist, Richard Murphy, said the growth commission plan was "dangerous", "makes no sense" and would see Scotland "shackled" by UK monetary policy. Robin McAlpine from the pro-independence Common Weal think-tank said the "awful" plan was "incompetent right-wing idiocy" which would usher in austerity and "shatter the independence movement". There is dissent from other pro-independence parties too - Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie told Nicola Sturgeon earlier this week that the growth commission plan could "bind the hands of a future independent Scotland" into "more of the same austerity and economic conservatism". How does the leadership respond to this criticism? Mr Wilson told BBC Scotland that he "can understand the impatience" of activists like Mr Kerevan, but said shifting quickly to a new currency would be a risk both in terms of economics and, perhaps as importantly, politics. Polling produced for Progress Scotland - a pro-independence group set up by former SNP deputy leader Angus Robertson - found only 6% of respondents backed "switching to a Scottish currency in the short term". Almost half - 47% - said they would want to keep the pound in the long term, while 23% backed the preferred option of the party leadership, of initially keeping the pound before switching in the longer term. The remaining 14% said they would prefer to open another can of worms entirely and join the Euro. Mr Wilson points to figures like these as proof that his proposal is the best one politically as well as economically - it stands the best chance of winning over a majority of the electorate, not just those already converted to the cause. This has been echoed by Nicola Sturgeon, who published an essay in the National newspaper aiming to win over activists to what she calls an "ambitious and credible" plan. She said it was not credible to suggest that new financial institutions could be set up immediately, and that proposing to "press ahead regardless of our state of preparedness or the state of the economy" would "undermine rather than enhance the case for a Yes vote". The position of Ms Sturgeon and Mr Wilson is effectively a "soft" approach to independence - making it as palatable to undecided voters as possible, while being open and honest about the challenges involved. One final counter-counter-point from opponents of the growth commission approach, though - if the party leadership is struggling to win over its own supporters to this plan, they ask, how successful are they likely to be with the nation as a whole? What's going to happen at conference? The currency question is set to come to the fore at the SNP's spring conference in Edinburgh. The debate is fixed for Saturday afternoon, and takes up six full pages of the conference agenda. Deputy leader Keith Brown has put down a motion broadly outlining the growth commission currency plans, including the six tests that would have to be met before a Scottish currency would be introduced. This has been co-signed by Finance Secretary Derek Mackay, who said keeping the pound in the short term was "sensible, popular and allows us to choose the optimal point of change". To get this through conference, however, they will need to face down critics of the plan. A group of party branches - backed by Mr Kerevan's "Campaign for an Independent Currency" and others including Inverclyde MP Ronnie Cowan - want to amend the motion to remove the six tests and committing any new SNP government to establishing a separate currency within the first term of the new independent parliament. Another amendment proposes establishing an independent currency "immediately", while yet another says the move should be made "as soon as practicable". And some, like Mr McAlpine, favour kicking the motion out altogether. The leadership is pushing back hard, via speeches and newspaper columns, and will line up as many heavyweight speakers as it can for the debate itself in a bid to win backing for the growth commission. Ms Sturgeon says she's looking forward to a "very positive debate" - but mostly she'll be hoping for a win. What members eventually vote for could have a huge bearing on the future of the independence debate.

एडिनबर्ग में एस. एन. पी. के सम्मेलन के पहले दिन मुद्रा पर बहस हावी होने वाली है, क्योंकि स्वतंत्रता के लिए पार्टी की आर्थिक योजनाएं जांच के दायरे में आती हैं। क्या प्रस्तावित किया जा रहा है, और इस पर पार्टी के भीतर क्या तर्क हैं?


Brexit: A staring match of one against 27

Summary: There will be a hunt for a new idea.

Laura KuenssbergPolitical editor@bbclaurakon Twitter Some magic new solution that might - maybe, possibly - provide a sudden surprise solution to Brexit's conundrums, in the way exhausted pilgrims might fall jubilantly on the Holy grail proclaiming, at last, that its jewels are beyond compare and a world changing treasure is now in their heroic clutches. And yes, it is absolutely the case that different technical solutions will be explored again - whether they be ways of carving out potential technological solutions to managing the Irish border or additional paragraphs of legal language that could be constructed to suit all sides. And, of course, in the next fortnight the government - and everyone in Westminster and in Brussels - will spend a lot of energy trying to work out which other possible ways of fixing the acute problem with the backstop could be done. Fundamentally though, our politicians have been staring at the same problem for more than two years. I'm reminded of how many months ago, during one of the other frenzies over how to "solve" the border issue, one official told me that, essentially, all that could really be done was to put the same words in a different order. The next fortnight's efforts will be a bit more complex than that, but they may prove the old adage: "There is no such thing as an original idea." Different ways of moving different promises or verbiage around, but a bold brand new solution no one's already thought of? Don't hold your breath. 'The power of time' But the facts of the situation in their most simple way are the same. The UK is on course to leave the EU. That means the border on the island of Ireland becomes a border between a separate country and an enormous free trade area. Everyone promises they don't want to have anything like a traditional border - but no one can agree on how to avoid that. There is only one thing now that is certain to change, and that is the power of time. The hope may be misplaced, but the hope nonetheless on the UK side is that as the clock ticks down with no solution, eventually, the fear of the consequences of the UK leaving without a deal will concentrate minds. And the pressure of the approach of a deadline could in turn shift the politics. Because it is the desire of EU leaders to avoid the worst that will either salvage Theresa May's deal, or not. Her political drive to get this over the line will determine how radical or tough she is prepared to be. And for different EU leaders, their own calculations - which are, of course, driven by politics in their home countries, as well as the role of the EU - will shape whether they are willing to flex at all. A final staring match Technical and legal rules and agreements are, of course, vitally important in all of this. But if there was an easy solution in policy and precedent, it perhaps would have been found by now. It feels like we are now entering into a final staring match, where politics - not policy - will decide who has to look away. The problem, as ever, for Theresa May is that she is one against 27 others.

किसी नए विचार की खोज होगी।


Royal Shrovetide Football: Ashbourne match ends in a 1-0 win

Summary: A two-day ancient game of mass football, where the two sides attempt to score at opposite ends of a town, has ended in a 1-0 victory.

Thousands of people took part in the annual Royal Shrovetide Football in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Those born south of the river in the town are Down'Ards and those in the north are Up'Ards. After Tuesday's play ended without a goal, the Down'Ards emerged victorious the following day. Laura Dudley had come to the game from Dunfermline, in Scotland, as her dad was born in Ashbourne and it was a family tradition to attend the festivities. "It's really family time. I was brought down here since I was a kid for as long as I can remember," she said. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

सामूहिक फुटबॉल का दो दिवसीय प्राचीन खेल, जिसमें दोनों पक्ष एक शहर के विपरीत छोर पर गोल करने का प्रयास करते हैं, 1-0 से जीत के साथ समाप्त हुआ है।


Kilogram gets a new definition

Summary: Scientists have changed the way the kilogram is defined.

