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[ { "context": "China has condemned what it called an \"appalling attack\" by protesters on Hong Kong's justice secretary in London on Thursday evening. Teresa Cheng fell and was treated for an arm injury in hospital after being jostled by about 30 supporters of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement. Chinese official Geng Shuang said some in the UK \"supported violent acts... to create chaos\" in its former colony. Hong Kong has been racked by five months of anti-government protests. The campaign started in opposition to a now-withdrawn plan to allow extradition to mainland China, but it has since morphed into wider demonstrations backing democracy and opposing the actions of the police. The protests have continued unabated - Friday was the fifth consecutive day - and have often turned violent. On Thursday, a 70-year-old man died after being hit by a brick thrown during clashes. A murder inquiry has been opened. Hong Kong meanwhile confirmed it had entered its first recession for a decade, with the economy shrinking 3.2% in July to September, compared with the previous quarter. The justice secretary had been in Camden, north London, to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub. Video showed her walking towards a lecture at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) when she was surrounded by a group of protesters. Some held signs and shouted \"murderer\" and in the melee, Ms Cheng fell to the ground. London's Metropolitan Police said they were investigating an allegation of assault and no arrests had yet been made. \"A woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering an injury to her arm,\" a statement said. In a statement, CIArb said Ms Cheng had been \"assaulted by a crowd\". But one of the protesters told the Guardian she had slipped trying to escape from the crowd and \"nobody laid a hand on her\". Tom Tugendhat, chair of parliament's foreign affairs committee, condemned the behaviour of the protesters. Ministers \"visiting the UK should be able to go about their business free from abuse and assault. This is not right\", he tweeted. Mr Geng, China's foreign ministry spokesman, said the attack was \"directly related to certain British politicians confusing right from wrong on the Hong Kong issue and their support for violent acts, giving a platform to those who are anti-China and want to create chaos in Hong Kong\". He said if the UK did not alter its approach \"and continues to add fuel to the fire, sow discord and instigate others\" it would \"bring calamity on itself\". He urged the UK to \"bring the culprits to justice and... also protect the safety and integrity of all Chinese people in the nation\". Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam also condemned the protesters in the UK, saying \"the savage act breached the bottom line of any civilised society\". Ms Cheng's office said she \"castigates the violent mob in London causing her serious bodily harm on her way to an event venue\". Protesters say Ms Cheng played a key role in pushing for the extradition bill. Protesters, including thousands of office workers, were on the streets again on Friday, many of them chanting \"stand with Hong Kong\". A number of roads were blocked and there was more disruption on the underground rail system. Black-clad protesters also continued to occupy university campuses. It comes a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the protests were threatening the \"one country, two systems\" policy under which Hong Kong retains a high level of autonomy and personal freedom unseen in mainland China. Police in Hong Kong are treating as murder the death of the 70-year-old hit by a brick during unrest in the border town of Sheung Shui on Wednesday. The government said the cleaner was on a lunch break when he was struck by \"hard objects hurled by masked rioters\". Video purported to be of the incident shows two groups throwing bricks at each other before the man falls to the ground. On Monday, a police officer shot an activist in the torso with a live bullet, and a man was set on fire while arguing with anti-government protesters. A week ago, Alex Chow, a 22-year-old student, died after falling from a building during a police operation.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2080, "answer_start": 1072, "text": "The justice secretary had been in Camden, north London, to promote Hong Kong as a dispute resolution and deal-making hub. Video showed her walking towards a lecture at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) when she was surrounded by a group of protesters. Some held signs and shouted \"murderer\" and in the melee, Ms Cheng fell to the ground. London's Metropolitan Police said they were investigating an allegation of assault and no arrests had yet been made. \"A woman was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service suffering an injury to her arm,\" a statement said. In a statement, CIArb said Ms Cheng had been \"assaulted by a crowd\". But one of the protesters told the Guardian she had slipped trying to escape from the crowd and \"nobody laid a hand on her\". Tom Tugendhat, chair of parliament's foreign affairs committee, condemned the behaviour of the protesters. Ministers \"visiting the UK should be able to go about their business free from abuse and assault. This is not right\", he tweeted." } ], "id": "200_0", "question": "What happened to Teresa Cheng?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3015, "answer_start": 2081, "text": "Mr Geng, China's foreign ministry spokesman, said the attack was \"directly related to certain British politicians confusing right from wrong on the Hong Kong issue and their support for violent acts, giving a platform to those who are anti-China and want to create chaos in Hong Kong\". He said if the UK did not alter its approach \"and continues to add fuel to the fire, sow discord and instigate others\" it would \"bring calamity on itself\". He urged the UK to \"bring the culprits to justice and... also protect the safety and integrity of all Chinese people in the nation\". Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam also condemned the protesters in the UK, saying \"the savage act breached the bottom line of any civilised society\". Ms Cheng's office said she \"castigates the violent mob in London causing her serious bodily harm on her way to an event venue\". Protesters say Ms Cheng played a key role in pushing for the extradition bill." } ], "id": "200_1", "question": "How did China react?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4182, "answer_start": 3016, "text": "Protesters, including thousands of office workers, were on the streets again on Friday, many of them chanting \"stand with Hong Kong\". A number of roads were blocked and there was more disruption on the underground rail system. Black-clad protesters also continued to occupy university campuses. It comes a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping warned the protests were threatening the \"one country, two systems\" policy under which Hong Kong retains a high level of autonomy and personal freedom unseen in mainland China. Police in Hong Kong are treating as murder the death of the 70-year-old hit by a brick during unrest in the border town of Sheung Shui on Wednesday. The government said the cleaner was on a lunch break when he was struck by \"hard objects hurled by masked rioters\". Video purported to be of the incident shows two groups throwing bricks at each other before the man falls to the ground. On Monday, a police officer shot an activist in the torso with a live bullet, and a man was set on fire while arguing with anti-government protesters. A week ago, Alex Chow, a 22-year-old student, died after falling from a building during a police operation." } ], "id": "200_2", "question": "What's the latest on the protests?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A new regulation in Saudi Arabia is set to stop Saudi women from being divorced without their knowledge. Starting from Sunday, courts will be required to notify women by text on rulings confirming their divorces. Local female lawyers suggest the measure will end what are known as secret divorces - cases where men end a marriage without telling their wives. The directive would ensure women are fully aware of their marital status and can protect rights such as alimony. Last year, a decades-old driving ban on women was lifted in Saudi Arabia. However, women still remain subject to male guardianship laws. \"The new measure ensures women get their [alimony] rights when they're divorced,\" Saudi lawyer Nisreen al-Ghamdi told Bloomberg. \"It also ensures that any powers of attorney issued before the divorce are not misused.\" Many women have filed appeals to courts over being divorced without their knowledge, lawyer Samia al-Hindi told local newspaper Okaz. The new step is said to be part of economic and social reforms pushed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, such as allowing women to attend football matches and work in jobs traditionally reserved for men. There are many things that Saudi women are unable to do without permission from a male guardian, usually a husband, father, brother or son. These things include, but are not limited to: - Applying for passports - Travelling abroad - Getting married - Opening a bank account - Starting certain businesses - Getting elective surgery - Leaving prison The guardianship system has helped create one of the most gender unequal countries in the Middle East.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1617, "answer_start": 1167, "text": "There are many things that Saudi women are unable to do without permission from a male guardian, usually a husband, father, brother or son. These things include, but are not limited to: - Applying for passports - Travelling abroad - Getting married - Opening a bank account - Starting certain businesses - Getting elective surgery - Leaving prison The guardianship system has helped create one of the most gender unequal countries in the Middle East." } ], "id": "201_0", "question": "What can Saudi women still not do?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Over the weekend, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel was hurriedly convening a meeting of European leaders to assess the aftermath of Britain's choice to leave the EU, Cordelia Yzer was on the phone. The Berlin Senator for Economics and Technology was not chatting to fellow politicians, but with start-ups and global funds, who, in the wake of Brexit, are now considering Germany's capital as their base. \"Those companies who have headquarters in London are aware that they need to be in the EU,\" she says. \"We had competition in the last two or three years between London and Berlin. I am convinced that more funds will now make the decision in favour of Berlin.\" Senator Yzer is not beyond doing some convincing herself. She intends to court many of the venture capital firms that poured more than EUR2bn (PS1.6bn; $2.2bn) into the Berlin tech scene last year. \"We will now take advantage [of Brexit],\" she asserts. \"And this is more than fair.\" Berlin, a city with as good a claim as any to be considered the spiritual heartland of the European project, is mourning the loss of the UK, with which it has deep historical and cultural bonds as well as a strong trade partnership. But there may be just a touch of schadenfreude in the air too. \"Brexit: 10,000 new jobs\" ran the headline of the Berliner Kurier tabloid on Sunday, adding: \"Might we emerge with [just] a black eye?\" Indeed, many commentators and economists are betting on Britain not being allowed back into the single market, at least not with all the benefits it previously enjoyed. \"Nobody wants to block the British,\" says Senator Yzer. \"But they made the decision to quit.\" The ex-mayor of London and Leave campaigner Boris Johnson, she adds, \"will have to explain to the British the burden he put on them by making the decision in favour of Brexit\". While financial services jobs could flow from London to Frankfurt, Berlin, which has a vibrant tech and small business scene, wants to nab that sector's finest for itself. If there is a mass migration from East London's \"Silicon Roundabout\" to the German capital, they will find a community with titans such as Soundcloud and Wooga, and one that is rapidly expanding. \"We have more demand than we have office space at the moment,\" says Travis Todd, chief executive of Silicon Allee, a group currently building a six-floor campus for start-ups in central Berlin, which will house 2,000 workers. And more may be coming. \"People are already asking, 'What is the alternative to London?'\" he says. \"If it's going to be much harder to get investment in London, to hire people in London, you are going to see a lot of those companies moving to places where they can do international business.\" It's not just access to the single market that could lure young techies to Berlin - there's also an entrepreneurial and pioneering atmosphere, and few companies better encapsulate this than ResearchGate, a social network for the scientific community with more than 10 million users, and with high-profile investors such as Bill Gates. Its founder, Ijad Madisch, is as confounded by Brexit as many of his contemporaries are in London. \"The young people all voted for being in the EU, and this is a clear signal,\" says Madisch, whose Superman cap and grey slacks belie his background as an accomplished virologist. \"You cannot just negotiate this away.\" Indeed the very idea of pulling up the drawbridge is an anathema to him. \"This whole country thing is a very old thing,\" says Madisch. \"I'm not a big fan of these separations between countries. But as entrepreneurs we always adjust to political environments.\" Not everyone is so sure. On the other side of town, Artur Fischer runs the Berlin Boerse stock exchange, which promotes itself as being a gateway to European markets. He says talk of tech firms flocking to Berlin comes from those who \"underestimate what makes London London\". \"There will not be a huge exodus in my opinion,\" he explains. \"London has its own unique ecosystem, it attracts the best skill-set from the whole world, including Europe, and that's not going away.\" One of the advantages London has is a large financial hub, as well as a tech scene, and a framework in which the two interact. This might not be so easy to replicate, says Fischer, and consequently, we might end up with a \"fragmented situation\" in Europe, where \"we do not have another single centre which competes directly with London\". Instead, business could be spread between Frankfurt, Milan, Paris and other cities. Ultimately, all business leaders in Berlin can do is try to make predictions - they don't know what kind of a deal will be struck between Westminster and Brussels, and they don't know how long it will take. But in the meantime, Senator Yzer is making her pitch directly to young Britons. \"Young people who voted In are welcome in Berlin,\" she says, staring out of the window of her office, just a few steps away from the square in which John F Kennedy gave his iconic \"Ich bin ein Berliner\" speech. \"They are welcome, their talent is more than welcome. It's a great place to live and we also speak English. \"Berlin is a place where their dreams can come true.\" You can hear more on this story on Business Daily.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2710, "answer_start": 1384, "text": "Indeed, many commentators and economists are betting on Britain not being allowed back into the single market, at least not with all the benefits it previously enjoyed. \"Nobody wants to block the British,\" says Senator Yzer. \"But they made the decision to quit.\" The ex-mayor of London and Leave campaigner Boris Johnson, she adds, \"will have to explain to the British the burden he put on them by making the decision in favour of Brexit\". While financial services jobs could flow from London to Frankfurt, Berlin, which has a vibrant tech and small business scene, wants to nab that sector's finest for itself. If there is a mass migration from East London's \"Silicon Roundabout\" to the German capital, they will find a community with titans such as Soundcloud and Wooga, and one that is rapidly expanding. \"We have more demand than we have office space at the moment,\" says Travis Todd, chief executive of Silicon Allee, a group currently building a six-floor campus for start-ups in central Berlin, which will house 2,000 workers. And more may be coming. \"People are already asking, 'What is the alternative to London?'\" he says. \"If it's going to be much harder to get investment in London, to hire people in London, you are going to see a lot of those companies moving to places where they can do international business.\"" } ], "id": "202_0", "question": "Mass migration?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has appealed for unity after surviving a challenge to his leadership from a senior government colleague. Mr Turnbull had called the surprise vote himself in a bid to resolve speculation that his leadership was under threat. In a party room ballot in Canberra on Tuesday, he defeated Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton. The prime minister won the vote 48-35, Liberal Party MPs said. Following the result, he told colleagues: \"It's really important that we put our differences behind us and get on with the job of looking after Australians.\" Speculation over Mr Turnbull's future as party leader had escalated in the past few days. He faced a revolt from conservative MPs over a key climate change policy. That led to him abandoning the plans on Monday in an attempt to blunt conflict within his government. The PM has also been under long-term pressure due to a series of bad polls and a by-election loss in Queensland. Polling has suggested the government will suffer a heavy loss in the next general election, which will be held before May next year. In a bid to clear the air, Mr Turnbull called for a snap vote on the leadership in a party meeting. Mr Dutton, a leading figure from the party's conservative wing, was nominated as challenger, confirming media reports that he had been gathering support. Mr Turnbull said he had invited him to remain in his role, but Mr Dutton resigned his cabinet position and will return to the back bench. Jay Savage, BBC News Australia online editor Mr Turnbull may have prevailed but his margin - just 13 votes - will hardly bring him confidence. Many expect it will only embolden Mr Dutton to challenge again. Now unconstrained by cabinet loyalty, he will have greater freedom. But regardless of who is leader, the government is laying bare its disunity - and that most suits Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten. Mr Turnbull said he did not \"bear any grudge against Peter Dutton\". \"My job is to do everything we can to make sure we are united and work together,\" he said. \"That is why it is very important that today the Liberal Party room has confirmed our leadership of the party.\" Mr Dutton said he accepted the result and would support Mr Turnbull, but did not rule out making another challenge. \"I want to make sure that I can support the party and make sure we win the next election,\" he told reporters. Deputy leader Julie Bishop said the result showed an \"overwhelming vote of support\" for the sitting leader. Australian politics over the past decade has been marked by a series of leadership coups, with three sitting prime ministers deposed by party rivals. Not a single leader in recent times has succeeded in serving a full three-year term as prime minister. Under the Australian system, as in the UK, the prime minister is not directly elected by voters but is the leader of the party or coalition that can command a majority in parliament. Mr Turnbull himself became prime minister in 2015 after ousting Tony Abbott in a leadership challenge. The preceding Labor government also saw two prime ministers, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, oust each other in turn.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1094, "answer_start": 583, "text": "Speculation over Mr Turnbull's future as party leader had escalated in the past few days. He faced a revolt from conservative MPs over a key climate change policy. That led to him abandoning the plans on Monday in an attempt to blunt conflict within his government. The PM has also been under long-term pressure due to a series of bad polls and a by-election loss in Queensland. Polling has suggested the government will suffer a heavy loss in the next general election, which will be held before May next year." } ], "id": "203_0", "question": "Why was there a challenge?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1486, "answer_start": 1095, "text": "In a bid to clear the air, Mr Turnbull called for a snap vote on the leadership in a party meeting. Mr Dutton, a leading figure from the party's conservative wing, was nominated as challenger, confirming media reports that he had been gathering support. Mr Turnbull said he had invited him to remain in his role, but Mr Dutton resigned his cabinet position and will return to the back bench." } ], "id": "203_1", "question": "So what happened on Tuesday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3158, "answer_start": 2504, "text": "Australian politics over the past decade has been marked by a series of leadership coups, with three sitting prime ministers deposed by party rivals. Not a single leader in recent times has succeeded in serving a full three-year term as prime minister. Under the Australian system, as in the UK, the prime minister is not directly elected by voters but is the leader of the party or coalition that can command a majority in parliament. Mr Turnbull himself became prime minister in 2015 after ousting Tony Abbott in a leadership challenge. The preceding Labor government also saw two prime ministers, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, oust each other in turn." } ], "id": "203_2", "question": "Are challenges common in Australian politics?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The 17 victims who died when a tour boat sank in a Missouri lake on Thursday included nine members of one family, officials in the US state say. A surviving relative told US media that the boat's captain had told the 31 passengers not to put on life jackets. The amphibious \"duck boat\" capsized during a rapidly deteriorating thunderstorm on Table Rock Lake, a popular tourist attraction. Missouri Highway Patrol said the ages of the deceased range from one to 70. The woman who says she lost nine members of her family has been named as Tia Coleman. She is one of two in her family to have survived. \"I lost all my children, I lost my husband, I lost my mother-in-law, I lost my father-in-law, I lost my uncle, I lost my sister-in-law - she was my sister - and I lost my nephew, I'm OK, but this is really hard,\" she told Fox News. \"The captain told us 'Don't worry about grabbing the life jackets, you won't need them,' so nobody grabbed them because we listened to the captain and he told us to stay seated. \"However in doing that, when it was time to grab them it was too late. I believe that a lot of people could have been spared.\" A relative who was not on the boat told WSB-TV that the other member of the family who survived was a boy, the station said in a tweet. The captain was among those who survived. He is now in a hospital. The vessel began taking on water shortly before 19:00 (00:00 GMT) on Thursday. Video footage shot by a witness on shore showed two duck boats struggling through choppy waters and spray. One of the boats made it to shore but the other was driven back by the wind and eventually overwhelmed. Sheriff Doug Rader told reporters he could not say whether passengers were wearing life vests at the time of the capsizing, or if the boat's windows were open. Missouri law requires all children under the age of seven to wear life jackets on boats, unless they are in the \"cabin area\". The vessel sank in 40ft (12m) of water before plunging to a final depth of 80ft. 'Placid' lake The vessel was on the water after a weather warning was issued. But the owner of the tour boat company, Jim Pattison, said he had been told by employees that the storm had \"came out of basically nowhere\". \"Usually the lake is very placid and it's not a long tour, they go in and kind of around an island and back. We had other boats in the water earlier and it had been a great, sort of calm experience,\" he said. Mr Pattison also said that under Missouri law passengers are not required to wear life jackets. The accident happened as thunderstorms rolled through the American Midwest, uprooting trees and felling power lines. At the time of the accident, winds reached around 65mph (104 km/h), according to the National Weather Service. There are hundreds of so-called duck boats in use around the world. The amphibious vehicles are popular with tourists and have been providing tours for decades. The most serious incident was in 1999, when a duck boat listed and sank just minutes after entering Lake Hamilton in Arkansas. Thirteen people were killed, including three children, after they became trapped beneath the vehicle's canopy. The cause was later reported to be \"uncontrolled flooding\" due to a loose part. The sightseeing vehicles are based on a design used during World War Two to transport personnel and supplies over land and water - known as the DUKW. The DUKW, a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck, was first made in the US in the mid-1940s to deliver people and materials ashore where no port facilities existed. Some 21,000 DUKWs were produced for use during the war. Many served on D-Day and in the Normandy landings.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2749, "answer_start": 1341, "text": "The vessel began taking on water shortly before 19:00 (00:00 GMT) on Thursday. Video footage shot by a witness on shore showed two duck boats struggling through choppy waters and spray. One of the boats made it to shore but the other was driven back by the wind and eventually overwhelmed. Sheriff Doug Rader told reporters he could not say whether passengers were wearing life vests at the time of the capsizing, or if the boat's windows were open. Missouri law requires all children under the age of seven to wear life jackets on boats, unless they are in the \"cabin area\". The vessel sank in 40ft (12m) of water before plunging to a final depth of 80ft. 'Placid' lake The vessel was on the water after a weather warning was issued. But the owner of the tour boat company, Jim Pattison, said he had been told by employees that the storm had \"came out of basically nowhere\". \"Usually the lake is very placid and it's not a long tour, they go in and kind of around an island and back. We had other boats in the water earlier and it had been a great, sort of calm experience,\" he said. Mr Pattison also said that under Missouri law passengers are not required to wear life jackets. The accident happened as thunderstorms rolled through the American Midwest, uprooting trees and felling power lines. At the time of the accident, winds reached around 65mph (104 km/h), according to the National Weather Service." } ], "id": "204_0", "question": "How did the accident unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3646, "answer_start": 3229, "text": "The sightseeing vehicles are based on a design used during World War Two to transport personnel and supplies over land and water - known as the DUKW. The DUKW, a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck, was first made in the US in the mid-1940s to deliver people and materials ashore where no port facilities existed. Some 21,000 DUKWs were produced for use during the war. Many served on D-Day and in the Normandy landings." } ], "id": "204_1", "question": "What is a duck boat?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The government has narrowly avoided a defeat on its Customs Bill after agreeing to Brexiteers' demands to change its wording. It twice survived by just three votes after a backlash from pro-EU Tories who accused Theresa May of \"caving in\" to the party's Eurosceptic MPs. Defence Minister Guto Bebb resigned so he could vote against the government. MPs will carry on debating Brexit on Tuesday when the Trade Bill comes to the Commons. It gives the government the power to build new trade relationships around the world after the UK leaves the EU, and MPs who support staying in the EU's customs union are seeking to change its wording. Critics said the amendments to the Customs Bill laid down by Eurosceptics on Monday would undermine the UK's recently-announced negotiating position. But Downing Street, which agreed earlier to accept the four amendments, said they were \"consistent\" with the White Paper where it sets out how it wants to trade with the EU in years to come. The UK is due to leave the EU on 29 March 2019 but has yet to agree how its final relationship with the bloc will work. The government, which does not have a Commons majority, has been under pressure from MPs on both sides of the Brexit debate. This was underlined on Monday as it first accepted a series of demands from Brexiteers who are unhappy at the proposals in the White Paper, believing it keeps the UK too closely tied to the EU. But this angered MPs from the party's pro-EU wing who refused to back the new amendments, leading to heated exchanges in the House of Commons as the Customs Bill was debated. Tory MP and Remainer Heidi Allen said she wished the prime minister had \"faced down the amendments.\" She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: \"What was agreed at Chequers wasn't perfect to us, wasn't perfect to Leavers either, but I think the prime minister had worked exceptionally hard to find a decent first pitch to put to the EU and move forward from that. \"We were all set [on the Remain side] to drop all our amendments and back it, then suddenly we had these rather extreme last minute manoeuvres, which seem to us to deviate the prime minister from her plan and we weren't prepared to do that.\" Ms Allen said it was now up to Mrs May to \"pick the side of the economy\". Pro-EU MP Anna Soubry suggested backbench Eurosceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg was now \"running Britain\". Another Remainer, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, said the prime minister had, by accepting the amendments, put herself in \"a position of considerable weakness\". Mr Rees-Mogg said the amendments were \"broadly in line\" with government policy, which is why the government accepted them. By 305 votes to 302 - with 14 Tories rebelling - MPs backed an amendment that prevents the UK from collecting taxes on behalf of the EU, unless the rest of the EU does the same for the UK. Applying EU tariffs to products destined for the EU is part of Mrs May's plan to avoid friction at UK borders after Brexit. Another amendment, to ensure the UK is out of the EU's VAT regime, was backed by 303 to 300, with a Tory rebellion of 11. Three Labour MPs voted with the government. The government won several other votes more comfortably, and the entire bill was then approved by the House of Commons by 318 to 285. BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg It looks a mess because it is a mess. It's getting harder and harder for the prime minister to get things through Parliament - and while calls for a second referendum are widely rejected, that sentiment could change if this kind of gridlock continues. The PM has spent the last two years trying to compromise. She has a divided party and no majority. There are no easy choices. But the divisions in the Tory party are daily reducing her room for manoeuvre. In a debate about principle, the problem for some is that compromise is a dirty word. Read Laura's blog The three Labour MPs who rebelled against their party whip by voting with the government were Frank Field, Kate Hoey and Graham Stringer - all of whom are pro-Brexit. Former Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins who now sits as an independent also supported the government on one of the amendments. The Conservative rebels were the long-time pro-EU MP Ken Clarke, Heidi Allen, Guto Bebb, Richard Benyon, Jonathan Djanogly, Dominic Grieve, Stephen Hammond, Philip Lee, Nicky Morgan, Robert Neill, Mark Pawsey, Antoinette Sandbach, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston. BBC Europe editor, Katya Adler said the one priority the EU has is making sure it gets a deal, rather than a \"cliff edge\" Brexit. She told Today: \"They are following all the ins and outs, and all the turbulence, in UK politics extremely carefully. \"[But] they are wondering if the prime minister - or anyone who could or might take over from her - would even have the political strength to get a deal agreed here in Brussels, then passed by parliament back home.\" Adler said the \"normally outspoken EU leaders\" are keeping quiet as they don't want to \"put their oar in right now and risk blowing the whole thing up\". The new Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is due in Brussels on Thursday to continue negotiations and the EU wants to engage, she added. \"All my EU sources say they want to engage constructively with the whitepaper and avoid giving the impression that it is dead on arrival. \"But importantly, as everyone knows, time for negotiation is running short. They want to complete the withdrawal agreement.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4419, "answer_start": 3870, "text": "The three Labour MPs who rebelled against their party whip by voting with the government were Frank Field, Kate Hoey and Graham Stringer - all of whom are pro-Brexit. Former Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins who now sits as an independent also supported the government on one of the amendments. The Conservative rebels were the long-time pro-EU MP Ken Clarke, Heidi Allen, Guto Bebb, Richard Benyon, Jonathan Djanogly, Dominic Grieve, Stephen Hammond, Philip Lee, Nicky Morgan, Robert Neill, Mark Pawsey, Antoinette Sandbach, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston." } ], "id": "205_0", "question": "Who rebelled?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5432, "answer_start": 4420, "text": "BBC Europe editor, Katya Adler said the one priority the EU has is making sure it gets a deal, rather than a \"cliff edge\" Brexit. She told Today: \"They are following all the ins and outs, and all the turbulence, in UK politics extremely carefully. \"[But] they are wondering if the prime minister - or anyone who could or might take over from her - would even have the political strength to get a deal agreed here in Brussels, then passed by parliament back home.\" Adler said the \"normally outspoken EU leaders\" are keeping quiet as they don't want to \"put their oar in right now and risk blowing the whole thing up\". The new Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab is due in Brussels on Thursday to continue negotiations and the EU wants to engage, she added. \"All my EU sources say they want to engage constructively with the whitepaper and avoid giving the impression that it is dead on arrival. \"But importantly, as everyone knows, time for negotiation is running short. They want to complete the withdrawal agreement.\"" } ], "id": "205_1", "question": "How has the EU reacted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The phone call came in the middle of the night. It was my mother, frantic but trying to inject calmness into her voice. There were riots in Jakarta, she said. The supermarket down our road had been set on fire, and people were out on the streets looting stores and ransacking homes. It was May 1998. And Indonesia - my childhood home - was at war with itself. It wasn't the only one. Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia - even Japan - were all affected by the Asian financial crisis. Almost overnight, the East Asian economic miracle was declared no more. Growth rates contracted. Millions of families like mine saw their wealth erode over the course of a few months. The middle class in many of these nations was decimated as housewives sold their jewellery to keep their families afloat, and mothers stormed the streets because they couldn't afford imported formula for their children. A number of countries, including Indonesia, had to ask the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank for help. My sister and I were at university in the UK when the financial crisis struck in 1997. At the time we felt the impact keenly. Our overseas university fees, which were paid in British pounds, became vastly more expensive to a father who, until that point. had exemplified the middle-class Indonesian success story. \"No one could have seen it coming,\" my father tells me today as he looks back. \"We were on the verge of becoming one of Asia's tiger economies. We were meant to be invincible.\" But if there was thing the crisis proved, it was that Asia's Tigers were extremely vulnerable. \"It was the worst time in my career,\" Soedjradjad Djiwandono, Indonesia's central bank governor at the time told me. \"We almost didn't sleep for months because every day you have to deal with it. We thought we could stabilise the Indonesian rupiah. We intervened in the market, but the rupiah kept depreciating.\" What Mr Djiwandono is talking about is the massive currency devaluations that happened across the region, starting with the Thai baht, and rippling across South East Asia. There were many reasons for the crisis. But the consensus is that it was predominantly a combination of asset bubbles, high current account deficits and too much foreign-denominated debt in the banking system. Currencies that were artificially pegged to the US dollar at a fixed and unrealistic exchange rate, and a lack of financial transparency, made these countries vulnerable to the crisis. Today, though, most of these countries are among Asia's strongest economies. So what did they do right? And what lessons were learned to ensure that something like that never happens again? First, getting rid of fixed exchange rates was vital. Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia all saw their semi or fixed exchange rates challenged during the crisis by currency speculators. After the crisis these countries adopted a free-floating currency which allowed market forces to determine the value of the exchange rate, thereby taking out the incentive for speculators to step in. Second, countries also started cleaning up banking systems. Pre-crisis, 30% of bank loans made in Indonesia were not re-payed. Nowadays it's closer to 5%. Banking systems exposed to a high level of corporate debt in foreign currencies are vulnerable to higher and more expensive payments when those currencies fall. And sometimes when businesses can't pay back their loans - as happened during the crisis - the whole banking system collapses. Finally, making the political and economic environment more transparent was important. Many of the countries affected had political and financial systems that were opaque and prone to crony-capitalism. While there have been improvements - in the case of Indonesia a system of government changed from dictatorship to a democracy - there are still inherent issues within many of the countries that allow the elite to govern the way business is done. It was the 1997-98 financial crisis that made me want to become a journalist - in particular a business reporter. Why had nobody warned what might happen? The region has come a long way since then, and most economists agree that countries here are all in a much better shape to allow something like that from happening again, But there are still real risks. South Korea's chaebol culture for example, has yet to be fully reformed. Thailand is now in the grip of a military-led government. Malaysia is suffering from its own corruption scandal stemming from the Prime Minister down. And Indonesia, where my mum called me from that night, is beset with religious intolerance issues. Together these countries make up at least half of Asia's GDP growth. The warning signs are clear to see.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3962, "answer_start": 2494, "text": "Today, though, most of these countries are among Asia's strongest economies. So what did they do right? And what lessons were learned to ensure that something like that never happens again? First, getting rid of fixed exchange rates was vital. Thailand, South Korea and Indonesia all saw their semi or fixed exchange rates challenged during the crisis by currency speculators. After the crisis these countries adopted a free-floating currency which allowed market forces to determine the value of the exchange rate, thereby taking out the incentive for speculators to step in. Second, countries also started cleaning up banking systems. Pre-crisis, 30% of bank loans made in Indonesia were not re-payed. Nowadays it's closer to 5%. Banking systems exposed to a high level of corporate debt in foreign currencies are vulnerable to higher and more expensive payments when those currencies fall. And sometimes when businesses can't pay back their loans - as happened during the crisis - the whole banking system collapses. Finally, making the political and economic environment more transparent was important. Many of the countries affected had political and financial systems that were opaque and prone to crony-capitalism. While there have been improvements - in the case of Indonesia a system of government changed from dictatorship to a democracy - there are still inherent issues within many of the countries that allow the elite to govern the way business is done." } ], "id": "206_0", "question": "Lessons learned?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Brazil's far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro will merge the ministries of agriculture and the environment, an aide says, in a move which critics say could endanger the Amazon rainforest. Mr Bolsonaro's future chief of staff, Onyx Lorenzoni, announced the new \"super ministry\" as details of the new administration began to emerge. The controversial new Brazilian leader is supported by the agribusiness lobby. A former environment minister tweeted that the move was \"tragic\". \"This disastrous decision will bring serious damage to Brazil and will pass on to consumers abroad the idea that all Brazilian agribusiness survives thanks to the destruction of forests,\" Marina Silva said. Earlier, Vice President-elect Hamilton Mourao dismissed environmentalists' concerns about development in the Amazon, saying the government would act responsibly by managing the spread of agriculture in the region. The Amazon region holds the largest tropical rainforest in the world and is home to plant and animal species that are still being discovered by scientists. Most of its millions of square kilometres are inside Brazil, where under laws dating back to 1965, landowners must keep a percentage of their terrain forested. That percentage ranges from 20% in some parts of the country to 80% in the Amazon. But a debate has raged in Brazil over the often conflicting needs of environmental protection and economic development. Earlier this year the supreme court upheld major changes to laws which environmentalists say will make illegal deforestation acceptable. Mr Bolsonaro, 63, has previously suggested that Brazil could pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. He says its requirements compromise Brazil's sovereignty over the Amazon region. In the run-up to the election he had suggested merging the agriculture and environment ministries, saying, \"Let's be clear: the future ministry will come from the productive sector. We won't have any more fights over this.\" Warned by activists that such a move would undermine the environment ministry's controls on the commercial sector, he struck a more conciliatory tone saying he was \"open to negotiation on that issue\". Following behind-closed-door talks on Tuesday, Mr Bolsonaro's top economic adviser Paulo Guedes confirmed that an economic super-ministry would be formed combining finance, planning, industry and trade. It will be headed by Mr Guedes. Mr Lorenzoni also announced that Mr Bolsonaro's first foreign visits would be to Chile, Israel and the US. He described them as countries that \"share our worldview.\" Mr Bolsonaro swept to victory in Sunday's election, easily beating his left-wing rival Fernando Haddad. The former paratrooper is a deeply polarising figure who has in the past defended the actions of the country's former military regime and said he is \"in favour of dictatorship\". His populist approach has led to some media dubbing him \"Trump of the Tropics\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1556, "answer_start": 901, "text": "The Amazon region holds the largest tropical rainforest in the world and is home to plant and animal species that are still being discovered by scientists. Most of its millions of square kilometres are inside Brazil, where under laws dating back to 1965, landowners must keep a percentage of their terrain forested. That percentage ranges from 20% in some parts of the country to 80% in the Amazon. But a debate has raged in Brazil over the often conflicting needs of environmental protection and economic development. Earlier this year the supreme court upheld major changes to laws which environmentalists say will make illegal deforestation acceptable." } ], "id": "207_0", "question": "Why is the Amazon important?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2179, "answer_start": 1557, "text": "Mr Bolsonaro, 63, has previously suggested that Brazil could pull out of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. He says its requirements compromise Brazil's sovereignty over the Amazon region. In the run-up to the election he had suggested merging the agriculture and environment ministries, saying, \"Let's be clear: the future ministry will come from the productive sector. We won't have any more fights over this.\" Warned by activists that such a move would undermine the environment ministry's controls on the commercial sector, he struck a more conciliatory tone saying he was \"open to negotiation on that issue\"." } ], "id": "207_1", "question": "What are Mr Bolsonaro's views on the environment?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2942, "answer_start": 2180, "text": "Following behind-closed-door talks on Tuesday, Mr Bolsonaro's top economic adviser Paulo Guedes confirmed that an economic super-ministry would be formed combining finance, planning, industry and trade. It will be headed by Mr Guedes. Mr Lorenzoni also announced that Mr Bolsonaro's first foreign visits would be to Chile, Israel and the US. He described them as countries that \"share our worldview.\" Mr Bolsonaro swept to victory in Sunday's election, easily beating his left-wing rival Fernando Haddad. The former paratrooper is a deeply polarising figure who has in the past defended the actions of the country's former military regime and said he is \"in favour of dictatorship\". His populist approach has led to some media dubbing him \"Trump of the Tropics\"." } ], "id": "207_2", "question": "What else has been been decided?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "An area of Amazon rainforest roughly the size of a football pitch is now being cleared every single minute, according to satellite data. The rate of losses has accelerated as Brazil's new right-wing president favours development over conservation. The largest rainforest in the world, the Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming. A senior Brazilian official, speaking anonymously, told us his government was encouraging deforestation. Usually by bulldozers, either pushing against the trunks to force the shallow roots out of the ground, or by a pair of the machines advancing with a chain between them. In one vast stretch of recently cleared land, we found giant trees lying on their sides, much of the foliage still green and patches of bare earth drying under a fierce sun. Later, the timber will be cleared and sold or burned, and the land prepared for farming. In other areas, illegal loggers carve new tracks through the undergrowth to reach particularly valuable hardwood trees which they sell on the black market, often to order. Satellite images show a sharp increase in clearances of trees over the first half of this year, since Jair Bolsonaro became president of Brazil, the country that owns most of the Amazon region. The most recent analysis suggests a staggering scale of losses over the past two months in particular, with about a hectare being cleared every minute on average. The single biggest reason to fell trees, according to official figures, is to create new pastures for cattle, and during our visit we saw countless herds grazing on land that used to be rainforest. Over the past decade, previous governments had managed to reduce the clearances with concerted action by federal agencies and a system of fines. But this approach is being overturned by Mr Bolsonaro and his ministers who have criticised the penalties and overseen a dramatic fall in confiscations of timber and convictions for environmental crimes. The forest holds a vast amount of carbon in its billions of trees, accumulated over hundreds or even thousands of years. Every year, the leaves also absorb a huge quantity of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be left in the atmosphere adding to the rise in global temperatures. By one recent estimate, the trees of the Amazon rainforest pulled in carbon dioxide equivalent to the fossil fuel emissions of most of the nine countries that own or border the forest between 1980-2010. The forest is also the richest home to biodiversity on the planet, a habitat for perhaps one-tenth of all species of plants and animals. And it is where one million indigenous people live, hunting and gathering amid the trees. According to a senior Brazilian environment official, the impact is so \"huge\" that he took the risk of giving us an unauthorised interview to bring it to the attention of the world. We had to meet in secret and disguise his face and voice because Mr Bolsonaro has banned his environment staff from talking to the media. Over the course of three hours, a startling inside picture emerged of small, under-resourced teams of government experts passionate about saving the forest but seriously undermined by their own political masters. Mr Bolsonaro swept to power on a populist agenda backed by agricultural businesses and small farmers, many of whom believe that too much of the Amazon region is protected and that environment staff have too much influence. He has said he wants to weaken the laws protecting the forest and has attacked the civil servants whose job it is to guard the trees. The result, according to the environment official, is that \"it feels like we are the enemies of the Amazon, when in fact we should be seen in a completely different way, as the people trying to protect our ecological heritage for future generations\". \"They don't want us to speak because we'll say the truth, that conservation areas are being invaded and destroyed, there are many people marking out areas that should be protected.\" The official believes the figures for deforestation could be even worse than officially recognised. \"There's a government attempt to show the data is wrong, to show the numbers don't portray the reality,\" he told me. Ministers are considering hiring an independent contractor to handle information from satellite images of the region, questioning the work of the current government agency. Also, the rainy season is only now coming to an end, and because deforestation typically takes place in the drier months of the year, the official fears that the pace of losses could pick up speed. \"In truth, it can be even worse,\" he said, because many of the areas recently damaged haven't yet been picked up by satellite images. \"People need to know what's happening because we need allies to fight against invasions, to protect areas, and against deforestation.\" We made repeated requests for interviews with the ministers for environment and agriculture but were refused. Earlier this year, Mr Bolsonaro, who's known as the \"Trump of the Tropics\", invited the US president to be a partner in exploiting the resources of the Amazon. Last month, in an interview with BBC Brasil, the environment minister Ricardo Salles, said landowners should be rewarded for preserving forest and that developed nations should foot the bill. And there's an assertive response when voices in the outside world call for the forest to be saved. The president's top security adviser, General Augusto Heleno Pereira, told Bloomberg last month that it was \"nonsense\" that the Amazon was part of the world's heritage. \"The Amazon is Brazilian, the heritage of Brazil and should be dealt with by Brazil for the benefit of Brazil,\" he said. For decades, farming organisations have argued that the network of protected areas of forest, including reserves for indigenous people, is too restrictive for a developing country that needs to create jobs. A leading figure in the farmers' union in the city of Santarem, a hub for soya and cattle, told me that other countries had cleared their trees for agriculture but now wanted Brazil not to do the same. Vanderley Wegner said that the US and Europe, which buy produce from the Amazon region, have far less stringent controls on their forests, and that Europe \"has very little forest left\" anyway. \"We have to develop the Amazon. More than four million people live here and they need development too, it's a constitutional right of every Brazilian citizen,\" he said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1072, "answer_start": 469, "text": "Usually by bulldozers, either pushing against the trunks to force the shallow roots out of the ground, or by a pair of the machines advancing with a chain between them. In one vast stretch of recently cleared land, we found giant trees lying on their sides, much of the foliage still green and patches of bare earth drying under a fierce sun. Later, the timber will be cleared and sold or burned, and the land prepared for farming. In other areas, illegal loggers carve new tracks through the undergrowth to reach particularly valuable hardwood trees which they sell on the black market, often to order." } ], "id": "208_0", "question": "How is the forest cleared?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1976, "answer_start": 1073, "text": "Satellite images show a sharp increase in clearances of trees over the first half of this year, since Jair Bolsonaro became president of Brazil, the country that owns most of the Amazon region. The most recent analysis suggests a staggering scale of losses over the past two months in particular, with about a hectare being cleared every minute on average. The single biggest reason to fell trees, according to official figures, is to create new pastures for cattle, and during our visit we saw countless herds grazing on land that used to be rainforest. Over the past decade, previous governments had managed to reduce the clearances with concerted action by federal agencies and a system of fines. But this approach is being overturned by Mr Bolsonaro and his ministers who have criticised the penalties and overseen a dramatic fall in confiscations of timber and convictions for environmental crimes." } ], "id": "208_1", "question": "What does this mean for the forest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2686, "answer_start": 1977, "text": "The forest holds a vast amount of carbon in its billions of trees, accumulated over hundreds or even thousands of years. Every year, the leaves also absorb a huge quantity of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be left in the atmosphere adding to the rise in global temperatures. By one recent estimate, the trees of the Amazon rainforest pulled in carbon dioxide equivalent to the fossil fuel emissions of most of the nine countries that own or border the forest between 1980-2010. The forest is also the richest home to biodiversity on the planet, a habitat for perhaps one-tenth of all species of plants and animals. And it is where one million indigenous people live, hunting and gathering amid the trees." } ], "id": "208_2", "question": "Why does this matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4009, "answer_start": 2687, "text": "According to a senior Brazilian environment official, the impact is so \"huge\" that he took the risk of giving us an unauthorised interview to bring it to the attention of the world. We had to meet in secret and disguise his face and voice because Mr Bolsonaro has banned his environment staff from talking to the media. Over the course of three hours, a startling inside picture emerged of small, under-resourced teams of government experts passionate about saving the forest but seriously undermined by their own political masters. Mr Bolsonaro swept to power on a populist agenda backed by agricultural businesses and small farmers, many of whom believe that too much of the Amazon region is protected and that environment staff have too much influence. He has said he wants to weaken the laws protecting the forest and has attacked the civil servants whose job it is to guard the trees. The result, according to the environment official, is that \"it feels like we are the enemies of the Amazon, when in fact we should be seen in a completely different way, as the people trying to protect our ecological heritage for future generations\". \"They don't want us to speak because we'll say the truth, that conservation areas are being invaded and destroyed, there are many people marking out areas that should be protected.\"" } ], "id": "208_3", "question": "What does Brazil's new policy mean?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4866, "answer_start": 4010, "text": "The official believes the figures for deforestation could be even worse than officially recognised. \"There's a government attempt to show the data is wrong, to show the numbers don't portray the reality,\" he told me. Ministers are considering hiring an independent contractor to handle information from satellite images of the region, questioning the work of the current government agency. Also, the rainy season is only now coming to an end, and because deforestation typically takes place in the drier months of the year, the official fears that the pace of losses could pick up speed. \"In truth, it can be even worse,\" he said, because many of the areas recently damaged haven't yet been picked up by satellite images. \"People need to know what's happening because we need allies to fight against invasions, to protect areas, and against deforestation.\"" } ], "id": "208_4", "question": "So what could happen next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5718, "answer_start": 4867, "text": "We made repeated requests for interviews with the ministers for environment and agriculture but were refused. Earlier this year, Mr Bolsonaro, who's known as the \"Trump of the Tropics\", invited the US president to be a partner in exploiting the resources of the Amazon. Last month, in an interview with BBC Brasil, the environment minister Ricardo Salles, said landowners should be rewarded for preserving forest and that developed nations should foot the bill. And there's an assertive response when voices in the outside world call for the forest to be saved. The president's top security adviser, General Augusto Heleno Pereira, told Bloomberg last month that it was \"nonsense\" that the Amazon was part of the world's heritage. \"The Amazon is Brazilian, the heritage of Brazil and should be dealt with by Brazil for the benefit of Brazil,\" he said." } ], "id": "208_5", "question": "What does the government say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6490, "answer_start": 5719, "text": "For decades, farming organisations have argued that the network of protected areas of forest, including reserves for indigenous people, is too restrictive for a developing country that needs to create jobs. A leading figure in the farmers' union in the city of Santarem, a hub for soya and cattle, told me that other countries had cleared their trees for agriculture but now wanted Brazil not to do the same. Vanderley Wegner said that the US and Europe, which buy produce from the Amazon region, have far less stringent controls on their forests, and that Europe \"has very little forest left\" anyway. \"We have to develop the Amazon. More than four million people live here and they need development too, it's a constitutional right of every Brazilian citizen,\" he said." } ], "id": "208_6", "question": "What's the view of the farmers?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Satellite images appear to show China has built aircraft hangars on disputed islands in the South China Sea. The images, from late July, were released by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and appear to confirm that Chinese military fighter jets could, at some point, be based on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief Reefs. The revelation is likely to stoke tension with neighbours and the US, all of whom have raised concerns over what they call \"the militarisation of the South China Sea\", says analyst Alexander Neill from the International Institute for Strategic Studies - Asia. Read more: These images show three new air bases built on artificial islands nearing completion in the Spratly islands at the heart of the South China Sea. They demonstrate the remarkable pace and scale of China's island-building campaign in the South China Sea, where only two years ago coral reefs and atolls existed. The pictures focus in particular on the construction of reinforced hangars designed to shelter an array of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft. Apart from accommodation blocks and administrative buildings, the images also show a selection of unidentified hexagonal structures facing towards the sea on the three islands. Each island has four of these structures forming a trapezoid shape. In addition, each island also hosts a mysterious group of three towers. There is speculation that such structures are in fact reinforced air defence facilities which could house surface-to-air missile batteries. Beyond the hangars and air defence systems, we can also see three naval bases readying for operation, including large berthing facilities and harbours for the PLA Navy, the coast guard and other maritime law enforcement agencies. China has embarked on a power projection drive in the region which will considerably extend the range of its naval and air capabilities. This military construction on the islands indicates that within a few months China will be in a position to deploy fighter regiments on the islands totalling nearly 80 aircraft - a formidable addition to its existing capabilities in the South China Sea. In addition, the bases will be able to host Chinese strategic bombers such as the H6-K, early warning and surveillance aircraft and long range transport and tanker jets. Because such airbases are inherently vulnerable to attack, China appears to be deploying a sophisticated air defence network and the command and control infrastructure to protect its new island bases. In his state visit to the US in September 2015, Xi Jinping stated that China did not intend to pursue militarisation of the Spratly islands. However, from China's perspective, the islands it claims and the sea space within the nine-dash line are China's sovereign territory requiring necessary defence measures. US officials quickly sought more specific reassurance from Mr Xi to include all of the South China Sea. Chinese senior figures later qualified Mr Xi's statement by suggesting that defence measures should be commensurate to perceived threat to China's territorial integrity. Beijing has now blamed US Navy Freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) for triggering military escalation in the South China Sea, allowing justification in Beijing's narrative for defensive measures on the new artificial islands. In the wake of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling overwhelmingly in favour of the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to react to the appearance of three advanced Chinese airbases within his nation's exclusive economic zone. Perhaps there may be little reaction at all. The Philippines' navy is almost non-existent, so its only recourse may be to rely on its defence treaty with the US, but Mr Duterte seems to have been reticent towards too cosy a relationship with Washington. Vietnam on the other hand - another claimant in the South China Sea - apparently has little tolerance for Beijing's activities. Recent news reports suggest that Vietnam has deployed advanced mobile rocket launchers to some of the islands it occupies in the region, putting China's new island garrisons within range of bombardment. The timing of Beijing's deployment of fighter jets, bombers and air defence missiles on the islands is uncertain, but Vietnam's military deployments will also offer Beijing further justification for its future arms build-up in the South China Sea. Alexander Neill is a Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow at IISS-Asia (International Institute for Strategic Studies - Asia).", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1060, "answer_start": 596, "text": "These images show three new air bases built on artificial islands nearing completion in the Spratly islands at the heart of the South China Sea. They demonstrate the remarkable pace and scale of China's island-building campaign in the South China Sea, where only two years ago coral reefs and atolls existed. The pictures focus in particular on the construction of reinforced hangars designed to shelter an array of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft." } ], "id": "209_0", "question": "What do the pictures show exactly?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1747, "answer_start": 1061, "text": "Apart from accommodation blocks and administrative buildings, the images also show a selection of unidentified hexagonal structures facing towards the sea on the three islands. Each island has four of these structures forming a trapezoid shape. In addition, each island also hosts a mysterious group of three towers. There is speculation that such structures are in fact reinforced air defence facilities which could house surface-to-air missile batteries. Beyond the hangars and air defence systems, we can also see three naval bases readying for operation, including large berthing facilities and harbours for the PLA Navy, the coast guard and other maritime law enforcement agencies." } ], "id": "209_1", "question": "What else is on the islands?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2509, "answer_start": 1748, "text": "China has embarked on a power projection drive in the region which will considerably extend the range of its naval and air capabilities. This military construction on the islands indicates that within a few months China will be in a position to deploy fighter regiments on the islands totalling nearly 80 aircraft - a formidable addition to its existing capabilities in the South China Sea. In addition, the bases will be able to host Chinese strategic bombers such as the H6-K, early warning and surveillance aircraft and long range transport and tanker jets. Because such airbases are inherently vulnerable to attack, China appears to be deploying a sophisticated air defence network and the command and control infrastructure to protect its new island bases." } ], "id": "209_2", "question": "What does this tell us?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3327, "answer_start": 2510, "text": "In his state visit to the US in September 2015, Xi Jinping stated that China did not intend to pursue militarisation of the Spratly islands. However, from China's perspective, the islands it claims and the sea space within the nine-dash line are China's sovereign territory requiring necessary defence measures. US officials quickly sought more specific reassurance from Mr Xi to include all of the South China Sea. Chinese senior figures later qualified Mr Xi's statement by suggesting that defence measures should be commensurate to perceived threat to China's territorial integrity. Beijing has now blamed US Navy Freedom of navigation operations (FONOPS) for triggering military escalation in the South China Sea, allowing justification in Beijing's narrative for defensive measures on the new artificial islands." } ], "id": "209_3", "question": "But didn't China promise it wouldn't militarise the South China Sea?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4529, "answer_start": 3328, "text": "In the wake of the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling overwhelmingly in favour of the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to react to the appearance of three advanced Chinese airbases within his nation's exclusive economic zone. Perhaps there may be little reaction at all. The Philippines' navy is almost non-existent, so its only recourse may be to rely on its defence treaty with the US, but Mr Duterte seems to have been reticent towards too cosy a relationship with Washington. Vietnam on the other hand - another claimant in the South China Sea - apparently has little tolerance for Beijing's activities. Recent news reports suggest that Vietnam has deployed advanced mobile rocket launchers to some of the islands it occupies in the region, putting China's new island garrisons within range of bombardment. The timing of Beijing's deployment of fighter jets, bombers and air defence missiles on the islands is uncertain, but Vietnam's military deployments will also offer Beijing further justification for its future arms build-up in the South China Sea. Alexander Neill is a Shangri-La Dialogue Senior Fellow at IISS-Asia (International Institute for Strategic Studies - Asia)." } ], "id": "209_4", "question": "What does this mean for China's neighbours?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In mid-August the national airline, South African Airways (SAA), put up online advertisements for the training of cadet pilots. The trade union Solidarity put in two applications with exactly the same qualifications and backgrounds except for one crucial fact: One was white and the other black. The white applicant immediately received a rejection letter while the black applicant progressed up the vetting system. A massive storm broke out over the issue, with South Africa's largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, saying the practice takes \"our reconciliation project backwards\". Spokeswoman Natasha Michael was quoted as saying racial discrimination had been \"the animating idea of apartheid\" and had no place in a democratic South Africa. This is a familiar narrative in a South Africa that is trying to redress the inequities of apartheid's past and build an egalitarian country. Yet the SAA story becomes somewhat more complex when one considers the facts at the national airline. \"Currently, 85% of SAA pilots are white, of which 7.6% are white females,\" the airline said in a statement. \"This means that only 15% of SAA pilots are black, ie Africans, Coloureds [mixed race people] and Indians. This emphasises the need for SAA to align this intervention to its transformation strategy.\" According to the 2011 census, whites make up 9.2% of South Africa's population. Something is clearly wrong at SAA, and something clearly needs to be done. Does it include a blanket ban of white candidates, though? What should managers at SAA do to correct the clearly skewed employment patterns among its pilots? Eighteen years after democracy, South Africa is still grappling with issues of race, representation, redress and equity. A raft of laws ranging from affirmative action to Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) have been adopted, but the debate is still as raw today as it was back in the early days of a new South Africa in the late 1990s. Last week the secretary general of the governing African National Congress (ANC), Gwede Mantashe, received both plaudits and brickbats when he said black-owned companies, which receive preferential treatment in the dishing out of government contracts in line with BEE legislation, used the state as their cash cow by supplying sub-standard goods at abnormally large fees. Mr Mantashe said most black-owned firms built public schools or supplied services at three times the normal price. He and many others are of the view that for this and other reasons, BEE has not worked and has benefited only a small coterie of politically connected individuals. While this coterie has become the reviled face of Black Economic Empowerment, the recent protests at Lonmin's Marikana mine have presented the face of poverty and inequality to South Africans yet again. In its latest report on South Africa, the German think tank Bertelsmann Stiftung says: \"Since democratisation in 1994, income inequalities within the different race groups, especially within the black population group have increased strongly. \"According to the latest figures from the World Bank, 42.9% of South Africans can be considered to be poor, with less than $2 [PS1.25] a day to live on. The overwhelming majority of these are black South Africans.\" And there lies the rub. We have lifted a massive amount of black people out of poverty and - crucially - removed the barriers to their being able to improve themselves. Yet they are leaving behind another, huge and restless underclass. Where should our emphasis be? South Africa, with Brazil, are now the two most unequal societies in the world. It would be easy to argue that efforts to empower blacks should be scrapped because, surely, after 18 years race does not matter any more. Instead, inequality and class differences are the real divides. When the poor rise up, they will rise up against the rich in general and not against the white rich only. It is a seductive argument, often put up by South Africa's former President FW de Klerk and others in saying the ANC's policies have failed the poor. As in the SAA case, the truth is a little bit more complicated and needs a far more nuanced approach. What South Africa now needs is a leadership crop that will commit to an economic programme that both grows South Africa's lethargic economy - we will only achieve 2.5% growth this year - to create the jobs we need to lift those languishing at the bottom of our society out of their desperate plight. It remains a crime that seven million of our fellow citizens are unemployed and more than 2.2 million of them say they have given up looking. The ANC has failed to provide such an economic programme and is mired in ideological battles and corruption. Programmes to include blacks, if this economic programme is implemented, will increasingly become irrelevant. For now, however, such programmes remain necessary and a nuanced programme at SAA - not the blanket ban of whites - is a case in point. Such policies cannot be retained in perpetuity, and indeed a cut-off date may be necessary for them. Does race or class matter - and which matters more? Neither really matter right now. It is education that matters. Our country is the worst performer in maths and science education in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. Our government has failed to deliver textbooks to hundreds of thousands of children this year. One in six pupils who wrote last year's matric secondary school-leaving certificate in maths got less than 10%. We can bang on until we are blue in the face about getting blacks into positions of authority. But we need to educate them to be able to fill those positions. In this we are failing signally. It is poverty, inequality and lack of education that will push our country to the brink now. The explosion will come from these quarters. It will not be race. The programme BBC Africa Debate will be exploring race in South Africa in its next edition to be recorded and broadcast from Johannesburg on 31 August 2012.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6020, "answer_start": 4616, "text": "The ANC has failed to provide such an economic programme and is mired in ideological battles and corruption. Programmes to include blacks, if this economic programme is implemented, will increasingly become irrelevant. For now, however, such programmes remain necessary and a nuanced programme at SAA - not the blanket ban of whites - is a case in point. Such policies cannot be retained in perpetuity, and indeed a cut-off date may be necessary for them. Does race or class matter - and which matters more? Neither really matter right now. It is education that matters. Our country is the worst performer in maths and science education in the world, according to the World Economic Forum. Our government has failed to deliver textbooks to hundreds of thousands of children this year. One in six pupils who wrote last year's matric secondary school-leaving certificate in maths got less than 10%. We can bang on until we are blue in the face about getting blacks into positions of authority. But we need to educate them to be able to fill those positions. In this we are failing signally. It is poverty, inequality and lack of education that will push our country to the brink now. The explosion will come from these quarters. It will not be race. The programme BBC Africa Debate will be exploring race in South Africa in its next edition to be recorded and broadcast from Johannesburg on 31 August 2012." } ], "id": "210_0", "question": "Blanket ban?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Dominica has suffered \"widespread damage\" from Hurricane Maria, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says, as the storm hammers neighbouring Guadeloupe. \"We have lost all that money can buy,\" Mr Skerrit said in a Facebook post. The hurricane suddenly strengthened to a \"potentially catastrophic\" category five storm, before making landfall on the Caribbean island. Earlier Mr Skerrit posted live updates as his roof was torn off, saying he was \"at the complete mercy\" of the storm. \"My greatest fear for the morning is that we will wake to news of serious physical injury and possible deaths as a result of likely landslides triggered by persistent rains,\" he wrote after being rescued. Meanwhile officials on the French island of Guadeloupe are warning locals to stay sheltered, even if the hurricane appears to be easing in parts. Houses and roads have been submerged and half of the rain expected in the region has yet to fall, the Prefect of Guadeloupe, Eric Maire, has warned. \"The phenomenon is still ongoing, it is necessary to remain in a safe place even if lulls appear,\" Mr Maire said. Hurricane Maria is moving roughly along the same track as Irma, the hurricane that devastated the region earlier this month. It has maximum sustained winds of 260km/h (160mph), and was downgraded to a category four after hitting Dominica, before picking up full strength again. Life-threatening mudslides, flash floods and storm surges have been predicted by the US National Hurricane Center, which monitors the region. Dominica, a former British colony with a population of 72,000, is less than 50km long and 25km wide, and the eye of the storm passed directly over it. It made landfall at 21:00 local time (01:00 GMT Tuesday), and Dominica's PM has called the damage \"devastating\" and \"mind boggling\". \"My focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured,\" he said, and called on the international community for help. \"We will need help, my friend, we will need help of all kinds.\" Curtis Matthew, a journalist based in the capital, Roseau, told the BBC that conditions went \"very bad, rapidly\". \"We still don't know what the impact is going to be when this is all over. But what I can say it does not look good for Dominica as we speak,\" he said. All ports and airports are closed and residents near the coast have been ordered to go to authorised shelters. Maria jumped from a category three to a brutal category five within just a few hours, which was an unexpected shock for people in Dominica. A factor in its rapid development is that local sea surface temperatures are currently anomalously high by a margin of around one to two degrees, says BBC weather forecaster Steve Cleaton. The elevated sea surface temperature will have contributed to the rapid development of this system, in concert with other very favourable atmospheric conditions within the locale such as low wind shear, our meteorologist adds. Montserrat, a British Overseas Territory just to the north of Guadeloupe, is likely to be affected next. It has been issued with hurricane warnings, along with St Kitts and Nevis, the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Tropical storm warnings have been issued for Antigua, as well as Barbuda, St Martin and Anguilla, all of which are still reeling after Irma. UK territories prepare for worst There is a similar warning for Dutch islands Saba and St Eustatius. In the British Virgin Islands, British authorities - who have been working on Irma relief projects - are among those who have expressed fears that debris left behind by the first storm could be whipped up by the second, posing an extra threat. As the hurricane struck in the middle of the night it has been difficult to assess the extent of the damage so far. The French territory of Martinique has been hit by power cuts but is thought to have escaped serious damage. \"Reconnaissance operations are still under way but already we can see that there is no significant damage,\" said Jacques Witkowski, France's head of civil protection and crisis response, according to Reuters. AFP news agency said there were reports of flooding, mudslides and power outages in parts of St Lucia. Both places had their hurricane warnings downgraded to tropical storm watch. However, in this part of the world, the danger does not always pass when the hurricane moves on. Heavy rains mean mudslides can still be a risk. Some islands in Maria's path escaped the worst of Hurricane Irma and have been used as bases to distribute relief to places that were not so fortunate. Now there are concerns that that this work could be jeopardised if they are badly hit too. Guadeloupe has been a bridgehead for aid going to Irma-hit French territories, while Puerto Rico - which is expected to be hit later on Tuesday by Maria - has also been offering crucial assistance to its neighbours. Britain, France, the US and the Netherlands all have overseas territories in the Caribbean. The British government said more than 1,300 troops were staying put in the region and an additional military team had been deployed. A 42-strong military resilience team has also been deployed to the British Virgin Islands. French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb told AFP that 110 more soldiers would be sent to the region to reinforce about 3,000 people already there. The Dutch navy tweeted that troops were heading to Saba and St Eustatius to bolster security, after St Martin - an island shared between France and the Netherlands - was hit by looting after the earlier hurricane. On Monday, President Donald Trump declared a state of emergency for the US territories of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, where the US military has been evacuating personnel. Are you in an area affected by Hurricane Maria? If it's safe to do so, you can share your experience by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international)", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2388, "answer_start": 1512, "text": "Dominica, a former British colony with a population of 72,000, is less than 50km long and 25km wide, and the eye of the storm passed directly over it. It made landfall at 21:00 local time (01:00 GMT Tuesday), and Dominica's PM has called the damage \"devastating\" and \"mind boggling\". \"My focus now is in rescuing the trapped and securing medical assistance for the injured,\" he said, and called on the international community for help. \"We will need help, my friend, we will need help of all kinds.\" Curtis Matthew, a journalist based in the capital, Roseau, told the BBC that conditions went \"very bad, rapidly\". \"We still don't know what the impact is going to be when this is all over. But what I can say it does not look good for Dominica as we speak,\" he said. All ports and airports are closed and residents near the coast have been ordered to go to authorised shelters." } ], "id": "211_0", "question": "How was Dominica affected?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4895, "answer_start": 4437, "text": "Some islands in Maria's path escaped the worst of Hurricane Irma and have been used as bases to distribute relief to places that were not so fortunate. Now there are concerns that that this work could be jeopardised if they are badly hit too. Guadeloupe has been a bridgehead for aid going to Irma-hit French territories, while Puerto Rico - which is expected to be hit later on Tuesday by Maria - has also been offering crucial assistance to its neighbours." } ], "id": "211_1", "question": "Will Irma relief work be affected?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has called for Hungary to be suspended or even expelled from the European Union because of its \"massive violation\" of EU fundamental values. He cited the Budapest government's treatment of refugees, independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press. \"Hungary is not far away from issuing orders to open fire on refugees,\" he suggested. Hungary said Mr Asselborn \"could not be taken seriously\". EU leaders meet in Slovakia on Friday to discuss the union's future. Mr Asselborn's interview with German daily Die Welt is likely to inflame passions ahead of the summit. The EU could not tolerate \"such inappropriate behaviour\", he said, and any state that violated such basic values \"should be excluded temporarily, or if necessary for ever, from the EU''. It was \"the only possibility to protect the cohesion and values of the European Union,'' he said. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto hit back, saying that his Luxembourg counterpart had \"long left the ranks of politicians who could be taken seriously\". Mr Asselborn was a \"frivolous character\", he said, adding that he was \"patronising, arrogant and frustrated\". Mr Asselborn's remarks also drew condemnation from Latvia's foreign minister, who spoke of \"megaphone diplomacy\". And German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a personal friend of the Luxembourg minister, said while he could understand some in Europe were \"becoming impatient, it is not my personal approach to show a member state the door\". Hungary joined the EU in 2004 and while the European Union can reject or delay a candidate from joining, it is not thought to have the power to expel an existing member state. When the far-right Freedom Party joined Austria's government in 2000, EU member states responded by freezing bilateral diplomatic relations with Austria. Later that year the EU ended Austria's diplomatic isolation. Hungary was caught up in an enormous influx of migrants and refugees a year ago as more than a million people headed through central Europe from the shores of Greece towards Germany and other Western European countries. Eventually, it sealed its borders with Serbia and Croatia and built a 175km (110-mile) razor-wire fence to stop people crossing on their way to Austria. Some 10,000 police and soldiers have been deployed to guard the frontier. Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has reacted with fury. The head of Hungarian diplomacy described his Luxembourg counterpart as a \"classic nihilist\" who worked tirelessly to destroy Europe's security and culture. By way of contrast, Hungary was defending not only its own territory, but that of the EU as well, the foreign minister insisted. \"Only Hungarians have the right to decide who they wish to live with.\" The number of migrants trying to enter Hungary has fallen dramatically in recent weeks. At the Horgos Transit Zone on the Hungary-Serbian border, only 80 were waiting on Monday, down from 800 on some days in July. Beside the Kelebia Transit Zone there were about 60, mostly from Syria and Iraq. Some had been living in atrocious conditions next to the razor wire fence for more than 10 weeks. Approximately 4,500 migrants are currently in camps in Serbia. Most are now trying alternative routes to Europe through Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia. A referendum takes place on 2 October when Hungarians will be asked to decide on an EU quota to take in refugees. Prime Minister Viktor Orban has strongly criticised the EU's plans to relocate 160,000 refugees across the bloc and his government has campaigned vigorously for a No vote. Mr Asselborn, whose country is a founder member of the EU, complained that Hungary's border fence was getting higher, longer and more dangerous. His remark that Hungary was not far from ordering live fire is likely to refer to a decision by police earlier this month to recruit 3,000 \"border-hunters\". The new force will carry pepper spray and pistols with live ammunition as part of their task to keep migrants out. In the Treaty on European Union (Article 2) EU values are spelt out as \"human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities\". The EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights became legally binding on national governments as well as the EU's institutions, as part of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. Those rights and freedoms range from freedom of thought and expression to the right to asylum, a fair trial and fair working conditions. As a condition of membership of the EU, a candidate country has to fulfil 35 separate chapters of requirements including an independent judiciary.