The guidebook that led me to a lost corner of England

Summary: In 1939, the newly established Penguin Books decided to branch out from its trademark paperback fiction and Pelican non-fiction titles to try its hand at UK travel guides. Emma Jane Kirby visited Kent with a first edition of one of the guides in her hand, to see how much Britain has changed since World War Two.

Sitting stationary in my car in what should be the fast lane of the M25, I glance down at the orange-and-white cover of the 1939 Penguin guide to Kent, Sussex and Surrey on the passenger seat. And I wonder whether its author, S E Winbolt, is looking down on me smugly, reminding me that his suggested route out of London was by "Blackheath and Shooters Hill and thence on the straight Roman Road through Welling and Crayford to Dartford". I'm due in Gravesend at 10:30 but as I'm early, I pull in to Dartford for a coffee, promising myself I'll have a quick glance at the brasses and the alabaster black-and-white marble monument in the church that my guide says I shouldn't miss. I try the church door handle confidently and am surprised when it resists my push. "Always locked," says a Polish man drinking a can of beer in front of the shop next door. "No safe to leave church open these days." Before I'd set out on my tour, I had spoken about the books to James Mackay from the Penguin Collectors Society. "They're great fun," he told me. "Partly because they reflect a society that's no longer there. They have become social history documents of their own. Remember the counties south of London were geographically and socially much more separate in 1939, with their own economies." I think about Mackay's words as I walk past the charity shops and pound stores that cluster near the church end of the High Street. My guide has asked me to note the "timbered houses" - I don't spot many, although the Georgian-built Bull Inn - albeit under a new name - still serves me a good coffee. I mention to a fellow customer that the town seems very quiet to me and he shrugs. "Commuter belt. Everyone works in London, don't they?" Winbolt confidently informs me in the guide that in this area I am to find "modern powder mills, chemical works and manufactories of general machinery". Local historian Christoph Bull roars laughing when I tell him what I'm expecting. We are in Gravesend, east of Dartford, and I'm joining Bull on one of his popular walking tours of the area. He reminds me that in 1939 the popular Bluewater shopping centre near Dartford was still a quarry and adds that almost all the local industry that Winbolt saw - except for a paper mill making toilet rolls - has now gone. "Dartford was a town that made things," he remembers. "It created and designed things. It was a pioneer in pharmaceuticals and medicine. But by 2002, the big factory that had opened in 1889 was demolished and it's now being built up with masses of housing." Bull stops his tour outside the impressive Gurdwara Sikh temple, explaining to his tour group that it's one of the largest Sikh temples outside India. I ask an elderly group member how the area has changed over her lifetime and she doesn't hesitate before replying: "Foreigners. So many foreigners now. And all the shops and people have gone." At Loddington Farm near Maidstone, James Smith, whose family has been farming here since 1882, says that without a foreign workforce, his apples, pears and cherries just wouldn't get picked. "In 1939 my grandfather would have had horses pulling sledges in the orchards and there would still be sheep grazing," he says. "We'd have had 20 local people living and working full-time on the farm. Today I've got two full-time English staff and the rest are transient pickers from Eastern Europe." I tell him how my guidebook waxes lyrical about Kent being the "garden of England" with its hops and cherries, and Smith replies that very few hops are grown in the area these days. The cherries have changed too, after careful breeding programmes to make them bigger, sweeter and better able to meet the demands of the modern supply chain. So have the apples - gone are the Lord Derbys, Coopers and Bramleys, and in their place are orchards of New Zealand apples like Royal Gala and Jazz. As I ask Smith what his grandfather would have made of such changes, we're interrupted by a loud roaring noise. Above us, a Tiger Moth biplane circles the farm. Smith laughs - his grandfather used to fly Tiger Moths in 1939. Unlike a modern travel guide, the authors of the 1939 Penguin county guides do not offer the holidaymaker a list of bed and breakfasts or recommended restaurants. The emphasis, as James Mackay from the Penguin Collectors Society points out, seems to be "not so much on getting out and doing things, but rather just getting on to the next place". As well as assuming a certain level of knowledge from readers and a desire for personal improvement, the guides also expect their readers to share more or less the same views. They can be "quite judgemental and not just objective and factual", says Mackay. Find out more Take, for example, the lament of Winbolt in wishing that "Kent coal had not begun to disfigure with its collieries… the sequestered countryside West of Deal". There's an understandable flash of irritation in Jim Davis's eyes when I read this phrase out loud to him. Davis was Kent's last working miner and he spent over 30 years working underground. We meet in the village of Aylesham, built specially in the 1930s to house Kent's mining community. "People forget we had pits here at all," he says. There were four pits open in the county in 1939 and they employed hundreds of men from all over the country, including his own father who travelled from Wales. "Kent became a melting pot," he says. "We ended up with our own dialect. Even today you can always tell a person from Aylesham because they have a nice soft accent that's a mixture of Geordie and Welsh." Our Penguin guide may have tut-tutted at the scars that the pits left on Kent's landscape but now a big mining heritage museum is being planned at Betteshanger to make sure no-one forgets Kent's role in the coal industry. Davis is a trustee. In the beautiful town of Sandwich, where I take lunch, Winbolt seems much more at home in the "quaint, narrow, irregular streets curving aimlessly hither and thither". I try 15 times or so to record myself speaking on the main street but roaring, throbbing traffic and an enormous party of German tourists admiring photographs in the estate agents' windows drown out my voice at each attempt. "At Sandwich, the wheel of life swings slow," claims Winbolt, before adding sniffily: "Except at the hours when tourists descend from big coaches in the market place." Driving south towards Dover, where my guide promises that "chalk hills and sea breezes combine to invigorate", I'm struck by how many signs there are for the Channel Tunnel and ferry terminals, and imagine how different the holidays of our 1939 travellers would have been had the tunnel existed pre-World War Two. In an uncharacteristically indulgent moment, Winbolt suggests I take a picnic and sprawl on a rug overlooking the sunny channel. And it's here on the top of the white cliffs, at the National Trust park overlooking the ferry terminal, that I meet journalist and Dover freeman Terry Sutton. "The beach and seafront were so peaceful when I was a 10-year-old child in 1939," he reminisces. "Now we have the A20 running alongside it and 2.5 million lorries coming through Dover every year." Terry remembers being sent to the shops as a small boy when there were 28 bakers in Dover's town centre, 25 butchers and 40 greengrocers. Now, he says, it's all "nail bars and tanning salons". Dover's population has dwindled since World War Two - the garrison and pits meant that in 1939 there were some 40,000 inhabitants, whereas today there are only around 30,000. Air travel, Terry reminds me, killed Dover's importance. "In 1939, anyone who was anyone came into the country via Dover - and they were often wealthy people… but after air travel, the port lost its importance. The lorries bring wealth, of course, to the area, but we've lost the tourism, really." Regrettably, I don't have time to visit the splendid castle today but I tell Terry I will just whizz past the Regency terraces on the seafront, which my guide recommends, before I leave. Terry shakes his head. "A lot didn't survive the shelling and bombing," he warns me. "You'll still see lots of little holes all over this town where properties got destroyed." The sun's out now as I stroll across the shingle beach and a few hardy swimmers are braving the water, while little boys with fishing nets tentatively search for crabs and seaweed. A small child cries inconsolably as her ice-cream cone tumbles from her pushchair and someone, lying on his back against the warm pebbles, is whistling a nursery rhyme. Suddenly 1939 doesn't seem that long ago. But how poignant for those holidaymakers of 80 years ago, perhaps proudly clutching their brand new Penguin guides in their hands, that it should all end so brutally with the onset of war. Although they would have been aware of the preparations being made for conflict, the books' authors give us no hint that war is coming. And when it did come, that was the end of the Penguin County guides - they were immediately withdrawn from sale, because of the risk of the detailed area maps falling into enemy hands. Among the guide's sparse illustrations, an impatient penguin with a walking stick hurries along his friend who's stopped to admire a view or a building. Like their author, perhaps the penguins too knew that the time for holidaying was running out. "Remember this book is selective, not exhaustive," apologises Winbolt. "And bear with me if some of your favourite villages or routes are not included. There are just dozens to which I should have loved to guide you." Join the conversation - find us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

1939 में, नव स्थापित पेंगुइन बुक्स ने अपने ट्रेडमार्क पेपरबैक फिक्शन और पेलिकन गैर-फिक्शन शीर्षकों से अलग होकर यूके ट्रैवल गाइडों पर अपना हाथ आजमाने का फैसला किया। एम्मा जेन किर्बी ने अपने हाथ में एक गाइड के पहले संस्करण के साथ केंट का दौरा किया, यह देखने के लिए कि द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के बाद से ब्रिटेन कितना बदल गया है।


Swimmers 'self-rescue' after Dorset coastguard call

Summary: Coastguard rescue teams were deployed after reports several swimmers got into difficulty in water off the Jurassic coast.

Lifeboat crews were sent to Durdle Door and Stair Hole in Dorset after some members of a group of 15 swimmers required assistance just after midday. The coastguard said all swimmers were accounted for after they "self-rescued" at various points along the coastline. Crowds have flocked to the area after lockdown restrictions were eased. Related Internet Links Maritime and Coastguard Agency

जुरासिक तट पर कई तैराकों को पानी में कठिनाई होने की सूचना के बाद तटरक्षक बचाव दलों को तैनात किया गया था।


Are women turning their back on the pill?

Summary: More women than ever are ditching the pill and condoms in favour of "long-acting reversible contraceptives", including the implant or coil. And younger women are the biggest adopters, according to figures from the NHS in England.