By Pallab GhoshScience correspondent, BBC News Currently, it is defined by the weight of a platinum-based ingot called "Le Grand K" which is locked away in a safe in Paris. On Friday, researchers meeting in Versailles voted to get rid of it in favour of defining a kilogram in terms of an electric current. The decision was made at the General Conference on Weights and Measures. But some scientists, such as Perdi Williams at the National Physical Laboratory in the UK, have expressed mixed feelings about the change. "I haven't been on this project for too long but I feel a weird attachment to the kilogram," she said. "I think it is such an exciting thing and this is a really big moment. So I'm a little bit sad about [the change]. But it is an important step forward and so the new system is going to work a lot better. It is also a really exciting time, and I can't wait for it to happen." Why kill off the kilogram? Le Grand K has been at the forefront of the international system of measuring weights since 1889. Several close replicas were made and distributed around the globe. But the master kilogram and its copies were seen to change - ever so slightly - as they deteriorated. In a world where accurate measurement is now critical in many areas, such as in drug development, nanotechnology and precision engineering - those responsible for maintaining the international system had no option but to move beyond Le Grand K to a more robust definition. How wrong is Le Grand K? The fluctuation is about 50 parts in a billion, less than the weight of a single eyelash. But although it is tiny, the change can have important consequences. Coming in is an electrical measurement which Dr Stuart Davidson, head of mass metrology at NPL, says is more stable, more accurate and more egalitarian. "We know from comparing the kilogram in Paris with all the copies of the kilogram that are all around the world that there are discrepancies between them and Le Grand K itself," he said. "This is not acceptable from a scientific point of view. So even though Le Grand K is fit for purpose at the moment, it won't be in 100 years' time." How does the new system work? Electromagnets generate a force. Scrap-yards use them on cranes to lift and move large metal objects, such as old cars. The pull of the electromagnet, the force it exerts, is directly related to the amount of electrical current going through its coils. There is, therefore, a direct relationship between electricity and weight. So, in principle, scientists can define a kilogram, or any other weight, in terms of the amount of electricity needed to counteract the weight (gravitational force acting on a mass). You may also like: Here's the tricky part There is a quantity that relates weight to electrical current, called Planck's constant - named after the German physicist Max Planck and denoted by the symbol h. But h is an incredibly small number and to measure it, the research scientist Dr Bryan Kibble built a super-accurate set of scales. The Kibble balance, as it has become known, has an electromagnet that pulls down on one side of the scales and a weight - say, a kilogram - on the other. The electrical current going through the electromagnet is increased until the two sides are perfectly balanced. By measuring the current running through the electromagnet to incredible precision, the researchers are able to calculate h to an accuracy of 0.000001%. This breakthrough has paved the way for Le Grand K to be deposed by "die kleine h". What are the advantages of the new system? Every few decades, all the replica kilograms in the world had to be checked against Le Grand K. The new system, now that it's been adopted, will allow anyone with a Kibble balance to check their weights anytime and anywhere, according to NPL's Dr Ian Robinson. "It feels really good to be at this point. I feel it is the right decision. Once we've done this it will be stable for the foreseeable future," he said. Follow Pallab on Twitter

वैज्ञानिकों ने किलोग्राम को परिभाषित करने के तरीके को बदल दिया है।


Hammer held to head of child during Belfast burglary

Summary: A hammer has been held to the head of a one-year-old child during an aggravated burglary in east Belfast.

The incident happened at a house in Mayflower Street, near the Beersbridge Road, shortly before 20:30 GMT on Thursday. Four men forced their way into the property which was "occupied by a woman and her young children". Police have appealed for information about the burglary. "This was a terrifying incident made worse by the fact that one of the males held a hammer to the head of a one-year-old child," PSNI Inspector Nigel Loughlin said. "We are keen to hear from anyone who saw suspicious activity in the area or saw these males running away from the scene."

पूर्वी बेलफास्ट में एक गंभीर चोरी के दौरान एक साल के बच्चे के सिर पर हथौड़ा रखा गया है।


How one city firm looked beyond poor exam grades and found talent

Summary: Exam disasters need no longer mean career calamity after a flurry of top companies announced plans to look beyond academic results. The aim is to tap into a wider talent pool. But will it work? One city firm made the change two years ago.

By Judith BurnsEducation reporter Nick Aldridge, 23, was a police constable until he joined city accountants Grant Thornton at the end of August as a graduate trainee, specialising in tax. "I finished on the Friday at Northamptonshire Police and started here on the Monday," he says. Nick got the job against heavy odds. Last year, the company's training schemes had 10,000 applicants for 500 places. Despite a 2:1 degree, his A-level grades ruled him out of most top accountancy companies. Most still require at least the equivalent of three Bs at A-level before they will even consider applicants for trainee posts, either at school-leaver or graduate level. Nick's A-level grades were a B and two Cs. 'Pioneers' Since 2013, Grant Thornton has relied instead on a series of timed online tests and interviews to whittle the applicants down to a shortlist of about 800 for a final interview. Applicants are scored on their personal and professional achievements, exam grades and on whether recruiters think they would suit the company's culture. "We regard ourselves as pioneers," says senior talent and resourcing manager Richard Waite. Overall, some 20% of this year's trainees are people the company would never have considered under the old system. A series of other top companies have followed suit, but they are still a minority - a factor that left Nick "depressed" once he had made the decision to change careers. "I felt trapped when I was still in the police," he says. "I was looking for a job in accountancy but they were restricted by the grade requirements. "I even phoned up companies and explained what I was doing - but they said unless you meet the requirements you won't even get through the first stage." Screened out Mr Waite says he too found the old system frustrating. At school and university careers fairs, he was frequently convinced he had met young people who would fit perfectly with the company's "down-to earth" culture, only to to be disappointed when they told him their grades. "Instinctively I knew as a recruiter these people would have been great, but our process was screening them out," he says. "What this is about is hiring the best people. Historically that meant people with a certain academic profile, but some great employees don't fit that profile. "We want to tap into pools of talent we have not necessarily tapped before." Lisa Newland, 22, is part of this talent pool. She got great GCSE grades but found A-levels "heavy going", got herself a part-time job in a jeweller's and admits she had a bit too much of a good time instead of concentrating on her school work. Her A-level grades, two Cs and a D, were disappointing. She could still have gone to university "but probably not the universities I had in mind at the time". "I went to have a look, traipsed my mum and dad all round the country, and then decided it wasn't for me," she says. Instead, she took a clerical job with a smaller accountancy company, commuting to Moorgate daily from her home in Essex for three years. She applied to Grant Thornton's Accelerate Scheme for School Leavers and is now training as a restructuring and recovery specialist for companies in difficulties. Tough training Qualifying as a chartered business adviser or accountant takes four to five years for a school leaver and three years for a graduate. Exam preparation must be done on top of working full time. So will people with weaker academic records cope? Lisa admits having been nervous. "I thought, 'I am going into four years of exams, having not studied for three years, particularly with the grades I got,'" she says. So far, however, she has passed them all. "I am a lot more mature than I was three years ago," she says. "This was what I wanted to do, so I make sure I am putting the effort to pass them. Obviously it was challenging, but I have not had a problem." She describes the company as supportive, providing her with time to study if she needs it. "We build in workshops and revision classes at weekends and evenings," Mr Waite confirms. "It's also thought sensible to give people dedicated time out of their day jobs to prepare for exams," he adds. He describes the company as "industry leading" in terms of exam pass rates. Client relationships A few weeks into his new career, Nick is positive about the change, despite being apprehensive about the exams He says he often "dreaded... the extreme workload and general lack of support" of life as a police officer. Getting the new job "felt like a massive weight had been lifted". "There are huge differences," he says. "The general relationship between seniors and the juniors that are starting out is much more positive, even though the hierarchy is there. "You get a lot more support. Now, I generally look forward to being in work." Mr Waite says the new approach feels right for the company. "I believe we have got a much more interesting cohort of trainees," he says. "So you hire people who have interesting stories and interesting backgrounds and are really high performing in many other parts lives, that in previous years we wouldn't have given them the opportunity to tell us about even. "I think part of being a great business adviser is about being able to grow and maintain really strong and deep client relationships, which is on an equal footing with the technical understanding that comes with being a business adviser. "I think the people we are hiring now are able to do both well."