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4692, "answer_start": 4033, "text": "In the Treaty on European Union (Article 2) EU values are spelt out as \"human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities\". The EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights became legally binding on national governments as well as the EU's institutions, as part of the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. Those rights and freedoms range from freedom of thought and expression to the right to asylum, a fair trial and fair working conditions. As a condition of membership of the EU, a candidate country has to fulfil 35 separate chapters of requirements including an independent judiciary." } ], "id": "212_0", "question": "What are the EU's fundamental values?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A US astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut were forced to make an emergency landing after their Russian Soyuz rocket malfunctioned en route to the International Space Station (ISS). Shortly after taking off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Nick Hague and Alexey Ovchinin reported a problem with the rocket's booster. The men were forced into a \"ballistic descent\", with their capsule landing a few hundred miles north of Baikonur. They have been picked up by rescuers. \"The search and recovery teams have reached the Soyuz spacecraft landing site and report that the two crew members... are in good condition and are out of the capsule,\" US space agency Nasa said. Russia said it was suspending any further manned flights, and an investigation into what went wrong had begun. The launch appeared to be going smoothly, but some 90 seconds later Nasa, on its livestream, reported that a problem seemed to have occurred with the booster rocket between the first and second stages of separation. Footage from inside the capsule showed the two men being shaken around at the moment that the fault happened. Shortly afterwards, Nasa said they were making a \"ballistic descent\" meaning their capsule descended at a much sharper angle than normal and would have been subjected to greater G-force - the force imposed on a body by rapid acceleration. The capsule separated from the failing rocket and later deployed parachutes to slow its descent. By Jonathan Amos, BBC science correspondent Soyuz is one of the oldest rocket designs but also one of the safest. The malfunction appeared to occur around what is termed \"staging\", where the ascending vehicle goes through the process of discarding its empty fuel segments. The onboard astronauts were certainly aware that something was not right because they reported feeling weightless when they should have felt pushed back in their seats. The escape systems are tested and ready for exactly this sort of eventuality. It would have been an uncomfortable ride back to Earth, however. The crew would have experienced very sharp accelerations and decelerations on the return. There is already much discussion about the current state of Russian industry and its ability to maintain the standards of yesteryear. Whatever the outcome of the inquiry, this event will only heighten those concerns and will underline to the US in particular the need to bring online new rocket systems. These vehicles, produced by the Boeing and SpaceX companies, are set to make their debut next year. They seem to have been unharmed by the experience. Search and rescue teams were quickly on the scene, 500km (310 miles) north-east of Baikonur, near the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan. They reported that Mr Hague and Mr Ovchinin were alive and well and the Russian civilian space agency, Roscosmos, later issued photos of them having their hearts and blood pressure monitored. \"The emergency rescue system worked, the vessel was able to land in Kazakhstan... the crew are alive,\" Roscosmos tweeted. Nasa described them as being in good condition. They reportedly did not need medical treatment. Nasa added that the two men were being taken to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre outside Moscow, and it was \"monitoring the situation carefully\". You might also like to read: Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said no further manned missions would take place \"until we believe that the entire situation guarantees safety\". He rejected suggestions it could harm US relations, saying they recognised it was a \"hi-tech industry linked to risk\", but he added: \"We certainly won't conceal the reasons, it is uncommon for such situations\". Space co-operation is an area which has survived otherwise tense relations between Russia and the US. Nasa has been paying for seats on Soyuz rockets to ferry its astronauts to the International Space Station since the Space Shuttle programme ended in 2011. The crew already on the ISS will not be affected by Thursday's aborted mission, Russia's Tass news agency reported, quoting an unnamed source as saying they have enough supplies. Thursday's incident is thought to be the first launch mishap for a Russian Soyuz booster since a Soyuz mission was aborted in 1983. A rocket malfunctioned shortly before launch, and the crew vehicle was ejected to safety. In recent years, Russia's space programme has faced a number of technical failures - 13 since 2010. Last year, contact was lost with a Soyuz rocket's Fregat upper stage, which was carrying a new weather satellite and 18 secondary satellites. Earlier in 2017, at least nine of a payload of 73 satellites were reported \"dead on arrival or severely degraded\" after separation from their Soyuz-2.1 launch vehicle. In August, a hole appeared in a Soyuz capsule already docked to the ISS which caused a brief loss of air pressure and had to be patched. In this instance, Russia said the hole may have been drilled \"deliberately\". One of the most serious but non-fatal US incidents involved Apollo 13 - a mission to the Moon in 1970. An oxygen tank exploded two days after launch causing a loss of power and leading to the mission being aborted. The crew were able to carry out repairs and return to Earth six days later. While space missions may often encounter technical difficulties, fatalities have been relatively rare: - 2003: Seven astronauts died when the Columbia space shuttle broke up up on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere due to a damaged protective tile - 1986: Seven astronauts died when the Challenger space shuttle broke apart after lift off because of faulty seals on the booster rockets - 1971: The three-men crew aboard Soyuz 11 suffocated as the result of an air leak after undocking from the Salyut 1 space station. They were found dead inside the capsule after landing - 1967: Crash of Soyuz 1, with one cosmonaut killed as the spacecraft's parachute, intended to slow down descent, became tangled on re-entry - 1967: Three-man crew of Apollo 1 died as their command module caught fire on the launch pad", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1440, "answer_start": 779, "text": "The launch appeared to be going smoothly, but some 90 seconds later Nasa, on its livestream, reported that a problem seemed to have occurred with the booster rocket between the first and second stages of separation. Footage from inside the capsule showed the two men being shaken around at the moment that the fault happened. Shortly afterwards, Nasa said they were making a \"ballistic descent\" meaning their capsule descended at a much sharper angle than normal and would have been subjected to greater G-force - the force imposed on a body by rapid acceleration. The capsule separated from the failing rocket and later deployed parachutes to slow its descent." } ], "id": "213_0", "question": "What happened to the rocket?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3262, "answer_start": 2521, "text": "They seem to have been unharmed by the experience. Search and rescue teams were quickly on the scene, 500km (310 miles) north-east of Baikonur, near the Kazakh city of Dzhezkazgan. They reported that Mr Hague and Mr Ovchinin were alive and well and the Russian civilian space agency, Roscosmos, later issued photos of them having their hearts and blood pressure monitored. \"The emergency rescue system worked, the vessel was able to land in Kazakhstan... the crew are alive,\" Roscosmos tweeted. Nasa described them as being in good condition. They reportedly did not need medical treatment. Nasa added that the two men were being taken to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre outside Moscow, and it was \"monitoring the situation carefully\"." } ], "id": "213_1", "question": "How are the crew?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4096, "answer_start": 3292, "text": "Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said no further manned missions would take place \"until we believe that the entire situation guarantees safety\". He rejected suggestions it could harm US relations, saying they recognised it was a \"hi-tech industry linked to risk\", but he added: \"We certainly won't conceal the reasons, it is uncommon for such situations\". Space co-operation is an area which has survived otherwise tense relations between Russia and the US. Nasa has been paying for seats on Soyuz rockets to ferry its astronauts to the International Space Station since the Space Shuttle programme ended in 2011. The crew already on the ISS will not be affected by Thursday's aborted mission, Russia's Tass news agency reported, quoting an unnamed source as saying they have enough supplies." } ], "id": "213_2", "question": "What happens now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "French officials say Iran's ministry of intelligence was behind a plot to bomb a rally of Iranian opposition groups in Paris in June. In a statement, the French government said it had frozen the assets of two senior Iranian officials. Iran insists the alleged plot is a fabrication, but has called for talks. In a possibly linked development on Tuesday, police in the French city of Dunkirk raided a Shia Muslim centre that has close ties to Iran. They made several arrests and froze the assets of the group. On 30 June, Iranian opposition supporters gathered in Paris for a meeting of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Guests included US politicians Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker, and Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's lawyer. The NCRI is considered to be the political arm of dissident group Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), which Iran has designated as a terrorist organisation. It later emerged that two Belgian nationals of Iranian origin - a husband and wife known as Amir A and Nasimeh N - had been arrested by Belgian police in possession of half a kilogram (1.1lb) of explosives and a detonator. In a series of co-ordinated raids another man, identified only as Merhad A, was arrested in Paris and is accused of being an accomplice. An Iranian diplomat based in Austria, Assadollah Assadi, was also arrested by police in Germany. German prosecutors say he is an intelligence agent who met the husband and wife team in Luxembourg where he ordered the attack and handed them the explosives. Austria stripped him of his diplomatic status after his arrest and Mr Assadi now faces extradition from Germany to Belgium for prosecution. On Tuesday, the French government said it believed that the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind the plot. It announced it was freezing the assets of two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives - believed to be Mr Assadi and Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, who a French diplomatic source said was head of operations at the intelligence ministry. In a rare joint statement, the French interior, foreign and economy ministers said: \"This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response. \"In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory.\" Tehran again quickly denied any involvement, saying the alleged plot was \"designed by those who want to damage Iran's long-established relations with France and Europe\". \"We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest, and call for his immediate release,\" a foreign ministry statement said. But speaking later, ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi called for talks with France to clear up any \"misunderstanding\". \"If there is a misunderstanding... about a thing that does not exist, be it a conspiracy by others or a mistake, we can sit down and talk about it,\" he told AFP news agency. Several people were arrested after police raided the headquarters of the Zahra Centre France and the homes of its leaders on Tuesday. Officials quoted by AFP said the assets of the centre were frozen. It is headed by Yahia Gouasmi, a French-Algerian who is known for his links to Iran and for his anti-Zionist views. Regional authorities said the operation was part of the \"prevention of terrorism\" procedures, but it was unclear if the arrests were linked to the Paris bomb plot.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1662, "answer_start": 509, "text": "On 30 June, Iranian opposition supporters gathered in Paris for a meeting of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Guests included US politicians Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker, and Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump's lawyer. The NCRI is considered to be the political arm of dissident group Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), which Iran has designated as a terrorist organisation. It later emerged that two Belgian nationals of Iranian origin - a husband and wife known as Amir A and Nasimeh N - had been arrested by Belgian police in possession of half a kilogram (1.1lb) of explosives and a detonator. In a series of co-ordinated raids another man, identified only as Merhad A, was arrested in Paris and is accused of being an accomplice. An Iranian diplomat based in Austria, Assadollah Assadi, was also arrested by police in Germany. German prosecutors say he is an intelligence agent who met the husband and wife team in Luxembourg where he ordered the attack and handed them the explosives. Austria stripped him of his diplomatic status after his arrest and Mr Assadi now faces extradition from Germany to Belgium for prosecution." } ], "id": "214_0", "question": "What is the background?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2321, "answer_start": 1663, "text": "On Tuesday, the French government said it believed that the Iranian intelligence ministry was behind the plot. It announced it was freezing the assets of two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives - believed to be Mr Assadi and Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, who a French diplomatic source said was head of operations at the intelligence ministry. In a rare joint statement, the French interior, foreign and economy ministers said: \"This extremely serious act envisaged on our territory could not go without a response. \"In taking this decision, France underlines its determination to fight against terrorism in all its forms, particularly on its own territory.\"" } ], "id": "214_1", "question": "What does France say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2935, "answer_start": 2322, "text": "Tehran again quickly denied any involvement, saying the alleged plot was \"designed by those who want to damage Iran's long-established relations with France and Europe\". \"We deny the accusations and forcefully condemn the Iranian diplomat's arrest, and call for his immediate release,\" a foreign ministry statement said. But speaking later, ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi called for talks with France to clear up any \"misunderstanding\". \"If there is a misunderstanding... about a thing that does not exist, be it a conspiracy by others or a mistake, we can sit down and talk about it,\" he told AFP news agency." } ], "id": "214_2", "question": "What has Iran said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3416, "answer_start": 2936, "text": "Several people were arrested after police raided the headquarters of the Zahra Centre France and the homes of its leaders on Tuesday. Officials quoted by AFP said the assets of the centre were frozen. It is headed by Yahia Gouasmi, a French-Algerian who is known for his links to Iran and for his anti-Zionist views. Regional authorities said the operation was part of the \"prevention of terrorism\" procedures, but it was unclear if the arrests were linked to the Paris bomb plot." } ], "id": "214_3", "question": "What happened in Dunkirk?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Taliban fighters, whom US-led forces spent billions of dollars trying to defeat, are now openly active in 70% of Afghanistan, a BBC study has found. Months of research across the country shows that the Taliban now control or threaten much more territory than when foreign combat troops left in 2014. The Afghan government played down the report, saying it controls most areas. But recent attacks claimed by Taliban and Islamic State group militants have killed scores in Kabul and elsewhere. Afghan officials and US President Donald Trump have responded by ruling out any talks with the Taliban. Last year Mr Trump announced the US military would stay in the country indefinitely. The BBC research also suggests that IS is more active in Afghanistan than ever before, although it remains far less powerful than the Taliban. The BBC study shows the Taliban are now in full control of 14 districts (that's 4% of the country) and have an active and open physical presence in a further 263 (66%), significantly higher than previous estimates of Taliban strength. About 15 million people - half the population - are living in areas that are either controlled by the Taliban or where the Taliban are openly present and regularly mount attacks. \"When I leave home, I'm uncertain whether I will come back alive,\" said one man, Sardar, in Shindand, a western district that suffers weekly attacks. \"Explosions, terror and the Taliban are part of our daily life.\" The extent to which the Taliban have pushed beyond their traditional southern stronghold into eastern, western and northern parts of the country is clearly visible from the BBC study. Areas that have fallen to the Taliban since 2014 include places in Helmand province like Sangin, Musa Qala and Nad-e Ali, which foreign forces fought and died to bring under government control after US-led troops had driven the Taliban from power in 2001. More than 450 British troops died in Helmand between 2001 and 2014. In the areas defined as having an active and open Taliban presence, the militants conduct frequent attacks against Afghan government positions. These range from large organised group strikes on military bases to sporadic single attacks and ambushes against military convoys and police checkpoints. Attacks registered during the research period happened with varying degrees of frequency - from once in three months (low Taliban presence) to twice a week (high Taliban presence). For the purposes of the investigation, districts controlled or held by the government are defined as having sitting representation from Kabul in the form of a district chief, police chief and courts. During the research period, the BBC study found 122 districts (just over 30% of the country) did not have an open Taliban presence. These areas are ranked as under government control, but that does not mean they were free of violence. Kabul and other major cities, for example, suffered major attacks - launched from adjacent areas, or by sleeper cells - during the research period, as well as before and after. Amruddin, who runs a local transport company, lives close to the front line in Baharak district in northern Badakhshan province, where the BBC monitored violence suggesting a medium Taliban presence. \"We live with constant fear. Whenever the government side starts fighting with the Taliban, we're caught in the crossfire, bringing life to a standstill. It's quiet at the moment but the Taliban are still here.\" In Taliban-controlled Sangin, father of eight Mohammad Reza, described life as \"better\" under the militants because there was peace. \"It only got violent when the government forces arrived.\" Karim Haidari, BBC Afghan, Kabul I haven't been sleeping well this week. It happens every time another tragedy hits our city. \"You look old, Dad,\" says my seven-year-old bouncing into my bedroom to remind me it's his birthday. As if I would forget. I laugh and get up. As I leave the house I pause to look back at my family having breakfast. Will I make it back home today? Will this be the last time I see them? We all think like this in Kabul now. My BBC colleagues are waiting in the car. We swap news about the latest attack. One of them, a mother of two young children, starts sobbing. \"Sometimes I just wish I could blow myself up to end all this. But I don't want to hurt anyone else.\" We can get you counselling if it would help, I say. But she's not listening. The driver switches on the radio, to try to change the mood. A pop song comes on with nonsensical lyrics. It's just another day in Kabul. Just another day of hoping we'll all stay alive. \"People have no choice but to leave their homes, farms and orchards or stay and live with Taliban rule,\" Mahgul, a teacher from a northern district in Kabul province, told the BBC. She said her family fled their village in October. They went to seek refuge in the government-controlled district centre, only for her brother to be killed there two days later by a suicide bomber. To the west of the capital, Jamila, a mother of five, said: \"Two Taliban rockets landed in our back garden last month. We live just a few hundred metres from the district chief office. It's not safe here.\" During the investigation, evidence of a hike in Taliban taxation across the country was also uncovered. In districts where they are openly present, the militants force farmers, local businesses and even commercial goods convoys to pay them tax while still leaving it to the government to foot the bill for basic services such as schools and hospitals. \"They are charging people for the electricity that we supply!\" one chief of a southern district reported. The BBC's research has been reviewed by the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network, which has been reporting on Afghanistan since 2009. Co-Director Kate Clark said: \"Such a well-researched investigation into the Afghan war is rare and very welcome. The findings are shocking, but unfortunately not surprising - they ring true as an accurate mapping of the extent of the conflict. \"But it is disturbing to realise that each bit of orange shading on the map translates into lives lost and damaged.\" - The hardline Islamic Taliban movement swept to power in Afghanistan in 1996 after the civil war which followed the Soviet-Afghan war, and were ousted by the US-led invasion five years later - In power, they imposed a brutal version of Sharia law, such as public executions and amputations, and banned women from public life - Men had to grow beards and women to wear the all-covering burka; television, music and cinema were banned - They sheltered al-Qaeda leaders before and after being ousted - since then they have fought a bloody insurgency which continues today - In 2016, Afghan civilian casualties hit a new high - a rise attributed by the UN largely to the Taliban Violence has soared since international combat troops left Afghanistan three years ago. More than 8,500 civilians were killed or injured in the first three-quarters of 2017, according to the UN. Final figures for the year are awaited. The vast majority of Afghans die in insurgent violence but civilians often suffer as the military, with US backing, fights back, both on the ground and from the air. Although much of the violence goes unreported, big attacks in the cities tend to make the headlines. Such attacks are occurring with greater frequency and the Afghan security forces appear unable to stop them. During the research period, gunmen stormed the headquarters of Kabul's Shamshad TV, leaving one staff member dead and 20 wounded. IS said it carried out the attack. There were other attacks in Kandahar, Herat and Jalalabad. In the last 10 days of January three attacks left the capital reeling, with more than 130 people dead. Last May, Kabul experienced the deadliest single militant attack since 2001. At least 150 people were killed and more than 300 injured when a massive truck bomb was detonated in what was supposed to be the safest part of the city. No group has said it carried out the attack. The rising toll of violence has left the capital's residents feeling increasingly vulnerable. While Islamic State has shown they can hit targets in places like Kabul, they are largely confined to a relatively small stronghold on the border with Pakistan in the eastern province of Nangarhar. During the research period at least 50 people were assassinated in the provincial capital, Jalalabad. Some of the victims were shot dead and others blown up. Three were beheaded, a hallmark of killings by IS. \"My uncle was assassinated on his doorstep,\" said businessman Mashriqiwal. \"He was a city security official. I had to leave Jalalabad. My home is still there but it is just too dangerous to live in and go out in public.\" Local people and officials the BBC spoke to said IS now has a presence in 30 districts - not just in the east but also in places like Khanabad and Kohistanat in the north. The group is fighting both the Afghan military and the Taliban for territorial control. During 2017 the number of attacks attributed to the group increased, with many targeting urban centres and often Shia Muslims in sectarian attacks almost never seen before in Afghanistan's 40-year conflict. IS does not fully control any district at present. However the group has seized parts of the northern district of Darzab, displacing hundreds of people from their homes. Gathering accurate and reliable data on the conflict has been getting harder since foreign combat troops pulled out and handed responsibility for security to Afghan forces. Previous assessments of Taliban strength have not always had access to information from every district of the country, and have often carried the caveat they may have underestimated the real situation. The BBC investigation - conducted during late 2017 - provides a rare snapshot of the security situation in every Afghan district between 23 August and 21 November. A network of BBC reporters across Afghanistan spoke to more than 1,200 individual local sources, in every one of the country's 399 districts, to build up a comprehensive picture of all militant attacks over that period. These conversations happened either in person or by telephone and all information was checked with at least two and often as many as six other sources. In some cases BBC reporters even went to local bus stations to find people travelling in from remote and inaccessible districts in order to double check the situation there. Presented with the BBC's findings, President Ashraf Ghani's spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazavi said: \"In some districts areas may change hands. But if you look at the situation this year [2017/18] the activities of the Taliban and IS have been considerably curtailed. \"The Afghan security forces have won the war in the villages. It is no longer possible for the militants to take control of a province, a major district or a highway. There's no doubt that they have changed the nature of the war and are launching attacks on Kabul, targeting mosques and bazaars.\" He added: \"My understanding is that the BBC report is influenced by conversations with people who may have experienced some kind of incident maybe for an hour in one day. But the activities and services provided by our local administrations across the districts show that the government is in control in the absolute majority of districts - except for a handful where the Taliban are present.\" However, in an acknowledgement of how far security has deteriorated, President Trump agreed last year to deploy 3,000 more soldiers, taking the size of the US force in Afghanistan to about 14,000. The subject of militant gains and territorial control is disputed. On the eve of the publication of the BBC study, the US military denied trying to prevent a government watchdog from disclosing the amount of Afghan territory believed to be under the control of the Taliban. In its latest report the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar) had said it found the move troubling. Meanwhile, there is no prospect of an end to the conflict and a new generation of Afghans live in the shadow of violence. \"My kids are not safe outside the family home so I don't let them out,\" said Pahlawan, a Kabul carpet seller with 13 children. \"They are basically under house arrest. I have built them a school in my warehouse. Their world is walls and carpets. Although we are in Kabul, it's like raising them in a jungle.\" Data journalism by Will Dahlgreen. Some names have been changed to protect identities.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3051, "answer_start": 824, "text": "The BBC study shows the Taliban are now in full control of 14 districts (that's 4% of the country) and have an active and open physical presence in a further 263 (66%), significantly higher than previous estimates of Taliban strength. About 15 million people - half the population - are living in areas that are either controlled by the Taliban or where the Taliban are openly present and regularly mount attacks. \"When I leave home, I'm uncertain whether I will come back alive,\" said one man, Sardar, in Shindand, a western district that suffers weekly attacks. \"Explosions, terror and the Taliban are part of our daily life.\" The extent to which the Taliban have pushed beyond their traditional southern stronghold into eastern, western and northern parts of the country is clearly visible from the BBC study. Areas that have fallen to the Taliban since 2014 include places in Helmand province like Sangin, Musa Qala and Nad-e Ali, which foreign forces fought and died to bring under government control after US-led troops had driven the Taliban from power in 2001. More than 450 British troops died in Helmand between 2001 and 2014. In the areas defined as having an active and open Taliban presence, the militants conduct frequent attacks against Afghan government positions. These range from large organised group strikes on military bases to sporadic single attacks and ambushes against military convoys and police checkpoints. Attacks registered during the research period happened with varying degrees of frequency - from once in three months (low Taliban presence) to twice a week (high Taliban presence). For the purposes of the investigation, districts controlled or held by the government are defined as having sitting representation from Kabul in the form of a district chief, police chief and courts. During the research period, the BBC study found 122 districts (just over 30% of the country) did not have an open Taliban presence. These areas are ranked as under government control, but that does not mean they were free of violence. Kabul and other major cities, for example, suffered major attacks - launched from adjacent areas, or by sleeper cells - during the research period, as well as before and after." } ], "id": "215_0", "question": "How much territory do the Taliban control?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3655, "answer_start": 3052, "text": "Amruddin, who runs a local transport company, lives close to the front line in Baharak district in northern Badakhshan province, where the BBC monitored violence suggesting a medium Taliban presence. \"We live with constant fear. Whenever the government side starts fighting with the Taliban, we're caught in the crossfire, bringing life to a standstill. It's quiet at the moment but the Taliban are still here.\" In Taliban-controlled Sangin, father of eight Mohammad Reza, described life as \"better\" under the militants because there was peace. \"It only got violent when the government forces arrived.\"" } ], "id": "215_1", "question": "What is the human cost of militant violence?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4613, "answer_start": 3656, "text": "Karim Haidari, BBC Afghan, Kabul I haven't been sleeping well this week. It happens every time another tragedy hits our city. \"You look old, Dad,\" says my seven-year-old bouncing into my bedroom to remind me it's his birthday. As if I would forget. I laugh and get up. As I leave the house I pause to look back at my family having breakfast. Will I make it back home today? Will this be the last time I see them? We all think like this in Kabul now. My BBC colleagues are waiting in the car. We swap news about the latest attack. One of them, a mother of two young children, starts sobbing. \"Sometimes I just wish I could blow myself up to end all this. But I don't want to hurt anyone else.\" We can get you counselling if it would help, I say. But she's not listening. The driver switches on the radio, to try to change the mood. A pop song comes on with nonsensical lyrics. It's just another day in Kabul. Just another day of hoping we'll all stay alive." } ], "id": "215_2", "question": "Will I make it back home today?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8139, "answer_start": 6832, "text": "Violence has soared since international combat troops left Afghanistan three years ago. More than 8,500 civilians were killed or injured in the first three-quarters of 2017, according to the UN. Final figures for the year are awaited. The vast majority of Afghans die in insurgent violence but civilians often suffer as the military, with US backing, fights back, both on the ground and from the air. Although much of the violence goes unreported, big attacks in the cities tend to make the headlines. Such attacks are occurring with greater frequency and the Afghan security forces appear unable to stop them. During the research period, gunmen stormed the headquarters of Kabul's Shamshad TV, leaving one staff member dead and 20 wounded. IS said it carried out the attack. There were other attacks in Kandahar, Herat and Jalalabad. In the last 10 days of January three attacks left the capital reeling, with more than 130 people dead. Last May, Kabul experienced the deadliest single militant attack since 2001. At least 150 people were killed and more than 300 injured when a massive truck bomb was detonated in what was supposed to be the safest part of the city. No group has said it carried out the attack. The rising toll of violence has left the capital's residents feeling increasingly vulnerable." } ], "id": "215_3", "question": "How bad is violence in the cities?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 9404, "answer_start": 8140, "text": "While Islamic State has shown they can hit targets in places like Kabul, they are largely confined to a relatively small stronghold on the border with Pakistan in the eastern province of Nangarhar. During the research period at least 50 people were assassinated in the provincial capital, Jalalabad. Some of the victims were shot dead and others blown up. Three were beheaded, a hallmark of killings by IS. \"My uncle was assassinated on his doorstep,\" said businessman Mashriqiwal. \"He was a city security official. I had to leave Jalalabad. My home is still there but it is just too dangerous to live in and go out in public.\" Local people and officials the BBC spoke to said IS now has a presence in 30 districts - not just in the east but also in places like Khanabad and Kohistanat in the north. The group is fighting both the Afghan military and the Taliban for territorial control. During 2017 the number of attacks attributed to the group increased, with many targeting urban centres and often Shia Muslims in sectarian attacks almost never seen before in Afghanistan's 40-year conflict. IS does not fully control any district at present. However the group has seized parts of the northern district of Darzab, displacing hundreds of people from their homes." } ], "id": "215_4", "question": "How strong is the Islamic State group?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 10490, "answer_start": 9405, "text": "Gathering accurate and reliable data on the conflict has been getting harder since foreign combat troops pulled out and handed responsibility for security to Afghan forces. Previous assessments of Taliban strength have not always had access to information from every district of the country, and have often carried the caveat they may have underestimated the real situation. The BBC investigation - conducted during late 2017 - provides a rare snapshot of the security situation in every Afghan district between 23 August and 21 November. A network of BBC reporters across Afghanistan spoke to more than 1,200 individual local sources, in every one of the country's 399 districts, to build up a comprehensive picture of all militant attacks over that period. These conversations happened either in person or by telephone and all information was checked with at least two and often as many as six other sources. In some cases BBC reporters even went to local bus stations to find people travelling in from remote and inaccessible districts in order to double check the situation there." } ], "id": "215_5", "question": "How was the research carried out?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 12565, "answer_start": 10491, "text": "Presented with the BBC's findings, President Ashraf Ghani's spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazavi said: \"In some districts areas may change hands. But if you look at the situation this year [2017/18] the activities of the Taliban and IS have been considerably curtailed. \"The Afghan security forces have won the war in the villages. It is no longer possible for the militants to take control of a province, a major district or a highway. There's no doubt that they have changed the nature of the war and are launching attacks on Kabul, targeting mosques and bazaars.\" He added: \"My understanding is that the BBC report is influenced by conversations with people who may have experienced some kind of incident maybe for an hour in one day. But the activities and services provided by our local administrations across the districts show that the government is in control in the absolute majority of districts - except for a handful where the Taliban are present.\" However, in an acknowledgement of how far security has deteriorated, President Trump agreed last year to deploy 3,000 more soldiers, taking the size of the US force in Afghanistan to about 14,000. The subject of militant gains and territorial control is disputed. On the eve of the publication of the BBC study, the US military denied trying to prevent a government watchdog from disclosing the amount of Afghan territory believed to be under the control of the Taliban. In its latest report the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar) had said it found the move troubling. Meanwhile, there is no prospect of an end to the conflict and a new generation of Afghans live in the shadow of violence. \"My kids are not safe outside the family home so I don't let them out,\" said Pahlawan, a Kabul carpet seller with 13 children. \"They are basically under house arrest. I have built them a school in my warehouse. Their world is walls and carpets. Although we are in Kabul, it's like raising them in a jungle.\" Data journalism by Will Dahlgreen. Some names have been changed to protect identities." } ], "id": "215_6", "question": "How much territory does the government say it controls?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen has secured a second term after sweeping to victory in an election dominated by the island's relationship with China. Ms Tsai secured just over 57% of the ballot - a record 8.2m votes - well ahead of her rival Han Kuo-yu. Ms Tsai opposes closer ties with China, with Mr Han suggesting they would bring economic benefits. In her victory speech, Ms Tsai told China to abandon its threat to take back the island by force. Ms Tsai told a news conference: \"Taiwan is showing the world how much we cherish our free democratic way of life and how much we cherish our nation.\" China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It says Taiwan must eventually be reunited with China, by force if necessary. Ms Tsai said China should now drop that threat. \"Peace means that China must abandon threats of force against Taiwan,\" she said in the capital Taipei. \"I also hope that the Beijing authorities understand that democratic Taiwan, and our democratically elected government, will not concede to threats and intimidation.\" Eight million votes is an extraordinary tally for a Taiwanese President seeking a second term. The record-breaking win has delivered a landslide mandate to Ms Tsai, and a major snub to Beijing. It was the emergence of Taiwan's relationship with China as the central issue in this campaign that allowed her to revive her flagging fortunes. And in her victory there is a certain political irony. Beijing's rigid, authoritarian vision of a Greater China, united on its terms, has been wholeheartedly rejected in the one place actually given the opportunity to vote on the concept. And had the Communist Party not turned up the pressure on Taiwan, had its approach to the crisis in Hong Kong been subtler, the path to victory for a candidate it wanted so much to thwart may have been much less certain. After the result was announced I asked Tsai Ing-wen whether she had the Chinese President Xi Jinping to thank for her victory. She smiled. The US hailed President Tsai's victory as a demonstration of Taiwan's \"robust democratic system\". \"Under her leadership we hope Taiwan will continue to serve as a shining example for countries that strive for democracy, prosperity and a better path for their people,\" the US State Department said. Mr Han, the Kuomintang party candidate, had earlier admitted defeat as the results became clear. \"I have called President Tsai to congratulate her. She has a new mandate for the next four years,\" he told a crowd in the southern city of Kaohsiung. Ahead of the vote, Ms Tsai was leading in the polls as voters watched the way in which Beijing handled pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. Her stance was popular with those who fear Taiwan being overtaken by mainland China. In the final count she secured 1.3m more votes than in her 2016 victory. President Tsai insists Taiwan's future should be decided by its 23 million people. Voters were also choosing the next members of the Taiwanese legislature, where Ms Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has had a majority. For practical purposes, Taiwan is an independent state - it has its own elected government, constitution and military. But China refuses to have diplomatic relations with any country that recognises Taiwan as a sovereign nation. All but a handful of countries have picked Beijing, but most maintain an ambiguous relationship with Taiwan through trade. The US is also legally bound to supply Taiwan with the means to defend itself. Ms Tsai wants to \"maintain the existing mechanisms\", according to her website - meaning she does not want to compromise Taiwan's de facto independence. In a speech on the Hong Kong protests in June, she said \"anyone who tries to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty and democracy, or use them as political bargaining chips, will fail\". She had also rejected Taiwan ever operating under the \"one country, two systems\" political system used in Hong Kong since it returned to China in 1997 - calling it \"not viable\". Speaking to the BBC this week, she said Taiwan should \"learn a lesson\" from Hong Kong: \"If we don't insist [on maintaining Taiwan's independence], we'll be losing everything we have now.\" Mr Han and his party the Kuomintang (KMT) favour closer ties with China - which they say will bring economic growth - but do not seek unification. The KMT once ruled China, before fleeing to Taiwan in 1949 after losing to the communist forces in the civil war. Mr Han made a high-profile visit to Hong Kong and China in March, and has reportedly said a formal declaration of Taiwanese independence would be \"scarier than syphilis\". Although the economy has grown during Ms Tsai's presidency, exports have fallen and wage growth is sluggish. Saturday's presidential election was also the first since Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. The move was rejected in a series of referendums, but parliament passed a special law in order to comply with an earlier court ruling. Ms Tsai said it was \"a big step towards true equality\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2024, "answer_start": 1087, "text": "Eight million votes is an extraordinary tally for a Taiwanese President seeking a second term. The record-breaking win has delivered a landslide mandate to Ms Tsai, and a major snub to Beijing. It was the emergence of Taiwan's relationship with China as the central issue in this campaign that allowed her to revive her flagging fortunes. And in her victory there is a certain political irony. Beijing's rigid, authoritarian vision of a Greater China, united on its terms, has been wholeheartedly rejected in the one place actually given the opportunity to vote on the concept. And had the Communist Party not turned up the pressure on Taiwan, had its approach to the crisis in Hong Kong been subtler, the path to victory for a candidate it wanted so much to thwart may have been much less certain. After the result was announced I asked Tsai Ing-wen whether she had the Chinese President Xi Jinping to thank for her victory. She smiled." } ], "id": "216_0", "question": "Did China get it wrong?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3525, "answer_start": 3095, "text": "For practical purposes, Taiwan is an independent state - it has its own elected government, constitution and military. But China refuses to have diplomatic relations with any country that recognises Taiwan as a sovereign nation. All but a handful of countries have picked Beijing, but most maintain an ambiguous relationship with Taiwan through trade. The US is also legally bound to supply Taiwan with the means to defend itself." } ], "id": "216_1", "question": "What is Taiwan's status?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4653, "answer_start": 3526, "text": "Ms Tsai wants to \"maintain the existing mechanisms\", according to her website - meaning she does not want to compromise Taiwan's de facto independence. In a speech on the Hong Kong protests in June, she said \"anyone who tries to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty and democracy, or use them as political bargaining chips, will fail\". She had also rejected Taiwan ever operating under the \"one country, two systems\" political system used in Hong Kong since it returned to China in 1997 - calling it \"not viable\". Speaking to the BBC this week, she said Taiwan should \"learn a lesson\" from Hong Kong: \"If we don't insist [on maintaining Taiwan's independence], we'll be losing everything we have now.\" Mr Han and his party the Kuomintang (KMT) favour closer ties with China - which they say will bring economic growth - but do not seek unification. The KMT once ruled China, before fleeing to Taiwan in 1949 after losing to the communist forces in the civil war. Mr Han made a high-profile visit to Hong Kong and China in March, and has reportedly said a formal declaration of Taiwanese independence would be \"scarier than syphilis\"." } ], "id": "216_2", "question": "Where did the candidates stand on China?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5080, "answer_start": 4654, "text": "Although the economy has grown during Ms Tsai's presidency, exports have fallen and wage growth is sluggish. Saturday's presidential election was also the first since Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. The move was rejected in a series of referendums, but parliament passed a special law in order to comply with an earlier court ruling. Ms Tsai said it was \"a big step towards true equality\"." } ], "id": "216_3", "question": "What were the other issues?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Over the past four weeks, a small but growing band of ordinary Afghans have been marching from Helmand to Kabul to demand an end to 40 years of war and violence. It's a protest unlike any other and in a country short on hope, it's captured the imagination of many Afghans. BBC Kabul's Karim Haidari went to meet them. In Wardak province, 50 kilometres (31 miles) south west of Kabul, an extraordinary procession is making its way down a dusty road in the countryside. Around 80 men, young and old, wearing turbans and hats to protect them from the burning sun, are greeted with garlands and cheers by local people. Carpets have been laid out on the ground to offer them a chance to rest and break their Ramadan fast. After another long day's marching, the cool wind that has picked up offers a welcome respite from the searing heat of the Afghan summer. These are the Helmand peace marchers - initially a group of just seven men who began their journey back in March in the regional capital Lashkar Gah. The catalyst for their protest was a devastating suicide attack on an open-air wrestling match in the town over the Afghan new year holiday, which left at least 13 people dead and many more injured. For many people in Lashkar Gah, the attack was the final straw. A small group set up a peace camp and then declared a hunger strike, demanding that the government and Taliban call a ceasefire. After the health of several protesters deteriorated, religious scholars intervened and convinced them to end the hunger strike. But they continued their sit-in. After several weeks and no result, they decided to start walking to take their message of peace to the capital Kabul around 600 kilometres (363 miles) away. It's a journey that has taken them along endless asphalt roads, through poppy fields and deserts, in temperatures of over 40C and with no food or drink during daylight hours for Ramadan. The marchers are led by a young medical student called Mohammad Iqbal Khyber who tirelessly addresses crowds along the way. Softly but firmly he reiterates the same demands: \"We want a ceasefire, talks, inclusive government, and a timetable for foreign forces to leave the country\". It's a message that clearly resonates with people in a country exhausted and desperate after so many years of violence. Along the way, the marchers have been joined by dozens of people also keen to give their voice to the call for peace. In every town and village they've passed, local people have offered food, first aid and a place to stay. For many it's been an exhausting journey, but Mohammad says it's been worth it. \"A disabled man joined us,\" he says. \"We have old people with bad knees, diabetes and poor kidneys. But we keep going because all this is nothing in contrast to the price people are paying because of war across the country.\" He introduces me to Lal Mohammad Zaer, a young man who has lost everything because of the ongoing violence. First his home, then his job, and finally his sight in a mine blast. Yet he's determined to reach Kabul. When they get to the capital, the marchers say they have no plans to meet either the current or past presidents. They don't want to be associated with any political party or movement but they're happy to back anyone willing to deliver on their calls for peace. \"Whoever agrees to our demands first will win our support,\" one marcher says. Since the marchers began their journey, the government and Taliban have announced ceasefires for the Eid holiday. It's not clear if this could be the start of a new effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. Mohammad Iqbal Khyber isn't making any predictions but he says he's sure the Taliban are as tired of war as civilians. \"The money that's been spent on this war could feed us all,\" he says. \"Everyone wants to see an end to the fighting.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3825, "answer_start": 3046, "text": "When they get to the capital, the marchers say they have no plans to meet either the current or past presidents. They don't want to be associated with any political party or movement but they're happy to back anyone willing to deliver on their calls for peace. \"Whoever agrees to our demands first will win our support,\" one marcher says. Since the marchers began their journey, the government and Taliban have announced ceasefires for the Eid holiday. It's not clear if this could be the start of a new effort to bring peace to Afghanistan. Mohammad Iqbal Khyber isn't making any predictions but he says he's sure the Taliban are as tired of war as civilians. \"The money that's been spent on this war could feed us all,\" he says. \"Everyone wants to see an end to the fighting.\"" } ], "id": "217_0", "question": "The start of a new peace effort?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "New Zealand is planning to release a rabbit virus across the country, in an attempt to cull the ballooning wild population. Wild rabbits are seen as a pest in parts of the country and the virus, known as RHDV1-K5, will be released from March. Farming groups have welcomed the move while others have raised concerns including the risk it may pose to pet rabbits. Rabbits were introduced to New Zealand around the 1830s and have long created problems for farmers. Wild rabbits compete with livestock for pasture and also cause land damage from burrowing. According to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), rabbits cost an average of $50m New Zealand dollars (U$36m; PS18.7m) in lost production and more than NZ$25m in pest control each year. The main methods are shooting, poisoning, fumigation of burrows and, less drastically, installing rabbit-proof fencing. But officials argue the problem has got so big those solutions don't go far enough. An earlier strain of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was introduced to New Zealand in 1997. The virus, which only affects rabbits and not other animals, was initially very effective but after more than 20 years, the rabbits have become immune to it. The virus due to be released next month is a new Korean strain, known as RHDV1-K5. It affects an animal's internal organs, causing fever and spasms, blood clots and respiratory failure. According to the MPI, this strain works faster, killing rabbits within two to four days of infection. People are divided. New Zealand's Federated Farmers (FF) said the move was a \"huge relief\". \"There are some desperate farmers out there,\" the spokesman Andrew Simpson told the BBC. \"If another year goes by without [the] virus, the ecological damage to some properties would be mind-numbing.\" But Arnja Dale, from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the decision to release the virus was disappointing given \"the suffering it will cause affected rabbits and the potential risk to companion rabbits\". \"[We] advocate for the use of more humane methods,\" she said. The SPCA says a vaccine which is being made available for pet rabbits has not been \"adequately tested...[with] not yet sufficient evidence that it will provide sufficient protection\". But the MPI says vaccinated domestic rabbits will be safe. It said RHDV1-K5 was released in Australia last year, with no reports of vaccinated pet rabbits dying from the virus strain.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 744, "answer_start": 362, "text": "Rabbits were introduced to New Zealand around the 1830s and have long created problems for farmers. Wild rabbits compete with livestock for pasture and also cause land damage from burrowing. According to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), rabbits cost an average of $50m New Zealand dollars (U$36m; PS18.7m) in lost production and more than NZ$25m in pest control each year." } ], "id": "218_0", "question": "Why are rabbits such a big problem in New Zealand?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1499, "answer_start": 745, "text": "The main methods are shooting, poisoning, fumigation of burrows and, less drastically, installing rabbit-proof fencing. But officials argue the problem has got so big those solutions don't go far enough. An earlier strain of the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) was introduced to New Zealand in 1997. The virus, which only affects rabbits and not other animals, was initially very effective but after more than 20 years, the rabbits have become immune to it. The virus due to be released next month is a new Korean strain, known as RHDV1-K5. It affects an animal's internal organs, causing fever and spasms, blood clots and respiratory failure. According to the MPI, this strain works faster, killing rabbits within two to four days of infection." } ], "id": "218_1", "question": "How can you control a rabbit population?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2451, "answer_start": 1500, "text": "People are divided. New Zealand's Federated Farmers (FF) said the move was a \"huge relief\". \"There are some desperate farmers out there,\" the spokesman Andrew Simpson told the BBC. \"If another year goes by without [the] virus, the ecological damage to some properties would be mind-numbing.\" But Arnja Dale, from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the decision to release the virus was disappointing given \"the suffering it will cause affected rabbits and the potential risk to companion rabbits\". \"[We] advocate for the use of more humane methods,\" she said. The SPCA says a vaccine which is being made available for pet rabbits has not been \"adequately tested...[with] not yet sufficient evidence that it will provide sufficient protection\". But the MPI says vaccinated domestic rabbits will be safe. It said RHDV1-K5 was released in Australia last year, with no reports of vaccinated pet rabbits dying from the virus strain." } ], "id": "218_2", "question": "What has reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The chief of the United Nations has warned Asia to quit its \"addiction\" to coal in a bid to tackle climate change. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said countries in the region were among the most vulnerable to global warming and should be on the \"front line\" of efforts to stop it. He cited a new study that found that Asian countries were at particular risk of climate-driven flooding. Coal is a major source of power in many Asian countries. Speaking to reporters in the Thai capital Bangkok on Saturday, Mr Guterres described climate change as the \"defining issue of our time\". The UN chief referenced a study published on Tuesday, which found that climate change would put millions more people at risk from coastal flooding by 2050 than previously thought. The majority of those implicated were in developing countries across Asia, the study said. Mr Gutterres said that while \"people can discuss the accuracy of these figures...what is clear is that the trend is there\". He said the issue was \"particularly sensitive\" in Asia, where a \"meaningful number\" of new coal power plants are planned. \"We have to put a price on carbon. We need to stop subsidies for fossil fuels. And we need to stop the creation of new power plants based on coal in the future,\" Mr Gutterres warned. Tuesday's report by Climate Central, a US-based non-profit news organisation, said 190 million people would be living in areas that are projected to be below high-tide lines in the year 2100. It found that even with moderate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, six Asian countries (China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand), where 237 million people live today, could face annual coastal flooding threats by 2050. How coastal erosion destroyed a Ghanaian village", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1722, "answer_start": 1287, "text": "Tuesday's report by Climate Central, a US-based non-profit news organisation, said 190 million people would be living in areas that are projected to be below high-tide lines in the year 2100. It found that even with moderate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, six Asian countries (China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand), where 237 million people live today, could face annual coastal flooding threats by 2050." } ], "id": "219_0", "question": "Who is at risk in Asia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Brazilian senator, Cid Gomes, has been injured after shots were fired at him during a stand-off with police. Senator Gomes, 56, was driving a digger towards a fence behind which a group of masked military police officers were protesting when he was hit by two bullets in the town of Sobral. He is in hospital in a stable condition. For months, members of the military police have been conducting strikes and protests to demand pay increases. Video shared on social media shows Senator Gomes driving a digger at the metal fence and lifting it up with the digger's arm while masked policemen gathered behind it shout. Several shots ring out and the windscreen of the digger and one of its windows shatters. Photos taken subsequently show Mr Gomes being helped away, his T-shirt showing a large blood stain. It is not clear who fired the shots. Members of the military police in Sobral, in the north-eastern state of Ceara, have been demanding better pay since late 2019 and holding strikes. They argue that they are being paid less than their counterparts elsewhere. Police officers are banned from going on strike under Brazilian law and a court in Ceara ruled this week that those defying the ban could face prison. As part of their protest, the officers barred the entrance to a military police station in the town to impede other members of the force who have not joined their strike from working. Senator Gomes organised a counter-protest and warned the officers to clear the road. He told them over a megaphone that they had five minutes to clear off. When they did not, he got into the cab of the digger and drove towards the fence behind which they were gathered. Public Safety Minister Sergio Moro has announced the deployment of federal security forces to Ceara in the wake of Senator Gomes' shooting. Mr Moro said that they would stay for at least 30 days. Senator Gomes' brother, Ciro Gomes, said that he \"hoped that the responsible authorities catch those who attempted this barbarous homicide\". He also wrote that he and his brother would not let the state be run \"by militias\". Ciro Gomes is an influential politician in Ceara who has unsuccessfully run for the presidency of Brazil on three occasions. The son of President Jair Bolsonaro criticised Senator Gomes for driving at the police officers. Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is a member of Congress, asked what reaction Mr Gomes had expected when he drove the digger towards the officers. In a tweet (in Portuguese), he accused the politician of putting their lives in danger.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 843, "answer_start": 444, "text": "Video shared on social media shows Senator Gomes driving a digger at the metal fence and lifting it up with the digger's arm while masked policemen gathered behind it shout. Several shots ring out and the windscreen of the digger and one of its windows shatters. Photos taken subsequently show Mr Gomes being helped away, his T-shirt showing a large blood stain. It is not clear who fired the shots." } ], "id": "220_0", "question": "What happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1671, "answer_start": 844, "text": "Members of the military police in Sobral, in the north-eastern state of Ceara, have been demanding better pay since late 2019 and holding strikes. They argue that they are being paid less than their counterparts elsewhere. Police officers are banned from going on strike under Brazilian law and a court in Ceara ruled this week that those defying the ban could face prison. As part of their protest, the officers barred the entrance to a military police station in the town to impede other members of the force who have not joined their strike from working. Senator Gomes organised a counter-protest and warned the officers to clear the road. He told them over a megaphone that they had five minutes to clear off. When they did not, he got into the cab of the digger and drove towards the fence behind which they were gathered." } ], "id": "220_1", "question": "Why the stand-off?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2540, "answer_start": 1672, "text": "Public Safety Minister Sergio Moro has announced the deployment of federal security forces to Ceara in the wake of Senator Gomes' shooting. Mr Moro said that they would stay for at least 30 days. Senator Gomes' brother, Ciro Gomes, said that he \"hoped that the responsible authorities catch those who attempted this barbarous homicide\". He also wrote that he and his brother would not let the state be run \"by militias\". Ciro Gomes is an influential politician in Ceara who has unsuccessfully run for the presidency of Brazil on three occasions. The son of President Jair Bolsonaro criticised Senator Gomes for driving at the police officers. Eduardo Bolsonaro, who is a member of Congress, asked what reaction Mr Gomes had expected when he drove the digger towards the officers. In a tweet (in Portuguese), he accused the politician of putting their lives in danger." } ], "id": "220_2", "question": "What has been the reaction?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Cindy McCain, the widow of former US Senator John McCain, has apologised after police disputed her claim that she stopped a human trafficking case. Mrs McCain told KTAR radio she thwarted a crime by alerting Phoenix airport police to a woman of a different ethnicity than the child she was with. But Phoenix police told the station on Wednesday that they found no criminal wrongdoing after performing the check. Critics on social media have accused her of racial profiling and harassment. \"I came in from a trip I'd been on and I spotted - it looked odd - it was a woman of a different ethnicity than the child, this little toddler she had, and something didn't click with me,\" said Mrs McCain, 64, who also co-chair's the Arizona governor's anti-trafficking taskforce. \"I went over to the police and told them what I saw, and they went over and questioned her, and, by God, she was trafficking that kid,\" she told the radio station on Monday. \"It was a toddler. She was waiting for the guy who bought the child to get off an airplane,\" she added. Phoenix police told local media that on the date in question - 30 January - police performed a welfare check based on Mrs McCain's tip, but found \"no evidence of criminal conduct or child endangerment\". Mrs McCain, who has an adopted daughter from Bangladesh, later took to Twitter, saying: \"I reported an incident that I thought was trafficking... I apologise if anything else I have said on this matter distracts from 'if you see something, say something'\". Critics have attacked Mrs McCain, claiming that she had police \"harass\" an innocent family due to her own racial profiling. Many more found her claim puzzling, considering that she herself has a daughter that is a different ethnicity from her. Many also took issue with her apology, which they note did not include a direct apology for falsely claiming to have prevented a genuine trafficking case. Others defended her for alerting police to her hunch. Last year, Southwest Airlines issued an apology after asking a California woman to prove that she was the mother of her biracial son. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, according to the United Nations. Trafficking in the US often spikes around the time of the Super Bowl in early February, as experts recently told BBC News' Cut Through the Noise Facebook show.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1507, "answer_start": 489, "text": "\"I came in from a trip I'd been on and I spotted - it looked odd - it was a woman of a different ethnicity than the child, this little toddler she had, and something didn't click with me,\" said Mrs McCain, 64, who also co-chair's the Arizona governor's anti-trafficking taskforce. \"I went over to the police and told them what I saw, and they went over and questioned her, and, by God, she was trafficking that kid,\" she told the radio station on Monday. \"It was a toddler. She was waiting for the guy who bought the child to get off an airplane,\" she added. Phoenix police told local media that on the date in question - 30 January - police performed a welfare check based on Mrs McCain's tip, but found \"no evidence of criminal conduct or child endangerment\". Mrs McCain, who has an adopted daughter from Bangladesh, later took to Twitter, saying: \"I reported an incident that I thought was trafficking... I apologise if anything else I have said on this matter distracts from 'if you see something, say something'\"." } ], "id": "221_0", "question": "What exactly happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2362, "answer_start": 1508, "text": "Critics have attacked Mrs McCain, claiming that she had police \"harass\" an innocent family due to her own racial profiling. Many more found her claim puzzling, considering that she herself has a daughter that is a different ethnicity from her. Many also took issue with her apology, which they note did not include a direct apology for falsely claiming to have prevented a genuine trafficking case. Others defended her for alerting police to her hunch. Last year, Southwest Airlines issued an apology after asking a California woman to prove that she was the mother of her biracial son. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world, according to the United Nations. Trafficking in the US often spikes around the time of the Super Bowl in early February, as experts recently told BBC News' Cut Through the Noise Facebook show." } ], "id": "221_1", "question": "What has the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ammon Bundy, the leader of an armed protest at a wildlife refuge in Oregon who was arrested on Tuesday, has urged the remaining occupiers to go home. One of Mr Bundy's fellow activists was killed during the arrest of the protest leader and seven others. Three more arrests have since been made at a checkpoint outside the refuge. It is unclear how many people are still at the refuge. The local sheriff, Dave Ward, said the illegal occupation was tearing the community apart. Speaking through his attorney, Mr Bundy called for the siege to come to an end. He said: \"To those remaining at the refuge, I love you. Let us take this fight from here. \"Please stand down. Go home and hug your families. This fight is ours for now in the courts.\" Mr Bundy paid tribute to the deceased, identified by friends and family as Robert \"LaVoy\" Finicum, an Arizona rancher who became a spokesman for the self-proclaimed militia group at the refuge. \"Right now I am asking the federal government to allow the people at the refuge to go home without being prosecuted,\" he said. In the early days of the Oregon occupation, the militiamen were a mixed bunch. There were the taciturn ones, the braggarts and the loose cannons. And then there was LaVoy Finicum, a man who seemed to stand apart from the rest. On one foul night in the cold with sleet falling and rumours of a raid flying, Mr Finicum took his rifle and sat on the ground at the entrance to the bird reserve headquarters with the weapon on his lap. Ignoring scoffs from the assembled reporters, he told me he would resist if police came for him. He had no intention of being caged and, if necessary, he was ready to die. In the end he appears to have died as he predicted he might, violently and at the hands of the authorities he despised. Whatever the truth of his final moments, LaVoy Finicum leaves behind a large family, reportedly of 11 children. \"I have a 17-year-old daughter,\" he said. \"Thank goodness she's a firecracker, I hope she can hold everything together. I'm a small producer. She'll be able to do it.\" Robert 'LaVoy' Finicum, a militiaman apart However, the FBI later announced that three further suspects who were in the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge had been arrested. It said Duane Leo Ehmer, 45, Dylan Wade Anderson, 34, and Jason Patrick, 43, had turned themselves in to FBI agents at a checkpoint outside the refuge on Wednesday. The FBI said they faced a charge of conspiracy to impede officers of the United States from discharging their official duties through the use of force, intimidation, or threats. The other eight people arrested face the same charge. The FBI said five other people who left the refuge on Wednesday had been allowed to go. It is still unclear how many remain at the site; however the New York Times spoke to one of the occupiers by telephone on Wednesday evening who put the figure at seven. \"We're camping out tonight here, by this campfire,\" 27-year-old David Fry told the newspaper, adding that they would stay \"until someone starts listening or until they slaughter us\". Greg Bretzing, the head of the FBI's Portland office, said: \"We will continue to look for safe, peaceful procedures on how to bring this to a peaceful conclusion.\" Sheriff Ward said: \"It's time for everybody in this illegal occupation to move on. There doesn't have to be bloodshed in our community.\" Mr Bundy's militia had occupied the refuge on 2 January to support two ranchers jailed for setting fire to federal land. He says the government has taken land illegally from ranchers for decades. In October, a federal judge ruled the sentences on two Oregon ranchers, Dwight and Steven Hammond, for burning federal land were too short and jailed them for about four years each. Angered by the ruling, Nevada native Ammon Bundy began a social media campaign backing them and travelled to Burns, Oregon, organising meetings. His group attracted supporters from across a number of states and Mr Bundy called it Citizens for Constitutional Freedom. On 2 January the armed militiamen took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge - and widened the range of demands. It is an extension of the Sagebrush Revolution of the 1970s and 1980s that demanded the transfer of federal land in many western states to local control. Mr Bundy's own father - a Nevada rancher - had been involved in a protest over cattle-grazing rights in 2014. One policy is to try to persuade ranchers to tear up their federal grazing contracts. Although many local residents are sympathetic with its cause, many also oppose the occupation of the refuge. Even the local ranchers who are serving the longer sentences distanced themselves from the militia. The term has a complex history and generally refers to those outside the official military who can be called on in times of need. The US Constitution refers to the president having command of \"militia of several states\" and that Congress \"can call forth militia\" to tackle insurrection and invasion. Those who form such militias cite the constitution and various references in federal and state law as granting them legality.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4135, "answer_start": 3570, "text": "In October, a federal judge ruled the sentences on two Oregon ranchers, Dwight and Steven Hammond, for burning federal land were too short and jailed them for about four years each. Angered by the ruling, Nevada native Ammon Bundy began a social media campaign backing them and travelled to Burns, Oregon, organising meetings. His group attracted supporters from across a number of states and Mr Bundy called it Citizens for Constitutional Freedom. On 2 January the armed militiamen took over the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge - and widened the range of demands." } ], "id": "222_0", "question": "How did it begin?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4694, "answer_start": 4136, "text": "It is an extension of the Sagebrush Revolution of the 1970s and 1980s that demanded the transfer of federal land in many western states to local control. Mr Bundy's own father - a Nevada rancher - had been involved in a protest over cattle-grazing rights in 2014. One policy is to try to persuade ranchers to tear up their federal grazing contracts. Although many local residents are sympathetic with its cause, many also oppose the occupation of the refuge. Even the local ranchers who are serving the longer sentences distanced themselves from the militia." } ], "id": "222_1", "question": "What are the militia's aims?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5120, "answer_start": 4695, "text": "The term has a complex history and generally refers to those outside the official military who can be called on in times of need. The US Constitution refers to the president having command of \"militia of several states\" and that Congress \"can call forth militia\" to tackle insurrection and invasion. Those who form such militias cite the constitution and various references in federal and state law as granting them legality." } ], "id": "222_2", "question": "Are militias legal?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Support for Scottish independence has reached its highest-ever level in an annual academic study. But the Scottish Social Attitudes survey also suggested the popularity of the European Union had fallen. The researchers said this suggested focusing on EU membership may not be the best way to swing more voters towards independence. The survey has asked the same question about how Scotland should be governed every year since 1999. It was carried out by ScotCen Social Research and has been published two days after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed she wants to ask the UK government for permission to hold a second referendum on Scottish independence. Ms Sturgeon says the Brexit vote has left Scotland at a crossroads, with an independence referendum needed to allow the country to choose which path to take. But pro-UK opposition parties argue that another referendum will cause further division and uncertainty, and is not wanted by the majority of people. The survey comes as two polls look at the Scottish independence question. - The Scottish Daily Mail's poll of 1,019 adults, which was carried out between 8-13 March, suggested that when \"don't knows\" are discounted, people in Scotland would vote 53% to 47% to stay a part of the UK. - The Times Scotland's poll of 1,028 adults, which was carried out between 9-14 March, suggested that when \"don't knows\" are discounted, people in Scotland would vote 57% to 43% to stay a part of the UK. ScotCen Social Research author Prof John Curtice said you should not compare his survey to the latest polling commissioned by newspapers. He explained: \"The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey is not a short term opinion poll. This was a survey that was done for the whole of the last six months of last year and it is not about trying to measure the short term variation in the weather, which the two polls out this morning try to do, but rather to look at the long term change in the climate.\" A key suggestion in the ScotCen survey was that the September 2014 referendum had left a \"legacy of dramatically increased support\" for independence. And it said the pro-independence movement looked certain to enter a second referendum campaign in a much stronger position than it had enjoyed ahead of the first referendum. Asked to choose between independence, devolution and not having any kind of Scottish Parliament at all, 46% of the 1,237 people surveyed between July and December of last year now backed independence. This is a higher level of support for independence than at any time since 1999 and double the level registered by ScotCen in 2012, when the last independence referendum campaign initially got under way. The Social Attitudes Survey suggested the increase in support for independence in recent years has been most marked among younger people. As a result, there is now a very large age gap in support for independence, with 72% of 16-24 year olds wanting to leave the UK compared with just 26% of people aged 65 and over. Independence is now the single most popular constitutional option, with 42% supporting devolution, while only 8% of those surveyed do not want any kind of Scottish Parliament at all. However, even although Scotland voted to remain in the EU by 62% to 38% in last year's referendum, the survey suggested scepticism about the institution is now at the highest level ever recorded by ScotCen. - Two in three (67%) either want Britain to leave the EU (25%) or for the EU's powers to be reduced (42%). - In 2014, the figure stood at just over half (53%), while in 1999 only 40% of people in Scotland could be considered Eurosceptic. This scepticism is even common among those who voted last year to remain in the EU, the report concluded, with a majority (56%) of all Remain voters believing the EU should have fewer powers. Those who currently back independence are also divided in their views about Brexit, with a third voting to leave the EU in last year's referendum. Their support could be at risk if independence is linked firmly to EU membership, the report's author Prof John Curtice said. Prof Curtice said the pro-independence campaign had never been stronger electorally in Scotland. He added: \"From its perspective, the outcome of the EU referendum appeared to be a perfect illustration of their argument that for so long as it stays in the UK, Scotland is always at risk of having its 'democratic will' overturned by England. \"However, the commitment to the EU of many of those who voted to Remain does not appear to be strong enough that they are likely to be persuaded by the outcome of the EU referendum to change their preference for staying in the UK. \"Meanwhile, there is a risk that linking independence closely to the idea of staying in the EU could alienate some of those who currently back leaving the UK. \"Nicola Sturgeon might have been wiser to have stayed her hand, for on current trends there is a real possibility that demographic change will help produce a majority for independence in the not too distant future anyway.\" The pro-independence SNP and Scottish Greens welcomed the survey's findings, with SNP MSP Bruce Crawford arguing it was \"no surprise\" that more people now apparently backed independence given the \"systematic unpicking\" of promises made after the 2014 referendum by the UK government. Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said voters in Scotland deserves a choice between being \"trapped in the angry, isolated Britain planned by the Tories\" and \"putting our future in our own hands\". But Adam Tomkins of the Scottish Conservatives said the report showed there was already \"significant division\" in Scotland over the constitutional question, and that another referendum would only make that worse. And Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray said Scotland \"must not be divided again by the SNP's obsession for a second independence referendum\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1948, "answer_start": 969, "text": "The survey comes as two polls look at the Scottish independence question. - The Scottish Daily Mail's poll of 1,019 adults, which was carried out between 8-13 March, suggested that when \"don't knows\" are discounted, people in Scotland would vote 53% to 47% to stay a part of the UK. - The Times Scotland's poll of 1,028 adults, which was carried out between 9-14 March, suggested that when \"don't knows\" are discounted, people in Scotland would vote 57% to 43% to stay a part of the UK. ScotCen Social Research author Prof John Curtice said you should not compare his survey to the latest polling commissioned by newspapers. He explained: \"The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey is not a short term opinion poll. This was a survey that was done for the whole of the last six months of last year and it is not about trying to measure the short term variation in the weather, which the two polls out this morning try to do, but rather to look at the long term change in the climate.\"" } ], "id": "223_0", "question": "What are the latest polls saying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Four US Olympic gold medal swimmers who said they had been robbed in Rio de Janeiro were not victims of crime, the head of the city's civil police says. Fernando Veloso told reporters that one or more of the men had instead vandalised part of a petrol station and then offered to pay for the damage. The Americans paid and left after armed security guards intervened, he said. One guard had justifiably drawn his gun after one of the swimmers began behaving erratically, Mr Veloso added. Three of the swimmers remain in Brazil. The fourth, Ryan Lochte, returned to the US on Monday. Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were prevented from leaving Brazil at Rio de Janeiro airport on Wednesday night and have since been questioned by police. Team-mate James Feigen has also remained in Brazil and says he is co-operating with the authorities. Five times Lochte made a splash The swimmers, who have repeatedly changed their accounts of what happened, could \"in theory\" face charges of giving false testimony and vandalism, Mr Veloso told reporters during a news conference at Rio police headquarters. Mr Lochte was \"very angry because he was intoxicated\" during the incident, he said. The people of Rio were unhappy to see the reputation of their city damaged, Mr Veloso said, adding: \"We are dealing with important public figures who influence others and should know how to comport themselves... An apology would be welcomed.\" Earlier, a Rio 2016 spokesman had tried to make light of the case. \"These kids tried to have fun, they tried to represent their country to the best of their abilities,\" Mario Andrada told reporters. \"They competed under gigantic pressure. Let's give these kids a break. Sometime you take actions that you later regret. \"They had fun, they made a mistake, life goes on.\" Sunday 14 August - Ryan Lochte's mother tells US media her son has been robbed in Rio de Janeiro - Mr Lochte gives an account of the events, saying he and the other swimmers were returning by taxi from a club in the early hours of the morning when they were robbed at gunpoint by men who forced the vehicle to pull over - The swimmers do not report the incident to police or to the US Olympic Committee, and police officers only get involved after seeing TV reports Monday 15 August - Police investigating the case say there are inconsistencies in the men's accounts Tuesday 16 August - CCTV footage emerges of the men's return to the athletes' village showing them laughing and joking, and handing over wallets and phones as they go through the security screens Wednesday 17 August - Ryan Lochte admits there were inaccuracies in his original account of being robbed at gunpoint, but vehemently denies making the story up - Judge orders that the passports of the four men be seized before it emerges that Mr Lochte has already left for the US - Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger taken off a US-bound plane at Rio de Janeiro airport Thursday 18 August - Brazilian police sources tell media outlets that the men invented a story about a robbery to disguise a dispute over a damaged bathroom door at a petrol station in Barra da Tijuca, 16km (10 miles) from the Olympic Park - CCTV video emerges that appears to show the athletes being detained and ordered to sit on the ground - Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger enter a Rio police station for questioning - Head of Rio's civil police emphatically denies a robbery took place, saying the case centred around an incident of vandalism and payment for damage Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. In Rio, he swam in two events, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay along with Conger. Feigen won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Bentz competed in the 4x200m preliminaries, but not the final. He still received a gold medal after the US team's win.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3883, "answer_start": 3484, "text": "Lochte is one of the most successful swimmers in history, with 12 Olympic medals, and he once had his own reality television show in the US. In Rio, he swam in two events, winning gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay along with Conger. Feigen won gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. Bentz competed in the 4x200m preliminaries, but not the final. He still received a gold medal after the US team's win." } ], "id": "224_0", "question": "Who are the swimmers?