By Rachel SchraerBBC News In 2007, 21% of women in England accessing contraception through dedicated NHS sexual health clinics chose some kind of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC). By 2017, this had almost doubled to 39%. The LARCs include: While oral contraceptives like the pill remain by far the most common single type of contraception - used by 44% of women accessing contraception through sexual health services - their use has fallen in the last 10 years. Prescriptions through primary care services including GPs have also fallen. So why are more women seeking alternative forms of contraception? From around 2010 onwards, the NHS in England made a concerted effort to increase awareness of long-acting contraceptives and to train more staff to fit them. But as more women become aware of a wider range of options, more are asking for longer-term and non-hormonal options, says Dr Anatole Menon-Johansson, of Guy's and St Thomas' hospital and the young person's sexual health charity Brook. "The most effective form of marketing of contraception is peer to peer, by word of mouth. There's a 'cascade' effect, where people hear about it from their friends who've had a good experience, then more people ask for it," he says. Rosa, a 25-year-old now living in Spain who has switched to the coil, said: "I wanted a more permanent form of contraception that I didn't have to think about." While Sara, 27, switched because: "With the pill, it's a drama. You have to get a new prescription, you forget, and then you run out." And running out is the most common reason women will become pregnant while relying on the pill as contraception, says Dr Menon-Johansson. He wants LARCs use to become more widespread still, because he says they are far more effective than "user-dependent" alternatives like condoms and the pill - especially when you look at typical use. While in theory the pill is more than 99% effective with perfect use, with typical use that falls to about 91%, according to the NHS. This is just regarding pregnancy prevention - condoms remain the only option to protect against most sexually-transmitted infections. The Pearl Index is a measure of the effectiveness of contraception with typical - including incorrect - use. According to that: But Sara reports having another common contraception concern, too: "I was worried about my mental health," she says. "I worried it was to do with the pill. I asked my doctor but they said no, it won't do that." In recent years, concerns have been growing around the link between oral contraception and depression. More women participating in a 2016 study who were taking the pill were diagnosed with depression for the first time over a 13-year period than those who were not. However, the researchers could not prove causation and professionals still stress that there is no evidence for a causal link - although the NHS does list "mood swings" as a side-effect of the combined hormonal pill, which contains both oestrogen and progesterone. Dr Menon-Johansson says he fits lots of IUDs for women who want something that is hormone-free, often because of mental health concerns, although again he emphasises that there is no clear data to link the two. For many women in their 20s, hormonal contraception has been part of their routine since they were teenagers. And some feel they have never experienced their adult life without taking something that is potentially mood-altering. Gabrielle became aware that she did not know what her mental state was like without taking hormones, having been on the pill since the age of 18. "I was more just wondering what it was doing to me and what I'd be like not on it," she says. She now wants to try a diaphragm, but said her GP surgery "hadn't even heard of it". Natika Halil, chief executive of the Family Planning Association, warns that there is a lot of misinformation around contraception. While some women have concerns about taking hormones long-term, or taking a pill which means they do not have periods, Ms Halil says: "People shouldn't be scared. Contraceptive methods have really improved over the last 20 or 30 years." Ms Halil says the pill can actually be beneficial for many women, for everything from their skin to their mood, although long-acting contraception is not the right option for everyone. Alyssia, 26, had a largely good experience on the pill, but said that after 10 years she wanted to try something containing fewer hormones. However, the hormonal coil "didn't sit well" with her, and she now wants to have it removed. 'Misinformation' Charlotte, 27, has polycystic ovary syndrome and went on the combined pill at the age of 15. "I tried lots of different combined pills but felt they all turned me a bit crazy and made me emotionally unstable. I then went on the progesterone-only pill but I bled constantly. "I was told the [hormonal] coil would be perfect. Unfortunately I bled the entire time I had this in as well," she told the BBC. Dr Esti Acha, clinical lead for contraception and sexual health services for St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals, says the NHS guidelines are meant to ensure clinicians discuss all the options with their patients. And when they do, many women who come in for the pill decide to opt for something different. Patients now ask her for LARCs - a big change from 20 years ago when women only knew to request the pill. The pill represented a social revolution when it became available almost 60 years ago, but a new generation of women want more choice. And despite different experiences, almost all of the women we spoke to said that was one change they had noticed - a shift in what was offered to them, from a very heavy focus on the pill to a much greater inclination to discuss the alternatives.

इंग्लैंड में एन. एच. एस. के आंकड़ों के अनुसार, पहले से कहीं अधिक महिलाएं प्रत्यारोपण या कुंडल सहित "लंबे समय तक काम करने वाले प्रतिवर्ती गर्भ निरोधकों" के पक्ष में गोली और कंडोम को छोड़ रही हैं। और युवा महिलाएं सबसे बड़ी गोद लेने वाली हैं।


Kevin and Julia Garratt on their experience as detainees in China

Summary: Canadian couple Kevin and Julia Garratt were detained in China in 2014 and accused of spying. Amid an escalating feud between Canada and China and allegations of retaliatory detentions, the pair tells the BBC about what it was like - and how they ever made it home.

By Jessica MurphyBBC News, Toronto Kevin Garratt remembers well the night he and Julia were arrested in north-eastern China. He recalls being pulled away from his wife as they walked through a restaurant's downstairs lobby, and pushed into the back of a black sedan filled with burly officers. He thought the whole thing was some terrible mistake. Julia, forced into a separate sedan, found herself shaking in fear and shock at the sudden turn of events, and the drive in the darkness. She thought: "This is going to be my last night. "I don't think I've ever felt that level of fear and panic before. And also just sad for my family and my children, because there was no warning, there would be no chance to say goodbye." The Garratts had lived in China since 1984, and from 2008 operated a coffee house popular with Western expats and tourists in Dandong, a city on the North Korean border, while continuing to carry out Christian aid work. But unbeknownst to either of them, early in 2014 and thousands of miles away, American authorities were launching a crackdown on Chinese cyber-espionage. One of the men in their sights was Su Bin, a Chinese resident working in Canada. That June, Canadian authorities picked up Su, accused of stealing data about military projects and selling it to China, for extradition to the US. While China has denied it, Canadian officials and observers believed the Garratts' arrest was a tit-for-tat detention and an attempt to pressure Canada for Su's release. Canada's ambassador in Beijing at the time, Guy Saint-Jacques, describes them as "a couple of Canadian missionaries who had been in China 30 years doing good work". He tells the BBC their arrest "was the first case where we saw a clear retaliation for something that had happened in Canada". When he met counterparts at the foreign ministry about the case, Saint-Jacques recalls: "They never said directly 'let's do a swap.' But it was very clear what they wanted." On the night of the Garratts' arrest - the beginning of months of detention for the pair - they had been invited for dinner by a friend of a friend, who told the couple they wanted to talk about their daughter going to study in Canada. But something about the dinner felt strange. "It didn't seem genuine, and the daughter never came," Kevin says. Julia says it was only later they realised the whole evening had been a set-up for their arrest. "It was very carefully thought through and planned in advance. We had no idea," she says. Parts of the couple's story could be pulled directly from today's headlines. In December, Chinese telecoms executive Meng Wanzhou, 46, was detained in Vancouver for allegedly breaking US sanctions against Iran. This week, the US filed charges against Huawei and Meng, and the US is seeking her extradition. Both Huawei and Meng have rejected the allegations. Following Meng's arrest came threats of "grave consequences" from China if the tech heiress and chief finance officer at Huawei, China's largest private company, was not released. In mid-December, two Canadian men - former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor - were held in China on accusations of harming national security. Like in the Garratts' case, their detention is seen by many China analysts as a reprisal. The Garratts' experience in detention parallels what Canadian officials and others have suggested that Kovrig and Spavor are living through - daily interrogations, being kept in a room with lights on day and night. "I don't know what they did or didn't do, but I know what they're going through right now," says Julia. The Garratts say they were never physically harmed but were watched by guards around the clock, and had to request the most basic necessities when they needed them. "You want a drink of water, they have to go get it for it. Brush your teeth, they get it for you. It's really meant to frighten and control you," says Kevin. Julia says the first few nights, she put a blanket over her eyes to block the light, but the guard pulled it down. "I thought: 'That's a rule, I can't cover my face to sleep in the dark, they need the lights shining in my face.' They had very strict protocol." They also experienced daily interrogations for up to six hours. Tit for tat arrests Their interrogators had a decade of details about their time in China and their travels, and asked over and over about the minutia of their activities - the why, the when, and the where. Whom they met. "They would ask the same questions two month later and compare the answers," says Julia. "It's very, very gruelling." Some four years later, they have documented their experience in a book, Two Tears on the Window, published in November. Devout Christians, they say prayer and the support of both their close family and the wider church community helped them through their time in detention. "I had the sense that my peace cannot be stolen from me, my true freedom cannot be stolen from me. And I think there was great comfort in that," says Julia. She was released on bail in February 2015, pending trial. In January 2016, still in detention, Kevin was charged with stealing state secrets. A month later, Su waived extradition and headed to the US, where in March he pleaded guilty to hacking into major US defence contractors, stealing sensitive military data and sending it to China. Saint-Jacques says that Chinese officials seemed taken by surprise by Su's decision to cut a deal with American officials. He believes that turn of events, combined with a visit to China by Justin Trudeau, during which the newly elected PM raised Kevin's case, were instrumental in securing Kevin's release. He was deported to Canada in September 2016 after 775 days in detention, and reunited with Julia, who had left the country earlier that year. Meanwhile, Meng's case continues to strain China's ties with Canada and the US. Chinese officials have called her arrest a "serious mistake", accusing Canada of double standards and "Western egotism and white supremacy". She is out on bail and under house arrest in Vancouver, where she owns property. She is next due in court on 6 March, but the case could possibly drag on for years. It also comes amid growing scrutiny in Western countries over Huawei, which is a world leader in telecoms infrastructure, in particular the next generation of mobile phone networks, known as 5G. Concern about the security of the company's technology has been growing, particularly in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany, which fear its products could be used for spying, an allegation which Huawei denies. Amid the diplomatic dispute, Canada has worked to rally international allies to its corner. Earlier this month, over 140 diplomats - including Saint-Jacques - and academics signed an open letter to President Xi Jinping calling for the release of Kovrig and Spavor. Canada also fired ambassador John McCallum on Sunday following controversial comments he made about Meng's extradition case. For the Garratts, despite the international significance of cases such as theirs, it's important to remember that individuals and their families have got caught up in the dispute. "The human cost is huge. That's the largest cost that's paid by the individuals that are directly implicated, unjustly implicated by these big things," she says.

कनाडाई दंपति केविन और जूलिया गैरेट को 2014 में चीन में हिरासत में लिया गया था और उन पर जासूसी का आरोप लगाया गया था। कनाडा और चीन के बीच बढ़ते झगड़े और जवाबी हिरासत के आरोपों के बीच, यह जोड़ी बीबीसी को बताती है कि यह कैसा था-और कैसे उन्होंने कभी इसे घर बनाया।


Even a dead Robert Mugabe could stand in Zimbabwe election - wife

Summary: The wife of Zimbabwe's 92-year-old President, Robert Mugabe, has said that he is so popular that if he died, he could run as a corpse in next year's election and still win votes.