परीक्षा आपदाओं का मतलब अब करियर आपदा नहीं रह गया है क्योंकि शीर्ष कंपनियों ने अकादमिक परिणामों से परे देखने की योजनाओं की घोषणा की है। इसका उद्देश्य एक व्यापक प्रतिभा पूल में दोहन करना है। लेकिन क्या यह काम करेगा? एक शहर की फर्म ने दो साल पहले बदलाव किया था।


Work on £400m Reading railway station revamp shuts road

Summary: Motorists are being warned that a road will close overnight to allow work, which is part of the £400m Reading railway station revamp, to go-ahead.

The rail bridge over Caversham Road needs to be widened to make way for new track above to serve the new platforms at the station, the council said. Network Rail is remodelling the station by 2013 to include five more platforms and two additional entrances. Caversham road will shut on 11 and 18 September from 2000 to 0600 BST. Related Internet Links Network Rail Department for Transport Reading Borough Council

मोटर चालकों को चेतावनी दी जा रही है कि एक सड़क रात भर काम करने के लिए बंद हो जाएगी, जो कि 400 मिलियन पाउंड के रीडिंग रेलवे स्टेशन के सुधार का हिस्सा है।


Man seriously injured in Hamilton train station stabbing

Summary: A man has suffered serious injures after he was stabbed on the platform of a railway station.

He was attacked at Hamilton Central station in South Lanarkshire just after 21:20 GMT on Saturday. The man had stepped off a train with his partner at the same time as group of three men and a woman. An altercation with this group took place and he was stabbed, British Transport Police said. The man was treated by paramedics and remained in hospital on Sunday. Police are urging any witnesses to come forward. Related Internet Links Contact us - British Transport Police

रेलवे स्टेशन के प्लेटफॉर्म पर चाकू लगने से एक व्यक्ति गंभीर रूप से घायल हो गया है।


State papers: New light on Major, Trimble and peace process

Summary: Files from 1996, released by the Public Record Office in Belfast, shed new light on the efforts of former Prime Minister John Major to persuade the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader, David Trimble, to accept Senator George Mitchell as chair of all-party talks.

By Dr Éamon PhoenixHistorian and broadcaster Mr Major also pushed the idea of parallel decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. These issues and the likelihood of a renewed IRA ceasefire dominated a meeting which Mr Trimble and his UUP colleague, Reg [now Sir Reg] Empey had with Mr Major on 13 May 1996. During the exchanges, Mr Trimble evinced deep suspicion of then SDLP leader John Hume, preferring to deal with the "straighter" Seamus Mallon. The UUP leader opened by noting that the "IRA's American friends" appeared to be turning against them. Remarks by [United States Congressmen] Chris Dodd and Peter King were remarkable. The prime minister agreed that this offered an important window of opportunity. In his view, then-President Clinton clearly believed that his prospect of winning the US elections would be greater if there were an IRA ceasefire and progress in the talks. Mr Trimble felt that if the IRA declared a new ceasefire, there would be pressure from the SDLP, the Irish and possibly the US to bring Sinn Féin into the talks. "US pressure was on the IRA for now but… would then come on the unionists over decommissioning." In these circumstances, Mr Major replied, the US would be heavily involved and the Clinton administration would want to see progress. This meant that they would have to press for parallel decommissioning. On the question of a talks chairman, the prime minister felt that having Senator Mitchell "in the hot seat" seemed the most attractive option. The senator would be constrained by the need to be consistent with his own report - the "Mitchell Principles" on non-violence. Mr Trimble said he had already written to President Clinton asking for assurances about Mr Mitchell. He would need this before agreeing to a role for the envoy. Mr Major suggested that the UUP leader should contact Mr Mitchell privately but Mr Empey detected "great suspicions within the UUP about the Americans", particularly around Nancy Soderberg who had previously supported a united Ireland. Mr Major commented that there was no support for a united Ireland, north or south, and Mr Trimble agreed. Mr Empey raised the possibility of Gerry Adams putting the Act of Union [1801] on the table. The prime minister agreed that he might do this but it was "only a fantasy item", undermined by the principle of consent. The UK government's view, Mr Major stressed, could be deduced from its strong defence of the Union in Scotland. However, Mr Trimble saw this as an unfortunate comparison. The UK government seemed to wish to appear neutral about the status of Northern Ireland while defending the union strongly in Scotland and Wales. The prime minister replied that the situations were very different: a violent campaign had been going on in Northern Ireland and the government had a responsibility to bring this to an end. On a possible renewed IRA ceasefire, Mr Major commented: "If we manage the issues wisely, we could manoeuvre the IRA into a position where violence was no longer an option". 'Grappling with fog' However, the then UUP leader believed that "the IRA would play it long and use the inevitably lengthy negotiations to their advantage". For his part, Mr Empey felt that if Sinn Féin was not in the negotiations, John Hume would "hold the key". Mr Major responded that Mr Hume would be under pressure from the Americans "who no longer took such a starry-eyed view" of the SDLP leader. Mr Trimble said that Seamus Mallon's illness was unfortunate. "His style was adversarial but at least straight. Dealing with Hume is like grappling with fog". In attempting to sum up, Mr Major remarked that he and Mr Trimble were not far apart on the question of Senator Mitchell's involvement. The UUP leader said that the shape of any North-South body and its status would be hugely important. It was vital to get rid of the Anglo-Irish Agreement (signed by Margaret Thatcher and the then Taoiseach, Garret FitzGerald in 1985.). In a note to Martin Howard, Patrick Mayhew's private secretary, afterwards, John Holmes, private secretary to the prime minister, struck a positive note: "The prime minister believes that Trimble is now close to accepting the role for Mitchell that the British government have in mind." He confided that John Hume had rung Downing Street that day "asking why Trimble had had two meetings with the PM when he had not been able to get one". He had managed to mollify the SDLP leader.

बेलफास्ट में सार्वजनिक अभिलेख कार्यालय द्वारा जारी 1996 की फाइलें, पूर्व प्रधानमंत्री जॉन मेजर के अल्स्टर यूनियनिस्ट पार्टी (यू. यू. पी.) के नेता डेविड ट्रिम्बल को सीनेटर जॉर्ज मिशेल को सर्व-पक्षीय वार्ता के अध्यक्ष के रूप में स्वीकार करने के लिए मनाने के प्रयासों पर नई रोशनी डालती हैं।


Northfield toddler death: Sean Sadler denies girl's murder

Summary: A man has denied murdering a 21-month-old toddler who died after she was found injured at a house.