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Tensions remain high at a university in Indian-administered Kashmir following a row sparked by a cricket match. Students and police clashed at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Srinagar city, with police using sticks to beat up students. Senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari explains the incident and what has happened so far. NIT was founded as a regional engineering college in 1960 and was under the control of the Kashmiri state government until 2004 when it was renamed and taken over by the federal government's ministry of human resource development (HRD). This meant that admission to the college began to be based on a national examination, open to students from across India. This has gradually changed the composition of students in the institute. At present, 50% of the university seats are reserved for students from outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The other 50% is divided between students from the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley, the Hindu-majority Jammu and Buddhist-dominated Ladakh regions. Nearly 3,000 students currently study on the campus. The crisis began during India's World Twenty20 semi-final clash against the West Indies last week. Reports said that local Kashmiri students supported the West Indies, while all the others cheered for the home team. What began as slogan-shouting soon turned violent and clashes broke out. A few Kashmiri students told local media that they had been \"thrashed\" in the incident. This led to anger within the Kashmir Valley, made worse by a report by a courier boy named Imtiyaz Sheikh, who complained that \"outsider\" students beat him up when he went to deliver a package at the campus. Clashes broke out again when non-Kashmiri students chanted \"Bharat Mata Ki Jai\" (Victory for mother India) and attempted to hoist the Indian flag at the university. Police intervened and allegedly \"seized\" the flag and attempted to restore order. India is currently witnessing a heated debate over the phrase because some Muslims say the line equates the country to a mother \"deity\" and worshipping any god, apart from Allah, is un-Islamic. A Muslim legislator in the western Indian state of Maharashtra was recently suspended after he refused to say it. The non-Kashmiri students allege that they are now being harassed by the faculty, most of whom are locals. They said they tried to hold a protest march outside the campus, but were stopped by the police. Clashes broke out between the two sides and led to police baton-charging the protesting students. Controversy over a cricket match in Kashmir is not new. Many in the valley have regularly cheered for Pakistan. In fact, before the outbreak of militancy in the region in the late 1980s, residents would publicly cheer for teams like Australia and West Indies. And now, with anti-India sentiment running high and with many Kashmiris feeling alienated, such outbursts are not unusual. Police and unofficial university sources have maintained that the violence was nothing more than a group of senior students trying to settle old scores. But some students, who spoke to the BBC on condition of anonymity, said they felt threatened. \"We are not safe and we are too afraid to study. The faculty is not good to us and we are scared of the police,\" one of them said. The local students allege that the entire incident is a ruse to shift the NIT out of Kashmir. \"We are a minority in the campus. What can we do? They now think that the Indian government is on their side and they can do anything,\" one of them told the BBC. University authorities and state ministers have downplayed the issue and expressed the confidence that they would be able to resolve matters soon. But the federal government has stepped in, sending paramilitary forces and a high-level team to negotiate with the protesting students, thereby minimising the role of the Kashmiri state government and the local police. Apart from that, India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani spoke to Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and asked her to ensure the safety of students from outside the state. NIT has now become the latest hotspot in the debate over \"nationalism\" in India. What has happened in the college can be directly compared to recent incidents in Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and south India's Hyderabad university, where police action has been taken against students accused of being \"anti-national\". However, the way in which the government rushed paramilitary forces into the university premises, sidelining the state authorities, has caused some concern, both about the future of the new government and the students of the college.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1078, "answer_start": 336, "text": "NIT was founded as a regional engineering college in 1960 and was under the control of the Kashmiri state government until 2004 when it was renamed and taken over by the federal government's ministry of human resource development (HRD). This meant that admission to the college began to be based on a national examination, open to students from across India. This has gradually changed the composition of students in the institute. At present, 50% of the university seats are reserved for students from outside the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The other 50% is divided between students from the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley, the Hindu-majority Jammu and Buddhist-dominated Ladakh regions. Nearly 3,000 students currently study on the campus." } ], "id": "225_0", "question": "Who are the NIT students?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2218, "answer_start": 1079, "text": "The crisis began during India's World Twenty20 semi-final clash against the West Indies last week. Reports said that local Kashmiri students supported the West Indies, while all the others cheered for the home team. What began as slogan-shouting soon turned violent and clashes broke out. A few Kashmiri students told local media that they had been \"thrashed\" in the incident. This led to anger within the Kashmir Valley, made worse by a report by a courier boy named Imtiyaz Sheikh, who complained that \"outsider\" students beat him up when he went to deliver a package at the campus. Clashes broke out again when non-Kashmiri students chanted \"Bharat Mata Ki Jai\" (Victory for mother India) and attempted to hoist the Indian flag at the university. Police intervened and allegedly \"seized\" the flag and attempted to restore order. India is currently witnessing a heated debate over the phrase because some Muslims say the line equates the country to a mother \"deity\" and worshipping any god, apart from Allah, is un-Islamic. A Muslim legislator in the western Indian state of Maharashtra was recently suspended after he refused to say it." } ], "id": "225_1", "question": "How did the trouble start?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2520, "answer_start": 2219, "text": "The non-Kashmiri students allege that they are now being harassed by the faculty, most of whom are locals. They said they tried to hold a protest march outside the campus, but were stopped by the police. Clashes broke out between the two sides and led to police baton-charging the protesting students." } ], "id": "225_2", "question": "So why are they protesting now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2903, "answer_start": 2521, "text": "Controversy over a cricket match in Kashmir is not new. Many in the valley have regularly cheered for Pakistan. In fact, before the outbreak of militancy in the region in the late 1980s, residents would publicly cheer for teams like Australia and West Indies. And now, with anti-India sentiment running high and with many Kashmiris feeling alienated, such outbursts are not unusual." } ], "id": "225_3", "question": "Why was a cricket match the trigger?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4127, "answer_start": 3538, "text": "University authorities and state ministers have downplayed the issue and expressed the confidence that they would be able to resolve matters soon. But the federal government has stepped in, sending paramilitary forces and a high-level team to negotiate with the protesting students, thereby minimising the role of the Kashmiri state government and the local police. Apart from that, India's Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani spoke to Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and asked her to ensure the safety of students from outside the state." } ], "id": "225_4", "question": "How have authorities reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4691, "answer_start": 4128, "text": "NIT has now become the latest hotspot in the debate over \"nationalism\" in India. What has happened in the college can be directly compared to recent incidents in Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and south India's Hyderabad university, where police action has been taken against students accused of being \"anti-national\". However, the way in which the government rushed paramilitary forces into the university premises, sidelining the state authorities, has caused some concern, both about the future of the new government and the students of the college." } ], "id": "225_5", "question": "What are the implications of the incident?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Services have been held to mark the 40th anniversary of two IRA attacks in Mullaghmore and Narrow Water. On 27 August 1979, Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Queen's second cousin, and three others were killed after a bomb exploded on his fishing boat in County Sligo. A few hours later, two IRA bombs went off at Narrow Water, near Warrenpoint in County Down, killing 18 soldiers. It was the highest death toll suffered by the Army on a single day in NI. In a statement at the time, the IRA said the killing of Lord Mountbatten was \"one of the discriminate ways we can bring to the attention of the English people the continuing occupation of our country\". His 14-year-old grandson, Nicholas Knatchbull, and 15-year-old Paul Maxwell, a local boy who was working as a boatman, died when the boat exploded. Another passenger, the Dowager Lady Brabourne, died the following day. Paul Maxwell's mother and father were among those who gathered for an outdoor service on Tuesday. It was held on a clifftop overlooking the scene of the attack, and began with a minute's silence. Paul Maxwell's mother, Mary Hornsey, said it was \"absolutely wonderful that the community came out today\". \"It has helped us enormously because I feel that in the service there was love and support for our family, and we appreciate that,\" she said. \"I feel really privileged to be here, with all of these people.\" John Maxwell, Paul's father, said it was \"a great thing that so many people took the trouble to turn out\". Lord Mountbatten, who was 79 years old when he was killed, had traditionally spent summer holidays at Classiebawn Castle near Mullaghmore. As the news of Lord Mountbatten's death spread in 1979, the first of two bombs exploded in County Down. It had been planted under hay on a lorry at the side of the road. When it exploded it killed six soldiers who had been travelling past in a four-ton lorry. As the injured were airlifted from the scene, a second device detonated, killing 12 more soldiers who had been taking cover in a nearby gatehouse. A short time later, a local civilian, 28-year-old Michael Hudson was found dead nearby. He had been killed by Army gunfire. Peter McHugh, who was involved in the recovery of Lord Mountbatten's body, said while there had not been formal anniversary events each year, the bombing was \"hugely significant\" for people locally. \"Time has moved on; it's 40 years now, there is a huge distance time-wise between what happened, dreadful and all as it was. \"So it's nice to see that the family is all here.\" At Narrow Water, the names of all those who died were read out and the Last Post was sounded. Gathered at the scene were the families and friends of those killed and soldiers. Among them was General Sir Michael Jackson, who had been a major in the Parachute Regiment at the time of the bombing. Wreaths were laid at the scene. The conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles lasted almost 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people. In August 1969, the UK government sent troops to impose control. The conflict in Northern Ireland, which has killed thousands, has political and religious roots that are centuries old. Some people in Northern Ireland, especially the mainly Protestant Unionist community, believe it should remain part of the United Kingdom. Others, particularly the mainly Catholic Nationalist community, believe it should leave the UK and become part of the Republic of Ireland.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3446, "answer_start": 2860, "text": "The conflict in Northern Ireland known as the Troubles lasted almost 30 years and cost the lives of more than 3,500 people. In August 1969, the UK government sent troops to impose control. The conflict in Northern Ireland, which has killed thousands, has political and religious roots that are centuries old. Some people in Northern Ireland, especially the mainly Protestant Unionist community, believe it should remain part of the United Kingdom. Others, particularly the mainly Catholic Nationalist community, believe it should leave the UK and become part of the Republic of Ireland." } ], "id": "226_0", "question": "What were the Troubles?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump says he is extending sanctions relief for Iran one last time so Europe and the US can fix the nuclear deal's \"terrible flaws\". The waiver he will sign suspends US sanctions on Iran for another 120 days. The White House wants EU signatories to agree permanent restrictions on Iran's uranium enrichment. Under the current deal they are set to expire in 2025. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said it was a \"desperate attempt\" to undermine a \"solid\" deal. Germany said it would continue to call for the deal's full implementation and would consult on a \"common way forward\" with the UK and France. Mr Trump also wants Iran's ballistic missile programme to be addressed. \"This is a last chance,\" the US president said in a statement on Friday. \"In the absence of such an agreement, the United States will not again waive sanctions in order to stay in the Iran nuclear deal. \"And if at any time I judge that such an agreement is not within reach, I will withdraw from the deal immediately.\" Also on Friday, the US imposed separate sanctions against 14 Iranian individuals and entities it accuses of rights abuses, censorship and support for weapons proliferators. The US still maintains sanctions on Iran - independent of the nuclear deal - on matters such as terrorism, human rights and ballistic missile development. The landmark accord was signed between six global powers and Iran in 2015. It saw Iran agree to reduce uranium enrichment activity drastically, dispose of its enriched uranium stocks and modify a heavy water facility so it could not produce material suitable for a nuclear bomb. In return, decades of international and US nuclear-related sanctions were suspended, and the US president must sign a waiver suspending them every 120 days. But Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised the deal - reached under his predecessor Barack Obama - as \"the worst ever\". Senior Trump administration officials briefed reporters on Friday to say the president will work with European partners to broker an agreement limiting Iran's ballistic missiles activities. Mr Trump is prepared to back a modification to the existing deal if it was made permanent, one official said. The president also wants the US Congress to amend a law on US participation in the nuclear deal, so that Washington could reimpose all sanctions if Iran breaches certain \"trigger points\". This will involve negotiations between the US and its European allies rather than talks with Iran, the official said. BBC state department correspondent Barbara Plett Usher is sceptical that any international agreement can be negotiated in 120 days. She says Iran is not interested in brokering a new deal, so Mr Trump will have either to back down or walk away. Analysis by Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent Some four months ago when President Trump refused to re-certify the Iran deal he passed the baton to Congress while keeping the agreement in place. This time he has put the ball in the Europeans' court expecting Britain, France and Germany to come up with some accord that will, as he sees it, fix the deal's shortcomings. While they worry about Iran's missile programmes and its regional activities, the Europeans believe the nuclear accord itself is working well. Furthermore even if they could come up with a follow-on agreement in a ludicrously short space of time, there is simply no chance of Iran agreeing to it. So in another four months we will be back exactly where we are now. Mr Trump will have the problematic task of either re-imposing sanctions - effectively killing the nuclear accord - or of having to extricate himself from a problem of his own making. In October, President Trump refused to certify that Iran was in compliance with the accord, accusing the country of \"not living up to the spirit\" of the pact. However, UN inspectors have certified nine times that Iran has not breached the deal. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who helped broker the agreement, said on Thursday that the accord is \"making the world safer\". She said it was also \"preventing a potential nuclear arms race in the region\". Iran said on Friday that Mr Trump was \"maliciously violating\" the deal. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: \"Trump's policy & today's announcement amount to desperate attempts to undermine a solid multilateral agreement.\" Tehran has vowed to stick to the accord as long as the other signatories respect it, but to \"shred\" it if Washington pulls out. Iran says the missiles it has tested are not designed to carry nuclear warheads and insists its nuclear programme is a peaceful one for energy purposes. After Mr Trump's announcement, Germany said it would \"continue to campaign for the full implementation of the nuclear agreement\". French President Emmanuel Macron phoned Mr Trump on Thursday to call for \"the strict application of the deal and the importance of all the signatories to respect it\". In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pact was \"the result of a consensus among many parties\". The accord can be seen as \"either good or bad, but it is the only one that reflects this consensus,\" Mr Peskov said on Friday, ahead of Mr Trump's announcement.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1903, "answer_start": 1352, "text": "The landmark accord was signed between six global powers and Iran in 2015. It saw Iran agree to reduce uranium enrichment activity drastically, dispose of its enriched uranium stocks and modify a heavy water facility so it could not produce material suitable for a nuclear bomb. In return, decades of international and US nuclear-related sanctions were suspended, and the US president must sign a waiver suspending them every 120 days. But Mr Trump has repeatedly criticised the deal - reached under his predecessor Barack Obama - as \"the worst ever\"." } ], "id": "227_0", "question": "What is the deal?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2754, "answer_start": 1904, "text": "Senior Trump administration officials briefed reporters on Friday to say the president will work with European partners to broker an agreement limiting Iran's ballistic missiles activities. Mr Trump is prepared to back a modification to the existing deal if it was made permanent, one official said. The president also wants the US Congress to amend a law on US participation in the nuclear deal, so that Washington could reimpose all sanctions if Iran breaches certain \"trigger points\". This will involve negotiations between the US and its European allies rather than talks with Iran, the official said. BBC state department correspondent Barbara Plett Usher is sceptical that any international agreement can be negotiated in 120 days. She says Iran is not interested in brokering a new deal, so Mr Trump will have either to back down or walk away." } ], "id": "227_1", "question": "What does the US want?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4158, "answer_start": 3684, "text": "In October, President Trump refused to certify that Iran was in compliance with the accord, accusing the country of \"not living up to the spirit\" of the pact. However, UN inspectors have certified nine times that Iran has not breached the deal. European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, who helped broker the agreement, said on Thursday that the accord is \"making the world safer\". She said it was also \"preventing a potential nuclear arms race in the region\"." } ], "id": "227_2", "question": "Is the current deal working?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4669, "answer_start": 4159, "text": "Iran said on Friday that Mr Trump was \"maliciously violating\" the deal. Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said: \"Trump's policy & today's announcement amount to desperate attempts to undermine a solid multilateral agreement.\" Tehran has vowed to stick to the accord as long as the other signatories respect it, but to \"shred\" it if Washington pulls out. Iran says the missiles it has tested are not designed to carry nuclear warheads and insists its nuclear programme is a peaceful one for energy purposes." } ], "id": "227_3", "question": "What does Iran say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5236, "answer_start": 4670, "text": "After Mr Trump's announcement, Germany said it would \"continue to campaign for the full implementation of the nuclear agreement\". French President Emmanuel Macron phoned Mr Trump on Thursday to call for \"the strict application of the deal and the importance of all the signatories to respect it\". In Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the pact was \"the result of a consensus among many parties\". The accord can be seen as \"either good or bad, but it is the only one that reflects this consensus,\" Mr Peskov said on Friday, ahead of Mr Trump's announcement." } ], "id": "227_4", "question": "What did the rest of the world say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": " Zac Efron's known for playing handsome, charming, leading men - and his latest film role is no exception. But his character in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is a long way from the beaches of Baywatch. He's playing one of the most infamous serial killers in US history - Ted Bundy - in an adaptation of a book written by Elizabeth Kloepfer, Bundy's girlfriend during his time killing. The film is out in cinemas in the UK now, and it's also being shown on Sky Cinema. Between February 1974 and February 1978 Ted Bundy murdered 30 women - he's been linked to many more killings. He would often approach women in public places, gain their trust with his charm or a fake injury, and then lure them to secluded areas and kill them. He kept trophies from his victims - including severed heads found in his apartment - and had sex with their bodies after the murders. Bundy was first arrested in 1975 for kidnapping a woman, Carol DaRonch, and sentenced to up to 15 years in jail. But in 1977 he escaped by jumping out of a prison library window. He was recaptured for eight days and then escaped again - when he continued to kill until finally being caught in 1978. Bundy remained behind bars until he was executed in 1989, aged 42. Bundy managed to win the trust of his female victims, often by pretending he had broken bones and needed help with certain tasks. It wasn't just a fake cast that helped him gain their trust though - many have commented on his good looks and charm. It's since been debated whether his perceived good looks have received too much attention - with the brutal nature of his crimes and the memory of his victims ignored. When the trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile first premiered, there were accusations that the film was \"sexualising\" a man who committed violent acts against women. Kathy Kleiner Rubin, who survived a Bundy attack in 1978, told the BBC in April that she believes Zac Efron's portrayal of Bundy captures how the killer wanted people to see him. \"Bundy showed them what he wanted them to see - he was always in control,\" she says. \"Zac Efron - he's playing a part - he's an actor. He's doing this the way he was, the way they perceived Bundy.\" She says the relatives of Bundy's victims are \"heroes\" for having to endure the current publicity for this new movie and adds that she never wanted to be part of the Bundy story. The film is about Ted Bundy's crimes, home life and trial for the murder of 30 women in the 1970s. That's the number he confessed to - but it's believed he killed many more. Bundy's story has been told many times before in films, documentaries and books, but this is the first time it's been told on-screen from Elizabeth Kloepfer's view. She stuck by Bundy during the '70s, and he was a father figure to her daughter Molly. Elizabeth, who's played by Lily Collins, met Ted Bundy in 1969 but it took her five years before she became suspicious of his behaviour. That's when things like a bowl of women's underwear, bandages, and the knife he kept in his car tipped her off that something wasn't right, and she reported him to the police. But she says there wasn't enough evidence at that point for officers to investigate. Her suspicions also didn't slow their relationship - nor did the time Bundy tried to kill her with fumes from an open fire while she slept. Elizabeth didn't fully cut ties with him until 1980. Zac Efron says he had \"reservations\" about taking on the role. \"I didn't want to do it initially,\" he said in an interview with the BBC's Simon Mayo. \"I didn't want to glamourise a killer.\" Lily Collins has questioned whether another actor would have faced the same level of scrutiny as Zac has. And she insists the movie focuses on Elizabeth more than Bundy's crimes and evil nature, despite its title. \"You don't see any imagery, you just hear about it and that's what Liz would have been seeing,\" Lily says. \"It's only when Liz makes a discovery that the audience does as well.\" Early reviews of the movie have been mixed. Empire magazine describes it as having a \"goofy tone\" and says neither Ted Bundy nor Elizabeth Kloepfer are explored fully. But its review praises Zac Efron, saying \"it's the best work he's ever done\". A review in the Metro criticises the lack of horror in the movie, saying that without it the film \"risks becoming a prison escape caper\". It adds that the only way to stop sensationalising Bundy's crimes is to stop making movies about him. And the Observer says it feels \"dishonest\" to tell Bundy's story from Elizabeth's point of view, because Bundy himself admitted he was unable to form relationships. \"Everyone is in on the con but Liz,\" it says. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1240, "answer_start": 481, "text": "Between February 1974 and February 1978 Ted Bundy murdered 30 women - he's been linked to many more killings. He would often approach women in public places, gain their trust with his charm or a fake injury, and then lure them to secluded areas and kill them. He kept trophies from his victims - including severed heads found in his apartment - and had sex with their bodies after the murders. Bundy was first arrested in 1975 for kidnapping a woman, Carol DaRonch, and sentenced to up to 15 years in jail. But in 1977 he escaped by jumping out of a prison library window. He was recaptured for eight days and then escaped again - when he continued to kill until finally being caught in 1978. Bundy remained behind bars until he was executed in 1989, aged 42." } ], "id": "228_0", "question": "What did Ted Bundy do?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2396, "answer_start": 1241, "text": "Bundy managed to win the trust of his female victims, often by pretending he had broken bones and needed help with certain tasks. It wasn't just a fake cast that helped him gain their trust though - many have commented on his good looks and charm. It's since been debated whether his perceived good looks have received too much attention - with the brutal nature of his crimes and the memory of his victims ignored. When the trailer for Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile first premiered, there were accusations that the film was \"sexualising\" a man who committed violent acts against women. Kathy Kleiner Rubin, who survived a Bundy attack in 1978, told the BBC in April that she believes Zac Efron's portrayal of Bundy captures how the killer wanted people to see him. \"Bundy showed them what he wanted them to see - he was always in control,\" she says. \"Zac Efron - he's playing a part - he's an actor. He's doing this the way he was, the way they perceived Bundy.\" She says the relatives of Bundy's victims are \"heroes\" for having to endure the current publicity for this new movie and adds that she never wanted to be part of the Bundy story." } ], "id": "228_1", "question": "What made Ted Bundy different?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3412, "answer_start": 2397, "text": "The film is about Ted Bundy's crimes, home life and trial for the murder of 30 women in the 1970s. That's the number he confessed to - but it's believed he killed many more. Bundy's story has been told many times before in films, documentaries and books, but this is the first time it's been told on-screen from Elizabeth Kloepfer's view. She stuck by Bundy during the '70s, and he was a father figure to her daughter Molly. Elizabeth, who's played by Lily Collins, met Ted Bundy in 1969 but it took her five years before she became suspicious of his behaviour. That's when things like a bowl of women's underwear, bandages, and the knife he kept in his car tipped her off that something wasn't right, and she reported him to the police. But she says there wasn't enough evidence at that point for officers to investigate. Her suspicions also didn't slow their relationship - nor did the time Bundy tried to kill her with fumes from an open fire while she slept. Elizabeth didn't fully cut ties with him until 1980." } ], "id": "228_2", "question": "What's the film about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3994, "answer_start": 3413, "text": "Zac Efron says he had \"reservations\" about taking on the role. \"I didn't want to do it initially,\" he said in an interview with the BBC's Simon Mayo. \"I didn't want to glamourise a killer.\" Lily Collins has questioned whether another actor would have faced the same level of scrutiny as Zac has. And she insists the movie focuses on Elizabeth more than Bundy's crimes and evil nature, despite its title. \"You don't see any imagery, you just hear about it and that's what Liz would have been seeing,\" Lily says. \"It's only when Liz makes a discovery that the audience does as well.\"" } ], "id": "228_3", "question": "What do the stars of the movie say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4691, "answer_start": 3995, "text": "Early reviews of the movie have been mixed. Empire magazine describes it as having a \"goofy tone\" and says neither Ted Bundy nor Elizabeth Kloepfer are explored fully. But its review praises Zac Efron, saying \"it's the best work he's ever done\". A review in the Metro criticises the lack of horror in the movie, saying that without it the film \"risks becoming a prison escape caper\". It adds that the only way to stop sensationalising Bundy's crimes is to stop making movies about him. And the Observer says it feels \"dishonest\" to tell Bundy's story from Elizabeth's point of view, because Bundy himself admitted he was unable to form relationships. \"Everyone is in on the con but Liz,\" it says." } ], "id": "228_4", "question": "What do the critics say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "\"Things are changing - but I don't think enough has happened.\" Arundhati Bhattacharya is talking about the need for more women on the boards of Indian companies. And as the first female boss of India's largest public sector bank, State Bank of India, she knows what she's talking about. A 2013 ruling making it mandatory for publicly listed firms to have a minimum of one woman director on their boards has helped improve gender diversity, but \"we need to stay on it for a few more years for it to have the desired impact,\" says Mrs Bhattacharya. In 2015 females made up 11.2% of board members on Indian firms, double the 5.5% in 2010, according to a report by Credit Suisse which analysed 2,400 companies worldwide. The global average in 2015 was 14.7%, with Norway (46.7%) and France (34%) topping the list. While India has done well compared with China and South Korea, it still lags behind other Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia. But there are real advantages to increasing the number of female directors. Mrs Bhattacharya believes that companies with women directors make better quality decisions due to a wider diversity of views. Her views are echoed by Naina Lal Kidwai, former head of HSBC India, who is currently an independent director on the board of several companies in India. She says it will take a bit of time for everyone to become comfortable with the new dynamic but says that men are embracing the change. \"Many women directors tell me it hasn't been easy but they are enjoying it. And in many instances, men have been very encouraging - which is a good sign,\" says Mrs Kidwai. Like Mrs Bhattacharya, Mrs Kidwai feels that companies should not restrict themselves to just one female director. \"The rule says a 'minimum of one woman' director but I think the ideal number will be two. This will help women have a stronger voice on the board.\" India's recent improvements on female representation have partly been driven by the fact that it was starting from a low base. But another driver has been that many family-controlled companies - the majority of Indian firms - have appointed female family members, like their mothers, wives and daughters as directors. One example is India's richest man and chairman of Reliance Group, Mukesh Ambani, who appointed his wife Nita Ambani to the company board in 2014. Other big private corporations that have followed suit include Raymond Group and Godfrey Phillips. Pranav Haldea, managing director of research firm Prime Data, says many companies have done this just to comply with the new rules. \"Women directors who come from the family have no voice on the board. In some cases, firms have also appointed independent directors, who may not be from the family but have friendly relations with the promoter,\" he says. Mrs Kidwai is not too concerned about this. She believes that women in family-controlled businesses have remained on the sidelines because of the patriarchal mindset of Indian society, and says their board induction will give them a chance to prove that they are also capable of running a company, just like their husbands and brothers. \"It's taken for granted that the son will inherit the business but now the daughter in the family will also get a chance to prove her mettle. And this may have a positive impact on succession planning in the future,\" she says. While India has made progress in appointing females to board positions, this hasn't been matched by the number of women in senior management posts. In fact, the number of senior positions held by women has fallen, dropping from 7.8% in 2014 to 7.2% in 2016 and compared with a global average of 13.8%, according to the Credit Suisse study. Mrs Bhattacharya says the main reason for this is that many women quit or drop out midway through their careers to take up responsibilities at home. \"In India, women are still considered the primary caregivers. And it is expected that they will be the ones to sacrifice [their careers] if someone is needed to look after the family.\" Between 2005 and 2014, the number of working-age Indian women with a job dropped by 10%, according to data from the International Labour Organization. The drop was the largest of any country in the world during that period. While a handful of companies have introduced flexible working hours to help women juggle their responsibilities at home and work, at some stage most women face a difficult choice between career and family responsibilities. \"Women feel more guilt as compared to men while taking that decision. At the core of it all is guilt. Women need more support systems,\" says Mrs Kidwai. Nearly 10 million people are entering India's job market every year and nearly half of those are women. Without that support - which includes men taking up more responsibilities at home - it's unlikely that India will realise its ambition of becoming an economic superpower.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2439, "answer_start": 547, "text": "In 2015 females made up 11.2% of board members on Indian firms, double the 5.5% in 2010, according to a report by Credit Suisse which analysed 2,400 companies worldwide. The global average in 2015 was 14.7%, with Norway (46.7%) and France (34%) topping the list. While India has done well compared with China and South Korea, it still lags behind other Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia. But there are real advantages to increasing the number of female directors. Mrs Bhattacharya believes that companies with women directors make better quality decisions due to a wider diversity of views. Her views are echoed by Naina Lal Kidwai, former head of HSBC India, who is currently an independent director on the board of several companies in India. She says it will take a bit of time for everyone to become comfortable with the new dynamic but says that men are embracing the change. \"Many women directors tell me it hasn't been easy but they are enjoying it. And in many instances, men have been very encouraging - which is a good sign,\" says Mrs Kidwai. Like Mrs Bhattacharya, Mrs Kidwai feels that companies should not restrict themselves to just one female director. \"The rule says a 'minimum of one woman' director but I think the ideal number will be two. This will help women have a stronger voice on the board.\" India's recent improvements on female representation have partly been driven by the fact that it was starting from a low base. But another driver has been that many family-controlled companies - the majority of Indian firms - have appointed female family members, like their mothers, wives and daughters as directors. One example is India's richest man and chairman of Reliance Group, Mukesh Ambani, who appointed his wife Nita Ambani to the company board in 2014. Other big private corporations that have followed suit include Raymond Group and Godfrey Phillips." } ], "id": "229_0", "question": "Progress?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Future space tourists may be sipping champagne in orbit if a uniquely designed twin-chambered bottle with \"egg cup\" glasses proves a success. On Wednesday, a specially equipped aircraft will take off from the heart of the French champagne region to test the novel way of dispensing bubbly. The plane will make a series of steep climbs before plunging down to create 20-second intervals of weightlessness. The new bottle design was commissioned by the Mumm champagne house. Journalists from several countries were invited to try the champagne during Wednesday's flight on board the Airbus Zero-G plane. The wine, which sits in the upper portion of the bottle, is released with a finger-controlled valve that uses the champagne's own carbon dioxide to eject small amounts as foam. The journalists then get to consume the wine by scooping it out of the air using small long-stemmed glasses \"They won't have to be performing any professional tasks on board, so they'll probably be able to drink a bit of alcohol,\" said astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy, who heads the company which operates the Airbus Zero-G, ahead on the flight. The Mumm team say they hope it will be seen as a more elegant solution than consuming drink through a straw. The high-tech bottle, created by the French designer Octave de Gaulle, was not developed with professional astronauts in mind, as drinking alcohol is not permitted for those carrying out tasks on the International Space Station (ISS), for example. However, it is believed that the possibility of civilian space travel promoted by private operators such as Virgin Galactic and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin spacecraft could eventually provide a market for the product. Back in 1985, the US Federal Aviation Administration conducted a study that monitored whether alcohol consumed at simulated altitudes affected performances of complex tasks. In the study, 17 men were asked to consume vodka both at ground level and in a chamber that simulated an altitude of 12,500ft (3.7km). They were then asked to complete tasks including mental maths, tracking lights on an oscilloscope with a joystick, and a variety of other tests. The researchers found that there was no perceivable difference between the effect of alcohol on performance at ground level and in space.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2300, "answer_start": 1709, "text": "Back in 1985, the US Federal Aviation Administration conducted a study that monitored whether alcohol consumed at simulated altitudes affected performances of complex tasks. In the study, 17 men were asked to consume vodka both at ground level and in a chamber that simulated an altitude of 12,500ft (3.7km). They were then asked to complete tasks including mental maths, tracking lights on an oscilloscope with a joystick, and a variety of other tests. The researchers found that there was no perceivable difference between the effect of alcohol on performance at ground level and in space." } ], "id": "230_0", "question": "Is drinking in space a good idea?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police have rescued a 12-year-old boy who fled a raging bushfire in Western Australia by driving his brother's pickup to safety with their dog. Luke Sturrock was alone at home when a fast-moving blaze threatened the town of Mogumber, north of Perth, on Sunday. His dad, Ivan Sturrock, and older brother were out fighting the fire as it ripped through the area. They told him to flee to an orange tree about 4km (2.4 miles) away if the fire got too close to their home. When the fire closed in, the boy grabbed his dog and escaped in his brother's Ford Ranger. About an hour later, firefighters who were battling the blaze nearby came across the boy behind the wheel of the vehicle and pulled him over. \"Typical farm boy, he was pretty clever, I think the problem was he just didn't quite know where to go and it was hard to see with all the smoke,\" Craig Spencer, of the Bindoon Bushfire Brigade, told ABC Radio Perth. \"So I think he probably panicked a bit and when we found him he was pulled up on the side of the road.\" The fire crew took him to safety and left him with police, who reunited him with his father. Mr Sturrock said he was proud of his son. \"We taught him to drive since he was about seven just in case things like this do happen and I was quite proud of him; he did exactly what we told him to do,\" Mr Sturrock told ABC News. Dalwallinu police officer Michael Daley, who reunited the boy with his father, urged families to \"have a plan and know it\" if a bushfire threatened their home. Emergency warnings for dangerous bushfires have been issued in eastern and western Australia. In the state of Western Australia, firefighters have been battling a bushfire north of Perth for six days. The blaze, which has engulfed more than 13,000 hectares of land, was downgraded on Monday, with evacuated residents expected to return home. Meanwhile, authorities issued fresh warnings about a \"mega blaze\" after it spread beyond containment lines and razed 20 houses near Sydney. Since September, six people have died in a bushfire crisis that has engulfed Australia, particularly the eastern states of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. The blazes have destroyed more than 700 homes and blanketed towns and cities in smoke. The bushfires and extreme weather have ravaged Australia's landscape, sparking public debate about the need for stronger climate action. Last week, parts of Sydney suffered air quality 22 times worse than the clean air standard. A heatwave sweeping east across the country is also expected to increase the fire risk this coming week. Across the nation, temperatures are set to exceed 40C in many areas. Parts of Sydney could reach 46C by the end of the week, meteorologists say.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2712, "answer_start": 1986, "text": "Since September, six people have died in a bushfire crisis that has engulfed Australia, particularly the eastern states of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. The blazes have destroyed more than 700 homes and blanketed towns and cities in smoke. The bushfires and extreme weather have ravaged Australia's landscape, sparking public debate about the need for stronger climate action. Last week, parts of Sydney suffered air quality 22 times worse than the clean air standard. A heatwave sweeping east across the country is also expected to increase the fire risk this coming week. Across the nation, temperatures are set to exceed 40C in many areas. Parts of Sydney could reach 46C by the end of the week, meteorologists say." } ], "id": "231_0", "question": "How bad are the bushfires in Australia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Trump administration has issued tough guidelines to widen the net for deporting illegal immigrants from the US, and speed up their removal. Undocumented immigrants arrested for traffic violations or shop-lifting will be targeted along with those convicted of more serious crimes. The memos do not alter US immigration laws, but take a much tougher approach towards enforcing existing measures. There are an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the US. Five questions ahead of new US travel ban Liberty statue 'Refugees Welcome' banner White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said on Tuesday the new guidelines would not usher in mass deportations, but were designed to empower agents to enforce laws already on the books. \"The president wanted to take the shackles off individuals in these agencies,\" Mr Spicer said. \"The message from this White House and the Department of Homeland Security is that those people who are in this country, who pose a threat to our safety, or who have committed a crime, will be the first to go.\" The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) new blueprint leaves in place Obama-era protections for immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, affecting about 750,000 young people known as Dreamers. But it expands the more restricted guidance issued under the previous administration, which focused its policy on immigrants convicted of serious crimes, threats to national security or those who had recently crossed the border. Donald Trump's immigration order marks a sharp break with those Obama-era policies. Instead - according to the Department of Homeland Security implementation memos - the Trump administration essentially will \"prioritise\" the deportation of almost all undocumented immigrants, everywhere. The Homeland Security Department's list of prioritised \"removable aliens\" is so broad as to include just about every class of undocumented immigrant - with only a carve-out for individuals who entered the US as children. All this will require more money and manpower - and the Trump administration is going to ask Congress for the former and go on a hiring spree to address the latter. Local and state law-enforcement officials will also be allowed to arrest unauthorised immigrants. While Mr Obama aggressively enforced immigration law and ramped up deportations in some areas and at some times, there were notable instances where he de-emphasised action. In the Trump era immigration authorities are now being given the power to make a sea-to-sea, border-to-border push. The two memos released on Tuesday by the agency also allow Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport people immediately. During Mr Obama's presidency, expedited removals were applied to people who had been in the country for no more than 14 days and were within 100 miles of the border. Under the new guidance, agents can expedite deportations for undocumented immigrants who are unable to prove they have been in the country for more than two years, located anywhere in the US. Some of the new priorities include: - Expanding deportations to undocumented immigrants who have been charged with a crime, misrepresented themselves, pose a risk to public safety, or \"have abused any program related to receipt of public benefits\" - effectively allowing agents to arrest any illegal immigrant they encounter - Ending US policy to release those caught on the border and instead placing them into detention centres until their cases are resolved - Calling for authorities to prosecute parents who help smuggle their children into the country - Allowing plans to begin on an expansion of the border wall along the US southern border The DHS plans to hire an extra 10,000 agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 5,000 more border patrol officers to enforce the new guidance. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly wrote in one of the memos: \"The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States.\" Mr Kelly's memo also includes instructions to enforce an existing provision of the US Immigration and Nationality Act that allows authorities to send some people caught illegally at the border back to Mexico, regardless of where they are from. It is unclear whether the US has authority to force Mexico to accept foreigners. It is a blueprint to implement executive orders that Mr Trump signed on 25 January, days after taking office. The new guidelines did not explain how Mr Trump's border wall would be funded and where undocumented immigrants apprehended in the crackdown would be detained. The memos instruct agents to use \"all available resources to expand their detention capabilities and capacities\", but Congress would probably need to allocate money to build new detention centres.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2536, "answer_start": 1038, "text": "The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) new blueprint leaves in place Obama-era protections for immigrants who entered the US illegally as children, affecting about 750,000 young people known as Dreamers. But it expands the more restricted guidance issued under the previous administration, which focused its policy on immigrants convicted of serious crimes, threats to national security or those who had recently crossed the border. Donald Trump's immigration order marks a sharp break with those Obama-era policies. Instead - according to the Department of Homeland Security implementation memos - the Trump administration essentially will \"prioritise\" the deportation of almost all undocumented immigrants, everywhere. The Homeland Security Department's list of prioritised \"removable aliens\" is so broad as to include just about every class of undocumented immigrant - with only a carve-out for individuals who entered the US as children. All this will require more money and manpower - and the Trump administration is going to ask Congress for the former and go on a hiring spree to address the latter. Local and state law-enforcement officials will also be allowed to arrest unauthorised immigrants. While Mr Obama aggressively enforced immigration law and ramped up deportations in some areas and at some times, there were notable instances where he de-emphasised action. In the Trump era immigration authorities are now being given the power to make a sea-to-sea, border-to-border push." } ], "id": "232_0", "question": "What's changed from the Obama era?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4416, "answer_start": 2537, "text": "The two memos released on Tuesday by the agency also allow Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport people immediately. During Mr Obama's presidency, expedited removals were applied to people who had been in the country for no more than 14 days and were within 100 miles of the border. Under the new guidance, agents can expedite deportations for undocumented immigrants who are unable to prove they have been in the country for more than two years, located anywhere in the US. Some of the new priorities include: - Expanding deportations to undocumented immigrants who have been charged with a crime, misrepresented themselves, pose a risk to public safety, or \"have abused any program related to receipt of public benefits\" - effectively allowing agents to arrest any illegal immigrant they encounter - Ending US policy to release those caught on the border and instead placing them into detention centres until their cases are resolved - Calling for authorities to prosecute parents who help smuggle their children into the country - Allowing plans to begin on an expansion of the border wall along the US southern border The DHS plans to hire an extra 10,000 agents for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and 5,000 more border patrol officers to enforce the new guidance. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly wrote in one of the memos: \"The surge of illegal immigration at the southern border has overwhelmed federal agencies and resources and has created a significant national security vulnerability to the United States.\" Mr Kelly's memo also includes instructions to enforce an existing provision of the US Immigration and Nationality Act that allows authorities to send some people caught illegally at the border back to Mexico, regardless of where they are from. It is unclear whether the US has authority to force Mexico to accept foreigners." } ], "id": "232_1", "question": "What's in the new orders?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam has said the government will \"seriously reflect\" after local elections saw massive gains by pro-democracy candidates. Seventeen of the 18 district councils are now controlled by pro-democracy councillors, according to local media. The election, the first since the wave of anti-Beijing protests began, saw an unprecedented turnout of more than 71%. It is being seen as a stinging rebuke of Ms Lam's leadership and a show of support for the protest movement. Hong Kong has seen months of increasingly violent protests since Ms Lam tried to introduce a controversial bill enabling extradition to China. In a statement released online on Monday, Ms Lam said the government respected the results. She said many felt the results reflected \"people's dissatisfaction with the current situation and the deep-seated problems in society\". The government would \"listen to the opinions of members of the public humbly and seriously reflect\", she said. Some 2.94 million people voted in the election, compared with 1.4 million in 2015. Pro-democracy candidates won close to 60% of the total vote on Sunday, but achieved a landslide in terms of seats because of the first-past-the-post system, local media report. Pro-democracy contenders were victorious in 347 of the 452 district council seats up for grabs; pro-Beijing candidates won 60 seats; while independents - many of them pro-democracy - got 45, according to the South China Morning Post. In the last election four years ago, pro-Beijing councillors won 298 seats, but the distribution of these seats meant they took control of all 18 district councils. They retained control of only the Islands District Council after Sunday's vote. The territory's district councillors have little political power and mainly deal with local issues such as bus routes and rubbish collection, so the district elections do not normally generate such interest. But the councillors also get to choose 117 of their number to sit on the 1,200-member committee that selects Hong Kong's chief executive, who is then formally appointed by the Chinese government. The landslide results mean all of those 117 seats are now likely to go to pro-democracy candidates, so they will have a greater influence over that decision, which is set to be made in 2022. But the result is also highly symbolic, as it was the first opportunity for people to express at the ballot box their view of Ms Lam's handling of the crisis. The government, and China's leaders in Beijing, had been hoping the election would bring a show of support from the so-called \"silent majority\" which they say disapproves of the protests. But that did not materialise - instead some high-profile pro-Beijing candidates lost their seats as voters backed pro-democracy candidates. The hope from activists is that the overwhelming victory of anti-establishment parties will force the government to take their demands more seriously. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he welcomed the holding of the elections, which he described as \"an important opportunity for the people of Hong Kong to make their voices heard\". \"There is now an opportunity to find a way through the crisis with political dialogue that reflects the legitimate aspirations of the people of Hong Kong and respects the one country two systems model,\" he said. By Jonathan Head, BBC News, Hong Kong So what now? Will the protests resume? It seems almost certain they will, unless the government starts responding to protesters' demands. Carrie Lam has acknowledged that the results show dissatisfaction with her administration, and promised to listen in a spirit of humility. But she can only make concessions if China agrees. Beijing may prefer to see her replaced by a less toxic figure. But there are challenges too for the opposition. The new intake of young councillors will have to take on the responsibility of addressing local concerns, like public transport and other amenities, rather than the grander ideals of democracy. They will need to work together more effectively than they have in the past, and work out how the demands and tactics of more radical protesters can most effectively be channelled to get concessions from a Chinese central government unnerved by yet another show of defiance in Hong Kong. There has been no official comment from Beijing. But Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking in Japan, reiterated that \"no matter what happens, Hong Kong is a part of China\". \"Any attempt to mess up Hong Kong, or even damage its prosperity and stability, will not succeed,\" he said. State media outlets have been cautious in reporting the results. State news agency Xinhua reported the votes had been counted, but did not detail the results. It said \"some rioters harassed patriotic candidates\" on election day, and that the \"most pressing task for Hong Kong at present is still to bring the violence and chaos to an end and restore order\". Meanwhile, the English edition of state-backed tabloid Global Times attributed the result to the \"abnormal\" circumstances which made it easier for the pro-democracy camp to mobilise their voters. It also alleged that \"Western forces\" have been supporting the opposition. Ahead of the vote, state media had been urging people to vote for stability and against the unrest. Hong Kong, once a British colony, is part of China, but it has some autonomy and people have more rights than on the mainland That special status is set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong do not want to become \"another Chinese city\". The current protests started in June against a planned law which would have cleared the way for criminal suspects to be extradited to the mainland. Many feared this would undermine the city's freedoms or be used to silence anti-Beijing voices. The bill was withdrawn in September, but demonstrations continued. Clashes between police and activists have become increasingly violent, with police firing live bullets and protesters attacking officers with bows and arrows or throwing petrol bombs. The demands of the protesters, mostly young people, have expanded to include genuine universal suffrage and an inquiry into allegations of police brutality.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3340, "answer_start": 1709, "text": "The territory's district councillors have little political power and mainly deal with local issues such as bus routes and rubbish collection, so the district elections do not normally generate such interest. But the councillors also get to choose 117 of their number to sit on the 1,200-member committee that selects Hong Kong's chief executive, who is then formally appointed by the Chinese government. The landslide results mean all of those 117 seats are now likely to go to pro-democracy candidates, so they will have a greater influence over that decision, which is set to be made in 2022. But the result is also highly symbolic, as it was the first opportunity for people to express at the ballot box their view of Ms Lam's handling of the crisis. The government, and China's leaders in Beijing, had been hoping the election would bring a show of support from the so-called \"silent majority\" which they say disapproves of the protests. But that did not materialise - instead some high-profile pro-Beijing candidates lost their seats as voters backed pro-democracy candidates. The hope from activists is that the overwhelming victory of anti-establishment parties will force the government to take their demands more seriously. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he welcomed the holding of the elections, which he described as \"an important opportunity for the people of Hong Kong to make their voices heard\". \"There is now an opportunity to find a way through the crisis with political dialogue that reflects the legitimate aspirations of the people of Hong Kong and respects the one country two systems model,\" he said." } ], "id": "233_0", "question": "What does it mean for Hong Kong?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5307, "answer_start": 4301, "text": "There has been no official comment from Beijing. But Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking in Japan, reiterated that \"no matter what happens, Hong Kong is a part of China\". \"Any attempt to mess up Hong Kong, or even damage its prosperity and stability, will not succeed,\" he said. State media outlets have been cautious in reporting the results. State news agency Xinhua reported the votes had been counted, but did not detail the results. It said \"some rioters harassed patriotic candidates\" on election day, and that the \"most pressing task for Hong Kong at present is still to bring the violence and chaos to an end and restore order\". Meanwhile, the English edition of state-backed tabloid Global Times attributed the result to the \"abnormal\" circumstances which made it easier for the pro-democracy camp to mobilise their voters. It also alleged that \"Western forces\" have been supporting the opposition. Ahead of the vote, state media had been urging people to vote for stability and against the unrest." } ], "id": "233_1", "question": "What does Beijing say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6199, "answer_start": 5308, "text": "Hong Kong, once a British colony, is part of China, but it has some autonomy and people have more rights than on the mainland That special status is set to expire in 2047, and many in Hong Kong do not want to become \"another Chinese city\". The current protests started in June against a planned law which would have cleared the way for criminal suspects to be extradited to the mainland. Many feared this would undermine the city's freedoms or be used to silence anti-Beijing voices. The bill was withdrawn in September, but demonstrations continued. Clashes between police and activists have become increasingly violent, with police firing live bullets and protesters attacking officers with bows and arrows or throwing petrol bombs. The demands of the protesters, mostly young people, have expanded to include genuine universal suffrage and an inquiry into allegations of police brutality." } ], "id": "233_2", "question": "What is Hong Kong's political unrest about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "India's top court has ruled the practice of instant divorce in Islam unconstitutional, marking a major victory for women's rights activists. In a 3-2 majority verdict, the court called the practice \"un-Islamic\". India is one of a handful of countries where a Muslim man can divorce his wife in minutes by saying the word talaq (divorce) three times. The landmark court decision came in response to petitions challenging the so-called \"triple talaq\" custom. The cases were filed by five Muslim women who had been divorced in this way and two rights groups. Women's rights campaigners have hailed the court's decision as a historic win. There have been cases in which Muslim men in India have divorced their wives by issuing the so-called triple talaq by letter, telephone and, increasingly, by text message, WhatsApp and Skype. A number of these cases made their way to the courts as women contested the custom. Triple talaq divorce has no mention in Sharia Islamic law or the Koran, even though the practice has existed for decades. Islamic scholars say the Koran clearly spells out how to issue a divorce - it has to be spread over three months, allowing a couple time for reflection and reconciliation. Most Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have banned triple talaq, but the custom has continued in India, which does not have a uniform set of laws on marriage and divorce that apply to every citizen. Three of the five Supreme Court judges called the controversial practice \"un-Islamic, arbitrary and unconstitutional\". One of the judges, Justice Kurien Joseph, said the practice was not an essential part of Islam and enjoyed no protection. The judges also said it was \"manifestly arbitrary\" to allow a man to \"break down (a) marriage whimsically and capriciously\". Chief Justice JS Khehar, in a differing opinion, said that personal law could not be touched by a constitutional court of law. The opposing judgements also recommended that parliament legislate on the issue. However this is not binding and is up to parliament to take up. The Indian government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has supported ending the practice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought up the issue several times including in his Independence Day address on 15 August. The judgement is a huge victory for Muslim women. For decades, they have had to live with the threat of instant divorce dangling over their heads like a sword. Campaigners say over the years thousands of women, especially those from poor families, have been discarded by their husbands in this manner. Many have been rendered destitute, with nowhere to go, or have been forced to return to their parental homes or fend for themselves. The top court has also sent a very strong message to Muslim clergy. India's Muslim personal law board had called the practice \"reprehensible\" but said that it was not an issue for the courts and government to interfere in. With this latest ruling, this will no longer be the case. The judgement is being widely hailed as a major win for Muslim women and women's rights. The prime minister praised the \"historic\" ruling. Shayara Bano, one of the main petitioners, said she appealed to people to accept the ruling and not politicise the issue. \"I have felt the pain when family breaks. I hope no one has to go through this situation in future,\" she told reporters. Hasina Khan, founder of the Beebak Collective which fought against triple talaq, called the verdict \"historic\". \"We are extremely happy. Muslim women have struggled for years,\" she told the BBC. Zakia Soman, an activist from Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, another of the groups which contested the practice, said Indian women of many religions had supported them. \"It's a historic day for us, but it doesn't end here,\" she said. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which had maintained that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter, has yet to make an official statement on the ruling, but has convened a meeting to decide what its response should be, a report in Indian newspaper The Hindu said. However, it quoted an executive member as saying that the judgement would have \"wide ramifications\" as it affected the religious rights of minority groups. But the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIWPB), which had opposed the stand of the AIMPLB, said the judgment \"could not have been better\". \"It will change the entire landscape of Muslim families. It's now in the mainstream and will protect not only women, but children. Families will be more stable because children will also be protected,\" Chandra Rajan, an advocate for the group, told the BBC. On social media the hashtags #TripleTalaq and #SupremeCourt began trending on Twitter India even as the verdict was being announced. The hashtag #Tripletalaq is also trending globally on Twitter. Dating from the 8th Century AD and not mentioned in the Koran, triple talaq divorces often conflict with countries' legal systems. India has become the 23rd country to outlaw them, joining places as far apart as Egypt, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. In countries including China and the UK a couple must go through the official channels to be legally divorced but there have been cases of individuals considering themselves divorced after the triple talaq has been said. In Saudi Arabia the law leaves room for various interpretations of religious custom, and triple talaq is practised. This type of verbal divorce is practiced around the world but as it is illegal in so many countries, it is hard to say exactly how common it is. Why must \"talaq\" be said three times? Under some interpretations of Islamic law, a man can divorce his wife and get back together with her - but only twice. After the third divorce, the marriage is completely over and cannot be started again without an intervening marriage to someone else. Scholars are divided on whether it counts as a full and final divorce to say the word three times, or whether it needs to be said on three separate occasions.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1424, "answer_start": 635, "text": "There have been cases in which Muslim men in India have divorced their wives by issuing the so-called triple talaq by letter, telephone and, increasingly, by text message, WhatsApp and Skype. A number of these cases made their way to the courts as women contested the custom. Triple talaq divorce has no mention in Sharia Islamic law or the Koran, even though the practice has existed for decades. Islamic scholars say the Koran clearly spells out how to issue a divorce - it has to be spread over three months, allowing a couple time for reflection and reconciliation. Most Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, have banned triple talaq, but the custom has continued in India, which does not have a uniform set of laws on marriage and divorce that apply to every citizen." } ], "id": "234_0", "question": "What is instant divorce?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2303, "answer_start": 1425, "text": "Three of the five Supreme Court judges called the controversial practice \"un-Islamic, arbitrary and unconstitutional\". One of the judges, Justice Kurien Joseph, said the practice was not an essential part of Islam and enjoyed no protection. The judges also said it was \"manifestly arbitrary\" to allow a man to \"break down (a) marriage whimsically and capriciously\". Chief Justice JS Khehar, in a differing opinion, said that personal law could not be touched by a constitutional court of law. The opposing judgements also recommended that parliament legislate on the issue. However this is not binding and is up to parliament to take up. The Indian government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has supported ending the practice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought up the issue several times including in his Independence Day address on 15 August." } ], "id": "234_1", "question": "What did the court say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4879, "answer_start": 3020, "text": "The judgement is being widely hailed as a major win for Muslim women and women's rights. The prime minister praised the \"historic\" ruling. Shayara Bano, one of the main petitioners, said she appealed to people to accept the ruling and not politicise the issue. \"I have felt the pain when family breaks. I hope no one has to go through this situation in future,\" she told reporters. Hasina Khan, founder of the Beebak Collective which fought against triple talaq, called the verdict \"historic\". \"We are extremely happy. Muslim women have struggled for years,\" she told the BBC. Zakia Soman, an activist from Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, another of the groups which contested the practice, said Indian women of many religions had supported them. \"It's a historic day for us, but it doesn't end here,\" she said. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), which had maintained that the court had no jurisdiction over the matter, has yet to make an official statement on the ruling, but has convened a meeting to decide what its response should be, a report in Indian newspaper The Hindu said. However, it quoted an executive member as saying that the judgement would have \"wide ramifications\" as it affected the religious rights of minority groups. But the All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIWPB), which had opposed the stand of the AIMPLB, said the judgment \"could not have been better\". \"It will change the entire landscape of Muslim families. It's now in the mainstream and will protect not only women, but children. Families will be more stable because children will also be protected,\" Chandra Rajan, an advocate for the group, told the BBC. On social media the hashtags #TripleTalaq and #SupremeCourt began trending on Twitter India even as the verdict was being announced. The hashtag #Tripletalaq is also trending globally on Twitter." } ], "id": "234_2", "question": "How are people reacting?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6080, "answer_start": 4880, "text": "Dating from the 8th Century AD and not mentioned in the Koran, triple talaq divorces often conflict with countries' legal systems. India has become the 23rd country to outlaw them, joining places as far apart as Egypt, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. In countries including China and the UK a couple must go through the official channels to be legally divorced but there have been cases of individuals considering themselves divorced after the triple talaq has been said. In Saudi Arabia the law leaves room for various interpretations of religious custom, and triple talaq is practised. This type of verbal divorce is practiced around the world but as it is illegal in so many countries, it is hard to say exactly how common it is. Why must \"talaq\" be said three times? Under some interpretations of Islamic law, a man can divorce his wife and get back together with her - but only twice. After the third divorce, the marriage is completely over and cannot be started again without an intervening marriage to someone else. Scholars are divided on whether it counts as a full and final divorce to say the word three times, or whether it needs to be said on three separate occasions." } ], "id": "234_3", "question": "Is talaq talaq talaq allowed around the world?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Politicians have raised the threat of tougher rules on US airlines as they grilled industry executives at a hearing in Washington. United Airlines chief Oscar Munoz apologised again for the forced removal of a passenger last month. It was one of a series of incidents that has prompted dissatisfaction with US airlines to boil over. Mr Munoz and other airline executives promised improvements for passengers at the hearing on Tuesday. \"Seize this opportunity because if you don't, we're going to come, and you're not going to like it,\" said Rep. Bill Shuster, the Pennsylvania Republican who heads the committee that hosted the hearing. Mr Shuster said that although he did not believe in over-regulating businesses, Congress would \"not hesitate to act\" to improve conditions for customers. United has apologised after staff called law enforcement to forcibly remove passenger David Dao from a flight on 9 April to make room for crew members. The airline has settled a lawsuit and announced policy changes, including boosting the amount of money staff can offer passengers to take a different flight. \"We had a horrible failure three weeks ago,\" Mr Munoz said on Tuesday. \"It is not who we are. It is not this company and it is not ... this industry.\" Airlines in the US have come under pressure, as complaints over new fees for baggage and other items, smaller seats, tarmac delays, cancelled flights and overbooking have gotten louder. Recent incidents, captured by passengers on their cell phones and shared widely on social media, have heightened the issue. American Airlines also suspended an employee after a clash with a passenger over a baby pram. A landmark law in 1978 de-regulated US airlines. It is credited with ushering in lower fares and allowing low-cost carriers to emerge. Tighter rules would be a surprise in a Congress dominated by Republicans, who typically favour a market-oriented approach and lighter rules for industry. Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump proposed privatising air traffic control operations, which are currently handled by the Federal Aviation Administration. The move is backed by most airlines. Several members of the committee said they hoped the industry would police itself. But some members, including Republicans, raised the need for stricter oversight, citing industry consolidation, cumbersome fees and falling fuel costs they said had not been transferred to passengers in the form of lower fares. The Transportation Department on Tuesday issued a report that the U.S. airline industry made $13.5 billion in net profits in 2016. Author William McGee, who represented the Consumers Union at Tuesday's hearing, noted a report in The Economist that found profits per passenger in North America were more than $22, nearly three times higher than in Europe. \"What we cannot do is continue to leave it to the airlines,\" McGee said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2886, "answer_start": 1945, "text": "Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump proposed privatising air traffic control operations, which are currently handled by the Federal Aviation Administration. The move is backed by most airlines. Several members of the committee said they hoped the industry would police itself. But some members, including Republicans, raised the need for stricter oversight, citing industry consolidation, cumbersome fees and falling fuel costs they said had not been transferred to passengers in the form of lower fares. The Transportation Department on Tuesday issued a report that the U.S. airline industry made $13.5 billion in net profits in 2016. Author William McGee, who represented the Consumers Union at Tuesday's hearing, noted a report in The Economist that found profits per passenger in North America were more than $22, nearly three times higher than in Europe. \"What we cannot do is continue to leave it to the airlines,\" McGee said." } ], "id": "235_0", "question": "Leave it to the airlines?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Robert Mueller's report into Russian interference in the 2016 US election will be made public \"by mid-April\". Attorney General William Barr says he is now redacting the 400-page document. In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate judiciary committees, he says he expects to be able to publish by mid-April, \"if not sooner\". It comes a week after he published a four-page note summarising its conclusions - sparking demands for the report to be released in its entirety. On Monday, six Democratic congressional committee chairs sent a letter to Mr Barr demanding the release of the full, \"complete and unredacted\" report by 2 April. \"Everyone will soon be able to read it on their own,\" Mr Barr wrote in his letter to congressional committee chiefs - although it will be redacted to remove legally sensitive material. It investigated whether President Donald Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia in 2016, in order to help steal the US election, but after a 22-month inquiry Special Counsel Mueller cleared the president of collusion. His long-awaited report stopped short of exonerating Mr Trump of the charge of obstruction of justice. But in his letter published on 24 March, Mr Barr said that the evidence presented in the report was not enough to charge the president with obstruction. Since former FBI director Mr Mueller was appointed to head up the investigation, his team has charged 34 people - including six former Trump aides and a dozen Russians - as well as three companies. None of those charges are directly related to the allegations of collusion. As well as promising to release a redacted version of the report, Mr Barr says that he won't be giving a copy to President Trump to review before publication, because \"he has stated publicly that he intends to defer to me\". He adds that he will testify publicly before the Senate Judiciary Committee on 1 May, and the House Judiciary Committee the following day. The attorney general also denies that his letter released last week was a \"summary\" of Mr Mueller's report, instead referring to it as a \"supplemental notification\". \"My March 24 letter was not, and did not purport to be, an exhaustive recounting of the Special Counsel's investigation or report,\" he writes. \"The Special Counsel's report is nearly 400 pages long (exclusive of tables and appendices) and sets forth the Special Counsel's findings, his analysis, and the reasons for his conclusions. Everyone will soon be able to read it on their own,\" Mr Barr's letter adds. Mr Trump has described the accusations against him as \"treasonous\". Asked about the report's conclusions a day after they were released, the president said: \"There's a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things. I would say, treasonous things, against our country.\" He added: \"It was a false narrative, it was a terrible thing, we can never let this happen to another president again, I can tell you that. I say it very strongly.\" In a rally on Thursday - his first since the report was submitted - the president claimed (incorrectly) that the report was a \"total exoneration\".. \"After three years of lies and smears and slander, the Russia hoax is finally dead, the collusion delusion is over,\" he told a cheering crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also called the investigation \"a plan by those who lost the election to try and illegally regain power by framing innocent Americans - many of them, they suffered - with an elaborate hoax\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1574, "answer_start": 824, "text": "It investigated whether President Donald Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia in 2016, in order to help steal the US election, but after a 22-month inquiry Special Counsel Mueller cleared the president of collusion. His long-awaited report stopped short of exonerating Mr Trump of the charge of obstruction of justice. But in his letter published on 24 March, Mr Barr said that the evidence presented in the report was not enough to charge the president with obstruction. Since former FBI director Mr Mueller was appointed to head up the investigation, his team has charged 34 people - including six former Trump aides and a dozen Russians - as well as three companies. None of those charges are directly related to the allegations of collusion." } ], "id": "236_0", "question": "What did the Mueller report find?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2512, "answer_start": 1575, "text": "As well as promising to release a redacted version of the report, Mr Barr says that he won't be giving a copy to President Trump to review before publication, because \"he has stated publicly that he intends to defer to me\". He adds that he will testify publicly before the Senate Judiciary Committee on 1 May, and the House Judiciary Committee the following day. The attorney general also denies that his letter released last week was a \"summary\" of Mr Mueller's report, instead referring to it as a \"supplemental notification\". \"My March 24 letter was not, and did not purport to be, an exhaustive recounting of the Special Counsel's investigation or report,\" he writes. \"The Special Counsel's report is nearly 400 pages long (exclusive of tables and appendices) and sets forth the Special Counsel's findings, his analysis, and the reasons for his conclusions. Everyone will soon be able to read it on their own,\" Mr Barr's letter adds." } ], "id": "236_1", "question": "What else does Mr Barr's letter say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3494, "answer_start": 2513, "text": "Mr Trump has described the accusations against him as \"treasonous\". Asked about the report's conclusions a day after they were released, the president said: \"There's a lot of people out there that have done some very, very evil things, very bad things. I would say, treasonous things, against our country.\" He added: \"It was a false narrative, it was a terrible thing, we can never let this happen to another president again, I can tell you that. I say it very strongly.\" In a rally on Thursday - his first since the report was submitted - the president claimed (incorrectly) that the report was a \"total exoneration\".. \"After three years of lies and smears and slander, the Russia hoax is finally dead, the collusion delusion is over,\" he told a cheering crowd in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also called the investigation \"a plan by those who lost the election to try and illegally regain power by framing innocent Americans - many of them, they suffered - with an elaborate hoax\"." } ], "id": "236_2", "question": "How has the president reacted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Afghanistan's strategic landscape is changing as regional powers forge links with the Taliban and vie to outdo each other in what's being seen as a new \"Great Game\". Fifteen years after the US-led intervention in Afghanistan, competition for influence - reminiscent of that rivalry between the Russian and British empires in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, and that during the Cold War in the 1980s - is intensifying, complicating an already precarious security situation. Suspicion and mistrust remain the biggest obstacle to stability in strategically-located Afghanistan, which has the potential to destabilise the wider region. Pakistan, considered the main supporter of the Afghan Taliban, has been accused of playing a double game. But Afghan and Western officials as well as Taliban sources have also spoken about the Taliban's clandestine links with Iran for the past few years. And recently it emerged that Russia's ties with the Taliban were warming too. In December the top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen John Nicholson, criticised Russia and Iran for establishing links with the militants, which both countries have confirmed. The US has also pursued contacts with the Taliban in recent years but those efforts have not brought peace. Several regional powers, most notably Russia and Iran, criticise the US and its allies for \"failing\" in achieving its original objectives of eliminating violent extremism and drugs in Afghanistan. Three major factors have contributed to the shifting of regional alliances: - the emergence of so-called Islamic State in Afghanistan; - changes in the approach of the new Afghan government; - and tensions between the US and regional players such as Russia, China, Iran and Pakistan. The emergence of IS in Afghanistan - the group announced the creation of its Khorasan Province branch in January 2015 - provided Russia and Iran with the opportunity to make \"contacts\" with the Taliban. The US's decreasing military role in Afghanistan and a resurgent Taliban had contributed to creating a sense in regional capitals that Afghanistan's fate was up for grabs. The political infighting in the central government in Kabul also raised concerns about political stability both inside and outside the country. Over the past two years, alarm in Russia and former Soviet Central Asian republics grew as militancy spread to northern Afghan provinces close to their borders as well as to China's Xinjiang region. Conspiracy theories in Russia, Iran and China paint IS as an American or Western creation aimed at destabilising their countries. The emergence of IS posed a serious challenge to the supremacy of the Taliban but also encouraged Iran, China and Russia, who were fearful of IS expansion, to review their policies and open dialogue with the Taliban. Softening its approach towards the Taliban is a dramatic and unexpected shift for Russia. Moscow has for years opposed the Taliban, calling them terrorists, and supported the anti-Taliban \"Northern Alliance\" in the Afghan civil war of the 1990s. But faced with a common enemy in the shape of IS, Russia has changed its mind. In December 2015, a senior Russian diplomat declared that \"the Taliban interest objectively coincides with ours\" in the fight against IS and that his country and the Taliban \"have channels for exchanging information\". Taliban sources also confirmed that the group's representatives met Russians inside Russia and \"other\" countries several times over the past two years. But Moscow's current assertiveness in Afghanistan can also be seen as a tactic to put pressure on the US and to enhance its role and regional influence. Taliban contacts with Russia and Iran might also help Pakistan to distribute and dilute the international pressure it is under for hosting the Afghan Taliban leadership. Shared animosity towards IS has also brought the Sunni Taliban closer to their historic nemesis, Iran, a Shia powerhouse, whose clerical regime had previously viewed the Afghan Taliban as a major threat. Like Russia, Iran supported the anti-Taliban groups in the 1990s. Tehran also co-operated with the US-led international coalition to topple the Taliban regime in late 2001. But, at the same time, Taliban sources say Iran sent them a message that it was willing to support them against the US. When the Taliban insurgency gained momentum in Afghanistan, Iran publically supported the US-backed Afghan government but reportedly kept a link to the Taliban alive. Since the emergence of IS (which considers Shia to be infidels), the Tehran-Taliban relationship has deepened. A delegation from the Afghan Taliban's political office in Qatar visited Iran in mid-May 2015 where the two sides discussed, among other things, ways to counter IS in Afghanistan. The Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, was reportedly on his way back from Iran when he was killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan's Balochistan province in May 2016. The foreign policy of the Afghan government established in September 2014 has also altered political calculations. Hawks in Russia, Iran and China consider President Ashraf Ghani's government with suspicion and see it as too weak to deal with the multiple security challenges it faces. They also view Mr Ghani as too close to the US compared with his predecessor, Hamid Karzai. And some of Mr Ghani's decisions have raised eyebrows in regional capitals. Soon after taking office, he said that improving relations with Pakistan was a top priority. While ignoring India, Pakistan's arch-rival but Afghanistan's traditional ally, the new president made several positive gestures to appease Islamabad. But that rapprochement ended within a year and Kabul and Islamabad reverted to hurling accusations at each other. Mr Ghani then revived Afghanistan's close relationship with India and on a few occasions seemed to be taunting Pakistan while speaking in India. His government also pledged support for the Saudi-led military coalition against Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen. That gesture was not received well in Tehran. These rivalries underline the nature and scale of possible troubles ahead. The Afghan Taliban had been largely dependent on their support base in Pakistan, a country where their leadership is allegedly living. Fears are now growing in Afghanistan that the Taliban are being used as a Trojan horse by state actors in three main ways: - to put pressure on the Afghan government and its US/Nato allies; - to increase the influence of individual countries; - and to outdo one another in a regional competition. The Taliban see their expanding regional portfolio and diplomatic push as evidence of their \"legitimate struggle\" - in some ways more important for them than material assistance. The price the Taliban ask has generally been for these countries to help them rid Afghanistan of foreign forces. In return the Taliban offer the following assurances: - not to allow IS to establish a base in Afghanistan; - to prevent foreign militants from using Afghanistan against these states; - to keep their war focused on Afghanistan. Major regional players seem to have realised that they cannot rely on the US alone to sort out Afghanistan and stabilise the wider region. They are keen to make themselves much more relevant and are looking to play a more assertive role. They also insist that their \"contacts\" with the Taliban are aimed at promoting regional security. Afghanistan has been the scene of foreign interventions for a long time. The British and Russian Empires jockeyed for control during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. In the 1980s the US-led Western alliance helped Pakistan provide weapons and funding to Afghan mujahideen fighting to end Soviet occupation. Recent developments show the extent of a new \"Great Game\" taking shape. And once again Afghan civilians are caught in the crossfire. The past few decades have shown that no country has the means to impose its will in Afghanistan on its own, but many actors have created disorder. Because a big part of the chaos in Afghanistan is rooted in the wider region, the solution needs co-operation and a wider consensus. One positive outcome of the shifting regional alliances might be a more inclusive approach towards stabilising Afghanistan and its neighbourhood. Many Afghans are hopeful that Russian leader Vladimir Putin and incoming US President Donald Trump will improve bilateral relations, with a positive impact on the situation in Afghanistan. For many decades during its recent past, when it was left alone, Afghanistan was one of the most peaceful and stable countries. History shows that what Afghanistan needs is less foreign interference, not more of it.