Grace Mugabe, 51, was addressing a rally of the governing Zanu-PF party. Mr Mugabe has governed Zimbabwe since the end of white-minority rule in 1980 following a bitterly fought war. His wife, who has often professed her undying loyalty to her husband, has assumed an increasingly high profile. "One day when God decides that Mugabe dies, we will have his corpse appear as a candidate on the ballot paper," Mrs Mugabe told the rally in Buhera, south-east of the capital Harare. "You will see people voting for Mugabe as a corpse. I am seriously telling you - just to show people how people love their president." President Mugabe has been backed by his party to stand again in next year's election, but recently cut back on his public engagements. Grace Mugabe has warned contemporaries of Mr Mugabe from the guerrilla war era that they are not in a position to replace him because they likewise would be too old. "Anyone who was with Mugabe in 1980 has no right to tell him he is old. If you want Mugabe to go, then you leave together. You also have to leave. Then we take over because we were not there in 1980," she said, gesticulating towards herself. Last September, the president was rumoured to have died after he reportedly cut short his attendance of an AU summit to fly to Dubai for a health check. Mr Mugabe later joked about the rumours, saying he indeed died but was only resurrected.

जिम्बाब्वे के 92 वर्षीय राष्ट्रपति रॉबर्ट मुगाबे की पत्नी ने कहा है कि वह इतने लोकप्रिय हैं कि अगर उनकी मृत्यु हो जाती है, तो वह अगले साल के चुनाव में एक लाश के रूप में भाग ले सकते हैं और फिर भी वोट जीत सकते हैं।


Broadford Works urban village plan rejected by Aberdeen councillors

Summary: Plans for an urban village on a former industrial site in Aberdeen have been rejected by councillors.

Owner Ian Suttie's plans for more than 500 homes at Broadford Works were turned down on the grounds of a lack of affordable housing, over-development, the potential impact on roads, and a lack of community facilities. Officials had recommended approval. Members of the development management sub committee rejected the plans by a margin of eight to four. The derelict former Richards textiles mill has become a target for vandals and fireraisers.

एबरडीन में एक पूर्व औद्योगिक स्थल पर एक शहरी गाँव की योजनाओं को पार्षदों द्वारा खारिज कर दिया गया है।


Nama sell repossessed County Down castle

Summary: A County Down castle that was repossessed by the Irish government's National Asset Management Agency (Nama) has been agreed for sale.

Quintin castle in Portaferry was last owned by the property developer Paul Neill who bought it in 2006 for £3.75m. Nama placed it into receivership in 2012 and it was on sale with an asking price of £1.65m It is not known who the new owners are, or how much they paid. The Anglo-Norman castle was originally built in the 12th Century by John De Courcy. At one stage it was virtually a ruin but was restored in the 19th Century and Mr Neill carried out further renovations.

एक काउंटी डाउन महल जिसे आयरिश सरकार की राष्ट्रीय संपत्ति प्रबंधन एजेंसी (नामा) द्वारा फिर से कब्जा कर लिया गया था, बिक्री के लिए सहमत हो गया है।


Peaky Blinders descends on Black Country Living Museum

Summary: BBC drama Peaky Blinders - named after the 19th Century razor-wielding Birmingham gang - is marketed with brooding star Cillian Murphy telling his adversaries: "This is our city." But how much of it is actually filmed there?

By Andrew DawkinsBBC News in the West Midlands It was almost like any other Wednesday for the public at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley. But this time the canal, the rolling mill and the anchor forge - all telling the story of the Industrial Revolution - were cordoned off for a TV show costing about £1m an episode. Peaky Blinders' gang leader Thomas Shelby, or rather the show's star Cillian Murphy, was in town, along with about 100 others milling around - everyone from cast and crew to drivers, caterers and horsemen. The museum is actually about 12 miles away from what it is portraying for TV - a 1920s scrap metals merchant in Small Heath in Birmingham called Charles Strong, named after a real person and a friend of the drama writer's grandfather. But at least these three days of filming have been in the West Midlands. The other outdoor scenes took place over four months in Liverpool, in Manchester, at a secret location in the South and in rural areas with no pylons getting in the way of the cameras. One of the show's extras was Kevin Lowe, a 54-year-old nail maker at the museum who had to teach two Peaky Blinders' actors how to be a blacksmith by "hitting a few horseshoes". New Birmingham actors Putting the museum worker in front of the cameras was part of the show's efforts to get more local people on screen after criticism of the first series for some of the cast's "dodgy" West Midlands accents. The show's writer and creator, Steven Knight, is a Birmingham City FC fan, with family from Small Heath, whose father was a blacksmith. And to research the accent, Cillian Murphy has previously recorded Mr Knight's old school mates talking while out drinking and played the sound back "over and over and over again," the writer said. But overall in series one, director Colm McCarthy conceded "there was a struggle with the accents the first time around". He said in the first series "a lot of people were cast at the last minute" and were "having to play catch up" with the accents, but this time they have two new actors with Birmingham accents after auditions in the city. Mr McCarthy said in March: "Because obviously there's a lot of returning characters this year... rather than being cast and locked into place two weeks before filming started, we knew that they were doing it before Christmas and they've been working with a coach since then." Mr Knight stressed it was "a very difficult accent to get right, even harder than Geordie". He stated: "I've said from the very beginning, the performance comes first. "There's nothing worse than when you restrict an actor and say 'no, your vowels have got longer'... You've got to let the actor do their performance." The second series, including film star Tom Hardy, begins in 1922 on the day the British Empire was "the biggest it ever was" when Birmingham was "the manufacturing heart" of it, according to the programme makers. They revealed the drama now extends to London, Derby and Doncaster, but was still a predominantly Birmingham story. Although Liverpool is actually the outdoor filming location for the Shelby family home in Watery Lane, Small Heath - thanks to Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. He bought three streets to stop where he was born being knocked down, Mr Knight said. The writer added it was "very tricky" to find uninhabited streets "accurate to the time" that were not about to be demolished - and following bombing in World War Two, the museum was the show's only Midlands filming location "because of Hitler really". Producer Laurie Borg said: "I'd love to say quite honestly, look, we'd love to shoot the whole thing in Birmingham. I just don't believe that the locations exist any more. "I think up in the North, whereby [there are] docks and... a lot of the mills, there's a lot of stuff sitting around and it's just easier quite honestly for us to find that material." And while Charlie Strong's yard, where contraband is stored in the story, may be just one part of the series, for the Birmingham creator it is "the heart of it". Mr Knight said: "When I was a kid... it was like going to Aladdin's cave times a thousand... gypsies, canal boat people, very ornate, lots of earrings, lot of gold, lots of really well-dressed men and women. "I remember going there and everybody around the fire and it was like stepping into the 19th Century."

बीबीसी नाटक पीकी ब्लाइंडर्स-जिसका नाम 19वीं शताब्दी के रेजर चलाने वाले बर्मिंघम गिरोह के नाम पर रखा गया है-का विपणन किया जाता है और स्टार सिलियन मर्फी अपने विरोधियों से कहते हैंः "यह हमारा शहर है।" लेकिन वास्तव में इसका कितना हिस्सा वहाँ फिल्माया गया है?


VE Day celebrations: The UK marks 75th anniversary

Summary: People across the UK have marked the 75th anniversary of VE Day amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Millions of people throughout the country fell silent at 11:00 BST on Friday to remember those who served in World War Two. Friday marks 75 years since the formal acceptance by Britain and its allies of Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender. All pictures are subject to copyright.

ब्रिटेन भर में लोगों ने चल रहे कोरोनावायरस महामारी के बीच वी. ई. दिवस की 75वीं वर्षगांठ मनाई है।


An intriguing investment comes amid the economic gloom

Summary: They may be smart, but are they any good as phones? A Chinese company is looking to Scottish tech skills to improve the quality of microphones It arrives as the UK government finds yet more crisis funding for new technology firms The Scottish government wants to see more flexibility in Downing Street's support for business

Douglas FraserBusiness/economy editor, Scotland The old "dog 'n' bone" is back. For decades use of the phone was in long-term decline but the lockdown has sparked a boon in, socially distant, conversations. It's been a good few weeks for telecoms in general, as terabytes of data have kept us working and entertained. Companies like Zoom have found a ready and eager new audience for its conference call software. But the art of conversation relies on quality of sound. And it's one of the curiosities of modern telephony that the thing that seems to work least reliably, or least clearly, is the speaking and listening bit. Help may be on its way along with some good news for the Scottish technology sector. A Chinese company, called AAC Technologies, has announced that Edinburgh is to be the site of its new research centre. The firm is talking only six Scottish jobs to start with, but they might push that up to 20. As with so many of the small tech operations, this one is tapping the ecosystem of skills in and orbiting around Edinburgh University. That institution spun out Wolfson Microelectronics, a listed company bought over six years ago by Cirrus Logic. And now, AAC is recruiting from the pool of talent that worked at Wolfson, starting with the boss of the new Edinburgh centre, Colin Jenkins. Their mission is to improve the Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) that function as microphones in a modern smart phone. As explained to me by David Plekenpol, AAC's chief strategic officer, a smart phone now has five or six of these systems embedded in it. Some do the conventional job of picking up sound, but more are busily tracking sound in order to deaden it, or to cancel out background noise with clever sound wave technology. The applications are widespread. The autonomous car of the near future will be loaded with such MEMS, as a means of interacting with the passengers, and as a way of controlling sound and soundproofing the interior. The days of the computer keyboard may be numbered, at least in its current form, as voice controls become more common. As a broadcaster, I am regularly astonished at the quality of sound that can be captured by a basic smart phone, sometimes when you're not even aware where the microphone can be found. I asked Mr Plekenpol whether the phone experience will improve as a result of the effort AAC is putting into MEMS, which it then sells on to the major phone manufacturers. "That's down to the consumer," he said. It'll improve when phone users demand it. In recent, years, they have demanded ever improving functionality with cameras. If they make the same fuss about the quality of microphone, then the manufacturers will be sure to respond. A tech-shaped future founded by crisis loans? So why mention this now? For one thing, it's a pleasant and rare experience to be able to report on something positive happening in the economy of April 2020. It's also because, amid the vast outpouring of borrowed government funds to get Britain through the Covid-19 crisis, something quite significant has happened. AAC Technologies is too big and international to benefit directly, but that eco-system from which it now draws is getting a £1bn injection of rescue cash, in loans and grants, to address the needs of start-up firms in bio-science and technology. Because they are often too far from the market to be able to turn to banks for funding, and because they are usually some way from making profit, the emergency government schemes to help business with grants and loan guarantees have not been reaching them. So two elements have been announced by the UK government: one to back up larger tech firms which are already established in raising venture capital. Some £250m has been committed there, with £250m private sector matching funds ( though some sceptics think it should have achieved more private buy-in). A further £750m is to help smaller firms: those already being backed by Innovate UK (as the name suggests, the government's innovation agency) and grants for those research-rich start-ups that haven't yet come within its orbit. The obvious significance of this is that these companies are the seedbed for future growth and technology developments. At least as significant is that the government is stepping up its use of risk funds in the sector, in tune with the rhetoric we've been hearing from the prime minister. If loans aren't paid back, they're to be convertible into equity. Innovate UK has already established its role in this, in 13 years investing £2.5 billion, alongside private investors. Although much of the Boris Johnson agenda - levelling up the regions of England, an infrastructure bonanza, and trade deals post-Brexit - could be blown off course by the health crisis, here is another part of what he wants to achieve, getting some funding that should have an impact long after the crisis is over. There's widespread agreement on that. Those free market Conservatives who thought government has no role in backing and picking winners seem to be silent. Questions over the current approach But is it enough? The Scottish government's economy secretary, Fiona Hyslop, has broken with the co-operative vibes coming out of those Cobra meetings, to question the support Downing Street is offering business. While there are criticisms of the way the Scottish government business grants are working, this Holyrood minister has concerns that the new scheme for technology start-ups may fail to work alongside Scotland's economic development agencies. They ought to know many of those firms better than Innovate UK. She has written to the Chancellor, pushing also for more flexibility on the furlough scheme, to plug gaps in his offer made to the self-employed, and to "accelerate" the roll-out of loans to business - so far only reaching 12,000 companies. There is pressure on the Chancellor to increase the extent of government loan guarantees from 80% to 100%. This would remove banks' concern that their loan book could be impaired if those loans turn sour. But Rishi Sunak has said he is not persuaded. In trying to save the economy from going over the Covid cliff, such rules keep moving, and the costs keep rising.