Lily Hanrahan was found with a head injury at the property on The Green in Northfield, Birmingham, in November 2017 and died two days later. Sean Sadler, 31, of Coriander Close in Rubery, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court to deny murder and wounding. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the same court for trial on 15 February 2021. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

एक व्यक्ति ने एक 21 महीने की बच्ची की हत्या से इनकार किया है, जिसकी एक घर में घायल पाए जाने के बाद मौत हो गई थी।


US defence review: Is Trump risking a new arms race?

Summary: Inevitably, with its desire for new space-based sensors to detect ballistic missile launches and even the possibility of space-based interceptors to destroy attacking warheads, this review of the US missile defence strategy is bound to raise comparison with President Ronald Reagan's abortive "Star Wars" programme of the early 1980s.

Jonathan MarcusDiplomatic correspondent@Diplo1on Twitter Indeed at one point in his presentation, Donald Trump seemed to be echoing his predecessor, when he spoke of a missile defence programme that might "shield every city in the United States". Mr Trump's own presentation was at times rambling and pugnacious. It was hard to determine the exact direction of missile defence under his leadership other than that it is going to be bigger and better than before. The US, he said "had to outpace all adversaries... it must be several steps ahead of those who would harm us". But what is clear is that what the president is proposing marks a significant shift in Washington's approach to missile defence. In its own way, it could be as destabilising to the strategic balance as President Reagan's abortive plans threatened to be at the height of the Cold War. Throughout the Cold War years missile defence (Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems as they were then known) were feasible but strictly limited by agreement (the so-called ABM Treaty) between the United States and the Soviet Union. The fear always was that such defences could undermine nuclear deterrence, by leading countries to believe they could reduce the impact of a follow-on nuclear attack. President Reagan's idea of a missile-proof shield proved to be an illusion - astronomically expensive, even if the technology had existed. But times change and the potential threats change with them. In December 2001 the then US President, George W Bush, decided to abandon the ABM treaty to enable the development of limited missile defences against the specific threat from so-called rogue states like Iran and North Korea. To some extent it seemed fanciful at the time, but in the ensuing decades North Korea's missile development programme has moved on at a remarkable pace, giving it the ability, according to some experts, to strike at targets on the US western sea-board. Over the years there have been additional elements added to the defensive system. There are two interceptor sites in the continental United States - in Alaska and California. Many US warships have the capacity to provide a form of mobile missile defence. Land-based systems are active in Romania; another is being built in Poland. And more mobile systems have been deployed in South Korea, Guam, and Japan. Missile defence has been expanded to be able to offer some protection to Washington's allies, as well as US forces deployed in the field. All this is now to be expanded. At one level things will not change. The Missile Defence Review states clearly that "US missile defence capabilities will be sized to provide continuing effective protection of the US homeland against rogue states' offensive missile threats". These systems are not apparently directed at either Russia or China. The document says: "The US relies upon nuclear deterrence to address the large and more sophisticated Russian and Chinese intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities….." But, and it is a significant but, the whole strategic context has changed. Russia is a more assertive power. China is fast becoming what the American military terms "a pacing competitor", ie the benchmark against which America's own capabilities must be measured. Russia in particular, but China too, has never much liked Washington's missile defence plans. And they are going to like Mr Trump's programme even less. While stressing the importance of defending the US population, Mr Trump wants to significantly enhance the regional aspect of missile defence. This could inevitably mean countering Russian and Chinese systems in Europe and the Pacific. Mr Trump also says he wants to protect the United States against all types of missile attack including from advanced cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles that travel at frightening velocities and can change direction as well. These are technologies that both Moscow and Beijing (and Washington it must be said) are exploring to give themselves a strategic edge. Some element of an up-to-date defensive system may well be a useful hedge against the so-called rogue actors or an accidental launch. But enhanced and significantly expanded defences risk ushering in a new arms race in offensive weapons. The fact that this comes at a time when the whole fabric of arms control is fraying worries many strategic experts. The age-old strategic debate between offence and defence has just been given a new and dangerous twist. Then there are the perennial questions of cost and capability. Congress has been willing to give lots more money for missile defence. But shifts in control of the House of Representatives and the huge demands elsewhere in the defence budget to re-equip and re-orientate America's armed forces for a new age of big-power confrontation mean that even Washington's voluminous defence budget cannot do everything. Then there is the fundamental question, will it all work? The technical challenges are immense. Huge question marks surround the capability of those defensive systems already deployed. Many of the esoteric new offensive technologies being developed pose even greater challenges. And it is always cheaper and easier to overwhelm defences - however good - with more and more attacking missiles.

अनिवार्य रूप से, बैलिस्टिक मिसाइल प्रक्षेपणों का पता लगाने के लिए नए अंतरिक्ष-आधारित सेंसरों की इच्छा और यहां तक कि हमला करने वाले हथियारों को नष्ट करने के लिए अंतरिक्ष-आधारित अवरोधकों की संभावना के साथ, अमेरिकी मिसाइल रक्षा रणनीति की यह समीक्षा 1980 के दशक की शुरुआत में राष्ट्रपति रोनाल्ड रीगन के असफल "स्टार वार्स" कार्यक्रम के साथ तुलना करने के लिए बाध्य है।


Coronavirus: Sex workers fear for their future

Summary: With social distancing rules in place and strip clubs and brothels closed, sex workers around the world have seen their incomes disappear almost overnight as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Fearing for their livelihoods, as well as their health, some are offering services online to keep their business going, while others are turning to charities for help.