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7090, "answer_start": 6139, "text": "The Afghan Taliban had been largely dependent on their support base in Pakistan, a country where their leadership is allegedly living. Fears are now growing in Afghanistan that the Taliban are being used as a Trojan horse by state actors in three main ways: - to put pressure on the Afghan government and its US/Nato allies; - to increase the influence of individual countries; - and to outdo one another in a regional competition. The Taliban see their expanding regional portfolio and diplomatic push as evidence of their \"legitimate struggle\" - in some ways more important for them than material assistance. The price the Taliban ask has generally been for these countries to help them rid Afghanistan of foreign forces. In return the Taliban offer the following assurances: - not to allow IS to establish a base in Afghanistan; - to prevent foreign militants from using Afghanistan against these states; - to keep their war focused on Afghanistan." } ], "id": "237_0", "question": "The Taliban as Trojan horse?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8700, "answer_start": 7091, "text": "Major regional players seem to have realised that they cannot rely on the US alone to sort out Afghanistan and stabilise the wider region. They are keen to make themselves much more relevant and are looking to play a more assertive role. They also insist that their \"contacts\" with the Taliban are aimed at promoting regional security. Afghanistan has been the scene of foreign interventions for a long time. The British and Russian Empires jockeyed for control during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. In the 1980s the US-led Western alliance helped Pakistan provide weapons and funding to Afghan mujahideen fighting to end Soviet occupation. Recent developments show the extent of a new \"Great Game\" taking shape. And once again Afghan civilians are caught in the crossfire. The past few decades have shown that no country has the means to impose its will in Afghanistan on its own, but many actors have created disorder. Because a big part of the chaos in Afghanistan is rooted in the wider region, the solution needs co-operation and a wider consensus. One positive outcome of the shifting regional alliances might be a more inclusive approach towards stabilising Afghanistan and its neighbourhood. Many Afghans are hopeful that Russian leader Vladimir Putin and incoming US President Donald Trump will improve bilateral relations, with a positive impact on the situation in Afghanistan. For many decades during its recent past, when it was left alone, Afghanistan was one of the most peaceful and stable countries. History shows that what Afghanistan needs is less foreign interference, not more of it." } ], "id": "237_1", "question": "So where will a new 'Great Game' lead?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "In a bar in Belfast on a cold evening in January, it's the first comedy club of the year. Just minutes in, and there's a wisecrack about Stormont's politicians. The host Andrew Ryan asks an audience member who studies politics: \"You're studying politics here? You haven't had a government for two years, how's that politics working out for you?\" The collapse of Stormont and subsequent limbo has provided a wealth of material for comedians. But after a snap election that pushed the parties further apart, failed talks after talks and almost two years of scarce decision making, is the joke on us? Several people in the audience tell me the ongoing lack of government is anything but a laughing matter. For almost 10 years, the DUP and Sinn Fein worked together in government under a system of mandatory coalition, where unionist and nationalist parties shared power. But in late 2016, a row developed over the DUP's handling of a flawed green energy scheme that could cost the taxpayer PS490m: the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. On 9 January 2017, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness resigned as deputy first minister, citing the DUP's conduct around RHI as the main reason. That meant DUP leader Arlene Foster lost her job as first minister and triggered the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly. After power sharing collapsed, then Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire had to call a snap assembly election for 2 March 2017. The DUP and Sinn Fein were still returned as the two largest parties, but this time unionists had lost their overall majority in the assembly for the first time. All MLAs, new and returning, briefly attended the assembly chamber to pay tribute to Martin McGuinness when he died later that month. A talks process to try and enable a breakthrough began, but to no avail. There were several sticking points, but the main one has been Sinn Fein's call for a stand alone Irish language act, which it says would enshrine the rights of Irish speakers in Northern Ireland. But the DUP has always refused to budge on it, and in February 2018, when it looked like a deal was possible and Prime Minister Theresa May flew to Belfast, talks collapsed at the eleventh hour because of disagreement over the Irish language. Since then, Stormont has pretty much been in deep freeze, with no sign of thawing out. Because of the impact it has had on day-to-day governance. In the two years since Martin McGuinness resigned, there has been what Stormont officials describe as a \"slow decay\" across public services. Important decisions across all areas - health service, infrastructure, schools - have been effectively put on hold because there are no ministers in place to take them. There have been calls for direct rule from Westminster to be brought in again, but the British government has been unwilling to take that action. Instead, it passed legislation last year to give Stormont's unelected civil servants more legal clarity to make decisions in the absence of ministers, until the parties can reach agreement. Not very much. The parties met the current Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley at Stormont last November to discuss the possibility of kick starting talks in 2019, but nothing has been set up. With the UK's departure from the EU moving closer, all the parties here and the British and Irish governments have been focusing their efforts on Brexit. Stormont's 90 MLAs are still doing constituency work, and many of them have been at pains to emphasise their desire to get back to work in the assembly. In the absence of a deal, MLAs faced a pay cut of 15% last November, with an extra cut of PS6,187 this month, which sees their salaries reduced from PS49,500 to PS35,888. But even with the reduction in salaries, it seems unlikely that much will rally politicians back to the table to sign an agreement right now. All comedy aside, the lack of government has caused anger and disillusionment from many at the state of Northern Ireland politics. At the weekend, a man from County Fermanagh protested against the lack of devolved government in Northern Ireland by walking 90 miles (145km) from Enniskillen to Stormont. But do all roads now lead to the death of devolution? Not necessarily, says former Assembly Speaker Eileen Bell. \"Whether they'll have a 'road to Damascus' moment I don't know, but they have to start thinking about the situation here in Northern Ireland,\" she said. \"We can't go on like this, we don't deserve it, and I would ask them from the bottom of my heart, please try and get government back.\" MLAs maintain that they want to get back to the hill full-time, but neither of the big parties appear willing to budge from their respective corners. But two other ex-Speakers, Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin and the DUP's Lord Hay, are at least agreed on one thing: trust is missing from politics right now. \"Martin McGuinness was a problem solver, and I think that kind of leadership is needed again,\" said Mr McLaughlin. \"People, if given the opportunity, will demonstrate that leadership. If the government in Westminster is preoccupied with Brexit and they send over secretaries of state who can't tie their laces, who aren't allowed to tie their laces, then obviously they're contributing to the impasse.\" While Lord Hay recalled his own experience of tough times. \"I remember saying to politicians when I took the Speaker role in 2013: 'Let us work to get through a full term of this assembly for the first time ever',\" he said. \"And we did that. It was sometimes a difficult day each day, but you have to work through the system that you have.\" The question now, is how many more days will it take before the restoration of that system is seen once again.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1305, "answer_start": 703, "text": "For almost 10 years, the DUP and Sinn Fein worked together in government under a system of mandatory coalition, where unionist and nationalist parties shared power. But in late 2016, a row developed over the DUP's handling of a flawed green energy scheme that could cost the taxpayer PS490m: the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. On 9 January 2017, Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness resigned as deputy first minister, citing the DUP's conduct around RHI as the main reason. That meant DUP leader Arlene Foster lost her job as first minister and triggered the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly." } ], "id": "238_0", "question": "Why did Stormont collapse in the first place?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2336, "answer_start": 1306, "text": "After power sharing collapsed, then Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire had to call a snap assembly election for 2 March 2017. The DUP and Sinn Fein were still returned as the two largest parties, but this time unionists had lost their overall majority in the assembly for the first time. All MLAs, new and returning, briefly attended the assembly chamber to pay tribute to Martin McGuinness when he died later that month. A talks process to try and enable a breakthrough began, but to no avail. There were several sticking points, but the main one has been Sinn Fein's call for a stand alone Irish language act, which it says would enshrine the rights of Irish speakers in Northern Ireland. But the DUP has always refused to budge on it, and in February 2018, when it looked like a deal was possible and Prime Minister Theresa May flew to Belfast, talks collapsed at the eleventh hour because of disagreement over the Irish language. Since then, Stormont has pretty much been in deep freeze, with no sign of thawing out." } ], "id": "238_1", "question": "What happened next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3041, "answer_start": 2337, "text": "Because of the impact it has had on day-to-day governance. In the two years since Martin McGuinness resigned, there has been what Stormont officials describe as a \"slow decay\" across public services. Important decisions across all areas - health service, infrastructure, schools - have been effectively put on hold because there are no ministers in place to take them. There have been calls for direct rule from Westminster to be brought in again, but the British government has been unwilling to take that action. Instead, it passed legislation last year to give Stormont's unelected civil servants more legal clarity to make decisions in the absence of ministers, until the parties can reach agreement." } ], "id": "238_2", "question": "Why does it matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3859, "answer_start": 3042, "text": "Not very much. The parties met the current Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley at Stormont last November to discuss the possibility of kick starting talks in 2019, but nothing has been set up. With the UK's departure from the EU moving closer, all the parties here and the British and Irish governments have been focusing their efforts on Brexit. Stormont's 90 MLAs are still doing constituency work, and many of them have been at pains to emphasise their desire to get back to work in the assembly. In the absence of a deal, MLAs faced a pay cut of 15% last November, with an extra cut of PS6,187 this month, which sees their salaries reduced from PS49,500 to PS35,888. But even with the reduction in salaries, it seems unlikely that much will rally politicians back to the table to sign an agreement right now." } ], "id": "238_3", "question": "What's happening at the moment?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5726, "answer_start": 3860, "text": "All comedy aside, the lack of government has caused anger and disillusionment from many at the state of Northern Ireland politics. At the weekend, a man from County Fermanagh protested against the lack of devolved government in Northern Ireland by walking 90 miles (145km) from Enniskillen to Stormont. But do all roads now lead to the death of devolution? Not necessarily, says former Assembly Speaker Eileen Bell. \"Whether they'll have a 'road to Damascus' moment I don't know, but they have to start thinking about the situation here in Northern Ireland,\" she said. \"We can't go on like this, we don't deserve it, and I would ask them from the bottom of my heart, please try and get government back.\" MLAs maintain that they want to get back to the hill full-time, but neither of the big parties appear willing to budge from their respective corners. But two other ex-Speakers, Sinn Fein's Mitchel McLaughlin and the DUP's Lord Hay, are at least agreed on one thing: trust is missing from politics right now. \"Martin McGuinness was a problem solver, and I think that kind of leadership is needed again,\" said Mr McLaughlin. \"People, if given the opportunity, will demonstrate that leadership. If the government in Westminster is preoccupied with Brexit and they send over secretaries of state who can't tie their laces, who aren't allowed to tie their laces, then obviously they're contributing to the impasse.\" While Lord Hay recalled his own experience of tough times. \"I remember saying to politicians when I took the Speaker role in 2013: 'Let us work to get through a full term of this assembly for the first time ever',\" he said. \"And we did that. It was sometimes a difficult day each day, but you have to work through the system that you have.\" The question now, is how many more days will it take before the restoration of that system is seen once again." } ], "id": "238_4", "question": "What has the reaction been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Peru's culture minister, Salvador del Solar, has resigned amid continuing controversy over the president's decision to pardon the country's former leader, Alberto Fujimori. Mr Fujimori was jailed for corruption and human rights abuses before he was pardoned on Sunday on health grounds. The move sparked riots in Lima earlier this week, and two other resignations by government politicians. Mr Del Solar, a film director, has not publicly stated why he is quitting. In a Twitter post [in Spanish] on Wednesday, he thanked the president for \"the opportunity to serve the country\". In a press conference on Wednesday, Prime Minister Mercedes Araoz has denied that the government did a deal with the opposition to free Fujimori in exchange for safeguarding the current president. President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski narrowly escaped impeachment last week. Fujimori, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for human rights abuses and corruption, has severe health problems but his critics think he should have served his term in full. They called for more protests on Thursday. In a video published on Facebook on Tuesday, Fujimori thanked President Kuczynski, saying he was \"deeply grateful\". \"I'm aware that the results produced by my government were well received by some,\" he said \"But I recognise that I have let down others. Those I ask for forgiveness from the bottom of my heart.\" He said that he fully backed President Kuczynski's call for reconciliation. In 2007, he was sentenced to six years in jail for bribery and abuse of power, but two years later was sentenced to another 25 years for human rights abuses committed while in office. He was convicted of authorising killings carried out by death squads. A statement from President Kuczynski's office said he had granted a \"humanitarian pardon to Mr Alberto Fujimori and seven other people in similar condition\", without naming the others. Doctors, the statement added, had determined Fujimori had \"a progressive, degenerative and incurable illness\". Mr Kuczynski later said: \"I am convinced that those of us who consider ourselves democrats cannot allow Alberto Fujimori to die in prison. Justice is not vengeance... \"My decision is especially complex and difficult, but it is my decision.\" Protests erupted soon after news of the pardon came to light on Sunday, with many demonstrators waving pictures of victims of the counter-insurgency campaign. \"We believe the pardon was carried out in an illegal manner,\" one protester told Reuters. \"The reality is that this sadly was a political agreement between the Fujimorists and the current government.\" The conservative Popular Force party, led by the former president's daughter Keiko Fujimori, controls Congress and on Thursday tried to impeach President Kuczynski over a corruption scandal. However, her brother Kenji split the conservative vote, allowing the president to stay in power and prompting the accusation that Fujimori's release had been promised in exchange. \"To save his own skin he [President Kuczynski] cut a deal with Fujimori's supporters,\" said leftist politician Veronika Mendoza, labelling the president's decision as treason.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1711, "answer_start": 1458, "text": "In 2007, he was sentenced to six years in jail for bribery and abuse of power, but two years later was sentenced to another 25 years for human rights abuses committed while in office. He was convicted of authorising killings carried out by death squads." } ], "id": "239_0", "question": "What was Fujimori convicted of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2248, "answer_start": 1712, "text": "A statement from President Kuczynski's office said he had granted a \"humanitarian pardon to Mr Alberto Fujimori and seven other people in similar condition\", without naming the others. Doctors, the statement added, had determined Fujimori had \"a progressive, degenerative and incurable illness\". Mr Kuczynski later said: \"I am convinced that those of us who consider ourselves democrats cannot allow Alberto Fujimori to die in prison. Justice is not vengeance... \"My decision is especially complex and difficult, but it is my decision.\"" } ], "id": "239_1", "question": "Why was he pardoned?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2608, "answer_start": 2249, "text": "Protests erupted soon after news of the pardon came to light on Sunday, with many demonstrators waving pictures of victims of the counter-insurgency campaign. \"We believe the pardon was carried out in an illegal manner,\" one protester told Reuters. \"The reality is that this sadly was a political agreement between the Fujimorists and the current government.\"" } ], "id": "239_2", "question": "Why is the decision controversial?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3155, "answer_start": 2609, "text": "The conservative Popular Force party, led by the former president's daughter Keiko Fujimori, controls Congress and on Thursday tried to impeach President Kuczynski over a corruption scandal. However, her brother Kenji split the conservative vote, allowing the president to stay in power and prompting the accusation that Fujimori's release had been promised in exchange. \"To save his own skin he [President Kuczynski] cut a deal with Fujimori's supporters,\" said leftist politician Veronika Mendoza, labelling the president's decision as treason." } ], "id": "239_3", "question": "Was a deal done?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has replaced far-right ministers with technocrats after his coalition government collapsed amid a political scandal caused by a secret video. The far-right Freedom Party (FPO) quit the coalition after President Alexander Van der Bellen fired FPO Interior Minister Herbert Kickl. Mr Kurz, 32, is facing a no-confidence vote in parliament on Monday. If he survives he will try to stay on until elections, probably in September. However, his ruling centre-right People's Party (OVP) has only 62 seats in the 183-seat parliament. Two leading far-right figures were caught up in the secret video, including party leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who resigned as vice-chancellor on Saturday. His post in the caretaker cabinet is filled by Finance Minister Hartwig Loger, who is part of Mr Kurz's surviving team. The technocrats appointed by Mr Kurz include: - Former High Court judge Eckart Ratz, who becomes interior minister - Valerie Hackl, who was head of air traffic control and now runs the transport department - Lt Gen Johann Luif, who was deputy chief of staff and now becomes defence minister - Walter Poltner, former top civil servant in social affairs and labour department becomes minister in same department \"All of you now carry a significant responsibility, a co-responsibility so that our homeland Austria will take a positive development,\" President Van der Bellen said after the swearing-in ceremony. To survive a no-confidence vote Mr Kurz will need the support of the FPO or the opposition Social Democratic Party (SPO). The SPO said it was not consulted over Mr Kurz's choice of technocrats in the new cabinet and that it would decide on Monday how to vote. \"The chancellor has to know that if he demands confidence he first has to create it. He has to talk to all the parties and parliament as well as answer to the public. As yet he has not done that,\" said SPO deputy parliament speaker Doris Bures. The scandal is widely being labelled \"Ibiza-gate\", after the Spanish island where the video was recorded. It was made just weeks before the election which saw both the FPO and Chancellor Kurz's People Party perform well. In the footage, released last Friday by German media, far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache can be seen relaxing and drinking for hours at a villa with FPO parliament group leader Johann Gudenus, while they meet a woman, purported to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. During the conversation, Mr Strache appears to propose offering her public contracts if she buys a large stake in the Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung - and makes it support the Freedom Party. He is heard suggesting that a number of journalists would have to be \"pushed\" from the newspaper, and that he wants to \"build a media landscape like [Viktor] Orban\" - referring to Hungary's nationalist leader. Many questions remain unanswered about the video itself: it is not clear who recorded or how it was offered to German media outlets. The timing of its release - a week before European Parliament elections across the EU - has also been called into question. The Vienna prosecutor is considering a possible criminal inquiry. Mr Strache stood down hours after the video emerged. Mr Kickl was not in the footage, but on Tuesday President Van der Bellen fired him at the request of Mr Kurz. The move prompted the FPO's other ministers to resign in solidarity.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3405, "answer_start": 1953, "text": "The scandal is widely being labelled \"Ibiza-gate\", after the Spanish island where the video was recorded. It was made just weeks before the election which saw both the FPO and Chancellor Kurz's People Party perform well. In the footage, released last Friday by German media, far-right leader Heinz-Christian Strache can be seen relaxing and drinking for hours at a villa with FPO parliament group leader Johann Gudenus, while they meet a woman, purported to be the niece of a Russian oligarch. During the conversation, Mr Strache appears to propose offering her public contracts if she buys a large stake in the Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung - and makes it support the Freedom Party. He is heard suggesting that a number of journalists would have to be \"pushed\" from the newspaper, and that he wants to \"build a media landscape like [Viktor] Orban\" - referring to Hungary's nationalist leader. Many questions remain unanswered about the video itself: it is not clear who recorded or how it was offered to German media outlets. The timing of its release - a week before European Parliament elections across the EU - has also been called into question. The Vienna prosecutor is considering a possible criminal inquiry. Mr Strache stood down hours after the video emerged. Mr Kickl was not in the footage, but on Tuesday President Van der Bellen fired him at the request of Mr Kurz. The move prompted the FPO's other ministers to resign in solidarity." } ], "id": "240_0", "question": "What is in the video?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency on the US southern border, claiming that he needs special powers to build a wall to halt all illegal migration. His decision comes as he signs a bipartisan budget deal to avoid a government shutdown. But the deal does not provide funding for the wall, his signature campaign pledge that he repeatedly claimed Mexico would pay for. Some Republicans oppose the move, saying it creates a precedent for other presidents to bypass Congress if they do not fund his the administration's priorities. Democrats are uniformly opposed while legal experts are uncertain about the constitutionality of the executive action. South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who often supports the president, said: \"I think this is a political fight worth having.\" North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows, who helped pressure Mr Trump to withhold his signature from a spending bill, triggering a 35-day government shutdown, said he supports the decision. Mr Meadows told Fox News that the declaration is necessary \"because Congress has failed this president and the American people\". Alabama Senator Richard Shelby said that legally, Mr Trump is \"probably on pretty solid ground\". \"If I were the president, I'm not, I would do what I thought was best regardless of what - as long as I had the legal authority,\" he said, adding that he does not think Mr Trump is circumventing Congress' appropriation role. Conservative radio host Steve Deace said that Mr Trump should either declare a national emergency or back the spending bill, but not both. Mr Trump, he said, is \"caving\" and effectively saying it's not really an emergency by putting his signature to the budget deal. Maine Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, called it \"a mistake,\" adding that it is of \"dubious constitutionality\" and \"undermines the role of Congress\". Conservative author Ann Coulter, who supports efforts to build the wall, lashed out at the president on Twitter saying, \"No court will allow a president to claim it's an 'emergency' to violate a law he just signed\" - referring to the bipartisan budget deal. \"The goal of a national emergency is for Trump to scam the stupidest people in his base,\" until the 2020 election, she wrote. \"I think she's fine, I think she's great. I just don't speak to her,\" Mr Trump said in the White House Rose Garden in response to her criticism as he prepared to sign the order. Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey told reporters: \"I never thought that was a good idea. I still don't.\" He called for the matter to be \"resolved through the legislative process\". Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is the highest ranking female in Republican leadership, said it \"sets a very dangerous precedent\". She warned that progressive senators Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders might use this precedent \"to force the Green New Deal on the American people\". Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, said he would \"reserve judgment\" on the executive action \"until I'm able to fully evaluate it\". But he said he disagreed with a national emergency, and called on the president to \"stay within statutory and constitutional limits\". Conservative pundit and ex-NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch warned: \"What if Democrats one day decide to say that climate change is a national emergency (they already have) but have the power to use executive action? Must be very, very careful here.\" Puerto Rico Republican Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon said in a letter to the president that she is concerned that he will divert hurricane recovery funds from the island - and other states and territories recovering from natural disasters - in order to build a border wall. Democrats are unified in their opposition to Mr Trump's decision, and the attorney general of New York has already threatened to sue over the \"abuse of power\" which \"could create a constitutional crisis\". \"Climate change is a national emergency. The absence of a wall is not,\" tweeted Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and a 2020 presidential hopeful. California Senator Kamala Harris said Mr Trump's \"vanity project is ridiculous\". \"We don't need a wall. Instead, we should address the actual emergencies facing our country - everything from gun violence to the opioid crisis,\" she wrote. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Republicans \"should have some dismay to the door that they are opening, the threshold they are crossing\". \"The precedent that the president is setting here is something that should be met with great unease and dismay by the Republicans and of course we will respond accordingly,\" Mrs Pelosi said, calling it an effort to make \"an end run around Congress\". Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz joked about Mr Trump's plan to go to Florida for the weekend after signing the order. \"Apparently this thing is such an emergency that it will immediately be followed by golf,\" he tweeted. Lawfare blog writes that for 39 years, the US has been under a state of emergency for various reasons, and notes that a 1979 order that is still in effect today was first signed by President Jimmy Carter 10 days into the Iran hostage crisis. The ACLU called the decision a \"clear abuse of presidential power\", and warned Republicans: \"The chickens will come to roost when the next president uses these powers to call a national emergency on gun control or climate change.\" According to a CBS News poll, two-thirds of Americans said this month that they oppose declaring a national emergency to build the wall. But a majority of Republicans - 73% - back the plan. Pollster Nate Silver cautioned that it could harm Mr Trump's re-election prospects, tweeting \"it's unclear whether it would fade into the background as it got tied up in the courts, or would remain a salient issue for some time\". Brianne Gorod of the liberal-leaning think tank the Constitutional Accountability Center told the Associated Press that a national emergency is not \"a blank cheque to invoke 'emergency' powers simply because he couldn't get what he wanted through the normal political process\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1704, "answer_start": 668, "text": "South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who often supports the president, said: \"I think this is a political fight worth having.\" North Carolina Congressman Mark Meadows, who helped pressure Mr Trump to withhold his signature from a spending bill, triggering a 35-day government shutdown, said he supports the decision. Mr Meadows told Fox News that the declaration is necessary \"because Congress has failed this president and the American people\". Alabama Senator Richard Shelby said that legally, Mr Trump is \"probably on pretty solid ground\". \"If I were the president, I'm not, I would do what I thought was best regardless of what - as long as I had the legal authority,\" he said, adding that he does not think Mr Trump is circumventing Congress' appropriation role. Conservative radio host Steve Deace said that Mr Trump should either declare a national emergency or back the spending bill, but not both. Mr Trump, he said, is \"caving\" and effectively saying it's not really an emergency by putting his signature to the budget deal." } ], "id": "241_0", "question": "Which Republicans back the plan?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3740, "answer_start": 1705, "text": "Maine Senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican, called it \"a mistake,\" adding that it is of \"dubious constitutionality\" and \"undermines the role of Congress\". Conservative author Ann Coulter, who supports efforts to build the wall, lashed out at the president on Twitter saying, \"No court will allow a president to claim it's an 'emergency' to violate a law he just signed\" - referring to the bipartisan budget deal. \"The goal of a national emergency is for Trump to scam the stupidest people in his base,\" until the 2020 election, she wrote. \"I think she's fine, I think she's great. I just don't speak to her,\" Mr Trump said in the White House Rose Garden in response to her criticism as he prepared to sign the order. Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey told reporters: \"I never thought that was a good idea. I still don't.\" He called for the matter to be \"resolved through the legislative process\". Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is the highest ranking female in Republican leadership, said it \"sets a very dangerous precedent\". She warned that progressive senators Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders might use this precedent \"to force the Green New Deal on the American people\". Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee in 2012, said he would \"reserve judgment\" on the executive action \"until I'm able to fully evaluate it\". But he said he disagreed with a national emergency, and called on the president to \"stay within statutory and constitutional limits\". Conservative pundit and ex-NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch warned: \"What if Democrats one day decide to say that climate change is a national emergency (they already have) but have the power to use executive action? Must be very, very careful here.\" Puerto Rico Republican Congresswoman Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon said in a letter to the president that she is concerned that he will divert hurricane recovery funds from the island - and other states and territories recovering from natural disasters - in order to build a border wall." } ], "id": "241_1", "question": "Which Republicans oppose it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4957, "answer_start": 3741, "text": "Democrats are unified in their opposition to Mr Trump's decision, and the attorney general of New York has already threatened to sue over the \"abuse of power\" which \"could create a constitutional crisis\". \"Climate change is a national emergency. The absence of a wall is not,\" tweeted Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and a 2020 presidential hopeful. California Senator Kamala Harris said Mr Trump's \"vanity project is ridiculous\". \"We don't need a wall. Instead, we should address the actual emergencies facing our country - everything from gun violence to the opioid crisis,\" she wrote. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Republicans \"should have some dismay to the door that they are opening, the threshold they are crossing\". \"The precedent that the president is setting here is something that should be met with great unease and dismay by the Republicans and of course we will respond accordingly,\" Mrs Pelosi said, calling it an effort to make \"an end run around Congress\". Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz joked about Mr Trump's plan to go to Florida for the weekend after signing the order. \"Apparently this thing is such an emergency that it will immediately be followed by golf,\" he tweeted." } ], "id": "241_2", "question": "What are Democrats saying?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Beijing has called the presence of a US warship near a disputed island in the South China Sea \"a serious political and military provocation\". The USS Stethem sailed close to Triton Island, part of the Paracel Islands archipelago, claimed by China and others. China responded by sending military vessels and fighter jets to the area. It happened hours before US President Donald Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping spoke on the phone. During the call, Mr Xi told Mr Trump that \"negative factors\" were affecting US-China relations, according to a read-out of the call carried on Chinese state TV. A White House statement about their call did not say if they had discussed the incident. It said the leaders had instead \"reaffirmed their commitment to a denuclearised Korean peninsula\". The US has repeatedly warned China against its occupation and aggressive reclamation of islands in disputed waters, but Beijing says it is within its sovereign rights to do so. In a statement late on Sunday, China's foreign ministry confirmed reports that the USS Stethem had entered waters claimed by China. The warship had sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island - which is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam - as part of its \"freedom of navigation\" operations, according to news agencies and Fox News citing US defence officials. UN rules dictate that any territory can claim the waters up to 12 nautical miles from its coast. The sailing of a US ship within those limits indicates the US does not recognise the territorial claim. Beijing said it would use \"all necessary means to defend national sovereignty and security\". It also accused the US of \"deliberately stirring up troubles\" in the region as China and Southeast Asian neighbours have \"cooled down and improved the situation\". China has been embroiled in maritime disputes with several of its regional neighbours in recent years. The US conducts a programme called \"freedom of navigation\" which the State Department says is to highlight the need to protect global maritime rights. The US, it says, will not acquiesce \"in unilateral acts of other states designed to restrict the rights and freedoms of the international community in navigation and overflight and other related high seas uses\". It views Beijing's construction of artificial islands on disputed reefs in the South China Sea as a threat to freedom of navigation. The military operation is the second since Mr Trump took office. In May, the USS Dewey sailed less than 12 nautical miles from an artificial island built by China called Mischief Reef, which is part of the Spratly Islands. US Defence Secretary James Mattis said a few days later that the US would not accept China's militarisation of man-made islands in the region. In previous years, the US has conducted such operations against China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years as Beijing has begun re-asserting its claims. The area is a major shipping route, and a rich fishing ground, and is thought to have abundant oil and gas reserves. The various islands and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Much of the conflict has been centred on two clusters of islands, the Paracels and Spratlys. China claims the largest portion of territory, saying its rights go back centuries, and issued a map in 1947 detailing its claims. Under President Xi Jinping, China has ramped up its territorial assertions, building artificial islands and military facilities on reefs while also carrying out naval patrols in disputed waters. But China denies the accusations of militarisation, saying the facilities are for civilian and defence purposes. Last year an international tribunal rejected Chinese claims to the area, backing a case brought by the Philippines. China called the ruling \"ill-founded\" and said it would not be bound by it. May 2017: US warship sails close to disputed reef in Spratly Islands. May 2017: Chinese jets intercept US aircraft over East China Sea. Feb 2017: US carrier group begins 'routine' patrols in South China Sea. Dec 2016: China returns seized underwater US drone. May 2016: Chinese jets intercept US spy plane over South China Sea. Feb 2016: Beijing accuses US of militarisation of South China Sea. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morning", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1889, "answer_start": 965, "text": "In a statement late on Sunday, China's foreign ministry confirmed reports that the USS Stethem had entered waters claimed by China. The warship had sailed within 12 nautical miles of Triton Island - which is also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam - as part of its \"freedom of navigation\" operations, according to news agencies and Fox News citing US defence officials. UN rules dictate that any territory can claim the waters up to 12 nautical miles from its coast. The sailing of a US ship within those limits indicates the US does not recognise the territorial claim. Beijing said it would use \"all necessary means to defend national sovereignty and security\". It also accused the US of \"deliberately stirring up troubles\" in the region as China and Southeast Asian neighbours have \"cooled down and improved the situation\". China has been embroiled in maritime disputes with several of its regional neighbours in recent years." } ], "id": "242_0", "question": "What happened near Triton Island?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2869, "answer_start": 1890, "text": "The US conducts a programme called \"freedom of navigation\" which the State Department says is to highlight the need to protect global maritime rights. The US, it says, will not acquiesce \"in unilateral acts of other states designed to restrict the rights and freedoms of the international community in navigation and overflight and other related high seas uses\". It views Beijing's construction of artificial islands on disputed reefs in the South China Sea as a threat to freedom of navigation. The military operation is the second since Mr Trump took office. In May, the USS Dewey sailed less than 12 nautical miles from an artificial island built by China called Mischief Reef, which is part of the Spratly Islands. US Defence Secretary James Mattis said a few days later that the US would not accept China's militarisation of man-made islands in the region. In previous years, the US has conducted such operations against China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam." } ], "id": "242_1", "question": "Why did the US warship sail to the island?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4029, "answer_start": 2870, "text": "Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years as Beijing has begun re-asserting its claims. The area is a major shipping route, and a rich fishing ground, and is thought to have abundant oil and gas reserves. The various islands and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Much of the conflict has been centred on two clusters of islands, the Paracels and Spratlys. China claims the largest portion of territory, saying its rights go back centuries, and issued a map in 1947 detailing its claims. Under President Xi Jinping, China has ramped up its territorial assertions, building artificial islands and military facilities on reefs while also carrying out naval patrols in disputed waters. But China denies the accusations of militarisation, saying the facilities are for civilian and defence purposes. Last year an international tribunal rejected Chinese claims to the area, backing a case brought by the Philippines. China called the ruling \"ill-founded\" and said it would not be bound by it." } ], "id": "242_2", "question": "What is the South China Sea dispute about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A Ukrainian orphan has denied posing as a child and then threatening to kill the US family who had adopted her. Natalia Grace Barnett has denied claims by her former adoptive parents that she is a fully grown woman, close to 30. \"I'm 16,\" she said in her first interview. \"I was six years old when I came to the United States. I just know that a family came and visited me and after a while, they adopted me.\" Natalia, who has a form of dwarfism, says she had been under the care of several foster families in America before she was adopted by Kristine and Michael Barnett, who lived in Florida, in 2010. Kristine and Michael have said they were led to believe Natalia was six years old when they adopted her, but doubted her age, believing her to have been closer to 20 at the time. The Barnetts have said they felt threatened by Natalia and eventually moved to Canada without her - but paid a year's rent on an apartment for her to live alone. Kristine and Michael are currently facing charges of neglect and will stand trial in early 2020. \"I actually thought I'd found the right family after bouncing around a lot of families,\" Natalia told US talk show host Dr Phil, about her adoption by the Barnetts. \"I thought I'd found the right family for me.\" Natalia admitted a previous family had returned her to US social services when she injured another child. \"One of the boys, me and him were really close so we wrestled almost, but I landed on his arm wrong so the mum thought I was trying to break his arm,\" Natalia said. In September this year, Kristine Barnett told Daily MailTV that Natalia threatened to stab her family in their sleep, tried to poison her coffee and tried to push her onto an electric fence. Natalia denies all claims of trying to harm or kill the Barnetts or their children. She told Dr Phil that poison claims were a misunderstanding while cleaning with Kristine, denies plans to stab them and says she would only have entered their bedroom at night if she had had a nightmare. Natalia also said that while she lived alone for a year as an eight-year-old, she lived on canned food left for her by the Barnetts. She had been enrolled in an adult school and claims she was told by Kristine Barnett to tell others than she was 22 years old. She appeared on the US chat show with Antwon and Cynthia Mans, the couple who she now lives with and who believe her to be a 16-year-old. They say she has posed no harm to their family. Natalia was first adopted by Kristine and Michael Barnett - who already had three sons - in 2010. They say they believed she was a six-year-old from Ukraine, with a form of dwarfism. But the family have claimed that shortly after adopting Natalia, they became suspicious about her real age because of her behaviour and maturity. In September this year, Kristine told DailyMailTV that Natalia spoke more like a teenager than a child, didn't want to play with toys and wanted to spend time with older girls. She also says there were physical signs that she might be older than the family believed. \"I was giving her a bath and I noticed that she had full pubic hair. I was so shocked,\" she said. \"I had just been told she was a six year old and it was very apparent she wasn't. \"Natalia was a woman. She had periods. She had adult teeth. She never grew a single inch, which would happen even with a child with dwarfism.\" Natalia denied that she had periods while she was living with the Barnetts in her Dr Phil interview. Later, Kristine and Michael claim, Natalia became a danger to their family. In 2012 the Barnetts filed a motion with the Marion County Superior Court in Florida to have the date on Natalia's birth certificate changed from 2003 to 1989. Kristine claims bone tests proved that Natalia was 14 or older at the time of her adoption, and says that Natalia confessed to being older than she pretended to be during a long-term stay in a psychiatric unit - where she was placed in 2012 by the Barnetts. But in 2013, Natalia was discharged from psychiatric care and the Barnetts decided they were no longer willing to look after someone they claim they believed was an adult. They furnished and paid rent for an apartment in Lafayette, Indiana where Natalia lived alone for a year, until she told police she had been abandoned by her parents in 2014. Kristine and Michael divorced in 2014, but were taken to court earlier in 2019 accused of neglect by abandoning a child in 2013. A trial date has been set for 28 January 2020 and after speaking to several news sources this year, have been issued with a gag order - which stops them speaking to the media about the case or Natalia. Yes it is, it's the plot of 2009 film Orphan - which is about a couple who adopt a child who turns out to be a dangerous woman from Russia with a condition that stunted her physical growth. In the film, the woman posing as a child murders several people - including her adoptive father. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3226, "answer_start": 2451, "text": "Natalia was first adopted by Kristine and Michael Barnett - who already had three sons - in 2010. They say they believed she was a six-year-old from Ukraine, with a form of dwarfism. But the family have claimed that shortly after adopting Natalia, they became suspicious about her real age because of her behaviour and maturity. In September this year, Kristine told DailyMailTV that Natalia spoke more like a teenager than a child, didn't want to play with toys and wanted to spend time with older girls. She also says there were physical signs that she might be older than the family believed. \"I was giving her a bath and I noticed that she had full pubic hair. I was so shocked,\" she said. \"I had just been told she was a six year old and it was very apparent she wasn't." } ], "id": "243_0", "question": "What claims were made against Natalia?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4929, "answer_start": 4643, "text": "Yes it is, it's the plot of 2009 film Orphan - which is about a couple who adopt a child who turns out to be a dangerous woman from Russia with a condition that stunted her physical growth. In the film, the woman posing as a child murders several people - including her adoptive father." } ], "id": "243_1", "question": "But wait, isn't this already the plot of a movie?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The final weeks of 2018 have been dramatic, to say the least. Global stock markets are roiling, disturbed in part by the anti-free market trade sentiment that continues to roll-out of Washington. Looking ahead to the new year, however, pro-free trade movements in Europe and in Asia are progressing. Two major agreements are about to come into effect that will bring together some of the world's biggest trading areas and economies. And they exclude the world's two biggest economies, the US and China, who are engaged in their own trade war. Free trade agreements are designed to cut trade tariffs between member countries. Tariffs are a form of tax, like a border tax. They are placed on goods coming into a country for a range of reasons, sometimes to try and protect a home-made product. The purest free trade agreement (FTA) removes all border taxes or trade barriers on goods. They get rid of quotas too, so there is no limit to the amount of trade you can do. FTAs also help make a country's exports cheaper and give easier entry to other markets. They come in all sorts of forms and with different rules but in short, they make trade between countries as liberal as possible and allow for more rules-based competition. The first new trade agreement to come into effect in 2019 is the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP. It was known as the Trans Pacific Partnership until the US pulled out. The wide-ranging deal was salvaged by the 11 remaining members - Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam - and renamed. CPTPP now covers a market of nearly 500 million people and the economies included account for about 13% of the world's GDP. Importantly, it removes tariffs on an estimated 95% of goods traded between member countries. On 30 December, it will come into force for the nations that have completed their ratification processes: Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore. For Vietnam, the big day is on 14 January and for the others it goes ahead 60 days after they complete their own ratifications. While all that is going on, another big FTA is expected to come into effect on 1 February. The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement will create an open trading zone covering a market of more than 600 million people and nearly one third of the world's GDP. It has been in the making since 2013 and is the first trade deal to include an explicit reference to the Paris Agreement. It strengthens the EU and Japan's commitments around climate change and sustainable development. These two deals are in stark contrast to the US's increasingly protectionist policies. They are regarded by some as being vitally important to the future of free and fair global trade. Furthermore, the world's third largest economy - Japan - is involved in both of them. Japan has not, in the past, been very active in free trade talks internationally, but that has changed with both CPTPP and the EU-Japan EPA. Also, after the US pulled out of TPP, Japan led the negotiation efforts to bring the new CPTPP together. \"It's really an impressive evolution for Japan,\" says Frank Lavin, former US undersecretary of international trade, and chief executive of Export Now. \"[Japan has] historically been the largest economy that has been the least enthusiastic for liberalisation, and now it's stepping up and liberalising in the Pacific and the EU,\" he says. \"They have said 'we have to open up our economy, we have got to globalise, we have to liberalise'. So it's a huge win for them,\" he adds. Jun Yamazaki, Japan's ambassador to Singapore, attributes the change to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. \"He was proactively engaged in this whole effort and I think he saw that this was vitally important for Japan,\" he says. \"Some Japanese products really are top class, but I think we have to be a little bit more innovative and see how they can be marketed, not just in Japan but in other countries as well.\" The change in Japan's approach to free trade has been a gradual evolution. Mr Yamazaki says: \"I think we have learned many things over the years and we see now that [free trade] is definitely in the interests of Japan. \"Our country does not produce natural resources. Our strength is that we have people - a quite well-educated population that is fairly diligent in doing things. And in order to utilise that asset, we do have to have interaction with the outside world, and that definitely means free trade, and creating a more liberalised investment climate.\" Deborah Elms, head of the Asian Trade Centre in Singapore, says that the companies who will benefit the most from CPTPP when it comes into force on 30 December are those that have been paying attention to the pact and what it will offer them. Also, because CPTPP is not a typical free trade agreement, she says, but rather a deep and interlocking one it may have taken some firms by surprise, particularly with its partial enactment at this time of year. But she says for the businesses who have been paying attention, the benefits will be immediate. \"Despite doubts from many quarters, companies and consumers will start receiving benefits within days,\" she says. \"In fact, CPTPP members have actually delivered an unexpected, early New Year's gift. \"Not only does the entire agreement begin on the first day, but most firms will get double tariff cuts by January 1, 2019.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1226, "answer_start": 543, "text": "Free trade agreements are designed to cut trade tariffs between member countries. Tariffs are a form of tax, like a border tax. They are placed on goods coming into a country for a range of reasons, sometimes to try and protect a home-made product. The purest free trade agreement (FTA) removes all border taxes or trade barriers on goods. They get rid of quotas too, so there is no limit to the amount of trade you can do. FTAs also help make a country's exports cheaper and give easier entry to other markets. They come in all sorts of forms and with different rules but in short, they make trade between countries as liberal as possible and allow for more rules-based competition." } ], "id": "244_0", "question": "What are free trade agreements?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4586, "answer_start": 2897, "text": "Japan has not, in the past, been very active in free trade talks internationally, but that has changed with both CPTPP and the EU-Japan EPA. Also, after the US pulled out of TPP, Japan led the negotiation efforts to bring the new CPTPP together. \"It's really an impressive evolution for Japan,\" says Frank Lavin, former US undersecretary of international trade, and chief executive of Export Now. \"[Japan has] historically been the largest economy that has been the least enthusiastic for liberalisation, and now it's stepping up and liberalising in the Pacific and the EU,\" he says. \"They have said 'we have to open up our economy, we have got to globalise, we have to liberalise'. So it's a huge win for them,\" he adds. Jun Yamazaki, Japan's ambassador to Singapore, attributes the change to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. \"He was proactively engaged in this whole effort and I think he saw that this was vitally important for Japan,\" he says. \"Some Japanese products really are top class, but I think we have to be a little bit more innovative and see how they can be marketed, not just in Japan but in other countries as well.\" The change in Japan's approach to free trade has been a gradual evolution. Mr Yamazaki says: \"I think we have learned many things over the years and we see now that [free trade] is definitely in the interests of Japan. \"Our country does not produce natural resources. Our strength is that we have people - a quite well-educated population that is fairly diligent in doing things. And in order to utilise that asset, we do have to have interaction with the outside world, and that definitely means free trade, and creating a more liberalised investment climate.\"" } ], "id": "244_1", "question": "A rising star?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The US envoy to the UN has warned America may take further action after bombarding a Syrian air base suspected of using chemical weapons. Nikki Haley said her country would not stand by when chemical weapons were used, as it was in its \"vital interest\" to stop their proliferation. Syrian ally Russia accused the US of encouraging \"terrorists\" with its unilateral actions. Moscow has promised to strengthen its ally Syria's anti-aircraft defences. It is also closing down a hotline with the US designed to avoid collisions between their air forces over Syria. At least six people are reported to have been killed in the US missile strikes early on Friday. US officials say the base was used to launch a chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of civilians on Tuesday. According to Idlib's opposition-run health authority, 89 people, including 33 children and 18 women, died in the suspected nerve agent attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun. Syria denies using nerve gas. Ms Haley told an emergency session of the UN Security Council that America had acted to ensure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would never use chemical weapons again. \"We are prepared to do more but we hope that will not be necessary,\" she said. \"It is in our vital national security interest to prevent the spread and use of chemical weapons.\" She blamed Iran and Russia for standing by the Syrian government when it committed crimes. \"Strengthening Assad will only lead to more murders,\" she said. Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, Vladimir Safronkov, described the US strikes as \"illegitimate\". \"When you take your own path, this leads to horrible tragedies in the region,\" he told the Americans. UK ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the strikes were a \"proportionate response to unspeakable acts\". Cruise missiles fly low and have a relatively small radar cross-section so they are difficult to destroy with air defences. Russia may seek to improve Syria's surface-to-air missile system in the wake of this US attack but it would be very much a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted. Syria used to have a highly effective national air defence system based on Soviet-era radars and missiles but it has been significantly weakened in the wake of the civil war and the loss of territory by the regime. Look at the ease with which the Israelis carry out strikes against Hezbollah arms convoys and weapons stores in Syria. Russia has some of its most modern surface-to-air missile systems at its air base in Syria and radars with a huge reach but, for whatever reason, they too have not deterred Israeli strikes. Their presence makes air strikes by manned US aircraft unlikely and for Washington the Tomahawk cruise missile will remain the weapon of choice Two US Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean Sea fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield in western Homs province at about 04:40 Syrian time (01:40 GMT). They targeted aircraft, aircraft shelters, storage areas, ammunition supply bunkers and air defence systems at the Syrian government-controlled facility, according to the Pentagon. It said the base was used to store chemical weapons and that \"every precaution\" had been taken to avoid casualties. The Russian military was informed beforehand, the Pentagon said. Unnamed US intelligence sources have told media they believe Russian personnel were at Shayrat when Sarin, a nerve agent, was loaded on to a Syrian jet but they have not established whether the Russians knew it was happening. Retired civil servant Mateea Zefa, who lives near the base, went with his children to look at the base afterwards and found it \"totally destroyed\". \"We saw lots of bombs,\" he told the BBC by phone. \"Loads of them. It was a tough night. My house was damaged, almost all the windows broke and some walls cracked.\" Houses on one side of the base were also \"totally destroyed\", he added. Some children and other people were injured by shards of breaking glass but no civilians were killed, another witness, Ammar al-Khedr, said. The dead and seriously injured were all soldiers, he said, adding that they had been brought to her hospital. The Syrian army said earlier there had been significant damage to the base. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition news service, said on Friday evening the base was already back in operation and aircraft had taken off and \"struck targets near Palmyra\". The report could not be independently verified. The US has led a coalition carrying out air strikes against jihadist groups in Syria since 2014 but this is the first time it has targeted government forces. President Trump previously spoke out against US military involvement in Syria, instead calling for a greater focus on domestic interests. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signalled a sudden shift in policy on Thursday, saying that Bashar al-Assad should have no role in a future Syria. Russia says it has formally notified the Pentagon that as of 21:00 GMT on Friday their air force hotline for Syrian airspace will close down. It also sent a frigate armed with cruise missiles, the Admiral Grigorovich, from the Black Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean on Friday, in what may be a routine move.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1789, "answer_start": 985, "text": "Ms Haley told an emergency session of the UN Security Council that America had acted to ensure Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would never use chemical weapons again. \"We are prepared to do more but we hope that will not be necessary,\" she said. \"It is in our vital national security interest to prevent the spread and use of chemical weapons.\" She blamed Iran and Russia for standing by the Syrian government when it committed crimes. \"Strengthening Assad will only lead to more murders,\" she said. Russia's deputy ambassador to the UN, Vladimir Safronkov, described the US strikes as \"illegitimate\". \"When you take your own path, this leads to horrible tragedies in the region,\" he told the Americans. UK ambassador Matthew Rycroft said the strikes were a \"proportionate response to unspeakable acts\"." } ], "id": "245_0", "question": "What are they saying in New York?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3520, "answer_start": 2766, "text": "Two US Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean Sea fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at Shayrat airfield in western Homs province at about 04:40 Syrian time (01:40 GMT). They targeted aircraft, aircraft shelters, storage areas, ammunition supply bunkers and air defence systems at the Syrian government-controlled facility, according to the Pentagon. It said the base was used to store chemical weapons and that \"every precaution\" had been taken to avoid casualties. The Russian military was informed beforehand, the Pentagon said. Unnamed US intelligence sources have told media they believe Russian personnel were at Shayrat when Sarin, a nerve agent, was loaded on to a Syrian jet but they have not established whether the Russians knew it was happening." } ], "id": "245_1", "question": "What do we know about the missile strike?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4490, "answer_start": 3521, "text": "Retired civil servant Mateea Zefa, who lives near the base, went with his children to look at the base afterwards and found it \"totally destroyed\". \"We saw lots of bombs,\" he told the BBC by phone. \"Loads of them. It was a tough night. My house was damaged, almost all the windows broke and some walls cracked.\" Houses on one side of the base were also \"totally destroyed\", he added. Some children and other people were injured by shards of breaking glass but no civilians were killed, another witness, Ammar al-Khedr, said. The dead and seriously injured were all soldiers, he said, adding that they had been brought to her hospital. The Syrian army said earlier there had been significant damage to the base. However, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition news service, said on Friday evening the base was already back in operation and aircraft had taken off and \"struck targets near Palmyra\". The report could not be independently verified." } ], "id": "245_2", "question": "What are they saying on the ground?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4937, "answer_start": 4491, "text": "The US has led a coalition carrying out air strikes against jihadist groups in Syria since 2014 but this is the first time it has targeted government forces. President Trump previously spoke out against US military involvement in Syria, instead calling for a greater focus on domestic interests. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson signalled a sudden shift in policy on Thursday, saying that Bashar al-Assad should have no role in a future Syria." } ], "id": "245_3", "question": "What is different about this strike?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5245, "answer_start": 4938, "text": "Russia says it has formally notified the Pentagon that as of 21:00 GMT on Friday their air force hotline for Syrian airspace will close down. It also sent a frigate armed with cruise missiles, the Admiral Grigorovich, from the Black Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean on Friday, in what may be a routine move." } ], "id": "245_4", "question": "How else has Russia responded?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Apple has confirmed the suspicions of many iPhone owners by revealing it does deliberately slow down some models of the iPhone as they age. Many customers have long suspected that Apple slows down older iPhones to encourage people to upgrade. The company has now said it does slow down some models as they age, but only because the phones' battery performance diminishes over time. Apple said it wanted to \"prolong the life\" of customers' devices. The practice was confirmed after a customer shared performance tests on Reddit, suggesting their iPhone 6S had slowed down considerably as it had aged but had suddenly sped up again after the battery had been replaced. \"I used my brother's iPhone 6 Plus, and his was faster than mine? This is when I knew something was wrong,\" wrote TeckFire. Technology website Geekbench then analysed several iPhones running different versions of the iOS operating system and found some of them did indeed appear to have been deliberately slowed down. Apple has now confirmed that it made changes to iOS to manage ageing lithium-ion batteries in some devices, since the batteries' performance diminishes over time. \"Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, [when they] have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components,\" the company said. \"Last year, we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. \"We've now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future. \"Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers.\" Lithium batteries degrade over time because of what happens during the charging and discharging cycle. During both those events, lithium ions migrate through the material forming the battery. Studies using electron microscopes have shown that each time the ions do this they make tiny changes to the physical structure of that electrolyte. The effect is like \"rust creeping unevenly across steel\", according to one scientist who has studied the phenomenon. The changes effectively erode the material so it can hold less of a charge and can hamper its ability to provide a steady power supply. Higher voltages make the erosion happen more quickly, as do higher temperatures. \"By choosing to implement this quietly, it appears more nefarious than it really is. That doesn't engender trust,\" wrote developer and blogger Nick Heer. \"Apple has long been very good about managing expectations... this is an instance where they blew it. Needlessly, I think.\" Replacing an old battery in one of the affected models should return the phone to its former speed. Doing so costs PS79 in the UK and $79 (PS59) in the US. \"They should be more transparent about it,\" said Chris Green from the tech consultancy Bright Bee. \"You're taking away performance that somebody has paid for. If you're going to slow down the phone over time, you should explain why it is happening, so people understand it is ultimately for their benefit. \"But I do see where they're coming from. By slowing the phone, it does help mitigate the problem of the diminishing battery.\" It is a combination of urban myth and conspiracy theory - the idea that Apple builds planned obsolescence into the iPhone, slowing down older models to make you splash out on an upgrade. Now it turns out to be true - the slowing down part, if not the motive behind it. Apple's explanation that it is all about managing the performance of ageing batteries seems quite reasonable. After all, the fact that the lithium-ion batteries that power mobile phones degrade over time is well known and owners of other leading smartphones also complain of poor battery life after a few years. But what will frustrate and anger many iPhone users is Apple's lack of transparency. The software tweak at the heart of this story happened last year and rumours about the deliberate downgrading of performance have been bubbling for weeks. But it was only a couple of days after a software developer showed exactly what was happening that Apple finally came out and explained. Here is a company that is - as any journalist can attest - fanatical about controlling the message about its products. It has also benefitted from the devotion over the years of customers who are more like fans. But maybe it is time for Apple to show a bit more honesty in that relationship.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1812, "answer_start": 985, "text": "Apple has now confirmed that it made changes to iOS to manage ageing lithium-ion batteries in some devices, since the batteries' performance diminishes over time. \"Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, [when they] have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components,\" the company said. \"Last year, we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. \"We've now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future. \"Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers.\"" } ], "id": "246_0", "question": "What was Apple's response?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2486, "answer_start": 1813, "text": "Lithium batteries degrade over time because of what happens during the charging and discharging cycle. During both those events, lithium ions migrate through the material forming the battery. Studies using electron microscopes have shown that each time the ions do this they make tiny changes to the physical structure of that electrolyte. The effect is like \"rust creeping unevenly across steel\", according to one scientist who has studied the phenomenon. The changes effectively erode the material so it can hold less of a charge and can hamper its ability to provide a steady power supply. Higher voltages make the erosion happen more quickly, as do higher temperatures." } ], "id": "246_1", "question": "Why do lithium-ion batteries degrade?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3353, "answer_start": 2487, "text": "\"By choosing to implement this quietly, it appears more nefarious than it really is. That doesn't engender trust,\" wrote developer and blogger Nick Heer. \"Apple has long been very good about managing expectations... this is an instance where they blew it. Needlessly, I think.\" Replacing an old battery in one of the affected models should return the phone to its former speed. Doing so costs PS79 in the UK and $79 (PS59) in the US. \"They should be more transparent about it,\" said Chris Green from the tech consultancy Bright Bee. \"You're taking away performance that somebody has paid for. If you're going to slow down the phone over time, you should explain why it is happening, so people understand it is ultimately for their benefit. \"But I do see where they're coming from. By slowing the phone, it does help mitigate the problem of the diminishing battery.\"" } ], "id": "246_2", "question": "Should Apple have told customers?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Dominic Raab has come under fire for saying he \"hadn't quite understood\" how reliant UK trade in goods is on the Dover-Calais crossing. The Brexit Secretary's remarks came at a technology conference as he discussed the \"bespoke arrangement\" the UK sought with the EU after it leaves the bloc. Shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman suggested Mr Raab \"doesn't even understand the very basics of Brexit\". Conservative pro-Remain MP Nicky Morgan tweeted: \"Gulp.\" According to the Institute for Government, Dover is \"a key artery for UK trade heading to continental Europe\" with more than 2.5m heavy goods vehicles passing through the port every year. Its report says goods worth PS119bn passed through the port in 2015, \"representing around 17% of the UK's entire trade in goods by value\". Mr Raab told a technology conference on Wednesday: \"We want a bespoke arrangement in goods which recognises the peculiar, frankly, geographic, economic entity that is the United Kingdom. \"We are, and I hadn't quite understood the full extent of this, but if you look at the UK and if you look at how we trade in goods, we are particularly reliant on the Dover-Calais crossing. \"And that's one of the reasons why, and there's been a lot of controversy about this, but one of the reasons why we wanted to make sure that we have a very specific and very proximate relationship with the EU to ensure frictionless trade at the border, particularly for just-in-time manufacturing goods whether it's pharmaceutical goods or perishable goods like food.\" \"I don't think it's a question so much of the risk of major shortages but I think probably the average consumer might not be aware of the full extent to which the choice of goods that we have in the stores are dependent on one or two very specific trade routes.\" Dover is indeed an important port for the UK. It is by far the biggest UK destination for roll-on roll-off ferries, handling 2.9 million lorries last year. Of the 120,000 cargo-carrying vessels that arrived in the UK in 2016, 13% of them came into Dover, writes Anthony Reuben. But that doesn't make Dover the biggest freight-handling port. In fact last year it was only the ninth biggest by tonnage, handling 26.2 million tonnes, which is about 6% of the total amount of freight handled at UK ports. Those specialising in containers and other forms of bulk freight such as Grimsby & Immingham, London, Southampton and Liverpool handled considerably greater tonnage. Dover is vital for trade with Europe though, particularly for time-critical items. Its freight also tends to be high value, handling 17% of the UK trade in goods. Among critics seizing on the remarks, Will Straw - who was executive director of the Britain Stronger In Europe campaign during the 2016 referendum - suggested Mr Raab should have \"done your homework before backing Leave\". The Freight Transport Association's Pauline Bastidon said the group was \"relieved to learn that the secretary of state for exiting the EU has finally recognised the importance of the Dover strait and frictionless trade for the UK economy\". She added: \"While looking at all potential contingencies is right, no other route provides the same frequency of crossing or is able to handle the same volumes as Dover-Calais, Dover-Dunkirk & Eurotunnel put together. The government now needs to make good on its pledge of frictionless trade.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2623, "answer_start": 1794, "text": "Dover is indeed an important port for the UK. It is by far the biggest UK destination for roll-on roll-off ferries, handling 2.9 million lorries last year. Of the 120,000 cargo-carrying vessels that arrived in the UK in 2016, 13% of them came into Dover, writes Anthony Reuben. But that doesn't make Dover the biggest freight-handling port. In fact last year it was only the ninth biggest by tonnage, handling 26.2 million tonnes, which is about 6% of the total amount of freight handled at UK ports. Those specialising in containers and other forms of bulk freight such as Grimsby & Immingham, London, Southampton and Liverpool handled considerably greater tonnage. Dover is vital for trade with Europe though, particularly for time-critical items. Its freight also tends to be high value, handling 17% of the UK trade in goods." } ], "id": "247_0", "question": "Reality Check: How important is Dover?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The death toll in the wildfires raging through California has risen to 25, according to officials. This comes after 14 more bodies were discovered in or near the decimated town of Paradise in the state's north, bringing the number of confirmed dead there to 23. Two more people were killed in the south, near Malibu. An estimated 250,000 people have been forced to flee their homes to avoid three major blazes in the state. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has drawn anger by saying that poor forestry management is to blame for the fires. The blaze known as the Camp Fire started spreading through Butte County on Thursday, and firefighters were powerless to stop it destroying the town of Paradise. Another fire swept into the affluent southern beach resort of Malibu on Friday and has now doubled in size. Known as the Woolsey, it had burned more than 83,000 acres (33,500 hectares) by late Saturday. Among the towns under evacuation orders is Thousand Oaks, where a gunman killed 12 people in a rampage on Wednesday. Meteorologists have warned that dangerous conditions may continue well into next week, as hot dry \"devil winds\" blow through the Los Angeles area. \"This is getting bad,\" said Marc Chenard of the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center. \"It's nothing but bad news.\" At a news conference on Saturday, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said 10 of the additional victims were found in Paradise with four in the nearby Concow area. Images from Paradise showed the sky filled with acrid smoke, almost blotting out the sun. By Saturday night, the Camp Fire had burned 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares) and was only 20% contained. Fire chiefs estimate it will take about three weeks to fully control the blaze. The fire started in the Plumas National Forest, north of Sacramento, on Thursday and quickly engulfed the town of Paradise. Residents fled for their lives as more than 6,700 homes and businesses were destroyed, making the fire the most destructive in the state's history. The flames moved so fast that some had to abandon their cars and escape the town on foot. By the BBC's James Cook, Paradise in California Paradise is hell. A smouldering, sepia world in ruins. The air is acrid. Burning chemicals leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Walking among the ashes of people's lives is eerie and awful. There is a profound sadness here. We pass a child's charred swing, a swimming pool filled with filth, and worst of all, a pet dog which did not survive. Such was the intensity of the blaze that much of the debris is hard to recognise. Wafers of ash are drifting down like enormous snowflakes, smothering sound. But it is not quite silent here. A sooty squirrel scrambles up a blackened tree in a panic. There are booms and creaks from burning trees and telegraph poles. And soon, going from ruin to ruin, there will be the sound of those with the hardest job of all, checking to see if anyone was left behind. Fire officials have also issued evacuation notices for parts of Chico, a town of 93,000 people north of Sacramento. The blaze started on Thursday near Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles (64km) north-west of central Los Angeles. Another blaze, the Hill Fire, started at about the same time, also near Thousand Oaks. On Friday, the flames jumped Highway 101 and headed into coastal areas. All residents have been ordered to evacuate. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Chief John Benedict said on Saturday that two people had been found dead but provided no details on the deaths. Malibu and nearby Calabasas are home to many celebrities and some have been forced to flee, including Kim Kardashian West, Caitlyn Jenner, Lady Gaga and Guillermo Del Toro. The actor Martin Sheen was briefly reported missing but he later said he was on Zuma Beach in Malibu, unharmed. The fire has also reportedly destroyed one of the sets for the TV series Westworld and is threatening Malibu's Pepperdine University, a private residential college with more than 7,000 students. Firefighters have not managed to build containment barriers around the fire. The president has previously blamed Californian officials for wildfires and threatened to withhold federal funding. In a tweet on Saturday, he again accused state authorities of \"gross mismanagement\". Evan Westrub, spokesman for state Governor Jerry Brown, hit back, called Mr Trump's comments \"inane and uninformed\". \"Our focus is on the Californians impacted by these fires and the first responders and firefighters working around the clock to save lives and property,\" he said. Celebrities also criticised Mr Trump's unsympathetic reaction. California-born singer Katy Perry called it an \"absolutely heartless response\", while singer-songwriter John Legend said Mr Trump \"can't bring himself to show some empathy to Californians dealing with a horrific disaster\". There is a total of 16 fires currently active in California. Officials have put most of Northern California under a Red Flag Warning, which means \"extreme fire behaviour\" can occur within 24 hours. The region has grappled with serious wildfires in recent years, including the worst in the state's history - the Mendocino fire in 2018. Are you in the area or have you been evacuated? If it's safe to share your experiences, then please email [email protected] Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2095, "answer_start": 1300, "text": "At a news conference on Saturday, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said 10 of the additional victims were found in Paradise with four in the nearby Concow area. Images from Paradise showed the sky filled with acrid smoke, almost blotting out the sun. By Saturday night, the Camp Fire had burned 100,000 acres (40,500 hectares) and was only 20% contained. Fire chiefs estimate it will take about three weeks to fully control the blaze. The fire started in the Plumas National Forest, north of Sacramento, on Thursday and quickly engulfed the town of Paradise. Residents fled for their lives as more than 6,700 homes and businesses were destroyed, making the fire the most destructive in the state's history. The flames moved so fast that some had to abandon their cars and escape the town on foot." } ], "id": "248_0", "question": "What is the latest on the Camp Fire?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4067, "answer_start": 3059, "text": "The blaze started on Thursday near Thousand Oaks, about 40 miles (64km) north-west of central Los Angeles. Another blaze, the Hill Fire, started at about the same time, also near Thousand Oaks. On Friday, the flames jumped Highway 101 and headed into coastal areas. All residents have been ordered to evacuate. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Chief John Benedict said on Saturday that two people had been found dead but provided no details on the deaths. Malibu and nearby Calabasas are home to many celebrities and some have been forced to flee, including Kim Kardashian West, Caitlyn Jenner, Lady Gaga and Guillermo Del Toro. The actor Martin Sheen was briefly reported missing but he later said he was on Zuma Beach in Malibu, unharmed. The fire has also reportedly destroyed one of the sets for the TV series Westworld and is threatening Malibu's Pepperdine University, a private residential college with more than 7,000 students. Firefighters have not managed to build containment barriers around the fire." } ], "id": "248_1", "question": "Where is the Woolsey Fire?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5169, "answer_start": 4068, "text": "The president has previously blamed Californian officials for wildfires and threatened to withhold federal funding. In a tweet on Saturday, he again accused state authorities of \"gross mismanagement\". Evan Westrub, spokesman for state Governor Jerry Brown, hit back, called Mr Trump's comments \"inane and uninformed\". \"Our focus is on the Californians impacted by these fires and the first responders and firefighters working around the clock to save lives and property,\" he said. Celebrities also criticised Mr Trump's unsympathetic reaction. California-born singer Katy Perry called it an \"absolutely heartless response\", while singer-songwriter John Legend said Mr Trump \"can't bring himself to show some empathy to Californians dealing with a horrific disaster\". There is a total of 16 fires currently active in California. Officials have put most of Northern California under a Red Flag Warning, which means \"extreme fire behaviour\" can occur within 24 hours. The region has grappled with serious wildfires in recent years, including the worst in the state's history - the Mendocino fire in 2018." } ], "id": "248_2", "question": "What did Mr Trump say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pakistan has said it will take the Kashmir dispute to the International Court of Justice. The move comes after India revoked the special autonomous status of the part of Kashmir that it administers. Pakistan reacted to that decision by cutting trade and transport links, and expelling India's ambassador. Kashmir - which both countries claim in full but rule in part - has been the site of decades of sporadic conflict. \"We have decided to take the Kashmir case to the International Court of Justice,\" Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told ARY News TV on Tuesday. \"The decision was taken after considering all legal aspects.\" He added that the case would centre on alleged human rights violations by India - which it denies - in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a phone call that the issue was one for India and Pakistan to resolve between themselves, through dialogue. French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss Kashmir with Mr Modi when they meet in Paris this week, a French official said on Tuesday. Kashmir is a Himalayan territory disputed by India and Pakistan. Each country controls part of the territory and the Indian-administered side - Jammu and Kashmir - used to have special status. But Article 370, the constitutional provision granting Indian-administered Kashmir its special status, was revoked earlier this month. The area has now been downgraded from a federal state and split into two union territories ruled by Delhi. Predicting a backlash, Delhi also launched a security lockdown and communications blackout in the part Kashmir it administers. Despite this, there have been frequent protests and some have turned violent. Analysis by the Associated Press news agency suggests that at least 2,300 people, most of them young men, have been detained during the lockdown. The area is no stranger to violence, as separatist insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir which has left tens of thousands of people dead over the last three decades.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2054, "answer_start": 1107, "text": "Kashmir is a Himalayan territory disputed by India and Pakistan. Each country controls part of the territory and the Indian-administered side - Jammu and Kashmir - used to have special status. But Article 370, the constitutional provision granting Indian-administered Kashmir its special status, was revoked earlier this month. The area has now been downgraded from a federal state and split into two union territories ruled by Delhi. Predicting a backlash, Delhi also launched a security lockdown and communications blackout in the part Kashmir it administers. Despite this, there have been frequent protests and some have turned violent. Analysis by the Associated Press news agency suggests that at least 2,300 people, most of them young men, have been detained during the lockdown. The area is no stranger to violence, as separatist insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir which has left tens of thousands of people dead over the last three decades." } ], "id": "249_0", "question": "What's the background?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "There has been an outpouring of anger in the US from politicians, celebrities and human rights groups over a report alleging the US policy on gender recognition could be changed. A report in the New York Times on Sunday said a government memo proposed officially defining gender as biological and fixed. The change would rescind previous policy which eased trans recognition. Instead, it would define gender solely on the genitalia people are born with. The administration of former President Barack Obama adopted a definition of gender in federal policy which made it easier to allow individual choice and self-determination. The change sparked a number of complex and long-running legal challenges in conservative states, in areas like the use of toilets. The Trump administration has previously tried to roll back transgender recognition in areas such as the military and in schools - but it has not commented on the latest report. Activists fear the changes allegedly being proposed could in effect \"define out of existence\" Americans who currently identify as transgender - a community who are said to number at least 1.4 million people. Transgender and gender non-confirming people have been sharing their personal stories and response to the report using the hashtag #WeWontBeErased. The news report published by the New York Times on Sunday said a memo the newspaper had seen from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed establishing a legal and fixed definition of sex under Title IX - a federal civil rights law that outlaws gender discrimination. The report alleges that the department argues the current lack of clarity allowed civil rights protections to be wrongfully extended to some individuals during the Obama administration. The proposed change would instead mean people's sex would be legally fixed as either male or female by their genitalia. \"Sex means a person's status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth,\" the department proposed in the memo, according to the Times. \"The sex listed on a person's birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person's sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence,\" the memo allegedly says. The Department of Health and Human Services told US media it will not comment on alleged document leaks. The Wall Street Journal has also reported on the issue - saying HHS officials hope to release a rule change, but says internal disputes mean it is not clear how extensive it will be. No-one from the Trump administration has so far commented on the reports. The report has generated an angry response from some people in and outside of the US, including swathes of the LGBTQ community. Advocacy groups organised a demonstration on Sunday evening in New York and another protest is planned outside the White House in Washington DC on Monday Morning. In a series of Tweets on Sunday, the National Centre for Transgender Equality described the changes as an \"abomination\" and \"a reckless attack\" on transgender lives. Human Rights Campaign, one of the country's leading LGBTQ rights groups, said the change would set a \"destructive precedent\". Chairman Chad Griffin described the alleged proposal as \"the latest effort in a consistent, multi-pronged campaign by the Trump-Pence White House... to undermine the rights and welfare of LGBTQ people.\" \"Defining 'sex' in this narrow language tailored to the talking points of anti-equality extremists is part of a deliberate strategy to eliminate federal protections for LGBTQ people,\" he went on. Members of the transgender community took to social media to protest against the proposal - sharing personal stories and selfies of themselves and family members using #WontBeErased. Transgender actress and activist Laverne Cox shared the Times story on Twitter, rebutting what she described as the \"affront on my existence\" insisting \"we exist and always have\". Hollywood actress Susan Sarandon and Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness were among those who tweeted \"trans rights are human rights\" in support, while Juno-star Ellen Page described the proposal as \"horrible\" in an Instagram post. Political figures including Bernie Sanders and Chelsea Clinton also joined in, condemning the report into the alleged proposed changes.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2618, "answer_start": 1291, "text": "The news report published by the New York Times on Sunday said a memo the newspaper had seen from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed establishing a legal and fixed definition of sex under Title IX - a federal civil rights law that outlaws gender discrimination. The report alleges that the department argues the current lack of clarity allowed civil rights protections to be wrongfully extended to some individuals during the Obama administration. The proposed change would instead mean people's sex would be legally fixed as either male or female by their genitalia. \"Sex means a person's status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth,\" the department proposed in the memo, according to the Times. \"The sex listed on a person's birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person's sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence,\" the memo allegedly says. The Department of Health and Human Services told US media it will not comment on alleged document leaks. The Wall Street Journal has also reported on the issue - saying HHS officials hope to release a rule change, but says internal disputes mean it is not clear how extensive it will be. No-one from the Trump administration has so far commented on the reports." } ], "id": "250_0", "question": "What do media reports say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A cruise ship that got into trouble off the Norwegian coast has arrived safely at the port of Molde after the dramatic rescue of hundreds of people. The Viking Sky lost power on Saturday and sent out a distress signal after it began drifting towards land. Almost 500 of the 1,373 people on board were airlifted off in bad weather. Three of the ship's four engines were later restarted for its trip to port. Footage from inside the vessel showed it heaving violently in rough seas. Evacuations were halted as the Viking Sky made its way to Molde on Sunday, accompanied by several tugboats. Rescuers said they were ready to resume operations if the captain deemed it necessary. The Viking Sky suffered engine failure on Saturday afternoon while en route to Stavanger from Tromso in a notoriously treacherous stretch of waters. Fisherman Jan Erik Fiskerstrand, whose boat was one of the first to come to help Viking Sky, told Aftenposten newspaper, \"it was just minutes before this could have gone really wrong\". The ship could have hit the rocks \"if they had not started the engine and fastened the anchor\" he added. Five helicopters and several rescue ships were called in but poor weather meant the lifeboats were forced to turn back. The authorities decided to launch airlifts rather than leave people on board and hundreds were hoisted to safety. Among those rescued, 20 people suffered injuries. Most of the passengers are said to be British or US citizens, many of them elderly. The cruise's operator said 436 guests and 458 crew remained on board. Derek Browne, from southern England, who was travelling with his wife Esther told the BBC the ship had been \"rolling and rolling\" all night on Friday before losing engine power on Saturday. He said being airlifted to safety was \"quite a frightening experience\". George Davis, from Manchester, said he and his wife Barbara waited 10 hours to be rescued. \"It was a very scary event\", he said, adding: \"Locals tell us they were amazed that we sailed into the teeth of a storm they knew was coming\". In footage from the ship, passengers wearing life jackets are seen waiting to be rescued. The former South African cricketer Graeme Smith said his parents had been among those airlifted to safety. One of those still on board, Lara from Birmingham in the UK, said \"the crew were magnificent and have kept the remaining passengers safe, warm and fed\". The Viking Sky is a Viking Ocean Cruises ship, which had its maiden voyage in 2017. The company said \"throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and our crew\". Trevor English, an engineer and technical author based in Texas who has written about the workings of cruise ships, told the BBC that thousands of cruises take place each year and this type of failure - or combination of failures - is rare. \"It's important we understand that the engineering of these ships are held to high standards,\" he says, adding that while vessels such as the Viking Sky have four engines, \"it's possible for components to break that could cause the entire power system to fail\". He continues: \"What makes this event unique is the storms. In many cases, if engines are lost, they can be restored quickly with no issue. \"While one engine on the Viking Sky was soon restored, the storms made the lack of propulsion especially dire,\" Mr English says. He adds that cruises on large vessels are generally very safe, but: \"Like everything we choose to do in life, it's an evaluation of risk.\" Are you in the area? If it's safe to share your experiences, then please email [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7555 173285 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1552, "answer_start": 676, "text": "The Viking Sky suffered engine failure on Saturday afternoon while en route to Stavanger from Tromso in a notoriously treacherous stretch of waters. Fisherman Jan Erik Fiskerstrand, whose boat was one of the first to come to help Viking Sky, told Aftenposten newspaper, \"it was just minutes before this could have gone really wrong\". The ship could have hit the rocks \"if they had not started the engine and fastened the anchor\" he added. Five helicopters and several rescue ships were called in but poor weather meant the lifeboats were forced to turn back. The authorities decided to launch airlifts rather than leave people on board and hundreds were hoisted to safety. Among those rescued, 20 people suffered injuries. Most of the passengers are said to be British or US citizens, many of them elderly. The cruise's operator said 436 guests and 458 crew remained on board." } ], "id": "251_0", "question": "How did the drama unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2609, "answer_start": 1553, "text": "Derek Browne, from southern England, who was travelling with his wife Esther told the BBC the ship had been \"rolling and rolling\" all night on Friday before losing engine power on Saturday. He said being airlifted to safety was \"quite a frightening experience\". George Davis, from Manchester, said he and his wife Barbara waited 10 hours to be rescued. \"It was a very scary event\", he said, adding: \"Locals tell us they were amazed that we sailed into the teeth of a storm they knew was coming\". In footage from the ship, passengers wearing life jackets are seen waiting to be rescued. The former South African cricketer Graeme Smith said his parents had been among those airlifted to safety. One of those still on board, Lara from Birmingham in the UK, said \"the crew were magnificent and have kept the remaining passengers safe, warm and fed\". The Viking Sky is a Viking Ocean Cruises ship, which had its maiden voyage in 2017. The company said \"throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and our crew\"." } ], "id": "251_1", "question": "What was it like on board?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3519, "answer_start": 2610, "text": "Trevor English, an engineer and technical author based in Texas who has written about the workings of cruise ships, told the BBC that thousands of cruises take place each year and this type of failure - or combination of failures - is rare. \"It's important we understand that the engineering of these ships are held to high standards,\" he says, adding that while vessels such as the Viking Sky have four engines, \"it's possible for components to break that could cause the entire power system to fail\". He continues: \"What makes this event unique is the storms. In many cases, if engines are lost, they can be restored quickly with no issue. \"While one engine on the Viking Sky was soon restored, the storms made the lack of propulsion especially dire,\" Mr English says. He adds that cruises on large vessels are generally very safe, but: \"Like everything we choose to do in life, it's an evaluation of risk.\"" } ], "id": "251_2", "question": "Are engine failures common on cruise ships?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A flurry of diplomatic activity is under way to rescue the Iran nuclear deal after President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the US from it and bring back sanctions against Tehran. German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke with President Putin of Russia, and UK PM Theresa May has talked to Mr Trump. French ministers have been loudest in their complaints that major European businesses will be hit hard as US sanctions are re-imposed. Mr Trump says the deal is \"horrible\". Among his concerns are that restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme are due to expire and the deal does not address Iran's ballistic missile programme or its regional influence. On Tuesday Mr Trump honoured an election pledge to scrap US participation in the 2015 accord. Sanctions will be re-imposed in two stages in August and November. Under the agreement Iran undertook to curb nuclear activities in return for the lifting of sanctions. The deal, negotiated by the US, three European Union powers, Russia and China, was designed to prevent Iran developing atomic weapons - something it has always denied trying to do. The agreement is still seen by the non-US signatories as the best way of preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power, though they concede it is not perfect. The Europeans also stand to lose billions of dollars of business when US sanctions return. A deal by the European plane-manufacturer, Airbus, to sell nearly 100 planes to Iran is now in danger. Some parts used in the planes are made in the US. Big French firms such as energy giant Total and car-makers Renault and Peugeot also have investments in Iran. Both France and Germany have seen a sharp rise in exports to Iran since sanctions were lifted in 2016. France has condemned the re-imposition of sanctions as \"unacceptable\". Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said Europe had to defend its \"economic sovereignty\". \"Do we want to be vassals deferring with a curtsy and a bow to decisions made by the US?\" he asked. Mr Le Maire called on the European Commission to look into possible retaliatory measures. But both Mr Le Maire and his German opposite number, Olaf Scholz, are also speaking to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to seek exemptions for European companies. Mrs May spoke on the phone to Mr Trump to tell him that Europe remained \"firmly committed\" to the deal, according to Downing Street. Both leaders agreed on the need for talks on how sanctions would affect foreign companies trading with Iran. Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Mrs Merkel and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the deal, the Kremlin said. Keeping it alive \"is something we need to discuss with Iran,\" Mrs Merkel has said. She said scrapping the accord unilaterally damaged trust in the world order. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is to visit China, Russia and Brussels, starting on Saturday. And on Tuesday, foreign ministers from Germany, the UK and France will meet. Iran nuclear deal: Key details", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2468, "answer_start": 1713, "text": "France has condemned the re-imposition of sanctions as \"unacceptable\". Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said Europe had to defend its \"economic sovereignty\". \"Do we want to be vassals deferring with a curtsy and a bow to decisions made by the US?\" he asked. Mr Le Maire called on the European Commission to look into possible retaliatory measures. But both Mr Le Maire and his German opposite number, Olaf Scholz, are also speaking to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to seek exemptions for European companies. Mrs May spoke on the phone to Mr Trump to tell him that Europe remained \"firmly committed\" to the deal, according to Downing Street. Both leaders agreed on the need for talks on how sanctions would affect foreign companies trading with Iran." } ], "id": "252_0", "question": "How are the Europeans trying to rescue the agreement?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ukrainian efforts to swap high-profile prisoners with Russia are \"ongoing\" but will not happen on Friday, officials in Kiev say, rejecting reports that the swaps had taken place. A statement from the presidency denied that the process had been completed. Ukraine's prosecutor general had earlier shared a Facebook post suggesting filmmaker Oleg Sentsov and 24 Ukrainian sailors, had been freed. There was no immediate comment on the swaps from Russia. But a lawyer for Russian prisoners held in Ukraine said none of the prisoners were flying anywhere on Friday. Relatives of some of the detainees were reported to be gathering at airports in Kiev. Rumours that a prisoner swap was imminent spread in recent days after Sentsov was moved to Moscow from a prison in Russia's Arctic north and a Ukrainian court freed a Russian journalist. But the Ukrainian presidency sought to play down the reports, warning against \"misinformation\" and urging people not to \"play with society's emotions\". A spokesman for Ukraine's SBU security agency then told the BBC that the exchange was not going to take place on Friday. Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told the Tass news agency only that \"interaction on this subject is taking place behind closed doors, but I can of course confirm some progress\". Sentsov was arrested during a protest against Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and found guilty of plotting terrorist acts. He denied the charges and his trial was denounced by the US, EU and others as politically motivated. The sailors detained were seized along with three naval ships as they attempted to pass through the Kerch Strait, the only access to Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov. In May an international tribunal ordered Russia to release the sailors and vessels. A lawyer for three Russian prisoners thought to be involved in the swap said no-one had left. \"Nobody is flying anywhere. All Russian citizens as well as Ukrainian citizens, who planned to take part in the prisoner exchange, are either at assembly points, detention centres or wherever they were serving their sentence,\" Valentyn Rybin said in a video posted on Facebook. Ukraine's new President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said when he took office earlier this year that ending the conflict with Russian-backed rebels in the east would be his top priority as president. Mr Zelensky is set to meet President Vladimir Putin as part of a summit next month with the leaders of Germany and France. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he had spoken with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents and said \"conditions are ripe\" for a meeting. The Russian presidential aide said progress towards a prisoner release was \"very important for the whole atmosphere surrounding a settlement of the Ukrainian crisis\". Fighting in eastern Ukraine has claimed about 13,000 lives since 2014, amid a failed ceasefire deal. Mr Zelensky is a political novice who was a comedian before taking power. This week, Ukraine's parliament sat for the first time since the vote, with Mr Zelensky picking 35-year-old lawyer Oleksiy Honcharuk as his prime minister.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2147, "answer_start": 1293, "text": "Sentsov was arrested during a protest against Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and found guilty of plotting terrorist acts. He denied the charges and his trial was denounced by the US, EU and others as politically motivated. The sailors detained were seized along with three naval ships as they attempted to pass through the Kerch Strait, the only access to Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov. In May an international tribunal ordered Russia to release the sailors and vessels. A lawyer for three Russian prisoners thought to be involved in the swap said no-one had left. \"Nobody is flying anywhere. All Russian citizens as well as Ukrainian citizens, who planned to take part in the prisoner exchange, are either at assembly points, detention centres or wherever they were serving their sentence,\" Valentyn Rybin said in a video posted on Facebook." } ], "id": "253_0", "question": "Who are the prisoners?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3110, "answer_start": 2148, "text": "Ukraine's new President, Volodymyr Zelensky, said when he took office earlier this year that ending the conflict with Russian-backed rebels in the east would be his top priority as president. Mr Zelensky is set to meet President Vladimir Putin as part of a summit next month with the leaders of Germany and France. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he had spoken with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents and said \"conditions are ripe\" for a meeting. The Russian presidential aide said progress towards a prisoner release was \"very important for the whole atmosphere surrounding a settlement of the Ukrainian crisis\". Fighting in eastern Ukraine has claimed about 13,000 lives since 2014, amid a failed ceasefire deal. Mr Zelensky is a political novice who was a comedian before taking power. This week, Ukraine's parliament sat for the first time since the vote, with Mr Zelensky picking 35-year-old lawyer Oleksiy Honcharuk as his prime minister." } ], "id": "253_1", "question": "What's the wider picture?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "TSB's IT fiasco is heading for a fifth day, with angry customers still locked out of their accounts and unable to make payments. The bank said it would take down its mobile app and online banking \"for a few hours\" on Tuesday and hoped to restore services by the afternoon. But it now looks unlikely the issues will be resolved until Wednesday. Chief executive Paul Pester said he was \"deeply sorry\" for the chaos and that no one would be left out of pocket. The bank's data breach on Sunday, which allowed some TSB customers to see other people's account details, has also attracted the attention of the Information Commissioner. Mr Pester said: \"This isn't the level of service that we pride ourselves on providing, and isn't what our customers have come to expect from TSB, and for that I'm deeply sorry.\" 'TSB gave me someone else's PS35,000' People are beginning to report a wide range of financial problems caused by being unable to access their account online. Colin Patterson of Manchester told the BBC: \"The lack of an official statement, other than generic Twitter replies, is outrageous.\" He's been trying to pay for his passport renewal for three days and reports that \"it keeps being rejected\". \"I get paid tomorrow and don't know if I'll be able to pay my rent. It's a disgrace.\" Trevor Brittain from Tonbridge said: \"I've been with the same branch for 42 years. It was Lloyds but transferred to TSB at the sell-off. I will be switching back to Lloyds as soon as I can get access to my account.\" Jessica Callaghan from Newcastle said: \"I'm angry because they aren't communicating. They just keep saying, 'sorry, it'll be back up shortly'. I want them to give an official statement about what is happening, and compensation for each customer.\" London photographer Paul Clarke is worried that his business will be hit if the situation isn't resolved soon. \"I have no idea who's paid me recently and I can't pay suppliers,\" he told the BBC. \"If we get to the middle of the week and it's still not resolved then my reputation and business could suffer as I work on a quick turnaround. It's a fiasco.\" Amanda Verbaan-Dunn, owner of the Wilton Hotel in Blackpool, said: \"I'm away from home and can't pay my staff. I'm going to have to go back three days early so I can sort my staff out. It's extremely frustrating and the lack of communication is inexcusable.\" Lee MacDonald, who played Zammo in children's TV show Grange Hill in the 1980s, told the BBC he has had an \"absolute nightmare\" following TSB's IT glitches. Mr MacDonald, who now runs Mentor Lock and Safe Company in Wallington, Surrey, told BBC Radio 5 live: \"I'm having an absolute nightmare. I've got two accounts with TSB, both business accounts. My business has literally stopped. I don't know what money's coming in, what's coming out. \"When you're running a small business, every job counts and it's just a nightmare.\" When TSB split from the Lloyds Banking Group, it continued to rent a banking platform from its former owner while it developed its own \"state-of-the-art\" platform. That was ready to go live last weekend and TSB moved its customers' data from the Lloyds' platform to its own. This was a long-planned disruption to the service and the bank said it informed customers of the change and that it would lead to them being unable to use online banking or payment systems at the weekend. It promised that systems would be back up and running by 6pm on Sunday but many of those who did get access to their online accounts were presented with details of other people's accounts too. Since that data breach many customers have reported being unable to log on, while those that have been able to log on say there have been problems with passwords or that they have been logged out. The Financial Conduct Authority, which has the power to fine banks for system failures, said it was in \"regular contact\" with TSB. \"We are working with the firm to ensure customers are properly communicated with and are not left out of pocket.\" \"We will be talking to the firm to understand exactly what went wrong and the steps that they are taking to ensure something like this does not happen again,\" a spokesperson said. The Information Commissioner's Office also said it was \"making enquiries\" about a \"potential data breach\". Nicky Morgan MP, chair of the Treasury Committee, weighed into the crisis on Tuesday by writing to TSB boss Paul Pester to find out what has gone wrong, the extent of the failure, and how the bank intends to compensate customers who have suffered a breach of potentially highly-sensitive personal data. Mrs Morgan said: \"It simply isn't good enough to expose customers to IT failures, including delays in paying bills and an inability to access their own money. \"Warm words and platitudes will not suffice. TSB customers deserve to know what has happened, when normal services will resume, and how they can expect to be compensated.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2896, "answer_start": 846, "text": "People are beginning to report a wide range of financial problems caused by being unable to access their account online. Colin Patterson of Manchester told the BBC: \"The lack of an official statement, other than generic Twitter replies, is outrageous.\" He's been trying to pay for his passport renewal for three days and reports that \"it keeps being rejected\". \"I get paid tomorrow and don't know if I'll be able to pay my rent. It's a disgrace.\" Trevor Brittain from Tonbridge said: \"I've been with the same branch for 42 years. It was Lloyds but transferred to TSB at the sell-off. I will be switching back to Lloyds as soon as I can get access to my account.\" Jessica Callaghan from Newcastle said: \"I'm angry because they aren't communicating. They just keep saying, 'sorry, it'll be back up shortly'. I want them to give an official statement about what is happening, and compensation for each customer.\" London photographer Paul Clarke is worried that his business will be hit if the situation isn't resolved soon. \"I have no idea who's paid me recently and I can't pay suppliers,\" he told the BBC. \"If we get to the middle of the week and it's still not resolved then my reputation and business could suffer as I work on a quick turnaround. It's a fiasco.\" Amanda Verbaan-Dunn, owner of the Wilton Hotel in Blackpool, said: \"I'm away from home and can't pay my staff. I'm going to have to go back three days early so I can sort my staff out. It's extremely frustrating and the lack of communication is inexcusable.\" Lee MacDonald, who played Zammo in children's TV show Grange Hill in the 1980s, told the BBC he has had an \"absolute nightmare\" following TSB's IT glitches. Mr MacDonald, who now runs Mentor Lock and Safe Company in Wallington, Surrey, told BBC Radio 5 live: \"I'm having an absolute nightmare. I've got two accounts with TSB, both business accounts. My business has literally stopped. I don't know what money's coming in, what's coming out. \"When you're running a small business, every job counts and it's just a nightmare.\"" } ], "id": "254_0", "question": "How are customers affected?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3766, "answer_start": 2897, "text": "When TSB split from the Lloyds Banking Group, it continued to rent a banking platform from its former owner while it developed its own \"state-of-the-art\" platform. That was ready to go live last weekend and TSB moved its customers' data from the Lloyds' platform to its own. This was a long-planned disruption to the service and the bank said it informed customers of the change and that it would lead to them being unable to use online banking or payment systems at the weekend. It promised that systems would be back up and running by 6pm on Sunday but many of those who did get access to their online accounts were presented with details of other people's accounts too. Since that data breach many customers have reported being unable to log on, while those that have been able to log on say there have been problems with passwords or that they have been logged out." } ], "id": "254_1", "question": "What has happened?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4932, "answer_start": 3767, "text": "The Financial Conduct Authority, which has the power to fine banks for system failures, said it was in \"regular contact\" with TSB. \"We are working with the firm to ensure customers are properly communicated with and are not left out of pocket.\" \"We will be talking to the firm to understand exactly what went wrong and the steps that they are taking to ensure something like this does not happen again,\" a spokesperson said. The Information Commissioner's Office also said it was \"making enquiries\" about a \"potential data breach\". Nicky Morgan MP, chair of the Treasury Committee, weighed into the crisis on Tuesday by writing to TSB boss Paul Pester to find out what has gone wrong, the extent of the failure, and how the bank intends to compensate customers who have suffered a breach of potentially highly-sensitive personal data. Mrs Morgan said: \"It simply isn't good enough to expose customers to IT failures, including delays in paying bills and an inability to access their own money. \"Warm words and platitudes will not suffice. TSB customers deserve to know what has happened, when normal services will resume, and how they can expect to be compensated.\"" } ], "id": "254_2", "question": "What could happen to TSB?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The heads of Italy's political groups have failed to reach agreement on when to hold a vote of no confidence, amid a government crisis triggered by nationalist leader Matteo Salvini. Mr Salvini pulled the plug on his populist coalition and now wants an urgent confidence vote and elections. The next step will now be decided by a full Senate session on Tuesday. Mr Salvini's ex-coalition partner has accused him of betraying the electorate after 14 months of government. Luigi di Maio's Five Star movement took power with the nationalist League in June 2018, but the relationship has since soured and the League's poll ratings have risen dramatically. The government is headed by an independent prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, and a no-confidence vote would bring him down. The Senate will now have to decide whether to call a vote for Wednesday, or wait until 20 August, when Mr Conte would be asked to report to parliament. The League leader may be leading the opinion polls but he does not command a majority in the Senate, so his attempt to force snap elections as early as October may founder. He faces opposition from Mr Di Maio and also the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which was voted out of government last year. Ex-PD leader Matteo Renzi has returned to the political arena with a call to stop Mr Salvini's \"crazy\" push for elections by proposing a caretaker, \"institutional\" government backed by parliament. But Mr Di Maio has refused to work with him, saying \"nobody wants to sit at the table with Renzi\". The Five Star leader Luigi di Maio insists that reform of parliament has to come before elections. He wants to bring down the number of seats in Italy's two chambers of parliament by 345 (out of 945) before new elections. The centre left could in principle allow that to happen. Some Five Star colleagues have indicated they are not averse to forming a coalition with the centre left. \"Having ruled with the League, I think we'd even agree to a deal with Beelzebub,\" leading Five Star official Roberta Lombardi told La Repubblica. Then there is the issue of Italy's budget deficit. The Rome government has until the end of October to submit its 2020 budget to the European Commission. Both Five Star and Matteo Renzi are desperate to avoid an increase in sales tax, which would come into place in January if a budget is not agreed. A League official said on Monday that instead of implementing an increase in sales tax, it would raise Italy's budget deficit to 2.8% of economic output. To stand any chance of forming a government Mr Salvini would need the support of Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia as well as the far-right Brothers of Italy party. Mr Salvini has returned from a campaign tour of beaches in Sicily to rally support in Rome and to meet Mr Berlusconi and Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni. Only the president, currently on holiday on a boat in Sardinia, has the power to dissolve parliament. He has insisted next year's budget has to be approved this autumn, so the window for an election is very small.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2509, "answer_start": 926, "text": "The League leader may be leading the opinion polls but he does not command a majority in the Senate, so his attempt to force snap elections as early as October may founder. He faces opposition from Mr Di Maio and also the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which was voted out of government last year. Ex-PD leader Matteo Renzi has returned to the political arena with a call to stop Mr Salvini's \"crazy\" push for elections by proposing a caretaker, \"institutional\" government backed by parliament. But Mr Di Maio has refused to work with him, saying \"nobody wants to sit at the table with Renzi\". The Five Star leader Luigi di Maio insists that reform of parliament has to come before elections. He wants to bring down the number of seats in Italy's two chambers of parliament by 345 (out of 945) before new elections. The centre left could in principle allow that to happen. Some Five Star colleagues have indicated they are not averse to forming a coalition with the centre left. \"Having ruled with the League, I think we'd even agree to a deal with Beelzebub,\" leading Five Star official Roberta Lombardi told La Repubblica. Then there is the issue of Italy's budget deficit. The Rome government has until the end of October to submit its 2020 budget to the European Commission. Both Five Star and Matteo Renzi are desperate to avoid an increase in sales tax, which would come into place in January if a budget is not agreed. A League official said on Monday that instead of implementing an increase in sales tax, it would raise Italy's budget deficit to 2.8% of economic output." } ], "id": "255_0", "question": "How soon will elections happen?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3062, "answer_start": 2510, "text": "To stand any chance of forming a government Mr Salvini would need the support of Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia as well as the far-right Brothers of Italy party. Mr Salvini has returned from a campaign tour of beaches in Sicily to rally support in Rome and to meet Mr Berlusconi and Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni. Only the president, currently on holiday on a boat in Sardinia, has the power to dissolve parliament. He has insisted next year's budget has to be approved this autumn, so the window for an election is very small." } ], "id": "255_1", "question": "What is Salvini's next step?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "People have voted in Afghanistan's presidential poll amid heavy security and deadly bomb attacks from militants. Low turnout was widely reported, as many voters were worried about security following threats from the Taliban. The twice-delayed vote on Sunday took place after Taliban-US peace talks had collapsed earlier this month. The two main candidates are the incumbent, Ashraf Ghani, and chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, who shared power since 2014. More than 70,000 members of the security forces were deployed across the country to protect voters. Despite the increased security, at least four people were killed and 80 wounded in bomb and mortar attacks on voting centres. But in the southern city of Kandahar, women were seen standing in queues to vote, despite a bomb attack on a polling station. Women voters make up 35% of the more than nine million Afghans registered to vote. The Independent Election Commission of Afghanistan expects to announce the results in three weeks. Turnout is thought to have been low, but one voter said she would cast her vote even if it meant standing in long queues for hours. \"Bravery is defined when one musters the courage to cast their vote in Afghanistan,\" said Roya Jahangir, a doctor based in the capital, Kabul. \"We hope this time there is no fraud - otherwise voters will feel cheated once again,\" she told Reuters news agency. Authorities extended voting hours to ensure those queuing would have a chance to cast their ballot. By Martin Patience in Kabul It is perhaps a sign of how bad security has become in Afghanistan that officials hailed today's election as success because there was no major Taliban attack. Those that voted did so in defiance of the militants' threats. But many people appear to have stayed away out of security concerns or because they've lost faith in a process that has previously been mired in vote-rigging. The official results will not be known for several weeks. But if the candidates do not accept them, they could trigger a political crisis that crushes this country's fragile democracy. Afghanistan's next president will lead a country devastated by four decades of war. The conflict continues to kill thousands of people every year, drawing in forces from around the world. Nearly two decades since the international community intervened, the US has been trying to negotiate an end to the conflict with the Taliban. The US currently has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, and there are thousands more from countries part of a Nato mission to train, advise and assist the country's security forces. Whoever is elected president in the fourth election since US-led troops ousted the Taliban in 2001 should have a key role to play. However, the Taliban currently refuse to negotiate directly with the Afghan government, saying it is illegitimate. They say they will only talk to Afghan authorities after a deal with the US is agreed. Who sits at the head of Afghanistan's government matters to the people caught in the crossfire between the army, the Taliban and other insurgents. BBC research found an average of 74 men, women and children died in the conflict every day during the month of August across Afghanistan. A fifth of those killed were civilians. According to the United Nations, more civilians were killed by Afghan and US forces in the first half of this year than by insurgents. Five years ago, the presidential election was mired by allegations of fraud and vote-rigging. It took months to reach a result, with a deal between the two main contenders negotiated by the US ending in a \"national unity government\". Hopes are not high that things will be better this time. Out of a population of about 37 million, fewer than 10 million are registered to vote - and even fewer are expected to cast a ballot. A poll carried out by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan found more than half of respondents were not planning to vote. This is in part due to threats of violence from the Taliban, who have said they will attack polling booths and have already targeted election rallies. There are also large areas of the country under Taliban control, where the Kabul government has little to no power, and voting is all but impossible. But a perceived lack of enthusiasm among voters is also attributed to a feeling things may not change for the better - not helped by the fact the same two men who fought for months over the top job in 2014 are the front-runners once again. Both have been accused of corruption while in office. Meanwhile, unemployment stands at about 25%, according to the UN, and almost 55% of Afghans are living below the poverty line. Eighteen men - including former warlords, ex-spies and members of the country's former communist government - initially put themselves forward to fight the election, but five have dropped out. Not one woman is running for president, and only three women appear on the tickets of others. Read more:", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3385, "answer_start": 2080, "text": "Afghanistan's next president will lead a country devastated by four decades of war. The conflict continues to kill thousands of people every year, drawing in forces from around the world. Nearly two decades since the international community intervened, the US has been trying to negotiate an end to the conflict with the Taliban. The US currently has about 14,000 troops in Afghanistan, and there are thousands more from countries part of a Nato mission to train, advise and assist the country's security forces. Whoever is elected president in the fourth election since US-led troops ousted the Taliban in 2001 should have a key role to play. However, the Taliban currently refuse to negotiate directly with the Afghan government, saying it is illegitimate. They say they will only talk to Afghan authorities after a deal with the US is agreed. Who sits at the head of Afghanistan's government matters to the people caught in the crossfire between the army, the Taliban and other insurgents. BBC research found an average of 74 men, women and children died in the conflict every day during the month of August across Afghanistan. A fifth of those killed were civilians. According to the United Nations, more civilians were killed by Afghan and US forces in the first half of this year than by insurgents." } ], "id": "256_0", "question": "Why does this election matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4669, "answer_start": 3386, "text": "Five years ago, the presidential election was mired by allegations of fraud and vote-rigging. It took months to reach a result, with a deal between the two main contenders negotiated by the US ending in a \"national unity government\". Hopes are not high that things will be better this time. Out of a population of about 37 million, fewer than 10 million are registered to vote - and even fewer are expected to cast a ballot. A poll carried out by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan found more than half of respondents were not planning to vote. This is in part due to threats of violence from the Taliban, who have said they will attack polling booths and have already targeted election rallies. There are also large areas of the country under Taliban control, where the Kabul government has little to no power, and voting is all but impossible. But a perceived lack of enthusiasm among voters is also attributed to a feeling things may not change for the better - not helped by the fact the same two men who fought for months over the top job in 2014 are the front-runners once again. Both have been accused of corruption while in office. Meanwhile, unemployment stands at about 25%, according to the UN, and almost 55% of Afghans are living below the poverty line." } ], "id": "256_1", "question": "What are the other issues?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4967, "answer_start": 4670, "text": "Eighteen men - including former warlords, ex-spies and members of the country's former communist government - initially put themselves forward to fight the election, but five have dropped out. Not one woman is running for president, and only three women appear on the tickets of others. Read more:" } ], "id": "256_2", "question": "Who are the contenders?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Brazilian football star Neymar has denied an accusation that he raped a woman in Paris. According to a police report filed in Sao Paulo, the woman alleges that the attack took place in a hotel in the French capital, where Neymar plays for Paris St-Germain (PSG). Neymar sought to prove his innocence by posting what he says is an exchange of Whatsapp messages between the pair. He is now in Brazil training with the national team for the Copa America. According to police documents, the woman - who has not been named - got to know Neymar on Instagram and he suggested they meet in Paris. He provided her with an air ticket from Brazil to France and a reservation at a luxury hotel in Paris. When Neymar came to the hotel on 15 May, he was \"apparently drunk\", the woman alleges. After conversation and embraces, \"at some point, Neymar became aggressive, and through violence, engaged in sexual intercourse against the will of the victim\", the police document states. The woman returned to Brazil two days later, without reporting the alleged incident to French police, because she was \"emotionally shaken and afraid to register the facts in another country\", the document continues. In a statement released after the accusations became public, the footballer's management condemned \"the unjust accusations and, above all, the exposure in the press of an extremely negative situation\". The statement said Neymar had been the \"victim of an attempted extortion\" and \"evidence of attempted extortion and non-rape will be submitted to the police authorities\". Neymar directly addressed the allegations in a seven-minute video on his Instagram page. The unmarried footballer posted the video alongside the caption (in Portuguese): \"Due to extortion, I'm being forced to expose my life and my family..\" Speaking in Portuguese, the footballer said: \"I'm very upset but from now on I'll expose or tell all about what happened with that girl. It was an intimate thing but I have to open myself up to prove that nothing exceptional happened. \"What happened that day was a relationship between a man and a woman, within four walls, like with any couple. And the next day nothing much happened. We kept exchanging messages. She asked me for a souvenir for [her child].\" During the video, the 27-year-old shows what he claims to be a long series of WhatsApp messages with the woman, including photographs of her in her underwear. He says he had to make them public to \"prove that nothing really happened\". Neymar's father, Neymar dos Santos, also dismissed the allegations, telling Band TV in Brazil on Saturday that \"it is clear that it was a trap\". The PSG forward has been stripped of the captaincy of Brazil, following recent disciplinary issues. French football authorities banned Neymar from three matches after he hit a fan following PSG's defeat by Rennes in the Coupe de France final last month. He was also reportedly involved in a dressing room brawl. The Copa America - South America's national team championship - takes place in Brazil from 14 June to 7 July, with the hosts taking on Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru in Group A. Neymar had to stop training on Tuesday when he suffered a knee strain, although the injury was not thought to be serious.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1182, "answer_start": 452, "text": "According to police documents, the woman - who has not been named - got to know Neymar on Instagram and he suggested they meet in Paris. He provided her with an air ticket from Brazil to France and a reservation at a luxury hotel in Paris. When Neymar came to the hotel on 15 May, he was \"apparently drunk\", the woman alleges. After conversation and embraces, \"at some point, Neymar became aggressive, and through violence, engaged in sexual intercourse against the will of the victim\", the police document states. The woman returned to Brazil two days later, without reporting the alleged incident to French police, because she was \"emotionally shaken and afraid to register the facts in another country\", the document continues." } ], "id": "257_0", "question": "What are the allegations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2636, "answer_start": 1183, "text": "In a statement released after the accusations became public, the footballer's management condemned \"the unjust accusations and, above all, the exposure in the press of an extremely negative situation\". The statement said Neymar had been the \"victim of an attempted extortion\" and \"evidence of attempted extortion and non-rape will be submitted to the police authorities\". Neymar directly addressed the allegations in a seven-minute video on his Instagram page. The unmarried footballer posted the video alongside the caption (in Portuguese): \"Due to extortion, I'm being forced to expose my life and my family..\" Speaking in Portuguese, the footballer said: \"I'm very upset but from now on I'll expose or tell all about what happened with that girl. It was an intimate thing but I have to open myself up to prove that nothing exceptional happened. \"What happened that day was a relationship between a man and a woman, within four walls, like with any couple. And the next day nothing much happened. We kept exchanging messages. She asked me for a souvenir for [her child].\" During the video, the 27-year-old shows what he claims to be a long series of WhatsApp messages with the woman, including photographs of her in her underwear. He says he had to make them public to \"prove that nothing really happened\". Neymar's father, Neymar dos Santos, also dismissed the allegations, telling Band TV in Brazil on Saturday that \"it is clear that it was a trap\"." } ], "id": "257_1", "question": "What does Neymar say?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3245, "answer_start": 2637, "text": "The PSG forward has been stripped of the captaincy of Brazil, following recent disciplinary issues. French football authorities banned Neymar from three matches after he hit a fan following PSG's defeat by Rennes in the Coupe de France final last month. He was also reportedly involved in a dressing room brawl. The Copa America - South America's national team championship - takes place in Brazil from 14 June to 7 July, with the hosts taking on Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru in Group A. Neymar had to stop training on Tuesday when he suffered a knee strain, although the injury was not thought to be serious." } ], "id": "257_2", "question": "Is Neymar ready for the Copa America?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "US President Donald Trump has said his planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could either fail or lead to the \"greatest deal for the world\". At a political rally in Pennsylvania, Mr Trump told supporters he believed North Korea wanted to make peace. But he said he might leave the talks quickly if it didn't look like progress for nuclear disarmament could be made. In his speech, the US leader warned of tariffs on European cars, and launched his slogan for re-election in 2020. \"Hey, who knows what's going to happen?\" said Mr Trump on Saturday at the rally for a Republican congressional candidate. \"I may leave fast or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world.\" In his wide-ranging speech, he said he hoped a deal to ease nuclear tensions would happen, particularly to help countries like North Korea. He also said he believed the North Koreans would honour their commitment not to test any more missiles. Mr Trump told the crowd: \"I think they want to make peace, I think it's time.\" No date or place has been set for the meeting, despite initial reports it would happen by the end of May. South Korea's presidential office said the North Korean truce village of Panmunjom, which sits at the demilitarised zone between the North and the South, was a \"serious\" option, Yonhap news agency reported. Sweden, Switzerland and China have also been named as possible hosts. No sitting US president has ever met a North Korean leader and Mr Trump's decision to accept an invitation from the North Korean leader - relayed by South Korean envoys on Thursday - reportedly took top administration officials by surprise. Mr Trump tweeted that a deal was \"very much in the making\", though the White House said the meeting would not take place unless Pyongyang took \"concrete actions\". The US has made \"zero concessions\" with its sanctions, said Vice-President Mike Pence, following news of the upcoming meeting being agreed. He said he believed North Korea's willingness to talk proved the US strategy of isolating the country was working. This was a speech meant for Mr Trump's core supporters, the BBC Washington correspondent Chris Buckler says. The president was supporting a Republican bid for a seat in congress but the packed out rally looked and felt like the start of the presidential campaign, our correspondent adds. He announced that his 2020 re-election campaign slogan would be: \"Keep America Great, exclamation point.\" Appealing to his base, he again raised the possibility of the death penalty for drug dealers. President Trump talked tough on trade, describing tariffs as his baby. He re-iterated his threat to tax cars imported from the European Union, saying that the EU better raise barriers and get rid of its own tariffs. \"If you're not going to do that, we're going to tax Mercedes Benz, we're going to tax BMW,\" he said. Mr Trump's words may raise concerns or rile up anger overseas, our correspondent says, but it appealed to the audience Mr Trump wanted to address - his core supporters. \"For years the United States has been getting dumped on,\" said one supporter at the rally. \"Donald Trump is the master of the art of the deal.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1018, "answer_start": 494, "text": "\"Hey, who knows what's going to happen?\" said Mr Trump on Saturday at the rally for a Republican congressional candidate. \"I may leave fast or we may sit down and make the greatest deal for the world.\" In his wide-ranging speech, he said he hoped a deal to ease nuclear tensions would happen, particularly to help countries like North Korea. He also said he believed the North Koreans would honour their commitment not to test any more missiles. Mr Trump told the crowd: \"I think they want to make peace, I think it's time.\"" } ], "id": "258_0", "question": "What did he say about North Korea?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2060, "answer_start": 1019, "text": "No date or place has been set for the meeting, despite initial reports it would happen by the end of May. South Korea's presidential office said the North Korean truce village of Panmunjom, which sits at the demilitarised zone between the North and the South, was a \"serious\" option, Yonhap news agency reported. Sweden, Switzerland and China have also been named as possible hosts. No sitting US president has ever met a North Korean leader and Mr Trump's decision to accept an invitation from the North Korean leader - relayed by South Korean envoys on Thursday - reportedly took top administration officials by surprise. Mr Trump tweeted that a deal was \"very much in the making\", though the White House said the meeting would not take place unless Pyongyang took \"concrete actions\". The US has made \"zero concessions\" with its sanctions, said Vice-President Mike Pence, following news of the upcoming meeting being agreed. He said he believed North Korea's willingness to talk proved the US strategy of isolating the country was working." } ], "id": "258_1", "question": "Where could the talks be held?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3178, "answer_start": 2549, "text": "President Trump talked tough on trade, describing tariffs as his baby. He re-iterated his threat to tax cars imported from the European Union, saying that the EU better raise barriers and get rid of its own tariffs. \"If you're not going to do that, we're going to tax Mercedes Benz, we're going to tax BMW,\" he said. Mr Trump's words may raise concerns or rile up anger overseas, our correspondent says, but it appealed to the audience Mr Trump wanted to address - his core supporters. \"For years the United States has been getting dumped on,\" said one supporter at the rally. \"Donald Trump is the master of the art of the deal.\"" } ], "id": "258_2", "question": "And tariffs?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "There is confusion in Kenya after the country's interior minister said that harmful levels of mercury had been discovered in sugar consignments seized in police raids last week. He has since been contradicted by top government officials, creating uncertainty and a crisis of public confidence in the country's sugar supply. Last week, the authorities said they had seized more than 1,000 bags of illegally imported sugar from warehouses in the capital Nairobi and other parts of the country. Following the raids, Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i told local media that harmful levels of mercury and copper had been found in samples tested from the sugar seized in Nairobi's Eastleigh area. But his claim was denied by Trade Minister Adan Mohamed, who denied that the impounded sugar sacks contained mercury. The Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs), the body that regulates food safety in Kenya, has also denied that any mercury had been found in the samples seized. But its boss, Charles Ongwae, told MPs on Thursday that the samples had been found to contain copper and lead. He said the samples contained nearly 21mg/kg of copper, more than 10 times the recommended safe level. In a shock development on Friday, Mr Ongwae was arrested, along with several other Kebs officials, in connection with the scandal. Meanwhile, Kenya's Government Chemist, which is tasked with carrying out biochemical analysis of products suspected to be toxic, refused to tell the BBC whether or not tests had shown the presence of contaminated sugar. It referred the BBC to the Ministry of Health, which has so far not commented on the issue and did not respond to multiple requests for an interview. It is hard to say anything definitive at this point, given the contradictory reports that have been coming from different government authorities. But experts in the field are not impressed at the government's handling of the situation. \"Conflicting information from the government should be a cause for worry for Kenyans\", says Dr Catherine Kunyanga, senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi's department of food science, nutrition and technology. \"Any presence of heavy metals in foodstuffs should worry consumers,\" she says. If the reports of heavy metals contaminating sugar supplies are confirmed, she thinks it would be a cause for concern, especially when it comes to lead. Lead is more toxic than mercury, she says, and children are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead, which can damage the brain and nervous system. As for copper, Dr Kunyanga says it could have been introduced if the soil or water feeding the sugarcane plant was contaminated. Her advice to Kenyans is to stop buying cheap sugar, which is more likely to be contaminated. The health ministry has instructed public health officials in all of Kenya's 47 counties to test samples of all sugar being sold. A health ministry official told the BBC on Wednesday that it was still considering whether to make any comment on the scandal, calling it \"an internal security issue.\" Sugar prices have increased in shops in some parts of the country, creating problems for both traders and consumers. Dakane Ahmed, a shopkeeper in Nairobi's Eastleigh area, says he has to walk long distances in search of sugar to restock his shop. \"We used to buy a 50kg bag of sugar for 4,000 Kenyan shillings (PS30; $40), but now it's 6,300 shillings (PS47; $62). \"Now we have to go around looking for sugar, which is not available in warehouses in this area,\" he says. Mr Ahmed says he has almost doubled the price of 1kg of sugar, from $0.80 (PS0.60) to $1.50 (PS1.10), and he is worried that poor customers will no longer be able to afford it. Kenyans on social media have expressed worry about consuming toxic sugar and many questions still remain unanswered. Many have been using the hashtag #sugarylies on Twitter to criticise what they see as misleading and false statements being made about the scandal by politicians.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 806, "answer_start": 324, "text": "Last week, the authorities said they had seized more than 1,000 bags of illegally imported sugar from warehouses in the capital Nairobi and other parts of the country. Following the raids, Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i told local media that harmful levels of mercury and copper had been found in samples tested from the sugar seized in Nairobi's Eastleigh area. But his claim was denied by Trade Minister Adan Mohamed, who denied that the impounded sugar sacks contained mercury." } ], "id": "259_0", "question": "What's the row about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Philip Hammond says next week's Budget will set out how the government will build 300,000 new homes a year. But the chancellor said there was no \"single magic bullet\" to increase housing supply and the government would not simply \"pour money in\". Ministers want to speed up developments where planning permission has been granted and give more help to small building firms, he added. Labour says ministers \"still have no plan to fix the housing crisis\". Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show ahead of Wednesday's Budget, the chancellor also said: - \"There are no unemployed people\" while discussing the threat to jobs posed by technological change - when pressed later, he said the government hadn't forgotten the 1.4m who are unemployed - The government was \"on the brink\" of making \"some serious movement forward\" in the Brexit negotiations - Ministers would not withdraw a controversial bid to enshrine the exact Brexit date in law - The health service will not face \"Armageddon\" if it is not given a PS4bn funding boost demanded by the boss of NHS England The shortage of housing is expected to be one of the themes of the Budget, with Mr Hammond under pressure to ease the difficulties faced by first-time buyers trying to get a deposit. He said it was \"not acceptable\" that young people find it so hard to buy a home, and promised to set out how the government would keep its \"pledge to the next generation\". He did not commit to the PS50bn reportedly being demanded by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid to finance a house-building drive, but committed to the target of 300,000 new homes in England. He insisted the government was delivering new homes at record levels, with 217,350 \"additional dwellings\" in England last year, but acknowledged more needed to be done. Focusing on sites where planning permission has been granted, he said the government would use the \"powers of state\" to get \"missing homes built\". It also plans to pay to clean up polluted industrial sites for house building, get town hall bosses to allocate small pockets of land to small developers and guarantee loans by banks to small house builders. Most of the announcements will be saved for Wednesday, but they are also expected to include: - PS75m for artificial intelligence - PS400m for electric car charge points - PS100m to boost clean car purchases - PS160m for next-generation 5G mobile networks across the UK - PS100m for an additional 8,000 fully-qualified computer science teachers supported by a new National Centre for Computing - A retraining partnership between the TUC (Trade Union Congress), CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and the government - PS76m to boost digital and construction skills The chancellor is also expected to announce regulation changes to allow developers to apply to test driverless vehicles - and revealed he would be testing one out in the West Midlands on Monday. The government is aiming for fully driverless cars - with no safety attendant on board - to be on the road in four years. \"Some would say that's a bold move but I believe we have to embrace these technologies, we have to take up these challenges, if we want to see Britain leading the next industrial revolution,\" Mr Hammond added. Challenged on the impact of wider automation on people's jobs, Mr Hammond went on to say: \"I remember 20 years ago we were worrying about what was going to happen to the million shorthand typists in Britain as the personal computer took over. \"Well nobody has a shorthand typist these days, but where are all these unemployed people? \"There are no unemployed people.\" Asked to clarify his remark later in the interview, he said the government was \"getting people into work at a remarkable rate\" and that it had not forgotten the 1.4m unemployed people in the UK. In a later interview with ITV's Peston, he said: \"The point I was making is previous waves of technological change have not resulted in millions of people being long-term unemployed.\" Also appearing on Marr, Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell defended his own plans to borrow PS250bn over 10 years to invest in capital projects and renationalise several key industries, saying his proposals would allow the UK to \"compete in a global market\". \"When you invest those sums you get a return on that investment that covers any cost of borrowing,\" he said.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3226, "answer_start": 2131, "text": "Most of the announcements will be saved for Wednesday, but they are also expected to include: - PS75m for artificial intelligence - PS400m for electric car charge points - PS100m to boost clean car purchases - PS160m for next-generation 5G mobile networks across the UK - PS100m for an additional 8,000 fully-qualified computer science teachers supported by a new National Centre for Computing - A retraining partnership between the TUC (Trade Union Congress), CBI (Confederation of British Industry) and the government - PS76m to boost digital and construction skills The chancellor is also expected to announce regulation changes to allow developers to apply to test driverless vehicles - and revealed he would be testing one out in the West Midlands on Monday. The government is aiming for fully driverless cars - with no safety attendant on board - to be on the road in four years. \"Some would say that's a bold move but I believe we have to embrace these technologies, we have to take up these challenges, if we want to see Britain leading the next industrial revolution,\" Mr Hammond added." } ], "id": "260_0", "question": "What else will be in the Budget?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3973, "answer_start": 3227, "text": "Challenged on the impact of wider automation on people's jobs, Mr Hammond went on to say: \"I remember 20 years ago we were worrying about what was going to happen to the million shorthand typists in Britain as the personal computer took over. \"Well nobody has a shorthand typist these days, but where are all these unemployed people? \"There are no unemployed people.\" Asked to clarify his remark later in the interview, he said the government was \"getting people into work at a remarkable rate\" and that it had not forgotten the 1.4m unemployed people in the UK. In a later interview with ITV's Peston, he said: \"The point I was making is previous waves of technological change have not resulted in millions of people being long-term unemployed.\"" } ], "id": "260_1", "question": "'No unemployed people'?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korea appears to have blown up tunnels at its only nuclear test site, in a move to reduce regional tensions. Foreign reporters at the Punggye-ri site in the north-east said they had witnessed a huge blast. Pyongyang later said the site had been dismantled. The move by the North was seen as part of a diplomatic rapprochement with South Korea and the US. But scientists believe it partially collapsed after the last test in September 2017, rendering it unusable. It came ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on 12 June, which has now been cancelled by Mr Trump. Independent inspectors were not allowed to witness the process of the dismantling of the Punggye-ri site in the mountainous region of the country, and some worry it could be easily reversible, the BBC's Laura Bicker reports. Three tunnels were collapsed in a series of explosions in front of about 20 handpicked international journalists. Two blasts were reportedly carried out in the morning, and four in the afternoon. Tom Cheshire of Sky News was among the journalists present. He said the doors to the tunnels were \"theatrically rigged\" with \"wires everywhere\". \"We hiked up into the mountains and watched the detonation from about 500 metres [550 yards] away,\" he said. \"They counted it down: three, two, one. There was a huge explosion, you could feel it. Dust came at you, the heat came at you. It was extremely loud.\" North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Institute later said in a statement that the dismantling of the site \"was done in such a way as to make all the tunnels of the test ground collapse by explosion and completely close the tunnel entrances\", NK News website says. \"It has been confirmed that there were neither leakage of radioactive materials nor any adverse impact on the surrounding ecological environment.\" The South Korean government welcomed the news. \"[We] expect it to serve as a chance for complete denuclearisation going forward,\" Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency. Analysis by Mark Fitzpatrick, executive director, International Institute for Strategic Studies-Americas Destruction of the nuclear testing tunnels at Punggye-ri is a demonstrable, tangible step toward the denuclearisation goal that leader Kim Jong-un agreed to at the 27 April Panmunjom Summit. However, North Korea should have allowed experts from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization to observe the tunnel collapse. Not doing so signalled disinterest in verification standards that will be required for any denuclearisation agreement with the US. This harks back to the situation in mid-2008, when, with cameras rolling, North Korea destroyed the cooling tower of its plutonium-production reactor in Yongbyon, but a few months later refused to accept verification requirements to prove that its declaration of plutonium production was complete and correct. Negotiations collapsed and North Korea went on to re-use the reactor after installing a different cooling system. Similarly, North Korea could easily construct new tunnels to resume nuclear testing. Still, the collapse of three existing tunnels, two of which appeared to still be operable, is a welcome first move. It will undoubtedly want something in exchange before it takes more steps. North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests since 2006 in a system of tunnels dug below Mount Mantap. It is thought to have been the North's main nuclear facility and until now the only active nuclear testing site in the world. It is located about 370km (230 miles) north-east of Pyongyang. Test devices are buried deep at the end of the tunnels, which end in a hook. The tunnel gets backfilled to prevent radioactive leakage and then the device is detonated. Pyongyang's reported dismantling of the site is seen by analysts as a first step. But it could indicate that it believes its nuclear programme has made sufficient progress and full testing is no longer needed, Catherine Dill from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) says. She says North Korea's nuclear weapons programme also goes far beyond the existence of one site. Satellite imagery will be used by governments and independent experts to monitor for activity, new buildings and equipment, which might indicate that North Korea plans to resume testing. Satellite imagery may not help if North Korea clandestinely opens a new nuclear test site, Ms Dill says, as it has many other mountains that could be used. But if that were the case, it would be unable to hide any new underground tests, as the resulting seismic tremors would be detected. Earlier on Thursday - ahead of the cancelled of the planned US-North Korea summit - North Korean official Choe Son-hui dismissed remarks by US Vice-President Mike Pence as \"stupid\". Ms Choe, who has been involved in several diplomatic interactions with the US over the past decade, said the North would not \"beg\" for dialogue and warned of a \"nuclear showdown\" if diplomacy failed. Her comments came after Mr Pence warned that North Korea \"may end like Libya\" - where then-leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels in 2011 after renouncing nuclear weapons eight years earlier.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2090, "answer_start": 865, "text": "Three tunnels were collapsed in a series of explosions in front of about 20 handpicked international journalists. Two blasts were reportedly carried out in the morning, and four in the afternoon. Tom Cheshire of Sky News was among the journalists present. He said the doors to the tunnels were \"theatrically rigged\" with \"wires everywhere\". \"We hiked up into the mountains and watched the detonation from about 500 metres [550 yards] away,\" he said. \"They counted it down: three, two, one. There was a huge explosion, you could feel it. Dust came at you, the heat came at you. It was extremely loud.\" North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Institute later said in a statement that the dismantling of the site \"was done in such a way as to make all the tunnels of the test ground collapse by explosion and completely close the tunnel entrances\", NK News website says. \"It has been confirmed that there were neither leakage of radioactive materials nor any adverse impact on the surrounding ecological environment.\" The South Korean government welcomed the news. \"[We] expect it to serve as a chance for complete denuclearisation going forward,\" Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency." } ], "id": "261_0", "question": "What happened on Thursday?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3810, "answer_start": 3351, "text": "North Korea has conducted six nuclear tests since 2006 in a system of tunnels dug below Mount Mantap. It is thought to have been the North's main nuclear facility and until now the only active nuclear testing site in the world. It is located about 370km (230 miles) north-east of Pyongyang. Test devices are buried deep at the end of the tunnels, which end in a hook. The tunnel gets backfilled to prevent radioactive leakage and then the device is detonated." } ], "id": "261_1", "question": "What do we know about the site?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4676, "answer_start": 3811, "text": "Pyongyang's reported dismantling of the site is seen by analysts as a first step. But it could indicate that it believes its nuclear programme has made sufficient progress and full testing is no longer needed, Catherine Dill from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) says. She says North Korea's nuclear weapons programme also goes far beyond the existence of one site. Satellite imagery will be used by governments and independent experts to monitor for activity, new buildings and equipment, which might indicate that North Korea plans to resume testing. Satellite imagery may not help if North Korea clandestinely opens a new nuclear test site, Ms Dill says, as it has many other mountains that could be used. But if that were the case, it would be unable to hide any new underground tests, as the resulting seismic tremors would be detected." } ], "id": "261_2", "question": "What would it take for North Korea to truly denuclearise?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5255, "answer_start": 4677, "text": "Earlier on Thursday - ahead of the cancelled of the planned US-North Korea summit - North Korean official Choe Son-hui dismissed remarks by US Vice-President Mike Pence as \"stupid\". Ms Choe, who has been involved in several diplomatic interactions with the US over the past decade, said the North would not \"beg\" for dialogue and warned of a \"nuclear showdown\" if diplomacy failed. Her comments came after Mr Pence warned that North Korea \"may end like Libya\" - where then-leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed by rebels in 2011 after renouncing nuclear weapons eight years earlier." } ], "id": "261_3", "question": "What about the recent US-North Korea row?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Indian government launched a flagship scheme in 2016 to eliminate the indoor pollution generated by using kerosene, wood and cow dung on cooking stoves by encouraging the use of cleaner fuel. This scheme involved supplying of bottled cooking gas to tens of millions of rural households across the country. In the run-up to the Indian election, which gets under way on 11 April, BBC Reality Check is examining claims and pledges made by the main political parties. Claim: The Indian government says the gas scheme is significantly reducing the use of more polluting household fuels - but the opposition Congress Party says it is \"half-baked and structurally flawed\". Verdict: The scheme has led to a big increase in households using liquid petroleum gas (LPG) - but the cost of having cylinders refilled is reducing its initial successes. The scheme initially targeted households below the official poverty line, in rural areas. Then, in December 2018, the government announced it was being extended to poor households across the country. Before the project was launched in 2016, most rural households in India cooked with a variety of high-polluting, locally available fuels. The BJP government says the shift to LPG has been a great success and most of those benefiting are women. The opposition Congress party says more than 100 million Indians are still using kerosene oil and other fuels for cooking instead of the cleaner LPG. The government scheme pays gas suppliers for every free LPG connection they install in households. And each connected household can buy its first LPG cylinder using an interest-free government loan. However, they have to pay for all subsequent gas cylinders themselves, albeit at a subsidised price. When the BJP government came to power, in May 2014, 130 million LPG connections had already been made in India, under schemes launched by previous governments. By 9 January 2019, the last date for which figures are available, almost 64 million new LPG connections for poorer families had been completed. So it's possible the government might meet its own target, of 80 million by May 2019. But this is not the whole story. Since the scheme was introduced in 2016 the cost of unsubsidised LPG gas cylinders has risen considerably. The government has sought to reduce the impact of the rise by increasing the subsidy offered. But this subsidy applies only to the first 12 cylinders purchased - after that the gas must be bought at the full cost. And some recipients have complained that the subsidy can only be claimed after having purchased the gas at the full price, which can be hard for poorer families to do. Journalist Nitin Sethi filed Freedom of Information requests with the government to find out the numbers of families buying refills after the initial LPG connection. \"It was clear that a majority of those families who have been given LPG connections for free do not get them refilled for the second time because they can't afford it,\" he says. He says they then revert back to traditional methods of cooking, with cow dung cakes and firewood. But this is not the government's view. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says 80% of those provided with new LPG connections have already bought at least four refills. He adds: \"20% of those who are not getting their cylinders refilled do not do so because they live near forest areas where they have easy access to firewood.\" Of the households that remain unconnected, 35% have access to free fuel - more than a third use firewood and the rest cow dung - according to financial analytics agency Crisil. It says the lengthy wait to refill cylinders - as well as the cost - also puts people off. Read more from Reality Check Send us your questions Follow us on Twitter", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3689, "answer_start": 2159, "text": "Since the scheme was introduced in 2016 the cost of unsubsidised LPG gas cylinders has risen considerably. The government has sought to reduce the impact of the rise by increasing the subsidy offered. But this subsidy applies only to the first 12 cylinders purchased - after that the gas must be bought at the full cost. And some recipients have complained that the subsidy can only be claimed after having purchased the gas at the full price, which can be hard for poorer families to do. Journalist Nitin Sethi filed Freedom of Information requests with the government to find out the numbers of families buying refills after the initial LPG connection. \"It was clear that a majority of those families who have been given LPG connections for free do not get them refilled for the second time because they can't afford it,\" he says. He says they then revert back to traditional methods of cooking, with cow dung cakes and firewood. But this is not the government's view. Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says 80% of those provided with new LPG connections have already bought at least four refills. He adds: \"20% of those who are not getting their cylinders refilled do not do so because they live near forest areas where they have easy access to firewood.\" Of the households that remain unconnected, 35% have access to free fuel - more than a third use firewood and the rest cow dung - according to financial analytics agency Crisil. It says the lengthy wait to refill cylinders - as well as the cost - also puts people off." } ], "id": "262_0", "question": "What's happening with refills?