वे स्मार्ट हो सकते हैं, लेकिन क्या वे फोन की तरह अच्छे हैं? एक चीनी कंपनी माइक्रोफोन की गुणवत्ता में सुधार के लिए स्कॉटिश तकनीकी कौशल की तलाश कर रही है यह तब आता है जब यूके सरकार को नई प्रौद्योगिकी फर्मों के लिए और अधिक संकट वित्त पोषण मिलता है स्कॉटिश सरकार व्यवसाय के लिए डाउनिंग स्ट्रीट के समर्थन में अधिक लचीलापन देखना चाहती है


Israeli press sees Netanyahu's political future in peril

Summary: With banner headlines splashing the word "bribery" across their front pages, Israeli newspapers were filled with commentaries on 14 February, predicting the eventual political demise of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after police recommended his indictment on corruption charges.

By BBC MonitoringThe world through its media Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and denounced the case against him as biased and full of holes. "Last night Benjamin Netanyahu began the countdown to the end of his political life," wrote Aluf Benn, editor of the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper, in a front-page column. "He made clear that he will not leave the stage without a fight, that nothing will come of it, and that he will be re-elected. But what was important was what he did not say: he did not deny the facts published by the police. "In the end his fate will be decided by his political coalition partners… In the coming days they will have to explain to the public why they are propping up… a leader who preaches corruption on prime time, and not dispatching him to fight for his innocence without the heavy load of leading the country… Even if he buys more time in his post, the weight of suspicion will defeat him." Writing in the centrist Maariv daily, Udi Segal predicted that "a cloud will hover over Netanyahu every step of the way. Everywhere, in every diplomatic move or military campaign, there will be doubts whether he is doing it for legitimate reasons, or because of police suspicions". In another column in Maariv, Ben Caspit said that Netanyahu's ultimate fate, in the hands of political allies who could bolt his governing coalition, "will only become clear in the street, in the polls, in the critical mass in the hearts and minds of Israeli citizens who still believe that Israel deserves an honest prime minister." 'On his way down' Writing in the mass-circulation centrist Yediot Ahronot daily, columnist Sima Kadmon described Netanyahu as "on his way down". "Even the sceptics, those who believe that there is no pit Netanyahu cannot extricate himself from, understand that this is the beginning of the end," Ms Kadmon said. "Despite Netanyahu's promises that he will contest the next elections that will take place as scheduled, it is doubtful that deep inside he believes this. He understands that even among his avowed supporters there will be few who buy the version he tried to peddle last night, according to which the police, headed by chief Roni Alsheikh, are conspiring to unseat him." Nahum Barnea, a leading columnist in Yediot Ahronot, said that Netanyahu should "suspend himself until the attorney general makes his decisions regarding the indictments". "The state is more important than the prime minister," he added. Echoing that sentiment, Yoaz Hendel, a former communications director for Mr Netanyahu, wrote in Yediot Ahronot: "Israel is more important than any person, including a prime minister. That is why the responsibility rests with Attorney General Mandelblit … that is why he has has to end it quickly, whatever the outcome." Pro-Netanyahu paper defends PM Alone in their defence of the prime minister were columnists for Yisrael Hayom, a free pro-Netanyahu tabloid funded by the prime minister's backer, American casino magnate Sheldon Adelson. One writer labelled the police probe "political investigations". "Now that the police have completed their work, they should keep their distance, stop the leaks, and enable the process to continue to its resolution," said columnist Chaim Schein. "Now the responsibility rests with the attorney general. It can only be hoped that he has the emotional strength and courage to face a hostile media and desperate politicians, who will make every effort to topple the right-wing government without elections." The Israeli Arab media withheld independent comment, instead quoting reactions in the Hebrew press. BBC Monitoring reports and analyses news from TV, radio, web and print media around the world. You can follow BBC Monitoring on Twitter and Facebook.

अपने पहले पृष्ठों पर "रिश्वतखोरी" शब्द के बैनर के साथ, इजरायली समाचार पत्र 14 फरवरी को टिप्पणियों से भरे हुए थे, जिसमें प्रधान मंत्री बेंजामिन नेतन्याहू के अंतिम राजनीतिक निधन की भविष्यवाणी की गई थी, जब पुलिस ने भ्रष्टाचार के आरोपों पर उनके अभियोग की सिफारिश की थी।


The women who were 'blamed' after miscarriages

Summary: Losing a baby is among the most traumatic experiences a woman can face. But what happens in communities where a finger of blame is sometimes pointed at women? Three women from the south Asian community, including one who claimed the subject was a "taboo", have said they were left feeling shame and isolation after suffering miscarriage and stillbirth. They spoke to the BBC about their experiences.

By Raj Bilkhu & Lisa WrightBBC News *Name has been changed Nisha*, a Hindu woman from Coventry, suffered three miscarriages Nisha said: "Some superstitions were attached to the losses. "My in-laws brought a holy woman into the house and she stated the losses were boys and this was the result of outside negativity. "At the time, when I had the miscarriages, I did believe it. I did think it was black magic because I didn't want the cause to be me. "I was desperate to find some reasoning." She added: "But later, saying the loss was intentional did hit home. "I felt angry that the loss of boys was implied as more valuable than if they were girls. "I was also scared that someone or something is out there to hurt me and my unborn children. "Our community respond to it as 'nazar', or black magic, and they make a bigger deal about it than it actually is." Sadia*, a Muslim from Birmingham, had two miscarriages within three months Sadia said: "My mother-in-law shared it [news of the miscarriages] with her Islamic scholar and came back and said 'you really need to think about what you are eating'. "That was essentially placing all the blame on me. "We need to talk openly about taboo subjects like miscarriage and stillbirth. "If we are not talking about them, how can we open our minds to understanding what the different explanations for them might be?" Sarbjit*, a Sikh from Wolverhampton, suffered a miscarriage and then a stillbirth She said: "I felt, is it something that I've done? I started to question 'could it be me and could that be passed on?'" Sarbjit's extended family banned an unmarried girl from being near her for 45 days, for fear that she could suffer the same fate. She added: "For some reason the elders said what had happened to me could be passed on to them as they are not married yet, so that's why it was a bit of a taboo. "I was like, 'hold on I can't be dealing with this'. At this stage with what's happened to me, I need support. "If I don't get support from the immediate family, where else am I going to get support from? "I find within our community, it's a subject that nobody wants to talk about." Dr Manjeet Shehmar, gynaecology and theatres clinical director at Birmingham Women's Hospital, said she had heard of the mindset among the South Asian community, but women did not overtly bring it up. She said: "The sort of things they might ask us is if there is anything they may have done to bring on the miscarriage or stillbirth, and ask in a more generic way. "I think it is a cultural thing and it is something to do with old wives' tales." She continued: "Because of this mentality, women don't feel they can speak out when they have these kind of experiences. "What you do find is that across all cultures women find it difficult to talk about miscarriage. "But, certainly, with the South Asian community people don't tend to talk about miscarriage and families are expected to just get on with it." Where to get help coping with baby loss Infertility specialist Dr Geetha Venkat, from Harley Street Fertility Clinic, said: "I've come across this with many patients. Some people believe it's supernatural - a curse. "But scientifically, none of this makes sense. We have to educate people in our community. "It is all based around false beliefs and and there is no scientific basis." She said: "We don't know how it started, but it has been there for ages and some people blindly follow these things without any basis." She added that women were often reluctant to come forward as they were isolated by their communities found it "difficult to interact because everybody blames her". Listen to Sarbjit, Nisha and Sadia speaking to BBC Asian Network

एक बच्चे को खोना सबसे दर्दनाक अनुभवों में से एक है जिसका एक महिला सामना कर सकती है। लेकिन उन समुदायों में क्या होता है जहां कभी-कभी महिलाओं पर दोष की उंगली उठाई जाती है? दक्षिण एशियाई समुदाय की तीन महिलाओं, जिनमें से एक ने दावा किया कि यह विषय "वर्जित" था, ने कहा है कि वे गर्भपात और मृत जन्म से पीड़ित होने के बाद शर्म और अलगाव महसूस कर रही थीं। उन्होंने अपने अनुभवों के बारे में बीबीसी से बात की।


Bridlington transformed for Dad's Army film set

Summary: An East Yorkshire seaside town had its moment in the spotlight as a backdrop to scenes in the new Dad's Army film.