By Vivienne NunisBusiness reporter, BBC News Estelle Lucas has worked as an escort for the past 10 years in Melbourne, carefully building relationships with her clients. But the spread of Covid-19 and the need for social distancing has prompted a ban on sex work, leaving her worried those efforts will go to waste. "It's fair to say that if I'm not working for six months, a lot of people are going to forget me," she says. "I can't contact my clients and just have a conversation with them. That doesn't work in my industry. We need to build intimacy and that's just not possible in the current environment." Before the coronavirus outbreak, Estelle says she was earning an above-average income, and had hoped to soon pay off the mortgage on her home in Melbourne's inner suburbs. Now nearly all her income has been lost. She has tried to adapt by moving her business online, but says that cannot replace physical contact. "Unfortunately, there are things that can't be translated," she says. "I have made efforts to go online but not everyone is tech savvy. Some of my clients don't even really know how to use a smartphone." While the regional government has outlined a clear roadmap to reopening restaurants and cafes, there has been no plan for the sex industry. That uncertainty, coupled with the many unknowns surrounding the virus itself, has left many sex workers with deep anxiety. "I'm scared that all my work will come back to zero and I will just have to start hustling like I did when I first started out," Estelle says. She also fears for her clients' health. "Are they even going to be there?" she says. "There's a lot of nervous energy going around." Financial assistance from the Australian government is available to those who have lost their income because of the Covid-19 crisis, but to qualify for the payments workers need to be able to show they have been paying tax - something that unregistered sex workers including migrants and trans people, often won't be able to do. It's a problem facing sex workers in dozens of countries around the world, according to Teela Sanders, a criminology professor at the University of Leicester. "Governments have been very good at providing social protection for the majority of people, particularly self-employed people, but sex workers are not included," she says. That's left sex worker collectives and advocacy groups calling for members of the public to donate to emergency funds. So far, an online appeal by the Las Vegas Sex Worker Collective has raised $19,300 (£15,680) while a campaign by a coalition of support groups in Italy has raised almost €21,700 (£19,500). "These have been a real lifeline to sex workers for immediate bill paying, access to food etc," says Prof Sanders. Some sex workers have been forced to continue working, risking hefty fines or exposure to the virus. "In developing countries, sex workers are often the main breadwinner for the whole family, for their siblings, their children and their grandparents. So this affects the whole extended family," Prof Sanders says. Niki Adams from the English Collective of Prostitutes echoes that view. She told the BBC most sex workers in the UK are mothers and if they are continuing to work, it is because they are desperate for money. But some sex workers find themselves unable to keep working - even if they would choose to. In Daulatdia brothel in Bangladesh, police guard the entrance, preventing customers from entering. It is one of the world's biggest brothels, a shanty town made up of tin sheds and narrow alleyways that is home to 1,300 women and their 400 children. The brothel has been closed since March, leaving many of the women struggling to buy essential items and relying on donations from charities. "We cannot work now, so we don't have any income, which is scary," says "Nazma", who didn't want to give her real name. Nazma supports three children who live with her sister back in her village. She came to the brothel 30 years ago when she was just seven. Although she needs money, she worries about the dangers of working during the pandemic. "Even if we could work, people's lives are at risk from the virus. We'd be scared to go to bed with our clients anyway, as we don't know who is affected," she says. Daulatdia sits on the banks of the Padma River, near a major ferry terminal. It is the main transport hub that connects the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka with the country's southern districts. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, thousands of truck drivers would pass through the area every day, delivering agricultural products and other goods to Dhaka. Many of the women and children who live in the brothel are victims of trafficking. "A lot of them who were kidnapped as children were sold there," says Srabanti Huda, a lawyer and human rights activist based in Dhaka. While the Bangladeshi government and local aid organisations have delivered some emergency funds to the women, Srabanti says it hasn't been enough and some women received nothing at all. "The amount of donations they've received from the government does not even cover a packet of powdered milk for the children," she says. In early May, Srabanti organised a private aid delivery, distributing packets of basic supplies for each of the 1,300 women registered at the brothel. "There was one woman who said she has not been able to get her insulin or diabetic medications for over a month," Srabanti says. "Another said she has not been able to buy her blood pressure medications since the lockdown started two months ago." Reduced access to healthcare services is an issue facing sex workers globally, according to Prof Sanders. The problem is particularly acute in areas where there is high demand for regular antiviral drugs from those living with HIV. "There's been real issues around access," she says. Prof Sanders is working with a team in Nairobi to develop an "Uber-style" app that will enable sex workers to order medication using their phones and have it delivered. "It's sent directly to them via a mode of transport rather than the person coming into the clinic," she says. Back in Daulatdia brothel, another sex worker who didn't want to be named is returning from a trip to see her daughter, who lives in a nearby home for the children of sex workers. Even when the brothel reopens, it will take a long time for the industry to recover, she says. "People are afraid if they come to us, they might get infected," she says. "We are afraid too. We might get infected from them. This fear of getting infected will come up all the time." Additional reporting by Salman Saeed.

सामाजिक दूरी के नियमों और स्ट्रिप क्लबों और वेश्यालयों के बंद होने के साथ, दुनिया भर के यौनकर्मियों ने देखा है कि कोरोनावायरस महामारी के परिणामस्वरूप उनकी आय लगभग रातोंरात गायब हो गई है। अपनी आजीविका के साथ-साथ अपने स्वास्थ्य के लिए डरते हुए, कुछ अपने व्यवसाय को जारी रखने के लिए ऑनलाइन सेवाओं की पेशकश कर रहे हैं, जबकि अन्य मदद के लिए दान की ओर रुख कर रहे हैं।


Wolverhampton: Arrest after police officer hit by car

Summary: A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and drink-driving after a police officer was hit by a car.

The officer was struck by a BMW he had flagged down in Wolverhampton city centre for speeding, West Midlands Police said. The car drove off in Victoria Street in the early hours of Sunday morning. The officer suffered minor injuries. The 22-year-old suspect was traced to an apartment in Newhall Street, Tipton.

एक पुलिस अधिकारी के कार से टकराने के बाद हत्या के प्रयास और शराब पीकर गाड़ी चलाने के संदेह में एक व्यक्ति को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।


Philpotts case a 'classic example of domestic violence'

Summary: Mick Philpott has been jailed for life for killing six children in a house fire in Derby by a judge who said his relationships were marked by "control, aggression and fear". The behaviour exposed during his trial was a "classic example of domestic violence", says one expert.

By Sarah BellBBC News "Women were your chattels, there to look after you and your children. You bark orders and they obey... you were king-pin, no-one else mattered," judge Mrs Justice Thirlwall told Philpott during sentencing. Over 30 years, Philpott exercised both physical and psychological abuse towards a string of women. The wages and benefits earned by his wife and mistress were paid into his account which he controlled. They did not have their own front door keys and had to ask permission to leave. He had earlier tried to kill one of his girlfriends when she tried to leave him, a fact which was kept from the jury. 'Coercion and control' Polly Neate, chief executive of Women's Aid, said that at the "absolute heart" of the case was "a fairly classic example of domestic violence". "A lot of it really illustrates some of the things people struggle to understand, like the level of coercion and control the perpetrator can exercise over a victim," she said. "Unless you understand the dynamics and how control can be exerted, it is very difficult to make sense of the case." In 1978, Philpott tried to kill girlfriend Kim Hill when she plucked up the courage to leave him. He stabbed her more than a dozen times and attacked her mother when she tried to intervene. He was jailed for seven years for attempted murder. He used this incident to control his subsequent relationships with fear, the court heard. "It does not have to be as the result of physical violence that women were terrified of him, but... the knowledge that someone is capable of extreme acts of violence is enough to make someone extremely afraid," Ms Neate said. It also supports the fact that the most dangerous time for a woman is when she tries to leave a violent relationship. Research shows most domestic homicides happen during or just after separation. When Lisa Willis left Philpott in February 2012, taking her children, he snapped again - this time concocting a revenge plot that would claim the lives of six children. "The perpetrators feel anger that the women have left and fear about what may happen to them through the authorities," Ms Neate explained. "They are also no longer in control. It all comes back to control." 'Guardian angel' The 56-year-old appeared to target vulnerable, much younger women, acting as their protector and saviour at first. His wife Mairead was a 19-year-old single mother at "rock bottom" when they met. The court heard she was abused as a child and bullied at school, she was raped in her teenage years, before entering an abusive relationship during which her then boyfriend shaved her hair off to stop her going out. At first, Philpott seemed to offer her the prospect of happiness and stability. "He was my guardian angel," she told the court. "He loved me and cared for me and made me feel safe." It was a similar story with Miss Willis, a young single mother with no family network who was looking for a home when she moved in with the couple at the age of 17. "The control builds up over quite a period of time, the evidence from Mairead that when she first met him he seemed to be quite kind, Ms Neate said. "He gradually used that to create a dependency, which became a total dependency on him." Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill, of Derbyshire Police, said there was an element of grooming in the fact that Philpott selected young partners - "probably because he's incapable of forming proper relationships with people his own age and he's unable then to control those individuals". 'Shrinking' resources Charities say one woman in four will experience domestic violence at some point in her lifetime, and every week two women are killed by current or former partners. The case illustrated why greater support was needed for those experiencing domestic violence - who can be from any walk of life - Ms Neate said. "Wouldn't it have been better if not only Lisa, but Mairead, too, had managed to find the support to leave Mick? It is so, so, important we keep domestic violence on the radar. It's a very significant problem," she said. "But the resources for women who need to flee these situations are currently shrinking, not growing. "Local services are facing the impact of spending cuts and of welfare reform which threatens to undermine their funding, including measures that will specifically impact on women with more than two children. "We need to increase help for abused women and children living with domestic violence so that they can safely escape life-threatening situations."