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The claim: The Electoral College system is a \"disaster for democracy\" because it means a candidate can get the most votes and not win the election. Reality Check verdict: It is true to say that in America you can win the popular vote and lose the election. This is also true of the electoral system in the UK and elsewhere. Such systems are democratic, although some people would like them to be changed to be more directly representative of how votes were cast. In 2012, Donald Trump tweeted that the American electoral system was a \"disaster for democracy\". Since being elected he has repeated this sentiment, saying he would rather see a system in which, \"you get 100 million votes and somebody else gets 90 million votes, and you win\". But the president-elect has benefited from the system he dubbed undemocratic. It is likely that the final tallies from last week's election will confirm that more people voted for Hillary Clinton, but Mr Trump won, under a system known as the electoral college. Campaigning organisations such as National Popular Vote agree with Mr Trump, arguing that the candidate most people vote for should get into the White House. Two days after seeming to stand by his words, however, Mr Trump tweeted that the electoral college was \"actually genius in that it brings all states, including the smaller ones, into play\". Instead of totting up each person's vote, in the US every state gets a certain number of votes depending partly on the size of its population. The way it's worked out means there's a minimum of three votes per state. In most states, the most popular candidate wins all of its votes, even if 49% of people voted a different way. The system is different in Maine and Nebraska, where voting is broken down into Congressional districts, which means not all the state's electoral college votes have to go to the same candidate. Winning a state like California, which gets 55 of the total 538 electoral college votes, will put a candidate a long way towards the 270 state votes needed to win the presidency. Even if they win that state by a single vote, they get all 55 votes. It is better to win by a small margin in lots of states than win by a landslide in just a few - the scale of the win (and therefore the number of people who support you) is meaningless - you still only get one state with a fixed number of electoral college votes. Candidates identify the states that are safely either Republican or Democrat - the ones they are bound to lose or win - and broadly ignore these in their campaign efforts. Instead, they focus their attentions on the states that tend to swing between the two parties. This means that, arguably, the election is decided not by the nation as whole but by a small number of so-called battleground states. Two-thirds (273 out of 399) of campaign events in the 2016 election were held in only six states (Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Michigan). If you live in a state where most people support one party, your vote against that party is wasted, whereas if you live in a more divided state your vote has greater influence. Electoral college votes also do not match up exactly to population size meaning some people's votes have more clout than others. Because the minimum number of votes a state can have is three, the smallest states get electoral power disproportionate to their population. The average state gets one electoral vote for every 565,166 people. But Wyoming, which only has a population of 532,668, gets a vote for every 177,556 people, giving those individuals more than three times the electoral influence of the average American. For many, the idea that you can have the most people vote for you but still lose the election seems undemocratic. This has happened five times in US history, most recently in 2000 when Al Gore lost to George W Bush. The fact that Mr Trump won several key swing states very narrowly, while Mrs Clinton won big majorities in some states is part of the reason she was able to get more votes but still lose the election. It's important to recognise that politicians campaign to the system they are operating in - we cannot say that if the electoral system were different the result would definitely have been different since the candidates may well have campaigned accordingly. Could you win a UK general election without winning the popular vote? Absolutely - it happened in 1951 and 1974. As in the US, our first-past-the-post system means any votes you win in a seat where you don't have a majority effectively don't count - it doesn't matter whether you gain 40% or 4% of the votes. There has been a long-running campaign in the UK to reform our electoral system. Campaigners have called for a system of proportional representation as far back as 1884. Under the UK's multi-party system, in the most extreme case you could comfortably win the popular vote but get no seats in the House of Commons by coming second in every constituency. What is more common is to see a party winning a majority in Parliament with as little as 35% or 36% of the popular vote, as Labour did in 2005 and the Conservatives in 2015. In the 1950s and 1960s, winning parties averaged about 47%. And we can see the same kind of thing happening with the vote share of smaller parties. In 2005, the Liberal Democrats received 22% of the votes but only won 62 seats, which was less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons. In the 2015 election, UKIP won 3.9 million votes out of a total of around 30 million votes cast nationally, but only ended up with one Member of Parliament.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5612, "answer_start": 4329, "text": "Could you win a UK general election without winning the popular vote? Absolutely - it happened in 1951 and 1974. As in the US, our first-past-the-post system means any votes you win in a seat where you don't have a majority effectively don't count - it doesn't matter whether you gain 40% or 4% of the votes. There has been a long-running campaign in the UK to reform our electoral system. Campaigners have called for a system of proportional representation as far back as 1884. Under the UK's multi-party system, in the most extreme case you could comfortably win the popular vote but get no seats in the House of Commons by coming second in every constituency. What is more common is to see a party winning a majority in Parliament with as little as 35% or 36% of the popular vote, as Labour did in 2005 and the Conservatives in 2015. In the 1950s and 1960s, winning parties averaged about 47%. And we can see the same kind of thing happening with the vote share of smaller parties. In 2005, the Liberal Democrats received 22% of the votes but only won 62 seats, which was less than 10% of the seats in the House of Commons. In the 2015 election, UKIP won 3.9 million votes out of a total of around 30 million votes cast nationally, but only ended up with one Member of Parliament." } ], "id": "263_0", "question": "Could it happen here?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The UK government has apologised to a Libyan dissident and his wife after its actions contributed to their detention, transfer to Libya and his torture by Colonel Gaddafi's forces in 2004. Prime Minister Theresa May said Abdul Hakim Belhaj and Fatima Boudchar had suffered \"appalling treatment\". Ms Boudchar, who was pregnant at the time, has accepted Mrs May's apology and will receive a PS500,000 payout. The couple say an MI6 tip-off helped the US kidnap them in Thailand. Mr Belhaj was taken to Tripoli and says he was tortured by his Libyan jailers during a six-year spell in prison. Ms Boudchar was also detained but was released shortly before giving birth. Speaking to BBC News, he said the apology should serve as a \"lesson\" to governments not to repeat the couple's rendition. \"I hope that it is a new page in history, that we guarantee and strengthen human rights and this practice is not repeated which violated mine and my wife's rights.\" Mr Belhaj added the six years the family waited for this was \"an extension of the suffering for my family\" on top of the years he was held captive. In a letter read out in the Commons, Mrs May said UK actions had contributed to the couple's capture and that the government had \"shared information\" about them with \"international partners\". The letter said: \"It is clear that you were both subjected to appalling treatment and that you suffered greatly, not least to the dignity of Mrs Boudchar, who was pregnant at the time. \"The UK government believes your accounts. Neither of you should have been treated this way. The UK government's actions contributed to your detention, rendition and suffering. The UK government shared information about you with its international partners.\" Mrs May said the UK \"should have done more to reduce the risk\" of the pair being mistreated, adding: \"We accept this was a failing on our part. On behalf of Her Majesty's government, I apologise unreservedly.\" Ms Boudchar, who travelled to the UK with her son Abderrahim to hear the statement in Parliament, described the day's events as \"historic\" and called on world leaders to show solidarity for those who have suffered injustice \"even if they're of different religion or culture\". By Dominic Casciani The settlement is the first time ministers have apologised for a specific act involving British security agencies. Papers discovered in Tripoli, Libya - during the fall of the dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 - included evidence of how MI6 and the CIA had groomed Gaddafi and his regime to come in from the cold. The UK's plan was to convince Gaddafi to not only stop threatening the West, but to also provide intelligence on Libyan dissidents and their potential links to al-Qaeda. Details of secret conferences and documents referring to Mr Belhaj have emerged and help illustrate how the rendition case developed. Read more from Dominic Attorney General Jeremy Wright, who read out Mrs May's letter, said Mr Belhaj had not sought and would not receive financial compensation. However, friends of the couple said the UK had agreed to pay Mr Belhaj and Ms Boudchar's \"substantial\" legal fees. Jack Straw, foreign secretary at the time of the rendition case, issued a statement in which he said he had \"sought to act at all times in a manner which was fully consistent with my legal duties, and with national and international law\". He said it had been part of his role to approve \"a wide range of matters to protect our national security\" including the sharing of information with international partners. This included getting assurances that those concerned were being treated humanely, he said. Mr Belhaj was born in 1966 in the Souq al-Jumaa area of Tripoli and studied at al-Fateh University, where press reports say he earned a civil engineering degree. He became an opponent of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and commanded the now defunct Libyan Islamic Fighting Group which staged a low-level insurgency war and attempted to assassinate Col Gaddafi three times. He fled the country in 2001 but was three years later abducted in Bangkok - along with his wife, then five-months pregnant - while attempting to fly to London to claim asylum in the UK. Mr Belhaj is now a politician in Libya.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4248, "answer_start": 3648, "text": "Mr Belhaj was born in 1966 in the Souq al-Jumaa area of Tripoli and studied at al-Fateh University, where press reports say he earned a civil engineering degree. He became an opponent of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and commanded the now defunct Libyan Islamic Fighting Group which staged a low-level insurgency war and attempted to assassinate Col Gaddafi three times. He fled the country in 2001 but was three years later abducted in Bangkok - along with his wife, then five-months pregnant - while attempting to fly to London to claim asylum in the UK. Mr Belhaj is now a politician in Libya." } ], "id": "264_0", "question": "Who is Abdul Hakim Belhaj?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The United States has confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus on its territory. The Centers for Disease Control said the virus, which originated in China, had been diagnosed in a US resident who arrived in Seattle from China. The virus, which spread from the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected almost 300 people, and six have died. North Korea has temporarily closed its borders to foreign tourists in response to the threat, a tour operator says. The patient diagnosed in the US - reported to be a man in his 30s - returned from Wuhan on 15 January, the CDC said. \"The patient sought care at a medical facility in the state of Washington, where the patient was treated for the illness,\" it added in a statement. \"Based on the patient's travel history and symptoms, healthcare professionals suspected this new coronavirus.\" Laboratory testing of a clinical specimen confirmed the diagnosis on 20 January, the CDC statement continued. The announcement that North Korea was barring entry to foreign tourists came from Young Pioneer Tours, which is based in China and specialises in travel to North Korea. The company said in a statement that North Korea was implementing a temporary ban as a precaution. \"Further details are yet to be confirmed by our travel partners in North Korea and we will continue to make all future announcements on our website,\" Young Pioneer Tours said. Another tour group that travels to North Korea, Koryo Tours, also tweeted about \"possible limits to tourist entry\". Some experts have previously warned that international sanctions on North Korea had hit the country's healthcare system, by restricting the delivery of aid and medical equipment. Last November, US doctor Kee B Park wrote in USA Today: \"I have seen how the North Korean doctors have adapted to scarcity. For example, they reuse intravenous catheters, scalpels, gauze and gloves by meticulously cleaning and re-sterilising them - until they become unusable.\" Earlier on Monday, Chinese officials confirmed for the first time that the virus could pass from person to person. At the same time Chinese state media said six people had died from the infection, which causes a type of pneumonia. A total of 291 cases have now been reported across major cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai. However, most are in Wuhan, the central city of 11 million people at the heart of the outbreak. The disease was first identified there late last year, and the outbreak is believed to be linked to a seafood market that also sells live animals. Aside from the United States, two cases have been identified in Thailand, one in Japan, one in South Korea and one in Taiwan. All those infected had recently returned from Wuhan. Authorities in several countries, including Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan have stepped up screening of air passengers from Wuhan. US authorities last week announced similar measures at airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. They have now announced plans to introduce similar measures at airports in Chicago and Atlanta this week. In Australia, a man who had travelled to Wuhan has been placed in isolation and is undergoing tests. China is the largest source of tourists to Australia, with more than a million Chinese citizens visiting last year. But the measures being put in place by North Korea are the strictest so far. A report by the Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, suggested there could be more than 1,700 infections. However, Gabriel Leung, the dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kong, put the figure closer to 1,300. The virus, known also as 2019-nCoV, is understood to be a new strain of coronavirus that has not previously been identified in humans. Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses, but only six (the new one would make it seven) are known to infect people. The World Health Organization has advised people to avoid \"unprotected\" contact with live animals, thoroughly cook meat and eggs, and avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms. Signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3629, "answer_start": 1960, "text": "Earlier on Monday, Chinese officials confirmed for the first time that the virus could pass from person to person. At the same time Chinese state media said six people had died from the infection, which causes a type of pneumonia. A total of 291 cases have now been reported across major cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai. However, most are in Wuhan, the central city of 11 million people at the heart of the outbreak. The disease was first identified there late last year, and the outbreak is believed to be linked to a seafood market that also sells live animals. Aside from the United States, two cases have been identified in Thailand, one in Japan, one in South Korea and one in Taiwan. All those infected had recently returned from Wuhan. Authorities in several countries, including Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan have stepped up screening of air passengers from Wuhan. US authorities last week announced similar measures at airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. They have now announced plans to introduce similar measures at airports in Chicago and Atlanta this week. In Australia, a man who had travelled to Wuhan has been placed in isolation and is undergoing tests. China is the largest source of tourists to Australia, with more than a million Chinese citizens visiting last year. But the measures being put in place by North Korea are the strictest so far. A report by the Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis at Imperial College, London, suggested there could be more than 1,700 infections. However, Gabriel Leung, the dean of medicine at the University of Hong Kong, put the figure closer to 1,300." } ], "id": "265_0", "question": "Where has the virus spread?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4193, "answer_start": 3630, "text": "The virus, known also as 2019-nCoV, is understood to be a new strain of coronavirus that has not previously been identified in humans. Coronaviruses are a broad family of viruses, but only six (the new one would make it seven) are known to infect people. The World Health Organization has advised people to avoid \"unprotected\" contact with live animals, thoroughly cook meat and eggs, and avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms. Signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties." } ], "id": "265_1", "question": "What else do we know about the virus?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A US man died when a vape pen blew up and projected fragments into his skull, a post-mortem examination has found. Tallmadge D'Elia also suffered burns over 80% of his body in a fire on 5 May caused by the exploding e-cigarette, according to forensic officials. The 38-year-old's body was discovered by firefighters in the burning bedroom of his family home in the beach resort of St Petersburg, Florida. It is believed to be the first US death from a vape pen explosion. The television producer's death has been ruled an accident. The Pinellas-Pasco Medical Examiner said the official cause of death was \"projectile wound of head\", reports the Tampa Bay Times. Two pieces of the vape pen were found in his cranium, according to the autopsy. The report said emergency crews encountered \"extensive\" fire damage to the bedroom where the body was found, but minimal smoke. The electronic cigarette was manufactured by Smok-E Mountain, said the medical examiner. Christopher D'Elia, the dead man's father, told ABC Action News it was a \"terrible shock\". \"Anybody who has lost a son doesn't want anybody else to lose a child to something like this,\" he said. It's not entirely clear and is not written in the post-mortem examination report. The vape pen that Mr D'Elia was using was a so-called mechanical mod, meaning it drew power directly from the battery and did not regulate the voltage in the same way as other e-cigarettes. The president of the American Vaping Association told the New York Times that most other e-cigarettes have more safety features than mechanical mods. Such safety features can include computer chips. A representative of the manufacturer, Smok-E Mountain, blamed the device's battery for the explosion when speaking to ABC Action News. They also said it might have been down to the mouthpiece. Vape pens use lithium-ion batteries, favoured in smartphones and other portable electronic devices because they can provide high amounts of electricity using little space. They are used throughout the world with few incidents, but in 2016 Samsung halted sales of the Galaxy Note 7 phone because some were catching fire when the batteries short-circuited. According to the US Fire Administration, between 2009-16 there were 195 separate incidents of explosions and fires involving an e-cigarette, resulting in 133 acute injuries, 38 of them severe. In 2015, an e-cigarette exploded in the face of a 29-year-old Colorado man, breaking his neck and shattering his teeth. A fire in January this year at Denver International Airport was blamed on a vape pen's lithium-ion battery. For safety, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US recommends: - using vapes with safety features, like protection against overcharging - keeping your vape covered and away from loose coins and batteries - using only the approved charger that came with the vape pen to charge it - replacing batteries if they get damaged or wet - not charging your vape overnight", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2172, "answer_start": 1154, "text": "It's not entirely clear and is not written in the post-mortem examination report. The vape pen that Mr D'Elia was using was a so-called mechanical mod, meaning it drew power directly from the battery and did not regulate the voltage in the same way as other e-cigarettes. The president of the American Vaping Association told the New York Times that most other e-cigarettes have more safety features than mechanical mods. Such safety features can include computer chips. A representative of the manufacturer, Smok-E Mountain, blamed the device's battery for the explosion when speaking to ABC Action News. They also said it might have been down to the mouthpiece. Vape pens use lithium-ion batteries, favoured in smartphones and other portable electronic devices because they can provide high amounts of electricity using little space. They are used throughout the world with few incidents, but in 2016 Samsung halted sales of the Galaxy Note 7 phone because some were catching fire when the batteries short-circuited." } ], "id": "266_0", "question": "How did the device explode?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Accusers of Harvey Weinstein have welcomed the guilty verdicts in the rape and sexual assault case against the former Hollywood mogul. Actress Rose McGowan told the BBC \"this is a great day\", while others said the ruling brought hope to victims that their voices would be heard. Weinstein, 67, was convicted in New York City of third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act. He was cleared of the most serious count of predatory sexual assault. Weinstein faces up to 25 years in prison over the guilty verdicts relating to two women. His lawyers say he will appeal. \"I'm innocent. How can this happen in America?\" Weinstein's lawyer Arthur Aidala quoted his client as saying. The former movie executive still faces charges in Los Angeles of assaulting two women in 2013. In all, at least 80 women had accused him of sexual misconduct stretching back decades, including actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek. Most of those complaints, however, have not led to criminal charges, as they are beyond the statute of limitations - meaning they happened too long ago. The allegations were at the centre of the #MeToo movement that prompted women to go public with misconduct allegations against powerful men. Weinstein once enjoyed phenomenal success with Oscar winners such as Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting, The King's Speech and Shakespeare in Love. He was taken to New York's Bellevue Hospital reportedly suffering from chest pains after the verdict was announced. He had been due to be moved to prison on Riker's Island to await sentencing. The jury of seven men and five women reached their verdict on Monday morning, the fifth day of deliberations. Weinstein - who denied all charges - was convicted of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a former aspiring actress, in 2013. The judge ordered him to be sent to jail immediately. But the jury acquitted him on two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life sentence, and first-degree rape of Mann. In the minutes after the verdict, Weinstein showed no emotion as he talked to his lead lawyer Donna Rotunno. A third-degree rape charge in New York is defined as engaging in sexual intercourse with a person who is incapable of consent, or under age 17, or who has not given consent for a reason other than the inability to consent. Prosecutors portrayed Weinstein as a serial predator who used his position of power in Hollywood to manipulate and attack women. The defence team said sex between the movie executive and the accusers was consensual, and that the accusers used it to advance their careers. The allegations amounted to \"regret renamed as rape\", the defence said. Two of the accusers kept in contact with Weinstein and had sex with him after the alleged attacks, they pointed out. How did we get here? - Allegations against Weinstein began to emerge in October 2017, when the New York Times first reported incidents dating back decades - Weinstein issued an apology acknowledging he had \"caused a lot of pain\", but disputed the allegations - As dozens more accusations emerged, Weinstein was sacked by the board of his company and all but banished from Hollywood - A criminal investigation was launched in New York in late 2017, but Weinstein was not charged until May 2018, when he turned himself in to police. Ms Haleyi, who had worked on one of Weinstein's television productions, said she was assaulted by the producer after he invited her to his Lower Manhattan home. She testified that he backed her into a bedroom, held her down on the bed and forced himself on her. Ms Mann said that she found herself in an \"extremely degrading\" relationship with him that did not involve intercourse until he raped her in a New York City hotel room in 2013. She said he was a \"Jekyll and Hyde\" figure who could be charming in public but showed his dark side when they were alone. Another one of Weinstein's accusers, Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra, told jurors he raped her in her apartment one night in the mid-1990s. Her allegation was too old to be charged as a separate crime, but prosecutors used it in an attempt to demonstrate that the accused was a repeat sexual offender. Following the verdict, Ms Sciorra said: \"I spoke for myself and with the strength of the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my heart.\" Three other also women testified they were lured to apparent work meetings with Weinstein, then sexually assaulted. Rose McGowan told the BBC's Newshour programme: \"The little girl I was when I was hurt, she's ecstatic...This is a great day. The trash has been taken out.\" The actress, who was an early Weinstein accuser, added: \"The fact that we are white women and attractive and of some means and it still took this many of us to even get him to have one day in court - just tells you...how almost impossible it is to even be heard, period, let alone [get] any kind of conviction.\" In a joint letter, actresses Ashley Judd, Lucia Evans and Rosanna Arquette and 19 other Weinstein accusers called it \"disappointing that today's outcome does not deliver the true, full justice that so many women deserve,\" but expressed gratitude towards all the women who came forward to speak out against him. Meanwhile, Ms Rotunno said that \"the fight is not over\". \"Harvey is unbelievably strong. He took it like a man and he knows we will continue to fight for him and he knows that this is not over.\" Ms Rotunno said her client was disappointed, but \"mentally tough\". What happens next? - Weinstein will be sentenced on 11 March - He still faces charges of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles, and there are other cases under review, according to the county district attorney - Civil complaints against Weinstein continue to be fought - In December 2019, lawyers said they reached a tentative $25m (PS19m) deal with some accusers", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2849, "answer_start": 1568, "text": "The jury of seven men and five women reached their verdict on Monday morning, the fifth day of deliberations. Weinstein - who denied all charges - was convicted of sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a former aspiring actress, in 2013. The judge ordered him to be sent to jail immediately. But the jury acquitted him on two counts of predatory sexual assault, which carried a potential life sentence, and first-degree rape of Mann. In the minutes after the verdict, Weinstein showed no emotion as he talked to his lead lawyer Donna Rotunno. A third-degree rape charge in New York is defined as engaging in sexual intercourse with a person who is incapable of consent, or under age 17, or who has not given consent for a reason other than the inability to consent. Prosecutors portrayed Weinstein as a serial predator who used his position of power in Hollywood to manipulate and attack women. The defence team said sex between the movie executive and the accusers was consensual, and that the accusers used it to advance their careers. The allegations amounted to \"regret renamed as rape\", the defence said. Two of the accusers kept in contact with Weinstein and had sex with him after the alleged attacks, they pointed out." } ], "id": "267_0", "question": "What happened in the New York court?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4501, "answer_start": 3381, "text": "Ms Haleyi, who had worked on one of Weinstein's television productions, said she was assaulted by the producer after he invited her to his Lower Manhattan home. She testified that he backed her into a bedroom, held her down on the bed and forced himself on her. Ms Mann said that she found herself in an \"extremely degrading\" relationship with him that did not involve intercourse until he raped her in a New York City hotel room in 2013. She said he was a \"Jekyll and Hyde\" figure who could be charming in public but showed his dark side when they were alone. Another one of Weinstein's accusers, Sopranos actress Annabella Sciorra, told jurors he raped her in her apartment one night in the mid-1990s. Her allegation was too old to be charged as a separate crime, but prosecutors used it in an attempt to demonstrate that the accused was a repeat sexual offender. Following the verdict, Ms Sciorra said: \"I spoke for myself and with the strength of the 80-plus victims of Harvey Weinstein in my heart.\" Three other also women testified they were lured to apparent work meetings with Weinstein, then sexually assaulted." } ], "id": "267_1", "question": "What were the allegations in this case?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5543, "answer_start": 4502, "text": "Rose McGowan told the BBC's Newshour programme: \"The little girl I was when I was hurt, she's ecstatic...This is a great day. The trash has been taken out.\" The actress, who was an early Weinstein accuser, added: \"The fact that we are white women and attractive and of some means and it still took this many of us to even get him to have one day in court - just tells you...how almost impossible it is to even be heard, period, let alone [get] any kind of conviction.\" In a joint letter, actresses Ashley Judd, Lucia Evans and Rosanna Arquette and 19 other Weinstein accusers called it \"disappointing that today's outcome does not deliver the true, full justice that so many women deserve,\" but expressed gratitude towards all the women who came forward to speak out against him. Meanwhile, Ms Rotunno said that \"the fight is not over\". \"Harvey is unbelievably strong. He took it like a man and he knows we will continue to fight for him and he knows that this is not over.\" Ms Rotunno said her client was disappointed, but \"mentally tough\"." } ], "id": "267_2", "question": "What more reaction has there been?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that \"trolls and conspiracy theories\" are undermining their response to the new coronavirus. WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters that misinformation was \"making the work of our heroic workers even harder\". More than 34,800 people have been infected with the new coronavirus worldwide, the vast majority in China. There have been 723 deaths in China and one death abroad, in the Philippines. Of the 34,598 people infected within China, Dr Tedros said almost 25,000 are in Hubei Province - the region where the outbreak was first reported, which has since become the epicentre of the virus. \"I would also like to speak briefly about the importance of facts, not fear,\" Dr Tedros said. \"People must have access to accurate information to protect themselves and others.\" He said misinformation around the new strain, 2019-nCoV, \"causes confusion and spreads fear to the general public\". \"At the WHO we're not just battling the virus, we're also battling the trolls and conspiracy theories that undermine our response,\" he added. \"As a Guardian [newspaper] headline says today, 'Misinformation on the coronavirus might be the most contagious thing about it'.\" In that article, published by The Guardian's opinion section, epidemiologist Adam Kucharski argues that the best way to combat online falsehoods around the virus is to \"treat them like a real-life virus\". A number of false theories have been spread globally about the virus in recent weeks. Russia's Channel One, for example, has been airing coronavirus conspiracy theories on its prime-time evening news show Vremya (meaning \"Time\"). In one segment, the host links the virus to US President Donald Trump, and claims that US intelligence agencies or pharmaceutical companies are behind it. Another debunked conspiracy theory, published in British and US tabloid media, linked the virus to a video of a Chinese woman eating bat soup. Reports claimed the clip was filmed in Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, when the outbreak was first reported. However it was filmed in 2016 and was in Palau, in the western Pacific Ocean - not China. And a now-widely-discredited scientific study released last month linked the new coronavirus to snakes - leading to global headlines discussing the spread of \"snake flu\". Dr Tedros said that the virus is still concentrated in Hubei, and that over the last four days there appeared to have been a slight stabilisation in the number of cases. However, he said it was still too early to say whether or not the virus has plateaued, as epidemics can often slow down before accelerating again. But he added that the slow-down was \"an opportunity\" for them to work to contain the virus. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has begun a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China. Visitors are being told to isolate themselves in hotel rooms or government-run centres, while residents are required to stay in their homes. Flouting the new rules will be punishable with a fine and a prison sentence. There have been 26 confirmed cases of the virus in Hong Kong. On Thursday, a 60-year-old US citizen - the first confirmed non-Chinese victim of the illness - died in Wuhan's Jinyintan Hospital. On Saturday, France confirmed five new cases in its Haute-Savoie region, including a nine-year-old boy, which brings the total of infected people in the country to 11. French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said all of the five new cases were British nationals staying in the same chalet, which had also housed a Briton who had been in Singapore. Their condition is not said to be serious. A further six people who stayed at the chalet are under observation. There has also been widespread anger and grief across China over the death of Li Wenliang, a doctor who tried to warn about the new coronavirus. He contracted the virus while treating patients in Wuhan, in Hubei province.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3939, "answer_start": 2338, "text": "Dr Tedros said that the virus is still concentrated in Hubei, and that over the last four days there appeared to have been a slight stabilisation in the number of cases. However, he said it was still too early to say whether or not the virus has plateaued, as epidemics can often slow down before accelerating again. But he added that the slow-down was \"an opportunity\" for them to work to contain the virus. Meanwhile, Hong Kong has begun a mandatory two-week quarantine for anyone arriving from mainland China. Visitors are being told to isolate themselves in hotel rooms or government-run centres, while residents are required to stay in their homes. Flouting the new rules will be punishable with a fine and a prison sentence. There have been 26 confirmed cases of the virus in Hong Kong. On Thursday, a 60-year-old US citizen - the first confirmed non-Chinese victim of the illness - died in Wuhan's Jinyintan Hospital. On Saturday, France confirmed five new cases in its Haute-Savoie region, including a nine-year-old boy, which brings the total of infected people in the country to 11. French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn said all of the five new cases were British nationals staying in the same chalet, which had also housed a Briton who had been in Singapore. Their condition is not said to be serious. A further six people who stayed at the chalet are under observation. There has also been widespread anger and grief across China over the death of Li Wenliang, a doctor who tried to warn about the new coronavirus. He contracted the virus while treating patients in Wuhan, in Hubei province." } ], "id": "268_0", "question": "What is the latest on the coronavirus?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Toys R Us has gone into administration, putting 3,000 UK jobs at risk. Administrators have been appointed to begin \"an orderly wind-down\" of the UK's biggest toy retailer following the failure to find a buyer. They said that all 105 Toys R Us stores will remain open until further notice. Joint administrator Simon Thomas said: \"Whilst this process is likely to affect many Toys R Us staff, whether some or all of the stores will close remains to be decided.\" Toys R Us has been facing a PS15m tax bill. However, poor sales have made it unlikely that it can make the payment. Mr Thomas said: \"We will make every effort to secure a buyer for all or part of the business. \"The newer, smaller, more interactive stores in the portfolio have been outperforming the older warehouse-style stores that were opened in the 1980s and 1990s.\" A large sale of remaining products at Toys R Us is expected. The administrators said this would happen in stores only, as the online service and click-and-collect will be closed immediately. Shoppers who have ordered an item already on click-and-collect can still pick it up, but only if that item is still available in stock. Anyone with Toys R Us gift cards and vouchers should spend them in stores as soon as possible before the shops are closed down. No more gift cards will be sold. The retailer had a \"take time to pay\" service, which allowed customers to reserve a product and then pay for it gradually for 12 weeks, before picking it up. The administrators said these reservations would be honoured, provided that the outstanding balance was paid and the goods collected by 11 March. Alternatively, customers can use their deposits towards the cost of any other item bought in a store by 11 March. The UK arm of Toys R Us - its US owner filed for bankruptcy protection last September - managed to stave off administration in December after it struck an agreement with the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) to inject PS9.8m into its retirement scheme over three years. The scheme has a shortfall of PS38m which will now be transferred over to the PPF. People who have already retired will receive 100% of their pension payments, while whose still working will get 90%. Andy McKinnon, acting chief executive at the PPF, said: \"We will now be working to maximise the recovery to the scheme from the administration. Members of the Toys R Us pension scheme can be reassured that the PPF is there to protect them.\" Maplin, the electronics retailer, has also filed for administration, putting 2,500 jobs in danger. The struggling business had been attempting to find a buyer, but its chief executive Graham Harris said it had \"not been possible to secure a solvent sale of the business and as a result, we now have no alternative but to enter into an administration process\". Julie Palmer, regional managing partner at professional services firm Begbies Traynor, said Toys R Us had \"fallen foul of a perfect storm hitting bricks-and-mortar retailers across the board\". She said: \"Rising costs from the National Living Wage, apprenticeship levy and inflation, combined with ongoing pressure on consumer spending and the continued rise of the internet are hitting retailers with a big High Street presence hard.\" Neil Wilson, senior market analyst at ETX Capital, said: \"Ultimately this is a necessary shakeout of some pretty out-dated retailers, which though terrible for those affected by job losses, is likely to mean a leaner, fitter retail market and a more productive use of capital. \"The question is whether there are more out there that could fall by the wayside.\" Retail is tough right now, even for the strong players. Toys R Us has made a loss seven out of the last eight financial years. It is a subsidiary of a US business which has been drowning in billions of dollars of debt. Financially weak, Toys R Us has been unable to adapt to changing shopping habits. These days, many shoppers don't want or need to drive 20 minutes to a big out-of-town warehouse to buy toys. Costs have been rising for all retailers and consumer demand has been softening. It's a combination which is putting pressure on many retailers and the weaker ones are particularly exposed. Toys R Us was once the disrupter, a so-called category killer. Now many are wondering if it can survive in the UK and in what form.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1736, "answer_start": 831, "text": "A large sale of remaining products at Toys R Us is expected. The administrators said this would happen in stores only, as the online service and click-and-collect will be closed immediately. Shoppers who have ordered an item already on click-and-collect can still pick it up, but only if that item is still available in stock. Anyone with Toys R Us gift cards and vouchers should spend them in stores as soon as possible before the shops are closed down. No more gift cards will be sold. The retailer had a \"take time to pay\" service, which allowed customers to reserve a product and then pay for it gradually for 12 weeks, before picking it up. The administrators said these reservations would be honoured, provided that the outstanding balance was paid and the goods collected by 11 March. Alternatively, customers can use their deposits towards the cost of any other item bought in a store by 11 March." } ], "id": "269_0", "question": "What does this mean for shoppers?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "France has condemned as \"unacceptable\" a US move to re-impose sanctions on companies trading with Iran. The action from Washington followed President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of a landmark deal that sought to curb Iran's nuclear programme. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said European companies should not have to pay for the US decision. The US says firms have six months to halt business and cannot enter into new contracts or they will face sanctions. As the fall-out from Mr Trump's decision continues, Iran has called on European plane manufacturer Airbus to say whether it will stick to a deal to sell it nearly 100 airliners. In an interview with Le Parisien, Mr Le Drian said: \"We feel that the extraterritoriality of their sanction measures are unacceptable. The Europeans should not have to pay for the withdrawal from an agreement by the United States, to which they had themselves contributed.\" He said the new sanctions regime would also affect the US and that Europeans would \"put in place the necessary measures to protect the interests of our companies and start negotiations with Washington\" on the matter. The foreign minister said the commitment of other partners to the Iran deal should be respected. He said the effects of the US move were already being felt in rising oil costs and an increase in political uncertainty in the Middle East. Equally forceful was his colleague, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said Europe had to defend its \"economic sovereignty\". \"Do we want to be vassals deferring with a curtsy and a bow to decisions made by the US so that the US polices the world economy?\" He said France would propose sanctions-blocking measures to the European Commission in the next few days. At the same time, Mr Le Maire said the European Union would hold talks with Washington on obtaining different rules for European companies trading with Iran. France, Britain and Germany have all said they will work with Iran to try to salvage the Iran nuclear agreement. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he would work with affected companies to try to \"minimise the negative consequences\" of the US move, adding: \"That means, it is concretely about damage limitation.\" A number of French firms have have signed billion dollar agreements with Iran since the nuclear accord was signed in 2015. Aside from Airbus, they include French oil giant Total and the car makers Renault and Peugeot. Reuters news agency quotes a senior Iranian official as saying that Iran is talking to Airbus about using a narrow window before sanctions come into effect to continue with the deal. At least three of the 100 planes at issue have already been delivered. Companies would have to wind up investments by November or face US sanctions. The latest example is the military clash between Iran and Israel in Syria. Israel accused the Quds Force - the elite overseas operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - of launching 20 rockets at its military positions in Syria on Thursday morning. Israel said its fighter jets then struck 70 military targets belonging to Iran inside Syria. Iran's deployment of troops to the country to help President Bashar al-Assad has alarmed Israel. On Thursday, US individuals and entities were barred from doing business with six Iranian individuals and three companies Washington says have ties to the Revolutionary Guards. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the penalties targeted those who had funnelled millions of dollars to the group, funding its \"malign activity\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2227, "answer_start": 656, "text": "In an interview with Le Parisien, Mr Le Drian said: \"We feel that the extraterritoriality of their sanction measures are unacceptable. The Europeans should not have to pay for the withdrawal from an agreement by the United States, to which they had themselves contributed.\" He said the new sanctions regime would also affect the US and that Europeans would \"put in place the necessary measures to protect the interests of our companies and start negotiations with Washington\" on the matter. The foreign minister said the commitment of other partners to the Iran deal should be respected. He said the effects of the US move were already being felt in rising oil costs and an increase in political uncertainty in the Middle East. Equally forceful was his colleague, Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said Europe had to defend its \"economic sovereignty\". \"Do we want to be vassals deferring with a curtsy and a bow to decisions made by the US so that the US polices the world economy?\" He said France would propose sanctions-blocking measures to the European Commission in the next few days. At the same time, Mr Le Maire said the European Union would hold talks with Washington on obtaining different rules for European companies trading with Iran. France, Britain and Germany have all said they will work with Iran to try to salvage the Iran nuclear agreement. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said he would work with affected companies to try to \"minimise the negative consequences\" of the US move, adding: \"That means, it is concretely about damage limitation.\"" } ], "id": "270_0", "question": "What has France said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2777, "answer_start": 2228, "text": "A number of French firms have have signed billion dollar agreements with Iran since the nuclear accord was signed in 2015. Aside from Airbus, they include French oil giant Total and the car makers Renault and Peugeot. Reuters news agency quotes a senior Iranian official as saying that Iran is talking to Airbus about using a narrow window before sanctions come into effect to continue with the deal. At least three of the 100 planes at issue have already been delivered. Companies would have to wind up investments by November or face US sanctions." } ], "id": "270_1", "question": "Which companies could be affected?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3233, "answer_start": 2778, "text": "The latest example is the military clash between Iran and Israel in Syria. Israel accused the Quds Force - the elite overseas operations arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - of launching 20 rockets at its military positions in Syria on Thursday morning. Israel said its fighter jets then struck 70 military targets belonging to Iran inside Syria. Iran's deployment of troops to the country to help President Bashar al-Assad has alarmed Israel." } ], "id": "270_2", "question": "What is the political 'uncertainty' Mr Le Drian talks of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3561, "answer_start": 3234, "text": "On Thursday, US individuals and entities were barred from doing business with six Iranian individuals and three companies Washington says have ties to the Revolutionary Guards. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the penalties targeted those who had funnelled millions of dollars to the group, funding its \"malign activity\"." } ], "id": "270_3", "question": "What are the latest US sanctions moves?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "North Korea has fired two missiles into the sea, its fifth such launch in recent weeks. The missiles are thought to be short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea's military says. If the use of such missiles is confirmed it would be a breach of 11 UN Security Council resolutions. The launches come after US President Donald Trump said he had received a \"very beautiful letter\" from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Mr Trump said Mr Kim was unhappy with the current US-South Korea joint military exercises. The missiles were fired from near the eastern city of Hamhung in South Hamgyong Province and landed in the Sea of Japan/East Sea, to the east of the Korean peninsula. Launched at 05:34 and 05:50 (20:34 and 20:50 GMT Friday), they flew a distance of around 400 km (250 miles), at an altitude of about 48 km with a maximum speed of more than Mach 6.1, a South Korean military statement said. North Korea has fired a series of missiles and rockets since Mr Trump and Mr Kim agreed during a meeting in June to restart denuclearisation negotiations. Shortly before the latest launches, the US president spoke of a letter he had received from the North Korean leader. \"It was a very positive letter,\" Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. \"I think we'll have another meeting. He really wrote a beautiful, three-page - I mean great from top to bottom - a really beautiful letter.\" The North Korean regime has expressed anger over the US-South Korean military drills, stating that they violate agreements reached with Mr Trump and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in. Later on Saturday, Mr Trump said Mr Kim had complained \"about the ridiculous and expensive\" military exercises. But he said the North Korean leader had offered a \"small apology for testing short-range missiles\" in recent weeks. While the main drills will start on 11 August, low-key preparation has begun. The exercises are mainly computer-simulated and are more low key than previous drills between the US and South Korea, which the North has deemed as provocations. Over recent weeks, the North has test-fired what South Korean officials said appeared to have been a new type of short-range missile, with the previous one coming on Tuesday. The missiles fired on 25 July - one of which travelled about 690km - were the first since Mr Trump and Mr Kim held an impromptu meeting in June at the demilitarised zone (DMZ), an area that divides the two Koreas.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1051, "answer_start": 507, "text": "The missiles were fired from near the eastern city of Hamhung in South Hamgyong Province and landed in the Sea of Japan/East Sea, to the east of the Korean peninsula. Launched at 05:34 and 05:50 (20:34 and 20:50 GMT Friday), they flew a distance of around 400 km (250 miles), at an altitude of about 48 km with a maximum speed of more than Mach 6.1, a South Korean military statement said. North Korea has fired a series of missiles and rockets since Mr Trump and Mr Kim agreed during a meeting in June to restart denuclearisation negotiations." } ], "id": "271_0", "question": "What do we know about the latest test?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1800, "answer_start": 1052, "text": "Shortly before the latest launches, the US president spoke of a letter he had received from the North Korean leader. \"It was a very positive letter,\" Mr Trump told reporters at the White House. \"I think we'll have another meeting. He really wrote a beautiful, three-page - I mean great from top to bottom - a really beautiful letter.\" The North Korean regime has expressed anger over the US-South Korean military drills, stating that they violate agreements reached with Mr Trump and South Korea's President Moon Jae-in. Later on Saturday, Mr Trump said Mr Kim had complained \"about the ridiculous and expensive\" military exercises. But he said the North Korean leader had offered a \"small apology for testing short-range missiles\" in recent weeks." } ], "id": "271_1", "question": "What did Kim write to Trump?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2429, "answer_start": 1801, "text": "While the main drills will start on 11 August, low-key preparation has begun. The exercises are mainly computer-simulated and are more low key than previous drills between the US and South Korea, which the North has deemed as provocations. Over recent weeks, the North has test-fired what South Korean officials said appeared to have been a new type of short-range missile, with the previous one coming on Tuesday. The missiles fired on 25 July - one of which travelled about 690km - were the first since Mr Trump and Mr Kim held an impromptu meeting in June at the demilitarised zone (DMZ), an area that divides the two Koreas." } ], "id": "271_2", "question": "What about the US-South Korean exercises?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Indian police have arrested 16 people after two men became the latest victims of hysteria over WhatsApp rumours of child kidnappers. The men had stopped to ask directions in north-eastern Assam state when they were beaten to death by a large mob. Rumours of child kidnappings are spreading across India over WhatsApp, and have already led to the deaths of seven other people in the past month. Police say it is proving hard to debunk the messages on social media. The two latest victims have been identified as Nilotpal Das, an audio engineer and Abijeet Nath, a digital artist - both residents of Guwahati, the largest city in Assam. Police say the pair were attacked when they stopped at a village to ask for directions. Residents reportedly believed they were \"kidnappers\" they had been warned about on WhatsApp. A video of the attack went viral over the weekend, where one of the men can be seen pleading for his life. On Sunday, students and activists filled the streets of Guwahati to protest against the killings. People are citing a video that is being spread on WhatsApp that purportedly shows a child being abducted. In Bangalore, where two people were killed last month, a local showed BBC correspondent Dan Johnson the video on his mobile phone. In it, two men on a motorcycle pull up to a group of children. One of them grabs a child and they ride off. But the video is not real. It's not even from India. An unedited version of the video shows it is a child safety film from Pakistan, designed to create awareness. The last segment of the video, which shows one of the men holding up a sign that explains the incident, has been edited out in the version being spread on WhatsApp. The video is accompanied by text messages that talk about \"kidnappers\" arriving in the city with the aim of snatching children. Though it was initially spread via the messaging app, the panic was further fuelled when some regional media channels picked up the rumours, lending them credibility. This has prompted locals to attack those who look unfamiliar or cannot speak the regional language. \"When rumours start circulating on social media, it takes some time to stop them completely,\" senior Assam police official Mukesh Agarwal told BBC Hindi's Dilip Kumar Sharma, adding that police were watching various social media sites to try to stop the spread of the messages. Officials elsewhere in India have urged people not to believe messages linked to child abductions. Last month, police in the southern city of Hyderabad marched alongside residents with loudspeakers chanting \"don't believe the rumours\". In Tamil Nadu state, where a string of violent incidents has been reported in recent months, authorities have begun awareness drives to counter the rumours. In other southern states like Karnataka, police have set up social media control rooms from where they monitor posts, viral messages and videos. Police in Telangana have issued warnings and have also arrested people who circulated false video messages online. So far, officials are yet to find any incidents of child abduction related to the spate of messages and videos being shared online. April: A man in the southern state of Tamil Nadu is beaten to death by a mob after he is seen aimlessly wandering the streets May: - A 55-year old woman in Tamil Nadu is lynched for giving sweets to children; police arrest 30 people - A man in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh is lynched for speaking Hindi and not the local language, Telugu - A man in neighbouring Telangana is killed by a mob while entering a mango orchard at night - Another man in Telangana is lynched when visiting a village to see his relatives - A man in the southern city of Bangalore, who had moved there recently, is tied up with rope and beaten to death with cricket bats - A transgender woman is lynched in Hyderabad June: Two men are lynched in north-eastern Assam after stopping their car to ask for directions", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2088, "answer_start": 1021, "text": "People are citing a video that is being spread on WhatsApp that purportedly shows a child being abducted. In Bangalore, where two people were killed last month, a local showed BBC correspondent Dan Johnson the video on his mobile phone. In it, two men on a motorcycle pull up to a group of children. One of them grabs a child and they ride off. But the video is not real. It's not even from India. An unedited version of the video shows it is a child safety film from Pakistan, designed to create awareness. The last segment of the video, which shows one of the men holding up a sign that explains the incident, has been edited out in the version being spread on WhatsApp. The video is accompanied by text messages that talk about \"kidnappers\" arriving in the city with the aim of snatching children. Though it was initially spread via the messaging app, the panic was further fuelled when some regional media channels picked up the rumours, lending them credibility. This has prompted locals to attack those who look unfamiliar or cannot speak the regional language." } ], "id": "272_0", "question": "What is fuelling the rumours?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3151, "answer_start": 2089, "text": "\"When rumours start circulating on social media, it takes some time to stop them completely,\" senior Assam police official Mukesh Agarwal told BBC Hindi's Dilip Kumar Sharma, adding that police were watching various social media sites to try to stop the spread of the messages. Officials elsewhere in India have urged people not to believe messages linked to child abductions. Last month, police in the southern city of Hyderabad marched alongside residents with loudspeakers chanting \"don't believe the rumours\". In Tamil Nadu state, where a string of violent incidents has been reported in recent months, authorities have begun awareness drives to counter the rumours. In other southern states like Karnataka, police have set up social media control rooms from where they monitor posts, viral messages and videos. Police in Telangana have issued warnings and have also arrested people who circulated false video messages online. So far, officials are yet to find any incidents of child abduction related to the spate of messages and videos being shared online." } ], "id": "272_1", "question": "What are the authorities doing about this?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "More armed police are to be seen on patrol in London, Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan have said. Sir Bernard announced the move to reassure the public and deter attackers following terrorist attacks in Europe. The Met has already said the number of armed officers will go up in London by 600 to 2,800. And a further 900 armed officers are planned to be in operation for the rest of England and Wales. But Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said it may take two years to fully train the 1,500 recruits planned nationally. \"When you're recruiting 1,500 it's going to take a lot of time. You've got to find the resources, the facilities and the people,\" he told the BBC. However, Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, the national lead for firearms, said last month that the majority of new armed officers will be in place by April 2017. The latest announcement comes after 84 people were killed when a lorry ploughed into a large crowd watching a fireworks display in Nice in the south of France last month. Londoners and tourists out enjoying the August sunshine in central London report mixed feelings about more armed police patrolling the city's streets. Teacher Julie Banks, who was visiting from Liverpool, says she finds the news reassuring, \"especially at this time of year when there are more tourists and crowds. We shouldn't be complacent\". Retired friends John Lee and John Coles, both from London, agree. \"It's a good thing. It's not going to stop a terror attack, but it makes people feel more secure,\" Mr Coles says. \"I never thought I would see the day British police carried weapons in the street like this, but I think that needs to happen now - whether we like it or not,\" Mr Lee adds. Bricklayer Gary Johns, 34, approved, but says: \"The real question is what their response time is.\" Others, however, say the sight of police carrying heavy weapons makes them uneasy. \"It makes me more nervous than secure to be honest,\" says Bryony Wood, a make-up artist, 26, from west London. \"It's a reminder of what might happen.\" \"I have mixed feelings about it,\" says Ebuka Orunta, 20, from south London. \"On one hand I feel safer knowing the Met has a strategy in place to mitigate the risk. \"On the other hand, we've seen the problems with police brutality in the US. It's important the people in charge of this weaponry are the right people who are going to protect us.\" Sir Bernard said: \"We have no intelligence that there will be an attack shortly but what we do know is what we have seen in western Europe. \"We have seen attacks in Germany, in Belgium, in France and we would be foolish to ignore that, so it's important that we get officers out there with firearms to respond.\" The commissioner said the increased firearms teams would be patrolling randomly around the clock. It comes after he told a newspaper that a terror attack on the UK is highly likely and a case of \"when, not if\". Writing in the Mail on Sunday, the Met chief said there was a \"sense of fear\" in Britain. - Latest Home Office figures show the number of firearms officers in England and Wales fell slightly from 5,647 in March 2015 to 5,639 in March this year. The number has fallen by more than 1,000 in the last five years - Police Scotland said in June it would recruit an additional 90 officers who will be attached to Armed Response Vehicles, bringing the total number to 365 - It will also look to recruit 34 more trainers and specialist firearms officers Mr Khan said: \"It's really important that Londoners are reassured that the police service, that the security service, that all of us are doing our bit to keep Londoners in our city safe... \"The threat level hasn't changed but we are learning the lessons from Europe, from Nice, from Paris, from Munich.\" By BBC home affairs correspondent Dominic Casciani The Metropolitan Police have long aimed to make the capital as \"hostile\" an environment as possible for any would-be attacker to carry out a mass-casualty attack. But if they can't stop someone attacking, the goal is to have enough armed police available to get to the scene of an atrocity quickly to minimise casualties and neutralise the threat. Armed police reached the scene of the 2013 killing of Fusilier Lee Rigby 11 minutes after the 999 call. The attackers were not armed with automatic weapons and just stood there waiting for police to arrive, rather than attacking anyone else. Clearly, in a Paris-style scenario, 11 minutes is a long, long time so a great deal of today's security planning aims to accelerate how quickly specialist firearms officers could reach a scene. None of which addresses a much bigger issue: what if the attack isn't in London, Birmingham or Manchester? Major cities may be well-resourced - but preparing to respond to an incident elsewhere is far more challenging. The Met said the new armed officers would be \"working alongside their neighbourhood and specialist colleagues\", and Mr Khan said there would be a second dedicated PC in every London ward by the end of next year. In Munich, Germany, nine people died in a shooting at a shopping centre in July while in November 2015, gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people in Paris. Meanwhile, Mr White expressed his concern about the time it would take to put the plan in place. \"What we've got to make sure is that we have the resources in the right place at the right time and we've also got to recognise that this isn't London-centric... a terrorist attack could happen anywhere in the country.\" Firearms officers in the Metropolitan Police have to undergo a comprehensive selection and training process before they are allowed on to the streets with a gun. - They have to pass two selection processes - locally and in the force's firearms department, before an initial assessment - There is then a nine-week training course which, if completed successfully, allows them to carry a handgun, larger semi-automatic weapon and Taser - Firearms officers are deployed in teams of three in armed response vehicles, which also carry less lethal weapons such as shotguns that can be used on dangerous animals - Officers who want to specialise in counter-terrorism will spend a significant period of time as part of a routine firearms team, before additional training of at least three months - The elite squads, which now cover the capital 24 hours a day, are trained to operate in a range of environments including on water, abseiling and on motorbikes", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2472, "answer_start": 1098, "text": "Londoners and tourists out enjoying the August sunshine in central London report mixed feelings about more armed police patrolling the city's streets. Teacher Julie Banks, who was visiting from Liverpool, says she finds the news reassuring, \"especially at this time of year when there are more tourists and crowds. We shouldn't be complacent\". Retired friends John Lee and John Coles, both from London, agree. \"It's a good thing. It's not going to stop a terror attack, but it makes people feel more secure,\" Mr Coles says. \"I never thought I would see the day British police carried weapons in the street like this, but I think that needs to happen now - whether we like it or not,\" Mr Lee adds. Bricklayer Gary Johns, 34, approved, but says: \"The real question is what their response time is.\" Others, however, say the sight of police carrying heavy weapons makes them uneasy. \"It makes me more nervous than secure to be honest,\" says Bryony Wood, a make-up artist, 26, from west London. \"It's a reminder of what might happen.\" \"I have mixed feelings about it,\" says Ebuka Orunta, 20, from south London. \"On one hand I feel safer knowing the Met has a strategy in place to mitigate the risk. \"On the other hand, we've seen the problems with police brutality in the US. It's important the people in charge of this weaponry are the right people who are going to protect us.\"" } ], "id": "273_0", "question": "Do armed police make you feel safer?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Senate has voted to advance US Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh to a final confirmation vote on Saturday. It follows an FBI report into several sexual misconduct allegations against him. Last week, at a combative hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the judge denied the allegations and pledged never to give up. It followed testimony from Doctor Christine Blasey Ford, a research psychologist, who said an assault by Mr Kavanaugh 36 years ago had \"drastically\" affected her life. Republican and Democrat senators are divided over the nomination and, with only a 51-49 party split, his confirmation hangs in the balance. If Mr Kavanaugh is confirmed, he could tilt the balance of the Supreme Court in favour of Republicans for decades. Judges hold the position for life and the nine-member court has the final say on US law, including on contentious social issues and challenges to government policy. Prof Ford says Mr Kavanaugh tried to force himself on her at a party in the 1980s when he was 17. Judge Kavanaugh's classmate at Yale University, Deborah Ramirez, then told the New Yorker he exposed himself to her at a party. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, alleged she was the victim of a gang rape in 1982 at a party the judge attended. He has rejected all the accusations. At his hearing he also denied drinking excessively to the point of blacking out - something some of Mr Kavanaugh's school and university classmates have contested. A confirmation vote in the full Senate is expected on Saturday. Republicans want their nominee in place before mid-term elections next month, when they could lose their control of the chamber.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 924, "answer_start": 645, "text": "If Mr Kavanaugh is confirmed, he could tilt the balance of the Supreme Court in favour of Republicans for decades. Judges hold the position for life and the nine-member court has the final say on US law, including on contentious social issues and challenges to government policy." } ], "id": "274_0", "question": "Why does this matter?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1463, "answer_start": 925, "text": "Prof Ford says Mr Kavanaugh tried to force himself on her at a party in the 1980s when he was 17. Judge Kavanaugh's classmate at Yale University, Deborah Ramirez, then told the New Yorker he exposed himself to her at a party. A third woman, Julie Swetnick, alleged she was the victim of a gang rape in 1982 at a party the judge attended. He has rejected all the accusations. At his hearing he also denied drinking excessively to the point of blacking out - something some of Mr Kavanaugh's school and university classmates have contested." } ], "id": "274_1", "question": "What are the accusations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1656, "answer_start": 1464, "text": "A confirmation vote in the full Senate is expected on Saturday. Republicans want their nominee in place before mid-term elections next month, when they could lose their control of the chamber." } ], "id": "274_2", "question": "What happens now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A man claiming to be a Chinese spy has applied for asylum in Australia, media reports say. Wang \"William\" Liqiang has reportedly given authorities information about operations in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia, saying he was \"personally involved\" in espionage work. Mr Wang is now in Sydney and says he fears execution if he returns to China. Police in the Chinese city of Shanghai say Mr Wang is an unemployed fugitive who was convicted of fraud. Australia's Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told reporters Mr Wang's case was \"in the hands of the appropriate law enforcement agencies\", adding that his accusations are \"very disturbing\". Opposition Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the man may have a legitimate asylum claim. One anonymous senior official told Australian broadcaster ABC intelligence agencies now had to \"separate fact from fiction\" while investigating Mr Wang's allegations. Mr Wang's extraordinary allegations first appeared in Australian media outlets on Saturday. His full television interview will be broadcast Sunday night on the 60 Minutes programme. He reportedly gave a 17-page statement to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in October, detailing his work as well as the names of senior intelligence officials and how they run their operations. After growing worries about his work, Mr Wang travelled to Australia where his wife was studying and living with their new born son. He is now in an undisclosed location in Sydney on a tourist visa and has applied for asylum, fearing for his safety if he returns to China. \"Once I go back, I will be dead,\" he said in a clip of the 60 Minutes interview. Shanghai police, however, portrayed Mr Wang in a starkly different light. The force said Mr Wang, a 26-year-old from the eastern province of Fujian, was found guilty of fraud in 2016 and given a suspended 15-month prison sentence. Mr Wang entered Hong Kong on 10 April using a fake Chinese passport and Hong Kong permanent residency card, police said. Shanghai police said they were investigating the case. He says his own work included infiltrating Taiwan with a fake South Korean passport to influence elections there, and working with a listed company in Hong Kong which was trying to counter the pro-democracy movement in the territory. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Wang said he was personally involved in the kidnapping and detention of one of the five booksellers in Hong Kong in 2015. China's government wanted to \"bring a thorough deterrent effect on those people,\" he told the paper. China has always denied accusations it kidnapped the men. The country's law enforcement agencies have no jurisdiction in Hong Kong. A proposed bill that would have allowed the authorities to extradite criminal suspects to mainland China sparked major protests in June this year. These have since morphed into wider demonstrations about police brutality and fears about increased authority from Beijing. Hong Kong is a part of China, but the former British colony holds freedoms unseen on the mainland.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2050, "answer_start": 889, "text": "Mr Wang's extraordinary allegations first appeared in Australian media outlets on Saturday. His full television interview will be broadcast Sunday night on the 60 Minutes programme. He reportedly gave a 17-page statement to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in October, detailing his work as well as the names of senior intelligence officials and how they run their operations. After growing worries about his work, Mr Wang travelled to Australia where his wife was studying and living with their new born son. He is now in an undisclosed location in Sydney on a tourist visa and has applied for asylum, fearing for his safety if he returns to China. \"Once I go back, I will be dead,\" he said in a clip of the 60 Minutes interview. Shanghai police, however, portrayed Mr Wang in a starkly different light. The force said Mr Wang, a 26-year-old from the eastern province of Fujian, was found guilty of fraud in 2016 and given a suspended 15-month prison sentence. Mr Wang entered Hong Kong on 10 April using a fake Chinese passport and Hong Kong permanent residency card, police said. Shanghai police said they were investigating the case." } ], "id": "275_0", "question": "Who is Wang Liqiang?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3052, "answer_start": 2051, "text": "He says his own work included infiltrating Taiwan with a fake South Korean passport to influence elections there, and working with a listed company in Hong Kong which was trying to counter the pro-democracy movement in the territory. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Wang said he was personally involved in the kidnapping and detention of one of the five booksellers in Hong Kong in 2015. China's government wanted to \"bring a thorough deterrent effect on those people,\" he told the paper. China has always denied accusations it kidnapped the men. The country's law enforcement agencies have no jurisdiction in Hong Kong. A proposed bill that would have allowed the authorities to extradite criminal suspects to mainland China sparked major protests in June this year. These have since morphed into wider demonstrations about police brutality and fears about increased authority from Beijing. Hong Kong is a part of China, but the former British colony holds freedoms unseen on the mainland." } ], "id": "275_1", "question": "What does Mr Wang claim to know about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A survivor of last week's school shooting in Florida has denied claims he is an actor with an anti-gun agenda. Speaking on CNN, student David Hogg said he was a witness. Conspiracy theorists online have accused the survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High of being paid actors who travel between the sites of mass shootings. An aide to a Republican state representative has been fired for repeating the unsubstantiated claims. David Hogg denounced the allegations on Tuesday night. \"I'm not a crisis actor,\" David said in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper. \"I'm someone who had to witness this and live through this and I continue to be having to do that.\" \"I'm not acting on anybody's behalf.\" Conspiracy theorists' unsubstantiated claims online are that some of the Florida shooting survivors are actually paid actors, who travel between sites of mass shootings to push an anti-gun agenda. Similar theories circulated on social media after the Las Vegas shooting in October, the worst in modern US history. An aide to a Florida state representative, Benjamin Kelly, sent an email to the Tampa Bay Times repeating those online claims about David Hogg and his fellow students. Florida representative Shawn Harrison, whom Mr Kelly worked for, fired his former aide on Tuesday night and denounced his behaviour in a tweet. Florida senator Marco Rubio also denounced the claims made against David and his fellow students, calling those who made them \"disgusting idiots\". Some theorists online even suggested David Hogg cannot be trusted because his father used to work for the FBI. One post on Twitter had the headline \"Outspoken Trump-Hating School Shooting Survivor is Son of FBI Agent; MSM Helps Prop Up Incompetent Bureau\", linking to a video in which David spoke in favour of tighter gun control. Son of the US president Donald Trump Jr. was criticised for liking the tweet. President Trump meanwhile signed an order to ban \"bump stocks\", modifications on guns that increase the firing rate. David Hogg and his fellow classmates have called for tighter gun control laws in the wake of the shooting, which left 17 of their teachers and fellow students dead. In the interview, David denied wanting to repeal the second amendment, which allows Americans the right to bear arms. He stated that Americans should have the right to own weapons, provided they are \"not going to go out and commit these atrocities\". \"We have a right to live just as we have a right to bear arms,\" he said. David, a student journalist, interviewed his classmates as they hid from the Florida shooter.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2017, "answer_start": 719, "text": "Conspiracy theorists' unsubstantiated claims online are that some of the Florida shooting survivors are actually paid actors, who travel between sites of mass shootings to push an anti-gun agenda. Similar theories circulated on social media after the Las Vegas shooting in October, the worst in modern US history. An aide to a Florida state representative, Benjamin Kelly, sent an email to the Tampa Bay Times repeating those online claims about David Hogg and his fellow students. Florida representative Shawn Harrison, whom Mr Kelly worked for, fired his former aide on Tuesday night and denounced his behaviour in a tweet. Florida senator Marco Rubio also denounced the claims made against David and his fellow students, calling those who made them \"disgusting idiots\". Some theorists online even suggested David Hogg cannot be trusted because his father used to work for the FBI. One post on Twitter had the headline \"Outspoken Trump-Hating School Shooting Survivor is Son of FBI Agent; MSM Helps Prop Up Incompetent Bureau\", linking to a video in which David spoke in favour of tighter gun control. Son of the US president Donald Trump Jr. was criticised for liking the tweet. President Trump meanwhile signed an order to ban \"bump stocks\", modifications on guns that increase the firing rate." } ], "id": "276_0", "question": "What are the claims?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2599, "answer_start": 2018, "text": "David Hogg and his fellow classmates have called for tighter gun control laws in the wake of the shooting, which left 17 of their teachers and fellow students dead. In the interview, David denied wanting to repeal the second amendment, which allows Americans the right to bear arms. He stated that Americans should have the right to own weapons, provided they are \"not going to go out and commit these atrocities\". \"We have a right to live just as we have a right to bear arms,\" he said. David, a student journalist, interviewed his classmates as they hid from the Florida shooter." } ], "id": "276_1", "question": "What did David Hogg say?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Security forces in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, have fired live rounds at protesters defying a curfew. The prime minister says the open-ended curfew - which has been in place since dawn - is needed to maintain order and protect protesters from \"infiltrators\". At least 20 people have been killed since Tuesday in clashes with security forces in Baghdad and other cities. Thousands have taken to the streets to vent their anger at high unemployment, poor services and corruption. The protests, which appear to lack any organised leadership, are the largest since Adel Abdul Mahdi became prime minister a year ago. The United Nations and the United States have expressed concern at the violence and urged the Iraqi authorities to exercise restraint. On Thursday, human rights group Amnesty International has called on the government in Baghdad to immediately rein in its security forces. After two days of protests in Baghdad, the government imposed an indefinite curfew that started at 05:00 (02:00 GMT) and applied to everyone except those travelling to and from the capital's airport. Ambulances and religious pilgrims were also excluded. Security forces blocked major roads and bridges. Access to the internet was also limited, making it harder to organise protests on social media. But thousands of protesters gathered in and around Tahrir Square - the focus of the recent unrest - prompting riot police to fire tear gas and shots in the air to disperse them. \"Despite the curfew we are going out to protest, to demand our rights. We want to change the regime,\" one protester told Reuters news agency. \"They have arrested our people. They have done things to our people they did not even do to Daesh [the jihadist group Islamic State]. They have beaten them up and humiliated them while firing live gunfire,\" he added. \"What did we do? Are we suicide bombers?\" Violence is concentrated in Baghdad and in the majority Shia Muslim areas of the south. Northern Kurdish regions and Sunni-majority areas in the west remain mostly calm. On Thursday, police and hospital sources told Reuters that protesters had been killed in the capital, and also in and around the southern cities of Amara, Diwaniya, Hilla and Nassiriya, among others. Hundreds have been wounded. Overnight on Wednesday, explosions were heard in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, where government offices and foreign embassies are located. The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq said none of its facilities were hit and that Iraqi security forces were investigating the blasts. On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi expressed regret for the violence. \"It saddens me and breaks our hearts the injuries among the protesters, our sons, and the security forces and the destruction and looting of public and private properties,\" he wrote on Facebook. He added: \"We stress to the people of our nation that our priorities were and will remain focused on providing radical realistic solutions to many of the decades-long accumulated problems.\" The protests appear to be the result of a spontaneous upwelling of frustration at Iraq's high youth unemployment rate, its dire public services and chronic corruption. Simona Foltyn, a journalist based in Baghdad, told the BBC's World Update programme: \"The demonstrators I have spoken to so far have said that these protests are a grassroots movement, comprised of a variety of people - men, women, graduates, the unemployed, the elderly - who are all airing grievances that have accumulated over the past years.\" \"They have all denied the involvement of any political party. They are, in fact, extremely disenfranchised and disappointed with the political establishment here.\" She added: \"All of the people who are protesting seem to be united in one thing: they want a better life. They want services, they want jobs, and they want living standards to go up.\" After meeting a number of protesters on Wednesday, UN special representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said: \"These are legitimate and longstanding demands. A direct dialogue, to discuss ways forward and to bring about immediate and tangible results, is of great importance.\" Last year, the southern Iraqi city of Basra was rocked by weeks of protests over unsafe drinking water, power shortages, unemployment and corruption. Government offices, including the main provincial council building, were set alight. Iraq has the fourth-largest reserves of oil, but 22.5% of its population of 40 million were living on less than $1.90 (PS1.53) a day in 2014, according to the World Bank. One in six households has experienced some form of food insecurity. The unemployment rate was 7.9% last year, but among young people it was double that. And almost 17% of the economically active population is underemployed. The country is also struggling to recover after a brutal war against the Islamic State group, which seized control of large swathes of the north and west in 2014. The Iraqi government and World Bank estimated last year that $88bn (PS71bn) was needed to fund short- and medium-term reconstruction. Just over one million people are still internally displaced, while 6.7 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, the UN says. Living conditions are dire in many conflict-affected areas, with insufficient basic services.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1862, "answer_start": 885, "text": "After two days of protests in Baghdad, the government imposed an indefinite curfew that started at 05:00 (02:00 GMT) and applied to everyone except those travelling to and from the capital's airport. Ambulances and religious pilgrims were also excluded. Security forces blocked major roads and bridges. Access to the internet was also limited, making it harder to organise protests on social media. But thousands of protesters gathered in and around Tahrir Square - the focus of the recent unrest - prompting riot police to fire tear gas and shots in the air to disperse them. \"Despite the curfew we are going out to protest, to demand our rights. We want to change the regime,\" one protester told Reuters news agency. \"They have arrested our people. They have done things to our people they did not even do to Daesh [the jihadist group Islamic State]. They have beaten them up and humiliated them while firing live gunfire,\" he added. \"What did we do? Are we suicide bombers?\"" } ], "id": "277_0", "question": "What is the latest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3037, "answer_start": 2571, "text": "On Tuesday evening, Prime Minister Abdul Mahdi expressed regret for the violence. \"It saddens me and breaks our hearts the injuries among the protesters, our sons, and the security forces and the destruction and looting of public and private properties,\" he wrote on Facebook. He added: \"We stress to the people of our nation that our priorities were and will remain focused on providing radical realistic solutions to many of the decades-long accumulated problems.\"" } ], "id": "277_1", "question": "What has the government said?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4412, "answer_start": 3038, "text": "The protests appear to be the result of a spontaneous upwelling of frustration at Iraq's high youth unemployment rate, its dire public services and chronic corruption. Simona Foltyn, a journalist based in Baghdad, told the BBC's World Update programme: \"The demonstrators I have spoken to so far have said that these protests are a grassroots movement, comprised of a variety of people - men, women, graduates, the unemployed, the elderly - who are all airing grievances that have accumulated over the past years.\" \"They have all denied the involvement of any political party. They are, in fact, extremely disenfranchised and disappointed with the political establishment here.