Hundreds of residents appeared as extras in scenes shot in Bridlington's high street earlier. The movie's production team transformed the Old Town into the fictional Walmington-on-Sea in the 1940s. Cast members Bill Nighy, Toby Jones, Sir Tom Courteney and Sir Michael Gambon joined more than 300 extras to create a St George's Day parade. Filming started last month and the cast has been spotted at various locations on the Yorkshire coast over the last few weeks. The original TV show ran from 1968 to 1977, attracting 18 million viewers at its height.

नई डैड्स आर्मी फिल्म के दृश्यों की पृष्ठभूमि के रूप में एक पूर्वी यॉर्कशायर समुद्र तटीय शहर सुर्खियों में रहा।


Coronavirus overwhelms hospitals in war-ravaged Afghanistan

Summary: As coronavirus spreads in Afghanistan, the cracks in the country's healthcare system - already weakened by decades of war - are starting to show. BBC Pakistan and Afghanistan Correspondent Secunder Kermani reports on the country's worsening Covid-19 crisis.

By Secunder KermaniBBC News When Ahmad Shah's wife developed coronavirus symptoms, he tried to take her to one of Kabul's government hospitals. But free beds are in short supply in the city, and resources are desperately stretched. Even though she was experiencing breathing difficulties, doctors advised Mr Shah to treat her at home himself. "One told me, 'If you truly love her, please take her home and do the treatment there," Mr Shah told the BBC. He bought his own oxygen supply and mask. Demand has been so high during the pandemic that the price of cylinders has doubled in recent weeks. They now cost around £200. "It's very hard to find oxygen these days," Mr Shah said. "It's not just expensive but you need to know someone in the company selling it to be able to buy it." Doctors say the already weak healthcare system in the war-torn country is struggling to cope with the pressure of Covid-19. Concerns have been raised about the supply of oxygen and other resources to government hospitals. A doctor in Kabul described patients' families having to "fight for oxygen" when cylinders arrived, before bringing it to the intensive care unit themselves. There are issues with testing too. Low levels of testing suggest there are "substantially" more Covid-19 cases than the official figures, according to World Health Organization (WHO) representative for Afghanistan, Dr Rik Peeperkorn. About 31,000 infections have been recorded to date. Close to half of all tests conducted so far have been positive, one of the highest rates in the world. Dr Peeperkorn told the BBC the number of test laboratories would be expanded from 11 to 21 in the "coming months" and called for greater "global solidarity" in ensuring a regular supply of the necessary equipment. One doctor, who wanted to remain anonymous, described a worrying lack of staff in a critical-care unit he worked at in a major state-run Kabul hospital. "One night many patients died because there was no staff to look after them," the doctor said. He said the patients' relatives were "furious" and broke windows at the hospital in anger. The doctor, now working in a private hospital, added that many families were reluctant to seek treatment at public institutions. "They don't trust the quality of the treatment," the doctor said. "They say, 'take as much money as you want but get our patient admitted.'" But private hospitals too, he added, are routinely having to turn patients away due to a lack of beds. Another doctor told the BBC even staff members at his private hospital were unable to get their own family members treated. "A doctor rang and said, 'One of my relatives is having breathing problems, we are sending him to you, please admit him.' I asked him for forgiveness… We couldn't look after his relative, so think what happens to ordinary people who come here?" Afghanistan's healthcare system was already under-resourced before the pandemic - those needing medical care would often travel to neighbouring Pakistan or India for treatment if they could afford it. Many of the doctors who spoke to the BBC blamed corruption for the current lack of staff and equipment in government hospitals. One described the situation as "frustrating and depressing". There has been a spate of investigative reports in local media in the past few weeks, and public anger is rising. Officials are investigating a story by Pajhwok Afghan News, alleging that 32 ventilators were stolen from the Health Ministry and smuggled to Pakistan for sale. In another case, an employee of the health department was arrested for allegedly demanding an $80,000 bribe in order to complete a contract with a company producing protective equipment for medical staff. Lotfullah Najafizada, head of Tolo News, told the BBC that corruption was "a huge issue" across the government, but in particular at the moment in the Health Ministry because of the extra resources that have been recently allocated to tackle Covid-19. "The ministry never managed this amount of money in the past," he said, adding that the urgency meant "you can't put an efficient oversight process in place". It's difficult to assess the true scale of coronavirus in Afghanistan. A doctor working in Kabul suggested the health system might be overwhelmed largely because "capacity is so low". However, anecdotal reports from graveyards suggest they have seen significant rises in the number of burials. A sense of stigma attached to the disease means many families are reluctant to acknowledge deaths from coronavirus. One doctor from the southern city of Kandahar told the BBC it was clear even from his own social circle that a large number of people are dying. "If you look at Facebook, on a daily basis there is an increased number of deaths," he said. He said in most cases the deaths were said to be the result of "typhoid" - a bacteria infection - or "unknown causes", but that he was "100% sure it was due to Covid-19". The doctor, who normally treats victims of Afghanistan's war, said years of conflict and tragedy had desensitised some of the city's residents to the deaths, which they described as "the will of God". Meanwhile, the violence in the country continues, with an increase in Taliban attacks and targeted killings by unknown militants in the capital Kabul. Healthcare workers are at times directly affected. Earlier this month, the charity MSF announced it would withdraw from a maternity unit in Kabul that was attacked by militants in May, killing sixteen expectant mothers, among others. The UN has also documented a dozen other violent incidents, including the repeated abduction of medical staff by the Taliban, and one instance of government security forces looting medical supplies. Concerns are also rising about the impact of coronavirus on both levels of poverty in the country, and efforts to tackle other diseases. Afghanistan is one of only two countries in the world yet to eradicate wild polio, but vaccination campaigns have been suspended. In recent weeks polio cases have been discovered in provinces that were previously considered polio free. Dr Peeperkorn, from the WHO, told the BBC it was crucial that "fragile" progress made in the last decade - in reducing the infant mortality rate, for example - was not rolled back as a result of increasing public distrust of the health system or a lack of investment due to economic pressures. For doctors on the frontline, the immediate priority is getting the support they need to look after coronavirus patients. According to the WHO, more than $5 million worth of medical supplies has been procured so far, with $17 million worth of equipment in the pipeline. It is much needed. "It feels really bad to see our own people dying in front of us," said one doctor, wearily, from the western city of Herat, where the country's outbreak began. "We are the same as doctors anywhere else in the world, but we don't have the beds, staff or resources," he said.

जैसे-जैसे अफगानिस्तान में कोरोनावायरस फैलता है, देश की स्वास्थ्य सेवा प्रणाली में दरारें-जो पहले से ही दशकों के युद्ध से कमजोर हो चुकी हैं-दिखाई देने लगी हैं। बीबीसी पाकिस्तान और अफगानिस्तान के संवाददाता सिकंदर करमानी ने देश के बिगड़ते कोविड-19 संकट पर रिपोर्ट दी है।


North Caucasus: Guide to a volatile region

Summary: The North Caucasus region is the part of Russia that slopes up towards the main ridge of the Caucasus mountains, often considered the border between Europe and Asia. It is home to dozens of nationalities and languages, many of which have troubled relationships with their neighbours or with central governments in Moscow or Tbilisi.