मिक फिलपॉट को डर्बी में एक घर में लगी आग में छह बच्चों की हत्या के लिए एक न्यायाधीश द्वारा आजीवन कारावास की सजा सुनाई गई है, जिसने कहा कि उसके रिश्ते "नियंत्रण, आक्रामकता और भय" से चिह्नित थे। एक विशेषज्ञ का कहना है कि उसके मुकदमे के दौरान उजागर हुआ व्यवहार "घरेलू हिंसा का उत्कृष्ट उदाहरण" था।


Brexit: What does it mean for Asia?

Summary: In the immediate term - it's the impact on markets and currencies. We've seen the pound fall by more than 10% in Asian trade, the Japanese yen has soared against the hopes of Japan's policy makers, and emerging market currencies have fallen sharply as investors pull out of risky assets.

Karishma VaswaniAsia business correspondent@BBCKarishmaon Twitter Longer term though - what does this mean for us in Asia? Already, policy makers in Japan, Korea and India are saying not much impact in terms of their respective countries' real economies. They're trying to reassure investors and to keep markets calm. It's true - a direct impact on Asian economies from Brexit is unlikely in the longer term. As OCBC Bank's Wellian Wiranto said in a note to investors today: "As a percentage of GDP, exports to the UK range from 2-3% for economies such as Hong Kong and Vietnam, to even lower (0.2-1%) for most of the rest - including Indonesia and Malaysia." Japan, India concerns But businesses in some major Asian economies - and we're looking particularly at India and Japan here - will be hit. Japan Inc. employs around 140,000 people in the UK and has about $59bn (£40bn) invested there. Big Japanese car manufacturers like Toyota have already said a Leave vote may lead to 10% duties on UK-made cars being sold in the EU. Currently, Toyota exports almost 90% of the cars it manufactures in the UK - and three quarters of those go to the EU. Asian companies which have set up operations in the UK to gain access to EU markets will also have to reassess. Japanese electronics firm Hitachi, for one, has said it will rethink its UK operations in the event of a Brexit. Over in India, the focus is on technology firms. Together, the UK and Europe account for over-a-quarter of the country's IT exports, worth around $30bn. We've also heard from one of India's most prominent business houses - the Tata Group - which has been operating in the UK since 1907. In a statement to the media, it said there are currently 19 independent Tata companies in the UK, with diverse businesses. It also said that "access to markets, and to a skilled workforce will remain important considerations". Perhaps, that's a not so subtle reference to the EU's diverse workforce? Certainly Asian business leaders are watching the process of how the UK transitions out of the EU very closely. If there is a material impact on EU economies, Asia won't escape unscathed.

तत्काल अवधि में-यह बाजारों और मुद्राओं पर प्रभाव है। हमने एशियाई व्यापार में पाउंड में 10 प्रतिशत से अधिक की गिरावट देखी है, जापानी येन जापान के नीति निर्माताओं की उम्मीदों के खिलाफ बढ़ गया है, और उभरते बाजार की मुद्राओं में तेजी से गिरावट आई है क्योंकि निवेशक जोखिम भरी परिसंपत्तियों से बाहर निकलते हैं।


Motorcyclist dies in collision with lorry in Oxfordshire

Summary: A man in his 60s has been killed in a collision between a motorcycle and a lorry in Oxfordshire.

The man, who was riding a Kawasaki bike, was involved in the crash on the A361 in Wardington at about 15:00 BST on Monday. His next-of-kin have been informed and his family is being supported by trained officers. Thames Valley Police asked anyone who saw the crash to come forward. PC Liam Calvert, from the Roads Policing base in Bicester, said: "If you saw the vehicles before the collision, or have dash-cam footage from the area at the time, please get in touch." Related Internet Links Home - Thames Valley Police

ऑक्सफोर्डशायर में मोटरसाइकिल और लॉरी के बीच टक्कर में 60 साल के एक व्यक्ति की मौत हो गई है।


NatWest closure in Crickhowell angers Kirsty Williams

Summary: An AM has called for a meeting with high street bank bosses to oppose the closure of a NatWest branch in Powys.

Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, said the planned closure of the bank in Crickhowell in November was "very bad news". The bank said it was making provision for customers at nearby post offices. It also said it was investing £600,000 at the nearest branch at Abergavenny. NatWest is to close 11 branches in north Wales in September. It blamed the closures on a "wide range of factors" including usage.

ए. एम. ने पॉव्स में नैटवेस्ट शाखा को बंद करने का विरोध करने के लिए हाई स्ट्रीट बैंक के मालिकों के साथ एक बैठक बुलाई है।


Work to start to make Swansea's Palace Theatre safe

Summary: A £75,000 project to make Swansea's derelict Palace Theatre "safe and water-tight" is to start on Friday.

The theatre's Kent-based owners will be reimbursed the money in the form of an emergency grant from Swansea council if the work is completed by 31 January. The theatre, which has hosted stars like Charlie Chaplin and Sir Anthony Hopkins, has been unused since 2006. A council spokesman said: "The owners have started preparations for urgent work to make the building safe."

स्वानसी के परित्यक्त पैलेस थिएटर को "सुरक्षित और जल-तंग" बनाने के लिए £75,000 की परियोजना शुक्रवार से शुरू होने वाली है।


Kirby Muxloe house fire caused by fuse box fault

Summary: A fatal blaze at a house in a Leicestershire village was caused accidentally by an electrical fault, fire investigators have said.

A man and a woman died at the scene in Church Road, Kirby Muxloe, at about 03:30 BST on Friday. The blaze was caused by a fault in the house's fuse box, a Leicestershire Fire and Rescue spokesman said. The two people have not yet been named and police said identification was a matter for the coroner. The deaths are not being treated as suspicious, the force added. Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk.

अग्निशमन जांचकर्ताओं ने कहा है कि लीसेस्टरशायर गांव में एक घर में बिजली की खराबी के कारण घातक आग लग गई थी।


In pictures: Tributes to Brussels victims

Summary: Belgium is observing three days of mourning after Tuesday's deadly bomb attacks in the capital Brussels.

People carrying candles and flowers gathered in the Place de la Bourse in the heart of the city, in a show of defiance and unity. Tributes are being paid to the victims near the Zaventem airport and the Maelbeek metro station - the sites of the attacks. The bombings, claimed by so-called Islamic State, have brought condemnation from around the world.

बेल्जियम की राजधानी ब्रसेल्स में मंगलवार को हुए घातक बम हमलों के बाद तीन दिन का शोक मनाया जा रहा है।


Why does the UK want to join the China-led development bank?