\" She added: \"All of the people who are protesting seem to be united in one thing: they want a better life. They want services, they want jobs, and they want living standards to go up.\" After meeting a number of protesters on Wednesday, UN special representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said: \"These are legitimate and longstanding demands. A direct dialogue, to discuss ways forward and to bring about immediate and tangible results, is of great importance.\" Last year, the southern Iraqi city of Basra was rocked by weeks of protests over unsafe drinking water, power shortages, unemployment and corruption. Government offices, including the main provincial council building, were set alight." } ], "id": "277_2", "question": "What triggered the unrest?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5330, "answer_start": 4413, "text": "Iraq has the fourth-largest reserves of oil, but 22.5% of its population of 40 million were living on less than $1.90 (PS1.53) a day in 2014, according to the World Bank. One in six households has experienced some form of food insecurity. The unemployment rate was 7.9% last year, but among young people it was double that. And almost 17% of the economically active population is underemployed. The country is also struggling to recover after a brutal war against the Islamic State group, which seized control of large swathes of the north and west in 2014. The Iraqi government and World Bank estimated last year that $88bn (PS71bn) was needed to fund short- and medium-term reconstruction. Just over one million people are still internally displaced, while 6.7 million are in need of humanitarian assistance, the UN says. Living conditions are dire in many conflict-affected areas, with insufficient basic services." } ], "id": "277_3", "question": "What is the economic situation like in Iraq?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ukraine's entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest, Maruv, has been dropped in a row related to tensions between her country and Russia. Maruv's song, Siren Song, won a public vote on Saturday, but the singer later fell out with the country's national broadcaster. She was given 24 hours to sign a contract that temporarily barred her from playing in Russia. Talks stalled on Monday and the broadcaster revoked Maruv's nomination. The 27-year-old, whose name real name is Anna Korsun, said she was prepared to cancel her next tour of Russia, but that other stipulations in the contract amounted to \"censorship\". \"I am a citizen of Ukraine, pay taxes and sincerely love Ukraine,\" she wrote on Facebook. \"But I am not ready to address [people] with slogans, turning my participation in the contest into the promotion of our politicians. I am a musician, rather than a tool of the the political stage.\" The star, whose song has been watched 6.8 million times on YouTube, added: \"I sincerely thank and appreciate everyone who believed in me and voted. \"I ask you to accept this situation and not to take a confrontational path.\" In a statement, the state-funded UA:PBC said: \"The performer representing Ukraine... also has commitments of becoming a cultural ambassador of Ukraine and delivering not only their music but also expressing the opinion of the Ukrainian society in the world. \"After the negotiations, UA:PBC and the singer Maruv have not found common ground in the mission of the representative of Ukraine at the international song contest.\" It added that Eurovision rules demand that the state broadcaster \"must ensure the non-political character of the contest\" and that it foresaw \"a danger of escalation of the split of the Ukrainian society\" over Maruv's selection. The TV station was backed by politicians, with the Ukrainian Culture Ministry saying only \"patriots who are aware of their responsibility\" should be allowed to sing at Eurovision. UA:PBC said it would start negotiations with another contestant to represent the country. The 2019 Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Israel in May. Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. However, Russia considers a Western-leaning Ukraine a threat to its interests. In 2014 Ukraine's pro-Russian leader was overthrown, after large-scale protests against the government's decision to abandon plans to sign an association agreement with the EU. Russia then annexed Crimea, while Russia-backed separatists moved against the Ukrainian state in the east. More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict in the east. Ukraine hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017 and barred Russia's entrant from performing at the event. Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts, or on Instagram at bbcnewsents. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2727, "answer_start": 2110, "text": "Ukraine gained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. However, Russia considers a Western-leaning Ukraine a threat to its interests. In 2014 Ukraine's pro-Russian leader was overthrown, after large-scale protests against the government's decision to abandon plans to sign an association agreement with the EU. Russia then annexed Crimea, while Russia-backed separatists moved against the Ukrainian state in the east. More than 10,000 people have been killed in the conflict in the east. Ukraine hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017 and barred Russia's entrant from performing at the event." } ], "id": "278_0", "question": "Why are relations so bad between Russia and Ukraine?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Technology shares, which helped power the rise of the US stock market last year, are pulling it lower now. The tech-rich Nasdaq index dropped 0.85% or almost 60 points to 6,949.2 on Wednesday, driven by declines in firms such as Amazon, Tesla and Broadcom. It continued a multi-week sell-off spurred by calls for tighter regulation of tech firms, competition concerns and questions over autonomous driving. The S&P 500 lost 0.3% to 2,605 while the Dow was flat at 23,848.4. Shares see-sawed throughout the day, extending a streak of sharp swings in prices that have rocked markets in recent weeks. The information technology sector on the S&P 500, which includes firms such as Apple, Microsoft and Intel, has fallen more than 6% this month, mostly in the last two weeks. Analysts said the decline reflects a confluence of factors, including a desire to lock in gains notched last year when technology stocks surged. A host of other factors - many of them political - is fuelling uncertainty, including trade tension between the US and China, where many technology companies have ties. The Trump administration has also shown a willingness to intervene in the private sector, calling for anti-trust scrutiny of AT&T's purchase of Time Warner and moving to block Broadcom's takeover of Qualcomm in the name of national security. A report that US President Donald Trump wants to use anti-trust law or another government power to limit Amazon's expansion added to the worries on Wednesday. News portal Axios reported that President Donald Trump is \"obsessed\" with regulating the e-commerce giant. Tuna Amobi, senior media analyst at CFRA Research, said he thinks some of the reaction to the Amazon report is \"overdone\" but reflects wider unease about the current market. \"You kind of put all these pieces together and it gives you a sense of a little bit more trepidation out there in the tech space in general,\" he said. Amazon shares closed Wednesday down 4.4%, continuing Tuesday's slide. The firm's stock is still up more than 60% from a year ago. Chipmaker Broadcom sank more than 3%, extending declines from recent weeks. Tesla shares fell another 7%, a day after US safety regulators said they were investigating a recent crash. A decision by ratings agency Moody's to downgrade its credit rating also had an impact. The electric car maker's shares have lost close to 27% in March. Conversely Facebook shares ended Wednesday on a positive note, eking out a 0.5% gain. The social media firm's stock has fallen by almost 20% in recent weeks, following allegations that leaked user data was exploited for political purposes. In another reversal of fortunes, shares of traditional retailers - which were hammered by doubts last year - were among the winners. Macy's gained 4.3%, while Walmart rose 2%.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2800, "answer_start": 2385, "text": "Conversely Facebook shares ended Wednesday on a positive note, eking out a 0.5% gain. The social media firm's stock has fallen by almost 20% in recent weeks, following allegations that leaked user data was exploited for political purposes. In another reversal of fortunes, shares of traditional retailers - which were hammered by doubts last year - were among the winners. Macy's gained 4.3%, while Walmart rose 2%." } ], "id": "279_0", "question": "Bottoming out?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The winner of a $560 million (PS400m) Powerball jackpot last month is suing state lottery officials in a bid to protect her anonymity. The New Hampshire woman filed a civil complaint as Jane Doe, after making the \"huge mistake\" of signing the winning ticket without legal consultation. State law says a winner's name, town and winning amount are public record. But the woman later learned from a lawyer that she could avoid the law by claiming the lottery money via a trust. The winner has not turned in her ticket yet, but showed lottery officials a photocopy of the front to support her claim for the country's eighth-largest lottery jackpot. They told her that they would be compelled to disclose her identity in the event someone files a Right-to-Know request for the 6 January drawing. Her lawyer said that the long-time New Hampshire resident wants to give back to her community, according to court documents obtained by NewHampshire.com. However, she also wants \"the freedom to walk into a grocery store or attend public events without being known or targeted as the winner of a half-billion dollars\". They argued her privacy interest outweighed the insignificant public interest in disclosing her name. Charlie McIntyre, the state lottery's executive director, said in a statement that his agency understood winning such a large sum was a \"life-changing occurrence\". But he added: \"While we respect this player's desire to remain anonymous, state statutes and lottery rules clearly dictate protocols.\" Currently only six states allow lottery winners to maintain their anonymity: Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina. New Hampshire is among the few other states that allow people to form a trust to claim prize money anonymously. In 2016, the state's winner of a $487m US Powerball jackpot chose to remain anonymous, claiming their prize through a trust facilitated by a local law firm. Because the latest winner has already signed her name on the winning ticket, any alteration to the signature would nullify the ticket for $559.7 million. Mr McIntyre said his office had consulted the state attorney general's office and that the Powerball winner's ticket would have to be processed \"like any other\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2238, "answer_start": 1510, "text": "Currently only six states allow lottery winners to maintain their anonymity: Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina. New Hampshire is among the few other states that allow people to form a trust to claim prize money anonymously. In 2016, the state's winner of a $487m US Powerball jackpot chose to remain anonymous, claiming their prize through a trust facilitated by a local law firm. Because the latest winner has already signed her name on the winning ticket, any alteration to the signature would nullify the ticket for $559.7 million. Mr McIntyre said his office had consulted the state attorney general's office and that the Powerball winner's ticket would have to be processed \"like any other\"." } ], "id": "280_0", "question": "Fortune without the fame?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Labour says it would raise billions of pounds for public services with a new tax on financial transactions - known as a \"Robin Hood\" tax. It has also warned BAE Systems it could lose future contracts under Labour unless its boss took a PS7m pay cut. Firms who pay their bosses more than 20 times the wage of their lowest paid workers would not get government contracts if Labour wins power. The Conservatives described Labour's plans as \"a total shambles\". Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said Labour's plans to increase taxes on City transactions would be a \"Robin Hood tax\" that would \"make the financial sector pay its fair share\" after the damage caused by the financial crisis. He rejected claims it would damage the City, saying the tax was \"not about punishing bankers or anything like that\" but \"tackling a couple of loopholes\" in the system. \"We bailed out the City 10 years ago when the crash came, we poured hundreds of billions of pounds into it. Since then PS100bn has been given out in bonuses in the City. So we are asking for a small contribution...to fund our public services.\" Labour said it would extend the existing 0.5% stamp duty paid on shares to other financial assets, including investments known as derivatives. It would also end an exemption, known as intermediaries relief, that applies to some banks and hedge funds, saying that together the measures would bring in between PS4.7bn and PS5.6bn a year. Labour also wants a tax avoidance crackdown and would require anyone earning more than PS1m a year to publish their tax returns. Mr McDonnell has also been defending Labour's executive pay cap proposals, which he said would include the chief executive of one of the world's largest defence contractors, Charles Woodburn, who is paid PS7.5m a year. BAE Systems is building two new aircraft carriers and four submarines to carry the replacement for Britain's Trident nuclear weapons system, as well as being a major supplier to the US defence department. But Mr McDonnell suggested future contracts with the UK government could be at risk if Mr Woodburn did not take a pay cut, if Labour wins power on 8 June. Asked by the BBC's John Pienaar how long the company would get to comply with the policy, he said: \"It would depend on the agreement that we have with that company and with their shareholders and with the workforce.\" He added: \"We want to get to equitable pay. We want to address the grotesque inequalities that there are within our society, that actually do undermine in many ways the standing of those particular companies.\" A Robin Hood tax isn't a new idea, far from it. John McDonnell has long campaigned for it. The other name for it is a financial transactions tax, where a small levy is placed on certain financial transactions or trades. Here in the UK, we already pay stamp duty when shares are bought and traded. Last year that raised just over PS3bn. Labour wants to go further and extend the levy to bonds and more complex financial instruments called derivatives, which it claims would raise PS26bn over the course of the next Parliament, and help curb speculative computer-driven high frequency trading. Labour says the plan mirrors a similar one being planned by the EU, but Europe's scheme is currently in the long grass. The UK ruled out taking part, fearing it would hurt the City of London, where huge amounts of these trades are done. If Labour's plans came to fruition, critics say these transactions would simply move elsewhere or the costs would be passed on to the likes of pensions funds, ultimately hitting consumers. That's on top of worries over the potential loss of business and jobs in the City because of Brexit. Mr McDonnell also said Labour would ensure \"fairness\" in the UK's tax system with a string of tax-avoidance measures. These include increasing the number of people investigating the tax affairs of the wealthiest individuals, banning companies involved in tax avoidance from public contracts, sanctions against \"abusive\" tax havens, and forcing MPs to publish details of any offshore financial interests. The party said extending the way shares were taxed and closing a loophole would bring in up to PS26bn in the next Parliament, if it won the election. Labour's financial transaction tax plans were attacked by the Institute of Economic Affairs, which described them as \"another example of the fallacy that corporations can be tapped for cash with no wider costs\". \"In reality, it's always ordinary people who ultimately pay, including consumers and workers,\" said the free market think tank's chief economist, Julian Jessop. Lib Dem former Business Secretary Vince Cable said Labour's economy policy was \"less Robin Hood than Mickey Mouse\". Jane Ellison, the Conservative financial secretary to the Treasury, said Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan had described a financial transaction tax as \"madness\". She said the plan \"risks economic growth and jobs\". Ms Ellison added that the government had recovered an extra PS140bn in tax since 2010 that would have been lost to evasion or avoidance. Under the Tories' housing proposals, the government would offer English councils and housing associations funding to enable them to build more homes and make it easier for them to acquire land for development. Some of these homes would have to be social rented accommodation with a fixed term - after which they would be sold, with the tenant getting first refusal. The Conservatives said this would allow increases in land and property values to be reinvested in social housing.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5557, "answer_start": 4613, "text": "Lib Dem former Business Secretary Vince Cable said Labour's economy policy was \"less Robin Hood than Mickey Mouse\". Jane Ellison, the Conservative financial secretary to the Treasury, said Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan had described a financial transaction tax as \"madness\". She said the plan \"risks economic growth and jobs\". Ms Ellison added that the government had recovered an extra PS140bn in tax since 2010 that would have been lost to evasion or avoidance. Under the Tories' housing proposals, the government would offer English councils and housing associations funding to enable them to build more homes and make it easier for them to acquire land for development. Some of these homes would have to be social rented accommodation with a fixed term - after which they would be sold, with the tenant getting first refusal. The Conservatives said this would allow increases in land and property values to be reinvested in social housing." } ], "id": "281_0", "question": "Robin Hood or Mickey Mouse?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "It's a twitchy, tetchy time this pre-Brexit talks, post-Brexit vote period. So much said. So little known. As Europe editor I'm often asked about the EU point of view - but Europe is waiting first and foremost to get a clear idea from Britain as to what kind of Brexit the government definitely wants. In the meantime, one message alone emanates loud and clear from European capitals and Brussels HQ, centred round an idiom that will forever now be Brexit-linked in my mind. The words \"cherry picking\" popped out of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's mouth just last week, the same day they were intoned, with charming French accent, by Michel Barnier, the European Commission's Brexit negotiator. The mantra is that the UK (despite protestations to the contrary by the British foreign secretary) will NOT be allowed to break EU regulations by staying in the European single market while refusing to accept \"freedom of movement\" - the automatic right of EU citizens to live and work in the UK. \"There is no organisation in the world that will let someone say: 'I will follow this rule of yours but I won't follow that one',\" Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven told me when I interviewed him just now in Stockholm, ahead of an EU leaders' summit. Cherry-picking is korsbarsplockning in Swedish, by the way. And Mr Lofven said Britain definitely wouldn't be allowed to indulge in it when talks to thrash out a new EU-UK trade deal begin. Sweden is one of the UK's closest EU allies: it is business-minded, Brussels-sceptic and non-eurozone nations. Britain is also Sweden's fourth largest trading partner, so a good Brexit deal is in its interest. So, was there really no wiggle room, I asked. Couldn't the Swedish prime minister push for a favourable deal? Mr Lofven said he had offered Theresa May to act as a mediator - \"play a practical role\" as he put it - but, he insisted, the UK would still have to aim for the best deal possible within the boundaries of EU laws. Otherwise, he said, there would be no European Union, as other countries would head for the exit door too, preferring their own bespoke EU arrangement. And that is at the heart of European leaders' cherry-picking hymn sheet: not EU-fervour but raw self-interest. Trade-dependent Sweden relies to a large extent on the European single market. So, of course, does economic giant Germany. And that is the flaw in the Brexiteer argument that German car manufacturers will lobby until the end for a good UK trade deal. One in five German cars is sold in Britain, so of course the industry wants a decent deal, but, more than that, it hopes to avoid the lucrative single market being damaged and bleeding out more members. Did Mr Lofven worry about demands for a Swexit in traditionally Eurosceptic Sweden, I wondered? He didn't, he said, although the popular and populist Sweden Democrats Party, wants to make an EU referendum a central part of its 2018 general election campaign. But Mr Lofven did admit to being very worried about growing anti-establishment sentiment in Sweden as elsewhere in Europe. Newly confident Swedish neo-Nazis took to the streets of Stockholm recently in their biggest demonstration since World War Two - inspired, they said, by the election victory of Donald Trump. Support for the far-right Sweden Democrats, meanwhile, has soared since the EU migrant crisis. Sweden received more asylum seekers per capita than any other EU country, including Germany in 2015. Many Swedes are still angry with their government and the EU for \"leaving them alone\" to deal with the huge influx of arrivals. But Mr Lofven, a traditional social democrat, insists he has the answer: a fairer society. He and other centre-left European leaders have now formed a loose association (they met in Vienna last week) in an attempt to counteract the populist wave. The gap between rich and poor had grown too wide for too long in Sweden. It was dangerous, he told me. He said the EU was guilty of being too market-oriented and that he was pushing hard for a more social-minded Sweden and EU to be able to say to voters: \"You have a future; you have possibilities. We're not all about financial markets. This is about you.\" At their summit this Thursday EU leaders will try to reassure one another that they can stand strong against populism and the Brexit Blues but it's going to be one hell of a challenge.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4374, "answer_start": 2234, "text": "Trade-dependent Sweden relies to a large extent on the European single market. So, of course, does economic giant Germany. And that is the flaw in the Brexiteer argument that German car manufacturers will lobby until the end for a good UK trade deal. One in five German cars is sold in Britain, so of course the industry wants a decent deal, but, more than that, it hopes to avoid the lucrative single market being damaged and bleeding out more members. Did Mr Lofven worry about demands for a Swexit in traditionally Eurosceptic Sweden, I wondered? He didn't, he said, although the popular and populist Sweden Democrats Party, wants to make an EU referendum a central part of its 2018 general election campaign. But Mr Lofven did admit to being very worried about growing anti-establishment sentiment in Sweden as elsewhere in Europe. Newly confident Swedish neo-Nazis took to the streets of Stockholm recently in their biggest demonstration since World War Two - inspired, they said, by the election victory of Donald Trump. Support for the far-right Sweden Democrats, meanwhile, has soared since the EU migrant crisis. Sweden received more asylum seekers per capita than any other EU country, including Germany in 2015. Many Swedes are still angry with their government and the EU for \"leaving them alone\" to deal with the huge influx of arrivals. But Mr Lofven, a traditional social democrat, insists he has the answer: a fairer society. He and other centre-left European leaders have now formed a loose association (they met in Vienna last week) in an attempt to counteract the populist wave. The gap between rich and poor had grown too wide for too long in Sweden. It was dangerous, he told me. He said the EU was guilty of being too market-oriented and that he was pushing hard for a more social-minded Sweden and EU to be able to say to voters: \"You have a future; you have possibilities. We're not all about financial markets. This is about you.\" At their summit this Thursday EU leaders will try to reassure one another that they can stand strong against populism and the Brexit Blues but it's going to be one hell of a challenge." } ], "id": "282_0", "question": "Swexit?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Hurricane Irma is blasting up the west coast of Florida after buffeting the city of Miami, with dangerous flooding along long stretches of coast. It has been downgraded from category three to one but still has maximum sustained winds of 75mph (120km/h). More than 3.4 million homes in the state are without power, with parts of the city of Miami under water. At least four deaths have been linked to the storm and several areas have brought in curfews. Are you in the region? Have you been affected by Hurricane Irma? If it is safe for you to do so, share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Florida's Director of Emergency Management, Bryan Koon, said late in Sunday he could not yet confirm or deny reports of multiple deaths and extensive damage. Search and rescue efforts are due to begin on Monday morning, he said. Irma cut a devastating track across 10 Caribbean countries and territories, killing at least 28 people there. President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for Florida, describing the hurricane as a \"big monster\". At 09:00 GMT, the centre of the hurricane was about 60 miles (100km) north of Tampa, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Some 3m people live in the Tampa Bay area. The region has not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921. Irma is expected to weaken into a tropical storm over far northern Florida or southern Georgia later on Monday but first its centre will continue to move over the western Florida peninsula, the NHC said. Storm surge warnings are in effect for: - The South Santee river southward to Jupiter Inlet - Cape Sable northward to the Ochlockonee river - Tampa Bay Irma made landfall on Marco Island off Florida's west coast at 15:35 local time (19:35 GMT) on Sunday, with winds of up to 120mph. After leaving the coast of Cuba, Irma had barrelled through the Florida Keys, a chain of low-lying islands to the south, on Sunday morning. The whole of the southern tip of Florida has seen high winds, driving rain and storm surges. About 2ft of water has been seen in Miami's financial district, where one major street resembled a river, but the worst damage is expected on the west coast. Two cranes have collapsed in high winds in the city. At least four deaths have been connected to the storm: - A police officer working at a hurricane shelter in Hardee County was killed driving home when she collided with another vehicle being driven by a fellow officer, who also died - A person died in a single-car crash in Orange County - A man died in Marathon, Monroe County, on Saturday when his truck hit a tree, the sheriff's office said, adding that it was unknown if the crash had been weather-related or not Some 6.3 million people in the state were told to evacuate before the storm. As many as 4.4 million homes and businesses have lost power, Reuters news agency reports, quoting Florida Power & Light and other utilities. There is major disruption to transport, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport closed for Monday. Amid fears of debris and reports of looting, curfews have been imposed in areas such as Miami-Dade County. Irma is the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade, and has already caused widespread destruction on several Caribbean islands: - Cuba: Officials have talked of \"significant damage\", without giving further details, but no casualties have been reported. Electricity is out across the capital, Havana - St Martin and St Barthelemy: Six out of 10 homes on St Martin, an island shared between France and the Netherlands, are now uninhabitable, French officials say. They said nine people had died and seven were missing in the French territories, while four are known to have died in Dutch Sint Maarten - Turks and Caicos Islands: Widespread damage, although extent unclear - Barbuda: The small island is said to be \"barely habitable\", with 95% of the buildings damaged. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne estimates reconstruction will cost $100m (PS80m). One death has been confirmed - Anguilla: Extensive damage with one person confirmed dead - Puerto Rico: More than 6,000 residents of the US territory are in shelters and many more without power. At least three people have died - British Virgin Islands: Widespread damage reported, and five dead - US Virgin Islands: Damage to infrastructure was said to be widespread, with four deaths confirmed - Haiti and the Dominican Republic: Both battered by the storm, but neither had as much damage as initially feared Another hurricane, Jose, has been weakening over the western Atlantic, with swells due to affect parts of Hispaniola (the island split into Haiti and the Dominican Republic), the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, over the next couple of days. Are you in the region? Are you a holidaymaker unable to get a flight home or a resident who has been preparing for Hurricane Irma? If it is safe for you to do so, share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +447555 173285 - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Upload your pictures / video here - Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 - Please read our terms & conditions", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2260, "answer_start": 1685, "text": "Irma made landfall on Marco Island off Florida's west coast at 15:35 local time (19:35 GMT) on Sunday, with winds of up to 120mph. After leaving the coast of Cuba, Irma had barrelled through the Florida Keys, a chain of low-lying islands to the south, on Sunday morning. The whole of the southern tip of Florida has seen high winds, driving rain and storm surges. About 2ft of water has been seen in Miami's financial district, where one major street resembled a river, but the worst damage is expected on the west coast. Two cranes have collapsed in high winds in the city." } ], "id": "283_0", "question": "How did it arrive in Florida?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3196, "answer_start": 2261, "text": "At least four deaths have been connected to the storm: - A police officer working at a hurricane shelter in Hardee County was killed driving home when she collided with another vehicle being driven by a fellow officer, who also died - A person died in a single-car crash in Orange County - A man died in Marathon, Monroe County, on Saturday when his truck hit a tree, the sheriff's office said, adding that it was unknown if the crash had been weather-related or not Some 6.3 million people in the state were told to evacuate before the storm. As many as 4.4 million homes and businesses have lost power, Reuters news agency reports, quoting Florida Power & Light and other utilities. There is major disruption to transport, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport closed for Monday. Amid fears of debris and reports of looting, curfews have been imposed in areas such as Miami-Dade County." } ], "id": "283_1", "question": "How have residents felt the impact?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4826, "answer_start": 3197, "text": "Irma is the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade, and has already caused widespread destruction on several Caribbean islands: - Cuba: Officials have talked of \"significant damage\", without giving further details, but no casualties have been reported. Electricity is out across the capital, Havana - St Martin and St Barthelemy: Six out of 10 homes on St Martin, an island shared between France and the Netherlands, are now uninhabitable, French officials say. They said nine people had died and seven were missing in the French territories, while four are known to have died in Dutch Sint Maarten - Turks and Caicos Islands: Widespread damage, although extent unclear - Barbuda: The small island is said to be \"barely habitable\", with 95% of the buildings damaged. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne estimates reconstruction will cost $100m (PS80m). One death has been confirmed - Anguilla: Extensive damage with one person confirmed dead - Puerto Rico: More than 6,000 residents of the US territory are in shelters and many more without power. At least three people have died - British Virgin Islands: Widespread damage reported, and five dead - US Virgin Islands: Damage to infrastructure was said to be widespread, with four deaths confirmed - Haiti and the Dominican Republic: Both battered by the storm, but neither had as much damage as initially feared Another hurricane, Jose, has been weakening over the western Atlantic, with swells due to affect parts of Hispaniola (the island split into Haiti and the Dominican Republic), the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, over the next couple of days." } ], "id": "283_2", "question": "Which other areas have already been hit?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "French centre-right presidential candidate Francois Fillon says a judge is placing him under investigation over a fake job scandal - but has vowed to continue his election campaign. For weeks, Mr Fillon has fought allegations that his wife was paid for years for work she did not do. Mr Fillon called the investigation \"a political assassination\" against him. President Francois Hollande criticised his words, and accused him of attacking France's judicial system. \"Being a presidential candidate doesn't authorise you to cast suspicion on the work of police and judges,\" Mr Hollande said. Mr Fillon says he has been summoned to appear before the judge, Serge Tournaire, on 15 March. The date is just two days before the deadline for candidates to submit their final applications. The first round takes place on 23 April, followed by a second-round run-off on 7 May. Mr Fillon, who represents the centre-right Republicans party, says it is up to voters to decide his fate. \"It's not just me that is being assassinated, it's the presidential election. The voices of millions of votes have been muzzled,\" he said on a speech on Wednesday. \"The closer we get to the date of the presidential election, the more scandalous it would be to deprive the right and centre of a candidate,\" he argued. He has faced criticism for his decision - especially because he had previously pledged to stand down as a candidate if his case was placed under formal investigation. Mr Fillon's foreign affairs spokesman, Bruno Le Maire, has resigned from the campaign team, saying (in French) he has undermined the \"credibility of politics\". One allied party, the centre-right UDI, says it is suspending support for his campaign while it considers whether to still back him. Mr Fillon was selected late last year in national primaries held by the centre-right Republicans that attracted some four million voters. For a time he was the favourite in the race to succeed Francois Hollande as president - until the fake job allegations emerged. He has slipped to third in the polls, behind far-right National Front (FN) leader Marine le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron. Ms Le Pen also faces allegations that she misused EU funds - a claim she denies. Mr Fillon's decision to cling on sharpens the thorniest question for his party. He's due to be placed under formal investigation just 48 hours before the deadline to confirm France's presidential candidates. Replacing him as Republican nominee at this late stage would be a big gamble for the party, but having a candidate under investigation could also backfire. Bruno Jeanbart, director of polling company Opinionway, says: \"So far, many right-wing voters have stuck with him because they want a change of government. \"But if they think his candidacy will finish badly, it's possible they will shift their support elsewhere.\" The allegations circling around the Fillon family focus mainly on his Welsh-born wife Penelope, who is reportedly also facing an investigation. Newspaper Le Canard Enchaine alleges she was paid EUR831,400 (PS710,000; $900,000) over several years for working as a parliamentary assistant for Mr Fillon and his successor, but had no parliamentary pass - raising questions over whether she did the work she was paid for. She was also alleged to have picked up EUR100,000 for writing a handful of articles for a literary journal. The family has consistently denied the claims. Some Republicans have expressed their support, with politician Bernard Debre saying Mr Fillon was \"doing the right thing\" by staying in the race. Rival Mr Macron said investigators should be \"allowed to do [their] work as normal\", but warned that Mr Fillon would not be cleared automatically of wrongdoing even if he won the vote. Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon criticised Mr Fillon's decision, tweeting (in French): \"Fillon is asking somehow for the citizens to vote for his immunity. This is not the point of an election.\"", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1749, "answer_start": 867, "text": "Mr Fillon, who represents the centre-right Republicans party, says it is up to voters to decide his fate. \"It's not just me that is being assassinated, it's the presidential election. The voices of millions of votes have been muzzled,\" he said on a speech on Wednesday. \"The closer we get to the date of the presidential election, the more scandalous it would be to deprive the right and centre of a candidate,\" he argued. He has faced criticism for his decision - especially because he had previously pledged to stand down as a candidate if his case was placed under formal investigation. Mr Fillon's foreign affairs spokesman, Bruno Le Maire, has resigned from the campaign team, saying (in French) he has undermined the \"credibility of politics\". One allied party, the centre-right UDI, says it is suspending support for his campaign while it considers whether to still back him." } ], "id": "284_0", "question": "Why is Francois Fillon staying in the race?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2222, "answer_start": 1750, "text": "Mr Fillon was selected late last year in national primaries held by the centre-right Republicans that attracted some four million voters. For a time he was the favourite in the race to succeed Francois Hollande as president - until the fake job allegations emerged. He has slipped to third in the polls, behind far-right National Front (FN) leader Marine le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron. Ms Le Pen also faces allegations that she misused EU funds - a claim she denies." } ], "id": "284_1", "question": "Can Mr Fillon win the elections?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3423, "answer_start": 2851, "text": "The allegations circling around the Fillon family focus mainly on his Welsh-born wife Penelope, who is reportedly also facing an investigation. Newspaper Le Canard Enchaine alleges she was paid EUR831,400 (PS710,000; $900,000) over several years for working as a parliamentary assistant for Mr Fillon and his successor, but had no parliamentary pass - raising questions over whether she did the work she was paid for. She was also alleged to have picked up EUR100,000 for writing a handful of articles for a literary journal. The family has consistently denied the claims." } ], "id": "284_2", "question": "What is he accused of?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3968, "answer_start": 3424, "text": "Some Republicans have expressed their support, with politician Bernard Debre saying Mr Fillon was \"doing the right thing\" by staying in the race. Rival Mr Macron said investigators should be \"allowed to do [their] work as normal\", but warned that Mr Fillon would not be cleared automatically of wrongdoing even if he won the vote. Far-left presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon criticised Mr Fillon's decision, tweeting (in French): \"Fillon is asking somehow for the citizens to vote for his immunity. This is not the point of an election.\"" } ], "id": "284_3", "question": "How have other politicians reacted?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "French President Emmanuel Macron has said he may have failed in efforts to persuade Donald Trump to stick to an international nuclear deal with Iran. \"My view is... that he will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons,\" Mr Macron said at the end of a three-day state visit to the US. Mr Trump has until 12 May to decide on the deal, which aimed to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. He has been a strong critic of the accord, calling it \"insane\". On Wednesday, Mr Macron used similar language to describe frequent shifts in the US position on global issues, including climate change and the Iran agreement. \"It can work in the short term, but it's very insane in the medium to long term,\" he is quoted as telling reporters following a question-and-answer session with students at George Washington University. Mr Macron made changing the US president's mind on Iran a top priority for his visit but ended up admitting there was a \"big risk\" Mr Trump would abandon the deal. He agreed with Mr Trump that any deal should include a wider agreement on Iran's influence in the Middle East and should cover the country's nuclear activities longer term, as well as its ballistic missile programme. He said he would work with Mr Trump to build a \"new framework\" in the Middle East - and especially in Syria. His comments came at the end of a state visit in which the two leaders discussed differences on global trade and the environment, including the possibility of the US rejoining the Paris climate accord. Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Macron used a speech to the joint houses of the US Congress to denounce nationalism and isolationism, in what was seen as a thinly veiled attack on Mr Trump's America First agenda. Under the terms of the agreement, reached under Mr Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Iran agreed to limit its controversial nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions. The deal was struck between Iran and six world powers - the US, UK, France, Germany, China and Russia. Under the deal, Iran's ability to enrich uranium is severely restricted - the number of centrifuges it can install has been limited and its uranium stockpile is being drastically reduced. The restrictions are set to expire in 2025. Iran also agreed to redesign the nuclear reactor at Arak so that it could not produce weapons-grade plutonium, and to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency into any site in the country they regarded as suspicious. If any aspect of the deal is violated, the UN sanctions will resume for 10 years. Warning of \"big problems\" if Iran resumed its nuclear programme, Mr Trump on Tuesday said a \"bigger\" deal was possible but it must be built on \"solid\" foundations. \"They should have made a deal that covered Yemen, that covered Syria, that covered other parts of the Middle East,\" he said. The US president has long complained that the accord - signed by the US, Iran, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany - does nothing to halt Iran's support for militant groups in the region such as the Lebanese Shia Muslim group Hezbollah. Mr Trump is also demanding that signatories to the pact agree permanent restrictions on uranium enrichment. In January, he signed a waiver suspending US sanctions on Iran for 120 days, saying this was the last time he would extend the sanctions relief. The next waiver is due to be signed on 12 May. Echoing Mr Trump's concern over Iran's influence in the region, Gen Joseph Votel, head of the US military's Central Command, described the country as the biggest long-term threat to security in the Middle East. \"[Iran's] very aggressive approach to the region in trying to spread their revolutionary rhetoric and regime focus here is I think very, very evident\", he told the BBC. A senior aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran would not accept any change to the nuclear deal. \"If Trump exits the deal, Iran will surely pull out of it... Iran will not accept a nuclear deal with no benefits for us,\" said Ali Akbar Velayati. He also ruled out Iran restricting its influence in the Middle East. \"This is our region,\" he said. \"We are in our own region and it is legitimate.\" Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said the US and French leaders have no \"right\" to renegotiate a seven-party agreement. Iran would take \"important steps regarding our nuclear technology\", he said on Wednesday, but added that the measures would be \"peaceful\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2569, "answer_start": 1727, "text": "Under the terms of the agreement, reached under Mr Trump's predecessor Barack Obama, Iran agreed to limit its controversial nuclear programme in return for an easing of economic sanctions. The deal was struck between Iran and six world powers - the US, UK, France, Germany, China and Russia. Under the deal, Iran's ability to enrich uranium is severely restricted - the number of centrifuges it can install has been limited and its uranium stockpile is being drastically reduced. The restrictions are set to expire in 2025. Iran also agreed to redesign the nuclear reactor at Arak so that it could not produce weapons-grade plutonium, and to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency into any site in the country they regarded as suspicious. If any aspect of the deal is violated, the UN sanctions will resume for 10 years." } ], "id": "285_0", "question": "What does the current Iran deal involve?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3781, "answer_start": 2570, "text": "Warning of \"big problems\" if Iran resumed its nuclear programme, Mr Trump on Tuesday said a \"bigger\" deal was possible but it must be built on \"solid\" foundations. \"They should have made a deal that covered Yemen, that covered Syria, that covered other parts of the Middle East,\" he said. The US president has long complained that the accord - signed by the US, Iran, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany - does nothing to halt Iran's support for militant groups in the region such as the Lebanese Shia Muslim group Hezbollah. Mr Trump is also demanding that signatories to the pact agree permanent restrictions on uranium enrichment. In January, he signed a waiver suspending US sanctions on Iran for 120 days, saying this was the last time he would extend the sanctions relief. The next waiver is due to be signed on 12 May. Echoing Mr Trump's concern over Iran's influence in the region, Gen Joseph Votel, head of the US military's Central Command, described the country as the biggest long-term threat to security in the Middle East. \"[Iran's] very aggressive approach to the region in trying to spread their revolutionary rhetoric and regime focus here is I think very, very evident\", he told the BBC." } ], "id": "285_1", "question": "Why does Trump dislike it?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4465, "answer_start": 3782, "text": "A senior aide to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran would not accept any change to the nuclear deal. \"If Trump exits the deal, Iran will surely pull out of it... Iran will not accept a nuclear deal with no benefits for us,\" said Ali Akbar Velayati. He also ruled out Iran restricting its influence in the Middle East. \"This is our region,\" he said. \"We are in our own region and it is legitimate.\" Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said the US and French leaders have no \"right\" to renegotiate a seven-party agreement. Iran would take \"important steps regarding our nuclear technology\", he said on Wednesday, but added that the measures would be \"peaceful\"." } ], "id": "285_2", "question": "How does Iran see it?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Kim Wall was an established, freelance journalist who had travelled the world from her home in Sweden. She had been chasing an interview with Danish inventor Peter Madsen for several months and had little hesitation in taking up his invitation for a trip on his homemade submarine off Copenhagen on a sunny evening last summer. It was 19:00 on 10 August when she boarded the UC3 Nautilus and in the final photos taken from a passing ship some 90 minutes later she was smiling and looked relaxed in the sub's conning tower. She was about to move to Beijing in China with her Danish partner, Ole, and this was to be her final story before leaving. The 40-tonne submarine that the inventor had built in 2008 was, after all, not far from Ole's flat in Refshaleoen, a harbour area of the capital. Peter Madsen was a \"semi-celebrity\" in Denmark. And it was not his submarine that Ms Wall was interested in, but his ambition to build a rocket to launch into space. Kim Wall, 30, had previously reported from North Korea, the South Pacific, Uganda and Haiti, writing for the New York Times, the Guardian, Vice and the South China Morning Post. This would be a relatively straightforward piece, even if it did mean missing the couple's going-away party. \"I'm still alive btw,\" she texted her partner. \"But I'm going down now. I love you! He brought coffee and cookies tho.\" It was the last message she sent from the vessel. Ole repeatedly texted back and raised the alarm after midnight. Her mutilated torso was discovered on a beach by a passing cyclist on 21 August. Her head, legs and clothing were found by police divers on 6 October. What happened that night in the Oresund strait between Denmark and Sweden became an international cause celebre, with Peter Madsen ultimately going on trial and being convicted of premeditated murder and aggravated sexual assault. Although his sub was sighted by a merchant ship to the north-west of the Oresund bridge at about midnight, it had no satellite tracking and authorities were unable to contact Peter Madsen until the morning. It was finally spotted from a lighthouse at 10:30 on 11 August. A rescue helicopter radioed Madsen and then looked on as the submarine sank within 30 seconds. Madsen was pulled to safety by four people out fishing and taken to the port of Dragor, where he was met by a group of reporters and described the final moments of the sub, blaming its sinking on the ballast tank. Police would later say \"the sinking of the submarine was allegedly a consequence of a deliberate act\". There was no sign of Kim Wall. It took almost a fortnight for the journalist's death to be confirmed. Police said a torso found by a cyclist on the shore of Klydesoen to the south of Copenhagen was hers and that her arms, legs and head had been \"removed as a result of deliberate cutting\". Several weeks later, police divers found the rest of her remains about 1km (0.6 miles) from where her torso had been discovered, in Koge Bay. Police said they were in bags that had been weighed down with car pipes and metal pieces. It was on 11 August that Peter Madsen gave his first of three versions of what happened to her. It was these shifting and unconvincing explanations that helped convict him. Madsen said he had dropped her off at about 22:30 the night before near the Halvandet restaurant on the northern tip of Refshaleoen and had not seen her since. Restaurant owner Bo Petersen said the area was well covered by CCTV and he handed the video footage to police. After a judicial hearing on 12 August, police revealed Peter Madsen had given them a new account of events, which finally emerged on 21 August. Madsen had told them there had been a \"terrible accident\" on board. Ms Wall had been accidentally hit on the head by the submarine's 70kg (150lb) hatch. He had then dumped her body somewhere in Koge Bay, about 50km (30 miles) south of Copenhagen. Peter Madsen has been in police custody ever since 12 August. His lawyer Betina Hald Engmark said at the time that her client was relieved to have been able to shed more light on what had happened but it was not an admission of wrongdoing. Then, on 30 October, police said the inventor had changed his story and told them she died on board of carbon monoxide poisoning while he was up on deck. He also admitted dismembering her body, which he had previously denied. This was similar to the account he gave his trial in March 2018. The air pressure on board the submarine had suddenly plummeted while he was on the deck, he explained, and Kim Wall was in the engine room. The sub had filled with exhaust fumes and he had been unable to get back in. \"When I finally manage to open the hatch, a warm cloud hits my face. I find her lifeless on the floor, and I squat next to her and try to wake her up, slapping her cheeks,\" he said. After trying for almost an hour to push her body out of the submarine, he said he mutilated her. Peter Madsen always denied murder and aggravated sexual assault, but admitted dismembering Kim Wall's body and disposing of it at sea. He told his trial he had hidden the truth out of respect for the victim's family. Prosecutors rejected Peter Madsen's account, describing it as a lie aimed at saving his skin. His defence lawyer argued their story was not backed up by real evidence. The prosecution painted a picture of a man who enjoyed watching videos of women being killed or tortured which were found on his workshop computer. Peter Madsen had watched a beheading video shortly before he had taken Kim Wall out in the submarine, they said. It had been found by police on a back-up profile of his iPhone. During the trial, prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said it was unclear how Kim Wall had died, but it was clearly intentional and with a sexual motive. Madsen had already asked other women to join him on the sub that week but no-one else had come, it was said. The prosecution argued that a screwdriver, a saw, and metal piping were taken on board the submarine by Madsen for the first time on 10 August as part of a premeditated murder plan to stab his victim, mutilate her and then dispose of her body. A scientist from the Danish Technological Institute told the court that Peter Madsen's argument that Kim Wall died of exhaust fumes was possible, but only if the temperature on board had risen very high. A police witness told the court there had been no sign of exhaust fumes. Madsen was given a life sentence and told by the judge that Kim Wall's murder was cynical and planned.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3065, "answer_start": 1630, "text": "What happened that night in the Oresund strait between Denmark and Sweden became an international cause celebre, with Peter Madsen ultimately going on trial and being convicted of premeditated murder and aggravated sexual assault. Although his sub was sighted by a merchant ship to the north-west of the Oresund bridge at about midnight, it had no satellite tracking and authorities were unable to contact Peter Madsen until the morning. It was finally spotted from a lighthouse at 10:30 on 11 August. A rescue helicopter radioed Madsen and then looked on as the submarine sank within 30 seconds. Madsen was pulled to safety by four people out fishing and taken to the port of Dragor, where he was met by a group of reporters and described the final moments of the sub, blaming its sinking on the ballast tank. Police would later say \"the sinking of the submarine was allegedly a consequence of a deliberate act\". There was no sign of Kim Wall. It took almost a fortnight for the journalist's death to be confirmed. Police said a torso found by a cyclist on the shore of Klydesoen to the south of Copenhagen was hers and that her arms, legs and head had been \"removed as a result of deliberate cutting\". Several weeks later, police divers found the rest of her remains about 1km (0.6 miles) from where her torso had been discovered, in Koge Bay. Police said they were in bags that had been weighed down with car pipes and metal pieces." } ], "id": "286_0", "question": "What happened to Kim Wall?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5144, "answer_start": 3066, "text": "It was on 11 August that Peter Madsen gave his first of three versions of what happened to her. It was these shifting and unconvincing explanations that helped convict him. Madsen said he had dropped her off at about 22:30 the night before near the Halvandet restaurant on the northern tip of Refshaleoen and had not seen her since. Restaurant owner Bo Petersen said the area was well covered by CCTV and he handed the video footage to police. After a judicial hearing on 12 August, police revealed Peter Madsen had given them a new account of events, which finally emerged on 21 August. Madsen had told them there had been a \"terrible accident\" on board. Ms Wall had been accidentally hit on the head by the submarine's 70kg (150lb) hatch. He had then dumped her body somewhere in Koge Bay, about 50km (30 miles) south of Copenhagen. Peter Madsen has been in police custody ever since 12 August. His lawyer Betina Hald Engmark said at the time that her client was relieved to have been able to shed more light on what had happened but it was not an admission of wrongdoing. Then, on 30 October, police said the inventor had changed his story and told them she died on board of carbon monoxide poisoning while he was up on deck. He also admitted dismembering her body, which he had previously denied. This was similar to the account he gave his trial in March 2018. The air pressure on board the submarine had suddenly plummeted while he was on the deck, he explained, and Kim Wall was in the engine room. The sub had filled with exhaust fumes and he had been unable to get back in. \"When I finally manage to open the hatch, a warm cloud hits my face. I find her lifeless on the floor, and I squat next to her and try to wake her up, slapping her cheeks,\" he said. After trying for almost an hour to push her body out of the submarine, he said he mutilated her. Peter Madsen always denied murder and aggravated sexual assault, but admitted dismembering Kim Wall's body and disposing of it at sea. He told his trial he had hidden the truth out of respect for the victim's family." } ], "id": "286_1", "question": "What did Peter Madsen say about that night?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6517, "answer_start": 5145, "text": "Prosecutors rejected Peter Madsen's account, describing it as a lie aimed at saving his skin. His defence lawyer argued their story was not backed up by real evidence. The prosecution painted a picture of a man who enjoyed watching videos of women being killed or tortured which were found on his workshop computer. Peter Madsen had watched a beheading video shortly before he had taken Kim Wall out in the submarine, they said. It had been found by police on a back-up profile of his iPhone. During the trial, prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen said it was unclear how Kim Wall had died, but it was clearly intentional and with a sexual motive. Madsen had already asked other women to join him on the sub that week but no-one else had come, it was said. The prosecution argued that a screwdriver, a saw, and metal piping were taken on board the submarine by Madsen for the first time on 10 August as part of a premeditated murder plan to stab his victim, mutilate her and then dispose of her body. A scientist from the Danish Technological Institute told the court that Peter Madsen's argument that Kim Wall died of exhaust fumes was possible, but only if the temperature on board had risen very high. A police witness told the court there had been no sign of exhaust fumes. Madsen was given a life sentence and told by the judge that Kim Wall's murder was cynical and planned." } ], "id": "286_2", "question": "What do prosecutors say happened?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Police firing tear gas have evicted protesters who stormed and vandalised Hong Kong's parliament. Activists had occupied the Legislative Council (LegCo) building for hours after breaking away from a protest on the anniversary of Hong Kong's transfer of sovereignty to China from Britain. After midnight (16:00 GMT), hundreds of police secured the building following a warning to protesters to clear it. It follows weeks of unrest in the city over a controversial extradition law. Hundreds of thousands took part in the earlier peaceful protest - the latest rally against a proposed law that critics fear could be used to extradite political dissidents to mainland China. The protesters have also been demanding an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality during an earlier protest on 12 June. Hong Kong's embattled political leader Carrie Lam held a press conference at 04:00 local time (20:00 GMT) in which she condemned the \"extreme use of violence\" of those who broke into the legislature. Peaceful demonstrations had been planned for Monday, the 22nd anniversary of the handover of sovereignty. A large-scale march, involving hundreds of thousands of people, took place in the city, and passed off in a largely peaceful manner. Separately, officials from the government raised glasses of champagne at a formal ceremony celebrating the handover. But at about lunchtime, dozens of demonstrators broke off and made their way to LegCo. They effectively besieged the building, as a large crowd of several hundred watched from a distance, before eventually smashing their way through the glass facade. Pro-democracy legislators at the scene had attempted to dissuade them from breaking into LegCo, warning them they could face serious criminal charges for doing so. One of the lawmakers, 66-year-old Leung Yiu-chung, said their pleas were ignored, with many protesters telling him they were prepared to face the consequences. Police warned the crowd they would use force and make arrests, but fell back to an interior gate before vacating the building, rather than engage the crowd. Hundreds more flowed in once the police left. Inside, they defaced the emblem of Hong Kong in the central chamber, raised the old British colonial flag, spray-painted messages across the walls, and shattered furniture. Then at about midnight outside the building, protesters clad in plastic helmets and brandishing umbrellas retreated from a baton charge by riot police, who quickly overcame their makeshift barriers. Inside, diehard protesters were pulled forcibly outside by their fellow occupants in an attempt to completely clear the building. Democratic lawmakers Ted Hui and Roy Kwong stood in front of police asking them to allow demonstrators time to leave the area, the South China Morning Post reported. Within an hour, the streets around the building were clear of everyone except the media and police. Officers then began searching the rooms of the LegCo building for any possible stragglers. No arrests have yet been reported. One pro-democracy legislator told the BBC that young protesters initially said they would stay all night. \"They're saying that they would beat the police by sheer numbers, and that sounds very scary to me,\" Claudia Mo said. \"I was a journalist and I did cover the Tiananmen bloodbath 30 years ago, and that's exactly what those students said back then in the Chinese capital.\" Her colleague, legislator Fernando Cheung, had been inside with those occupying the building, and said he was glad they all left safely without encountering police. \"If they resisted... I'm afraid there would be bloodshed, or I think the police wouldn't be hesitant to use force to disperse them,\" he said. He praised those who came back and grabbed those who refused to leave. \"They came back and they dragged them out. And we're actually glad that happened,\" he said. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Ms Lam called a press conference in which she denounced the \"extreme use of violence and vandalism\" by protesters who stormed parliament. Flanked by her security minister John Lee Ka-chiu and other officials, Ms Lam said the break-in \"really saddens a lot of people and shocks a lot of people\". She contrasted Monday's tumultuous events with the annual peaceful march on 1 July, which she said reflects \"the core values we attach to peace and order\" in Hong Kong. The press conference, held outside Hong Kong's police headquarters, was frantic, with a chorus of reporters shouting questions at Ms Lam. Ms Lam responded calmly, showing little emotion as she stressed the importance of maintaining the rule of law in Hong Kong. \"I hope the community at large will agree with us that with these violent acts that we have seen, it is right for us to condemn it and hope society will return to normal as soon as possible,\" she told reporters. In an apparent warning to protesters, Ms Lam said Hong Kong's authorities would \"pursue any illegal acts\" carried out by protesters. Hong Kong enjoys a \"one country, two systems\" deal that guarantees it a level of autonomy, and rights not seen on mainland China. However, it does not have full democracy, and pro-democracy events are held every year to mark the handover. This year, however, the annual event follows weeks of protests which have seen millions take to the streets over the planned extradition bill. On 12 June, police used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up an unauthorised demonstration outside LegCo, where a debate about the bill was due to take place - but critics said it used excessive force. In the wake of June's protests, the government apologised and suspended the planned extradition law. However, many protesters said they would not back down until the bill had been completely scrapped. There have also been smaller demonstrations by the territory's pro-Beijing movement. On Sunday, thousands of pro-Beijing protesters rallied in support of the Hong Kong police.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3029, "answer_start": 1002, "text": "Peaceful demonstrations had been planned for Monday, the 22nd anniversary of the handover of sovereignty. A large-scale march, involving hundreds of thousands of people, took place in the city, and passed off in a largely peaceful manner. Separately, officials from the government raised glasses of champagne at a formal ceremony celebrating the handover. But at about lunchtime, dozens of demonstrators broke off and made their way to LegCo. They effectively besieged the building, as a large crowd of several hundred watched from a distance, before eventually smashing their way through the glass facade. Pro-democracy legislators at the scene had attempted to dissuade them from breaking into LegCo, warning them they could face serious criminal charges for doing so. One of the lawmakers, 66-year-old Leung Yiu-chung, said their pleas were ignored, with many protesters telling him they were prepared to face the consequences. Police warned the crowd they would use force and make arrests, but fell back to an interior gate before vacating the building, rather than engage the crowd. Hundreds more flowed in once the police left. Inside, they defaced the emblem of Hong Kong in the central chamber, raised the old British colonial flag, spray-painted messages across the walls, and shattered furniture. Then at about midnight outside the building, protesters clad in plastic helmets and brandishing umbrellas retreated from a baton charge by riot police, who quickly overcame their makeshift barriers. Inside, diehard protesters were pulled forcibly outside by their fellow occupants in an attempt to completely clear the building. Democratic lawmakers Ted Hui and Roy Kwong stood in front of police asking them to allow demonstrators time to leave the area, the South China Morning Post reported. Within an hour, the streets around the building were clear of everyone except the media and police. Officers then began searching the rooms of the LegCo building for any possible stragglers. No arrests have yet been reported." } ], "id": "287_0", "question": "How did the day unfold?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3876, "answer_start": 3030, "text": "One pro-democracy legislator told the BBC that young protesters initially said they would stay all night. \"They're saying that they would beat the police by sheer numbers, and that sounds very scary to me,\" Claudia Mo said. \"I was a journalist and I did cover the Tiananmen bloodbath 30 years ago, and that's exactly what those students said back then in the Chinese capital.\" Her colleague, legislator Fernando Cheung, had been inside with those occupying the building, and said he was glad they all left safely without encountering police. \"If they resisted... I'm afraid there would be bloodshed, or I think the police wouldn't be hesitant to use force to disperse them,\" he said. He praised those who came back and grabbed those who refused to leave. \"They came back and they dragged them out. And we're actually glad that happened,\" he said." } ], "id": "287_1", "question": "Why didn't protesters stay?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5950, "answer_start": 4987, "text": "Hong Kong enjoys a \"one country, two systems\" deal that guarantees it a level of autonomy, and rights not seen on mainland China. However, it does not have full democracy, and pro-democracy events are held every year to mark the handover. This year, however, the annual event follows weeks of protests which have seen millions take to the streets over the planned extradition bill. On 12 June, police used tear gas and rubber bullets to break up an unauthorised demonstration outside LegCo, where a debate about the bill was due to take place - but critics said it used excessive force. In the wake of June's protests, the government apologised and suspended the planned extradition law. However, many protesters said they would not back down until the bill had been completely scrapped. There have also been smaller demonstrations by the territory's pro-Beijing movement. On Sunday, thousands of pro-Beijing protesters rallied in support of the Hong Kong police." } ], "id": "287_2", "question": "Why is there unrest?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Ex-acting CIA director Michael Morell has resigned from his post at Harvard over its hiring of Chelsea Manning. Announcing his resignation as a senior fellow, Mr Morell said he could not be part of an institution \"that honours a convicted felon and leaker of classified information\". Harvard later withdrew Ms Manning's invitation as a visiting fellow, but said she remained welcome as a speaker. She was convicted of espionage in 2013 after leaking secret documents. In his resignation letter, Mr Morell condemned Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, saying its \"decision will assist Ms Manning in her long-standing effort to legitimise the criminal path that she took to prominence\", and may serve to encourage other whistleblowers. He added: \"I fully support Ms Manning's rights as a transgender American, including the right to serve our country in the US military.\" On her Twitter page, Ms Manning responded to Mr Morell's departure by writing \"good\", and said the debate around her appointment was \"nothing to do with trans rights\". The former Army private also retweeted a review of Mr Morell's 2015 book in which he defended the use of drone strikes and torture techniques against terror suspects. Mr Morell served in the CIA for 33 years, including three as deputy director under the Obama administration. He was acting director of the agency for several months in 2011, replacing Leon Panetta when he was named defence secretary, then again from November 2012 to March 2013, when Gen David Petraeus resigned over an extra-marital affair. Morell retired in 2013 and was named a senior fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Kennedy School. Ms Manning - who served seven years in a military prison after sharing US government documents with Wikileaks before her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama - was initially named as a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School on Wednesday. But after a day of backlash, Harvard released a statement saying that designating her as a visiting fellow had been a \"mistake\". The Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, Douglas Elmendorf, said the university \"did not intend to honor [Ms Manning] in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds, as we do not honor or endorse any fellow\". However, he said, the title is viewed by some people as an honorific, \"so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations\". Mr Elmendorf said the faculty's approach to visiting speakers is \"to invite some people who have significantly influenced events in the world, even if they do not share our values\". He apologised to Ms Manning, adding that she was still welcome \"to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak in the Forum\".", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2752, "answer_start": 1686, "text": "Ms Manning - who served seven years in a military prison after sharing US government documents with Wikileaks before her sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama - was initially named as a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School on Wednesday. But after a day of backlash, Harvard released a statement saying that designating her as a visiting fellow had been a \"mistake\". The Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, Douglas Elmendorf, said the university \"did not intend to honor [Ms Manning] in any way or to endorse any of her words or deeds, as we do not honor or endorse any fellow\". However, he said, the title is viewed by some people as an honorific, \"so we should weigh that consideration when offering invitations\". Mr Elmendorf said the faculty's approach to visiting speakers is \"to invite some people who have significantly influenced events in the world, even if they do not share our values\". He apologised to Ms Manning, adding that she was still welcome \"to spend a day at the Kennedy School and speak in the Forum\"." } ], "id": "288_0", "question": "Why did Harvard backtrack?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is to attend the Winter Olympic Games which open in Pyeongchang in the South on Friday, ministers in Seoul say. Kim Yo-jong, a senior Workers' Party official promoted to the politburo last year, will be the first immediate Kim family member to cross the border. Both Koreas will march under one flag at the opening ceremony. The North's participation has been seen as a thawing of bilateral ties. However, the US, Japan and others have accused the North of using the Games for propaganda purposes. Believed to have been born in 1987, she is the youngest daughter of late leader Kim Jong-il and is Kim Jong-un's full sister. She is about four years younger than her brother and is said to be very close to him. She is reportedly married to the son of Choe Ryong-hae, the powerful party secretary. Kim Yo-jong has been in the spotlight sporadically in recent years, with her main job being to protect her brother's image via her role in the party's propaganda department. She remains blacklisted by the US over alleged links to human rights abuses in North Korea. Analysis: BBC's Laura Bicker in Seoul This is a huge surprise. There had been speculation Kim Yo-jong might be part of the delegation but few thought it would actually happen. It is being seen as a sign that Kim Jong-un is serious about improving ties with South Korea. Kim Yo-jong is one of Kim Jong-un's closest aides and some are speculating that she might be bringing a message from her brother. But there could be a number of obstacles to overcome if she is to make it to Pyeongchang. She is targeted by US sanctions for alleged human rights abuses, although she is not on the UN Security Council travel blacklist. There is also the question of how she will get to the Games. Seoul has had to request special permission from the US and others in the international community to allow North Korean athletes and performers to travel south by bus and ferry. They may have to do so again and this time it will be for a member of Kim Jong-un's own family. It would be the first by a direct member of the Kim dynasty. Chang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-un's uncle and brother in law of Kim Jong-il, did travel to the South but did not belong to the Baekdu blood line, which is considered significant. There is speculation in the South that this is part of Kim Yo-jong's grooming for greater power, and that she could be bringing a letter from her brother to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who she is likely to meet. It is unclear whether Kim Yo-jong will be at the opening ceremony on Friday. Politically, four figures, including Kim Yo-jong, are key. The others are: - Kim Yong-nam. North Korea's ceremonial head of state, the president of its parliament. The diplomatically sure-footed 90-year-old has seen the rule of all three North Korean leaders and has travelled overseas before - Ri Son-gwon. The head of the North Korean state agency in charge of inter-Korean affairs. A veteran negotiator, he was North Korea's chief delegate at the rare inter-Korean talks held in January - Choe Hwi. Vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party and chairman of the National Sports Guidance Committee. Under US state department sanctions It's a 280-strong delegation, most of whom arrived in the South on Wednesday. Led by North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk, it includes 229 cheerleaders, four officials from the National Olympic Committee, 26 taekwondo demonstrators and 21 journalists. The team arrived via a western border at 09:28 local time (00:26 GMT), the Yonhap news agency reported. Only 10 athletes will compete for the North at the Games, along with another 12 as part of a unified Korean women's ice hockey team. Michael Madden, North Korea leadership expert In announcing its delegates both to the 2018 Winter Olympics and the inter-Korean culture events on the sidelines, Pyongyang let out the information in a slow drip. Part of this is Pyongyang maximising the positive PR effects. The announcement of the full delegation came following the arrival of its athletes to the Games late last week, and one day after 10 musicians arrived in South Korea. So now North Korea has earned itself a third day of positive media coverage about its participation in the Olympics. The US is scornful of the North's motives over the Olympics and is sending Vice-President Mike Pence to the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang to counter what it terms propaganda. \"We're travelling to the Olympics to make sure that North Korea doesn't use the powerful symbolism in the backdrop of the Winter Olympics to paper over the truth about their regime,\" he said. He was in Tokyo on Wednesday and maintained the pressure, announcing that \"the United States will soon unveil the toughest and most aggressive round of economic sanctions on North Korea\". Japan has been equally sceptical. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said: \"We must not be fooled by North Korea's 'smile diplomacy'.\" North Korea currently faces growing international pressure and sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes. Its latest ballistic missile test, on 28 November, sparked a new series of measures from the UN, targeting petrol shipments and travel for North Koreans, and a war of words between the North and US President Donald Trump. Kim Jong-un then extended a New Year's olive branch to the South over participation in the Olympics, which run from 9 to 25 February. The perceived warming of ties has not been without difficulties, not least the North's decision to move a military parade in Pyongyang from April to the day before the opening of the Games.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1119, "answer_start": 556, "text": "Believed to have been born in 1987, she is the youngest daughter of late leader Kim Jong-il and is Kim Jong-un's full sister. She is about four years younger than her brother and is said to be very close to him. She is reportedly married to the son of Choe Ryong-hae, the powerful party secretary. Kim Yo-jong has been in the spotlight sporadically in recent years, with her main job being to protect her brother's image via her role in the party's propaganda department. She remains blacklisted by the US over alleged links to human rights abuses in North Korea." } ], "id": "289_0", "question": "Who is Kim Yo-jong?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2074, "answer_start": 1120, "text": "Analysis: BBC's Laura Bicker in Seoul This is a huge surprise. There had been speculation Kim Yo-jong might be part of the delegation but few thought it would actually happen. It is being seen as a sign that Kim Jong-un is serious about improving ties with South Korea. Kim Yo-jong is one of Kim Jong-un's closest aides and some are speculating that she might be bringing a message from her brother. But there could be a number of obstacles to overcome if she is to make it to Pyeongchang. She is targeted by US sanctions for alleged human rights abuses, although she is not on the UN Security Council travel blacklist. There is also the question of how she will get to the Games. Seoul has had to request special permission from the US and others in the international community to allow North Korean athletes and performers to travel south by bus and ferry. They may have to do so again and this time it will be for a member of Kim Jong-un's own family." } ], "id": "289_1", "question": "A message from her brother?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2607, "answer_start": 2075, "text": "It would be the first by a direct member of the Kim dynasty. Chang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-un's uncle and brother in law of Kim Jong-il, did travel to the South but did not belong to the Baekdu blood line, which is considered significant. There is speculation in the South that this is part of Kim Yo-jong's grooming for greater power, and that she could be bringing a letter from her brother to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who she is likely to meet. It is unclear whether Kim Yo-jong will be at the opening ceremony on Friday." } ], "id": "289_2", "question": "How rare is this visit?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3754, "answer_start": 3263, "text": "It's a 280-strong delegation, most of whom arrived in the South on Wednesday. Led by North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk, it includes 229 cheerleaders, four officials from the National Olympic Committee, 26 taekwondo demonstrators and 21 journalists. The team arrived via a western border at 09:28 local time (00:26 GMT), the Yonhap news agency reported. Only 10 athletes will compete for the North at the Games, along with another 12 as part of a unified Korean women's ice hockey team." } ], "id": "289_3", "question": "And the rest of the North Korean team?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5007, "answer_start": 4312, "text": "The US is scornful of the North's motives over the Olympics and is sending Vice-President Mike Pence to the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang to counter what it terms propaganda. \"We're travelling to the Olympics to make sure that North Korea doesn't use the powerful symbolism in the backdrop of the Winter Olympics to paper over the truth about their regime,\" he said. He was in Tokyo on Wednesday and maintained the pressure, announcing that \"the United States will soon unveil the toughest and most aggressive round of economic sanctions on North Korea\". Japan has been equally sceptical. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said: \"We must not be fooled by North Korea's 'smile diplomacy'.\"" } ], "id": "289_4", "question": "How have others reacted?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5667, "answer_start": 5008, "text": "North Korea currently faces growing international pressure and sanctions over its nuclear and missile programmes. Its latest ballistic missile test, on 28 November, sparked a new series of measures from the UN, targeting petrol shipments and travel for North Koreans, and a war of words between the North and US President Donald Trump. Kim Jong-un then extended a New Year's olive branch to the South over participation in the Olympics, which run from 9 to 25 February. The perceived warming of ties has not been without difficulties, not least the North's decision to move a military parade in Pyongyang from April to the day before the opening of the Games." } ], "id": "289_5", "question": "Where are we on North-South ties?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The Colombian government and the country's largest rebel group, the Farc, have signed a revised peace deal. The previous deal was rejected by the Colombian people in a popular vote on 2 October. The revised agreement has been submitted to Congress for approval, rather than put to a popular vote. The deal is aimed at ending five decades of armed conflict, which has killed more than 260,000 people and left millions internally displaced. The revised deal was signed in a low-key ceremony in the capital, Bogota, and then handed to the president of the Congress. The ceremony was deliberately kept much smaller than the signing of the previous agreement on 26 September, which was attended by regional heads of state and the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon. About 800 people were invited to Thursday's ceremony in Colon Theatre rather than the 2,500 who attended the previous ceremony in the port city of Cartagena. As Farc leader Rodrigo Londono, better known as Timochenko, and President Juan Manuel Santos shook hands after taking turns to sign the document, with a pen made from a bullet, the guests rose to their feet and chanted \"Si se pudo\" (\"Yes, we could\"). Timochenko said the agreement \"put a definite end to the war so we can confront our difference in a civilised manner\". President Santos said the revised agreement was \"better\" than the previous one because it addressed many of the concerns of those who had voted \"No\" in the October referendum. He warned that its implementation could not be delayed by a single minute and asked the guests to imagine for a moment what it would be like to return to war with the Farc. He said he expected Congress to vote on the deal as early as next week. After four years of formal talks between rebel and government negotiators, the two sides reached an agreement earlier this year. The deal was signed in an emotional ceremony on 26 September. But Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos had said from the start of the negotiations that he wanted the Colombian people to have a say in the peace process. He asked them to endorse or reject the peace agreement in a popular vote held on 2 October. Polls had suggested the deal would pass by a comfortable margin but in a shock result it was narrowly rejected. A bilateral ceasefire was extended until the end of the year to give the two sides time to plan their next steps. President Santos met former President Alvaro Uribe, a vociferous opponent of the peace deal, to listen to his objections. The government and the Farc then went back to the negotiating table to try to strike a new deal acceptable to those who had voted \"no\". Changes were made to almost all of the 57 points in the original agreement. The five main points which have been changed are: - The Farc will have to declare all their assets and hand them over. The money will be used for reparation payments for the victims of the conflict - Concerns by religious groups that the agreement undermined family values have been addressed - A time limit of 10 years has been set for the transitional justice system - Farc rebels will be expected to provide exhaustive information about any drug trafficking they may have been involved in - The peace agreement will not form part of Colombia's constitution The deal will be voted on in Congress, where the government has a solid majority, probably early next week, ministers say. The Democratic Centre party, founded by ex-President Uribe, has already said it will vote \"No\". Its leaders say that the changes are only \"cosmetic\" and object to the fact that the government has said the new deal is \"final\". It wants more of its demands met, including harsher sentences for Farc rebels who have committed crimes. It also demanded that the revised deal be put to another popular vote, which President Santos and the Farc have both ruled out. Other parties in Congress have given the deal their backing, so it is expected to pass.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2274, "answer_start": 1721, "text": "After four years of formal talks between rebel and government negotiators, the two sides reached an agreement earlier this year. The deal was signed in an emotional ceremony on 26 September. But Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos had said from the start of the negotiations that he wanted the Colombian people to have a say in the peace process. He asked them to endorse or reject the peace agreement in a popular vote held on 2 October. Polls had suggested the deal would pass by a comfortable margin but in a shock result it was narrowly rejected." } ], "id": "290_0", "question": "Why was a new deal needed?