CHECHNYA Status: Republic within Russian Federation Population: 1.1m (figure is disputed) Capital: Grozny Languages: Chechen, Russian Major religions: Islam In April 2009 Russia said it had ended its decade-long "counter-terrorism operation" against separatist rebels in Chechnya. Yet sporadic attacks by Chechen militants have continued. Chechnya declared independence from Russia in 1991, when the Soviet Union was collapsing. Three years later the Kremlin sent in troops to restore its authority, sparking the first Chechen war. It ended in humiliating defeat for Russian forces in 1996. In 1999, Russian troops poured back in. The war with rebel commanders, who had governed Chechnya since elections in 1997, resumed. Militants from Chechnya and neighbouring republics have carried out major attacks outside Chechnya. The most notorious were: the deadly 2004 siege at a school in Beslan, North Ossetia; the mid-air destruction of two Russian airliners; the bombings at two Moscow metro stations; and the mass hostage-taking at a Moscow theatre in October 2002. Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev was suspected of organising many of these operations. He died in an explosion in neighbouring Ingushetia in July 2006. In recent years another Chechen separatist, Doku Umarov, has been seen as the leader of the Islamist insurgency across the northern Caucasus. He was linked to the attacks on the Moscow metro and on a luxury Moscow-St Petersburg express train, in which dozens died. Backed by the Kremlin, Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov has cracked down hard on the militants, leading to a reduction in the number of attacks on Chechen soil. However, in October last year, six people died when militants stormed the parliament building in Grozny. Mr Kadyrov has also overseen a big rebuilding programme in the capital, Grozny, which was devastated during the war. But he and his militia have been accused of severe human rights abuses including kidnappings, torture and murder. Some of his most prominent critics have been shot dead, including the investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya and human rights activist Natalia Estemirova. He denies any involvement in their murders. INGUSHETIA Status: Republic within Russian Federation Population: 300,000 Capital: Magas Languages: Ingush, Russian Major religions: Islam Chechnya's violence has spread to Ingushetia in recent years, killing hundreds of people. As the Chechen crackdown on insurgents has taken hold, the number of attacks in Ingushetia has escalated. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has singled out growing violence in the North Caucasus as one of the most pressing problems Russia faces, describing the rise of separatists as "a cancerous tumour". In 2004, hundreds of gunmen armed with grenades and rockets launched attacks in which 90 people died. And, as the insurgency grew, in June 2009, Ingush President Yunus-Bek Yevkurov was severely wounded and two of his bodyguards were killed when a suicide bomber attacked his motorcade. A leading Islamist rebel in Ingushetia - Alexander Tikhomirov, also known as Said Buryatsky - was killed in March 2010. He is believed to have been linked to the attack on Mr Yevkurov, as well as a suicide bomb attack at police headquarters in the republic's capital, Nazran, in August 2009. Like Chechen separatist Doku Umarov, he was named in connection with the November 2009 bomb attack on the Nevksy Express between Moscow and St Petersburg which left 29 dead. In 1936, under Soviet rule, Ingushetia was joined to Chechnya. The Ingush and Chechen peoples have close historical, cultural and linguistic ties and both were deported to Central Asia in 1944 by Stalin, who accused them of collaborating with the Nazis. Most of them returned in the 1950s. At the time, Soviet authorities redrew the boundaries, giving some Ingush land to North Ossetia. That sowed the seeds for a bitter conflict half a century later as, in 1992, Ingush forces moved into the disputed Prigorodny district, sparking a bloody conflict. Moscow sent troops to establish order and the Ingush population was expelled from the disputed areas. NORTH OSSETIA Status: Republic within Russian Federation Population: 709,900 Capital: Vladikavkaz Languages: Ossetian, Russian Major religions: Christianity Historically, the North Ossetians, who speak an Iranian language, have had closer relations with Moscow than any other republic in the region. North Ossetia is the most industrialised and urbanised republic in the North Caucasus and has escaped much of the violence that has beset its neighbours in recent years. But a bloody conflict broke out with Ingushetia in 1992, prompting tens of thousands of ethnic Ingush to flee North Ossetia. In 2004, Ingush fighters were alleged to have been part of an armed group behind one of the highest profile militant attacks ever to take place in Russia. More than 1,000 people were taken hostage at a school in the North Ossetian town of Beslan. When the siege was brought to a violent end at least 330 people were killed, of whom more than half were children. And there has been a series of suicide attacks. Fifty people died in August 2003 when a lorry blew up a military hospital in Mozdok. In September 2010, a suicide bomber attacked a market in the capital, Vladikavkaz. DAGESTAN Status: Republic within Russian Federation Population: 2,584,200 Capital: Makhachkala Languages: Dagestani group of languages, Russian Major religions: Islam Violence in Dagestan has escalated following the crackdown on militants in neighbouring Chechnya. While Chechnya has appeared more peaceful, the republics of Dagestan and Ingushetia have seen a violent Islamist insurgency spread. Dozens of people have been killed in militant attacks and gun battles between security forces and militants. The region has suffered numerous attacks on its infrastructure. In 2009, the region's interior minister was shot dead and in March 2010 two suicide bombers from Dagestan carried out the attacks on the Moscow metro. Dagestan is the largest and most ethnically and linguistically diverse of all Russia's North Caucasian republics. It is also a conduit for oil exports from the Caspian Sea. It is sometimes known as the Mountain of Languages, or Mountain of Nationalities - with some national groups occupying no more than one or two villages. Dagestan kept out of the first Chechen war, though it was used by the Chechen rebels as a supply corridor. In 1999, home-grown Muslim radicals were joined by guerrillas from Chechnya in an attempt to establish an Islamic state that was quickly stamped out by the Russian army. Since then, Dagestan has been the scene of a number of bloody attacks - including one at a Victory Day parade in 2002 - and hundreds of kidnappings. KABARDINO-BALKARIA Status: Republic within Russian Federation Population: 900,500 Capital: Nalchik Languages: Kabardian, Russian Major religions: Islam, Christianity Two ethnic territories form Kabardino-Balkaria: one predominantly of Kabardin (who speak a Caucasian language) and the other predominantly Balkar (who speak a Turkic language). There is also a significant Russian population. In 1944, Stalin accused the Balkars of collaborating with Nazi Germany and deported the entire population, removing their name from the republic's title. They were allowed to return only in 1957. Friction between the two communities is rarely far from the surface. In 1992, the Balkars - who account for about 8% of the population - voted for secession. Their 1996 proclamation of a new republic received little support in Kabardino-Balkaria itself, but was generally backed in Chechnya. In October 2005 Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev orchestrated a major attack on Nalchik, the capital of Kabardino-Balkaria, in which dozens of rebels and members of the security forces died. There have been sporadic clashes between security forces and small groups of militants in Kabardino-Balkaria since then. SOUTH OSSETIA Status: Breakaway region within Georgia Population: 70,000 (approx) Capital: Tskhinvali Languages: Ossetian, Georgian, Russian Major religions: Christianity South Ossetia was one of the first flashpoints of ethnic conflict in the disintegrating Soviet Union when, in 1990, calls for unification with their ethnic kin in North Ossetia led to conflict with Georgia's new nationalist government. Up to 1,000 people died in two years of fighting. After that South Ossetia remained under rebel control, with Russian forces acting as peacekeepers. Simmering tensions flared up into all-out war between Georgia and Russia in South Ossetia in August 2008. Georgia launched an assault on the South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali to flush out separatist rebels, following frequent exchanges of fire. Russia responded by pouring thousands of troops into South Ossetia and launching bombing raids on Georgian targets. Russian forces pushed further south, occupying a swathe of Georgian territory, before pulling back to South Ossetia. At the same time, Russia ousted Georgian troops from Abkhazia, another breakaway territory. Thousands of ethnic Georgians sought refuge in the rest of Georgia. Russia has recognised both breakaway regions as independent states - a move widely condemned internationally - and vowed to defend their independence if necessary. ABKHAZIA Status: Breakaway region within Georgia Population: 536,000 before 1992, 250,000 after 1993 Capital: Sukhumi Languages: Russian, Abkhaz Major religions: None Though geographically in the South Caucasus, Abkhazia's strongest kinship links are with North Caucasians. Abkhaz separatists drove Georgian government troops out of the territory in 1993, a year after Tbilisi had intervened to halt Abkhaz moves towards increased autonomy. More than 200,000 ethnic Georgians fled Abkhazia. A truce was upheld by Russian peacekeepers. Moscow continued to back the separatists. The brief Georgia-Russia war of August 2008 consolidated Russia's grip on Abkhazia. Fighting in the territory was less intense than in South Ossetia, but an offensive by Russian and Abkhaz separatist forces pushed Georgian troops out of the Kodori Gorge. That had been Georgia's only toehold in Abkhazia since the 1993 conflict. Like South Ossetia, Moscow recognised Abkhazia as an independent state and correspondents say the region is receiving far more Russian investment than it did before.

उत्तरी काकेशस क्षेत्र रूस का वह हिस्सा है जो काकेशस पहाड़ों की मुख्य कटक की ओर ढलान पर है, जिसे अक्सर यूरोप और एशिया के बीच की सीमा माना जाता है। यह दर्जनों राष्ट्रीयताओं और भाषाओं का घर है, जिनमें से कई के अपने पड़ोसियों के साथ या मास्को या त्बिलिसी में केंद्रीय सरकारों के साथ संबंध खराब हैं।


London’s changing skyline: Are new skyscrapers good for the capital?

Summary: The "Walkie Talkie" and "Cheesegrater" are nicknames for just two of the latest bizarrely-shaped tower blocks to appear on London's skyline, to mixed reaction and sometimes unexpected consequences. The "Boomerang" and "Scalpel" are next in the pipeline. But are these modern-day monoliths good for the capital?

By Andy DangerfieldBBC News, London On an unseasonably hot September morning, Martin Lindsay parked his Jaguar on Eastcheap, in the City of London. Two hours later, he returned to find parts of his car - including its wing mirror and badge - had melted. It transpired the sun reflecting from the nearly-built 37-storey "Walkie Talkie" - nicknamed such because of its distinctive shape - was to blame. Within days, Eastcheap was not only under the full glare of the sun, but also the world's media - who were reporting smouldering bicycle seats, singed doormats and even eggs being fried on the street. The "Walkie Talkie" was not the only skyscraper to unexpectedly hit the headlines this year. Elsewhere, the observation deck on The Shard - western Europe's tallest building at 310m (1,016ft) - opened, while the Leadenhall Building, dubbed the "Cheesegrater", because of its distinctive wedge shape, became the second tallest building in the City of London at 224m (734ft). But are these new additions to the skyline an improvement? Architect and broadcaster Maxwell Hutchinson thinks so. "The change for the London skyline is a miraculous achievement in difficult economic conditions," he says. "London has become a showcase for tall buildings." City of London chief planner Peter Rees, who has overseen its dramatic, vertical transformation since the 1980s, agrees: "Buildings like the Gherkin, Cheesegrater and Walkie Talkie are clear representations of how well London is doing. "Clearly they are improvements to the skyline." But he warns: "We don't need to turn London into Manhattan." Over the next year, the vertical evolution of London's skyline is set to continue. In November, building began on US insurance firm WR Berkley's new European headquarters, labelled the "Scalpel". But other approved schemes including the so-called "Can of Ham", and The Pinnacle, nicknamed the "Helter-Skelter", which was set to become the City of London's tallest building, have been put on hold. In the case of the Pinnacle, developers went back to the drawing board to try to make the scheme more cost efficient. Mr Hutchinson is optimistic about the next generation of towers. "The tall buildings in the pipeline will continue to progress London's commitment to achieving architectural world superiority," he says. But Mr Rees says his personal view is that some skyscrapers are being built in unsuitable locations. "From Bermondsey to Battersea, you are confronted by isolated tall buildings and I believe this damages the city," he says. "If you are building tall, you should cluster buildings together," he adds "It's no good building over each Underground station across London." "I think we will end up with a very ugly looking place with random tall buildings." Construction on south London Bankside's 50-storey One Blackfriars - dubbed the "Boomerang" - has already begun. But developers the Berkley Group would not release an image of the building for the purpose of this article. Meanwhile plans for a 60-storey residential skyscraper in Nine Elms, south-west London, and further towers in Elephant & Castle and Waterloo have also been approved. But earlier this year, advisers to the UN's heritage body Unesco said proposed towers at Waterloo, Nine Elms and Vauxhall should be revised because of their "negative impact" on views of world heritage sites Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Russell Gray, from the Bermondsey Village Action Group, which originally campaigned against The Shard being built, says: "The destruction of the skyline is a matter of huge regret. By the time people wake up to this it will be too late." "The mayor has contributed enormously to this," he adds. "There has been a headlong dash for economic growth at any price." A Mayor of London spokesman said: "What we can't do is try to impose some kind of freeze on the skyline and suspend the capital in stasis. "The key issue in any discussion of London's skyline is whether a building makes a positive contribution to London's urban realm, protecting the things we value about our city, while helping us meet the challenges of growth and ensuring the continued prosperity of London and Londoners," In September, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles called in proposals to build a cluster of high rise buildings around the Shell Centre on the South Bank, describing them as a matter of "substantial controversy". A new exhibition highlights how sometimes politicians do listen to the concerns raised over tall buildings. Photos at English Heritage's London's Buildings Loved and Loathed exhibition shows how central London's Soho and Covent Garden might have changed beyond recognition. But 1950s and 60s plans to replace the historic areas with giant tower blocks were later rejected.

"वॉकी टॉकी" और "चीज़ग्रेटर" लंदन के क्षितिज पर दिखाई देने वाले नवीनतम विचित्र आकार के टावर ब्लॉकों में से केवल दो के लिए उपनाम हैं, मिश्रित प्रतिक्रिया और कभी-कभी अप्रत्याशित परिणाम। "बूमरैंग" और "स्केलपेल" पाइपलाइन में अगले हैं। लेकिन क्या ये आधुनिक युग के मोनोलिथ राजधानी के लिए अच्छे हैं?