Summary: The UK is the first Western country to seek to become a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). It's a new international financial institution (IFI) essentially led by China and viewed as a rival to the World Bank.

Linda YuehChief business correspondent There are 21 Asian countries that signed up last October to set up the AIIB. That has risen to 27, with the launch expected at the end of the year. It has about $50bn in capital, which is only a fifth of what the World Bank holds and also less than the Asian Development Bank. But, it's solely focused on the huge gap in infrastructure funding unlike the other IFIs which fund everything related to development. So, why does the UK want to join? Well, it's not unusual for major economies to become a part of regional development banks. The UK is a member of the Caribbean Development Bank, for instance. But, the China-US tensions behind the AIIB make this one more of a geo-political headache that's now playing out in headlines. America has reportedly urged other nations to step back from the AIIB. Officially at least, the US says that it's a sovereign matter for the UK but has repeatedly called for higher governance standards in the AIIB as befits a multilateral institution. When I asked the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, about the AIIB last year, he said that more money for infrastructure would be welcome and that they were working closely with the Chinese on the governance of the AIIB. Rise of AIIB The rise of a development bank led by China can also be viewed as a reaction to the slow reforms of the existing Western-dominated IFIs. The US has an effective veto in the IMF and the head of the World Bank is typically American, while the head of the IMF is European. After years of negotiation, which sped up when emerging economies were asked to supply funds during the 2008 global financial crisis, the stake-holdings have shifted more toward China and other developing countries but the IMF and World Bank are still largely Western-led. There was a push to create an Asian IMF after the 1998 Asian financial crisis which was defeated at the time. But now, China is a much more powerful nation and the world's second largest economy wants to lead its own IFI. It's a tricky task to align oneself with both China and the US. The Americans are apparently unhappy with the UK, while China has welcomed the British application. It may be a pragmatic move, but it's hard not to offend one side or another. I suspect this will be the first of many decisions to be taken by countries such as the UK to position themselves between the new economic superpower and the existing one. The trick will be to come away with economic advantage at minimal political cost. We'll find out if this one will pay off for the UK.

ब्रिटेन एशियाई अवसंरचना निवेश बैंक (ए. आई. आई. बी.) का संस्थापक सदस्य बनने वाला पहला पश्चिमी देश है। यह अनिवार्य रूप से चीन के नेतृत्व में एक नया अंतर्राष्ट्रीय वित्तीय संस्थान (आई. एफ. आई.) है और इसे विश्व बैंक के प्रतिद्वंद्वी के रूप में देखा जाता है।


Snow in the south of England: Wintry weather in pictures

Summary: Overnight snowfalls meant much of the south coast woke up to a dusting of the white stuff.

Biting winds from the east are contributing to the sub-zero temperatures across the country with the Met Office extending its snow warning until midday on Wednesday - meaning there could be travel disruption and a slight chance of power cuts. Police have warned drivers to heed road conditions and National Rail has advised passengers to check for disruption before making their journeys. Tuesday is expected to remain cold and breezy with bitter, easterly winds. All pictures subject to copyright.

रातोंरात बर्फबारी का मतलब था कि दक्षिण तट का अधिकांश हिस्सा सफेद सामान की धूल से जाग गया।


Ullswater's first jetty in 50 years built at Aira Green

Summary: The first new jetty to be built on Ullswater in 50 years has opened allowing boats closer access to a tourist attraction.

The 150ft-long (46m) pier has been built at Aira Green, close to Aira Force waterfall which attracts about 250,000 visitors a year. It means the Ullswater Steamer cruises can now drop off and pick up passengers close to the site. The jetty has been built by the National Trust and Ullswater Steamers. It is currently open to the public each weekend but from 1 July it can be used throughout the week.

50 वर्षों में उलस्वाटर पर बनाई जाने वाली पहली नई जेटी ने नावों को पर्यटक आकर्षण के करीब पहुँचने की अनुमति दी है।


Does Silicon Valley have a sexism problem?

Summary: Taxi-hailing app Uber has promised an "urgent investigation" into claims of workplace sexual harassment, after a female engineer said misogyny was rife at the firm and women were quitting in droves.

Susan Fowler, a software engineer, wrote a blog post about a "very, very strange year at Uber". In it, she says her manager tried to have sex with her on her first official day at work, sending her messages about his open relationship. It's just the latest blow for a company that has gained a reputation as a bastion of Silicon Valley's macho "bro" culture. But is Uber really any more sexist than other tech giants in the Valley? 'Impacted my job' Ms Fowler's claims have resonated with many women in the tech world, and surveys suggest her experiences are not uncommon. According to a 2016 survey, 60% of women working in Silicon Valley experience unwanted sexual advances. The "Elephant in the Valley" survey found that 87% of the 220 women interviewed had witnessed demeaning comments from their colleagues. Almost 40% of those who said they were harassed at work did not report the situation, fearing it would damage their careers. "I was propositioned by a hiring manager early in my career when I was a job candidate," one contributor to the study wrote. "He clearly indicated that if I slept with him, he would make sure I was promoted as his 'second in command' as he moved up the ladder in the company." Another said she had turned down her CEO's sexual advances the first time they travelled together for work. "After that, I was never asked to travel with him again," she said. "This impacted my ability to do my job." The study followed a high-profile gender discrimination lawsuit in 2015 from former Reddit CEO Ellen Pao - one of those praising Ms Fowler's stand against Uber. On Twitter, Ms Pao said Ms Fowler's blog post shows "the state of tech in one woman's story, also the story of many women, many people at many companies". See also: Sexist van slogans banned in Australia Meet the female gamers challenging sexism Are universities secretly sexist? Discrimination is difficult to quantify - especially when victims are unwilling to speak out. Yet on top of Ms Pao's case, there have been several high-profile lawsuits and sudden exits in the tech world in recent years: How does tech compare to other industries? Comparing results from different studies with different questions can be problematic - but there are some hints that Silicon Valley has a problem. Statistics on sexual harassment vary widely, but an extensive 1992 US national study found that 41% of women had experienced it; and about 40-50% of women in the EU, according to the United Nations. Both estimates are still lower than the Silicon Valley survey's 60%. The 2016 Women in the Workplace study - a major US national survey - found that 19% of the technology sector's top executives are women - broadly in line with sectors like banking, media, or professional services. The same study found that, across all industries, 30% of women who negotiated for a promotion or a better salary were told they were "bossy", "aggressive" or "intimidating". In the Elephant in the Valley survey, that rocketed to 84% of women being told they were aggressive (though that question was not specifically about negotiation). What's being done for gender balance? The world's biggest tech companies know they're dominated by white men, and many are funding schemes to address that. In its annual diversity and inclusion report, Apple said it had closed pay gaps over the past year by analysing salaries, bonuses and stock grants. Facebook has pledged to give $15m (£12m) to Code.org, a non-profit group teaching young women and underrepresented minorities how to write computer code. And in 2015, Google told USA Today it would invest $150m (£120m) in workforce diversity initiatives that year, up from $115m in 2014. At the moment, 23% of Apple's tech employees are women. At Google, it's 19%. And at Facebook, just 17%. Change comes slowly in companies of this size, so the path could be a long one. But by broadening the pool of people qualified to work there, Silicon Valley is hoping to change the status quo.