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2722, "answer_start": 2275, "text": "A bilateral ceasefire was extended until the end of the year to give the two sides time to plan their next steps. President Santos met former President Alvaro Uribe, a vociferous opponent of the peace deal, to listen to his objections. The government and the Farc then went back to the negotiating table to try to strike a new deal acceptable to those who had voted \"no\". Changes were made to almost all of the 57 points in the original agreement." } ], "id": "290_1", "question": "What happened next?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3952, "answer_start": 3283, "text": "The deal will be voted on in Congress, where the government has a solid majority, probably early next week, ministers say. The Democratic Centre party, founded by ex-President Uribe, has already said it will vote \"No\". Its leaders say that the changes are only \"cosmetic\" and object to the fact that the government has said the new deal is \"final\". It wants more of its demands met, including harsher sentences for Farc rebels who have committed crimes. It also demanded that the revised deal be put to another popular vote, which President Santos and the Farc have both ruled out. Other parties in Congress have given the deal their backing, so it is expected to pass." } ], "id": "290_2", "question": "What now?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will be released in the UK on Friday this week, the makers have revealed. So expect to see people waving imaginary wands in the street all weekend. Wizards Unite is an augmented reality game like Pokemon Go, so players have get out and about to play it. This one's about casting spells, fighting evil wizards and collecting magic items - all set in the Wizarding World of JK Rowling's novels. Makers Niantic announced the release date on Twitter, along with a promotional video for the game, with live-action and CGI representing how it will actually play. A few new moments of Gameplay can be seen at the end of the new trailer. The game is played on your phone, putting animation into real life views through your camera. But instead of trapping cute animals in tiny balls, like you did in Pokemon Go, this time around you're dealing with magic - and players must look for \"foundables\". These are \"artefacts, creatures, people and even memories\" from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts books that must be found by new recruits from the Statute of Secret Task Force - and that's you. Players will have to cast spells to beat \"confoundable\" magic and return the foundables to the wizard world. They'll also have to visit inns to replenish their spell power, brew potions and visit well known locations from the Harry Potter books and movies. Early gameplay footage revealed that spells are cast by tracing patterns on the screen of your handset. And previews of the game describe it as \"more complex\" than Pokemon Go, which became a global phenomenon and returned the gaming franchise to being one of the biggest in the world. There is also the opportunity to team up with fellow wizards (ie, your friends) to play multiplayer battles against villains such as Death Eaters and Dementors - which are like the gyms in Pokemon Go. Players can choose from three jobs for their character which means players will have different skills and abilities from each other. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1987, "answer_start": 658, "text": "The game is played on your phone, putting animation into real life views through your camera. But instead of trapping cute animals in tiny balls, like you did in Pokemon Go, this time around you're dealing with magic - and players must look for \"foundables\". These are \"artefacts, creatures, people and even memories\" from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts books that must be found by new recruits from the Statute of Secret Task Force - and that's you. Players will have to cast spells to beat \"confoundable\" magic and return the foundables to the wizard world. They'll also have to visit inns to replenish their spell power, brew potions and visit well known locations from the Harry Potter books and movies. Early gameplay footage revealed that spells are cast by tracing patterns on the screen of your handset. And previews of the game describe it as \"more complex\" than Pokemon Go, which became a global phenomenon and returned the gaming franchise to being one of the biggest in the world. There is also the opportunity to team up with fellow wizards (ie, your friends) to play multiplayer battles against villains such as Death Eaters and Dementors - which are like the gyms in Pokemon Go. Players can choose from three jobs for their character which means players will have different skills and abilities from each other." } ], "id": "291_0", "question": "What is Harry Potter: Wizards Unite?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The first flights bringing Thomas Cook holidaymakers home to the UK have landed amid some reports of disruption. The government has said it will run a \"shadow airline\" for two weeks to repatriate the 155,000 UK tourists affected by the firm's collapse. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said its response to the crisis was \"on track so far\" and \"running smoothly\". But some people have complained of long queues and disruption at airports, including one who waited nine hours. Ricky Houston said his flight to Newcastle from Corfu was delayed by nine hours on Monday. \"I feel sorry for the reps because I don't think they knew anything either. It was the hotel which kept us up to date,\" he said. Mr Shapps, who earlier attended an emergency Cobra government meeting on the government's response, said: \"People will experience delays, we're not running the original airline, but we intend to get this done all in the next two weeks and then end this phase of the rescue.\" He also stressed people should not come home early from their holidays but should \"carry on and leave on the date they were supposed to leave, having first checked the Thomas Cook website before leaving for the airport\". Thomas Cook, whose roots go back to 1841, went into liquidation after last-ditch talks to raise fresh funding failed. It has left 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide, 9,000 of them in the UK. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is coordinating the repatriation - which is the biggest in peacetime - in an undertaking called Operation Matterhorn. It has chartered 45 jets to bring customers home and will fly 64 routes on Monday, from locations including Central America and Turkey. Some 16,000 holidaymakers were booked to come back on Monday, and authorities hope to get at least 14,000 of them back to the UK. Operators including easyJet and Virgin have supplied some aircraft, with jets coming from as far afield as Malaysia. All Thomas Cook holidays are now cancelled, but some customers complain they have not been given enough information. All customers can seek compensation via the government's Atol scheme, or from their credit card or insurance companies. Customers seeking information can visit the CAA's special Thomas Cook website. Those scheduled to return to the UK within the next 48 hours or who are having problems with their accommodation or need special assistance can ring 0300 303 2800 in the UK or +44 1753 330 330 from abroad. Leanne Jones, a mother of two small boys, has found out that the Thomas Cook vouchers she's been given as presents by her family towards a holiday are worthless. \"I'm feeling rubbish. Every birthday and Christmas over the last two years I've been saving Thomas Cook vouchers to take my two young children on their first holiday abroad - Disneyland was the plan. \"I've got PS800 worth and was planning to fly out next summer. I stand to lose all the money from the vouchers and my children will no longer get their holiday.\" Ms Jones, who lives in Milton Keynes, has been in contact with Atol, but says the vouchers are not covered by its protection scheme. \"There is nothing anyone can do to help. \"That's it, I'm going to have to start saving again. I have no other option. We'll have to wait another two years for our next holiday.\" It was her dad's idea that the family give holiday vouchers, and he's now feeling a little guilty, she says. \"It's not his fault at all. It was a good idea at the time.\" Read more from Thomas Cook customers. While an estimated 150,000 Britons are affected by Thomas Cook's collapse, the company has up to a further 450,000 customers abroad, some of whom have been affected. In Germany, one of Thomas Cook's main markets, insurance companies will help organise the response to its collapse. UK customers will be brought home \"as close as possible\" to their booked return date, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said. Customers will be on special free flights or booked on to another scheduled airline at no extra cost, with details of each flight to be posted on a dedicated website as soon as they are available. The DfT added that a \"small number\" of passengers might need to book their own flight home and reclaim the costs. The CAA is also contacting hotels accommodating Thomas Cook customers, who have booked as part of a package, to tell them that the cost of their accommodation will be covered by the government's Air Travel Trust Fund and Air Travel Organiser's Licence scheme (Atol). Tim Johnson, policy director of the CAA, told BBC News that customers whose future holidays had been cancelled would be informed of how they can claim a refund on the website. Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom has said she will write to the Insolvency Service urging them to \"fast-track\" their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas Cook's going into liquidation. The investigation will also consider the conduct of top directors, who have been paid a combined PS20m in salaries and bonuses since 2014. A Cabinet spokesman said: \"People will rightly look at the size of bonuses to some of the directors and have serious concerns about that. \"There's a broader issue at play about collapsing firms and director pay and we are looking that more broadly as a government.\" Thomas Cook asked the government for a PS250m bailout, the BBC understands, but this was denied. Mr Shapps defended the move on the BBC's Today programme. \"I fear it would have kept them afloat for a very short period of time and then we would have been back in the position of needing to repatriate people in any case,\" he said. The company's large debts and High Street-focused business made it a poor candidate for survival, he said. Overall, Operation Matterhorn will cost the taxpayer around PS100m, he added. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC the government should have bailed out Thomas Cook, \"if only to stabilise the situation while a real plan for the future of the company could be addressed\". Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to help stranded holidaymakers, but also questioned whether company directors were properly motivated to \"sort such matters out\". Schapps said a task force would be set up to help the 9,000 UK employees who stand to lose their jobs. Workers at some Thomas Cook shops in Britain have already met with representatives of the firm's administrators, who told them they would be made redundant. Jobs at the tour operator's airline and in its engineering division may also go. Some workers are being kept on, however, but there is no definite number. For now, Thomas Cook's Indian, Chinese, German and Nordic subsidiaries will continue to trade as normal. This is because, from a legal standpoint, they are considered separate to the UK parent company and are not under the jurisdiction of the UK's Official Receiver. They do, however, share services - such as aircraft and IT - with their parent company and will need to strike rescue deals in the coming weeks to keep trading. Thomas Cook had secured a PS900m rescue deal led by its largest shareholder Chinese firm Fosun in August, but a recent demand from its banks to raise a further PS200m in contingency funding had put the deal in doubt. Fosun said in a statement: \"We extend our deepest sympathy to all those affected by this outcome.\" The holiday company spent all of Sunday in talks with lenders trying to secure the additional funding and salvage the deal, but to no avail. Thomas Cook has blamed a series of issues for its problems, including political unrest in holiday destinations such as Turkey, last summer's prolonged heatwave and customers delaying booking holidays because of Brexit. Speaking to BBC News from Manchester airport, travel expert Simon Calder said Thomas Cook \"wasn't ready for the 21st Century\". \"Now everybody can pretend they are a travel agent. They've got access to all the airline seats, hotel beds, car rentals in the world and they can put things together themselves. Mr Calder, travel editor at The Independent, added that planes at the airport began to be impounded shortly after 00:00 BST. While the company was closing shops to try and cut costs, closing 21 in March, it still had more than 500 outlets, bringing large costs compared to online competitors. In another sign of its slow progress in mending its finances, it only stopped dividend payments to investors in November. If you are on a package holiday, you are covered by the Atol scheme. The scheme will pay for your accommodation abroad, although you may have to move to a different hotel or apartment. Atol will also pay to have you brought home if the airline is no longer operating. If you have a holiday booked in the future, you will also be refunded by the scheme. If you have booked a flight-only deal, you will need to apply to your travel insurance company or credit card and debit card provider to seek a refund. When Monarch Airlines collapsed in 2017, the government organised to bring home all the stranded passengers, whether they were covered by Atol or not. Here is more information on Atol protection and your rights. Are you a Thomas Cook customer or member of staff? If you've been affected by the issues raised here, you can get in touch by emailing [email protected]. Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: - WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803 - Send pictures/video to [email protected] - Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay - Text an SMS or MMS to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international)", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5255, "answer_start": 3479, "text": "While an estimated 150,000 Britons are affected by Thomas Cook's collapse, the company has up to a further 450,000 customers abroad, some of whom have been affected. In Germany, one of Thomas Cook's main markets, insurance companies will help organise the response to its collapse. UK customers will be brought home \"as close as possible\" to their booked return date, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said. Customers will be on special free flights or booked on to another scheduled airline at no extra cost, with details of each flight to be posted on a dedicated website as soon as they are available. The DfT added that a \"small number\" of passengers might need to book their own flight home and reclaim the costs. The CAA is also contacting hotels accommodating Thomas Cook customers, who have booked as part of a package, to tell them that the cost of their accommodation will be covered by the government's Air Travel Trust Fund and Air Travel Organiser's Licence scheme (Atol). Tim Johnson, policy director of the CAA, told BBC News that customers whose future holidays had been cancelled would be informed of how they can claim a refund on the website. Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom has said she will write to the Insolvency Service urging them to \"fast-track\" their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas Cook's going into liquidation. The investigation will also consider the conduct of top directors, who have been paid a combined PS20m in salaries and bonuses since 2014. A Cabinet spokesman said: \"People will rightly look at the size of bonuses to some of the directors and have serious concerns about that. \"There's a broader issue at play about collapsing firms and director pay and we are looking that more broadly as a government.\"" } ], "id": "292_0", "question": "How will holidaymakers get home?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6139, "answer_start": 5256, "text": "Thomas Cook asked the government for a PS250m bailout, the BBC understands, but this was denied. Mr Shapps defended the move on the BBC's Today programme. \"I fear it would have kept them afloat for a very short period of time and then we would have been back in the position of needing to repatriate people in any case,\" he said. The company's large debts and High Street-focused business made it a poor candidate for survival, he said. Overall, Operation Matterhorn will cost the taxpayer around PS100m, he added. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell told the BBC the government should have bailed out Thomas Cook, \"if only to stabilise the situation while a real plan for the future of the company could be addressed\". Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged to help stranded holidaymakers, but also questioned whether company directors were properly motivated to \"sort such matters out\"." } ], "id": "292_1", "question": "What is the government doing?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6982, "answer_start": 6555, "text": "For now, Thomas Cook's Indian, Chinese, German and Nordic subsidiaries will continue to trade as normal. This is because, from a legal standpoint, they are considered separate to the UK parent company and are not under the jurisdiction of the UK's Official Receiver. They do, however, share services - such as aircraft and IT - with their parent company and will need to strike rescue deals in the coming weeks to keep trading." } ], "id": "292_2", "question": "What about Thomas Cook's international operations?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 8379, "answer_start": 6983, "text": "Thomas Cook had secured a PS900m rescue deal led by its largest shareholder Chinese firm Fosun in August, but a recent demand from its banks to raise a further PS200m in contingency funding had put the deal in doubt. Fosun said in a statement: \"We extend our deepest sympathy to all those affected by this outcome.\" The holiday company spent all of Sunday in talks with lenders trying to secure the additional funding and salvage the deal, but to no avail. Thomas Cook has blamed a series of issues for its problems, including political unrest in holiday destinations such as Turkey, last summer's prolonged heatwave and customers delaying booking holidays because of Brexit. Speaking to BBC News from Manchester airport, travel expert Simon Calder said Thomas Cook \"wasn't ready for the 21st Century\". \"Now everybody can pretend they are a travel agent. They've got access to all the airline seats, hotel beds, car rentals in the world and they can put things together themselves. Mr Calder, travel editor at The Independent, added that planes at the airport began to be impounded shortly after 00:00 BST. While the company was closing shops to try and cut costs, closing 21 in March, it still had more than 500 outlets, bringing large costs compared to online competitors. In another sign of its slow progress in mending its finances, it only stopped dividend payments to investors in November." } ], "id": "292_3", "question": "What went wrong?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 9096, "answer_start": 8380, "text": "If you are on a package holiday, you are covered by the Atol scheme. The scheme will pay for your accommodation abroad, although you may have to move to a different hotel or apartment. Atol will also pay to have you brought home if the airline is no longer operating. If you have a holiday booked in the future, you will also be refunded by the scheme. If you have booked a flight-only deal, you will need to apply to your travel insurance company or credit card and debit card provider to seek a refund. When Monarch Airlines collapsed in 2017, the government organised to bring home all the stranded passengers, whether they were covered by Atol or not. Here is more information on Atol protection and your rights." } ], "id": "292_4", "question": "What are your rights?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Climate change activists glued themselves to a train and others chained themselves to Jeremy Corbyn's home in a third day of protests. Extinction Rebellion protesters have been blocking traffic at Marble Arch, Waterloo Bridge, Parliament Square and Oxford Circus since Monday. Earlier, three activists were glued to a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train at Canary Wharf, causing minor delays. Four people also glued themselves together at the Labour leader's home. The activists, who also used a bike lock to attach themselves to Mr Corbyn's north London house, said they supported him but wanted the Labour Party to go further than declaring a \"climate emergency\". After ending their protest Tracee Williams, one of the group, said she did not think the action was a \"misstep but whether we'd do it again, I'm not so sure\". Mr Corbyn left his home but declined to meet or speak to any of the protesters. Easter eggs and flowers from the group, which had been taken into Mr Corbyn's home earlier, were later returned to the street by the Labour leader's wife Laura Alvarez. Ms Williams added the group \"really felt we had to bring it to his front door\" but \"feel absolutely terrible about upsetting his wife\". As of 17:00 BST, 340 people have been arrested since Monday over the protests, the Met Police said. The campaigner who glued himself to a train window was removed about an hour after the start of the DLR protest, at about 10:50. The man and a woman who unfurled a banner and glued themselves to the top of the train's carriage were also later removed and carried off by officers. BTP said three people had been arrested for obstructing the railway. Extinction Rebellion targeted the DLR after members changed their minds about disrupting the Tube network. It came after BTP ordered Transport for London (TfL) to switch off wifi at Tube stations to deter protests. Supt Matt Allingham said extra officers would be on duty throughout the day, adding: \"We will not tolerate any activity which disrupts the millions of passengers who rely on using the rail network in London.\" Campaigners at Waterloo Bridge, Parliament Square and Oxford Circus have been ordered to restrict their protests to Marble Arch. The Met said protesters were being removed from both areas and those who did not comply would be arrested. The Metropolitan Police says it uses a \"fluid de-bonding agent\" - but refuses to specify what that contains for operational reasons. Dr Mark Elliott, a senior lecturer in organic chemistry at Cardiff University, said warm, soapy water or the compound acetone would be the most suitable method - but warned any removal was likely to be painful. \"Anyone who has inadvertently stuck their fingers together with superglue will know how difficult and painful it can be to separate then - and the fingertips are relatively tough,\" he says. \"It is even more painful when other, softer, areas of skin become bonded.\" According to Dr Elliott, the general advice is to use warm, soapy water, then to apply gentle pressure - for example by inserting a spatula. \"This will inevitably take time and be rather painful,\" he warned. Alternatively, acetone - normally found in nail-varnish remover - can make it easier to remove the glue - but \"easier\", he adds, \"is very much a relative term\". How do you un-glue a protester? (published 2010) The BBC's Dominic Casciani said about a dozen people were carried to police vans at Oxford Circus after failing to comply with police. Springwatch presenter Chris Packham, who was at the protest in Oxford Circus, said the atmosphere was \"peaceful and resolute\". Most of the people arrested so far have been held over public order offences. The Met Police said \"contingency plans are in place should custody suites become full\". Extinction Rebellion earlier said \"thousands\" more people were willing to be arrested as part of the non-violent disruption. It had been planning to target London Underground to \"highlight the emergency of ecological collapse\" and persuade ministers to meet group members. The campaign group said: \"Today we will disrupt one overground line as part of our escalating campaign to demand the government acts now on the climate and ecological emergency.\" London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged protesters to \"think again\", adding public transport helped tackle climate change. Music student Anouska Stahlmann said her ill mother and elderly grandparents were forced to walk part of their journey to avoid risking being stuck in a Tube tunnel. The 20-year-old said: \"I have no issue with wanting to better the environment and we're fairly conscious of it as a family. \"Their methods, however, are seriously flawed and are not inclusive of people who want to support the cause.\" Protester and climate lawyer Farhana Yamin, who was arrested on Tuesday, earlier told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: \"I totally want to apologise to people using public transport. \"But at the same time we need to take actions that are disruptive so everyone understands the dangers we're facing right now.\" Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of New West End Company, said the West End lost PS12m in trade because of the first two days of protests. He told BBC Radio London: \"Everyone has a right to peaceful protest. But this is really disruptive.\" In Edinburgh, dozens of people were arrested earlier this week when hundreds of protesters blocked a main road. Organisers said protests had been held in more than 80 cities across 33 countries and action in London was planned until 29 April. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said \"it's appropriate for people to make their feelings known\" but added: \"We've got the message; we understand that action needs to be taken.\" Speaking on the BBC's The One Show, he said some of the protest action had been \"over the top\" but driven by a \"legitimate desire to put climate change and the environment further up the agenda\". Mr Gove said the UK had \"played a role in reducing carbon emissions and at the same time growing the economy\", but admitted \"there is more to be done\". Since the group was set up last year, members have shut bridges, poured buckets of fake blood outside Downing Street, blockaded the BBC and stripped semi-naked in Parliament. It has three core demands: for the government to \"tell the truth about climate change\", reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2025, and create a citizens' assembly to oversee progress. Controversially, the group is trying to get as many people arrested as possible. But critics say they cause unnecessary disruption and waste police time when forces are already overstretched. The government said it shared \"people's passion\" to combat climate change and \"protect our planet for future generations\". The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the UK had cut its emissions by 44% since 1990. A spokesman said: \"We've asked our independent climate experts for advice on a net zero emissions target and set out plans to transition to low emission vehicles and significantly reduce pollution.\" Sign up for a weekly chat about climate change on Facebook Messenger", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3345, "answer_start": 2319, "text": "The Metropolitan Police says it uses a \"fluid de-bonding agent\" - but refuses to specify what that contains for operational reasons. Dr Mark Elliott, a senior lecturer in organic chemistry at Cardiff University, said warm, soapy water or the compound acetone would be the most suitable method - but warned any removal was likely to be painful. \"Anyone who has inadvertently stuck their fingers together with superglue will know how difficult and painful it can be to separate then - and the fingertips are relatively tough,\" he says. \"It is even more painful when other, softer, areas of skin become bonded.\" According to Dr Elliott, the general advice is to use warm, soapy water, then to apply gentle pressure - for example by inserting a spatula. \"This will inevitably take time and be rather painful,\" he warned. Alternatively, acetone - normally found in nail-varnish remover - can make it easier to remove the glue - but \"easier\", he adds, \"is very much a relative term\". How do you un-glue a protester? (published 2010)" } ], "id": "293_0", "question": "How do you unglue a protester?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 6602, "answer_start": 6054, "text": "Since the group was set up last year, members have shut bridges, poured buckets of fake blood outside Downing Street, blockaded the BBC and stripped semi-naked in Parliament. It has three core demands: for the government to \"tell the truth about climate change\", reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2025, and create a citizens' assembly to oversee progress. Controversially, the group is trying to get as many people arrested as possible. But critics say they cause unnecessary disruption and waste police time when forces are already overstretched." } ], "id": "293_1", "question": "What is Extinction Rebellion?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The 121st governor of the Bank of England has been named as Andrew Bailey. It's a job that can affect the everyday finances of people across the UK. So what does it involve? The Bank of England is the UK's central bank. Unlike High Street banks, a central bank does not hold accounts or issue loans to the public. Its main job is to manage the overall state of the economy, and the stability of the financial system. A central bank can also be a lender to other banks. In the UK, the central bank acts as the government's bank and a lender of last resort in times of financial difficulty. For example, in 2007 it loaned PS27bn to Northern Rock, before the government took control during the financial crisis. It also produces banknotes and stores the UK's gold reserves, (400,000 bars worth more than PS200bn), as well as those of other central banks. The Bank of England was founded as a private bank in 1694, mainly to fund a war against France. It had 17 clerks and two doormen. Today it employs more than 4,000 people. The Bank was privately owned until after World War Two, when it was nationalised. The current governor is Mark Carney. His term was officially due to end on 31 January, but he has now agreed to extend it until 15 March to allow for what chancellor Sajid Javid described as an \"orderly handover\". Mr Carney has been in the role since 2013. Officially the post is to last for eight years, but Mr Carney agreed to a five-year term with the option of three more. He agreed to extend his term twice, staying on longer in the post because of the delays to Brexit. Mr Bailey will take over on 16 March and will serve a full eight-year term. The governor is responsible for overseeing the Bank's three main responsibilities: - Inflation: The Bank tries to keep the cost of living stable. To do this it sets interest rates each month, to make sure prices rise at its own target of 2% a year - Financial system: This connects people who want to save, invest or borrow money. The Bank monitors risks in the system and acts to reduce them, like loaning to banks if they need it. It shares responsibility for this with the Treasury and the regulatory body, the Financial Conduct Authority - Individual banks: It ensures individual banks, building societies and insurers are run well The governor also chairs important committees in the Bank that work towards its targets: the Monetary Policy Committee; Financial Policy Committee; and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Mr Bailey will also represent the UK in meetings of international organisations like the G7 and the International Monetary Fund. The job advert for the role of governor was first put up in 2019, by then Chancellor Philip Hammond. The Treasury plays an important part in appointing to the role, and hired a recruitment firm that specialises in placing women in top jobs. However, Mr Bailey's appointment means hopes that the Bank could have been led by a female governor for the first time in its history have been dashed. The job description said that the successful candidate should have led a large financial organisation before, as well as having an \"acute political sensitivity and awareness\" and good communication skills. Besides the staff, the head has four deputy governors. Each one is responsible for looking after a particular bit of the Bank's work, such as monitoring the stability of the financial system. Mr Bailey will start off on a base salary of PS495,000, compared with Mr Carney's base salary of PS480,000 in 2018-19. But last year, Mr Carney, who is Canadian, received a total pay package of PS881,574. That included an accommodation allowance for PS250,000. The Bank said this accounts for the difference in the cost of living in London rather than Ottawa.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1104, "answer_start": 174, "text": "The Bank of England is the UK's central bank. Unlike High Street banks, a central bank does not hold accounts or issue loans to the public. Its main job is to manage the overall state of the economy, and the stability of the financial system. A central bank can also be a lender to other banks. In the UK, the central bank acts as the government's bank and a lender of last resort in times of financial difficulty. For example, in 2007 it loaned PS27bn to Northern Rock, before the government took control during the financial crisis. It also produces banknotes and stores the UK's gold reserves, (400,000 bars worth more than PS200bn), as well as those of other central banks. The Bank of England was founded as a private bank in 1694, mainly to fund a war against France. It had 17 clerks and two doormen. Today it employs more than 4,000 people. The Bank was privately owned until after World War Two, when it was nationalised." } ], "id": "294_0", "question": "What is the Bank of England?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1656, "answer_start": 1105, "text": "The current governor is Mark Carney. His term was officially due to end on 31 January, but he has now agreed to extend it until 15 March to allow for what chancellor Sajid Javid described as an \"orderly handover\". Mr Carney has been in the role since 2013. Officially the post is to last for eight years, but Mr Carney agreed to a five-year term with the option of three more. He agreed to extend his term twice, staying on longer in the post because of the delays to Brexit. Mr Bailey will take over on 16 March and will serve a full eight-year term." } ], "id": "294_1", "question": "Who is the governor now?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2610, "answer_start": 1657, "text": "The governor is responsible for overseeing the Bank's three main responsibilities: - Inflation: The Bank tries to keep the cost of living stable. To do this it sets interest rates each month, to make sure prices rise at its own target of 2% a year - Financial system: This connects people who want to save, invest or borrow money. The Bank monitors risks in the system and acts to reduce them, like loaning to banks if they need it. It shares responsibility for this with the Treasury and the regulatory body, the Financial Conduct Authority - Individual banks: It ensures individual banks, building societies and insurers are run well The governor also chairs important committees in the Bank that work towards its targets: the Monetary Policy Committee; Financial Policy Committee; and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Mr Bailey will also represent the UK in meetings of international organisations like the G7 and the International Monetary Fund." } ], "id": "294_2", "question": "What does the governor do?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3210, "answer_start": 2611, "text": "The job advert for the role of governor was first put up in 2019, by then Chancellor Philip Hammond. The Treasury plays an important part in appointing to the role, and hired a recruitment firm that specialises in placing women in top jobs. However, Mr Bailey's appointment means hopes that the Bank could have been led by a female governor for the first time in its history have been dashed. The job description said that the successful candidate should have led a large financial organisation before, as well as having an \"acute political sensitivity and awareness\" and good communication skills." } ], "id": "294_3", "question": "What skills do they need?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3402, "answer_start": 3211, "text": "Besides the staff, the head has four deputy governors. Each one is responsible for looking after a particular bit of the Bank's work, such as monitoring the stability of the financial system." } ], "id": "294_4", "question": "Do they have any helpers?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3762, "answer_start": 3403, "text": "Mr Bailey will start off on a base salary of PS495,000, compared with Mr Carney's base salary of PS480,000 in 2018-19. But last year, Mr Carney, who is Canadian, received a total pay package of PS881,574. That included an accommodation allowance for PS250,000. The Bank said this accounts for the difference in the cost of living in London rather than Ottawa." } ], "id": "294_5", "question": "How much do they get paid?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Pakistan is bracing itself for a landmark court verdict that could see Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif forced to resign over corruption allegations. It follows an investigation into his family's wealth after the 2015 Panama Papers dump linked Mr Sharif's children to offshore companies. Mr Sharif denies any wrongdoing, but the case has exposed a divided nation. The Supreme Court will decide if the case is to be dismissed, sent to trial or if he should simply be disqualified. No civilian prime minister of Pakistan has ever completed a five-year term. Mr Sharif, who is currently serving as prime minister for a record third time, is less than a year away from becoming the first to complete a full term in office. This ruling represents the peak of a drama that has fuelled frenzied news coverage and heated social media debates for months, attracting both scorn and ridicule as well as trenchant support for the prime minister. The divisions fall largely along party lines but amid the febrile accusations, many have also expressed concerns over Pakistan's political culture. The Wikipedia profile of the prime minister has been rewritten, dated late Thursday evening and littered with obscenities and accusations. A probe into Mr Sharif and his family began when leaked papers from a Panama-based law firm linked Mr Sharif's children to offshore companies used to buy several luxury central London flats. The opposition was quick to accuse the prime minister of corruption and a subsequent special inquiry said his family had failed to account for the source of its financial assets. The report caused an uproar in the country and opposition groups say his family is using its political influence to build up personal wealth. They have called on him to resign. The prime minister - who himself is not named in the Panama Papers - denies all allegations and insists they are politically motivated. There were also questions over the make-up of the investigation team. Having considered the findings of the controversial investigation into the matter the court now has three options: - It finds there is not enough evidence to show the prime minister has been involved in any wrongdoing, and dismisses the case - It finds enough evidence to declare the prime minister dishonest and disqualifies him - It does not make a final decision but recommends a fresh investigation Analysts suggests that if the prime minister is found guilty he could nominate a close political ally - possibly his brother Shahbaz, who is chief minister of Punjab province - to his post so his government could see out its turn. Should Mr Sharif be cleared though and stay in office, his acquittal would likely trigger widespread protests by his opponents. The case also threatens the political future of the prime minister's daughter, Maryam Sharif, who has long been tipped as her father's successor in waiting, but who has been embroiled in the scandal. A recent document supposed to absolve her of some of the allegations was allegedly dated from 2006 - yet then found to be written in computer font only commercially available the following year. Widespread ridicule of her case on social media was quick to follow.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1968, "answer_start": 1216, "text": "A probe into Mr Sharif and his family began when leaked papers from a Panama-based law firm linked Mr Sharif's children to offshore companies used to buy several luxury central London flats. The opposition was quick to accuse the prime minister of corruption and a subsequent special inquiry said his family had failed to account for the source of its financial assets. The report caused an uproar in the country and opposition groups say his family is using its political influence to build up personal wealth. They have called on him to resign. The prime minister - who himself is not named in the Panama Papers - denies all allegations and insists they are politically motivated. There were also questions over the make-up of the investigation team." } ], "id": "295_0", "question": "What are the accusations all about?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Islamist militant al-Shabab fighters have launched an attack on a Kenyan military base in southern Somalia. The al-Qaeda-linked group says it has killed more than 50 soldiers and seized military vehicles and weapons. But a Kenyan military spokesman said the dawn attack was repelled, the base was not overrun and scores of insurgents were killed in the fighting. A year ago al-Shabab carried out a similar attack on a Kenyan base in the town el-Ade. In that raid the Islamist group said it had killed more than 100 soldiers, but the Kenyan government refused to give its casualty figures. Kenya's ministry of defence spokesman has not confirmed the deaths of any soldiers in the latest attack. Lt Col Paul Njuguna, however, did say that soldiers had killed \"scores\" of al-Shabab fighters when the attackers tried to enter the camp in Kolbiyow, near the Kenyan border, after setting off a car bomb. Al-Shabab says it has taken control of the base and surrounding area, according to the AFP news agency. Kenya contributes more than 3,600 troops to the Africa Union mission helping the UN-backed government tackle al-Shabab in Somalia. It appears lessons have not been learnt from the attack on the Kenyan base in el-Ade town last year. Regardless of the death toll this time, al-Shabab's audacity to repeat such an assault on a location where the Kenyans should be strongest reveals how much work still needs to be done in counterinsurgency. The attack will also spur calls in Kenya for a review of its ambitions to stabilise its north-eastern neighbour, where it first sent soldiers in October 2011. There appears to be a view in the government that the greater the silence about its losses in the battlefield, the less criticism it will receive. There are still unanswered questions from el-Ade, with some families of slain soldiers left in the dark about the fate of their loved ones. One year later, this latest attack is proving that there is only so much that the Kenya and African Union mission can sweep under the carpet. - 9 June: Al-Shabab said they killed 60 Ethiopian soldiers in Halgan - Ethiopia denied any soldiers were killed - 21 April: Six Ethiopian troops killed in blast in Bay Region - 22 February: 15 Ethiopian troops dead in clashes in Lower Shabeelle - 15 January: Scores of Kenyan troops killed in an attack on base in el-Ade - 1 September: More than 20 killed in suicide attack on base in Janale, including at least 12 Ugandan troops - 26 June: At least 50 Burundian troops killed in attack on base near Mogadishu - 20 October: 70 Amisom and Somali troops killed in clashes in Mogadishu.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1132, "answer_start": 898, "text": "Al-Shabab says it has taken control of the base and surrounding area, according to the AFP news agency. Kenya contributes more than 3,600 troops to the Africa Union mission helping the UN-backed government tackle al-Shabab in Somalia." } ], "id": "296_0", "question": "Who controls Somalia?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "Cuban officials say they have found one of the two black boxes from a plane that crashed near Havana airport, killing more than 100 people, in \"good condition\". Transport Minister Adel Yzquierdo says he hopes the second device will be recovered soon. He revised the official death toll up to 110 people, including 11 foreigners. Three women survived the crash, but are said to be in a critical condition with serious burns. The incident is Cuba's worst air disaster in decades, and two days of national mourning began on Saturday. Officials said investigators are combing through the wreckage of the plane, a Boeing 737 which was nearly 40 years old, at the field where it crashed some 20km (12 miles) south of the Cuban capital. The black box which has already been recovered will hold key flight data and information about what happened to the plane. Mr Yzquierdo told journalists that the 110 dead included 99 Cubans, six Mexican crew members, two tourists from Argentina, one from Mexico, and two passengers from Western Sahara. The Argentine couple were named by their government as Dora Beatriz Cifuentes and Oscar Hugo Almaras, both in their sixties. Several victims' relatives have travelled to Havana to help identify the deceased. Those coming from Holguin - the plane's intended destination - and other eastern parts of Cuba made the 700km (435-mile) trip on buses, escorted by the National Revolutionary Police, EFE news agency reported. President Miguel Diaz-Canel has visited the morgue where the victims are being identified. Cuban authorities do not plan to release the full list of the dead until all victims' families have been informed. The Boeing 737-201 crashed at 12:08 (16:08 GMT) on Friday, shortly after taking off from Havana on an internal flight to Holguin. It's too early to say what caused the crash, but eyewitnesses on the ground described seeing the jet burst into flames before crashing into a field close to a wooded area near the airport. \"I saw it taking off,\" supermarket worker Jose Luis told the AFP news agency. \"All of a sudden, it made a turn, and went down. We were all amazed.\" \"We heard an explosion and then saw a big cloud of smoke go up,\" Gilberto Menendez, who runs a restaurant near the crash site, told Reuters. Mexico's transport department said on its website that \"during take-off (the plane) apparently suffered a problem and dived to the ground\". Boeing said that it was ready to send a technical team to Cuba, \"as permitted under US law and at the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board and Cuban authorities\". A US trade embargo has been in force against Cuba for many decades. Four people initially survived the crash but one died after being taken to hospital, the director of Havana's Calixto Garcia hospital, Carlos Alberto Martinez, told Reuters. The three survivors are all women, according to Cuban Communist Party newspaper Granma: one aged between 18 and 25, one in her thirties and the third aged 39. \"She is alive but very burnt and swollen,\" one of the women's relatives at the hospital told Reuters. By Will Grant, BBC Cuba Correspondent Two days of national mourning have begun, with the entire island sharing a little of the pain of the many families affected by the disaster. But in their grief, people also want answers. They are demanding an explanation as to why a routine flight from Havana came crashing down in a field barely a minute after it took off, with over 100 passengers and crew on board. The country's new President, Miguel Diaz-Canel, faces his first real test in providing those answers. He visited the crash site to thank the emergency services and announced an investigation was already under way. It emerged that the previous President, Raul Castro, was recuperating from minor surgery on a hernia, and he too expressed his condolences to the victims' families. The families of the survivors face an anxious wait to see if they will pull through, and their countrymen are praying that at least some will have survived this catastrophe. The plane had been leased to state airline Cubana de Aviacion by the Mexican company Aerolineas Damojh. The Mexican authorities said the plane was built in 1979 and had been successfully inspected last November. Mexico earlier said it was sending two civil aviation specialists to join the investigation. Aerolineas Damojh, also known as Global Air, has three planes in operation. According to industry research, last year was the safest in history for commercial airline travel with no passenger jet crashes. But there have been several serious air disasters this year. - Last month, a military plane crashed shortly after take-off in Algeria, killing more than 250 people - In February, a Saratov Airlines plane crashed near Moscow, killing 71 people - In March, a US-Bangla Airlines flight crashed in Kathmandu, Nepal; 51 people died Cuba's deadliest air crash was in 1989, when a Soviet-made Ilyushin-62M passenger plane crashed near Havana, killing 126 people on board and another 24 people on the ground.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 1655, "answer_start": 853, "text": "Mr Yzquierdo told journalists that the 110 dead included 99 Cubans, six Mexican crew members, two tourists from Argentina, one from Mexico, and two passengers from Western Sahara. The Argentine couple were named by their government as Dora Beatriz Cifuentes and Oscar Hugo Almaras, both in their sixties. Several victims' relatives have travelled to Havana to help identify the deceased. Those coming from Holguin - the plane's intended destination - and other eastern parts of Cuba made the 700km (435-mile) trip on buses, escorted by the National Revolutionary Police, EFE news agency reported. President Miguel Diaz-Canel has visited the morgue where the victims are being identified. Cuban authorities do not plan to release the full list of the dead until all victims' families have been informed." } ], "id": "297_0", "question": "What do we know about the dead?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2654, "answer_start": 1656, "text": "The Boeing 737-201 crashed at 12:08 (16:08 GMT) on Friday, shortly after taking off from Havana on an internal flight to Holguin. It's too early to say what caused the crash, but eyewitnesses on the ground described seeing the jet burst into flames before crashing into a field close to a wooded area near the airport. \"I saw it taking off,\" supermarket worker Jose Luis told the AFP news agency. \"All of a sudden, it made a turn, and went down. We were all amazed.\" \"We heard an explosion and then saw a big cloud of smoke go up,\" Gilberto Menendez, who runs a restaurant near the crash site, told Reuters. Mexico's transport department said on its website that \"during take-off (the plane) apparently suffered a problem and dived to the ground\". Boeing said that it was ready to send a technical team to Cuba, \"as permitted under US law and at the direction of the US National Transportation Safety Board and Cuban authorities\". A US trade embargo has been in force against Cuba for many decades." } ], "id": "297_1", "question": "How did the plane come down?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 3089, "answer_start": 2655, "text": "Four people initially survived the crash but one died after being taken to hospital, the director of Havana's Calixto Garcia hospital, Carlos Alberto Martinez, told Reuters. The three survivors are all women, according to Cuban Communist Party newspaper Granma: one aged between 18 and 25, one in her thirties and the third aged 39. \"She is alive but very burnt and swollen,\" one of the women's relatives at the hospital told Reuters." } ], "id": "297_2", "question": "What about the survivors?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4430, "answer_start": 4050, "text": "The plane had been leased to state airline Cubana de Aviacion by the Mexican company Aerolineas Damojh. The Mexican authorities said the plane was built in 1979 and had been successfully inspected last November. Mexico earlier said it was sending two civil aviation specialists to join the investigation. Aerolineas Damojh, also known as Global Air, has three planes in operation." } ], "id": "297_3", "question": "What do we know about the plane?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5060, "answer_start": 4431, "text": "According to industry research, last year was the safest in history for commercial airline travel with no passenger jet crashes. But there have been several serious air disasters this year. - Last month, a military plane crashed shortly after take-off in Algeria, killing more than 250 people - In February, a Saratov Airlines plane crashed near Moscow, killing 71 people - In March, a US-Bangla Airlines flight crashed in Kathmandu, Nepal; 51 people died Cuba's deadliest air crash was in 1989, when a Soviet-made Ilyushin-62M passenger plane crashed near Havana, killing 126 people on board and another 24 people on the ground." } ], "id": "297_4", "question": "How does this compare to recent plane crashes?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "The internal Labour row over anti-Semitism has dragged on for nearly three years. Here's a guide to what's been going on. Jewish people have faced prejudice and hostility for centuries. During World War II, six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis or their accomplices in what is known as the Holocaust. Modern-day anti-Semitism can take many forms including, but not limited to, conspiracy theories about Jewish control of the global financial system and the media, to attacks on synagogues, verbal abuse or hate speech and abusive memes on social media. In 2018, anti-Semitic hate incidents in the UK reached a record high, according to the Community Security Trust, which monitors them. In 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) adopted a working definition of anti-Semitism which described it as \"a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews\". The UK and the IHRA's other 30 members accepted the definition, as well as a series of accompanying \"contemporary\" examples of how anti-Semitism manifests itself in public life. These include Holocaust denial, denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination (through the existence of the State of Israel), and holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of that state. Labour got itself into trouble over the definition - as we'll explain later. Debates about anti-Semitism in Labour often involve Israel and the term \"Zionism\". In its modern sense, Zionism refers to support for Israel's existence and prosperity. It began as a political movement in Europe in the late 19th Century which sought to develop Jewish nationhood in the land known as Palestine - also known to Jews as the ancient Land of Israel. The movement evolved and eventually led to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Some say \"Zionist\" can be used as a coded attack on Jewish people, while others say the Israeli government and its supporters are deliberately confusing anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism to avoid criticism. Attitudes to Israel in the UK, and on the left in particular, are influenced by its troubled relationship with its Arab neighbours and its long conflict with the Palestinians. A 2016 report by the Home Affairs Committee of MPs backed the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism but said it should include an additional statement to maintain freedom of speech \"in the context of discourse about Israel and Palestine\". This, it said, should read \"it is not anti-Semitic to criticise the Israeli government without additional evidence to suggest anti-Semitic intent\" or to hold Israel \"to the same standards as other liberal democracies or to take a particular interest in the Israeli government's policies or actions, without additional evidence to suggest ant-Semitic intent\". Anti-Semitism was generally not regarded as a big problem in the Labour Party before Jeremy Corbyn's election as leader in September 2015. Since then, things have changed, with Mr Corbyn and other figures on the left setting a new political direction. There has been an influx of new members, many of whom are vocal critics of Israel and who believe the UK, along with the US, should be tougher towards Israel, especially regarding its policies towards the Palestinians and its building of settlements in the occupied territories. The strength of the left's support for Palestinian statehood, which Jeremy Corbyn has championed for decades, contrasts with the more nuanced position taken by many of his predecessors. As the balance of power within Labour changed after Mr Corbyn's appointment, attention quickly focused on what activists and elected representatives were saying - and had said in the past - on social media and elsewhere about Israel and Jewish people. There were claims that anti-Semitic tropes were being widely propagated and a number of incidents attracted a great deal of attention. High-profile suspensions over alleged anti-Semitic comments include MP Naz Shah, the ex-London Mayor Ken Livingstone and MP Chris Williamson, an ally and friend of Mr Corbyn. Ms Shah apologised for a string of comments on Twitter, including one suggesting Israel should be moved to the United States, although she was subsequently re-instated. Mr Livingstone quit the party after a long-running row over claims Adolf Hitler had once supported Zionism while Mr Williamson was stripped of his membership for saying the problem of anti-Semitism had been over-stated and Labour had been \"too apologetic\" over the issue. Mr Williamson's case is still ongoing - he was allowed back into the party several months later, but was suspended again two days later. pending further consideration of his future. In February this year Labour released figures showing that the party received 673 accusations of anti-Semitism by Labour members between April 2018 and January 2019. However the scale of the issue remains disputed. In April 2019, the Sunday Times reported that Labour had received 863 complaints against party members, including councillors. The newspaper claimed leaked e-mails it had seen showed more than half of the cases remained unresolved while there had been no investigation in 28% of them. It said fewer than 30 people had been expelled while members investigated for posting online comments such as \"Heil Hitler\" and \"Jews are the problem\" had not been suspended. Labour disputed the reports while Jewish Voice for Labour, a newly constituted group supportive of Mr Corbyn, maintained the number of cases being investigated represented a tiny fraction of Labour's 500,000 plus membership. Not nearly enough, say its critics. In 2016, Mr Corbyn asked the barrister and human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti - who was appointed a Labour peer soon after her report was published - to look into the extent of anti-Semitism and other forms of racism within the party. The report concluded that while Labour was not \"overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism\", there was an \"occasionally toxic atmosphere\". It called for a series of recommendations to tackle what it said was the \"clear evidence of ignorant attitudes\" within sections of the party. The report's launch was marred, though, by a verbal confrontation which led to the expulsion of activist Marc Wadsworth from the party after he criticised a Jewish MP. Labour's General Secretary Jennie Formby says she has strengthened and speeded up the party's disciplinary procedures, with more staff to handle investigations but Baroness Chakrabarti - now Labour's shadow attorney general - has criticised the pace of progress. The Home Affairs Committee's 2016 report said the leadership's lack of action \"risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally anti-Semitic\". More recently, in early 2019, Labour approached its former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer about leading a review into its complaints process, which critics say has become politicised. This, in turn, led to complaints from prominent Jewish MPs that he was too close to the party for any review to be independent. But in a politically damaging move, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) announced it would be conducting its own wide-ranging investigation into whether Labour \"unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish\". Labour said it would co-operate fully with the watchdog. It is only the second time the EHRC has investigated a political party - in 2010, it ordered the BNP to re-write its constitution to comply with race relation laws. A Labour spokesman rejected \"any suggestion that the party does not handle ant-Semitism complaints fairly and robustly, or that the party has acted unlawfully\". The party faced further criticism following a BBC Panorama called Is Labour Anti-Semitic? The programme spoke to a number of former party officials who alleged that senior Labour figures - namely Ms Formby and Mr Corbyn's communications chief Seumas Milne - had interfered in the process of dealing with anti-Semitism complaints. The disputes team is supposed to operate independently from the party's political structures, including the leader's office. The whistleblowers also claimed they had faced a huge increase in anti-Semitism complaints since Mr Corbyn became leader in 2015. Labour strenuously disputed the claims, insisting there was no interference and the former staff were \"disaffected\" individuals with \"personal and political axes to grind\". It also said the programme was \"heavily slanted and inaccurate\" - a suggestion Panorama has rejected. The party's deputy leader, Tom Watson, said he \"deplored\" the official response to the documentary, and other senior figures joined him to call on the leadership to listen to the concerns it raised. MPs and peers are now pushing for a fully independent complaints process. In July 2018, Labour adopted a new anti-Semitism code which critics, including Jewish leaders and some Labour MPs, said fell unacceptably short of the IHRA definition. Labour's version did not include a number of its examples of anti-Semitism, including: - accusing Jewish people of being more loyal to Israel than their home country - requiring higher standards of behaviour from Israel than other nations Following a consultation - and widespread criticism - Labour subsequently adopted the full IHRA definition and examples, along with an accompanying statement that \"this will not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians\". Critics have said the addition of a \"caveat\" undermines the IHRA definition - but Labour says it is intended to reassure members they can be critical of Israel without being anti-Semitic. Mr Corbyn proposed a longer additional statement - which would have allowed criticism of the foundation of the state of Israel as a racist endeavour - but this was not accepted by the party's ruling executive. Jeremy Corbyn has insisted time and time again there is no place for anti-Semitism in Labour. Some of his supporters say the problem has been exaggerated and is being used as a stick to beat the Labour leader by people who don't like him or his views on the Middle East. He comes from a different political tradition than virtually every other post-war Labour leader, having campaigned for 40 years against Western imperialism and aggression. Mr Corbyn's opponents accuse him of being too close to Hamas, a militant Islamist group, and Hezbollah, a Lebanese paramilitary group. Both groups are widely viewed in the West as terrorist organisations. He described representatives of Hamas as his \"friends\" after inviting them to a controversial meeting in Parliament in 2009. He later said he regretted his use of language, but insisted his motivation in talking to enemies of Israel was the promotion of peace in the Middle East. But his critics argue his views have created the space for anti-Semitism to flourish in the party and he has condoned anti-Jewish prejudice through several of his own actions. Mr Corbyn faced criticism in August 2018 after a video emerged on the Daily Mail website of a 2013 clip in which he said a group of British Zionists had \"no sense of English irony\". Former chief rabbi Lord Sacks branded the comments \"the most offensive statement\" by a politician since Enoch Powell's \"Rivers of Blood\" speech and accused the Labour leader of being an anti-Semite. Mr Corbyn said he had used the term \"Zionist\" in an \"accurate political sense and not as a euphemism for Jewish people\". He added: \"I am now more careful with how I might use the term 'Zionist' because a once self-identifying political term has been increasingly hijacked by anti-Semites as code for Jews.\" It isn't the only row he has been embroiled in, though. In August 2018, the Labour leader also came under fire over his presence at a ceremony in Tunisia in 2014 which is said to have honoured the perpetrators of the 1972 Munich massacre, during which 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage by Palestinian militants and killed. The Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Mr Corbyn deserved \"unequivocal condemnation\" for laying a wreath on the grave of one of those behind the atrocity. The Labour leader tweeted that Mr Netanyahu's claims about his \"actions and words are false\", adding: \"What deserves unequivocal condemnation is the killing of over 160 Palestinian protesters in Gaza by Israeli forces since March, including dozens of children.\" Mr Corbyn said he had attended the event in Tunis as part of a wider event about the search for peace. Earlier in August 2018, Jeremy Corbyn apologised over an event he hosted as a backbench MP in 2010 where a Holocaust survivor compared Israel to Nazism. After the Times published details of the event, the Labour leader said he had \"on occasion appeared on platforms with people whose views I completely reject\" and was sorry for the \"concerns and anxiety that this has caused\". In March 2018, Mr Corbyn was criticised for sending an apparently supportive message to the creator of an allegedly anti-Semitic mural in 2012. In a message sent via Facebook, he had appeared to question a decision to remove the artist's controversial work from a wall in east London. He later said he had not looked at it properly, calling it \"deeply disturbing and anti-Semitic\". The artist, called Mear One, denied this, saying the mural was about \"class and privilege\". Following the row, Mr Corbyn said he was \"sincerely sorry for the pain\" caused and conceded there were \"pockets\" of anti-Semitism within the party. Unease within Labour ranks in Parliament intensified in 2017 and 2018 amid concerns the leadership was not doing enough to defend Jewish MPs, such as Luciana Berger, who were themselves the targets of anti-Semitic abuse and death threats. In March 2018, scores of Labour MPs joined Jewish groups, including the Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, and other anti-racism campaigners to demand action in an unprecedented \"Enough is Enough\" rally outside Parliament. In a further sign of the breakdown in trust between Labour and the Jewish community, the Jewish Labour Movement considered severing its century-old affiliation to the party. While deciding to retain its ties, the organisation of 2,000 members did pass a motion of no confidence in Mr Corbyn and voted to describe the party as \"institutionally anti-Semitic\". In February 2019, nine MPs quit Labour, many of them citing the leadership's handling of anti-Semitism as their reason for leaving. Ms Berger, who had a police escort at the 2018 Labour Party conference, said she had come to the \"sickening conclusion\" that the party had become institutionally anti-Semitic and that she was \"embarrassed and ashamed\" to stay. Ms Berger's supporters, including deputy leader Tom Watson, claimed she has been \"bullied out of her own party by racist thugs\". Among the other defectors, Joan Ryan claimed the party had \"become infected with the scourge of anti-Jewish racism\" while Ian Austin blamed Mr Corbyn for \"creating a culture of extremism and intolerance\". In March 2018, the head of the Labour Party's disputes panel quit after it emerged she had opposed the suspension of a council candidate accused of Holocaust denial. Christine Shawcroft said she had not not been aware of the \"abhorrent\" Facebook post that had led to his suspension In July 2018, the UK's three main Jewish newspapers published the same front page, warning that a government led by Mr Corbyn would pose an \"existential threat to Jewish life\". Earlier that month the party brought disciplinary action against the Labour MP Margaret Hodge, after she reportedly called Mr Corbyn an \"anti-Semite\" and a \"racist\". Ms Hodge refused to apologise and the action was later dropped. Frank Field, the MP for Birkenhead since 1979, quit the party's group in Parliament in August 2018, saying the leadership had become \"a force for anti-Semitism in British politics\". In May 2019, a member of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee - Peter Willsman - was suspended after LBC radio reported he had been recorded as saying that the Israeli embassy was \"almost certainly\" behind the anti-Semitism row. And Labour's successful candidate in the Peterborough by-election, Lisa Forbes, was engulfed in a row after it emerged she had liked a social media post suggesting Theresa May had a \"Zionist slave masters agenda\". She apologised and calls for her to be suspended were rejected but the controversy led to fresh ructions and claims racism had become \"institutionalised\" within the party. Update 25th June 2019: Although intended as a general guide, an earlier version of this article omitted some relevant information and it has since been updated. Correction 23rd July 2019: An earlier version of this article inaccurately said that Labour has never confirmed the number of anti-Semitism cases it is investigating and this has been amended to confirm that the party did release figures for a 10 month period in 2018/19.", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2795, "answer_start": 1372, "text": "Debates about anti-Semitism in Labour often involve Israel and the term \"Zionism\". In its modern sense, Zionism refers to support for Israel's existence and prosperity. It began as a political movement in Europe in the late 19th Century which sought to develop Jewish nationhood in the land known as Palestine - also known to Jews as the ancient Land of Israel. The movement evolved and eventually led to the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. Some say \"Zionist\" can be used as a coded attack on Jewish people, while others say the Israeli government and its supporters are deliberately confusing anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism to avoid criticism. Attitudes to Israel in the UK, and on the left in particular, are influenced by its troubled relationship with its Arab neighbours and its long conflict with the Palestinians. A 2016 report by the Home Affairs Committee of MPs backed the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism but said it should include an additional statement to maintain freedom of speech \"in the context of discourse about Israel and Palestine\". This, it said, should read \"it is not anti-Semitic to criticise the Israeli government without additional evidence to suggest anti-Semitic intent\" or to hold Israel \"to the same standards as other liberal democracies or to take a particular interest in the Israeli government's policies or actions, without additional evidence to suggest ant-Semitic intent\"." } ], "id": "298_0", "question": "How does it relate to Israel?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5597, "answer_start": 2796, "text": "Anti-Semitism was generally not regarded as a big problem in the Labour Party before Jeremy Corbyn's election as leader in September 2015. Since then, things have changed, with Mr Corbyn and other figures on the left setting a new political direction. There has been an influx of new members, many of whom are vocal critics of Israel and who believe the UK, along with the US, should be tougher towards Israel, especially regarding its policies towards the Palestinians and its building of settlements in the occupied territories. The strength of the left's support for Palestinian statehood, which Jeremy Corbyn has championed for decades, contrasts with the more nuanced position taken by many of his predecessors. As the balance of power within Labour changed after Mr Corbyn's appointment, attention quickly focused on what activists and elected representatives were saying - and had said in the past - on social media and elsewhere about Israel and Jewish people. There were claims that anti-Semitic tropes were being widely propagated and a number of incidents attracted a great deal of attention. High-profile suspensions over alleged anti-Semitic comments include MP Naz Shah, the ex-London Mayor Ken Livingstone and MP Chris Williamson, an ally and friend of Mr Corbyn. Ms Shah apologised for a string of comments on Twitter, including one suggesting Israel should be moved to the United States, although she was subsequently re-instated. Mr Livingstone quit the party after a long-running row over claims Adolf Hitler had once supported Zionism while Mr Williamson was stripped of his membership for saying the problem of anti-Semitism had been over-stated and Labour had been \"too apologetic\" over the issue. Mr Williamson's case is still ongoing - he was allowed back into the party several months later, but was suspended again two days later. pending further consideration of his future. In February this year Labour released figures showing that the party received 673 accusations of anti-Semitism by Labour members between April 2018 and January 2019. However the scale of the issue remains disputed. In April 2019, the Sunday Times reported that Labour had received 863 complaints against party members, including councillors. The newspaper claimed leaked e-mails it had seen showed more than half of the cases remained unresolved while there had been no investigation in 28% of them. It said fewer than 30 people had been expelled while members investigated for posting online comments such as \"Heil Hitler\" and \"Jews are the problem\" had not been suspended. Labour disputed the reports while Jewish Voice for Labour, a newly constituted group supportive of Mr Corbyn, maintained the number of cases being investigated represented a tiny fraction of Labour's 500,000 plus membership." } ], "id": "298_1", "question": "What is the Labour anti-Semitism row about?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 7737, "answer_start": 5598, "text": "Not nearly enough, say its critics. In 2016, Mr Corbyn asked the barrister and human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti - who was appointed a Labour peer soon after her report was published - to look into the extent of anti-Semitism and other forms of racism within the party. The report concluded that while Labour was not \"overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism\", there was an \"occasionally toxic atmosphere\". It called for a series of recommendations to tackle what it said was the \"clear evidence of ignorant attitudes\" within sections of the party. The report's launch was marred, though, by a verbal confrontation which led to the expulsion of activist Marc Wadsworth from the party after he criticised a Jewish MP. Labour's General Secretary Jennie Formby says she has strengthened and speeded up the party's disciplinary procedures, with more staff to handle investigations but Baroness Chakrabarti - now Labour's shadow attorney general - has criticised the pace of progress. The Home Affairs Committee's 2016 report said the leadership's lack of action \"risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally anti-Semitic\". More recently, in early 2019, Labour approached its former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer about leading a review into its complaints process, which critics say has become politicised. This, in turn, led to complaints from prominent Jewish MPs that he was too close to the party for any review to be independent. But in a politically damaging move, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) announced it would be conducting its own wide-ranging investigation into whether Labour \"unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish\". Labour said it would co-operate fully with the watchdog. It is only the second time the EHRC has investigated a political party - in 2010, it ordered the BNP to re-write its constitution to comply with race relation laws. A Labour spokesman rejected \"any suggestion that the party does not handle ant-Semitism complaints fairly and robustly, or that the party has acted unlawfully\"." } ], "id": "298_2", "question": "What has Labour done in response?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 17084, "answer_start": 15157, "text": "In March 2018, the head of the Labour Party's disputes panel quit after it emerged she had opposed the suspension of a council candidate accused of Holocaust denial. Christine Shawcroft said she had not not been aware of the \"abhorrent\" Facebook post that had led to his suspension In July 2018, the UK's three main Jewish newspapers published the same front page, warning that a government led by Mr Corbyn would pose an \"existential threat to Jewish life\". Earlier that month the party brought disciplinary action against the Labour MP Margaret Hodge, after she reportedly called Mr Corbyn an \"anti-Semite\" and a \"racist\". Ms Hodge refused to apologise and the action was later dropped. Frank Field, the MP for Birkenhead since 1979, quit the party's group in Parliament in August 2018, saying the leadership had become \"a force for anti-Semitism in British politics\". In May 2019, a member of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee - Peter Willsman - was suspended after LBC radio reported he had been recorded as saying that the Israeli embassy was \"almost certainly\" behind the anti-Semitism row. And Labour's successful candidate in the Peterborough by-election, Lisa Forbes, was engulfed in a row after it emerged she had liked a social media post suggesting Theresa May had a \"Zionist slave masters agenda\". She apologised and calls for her to be suspended were rejected but the controversy led to fresh ructions and claims racism had become \"institutionalised\" within the party. Update 25th June 2019: Although intended as a general guide, an earlier version of this article omitted some relevant information and it has since been updated. Correction 23rd July 2019: An earlier version of this article inaccurately said that Labour has never confirmed the number of anti-Semitism cases it is investigating and this has been amended to confirm that the party did release figures for a 10 month period in 2018/19." } ], "id": "298_3", "question": "What else has happened?" } ] } ]

[ { "context": "A church treasurer said she was shocked by the extortionate cost of her mother's funeral - and immediately saved hundreds of pounds by searching for a better price. Chris Harvey said she was quoted more than PS4,000, even though family members could walk to the church. The PS2bn funeral services sector now faces a major investigation. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had \"serious concerns\" about above-inflation price rises. Mrs Harvey said her mother, Phyllis Harvey, died nearly two years ago. She told the hospice where her mother died that she was likely to use the same local funeral director that she had used when her father died years earlier. Only later did she discover the business had become part of the Dignity chain. She was unhappy that they appeared to be initially unaware of where her mother's body was being held. She was also shocked by the cost, when she eventually found out how much it would be, describing it as extortionate. \"We could just walk to the church, so it was an extraordinary amount of money,\" Mrs Harvey said. As a church treasurer herself, she knew that relatively little of that money went to the church. She looked on her phone for a better price with another funeral director and said she saved PS1,400 and received \"a better service\". The family donated those savings to the hospice where Phyllis had been looked after before her death. Mrs Harvey said she was pleased with the CMA investigation: \"They should be more transparent about prices. People do not want to talk about it, but it is important.\" The CMA found that people typically spent between PS3,000 and PS5,000 organising a funeral, with the average price of the core elements now standing at PS4,271. The average cremation fee was PS737 last year, with the fees having risen by 84% in the past 10 years. The CMA report found: - The cost of essential elements have risen by more than two-thirds in a decade - That is three times the rate of the rise of prices in general, as measured by inflation - Those on the lowest incomes could face funeral costs that amount to nearly 40% of their annual outgoings - That is more than the amount spent on food, clothing and energy combined in a year The regulator said that these price rises did not appear to be justified by the equivalent rise in providers' own costs or matched by improvements in the quality of service. It has spent six months studying the sector. In Scotland, the national funeral inspector is set to report to the Scottish Parliament on the standard of funeral directors. People arranging a funeral could save more than PS1,000 by shopping around for a funeral, the CMA said. However, the regulator pointed out that grieving families would be distressed and not in a position to do so. Most prices were not available or clear online, it added. \"People mourning the loss of a loved one are extremely vulnerable and at risk of being exploited,\" said Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA. \"We need to make sure that they are protected at such an emotional time, and we're very concerned about the substantial increases in funeral prices over the past decade.\" One comparison site - Beyond - said that the UK's funeral sector had been \"allowed to become like the Wild West\". \"It is still true that very few people - only 4% - actually [shop around], often because of a very British taboo around death and being seen to 'shop around' for funeral prices,\" said co-founder Ian Strang. The CMA also said that smaller funeral directors had tried to keep the costs low, but larger chains had consistently increased prices. Following the CMA announcement, the share price of Dignity - one of the largest providers - fell by nearly 16%. \"We're fully committed to ensuring vulnerable consumers are protected. In January this year we started materially reducing our prices,\" said Mike McCollum, chief executive of Dignity. \"We've already started publishing our prices online and will make further improvements before the end of March 2019.\" The Co-op, another large provider, said it had reduced prices on its \"affordable funerals\" and introduced simpler options in the past three years. There is a state safety net, the Funeral Expenses Payment, available to people on certain benefits, but critics say it still leaves a shortfall that has to be picked up by families. The report was \"clearly a wake-up call\" for the profession, said Terry Tennens, chief executive of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. It has urged members to put prices on their websites. \"The public would benefit from more information about how to arrange a funeral, covering quality and costs,\" he said. A separate inquiry by the Treasury into the pre-paid funeral sector is continuing. Many of these plans do not cover costs such as embalming, limousines, a funeral service, a wake, burial plots or memorial stones. In some cases, families are left having to find an extra PS2,000, even though they expect such items to be included. The government is considering a move that would mean tougher regulation of pre-paid funerals. Were you to buy the parts of a funeral separately, rather than as a plan, these would be the typical costs - although they can vary significantly in different parts of the UK: Moving deceased to Chapel of Rest PS99; hearse and chauffeur PS315; coffin PS275 to PS1,500 or more; minister or officiant fee PS148; funeral director's professional fees PS1,000 to PS1,500 Cremation costs: Cremation fee PS660; cremation urn PS200; ash plot PS450; doctor's fees (not payable in Scotland) PS164 Burial costs: Interment fee (grave-digging and backfilling for a single depth grave) PS150 to PS1,734; burial plot cost PS280 to PS5,000 or more; stone memorial PS800 to PS1,200 or more Optional costs: Embalming PS136 to PS165; limousine and chauffeur PS305; flowers PS151; order of service sheets PS72; church service PS98 to PS149; catering PS397 Source: Fairer Finance", "qas": [ { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 2559, "answer_start": 1567, "text": "The CMA found that people typically spent between PS3,000 and PS5,000 organising a funeral, with the average price of the core elements now standing at PS4,271. The average cremation fee was PS737 last year, with the fees having risen by 84% in the past 10 years. The CMA report found: - The cost of essential elements have risen by more than two-thirds in a decade - That is three times the rate of the rise of prices in general, as measured by inflation - Those on the lowest incomes could face funeral costs that amount to nearly 40% of their annual outgoings - That is more than the amount spent on food, clothing and energy combined in a year The regulator said that these price rises did not appear to be justified by the equivalent rise in providers' own costs or matched by improvements in the quality of service. It has spent six months studying the sector. In Scotland, the national funeral inspector is set to report to the Scottish Parliament on the standard of funeral directors." } ], "id": "299_0", "question": "How much does a funeral cost?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 4687, "answer_start": 2560, "text": "People arranging a funeral could save more than PS1,000 by shopping around for a funeral, the CMA said. However, the regulator pointed out that grieving families would be distressed and not in a position to do so. Most prices were not available or clear online, it added. \"People mourning the loss of a loved one are extremely vulnerable and at risk of being exploited,\" said Andrea Coscelli, chief executive of the CMA. \"We need to make sure that they are protected at such an emotional time, and we're very concerned about the substantial increases in funeral prices over the past decade.\" One comparison site - Beyond - said that the UK's funeral sector had been \"allowed to become like the Wild West\". \"It is still true that very few people - only 4% - actually [shop around], often because of a very British taboo around death and being seen to 'shop around' for funeral prices,\" said co-founder Ian Strang. The CMA also said that smaller funeral directors had tried to keep the costs low, but larger chains had consistently increased prices. Following the CMA announcement, the share price of Dignity - one of the largest providers - fell by nearly 16%. \"We're fully committed to ensuring vulnerable consumers are protected. In January this year we started materially reducing our prices,\" said Mike McCollum, chief executive of Dignity. \"We've already started publishing our prices online and will make further improvements before the end of March 2019.\" The Co-op, another large provider, said it had reduced prices on its \"affordable funerals\" and introduced simpler options in the past three years. There is a state safety net, the Funeral Expenses Payment, available to people on certain benefits, but critics say it still leaves a shortfall that has to be picked up by families. The report was \"clearly a wake-up call\" for the profession, said Terry Tennens, chief executive of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. It has urged members to put prices on their websites. \"The public would benefit from more information about how to arrange a funeral, covering quality and costs,\" he said." } ], "id": "299_1", "question": "Are there ways to keep costs down?" }, { "answers": [ { "answer_end": 5111, "answer_start": 4688, "text": "A separate inquiry by the Treasury into the pre-paid funeral sector is continuing. Many of these plans do not cover costs such as embalming, limousines, a funeral service, a wake, burial plots or memorial stones. In some cases, families are left having to find an extra PS2,000, even though they expect such items to be included. The government is considering a move that would mean tougher regulation of pre-paid funerals." } ], "id": "299_2", "question": "What about funerals when you pay in advance?" } ] } ]