Eurozone crisis explained

Summary: World leaders probably spend more time worrying about the eurozone crisis than anything else nowadays.

But as eurozone governments struggle to agree the best way out of the crisis, are they missing what caused it? Global economy: More eurozone interactive features You can see more interactive features and graphics here , and follow us on Twitter.

विश्व के नेता शायद आजकल किसी भी चीज़ की तुलना में यूरोज़ोन संकट के बारे में चिंता करने में अधिक समय बिताते हैं।


Stratford Centre stabbing: Man charged with murder

Summary: A man has been charged with the murder of a 21-year-old man who was stabbed at a shopping centre.

Beniamin Pieknyi, from Milton Keynes, died at the Stratford Centre in east London, on 20 March. Vladyslav Yakymchuck, 22, was charged with murder after being arrested on 24 March. Mr Yakymchuck, a Ukrainian national, will also face charges of robbery, theft and possession of a bladed article.

एक व्यक्ति पर एक 21 वर्षीय व्यक्ति की हत्या का आरोप लगाया गया है, जिसे एक शॉपिंग सेंटर में चाकू मार दिया गया था।


Florida school shooting: A killer comes to 'paradise'

Summary: Students re-live Wednesday's shooting in Florida - and demand tougher gun laws from their government.

By Owen AmosBBC News, Parkland, Florida Where would you expect a school shooting to happen? Where would you expect 17 people to be shot in the head, in the heart, in the arms and legs, while waiting for home-time? Not here, surely. Not among the palm trees and picket fences. Not among the golf courses, the gated communities, the fortnightly farmers' market. Lanny James, 77, spends the winter in Margate, 5 miles (8km) from Parkland. He bought his place four years ago, but has been coming to Florida since 1976. He was playing golf when he heard the news. Four dead when he finished his round; 17 dead when he got home. "I just love South Florida," he says. "But this is supposed to be paradise. These things aren't supposed to happen." But they did happen: here, where the sky is blue, the grass is green and it's legal for 18-year-olds to buy semi-automatic rifles. At 14:06 local time (19:06 GMT) on Wednesday, Nikolas Cruz got into an Uber. At 14:19, he got out at Stoneman Douglas, the school that expelled him last year. Cruz, 19, walked into the school and took out his rifle, which he bought 12 months earlier. At 14:21, he started shooting. Two minutes later, the fire alarm went off. Darryl Verna, 17, knew the alarm wasn't a drill. They had a drill that morning, and they never happen twice a day. But he didn't think it was serious. "I thought it was a prank at first," he says. So, like he did that morning, he went outside, by the gates, and waited for the alarm to stop. Darryl's friend, Kaleb Martinez, 16, was also outside. Like Darryl, he wasn't worried. Then he looked to his right. "I see 10 to 12 cop cars just flying down Holmberg [Road]," he says. "Cop cars don't fly like that unless something's happening." As the cops flew towards the school, the teachers came flying out. "Staff, coaches, they were shouting 'Everybody back inside, everybody back inside,'" says Kaleb. "I looked at Darryl and thought 'This is serious.'" Minutes after walking out, the students ran back into school. Some were screaming. Darryl, Kaleb, and around 50 others went into the band room. A teacher told them to get behind a chair and keep their heads down. Kaleb asked what was happening. The teacher wouldn't say. "Code Red, lockdown, that's all they said," says Kaleb. "But I got phone calls, text messages. That's when I knew." By then, police were in the school, looking for Cruz. In the band room, fear rising through their stomachs, the students could hear the search. "The cops are saying, 'He's in the south end, north end, third floor,'" says Kaleb. "I can hear the kids they were evacuating, and they're screaming." Cruz entered the school on the ground floor and fired into three classrooms: 1214, 1215 and 1216. He went back to 1216, fired again, back to 1215, fired again, then moved onto 1213. Cruz went to the first floor, fired into another room, then climbed the stairs to the second floor. It was three minutes after he started shooting. By then, Aaron Feis was dying. Feis, 37, was a security guard and assistant coach for the school's (American) football team. When he saw Cruz, he shielded the students and took a bullet. He died in hospital. "He was the nice coach, the one you could always talk to, the one who would always do you favours," says Yohance Williams, the 17-year-old linebacker for the high school football team. "If you didn't have a parking pass, and you wanted to park in the senior lot, he would let you. He would let it slide." One of Yohance's classmates was also killed: Meadow Pollack, an 18-year-old called "beautiful inside and out" by her family. "She was in my law class, first period," says Yohance. "I saw people posting on Snapchat, 'Have you seen this girl? Have you seen this girl?' Then I saw [she had died] this morning." To lose a classmate and a coach, like Yohance did, should not be normal. Now, at Stoneman Douglas, it is. After reaching the second floor, Cruz dropped his backpack and his rifle. He ran down the stairs, past the people he killed, then left the building at 14:28 (19:28 GMT). Students were running west, away from the school. He joined them. In his maroon Stoneman Douglas shirt, and his rifle left behind, Cruz blended into the crowd. The difference was, they were fleeing. He was escaping. Trinity Smith, 16, was in the crowd heading west. She was in a hallway when the shooting started; at first, she thought the popping came from culinary class. Then she saw people running. The teachers tried to lead students to Westglades, the middle school next door. But, to a backdrop of screaming and sirens, people ran for their lives. "They were jumping fences," says Trinity. "They were running home, right into the intersections [main roads]. "They weren't really listening to the teachers. They were basically in fight or flight mode." As she ran, Trinity tried to speak to her mum. She didn't have her phone, so she borrowed someone else's. Her mum told her to meet her at Walmart, next to Westglades. The traffic was heavy, so her mum left her car and walked, scanning the crowd for her daughter. "I had to find her without a phone," says Trinity. "I had to get through all the people crying and panicking. I was surrounded by people, none that I knew." Trinity spent 10 or 15 minutes in the crowd, looking at faces, trying to find her mum. "She was calling out for me," says Trinity. "I was about to pass her, then I heard my name. She saw me and the relief came." After she met her mum, Trinity's dad picked them up in his car. He didn't want them walking because he heard the gunman had escaped. He was right. At 14:50 (19:50 GMT), Cruz walked into Walmart - the same Walmart - bought a drink, then headed to McDonald's. While Cruz was in McDonald's, Darryl and Kaleb were in the band room, heads down, wondering if they would live. "People kept calling our phones," says Darryl. "We were making sure our relatives knew we were alright. We were lying, of course, but we didn't want anyone outside to panic." At one point, Darryl sent his mum a text: "I'll be home soon, I love you, don't worry about it." Eventually - after two hours, says Kaleb - a Swat team burst into the band room. "They checked the room, they were looking at everybody, asking if anyone had injuries," he says. "They were making sure we could get out. Then we got out." By then, Cruz had been caught. After leaving McDonald's he walked south; he was arrested 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away, at 15:41 (20:41 GMT), in the next-door town of Coral Springs. A police report records his interview. "Cruz stated that he was the gunman who entered the school campus armed with an AR-15, and began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on the school grounds," it says. "Cruz stated that he brought additional loaded magazines to the school campus, and kept them hidden in a backpack until he got on campus to begin his assault. "Cruz also admitted that as students began to flee the campus on foot, he decided a plan to discard the AR-15 and vest with the additional magazines so he could blend into the crowd." Less than 24 hours after Cruz started shooting, a vigil was held at Parkridge Church, a mile from the school. Sitting outside, hundreds of people prayed, and sang, and cried. Some wore t-shirts saying "faith, family, friends". Yohance Williams' shirt said "faith, family, football" instead. There were 15 speakers, all from churches. Second-up was Rosalind Osgood, a member of the Broward County School Board, which covers Stoneman Douglas. "It is time for us to prioritise not only academic achievement, but the emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our children," she told the crowd, looking for solutions. "Our children need you and they need me." The students at Stoneman Douglas do not disagree. But what they really want, they say, is tougher gun laws. "Every school shooting that happens," says Darryl, "that's the first thing they say - 'Oh, they have mental issues.' "It's not mental issues. It's a gun problem. It's a problem of how easy it is to get a gun." School shootings have become part of American life: 32 dead at Virginia Tech in 2007; 27 dead at Sandy Hook in 2012; 17 dead at Parkland in 2018. The list goes on. Darryl's sister, Meme, 17, was also in school on Wednesday. They were texting each other, making sure they were okay. "I understand it's our second amendment right to bear arms," she says. "Okay - bear an arm. But this [a semi-automatic rifle] is something the military has. You shouldn't have these things." Her friend, Trinity - who found her mum outside Walmart - agrees. "You can protect yourself with a pistol," she says. "You don't need high-powered rifles." After the vigil, people find their cars, tears rolling down their faces. Yohance stays behind, talking to reporters. "Things like this shouldn't be allowed to happen," he says. "The guy had an AR-15. He's 19 years old. How does stuff like this happen? "People should feel safe at school. You shouldn't have to worry if some kid is going to shoot the school up. "It's nonsense, it's dumb, it shouldn't happen. Not cracking down on it is ridiculous to me." As he speaks, 17 silver balloons rise into the blue sky. Florida goes on, but Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School - and its 3,000 students - have changed forever.

छात्र फ्लोरिडा में बुधवार की गोलीबारी को फिर से जी रहे हैं-और अपनी सरकार से सख्त बंदूक कानूनों की मांग करते हैं।


Yate McDonald's robbery: Man charged and appears in court

Summary: A man has appeared in court charged with robbery at a McDonald's and a Miss Millie's restaurant.

Rudi Batten, 22, of Station Road in Yate, is charged with two counts of robbery which took place in Yate on 7 and 8 February. Nobody was injured, according to Avon and Somerset Police. He is also charged with possession of an imitation firearm and a knife blade. Mr Batten was remanded in custody to appear at Bristol Crown Court on 19 March. Related Internet Links Avon and Somerset Police HM Courts & Tribunals Service

मैकडॉनल्ड्स और मिस मिलीज रेस्तरां में डकैती के आरोप में एक व्यक्ति अदालत में पेश हुआ है।


Serious Fraud Office opens Airbus corruption investigation

Summary: The UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has launched an investigation into allegations of "fraud, bribery and corruption" in the civil aviation business of Airbus.