टैक्सी-हेलिंग ऐप उबर ने कार्यस्थल पर यौन उत्पीड़न के दावों की "तत्काल जांच" का वादा किया है, जब एक महिला इंजीनियर ने कहा कि फर्म में स्त्री-द्वेष व्याप्त था और महिलाएं बड़ी संख्या में नौकरी छोड़ रही थीं।


Why it pays to start saving early

Summary: Saving a small amount of money regularly from when you start work will leave you better off than saving a bigger amount in later life.

Why? Because of compound interest. When you save money, it earns interest. The lump sum grows from interest being added every year or every month. Interest added on top of that interest is known as "compound interest" - and means that the longer you save, the better off you are. So people who leave it late - like Dave in the example above - have compounded their financial problems when it comes to cashing in their savings. But it is worth remembering that pensions usually depend on the success of investments which, unlike savings, do not guarantee a set level of interest.

जब आप काम शुरू करते हैं, तब से नियमित रूप से थोड़ी सी राशि की बचत करना आपके लिए बाद के जीवन में बड़ी राशि की बचत करने से बेहतर रहेगा।


Durian fetches almost $50,000 at auction in Thailand

Summary: A luxury durian - dubbed the king of fruits - has sold for a whopping 1.5 million baht (£37,750; $48,000) at a charity auction in Thailand.

Depending on who you ask, the durian is either the king of fruits or the most smelly fruit imaginable. How much is it worth? A wealthy Thai food lover appears to have answered that question last Saturday. The thorny durian is a delicacy in much of Asia but also controversial - you either love it or hate it. Its potent stench means it's banned from public transportation, hotels and planes in certain countries. According to media reports, the luxury fruit sold at the King of Durian festival in Thailand had been picked just a day before at a local farm. While even a regular durian of good quality can cost you between $50 and $100, the staggering sum paid last weekend was about double the previous record price at the auction, organisers told the media. In other recent durian news:

एक लग्जरी डुरियन-जिसे फलों का राजा कहा जाता है-थाईलैंड में एक चैरिटी नीलामी में 15 लाख बाहट (37,750 पाउंड; 48,000 डॉलर) में बिका है।


Romania's orphans: Young adults leave horror behind

Summary: After Romania's dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown in 1989, the world learned of the shocking conditions in which many children lived in the country's orphanages. More than 20 years later, those children are adults - and for some of them at least, life is far, far better than it was.

By Tessa DunlopSiret, Romania To arrive in Siret is to arrive at world's end. The train from Bucharest - clatter-boom, clatter-boom, through the night - goes only as far as Suceava. An historic city mauled by the communists. Immediately after the revolution of 1989 I travelled from here to Siret in an elusive taxi. Now Catalin - with his own car hire firm and a canary yellow cap - waits for me at the station, ostentatiously dusting down his Vauxhall Astra. The drive, hurtling between cabbages and corn, horses with their carts and a pink sky that crashes into the Moldavian plains, is a reminder of how far you have come from the dusty fug of Bucharest's Gara de Nord. Siret was a quiet border town, spitting distance from the vast expanse of the USSR. Change came abruptly in 1990, when its secret was exposed on an international stage. In a four-storey former Austrian army barracks, Romania hid its largest gulag for abandoned and disabled children, far away from the capital. Communists did not cope well with imperfection. In came the foreign do-gooders. The broken orphans learned to cry and Siret's entrepreneurs sourced German beer for their prestigious newcomers. Some charities lasted the course - others moved on with the rolling tide of news but amidst the global opprobrium Siret and many of its abandoned young stayed put. They are adults now. Few were adopted - it turns out Westerners do not cope well with imperfection either. Eventually the barracks was abandoned. The 100-plus adults unable to live independently were moved to another austere stone building - smaller this time with wire-nettings and landings overlooking a concrete court yard. Dribs and drabs of foreign money have paid for new sheltered accommodation for the lucky few. But more than 20 years after the revolution the most vulnerable adults still rock back and forth in a building that resembles a human hen coop. When they saw us the young adults ran over, euphoric, anticipating attention, touching the camera, hugging me and the other visitors, keen for a small shard of love. A reminder of what it used to be like when the foreigners came to play. Two decades on and the familiar smell of sweat and wet stone walls has not gone away, nor the disturbing noises of those unable to express themselves. But there is a key difference between now and then. He is called Tibi Rotaru - a man with his clear kind blue eyes and a crumpled shirt. He was there to meet me. A local lad of just 17 when the first wave of foreigners came, Tibi was roped in as a translator. The volunteers had found their first and most-important ally. He went on to Bucharest then Germany and Holland to study psychology, before eventually moving back to Siret and taking over responsibility for the orphans. It is this unassuming man who has turned a small community once scarred by a legacy of child abuse into an oasis of tolerance. The young adults now wander freely about the town, they sweep the church steps, cadge cigarettes and laugh with the locals. You can spot the ones from the hospital, they are smaller than everyone else, even the able-bodied are hunched - despite their tender years they have haggard faces and their stumbling gait gives away the horror story that was their childhood. Tibi shakes his head. "Their lives were stolen from them, and still they don't have what they need," he says. His young adults, and make no mistake they are his - to watch him with them is to watch a father with an unruly loving brood - now have a bright shiny new home to move into. The undignified rows of beds will at last be history. "Of course," Tibi reminds us, "this building has been ready for over a year, sitting empty". He knowingly points to the crow's feet in the corners of his eyes. "I have travelled fortnightly to Bucharest in the hope of meeting a minister. "A lot of funds have been spent on this project, but they couldn't find the money for a boiler." He laughs: "How can I move the young people with no heating?" But Tibi has the patience of a man born into a system he knows he must work with, not against. Siret's young adults have now been told their new house will finally have heating and hot water. In a town where the winter temperature drops -30C (-22F) Tibi has once again proved that dreams can come true - so long as you are prepared to wait 23 years. How to listen to From Our Own Correspondent: BBC Radio 4: Saturdays at 11:30 and some Thursdays at 11:00 Listen online or download the podcast. BBC World Service: Short editions Monday-Friday - see World Service programme schedule. You can follow the Magazine on Twitter and on Facebook

1989 में रोमानिया के तानाशाह निकोले सेउसेस्कू को अपदस्थ किए जाने के बाद, दुनिया को उन चौंकाने वाली स्थितियों के बारे में पता चला जिसमें कई बच्चे देश के अनाथालयों में रहते थे। 20 से अधिक वर्षों के बाद, वे बच्चे वयस्क हैं-और उनमें से कुछ के लिए, जीवन बहुत दूर है, पहले की तुलना में कहीं बेहतर है।


Kevin McGuigan murder: Fourth arrest over Belfast killing

Summary: A fourth man has been arrested over the murder of former IRA member Kevin McGuigan.

Mr McGuigan Sr, 53, was murdered at his home at Comber Court in the Short Strand area of east Belfast last Wednesday. The father of nine's funeral has taken place. A 39-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday and two guns were found during searches in greater Belfast. Three other men, aged 53, 44 and 41, arrested earlier remain in custody.

चौथे व्यक्ति को पूर्व आई. आर. ए. सदस्य केविन मैकगुइगन की हत्या के मामले में गिरफ्तार किया गया है।