The allegations relate to irregularities concerning third party consultants. The France-based aircraft manufacturer said it was co-operating with the probe, which was launched last month. In April, UK authorities froze export credit applications by Airbus. The SFO was asked to look at documentation provided by the company about its use of overseas agents. Export credits are used by many governments to support exporters, often by underwriting bank loans offered to overseas buyers of UK products. Last year Airbus used export financing for 6% of its deliveries. The main parts of Airbus commercial aircraft are made in France, Germany and the UK. Britain usually provides export support to Airbus in partnership with the other two nations. Germany and France joined the UK in halting export credits.

ब्रिटेन के गंभीर धोखाधड़ी कार्यालय (एस. एफ. ओ.) ने एयरबस के नागरिक उड्डयन व्यवसाय में "धोखाधड़ी, रिश्वतखोरी और भ्रष्टाचार" के आरोपों की जांच शुरू की है।


Ferry across the Mersey captured by photographer Tom Wood

Summary: A photographer's collection of images taken during his daily commute on Liverpool's Mersey Ferry has gone on display.

Tom Wood said the project, which he started in 1978 to pass the time, started out "accidentally". But he ended up shooting thousands of rolls of film, capturing the characters and fashions of the day. He amassed almost 25 years' worth of images, stopping in 2002. The Pier Head - Tom Wood is at Liverpool's Open Eye Gallery until 25 March.

लिवरपूल के मर्सी फेरी पर अपने दैनिक आवागमन के दौरान ली गई तस्वीरों का एक फोटोग्राफर का संग्रह प्रदर्शित किया गया है।


Brexit: Why France is unlikely to veto delay

Summary: To extend or not to extend? That is the question.

Katya AdlerEurope editor@BBCkatyaadleron Twitter And not just for Boris Johnson. EU rules dictate that, if it wishes to push back the Brexit deadline, the UK - as the leaving member state - has to ask for an extension from the EU. Brussels can't unilaterally offer or impose one. And if the prime minister does ask for an extension (even through gritted teeth), then every single EU leader must sign up to it for the extension to be granted. Which means every EU leader has a veto. Now France is causing waves once again by suggesting that it won't sign up to a Brexit extension unless there is some dramatic change in the British political landscape - such as a general election or a second referendum. But such pronouncements by French cabinet ministers - such as Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian this weekend - should be taken with a hefty pinch of salt. These are the main reasons why: 1) France has form on this. It has always huffed and puffed before finally signing up to previous Brexit extensions. A diplomat from a northern European country dismissed this recent bout of French non-saying to me as "the usual French blah blah". Frankly French President Emmanuel Macron had more reason to dig his heels in over an extension back in April when he was careering towards European parliamentary elections, challenged by his political rival, the arch Eurosceptic Marine Le Pen. This time it's no skin off his nose, really. 2) Mr Macron openly admitted recently that he is happy to play "bad cop" when it comes to Brexit. And Brussels is more than happy for him to do it. Letting the UK know that Brexit extensions are not always automatic is one of the few ways the EU now has of keeping up the pressure on MPs. More than three years on from the UK referendum on EU membership, Europe's leaders are impatient to get the Brexit process done and over with. They need MPs to finally unify around what they do want from Brexit, not only what they don't want - for example, a no-deal Brexit. 3) It is unbelievably unlikely that France would veto a new Brexit extension if other EU countries - especially Ireland with so much at stake - were in favour. And they will be. As one EU diplomat put it to me: "The EU simply doesn't work that way." He added: "Why would France waste a veto and EU goodwill over a Brexit extension? EU countries save their veto for things they really care about." Ouch. So is the EU likely to extend the Brexit deadline (if asked) because negotiations really are getting somewhere as the prime minister has insisted? In short, no. The EU says talks so far with the Johnson government have been fruitless but - and it is a very important but - negotiations could yet bear that fruit. The prime minister's main Brexit envoy David Frost is expected back in Brussels on Wednesday. The European Commission believes he may want to talk about an idea touched on by the government but not yet formally presented to the EU: to replace the controversial backstop guarantee to keep the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland open after Brexit by having an all-Ireland agricultural zone. This would mean Northern Ireland would align with the Republic of Ireland in following EU rules on food and agriculture - thereby avoiding post Brexit checks in that sector. From the EU perspective, this agricultural zone would only cover 30% of trade across the border. So it's no solution in of itself. But it is a start. The EU is hoping to persuade the prime minister of something that they suspect he may already be open to: returning to the EU's original backstop proposal - one that covers Northern Ireland for trade but not the whole of the UK. The EU argument here will be: "If you, Boris Johnson are open to an all-Ireland zone for agricultural goods, then why not extend it to cover the rest of cross-border trade? Some agricultural checks already take place in the Irish Sea and have had no impact on Northern Ireland's unity with the rest of the UK. And if you want a solution to the backstop by mid-October, then this is it - ticking EU boxes on protecting the Irish border and safeguarding the Northern Ireland peace process and the EU's single market plus allowing the rest of the UK to make its own trade deals, unfettered to EU customs rules and regulations…" On the plus side for the EU argument, polls suggest the overwhelming majority in Northern Ireland are in favour of the Northern-Ireland only backstop. On the downside, polls amongst unionists only suggest they are overwhelmingly against. Even if the prime minister were tempted by the Northern Ireland only backstop, he would need to know he had enough MPs to back the idea in parliament, despite inevitable opposition at the very least from the unionist DUP party and some conservative MPs. But the possibility - however distant it may seem - of fruitful negotiations is not the only reason the EU is so likely to grant a further Brexit extension, if asked. EU leaders will never want to be seen to have closed the door in the face of the UK, as long as Brexit could yet result in a deal. Like Boris Johnson - though many will argue to what extent - the EU is keen to pursue a Brexit deal on the one hand while, on the other hand, preparing for the blame game that will inevitably follow in case of a no deal.

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Kayleigh Haywood: How murdered schoolgirl was groomed online

Summary: A man has been jailed for raping, murdering and falsely imprisoning schoolgirl Kayleigh Haywood. His friend has been jailed for grooming, sexually abusing and falsely imprisoning her. But how did the 15-year-old come into contact with the pair? What happened before she was raped and killed?

Stephen Beadman, 29, had already pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Kayleigh, while Luke Harlow, 28, admitted grooming and engaging in sexual activity with her. It was Harlow who contacted Kayleigh via Facebook. He wrote: "Hey, how are you?" to which she replied: "Fine - who are you?" The court heard that within 10 minutes the pair had swapped mobile phone numbers and went on to exchange 2,600 messages - mainly by text. About two weeks after that first contact Kayleigh's body was found in a hedgerow on the outskirts of Ibstock, Leicestershire. Harlow, an unemployed former media studies student, said in his police interview on 17 November that he was unsure how they came to be in contact with each other. He claimed he had a habit of "accepting anyone" on Facebook and had about 2,000 friends. "Basically, as soon as we were friends we just started talking," he said. Those chats led to Kayleigh staying at his flat in George Avenue on Friday 13 November. She had earlier been dropped off at Ibstock Community College by her father who believed she was staying with a friend. In a series of messages, Harlow called her his "princess" and said of their planned meeting: "Let's just keep it secret." Dr Belinda Winder, who is from Nottingham Trent University and works with sex offenders at HMP Whatton, said this was a classic grooming strategy. She said: "[If you get] get the person isolated, you don't get comments from other people, you don't get anyone stopping you or commenting on what you're saying, but also it makes the person feel very special. "This is a special private relationship away from the eyes of the rest of the world." However, Kayleigh was not the first teenager he had tried to groom. He pleaded guilty to attempting to meet two other 15-year-old girls for sexual purposes and had contact with a 13-year-old too. During his trial the prosecution read a series of social media messages sent by Harlow to a girl he had befriended online when she was aged 15. Among the messages was one saying: "I wish I could kidnap you for Christmas but I would probably be arrested and sent to prison." During that Friday evening, after Harlow and Kayleigh first met, she was given "substantial amounts of alcohol" and "sexually touched" by him, according to the prosecution. Kayleigh Haywood disappearance timeline The teenager made contact with her parents on Saturday morning but this was the last time she was heard from. Neighbour Stephen Beadman said he arrived at the flat that evening after being told by Harlow he had a "bird" there. Beadman told detectives he met Kayleigh at about 19:30 GMT but said she was drunk and he "couldn't get any conversation out of her". The two men were found guilty of keeping Kayleigh prisoner between 21:00 GMT on 14 November and 03:00 on 15 November but what happened during that period is unclear. During the trial Beadman's barrister asked Harlow whether he had tried to rape the schoolgirl while she was asleep. This, it was claimed, caused a "fierce argument" between the two men which awoke Kayleigh. Harlow said this was "complete lies" and told the court he had actually been asleep. However, in the early hours of Sunday morning Kayleigh - more than 24 hours after the teenager arrived at Harlow's flat - was seen fleeing from the property. A neighbour said she was naked from the waist down and witnessed Beadman pinning her to the ground. Beadman told detectives he could not remember what triggered the scene as they had all been drinking. But days later, after denying knowing what had happened to her, Beadman confessed to first raping the teenager and then killing her with a brick. During a police interview he said: "When I drink I just switch. But when I switch I get violent. I wasn't in full control because I had been drinking." The case has raised issues over internet safety and it prompted Kayleigh's family to campaign for a new law to ban under-16s from opening social media accounts. The local MP, Conservative Andrew Bridgen, who has been helping the family, said education surrounding the dangers of social media should begin at eight years old. "That will have to be monitored and it may have to come down further," he said. Beadman had indecent images of underage girls on his computer, police said. Det Supt Kate Meynell, from the East Midlands special operations unit, said: "There are people who have sinister reasons for being on [social media] and are prepared to exploit and target young people in order to gratify themselves." The NSPCC said Kayleigh's death was "sad and tragic" and a "stark reminder about the dangers of social media as far as children are concerned". A film portraying the last two weeks of the teenager's life is set to be shown in schools across Leicestershire and later in the rest of the UK. Leicestershire Police, who made the five minute film, said it provided a warning about the dangers of online grooming.

एक आदमी को स्कूली छात्रा कायले हेवुड के साथ बलात्कार, हत्या और गलत तरीके से कैद करने के आरोप में जेल भेजा गया है। उसके दोस्त को उसे सजाने, यौन शोषण करने और गलत तरीके से कैद करने के आरोप में जेल भेजा गया है। लेकिन 15 वर्षीय लड़की इस जोड़ी के संपर्क में कैसे आई? उसके साथ बलात्कार और हत्या से पहले क्या हुआ था?